#entrance exam arc

[rewrittenmha]

Entrance Exam Arc

First official post of the blog! So exciting. Of course we're starting from the very beginning.

I don't have much to change here. The Entrance Exam arc isn't perfect, but it does pretty well as an exposition. I only have a few minor changes.

Instead of opening on Izuku's way to school, I would show more of his life with Inko. Nothing really significant, just her making breakfast for him and showing concern for how withdrawn he tends to be. I would also make her more aware of Izuku being bullied, just not the fact that it's Bakugou specifically. Here, she has actually tried to get the school to interfere only for them to promise to do so and not follow through. Instead, they talk to Bakugou and have him "tone it down," so Bakugou stops being as physically aggressive and turns to being verbally nasty.

(I would also have Inko consider moving because of the bullying, only to be unable to afford it. It's really hard to gauge the Midoriyas' financial status, but I'd peg them as maybe being just above the Uraraka's? It's said that Hisashi is working in America, so it's likely he sends money to them but not enough for them to live comfortably anywhere else)

One thing I would also amend is All Might leaving Izuku on top of the roof by himself. In my version, he walks him down and then leaves to hand in the sludge villain.

Then mostly everything happens the same. I would add more of Izuku and All Might bonding, having heart-to-heart conversations, etc. instead of just training. Aso basic combat training.

At some point, show more quirkless discrimination instead of just saying it exists. I would love a scene of All Might witnessing it (maybe someone makes a comment towards Izuku or another quirkless person) and it's an eye-opener for him because he never realized how much worse it got after he was given One For All.

Other than that, I really don't have a lot of beef with this arc. It's the right combination of cheesy and heartfelt and sets up the inequality within society. It began the story with such a nice tone, it's such a shame it was all ruined.

Feel free to add any thoughts or suggestions in the comments or reblogs. I'm also gonna be opening my inbox back up

[alchemicon]

one of my favourite running themes in bsd, is the power of gay male partnership. like you and the guy you're psychosexually obsessed with can truly change the world. anyways happy pride month asagiri

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Reminder that the Dazai's Entrance Exam audiobook comes out tomorrow! It's narrated by Patrick Seitz, Kunikida's English dub voice actor!

Here are all the places you can buy it:

Barnes & Noble

Audible

Google Play

Apple Books

Libro.fm

[neo--queen--serenity]

KUNIKIDA ISN’T THE AZURE KING, RIGHT?? RIGHT!?!?

I let it slide the first time I watched the series, but I subconsciously expected to get some sort of explanation for why the two characters looked so alike, but an explanation never came.

It’s not coincidental. Despite having his face covered, Bones made sure we saw the Azure King’s hair and eye color, and they match Kunikida’s EXACTLY. Even the shape of the eyes are the same.

And like, the whole episode, they kept talking about how the Azure King “lived by his ideals,” saying it numerous times. They talked about him the same way the ADA talks about Kunikida. We also have the similarities over his education and connections in government organizations.

Even down to the fact that Kunikida is drawn to and attracted to Sasaki, who was the Azure King’s lover. Down to the fact that she tells Kunikida, at gunpoint, “you resemble him.”

The Azure King and Kunikida even share the same Japanese voice actor. The irl Nobuko Sasaki was married to the irl Doppo Kunikida, but they divorced early into their marriage.

Was Kunikida the Azure King!?! I told myself he wasn’t, the first time I saw it, because I expected more information later, but like I said, we never got any.

I know I’m not the first person to theorize about this, but I just wish we knew more. The Azure King could just be an elaborate allegory for what Kunikida could have been, if he went down that path. But that’s…such an excessively detailed allegory. Like why go that hard if it’s just a parallel?

[my-rewrite-academia]

Arc 1: Pre-Entrance Exam

Yeah, the name is a work in process...

So, this will detail everything of importance that happened before the Entrance Exam.

-

The first change we're made aware of is the fact that Izuku works out. The beginning scene would be the same, with Izuku defending a boy from Bakugou and his lackies. He will black out and the narrative would say 'Not all men are created equal'.

Then we cut to Izuku in the middle of working out. He's got muscle on him, like his form after Dagobah, and when he's done, Izuku further narrates his life. Diagnosed quirkless at the age of four, Bakugou going from mean to horrible, almost giving up on his dreams...

That is until Hisashi tells him about pre-quirk media. And, desperate to find some sort of figure he could relate to, Izuku takes it all in. He watches every anime, every movie, everu gameplay, reads every book that he can.

And in it he finds hope.

We're shown that he's been working out since he was eight, when he first got into pre-quirk media, and Hisashi had sent him a katana to fight with as a way to substitute a quirk.

However, even though he's strong and knows how to fight, even back then, it doesn't change his treatment.

Everything, (other than the fact that Izuku put more effort into his dream), is the same as canon. The teacher reveals that Izuku wants to go to U.A., Bakugou is somehow threatened by this and threatens Izuku, burns his notebook, and tells him to off himself.

Except, instead of only being hurt and not actually considering ending his life, Izuku think about it. He thinks about how easy it would be to fall on his katana, or leap from the roof. The only reason he doesn't is because he doesn't want to ruin Bakugou's chances at heroism, which he would if he went through with it.

Again, canon events happen. Sludge monster attacks and Izuku immediately takes back wanting to die because it felt awful. All Might saves him, tells him he can't become a hero and takes him off the roof. When All Might leaves, Izuku looks back at the roof and considers it once more.

Explosions distract him and he finds himself automatically walking towards the scene despite wanting to go home.

A la canon, he rushes in when he sees Bakugou's face. Not because he's Bakugou, but because he's a scared, dying child.

He runs in, and his analytical prowess is shown in a much better light, as well as his physical. He grabs a pen from his bag and shoves it into the Sludge Villain's eye, then uses his bag to move the sludge, freeing Bakugou's arm enough for izuku to grab and pull.

The heroes on scene actually do something. Death Arms runs in to protect the two of them, and Kamui Woods aims from further away. Izuku directs them to a victory, having Backdraft dillute the villain so he's easier to seperate, having Mount Lady shrink so she can fit inside the alley. Ordering Bakugou to blast off a hanging sign above the Sludge Villain, causing enough pain to the villain's eyes and teeth - the only solid parts - for him to be knocked out.

