Bungou Stray Dogs: Tainted Future [HIATUS]

Special Reason 1: Dead Apple Part 2

The four exited the canal route and found themselves in the high-rise of Yokohama, a few meters away from Mukurotoride. Akutagawa sensed the air and smirked. His ability was near, and it had already found him.

"I'll have to go as well. My ability could be somewhere around here. Don't be killed, okay? And Atsushi, believe in yourself more. Osamu-nii is only your guide, not your cane. Don't rely on him too much or you'll find yourself handicapped. I'll see you both later!" She ran ahead of Akutagawa and jumped down the area.

Now that they had gone to their own business, she had no problem going up the tower. Sighing, she faced Mukurotoride and entered it.

When Hinatsuri and Akutagawa left them, Atsushi felt too conflicted. His friend's words especially confused him. Was relying on Dazai really a problem? Why would she say that about her brother? Those questions remained unsolved. Kyouka snapped him out of his trance when Demon Snow appeared beside them.

Mukurotoride
Collector's Room

"To me, people are nothing but machines of flesh, behaving in identifiable ways. But there is just one person I fail to comprehend. Myself." Tatsuhiko claimed as he eyed his collection. Dazai gave him an unamused stare and asked if he ever had friends. The man simply answered that he did not need any. He could understand everyone's minds after all.

"I will surely go to the world beyond, between my lines, past the blank spaces." He added. Dazai once more pointed that he would not be saying that if he had friends. Tatsuhiko smirked and walked towards him. He told him that he will soon have friends after his collection was completed.

"Do you think there's even one person who can surpass their own special abilities?" He teased. There were a couple of people he knew who could especially since they knew their own abilities the best. Plus, they were strong-willed.

Gifted Operations Division
Ango and Chuuya

"He's here, huh?" Ango uttered while continuously typing on his keyboard. Sounds of destruction could be heard from outside, and the door to their office was removed from its hinges. Chuuya stood outside with a menacing glare on his face.

"You've got some nerve, calling me out like some take-out-delivery boy." He glowered. Ango stood up and ordered everyone to leave them for a moment. The members of his division scampered away. The agent reprimanded him for destroying government facility, but Chuuya had enough of his shit. Ango reminded him that he had a debt to be paid. The redhead scoffed and exposed his mistake. The favor was the redhead's all along considering what exactly happened 6 years ago during the Dragon Head Conflict. It left the agent silent.

Ango thought for a moment and let out a defeated sigh. Tatsuhiko Shibusawa was the government's baggage and sent him into the Dragon Head Conflict. It was supposed to end the strife that engulfed Yokohama, but he never had the intention of resolving it. Instead, he created more corpses because he could not satisfy the torpidity in his life. In the end, the government protected him because he was an ability-user with the potential to stand up against nation-wide gifted takeover, considering that 80% of the damages were caused by an international organization called Strain. They had the gal to cover up his killings.

Ango reasoned out that it was to protect their nation. It infuriated Chuuya. The government thought that his men who died that time were just dispensable pawns. The agent asked if he will kill him. He had no qualms about it especially since he was the one who called him for his assistance. The redhead coldly scoffed at him and threw him down.

"I'll accept that job, but you will pay with your life."

Pipeline
Atsushi and Kyouka

The two were able to defeat their own abilities, but it was only Kyouka who got her ability back. They noticed how close they were to Mukurotoride. Atsushi uttered the necessity to save Dazai to solve the problem which made Kyouka reel back. It was just like Hinatsuri said. He had not realized it yet, and as long as that happened to be, his ability will not come back nor will he be able to stand on his own. It had always been a wonder how that girl could see past their hearts.