#rikiga

[mystei]

No.6 fanart I drew for Beat of my Heart zine.

Preorders time is over but you can get pdfs and spare copies here

A3 Poster of this illustration is available in my shop.

[restructuralcommittee]

Happy Birthday, Shion! September 7, 2023

From Hinoki Kino's twitter

[no6secretsanta]

From: @poporamune

To: @darlie-charlie

[ascendedheavenly6]

Meta out of this Alice in Wonderland Scan No.6

Scan from @restructuralcommittee!!

All information and interpretations will be a synthesis between the No.6 Novel & Manga + This Alice in Wonderland Analysis from the Lewis Carroll version!

*This whole analysis was copy-pasted from my Discord*

Shion as the White Rabbit!!

HONESTLY, THIS IS A GOOD CHOICE NGL. I remember someone said Shion acts like a catalyst of the story, one way or another. You know now as I read the novel, Shion is the catalyst to the titular No.6 as he learns and relearns and then his background and experience mesh up to shift the direction of the setting. Shion’s curiosity and nervous demeanor of ‘down the rabbit hole’ is really like him too Also— on the website on Alice in Wonderland analysis stuff, they noted White Rabbit’s

The White Rabbit is nervous and always in a hurry. However, he is confident enough about himself to contradict the King of Hearts.

This is also fitting because Shion’s position later on (and even before) as a prestigious figure and highlights Shion’s personality as prestigious but not prideful, I think? Or is the exposure of being the ‘new person’ in Alice’s human world that made him weird at first glance…?

Nezumi as the Mad Hatter-

Technically this makes sense on multiple faces. One on the fictional effects of people, even though there’s actually not a lot of info about Mad Hatter as far as I know, he (or at least his archetype) remains quite popular, I think that’s also the influence that Nezumi has on reader: some sprinkle of mysterious and interesting narrative. Two is that in the original Alice in Wonderland, I just found out that Mad Hatter isn’t the original name - it’s only Hatter or some variation of that - which is kind of like Nezumi’s identity like ‘masking, unintentionally?’

But also here there’s a bit about Mad Hatter that on other opinions is that he keeps changing his personality, but his devotion and eccentricity remain true. I think this speaks to Nezumi a lot because he sticks to his promises no matter what, and his presence has kind of a charm - whether it’s in the theatrical dramatic sense or genuine - there is a presence of Nezumi that makes him consequently, quite lonely, or becomes more significant (Eve, VC, or his knife skills, or his high empathy) that it’s kind of ironic when it touches his survival instinct to stay low

ANOTHER THING IN THE ANALYSIS STATES THAT

He occasionally is very rude and provokes Alice during the tea party. When he is called upon by the Queen, he is very nervous and frightened

That kinda fits Nezumi because I think that in the end he is still human and he expresses his fear of Shion pretty often

That kinda fits Nezumi because I think that in the end he is still human and he expresses his fear of Shion pretty often

Also apparently Mad Hatter is a term to describe workers who were poisoned by Mercury exposure? I haven’t thought about how this fits it but uh - the more you know.

Inukashi as Cheshire Cat

Okay for one, that’s a very contrasting choice considering what Inukashi has attached themselves to, but also there isn’t a prominent dog-like character in Alice as far as I know.

But - the analysis website, states that Cheshire Cat actually listens to Alice’s concerns and guides her toward Wonderland itself. Cheshire Cat is mischievous, yet also a guidance is a guidance figure too - quite explicitly. This characterization is something that I think Inukashi also has because Inukashi, lovingly raised in a cruel environment, would still lend a hand and also express care like when they interrogated Nezumi or eventually wished Shion and Nezumi to be back safely Also as a guide - could be looking at Inukashi’s role in baby Shion’s life too?

But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat: we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’ How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice. You must be,’ said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.’ Alice didn’t think that proved it at all; however, she went on And how do you know that you’re mad?’ To begin with,’ said the Cat, a dog’s not mad. You grant that?’ I suppose so,’ said Alice. Well, then,’ the Cat went on, you see, a dog growls when it’s angry, and wags its tail when it’s pleased. Now I growl when I’m pleased, and wag my tail when I’m angry. Therefore I’m mad.'

