Yep, longest chapter yet, which is about what I expected: there wasn't a good place to split this one. This chapter took both less and more time than expected: writing the rough actually didn't take too long, but then it needed a lot of editing and rewriting certain scenes. Thank you oddvector for helping me iron out all the snarls in this chapter!

First off, I would like to note that there is talk about a canon suicide in this chapter. No explicit details, but I just want to give that warning.

As a side note to something that may have confused people all the way back to my first TWEWY fic: the "Noise light" or "pinpricks of light" singing people have in their eyes. See, I started with the original TWEWY on the DS, with pixelated art of the Noise on a tiny screen, and not the greatest eyesight. So I thought that Noise eyes were all black except for a tiny shining pinprick of light at the center. Since I didn't play Final Remix, it wasn't until I saw the art in the NEO Noisepedia that I realized that Noise eyes are just one color with no pupil or glow. But I still use the "pinpricks of light" description because that's what the consumption stories have used up to this point, and it sounds cool lol.

In a similar vein, I use lower case for regular Noise (ex. The wolf ate Kubo's face) and caps when referring to Inner Noise (ex. Kubo's canon Noise is actually a Goose).

With all that out of the way, enjoy!

Scale 5: Wicked Howl

Today was supposed to be a day when Uzuki joined Kariya and Fret in their escapades, but...

Uzuki didn't say anything as she slouched into her seat, glaring at the counter like it had insulted her corset. Somehow Kariya doubted it was just because Glutton 4 Gluten was blasting emo rock music.

"Uh...Uzuki?" asked Fret, swallowing down a mouthful of dark dandan noodles. "Everything okay?"This time he was in all HOG FANG: flannel shirt, down vest, vintage ripped jeans, accented by a chain necklace and sunglasses. Oh, so he was willing to perch sunglasses on his head, but still kept the flat-brim snapback and black cap on his belt? Kariya supposed there were some things he was never meant to know.

Uzuki scowled as if Fret had asked the stupidest question ever. His smile stayed frozen in place while his gaze went straight back to his food.

"Bad day at the office, girl?" asked Kariya.

"Oh you have no idea," Uzuki muttered, going back to glaring at the counter.

"We sure don't," said Kariya. "Wanna vent?"

Uzuki glanced at Fret, then sighed. "The Composer and I had a...disagreement concerning certain technicalities." She absently picked at a crack in the counter..

"Ah, so you two had a fight?" asked Kariya.

Uzuki was quiet, still focused on the fracture.

Kariya frowned. "You two have a fight fight?"

Uzuki still didn't say anything, but her grimace said it all.

Kariya lazily twirled his chopsticks between his fingers. "Kinda surprised it took this long. Though, knowing you, maybe not. Anyway, congrats on your first murder attempt! Now you're a real Conductor!"

Uzuki's scowl only deepened.

"Wait wait wait, did you attack the Composer, or did the Composer attack you?" Fret asked. "Did he hurt you?" His concern soon flared into anger. "'Cause if he did, then I'm gonna send him straight to the bottom of the Shibuya River!"

Uzuki blinked, staring at Fret for a moment.

"Whoa, somebody's sure ambitious all of a sudden." Kariya smirked. "Careful Uzuki, Highlights here might become Composer before you do."

"Uh-huh. Wouldn't that be adorable?" grumbled Uzuki. "He might even last a whole day too."

"Who said anything about being Composer?" asked Fret, wincing and rubbing his shoulder. "I just don't put up with higher-up jerks who hurt the people they're supposed to be protecting! Especially girls!"

"Keep your noble sexism to yourself, kiddo," growled Uzuki.

Fret groaned quietly. "That's not...Okay, let me rephrase that. I don't put up with higher-up jerks who hurt the people they're supposed to be protecting! Especially my friends!"

Uzuki slowly turned toward Fret. "...I'm your boss, kid."

Fret grinned. "Who says you can't be my boss and my friend? Though I can't call you Boss since that's what I call Nagi. Boss-Boss maybe? That's kinda rude to Nagi though. Hmm, you don't like Pinky...Oh, maybe Pink Matador? That's a pretty...Oh hey, it's Rindude's favorite song! Oooooh, take a look at meeeee! I'm not the defect boy you want to beeeee-"

Kariya snorted. The lyric was perfect, not defect.

"Fret, stop," Uzuki muttered. "You know that you'd be doomed if you became a Reaper, right?"

Fret flinched. "C-C'mon, I'm not that bad at this...right?"

Uzuki snarled as she rubbed her forehead. "...You know what, I just can't with you right now, kid. Go out, get good numbers, whatever. I'm done for today." She stood up and stormed out the door.

"Uzuki, wait!" Fret called out, but she was already gone. He turned to Kariya with sad eyes. "What'd I do wrong?"

"You gave her pity," said Kariya. "I'm sure she appreciates it deep down, but she can't openly accept it. That would make her look weak. She hates looking weak, even around those she cares about."

"Oh..." said Fret. "You don't think she's...being a singer, do you?"

"Hmm..." It was a fair question. "Well, when she does start singing, I'll probably be the first to know. And right now, she ain't singing yet."

