A/N:: Pfft; okay so I made this under go a facelist, because characters' names changed and some of plot-ish.
So here it is~
Morning Dogenzaka wasn't as busy as its night life counter-part. If it were, it would be a disaster waiting in the sweltering crisp Shibuya heat. Along with those, Beat wouldn't be sitting around, he'd be running like, like the clothes he wears; a Wild Boar; searching for his younger sister.
"It's way too hot to wait out here Beat; we'll wait inside for her. " Shiki Misaki said holding onto Mr. Mew limply as she pressed onto a cool Ramen Don window and sighed at the sudden chil that ran through her spine.
Beat grunted as he swiveled left and right on his skateboard. "I ain't going nowhere 'till I see mah sis. I'd be screwed wit' da rents if I lose her again. "
"We're just going to cool down 'n eat. And, if you could trust me, Rhyme will be fine. " Neku nudged the skateboard at first, and gave it a harder push causing Beat to nearly lose his balance.
"That aint cool Phones. " Beat gave Neku a face. "'Sides I'm supposed to protect her, 'n Rhyme ain't gonna be missin' from my life ever 'gain, yo. "
"I understand, but, " Neku began to get paranoid, due to both the heat and the skater's stubborness. "But it's over ninety degrees out here! Just thinking about it makes it hotter. "
"Then stop thinkin' man! " Beat hollered angrily at the bruise colored boy.
Neku and Shiki ,after wincing back, gave Beat a long stare and sighed. They couldn't handle the heat, and Beat wasn't making it any easier for them.
"Neku and I are just going to go inside then. " Shiki said, stamping her foot lightly to the ground. Mr. Mew swung about lazily in her arm.
"Nah, you two aint goin' no where 'til we see Rhyme! " He snapped, glaring at the brunette.
Shiki frowned and turned to Neku, "We NEED to get inside to some cool air. " she whispered into his ear. He nodded and thought of a plan.
"Dude, I don't feel well now. We're gonna go inside... You want any curry ramen or anything?"
Beat's eyes seemed to widen at the sound of curry. He looked around frantically and paused for a moment. It was his only weaknesses...
Curry and Ramen. Mixed together is hard for him to reject.
Aight, curry or sis? A short silent whisked through the air.
"Ah, she'll know we're here. And eatin some curry won't take long." He stood up from his place and walked with the two into what he called, Ramen Heaven.
Neku and Shiki sighed peacefully when the cool air splashed against their faces. Beat's eyes furrowed as he bumped into an obstacle of people; Ramen Don was far too busy than usual. He decided to push through the crowd with the back of his skateboard to the nearest booth they can find.
Rhyme was taking her time with her walk. She last told Beat that she was going to grab a friend over half an hour ago; she feared that she may have exceeded the time limit. If only Shiki sent some sort of text pun like, "Pick up your friend and meet us up at Ramen Don. You have 30 minutes or face erasure." The pressure of the Reaper's game sure taught a lesson of time to the ex-players. Yet, she was surprisingly relax and didn't mind the heat at all. She just ran her fingers across the building walls, smiling up at the sky from time to time.
Two voices spoke while "walking" atop the Shibuya buildings. Secretly watching over Raimu Bito in the UG.
"You know you want to protect lil Skulls Jr., Josh. " The voice of the Barista, Haneakoma, said in a calm teasing tone.
"There is nothing between me and her. " Yoshiya "Joshua" Kiryu, walking tall and proud, stated. He almost fumbled a bit to tell the truth though.
"Don't try to play me. I see how you have that gleam in your eye as you watch the little missy."
Joshua scowled and hid his face with his ashen hair. In the eternal years of Reaper's Games, "Neku's" was far the best, and the group of winners is up to his highest interests. Ever since the end of that historical game, he loved to mess with the group now and then, especially when he is actually having a moment with them; not flashing in from the UG and disappear after doing something embarrassing to the group. And, when he did stick around, for some weird reason he felt a great sensation around Rhyme. When she smiled, it made his day. When she laughed a burst of happiness would explode in his head.
"Aye boss, just admit it, you got that school-boy crush on her."
"Please, you're just making stuff up. " Joshua said, holding his hand up in mockery of innocence.
Sanae reared his head back and shook his head with pity, and a smile stretched from ear to ear. "Dang, when are you going to bless me with the truth?" He chuckled, followed by a sigh. "Now if you excuse me, I have a cafe to be running errands for."
Joshua rolled his eyes and looked down at Rhyme, butterflies appearing in his stomach.
"But before I go, a little piece of advice, " Joshua turned to look at the Producer, an eyebrow raised. "Take it easy when you actually decide to take a bite at the prey, alright?"
The Hanekoma gave him a wink and walked into sparse shadows, instantly disappearing from view. Joshua just scowled. Using the UG as his cover, he flew down next to Rhyme, hesitated for a moment, sighed, and transferred into the RG.
"I suppose you like summer." Joshua said gazing upon Rhyme. She jumped a little and looked over at her unexpected guess.
"Oh, hey Joshua, I didn't see you there. " A smile beamed across her face.
"I can do things, and you know why. "
"Yeah, but why is the composer out for a walk? Shouldn't you watching, you know, the Reaper's game."
"It can become boring from time to time. What, you want me to leave?"
"No no, I'm fine. I would like some company!"
Joshua giggled and continued to walk with Rhyme. Time seemed to pass slowly and unfortunately, silently.
I'm bored; how should I "play" with Rhyme today?
Joshua's gaze turned to look at Rhyme who seemed to have felt cold for a second.
"Are you cold on a such a sweltering day Raimu?"
"No, it's just that... that I felt the chill of something ghostly talking to me." Rhyme gave Joshua a curious look and veered her gaze away "It didn't happen to be you; was it?"
