Before you start reading, I just wanted to say I suck at writing dramas, so bear with me.
I'm also sorry for not updating. My school year is ending, so I need to focus on my studies.
My laptop also broke! (I broke it. T~T)
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Episode 3: Yokohama Gangster Paradise
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"I... I... I'm so sorry!"
Jun'ichiro was seen bowing while his hands were placed on the table.
"Huh?"
"Though it was your exam, I was so rude to you." Tanizaki said. Kunikida was seen getting annoyed at Dazai and began pushing him with his foot. "My name is Tanizaki Jun'ichiro. I work as an assistant of sorts at the agency."
Atsushi puts his hands up, sweat rolling down his face. "Please, it's all right."
'He's not a bad person, really.' Atsushi thought.
"And this is-" "His little sister, Naomi." Naomi jumped, encircling her arms around her brother, cutting him off.
"Y-You're siblings?! I'm not sure I see a family resemblance." Atsushi asked his eyes squinting, not believing the fact.
"You don't believe us, Atsushi-kun?" Naomi asked. The said boy just nervously answered with a 'no'.
"Oh? You doubt us?" Naomi said, tracing her fingers down at her brother's face to his stomach. "Of course we're siblings by blood. We're quite similar, especially this part." Her hands entering Junichiro's sweater, rubbing the skin. She cradled his chin and leaned forward. "Right, onii-sama?"
Most of the audience looked away, coughing awkwardly. While others just watched with a stoic face.
"Oh, but.." Atsushi was seen watching the scene unfold with blushing cheeks.
"Don't pursue this line of inquiry with them too far." Kunikida said.
"Er, okay..." Atsushi said, ignoring the siblings. A card appeared at the side of the screen that says: Atsushi reads between the lines.
"In any event, brat, today you have joined the ranks of our Armed Detective Agency." Kunikida said and turned to the so-called siblings. "Do not be a burden to anyone, nor shame the Agency's good name." He scolded them and turned his attention back at the silver-haired boy. "The rest of us are committed to that, at least. Right, Dazai?"
Dazai was seen tracing his finger at the employee's palm. "Would you strangle me with these fragile, delicate fingers?" Kunikida walked towards the brunette and smacked his head.
"Are you going to smear mud on the Agency's name right as I'm saying we never would?! You bastard! Don't bother asking for her help all the time!" Atsushi just looked at them and sighed. (He's done with their ########.) "I'll crush your neck with my own bony fingers!"
Yosano sighed exasperatedly. "Can't Kunikida catch a break for once?"
"By the way, what were both of you doing before you joined the agency?" Atsushi asked while Kunikida is choking Dazai, while the girl watched with wide eyes. A card appeared at the side of the screen that says: Two Senior Colleagues Shaming the Agency's name.
Kunikida's face turned red in embarrassment.
The two halted their movements and finally looked at him. "Uh, no real meaning behind that question, by the way."
"Take a guess"
"Huh?"
"Oh, it's a game we play often. The rookie tries to guess his senior colleagues' former occupations. Well, it's part of their training as private investigators." Dazai explained.
"Tanizaki-san and Naomi-san... were students?" Atsushi guessed.
"Oh, bingo. I'm impressed." Tanizaki complimented.
"How did you know?" Naomi asked.
"I heard you are a part-time worker, and I thought you might still be a student given your uniform. Tanizaki-san seems close to me in age, so... just a hunch." Atsushi said, pointing out his observations.
"Well, it's rather obvious." Chuuya said.
"Honesty is a virtue. What about Kunikida-kun?" Dazai said that made the dirty blonde spit his tea.
"Who cares about what I used to be?!" He exclaimed.
"Aren't you a little tsundere." Dazai teased him which resulted in a bump in his head.
Atsushi squinted his eyes, trying to guess his former profession. "Public worker? An official?!"
"Close. He was a teacher. A math teacher." Dazai informed him.
"Huh." An imaginary Kunikida appeared behind the silver head boy, as the blonde is in front of a blackboard full of mathematical equations.
"Of course you'd use the law of exponents here!" Kunikida said slamming his hands at the board.
"I can totally see that."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Kunikida exclaimed, clearly offended.
"It's all in the past! I don't even want to think about it." Kunikida said.
"What about me, then?"
"You, Dazai-san?"
"Yes, me."
The Port mafia's interests peaked.
"Well..." Atsushi slowly puts his hands under his chin while the screen dramatically zooms in his face and Dazai's. "Dazai-san was... Dazai-san was..."
