Nezumi (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jelliclerats) wrote2037-10-24 08:54 pm
jelliclerats) wrote2037-10-24 08:54 pm
history/sypnosis
Notes
◦ I'll be defaulting to manga canon. However, when there's no contradiction, I'll be using the novel to fill in the blanks.
◦ Headcanon will be limited, but for the sake of understanding, I will add events and thoughts that canon suggests that I believe would shape Nezumi.
【Please read so as to be warned. There will be no more warnings past this point. Nezumi's history is littered with sexual harassment, attempted rape, sexualization of a minor, and propositioning of a minor. It's also possible, and even likely, that some attacks may have been successful considering he was in this world alone at the age of 12. His history also includes the genocide of an entire tribe of people.
The Western District itself is full of very triggering themes. This includes the death of children, food scarcity/starvation, poverty to the degree of death, dead bodies in the street, murder, and sexual violence. It is a place without law and full of desperate people.
Please note that Nezumi won't speak about his own past, but he will bring up the Western District at times. I can avoid it to a degree, but if your character is spoiled or insists on the good in the world, it's very difficult to avoid the topics and remain IC. Please feel free to opt-out at any time. I won't take offense and will happily plan a thread with someone else if you're interested. 】
History
At the young age of five, Nezumi lost his entire world. The peaceful life he had living amongst his people, the Forest People, was disrupted when the village was attacked, and everyone was killed save for Nezumi. Wanting their resource and control of Elyurias, No. 6 (a city still in its infancy at that time) burnt the village and its inhabitants. Nezumi was rescued by an elderly woman and taken to ‘safety’, a loose term considering the quality of life maintained after the attack.
The world of No. 6 is filled with the haves and the have-nots, but there’s a lot easier way to tell the difference: those within the large, circular walls are given what they believe to be the perfect lives while those outside wait for death. The Western District, Nezumi’s new home, is full of poverty, crime, and death. It’s not uncommon for people to starve to death, and the threat of assault is ever-present. Trust becomes a luxury that Nezumi can ill-afford as he hardens into a survivor.
Meanwhile, his rescuer is instilling the same hate she feels for No. 6 into his heart. Per her guidance, he should never cry, never even sign, because any show of weakness would be his downfall. With Nezumi at her side, she attempts and fails to assassinate the mayor of the city and is killed. Nezumi is then sent to the Correctional Facility, which is actually another form of death sentence considering the conditions inside. Having already adapted into the resourceful kid he is, he manages to find tunnels which lead to a group of people who manage to live and ‘thrive’ within the facility, bleak and depressing as it may be.
Two years later, with Nezumi now being twelve, one of the inhabitants helped Nezumi create an escape plan, which he soon enacted. While he does manage to free himself, he’s shot in the process, and the bullet was coated with an agent that assures the blood doesn’t clot; Nezumi is still inside of the city and bleeding out. Desperate, he ran through the night and made his way to Chronos, the heavens crying and the thunder clapping, the storm pouring down. Somehow, through some miracle, he heard yelling and with it, salvation. His angel in disguise was none other than Shion, another child who decided the storm would be the perfect outlet for expression. Born and raised in No. 6, Shion was on the fast track to success due to his intelligence, and it seemed like he would have the perfect life the city promised.
And then, he didn’t lock his balcony door. Enter a cold, wet, and bleeding Nezumi. Immediately, the two displayed two conflicting personalities that nonetheless fascinate the other. Shion was trusting and eager to help, but he didn’t seem fearful, as Nezumi assumed he should be. In turn, Shion was amazed by the wild, controlled energy Nezumi exuded, something so different than anything he’d seen within the city. Despite no actual credentials, Shion patched Nezumi’s wound, gave him food, and allowed him to sleep in the bed. The next morning, Nezumi left and returned to the Western District, now alone.
His life continued to be as one would imagine. To survive, Nezumi learned to fight, he honed his instincts, and he became quick on his feet. There was no shame in running when fighting would only result in losing. He returned to the small, underground bunker that was his home and created Eve: an actress who starred in the local theatre. It required him to wear a dress and wig, but it also allowed him to use another weapon: sexuality and sensuality, traits he used even when dressed as himself. He also took side jobs – which included sending people/animals away with a song, which seemed to have calming properties – which enabled him to save up a bit of money.
