#slight rindoshoka

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Hoping to Help

An AU story about who I thought might have been Swallow for a while. Neo spoilers (moreso in the AN than anything, I think, but still maybe stay away if you haven't finished the game, to be safe).

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33528064

Author’s Note:  Just imagine that in this AU, Rindo and Shoka just fall for each other because of the Game and the Game alone:)

‘Don’t worry, Rindragon. I’m coming to get you,’ Eri thought, as she typed a message to her most recent friend and prayed beyond measure that Neku and Shiki might be able to get him out of the Game.

For you see, Eri was none other than Swallow: Rindo’s online friend he’d been worrying about so much during his Reapers’ Game.

And Eri, honestly, was only ever in the UG a few times (the instances that Joshua would let her in to help Neku and Shiki with whatever mission they were on about something called an “Inversion”. And the Composer was far more lenient with Shiki coming and going from the UG than her… probably because if Josh had his way, Eri never would have been told about the Reapers’ Game at all). So Eri sometimes being in the UG (the times Josh would let her) explained some of the reason that she and Rindragon were still able to text.

But the other, Eri imagined, was that maybe in being around so many Ex-Players… they had somehow touched her, so that fate itself thought she was one of them and always in the UG, too.

And Eri would of course happily take being able to still talk with Rindragon this way, over Neku’s situation… where he wasn’t a Reaper yet, but every day Joshua was getting closer and closer to breaking his defenses down so he would choose that, Eri thought. Though part of her did wish that she was in the UG constantly, so she might be able to do anything for Rindragon.

And, yeah… Eri had technically lied to Rindragon, something she never wanted to do, about her being in the UG (all the time)—but it had been simpler than explaining her actual situation. And she really wasn’t even supposed to do that, according to Joshua, since he warned her that the Higher Plane would probably strike her down for knowing so much without being a former Player, if she wasn’t careful.

So, most of the time, Eri was mum’s the word about it at all, over anything that could be traced, and wouldn’t talk to Shiki, Neku, Beat, or Rhyme about other Plane stuff over the phone and might even go so far as to only whisper to them about it in their houses… but now Eri was almost willing to the risk of being murdered by the Higher Plane, just if it gave her one shot at saving Rindragon!

He was younger than her—Eri had been able to tell that right away—but she didn’t mind it. She’d always been popular with most ages, honestly, and he had been there for her when she’d been somewhat left out of Reapers’ Game talks with her friends (they tried with her. They really did. And Eri appreciated them for it, but it was clear that there were some things about it that they could really only share with each other) and wanted to start a game of her own with a new friend, like Shiki had new friends… it was why Eri had started playing FanGo to begin with.

But now, it almost seemed like her dream of playing FanGo with Rindragon was going to fade, too. And Eri was a go-getter, who worked so very hard and usually achieved her dreams that way… so lately, the fact that she’d been losing so much (like with Neku’s death, that had mortified her until she got to see him again) didn’t sit right with her at all, and she wanted to fix some of it… somehow and someway. And so, she’d try.

“Neku… I feel like you’re the key to going in and saving him, oh, Legendary Player. Any chance you can do that for a friend here?”

And if Eri wouldn’t have known better, she would have thought it was just a normal night with the three of them, sitting around her apartment, casually eating pizza… but of course with her luck lately, it was anything but.

“I’ll try, Eri,” Neku promised her, sending a small smile Eri’s way (he saved his big one’s for Shiki), while he pulled the cheese off his pizza (he was thinking about going vegan lately, Eri knew). “Even though the Reapers are trying hard to create walls I can’t pass—and will be on my ass the moment I try it--…but you do know there’s a chance we’ll have to fight him, right? If he remains Kubo’s lapdog? I’d say it would just be me doing that… but the way Josh is, the asshole may try to recruit you guys into the UG, too.”

And as Neku was clearly starting to get worked up here (at the idea of having to fight an innocent, or the two of them entering the UG again like him), Shiki reached over on the couch they were on together and ran soothing circles all over Neku’s back. And Eri found that she couldn’t blame Neku for being stressed… especially since he was pretty much a murdered specimen right now. Eri was stressed, mostly for Rindragon, but she didn’t even have the half of Neku’s issues going on for her. “Hopefully it won’t come to that!” Shiki encouraged Eri too, sending the large smile her way that Neku had been incapable of—but Eri thought it was kind of nice, in that regard. This couple clearly completed each other… even if it made her feel a bit lonely to see sometimes. “I’m sure Neku—and us, if it comes down to it—will find a way. Like when Neku got the Red Skull Pin off of my person, so he wouldn’t have to defeat me… We’ll think of something, Eri, I know it. And Rindragon seems strong,” Shiki continued on, proving that she was still very much was the new Shiki who believed in things, and not the old one who so easily got tripped up.

