Chapter Text
They really don't know how it could have happened. They weren't fighting either, just living their usual daily lives. But it was a matter of fact: suddenly the Armed Detective Agency, the Port Mafia, Ango Sakaguchi and Natsume Sōseki were all in the same infinite white room. An endless nothing that even Ranpo couldn't understand. Now everyone is stressing out, they were all suspecting each other. They even tried to use their abilities but they didn't work. Chuuya Nakahara, a Port Mafia executive, is trying his best to keep his cool, but he's also losing his patience and right in that moment, a soft, warm voice rumbled in the room: "Hello everyone. I guess that you must really be worried about your situation here".
Everyone's eyes widened. Chuuya Nakahara is the first to talk:
" Hey, don't play games with us. Who are you? And what do you want?"
The voice answers as calm as before:
"I am the Goddess of Life: Himari".
No one seemed to believe her in the slightest. No one except...
" She's right". Ranpo's eyes opened, for once visible.
Dazai nods along with Ranpo's statement. The Mafia and the Agency were just as stunned as Ango and Natsume-sensei. No one ever doubts Dazai or Ranpo, let alone the both of them. Yosano, though, asks anyway:
"Are you guys sure? How can we even be sure that Gods and Goddesses are real in the first pla-"
The smartest detective cuts her off: "Are you doubting me?" -He sighs then he continues- "Everyone, I know that it's difficult to accept it but, it's real. Use your brain for a second, how else would it have been possible for Dazai to get in here? Abilities don't work on him. Besides that, we all are strong, it's unlikely to be all captured, and, most of all: look yourselves around, have you ever seen a room like this before? We're basically floating".
Some whispers spread around the room, mostly between the Mafia; the Agency had full trust in Ranpo after all. Then, another voice rumbles in the white room. This time a cold one:
" Listen to your friend, young souls. I'll explain briefly what and why we are doing this. My name is Akane and as Himari said, we're both Goddesses. Might as well introduce ourselves. I am the Goddess of Death, while Himari is the Goddess of Life".
Everyone is once again stunned by it (except Ranpo). Even Dazai(who is mostly excited by the mention of Death) seemed shocked, but he had the energy to ask Akane:
"Oh my, the Goddess of Death? Is this a dream? Ahhh, man, why won't you take me with you?"
He asks hopeful and genuinely curious. Kunikida and Ango let out a tired sigh used to his bullshits, while Chuuya makes a grimace at the comment. But before anyone could scold him for it, a cold chuckle rumbles in the room making everyone shiver:
"Oh, Dazai,because I hate you."
She says in an effortless way. Dazai narrows his eyes while Chuuya laughs at him, then the warm voice scolds the said Death Goddess:
"Akane! Come on, be kind to him!"
The Goddesses start to bicker as Akane starts to say how bad Dazai had been in his life and Himari bumps in to defend him. It was crystal clear: Himari was fond of him, while Akane disliked him. Was it connected to the reason they were in that weird empty white room? No one knew, but them. Then, finally, Dazai interrupts them:
"apologies, but could you explain, how is all that linked to us? If you like me or not, it's understandable, but why making mere humans aware of whatever this is?"
Himari answers softly: " Oh Dazai, dear, it's all about you. I think that you're the most perfect human and being on Earth that has ever existed while Akane hates you. We're gonna see it though. I want to know other humans' opinions".
Basically they were trapped in this Goddesses' bickering and there wasn't much of a choice.
Chuuya lets out a snort at the Goddess' voice, then Akane adds: "you guys are gonna see Dazai Osamu's life and his past through memories, which won't necessarily be his".
Dazai's eyes widened. He wanted to complain and reject, of course. But how could someone reject a divine order? Himari then continues her speech: " You can sit down. " -and so everyone does as ordered- "I'll explain to you how it'll work. In front of you, there will be some memories, it's gonna be pretty realistic, so please don't freak out. It's probably gonna seem that they're right in front of you, but remember they're memories, it's not real".
