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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 4 years ago

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A god's key to victory | Fyodor x Reader |

I got this idea whilst talking with another Fyodor simp. May mercy be spared on me for this piece.

A god's key to victory | Fyodor x reality-warping reader |

Disclaimers/ Warnings: Definitely a ton of mental manipulation. Obsessive themes. Depictions of abuse, controlling actions, violence, dystopia.

The moon shone elegantly, glimmering through the glass pane of your room. Off in the distance, there was life. Outside the glimmering stone walls of this cell-like room. The golden ring on your finger brought nothing but torment. At one point this choice had been easy. He’d finally broken you into submission. Even as the world submitted to his views, there lay a single person who could undo everything. If he touched you with a single finger, all of this would be gone. Fyodor had no room for the human emotion of love. Even though he did love you in his twisted way. He gave you everything, from jewels to fine silks. He teaches you his language and lets you see his rare moments of compassion.

This world was perfect, yet here you were broken. When had it happened? When had he stripped you of your free will? Your joy? Your liveliness? The smile he had no explanation for loving? The fight that made him fall evermore for you? He was a god now, a true god who dictated the crime and the punishment of this city. That had been it, hadn't it? The moment you used your ability so widely. The day he stripped this world of its filth. The day you became the goddess by his side. He had strained you too far. You seemed so numb now. Yet, it didn’t stop him from holding you on his lap and leaving pecks around your neck. You were all he needed in this world. If somebody touched you, he'd simply kill them. There were moments where your light returned, moments where he saw that glimmer of fight and joy.

It had started years ago, when you were naive and worked alongside the scum of this world. He’d met you in a cafe. He found the meeting rather... cliche. You had to work multiple jobs to pay for your place and support your life. He’d watched the way you avoided eye-contact with others. The way you so easily switched between personalities dependent on whom you were serving. You read through people so easily it was interesting to him. Nobody else seemed to notice that it wasn’t the real you. When you get to his table your eyes fell cold and distant. He had given you a mere smirk. You only needed one look to know how to warp his view. Your ability allowed you to push what you wanted onto anybody else. It warped the very fabric of the space you were around. He understood that within moments. He was after all a highly intelligent man.

When you begin to act smug and cold just how he was, he could only chuckle. You amused him. That alone was a dangerous feat; Gaining the interest of a man who thought of himself as a god. From then on he became a regular. He memorized what days you worked and the time. He’d sit there until your shift ended. With each of those passing days, he would find a way to talk to you. He observed the way you acted. Your eyes were the giveaway to it all. To almost everybody, you could pass for anybody. Yet, when he looked into your eyes, he found the light of a scared and naive child. He found it a fun game to change what he wanted each day. The confusion that passed your face, even if it only lasted a tenth of a second, filled his pride. You stumbled over what facade to act on.

It took a month for him to completely figure you out. When that happened you were doomed. He would begin his manipulation. He wanted you on his side. The things your ability could do for him were too enticing to pass up. He whispered soft words filled with false emotions. At least, that was what he called them at first. He never admitted it to himself, and so that’s what it was. It was all just a facade to gain your trust and snatch you away. To him, you were not a sinner like the others. You were something pure and unaware of the world's terror.

When he found you worked with the very agency that continued to stunt his plans, he became agitated. It was a minor setback. The one person he knows rivals his intelligence sat among that agency. His name was Dazai and to his luck, the two of you seemed rather… close. He would joke around with you a lot. That pink tint he had grown accustomed to forcing onto your cheeks would pass at his words. It grew an emotion he hated. This emotion wanted you for himself.

So, the next time he saw you, he began to ask you about your views on this world. Just as he had predicted you were nothing but innocent. You never noticed how you showed the real version of yourself to him. Laughing after work hours. He had started as a stranger, but now you trusted him enough to go drinking. You held up a glass with a rather bright smile. Still, unaware of his complex. He’d watch you drink and memorize your reactions to every little movement he made. “What do you think about the world?” he would need this sliver of information before he began his little game of cat and mouse. How far would he have to change your views to align with his?

“My views? Huh, I guess I haven't thought about it before.” you would laugh looking over to him. It was the first time you made real eye-contact. It felt so warm despite how cold his eyes looked. It sent an unfamiliar shiver down your spine. It shouted he was dangerous, yet you didn’t look away and continued to answer him. “I guess, I see the world as a scale. A world with evil and good? I think as the world is now. The scale is tipped in the darkness.” Fyodor would nod as if he were agreeing with you. Even if he didn’t, he wanted to make you feel safe and comfortable in his arms.

People are easier to control when they trust the person who is trying to gain control. If you opened up, he could sway and twist your own words to fit his own needs. “Then what is your ideal world?” he would often ask this question.

You would think for a moment before smiling with a hopeful glint in your eyes. “A world without suffering and pain! A world that’s just a bit less violent. It would be even on the scale. Enough evil to keep order but enough good to keep the peace. Things like the seven sins would be needed but, things like violence would be less frequent. People would feel safe walking in the night. Murders would be 1 in a million of chance. I want a peaceful world.” you would answer him honestly, and he’d hide his smirk. It would be so easy to twist your thoughts. The Armed Detective Agency stood in his way though. You believed being there would help the world; Even though that agency was filled with vile scum.

He’d begun to show you the truth, his truth. At first, he’d only suggest it. The suggestion that this violence was brought on by ability users. At first, you'd stick your tongue out and point out how you were one. When he made the assumption it was too early to begin that part of his mind game, he set his sights on bringing you closer. He wanted a step up from friends. He wanted to be able to touch you. So he slowly began to make his role in your life more prominent. “Your work, do you have a thing for anybody?” he would not be subtle with this.

When you told him you appreciate your friends there but, found you could never really love them because nobody else knew this you. He had thought you acted like this around your co-workers. Dazai could see through your ability, but it appeared that was not enough. You didn’t need an ability to pretend. That pulled his interest more. By now there was no going back. He had you in his grasp, and he would never let you go. “I don’t like anybody in that way.” when those words left your lips he would wrap his arms around you and lift your chin with a smug smirk. He’d let go immediately to watch your confusion. He would leave the bar to make sure that the moment kept its hold on you.

Just as he predicted you were distracted at work. And within the next two months, you began to trust him. Your co-workers knew nothing about this man. He had asked you to keep him from people he didn’t know. He lied about what he did for a living. He told you his work involved the government and telling anybody you knew him put himself and you in danger. So you were vague when your friends called you out on daydreaming or letting your attention drift. They asked, but you shrugged it off. When it got too much you simply came out with it. “I think I fell in love.” These words shocked even yourself. The faces of your coworkers were distant as you smiled to yourself.

He would only smirk, waiting for you that night at the bar, as if he knew nothing. He’d tease you. His body growing too close for comfort. He’d wrap strands of your hair in his fingers. Whisper little things that made you question yourself and your relationship with him. It took two months before he noticed even the smallest eye-contact would turn your face into that beautiful shade of rose. He’d lean down and finally give you what you had been wishing for. A soft peck on the lips. When you squealed in response he would snicker. “Something wrong, little mouse?” he would ask you the question waiting for your reaction. When you grew more embarrassed and attempted to hide your face, his dominance slipped from the facade he had been using around you. The glow of his eyes shaking you to your core. “It’s only natural to be so… adoring over a god.” That was the first time you had heard Fyodor call himself a god. If he did that in the start you'd have completely tossed him aside. Yet it was hypnotizing now that you had already fallen into his grasps. He always got what he wanted. Right now that was you and your ability.