They're then rushed to the hospital, though Izuku is still scolded for being reckless, and Bakugou praised for being 'brave'. Bakugou tells Izuku to not look down on him, and Izuku snaps. He tells him that he is the only reason Bakugou is still alive.

All Might does not come.

-

Izuku decides that reacting to Bakugou's taunts only encouraged him, so he decides to start ignoring him completely, even when he's terrified.

To prepare further for the exam, he decides to clean Dagobah, after a news outlet shows a before and after image. He also requests help, because this isn't just for him. It's for the people.

There, he meets Kirishima and Ashido, where we see his quirk analysis skills, dissecting both of their quirks and preparing for hate, but recieving praise in stead. He still has not told them that he's quirkless.

During this time, there's a public scandal, leading to people wanting a hero, called 'Master of None: Jack', to have his licence revoked and be put behind bars. He's an example of a corrupt hero, who allowed and watched civillians die, most of them being mutants. He is revealed to have previously worked at U.A. before he was let go, so Nedzu makes a statement about it, promising to make sure they do not create any future heroes like him.

Inside U.A., Nedzu hosts a staff meeting, where he bans Aizawa from sleeping during class, and he cannot expel anyone without consulting Nedzu first. It's also revealed that Aizawa does not mark any 'expelled' students records, merely says they're expelled and invites them back into school a week later.

He also changes the entrance exam, which we'll discuss in a later post.

-

-

So, to summarise:

Izuku works out and we're shown this

Bakugou is still a bully, even after Izuku saves him, and the suicide dare still happens

All Might tells Izuku he cannot become a hero, and does not approach him after the fights

Izuku directs the heroes to a victory, but is still told off for interfering while Bakugou is praised

Izuku starts cleaning Dagobah and meets Kirishima and Ashido through this

We get an example of a corrupt hero

Nedzu changed the entrance exam

[bafflement]

Deaged Oz AU - Sledge-ing Up Memories

For day 10 of the @remnants-of-rwby-events non descript winter holidays event, Sledding.

Lighter in a lot of ways than yesterday's, but Tip isn't in the best place mentally in Mistral, unfortunately. :(

“Are you sure about this, Pocket Sized?” Jaune asked, tentatively, as he stared at the old sledge like it was a death trap. To his credit, they were rather rickety little things, but Tip seemed confident enough. Jaune wouldn’t normally be so worried, but Qrow wasn’t here at the moment. What if something went wrong? He hated thinking like this, especially as the others were all already sledding down the thickly snowed hills with yells and cheers, seeming to enjoy it. But what they liked wasn’t always something Jaune did. Surely he could trust him, though?

Tip grinned, his eyes soft and understanding as he looked up at the much taller figure. “You did state that it was an activity you’d never tried. Why not?” He seemed far less worried about breaking his neck than Jaune was, but some of that might be the part of their professor that was technically a ten-year-old. That or he knew something Jaune didn’t, which wasn’t that hard, especially right now.

“Besides”, Tip continued, voice steady, without a hint of the laughter he felt. “You do have an aura, it is vanishingly unlikely that any fall would result in permanent injuries.”

“You mean like when you fired us into the forest?” Jaune asked sarcastically, blushing at Tip’s raised eyebrow. How he was still so intimidating in this state, he’d never understands. It just wasn’t fair, part of him wanted to protect the seemingly younger boy. But he wasn’t a child, not really. Sometimes, like right now, it was hard to think how anybody could ever think he was.

“In a way. You were not really in danger, Jaune. If anything had happened, we would have stepped in.”

“You said that you wouldn’t, though, that we could die.” There was an injured tone in Jaune’s voice now, as he put that death trap of a sled down in order to put his hands on his hips.

“And so you can. Any of us could, though you were unlikely to do at initiation, the same could not necessarily be said for later in your studies.” Tip’s voice wavered slightly, a shadow of old grief lurking in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something else, shut it again. Biting his lip, he turned away, his own sled abandoned, too.

“Nah, You’re here to protect us.” Jaune grinned suddenly, grabbing the sled from where he’d dropped it. It was strange, that this conversation would have helped so much, but it had. The yells of excitement echoing from their friends certainly helped. Besides, today was about relaxing, putting aside worries. He thought they could both use some of that right now.

“Race you to the bottom!” He yelled, eyes sparkling as he ran off. Tip stood for a second, blinking, before shrugging and going to join his friend. There were times and places for important conversations. For now? Maybe they could all enjoy being young for just a few minutes longer.

[rox-of-iu]

sorry for the lack of usual stuff. ive been obsessed with a new game I bought dgash

anyway some sillies from Gujian 3.

doesnt really have major spoilers but there are a few nods so fair warning

anyway if they wanted me to progress in the actual plot they shouldn't have given me the farming fishing housing and card game mechanics just saying hajsh

[littencloud9]

god i I LOVE MORIARTY THE PATRIOT

[caelanglang]

THIS ENTIRE POST AKDJDKJSJAJA I TOTALLY AGREE AAARRGHHFHF

But there’s also that point in stormbringer where Dazai was willing to change all the plans to make way for Chuuya’s choice. I think the moment he found out Chuuya was in the playing field, he already did change the plans. Maybe the drowning wasn’t even his initial plan but he just wanted to make sure Chuuya makes it through/snaps out of the brainwashing by getting an opportunity to talk to him (via the speakers).

I’m almost a hundred percent sure the speech contained some sort of code and a hidden apology with a lot of emotional factors that Dazai would never deliver under normal circumstances. I think that this is something—a nuance—that only Chuuya would get. Maybe it was indeed his farewell, but I’m pretty sure that he was confident Chuuya would survive the waters, he’s sorry he had to make him go through it. They’ve been partners for so long, dealing with tricky things like liquid is definitely something they had to find a solution for at least once during their partnership. So maybe this farewell is kinda symbolic too. That Dazai chooses to prioritize the ADA over the Port Mafia’s executive. I refer to PM’s executive bc that’s an entirely different thing as to Chuuya as his partner. If Dazai was still in the PM or working with the PM as his top priority, he would definitely deal with how to get Chuuya—an important asset to the mafia—back first. But that is not the case here. What Dazai’s actions meant was that he trusted Chuuya’s strength and personality, believing that he will make it through even if he himself is working towards a different goal.

