Hirotsu Ryuro // Hirotsu Naoto and Tachihara Michizo
Hirotsu was on a mission with the Black Lizard. Barely anyone got a break nowadays with all the chaos of the ‘Dead Apple’ incident coming to an end, Hirotsu being one of the many souls who were worked day and night. But he was used to it at this point. The Mafia wasn’t for the fainthearted after all.
Plus, in a couple of hours, once his day shift ended, he could go meet Dazai at the Museum. He loved those times with the man he considered his grandson. He would never say it out loud, though, not to Dazai at least. It was far too embarrassing for a man of high status like Hirotsu. Especially when you consider Dazai was the same man who had been only a child when he acquired his title of ‘The Demon Prodigy’ and haunted the streets of Yokohama.
Hirotsu sighed as he watched his subordinates. Sometimes, he missed the efficiency that Dazai had brought upon the Mafia. Mori was an intelligent man, but he was barely able to have the Port Mafia functionally running if it weren’t for a 15 to 18-year-old Dazai’s plans, which to this day they still operated on. And they could at least 20-30 more years.
Hirotsu was about to light a cigarette when suddenly he felt a slight pain in his chest.
-”Am I having a heart attack? It was bound to happen, but I would’ve at least liked to speak with Dazai-Kun once more.”
Hirotsu thought as he dropped his lighter and fell to one knee. His subordinates rushed to his side. Except for Tachihara, who had also fallen to his knees. Had Gin hit his stomach aThe? Those two never seemed to stop fighting.
Hirotsu’s body felt slightly heavy as the strange pain went away. Gin had helped him up before going over to Tachihara. Hirotsu felt empty, so to say. He felt as if he was missing something. That is before his body lit up with No Longer Human. The bright Galcier blue was recognizable to both Gin and Hirotsu.
-”Dazai-San? But he isn’t here.”
Hirotsu said calmly as he stood. He felt whole again, weirdly enough. He looked over at Tachihara, who was going through the same thing. He was shocked, to say the least, as he stood there frozen before he walked over to Tachihara.
-”You’ve got some explaining to do, young man.”
Hirotsu spoke as he helped Tachihara stand. Tachihara looked at Hirotsu; the look in his eyes was both desperation and disappointment. Fear and sadness all mixed together.
-”Right…”
Tachihara spoke softly as he lowered his head. Hirotsu and Tachihara then both felt as though their body weight had doubled before they lit up again. This time, Hirotsu with a bright hot pink and Tachihara with a cold grey.
Gin held onto both of them so they wouldn’t fall. She didn’t know what was happening, but she held them both close to not have them disappear. However, they didn’t disappear. Instead, two more bodies seemed to fall out of Tachihara and Hirotsu. Gin didn’t care for herself at this moment and pushed both Hirotsu and Tachihara behind her. Daggers out, ready to fight any danger that had appeared.
When the light dissipated, Gin was met with a robot made of steel and some type of pink glowing lady. She didn’t know what was happening, but she wasn’t about to let this get to her. Verlaine and Dazai had trained her better.
-”Ugh…”
The glowing female one groaned as it rubbed its head. Hirotsu and Tachihara were shocked. What the hell had just happened to them? Hirotsu shook it off as he walked forward and lent his hand out as he carefully examined the glowing woman.
-”Hello, Ma’am. Are you alright?”
He said. The woman was a bright pink all over, clearly glowing the same colour. Her hair was curly and slightly messy and down. She wore a white and reddish pink kimono with Camellia flowers plastered all over it. She had some slight jelwery but was wearing a mostly comfortable outfit. She also looked older. Perhaps in her 50s?
The woman looked up at Hirotsu, eyes widening in shock, with a look of pure astonishment plastered on her face.
-”How the hell…”
The woman muttered before —hesitantly— taking Hirotsu’s hand. Hirotsu helped her stand. She was around maybe 5‘5 “? Yeah, that seemed about right.
