Nothing More Than An Ability
May. 19th, 2020 08:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nyanderenekoWord Count: 2,016
Summary: While accompanying her creator on a routine visit to the Agency, Nova encounters some of the members she hasn’t had a chance to meet yet firsthand. One of them has an uncomfortable aura she can’t quite grasp, but the pieces fall into place when it’s revealed that he just so happens to have the horrifying power to erase her existence with a simple touch.
Author’s Note: Idk why but I’ve been on a roll with first meeting/first encounter fics lately…maybe because it’s just easier for me to envision those types of scenarios, or perhaps that’s just the kind of mood I’m in. But I’ll run out of characters that I can write that kind of thing for eventually, so I’m sure it’ll be out of my system soon enough lmao. As with my Shirou piece, I’m not 100% sure that this is what I want Dazai and Nova’s first encounter to look like, but I liked the way this piece came out, so I’m posting it anyway lol. Thanks for reading!
Another routine visit to this dull, dreary office building. If she could, Nova would have preferred to waste her time in the cafe on the ground floor, but those weren’t the orders she’d been given. The lights on the ceiling flickered and buzzed, their illumination compounded by any sunlight that happened to pour in through the window at the end of the hall. There was the door with the glass pane and the plaque that decorated it, indicating the nature of what awaited you should you happen to go inside. Nova had visited this place on several occasions now, and each one only seemed to grow more boring than the last. Left to stand guard in the hall by the Agency’s entrance, she’d mainly been pushed to the side like this so she didn’t get in the way. That was fine; she was used to that kind of treatment. She wasn’t really a person, after all. So why should she be treated like one?
Sure, she could feel and comprehend things as legitimately and profoundly as any human could, but emotions and a convincing display of humanity weren’t her primary functions. In truth, she only really existed as a trophy, a badge of honor and accomplishment for Poe to fall back on whenever he needed some defense from his superiors. His colleagues in the Guild didn’t visit his home that frequently, and Nova had suspected that Poe resided on the fringes of the organization. His focus was on his writing, fleshing out puzzles and problems for another special individual to solve. Evidence of the perpetually childish rivalry he had with one of the distinguished detectives that just so happened to belong to this Agency.
Nova didn’t really understand it, and she figured she didn’t have to. Anything she needed to do, she’d simply take care of when the time came. That was how she’d always operated, how she’d been programmed to behave. It wasn’t her job to look for outliers, or act on her own in any situation. She was an accessory to the ability user that had created her, and there wasn’t much of a reason for her to fight or refute her position. What else was there in this world for her? How would she ever know if it wasn’t shown to her, and she couldn’t go seeking anything out by herself? More dreary musings that were better left untouched, questions that she’d likely never receive an answer for.
“Oh? What do we have here?”
The sudden voice startled her, turning her into a small black puff of fur. She arched her back and hissed accordingly, taking a few steps back as she examined the unexpected intruders with her dark eyes. In her current form she was little more than a normal looking cat, her fur accented with the characteristic chocolate highlights that usually complemented this particular shade. Preoccupied with the abrupt appearance of two strange men she’d never seen before, she swore she almost recognized the voice of the one that’d caught her off guard. As she got a better look at his face, she still couldn’t quite put the pieces together, but something about him made her heart start to flutter…not in terror, but perhaps due to something even more dangerous.
“Another one of the President’s…?” the shorter of the two began, shuffling behind his companion. His light, uneven hair certainly made him stand out.
“No, I don’t think that’s the case this time,” said companion refuted, moving in to get a closer look. “There’s something different about this one. Something off. What business could you possibly have in a place like this, I wonder?”
The taller man’s impossibly deep, dark eyes bore into her own as he approached, although nothing about his expression seemed to indicate that he meant her any harm. Despite his disarmingly peaceful presence, Nova was struck with an odd sense of fear. Not just any fear, either; it wasn’t the kind of mild anxiety she’d more or less come to expect by now. No, this fear struck her to her core, cutting her like a merciless blade as she backed up involuntarily, endeavoring to get as far away from this cryptic individual as the space would allow. In this form it wouldn’t be too difficult to slip between their feet. But if she abandoned her post, if she got separated from her master…there was nothing else for her in this world. It was a gamble she couldn’t afford, even if every instinct in her body was telling her to flee.