The next step began in hints and murmurs. He would bring up your ideal world and put the question into your head. “What do you think makes that scale tip into evil?” when you respond with violence he’d nod and act like he was thinking. He was tricking you with terrifying ease. “This violence? Who causes it?” you would tilt your head before the answer peeked in. The one time he had mentioned abilities being at fault consuming your reason. You would argue in your mind until the answer you normally went for came to you.

“Violence is made from suffering.” you would smile and shift in your seat. You never initiated contact with him. You were too nervous too. He would hold back his agitation and nod understandingly. His hand cupping your chin to pull you to his lips. He was always rough with you; He knew how it affected you.

You kept it a secret from the agency for a while. Dazai eventually figured it out and asked if you were seeing somebody. You had only nodded and walked out to leave for the night.

It took a handful of weeks, but he did crack your mind eventually. It took some nudges, but he got you to start taking in his views. He would run a thumb over your hand and whisper things about the mafia. Like how if they didn’t have the powerful ability users they had, the crimes they committed would be punished. It would drive you to rethink your views. “So without abilities violence would be less? No, violence would be punished easier? That would lead to a decrease in crime from fear of being caught.” you would mumble your thoughts aloud unknowingly. He got pleasure from seeing you drift towards what he believed.

The next obstacle came ripping you from your current living style. You hadn’t noticed how your every free hour was spent by him. He did his work with you so sneakily, you didn’t see how you no longer had control of your life. He could get you to stay from work with a simple strand of words. He pulled you to his home one night. It was rather large compared to what you had thought. He began to show you sides of himself you haven't noticed. The sides that would have repulsed you now dragged you into him. Once you made a permanent residence in his home he began to talk about his views. You took them in and listened. Your chats were normally short. You took care of him. He smirked at how your dependence on him began to grow. You came home exhausted, and he’d plant you on his lap. His hand massaging your tired muscles.

He had to work rather hard to get you to leave the agency, but it happened. Now that you viewed ability users in the same light he did, all he had to do was show you the darker sides of your friends. Dazai’s past seemed to shatter you. You were betrayed and hurt. Fyodor did not waste a moment, he rebuilt your shattered heart around himself. He whispered how you only needed him and nobody else. You fell, trapped in that web.

At some point, you began to see him as your savior. He was the only person you trusted and didn't feel revolted by. You had stopped interacting with the outside world. There were times when you got annoyed with him and would scold him for forgetting to take meds, or stay warm. You found yourself smiling and laughing at his side. He showed you his co-workers eventually. When he had to go on trips he made sure they kept an eye on you. You could always call him if you felt down without him.

A year into this he made the move to make you permanently his. A ring on your finger. Something that made you smile with joy whenever you looked down at it. He began calling you his goddess from then on. You felt like you meant something to this world. For the first time, you were yourself without any insecurities.

He would never admit it, but that smile sent an unfamiliar flutter in his chest. He never laid a hand on you, but his words did enough. He so easily controlled you. If you displeased him he only needed to ignore you or give you a stern and cold glare. Those actions would have you on your knees, tears falling, and pleas for forgiveness leaving your lips. You never noticed how abusive this was. It may not be physically abusive, but this thing you had with your husband was most definitely mental abuse. Yet, you turned a blind eye. You never noticed. You were so starved for his love. You did anything for him.

So, when the fateful day came you pushed yourself just to achieve that perfect world. You were the key to his ascension. The key to a perfect world. The people who you once called friends came into your home threatening to take away the life that made you happy. They called you a traitor, yet Dazai took pity on how easily you had been manipulated. He could have prevented this had he seen through you. It was too late now and you’d need to be in rehab once they caught Fyodor. When those sounds reached your ears you could only panic.

Your heart raced as you ran to Fyodor. You clung onto him like a life-line. When they saw this everybody shook their heads in a clear disappointment. With riffles targeting you, Fyodor could only smirk. He looked down at you, leaning down, he kissed your cheek and whispered. “Warp this city to paradise. Can you do that for me, my little goddess?” he spoke with a false softness in his voice.

You looked to Dazai with fear, but when you blinked he saw no difference. The aim lights that had been on you and your husband shifted onto the agency. You had used your ability. Dazai knew he had to touch you to fix this. Fyodor also knew that so, he placed you behind him. Pulling a knife from his pocket, he merely smirked. “How do you plan to get over here Dazai?” he taunted before warning shots echoed and the agency members dropped to their knees. “We win.” he gave a final kick to dazai’s face. When they were cuffed and pulled away, Fyodor finally turned back to you.

You shook with fear and confusion, but the moment he wrapped you in his arms you were safe. You held onto him snuggling into his chest.

It took you two days to completely envelope Yokohama in your ability. Anybody who entered would fall victim. When you were done you fell, exhausted.

Even as the realization of what you had done enveloped you, there was no reaction. Fyodor found it upsetting at times. You were numb so often yet, in those fleeting moments where life poked in, he adored it.

This world looked perfect even though it was far from it. If anything this paradise you had made was a nightmare. There was peace and comfort; People were safe and pure. The only true evil that balanced the good of this scale were Fyodor, the demon, and his fallen angel; The god and goddess of this new paradise. He had most of the ability users wiped out, but the few who had held positions before your ability was used were kept alive.

“Look at our world, isn’t it beautiful?” he asked, whilst holding you on his lap. You merely nodded a soft, joyful glimmer appearing in your eyes before it left, just as suddenly as it appeared.

“I love you.” you would whisper the words, hoping to hear it back from his lips.

This once he thought, he’d say it just this once. “I love you too, my little mouse turned goddess.” that brought a smile to your lips. A real smile, one he hadn’t seen in ages.

#fyodor #fyodor dostoyevsky bsd #bsd #bsd x reader #bungo stray dogs #bungo stray dogs x reader #fyodor x reader #fyodor x y/n #fyodor x you #bsd fyodor #x reader #angst

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soukokuwu · 4 years ago

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Not a request, but am I the only one who feels really uncomfortable when I see Dazai and Akutagawa together? Even though Dazai's become a slightly better person than before, I can't help but notice that he seems to continue being... abusive, just not as physically or blatantly. He manipulates the desire for his praise that he instilled in Akutagawa during his PM days. (Not to mention he instilled that desire in the first place through emotional abuse and it's a leash he's still pulling.) Idk—

—it just makes me feel really uncomfortable, especially because some of it's treated so lightheartedly. Like, the moment where Shin Soukoku are about to head off to catch Fyodor (or so they think). Dazai tells Akutagawa, "This is your chance to show me how much you've improved", while knowing full well how desperate to please him Akutagawa is. Akutagawa reacts automatically in a "Yes sir" mode and... it's bothersome to me personally, how the scene looks like it's supposed to be amusing. It also doesn't help how some people in the fandom make it a joke about how Akutagawa wants Dazai-senpai's attention. On one hand I feel like I may be being too sensitive, but on the other hand Dazai/Akutagawa looks like a seriously abusive relationship and it makes me uncomfortable to see it glossed over and used for comic relief in the way it occasionally has been. Is it just me? (Sorry for the rambling lmao.)