Mori was smirking for a long time now, and Dazai's urge to wipe that smirk off his face was growing by the second. Dazai hated pity. He hated people knowing too much about him. If he could, he definitely would happily keep his secrets to the grave, but nooo, of course the Goddess of Life and Death had to bicker about him! 8 billion people and they chose him! Luck really hates him.
Chuuya noticed Dazai's uncomfortable demeanor and so he sat a bit closer to him. He hates him, of course he does. They've been rivals for years and they can't stand each other. But Chuuya trusts Dazai and Dazai has gained it with a lot of effort through years of hard partnership. Trust and hate can coexist, can't it?
Around all of them it appears a writing: September, 2003.
Dazai raises an eyebrow: "I wasn't born yet", he mutters under his breath.
The scene starts with a tall man walking around in the room Brown, straight hair, brown eyes, piercing and calculating, thinking of something. The man is attractive. He's not particularly skinny, yet his features are effortlessly handsome. He's whispering to himself:
" think... think... think... Oto, come on, there must be a solution! There has to be!"
Dazai's eyes widened at the sight of that man. Atsushi then asked:
"Dazai-san, is he your father?"
But even before he could answer properly, Akutagawa already answered: "Don't ask stupid questions, Jinko."
Gin chuckled at his brother's comeback.
While everyone looks at the exchange between the 2 boys, though, Kyouka narrowed her eyes at Dazai's change in behavior and so does Kouyo who covers her face with her fan. But their thinking process is interrupted by the man's thoughts:
'Ah! Yes! I know how to do it!' He thinks and a smirk spreads into his face, sending chills through the watchers.
The man, then, pulls out a book, his hand holding a pen while he taps his chin with it:
"mhhh... I need someone with brains... real brains, someone who would be able to destroy this damned book and at the same time protect it from bad people... someone who would be able to give up and sacrifice themselves for a bigger purpose...so what can I write?"
Natsume sensei sighs at it as he says to Dazai: "Dazai-san, apologies".
Fukuzawa and Mori are surprised by this casual interaction.
Dazai simply brushes him off: "Mhh, no worries, Natsume-sensei... after all, you weren't the one who did it".
Everyone was confused now. Chuuya raised an eyebrow:
"Explain yourself, Dazai"
But as Chuuya talks, Dazai starts acting silly:
"Huh? Is someone talking? I cannot hear"
"You bastard!"
Chuuya narrowed his eyes, then the memories continued, forcing their attention to the scene.
The man nods as he writes down: 'Oba Yozo. Son of Oba Oto and Miyura Kai. Miyura Kai couldn't have a son because of her infertility until one day a miracle happened... Oba Yozo. Our savior. He wasn't just a kid, he couldn't have a normal life, he was, in fact, the only individual able to destroy the book and to protect the world from its power. He didn't discover immediately the given power of the Book, but once he did, he understood the deepest secrets of this world and to protect this Book, he accepted to sacrifice even himself. No one but him could destroy this Book'...
He continued to write the details of the birth and the story for a long time while everyone in the room widened their eyes.
Not Dazai, because he already knew, but even Ranpo hasn't seen that:
"You were created by The Book...?"
Dazai nods as they listened the details of the emptiness inside him
'the kid will be empty, the emptiest shell of the world, he'll turn himself into an apathetic being in order to be able to contain the pain of this cruel universe'
Ango makes a horrified expression:
"Why is he making you suffer that much through his writing? And most important: Oba Yozo?!""
At that Dazai answers with his usual playful demeanor:
" Oh why? Now a man can't even have his fun in writing his son's life?And yes, Oba Yozo was my name. ""
Everyone looks at Dazai displeased.
Chuuya snaps:
"What the heck is your problem? It's not normal. Your father is a sicko, how can he write something like that about his own son?!! And don't think to get away with the fake name thing! ""
Dazai's eyes are darker now:
"Chuuya, watch it. He didn't have much of a choice, he needed to do it to protect the Book"
Chuuya, though, didn't seem to like the sound of it, not even a lil bit.