Chapter Text
This is the first time all day that he’s gotten a chance to himself. Atsushi has been run ragged due to the back to back missing person cases the agency has been receiving. Having to spend hours questioning neighbors and running back and forth from the agency and crime scenes. Kunikida’s nerves have been shot because every new case they get means he needs to redo his entire schedule.
Atsushi slumps in his chair staring down at his cup of tea. But it is strange. Over 15 people in the past 3 weeks, all disappeared in what appears moments. With everyone he questioned there was always one thing that was the same, the impossible circumstances. One girl went missing while in the car with someone else. She was sitting in the backseat and when the driver looked away she just vanished. Atsushi almost didn’t believe it except the other two girls in the car had been recording, and while the video didn’t catch her disappearing, it caught the moments before and after. He shivered. What if she was a ghost?
“Ahh there you are Atsushi-kun! Kunikida-kun won’t be happy about you slacking off from work.”, Dazai sauntered up to Atsushi sliding into the chair across from him.
“Dazai-san I’m on my official break. Aren’t you the one who always slacks off on his work? You already tricked me into doing half your paperwork again today.”
Dazai leaned back in his chair and placed his arms around his head. “Atsushi-kun why don’t we go out just you and me?”
“To where? Why do you wanna go anywhere right now Dazai-san we’re still at work?” Atsushi squints suddenly very suspicious. Dazai only ever asks him to go anywhere if he wants something. “I’m not gonna get tricked into buying you lunch again.”
“There’s this very nice cafe right near the police station, we can get the whole agency snacks to help them push through this busy day.” He put his hand on his heart as he spoke with his usual dramatic flair. “We can also stop by at the station to pick up those documents Kunikida-kun asked me to pick up.” He grinned and leaned further back in his chair nearly tipping it over.
“So you just want me to go with you to do your work?” Atsushi deadpanned. “And then your going to just disappear on me in the middle of it and then Kunikida-san will get mad at me for enabling you.” He pouted and then took a sip of the tea he forgot he had. Dazai always did this. He would ask him to walk with him on an errand and then disappear leaving Atsushi to do all the work. Last time he’d asked Atsushi to go with him to get medical supplies for Yosano-sensei and then suddenly Dazai was gone. He’d left him with only a small piece of paper that had a list on it. He could barely even read his chicken scratch, and what’s worse when he got back he found out that Dazai hadn’t even written the correct items down.
He absolutely will not fall for it again.
~~~
The police station was just up ahead. Atsushi doesn’t know why he agreed to this. He knows nothing good comes from this, not with how Dazai is practically skipping beside him. He’s never in such a good mood and he never cooperates this well. Atsushi lets out a sigh. His mentor is up to something.
Wait a minute? Where are they? Dazai had said the station was just up the road but now they are halfway across the city.
“Ahh Atsushi-kun I may have forgotten to mention that the station is on the other side of town.” Dazai grinned pointing in the direction they were going.
Now it’s to be said that Atsushi loves his mentor he truly does, but he just spent all day running back and forth without a moment's rest. With those words his mentor is now dead to him. Honestly, he’d be more willing to accept that what he just heard was a hallucination caused by exhaustion. No way Dazai just said they were traveling all the way to the other side of town. He was so caught up in his utter disbelief that he stumbled into someone causing them to spill their drink on their shirt.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Atsushi fretted, frantically hovering around the black haired teen. The teen in question looks so done with life ,and both of his companions cackling at him from the side. Atsushi turns to the side, “Dazai-san do you have any napkins or anyth-”.
Dazai was gone, and he didn’t even tell him what station he needed to go to. Atsushi was weeping internally.
Turning back to the trio, Atsushi apologized again, “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do? I don't have any napkins or anything.”
“It’s alright, really accidents happen,” The raven haired teen placated desperately trying to ignore his two friends mocking him. Atsushi apologized once more before heading off in the rush in the direction he was already heading.
“Man Fushiguro, stuff like this always happens to you,” Itadori laughed, putting his arms up behind his head. Kujisaki is still leaning on his shoulder catching her breath.
~~~
Earlier that day the three of them were given a mission to gather information on curses in Yokohama. There had been a number of deaths by curses in Tokyo but all the people had some link back to Yokohama.
Whether it be that they were previous Yokohama residents, or that they had a vacation planned here, every body found had a seemingly coincidental link back here. However, when dealing with curses, things are never coincidental.
Honestly, the city was strange to say the least. Fushiguro had noticed a distinct absence of any low level curses that would normally be seen crowding certain areas. All the alleyways are barren, and even the hospital they passed by held no residual cursed energy.
He knows the city has a high crime rate as well, but despite that the curses just weren’t popping up. He knows Yokohama is not often home to any missions by sorcerers, but he didn’t realize the lack of curses was so clear. Not to mention the people of the city. Ever since they got here, people’s eyes have lingered on them for just a moment too long. Also he had the feeling that they were being watched.
