The Identity of Tachihara Michizou

Traitor

Tachihara's a traitor.

The call from the Hunting Dogs finally arrive. Betray the Mafia. Capture Yosano Akiko.

Her name finally stirs up some action in Tachihara. Finally, he'd be able to act upon the grudge against her for taking his brother away from him. Feigning surprise, he runs along with the members of the detective agency and the Black Lizard to a hiding spot.

Tachihara pretends that it wasn't him that stabbed the detective boy. Doing that was easier than the rest. He pretends it wasn't him who'd driven the knife into Gin's shoulder, that it wasn't him who'd sliced up Hirotsu and left him to bleed out.

He lets adrenaline take him over as he runs. No need for unnecessary thoughts.

Deep down, Tachihara knows his grudge against the 'Angel of death' isn't justified at all. He can already see the guilt in her eyes, still present after years. She'd been a victim just like his brother had been.

So Tachihara tells Yosano and Gin his side of the story. Modified, at least. Partially to buy time, too.

Midwinter memento easily takes control of Gin's knife after he finishes. Tachihara hisses in pain as the blade stabs him first, before pulling out into a different direction.

"Get away...it's moving on its own!"

Gin yells in panic, eyes wide as it turns on her, pushing itself in. She shudders, then slumps onto the ground, blood spilling onto the ground in a deep crimson red.

Tachihara lets his ability do the rest of the work. He doesn't allow himself to feel. Just act.

He chooses to fixate on when the Hunting Dogs burst in, congratulating him for his success. He chooses to stand tall, drawing a deep breath as Jouno draps his cape over him. He focuses on the moment where Yosano has given up defeat, and when he aims a gun at her.

They all leave, and Tachihara doesn't spare a single glance backward. A twinge of guilt enters his conscience, but he shoves it down, allowing another thought to surface.

He never belonged to them.

Nothing really did change back at Headquarters. What greets Tachihara the first day he made his official return was Tecchou, just doing...Tecchou stuff. Counting ants, to be exact.

The Hunting Dogs meeting concludes with efficiency, as it always does. Tachihara isn't really surprised. What he is surprised by, though, is when Teruko asks (more like demands) him to accompany her to the Sky Casino.

"Why?"

She narrows her eyes, giving him a Isn't it obvious? look.

"Tachihara," She finally says, "You know best out of all the Hunting Dogs what the agency is like. How they act, their motives, and their abilities too."

She gets a halfhearted hum of agreement in response.

"Or do you not want to do a mission with me?"

"No!" Tachihara hurriedly says, internally wincing when he makes eye contact with Teruko. "It's just-it's my first mission as a Hunting Dog in years...I might be a little rusty."

"Rusty." He could hear Tecchou murmur, then snicker.

Tachihara didn't have to turn around to know the sigh that came after was from Jouno. If the man had eyes, he'd be rolling them at this ridiculous pun.

"Don't underestimate the hunting dogs." His attention snaps back to Teruko, who gives him a sharp look. "That includes yourself." She then jabs a finger at him.

"We are military. We're not the mafia, or those cowards who run away with their tails between their legs when danger comes. The Hunting Dogs are the law, and no criminal, no agency, will be able to run from us when we hunt them down."

The deputy commander's gaze was certainly intense as she waited for his answer. Tachihara swallows thickly, before replying.

"I know. It's my responsibility, yes. I took down my own colleagues. And I can do it again for the agency."

How badly he wanted to tell her that the Mafiosos weren't cowards. That the Black Lizard would rather die completing a mission than retreat.

That he'd once seen Gin take down 5 armed men with nothing but a knife and a bloody shoulder. That Hirotsu had refused to retreat when Tachihara had attacked him with his ability, preferring to die right then and there to protect them.

That they were one of the bravest people he'd known.

But all he said was what Teruko needed to hear. She didn't need to hear his stupid sentiments about what he shouldn't even be thinking about right then: about the people he'd betrayed. He is a Hunting Dog. He'd do better to act as one, and put duty over his own feelings.

Teruko tilts her head and grins, then marches off-probably to prepare.

"Try to keep up then, ya wimp."

He manages a smile, feeling sick inside, and follows her.