But Rindragon most certainly was that, Eri knew. You didn’t become one of the top FanGo players for nothing; you had to walk all over and work hard for it, to be strong enough and savvy enough catch the best creatures. So Eri knew that Rindragon was clearly fit—and had gamer’s hands, and therefore fast reflexes—but she was still so paranoid about him here.

“Shiki’s right, Eri,” Neku promised, squeezing her hand—that had still been on her keyboard—in an aim to comfort her even more now. Was she really that shaken up? “I’ve been in so many Games now, that I’m not going to make them say that I can’t have my way without a fight. And even though I don’t think I’m as reassuring as Beat would be here… If I need to carry all of us in the Game, I’ll do so.” And Neku did end up attempting to do that for them—which Eri knew she would always appreciate him for—but she ended up helping Rindragon (Rindo, who she properly knew the name of by then) against the Plague Noise, too (and Shiki aided in it as well, whose Imagination had gotten so powerful, that she didn’t even have to be a Player or Reaper to use some of her powers now. Eri got desperate and did kill herself for Rindo’s sake—and entered the Game that way—and that was something that Rindo gave her a mouthful for: and Eri had smiled amusedly at that, because in some ways… it felt weird to be chewed out by a kid. But it was a kid she adored, so she would take it… especially since she knew that if she survived, Josh had promised he would bring her back, so Rindo would no longer be able to be mad at her for throwing her life away for him then).

But it was no easy thing. Eri imagined she had as much trouble finding a psych she could use, as Shiki once had. But eventually, Eri had learned that if she carried pieces of fabric around, and something to draw on them with, the clothes would transform into what she’d drawn on them and she could then use them for a bomb… that took a while to set up this way, but did massive damage when it was done, so she could try and really best the bird that giant phoenix.

Then, everything was finally over. Peace rained in her friends’ lives again, and Eri couldn’t have been happier for it… and that Joshua kept his promises.

And now, Rindo was meeting up with Eri after he had aided his girlfriend, Shoka, find a better apartment to stay in, than the one Joshua had rented for her.

“It’s still so weird to think that you’re Swallow…” Rindo remarked, as the two of them played FanGo on their phones and headed towards 104 to shop some. “One of the lead designers of Gatto Nero. Damn, what are you doing hanging out with a loser like me?”

And at that, Eri had to laugh and give Rindo a quick hug around his waist, because he didn’t even know! “…Actually, I was starting to feel like the loser in not having played the Game… it was why I got into FanGo and met you. And I’m so glad that I did! But then when I found out you were in the Reapers’ Game… well, it was ironic, for sho, but I was afraid I would send Shiki and Neku to save you, and I would do nothing… and so you’d have no good opinion about little old me, when you finally met me at all! So, it meant a lot when you actually chewed me out for joining you in it, and throwing my safety away!

“You’re a good kid, Rindo. A good kid, I’m happy to be friends with,” Eri said, as the two of them dug out the lollipops they’d bought and sucked on them now… She hoped she wasn’t sounding too much like a mom here now, and scaring Rindo off, but when she looked over at him, she could tell that he still looked happy and deep in thought about this all. Good. “And you should totes intern with me for Gatto Nero, if you want. Your friends can too, really!!”

Rindo was guffawing now, as the two of them decided not to go into her and Shiki’s store, but rather up the stairs of the 104 building just to get a nice view.

Eri had no doubt that the girl who had given Rindo lots of advice in the past had finally reared her head, unlike the scared version of her, who had only been able to send him a few scared words in texts lately. And Rindo must have realized that, and been moved by it, because Rindo suddenly took Eri’s hand to shake it, and he smiled. “Sounds like a good deal, Swallow. Count me in!”

Author’s Note: Man, I had so many theories about Swallow while I played the Game… that all turned out to be wrong. Hahaha.

