.:Feel the rhythms, Hear the noises:.

[Neku Sakuraba]

Neku frowned deeply as he weaved through the sea of people. He couldn't just fade through anymore, and that was making this so...difficult on his end. He growled softly as Track 29 started playing. Damn did that song ever get on his nerves...

He quickly switched it to a different track, hopefully something better would play. Though he really didn't pay the music any mind anymore. He continued to weave through people like a maze of sort. You'd think these City streets was the Scramble.

He gently tugged at his hair a bit, looking around before colliding into a slightly taller Silverette. At first, he thought it was him, but realized his hair was much...much lighter. "Watch where you're going!" he barked.

[r]

The city was just bizarre. Riku had never seen a place so overpopulated, and it felt like everything around him was fake. The ground wasn't really the earth, it'd been made to look like that, and when the trees were actually real it was because they'd been planted there or been granted life based on their position and look. It was a similar feeling to The World That Never Was, if the Dark City had ever been this lively or the sun had ever visited.

But he was just out here to pick up a few necessities for the room. He was going to ask Demyx to come with him, but the Nobody had a way of disappearing when someone wanted him. So he was out here and alone, but for the most part people didn't seem to see him. They just passed by, eyes slipping from the coffee shop on his left to the music store on his right, or with their eyes locked on the ground, or anything to ignore his very existence. He felt like the Nobody when he walked among them.

Until one of them slammed right into him, shoulder connecting with his sternum. "Hey, wh--!"

"Watch where you're going!"

The orange of the kid's hair gave way to a flash of blue and--

Sora--?!

He doubled back, seizing the boy by one skinny arm, and immediately realized he was wrong. Riku let go of the kid, not exactly shoving him but not being too gentle about it either. "You're the one who ran into me. Maybe if you stopped listening to music for two seconds you could concentrate," he shot back.

[whitesong]

The City.. Why was it always the city? The city was where he was "born" and was also where his demise was placed as well. His life was determined and in control from the beginning. To who he met, to who he fell to. It hurt to realize it, but Ryoji knew that his fate was to die that day.. if Death could really die. Sky blue eyes scanned the surrounding concrete jungle of a landscape.

Yellow scarf despite the warmer weather lay on his neck held gently in his thin fingers grasp. Black hair slicked back and out of his eyes. Ryoji blinked as the sun shined from behind the clouds of the blue skies. It felt so odd after being in a dark void for so long, the light was comforting- yet painful at the same time. Even after being here at the Chocolat Academy for his 3rd year Ryoji never got to know anyone or- not let anyone get to know HIM.

It wouldn't be a pleasant conversation for the person knowing he or she was speaking to Death Personified... Jolted out of his thoughts form the sound of shouts Ryoji's eyes lingered over to a sight of two males who seemed to have collided with each other... Blinking slowly a small smile formed on his pale lips as she walked over to the two. Not sure what propelled him to move closer but as soon as he had gotten close enough Ryoji froze feeling a lingering Darkness coming from the silver haired teen.

But it was... confined? No controlled! Ryoji grimaced once more feeling the call, his breath hitched as he heard the "Mother of Shadows" call for him. His own self darkness began to burst from his body and it took all his will power not to summon the Midnight Hour into this world! Breathing steadily again he stood more straight and smiled. They didn't have to know... This was why Ryoji stayed away from people, his body could not help but love the arise of Darkness.. as he was the epitome of it...

Starting to speak he waved, "Er.. Hello. Something the matter?" He questioned trying to be oblivious to what had transpired between the two and caused them to be angry at one another. "What are you guys doing out here- Um... Maybe you both should apologize?" He asked aloud scratching the back of his head not making much sense as the Harbinger sighed heavily. "Sorry.. I'm not good at this social thing..."

