Just another day at work. With a flick of his wrist, Itachi diverted his crane along the row of containers. He held the control stick in just the right position; too much, the lumbering machine would shoot across the yard. Too little, and he wouldn't get his job done on time. This was a delicate balance, and handling these huge machines was an art form only workers like him understood. He eased the giant to a stop above a particular container, this one was blue with a Hitachi logo emblazoned on the side, and whipped out a clipboard. His schedule told him that today, anything that was under Hitachi was to be moved to a nearby dock for movement onto a freighter. Oh shipping. Thus a simple art. He quickly confirmed that the container he was over was one for moving and, with another control stick, lowered the crane's rectangular armature downward. The device slid right over the top container so he twisted the stick, clamping the arm in place. Right, time to haul. He pulled back on the stick and the container rose, slowly but surely, into the air. Gingerly he raised the hulk up until it hung just below his control station. Then, with both hands on both sticks, he manoeuvred the whole crane along its track towards dock side. Slower, this time. He had cargo. Last one, then he would be homeward bound. He inched his way across the freight yard, while below him trucks and workers milled about like little ants. The day was easing to a close, sun setting beneath the horizon, casting long and thick shadows across the docks. He could faintly hear the cheerful laughs of his colleagues below him; just like him, they were waiting to go home to their wives and families and sit down with a hot meal to relax. His crane slid into place and he stopped, lowering the container into place as he heard footfalls behind him. A hand clapped him on the shoulder as he smiled and turned to look up. "Itachi, go home." "But what if I stay longer, hmm?" "Then I'll just go home and share more [i]sake[/i] with my wife! Ha ha!" His shift replacement was a very old friend of his, a man named Yuichi. Itachi swapped places with him and tipped his hard hat in farewell as he climbed down the ladder. Several catwalks and two ladders later and he was on solid ground. Time to clock out. Home. As he strolled down the road towards the staff office, he briefly contemplated his job. It was simple enough, right? Driving a crane was like parking a car, or playing those crane games his daughter enjoyed playing at the fair or the arcade. Itachi smiled. The mere memory of seeing his little girl at home warmed his heart. Her smile, her little hands held gently within his when they walked. The way his children played together in their flat. Everything about his family made him smile. He was happy. He never did notice his coworker shout a warning to him. Only when a large shadow grew over his path he realised something was wrong. Itachi looked up. A split second before a falling cargo container crushed him beneath its bulk. Oh death. Thou but a simple art. ---------- The world was white. He awoke in a daze. His clothes were crumpled and bloody, and it felt like he'd been through a clothes drier. Slowly he opened his eyes wider, letting the light in while he sat up, rubbing the back of his head in confusion. Hadn't he just died? He remembered the container dropping down on top of him, a few brief moments of sheer agony, then nothing but a cold, dark black. Was this heaven? A tiny room where people argued with each other forever? In the room were several other people, just as confused as he was. Some were already in the process of arguing, but one, a young lady, had just woken up. Upon hearing her ask a question he didn't think the others had heard, he turned to her and smiled weakly. "I'm not sure." Itachi extended a hand that he hoped she would shake. It was nice to make at least one friend in a strange place like this. "I'm Gokyo Itachi. You?"