#kyouka was able to find outside support & leave!!!

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

genuinely i cannot Stand bsd gachatubes takes on dazai-akutagawa-kyouka i think my mutuals should explode you

[nataliaphantomhivesblog]

Hello there! I have a few questions that have been lingering in my head for a while: What would happen if Chuuya decided, on his own accord, to leave the Port Mafia? Would he join the ADA or no? How would Dazai feel? And what would the PM think? Would it be seen as a betrayal?

Hello dear human :D thank you so much for your questions!!

Alright so canonically speaking, I highly doubt Chuuya would ever willingly leave the Port Mafia. I think Fifteen, Stormbringer and Dead Apple heavily support Chuuya finding comfort within the port mafia.

As we know, Chuuya is a very loyal person, he devoted himself to Mori and the port mafia very sencierely in Fifteen. And then in Stormbringer we become aware that a majority of the people in the Port Mafia have basically become his own family (he actually admits to this in the epilogue of stormbringer.)

The PM is special to Chuuya! Is it a toxic enviorment? Of course it is! (Yosano, Dazai, Kyouka, Akutagawa, Kouyou and many other characters are solid proof of this.) but beside it being an obviously toxic enviorment, Chuuya feels the most famliar there, and I doubt he would want to risk that comfortability.

Buuuuut!!! Lets entretain the idea that Chuuya somehow does decide to leave the PM on his own accords.

Would Chuuya join the Ada? It depends on the situation. Chuuya is a very stubborn person, he wouldn't easily waltz in on the Ada and try to join knowing full well that Dazai is going to be there.

If he joins, its because of his own reasons, maybe he wants to become a better person, maybe he is tired of criminal work and wants to save people instead, who knows!?!? But if he does end up joining, he needs to have a clear reason to motivate him to join the Ada in the first place.

As for your next question...What would Dazai think? Honestly, I think he would be more than okay with it. Of course, on the outside he would probably show disgust, not wanting to admit that deep down hes actually moved that Chuuya would want to join a cause to help people.

Dazai defienetly wouldn’t have expected it though, but I feel like working around someone he feels so comfortable being himself with would make Dazai feel a lot more warmer.

I feel like Dazai wouldn't be surprised at all if Chuuya ended up fitting right in the Ada, he is just so human.

There would defienetly be a quiet jealousy from Dazai's end though. Chuuya's explosive personality and underlying loyalty completely contrasts Dazai's own personality, and the fact Chuuya fit in faster than Dazai ever will would probably sting the brunnete a little.

But overall Dazai would be totally fine with Chuuya being in the Ada, and he would love to partner up with him again (although he would never admit to that in a million years).

The PM would totally take it as a betrayal, if they were able to see a 13 year old girl escaping the mafia as betrayal there is no doubt in my mind that a former mafia executive leaving would defienetly sting the mafia. Just like Dazai's departure, the redhead leaving is just as impactful to the PM.

And welp, that wraps everything up!! Have a good day, friend :)

[soukoku-rivals]

Summary

My darlings, it’s been over two years and we’re done with 2 part out of 3 of this comic. And I am amazed that I actually got this far, that you got this far. Really, without your support, all the comments, likes and reblogs, and of course the coffee, it wouldn’t be possible.

There is only one last part of this comic left - 3 chapters and an epilogue. But before that happens, you voted to the summary so here it is!

It’a very short and I probably skipped some parts one may consider more important than others but I hope it still serves it purpose.

Read under the cut!

Atsushi and Dazai go to a shopping mall where they meet Chuuya. Chuuya is angry at Dazai [as always] but he puts his feelings aside when the mall is attacked by a small gang aiming to rob the patrons. All three of our heroes need to work together in order to stop the bad guys.

Atsushi is amazed at Soukoku’s partnership and Chuuya ends up giving him a few helpful tips on how to fight. Chuuya also identifies the gang as the Wolf School whose leader is a Polish ability user, Sapkowski. The knowledge comes in handy when Dazai and Atsushi come back to the agency and it turns out that the Wolf School not only aimed to rob the shopping mall but also kidnapped a person.

The person kidnapped is Alexandre Dumas, a French ability user with the skill of The Three Musketeers which allows him to see what abilities other people have, can amplify them through touch or contact with his blood and can make regular people physically stronger. His partner, John Locke hires the agency to get him back.

It is again Dazai and Atsushi together on a mission and they meet Chuuya once more, deciding to join forces. This time Atsushi is supposed to join the shorter part of Soukoku and retrieve Dumas first before Chuuya destroys the Wolf School gang. Dazai hangs back.

