7 Days Left

Neku and Dex-Starr look so sad

Neku: Here we go again… At least this time it really ends. …

Dex-Starr: Shiki and Dex-Starr's out. They made them our entry fee.

Neku: Joshua and Francis, too. Took the bullet for us. Rhyme and Krypto's gone. Noise got them.

Dex-Starr: And Beat and Streaky left to join the Reapers. One Player after another…gone.

Neki: We're the only ones left-the only hope we have.

Dex-Starr: Yeah... But we can't give up! We have to win this game, and get out of here! We don't have to feel sorry about ourselves.

Neku: Yeah, you're right. We can do this.

Then Beeping has happened

Dex-Starr: The mission! "Game 1. Reach 104. Time: 60 minutes Cost of failure: Expunction."

Then they flinch and feel an impact on their hand and arm

Neku: Nggh… 104 again? They're not very creative…

Dex-Starr: We need a partner and a companion -otherwise this'll be a very short Game. Better check Hachiko. Somebody there must have what it takes.

Neku: You're right, let's Go.

They went off to Hachiko

Meanwhile

Uzuki: (Sigh)

Kariya: 'Sup with you, girl? You miss breakfast?

Uzuki: Naw, I just…don't feel like working.

Kariya: I hear that. Hey, how 'bout a game, then? Games make work fun! You know you lo-

Uzuki: Love it? Not really. I'm not too keen on games right about now. I mean, can you BELIEVE this week? We've never run a Game this way. Is it even legal?

Kariya: Hmm… Just barely. Consider it a loophole. The grey area juuust short of black.

Uzuki: This is ridiculous! The Game Master is Ms. Konishi. How am I supposed to make a good impression?

Kariya: On the Iron Maiden? Heh. Well, you're right about the Game being borked. Three weeks in a row? That's a first, even for me. You gotta wonder what the Composer has goin'.

Uzuki: I just want my job to be…what's the word… Rewarding! That's it. I want my job to be rewarding.

Kariya: Then put your heart into it. You reap what you sow.

Uzuki: Very funny. And not all that convincing coming from you. …But all right. I'll make this week the pinnacle of my Harrier career!

Kariya: 'Atta girl. Now let's just hope we get to the scene while there's still a Player to hurry.

Back to Neku and Dex-Starr

Neku and Dex-Starr are waiting for their partner and their companion

Neku: Hey! Somebody! Holler back we you haven't made a pact yet! Anybody!?

But no one came

Dex-Starr: Strange, where are they?

Neku: Huh? Where are all the Players?

Then the Neku's Phone got another mail

Neku: My phone? Another mail… "P.S. This Game only has one Player and a companion. Best of luck."

Dex-Starr: What!? We'e the only ones? Then we can't make a pact! We can't fight the Noise!

Neku: Rrgh… How could we be so stupid? Shades played us. He said he already collected our entry fee. And it was THE OTHER PLAYERS!

Dex-Starr: Dammit! But… we can't just give up. Think, think… We could try running for the next seven days.

Neku: No… If just one mission says to take a Noise out…

Dex-Starr: Then what's should we do, Kid?

Then Noise appeared

Neku::Oh, just perfect. We gonna have to run!

They are gonna run, but they are surrounded

Dex-Starr: (Panting) Thatbastard… This Game is rigged. Crap… We'ee surrounded!

Uzuki: (Voice) Yoo hoo!

They saw Uzuki and Kariya

Neki: Reapers!

Uzuki: You're still here! Well, aren't you the sweetest? Sticking around juuust for me! No, how about a little countdown until the ball drops? 10!

Neku: It's all over.

Uziki: 9! Kariya! You owe me ramen for this. 8!

Kariya: Yes, ma'am. Just pay attention. "This" isn't done yet.

Uzuki: 7! …Ugh, fine. Zero!

Neku: Huh!?

Uzuki: Buh-bye! Muah.

Neku's Thouh: Shiki… Joshua… I'm sorry.

Dex-Starr's Though: Atrocities, I'm sorry. I think it's the end of me now. I'm sorry, Badger... Francis...

Beat: (Voice) Yo yo yo, not so fast, yo!

They saw Streaky and Beat

Uzuki: What are you doing here?

Neku: It's them!

Beat: The hell you doin'? Quit playin' dirty! You can't have a Game with jus' one Player and a Companion! Maybe the Composer's down widdat, but I ain't him!

Streaky: So do I!

Uzuki: Who invited you, Freshmeat and Thundercat? …You're not thinking of betraying us?