Then again, I think Dazai’s always been flexible with planning. I have a whole theory that he began to plot for Sigma’s entrance exam as soon as he chose Sigma to be with him. (Something that Asagiri had been foreshadowing since the sky casino is ADA!Sigma so yes.) I love how you pointed out how Dazai’s plans rely on other people’s strength and choices so much. it shows his endless fascination in human life ngl. And Chuuya’s arrival at the prison being out of his expectations is so important. I think it’s something that will be putting him on the edge. It’s gonna be something he will change all of his plans for.

I believe that Dazai saves people since the very beginning. But he’s always been selective of who to save. He saves those who he somewhat sees himself in. A quote from No Longer Human says a lot about it which i think Asagiri adds into his character, “If ever I meet someone society has designated as an outcast, I invariably feel affection for him, an emotion which carries me away in melting tenderness.”

First, we had Chuuya being save from the Sheep’s exploitation. Then Dazai joined him on his journey of questioning his humanity/Stormbringer stuffs. We had Odasaku’s lonely and dangerous life as a special postman and former assassin being invited to the Mafia for protection. We have the Akutagawa siblings who have been seen as a meaningless and neglected existence in the slumps. All of which he brought into the PM, a place he thought was reasonable and ‘safe’ and enough to give a reason in living. Which I think just shows how twisted his perspective in life and its comforts already is at an early age. After moving to the ADA, I love how he immediately thought of pairing Akutagawa the moment he saw Atsushi. It makes me wonder if he ever thought of bringing Akutagawa into the light after experiencing it himself (which also involves my whole other theory how Beast AU is closely interconnected with the current canon events like—how did Dazai know Atsushi’s ability upon first encounter sjdjfjjsjs unless its a hidden feature of his ability to know if someone has an ability by mere touch—). Then we have Kyouka who just like him moved from the PM to the ADA.

Now we have Sigma who (1) is not truly human, which is something both Chuuya and him had experiences of (i think that’s a really important factor here!!) and (2) is a former criminal who has been used/treated as nothing important in their whole life (both like Odasaku, Kyouka, and Akutagawa respectively) and (3) longs for a home (like Atsushi and Kyouka). So really, Sigma fits the bill so well.

Wait, I’m going off tangents now skdjdjsjks but I truly believe the many of Dazai’s plans have the end goal of saving someone. I think the next steps of his plan heavily relies on Sigma’s and Chuuya’s Choices.

Maybe just like Dead Apple, he’s got something on his sleeves about the poison. But idk there are so many hidden factors (like Atsushi’s Dazai visions sndjjsa) and unrevealed surprises that makes reading this arc so fun. It’s selfish of me but I really hope the latest chapter caught his raw emotions. I want shocked Dazai, mr. Demon prodigy being expressive and not acting. Even if it’s just one of those panels being it. I’m sure he did something on the elevator already in preparation but still. I also want Chuuya to kick both his and Fydor’s scheming plans off the rail. Maybe this will also be Fydor’s arc in realizing that human’s ability to make changes is what makes the world run as it is. This arc is gonna be a humbling whoop in the butt for these geniuses i hope hhhhhhh

Chuuya’s autonomy is also so so important and I think you’ve said every thought I have for it! I love the way how you put it to words!! This arc is like a character exploration for all of them tbh methinks. Mostly on Dazai and Fyodor and Sigma though. And Chuuya is there to trigger most of those changes… I hope he get mad mad and break the normal dynamic!! THE LAST LINE YOU WROTE SLAPS OP!!

Chapter 105.5 Thoughts: Control, Manipulation and Partnership

Or, how Chuuya is actually the most qualified character to land a victory over Dostoevsky.

I just want to preface this with: I think Chuuya has woken from the brainwashing. We can't see his eyes, he's holding his hat again, and look at the progression of his face and expression from the last few chapters with him (these are in order btw from left to right).

I'm not completely sure how he did this, but I chalk a lot of it up to sheer stubborn determination on Chuuya's part, mostly because it's funny and he was clearly fighting back before Dazai's speech. However, I find it likely the speech did contain some kind of code - others have pointed out how "Goodbye!" might be a reference to the original author's last unfinished book and we know skk's codenames for things generally are based off their real counterparts' works so, maybe he'd already broken out of it, maybe there was something in there that gave him the final push - who knows at this point honestly? Either way, it means Chuuya had the capacity to break out of the vampire curse on his own and that's incredibly funny to me for many reasons but mostly:

Fyodor: "Bold of you to assume Chuuya's ability can't overcome flooding."

Dazai: "Bold of you to assume Chuuya's personality can't overcome brainwashing."

But really, this highlights something interesting here, both in what Chuuya's role is ultimately intended to be in this arc, and in the way Fyodor and Dazai manipulate and value others in very different ways.

I've said it before but it bears repeating: we already know that Fyodor is an excellent long-term planner, while Dazai is effectively able to counter him because Dazai shifts into thinking like his opponent. They're foil characters for a reason; they're both highly intelligent, manipulative, and willing to play the long game for the sake of winning against their opponent.

Thing is, I also stand by the idea that personality-wise, they're not similar at all - and that has serious implications for the people they are connected with. The build-up to the prison escape arc really highlights this. Some examples:

Chapter 46: Fyodor believes that all people are sinful and foolish and that his goal is to remove sin. Dazai believes that all people are sinful and foolish but asks what's so wrong with that.

Chapter 64: They decide to have a "super-happy chit-chat" about their problems. Dazai's solution to Fyodor's issue with his lazy subordinates is to get them to think lazing around is a bad thing so they will put in effort of their own. Fyodor's solution to Dazai being unable to woo the waitress is to isolate her from her job, house and family so that she can only rely on Dazai.

Chapter 77: Fyodor believes god is perfection and harmony, and thus that the people capable of change are the superior ones with most control. Dazai believes god is the accidental and illogical and believes it is the ordinary people who fight and live in that uncertainty who create the greatest change.

So, what's happening here? Fyodor's manipulation is shown to be very exacting and direct. He leaves no room for error and regards people on a hierarchy - God above all, himself as a servant of God's will, and the sinful and foolish humans he has little regard for. Dazai's manipulation involves manipulation of the situation, and is often indirect. It involves people coming to the conclusion he intends for them to on their own. And from his later dialogue with Sigma, we see he doesn't regard the world in that same kind of hierarchy.

