Title: Logical Requiem
Characters: Reincarnated!Sho/Reincarnated!Neku (Father/Son relationship—not pairings!)
Rating: M-Mild Violence
Warnings: Spoilers for end of the game. Takes place 300 years after the official game.
Summary: Sho tries his life anew as a math teacher aged 22, after completing his course in Uni. With the present and past holding a missing link, it is soon evident that his life so far, had been hurdles that even he can't recall. One day, he finds Pi-Face's cap beyond the Shibuya River, only then does his life as an unwilling trouble magnet begins, the first signs being that a familiar student with headphones and a sketchy past enters his first session...
This is a sad chapter, you know... :|
Notes: Co-written with Houkai-Amplifier. (DeviantART)
Known Characters involved in this Chapter: Neku, Sho, Composer.

-Day 7 Part 4-

Neku was too shocked to form coherent words. He... He's kidding...
He took a moment to comprehend it. Without a second thought, the anger had magnified. "So you're telling me all this was for nothing?" he shouted angrily at the Composer, "All those lives lost... All that pain... Dying only because you wanted us here... For nothing?!" he continued.

Sho took that as a stab in his selfless ego, replaying the words in his head. Silenced from immense anger, which was boiling like hot lava, he stood his ground. You chose the wrong Degrees to mess with! NOW I'm zetta pissed!

The Composer frowned, gathering the music and concentrating into a shockwave that ceased all blind thoughts. "Shut up and listen, dear! I'm not finished!"
He descended from his slight levitating, eyeing the Players carefully. "I'm just saying that nothing is free. You may have your entry fee back now." he said, sending a small jolt of pain to the pair.

Neku's mind was temporarily set off from the anger. Something felt different... He looked at his hands. No physical changes... Taking a moment to realise what he had regained, his longing for independence and a sudden realisation of self-competency were strong in his mind. Is this what I payed...? My... Independence?

Sho felt different, too. He carefully looked at his partner, small tears of joy welling unknowingly. He kept a straight face, but deep down, it was the happiest thing he remembered. Any memory of Neku prior to their week in the game, he regained it all.

Tugging at his hood in hope of hiding his identity, the Composer looked up again. "Now, the number of Players to reincarnate with an exit fee... is 2."

Neku looked over at Sho. He smiled, knowing what the teacher had just regained. The anger had dissolved and hope crept back in. They were homebound at last. However, the 'exit fee' was still cause for anxiety.

The Composer amused himself, waiting for the pair to settle.
"I'll explain why," he started darkly, "You see, my proxy had came to you, asking to commit his treachery, hence why I gave you his pin back. This counts as a violation; do not interact with the UG for selfish reasons. As a result, if the previous Composer was in charge, your game, your efforts, all you had to endure... would have been null and void, and your rights to return to the RG completely rendered useless.
"But I'm the Composer now, and I have seen how well you fair your efforts. I asked my proxy to send you here because, as it seems, you were plagued by the past. Something the Angels hoped would never happen. Unfortunately, it did. What's more, the past could not be fully examined from the RG. So, seeing that the two of you have the same scores, that you worked hard, and that you now have plans upon returning, I would have granted you the rights to return unchanged. But nothing is free; for aiding the proxy's treachery, you will leave with the exit fee, a new feature made available since I've taken over."

Neku kept quiet for a moment. What the Composer spoke was reasonable enough, but he still felt that his motives were unreasonable. Even with fragments of memories, he would never have wanted to be dragged into this.
"...So what's the fee?" he asked sceptically.

Sho didn't like this. His inner ego, the one that triggered the black hate, left the teacher with a weighing foreboding feeling. Whatever it is to be thrown in their face, it will impact greatly.
He wiped the tears away and went over to stand near Neku.

"There is a choice of 2 exit fees, and there will be no middle ground," the Composer smirked at this.
"Both are compulsory, and whatever one chooses, the other must bear with. One exit fee is to forget everything about your past life. This doesn't include the life you lead today. It means you will forget everything that's happened 300 years ago. No scrape of memory is spared.
"The other option is to forget the experiences you had in your week in the UG. You won't remember coming here whatsoever, or anything you happened to have shared between you and your partner."