"Not yet, huh?" said Fret, still sounding somber. "You still think that I'd be a decent Reaper, right?"

"I thought you didn't want to be a Reaper period?"

"...Right," said Fret, restlessly stirring his noodles. "Y'know what, can I just go home? I've got...stuff to do."

"Sure, why not? Not like Uzuki's here to say otherwise. You wanna finish up your food first?"

'Yeah."

Yet Fret never did finish up his food, not even making halfway through his bowl. Nor did he actually go home, instead trailing Kariya like a puppy all the way to 104. Kariya let him follow along without saying anything. The kid got like this sometimes.

When they arrived at Scramble Crossing, Fret finally spoke. "Hey Kariya?"

"Yeah, Highlights?" Kariya replied.

"Is...Is love supposed to be just...pain?" asked Fret, kneading his spine. "Like, the pain of missing someone, just, all the time? Unless they're right there with you?"

"Sometimes," said Kariya. "You missing your golden egg?"

Fret squinted at Kariya with a disapproving scowl. "Remind me to never tell you anything ever again."

"You're the one with Remind, not me."

"I told you, that's not..." Fret began. "Okay, how about I Remind you to remind me...No wait, that won't work either, because I still gotta remember to Remind you in the first place. Man, why can't I store my Reminds in a pin or something?" His glum countenance instantly brightened when he spotted something behind Kariya. "Oh look, there's my Rindude!"

Kariya turned around, and sure enough there was Rindo, sitting at one of Justice Burger's outside tables. He swore Fret had a sixth sense solely dedicated to finding the boy. Kariya noticed the new pair of headphones hanging around Rindo's neck, red wolves amid multicolor spatter decorating each ear piece. Yep, Okami Ichiban merch alright. Knowing Neku's love of music, the 'phones were probably amazing.

"Kweh? Who's he sitting with?"

Rindo indeed had company: another boy with muddy blond hair, one side longer than the other. He bore a polite smile and impolite eyes. He also bore an almost overwhelming white aura and didn't even try to hide it. Kariya knew exactly what that kind of aura meant.

Fret's mouth hardened to a thin line as he studied the stranger. "...I don't like this guy."

"Good instincts," said Kariya. "He's a Composer."

"Wait, there's more than one?" asked Fret.

"There's one per city. So this guy's from elsewhere," said Kariya. "Don't know him though. Might be a newer guy."

The stranger's Composer aura was probably why Rindo was even more jittery than normal, even if he couldn't see it. Just being near a Composer could cause extra strain on a mind from the lower plane. "So, uh, yeah, er, w-what brings you-"

"You really have become a responsible young man, haven't you?" said the stranger.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, I guess?" said Rindo.

"Yes, you've certainly come a long way," said the stranger. "You are responsible for the safety of this whole city. That's an honor normally only Composers have. I look forward to the time when you no longer feel the need to hide all your accomplishments."

"Yeah, well, i-it wasn't like-" Rindo's anxious smile fell. "There are some things...I just can't..."

"My, those fries look delicious," said the stranger. "May I have some?"

"Uh...I gue-" Rindo began.

"Why thank you," said the stranger, taking several fries with a precise pinch. "You really are too kind."

"I really don't like this guy." Fret glared as he stomped over. "Hey! You!"

"Hey." Kariya grabbed Fret by the shoulder. "Let's not go picking fights with Composers, kid."

Fret frowned at Kariya, his shoulders tense and his back twitching, but Fret remained where he was.

The Composer turned to Fret, even though he and Rindo were in the RG, and smiled again. The perks of being in the UG and RG at the same time, Kariya supposed. "Oh, is that your friend?"

"Friend?" Rindo squinted into the crowd. "Uh, which friend are you talking about?"

"The one that's right here of course," said the stranger. He beamed at Fret's smoldering glower. "And my, isn't he the perfect friend for you?"

Fret snarled as his shoulders hunched up and his hands clenched into fists.

"Easy, Highlights," Kariya warned. "Pretty sure he's pushing your buttons on purpose."

Fret still rumbled with barely suppressed anger, not even looking at Kariya.

Geez, the kid's temper was heating up fast. Maybe the Composer's proximity was putting stress on his mind too. Or maybe it was just old-fashioned jealousy.

Rindo squinted. "Fret?"

That seemed to calm Fret down though, or at least distract him from his anger. "Rindude? Can you-"

"...You're talking about Fret...right?" asked Rindo, still squinting while scanning the crowd.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Fret went back to warily watching the stranger.

But both Rindo and the stranger now had their attention drawn elsewhere.

"Oh, hey Neku!" Rindo said in greeting, as the legendary Ex-Player walked over.

"Hey Rindo," said Neku, then noticed the stranger. "And who's this?"

"Oh, right! This is-"

"My name is Hazuki Mikagi," said the stranger. "But you may call me Haz."

Rindo smiled awkwardly. "Uh, right."

"Haz, huh?" Neku peered at Haz with cautious curiosity. Maybe he could sense the Composer's aura better than Rindo. "Nice to meet₋₋"

"Did you know that 'free range' animals aren't much more free than regular livestock?" asked Haz, his gaze directly on Neku. "They still live in massive warehouses, just with a two meter outdoor pen they can choose to go to. I find that fascinating, don't you?"

