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It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic that the thing that breaks the camel's back isn't even something Dostoevsky or any of their enemies does, but rather something they themselves do.
It's fascinating, how much humans can take and endure before they have enough and snap, before even the thickest, most carefully, masterfully crafted mask cracks and the endless darkness consumes the littlest sparks of light that has been cultivated for years.
The beginning of the end is a beautiful thing in the same way a supernova is beautiful: destruction unlike anything you've ever seen, going out with a bang after enduring so long to cast light onto others in the dark, dark world surrounding them all. Only the destruction of stars is very dangerous, because where that light once existed, there is always the danger of the ultimate darkness developing in its place, a black hole that will continue destroying everything that gets too close.
It would be poetic, how something which had made things so beautiful could just as easily become more dangerous than even the heat it had once radiated.
It all ends the same way it starts, with gravity ...
The latest Ability war had lasted for far too long and everyone was tired, ready to just bring it all to an end already. They've created the biggest alliance they possibly could, have pulled out all the stops, have not spared a single unit of ammunition or manpower, all resources were put on this one last wager, this one last strategy meeting that might finally help them deal with Dostoevsky and all of his allies and finally bring peace to Yokohama. There have been too many losses, too many casualties, too much property damage. If not for Yosano's Ability, they would have all been dead, but just like with Mori's troops during the Great War, the Immortal Regiment tactic was wearing them all down. One too many far too close brushes with death can destabilize even the most stable person.
This war had to end and it had to end ASAP. Otherwise, there would be no one else left to fight, to protect, and Yokohama and all its citizens would go down in flames.
So, in one last ditch effort, all the strategists and geniuses from all the organizations gathered together in one room and plotted, the rest gathered around them, watching and asking questions or providing specific bits of information. Mori and Dazai were entirely in their element, talking about unit, squad and troop movements like they were born generals, often making references to game theory, guerrilla warfare tactics or statistics and success rates, comparing certain movements to chess moves or contradicting each other's way of thinking. If one were to pay close attention to their dynamic at the strategy meeting, one would notice that Mori showed a slight deference to Dazai, recognizing that the only man alive who would know how Dostoevsky thinks is Dazai, thus Dazai knows how to counter or counter-counter him.
Louisa did her best to be helpful, but her constant need to leave the room, lock herself up somewhere to think using her Ability early on got on the nerves of several people in the room. Her input was rarely more useful than things Mori and Dazai gave on the spot, but her thinking time at least confirmed the percentage rates Boss and former right hand man gave at the top of their heads.
Poe, for all his brilliance, was even more timid than Louisa when he tried to offer up his opinion, barely daring to raise his voice loud enough for Mori and Dazai to hear him and often backpedaling anytime they turned their combined, full focus on him. He had good insights, just like Louise, but he was a writer, he specialized in creating mysteries, not strategies. Besides, he deferred to Ranpo far too much, not once questioning him nor contradicting his opinion, even when even Louisa agreed with Mori and Dazai that the suggestion would not be feasible for a running strategy.
Of course, one shouldn't get it wrong: Ranpo was incredibly intelligent and he is capable of making great strategies. As if to mock the Port Mafia, after he'd finally accepted Dazai presence at the Agency, he'd nicknamed them as the Armed Detective Agency's sharpest detectives, or Souheki. Dazai never acknowledged the second nickname for their pairing when they got together to come up with strategies, though.
Still, one also shouldn't forget: Ranpo is, first and foremost, the world's greatest detective and deduction can get you only so far in war strategies. Ranpo, for all intents and purposes, would have been the most useful in gathering information and deducing the likeliness of one final move or the other being the best choice to end an already planned out strategy. At least where opponents like Dostoevsky were concerned. The Rat King should really be left to his fellow demon for them to hash it out where intelligence and cruely was concerned, for Ranpo surely couldn't match the way Fyodor so callously tossed away lives to achieve his goals.
