Chapter 1: The Man-Eating Tiger
Chapter Text
A sigh came from the black haired man as he flicked on the lights, the click echoing within the archive’s concealed walls. Akutagawa couldn’t see a window in sight.
However, what he could see was the expanse of paper before him. This place was such a damn mess. And with his OCD, Akutagawa wanted to tear his hair out and curse his successor violently (which he did so under his breath but he left his short hair alone). He grabbed a random box, shuffled it over to his new desk and pushing aside the old labeled ‘Ougai Mori’, set it on the desk with a thump. He closed his eyes, focusing to stifle a cough before he dug his hand through the box, pulling out the first statement.
Akutagawa lazily held out his hand, and a red headed girl, who was seated across the room from Aktugawa, snapped at him, “Are you seriously being that rude?! Ask for it properly!”
“May I have the tape recorder, Miss Montgomery.” Akutagawa asked with his trademark deadpan expression.
Lucy hesitated for a moment, deciding if she should deny him again because she already told him she would rather be called Lucy instead of Miss Montgomery but with an upturned nose, she sniffed and gave the old machine to him anyway. “Don’t blame me if it breaks halfway through recording. I had to practically get a blow dryer to get all the dust off.”
”Thank you for your hard work. I’m ever grateful America could send over their best assistant archivist on such short notice.” Akutagawa rolled his eyes, ignoring her bristling.
*Click*
Statement of an unnamed director from an orphanage, taken from a letter to Ougai Mori, the former Head Archivist, regarding one of the children there. Statement written on January 6th, 2006 but sent in on January 10th, 2022. Recorded by Akutagawa Ryunosuke, new Head Archivist of the Bungo Institute on September 9th, 2024.
Statement begins:
I truly hoped I wouldn’t have to send you this letter. I despise you, you see. I despise you so much that I only send this letter after the boy in question is 18 and I have released him from our jurisdiction. Your work and institute strays so far from God, it simply hurts me to look upon your name. As you know, we have been receiving more children lately, I’m not sure why, so don’t even bother asking if that part is supernatural.
Anyway, a new child turned up randomly. It was the usual, the baby was left at the door, no note or name or any kind of evidence as to who the parents were. So, as is our duty as men of faith, we took him in and life went back to normal. For a little while anyway.
We named him Atsushi Nakajima, his surname taken from a random stick drawn of all the last names we could think of. We named him ‘Atsushi’ because, as I’m sure you already know, Mori, it means ‘compassionate warrior’ and truly, that’s what this boy is. He sticks up for himself and others, and his heart is soft yet strong. I’m sure your Elise and Dazai would quite like him. Actually, that was the final push that caused me to write this letter. Your boy’s friend came over and collected Atsushi, but I’ll begin chronologically as to not confuse you.
We treated Atsushi as nicely as the other kids, we don’t discriminate here. But it all changed when Atsushi began his toddler years. Until he began to transform. Fur dotted his once clear face and he began growing rampant, destroying our crops and eating our chickens. We had to pull him away from a child once. Of course, he was a small tiger so it was easy to stop him, though it was still terrifying to get near him in that feral state.
Mistreatment was how we kept the other children safe. You must understand I did love this child. He just had to be handled differently for the sake of the entire orphanage.
Over the years he was engaged, Atsushi would stare at the moon, his pupils grew sharp… sharp like a demon’s. Sharp like the Russian’s pupils used to be. Of course, I recalled our old child, his accent as thick as ever and his expression as disinterested as well. He stayed briefly before a white haired man showed up and then he left, telling me that ‘Shibusawa’ would take care of the boy now.
I reluctantly trusted him and let him into the room (I say room but it was more like a closet) that Atsushi resided in. The man shut the door before I could enter behind him and told me to leave them be.
I will never forget the screaming I heard from that room ever again.
When the man returned, he hid the right side of his face, his body angled away and hidden in the shadows I couldn’t even make out the features on that side of his face. It was only after I showed him out that I noticed the blood he had trailed along the floor.
I didn’t check on Atsushi after that. Nobody did. But the man would call from time to time, requesting to know how ‘his boy’ was doing. I truly wonder if he was Atsushi’s father. And if he was then why did he make Atsushi scream like that? And how? I wish for you to look into this matter, Mori, for you have many more resources than I.
Statement ends.
Akutagawa leaned back in his chair, remaining silent for a moment before speaking into the recorder. “A few things stick out to me in this case. One, is the mention of one Dazai Osamu, who is a figure I’ve been searching for a very long time. The second, is this Russian and his… companion Shibusawa. No records come up when I search the name Shibusawa, so I really doubt it’s a real name.”
“Not to mention, what did Shibusawa do to this poor boy? If I’m correct he’s about our age.” Lucy mused, and Akutagawa jumped, not noticing the redhead leaning over his shoulder to read along with him.
“Please do not interrupt me while I’m recording Miss Montgomery.” Akutagawa scowled.