At first, I REALLY thought it was Rhyme, because Swallow sent Rindo a squirrel picture (essentially) and her name is “Swallow.” And I was like, “Squirrel Noise? And Rhyme got SWALLOWed by a Shark Noise?” Also, she’s around Rindo’s age. Ehh?!), but it quickly became clear that that wasn’t the case.

Then my next best guess was Eri for the longest time (which I wrote here), mainly because for a second, I was thinking the person at the computer (Rhyme) and Swallow were the same person, so all of this jumped into my head as to how it COULD have been Eri, even though I really didn’t think they would go this way (because I kind of figured they wouldn’t include Eri, sadly). Though it would have been cool.

Then I thought it was Shiki, for the same reasons I thought it was Eri (and I know that when I was thinking girl at their computer—Rhyme—was Swallow, the color palette should have been a dead giveaway that it was Rhyme. And really, it was. But I thought they MIGHT try and pull a fast one on us, sort of like they did with the Neku and Beat twist, and change the character’s color palettes or something), though clearly they didn’t. But then I didn’t think they would do that, because it might seem like Shiki was in love with Rindo over Neku or something… even though that would be kind of silly, because girls CAN have guy friends that are JUST their guy friends. So, I was really thinking Eri the most, out of the two of them.

I also thought it could be Joshua, for obvious reasons, but mostly I knew Swallow was a girl from the way they talked… typed.

And I think I thought it could have been Neku for five seconds, because when I thought the person at the computer desk and Swallow were the same person, and we then saw “Neku” come and save the Wicked Twisters (like computer-desk-person, Rhyme, had said about coming to save him [Beat], but at the time I thought she meant Rindo), I thought it was Neku because of that, fulfilling the promise, maybe. But I don’t really think I ever truly thought it could have been Neku. I think he was the one I imagined the least, because it would be too obvious.

Somehow, I missed the Shoka thing entirely… even though it seems so obvious now. But I’m kind of glad that I did, because it was a cool twist for me that way.

But here’s the Eri idea. I might the rest of them for fun, too (I already wrote the Shiki one… before this actually, so I hope in doing that, I didn’t steal some of this one’s thunder). Who knows?:)

Hope you all enjoyed!

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Will We Be Friends When We Grow Old?

A Tsugumi and Shoka fic. Oneshot. Major Neo spoilers.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33277189

More detailed plot summary: Tsugumi helps to comfort Shoka about the loss of Ayano, as they hold a memorial for her. This fic is mainly platonic. Though some slight one-sided shipping ended up in here (Tsugumi towards Shoka), but it’s blink and you miss it and you can still choose to see it as platonic. Also, RindoShoka and Neku and background someone. For me, it’s Shiki. But I didn’t specify, and you could maybe imagine it as someone else. Tsugumi’s PoV. Oneshot. Canon compliant

Tsugumi had only been in Shinjuku again for a few weeks—trying to figure out how they could bring it back from the brink, and have it be shiny and new again—when she got a call from Shoka, begging her to come back to Shibuya for a bit, because she needed someone with her who could understand the crippling loss of Ayano and be there for a memorial.

And while this was a tiny bit inconvenient—because Kaie had electronics mapped to Tsugumi’s head right now, in thinking maybe her visions of Shinjuku could help to create it, and then they could use something like a 3D printer to recreate it... after they made one that strong—Tsugumi knew that she would happily tell her friend Kaie to wait a little longer on this, so she could go comfort Shoka.

After all, how long had she been trapped in her Mr. Mew doll because of that bastard Kubo, before Shiki’s kind soul had wrestled her out of it? So, Tsugumi thought she could wait longer for her home to surface from the seas again, too.

Especially since Tsugumi knew it had to be hard for Shoka right now, without her old family. She had the Wicked Twisters... and while Tsugumi was sure they were trying their best to help soothe Shoka’s pain about Ayano’s erasure, it probably wouldn’t mean as much as someone doing the same who understood the loss themselves.

So, Tsugumi delicately removed the wires from her head, texted Shoka that she'd be there in a jiffy, and then looked to Kaie, who was definitely looking at her questioningly right now.

"Sorry, Kaie," Tsugumi reassured her dear friend, as she patted his hand. "Can this wait for a week? I want Shinjuku back as soon as you do. I swear. But Shoka needs me. It seems she's having a memorial service for Ayano, and needs the support. I'll be back in a week, okay?"

'That's fine', Kairi texted Tsugumi near instantly, once her words had seemed to reach his ears. 'Be sure to give Shoka my best.'