Or so they thought, until Ranpo interrupted the ongoing discussion between Mori and Dazai - and more or less Louisa and Ango, who was really just there to say what would be acceptable so the Special Abilities Department doesn't have to act negatively towards actions taken by the organizations - with a suggestion which would, practically, be the best solution but realistically can't be a solution at all. For it is unacceptable.
"We should just let Mr Fancy Hat deal with the main front," was his suggestion. "That thing you used to fight the dragon thingy back during the Shibusawa incident." Unnoticeably to most, Chuuya tensed at that, but said nothing. "That ought to deal with the dozens of Ability users we'd otherwise be facing. And it'll draw attention away from the other teams, which can focus on capturing Dostoevsky-"
"No," Dazai cut in, as sharp as a knife, eyes narrowing at Ranpo reprimandingly. "Corruption is a last resort, only when all other resources have been exhausted. As you can see," he gestured at the table full of potential plans, still in various stages of development and discussion, but forming a rather large mess that Kunikida desperately tried to organize so he could take notes and so it would be 'easier to continue this meeting'. "We've not yet reached that point."
"Well, sure," Ranpo agrees as he sucks on a lollipop. "But the longer we're here, the more time we're wasting and giving Dostoevsky the chance to counter whatever move we eventually make. This is quicker, easier and far more effective. And we all want this to end as soon as possible, right?"
"While I do agree that Corruption would most definitely be the most effective way to deal with this," Mori began cautiously. "I also agree with Dazai-kun even more. If we reveal our trump card too soon, we run the risk of a counter happening fast enough that Chuuya-kun's life would be put in unnecessary peril. Not only would that cost us our trump card, but Chuuya-kun overall. After all, Chuuya-kun is a valuable asset in any fight, even without the use of Corruption."
"I've already deduced that Corruption is the best way to do this, so we should just do that!" Ranpo complained, puffing up his cheeks like a child as he spun around in his chair until he was no longer facing the table. He got up, did a little stretch, and started heading towards the door. "We all know that I'm never wrong, so we all know I'm not wrong about this, either! Right, Ango-kun~?"
Ango adjusted his glasses and uneasily swallowed. "While, yes, I do agree Chuuya-kun's Corruption is a good last resort, I also agree that we shouldn't waste anymore time. The sooner we deal with Dostoevsky, the sooner all of us will be safe and Yokohama will be free of his reign of terror. So if Chuuya-kun agrees to risk it, I can't veto it, since the Department, or rather me specifically, has already asked him to do it before."
"Then it's decided~! Meeting over-"
"No," Dazai cut him off again, but this time it was different.
The last time, the word was sharp as a knife. Now, it was sharper than a diamond blade and brought about it a sense of finality that chilled the room to a temperature below zero. Wisely, Mori immediately stepped away and behind Dazai, out of his immediate line of sight, keeping quiet and doing his best not to appear challenging in any way. Ango and the rest of the Port Mafia also stiffened, either recognizing the tone or the danger inherent within it.
Chuuya tipped his head down so his hat would hide his expression.
"Dazai~" Whined Ranpo. "It's already been decided. Let it go-"
In the next second, Dazai had a gun whipped out and a loud bang echoed through the room. Ranpo stood frozen, green eyes wide, as a few strands of hair fell to the floor where the bullet had embedded itself in the wall. A single red line grazed his cheek, hot and burning, but he didn't dare move when Dazai was staring at him with dead, depthless, empty eyes cold enough to chill even the core of a star.
"I said no," Dazai repeats once more. "If I have to say it one more time, the next bullet will be going between the eyes of whoever makes me say it."
"Dazai, what is the meaning of this!?" Thunders Fukuzawa, hand already on his katana but Mori moves to intercept him before he can actually move to take it out. "Mori-sensei, now is not the ti-"
"Don't interfere. It's for your own good," Mori warned, placing a firm grip over Fukuzawa's hand holding the hilt of his sword. Despite that, his eyes never once leave Dazai's form, who hadn't so much as flinched at all the drawn weapons of all participants of this little alliance.