Now, look at the way Fyodor picks an item and Dazai picks a person when starting the game. Look at the way Fyodor refers to Chuuya respectfully but brainwashes him entirely and mocks Dazai for not being worthy of "using" his ability. Look at the way Dazai is a complete ass to Chuuya but ultimately lets him make his own choices (begging people to take note of that moment in Stormbringer where Dazai cuts himself off to correct his referring to Corruption as Arahabaki's true power to Chuuya's true power).

So, the actual strength Dazai has over Dostoevsky then, is not really his strength at all, it's the strength of others and their choice and willpower to act in the way they believe is best. It's the only means of getting a leg up on Dostoevsky, otherwise they will continue to go around and around in circles forever.

And Chuuya is the best candidate for finally throwing Fyodor off his game.

Firstly, let's just establish something: no matter how mad he is at Dazai, he's not going to side with Fyodor, not willingly. Fyodor threatened the Mafia in the Cannibalism arc by attacking Mori, first of all. I doubt he's forgiven him for that. Secondly, Fyodor embodies everything Chuuya can't stand about Dazai, at the very least, younger Dazai - the manipulation, the lack of consideration and connection with others, the callousness and lack of regard for life.

Well, perhaps he's not quite as irritating. +1 point for Dostoevsky I guess?

But lastly, it is more advantageous for Chuuya at this point to help fight against Fyodor, especially since most of the Mafia has been vampirized by his organization. Helping the Agency stop the terrorist plot will help the Mafia by extension by undoing that. And we know from Stormbringer that no matter how much Chuuya is personally hurt, he considers taking out the threat to his people a higher priority. Always.

(You could make the argument that he was told whatever Teruko told Atsushi and decided to join, but not only do I find this wildly out of character, but if that was the case then there would've been no reason to brainwash him.)

That said, I don't think this was preemptive "Dazai's master plan #3057", and in fact, I stand by the idea that Dazai had no idea Chuuya was going to be in the prison. It is very, very important to me that for the rest of this arc, no matter what Chuuya does, that his actions are his own. Not Fyodor's, not Dazai's, but his. And not just because I hate that he's being controlled right now and that freedom of choice has always been important for Chuuya.

But because it makes narrative sense.

The vampires are a bit silly, yes, but they represent the way Fyodor and Fukuchi think - humanity will commit atrocities. They cannot be trusted to make their own decisions. They want to make a world that is free by... mind-controlling people so their plans work without a hitch. In short, they choose, on behalf of others, to sacrifice human autonomy for peace. So, if we are going to turn this arc around, we need to have characters breaking out of that control and thinking for themselves, in spite of the uncertainty of the outcome.

We already see this with Atsushi in the last chapter! He finally takes initiative and makes that choice to leave the room when he doesn't exactly know what the right thing to do is. And this is also why I don't think Teruko is wholly convinced by the DoA either - she lets him go. She gives him the freedom to choose what he does with that information.

Another one of the focus characters here is Sigma. Sigma is a guy who has no past, whose humanity is questioned, who keeps being used by organizations for his valuable ability, who has no home but desperately wants one... oh wait. Remind you of anyone's younger self? This could go one of two ways: Chuuya fails to assert his autonomy, leaving Sigma to learn from that failure, or, Chuuya succeeds in asserting his autonomy, leaving Sigma to learn from his success.

I think it, by necessity, has to be the latter. Sigma's at a tipping point right now, and I think seeing someone try to assert their freedom only to fail would damage him greatly. And I think it's a waste of Chuuya's character honestly.

Chuuya needs to assert his autonomy in this arc. Not just for thematic reasons but because I can think of no one else who can effectively break the "super-genius stalemate".

I keep hearing "Dazai knows Chuuya" in response to Fyodor calling their bond shallow, and that is absolutely true! But Chuuya also knows Dazai. Incredibly well. Odasaku knew Dazai's soul, but Chuuya knows Dazai's mind, knows his strategies and ways of thinking without even needing words. What's more, Chuuya has thrown off Dazai before and done what he didn't expect him to.

Which is nifty, because Dazai and Fyodor think a lot alike. Chuuya is in a unique position to thwart Dostoevsky because he may actually be able to predict him to a degree. Chuuya can absolutely land a victory against him, and it's excellent because it would be completely unexpected to Fyodor, who apparently thinks Chuuya's strength lies only in what his ability has to offer and not much else.

But listen. This also can't be skk's plan. I need Chuuya to sideline both of them. Both for the sweet, sweet catharsis of putting those two idiot geniuses in their places and also because I need Dazai to have screwed up. He wasn't wrong about people making their own choices in uncertainty. People need to assert their autonomy to create change. Dazai can't be wrong in this regard.

But with going ahead with the trap to drown Fyodor despite also having to drown Chuuya when he promised not to let him get killed... this needs to have been a mistake, otherwise the value of Dazai's emotional speech to him is diminished.

I want Dazai to try to laugh it off. I want him to say he always knew Chuuya would escape and then for Chuuya to deck him because "no, the fuck you didn't".

I really think Dazai hoped Chuuya would make it. Do remember that Chuuya was one of the first reasons young Dazai decided to try giving life a chance. The fact that he flashbacked to all his key memories with Chuuya says a lot. But his survival was no guarantee and it seemed very unlikely.

So, Chuuya is faced with the fact that Dazai nearly sacrificed him to kill Dostoevsky and save his new Agency friends.

And I hope he finally gets mad. I hope he finally expresses hurt on his own behalf for once. I hope they are forced to break their status quo that they have carefully maintained by not talking about anything ever. I hope they are pushed to uncomfortable places and that it is Chuuya who finally spurs this development.

Let Chuuya break the stalemate between Dazai and Dostoevsky. Let him shatter the status quo that him and Dazai have kept going for year after year.

Autonomous action in the face of uncertainty is necessary for change.

[dkniade]

Who knows. Maybe this Shadows Amidst Snowstorms plot rewrite will be like my final love letter to GI?