“Lucy.” She corrected him, “And anyway, why are you looking for Dazai? I heard he’s dead along with Mori.”
“My reasons are my own and Dazai is not dead. That I know as a fact. He’s just hiding. For reasons I can’t understand.”
Lucy spun his chair, making him clutch the armrests to avoid falling off. “Please leave me to my devices, woman.” He glared and she smirked before walking off, putting her hands up in mock surrender.
Akutagawa watched her for a moment before turning back to the tape recorder, which he realized was still running. “Investigations end.”
Chapter 2: A Certain Bomber
Summary:
Statement of Atsushi Nakajima, regarding a cafe and detective agency he wasn’t supposed to go to.
Notes:
I realized how very different these two fandoms were and this sort of makes me second guess writing this. It’s more for me if nobody reads it so I think I’ll keep writing anyway
Chapter Text
“This tape was found under a floor board beneath my desk. I would take the credit for finding it but that goes to Lucy… an assistant I don’t know if I could work without.” Akutagawa muses to no one in particular, watching the tape spin as he holds the found tape in his other hand. “Anyway, this is the statement of our Jinko, taken directly from the subject…”
The was a moment of silence and shuffling as Akutagawa placed the tape within the player, clicking the button.
——————
“Statement of Atsushi Nakajima, taken directly from subject. Statement taken by Mori Ougai, the Head Archivist of the Bungo Institute on December 15th, 2023. Please, take your time dear boy, I know you are… shaken.” Mori spoke casually, though Aktugawa could hear through the recording that Mori didn’t care about his feelings and just wanted the boy’s statement.
“S-shaken? No, no- maybe…” Atushi’s voice made Akutagawa pause, freezing in his chair. The man eating tiger sounded so… broken, unsure… it tore his image of the boy to pieces. Atsushi continued after a moment of silence.
“I was taking a walk… Shibusawa says they help with… my hallucinations… so I try to take them daily. Um, I was on my walk when I passed a building. Shibusawa… told me to stay out of it but he never quite told me why… so I just took a peek in. I was alone after all, he couldn’t stop me and it couldn’t hurt… It was a cafe… really cute actually.
When the bartender, an old kindly man, noticed I was lingering in the door, he beckoned me inside with a sweet smile. I slowly went in, and he let me sit at the bar, placing an already made cup of tea before me and asking if I wanted sugar. I took about four cubes haha… I was drinking the tea and talking to the man next to me when I really began to think about why Shibusawa didn’t want me there. These people were kind and so polite… though if you asked me to remember the face or name of the man I was speaking to, I can’t for the life of me. It… I was there for around ten minutes when we heard screaming from upstairs.
The man smiled, before going to the screams to check it out… I admit I am a bit of a coward so I hesitated to follow. But in the end I did. When we got upstairs, there was a door… a golden plaque read ‘Armed Detective Agency’ but inside didn’t seem as… normal. Of course I’m used to things not being normal. Shibusawa told me to embrace what makes me uncomfortable, and he knows what’s right… he should at least, I would hope.
Anyway, the area inside was dark, but the man next to me just smiled, ignoring my shaking legs as he softly told me the people inside needed help and I was the only one who could help. Yes, that’s what I remember about him most… he had such empty eyes. They were dark and seemed to swallow me whole. I began to protest but he put his finger to his lips, motioning for me to be quiet. And I did become quiet, noticing the menace behind his action. He motioned for me to follow him inside and I did.
The area was dead silent, I could hardly see my own hands in front of me, much less my hands in front of me, but through the slight cracks in the blinds, you could see the sky from outside, peeking in and illuminating a figure seated on a desk. The man… if that was what he really was, tapped his leg anxiously, as if impatiently waiting. I heard a small whimper of fear from beside him, where a girl was tied up at his feet… the man, a redhead as I could make out in the suffocating darkness played with a little remote in his hands, his movements were almost playful. Just then, the remote switched to a pencil, then flickered to a notebook, then back to a remote. But his face didn’t change at all, his face focused on the door, though he didn’t notice me nor my.. associate’s entrance as we were now hidden behind a potted plant.
‘Come on now, you know what to do.’ the empty eyed man urged, whispering with some kind of twisted amusement. I was at a loss for words. What could I do? I only hurt people, it was impossible for me to help in a situation like this. And that stupid remote changed too much, it hurt my head to look at it directly.” Atsushi’s voice became distressed, and Akutagawa could hear the shuffling as the boy pulled his knees closer to his chest, burying his face in them.
He continued, but this time, his voice was muffled, “I ended up revealing myself. I don’t remember if I was pushed by the man or not but I stood before the guy holding the remote… or book as it was when I stood in front of him.
‘Pardon me, I think I’m lost’ I meekly explained, taking a wary step back.
‘Lost? That’s not a thing here. Did you perhaps lose your mind? No, I don’t think people can do that either. Tell me, do you see things? I do. Spirals encircling you and I, holding us to our feet.’ The boy giggled and that’s when I truly wanted to run.