Sifting through her fuzzy memories, she continued to wrestle with whether or not she’d actually seen either of these men before. Something about their scents was familiar, now that she thought about it, but she was still a little too panicked to spare the idea any meaningful consideration. The dark haired man smiled and crouched in front of her, blocking the rest of the hallway from view. She was cornered, and his presence was overwhelming, suffocating her. She could always switch forms, but if he wasn’t an ability user, or someone that was privy to their existence…she could only imagine the kind of uproar a surprise like that could incite. Not to mention how much trouble it’d cause Poe; the last thing she wanted to do was make things harder for him.
“What’s your name?”
Should she just meow? Why was he engaging with her as if he knew…was that the confirmation she needed to know that he was someone she could reveal herself to? Or was he just bluffing, joking around, acting the way most humans do when they suddenly stumble upon some random fluffy creature? Every muscle in her body was clenched, every sinew as taut as strings that had been pulled much too tight. The light haired young man peeked over his companion’s shoulder, but the man that had addressed her didn’t react, keeping his eyes trained on her with a curiously haunting smile.
“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But I know what you are. There’s no use hiding it.”
Well, if he was just going to come out and say it like that, it made things easier for her. Regarding him with a more humanoid affect than most animals had the range or intelligence to demonstrate, his eyes narrowed just slightly, but his posture and expression remained static. It was a reaction so small she wondered if she was actually just imagining things. With the amount of stress and adrenaline currently coursing through her system, she supposed such minor mistakes of perception could only be expected.
“Dazai, give her some space.”
Footsteps clacked across the office floor, and the entrance to the Agency swung open, revealing two people she was undeniably familiar with as they emerged into the hall. Poe, her creator and the master of her fate, and his illustrious adversary, allegedly the best detective in the world. Of course, such titles were only relevant because they were ability users, and she supposed she should be grateful they existed at all. Without an ability, she couldn’t exist…she was an ability, her very life born out of the experimental whims of another.
“I didn’t mean any harm,” the man referred to as Dazai explained, returning to his full height. Nova’s eyes drifted to Poe’s rival, the one who’d encouraged him to stand back. “I was just being curious. I got the feeling she wasn’t a normal cat. Why else would one be sitting so obediently outside the office? I mean, I suppose we’ve had weirder things happen…”
“She’s my assistant,” her creator spoke up, and Nova wandered over to take refuge behind him. “I was just leaving, but I feel I must warn you before I depart. You’re the gifted with the ability to cancel other abilities without exception, are you not?”
“Osamu Dazai, at your service,” he replied with a sarcastic flourish, and Nova didn’t fail to notice the way his light haired companion rolled his eyes.
“Then I’d keep my distance, if I were you,” Poe continued, unfazed. “You’re right, she’s not an ordinary cat. She’s not even a cat, technically speaking. She’s an ability; you could consider her some sort of extension of my own. So, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t threaten to erase all my hard work with that toxic touch of yours.”
This man could erase her…with one touch? The innate overpowering weight of dread finally made sense, and before she could stop herself the form of the timid young cat was suddenly replaced with the visage of an equally timid young woman. Although she retained some aspects of her feline appearance in her human form, she was practically unmistakeable from a regular person in every other respect. Clutching her hands to her chest, she backed away until she felt the wall’s unyielding surface preventing her escape once again.
Dazai tilted his head to the side as he examined her, picking her apart with the same unreadable expression he’d kept focused on her since his arrival. What could he be thinking…what kind of person was he? Nova couldn’t recall if she’d noticed him on any previous visits; perhaps that was for the best. A skill user with the ability to cancel out any other skill…how fortunate this agency was to have recruited him. Where he’d come from, what he’d been doing before now, how long he’d been here: these were all things she passively pondered, a flood of desperate and confusing questions that filled her head and disrupted her already frantic thoughts.
