I'm still here.

I'm…floating. I'm floating as if gravity doesn't exist. I opened my eyes reluctantly to see what horrors lay before me but all I see is black. It seemed darker than black. It is darkness. Eri's body is rather white in all this dark.

Why am I here? There has to be a reason for everything. Even why I chose the body of my best friend instead of my own. How did I get into this muck?

Immediately, something invaded my mind. It tried to wipe away any thoughts, any form of retaliation from nothingness. Slowly, my memories began to diminish. I was too powerless to protest. I let them take me. Until…

"Shiki?" Out of nowhere, a screen lit up, like a flame in the darkness. I peered through the half-closed slits of my eyes to the bright intruder. It is a screen, showing Neku's face and Rhyme and Beat. For a split second, I thought he could really see me and I strained against the nothingness.

"Neku! Rhyme! Beat!" I screamed. He didn't even acknowledge my voice. He continued staring until I can see the dullness in his eyes. He's sad.

"Shiki's erased." He said it like a fact. I felt like laughing hysterically, calling him an idiot and crying. It cannot be true, it must NOT be true!! I strained against the darkness, trying to wrench it from me, inside of me and my thoughts, free will, memories.

"I'm still here," I hiccupped. Tears moist my cheeks. I don't remember when I started crying. There is no time in nothing. But it was useless. The battle was lost a long time ago, ever since I knew that I can't survive, I will never survive. Neku was right. I'm too weak to live in the world above. Weak... I'm pathetic. I was never meant to be.

Now, it was their time to move on, to leave me behind. I never felt such sorrow in cutting off a bond so readily but I can't do anything about it even if I want to. I'm dead and nothing will make me live again.

Taking a deep breath, I whispered a farewell to those I will never see again. Eri…Neku…Rhyme…Beat… Goodbye.

Goodbye.

"Where's her piggy?"

The question make me so surprised, I opened my eyes again. Mr Mew? How can I forget about him? I looked up to the screen once more. Neku was searching for Mr Mew.

"Could he have been erased as well?" Rhyme's worried voice asked.

"But when you got erased, your bell was still there." Beat said on wonderment.

Could it be…?

"Beat's right. Mr Mew must be somewhere here or else Shiki's alive. She must be transported somewhere, that's all. She never leaves Mr Mew."

For the first time, he was using Mr Mew's real name. He really is anxious and serious.

He stood up and yelled, "SHIKI! WHERE ARE YOU?"

The others did the same and my tears once more flowed at the loyalty of my friends. Something dawned on me. I'm still here after all.

Why else would I think? Feel? Wished? My will power trickled back to me, filling me with courage. I will not lose to this darkness. I struggled but the nothingness knew me and it gets physical. Tendrils of darkness snaked up my arms and legs, trying to pull me back where I am supposed to belong. Nowhere.

I fight with every inch of my strength. It is ebbing away fast. I pulled away and it pulled back. I screamed and fresh tendrils wrapped around my mouth. Nothing can defeat me until they began to play with my memories, my mind.

I saw Eri and me when we were fighting over a stuffed toy. She was angry that I wouldn't give Mr Mew up.

"He's my first toy I made!"I cried.

"So he's better than your friend?" Eri screamed back.

The question got me stumped. Is there anything better than Eri?

"Yes." I replied quietly. I hugged Mr Mew tighter to my chest.

The nothingness began to change my memories.

"No wonder nobody likes you. Nobody is your real friend, Shiki. Just…go and die will you? You are only a grain of rice in their hearts. Nothing important to bother with." Said Fake Eri, her eyes glinting evilly.

"It's not true!" I yelled.

"Neku thinks you're just a stalker, a creepy weird stalker. You never learn, you are a royal pain up his butt!" She continued.

"Stop it!" I shriek.

"Beat doesn't think you're worth his time. See, the only time he hangs out with you is because of poor Neku."

I covered my ears and screamed.

"Rhyme never was interested in your little chatter in your dreams. She just thinks it is a waste of time."

I exploded. I was never this livid, this murderous and this close to murder Eri. I lunged at her and she dodged easily.

"Weak!" She taunted. She laughed again as I leaped at her again.

"You never learn, do you? Only the strong will live in this world. The weak better off be nonexistent."

I aimed a punch at her but it goes right through.

"Weak, weak. Thinking Neku likes you. Better cut yourself, you think, than face rejection?"

She pushed another button. But she makes a fatal mistake. No, Nothingness makes a fatal mistake. I like Neku well enough to know he respects me. He wants friends and I was his first true friend.

I breathe in and out deeply and counted to ten.

"1..2..3..4..5.." Not only Neku but Beat and Rhyme too. I was there, I know how they treat me. Like a true friend in the hell game and world where you are simply ants scurrying out of the reward from the hands that kill.

"..6..7..8..9..10." I'm still here. I'm still here. I'm still alive.

I pulled. I can finally be freed from my mind back to the physical world, the battle field.

Calling…someone is calling...me.

"Neku!" I screamed and this filled me with new energy. I tugged violently and suddenly, I was free. I was floating back in nothingness but how to get back.

I look at the screen once more. They are moving away now. Looking for me in another part. I know what to do.

"I'M STILL HERE!"

…………………..

Neku and the others heard it. He spins and ran towards the place where Shiki vanished. Shiki was there, clutching Mr Mew. She was alright, she's not erased!

Neku knelt before her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Shiki…is that you?" Shiki lifts up her head and sees Neku. She laughed and cried, flinging herself on him and hugged him tightly as if she should never let him go.

Beat and Rhyme scurried to them and also hugged them.

"Yo, Shiki, you got me scarred." Beat said with relief.

"Yeah, Beat's right. We were all worried." Rhyme echoed.

Neku didn't say anything but he looked at Mr Mew.

"Knew that you won't let piggy go." He said offhandedly.

Shiki is too choked up with happiness to retaliate. "I miss you guys."

"Us too." Beat said and Rhyme nodded furiously. Neku didn't say anything but Shiki caught a glimpse of his face. He feels like a miracle had just happened.

"You're still here." He whispered.

"I'm still here."

…………………………

Lame but a oneshot first one I ever did. PLS review!