𝐜𝐰: 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥, 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑

he didn't sign up for this, but the design feels purposefully made to fuck you over. the stairs are a killer, but manjiro faces them, one step out of the other, like he hardly inhabits the body that ascends... one step-- two step-- so long, ground. not a part of him wishes to be here, he didn't-- want to see anyone, but this place loves to be contrary to his damn wishes.

he's both extremely anxious, and unfeeling at the same time. if this is where he has to be, then let's go.

𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰 - 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧? (𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬)

(a physical challenge of endurance. mikey is tiny, and he has always adored being so. the way he looks has always brought an extra layer of satisfaction, it's easy to dismiss him as a fighter, a gang leader, or the legendary 'invincible mikey' when he's smaller than his entire gang. this is not exactly a fight, it's a test of care, attention, mobility and flexibility. the room is dark, aside from the dim light that glows from the lines that span through the entire room, all different angles, distances - it's almost like a freaking laser room trap scene from a spy movie.

challenge is easy enough. 3 strikes, whoever makes it further wins.)

𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 (𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬)

(manjiro isn't even aware of what is wrong with him, but he knows just enough. this insatiable impulse to destroy whatever is in sight, stronger than himself, one that he tried to contain the most he could before he decided to not look back - to stop being so damn selfish and leave.

on the walls, several screens play events that have happened both in aldrip and tokyo, clear, large, surrounding sound, so each punch, rupture, breaking, tearing, is so audible that it hunts the ears even after it's done.

the first video is when mikey was a child, he couldn't have been over eight years old. he's outside the dojo, with his hands covered in blood, eyes vacant as they are now. on the floor, a boy with his mouth torn open on the sides. 'smile, haruchiyo'. and he does.

the day he nearly killed kazutora. he had planned for this, wanted this for so goddamn long, he would have-- the sounds of mikey's firsts against facial bones echo, and yet, all mikey does is watch.

the island, not too long after he arrived in aldrip. the mere thought of having lost takemichi driving him to almost go down with the island itself. it's his memory, almost as if it were from right behind his eyes, blurry, dark, and all he really saw was the creatures he was ripping apart with bare hands.

the bodies that have been floating on the deck up till now.

the scenes abruptly end, and the challenge is posed:

BE THE VOICE OF REASON.

(𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐬)

(it's a memory, this one. a hospital, and there's a woman who looks strikingly like mikey laying on the bed, the smell of chemicals assaulting one's nose. on the walls, pictures of a man whose face is a blank, alongside her, and the smile on her face is nearly palpable.

she's not going to address manjiro, though. she isn't really seeing him - but instead, her hand reaches for the challenger. will you hear what she has to say?

the challenge is hidden behind her, away from her eyes, and it says VULNERABILITY IS WEAKNESS. STRENGTH MEANS REAL LOVE. it's a debate - both manjiro and his mom on the affirmative, you, poor person, must discuss the fact this makes absolutely no sense. whoever makes the most compelling argument wins.)

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 (𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬)

(the simplest challenge. fight with your entire self, and stop before it's too late.

he's waiting. he's always going to be failing this one for sure, so. careful here.)

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞

(manjiro will be canon updated during the event, so he will lose this whole thing regardless. i don't mind losing or winning, we can flip for it!)