Chapter Nine

By Sora

Mew looked around at the other GGs. Sunlight glanced off their faces and glimmered on their wristwatches, causing ones in the plain view of light to squint hard just to view their comrades.

Silence pervaded the room like noxious gas as they sat, staring at each other, some with lingering accusation, others with curiosity.

They all jumped when someone knocked on the door.

Quickly, Mew scrambled to her feet and walked over to the door. She cracked it open a few inches and looked out. Seeing Indigo and Kell, she pushed the door open wider and stepped back, letting them inside.

Silently, Mew stole back to her sitting position on the speakers and watched as Indigo walked inside, followed by Kell, who shut the door.

They looked around at the GGs.

"What's up with you lot?" Kell sneered, leaning against the door and folding her arms.

"Shut up Love Shocker," Gum grumbled, but went silent at the glare a few of the GGs gave her.

"All right, now that we've slept, I think it's about time we began planning," Beat announced, voice stiff.

They looked around, a few at Mew, others at Kell and Indigo. Eventually, Indigo broke the silence.

"Kell and I talked a bit last night and this is pretty much what we came up with."

Everyone seemed to lean in closer.

"Okay, so here's the plan…"

"Everyone know their parts?" Indigo looked around at everyone. They all nodded, faces grim.

"All right," Kell said, stepping forward and clapping her hands a few times, "We got a DJ, a record, and a missing GG to find. Let's get those out of the way, and then we can get rid of this monster. Let's go!"

Everyone filed towards the door and dashed out, each going one of three ways - Kell and Beat heading for Benten, Tab, Piranha, and Indigo heading for Shibuya, and Mew, Combo, Slate, Garam, and Gum heading for Kogane.

"All right, this should be the place," Beat stated, skating up to the door of a rundown house in the residential district of Benten. He knocked on the door as Kell waited a few feet behind him, arms crossed.

Several seconds later, a man with scruffy brown hair, beady eyes, and tattered clothes opened the door and peered out at the two gang leaders.

"What do you punks want?"

"We're here to see DJ Professor K," Beat answered, glaring hard at the man.

"I don't know who that is. Go away."

Beat stopped him from closing the door.

"Yes you do, Pink. I'm GG leader Beat, and the sulking girl back there is Love Shocker leader Kell. We need DJ's help."

The man scowled and pushed the door open.

"Come inside."

 Indigo shook Tab's hand as they departed in the half pipe.

"Good luck kid – it's very honorable of you and Piranha to volunteer – be careful."

Tab gave her a mock salute and laughed.

"Don't worry about us – we're fast enough to outrun this thing, wherever and whatever it is."

She smiled before turning to continue down the half pipe. Tab was about to fling open the gate to Park Street when he stopped.

"We checked for Cube's signal on our watches – she's in Center Street all right – just keep going down the pipe until you get to the very end – there's a gate there that you can get through to get into Center Street!" Tab called after Indigo.

"Thanks!" Indigo called back, before disappearing around the corner.

Mew entered the old factory in the Kogane junkyard first, coughing as her skates stirred up dust. Garam came next, followed by Combo, then Slate, and Gum was last, muttering something about 'waste of time'.

As they all stood in a group, Mew took a look around, eyeing the walkways and the shadowed entrance to the sewers.

She turned back towards the group to see the piles of crates on each side of the entrance.

"I have an idea…"

"Yeah, I got it – I haven't got around to playing it though. Why do ya need it?"

"Reasons."

K arched an eyebrow at this, but didn't answer.

"Think you could play it today?"

"…Sure. When?"

Kell looked up from the box of records she'd been leafing through.

"When we tell you to."

"…Okay…"

"Here," Kell said, tossing her wristwatch to the DJ, who caught it with a confused look.

"We'll contact you on that – when we yell 'now', you put the record on and make sure you don't stop the song at all. I don't care if Onishima brings all the tanks, helicopters, dogs, paratroopers, and SWAT guys the city provides, do not interrupt it. Got it?"

"I guess…"

Kell stood up and brushed her shorts off.

"C'mon bug-boy," she said, walking out the door. Shrugging at K, Beat followed the Love Shocker.

Cube looked up from her curled position on the steps leading through the narrow alleyway to see Indigo running towards her.

"What do you want?" she snapped as Indigo stopped at the bottom of the steps.

"It's about all those murders… we know what's doing it and we need you back so it can work. Follow me."

Cube looked at her suspiciously.

"We?"

"The GGs, me, and the Love Shocker leader."

Cube stood up, clutching to the banister.

"You mean they don't think I did it? I figure that's what they'd do – they did the same thing with Mew."

"Well, we were able to convince them of the truth, and now we're ready to get rid of this murderer – we need you."

"As long as they don't jump me or something – it's not my fault I stabbed Beat – my head went funny or something…"

"I can explain that to you later – just follow me."

