Atsushi watched as the words on the screen disappeared. The weretiger knew that they would not see any more words for a while. Atsushi wondered if this was the right choice, being locked in here with abilities still active and their most noteworthy enemies not but a few feet away from them. Could they take them if it didn't work? Would the thing that put them here stop them from killing each other? Was he strong enough to protect them? Atsushi's breathing became more frantic as his thoughts spiraled out. Then he felt a warm hand on top of his head. All thoughts came to a halt. As the hand played with his hair, his breathing started to even out.
"You worry too much, Atsushi. I will take care of it."
In response, the young adult nodded his head, a red hue painting his face. Dazai smiled slightly at his apprentice. 'Secrets,' he amused to himself, 'it won't be just you. I wonder if they will grow to despise me,' He looked at Atsushi fidging with his tie. '...if you will.'
A collective of groans and mumbles came to their ears. Dazai stopped petting Atsushi, who let out a slight whimper at the warmth that left his head. They both turn away from the screen to find their co-workers and enemies awakening from their forced slumber.
"Did anyone catch the license plate of that steamroller?" said Tachihara as he held his head as Hirotsu started to become aware of his situation. They sat in the second row in the middle; to their left was Higuchi and Gin, leaning on one another as their eyes fluttered open. On the lower row was Chuuya. In the middle was Akutagawa and a calico cat with orange, black, and white fur. In the seats next to the stairs was the Port Mafia's boss and Kyouyo.
"Well, well, well… isn't this a fun situation we got ourselves in." said Ranpo as he adjusted to his surroundings, "Aw...Aw," he winced, massaging his forehead.
"How di-did we get here?" said Higuchi, sat up abruptly. "Where is Akutagawa!?" She said,
"Here." Akutagawa said with little energy. The bodyguard rose from her seat abruptly but quickly falls back into her chair from dizziness.
"I recommend everyone take a moment for the dizziness to disappear," Dazai said in an all too cheerful voice. Atsushi gazed at him, noting his sudden change in attitude.
"Can anyone remember what we were doing before we got here?" said Kunidika standing from his slumped position.
Now that Atsushi thought about it, he couldn't remember what he was doing before coming here. What was it? He knew it was important. He remembered getting Kyouka a crepe, the joy that was all of her face but he knew there was something more important. A pain that still hadn't gone away.
"Damnit, my head…" said Chuuya, looking around the theater. He growled when he saw Dazai. The brunette turned to the growl and began a staring contest with the hatra–executive.
"Dazai, why are we here?" Said Kunidika.
"Now Kun~idika, for you to suggest I have a role in this is curel." Dazai said without breaking eye contact with his ex-partner.
"I didn't say that. However, now, I think about it, I feel like you did play a role in this." Kunidika moves his gaze from his partner to follow his line of sight to be met with Chuuya Nakahara, a Port Mafia executive. Somehow it got worse as he looked around the mafioso. A collection of Port Mafia's members and one other executive, but the most concerning, surprisingly, wasn't Chuuya; it was the man by the stairs who wore a long black coat and a scarf. The man seemed pleasantly surprised, a smile gracing his face.
"The Port Mafia." He stated, slowly removing his journal from his pocket. The other agency member focused-in on the other group. The other group's members did the same outside of Dazai, Chuuya, and Atsushi. Atsushi, for his part, was looking back and forth between the two.
"Weretiger."
Atsushi met the speaker's eyes, gearing up for a fight. "Akutagawa."
A cat meowed, jumping from where it rested. Haruno looked shocked when she saw her cat walking towards her. "Mii-chan, what are you doing here?" she said running to pick him up. Haruno was standing in the middle of the room with a cat in her arms. It was an odd moment. Odd enough to break everyone from their growing hostility towards one another.
"Well, um…" Fukuzawa said, standing to his full height, his silver-blue eyes encaptured by the graceful cat held in Haruno's arm. The silver wolf was lost for words. He averted his eyes from the beauty. He was about to try again when Mori continued the thought.
"As much as I would love to see how a fight between our groups would play out, it is for the best that we don't let things escalate." The Port Mafia's boss said, his purple eyes locking onto Dazai. "Osamu, why don't you explain our situation." Ranpo eyed the Port Mafia's boss as he reached for his glasses, activating his ability. 'Almost no one called Dazai by his first name.' It all starts to click into place, the puzzle of Dazai but no real answers for their situation. He looked at Atsushi and his posture. If they were in trouble, it would be written all over him, but he came up with nothing. The worry he woke up with faded a bit.
Dazai broke his staring match with Chuuya to look at Mori and then at the president, who nodded at him to explain their current predicament.
"Like the rest of you I woke up here with no idea of what was going on. Atsushi woke up first before me, he had this paper." Dazai reached into his coat pocket to pull out the paper. Now with proper lighting, he could tell the paper itself was tinted in an old fashion yellow and the first two words were in fancy ink. Meaning the writer had a stationery, but he wasn't sure any knowledge he could attain would matter. One thing for sure this wasn't some other version of him at play. But nothing could be ruled out just yet. He read the paper again to their new audience.
"Hello, Friends,
Welcome to the in-between, the place between realities. I am sure you are concerned about your and your co-workers' current situation. Do not worry; they, just like you, are safe. You are here to learn and avoid a tragic fate. It is to be noted there is a price to understanding such a truth… but you have a choice in this; if you wish not to learn this future, you can express such; however, if you say yes to learning this future, you will be stuck here in the in-between."
"Let me take a shot at this, because you're a drowning fish you said yes without thinking about how us being locked in this space could end without killing the other party." Chuuya stands to his full height, hands in pockets, staring daggers at his ex-partner.
"You know Dazai?" Atsushi said, his attention on the fancied dressed mafiao.
"Is that a yes?" The man growled out in response.
"Oh, yeah. We thought it would be for the best if we could avoid a tragic event from occurring." A few eyes locked in on the boy, who, for a second, forgot he was there. Nervously, he inches towards Dazai.
