Traverse Town: 1st Visit Backstory

[Jingilator 922]

Just after Sora leaves to go after Spellican, Joshua proposes that the gang takes a rest before they head back to Shibuya. They all decide to, looking forward to going back home. However, Joshua feels a strange presence regarding the Reapers...as if the exits have been shut. Neku also gets this strange feeling when he goes to Sleep in the Green Room back at the Hotel; it's almost like he's slowly being sent back to the real world...but still in Traverse Town. It also feels not only as though time has elapsed greatly, but Sora has been almost enveloped in Darkness-only to escape-and gotten older.

 

When Neku wakes up, he discovers that his friends, for whatever reason, are gone. He decides to take a look for them, but only finds Joshua, who has just discovered that, for whatever reason, all of the possible exits were closed. Concerned, Neku asks Joshua where Shiki and the others are, but Joshua doesn't know. Joshua then decides to track them down himself, while Neku tries to find out why all the exits are closed. Just then, Koki Kariya, one of the Reapers, comes out of nowhere and exclaims to Neku that he will "erase your miserable existence for good." Kariya also reveals that "someone" looking for "something" gave him a unique new power. Neku, uninterested, attempts to fight him, only to be surrounded by Nightmare Dream Eaters. Kariya attempts to retreat, but Neku, unconcerned with the Nightmares, chases after him.

 

Up in the Second District, Neku sees Kariya standing around. When Neku gives up and asks about Kariya's "power", Kariya takes a step and begins emitting a dark orb. The orb manifests itself into a vulture-like creature resembling a Noise, but isn't. Neku is intrigued by the creature, which Kariya says is called a "Heartless". The "Heartless" then engages against Neku, and almost loses. Kariya then grows it to a tremendous size and commands it to emit great sound waves (which causes a malfunctioning vessel someplace else). They then both retreat after Neku is knocked down by the sound waves.

 

Nearly losing hope, Neku decides to take a breather in the First District before heading to the Back Streets from there. Someone walks by Neku, who turns around to see a man in red and blue stiching. The man, somehow feeling Neku's presence, glares at him from behind. The man snaps his fingers after glaring, which summons a seemingly small group of Nightmares and "Heartless", all of which stop Neku in his tracks. Neku battles the invaders, only for more to come. One of the "Heartless" injures Neku, and just when all seems lost, someone rushes in to save him. "Could it be...?" Neku thinks to himself. "Sora...is that you?"