Shibuya Snapshots

Freeze

This prompt was a tough one. I hope this one makes sense.

He freezes for a split second as the integer screeches and chases after him, but he sidesteps her and she trips, freezing on the ground herself with rage. He leaves her on the ground; he has some numbers to crunch.

-xXx-

He is a lion that will claim his right to the throne, and he has the power and intellect to support him, he already did the math; all he has left is to show his work. So it is not often that he is surprised by something.

And he loathes being surprised. His body involuntarily freezing before he goes on the attack and comes out victorious.

The first time it happens is when his t variable equalizes to zero. And it drops into the negatives and keeps going. He inverses it and factors it out of the equation. His lifespan is irrelevant now, so it no longer has a purpose in the equation. But he does tense when he finds out, but he moves on quick enough.

The new set of variables that he is introduced to are immediately thrown into different equations to see how far away he can get from the mold of linear regression.

His calculations factor out into becoming a Reaper after they flawlessly win the Game. He learns about variables that surpass even him in greatness. And all he has to do to get them is to reduce the derivatives who are assigned to those variables.

He writes out the calculations and executes them, rising to the spot of officer quickly, and one of the next variables to be a Game Master.

But that's an irrelevant number. The Composer is on the other side of the equals sign, all he needs to do is solve for x.

The second time is when he's approached by a man who looks normal when looking to the standard deviation, but a gut feeling tells him the man is an outlier.

His theory is proven true when the man offers to teach him how to make Taboo Noise and how to make a refinery sigil that will multiply their powers together. The question is whether it will be greater than, equal to, or less than the Composer's.

He accepts and the two write out the equations, and then he receives the chalk that will finalize it all.

He attempts to kill the Composer when he's GM and they and the yoctogram with him fight. He sets off his perfectly calculated flare and prepares to multiply with the Taboo.

The third time is when their powers are multiplied four days after what he had calculated for.

He's angry. While his calculations had originally allowed him extra time, he still didn't know the location of the Composer. And the man from before had absolutely given him the wrong formula.

He doesn't find the man at his shop, and on his way to the river, he tests his power against the yoctogram from before and his partner. Both fall easily.

His power is equal to the Composer, at the very least.

He breaks down the wall to the river that had been designed to keep him out and meets the roadblock that triggers the fifth moment he freezes. Of course, her Iron Frostiness is able to keep him out. But she proves to be an outlier herself when she takes it down upon their deal.

He moves swiftly through the sewers, carefully enough that he won't draw the Composer's attention, and calculates for the next battle. Megs is tough and not necessarily someone he wants to factor out, but Megs is stubborn and he knows that some steps just can't be skipped.

He never reaches the Pad where Megs surely is.

The Composer appears abruptly in front of him and Sho freezes. How had the Composer known? The gray hair, purple eyes, and infuriatingly smug look on his said that he knew more about the equation than he let on.

No matter, he'd interrogate him after he won. He rushes the Composer who merely smiles and waves a few fingers.

Sho's calculations fail as a large car and vending machine are dropped onto him. There's a bright light as the Composer says something he can't quite pick up, then Sho's t value hits zero again.

He's not sure how long he's a zero on the x-axis of consciousness, but it must've been a while. The area around is a tiny bit more faded, and the constructs pinning him to the ground are gone.

What stands out, however, is the refinery sigil on the ground. He hadn't put that there. Another radian of a sort had to have known the formula to bring him back into the equation. Such was the life of a constant.

He's taken aback at the tiny integer in the loud colors standing before him, a smug and victorious smirk on her face.

She starts to say something about him owing her a favor, but he turns around and starts to leave as she's talking. He's grateful for the reset, but this is his problem to solve.

He freezes for a split second as the integer screeches and chases after him, but he sidesteps her and she trips, freezing on the ground herself with rage. He leaves her on the ground; he has some numbers to crunch.

-xXx-

Next one will be longer, I promise. Also happy birthday Shiki who did not appear in this fic!