'It won't work. I have no idea.'
"Don't bother, brat." Kunikida said, pushing his glasses back to place. "His former profession is one of the seven mysteries of the Armed Detective Agency."
"Is it?" Ranpo suddenly asked, confusing the blond megane.
Most of the mafia kept quiet, enjoying the show.
"The first person to get it right receives a reward, right?" Tanizaki asked earning the attention of Atsushi.
His pupils turned into the ¥ symbol. 'A reward?'
"That's right. No one's been able to guess right, so the reward's just ballooned." Dazai dejectedly said.
'Ballooned... Reward!' Atsushi thought, sweating profusely. He sat up in his hands and knees and asked. "B-By the way, how much has this reward ballooned to, exactly?"
"700,000 yen total."
'Seven Hundred grand?! Oh!'
Blazing fire was seen at his back as he inched closer to the brunette. "S-So if I get it right, I can claim it? For real for reals?!" A card was seen at the side of the screen that says: The Man has a fire lit under him at the thought of a 700,000 reward-- Currently penniless.
"I can join." Chuuya suddenly said. "I could use it to buy more wine!" He said in delight which made Dazai scowl.
"No, thank you."
Dazai's left eye twinkled in delight as he places his fingers under his chin as he hummed. "A suicide proponent is true to his word."
"Atsushi-kun looks excited." "His determination is admirable." The siblings said as they stared at the silver head boy.
"Seven hundred grand will be mine!"
"Speculator?"
"No."
"Writer?"
"Nope!"
(a/n: Dazai Beast Au (T~T))
"Office worker?"
"Wrong!"
"Researcher!"
"No."
"They're just random guesses." Hirotsu said, his hand itching to grab the box of cigarettes in his pockets.
"Researcher Dazai?" Chuuya asked in disbelief. Atsushi just shrunk in his seat, never want to be seen again.
"Lawyer?"
"No!"
"Journalist?"
"Boo."
"Carpenter!"
"Nope."
The siblings just stared at them, terrified.
"Fortune teller!"
"No."
Mori snorts in amusement while side glancing at the short ginger head.
"Pilot."
"Wrong."
"Interpreter."
"Non, non!"
"It's all random..." Tanizaki. "Yeah..." Naomi.
"Japanese Chef."
"Booo."
"No way, doctor?"
"No way."
"Shinto priest."
"No!"
"Actor!"
"No! But..."
Dazai placed his hands in his face, delighted. "That's flattering."
"I bet you were just wandering around doing nothing." Kunikida said.
"Nope." Dazai said, his back straightening. "I would never lie about this."
'Well, I did lay low for 2 years after leaving the mafia.' Dazai thought.
"Do you yield, Atsushi-kun?" Dazai asked and pulled the bill. "Then you can take the check."
"What?" Atsushi stared at the paper, dumbfounded.
"If you don't have enough on you right now, you can start a tab. After all, it's the Agency's go-to restaurant, the Vortex. " Dazai suggested. Tanizaki's phone rang that caught the siblings attention.
"Yes, this is Tanizaki." He said after he picked up the phone. "Yes, okay. Got it."
"We have a job?" Kunikida.
"Yes. The client's already at the Agency." Tanizaki informed them.
"Well, it's time to work." Dazai stood up followed by all of them. "Let's save the guessing game for another time."
The opening began to play.
Akutagawa gave Kana a pointed look which caused her to pout and skip the opening. The audience just watched in amusement.
"So... You've mentioned that you'd like to request an investigation, but you've manner of investigation are we speaking of here?" Tanizaki asked as the screen showed a woman with blonde hair and deep brown eyes. Sitting up straight with her simple suit and hands laying in her lap.
Her hand was lifted by a familiar bandaged hand, pink and sparkling glitters were seen in the background. "Beautiful... You're a lady as ephemeral and elegant as a lotus blossom. Would you be willing to join me in a double suicide-"
Kunikida's glasses shined and the brunette was immediately thrown away from the blonde hair woman. The other four people peaked at the side to see the bandaged man.
"What?"
"Ah. Apologies for the disturbance. Don't worry." Kunikida assured the woman and walked to a door and going inside. "Please disregard what just happened. Please continue." The door slammed shut, there was a slapping sound was immediately heard, followed by a groan. (and many more.)
"Regarding my request..."
The three sweating people turned their attention to her. "Y-Yes?"
