The Clock Ticks Red by LM Bluejay
And So They Meet...
Disclaimer: I don’t own InuYasha © Rumiko Takahashi or The World Ends with You © Square Enix. Funny quotes derived from Twitter.com
And So They Meet...
.
The loud clatter of the city aroused him awake. Amber eyes opening in an instant, he swiftly rose to his feet. Befuddled, he watched as dozens walked right by. There was a small object in his hand, and he subconsciously rolled it, taken aback when he thought he heard the chatter of the people passing by louder than usual.
“Voices?!” Staring at the mass around him, he disbelievingly shook his head. Did I…really hear them in my head? What’s going on?
Opening up his fist, a tiny black disk rested on his hand. And where’d this come from? He shifted it around a couple of times, noting a white skull designed on its center.
“Hn.”
He closed his eyes and focused. Wonder if there’s a connection… He tightened his grip on the pin.
A bright blue light engulfed him. But he was taken by surprise the most by the many different voices that came rushing in into his head all at once:
.
‘I don’t care what my girlfriend thinks!
I was born naked, so I’m gonna sleep that way.
End of story!’
.
‘It’s like I always tell my lil’ bro.
You don’t know something? Google it!
You don’t know someone? Facebook them!
You don’t find something? MOM!’
.
‘And then God created Saturn...
And he liked it...
So he put a ring on it.’
.
‘So I’m like: Coke please!
And she’s like: Is Pepsi ok?
Then I’m like: Is Monopoly money ok?’
‘Cancel... Cancel!....
Cancel!!....CANCEL!.....
Message sent... Kill me now!’
.
‘My mom asked what I learned in school today.
So I told her obviously it wasn’t enough,
since I have to go back tomorrow…’
.
Snapping from the trance, he instantly came to. Okaaay…? That definitely just happened! Am I really hearing people’s thoughts? Why? Bringing one hand to the back of his head, he used the other to gaze up the pin. “What IS this?” Was it truly the cause? Or have I finally lost my mind…
The sound of a cell phone unexpectedly beeped loudly. Confused, he located its source in the back of his pants’ pocket. …since when do I own a phone? Glaring at the small black device, he flipped it open. A new message was displayed on its screen:
“Reach 104. You have 60 minutes. Fail, and face erasure. ~The Reapers.”
Eyes narrowed, his thumb speedily found its way to the ‘delete’ key. This one is NOT amused. Just who in their right mind would have the audacity to…? “Hn.” …strange. The message isn’t deleting.
A sharp jolt suddenly shocked his hand. Turning it over, he found engraved on its front a red timer. He examined the clock bemused as it counted down second by second. It now read 58:02.
Another flash of light lit the sky drawing his attention towards the tall 104 tower. On its large black screen a red message read in bold:
YOU HAVE 7 DAYS.
Ominous red monster-like masks suddenly began littering the sky. Wasting no time they hovered towards him. Fascinated, he silently stood his ground as small frog-like creatures began hopping from out of them and into the sea of oblivious people. Their slimy green coats contrasted heavily with their abnormally large black skeletal legs.
Well that’s certainly different.
When they rushed him one by one, he took to fending them off half-hazardly. His eyes sparked with amusement as he lightly dodged their attacks. Another missed his body coming at him with maladroit leaps.
Now, was that aimed at me?
A sharp hitch of breathe escaped his mouth as a strong force bounced heavily against his back.
T-that…actually hurt!
Now alert as ten more began to gather around, his mind began to race. What the hell is going on? Why are there so many of them all of a sudden?
Scanning the area, he was startled when he found people simply walking by; seemingly oblivious to his crisis. “Hey! You there! No! Wait! You! Someone?!” Anyone!? Not a soul answered, nor paid any mind. Can they really not see me!? Am I being ignored? “Dammit!”
Heartbeat involuntarily quickening, an unknown feeling began to stir. His brain rushed for solutions as his adrenaline began to heighten. The monsters quickly closed in. A hasty decision was made. Spotting an opening, he took it and ran.
XXXXXX
Somewhere deep within the city’s bowels, two shady figures conversed:
“Oh? Is it that time again already?”
“YAY! It’s been FOREVER since we last had work!”
“And just when things were getting a little too quiet, too. It’s about time.”
“Oh, I can hardly wait!” A gasp was heard. “Does that mean we get to…?”
“You got it! And Day 1 always has the most players. Ready to rack up some points?”