Or I might still stick around in the sidelines and ramble about 2.3 like I’ve been doing for the past year, haha. Ah, well, we’ll see

[dazais-guardian-angel]

kinda wild to me that one of the most compelling aspects of both Chuuya and Kunikida's characters to me, that I never really see talked about, is how they're heavily set on a doomed crash course towards complete and utter destruction, and how I am so, so worried for them both.....

[neo--queen--serenity]

I think it was implied in the Light Novel "Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam", which was basically just the Azure Messager Arc without Atsushi in it, since it was two years before Atsushi joined, that Sasaki and the Azure King did know each other, without his face being wrapped up.

So that could mean two things: one, Kunikida got plastic surgery, or two, Sasaki knew exactly who he was, just as he knew who she was, but neither of them knew what to do or if they should rat the other out because they were in love at some point. In the novel, before Sasaki dies, her last words were "I... love..." to Kunikida, who had her in his arms after she was shot- she didn't die instantly.

Personally, I think Kunikida *is* the Azure King, and that he survived his "suicide bombing" because the bombing was caused using The Matchless Poet, his Ability. Or he's just... really good at not dying to bombs, as proven when he fought against Tecchou. The reason he stopped, the reason he looked after Rokuzō, was because innocent detectives died, which went against his Ideals of innocents being killed.

What are your thoughts?

I think that the light novel makes it a TINY bit more obvious that Kunikida isn’t the Azure King, but I don’t think it completely rules out the possibility.

In the light novel, the Azure King was said to have graduated from an elite educational institution, but without clarifying if it was a university or a high school. The novel then tells us the Azure King studied abroad at a university for an unspecified period of time (which could have been as short as a single semester—or half-semester—as far as traditional study abroad programs go).

The Azure King then worked for the government in some way for an—again, unspecified—period of time (meaning his tenure in any organization could have been brief enough to fall in line with Kunikida’s age bracket) before he began his bombings on government facilities.

Kunikida was a college dropout, as most of us already know. He would have been 20 years old during Dazai’s entrance exam. He worked part time as a math teacher, which gave him the freedom to work for the ADA simultaneously, but again, we don’t know when he started teaching, nor for how long he held the job.

As unlikely as it is, he legitimately COULD have done all of those same things within the 2 years of graduating high school and establishing himself as a member of the Armed Detective Agency by the time he first meets Dazai at age 20.

Now, like I said, the light novel does make that possibility less likely, but not impossible. Do I think, truly, that Kunikida is the Azure King? The largest part of me says no.

But then Bones had to animate the Azure King the way they did, and cast the same voice actor as Kunikida, and pull all of these parallels in front of our faces in a way we’re forced to acknowledge. It’s odd, the level of dedication the production team went into these parallels.

I also think, during the conversation with Sasaki and Dazai in the cafe, that Kunikida’s behavior was hella suspicious. He actually made me MORE suspicious by how he reacted to the theory that the Azure King was still alive, and could be pulling the strings in the present day.

These are just some of the things I think about. As a story, it’s delightful for me to have the possibility introduced to us. A part of me loves not knowing, really, because that makes it more interesting. The other part of me demands more information, and goddamn Bones, they only made the drama juicier by not giving us a clear answer.

[my-rewrite-academia]

Entrance Exam Mini-Arc

So, Nedzu explains all the changes for the exam, which Aizawa is happy about. When he requests that Power Loader makes the robots smaller, All Might agrees that it will help those with less flashy quirks gain points, which Nedzu notices.

-

Izuku goes to U.A. and, as in canon, trips over nothing, curses himself, and Ochako saves him. He goes quirk analysis mode, but cannot say anything but 'Buh?' and Ochako wishes him luck. It's noted that Ochako's smile is a bit... too sweet.

There's a written exam, which Izuku breezes through due to studying at higher levels for his analysis. Not much focus is given to it as we get straight to...

The practical exam! Well, the explanation of it. Bakugou is there and gets a bit mad at Izuku, but gets ignored. Mic asks for a yeah, and Kaminari and Ashido answer. He then explains everything, minus the Hero Points and how helping examinees helps you. Iida gets a bit insulted by Mic not explaining the fourth robot, but Izuku doesn't mutter so he's not yelled at.

It is also kept secret that there is a maximum amount of points.

-

As for the actual practical, again there's an abrupt start, which makes everyone confused, (yes, including Izuku). Izuku uses a broken-off pipe to cut apart exposed wirings, helps Kaminari use his quirk more efficiently, helps a civillain where we get an early cameo of Shinsou, and saves Ochako from the Zero-Pointer.

It's also revealed that the staff have an emergency kill-switch in case it severly injures a student. Not that important, but it shows that U.A. isn't as dangerous and non-chalant as canon suggests.

-

So, Izuku thinks that he's failed the exam as he didn't get many points, as far as he's aware. But then he gets the acceptance video, and All Might explains the hidden points system, showing him each moment he helped a fellow examinee, comforted civillians, protected others...

And he finds out he's gained the top spot. With only 38 Villains Points, he gained enough points in the other other categories to shoot his score up to 259 points, with 99 points in Hero Points - maximum.

(I do have an entire listing, which I will post next.)

Meanwhile, Bakugou believes he's gotten the top spot, as he counted each and every point he got. In theory, he should have gotten 400 or so Villain Points, and he ignored all other categories. However, there is a maximum of 99 points in each category.

So a 99 is all he gets... and ranked 36th. Last place. 23 points behind 35th. And rank 37 recieved 98 points.

It's the first slap in the face, as he realises that, if the one underneath him had two more points, he would have failed.

-

And that's the entrance exam arc! I'll be posting the full rankings soon!

[burningfairytales]

People look at Bokuto and see a happy-go-lucky, carefree ray of sunshine and think, oh, he is a fool.

I mean I know people love him, but I am so, so upset that that is what he is reduced to.

Because Bokuto may be simple-minded, but a fool he is not.

(Let’s not even talk about the fact that Fukurodani seems to be a renowned private school and Japanese high schools have entrance exams. We know this, because Kageyama failed to get into Shiratorizawa, okay. He failed the exam.

So Bokuto getting into Fukurodani doesn’t exactly scream “idiot” to me. So he struggles with Japanese and Maths. Hell, if everyone was deemed stupid who didn’t excel in literally all of his classes, this would be a world of fools.