'Wow. She's managing to carry on as though everything's normal.'
"Well, it seems there's recently been a group of distasteful people loitering in my company building's back alley."
"And by distasteful, you mean..."
"They appeared to be dressed in rags. Some of them have been heard speaking a foreign tongue."
"They must be smugglers or some such." Kunikida said, exiting the room, Dazai was seen laying on the ground. He closes the door. "The military police may police all they want, but they keep multiplying like rats on a ship. They're unavoidable in a port town."
"Right. If we had some evidence that they're running afoul of the law, we could reach out to the military police." Higuchi looked at the man. "So..."
"You want us to stake out the place and get the evidence." Kunikida finished her sentence and looked at Atsushi. "Brat."
"Huh?"
"You go."
"What?!"
"Not a good idea." Kenji said.
"It's a simple skateout job. Besides, smugglers are mostly harmless. They're usually only good at making a break for it. It's the perfect first job for you." Kunikida reassures him.
"But..."
"Tanizaki, go with him." Kunikida said.
Naomi's arms came flying and wrapped her arms around her brother. "If he's going, I'm going, too!"
The scene then skipped at Atsushi preparing the materials before the departure.
A card was seen at the side of the screen that said: Rookie Detective Nervous About His First Job: Nakajima Atsushi
"Hey, brat." Dazai was seen laying his forehead at the table with his headphones on. While the two converse with each other. "It's not that I lack sympathy for your unlucky, ill begotten life." Kunikida pulled out his notebook and said. "As such, I'll give you one hint for surviving this city." He then pulled out a photograph, showing Akutagawa. "Don't run into him. If you do, run."
"You jinxed it!" Rampo exclaimed.
"There's a picture of me just tucked in, on your notebook?" Akutagawa asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"For future purposes!" Kunikida exclaimed defensively.
Atsushi took the picture from him and observed the picture. "Who is he?"
"A mafioso. Though we call them that because we don't know anything else." Dazai answered. The brunette was now standing and leaning against the table, headphones around his neck.
This caused a certain ginger head to tsked.
"They're a vicious criminal organization who claims the port as their territory. They're called the Port Mafia." Kunikida said. "They're the most dangerous bunch in the underground world of this city. One of them, on this photo is a very dangerous man beyond even the Agency's reach." He said as the screen showed Hirotsu, Gin, Tachihara and many more in the background.
Pride can be seen in the faces of the mafia.(except Kyouka) While the Agency just sneered. (except Dazai)
Akutagawa smirked in satisfaction, knowing he had that sort of reaction.
"Why is he dangerous?"
"Because he's gifted. His ability happens to be of the ruthless sort of specialized for slaughter. Not even a military police stand a chance against him. I wouldn't want to fight him, either." Kunikida explained while Dazai was seen to be in deep thought.
"Well it depends on how you use your ability." Fukuzawa said.
"Yeah, you can use it for good too." Kenji agreed.
'Well, you will fight him soon, Kunikida.' Dazai thought.
"What were you thinking at that time?~" Yosano asked, teasingly.
"Nothing."
(a/n: That's why I liked BSD better than BNHA. Their universe doesn't categorise them as black for villains and white for heroes only. They also have in between or to put it simply gray.
My sister recommended that I watch gacha anime reactions since I don't know what to watch on youtube except for MCYT, amv's, clips of radio's from va's. I hate it when bnha characters just assume that they are villains even though it's just a bit of blood, they bleed too for fucks sake!
And also fucking Bakugou, when he rolls his eyes and says that he's better than that character, for example, Naruto. Bakugou would be dead if they fight.
Sorry for the long rant. Continue.)
"What's his name?" Kunikida furrows his eyebrows more just when the scene shifted to Akutagawa holding a duffel bag.
"It's Akutagawa."
The sound of coughing was heard from the ravenette as he entered the building.
"I wonder why Akutagawa-senpai has been coughing lately?" Higuchi asked herself.
"I can answer that after this episode. I'll answer all your questions during break time!" Kana said enthusiastically.
Hearing the sliding of the door, the two officers directed their attention to him. "I found a bag on the ground. I think it's been lost by its owner."
"Ah, lost and found. Then if you could fill out this form..."
"Hm? I've seen you before."
"That's impressive." Akutagawa said placing the bag at the counter. "I've already been found out."
"Wait, is he a wanted fugitive?" The two took a step back, grabbing their guns and aiming at him. "Stop!"
