Fanfic: Neku's Misadventures in Sexy Shibu-Land (R), part four
Title: Neku's Misadventures in Sexy Shibu-Land
Author: takatohedgehog and lazzchan
Rating: R for this chapter
Warnings: Joshua x Neku, Neku x Stripper!Josh, evil!Composer!Neku x Neku, fluff, angst
Summary: Neku is taken to Sexy Shibu-Land to hunt an evil!Composer version of himself and is 'forced' to protect a stripper.
Part One (R) | Part Two (R) | Part Three (NC-17)
The stripper looked at Neku for a moment before nodding slowly. "I...I can't exactly. But I know someone who can."
"You have power..." Neku tilted his head, stroking down Joshua's arm. "I can feel it---it's bright, Josh--"
"I told you," he whispered, shivering a little at the fingers. "I'm only a Harrier. I'm not an Officer or Conductor or the Composer..."
Neku couldn't help a small grin, pressing his lips to Joshua's again as he reached down for their clothing, wrinkling his nose a little at the mess they made. "So if what you said about me is true..." he murmured, "I'm higher than you in the Reaper hierarchy?"
Joshua nodded, shaking the sweat out of his hair. "There's the Wall and Support Reapers who delay the players. Harriers...well, I'm sure you remember the Kariya and Uzuki of your world?"
"Kariya," Neku said dryly, "should have been an officer, but he doesn't like the idea of it."
The stripper sighed a little. "Guess that's something different then."
Neku found a towel and began cleaning the both of them off. "There are a lot of things different," he said dryly. "Don't tell me Uzuki's the Composer."
Joshua blinked, letting Neku clean him off. "No. Kariya is. Uzuki's the conductor."
"Well, that's somewhat better, than," Neku muttered, "although..." he grimaced. "Oh, hell no. Pinky is not teaching me how to be a Conductor or to use my powers or..." He gave Josh a look. "You sure you can't do it?"
"I'm sure." Joshua scratched the back of his neck in thought. "Kariya probably knows what's going on...we should go down to the River tomorrow."
"Why not tonight?" Neku was pulling on his clothes. "The sooner, the better," he said. "And we'd better get out of this room 'fore Beat comes saying something stupid."
"I'm tired." The stripper smiled and kissed Neku's throat. "You take a lot out of a guy for a first timer...and I've been working all evening."
"Josh...." Neku's eyes met his. "Was it because of me... or just because.. you felt sorry for me?"
"What do you mean?" he asked with a smile. Truthfully, he didn't want to answer that question, because he didn't have a really good answer. It was sort of half and half, but if Neku knew that...
Neku gave an uneasy shrug. "Forget I asked... kind of a stupid question." He flicked his gaze back up to the ceiling. "So…where to now?" he asked. "And…do you a Sanae in this world? Guess I should talk with him if you do."
Joshua blinked, then hummed in thought as he pondered. "I don't think he's talking with anyone right now."
"Is it a good idea that I talk with him?" Neku asked suspiciously.
"Well, he's right here in the building if you want to talk to him straight away."
"He.... he's in... this building?" Neku blinked. "Is he... does he know about the Game or is it stupid that I'm going to talk to him?"
"Oh, he does." Joshua waved a hand. "I wouldn't have known what the things I've been seeing all my life were called if he didn't. He's only upstairs. You didn't think that this place ran by itself, did you?"
Neku gave a whimper and buried his head in his hands again. "God, no more shocks."
The stripper giggled and gave Neku a kiss on the cheek. "We're not that bad, are we?"
"I feel like someone shook up my world," Neku groaned and stood up, a little unsteady still. "Damn it, Josh...." he muttered under his breath. "Well, let's go talk to him and then to wherever you live so…so you can sleep and I'll make sure you don't get offed in the middle of the night."
"Sure. Just gimme a moment." Joshua pulled his shorts up, then pulled on the bunny hoodie and platform boots again, flicking out his hair. "Ugh. Shower when I get home."
"I want one, too," Neku muttered, tugging at his hair and still weirded out how different he was. He pushed open the door, relieved to see Beat was nowhere in sight.
"Must be near closing time," Joshua mused, noting that the customers had slowly started dwindling down after he had gone in there with Neku, Masuoka picking up abandoned glasses.
Neku hunched his shoulders slightly at the approving look that Masuoka gave him. "Easier to talk to Mr. H, I guess."
