Chapter Text
“ Sorry, there weren’t any! Goodbye~~!”
The crackle of a microphone being turned off echoed off the walls, seeping more uneasiness into the already unsettling atmosphere. Sigma glanced between the carnage around them and the distressing scene playing out through the security footage, which had begun to malfunction. They racked their brain to try to comprehend the situation they had found themself in but came up with nothing as they glanced at their grinning teammate.
How the hell is this man smiling?? He’s singlehandedly responsible for every corpse in this room, not to mention that two of the strongest ability users of all time are drowning because of his actions!"
“I… can’t believe it,” they spoke, voice barely above a whisper. “You actually killed them.”
Dazai turned to them and cocked his head before returning to his intent stare on the CCV footage. In a huff of annoyance, he proclaimed.
“No, not quite yet. The next phase of the plan is just beginning.”
Sigma returned a perplexed look.
“Next phase?” they asked out of genuine interest and concern.
The brunette man nodded with a grin, the same one he sported while explaining his communication tactics, and opened his mouth to extend another teaching.
“Tell me, Sigma, what do you think would happen if someone were to be affected by two abilities at once?”
“Huh?”
“Let's say, for this example, you were walking down a street. Evidently, not a very safe one because you are then chased and cornered by two ability users, both with abilities that bestow an effect onto the person they use it on. For this, we’ll say one causes the affected individual to become ill, and the other causes the affected individual to lose sight. Now, what would happen if you were hit with both of them at the exact same time? I’m talking milliseconds here.” Dazai prompted as a poor imitation of a schoolteacher.
Sigma furrowed their eyebrow and brought their hand to their chin, trying to decipher the scenario presented.
“Would you become blind and ill at the same time?”
Dazai shook his head and raised his pointer finger.
“False! Common misconception! The truth is, you’ll only be hit by whichever ability is stronger!”
Sigma’s brows furrowed even closer together.
“Wait… whichever one is stronger? How is that even determined?”
Dazai shrugged with a grin and cheerily exclaimed.
“Who knows~~! The universe is ruled by unexplainable chaos! Ability users are no exception to that rule.”
Sigma stared, unimpressed. They observed their surroundings once more, a maximum security prison that encased an unknown number of criminal ability users, which had now been thrown into a state of chaos due to the maniac in front of them. Why would he even ask about other ability users? He likely wouldn’t be able to contact any others within the prison, and even so, what purpose would it serve? Their impromptu team had already sent the enemy into a lethal trap, and there was no need to focus on anything else but escaping.
“Have you figured it out yet, Sigma? You really do remind me of Atsushi-kun when you’re pondering like that.”
“I can’t say I have,” they sighed, thinly masking their discontent.
“Alright! We’ll work it out a different way! Really, I ought to look into tutoring at this point; maybe I’d be better at it than Kunikida-kun!” the detective mischievously chuckled before opening his mouth to explain again. “Sigma, my good friend, who would you surmise is the strongest ability user here?”
The familiar look of contemplation dawned on their face once more. A few moments passed before they gave their answer.
“If we’re going on strength alone, I’d say Chuuya-san to my knowledge. Although I don’t know if there’s another surprise outside factor I don’t know about.”
Dazai grinned and boisterously exclaimed, “No need to overthink, my dearest student! You deduced the correct answer on your first try!! Maybe I ought to give you a gold sticker!!”
Sigma minuscule relaxed at the praise, but then alarm bells rang in their head.
“Dazai, I’m not trying to be rude, but what exactly do you expect Chuuya to do? He’s not exactly in the position to use his ability right now. Plus, you even said he can’t use it on liquids! And isn’t he being affected by Bram’s ability right now? What ability could you possibly get someone to use on him that would rescue him from that certain death??”
The detective’s demeanor noticeably shifted, and Sigma swore they felt the temperature in the room drop.
“He’s going to use his ability on himself, in a way.”
“What?? How would you even know that? Isn’t he a v-” Sigma paused midsentence as realization descended on their face. “How would he use his ability if he’s under the influence of another? Especially one that's mind controlling?”
“Because he can give up control of his body to his ability.” Dazai said coldly.
“Wh- How-?? I still don’t get how he would be able to do that while under the control of Bram’s ability.” Sigma said, understandably confused.
“You obviously know nothing about Chuuya as a person,” Dazai chuckled, a slight look of fondness surfacing his face. “That man has more passion and willpower than anyone I’ve ever seen. He struggles in a way that is so undeniably human that it's honestly a bit disgusting. ” With that, the brunet stuck out his tongue to emphasize that despite his positive qualities, the mafioso still irritated him down to his bones.
“I guess I get it then?” Sigma spoke, their voice conveying that they did not, in fact, understand everything that was happening around them.
“It’s alright,” Dazai stated in a calm voice that matched his unwavering focus on the CCV screen. “I’ve thought of ways to kill him every day for the past seven years. But, I’ve also been his partner for seven years, even if I didn’t carry the title the whole time. As much as I’d like to kill him for my own satisfaction, he’s too important to be killed right now, and the same goes for all the time I’ve known him. And thus, for all the plans I have to gruesomely murder the slug, I have tenfold in how to save him in various situations.”