No matter where they went he didn’t feel like they could escape prying eyes. It felt like everyone in the city was eyeing them. Their glares big warning signs saying get out. Gojo-sensei had warned them not to do anything flashy just gather intel, but with this it felt like their every move was recorded.
Fushiguro had to head back to the hotel to change out his shirt after the spill. Itadori and Kujisaki had insisted on sightseeing while they were in town. The late afternoon sun beat down on his neck. Next time he’s bringing his spare shirt no matter how ridiculous the other two say he is.
Rounding the corner he finally got some shade in the shadow of the building. The hotel was fairly nice. All the reviews had said it was in a nice area with barely any crime even though he could’ve sworn he heard gunshots last night. He ascended the stairs to their room. It’s on the third floor. Nobara insisted to be on a higher level so that they could have a view. This was the best they got. He doesn’t understand it because its not like they can see anything but the city anyway.
Fushiguro had just pulled his shirt on when he felt it. An enormous source of cursed energy that just seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He felt the hair on his skin raise as he was struck with a momentary flash of fear.
What could have just suddenly appeared with such strong energy? Where did it come from? Why?
Just then a scream erupted from outside.
Fushiguro went flying out the door. He knows he should be laying low but a possible curse this strong can’t be ignored. Especially if there were people out there. Even if the only thing he can do is get the people there to safety before calling in higher level sorcerers. He was sprinting down the hallway now desperately looking for the quickest way outside.
Suddenly his whole world tipped. He crashed to the ground, the carpet of the hallway doing nothing to cushion his fall. He got such a deep sense of foreboding, and sweat started dripping down his neck. He started frantically searching his surroundings, the walls, the floors, the lights, they were swathed in negative light. The closer he looked the more everything appeared to be moving, to be covered in millions of tiny creatures. Wriggling and crawling around.
He scrambled up terrified. What’s happening? Everything feels so wrong. His breath came in short gasps. These aren’t curses but why is eve-.
Fushiguro catches a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror. He was covered in sweat, eyes round in fear. He looked closer.
They were in his eyes.
He screamed.
Suddenly he was being grabbed on all sides. His hands were pressed firmly against his eyes. He felt like he couldn’t catch a breath. What’s happening to him?
“Are you alright?”
“Who is he and what’s he doing here anyway?”
“I don’t know Kunikida-san, he was just there.”
“Hey kid, what are you doing here?”
Fushiguro takes his hands off his eyes. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low light. When did it get dark? He’s in the alleyway next to the hotel. His clothes are filthy and covered in grime. In front of him are two people. One tall with a ponytail and the other with white choppy bangs.
He looks around, at the end of the alley he can see a woman frantically crying to a police officer. She’s gesturing wildly with her hands.
“What's going on?” He looks back up to the two who woke him up. He stood struggling to catch his feet for a moment. What had happened? One moment he felt such strong cursed energy and then got trapped in a waking nightmare. Now it looks like its several hours later his head is killing him.
“We just found you wandering around in this alleyway.” The white haired one said gesturing around.
“A few paces away from an active crime scene might I add.” The ponytailed man said sternly never taking his eyes off him for a second. “Why don’t you come with us so we can ask you some questions.”
Fushiguro was not about to follow two random guys with bad haircuts down an alleyway. “Who are you anyway? Why should I follow you?”
“Oh sorry about that I’m Atsushi Nakajima and this is my coworker Kunikida Doppo. We work for the armed detective agency.” Now that he got a good look at him. Atsushi was that guy that ran into him earlier in the day.
“The armed detective agency? I’ve never heard of it. My name is Fushiguro Megumi .” He gestured to himself. He also certainly didn’t miss the look the two shared when he said he’d never heard of the agency. Seems like everyone in this city is wary of outsiders.
They start nearing the end of the way when the officer and the woman spot them. The woman’s face blanches before she starts going into hysterics.
“It’s him! That boy right there I saw him appear at the party right before everyone disappeared!” She started frantically pointing at Fushiguro, pulling against the officer's hold on her. “I’d never forget a face!”
He backed up a step as the woman launched herself into his space. She cried and sobbed asking why he did it and where did he take them. Them? He barely understands what’s going on now.
In the distance the crowd of other bystanders and witnesses were staring. Many of them were whispering and pointing at the commotion. The officer kept attempting to placate the woman but to no avail.
“It’s his doing I swear! He took them all!” She was screaming now. Tear tracks running down her face. She thrashed in the officer's grip as he led her away.
Click
Handcuffs just found their way around both Fushiguro’s wrists.
“Seems like we need to ask you some questions kid.” Kunikida pushed up his glasses as he stared down at him.