"Uh, I guess?" said Neku, shifting uncomfortably.

Then a smirking Joshua teleported right in front of Neku, so close that Neku had to stumble back. "Did you know that only one Composer can rule a city at a time? Because I find that riveting, don't you?"

"Why hello, friend," Haz greeted him blandly, the same smile on his face. "No need to worry, I'm not looking for a new city just yet. I just thought I would come visit while I still have the free time."

"Free time you very much earned, I'm sure," said Joshua. "And with so much free time, I'm sure you could have let me know beforehand. I could have had my Conductor give you a lovely guided tour of the city. She's always eager to prove her worth."

Kariya wondered how long Uzuki's temper would have lasted with this kind of guest. Especially with the foul mood she was already in today.

"Ah I see. I simply wasn't sure if you would have the time to greet me, busy as you are with everything," said Haz. "But if your young Conductor needs a little confidence boost, then I would gladly accept a tour in the future."

...Yeah, this guy was starting to overstay his welcome. And he hadn't been that welcome in the first place.

"But if you really want to see the best Shibuya has to offer, I can give you a personal tour myself," Joshua added. "After all, there are things only a fellow Composer can appreciate."

"A Composer, huh?" asked Neku, though he didn't sound terribly surprised.

Rindo sure did though. "Wait, you're a Composer too?"

Haz turned back to Rindo with an amused grin. "Ah, I suppose I never mentioned it to you, did I? Yes, I am the Composer of Shinjuku."

"Shinjuku? But didn't that place get Inverted to hell and back?" asked Fret. "Though I know the Shinjuku guys are rebuilding it now. So I guess he's the new Composer?"

"Who says he's that new?" said Kariya. "If Composers got erased for doing an Inversion, then there wouldn't be any Composers left. Or Angels, for that matter."

Fret's mouth hung open. "Wait, seriously?"

"As much as I appreciate your invitation, friend, I believe I've already seen the best this city has to offer," Haz went on. "So now I'll simply take my leave. Goodbye, Rindo." He vanished into thin air.

"Good. That Composer can go compose things somewhere else," muttered Fret. He glanced toward Rindo, who still looked unnerved, and his gaze softened a little. "Hey Candyman, can I cut things short for today?"

"Weren't you planning to do that anyway?" said Kariya. "Laters, kid."

"Laters." Fret tapped his pin, turning it off and popping him back to the RG. "Hey Rindude!"

Rindo yelped. "Fret! So you were...uh, yeah I totally saw you earlier!" A pause. "...Okay, no I didn't, sorry. Nagi's right. I need glasses..."

Fret was quiet for a moment, Then he put on a big smile. "Dude, you'd need one hell of a pair of glasses to see where I was. That Haz guy must have had, like, eagle vision to spot me way out there. Or vulture vision." His smile turned a little mean. "Yeah, definitely vulture vision." He paused, grin now gone. "That guy's a jerk."

Careful kid, thought Kariya. Better hope Mask doesn't think about how you saw and heard everything if you were really that far away.

"He's...I dunno what Haz is," admitted Rindo, massaging his shoulder. "He can be...helpful, but...Yeah, he's a kinda a jerk too."

"No kinda about it. He stole half your fries!" said Fret. "Dude, you want me to, like, get you some more?"

"Uh, no, that's okay," said Rindo. "I wasn't really that hungry anyway. That's why I only got fries and a drink."

"Well I'm starving, so I'm gonna grab a bunch of stuff from Justice Burger," said Fret, even though he had just eaten. Actually, he hadn't eaten much, had he? "And then if you are still hungry, you can have some of my fries! Anyway, be right back!"

"W-Wait! I'll come with you!" said Rindo.

Fret blinked, before a big grin spread over his face. "Sure thing, Rindude!"

Joshua glanced at the two boys with his usual unreadable smile. Then he quietly studied Haz's empty chair.

"Wow, haven't seen you that mad ever," Neku remarked.

Joshua's gaze focused back on Neku. He giggled, then burst into laughter. Genuine laughter. Which somehow made the hairs stand up on Kariya's neck more than the Composer's mischievous snickers ever did.

Neku too seemed at a loss at the unprovoked mirth. "Uh..."

"Neku, never stop being a dear," said Joshua, his casual smugness returning. "Now, about tomorrow night..."

"What about tomorrow night?" asked Neku, folding his arms. "I don't have anything scheduled then."

"You do now."

Neku groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Joshua..."

"Now Neku, I only do it because I know you can handle it," said Joshua. "You're the stuff of legends, after all."

Neku frowned, but stayed quiet. Joshua vanished during that brief silence. With a tired huff, Neku left as well.

IIIIII

"Hey!" Uzuki barked as she glided onto the scene. "Why aren't you two...Oh."

"Relax, Uzuki, I just wanted to check the 421 Wall first," said Fret, dressed up in Gatto Nero again today. He seemed to be fond of that outfit. And even fonder of those wolf shoes he wore with everything, even though they matched almost nothing. "Since there's so much singing and stuff going on, y'know?"

