Homunculus Volume 3 - Page 3 - Homunculus Hideo Yamamoto - Page 4 - Volume Three - Page 5 - - Page 6 - Nakoshi: Yawwwn... (flip) Hello? - Page 7 - Ito: Mr. Nakoshi!! Nakoshi: Oh. (slam) - Page 8 - Ito: That was uncalled for! I waited the entire day yesterday!! Nakoshi: Sorry... Ito: Where did you go? Nakoshi: I was hiding somewhere without any monsters. Ito: Aha! - Page 9 - Ito: Speaking of monsters, I figured it out! Why don't we discuss this over some morning coffee? Your eyes are quite puffy. Did something happen? Nakoshi: Yeah. I slept hella long. What are those tears under YOUR eyes? Ito: Today's theme... is "Scales from the Eyes." - Page 10 - Paper: Boy inside a robot? Cutting his left pinky finger with sickle-shaped right hand. Ito: To start off, the things you experienced are not occult or supernatural phenomena. And no, you have not gone crazy. (rustle) - Page 11 - Ito: They can all be explained through science and psychology. (fwap) Nakoshi: So what are these monsters? Ito: Homunculi. - Page 12 - Nakoshi: Homun... cu... li...? Ito: When you search on the net, they're often called "artificial humans," but... For today's experiment, my definition will be more basic and authentic. (tappa tap tap) - Page 13 - Ito: (tap tap tap tap) In modern times, the word "Homunculus"... is used to mean "the little man inside the brain." Nakoshi: Little man... inside the brain...? Ito: Yes! Look at this. Nakoshi: What is that...? - Page 14 - Ito: This is the "sensory homunculus," well-known in the field of neurology. If you touch this glass, it feels cold, right? Nakoshi: Yeah... Ito: But this chill only SEEMS to come from your "fingertips." It's actually felt in the brain. Nakoshi: C'mon, I know that. Ito: What that means... - Page 15 - Ito: Is that there are "fingertips" in your brain. Nakoshi: The part of the brain that feels the information from your fingers. Ito: Right. (tap) All of the senses of the human body correspond to locations in the brain, like a map. This here is the "finger" part. Brain (clockwise): Reproductive Organ, Foot, Trunk, Hand, Thumb, Face, Mouth, Pharynx - Page 16 - Nakoshi: The areas for "hand" and "lips" are pretty big. Ito: Yes! So if you combine all of these into a body, Screen: (plink) Ito: It looks like this. When humans want to fully feel something, they use their hands or mouths. The chiefest example of this being sex. - Page 17 - Nakoshi: (tap tap) But this is way different from the monsters I saw. Ito: This is nothing more... than a "sensory homunculus" based on the sense of touch. Besides "touch," humans can also... See. Hear. Smell. Taste. - Page 18 - Ito: We use all five senses... to obtain information. Using the senses to collect information, we call "experiencing." Nakoshi: Experience... Ito: Over time, the things we experience turn to "memory" inside the brain. The manifestation of the experiences-turned-memories built up in the brain over time... - Page 19 - Ito: Is this pure form of the homunculus. Paper: Boy inside a robot? Cutting his left pinky finger with sickle-shaped right hand. Nakoshi: This is pretty complicated... Ito: Well, if we sidestep the technical speak and put it roughly... - Page 20 - Ito: The distortions hidden deep within people's minds... are seen as these different monsters... as "homunculi." Nakoshi: Distortions...? Ito: For example, - Page 21 - Ito: This Jamira woman. Paper: No neck! Ito: I heard some stories after our meal yesterday. You told me that it seemed like she was "protecting her neck"... Why did you think that? Nakoshi: Maybe she had some kind of neck affliction. - Page 22 - Ito: It seems that a man she once had a relationship with had a habit of strangling her. She is very sensitive to the topic of necks, and she reacts intensely to anything that would touch her neck. Furthermore, she is nouveau riche, and adores jewelry. She's covered with rings and earrings, but she had nothing resembling a necklace around her neck. - Page 