Chuuya and Atsushi talk about Dazai and how Chuuya hates the other man for always manipulating and using other people. For manipulating and seemingly not caring about mafia while he seems to care about the agency. Atsushi still believes that Dazai is a good person but the conversation is cut short when Chuuya reminds them they have job to do.

They manage to find Dumas after killing two gang members guarding a room. Dumas is unconscious and Atsushi has to carry him out. On their way, however, they are discovered by other members of the gang members and this is when the fight starts.

Sapkowski is an ability user who can turn into mythological and fictional monsters with the help of his skill, The Witcher. However, using Dumas’ blood he amplifies his power and turns all his people into monsters and himself into a dragon.

At disadvantage with Dumas unconscious and needing protection, Atsushi and Chuuya hide when Dazai comes back with Akutagawa as the cavalry. Shin Soukoku face the enemy while Chuuya and Dazai have a talk about how Dazai manipulated Chuuya again with Dumas – kidnapping people and imprisoning them for fun seems to be a sensitive topic for Chuuya.

Before Dazai manages to say something in reply, Akutagawa gets badly hurt and then Dazai falls unconscious after a hit in the head. With three people down, and only Chuuya and Atsushi able to fight, Chuuya decides to take a drastic step. He tells Atsushi to get the other three out into safety while he himself activates Corruption to fight off the enemy after bestowing his hat to Akutagawa.

Dazai wakes up while Atsushi is already out with all of them and manages to get to Chuuya before he dies from overusing his power.

In the mafia infirmary Chuuya remembers how Dazai always used to be there for him after using Corruption, even gifting him with his iconic blue gem bolo tie that’s supposed to symbolize how Dazai will always love Chuuya and won’t let him die. Until one day Dazai is gone and so is the tie. Though Dazai seems to be wearing it now, and what does that mean for Chuuya? However, Kouyou is there this time, ready to comfort him.

Back at the Agency, Locke is there to pick up his partner. As it turns out, he has an ability as well and with it he can take away people’s memories. He erases all memory of Dumas’ power from the agency minds, unknowingly leaving out Dazai, who is unaffected for obvious reasons.

At night Chuuya decides to get rid of the remnants of Wolf School where he meets Locke. He figures out what Dumas’ power is and Locke says he has no choice but to take Chuuya’s memories as well. Locke’s power, Tabula Rasa, wipes the mind completely without Dumas’ The Three Musketeers to control it better and so Chuuya ends up as a blank slate.

Locke tries to get him back to the agency but on his way Chuuya is intercepted by an unknown person working for Fyodor while Dazai watches from the window, having no idea what just happened.

Later, Locke has nightmares caused by Chuuya’s memories and figures out his partner and Chuuya grew up in the same facility. He is in trouble for hurting his partner’s childhood not-friend.

[That was only part 1, this is so long, and I skipped so much, I’m sorry]

Part 2 starts with a flashback of how Chuuya and Dazai first met, Dazai already thinking about suicide and Chuuya desperate to have a happy life. They fight.

In the present, Dumas and Locke arrive at the agency hoping to find Chuuya there but mysteriously he’s not. Dazai invites them for a coffee to talk things through. This is when Dumas finds out what Locke already knows – Dazai is immune to abilities – and Dazai finds out that Locke and Dumas are members of Trickters, ability group specializing in mind control. While trying to contact Chuuya, Kouyou tells them he is missing.

Atsushi gets called over to test if Locke can actually bring memories back – he can – and to bring the footage of CCTV recording from when Chuuya was seen last outside the agency. Dumas identifies the man who took him as Mikhail Bulgakov, another ability user with the power of The Master and Margarita, which marks one person as the ‘Master’ and other as ‘Margarita’ and makes Margarita believe in every word the Master says and support them.

[This never came up but this is as good place as any to point out, I never said Alex can tell a person’s name just by looking at them. Bulgakov is actually a member of the Tricksters as well, and that’s why Hella works with him, and his code name is either Woland or Satan.]

Dazai is terrified of what that implies since Chuuya is with Dostoevsky and obviously, Fyodor would use that power against them. Dazai excuses Locke and Dumas saying he will contact them once they have Chuuya back. They leave not before advising Dazai that he may get Chuuya back as his boyfriend if he just tries, exposing Soukoku’s past relationship to Atsushi.

In the meantime Fyodor convinces Chuuya that they are actually dating. Of course, Chuuya being the loyal bastard he is, promises to prove his worth to Fyodor even after he lost his memories.

Dazai has a small breakdown and Atsushi is there to comfort him.

In another flashback we see smol Chuuya alone in the gardens as he help Rando/Rimbaud find Kouyou’s house. Rimbaud worried about the cold leaves Chuuya with his scarf and hat. Chuuya has very confusing emotions about all of this and is approached by Dazai who witnessed the conversation. Dazai explains that Chuuya bottles his emotions and that causes them to be too much and Chuuya to violently blow up hurting people around. In Dazai’s opinion, Chuuya just needs to let himself feel. Together they go back to Kouyou’s house, holding hands, and Rimbaud takes back his scarf after Chuuya thank him, but let’s the kid keep the hat.