"I kinda miss the club when I go home," the pale-haired boy mused, leading the way with his fingers threaded through Neku's, beginning to climb a set of stairs off to the side.
"You... you like being with people?" Neku asked in bewilderment. It was so opposite to Josh that he couldn't process the thought.
"Well, it depends on the person." Joshua hummed, smiling over his shoulder at Neku. "Even I have my standards."
Neku rolled his eyes, that sounded more like Josh and he smiled a little.
The stairs seemed to continue for a while until they reached the landing, Joshua leading the way over to a door and rapping his hand against it. "Sanae?"
Neku stuffed his hands in his pockets, the voice that called back was the same as the Mr. H he knew--of course, everyone he had met *sounded* the same and he prayed his eyes wouldn't be scarred by anything.
Joshua opened the door, showing the office to be fairly normal-looking, loads of unreleased CAT work framing the walls as he lead Neku into the office. Hanekoma looked up from whatever he was doing at his desk, smiling when he saw them. "Josh, thought you'd be going home by this time."
"I will be after Neku here asks you a few things."
Neku smiled a little at the designs on the wall-- it was nice to see something so familiar in a world so weird. "You know about me," he said directly. "And the situation."
"Ah, right. You're that...Phones, I think he called you."
Neku groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "Damn it, it's Neku. Neku, not Phones."
Hanekoma laughed, Joshua giggling behind his hand. "Right. Gotcha, Neku Neku."
"I don't even know why I'm here," Neku muttered. He pointed at Sanae. "Why can't *you* do something?"
"It ain't my job to get caught up in the Player's business," the owner said, leaning back in his leather recliner. "I'm not a guardian like the me from your world."
"I... see," Neku frowned and sighed. "I'm only fifteen, damnit. I just hope everyone's trust in me isn't misplaced." He realized a moment later that he didn't look fifteen and then gave Joshua a sideways look. "I uh... "
Joshua waved his hand nonchalantly. "Fifteen is the age of consensual sex here."
"Fifteen....?" Neku stared at him, eyes wide. "That... I... " He looked over at the smirking Hanekoma.
"Have fun with our Josh, did you?" he asked.
The pale-haired teenager giggled. "You know I don't give details, Sanae. What happens between me and my clients stays between me and my clients."
Neku blushed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "So... what rules do I need to watch out for here?" he asked. "I mean... apparently--" he frowned at Joshua, "I'm the Conductor in my world."
"Well, you've obviously realized that our worlds are different," Hanekoma said, humming in thought as he tapped the arm of his chair. "Um...don't engage with any Noise."
Neku coughed. "I don't even want to know what the meaning that he is..." he rubbed his forehead. "And if it is just fighting, then I won't be doing it anyway, because I don't know how to really access my powers yet. I was only able to put up a wall by accident."
"There are the people you know from your world, but remember that they're different," Hanekoma continued. "I'd suggest lowering your frequency so you don't accidentally run into anyone who knew the you from here."
"It's up high?" Neku asked, surprised. "I don't feel like it's up high..."
"You've been glowing since you took me," Joshua said with a giggle, smiling greatly.
Neku's face flushed and he hunched down as much as he could, even though his clothes weren't the type that could hide his face anymore. "I'm...what?" he asked. "I don't glow, Joshua glows."
"When your Frequency is up high, an aura around you is visible for everyone in the UG to see," Hanekoma explained, grinning as well. "Sort of like an ethereal glow. It's just BARELY visible to people in the RG."
"I didn't have this problem before," Neku muttered, face still red. "You would think that... no, Josh isn't the kind to give explanations like my Frequency turning me into a fucking light bulb." He rubbed his forehead. "How do I turn it down?"
"Try concentrating," Joshua said, threading his fingers through Neku's and leaning towards him. "Imagine a light you can dim, and dim it so it's just lighting the room."
Sanae watched the two of them with barely concealed amusement. "Your Josh sent a Conductor that can't even tune his Frequency?"
Neku frowned. "Josh is an ass," he muttered to that and tried doing as this Joshua said, eyes closing as he focused on that image.
The pale-haired boy hummed for a moment before he rubbed Neku's palm in circles with his thumb. "That's better...you're not so Jesus-ish now."
Neku made a face. "I thought that was your job," he said dryly.
The stripper blinked in slight confusion before grinning. "Well...people do call me 'God' before they come..."