‘Spirals?’ I asked warily.
‘Of course,’ I watched as the book switched back to remote, which the redhead slowly raised higher, ‘nothing is real.’
Then he clicked it… and I woke up on the sidewalk, Shibusawa standing over me with a face of dissatisfaction… I’m not even supposed to be here… I just wanted to know what happened…” Atsushi’s voice quivered as he stood up, swiftly leaving despite Mori’s words to stay for further questions.
“Well… That was interesting. Due to the fact that we have no names of anyone in his story and the fact that he never told us where the coffee shop was, I’m not sure this even happened. The Armed Detective Agency is real but there was never an attempt to blow it up. The empty eyes man reminds me of someone… though I do hope I’m wrong.” Mori sighed after failing to persuade Atsushi to return.
——————
“My predecessor is correct. With Atsushi’s past of hallucinations, he might have imagined this whole thing up… but I don’t believe that. Jinko doesn’t seem to be the kind of guy to lie for attention… I suppose it doesn’t matter in the end. I’ve sent out Lucy to find him, though she’s not having much luck on the investigations anyway. I’ve virtually given up on Shibusawa.” Akutagawa shook his head. It didn’t matter where Shibusawa was. He was focused on the tiger. He wanted to close this case. It wasn’t a want it was a need. But why did he want it so badly?
“On a side note, Lucy has made contact with the agency, but they denied anything about a red haired man speaking of spirals… She told me as she was leaving, a red haired boy walked in, and they bumped into him. As she helped him pick up his papers, he told her his name was Tanizaki, and she noticed scribbles of spirals on his papers. We’ll be keeping an eye on him.”
Chapter 3: The Weird Man
Summary:
Statement of Kunikida Doppo, regarding a man he met by the river.
Notes:
I might (for shits and giggles) have ai recreate the voices and post the video on yt or smth
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“So it just works like this?” Lucy held the tape recorder in one hand, the other holding a pencil.
“Yes, you click this button to record and this one to stop. If you want to rewind-“ Akutagawa pointed at the proper buttons, naming them as he went.
“I’m not that dumb! I can figure the rest out on my own.” Lucy swatted Akutagawa’s hand away, making him recoil a bit in surprise. “Why are you teaching me how to use it? I thought you recorded the statements.”
“I’m going out today to follow up on a lead-“
“It’s not that Tiger boy is it?” Lucy asked, raising a brow.
Akutagawa frowned, remaining quiet for a moment before nodding. “I need to find him to properly close the case.”
“If we all had the dedication to every case you have to this one, the archives would be thriving, not a damn mess.” Lucy laughed, shaking her head. “Hey wait you’re actually going now?!”
Akutagawa froze in the doorway, turning back to her. “Of course. I said I would be.”
“I thought you meant some other day, please Ryunosuke, don’t leave now!” Her pleas fell on deaf ears as he turned and left, shutting the door behind him.
Lucy sighed, slumping over the desk for a moment to cope before reaching blindly for a statement. Once she felt the familiar paper underneath her fingers she paused and glanced up at the statement in front of her.
Odd. She didn’t remember that statement being on her desk. She was sorting statements from 2017 but it seems this one was from 2019… she must’ve missed it.
“Statement of Kunikida Doppo, regarding his ‘stranger’ of a partner…” Lucy paused for a moment, her brows knitting in confusing and curiosity. She hesitated before continuing, sitting up fully to read. “Statement taken on January 1st, 2019. Taken digitally by Lucy Maud Montgomery, September 24th, 2024.”
——————
Pardon me for taking my statement so late at night. I should be asleep. My schedule requires so if I want to work well tomorrow. But the mere thought of him makes me stay awake.
Pardon me, I’m being vague. My name is Kunikida, though for the life of me I can’t truly remember if that really is my name. Dazai made me rethink everything.
So, I suppose I should start from the beginning. I first met Dazai Osamu after he popped out of the river. He scared the shit out of me, just appearing out of nowhere like that and when I asked him what he was doing, he looked up from his soaking clothes and met my gaze. He had a strange glint in his eyes at we stared at each other and it was quite a bit before he finally responded.
‘I’m merely taking a swim… or I was thrown in by my partner. I don’t remember which one it was this time.’ He said as if nothing were odd about his situation at all.
‘You shouldn’t have a partner who throws you into rivers…’ I responded, frowning slightly. I moved to walk away but he scampered to his feet, grabbing my wrist quickly to stop me.
‘Do you work at the armed detective agency?’ He asked, his dark eyes pouring into my soul.
‘I… yes, I do.’ I remember my eyes being wide with surprise at his sudden change in attitude. He was so lighthearted before and now he was so serious… and how the hell did he know where I worked.
‘Wow! I applied for a job there but your boss didn’t like me too much.’ Dazai laughed as if it were some joke that he couldn’t get a job.
I was quiet for a very long time after that. The president was a very good judge of character so I immediately grew even more wary of the man in front of me. Once he let go, I said my goodbyes and left instantly.