"Without ask any of–"
"We didn't really have that choice. None of you would wake up, the only reason I am awake is because I was allowed to be. The only reason the rest of you are awake is because of the main character's choice." Dazai looked at the group, all of them showcasing different levels of annoyance, frustration, and overall shock at the brunette's statements.
"Now you're saying this story is about you."
"Oh, we're all in it, all quite important. I am obviously better than most of you as I am important to the main story but unfortunately for all of you it's not me." He sighed in sorrow for the lack of screen time. Some scoffed at Dazai's performances.
"Okay, then who then?" came from Tanizaki.
He turned to his younger apprentice and put his hand on his shoulder. "Atsushi is."
"Him?!" "The Weretiger." "How interesting." "Good for you." "HUH!" And many other outbursts.
"Wait, What, Why me…" Atsushi exclaimed, looking up at his mentor.
"Who knows but let's find out." Dazai said, stuffing his hands in his coat's pockets.
"Are we really just sitting here and watching this, boss?" Chuuya asked his boss.
"Well, I'm interested. Let's enjoy our time. Assume time has stopped in our reality, yes?" Mori settled further into the seat.
"Of course, moreover, we have a fully stocked kitchen, rooms to sleep and freshen up in, oh, and the price for all of this is just a little pain. Let me go find that remote."
Everyone took a moment to process what he just said. 'The price is pain.' The collective thought.
"Atsushi, what does he mean?"
"Well, the person or thing didn't specify what kind of pain, but they said no one will die while here… So that has to count for something."
They all took a moment to process these new situations.
"Found it. It's way easier if we just start watching."
"Dazai, do you know where the kitchen is?" Ranpo said, stretching as he got up. After the stretch, he put his glasses away. Atsushi wondered when he put it on.
"Um, no. I don't."
"That's fine. I am going to get some sweets." With that said he bounced up the stairs to the door. Leaving only a few passing looks, mainly from the port mafia.
"He's going to need help." Haruno let go of Mii-chan and followed after him.
Everyone settled into the seats they were in as the lights dimmed and the projector started up.
Three simple words filled the screen. "Bungou Stray Dogs"
"Interesting name," said Dazai.
As the words faded from the screen an sentence took its place as a disembodied voice said the words.
"One Bowl of Tea on Rice"
"Pause; how far back is this?" said Higuchi,
"Well, I am almost sure this is the day I met Dazai. A few days before my run-in with you, um…?"
"Higuchi." The bodyguard supplied her name.
"Higuchi." Atsushi said with a smile on his face back at her. She reflected that smiled as Higuchi turned her back to the screen
"Pickled plums, slivered nori and leftover chicken doused in piping hot water and salted with kelp," the voice sounds dreamy, as if he hadn't seen food in days. An image of tea on rice forms on-screen, looking as delicious as the voice made it sound–,
"Of course, the weretiger would want something so bland." Akutagawa said, coughing a little bit.
"SO what is your favorite food, huhhhh?" Atsushi turned to his rival, practically hissing at him.
Dazai adjusted himself to a better view of the show. 'This might be more enjoyable than I thought.'
"I have no reason to answer you, weretiger." Akutagawa said, staring him down.
"Oh, but you felt the need to comment on my meal choices." Atsushi said, wanting to leap from his chair to straggle his rival.
"You are dying of starvation but this is the meal you wish for at the point of your demise." Akutagawa, also ready to engage in a fight.
"You wish…" - Atsushi whispered under his breath. Dazai chuckled at that. The famous detective noted Dazai's expression of fondness for the two younger men. Though the fondness for Akutagawa was surprising. He wondered if he should have left his glasses on. Reaching into his bowl of kettle corn.
"I don't know, it looks good to me actually I would totally eat that" Tanizaki said mouth water at the food shown on screen.
"It looks good but still something I wouldn't want if I was starving." Doctor Yosano stated in agreement.
Many humming in agreement
"Everyone has that one meal that brings them comfort," Dazai said, turning his attention to the screen. "That's just what Atsushi finds comfort in."
Most agreed with the statement and refocused on the screen in front of them.
However, the imagery is destroyed by a train passing by.
The scene shifts to a close-up of a face, quiet and contemplative.
"It all sounds so good, a bowl of tea on rice, like the ones we used to sneak into the kitchen to make back at the orphanage."
The young man is standing in a daze along the edge of a riverbank. He collapses, face-first into the ground.
"Damnit, I'm going to die of hunger."
He moves his head slightly to look into the camera.
"My name is Atsushi. And due to unfortunate circumstances, I'm about to die of starvation."
"You look like shit." Tachihara said.
"Yeah, I guess I didn't look so good back then."
White Words flood the screen with red ones standing out against them. "Episode 1: Fortune is Unpredictable and Mutable"
"So, this is a real TV show setup," said Naomi, clinging to her brother.
"Oh, do you guys think there will be an opening with a song and everything?" said Kenji.
"Probably," said Ranpo, munching on kettle corn.
"Oh, your back Ranpo."
"After being thrown out of my orphanage, I had nothing to eat or nowhere to sleep and of course not even a cent on me." The boy groans,
"That's–" said the doctor, unable to finish the thought.
"I don't even have the courage to steal to survive. That's how I've arrived at my current situation."
"I don't think that's a bad thing. Atsushi standing with your ideals is commendable." said Kunidaki pushing up his glasses.
"Of course, there's a limit to where one should focus on surviving, but maybe that's just being human," said Dazai, more to himself than to the collective.
Atsushi shifted on the pavement moaning, his face buried in the ground. He punches the ground as hard as he can in frustration then pushes himself up.
"However, if I wish to live then I have no choice but to steal from others"
His face set in grim determination, his eyes showing his will to live.
"Get Out You Good For Nothing!" A masculine voice.
The white hair boy stares up in shock, he is met with two adults whose faces' cast in blue and purple shadow.