"I didn't need to know that," Neku groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "I'm still processing the fact that I had sex with you. And I enjoyed it," He stared at the ground again. "So, lowered Frequency, don't play with the Noise..."
"You might be Conductor in your world, but that doesn't give you the right to order around the Reapers in this world," Hanekoma added with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Yashiro might have a heart attack if someone else took her job."
"I still don't even believe I'm the Conductor," Neku frowned, arms crossing over his chest. "I mean, honestly... I was a Player for three weeks and killed the last Conductor-- but only because I would have been erased if I hadn't..." He couldn't help but grin, though. "Pinky would flip, wouldn't she?"
"And erase you in a heartbeat, kid." Hanekoma hummed. "I think that's all."
"Do you know how strong the.... other me is?" Neku asked.
Joshua frowned slightly with a sigh. "He's been using Players as target practice, we know that much."
"How could that other me... have turned out that way?" Neku was still bewildered. "But... I ... I mean, it's me in a way and I guess... I really do need to take him out." His mouth twisted upward slightly. "Since apparently it's an order from my boss."
Hanekoma pushed the oval sunglasses up his nose, rubbing his temples. "We actually managed to gain some info from his world...his Conductor was more than willing to hand it over."
Neku blinked. "I have a Conduc... no... I don't want to know who, just... what did they say?"
"Apparently he suffered a lot under the Joshua from his world," the stripper said quietly, biting his lower lip.
"My Josh wasn't the nicest, either," Neku pointed out, "he shot me to get me to play his game, then he forced me to either shoot him or I would get shot."
"That's not what he meant." Hanekoma sighed, seeing that Josh was uncomfortable talking about it himself. "His Josh was sadistic, cruel. The second week of his Game broke his mind."
Neku swallowed and shivered, eyes closing. "I... I still need to end it," he whispered. "Damn you, Josh." He leaned against the wall, hands clenched at his sides. "Let's just... get to your place so you can rest."
The pale-haired teen chewed on his lip, gently brushing his fingers over Neku's hand before looking at Sanae. "You know which account my pay goes to."
"Right, Josh." Hanekoma waved his hand. "Would you like to take Beat for extra protection?"
Neku shook his head, eyes still shut. "He'll just hurt Beat... he'll know Beat's weaknesses." Neku curled his hand over Joshua's. "Let's go."
"Thanks for the offer, but we'll be fine on our own." The stripper gave a little wave before leading Neku out of the office.
"This has been the weirdest month of my... life," Neku muttered as Joshua led them outside. The city was more quiet now, the lights dimmed in various corners.
"My home's not far away," Joshua said quietly, leading him away from the flashing neon signs of Dogenzaka and through 104 back to the Scramble.
Neku's gaze was flicking about, worried that his other self would jump out of nowhere before he was prepared to do anything. "I was half-wondering if you lived at the club."
"Only on certain days." The pale-haired stripper smiled a little wryly, shivering a little at the cool night air against the skin of his legs.
"I think Joshua lives in that throne of his," Neku offered. "Or at the cafe with Mr. H."
He smiled a little. "Sanae told me it was his dream to open a cafe. He had to settle for the club because nobody here likes coffee."
He kept close to Joshua, his power flaring unconsciously as he tried to assess any threat. "He should see my Shibuya," Neku laughed. "Everyone loves coffee and tea there. He always charges too much, though."
"Out for a midnight stroll?" The voice was like a whisper of wind, huskily low and almost right in his ear. Joshua froze up, his eyes widening and hand tightening on Neku's.
Neku's hair stood on edge as he turned abruptly and his breath caught. "Holy fuck," he whispered. It was more than disconcerting to see yourself outside of a mirror. With whatever Joshua had did to him as well, he could see the bright flare of power around this Neku, too. He had to shake his head mentally at the dark clothing. Please tell me I'm not this emo he thought .
He smiled, though the smile was slow and wicked, hands resting lazily in the pockets of his trenchcoat as he eyed Joshua appreciatively, licking his lips as the stripper squeezed Neku's hand. "I think I'm going to enjoy it this time," he purred. "Much."
"Jeez, you're overdramatic, aren't you?" Neku gave his other a long look, shaking his head. "Get over yourself." He raised an eyebrow. "Josh is a right fuck up for certain," Neku continued, "but you're taking it too far."
