Life of a Stray Fox

Chapter 26

"Hey! Have you read the morning papers!?" Kunikida and Rin burst into office, panic written across their faces. My lips were pressed into a thin line as I turned to look at him, "You're a bit late to the party..."
Dazai nodded, his eyes trained on the TV. "It's on the news."
I clenched my jaw and looked down at my feet, How the hell can a whole BUILDING go missing!? It's impossible!!
"Is this 'the message' they were talking about?" Kunikida frowned and clenched his fists tightly.
My eyes turned to the door as it opened again, this time Tanizaki came bursting inside. "Kenji can't be found anywhere in the dorms!"
He was frantic and sounded worried, making me angry. The Guild would pay for what they had done, especially if they were involved in Kenji's disappearance. They wanted to threaten my family and then try and strike us while we were distracted. If it wasn't a war before now then it definitely was now.
Dazai rested his hand on his chin and stared off into space, "The uncooperative detective agency and the mafia are no longer of use... So he's gonna destroy us both..?"
My eyes widened in slight shock as I whipped my head towards Dazai, "You don't really think they'd go that far do you? I mean, I know we've had some serious reactions to things when we were... but still! Not even the Mafia has ever stooped that far!"
His eyes slid over to me, the grim look on his face making my nerves skyrocket.
"TANIZAKI! STARTING FROM NOW, DON'T GO ANYWHERE UNACCOMPANIED. PAIR UP WITH ATSUSHI AND SEARCH FOR KENJI. DAZAI AND I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM."
Kunikida was stressed. That much was definitely evident. As he and Dazai were heading towards the conference room he stopped and turned back once more. "IF YOU RUN INTO AN ENEMY, DON'T FIGHT. JUST RUN!"
The guild was seemingly trying to start a war and things were already off to a rocky start.
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I followed after my brother, Tanizaki, and Naomi the air around us extremely tense. I was ahead of the group, my brain running overtime at a dangerous rate. I clenched my jaw tightly, pulling my phone from my pocket. I need to talk to Chuuya.
I dialed in his number and held the phone to my ear, the familiar tone filling my head.
"What?"
A small smile formed on my lips, my nerves easing off slightly just by hearing his voice.
"Well hey to you too. You busy? I can always call later..."
"No! No... you're good. Sorry. Things are just a bit tense around here."
I nodded, "Yeah... I feel that. One of ours went missing after the Guild came for a visit..."
"Wait, what?! Are you ok? Did any of them do anything to you?"
I pulled the phone away from my ear slightly when Chuuya began getting loud and kept it that way until he was quiet again. "I'm fine. No they didn't touch me, but they were trying to talk the director into giving his license up. The bastard also had the nerve to say he's going to take Ariake with him. If he even thinks of touching her I'll fucking kill him."
"Just... be careful. We don't know what they're capable of yet and that's part of what got you.... uhhm..."
His voice tapered off and I knew what he was referring too.
"Yeah I know. However... I also understand the risks involved with this. I'm going to do everything I can to keep everyone I love safe. Even if it kills me.... again. Besides, it's not like I won't come back!!"
"You hope. Who's to say it wasn't just a one and done thing? I mean we still don't understand the full power of your ability as it is. Who's to say that if you were to die again you wouldn't just stay de-"
"NAOMI?!"
I spun on my heel, pushing my way past a few people to get back to Atsushi and Tanizaki. "Shit!"
"What? Kotori what's going on?!"
"My friends sister just fucking vanished! Dammit we're being followed!!"
As soon as the words left my lips, Atsushi looked towards me with wide eyes, "You're not serious are you?"
I nodded my head, "Yeah."
Suddenly Tanizaki took off down the street, Atsushi and I standing in shock for a moment before my brother took off after the boy.
"Goddamnit!! Chuuya, I love you. I'll call you back as soon as I can. Shit's going bad really fast."
Before he could say anything I had hung up, shoved my phone into my pocket and was running after them both.
Tanizaki continued to shove his way through the crowd and scream out for his sister and screaming at the Guild member that took her. He shoved a man who was looking for someone as well, causing my brother and I to stop and apologize. "Are you alright?"
Atsushi's voice was laced with concern.
"Sorry about our friend. His sister just went missing and we're trying to find he-"
The words were stuck in my throat as I realized who the man before me was.
Mori....
"GOTCHA!" Tanizaki's voice rang out through the street and I looked up just in time to watch him grab a girl, who looked like the one from the Guild, that seemed to be walking away from us.
"TANIZAKI NO! YOU CAN'T TOUC-"
And just like that, we were all suddenly inside a giant room with a checkered floor. The Guild member stood before us with a predatory grin on her face.

"Come and play."