Cube sighed. "Okay, I'm coming…"

Indigo led Cube back towards the gate leading into the half pipe, explaining the plan to her as they dodged cars.

"…so, when we get back along with Kell and Beat, we'll give the order to Tab and Piranha over in Park Street to lure out the monster. When they get back into the old factory, Beat will contact K and tell him to play the song. Then – poof! It's over."

"Okay," Cube commented, clambering down the steps after Indigo. They dropped down into the half-pipe and began dashing along it, the growl of their skates echoing off the concrete.

The sun was already straight above them, indicating noon had come after spending the morning getting ready. The sun beat down harshly on the two rudies as they sped down the half pipe in silence, and Cube found herself worrying what she'd do if she inadvertently got a tan or sunburn – no more Goth until it was gone, she was for sure of that…

Suddenly, Indigo stopped. Cube barely managed to not run into her.

"What's wrong?"

Indigo didn't answer.

"Yo! What's up with you kid?"

Indigo's shoulders were quivering. It was a long time before she answered, and even then her was voice stuck somewhere between calm and hysterics.

"Go into Park Street and get Tab and Piranha. Tell them I said to take them to the factory - there's been a change of plans. Tell Mew that it's in my head… it's not here anymore… it's in my head…" her voice had shrunk to a raspy whisper.

"Wha-?"

"Just GO!"

"O – okay…" Cube stammered, confused. Quickly, she backed away and began dashing back towards the steps to Park Street. That's when she heard Indigo scream.

Kell and Beat arrived in the factory to see Mew stationing everyone in different positions – Combo and Slate were crouched behind the crates on either side of the door and Gum and Garam were laying flat on their stomachs on the walkway running horizontally to the door (the one that hangs across the middle of the room).

"Okay – did he have it?"

Kell and Beat nodded at the same time.

Mew looked around the factory with worry plastered on her face.

"What's up?"

"I don't know if there are enough places for everyone to hide."

"Well, Tab and Piranha won't need to hide – how about you get over there," Beat pointed to the corner on the walkway, "Indigo and Cube get over there," he pointed at the opposite walkway, "and Kell and I can get in the sewer entrance," he hooked a thumb at said entrance.

"All right, sounds like a plan," Mew said, forcing a small smile.

As Beat skated for the entrance, Kell looked at Combo and Slate.

"What's up with that?"

"Well, I figured the monster might turn around and run for it when we play the song, so I figure when it comes in, Combo and Slate can push the crates over the entrance. It'll trap it."

"What about us?"

"We can get down into the sewer and use one of the exits there to get back into Kogane."

Kell nodded her approval.

"You're smarter than you look, kitten." She winked and joined Beat in the exit to the sewer.

As Cube desperately searched for Tab and Piranha, she flicked on her wristwatch and contacted the first GG she could think of.

"Mew?!"

"Wha-? Cube?"

"Indigo just freaked out in the half-pipe! She told me to tell you that it's in her head and that it's not here anymore!! Whatever that means! I'm bringing Tab and Piranha back with me like she told me to!!"

"Wait!"

Cube had turned off her wristwatch as soon as she spotted Tab and Piranha ahead.

Mew looked at Kell, her face pale. Kell stared at Mew's wristwatch, having heard the message also.

"Wh – what's going on?"

"I... don't know…"

Shaking her head, Mew ran up onto the walkway and crouched down in the corner, head spinning from the confusion of it all.

'It's in her head? Does she mean the monster? Wait – of course she means the monster… but – what does that mean? It's not supposed to really matter – Tab and Piranha can find the monster itself and lure it out – but, what did she mean 'it's not here anymore'? It's not at the factory? I – I'm confused…'

"I don't know, but Indigo said clearly for me to bring you back to the factory and that there's been a change of plans – or something! I don't know, there was something seriously wrong – she was shaking and said something was in her head! I don't know – this is all too complicated – and I still don't know why I tried to kill Beat, and then some girl comes up and says you've found the killer – and I'm confused!"

Cube was severely pale now, and leaning on Tab for support.

"Calm down, girl! Where is she now?" Piranha asked the shaking rudie, glancing about nervously.

Cube looked up and over her shoulder, at the half-pipe entrance. Her eyes went wide, and she pointed a finger that way.

Tab and Piranha looked to see Indigo climbing out – but she looked quite different from the Indigo they'd been with a few hours ago. Her hair was tangled and charcoal color, falling in her face and brushing her shoulders. Her eyes were bright, evil yellow with cat-like pupils – but there was something inhumane about them – almost animalistic.

She flung back the gate and crossed the street, towards the three rudies in the playground, grabbing her scythe as she slunk towards them.

