The World Ends With You
CAT's Mural
Another Day
Neku sat on a tall building in the Shibuya of the RG, looking down at another roof of a nearby shorter building. It was a clear and bright day, the sun feeling pleasantly warm as it shone on the pristine white feathers of Neku's wings. He could clearly see the sight of his second-in-command, standing alone with her charcoal grey wings neatly folded and blue eyes fixated on a specific mortal life now below her.
Sighing, Neku shifted a bit, bringing up his knee to cross his arms on it and lean forward. Since winning the Game on the HG, he had been given the sole task and responsibility of becoming the guardian of his own home, as well as the realms directly above and below it. Of course he would have help from Mr. Hanekoma as well as the former Game Master, Rae, for a while longer, but his heart felt heavy for the friend he had to defeat in the process.
Rhyme watched the familiar streets of Shibuya, thinking about her former life. She had been given the option, of course, to continue living just as she had been before the new Game had taken place, but she had declined. She had lost her entry fee, after all. Instead she was given angelic powers and immortality, and now served for the better good of the realms.
Below, Shiki stood by the statue of the dog, waiting for Eri. In her hands, she held a bouquet of flowers. Once Eri arrived, the two were headed for CAT's mural. There, Shiki carefully lay the flowers by the image of the towering Ghost Cat.
"She was a good friend, you know. A really nice girl… Beat's devastated," Shiki said as she looked at Eri. "It's a shame, she was so young…" The brunette wiped away a few tears as the redhead Eri came up behind her, pulling her into a tight embrace and holding her close.
"I'm sorry, Shiki," Eri whispered into Shiki's ear, kissing it softly. In bitterness, Rhyme turned away, vanishing as she changed her frequency to a different realm.
Neku watched the two girls that Rhyme had followed, not turning when he sensed a familiar presence behind him. "Say, Mr. Hanekoma…" Neku said as the taller man approached, "what exactly was Rhyme's entry fee anyway?"
"Aah, boss, you wanna go askin' me something like that? You sure you really wanna know the truth?" Mr. Hanekoma replied as he lit up a menthol cigarette. Finally Neku looked at him, meeting him eye to eye with the answer clear on his face. "Alright, alright… Just remember that you asked." When Neku nodded again, Mr. Hanekoma took a heavy drag from his smoke, expelling it in a brilliant white cloud.
"Well, at the moment in time when Rhyme was sixteen, the thing that mattered most to her when her life ended was the love she shared with Shiki. When she lost, that love disappeared, and Shiki forgot completely about the two being anything else than friends; thus, you see that before you." He pointed with his cigarette at Eri and Shiki, the two kissing deeply now. Neku felt a heavy pressure in his stomach. "I know what you're thinking, Neku. It's not your fault, that's just the way these Games go."
"Yeah, and the Games suck," Neku said sourly. "The Games suck balls." Mr. Hanekoma nodded somberly as Neku took an offered smoke, the boy never tasting a cigarette before but suddenly craving one now.
"Now you know why the Game Master before you had that little joint. Welcome to being God, Neku." The two vanished from the roof as Shiki and Eri left the little alleyway side by side, CAT's mural standing quietly over the small bouquet of fresh flowers as a small breeze pushed their scent in a direction where no one would ever smell their simple beauty.
-End Post-Game Epilogue
CAT's Mural, based on The World Ends with You
Written by L.A. Moonfyre and completed October 8, 2008