“I apologize…for not…”
She shuffled her feet, sheepishly casting her eyes to the floor. She felt it was only right to offer an apology for her impolite silence, but each word she tried to form weighed like lead on her tongue. Her mind was a bog, her thoughts trudging in vain through the thick muck that was sucking them in. Why did she feel this way, and why could she practically sense that man’s gaze burning against her skin? Her cheeks grew hot and her heart hammered fiercely as she lifted her eyes to face him once more. She wanted to run away. But she was also glued to the spot, her feet inexplicably soldered to the spot.
“I’m the one who should apologize.” His response surprised her almost as much as his presence. “For scaring you, if that look on your face is any indication. You’re welcome at the Agency any time, as long as you promise not to bring any trouble with you.”
“Oh, you’re one to talk,” a stern voice barked into the hall. “Now get in here, and bring Atsushi with you. I’ve been waiting all afternoon for your report. Do you know how much you’ve messed up my--?”
“Alright, no need to get so heated about it,” Dazai replied with a touch of sarcasm and a glint of mischief in his eye. He answered the summons with an indifferent shrug, giving Nova a parting wave as he and Atsushi finally filed through the door.
“Come, we must be going now as well.”
His word was law to her, and with an obedient bow Nova fell in line behind her master’s fading steps. She could still feel herself shaking, her arms and legs trembling as if she’d just faced death and barely managed to overcome it. In a way, perhaps she had, but the most important thing was how dramatically the exchange had affected her.
This seemingly inconsequential encounter…what did it mean? What would it mean for her in the future, if anything? She’d visited this office a dozen times, and she was certain she’d visit it a dozen more in the weeks to come, considering the reliability of Poe’s routine. The next time she came by, would that man--Dazai--be here? And if he was, would he remember the indirect invitation he’d given her? Was she even significant enough that he’d remember her at all? Well, it didn’t really matter, anyway. She was nothing more than an ability, after all.
Summary: While accompanying her creator on a routine visit to the Agency, Nova encounters some of the members she hasn’t had a chance to meet yet firsthand. One of them has an uncomfortable aura she can’t quite grasp, but the pieces fall into place when it’s revealed that he just so happens to have the horrifying power to erase her existence with a simple touch.
Author’s Note: Idk why but I’ve been on a roll with first meeting/first encounter fics lately…maybe because it’s just easier for me to envision those types of scenarios, or perhaps that’s just the kind of mood I’m in. But I’ll run out of characters that I can write that kind of thing for eventually, so I’m sure it’ll be out of my system soon enough lmao. As with my Shirou piece, I’m not 100% sure that this is what I want Dazai and Nova’s first encounter to look like, but I liked the way this piece came out, so I’m posting it anyway lol. Thanks for reading!
_____
Another routine visit to this dull, dreary office building. If she could, Nova would have preferred to waste her time in the cafe on the ground floor, but those weren’t the orders she’d been given. The lights on the ceiling flickered and buzzed, their illumination compounded by any sunlight that happened to pour in through the window at the end of the hall. There was the door with the glass pane and the plaque that decorated it, indicating the nature of what awaited you should you happen to go inside. Nova had visited this place on several occasions now, and each one only seemed to grow more boring than the last. Left to stand guard in the hall by the Agency’s entrance, she’d mainly been pushed to the side like this so she didn’t get in the way. That was fine; she was used to that kind of treatment. She wasn’t really a person, after all. So why should she be treated like one?
Sure, she could feel and comprehend things as legitimately and profoundly as any human could, but emotions and a convincing display of humanity weren’t her primary functions. In truth, she only really existed as a trophy, a badge of honor and accomplishment for Poe to fall back on whenever he needed some defense from his superiors. His colleagues in the Guild didn’t visit his home that frequently, and Nova had suspected that Poe resided on the fringes of the organization. His focus was on his writing, fleshing out puzzles and problems for another special individual to solve. Evidence of the perpetually childish rivalry he had with one of the distinguished detectives that just so happened to belong to this Agency.