In the present, it is quite some time after Chuuya disappeared. Dazai holds a meeting explaining which places is Fyodor most likely to attack using Chuuya. Kouyou is frustrated at the lack of their progress.

Meanwhile, Chuuya after all his training with Corruption is in a visibly bad state but still determined to carry out Fyodor’s orders still believing Fyodor is his partner and that he has friends there – Hella, Behemoth and Koroviev – who like to play poker with him. Of course, he can’t let them down.

Shin Soukoku and Kyouka [who, the author believes, should always work together, have you seen Dead Apple?] are observing one of the targets and lo and behold, Chuuya appears.

They notify Dazai, who immediately sets out with Yosano to their place, and set out to keep Chuuya there until Dazai and Yosano arrive. Chuuya has no trouble fighting the kids, apparently using Dumas’ blood which Fyodor got from the Wolf School, to control Corruption. Fortunately, Dazai arrives and pins him to the ground. In order to get out, Chuuya tricks him into kissing and then stabs him in the arm [aiming for the throat] and gets out.

In the last attempt to stop his escape, Atsushi attacks, slicing through Chuuya’s gravitational bomb and chopping off his arm. Chuuya, hurt and bleeding escapes. Dazai rushes after him and finds him in an abandoned warehouse where Chuuya loses his consciousness.

In another flashback we find out why Dazai ‘broke up’ with Chuuya by making Chuuya hate him and pretending to hate him in return. He tells Odasaku, that Chuuya loses his control when Dazai’s safety is involved and is willing to hurt himself in order to keep Dazai safe. Being the death seeking person Dazai is, he is worried Chuuya will end up hurt because of him and it’s better that they are not together.

In the present, Dazai understands that his ways were wrong and he should have spoken to Chuuya instead of just leaving him. He wishes for another chance but only when Chuuya is back to normal.

Atsushi arrives to see Dazai and Chuuya in the room together, Chuuya sleeping strapped to the bed and Dazai holding his hand. Dazai explains that Chuuya is most likely still brainwashed by Fyodor, even though he nullified The Master and Margarita and because of that they need to keep him from going back to the rat. It’s a hard decision for him, since Chuuya had his choice taken away from him since a very young age – being an experiment subject in a research facility in France and later caught and sold by human traffickers to Japan. He states that for Chuuya going back to the mafia would be the best.

Chuuya was only pretending to be asleep and heard everything but then he ‘wakes up’ officially and falls back into his old bickering with Dazai even though he doesn’t necessary remember him.

While in the ADA, Chuuya is visited by Kouyou and Akutagawa who show deep care for him and Akutagawa actually brings him the hat, Chuuya recognizes from the pictures he saw at Fyodor’s place. Chuuya is confused.

Later that night, Chuuya and Dazai sleep together, Dazai removing his bandages to keep constant contact with Chuuya in order to nullify his powers. Still, Chuuya escapes through the window taking Dazai’s coat and his hat.

We see Dazai open his eyes and call Atsushi telling him that Chuuya escaped as planned and is on route that should make him meet Dumas and Locke ready to give his memories back. Dazai predicts they may need Yosano.

Meanwhile, Fyodor dismisses Bulgakov and his group but tells Hella to stay behind. Hella is the daughter of Locke and has been spying on Fyodor for his dad and because of that, Chuuya was able to get to the agency safely and get his memories back so he can go back to Fyodor in perfect condition. Fyodor kills Hella for her services.

[popopretty]

BSD Chapter 64

“You are a sinner, I am a sinner”

No big turns of event in this chapter but I feel like we are going to get several intense chapters ahead. Ango is finally getting serious, and the first clue to prove ADA innocent is probably within grab soon.

This chapter is a bit more difficult than usual to me so I hope I didn’t make any major mistakes. Please let me know if u spot any ;)

SPOILERS AHEAD

- Ango and his subordinates are at the hospital checking on Taneda’s condition. If the operation was successful he might wake up after 40 hours. The subordinate was upset that Taneda came to see an enemy alone without any backup. Ango explained that it is the condition of the enemy. He also mentioned that Taneda’s ability is “understand the abilities that are being activated in a close proximity” so even though he knew it was dangerous he still came for the information. However this time the enemy has acted first. (We have a flashback of Ranpo holding a knife here so I’m not sure if Ango knows that it was all Decay of Angels’ doing)

- Ango recalls his talk with Taneda. He thinks to himself that Taneda sees everything with numbers. He is the type who will not hesitate to sacrifice one to save 100. In their talk, Taneda said that if Ango were to find the Decay of Angels, he shouldn't capture, but instead have to eliminate them. While Ango seems to be puzzled by that, Taneda said the mission of the Department is to bring about peace and happiness to people, so if its for the sake of that, they should be ready to sacrifice even the good people.

