Yoko, Ryo, and Jiro stared in surprise when the blob's essence dissolved before flowing out; Nishi stood in the middle and looked at them through the bangs of his damp hair. "What took you so long?"

"We came as fast as we could," Yoko replied.

Nishi stepped in front of them, and his boots squelched in the black goo. "Sure you did."

Ryo huffed, "Well, we were a little bit preoccupied, at least I was."

Yoko smiled despite Nishi's doubt. "Are you okay?"

Jiro shook his head. "The important thing is that it's over."

Nishi looked back at the alien's remains. That was a close one; I was almost eaten by that thing! He regarded the roof of the house above them with a frown; everything happened so fast. "What's wrong," he heard Yoko say, but he was too consumed by his thoughts to answer. I was perfectly balanced, I had a perfect aim! Nishi's eyes widened when he remembered his body's sudden jolt forward. I was pushed! It was the only other explanation he could think of. Nishi looked back at his 'team;' Jiro, Yoko, and Ryo were the only ones there, but he knew they weren't responsible. "Where's the reporter?"

Yoko shook her head. "We don't know, he was with Ashi."

Ryo snorted, "Yeah, he was, but after I helped him and killed the other alien, he ran off and left me."

The information didn't surprise Nishi because now he knew the truth. "He's also the reason why I was inside that thing."

Yoko gasped, unsure if she wanted to know, but she asked anyway, "What do you mean?"

Nishi pointed to the roof in anger. "I had a good balance up there, but conveniently, I still fell."

Ryo did nothing to hide his anger. "Are you saying Daikei pushed you off?"

Nishi frowned. "Well I didn't fucking jump!" Nishi clenched a fist; he hadn't meant to answer so defensively; he tilted his head and regarded Ryo's condition. "Looks like he didn't have a problem leaving you to die, right? Reporters will do just about anything if it means their story will get published, and he knew that he had to stay alive until the end of the game to do that."

"But purposely putting one of us in the kill zone wouldn't help."

"Maybe not, but he didn't want the alien to die either."

"This doesn't make sense," Yoko said, "what would he have to gain from this?"

"Maybe he thought helping the alien instead would work in his favor," Jiro said angrily; how dare someone purposefully endanger one of his teammates.

Yoko watched as the top of Jiro's head began to disappear.

"Safe to say it's definitely over," Ryo said.

The team appeared back in the room, followed by the dog. Ryo was the first to speak when they noticed Daikei had survived. "Where the hell did you go?"

Daikei lifted his hands up apologetically. "I'm sorry, I panicked, I didn't mean to leave you like that!"

Jiro shook his head. "We work as a team."

Daikei pointed at Nishi. "What about him, he left you."

Nishi walked in front of him, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. "I left to kill an alien, but then you know that, don't you? See, I think you knew exactly what you were doing when you left Ashi to die or how about when you shoved me off the roof!" Nishi slammed his hand against Daikei's shoulder to shove him back against the wall.

Daikei started to tremble; by now, the rest of the team crowded behind Nishi, willing to back him. "I didn't, I wouldn't!"

Nishi sneered at him and grabbed his shirt. "You figured that by leaving the alien to attack Ashi, it would distract him away from you, and you'd be safe."

"No!"

"I'm actually surprised I didn't come up with it myself, but the difference is that I would have taken the opportunity to kill the alien, not to save Ashi but-"

"Well, gee, thanks kid," Ryo sulked.

Ryo's comment caused Nishi to laugh, "It would have gotten me more points."

"There's no I in team!"

Nishi grinned at him, still holding the other male. "There's no I in freedom either, but to have that, I have to gain points."

Jiro stepped beside the boy. "We survived, and I personally think it could be a brilliant strategy. We fight the weaker ones, and Nishi looks for the boss, we still all gain points and I'm sure Nishi knows that help is there if needed."

Yoko and Ryo looked at him like he had grown an extra head; even Nishi stared at him in surprise.