No it’s okay dw!! ^.^ (my personal groggy opinions under the cut)

Personally, for me, I’m not very sensitive to many things, but after reading this I can definitely understand where you’re coming from.

(ADA Dazai) A behaviour like that, at least in almost everyone I know irl, is not easy to kick. He most likely is containing it very well (I’m guessing he grew up in the same kind of environment he instilled upon Aku, what with being raised under Mori and being used etc) but he’s grown aware there were better ways to do it. But then again, he isn’t the type to say ‘sorry’ or do things explicitly. His improvements are many, but subtle. I do think he is still very capable of being as manipulative as he once was, but one thing I will give him props for is toning it down, sorta.

(when skk are about to fight fyodor) I don’t think he intended for it to be anything personal (at least when he’s ADA Dazai). He probably said it because either 1. he’s just that much of a joker or 2. he thinks it’s the only way to motivate Aku further, given his past. It is part of his whole “comedic” persona after all. It could be a show of how he ‘warms up’ to people? Idk, I think of some people calling their friends names as jokes and all and that could be the equivalent (or something similar). It’s a weird thing to compare to but my sleepy brain can’t think of anything >.<

But also yes, I would get your frustrations with how it’s perceived by most people as a lapdog wanting attention from its owner. I just choose to believe that they don’t actually support such actions irl. I’ve been in Aku’s position (not with the risk of the murders and whatnot ofc) where they manipulate you to the point of wanting to earn any sort of praise from the person just so you can feel validated, and it really shouldn’t happen to anyone. Yet it does. Some people do it subconsciously, even. And some just like to manipulate people into that state so that they can feel important; assert dominance. In Dazai’s case, I’m not sure of his exact motivations whether it’s because it’s the only thing he knew or it was intentional and sadistic, not like anyone will explicitly tell us, but either way it was wrong, though I think he can only improve slowly. I hope there comes a day when they can totally get past that, and I’m hoping I get to see it. It doesn’t excuse what he’s done, and I personally wished Aku could’ve had better. But if he did, who knows if Aku would’ve turned out as tough as he had? He and Atsushi were both raised in hell, but I am so, so glad they both broke out of it.

I might’ve missed out on some details because it’s been a while since I’ve watched/read bsd, sorry!! 😣 But these are my thoughts as far as I remember~ SORRY I RAMBLED TOO, AND MORE THAN YOU AAAAA 😭😭 but yes idm you rambling to me anytime anony I hope I was okay with these >.<

#you can ramble to me anytime <3 #anony —#asks

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linkspooky · 6 years ago

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Synonyms or Antonyms: Dazai and Dostoevsky

From the moment they meet within Bungou Stray Dogs, Dazai and Fyodor are set up as foils.

Foil Definition. In literature, a foil is a character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character. The objective is to highlight the traits of the other character.

That is to say from the moment they are drawn in panel together, the audience is naturally meant to compare and contrast them. Their entire first scene plays their similarities and differences up. First, Dazai dresses as Fyodor not only as a joke but to draw the eye to how similar they are, both of them dark haired skinny males with pale complexions who wear overcoats.

Dazai explains he was able to predict where Fyodor would end up, because if he were in the same situation it was what he would do. When he says that, Fyodor shows Dazai the same smile he showed him earlier, like Dazai is looking in a mirror.

Dazai and Dotsoevsky are able to read each other so well, knowing the other like they know themselves. Which allows both of them to continually one up the other and predict the other’s movements. However their relationship extends far beyond ‘Being the same’, or just the fact that they’re both highly skilled manipulators who are able to pull off complex plans. It’s even much more than Dazai and Fyodor are just smarter than everybody else in a way that isolates them. They are each other’s inverse in almost every way while appearing to be exactly the same. I’ll elaborate in detail beneath the cut.

1. No Longer Human

First off, while Fyodor’s character, such as being referred to as a demon and his ideology for crime and punishment draws from Dostoevsky’s novels, the relationship between Dazai and Fyodor is a direct literary reference to No Longer Human.

The character Yozo (who Dazai is in part based off of due to his tendency towards buffoonery to use as a mask for his feelings, and his ability is directly named after the book) in the fourth Memorandum of No Longer Human discusses the antonym of crime with his ‘friend’ Horiki. Already from the way the narrator describes his friendship with Horiki you can see parallels in how Fyodor views his connection to Dazai.

The conversation starts when Horiki refers to Yozo as a criminal. Don’t be so cheeky, I for one have never been tied up like a common criminal the way you have.” After that the conversation turns into an antonym game between the two of them. Yozo turns it into a game to distract from the serious accusation that he is actually a criminal and he got away with not only committing double suicide with a lady who amounts to a stranger to him, but he’s lived his life so far stealing money from the other women he’s been in relationship in. The “joke” of the conversation is that while it sounds deep, the two of them are just playing a game.

Any of these two words could be set up as antonyms as long as you give enough justification. It’s a joke of binary opposition and dualism. In short, you can give justification that things are opposites, or you can give justification that things are actually the same, there is no universal truth there is only differing justifications.

[...]

At the end of the conversation Yozo relents to this point, he tries to think of antonyms of crime but they are all synonyms. Crime, and god, Crime and repetance, Crime and confession, Crime and punishment he finally questions whether the last is synonym or antonym but before he can finish the thought he’s interrupted. Just before then though, he believes himself having come to an understanding of the chaos of Dostoesvski’s mind.

Hence the relationship between Dazai and Fyodor. We are meant to question, are they synonyms, persons with similar meaning, or are they antonyms absolutely incompatible ideas as irreconcilable as oil and water. Note that in the original novel Yozo does not really come to a conclusion on this thought, and in all of my thinking this over I don’t think we are meant to see them as all the way one way or the other just yet.

Either way this conversation has already been referenced several times in Bungo Stray Dogs. “God, is the antonym of crime”. Then you have Dostoevsky who positions himself as the opposite of crime, and therefore sees it is his responsibility to become God.

However, the antonym of God is posited by Yozo not to be crime, but rather satan. Therefore we have Dostoevsky not only taking on the role of God, but also of a demon. Despite being referred to as “Demon Fyodor” several times, Dotsoevsky actually positions himself as both at once, he is both God and his Antonym the devil, and therefore they are synonymous because they are both him.

Horiki at one point in the conversation even references, that while talking philosophically about crime Yozo is also a criminal. What does Fyodor do, but get Dazai arrested and separated from the rest of the Detective Agency for the crimes he committed in the past, because despite which side Dazai is on in the eyes of the law he is just as much a criminal as Dostoevsky is. Even if they are on opposite sides of a conflict (antonyms) they will still be seen as the same in the eyes of society (synonyms).

Then there’s of course the scene from the movie Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple which directly references not only this conversation with Horiki, but at the same time the novel Crime and Punishment.

Therefore in the original text Yozo may see them as antonyms, but Fyodor makes the argument they are synonyms. While he does so, both him and his shadow (his ability removed from him by the fog) are standing in juxtaposition of each other holding contrasting objects. A skull, and an apple. Apples can literally symbolize so many things, but here it’s just a symbol of binary opposites life and death. Or rather what is perceived as binary opposites. Life and death perceived as antonyms can also be seen as synonyms as Dazai explained to Chuuya.

