Part of Your World {A Bungo Stray Dogs fanfic}

"Rashomon and the Tiger"

Thanks to Dazai's tip, Creed and I were able to make it to the dock just in time to catch the mafia's cargo ship. I was just about to board the boat when a thought occured to me,

What if something bad happens out on the water and we can't make it back to land? I don't want to put Creed in that kind of danger...

So I look at him regretfully as I say, "You stay here bud. I'll be right back, ok?"

He looks up at me with those big, sad, brown eyes of his, begging to come with me.

"Sit," I order this time, "Stay." 

As much as he doesn't want to, Creed follows my orders and sits back on his haunches, a small whine still resonating from his throat. My heart hurts to do this to him, but I know it's the right decision. So I rush out of our hiding spot and sneak onto the ship. Surprisingly, it wasn't that difficult. It looks like they've reserved this ship strictly for Atsushi, because there's not even any crew in sight. Still, once I'm on board, I find a hiding spot in the engine room. I can't afford to be caught before I've even located Atsushi, so I wait there until I know for sure we've left the dock. Once we're out in the water, I get up to leave the engine room, but I'm suddenly thrown back to the ground and enveloped in darkness. The power to the hull has gone out.

Was that an explosion? What's going on?

I pick myself up off the ground and begin feeling my way in the dark trying to find the door. In the process, I have a terrible realization...

My feet...are wet...

I look down in horror as I realize water is rushing into the boat. It's going to sink! I rush out, climbing my way up to the deck. I can barely see through the smoke and debris flying around, but then I spot Atsushi. He's in an intense battle with Akutagawa. And I see Kyoka laying on the ground a little ways away from the fight. She must've gotten knocked out.

"Brat!!" Suddenly a familiar voice comes from down below.

Kunikida?

Sure enough, I look over the side of the ship to find Kunikida in a small speeder. I know what I have to do. I sprint over to Kyoka, avoiding all the wreckage surrounding Atsushi and Aakutagawa's battle. I gently slip my arms under Kyoka and carry her to the side of the boat.

"Kunikida!" I yell.

"Kagami?? What are you doing here?" He shouts back.

"No time! Here, catch!" I say as I release Kyoka to fall into Kunikida's arms. "I'm going back for Atsushi!"

Then I run back into the wreckage. There's less than five minutes before the ship is completely submerged into the salty depths of the ocean, and Atsushi and Akutagawa are too busy fighting each other to escape. Just when I think Akutagawa has for sure won, Atsushi surprises everyone with his final move. I watch from the deck as Atsushi uses his weretiger's tail to catch Akutagawa off guard and deal the final blow. By the force of Atsushi's fist, Akutagawa plummets to the surface of the ocean. But Atsushi is falling too. He's used up to much energy in the fight and is now free falling from a hundred feet in the air. I run as fast as I can to break his fall, catching him right before he hits the metal surface. I carry his limp body to the edge of the boat and toss him over to Kunikida as well. I'm about to jump to the safety of the agency's speeder myself, when I stop. 

What about Akutagawa?

"What are you waiting for?? Let's go!" Kunikida calls from down below.

I just can't let him die...

"You go! I meet you at the dock, I promise!" 

I don't give him a chance to argue as I sprint back to the other side of the boat. I hop into one of the life rafts on deck and press the button to be propelled down into the water. I paddle away from the ship, searching everywhere for Akutagawa. Then I see it. The slightest blur of his black and white hair under the water as his body sinks under. Slipping off my sneakers, I dive in after him. I dive as fast as I can into the freezing black waters. Finally his body is within reach. It takes everything I've got to haul his lifeless body back to the surface and drag him into the life boat. I sit on the raft for a minute, choking on salty water and trying to catch my breath. It occurs to me that I can't bring Akutagawa back to the shore with me... If the mafia catches me with him, I'll be in trouble. If the agency catches him with me, he'll be in trouble. Plus, over my dead body do I want Akutagawa to know that I saved him after all the shit he put me through. So instead I dive right back into the cold waters, swimming back to the port, and forgetting all about my shoes that I left in the life raft...

I've made it less than 50 feet from the raft, when it sets in just how far I'm going to have to swim to get back to land...

This was a terrible idea...

And then, something touches my foot. I just about jump out of my skin at the feeling of something cold and smooth gliding against the bottom of my foot. Sticking my head under the water, I realize it's a dolphin, and a great idea dawns on me.

I've never used my ability on an underwater creature before...

Bubbles erupt from my mouth as I call upon my ability underwater,

"Bīsutoteimā! Sōgo ishiki!" 

The dolphin swirls around me, whistling and clicking excitedly. I grab onto her fin and ask her to help me get back to the docks. She agrees and takes off. The water streams so quickly passed us that I have to close my eyes. Dolphins can hold their breath for a very long time, but I on the other hand cannot. So every so often, the dolphin pokes her head out of the water so I can get some air. In no time, we're back at the dock. I thank the dolphin for her help and she swims back into the deep dark waters. With a gasp, I emerge from the surface of the water and reach my hand up to the dock. Then I feel the teeth of a familiar furry friend bulling me up by the collar of my shirt. Creed drags me onto solid ground and practically tackles me with kisses.

"Ok, ok, I missed you too bud," I say laughing at him.

Then we all head back to the agency.

"Um, Kagami? Where are your shoes?" Kunikida asks.

Oh no...