Chuuya, who had been leaning casually against a wall, had also taken up a more ready stance, but his eyes weren't trained on the most obvious threat in the room; rather, he was watching Dazai's back, even as his hat still hid his eyes from clear sight.
"Dazai, what do you think you're doing?! You could have seriously hurt Ranpo-san! And where did you even get that gun from!?" Kunikida demanded, unable to believe his eyes as he looked at his partner so comfortably holding the black glock he knew the brunet didn't own. Or he thought he knew the brunet didn't own ...
"Dazai, put the gun down," Yosano tried, but Dazai did not budge an inch. "Dazai!" She hissed at him but was, once more, ignored.
Kyouka was standing protectively in front of Atsushi, who was just confused and scared, having never seen his mentor like that before. Poe looked like he was panicking, since it was Ranpo who was at gunpoint. Louisa was now being hidden behind Fitzgerald, who had activated his Ability to protect his most vulnerable employee. Tanizaki looked as scared and as confused as Atsushi and was just glad that Naomi and Kenji couldn't attend this meeting, one because she was a civilian, the other because he'd be too distracting for a meeting like this.
Ranpo was still in shock.
Ango was trying to keep his composure, not having expected Dazai to react like this.
The Port Mafia, though, just remained stock still, like statues, almost like they were afraid to breathe too loud as it might draw attention to them. Understandable, considering the circumstances.
"Dazai-kun," Ango dared to utter. "Can you please put the gun down?"
"Will you scrap the bullshit idea you just approved?" Everyone was startled at the vulgar language one does not usually hear from the genius.
The Port Mafia members suddenly became one with the walls, even Mori moving away from where he was preventing Fukuzawa from interfering, though he did tug the Agency President with him, as though to keep him out of the range of fire. Not that it would be helpful, should Dazai really decide to target them. The man's aim was impeccable.
The government agent actually dared to challenge Dazai, though it was done cautiously. "Can you really ask us to do that, when you've made such a call numerous times in the past, and for objectively far lesser threats?"
As quickly and unnoticeably as the first gun, a second gun fired. The shot caused everyone to flinch as it exploded through the otherwise too silent room. Ango cried out in pain as the frame of his glasses was hit, causing the lens on that side to shatter and cut into his eyelids and cheek, which was almost painful enough that he didn't even register his cheek and ear being nicked by the bullet. His ear rang from the whip of their air making the membrane within vibrate so violently from how close the bullet was, though.
Someone whistled at the accuracy.
The Agency, the Guild and Ango's entourage paled at the implications.
"I think you're forgetting a major difference between me and all of you," Dazai hissed like the Serpent, eyes almost giving off a red glow. The air in the room was suffocating, cold and dry like a freezer and the shadows in the corner were playing tricks on everyone's minds. Some were too terrified to even reach for their own Ability, like Tanizaki, who would like nothing more than to disappear right now, but he knew that would be pointless; Dazai always knew how to find him, no matter how good his illusion was. Kyouka backed Atsushi up against the wall, her own hand shaking, even with Demon Snow hovering protectively by them. Atsushi, at this point, might as well be catatonic.
"DAZAI!" Kunikida yelled, about to berate his partner, but Dazai was having none of it.
"Shut the fuck up," he said and Kunikida felt dread run down his spine like icy shivers, like death itself was dragging fingers across his skin, caressing him as it reaped his soul. "This doesn't concern you."
"It concerns us all, Dazai," Ranpo finally recovered and the first words out of his mouth had the Port Mafia members plus Ango almost facepalming. "If we don't stop this war soon, Yokohama might become a wasteland and all of us might become less than dust, depending on how Dostoevsky uses the Book if he gets his hands on it. Hitting them where it hurts and hitting them hard, hitting them now, might be the only way we can end this with the least number of casualt-" He shut up when Dazai pointedly, theatrically, pulled his trigger finger as if to show he was ready to shoot. Instead, the older genius made a frustrated sound. "Dazai, for fuck's sake, it's not even a certain death sentence! We just have to make sure you reach Mr Fancy Hat in time. What, fifteen minutes? That should be plenty of time, right?"
