Okay, let's get started! This is a Kingdom Hearts x TWEWY crossover. I only recently played The World Ends With You for the first time (late, I know) and I fell in love with it. And then I got an idea for a story while I played it. Obviously, I learned about the game for the first time when playing KH3D, sooo…
Now, I'll be frank, I suck at describing characters. So I won't waste any time with attempting to describe characters. If you read this, I hope you all know what they look like. XD If not, there's always Google images. And everyone in this story is in their usual clothing (unless otherwise stated). ^^;
Lastly, there will be yaoi. That is boyxboy pairings, so don't complain about it, you've been warned! The planned pairings are AkuRoku, SoRiku, VenTerra, and JoshNeku.
Now, without further ado, here we go! (Obviously, I don't own any characters in this fic. I just brought them out to play for a bit)
Chapter 1:
The sounds of hundreds of footsteps walking by, the sound of people laughing and talking...no one seemed to pay any attention to the boy that lay in the middle of the crosswalk. The boy began to come to, the sounds stirring him into consciousness. This was hardly an unfamiliar scene for him and the very sight of it sent a chill running down his spine.
He sat up quickly, eyes wide as he looked around warily. No one seemed to see him. No one stopped to ask if he was okay. Being back at the Scramble Crossing like this…it could only mean one thing. Grinding his teeth, he let out an angry yell, his fists slamming against the pavement.
"How…how did I end up here again?!" The boy cursed loudly. His hand reached up to the headphones that covered his ears and pulled them down to rest around his neck, his orange spikes bouncing back into place. He pushed himself into a standing position, his fists clenched at his sides.
"Well, hello again, Neku." That voice made him go rigid and his eyes widened in shock. Not that hearing that voice was an uncommon thing, but where he was now…it could only mean one thing. Taking a deep, calming breath, the ginger haired boy turned to face the newcomer, his eyes narrowed.
"Joshua." Neku spoke bluntly, his hands moving to slither their way into his pockets. He struggled to forgive the boy in front of him for previous events; there was still some anger there. But he did trust the boy. And he was….a friend. "Why am I here?"
"I'm sorry Neku." Joshua said immediately. He expected Neku to be angry, so how calm the boy was surprised him a bit. "You are back in the UG. And…I was responsible." Honesty was the best policy when it came to Neku. He had long since learned that.
"Why?" Neku asked, his teeth grinding a bit in anger, but he did his best to keep it in check. If Joshua had brought him back here, then he had to have a good reason. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. And he damn well hoped he was right.
"Always so direct. But okay, I'll tell you everything." Joshua gave a slight smirk that served to rile the other boy up a bit. "Do you remember Sora?" He asked, a hand moving to rest on his hip. Neku's anger was immediately replaced with confusion. How could he forget the brunette that had ultimately saved them from the Reaper's game when they had been sent to Traverse Town?
"Of course." Neku said, straightening a bit with a slight smile. When he had first met the brunette in Traverse Town, he didn't know what to think. Without even questioning him, Sora had offered to help him. Even after Neku led him into a trap, Sora's trust in him never wavered. "What does he have to do with this?"
"I've been keeping tabs on him. I like to know how my…friends are doing." Joshua spoke, tripping up a bit when he said 'friends'. That was a new concept to him and Neku knew that. But Joshua was sincere enough about it. Neku crossed his arms.
"So you've been spying on him?" Neku asked, smirking a bit when he heard that familiar giggle. At one time, that giggle would've just pissed him off, but he had learned that it was just how the Composer was and he had to just accept it. He usually never meant anything by it. Usually.
"Now, my dear Neku, would I do that?" The Composer teased, smirking at his proxy. Neku rolled his eyes and nodded. "Heh heh…okay, so maybe I have. But there's a reason. You see, he's on a very important and dangerous journey. If he fails, all the worlds could be destroyed in the end. Including Shibuya." Joshua turned serious, his violet eyes narrowing a bit in seriousness.
"What? Shibuya…well, what's the problem?" Neku asked quickly. Like hell he'd just sit back and let Shibuya be destroyed! If there was some way he could help Sora succeed in his journey then he would do whatever he could to make it happen.
"You see, from what I gather, at the end of Sora's journey there will be a battle between thirteen Darknesses and seven Lights. In order for him to succeed though, these seven Lights have to be able to cooperate and fight together. But between three of them, there's been some…tension."
"And…?" Neku started, urging the Composer to continue. What did that have to do with him or the Reaper's Game? He had to be back in the UG for a reason, right? Where was Joshua going with this then?
"Well, Sora and these other two boys, Roxas and Ventus…there is a deep connection between them that runs strong. But this tension is getting in the way of that connection and weakening it. If Sora's going to succeed, that can't happen." Joshua sighed and let a hand rest on his chin thoughtfully. "The boy, Roxas struggles with his own emotions. At times, it makes him appear heartless and cold. Sora fails to understand Roxas' struggle and assumes that the boy is indeed uncaring. Meanwhile, Ven does his best to hold them together, but his own heart is unsure and wavers. But who can blame someone whose heart has suffered so much?"
"Okay then. So what do I have to do to help?" Neku asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. He could almost see where this was heading, but he needed the Composer to confirm his suspicions. Joshua gave him a sly smile.
"Roxas is a lot like you were, before you played the game." Joshua hummed thoughtfully, smirking at the orange-haired boy. Neku huffed and turned away with a scowl, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.
Neku remembered how he used to be. He hated people, hated everything they stood for. They were incompetent and ignorant. But…after the game his views changed. Everyone was unique; they had their different views and ideas. That's what made them special. "So you think the game can help him?"
"I think it can help all three of them. With the right partners, of course." Joshua confirmed, nodding slightly. "Beat's here too." He said suddenly, pushing his hair back behind his ear. Neku winced at that, glancing at the Composer.
"He's going to kill you." Neku muttered, holding back a laugh. He could only imagine how angry Beat would be when he woke up in the game. Joshua giggled softly, holding a hand up to his mouth. Of course, Joshua was far from defenseless.
"That's why I left him with Sanae. He's going to explain everything to Beat for me. I figured he'd be able to keep him calmer than I ever could." Joshua explained, crossing his arms and humming thoughtfully. "I just thought he would be a good partner for one of them. He could help teach them."
