Welcome to the In-Between | BSD: Watch the Show

Prologue: There's a Rat

Atsushi felt terrible, like a truck crashed into him with full force. On top of the aches in his body was the dizziness in his head. The room was spinning. Despite the pain, he could feel something or someone resting on his shoulder. He turned in the darkness to see his mentor's face, his curly brown hair slightly covering his left side. Atsushi's first instinct was to jump away from him in embarrassment; however, as he gazed at his face, the weretiger realized this was the first time he had seen him so unguarded. He looked at peace. A small smile gazed Atsushi's face. He started to feel the pain and dizziness fading into the background. His eyes adjust to the dark, allowing him to see his surroundings properly.

He looked around without waking the man next to him. He noticed he wasn't alone in the room. Every two chairs were separated; they were puffy and black. One chair to the right of him was Kyoka and Kunidika. The following section was ranpo and the doctor. Above them was the Tanizaki sibling, and even in their sleep, they clung to one another. Sitting in the seats over was Harano. Another seat down was the president above and to the left of Dazai's chair. Everyone was asleep like Dazai. As he looked closer, it appeared they were in a theater by the big projector screen in front of him. He looked around and saw another area. The weretiger noticed there were more people, people he wasn't fond of, most of them dressed in black. One in particular was a man with a black coat and a puffy white shirt. He groaned, turning to his sleeping mentor. He needed the group's help to figure out where they were and how to get out of here without killing one another. He shook his mentor in an attempt to awaken him, but all he did was groan in response.

"Dazai, wake up, please. Dazai." Shaking him a little bit more. The young adult realized it might take a bit more to awaken the brunette. He stood up. Dazai fell into the seat more but remained asleep. 'A light.' The weretiger shuffled around for his phone, finding it in his left pocket along with a piece of paper. The paper felt rough against his fingers. He opened his flip phone and turned on the flash. The light caused Dazai to groan. He turned and eyed the man. Atsushi leaned over him with the intent to wake him. At that moment, Dazai's eyes rolled open. The younger detective screamed blood murder at Dazai's action. The older of the two looked over the boy in front of him and then at his surroundings. He raised himself from the seat, stretching in the process. He looked at the young adult in front of him, noting the paper and the phone in his hand. Gingerly, he took the paper out of Atsushi's hand. Dazai began to read the paper in his bandaged wrapped hands,

"Hello, Friends,

Welcome to the in-between, the place between realities. I am sure you are concerned about your and your co-workers' current situation. Do not worry; they just like you are safe. You are here to learn and avoid a tragic fate. It is to be noted there is a price to understanding such a truth... but you have a choice in this; if you wish not to learn this future, you can express such; however, if you say yes to learning this future, you will be stuck here in in-between."

"What..." Atsushi looked around the room as light slowly brightened the room. "And how do we know you're not trying to kill us or get us out of the way to do something terrible."

Dazai looked around the room to several people from the port mafia. He locked in on his former boss, partner, and apprentice. 'This will be a long day.'

The sound of gears turning was heard then the projector lit up, gracing the screen with its knowledge. Dazai and Atsushi center their attention on the screen.

Two individuals are exhausted, sitting on a deck against a sunset, with clouds in the distance. One slopped over in a sitting position dressed in black, and the other laying on the ground, his black and white clothes in tethers—the camera forces on him.

"What the–" Atsushi said. Dazai eyed him in the corner of his eye but said nothing.

'I'm spent, if he stands back up. I don't know what I will do.' He says to himself. Both their eyes wide at the realization their opponent is still standing. The wind blows his blond hair; glowing green lines cover him. He appeared out of it as he quietly proclaimed.

"Well, isn't this interesting. A fun little show and tell."

"I did it–," He reaches out his hand towards the camera, "Zelda. I'll be there soon." As he begins to fall. "And bring you the happiness you always deserved." A red zero takes his place, blicking. The man returns, falling from the ruins of their fight.

Atsushi gets up in a rush, letting out a puff of air. "He still has the control terminal." Running to the falling man, he is stopped right before jumping off by his rival. He is falling flat on his face. "You idiot," Akutagawa stands up. "Weren't you paying attention," He raised what would seem to be the control terminal. "I took it from him during the last attack."

Dazai smiled at the two kids on the screen. 'It works, they work.'

Atsushi turns around, comically exclaiming, "What!" Running over to him and taking the controller. "Why haven't you stopped it." He starts pressing on the screen until it stops descending. He falls to his knees with relief. Akutagawa puts his foot on Atsushi's face.

"I would love to rip you to shreds right now, but I have used up all of my strength, so this will have to do."

"You're going to pay for this, I swear." The weretiger says against his rival's foot.

The screen changes to a malignant tone, a man all in white attire grins as He presses his index finger onto the enter button on his keyboard. It zooms out to show multiple computer screens with a purple rat popping onto all of them.

"That rat."

Atsushi heard Dazai whisper. He looked over at his mentor to find his smile gone, and in its place was a deep frown. 'Whoever that is, they are no friend of ours,' The weretiger thought as he directed his attention back to the screen.

The boys return on screen as the ship swifts under their feet. Atsushi looks at the control to find it descending again.

"Descending, but why!? I haven't done anything."

"Hand it to me." He attempts to right it, but nothing happens. A purple rat takes over the screen laughing evilly(). Akutagawa's frustration throws the phone behind him.

"It's not responding." The camera cuts to his face. His brow knitted in thought. "Something 's going on."

The screen fades to black. A word written in white stated, "So what will do?"

"Yes, we will like to see the future. However, I do have a question: what about food, sleep, and time?"

The white words faded and were replaced with an answer. "Food can be found in the kitchen outside of the theater room. In the hall, there are several rooms for all inhabitants to sleep in. Lastly, due to being in-between, time is unmoving until your return. A remote will be provided to skip, pause and play if need be. It is to be noted there is a price to seeing these truths, whether it be secrets or pain. Do you agree to stay here until you learn the future?"

"Pain?" "Wait, Secrets?"

New words in white appeared. "Yes, Do You Agree?"

"Will anyone die in this room?" Atsushi said, worry edging onto his face.

The words faded, and no new comments appeared.

"Um, excuse me. Did you hear us?"

New words appeared bolder than before. "Yes or No?"

The two turned to one another. Dazai turned back, "If someone dies will they die here as well."

The word from before remained but were added underneath in smaller text. "No, but they will experience death itself."

Dazai turned to Atsushi then he thought about it. 'Why out of all the people here did it choose us? Was it because of the book? The kid was awake first despite my ability.'

"Atsushi, activate your ability for me, please."

"Um, okay."

Atsushi's ability manifested in his right arm. Dazai proceeded to touch Atsushi on the shoulder. Atsushi's arm turned back. "Atsushi got any secrets you don't want people to learn?"

"Privacy isn't that important compared to people's safety."

"That's a yes. No more questions."

A/N: This is a test.