1stknight | PSL (closed)

[It flustered her more, but she was sure the compliments were an apology of sorts. She would just go about her day after that with an interesting story to tell.

The woman following Dazai wasn't trying to be obvious, but she really, really stuck out in Yokohama. Bright blonde hair, a height a few inches taller than most women (thanks both to her European genetics and her high heels), and she was dressed in pinks and reds. It was hard not to notice her, even if she wasn't trying to be noticed. So yes, Dazai would see her in those mirrors.

To the shopping district, then? Bedivere hadn't noticed anything unusual yet, but a tall blonde woman wasn't quite as strange to him as it would be in Japan.]

[Shopping district it was!

Dazai wove between people, picking crowded spots when he could. Setting the possibility that she was another Master aside, her overall appearance and the fact that she wasn't hiding indicated confidence. Being discovered might not bother her, for all that she looked like a non-combatant, and the latter was questionable when Abilities were involved.

Humming in thought, Dazai slipped into a discount store, and hopefully her line of sight was blocked by the crowd he just squeezed through. He grabbed an olive green coat and a cap on the way to the back of the store, hiding behind the tall shelves and shrugging into the coat as he walked.

Would she follow him here? If so, he'd have to make his way to the employee exit.]

[She did indeed follow him into the store, but the coat and cap were a good idea. The quick change in looks was enough for her to not catch sight of Dazai, and she assumed he had ducked out through an employee exit or something. If Dazai didn't immediately duck out the back, she would go right past him instead of catching him. Safety! For now, at least.]

[He waited, leaving a few bills near the register for the owner to find. Going out the back as soon as she entered was too conspicuous. Heck, he also thought she'd check the dressing rooms first, but if she was busy heading in the opposite direction as him, Dazai would smoothly leave the store and trace his steps back to the Agency.]

Saber. [A murmur, barley audible in the crowd once he was out of the shopping district. He only stopped for him to materialize in a narrow alley a few blocks away, just before he could cross the street to enter the Agency building. He spared a glance at the Uzumaki's window seats - any newcomers there?] That woman. Was she with anyone?

[Good call, because Bedivere was absolutely materializing immediately once called. He was nothing if not loyal and obedient.]

Not that I saw. But I could sense magic on her, she is likely another Master. Though she likely isn't a mage, given how she missed you entirely instead of just tracking your magic signature.

Speaking of which, we need to figure out what to do about that. Your magical signature is very unique, and once the mages figure out you're a Master it will be very easy for them to find you.

[Well, first time he's heard that!

The temptation to make a tease out of it was there, but Dazai could refrain from making Bedivere blush too badly until they got the necessary updates out of the way.]

Describe it to me: how is my energy different from theirs? For that matter, is every magical signature unique, and if so are there ways of hiding it?

[Thankfully, the elevator was otherwise empty when they reached it. Dazai pressed the appropriate floor button.]

I'm aware you aren't a mage, but if you've come across something in your travels, that would be helpful.

[Luckily, with nobody watching from the cafe, the trip up to the Agency was a safe one. And while they were in the elevator, Bedivere elaborated on what he had said before.]

It might be best to think of magic as similar to a fighting style. If you train under a master swordsman, your style will be like his. Likewise, your magic reflects what you do with it.

But with you, it's like there is a negative space around you where magic doesn't exist. But that area is very small and localized, so it's easy to tell that you're the one at the center of it.

[Emptiness, in other words. Dazai couldn't say he was surprised.]

I'm afraid we're out of luck, unless we find something that sticks like these. [He waved his bandaged hand before slipping it back in his pocket once the elevator doors opened to the third floor.] Perhaps there are artefacts out there that will grant me a similar effect so we can play pretend, but I don't think we have that much time to go on an extra goose chase.

[With a raised eyebrow, he glanced at Bedivere once they reached the Agency, a hand on the latch. Ready?]

Well, we can try something that might work.

[He held up his left hand, offering it out to Dazai.]

Normally mana goes from the Master to the Servant, but I might be able to send some of the mana back to you, albeit changed from being within me. That might cancel out the void effect of your presence?

It's easier to exchange mana through touch, so take my hand for a moment. We can test it.

[What Bedivere didn't know was that Kunikida was not far from the door, and would be opening it within the next ten seconds. He was about to go out for lunch, actually. The timing was just perfect that Kunikida would be able to see the hand-holding, if Dazai did take Bedivere's hand.]

Sure.

[Working out the mechanics of that was distracting enough for Dazai to focus on feeling out Bedivere's palm on his once their fingers met. Should he expect a jolt of energy? Absolutely nothing? How was Bedivere's metal arm even going to look?

Whatever did end up happening, of course, was something he might have to put off until later, because Kunikida just opened the door and. Whoops?]

Kunikida-kun! [Here, a million watt smile. Two people blocking the doorway with what might've looked like the beginning of a serious handholding session? Absolutely normal.] You can't pass until you guess the password.

[This was a slight improvement: he would've joked about playing London Bridge if Bedivere's prosthetic was still functional.]