Beat: First you gimme some lame special op and make me snipe my friends, and now you gonna take down a defenseless Player? Ain't you Reapers got any honor? Now you got me all kinds a' pissed! Y'all goin' down, yo!

Kariya: Oh, to be young and foolish again! Try switching on your brain, Freshmeat and Thundercat. If you fight us, you die. Right now you're treadin' on thin ice.

Uzuki: Yeah. I mean, what kind of IDIOT chooses the Players and Companion over the Reapers?

Beat: Ha! You're the idiots, yo. I ain't treadin' on thin ice!

Uzuki: Huh?

Stewaky: Shibuya ain't cold enough for ice, stupid!

They look silent

Neku: … Um…

Streaky: Hey, Tiger Cat!

Beat: Yo, Phones!

Neku: Huh?

Beat::You, me, Streaky and the cat gonna pact. Aight?

Neku: …OK. Let's do it!

They formed a Pact

Beat: Aight, le's lay 'em flat, yo!

All: OK!

They fighting all the Noise

Beat: Don't wuss out now, man!

Streaky: Get them now!

They defeated them all

Beat: I ain't done yet. Hell yeah, that was tight!

Streaky: That's all of them! I feel lucky!

Beat: Heh, served! You got nothin' on us, yo!

Uzuki: Snotty little worm! The gloves are off! TAKE THIS!

Beat: Hey, Phones!

Streaky: Tiger Cat!

Neku & Dex-Starr: Huh?

Beat: We gotta bounce, now! This way!

Neku: Huh? Hey! Wait up!

They ran away from the Reapers

Uzuki: You little… You dare run? Come BACK HEEERE!

Kariya: Whoooa, Uzuki! Stop, stop.

Uzuki: Why should I!?

Kariya: We gotta report to the brass. You know how this works.

Uzuki: But, but-

Kariya: You'll enjoy punishing them more if you take it slow.

Uzuki: … Yeah…Good point. Hey, this is Yashiro, Route 3. We have an emergency. A Reaper-

Kaeiya: Hoo boy… Now the real party starts.

Back to Neku and the Others

Beat: Booyaka! We made it.

Neku: (Panting)… So…for now…(Panting)…we're safe?

Beat: Yo, enough wid the huff, man! Tha's weak! Don't you start blubberin' on me now.

Dex-Starr: …Please. Who's blubbering? So… Why exactly did you make a pact with me and him?

Streaky: 'Cause you was hung out to dry, man. I wasn't about to leave your sorry butts to die.

Neki: Right… Our heroes.

Beat: Tha's right! Wait, you're makin' fun a' me and Streaky! Hey, look, yo-We owed you. Tha's all.

Neku: For what?

Beat: Rhyme's pendant.

Streaky: And Krypto's Collar.

Dex-Starr: Big deal. It was yours, so we returned it. Wait… That's the only reason you helped me? Geez, man! You're a Reaper! They'll kill you for partnering with a Player.

Beat: Aww…quit bitchin', Cat! Leas' you and your companion still alive.

Then Dex-Starr and Neku noticed that Streaky and Beat's Reaper Wings are gone

Neku: … Hey, your wings are gone!

Streaky: Huh? … Oh yeah. Guess they are.

Dex-Starr: You don't care?

Beat: About what? That Reaper crap was lame, yo. I was getting' sick a' how they ran things. The good guys suit me better. But forget me, man. Why you in the Game again? What happened to the prissy kid and the green eyed cat you were with?

Des-Dex-S: … Well…

Flashback has started

Neku: Unngh… Where…am I? The Game ended!? When? How? Joshua! Where's Joshua?

Dex-Starr: Francis! Francis!? Where did he go?

Megumi: Shhh.

Neku: Who…

They saw him again

Megumi: Kudos. Victorious yet again.

Neku: We're…the only ones?

Megumi: You play the Game well. Let me take a moment to congratulate you-and to thank you for your assistance.

Dex-Starr: Assist you? I don't think so.

Megumi: Ah, but did you not rid us of Sho Minamimoto, the rebel?

Neku: Rebel? He wasn't on your side? Then that last mission-

Megumi: Was issued by me.

Dex-Starr: You used us! What did you do to Joshua and Francis?

Megumi: Joshua and Francis no more.

Neku & Dex-Starr: No…

Megumi: They took the brunt of Minamimoto's attack. Both boy and lion vanished. Nuked to oblivion, no doubt.

Dex-Starr: Then they died…protecting us? Why would he do that?