“Am I! I can’t wait to see all their cute little scared faces!”
“Well this is our first job in a while…how about we commemorate the occasion with a game.”
“A game!? Oh, I love games! What do you have in mind?”
“Reaper Sport 3. A player’s hunt. Whoever racks up the most players wins.”
“Ohhh, sounds fun! If I win, can I get that new Lapin Angelique make-up kit? Oh! Pleasepleaseplease?!”
“Um…sure? But if I win, you have to change your entire wardrobe to Wild Boar.”
“Deal!”
“Someone sure seems pretty confident?”
“No offense, big bro, but with cosmetics on the line you don’t stand an ice ball’s chance in hell.”
“Ohh, snap! Guess I better actually try then.”
They both took off to shadows of the streets.
XXXXXX
He finally slowed down to a stop in front of the statue of Hachiko. Brusquely, he tried catching his breath. There…I think I…lost them. In the midst of calming his heart, he growled lowly as more frog monsters appeared. You’ve GOT to be kidding me! “What the hell do you vermin want!?”
A mass of red monster masks descended upon the area, only this time people screamed and began to completely disappear as they scurried away. Backing away, panic began to set in as he watched a girl reach out before vanishing into thin air.
Just…what the hell is this place!? And why am I here?
Moments later, he found himself cornered. He cautiously stepped away until his back came in contact with a wall. The little green monsters chillingly edged closer, ready to pounce at any moment.
“Shit!” Is this how it ends?
“Oh my gosh! Thank goodness! Hey, you!”
The female’s shouts instantly broke through his growing fear of certain doom. Blinking three times, he watched incredulously as a raven haired girl waved and started running towards him.
What the hell is she doing? Is she out of her mind!? “Stop! Get away!”
Clumsily leaping over the line of small monsters, she rammed right smack into his well-toned chest. He caught her before she hit the ground and jerked her right back up to her feet. Mumbling a quiet thanks, she turned to meet her silver haired savior and flashed him an awkward smile. But her cheery temper almost soured when she was greeted by his small disapproving frown.
“What?” she questioned him.
“…” What’s with this girl?
“Anyway…You! Forge a pact with me, now!”
“Are you crazy? We’re about to be killed.”
“Look! If we forge a pact together, we can destroy the Noise!”
“You expect this one to believe one can truly destroy noise? You’re more lunatic than I thought.”
“Hey! You wanna live or what? Now hurry up and forge this pact with me or we’re both finished!” She eeped as the menacing creatures came closer. Turning back towards him with big eyes full of tears, she begged, “Please!”
Unable to watch any girl cry, he groaned.
At this point what’s the worst that could happen?
He turned away and stiffly nodded his head. “Do as you will… I accept.”
All of a sudden, a bright light erupted around them. It was gone as quickly as it came. Glaring at her triumphant smile, his eyebrow rose when she took his hand.
“You’re the best! Here yah go. Use this!”
Looking down to his hand, he found a tiny forest green disk with a thin white ring bordering just along its edge.
More pins, huh? And what was with that light just now? “Girl, explain to this one what…”
“Later! I promise! But first we have to stop the Noise!” Forming an awkward battle stance, she ardently fist pumped the air. “Let’s do this!”
He skeptically observed the pin and sighed. Without another word, he leaped up to attack.
As he became air-born for an instant, he closed his eyes and focused, pouring all his concentration into the new pin. Feeling a heavy weight begin to form where the pin once lay, he was startled when he found a large, light-green, luminous rope coiled in its place.
Interesting.
Taking one end firmly, he gracefully flicked the glowing rope out in no particular direction. It left a deep sizzling mark on the hard pavement.
Hn. It has an almost acidic quality.
He snapped the rope at a nearby frog and watched smug as the poor creature agonized in pain before disintegrating completely. Smirking darkly with glee, he took the rope with both hands and made it crack with a roar. “Who’s next?”
Five minutes later…
He finished dispatching the twentieth green monster marking the end of their amphibious attack. Almost sad to see his poison-like whip disappear, he watched it get re-replaced by its original pin form. Giving it another glance he brought the disk to the girl’s face.
“Explain.”
“You made the pin work! YES! I can’t believe I actually found the right partner!” Chocolate eyes sparkled; she invaded his personal space. “This is awesome! Who knew you’d be a genius at using psychs!?”
