Part 1

Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own and of TWEWY Characters owned by Square Enix

The Bane of Neku

Chapter 3

Part 1: Choice

Neku was sitting on a stool that pulled out from the fire truck containing the small fire that had been started by the explosion. The Shiki was sitting outside the baracade the cops had made. They were bombarding Neku with questions why the bomb had been centered in his apartment. He continually explained he had no fuckin clue how it got there. He looked worn out tired from the experience.

Shiki looked at him saddened. She felt bad for him his home had blown up. Man who besides them had to deal with this kind of crap. She felt bad she couldn't do anything for him. She also felt a cold breeaze that had over taken the dark city streets.

"SHIKI" She heard her mothers' voice call from behind her and before she could turn around she felt her mothers' arms around her "thank god you're safe" Her father was close behind having trouble moving through the crowd "are you alright?" she said holding her daughter in her arms

"Ya were fine mom" Shiki said in her monotone voice

"Were?" Her dad said questionably. Shiki pointed toward Neku "Hey that's the-"

Blushing knowing what he was about to say "Dad for the last time nothing happened"

"Whatever why were you both here anyway this is a fairly run down part of the city" he wasn't wrong this part of the city was by all means a junk heap. It hadn't got any funding in ages, but because of this Neku was able to get an apartment without parents.

"Me and Neku were going to hang out at his place for a while"

"His parents live here!" her mother exclaimed "how could you raise a kid in a place like this?" Shikis parents were upper class and slightly snobbish she didn't like it but with what she ws about to ask it was the worst time to bring it up "So where does you friend live any way?" Shiki pointed to the building with a crater in the side which by some miracle hadn't crashed to the ground "Oh dear… well I'm sure that they will be conferrable in a hotel"

"Yah about that… Nekus parents are no longer… with us" Death had always been a touchy subject, more so since she experienced it herself.

"Oh dear" her mother said in concern

"Mom… Dad could Neku… stay with us for a while"

"No" her father said almost immediately

"but Da-" Shiki began to plea

"No he is not staying in our house"

"But dad" She looked at him through puppy dog eyes

"No Shiki he can't in our house" her dad in a commanding tone

Normally this would be enough to keep Shiki quiet but not today "Fine then I won't stay there either" She said moving out of her mothers hold 'Neku needs someone to help him deal with this'

"Shiki don't be unreasonable" her mother said condescendingly

"ME? UNREASONABLE? All I'm asking is if one of my good friends could stay with us after his house exploded!" She said angrily "And all because of something that DIDN'T HAPPEN" The crowed around the barricade made a opening around the family

There was a silence for a while then her father spoke up "He can sleep on the couch but if he comes within a yard of your room past 9'Oclock I'll kill him" he said if at the least annoyed.

Shiki against her will smiled at her father "Thank you" they hugged for a moment and pulled away "I'm gonna wait for Neku I'll see you at home"

Neku was still sitting against the fire truck and once the cops realized it was stupid to think he was the one to plant a bomb on his apartment and be anywhere near it when it went off.

He looked over at Shiki and saw her mother and father there as well. She's so lucky to have a home and a family. She was cute, kind, and most of all honest. One of the many things he hated was when people just pretended that everything was fine when it obviously wasn't. He had a single blanket and as a brisk breeze pulled in he tugged it in closer to him he was looking toward the ground, he tried to think of what he was going to do that night when he felt a body sit next to his leaning against his own. He was about to shrug the person off when he realized it was Shiki who was let through the barricade. He opened the blanket to let her in, she snuggled in and grabbed the other side of the blanket.

"Soooo… you want to come over to my place tonight" she said smiling at him.

"That… sounds great Shiki… thank you" let go of the blanket letting her have it all. You look cold… lets go" Shiki smiled and walked with him into the night

A/N: ya its gooey I know

Rhys awoke and something shoved his arm "mph… what" it continued to the point where he had to wake up and looked as he saw he was surrounded by people, not the RG people either, but other players, all over the place 200 at least. "What the fu-" he looked up at the scrambles massive screen and it read selection day. 'Right on day three you will be able to chose between being a reaper and continuing to be a player… manipulative bustards' as he stood there more and more players were were waking up, he was looking for rhyme, until when it seemed nearly everyone was awaken, they all disappeared. 'Where did…' Rhys then looked toward the center of the scramble and etched on the right side was a blue with markings similar to the noise or on the stores. On the left was a similar one but in red and between them were two people. A man with a lollipop and a girl with pink hair. 'the reapers from 104'

"WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE UG'S Second SELECTION"

Eri woke with a bolt from the booming voice she stood to find no one but the two reapers from before 'where's Bane?'