"You're missing the point, Ranpo-san," Dazai replied, finger still steady on the trigger. "You're not the one who can make this call."
"I'm sure Chuuya-kun understands," Ango dared to utter, looking towards Chuuya for reassurance, but the redhead only shrugged. Yes, he would do what was necessary to protect the Mafia and the city, even if it included Corruption with almost certain death at stake. He'd done it before, most recently when he'd fought the singularity dragon with the knowledge - or rather, everyone else's opinion - that Dazai might as well be eliminated at that point. He'd still gone through with it, because that's what was needed and expected of him. Because it was the only way. "See, Dazai-kun? Even Chuuya-kun is okay with it-"
They're all just forgetting one major thing.
Dazai's eyes narrowed. "He's not the one to make the call on this, either."
"What do you mean? It's his Ability!" The woman with light teal hair, Tsujimura from the Special Abilities Department, snapped, wanting to defend her superior but heeding the silent warning he was giving her and the others to stay out of it. "You can't decide what he'll do with it for him!"
"No, he can't," Chuuya agreed, speaking for the first time since this whole thing started. "But to use Corruption is a Soukoku decision and agreement, as we both participate in it. Not to mention that I only trust shitty Dazai to tell me when it's really the only option left."
"But Ranpo is never wrong so you can trust his judgement on this," argued Yosano, but Chuuya just sent her a flat look.
"Is he Dazai? No? Then I don't give a fuck."
Ango dared to give a frustrated sigh. "While there may be a different way, I'm afraid that I agree that this matter needs to be dealt with as swiftly as possible with the lowest number of casualties and collateral damage that we can afford. We need Chuuya-kun,s Corruption, otherwise, Yokohama is doomed-"
"Fuck Yokohama," spat the brunet. "I've sacrificed enough for this city. If it's going to burn without a chibi's power, then it'll burn anyway." Chuuya flipped him off at the insult to his height but, strangely enough, didn't contradict him. Those who knew Chuuya, of course, knew he had struggles with his humanity for about as long as he remembered. And dying like a beastly vessel of a calamity god is as not human as dying like a lab experiment. Needless to say, Chuuya is willing to die any way for the people and things he cares about, but not in the throes of Corruption. "Besides, I've gambled with this city's fate plenty of times before: from the Guivre incident to the Moby Dick one. There were far quicker ways to deal with both if I'd bothered to think like you."
"You've actively endangered the safety of the city-" Akutagawa did Kunikida the favor of slapping a piece of Rashoumon-controlled cloth over his mouth before he could further provoke Dazai with his outrageous exclamation.
"Dazai-kun, please be reasonable-"
"I've already given my answer."
"Dazai-"
"Dazai-kun-"
BANG
Someone screamed as both Ranpo and Ango were interrupted when Dazai shot Ango right in between the eyes. Yosano, who'd been on edge the entire time, immediately sprang into action, none too gently prying the bullet out and then using her Ability to heal Ango before he actually died. Dazai watched her dispassionately as butterflies made of light sprang between her and Ango, engulfing the government agent in a pretty glow before he gasped back to life. At that point, the other government agents had moved to kill Dazai but were quickly thwarted by Rashoumon and For The Tainted Sorrow. Elise held Fukuzawa in place lest he try to slice Dazai in half with his katana. The rest of the Agency, the Guild and the Mafia were too stunned to move, watching with wide, horrified eyes as every last hint of the Dazai Osamu they were used to fell off like a cracked mask, swept away by the unrelenting tides of his anger.