"Beat teaching anyone kind of scares me." Neku muttered under his breath. Beat was a good friend, but he wouldn't consider him to be bright. Sure, he had his moments, but still. But if Joshua thought that he would be a good fit, he trusted him. "Okay then, what about the game? How is this going to work?"
"It's not going to be one of the usual games. There will be Noise and some danger, but you don't have to worry about being erased. My powers will ensure that you all survive. But I doubt I'll have to worry about that, right Neku?" Joshua laughed softly. Neku had been through the game three times now, plus another week when they were trapped in Traverse Town. And each time, his Proxy came out victorious.
"Yeah, sure. And what about the entry fee?" Neku asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. He knew it was always required to enter the game, so what would it be this time? What was it he cherished most right now? His friends, of course.
"I've waived the entry fee for this one time. Special game, special rules, special exceptions." Joshua waved his hand nonchalantly. "Of course, as far as Sora, Roxas, and Ventus know, this is a regular Reaper's game. High stakes."
"No entry fee, huh? Sounds like Shibuya's Composer's going soft." Neku mumbled, smirking a bit. Joshua returned the smirk with one of his own and rolled his shoulders in a shrug. It amused Neku to see how Joshua wanted to help his friends. Even if his methods were a bit unorthodox, he did what he could.
"Sanae's already explained everything to Shiki and Rhyme too, so they know where you are and what happened. They know you're safe. And as far as your parents know, you and Beat went on some trip for the week." Joshua explained, curling a piece of hair around his finger thoughtfully. It actually kind of bothered him when he saw how uncaring Neku's parents had been when they found out about the trip. No wonder Neku had been so cold before, he thought to himself with a slight scowl. But at Neku's questioning look, his scowl fell away and he smiled at the other boy. "I'll be participating in this game as well."
"You? Why's that? If this game's just for show..." Neku raised an eyebrow. There were no real stakes, so why would Joshua bother participating. Joshua let out a secretive giggle and turned away from Neku, walking ahead down the street. Neku, of course, followed.
"Well, like I said before, I think the three of us have a certain quality that will benefit the partner's I've chosen." Neku furrowed his brow. "For instance, I want you paired with Sora. Since you used to be so much like this Roxas boy, I figure you might be able to help Sora understand him better."
Neku huffed softly, gripping a piece of his hair between his index finger and thumb, rolling the strand thoughtfully. "Okay. So who's the poor guy getting stuck with you?" He asked curiously, glancing at Joshua. The Composer placed a hand over his heart in mock hurt.
"Your words sting me, my dear Neku. Am I really so bad to be around?" He teased, smirking a bit when Neku rolled his eyes. "I figure Roxas would be a good fit for me. I think I'm pretty good at dragging emotions out of people, even if those emotions aren't always the best."
"Anger, irritation, confusion…yeah, sure. Poor guy." Neku muttered quietly. He would almost say that Shiki would be a better fit for this job, considering she had done such a good job with him, but he trusted the Composer's decision. Maybe there was something he could do for this boy. "Okay, so that leaves Ventus with Beat."
"Very good, Neku." Joshua teased, smirking a bit when Neku glared at his sarcasm. "But in all seriousness, I feel like Beat's heart is strong. He's always so strong in his convictions, even if they aren't always right. Maybe he can rub some of that confidence off on Ventus. Of course, that will be easier said than done."
"So, you know something about them then? Besides Sora, I mean?" Neku asked, following Joshua as they headed in the direction of Cat Street. Joshua nodded slightly. Honestly, Neku wasn't the least bit surprised. The Composer wasn't exactly human and he had abilities that even Neku didn't know the full extent of.
"I may have scanned them. I've seen bits and pieces of their memories and I've felt what they've been feeling. Roxas, for instance, has suffered through a lot. He was actually a creature known as a Nobody. To sum it up, a Nobody is more or less a body left behind when someone becomes a creature known as a Heartless. He was actually Sora's Nobody." The Composer explained, glancing back at his friend.
"A Nobody…and Heartless? Now you're losing me." Neku admitted. Joshua laughed quietly. It didn't surprise him, considering Neku had never heard of the creatures. Shibuya had evaded that entire crisis thus far, and Joshua planned to keep it that way. After all, Shibuya was his responsibility.
"Let's just say they aren't very pleasant creatures. Nobodies don't have hearts so they have no emotions; only memories of what they once felt. But Roxas didn't even have that. But despite that, through the many memories he made and the people he met, he obtained a heart of his own. But he had to return to Sora eventually and he was forced to leave all of his friends behind. Now that he's separated from Sora once more, he doesn't feel whole. In fact, it's as if he's devoid of feeling. It's not that he doesn't have the heart, only that he doesn't know how to use it. Unlike before, he's not adjusting." Joshua finished his lengthy explanation with a sigh. "I figured I should study up on my partner."
"Uh-huh. You just can't stand no knowing." Neku muttered. Frankly, he didn't understand half of what Joshua was telling him about the boy. Heartless, Nobodies…it all went over his head. He supposed that was what Sora had to deal with though, so he'd be better off learning about them now.
"And Ventus, well…his heart is completely devoid of darkness. So, I guess you can understand how scary it might be for him to go up against the darkness when that heart of his could so easily be tainted." Joshua rested a hand on his cheek, looking ahead thoughtfully. "From what I gather, his heart was ripped in half years ago. His darker half is a boy named Vanitas, but he's playing for the enemy. And if their hearts clash then all the worlds will suffer for it. It happened once before, but thankfully Ventus managed to put an end to it by fracturing his own heart. Now he's afraid of the same thing happening again and it makes him reluctant."
"So you have a boy who can't feel anything and another boy that's scared of the dark." Neku rolled his eyes and looked away with a bored expression. Sure, he said that, but he knew that it was more serious than that. Both of these boys seemed to be stuck in the past, but unless they could look to the future instead, things were just going to get worse.
Joshua paused and turned to look at Neku, his expression changing to one that made Neku's blood run cold. The seriousness on the Composer's face almost scared Neku. Was the situation that bad? "Neku, listen to me. We have to succeed here. They fight for the Light. If they lose…if the darkness overtakes them, then all of the worlds are done for. There will be no one who survives. Not me, not you, and not our friends." The Composer frowned and glanced away. "Sora, Roxas, and Ventus are all very special. Their lights are so pure and powerful. But in their current states, they're only becoming weaker. They share a very special bond and once that bond reaches its peak, their power will be…phenomenal."
