(no subject)
Dec. 13th, 2012 02:45 am"Don't like the brew, boss?"
There was something absolutely unnerving about the way Joshua Kiryu chose to continuously twirl his coffee mug around the table without laying a single finger on it that fine winter morning. Perhaps what was even more unnerving was the glimmer in the Composer's gaze when he entered Wildkat a few hours prior, bundled up in a heavy scarf despite the common misconception that the dead were cold and unfeeling. It was quite the opposite, really, and his fingers suffered from bothersome frostbite due to his aversion of wearing anything confining on his hands - especially gloves.
"There are grinds in it."
Sanae Hanekoma quirks a brow, not because of the absolutely bored tone of the remark, but rather the absurdity of the statement. There are, in fact, no grinds in the coffee.
"That so?"
Joshua answers with a hum as he finally pries his eyes off the cup and over to the Producer. "Do you have a mirror, Sanae?"
That causes the already lifted brow to fly up to the heavens. "....A mirror, J? You need to check your hair or somethin'?"
Instead of smirking - which Sanae finds odd that he doesn't - Joshua opts to shrug indifferently. "So that's a yes?" he wonders, voice treading on scathing for no particular reason whatsoever. At least, not one that Sanae can readily discern.
"Yeah. Gimme a sec."
The Producer disappears into the depths of Wildkat, and really, that's saying a lot considering how small the coffeeshop is. While he's away, Joshua continues sipping the unsatisfactory coffee, his free hand tracing a treble clef on the counter. His phone is buzzing in his pocket and he's pointedly ignoring it. It's not a Game-week, and it hasn't been for a month now. Or was it two months? It's likely not a Reaper calling him, which meant it was someone of more prickly nature. Angels, likely.
When Sanae returns with a hand-mirror, he's sporting a frown. Before offering it up, he walks over to the counter and holds it just out of reach of his shorter friend. "Joshua," he says in all seriousness, even though it barely causes a look up from the Composer, "they said if you don't start a Game by next week, they're gonna have to step in."
"Step in?" Joshua snorts and he reaches for the mirror, mildly annoyed when Sanae holds it up even higher. He retracts his hand and folds his arms. "However will they do that? Send an attack dog down to play Conductor and force my hand?"
"They're talkin' about revamping Shibuya's Game entirely, Joshua."
Joshua looks unimpressed. "Hm? Please. Shibuya has the highest turnover of ascended Souls. It's a surprise they don't force other districts to abide by our policies."
"Puffery aside," Sanae continues, the mirror still annoyingly above Joshua's head, "the point is, J, that you need to stop moping about your punishment and just get the Game goin'."
"I'm not moping," Joshua says flatly. "Any sane Composer would refuse to host a Game with his powers tapped into by apathetic archangels."
Sanae doesn't seem impressed by Joshua's attitude but finally sets the mirror down on the bar. "Don't come cryin' to me when it all blows up in your face."
"Heehee... like I'd really let this face be ruined," Joshua says and takes the mirror. He holds it up, just enough so he can see the rest of Wildkat behind him. There's a long pause before Joshua says, "Did you know, Sanae, that every good magician needs at least one Ace?"
"Come again, boss...? I didn't know you pulled rabbits out of your hat for fun."
Joshua rolls his eyes. "Thank you for your time - and coffee - as always." He tosses him a quick look that speaks volumes and is more than any yen could ever provide. "I'll be in touch sometime soon about orchestrating the Game for Monday."
"Finally..." Sanae heaves a loud sigh of relief. "Why the sudden change of heart? That Ace really that good?"
Joshua smirks as he rises from the stool. "Mmm, I'd say so."
Joshua wiggles his wrist in a tiny wave before he leaves Wildkat, hands nestling back into his pockets. Sanae watches him go with a fond chuckle. He's glad that his only friend has come around and has enough sense not to let Shibuya be wrecked by power-thirsty Angels. He's glad that he's agreed to finally have a Game after so long, even with his Powers still capped. But he wonders. He has to wonder why the change of heart so suddenly?
Sanae regards the mirror he had lent Joshua with a frown. As he picks it up, an epiphany strikes him and he drops it at once, muttering a slew of curses under his breath that would make any prudent religious man or woman blush at the outrageousness of it all.
"You've got to be kidding me," are Sanae Hanekoma's last words.
Somewhere in Shibuya, a young boy screams and drops his toothbrush into the sink, nearly losing it to the drain forever as a giggle transcends the planes, eyes meeting in a plate of glass.
There was something absolutely unnerving about the way Joshua Kiryu chose to continuously twirl his coffee mug around the table without laying a single finger on it that fine winter morning. Perhaps what was even more unnerving was the glimmer in the Composer's gaze when he entered Wildkat a few hours prior, bundled up in a heavy scarf despite the common misconception that the dead were cold and unfeeling. It was quite the opposite, really, and his fingers suffered from bothersome frostbite due to his aversion of wearing anything confining on his hands - especially gloves.
"There are grinds in it."
Sanae Hanekoma quirks a brow, not because of the absolutely bored tone of the remark, but rather the absurdity of the statement. There are, in fact, no grinds in the coffee.
"That so?"
Joshua answers with a hum as he finally pries his eyes off the cup and over to the Producer. "Do you have a mirror, Sanae?"
That causes the already lifted brow to fly up to the heavens. "....A mirror, J? You need to check your hair or somethin'?"
Instead of smirking - which Sanae finds odd that he doesn't - Joshua opts to shrug indifferently. "So that's a yes?" he wonders, voice treading on scathing for no particular reason whatsoever. At least, not one that Sanae can readily discern.
"Yeah. Gimme a sec."
The Producer disappears into the depths of Wildkat, and really, that's saying a lot considering how small the coffeeshop is. While he's away, Joshua continues sipping the unsatisfactory coffee, his free hand tracing a treble clef on the counter. His phone is buzzing in his pocket and he's pointedly ignoring it. It's not a Game-week, and it hasn't been for a month now. Or was it two months? It's likely not a Reaper calling him, which meant it was someone of more prickly nature. Angels, likely.
When Sanae returns with a hand-mirror, he's sporting a frown. Before offering it up, he walks over to the counter and holds it just out of reach of his shorter friend. "Joshua," he says in all seriousness, even though it barely causes a look up from the Composer, "they said if you don't start a Game by next week, they're gonna have to step in."
"Step in?" Joshua snorts and he reaches for the mirror, mildly annoyed when Sanae holds it up even higher. He retracts his hand and folds his arms. "However will they do that? Send an attack dog down to play Conductor and force my hand?"
"They're talkin' about revamping Shibuya's Game entirely, Joshua."