Death can be viewed as something opposite and entirely alien to life. That is life cannot possibly exist within death, because death by its nature kills life, or death can be viewed as a natural part of life. Therefore it is impossible to understand the value of life without contemplating it’s perceived opposite death.

Poison and medicine can be seen as opposites, one kills and one saves, but if you overdose on medicine its easy to poison yourself with it. The more closely you examine them, the lines between supposed opposites begin to blur.

Then you have Dostoevsky, crime and punishment are seen as opposites. Crime is unjust, and harms. Punishment is justice, the opposite of crime, it’s foil and prevention. Except, Justice can harm too, it just harms criminals. Except criminals can just be innocent people falsely accused. It’s never as black and white as it seems to be. Therefore, Dotsoevsky’s belief that they are not enemies but rather friends, it’s impossible to punish crime without thinking like a criminal. To punish crime, Dotsoevsky becomes a criminal.

The apple, and the skull while seeming like opposite symbols can actually be the same thing, hence the title of the movie Dead Apple.

2. Dead Apple

As the movie is canon material I also think it serves as a great introduction to the psychology of Dostoesvky’s character especially in comparison to Dazai. There are two subtextual psychological components to the movie, drawing from both Freud and Jung.

In a brief summary of the movie itself, ability users are separated from their abilities due to a fog which causes their abilities to take form and attack them. This is really obvious Jungian shadow symbolism. Their abilities which always exist as a part of themselves and therefore a subconscious part of them are brought to the surface and they are forced to confront them.

In Jungian psychology, the "shadow", "Id", or "shadow aspect/archetype" may refer to (1) an unconscious aspect of the personality which the conscious ego does not identify in itself, or (2) the entirety of the unconscious, i.e., everything of which a person is not fully conscious. In short, the shadow is the unknown side.

Because one tends to reject or remain ignorant of the least desirable aspects of one's personality, the shadow is largely negative. There are, however, positive aspects that may also remain hidden in one's shadow (especially in people with low self-esteem, anxieties, and false beliefs).

For example among the three main characters of the movie each of them are confronted with a shadow version of themselves, Rashomon for Akutagawa, Demon Snow for Kyoka and Beat under the Moonlight / The Tiger for Atsushi. There are several Jungian symbols associated with this process already, for one it’s specifically a fog that allows these shadows to manifest. The fog of the mind is what allows us not to be aware of the subconscious. When abilities are stolen they manifest with crystals that appear on the forehead, which also happens to be where the brain is. Neither of the three main characters are able to win their ability back until they accept something repressed about themselves.

(Pictured literally a tiger in shadow, two Jungian symbols the beastial instincts that represent the unconscious mind, and also the shadow which obfuscates).

Kyouka that she does not want to hate Demon Snow even though the ability is responsible for killing her parents and also making her a murderer. Atsushi is the slowest of all to regain his ability back, due to the fact that he subconsciously rejects being an ability user. We see his flashback in the movie, first he blames the Tiger for his miserable life, he sees the tiger as the opposite of himself beast rather than man, an out of control monster. Then, when he realizes the tiger also protected him during life, despite being violent, Atsushi comes to the realization that his relationship is more complex than light and shadow, complete opposites.

People tend to deny their shadows, but the shadow is not necessarily the true self or more right than conscious mind, at the same time its still a part of yourself that needs to be acknowledged. Atsushi’s ability is even named “Beast under the Moonlight”, the moon is a classic symbol associated with Jung, because it represents the unconscious mind, the time of dreams, illusion, and when shadows are the longest.

In the climax of the movie they literally ascend a tower, directly underneath the moonlight.

Then there is Fyodor whose ability never separates from him and attacks him during the fog, and why is this? It’s because Fyodor already knowingly, willfully embraces his own shadow. He has no reason to deny what everybody else represses, because crime and punishment are friends.

In other words Fyodor already is his own shadow. He’s a walking Id.

The id, ego, and super-ego are three distinct, yet interacting agents in the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche.

The three parts are the theoretical constructs of how the activity and interaction in our mental life is described. According to this Freudian model of the psyche, the id is the set of uncoordinated instinctual trends; the super-ego plays the critical and moralizing role; and the ego is the organized, realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

Why are both the protagonists and antagonists assembled in trios in dead apple? It’s because both of them are representative of the trio of the psyche. Fyodor, Dazai and Tatsuhiko are deliberately grouped as a trio, because they are Id, ego, and superego.

Id, or I desire is uncoordinated instincts similar to the shadow. Reading the movie through this lens, it paints an interesting psychological portrait of Dotsoevsky. Of the trio he’s the most straightforward with his desires, he’s the one who seems to be ‘evil’ only for the sake of indulging in it and enjoying it.

He plays the part of laughing villain the entire movie, and yet he also makes it clear this is an act to him. Therefore, when he claims that this is all for a laugh that’s not a statement that can be taken as a direct truth.

As the symbolic Id of the movie, as the one who embraces his shadow he also plays the role of bringing the repressed truth that Tatsuhiko hides. He’s the one who encourages Tatsuhiko to rampage at the end of the movie.

As he gives this speech Fyodor and his shadow overlap, because Fyodor is his own shadow, a walking shadow, he deliberately indulges in the worst of himself. That is why he sees himself as a demon, that is why he acts out on his god complex. That is the methodology which he chooses to bring forth his ideals, a world without Ability Users.

Therefore his actions in the movie make perfect sense with his established motive in the manga, to commit a purge on ability users. Dazai even asks if Tatsuhiko will be saved by an angel or a demon before Dostoevsky introduces himself as a demon.

It’s more binary opposite symbolism and the intention is clear. Dotsoevsky views himself as soemone who becomes a demon to save others, in line with his actions in his major introduction chapter in the manga.

Demons are also in the bible, the creatures in charge of punishing sinners. Despite the fact that they are seen as rife with sin themselves. Another contradiction, for Fyodor a demon is something he has to become in order to punish crime, therefore he walks side by side with his shadow, therefore he indulges his id.

Then, you have the other two serving as the opposing roles of the mind. Tatsuhiko is superego. Not only is he capable of controlling others to such an extent that he can make their abilities manifest against their will, but the extreme control he has makes him an utterly joyless existence.

The balance between the two, the ego Dazai is the only one of the three of them who seems to have found any reason to live at all. His reason being the opposite of Fyodor. [Death] and release of the yoke of sin saves the soul. In comparison to Oda’s words. People live to save themselves huh, how true...

Dazai is the only one out of the three who has any semblance of control or purpose to his own life, and it comes from following Odasaku’s words.

Ango’s summary of the three of them at the end of the movie shows that he does not quite understand Dazai, which makes sense as to why they never quite became friends. Demon Fyodor, Dazai “Disqualified from Humanity” and Tatsuhiko (turns into some kind of weird dragon) all three of them may seem inhuman but the moment you refer to them as aliens you fall for their illusion. All three characters are still undeniably and painfully human. They want to be seen as aliens to avoid being confronted by this, that’s the game all three play.

Here’s the thing, Dazai is the only member of the trio who is not alone and part of that is because he had a friend who just saw him as he was, a flawed human being.

3. The Demon Fyodor

For this final part I could list all the similarities and differences between Dazai and Fyodor, but that would just be a boring list so instead let’s analyze Fyodor who is currently the more mysterious character as to his motivations, using Dazai as a reference point.

Before anything else, I’m going to use Oda’s words on Dazai as a reference point, because Oda had the best read on him.

