Shibuya Snapshots

Dance

Ha not late like I suspected I might be.

And that's why they were partners, in both life and dance.

-xXx-

The music of Shibuya flows through him. At times, it is abstract, at others, he can define the genre. Rock, jazz, techno, classical, rap, and a gentle waltz among others. And like with all songs comes a dance along with it.

Whether it be ballet, tap dancing, dances belonging to different cultures, ballroom, or even just letting the central music flow through you and freestyling it from there, something only those skilled and with high levels of Imagination can do efficiently and gracefully.

And like with many dances, he needs a partner to do so with.

He was the Composer, so, naturally, it would be assumed that his Conductor is his partner. And while he had no qualms with Megumi, dancing with the man whose physical appearance was far older than his preferred ones when he was not in his Composer form, didn't seem quite right. It more than likely wasn't exactly professional either. The man also worshipped him, much to his own amusement. But that only served to put a damper on more... intimate moments, if a lack of better words allowed him such a phrase.

But poor Megumi was no longer around, so it was now an entirely moot point.

Shiba, on the other hand, was a clear no-go. The non-native had become irate with him rather early on, but you wouldn't catch him complaining. The feeling was mutual. How did he not clearly see how his strings were being pulled so clearly by the Executor?

But after Conductors were crossed off the list, who else would be the Composer's partner?

Someone might suggest the Producer then, and as intriguing as an idea that would be to other Composers, he has no choice but to immediately shoot the thought down.

Sanae was many things. His Producer, a cafe owner, CAT... but the one that stands out and the most important thing to note is that Sanae is a mentor to him. Practically a father figure, really. He had been there no one else had, back before he had come to the UnderGround to accept what he thought destiny had in store for him. Why else give him such a curse if he wasn't meant to embrace it and conquer it entirely?

And Sanae was much older than him, both in physical appearance and in true ages. And he wasn't sure if the man also had the ability to change his appearance based on age. Dancing with his Producer to the music of Shibuya that he had been taught to do by him was far too awkward and, frankly, uncomfortable to participate in.

So if not his Conductor or Producer, who else would be his dance partner? A Reaper?

He was not particularly close with any of the Reapers to do so, not including the fact that a certain pink-haired "spring chicken" would go off and Erase herself upon finding out that the snobby boy who she had lightly bullied to solve a mystery with her Reaper partner was the Composer the whole time.

And while none of the remaining Reapers besides a select few know his true identity, his base vibe as Composer is more than enough to give an uneasy feeling, which would more than likely cause all of the Reapers to stay away.

Fair enough, considering what had happened with the Red Skull pins and with Shiba pushing them to near extinction.

Minamimoto would be quite interesting, given the little lion's attitude and temperament. Not to mention the lion's desire to kill him and become Composer. And as a dance partner, well... he wouldn't want his feet to get stepped on.

The only Shibuya Reaper that would have enough grace, and possibly the only one who actually knew how to dance, was one Coco Atarashi. But he had to give the girl a pass for several different reasons.

The first was their mutual hatred for each other. He wasn't sure what caused it on her end, but it was her actions that incited his anger. Her hatred would cloud Shibuya's music, and he would rather not dance in silence, thanks.

The second was her temper. The falsely cute, kind, and gentle attitude she put up masked her violent tendencies. What would you expect from a small child who carried a gun? They did say that smaller figures possessed more rage within them, and Coco was merely evidence supporting that.

The third reason? Well, that was quite simple. She hurt his Proxy. He had wanted the poor dear to live out the rest of his life peacefully, with or without him involved. But this Reaper had taken that away from him, and Neku had lost three vital years of his life.

The years that would have finally reassured him that he wasn't involved in the Game anymore and could spend time with his friends, living every day to the fullest. Graduating high school with his classmates and applying to different universities to fulfill his life's passion.

But now Neku won't be able to get those chances. All he got was three years of hell and endless nightmares to pair.

At the very least, Coco seemed regretful for her actions and was working on making it up to him. She helped him stay safe and sane when trapped in Shinjuku, even after she had figured out how to leave but couldn't take him with her. She kept going back to keep him company and even bought some new clothes from him from Gatto Nero, the brand made by two of his closest friends.

She was trying to make things right and had reached out. Trying to repent for what she did to him. Unlike the nothing he had done to try and earn Neku's forgiveness after what he himself did to him.

But Neku trusted him, and that was a good enough place to start.

And that's why they were partners, in both life and dance.

-xXx-

I'm surprised I'm not a day late, considering I got home six hours later than I usually would (it is 11:35pm though).