Yo people of the Internet! I'm back with another short thing because I wanted to get out one more thing before my summer ends and my time is taken up by the stupid thing that is school. Gosh help me.
For those of you who are reading my other story Dear Diary, please read the author's note at the bottom of this story. I find I am need of a little help with some ideas. For those of you who aren't reading Dear Diary, please go and check it out!
Disclaimer: No way do I own this thing. I wish.
Edit: Thank you to that guest that pointed out my mistake in Josh's message. Cam't believe I did that... It's seriously one of my own pet peeves. Sorry for all who were annoyed with it.
Shiki let out a soft sigh as she propped her head in her hand as she leaned over the counter. She blinked wearily at the door of the shop and the small bells that decorated it in order to alert them of someone entering. The bells haven't rung for the past couple days.
It had been at least three weeks since she and Eri's store Seamless had opened and they had barely had any sort of traffic. Of course Neku, Beat, and Rhyme stopped by as often as they could and they sometimes even helped out but it wasn't really the same. They would need some real customers soon or they may be forced to close. Two years of hard work and planning all down the drain. And it really didn't help that Eri was out of town with family leaving her manning the shop alone and dreadfully bored.
Then a soft sound broke the still air of the shop. A small musical tinkle. Shiki's eyes lit up and she stood up straight as she looked to the door with a wide smile on her face. "Welcome to- Oh, it's just you," she ended rather lamely as she dropped into her previous position, looking even more defeated than before.
"Gosh, if that's how you greet a friend I don't want to see how you'll great a customer," a familiar voice sounded as a mop of orange spikes moved into her line of sight. The girl huffed as Neku moved behind the counter with her, placing a few small boxes down. "I'm guessing no one's showed up today."
The normally rather timid girl just let out an exasperated sigh and she removed the hand that was propping her head up to allow her face to just hit the counter earning a raised eyebrow from the male beside her. She just groaned in a rather frustrated manner.
"No one. Got it," Neku said rather bluntly as he slipped an apron over his head. He actually kind of worked for the store. They had had a spare room in the back and he had transformed the small space into an art studio. He had to sell a lot of the stuff he worked on but that didn't seem to bother him too much. He got most of the profit off of those so who was he to complain? He had also found out how to design and make new pins, something he had found to be very useful.
As Neku got ready, Shiki turned her head to look at the small packages that he had placed down on the counter. They were simple, just some tins the size of a small glass but she doubted that was what was inside. She sat up and took one of the tins, turning it in her hand. From inside she heard a clack of metal against metal. She blinked. "What are these?"
Neku blinked and turned to see what she was addressing. He shrugged and took the one she had been holding, prying off the lid. Inside was a group of around three or four pins and a confused expression appeared on her face.
"Pins?" she asked her partner. He shrugged once again.
"I dunno. Josh shot me a text this morning telling me to have a good couple of these things ready. You might want to put some small accessories in them as well. Bracelets and such," he said, having a feeling that he knew what was going to happen.
Shiki, still a bit lost, accepted the answer and went into the back and grabbed a couple bracelets and some small hair pieces tucking them in among the pins before setting the tins off to the side. In her mind there was a simple question: What the heck Josh?
The two then continued to go about the normal routine. Neku went to the back and worked on his latest painting while she just stood there both bored out of her mind and disappointed.
The girl had practically fallen asleep when the soft sound of bells jolted her from such a state. She shot upright, looking to see if it was not a false alarm. Much to her relief, it wasn't. She smiled and greeted them cheerfully. "Welcome to Seamless!"
The people that had entered looked over to her greeting and nodded showing that they had heard her as they went about browsing the various items. It was two teens, one boy and one girl. Both looked rather frazzled and had a hint of underlying worry. Though they went about their shopping with a tense ease that she recognized rather quickly. She had done the same so long ago. But there was no way to tell without…
"Do you see their hands?" a voice suddenly piqued from behind her and the brunette nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to face the speaker.
"Gosh Neku! Don't scare me like that," she scolded and the boy merely shrugged as his eyes were trained on the newcomers. His eyebrows were slightly creased and his mouth tightened into a thin line. His dusky eyes were clouded with what she could only assume were memories. Shiki, following up on what her partner had said, looked over trying to get a glimpse of the customers' hands.
There! It was brief but she couldn't deny the fact that she had saw it imprinted on the girl's right hand as she filtered through the various clothing. A timer, imprinted onto both skin and clothing in scarlet numbers that steadily ticked down in time with a clock. A Reaper's timer. A mission time limit.
