I somehow completely missed that there's been TWO new No. 6 light novels published last year and another one is on the way!! Celebrating with some nezushi art!!!
As promised, I will be writing up summaries of No.6 Reunion #2. This is a summary of the first half of chapter 1, including interior art. Any errors are my own. Part 2 coming soon. Spoilers in abundance—beware!
Chapter 1: What Takes Root Here
“[My sins,] they’re a-eatin’ on me,” said John.
- The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
Chapter 1 opens right where Volume 1 concluded. As Shion observes three separate fires from where he and Nezumi are running, he gets a call from Torey. Nezumi runs on ahead as Shion and Torey talk.
Torey informs Shion that there were multiple simultaneous explosions within the city of No.6 as well, though they don't have much information otherwise. Shion instructs Torey to convene the emergency response committee, and to put every effort towards suppressing the fires and delivering aid to the people in the affected areas.
The call ends, and Shion follows after Nezumi. He can hardly believe that he's chasing after Nezumi again, his heart filling with joy and excitement. He tries not to get caught up in his personal feelings in such tense circumstances, but he can't help it.
The two of them get closer to the scene of the fire, and to Shion's relief, he sees that Inukashi's hotel is unscathed. They find Inukashi, holding little Shion, standing as they face the flames. They comment that as long as the wind doesn't change direction, that they and the hotel will be safe.
What's burning is a collection of crowded little buildings and rambling alleyways known as the Anthill, home to many artisans and their workplaces.
Shion's narrative voice goes into an aside about how all sorts of diverse people live in the West Block—people of different ethnicity, languages, and religions. Those difference, however, had never sown division between West Block residents because everyone was always focused on the same goal of simple survival. While Shion had seen horrible things during his time there, he had never once felt a sense of social hierarchy based on status or place of origin. People didn't discriminate against others because they had no means or margin to do so. And yet, the West Block had always had a living vitality that No.6 had never had, as No.6 cut itself off from the world, divided its citizens by rank, and suppressed human individuality. Even now, the Anthill still had that old West Block vitality, and so produced beautiful, innovative works of craftsmanship. End aside.
Nezumi asks Shion why the fire department hasn't come yet, and Shion doesn't know. A group of men run past, asking the same kind of questions, and Shion tries to spring into action to organize an evacuation.
Nezumi stops him with a hand on his wrist, telling him it's not his cue yet. The fire department is on the way. Shion realizes that Nezumi is asking him to think critically about what it is he really needs to do in this situation. The answer is that he needs to return to City Hall and lead the emergency response committee. Even so, he can't bring himself to move.
His eyes meet Nezumi's, and Shion realizes he had been looking down. Wordlessly, he returns Nezumi's hair tie, and then he hears the screech of brakes—Rikiga is here in a white four wheel drive vehicle. This is the first time Nezumi and Rikiga have seen each other since Nezumi's return, and Rikiga is agog. He insinuates that maybe it was Nezumi who started the fires, and Inukashi goes along with it, asking Nezumi directly if he's involved. Nezumi ignores the question, and Shion comes to his defense. Shion knows for certain that Nezumi coming back isn't what caused what's going on. He also knows that this is only the beginning.
Shion asks Rikiga to take him to City Hall, but before he goes, he asks Inukashi to look into the situation for him—not the hard numbers and data that the fire department, which is run by the Security Bureau, can find out, but the kind of human investigating that only Inukashi can do. Shion wants to know the needs and wants of the people affected by the fires. Inukashi is extremely hesitant at first due to the potential risk, and doesn't want to spy on people like the old No.6 did, but Shion explains that that's not what he's asking. He just wants to know the truth of what happened. How were the victims reacting to the fire? What were their immediate needs? What were their feelings about the situation?
Inukashi agrees to take on Shion's request, and they and Shion haggle on the fee. Shion then turns to Nezumi and says that he also needs to hear his story. Nezumi agrees, and says that he won't run away, not after having come this far.
In his heart, Shion isn't so sure. In his mind, he compares Nezumi to a fickle breeze, blowing in suddenly one moment and then already far away the next. What a cruel, capricious wind you are, he thinks, tempting with a delicately sweet scent, but then freezing me to my bones. Nezumi, I wonder if you realize just how cruel a being you are.
Inukashi asks Shion to drop off little Shion with Karan, and Rikiga offers to stay at Karan's with him, but Inukashi waves him off, not trusting his ulterior motives. Little Shion refuses to leave Inukashi, feeling safest with his Mama, asking Inukashi to always hold him tight.
Shion's internal narrative goes into another aside about how children in the West Block were so used to being unloved and living in a dog-eat-dog world that they never made demands of affection to their parents. He recalls that Nezumi had once said that adults fought back against their circumstances, but children, not strong enough to survive, simply accepted the fate of death that awaited them. He knows, though, that the West Block of the present is different, having witnessed children playing instead of fighting, and receiving love from their parents. They no longer feared death, and could even dream about the future. Shion had vowed to protect this new reality.
Even so, he feels terror coming from little Shion, and wonders what it is he fears.
In the end, Rikiga and Shion drive back to the city, and Nezumi, Inukashi, and little Shion stay behind in the West Block.
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