"I said," he repeated one last time. "No. We're done here," with that, he turned from Ango, whose vitals were all over the place due to his panic and literally getting his brains blown out for a second, and instead nodded to Fukuzawa. "It's been a pleasure working with you, Fukuzawa-shachou, but I'm afraid I'm resigning from the Armed Detective Agency effective immediately. I joined the Agency because I refused to work with fools who sacrifice good men for the sake of convenience, certain that is the trait of what might be considered 'the bad side', but seeing as 'the side of good' does the same, I do believe I'll be going with the organization I can benefit the most from. Mori-san," he turns to the Mafia Boss next, who, despite anticipating where this might be going, still eyed him warily. After all, he still had a loaded gun. "Consider this me officially taking you up on your offer to return as one of your Executives. However, should you ever even think of recreating a repeat of what you did to Odasaku ... "
"I wouldn't dare," Mori assured, raising his hands in surrender as he smiled genially at the brunet. "Welcome back, Dazai-kun."
Dazai ignored him and instead practically pirouetted on his heel, heading towards Chuuya. On his way to the gravity manipulator, he passed by Ranpo. Without hesitation, he pistol whipped his fellow genius, not saying a single word, before continuing towards Chuuya. He didn't spare Ranpo a single glance as he fell to the floor from the power behind the blow or as Poe rushed to the detective's side. Instead, he just manhandled Chuuya over his shoulder like some sort of caveman and marched out of the meeting room, already barking orders - as much as it could be considered 'barking' when he's delivering them with icy softness - to every Port Mafia member in sight.
Chuuya bitched at him halfheartedly at the treatment but didn't actually protest or wiggle to get free.
With Dazai gone from the room, at least part of its occupants felt like they could breathe again. The part that felt that way was, undoubtedly, the Port Mafia part, since they were more used to something like this than the rest were. The rest were still reeling over what had just happened and didn't dare move.
"What," Yosano dared to say, almost in a whisper. "The fuck. Was that!?" The last part exploded, gripping onto Ango who had only just calmed down. She turned to glare at Mori, as did Fukuzawa, since he was the one who had prevented the President from interfering.
"Explain yourself, Mori-sensei," demanded the silver haired swordsman as he went over to Ranpo to check on him. Other than the red skin on his cheek that will no doubt bruise and a split lip, Ranpo's biggest problem at the moment seemed to be that he was so in shock he couldn't gather himself to react to the world around him.
Mori didn't seem at all moved by the dangerous tone in his former partner's voice. Instead, he looked quite a bit like an excited child. "Well, it seems that all my Christmases have come early and yet I've survived to live another day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be sealing myself into that atomic shelter I purchased last year. Not such a waste of resources now, is it, Kouyou-kun?" The redhead rolled her eyes at him but didn't comment.
"If you think that can stop Chuuya, then you're clearly underestimating your best Executive."
"Chuuya-kun won't kill me."
"Dazai just left the light for his sake; should he ever learn how you treated him, Chuuya won't hesitate to decimate Yokohama as a whole. Are you forgetting why you kept it a secret what you used to do to Dazai?"
"... Good point. Well ... Carry on," he told the Agency, Guild and the Department and went to leave, but Fukuzawa grabbed him by the elbow and demanded once more what just happened. Mori sighed but indulged him. "You just invoked Dazai's rage. Rightfully so! Soukoku matters are exclusively Soukoku matters, Corruption at the very top of that list, no less. Only they can decide whether it will be used and Dazai-kun is usually the one who makes the call; Chuuya-kun is just left to decide whether he wants to or not. If he doesn't, Dazai-kun is entirely willing to let everything go to hell to conform to Chuuya-kun's wishes. In fact, Dazai-kun practically offered to let Yokohama burn to the ground if Chuuya-kun didn't want to lose his only chance to find out more about his past, six years ago. Dazai-kun can easily work around Corruption, he's always ready to, but it's usually Chuuya-kun who just wants to minimize the casualties by ending it swiftly. However, should Dazai-kun conclude that the use of Corruption would have lethal consequences, Chuuya-kun will trust him and not use it. What you tried to do, on the other hand, is what people who have abused Chuuya or ruined his life in the past have done. Unfortunately for all of you, Dazai-kun had been there to see it happen and seems to have practically made it his life's mission to ensure no one can control Chuuya-kun ever again. Corruption is Chuuya-kun's choice and no one can take it away from him and live. Really, that you're all alive is just a parting gift."
