Authors Note:
I do not own TWEWY.
Shibuya. It's a pretty diverse place, bustling with people, their thoughts clashing at every corner. It's known as one of the most fashionable cities in Japan, with good reason. From Wild Boar to D+B, there's a look for everyone. But there's a less favourable side of Shibuya, only really known by those too deep into it, but by that time the only escape is death. Every young person fears being dragged into it, but for some it isn't an option. The only choice is to carry something to defend yourself, or die prematurely.
It was just a normal day for me, go to a university lecture then meet the rest of the guys in the backstreets of Udagawa. Udagawa was where various gangland territories collided, making it one of the most fought over sectors of Shibuya. We currently held it, and most challenges were met with failure, at least for the challengers. 'We' are a group of people who met each other through the university we attended. After all, the only way to survive in this side of Shibuya is to co-operate with others. At least, that's what I thought.
It was just another day, and we were hanging around, watching out for challengers to the place.
"Here comes some of 'em. Get ready for a fight..." Someone muttered. Everyone drew their weapons, a mixture of knives and guns. Mine was a pistol. Anyone who wasn't part of the two gangs quickly got the message and moved on.
The next few minutes were a blur of threats and mocking jokes passing hands. Then the fight actually started. They had the advantage of numbers, and ours were quickly dropping. I found myself running after one of them, not hearing the shouts and yells from my teammates. When we skidded into view of CAT's mural, I lost sight of him. Suddenly, a gunshot echoed around the alleys, and a pain ran through my right shoulder. I turned on my heel, and facing my opponent. Another shot, this time from my weapon. It went wide, burrowing into a wall. Another shot, and another. I fell backwards, suddenly facing upwards at the blue sky. The last thing I saw was my killers face, smirking, and the end of a gun. Another bang, and my life in this world came to an end.
Where were they? Why didn't they help? What happened to the teamwork we relied on to survive?
I opened my eyes in a white room. There was only one other person in this room, a guy in a suit with sunglasses and red headphones. His name, as I came to know, was Megumi Kitaniji. He explained that I had died, not that I had noticed or anything, and then explained why I was still, well, able to see and use my senses. The Reapers Game, a chance to try and earn a chance to live again. There was an entrance fee though, which according to him, had already been taken. I agreed, still in confusion about the whole thing. I closed my eyes again.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the middle of the Scramble Crossing. I remembered what Kitaniji had said about making pacts, and headed towards the statue of Hachiko. For a reason I didn't know, I felt resentment about having to work together to survive. This was odd, because when I was alive it was the norm for me. I found a surviving player, and made a pact. I can't remember much about him now, but he was pretty average.
The next few days were pretty tough, but the worst was the 7th day. The last day, not many players had survived. I still didn't know what my entry fee was, but I did know that I detested my partner. I preferred to do things my own way, and most of the time my partner just left me to it and followed behind. His only use was to help in Noise battles, and even then he was pretty useless. He couldn't even use Psyches.
The last mission was to defeat the GM. We watched as she finished off the only other surviving pair of players. They fell to the ground, exhausted and broken. Then they were erased. Their death screams shocked me for a moment, before I remembered why we were there. I stepped out, a confident look on my face. My partner followed behind me, wringing his hands nervously. The GM turned around, facing us.
"Sho Minamimoto, 17. Killed in a gang fight, prefers to work by himself. I have all the data on you, there is no chance for you to win."
"I don't care. Let's just fight."
"Your confidence and stupidity astounds me, chimp."
"Heh. Stupidity? We'll see who's the stupid one after this fight."
I clearly remember the banter, the first of many times I had argued with her. Mitsuki Konishi, cool, calm and collected at the best of times... and most of the worst. She over analysed everything, and as much as I hate to admit it, was as strong as she was merciless. The battle was long, and although I really had no problems keeping up with the attacks, my partner started to struggle. At the end of it all, I felt myself dragged out of the battle. My partner was lying on the floor, breathing heavily. I looked down at him from where I was, half stood and half crouching. He looked up at me with pleading eyes.
"Help... me..." He gasped between breaths.
"You were useless... why should I?" I replied quietly.