Did she just sense my "cold" speech? Wow the irony of his thoughts.
"No dear Rhyme, it wasn't." Lies, tiny little lies.
Rhyme tensed up and unintentionally sped up her pace.
Oh dear, I did something wrong? Joshua giggled at his own sarcastic thought and followed behind Rhyme. She rounded a corner and slowed down; easy for Joshua to keep up now. He rejoined the empty space at her side,.
"Finally caught up to you." He took a sly glance up and down Rhyme's body. Examining to see if she had more... "noticeable" feminine features.
Don't start with the irrational thoughts. "Sheesh, clueless on how to start a conversation much?" He mumbled to himself.
"Hm, what is it?" Rhyme looked at Joshua who had a sudden stunned look on his face.
He sharply turned his head and looked around, "Nothing."
Rhyme looked at him curiously, then shrugged it off.
Come on, think of a conversation starter! He furrowed his eyebrows and bit on the inside of his cheek.
"So, how's your summer been Josh?"
Joshua looked at him, slightly in shock that a probable conversation has come up. "Not quite, although, I've postponed any upcoming games."
"Oh, need a break from being Composer?" Rhyme learned over time that Josh was the composer of the game; along with the fact he killed Neku, twice. But, for some odd reason, she trusted him like a life-long friends would.
"Of course, I'm as human as you are!"
Rhyme couldn't help but giggle quietly, "Sure, whatever floats your boat."
He nudged her to the side from her remark. "I shall remember that for later! But for now, what are you up to, on this sunshine-filled day?"
"Ah, I'm going to grab a few more friends to meet up with my brother, Neku, and Shiki later." She pointed back to the direction behind her.
Other friends of hers? "My you are so popular. Rhyme has been being more... social with others?"
She looked at him intently, "Haha, very funny," she shot him a sarcastic look. "It's easy for me to make friends. I just take time choosing the right ones."
They stopped at a crosswalk for a moment and continued into a neighborhood district. The houses were small, but in Rhyme's comparison to the apartment complex her family lived at, they were big. To Josh, well, you know.
"Good job, picking the right ones are quite hard." Joshua thought of himself for a matter of time. Almost no one has ever wanted to be close friends with him; just acquaintances.
"Wait for the grass to grow greener; what I always say when I befriend someone new." Rhyme came back at him with one of her special quotes. She came to a stop in front of a two story house. "This is my stop."
"I'll walk with you to the door." He wasn't gonna leave just yet.
They stepped onto the porch and stood for a heartbeat in front of the door. Joshua rang the doorbell.
"Thanks for keeping me company. Even if I was okay in the beginning."
Was that supposed to be a stab at him? He smirked and grabbed one of her hands. He bent down a little and kissed the top of it.
"Your welcome."
The door swung open and Joshua disappeared instantly. Rhyme blinked in surprise and a slight red came over her face.
"HEY RHYME!"
A black-brown haired girl, in a zipped up neon green and dark purple sleeveless hoodie and black skinny jeans, grasped Rhyme in a suffocating hug.
"Hey Alice!" Rhyme gasped out, her arms were restrained from being able to push away. "I think I'm turning purple now."
"Yeah! Let go of her, yo!" A fire, red haired girl in a tank-top with incredibly loose pants and jacket (which is zipped up halfway) entered into the scene.
"Aw, but Alex, we haven't seen Rhyme in a while!" The girl by Alice released Rhyme who walked over to the red head. "You owe me another hug girly."
"Psh, yeah right." Alex said as she hugged Rhyme and fussed with her hair, "Yeah, it's been only like two weeks, yo." She was taller by an inch or two. You couldn't really tell; the billed hat on her head was barely fitted on making her look taller. Or was it?
Rhyme took her friend at arms length away and looked around, "Where's your sister?"
"I'm right here."
Right on cue, another girl with jet black hair stepped into Rhyme's view from down a hallway. You would think she was not related at all to the red head. Her eyes pitch black compared to her sister's ivy green. Her outfit also reflected a huge difference in their attitudes. So much black, as opposed to her sisters gold-yellow jacket and baggy jeans. The only article of clothing with black was her tank-top.
She walked up to the blond and wrapped her arm around her into a side-hug. "Hey, there Rhyme." Her voice was so monotone yet you could feel the care she was intending to give.
"Lucy, we're gonna go ta Ramen Don's." Alex buzzed as she scurried to put on some shoes. "Ya cool wit that, right?"
The goth-looking girl looked at Rhyme, "Who's going to be there?"
Rhyme got scared for a moment when the pitch black felt like it was going to rip into her. "Just my brother and some of my other friends."
The full out goth sighed and replied unwillingly, "Fine then. "
Alex squealed in excitement and grabbed a pair of shades off of a table. " Today's gonna be kickin'!"
"And, Alexandra?" Alex turned around abruptly with a pout on her face. She hated her full name.
"Please don't call me Lucy again." she slumped onto a nearby couch. "It's Lucida, get it and know it."
"Yeah, sure, watev'. "Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed Rhyme's arms and instantly dragged, or flew, her out the door.
Alice watched Rhyme shout with a panicked tone, she laughed, and grabbed the door handle. "Lucida, watch over the house for me."
"Sure thing."
Weakly smiling she grabbed a book bag off the ground and an object from the same table Alex got her shades.
"Call me if there's an emergency."
"Don't count on it."
The door clicked shut and Alice flung the bag over her shoulder. She slipped the object she grabbed into her pocket. She smiled, and oh was it a wicked one.
"My plan is set in motion."
::Edit:: Okay so I editted it, previously Alice was named Vanessa, but I decided it didn't fit.
RxR and enjoy~