The redhaired Composer's smile curled a little more, eyes narrowing at his other self. "I don't believe I was talking to you." The stripper gasped as Dark Neku disappeared, feeling hands on his hips even though the Composer had lowered his Frequency, gasping as teeth grazed his earlobe. "I was talking to this nice piece of meat."
Neku lashed out without meaning to, breath catching in his throat as his power flared--he was only conscious of something like fire and lightning skittering across his senses as he latched onto to this other self, trying to knock him away. He was used to the power his pins had put out, he wasn't used to what Conductor-level power was like.
His darker self flinched away at the feeling of Neku's power, a low moan rumbling in his throat as he looked over his shoulder with a violent grin. "They send an inexperienced little Conductor to stop me?"
"I can't believe you're such a moron," Neku rolled his eyes, taken back a little by the expression, by the... feeling that surrounded the other. "Grow up." He made a face. "And do I have Conductor flashing in bright lights on my forehead or something?"
He giggled, an insane type of giggle that erupted from his throat. "I can tell~" he sing-songed, draping his arms over Joshua's trembling form. "Your power is delicious...I can feel the tendrils coming from your body."
Neku gripped onto his arms, eyes dark and serious as he wrenched the other Neku away, shoving him against a wall. "Leave Josh the hell alone," he said, more power sparking from him, getting more and more strong as he got angrier. "You killed enough of them, just... stop it." Neku shook his head. He could feel this Neku's power, too-- it was strong and violent.
Dark Neku grinned, bearing his teeth at his other self as he was pinned to the wall. "Not enough~" he sang, releasing some of his power to combat Neku's. "It'll never be enough...they'll all die."
Neku choked on a gasp, body shaking at the rush of power, the pain slicing through his senses. "No, damn it..." He growled back, slamming him harder against the wall, trying to think through the haze in his mind, the slight binds that were on his power snapping.
A low moan of pain (and was that pleasure?) ripped from his mouth as his opposite's power shackles snapped, trying to grapple for something to hold onto but only finding either wall or Neku. "Have you ever watched someone die?"
"Yeah," Neku's eyes were cold as his power met with the other Neku, twisting about and trying to burn through it. He shivered again as his opposite did the same and he hissed slightly. "When I shot my bastard father."
"I find a thrill in ending their lives," he purred huskily, dark sapphire eyes gleaming with a deadly sort of lust, pushing his power against Neku's. "Watching the light die from their eyes...they deserve it for what they do to us."
Neku licked his lips, throat going dry as that power pulsed against him again and he barely kept his eyes from closing as he stared at his other. "That's not... that's not the way to do it," he kept his grip tight, each flare of power brighter and more strong.
"Isn't it?" Dark Neku purred huskily, yanking his other forward via the grip Neku had on his arm. "Didn't you love watching the last breath leave your father?" He pressed his lips to Neku's, moaning in pain and pleasure as he overrode Neku's power.
Neku stumbled against his other, groaning into the kiss, sickened that it felt this good-- that the power that was trying to *erase* him did this to him. "Damn it, I enjoyed it cause he was a pervert," he hissed out. "And I only needed to do it once, not hop worlds and go after every Josh." His power snapped out from like a flood in pure self-defense.
The darker half moaned, taking hold of Neku's other arm and pulling him closer, feeling the way his erection rubbed against Neku's thigh. "No...you enjoyed it because it was a thrill...it was a rush of power...like this." He groaned as his power pushed back against Neku's.
"Damn it, you're a pervert," Neku tried what he could to overpower his other, but as he had pointed out to his Josh--he wasn't any match for a Composer. The power slid against him again and Neku gave another moan. It was a catch-catch game, neither side winning, but each getting stronger. Neku could feel is darker half's power curling all through him now and he was pressed almost fully against him
"It's delicious," he purred huskily into Neku's ear, giving the shell a long lick. "The last world I went to before this one, he was so weak. Not even Composer. He let me do what I wanted...called me 'master'...shame I had to kill him. I could have set him on your little stripper there."
Neku gave another groan, eyes staring at the wall ahead of him. "I... Josh gave me a second chance," he whispered. "He's an asshole, but... he gave us all second chances." He dug his power in deep, getting more of the hang of it as he was forced to use it. "There are Joshes that don't know why the fuck you're doing this," Neku gripped harder and drove himself against the other, lightning lacing around his fingers.
Dark Neku watched the lightning crackle with glee dancing in his eyes, a cruel smile spread across his lips before he vanished.