(sorry for the sucky format-)

Simple arguments but remain credible because one is a resident of that unknown place is also very Inukashi…

I’m sorry Rikiga but idk what the hell are you and I don’t wanna analyze you cause uh

[mostdivorcedcharacterspoll]

Round 1, Bracket 12

[imsofrancey]

mentally i'm still stuck in no6 never actually recovered

[shi0n]

15 min break time. that was the best curtain drop ive ever seen. kuromyu has been my fave musical for the longest time but the no6 musical will be taking over as number one

[douwatahima]

just finished watching the no.6 musical and was not at all prepared for the post bow scene to make me cry so hard i had to go for a walk

[shion2nd]

about to go to this same cashier for like the 4th time today. once again buying 5 no.6 photocards

[undistortedworld]

SHES HERE

[nighttimeebony]

Every time I rewatch No. 6, I learn something new about the different ways that Nezushi subverts trope expectations, especially expectations established by poorly written same-gender romance stories in anime.

For example, I realized today that despite Nezumi being so closed-off and emotionally distant with Shion (at least in the beginning), Nezumi is actually way touchier than Shion is.

In episode 1, after he tackles Shion, he keeps ahold of Shion's wrist even after he's gotten off of him.

In episode 3, he keeps touching Shion's face.

In ep 4, he puts his arm around Shion while they're leaving Rikiga's place.

And later in the same episode, he puts Shion's hand on his heart.

In ep 6, Nezumi is the one who pulls Shion to dance with him.

Nezumi can barely go five minutes without touching Shion in episode 9.

Nezumi initiates their kiss in the last episode.

And then, of course, there's all the times he grabs Shion's shirt when he's trying to get Shion to listen to him (seriously, it happens like once an episode).

While Shion does endorse physical contact with Nezumi and never shies away from it, he's rarely ever the initiator. There's only a couple of times where Shion is the one initiating physical contact between them, and even those few times are vastly outweighed by the number of times Nezumi is the one to initiate physical touch.

TL;DR: Nezumi's love language is physical touch and I think we should talk about that more.

[harisutheforestprincess]

Just a reminder, Nezumi is highly intelligent, and I can tell that he made acquiring knowledge a coping mechanism when he faced the aftermath of survival.

It's so powerful because Nezumi lost all reference to what life was when his tribe was burnt to ashes, yet in his genes, the need for culture is deeply printed, and he believes Shion could survive if he holds to this same need.

He was a traveler before the idea was put in his head by the musicians passing by West Block. Nezumi knew there was so much more to life than guilt or sorrow because he had already experienced it. It was on his bone, part of his skin. Something that neither trauma nor fire could take from him.

Forgetfulness wasn't his excuse to give up. Nezumi kept on living because there was a lot to learn, a lot to explore, a lot to understand, and a lot to experience. He shouted inwardly and held to: Life has meaning because another world is yet to be met.

He wasn't terrified but eager to discover, grasp, and walk on it. Whatever that meant, since he didn't have any other sight than cruelty, betrayal, and death. He hoped on the different worlds he found casually in a book or maybe looking at a beautiful flower blooming between rocks.

Due to this hope and his soul's nature that can not be washed away, not even by the stains of blood, Nezumi could build his own collective from scratch. He has the brains, the values, and a broad understanding of the morality spectrum to set rules and, eventually, laws. But first, he needs to get out there and meet people akin to his intellectual thirst and art hunger, which confirms my personal view that Nezumi is a social butterfly!

He enjoyed his conversations with Shion because someone could finally meet him, talk back, challenge him, and add on. Constantly, continuously. No one ever did that for him—with him. His Gran and Godfather just kept on babbling about vindication and revenge, not giving him the opportunity to estate an opinion. He was meant to take vendetta on the world, and that was it.

Then, when he was alone with no one influencing his thoughts, he was in a terrible place. In a society like West Block, knowledge might be considered a threat since muscles and how to defend your territory and yourself is the only thing that matters.

If Nezumi had wanted to express himself intellectually, he would have been beaten to humiliate and degrade him. While these aspects are not detailed in the novels, I can confidently say that if Nezumi had wanted to express himself femininely, he would have been abused. Through Rikiga, we can see that despite the acknowledgment of talent in his work as Eve, he was mainly sexualized. Nezumi understood the powers of his looks and called his own legs money maker because sex is a big business in the town, and for sure, everything is done through the lenses of desperation. Nothing healthy about it or that you could take pride on.

