Hi Everyone, My writing name is Animecookie, and I just finished watching No.6. I fell in love with the Shion x Nezumi story, and decided to try and write a fanfiction for it. Please review, and if you feel like it, give me some constructive criticism. I would also like to point out that this is my first fanfic, so if there is something wrong with it, please don't hesitate to message me! Also, beware that Nezumi might be a bit OC. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!

Title: Metamorphosis

Chapter 1: Confused

Nezumi wandered through the ruins of No.6. After three years away from the thing he hated most, it felt almost surreal to walk through it without armed guards running and shooting after him. Compared to the ruinous landscaping of the once great "utopia", his appearance had changed little. Apart from his hair being longer, almost down past his shoulders, and his clothes more ragged than when he last was in No. 6, he was still the same Nezumi. At least, he thought he was. Who knew what wandering the habituated world would do to a person.

In the chilly pre-dawn moment, everything seem to be still, as if appreciating that Nezumi was deep in thought. He wondered how Dogkeeper, and Rikiga were faring, after the chaos of the wall collapsing. I wonder how Si… NO, not now. He was on top of the far edge of the broken wall, and stood with his hands in his pockets. This place would always remind him of his last minutes with Sion. "I'll be back" he had said to Sion. And Sion had replied, ever so quietly "I'll be waiting". He wondered if Sion had kept to his word. Three years was a long time, almost as long as their previous separation. As Nezumi stood on the platform, all these thoughts raced through his mind and more; but the question he dared not ask lurked in the deep recesses of him mind. Will he remember me?

Walking through the dilapidated remains of No. 6, Nezumi wondered what had become of Sion's mother, Karan. She had been in contact with him through the black rat… Moonlit, Sion called it (Why did Sion even bother to name them?). She had tried to keep him up to date about the welfare of the inhabitants of No. 6. But, around two years ago, their communication had stopped. Through their notes, Nezumi had come to the conclusion that Karan was a good person, and that Sion took after his mother. Nezumi decided to drop into her bakery on the way to West Town, just to check how the bread was. He was really hungry. But… they had never really met in person. She only knew his name, and what if she thought that he was deceiving her? Oh well, the bread would be worth. And anyways, I'm pretty sure I can outrun her, Nezumi though to himself. Walking down what used to be the main road, Nezumi shuddered with anticipation. What if Sion's there? What is he doing these days… Nezumi pushed the thoughts from him mind, and hurried along the crumbled road.

By the time he had reached the bakery, it was well past noon. He stared at the sign 'Karan's Bakery' and wondered if she still had bread left. He remembered how Sion had talked so fervently about his mother's cherry cake. It was by far her best creation, he remembered Sion saying. Meow, meow. Nezumi looked down. At his ankle, he saw an alley cat, no more than a kitten. How fitting, he thought, as his lips curled into an ironic half smile. The kitten likes the rat. He tried to shoo it away, but it seemed determined to follow him. He tried everything he could think of, even hissing at it, all the while praying that the small street Karan's bakery was located on would remain empty. It did, to his relief. Finally he gave up trying to shake off the kitten, as he had done everything but kick it (no matter what, it was still just a kitten. He hated dogs, but this kitten was different). "Fine", Nezumi muttered under his breath, "but stay here while I talk to Karan… and possibly get some cake.". With that, Nezumi entered the Bakery.

Karan turned around as her doorbell jingled. She didn't recognize the young man who walked through the door, but something seemed vaguely familiar about him. He looked around her son's age, and he had blue hair that hung past his shoulders in the front, and in the back was pulled into a neat ponytail. "Hello, Karan-san" the boy said, in a quite, serious voice. Once again, Karan felt a twang of recognition that didn't really match his face. "Hello" Karan replied, and she set down the bread sheets she had been holding (which held freshly baked cherry cake, much to Nezumi's delight).

"What can I do for you?" she asked, and held in the question that was nagging her, Who are you?. The boy lowered his head, as if contemplating his question, and when he looked up, Karan started at the astonishing silver shade his eyes were. "I want to talk to you about your son, Sion". Karan gasped, and stepped back. The boy stepped forward, and with a determined look in his eyes said "Don't worry, I know what he did, and I don't plan on telling anyone". "Who are you?" Karan said in a whisper. "Nezumi" The boy replied in an even quietter whisper.

Karan looked at him for a moment, and then, in an action that was just as unexpected to Nezumi as to her self, she stepped forward in a few steps, and gave him a tight hug. Nezumi didn't know it, but tears were running down her cheeks, and onto his jacket. Pushing him back and holding him a arms length, she said in a teary voice "Thank you, Nezumi, for saving my son."