"So, I guess we can't afford to lose this game." Neku murmured. He would do everything in his power for his friends and for Shibuya. And he knew Joshua and Beat would do the same.
"If they give up on each other, then they're giving up on every world out there."
"S-Shut up…" A blonde boy pressed his hands to his ears, his eyes tearing up slightly as thousands of voices flooded his mind, a pounding headache splitting his skull. "Stop talking…! SHUT UP!" He yelled once again, falling to his knees. His fingers slowly curled, gripping his hair tightly as he attempted to stop the voices.
He didn't have any idea what was happening. The last thing he remembered was arguing with his other half while his look alike tried to get them to stop. But…how did he get here? He woke up in some crossing with a pin resting on his chest. He had grabbed the pin, but the second he did, the voices began flooding his mind. And dammit, did it hurt.
Grinding his teeth, the blond pulled the hand away from his hair that still gripped the pin and let it fall to the ground. Immediately, the voices stopped and he breathed a sigh of relief. So the pin did have something to do with it. What the hell was with that?
Frowning, he glanced down at the pin once again. He didn't want to risk it, but he felt like the pin was important, and so he bent down and picked it up once more, stuffing it in his pocket before the voices could overtake him again. The blonde glanced around, taking another look at his surroundings with a frown. No one had even stopped to see if he was okay. It was as if they…
Humming, he held a hand out towards someone. He wasn't too surprised when his hand went right through the person. So they couldn't see him. Wherever he was, it was like he didn't really exist. This was wonderful. Was it like what had happened to him before, or…?
"What's going on?" He muttered softly, crossing his arms and closing his eyes thoughtfully. Something fishy was going on. Between his apparent invisibility and his gap in memory, he was on edge. His eyes suddenly snapped open and he looked around wildly. "Where's Sora and Ven?" He asked, a rare moment of worry rushing through him. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone, leaving him feeling cold and empty once more. Grinding his teeth, he tried to drag the feeling out once more to no avail. He just wanted to feel something.
Ssshhss...
A sound similar to a kind of hiss caught his attention and Roxas turned quickly, eyes widening a bit when he noticed strange creatures slowly hopping towards him. They looked like frogs, but with some kind of…graffiti pattern over their bodies. They weren't familiar. They didn't look like Heartless or Nobodies, but they still radiated some kind of evil intent.
Eyes narrowing, Roxas held his hands at his sides, ready to call on his Keyblades; his eyes widened slightly when his Oblivion and Oathkeeper failed to appear. He attempted it again. Still nothing. "What's happening?" He asked himself, cursing quietly under his breath as one of the frogs lunged at him. Narrowing his eyes, he rolled out of the way of the blow and turned to run. They followed though.
When compared to Ven and Sora, Roxas was not what many would consider to be fast. It was strange, Roxas thought, considering he was Sora's Nobody. Wouldn't they have similar abilities, builds, and speed? But no, he had to be the slowest of the trio. Despite that though, the frogs were even slower, so it wasn't too difficult to out run them.
But he continued to run anyway, only stopping when he got near a rather impressive statue of a dog. Sighing tiredly, he collapsed beside said statue and panted softly, doing his best to catch his breath. Whatever those creatures had been, no one else seemed to notice them. There was no screaming, no panic. So whatever they were was only visible to him. His day just got better and better. "Why's this happening to me?" He mumbled quietly, letting his fists punch at the pavement below. Not surprisingly, he didn't feel a thing.
"Wow, you're awfully calm. Not worried or scared at all?"
At first, Roxas simply ignored the voice. Whoever it was couldn't be talking to him, right? After all, he was invisible. He jumped though when the newcomer stepped in front of him and knelt down to look at him. "Honestly, I thought for sure you'd be a little more panicked by now. I mean, you can't summon your Keyblades, right Roxas?"
Roxas narrowed his eyes at the boy, but he didn't really react yet. There was really no anger or fear or confusion. Maybe just a bit of suspicion. "Who are you? And how do you know me?" Roxas asked bluntly. The boy in front of him covered his mouth and giggled softly.
"Right, I suppose you wouldn't know me. My name is Joshua. And I know you because I happen to be a friend of Sora's. And even though we've never met directly, I do like to keep tabs on what's happening to my friends." Joshua explained. Still no sort of emotional reaction. This would be harder than the Composer first thought.
"So…you've been spying on us?" Roxas asked. Inside, he wanted to be angry or…or something! But as was becoming the norm lately, he felt numb to any feeling. Ever since he separated from Sora again, he just couldn't feel anything!
"I suppose you could say that, if you really want to. I just like to stay up to date, that's all." Roxas shook his head at Joshua and looked back to the ground. "Well, let's get right down to business. I imagine you don't know where you are or what's happening right now."
"No clue." Roxas mumbled, glancing up at Joshua. Somewhere in the Nobody's eyes, Joshua could see a little bit of hope, but as soon as it was there, it was gone. At least Roxas was capable of feeling. He was just struggling to bring it to the surface.
Sighing softly, Joshua shifted so that he was now sitting beside Roxas. "You're in Shibuya. More specifically, you're in the UG, or the Underground. Everyone else you see walking by you is in the RG, or the Realground." Joshua explained, glancing at Roxas. "And, unfortunately, you've been trapped into a Reaper's Game."
"Reaper's Game?" Roxas asked, glancing over at Joshua. He didn't have time to play some silly game. He had a mission to get back to; defeating Xehanort once and for all. "Well, how do I quit it?"
"Quit? It's not that simple. Unless you want to be erased, that is." Joshua noticed that the boy seemed to understand that whatever it meant to be erased, it was far from good. "You see, there's only one way a person can enter a Reaper's Game. You have to have died."
Roxas' eyes widened slightly and he turned to look at Joshua. "Died? But I'm not…I'm not dead." He insisted. The blonde shook his head quickly and looked back to the ground, trying to fill in the empty gaps of his memory. What the hell had happened? He was fighting with Sora, he remembered that. Ven tried to pry them apart…
"I'm not sure what happened to you, but I'm sorry to say that if you're here in the UG, that's the only explanation." Joshua sighed. "If you lose this game, then you'll be gone for good. Win and you'll be brought back to life. But in order to win, you need a partner. You can't fight without one."