Joshua looks unimpressed. "Hm? Please. Shibuya has the highest turnover of ascended Souls. It's a surprise they don't force other districts to abide by our policies."
"Puffery aside," Sanae continues, the mirror still annoyingly above Joshua's head, "the point is, J, that you need to stop moping about your punishment and just get the Game goin'."
"I'm not moping," Joshua says flatly. "Any sane Composer would refuse to host a Game with his powers tapped into by apathetic archangels."
Sanae doesn't seem impressed by Joshua's attitude but finally sets the mirror down on the bar. "Don't come cryin' to me when it all blows up in your face."
"Heehee... like I'd really let this face be ruined," Joshua says and takes the mirror. He holds it up, just enough so he can see the rest of Wildkat behind him. There's a long pause before Joshua says, "Did you know, Sanae, that every good magician needs at least one Ace?"
"Come again, boss...? I didn't know you pulled rabbits out of your hat for fun."
Joshua rolls his eyes. "Thank you for your time - and coffee - as always." He tosses him a quick look that speaks volumes and is more than any yen could ever provide. "I'll be in touch sometime soon about orchestrating the Game for Monday."
"Finally..." Sanae heaves a loud sigh of relief. "Why the sudden change of heart? That Ace really that good?"
Joshua smirks as he rises from the stool. "Mmm, I'd say so."
Joshua wiggles his wrist in a tiny wave before he leaves Wildkat, hands nestling back into his pockets. Sanae watches him go with a fond chuckle. He's glad that his only friend has come around and has enough sense not to let Shibuya be wrecked by power-thirsty Angels. He's glad that he's agreed to finally have a Game after so long, even with his Powers still capped. But he wonders. He has to wonder why the change of heart so suddenly?
Sanae regards the mirror he had lent Joshua with a frown. As he picks it up, an epiphany strikes him and he drops it at once, muttering a slew of curses under his breath that would make any prudent religious man or woman blush at the outrageousness of it all.
"You've got to be kidding me," are Sanae Hanekoma's last words.
Somewhere in Shibuya, a young boy screams and drops his toothbrush into the sink, nearly losing it to the drain forever as a giggle transcends the planes, eyes meeting in a plate of glass.
(no subject)
Nov. 20th, 2012 03:24 am"Did you know… there's a place where the sky meets the water."
"But how? Shibuya's land locked."
"Silly. It isn't a beach."
"You're lying."
"Why would I ever think to do such a thing?"
"…Take me sometime, then."
"Oh, if you insist."
And that was the infamous conversation that had started this entire mess. That was two weeks ago.
-----
Neku's feet stopped a few feet away from the edge of what could only be explained as a giant in-ground pool. Except it wasn't water that was in the basin, but instead a vaporous liquid that somehow managed to capture the characteristics of a mirror. The liquid reflected the room around it, showing the extravagant chandeliers that hung above them, as well as the light to the City that kept the room bright. The liquid, having both attributes of steam and liquid all at once, defied physics, defied the rules of nature and logic, but then again, when did the UG ever make sense to begin with?
There was a cool rush that accompanied proximity of the pool. Along with that breeze was an undeniable sense of power and light. If Neku squinted, if he tried really hard, there was a faint bluish glow emanating from the large hole-in-the-floor. And it was Music, undeniably Music that was bouncing off the surface, filling the room with jumbled up bits of melodies that all cohesively formed together to form Shibuya. And that's when Neku Sakuraba knew what he was staring at.
"...They're Souls."
"Sharp as always, Neku." Joshua stood near the very edge, not hesitant at all about wiggling his fingers over the rising vapors. "Imagination, too, if you will. The two are inseparable."
"Ok." It was easier to imagine a manifestation of a Soul than an abstract concept like Imagination, right? Sure it was.
"I take it you're impressed?" Joshua stifled a giggle, pale hand curled into a tiny fist over his mouth.
"It's..." Neku searched himself for a word but fell short. Apprehensively, he stepped closer, next to Joshua's side. He curiously peeked over the low edge surrounding the pool, staring at the blue light with both awe and confusion.
"So it's Souls," Neku reiterated.
"Yes. Due to the huge number of deaths per day, it would be impossible to host all of them in a Game. Nothing would ever get done." Joshua clicked his tongue thoughtfully, arms folded, now, and head tilted to the side. "Mm, besides. Some of them have already had numerous chances at life and are ready for the afterlife."
Neku faltered, his expression turning into something pained. "...So not everyone plays your Game."
"No," Joshua agreed, unfazed. "Some are ready to Ascend or move on."
"Why?"
"Hm...? Oh, that's simply the way it is. It's usually younger Souls that tend to get a chance at the Game." Joshua shrugged.
"And yet only one goes back."
"Life is limited, Neku."
Neku made a tiny, frustrated noise as he continued peering into the basin, still in awe at how large it was and that such a place existed in Shibuya. That such a place was behind the Room of Reckoning all along and if he had known that, maybe he could have saved his friends without Joshua's help, and just maybe...
"Ah, that's a dangerous thought, Neku." Joshua reached out to touch the other's shoulder, touch icy and stern.
Neku froze, looking over to his friend with an unmistakable frown. "I told you not to scan me."
"Mm?" Joshua's hand slid away. It was hard getting used to normal human relationships. It was harder tuning out the thoughts that radiated off Neku like a soundtrack. "My apologies. I'm still getting used to it." And just to keep Neku on edge. "You have such silly thoughts, sometimes, you know."
Neku's ears burned and he shoved at the other's side. "Ever hear of the phrase invasion of privacy? You're doing it."
Joshua merely giggled in response as he turned his gaze to the Souls as well. "There are several purposes of this place, if you must know. I can tell you're dying to know.
Bad choice of words, but, "Yeah. Tell me?"
"It's a storage for Souls before it is determined whether that Soul will Ascend, move to the afterlife, or allowed a chance to play the Reaper's Game." Joshua paused. "The basin also serves as a viewing tool."
"Viewing tool?" Neku seemed utterly lost again, gaze affixed to the misty vapors as they danced on the watery surface. "What do you mean? I don't see anything besides the ceiling."
Joshua shook his head. "If you'd let me finish." Neku winced. Right. "In order to determine a Soul's Fate, there are two things that must be taken into consideration. One is the Brightness of the Soul. That's where refining the Soul comes into handy. That's what the Reaper's Game aims to do. Second is the life of the Soul itself. Consider the pool a personal projector."
"So it's like a movie."
"To reduce it to its bare bones, yes." Joshua frowned. "I'd prefer if you didn't call it that, though. It sounds rather demeaning."
"How is it demeaning?" Neku shook his head. "...So you can see dead people's lives and everything they've done?"
