So where exactly are Corn and Cube...? You're about to find out.

With this chapter, we reach a milestone in the Jet Set Radio category on fanfiction dot net: A STORY THAT'S OVER 100,000 WORDS!!! Yay!

This chapter was painful to write, but at the same time, I absolutely love writing stuff like this.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Corn is moving quickly through the bottom point of the Sewage Facility, breathing hard through his nose despite the smell to keep the echoes of his breaths to a minimum. He needs to get through here as fast as he can, and he needs to be able to listen for approaching voices at the same time. The sewers are damp and humid, today, and the air is thick with awful, nauseating odors. Corn is sweating heavily, even though it's not hot, nausea threatening the forefront of his mind. He blocks it out and keeps going, making his way further and further down into the sewers, grinding pipes and keeping focused on his task.

Poison Jam are the ones to ask about Cube. The thought had occurred to him about an hour ago as he was skating through a stunningly teal-and-magenta section of Chuo Street, and he'd realized that something was very much amiss. He'd tuned into his wrist radio and heard a recap of the morning's events from DJ Professor K, and he was in no way pleased to get the news. Out of nowhere, though, it had hit him: Poison Jam would know where Cube was, if he didn't. Those fish-faced freaks stalked Cube like the paparazzi…they knew her every move. So he had gone as quickly as he could to Rokkaku-Dai Heights, careful to stay out of the Love Shockers' lines of sight as he made his way down into the Sewers to find Poison Jam.

Twenty minutes later, he has almost made it to where he needs to be: the vast antechamber of Poison Jam's lair, the former "throne room", where Cube had once sat in the massive stone gorgon's head on the wall and given orders. The deeper he goes into the sewers, the sicker he feels, and he pulls his gloves off and shoves them into his jacket pocket just as he's reached the foyer, his palms and fingers slick with sweat. He wipes his hands on his pants, grunting softly, before he throws himself up out of the half-pipe a good distance away from the room and starts to army-crawl along the ledge. He can hear several different voices coming from the room: a sign that they're definitely in there. He has to clear the area, make sure that it's safe before he rushes in. As he gets closer, he can make out a few distinct voices.

"…Did as we promised. You're assuring us that you'll hold up your end of the deal?" a nasally voice snaps. There's a grunt from a second party.

"Of course. We have what we want. No alliances…let the city fall apart." Corn recognizes the second voice as Poison Jam's acting leader. The former second-in-command, and a big-time loather of Combo. "If we do this, we're guaranteed immunity…?"

"You stay out of Tokyo-to once the revolution starts, and this place'll stay your kingdom," another voice says: oddly familiar, as well, but harder to place. Mocking, sort of high-pitched. Distinctly male, though. Sort of…echoing. Corn's eyebrows furrow under the visor of his hat as he pulls himself up just to the edge of the half-pipe, and he finally gets a good look inside the room. He takes in the three speaking people off to one side: a Poison Jam, which was a given, but then a short young man in a dark green hoodie, and a taller, much stranger-looking person, with headphones that remind Corn eerily of…

Beat…?!

…Oh, God. Oh, fuck, no, it CAN'T be…!!!

Zero Beat turns to look at his companion, his goggle-like eyes narrowing, eerily human-like. His strange head cocks to the side in approval, and the shorter boy looks up at him, registering in Corn's mind as NT-3000—the Yoyo imposter from a few months ago—the instant that he sees the red sunglasses and the pale, bluish skin. The Poison Jam leader looks wary, his huge hands clutching each other against his stomach. "As long as you promise to keep the invasion out of here…we'll do as you ask."

"We've already promised. It's your choice to believe us," Zero Beat growls, looking again at the Poison Jam. Corn creeps forward, staring at the three of them. This completely fucks up his plan. What are THEY doing here…where did they come from?! Who the hell fixed them…?! And what is Poison Jam doing making deals with them…?! His eyes wander as he cranes his neck to look fully into the other room, taking in the image of the rest of the Poison Jam boys, huddled around the rusted gorgon's head and murmuring softly to themselves. A chill rockets down Corn's spine when he sees a lean, pale figure draped over the chair in the gorgon's mouth, her eyes closed softly, sound asleep. Cube is filthy, and she looks sick. How long has she been here…? The whole time…?! He wants so badly to rush in and take her to safety, but he can't. He knows he'd be hopelessly outnumbered. With NT and Zero, there are eight of them, in there. Corn swallows hard, his heart pounding, echoing in his brain. Cube…he grits his teeth. He doesn't know what to do…after snapping at Beat that he would take action, that he would be the leader on his own, without any help from anyone, and without putting anyone else in danger…he can't go back and ask for help. But to negotiate with Poison Jam…? And with NT and Zero Beat right there? For some reason, he gets the feeling that he's not supposed to know that NT-3000 and Zero Beat are still alive and well, and that makes this situation all the more dangerous.

