Meronpan Runaways

By Skywing Knights // January 11, 2024

-hides from Hikari who I know is having a conniption because I told her she couldn’t read this and I still haven’t updated “Defying Destiny”  so she doesn’t have anything new to read from me (I’M SORRY HUN!!!) and thus proceeds to cry in fear at her rage-

All of that above whimpering said though, I was threatened into posting this SO. Here we are, haha.

Regardless, hi! I’m about neck deep in love with the drama that revolves around the Todoroki family in My Hero Academia. Sooooo this is one of the fun (?) results. A short little one-shot fan fiction about our favorite icy-hot hero. And of course, his messed up family because I LIKE DRAMA AND ANGST. XD

Fair Warning: 

Major Spoilers for Chapter 290 in the Manga and Episode 124 of the Anime as well as discussion on mistreatment. You’ve been warned.

Read “Meronpan Runaways”

Crystal-like, sugar cookie dough over warm, sweet bread.

A comforting, yummy snack for any hungry runaway… even a nine year old Shoto Todoroki.

Until that is, it all has to come to an end.

Unless of course, another runaway has anything to say about it.

A One-Shot.

 

In all seriousness, this story took me back to some of the reasons I’ve loved writing “Defying Destiny” as I wrote incorporating a lot of nostalgic elements from my time living in Japan. (My love of Meronpan, or Melon-pan, might have made its way in there for example.) It was a little frustrating though, as honestly, I kept wanting to write the dialogue in Japanese. This was because the connotations of the Japanese terms I wanted to use were important. (I really do not envy those translating and writing for dubbing companies guys. They have tough jobs at times.) So ultimately, I came up with a method of writing everything I absolutely felt necessary to include in Japanese along with the English translations alongside it and then… Fanfiction.net took out my notes indicating the two separate languages and I was ready to scream. T_T

Once I fixed that though, I was rather happy to finally upload the finished story… (and hopefully it was still enjoyable, even with the phonetic Japanese and definitions/insights on specific Japanese terms at the top!).

The Writing Process

I wrote and re-wrote a bunch in this little short piece. I kept adding details, and I added an entire flashback to tie everything together a bit more nicely. Then I went back again and rewrote some of the flashback and added more depth to the main confrontation… it was a lot. I attribute a lot of that to my desire to really do the story justice though. Because when I write, and especially when I publish anything, I write so that if no one else would read the story, then I know that at least I would read it. This is also why I ultimately kept the Japanese terms and language as well. It painted a richer story to me, and that provides me at the very least with a more enjoyable read. Hopefully it does the same for you and others too!

The Complexities of the Todoroki Family

But of course, all of this was born out of the drama that lies within the Todoroki Family in My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi. (I wholeheartedly agree with Deku – Shoto could have been the main character of the series, haha.) However, I actually think the foresight of Horikoshi-sensei’s to place him as a supporting character actually brings more depth and gravity to the story as a whole. And all while not burdening down the protagonist too much with family trauma throughout the whole of the series. That doesn’t mean however that we can’t use fan fiction as a means to explore and dive into the depths of this family’s past more though, particularly that of Shoto, Endeavor, and Dabi. And while I love Shoto, trust me, I do, I REALLY have found I enjoy writing for the characters of Dabi and Endeavor.

(Speaking of Shoto though, yes, I posted this blog specifically on January 11th because it’s his birthday – Happy Birthday, Shoto!! <3 ^_^)

That said, I especially hope for those two characters that I managed to do them justice. Particularly as in this story, the situations shown in it would have still been a relatively new way for Dabi to interact with Endeavor, I hope that would have come across, while keeping his anger intact. And Endeavor… boy there’s just…. so, so many ways you can view and write this character. Not to mention, whether or not you think he’s redeemable at all plays a big role in how each reader/viewer may think of him.

Given what I’ve read and watched so far, I personally see him as an overall, very complex, flawed individual, but not one with any innately wicked desires, which is why the Todoroki family’s history is so very tragic. Considering the time frame that this story takes place in though, I aimed to write Endeavor as a parent with very clouded vision, unable to yet fully see how his actions have (and continue) to impact his family, thus still believing himself to be in the right regarding many of his choices.

If Healing Is Possible

Want me to write an entire essay on this man? Because I could, lol. I truly think he’s one of the most underrated characters in this series. Not because he’s an “upstanding guy”, because he’s not. But because he’s an individual who over the course of the story begins to recognize his past mistakes and wants to atone for them. But his mistakes… they’re not little and many may argue that there is no atonement for them. That’s absolutely a heavy subject, rich with deep amounts of complex relationships and time needed for any kind of healing to take place, if any at all.

Personally, I do think atonement is possible for him (and not because I’m a religious person). Rather, I think it’s possible because I’ve seen similar scenarios in my own life happen. While it would absolutely be a slow going process (rightly so), I do think dedicated individuals can ‘atone’ if they are truly sorrowful over their past actions and completely change. And I love that in “My Hero Academia”, Horikoshi-sensei is extremely aware of this and he even highlights the awkwardness of that healing process, particularly with Endeavor’s relationships with Rei, Natsuo, and Shoto. (I love how Shoto leaves his father on read. I die everytime at the humor, but also the serious truth in how that is how it would play out in this sort of scenario).

Ongoing Trauma

Of course however, healing can only happen once the party at fault actually recognizes it and makes the move to change. And in “Meronpan Runaways”, Endeavor’s vision is still muddied by a desire to surpass All Might. So while I do believe he cares about his children at this time, he doesn’t always think about their needs immediately, if at all, which is his downfall. This is why I would hope that in this story, Dabi is relatable, particularly to those who have been the victim of abuse. Seeing the person who antagonized you continuing on with their life as if nothing is wrong and having not changed, perhaps even continuing to abuse others you care or cared about, can be insanely aggravating. I would know. I’ve been there.

Film Writing Techniques and Account Updates

All of that is to say though, my goal in the many rewrites was to suggest many of these points and attributes, without actually outright making them explicit. One of the things I really love to challenge myself to do is a technique I learned about while majoring in Film. That was, to tell a story without always using words to hammer the point home. Instead, write to imply, write to let actions speak louder than words. And in the case of writing not for the screen, I include unfinished thoughts in that camp as well.

Speaking of writing though (like I haven’t enough already)! I might have finally made both a Wattpad and an Archive of Our Own (AO3) set of accounts for Rena Redhead! “Meronpan Runaways” is not yet on either account yet though. I intend to upload my… ugh…. old stuff first so it’s all in order. (Guys, the horror of going through your old art/writing is real). But it will be up there eventually. I just have… 37 stories to get through though first (goal is to upload 1 a week minimum in order).

For now though, please feel free to follow me on there as well, linked below!

 

Rena Redhead on Archive of Our Own (AO3)

Rena Redhead on Wattpad

 

Till next time, I hope you enjoy/enjoyed “Meronpan Runaways”! (Especially since I love Meronpan and there will definitely be more Todoroki Family Fan Fics posted coming soon if my friends have anything to say about it).

Later,

~Skywing / Rena

PS. Btw, it’s my sister’s birthday. She’s not into MHA, so she probably won’t see this. But regardless, Happy Birthday Sis! Sending much love your way! <3