[sorry fail post DX I just rambled D:>]

[Vexen]

Busy. Noisy. Bustling. Crowded. Noisy. Smelly. Noisy. Vexen had skipped class for the explicit purpose of getting away from the chaos, not to get himself directly in the midst of it. But he'd had a few errands to run, and in addition to that he was so very interested in that new coffee shop that had opened just a few blocks down from the bookstore; considering it was half a degree cooler than the day before, it seemed like a perfect time to go out -- even if it meant leaving a class full of mildly miffed students wondering where in the world their professor had gone.

But the heat seemed even more unbearable in the city, and he ended up lingering in that coffee shop for far longer than he'd intended, simply due to the fact that the shop had air conditioning (and iced mochas), and in a fit of laziness he'd entrusted the rest of the errands to a small handful of Dusks. And so it was that he happened to be standing in the coffee shop doorway (where the air conditioning was blowing full-blast), waiting for the last trio of Dusks to return, when he finally spotted their syrupy white forms amongst the crowd.

And then he saw Riku.

Oh?

Lifting a hand to shield his eyes, he squinted, trying to make out the other two boys that were with him, but either he hadn't met them or he simply hadn't taken the time to memorize their faces. The Dusks apparently didn't recognize them or Riku, as they saw fit to weave right between the three of them on their way back to Vexen -- although one Dusk did pause to stare(??) at Riku for what seemed like a relatively long time before continuing on its way. Wonderful. What would Riku think if he s...

Vexen's lips stretched into a smirk.

Perfect time for an experiment.

Following an unspoken command, the trio of Dusks stopped in their tracks, turned, and retraced their steps back to the three boys, suddenly seeming very interested in their presence.

[Neku Sakuraba]

The orangette frowned deeply, he didn't like other people touching him! Especially this kid...He made a small noise as he was shoved. What was his problem. This guy..."What I do is my buisness. Deal with it." he snapped, crossing his arms.

He glanced at the new commer. What the hell was wrong with this one now? "If you're not good at talking, don't speak." he grumbled irritably, playing with his bangs. Why did random people have to butt in on his affairs. Not that he wanted to be talking to either of these morons. He was perfectly content looking for a good ramen shop within this American city...

Though he was kind of deeming that impossible. Didn't seem like Americans had ramen shops. And even if he did...well, it'd probably still suck anyway.

He made a small noise, glancing around. Was he seeing things...? Seeing...new Noises? "....Noise....?" he mumbled, glancing around at the white...things. "...does anyone else see those...?"

[r]

Riku turned away from the orange-haired boy sharply in disgust. What a prick. Was...was I ever like that? Jesus, Sora, I'm sorry for that one...

"It's okay," he said, slipping his hands in his pockets and making for the one who'd tried to break things up--mainly out of spite towards the rude stranger and trying to pull up his natural self-confidence and mix it with Sora's general demeanor towards newcomers. "I'm not exactly a pro at the social deal either, but I'm Riku. You from Choc--?"

"...does anyone else see those...?"

He glared over his shoulder to congratulate the orange-haired one on interrupting, but stopped short at the sight of the Dusks. Dammit! "Get back!" was the only warning the stranger got as Riku tore Way to the Dawn from thin air and leapt into the fray. He was lucky--the flow of people had been dispersing from this area pretty steadily, and now most of them were trying to avoid the weird white things. Riku was well aware that he was probably making a spectacle but he wasn't in a position where he had any other choice unless he wanted people to get hurt. The Dusks were definitely hostile, but there were only a few of them and it only took Riku a few slashes, dragging himself behind the last one to throw it off guard, to take them out.

Nowhere near a workout. But they'd come from somewhere and Riku needed to find that out. Thus far there were two former members of the Organization at Chocolat' that he knew about, but there could be more of them wandering the city.

Not good.

[whitesong]

Well at least ONE of them were nice enough.. However the sudden appearance of some... white creatures alarmed Ryoji. Once more they were not even shadows as there was no Dark Hour so... Blinking he watched as the the Silver haired teen Riku dispatched the Nobodies like he had done this all his life. Surprised and in awe Ryoji couldn't say a word.