- end part four, to be continued -
Author: takatohedgehog and lazzchan
Rating: R for this chapter
Warnings: Joshua x Neku, Neku x Stripper!Josh, evil!Composer!Neku x Neku, fluff, angst
Summary: Neku is taken to Sexy Shibu-Land to hunt an evil!Composer version of himself and is 'forced' to protect a stripper.
Part One (R) | Part Two (R) | Part Three (NC-17)
The stripper looked at Neku for a moment before nodding slowly. "I...I can't exactly. But I know someone who can."
"You have power..." Neku tilted his head, stroking down Joshua's arm. "I can feel it---it's bright, Josh--"
"I told you," he whispered, shivering a little at the fingers. "I'm only a Harrier. I'm not an Officer or Conductor or the Composer..."
Neku couldn't help a small grin, pressing his lips to Joshua's again as he reached down for their clothing, wrinkling his nose a little at the mess they made. "So if what you said about me is true..." he murmured, "I'm higher than you in the Reaper hierarchy?"
Joshua nodded, shaking the sweat out of his hair. "There's the Wall and Support Reapers who delay the players. Harriers...well, I'm sure you remember the Kariya and Uzuki of your world?"
"Kariya," Neku said dryly, "should have been an officer, but he doesn't like the idea of it."
The stripper sighed a little. "Guess that's something different then."
Neku found a towel and began cleaning the both of them off. "There are a lot of things different," he said dryly. "Don't tell me Uzuki's the Composer."
Joshua blinked, letting Neku clean him off. "No. Kariya is. Uzuki's the conductor."
"Well, that's somewhat better, than," Neku muttered, "although..." he grimaced. "Oh, hell no. Pinky is not teaching me how to be a Conductor or to use my powers or..." He gave Josh a look. "You sure you can't do it?"
"I'm sure." Joshua scratched the back of his neck in thought. "Kariya probably knows what's going on...we should go down to the River tomorrow."
"Why not tonight?" Neku was pulling on his clothes. "The sooner, the better," he said. "And we'd better get out of this room 'fore Beat comes saying something stupid."
"I'm tired." The stripper smiled and kissed Neku's throat. "You take a lot out of a guy for a first timer...and I've been working all evening."
"Josh...." Neku's eyes met his. "Was it because of me... or just because.. you felt sorry for me?"
"What do you mean?" he asked with a smile. Truthfully, he didn't want to answer that question, because he didn't have a really good answer. It was sort of half and half, but if Neku knew that...
Neku gave an uneasy shrug. "Forget I asked... kind of a stupid question." He flicked his gaze back up to the ceiling. "So…where to now?" he asked. "And…do you a Sanae in this world? Guess I should talk with him if you do."
Joshua blinked, then hummed in thought as he pondered. "I don't think he's talking with anyone right now."
"Is it a good idea that I talk with him?" Neku asked suspiciously.
"Well, he's right here in the building if you want to talk to him straight away."
"He.... he's in... this building?" Neku blinked. "Is he... does he know about the Game or is it stupid that I'm going to talk to him?"
"Oh, he does." Joshua waved a hand. "I wouldn't have known what the things I've been seeing all my life were called if he didn't. He's only upstairs. You didn't think that this place ran by itself, did you?"
Neku gave a whimper and buried his head in his hands again. "God, no more shocks."
The stripper giggled and gave Neku a kiss on the cheek. "We're not that bad, are we?"
"I feel like someone shook up my world," Neku groaned and stood up, a little unsteady still. "Damn it, Josh...." he muttered under his breath. "Well, let's go talk to him and then to wherever you live so…so you can sleep and I'll make sure you don't get offed in the middle of the night."
"Sure. Just gimme a moment." Joshua pulled his shorts up, then pulled on the bunny hoodie and platform boots again, flicking out his hair. "Ugh. Shower when I get home."
"I want one, too," Neku muttered, tugging at his hair and still weirded out how different he was. He pushed open the door, relieved to see Beat was nowhere in sight.
"Must be near closing time," Joshua mused, noting that the customers had slowly started dwindling down after he had gone in there with Neku, Masuoka picking up abandoned glasses.
Neku hunched his shoulders slightly at the approving look that Masuoka gave him. "Easier to talk to Mr. H, I guess."