"The military police of this city are a distinguished force." Akutagawa said and activated his ability as the screen turns black.
Akutagawa was seen exiting while a woman enters. "Excuse me, could you help me find-" She suddenly gasped seeing the bloody room, the papers scattered and stained with blood. A timer was heard coming from the bag and the building exploded with the ravenette walking calmly.
A card was seen at the side of the screen that says:
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke
Ability: Rashoumon
Wanted
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke
Akutagawa pulled a flipped phone placing it in his ear. "Done. Next..."
Kunikida clenched his hand, gritting his teeth while he watched the scene.
Atsushi looked horrified while the other agency members watched in an indifferent expression.
The agency's building was seen then to Dazai who's laying on the couch. "Whoa whoa yeahh~ Shinjuu wa hitori de wa dekinai..." Dazai was cut off by Kunikida pulling his headphones from his head.
"Hey, Dazai. What about the job?" Kunikida said.
"I'm waiting for a sign from above." He answered, smiling.
"Huh?"
"Futari nara dekiru~
Shinjuu, shinjuu, shinjuu"
"That's scary, all right." Tanizaki's voice was heard while the screen shows Atsushi.
"It's not funny. All this talk about vicious mafia and how you can die... I'm not sure I'm cut out for this." Atsushi complained as they along the streets. The sibling clinging to each other, looking at him. Higuchi at the front, leading the way.
"Well, even I've been able to manage. You'll be fine." Tanizaki reassures him.
"But you're also gifted, right? Your ability must be different from my own useless one..." Atsushi said, lowering his head.
'There must be a reason why he's constantly degrading himself.' Yosano thought.
"I wouldn't set your expectations too high. My ability's not suited for combat." Tanizaki.
"You have a wonderful ability. I love it." Naomi said blowing Tanizaki's neck, which made him blush.
"Stop, Naomi. Not here."
"Oh, are you talking back to me? I wonder what mouth's saying such cheeky things..."
"We're here." Higuchi said, interrupting them.
The three of them looked at the empty alley. "Huh?"
"This way." The three of them entered the alley.
"It's kind of creepy." Atsushi commented.
"That's strange. Is this really the right place?" Tanizaki asked, observing the area. "Um.."
"The name's Higuchi."
"Higuchi-san. Smugglers are a cowardly bunch. They'll always have an escape route. But this is the dead end." Tanizaki said, pointing at the wall behind them. "If anyone came after them from that direction, they'd have nowhere to run."
"That's right." Higuchi dropped her bag, unbuttoning 1-2 buttons of her sweatshirt. "I apologize. I led you into a trap." Tying her hair and putting on her sunglasses. "My real target was you!" She pulls out her phone and places it in her ear. "Akutagawa-senpai."
A card appeared at the side of the screen that says:
Port Mafia
Higuchi Ichiyou
"Akutagawa?!"
"I have them, as planned."
Akutagawa was seen standing on top of a building, his coat flowing with the wind. "Excellent. I'll be there in five minutes."
'I can't believe I have been fooled that time.' Kunikida thought, looking down dejectedly.
She pulled two guns and aimed at them.
"She's..."
"... with the Port Mafia."
She began firing at them, it then shifts to Dazai opening his eyes.
"That's rather suspicious." Yosano said.
She pulled two guns and aimed at them.
"She's..."
"... with the Port Mafia."
She began firing at them, it then shifts to Tanizaki's shocked face, blood splattering in his face.
Naomi's body was seen spreading her arms to protect him, blood in her clothes. Tanizaki's knees weakened and immediately dropped.
Atsushi closed his eyes tightly not wanting to see the memory again. 'Useless. I was useless.'
"Brother... Are you okay?" Naomi's body was watched by the ginger head before she falls to the ground.
"Naomi? Naomi!" Atsushi was seen on the ground flabbergasted, his arms trembling. "God, what should I do? Oh, right! Tourniquet! Atsushi-kun, do you have a tourniquet on you?! No, first, I have to clean the wound... No! I have to get her to Dr. Yosano. We... We have to take her to the infirmary!" Higuchi began loading her gun. "Atsushi-kun, get her legs!" The cold metal touched his head.
"My investigations have already revealed that you are a non-combatant member. Let's have you follow the noble princess to the afterlife."
Naomi clutched her brothers arm. While Tanizaki grimaced.