Even while he seemed to conquer life in the Western District, he couldn’t forget Shion. Sending his rats – robotic and real – into the city, Nezumi kept an eye on Shion, who was stripped of his privileges for housing a fugitive. One day, his animals reported that Shion had accidentally seen one of No. 6’s secrets (an insect that attacked and aged the body, a weapon related to the same god they attempted to control). He knew that meant Shion would be slated for experimentation/execution.
Canon
◦ A Whole New World
As punishment for aiding Nezumi, Shion loses his life of luxury and is forced into what is considered an undesirable job. Here, he unintentionally witnesses the death of a man via the parasitic wasps the government has been trying to control to gain complete authority over the city. He's sentenced to execution but during transport, Nezumi uses a hijacked cleaning robot and faux threats to steal the car carrying him. After some difficulties, the two manage to escape the city via the sewers and arrive at the Western District. During this escape, Nezumi's efficiency is made very clear as he manages to remain one step ahead of the city even with its resources.
Nezumi's home is the equivalent of an underground bunker. The space is messy but full of books, a rarity as the city only uses ebooks. Even more rare is the subject of these books: plays, screenwrights, poetry, and other similar literature. Shion hadn't even heard of Shakespear. The two bicker with Nezumi harshly demanding that Shion forget about his life in No. 6 if he wants to live, but he concedes after Shion doesn't completely back down. However, almost immediately after arguing the idiocracy of caring for others, Nezumi notices dark spots beginning to spread on Shion - he's been infected by a wasp. When Shion screams in pain, Nezumi promises to fetch someone to help (something unusual for him as he'd have to let a stranger into his home), but because of what Shion had seen previously, he knows his time is too short and begs Nezumi to cut the insect out of him instead. As he begs for Shion to stay with him, Nezumi screams for him to remember the people he'd told him to forget, reminding him that he has reasons to live after all.
The operation is successful but results in some physical changes in Shion. As Shion heals, Nezumi admits to sending notes via mouse to his mother to give news of his safety ('brown news of safety, black news of danger') and receives a reply that contains an unfamiliar address.
The next day, Shion gets his first view of the city. Here, he sees several near-murders, gets propositioned, and nearly gets assaulted. Nezumi seemingly disappears, but he would step in when absolutely needed while staying hidden even during dangerous situations if he thought Shion could handle it. Finally, they reach their goal: an abandoned hotel that's been taken over by Inukashi, the dog keeper and Nezumi's acquaintance. Inukashi has been tasked with finding the address revealed in the note.
This leads him to Rikiga, an ex-reported who was in love with Shion's mom decades earlier, when travel into the city wasn't restricted. Now, he sells a porno magazine and serves as a pimp who sells women to officials inside of No. 6. While he was a fan of 'Eve' (Nezumi's stage name), he isn't impressed with his attitude but takes well to Shion because of his love of Karan, Shion's mother. However, when he suggests Nezumi works with him as a whore and implies he's certain Nezumi has sold himself before, Shion gets so angry that he attacks Rikiga. While Nezumi pulls him off and assures Shion he's no stranger to such treatment, he's shaken to find that Shion cares so much.
◦ Friends of the Past
Back at the bunker, the two begin to fight. Shion confesses that he's drawn to Nezumi and may even be in love with him, but Nezumi claims Shion is just unaware of the weight of those words. After being cruel, he then assures Shion he doesn't hate him, and immediately offers to send a letter to his mom. The return note states that Safu, Shion's long-time friend, has been captured. Knowing this means she's in the correctional facility and that the boy would want to rescue her, Nezumi keeps it a secret. However, he does show up to ask Inukashi for information. After another display of cruelty, he pays a gold coin with the promise of another after relieving he knows that Inukashi uses their dogs to scavage parts from within the city. While they reach an agreement, it isn't without a fight.