"I kinda miss the club when I go home," the pale-haired boy mused, leading the way with his fingers threaded through Neku's, beginning to climb a set of stairs off to the side.
"You... you like being with people?" Neku asked in bewilderment. It was so opposite to Josh that he couldn't process the thought.
"Well, it depends on the person." Joshua hummed, smiling over his shoulder at Neku. "Even I have my standards."
Neku rolled his eyes, that sounded more like Josh and he smiled a little.
The stairs seemed to continue for a while until they reached the landing, Joshua leading the way over to a door and rapping his hand against it. "Sanae?"
Neku stuffed his hands in his pockets, the voice that called back was the same as the Mr. H he knew--of course, everyone he had met *sounded* the same and he prayed his eyes wouldn't be scarred by anything.
Joshua opened the door, showing the office to be fairly normal-looking, loads of unreleased CAT work framing the walls as he lead Neku into the office. Hanekoma looked up from whatever he was doing at his desk, smiling when he saw them. "Josh, thought you'd be going home by this time."
"I will be after Neku here asks you a few things."
Neku smiled a little at the designs on the wall-- it was nice to see something so familiar in a world so weird. "You know about me," he said directly. "And the situation."
"Ah, right. You're that...Phones, I think he called you."
Neku groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "Damn it, it's Neku. Neku, not Phones."
Hanekoma laughed, Joshua giggling behind his hand. "Right. Gotcha, Neku Neku."
"I don't even know why I'm here," Neku muttered. He pointed at Sanae. "Why can't *you* do something?"
"It ain't my job to get caught up in the Player's business," the owner said, leaning back in his leather recliner. "I'm not a guardian like the me from your world."
"I... see," Neku frowned and sighed. "I'm only fifteen, damnit. I just hope everyone's trust in me isn't misplaced." He realized a moment later that he didn't look fifteen and then gave Joshua a sideways look. "I uh... "
Joshua waved his hand nonchalantly. "Fifteen is the age of consensual sex here."
"Fifteen....?" Neku stared at him, eyes wide. "That... I... " He looked over at the smirking Hanekoma.
"Have fun with our Josh, did you?" he asked.
The pale-haired teenager giggled. "You know I don't give details, Sanae. What happens between me and my clients stays between me and my clients."
Neku blushed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "So... what rules do I need to watch out for here?" he asked. "I mean... apparently--" he frowned at Joshua, "I'm the Conductor in my world."
"Well, you've obviously realized that our worlds are different," Hanekoma said, humming in thought as he tapped the arm of his chair. "Um...don't engage with any Noise."
Neku coughed. "I don't even want to know what the meaning that he is..." he rubbed his forehead. "And if it is just fighting, then I won't be doing it anyway, because I don't know how to really access my powers yet. I was only able to put up a wall by accident."
"There are the people you know from your world, but remember that they're different," Hanekoma continued. "I'd suggest lowering your frequency so you don't accidentally run into anyone who knew the you from here."
"It's up high?" Neku asked, surprised. "I don't feel like it's up high..."
"You've been glowing since you took me," Joshua said with a giggle, smiling greatly.
Neku's face flushed and he hunched down as much as he could, even though his clothes weren't the type that could hide his face anymore. "I'm...what?" he asked. "I don't glow, Joshua glows."
"When your Frequency is up high, an aura around you is visible for everyone in the UG to see," Hanekoma explained, grinning as well. "Sort of like an ethereal glow. It's just BARELY visible to people in the RG."
"I didn't have this problem before," Neku muttered, face still red. "You would think that... no, Josh isn't the kind to give explanations like my Frequency turning me into a fucking light bulb." He rubbed his forehead. "How do I turn it down?"
"Try concentrating," Joshua said, threading his fingers through Neku's and leaning towards him. "Imagine a light you can dim, and dim it so it's just lighting the room."
Sanae watched the two of them with barely concealed amusement. "Your Josh sent a Conductor that can't even tune his Frequency?"
Neku frowned. "Josh is an ass," he muttered to that and tried doing as this Joshua said, eyes closing as he focused on that image.
The pale-haired boy hummed for a moment before he rubbed Neku's palm in circles with his thumb. "That's better...you're not so Jesus-ish now."
Neku made a face. "I thought that was your job," he said dryly.
The stripper blinked in slight confusion before grinning. "Well...people do call me 'God' before they come..."