"Hmm." Uzuki still didn't sound pleased.

"Wanna place bets on who's a Frog, Rhino, Shrew, or Moose?" asked Kariya.

"I saw a Spider on there too," added Fret. "Oh yeah, I need to pick up bug spray sometime while I'm out! And, uh, food in general. I think I've got like, a cup of instant ramen left in the fridge? Or did I eat that this morning? No wait, I skipped breakfast because I wasn't hungry."

"You're about to go fight Noise without eating something first?" Uzuki asked with a disapproving frown.

"I mean, I can't exactly force food down if I'm not hungry?"

A new voice interrupted Uzuki's reply. "Rrgh! Neku! Will you just listen?"

Kariya and Fret stopped as they noticed Neku and Shiki grouped up near Hachiko. Passersby seemed to be avoiding the cross teens, giving the argument a wide berth.

"Speaking of the Composer's golden calf," muttered Uzuki.

Fret's eyebrows shot up. "Wha? He has a Cow Noise?"

Uzuki groaned. "No, that's not...ugh, nevermind."

"I am listening, Shiki," Neku replied, his tone more patient than hers. "I just think you're making too big a deal out of this. Joshua is...Joshua, but he puts Shibuya first now. He showed up when we needed him most during Rindo's Game. If he thinks my art is the key to improving the mood of Shibuya, he's probably right. And how can I say no to helping Shibuya?"

"I'm not saying you should stop, I'm just saying that Joshua is making you do way too much at once," said Shiki. "I mean, what Shibuya went through...that's not something that's gonna heal overnight, no matter how hard anyone works on it. And if you burn out, that's not gonna help you or the city either, right?"

"But he's pushing hard for it, which makes me think that it's more important than he's letting on," said Neku. "You know how he is. He doesn't give straight answers, but he doesn't lie either. And when he says this is the best possible thing I can do for both myself and Shibuya, I trust my partner."

"I'm your partner too, Neku!" Shiki shouted. "What about my opinion? Or Beat's? Stop shutting us out!"

"You're the one who's not listening," growled Neku. "I can take care of this myself! This is nothing compared to the Games."

"Neku, you don't need to do this by yourself, because we're here for you! As partners!"

"Then why don't you trust me then?" snapped Neku. "I'm a better person now than I was three years ago!"

"Yikes, this is getting nasty," said Fret, wincing at their raised voices. "Oh! Maybe...C'mon-think!"

Kariya had lost count of how many times that silly photo had flashed across his mind. Still, it appeared to do the trick, as both Neku and Shiki seemed to relax.

"Sorry," they both murmured at about the same time.

Kariya noticed Fret's muscles unwinding too.

"Look, just...take care of yourself too, Neku," said Shiki, her lips curling upward a little. "I know you can, because you're my partner."

Neku smiled too. "Right. If it gets to be too much, I'll just put on my headphones and blast Junk Garage until Joshua leaves."

Shiki giggled. "Hey, you need lots of music for lots of inspiration, right?"

"Exactly."

Fret released a sigh of relief as they moved on more casual topics. "Glad that's over."

Kariya doubted that it actually was over, but why ruin Fret's mood? He was already in the middle of Reminding someone else of-

"Well, fancy that," Kariya had said. "Must be from a higher plane, then."

"Huh?" Rindo had asked.

"Figures," Kariya had gone on, and not without a little spite. "Everyone from up there is some kinda weirdo. He fits right in, lemme tell ya. So I can't say I'm surprised."

"O-Oh..." Rindo had said.

Kariya blinked as he returned to reality. What was with these vivid memories that he could only half-remember despite their detail?

But then Kariya noticed a slight figure, standing in a nearby alleyway, phone pointed right toward them. Rhyme. Kariya had hardly seen the girl since the last Game. Not surprising, since she specialized in hacking nowadays. But she shouldn't be able to see them with the reinforced barriers, Ex-Player or not. Which made Kariya wonder what she was actually taking a picture of, or recording, or whatever she was trying to do. Her stony expression was hard to read, especially when her face was partially obscured by her phone.

"Rhyme!" Beat hollered from somewhere behind her, sounding relieved and peeved at once. "Yo, don't run off like dat! Whatchu doin' in dis alley?"

"Coming!" she replied cheerfully, tucking the phone away and running off towards her big brother.

Hmm...

"Hey Candyman! Earth to Candyman!" Fret shouted. "Need ya here to fight Noise, dude!"

Kariya turned to them with a smile and a shrug. "Alright, alright..." Perhaps he would find out what the younger Bito sibling was up to later. If she was even up to anything at all.

They got exactly two battles done before Fret abruptly remembered that he had an EleStra event to attend. He asked Kariya and Uzuki to stick around anyway, promising to get back to work as soon as it was over. Kariya believed him, mostly. After all, Fret had begun the day by checking the 421 Wall for any new artwork.

Kariya had heard more details about this EleStra eventthan he cared for, thanks to Fret talking about it all morning. Not just Fret either: EleStra had exploded in popularity. Probably because many Reapers had been converted by Fret. Now that the newest chapter was about to release, it was all anyone talked about.

