Trouble On The Side

Ch.7 Trying To Understand

~~~~Atsushi's P.O.V.~~~~

"There was a massive explosion at the underground train station to the east side of Yokohama yesterday. 136 people were killed, 42 are in critical condition, and only 3 people escaped unharmed. Eyewitnessess report that this young girl was the mastermind behind the explosion."

A picture of Shiori fills the screen.

"Her name is Shiori Nakajima, according to the police. Her current where abouts are unknown. The police ask if you spot her, do not approach her. Contact them immediately. She is said to be very dangerous-"

The director turns off the tv.

Everyone, except Kunikida, sat around the table in silence. Kunikida was in the infirmary while the rest of us held a meeting in the conference room. No one said anything.

The director looks at Yosano.

"How is Kunikida?"

"He hits his head pretty hard. So don't expect him to wake up any time today. He'll be out for about another day or so. But with that being said, he'll be just fine."

"Good..."

Everyone was silent again once again. Not being able to hold it in anymore, I speak out loud.

"Shiori didn't do this!"

"Atsushi-"

"She wouldn't do this!" I interrupt Tanizaki. "Shiori would never do something like that!"

"We can't say that for sure. At least, not until Kunikida wakes up." Ranpo voices his opinion. "But, from what I gathered at the scene yesterday...Shiori was there. And she's the one who set off the bombs."

"...Why would she do something like that? What reason does she have? ...This doesn't make sense. That's why there's no way she did it."

"She said she had to go into hiding for a while, right, Dazai-san?" Tanizaki asks.

Dazai was in serious though as he stared at the necklace in his hands.

"Dazai-san."

He looks up.

"Shiori didn't want to "put us in danger", according to her. She went into hiding to get a target off her back. She was going to solve something on her own. Once she was done, she was going to come back to us. I don't know what the issue she was trying to clean up though, sorry."

"You don't know anything she meant?" Yosano questions.

Dazai just shook his head as he goes back to staring at the necklace.

I think back on the day she disappeared. She was talking to Francis about something, but I didn't understand it at the time.

"Back on the Moby Dick, when we were fighting Francis, she mentioned something." I inform everyone. "She said they knew where she was in Yokohama, and that they would be coming after her. She also mentioned that they would destroy this city in order to hunt her down."

"Who's they?" Naomi tilts her head.

"Do you know anything, Dazai? You knew Shiori the best." the director speaks.

"Haven't have a clue. From the sounds of it, this must have to do with her past. The one before I found her and she joined the Port Mafia. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about it. She never brought the subject up."

"That's right, Shiori said she wanted to tell us everything about it once the battle against the Guild was over." I remembered.

"She said that?" Kenji asks.

"Only after Francis revealed a little bit of her past. He mentioned Shiori escaped some prison with other people. And there's another thing...Shiori's true ability."

Everyone, except for Dazai, listened to my words closely.

"Shiori was able to copy Akutagawa's ability for just a few seconds. And it's not just his, Francis mentioned her copying the ability of an inmate she escaped with."

"It's called Queen of the Damned." Dazai begins to explain. "She's able to use others' ability for a few seconds by simply consuming a drop of their blood. That's her true ability. I've just recently learned about it myself, during the war with the Guild."

"Ain't that scary. A ability that copies others." Yosano thinks to herself.

"Wait, you recently just found out?" Ranpo asks.

"Yes. I thought her only ability was Darkness Within. That ability is a dark one. It can trap people in their most terrifying nightmares. The only way to stop it is if I nullify it, or...if the victim commits suicide.

However, if they don't do that, they'll go crazy and destroy everything in sight. But even after they die, if Shiori wishes it, she can keep their nightmare going."

"..."

So they'd be trapped forever... How horrible.

No one said a thing, so Dazai continued.

"Shiori hates that ability, so she doesn't use it. She wanted to tell you all on her own time."

I stare at my hands resting in my lap.

"Shiori..."

"Listen up, everyone."

Everyone looks towards the director.

"We must find Shiori before she strikes again. We have to stop her from hurting anymore innocent people on the streets."

"What happens if we find her?" Kenji asks.

"...Depending on the situation, if you have to...put her down."

Under the table, I ball my hands into fists.

"Hopefully, " the director continues."It doesn't come to that. Capture her, if you cross paths. We'll hold her here and question her before bringing her to the police. Is that understood?"

Everyone stands.

"Yes, Sir!"