- Ango realizes that when Taneda was talking about that he also included his own life. Ango becomes serious and tells his subordinate that once Taneda wakes up he will report about solving the case and that he will kill all the criminals himself.

- Meanwhile, in jail, Fyodor suddenly calls out to Dazai for a “consultation session”. He explains that this is a rare chance because normally, since people like them are smart enough to understand what other people are thinking, they cannot seek consultation from anyone else except the other person is on the same level.

- They start the “consultation session” with Fyodor asking Dazai “My subordinates just want to wait for my orders. How to make them become more initiative?”, to which Dazai answers “Be lazy and do nothing, so that ur subordinate will think that it will be no good and eventually tries hard themselves”.

- Dazai’s question is “I tried to flirt with the waitress at the cafe but it didn't work. What to do?”, to which Fydor advised him to “make her lose her job and place to live, make her family cut ties with her and she will run to you”.

- They laughs while the two guards outside are monitoring their behaviors. (I honestly feel bad for those guards lol). To the next question, Fyodor suggests that they speak out at the same time, and this time both of them say that they want to know the other person’s way to contact with the outside world. Because if one is to find out about the opponent’s communication method before, he can ask his contacts outside to break it, and that would be total victory. Fyodor says that his communication method can’t be seen through while Dazai says he came there for it. Then they laugh (again)

- At Fitz’s place, Atsushi explains to him about the importance of finding Mushitarou as he is the only clue to prove ADA innocent. Fitz agrees but with a condition: ADA has to ask Yosano to heal Mitchell. Atsushi asks why all of the sudden, and Fitz says that since Mitchell is Hawthorne’s lover that’s the only way to grab his weakness and defeat him.

- Atsushi gets angry at Fitz because he thinks that Fitz is trying to use the people who have risked their lives protecting the other to kill them. He is about to leave when Fitz proposes to take a break from negotiation and takes them to see the unconscious Mitchell. Her condition has got worse since no-one has been paying her medical expenses during the time Guild went bankrupt. Fitz tells Atsushi about the reason she accepts the danger to join Guild, is because she wants to recover her family’s reputation. Fitz says if Mitchell is able to speak right then, she will definitely tell them to turn off all the supporting devices and send the money spent on it back to her house.

- After hearing that, Atsushi accepts the deal. Kyouka asks him if its okay, because even if you want to help all the person in need it will never be enough. Atsushi says he understands that but whenever he sees someone like that he is reminded of his old self and they cannot leave them alone. Kyouka recalls how Atsushi used to help her and tells him he is fine just the way he is.

- Mitchell is moved into a vehicle heading to ADA’s hideout. While Atsushi hopes Yosano is alright, we are shown a pic of her looking very depressed at the hideout.

And that’s it for this month chapter. Thank you for reading till here.

[yyrz]

step in town with my feet

note: for @momojirouweek2018 /// this is less of a roadtrip and more of a ‘kyouka wanderlust fic’ but shRUGS 

ao3 link!!

day two: roadtrip / music

Outside, looking through the window of her room, Kyouka watches as the rain pours, drenching the streets in a wet blanket that she’d like to feel on her skin.

Inside, looking from her room, sitting crossed-legged, comfortable and dry, Kyouka wonders if she’s ever going to be able to leave.

Something stirs within her every time she looks outside, an inclination for adventure. A desire, possibly, to prove herself. To who, she doesn’t know. She’s never told she needed to prove herself to her parents — both love her regardless of her faults.

And she loves them enough to stay put. Stay in their home, stay in their city. Stay in this life of repeated motions and cookie cutter conversations.

It’s almost a demand her body makes one day (but it’s not so out of the blue that her parents are floored with surprise) when she professes her desire verbally, during a quiet dinner with only the faint humming of her mother filling their need for music. Kyouka says, with all the conviction she can muster, she says she wants to leave their home, go somewhere and fill up the empty bottles that she’s amassed through the years with the wanderlust that she’ll amass in the months of her travels.

Maybe stardust and sand will be enough to quell the excitement growing in her soul, maybe she just needs to go out there, see the world. All that mushy, sentimental type of musings that she’s read countless times on obscure blogs littering the internet.

Her father laughs then, but not for her purposely poetic explanation. He laughed because he’s the same. Her mother is the same. “We left our home to see the world, Kyou-chi. We knew you’d get the same feeling.” She beams at him for that, for his support, and the conversation ends there.

