Homunculus Volume 6 - Page 3 - Homunculus Hideo Yamamoto - Page 4 - Volume Six - Page 5 - I am you. - Page 6 - - Page 7 - - Page 8 - - Page 9 - - Page 10 - - Page 11 - - Page 12 - - Page 13 - - Page 14 - Nakoshi: Installation complete. - Page 15 - Nakoshi: What do you think? After your first time being connected. Sand: (shff)(shff) - Page 16 - Nakoshi: Hey. Sand: (shff) Symbols: Nothing much - Page 17 - Nakoshi: Were you really a virgin? (thup) It doesn't hurt? - Page 18 - Nakoshi: (wink) Symbols: I don't feel anything No pain Nakoshi: Hah... Symbols: No heat Nakoshi: That's right... - Page 19 - Nakoshi: You ought to wander about in a world without pain or happiness... - Page 20 - Blood: (drip)(drip)(drip) - Page 21 - Sand: (brubrubrubrubrub) - Page 22 - Blood: (drip)(drip)(drip) Nakoshi: So the moment you realize there's no dreams there, you come back to life...?! - Page 23 - Nakoshi: I don't think so! - Page 24 - Nakoshi: C'mon, damn symbols... Split apart! - Page 25 - Nakoshi: Shit... - Page 26 - Nakoshi: Shit! Shit! - Page 27 - Nakoshi: I'll destroy you... Girl: This ain't what you said before. - Page 28 - Girl: Who was it that turned me into a perfect mass of symbols? Nakoshi: You... - Page 29 - Nakoshi: You're all the women I slept with... - Page 30 - Nakoshi: I've had enough of this sandy hole! (squeeze) - Page 31 - Nakoshi: H, hey... Let go... Girl: I won't let you go. - Page 32 - - Page 33 - Girl: I won't let you go. Won't let you. Won't. Won't let you go. Nakoshi: Bitches... Girl: I won't let you go, I said. - Page 34 - Nakoshi: S... Stay back... - Page 35 - Nakoshi: It's upgrading... - Page 36 - - Page 37 - - Page 38 - Girl: Let's take the lover's leap. - Page 39 - Girl: Into the sea of symbols... - Pages 40 & 41 - - Page 42 - Hole: (shf) - Page 43 - Symbols: Let's take the lover's leap into the sea of symbols - Page 44 - Nakoshi: Y... Yeah. - Page 45 - Nakoshi: What the... - Page 46 - Nakoshi: What's that smell...? (sniff sniff) (sniff sniff sniff) (wink) - Page 47 - Creature: (pop) Nakoshi: Aha. - Page 48 - - Page 49 - - Page 50 - Nakoshi: I smell blood. - Page 51 - Yukari: N-no, wait, What are you... Nakoshi: (yank) (pullll) Yukari: Stop... Nakoshi: (fwoosh) - Page 52 - - Page 53 - - Page 54 - Nakoshi: Here it is... Yukari: Don't look... Nakoshi: Here's where you hid it. Yukari: Don't look at it!! - Page 55 - Blood: (drip...) - Page 56 - Nakoshi: That's real blood... Don't move... - Page 57 - - Page 58 - Nakoshi: Right around the blood... It's turning to flesh. - Page 59 - - Page 60 - - Page 61 - - Page 62 - Nakoshi: (slurp) (slurp) Yukari: N... No... Give it back! - Page 63 - Yukari: It's mine! Nakoshi: Mm... (slurrrp) - Page 64 - Nakoshi: Nng... (stare...) Sand: (slch...)(shh...) - Page 65 - Sand: (Shhhh...) - Page 66 - Nakoshi: Your face... Back to normal... - Page 67 - Blood: (drip) - Page 68 - Yukari: OWWWWWW!! - Page 69 - Yukari: Ouch... It hurts! Get away! Please... Take it out! It's hot! It's so hot... Nakoshi: (slch...) - Page 70 - Symbols: (tic tic tic tic)(tic tic tic) Nakoshi: They're fast... - Page 71 - Yukari: It hurts... Symbols: (sshh...) Nakoshi: You bitch... Not fair, Symbols: (sh...)