(author note stuff: ARGH! I am soooo sorry everyone! I lost EVERYTHING! My games, my books, my stuffed animals, my computer, this very chapter that I had to re-write... soooo sorry guys! And now since I epically fail, I am using word pad and have no idea what is spelled right or any typos. Please excuse~ T.T)

Chapter Six: Jail Break

thump-thump-thump

The sound echoed through the building as Neku threw the ball at the wall in a rythmetic fashion. The room was in need of a make over... unless dark dungeon was the theme they were going for.

The cold walls were nothing but a dreary grey and the small window was covered in chains. A good way to make bars without going through all the hard work. The one way out was a beat up, wooden door, with a cut out window, also locked up with a set of criss crossing chains.

Neku turned to Shiki, who had fallen asleep several hours ago. He couldn't help but have his spirits lifted slightly with the look of her. She looked almost unreal, like a dream, glowing slightly in the moon's light from outside. He could hear snores outside as well. The guard had fallen asleep.

Neku got up from the wirey bed and tried to peek through the window, but the rattling noise of the chains caused the guard's snored to break. Neku quickly stepped away from the window and he heard him move around, probably getting comfortable, and go back to sleep.

"This is stupid..." He muttered to himself. He held back an attempt to kick the door and give the guard a reason to stir.

He looked back to the bed and had an idea for escape...

______________

"I knew it was a bad idea." A tired voice groaned.

Sanae laughed. "Oh come now. I thought you loved a good challenge."

Joshua glared. "Not in the situation we have going on right now. Do you even realize what danger Neku is in. What I'm in? I don't want to be stuck like this Mr. H. I don't think I can even stand it a day longer!"

Mr. Hanekoma smirked. He knew Joshua always put up an act of carefree amusment around Neku. But deep down Joshua hated it just as much. Probably even more.

"Now now boss, we'll get him out. I have a plan anyways, considering how handicapped Sho is right now. Just let me feed the dog and we'll be off.

Joshua let out another loud groan and let his head fall into his hands.

A moment passed by, then more. Joshua grew impatient. "What's taking so long?"

A very worried cafe owner came out from the back rooms.

"I can't find Espresso..."

_____________________________

"You're doing it wrong..." Shiki whispered.

"No I'm not and be quiet, you'll wake up Buddha." Neku shushed and continued to manuver the wire into the old keyhole.

Shiki gently took the wire and pressed Neku's hands away. "No no no, like this."

She turned it a few times, then there was a loud 'klock'.

Neku and Shiki stood frozen, listening intently.

There was a loud snort and Buddha rolled over, soon falling back to sleep.

After what seemed hours they finally let out the air that had gotten trapped in their lungs.

They slowly opened the door, pausing again when it creaked loudly.

Buddha didn't stir.

Neku tried to open it as slow as he could but it ended up making a long loud squeak.

Shiki cringed but throughout the days it seemed to take the door to open, Buddha didn't seem to hear it, even in his dreams.

Neku gestured her to stay and took a step out... only to trip over a box and be sent crashing into a pile of junk.

The big guard jerked awake and stood up, towering over Neku. "What do we have here? Escapees?"

"Run Shiki!" He shouted, flinging a nearby bucket at the man.

Buddha caught it easily with a paw of a hand. "Oh no you don't!" He growled, advancing towards Shiki.

Neku grabbed a rope that had been tied to a post and ran a quick circle around the guard. He then pulled hard.

The rope got twisted up around his fet and he was sent crashing to the ground. Neku didn't have enough strenght or weight to keep the rope taught and was yanked off his feet.

He got up and shook his pounding head and notice Shiki opening an old elevator shaft. "In here Neku!" She called, pointing towards the guard.

As the big guy got up Neku threw himself against him sending him into the broken down shaft.

He quickly dove into the junk and got both him and Shiki a metal pipe.

"We're going to break out of here," He said. "Even if we have to bash our way through."