Nezumi didn't have anyone to share his interests with, and even attempting to discover if someone did, risked his life. Not precisely by losing it but by going through hell repeatedly, which equals being broiled alive again. We see that the idea of suffering for Nezumi roots in that experience, and it's wise he doesn't want to get closer to it by any means.

Nezumi was closed off from Shion because he learned that keeping himself to himself was the way to survive. He isn't an edgy teenager who wants to be cool by being mysterious; he is afraid being open would wound him or, even worse, would worsen the scar on his back.

Again, here we are, with the fact that when Shion got closer, either with questions or intuition, Nezumi would be irritated to the point that he'd be violent because he was defending himself as he would on the streets. As he would need to do with West Block and No. 6 citizens because both parties have chased him down one way or another. With no breaks. Really.

Ever since the genocide happened, Nezumi's soul has been screaming to see another world. It's very well deserved. However, Shion alone wouldn't break the layer Nezumi has been protecting himself with. Nezumi needs to interact with other societies, different cultures, and new lifestyles.

Those other realities aren't the wall-less No. 6. West Block resulted from No. 6 as No. 6 resulted from West Block. Even when there was a wall between them, both places were constantly influencing each other as the government knew the existence of both, and trying to put a blindfold on No. 6 citizens and an iron wield on West Block's citizens had an impact on how everyone was treated. To avoid a society like West Block, there was genocide. Again, to avoid a society like West Block, there was censorship and brainwashing.

If Nezumi had stayed, he would have been terribly limited, and the concept of freedom would have morphed into a strange necessity to fit in to achieve happiness. To dismiss years of cultural development that could be happening in other cities. In Beyond, we can see that the earth is starting to heal since he bathes in a river in the wild, and not too long ago, No. 6 was still using West Block to dispose of their trash.

No. 6 is still a ignorant city, behind so many alternatives, repeating the same mistakes, and it will take years until it reaches a point where Nezumi can feel content. He has high standards and should search for them, so he can comfortably fit in because he is happy where he's at. It's a dichotomy, but a dichotomy, in this case, is healthy for Nezumi.

He's a rebel, and a rebel needs to have a sharp mind, and you can only have a sharp mind if you educate yourself. He understood this from a young age, and it was about time his heart had that so-needed revolution.

Get out of there and be damn happy under your own concept of happiness!

I am rooting for him and will always applaud his decision to leave.

[no6secretsanta]

A Very Merry New Year

From: @fairysdarkestnight

For: @mariaashby64

Happy holidays!

*

“Nezumi, what are you doing? You know that’s not where we put the champagne. You’re acting like this is the first year we’re hosting this party.”

The berated man rolled his eyes and held back the sarcastic retort that danced on the edge of his tongue. Why the hell would they not keep the champagne with the literal champagne fountain. 

Ding dong.

Nezumi swore under his breath and checked the grandfather clock, which hadn’t yet struck 7. She was always at least half an hour early, and while he appreciated that type of punctuality among his patrons, a small get together did not require people to be on time, much less half an hour early. Not that a small thing like etiquette or respect for others ever stopped Safu from doing what she wanted. On a normal day, Nezumi respected that part of her. But when he was helping host a party, well, sometimes he wished that Elyurias had restored her without that particular quirk.

As murmured greetings between the two old friends reached Nezumi’s ears, he took a deep breath and turned to welcome Safu. Before the woman had even taken off her gloves, Nezumi shoved the box of champagne bottles into her hands. “Here. Find a place for these.” 

A sly smile crossed her lips. “Funny. I would think you would know where these go already. This is what, the third year already that you and Shion are hosting? And they always go in the corner near the succulents.”

A glare, a sigh, and then a smile. “Lovely as always to see you Safu. I do hope you’ll forgive me. But now that you’re here, you can tell me all the things I’ve forgotten about hosting. In fact, I don’t think Shion even needs me here if you know exactly how he likes everything. So you can just take care of this and I’ll take a quick walk around the block. Might be back in an hour or two. It’s a rather large block after all.”

“Nezumi, if you walk out that door right now, I’m not letting you back in until next year.” 

“You’ve been making that joke for the last week. It’s not as much of a threat as you think it is. Besides, who else would you kiss at midnight, Your Majesty?”

