Story: Mind the Gaps (French version available : "Intervalles")

Date: posted the 30 of March 2023

Beta: None

Fandom: The World End With You

Disclaimer: No, I don't own TWEWY and I'm not making any profit from this story.

Summary: Just after the Long Game, Joshua saved and resurrected the rest of the Hashiko gang but was condemned by the Angels for his actions: He is confined to Shibuya and half of his powers have been sealed. Neku dies again but without his powers, Joshua cannot resurrect him. He takes him to safety anyway, which leads to M.H being banished by the Angels. Joshua is left alone to manage Shibuya, well not quite since he's got Shinjuku's scum on his hands. Months pass, Joshua is struggling to manage the UG without Sanae and Kitaniji and Shiki and the other reach out with an offer of friendship. But Shinjuku's Reaper strike a coup and Joshua loose a lot of powers. He still try his best to make the city survive.

Trigger of this chapitre: None I can think of


I admit I'm a bit behind on writing this story, since I'm busy with my novel... There are still eight chapters to go but hey ^^' Hopefully by the time there are no more gaps, I'll be close to finish this story!

Enjoy your reading!


"Tsugumi? You're alive?" Murmured Ayano Kamachi one of the Shinjuku Reapers as she took a step forward. But just one step. Clearly, she felt something was wrong.

It wasn't hard to guess, though.

Matsunae Tsugumi stood as straight as a pole, her eyes blank and her lips loose, quite different from her usual smile. Behind her, a whole team of players were slumped on the floor, their stamp rapidly flowing out of their bodies until they formed bubbles of light visible to even the weakest of players. One after another, they dissolved into nothingness, their Vibe lingering for just a few more minutes before disappearing as well, erasing any chance of resurrecting them with them.

"Tsu?" Kaichi Susuki, or Susukichi as all his comrades called him, called softly. He had a surprisingly soft voice considering his build.

But unsurprisingly for Joshua, the Reaper didn't answer. Her soul wasn't there after all. There was no point in her friends trying to call her, she couldn't answer, locked up as she was in , miles away. In her state, even the famous "power of friendship" could do absolutely nothing.

"Ah! I see you've already discovered my little surprise." came a voice from behind the Reapers, who immediately turned around. Even though Joshua had sensed it coming a long time ago, he wished he could do the same. Unfortunately, jumping up and looking the Conductor straight in the eyes didn't go well with his role as an uneventful RG resident. Because, ironically, the whole confrontation was taking place in the middle of Dogenzaka and, unsurprisingly for a Sunday of May, the streets were packed. So it hadn't been hard for Joshua to drop onto a bench just a few feet away from the group of dead people and pretend to play with his mobile phone while listening to them. It was amazing how little attention the Reapers paid to the living when they were in the UG... If it had been his old Game, the Shibuya Composer would have been quick to set them straight, creating a new Reaper Sport to make them realise their mistake. But the past was the past and the present is the present, and clearly it was not to Joshua's advantage to share one of his best spy techniques.

But still, it was a bit sad that none of the Reapers noticed that a light-haired teenager was always around when they had an important meeting...

Well, it served him right, especially now, when Shiba Miyakaze was approaching the group of Reapers. It wasn't a small group either, there were practically all the Shinjuku Officers there, and out of the corner of his eye Joshua could see Kariya and 777 watching the confrontation from the roof nearby. They were strategically placed to be aware of what was going on while still being far enough away to run away if needed. Joshua could even feel a glance at him, but the weight of Kariya's gaze quickly disappeared as the Conductor continued to speak.

"Look who I found lost and wandering around the remains of our old home?" Shiba said as he placed a hand on Tsugumi's shoulder. She didn't respond.

"Is it really Matsunae?" Hishima Sakazuki whispered more to himself than to the Conductor.

But he heard him, and Shiba turned to him with a growing smile. "Of course! Say hello, Tsugumi." He added almost mockingly, and of course she didn't.

"But...what's wrong with her?" Susukichi asked and Shiba sighed dramatically sad.

"Unfortunately, she didn't manage to escape when the Reversal took place..."

"That's impossible." Hishima snapped with a stern look. "She could never have survived such destruction intact." Or almost intact, he didn't voiced, but everyone heard him.

"Incredible, isn't it? In any case, she's definitely here with us now but... let's see... Susukichi!" Shiba called and the huge Reaper gasped, his eyes jumping from Matsunae to Shiba. "I'll leave you to deal with her, I'm afraid she'll have trouble acclimating to Shibuya in her condition." The Reaper nodded looking a little lost and Shiba smiled, pushing Matsunae to walk towards the group of Reapers. They all practically took a step backwards, stumbling away from the strange doll.

But she did nothing to them, barely taking five steps before stopping next to Susukichi, arms flailing and staring just as blankly as before. There was not an ounce of recognition in her eyes despite the blatant desire of her fellow Shinjuku residents. Realizing this, Kamachi stepped lightly between the youngest Reaper, Shoka Sakurane, and Matsunae

"Good! Now that this matter is resolved, and since we have our losing team..." Shiba continued, waving his hand lightly at the floor where nothing remained of the Players Matsunae had eliminated. "It's time to wrap up this week's Game. Good work everyone, rest well this afternoon and see you tomorrow for another Game week!"

Without waiting for a reply from his Reaper, Shiba turned around, quickly disappearing through the thick crowd. Behind him, his second-in-command Hishima had his teeth clenched and his gaze thundering. His eyes were pressed into the Conductor's back, stabbing at him until he disappeared entirely.

Perhaps...

But Joshua didn't get his hopes up. This was hardly the first time the Executor's puppet had given his own Reapers a rough time. Joshua had hoped at first, thinking that maybe if just one of them woke up and motivated the troops... but no, nothing had happened. And the introduction of Matsunae Tsugumi? That had been Joshua's last flickering flame of hope. A double-edged sword, really. Either their former friend's zombified state would be enough to make them revolt... Or the dramatic state of the only one who tried to rebel before would be the final nail to close their coffin.

And seeing as Hishima eventually turned around, the other Reapers with their heads down trailing after him, Joshua was afraid he could bid farewell to his Coup. or at least, from Shinjuku. Joshua hadn't wasted all his pawns yet...


Think about letting a review on your way out and see you the 10th for the continuation!