"Listen. You told me that you might find a reason to live if you lived in a world of violence and bloodshed. You won't find it. You must know that already. Whether you're on the side who kills people or the side who saves people, nothing beyond what you would expect will appear. Nothing in this world can fill that lonely hole you have. You will wander the darkness for eternity. (...) Be on the side that saves people. If both sides are the same, become a good man. Save the weak, and protect the orphans. Neither good nor evil means much to you, I know... but that'd make you at least a little bit better. (...) Of course I know. I know better than anyone. Because... I am your friend."

So, let’s define Dazai as a character who good nor evil means very little to, and is on the side of saving others simply by choice. He’s not motivated by lofty ideals. He’s not even a particularly moral person, willing to indulge in the unsavory sides of himself if it gets the results of ‘saving others’.

He’s someone who can commit crimes with little foibles. Though I would not say he does not feel any guilt at all because there’s a clear difference between his mental health when he was in the mafia killing people, and when he was on the side of the Armed Detective Agency. He also has the ability to feel attachment to others, because he was clearly sad over Oda’s death. He’s not empty of all emotion, but at the same time a lot of Dazai’s life is spent in contemplation of his own emptiness.

While Dazai moves pieces on a chess board and can see the bigger picture, I would argue that his motivations are much more personal and selfish than Fyodor, even though Fyodor is a cackling demon of a villain. Dazai is motivated by human beings and their individual stories, he leaves the Mafia not because of the hundreds of people he killed but because his one friend died. He is pushed to becoming a better mentor, because both Atsushi and Akutagawa need him to be. I’m not saying selfishness is bad, or selflessness is good the entire point of this essay is to deconstruct that simple black and white thinking.

Let’s say simply put, Dazai is a selfish character, lacking in ideals but still motivated to save others. He contemplates life and death similiar to Fyodor, and the same way that Fyodor finds punishment for criminals in crime, Dazai tries to find a reason to live in pursuing death.

Even that, is a personal motivation.

So then in comparison, Fyodor is impersonal and acts against his self interest. If Dazai is on a path of salvation, living to save himself, then Fyodor’s path is marked for self destruction.

Starting with his formal introduction in chapter 42, Fyodor is introduced as a soulless man, lacking sympathy for anybody else. However, I would argue the opposite the chapter clearly shows Fyodor sympathizing with the child he spends most of the chapter talking to.

Remember the entire chapter Fyodor is playing Ace for a loop, he’s only letting Ace see him as he wants to be seen. Therefore everything he’s described as to others “Something more awful, and heinous than a villain” is the act he puts on.

In the chapter we see a child honestly encourage and try to connect with Fyodor, only for his attempts to fall on deaf ears by the end of the chapter when Fyodor chooses to kill him as a witness. Fyodor gives the impression that he was not listening to the boy the entire time.

Yet, if Fyodor was ignoring him, if Fyodor did not feel a thing about the boy and was not sympathizing him in the least then why did he take the time to explain things and talk to him before sending him off at the end of the chapter? If Fyodor is able to kill him so easily so as to not see him as human, why does the boy feel like he is understood?

Rather than just ignoring him and treating him like a piece on the board, I argue that Fyodor did see the boy as a person. The panel shown afterwards does not display the emotion of a remorseless slaughter. The entire panel is shown as empty. Fyodor regrets this action, killing the boy in such a way.

At the same time he feels like he must do something he personally does not want to do. In order to punish evil he must become something even worse than evil.

Therefore you have Dazai, living to save himself, attempting to be a better person than himself when he’s really just kind of a self obsessed person, and you have Fyodor, who lives to save not himself but the whole world and therefore he must damn himself to demonhood and become the worst version of himself.

Dazai searches for life in death, hence why he constantly attempts suicide. In its own weird way, his suicide attempts, his getting involved with death, murder, it’s all him looking for a way to live.

Whereas Fyodor genuinely believes with all of his heart, that death is something that cures the sickness of life. Not only do we see him have the opportunity to save someone only to kill them as a witness, denying himself the possibility of redemption. We also see him manipulate a child into suicide in front of Kunikida.

Because as he currently believes it, the world as it is will never bring salvation to those children. His act of manipulation is just a symptom of what is currently wrong with the world. After all, Dostoevsky pretty easily got this man to agree to arm his little brothers and sisters to the teeth and put them into danger. A child who exists in this world as it is cannot be saved.

Every character who ideologically alligns with Fyodor is looking for freedom from the world, in some form. Fyodor’s style of manipulation itself is a paradox, he controls their every action even resorting to blatant mind control in some places, and therefore he frees them from the burden of making their own decisions.

Then, if Fyodor is actually an idealist who genuinely does want a better world, and not just a laughing demon then why does he specifically target Kunakida the idealist of the detective agency? It’s because he’s an idealist, that Fyodor wants to crush him. In other words he wants to break weak and faulty ideals that cannot save the world.

Yet, it’s also an act of self loathing. It’s not that Fyodor is necessarily evil, but rather someone who becomes evil for the sake of his ideals. The reason for that is ideals are so high and mighty he needs to become god to enforce them, he desires a world much better than this one therefore he carries the weight of the world of his shoulders. As a person, just like Kunikida, Fyodor is constantly being crushed under the weight of his own ideals. That is why he seeks to crush Kunikida, to prove that Kunikida is weak, and therefore he is strong.

If what he seeks is paradise, then it makes complete sense that he would see it necessary to become god in order to achieve that. However in the end, Fyodor is not a demon, nor god, nor alien, he’s infallibly human. He’s so completely obsessed with the bigger picture, with providing salvation to all, that he will never be allowed to moved by personal motivations.

He sympathizes with the child who is wearing Ace’s collar, but cannot allow him to live even if he wants to.

It’s not that he will never allow himself to be moved, it’s not in Fyodor’s own mind he cannot. If he were to cede to one personal bias then he would never be able to accomplish his goals that are so lofty that he would need to become god in order to accomplish them, therefore it’s better to become an inhuman monster rather than be tripped up by personal feelings.

Whereas Dazai is motivated towards good and saving others, almost exclusively by the fact that there are people in his life who he is personally invested in.

It shows finally even in the difference for how they use people. Both Dazai and Fyodor rely on trickery and manipulation to move people, and sometimes it can seem like they only view others as mere pieces on a board. They have a tendency to also assume they know what is best for other people and move them without their consent.

The difference being that at the end of the day Dazai still sees others as individuals. He always leaves the element of choice. While Dazai pushes Atsushi and Akutagawa together even though they hate each other, because he believes the two of them are what’s best for each other he always leaves Atsushi with the choice of how he wants to proceed.

Therefore they remain individuals, therefore they are still people in his eyes. Even if Dazai always plays with his cards close to his chest, his plans fundamentally rely on trusting others, and others trusting him. Even in Dead Apple, his plan involved knowing Chuuya would use Corruption and that Chuuya would trust in him to stop him.

So, let’s say Dazai is someone who generally needs other people to carry out his plans. This is in contrast to Fyodor who once again, takes the burden entirely on himself.

Fyodor’s allies are more akin to slaves who worship him.