 "Come on, let's get back to the factory quick-like if we don't wanna be sliced to –"

"Move it!" Cube yelled, cutting Piranha off. Turning tail, the three GGs began dashing away, Indigo in hot pursuit.

Several minutes later, Tab, Cube, and Piranha all burst inside the factory, all with similar looks of panic plastered on their faces.

"Indigo's gone nuts!" Piranha yelled, stumbling down into the pit, along with Tab and Cube. But no one was able to react right away – because a second later, Indigo burst inside, scythe clutched in her hands, oily black hair tangled in her face. Her cat eyes spotted the three in the pit. Unaware of the several rudies hiding around the factory, she began descending the steps.

Kell's eyes met Mew's. They were terrified, and everyone else showed the same feeling. Gum looked shocked beyond belief, Cube was paler than usual, Combo looked stuck between terror and confusion, and everyone else has a mixture of all of those. Mew looked between Scarlet and Kell, eyes wide in shock.

Suddenly, Mew understood.

It's in my head… It's not here anymore…

It's – in – my – head.

She flicked on her wristwatch, set it to Kell's, and shouted into it.

"NOW!"

"What the – ? What the fuck is she doing!?" Beat whispered angrily, but Kell ignored him.

"It's in her head…"

"What?"

Gritting her teeth, Kell dashed out the entrance and yelled as loud as she could -

"TURN ON YOUR RADIOS!!"

Quickly, Mew turned the dial of the volume up as high as it would go. Everyone else did the same, and soon, the song was echoing loudly around the factory, nearly shaking its foundations.

Indigo froze, eyes wide. Turning, she made to dash for the entrance, only to jump back as the crates came crashing down.

"NO!" she screamed, covering her ears with her hands, dropping the scythe.

She began backing away, and looked around, spotting the several rudies standing up from their hiding places, wristwatches held out.

"I can still kill you all!" she yelled, stumbling over to her scythe and snatching it up.

She began dashing towards Kell, scythe raised high above her head – she reached her, and brought it down –

There was a loud clang as the metal of the scythe hit the blade of the dagger Kell had pulled out. Pushing out, Kell knocked Scarlet back slightly and produced a few sparks as her dagger grazed across Indigo's scythe.

Screaming in fury, Scarlet brought the scythe down, but Kell blocked it yet again. Pushing her blade against the scythe, she leaned in towards Scarlet.

"Indigo, I know you're in there! Fight them – you pushed Scarlet away, and you pushed it away! You can push them both away!"

She threw her back again, the metallic ring as their blades scratched echoing around the factory. 

Mew jumped over the rail of the walkway and began dashing towards the two fighting rudies, withdrawing her own knife.

The music pounded loudly around them – Scarlet was looking even more exhausted by the second.

Mew lunged with her knife, but Scarlet turned just in time to deflect it with her scythe.

"Silly girl, don't you realize that if you hurt me, you hurt your friend also?!" she screeched, clutching her scythe tighter.

She brought the scythe up, and as her arms rose, Mew saw her stomach – one hideous scar, dark red against the chocolate skin – and her chest – there weren't any scars…

As she raised the scythe, Mew dodged under and jammed the knife with all the strength she could come up with into Scarlet's stomach. Dark, blackish blood spattered her hands and clung to her sleeves, staining the bright blue a nasty purple.

She jerked out the knife and stepped back as Scarlet fell to her knees, the scythe clattering to the floor. Blood spilt over her hands.

"You fool," she hissed, "You've just killed your pathetic friend…"

"Wrong," Mew snarled, throwing the bloodied knife to the floor, "Indigo had scars on her chest from where you slashed her – you have a scar on your stomach, where Indigo stabbed you. If you don't have her physical traits, then you aren't her."

Scarlet gave an animalistic growl. The music was still pounding around them, and Scarlet looked barely alive – blood poured onto the floor, her shoulders were heaving, and sweat drenched her face.

Kell looked at Mew, a slight look of amazement present on her face at the rudie's display of violence.

Suddenly, with a roar, Scarlet sprung up, scythe back in her possession, and slashed at Mew. Luckily, Mew jumped back just in time to avoid being gutted, but not to avoid the scythe blade gashing across her arm. She stumbled back a few paces, blood soaking through her sleeve.

Mew looked around wildly to see her knife several feet away, on the ground.

By now, the GGs had come back to life and were running to Kell and Mew's aid. Gum stooped down and grabbed Mew's knife, and Tab had run to Mew's side. Combo had a hold on Scarlet, and Beat was grabbing up her scythe.

Suddenly, the music rose to a sharp crescendo, and Scarlet screamed in agony, tugging against Combo's iron grip. Blood spattered on the floor, but she continued to fight.

Suddenly, the music cut out – Scarlet's eyes rolled up in the back of her head, and she fell limp.

Everything went eerily silent.