A Rhythm to Dance To

AN: Yes, yes... Yet another Fanfic. Do not fear, I have not given up on the other fanfics!

Urg, forgot this: I do not own TWEWY. (Is the disclaimer mandatory?)


Chapter One: Rhythmic Pains

It was a sunny, beautiful day… As if nothing could go wrong! Neku woke to the sound of birds chirping and his phone ringing. Rolling over on his soft, warm bed, he snatched the phone from his bedside table and checked it. Someone had sent him a text.

Yo, Phones!
Gotta show ya somethin. Meet us at Hachiko, kay?
-Beat
P.S. Hurry.

Neku frowned. What did Beat want on this fine summer day? It had been some time after the Game and it was the end of the first trimester, the summer holidays. He thought Beat had gone back to his old home or something, as that was what Rhyme had told him, so he just hung out with Shiki these few days, occasionally running into Joshua, who had decided to reveal himself, at Wildcat. Shrugging, Neku guessed he should be happy to have Beat back.

Throwing on some clothes, Neku grabbed his headphones and mp3 before heading out towards Hachiko, wondering what Beat wanted to show him. He saw Shiki at the Scramble and waved to her, catching her attention. The brown haired girl smiled as she walked over, hugging Mr. Mew, brown eyes shining.

"Hey," Neku greeted, giving a smile and raising his hand in greetings.

"Hey, Neku," Shiki replied, "Did you get the text from Beat, too?"

Neku nodded. "Wonder what he wants…"

"Well, we'll find out soon!" Shiki encouraged cheerfully, turning towards Hachiko, Neku following.

It wasn't long 'til they saw Beat waving at them, a cheesy grin on his face. Rhyme stood next to him, smiling at them. Beat had his skateboard tucked under his arm and Rhyme had her pendant around her neck as always. Neku raised his hand in greetings as he and Shiki approached.

"What's up, Beat, Rhyme?" Shiki asked when they got into talking range.

"Hey," Neku greeted, smiling.

"Hi, Shiki, Neku," Rhyme chirped, beaming.

"Yo, Phones, Shiki!" Beat cut in, "We got someone you should meet. Right, Rhythm?" He looked to his right, as if expecting someone to be there. But there was no one. Beat's eyes widened in surprise. "Bwaa! Where'd she go to now, yo?!"

Rhyme sighed. It seemed as if this 'Rhythm' often disappeared at random times. Neku and Shiki exchanged confused glances. The siblings looked around and called, "Rhythm!"

"I see her!" Rhyme suddenly cried, pointing past Hachiko. Turning around, Neku and Shiki were surprised to see a blonde girl identical to Rhyme with her hands on her hips. The girl was dressed very differently from Rhyme though. Her short blonde hair was slightly longer than Rhyme's and her fringe was more uneven, so that one side of her face was covered by her blonde hair. She wore a pair of sun glasses that were currently set in her blonde hair, above her forehead, and had a necklace with rainbow colored feathers on it. Her wide-sleeved, unbuttoned, white leathery jacket had fur around the collar and edge of her long sleeves, but only reached above her stomach. Under that, she had a tight white top with a silver dragon on it. She also wore long jeans, which had gold chains decorating the pockets and flower patterns on it, and a leather belt also decorated by chains. The wide mouths of the bottom of her jeans revealed a pair of brown fur boots.

The girl seemed to be having a heated argument with none other than a surprised-looking Joshua. Joshua, despite seeming quite surprised, was doing a good job at heating up the argument. His smirk was still there and his fingers were wrapped by his silvery hair. Beat sighed and Rhyme shook her head, walking towards the duo. Neku and Shiki exchanged looks of bewilderment before following.

"… Well! I think you'd better apologize, punk, if you don't want a beating!" was the first thing they heard from the irritated and mysterious 'Rhyme' girl. She was yelling at a smug Joshua who noticed the approaching group first.

Ignoring the not-so-Rhyme-like Rhyme, he tuned to them. "Why, hello there Neku, Shiki, Beat and Rhyme…" he greeted. Hearing 'Beat' and 'Rhyme', the other 'Rhyme' turned and looked them over.

"Rhyme, Beat, you know this idiotic jerk?" she questioned, folding her arms.

"Yeah, Rhythm, you should… um… calm down…" Rhyme said carefully, giving Joshua an apologetic look.

Rhythm threw her head back, flicking her hair out of her face. "Whatever, Rhyme… This freak is pissing me off. I'm as calm as can be," she huffed, sticking her tongue out at Joshua, who merely smiled back.

"Yo, Rhythm, chill!" Beat urged.

"I am chill, Beat. It's the freak who ain't, I tell ya!" Rhythm half-shouted at Beat. Then she huffed and turned to look at Neku and Shiki, inspecting them with a sceptical look. "Hey, who are they?" She jabbed a thumb in Neku and Shiki's direction.

"Rhythm…" Rhyme sighed, "They're Neku and Shiki, our frien-" She was cut off by Rhythm.

"Yo, girl with the glasses!" Rhythm called, nodding at Shiki.

"M-me?" Shiki seemed bewildered, pointing at herself.

"Yeah you! What are you doing with that piggy in your hand? You ain't a baby anymore, got that?"

"Wh-wh- Hey! He's a cat! He's called Mr. Mew, you know? He's not some piggy!"

Neku cracked a smile, but it quickly vanished as this Rhythm turned on him. "What are you laughing at?" She was nothing, nothing, like Rhyme. "I don't trust either of you so don't get too close with my brother or twin sister!" Over-protectiveness? Perhaps.

"My, my… What an attitude…" Joshua commented, smirking.

"Shut up, prissy!" Rhythm shouted before whirling around and stalking away. Rhyme looked somewhat startled and followed.

"Hey, wait up, Rhythm!" she called, catching up with her twin sister and trying to calm the angered girl down. Beat looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Yeah… Sorry 'bout that…" Beat muttered. Neku blinked. "That… That was Rhythm. Dunno what's gotten into 'er but she ain't usually like that…" Beat seemed just as confused as Neku did with the girl's attitude.

"So… Rhythm. Why hasn't she appeared before us before today?" Neku then asked.

"Well… Rhythm is a special case… She's Rhyme's twin sister, yo, but she ain't nothing like Rhyme. She disappeared from home one day last year and only just came back today. Like, suddenly showing up on the doorstep," Beat explained, "And we gotta take care of her from today onwards. Thought you all would make good friends, yo…"

Friends? With her attitude? Neku thought to himself, frowning. So, in the next few days they'll have to hang out with Rhythm, huh? This ought to be… disasterous.


AN: So… Thoughts on Rhythm? She's being a complete jerk now, but she'll get better, I promise you that!