Later, Shion finds out that Safu is in the correctional facility and approaches Inukashi who, in turn, attacks Nezumi to remind him that he's human and capable of being killed. Back home, Shion kisses Nezumi and pretends it's a good night kiss, unaware that Nezumi knows Shion is about to run away to rescue Saya. When he tries to sneak out the next morning, Nezumi follows and confronts him. The two get into a physical altercation, but after seeing that Nezumi has been working on information, the two make up and return home. Soon, Rikiga gets involved as well. The four manage to get information regarding the facility and the 'manhunt', an event in which the city captures and kills a lot of people within the Western District to control its population.
◦ A Sure Death
As planned, when the manhunt occurs, Nezumi and Shion are captured and transported to what's intended to be their deaths. On the way, in a rare show of kindness, he sings a song for the other prisoners to calm their nerves. Inside the correctional facility, everybody is thrown into a large hole; those who are thrown first die from the height whereas the bodies begin to pile up after. Nezumi manages to help Shion stand and shield himself after they land. Eventually, they meet Sanri, a man from Nezumi's past. He attacks them and, weakened from the plan, Nezumi is losing the fight when Shion jumps in and nearly kills their attacker. Terrified of the change in Shion, Nezumi begs him to never become someone so cruel. When things settle, they're shown to Rou, the man who rules the group of people living in the caves.
The past is revealed. Rou admits his role in developing the city and the Mao massacre. Here, Nezumi also reveals his scars, and Elyurias name is mentioned. However, it's a name given to her not by Nezumi's people but No. 6, and at the time, Nezumi isn't even familiar with her existence.
They finally make it inside the facility proper. While they do run into the guards. some parts of the security system don't activate as they should, leading Shion to believe something is helping them. However, one of the run-ins leads to Nezumi being shot, and Shion taking another life. Scarred by his ability to kill someone, Shion is about to kill himself before Nezumi stops him. Crying, he begs Shion to bear the burden and understand that he did what he had to do though inwardly, he hates himself for putting Shion in such a position. It's only once they gather themselves that they finally find Safu, but the girl is acting oddly. Once they're led to the motherboard, it's discovered that Safu's body no longer exists and instead, she's projecting herself one last time to say goodbye to Shion, thanks to the motherboard's power. Because she's now become part of the Mother, destroying it will also 'kill' what remains of Safu, but she begs them to do so to end her suffering. Despite this, Shion is so broken by her destruction that he accuses Nezumi of using them. Distracted by their fight, Nezumi is shot yet again. This time, he falls unconscious.
Shion memorized the map beforehand so he can find a nearby medical room and temporarily patch Nezumi's wounds. From there, he drags the two of them to a nearby garbage shoot. Inukashi and Rikiga are waiting for them at the bottom. Shion convinces them to drive him to a nearby doctor's office. Though it's in the city, the doctor is a frequent customer to the bakery so Shion has a reason to believe he'll be of help. Upon their arrival, Nezumi is taken into emergency surgery. While resting, he suddenly wakes up and tells them to turn off the lights. The doctor had secretly been urging the people of the city to revolt as a result, guards have come to kill him.
The group escapes. While Nezumi was resting, Shion looked into the USB stick given to him by Rou and found that only Nezumi could stop Elyurias now. Their next destination is the mayor's office. Due to the awakening of so many parasitic wasps, a lot of people are dying and the citizens are in turmoil. This allows them to make it to the mayor's office and reason with him. It's here that Nezumi convinces Elyurias to give the city another chance. She agrees, and the day is saved.
◦ Reunuin Will Come
Nezumi and Shion return to Shion's home where they're instantly embraced by Karan. However, after healing, Nezumi decides he should leave; he's a wanderer, Shion is meant to put down roots. However, with a kiss, he promises that reunion will one day come.
The novel shows us that while Shion is rebuilding the city, Nezumi is exploring the wilderness. Ironically, he runs into Shion's dad. He's being chased by a group of men he cheated, and while Nezumi plans to leave him to face the consequences of his actions, hearing him use the fake name of 'Shion' turns Nezumi to his side. When the men reveal their intent to enjoy Nezumi before selling him out, a fight commences with Nezumi as the victor. In the end, Shion's dad leaves.
