The Dark Era

Ch.9 New Owner?

"You're coming with us."

"There you are, Ori-chan."

I looked up to find Dazai, alone, heading towards us.

"It's that kid." one of the followers speaks up.

Dazai's eye was covered by his hair. I couldn't properly see his face.

"Stay right there!"

Dazai stops moving. The kid held his foot above my head.

"Take another step, and I'll stomp her head in!"

"..."

"...Do it."

All the boys looked at me. I had a blank face as I face them.

"I'm replaceable. So you can kill me. It's fine."

"You're...okay with dying?"

"Of course she is." Dazai spoke up. "She's part of the Port Mafia after all. But I should tell you..."

Dazai's serious face is revealed as he continues.

"You made a mistake by attacking her."

~~~~Time Skip~~~~

"Jeez, what took you so long?" Chuuya questioned Dazai.

Dazai and I met up with Chuuya, who was sitting outside of some random café two blocks away. Chuuya noticed the blood running down from the wound on top of my head.

"You found her... What happened?"

"...Some kids beat me up. But, Dazai-san...saved me."

"..."

Chuuya looked back at Dazai to find him staring off into space, thinking about something.

"I won't pry anymore. Let's just get to where we have to go."

Dazai snaps out of it and faces Chuuya.

"I'm sorry, were you speaking?"

Chuuya glares at him before standing up. He then faces me.

"Here."

Chuuya gently grabs my chin and makes me face him. Using the end of the sleeve of his jacket, he wipes the blood from my head. Dazai watches us through the corner of his eye.

"Better?"

I nod my head.

"Yes, Mr. Brat."

"Mr. Brat?!"

"Dazai-san said that is what I should call you." I explain myself.

"Don't listen to him! My name is Chuuya! Call me that."

"...Chuuya?"

"Yes."

"...Okay, Chuuya-san."

"Ori-chan. You listen to me, not hothead here." Dazai informs me.

"Who are you calling a hothead, bastard?!"

"You're just proving my point."

"...But...I got a feeling."

"Feeling?" Dazai tilts his head.

"That...we'll be seeing Chuuya-san a lot more."

"Trust me, after all this is over with, I'm staying away from the two of you." Chuuya quickly replies.

"...Let's just keep going."

Dazai starts walking off, leaving Chuuya and I behind. Chuuya sighs and starts walking. I walk beside him. I place my hand on my right side as the pain reminded me that it was still there. It hurt when I moved. Chuuya took notice of this.

"..."

I feel a hand on my shoulder. Before I could look at Chuuya, I'm floating in the air. I stop once I was on Chuuya's back. He holds my legs up with his arms. He was carrying me.

"Is the pain less?" he asks while looking back at me.

I nod my head.

"You're helping a member of the Port Mafia?" Dazai questioned as he stops in his tracks.

"Don't get me wrong, I despise the Port Mafia more than anything. But she's still a little girl...and she's hurt. She shouldn't even be in the mafia. She should be in a safe home, not getting into dangerous trouble."

"She was a stray dog I happened to find. She didn't have a real home." Dazai replies.

"When did you find her?"

"A year ago. I killed the couple who had taken her in for the night."

"You killed them? Innocent people?!"

"They weren't innocent. They both worked for the Port Mafia. They were supporters of the old boss and was trying to figure out how he really died."

"So not wanting them to discover the truth, the current boss sent you to kill them, right?"

"Yep."

"Pain..." I quietly spoke.

They both looked at me.

"...Ori-chan, just hang in there a little longer. Once we get to his house, I'm sure there's medicine you can take."

"Okay, Dazai-san."

He turns around and we all start walking again.

"Oh...I forgot Boss's book."

"I have it." Dazai replies as he shows it off.

"I need you to focus, so you'll get this back after the job is finished."

"Yes, Dazai-san."

"Do you like reading?" Chuuya asks.

"Like...? I feel nothing. I have no emotion."

"Yeah, about that, why are you like that? Do you really have no feelings? No emotions?"

"Yes, and I don't know. I just don't have any."

"...I've never met anyone like you before. But, I hope you do feel something one day. You're missing out on a lot if you don't feel anything."

"She will one day. And I'll be the one to make her."

"You can't force her to feel something, dumbass. She has to do it on her own."

"She's my pet, and I can do whatever I want to her."

"Dammit! She's not a-"

"We're almost there." Dazai interrupts.

Dazai stops walking, causing Chuuya to do the same. We were at the edge of Yokohama were there was a small mountain. Sitting on top of it, was a very large mansion. We looked at the large case of stairs leading up to it. Dazai takes the first few steps as he speaks.

"Time to start climbing."