To The Stray Dogs [Bungou Stray Dogs Fanfic] [Author's Edition]

Chapter 12

Dazai, Atsushi, and I were at the train station waiting for Naomi and Haruko, who was being chased by two members of the Guild. "That train is late, the one they're supposed to be on," said Atsushi. "Mori-san from the Port Mafia is the human manifestation of streamlining. He controls the situation with cold, mathematical detachment. You can count on him to take advantage of the fact we're letting our guard down," said Dazai.

He then stood up and said, "Atsushi-kun." "Yes?" "I have an unavoidable item on my agenda," he said. "What is it?" Atsushi asked. Dazai paused before saying, "I'm going to the bathroom." He quickly ran off saying, "I'm not going to make it!" "What the..." I said. "Vivi-san, I think you might want to go after him. I have a bad feeling that he's gonna jump in front of the train when he returns," said Atsushi. "Alright, I'll go," I said and followed after Dazai.

I found him standing in an empty warehouse saying, "There's no one watching is here. You ought to come out." Suddenly, a girl with spiky black hair appeared behind Dazai and held a knife to his throat. I immediately recognized her from the raid. My right arm turned into a fox's and I held a sharp claw to her neck. "What do think you're doing to him?" I asked.

"Hey, Gin-chan. You've grown taller," said Dazai. "Vivi-chan, it's alright." Higuchi appeared and pointed her pistol at us. "So you knew we were watching you," she said. "I was the one who created the Port Mafia's surveillance techniques, after all. So, what do you want from me?" Dazai asked. "Don't you think this gun tells you what we want?" "I don't. For a group of assassins, you've recruited some lousy members."

Dazai turned to Gin and said, "Gin-chan, would you please put this away? It's dangerous. That goes for you too, darling." "Tch." I removed my hand and it turned back to normal while Gin put her knife away. "D-Darling?" Higuchi repeated. "Yes, Dazai-kun and I are dating. I wonder how's it going with you and Akutagawa," I said.

"Th-That's my business, not yours!" she said and blushed. "Ouch. Vivi-chan, you had to go there," said Dazai and I smirked. "You're right, that's not why we're here," Higuchi said as she put her gun away, getting back on topic. "I have a message from the boss." "From Mori-san, huh? I wonder what it is," said Dazai.

"The message is this: Dazai-kun, are you interested in coming back to the Port Mafia executives?" I slowly looked at Dazai. Was I going to lose him? Instead, Dazai laughed. "Ah, what a pleasant invitation," he said. "I've looked at your records. Your blood is mafia black. More so than anyone in this nation," said Higuchi. "People change. I mean, Gin-chan over there was a dainty little girl, this tall," Dazai said and held his hand up to his chest in comparison.

"Don't change the subject," Gin said and blushed. "G-Girl?" Higuchi stammered.

**********

"Something doesn't add up, though. Why would Mori-san set people aside for this charade?" Dazai asked. "In order to protect you," Higuchi answered. "To protect me?" "The boss has set Q free," Higuchi said. The look on Dazai's face read fear. "Impossible. Do you have any idea what he's unleashed? Q is a walking catastrophe. He'll doom everyone, friend or foe," said Dazai.

"Ther Port Mafia doesn't choose its means to reach its ends," said Higuchi. "Why do you think Q was imprisoned in the first place?" said Dazai. "It was because he has the most abhorrent ability of them all. Mind control. Q curse attacks the minds of his victims with hallucinations. They begin to attack the people around them indiscriminately. The curse od triggered by the destruction of the doll at the root of the curse. But only a receiver is cursed when that happens. In order to become a receiver, one must hurt Q. Receivers show a bruise that looks as though they were grabbed by someone, which makes them easy to distinguish."

Dazai then realized something. "You mentioned that you came here to protect me." Then it hit us both. "Damn!" he said. I quickly turned into a fox and he hopped on as we ran back to Atsushi, who was strangling Naomi. "Stop, Atsushi-kun! Look carefully!" Dazai cried. "Atsushi-san... Stop." Naomi gasped. "Atsushi-kun, stop!" I cried and he dropped Naomi.

"No... I was being manipulated this whole time? I was only trying to protect them. No! I want to change. I just want to protect people. Stop!" Atsushi cried. Dazai hopped off of me and grabbed the doll on the ground. "Be gone. Ability: No Longer Human." The doll disappeared in an instant. "Your new friends are so fragile, Dazai-san. It's okay, though. I still look forward to breaking you," said Q. "In return for making me suffer, I'm going to hurt you and break you lots."

"Get back here you ungrateful brat! You're about to catch these hands!" I said but Dazai held me back. "I won't capture you next time. I'll rip your heart out," he told Q. "Let's play again, Dazai-san," Q called as the train drove off. "You little-" "Enough, Vivi-chan." I stopped struggling and looked up at him. "It's alright," he told me.

We both looked at Atsushi cowering on the ground. Dazai knelt in front of him and said, "Let's go, Atsushi-kun. Get up." "I'm no good! I shouldn't have existed." he cried. "Atsushi-kun," Dazai said and lifted his head before slapping him across the face, snapping him out. "Listen to me, Atsushi-kun. I'll give you some advice for once, like a proper senpai. Stop pitying yourself."

Atsushi looked at him. "Pity yourself, and life becomes an endless nightmare," Dazai said before standing up. "Now, then. We don't have the luxury of choosing our methods anymore, either. If the enemy wants to play their trump card, we'll do the same."

**********

I woke up the next morning to find a note next to me.

Vivi-chan,

I have some negotiations to do with a colleague of mine. You look so cute when you're sleeping next to me.

Love you, sweetie, <3

-Dazai Osamu

I rolled over in bed and went back to sleep. "Dork..." I muttered.