Last time we ended in Inukashi’s hotel where Nezumi told Shion that if Shion learned the truth and continued to try to save No. 6, that Shion would become his enemy. There was also some kind of message from Shion’s mother, but the message seemed to be some kind of code. Let’s find out what happens.
Episode 4 – Demons and Saints
The episode starts with a scene to help fill in the blanks a bit as to where the message from Shion’s mother came from and why Inukashi was examining the note for Nezumi. It also seems that Shion’s mother is under some kind of surveillance by officials, who anticipate Shion’s attempts to contact her.
Shion’s mother reads Nezumi’s message: “Shion is safe. He’s escaped to West Block. Nezumi.” She next quickly writes a message to send back: “Living-Kitchen, around 13,000, Latch Building, Three Down, Zero Confidence. Tuesday”
It was a bit confusing at first from the last episode, because it seemed like Inukashi was the one who had made contact with Shion’s mother. We see now that it was indeed Nezumi, using his robotic rat, who made contact and Inukashi was merely hired to examine the meaning behind the note Shion’s mother sent. I can see why Nezumi would need some help deciphering this message and its meaning.
Inukashi: ” ‘Latch Building’ is the name of a newspaper. I managed to figure out where one of their former employees is located…and he has quite the interesting connection to No. 6.”
Inukashi was indeed able to help figure out the meaning of this message, so with Inukashi’s knowledge in hand, Shion and Nezumi set out to the streets. The market of the slums are quite a contrast to the streets of No. 6. Here in this outside world thieves run rampant and a few dead bodies lying around are of little concern. If a thief is shot at with a gun it’s just an everyday occurrence. In this world, so unlike what Shion has grown used to, Shion finds himself displaced and in trouble as he tries to cope with the reality of what the world is like and the people who live there. This naivete of Shion’s has a way of making Nezumi lose control of himself, likely because Shion’s vulnerabilities make him nervous.
Nezumi: “You really piss me off. Listen up. I’ll tell you one thing: no one will save you here. Stop asking questions about every damn thing and protect yourself at the very least.”
Such a speech would have more impact if he hadn’t just saved Shion a moment before. That’s right, just moments before saying this Nezumi helped Shion out. Obviously Nezumi cares about Shion, which is why Shion unnerves him the way he does. The worry and fear Nezumi has concerning Shion are probably not even understood by Nezumi himself. Caring for others is something foreign to this dog eat dog world and so Nezumi finds himself in a situation he isn’t emotionally prepared for.
After a few scrapes on the streets, Shion and Nezumi find there way to the Latch Building Press former employee, Rikiga. Upon meeting with Rikiga we learn that Nezumi is some kind of performer under the alias ‘Eve’, but what Nezumi does remains vague and unexplained, though he is possibly a stage actor.
Nezumi asks if Rikiga knows Shion’s mother, Karan and after Rikiga takes a look at Shion, he becomes convinced that Shion really is her son and invites them up into a hidden room to continue their discussion. Here Rikiga explains he was once suspicious something going on in No. 6 when he was younger and part of Latch Building Press. This was when he was acquainted with Shion’s mother, who was interested in the article that Rikiga was working on at the time. Now though, Rikiga is involved with some shady business where he is ‘recommending’ women to No. 6 officials. Nezumi sums up Rikiga’s situation pretty well: “Ah, so you’ve forgotten about what you’d intended to do in the first place and spiraled into ruin.”
They don’t learn much more and Shion, fed up by Rikiga casually talking about his dirty business, even attacks Rikiga, but is dragged away from him by Nezumi before he causes any serious harm. It’s hard to say where Rikiga stands concerning No. 6, but it seems that there may be people associated to him and Shion’s mother who know more to these mysteries. Just before they leave Nezumi recognizes a man in one of Rikiga’s photos although it isn’t explained who the man is or how he relates to Nezumi. The discovery only adds to the mystery of what Nezumi already knows about No. 6 that hasn’t been told to us yet.
While back in Nezumi’s home, Shion pushes for more information, wanting to know more about Nezumi, but Nezumi pushes him away with warnings that a person shouldn’t get too close to someone else. But this is a narrow minded view that I can’t agree on. In fact it sounds like Nezumi is trying to convince himself of these precepts that he’s lived by up until now. Despite what he has said in this episode, he has done the exact opposite time and time again.
First, he told Shion to forget about his mother, but he is the one who initializes contact with her. Next, he told Shion that no one would protect him, but what does he immediately do afterward? Now Nezumi preaches about how getting tied up with others will only end badly, but this is what Nezumi has already set out on. Why save Shion in the first place? The excuse he uses is that he was merely paying him back for what happened in the past, but anyone can see through his facade.
Later, Shion is set to work by Inukashi, probably in payment for the information that was provided about Rikiga. For whatever reason Nezumi decides to insult Inukashi’s mother and this leads to Inukashi trying to ambush Nezumi in the night while he’s alone.
“You’re already no longer who you used to be.”
Even Inukashi has picked up on the changes going on with Nezumi, who has begun to let his guard down and who is allowing his emotions to show through when he’s around Shion. Nezumi manages to pin Inukashi down at knife point, but before the situation escalates any further, Shion shows up which allows Inukashi to break free and retreat with his dogs.
One thing I wonder is how in the world could Shion not have seen all of those dogs or Inukashi as he made his way over to Nezumi.
As they make their way back to Nezumi’s home Shion makes a proclamation that he will try to make a living outside of No. 6 now, but also states that he cannot forget about his mother who lives there. He can’t forget her or leave her behind, but what will he do about it?
The episode ends with Shion’s mother receiving a message from Shion:
“Mom. I’m sorry. I’m alive and well.”
Holysorrows' Meandering Thoughts 