Shiki nodded, understanding.

Neku then threw open the door and they ran down the hallway.

_____________________

Sniff, snuffle, dust...

Espresso sneezed again. So much dust here. Why so much dust?

His friend didn't come home. His friend left with the person he liked. He liked her alot. More than him? Not more than him. He was a good dog. Why he leave? Maybe he doesn't like him. Friend left because of him. No like him. Maybe not a good dog. He do no wrong, why bad dog. He's a bad dog!

Espresso sneezed a few more time and sat down to whine. Somewhere in that developing puppy mind of his, he was going to apologize for being such a bad dog.

Espresso huffed and continued to sniff the faint trail that was in his mind, "Friend but not friend's" Or "Neku, but actually Joshua's scent."

He suddenly stopped and looked over to a tall building.

It was friend! He was in there! He had to get to friend. Nothing will stop him!

And with those thought in his mind Espresso ran as fast as his little legs could take him.

___________________

Neku creeped around the corner, clutching an empty wine bottle. Chains was around the corner, huffing a cigarette and his back was conveniently turned towards them.

He gave Shiki a nod and quickly stepped out and wacked the bottle over his head.

There was a loud sound of breaking glass and shard flew everywhere.

Chains, simply slowly turned to look at them, a bewildered expression stuck on his face in mid-puff.

Neku looked at the bottle neck still in his hands, and wearily looked back up. "Heh heh... oops..."

The cigarette fell out of Chain's mouth and he rubbed the back of his head. "Yo, you tried to knock me out!"

Neku and Shiki shrugged weakly.

He laughed. "Well I guess I should've told you, I have a metal plate in the back of my head. I had an accident when I was a little kid."

Neku's shoulders fell. "Oh geeze."

"Yup. But I guess It's my job to take care of you troublemakers... even though I'm off duty..." Chains seemed to suddenly change from friendly mode to attack mode and he unclipped out of his multiple chains that hung from his attire. He swung it threatengly in circles.

"Who's ready for a whoopin now?"

Neku raised the metal pipe in front of him. He knew that in the body he was in now, there was no way to actually win this fight, but he was going to try. For Shiki's sake.

Chains snorted. "You think you got what it takes? We'll see about that."

"Shiki. Run." He whispered to her.

"But--"

"Now!"

Neku lunged at Chains as Shiki slipped past the two.

Chains quickly whipped his links out and yanked the pole straight from Neku's hand. Then with one fluid movement after another he kneed him in the stomach and wacked him upside the head, sending Neku tumbling into the wall.

Neku gasped for the air that had left him and tried to sit up. He was just to weak for this.

Chains grapped Neku by the shirt and lifted him to a standing position, only the give him a hard punch to the face and send him back to the ground.

"You're a brave little bugger aren't you?" He snickered, giving him another kick in the stomach. "A little to brave for a prissy snot like you. Someone needs to teach you a lesson."

Chains grabbed the pole Neku had had and raised it above his head. "Nighty-night."

Suddenly the wall behind the exploded into debri and smoke. Chains was thrown off his feet by the force.

Neku stood up, ready to take the opportuniy to run, when he heard a familiar whine.

He turned to see and found out he was right. And he wasn't sure if he should be angry, sad, overjoyed or confused.

Espresso trotted over to Neku and sat down at his feet, whining pitifully.

Chains popped out of dust and pieces of building, almost like a zombie from a grave.

Neku grabbed Espresso and ran down the hallway.

Finally when Neku thought he lost him he set the dog down. "God, you've gotten heavy." Neku groaned, rubbing his sore arms.

Espresso wagged his tails and started sniffing his surroundings.

"You sure do love to smell..." Then Neku had an idea.

"Espresso! Go find Shiki."

Espresso looked up at him and perked up an ear.

"Shiki is hiding! You got to find her! Can you smell her? Lead me too her okay?"