He also goes on to college and graduates. So he doesn’t know how taxes work. Hell, Sherlock Holmes didn’t know the earth revolves around the sun. People retain knowledge of stuff that they care about damnit. No one gives a shit about taxes.

I’m not calling him a genius here. He’s probably not exactly a top tier student. But please stop dumbing him down.)

But what I’m really talking about is that Bokuto is people-smart, okay. Like tell me he didn’t know exactly what made Akaashi tick. Tell me he didn’t know exactly what was wrong with him the second Akaashi started faltering.

He knew.

And he called him out on his bullshit in the exact same way Akaashi calls him out on his.

(It’s not just Akaashi btw. He knew exactly what was going through Yachi’s mind during the dumpster battle.)

And listen. During the training camp arc, Fukurodani vs Karasuno, where we first get to see Bokuto’s emo mode? It’s heavily implied by both Takeda and Ukai that Bokuto isn’t aware of how the team dynamics work, and as a reader, we believe this - because Bokuto appears to be so simple-minded. Because there don’t appear to be any hidden depths.

Because we never actually get to see the world through Bokuto’s eyes, but rather always Akaashi’s.

But being simple-minded doesn’t make you an idiot either. It just means that you have a different way of prioritising.

And then later, Bokuto has his moment. His “time for me to just be a regular ace” moment.

And we find out that he did know. He was completely aware that his team (and Akaashi, in all his well-intended manipulation) were coddling him.

(Don’t come for me; I ADORE Akaashi.)

Point is, he knows. And it was fine, because hey, it was easier anyway, and he knew he could count on his team to have his back.

But then Akaashi falters, and his team is struggling, and it’s Bokuto saying “you had my back all this time. Now let me have yours.”

Bokuto is not oblivious and he’s not a fool. His cheerfulness and optimism aren’t a sign of ignorance. They’re carefully cultivated. Because he knows what being lonely is like. He worked so, so hard towards his dream - not just to go pro, but to have fun playing volleyball. To become better at it so that he gets to enjoy it just a little bit more.

His good-heartedness is a goddamn choice, not some cradle-given virtue.

In this essay, i will-

[rosalinesurvived]

“The ADA don’t care about Dazai!!!!!!”

They have a detailed plan on how to literally fucking defy death and bring him back to life, a plan which Yosano is heavily involved in

Kunikida routinely calls and cooks for him. They fight in perfect sync after four days of them meeting

Fukuzawa trusted Dazai ON HIS WORDS ALONE with Atsushi’s entrance exam and getting him used to the Agency and didn’t get involved just because he put his faith in Dazai

Atsushi hallucinates Dazai when he’s in distress and looking for help, the fear he had for the Headmaster was once the strongest force in his life was replaced with his gratitude and love for Dazai

Fukuzawa says during the Guild Arc that he wouldn’t even consider allying themselves with the PM, but he’s still fine with Dazai, the Demon Prodigy, joining the Agency’s ranks

Ranpo knew from the start that Dazai was an executive for the fucking Port Mafia, the Demon Prodigy and just went “sure fucking whatever” and let him go through his entrance exam to join DESPITE THAT THE AGENCY WAS MADE FOR RANPO AND AGAINST CRIME

Dazai trained Naomi. This was never elaborated on but it did happen

As Ranpo and Kunikida state while debating on whether to rescue Atsushi: the Agency doesnt interfere with someone’s personal issues or unless Fukuzawa tells them to ig

Stories are always more fucking interesting if there’s conflict between characters, ‘good’ or ‘evil’. The Agency are full of clashing characters, complicated backstories and nuances and they’re going to clash against each other. That’s human.

He’s proven time and time again that he won’t kill himself, that his plans are good and strong and for the Agency. He can handle himself and they trust in that

[0bticeo]

lay your hands on me | dabi x reader

summary.

he holds up his hand before your face, fingers spread wide, big enough to encompass your whole face.

he could kill you. burn you to ashes. you should be a little concerned with how unpredictable he proves himself to be at times. 

you’re not. if anything, you’re watching, enraptured, as his hand looms closer to your face.

what he does next nearly kills you. 

“open wide for me.”

wc. 2.9k

tw. reader is an oblivious idiot, spoilers for the overhaul arc, slight canon divergence bc fuck you the league gets to keep the bar in kamino, hand fetish, finger sucking, finger fucking, alley sex, kissing, somehow very soft (they were supposed to fuck nasty i don't get it.)

being a UA dropout isn’t all bad. neither is kamino district. no, really. you just have to know the right spots.

and you had time to do so ever since eraserhead’s wonderful decision of kicking you out of the damn school. something about how vigilantism wasn’t tolerated. something about how you, as a third year, should have known better. 

you were close. so close to graduation. then it happened. it. your one true heroic act.

no cameras, no shiny deals, no public appreciation, no nothing. just you, a creep following a seven year old, and dark, dark streets.

you acted out of sheer instinct, the ink on your forearms springing to life, twin tattooed snakes sinking their fangs into that bastard’s skin. 

the girl was fine. blissfully unaware. the creep, not so much, sprawled in a dark alley near your favorite conbini. you’re not too sure about the inner workings of venom. not the the one given life to by your quirk. 

somehow, you have a feeling it hurts like hell.

having principal nezu sit you down and kindly explain that you would no longer be attending classes at UA, mouse-head split in a wide grin, hurt more.

“what are you sanctioning me for, exactly?” you ask, knuckles turning white with how tight you’re holding your tea cup.

he smiles at you. you feel every condescendent edge of his rodent teeth.

“vigilantism is illegal, as i’m sure you well know.”

"you-”

“aizawa-san already filled me in on the details.”

a sharp inhale. of course. of course, just because there aren’t any cameras doesn’t mean there aren’t witnesses. it’s not like the girl could testify. you made sure to be quiet. you made sure the creep was quiet.

you set your teacup back on its saucer, the rim silent as it meets the porcelain. nezu watches you, his eyes dark and empty. intelligent. inhumane. he sighs.

“such a shame to lose a student of your caliber. but the law is the law. no exceptions can be made,” he says, quietly sipping his tea.

you smile. it doesn’t reach your eyes. you think your palms might be bleeding with how hard your nails are digging in the skin. it’s fine. the deep green of your skirt is dark enough for the nature of the stain to be unidentifiable. 