◦ I'll be defaulting to manga canon. However, when there's no contradiction, I'll be using the novel to fill in the blanks.
◦ Headcanon will be limited, but for the sake of understanding, I will add events and thoughts that canon suggests that I believe would shape Nezumi.
【Please read so as to be warned. There will be no more warnings past this point. Nezumi's history is littered with sexual harassment, attempted rape, sexualization of a minor, and propositioning of a minor. It's also possible, and even likely, that some attacks may have been successful considering he was in this world alone at the age of 12. His history also includes the genocide of an entire tribe of people.
The Western District itself is full of very triggering themes. This includes the death of children, food scarcity/starvation, poverty to the degree of death, dead bodies in the street, murder, and sexual violence. It is a place without law and full of desperate people.
Please note that Nezumi won't speak about his own past, but he will bring up the Western District at times. I can avoid it to a degree, but if your character is spoiled or insists on the good in the world, it's very difficult to avoid the topics and remain IC. Please feel free to opt-out at any time. I won't take offense and will happily plan a thread with someone else if you're interested. 】
At the young age of five, Nezumi lost his entire world. The peaceful life he had living amongst his people, the Forest People, was disrupted when the village was attacked, and everyone was killed save for Nezumi. Wanting their resource and control of Elyurias, No. 6 (a city still in its infancy at that time) burnt the village and its inhabitants. Nezumi was rescued by an elderly woman and taken to ‘safety’, a loose term considering the quality of life maintained after the attack.
The world of No. 6 is filled with the haves and the have-nots, but there’s a lot easier way to tell the difference: those within the large, circular walls are given what they believe to be the perfect lives while those outside wait for death. The Western District, Nezumi’s new home, is full of poverty, crime, and death. It’s not uncommon for people to starve to death, and the threat of assault is ever-present. Trust becomes a luxury that Nezumi can ill-afford as he hardens into a survivor.
Meanwhile, his rescuer is instilling the same hate she feels for No. 6 into his heart. Per her guidance, he should never cry, never even sign, because any show of weakness would be his downfall. With Nezumi at her side, she attempts and fails to assassinate the mayor of the city and is killed. Nezumi is then sent to the Correctional Facility, which is actually another form of death sentence considering the conditions inside. Having already adapted into the resourceful kid he is, he manages to find tunnels which lead to a group of people who manage to live and ‘thrive’ within the facility, bleak and depressing as it may be.
Two years later, with Nezumi now being twelve, one of the inhabitants helped Nezumi create an escape plan, which he soon enacted. While he does manage to free himself, he’s shot in the process, and the bullet was coated with an agent that assures the blood doesn’t clot; Nezumi is still inside of the city and bleeding out. Desperate, he ran through the night and made his way to Chronos, the heavens crying and the thunder clapping, the storm pouring down. Somehow, through some miracle, he heard yelling and with it, salvation. His angel in disguise was none other than Shion, another child who decided the storm would be the perfect outlet for expression. Born and raised in No. 6, Shion was on the fast track to success due to his intelligence, and it seemed like he would have the perfect life the city promised.
And then, he didn’t lock his balcony door. Enter a cold, wet, and bleeding Nezumi. Immediately, the two displayed two conflicting personalities that nonetheless fascinate the other. Shion was trusting and eager to help, but he didn’t seem fearful, as Nezumi assumed he should be. In turn, Shion was amazed by the wild, controlled energy Nezumi exuded, something so different than anything he’d seen within the city. Despite no actual credentials, Shion patched Nezumi’s wound, gave him food, and allowed him to sleep in the bed. The next morning, Nezumi left and returned to the Western District, now alone.
His life continued to be as one would imagine. To survive, Nezumi learned to fight, he honed his instincts, and he became quick on his feet. There was no shame in running when fighting would only result in losing. He returned to the small, underground bunker that was his home and created Eve: an actress who starred in the local theatre. It required him to wear a dress and wig, but it also allowed him to use another weapon: sexuality and sensuality, traits he used even when dressed as himself. He also took side jobs – which included sending people/animals away with a song, which seemed to have calming properties – which enabled him to save up a bit of money.