Joshua giggled, then. "Neku, haven't I taught you anything?"
"You haven't," Neku agreed, frowning back at him rather indignantly. "You always say I'm part of the RG and I don't need to know any of this."
"And yet here you are, at the Heart of Shibuya." Joshua made a grand sweeping gesture with his arms as a smirk curled on his lips. "I gave you two hints, just now."
"Excuse me?"
Was Joshua expecting him to guess? That smug look on his face said, "yes".
Neku frowned, hands fiddling with the ends of his shirt. If this was the collection of Souls who had recently passed, why wouldn't it be so that Joshua could see their lives and what they had done? Hadn't he just bluntly implied that? What was he missing? Neku groaned in irritation, hand rising up to his hair to tug at it impatiently. He was deep in thought, trying to riddle it out, when Joshua's giggle broke through his concentration.
"Time's up," Joshua practically lilted. Before Neku could growl back, Joshua continued. "This place is the Core of Shibuya, as I've said. It is the heart of the City. I also alluded that the Music here is the essence of Shibuya. Therefore, all Souls reside in this pool, not just the deceased."
"Wait, what?!"
Neku snapped back, nearly tripping on his laces. How was that even possible?
"That's how I found out about you, after all. I noticed your Bright Soul from afar and decided to investigate with this." Joshua smirked radiantly over at him, hands falling into his pockets. "The Living Souls aren't necessarily stored here, but a remnant of them are here. The Room of Reckoning is where life and death meet. The in-between. The little crossroads. Neku, didn't I teach you anything?" He was asking that a lot lately.
Neku tried to wrap his mind around everything. He bit his bottom lip and approached Joshua's side again, nervously peering at the pool again. "So, when you want, you can look at anyone's life? What about their future?"
"The future is left to be written." So that's a no.
Neku sighed. "This is really creepy, you know?"
"How else did you think I did my job?" Joshua pouted childishly, appearing quite offended by the accusation. "But yes, Neku, I can look at anyone's life whenever I deem it necessary."
Which was Joshua for whenever he wanted. Neku shook his head. This was a whole new level of the UG he wasn't entirely sure he was prepared for. "When you said you knew a place where water met sky, I didn't think you meant a giant pool of Souls."
"It's all the same in the end, isn't it?"
"....Sure it is."
Joshua turned his back, heading back to the tiny door that would lead them to the Room of Reckoning and the Dead God's Pad. "Come along, Neku."
Neku lingered, eying the pool for a long moment. If that was true, if the lives of everyone in Shibuya were really stored here... Did that mean he could see his own life? See his parents when they were still together? See how his first friend actually died and the moments leading up to it? See what had caused Shiki to become so self-loathing? To see Joshua's past? He shivered, a cold sensation darting down his back.
"It's a powerful weapon, Neku. You could peak into anyone's life, at any moment, and see them in a whole new light. With that power, would you really want to? Would you want to know the things you were never met to?"
Neku knew Joshua didn't need to scan him to know what was on his mind.
"...No."
But he knew it was a lie.
-----
There was a danger that came with associating with someone of such a high Frequency and Vibe as Joshua. The Higher Ups had warned Joshua to be careful and had advised him to cut all ties with Sakuraba Neku, given the consequences that would likely occur. Joshua had assured them that Neku would cause no trouble and that given the boy's previous state of Proxy and retained Memories, it was no harm to the UG or to Shibuya. The only effect Joshua could foresee was Neku's Vibe being tweaked to a different Frequency so that he was more in-tune with the UG- could see things most people couldn't.
And that was where the trouble truly began.
The problem with the living, for starters, was their unbounded fascination with the Unknown. And being able to see a film-reel of anyone's life upon a whim was definitely under the list of the Desirable Unknown.
Neku had waited for Joshua to leave the plane before he attempted to get back to the room Joshua had shown him a week before. Joshua had business to attend to in a parallel plane somewhere - likely reoccurring repercussions from their little Three-Week-Game a year ago. Mr. H had offered to hold down the fort in his absence and had invited Neku along to play cards and drink at the Dead God's Pad. Mr. H had eventually fallen into a light nap, and that was when Neku went snooping.
The only problem was that when he finally got to the back room, he wasn't entirely sure how to use the shimmering vat of Souls. Did this thing come with an Instruction Manual?
Neku lingered at the edge, staring down at the blue light in a similar fashion to the week prior. If he listened faintly, he could hear the whirring of Shibuya. It was the City at its brightest, its purest, and Neku was certain he would be able to stand there and listen forever.
But there were more pressing matters. Like snooping around.
He knew if he were to do this, he'd have one shot. Likely only one chance before Joshua found out. Which meant he could only snoop on one life. On one tidbit. It frustrated him to no end, but it was better than nothing.
So he listed off what he wanted to do in his head.
Did he really want to see his friend's death? It had been a traffic accident and there was likely to be blood and he'd probably end up traumatized by it. Hearing about it was enough, but could he really face the music and witness it? He felt guilty enough, but would seeing it just compound the issue? He promptly crossed that off the list with a heavy heart.
Next on the list was what had caused Shiki to become the way she was in the Game. He had heard little details here and there, from both her and Eri, but he had never gotten the full story from his best friend. He almost settled on that but stopped himself. Wouldn't he rather it from her when she was ready? Wouldn't he rather know everything from her lips? Wouldn't he be snooping on something extremely precious and private to her? Feeling guilty about that, too, Neku crossed it off.
And where did that leave him? The more he thought about it, the more the idea of visiting his parents before their divorce made his stomach roll over and over. So that was decisively off his to-do list.
Which left... Joshua.
"The brat won't tell me anything about himself, anyway. Might as well."
Something seemed to click in that moment - that was the only way to describe it. A colder rush than before engulfed the room, nearly knocking Neku off balance while simultaneously leaving him asphyxiated. He fell to his knees in a loud groan of pain, hands clutching desperately at his head.
Okay, this wasn't what he had expected.
When he forced his eyes open through the pain, all he saw before him was a blurry image. The edges were blurrier than the middle, and the more he strained to see, the worse it hurt. Eventually, an image cleared in his eyes.
---
"Mother and Father call me Joshua. You can, too, since we're best friends now. Right?"
---
"Nice to meet'cha, kid."
"I like your cafe...Mister...?"
"Heh, just call me Mr. H. My last name's probably kinda hard for a foreign like you, kiddo."
"Hey...! I have perfect pronunciation, thank you!"
"Says the kid who just misspoke three times in his argument."
"...Argh."
---
"Joshua, honey, please don't go outside. Your fever is getting worse and I don't want you overexerting yourself."
