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Title: It All Comes Down to Animals
Rating: PG
Prompt: “How far from animals are we really?” – John Roderick
Fandom/Series: NO.6
Word Count: 1863
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from the story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).
Summary:
Shion wasn’t innocent. He had taken away someone’s life to protect. Now, here he was again, holding a gun and killed for the exact same reason.
Because in the end, they're all animals trying to protect.
It All Comes Down to Animals
– “Listen to the wind roar as it blows across the endless fields of green plains, through the leaves and branches of all trees, sliding across the glass windows of houses and buildings and up the walls of all six districts. Look up to the sky – stretching itself over all the lands and the seas, covering all the inhabitants of Earth gently like a blanket. How could it hold so much hope – the thought of someone you love living under the same sky, yet how could it hold so much power to be able to separate the people who loved, loves and will love.”
Shion picked up his pace when he realised sunlight had started to fade between the short houses outside the wall in the West Block. The whole sky was dyed orange, which wasn’t unusual for the last hours of sunlight before the stars appear. It also seemed like there was going to be another storm rolling in tonight by the looks of the grey mass of clouds behind him. Shion suddenly stopped to stand on top of one of the rocks between the Western District and the entrance of the city, turning his head to watch the sun go down. Then as soon as the last light hit the edge of the horizon, he turned and ran.
-
As he predicted, storm hit after the quiet dinner he had with his mother. They bid each other a good night and he retired back into his room. Each time a storm like this rolled in, he would secretly hope that Nezumi would appear on his balcony, like he had done in the beginning of time. Now he stood in front of the door to his balcony and pushed it open. He was hit by the rain roughly as soon as he stepped out, with the wind flicking and the trees swaying so hard it looks like it may snap. He closed the door behind him and walked further out. It wasn’t the same balcony he had years ago, but it felt the same.
He spread his arms out and closed his eyes. He remembered.
-
They say humans are advanced because they have the ability to decide what is right and what is wrong. They also say humans are better than animals because they have a brighter mind when it comes to morality and love. They say love is what makes us human.
But love is what drives us to hate. It is also what makes us commit all the crimes we consider cruel and unforgivable. People steal to keep their family and themselves alive. People kill to protect.
So here’s the problem. How far from animals are we really?
-
Shion loaded the pistol with a click, aimed and shot. It was quick, strong and precise, hitting the heart of the target – making it an almost painless death. He shot a few times again, each hitting near the first bullet hole. It had been hard for him to pick up a gun again to practice shooting after he had killed a man unintentionally in a rage. It was even harder for him to pull the trigger, knowing that he’s holding onto the same weapon that had caused Nezumi pain. But it was now necessary for all to be able to use one to defend themselves because they don’t want a repeat of what had happened with the government officials.
Shion stopped and lifted his earmuffs when he saw the people monitoring the training room give him a thumbs up. He gave them a smile and started to put all the equipment back where it was when he first came in the room. When he stood in front of the rack of weapons, his face became blank and with his gaze lingered on the guns, he placed the pistol back onto the table.
It reminded him too much of Nezumi taking the bullet for him.
-
It was a clear sunny day on Shion’s twentieth birthday. He woke up as usual, groaning as he turned off the alarm and nearly fell out of bed with his blankets tangled around his body. He had tiptoed barefoot to the bathroom, dreading and preparing himself as turned on the tap and splashed himself with cold water to wake himself up. He had stared at his unnatural white hair for a while, as he never got used to seeing himself like this, before he started brushing his teeth. Shion had also spent a few minutes standing half naked in front of his wardrobe, before he decided it was too warm for his coat. So he had picked out his normal white shirt and he pulled a brown sweater vest over it. Then he had breakfast with his mother as usual, making small conversations about the weather and news before he went to work.
It was a nice day for everyone until the rebels decided to attack the facility where Shion worked. Shion was working when the alarms went off and immediately people started to evacuate. He stayed to make sure everyone evacuated before him, calming the ones that were panicking and gave instructions to people. Police was to arrive soon and before that Shion had no doubt that the people from the lower levels are already captured, injured or killed. He was about to go down to the lower levels when he heard a voice from the door.
“Getting yourself into a dangerous situation again, your majesty?”