The next morning, she sets off to see the world (just like she said). The promise of “I’ll be back,” leaves her lips as she hugs her parents goodbye, as she slings her bag over her shoulder, as she takes her steps from the road leading to her home. Farther and farther until nary a speck remained.

.

It’s in the third month of her adventure when she meets Momo.

With a bag on one shoulder and no chip on the other, she ends up in the same rundown hotel floor as the ravenette. They stare at each other for a long moment, blinking, blinking, until Momo lifts her hand to wave at Kyouka before entering her own room.

The door clicks shut behind her, and all Kyouka can think of is how stupid she feels, standing on the hallway of a dirt cheap hotel, dazed and physically unable to move when their eyes met. When the trance broke between them, Kyouka finds herself embarrassed, finds heat brushing past her cheeks.

Finds her heart thumping wildly against her rib cage.

And she can’t help but think of the ravenette’s smile, the elegant way she waved (how does one even accomplish that ?), how she can’t stop thinking “she’s pretty,” over and over again, even as she lays on the lumpy mattress her room had, waiting for sleep to claim her.

.

The morning after they first notice each other is somewhat difficult to swallow. Or, Kyouka thinks, the very notion of the events that transpired were hard to swallow. The product of it all was like a chocolate-coated treat after ingesting bitter medicine.

On the one hand (bruised and a little bloodied from hitting bony faces), local thugs have come and gone, and in the process of driving her away from the sleepy town, leave her with threats looming above her head.

But on the other hand (holding onto the jagged seams of her shirt, torn in places that made it look like its natural design, bless her luck), Momo is with her now, carrying her own bag and her own self. Accompanying her in her little journey, regardless of the fact that she’s with a stranger.

Momo grins, a little strained, but all it does is send Kyouka over cloud nine.

.

.

.

They visit places they’ve never been to and Kyouka learns a little bit about her travel partner with each passing day.

She learns Momo’s name. Where she came from. Where she’s going. (Momo, the far north, anywhere.)

She learns that Momo’s jittery with animals when she refrains from touching the friendly horse they come across with. She learns that Momo’s good at cooking (which helps because Kyouka is horrible and everything she’s tried during her months alone ended up beneath the dirt).

Kyouka learns that Momo likes to hum when they take a few hours of rest, when they set up camp beneath the biggest tree they can find, when the fire they’ve set up dies for the night, when the sound of kindling stops. That’s when Momo hums a quiet melody to herself, maybe not realizing that Kyouka’s still too wide awake to sleep.

It’s a familiar melody to a four year old Kyouka, holding her mom’s hand while dad strummed his acoustic guitar. She falls asleep to the soothing sound of Momo’s voice.

She falls asleep realizing she’s falling.

.

.

.

Kyouka doesn’t want to get out of that pit she’d dug herself into.

.

More months pass. Wanderlust fades slowly over time, and one evening, as they’re settling for another quiet night, Momo voices the question Kyouka had been thinking for a while now.

“When will you go back home?”

It’s out in the open. Kyouka leans on a tree, crossing her arms. Uncrossing her arms. Thinking.

Momo is ever the patient soul — she waits as Kyouka ponders over the question, content as she watches the other girl decide in her head.

“Maybe I’d like to go home soon.” Kyouka finally says, and it sends a little tinge of grief across Momo’s expression. She thinks she’s too good at shoving it down before Kyouka can notice anything amiss, but then, she doesn’t know that Kyouka’s been looking at her all this time.

“You should come with me,” is her offer, left in between them, asked with trepidation uncommon to the smaller female. But still, Kyouka forges on, having started, “you’d like them, my parent’s, I mean.” Flustered, she unfurls her hands (since when had she been clutching her pants that tightly?), “Especially my mom, you’d like her, I bet.”

The smile that lights up Momo’s face threatened to send Kyouka flying.

It would be worth it.

.

.

.

.

.

Kyouka returns home a year after she left. The rain drizzled above them, but she’d long since thrown away the umbrella she bought six months ago. Her mom’s open arms greet her; her dad’s hand on her head remind her that she’s always welcome home.

But she’s not alone.

Momo’s figure stands firmly beside her, almost, almost afraid. But that thought soon passes when she’s engulfed in a hug, and for a second, all Kyouka can see are the bottles she’s collected through the years, all filled to the brim with memories of her year with Momo.

Her mother ushers them inside.

.

.

“Welcome home girls.”

[lovingnikiforov]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to the survey! I got a lot more answers than I was expecting and hearing from the people who read my fics was absolutely wonderful!