He literally messes with their brains to free them from hardship. Which goes along with again the binary opposition, his brain is modified to feel unhappiess, therefore he is happy. Because by that black and white logic, unhappiness only exists as the opposite and antagonist to happiness. The extension to Fyodor’s extreme logic, that the absence of crime will therefore bring peace to the world. All of Fyodor’s direct subordinates are liberated in this way, if he takes on all the decision making for himself, takes on all the burden for himself, then they are freed.

Goggol explains what are probably Fyodor’s own viewpoints via foiling, and being allies very well. That it is easier to imagine all of them as inhuman monsters who cannot possibly have a reason behind their actions. It’s more comforting, it’s freeing.

To do what he needs to do to change the world, Fyodor must become an unfeeling villain and he does the same to his subordinates, he actually modifies them and removs them of their emotions.

So therefore it’s a paradox, his allies and servants see themselves as completely free in their devotion to him, yet at the same time Fyodor’s manipulation is the opposite of Dazai’s. Rather than leaving it to choice and trust, he removes their ability to choose, he removes their ability to disobey him. It’s as if the only way he can think of for people to be righteous, is to remove their ability to sin in the first place.

It’s even apparent in their joke question and answer session. Dazai tells Fyodor to just inspire his subordinates to be better people the way he does with Atsushi and Aktugawa, and it seems like the idea did not even occur to Fyodor. Fyodor tells Dazai the way to win a woman is to cut off everything else to the point where she becomes completely dependent on you.

So, in conclusion it seems a lot of Fyodor’s mindset is a result of him purposefully taking on the burden of saving the entire world on himself, because he cannot allow himself to view others as equals. In order to continue justifying himself, he needs believe that he is the only person capable of doing these things and therefore he knows better than anyone else.

Dazai and Fyodor are both smart enough to be aware of not only the emptiness of life, its lack of purpose, its senseless cruelty. Their reactions however are opposite, Dazai decided to live in spite of being unable to ever find meaning whereas Fyodor decided to dictate that meaning to everyone else and decide it for them, like his words are the word of god.

Bestowing sins is the work of god. If god god does not Exist, I’ll become him.

#bsd meta #meta #bungo stray dog meta #dazai osamu #OSAMU DAZAI #fyodor dostoevsky #no longer human #bungo stray dogs analysis #bungo stray dogs character analysis #bungo stray dogs theory #literature analysis

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unf8rtunate · 5 years ago

Text

Report from the Field #3: The Imperial Missive

Officer on duty: Anastasia Tersk

Ana, except for the drinking, saves money. She lives meagerly in an apartment only two blocks from the station.

In a surprising turn of events, I was completely awake and sober at the station that morning. I wish I hadn’t been, though, in the wake of the Prime Minister getting ousted on corruption charges, someone leaked a memo to the press that held yet more corruption. I was watching the news vod from my desk with more disdain than I was supposed to feel when the station chief appeared behind me.

“Good stuff, eh, Ana?”

“What? Good stuff?”

“Hah! Not even a week after Minister Bruke leaves, the Court is still up to its ears in dirty deals. Hard to believe we’ve fallen so far.”

“I guess, but who knows if that memo’s even real. It could be a fake to get attention.”

“I suppose there’s only one way to find out, Ana.”

“How do you mean?”

“You and Konstantin are going to interview the military police commander. He’s the prime suspect for the leak.”

“Wait. You want me to interview someone? I’m sorry sir, but--”

“No, I want you to follow Konstantin around and back him up.” I still wasn’t sure exactly what the chief wanted me to do, but he was already gone so I decided to take him at his word; I’d follow Konstantin around watch him interview people.

Oddly enough, I’d arrived so early that Konstantin wasn’t even in yet, so I took the opportunity to stare at my holo screen absentmindedly until he showed up. No use wasting precious resources by doing something; I set the news feed to update automatically and watched the headlines flicker down the screen without really reading them. Something about the memo, and a high profile corruption case in another district. At least it was someone else’s problem, although with every new corrupt Court official, my job got harder.

I was wondering if I could afford some of the fancier whiskey for the weekend when Konstantin snapped me out of my daze.

“It seems we’ve got our work cut out for us, wouldn’t you say?” Konstantin was awash with grey. A grey jacket overlaid a grey tie, which sat taughtly under a grey overgrown 5 o’clock shadow, which connected vaguely, yet easily to his darkish grey hair. In addition, his typically pale face smiled kindly down at me over grey bags in his eyes. “You look cheerful, what happened?”

“Nothing happened, and thanks. I assume you’ve talked to the chief?” I stood up hastily to let my jacket on, noticing the surprising cold in the office; I’d usually show up after the building had warmed up. “I sent a message to the MP commander’s office, letting them know we were coming.”

“Are you sure nothing happened? You’re early.” He followed me to the door of the station; I paused just outside, breathing in the fresh, crisp air, and closing my eyes to feel the chill in my nose. “You know you can tell me. That’s what partners do, they don’t keep secrets.”

“I don’t have any secrets, Konstantin. You of all people should know that. See that? Hard work paying off. We’ve been granted an audience with commander Trevic. I should come in early more often.”

“You should come in on time more often, I say.” Konstantin chuckled to himself as he caught up with me and breathed in the morning air himself, his light grey much more comfortable now.

We took the train downtown to the commander’s office. It was so uneventful, if it had been a normal day, I’d have fallen asleep, but I was too excited by the idea of getting this much work done in the morning, I couldn’t bear to miss any of it. The commander��s office sat atop a massive barracks that was more out of place than anything else downtown. Konstantin and I skirted around some of the MPs drilling in the training grounds before the building itself. I nodded curtly at the MP in front of the front door, who didn’t react. There was less of an atrium than there was a sorting area. After going through security, Konstantin and I were prompted, in that order, to give the elevator guard a digi-badge to confirm our identities. I almost asked if our inspector badges weren’t good enough, but I held my tongue.

The elevator guard, as it turned out, accepted our digi-badges, and granted us access to the penthouse, and with it, the commander. It was Konstantin’s turn to give a curt nod, and our unspoken inspector duties fulfilled, I followed him into the elevator and the interview.

The penthouse was small and minimalist. Beside the required workspace materials, there were two images of what I assumed were relatives, a map of the city, and an abstract painting depicting some purple blobs that I didn’t understand. The man himself, when we entered, faced away from us, and simply motioned vaguely at us as we approached his desk. Flanking him were two closed doors that looked like they held great secrets within. The holo screen flickered away as he turned around to see us.

As we sat down, a slight but noticeable frown came over his pudgy, pink face and rested just above his chin, accenting it. He craned his small, beady eyes away from me and left them staring into Konstantin.

“What’s all this, now?” He rumbled under his mustache. “I was made aware of an appointment, but I never get to the finer details of things.” He rotated in his chair, just enough to look at me again, “And who’s this?” He grunted a bit at himself, readjusting in his chair.

“I’m inspector Konstantin Kamelov, and this is my partner, inspector Anastasia Tersk. We’re here because-”

“Oh, don’t be silly! Little girls can’t be inspectors! Why are you really here? Did Fyodor send you? I bet this is one of his little jokes that he likes so…”

“Like I was saying, we’ve been asked to investigate a document that was leaked recently-”

“Come now, my friend, do not be coy with me! I know Fyodor has his little jokes from time to time, surely you can’t be serious!”

“We’ve been asked to investigate a-”

“Are you serious then? A woman inspector? My, how the world changes when one isn’t paying attention.”

“Are you done?”

