Shit! What the hell is wrong with me? How could I let them all get under my skin like that? I shouldn't have let that happen, I have more important things to worry about, and now thanks to that biker asshole, my suit is probably already damaged! I have to calm down. I can't afford to be distracted. That robot-looking alien is as good as dead!

The robot turned angrily from Kei and Kato as Nishi appeared in view with annoyance; he had missed the robot and caught one of the tiny birds on the ground that was following it. "Damn," Nishi gritted out, his gun held by his side; he could see the other players scattered around nearby, but his sights were set directly on the alien.

"So you're back," Kei said. "And where the hell have you been this time, hiding like a coward again?"

Nishi gritted his teeth. Look who's talking asshole, don't think I didn't see you running away just now. "How about you-" Nishi abruptly raised his weapon, "Fuck off!" Kei immediately hid slightly behind the girl. Yeah, that's what I thought. Nishi glared at the alien; he could feel the adrenaline kicking in. This is it, I'm going to end this, and then I'm going home, finally. Nishi smiled. "Ten more points," he said aloud, gun still aimed. "Ten more points." Nishi pulled back the triggers. Die.

"Don't do it Nishi!" Kato screamed as he pushed Kei back and covered the girl.

Nishi fired the weapon, and immediately, the alien flew into the air. Nishi narrowed his eyes up at it. You think you're the only alien I've faced able to do that? Gimme a break tin can. The robot let out a loud scream, producing light from its mouth, causing most of the group to cover their ears. A shot fired and hit the riverbank's railing, proving the robot could do more than what it appeared. Nishi grinned slightly, feeling confident. "Yeah whatever, bring it on," he mumbled as he disappeared again. Nishi jumped over the rail with a slight chuckle since he could see the robot was looking for him. Nishi stood within the low water, watching the alien hover in front of him. What's the matter, can't see me? I'll blow up your entire body before you even get a glimpse of me again. Nishi fired multiple shots, and the energy burst across the water, but as soon as the attacks neared it, the robot ducked under the river.

The alien bolted from the water, producing light at its mouth again as Nishi appeared opposite with a grunt of anger. The teen gritted his teeth; he didn't understand why the device was failing him so quickly, but he clicked the stealth mode again the instant it did. Nishi appeared in view once more, certain that part of the robot's energy had hit him. Damn! Nishi glared daggers at the alien in front of him, anger showing on his face as he bared his teeth and prepared to use the stealth mode. Nishi glanced around himself as he continuously pressed the button, but he immediately realized it wasn't working and started to panic.

"Come on, come on," he mumbled. Nishi's heart quickened its pace as he looked at the alien approaching. Shit, what do I do now? It can fucking see me! Nishi could hear one of the bikers mocking him from above, and it caused him to panic more as he kept trying to get the device to work. Nishi's eyes were wide with fear; he hadn't planned it this way, felt for sure he'd have killed this thing by now. Please, please work, come on... Nishi narrowed his eyes; he wasn't ready to give up yet.

So what if he couldn't disappear anymore; he was a veteran of this world, and no way was a robot alien going to take him down. "Ten more points," he gritted out and thrust the gun at the alien. "Ten more points goddamn you!" Nishi fired the gun but missed and hit the wall. Nishi followed the alien, never letting it out of his sight as he aimed again. "Stop running away, just give up!" Nishi chewed his lip when the alien quickly flew through the water and opened its mouth to attack him. With this water, it makes it harder to dodge, damn it. Nishi suddenly raised his arm up to defend himself, letting out a shriek but was sent flying across the water. Nishi sat up with a splutter. "Shit!" Nishi looked up at the alien close in front of him; he began to lose the adrenaline, and fear was evident on his face. Nishi was well aware of the group above; they were fucking watching him struggle! Nishi raised his gun angrily. "What the fuck are you all looking at," he shrilled with panic, "Help me out here!"

Nishi swallowed the lump of fear; he couldn't run anyway, so he stood his ground, hoping, praying one of them would help.

"Hey, why don't you kiss my big fat ass. All we are is garbage remember? How can we help you?"

That damn biker was mocking him again, not that Nishi expected one of the idiot bikers to help him anyway, but... Nishi glanced up, trying to catch Kei's or even Kato's attention. Fuck. They were all too far up for him to recognize who was who.