[Nothing out of the ordinary happened, besides Bedivere's arm deactivating again. Bedivere didn't have enough magic of his own to really understand what was going on, because wow it was a weird feeling. He was still getting mana from Dazai- and in fact he could actually feel the mana, since they were touching. Just being near each other might be too much of a slow trickle to be sustainable, and they may need more hand-holding in the future. But while he was still getting mana from Dazai, anything he could have done with his limited magical capabilities was suddenly shut off.

But before he could really study it more and figure out just what weirdness was going on, Kunikida had opened the door and was staring at the two of them. What a situation to be caught in.

Dazai's childishness helped, though, because Bedivere didn't immediately jump to the implications of two guys holding hands in private. No, he just cast Dazai a Tired look, as if to say 'really?'

Kunikida, meanwhile, was sputtering.]

What- Dazai! Are you making a move on a client again?!

[The downside of not being an actual mage who's inherited fifteen generations' worth of magic circuits was that Dazai was more susceptible to drain. At the moment, it wasn't noticeable - Bedivere hadn't needed to fight and he spent most of their walk in his spirit form. As it was, Dazai could dismiss his craving for something to chew on as the after-effect of that very long meandering route back to the Agency.]

Can't I appreciate Ellis' refreshing charms up close?

[Yeah, he wasn't about to correct Kunikida's assumption in favor of looking on brand. There were more people in the office now, and this was a good excuse as any to let Bedivere recharge however so slightly. Shame that arm was a dead weight; Dazai would've wanted to twirl him just because. Or Dazai could be the one twirled. He proceeded to do just that with a cheeky lift of Bedivere's hand above his head.]

It's not every day I find a good-looking man taller than me.

Now: who's looking into the murder back at the train station?

Ah-

[And with that, Bedivere was twirled around. It was completely unexpected and less than graceful, but they managed to do it without Bedivere falling or knocking his metal arm into anything.]

Mast- Dazai!

[Kunikida definitely heard that slip-up, despite Bedivere's attempts to save it, and then it was Kunikida's turn to go red.]

I don't know, and I don't want to know! There's work to do!

[And he stormed past the two, ducking around Dazai to march his way down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

Bedivere, meanwhile, sounded flustered as he spoke.]

I know you meant to tease him, but it was teasing me too.

[This had to be one of the more entertaining misunderstandings he'd foisted on Kunikida.

The moment his coworker had gone down the stairs, Dazai burst out laughing, leaning on the wall and clutching his stomach. His other hand, by the way, was still holding Bedivere's.]

And if I tell you I meant every word I said?

[He winked. Any claims he had of being smooth were ruined by the flush on his cheeks from all the laughing, and right, the door was open. Oh well. Guess everyone had a free show?

He slipped his hand away from Bedivere's as he walked into the room before gesturing for him to follow. Was Fukuzawa busy or stuck in one appointment or the other?

(If his gaze briefly alighted on Ranpo to check his expression and if Ranpo suspected anything, well. That was something to address later.)]

I would call you a sweet talker and stop listening to your praises.

[Someone could tsun pretty hard, it seemed. He was tempted to walk away entirely for a bit and let Dazai flounder in his explanations to his co-workers, but he knew he needed to stay close. Just in case an attack came.

Fukuzawa was not busy, so if Dazai came to his door he would nod to invite Dazai in. Ranpo, meanwhile, was casting a curious glance in Dazai's direction. He did indeed suspect a budding romance growing, albeit on Dazai's side of things. He wouldn't say anything to Dazai yet, though. Partially because Bedivere wasn't quite as enamored with Dazai (yet) as Dazai was with him.]

Oh, fine, suit yourself!

[Here was the thing: Dazai didn't have to explain anything unless someone asked him outright, and he could count on one hand the number of people who'd be up to the task. In his mind, this wasn't romance - yes, he admired Bedivere similar to the way he was fond of Odasaku and Atsushi, but this wasn't necessarily something he'd act on or dwell about too much outside of heavy flirting.

This war has a time limit after all. And when it ended, so too would Bedivere's association with him. From the way the knight talked about his wish, Dazai assumed world travel was also on the table in that quest to find and help those in need.

Well - that wasn't something he'd focus on, now that he had to be the bearer of bad news.]

Sachou. The Port Mafia has at least one Master - it's probably Q. [Here, he paused for the news to sink in.] It's likely Mori-san is invested.

[Here, he described his meeting with Kouyou, turning to Bedivere when they came to to the subject of the catalyst and gesturing at the table - mind showing it?]

[It wasn't unexpected. A war for a wish was definitely right up Mori's alley. He would have been more surprised to hear that Mori wasn't involved. Q, however, was a bit surprising. After the events of the struggle with the Guild, Fukuzawa had thought that Mori had learned his lesson as far as that child went. Apparently not.

Fukuzawa nodded to Dazai, then looked over as Bedivere placed the scrap of leather on the table. He also listened as Bedivere provided an explanation.]