Here he was, leaning on the door frame, hands in his pockets and a teasing smirk on his face. His hair was shorter than the last time they had seen each other and he grew a little taller over the past four years, but he seemed the same. Shion stared at him like a deer caught in headlights, his shoulder quivering as he gave Nezumi a watery smile. Nezumi’s expression grew softer and he strode to close the gap between them two, smiling as he pulled Shion into his arms to form an embrace. He let go almost immediately and jerked his head towards the elevator.
“Come on, you have your people to save, and we both need to get out of here.”
Shion looked at him silently, eyes clear and determined. Then he nodded.
He liked the sound of ‘we’.
-
Whoever said history likes to repeat itself was right. They were faced by a rebel with a gun on one of the levels. The masked man pointed the gun at them, intending to shoot Shion, who was wearing a lab coat that indicated he worked here. Additionally, he was more famously known as the person who had overturned the previous government. Nezumi reacted fast and grabbed Shion’s hand, determined to become Shion’s human shield if the rebel actually did shoot.
Nezumi knew that he had lost when he realised he had something he wanted to protect. He had lost when he knew that he got used to the warmth next to him in bed four years ago and when his touch lingered longer than it should. He knew he had lost when he found himself looking for Shion in a crowd, when he wanted to kiss away Shion’s tears of pain.
He had wanted to protect Shion. That was the reason why he left. Yet it was the same reason why he came back – why he was here right now.
He wanted to protect Shion.
Three shots were fired before the rebel could pull the trigger and Nezumi watched the surprise on the rebel’s face as he fell to the ground, three bullet holes decorating his chest. He slowly turned his head, eyes widening when he realised what had happened. Shion was holding a gun in his hand, with his lips pursed tightly and his breathing audible within the huge halls of the building. Then as soon as Shion confirmed that the rebel was dead, he dropped the gun to the ground with a clank and started to fret over whether or not Nezumi was hurt during the process.
Shion didn’t like the startled look on Nezumi’s face – it almost seemed like Nezumi was having a hard time trying to determine whether or not the person in front of him is Shion anymore. Doubting whether he was the innocent, naïve, idealist he grew to know.
He was afraid. He was afraid that Nezumi would not accept him as who he became to be.
He looked down onto his tainted hands and faltered a little as Nezumi made no move of doing anything. He closed his eyes, trying to block out all of the disappointment and hurt harbouring around his chest.
He was met by surprise when a pair of warmer hands reached out to clasp his together. He blinked opened his eyes, a little taken back about the closeness of Nezumi’s face. Nezumi’s fond grey eyes looked directly into his, smiling a little at Shion’s sudden stillness. Nezumi brought both of Shion’s hands up to his face and brushed them with the softest of a kiss.
“Thank you,” He said, voice unwavering. “Shion.”
Shion almost cried.
-
Shion and Nezumi shared the same shock blanket that was distributed by the paramedics and police that had arrived shortly after the incident. They were handed a cup of hot chocolate after they had inspected and questioned them. Shion blew gently at the surface of the brown liquid as they sat in silence.
“Nezumi,” Shion started, after he had finished his hot chocolate. “I killed a person today.”
“I know.”
“I know the person I am shooting have a family and friends that care about them. I understand that they have a whole future in front of them – that they might have proposed to their girlfriend or boyfriend the other night and they’re planning their wedding. I know what it’s like to lose one of your best friends and it suddenly crashes down when you realise you won’t be able to talk to them again. I understand that feeling you will get when you realise your son will never grow old, will never out grow you and will never have their own children to raise. I know all this, yet I pulled the trigger.”
“It’s not your fault,” Nezumi said. “We’ll all selfish beings. They tend to say we’re better than animals, that we have a sense of morality. Love is what makes us human, but love is also what makes us animals.”
Nezumi brushed Shion’s hair to the side as he leaned to kiss his forehead. Shion closed his eyes at that gesture. He then opened his eyes and stared at the man who he had known as ‘Rat’ since the beginning. All those years of him living like an animal – like a rat and it was Shion, with his smiles and kindness that taught him how to be human. It was Shion in the beginning and it was Shion at the end. It was him all along.
Nezumi tugged Shion closer to him, burying his nose at the crook of Shion’s neck. He smiled as Shion hugged him back.
“In the end, we’re all animals trying to protect.”
Voting is now open. Please take the time to fill out the judging form HERE
Thanks.