Suddenly, the gun was harshly smacked from his hand by the alien. Nishi watched in horror as it plopped into the water behind him, his last weapon of defense. Oh god.

Nishi searched through the water; it couldn't have gone this far. All the while, Nishi could hear the biker shout down to him, mocking his situation. This can't be happening, this can't - fuck, where the hell is it! Nishi tilted his head up and shouted, "Just shut up and help me out!"

Nishi's call for help failed once more.

"Shut the fuck up, after the way you talked to us earlier, you can just stay there and fucking die! Die!"

Nishi gritted his teeth, his eyes held malice, but his heart struck with fear. No, I won't die, I won't... I'll fucking end this, and then you'll regret that big mouth of yours, you fat fuck.

"Hey kid!"

Nishi looked up for a moment, still trying to find his gun; he was positive the voice belonged to the red-haired biker.

"Looks like this isn't just a game is it? I get the idea that you're in a lot of trouble right now."

Understatement of the fucking century! What the hell is your point, asshole!

"But you did, in fact, blow Kosuke's fucking head off! And I hope you haven't forgotten that!"

Nishi glared up. And if that fuck's gun had worked, that would have been mine!

"You murdered another person!"

Do I look like I have time for a fucking lecture right now!

"Give us a sign that you have some remorse about that!"

Right, like the favor would be returned, he fucking deserved it!

"There's nothing more disgusting than a murderer begging for his own sad life!"

Of course I'm begging for my life! I'm fucking fifteen! I - I don't wanna die...

"Speak up! You gonna apologize for murdering Kosuke in cold blood? You gonna show any kind of remorse for what you did! Say something!"

Nishi began to get angry; no way, no way was he ever going to feel sympathy for shooting that biker. No! He fucking shot me first damn it! Nishi continued to look for his gun, he could sense the robot nearby, and just preyed he found it in time. "Damn it," he muttered.

When Nishi looked up, the robot had slowly begun to approach, opening his mouth to attack. No, what else do I do? I'm - I'm done for... Nishi closed his eyes. Mom... An image of his mother's smiling face caused a rush of adrenaline to shoot through him, and his eyes snapped open. No! Nishi swung his right fist hard across the robot's face right before the energy could leave its mouth, sending it flying into the air, and it hit the wall before falling into the water.

Nishi stood up with a heavy sigh, but soon he heard a noise come from his suit, and instantly, liquid began to leak from his caps. Nishi lifted his arms up, and grunts of fear pushed past his throat; his suit had failed, and now he truly was defenseless. Nishi threw back his head and screamed, "Somebody help me! God damn it help me! You useless fucks!"

Nishi was sure he heard Kei's voice asking him what was wrong. I'm in fucking trouble; that's what's wrong! "My suit! My suit is all fucked now!" Please, please help me!

Nishi could then hear the biker shout, "Time's running out! Kid, say you're sorry!"

Nishi scowled up at him. He can't be serious, I - I won't do that! I won't apologize for killing someone who was going to kill me! Never! Even if it means that someone might help. It's embarrassing enough that I'm in this predicament after what I said earlier, so I won't sink any fucking lower!

"I'd hurry up and say I'm sorry if I were you."

Fuck you! "If anyone ever points a gun at me, ever! I will kill them, and I won't apologize!" Suddenly, the robot burst from the water. Nishi let out a short cry of shock and began wading through the water as fast as he could. Shit, shit, shit. I can't die here! I have to go home, I promised her! Fuck, why couldn't I just keep my fucking mouth shut! If I had just kept quiet right from the beginning, this wouldn't be happening!

"Let me tell you something, you're going to die again, and it isn't going to be even close to the first time. Remember your' friend,' the one you quite easily pushed to her death? Remember how utterly gruesome and painful it was for her? Well yours will be two times worse, and we will be the ones watching, because that's the fate you've sealed for yourself."

Even though Yoko wasn't talking to him back then, Nishi felt as though her words penetrated through him, and for the first time, he regretted his actions. They were all up there, watching him. They were really going to just stand there and watch him die! Fear clutched around his chest, and panic set in full force. "Help! God damn it help me! Help!" Tears sprang at the corners of his eyelids as he tried hard to keep away from the robot that continued to approach him, but he felt as though he was slowing down. Nishi felt exhausted; there was no way out quick enough! Suddenly, at the corner of his eye, Nishi swore he saw Kato jump into the water.