Even while he seemed to conquer life in the Western District, he couldn’t forget Shion. Sending his rats – robotic and real – into the city, Nezumi kept an eye on Shion, who was stripped of his privileges for housing a fugitive. One day, his animals reported that Shion had accidentally seen one of No. 6’s secrets (an insect that attacked and aged the body, a weapon related to the same god they attempted to control). He knew that meant Shion would be slated for experimentation/execution.
◦ A Whole New World
As punishment for aiding Nezumi, Shion loses his life of luxury and is forced into what is considered an undesirable job. Here, he unintentionally witnesses the death of a man via the parasitic wasps the government has been trying to control to gain complete authority over the city. He's sentenced to execution but during transport, Nezumi uses a hijacked cleaning robot and faux threats to steal the car carrying him. After some difficulties, the two manage to escape the city via the sewers and arrive at the Western District. During this escape, Nezumi's efficiency is made very clear as he manages to remain one step ahead of the city even with its resources.
Nezumi's home is the equivalent of an underground bunker. The space is messy but full of books, a rarity as the city only uses ebooks. Even more rare is the subject of these books: plays, screenwrights, poetry, and other similar literature. Shion hadn't even heard of Shakespear. The two bicker with Nezumi harshly demanding that Shion forget about his life in No. 6 if he wants to live, but he concedes after Shion doesn't completely back down. However, almost immediately after arguing the idiocracy of caring for others, Nezumi notices dark spots beginning to spread on Shion - he's been infected by a wasp. When Shion screams in pain, Nezumi promises to fetch someone to help (something unusual for him as he'd have to let a stranger into his home), but because of what Shion had seen previously, he knows his time is too short and begs Nezumi to cut the insect out of him instead. As he begs for Shion to stay with him, Nezumi screams for him to remember the people he'd told him to forget, reminding him that he has reasons to live after all.
The operation is successful but results in some physical changes in Shion. As Shion heals, Nezumi admits to sending notes via mouse to his mother to give news of his safety ('brown news of safety, black news of danger') and receives a reply that contains an unfamiliar address.
The next day, Shion gets his first view of the city. Here, he sees several near-murders, gets propositioned, and nearly gets assaulted. Nezumi seemingly disappears, but he would step in when absolutely needed while staying hidden even during dangerous situations if he thought Shion could handle it. Finally, they reach their goal: an abandoned hotel that's been taken over by Inukashi, the dog keeper and Nezumi's acquaintance. Inukashi has been tasked with finding the address revealed in the note.
This leads him to Rikiga, an ex-reported who was in love with Shion's mom decades earlier, when travel into the city wasn't restricted. Now, he sells a porno magazine and serves as a pimp who sells women to officials inside of No. 6. While he was a fan of 'Eve' (Nezumi's stage name), he isn't impressed with his attitude but takes well to Shion because of his love of Karan, Shion's mother. However, when he suggests Nezumi works with him as a whore and implies he's certain Nezumi has sold himself before, Shion gets so angry that he attacks Rikiga. While Nezumi pulls him off and assures Shion he's no stranger to such treatment, he's shaken to find that Shion cares so much.
◦ Friends of the Past
Back at the bunker, the two begin to fight. Shion confesses that he's drawn to Nezumi and may even be in love with him, but Nezumi claims Shion is just unaware of the weight of those words. After being cruel, he then assures Shion he doesn't hate him, and immediately offers to send a letter to his mom. The return note states that Safu, Shion's long-time friend, has been captured. Knowing this means she's in the correctional facility and that the boy would want to rescue her, Nezumi keeps it a secret. However, he does show up to ask Inukashi for information. After another display of cruelty, he pays a gold coin with the promise of another after relieving he knows that Inukashi uses their dogs to scavage parts from within the city. While they reach an agreement, it isn't without a fight.