…But what can I do…?

Zero Beat gestures to NT, motioning that it's time for them to depart. Corn, huddled in the shadows, freezes to the spot. Will they see him, if they come out this way? He glances around himself, daring to move nothing but his eyes. Yes. They will see him. He's not far enough back to hide in the shade of the grated overhang. Panicking, Corn stares at the two of them with wide eyes, grimacing when they turn to make their way down his corridor. He swings his leg down into the half-pipe, clinging to a fraction of a chance, now, and he lets out an involuntary gasp of breath when his weight shifts far too suddenly and he slides noisily down into the bed of the half-pipe, his skates chafing, plastic on cement, against the slope. He tries to grip the ledge and misses, scraping the undersides of his bare knuckles on rough stone, trying instinctively to find something to hold onto along the slope and encountering nothing, his palms slapping the concrete, cold and loud and grisly. His hat falls off in his panicked frenzy and rolls harmlessly down beside him.

…His heart sounds like a series of gunshots as he's lying there, finally still, knowing that they've heard him, knowing that it's only a matter of moments before they drag him from his spot and throw him into the antechamber. Corn squeezes his eyes shut when he hears skates skid to a halt just before the drop above him, and thoughts barrel through his mind: everything he never said to everyone, but meant to…the things he's never admitted, all the times he's lied to Soda, and to Gum…and, just today…I was being an asshole, wasn't I…? When he tried to make sure I was okay…and…she was just trying to protect me…

His entire body tenses, and for an instant, he feels smaller, until two big, talon-like hands latch around his shoulders and pull him from his spot at the bottom of the chasm. He's thrown up onto flat ground, and before he even has time to think, Zero Beat leaping up out of the half-pipe behind him, he feels a small, skated foot drive itself into his side. Corn coughs and groans, bending awkwardly away from the blow. His ribs sting, and he hopes dimly that nothing's broken, even though that's probably the least of his worries, at this moment. Zero Beat grabs hold of him around his neck, jerking him nastily to his feet. Corn, struggling, reaches up in an attempt to pull the cold, clawlike fingers away from his skin, but it's pointless to even try. Zero glares at him, and Corn can hear the Poison Jams rustling around behind him, shocked and confused by the fact that he's here.

"...You made a stupid mistake, coming down here," Zero snarls, and beside him, NT-3000 bares his teeth like a dog, scowling fiercely at Corn. "…I recognize you. Your name is Corn. You're the leader of the GG's…one of many that opposed the Rokkaku takeover, months ago…foolish. Damn foolish, for you to throw yourself and your gang into our affairs, again. I thought you were known as a genius…?"

"I am," Corn wheezes, not breaking eye contact with his captor. "But just 'cause I'm known as something, that doesn't make it true."

"Why the fuck are you here?!" NT suddenly cuts in, and Zero's neck twitches, perhaps indicating that he's irritated by this interruption. Corn coughs.

"I'm here…for my friend," he breathes. "That's all. I'm here to take her home." Zero lets out a low, eerie laugh.

"Forget it. She's a part of a deal we've made, and she's not going anywhere," he assures Corn, shaking him a little before he drops him back onto the concrete floor. "And…neither are you." Corn quickly gets to his feet, and once he does, he can feel the presence of Poison Jam behind him, on top of Zero and NT in front of him. They're not going to let him leave. A cold sweat starts pouring out of him, his shaggy, sweaty hair hanging limply, distractingly, in his face. NT-3000 suddenly stops and smirks, taking his sunglasses off to reveal dull, crimson eyes.

"…You're such a dumbass, Corn," he sneers. "Even when I was pretending to be one of you…I knew you were an idiot. All you care about is putting other people before you. That ain't gonna get you anywhere. Look where you are, now…you probably don't even know what we're gonna do to you, do you? You think we're just gonna let you go…?"

Corn swallows unpleasantly. "No…I'm going to have to fight my way out of here, is my guess."

NT and Zero laugh simultaneously, and it's a bone-chilling sound. "You think you can fight us off?!" Zero asks, throwing his head back in manic laughter. "I'm insulted!"

"We'll crush you," NT hisses, his lips still pulled back in a frightening, spiteful grin. Every bit of Corn knows it to be true, but he can't…he can't just give up. He clenches his hands into fists, hating that he didn't think to go back into the Garage and grab his jacket and his knife before he came out here. Now, not only is he outnumbered and overpowered, but he has no sort of handicap to fall back on. His face pales, and he brushes hair out of his eyes. Zero snickers at the sight of him.