“There’s no way you foresaw this exact situation,” a quiet whisper escaped from the other individual in the room.
“Maybe not this exactly, but a combination of a few scenarios I’ve run in my head gave me a pretty good idea of where to start.” Dazai declared in an unwavering voice. “Should be any second now,” he mumbled quietly, not loud enough to be picked up by his companion.
Sigma gave a response, but it never reached the bandaged man’s ears. Dark brown eyes remained trained on the security cam, drowning out his surroundings. He had become completely immersed in the live feed, knowing if he was even a second off-beat, the consequences would be catastrophic. He was intimately aware of his power in this situation and how a slight misstep could change the fate of not just himself and the other inhabitants of Meursault but that any decision he made could affect the stability of reality itself.
So when the feed showed the first signs of movement, he ran. He ran and ran and ran. He ran as fast as he physically could until his legs threatened to give out on him as his frantic footsteps echoed through the prison's dense and desolate hallways. It felt suffocating; his breaths felt cold in his lungs as he greedily drank in more air, audibly
panting and cursing himself for not going through more strenuous physical training in preparation for an outcome he knew was a possibility. The corridors felt unending, and he felt as if he had not made any substantial progress on his route.
Please hold on, Just a little bit longer. I'll be there.
As he repeated the unspoken mantra in his head like a prayer, an enraged, inhuman scream rang through his ears. He never thought he'd perceive that utterance of pain and rage in a positive light, as dim as that light may be.
He was close, so very close.
He gritted his teeth as he attempted to run even the slightest bit faster but was aptly met by his body's refusal. He damned himself and silently wished he did not have
a physical form, He screamed out the other’s name in a voice louder than he knew he was capable of.
As he reached his destination, unbothered by the resounding sounds of destruction that surrounded him, he was greeted by a sight, one that never ceased to send chills down his spine.
The man who he had seen drowning through a security camera's live feed just moments before was now in front of him, along with crumbled walls, collapsed ceilings, and debris scattered as far as his eye could see. His eyes were soulless, blank pupils only seeking destruction even as he let out strangled screams that racked his body as it attempted to dispel all the foreign fluid from his lungs. He attacked indiscriminately; it didn't matter if it was a building, an animal, or a person. The being simply existed to cause calamities; its sole purpose was to destroy.
However, Dazai was uncomfortably familiar with this state of his partner and had been in situations akin to his current one too many times for his liking. He was familiar with the screams, the blood, the destruction. He was familiar with the control his partner gave up, and he was familiar with the unspoken conversation between them through the mafioso's actions.
The fact that Chuuya was using corruption could only mean one thing, he trusted Dazai to save him. In activating corruption, he communicated with Dazai without contact, words, or speech.
"I trust you to bring me back, you shitty mackerel."
Despite their constant arguments, occasional physical altercations, and the long periods of time that distanced them, one thing never changed between them, their trust. Their relationship was complicated and baffling for their unassuming associates and even themselves. Their mutual hatred was the very foundation of their partnership, but they cared for each other when curious eyes were not upon them. It often shifted with the fleeting wind; one moment, they'd be at each other's neck, not even attempting to conceal their bloodlust. But in a blink of an eye, they'd have each other's backs, utterly annihilating any enemy that dared to oppose the twin darkness.
They understood each other to a degree no one else had even come close to. They knew each other's moves, motivations, thought processes, and deepest fears. For every battle won, there was a solemn night to follow with enough tears, sweat, and blood to last a lifetime. The only nights they'd halt the theatrics to attempt to begin to process who they were, what their lives had become, and if they truly were a product of humanity.
He dodged the flying debris with calculated precision. He had only one goal, and he'd be damned if he focused on anything else. He had to deactivate corruption. He had to reach Chuuya. He had to free him from the dehumanizing grip of Arahabaki before the carnage irrevocably damaged his body.
He hid behind a compromised wall as he observed the figure outlined in crimson bolting off the walls and opening his tarnished palms to form a foreboding black hole that would obliterate everything in sight if given a chance to fully configure.
Well, that surely wouldn't do, would it?
He mustered all the strength in his body to get to his partner as quickly as possible. He ignored the growing heaviness in his limbs as he broke into a sprint, utilizing his innate lankiness to reach outward to his partner, desperately closing the distance between them. Before the devastating deity wearing his partner's skin could react, his pale, bandaged hand lightly punched him in the face.
Immediately, the crimson runes began to recede, and a greyish blue steadily occupied the man's previously blank eyes. The tension in his body quickly deflated, and he began to collapse from where he had been floating. The brunet prepared a safety net for his partner with his arms and softly, yet not quite gracefully broke his fall. The two had fallen into an awkward position, with each at a less than optimal angle and the redhead halfway cradled in the detective's arms.
"Dazai..." a hoarse voice spoke, "what the fuck is going on and why the hell are you holding me like this."
"Shh... it's not that important, plus your chibi brain probably wouldn't be able to understand it! Oh, and you should be able to tell why we're in this position; that was a stupid question. I'd tell you to quit barking like the dog you are and rest, but no matter how much pain you're in right now, you really need to get out of here." Dazai answered.