Later, Shion finds out that Safu is in the correctional facility and approaches Inukashi who, in turn, attacks Nezumi to remind him that he's human and capable of being killed. Back home, Shion kisses Nezumi and pretends it's a good night kiss, unaware that Nezumi knows Shion is about to run away to rescue Saya. When he tries to sneak out the next morning, Nezumi follows and confronts him. The two get into a physical altercation, but after seeing that Nezumi has been working on information, the two make up and return home. Soon, Rikiga gets involved as well. The four manage to get information regarding the facility and the 'manhunt', an event in which the city captures and kills a lot of people within the Western District to control its population.
◦ A Sure Death
As planned, when the manhunt occurs, Nezumi and Shion are captured and transported to what's intended to be their deaths. On the way, in a rare show of kindness, he sings a song for the other prisoners to calm their nerves. Inside the correctional facility, everybody is thrown into a large hole; those who are thrown first die from the height whereas the bodies begin to pile up after. Nezumi manages to help Shion stand and shield himself after they land. Eventually, they meet Sanri, a man from Nezumi's past. He attacks them and, weakened from the plan, Nezumi is losing the fight when Shion jumps in and nearly kills their attacker. Terrified of the change in Shion, Nezumi begs him to never become someone so cruel. When things settle, they're shown to Rou, the man who rules the group of people living in the caves.
The past is revealed. Rou admits his role in developing the city and the Mao massacre. Here, Nezumi also reveals his scars, and Elyurias name is mentioned. However, it's a name given to her not by Nezumi's people but No. 6, and at the time, Nezumi isn't even familiar with her existence.
They finally make it inside the facility proper. While they do run into the guards. some parts of the security system don't activate as they should, leading Shion to believe something is helping them. However, one of the run-ins leads to Nezumi being shot, and Shion taking another life. Scarred by his ability to kill someone, Shion is about to kill himself before Nezumi stops him. Crying, he begs Shion to bear the burden and understand that he did what he had to do though inwardly, he hates himself for putting Shion in such a position. It's only once they gather themselves that they finally find Safu, but the girl is acting oddly. Once they're led to the motherboard, it's discovered that Safu's body no longer exists and instead, she's projecting herself one last time to say goodbye to Shion, thanks to the motherboard's power. Because she's now become part of the Mother, destroying it will also 'kill' what remains of Safu, but she begs them to do so to end her suffering. Despite this, Shion is so broken by her destruction that he accuses Nezumi of using them. Distracted by their fight, Nezumi is shot yet again. This time, he falls unconscious.
Shion memorized the map beforehand so he can find a nearby medical room and temporarily patch Nezumi's wounds. From there, he drags the two of them to a nearby garbage shoot. Inukashi and Rikiga are waiting for them at the bottom. Shion convinces them to drive him to a nearby doctor's office. Though it's in the city, the doctor is a frequent customer to the bakery so Shion has a reason to believe he'll be of help. Upon their arrival, Nezumi is taken into emergency surgery. While resting, he suddenly wakes up and tells them to turn off the lights. The doctor had secretly been urging the people of the city to revolt as a result, guards have come to kill him.
The group escapes. While Nezumi was resting, Shion looked into the USB stick given to him by Rou and found that only Nezumi could stop Elyurias now. Their next destination is the mayor's office. Due to the awakening of so many parasitic wasps, a lot of people are dying and the citizens are in turmoil. This allows them to make it to the mayor's office and reason with him. It's here that Nezumi convinces Elyurias to give the city another chance. She agrees, and the day is saved.
◦ Reunuin Will Come
Nezumi and Shion return to Shion's home where they're instantly embraced by Karan. However, after healing, Nezumi decides he should leave; he's a wanderer, Shion is meant to put down roots. However, with a kiss, he promises that reunion will one day come.
The novel shows us that while Shion is rebuilding the city, Nezumi is exploring the wilderness. Ironically, he runs into Shion's dad. He's being chased by a group of men he cheated, and while Nezumi plans to leave him to face the consequences of his actions, hearing him use the fake name of 'Shion' turns Nezumi to his side. When the men reveal their intent to enjoy Nezumi before selling him out, a fight commences with Nezumi as the victor. In the end, Shion's dad leaves.