"…You know we will. You're frightened," he murmurs. "…You're shaking, Corn." Corn stares at him.

"Fuck you. I'm not afraid of anything. Especially not two stupid junk piles like you."

"Then I'll teach you to be afraid," Zero Beat hisses, lashing out with his claws, but only managing to swipe Corn across the chest when his adversary jolts backwards to avoid it. Corn flinches, blood oozing out of deeper wounds than he would've liked, and NT rushes forward, throwing low punches that Corn is in no way able to duck to avoid. Tiny metal fists beat on his forearms, each strike bruising, but he grits his teeth, knowing that a week of painful bruises are better than broken ribs. When he sees an opening, Corn lunges forward, slamming his elbow into NT's face, and strange, yellow-gray blood trickles out of the android's nose, his lips splitting open against his sharp, metal teeth, his faceplate denting. NT falls backward, and although he seems angered and slightly damaged by the blow, he's otherwise unfazed by it. Zero Beat speeds forward again, impossible to dodge, moving fifteen times faster than Corn could ever hope to. He beats Corn in the chest, in the neck, narrowly missing bones that Corn knows would be incredibly painful to break, and the GG leader slowly falls back until he's pressed against the wall, his arms up over his face, every bit of his upper body stinging from some swift, metallic impact.

To the side, NT-3000 makes a bizarre, high-pitched wheezing sound. "…Hhhe brrroke me…Zzzzero…Zzzero my ffface…my fffface—!"

Zero Beat snarls. "Fight back, if you're unafraid!!!" he demands. "Fight me, you COWARD!!!"

I can't win this…

Corn kicks upward as powerfully as he can, nailing Zero Beat in the gut, but all that results is a loud clanging sound and a slight change in position. Cackling mockingly, Zero Beat surges forward all of a sudden, grabbing Corn's still-extended leg in both of his hands and throwing Corn aside as if he weighs nothing at all. Corn's back slams into the bars that separate the elevated platform from the raw sewage, and he groans weakly in surprised pain, collapsing on the grate. He tries to push himself up onto his hands, but his arms are shaking, his hands still sweating, and he can't do it. NT storms forward, seething with fury, his face dripping with his abnormal blood, and he rests the back wheel of his left rollerblade on Corn's extended hand, glaring down at the blonde man when he looks up, trying to collect himself.

"…I'll brrreak you…" NT growls, driving furious, superhuman strength through his foot as he brings it up and quickly stomps down again. The sound of several fragile bones snapping nearly echoes in the vast room, and NT laughs a strangled laugh, but Corn just bows his head, shaking, refusing to cry out in pain. A moment or two passes, a strange silence filled with distant echoes of NT's laughter, but the android quickly realizes that his plan hasn't worked as he had planned, and he scowls deeply, raising his foot up to deliver a second blow to Corn's shattered hand.

Zero Beat, however, gently pushes NT out of the way, instead swinging his own arm down frighteningly fast and landing a very heavy blow to the back of Corn's skull. The GG leader blacks out almost instantly and collapses on the damp metal grating before his adversaries, and Zero Beat, completely unfazed by the fight, glances at NT-3000 in mild concern.

"You know he'll want to do that sort of thing himself. You've had your fun…I'll carry this. Stay behind me. Father will have the Immortals fix you once we get back," he says quietly. After a moment of reluctant consideration, NT nods, glaring at Corn's motionless body.

"Bastard…I hhhhope hhhe kills yyyou…"

Zero Beat looks over at Poison Jam, all of whom are watching the three of them in mild shock. His eyes narrow, human-esque. "…If anyone comes down here, asking questions…you all play dumb, or these sewers will be condemned faster than you can blink."

"…Understood," the leader murmurs, though he looks very, very uneasy.

The Love Shocker leader stands on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sewer entrance, her lips pursed into a tight, conflicted line. Her thoughts have been turning around in her head for a few hours, now, and she's almost entirely convinced of her need to go and speak with the leader of Poison Jam about forming an alliance. What other choice do I have…? I can't let the girls stay without a home for long…when the Rapid 99-Doom Rider invasion had occurred, they had been torn from their headquarters—a small, abandoned house along the western part of Chuo Street, as close to Hikage Street as possible. Now, they have nowhere to go. No food, no clothing, no shelter. All of their money is in that house, all of their belongings. The leader's hands start to shake. She hates Poison Jam as much as the next Rudie, but she knows that they'll fight Rapid 99 if it means keeping them at bay, and, primarily, keeping them out of the sewers, which the girls are certain to attack next. Her eyebrows furrow uncomfortably. They'll want favors from us…can I afford to promise them anything…?