* * *

The ticking of the clock seemed nonexistent as the party was in full swing. Rikiga was trying to convince Karan to let him become Shion’s stepfather, and Nezumi’s mice were chasing Inukashi’s dogs around the house. Even little Karan and Rico were taking turns reading from Hamlet, with Safu and Inukashi acting as their extras.

The planning and setup for Shion’s annual New Year’s Eve party was chaotic, and although Shion would work him to the bone, Nezumi found himself feeling content as the year drew to a close. Not that he would tell anyone that. He had an image to uphold, afterall. 

But seeing Shion laughing as he took the champagne from Rikiga’s hand reminded Nezumi of why he came back after all this time. Being able to travel and see the world and find the pieces of his culture that No.6 tried to take from him healed that part of him that he’d thought lost all those years ago. And there was a part of him that thought he would never come back, that he’d leave Shion as the one happy memory of No.6 and nothing more.

But no matter how far he wandered or the people he met, he never felt that home could be a person as much as he did during those few months in the West Block with Shion. And that feeling is what brought him back. And it was that feeling that kept him here year after year.

It wasn’t like him to be so sentimental. But when he saw Shion laughing and enjoying the time he spent with everyone… well no one would blame him if they knew.

When there was only five minutes until midnight, Shion made his way to the  front of the room, grabbing a glass of champagne on his way. 

“The last few years have been difficult, but we’ve made it through whether that was by reconnecting with old friends or by making new ones. We’ve learned what it really means to be human and that the thoughts and emotions that we thought lost to us were what saved us in the end. I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you, and everything that you’ve brought into my life. So tonight is about celebrating what has been and what will be. May this year be even better than the last, and may we bring just a little more joy into the world. Happy New Year!”

The clock struck midnight as Shion raised his glass in a toast. As everyone echoed the toast and drained their glasses, Nezumi made his way to Shion’s side. “Quite the speech Your Majesty. But there was one thing you missed.”

Shion’s brow furrowed. “But I spent hours thinking about that speech. I know I could’ve said a few more words, but I didn’t think I was missing anything significant. And the timing was impossible to get down.”

Nezumi smiled a little. “You’re still such an airhead. It’s New Year’s. What’s the most important thing for every person to usher in the new year with?”

WIthout waiting for a response, Nezumi leaned over and brushed his lips against Shion’s.

A kiss.

[ascendedheavenly6]

Using sort of canon + headcanons interpretation to put No.6 characters as books or written works format because I kind of have this thought??

Nezumi: a sealed away thick book in the darker side of the library that is blend in with other books that is difficult to see. Has a chain lock that wraps around the cover(?). Reference to his private personality, and an unexplainable past (maybe with incomplete contents in the book?) but also is preserved carefully. The cover of the book looks as if it was burnt, yet the pages survived.

Shion: a ‘book’, or what is remain of a book: turned out to be just an old hard cover with all the pages torn and scattered away on the floor. Reference to maybe Shion’s open, but kind of messy and dissonance personality, ‘right there but hard to piece together’. Even the pages content doesn’t come together than one previously thought.

Safu: more like a published first draft stack of research papers stapled together. The first draft is messy, but there’s the time and effort put into her work, and also the illustrations and proof to put her words with higher believability. Reference to Safu’s determination and insisting personality. The work itself is excellent, but the author remains anonymous.

Karan: like the PG version of the Gravity Falls Journal. Older book from experience and has many cute illustrations and words to detail her work and history, but there are also redacted illustrations and information almost hiding her past. One can tell that book must be a labor of love.

Inukashi: Children’s book manuscript with lots of bullet points and illustrations? Bullet points to encapsulate their quick nature to plan out, and simple illustrations from children’s book to put out their influence from kind caretakers in their lives. It’s like they’re retelling someone’s story.

Rikiga: An abandoned notebook as remnants of the history of being a journalist, but also becomes more and more corrupted as the pages progresses. Abandoning something like that is like trying to ignore it.

[pigeonsimba]

Omen on the Range

For @weiselzelle, mostly, but I tried to include as many No. 6 week prompts as reasonably possible xD

Shion did not like the look of the sky. A mile back everything had been fine, sunny, balmy weather, and Shion had dared to feel optimistic. Now hazy gray clouds had begun to drift above like tumbleweeds, dampening Shion’s good mood. Rikiga would have called the sudden change in weather a bad omen. But then, Rikiga thought everything was an omen of some sort. The Chronos townspeople were a superstitious lot. Shion’s mother had warned him about the small-minded nature of small towns when he had told her he planned to set up his practice there.