Rating: PG
Prompt: “How far from animals are we really?” – John Roderick
Fandom/Series: NO.6
Word Count: 1863
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from the story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).
Summary:
Shion wasn’t innocent. He had taken away someone’s life to protect. Now, here he was again, holding a gun and killed for the exact same reason.
Because in the end, they're all animals trying to protect.
It All Comes Down to Animals
– “Listen to the wind roar as it blows across the endless fields of green plains, through the leaves and branches of all trees, sliding across the glass windows of houses and buildings and up the walls of all six districts. Look up to the sky – stretching itself over all the lands and the seas, covering all the inhabitants of Earth gently like a blanket. How could it hold so much hope – the thought of someone you love living under the same sky, yet how could it hold so much power to be able to separate the people who loved, loves and will love.”
Shion picked up his pace when he realised sunlight had started to fade between the short houses outside the wall in the West Block. The whole sky was dyed orange, which wasn’t unusual for the last hours of sunlight before the stars appear. It also seemed like there was going to be another storm rolling in tonight by the looks of the grey mass of clouds behind him. Shion suddenly stopped to stand on top of one of the rocks between the Western District and the entrance of the city, turning his head to watch the sun go down. Then as soon as the last light hit the edge of the horizon, he turned and ran.
-
As he predicted, storm hit after the quiet dinner he had with his mother. They bid each other a good night and he retired back into his room. Each time a storm like this rolled in, he would secretly hope that Nezumi would appear on his balcony, like he had done in the beginning of time. Now he stood in front of the door to his balcony and pushed it open. He was hit by the rain roughly as soon as he stepped out, with the wind flicking and the trees swaying so hard it looks like it may snap. He closed the door behind him and walked further out. It wasn’t the same balcony he had years ago, but it felt the same.
He spread his arms out and closed his eyes. He remembered.
-
They say humans are advanced because they have the ability to decide what is right and what is wrong. They also say humans are better than animals because they have a brighter mind when it comes to morality and love. They say love is what makes us human.
But love is what drives us to hate. It is also what makes us commit all the crimes we consider cruel and unforgivable. People steal to keep their family and themselves alive. People kill to protect.
So here’s the problem. How far from animals are we really?
-
Shion loaded the pistol with a click, aimed and shot. It was quick, strong and precise, hitting the heart of the target – making it an almost painless death. He shot a few times again, each hitting near the first bullet hole. It had been hard for him to pick up a gun again to practice shooting after he had killed a man unintentionally in a rage. It was even harder for him to pull the trigger, knowing that he’s holding onto the same weapon that had caused Nezumi pain. But it was now necessary for all to be able to use one to defend themselves because they don’t want a repeat of what had happened with the government officials.
Shion stopped and lifted his earmuffs when he saw the people monitoring the training room give him a thumbs up. He gave them a smile and started to put all the equipment back where it was when he first came in the room. When he stood in front of the rack of weapons, his face became blank and with his gaze lingered on the guns, he placed the pistol back onto the table.
It reminded him too much of Nezumi taking the bullet for him.
-
It was a clear sunny day on Shion’s twentieth birthday. He woke up as usual, groaning as he turned off the alarm and nearly fell out of bed with his blankets tangled around his body. He had tiptoed barefoot to the bathroom, dreading and preparing himself as turned on the tap and splashed himself with cold water to wake himself up. He had stared at his unnatural white hair for a while, as he never got used to seeing himself like this, before he started brushing his teeth. Shion had also spent a few minutes standing half naked in front of his wardrobe, before he decided it was too warm for his coat. So he had picked out his normal white shirt and he pulled a brown sweater vest over it. Then he had breakfast with his mother as usual, making small conversations about the weather and news before he went to work.
It was a nice day for everyone until the rebels decided to attack the facility where Shion worked. Shion was working when the alarms went off and immediately people started to evacuate. He stayed to make sure everyone evacuated before him, calming the ones that were panicking and gave instructions to people. Police was to arrive soon and before that Shion had no doubt that the people from the lower levels are already captured, injured or killed. He was about to go down to the lower levels when he heard a voice from the door.
“Getting yourself into a dangerous situation again, your majesty?”