I also wanted to make a quick announcement that, based on the positive support from y’all, I will be launching a Patreon in April! More news will come at the end of March or you can sign up to get an email from when it goes live! For anyone who apologized for not being able to support, please know that just reading my stories is a sign of support to me and I never would have considered this a possibility without all of you! ♥

Survey Results Under Cut

I’m not going to go through all the questions but there are a few I wanted to highlight! (fair warning: I’m a data nerd, pls prepare yourself)

Big Take Away:

Before I jump into the specifics I did want to address a concern that I saw crop up multiple times that was really touching. A lot of people mentioned that they want me to keep writing what I enjoy and not to worry about what others want to read. My response is two-fold: 1) thank you for being so sweet!!! 2) you don’t have to worry about me in that area.

When it comes to my long and more time-intensive fics I’m never going to start one unless it’s an idea I absolutely love and am willing to devote months of work to. There’s points along that writing process where it’s hard to stay motivated to finish an idea I love so I can’t imagine the agony of doing it for an idea that I’m writing out of some sense of obligation: that’s not a line I’m willing to cross.

That being said, I don’t have any problems writing oneshots and drabbles that are heavily requested because I find writing prompt fills really good exercise! I also enjoy finding ways to work in little nods to your requests into ongoing fics: it’s my way of saying thank you for continuing to read. So, as long as the request isn’t rude or demanding, feel free to send them my way whenever I ask for them!

Question One: Fandom Breakdown

So it’s not a surprise that most of the respondents read my BSD fics because I’ve found that my readers from Bungou Stray Dogs are very active both on tumblr and on AO3. What did surprise me was how many of y’all are reading across both fandoms. I previously assumed the overlap was a lot smaller so hello to you!!

Question Two: Expanding into other fandoms? 

72% of respondents said they weren’t interested in seeing me write for more fandoms and 28% said they were. Based on answers to later questions, it looks like mostly y’all are good with much more content from my current fandoms which is works for me!

Some fandoms that were mentioned as suggestions that I want to highlight:

Code Geass: I love this series and I’d be interested in trying my hand at maybe a oneshot or two

No. 6 👀👀

FMA: This was mentioned more than once and I love the series. I’m up in the air about whether I’m interested in writing fic for it because I’m just so satisfied with how canon went.

BnHA: Also mentioned more than once. I should confess that I’ve only watched like one episode so you probably don’t want me making a mess of that.

Other Sports Anime: YOI is the only sports anime I’ve watched all the way through so this is also unlikely. Sorry!

Question Four: Rating Preferences

I just find it funny that 80% of y’all answered Mature and, coincidentally, 83% of my chapter fics are rated at least Mature. That’s literally all I have to say.

Question Five: Chapter Lengths

First of all, for you poor souls who prefer up to 5k, I’m sorry I can’t shut up. (Unless you’re reading Rent a (boy)Friend in which case, we’re meant to be).

Secondly, I’m really pleased to see the number of you who are down to read longer chapters. As my average chapter length has increased over the last year I was worried that I was starting to write more than people wanted to read in one sitting. 

Question Six: “I wish you would write more...”

This was one of the questions where a lot of you answered that you wanted me to write whatever I want. You’re all sweethearts, thank you! 

For those who got specific, here’s a few answers I wanted to highlight:

Soukoku: This was almost half the answers 😂 you’ve been heard loud and clear!

In-verse Extras: This is something I’ve been doing more of with wyll and enjoying, so I’m going to try and continue that!

Character Pieces and seeing Skk from an outside POV: why hello, have you heard of the kyouka-centric dyetyd sequel coming up? You might enjoy it ;)

More Phichuuri: I’m down if you’re down.

Fluff/Cute Moments: This was the 2nd most common answer. I’m planning to write more fluffy oneshots with the launch of my Patreon (don’t worry, those fics will also be posted on AO3: patrons will get early access). So be on the look out!

Smut: Another common response. I also plan to ramp up smut oneshots soon.

Politics: politics are my jam they will be in like every chapter fic

Fantasy: I was surprised by how often this cropped up so I’m now considering this for future stories!

Break them psychologically: I assume you read my BSD fics. I always will, it’s my favorite song.

Questions Seven and Eight: Patreon

I’d like to reiterate what I said at the top of this (very long) post. Even if you’re not able to support my Patreon I still value all of your support. Just by reading my fics and leaving comments and sharing them you’re basically my fave.

A post will be coming at the end of March with a bunch of specific details about what this will look like, but here’s a few quick notes:

Birthday Commission Fic Tier: This will be the $15 tier. However, there is not a time requirement for how long you’re a patron at this tier. If you have an interest in commissioning a fic from me at any point, just select this tier for one patron cycle and then either cancel your pledge or switch to a lower tier. (even if it’s not your birthday)

Patron Shout Outs: You, random survey respondent, get a cookie for a great idea. This will be included in the final setup!

