Bungou Stray Dogs: Tainted Future [HIATUS]

Reason 9: Words of Atonement

Dream
Hinatsuri

I was inside a long dream again. Like how it always was back then, before I was saved by him. It was cold like how the winter was every year. Then, I heard the ripping of pages. Behind me, I saw a man crying over a book. He was crying tears of blood. Shouts of despair emitted from his lips. His eyes void of hope.

"Why won't it come true? Why!? Am I not worthy enough? I created you with my ability yet—!" He shouted in anger. Oh, he was a man restrained by his greed, drowning in his ability. How pitiful. As if losing my own consciousness, my body moved towards him and crouched down.

"You have the ability to achieve everything, yet you forget how the book works. My, my, how the mighty have fallen." As if reacting to my words, he grabbed his pen and opened his eyes. They were a wonderful color of brown, like the shade of those pine trees. He smiled and pierced his eyes. In order to activate the book's ability, a sacrifice must be offered.

"Now, write." I whispered. He mindlessly wrote down his wish, and my body glowed red. With a smile, I touched my face and his. I grabbed the pen and stabbed his heart. His smile turned into frown, and I wrote my wish in blood. His soul had left his body, but he was still so beautiful. My lips landed on his cold one as I gave him the love he died for.

Everything from that moment shattered. My consciousness returned, and fear struck my heart. The me who said those words were myself yet not at the same time. I could still feel his lips on my own as I trembled in search for words of excuse. My thoughts danced around my mind, and I finally lost it when something inside snapped.

"Why was I feeling fear?" I stood up and placed my hand on the mirror that appeared before me. Reflected on it was my own dark self whose smile had turned sinister and whose thoughts were evident in those eyes. I remembered why I was scared. I feared what I had done, the blood that I had shed and how I could never be in the light. That man, he died with despair in his mind as he thought of a utopian world. However, that world will never come to be. There is no perfect world, and those who can see the beauty of this world can only cry at their anguish, at their pain, at their despair. Yes, pain is such a beautiful existence.

7:13 A.M.
Yokohama Docks
The Guild and Port Mafia

"Load all the cargo from my country into cabin no. 3. Don't break anything or you'll pay for it." Ordered by the lady holding a parasol. She felt annoyed by how she was tasked to give the loading directions while her partner was just sitting a feet away from her, reading his bible. She gave him a glare which he caught.

"Stop bothering me. Your gaze is bothersome. It's disrupting me from my concentration with God." He commented. She felt highly insulted by that and returned the favor by using her ability. The book disintegrated into pieces, and the pastor watched his book become nothing. She smiled in accomplishment before berating the man for forgetting that it was their job to protect the ship. The pastor scoffed and told her that God has given him the ability to bestow punishment to heavy sinners.

"Our enemies, regardless of their numbers, are most welcome to give their best shot. Let them atone for their sins, or do you also wish for atonement, Miss Mitchell?" He teased the lady. Margaret Mitchell, apprentice to the Guild, scoffed and sneered at him. She voiced out how he, Nathaniel Hawthorne, was worthy enough to polish her shoes. Before the two could even clash, one of the workers interrupted their conversation. It was a lanky looking woman. She gave them the letter they found. The pastor snatched it and read the contents. It was from the Port Mafia. The letter first welcomed them into Yokohama and even commented on Elise's cuteness. Then, it sourly turned into a threat.

"The following are the things we plan to obliterate:

1. Your extravagant cruiser
2. Mr. Nathaniel Hawthorne's life
3. Ms. Margaret Mitchell's life