Home

See? I'm not just capable of boring you with my Death Note fics. -grins-

Rain falls over the citizens of Tokyo, painting the streets and buildings a dull grey color. Dark Umbrellas and raincoats obscure people from me. They pass, and its hard for me to tell whether there is even really a person under the umbrella, or inside the raincoat.

I can feel the questioning eyes on me as they take in my soaked clothes, hair, and neon yellow skates. My dyed green hair looks many shades darker now that it's soaked through. Whether they think I'm crazy, stupid, bad news, I don't care. Can't honestly bring myself to do so.

A young girl and her mother pass me without so much as a glance. I'm use to it. Being invisible. I sigh as I jump down from the metal rail I've been sitting on for hours. It takes me a while to get my sea legs again after sitting still for too long, but once I do, I speed off toward the busy street. The wheels on my skates send water flying everywhere, wetting people as I pass, and making them grumble and shout at me. Again, I don't care.

Spotting my target, I push my legs faster and faster, gaining speed. My eyes lock on the metal railing separating the 'Coming' and 'Going' lanes, and once I'm close enough, I jump and land on it with a loud clanking of metal. My wheels slide along the rain slick rail with ease. The rain drops against my skin are like ice. They sting, but It's not all together something unpleasant. They feel great. Freedom.

The rail is slowly coming to an end, so I jump once more so I can land on the ground. I keep moving. I wish I knew where I was going. But I don't. My skates seem to have a mind of their own. They take me through the familiar paths of everyday. Through the same streets, same neighborhoods. As oncoming traffic becomes impossible to avoid, I transfer onto the sidewalk once more, weaving through people, startling them in my passing. It almost makes me smile. Almost.

Humor hasn't touched me in what seems like years. Not since I stepped out into the streets. Not since the streets became my home. I know I shouldn't sound so ungrateful. The streets have taught me so much. But I can't help it. As a teenager, I'm entitled to a home, aren't I? A real home, with a real family. Aren't I?

Too bad no one has ever been around to answer this one question for me. I tried asking random strangers this, but I always received the same scoff of disgust and indifference. They were always quick to leave me after that. I constantly wonder if there is something wrong with me. I don't think there is. I'm perfectly fine.

Smart for my age, good looking, the works. Why then, am I so alone among these thousand upon thousands of people? Someday I'll find an answer to my questions.
For now, I suppose I'll stick to what I'm best at. Skating, being invisible, and living.

The rain comes down harder now, so I stop to take refuge under a small tent in front of a flower shop. I shake out my hair. The colorful flowers need some water anyway. The shop owner eyes me warily for a few seconds before deciding that I mean no harm. I smile slightly at this, secretly glad that someone has made such a positive assumption about me.

Once again, I'm right where I started. Watching the dull grey of the world and the people hidden inside their raincoats and under their umbrellas. Everything is so...mundane, I believe is the word I'm looking for. Repetitive. Colorless. There seems to be no life to this never ending hustle and bustle.

My eyes dart up suddenly, as a burst of bright color streaks through the streets before me. For a second it seems as though time is moving in slow motion. The bright color I saw was a stunning ice blue. A refreshing change from all this grey. It was a girl. A beautiful girl, on skates. Our eyes met for only seconds, and she kept going.

The feeling of hope that had sparked inside me vanished as she did. It left me feeling empty. I sighed, and went back out into the downpour. My skates moved slowly at an almost walking speed, my hands stuffed deep into my pockets.

"Hey!"

Someone shouts. I'm so use to being invisible that I don't even bother to look up. No one would be wanting to get my attention anyway.

"Hey, you!"

This time the sound of annoyed mumbles and grumbles accompanies the persistent voice. I can't help but look over my shoulder to see the person being ignored. It's the girl from earlier. She's waving at me, trying to get MY attention. I stop and turn to let her catch up to me. I'm stunned into silence. Not that I've ever said much anyway.

" 'Bout time, kid! Ha-ha, what are you, deaf or something?" Her voice is high and lovely. Just like I imagine any young girls voice would sound like. Although, from the looks of things she looks more like a young woman.