Choose the plot direction polls: There were a couple concerns about not wanting to influence the direction of the fic. Please don’t worry! I already do polls like this on my twitter whenever I’m up in the air about a detail in the story, and the options provided will always be options I genuinely want to write!

A details post and a launch post will be coming up in the next couple of weeks. If you’re interested about possibly becoming a patron but don’t follow me on tumblr/twitter or are worried about missing the post you can fill out this Google Form to join an email list.

Thank you again to everyone who answered!

[akutagawaprize]

You'll talk someday about how the Port Mafia is portrayed? ( not the bightest bulbs in the chandelier huh. Not the most subtle either) im not trying to rush you, it bothers me too and im just curious. I like your analysis. Have a nice day

Haha all kidding aside, I’ve been meaning to talk about them for quite a while now. It’s just that I want the stuff I write to make sense, because usually they’re self-indulgent rambles. And this one won’t be an exception, especially since I have so many feelings about Port Mafia.

Usually it’s the protagonists who are outmatched, outgunned, outnumbered, or just generally outclassed. Through sheer force of will and nakama power perfect teamwork do they come out on top. Even then sacrifices have to be made. At the start, the Armed Detective Agency seemed like it will follow this mold, but soon we are introduced to their abilities.

On paper and in practice, the abilities of the members of ADA greatly complement each other. This means that even with few active operatives who can work on the field, they got all bases covered. If this were an MMO they’d have Atsushi and Kenji as tanks, Atsushi again and then Kunikida for DPS, Tanizaki going for Assistance/Crowd Control, Fukuzawa as Buffer, Dazai as Debuffer and of course, Yosano as their Healer. Not to mention Ranpo, the formidable brains behind their operations (with Dazai as backup, or even vice versa).

Now let’s take a look at the mafia. Not counting Odasaku, in their group who doesn’t have an offensive ability? Ace? Sure, but his ability only applies to his subordinates, and anyway he’s also dead. See the problem? Chuuya probably has the most versatile ability in the mafia right now, but it’s either he takes great pride in his prowess as a martial artist or he just can’t think of creative ways to take advantage of the fact that he can, well, manipulate gravity. There’s also Elise, who seems to be “programmed” to be able to do feats no ordinary human can, but we don’t know much about her. Outside of these two, the one who impresses is Kajii. His ability sounded like a joke sure, but he knows how to make use of it and in the right circumstances, can be that one member to watch out for. There’s also talks about another executive member or two. Whether one exists we don’t know, but I can only hope they’ll possess an ability that is a supportive one, or something gamechanging like mind reading or memory wipe.

Don’t get me wrong! It is rather refreshing to see a team full of competent people, especially in their line of work where they’ll find themselves smack dab in the middle of dirty matters the police and the military would rather not handle. That they are well-rounded means it’s easy to imagine why the government would want their help, why they get the requests they do, and why they are favored to take on cases that will pit them against criminals/evildoers who have their own deadly abilities.

But at the same time, the agency members seem almost… overpowered. They have limits and restrictions, true, but these barely influence how they use their abilities. The times they get into action, the enemies have done absolutely nothing to counter them or anticipate their movements… which is a shame really! Heroes are only as good as the villains who oppose their ideologies and this time, Fyodor has Port Mafia beat in spades.

Imagine Chapter 47 with Tanizaki using Kunikida’s note (while he can materialize objects remotely we didn’t know if anybody else could activate it or if distance was gonna an issue, but this does not break previously established rules so it gets a pass) to materialize a switchblade. Wouldn’t it have been far more interesting if one of them saw the trap, retaliated, and then caught Tanizaki off-guard, causing him to use his illusion to play mind games, make them question each other, heck make them question their own senses. But we don’t see any of it, we just see Tanizaki tricking everyone and it’s frustrating to watch, especially since they are already aware of what Tanizaki can do and have taken no measures to ensure he won’t be able to pull the same trick twice.

You see this with Akutagawa and Chuuya too, both preferring brute strength over anything else. Would it have been too OOC to have a panel of Chuuya looking/glancing around, trying to eliminate any possibilities of a trap? I’m sure Ranpo would have succeeded in luring Chuuya regardless but no matter how hotblooded Chuuya is, he’s a mafia executive still! There should be an ounce of logic in that brain. If the one at the top is this hopeless, what about the others?