“Psychs? Is that what that rope was?” He brought the pin back towards him for closer inspection. So that’s the connection…
“Yes, sir! And now that we’re partners, the Noise will finally stop chasing us! Which is kinda great since I don’t think I can run another five miles, let alone five feet…” she laughed, blatantly amused. “Talk about being in shape. Am I right?”
“So in other words, we’re safe.”
“Yup! No more Noise! They’ve been thoroughly erased! Eradicated. Deleted. Obliterated. And all that jazz. See? All gone.”
Scanning the now symbol-free area, he supposed he had to agree. “I take it those creatures I just fought are this ‘Noise’ you keep referring to.”
“Well, duh!” she giggled, crossing her arms haughtily. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! Those monsters are called Noise. Of course there are many more different kinds out there, some waaay tougher than others…but, let me stop now before I get carried away. Heh-heh. I’m Kagome. Kagome Higarashi. Nice to meet you.”
It’d be nice to figure out what the hell is going on.
“We’ve got a long week ahead of us, so let’s do our best!” she exclaimed.
A week? “Doing what?”
“Eh? What do you think?” When he didn’t respond, her eyelids dropped. “Um…the Reaper Games? Seven days long? Gotta survive each mission? Ring any bells?”
Reaper Games? Just what is she playing at?
“Ah, forget it! I’ll explain it to you later. But anyways, got a name?”
This is pointless. I need to figure out where the hell I am.
“Hello…?”
Looking past her at the nearby station, he read its sign. Shibuya? How’d I get here?
“Your name, sir…that’s all I asked.”
Hn. I think…the last place I remember was…the intersection! Turning back towards the way he’d first come, he left.
“H-hey! W-wait a minute! Dammit! Oh, no, you don’t!”
She followed him to Shibuya’s Crossing, almost furious. Colliding into him when he suddenly stopped, she tumbled to the ground. “Jeez! Give a warning next time, will yah?”
“Why do you persist on chasing me?”
“Why do you keep trying to leave me behind?”
“Because your company is undesired.” I thought you’d have taken the hint.
“Well tough, because we’re stuck together!”
“Why?”
“Because we made a pact, remember?!”
“So?”
“Argh! Look! If you go on your own, the Noise will attack. And if the Noise attacks, you can’t survive.”
“Survive what?”
“The game! We’re trying to survive…THE GAME! It’s veeerryyy important that we wiiiiiin,” she cried, trying to convey the significance of them sticking together.
“Hmph. This one has no time for your childish games. Go play with someone else.”
Mouth dropping, she looked at him as if he sprouted a second head.
“What the hell? Are you crazy!? That was SO not cool! If we don’t win this thing, they’re gonna erase us and then we’ll end up like those people who vanished earlier. Now is that what you want to happen to us?! Hm?!”
She took a few breaths to calm herself down. “Look, as long as we’re partners, we can survive this thing, ok?” she said optimistically, her voice returning to its normal tone.
“I’ve already said I want no part of this.” Or are you hard of hearing as well?
“Well, that’s just too damn bad ‘cause you’re a player, just like ME!”
“Says you.”
“No! Says the player pin you’re probably carrying and timer on your hand, too!”
Player’s pin? Pulling out the black pin from earlier he looked at its skull design once again. So that’s what you are. Wait... A timer? Opening his right hand the highlighted numbers blinked: 19:42.
As his face filled with worry and understanding, she did a small dance to reward herself for her victory. “Ah-hah! Told you you’re a player in the Reapers Games! Now what!?” she grinned complacently.
“…we have less than twenty minutes.”
“That’s right! We have less than twenty minutes! We have less than twenty minutes… Ah, crap! We gotta get to Ten-Four NOW! Let’s bounce!”
“…don’t you mean one-hundred and four?” That’s what was on that infuriating message, anyway.
“Ten-Four! One-o-four! It’s all the same thing! Now c’mon!”
Already realizing he wouldn’t be rid of her anytime soon, he unwillingly conceded to her request once more.
What’s the harm? And maybe I’ll even get some answers. “Fine…”
“Alright! Now for the hundredth time, tell me your name!”
“…Sesshomaru.”
“Sesshomaru? Really? That’s it?”
“You asked. I told” Figures she’d remain unsatisfied.
“Yeah, but doesn’t that mean ‘killing perfection’ or something?”
“Hn.” And with good reason.