----
"I don't like you hanging out with those boys, Joshua. There's something off about them."
---
"We think your son should be placed in therapy. His reports are highly conducive to a mental disease that needs to be medicated before it is allowed to worsen. Surely you understand."
---
"They think I'm crazy, Mr. H. You believe me, don't you?"
"Of course I do, kiddo. Now are you gonna get another cup of joe or not?"
---
"He killed himself... Oh my god I can't believe our son would kill himself!"
"You don't know that. His illness was terminal - he may have accidentally overdosed or the fever may have stricken and he didn't have his pills with him. You don't know that. Please calm down, love--"
"You never listened to him! You never listened to me. And now he's, and now he's..."
---
"Say, Mr. H, what's it like to die?"
"Huh?"
"You're an Angel, aren't you? What's it like to die?"
"Well, gee, aren't you straight to the point, kiddo."
"It's Joshua."
"Heh, J, then."
"...Hmph."
"It's like you're flying upside, except you can't stop and your wings are broken."
---
"Megumi Kitanji. What a charming name. I take it you'll form a pact with me, yes?"
---
"You killed her. Yoshiya, you--"
"It's Sir, now. ...And besides, she was Erased. She was doomed from the moment she corrupted Shibuya."
"But that's! You can't possibly think to...!"
"And you'll be my Conductor, won't you?"
---
"You're playing with fire, J. You know that, right? The Composer is a big role. A huge role. I know you didn't like the way things were being run when you were alive, but you gotta understand, kid. The Higher Ups ain't gonna respect you. You played dirty."
"I understand, Sanae. Which is why I'm not concerned."
"Eh?"
"You're here to watch out for me, aren't you? To make sure I don't mess up. Isn't that what you've always done."
"Heh...I suppose so."
---
"There can only be one Winner, Megumi. Never allow otherwise. It's the way things were meant to be."
"...Yes, sir."
---
"His Soul's bright. It's the only Bright thing left in this mess, Sanae."
"You won't really do it, will ya, boss?"
"Shibuya is on its last stand. I wasn't able to save Her. There's no point."
---
"Neku Sakuraba, hmmm?"
---
"The Game, Sir?"
"You have a month, Kitanji."
---
"You think just because they spared Shibuya and you means you can do as you want, J? You're playing with fire. Leave the kid alone. You can't keep doing this to him."
---
It felt like days before Neku's body collided back with the floor of the Viewing Room. A cold sweat had snuck up on him as he laid flat on his back, the ceiling suddenly being a very fancy shade of blue. His mind raced to catch up with all that had happened. He had seen it. He had seen almost every important moment in Joshua's life. He had seen his childhood, his rise to the Composer, the people he didn't spare, the promises he broke, the way he rigidly ran the Game, the way he shot him as if it didn't even matter.
Hot pricks appeared at the corner of his eyes after having relived that particular moment. It felt like a wound being cut fresh. It hurt. It stung to the core.
Was this what Joshua had warned against?
"Mm, why am I not surprised?"
Neku scrambled to feet, face a ghostly pale. He met Joshua's gaze uneasily, the cold look in the Composer's eyes absolutely frightening.
Joshua had been his friend for a year now. Joshua had shown him things that would likely get him in trouble with the Angels. Joshua, the person who had murdered him, had become one of his best friends. And now he knew all his dirty little secrets, presented to him on a silver platter.
"Are you satisfied, Neku? Are you ready to judge me?"
"Josh--"
"I told you not to do it, but I suppose you can't sate a cat's curiosity. What a shame...I really wanted you to keep your memories, Neku." There was a distinct sadness to Joshua's usual snark. Something buried deep down. "But now that you know, it's best just to end this. A clean cut, if you will."
"Wait -- you're taking my memories?!"
"I'm afraid so. All of them."
"You can't be serious!"
"Mm, it's necessary. If you had just listened..." Joshua trailed off, hands still deep in his pockets as he treaded closer, the edges of his form glowing an opaque white.
What about all those meals at Sunshine? What about all those sleepovers? What about that entire year of friendship? Didn't it mean anything?!
"I'm sorry, Neku. I really am."
But something clicked. "...You were alone."
"Excuse me?" Joshua paused, having been in the middle of lifting his hand into the air. A tiny ball had formed int he middle of his palm but it disappeared the moment Neku parted his lips to speak. A bewildered look took shape on the Composer's frail body. "'Alone'?"
"That's why you picked me. It wasn't about my Soul. That's bullshit." Neku's heart sunk. "You were alone, too. You picked me because I understood that. Being alone."
"Neku--"
"You wanted a friend." Neku's mind spun. "Even if it was just for a week of playing pretend, you wanted someone to emphasize with you. You wanted someone who was just as alone as you were when you were alive."
"Neku--"
"That's why you let me remember after the Game, too."
"Neku, stop--" A dangerous light was pulsating off Joshua. Shibuya was trembling.
"...Because you weren't lonely anymore."
A tiny, true smile appeared on Neku's lips. Hesitantly, he stepped closer, ignoring the absolute anger seething in Joshua's eyes. He never did like the truth being exposed, did he? Never did like looking weak, did he?
"Must suck being the Composer and being alone for so long, huh?" Neku laughed, weakly. "...it's fine though, Josh. I may not agree with what you do. I may hate the Game and hate your stupid Rules..."
"But I don't hate you."
Neku tugged him closer into a weak hug, letting his chin rest on Joshua's shoulder. Shibuya's Composer stilled, body frozen and eyes wide. Vulnerable, human. "You're not alone, jerk. You never were."
I'll never let you be lonely again, either. I promise.
"Because that's what friends are for, right, Josh?"
"But how? Shibuya's land locked."
"Silly. It isn't a beach."
"You're lying."
"Why would I ever think to do such a thing?"
"…Take me sometime, then."
"Oh, if you insist."
And that was the infamous conversation that had started this entire mess. That was two weeks ago.
-----
Neku's feet stopped a few feet away from the edge of what could only be explained as a giant in-ground pool. Except it wasn't water that was in the basin, but instead a vaporous liquid that somehow managed to capture the characteristics of a mirror. The liquid reflected the room around it, showing the extravagant chandeliers that hung above them, as well as the light to the City that kept the room bright. The liquid, having both attributes of steam and liquid all at once, defied physics, defied the rules of nature and logic, but then again, when did the UG ever make sense to begin with?
There was a cool rush that accompanied proximity of the pool. Along with that breeze was an undeniable sense of power and light. If Neku squinted, if he tried really hard, there was a faint bluish glow emanating from the large hole-in-the-floor. And it was Music, undeniably Music that was bouncing off the surface, filling the room with jumbled up bits of melodies that all cohesively formed together to form Shibuya. And that's when Neku Sakuraba knew what he was staring at.