It took a while before I was able to walk past that spot of the river without thinking of Dazai Osamu. Even longer before I forgot about him entirely… but it seems as soon as I forgot about him, he showed up again.
You see, I had just gotten the strangest dream. It was rare for me but I fell asleep at my desk. When I awoke, I was alone in the agency, the lights were all out too. I called for my coworkers before heading downstairs to see if they were in the cafe below.
And there sat Dazai Osamu. His skinny frame looked even smaller in the empty room. Even the bartender was gone, replaced by a dark shadow created by the brunette man. When Dazai looked up from his coffee and towards me, his outfit… shifted. It wasn’t just the tan coat that I met him in, his outfit flickered between the tan coat and a black one. Sometimes he even had a red scarf around his neck. And his right eye kept being covered and uncovered by gauze… or was it cobwebs? I was too far to properly tell. It was as if he couldn’t decide which form to take.
I don’t know how long I had been asleep but it was pitch black outside, I almost thought it was midnight.
‘Kunikida Doppo,’ Dazai’s voice tore me from my stupor and I realized the look on his face wasn’t one of nonchalance, it was amusement. ‘Do you know why I’m here?’
‘I wish you would leave.’ I replied, but he simply laughed and held up a hand, waving away my comment as if it were a physical thing to smack. When he moved his hand, I suddenly felt compelled to sit down beside him. Or… it wasn’t compelled, my body was jerked forward as if he put a rope around my waist.
I sat down beside him, glancing at his coffee cup. It was empty and most of all, clean. He wasn’t drinking anything before I arrived. He was just staring at the cup.
‘You’re very talented you know.’ Dazai smiled, his eyes full of indescribable sadness as he looked over at me. ‘You’re directly in line to be the next president for the detective agency.’
’I just want to protect people. I don’t want to be president.’ I frowned, holding my notebook tighter, my gaze still focused on the bar in front of us.
‘I’m sure you saved many lives.’ The brunette purred, resting his chin on the back of his hand.
‘And how many did you end?’
Dazai Osamu didn’t respond. So I asked him again, ‘How many did you kill?’
‘139.’
‘Why?’ I probed even though I knew the answer.
’Why does anyone do anything?’ Dazai smiles slyly, shifting in his chair to lean closer to me, ‘There’s something coming for your agency and I’m almost certain it will destroy you. Good luck, detective. I do hope you survive.’
And with that, I woke up. I would’ve chalked it up to nothing and rationalized the experience like I have with every odd case I’ve come across but when I woke up I wasn’t in my house. Somehow I had been moved to an old warehouse full of crates and cobwebs. And everytime I tried to move back to my old house or even try to move out, something would happen and I would be pushed right back to the hovel.
The worst part was the fact that I could tell this place was occupied before me. Motorcycle tracks looped around the mass of concrete before the ragged house and empty bottles littered the floor, decorated by cobwebs and spider eggs.
It took a very long time but I realized the house was written under Dazai’s name. I suppose it was his way to protecting me. I just worry about what happened to who was here before me.
——————
“Statement ends.” Lucy sighed, closing her eyes. “Um, not much follow up can be made on this. Dazai Osamu, however, is a familiar name. Akutagawa is searching for him, almost to an unhealthy degree. I just wish he would get some rest. So… despite what he wants, I think I won’t tell him about this statement for a bit. He needs rest and if I tell him about this, he won’t sleep for another week because he’ll be looking for Kunikida.”
“I just think this statement along with that tiger boy is a waste of time…”
Notes:
I was really stingy this chapter but I think it turned out great. Peep my pookie Kunikida, love him. -Orange_Iz
I was going to kill Kunikida but my co-creator stopped me… -M0niker_1
Chapter 4: A New Employee
Chapter by M0niker_1
Summary:
Passing time.
Notes:
This chapter took a very long time to write. I didn’t like it at the beginning so I had to scrap and restart. Thanks to my co creator for editing. -M0niker_1
Chapter Text
Lucy stretched, yawning as she stood up. Akutagawa still hasn’t returned from his little adventure to find the weretiger.
A knock came from the door, startling her before she calmed her heartbeat and went to answer it, “Hello?”
She opened up the door to reveal a short redheaded man. Lucy jumped, greeting her boss immediately. “Sir! What are you doing down in the archives so suddenly?”
Chuuya gave her an unamused glance before inviting himself inside. “Is Akutagawa here? I need to talk to him.”
“I’m afraid he’s out right now…” Lucy said warily. Even though Chuuya was short, that didn’t mean he wasn’t an intimidating man.
“Ah… that’s a shame. I was about to eat out that bandaged bastard.” Chuuya shrugged, strolling away to look deeper in the archives. Lucy shuffled after him nervously.
“Bandaged bastard?” She repeated, confused.
“Nevermind. I came here to find a statement anyway.” Chuuya dismissed the topic quickly, his eyes focused ahead of him.