"I didn't need to know that," Neku groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "I'm still processing the fact that I had sex with you. And I enjoyed it," He stared at the ground again. "So, lowered Frequency, don't play with the Noise..."
"You might be Conductor in your world, but that doesn't give you the right to order around the Reapers in this world," Hanekoma added with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Yashiro might have a heart attack if someone else took her job."
"I still don't even believe I'm the Conductor," Neku frowned, arms crossing over his chest. "I mean, honestly... I was a Player for three weeks and killed the last Conductor-- but only because I would have been erased if I hadn't..." He couldn't help but grin, though. "Pinky would flip, wouldn't she?"
"And erase you in a heartbeat, kid." Hanekoma hummed. "I think that's all."
"Do you know how strong the.... other me is?" Neku asked.
Joshua frowned slightly with a sigh. "He's been using Players as target practice, we know that much."
"How could that other me... have turned out that way?" Neku was still bewildered. "But... I ... I mean, it's me in a way and I guess... I really do need to take him out." His mouth twisted upward slightly. "Since apparently it's an order from my boss."
Hanekoma pushed the oval sunglasses up his nose, rubbing his temples. "We actually managed to gain some info from his world...his Conductor was more than willing to hand it over."
Neku blinked. "I have a Conduc... no... I don't want to know who, just... what did they say?"
"Apparently he suffered a lot under the Joshua from his world," the stripper said quietly, biting his lower lip.
"My Josh wasn't the nicest, either," Neku pointed out, "he shot me to get me to play his game, then he forced me to either shoot him or I would get shot."
"That's not what he meant." Hanekoma sighed, seeing that Josh was uncomfortable talking about it himself. "His Josh was sadistic, cruel. The second week of his Game broke his mind."
Neku swallowed and shivered, eyes closing. "I... I still need to end it," he whispered. "Damn you, Josh." He leaned against the wall, hands clenched at his sides. "Let's just... get to your place so you can rest."
The pale-haired teen chewed on his lip, gently brushing his fingers over Neku's hand before looking at Sanae. "You know which account my pay goes to."
"Right, Josh." Hanekoma waved his hand. "Would you like to take Beat for extra protection?"
Neku shook his head, eyes still shut. "He'll just hurt Beat... he'll know Beat's weaknesses." Neku curled his hand over Joshua's. "Let's go."
"Thanks for the offer, but we'll be fine on our own." The stripper gave a little wave before leading Neku out of the office.
"This has been the weirdest month of my... life," Neku muttered as Joshua led them outside. The city was more quiet now, the lights dimmed in various corners.
"My home's not far away," Joshua said quietly, leading him away from the flashing neon signs of Dogenzaka and through 104 back to the Scramble.
Neku's gaze was flicking about, worried that his other self would jump out of nowhere before he was prepared to do anything. "I was half-wondering if you lived at the club."
"Only on certain days." The pale-haired stripper smiled a little wryly, shivering a little at the cool night air against the skin of his legs.
"I think Joshua lives in that throne of his," Neku offered. "Or at the cafe with Mr. H."
He smiled a little. "Sanae told me it was his dream to open a cafe. He had to settle for the club because nobody here likes coffee."
He kept close to Joshua, his power flaring unconsciously as he tried to assess any threat. "He should see my Shibuya," Neku laughed. "Everyone loves coffee and tea there. He always charges too much, though."
"Out for a midnight stroll?" The voice was like a whisper of wind, huskily low and almost right in his ear. Joshua froze up, his eyes widening and hand tightening on Neku's.
Neku's hair stood on edge as he turned abruptly and his breath caught. "Holy fuck," he whispered. It was more than disconcerting to see yourself outside of a mirror. With whatever Joshua had did to him as well, he could see the bright flare of power around this Neku, too. He had to shake his head mentally at the dark clothing. Please tell me I'm not this emo he thought .
He smiled, though the smile was slow and wicked, hands resting lazily in the pockets of his trenchcoat as he eyed Joshua appreciatively, licking his lips as the stripper squeezed Neku's hand. "I think I'm going to enjoy it this time," he purred. "Much."
"Jeez, you're overdramatic, aren't you?" Neku gave his other a long look, shaking his head. "Get over yourself." He raised an eyebrow. "Josh is a right fuck up for certain," Neku continued, "but you're taking it too far."
