Birds with Broken Wings

Chapter 10

"Where is the phone?" Mori asked, he didn't seem too upset with the situation of me shooting the dealer, after I gave in the phone

"And the kid?" I questioned

"He can stay, but you are to train him"

"But Mori I-"

"It was your choice to save that kid, did I make myself clear?"

"Yes"

(Why did I save this child, I now have to look into it's horrible face everyday) I thought to myself as I made my way towards the 'dungeon'

"YOU LITTLE SHIT-" I heard Chuuyas voice, "GET BACK HERE"

"NoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

I entered the room seeing Chuuya with a bright smile, chasing the blindfolded kid around the room. "How sweet-" I thought before the kid ran into a metal pipe.

"Chuuya.." I said, struggling to keep my grin

"..." his shocked expression, looking between me and the kid, was glorious, "I did not-"

"It's fine, Mori gave me the task of teaching him. So I'll take it from here....thank you"

As a reaction to my gratitude, his grin stretched from ear-to-ear. He then left me with the abomination...

"Name?" I asked the child in front of me, his face in a image of fear. Contrasting his previous jovial carefree mood

"A-akt.."

"Speak up" I harshly said, if this kid is too afraid to talk too me. He will never survive the life of the Port Mafia

"Aktigawa!!" He screamed, with his eyes closed

"Guess that's a start" I sighed

And then began the training, well the attempted training. Shooting, defense, wall climbing, dodging, strategizing, problem solving. He struggled with everything.

"Again" I dissapointedly commanded, a few agents behind me. I once again pointed my gun at Aktigawa, who now layed on the ground, sweating and with a few scars of the previous rounds he barely missed.

3 shots fired, but Aktigawa didn't move. Instead a red and black force protected him. His ability, it was unexpected, but with the speed and strength it possessed (even after Aktigawa has been through alot) it was a great progression.

"This changes things" I thought outload, Aktigawa gave a cry and the bullets fell with the red and black force. Realizing I hadn't given the kid a break, I felt a pain of guilt in my stomach. Albeit time shouldn't be wasted and we needed to find something he could master, it was wrong of me to not give him time to rest.

"Agent 095, report back to Mori. Tell him we have a new member and do inform him, that the entrance exam, it is pointless and just a waist of time. Give the kid a break"

"Yes sir"

"Aktigawa, you didn't dissapoint me as much as I originally expected you to. Wipe that smile of off your face, I expect you to be here tomorrow at 6, go shower. You stink"

And with that the Mafia may have recruited a new member.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Don't you think you were to harsh on the kid?" Oda asked as we made our way towards Mori's office

"..."

"Come on, Dazai. Giving me the silent treatment"

"No I was just thinking, if Aktigawa possess a strong ability to be able to ward off, some our enemies (with the help of other members) . The Mafia will regain control over Yokohama and the futile position we have been under ,would fall. Meaning Aktigawa is a very valuable asset to the Mafia and me teaching him, might have been planned by Mori. Could Mori have predicted this?"

"You got that in 3 seconds of me asking a question?"

"Oh- yeah, sorry I didn't answer your question did I. Remember the first time we met Aktigawa?"

"..yeah?"

"The terror marked onto his face, from being harassed by a pathetic drug dealer. He cannot be in that situation if we are going to use him as a weapon. I need to strengthen him up, and to do so, he needs to experience what it feels like"

"What, what feels like? Going to war, dying, loosing everything, do you want him to-"

"Yes"

I opened the door to Mori's office, the red evening light flows through the window. Illuminating the room.

"Dazai, Odasaku. I know you both just came back from a mission, but staff is running low-"

"What are you talking about, there are thousands of agents. Most of them are just in the lounging room, betting on who has the better set of cards" I interjected

"...Well you are right there, but would you allow a mere janitor to fly a plane? Now, as I was saying.. Oda , since you and the agent from the other organization (Mimic) has similar abilities. I need you to find Ango and-"

"Ango?! What does he-" Oda exclaimed before being cut off by Mori's deadly stare

"Ango, is double crossing us.. I need you to go find and investigate him, in that way we will be able to investigate Mimic. For this mission, Oda you need to be able to get blood on your hands, otherwise you will always remain a low rank and it would be a waste of all your potential"

"I must decline the offer-"

"WHAT!?" I accidentally bugged in

"Dazai, I just- I can't do it" Oda pronounced, looking at his vibrating hands

"I was expecting this.. in the case Odasaku didn't accept the offer, Dazai, you will be taking over the mission" Mori stated, a bored expression crossing his face

"Boss! You can't do this, Dazai is too young with less than needed experience and abilities. HE WILL DIE OUT THERE!!"

"Isn't that what he has been trying to achieve? If you can't accept this mission Oda, then it leaves me with no choice to let Dazai take over. So what would it be?"

"Dazai-" Oda looked frightened, almost if he was gonna cry

"Don't worry Oda, I will do this mission-"

"NO!" He lividly cried out, "I'LL DO THE MISSION, MORI"

"Are you sure, Oda? I do not want your past trauma to interfere-" Mori questioned

"Yes, just leave Dazai out of this. He is only 15 and already wants to kill himself due to the brutallities of this world."

"You are dismissed, Oda. Dazai get some sleep, the only mission you are assigned, is to teach that kid. You may leave"

~~~

My mind was racing, after that meeting both Oda and I kept silent. Not even managing to bid the other a good night's rest. It is understandable for Oda to feel this way. He might be wishing he didn't accept the mission, wishing it was only me who Mori asked. Absent-mindedly blaming me or wishing there was another person to step in...

But why am I feeling this way?

Why am I feeling guilty for this outcome that I had no power in? Is it because I know the pain that traumatic memories can cause or that I didn't defend Oda. I didnt even suggest a solution or maby it's, because of what Oda said, that he did it

He knew I actively try go out myself, but he still stood up.. Accepting the pain, the struggle, trauma, backlash and potential death. To stop me from getting hurt .....why-

Why

WHY

WHY

....why would someone, who didn't even know me for that long, give up so much?

And what am I giving in return? A blank stare.. no thanks, no good night, no acknowledgement. Even thinking back to what happened after the meeting, Oda still managed to form a smile

He really doesn't deserve this.. I should have jumped in..

(The last words repeated in my mind as I drifted off, the frown never leaving it's position)

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(1284 words)