"What?" Tanizaki glares at her. "You two-bit thug..." Anger was clearly seen on his face. He activated his ability, as green glowing rings spiraled around him. He stood up while carrying Naomi. "How dare you hurt Naomi! Ability: Light Snow..."
The glowing rings spreaded across the area and disappeared. Higuchi aimed the gun at him but halted her movements. "Snow at this time of the year?" She asked herself as snow started falling.
"It seems you didn't investigate enough." Ranpo commented causing the Higuchi to clench her fists and furrow her eyebrows.
"Atsushi-kun, stay far back." Tanizaki said gaining the others attention. "This one... is mine to kill." Higuchi immediately pulled her guns and firung them at him. The bullets went through him as he disappeared like pixels.
"I understand that you are in pain that time but that's no excuse to take one's life." Kunikida said.
"I understand. I was blinded by greif and rage that time." Tanizaki said, lowering his head. Naomi noticed this and gave her brother a pat on his head, reassuring him.
"What?"
"My Light Snow ability transforms the entire space with snowfal into a digital realm." Tanizaki explained.
"How foolish of you to tell her that." Rampo stated.
Tanizaki sighs. "It was a stupid idea."
"What?" Higuchi thought.
"I have overlaid the background scenery onto my image. You can't see me anymore!" Tanizaki roared out, sounding victorious as Higuchi looks around.
"I may not be able to see you but bullets can still hit you!" Higuchi points her guns spinning around as she began to shoot.
Rampo sighed as he rummaged through a bag of chips. Tanizaki surprisingly heard that even through the distance, which made him look down, embarrassed.
The screen suddenly turned black. "Wrong." Tanizaki's hands appeared slowly behind Higuchi then wrapped it around her throat, choking her. She dropped her weapons as she began to lose air.
"Die!" Tanizaki said, his voice explained it all. The grief and anger he feels as he stared at the back of the woman's head, full of fury.
'That face.' Mori thought, staring at Tanizaki's face. He then looked at the sibling who's clinging to each other. 'How fascinating, Fukuzawa-dono.'
A sudden flash of red lightning hitted Tanizaki in the back, falling sideways, revealing Akutagawa behind him. Akutagawa coughed and wipes his hand across his face.
"Fear death." The screen then zooms on Atsushi's face, staring at him in absolute fear. "Fear slaughter." Akutagawa slowly approaching him as Rashomon pulls itself out of Tanizaki's body. "Those who desire death have an equal desire to die. Therefore..."
'Creepy.' Kenji thought.
Kyouka's breath hitches and she exhales. 'I remember him coming back from this.'
A picture of Akutagawa appeared on the screen.
"Don't run into him. If you do, run." The voice of Kunikida can be heard.
"It's nice to meet you." Akutagawa said. "I am Akutagawa, one of the Port Mafia's dogs, as is she."
"Dogs." Kenji muttered "That seems... oddly degrading." Akutagawa frowns.
'Especially if you know that he hates dogs.' Dazai thought.
"So that's what happened." Naomi said. 'It seems my sacrifice seems to be in vain.'
He covers his mouth as he began to cough.
Higuchi gets up, concern in her voice. "Akutagawa-senpai! I can handle this myself!"
Akutagawa then backhanded slaps her, her face flying to the side as her shades fell to the floor. "I believe my orders were to take the weretiger alive! And yet here you are, gunning everyone down! You useless cur*! Stand down."
[*an aggressive dog or one that is in poor condition, especially a mongrel.]
Kana shifted in her seat as the room turned quite.
Atsushi clenched his fists, remembering an unwanted memory.
The mafia watched as if this is a normal occurence.
'He doesn't want her help.' Dazai thought, working out his old apprentice's motives. 'He wants to show that's he's strong and capable of doing this by himself.'
'I taught him that.' He thought, regretting his past actions. Dazai buries his face in his hands.
Kunikida looks up from his notebook where he's jotting down notes to see his partner, quiet.
"Are you okay Dazai?" He questions, his partner eventually giving him a nod in return.
Chuuya gave the two a glance, he then clicked his tongue and continued watching.
Higuchi's face was turned to the side due to the slap, swollen red cheeks in display. "I'm sorry."
Higuchi unconsciously held her cheek, wincing in pain despite it being healed.
"Take the weretiger alive?" Atsushi muttered to himself. "What are you after?"
"My target has been you and you alone, jinko." Akutagawa responded. "Your fellow agents lying there were just caught in the crossfire, an unfortunate consequence."