Megumi: They must have had some affection for you as a partner and Companion.

Neku and Dex-Starr look swd

Megumi: He was a fool, though. No partner and Companion merits that kind of sacrifice.

Neku: …We did this.

Dex-Starr's Though: We blame them. They're gone because of us. We accused them of shooting us, but they were innocent! We made them feel like they owed me and the boy something. We didn't… we didn't trust them. My partner and his Companion. We didn't even apologize. We're the worst… we never told Joshua and Francis we're sorry. Atrocitus was right, I'm such an Idiot to myself.

Megumi: I can see you're taking this hard. But you needn't blame yourself. Technically, they never entered the Game. They didn't actually exist in the UG. How could they disappear…if they were never here in the first place?

Neku: That's not funny!

Megumi: And, we mustn't overlook his grave transgressions. Meddling with the UG from the outside? Breaking into the Game? The living are not eligible to play. And now you, too, must be punished…for abetting them in their crimes.

Dex-Starr: P-punished!?

Megumi: With erasure.

Neku: What!?

Megumi: …At least, were I to go strictly by the book.

Neku: Huh?

Megumi: But lucky for you, we repay our debts. The Composer has generously decided to enter you in one final Game with a penalty. You may not refuse.

Dex-Starr: Another Game? But what about Shiki and Badger? What happens to them!?

Megumi: Nothing. The last Game is null and void. Your entry fee will be carried over.

Dex-Starr: That's… That's the penalty?

Megumi: No. Your penalty is disqualification from all Games beyond the next. You will not be allowed to play again…again.

Neku: This is our last shot?

Megumi: Now, I must collect your entry fee.

Neku: We…we already paid!

Megumi: For your last entry, yes. But one entry fee is required for each Game. Composer's rules. I'm afraid I can't bend them.

Dex-Starr: Dammit… What else can you possibly take from me?

Megumi: It's already been taken.

Neku: …What?

Flashback has ended

Beat: That sucks, man. How can Shades be such a sneaky bastard? Takin' all the Players as an entry fee!

Dex-Starr: Doesn't matter. We were forced into this either way. Shiki and Badger's still gone. What choice do we have? Just one: win. JoshuJ and Francis bought us this chance. We're not gonna waste it. We have to stay alive.

Beat: Aight, then. Come on.

Neku: What?

Streaky: You comin' with us, Phones and Tiger Cat.

Neku: Why?

Beat: 'Cause I got someplace to go.

Neku: Um, I said I have to clear these missio-

Beat: To the station underpass, yo! Book it!

He and Streaky ran off

Dex-Starr: H-hey, wait! Listen to what I'm telling you!

They head to the Underpass

Neki: A wall. No red Reaper in sight, either. We can't go this way today.

Beat: Stupid WALL! I ain't got time for this! Get in my way, and I'ma BREAK you!

He destroyed the Wall

Neku: He…he tore it down!? That's insane!

Dex-Starr: I know, Kid. What is he!?

Beat: I pave my own roads, yo. Now le's haul it!

Neku's Though: The guy's a freakin' rhino. Doesn't he ever pace himself?

They made to the Underpass

Dex-Starr's Though: This is the Shibuya River. Where Joshua and Francis wanted to go…

They saw a Wall

Neku: Hey! Another wa-

Beat: Stupid WALL!

He ram it, but it doesn't work

Beat: Yeowwwch!

Streaky: Hey, take it easy, Beat!

Beat: Yo, what the hell! I got the keypin right here! Why can't I break it?

Dex-Starr: Keypin?

Streaky: Yeah, the Reapers got 'em to open each area.

Neku: They have keys?

Beat: How you think I opened that last wall?

Dex-Starr: "Open"? I think you mean "smash."

Beat: Openin' them takes too long! We got through, aight? Who cares how!

Neku: Certainly not you.

Beat: 'Sides, breakin' the walls feels better.

Neku: This is nuts, dude. Keep it up, and you won't last out the mission!

Beat: It don't matter, man. Arrrgh, what the hell! LET ME IN!

Dex-Starr: … Maybe you've got the wrong key.

Streaky: … … … Dammit. We need another key?

Neku: Look, let's give this up for now. 104's back the other way. We gotta hurry. Time is running out.

Beat: Tsk, fine. Whatever!

Streaky: Okay! Let's go!

He and Streaky ran iff

Neki: Hey… Wait up!

They left the Underpass

Meanwhile

Konishi: Conductor, sir. I've received word of another rebellion.