"You know an awful lot about this game." Roxas muttered, looking at the boy full of suspicion. Joshua moved his hand to push a piece of hair out of his face and laughed softly. "What's so funny?"
"Of course I know about the game. I've played it more than once. So, what do you say we form a pact and finish today's mission. You'll have an advantage if you're with someone who knows the game already, right?" Joshua insisted. Roxas seemed unsure, running a hand through his hair.
"How long does this game last? How do you win?" Joshua chuckled to himself. Of course it wouldn't be that simple to form the pact. But that was okay. He would manage it, whether he had to force the pact on Roxas or not.
"The Reaper's Game lasts for seven days." Joshua began to explain. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his own player pin. "You should have one of these pins on you. It's called a Player Pin. It marks you as a player in the game as well as a few other things. For instance, it allows you to scan people in the RG. You'll hear their thoughts."
"So that's what that was?" The Nobody huffed softly, a slight scowl on his face. He really didn't care what people were thinking, so what good would that do him? Though, he supposed, it could be useful in the long run. Besides, Roxas was never great at reading people.
"So you've tried it already, hm? It can be a bit overbearing at first, but you'll get the hang of it. Now, every day, you'll be given a new mission that has to be accomplished. It'll appear on your phone. You do have a phone, don't you?" The Composer asked, a secretive smile on his face. Of course he made sure Roxas had one. All players had to have one.
Roxas shook his head slightly. "I don't…" He mumbled. Joshua motioned to Roxas' pocket and the Nobody reached inside, surprised to feel a cell phone there. How did he get one exactly? "Okay, so, uhm…what do I do with this?"
"Like I said, every day we get a new mission that has to be accomplished. That phone is how we get those missions. Once a mission starts, a timer will appear on your hand. If that timer runs out, it's game over. But if we complete the mission in time, then we're safe for another day." Joshua leaned back against the statue, brushing his hair out of his face. "Complete all seven days and you'll be brought back to life. That's how it works."
"If that's the case and you're such an expert at this game, then why are you still in it?" Roxas asked bluntly, looking at Joshua blankly. Joshua let out a giggle, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he did so.
"Very sharp of you, Roxas. You see, my friends and I have beaten the game more than once. And we were granted our lives back. But the Reapers like to…drag us back in for the fun of it. The stakes are just as high though. And, as my friend Neku would say, this is a game that we can't afford to lose."
Roxas stared at the boy beside him, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. That didn't sound right to him. But as suspicious as Joshua was, Roxas was no stuck inside of a game, inside of a world he had never been to before. Not to mention Sora and Ven seemed to be missing. What choice did he really have but to go along with the guy? "Fine. I'll make this…pact."
Joshua smiled slyly, reaching his hand out and gripping Roxas' hand. "Alright then…partner." Roxas' eyes widened as a bright light enveloped him and he suddenly felt…empowered. It was as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders and he could breathe. His senses were sharper than ever and he felt a strong tug at his heart. But just as quickly as the feelings came, they were wiped away, leaving the Nobody feeling heavy and burdened once more.
"What…what was that?" Roxas asked, gasping softly. After feeling so light, even if only for a second, it felt as if he were being crushed now. It was suffocating. But he caught his breath easily enough and looked at the smirking boy.
"We made a pact. A pact forms a sort of…connection between us. I can't live without you during this game and the same goes for you. If I'm erased, so are you. If you're erased, so am I. We have to watch each other's backs." Joshua explained.
Sssshhhss…
Roxas turned quickly, eyes narrowing as the frogs from before appeared behind them, their red eyes staring them down. "The Noise." Joshua mumbled, grabbing his own phone. Roxas glanced at him curiously. "The Noise are the creatures that the Reapers use to hunt us Players down. The Reapers aren't allowed to try and erase us themselves until the final day of the game, so they leave it to the Noise instead. But don't worry."
Joshua held his phone up, a smirk on his face. Just like that, a truck seemingly came out of nowhere and fell from above the Noise, effectively crushing the creatures beneath it. Roxas' eyes widened a bit in surprise and he took a step back. Did he have to worry about random objects falling from the sky now? What the Hell kind of place was this!?
Laughing softly, Joshua turned to look at Roxas. "Did that startle you? I don't really like to sweat, so I use my own little tricks to fight. And it doesn't require too much movement. But now that we've formed a pact, you should be able to fight too. So, I think I'll leave any sweating up to you."
Roxas tilted his head a bit and held his hands at his sides, mildly surprised when Oblivion and Oathkeeper appeared in his hands. So they wouldn't appear before because he didn't have a pact? Well, at least now he could defend himself from the Noise. A soft beep caught Roxas' attention and he grabbed the cell phone from his pocket.
"Reach 104 in 60 minutes. Fail and face erasure…" Roxas read the text, huffing quietly. So, was this there mission? Just to make it somewhere? That didn't seem too difficult to him. A searing pain suddenly shot through his hand and he winced, his Keyblades vanishing as he gripped his wrist and looked at his palm. There, in glowing red numbers was a timer, just like Joshua had said.
Joshua hardly flinched as the timer appeared, smirking slightly at the boy. "The first mission is always the same. But in order to complete it, one has to already be paired up. So why don't we get a move on? I doubt you have any idea where 104 is, after all." Turning away, Joshua began walking back to the Scramble Crossing.
Roxas watched him for a moment, before jogging after him. If he was going to finish this game, he had to stick with Joshua he supposed. After all, he really had no clue where he was going.
"Sora. Hey, Sora!" The brunette's eyes fluttered open for a moment, only to slide shut once more. Neku huffed in annoyance, stuffing his hands in his pockets. How could someone sleep so easily? Grunting, Neku nudged the Keyblade Wielder with his foot. "Wake up already!"
Sora jumped, sitting up straight and looking around quickly. "What…? Where am I?" He asked softly, frowning a bit. Last thing he remembered was arguing with Roxas. And a Heartless had appeared and struck at Roxas from behind, but…after that, his memory just kind of went blank. But he definitely wasn't where they had been before.