Tanizaki clenched his fists in anger, so tight that a few bleeding moonmarks appeared in his hands due to his nails. A hand gently grabbed his arm to reassure him, making him calm as he layed his head at his sister's shoulder.
"Indeed." Akutagawa agreed. "That is your karma, Jinko. You will cause ill for everyone around you, just by being alive."
Atsushi looks down, having another flashback to the orphanage.
"Get out, you good-for-nothing!" A man's voice exclaimed, the screen showing half of his face.
Atsushi lets out a shaky breath, relieved that the screen didn't show the man's face.
Dazai who noticed this couldn't help but frown.
"The world would be a better place if you'd just die in a ditch somewhere!" A woman's voice said as the screen showed more adults wearing the same white clothing, staring down at the child Atsushi.
"You'll never find a place where you belong!"
"That's not how you treat a child!" Chuuya couldn't help but exclaim, pointing at the screen while shouting profanities.
"We'll try to investigate this orphanage after we finish this." Fukuzawa said which startled Atsushi.
"You don't have to, Mr. President." Atsushi quickly said.
"But it's clear that don't know how to treat a child properly. Who knows what the other children who's in their care are experiencing right now." Yosano said, her frown deepening.
"Plus, it's not right to degrade a child, it might damage their mental health." Koyou joined.
"My karma..."
Yosano eyed Atsushi, who had put his head down.
He has such little value in himself...
She narrowed her eyes, "Atsushi."
He turned towards her, hesitant and she met his sunset-colored eyes with her own, "I never want to hear you be so degrading to yourself again."
"Huh?"
"You heard me." She said, her voice dark. "You're not a burden to us, you're part of this family now and we're not going to stand for this bullshit, you hear me?"
Atsushi looked terrified by her tone so Kenji spoke up. "What Yosano-san is trying to say is that we care about you Atsushi and that seeing you hurt yourself like this makes us sad."
"Oh..."
The ADA smiled at Atsushi as he stared at them in shock, "T-thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
Akutagawa's eyes opened a bit, "Ability: Rashoumon."
The symbols for Rashomon form in black and red lettering, and break apart, the red letters form around Akutagawa. The creature lunges itself at Atsushi, missing him by an inch and creating a flaming crevice in the floor. Atsushi stares at it in utter terror.
"I missed on purpose that time, of course." Akutagawa said to him. "But my Rashomon has poor taste. It devours anything and everything."
"Is his ability a real tangible thing?" Kunikida asks the others, who all shrug. "He seems to refer to it as a real thing so."
Ranpo hums. "He's treating it like a pet."
'He's literally right here.' Gin thought.
Rashomon has formed into a beast that floats above Akutagawa's head.
"I intend to take you in alive, but if you continue to resist, I'll take your leg next."Akutagawa's gray eyes glared coldly.
"Why..." Atsushi asks despairingly. "Why me?"
'Is this my fault too? Do I make people around me suffer just by being alive?'
"Atsushi." Yosano warns.
"I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT I THINK IN THE PAST!" Atsushi flails his arms.
"A...Atsushi-kun."
Atsusi glances to see Tanizaki staring at him, "Run, Atsushi-kun."
Atsushi can't move, paralyzed in fear.
They're are both still alive. Atsushi realizes and this realization gives him the motivation to get up and charge at Akutagawa. He screams as he charges, Rashomon reaches towards Atsushi.
Naomi blinks. "We gave you the motive to charge at Akutagawa."
It's not a question, but Atsushi answers anyways. "I didn't want you two to get hurt because of me."
Kenji laughs. "That's part of the job, Atsushi. That's what we sign up for."
"I think I've started to notice that now." Atsushi mumbles sheepishly.
"But you shouldn't be reckless. The power between the two of you is large." Kunikida scolded.
"Choosing death over surrender... How tiresome." Akutagawa comments unconcerned.
Atsushi dodges Akutagawa's blow and slides under him, grabbing one of Higuchi's guns. He points it at Akutagawa's back and fires until the ammo runs out. Akutagawa doesn't even flinch. Rashomon roars and emerges from the back of his coat, the bullets falling to the floor.
"That move wasn't half bad. But in the end, it was a fool's last stand. I told you. My black beast is indiscriminate. It devours anything and everything."
Rashomon reaches for Atsushi, it's jaw working hungrily as it tries to devour Atsushi.
"That thing is untamable." Kunikida pushes his glasses up onto his nose. "Look how it's reaching for Atsushi like it wants to eat him. Is it Akutagawa's will or is he just trying to hold it back?"