"...They're Souls."
"Sharp as always, Neku." Joshua stood near the very edge, not hesitant at all about wiggling his fingers over the rising vapors. "Imagination, too, if you will. The two are inseparable."
"Ok." It was easier to imagine a manifestation of a Soul than an abstract concept like Imagination, right? Sure it was.
"I take it you're impressed?" Joshua stifled a giggle, pale hand curled into a tiny fist over his mouth.
"It's..." Neku searched himself for a word but fell short. Apprehensively, he stepped closer, next to Joshua's side. He curiously peeked over the low edge surrounding the pool, staring at the blue light with both awe and confusion.
"So it's Souls," Neku reiterated.
"Yes. Due to the huge number of deaths per day, it would be impossible to host all of them in a Game. Nothing would ever get done." Joshua clicked his tongue thoughtfully, arms folded, now, and head tilted to the side. "Mm, besides. Some of them have already had numerous chances at life and are ready for the afterlife."
Neku faltered, his expression turning into something pained. "...So not everyone plays your Game."
"No," Joshua agreed, unfazed. "Some are ready to Ascend or move on."
"Why?"
"Hm...? Oh, that's simply the way it is. It's usually younger Souls that tend to get a chance at the Game." Joshua shrugged.
"And yet only one goes back."
"Life is limited, Neku."
Neku made a tiny, frustrated noise as he continued peering into the basin, still in awe at how large it was and that such a place existed in Shibuya. That such a place was behind the Room of Reckoning all along and if he had known that, maybe he could have saved his friends without Joshua's help, and just maybe...
"Ah, that's a dangerous thought, Neku." Joshua reached out to touch the other's shoulder, touch icy and stern.
Neku froze, looking over to his friend with an unmistakable frown. "I told you not to scan me."
"Mm?" Joshua's hand slid away. It was hard getting used to normal human relationships. It was harder tuning out the thoughts that radiated off Neku like a soundtrack. "My apologies. I'm still getting used to it." And just to keep Neku on edge. "You have such silly thoughts, sometimes, you know."
Neku's ears burned and he shoved at the other's side. "Ever hear of the phrase invasion of privacy? You're doing it."
Joshua merely giggled in response as he turned his gaze to the Souls as well. "There are several purposes of this place, if you must know. I can tell you're dying to know.
Bad choice of words, but, "Yeah. Tell me?"
"It's a storage for Souls before it is determined whether that Soul will Ascend, move to the afterlife, or allowed a chance to play the Reaper's Game." Joshua paused. "The basin also serves as a viewing tool."
"Viewing tool?" Neku seemed utterly lost again, gaze affixed to the misty vapors as they danced on the watery surface. "What do you mean? I don't see anything besides the ceiling."
Joshua shook his head. "If you'd let me finish." Neku winced. Right. "In order to determine a Soul's Fate, there are two things that must be taken into consideration. One is the Brightness of the Soul. That's where refining the Soul comes into handy. That's what the Reaper's Game aims to do. Second is the life of the Soul itself. Consider the pool a personal projector."
"So it's like a movie."
"To reduce it to its bare bones, yes." Joshua frowned. "I'd prefer if you didn't call it that, though. It sounds rather demeaning."
"How is it demeaning?" Neku shook his head. "...So you can see dead people's lives and everything they've done?"
Joshua giggled, then. "Neku, haven't I taught you anything?"
"You haven't," Neku agreed, frowning back at him rather indignantly. "You always say I'm part of the RG and I don't need to know any of this."
"And yet here you are, at the Heart of Shibuya." Joshua made a grand sweeping gesture with his arms as a smirk curled on his lips. "I gave you two hints, just now."
"Excuse me?"
Was Joshua expecting him to guess? That smug look on his face said, "yes".
Neku frowned, hands fiddling with the ends of his shirt. If this was the collection of Souls who had recently passed, why wouldn't it be so that Joshua could see their lives and what they had done? Hadn't he just bluntly implied that? What was he missing? Neku groaned in irritation, hand rising up to his hair to tug at it impatiently. He was deep in thought, trying to riddle it out, when Joshua's giggle broke through his concentration.
"Time's up," Joshua practically lilted. Before Neku could growl back, Joshua continued. "This place is the Core of Shibuya, as I've said. It is the heart of the City. I also alluded that the Music here is the essence of Shibuya. Therefore, all Souls reside in this pool, not just the deceased."
"Wait, what?!"
Neku snapped back, nearly tripping on his laces. How was that even possible?
"That's how I found out about you, after all. I noticed your Bright Soul from afar and decided to investigate with this." Joshua smirked radiantly over at him, hands falling into his pockets. "The Living Souls aren't necessarily stored here, but a remnant of them are here. The Room of Reckoning is where life and death meet. The in-between. The little crossroads. Neku, didn't I teach you anything?" He was asking that a lot lately.
Neku tried to wrap his mind around everything. He bit his bottom lip and approached Joshua's side again, nervously peering at the pool again. "So, when you want, you can look at anyone's life? What about their future?"
"The future is left to be written." So that's a no.
Neku sighed. "This is really creepy, you know?"
"How else did you think I did my job?" Joshua pouted childishly, appearing quite offended by the accusation. "But yes, Neku, I can look at anyone's life whenever I deem it necessary."
Which was Joshua for whenever he wanted. Neku shook his head. This was a whole new level of the UG he wasn't entirely sure he was prepared for. "When you said you knew a place where water met sky, I didn't think you meant a giant pool of Souls."
"It's all the same in the end, isn't it?"
"....Sure it is."
Joshua turned his back, heading back to the tiny door that would lead them to the Room of Reckoning and the Dead God's Pad. "Come along, Neku."
Neku lingered, eying the pool for a long moment. If that was true, if the lives of everyone in Shibuya were really stored here... Did that mean he could see his own life? See his parents when they were still together? See how his first friend actually died and the moments leading up to it? See what had caused Shiki to become so self-loathing? To see Joshua's past? He shivered, a cold sensation darting down his back.
"It's a powerful weapon, Neku. You could peak into anyone's life, at any moment, and see them in a whole new light. With that power, would you really want to? Would you want to know the things you were never met to?"
Neku knew Joshua didn't need to scan him to know what was on his mind.
"...No."
But he knew it was a lie.