It feels like an omen, Shion thought to himself.

“But it should be fine! Right, Lili?” Shion leaned down to pat his horse’s neck.

Lili chuffed and picked up her pace. Shion chose to believe the sound was one of encouragement and that the low rumble in the distance was the crash of wagon wheels and nothing more ominous.

A raindrop smacked the brim of his hat. Shion clamped his teeth together and prayed. The gods didn’t listen, however, and another drop sunk into the fabric of his white shirt like a smear of grease. Then another drop, and another, and Shion sighed and slumped in the saddle.

I should have turned around when I had the chance. I could still turn around now….

But he could see the ranch already. It was a large sprawling property, with a barn, a stable, a small home, and rolling fenced-in fields. He didn’t see any animals outside—another bad omen—but the path up ahead was lined with vibrant daffodils, which Shion considered a good omen. His mother had always said daffodils represented new beginnings, and that was just what Shion needed.

By the time he had reached the entrance gate, the rain was a steady stream and had the makings of a real storm. He had to find shelter quickly or he wasn’t going to be at all presentable to the owner and that wouldn’t do. He had already been warned countless times that the man who owned this ranch was a savage, and a cutthroat, and an all-fired bastard, and if Shion was crazy enough to show up and try “peddling his horseshit” all he would get was a boot in the behind. But adversity had always lit a fire in Shion’s belly, so, naturally, since the townspeople seemed so certain this was a fool’s errand, Shion was determined to succeed. He had to look his best, talk his best, and come back triumphant.

This rain had complicated that plan quite a bit, though. Shion pushed Lili to a canter, heading toward what he thought was the stable. He knew it would be better manners to go to the house and introduce himself before barging onto a stranger’s property, but Lili became skittish in bad weather and he didn’t want to abandon her unprotected. There were a few trees huddled to the side of the building, which would make good shelter for them both while Shion collected himself and figured out what to do next.

Shion slid off his horse and gave her a soothing pat. The rain was crackling and constant as a waterfall now. Thunder and lightning were all that were needed to make this a proper storm, and Shion felt like they weren’t far off. He squinted through the deluge. The buttery yellow lights of the house wavered in the distance.

Shion did a quick inventory of his person. His shirtsleeves were thoroughly drenched. He was really glad of his vest over it, otherwise, he’d be introducing himself to the rancher in a translucent shirt and that was not an option. Even Shion wouldn’t take a business proposition seriously from a man in such a state.

Not an auspicious beginning, but that’s okay. I’m here already and he appears to be home, I might as well introduce myself.

Shion drew in a deep breath and stepped toward the house.

Something snagged the back of Shion’s collar and he skidded in the wet dirt. The next thing he knew, he was plastered against the side of the stable, staring into a pair of merciless silver eyes.

“You picked a terrible night to trespass,” the stranger said.

His voice sounded pleasant despite the sentiment. It made Shion feel like they were friends, sharing a joke. He almost smiled and gave a playful response—that is until he felt the cold caress of a blade against his throat.

“Care to explain what you’re doing on my property?” the man asked. His tone remained friendly and his eyes never left Shion’s. The man’s eyes were dark and bright at the same time, roiling and thundering like captured storms. Shion’s skin pricked with electricity.

The man had the prettiest face Shion had ever seen: heart-shaped with delicate features, but there was a hardness to its lines that kept the man from looking too feminine. His skin was tanned—nothing new since ranch hands spent their days in the sun—and beneath the man’s wide-brimmed hat, Shion saw he had long dark hair.

He smelled good too. Most ranchers and cowboys wore their clothes for days on end without changing or rinsing themselves. Shion nearly gagged at the scent of sweat and muck every time the Johnson brothers sidled up to him at the bar. But this man smelled like horses and petrichor, two scents Shion found particularly soothing.

Shion held his hands up and out to the sides. The universal sign of I mean no harm. “I’m not here to steal anything.”

“Great. What are you here for, then?”

The flat edge of the knife traced its way over Shion’s Adam’s apple and up the curve of his jaw. Shion hummed nervously and swallowed. It was hard to think with all the stimuli flooding his brain.

“You,” Shion managed.