The collective was surprised by the voice. Atsushi ducked down into his seat to hide from some of the stares directed at him. Akutagawa watched from his seat as Dazai put his hand on the younger's head, lightly petting him, comforting him. The feeling that had been driving him in the last few days came flooding back. He remembered now, using his ability to stab the weretiger and throwing him in a shipping unit as Kyouka watched in horror, dropping the bunny the new apprentice gave her. He wanted to tear him to shreds. 'Why him?' Akutagawa looks away, forcing his attention on the screen. 'Why did it have to be him…' Anger turning into sorrow. "...him," he mumbled out.
Chuuya looked over at his underling and sighed. 'To be left behind and replaced.'
"No Orphanage wants someone like you."
"The World Would Be A Better Place If You Just Die In A Ditch Somewhere!" Said a more feminine the void
"…shut up." A younger Atsushi said as plea, turning into older Atsushi as he stood up in anger.
"Shut up. Shut Up. SHUT UP!"
He screamed out into the sunset.
"You tell them," said Harano.
"Yeah, you are a strong person, Atsushi," said Keji, clapping his hands.
"You protected us, when you could've ran away." Tanizaki said, and Naomi backed him up with a, "yup." in agreement.
Atsushi blushed at the praise from his co-workers.
"Die in a ditch," Atsushi's fist clenched, "I won't let that happen. Just you wait. I'm gonna live no matter what —Right!" The white hair boy proclaimed. His golden purple eyes narrowed and his mouth set in grim determination,
"I am glad, you're keeping your strength to keep going, Atsushi. Staying true to your ideals despite your situations. That is what builds character, making the hard decisions." Kunikida's joy radiating off him in waves.
"I'm going to rush the first person who comes along and STEAL EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT!."
Kunidaki's face fell as everyone laughed at the Atsushi on the screen and Kunidaki's speech.
"Oh, Atsushi." said Tanizaki.
Kyouka watched as the group laughed with pure joy then looked over at the Port Mafia side who also showed smiles on their faces. She didn't understand why she was here instead of there, was it a mistake, should she move closer to them. The young assassin didn't want to leave this warmth. Kyouyo looked back at her, the young assassin quickly looked away.
A motorcycle flew by.
Atsushi closed his eyes in regret, "Maybe someone going a little bit slower."
"Okay, the next person."
A group of army's personnel marched down the road.
Atushi realized that if he was the center of this story he would have to deal with the jumps between emotions. Embarrassment, fear, sadness, happiness, and everything else. The hand came back to soothe him. 'Was it that obvious?' He looked up at Dazai who was facing forward. He moved to continue watching.
"I don't imagine the military police carries wallets while they're training. Next time…and this time I really mean it."
A noise behind him startled him and he turned around quickly, "YOU'RE MINE, MAN!"
He froze at the sight of somebody's legs sticking out from the water, drifting downstream.
A collective sigh carried through the room.
"Dammit all, Dazai." growled Chuuya.
"What's wrong with him?" said Kyouka, leaning closer to Atsushi. Some that heard laughed at her inquiry.
Atsushi didn't get to answer as Kunidika answered for him.
"DO Not follow that man's example. He is just a bandage wasting machine." Sounds fed up with his dramatics.
"I see." Turning her head to the screen.
"Slander, I say slander." Dazai said in cheerful annoyingness.
"He wasn't quite what I had in mine."
Laughter filled the air as most, laughed at Atsushi's face. The others held their amusement in a smile or a chuckle.
Atsushi watched him drift along.
"I'll let that one pass, thanks." he said to himself, still eyeing the man. The screen cut back to the man's feet, which now had crows resting on him.
"He'll be ok?" The boy said to himself in an attempt to talk himself out of it. "Fine!" He yells before leaping into the water to save the drowning man.
The sound of a splash throughout as the screen turned black.
The next scene, a brunette is lying next to Atsushi as he catches his breath. A small card appeared next to him, "In the end, ...I saved a life."
"You did the right thing," said Tanizaki.
"Plus who knows what he would get into if you didn't save."
"I bet he planned it." said the hat wearing mafioso.
All heads turned to Chuuya. His gaze firm on the screen ahead of him.
"Nothing Dazai does is by accident. Don't get me wrong; the mackerel loves water as it is his natural habitat, but he planned it."
No one commented, couldn't find the words but then the boy in questioned asked the question he had before just a little bit more clearly.
"How…how do you know that, How do you know Dazai?"
He scoffed and looked at his ex-partner. He knew he wasn't ready to tell them but the reality is he didn't have much time. Moreover It was starting to come back, him attacking Dazai after finally catching the tradier. He could just let it out. It would be perfect revenge but then everyone would be angry and they would never leave this place. He just didn't understand how they didn't know. It's Dazai. He was locked in on Dazai's hazel eyes. He almost chuckled as the mackerel's eyes pleaded with him to remain silent. 'Fine, what maybe two more hours of peace before his beautiful face graced the screen. Then you will need to deal with your actions.'
"We have had many run-ins. I just know it's not an accident. He knew you were there and wanted to see what you would do. That's who he is."
Some accepted it, others, most, noted his comment but didn't believe that was it. Dazai remained quiet which only raised more eyebrows.
The man's eye roll opens as it zooms-in. Slowly rises up to a sitting position, a comedic sound playing as he does so.
"What the actually Fuck." said Tachihara.
Many shared his sentiments.
Atsushi looks up at the man and asks him, "You were floating down the river. Are you ok?"
"I made it." Seeming to be completely out of it. The camera zooms in on his annoyed face as he curses. "Damn!"
Atsushi hears this and whips his head towards the person, "What's that!?" His face contorts in confusion and annoyances. 'Did this guy just say damn?'
"What a first impression." Naomi sighed.
"Honestly, not the worst thing Dazai will do to the kid if Kunidaki is any example." said Ranpo crunching on the corn. The group had a good laugh at that.
"Are you the person who interrupted my submersion?"
"You don't remember? Yes, I saved your life. Wait? Submersion?" Atsushi stares at this man.
The title card pops up.. "Submersion?"
"You don't get it." Turning back to the boy. The sunset behind him. "I was trying to kill myself," the guy says matter-of-factly.