I stare back at her, unable to come up with anything to say.

"Kid?" She skates in a circle around me, watching me carefully. "Hello? Anyone home?" The woman is now once more standing in front of me, a kind, patient smile on her face. "C'mon kid, a little communication won't kill you." Her voice is almost pleading.

Finally, I find the energy to answer. "Sorry, Didn't know what to say, yo." The sound of my voice surprises me. I haven't heard myself speak in a long, long time.

A triumphant grin spreads across the woman's face. "Hey, no problem, kid. Say, what are you doing out here in this rain?"

Looking away from her, my eyes slowly drift up towards the dark grey sky. I'm not sure what to say. Having a conversation seems so difficult to me. Others make it look so simple. Like breathing. I must be suffocating then...

My eyes drift back towards her. "Not exactly sure, yo." And as far as I'm concerned, that really is the truth.

"Hm." She regards me with a thoughtful look. "Follow me, kid." She grins a wide, challenging grin. "If you can." Then she moves past me so fast that I only catch a blur of color in my periph.

For some odd reason, I laugh. Its a strange sound, like the muscles in my throat aren't accustomed to the act. Ignoring my inability to behave humanly, I dashed on after the ice blue dress wearing girl, not too far ahead of me.

We left grumbling people in our wake, her laughter fluttering out behind her and caressing me on its way. I liked this feeling, the feeling of being able to breathe.
The feeling of taking those first few gasps of breathe after suffocating under the weight of the world for so long. The feeling of living.

"Gettin' tired, kid?!" I hear her call back at me.

I smile, as wide as she had grinned earlier. The gesture hurts my cheeks. "Not yet, yo!" Its easier to speak now. There's no odd sense of insecurity in my tone now. Like I've known this woman for an entire lifetime and not just a few minutes.

"Ha-ha! Not far now!"

I push my legs faster so that I can skate along side her. "What's your name?" The wind blowing past us is too loud in our ears. We have to work to be louder.

"Call me, Gum!" She grins at me. I grin back. "What about you kid? You got a name?"

This takes me back a little. Honestly, as hard as I'd tried, I hadn't been able to remember whether or not I actually ever had a name. I'm sure I did at one point or another. What happened to it? I don't really know. I remain silent the rest of the journey.

The rain begins to let up a little to the point where it's just a light drizzle. Gum stops suddenly in front of a long narrow alley. From where we're standing the faint sounds of music is drifting toward us from the dark space. Curiously, I look at her, and, as if she can read my mind, she smiles at me.

"This is it. This is home."

Home. I glance back at the narrow strip of alley. The corners of my lips twitch, almost like I'm debating whether or not to smile. "Home?"

"You bet, C'mon. I'll introduce you!" Gum cocks her head in the direction of the alley, signaling for me to follow, before she skates on ahead of me.

When she's out of sight, I'm left to stand there, wondering to myself if I should follow her or not. I hear her wheels skid to a stop not far ahead. "Comin', kid?"

What did I have to lose? I had no real home, so this could be a home for me. Hell, there was even someone who didn't turn away from me when I spoke. Maybe there would be more people like Gum. Why not? Taking a deep breath, I willed myself forward through the alley's dark embrace. welcoming it.

The sound of Gum's skates lead me farther into the alley, the music grows louder and words mingle within the beats now. There's a bright light at the end, like a glowing door waiting to be opened. Gum skated through into the brightness, I only saw her silhouette before she disappeared. I pushed my legs faster. Something deep inside me yearned to escape the darkness.

Finally, I broke through. Seeing this place for the first time, was like seeing the sun again after years in darkness. A warm feeling settled into my bod. The feeling of hope.

"Home."

A/N: So, I wanted to try my hand at Jet Set Radio Future. I've only done Death Note so far, but This game is amazing. I love it, and Yoyo has always been my favorite character. Maybe because he reminds me of Matt. (Death Note) haha maybe. Ah Well, this was just a little random thing. Yoyo to me seems like a very mysterious character, so I thought I'd try and tap into his mind. Hope you enjoyed.

Comments would be nice. No matter how shitty this turned out -nervous laugh-

Matt.