The event itself was in Hachiko Café. While you could download the latest game events anywhere, the main draw was the exclusive merch being sold on-site. You couldn't download that exclusive Shinigami Lord Tomonami figure after all, and apparently Nagi was going to be late. The college life must have been tough if she couldn't even get to a beloved EleStra event on time. That's why Fret was going early to pick up an extra one for her, just in case.

But soon after picking up those figures, Fret was distracted by something else entirely. "Kariya! Look! It's Maki and Kaito! They're singing!"

Some nearby otaku shot Fret a warning look to be quiet, but he was too focused on the scene through the window.

"Oh?" asked Kariya, strolling over to the window. Sure enough, the two Reapers were fighting outside, already half-engulfed by their Noise forms and dark-blue auras, pinpricks of yellow light in their eyes. Kaito's face was armored with tattoos and a large curved horn, hunched over on all fours: a Rhino. Maki meanwhile had curved magenta spikes writhing out of her back and hair: a Corehog...no, a Spider.

"So they're finally doing it, huh," said Kariya, unwrapping a lollipop. "Surprised they lasted this long to be honest."

Kaito kept charging after Maki, snorting loudly every time she narrowly evaded him.

"Yeah," said Uzuki, one hand resting on her hip. "Almost a whole week."

Maki fired silk-like tattoo string from her back, but that did little to Kaito's thick armor.

"A Rhino versus a Spider?" said Fret. "Is that really a fair matchup?"

"You think Kaito's gonna win?"

"I mean, rhino Noise are really strong," said Fret. "But I bet a bowl of ramen on Maki."

Kaito finally landed one of his charges, knocking Maki to the ground. She rolled out of the way of his stomp, stretched her spider-like appendages, and jabbed him in his vulnerable side. While he roared in unexpected pain, she used her arachnid legs to clamber onto his back.

"How bold," said Kariya. "Or are you just fond of her?"

"I mean, Maki's smart and Kaito's dumb," said Fret with unusual composure. "If anyone can do it, it's probably her."

In either blind rage or blind panic Kaito thrashed around, sometimes running, sometimes flying, one time almost crashing right into the store window. Maki had to use all her legs just to hang on. She bit into his wing, but that only seemed to make him more wild. She fired off silk strings from her back too, but these scattered everywhere instead of binding her target.

"Heh, can't argue with that," said Kariya. "Alright, then my bet's on Kaito."

"I bet on Maki too," said Uzuki.

In his frenzy Kaito rammed himself and Maki into a wall, even though that cracked one of his wings. Dazed, Maki almost fell off. But her grip tightened around Kaito once more, her smaller wings flaring out. Then, with all other limbs occupied, she tangled her wings with Kaito's own, making his wings twist at unnatural angles. With a roar Kaito plummeted, landing right on top of Maki. Despite this, Maki maintained her tight grip and kept forcibly stretching Kaito's wings with her own.

Other Reapers, mostly here for the EleStra event, gathered at the storefront to watch, placing their own bets and cheering for their pick. A few RG shoppers gave them suspicious looks before moving away from the rowdy outsiders. Few of the Reapers cared, and apparently neither did Fret, cheering for Maki at the top of his lungs. This only earned them more dirty looks from the oblivious RG staff.

"Hey EleStraniacs!" scolded one employee. "Keep it down a little, please!"

After a pause, everyone cheered more quietly.

Kaito's writhing and shrieks of pain grew desperate. His hooves and horn slashed the air and ground worthlessly. His wings trembled and bent, webs of cracks radiating from the twisting points. Suddenly Kaito screamed as several loud snaps resounded, and Maki's wings finally cut free. Many people, including Fret, jumped and yelped when pieces of Kaito's wings smacked against the window, dissolving to static even before they hit the ground.

Even Kariya winced, an uneasy grin on his face. "Yow. Man, my wings hurt just watching that."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Uzuki, her wings folded behind her as if to protect them.

"Man, my wings hurt watching that one," said Fret, grimacing as he rubbed his back. "And I don't even have wings."

Kaito sank down, his tattoos already unraveling as the dark blue haze engulfing him faded to a pale blue instead. As his eyes closed, Maki's spider legs loosened, while her human arms tightened. Her wings folded around him, carefully, even as he started to turn into static.

"Well, that sure was a battle, huh?" said Uzuki, as Maki started to evolve. "I gotta remember that winglock for later."

"Eh, I think she got lucky there," said Kariya. So her evolution went full giant spider rather than a more humanoid form, interesting. "You could very easily break your own wings trying to pull a stunt like that."

A sly grin slipped over Fret's face. "Sounds like you're just sore that you have to buy us ramen."

"Yeah, pay up, Kariya," said Uzuki.

"Yeah, yeah," said Kariya, as the other Reapers began to disperse.

"Do you know how dumb you losers look cheering at nothing at all?"

Everyone turned to see Shoka, wearing an impish smirk. Some EleStra posters were tucked under her arm. She soon discarded her smile when she looked at Fret. "And why are you watching? You're not even a Reaper."