23 - Ito: In truth, she is unconsciously guarding her neck. And so she appears this way to you. Paper: No neck! Ito: The point is, physical wounds and injuries do not become visible homunculi. - Page 24 - Ito: It is the mental emotions and scars... The psychological distortions that turn into homunculi that you can see. Nakoshi: Ahh. Paper: Totally flat, maybe 2 cm thick? Ito: So let's take this very thin man... Ah. First of all, I don't have any confirmation of this, so it's nothing more than a wishful conjecture on my part. Just think of it as a bit of random nonsense. Nakoshi: Sure... - Page 25 - Ito: The expression "paper-thin personality" is used rather often. So this man here, may appear to be fat, but in response to his meager internal personality, he eats large quantities of food to simply make himself appear large. - Page 26 - Nakoshi: He was insanely fat. Ito: What's important is the "personal image" that each person holds of themselves. Everyone has a "personal image" that differs from their external appearance. - Page 27 - Nakoshi: (flick) When I try to imagine myself, all I can think of is what I look like. Ito: That's the tricky part. One's personal image resides in the unconscious. - Page 28 - Nakoshi: Inside... the unconscious...? Ito: The place your TRUE SELF first appears is in your dreams. You appear in those dreams in impossible forms, flying through the sky, or melting... Nakoshi: Ahh, I see now. Paper: (flap) - Page 29 - Ito: This cylindrical girl is a modern symbol. (thud) Let's say this girl has six phones, one for each part. When she picks up the phone, the part that corresponds to the call activates. Just like a doll that can be assembled or disassembled at will, to sell its product. - Page 30 - Ito: This part... Is no doubt what was being bought at that moment. This girl must have an unconscious image of herself as a modern mannequin, who can only reaffirm herself through money and sex. - Page 31 - Ito: This yakuza boss... Must have been quite twisted, I'm sure. I would guess... - Page 32 - Ito: When he was a boy... Something happened with a blade and his pinky finger... And since then, he put up superalloy-strength barriers... until he turned into a giant robot. - Page 33 - Ito: There must have been something that pushed him to solitude, to create such power barriers around himself... What do you think? Nakoshi: Could be right... - Page 34 - Ito: Oh, come on... You don't sound very interested... There is an incredible thing happening inside you right now, Mr. Nakoshi! You can see the distortions inside the human heart!! I'm so jealous... Nakoshi: I know I can see the distortions. So what should I do to make them... To make those monsters... disappear? - Page 35 - Ito: By "disappear," do you mean... ...to rid yourself of your ability? Nakoshi: No. What should I do to make the homunculus' distortions disappear? Ito: I see... What can you do to exterminate the homunculi. Nakoshi: Yep. - Page 36 - Ito: Think of them as "doppelgangers." Nakoshi: Doppelgangers...? Ito: Yes... (rustle) To "get rid of one's doppelganger" is to "get rid of one's distortions." Pardon me for going into a bit of psychotherapy explanation... - Page 37 - Head: Conscious Body: Unconscious Ito: Think of this as a human separated into a "conscious" and an "unconscious." - Page 38 - Ito: OK, let's give him a "head" and "heart," too. Head: Head, Conscious Body: Heart, Unconscious Nakoshi: The unconscious is way larger. Ito: By some explanations, 95% of the human mind is controlled by the unconscious. For instance, let's say... Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father Ito: In the unconcious heart, that this person hates his father. - Page 39 - Ito: But consciously... in his head, he thinks he loves his father. Head: Head, Conscious Ito: This is a contradiction, and we have a problem. Nakoshi: Hmm. Ito: And this problem... Becomes suppressed in the unconscious. It's like freezing the "hate of father," Body: Unconscious, Father Ito: And plunging it deep into the bottom of the unconscious. Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father - Page 40 - Ito: The deeper down you hide this, the harder it is to remember it with your conscious, and you forget... that it ever existed. Nakoshi: You mean, like how you often forget about the most terrible things that happen to you? Ito: Yes. But just by hiding this, you haven't made it disappear. Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father - Page 41 - Ito: It is always causing trouble, in a place where the conscious cannot find it. This can cause unexplained bulemia, obsessive-compulsions, scopophobia... Head: Conscious Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father Ito: Manifested in nervous disorders. Nakoshi: So even if the person grows up, understands his father and really does love him... That distortion will never disappear? - Page 42 - Ito: That's why it is a doppelganger. Even if you don't hate him now, Head: Conscious Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father Ito: Your hatred from that time remains frozen and waiting down here. Your insides remain at the temperature of your old emotions... Thriving inside your unconscious. - Page 43 - Ito: And that doppelganger is always waiting for the opportunity to be raised to the conscious once more. - Page 44 - Nakoshi: So... What do you do in order to bring it forth? Ito: The method is simple. You take this frozen emotion deep inside... Head: Head, Conscious Body: Heart, Unconscious, Father Ito: And pull it up to the surface of the conscious. Head: Head, Conscious Body: Heart, Unconscious - Page 45 - Ito: You thaw it... In other words, allow the person to feel again. - Page 46 - - Page 47 - Ito: But these are distortions that are hidden so deep, they've forgotten all about them... So it may be hard to find them. Plus, the therapy necessary to find these in a complete stranger takes time, and it's quite possible that you won't find it, most of the time... - Page 48 - Ito: However, you can see them just by doing this. - Page 49 - Papers: Boy inside a robot? Cutting his left pinky finger with sickle-shaped right hand. maybe 2 cm thick? Hipster. Only waist rotates. Ito: To the doppelgangers, you are a savior. A spirit medium, perhaps. Nakoshi: Y'know... This is a sickening sixth sense to get saddled with... - Page 50 - Ito: Mr. Nakoshi, you have not suddenly developed a sixth sense. The five senses you hold... have simply been sharpened to perfection. The human mind is made to receive information from its body, that can help it detect very faint and sensitive anomalies. - Page 51 - Ito: Faint tension in the body, Muscle flexibility, off-center balance, movement in the expressive muscles of the face. Once you start the list, it never ends. Nakoshi: (stare...) Ito: Through these faint expressions and body signals, you can see... - Page 52 - Ito: Their unease and anger... Joy, and desire. All these various subtle shifts in internal emotion can by read by others, and you don't even realize you're broadcasting them. - Page 53 - Ito: For example, when someone opens a present that you give them, they smile and say, "Thank you!" ...and appear happy. But are they really happy? Maybe the present didn't please them as much as it seems... You can tell by their feel, even if the smile looks exactly the same. Nakoshi: Yeah... You can tell by their feel. - Page 54 - Ito: People use the broad expression "feel" to describe the process... of exuding an enormous amount of unconscious information through their bodies, and unconsciously reading an enormous amount of information from others... ...using their five senses... Humans have this exchange of info at a subconscious level, - Page 55 - Ito: but they cover it with empty flattery, and false smiles... We are disgusting animals. - Page 56 - Ito: Also, the ability of children to feel with their five senses is