And Tsugumi smiled at Kaie even brighter now, because something about hearing him care about Shoka was aligning her soul, when a part of her had been afraid that her Shinjuku family would never reconnect with Shoka again. But clearly she needn't have worried. And that was a very beautiful thing, indeed.

"Don't worry!" she promised Kaie, her hand on her heart. "I will."

...

It didn't take Tsugumi too long to get back to Shibuya with her Reaper wings.

And one of the first things she saw when she arrived there, was Shoka and Rindo leaving 104... and Shoka wearing white clothes, of all things! Rindo was wearing all white, too.

And though it took Tsugumi a second to guess why, she did eventually figure out the reason. Shoka liked this one book series called "The Mortal Instruments", and in that, the characters with special powers—the Shadowhunters—wore white to funerals, instead of black. And Shoka must have been doing that here, since she usually wore black, and must have gotten Rindo to go along with that, as well... even though he usually seemed to wear a lot of white, from what Tsugumi had seen, he was wearing nothing but it now. And Tsugumi knew she would have to do the same thing.

"Shoka, it's so good to see you!" Tsugumi exclaimed as soon as she found her voice, running up to her surrogate sister and giving her a hug. "And I'm so sorry that I didn't think about that leaving you here alone, would mean leaving you to deal with the loss of Ayano alone. But I'm here now. And since here funeral is going to be ‘City of Bones’ themed... I can get the instrumental for for 'When the Darkness Comes' to sing, if you want."

"Thank you so much, Tsugumi!" Shoka cried, pulling Tsugumi only tighter into her arms. And Tsugumi was completely happy to be there, as she stroked Shoka’s hair and took in the sweet smell of Shoka’s raspberry scented perfume once again. “That sounds great. I'm so glad you're here, Tsugumi! And I'm so glad to see you again!" And Shoka kissed Tsugumi on the cheek then, leaving a stain of red lipstick there for the moment... until Tsugumi had to sort of awkwardly wipe it off (though maybe it actually wasn’t too awkward for Tsugumi at all).

And speaking of awkward, it was clear that Rindo felt that way right now. And Tsugumi wondered if he was second-guessing his place as Shoka's best friend at the moment.

But he was definitely that, Tsugumi was ashamed to say. Because the “The Mortal Instruments” was one of the few things Tsugumi knew about Shoka lately, since she'd been so focused on saving Shinjuku, she’d let her fall through the cracks. And how she desperately regretted that.

"I don't know if it's gonna be much of a funeral," Rindo explained to Tsugumi now, maybe thinking it was best that she got all the detes? "I asked Shoka if she wanted one for Ayano, and told her my mom could help pay for it and everything. But she said she'd rather just have a short vigil at Miyashita Park, where we can leave tributes to her. Though I'm sure you could sing during it, if you'd like."

"Thank you," Tsugumi told Mr. Twister, looking at him with her eyes shining. She thought it was pretty sweet, that even though the event would be short, he would make time for his former enemy to sing, if she would wish it. Tsugumi might have even started fangirling over him then, as much as she did Lord Ishimoto, if she hadn't realized then that she might be too choked up to sing. Because she was still heartbroken up about Ayano, too. And thoughts of her, often brought on thoughts of Big Su, that would really start up the waterworks in her...

"So, were we planning on going right now, then?" Tsugumi asked. But it was pretty obvious by the way that Shoka and Rindo were dressed, that that was the case. "Wow. I made it just in time, then!"

"I would have done it a second time with you, if you'd been late," Shoka assured Tsugumi, taking her hand. "And I'll do the same for Shiba, Kaie, and even Hishima, whenever they get their asses up here."

At this point, Rindo had pretty much disappeared into the scenery of 104, the poor kid—Tsugumi did feel bad about leaving him out, she wasn't trying to, but this sort of was a moment for her and Shoka right now—but thankfully, Neku, Fret... and some prissy looking kid seemed to be showing up for him, and Shoka, too, to keep him occupied.

"Kaie told me to send you his love," Tsugumi promised Shoka, squeezing her hands. "And I'm sure he'll be down right after I am. And Shiba and Hishima care, too. You know them, Shoka. They really do, deep down, as do I. And I'm so sorry if I ever made that unclear. But they might wait until Shinjuku is in some proper form again, before they stop by. But I know they will. And you could always come visit us, you know! In fact, please do, Shoka. Please?! With sugar on top!