“Um… I’m afraid it would be hard to find anything in here. It’s quite a mess-“
“Don’t worry, I’ll find it.” Chuuya paused and turned back to look at her, his gaze softening. “Is the job stressful? I’m aware you are the only assistant in the archives. I would’ve gotten you more help but my boy believes you are capable on your own. But if you ever need help just find me. I’ll always be there.”
Lucy paused, surprised by her boss’s kindness. “…Thank you, sir. I’m… managing. It hasn’t been easy but Akutagawa and I have been getting stuff done.”
Chuuya nodded before flicking his phone open, calling someone. “Where is it?” He asked, his serious face returning as he put the phone up to his ear.
“Why do you only call me when you need something, love?” A voice whined, teasing from the other end of the phone, barely loud enough for Lucy to hear.
“Tell me.” Chuuya growled. There was a moment before the man on the other end responded.
“The box labeled ‘2013’ but the three has a coffee stain on it. It is four feet from the far left corner of the archives, row 1-I.” The amused voice purred from the other end.
Chuuya grumbled a small thanks before hanging up the phone. He turned back to Lucy. “I’ll be in here for a little while longer but please don’t let me bother you. I’m just grabbing a statement. I’m sure you won’t even notice me leave.”
With that, he turned left and disappeared into the archives. Lucy stood there for a moment, dumbfounded before realizing she had to get coffee and wake up a bit more if she wanted to make sense of the interaction at all.
——————
“You!” Akutagawa dashed after the figure, desperate for some sort of explanation of what was going on. But then he saw the face of the boy he was chasing and he was renewed with a new vigor. “Atsushi Nakajima! Wait!”
——————
“Should I do another statement?” Lucy pondered, sipping her tea quietly. She had decided against coffee, as it’s too bitter for her and she decided if Akutagawa returned, he would want some as well. He hated coffee almost as much as he hated Dazai as well.
“Probably not… I have done my quota for today… And it’s not like I enjoy this place much to do overtime…” She yawned again, flipping against the desk. Instead of wood, her cheek crunched against paper as she expected, and she tried not to sigh again.
It was very lonely in the archives when Akutagawa was gone… and he had never been gone this long before. Usually he was back in a few hours but he’d almost been out a full day. Lucy was lying if she said she wasn’t a bit worried.
It was that stupid tiger. Why was he chasing him anyway? Was it because he had a hunch? Or was it because he was connected to Dazai? How the hell was Akutagawa even connected to Dazai?!
Letting out a small frustrated shout, Lucy stood up, stomping over to the door and grabbing her coat. She was about to leave when the door opened abruptly and a white haired boy was thrown inside. Lucy let out a startled yelp, catching the boy before he hit the floor.
“Don’t let him go.” Akutagawa hissed, slamming the door shut behind them. He stared at the white haired boy for a long while before turning away and heading for his desk.
“Are you alright?” Lucy whispered to the boy, her gaze concerned. When the white haired boy nodded nervously, she looked at Akutagawa, “What the hell are you doing?! Did you just kidnap this boy?!”
“This. Is this your statement?” Akutagawa shoved the piece of paper in the boy’s face, his face determined.
“Wait… that’s Atsushi?!” Lucy gasped. “Jesus, he doesn’t look like I expected at all! He’s practically malnourished!”
“I’m not malnourished! I just don’t like to eat.” Atsushi stammered defensively, obviously offended but not having enough heart to fight back.
“Pay attention to me.” Akutagawa demanded. “Is. This. Your. Statement.”
”Yes… it is.” Atsushi trembled, unsure of what to do with Akutagawa’s intensity. Even Lucy was silent.
“And as far as I’m aware you don’t have a job?” Aktugawa continued, his gaze never slipping from Atsushi, as if he were devouring his soul.
“I… don’t.” Atsushi confirmed, a bit confused now.
“You’ll work here in the archives now. I don’t care what your ‘Shibusawa’ says, you’re in danger if Dazai has approached you. I know the CEO very well, I’ll send an email for him to hire you now.”
“Actually… I don’t know where Shibusawa is anymore…” Atsushi murmured but he was overshadowed by Lucy’s shouting.
“Woah! Hang on, Akutagawa! We can’t just give him a job! He’s one of the cases!” Lucy protested, unsure of what to do.
“He has to work here. You don’t know Dazai. If Dazai is after him- if Dazai is after anyone, it’s because they’re going to die. We need to help him.” Akutagawa snapped, heading over to his desk and opening his laptop. “You can leave if you want, Jinko. I’d advise against it but it is your choice in the end. So, if you want to stay, you can click enter to send this email.” Akutagawa turned the computer around to reveal an email to Nakahara. He then promptly went back to reading new statements.
“You seriously can’t be-“ Lucy began to speak but Atsushi stood up, walking over the cold floor and quietly reaching towards the computer. His finger hovered over the button for a moment before he pressed it.
“If you can help me… I appreciate it…” Atsushi mumbled, letting his arms fall to his sides limply.