The man’s expression darkened. The knife’s blade skimmed Shion’s skin, prickling like a thorn. A warm bead of blood slipped down the side of his neck. Shion gasped and hurried to explain himself.

“No, not you as in you! I mean, I’m here for the horses!”

“So you are here to steal my horses.”

“No! No, I mean I’m here to talk to you about the horses! I’m a veterinarian.”

Gods above! Why can’t I talk right? Shion squeezed his eyes shut in humiliation. I’m such an idiot.

Behind Shion’s lids, lightning flashed and thunder crashed hot on its heels. They were in a full-blown storm now.

The knife withdrew and Shion cracked open his eyes. The stranger scowled at him.

“A veterinarian.” The man said the word like it was a foul-smelling thing he was holding an arms-length away.

“Yes,” Shion mumbled. The man’s gaze raked over his person. Shion could only imagine what he was thinking about the sopping wet, muttering fool standing before him. This was definitely not going well. He should have turned around when the first raindrop hit him. Better yet, he should’ve listened to the townsfolk and stayed far away.

Enough with the muttering, Shion scolded himself. Business! You’re a businessman. This is not unsalvageable!

“I’m new to town,” Shion said, trying to inject some authority into his voice. “And I’m trying to establish myself with the locals. I heard you haven’t had a vet come down to check your horses in a while. I’m here to offer my services. For a free trial, since we don’t know each other that well. But I’m certain that you’ll be happy with my qualifications.”

Shion let out a satisfied breath. There! That’s how it’s done. Totally competent.

“Where’re your instruments?” the stranger asked.

“They're right here, on Lili.” Shion moved to grab them, but the suspicious glare of the rancher made him stay put and he gestured instead. The man glanced at the saddle bag.

“I don’t need your services. I care for my horses myself—and for good reason. They don’t take too kindly to strangers.”

“It’s commendable you take care of them on your own and haven’t needed to call to town for anything. But if you’ll excuse my… erm… directness. I am a trained professional, so…” Shion cleared his throat. “I’d like to get a baseline of the horses’ health in case one ever does need my help. I’m very good with animals; I haven’t met a horse that disliked me. I think you’ll be impressed if you’ll give me a chance.”

“That’d be a pretty big feat because I’m certainly not impressed with what I see now.”

Shion fidgeted. The moment stretched on, fraught with the hiss of rain and the crash of thunder. The man exhaled noisily through his nose.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh! Sorry, I’m Shion.”

The man clicked his tongue. “Well, Shion, bring your horse inside. She looks like she’s about to die of fright.” He turned and headed for the stable.

Shion smiled. He took Lili by the reins and coaxed her forward.

“Thank you,” Shion said when they were safely inside. The rush of rain was much quieter now, and Shion felt immediately comforted by the smell of hay and horses. “I didn’t get your name.”

“You didn’t, huh? I’d’ve thought the townsfolk would sling it around like a curse the moment you asked directions here.”

Shion thought a moment. “They mostly said, ‘that dirty cowboy.’ I might’ve heard some other descriptors, but… I don’t think they warrant sharing.” Shion shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

“I’ll bet. Nezumi,” he said and pointed to Shion’s left. “You can put your horse in that stall. There’s some feed in the corner if you need it. The rest of the horses are down there. Come when you’re ready, Mr. Trained Professional.”

Shion’s cheeks heated. Nezumi smirked and stalked away.

“He’s very intimidating,” Shion whispered to Lili. “I think I might have bitten off more than I can chew….” Lili grunted in evident agreement.

Shion made sure his horse was settled in comfortably, then grabbed his medical bag and crossed the stable.

Nezumi had taken his hat off and laid it aside on a stool. It was a handsome hat, black with little wear on it, and freshly cleaned from the rain. Even more handsome was its owner. Shion tried not to stare too much, but he couldn’t help a furtive glance at Nezumi’s hair. He had braided the wet strands over one shoulder and tied it off with his neckerchief.

Nezumi extended his hand toward the stalls. “Go ahead, work your magic.”

Shion counted three Quarter Horses. They stuck their heads out, snuffling quizzically. They must not have had many visitors. Unsurprising, given their owner’s misanthropy. However, they didn’t look unfriendly. Shion approached the bay first, talking calmly while he did to establish a rapport.