Kariya continued "You will all now make a choice to be either a reaper or continue to be a pitiful player"

Yoshiro on the other hand was unusually quiet; she loved making players feel weak and insignificant. But today, this situation she didn't feel like taking part.

"Now although you can't tell, all of your player comrades are standing around you. They are invisible to you until you choose a side also if you go player you will be able to read the minds of those who haven't chosen yet. The red side will allow you to become a reaper, the blue side will keep you at player status. If you both choose player then you are fine, and will continue the struggle. If you both choose reaper you will help making the rest of this week and other ones unbearable for the other players. But if one of you decide to go player and the other decides to go reaper… that's where the fun begins." He gave a light chuckle "You see the one who chooses player… will be erased… so chose wisely"

Eri wasn't sure which way to go, would Bane really leave her to die… again. Would he really do that. Would being a reaper be that bad? Maybe the sword really is for killing people, maybe being a reaper is what he dreams about! I gotta save myself! But Shiki! DAMNIT… I got to save myself. She started to the reapers side feeling guilt with every step. She looked around as if judgmental eyes were all on her. She at one point locked eyes with the pink haired Yoshiro who was shaking her head at her right at her in a worning type of motion. One step from the reapers side she stepped back crawling, then jogging then sprinting to the players side

Right after Kariyas speech

Rhyme wasn't believing what she was hearing 'Those horrible people, I can't believe them' she started toward the player side almost at once, she couldn't ever make the lives or afterlives of people harder then it already is. She couldn't believe that Rhys would choose the side of the reaper. As she entered she realized she was the first one to be in the player side of the scramble. About 10 people had sprinted to the reapers side wanting to be out of this hell, but most of them including Rhys hadn't decided. Eventually people started choosing sides. Slowly walking a few of the people who went to blue immediately started to disintegrate into nothing, others who were standing inside for a few minutes started to go. Around her she saw partners happily jumping reunited, as well as those who simply nodded to each other. Rhyme eventually went to the edge of the blue line and found a clear barrier blocking her way out. The same one that had blocked there way in missions the first time she was here. Soon there was about 26 people left, one person went to the reapers another person disintegrated, then the 25 people left looked at each other, they could see them, none of them bothered to look at the two colored boxes, which meant that they couldn't see them yet.

"Time for stage two" Kariya said with a smile

Bane was standing at the back of the group looking at the man whose lollipop never seemed to disintegrate in his mouth.

"You are the last 25 players still deciding your fate." He smiled "and since none of you are talking to each other that probably means none of you are partners"

"For once not making a decision will help you. Now if you chose to be a reaper you will become a higher rank then your betraying peers, more powerful too. While if you go to players you will get a new pin for you and your partner." He said the last part of the sentence rather dully. Six people were convinced and walked to the reapers side almost immediately. A few people were not convinced one of them were Rhys which surprised Bane. He thought he would be in the first wave of players.

Rhys was struggling to make a decision 'Rhyme would never abandon me but she said she never wanted to go through this again' he walked up to the player line not entering just staring inside wondering if Rhyme was on the other side. While thinking 5 people systematically went past him into the player zone showing more bravery then he.

Rhyme looked into Rhyses eyes 'Come on Rhys why wont you trust me' rubbed her player pin 'I shouldn't but…' she raised it up 'I have to know' he activated her pin and looked into Rhyses mind

'She felt so bad about this whole thing she wouldn't betray me, she couldnt' he clenched his fist 'I do trust her' In a confident move he stepped into the player side… and into Rhyme. Without much time to get out of the mind reading state let alone step back, Rhyme was face to face with Rhys closer then thieve ever been. Neither of them stepped away nor wanted to. "Sorry about that" Rhys said trying to break the silence

Rhyme shaken by the sudden statement brought her back "about what?" she said dazed

Rhys rubbed the back of his head out of embarrassment "I took forever to make up my mind and join you"

"Oh… don't worry I didn't doubt you for a second" 'except for that last moment' she admitted privately. She finally stepped back feeling guilty. And looked past Rhys to see the final 3 people Bane still standing there motionless "Banes out there" she said and Rhys turned like a bolt of lightning to see his friend standing there motionless.