Shiki's eyes widened and she glanced over to the boy who was looking over the case that they kept Neku's pins in. Reflected in the newly polished glass, she saw a similar timer ingrained on his hand as well. Her hand flew to her mouth as flashbacks played before her eyes.
"Players…" came the almost inaudible whisper. Neku's subtle nod confirmed her suspicions and he removed his apron, placing it on its assigned hook. He shoved his hands into his pockets before looking to the kids once more.
"Hey, you two!" he called, effectively attracting the gazes of the Players' in front of them. "Come over here for a sec."
Wary and confused, the teens walked over to the counter glancing to each other as if exchanging a mental conversation. Neku seemed rather calm as he watched them which contrasted greatly to the shock Shiki was feeling. She knew the Reaper's Game still went on and she knew she had the decal had appeared on the shop but actually seeing Player's enter? It was something different entirely.
Neku had reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object before tossing it over to the boy with a small order of "Catch."
Caught off guard, the boy stumbled a bit but he ended up grabbing the object from the air. Slowly he opened up his fist and Shiki could see surprise take over his features. He showed the item to his partner without taking his eyes off of it himself. A small gasp escaped the other and Shiki saw a small smirk appear on Neku's face.
There in the pale hand of the boy was a Player Pin. It was old and it had obviously seen much use but the skull shape was impossible to mistake.
"Wh-What?" the boy managed to stutter out as Neku smiled softly, holding out his hand to take the pin back. The boy passed it over obediently. As Neku put the pin carefully back in his pocket, he spoke.
"Our Game was a little while back," he said tilting with his head in the direction of Shiki. She nodded finally pulling herself from her stupor.
"Neku here was a massive grouch back then," she said with a playful smirk and said grouch sputtered a bit before glaring at the girl in glasses.
"Hey! At least I wasn't a stalker!" he combatted and she shot him a glare that he took like a champ. After all, he had been on the receiving end many many times.
"I was your partner! That was how it worked!" she argued before turning back to the teens who seemed amused by the scene in front of them if not still a little confused. "As past players, we know what you're going through."
Neku nodded after letting out a huff. He pulled out two of the tins and slid them to the kids across the counter.
"There are some pins in there designed by yours truly along with a few accessories made by the Stalker," he said with a pointed look. She huffed. He smirked. "You'll actually have to pay for the outfits and stuff though but hopefully that will get you started," he continued as the two marveled at the gift.
"What's the mission?" Shiki asked a little curious. Whatever it was it had sent players into her shop. The girl fished her phone from her pocket and passed it over, mission clear on the screen.
Make Seamless third top brand. You have 760 minutes. Fail and face erasure. – The Reapers
Shiki blinked, reread the mission, and blinked again. She showed the phone to Neku whose eyebrows shot up rather quickly in surprise. It was then he just let out a sigh and tugged at one of his brightly colored spikes. "So that was why…" he mumbled under his breath.
Shiki passed back the phone with a wide smile. "Well thanks in advance," she said to the two with a small nod. "What's your names?"
The girl spoke first, her voice timid and quiet. "Kyoko."
The boy was next, pointing a proud thumb to his chest. "Takashi."
The older Players smiled at the two and thanked them as the current players went to grab one outfit each before paying. As the teens left, they yelled a thanks and disappeared.
Shiki smiled softly. Those two had been the same age as they had been when they played…
As the day went on, more people began walking in and buying until Neku just had to give up working on his current painting in order to help with the sales. People were just coming in nonstop as they all tried to get in on this new trend as fast as they could. Neku and Shiki kept watch for those involved in the Game though. Any Player that walked in got a free tin and the same treatment as the first two.
At closing time, they were nearly sold out of all they had on the wrack and Shiki thanked whatever greater being there was watching them that she had made quite a bit of everything. All extras were packed away in the back. Neku changed the sign while Shiki straightened up the shop. Both were exhausted but they were happy. Not only were they making progress with the business in general. They were able to help out a few Players in the process.
As Shiki was calling Eri to tell her of today's success, Neku's phone buzzed. A new text message. He shifted some of the boxes he was holding and pulled out the device. A single text showed on the screen and he could only roll his eyes despite the thankful smile on his face.
I cashed in a favor. You're welcome~ -Joshua
And that is that. Tell me what you think in the comments!
To the Dear Diary readers: I'm needing some help with creating a few missions and a GM. So I'm going to host a bit of a contest here. A kinda contest really. You guys can submit ideas for GMs and I'll choose whichever one I find will fit my needs the best. Winner will get a one-shot of their choice. (I don't do most pairings though. Unless its NeShiki. Sorry.) Those of you who submit missions will get shoutouts in my next TWEWY story and a favorite (To those who have accounts of course). I would seriously appreciate the help! Thank you~