"Both." Ranpo says, his hand on his chin. "Akutagawa seems to be doing both, but he's trying to restrain himself."
The observation reached Higuchi, she blinks in realization.
"It devoured the very space your bullets crossed in order to reach me." Akutagawa turns his head to look at Atsushi, "Neither spears or flames can reach me without a space to traverse."
How is anyone supposed to attack him, then? Atsushi thought, fear all over his face.
"Dazai-san!" Kenji suddenly exclaimed.
"Me?" Dazai asked the boy, pointing at himself.
"You can attack him." Kenji explained.
Dazai nodded his head, smiling at the attention.
Akutagawa's eyes widened. "And I am a man who keeps his word."
In that instant, Rashomon roared past Atsushi, taking his leg at the same time. As Atsushi lay on the floor in a pool of blood, screaming his lungs out, Akutagawa coughed lightly into his hand.
"I'm also curious about that." Yosano said. "Seems like it's something in his lungs, since we've seen him do it a lot."
Kyouka, meanwhile, gripped Atsushi's arm tightly. "He... took your leg."
Atsushi was startled but quickly smiled. "It's ok, Kyouka. It will grow back."
She glanced down at his leg, So he has regeneration.
Atsushi's screams were drowned out by another flashback and he watched his younger self get beat up and screamed at. I cannot cry.
His ability activated and both Port Mafia members turned around at the sound. The tiger was shown perched on a wall.
"Fascinating." Akutagawa observed, his voice raspy.
"Fascinating, indeed." Mori murmurs, he smirked in amusement.
(a/n: Don't touch our baby Atsushi. 😤)
The tiger's eyes opened and Atsushi's leg re-grows, Higuchi startling back. "His right leg just re-grew!"
Kenji just laughs. "I think it's very useful! Think about how much damage Atsushi takes normally, and factor in his ability. It's useful cause Atsushi gets hurt very often."
Atsushi twisted his face into a grimace. "Unfortunately."
"He could become powerful if you trained him enough." Hirotsu said, almost all the mafia members agreed.
Dazai grimaced at the comment.
Akutagawa only blinked.
The tiger's body formed fully and attacked them, Akutagawa's eyes dilated, "This is what I've waited for!"
As the tiger attacks, he shoves Higuchi out of the way and dodges the tiger.
He flips around and Rashomon charges out which the tiger dodges, using Rashomon to run right at Akutagawa, who realizes what's happening a second too late, forming a net out of Rashomon, which just shoves him backwards.
"Hey, Atsushi!" Kunikida practically yells. "You managed to get a hit on him! That's good info."
"Yeah, but I wasn't in control at the time." Atsushi's protests are drowned out by the ADA praising him for managing to hit Akutagawa.
'Not in control...' Dazai realized the similarities of both his former apprentice and Atsushi.
Kyouka gazes at the screen, getting a small amount of satisfaction in watching Akutagawa get pounded into the wall.
Higuchi watches in fear and pulls out her guns, firing at the tiger. The tiger barely flinches at her bullets instead turning its attention to her.
"Rashomon: Agito!" Akutagawa shouts as the jaws of Rashomon open, revealing him with red, glowing eyes inside. The Tiger is neatly sliced in half, falling to the floor as Akutagawa coughs harshly.
"So much for taking you alive." He remarks, looking at the tiger.
The familiar green of Tanizaki's ability flashes and the tiger disappears.
'Didn't expect that.' Koyou thought.
"Nice one!" Kenji exclaimed.
"Well, What's this?" Akutagawa takes a step towards Tanizaki. "It appears I've destroyed an illusion."
The tiger steps out from behind Akutagawa, who notices it instantly, turning around with a grin on his pale face. "Rashomon: Murakumo!" The two abilities charge at each other, Rashomon having been formed into an arm and the tiger roaring.
The symbols for 'No Longer Human' appeared just as they clash.
"Alright, that's enough." Dazai's voice was heard.
He appears between the two, both abilities disappearing. Akutagawa's eyes widen in fear and surprise.
Ranpo notices the slight fear in Akutagawa's eyes when he spots Dazai's ability. 'That's odd. Dazai acts like he almost knows Akutagawa, personally. But if Akutagawa is afraid of Dazai...'
'How do they know each other?'
The others were asking Dazai questions, "How did you sneak up on them?" Yosano's question is the first one he answers.