Eri stared out in horror that Bane was motionless 'What's wrong did you go brain dead!' she watched as another one went to the reapers side making the right decision since no one here disappeared.

"why don't we read his mind?" Eri heard a young girls voice say

"There are some places I never want or need to go and that is one of them " She looked over to find Rhys and Rhyme side by side looking at Bane. Then she looked around seeing that now everyone was silent looking at the last two people outside of the zones. Soon one grabbed his head and screamed

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE" he ran to Yoshiro "Erase me ERASE ME!!" she kindly obliged and he disappeared into dust in a single flash of light.

This left Bane alone and some whispers murmured through the crowd

"Is that Bane?"

"Whys he here"

"He's dead?"

"The world is a better player place without him"

"At least he's gone too"

Eri would have once joined in 3days ago but now her life lied in his hands. She stared into her hand. She felt the player pin in her hand. 'If I looked I could find out everything about Bane' her brain was acting as if there were an angel and a devil on her shoulders 'but if he ever finds out he'll never trust me again' 'Sure but how will he find out' 'you don't trust him?' 'look at him he could betray you at any moment don't you want to at least know if he feels anything towards you' that did it she raised her player pin and activated it she looked into the mind of Bane.

A swirl of pain, regret, and pure rage filled her mind. 'You're a basterd, you are a hinder on anyone you meet' what is this 'Why… why do you do this to m-me… ' no I can't take it.

She pulled out of his head horrified. If he really was insane she really couldn't blame him 'who are you Bane?'

"Hey Kariya" Yoshiro said quietly "Isn't that the guy that the GM was talking about"

"You mean the one with that thing as his entry fee… yea I think your right" Kariya smiled a thought forming "Hey kid I'll make you an offer, you join the reapers then you will be as powerful as us."

Yoshiro a horrified look on his face turned to him "Kariya no!" She said so only he could hear. They were both standing in front of the reapers section welcoming each new recruit.

Then to some horror but others expectations Bane walked to the Reapers section. Eri felt each step a stab at her. Then to confusion as he stopped in front the two reapers and looked up and as he spoke he said each syllable "Fuck Off" he stated simply shocking most people "You both walk around as if your better than everybody else, and sure maybe you are… here but the fact is your probably as stuck here as all of us. So you bait us with being a reaper when you are slaves to your job. I know my partner may be standing right behind you which I doubt since she is a good person" a ping of guilt surged through Eri at her moment of almost joining being with the reapers "So even if I'm wrong and I get erased as soon as I walk through there at the very least I wont have to listen to your sorry asses" He then smiled and made his way to the players side

Kariya was too mad to speak and actually dropped his lollipop out of shock. Yoshiro on the other hand made an attempt to under stand. One step from the player zone she spoke "Well wait if you were always going to go player then why'd you wait so long?"

He simply stopped and turned and smiled "Because then that speech nor this step would be nearly as dramatic if some people couldn't see or hear" then without another word he turned and walked in. A quiet moment past as everyone looked to see if something would happen to him "Hey there"

There was a cheer of newly motivated players chanted for Bane. Eri came running and hugged him

"Eri?"

She looked up at him through near tears "I thought I told you not to scare me again" her vision blurred so she buried her head in Banes chest

He held her and stroked her back smoothly "don't worry everything will be alright"

Eri felt strangely comforted by that and stepped back embarrassed wiped the last of emerging tears from her eyes. Rhys and Rhyme walked up next to them all happy to see they'd made it through

Rhys was suspicious though 'Bane never liked picking fights he felt it was a sign of barbaric behavior to do so something has changed'

Then every thing wet black it was time for day three was about to begin

End of Part 2

WOOT another one hits the shelf

So some forshadowing some character development. Hope you liked R&R