"Well, because I knew both Maki and Kaito," said Fret. "So I felt like it would be kinda disrespectful not to? I mean, that's the last time I was gonna see them separate, y'know?"

"Oh, and I suppose placing bets on them was a sign of respect too?" asked Shoka. "Seriously, you're getting way too chill about this kind of thing."

"Well, there's a lot of singing going on right now, so I'm kinda more used to it, I guess?" said Fret. "Why aren't you more chill about it? You used to be a Reaper. You saw lots of singing too, right?"

"Not that much, honestly. Ayano kept me away from a lot of it," admitted Shoka. "But yeah, back when I was a Reaper, the singing didn't bug me that much, but now...Sometimes you don't realize how messed up something is until you get some distance from it, y'know?"

"Man, we all know it's messed up," said Fret, one hand on his hip, the other raised up almost dismissively. "Just like the whole Game and hunting Players is messed up. But it's all just part of being a Reaper, y'know? Not much we can do about it. It's like trying to tell a cat to be vegan."

Shoka's frown only grew as she folded her arms. "See, this is what I'm talking about. Why are you acting like you're already a Reaper?"

"Kweh? But I'm not? I'm just saying that I understand the Reapers better now that I've been around them more," said Fret, his eyes narrowing. "And what are you getting so riled up about anyway? I'm helping everybody out the best way I can."

"How many times do I have to tell you this is a bad idea before you listen, moron?"

"Says the girl who was willing to be erased over becoming a Reaper again," muttered Fret. "Dude, you could've still texted us and stuff! Or met with us at Reaper sticker stores or something!"

Shoka scowled. "It's not-"

"You being a Reaper is way better than you not existing at all!" Fret went on, both hands now on his hips. "Imagine how Rindo would've felt if you'd actually gotten erased! He would've been devastated! We all would've been! As if we all weren't destroyed enough when this stupid Game finally ended!"

"Ugh, you don't get it!" Shoka snapped.

"What do we not comprehend, Lady Shoka?"

Both Fret and Shoka jumped as Nagi walked over to them, her expression tinged with calm concern.

"Boss!"

"Nagi! When did you get here?"

"Nary but a moment ago," said Nagi.. "Must the two of you fight? Surely there's a more amicable way to settle this dispute. Now, what troubles you both?"

"I..." Shoka began, looking at Nagi. Suddenly her irritation returned. "Forget it. Just something dumb that doesn't matter anymore. I'm leaving."

"Shokie, wait!"

"Lady Shoka!"

But Shoka had already stomped out the door.

"Well, I guess she already got the merch she wanted..." said Fret, his shoulders sagging as his gaze sank to the floor. "Man, why'd I snap at her? I don't know what got into me."

"The Noise, perhaps?" suggested Nagi, adjusting her glasses as she took out her phone.

"Uh, maybe?" Noticing Nagi open up her game app, he fumbled out his phone. "Oh yeah, I should download all the new stuff while I'm here! We better...oh crap, I forgot to download the latest patches first! Which is...a lot..." He broke into anxious laughter. "Oh yeah, I got your figure!" He hastily shoved the bag containing the merch in front of him.

Nagi's eyes sparkled as a wide grin spread across his face. She carefully took the bag as if it were a sacred treasure. Still, her brief joy soon gave way to something more serious. "Lord Tosai."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Is something amiss?" asked Nagi. "You seem particularly troubled as of late. Why, you barely speak to me about EleStra nowadays."

"Oh, sorry, I've just been...really busy," said Fret. "Too busy to even talk about EleStra, much less play it. I'm like, three chapters behind. Sorry." He ducked his head like he expected a blow.

"...Why so frightened?" Nagi sounded more concerned than puzzled. "I understand if the tomes of toil have left you with no time to explore the realm of EleStra. Why, even I struggle to keep up as of late."

"B-But it's your favorite game ever, right?" said Fret with a nervous grin. "And i-it's supposed to be good for my communication and stuff, right? Though I've always been pretty good at picking the right options..." He didn't even bother with the smile anymore. "Man, I can't even get a videogame done on time..."

"Mayhapsyou have overloaded yourself with responsibilities?" said Nagi. "Sort your quests according to priority."

"But they're all equally important," said Fret.

"Even mischief at Tower Records?"

"Even..." Fret stopped. "W-What mischief at Tower Records?"

"So you did have a hand in the peculiar events that day," said Nagi, her eyes hidden by the light shining off her glasses. "And I find myself thinking of that ridiculous picture we took together quite frequently and suddenly. Lord Tosai..."

Fret giggled anxiously.

"Has the great L-L-Lord Tomonami finally recruited you as well?"

"Wha?" asked Fret, staring at her. "I mean, I do see Mr. Minami sometimes, yeah? Wait, Boss, you've been going to the UG too?" There was no fear or even disbelief, just excitement.

"Erm...Well..." Nagi replied, abruptly breaking eye contact as her mouth squirmed to something more uncertain.

"What?" Uzuki hissed. "Great, what is that lunatic up to now? As if I don't have enough on my plate..."

"Hmm..." Kariya twirled his pop. It was a good question. Hadn't Minamimoto been avoiding Nagi before? Maybe his curiosity finally got the better of him. Or maybe he'd found a use for her.