"….Suicide?" Gets added to the card.
"Hate to ruining the mood but it's a question I have always wondered why the…um… whydoyoutrytokillyourself?" said Tanizaki. There's a pause literally and figuratively. The card remained, and once again, all eyes were on him. 'For a show centered on Atsushi, people find the need to ask more about me. Is that how it's going to be?' thought Dazai, he was tired and they were barely through the first episode.
Laughter broke the silence from a person that was most unlikely to laugh. No one saw the joke, and everyone was concerned. There he was laughing, no cackling. It wasn't funny but Dazai couldn't stop laughing, cackling. He knew one by one this little theater would tear him apart.
Ranpo spoke up, "You're the mentor but also the caslist for the events occurring throughout. I, myself, am also curious as to why. Though, I am sure, I already know the answer."
He had stopped, all emotion gone from his face. Quiet, too quiet for Dazai. "Is that so?" His following statement was bitter, like a blood orange. "Well, I'm sure all will be revealed, just give it a day."
Atsushi didn't know what to say or how to comfort his mentor. When he always found a way to bring him peace of mind. He reached his hand out to touch his coat. Dazai's head turned to Atsushi, a small smile pulling at his lips. Dazai's hand went to his head, playing with the weretiger's hair.
"Sure, and I think everything was going just swimmingly!" The man in beige said oddly happily at this, suddenly his face turned annoyed, "But you interfered and ruined my day."
The camera switches to Atsushi's face, "Is he scolding me for saving him?" he asks himself as the title card reads "Why…Am I being lectured?"
It was funny, The way Atsushi was already fed up with Dazai, but with the mood. No jokes or comments could be made. Just sitting in it. Dazai knew how to turn a situation into something else. Thought Doctor Yosana as she watched Dazai pet Atsushi. Atsushi was here only for a few weeks, but his bond with the agency was strong, but the most noteworthy connection was Dazai. A person who kept everyone at a distance, he seemed to be gravitating towards Atsushi. She understood why out of everyone here, the story forced on him, he has heart despite his trauma. Heart to save someone he didn't know with no benefit to him.
The man sighs, "It's not all your fault. My goal is to commit a completely clean suicide without bothering anyone, but unfortunately, I did trouble you. So the fault lies with me. I should apologies or still make it up to you."
Atsushi sways back and forth, his stomach letting out a rumble.
The man in a beige coat speaks again, "Are you by any chance, Hungry?"
"Well, the truth is I haven't eaten in several days," Atsushi replies, as he gets interrupted by the guy's stomach also growling.
"Wow, how odd I'm also hungry." The brunette states, sounding quite bored.
"Lucky concedes ." says atsushi hopefully.
"But at lastly I think the river has taken my wallet."
He opens his pockets, frogs jumping out of them. Atsushi visibly deflates, "Just my luck."
"THERE YOU ARE, YOU TROUBLESOME BLOCKHEAD," shouts a voice, Atsushi turning his head to the source. An arrow floats over another man's head with blond hair in a low ponytail, pointing directly at him.
"Hey, guys it's Kunidika?" said Tanizaki.
"Yup," said Doctor Yosano. That's it, no one had the energy to add to the statement. Not with the mood room.
"Oh hey," says the brunette. "You found me," saying more to himself then to Atsushi. The shouts across the river, "Nice Work Kunidika."
The man across the river yells back. "Nice work? And just who cause all this work you suicidal maniac. I have had enough of this. DO YOU REALIZE how often you've disrupted my schedule with your shenanigans!"
As Kunikida keeps yelling, the man turns to Atsushi, "Oh, I just had a great idea. He's a colleague from work. Let's have him treat you to a meal."
A chibi version of Kunikida appears, rage evident, "HEY, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"
"You guys need to work on your introduction. Whether or not it was planned by Dazai is little of importance. When they both look like idiots." said Ranpo, exacerbated by his younger coworkers.
"Apologizes Ranpo, we will be better, right Dazai?" Kunidaki said, turning his attention to his partner.
"Yeah…"
'Yeah that is not going to happen.' Thought must of them in different ways.
"So tell me," says the guy, "what's your name?"
Atsushi startles back, "A-Atsushi. Atsushi Nakajima, sir."
"Sometimes you're really too nice Atsushi." Haruno said, cat meowing in agreement.
"Is that a bad thing?" Atsushi turned to her.
"Of course, it's not, it's what makes you, well you." She smiled, and he smiled back, his nervousness gone.
"Very good." The man responds ethically, "Why don't you come with me, Atsushi. What would you like to eat?"
Atsushi looks embarrassed, "Um…well if it's not too much trouble.
"Come on, there's no need to hold back."
"I would really love some tea on rice."
The guy blinks and then laughs. The arrow blinks, still pointing at Kunikida.
That laugh was real, not mischievous or the heartbreaking cackle they heard a few moments before. It's weird for two people to be so compatible within minutes of meeting one another. Everyone in the room could tell that Atsushi mattered to him, the same the other way around. But with care came a blindspot, One that could be exported.
"So a boy on the verge of starvation wants to drink tea on rice. Very well, let's have Kunidika treat you to thirty large bowls of it."
Kunikida then flies into a rage, "DONTCHA GETTING ALL GENEROUS WITH MY MONEY, DAZAI!"
Atsushi turns towards the man, "You're Dazai?"
"Yup, that's my name." He smiles at Atsushi, the wind whipping around him, the sunset behind him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my new friend. I'm Osamu Dazai."
Dazai watched himself, remembering watching the boy as he debated with himself about stealing someone's property. He appeared to be in distress. Oda's voice rang in his head as he watched him. 'Protect the orphans.' it said to him. He had already made one monster he would not make another.
"So that's what he looked like to you." yosano
"No, that's just what happened." at
"But he looks so.." Tanizaki
"It's the coat, a long coat just picks up in the wind." Tachihara said, putting his arm over his head. "Half the people in the mafia have a long coat," Chuuya and many of the other mafio's members started to turn to meet Tachihara as he went on, "and why cause it looks badass. Take Chuuya for example with his coat, badass without it, not so much."