extraordinary. - Page 57 - Nakoshi: That's why you open a hole in the skull, turn your brain into a child-like state, and increase your ability to feel...? Ito: Well, yes, that's part of it. But that would mean, that all children... could see homunculi. Nakoshi: Right... - Page 58 - Ito: You have experience and wisdom that a child does not, Mr. Nakoshi. That is why you can skillfully process this enormous, child-level flow of information. Nakoshi: My "experience and wisdom"...? Mmm-hmm... Ito: End result, your eyes are capable of distorting the information into the shape of a "homunculus." - Page 59 - - Page 60 - - Page 61 - Nakoshi: (gulp) - Page 62 - Nakoshi: Why... Why are there people who look like monsters... And people who look normal...? - Page 63 - Ito: You mean you haven't begun to suspect, yet? - Page 64 - Ito: That you yourself... - Page 65 - Ito: Are a homunculus... - Page 66 - Nakoshi: Yeah... Their distortions... - Page 67 - Nakoshi: Are my distortions... Ito: The human eye... does not exist solely to reflect the world in front of it. - Page 68 - Ito: It also reflects the self... upon the outside world. - Page 69 - Ito: (blup)(blub lub) As you watch the homunculi... The homunculi, are watching you. Nakoshi: (drip) - Page 70 - Nakoshi: What am I supposed to do.. About these monsters... - Page 71 - Nakoshi: Shit! Shit! (wipe) What the hell is that water thing...?! - Page 72 - Nakoshi: I'm not one of those monsters... - Page 73 - Nakoshi: Huh?! - Page 74 - Nakoshi: My... My arm... - Page 75 - Nakoshi: It's a robot... - Page 76 - Nakoshi: H... How did... that yakuza's robot get transferred to me... - Page 77 - Nakoshi: HEY! Ito: What's wrong...? - Page 78 - Ito: You're incredibly sweaty... Nakoshi: Huh? - Page 79 - Ito: Mr. Nakoshi...? Nakoshi: Erm... I'm just a little disoriented by all this stuff you've told me... - Page 80 - Ito: Don't worry. Just having the power to see... does not have any bad influence on you. Nakoshi: OK... - Page 81 - Ito: Now, Let's go test that power of yours! Nakoshi: ...yeah. - Page 82 - - Page 83 - Ito: This is a psychosomatic treatment clinic one of my friends runs. It's a place where they will help you, if you've got mental or heart ailments. So... You should find some friends here. - Page 84 - - Page 85 - Friend: You know, we're not supposed to allow outsiders behind the mirror at all, much less let them see our patients... Ito: I'm sorry about this. Thanks for your understanding... Friend: I'm serious. What are you trying to do here...? You barge in and demand to meet my patients... - Page 86 - Ito: Now now, just watch this. Nakoshi: (peek) - Page 87 - Friend: Ito... How's your dad doing? With his condition. Ito: Oh, no problem. (blub)(blug) - Page 88 - Ito: (blorp)(blub) (blup)(bll...) - Page 89 - Friend: And what's with this guy? What's he doing with his eye covered? Ito: This just might be... the superman of your world. - Page 90 - Friend: Huh? Ito: Well? Mr. Nakoshi. Can you see it...? - Page 91 - Nakoshi: I don't see anything... Ito: Oh... Friend: What...? Ito: Bring in the next person, please. - Page 92 - Bottom of Chart: Depression Insomnia Friend: He can see the hearts of people...? What a crock! I've studied this field for years, and I passed the national exams for my qualifications. So how can you expose my patients to this fraud...? - Page 93 - Nakoshi: PUT A SOCK IN IT! Friend: Oh. Very scary... Ito: Well...? Nakoshi: Nope... - Page 94 - Nakoshi: Nothing here, either... Nothing different... Friend: Ha ha ha ha ha. Of course not. You can't see into the hearts of men. - Page 95 - Friend: If that was possible, our line of work would be pretty damn easy. You want me to sign you up for our clinic? It'll work. - Page 96 - Sign: Natl. (Note: This is short for "Nationally Certified") - Page 97 - Dog: Wh... What...? Nakoshi: I'm leaving. Ito: Mr. Nakoshi! Nakoshi: Feel sick... - Page 98 - Ito: That's strange... I thought for sure that we'd find some