"I have yet to return to the UG proper, though H-His Radiance does show a keen interest in my Dive abilities," said Nagi with a cat-like smile. "But Lady Rhyme and I have been assisting with discussions of equations and the gathering and interpretation of data."

"Wait, Rhyme's in on this too?" asked Fret. "Why though?"

"Hrmm...That is something I shan't disclose without Lady Rhyme's permission," said Nagi. "Mayhaps I shouldn't have disclosed her involvement at all. She is in no danger, I assure you, but Lord Beat..." She paled a little as she pondered.

Kariya wondered if Rhyme's odd actions the other day had something to do with whatever Minamimoto was planning then. Whatever she was doing, she seemed to be trying to hide it from Beat.

"Oh yeah, Beat-buddy's not really fond of Mr. Minami, is he?" said Fret, massaging his shoulder. "Though I guess he really only saw him when he went all Noise on us, huh?"

"Half-Noise," Nagi corrected almost automatically. "Does your shoulder ail you, Lord Tosai?"

"A little?" said Fret. "No big deal. Probably slept on it wrong. Anyway, I bet Beat-buddy and Mr. Minami could actually be pals if they actually got to know each other and stuff. Though Mr. Minami can be kinda scary sometimes, even when he's not half-Noise..."

"It does seem there are times when he is...not quite himself, though never to the extent of that particular day. It appears something in his nature occasionally drives him into mania, and he believes himself even above calculations."

Kariya had noticed that too. Perhaps that was why Minamimoto thought attacking the Composer in the middle of the mall with a rain of stop signs was a good idea. Kariya was still trying to figure out what that had been about.

"Other times his unnatural body causes him significant agony," Nagi continued, gripping her itabag strap and glanced downward. "Once in a moon, I bring him sustenance on days where mere movement pains him so."

"Unnatural body? Pain? Whaddaya mean?" asked Fret, looking right at Nagi with worried eyes. "He always seems right as rain whenever I see him..."

"Ah, he took the path of Taboo to transfigure his body to a more powerful form," said Nagi. "'Twas something he committed to long before he met with us. But with great power comes great pain, it seems. And perhaps great mania as well."

"Is he okay? I haven't seen him much lately."

"The severity comes and goes, but it appears to be a chronic condition," said Nagi. "But one he is willing to brave for his ideals of his self and his plans."

"Dude, what is his plan?" asked Fret, in that kind of hushed whisper that somehow was more noticeable than regular talking. "He just smirks and says a bunch of math things whenever I ask him."

"Admittedly, L-Lord Tomonami hasn't divulged all his desires to me yet," said Nagi. "But his spoken intention is to 'make sure his zeptograms will always be prime numbers'."

Fret beamed widely. "That...doesn't make things clearer at all, but that sounds awesome! See, I knew he cared! Hey, whenever you do come to the UG, we all should get together and erase a whole buncha Noise!"

"Agreed," said Nagi with a greedy smile. "Though I would not want to combat Noise on a regular basis, eradicating some Noise occasionally can be rather...stress-relieving." Her grin only grew wider, with a slight amount of drool.

"I know, right?" said Fret. "Hey, maybe we should get all the Twisters in on this! Man, I miss doing battles with Rindo!" His glee faded somewhat. "Though, uh, I don't know if..."

"...Indeed, that seems rather unlikely," said Nagi, also sobering up. "He is reluctant to even discuss the UG."

"Yeah..." said Fret. "I-It would just be nice, that's all. To share that kind of connection again." He rested his hand on his chest. "Though it's nice to do anything with him, really...And I do things with him all the time! But it's...not enough?"

Nagi sighed as she watched Fret get lost in his thoughts. "If you were afflicted with hanahaki, your body would already be naught but a bed of camellias."

"Kweh?"

"'Tis a fictional illness where blossoms overtake the lungs if one pines for too long."

"Oh," said Fret. "So I'll try not to turn into a pine tree, got it."

"Have you spoken to Lord Rindo about your feelings?" asked Nagi. "I suspect his own emotions are not so different."

"I haven't..." admitted Fret. "Since...I mean...Kanon...I liked Kanon...I loved..."

"Kanon?" asked Kariya.

"That girl you called Knockout," said Uzuki.

"Oh yeah." That's right, the kid did have a crush on her too at one point, didn't he? But was that really love?

"Ah," said Nagi. "Who's to say you don't love both of them?"

"I...Maybe?" said Fret. "But c'mon, I confessed to Kanon right before she...I mean, how do you think that sounds? 'Hey Rindude, I know I just confessed to Kanon a couple months back, but you wanna date'?" His hollow laugh quickly collapsed. "Maybe I just fall in love too easily...What if I just fall in love again a few months later with someone else? What if I can't handle dating? I mean, I'm always forgetting important stuff, I'm always late, I can't organize anything at all..."

"Hmm..." hummed Nagi, resting her finger on her chin.

"B-But I'm probably just overthinking it, right?" Fret added. "Yeah, I'm overthinking it. Won't know until I try and all that!"

