Mr. Do Nothing

Getting On Board -- In More Ways Than One

And just like that, Atsushi was walking back down the crowded docks, flimsy plastic bags swaying alongside him and a quietly sleeping Akutagawa on his back.

The mafioso was surprisingly easy to carry. Using his tiger strength, Atsushi found that it wasn't any more difficult to carry him than it would be to carry someone as small as Kyoka. Sure, this wasn't the first time Atsushi was pulling Akutagawa's weight around, but it was the first time the action wasn't paired with the adrenaline rush that came with fighting a terrifying foe. Even without that spike of urgency and fear, he really was having no trouble at all.

Still, it wasn't like any of this was exactly comfortable either. Akutagawa's cold nose was pressed unpleasantly against the warmth of his neck, painfully shallow breaths weird and foreign against him.

Yeah...Atsushi did his best to ignore it.

It was a bit of a reach, but the only thing Atsushi could think of to do now was take Akutagawa back to the agency members. Surely, someone like Dazai at least would know how to get in contact with the mafia -- and be able to stall the cruise's departure long enough for someone to pick this guy up. Or have someone fly there. His old partner could fly, right?

The more Atsushi thought about it, the more he was able to convince himself that it was a good idea. The president had said to help renew the agency's spirit, right? And nothing renewed their spirit more than a sense of purpose, right? One minorly successful mission would surely help just a little bit, right?

It was better than his original plan, which had been to just dump him somewhere on the street. But the young detective hadn't been able shake the thought of the bloodstain on Akutagawa's face, and how unnatural for him to faint like that out of nowhere. The mad dog of the mafia he had seemed so spaced out too -- if Atsushi really had just left him on the street, he'd no sooner get run over by a car something.

Which would probably be worse for the driver because Akutagawa would surely retaliate -- not that Akutagawa would be that hurt -- not that he was worried about him or anything --

Atsushi was mercifully pulled out of that train of thought when a glint of sunlight reflected into his eyes. He blinked at the sudden brightness. That light -- it had bounced off the flank of a shiny while hull. A ship, waiting only a few feet down. No, not just any ship, a cruise. The cruise.

Is that it...? There's no way, it's huge!

Towering high just as any of the city's buildings and three times as wide, the ship might've as well been a floating island, sitting there in the hot summer sun as waves lapped against its stately sides. There was no mistaking it, the splash of bright English text on its metal flank matched the one on the tickets.

Seriously, how are we affording this thing?!

Winding from its direction was a long, bustling line just barely contained by a set of velvet ropes. Atsushi, still partly dazed, doubled back and went to join it.

Despite its size, the line was actually moving along fairly quickly. It was only a matter of time before he reached the gaping mouth that was the entrance. A dapper looking man in a well-cut uniform stood there, hands clasped behind his back. Atsushi showed him the tickets. The man glanced at them, before frowning at the unconscious Akutagawa.

"Uh-" Atsushi said awkwardly, "Early mornings...aren't his thing."

The man's frown only deepened, but he waved them along anyways, "Careful getting in, kid."

Atsushi wasn't entirely sure what he meant until he approached the entrance. It was a large step between the worn dock and dark, marble floor, a line of swirling blue between them. If his foot got stuck there, what would he do? No, of course that wouldn't happen, they wouldn't overlook something dangerous, obviously.