A Falling Whale

It was a quiet drive back, except for when they had to stop to get snacks for Rampo and he was fussing about which one to get. But they were back safe and sound to the agency.

The president, who was awaiting their return, informed them that the meeting with the Port Mafia didn't go, extremely bad, but not all too well either.

" I see. And I presume Dazai isn't here either. I was so keen on embarking on these documents with him." He passed the envelope to the president.

" He went to retrieve Q from the guild."

" Eh? All by himself?" Kath questioned.

" I thought Kunikida-kun or Tanizaki would be joining him," Yosano added.

" It's what he wanted. Apparently, he has faith that Mori-sensei would send someone from their side," Fukuzawa stated calmly.

" Well, if he says so," Kath shrugged. " It's either he gets through and saves the day or dies trying. In the end, he would be happy especially so if it was the latter."

" Which I'm sure wouldn't happen," Rampo said as he bit on his doughnuts.

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Kath dropped her backpack by the door and kicked her boots by the genkan before slumping face-first into the soft fabric of her bed, letting it swallow her numb tired body.

She couldn't recall the last time she had been allowed to head back to her apartment. One week, two at best. Ever since the war started, they had been pulling all-nighters, sleeping somewhere on the agency floor.

Today however was different. Since Dazai came back, Rampo kicked them all out save for Atsushi and Tanizaki, saying he would be busy devising their attack plan and needed them out of the way.

Basically, they didn't need them for the next step and they were allowing them to take a break. " Maybe I should take a shower. I feel like if I had been out in the wildness for weeks," she mumbled taking a lock of her hair in between her fingers. " Then maybe I can get some real rest."

With much effort, she pried herself free from the softness of the bed and headed to the bathroom.

Unbeknown to her, and as the sound of running water filled the place, her phone was ringing and buzzing right where she had dropped it on the bed.

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By the time she toweled off and got a change of clothes, Kath took notice of the blinking flashlight of her phone, a telltale that she had missed a call or a message. As she took the small device to check, an eyebrow quirked up at the number.

Higuchi.

From experience, she knew the other blonde woman would never call unless it was an extreme emergency. " For god's sake!" She hurried to call her back. A few seconds went by as the phone continued to ring before the other side picked up.

" It's Ryuu again, right?"

" Yeah… but this time…"

" This time is what? Speak up, Higuchi!"

" He went to face the Jinko!"

Jinko?… Weretiger?...

" Atsushi-kun! What? Why? How?" Kath took a deep breath as she ran her finger through her wet hair. " Okay, what exactly happened?"

" We've got Intel about your operation on Moby Deck. And… When I let him in on the situation, the moment I turned away he left his bed and probably is on his way now to board it."

" You did what!" She fought the urge the throw the phone across the room. " Higuchi, seriously! Do you really want to protect Ryuu?"

" I couldn't help it, okay! He's my superior! If he orders me to speak, I have to!"

" Then if he orders you to shoot him in the head?!"

" I would never!"

" That was almost the same thing there! Okay, okay…" She once again sucked a lungful of air to calm herself. " Listen, you've got a car, right?"

" Yes?"

" Great!" Kath hurriedly tied up her hair in a ponytail and grubbed her backpack. " Meet me one block away from the agency in 10 minutes. I'm gonna borrow something and I will be there."

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Kath muttered an apology to the president as she ran out of the building, hastening her pace to meet up with Higuchi. One could easily see she wasn't thinking straight seeing how she almost got rolled off by a van as she was crossing the street.

" How fast can you drive?" She asked the moment she sat down and fastened her seatbelt.

" As fast as this car can go."

" Good! Get us to the Port then." Higuchi's black car sped away from the city center to the pier. Kath looked down at the metal key she had taken from the president's office. Fukuzawa wasn't there, only Rampo stayed back at the agency. He seemed to get what she was about to do the moment he laid eyes on her.

" If I were you, I would grab the one at the bottom drawer." Was all he said as he threw a doughnut in his mouth.

" Is it me? Or is that thing getting closer?" Higuchi leaned forward, glancing up at the airborne whale slowly descending towards Yokohama.

" It definitely is! Take a right then stop!"

There, with the waves lapping at its sides, was the Agency's boat. Kath clutched the key in her hand tightly. One might question how a boat could help with something supposed to be airborne, but Kath had faith in Rampo.

" I'm going. You wait here."

" Huh!?"

" If my guess is right, then I might need all the weight I can spare. Please understand." And she jumped into the boat.

Moments later, she was racing through the waters of Yokohama, crossing under the bridge to get as close as possible to the falling whale. From her spot, she could glimpse something small, maybe a jet, smashing against its head.

Before her mind could form questions about it, she spotted three parachutes dropping down from the back and she picked up speed. With one hand extended outward, she activated her ability.

Her silver strings cut the parachutes as they approached the water's surface before grabbing the three skydivers and dragging them into the boat just as she made a U-turn, rushing back to the port before the body of Moby Deck could flatten them under itself.

" Why are you here?!" A growl was all that Akutagawa could direct at her. Atsushi was unresponsive, as though in some sort of shock, the old man who was with them was looking after him.

" You could at least start with a thank you!"

" I didn't require your help!"

" Oh right! You were planning on landing on water, a risky move even for seasoned skydivers! Then please present me with your skydiving license, or else shut up and be thankful! "

" … I could have managed."

" Even if by a miracle you survived from crushing," she clicked her tongue, picking up speed to avoid the rising wave caused by Moby Deck hitting the water. Driving with one hand was a hassle, but her other hand was too injured to trust it at all. " Were you hoping to swim all the way back to the port in that coat and your wounds?! Fat Chance! You would be at the bottom of the ocean sooner than crossing half the distance! And yes, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, I know about the wounds! Don't give me that look!"

Akutagawa clicked his tongue, he had no words to retaliate. Feeling satisfied, Kath focused her attention on the port again.