“Good.” Akutagawa nodded, not glancing up at the boy as he spoke. “You start as soon as possible. I’ll have a desk set up for you and there’s a lounge in that room over there where you can stay if you don’t have a home.”
“Thank you.” Atsushi smiled and Lucy stared for a moment. The boy was scrawny but… his smile was so genuine. How could he smile like that with his past? Lucy knew she couldn’t…
”Miss Montgomery, will you teach him how to do his job properly? He is going to be your coworker soon.” Akutagawa looked over at Lucy, making her flinch in surprise.
“Of course.” Lucy nodded, gently guiding Atsushi towards an empty room to show him his new office.
And that was how the archives gained a tiger.
Chapter 5: Rice Farms
Chapter by M0niker_1
Summary:
Statement of Kenji, a farmer who found something odd with his crops.
Notes:
Dude, due to the *extensive* research I had to do for this chapter, I’m afraid I now know a lot of facts about rice farming that I didn’t know before… cool for trivia nights I guess. -M0niker_1
Chapter Text
“Hm.” Akutagawa glared at the door to Atsushi’s office. He knew the weretiger was asleep and he knew that if he entered to disturb him, Lucy would chase him out again.
He sighed before walking away, wandering in the archives. Akutagawa didn’t want to record a statement. He could hear Lucy recording one in her own office, so he left her be as well.
There was a row in the archives that he often returned to. ‘3-B’ it was labeled. It was the messiest row in the entire archives, two rows from the entrance and seven from the back. A library of knowledge and yet this row held the most secrets.
Akutagawa picked up a random box off the floor.
‘Possible Avatar statements’
Of course, he had no idea what it mean. An avatar of what? He carried the box back to his desk and dumped the contents along it. His already messy desk was now overflowing, some papers falling off and onto the floor. He ignored them, obviously. His eyes were searching for something else. Something interesting and something other than the tiger for once.
He found it after rummaging for a moment. Three pieces of paper stapled together, the one on top being the small notes from his predecessor and the rest being the actual statement.
Sure, he wasn’t in the mood to record a statement but it was his job and he had time to spare. Akutagawa picked up the tape and clicked record without hesitation.
”Statement of Kenji Miyazawa, regarding an odd crop at his farm. Original statement recorded and sent in on March 22nd, 2022. Reviewed by Akutagawa Ryunosuke, head archivist of the Bungo Institute on October 15th, 2024.”
When Akutagawa picked up the tape recorder, and placed in it, he was surprised to hear such a young voice. A bad feeling settled in his stomach and he immediately knew this wasn’t going to be an easy one to listen to.
——————
“Hello? Hello, hello.” The boy giggled as he fiddled with the tape recorder.
“It should be rolling, tell your story now. I’ll go to a different room.” A much older voice spoke gruffly, and the sound of a door opening could be heard.
”Huh? You aren’t going to stay?” Kenji asked, seeming surprised at the old man’s unwillingness to be there when he recorded his statement.
“I refuse to be in any tape of Mori’s.” And the door shut, leaving Kenji alone in the room.
The boy giggled again before leaning into the tape so it could hear him more clearly. “You must be wondering why I’m recording this instead of actually coming to the institute, huh, Mori? In all honesty, Fukuzawa says it’s dangerous. He doesn’t trust you. That might confuse you more, I guess. But when he picked me up off the streets and I told him my story, he told me only you could help out. Weird huh?
Hey, have you ever heard of rice farming? My village does it quite a lot, actually that’s how we make money! Cool, isn’t it? I quite like it, I mean, it’s the only life I’ve known so I hope I would like it. Haha, wouldn’t that be funny if I didn’t. It must be odd to hate the only thing you know.
What was I originally talking about? Oh, my story! It’s a creepy one alright, I think you’ll like it! Fukuzawa also told me you were a very morbid person.
Anyway, I was twelve when this happened… I still am twelve so I don’t know why I’m referring to my age in the past tense. This incident occurred on my birthday, August 27th.
I was walking along the fields of my hometown, Hanamaki. If you don’t know where that is, it’s in the Iwate Prefecture. I was doing my job, of course, my plow in one hand and a woven basket my aunt made in the other.
Few people know this, but the trick to rice farming is the variety of seeds you must use. If one particular seed needs a particular nutrients from the soil, we can plant a different kind of rice that needs a different kind of nutrients nearby so that the soil won’t run out of supplements for the rice.
In my little basket, I had a two kinds of seeds. I had Japonica, also known as uruchimai seeds and Jasmine seeds. I began to plant them and when I got to the bottom of the basket, I found a different seed. It wasn’t like any I had seen before.
This was where I made my first mistake. I shrugged, ignoring the oddly silky texture of the small seed and planted it. It was just one seed, it couldn’t hurt, right?