Nova didn’t really understand it, and she figured she didn’t have to. Anything she needed to do, she’d simply take care of when the time came. That was how she’d always operated, how she’d been programmed to behave. It wasn’t her job to look for outliers, or act on her own in any situation. She was an accessory to the ability user that had created her, and there wasn’t much of a reason for her to fight or refute her position. What else was there in this world for her? How would she ever know if it wasn’t shown to her, and she couldn’t go seeking anything out by herself? More dreary musings that were better left untouched, questions that she’d likely never receive an answer for.
“Oh? What do we have here?”
The sudden voice startled her, turning her into a small black puff of fur. She arched her back and hissed accordingly, taking a few steps back as she examined the unexpected intruders with her dark eyes. In her current form she was little more than a normal looking cat, her fur accented with the characteristic chocolate highlights that usually complemented this particular shade. Preoccupied with the abrupt appearance of two strange men she’d never seen before, she swore she almost recognized the voice of the one that’d caught her off guard. As she got a better look at his face, she still couldn’t quite put the pieces together, but something about him made her heart start to flutter…not in terror, but perhaps due to something even more dangerous.
“Another one of the President’s…?” the shorter of the two began, shuffling behind his companion. His light, uneven hair certainly made him stand out.
“No, I don’t think that’s the case this time,” said companion refuted, moving in to get a closer look. “There’s something different about this one. Something off. What business could you possibly have in a place like this, I wonder?”
The taller man’s impossibly deep, dark eyes bore into her own as he approached, although nothing about his expression seemed to indicate that he meant her any harm. Despite his disarmingly peaceful presence, Nova was struck with an odd sense of fear. Not just any fear, either; it wasn’t the kind of mild anxiety she’d more or less come to expect by now. No, this fear struck her to her core, cutting her like a merciless blade as she backed up involuntarily, endeavoring to get as far away from this cryptic individual as the space would allow. In this form it wouldn’t be too difficult to slip between their feet. But if she abandoned her post, if she got separated from her master…there was nothing else for her in this world. It was a gamble she couldn’t afford, even if every instinct in her body was telling her to flee.
Sifting through her fuzzy memories, she continued to wrestle with whether or not she’d actually seen either of these men before. Something about their scents was familiar, now that she thought about it, but she was still a little too panicked to spare the idea any meaningful consideration. The dark haired man smiled and crouched in front of her, blocking the rest of the hallway from view. She was cornered, and his presence was overwhelming, suffocating her. She could always switch forms, but if he wasn’t an ability user, or someone that was privy to their existence…she could only imagine the kind of uproar a surprise like that could incite. Not to mention how much trouble it’d cause Poe; the last thing she wanted to do was make things harder for him.
“What’s your name?”
Should she just meow? Why was he engaging with her as if he knew…was that the confirmation she needed to know that he was someone she could reveal herself to? Or was he just bluffing, joking around, acting the way most humans do when they suddenly stumble upon some random fluffy creature? Every muscle in her body was clenched, every sinew as taut as strings that had been pulled much too tight. The light haired young man peeked over his companion’s shoulder, but the man that had addressed her didn’t react, keeping his eyes trained on her with a curiously haunting smile.
“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But I know what you are. There’s no use hiding it.”
Well, if he was just going to come out and say it like that, it made things easier for her. Regarding him with a more humanoid affect than most animals had the range or intelligence to demonstrate, his eyes narrowed just slightly, but his posture and expression remained static. It was a reaction so small she wondered if she was actually just imagining things. With the amount of stress and adrenaline currently coursing through her system, she supposed such minor mistakes of perception could only be expected.
“Dazai, give her some space.”
Footsteps clacked across the office floor, and the entrance to the Agency swung open, revealing two people she was undeniably familiar with as they emerged into the hall. Poe, her creator and the master of her fate, and his illustrious adversary, allegedly the best detective in the world. Of course, such titles were only relevant because they were ability users, and she supposed she should be grateful they existed at all. Without an ability, she couldn’t exist…she was an ability, her very life born out of the experimental whims of another.