“Hello, beautiful. Hear all that rain outside? You’re lucky you’re in here where it’s safe and warm. I, unfortunately, haven’t been so lucky today.”

The horse tilted its head and eyed him, ears swiveling. Shion extended a hand slowly, giving it plenty of time to decide if it didn’t want him near, but it didn’t seem to mind. The horse gave his hand a few sniffs and lost interest when it realized he had no snacks. Shion gave its neck a pat.

“Seems plenty friendly to me,” Shion called to Nezumi.

“So it would seem,” Nezumi drawled. “The damned traitor.”

Shion laughed. “What’s this one’s name?”

“He doesn’t have a name.”

“Is he new?”

“No. The horses don’t have names. I don’t see the point.”

Shion half turned. “So you just say, ‘horse’ when you talk to them? How do you differentiate?”

Nezumi made a face. “It’s not like they’re identical. I just say, the black one, the bay, or the palomino.”

Shion frowned and petted the bay again. “Seems sad. Horses like to be named.”

“Is that what they teach you at horse school?”

“Every companionable creature likes to be named, whether they understand it or not. How would you feel if people went around calling you ‘that human’?”

Nezumi’s mouth curved upward. The sudden sharpness of it reminded Shion of a poised scorpion’s tail. “Better than ‘that savage’ or ‘Miss Nancy.’ Though I would feel best if people didn’t call me at all.”

A tendril of anger curled in Shion’s stomach. He knew that the townsfolk had plenty of lewd opinions on what cowboys got up to when they were far from civilization. Cowboys loved to wear flashy, bright clothes and made a spectacle of themselves wherever they went, so the rumor mill had plenty of ammunition to run on. He didn’t like the idea of the townsfolk making assumptions about Nezumi based on his profession and he especially didn’t like the insinuation that the townsfolk had been insulting Nezumi to the man’s face.

Nezumi was wearing an olive green shirt with a dark brown vest over top, and all the rest from his hat to his boots were black. There was nothing showy about his style of dress and nothing in his demeanor that suggested anything worse than grumpiness. He presented himself as respectably as any townsman. Just because he was pretty and happened to be a native cowboy, they thought it was grounds to degrade him.

Disgusting. Shion wished Nezumi would name names so he could give those good-for-nothings a piece of his mind.

“Well that’s a scary face,” Nezumi said, chuckling. “Easy there, doctor. I don’t need you storming Chronos in defense of my honor. I can take care of myself just as well as I take care of my horses. Speaking of, are you going to look at the horses or are you just here to talk my ear off?” 

Shion flattened his fisted hands over the damp fabric of his pant legs. “Right,” he muttered, trying to shake off the cloud of irritation. “Sorry.”

Shion drew the bay horse out under Nezumi’s watchful eye and listened to its heart, lungs, and gut, then moved on to the condition of the rest of its body.

“Very nice,” Shion announced when he had finished. “You have a very healthy bay horse.”

“I know that. As I told you, I care for them myself.”

“Yes, alright. I’ll be checking ‘the black one’ and ‘the palomino’ next.”

Nezumi crossed his arms. “Uh-huh. Very cute.”

Despite the dry tone, Shion thought he saw the edges of a smile forming on the man’s face. He couldn’t help but smile back. Nezumi’s eyes dropped to his mouth. Or so Shion thought.

The air in the stable suddenly felt very warm. Shion’s fingers itched to loosen his necktie, but he didn’t want to draw attention to himself.

“Your neck alright?”

“W-what?”

“Your neck. I nicked it outside, didn’t I?”

“Oh.” He had forgotten all about that. He felt the spot. “It’s alright. It’s already closed up.”

Nezumi stepped close and tugged one of the trailing ends of Shion’s necktie. The silky fabric unraveled and slithered away. Nezumi peered at the side of Shion’s exposed neck. For a moment, the roar of the rain pounding the roof was the only thing Shion could hear. Or was that the blood rushing in his ears?

“Hm,” hummed Nezumi. “Yeah, it’s as you say. All closed up.”

Nezumi had the longest, darkest lashes Shion had ever seen. Thick as a horse’s and probably just as soft.

“You can have this back whenever you’re done admiring me.” Nezumi stepped away and waggled the necktie in front of Shion’s face.

Shion snatched his necktie from Nezumi’s hand and strode to the black horse's stall to hide and catch his breath.