people that would resonate with you in there. Nakoshi: A pet dog... - Page 99 - Sign: Sailor Blue Admission Y 4000 Entrance Ito: This is next. Nakoshi: Where are we? Ito: We're doing the one-way mirror method today. A gathering place, for the newest homunculi, the monsters of our day and age. - Pages 100 + 101 - - Page 102 - Ito: This is a one-sided mirror. They can't see us. Nakoshi: What the hell... Is this...? - Page 103 - Ito: You're familiar with burusera, right? Places that sell things like teenage girls' school uniforms and underwear. Nakoshi: Yeah... I've heard about them. Ito: This is a variety of those, called a "namasera," meaning "in the flesh." A place where you can see the girls directly, and buy the underwear from them. - Page 104 - Ito: It's not quite a sexual service, nor is it prostitution... It just barely qualifies as a business. Sign: Attention! This establishment has no connection to any prostitution! Ito: Aha. I like that one. Nakoshi: And what do you want me to do here...? Ito: Oh, I think you know. - Page 105 - Ito: All you have to do is find me a "modern homunculus." - Page 106 - Nakoshi: What's the point? What kind of link... do these kids have with me...? Ito: True, the world is different for every generation... But just by the common virtue of being "human," I think there's plenty enough room for a link. - Page 107 - Nakoshi: These aren't humans... They're merchandise. Ito: Merchandise, hmm... They may be sheathed in school uniforms and loose socks, but underneath, they are flesh and blood just like us. They laugh and cry, too. - Page 108 - Ito: After that, they're no different from you. (stare...) "Merchandise" called "human." Nakoshi: You like 1775 that much? Ito: Yesss. #1775 is very nice. She's quite beautiful. - Page 109 - Nakoshi: That's the kind of monster you like. Ito: Huh?! She is...? Nakoshi: (stare...) - Page 110 - Nakoshi: The only one here... - Page 111 - Sand: (poof) (shhh) Nakoshi: A monster made of sand... - Page 112 - Ito: S... Sand...? Nakoshi: Yeah... She's like a teenage girl... made of sand as dry as a desert. Ito: Reaaally. I see... - Page 113 - Ito: Sand... (blub) - Page 114 - Ito: What kind of twists... Is she hiding...? Sand: (shhff...) Ito: (blob blug) - Page 115 - Ito: Let's go check out 1775! - Page 116 - Ito: Tell them the "product" number... And they'll show you to a private room. It's got a one-sided mirror there, so you can't speak or touch the girl at all. You get five minutes... Board: Uniform Viewing Ito: You get to choose three poses, no more. - Page 117 - Ito: Now watch 1775 verrrry closely. - Page 118 - 1775: #1775, high school junior, age 17... Blood type O. I like reading, karaoke, and movies. Thank you for your patronage. - Page 119 - - Page 120 - - Page 121 - Sand: (shhh) - Page 122 - Nakoshi: (fwp) - Page 123 - Sand: (shhhh) - Page 124 - Sand: (bmmf) - Page 125 - - Page 126 - Sand: (shlup)(shlup)(shlup) - Page 127 - Nakoshi: (pop) - Page 128 - - Page 129 - - Page 130 - Sand: (shhf) (slip) - Page 131 - Sand: (ummg) (humg)(humg)(humg) (mmph) - Page 132 - Sand: (pop) - Page 133 - Eye: (glare) - Page 134 - Sand: (shff) - Page 135 - Nakoshi: "Are"...? "You"? "Ha"... "rd"...? - Page 136 - Nakoshi: "Are you"... "hard"...? - Page 137 - Nakoshi: Fuck no, I'm not... This is sickening... Sand: (shlumf) - Page 138 - - Page 139 - - Page 140 - Nakoshi: I've had enough... I'm leaving! - Page 141 - Ito: (blurp) (blobb) (blurp glug) This is pretty vivid... - Page 142 - Ito: This is quite a homunculus... If the yakuza robot... Was like the first generation Terminator... - Page 143 - Ito: This girl... Paper: Whole body is sand! Clothes too! Only number plate Kiss pose Ito: Is the newfangled camoflagued T-1000 that appears in Terminator 2... Exactly the new kind of homunculus I was looking for. - Page 144 - Ito: And the perfect character for me to take down. Nakoshi: Huh?! Take down... Ito: I'll take her down and do her. - Page 145 - Nakoshi: Wait