"Are you crazy, that's a terrible plan," said Ryo. "Besides, he just said he wouldn't do anything to save us!"

Nishi let the reporter go; the topic of conversation was far more interesting. "I didn't actually say that."

"Yes, you did, or it's what was implied when you said not to save Ashi."

"I might be inclined to help them, I just don't like you," he grinned.

"Well, you know the feeling is getting mutual, kid."

Jiro chuckled, "He's just provoking you Ashi, don't worry."

Ryo rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "I'm glad you find this whole thing amusing."

Daikei glanced back and forth between the bantering team that was obviously starting to form some kind of dysfunctional bond. "What do you mean by points?"

Nishi laughed and looked back at Daikei. "There's a reason why no one here told you everything about the aliens we were sent out to kill."

Ryo protested, "That's not the reason, that might be yours, but it certainly isn't ours."

Nishi looked at Yoko and Jiro, noted their silence, and laughed again. "They agree, so don't deny it."

Yoko placed her hand on her hip. "Stop putting words in our mouths."

"I don't have to."

All their secret coded conversations started to annoy the reporter; he clenched his fists and shouted, "Will someone fucking tell me what points are!"

The group fell silent, but before any of them could answer, the sound of the timer chimed from the Gantz ball. "This will clear things up for you," Yoko finally said.

"Yeah, totally," Ryo muttered sarcastically, and Yoko whacked him on the arm.

Daikei watched with interest as the ball displayed more information. "What's happening now?"

"Just watch the ball," Jiro said.

Okay, here are your scores.

Old man: 8 points.

Total points: 14.

86 more, and you're done.

"Wow, Sugihara, that's great," Yoko said happily.

Jiro chuckled, "I surprised myself there."

"I don't understand," Daikei stuttered.

Hippy: 4 points.

Total points: 7.

93 more, and you're done.

"I feel like I'm gonna be here for the long haul," Ryo sighed.

"You're still four points closer," Yoko offered.

Nishi chuckled, "Well if you die next time, then you won't have to worry."

Ryo scowled at the boy. "Thanks a lot, I feel so much better now."

Flat chest: 4 points.

Total points: 4.

96 more, and you're done.

Hooray! You achieved something.

Yoko frowned at the ball; Ryo laughed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Well, at least it's four points closer right?" Yoko folded her arms in a sulk and stuck her tongue out.

Nishi-kun: 12 points.

Total points: 22.

78 more, and you're done.

Ryo stomped his foot. "Lucky bastard, you only gained that much by going after the boss ya know."

"Not my problem," Nishi shrugged.

Dog: 0 points.

Total points: 0.

Well, can't say I didn't see that coming.

Ryo bent down to the dog's eye level when it pined. "Aww, don't worry pal, I still love ya boy."

Nishi rolled his eyes.

Snitch: 0 points.

Total points: 0.

The target was the alien, not the other players.

The group looked at Daikei with a deep frown, and Ryo clenched a fist before stepping forward. "Get a bit confused there, Mr. pacifist?"

"I did not leave you to die, and I did not push the kid!"

Nishi suddenly aimed his gun at Daikei's head. "You had a problem with killing that alien, but you didn't have a problem with putting my life in danger to protect them did you hypocrite, so perhaps I should end your life now to protect myself from any harm you might try to inflict on me next."

The rest of the group gasped, and Yoko shouted, "No, don't!"

Ryo raised his hand. "You can't, you shouldn't, it's not right!"

Nishi sneered at them. "But it was okay for him to shove me off the fucking roof into the alien's stomach?"

"I didn't say that!"

"And what if he tries that again with someone else next time, would that be okay?"

"Just stop, he'll probably die in the next mission anyway!" Yoko frowned over at Ryo, and he smiled sheepishly. "That sounded way worse than it did in my head."

Jiro gently placed his hand on the boy's arm, not trying to rebuke because he knew the boy had every right to be angry. "Nishi, please, he's not worth it."

Nishi gripped the gun tighter; this guy couldn't get away with it.

"Please, put the gun down, you don't really want this."