-----
There was a danger that came with associating with someone of such a high Frequency and Vibe as Joshua. The Higher Ups had warned Joshua to be careful and had advised him to cut all ties with Sakuraba Neku, given the consequences that would likely occur. Joshua had assured them that Neku would cause no trouble and that given the boy's previous state of Proxy and retained Memories, it was no harm to the UG or to Shibuya. The only effect Joshua could foresee was Neku's Vibe being tweaked to a different Frequency so that he was more in-tune with the UG- could see things most people couldn't.
And that was where the trouble truly began.
The problem with the living, for starters, was their unbounded fascination with the Unknown. And being able to see a film-reel of anyone's life upon a whim was definitely under the list of the Desirable Unknown.
Neku had waited for Joshua to leave the plane before he attempted to get back to the room Joshua had shown him a week before. Joshua had business to attend to in a parallel plane somewhere - likely reoccurring repercussions from their little Three-Week-Game a year ago. Mr. H had offered to hold down the fort in his absence and had invited Neku along to play cards and drink at the Dead God's Pad. Mr. H had eventually fallen into a light nap, and that was when Neku went snooping.
The only problem was that when he finally got to the back room, he wasn't entirely sure how to use the shimmering vat of Souls. Did this thing come with an Instruction Manual?
Neku lingered at the edge, staring down at the blue light in a similar fashion to the week prior. If he listened faintly, he could hear the whirring of Shibuya. It was the City at its brightest, its purest, and Neku was certain he would be able to stand there and listen forever.
But there were more pressing matters. Like snooping around.
He knew if he were to do this, he'd have one shot. Likely only one chance before Joshua found out. Which meant he could only snoop on one life. On one tidbit. It frustrated him to no end, but it was better than nothing.
So he listed off what he wanted to do in his head.
Did he really want to see his friend's death? It had been a traffic accident and there was likely to be blood and he'd probably end up traumatized by it. Hearing about it was enough, but could he really face the music and witness it? He felt guilty enough, but would seeing it just compound the issue? He promptly crossed that off the list with a heavy heart.
Next on the list was what had caused Shiki to become the way she was in the Game. He had heard little details here and there, from both her and Eri, but he had never gotten the full story from his best friend. He almost settled on that but stopped himself. Wouldn't he rather it from her when she was ready? Wouldn't he rather know everything from her lips? Wouldn't he be snooping on something extremely precious and private to her? Feeling guilty about that, too, Neku crossed it off.
And where did that leave him? The more he thought about it, the more the idea of visiting his parents before their divorce made his stomach roll over and over. So that was decisively off his to-do list.
Which left... Joshua.
"The brat won't tell me anything about himself, anyway. Might as well."
Something seemed to click in that moment - that was the only way to describe it. A colder rush than before engulfed the room, nearly knocking Neku off balance while simultaneously leaving him asphyxiated. He fell to his knees in a loud groan of pain, hands clutching desperately at his head.
Okay, this wasn't what he had expected.
When he forced his eyes open through the pain, all he saw before him was a blurry image. The edges were blurrier than the middle, and the more he strained to see, the worse it hurt. Eventually, an image cleared in his eyes.
---
"Mother and Father call me Joshua. You can, too, since we're best friends now. Right?"
---
"Nice to meet'cha, kid."
"I like your cafe...Mister...?"
"Heh, just call me Mr. H. My last name's probably kinda hard for a foreign like you, kiddo."
"Hey...! I have perfect pronunciation, thank you!"
"Says the kid who just misspoke three times in his argument."
"...Argh."
---
"Joshua, honey, please don't go outside. Your fever is getting worse and I don't want you overexerting yourself."
----
"I don't like you hanging out with those boys, Joshua. There's something off about them."
---
"We think your son should be placed in therapy. His reports are highly conducive to a mental disease that needs to be medicated before it is allowed to worsen. Surely you understand."
---
"They think I'm crazy, Mr. H. You believe me, don't you?"
"Of course I do, kiddo. Now are you gonna get another cup of joe or not?"
---
"He killed himself... Oh my god I can't believe our son would kill himself!"
"You don't know that. His illness was terminal - he may have accidentally overdosed or the fever may have stricken and he didn't have his pills with him. You don't know that. Please calm down, love--"
"You never listened to him! You never listened to me. And now he's, and now he's..."
---
"Say, Mr. H, what's it like to die?"
"Huh?"
"You're an Angel, aren't you? What's it like to die?"
"Well, gee, aren't you straight to the point, kiddo."
"It's Joshua."
"Heh, J, then."
"...Hmph."
"It's like you're flying upside, except you can't stop and your wings are broken."
---
"Megumi Kitanji. What a charming name. I take it you'll form a pact with me, yes?"
---
"You killed her. Yoshiya, you--"
"It's Sir, now. ...And besides, she was Erased. She was doomed from the moment she corrupted Shibuya."
"But that's! You can't possibly think to...!"
"And you'll be my Conductor, won't you?"
---
"You're playing with fire, J. You know that, right? The Composer is a big role. A huge role. I know you didn't like the way things were being run when you were alive, but you gotta understand, kid. The Higher Ups ain't gonna respect you. You played dirty."
"I understand, Sanae. Which is why I'm not concerned."
"Eh?"
"You're here to watch out for me, aren't you? To make sure I don't mess up. Isn't that what you've always done."
"Heh...I suppose so."
---
"There can only be one Winner, Megumi. Never allow otherwise. It's the way things were meant to be."
"...Yes, sir."
---
"His Soul's bright. It's the only Bright thing left in this mess, Sanae."
"You won't really do it, will ya, boss?"
"Shibuya is on its last stand. I wasn't able to save Her. There's no point."
---
"Neku Sakuraba, hmmm?"
---
"The Game, Sir?"
"You have a month, Kitanji."
---
"You think just because they spared Shibuya and you means you can do as you want, J? You're playing with fire. Leave the kid alone. You can't keep doing this to him."
---
It felt like days before Neku's body collided back with the floor of the Viewing Room. A cold sweat had snuck up on him as he laid flat on his back, the ceiling suddenly being a very fancy shade of blue. His mind raced to catch up with all that had happened. He had seen it. He had seen almost every important moment in Joshua's life. He had seen his childhood, his rise to the Composer, the people he didn't spare, the promises he broke, the way he rigidly ran the Game, the way he shot him as if it didn't even matter.
Hot pricks appeared at the corner of his eyes after having relived that particular moment. It felt like a wound being cut fresh. It hurt. It stung to the core.
Was this what Joshua had warned against?
"Mm, why am I not surprised?"
Neku scrambled to feet, face a ghostly pale. He met Joshua's gaze uneasily, the cold look in the Composer's eyes absolutely frightening.
Joshua had been his friend for a year now. Joshua had shown him things that would likely get him in trouble with the Angels. Joshua, the person who had murdered him, had become one of his best friends. And now he knew all his dirty little secrets, presented to him on a silver platter.