"Oy! Stop calling me a dog, dammit! Ow! fuck!" he abruptly stopped himself to let out a body-racking cough, hand coated in blood as he pulled it away. "Now that I think about it, where are we anyways, and why can't I remember a damn thing since the helicopter."
"France. Oh, and you were a stupid brain-dead zombie. I guess that's not too far off from your usual self."
"Stop making shit up, shitty Dazai. I'm being serious right now."
"So am I, unfortunately. The Mafia was compromised by a mind-controlling vampiric ability, and I've been stuck in jail with a rat for god knows how long now. Well, I guess I should change that to was. Thank you for that, by the way."
"Wait, the entire mafia?" Chuuya's eyes widened as he tried to process the new information, locked in on the first part of his partner's statement.
"Not Mori, to my knowledge, but it's a fairly large percentage. Consider the fact that they got you, and you should have a pretty decent idea of how bad the situation is"
"Fuck."
"Yeah, no shit. This really isn't time for chit-chatting, by the way. Need I mention it again- you need to get the hell out of here."
Dazai nodded towards the decimated infrastructure around them.
"Is it-"
"It's compromised." Dazai said with certainty. "You probably only have a few minutes to get out."
"You'll have to help me- do you need a reminder that I can't remember the past few god knows how long? I don't know where I am or how exactly I got here; how am I supposed to escape?" Chuuya exhaled with an exasperated sigh. Coming back to his senses and discovering he had a reasonable-sized gap in his memory was bringing up unpleasant feelings within him.
"Me? No, you're an idiot. I'm not helping you. They will." Dazai pointed to the individual who had been watching from a distance, afraid and uncertain of the situation and chaos that lay before them.
"Who the hell is that?" the mafioso curtly exclaimed.
"Oh! That's Sigma; they were dragged here by Gogol to help the clown bastard set up a prison break scheme between Dostoevsky and me, which, might I add, absolutely backfired for Dostoevsky because who's dead now bitch! He actually tried to use you as his pawn! You! Against me! Honestly, what was he even thinking? You'd never want to kill me under some mind control ability; you've been looking forward to relishing in my demise since we were 15!" Dazai giddily exclaimed with a face that would be more fitting for a child going to a candy store than a man describing his archnemesis death. "Anyways, I drowned you, and then you used corruption, and it canceled out the vampirism! So now Sigma can help you to get out of here before the building collapses!"
"You- you drowned me?? That's why my lungs burn more than normal?? I thought that was corruption!" Chuuya spoke with anger, voice still hoarse from the aftereffects of his ability.
"Yes indeed!"
"Bastard."
"Affirmative."
"Sigma!" Dazai called out to the individual who had been watching their interaction with a perplexed look on their face. They jumped at their name, startled by the callout.
"Please take my dog out." Dazai softly smiled.
"Wha-" Sigma began to speak but was promptly cut off.
"Who are you calling a dog, you societal outcast?" the enraged redhead yelled and then stopped when his lungs began to spasm again.
"You, of course. I don't see anyone else with a collar in this room." Dazai spoke with a grin before it fell from his face as his chest tightened and a pained wheeze escaped from his lips. "You need to leave. Now."
Chuuya's brows furrowed.
"Wait, you expect me to just leave with a man-"
"they're non-binary slug, they/them." Dazai quickly interrupted.
"oh shit, my bad, anyways."
The small affirmation perplexed Sigma, but they didn't have time to dwell on it.
"You just expect me to escape a place I have never been to with a person I have never met before? What about you? Last I checked, your ability does not nullify the weight of steel and concrete crushing your body."
"It doesn't matter," Dazai spoke, almost in a whisper.
"What do you mean it doesn't matter??" Chuuya raised his voice."You expect me to just leave you behind, so you can fulfill your shitty deathwish?"
"It doesn't matter. I'll be dead in a few minutes anyways."
"Stop joking, you suicidal maniac. You can still escape with us."
"No..." Sigma broke their silence as a horrifying realization dawned upon them. "Dazai... the time doesn't stop for you..."
"What the hell are you on about?" Chuuya turned and snapped at the casino owner.
"Yes." Dazai spoke solemnly and averted his eyes towards the cracked concrete floor, refusing to meet the others' gazes.
"Gogol convinced Dazai and Dostoevsky to participate in a prison-break scheme," Sigma explained, a look of shock still present on their face. "Dazai won, but it's too late."
"What do you mean? We still have time to get out before the build-"
"It's not the building." Sigma breathed. "It's been half an hour, hasn't it, Dazai.?"
The brunet nodded in response, eyes still fixated on the ground, refusing to lift his head.
"What does that mean." the mafioso anxiously spoke. "Dazai, what the fuck did you do?"
Sigma released another shaky breath.
"The prison game had rules, and," they paused, now matching Dazai's demeanor by refusing to look into the redhead's eyes. "He injected himself with a lethal poison; Gogol had the antidote for whoever escaped first, but it's too late; it's already in effect."
"And so, the student surpasses the teacher." Dazai quietly spoke with a wistful smile on his face.