(sh...) (shhh...) Nakoshi: Only saving yourself. Symbols: See you later - Page 72 - Nakoshi: Only YOU get to be a "human." - Page 73 - Yukari: Please. Take it out. Now. Nakoshi: SHUT UP! Quit gettin' all emotional! - Page 74 - Yukari: Ah... Nakoshi: Why you- - Page 75 - Dog: (yip)(yip)(yip) Mother: What's wrong, Peas? Dog: (yip)(yip)(yip) Mother: Oh brother. - Page 76 - Mother: You need to pee-pee? In the middle of the night... Hey! Peas! Ohh, now I'll have to clean your paws again... - Page 77 - - Page 78 - - Page 79 - - Page 80 - Nakoshi: That's your mom. - Page 81 - - Page 82 - - Page 83 - - Page 84 - - Page 85 - - Page 86 - - Page 87 - Sand: (shff...)(shff...) - Pages 88 & 89 - - Page 90 - - Page 91 - Nakoshi: Now, you do whatever you want... - Page 92 - - Page 93 - - Page 94 - - Page 95 - - Page 96 - - Page 97 - - Page 98 - - Page 99 - Mother: Good heavens, right on the street. What are their parents doing? Right, Peas...? - Page 100 - Mother: (zzid)(zziid...) Door: (thuk) - Page 101 - Nakoshi: Bitch... Don't be getting my car all dirty. Yukari: It's not dirty. - Page 102 - Yukari: It's beautiful. - Page 103 - Nakoshi: Beautiful...? - Page 104 - Door: (batam) - Page 105 - - Page 106 - - Page 107 - Nakoshi: Guess it won't go away that easy, huh...? Whew... (flop) Nakoshi: Flop...? - Pages 108 & 109 - - Page 110 - - Page 111 - Sand: (shff...) - Page 112 - - Page 113 - Nakoshi: Hahaha, I caught it again. Well shit. This time it's my leg... Sand: (shff)(shh...) Nakoshi: This has GOT to be a joke now. Hahahaha. - Page 114 - Nakoshi: Little punk... - Page 115 - - Pages 116 & 117 - - Page 118 - - Page 119 - - Page 120 - Nakoshi: Where'm I really goin'...? Where... Where... - Page 121 - Nakoshi: (tap)(tap) - Page 122 - Nakoshi: Oh! - Page 123 - Nakoshi: A fish!! Ah... - Page 124 - - Page 125 - - Pages 126 & 127 - - Page 128 - - Page 129 - - Pages 130 & 131 - - Pages 132 & 133 - - Pages 134 & 135 - - Page 136 - Nakoshi: Bwaaahh!! Huff. Huff. Huff. - Page 137 - Nakoshi: Who'm I? What'm I? Dunno... But... I know I'm here. - Pages 138 & 139 - - Page 140 - Nakoshi: I know why I come... To the sea. Here, there's color, - Page 141 - Nakoshi: There's smell, there's sound, there's taste, and there's temperature! - Page 142 - - Page 143 - - Pages 144 & 145 - - Page 146 - Nakoshi: One freakish mess of symbols... - Page 147 - - Page 148 - Nakoshi: Thanks to you... My body looks like this... - Page 149 - Guard: Hey, is that you, Mr. Nakoshi? Nakoshi: Hey Guard. How are you doing? Guard: Oh? What happened? You're soaking wet. Nakoshi: I just went for a little swim. - Page 150 - Guard: You didn't get water dumped on you by another one of your girls, did you? Nakoshi: Yeah, I guess you could say that. Guard: Huh? By the way, Mr. Nakoshi... Aren't you supposed to be on an extended vacation? Why are you back at the company? - Page 151 - Nakoshi: I forgot something inside... - Page 152 - Card: (pik) - Page 153 - - Pages 154 & 155 - - Page 156 - - Page 157 - Nakoshi: (swff) (splat) - Page 158 - Note: Letter of Resignation - Page 159 - - Page 160 - Nakoshi: (tap tap tap) - Page 161 - - Page 162 - Car: (gwik)(gwik)(gwik) Nakoshi: Aah...! - Page 163 - - Page 164 - - Page 165 - - Page 166 - Nakoshi: (slurp) - Page 167 - - Page 168 - Note: Letter of Resignation Nakoshi: Yeah... - Page 169 - Nakoshi: Whew. (zzip) - Page 170 - Nakoshi: Somethin' only a freak would do. - Page 171 - Guard: Huh? What happened to your