“Well anyway, ‘Sesshomaru’,” she air-quoted, “let’s head on over to Ten-Four pronto! Errr, one-hundred and four... Know what? Let’s just go!”
Making their way through the crowd unseen, they finally reached their destination. They located the tall building just a block away and ran full-speed towards it, only to smash into an invisible wall.
Never mind why. HOW is the pathway blocked?
Rubbing his arm where a small bruise was starting to appear, he attempted to stare the clear barrier down into submission.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not gonna work,” Kagome teased, massaging her own hurt shoulder.
Miffed, he turned towards her and growled. “Well then, how do you suppose we get there now?”
She laughed nervously. “I have no idea, BUT this is the way to Ten-Four!” Wrapping a hand around her chin, her eyebrows knitted together.
He watched her silently ponder and couldn’t help but feel a tad impressed. So she has a brain after all.
Eyes shooting open, she looked at him and pounded a fist into her hand. “Nope! I’ve got nothing!” she declared.
Then again, maybe not. Turning away as he rolled his eyes, he spotted a suspicious looking man in a red hoodie not too far away. Now who’s he? Are we being watched?
XXXXXX.
He examined them from a far as they made their way towards 104’s entrance.
“Pact confirmed.”
Clearing the wall he had placed, he promptly disappeared unnoticed.
XXXXXX.
“Argh! This is hopeless!” Kagome continued beating the wall. “We’re never going to make it in tii-AH!”
Swinging his head back, he found her lying flat on the ground beyond where the barrier had allowed.
“Um…inviso-wall’s gone,” she looked up giving him a toothy grin.
“Indeed.” He turned attention back to the guy in red, his right eye twitched when he found the man gone. Where’d he go? Was he responsible for this?
Sensing he was getting ready to space out on her again, she quickly grabbed his arm and pulled. “Do that later! Time’s almost up!”
They arrived in front of the 104 tower with moments to spare. Kagome released him and sighed heavily in content. There were other players around as well, happily chatting about the first day’s success.
“YES! We totally made it!”
They felt their hands tingle and found the timers were gone.
“Woo-hoo! Mission accomplished!”
Sesshomaru huffed when she sent him a thumbs up.
“Aw!” a male with a high pitched voice sung. “Someone thinks they actually accomplished something! That’s sooooo cute!” Screams began to fill the area as he made himself known. Panic stricken faces lined all up the block as players tried with all their might to get away. “That’s it! Now those are the looks I’ve been waiting to see!”
“A-a reaper!” Kagome yelped, immediately rushing to Sesshomaru’s side.
“Reaper?”
Puzzled by her obvious shaken state, he looked back up at the male unfazed.
Minutely scrutinizing this ‘reaper’ she feared, he found nothing impressive whatsoever. Other than the pair of black wings that donned his back, nothing much screamed ‘Danger’. His black hair was up in a bun, and he wore a simple yukata. A blue stripe was painted down under each one of his eyes; but otherwise the male looked simply effeminate.
They’re afraid of him? Why?
“Yah know? I always find it sexy when at least one of you resists,” the reaper smirked, sending a wink in his direction.
Sesshomaru shuddered.
“Say! I’ve got an idea! I only need a few more points in order to win this bet, see? So how about helping lil’ ole me out a bit? It’ll be easy! All you have to do is die,” he giggled happily. With the wave of his hand he summoned a mass of familiar red masks, and sent the horde of Noise to attack them.
Sesshomaru got ready to unleash his green psych but stopped short when Kagome placed a hand on his arm. “H-hey…I wanna fight, too.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You’ll only be in my way.”
“No I won’t. I promise! Let me help. I can do this!”
Observing the fire that danced brightly in her eyes, he was annoyed when he found himself yielding to her whim yet again. This is starting to become a bad habit. “If you dare die on me, I’ll haunt you.”
Brimming with confidence, she saluted him. “Don’t worry Sessh, I shan’t let you down!”
♣♦♣♦♣♦♣
A/N: This chapter has been edited by krazy4fluffy for an easier flow. For those unfamiliar with the game, here's an image of the frog noise and the red masks from which they appear: http://images.wikia.com/twewy/images/4/4e/Frogs.png
And here's the mysterious player's pin which we'll delve into the next chapter:
http://www.adiumxtras.com/images/pictures/the_world_ends_with_you_pins_dock_icon_1_16556_5672_image_8174.png
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more. :)