Here he was, leaning on the door frame, hands in his pockets and a teasing smirk on his face. His hair was shorter than the last time they had seen each other and he grew a little taller over the past four years, but he seemed the same. Shion stared at him like a deer caught in headlights, his shoulder quivering as he gave Nezumi a watery smile. Nezumi’s expression grew softer and he strode to close the gap between them two, smiling as he pulled Shion into his arms to form an embrace. He let go almost immediately and jerked his head towards the elevator.
“Come on, you have your people to save, and we both need to get out of here.”
Shion looked at him silently, eyes clear and determined. Then he nodded.
He liked the sound of ‘we’.
-
Whoever said history likes to repeat itself was right. They were faced by a rebel with a gun on one of the levels. The masked man pointed the gun at them, intending to shoot Shion, who was wearing a lab coat that indicated he worked here. Additionally, he was more famously known as the person who had overturned the previous government. Nezumi reacted fast and grabbed Shion’s hand, determined to become Shion’s human shield if the rebel actually did shoot.
Nezumi knew that he had lost when he realised he had something he wanted to protect. He had lost when he knew that he got used to the warmth next to him in bed four years ago and when his touch lingered longer than it should. He knew he had lost when he found himself looking for Shion in a crowd, when he wanted to kiss away Shion’s tears of pain.
He had wanted to protect Shion. That was the reason why he left. Yet it was the same reason why he came back – why he was here right now.
He wanted to protect Shion.
Three shots were fired before the rebel could pull the trigger and Nezumi watched the surprise on the rebel’s face as he fell to the ground, three bullet holes decorating his chest. He slowly turned his head, eyes widening when he realised what had happened. Shion was holding a gun in his hand, with his lips pursed tightly and his breathing audible within the huge halls of the building. Then as soon as Shion confirmed that the rebel was dead, he dropped the gun to the ground with a clank and started to fret over whether or not Nezumi was hurt during the process.
Shion didn’t like the startled look on Nezumi’s face – it almost seemed like Nezumi was having a hard time trying to determine whether or not the person in front of him is Shion anymore. Doubting whether he was the innocent, naïve, idealist he grew to know.
He was afraid. He was afraid that Nezumi would not accept him as who he became to be.
He looked down onto his tainted hands and faltered a little as Nezumi made no move of doing anything. He closed his eyes, trying to block out all of the disappointment and hurt harbouring around his chest.
He was met by surprise when a pair of warmer hands reached out to clasp his together. He blinked opened his eyes, a little taken back about the closeness of Nezumi’s face. Nezumi’s fond grey eyes looked directly into his, smiling a little at Shion’s sudden stillness. Nezumi brought both of Shion’s hands up to his face and brushed them with the softest of a kiss.
“Thank you,” He said, voice unwavering. “Shion.”
Shion almost cried.
-
Shion and Nezumi shared the same shock blanket that was distributed by the paramedics and police that had arrived shortly after the incident. They were handed a cup of hot chocolate after they had inspected and questioned them. Shion blew gently at the surface of the brown liquid as they sat in silence.
“Nezumi,” Shion started, after he had finished his hot chocolate. “I killed a person today.”
“I know.”
“I know the person I am shooting have a family and friends that care about them. I understand that they have a whole future in front of them – that they might have proposed to their girlfriend or boyfriend the other night and they’re planning their wedding. I know what it’s like to lose one of your best friends and it suddenly crashes down when you realise you won’t be able to talk to them again. I understand that feeling you will get when you realise your son will never grow old, will never out grow you and will never have their own children to raise. I know all this, yet I pulled the trigger.”
“It’s not your fault,” Nezumi said. “We’ll all selfish beings. They tend to say we’re better than animals, that we have a sense of morality. Love is what makes us human, but love is also what makes us animals.”
Nezumi brushed Shion’s hair to the side as he leaned to kiss his forehead. Shion closed his eyes at that gesture. He then opened his eyes and stared at the man who he had known as ‘Rat’ since the beginning. All those years of him living like an animal – like a rat and it was Shion, with his smiles and kindness that taught him how to be human. It was Shion in the beginning and it was Shion at the end. It was him all along.
Nezumi tugged Shion closer to him, burying his nose at the crook of Shion’s neck. He smiled as Shion hugged him back.
“In the end, we’re all animals trying to protect.”
Voting is now open. Please take the time to fill out the judging form HERE
Thanks.