a minute... You did all that just because you want to bang a teenager? Ito: Not a teenager. I want to do this 1775. (blub blub) - Page 146 - Nakoshi: Why her...? Ito: Huh? Nakoshi: Why her, specifically? Ito: Nothing specific... I just think... she's awful cute, don't you? - Page 147 - Nakoshi: You're lying. Ito: Huh? Why? Nakoshi: Never mind. Anyways, you sound pretty confident about yourself. Ito: Well, I am. - Page 148 - Nakoshi: What can you tell? Ito: (clunk) She is... Sand: (shh) Ito: A sand chameleon. - Page 149 - Ito: A sand chameleon that morphs its body at will to fit every situation. Nakoshi: A sand chameleon...? Ito: Take this sugar. It's cube-shaped. (clunk) It fits nice and orderly into a "square" society. - Page 150 - Ito: However... (pop) (shff) (wink) - Page 151 - Ito: It can turn cylindrical, as well. I'm sure this sugar can turn into any shape. As long as there is a "mold." Nakoshi: I see. - Page 152 - Ito: 1775 is like this sugar... As long as there is a mold for her to fill in, she can assume any shape. A chameleon of sand. (shh) - Page 153 - Nakoshi: 120% social adaptation. Ito: (snap) Exactly. In other words... - Page 154 - Ito: (shff shff) In other words... She HAS no "shape." - Page 155 - Nakoshi: She doesn't have a real self... Ito: Tsk Tsk Tsk She probably doesn't know her true self. - Page 156 - Waiter: Excuse me... May I help you... Nakoshi: It's nothing. Waiter: Wouldn't spill the sugar over nothing... - Page 157 - Ito: Inside a vessel, she's a "good girl," but when spilled on the table, she's "ill-mannered." Even though the sugar is the same. Paper: Whole body is sand! Clothes too! Only number plate isn't sand Ito: This sand is her dried heart... It expresses her lack of love. (trickle)(trickle) (trickle) - Page 158 - Ito: I'm sure her parents are of the manual generation... They've given 1775 everything, toys, clothes, a course in life... all by the manual. - Page 159 - Ito: When people like 1775 rebel against their parents... They follow the "rebellion manual." Burusera, or shoplifting... Now, for instance, if there was no manual, 1775 wouldn't know how to rebel against her parents. She can't yell, scream, or hit... (whoof) - Page 160 - Ito: She's lost, like the sand of the desert, blown by the wind. Sand: (trickle) Nakoshi: Frequent case. Ito: You mean to say... you're not a common type of person? - Page 161 - Ito: With a heart as dry as the desert, ignorant of your true form... Well... In order for us to study these homunculi, let's put aside the concept of them "resonating with you." - Page 162 - Ito: That makes it more complex. (fwip)(fwip) We may make a new discovery if we simply consider the homunculi you can see. Paper: Kiss pose Actual feet are on the ground Ankles raised Ito: This is pretty archetypical pose. "Raise your ankles" when you kiss. Sounds like the manual for cheap drama shows. - Page 163 - Paper: "Are you hard?" Sand! No head Nakoshi: What manual is that supposed to be? Ito: This one only appears to be twisted. It just means that 1775's attention is right here. Look at me (heart) Are you hard? (heart) she's saying. - Page 164 - Ito: And she sticks out her tongue like a brainless idol. - Page 165 - Nakoshi: In the 34 years I've been alive, I've never seen such a fucked-up manual. Ito: Right... Neither have I... This one I don't understand... - Page 166 - Ito: This shape doesn't seem to be in 1775's manual. I feel her imagination here, an unknown world. Nakoshi: Unknown world...? Ito: The one thing I can say is that I'm sure 1775 is a virgin. - Page 167 - Ito: Only her vagina has no real feeling. The manual has yet to be inputted... Proof that it's still unconnected. But... This birth... What does it mean...? - Page 168 - Ito: No matter how many births she makes, she can't feel them happening...? An infinite, inescapable loop... A symbol of pain... (blubb..) - Page 169 - Ito: (glup glub) - Page 170 - Ito: Anyways, I will contact her. I want