"Anyway, let me go to 104 and buy some all-white clothes, and then we can get this solemn show on the road!"

And Tsugumi did just that.

They ended up getting forget-me-nots for Ayano, to let her know she would never be forgotten. And since, sadly, the fact she had never forgotten Shinjuku was part of the reason she could never embrace Shibuya, Shoka had let Tsugumi know. And even Blue Pepsi, since she loved the beverage and it somewhat matched her favorite shirt, and the Maximum Ride book series, since there was a character named "Iggy" in there, like her iguana.

And Shoka left her her Mr. Mew hoodie, thinking that maybe Ayano would like to have it, and might understand her love for Gatto Nero now, wherever her soul pieces were.

And Tsugumi did sing for her, though she broke key once, as the tears overwhelmed her... but Neku had chimed right in then, and had covered it up and no one had heard anything wrong. And if Neku hadn’t already been in a committed relationship, Tsugumi could have kissed him for it.

A girl named Rhyme had a few adages to say... as did Nagi say some very wise things over their gathered items.

And Fret bought a long scarf to tie off a part of Miyashita Park with all of the stuff here, so no one would mess with it for a while. Rindo had helped Fret do that (and had then gone back to holding Shoka). Rindo was also largely responsible for all of this, Tsugumi knew, so she definitely knew he was going to be on her Christmas list from now on.

Shiki had looked rather pained when Rindo and Fret had stretched the scarf so thinly, though—as if expecting it to rip right away—and had already broke out her needle and thread, and might have been creeping closer and closer to it as she eyed it...

And then Beat banged a small drum at the end of it all, to then try and make them all feel better—which was much appreciated, because Tsugumi didn't know if she liked where Joshua was so intently watching where Ayano had apparently fallen—as he told everyone that Ayano wouldn't want them to grieve... Shoka and Tsugumi, anyway.

And it was truly an event to remember. And Tsugumi knew that she would for as long as she existed in her non-life.

She even had new friends now, that she hadn't counted on at all when she'd started this venture here.

She'd thought she'd stay jealous of them and not fully understand why Shoka had left her family.

But now Tsugumi was hugging Shoka goodbye and promising she'd visit Shibuya and the Twisters again soon... though still making sure to try and needle Shoka into visiting Shinjuku, too.

"It's been great, Shoka. See you soon, dark girl," Tsugumi teased, running her hands up and down the lady's arms, as she did so.

And she could pretty much hear Shoka smirk—or perhaps purr—as she shot back with lips and teeth against Tsugumi's cheek, "And see you soon, light girl."

And then Tsugumi's visit to Shibuya turned out better than even Shiba could have guessed when he'd been the Executor.

Because by a literal miracle... spilling into Shoka's apartment, to hug them both now—as all three sobbed, and made promises to hold onto each other and never act so foolishly again—was Ayano.

Author’s Note: The ending with Ayano coming back is super cheesy, I know. And I sort of hate to write it. But when I had Joshua at the memorial too, I knew it had to happen.

This will be the one TWEWY story I write, that sort of cheapens death. The anime soften TWEWY’s blows by bringing Nao and Sota and Def March back to life (which I appreciated, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think they were brought back in the game. And I get why they weren’t: to not cheapen death). So, this will be the one where I soften Neo’s blows, I guess.

Hope you all enjoyed!

Oh, and the title is a lyric from the song “End of the Line” by Christi Mac, which is pretty good. I couldn’t think of anything else to name it, so I went with that. -shrugs-

And, yes. I do think Tsugumi ended up with one-sided feelings for Shoka in this. I didn’t intend this when I wrote it, but it just happened… which is sort of what gave birth to my theory on Tumblr, about me wondering if maybe Tsugumi was actually beta!Rindo. And I believe that now, but it’s just a game theory, as MatPat would say. But anyway, you guys can also gladly ignore those one-sided feelings that sort of crept up in here, if you want, and see this all as platonic as it was meant to be, if you want! Or not! Whatever floats your boat!

And while I wanted to write something for Shoka and Tsugumi—because the game hinted at their friendship, but then didn’t do much with it—someone on Tumblr actually responded to my post about that and gave me the idea to have Tsugumi help Shoka deal with the loss of Ayano. But now I can’t find the commenter. But shoutout to them. If it was you and you’re reading this—or anyone here knows who it was—let me know, so I can give credit where credit is due!

Shutting up now!