Was that flirting? Was he flirting with me? Or making fun of me? He wanted to look over his shoulder but he was afraid of what expression Nezumi would be wearing. If he were laughing at him Shion didn’t know if he could stand it. Better to not look. Shion furiously refastened his necktie. He thought he might’ve heard Nezumi chuckle.

Horses. Check the horses, panic later.

All horses were in good health, and all three were perfect angels the whole time he conducted his checks. Shion suspected Nezumi had been lying about their fractious nature, either to discourage him or test his determination.

“I will admit,” Shion said as he secured the stall door behind the palomino, “you do take exquisite care of your horses. But they still need to have their teeth examined at least yearly.  Especially the black one, since she’s younger. You don’t have to bring them to me, but bring them somewhere.”

Nezumi shrugged. “Alright.” He plopped his hat back on, then cocked his head to the side. “It’s stopped raining.”

Shion strained his ears. “Oh, yeah. Seems so.”

“And it’s gotten late. You should head out. The missus will be wondering where you are.”

“Hardly,” Shion laughed. “There’s no missus to speak of.”

Shion paused in the middle of stuffing his stethoscope back in his bag. Wait a minute…. He hazarded a look. Nezumi’s gaze was guileless, but… There was a definite atmosphere. Or was he just imagining it?

“It’s late just the same,” Nezumi said. “And it’s a long ride back. You better get going.”

Shion smiled feebly and closed his bag.

They walked out of the stable together, Shion leading Lili by the bridle. The horse was leery at first, but she perked up when she stepped out into a wet, but clear night.

“Well, um. It was nice to meet you.”

“Mm.”

Shion frowned and pretended to check the fastenings of Lili’s saddle. He wasn’t sure how to close this encounter. Nezumi hadn’t given him much to go off of. He didn’t say he would employ Shion as his vet and he kicked him out the moment he had the opportunity. Shion thought there was something to the flirtatious remarks, but maybe he was leaning a little too hopefully into the cowboy stereotype.

What a long night… Shion sighed and tilted his head skyward. The storm had wrung the clouds out to nothing; stars shone down from the inky blackness, free as fireflies. “Well, guess I’ll— Oh, look, Pegasus!”

“What?”

“Pegasus, the winged horse. It’s a constellation.” Shion pointed out the star formation, but Nezumi wasn’t seeing it. “I suppose it is a bit abstract,” Shion confessed. “You have to really use your imagination to see it.”

“Are you calling me unimaginative?”

“I didn’t say that. Though, I will say a truly imaginative person would have given their horses names.”

Nezumi snorted. “This again. You’re such a horse fanatic.”

“And you aren’t? You’re a cowboy!”

“Eh. It’s complicated.”

Nezumi’s eyes glowed like slivers of moonlight, but his gaze felt more scorching than the sun. Shion could have stood on that stable’s threshold and stared for hours.

“I’ll get going,” Shion said at last. He swung up into Lili’s saddle. “Perhaps I… Perhaps I could come by again this weekend?”

Nezumi’s brows furrowed beneath the brim of his hat. “What for? You said the horses are healthy.”

“They are. It wouldn’t be to see the horses.”

Nezumi considered him. Shion wasn’t sure what was going on in the man’s mind. He could guess—he hoped he had interpreted the man’s actions correctly—but Nezumi was slippery.

Well. In for a penny, in for a pound.

“I can’t really explain it well yet, but… I find myself drawn to you.”

Nezumi made a face, but he didn’t immediately say anything, so Shion took it as a good omen.

“I’ll be busy this weekend,” said Nezumi. “I don’t have time to stand around and listen to you.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“If you can run your horse as fast as you do your mouth, then come. But only as long as you can keep up.”

Warmth blossomed in Shion’s chest. He sat forward in his seat, but before he could respond, Nezumi set off toward his house, boots squelching in the mud.

[into-september]

and somehow the most urgent question I have is if Rikiga got a breakdance solo like Gumshoe in the Phoenix Wright one and Murata in the KKM one

The No.6 musical was fantastic. They left out a few scenes I’d really been looking forward to (no Eve, no dancing), but they kept in the kisses (and even though you can’t tell from the angle with this one, they were both real kisses), and everyone was absolutely on point with their characters.

For the curious, the ending was faithful to the novel; not the anime.

Going again tomorrow!