Some hmmed in agreement. Chuuya was a little gleanful at the comment, the coat did make him look cool.
Tachihara continued, "Not to mention how it makes him look taller."
Chuuya's mood was ruined as a laugh came out of Dazai. Chuuya scowled further.
"Tachihara." Chuuya said in a seething tone.
"Yeah…"
"Shut up."
The screen goes black.
A shot of Yokohama at night fades in, the sounds of the city calming, the camera cuts to a restaurant.
Kunikida speaks first, "You're unreliable and a fool, Dazai. Who says 'wow that's a nice river.' Then jumps into it,"
"Oh, I can tell we are going to get lots more of Kunidka's impressions." Kenji said bouncing up and down
The older blond blushing in response.
The camera shows Atsushi shoveling food down his throat as fast as he can. Then the camera shifts to show Kunikida and Dazai watching him. "-in the middle of a job. Now we're late. I'll have to revise our whole schedule." Kunikida furiously writing in his notebook, while Dazai just looked bored.
"You're obsessed with your schedule, Kundika." Dazai said.
"I think it is good that you practice good time management skills, though…" said the president veering off his train of thought.
Kunikida slams the book labeled "Ideal" into the table,
"Here we go." said Doctor Yosano.
"Kunidaki, you should really take a vacation from Dazai." said Ranpo
A few laughed at that.
"–And nowhere in this book is it written that my coworker should be a suicidal maniac."
Dazai's face expressed nothing at his partner's outburst.
Chuuya could relate too much to Kunidika's plate. That waste-of-bandages always threw off anything he had planned, coerced him to do their joint paperwork, and overall was annoying. The mafioso made a decision that if they must go head to head, he would make it quick. He nodded to himself in agreement.
Atsushi leans closer to the camera, speaking through the food in his mouth.
Kunikida sits down again. "Quiet. Nowhere on my projected expenses is a million bowls of tea on rice for some kid."
"So, umm…how are you understanding him?" said Tachihara.
"I was a high school teacher; I have dealt with many kids stuffing their mouths with food and talking at the same time," said Kunidika.
"You were a high school teacher."
"Why is that so surprising?"
"No, no, it works for you."
"Oh…"
The screen then shows the empty tea on rice bowls.
"I'm so full," Atsushi sings, patting his belly, "I've had enough rice to last a lifetime."
Kunikida immediately yells at him, "I suggest you show gratitude after you ate this on my dime."
"Man, Atsushi, I could get free food if I save Dazai from himself." Said Tachihara
"Well… I don't know if-?" Atsushi said slopping down into his chair.
"Probably and I'm sure we can get some really good food too." Tanizaki said.
"Hold on who's fitting the bill for this huh." Kunidaki said whipping his head to Tachihara.
"Well, he is your partner, doesn't that mean you would pay…" said Tachihara.
"NO! Ask the Time-Waster?!" pointing to Dazai, who just smirked at the comment. They all knew he was broke.
Atsushi looks downwards, "You're a real lifesaver. I came to Yokohama from an orphanage and I've had nowhere to eat or sleep since. I thought I'd starve to death."
Dazai, now engaged in the conversation, asks, "You're from an orphanage?"
"I was, yes," responds Atsushi. "They kicked me out." The boy said dejected at his reality.
"Look Dazai, We're not going around and helping people with hard-luck cases," He lifts his book up, " We have a job to do."
Atsushi leans back, "That reminds me, What do you guys do anyway? I know it relates to the military.."
Dazai smirks, "We're private investigators!"
"Bruh…If they were just private investigators we wouldn't be having such a time getting rid of them."
Many of the port mafia scolded at the comment.
'They really are annoying, and now they are forced to sit here and watch this story center on one of them.' thought Kyouyo, but the thing that really scratched her head was the fact that her Kyouka was sitting with them. She couldn't understand it.
"–I thought they were a myth."
A smoky background filled the screen and four silhouetted figures stood in a ring around one man in the center.
"We look so cool!" Kenji said appalled the scene.
"Am I in the presence of two supernaturally gifted people?"
"You're damaging our reputation." Doctor Yosano said cheerfully.
A collective sigh was heard.
"I'm sorry, I will be better." Kunidika said, hanging his head in shame.
Dazai's smiles then says, "But that's my charm, best to be upfront about my personality then put on a front."
'Weirdly enough, he was right at least when it came to himself.' thought Haruno.
Dazai squeaked out, "Check out that beam!"
Atsushi glanced upwards. Kunikida sighs, "Don't even think about hanging yourself in this teahouse."
"I'm not, I'm thinking of the hanging health technique."
Kunikida sounds amazed, "What are you saying?"
"You Don't Know!? It's perfect for shoulder cramps."
"That would be perfect for me."
You got to know he's messing with you. - Tanizaki
The in question looks down. He needs to save face in some way. "Of course, I did," he mumbled. "I was just playing along."
Many pitied the man for his misfortune to be Dazai's partner.
Kunikida begins to write in his notebook, muttering out loud. Dazai shows off an evil grin as he interrupts his partner. "I'm messing with you."
The pen snaps and Kunikida grabs Dazai by the neck and screams at him.
Atsushi tries to interject, "So, about the job, you're doing…"
"What!" Kunikida shouts, fury across his face as Atsushi apologizes profusely.
"You really need to work on that temper Kunidika. "
"Your right doctor "
Its fine, it is just who kunidika is…" said atsushi
"Actually, we require no secrecy today. It's for the government we're looking for a tiger." Kunidika said calmer now.
"A tiger?" The boy questioned.
Dazai continues, his arm on the table, "Yes, a furious man-eating who has recently appeared in the city." The scene becomes blurry around the detectives leaving only Atsushi in focus. "Well, not that we know for sure if it's eaten anyone, but it's caused general chaos. The authorities have received all kinds of scary reports about."
Atsushi fell over in fear, the bowls clattering.
"Oh, shit. Run weretiger they're onto you." Tachihara exclaimed, a few chuckled at his comment.
