Eternal
New Member
Part #030
Life of a Salesman
Life of a Salesman
...But where to start?
There were no clues, no evidence, nobody. Surely, even in the slums, a murder wasn’t a common thing. There must’ve been something else that caused the death. Natural causes; the bullet-shaped hole in the man’s chest was caused by something else. Of course it was... he was nice enough, no known enemies—all was well in this guys life.
Thoughts sped through Tuo Zi’s mind at alarming rates. He had lost all control of any sort of logical thought process and had instead resorted to pure hysteria and panic. What was the man’s name? At least he could start from that. Maybe there were family members that also lived in the slums.
He didn’t know the name. Why hadn’t he asked? Furthermore, he wasn’t hungry. Why did he need to go buy breakfast?
Death gripped the throat of paradise, and was not letting go. Its breath sifted through the air, leaving the shop reeking of its presence. Even its laughter could be heard if there was enough silence. Its devilish horn sliced through—
"So he’s finally dead, eh?”
The young mechanic twisted his body around to face the source of this nuisance. Couldn’t the guy see that Tuo Zi was mourning? Even stupid slumdogs should be able to deduce so much.
"What do you want?” Tuo Zi asked coldly. For once in his lifetime, he was actually mad to some extent. Unfortunately, the frown looked much worse than his usual blankness.
"Jeez, no need to be so cold,” the man replied. He’d looked right through the shinigami. "I’m just commentin’ here. Besides, it was bound to happen sooner or later. That’s what he gets for messing with those damned street racers. By the way, I’ve ne’er seen you ‘round these parts. You new or something?”
Tuo Zi sighed. There really was no point in being so distant to a stranger, since he had done the same thing with his ex-employer anyways. "You could say that, though it’s more like I’m returning.”
"Man... that’s deep. Lighten up, kid. This guy didn’t even have any family, ya hear? Though, ya might wanna try asking around for people that knew him. For all I know, he’s been sleepin’ here for the past few years. Good luck, kid.”
"Thanks, sir.” He felt sick to his stomach. As Tuo Zi watched the man walk away, he knew there was no other option but to walk around, asking when he could. It was decided. Besides, there was no way the young mechanic was going to try and attempt to beat up a few thugs, especially in his gigai form. In the worst case scenario, he would have to run away.
Thus started his journey around the broken and rundown shacks that mapped out the labyrinth of trash. And there it was: the first door. Knocking ever so lightly, as to not break the door itself, Tuo Zi patiently awaited for someone to answer. Presently, a young lady, no older than Tuo Zi himself, answered.
"Yes?” she asked monotonously.
"Er, I am here to ask if you knew about the man that worked at the automobile shop? I am his apprentice and—” Tuo Zi was interrupted by the door being shut in his face. Maybe she didn’t see me, he thought, so he knocked once more. This time, a different person appeared at the door. "Ah, yes. Hello, my name is—” Interrupted again.
Was he not even going to be given a chance to speak? This was ridiculous. A man was dead and nobody in this entire household cared? No matter, there were several more houses down the street anyhow.
The next house looked no different than the first house, albeit with a different swatch of colors. Again, Tuo Zi knocked on the door, this time clearing his throat. Maybe the last couple didn’t hear him correctly. From the door emerged an elderly man, not much unlike the old mechanic. "Can I help you, kid?”
"There is a strong possibility that you will be able to, kind sir. You see, based off the population of this town and the probability that everyone knows one another—” he started, before being interrupted once more. Maybe his sales pitch wasn’t right. It wasn’t his business to take a census of the town anyhow, so why would he even start with that? Let me try again, he thought. However, before he could even raise his hand, the man looked through the door so terrifyingly, almost as if to scare Tuo Zi away. It worked.
For the next several hours, Tuo Zi suffered from the same response from nearly all residents of the slums. Maybe the guy was right—maybe it really was common for someone to be killed. He felt like a traveling salesman: being rejected door after door, yet with no intention of stopping. Except now, the dejected look on his face told more than what he thought it could. He felt rejected. Even worse, rejected by his own kinsmen. He went back to the shop, seeing as how he really didn’t have any reason to go back to Seireitei anyway—he hadn’t completed his mission yet.
As if he could tell, the same man that had first sent Tuo Zi on his journey returned to the shop, sitting down next to the downcast Tuo Zi. "I take it your little research didn’t go so well, eh?” When met with no response, the man continued. "Don’t say I didn’t tell you so, though. Look, don’t be so mad, okay? I already went ahead and had the guy buried, so you don’t even have to worry anymore. Just pack up your belongings and go back home. I can tell you without a doubt that the racers will come back sometime to look for some loot. And well, if you’re here, your life will be their loot.”
There was no denying the truth in the man’s words, but denial was the only why Tuo Zi knew how to cope with the fact that he had been disconnected with someone so... far? That’s right, what was he doing worrying about someone he barely knew about anyways?
The conflicting thoughts battled in Tuo Zi’s mind, long after the man left to let the young mechanic to his own devices; until finally, he came to a conclusion. He wasn’t seeking retribution or revenge. In fact, he would’ve had the same reaction regardless of who died, right?
The truth was, he was seeking justice. Justice for those who have been hurt, and those who will be hurt by the street racers.
And justice was sweet.
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