Nezumi sat awkwardly at Karan's tiny table. Next to the table was a bunk bed, and Nezumi couldn't help but think the Sion used to sit in this exact spot. Karan walked back up the stair, with a platter of assorted breads balanced in her hands, along with a jug of water. She placed both on the table in front of Nezumi. "Here you go. Have all you like Nezumi" Karan said with a smile. Nezumi just looked at the breads on the platter, and said a quiet thank you.

"So, what brings you back to No. 6 Nezumi? I thought that you hated this place?" Nezumi thought over the question. Why did he come back? "I don't know" He said back to Karan. Nezumi truly did not know what brought him back. Just last week he had been on the outskirts of No. 4. (A/N: italics is flashback).

Does this city had the same corruption as No. 6, Nezumi wondered, and if it does, what can I do about it? Then, while gazing at the tower that looked so similar to No. 6's Moondrop, he felt a strange feeling in his gut. He turned, and there was Safu, or Elyurias, or whoever she was. He looked at her in astonishment, as the last time he had seen her was when she resurrected Sion. He thought she had disappeared, or died, when the golden tornadoes ended.

"Nezumi, it's time to return to No. 6" she had said with a small smile. "Why? There is nothing there left for me" Nezumi had replied in a snarl. He did not know why, but this girl/goddess alway seemed to get on his nerves. "Nothing? Oh really? Sion means nothing to you now?" Nezumi looked down, a sad look in his eyes. "Ah, I see. Do not fear him. Now, go back. He needs you now, more than ever." She had then turned away from him, and left his dumbstruck, and confused.

"Nezumi?" Karan said, pulling him out of the flashback. "It's nothing. Karan-san, can you tell me about what's happened since I left? And why did you cut off contact with me?" Nezumi asked. Karan looked down, and Nezumi felt something in the pit of his stomach. Was that apprehension? "Well, it hasn't been a picnic since you left. With out the government, many people were scared, and soon citizens started to create gangs, and sometimes it was just the citizens of No. 6, others just West town citizens, and the some mixtures of both, but this was rare.

"Gangs started to fight each other over land, houses, and other valuable items. And then, people began to get killed, because they… well, because they started to use knives and other weapons. And Sion was… was…" . "Sion was what?" Nezumi asked with impatience. Just as she got to what was important, she stops. It took Karan a few minutes to get the correct words. "I don't know" she sobbed out, so quietly that Nezumi didn't hear. "What? Spit it out already" He said with frustration. "I DON'T KNOW" Karan cried out, and then collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

Nezumi looked at her in shock. "You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?". "After the wall came down, we met up again in West Town. He introduced me to Dogkeeper, and re-introduced me to Rikiga, who I knew before. That was before the fighting broke out. Then, when the gangs started to loot everything, we stayed with Dogkeeper in the hotel, and made sure that everyone was safe. There was also a baby there… I forget it's name. Then, things started to get really bad. We started to run out of fresh water, and also of food. We did scavenge runs, and normally it was myself and Rikiga, and Dogkeeper and Sion. One day, Dogkeeper came back alone, and just went to the bedroom. Just kept saying 'It wasn't my fault'. I haven't seen Sion since then."

Nezumi was motionless with shock. Then, he got up, and walked down the stairs, out the door, and down the street. The kitten followed.

Walking down the street, Nezumi tried to digest the information Karan had given him. Sion was missing, and now there was gang fighting occurring in West Town. It seemed that things were pretty messed up here. Who knew that just three years could transform an invisible hell into a completely visible hell. Nezumi smirked at the irony. Destroying the wall was supposed to unite the citizens of both West Town and No. 6, not create more conflict. Does Sion know what is happening here? And where the hell is that completely hopeless infant?

Nezumi continued walking down the street, and turned off into an alley to sit down and think. Well first, I've got to find that pest Sion, and then… Nezumi's train of thought ended abruptly, as he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. He fell onto the filthy alley ground, and looked up to see a toothless man with a stick smiling down at him. His last though before he blacked out was Why you bastard….

A/N: Yay, so there you have it folks! Chapter one done! And, to anyone who can guess what I mean by the title… well, I can't really give you any great prize, but I'll give you a shout-out in the next chapter! Oh, and a great big shout-out to one of my best friends, FallingforWerewolves! She's just turned… 15! Happy bday FfW!

Review if you feel like it!

Peace!

Kacie!