Got me all figured out, have you, Nishi thought,but there was hesitation."And what's going to happen if I don't kill him now?"

Jiro shook his head. "He won't do us any harm," Jiro narrowed his eyes; Nishi had never seen him look so stern. "I will personally make sure of it."

Ryo threw his hands up. "What does that mean old man?"

Daikei shook from head to toe, staring death in the face for the second time tonight. That look, this kid would really kill me, he'd do it.

Nishi finally relented and lowered his weapon but wasn't happy about it; why was it okay to kill aliens, but not humans? Who would really find out anyway? As far as he was concerned, whatever happened in the Gantz room, stayed in the Gantz room, and was it not technically accurate Gantz had given them a license to kill? Theoretically, the people who came to the room were already dead, right? At least to outsiders when a player dies in the Gantz world because when Sora died, the news only reported his first death. "Next time, I will kill you," Nishi said and reached down for his case to change out of his suit in the hall.

Ryo sighed, "Let's just get out of here."

Yoko nodded, and Daikei looked at them in surprise and said, "You mean, we can go? Like, get out of here?"

"Yes, Daikei, but you may want to leave the suit behind, you will need it again," Jiro told him.

Daikei's eyes grew wide. "Again?"

The man seriously annoyed him, and if Nishi didn't kill him, Ryo would. "Were you seriously not paying attention! Don't you get it, you have to get to a hundred points to be free, which means you have to kill the aliens to get those points; oh, and you're not going to get them by killing other players either."

"So, we have to do this again, for real?"

Scowling over at him, the team replied in unison, "Yes!"

One by one, they changed out of their suits and soon stood outside in the 'real world.' Daikei asked, "What happens now?"

Yoko replied stoically with a huff, "We live our lives until we're brought back here again."

The reporter gasped, "How exactly can you do that after what just happened!"

"Because there's nothing else you can do," said Ryo. "There's only one way out, so there's really no point in wallowing in despair." It was as if the group was already used to their new lives.

"There is," Daikei muttered, and his voice became louder as they stepped onto the street. "There's something I can do, people have to know, they need to be warned!"

"What are you doing!" They all watched as Daikei started shouting in the street.

"Daikei, you shouldn't," Yoko tried. "We don't know what happens." She was about to run after him, but a hand stopped her, grabbing her elbow. "Nishi?"

"We owe that guy nothing, he's an idiot and almost got us killed."

"But-"

"Hey! You there!" Daikei caught the attention of a young couple as they walked by.

The male of the two placed his hand against Daikei's chest. "What do you want, get away from us you freak."

"I'm warning you of the dangers, the government has us all fooled!"

"What are you talking about?"

The group stood in stunned silence. "He's actually doing it," Yoko muttered.

"There's this ball, and it's bringing people back to life after they die and makes them kill aliens!"

The female tugged on her partner's arm. "Let's go, he's obviously drunk, and he's scaring me."

"Nothing is happening," Yoko said in relief.

Ryo tilted his head. "Do you think they have to believe it for something to happen?"

"It's called Gantz," Daikei continued, "it's real! I saw it; it made us all kill poor aliens for a score!" By now, the female was dragging her partner away, and then Daikei fell to his knees.

"Look, something is happening," Yoko pointed as she and the rest of her team moved closer.

"It's real, Gantz is real, people be warned, you could be next." Blood ran down Daikei's eyes before suddenly, his head swelled and then exploded. Yoko let out a shriek, and they all jumped back. "Holy crap!" Ryo gasped in horror. "His head blew up!"

"Well, I guess now we know what happens when you disclose to strangers outside the Gantz world," Nishi said almost too calmly.

"It must be a trigger to stop those who come to the room from saying anything," Jiro said. "Perhaps there's a bomb or something planted in all our heads. Or a chip, maybe."

"But - but we made up the ball's name, so why..." Yoko covered her mouth with her sleeve.

"Man, this just keeps getting better," Ryo commented and then looked at Nishi. "How come you were so calm?"