you stay nearby and out of sight, checking her homunculus. Nakoshi: And how do you plan to "get" her? Ito: It's simple. I'll push 1775 to a point where she cannot change her shape to escape, and I'll crush that manual-shaped sand. - Page 171 - Ito: Once her shape is destroyed, she's mine. Then, I'll give her moisture... and a bit of help... - Page 172 - Ito: To find her true shape... I believe, like this sugar, - Page 173 - Ito: She will be rather sweet. - Page 174 - Ito: Oh. There she is. That's 1775. Now... watch this. - Page 175 - Ito: If this homunculus won't moisten up, I'll force it to. (blub) (blupp) - Page 176 - - Page 177 - - Page 178 - Sand: (shf) Nakoshi: How long should I watch...? - Page 179 - Ito: 1775 should change her sand shape. Tell me when it changes. Nakoshi: How do you know she'll morph? Ito: "High school shoplifting" is a simple equation in today's world... Perfect example of manual behavior. - Page 180 - Nakoshi: Assuming she does steal something... What do you plan to do? Ito: Don't they say, take a girl you desire on a rollercoaster? When you're excited, it's easy to stimulate feelings of affection. I'll use the tension and excitement of shoplifting to make my approach. Nakoshi: Tension and excitement... - Page 181 - Sand: (shf shf) - Page 182 - - Page 183 - Nakoshi: Whoa... Ito: What happened? Nakoshi: Her face... Her sand face moved to her back...! Ito: She's concentrating on her back... She's on guard. - Page 184 - Nakoshi: You're right... She's watching her surroundings... Ito: She's about to take it. Nakoshi: Yeah... - Page 185 - Nakoshi: She already did it. Sand: (shhh...) - Page 186 - Ito: She took it. Nakoshi: Yeah... Ito: How have 1775's tension and excitement manifested themselves? Nakoshi: (wink) - Page 187 - Nakoshi: There's no tension or excitement there... - Page 188 - Nakoshi: It "changes"... but there's no "disorder" at all! She's gonna do it again... - Page 189 - Ito: I see... The nervousness itself is starting to become her manual... Stealing is becoming part of her everyday life... No different than brushing her teeth. We need to interrupt the pattern. - Page 190 - Nakoshi: Interrupt the pattern...? Ito: Create a situation that doesn't happen in her everyday theft, to ruin her shape. Nakoshi: How will we do that? Ito: Keep checking her homunculus, Mr. Nakoshi. If the sand starts to come undone... rather than change shape, scratch your head. That's the sign. Nakoshi: ...OK. - Page 191 - Ito: Only DISORDER. Nakoshi: What is he doing...? - Page 192 - Nakoshi: (wink) - Page 193 - Clerk: You there! Let me see what's in your pockets. Nakoshi: Huh? Why that... - Page 194 - Clerk: Turn out your pockets! I know you tried to steal something!! Ito: Homunculus. Clerk: You can't fool me!! - Page 195 - Clerk: Hey!! I'll turn you in to the police!! Nakoshi: (scratch scratch) - Page 196 - Clerk: Come on! Out with it! Ito: Excuse me. - Page 197 - Ito: Would you like to go for some tea? Nakoshi: Uh... I didn't do anything... Clerk: Don't lie to me!! Nakoshi: Go ahead, check me... Ito: How sad... - Page 198 - Ito: And old man like that, still stealing. His life must be a wreck... - Page 199 - Ito: Let's go. 1775: W... Wait... Ito: Let's get out of here, and have a drink. - Page 200 - Clerk: Give it up!! Where are you hiding it?! Ito: Let's go. - Page 201 - Nakoshi: Crazy ass... Clerk: Strange... Nakoshi: Are you satisfied? Clerk: Err... but... That man just... Nakoshi: Here. I'll take these sunglasses. Clerk: Uh... Thank you, sir! - Pages 202 & 203 - - Page 204 - - Page 205 - Homunculus Volume 3 : The End * The "trepanation" procedure described in this story is extremely dangerous. Whatever you do, don't try this at home. * This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to existing persons, places or events is entirely coincidental. * Serialized in Big Comic Spirits 2003, Issues 43-45, and 2004 Issues 19-27. * Homunculus Official Homepage: http://www.yamapro.com