Megumi is listening

Konishi: A new Reaper under special orders from you, sir. Name: Daisukenojo Bito and Streaky. They've been with us for eight days.

Meumi: …Ah, yes. The boy and his companion.

Konishi: With your permission, sir, I'd like to handle them personally-as Game Master, of course.

Megumi: No, Konishi. You will remain on standby.

Konishi: To what end, sir?

Megumi: I need to discuss this with the Composer.

Konishi: Mr. Kitaniji, far be it from me to question you, but…the boy and the cat's been on duty for all of eight days. They haven't earned a single point. Why trouble the Composer when he's doomed anyway?

Megumi: Ha ha! Konishi, talking back? Has hell frozen over? We mete out punishment based on the crime, not the criminal.

Konishi: I…understand, sir. I'll stay my hand until the Composer has spoken. That little goon! Even a chimp knows better than to pick the losing side. This ruins my plans to wrap the Game up on Day 1! I'll need to work up a new strategy… Adjust for the longer term. Good thing I never make mistakes…

Neku and the Others are back to crossing Scramble and they saw Tenho

Tenho: Want past this wall? Then take down these Noise!

Neku: Damn, another wall…

Streaky: Heh! Them Noise is getting' a beatdown! Ready, Phones and Tiger Cat? Hope you can keep up.

Neku: Well, first you gotta tell me and the cat how you fight.

Streaky: That's easy. We just… … You know. It's like…um… Poker! Yeah! I gotta get cards of the same suit.

Neku: OK, makes sense. Sort of.

Beat: You'll get it once we start fightin', yo! Le's do it!

Dex-Starr: Right now!?

Beat: Aight, le's mow 'em down!

They are gonna fight with a Fusion Pin

Beat: Ready for a Beatdown!?

Streaky: Look out, here come Supercat!

Beat: Pick it up, Phones!

Neku: I'm There!

Streaky: Come on, Tiger Cat!

Dex-Starr: I'm Ready!

They fight all the noise and they did it

Beat: Ha! How ya like dat? Two cards on the ground, pick one up in the air, Lay on the skull, and kablam! I'm there.

Neku: That's…confusing.

Dex-Starr: Yeah, that doesn't make sense for what you say.

Streaky: Well…un-fuse it! I can't figure it out, so you gotta!

Neku: What? But it's your technique!

Bat: I only know what I know 'cause… 'cause Rhyme explained it.

Streaky: And K-Dog.

Neku: Rhyme…

Dex-Starr: Krypto...

Streaky: … Wanna pound stuff again?

They have enough

Beat: Aight. Now you know how it's done.

Tenho: Objective met. Wall clear!

They made it to 104

Beat: Booya, we made it!

Streaky: Sweet! We did it!

Then the timer is gone

Neku: Timer's gone. All clear.

Beat: One day down, six more to go!

Dex-Starr: First I have to ask you something.

Beat: Like what, yo? Le's just play the Game.

Dex-Starr "Trust your partner and believe your companion." That's the key to survival here. So I gotta know: You said you helped me and the boy so you could repay a favor.

Streaky: Yeah. So?

Neki: Is that the only reason? I can't afford any surprises in this Game. Why put yourself in jeopardy?

Beat: What's a "jeppardy"?

Neku: Huh?

Streaky: Look, man. Beat and I dunno your big words. But we do got another reason.

Neku: OK. What?

Beat: I wanna set Shibuya up widda new Composer. Me!

Meanwhile

Megumi: I'm back, Konishi.

Konish: Mr. Kitaniji. Have you made a decision?

Megumi: Yes. Strip the little rebel of their Reaperhood. Treat them as a Player going forward.

Konishi: Yes, sir.

Megumi: I needn't remind you, Konishi, of your obligation to erase both the Players? You are Game Master…

Konishi: I'll get the job done, sir.

Megumi: Good. But to be safe, I'm requiring all Reapers to wear their O-Pins.

Konishi: Outlet Pins? Sir, I know O-Pins enhance Reaper battle performance, but what about the side effects? All to punish one ignorant little boy? It's so risky…

Megumi: Nonetheless, the Composer wills it. I, for one, am grateful. Haven't we lost enough good men?

Konishi: Yes, sir.

Megumi: I'm also putting the UG on Emergency Call.

Konishi: Emergency Call!?

Megumi: Make the arrangements.

Konishi: …Right away. Something's wrong. Why such alarm over one artless rebel? He's hiding something. I need to act, now. But not blindly. Every good plan starts with hard facts.

Day End

Sensible Senseless