"Nishi!"

About fucking Time you asshole! What does 'let's all make it back' mean to you, god damn it! Even though Kato had finally started to try and help, Nishi feared it was too late. He could feel the robot approaching closer and closer.

"No!"

Nishi heard Kato shout and turned his head to see the alien right behind. His eyes widened in fear, and from that point, everything around him slowed. Nishi couldn't move; every part of his body was frozen; there was nothing he could do to avoid the robot's attack now. Nishi screamed out when the sonic wave came extremely close to his ear and felt blood vessels seeping across his eyes. Nishi let out a blood-curdling cry of pain when his eyes suddenly burst, and he fell backward into the water.

Can't see - can't breathe - what happened? It took Nishi a moment to realize he was underwater, and if he didn't move, he would drown. Nishi burst up from the water, his eyes were painful, and he could feel blood clogging in his throat. Nishi coughed a large amount of blood and spluttered water up from his lungs. There was a painful throbbing in his mouth, caused by the attack; it seemed his eyes and ears weren't the only things damaged. Nishi could barely hear Kato speak to him, and his missing senses scared him. He couldn't see a thing now, which meant the alien could attack him at any time, and he wouldn't even see it coming. Please….someone, end this….please! Nishi became desperate and threw himself back, arms wide, and screamed, "Will somebody please just kill this guy!" Nishi grunted in pain, hunching over slightly. "Then we can all go back! We can all return safely!"

Nishi slammed his hands into the water. "Hurry! Waste his ass!" God, it hurt so much, all the times before – every time he had gotten in trouble, nothing compared to this – there was a strong feeling that he might not make it back this time. Please, end this, fuck… Nishi panted heavily, pain throbbed behind his eye sockets through to his ears; he didn't know what was happening, but he could sense Kato's hesitation. "Use your gun, shoot him. Now!" Nishi struggled to stay upright, his whole body was shutting down, and if Kato didn't end it right now, he wasn't going to make it. Shoot him, hurry up, fucking shoot him…I can't hold on much longer, I don't even know if I'm awake or….everything hurts….shit. Kato, please, please just shoot this one time… please! Nishi couldn't catch himself and fell forward into the water.

A mumbled voice sounded nearby, probably Kato's. "My ears….I can't – hear anything," Nishi told him breathlessly, pain in his tone. Suddenly, Nishi felt himself being lifted up out of the water. So cold… Nishi hung over Kato's back; he didn't even have the strength to cling on. Every move Kato made was hurting him, and where was the robot? "Stop….Stop moving." Suddenly, Nishi felt a sharp painful impact against his back, and he was thrown off Kato. Shit… Nishi couldn't move anymore; his whole body felt paralyzed. Hadn't he felt this before? Nishi panted in pain, just praying for Kato to finish the damn alien in time. If he could just hold on… Just a little longer…..

…...

Nishi thought he had blacked out, but it was hard to tell. He felt someone lift him once again out of the water. The robot had to be dead; it had to be!

"Hey, are you okay? It's over now. Nishi, can you hear my voice?"

Nishi could vaguely hear Kato's voice, though soft, and he twitched in response. He was so cold and so damn frightened, why weren't they going back? "Hurts...it hurts." Nishi could hear muffled voices, but they sounded so distant, yet he could closely feel their presence. Why aren't we back yet... what's happening... Nishi felt so weak, and he started to talk, anything to keep himself alive, afraid that if he blacked out again, he would slip away. "Hurry...Gantz, I don't want...to die. Cold... I'm cold...my spine...is severed...I can't feel...the last time my neck was - it was hit before...when I..." Nishi wanted to tell them, wanted them to know the truth, he hadn't ever told anyone before. "I jumped off from the...gonna die..."

The boy closed his eyes and allowed his hands to slowly slip from the railing, tears cascaded into the wind, and as he fell, he thought of his mother and what pain his actions might cause her, and he prayed she would be okay.

I'm so sorry.

"I'm Joichiro Nishi, eighth grade, and I fell."