"It's about time." Neku muttered his hands still in his pockets. His ever present headphones were resting around his neck at the moment, his hair slightly flattened from where they had been resting previously. Sora blinked quickly, looking up at the boy that hovered over him with wide eyes.
"Neku…? But this isn't Traverse Town. So…" Sora looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding his head. "You must've made it home then? Is this Shibuya?" He asked, pushing himself off the ground so that he was standing.
"Yeah. More specifically, you're in Udagawa." Neku explained, looking at Sora seriously. "I know I told you to come and visit, but I wish it were under better circumstances." He mumbled, looking away. Sure, he understood why Joshua wanted to do this and he trusted him. But this wasn't going to be an easy to explain. How did you come out and tell someone they were dead?
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head a bit. Something wasn't right about this, sure, but he was happy to see Neku again. "Are you having trouble with the Reaper's Game again? I can help, you know."
"That's part of the problem." Neku admitted, pinching a piece of his hair in between his fingers and rolling it nervously. "I guess I never really explained the Reaper's Game all that well to you. You see, Sora…in order to be in the Reaper's Game, you have to be dead."
Sora blinked, laughing nervously and rubbing his neck. "So…does that make you a ghost? Even so, that doesn't make a difference to me. You're still my friend Neku." The brunette insisted, offering Neku a smile.
Neku let out a sigh. He really didn't like being the one explaining things to people, but he did his best to remain patient. "Sora, you see that there?" He asked, motioning to the Player pin that lay near the boy. Sora hummed and picked the little pin up, examining it curiously. "That's a Player pin. Your Player pin. Sora…you're a part of the game."
"Me?" Sora furrowed his brows, his mind trying to catch up on what Neku was getting at. The wheels began to turn and his heart began to pound in his chest. "W-Wait…! You're saying that I…? But that's not possible! It can't be possible!" His blue eyes widened in realization and he clenched his fists. This couldn't be happening.
"Sorry, Sora." Neku rubbed his neck awkwardly. He remembered the feeling well, realizing you were dead. It was a shock to the system and it was difficult to deal with. He glanced at the brunette, wincing when he noticed tears welling up in his eyes. That was the last thing Neku wanted to see.
"There's no way this is real." Sora whispered, staring at his hands. He slowly sunk back to the ground, eyes wide with shock. But how did he…die? Was it that Heartless? Did it do something to him? "Everyone…everyone was counting on me. But now…!" The brunette let out a yell and slammed his fists against the ground, tears spilling from his blue eyes. How could he let this happen?
"S-Sora…" Neku winced at the yell, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it's not the end of the line Sora! That's what the Reaper's Game is. If you win, you get a second chance at life. You can't give up yet." He knelt beside Sora and sighed. "Look, I know how you feel. But if you trust me, we can get through the game."
Sora took a shaky breath, glancing at Neku, his blue eyes glassy with tears. "H-How?" Neku held his hand out to Sora, looking at him seriously.
"Look Sora, this will be my fifth time through the game. I know how to win. And in order to win, you have to make a pact with someone and fight together. If you make a pact with me, I promise you, we'll get to the end of the game and you'll earn the right to live again." Neku watched Sora closely. He was curious how much Sora trusted him.
"So, if we form this pact, we can make it to the end of the game?" Sora asked softly, looking at the offered hand. He didn't know Neku all that well, but he had trusted him before. He still did. Smiling weakly, Sora took the offered hand, closing his eyes as feeling of warmth suddenly flowed through him.
The feeling was strange. It made him feel strong; it felt like all of his problems were miles away and he didn't have a care in the world. And the comforting warmth made him breathe a sigh of relief. He was dead. But this just reassured him that things would be fine. He would come back, no matter what.
Sora slowly withdrew his hand, looking at Neku curiously. "So what does it mean now that we have this pact?" Neku couldn't help but be amazed by how quickly the brunette recovered from his previous shock. Did he really have that much faith that he'd win the game?
"Uh, right. Well, remember when I told you about having a Game Partner back in Traverse Town? That's what the pact is. It allows us to fight the Noise. And in order to win the game, you have to be able to fight." Neku explained, shifting his headphones so that they were more secure around his neck. "The most important thing about this game is trust in your partner."
"I do trust you Neku." Sora said immediately, nodding in determination. "I can't lose this. I have to be there to fight the darkness. So let's win this." Neku smiled slightly, though it was hidden behind the neck of his shirt.
"Yeah. Now, we need to get moving. The mission's already started, so we're a bit behind. How you slept through the timer activating, I'll never know." Slipping his hands back into his pockets, Neku began to lead the way out of Udagawa, giving the graffiti a final adoring look, before he focused his eyes ahead. Not that he had to worry about running into people, of course.
"Timer?" Sora blinked, opening his hand. Sure enough, there was the timer, ticking down second by second. Wincing as the number counted down slowly, he clenched his fists and sighed. How did this happen? "I wonder what happened to Ven and Roxas." He mumbled to himself.
"Friends of yours?" The ex-proxy asked, glancing back at the brunette. This would at least give him a chance to see where Sora stood with the other two.
"Huh? Oh, I…guess…" Sora muttered, eyes narrowing a bit as he thought of his Nobody. "I'm friends with Ven. I don't know about Roxas." He grumbled, crossing his arms as he continued to walk behind Neku.
"You don't know?" Neku continued to pry, his blue eyes looking ahead once more. He didn't want to seem too interested. That would just seem suspicious, wouldn't it? Or would it seem more suspicious if he acted so nonchalant? He silently cursed himself for over thinking the situation. He just had to be himself.
"Roxas is just so frustrating sometimes. Someone gets hurt or something bad happens, and he just…doesn't care. He's so cold towards everyone. I don't know what his problem is, but I wish he'd just tell us so we could move passed it." Sora vented, scowling a bit. The expression looked foreign on his face, but it had seen more use since Roxas had separated from him.
"Maybe he doesn't know either?" Neku offered, looking down at the ground. Cold and uncaring…that's how he used to be before the Reaper's Game. "Sometimes, pushing people away is easier than dealing with them."
"Yeah, well that's no real excuse. We all have the same goal in the end, so why can't he at least try to be civilized towards us? It's not like people don't care about him." Sora sighed heavily. "I just don't understand him. And I can't even try to when he won't let anyone in."