"Are you satisfied, Neku? Are you ready to judge me?"
"Josh--"
"I told you not to do it, but I suppose you can't sate a cat's curiosity. What a shame...I really wanted you to keep your memories, Neku." There was a distinct sadness to Joshua's usual snark. Something buried deep down. "But now that you know, it's best just to end this. A clean cut, if you will."
"Wait -- you're taking my memories?!"
"I'm afraid so. All of them."
"You can't be serious!"
"Mm, it's necessary. If you had just listened..." Joshua trailed off, hands still deep in his pockets as he treaded closer, the edges of his form glowing an opaque white.
What about all those meals at Sunshine? What about all those sleepovers? What about that entire year of friendship? Didn't it mean anything?!
"I'm sorry, Neku. I really am."
But something clicked. "...You were alone."
"Excuse me?" Joshua paused, having been in the middle of lifting his hand into the air. A tiny ball had formed int he middle of his palm but it disappeared the moment Neku parted his lips to speak. A bewildered look took shape on the Composer's frail body. "'Alone'?"
"That's why you picked me. It wasn't about my Soul. That's bullshit." Neku's heart sunk. "You were alone, too. You picked me because I understood that. Being alone."
"Neku--"
"You wanted a friend." Neku's mind spun. "Even if it was just for a week of playing pretend, you wanted someone to emphasize with you. You wanted someone who was just as alone as you were when you were alive."
"Neku--"
"That's why you let me remember after the Game, too."
"Neku, stop--" A dangerous light was pulsating off Joshua. Shibuya was trembling.
"...Because you weren't lonely anymore."
A tiny, true smile appeared on Neku's lips. Hesitantly, he stepped closer, ignoring the absolute anger seething in Joshua's eyes. He never did like the truth being exposed, did he? Never did like looking weak, did he?
"Must suck being the Composer and being alone for so long, huh?" Neku laughed, weakly. "...it's fine though, Josh. I may not agree with what you do. I may hate the Game and hate your stupid Rules..."
"But I don't hate you."
Neku tugged him closer into a weak hug, letting his chin rest on Joshua's shoulder. Shibuya's Composer stilled, body frozen and eyes wide. Vulnerable, human. "You're not alone, jerk. You never were."
I'll never let you be lonely again, either. I promise.
"Because that's what friends are for, right, Josh?"
app for holyrelic...!
Apr. 7th, 2012 01:00 amplayer.
NAME: Katraa
JOURNAL:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
altercation
E-MAIL: paralyzedsoul@hotmail.com
CONTACT INFO:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
katraa & (aim) paralyzed enigma
CHARACTERS PLAYED:
character.
CHARACTER NAME: Neku Sakuraba
SERIES: The World Ends With You
CANON POINT: Post-Game
APPEARANCE: NOT A SPICY TUNA ROLL, OK? Ok.
DESIRED CLASS & REASONING: Twin Blade! In The World Ends With You Neku relies heavily on his speed and agility to defeat the Noise. As a Twin Blade user, he'd be able to use that speed to his advantage. He's agile and quick, but not deft and focused enough for a heavier, single blade. (Plus, Neku is the protagonist of the game, so clearly he must fall into the 'Twin Blade' category. Clearly. )
PERSONALITY:
Some may say that Neku comes off at first as biting, indifferent, and all around like he just doesn't give a damn. In part, that is true. Or at least, at the beginning of his adventure of self-discovery (also known as 'The Game's Storyline).
Neku was selected as Joshua's proxy primarily due to his chilly attitude. Neku enclosed himself in a small world where the only concern was himself. Other people did not matter. In fact, social relations were sticky, dangerous, and just something he didn't want. He had his values and he'd rather others not shove theirs in his face. He would tune out the world around him with music and pretend that behind his headphones, only he existed, and that his world did indeed end with him. As expected, he was not originally a people person, nor did he find much compassion in others. One could say he started off as a "loner" that did his own thing, suffering from the occasional "teenage angst". It wasn't uncommon for him to shut other's out and tell them to get out of his face. People being close to him was problematic and he refused to connect with them, let alone have a decent conversation if he could avoid it.
That was, of course, until Joshua's Game turned him upside down.
Through the three weeks of torture Neku was put through, he began to learn how to deal with both people and the world around him. Essentially, he opened up. Due to the nature of the Game, Neku was forced early on to place his trust in another. Without that trust, he'd certainly lose the Game, and his life. There was no choice. As time went on, trusting the other person - albeit a Partner or Player - became innate. They were all in this together, right? There was some sort of common humanity that made these strangers sufferable. Neku began to see these people as more than just blobs that annoyed him. They had personalities, feelings, and were making him care about their fates. Whether Neku liked it or not, his world was expanding.
As Neku comes from the end of the Game, he has changed a considerable deal from the prickly pear he used to be. Now, Neku believes in others, and doesn't think the world is such a biting, stifling place. People aren't so bad, and if they join together - work together, laugh together, cry together - maybe anything is possible. Or maybe he's not reached that point of optimism yet, but he's certainly no longer pessimistic.
Regardless, he has friends now. Friends he believes in and seemingly would do anything for. Hurt any of his friends? You're on his bad side. Friendship, while cliche and kind of mushy and crap, is important to happiness. Vital, even. The Game taught him that, and he no longer is as adverse to social interactions. That's not to say he's the friendliest person you'll ever meet, but he isn't prone to tuning out the world anymore. Not as much as he used to be.
In the end, he took Mr. Hanekoma's advice to heart. He opened up, expanded his world, pushed out his horizons, and let others in. He's still your average teenager with a not-so-average past, he's still Neku, he's still got a love for ignoring the stifling individuals in society ... but he's warmed up.
Maybe the world isn't so bad, after all.
samples.
FIRST-PERSON SAMPLE:
[ If anyone was wondering, that orange blob that had been stalking the streets was now elsewhere, today, and if anyone was also wondering the particulars, it was Neku Sakuraba. And if anyone was wondering what he was doing.. well...
He had somehow wandered into one of those neat little caves with the glowing fungi and waterfalls and. ]
...You're kidding me. [ Because he had played quite a few video games in his time but this. This was straight out some high quality, intense sci-fi bull shit. Or something like that. ] ... Someone went all out.
[ Until he noticed a chim chim... ] ...Uh? [ Is that thing alive? Okay, curiously going over to inspect it, but thinking better of it because, well, it's a bit unnerving. It almost reminds him of Shiki's Pig-Thing. Which was enough to make his stomach churn on its own. ]
Weird. Damn...if I had my pins this wouldn't be a problem. Argh..