"I had a hunch," Nishi shrugged.

Ryo paled, wondering what the hell was wrong with this kid. "How the hell could you possibly have a hunch about this?"

"Well, the old man stole my theory actually. Think about it, we're confined to the room before the mission starts, and there's a perimeter on the map to which we cannot cross, so I doubt Gantz will let us tell anyone once we're free to go. Of course, I didn't know what would happen exactly." Nishi chuckled, "Who knew the guy would lose his head over it, quite literally."

Ryo grabbed his head, now he would constantly worry about a bomb inside his head. "This isn't funny!"

Jiro sighed and stood between them. "We'll be fine as long as we don't say anything. It's time to go home, don't you think so? I'm sure we've all got people that are worried about us."

Ryo snorted, "Not me, old man, living the single life." He smiled and stroked the dog. "At least I got you, boy." The dog barked excitedly. "Shall we go home?"

Jiro smiled, "I better go before my wife wakes up and finds out I'm not there."

"See you next time," Yoko said, wishing someone back at home was worrying about her. She looked at Nishi, and he shoved his hands in his pockets and left them behind without a word. Goodbye Nishi.

…...

Yoko groaned as she traipsed tiredly across her college yard; she barely got any sleep the night before, constantly worried about slipping up during the day and saying something that would trigger her head to explode, though dying in Gantz wasn't a better option either, she'd rather die the old-fashioned way, old.

She was about to take the first step when she spotted Yui at the corner of her eye, standing in the trees' shadows. Yoko turned to greet her best friend, but she saw that Yui wasn't alone and decided to wait. As she stood there, she watched Yui count money into the other person's hand, and curiosity got the better of her, so she sneakily made her way across the short distance and hid behind the tree closest to them.

"Is it done?" Yoko heard Yui ask.

It was difficult to identify the gender of the other because of their disguise. "Of course, I told you I'd take care of it."

Yoko remained hidden. Take care of it?

"Well, he may have been the one to find out the information in the end, but it was my first lead, and my first published story, I couldn't have my reputation at risk, I always deliver."

"As do I," the person bowed.

"Are you sure there's no evidence of suspected murder?"

Yoko gulped, wondering why her friend was talking like this.

"None, Yuuma Daikei died in his sleep, as per request."

Yoko gasped quietly, covering her mouth. It can't be; I must have heard wrong. Yoko had just seen her best friend, her childhood friend Yui Kazumi, pay a person for murdering someone! Yoko shook her head; she refused to believe it. It was an act, she thought; after all, Yui took drama for her secondary subject. Yoko nodded; that had to be it; it was a rehearsal for a play. She waited until the person left before stepping away from the shadows and smiled when her friend noticed her. "Hi! I was looking all over for you," Yoko said quickly.

Yui looked shocked by her presence but then relaxed with a smile. "Hey, here I am, what's new?"

"Nothing much since yesterday, how about you?"

Yoko's facial expression changed to fright when Yui grabbed her wrist. "I have the greatest news!"

"What?"

"My first story is about to be published in the big papers!" Yoko's heart hammered against her chest, and Yui noticed her friend's expression. "Aren't you happy for me?"

Yoko's eyes widened, and she laughed, "Of course! That's wonderful news, congratulations."

Yui jumped on the spot and giggled. "Thanks! It took a bit of work, and I had to dig into my savings a bit, but it was totally worth it. Thank you for all your support over the years, you totally had faith in me."

Yoko forced a smile when her friend hugged her. "Oh, I didn't do all that much really..."

"Are you kidding? You're the one that told me to go for success by whatever means necessary!" Yui hugged her again. "Thanks, Yoko, you're the best, let's celebrate. Friday night, you, me and a butt load of junk food and wine, okay?" Yoko was too shocked to verbally reply, and she forced another smile. "Great!" Yui squeaked and then ran off, heading to her first class of the day.

A thought came to Yoko, something that Nishi told them.

"Reporters will do just about anything if it means their story will get published."

"I don't believe it..."

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