"I completely agree," Ango said through a wince, clearly suffering from a headache. "Had Dazai-kun not still been clinging to the promise he made to Odasaku-san, he would have killed me."
"He nearly did!" Snapped Yosano. "If it hadn't been for my Ability-"
"Exactly," Ango cut in. "Had he really wanted me dead, he would have shot either the President or Ranpo-san, too. You would have panicked and run to them first, probably without even noticing my injury."
"My Ability works on more than one person at a time."
"Panic isn't rational."
"Ango-kun is completely correct," Mori said with a hum. "Dazai-kun is a master manipulator, as I'm sure you've all noticed. He could have shot anyone else Yosano-kun cared about first and waited just long enough for her to rush to them before he shot Ango-kun. With Dazai-kun's accuracy, he'd need to be outright revived, not saved from the brink of death. Dazai-kun's anger is that terrifying and merciless. The only reason I didn't get burned the last time it was ignited was because he had other priorities to rush to."
"I'm guessing that this is the end of the alliance, though," said Kouyou with a sigh and Mori nodded, pleased as punch.
"Not just the alliance, probably. Invoking Dazai-kun's anger usually means retribution, so let's hope he's feeling charitable enough not to seek out vengeance once he's done with Dostoevsky."
"T-there's no way Dazai-san j-just left," protested Atsushi, shaken and barely able to form a coherent sentence together, but always willing to put his faith in his mentor when everyone else doubted him.
"That's what Dazai-san does, jinko," retorted Akutagawa, though surprisingly not unkindly. As someone who intimately understood what it's like to be left behind, he probably pitied his younger partner. "That he's coming back is the real surprise."
Ango would like to disagree, that Dazai always came back to those he considered home and that he had half-expected this since the Dead Apple incident when Soukoku had finally worked as one soul in two bodies again, that the government had even been betting on this happening, had been hoping for it since the Port Mafia was the best 'rabid dog' they could sick on foreign organizations creating a mess in Yokohama, but Fitzgerald, used to doing damage control, spoke before him.
"We now need a plan more than ever-"
"Sure, you do you," Mori interrupted his speech as he reached the door and waved at the others goodbye, his subordinates all following him without a second glance back except Akutagawa who nodded at Atsushi and Kyouka. "Just don't get in Dazai-kun's way once he gets on the warpath. It's not going to be pretty, either way, but if you piss him off even more, not even god can save you and Chuuya-kun certainly won't choose you lot over his finally returned partner~"
With that strange comment, the Mafia were gone and the Guild, Agency and Department were left alone to try and make the tatters of their alliance work. Only it was harder than they thought. The Special Abilities Department had lost interest in the Agency almost completely without Dazai there, only interested in keeping an eye on Kyouka and Atsushi since they used to be considered threats to public safety. They also display that they had, indeed, been riding on something like this happening one day in the near future, Dazai just up and leaving and returning to where he has the ultimate power to protect Yokohama. The Guild tries to remain available and interested, but Dazai was the one who had brokered the alliance with them, too, and no one could quite satisfy Fitzgerald's demands for the so superficial alliance to really last. The Agency itself is uprooted in the most devastating way, since they've never had someone defect. Even with Katai throwing in his lot, the Agency can't pull its weight like it used to just a few hours ago. Ranpo was doing his best and Poe was helping, but neither were really strategists. Louisa was now practically their alliance's only strategist and even she had her limits.
Still, they managed to cobble up a plan they were fairly sure would work, even without the staggering backing of the Port Mafia. Morale was on a roller coaster, with Atsushi still completely devastated by Dazai's resignation and bringing down Kyouka's mood with him and Yosano and Kunikida rather angry for it and how it happened. Fukuzawa tried to keep them all together and collected, but it was hard to focus when even Ranpo was still shaken.