"Umm…that's not why Im scared." Atsushi whispered out.
"What other reason is there?" Tachihara raised an eyebrow.
Atsushi grew nervous, putting his pointer fingers together.
"Well…Umm…"
"He didn't know, he was the tiger." Dazai cuts in.
"So, what you're telling me is that the weretiger wasn't even aware of his ability until he met you ." Akutagawa said, his glare out in full force at the younger apprentice.
Ranpo eyed the two as they engaged in a stare off, mouth filled with kettle corn.
"Yes." Dazai answered with authority the agency normally would not hear in it.
Atsushi starts to crawl away, "I-I'll be leaving now, g-goodbye." He gets jerked back by Kunikida who grabs his shirt.
"Not so fast."
Atsushi tries to run as Kunikida begins to interrogate him.
After Kunikida begins, Atsushi stops moving, turning around, his eyes showing real fear.
"There's no way you can stop that animal."
"Confident, aren't we?" Ranpo tensed.
"I didn't know." Said Atsushi pulled his knees in to hug them.
Kunikida lifts an eyebrow, "Really, now? Tell us what you know."
Atsushi starts trying to run again, " That thing is after me! It tried to kill me! If it has been seen, then I should go now!"
Kunikida drops him, then grabs his arm, pinning him to the ground. "Pay for the-"
Atsushi felt it. The weight of Kunidika on him and the pain in his arm from being forced into an unnatural position.
Dazai eyed Atsushi seeing the pain contort on his face and how ridge he had become.
"Atsushi, what's wrong?"
He turned to Dazai but by then it was gone as the Dazai on the screen stopped Kunidika.
Dazai sts next to him, "What do you know about this Tiger?"
'Maybe, it was nothing…' Atsushi thought as he rubbed his arm. Dazai watched the young adult.
'Hmm…so that's what it meant. This will not be pleasant for some people.' Dazai thought, eyes still on Atsushi.
"I'm fine."
Dazai only nodded in response.
"-we were already on a tight budget, they had to let some people go."
The screen shifted to Atsushi standing in front of the gates of an orphanage, the adults who ran the place, shouting the same lines from earlier at the boy.
Atsushi was shown kneeling in front of them, "Why me? I didn't do anything?"
"We don't need leches like you." one said.
"You're not welcome and you will never find a place where you do belong." another one yelled.
"Just go, I hope you rot in hell." One sleethed.
"Oh, Atsushi." said the doctor
He was trying, trying to get through this episode. It was somehow worse seeing them, seeing himself. At some point tears began to fall. He scrubbed at them.
"I'm fine…It's just…" He choked out.
"That's not true, you know that right." said Doctor Yosano
"You belong here with us." said Kenji
Despite not knowing Atsushi for longer than a day, Kyouka got up and hugged him. The weretiger had given her something that she didn't have, something she had given up on. The ability to live without being useful, to be seen as a human. Following her was Kenji, then the siblings, and then the doctor of the agency got in on this bear hug. Dazai remained in his seat petting the younger's hair and the president watched with a fond smile.
Kyouyo was shocked as she watched the display. Her Kyouka starting this show of affection. 'The light… it truly is too bright. Maybe it fits her better or maybe she'll just burn.'
"Well, I feel better. Atsushi, how about you?" said Ranpo.
He nodded his head.
Dazai interrupted the flashback, "That's a tragic tale."
Kunikida centered the conversation back on the job, "The tiger?"
Atsushi responded, "It shows up wherever I go, like it's tracking me. I saw it when I was walking around the next town over."
The flashback appeared, Atsushi looking deformed as he stared at his reflection of himself behind him was glowing blue orbs, tiger's growled.
Two animal eyes flashed in the dark and people screamed, "It's the tiger! RUN!"
Atsushi ran as he narrated, "I've been seeing it for about two weeks before the orphanage kicked me out. My instincts tell me that it's come looking for me."
Dazai's voice was eerily calm, "When was the last time you saw the tiger stalking you?"
Atsushi looked up, "About four days ago, in Sudami "
Kunikida looked at his notebook, "That matches our intel as well."
"Atsushi, are you free later?" Dazai asked, almost at random.
"Such an odd question." Tachihara said
"Don't trust the weird man, Atsushi?" Doctor Yosano said.
"It's too late Doc, he already conned me into working in this weird agency."
Dazai laughed, "I gave you options."
"Yeah and one of them was being shot by the government."
"Fair, but I was just being honest."
"And I am glad you were. It's not so bad here."
Dazai reached to pet his charge. "I'm glad."
"-As the target, you provide us with an excellent opportunity. You are going to help us find the tiger!"
"Forget it!" Atsushi stood up, looking terrified, "No Way!."
Dazai handed Kunikida the piece of paper he had been writing on, "Kunikida, please give this to the president."
Kunikida looked skeptical, "You two are going to catch the beast? We should be confirming his info first."
Dazai smirked, "It'll be fine."
Kunikida reluctantly took the paper.
"Are you kidding? You're just gonna use me as bait!" Atsushi shouted.
Dazai gave a cheeky smile, "There's a reward."
Atsushi looked nervous as another card appeared, "Currently penniless."
"Re-reward?"
"You can't tempt me with money!" he shouted, turning his back onto Dazai.
"But just so we are clear….. How much is it worth again?"
Dazai's cheeky smile grew, "About this much." He held up a piece of paper, which Atsushi slowly turned around to glance at.
His face contoured in absolute shock at the amount offered.
A title card of the show's name appeared.
"You know, I thought about it. I don't like the name." said Dazai.
"Okay, I'll bite what you would call it." said Chuuya.
"Bungou Stray Cats!" Dazai proclaimed to the audience. A cat meowed behind him in agreement.
"We get it, you don't like dogs." Chuuya crossed his leg to avoid using them to kick the drowning fish.
"You don't like dogs, Dazai." Atsushi inquired.
"No, I wouldn't say that. Sure, they are my mortal enemy like the Hatrack-,"
A scoff was heard from the other side of the room.
