A/N. Yes, I rant on here at the beginning of every chapter. Sorr-ee. Oh yeah, to the anonymous reviewer, thanks for the 'gansta speak' fix. I still like 'brother from another mother' better, though. More fun to say. Not that I'll EVER be saying that in real life, though... I might end up shot. LOL I'm so not cool.
Sorry for the wait- changed plot right before this was posted, so I had to rewrite it. ALL of it. And.. this is an apology for doing a one-shot instead of updating one of my in-progs.
I have a tendency to create more questions then I answer.. ah well. It makes the big REVEAL all the more fun, no?
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Chapter Three
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Ripples
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Beat and Rhyme heard the screech of tires. Both hurried over to the street not so far away, getting there just to see Neku vanish around a corner. Rhyme followed him at a run, Beat forced to follow and causing the driver to slam on his brakes once more.
"Damn kids!! "
The blonde girl grabbed Neku's shoulders, her tone shocked and worried. "Neku, are you- "
He whipped around to face them both, blue/grey eyes searing with rage, pain, love, desperation, sadness. No verbal response was necessary; he was not all right.
"What happened? "
"Ask HER, " Neku choked out, teetering dangerously on the brink of a breakdown. "I just- just- I have to get home- "
Rhyme was about to question him more, but Beat silenced her with a look. "Call us when you can talk about it, ok? Promise me you won't do anything stupid? "
Trembling, Neku closed his eyes and nodded before fairly sprinting home.
...00000000000...
Quickly, he slammed the door behind him, leaning heavily against it as his shoulders trembled- a physical manifestation of the stress and agony that tore his sanity to shreds. Impulsively, he yanked off his headphones, tossing them aside as he raked his fingers though his hair and tried to even out his breathing.
I...I can't take this... not again. Why..?
His smoky blue eyes burned behind his closed lids as he gritted his teeth. Why why why why WHY??
It's my fault...it's always been my fault. I make everyone miserable. My parents... I killed them and I drove the rest of them off. I almost got myself and Shiki killed back in the game... if only I'd never gotten involved with her. I could have lost the game... and I wouldn't have to feel like this anymore.
Neku stumbled to his feet, heading to the kitchen for a drink in the hopes it would calm him.
She's my whole reason for living, my inspiration to be better than I am. She... deserves to be happy with someone... even- especially- not me. I broke her heart once... I'm be damned if I let it happen again!
Downing the last few drops of water, his eyes caught sight of a note from his latest guardian.
Neku-
Be back in a day or two. Emergency came up. Call me if you need anything.
--Kasume
The corner of his mouth quirked up in a humorless smile. That's what the last ones said... no big deal. I won't look for them THIS time. I'm better off alone, anyway.
Forcing down his pain and shutting off his emotions, he collapsed onto the couch and turned on the TV, watching the screen with eyes that had just turned a little less blue.
...00000--A couple days later--000000...
Brother and sister sat side by side on a bench in Shibuya, people watching contentedly. That was, they were content until they caught sight of orange hair.
As usual of late, Neku was walking in the opposite direction of the crowds, just visible at best, other time disappearing like the ghost he had become. He had changed so much...
"Poor Neku, " Rhyme breathed as both lost sight of him. "Do you think he'll ever change back? I'm scared for this Neku... he's not who he used to be. "
"Not much we can do," Beat stated, oddly serious. "Satoshi changed a lot of things. "
"Yeah... "
"Oh? Do we not like this Satoshi? " A familiar voice spoke over their shoulders...
...00000000000...
Life was pretty good for 'this Satoshi', currently at least. This seamstress chick was nice enough... even so, he could hardly wait to get his hands on the real prize- Eri.
Shiki was plain, boring, worthless to him except to get closer to Eri. That redhead.. she was really a cut above the rest. Until then, though...
"Why do you still carry that thing around? " He pointed to the plushie sticking out of her purse. Shiki smiled faintly. "Oh, Mr. Mew? I don't know... I just.. used to carry him around a lot. It's a force of habit, I guess. "
He shrugged airily. "Toss it. "
"What? "
"Just throw it away- it's old and dirty and looks pretty beat up. "
Shiki looked down at the little black plushie, guilt and unease gnawing at her. "But- "
"It's so juvenile, Shiki. It's not you. " Satoshi noted, lying between his teeth. With one last glance, she pulled Mr. Mew out of her purse and tossed it lightly in a dumpster.
"There. Feel better now? "
No, she though quietly, but smiled outwardly. "Yeah. Thanks for that, Satoshi. "
...00000000000...
Crap crap CRAP! Why would I do something so stupid like this!
Shiki was running though the rain a couple hours later, back to where she had been walking with Satoshi earlier. Why did I listen to him! Mr. Mew saved my life so many times in the Game... how could I do this to him? Crap!
She fairly leaped in the bin, digging through the rubbage with a stick as rainwater poured down the back of his shirt.
"Looking for something? "
Neku's features were cast in an eerie glow by the faint moonlight filtering through the clouds, grey-blue eyes seeming to glow. He stepped away from the wall, a familiar black cat-pig-thing tucked under his arm.
"Mr. Mew-! "
"Piggie was missing you, I think, " he said- his words cheerful but tone cool and quiet. Shiki caught the plushie as he tossed it to her, grateful to hug him again and stuff him back in her purse.
"What were you doing out here? " She touched his arm, and he jerked away but not before his friend had felt the icy temperature. "Waiting for you. I was surprised to see you sell yourself out so quickly like that- "
"I did no such thing! " she snapped, brown eyes blazing with defensive anger. His eyes were so like a concrete wall- unfeeling, hard, and almost colorless. "I just- "
"Are you happy, Shiki? "
"Of course I am, " she replied quickly, looking away and sniffing slightly. "Satoshi is a really nice guy. "
That got a reaction from Neku- he turned away from her abruptly, and his head tiled forward- she knew it meant he was upset and trying to compose himself. She shifted uncomfortably, the rain cooling down her temper slightly.
"Does he make you laugh? " he asked at last, still turned away from her.
"He doesn't make me cry, " she replied with a touch of bitterness in her voice. His rejection of her still hurt.
With that, she turned away and ran back the way she had come, Neku's grey eyes following her progress until the night hid her from his view. Then he walked home as well, hands in his pockets and more than one kind of wetness running down his cheeks.
...00000000000...
...bang.