“I didn’t mean any harm,” the man referred to as Dazai explained, returning to his full height. Nova’s eyes drifted to Poe’s rival, the one who’d encouraged him to stand back. “I was just being curious. I got the feeling she wasn’t a normal cat. Why else would one be sitting so obediently outside the office? I mean, I suppose we’ve had weirder things happen…”
“She’s my assistant,” her creator spoke up, and Nova wandered over to take refuge behind him. “I was just leaving, but I feel I must warn you before I depart. You’re the gifted with the ability to cancel other abilities without exception, are you not?”
“Osamu Dazai, at your service,” he replied with a sarcastic flourish, and Nova didn’t fail to notice the way his light haired companion rolled his eyes.
“Then I’d keep my distance, if I were you,” Poe continued, unfazed. “You’re right, she’s not an ordinary cat. She’s not even a cat, technically speaking. She’s an ability; you could consider her some sort of extension of my own. So, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t threaten to erase all my hard work with that toxic touch of yours.”
This man could erase her…with one touch? The innate overpowering weight of dread finally made sense, and before she could stop herself the form of the timid young cat was suddenly replaced with the visage of an equally timid young woman. Although she retained some aspects of her feline appearance in her human form, she was practically unmistakeable from a regular person in every other respect. Clutching her hands to her chest, she backed away until she felt the wall’s unyielding surface preventing her escape once again.
Dazai tilted his head to the side as he examined her, picking her apart with the same unreadable expression he’d kept focused on her since his arrival. What could he be thinking…what kind of person was he? Nova couldn’t recall if she’d noticed him on any previous visits; perhaps that was for the best. A skill user with the ability to cancel out any other skill…how fortunate this agency was to have recruited him. Where he’d come from, what he’d been doing before now, how long he’d been here: these were all things she passively pondered, a flood of desperate and confusing questions that filled her head and disrupted her already frantic thoughts.
“I apologize…for not…”
She shuffled her feet, sheepishly casting her eyes to the floor. She felt it was only right to offer an apology for her impolite silence, but each word she tried to form weighed like lead on her tongue. Her mind was a bog, her thoughts trudging in vain through the thick muck that was sucking them in. Why did she feel this way, and why could she practically sense that man’s gaze burning against her skin? Her cheeks grew hot and her heart hammered fiercely as she lifted her eyes to face him once more. She wanted to run away. But she was also glued to the spot, her feet inexplicably soldered to the spot.
“I’m the one who should apologize.” His response surprised her almost as much as his presence. “For scaring you, if that look on your face is any indication. You’re welcome at the Agency any time, as long as you promise not to bring any trouble with you.”
“Oh, you’re one to talk,” a stern voice barked into the hall. “Now get in here, and bring Atsushi with you. I’ve been waiting all afternoon for your report. Do you know how much you’ve messed up my--?”
“Alright, no need to get so heated about it,” Dazai replied with a touch of sarcasm and a glint of mischief in his eye. He answered the summons with an indifferent shrug, giving Nova a parting wave as he and Atsushi finally filed through the door.
“Come, we must be going now as well.”
His word was law to her, and with an obedient bow Nova fell in line behind her master’s fading steps. She could still feel herself shaking, her arms and legs trembling as if she’d just faced death and barely managed to overcome it. In a way, perhaps she had, but the most important thing was how dramatically the exchange had affected her.
This seemingly inconsequential encounter…what did it mean? What would it mean for her in the future, if anything? She’d visited this office a dozen times, and she was certain she’d visit it a dozen more in the weeks to come, considering the reliability of Poe’s routine. The next time she came by, would that man--Dazai--be here? And if he was, would he remember the indirect invitation he’d given her? Was she even significant enough that he’d remember her at all? Well, it didn’t really matter, anyway. She was nothing more than an ability, after all.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-20 05:24 pm (UTC)Dazai is s nice to her tho I love it ;u;