The redhaired Composer's smile curled a little more, eyes narrowing at his other self. "I don't believe I was talking to you." The stripper gasped as Dark Neku disappeared, feeling hands on his hips even though the Composer had lowered his Frequency, gasping as teeth grazed his earlobe. "I was talking to this nice piece of meat."
Neku lashed out without meaning to, breath catching in his throat as his power flared--he was only conscious of something like fire and lightning skittering across his senses as he latched onto to this other self, trying to knock him away. He was used to the power his pins had put out, he wasn't used to what Conductor-level power was like.
His darker self flinched away at the feeling of Neku's power, a low moan rumbling in his throat as he looked over his shoulder with a violent grin. "They send an inexperienced little Conductor to stop me?"
"I can't believe you're such a moron," Neku rolled his eyes, taken back a little by the expression, by the... feeling that surrounded the other. "Grow up." He made a face. "And do I have Conductor flashing in bright lights on my forehead or something?"
He giggled, an insane type of giggle that erupted from his throat. "I can tell~" he sing-songed, draping his arms over Joshua's trembling form. "Your power is delicious...I can feel the tendrils coming from your body."
Neku gripped onto his arms, eyes dark and serious as he wrenched the other Neku away, shoving him against a wall. "Leave Josh the hell alone," he said, more power sparking from him, getting more and more strong as he got angrier. "You killed enough of them, just... stop it." Neku shook his head. He could feel this Neku's power, too-- it was strong and violent.
Dark Neku grinned, bearing his teeth at his other self as he was pinned to the wall. "Not enough~" he sang, releasing some of his power to combat Neku's. "It'll never be enough...they'll all die."
Neku choked on a gasp, body shaking at the rush of power, the pain slicing through his senses. "No, damn it..." He growled back, slamming him harder against the wall, trying to think through the haze in his mind, the slight binds that were on his power snapping.
A low moan of pain (and was that pleasure?) ripped from his mouth as his opposite's power shackles snapped, trying to grapple for something to hold onto but only finding either wall or Neku. "Have you ever watched someone die?"
"Yeah," Neku's eyes were cold as his power met with the other Neku, twisting about and trying to burn through it. He shivered again as his opposite did the same and he hissed slightly. "When I shot my bastard father."
"I find a thrill in ending their lives," he purred huskily, dark sapphire eyes gleaming with a deadly sort of lust, pushing his power against Neku's. "Watching the light die from their eyes...they deserve it for what they do to us."
Neku licked his lips, throat going dry as that power pulsed against him again and he barely kept his eyes from closing as he stared at his other. "That's not... that's not the way to do it," he kept his grip tight, each flare of power brighter and more strong.
"Isn't it?" Dark Neku purred huskily, yanking his other forward via the grip Neku had on his arm. "Didn't you love watching the last breath leave your father?" He pressed his lips to Neku's, moaning in pain and pleasure as he overrode Neku's power.
Neku stumbled against his other, groaning into the kiss, sickened that it felt this good-- that the power that was trying to *erase* him did this to him. "Damn it, I enjoyed it cause he was a pervert," he hissed out. "And I only needed to do it once, not hop worlds and go after every Josh." His power snapped out from like a flood in pure self-defense.
The darker half moaned, taking hold of Neku's other arm and pulling him closer, feeling the way his erection rubbed against Neku's thigh. "No...you enjoyed it because it was a thrill...it was a rush of power...like this." He groaned as his power pushed back against Neku's.
"Damn it, you're a pervert," Neku tried what he could to overpower his other, but as he had pointed out to his Josh--he wasn't any match for a Composer. The power slid against him again and Neku gave another moan. It was a catch-catch game, neither side winning, but each getting stronger. Neku could feel is darker half's power curling all through him now and he was pressed almost fully against him
"It's delicious," he purred huskily into Neku's ear, giving the shell a long lick. "The last world I went to before this one, he was so weak. Not even Composer. He let me do what I wanted...called me 'master'...shame I had to kill him. I could have set him on your little stripper there."
Neku gave another groan, eyes staring at the wall ahead of him. "I... Josh gave me a second chance," he whispered. "He's an asshole, but... he gave us all second chances." He dug his power in deep, getting more of the hang of it as he was forced to use it. "There are Joshes that don't know why the fuck you're doing this," Neku gripped harder and drove himself against the other, lightning lacing around his fingers.
Dark Neku watched the lightning crackle with glee dancing in his eyes, a cruel smile spread across his lips before he vanished.
- end part four, to be continued -