So, time passes and it’s just fine… well, the odd seed I did keep an eye on. It was growing much faster than the others but it didn’t look any different. It felt different though. Well, not the plant itself but the dirt around it. When I reached down into the shallow water to feel the ground, the dirt would sink beneath my fingers, as if gently holding me. It was comforting for awhile. When I first found it, I sat there for a moment, my hands pressing into the mud before I was called back to the village. I didn’t want to leave the rice plant but I knew I would be back. I was in charge of that section after all, nobody would touch the seed but me.
I would keep going back to that seed, touching the soggy dirt below it. I didn’t even notice as the other plants slowly began to die around it. Am I a bad rice farmer or what, haha… no. No, in all honesty I feel I did notice. I just didn’t care.
All went truly wrong when I went elbow deep into the mud. Its embrace was so comforting so I just moved into it further and further until… I was enveloped. My mouth filled with water before it was filled with dirt… and then dry dirt. I was so comfortable. But it held me tighter and tighter and soon… I couldn’t breathe. I would open my mouth to scream but the dirt would only slip further down my throat.
When I say I couldn’t breathe, that was a lie. I could breathe… barely. When I would almost lose consciousness, the dirt would release me momentarily, let me gasp and hope for a few seconds before somehow becoming tighter than ever.
It’s hard to say how long I was under there. A few minutes… hours… or days… time was irrelevant. I was more focused on trying to breathe. The dirt that I found comfort in for most of my life was now the thing suffocating me. All I remember is a hand grabbing my wrist and being pulled out of the ground like a plant. I wearily glanced at my savior to find the man I now know as Fukuzawa. He carried me out of the village and set me down on a log a bit aways. I was grateful he hadn’t set me on the ground. I wasn’t sure if I would live with much more dirt.
As I lay, struggling to remain conscious, I noticed him sitting beside me, unmoving. I opened my mouth to speak but only coughed up more dirt. He handed me water, and helped me to sit up. I drank it almost greedily. I had to apologize to him after that. I didn’t know if that was his only water and I almost drank all of it.
He told me not to worry and persuaded me to drink more water. I think I fell asleep after that. When I woke up, I explained and he was still silent. He didn’t tell me anything. He still hasn’t told me much but I do know one thing, he is looking for those like him. And I am like him now.
He is not quite human, don’t get me wrong, he very much has the heart of one. He is the kindest man I’ve ever met and I thank him everyday. But he doesn’t tell me anything. So, when I finally asked him, he told me to record this and send it to you, Mr. Mori.” The boy went silent for a very long time. Akutagawa almost thought the recording was over before he continued.
“I would like answers. I want to know what I am. I want to know why this has happened to me.” Sobs began to echo through Akutagawa’s empty office before the recording ended suddenly, a faint buzzing coming from the tape recorder.
——————
“I don’t know what to say.” Akutagawa sat there for a very long time after he ended the tape, just staring at the wall. There was no evidence that Mori even glanced at the poor boy’s statement. An archival assistant must’ve done it… no additional notes, no signatures. Only the tape, shoved into a box. Only a boy, left with many questions and many tears.
Chapter 6: Cops and Girls
Summary:
Akutagawa harasses Atsushi about Dazai. Statement of Hirotsu Ryuro, regarding his coworker, Gin Akutagawa.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Stop staring at him! It’s creepy and you’re freaking him out! He needs space!” Lucy shouted, pushing Akutagawa out of Atsushi’s office.
Amongst Akutagawa’s grumbling of protest, Lucy shuts the door in his face, sighing and turning back to Atsushi.
”You’ll have to deal with him for a little while, at least until you tell him what he wants to hear about Dazai Osamu.” She says, her arms crossed as she sits down at the table.
Atsushi looked at her nervously, shifting in his seat, “Who is Dazai?”
Lucy blinks, staring at him in shock, “Pardon?”
“I don’t think I know who that is.” He repeats.
Lucy paused, staring at him incredulously for a moment. “The man you made your statement about. The odd man in the cafe.”
Atsushi’s eyes widen slightly, “That’s who you’re talking about?! The freaky spider guy?”
”If Akutagawa is correct then yes, the ‘freaky spider guy’ is Dazai Osamu.” Lucy confirms, nodding her head. Her hand hovers over a tape recorder, “Would you like to give another statement?”
Atsushi recoils slightly at the sight of the recorder, “It’s hardly worth mentioning, I don’t even know anything about him.”
She shrugs, “Alright, have it your way. I’m sure Akutagawa will want one but if you know nothing more than you’ve already told, then that’s fine too.”
“How are you finding work?” She then asked.
”Um… It’s new… I’ve never worked in an archives before. Thank you for helping me get used to it.” Atsushi smiled and Lucy tensed. How the hell was this guy so pure? He was like the complete opposite of Akutagawa!
”N-no problem.” She stammered, remembering she had to reply after a moment.
”So, today I should record a statement, at least that’s what it says I should do…”
“It?” Lucy raised a brow, narrowing her eyes.