She starts when she suddenly realizes that she can hear skates approaching from out of the sewer entrance, and she backs up a few feet to keep herself from being seen by whoever is coming, her face set with curious intent. She can't describe the feeling that she gets when she sees NT and Zero Beat emerge from the mouth of the huge pipe, recognizing them both almost instantly. Where did THEY come from…?! She's even more startled when she sees that Zero Beat has a limp body slung over his shoulder, and one that looks very familiar, at that…a thin, tallish young man with long blonde hair, missing his usual hat and jacket, but Corn of the GG's all the same. Their leader…the one they're missing…! A trickle of blood is making its way down the bridge of his nose and down the fingertips of his left hand, his shirt torn and bloody, his arms already bruising, and the Love Shocker leader pulls back to the plaza as quickly as she can when she sees that Zero and NT are coming up into the Heights with their cargo.

"Girls!" she hisses, gesturing to the nearby buildings. "Girls, HIDE!" her voice is as quiet as it can be under the circumstances, but her gang quickly obliges her, camouflaging themselves with strange ease behind fragments of decrepit old wood and metal shacks. The rest of the girls look just as confused as their leader feels when Zero and NT skate by, paying them no heed in their hiding places.

"…Damnit, Zzzero, lllet me brrreak hhhhis arrrrm…" NT wheezes. Zero glares back at him.

"If Father allows it, you'll be able to in a short while. He'll want to do most of it himself, then we'll most likely get to play with him."

NT snarls. "I hhhhope hhhhe ssssuffers…I hhhope hhhis fffriend dies in the sssewers…"

"She will, once the invasion begins. It'll all be over soon, NT, stop being so childish. Revenge…really…"

"Ffffuck you!" NT whirrs, and Zero Beat cackles as the two of them start grinding telephone wires, away from the plaza, out of the Heights. The Love Shockers slowly pull out of their hiding places, wide-eyed and bemused as they approach their leader.

One girl starts. "Were those…?"

"…Rokkaku's robots?!" another finishes. The Love Shocker leader nods tentatively.

"Yes. They were."

"But…I thought the GG's'd taken them out?!" Girl intones, sounding a little panicked. The leader looks at her, obviously concerned.

"Apparently…something has been going on that no one is supposed to know about. The GG leader, there…he must have found out something he wasn't supposed to know," she murmurs. The other Love Shockers exchange unsure glances.

"Well…well we have to tell the GG's," Girl murmurs, her face pale. "We gotta let 'em know what's goin' on."

"…Should we really?" another Love Shocker asks, her eyebrows knitting together. "I mean…they are our oldest rivals…"

"I think it's time we forgot the past and worried about the present," the leader says grimly. "That guy looked hurt…they must've attacked him when he went into the sewers. And you heard those two say something about his 'friend'…? That must mean that one of the other two missing GG's are down in the sewers, still. Poison Jam probably has her…it's most likely their old leader, that Cube woman…"

"Right," the other girls agree quietly.

"They always were freakishly obsessed with her," one of them says distractedly.

"So what do we do…?" the other asks.

"Simple," Girl intones. "We gotta go to the GG's Garage and find their second-in-command. Tell 'em what's happened."

"…Who is it?" the leader urges. "Did that one that you know, the one who came here earlier…did he tell you anything like that?"

Girl frowns in thought. "…I don't know. I'd assume it's either that blonde girl, Gum…or the tall, big-nosed guy…his name…his name is Soda, yeah."

"So, we should go to the Garage and find one of those two?" one of the other girls asks the leader, blinking. "Whichever one is there, I guess?"

"Yes," the leader says softly, obviously thinking hard. She looks at Girl. "Are you certain it's one of those two? Why?"

"Well, apparently, their leader slept with the Gum girl, used to have a relationship with her…and he's best friends with the Soda guy," Girl explains.

"What about their old leader…the kid with the headphones?" another Love Shocker asks. "Wouldn't he be one to go to?"

"I think he's pretty much lost all of his power since they disbanded a while ago," the leader remarks. "I haven't seen him do anything even remotely close to leading the gang in almost two years." After a brief moment of consideration, the other girls nod their heads in agreement. The leader looks at Girl. "…I don't think that all of us need to go to the Garage. Since you know one of the GG's, I think you should come with me...you two…find somewhere safe to hide, here. If Poison Jam comes out of the sewers, skate to the GGs' Garage. You know where it is."

"Right," the other two girls say simultaneously. They leave almost immediately, sticking together, and Girl looks at her leader worriedly.

"…You think their leader'll be okay…?" she asks softly. The leader sighs as the two of them start moving toward the exit of the Heights.

"I can't say for sure," she murmurs. She doesn't bother to mention how much that scares her, because she can tell that it scares her second-in-command just as much.