"But... we need teamwork to... do you want to be erased?" He asked urgently.
"But it's you lying on the floor. And teamwork is garbage." I found myself saying. The latter is what I'd been saying for most of the Game, which was a complete contradiction to what I believed in before.
"Vexatious worms!" Konishi spat as if it was acid. We... well, I had managed to do a lot more damage than the previous pair, and obviously more than she'd expected. One of her strongest points was predicting the moves of players, and... well, it's hard to predict a wild card. I had always been told I was one of the least predictable people in Shibuya.
Konishi launched another attack on my partner, just as I let loose some energy bullets. The attacks hit their targets at the same time, and both targets let out a yell as they were defeated. One in pain, one in anger. My partner was erased, and Konishi was defeated, even though she was limited to the amount of force she was allowed to use, as I found out later.
Again, I opened my eyes in the white room.
"Congratulations, Minamimoto. You are the only surviving Player this week." It was Kitaniji again.
"...I just want my entry fee back, and to go back to my life."
"I'm sorry, but that's not possible."
"What?!" I snarled, in a mixture of anger and surprise. "You said I would be allowed back to life!"
"But you didn't realise your entry fee, and you allowed your partner to be erased. The Composer has decided you are not to be allowed back to life."
"...What about my entry fee?"
"You didn't learn what it was, and your partner was erased. Therefore, you didn't win the Game. Your entry fee will not be returned."
"...What do I do now, then?" I frowned.
"You have three options: Erasure, play the Game again, or become a Reaper." Kitaniji said, with a solemn look on his face.
"...Erasure is out of the question, I didn't put up with that week to just be erased. I don't want to put up with another idiot for a week, so I guess that just leaves becoming a reaper." I decided.
"Then the Reapers welcome you." Was Kitaniji's response.
"...Just one thing." I paused. "...What was my entry fee?"
"It was your co-operation with others."
The co-operation I had relied on to survive, my trust in it that had gotten me killed in the first place... Gone. Just taken away. What did I have left now? My intelligence and half a degree in Mathematics...
They've changed the rules a little now, anyone who was in my situation would get their entry fee back. Not that I care now, I don't need it to survive. I only need me, myself, and I. Other people just drag you down, and having extra baggage is almost a death sentence as a Reaper.
I started off as a Harrier, before quickly rising to an Officer at the age of 18. The same rank as the one who I defeated to get here. Well, it annoyed Konishi all right. The youngest GM in the history of Shibuya... that's me.
Sho Minamimoto sat on the roof of Pork City. The last day of his week, and hardly any missions set. Well, it didn't matter. Setting missions would only get in the way of his plan. The only annoying thing was, it gave him free time. Free time was good, so he could get on with his art, but too much of it and you start thinking about the past. He was interrupted by the sound of the doors opening and footsteps running out. Sho teleported to his feet, facing them.
"Nngh!? You two? How'd you find this place!?" He said, almost genuinely surprised.
"Is that a joke?" The orange haired player, Neku Sakuraba, yelled.
"We got a mission mail. 'Erase the Game Master at Pork City'." The white haired one, Joshua, said.
"What? An inverse matrix!? …Doesn't matter. You just saved me the trip." Sho thought whilst he talked. Then he muttered to himself. "I was hoping for a little re-enactment. Same spot, same setup as last time…" Neku was holding his head, and yelled in pain. Joshua actually looked a little concerned, but almost as quickly as it had started, the headache stopped. He stood up, and then pointed at Minamimoto.
"It...It was you?" He asked, almost in a state of shock.
"Neku..." Joshua said quietly. He was ignored.
"You killed me... you stole my life!" Neku yelled, shaking in anger. Sho turned away.
"Hmph. That's insignificant."
"What!?" Neku shouted angrily, taking a step forward.
"I've had enough chatter. Come get derived. This time I'm eradicating you from my spatial coordinates! Drown in the sea of imaginary numbers!" Sho yelled, and six pairs of wings suddenly sprouted from his back. The two players readied themselves for a fight. A bright light shone for a moment, and Minamimoto's noise form emerged. Leo Cantus.
Who needs teamwork? I'll take on the world myself, and I'll win every time.