Mostly because he was surprised of the sudden attack and mostly because well he was just surprised. "Erm.. This doesn't happen often does it?" He questioned unsure of what was going on but hoped he wouldn't have to bring forth any of his spells soon..

[Vexen]

Fascinating.

So there was most definitely a language barrier between ordinary Nobodies and ordinary people. If Riku understood anything that the Dusks were saying to him, he gave no indication that he did; the Dusks were slain in record time, despite not having made any move to attack -- though it wasn't as if they weren't wigging out on purpose. It was almost amusing how quickly Riku could be provoked into attack.

That would be the best of him, eventually.

Well, that little hypothesis could finally be laid to rest, as trivial as it was to begin with. On the other hand, Riku was now completely suspicious of his surroundings, surely determined to find the Nobody responsible for that little skirmish, so he couldn't simply let matters be -- Vexen was very much in plain sight, and if he didn't quell any further suspicions, there could be problems...

Ah, well, this was actually rather fun.

Experiment two.

Vexen's eyes closed briefly in focus, and the elastic forms of a good twenty or so new Dusks manifested near the trio -- the remainder of today's task fleet. Wiggling very conspicuously towards them, they halted within about a stone's throw, and suddenly clustered together as if to spring a group attack--

--except rather than attacking, they engaged in a series of strange gymnastics, twisting and contorting their bodies into shapes that mysteriously resembled letters--

DIDYOUDOYOURHOMEWORK?

[Neku Sakuraba]

NEku growled softly, "Hey! I can defend myself you know! Don't go thinking your hot shit just because you can swing a sword at some Noise." He half glaired at Riku. Of course...no, he really couldn't fend for himself. Yes...he did have a pin or two pinned on--but what would they do if he didn't have a partner? Or if he's alive? Or if he's not even in Shibuya...?

Though he actually listened to the other kid. It better not have happened often...it'd be a waste of time if it did, "...better not..." he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head boredly as he glanced at Riku again. If those where noise, how did he see--how did he kill them? Such an odd situation this was.

And of course, it reverted back to him. He promptly shook his head, banishing the thouught from his mind, "How did you kill them anyway? And I've never seen a Psyc like that..." he mumbled.

Though, glancing over again he looked at [what he thought to be] Noise again. Where they spelling something...? Whatever it was...he couldn't read it...

[r]

"Erm.. This doesn't happen often does it?"

It took Riku a minute to snap out of his own thoughts, trying to assess the likelihood of another Organization member showing up at the school and, if not, determine by process of elimination whether it was Vexen or Demyx at work. Demyx definitely seemed more innocent, but Riku knew better than to trust either of them under the circumstances.

"N...No, I don't th--"

And then orangey spazzed out right on cue.

"Hey! I can defend myself you know! Don't go thinking you're hot shit just because you can swing a sword at some Noise."

...What.

Riku straightened, shooting Neku a look like the boy was a smashed bug he'd found on his shoe. "First of all, I'm not that pathetic. I'd rather not have the experience that lets me do this, because frankly, going through the trouble to get it sucked. Second, I don't give a damn whether I was defending you or not. As far as I'm concerned, you were just in the way." He turned, letting one hand rest loosely in his pocket and using the other to rest Way over his shoulders. "And third, they're called Dusks. If you're gonna be a jerk about this at least get it right."

He tensed when the other Dusks moved to attack, already drawing back in an attack position like a scorpion poised to strike, but stopped short when they started contorting. Riku didn't remember any sort of attack or spell that began with this, only took into account that he might have to vault out of the way in another minute if they did something he didn't expect...and then stared, dumbfounded, at the letters.

D, I, D, Y, O...J? Huh? He squinted, having a little trouble picking out the individual letters when the Dusks kept squirming and didn't completely fit into the message. ...Hombwokk...Homewo--waiiiit.

His eyes narrowed in realization.