"And sure I don't understand why so many people love them and sure everytime I see them I want to growl at them but…" He paused and tried to think of what he was trying to say. "Anyway, I love ddddooogggsssss."
"Conclusion, he hates dogs." Chuuya said deadpan.
Atsushi and Dazai were shown, sitting on boxes. Dazai was reading a red book.
"Dazai, I'm sorry to interrupt, but what are you reading?"
"A good book"
Atsushi sighed, "I'm surprised you can read in the dark."
"I have excellent night vision. Plus, I've read this book before."
The book is shown, titled "The Complete Guide to Suicide" on the front.
"Ah, the schematic for my perfect suicide, of course hoping a lovely lady would join me."
Everyone grimaces at the book. Though there were some who wanted to know. However, they learned from the previous attempt to take it slow. Most were certain they would learn in time. Why he left the need to attempt something like that…
"Why are you reading it again then?"
Dazai sounded a bit annoyed when he replied, "A good book is always good."
Atsushi smiled, before curling into himself. "Will the tiger really track me down?"
"Yes."
Atsushi's setback in fear and shock.
"Dazai, you're scaring him." said Kenji in a disappointed tone.
"It was necessary to awaken the tiger." Dazai replied.
"Honestly, I don't really remember much of this." Atsushi looked at Kenji with a pleasant expression.
"Oh, okay." Kenji replied cheerfully.
"Please, he wasn't even trying…" said Akutagawa more to his group than to the room. But Dazai heard him, and he was right; he could be worse, so much worse.
Dazai was calmly reading as he replied, "When it shows up, it will be no match for me, I may not look like it but I am part of the Armed Detective Agency for a reason."
Atsushi looked down again, "I admire your confidence. They called me good-for-nothing at the orphanage for as long as I can remember."
"We should do another bear hug." said Kenji, raising his arms about to bounce up to hug his co-worker.
"We can do that after the episode ends, okay." Said Haruno, petting Mii-chan in her lap.
"Now, I don't even know what my future holds anymore."
Atsushi thought about it. Everything was so different now. He could see a future here, even if it was filled with blood, sweat, and tears.
"Guess we will see the future in only a few episodes." Tachihara said, chuckling.
"No one would mind if I died in a ditch somewhere and just disappeared forever."
He had a tomorrow. He tried to let the emotion go but it felt like it was coming from the depth of his soul. There it was, a warm hand playing with his hair, and the feeling faded into the background, to be addressed at a later date. He had a tomorrow, a family that he wouldn't let go of.
Dazai's face showed no emotion as Atsushi said brokenly, "Maybe I'd be better off being eaten by a tiger."
"Well then, I think it will be soon."
He looked up seeing the clouds shift and the moon shining through. A loud noise startled Atsushi out of his depressive state.
"What," he exclaimed, falling off his box and into the light of the moon. "I think I just heard something back there!?"
"Yes, me too." Dazai didn't even flinch as he replied cheerfully.
"It's probably the tiger, Dazai." The boy said frantically.
"I think the wind just knocked something down."
Atsushi screamed at him, "It's The Maneater. Its Tracked Me Down To Eat Me!"
Dazai snapped his book closed. "Calm down. A tiger doesn't just appear out of nowhere."
Atsushi was growing frustrated as he yelled at Dazai, who maintained his tone.
"Your story doesn't add up. An orphanage wouldn't kick out a kid just because of a food shortage. Kicking out one kid wouldn't put a dent. Instead, it would make sense to transfer half of the kids to a different orphanage."
Dazai jumped down from his box.
Atsushi stared at him, "I don't understand? What are you talking about Dazai?"
"Think about it." The detective pushed.
"You came to this city two weeks ago," Dazai stated. "The tiger appeared in the city two weeks ago."
The moon glowed gently and Atsushi's eyes seemed to glow blue as the moon covered them, seeming to lose himself to the moon's light.
"You do know you're just monologuing now, right?" Tanizaki asked, the suicidal detective.
"Yes, but I had to finish up even if my audience isn't following along anymore. It's a curse of those blessed with brains unlike the rest of you." He said flamboyantly.
Ranpo glared at him from the corner of his eye.
"Excluding you, of course, Ranpo."
Ranpo let out a puff of air as he went back to his snack to find it empty. He began to pout, crossing his arms.
The tiger began his rampage by charging at Dazai who expertly aviaded.
Dazai continued, eyes locked on the now tiger, "-In the moonlight you can transform into a wildebeest."
"I don't know, you're sure that's the same kid." Tachihara said.
"He's cute." Kyouka whispered. Atsushi turned to her, surprised by her statement.
"Uh…what, that…It's a tiger?" Tachihara questioned, what he was watching was a giant tiger trying to rip a man apart.
"Atsushi is Atsushi."
"Oh, I agree it is so nice to have an office cat." Dazai reached out to pet his office cat.
"I'm a Tiger." Atsushi proclaimed to the gallery, blushing up a storm.
"Wait…do you just see me as an office cat?"
"What…of course not, you're also my partner in crime."
Atsushi raised an eyebrow at Dazai.
"More like his babysitter." said Ranpo, getting a laugh out of his co-workers.
The tiger chases after Dazai, Dazai commenting lightly, "You could tear a man's heart from his chest."
He dodged again, his feet sliding into a wall. "Hm, come to think of it. This isnt a bad way to meet my boom."
"He might get eaten by a tiger, but at least he's got his priorities in check," said Doctor Yosano; once again a collective sigh was heard.
"That's our Dazai."
"-My ability is–"
And a title card was displayed with the words, "No Longer Human" written on them, the symbols activating, sliding against each other effortlessly.
"No Longer Human."
With his hand glowing, Dazai touched the tiger in the face. His white light eating up the tiger's blue light.
"I can neutralize anyone else's ability. It works through a touch."
"Why…Why does he look so cool why…" Tanizaki said, a frown playing on his face.
"I said it before and I will say it again, it's Dazai's coat. You want to look cool-" Tachihara pointed at Tanizaki.