Ranpo, who had been able to deduce Dazai's identity as the Demon Prodigy when the Mafia finally started making serious moves against the Agency back just before and during the three way war with the Guild when any and all high ranking mafioso would more or less bow to Dazai's whims or back down from him as an opponent, was still reeling from meeting the Demon Prodigy in person and no one could blame him. They, too, were reeling and Dazai's anger hadn't even been pointed directly at them. But they had to move on, even if their office was now hauntingly quiet.
Atsushi often wondered to himself if it had been like that for Akutagawa when Dazai had left the Mafia.
The day before they were meant to go through with their plan, the Special Abilities Department reaches out to them with the news that Dostoevsky was dead, his organization not left even in ruins and that the Port Mafia had kept the casualties to a staggering ten individuals and only several hundred thousand yen for collateral damage. Tsujimura had been the one to deliver the news, looking both impressed and so uneasy as she handed over the official reports stating that the Assassin King, thought to be dead for six years, had been Dazai's trump card for Fyodor's life, as even someone so similar to Dazai couldn't predict moves based on pieces he didn't know his opponent had. The raid that demolished his organization was led by Dazai and Chuuya, with the assistance of Akutagawa and Kouyou and two hundred armed men, was planned in under 48 hours and executed in three. Not a single second of Corruption was needed.
Dazai, though, didn't stop at Dostoevsky.
No, it seems he was now determined to take out all the threats to Yokohama, the Book or the Port Mafia - to Chuuya - while he was at it. The first thing he did was, apparently, expose the government for Project Arahabaki - he also exposed a few other countries with similar human experimentation projects - to the international community, forcing all those even remotely responsible to face the consequences. Especially since it was not the same regime now as it was when the project happened, so they refused to take responsibility for the sordid past. With the Ministry of Home Affairs put on blast, the Special Abilities Division was all but dismantled lest the public learn of their activities, too.
With them out of the way, the Guild became bolder, but Dazai didn't waste a second to go after them. With the whole country, let alone Yokohama, in an uproar, Dazai just needed to expose Fitzgerald's corruption and no court could be bought. And with the Port Mafia hunting them through underworld channels, the American organisation had no other choice than to leave the country, as they had no safe haven in Japan anymore. Poe, as a high ranking member of the Guild, had no choice but to also leave, which had a detrimental effect on Ranpo's already shaken confidence.
Speaking of Ranpo and the Agency, Dazai didn't spare them, either. Ango, before leaving Yokohama for his own safety, had recommended they not oppose the Mafia with Dazai on a warpath, but the Agency had reassured him they could handle themselves. Ango had been skeptical but also too busy saving his own hind; after all, Dazai had been merciful twice already. There wouldn't be a third time. The Agency, though, got plenty of chances to back down, but they just didn't know the meaning of those words. Good for many things, but not facing against a man who had perfected destroying organizations into an art form.
It first started with the Department's fall, when the police and others inspected the Agency's legitimacy to conduct their business as essentially private detectives. They had a few paperwork issues but Kunikida and Fukuzawa managed to smooth it out. However, that's when they started coming in: cases Ranpo's 'Ability' couldn't solve, because no evidence was left behind for him to draw deductions from. More and more, again and again, they came in and Ranpo's credibility with the police dropped slowly, but surely. Word on the streets also spoke of the Agency having weakened, making citizens more reluctant to approach them with their cases, causing a sharp drop in clientele they could not afford. Ranpo stopped being picky with cases, almost desperately taking anything he could, but less and less came the Agency's way.
