"You..... Akutagawa?!" Atsushi gaped.
Atsushi immediately held his gun up, ready to shoot at Akutagawa.
"What a pathetic weapon," Akutagawa scoffed. "After all, a pea-shooter like that won't do anything against her."
A figure that looked like it was wrapped head to toe in bandages stood in the alleyway opposite you, glowing a faint red.
"Rashomon," you breathed out, eyes softening.
Suddenly, you heard purring behind you, as well as the flickering of street lamps. The four of you were completely cornered at the junction, each one of your abilities prowling from a corner, ready to attack.
"Fucking brilliant," you snarled.
Suddenly, Rashomon and the Weretiger lunged at one another, immediately wrestling against each other.
"Interesting," Akutagawa hummed. "Let's see which one is stronger."
"Now is not the time for that!" Atsushi scolded.
Before either you or Kyoka could retort, your own abilities attacked once more, pushing you and Kyoka back to back so that neither of you had space to move.
"Ryuu, are the passages and their passwords still the same?" You asked, turning to face him.
Akutagawa clicked his tongue and turned away.
"Follow me, weretiger," he glared. "L/N-San and Kyoka already know the way."
"Hey, are you just gonna-" Atsushi began, but you shoved him away.
"Go!" You insisted.
"We'll find the way, promise!" Kyoka reassured, sending him off. Once he was gone, she turned to you once more, hoping you had some answers. "L/N-San, do you know what to do?"
"Thank you Kunikida for never letting our uniform go without one of these," you muttered, reaching into your pockets and grabbing out a small bomb. "This'll be enough to distract them."
With that, you set of the smoke bomb and made a hasty exit, knowing the way like the back of your hand. The two of you had to jump over numerous hurdles, each of which came in a variety of forms.
"Kyoka!" You called, beckoning her over.
She understood, and jumped onto an outstretched palm briefly, allowing you to vault her in the direction of the elevator. It was a move you'd pulled with your partners on various occasions before, and a move you ensured every assassin was taught under Verlaine's guidance. Clearly, you still had some power over the way things were run back at the Port Mafia, for Kyoka knew within seconds what you wanted her to do. Just like that, the two of you skidded into the elevator, and frantically pulled the doors shut.
"This emergency passage was built in case of an attack launched by ability users," Akutagawa explained to Atsushi. "Even the fog shouldn't be able to enter this place."
"What the hell even is that fog?" Atsushi glared.
"The Dragon's Breath," Akutagawa sighed.
"Dragon...?" Atsushi questioned.
"Kyoka," Akutagawa began, turning to face the child. "With both of our abilities stripped from us, you could use your assassin skills to kill me. What's stopping you? Shouldn't you get back at me?"
"Kyoka-chan doesn't think anything of you anymore!" Atsushi snarled.
"Do you want to settle things while we don't have our abilities?" Akutagawa sneered.
"Ryuu," you scolded, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you know a method to get our abilities back?" Kyoka suddenly asked, turning around.
"I know a method," Akutagawa admitted, taking a step back, thereby moving closer to you.
"What?!" Atsushi gaped.
"An ability will return to its owner once defeated," Akutagawa scoffed. "Are you that uninformed?"
"What are you after?" Atsushi grit out.
"The same thing we're after," you sputtered, getting annoyed by Atsushi's hostility.
"The same... Shibusawa?" Atsushi asked.
"I'll shred his organs and end his life," Akutagawa declared. "Do you know any other way to save Yokohama?"
"We won't kill," Atsushi glared. "The Detective Agency doesn't do things that way."
"That's laughable, weretiger," Akutagwa sneered. "Kyoka understands what this job entails. She used to be Port Mafia, after all. I'm sure L/N-San, the mafia's most prized asset, also understands."
"I left in order to be able to live in the light," Kyoka reminded. "I quit the Port Mafia to become a member of the Armed Detective Agency. The mafia's killings and the Agency's killings are different."
"L/N-San, what about you?" Atsushi asked, getting more desperate by the minute.
"Sorry, Atsushi," you shrugged. "We don't have Osamu, and this would be our fastest method."
"If this had happened before Dazai-San joined sides with the enemy, we might have been able to stop the fog using his nullification ability," Akutagwa sighed.
"Dazai-San is with the enemy?!" Atsushi sputtered.
"Do you tell him nothing?" Akutgawa hissed, glaring at you.
"Don't raise your voice at me, Ryuunosuke," you glared. "I told him this, we were all informed of it. But let's not waste time on that, let's continue strategising."
"Fine," Akutagawa grumbled. "But yes, weretiger, Dazai-San joined of his own volition."
"You're lying, Dazai-San wouldn't do something like that!" Atsushi insisted.
"Listen, Atsushi, Osamu always has a plan when he does stupid things like this," you groaned. "Half the time, he nearly dies. Assuming things go awry, and he doesn't help us, it's up to us to figure this shit out ourselves. So let's work with the worst-case scenario in mind, got it, kid?"
"I'll be the one to kill Dazai-San," Akutagawa declared.
"Do you really think you can kill Dazai-San?" Atsushi spat out.
"If he's going to fall into the enemy's hands, I'd rather kill him myself," Akutagawa snarled.
Atsushi instantly cocked his gun, holding it up to Akutagawa's chest.
"I won't let you do that!" Atsushi glared.
Before a proper fight could break out, the elevator thudded as it hit the ground, doors opening to let you out. Akutagawa instantly stepped out, and you joined him.
"I can't come with you," Atsushi decided.
"Suit yourself, kid," you shrugged, waving back at him briefly.
"I'll go as well," Kyoka called, traipsing behind the two of you.
"Hey wait!" Atsushi sputtered, begrudgingly jogging after you.
"Shibusawa must have some way to stop the abilities, otherwise they would go on a rampage after killing their user," you theorized. "Do you have any information about this? Considering that it's likely related to the Dragon's Head Conflict from six years ago, all your executives should be familiar with this, no?"
"And you?" Akutagawa asked. "You fought in it, didn't you, L/N-San?"
"Only in the final stretch, Mori-San insisted I stay behind to protect base as much as possible. Not that it helped, I was still half-blinded by the end of it," you sighed. "Where's Chuuya? Did you see him?"
Akutagawa stayed silent, evidently unsure. The two of you walked ahead, the only noise being the whispers from behind you, with Atsushi speculating if this temporary alliance was really the smartest choice.
"Kyoka, I see you're still holding on to your mother's cell phone," Akutagawa noted, turning around.
"Her mother's..?" Atsushi asked.
"What, they didn't tell you this either?" Akutagawa scoffed.
"I.. haven't..." Atsushi trailed off.
Kyoka trudged ahead, walking inbetween you and Akutagawa.
"What's the shortest route?" She asked.
"Zero Five Zero Five," Akutagawa informed.
"Alright, we're nearly there then," you nodded, pointing up at a nearby ladder.
All three of you climbed out one after another, Atsushi joining you not too long after. However, the moment you reached the surface, there was a new problem.
"When it comes to things we've done together..." Akutagawa smirked. "My ability reads me like an open book."
"It's no wonder she can sense my presence."