Bandages and Salt (PJO X BSD AU)

Chapter eight

Suribachi City looked just like how I remembered it, row after row of homes hazardly built into the crater in the earth, filling up the shape of a Japanese motor; a suribachi. The people that live here are like I was, like how I still am, they're society's outcast. They're the people society never acknowledged in the first place. The crater became a safe haven for those scorned by the rest of the world, a gray city for gray people. The entire area was out of the authority's radar, making it perfect for illegal organizations like the Port Mafia.

"Oh? So drinking metal-plating solutions is an extremely popular method of suicide abroad, huh?... interesting."

I was reading as I walked, I knew this area well after living here for so long. I could tell my expression was serious, when it came to suicide, no matter how joking my tone, I was always serious. I continued reading, talking and thinking aloud as I did. Apparently the method was only popular because it's an easy chemical for industrial painters to get their hands on. The death itself is neither quick nor easy.

"Anyone who drinks the solution dies after spending hours in agony as their organs dissolve inside of them... Ack! I'm so glad I didn't give that a try!"

Gods, who comes up with these ideas?

I looked at the escort following me, Mr. Hirotsu. He was the mafioso that I'd chosen for his knowledge of the area. I may have lived here, but he knew the city's underground that I had tried to stay out of. The ability user had graying, salt-and-pepper hair and wore a golden monocle on one of his eyes.

I could tell the man was wary of me, I could feel the unease almost rippling off of him. Everyone in the mafia that recognized who I was felt the same way as the man trailing behaving me. I was one of two people present when the old boss passed, now I have the oracle and a mysterious mission that no one else knew the details of. Hirotsu was right to be wary.

We left the mafia building early this morning and have traveled the improvised city asking about the rumors since. I spoke to the sources while Hirotsu watched on. Many of the people we spoke with were easy to manipulate, telling me everything that I wanted to know without even realizing it. The more stubborn and aware ones I bribed, using the money that Mori had given me for that very purpose. When there was nothing else to gain from the city inhabitants, we started heading back to headquarters.

"Dazai... please don't walk too far ahead of me," a nervous Hirotsu called ahead to me. "I'm your escort, but this is nonetheless a conflict zone. There's no telling what could happen."

"'Conflict'?" My head filled with wonderful scenarios of being taken out in a crossfire or attack, i hadn't thought of that before.

My comment must have made it seem like I was either confused or uninformed, because he went into an explanation of the ongoing turf war between the Port Mafia, Takasekai, Gelhart Security Service and another group that calls themselves 'The Sheep'.

"This week alone, they killed two of our squads. The unofficial leader is especially hard to deal with. They say not even bullets work on him."

"Ohhh... no wonder I heard explosions and gunfire coming from over there," I said pointing vaguely in a random direction. "Doesn't make much difference to me though..." I grumbled, now bored once more. I knew all about the turf war from Mori's seemingly endless complaining. I knew about the Sheep too, just not all from Mori.

My phone beeped from inside my pocket, an annoying sound only associated with one equally annoying individual. I considered just letting the phone ring, but there was always the possibility that Mori would just turn around and call Hirotsu and then I would still have to talk to him anyways. I spoke with Mori on the phone, giving the man a small rundown of what I'd learned.