-”This shouldn’t be possible…”
She muttered again before she started mumbling to herself. Hirotsu was confused, hearing something about Skills and Soul Energies. Was this woman insane or something?
-”Um. Ma’am, are you okay?”
Tachihara asked from his refuge behind Gin.
-”No.”
She shot back immediately with a kind smile yet shaky voice.
-”May we know you’re name, Ma’am, and perhaps why you and this… Robot? Appeared from me and my subordinate.”
The glowing woman straightened herself as she took a deep breath.
-”I am Tsubakiko. This is Kouki-Kun. He, at the moment, is powered off. We are known as ‘Falling Camellia’ and ‘Midwinter Memento’ to you all, respectively. Hirotsu-Sama’s and Tachihara-Kun’s abilities, as you say it.”
Tsubakiko the slapped Kouki over the head, hard.
-”Wake up, you bucket of bolts!”
Tsubakiko yelled as she then dusted her kimono off. It was Camellia-themed, funny enough. Kouki then started booting up, the red light that shined through its joints and what looked like tattoos. The light turned from red to green as Kouki started to move.
-”You’re so mean to me, Tsu-Sama…”
Kouki lamented —somewhat emotionlessly— in a robotic yet still human voice as he stood up from his seat on the floor, rubbing his head where Tsubakiko had hit. He probably didn’t need to, honestly.
-”You’ll live.”
Tsubakiko deadpanned.
Everyone was shocked. Hirotsu massaged his temples. He was too old for this. Tachihara would have fainted if it weren’t for Gin slapping him when he nearly did. Gin just stared in disbelief. Had her brother experienced something similar? Or was he experiencing something similar right now? She didn’t know, but it worried her.
-”As for how we magically appeared, we don’t know. We might have to ask Yoko-Chan. Luckily, we’re —me and Hirotsu— are supposed to meet with Dazai-Chan later today!”
Tsubakiko said cheerfully. It helped snape the others —the humans— out of their trace of shock.
-”That is if they aren’t going through the same thing…”
Kouki deadpanned emotionlessly as he looked down at the ground, head hung low. Tsubakiko looked at him with sad yet annoyed eyes.
-”Don’t be so pessimistic, Kou-Kun. I know you’re nervous and scared; so am I. You and Tachihara-Kun have a job to do, and I understand that. But sometimes, life has other plans. We can get through this. We just need to get to Dazai-Chan and Yoko-Chan. You shouldn’t lose hope so easily!”
Kouki looked up from the ground and hugged Tsubakiko, still with an emotionless expression on his face. Tsubakiko only patted his head as she looked at the rest of the group.
Hirotsu and Gin were confused but didn’t question too much. They had gotten the idea very quickly that Kouki couldn’t express his emotions like a normal human; luckily, another ability was here to translate those emotions.
However, Tachihara was beyond mortified at his ability. That was Hirotsu’s ability! And his ability hung off her like a baby holding his mother! It was embarrassing beyond imaginable! Gin, noticing this, snickered.
-”Well,”
Hirotsu said after a little while. This was slightly embarrassing; he didn’t expect his ability to be alive, much less a woman, and the way that Tachihara’s —secret— ability hung off of her like a child. He found it very endearing regardless.
-”I suppose Dazai-San is our only help for this?”
Hirotsu added. Tsubakiko nodded, still patting Kouki’s head as he clung to her.
-”Yes, I could feel Yoko-Chan’s Soul Energy being used just moments ago. So she and Dazai-Chan are our only call for help and an explanation.”
Tsubakiko added to Hirotsu’s comment. Hirotsu nodded as he looked back at Gin and Tachihara.
-”Tachihara-San, you’re coming with me and explaining this,”
He said, sternly pointing at Kouki. Tachihara’s head was hung low.
-”While Gin-San, you’re looking for your brother and seeing if he has gone through the same thing. Usually, I would allow you to come with me to see Dazai-San but felt as though you would be best to deal with your brother.”
Gin and Tachihara both nodded. One more enthusiastic and lively than the other. And with that, they went their separate ways.