Porsche, Mr. Nakoshi? Nakoshi: This is better than a Porsche. Guard: If you say so... - Page 172 - Nakoshi: I feel this one a lot better! - Page 173 - Nakoshi: Y'all are me. - Page 174 - Nakoshi: I am you. - Page 175 - - Pages 176 & 177 - Car: (skrek) - Page 178 - - Page 179 - Nakoshi: CHOO! - Page 180 - - Page 181 - Ken: Oh. It's Car Boy. Nakoshi: CHOO! Ken: What's up? You're soaked to the bone. Here. Use it. - Page 182 - Nakoshi: Thank you very much! Ken: Ahh, no problem. Nakoshi: (gurrrgle) Ken: Hmmuh? Nakoshi: Ah... (gurrrgle) Ken: Gehehehehe. - Page 183 - Man: Here. Nakoshi: Thank you. - Page 184 - Nakoshi: (munch) Yeah, it's good. Yasu: Heheheh. Ken: Better get you a drink to fight the chill. Nakoshi: Ooh, sounds good. - Page 185 - Men: Yeah! Hello! Good morning! Glug glug glug. Aaahh! A morning shot! It's OK fer you guys ta have a drink in the mornin', but don't be gettin' too wild when people are watchin'. Be careful. The City Planning people got a bee up their ass lately. - Page 186 - Ken: But a drink on a nice morning sure hits the spot! These guys drink from sunup to sundown... When they run out, they work a few days for a movin' company, spend all the money on booze, and when THAT runs out... They do it all again! Hahaha. Man: (glug) Yasu: Careful there. Man: Good drinkin' weather. Nakoshi: It's not bad... Sakurai: Hey Car Boy, we didn't see ya fer awhile. Thought you went back "There." Nakoshi: There? - Page 187 - Sakurai: You know. THERE. Nakoshi: I wonder what's over there...? - Page 188 - Sakurai: Nothin' but buildings, far as you can see. Nakoshi: You're right... Sakurai: All that's there is money and things. It stinks of electricity... - Page 189 - Nakoshi: Mr. Sakurai... Why did you come "Here" from "There"? Sakurai: You know the story... Layoffs. They didn't need me. Company didn't need me. That's all... - Page 190 - Sakurai: Why do the buildings keep popping up, but all the people are leavin'...? Like the things are more alive than the people. The things are eatin' people to stay alive! - Page 191 - Yasu: Yep, yep. Just look at this park... It's about to get taken over by buildings...! - Page 192 - Yasu: Wearin' those fuckin' clothes. Don't matter if your clothes are nice or dirty, you're still human underneath 'em all! They're being tricked and ruled by things. That's what I think! Take off your clothes and we're all just animals, eatin', shittin', and fuckin'! Yeah I said fuckin! Cock and pussy! Ken: Hey... Yasu! - Page 193 - Yasu: I ain't "got" no things... I don't "keep" no things! I just live like an upright human being!! Men: That's the way. You got it right. Nakoshi: You don't have to deny it... - Page 194 - Nakoshi: Over "there," they have good food. Hot baths. Nice women. - Page 195 - Yasu: (grr) So what, pal...? Ken: Hey... Yasu. Yasu: Why'd you come "here," then?! Nakoshi: I'm not "here," yet. - Page 196 - Yasu: You know what... You talkin' all smart and this and that, Well, you got any place to go back to?! Huh?! Ken: Yasu! Nakoshi: I don't... I can't come here, Can't go back there... - Page 197 - Nakoshi: It's like, what am I doing in my car... All alone... All I know is, right now, right "here," - Page 198 - Nakoshi: It feels nice to be drinkin' in the shade of this tree. Man: Hey man... What did you do over there? - Page 199 - Nakoshi: (tug) Well... I worked at a life insurance company, doing a job called an actuary. Man: Ack... chooary...? Nakoshi: I calculate the odds on if it's OK or not OK to give a client insurance, and for how long... Insurance is a real precise business. Sakurai: Calculate? Nakoshi: I calculate how much we can give back in the future based on what they pay today, to make sure the company stays afloat. - Page 200 - Nakoshi: Like for instance, calculating a person's lifespan and payments based on what they're like now. Short and simple, it's a job where you assign prices to human lives. Sakurai: Prices to human lives?! You can't just put a price on someone's life! - Page 201 - Nakoshi: That's right... If dogs and cats are all equal, why is it that human lives can be converted to money? Yasu: You liar... I know 'bout you! You been lyin' all over the place!! Men: That's right. Dey say you a compulsive liar. - Page 202 - Nakoshi: Right over there, that guy eating a sandwich... 60 million yen, max. Yasu: What?! - Page 203 - Nakoshi: The mother with her daughter, 38 million. Even that kid toddling along, 47 million. They're rough estimates, but they put money values on people's lives. - Page 204 - Nakoshi: Mr. Yasu. How old are you? Yasu: 48. - Page 205 - Nakoshi: How much do you drink? Yasu: W... Well, you saw... Everyday. Nakoshi: Smoke? Yasu: I ain't no smoker... - Page 206 - Nakoshi: Have you ever had a major disease in the past? Are there habits of hereditary conditions in your parents or family members? How much do you make in a year? - Page 207 - Nakoshi: Factor all of them in, and your price is... - Page 208 - Yasu: You son of a bitch! Don't be puttin' no price on me! - Page 209 - Ken: You can't put a price on nobody... You can't... Hey, you OK, pal? Nakoshi: I'm fine. - Page 210 - Nakoshi: Just let me be like this for a while. - Page 211 - Nakoshi: I haven't seen a sky without buildings in ages. - Page 212 - Nakoshi: Yeow... Ken: How'd you get this anyway? Nakoshi: Err, well... - Page 213 - Ken: (grin) Little boy, you want some candy? Mother: Hey! Come on! Ken: (Ga ha ha ha) Boy: (stare) Mother: Don't look at them! Ken: Y'know... It's ironic. - Page 214 - Ken: When I was a kid, my dad'd take me to the park, and I used to watch 'em. All those weirdos in their blue tents. Why are they living here? What are they doing? Y'know. - Page 215 - Ken: I was scared, but like any boy, curious, so I'd stare at 'em just like that one just did. Boy: (stare) Ken: And look at this. Now I'm one of 'em! I wonder why it turned out this way... Sometimes I see him... - Page 216 - Ken: My childhood self... Starin' at my own tent... - Page 217 - Ken: Maybe when I was a kid... I was seein' myself in the future... - Page 218 - - Page 219 - - Page 220 - Chauffeur: Welcome, Mr. Nakoshi. Nakoshi: Thanks. Chauffeur: There you go. Nakoshi: Well, right this way. Girl: OK. Mr. Nakoshi, do you visit this hotel often? - Page 221 - Nakoshi: I guess. Girl: Isn't this the most expensive hotel in the city? Nakoshi: Well, it's hardly cheap. Girl: People who work at foreign capital banks sure are amazing. - Page 222 - - Page 223 - Homunculus Volume 6 : 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 2005, Issues 3/4-9, and 30-34. * Homunculus Official Homepage: http://www.yamapro.com