Neku was silenced again. He took a while to review what the Composer asks carefully. "Sho...?" he asked quietly, looking over at the Grim Heaper.
His voice was shaky. This was easily the most difficult decision that they will ever make. No matter how they choose, they will lose their memories of some important time in the past. Neku looked down to the floor again. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't justify making either of the choices.

Sho glanced up at the ethereal being, his fears confirmed. On one impact, he would never be able to redeem himself from the past, and he had spent his time seeking those answers. On the other, he would not remember what he told Neku, or recall hearing the trouble pasts they had endured in their childhood, and most importantly, remember making the promise that he would adopt Neku afterwards.
All this... for nothing...?
Sho felt a great wave of sadness wash over him as realisation settled in. It was enough to bring tears of sorrow to his eyes. He quietly turned to Neku. "I know..." he responded with a breaking voice.

A conclusion had to be made sooner or later, as heartbreaking it may be. Staring into nothing, his eyes became teary. "...I don't care about my past." he said in a somewhat cold voice, "...But..." he trailed off.
He couldn't bear the thought of losing Sho's memories and promises made in this week. It would be back to square one. Back to the circle of self pity and loneliness which held him back from gaining independence.

The air became tense. And Sho couldn't take it anymore.
How he felt about Neku... to the teacher, the teen made him feel as though he had a son. How could he think that, when Neku lost his dad 6 months ago?
"Phones...?" he started, still with a strangled voice, timidly taking a step towards the teen, "I... I remembered crying for you... when he shot you first... and now I feel... that I'm going to lose you again... I can't handle that..." he whispered, the last word almost incoherent.

The Composer felt the music change greatly, a melancholy of grief. How could he have been so cold?
Being the proud entity he is, he remained silent, as he watched the two Players before him.

As painful as it was, Neku had accepted the great loss which they will both endure. He clenched his fists. He strained himself to speak, but spoke as if he was holding down the pain and tears. "...J-just see it as a clean slate... No matter what happens..."

Ok, so you have until you would leave the UG? Why not enjoy your last moment with the little time you had? So what if it was forgotten? Enjoy it now.
"Neku..." Sho said quietly, eventually embracing the teen, "You still mean a lot to me... no words can describe the times I had with you... I will miss you... somehow..." one hand began to gently rub his partner's back, the other, messing with his hair again, doing everything to comfort the teen, "Let it all out while you can... I know I'll forget this, but... I'm prepared to accept this choice..."
Even the black hate was bidding him farewell. Yeah... I'll miss you too, Pi-Face.

The silent tears began to flow down Neku's cheeks. He said nothing, because no words were needed. He wrapped his arms loosely around Sho in return. So... it's decided...
"Thanks Sho..." he managed to whisper quietly.

Sho heaved a sigh, now completely ignoring the tears and still petting the orange hair of his partner. Once he regained self control, he cleared his throat, and looked up at the Composer, "Alright... I have accepted the erasure of my experiences in the UG. And Neku here is quite content forgetting the past experiences 300 years ago. We're ready..." Sho paused out of anger, "But mark my words; Don't mess with us again... because the next time we meet, factored memories or not, I'll make sure it will be your last."

Neku nodded. It's now or never. He looked up at the Composer also with some fire in his eyes. "And if you have any kind of... conscience, you'd leave Josh alone." he said firmly.

The Composer still stood emotionlessly, deep down however, he was touched. Maybe, just maybe I can make an exception... you will forget, but small, similar scenarios will trigger the strongest memories that contain such stories and promises...

As for Yoshiya Kiryu...?
"Very well." he nodded, sending a warm shockwave to the pair.

Sho felt lighter than usual. He glanced around, at the Composer, at the pillars, at Neku... Whoa, we're both floating...?
His vision was growing whiter with every passing second. It was a warm feeling, as though he could drift off. He closed his eyes, ready to embrace life again, a second chance... knowing things will never be the same.

The warmth embraced Neku, somehow dispelling the sorrow. It was a comforting, and somewhat serene feeling which overcame him. He closed his eyes as his surroundings become mute. Regardless of the exit fee, Neku was eager to begin his new life, free from the one that had haunted his everyday life in the past. Another chance. A clean slate. A new beginning. In the end, this is all he had ever wanted. To be granted such an opportunity was worth any fee he could pay, and to have shared the time with such a supporting partner is more than he could have asked for.
His senses relaxed. His mind was at peace. Death or rebirth, he drifted off into a deep sleep.