"Hm." Was Neku's only response.
Sora sighed heavily. He still wasn't happy, but getting some of that off his chest did help some. And despite his anger at Roxas, he really hoped his Nobody and Ven were both okay and hadn't been…he couldn't bring himself to even think it. It made him sick. How could he actually be dead right now?
"So, uhm…where's the others? How come Shiki isn't your partner right now?" Sora asked curiously. Neku simply shrugged.
"Joshua and Beat are around, somewhere. I think." He rubbed his head, looking up towards the sky. "Shiki and Rhyme were already given their second chance. Of course, the Reaper's really love dragging me back into this stupid game however they can." The ex-proxy clenched his fists and ground his teeth in annoyance. Josh was his friend and he had a good reason, but it still pissed him off how the Composer could just play with his life like that!
"Well, at least Shiki and Rhyme are okay, right? I bet you, Beat, and Joshua will get your chance." Sora said reassuringly, smiling weakly. Neku nodded in agreement, inwardly. Sora was right. Once this game was done, he was going to wash his hands of the Reaper's Game forever! Sure, he would still see Joshua, but that would be the only tie.
"Hear that Joshua? This. Is. It." He muttered to himself.
"Heh heh…whatever you say dear."
Neku stopped dead in his tracks, eyes slightly wide. Sora, who had been looking around, ran straight into the other boy, quickly apologizing for his clumsiness. But Neku didn't really mind or hear him. He was more distracted. What the hell was that? No way was he hearing Joshua telepathically now. Or was he just hearing imaginary voices? He wasn't sure which was worse.
"Huh? Everything okay Neku?" Sora asked, his blue eyes looking at Neku worriedly. Neku didn't seem to be in pain or anything. The ginger suddenly crossed his arms and tapped his foot against the pavement as if he were suddenly irritated or contemplating something. Or maybe a bit of both.
"Just fine." Neku mumbled distractedly. He remained quiet for a moment, but he heard nothing further. Maybe he had just heard something. Sighing heavily, he slouched a bit, his arms going slack at his sides as if he were forlorn. "I'm losing my mind."
Sora laughed nervously, rubbing his neck. "Uhm…well, maybe we should finish this mission so you can rest, huh?" He asked, patting Neku's back comfortingly. He by no means wanted to sound selfish, but he needed Neku if he was going to win the game. That meant they both needed to be in top shape. Neku nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath and tugging his headphones up over his ears.
"Yeah. Let's hurry." With that, the teen began walking again, leading Sora towards the 104 building. The sooner they finished the mission, the better.
Running. That's the only thing he could distinguish between the blur of colors and shadows around him. He was pretty sure that someone had a hold on his wrist and was tugging him along. There was a sense of urgency in the way that person held on to him. What was happening, he wondered.
"C-Come on Venny! Don't stop yet! Just a little further!" A voice called to him, though the person sounded out of breath. It was then that Ven realized he was crying, his face damp and his heart pounding in fear. The person speaking had to be the one who was pulling him along.
"I-I'm trying…!" He called back, his own voice sounded foreign to him. It was higher…like a child. Was this a dream, he wondered. It had to be. "They're gonna get us…! I'm scared!" He cried, but he still did his best to keep up.
"No they won't! I won't let them!" The voice called back. He couldn't see it, but he was sure the person in front of him tried to give him a reassuring smile. "I'll protect you Ven…that's what big brother's are for." The voice whispered, but he still caught the words. It filled him with hope.
Something suddenly crashed into him from behind, knocking him forward onto his stomach. He could feel nails or…claws digging into him, slashing at him wildly and an eerie moan coming from whatever had a hold on him. The boy in front of him…his brother stopped, looking back at him. "Help me!" He screamed, pain searing from each and every cut. "It hurts…!"
But the boy stood frozen, not making any move to help, but not running away either. The last thing he remembered seeing was a flurry of white feathers and horror-filled blue eyes staring at him. And then, he was drowning.
His blue eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, a silent scream falling from his lips. Of course, he was much more vocal when his head suddenly cracked against something hard, and he rolled away so that he was on his knees and elbows with his head clutched in his hands. "O-Ow…" He whimpered softly.
"Ouch! Dammit, gimme a little warnin' next time, yo!" A voice yelled, making Ven wince more. Against his will, tears began to well up in his eyes as the pain throbbed through his skull, from front to back, before it slowly ebbed away to a dull ache. "And Rhyme says I'm hard headed. I ain't got nothin' on you."
"S-Sorry about that…" Ven apologized softly, sitting up more so that he was resting fully on his knees. Across from him, a boy was sitting cross-legged, a hand clutching his forehead. He wore a black beanie with a skull on it, but Ven could make out some blonde hair that refused to stay in its confines. The boy offered him a grin.
"Its aight. Nothin' I can't handle!" With that, the boy hopped up and offered him a hand. "The name's Beat, yo. What 'bout you?" Ven blinked, smiling slightly and taking the offered hand. After all of Sora and Roxas' arguing, it was nice to talk to someone who was in an all around better mood.
"Ventus. But you can call me Ven." He intordduced himself, dusting himself off a bit. But as he did, something clattered to the ground and Ven knelt down to pick it up curiously. It was a small pin with a white symbol that…sort of resembled a skull. His brow furrowed in confusion. How did he get this?
"That's a Player's Pin." Beat explained, his eyes slightly narrowed. He suddenly seemed so serious, a far cry from the grinning boy from a few seconds ago. Ven swallowed thickly. Had he done something wrong? Was Beat mad? "I've got one too."
"What's it for?" The Keyblade Wielder asked, tilting his head slightly. Beat rubbed his neck and let out a heavy sigh. Whatever it was, apparently it wasn't good. "Everything okay…?"
"Okay? Hardly! Man, this sucks, yo!" Beat complained. "Stupid prissy Joshua…what the hell's he thinkin'?" Beat muttered to himself, before looking at Ven. The kid looked so innocent and kind…and he was supposed to just come out and tell him he was trapped in the game? That he was dead? Joshua was sick, he really was. But for some damn reason, Neku trusted him. He would never understand why. But recently, even Beat had noticed a change in Joshua. He was more caring. At least, he tried to be.