"I'm dying….this is bad…." I can't…I can't hold on… "So dark….I don't – wanna die….not so soon… I'm not….ready to die yet…"

"Don't give up on life so fast! Never say you're gonna die, never!"

It was distorted, but Nishi could hear the girl telling him not to die, and he wondered if she understood since she had also committed suicide. She understands… "I never…hated anyone…I just – I just hated society, because…it's all fucked up…I always felt, that I needed to stay on track…but it's all – fucked – up… that's why I could never stay on track…" Nishi couldn't stop now, he wanted to hold on, but the more he spoke, the more he felt himself slipping away. "I don't wanna die…" It took every bit of strength he had to cling on to the small bit of life he had left; he felt so scared, so alone… I promised her….I promised… "Mom?" Nishi grunted in pain, shuddering; he'd shed tears if he could. "Mom? I – I have to apologize to her. Mom, I'm sorry. Oh mom I tried hard but – mom I'm sorry. Oh mom I'm so sorry. Mom, I'm so scared. Mama I'm cold, I'm so cold mama. Mama – I'm gonna die…" Nishi felt his body get weaker and weaker, his strength zapping away. "I just – wanted to hang on…just a little longer…" His mother's smiling face flashed in his mind once more; he'd never hold her again. "So close….so close." Nishi twitched in pain; it hurt to hold on, but he didn't want to leave; he didn't want to leave her. The letter…. "Mama…a hundred points. My score was – I had ninety points…ninety points. I just – I just needed ten more to be free… I was so close mama."

Nishi felt himself begin to slip away as he took one last shuddering breath in an attempt to hold on; his last thoughts were of his mother, just like they were when he jumped.

I'm sorry mama, I love you….

….

Emiko opened the door to the crisp morning air, her face expressing sorrow as she turned the key to their mailbox. Her hands suddenly shook as she stared at the handwriting she knew so well. All other letters fell from her hands, and she grasped the envelope tightly. Her heartbeat rapidly as she quickly opened the letter, a slight curve of her lips at the thought that her son was okay. But when she unfolded the page, her heart began to sink as she began reading.

Mom,

By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I struggled to live every day, and I just could never understand why – what was the point of it all? Everything I worked hard to achieve wasn't good enough. I hated waking up, never knowing why I felt the way I did. I tried so hard, I really did. I wanted to be the son you deserved, I wanted to keep going for you, but I couldn't take it anymore. I took the test because I wanted to see that smile one last time, I never wanted to make you cry, and I'm so sorry.

Emiko sunk to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Mom, you're the best friend that I ever had; you always believed in me, were always there for me, and I love you so much. It kills me to leave you like this, but I just hope you'll understand one day. Please don't worry, I'll be okay now, and I'll always be with you, any time you look up at the sky, or even that picture of us you love.

I want to thank you for everything you did for me; I know I wasn't always a good son, but I tried my best for you, you always saw the good in me, and I'm so grateful for that.

I wish I were stronger, but I'm not, and this pain I live with is suffocating me.

I have to go now, but just remember the good times we had, and I know you'll be okay. Just hold on to those memories and know that I'm watching over you.

Goodbye, mom, I love you.

Joichiro Nishi.

Emiko cried loudly, pressing her face to the paper.

Her only son, was gone.

Two days later.

The motel owner that Nishi worked for carried two boxes into the reception area, frowning to himself; it was unlike Nishi to miss work and he begun to actually worry. The man turned his head to the small portable tv that stood on his desk.

'A young mother is grieving the loss of her only son, who was reported by the father to have committed suicide two days ago, and although his body has yet to be found, a note was left for the mother in their mailbox.'

The man frowned and stepped closer to the screen. "Ah kid, tell me you didn't…"

A picture of Nishi appeared on the screen. "Joichiro Nishi, aged just fifteen, lived with both of his parents up until a year ago when he suddenly disappeared from home. Our thoughts are with the parents Emiko and Eiichiro in their time of grievance.'

The man dropped the boxes out of shock, placing his palms on the desk. "Oh kid…you stupid – what the hell did you go and do that for…" With a heavy sigh, the man reached for a sheet of paper and began writing.

The motel owner switched off the lights, grabbed his keys and locked up as he headed outside before placing the note on the door.

'Temporarily closed for grievance reasons.'