[ Was he EVER getting out of here? ]
ooc note: just in case it helps, kat and I did some test-drive here for additional first person sampling for Neku!
THIRD-PERSON SAMPLE:
There was something extremely unsettling about being away from Shibuya that Neku couldn't quite pinpoint. He figured that by now, after a week, he'd be used to this place, that Mac Anu would come to be a familiar name on his tongue ... but it hadn't. He felt off. He felt different, out of place, and alienated all at once.
The fact that he had strange clothing and weaponry now that weren't his Pins was unnerving enough, but compound that with the fact that he felt like he was in a really, really bad 'RPG' ... and you had a vague idea of how discomforted Neku was.
Not like he didn't try to make the best of it, but it was hard. The fields were nice, and the missions were interesting, to say the least. There was a certain rush that came with completing a goal - a task - that he had almost missed from his time in Shibuya's Game. Then again, the very thought of missing those three weeks, that had been so hard for him, made his stomach churn restlessly.
Yes, there was something off about this place. No matter how much he practiced with these swords, he couldn't quite get the swing of them.
Maybe he'd just have to focus more on the bigger picture. Or maybe he'd just pretend the enemies were a certain giggling asshole. That'd help, right...?!
Man, he could use a bowl of ramen right about now...
NAME: Katraa
JOURNAL:
altercationE-MAIL: paralyzedsoul@hotmail.com
CONTACT INFO:
CHARACTERS PLAYED:
character.
CHARACTER NAME: Neku Sakuraba
SERIES: The World Ends With You
CANON POINT: Post-Game
APPEARANCE: NOT A SPICY TUNA ROLL, OK? Ok.
DESIRED CLASS & REASONING: Twin Blade! In The World Ends With You Neku relies heavily on his speed and agility to defeat the Noise. As a Twin Blade user, he'd be able to use that speed to his advantage. He's agile and quick, but not deft and focused enough for a heavier, single blade. (Plus, Neku is the protagonist of the game, so clearly he must fall into the 'Twin Blade' category. Clearly. )
PERSONALITY:
Some may say that Neku comes off at first as biting, indifferent, and all around like he just doesn't give a damn. In part, that is true. Or at least, at the beginning of his adventure of self-discovery (also known as 'The Game's Storyline).
Neku was selected as Joshua's proxy primarily due to his chilly attitude. Neku enclosed himself in a small world where the only concern was himself. Other people did not matter. In fact, social relations were sticky, dangerous, and just something he didn't want. He had his values and he'd rather others not shove theirs in his face. He would tune out the world around him with music and pretend that behind his headphones, only he existed, and that his world did indeed end with him. As expected, he was not originally a people person, nor did he find much compassion in others. One could say he started off as a "loner" that did his own thing, suffering from the occasional "teenage angst". It wasn't uncommon for him to shut other's out and tell them to get out of his face. People being close to him was problematic and he refused to connect with them, let alone have a decent conversation if he could avoid it.
That was, of course, until Joshua's Game turned him upside down.
Through the three weeks of torture Neku was put through, he began to learn how to deal with both people and the world around him. Essentially, he opened up. Due to the nature of the Game, Neku was forced early on to place his trust in another. Without that trust, he'd certainly lose the Game, and his life. There was no choice. As time went on, trusting the other person - albeit a Partner or Player - became innate. They were all in this together, right? There was some sort of common humanity that made these strangers sufferable. Neku began to see these people as more than just blobs that annoyed him. They had personalities, feelings, and were making him care about their fates. Whether Neku liked it or not, his world was expanding.
As Neku comes from the end of the Game, he has changed a considerable deal from the prickly pear he used to be. Now, Neku believes in others, and doesn't think the world is such a biting, stifling place. People aren't so bad, and if they join together - work together, laugh together, cry together - maybe anything is possible. Or maybe he's not reached that point of optimism yet, but he's certainly no longer pessimistic.
Regardless, he has friends now. Friends he believes in and seemingly would do anything for. Hurt any of his friends? You're on his bad side. Friendship, while cliche and kind of mushy and crap, is important to happiness. Vital, even. The Game taught him that, and he no longer is as adverse to social interactions. That's not to say he's the friendliest person you'll ever meet, but he isn't prone to tuning out the world anymore. Not as much as he used to be.
In the end, he took Mr. Hanekoma's advice to heart. He opened up, expanded his world, pushed out his horizons, and let others in. He's still your average teenager with a not-so-average past, he's still Neku, he's still got a love for ignoring the stifling individuals in society ... but he's warmed up.
Maybe the world isn't so bad, after all.
samples.
FIRST-PERSON SAMPLE:
[ If anyone was wondering, that orange blob that had been stalking the streets was now elsewhere, today, and if anyone was also wondering the particulars, it was Neku Sakuraba. And if anyone was wondering what he was doing.. well...
He had somehow wandered into one of those neat little caves with the glowing fungi and waterfalls and. ]
...You're kidding me. [ Because he had played quite a few video games in his time but this. This was straight out some high quality, intense sci-fi bull shit. Or something like that. ] ... Someone went all out.
[ Until he noticed a chim chim... ] ...Uh? [ Is that thing alive? Okay, curiously going over to inspect it, but thinking better of it because, well, it's a bit unnerving. It almost reminds him of Shiki's Pig-Thing. Which was enough to make his stomach churn on its own. ]
Weird. Damn...if I had my pins this wouldn't be a problem. Argh..
[ Was he EVER getting out of here? ]
ooc note: just in case it helps, kat and I did some test-drive here for additional first person sampling for Neku!
THIRD-PERSON SAMPLE:
There was something extremely unsettling about being away from Shibuya that Neku couldn't quite pinpoint. He figured that by now, after a week, he'd be used to this place, that Mac Anu would come to be a familiar name on his tongue ... but it hadn't. He felt off. He felt different, out of place, and alienated all at once.
The fact that he had strange clothing and weaponry now that weren't his Pins was unnerving enough, but compound that with the fact that he felt like he was in a really, really bad 'RPG' ... and you had a vague idea of how discomforted Neku was.
Not like he didn't try to make the best of it, but it was hard. The fields were nice, and the missions were interesting, to say the least. There was a certain rush that came with completing a goal - a task - that he had almost missed from his time in Shibuya's Game. Then again, the very thought of missing those three weeks, that had been so hard for him, made his stomach churn restlessly.
Yes, there was something off about this place. No matter how much he practiced with these swords, he couldn't quite get the swing of them.
Maybe he'd just have to focus more on the bigger picture. Or maybe he'd just pretend the enemies were a certain giggling asshole. That'd help, right...?!
Man, he could use a bowl of ramen right about now...