I wasn’t particularly affected by that scene in Episode 4/Chapter 5 where the ADA systematically wrecks Black Lizard and mops the floor with them because I knew they were the equivalent to Red Shirts despite being properly introduced and being called commanders of an elite fighting squad… Okay, okay, reading what I just typed and looking back, it does make you wonder whether the mafia’s full of jobbers like these guys or if the ones at the top are just much, much scarier. Akutagawa was beaten by an untrained and inexperienced Atsushi who had been with ADA in just, what, a month or two? Chuuya’s an executive who looks cool and has an ability that is even cooler, but stick him next to Dazai and he becomes a sheepdog who’s all bark and no bite. Let’s not forget how he can only activate the “true” form of his ability if Dazai’s there to cancel it or else his body will give up on him. Kouyou looks like she means business, but she goes soft for Kyouka. Despite saying she’d stay in the mafia to help run their organization, one couldn’t help but wonder based on her recent actions whether she’s having second thoughts. The Black Lizard… No comment. Higuchi… She’s a badass Muggle, but a Muggle nonetheless.

Mori? Now we’re talking. In episode 21/Chapter 30 we learn that the previous leader had gone delirious and started giving out illogical orders, resulting to confusion and punishing losses on the mafia’s side. Mori relieves the leader of his duty, with a young Dazai as the sole witness. Mori has ambitions, but the exchange also implies that if the leader hadn’t let things escalate to such a sorry state then Mori wouldn’t have needed to go that far. Remember, at the conclusion of the 3 Way War Arc, he gave Kouyou the option of staying or running away. He may be coolheaded, but he’s not coldblooded. All of the actions he takes are to ensure the continued survival of the mafia, which is why unless some other canon information comes out, I’ll choose to believe that until now Mori is wrestling with the idea of killing Dazai for good or letting him be. I won’t put it past Mori to think up of a plan to convince Dazai to go back willingly, even putting his life on the line. Just as he won’t kill Dazai, he’s sure Dazai won’t kill him because once that happens there will be no turning back. So as long as the chance of Dazai returning is not at 0%, Mori will keep Dazai alive until he is sure he won’t have any need for him in the future.

Moving on, this is all rather awkward, but one glaring weakness of Port Mafia right now is just how damn good Mori is at his job. His absence leaves such a vacuum that everything is thrown out of order. There is no one to assume command the same way he can; the successor he’d groomed has long jumped ship. All other candidates for his replacement are woefully inadequate and ill-prepared. It’s a fate which calls to mind those great conquerors whose kingdoms fell into ruin not too long after they have passed away. Again, this is probably why Mori had invited Dazai back even if he was the one who chased him out in the first place.The thing is, no one has shown awareness of this. There has been no talk about any fear for the future, about what would happen post-Mori. The way the mafia acts, they think they’re invincible, that the halcyon days would never come to an end. Never mind that the ADA and maybe even the police had cornered them with their backs pressed against the wall a few couple times. To maf members, their strength and number are enough; sense, caution and tactics can come later. Ironic, considering these are things Mori presumably values and holds in high regards.

The Port Mafia has no unifying goal, so to speak. Of course, the ultimate point of the mafia is to make money, with violence as a currency they are willing to spend on those who won’t bow their heads. It’s a choice of lifestyle for those who enjoy crime and the taste of power… for those who find it easier to be dishonest… and maybe those who simply have nowhere else to go back to like that kid who became Ace’s collared subordinate. The mafia is their home, but unlike with the ADA, they didn’t join to make friends or play house. Again, most of them are probably motivated by money. That’s why when Mori was incapacitated, they didn’t have the same desperation as ADA, even with Hirotsu saying they are fighting to prove their worth by protecting their boss.

Finally, while the Port Mafia are heralded as “wardens of the night” and are comfortable in monitoring and participating in underground dealings and criminal activities in Yokohama, outside of their jurisdiction they hold little power. They have no ties to other organizations, no allies to back them up. ADA can count on the government for support for example. Add to that, Lucy and Poe from the Guild are practically unofficial members now. So how about the mafia? Is it possible that other port cities like Kobe and Nagasaki have their own mafia, and are affiliated with Yokohama’s Port Mafia? What about international ties? Knowing Mori, they should have built up a network of clients and freelancers, ones the executives or the mafia’s Intelligence Division could have called upon once it was clear Mori was in grave danger and that the enemy knows mostly everyone in their organization. Outside help, one which the enemy wouldn’t have suspected, would have gone a long, long way and would have at least messed up some of ADA’s plans.

In wanting to give the heroes some spotlight, Asagiri-san has forgotten that the mafia has just as much as stake as the agency, but are not fighting like it. They are old dogs who won’t learn new tricks, while ADA has this “adapt or die” mindset. They have smartly split up into two groups (or 3, if you count Ranpo by himself) to explore all the options that could save Fukuzawa’s life. It’s probably this difference in their way of thinking that for a “rival organization”, the mafia has become bland and underwhelming.

scanlation credit: Dazai Scans, Easy Going Scans