The techniques used to make this piece of clothing are old. They predate the medieval period, and might even predate the Roman Empire.

We can probably eliminate 'Caster' and 'Assassin' from the possibilities here. Neither class would wear leather like this. They would favor lighter clothes that are easier to move in. Additionally, I suspect the incident at the train station was caused by our Lancer, which would mean they're not associated with the Port Mafia. That leaves Archer, Rider, and Berserker.

[Okay, maybe Dazai was a sucker for earnest people with pretty faces, good backbones, specialized expertise and decent analytical abilities. If they weren't in front of Fukuzawa, Dazai might've suggestively speculated what kind of leather Bedivere preferred.]

For the record - if your speculation about Lancer is correct, then their Master or someone close to them is a tall woman with blonde hair and striking clothes. She tailed me from the station. [This was more for Fukuzawa's benefit.] Back to the Port Mafia's Servant - what countries practiced this leather-making technique?

[Probably not anywhere in East Asia, unless Bedivere's travels took him that far.]

[It was a valid reason to find someone attractive. Hopefully Dazai wasn't too attached to the height thing, though. That would be changing within the next couple of weeks.

While Fukuzawa grabbed a pen to scribble down some notes, Bedivere studied the fabric more closely. He wasn't a historian by any means, but his travels did afford him some knowledge.]

Possibly...Greece? I know that doesn't narrow it down too much, but it's a start.

[Digging through Greek legends would be a slog, though. They had so many heroes, finding the right one would be quite the task.]

Ah, but it does appear to be made from the hide of a pig, or possibly a boar? An odd choice, when cattle leather or deer leather is more standard.

[Just about anyone who could ride a horse, shoot a bow and arrow, or went on a rampage or something qualified.

Hell, if that scrap of leather didn't double as an archeological artefact and thus draw attention, Dazai would've suggested bringing it to forensics. He leaned close to it, scratching his chin - he'd have to get Bedivere to explain leatherworking later, after a google search.]

Boar hunting was a sport, wasn't it? [At least, that's what he associated the activity with when it came to Greek mythology - the Calydonian boar, and the other one that Heracles hunted in one of the twelve labors.] Would this have been a trophy? Or a status symbol?

[Several Greek heroes were royalty, right? And typically the scion or descendant of one deity or the other.]

That could be, but hopefully it's not the hero I'm thinking of.

[It was Heracles. It was absolutely Heracles. If they had to go up against Heracles, then they were doomed.]

But regardless of who they are, if they are a Greek hero, they're going to hit hard. You seem to know who their Master might be, would convincing them to give up the fight work?

[They certainly weren't equipped to handle God Hand (or Nine Lives if Heracles was a Berserker). Not that Dazai would know how that translated to reality just yet.

As for Bedivere's suggestion - well. Dazai didn't bother hiding the downward curve of his mouth as he exchanged glances with Fukuzawa.]

Q - Yumeno Kyusaku - isn't your average preteen. ['Preteen' he said, but the kid will never stop being that eight-year-old that Mori introduced him to. The innocent act didn't make it any better, the dissonance making Dazai all too aware of how dangerous Q was.] This is one of the rare occasions he's being allowed out, and he'll make the most of his playtime.

His Ability allows him to inflict nightmarish hallucinations on anyone who injures him, driving them to commit acts of violence. I'm afraid this isn't the first time I'll have to shut him down, and he'll dislike it.

[After that mess with Steinbeck, Fukuzawa probably suspected Dazai's and Q's history.

Dazai remembered thinking sometime after he left the Port Mafia: if there was something more that could be done for a lonely child who caused plenty of grievous harm just by existing, he didn't know what it was.]

This person is a child?

[That certainly changed things. Even the description of 'a rare occasion he was allowed out' was concerning. Who would lock up a child, even with a power like that? What could have happened to that child to make locking them away a valid choice?

It didn't sit well with Bedivere's idea of chivalry.]

But can you convince him to give up his contract? Because the other options are to remove the command seals by force, or to kill the servant. And depending on who the servant is, the fight may be a difficult one.

[Dazai knew why that child was locked up. Of course he did. He was the one who issued the executive order.]

Unless the circumstances have changed, Q has no reason to defy his boss. That would've been one of the main considerations in making him a Master. Even if that child was presented the option of freeing himself of his Ability using the Grail, he has been made aware of how vulnerable he is without its... protection.

[That one was wholly Dazai's doing, and he'd also used Akutagawa's experiences in the slums to illustrate his point. Even then, he knew that the tactics he played to encourage independence were rather shitty.]

What do you mean by forcing the removal of command seals?

Well. Depending on where the seals are.

[He made a slicing motion across his wrist. Cut off the hand to remove the seals.]

Though that won't work so well if they're not on a limb.

Also I should question the motivations of this 'Port Mafia', if they would treat a child in such a way.

[That certainly earned a pointed look from Fukuzawa. But he was glancing at Dazai, to see Dazai's reaction to Bedivere's words.]

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