“Is this a real investigation, then?”

“Yes, this is a real investigation. Like I was saying, I’m inspector Kamelov, and this is inspector Tersk, my partner. We’re here because of the document leak, surely you heard about it.”

“Ah, that. A nasty sort of business that; leaks lead to floods, you know, and all that.”

“Right. Anyway, we’d like to ask you a few questions about this administration. It may be difficult, but there are some suspicious individuals in this office that we’d like your thoughts on.”

“I see, but what do you need from me, then? Thoughts? Surely you can get those from me at any time. Why the personal meeting?”

“Ana, would you read the good commander the list of names?”

“Okay. Prime suspect in the military police office: Terral Trevic. Additional suspects-”

“Now hold on just a moment! Why am I the prime suspect? I released no such document! This is pure slander! Who gave you that? A name, I demand it!”

“I just got this from Konstantin. I don’t know where-”

“Quiet, girl! Inspector! I demand to know why I’m a suspect!” I shrank back into the chair and peeked at Konstantin. He wore a concentrated, yet indifferent face and stoically watched the commander with a neatly raised eyebrow.

“It could have only been leaked from someone with 10th level clearance or higher. You’re the only one with that kind of access in this office. It had to be you, didn’t it? The only remaining question is why. What do you have to gain?” Konstantin’s face contorted more, the beginnings of an angry snarl emerging around the grey. His upper lip twitched slightly. I crossed my arms.

“This is ridiculous! I didn’t even know about this until this morning, along with everyone else! The military police have nothing to do with this! You should be investigating the central office! Minister Bruke himself led that sewage pit, that’s where you SHOULD be! Or the treasury! Those godforsaken leeches!”

“We’ll get there, certainly, but I’m not done here.”

“What in the hell does that mean, inspector? Haven’t I been slandered enough? It’s insulting that you should even show up!”

“I need access to all of your correspondence from the past two weeks.”

“Absolutely not, inspector! To come into MY office with this disgusting piece, and accuse ME of treason; it’s not simply insulting, it’s entirely degrading!”

“I do have the documentation from the Department.”

“I must see it then.”

Konstantin produced a data pad from his grey jacket and slid it across the commander’s desk. Slowly, cautiously, timidly, he inspected its contents for the proper authority, and, finding it, sat back in a great huff that ruffled his face as well as his stretched uniform.

“Very well, inspector, I will have my office send you the required information.”

“Thank you commander. In addition, you won’t be able to leave the city until the investigation is over.”

“Now hold on a moment, inspector. What do you mean, ‘won’t be able to leave the city?’” He leaned up with another grunt that filled the room.

“We’ve locked down your credentials. You won’t be able to leave the city until the investigation is over and you get approval from the Department. If you are innocent, that is.”

The commander was angry, and it showed. His face grew a brighter shade of pink, almost reaching red, and it jiggled when he mumbled at us. I mimicked Konstantin as he stood up, all the way up to the coat swirl as he turned on a heel to leave the office. My coat didn’t quite swirl as much as Konstantin’s, but I felt dramatic doing it. I followed him out of the office, a million questions in my mind. I wondered about them all the way back to the train station.

“So what’s the plan now?”

“We’ll go down to city hall and talk to the deputy mayor, I suppose.”

“What about commander Trevic? I thought he was the prime suspect?”

“He was, but I doubt he’s the leak. He did give us access to his correspondence when we asked nicely. And he hasn’t left his office yet.”

“How do you know that?” Konstantin looked up at me as the train jostled a bit over the tracks.

“I bugged his room while we were in there, and he hasn’t moved.”

“Oh. So what do we have on the deputy mayor then?”

“She would likely be the next prime minister, if Bruke hadn’t resigned, but her name’s been tied in with that mess, so I doubt she’ll win in a real election. Either way, crazier things have happened, so…”

“Okay, sure, but why do we want to talk to her? Can’t we get a statement or something?”

“We could, certainly,” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “but then she’d have time to think about her answer, I suppose. This way, we’ll get a more honest take.” The train slowed outside of the downtown stop. Konstantin and I stood up.

“Fine, but also,” Konstantin raised an eyebrow at me, “how are we supposed to find her? The deputy mayor’s gotta be pretty busy, especially at a time like this, right?”

“Busy? Yeah, she’s busy, but she’s got time for us.” Just barely, a smile began to come over Konstantin’s face, under the grey. I sighed, out of questions for him, and contented myself with stuffing my hands in my pockets and making faces to try to keep myself warm on the walk to city hall.

I’d never actually seen it in person. On the news vods, it looked much more grandiose, like a noble castle upholding justice. When I saw it for real, it was much less valiant than it was old. Maybe it was cleaned out for photoshoots, but even the outside of the building had seen better days. Mold poured from the windows, and black stains perpetrated its entire exterior. It had been renovated so many times that some of the windows, in addition to the mold, had fresh sawdust on them. The doors had been rebuilt to replace the ancient portcullis, and white stone replaced where the gate had once been. Instead, Konstantin and I walked unceremoniously through outdated but functional doors and into a sad, albeit well lit, atrium.

A tired, frail, old woman strained to look at us. A permanent frown burned into her face, her eyes looked first through me, then through Konstantin. She opened her mouth to speak, but as we arrived at her desk, Konstantin smiled warmly and interrupted her, “We’re simply here for an appointment, miss. No need to lift a finger.” The woman’s shoulders shrunk slightly, and she squinted at him.

“An appointment? With whom, might I ask.” Konstantin’s smile flickered on his face as he reached into his jacket. There was a modest shuffling from inside his coat while he searched for it, but he found his badge and held it triumphantly in front of the woman. Her eyebrows retracted. “Ah, I see. That kind of appointment.” She paused, “Well… don’t let me stop you.” Her attention left us and returned to whatever had taken it before.

Konstantin, with a ruffle of his coat and a quick heel turn, briskly moved past her desk. Hearing this, my eyes left the woman and found him, and I jogged to keep up, “What was that all about?” I asked, catching up.

“You will quickly learn that the unofficial power of the watch greatly outweighs the official power.” I gave him a puzzled look, “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“We have a reputation for brutality. For better or for worse, Ana, most people don’t care to argue with us. It can be very useful at times, like when we want a hasty meeting with someone.”

“But also…” I let him finish.

“But also, there are many who don’t trust our judgment.”

I contemplated the idea. It made enough sense; the watch held the entirety of the military might within the city. And I’d certainly never heard of the watch being audited or otherwise inspected for integrity. Perhaps that was why the interviews were so easy to get. I wondered, but not for long.

“Welcome, inspectors!” A cheery voice greeted me. A man in a modest, but fine suit holding a data pad stood before us. He wore a deceptively friendly look, and only paid attention to us peripherally. His head, seemingly independent of his body, indicated for us to follow, as his body, unaware of its attachments, swung around, marching down a corridor. I followed Konstantin who followed the man, as he led us down a short series of winding corridors. At the end, he opened a door for us and, looking up for the first time, saw me and gave a confused complexion as I followed Konstantin into a small, meticulously decorated office.

A woman with strikingly blonde hair sat behind a desk covered in knick knacks and pictures. She read vigorously in the direction of a screen and didn’t hear us come in. She didn’t hear the door close behind us, and she didn’t hear us sit down. She didn’t hear Konstantin cough, but she did hear me pipe up.