”The tiger. It… uh… speaks to me? It’s just little things that appear in the back of my mind but I know they’re from him.” Atsushi explained nervously, as if he was about to be in trouble.
“We need to get you in therapy man…” Lucy rubbed her temples, shaking her head. “Well, that is what you’re supposed to do so I’ll leave you to it.”
”Thank you!” Atsushi called as she shut the door behind her. He rummaged through his desk drawers for a moment only to find a recorder was already on his desk… how weird. He didn’t remember putting it there but whatever. He picked it up and turned it on.
”Let’s see… how am I supposed to do this…” Shuffling noises could be heard as Atsushi picked up the paper that Akutagawa wrote on how to properly record and then store the statements. “Alright… Statement of Hirotsu Ryuro, regarding his past few years of being… a father to Gin Akutagawa?” Atsushi startled, rereading the sentance in his head to make sure he was seeing things properly.
Akutagawa never told them he had a sister… and it was a foreboding thing to find her in one of the statements. “…Statement taken from a letter sent on March 14th, 2021. Recorded by Atsushi Nakajima, Archival Assistant, on October 17th, 2024.”
——————
I want to start out by saying I hate this place. I hate what you stand for, hate what you work for, and other petty things like that. That being said, I do, in fact, like your boss, regardless of the company he brings around. I’ve known Chuuya Nakahara since he was fifteen years old, and find him and his mother’s company quite enjoyable. She makes such lovely tea.
I’m getting distracted. My point is, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t forced. This statement is purely for Chuuya’s eyes only. It is simply an explanation of where I have been these past few months.
Alright, as you know, I am police force. I think I’m about the oldest one here, so I was put in a position where I was like the father for those who worked under me. Of course, I never set out to be in this position, it just sort of happened.
And you remember the Akutagawa siblings. Two street rats that Dazai-San, another one of my ‘sons’ even though he was never in the force, brought in. They were dirty and homeless so, of course, everyone looked at me. I took them in, gave them new clothes and even offered for them to join the force.
Akutagawa looked at me like I was crazy and I had to admit I was surprised. He was the one with most drive but I am afraid that Dazai-San really did get to him first. What surprised me more was when little Gin said she wanted to join.
She was a meek and tiny thing but I think that was mostly because of the way she grew up before she got off the streets. However, she got through the police academy with flying colors and I was quick to take her into our precinct.
For a few years, Gin worked perfectly. Her record was spotless and she even got promoted very quickly. This wasn’t because I was biased it was just because she did her job so well.
Akutagawa acted like a rebellious young man, as he probably still in. I do hope you act on your pondering about taking him into your institute. Oh, and if you do, please keep him away from Dazai-San. I love that boy but you know how he can be.
I’m getting off topic again. It’s so easy to lose oneself in these papers of yours, you know that?
So, as you know, I am also working for an… entity like you are. It helps me do my job properly and keeps me entertained so I’m not complaining. What I am complaining about is Gin’s recent experience with your world.
I like my life how it is, how I’m the only one who has to wonder if I’m still truly human with what I’ve agreed to. But, Akutagawa has gotten wind of whatever you’re doing and told Gin about it. As a result, my child has been Marked by your Institute’s doing. And you know how your power is. It never only Marks it’s people.
You are my friend, Nakahara. But if I ever see Gin Become like we have, I might have to come and hunt you down for it.
——————
Atsushi started at the letter for a long time before standing up, speaking into the tape recorder as he walked out of his small office. “Follow ups are taken from Akutagawa Ryunosuke, as we are unsure if his sister or Hirotsu will respond to the calls we make. People usually don’t.”
“Akutagawa?” Atsushi knocked on the door, the letter in one hand and the recorder in the other. He thought he turned it off but little did he know, it was still running.
“Come in.” Akutagawa grumbled from the other side of the door.
Atsushi entered to find his boss sitting on the floor with papers scattered all around him. “Are these… statements?” Atsushi asked, surprised.
“Yes. I’m sorting the ones we’ve already done and the ones I want us to record in the future. I’m disregarding the obviously fictional statements of course.” Akutagawa didn’t look up at Atsushi as he took another piece of paper and set it to the pile by his knee.
“…Could you… sort this one?” Atsushi asked, sitting down across from him and passing him the letter.
Akutagawa was quiet as he scanned the paper and his brow quickly knit in concentration. “How did you find this?” He asked.
“It was on the top of a pile of statements Lucy left for me.” Atsushi answered slowly, noticing his boss’s change in attitude.
The black haired man was very quiet. “Disregard this. I’ll speak to Chuuya and see if anything is going on with Gin or Hirotsu. Leave. Now.”
Atsushi nodded, knowing that he was pushing his boundaries just by bringing up the statement about Akutagawa’s sister. Akutagawa was a very secret man and he must’ve felt upset that he found out his sister was in trouble by his coworker. He must’ve been annoyed his coworker even found out he had a sister.
Notes:
I’ve got a very fun idea for Chuuya and Akutagawa next chapter >:D -M0niker_1