"Are you okay?" Ven asked again. He noticed Beat's hands clenching and his body shaking slightly in…anger? That seemed right. But Beat just took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders and grinned once again. Ven couldn't help but wonder if the boy was bipolar.
"Sure! Just fine." Beat nodded in determination. He knew just what he was going to do. Yes, he would make the pact with Ven and explain the game. But the explanation about his death…that would come from Joshua himself. He didn't have to upset the boy at all! "Ya know, that pin means you're in the Reaper's Game. It's the same with me."
"Reaper's Game?" Ven tilted his head slightly, looking confused. He had no idea what that was, but it sounded sinister. "How did I get involved?" He asked, frowning slightly. He only remembered a Heartless striking Sora and Roxas down. Maybe it had gotten him too? But them, how did he get sent to a different world? Stranger things had happened, he supposed.
"Dunno, yo. But I do know that the only way outta the game is to win though." Beat held his hand out and offered the boy a confident smile. "So, since we both need a partner, why don't we form a pact? It's the only way to fight."
"Fight? Fight what?" The Keyblade Wielder asked warily. Were the Heartless around here? No, if there were, they would've been drawn to him by now.
Ssshhhss…
As if on cue, a bear looking creature suddenly landed right between them. Ven yelped and jumped back before the creature's claws could get at him, while Beat stumbled backwards and landed on his behind, scurrying back away from the Noise.
"Shit! The Noise, man! Ya don't have a partner, ya can't fight. Ya can't fight, you get erased! That's what happens in the game!" Beat called, jumping up and rushing over to stand beside Ven. Thankfully, this particular Noise was rather slow, but it was already coming at them again.
Ven swallowed hard, holding his hand out to summon the Keyblade, but his weapon never appeared. His heart pounded in his chest. What was gonna happen now? "A-Alright! I'll make the pact with you!" He stammered, turning to face Beat.
Beat nodded quickly, taking Ven's hand in his own. The feeling that washed over Beat almost took his breath away. He had made a pact with Rhyme and Neku in the past, but this feeling was…so much pain and happiness and sadness and hope, all washing over him. It was like everything in Ven's heart was laid bare before him. And it was overwhelming. He doubled over, gasping hard as he tried to get control of the hundreds of emotions running through him.
Ven didn't feel anything near as intense, but he could feel all the determination and strength that Beat held in his heart. There was the determination to protect what mattered most to him, and Ven could definitely relate to it. Eyes narrowing slightly, he summoned his Keyblade and used a well-aimed Strike Raid to end the Noise that was advancing on them.
Beat looked ahead in disbelief. So the kid was capable of destroying the Noise that easily, huh? It was surprising, to say the least. "Looks like I picked the right partner." He joked breathlessly, rubbing his head lightly with a weak grin. His heart was finally calming down from the onslaught of emotions.
Ven offered him a grin and ran his free hand through his hair. "I've fought a lot." He said simply, looking at the Keyblade with a soft smile. Actually, this was the first time he had fought since Sora woke him up. He had been awake for all of an entire day and he was already being thrown into danger. But it beat sleeping.
Ssshhsss…
"Bwaaah! The Noise is everywhere, yo! We gotta get outta here!" Beat yelped, grabbing Ven's hand and tugging him in the direction of the Scramble Crossing. The graffiti symbols that were the Noise seemed to be crowding in on them, and Beat had to wonder why. He had never seen them act like that before.
Ven ran after Beat quickly, glancing back. He could sort of see the symbols floating about, though he didn't realize that they were the source of the monsters. But he supposed he'd have to trust Beat to know where they were going. And so they ran.
But while they ran, his thoughts drifted back to the dream from before. What exactly was that? Ven didn't remember his past, before being trained by Master Xehanort. So was that a piece of his past? Did he really have a brother? A family? What had happened to them? He frowned deeply as he remembered those blue eyes staring at him, full of fear.
"Why couldn't I see your face?" He whispered to himself, his eyes looking down towards the ground. Beat continued to drag him, though he gave a harsh tug when he noticed that Ven's attention seemed to be elsewhere.
"Stay focused, yo! Ya don't wanna get caught by them things!" He insisted, making his way through the different areas of Shibuya with ease. Ven nodded in agreement, glancing back. They seemed to have lost them, but he didn't want to get swarmed again.
They were running so quickly that neither of them was able to stop in time to keep from colliding with two familiar players. Ven yelped and stumbled, before landing on his stomach, his arms just managing to protect his face from the cement. Beat cursed loudly and Ven heard a curse from one of the other boys.
"Watch where you're going." One of the boys snapped. Ven sighed, pushing himself off the ground for the second time that day and looking at the two newcomers. His eyes widened slightly when he caught sight of a familiar brunette.
"Sora!" He exclaimed, eyes slightly wide. So Sora had ended up here too. Then was Roxas around? He hoped so. At least that would mean they were okay. Sora gave Ven a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck as he made it back to his feet.
"Yo, Phones! So, ya found a partner?" Beat didn't even bother apologizing, instead grabbing Neku's slim arm and jerking him to his feet. Neku nodded slightly, glancing at Ven. "Right, well this is Ven. We just made the pact when all these Noise started swarming us outta nowhere."
"Swarming?" Neku asked, looking at Ven curiously. The Noise attacked, sure, but he didn't remember them just swarming him before. Except for the Taboo Noise. And if that was back, Joshua was getting him the hell out of the game now. "This is Sora. I don't think you actually got to meet him in Traverse Town."
Sora gave Beat a slight wave, before turning his attention back to Ven. The blonde hadn't been awake for more than a day, so it worried him to see Ven thrown into something so soon. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking Ven over for any injury.
Ven gave Sora a grin and nodded. "Yeah. Not sure how we got here or what's going on, but thanks to Beat, I was able to fight the Noise." He nodded, glancing up at the taller boy that was his partner. Neku gave him a slightly skeptical look, before looking back to Beat.
"…You didn't explain anything, did you?" Neku said bluntly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He should've expected this. Beat was strong, sure, but way down deep they all knew he was a big softie. He didn't want to upset his newly found partner.
Beat turned away, crossing his arms and grumbling. "I figured Joshua could do all the explainin'! Besides, no one knows what's happening more than him, right?" There was a bit of bitterness there, but Ven and Sora both decided to leave it be.