“Hello? Are you…” I snuck a peek at my notes, “Sara Dyatski? I’m inspector Tersk, and this is inspector Kamelov. We have some questions for you.” Startled, Sara Dyatski snapped out of a trance. She looked at me, searching for something, but not finding it.

“And you are..?” She placed her hands gently on her desk in front of us, still searching.

“I’m inspector Tersk,” I repeated, “And this is inspector Kamelov. We had some questions for you.”

“Oh! Of course; why didn’t you say that!” She laughed at herself. Konstantin cleared his throat again. She covered her mouth with a fragile hand and regained her composure. “My apologies, inspectors. So what can I do for you?”

Konstantin crossed his legs and nodded at her, “Ms. Dyatski, I’m sure you’re aware of the leaked document from this office?” Ms. Dyatski nodded somberly. “We think we know where it came from.” Ms. Dyatski nodded stiffly. “Did you release it, Ms. Dyatski?” Ms. Dyatski nodded sadly.

“What’s going to happen to me?” She emerged timidly from behind her desk. Konstantin’s gaze intensified. He stared into her face, “That’s a very good question, Ms. Dyatski. What happens to you depends on who you were talking about. We’d also like to know that, but our efforts so far have been,” He flattened his hair, “unsatisfactory.” His voice deepened, becoming raspy.

“I-” She stuttered, her hands slowly reaching under her desk for something. I shifted in my chair, ready for her to pull a weapon. Instead, she produced a small satchel and set it amongst the clutter of her desk. “ I can’t tell you anything else, but I’m sure this will cover things.” She forced a smile as her hands fell to her side again.

Konstantin, still resolute, reached for the satchel. I watched him pick it up carefully and bring it closer to himself. His hand rested on the gold colored clip for a moment while his eyes stayed on Ms. Dyatski. His vision dropped to the bag. I took a good look at it, it was black, faux leather, with a gold colored buckle holding it shut. It was simply made, with only stitched accents around its body, which was full, but not too heavy. Gently, Konstantin opened the buckle and lifted the flap to reveal several stacks of freshly printed cash. Confused, he cocked his head and stared at it for a moment before both his and my attention returned to Ms. Dyatski.

She held a gun in her hand. Facing us but laid on her desk, I stared down the barrel. She primed it, making both Konstantin and I tense. I watched her as a thin line of blood trickled from her nostril to her upper lip and her eyes stretched open unnaturally. Slowly, she raised the gun to her own head. “Wait-” Konstantin blurted out a moment before she pulled the trigger. He froze, halfway out of his chair, arm outstretched, reaching for her. His mouth hung open and in the quiet after the gunshot, I could hear his breathing, becoming more intense with the seconds. He clenched his fist and smashed it into the table.

He stood up and stared daggers at me. I tentatively stood up, picking up the satchel. “What, uh, does this-” I began.

“Fuck!” He shouted. He snatched the bag from me and looked inside. He rifled through the cash and inspected one of the bills. He dropped the satchel, but held onto a stack of bills. Furiously, his eyes searched the office, but he didn’t see what he wanted, so he went back to the bills. He flipped through them quickly, looking again for something. He dropped his stack and picked up a new one, looking at only a few bills in the bunch. He fell to his knees and dug through the cash, pausing only briefly to inspect each one. I watched him in awe.

Coming to a realisation, he let a bill slowly fall from his hands and saw his mess. Cash so fresh that it still had a tinge of warmth to it lay strewn all over the office, becoming nearly indistinguishable from the clutter otherwise, save for the value of it. Konstantin stood up.

“Come, Ana, we’re leaving.” He pushed the office door open in front of him. I took one last look at the mess we left behind. The deputy mayor’s body lay contorted on the floor, her head poking out from the side of her desk, a chunk missing from her skull. Her eyes remained starkly open, seeing nothing.

Konstantin was silent, but rushed on our journey. He ignored everyone, including both me and the old woman on our way out of city hall. Once outside, I tried to stop him, taking his wrist, but he resisted me. I decided to simply follow him and see what happened.

We arrived close to the Court Bank Central Administrative Office, or as it was commonly known, the treasury. I followed Konstantin inside, remiss to notice the details of our surroundings. Konstantin hurried past all security, me and his coat quickly after. Hastily, he checked the signage for our destination. We arrived at the office of the Senior Court Administrator of Finance, or as he was commonly known, the secretary of the treasury. A plaque, of course in gold, on his door told me that his name was Yevgeny Mishkal, but I didn’t get a good look because Konstantin kicked it. Meekly, the door crumpled, and pieces of expensive, but not expensive enough wood fell to the floor. Konstantin marched inside, immediately to the secretary, who was likely in shock from the surprise, and pushed him to the ground.

“Talk. Now.” Konstantin barked at the old man, who tried in vain to collect his glasses and pick himself up from the floor. As he got on all fours, Konstantin delivered his foot into the old man’s stomach, sending him back onto the floor.

Through his teeth, the secretary coughed, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Desperately, he turned himself over and tried to look at Konstantin through trembling fingers, “I can assure you! This has all been a great misunderstanding! Take the money!”

Konstantin clenched his fist while his face erupted with rage. “You have the gall to embezzle money in the first place! I should kill you right now for that; then to destroy the deputy mayor and tell me this is a misunderstanding? What fucking planet do you think I’m from? Explain yourself!” He fell on top of the old man, and holding the other by his collar pushed his face in so close that their noses touched. I tried to say something, but both of them ignored me.

The secretary cringed away from Konstantin, pleading, “I’m innocent, you have to believe me! I had nothing to do with any of that! Embezzlement?” Konstantin pushed him to the ground, hands wrapped around his throat. “You’re innocent? And yet you’ve been taking money from the treasury like a common highwayman! I have proof, you dirty bastard. It’s over.” There was a surprised fear in the secretary’s eyes as Konstantin struggled not to strangle him.

Still feeling skittish, I knelt down beside Konstantin and laid a hand on his shoulder. He was shaking, trembling, and slowly let go of his grip. The secretary was half crying, half groaning on the floor as Konstantin stood up over him.

It took about a minute for security to show up, but by that time, we’d cuffed the secretary, and hoisted him from the fetal position. Security demanded to know what was going on, so Konstantin told them.

“Inspector Kamelov, this is my partner inspector Tersk. We were assigned to investigate the recent document leaks. We started with the military police commander, Trevic. He was a dud, but he made a good point about the central office. So we found the deputy mayor, who admitted to being the leak right before putting a bullet in her head. From there, I connected the dots; before our meeting with Trevic, I realised that only someone with level 10 clearance or higher could be responsible. That, and while the treasury wasn’t directly implicated by the Bruke scandal, they had to have been involved. Then, I found un notarised cash in the deputy mayor’s office that had come straight from the treasury itself.

I found that all of the bills, while still unofficial, had been signed by the secretary. So I put it all together. The Bruke scandal, Trevic’s accusations, the clearance levels, and the money. It all leads here.”

Security didn’t buy it, but in the end, Konstantin was right. The secretary had been stealing money directly from the treasury before it could be accounted for. Of course he would have been caught eventually, but I suppose he planned to leave before then. We had to get the chief down to the treasury, and he wasn’t pleased to find that Konstantin had assaulted a Court official, and less pleased that I hadn’t done anything, but we got away with it. We went drinking that night. Together.

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