"I came from above them!"
"How did he-" Atsushi's question was interrupted by Kunikida.
"Remember he bugged Higuchi. He said he had earlier."
Atsushi's face flamed. "Oh yea."
Atsushi collapses at Dazai's feet. Higuchi stands up, "You are from the Agency.. Why are you here?"
Dazai gives her a winning smile, "I couldn't keep a lady like you off my mind," He lifts a speak up. "I decided to keep in touch."
"It can't be!" Higuchi rummages through her pockets as Akutagawa stand still besides her.
She pulls out a small device. "That means... When you were flirting... You had already seen through me before this even happened!"
Dazai squats on the floor patting Atsushi's back. "C'mon Atsushi. Wake up! I don't want to carry three people back at the same time."
Most of the audience facepalmed.
Higuchi pulls out a gun. "Do you really think we'll just let you go?"
She is interrupted by Akutagawa, as he laughs. "Let's leave them be. We'll come back later."
"Huh?" Atsushi turns to Dazai. "You said you fought them off, not that they let you go."
It was Dazai's turn to look embarrassed, "I might've lied a bit."
"If you could have negotiated with them, you should've asked them to just leave us alone," Naomi's face was full of fury. "You could've gotten the Port Mafia away from us."
Dazai shook his head. "It's not as simple as that..."
Kyouka nods. "If it were that simple, Dazai-san could've scared them off a long time ago." The agency glances at her, wondering how she knows this information.
She steals a glance at Dazai. 'This doesn't add up... I wonder if...'
Chuuya smirks in delight as he watched them. 'They'll find out even if you hide it, Dazai.'
Confusion on her face, Higuchi lowers her gun, "But, Akutagawa... Why?"
Akutagawa glances at Dazai and sighs, "Oh well, We will retreat..."
He turns to Dazai with his whole body, "Be sure that the Port Mafia will be back to claim our prize."
Dazai looks back at Akutagawa, "Why's that?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Akutagawa replies, boredom in his voice, "That jinko has a large amount of money on his head on the black market. The bounty is about 7 billion yen."
"That's a lot of money," Atsushi says faintly.
Kenji claps his hands together, "Dazai is correct! That is very generous of them!"
Yosano taps her hand to her face, "The way Dazai phrased it made it seem like the bounty was from somewhere in Japan, but now that I'm hearing Akutagawa say it, it seems as though it came from further away."
"Maybe someone in another country?" Tanizaki guesses.
Kunikida shakes his head, "Then how would they know about Atsushi in the first place if they weren't here."
"A spy, maybe?"
"Wow," Dazai beams, "That's so very generous of them!"
Akutagawa blinks, "We'll pay you a visit at a later date. Be assured that the Port Mafia will collect what's owed them."
"Oh really?" Dazai stands up, his voice getting an odd edge to it, "Is that a formal war declaration?"
His eyes held no light as his voice slipped down, "Go ahead and try it if you really have the guts,"
Akutagawa took a small step backwards, his eyes growing colder.
They all noticed it that time.
"Why is Akutagawa afraid of you, Dazai-san?" Naomi asks, not aware of the storm she just unleashed.
Dazai's voice is so small that they have to strain to hear it. "Might have something to do with my old job."
"Your old job?" Kunikida asks his partner gently, who just nods in response.
(a/n: You tsundere.)
They don't press further.
Higuchi speaks up, "Do you really believe you can threaten us? You are a small scale operation with very few lackeys while we hold the keys to this cities operations at every level. An agency like yours can't even touch us. If we wished so, we can wipe you all out!"
Dazai scratches the back of his head, his face completely calm, "I'm quite aware."
"Indeed," Akutagawa agrees. "I'd expect you would be, considering your previous history."
'Previous history?' Atsushi thought. 'Must be his old proffesion.'
Dazai smirks.
"As a former Port Mafia member that is, Dazai."
And the outro plays.
Dazai could feel the entire Agency's eyes on him. Odasaku sighed, silently moving away from the scene and sitting beside Kana.
Dazai gave a smile at the floor.
"I imagine you have a lot of questions."
___
AAAAHHH! I FINALLY FINISHED IT!
I'm really sorry for the long wait. School ended last May and I gave myself a break to relax.
Author-san is really happy because of the votes and reads that you gave them. 😆
I know it's late but Happy Pride month, guys!
Have you also seen the new book cover? I made it myself! ^ω^ Credits to the artist, of course.