"Awe, now is that any way to be, Beat? I'm hurt." They all turned their attention to the boy who had intruded on their conversation. Sure enough, Joshua was walking in their direction, Roxas close behind. "Meanwhile, while you've all be having a nice little chat, Roxas and I have finished the mission already." Neku shifted his hand to look at the palm. Sure enough, the timer was gone.
Ven and Sora both shared a look, before looking at Roxas. Ven smiled kindly at his lookalike. "Hey Roxas. You okay?" He asked softly. Sora, however, glared weakly at his Nobody and turned away, sighing heavily. The brunette couldn't bring himself to forgive Roxas just yet.
"Hm." Was all Roxas said, and he turned away from them. Still numb. Joshua glanced at his partner and giggled softly, elbowing the Nobody lightly. "What?" He complained, glancing at Joshua. The Composer tilted his head towards Ven and Sora, sending Roxas a silent message. "I'm fine." He finally said softly, glancing over his shoulder at Ven.
Ven smiled at the answer and nodded slightly. "Great, we're all caught up with one another. But we still have some explaining to do, I guess." Neku muttered, glaring at Beat weakly. How could he not have told his partner anything? That wasn't a good start in gaining trust, in his opinion.
"Well, now that today's mission is over, we can head over to Cat Street. Sanae's café will be as good a place as any to talk." Joshua suggested, not waiting for anyone to agree, before he turned and began walking in that direction. Everyone followed, but Neku made an extra effort to fall into stride beside Joshua.
"But won't be passing out any time now?" He asked quietly. Joshua smirked, glancing back to make sure no one was eavesdropping on the conversation. Thankfully, Ven and Sora had fallen into conversation, trying to figure out how they had ended up here, while Roxas remained silent, staring ahead blankly. Beat too seemed to be in his own little world.
"Special game, special rules Neku. We need all the time we can get with them to figure out how to handle this situation, right? So there won't be any 'passing out' happening in this game." Joshua explained. Neku had to admit, Joshua was making a definite effort here.
"Well then, where are we gonna sleep? It didn't really matter before." Joshua gave Neku his usual infuriating giggle, making the orange-haired boy twitch. "Will you stop laughing and just answer me?" He complained.
"Of course, dear. Sanae has some rooms up above the café we can use. As much as you'd like to believe otherwise, I did think this through." Neku sighed in exasperation, shaking his head at the Composer. Of course Joshua had thought this through. He wouldn't give Neku the satisfaction of seeing him unprepared.
"Yeah, alright." Neku sighed, glancing back at the others. "You didn't tell me that Roxas and Ven were twins." He looked at Joshua expectantly. From Joshua's earlier explanation, he didn't think they knew each other at all, but there were hardly any differences between the two blondes.
"Oh, they're not. But that story is long and rather complicated. Maybe I'll explain it to you another time." And so, Joshua brushed the question off, just like that. Neku glared weakly at his ex-partner, wishing he could just slap him.
Meanwhile, Sora and Ven were discussing just what had happened to them earlier, while Roxas walked nearby, listening nonchalantly. "I remember arguing with Roxas. We were right outside of Castle Oblivion, right?" Sora asked, looking at Ven questioningly.
Ven nodded in agreement, looking thoughtful. That was right. Sora had woke him up and freed Roxas; they had remained in Castle Oblivion for awhile to talk, but once they had left to return to Yen Sid's tower, Roxas' indifference and cold replies had finally ground on Sora's nerves. Sora had grabbed Roxas by the front of his shirt and snapped at him. "Yeah. I tried pushing you two apart, but a Heartless appeared and…" Ven trailed off, closing his eyes and laughing shakily. "Its claws went clean through Roxas. I thought it was more serious, but he doesn't have a scratch on him."
"Huh?" Roxas paused in his steps, looking at Ven. He didn't seem to recall that. He placed a hand over his chest and frowned deeply. "I don't…remember any of that. What happened after that?" He was finally taking an interest in the conversation, which surprised both Sora and Ven.
"I do remember that. And Roxas, you collapsed right after. Then…?" Sora frowned, finding he didn't remember after that. Really, watching Roxas crumple to the ground was the last thing he had seen.
"It moved fast and got to Sora too." Ven admitted. "Its hand went right through your chest…there was blood, and…" Ven shivered violently, closing his eyes tightly. He remembered seeing the blood splatter across the ground, and Sora had been close enough that some had splattered across Ven's face. Unconsciously, the blonde wiped at his face with his hand.
"So then, it must've done the same to you." Sora guessed, sighing heavily. So that was how he had…died. There was something so wrong about that, but Sora did his best to brush it aside. "Well, that doesn't matter right now. We have to win this game, no matter what."
Roxas and Ven both nodded their agreement, all three of them turning their attention back to their partners. Joshua and Neku were whispering between each other, Joshua smirking while Neku looked increasingly irritated.
Sora smiled slightly at the two. It kind of reminded him of Riku and himself. Riku would often tease him and Sora couldn't help but fall for it every time. But it was those moments that Sora loved the most and he wouldn't trade them for the world. "You two must be really close." He commented.
"Of course!"
"Hell no!"
Neku glared at the giggling Composer, sighing in annoyance. He didn't hate Joshua, not at all. But he was still irritating. There would always be a gap between them, he thought.
Joshua feigned hurt, sighing heavily. "How could you be so mean, Neku dear?" He complained, though a smirk still played at his lips. Sora and Ven both laughed quietly at the 'dear' on the end. Joshua did seem rather attached to the term of endearment when he referred to Neku.
Neku was about to snap at the Composer again, but Beat cut him off before he could. "We're here, yo! Let's see what Mr. H has cookin'! I'm starvin'!" Without waiting, the boy rushed into the café. Neku rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement. He was pretty hungry himself after all.
Joshua smirked slightly, turning to look back at the three Keyblade Wielders. "People can see us inside this Café, so don't be surprised. We'll be staying here when there are no missions, so make yourselves at home. Once you get settled, we'll answer any questions you have." With that, the Composer motioned for them to follow, walking into the café.
Okay, okay…that's enough for one chapter, haha. That's the longest chapter of anything I've ever written. I'm surprised by myself. Well, hope you all liked the start! Let me know what you all think if you don't mind!