Espresso let out a quiet bark and charged down the hallway. Neku followed down each corridor and corner, trying to keep up. Finally Espresso slowed down and started sniffing a door.

"Let me see..." Neku whispered and creaked it open. There was Shiki alright. She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Oh Joshua, you found me!"

Neku smiled, glad she was okay. "Alright, let's get out of here..."

"Neku!"

Neku whirled around to see two very unexpected faces.

Oh gawd, not here. Not now. They'll blow it!

Sanae laughed. "And I see you have Espresso with you." He gave Neku a quick look over. "What happened? Loose a fight with a brick wall?"

Joshua scowled. "Look at me! I'm a disaster! You could try to take better care of my body while you're in it." His frown dissapeared and was suddenly replaced with a smirk. "Unless, you like it rough. Eh? Neku?"

The whole time Neku had been making frantic hand motions that went along the lines of no, the cut it dead, and the windsheild whiper type signals. Of course none of them listened.

"Come on Neku, let's get back to the cafe." Mr. Hanekoma chuckled.

"Neku?" Shiki's small voice called out from behind the door. She slowly slipped out and look to Joshua. "Neku... why are you calling Joshua by you're name?"

A look of shock appeared on both the Composer and the Producer's faces, but Sanae quickly laughed. "Oops..."

Joshua looked to Neku, probably in a 'look what you've done' manner, but Neku shot through it with a pleading face. He was done hiding. He didn't know how much longer he could take it and since the cat was already out of the bag...

Joshua sighed. "Look, theres been a mix up. A mix up that happened a few weeks ago."

"Pfft, a mix up is right." Neku snorted.

"I don't understand..." Shiki said quietly.

Joshua giggled. A giggle very unnatural in Neku's voice. "I'm Joshua and the gorgeous young man standing next to you is Neku."

Shiki whirled to face Neku, pure horrifying shock acrossed her face. "What?"

Neku gave her a small smile. "Hey..."

Sanae tapped at his watch. "Sorry to kill the moment but I'm sure standing around here isn't the best idea so far today."

"Mr. H is right, let's head back to the cafe." Joshua agreed. The all turned to head out and Joshua fell back to Neku's side.

"And that gorgeous young man needs to whipe the blood from his mouth before it stains such beautiful skin."

Neku whiped the blood away with his wrist, glaring.

_________________________

"I get it now..." Said Shiki, resting her head on Neku's shoulder. She was tired and it was well past midnight.

Neku gently brushed back the hair from her face, a warm feeling bubbling up inside now that he could finally truly be with her again.

"Looks like she likes you for who you are Neku." Giggled Joshua. "True love, even when in disguised. Utterly romantic."

Neku shot him another glare, but neither moved nor said anything.

"Sho seems to be getting around..." Mr. H pondered out loud to everyone. "I'm really started to think we should go with the idea that you should stay here 24/7"

Neku nodded. "Espresso saved me today though. I think I could go out if I had a guard dog..." He gave the puppy a gentle nudge with his feet. The sleepy dog yawned and rolled over.

Sanae laughed. "He's a good dog alright. But how about this. you only go out once in a while. We can't have you wandering Shibuya all day and night like before."

Neku nodded. "Fine with me."

Shiki stood up and stretched. "My parents are probably worried sick! I'd better go home."

"What do you plan to tell them?" Mr. H asked.

"I'm going to tell them thugs kidnapped me..." She turned to Neku. "...And the boy of my dreams rescued me."

Neku felt his face flush and he knew he was beet red.

Joshua nodded. "Your parents as well Neku. I better be off."

"Have fun." Neku et out a low giggle. "Exams are tomorrow."

Joshua groaned and Neku went upstairs and flopped onto the bed.

Then, realizing what had just happened he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a scream.

(Sorry, I think my writing skills have gotten rusty -.- I've just had a hard time with life untill now. So, I think when I get settled into my new home, the chapters will come out smoother. :D)