❝Rethink❞ (BNHA x BSD)

❦ Chapter 12 ♥

[Image (left to right): Akutagawa, Kyouka, Atsushi]

I picked up the phone. This time I recognized Dazai's voice.

"If you come outside we'll get you."

"OK," I replied but didn't hang up yet. Slowly I moved the phone and began, "Akutagawa." Then I hung up the phone. "You'll need to be more specific, my friend. Now, go upstairs and help Sir Nakahara."

He immediately turned and started walking off. I let out a sigh of relief and was about to leave when Akutagawa's Rashomon tangled me. He was still walking away, but he was now dragging me away from the exit. I didn't know my quirk had such a weakness.

"Rashomon, don't touch me."

I was immediately released but so was Akutagawa – my quirk seemed to have a "one person maximum" limit. This also meant Chuuya was free upstairs. I gunned it for the exit. Akutagawa was yelling behind me and I painfully felt him kick my back, propelling me forwards (Port Mafia building had automated doors) onto the stairs. Or that's what should have happened, but instead my trajectory was altered. I found myself in the furry arms of a half-man-half-tiger who took me to the Detective Agency, jumping from building to building and taking any possible shortcut from what I could tell.

Finally when he put me down in the lobby he asked me whether I was OK. I was, although my back hurt. But overall, no injuries to report. I had just managed to escape the Port Mafia and I was still alive.

The boy also introduced himself. His name was Nakajima Atsushi (and he asked me to call him Atsushi) and his quirk or gift was completely or partly transforming into a white tiger, which granted him extra strength and speed. I also introduced myself and my quirk.

We entered the office. Dazai's cheerful voice greeted me as if we were old acquaintances.

"Oi, Eliana, you made it out of the Port Mafia in one piece. Congratulations!"

"Thanks," I replied a bit reluctantly. It was something to celebrate, but he seemed too carefree about the whole situation. Fifteen minutes ago I was convinced I was going to die.

There were other people in the office. A tall man with long hair and glasses. A boy in casual clothes and orange hair. A woman with short purple hair and a smile of anticipation.

"Are you hurt?" she asked me.

"I think I'm fine?" I replied. "She's definitely fine," the man with the glasses quickly affirmed. He introduced himself as Kunikida.

He continued, "Although I hate that you interrupted my perfect schedule with your crisis, I'm happy that you're well. Give me your address, we'll go get your stuff." Somehow they already knew exactly what had happened.

"Oh, I can do that myself."

"No, you need to lay low. The Mafia, although they have done it before," he added mumblingly, "is unlikely to attack us here."

I handed my key over and told them my address. Only take the things I might need and can't or wouldn't want to buy, I suggested. They agreed. As Kunikida and the orange-haired boy, Tanizaki, were almost out of the door, Dazai said to me, "We're going to live together, how exciting!" and Kunikida, extremely annoyed, retorted, "Over your dead body!" Aah, yes, I quickly learned that Dazai Osamu was a suicide enthusiast.

The boy who had saved me offered me a black tea. But not your classic Earl Grey or English Breakfast Tea, this one was a black carrot herbal tea. It didn't taste bad.

"Now, Eliana," Dazai began with his usual calm demeanour, "in order to leave the Mafia, the next step is to lay low for a while. The summer break is perfect for, isn't it? You can do some paperwork here."

"I have only until the camp." I found myself wanting to carry out the mission.

"Oh?" Dazai replied.

"Is it OK," Atsushi asked, "for her to continue at U.A?"

"I want to," I declared before Dazai could answer.

"Then that's settled," Dazai decided. "You will continue as a member of class 1-A."

"And prevent whatever bad thing is going to happen," I added.

Atsushi looked happy. He reminded me of Midoriya in a way.

"Perfect," Dazai added. "Hey, Yosano-san, could you still check if she's OK?"

"I'd love to. Come with me, Eliana."

We entered a side room. This must have been her private office. From what she told me, she could restore anyone to full health, provided that they were dying. As she examined my back, she commented, "You got lucky, there's no real damage anywhere. It will just hurt for a while."

The thought that Akutagawa kicked in the least damaging way possible seemed odd. I was still a traitor. Or did he not actually enter Chuuya's office? No, that wouldn't have changed anything. The fact was that he had helped me in the most subtle way. Maybe he had a sixth sense. Or it was all Mori's plan.

Returning to the main office room, Dazai was working on clearing up a desk for me. "Since you're staying, you might as well make yourself useful." I had no objections. "With great power comes a great amount of paperwork," All Might had remarked. I still had to work on my great power though.

Atsushi showed me the ropes since Dazai couldn't be bothered to. I also met Kyouka, a girl in a red kimono and long dark-blue pigtails. The staff of the Detective Agency seemed kind of random. I fit in perfectly.

Kunikida and Tanizaki returned after a while. They had indeed moved all of my stuff to Dazai's place. Kyouka was living with Atsushi already in the agency dorms. But I had a feeling Dazai wanted to keep an eye on me personally, that's why I was paired up with him and no one else.

He lived in the agency's dormitory, just like Atsushi and Kyouka, or he had just moved in because of me, judging by how little stuff he had. The building was a Japanese style old apartment, nothing fancy, but comfortable. They hadn't brought much: my school stuff, clothes, hygiene products and cosmetics. Dazai showed me the best places to put things.

"Why are we living together? For real, no beating around the bush please," I asked while I was folding my clothes and he was sitting there, doing nothing.

He hummed and eventually answered, "You were successful, and now I'm helping you leave the Mafia. Well, actually I'm helping you deal with the consequences."

"Alright, I can accept that."

"But since you want to continue as Eliana and as a member of 1-A, I think we should also train your quirk."

"Makes sense. But how?"

"You know what you can do now. But it's unfair not to push your limits," he said in a childish way, but then did his signature flip in tone and added mysteriously, "Who knows, maybe you can command more than humans?"