And then the first raid happened. Nothing at all like the ambush ordered by Higuchi. No, this was scarily efficient, yet the Black Lizard left without injuring any of the Agency members. That had not been the goal; the repair costs were, though. When the second and third raids went the same way, that's when it became clear. This was a war of attrition, one Dazai was winning. He was steadily chipping away at the Agency's budget until they could no longer afford to do business. It was surprising he wasn't exposing them for the morally grey things they do in order to conduct said business. Possibly a last mercy for the friendship they once had. Dazai seems to tend to do that for the organizations he betrays.
The Agency didn't want to let this affect them, so they did what they could to retain clients. Things got infinitely harder, though, when they ran into a scuffle with the Port Mafia while on the job. They weren't gentle with them, sending a good fifteen men to the infirmary.
The Mafia retaliated with such swiftness that they had no chance to prepare, to counter. They were only left alive because it was a message. Akutagawa made it obvious as he and the guerrilla squad left. Dazai had given them one last warning, since all of his previous ones had been ignored. The next time they metaphorically crossed swords, the Agency will not be left in one piece. To further drive the point home, the President's past was revealed as a former assassin slash bodyguard for the government and that he had once been employed by the current Boss of the Port Mafia. This put the entire Agency's credibility into question and put them under investigation all over again, leading to a temporarily suspended working license. Now that really put a dent in their budget and no maneuvering could get them back in business quick enough to save the Agency. And even when they did get back their license, the Mafia started raiding them again, interfering in their few cases, buying off their informants or otherwise getting rid of them. What's worse, they seem to be paying lawyers for all those who would want to complain against the Agency, taking them to court and mostly leaving them with the fines and bills.
It was only a depressing, tiring six months later that Fukuzawa had no other choice but to relocate the Agency to Kyoto, far enough from Yokohama for Dazai to leave them be, or at least they hoped so. The Agency members had lost all hopes of fighting against an enemy always completely ready to counter them, finally realizing just what it means to be Dazai's enemy, all their secrets, skills and weaknesses bared before his eyes. Not that any of them has seen hide nor hair of the brunet since he'd stormed out of that fateful strategy meeting with his partner over his shoulder.
Said partner, however, came to see them off, handing Atsushi a slip of paper with, apparently, Akutagawa's phone number on it. When he was questioned about it, Chuuya just shrugged. "I know what it's like to lose a partner. You guys don't deserve to be cut off when you've just started working things out. Besides, I'm pretty sure that shitty Dazai still has plans for you two."
Atsushi looked both hopeful and resigned as he asked. "Can you give me Dazai-san's number, too?"
Chuuya gave him a pitying look. "Sorry, kid. But when Dazai washes his hands of someone or something, that's it."
"Yet he came back to you," muttered bittlery Kunikida but Chhuya just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
"That's the thing. He never did. He washed his hands of Mori-san, not us. If the Mafia can be reshaped into something Dazai can stand behind with the little changes he went through with you lot, he'll reshape it and protect it with all his might. He lost far too many people, to death or betrayal, to let it have a repeat cycle."
"But we never betrayed Dazai-san," Kenji says sadly and Chuuya could only shrug. He offered no answer, as it was no business of his to explain why Dazai lost his shit the way he did that fateful day in that last strategy meeting that ended and started it all. Chuuya escorts them out of the city, not a drop of pity for them to be spared. He, too, never wanted to die of Corruption, something Dazai had promised him he would never allow. He'd be willing to do it if there was no other way, but that's why he has Dazai, to always find some other way or to simply be there for him, to reach him and save him. If not from death, then from Corruption, so Chuuya may die like a human being. The plan these people were willing to support would have robbed him of that one last shred of humanity, the only one he may really have, and Chuuya can't forgive that.
So he sees them out of Yokohama, Akutagawa's phone number in Atsushi's possession, and turns back, without a second glance spared to what could have been potentially the best allies they could have had if only they hadn't fucked up.
He doesn't have time to spare useless thoughts on those detectives, though.
The Port Mafia has a grand inauguration to plan, prepare and realize.
And Chuuya has a partner waiting for him at the courthouse.
The officiant must be fuckin' tired of him.
Such is a demon's god's life.
OWARI