Shit, guys, I thought I posted this like, weeks ago! Do me a favor and don't shoot me, and if you do be courteous and just come to my funeral.
New Beginnings
Summary: Nezumi's first job after the wall falls isn't anything like he expected.
Nezumi walks up to the site, grumbling under his breath about how he was crazy for taking this stupid job.
It is a good job for him, though. He's agile, and strong, and quick, and not just physically. Plus, he knows how the walls around Number 6 were faulted.
He is going to help rebuild the wall.
No, not the wall around Number 6, but a wall all around Number 6 and its surrounding areas, for safety purposes. After all, Numbers 1 through 5 have them, and Number Five's mayor recommended it. Number 5 is currently the most prosperous city, or so they say.
A tall man with brown hair, large brown eyes, tan skin, and, to Nezumi's annoyance, a lack of any sort of clothing on his upper body. He wears a simple pair of black shorts and sandals. He is clearly from Number six- his clothing looks less worn down than those of a West block citizen's, and you couldn't find those kinds of expensive sandals there. Nezumi narrows his eyes.
"Hey, are you the new guy?" The man's smile is really pissing him off. He's still not used to everyone's horribly bright demeanors, even two months after the wall fell. Of course there was a period almost like some sort of a depression, but to Nezumi's surprise it had ended quickly. Now that people are free of the repressive government, they seem less afraid of each other and less angry, and the Number 6 citizens seem to like learning what real life is like to Nezumi. He thinks this strange; didn't they like their lives before? Isn't that why they sat on their asses and chose to live in oblivion until now, when they can't anymore?
Nezumi sighs. Interacting. With people. This is going to be a long day.
"Yeah. Nezumi." He says gruffly. The man is definitely scrutinizing him when he says,
"Akio." He then frowns. "Nezumi. Like a rat?" Nezumi smirks.
"Yes. Exactly like a rat." Before Akio can respond, a chubby man that he unfortunately recognizes comes speeding toward them.
"Oh, hey boss." Akio says. "This is the new guy here."
"Oh, Eve, look who finally decided to show up?"
Rikiga.
No matter what, Nezumi will always hate the bastard.
"Well, I decided I could deign to be in your presence just this once." He snarks back. Wait.
"Boss?" He knows for a fact that Akio is working on the wall with him. Why else would he be here in this barren land so far from the city?
"Yup. You should be happy, Eve. I had Inukashi go out and recruit you." Stupid, conniving…
His only source of income is going to come from Rikiga. Great. Just great. He'd kill Inukashi for not telling him, he'd kill her. But he needs a job. "Maybe you shouldn't have quit your job, Eve."
This is some sort of karma, isn't it?
Rikiga hands them two shovels.
"Alright. Just dig straight, going East. Just a basic border."
"Wait, wait, wait." Nezumi snaps. "Where is everyone else? You need more than two people to build a wall. Has all the alcohol gone to your brain?" Rikiga gets closer than the boy would like and hisses,
"Age old joke, Eve, but now I can fire you for it." He walks off to do whatever the hell people in charge do after they're done bossing people around. Nezumi glares and spits in his direction. Akio's voice surprises him,
"You know him?" Nezumi scowls.
"Unfortunately."
They begin to dig in silence. It's hot out, and Nezumi is sweating in his thick layers. Akio eyes him, confused.
"Why don't you put on a tee-shirt? You look like you're going to pass out." Nezumi scowls, not even bothering to tell him he doesn't own a tee-shirt. Akio tries again to start conversation,
"Why did he call you Eve?"
Yes, if he is this friendly and hasn't heard of him he is most definitely from Number 6.
"None of your business." The silence that follows makes Nezumi squirm. He huffs. "I was an actor, alright? That was my stage name." Akio's still silent, and Nezumi hadn't realized how used to regular human interaction he had gotten with Shion around, and how desperate he is for it now.
"I performed Shakespeare. My favorite part to play was Ophelia, from Hamlet."
"Who's Shakespeare?" Nezumi glared at him irritably. This is why he doesn't talk to people except when absolutely necessary; they're idiots.
He throws his shovel on the ground and takes a deep breath. Akio stares at him.
"He took me by the wrist and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow," Akio's stare is still blank, but Nezumi keeps going.
"He falls to such perusal of my face
As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
He raised a sigh so-" He sighs exasperatedly when he again looks over at Akio. The man has furrowed his brows in confusion, his mouth open slightly at the outburst. To him, Nezumi thinks to himself, I might as well have been squeaking like Cravat. "That's Shakespeare. Hamlet." He spits at his companion. "It's one of his plays. You should..." He stops for a moment and picks up the godforsaken shovel. "You should read it."