“please. i have nowhere to go.”

the law is the law. nevermind that attending UA is expensive. in the promotion material, they mention the entrance exam (not that you can get yourself killed in it), the heroes (celebrities!) serving as professors, the facilities. 

now, the government might be funding a part of the infrastructure - those killer robots they have at the entrance exam aren’t going to finance themselves - but the rest? the tuition fees are expensive enough for the students to enter the hero life in debt. 

it’s fine. those from UA are pretty much destined to make it big. it’s not the best hero school in the country for nothing.

the law is law. 

you’re kicked out of school three weeks away from graduation without a backup plan. the only thing you have to yourself is a dingy studio in kamino district.

(aizawa had crossed paths with you on your way out of nezu’s office. he’s watched your eyes turn cold, and for a split-second, wondered if the law was fair.)

back on track. cut to four years of fruitless job hunting because nobody wants an UA dropout in their agencies. doesn’t matter if you were the top of your class, if endeavor himself wanted you to work under him at some point.

all they see is the black mark on your resume and the ink spreading and spreading over your skin, wrapping along your arms.

they smile and deny you the job you oh so need.

bye, bye morale, hello shoplifting. you’re quick on your feet and nimble-handed. get in, get out, you don’t get caught.

until you steal from the wrong person. until a hand wraps around your wrist, all five fingers digging in your flesh with the intention to kill.

meeting shigaraki tomura was… an interesting experience. so was your skin not decaying. maybe a side-effect from your quirk. your arms are more ink than skin these days. more tattoos, more power.

maybe your wrist being still intact landed you here. maybe it was the hero killer stain, his blade digging in the roots of a corrupted system and twisting. heroes are rotten, you know. true heroism is punished.

maybe you were angry, too. 

so now you spend your nights sitting in the league of villains’ base. a bar. it’s classier than expected for a ragtag team of villains. you highly suspect kurogiri’s distinguished demeanor is the sole reason for the said classiness.

shigaraki’s ranting again, chipped nails scratching his neck hard enough to bleed.

you’re barely listening, sprawled as you are on the counter. there’s a scrap of paper in front of you and a pen in your hand. on you doodle, hand cradling your cheek, occasionally humming to show you’re still listening. 

everybody’s here for a change.

twice, being his usual versatile self, one minute praising shigaraki’s genius planning, the next tearing it to shreds with a few well placed curses. troubled little fellow, really sweet. once lent you his lighter, so he’s high up in your good graces. 

next to you, toga kicks her feet, golden eyes glinting mischievously in the low lighting. there’s a wide grin tugging at her face, revealing sharp canines. she’s eager to get back in the fray. something about seeing a certain izuku. 

compress is fiddling with his gloves. shimmering orbs flash between his skilled fingers, twirling between them before disappearing wherever. a magician never reveals his secrets. how he managed to gain back such skill after losing his arm is beyond you.

spinner is watching on seriously. bless him.

(magne’s dead. your grip on your pen tightens.) 

and dabi… 

dabi’s leaning on the counter to your left, elbows nonchalantly propped up against its wooden surface, the sleeves of his jacket baring a hint of his bicep.

you watch, eyes half-lidded, the curl of his wrist, the way his fingers drum against the lapel of his jacket, flexing, flexing. 

you shift in your seat, crossing your legs.

three strokes of your pen. the shape of his hands come to life.

broad and warm, the skin of his palms pulled taut by the staples holding him together, little flashes of silver.

the fingers, next. clever. long. deft. curled in a way that has the fine lines of his knuckles jutting out and your cheeks warming. still, not quite right. 

you glance at his hand again and find it wrapped around a glass of whiskey, the heat of them fogging up the glass. there it is, again. that slow drumming, index finger tap, tap, tapping away on the glass. the staples on the back of his hand dig in his skin, right under the bone.

you bite back a groan.

hands are hard to draw.

you don’t know what it is about his fingers, but you can’t get them right. doesn’t matter if your muse is right there, a barstool away from you, sitting pretty with those damned fingers of his, you can’t seem to will your pen to mimic them. 

you risk another glance and meet blue, blue eyes. something like amusement flashes in them, his lips quirking up by a fraction. heat creeps up your neck. you twirl your pen and advert your eyes.

“irezumi-chan.”

leave it to shigaraki to give you dumb nicknames. 

you tilt your head.

“yes?”

“are you listening?”

turns out you’re needed for a job involving, out of all things, your tagging skills. and why the hell not. if the boss man wants you to sneak around in shady neighborhood near the shie hassaikai’s quarters in the dead of night, who are you to say no. (they’ll pay for what they did to magne.)

surprisingly, dabi’s drawled out a “count me in”, before downing his whiskey. (you’ve watched with bated breath his adam apple bob up and down as he swallowed his liquor.) 

so dabi’s tagging along, hands regrettably shoved deep in the confines of his pockets.

you’re not disappointed. absolutely not.

just worrying about your safety. understand, your quirk makes it so that you practically have to be half-naked for maximum efficiency. skin revealing tops and all, because you’re tired of your clothes being rippef to shreds whenever your tattoos come to life. so dabi’s hands in his pockets? they’re limiting his ability to defend you both if needed be.

nevermind the speed with which he fights, spread hand igniting from palm to fingertips, fire flashing bluer than his eyes as he burns it all. nevermind your own skills. it’s just that these yakuza bastards are lethal, more so than the league.

yeah, right. and tattooing your back piece yourself was an easy ordeal.

you let out a sigh and stop dead in your tracks, eyeing a wall. covered in graffiti, the whole surface of it a mess of superposed designs.

“this should do.”

dabi leans back on the opposite wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

“do your thing.”

you crack your knuckles, your wrists, grab the spray paint and get to work. here’s the great thing about your quirk. whatever you draw can come to life, as long as you’ve seen it beforehand. call yourself yoshihide and your quirk hellscreen with how good you are. 

the medium doesn’t matter - the drawing comes to life if you will it so. and sure, it might disappear after an hour’s worth of use, but given your drawing skills, it’s versatile enough to give you the advantage in a fight.

the smell of spray paint fills the air, black micro droplets dusting your fingertips, your wrist. you kneel, leaning back ever so slightly to assess your handiwork.

you cannot afford to mess this up. not if you want shigaraki’s admittedly funky plan to succeed - and given you know UA is going to involve itself with that bastard overhaul… oh well. you don’t mind giving the students an explosive hand. as a thank you gift. 

smoke curls in front of you. nicotine.

you groan, rising to your feet and brushing the dust off your cargo pants.