"Yes." Tanizaki stood up, fired up in the hopes of improving his appearance.
"Then get a cool coat." Raising his head high.
"Thank you, I do look amazing. But it's not the coat; I was just born this way." Dazai said, his ego boosted.
"Okay, but in real life Dazai ability has no physical activation. That's what makes him so annoying." Said Doctor Yosano.
"Tch, one of the many things that makes him annoying." said Chuuya.
"Well, at least I'm not the human embodiment of a Hatrack." smug smile graced his face.
"Well, at least I'm not the definition of what a humanoid mackerel would look like." Chuuya said, turning his body to his rival.
"Boys, Boys," said Mori as his smirk grew. He continued, "Let's finish then you two go into a private room and work it out."
"Tch," Chuuya turned back to the screen
The light show stopped to reveal Atsushi, with his eyes closed, Dazai's hand on his forehead. Atsushi landed onto Dazai's chest.
Dazai shoved him to the floor, "If you're flirting, I'm not interested."
"Dazai!" Kunikida shouted at him.
"He's a kid." Ingeniously Dazai proclaimed.
"He is unconscious."
"Well, that explains how I got on the floor." Atsushi said, rubbing his chin.
"Aw geez," Kunikida said, "What was up with this note, Huh?"
"The tiger will be in the 13th district warehouse, secure the perimeter so it can't escape." Dazai read off," May what a lovely and concise note."
"You left out one important detail. Thanks to you, I brought agencies that weren't even on call. First, round on you."
"We still haven't gotten that round." said Doctor Yosano.
"I don't know why we even try, we all know he's broke." said Kunidika.
"More like selectively broke." said Ranpo.
"Where's our drinks, you bandage wasting machine," Said the Doctor.
"Don't worry right after this I will personally make them…" Said Dazai.
"And poisonous us, yeah I don't think so." Said Kunidika.
"We go to a bar and you buy us drinks, you hear me." a scalp in hand.
"Okay, Okay…jeezz." The bandage wasting machine said fearing for his safety.
The group of people who had followed Kunikida inside stepped into the light.
"Hey!" said a chipper voice, running up to Atsushi.
"Oh, look, that's me." said Kenji, pointing at the screen.
"Finally, we're being introduced; it was getting annoying only seeing Dazai's face," said Ranpo.
"I was there too." Atsushi questioned.
"And me." Kunidika echoed the sentiment.
"Yeah, you two don't count." said Ranpo.
The red heels stopped, revealing a woman, with a title card next to her, "Yosano Akiko, Ability: Thou Shalt Not Die."
Her voice was bored out of her mind, "There are no casualties? Talk about boring."
The other pair of shoes stopped, "You've gotten better at solving cases, Dazai." A man wearing glasses was revealed, his card reading "Edogawa Ranpo, Ability: Ultra Deduction."
He smirked, "But let me solve the big ones."
"Who else would do it?" said Dazai.
Many of the agency hmmed in agreement.
His card read "Kenji Miyazawa. Ability: Be Not Defeated by The Rain."
"He didn't know he could do this," Kenji finished.
Kunikida fixed his glasses, a card appearing next to him as well, "Kunikida Doppo, Ability: Doppo Poet."
"What will we do now?" He asked.
Dazai grinned, "I've made up my mind."
His card flashed, "Dazai Osamu. Ability: No Longer Human."
Dazai looked at Atsushi lying on the floor, "He's going to join us."
Dazai pondered what Atsushi had said to him earlier. His face softened.
That was the final nail in Atsushi's coffin. Akugatawa just couldn't understand even as this episode came to its closing. Why him. Weak, pathetic, emotional damage weretiger, imperfect breast. Was perfection, not the goal?
"He has a heart after all." said Chuuya, almost chuckling.
"Is it really that surprising that Dazai can care?" Atsushi started to glare at the mafioso.
"Yes." the mafioso returned the glare.
Atsushi was about to shoot a rebuttal when Dazai put a hand on his shoulder. Atsushi turned to his mentor, to be met with him shaking his head in a no. However, someone else piped up.
"He can be promatic but he is our Dazai. Annoying, manipulative, and a tad bit insane Dazai." said Naomi
The agency's members nodded their heads in agreement.
"Up! Atsushi!" Dazai shouted happily, Atsushi began to awaken from his slumber.
'Here teeming with the supernatural,' Dazai thought, 'In a detective agency full of eccentrics, a strange tale is about to unfold. This is only a sign of things to come, a premonition. It's starts now.'
"Yeah, like us being stuck here, that's strange," said Tanizaki.
"To be fair, I wasn't referring to this…but it will do." He trailed off, not feeling comfortable with labrating any further than that.
"Wait, eccentrics?"
Atsushi pulled himself off the ground. "Hello?" He murmured at Kenji, who opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Dazai.
"Atsushi, do you remember anything that happened?"
Atsushi narrowed his eyes in confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"Huh," Dazai said as a way of response, raising his pointer finger. "Look at that, your hand didn't change back."
"My right hand?" Atsushi raised his right hand, revealing a tiger paw. He blinked a couple of times before screaming as his card formed next to him, "Atsushi Nakajima. Ability; Beast Beneath the Moonlight."
Everyone got a good laugh out of that.
Dazai yelled over the weretiger freaking out, "Atsushi Nakajima, from this day forward you're going to be one of us, you're the new member of the Armed Detective Agency."
Atsushi blinked, "Uhhhh… I'm what." said out of annoyance.
"Let's get on to the next Episode!" Kenji said bounce in his seat.
"First, let me get some more sweets." Ranpo raising from his seat with a stretch.
"Well, actually I would like something to eat as well." said Kyouyo, dusting off her kimono. "And maybe a change of clothes if they have them."
"Oh, I kind of need a restroom." Said Naomi, pulling her brother up with her.
"Umm…we can't go together." said Tanizaki.
"But big brother." she said drawing circles on his chest. The other two siblings in the room looked at this display of affection in horror.
"Okay, well, I guess we should check this place out," said Kunidika.