“really dabi?”

you don’t need to turn around to know he’s grinning.

that grin.

the one that has him baring just a sliver of teeth, stitches pulling at the corner of his eyes with the mischievous glint flashing in them. a menace. 

“what?” he drawls. “can’t handle a little smoke?”

you shake your can of spray paint with a grumble.

“i’m trying to quit.”

a low chuckle.

“poor you.”

a lick of warmth at your back. you stop drawing that grenade. no need to mess it up. you feel the lean heat of him before he presses against you, fingers trailing up, up your arm, from your wrist to your collarbone- he’s tracing your tattoos. 

“you know, you get real cute when you’re flustered.”

his nail presses down on the detail of one of your pieces - a dragon’s scale, its great maw gaping open in a blast of heat stretching over your shoulder. you shudder. his hair brushes against your cheek.

“i’m not flustered,” you mumble, weakly.

he chuckles, low and warm and just a little mean. you feel the vibration of it on your back, spreading deep in your ribcage. you think you’re forgetting to breathe. 

“no?”

his fingers come to view, joints stretching the skin taut. they’re big, thumb massaging your forearm, digging in the coils of the leviathan snaking around your wrist.

“i see the way you look at me when i fight. at the bar…”

your mouth goes a little dry. you lick your lips and feel dabi’s breath on your cheek, his nose brushing your ear. he could take a bite out of you with how close his mouth is to your neck. 

“hands are hard to draw.”

you don’t see his grin. you don’t see the white flash of teeth you’ve grown to love, the way his lips split wide, stitches pulling and pulling at the seams of his mouth.

“hands?” he lifts one of them, the one that isn’t lighting a fucking inferno at your hip with how maddening his touch is, his index slowly tracing your waistband. “you like my hands, huh?”

you whine. actually fucking whine at that, low and needy and desperate, hips pressing back against his.

and fuck, if the way he laughs at that doesn’t turn you to putty in his hands, you don’t know what does.

he holds up his hand before your face, fingers spread wide, big enough to encompass your whole face.

he could kill you. burn you to ashes. you should be a little concerned with how unpredictable he proves himself to be at times. 

you’re not. if anything, you’re watching, enraptured, as his hand looms closer to your face. what he does next nearly kills you. 

“open wide for me.”

his fingers curl, index and middle held before your mouth, pressing down on your lower lip, teasing it before they slip in you, resting on your tongue.

you taste him - something salty and distinctly him that makes your head spin.

his fingers are warm, the entirety of him is, and you’re panting against him, your own fingers clenching your can of spray paint like a vice.

his free hand snakes under your shirt, splaying over your chest, burying itself between the plushness of your breasts. he feels your heartbeat, wild, erratic little thing against his palm.

“that’s it… now suck.”

a metallic clang rings somewhere in the distance. you wouldn’t know where, with the sharp ringing in your ears, the way the world has narrowed down to dabi’s heavenly touch.

tiny pinpricks of cold brush your chin, lightning flashes of pleasure as his staples make contact with your skin, as his nails drag against your nipple, pleasure-pain at its finest. 

he’s dragging his fingers, pushing down on your tongue as you eagerly suck on them. he mouths at your neck, the press of teeth against your skin having you keening around his fingers.

you think you’re burning, little inferno of desire wasting away in his arms, your hips grinding against his, eager, eager…

he pulls his fingers out of your mouth, thin threads of saliva linking them to your parted lips, and you whine at the loss.

then his fingers find your slit and drag, and his touch is scorching against your core and you’re begging. wet little sounds fill the alleyway, and it’s loud, the only thing you can hear. and fuck, the way his thumb circles your clit just right- 

and that fucker takes his hand out of your pants and brings it to his face with a low chuckle, thin threads of your slick coating his fingers from the tip to the knuckle. your eyes widen, the sight embedded in your retina.

he grins against your cheek. 

“i’ve barely touched you…” 

there’s a hint of awe in his voice, you think, hazily. then again, you’re not sure. not really. you’re impeccably warm like this, all pressed up against dabi’s lithe body, head lolled back on his shoulder. 

“dabi, please…”

he spins you around, all but slamming you against the wall behind you. you groan, because fuck, every single nerve ending in your system is begging for release, and the acrid scent of spray paint is filling your senses, and you’re pretty sure it’s smudging against your back-

you meet his gaze and your breath catches in your throat.

he’s watching you, blue, blue eyes swallowed up by his pupils. he’s panting, you realize, lips bloody with how hard he’s bitten them. you’ve never seen anything more beautiful than him, looming over you in the flickering glow of a streetlamp, the golden light swallowing him whole. 

“let me draw you,” you blurt out, cheeks heating up immediately.

he laughs, a low, raspy little thing of a chuckle as his fingers find your core again and you gasp at his touch.

“you already do, don’t you?”

you feel you might spontaneously combust and die, your head tilting to the side, trying not to meet his stare. you don’t see his smile, inexplicably fond. 

“c’mon, look at me. i wanna see your pretty face when i make you cum on my fingers.”

his forehead presses against yours, his fingers digging in your hips, in the meat of your thigh. your breath mingles with his in sharp little gasps as he resumes unraveling you, a shit-eating grin on his face.

it’s unfair, the effect he has on you, how good he is with these blasted fingers of his. you fist at his clothes, hands burrowing in the strands of hair at his nape, tugging hard enough to make him groan, low and heavy in your ear. his fingers curl. you keen, falling apart as you choke around his name. 

his lips press against your neck, a soft, almost chaste peck.

“you did so good for me, pretty.”

you’re about to gently push him away from you. you have a job to do, a revenge to take, and the clock’s ticking- 

then his lips are on you. he’s kissing you, his lower lip a stark contrast with his upper lip, the perfect blend of soft roughness. you close your eyes, melting against him.

he’s kissing you, and the job can wait for a little while.