"Lord Tosai, if you wish to discuss such concerns, I am more than willing to listen. Whether your affliction is emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical." Nagi peered pointedly as Fret kneaded his shoulder again.

Fret immediately snapped his hand away from his shoulder. "Don't worry, it's just a little achy, that's all. Like I said, probably snoozed on it funny. Though, maybe it's my bed? It is pretty old and lumpy, and sometimes I wake up with a backache too."

"Have you informed your parents of this?"

"Yeah, they just haven't gotten a new one yet," said Fret. "No biggie though. If I've slept in this bed for like, 13 years, I can tough it out a little longer!"

"Hmm..."

Fret's phone pinged softly, and he glanced at it with a grin. "Welp, my copy of EleStra is finally ready to go! You ready, Boss?"

"I am," said Nagi, but she still appeared pensive. "Just remember, Lord Tosai, you can always converse with me whenever necessary. And do not, I repeat, do not push yourself past reasonable limits."

Fret beamed. "Of course! It's just right now I wanna play EleStra with you, y'know? But don't worry, if I need to talk, I'll let you know! Even if it's 2:30 in the morning!" He booted the game up.

"I see..." Nagi only smiled slightly, also starting her game.

Kariya and Uzuki looked at each other.

"So," said Kariya. "Wanna place bets on whether Highlights remembers to come back or not?"

"Hmph, my bet is that he's bid us adieu." For a moment Uzuki's shoulders hunched in anger, before she sighed and untensed. "...No, that's not fair. To either of them."

"Since when do you care about Shiba?"

"Since becoming Conductor," murmured Uzuki. "This job is...stressful sometimes."

"Nothing you can't handle, girl," said Kariya. "You can certainly handle it better than him, I'm sure."

Uzuki smirked. "I never said I couldn't handle it. Especially once I can put you and your power to real use, you slacker."

Kariya's smirk turned slightly nervous. "You sure you ain't singing, girl?"

"Hmph, if I was, then you'd already be my song."

Kariya just smiled and shrugged. "You're the boss, Boss."

"...Stop sounding like that kid," Uzuki muttered.

IIIIII

Fret texted Kariya at 5:46 am, wanting to erase Noise. Kariya ignored it, wanting to sleep. Fret texted him again fifteen minutes later, asking the same thing. Kariya in turn sent him the "Go the Eff to Sleep" video, voiced by none other than the Prince, before going back to slumber himself. When Fret texted him a third timea half-hour after that, Kariya told him to bug Uzuki instead.

At 7:45, they were both outside Kariya's apartment, fighting Noise. Fret was using some kind of explosive pin today, probably solely to annoy him. Kariya stubbornly stayed in bed, even if he wasn't actually sleeping.

When Uzuki finally came knocking at noon, however, there was no more avoiding it. Kariya opened the door to see a tired Uzuki and an eager Fret waiting for him. Today Fret had quite the Tigre Punks assemble. A red biker vest with a studded leather cap hanging off his belt was just the start. Spiked choker, spiked wristband, bondage pants. The kid was feeling spicy alright.

"Missed you, Candyman!" said Fret. His blithe happiness with that outfit almost made Kariya laugh.

"Afternoon, lazybones," said Uzuki, rubbing her forehead. "I've been fighting Noise for nearly five hours straight with this kid. Now's it's your turn."

"Wait, you're leaving?" Fret sounded almost hurt, but then his grin turned sly. "Sounds to me like you're being the lazybones here, Uzuki."

"What'd you say, kid?" growled Uzuki, but Fret seemed unfazed by her anger. "Did you not hear me just now? Seriously, how are you still this wound up after fighting Noise for five hours?"

"Because there's still Noise to fight, duh!" said Fret, this time with a more innocent smile. "Not like I was sleeping anyway. Back hurt too much."

Kariya smirked. "Yeah Uzuki, there's still Noise to fight. You fought Noise for a whole day once. Why are you being so lazy today?"

Uzuki glared daggers at both of them. "Oh, you boys think you're funny, don't you?" She grinned, showing her canines, as she flared her wings out. "Well then, we're erasing Noise until sunset, you slackers!"

"Alright!" cheered Fret.

"Oh boy..." said Kariya, less enthused, though he grinned anyway. Though, considering how early Fret and Uzuki had started, Kariya doubted either of them would last for more than a couple hours.

Boy, was Kariya wrong.

"C'mon, there's more Noise over there!" announced Fret, already in his battle pose and bouncing back and forth on his heels, before he ran off without Kariya's reply. Then he came back and tugged Kariya and Uzuki along when they didn't instantly follow him.

Sighing, Kariya glided after the still-lively boy. They had already cleared out most of the Noise in the Hikarie, and now Fret was heading for Scramble Crossing. Good thing the kid was in the UG, or at least three cars would have hit him already. Oh well, the more they got done now, the more Kariya could relax later, he supposed.

So many frogs, wolves, rhinos, even elephants, all quickly felled by the trio. In the frenetic blend of feelings, even Kariya was getting excited about obliterating these long chains of low-grade Noise. But he also sensed lots of anxious desire for attention radiating from the kid, even more so than usual. Much more so, actually.

"Yeah, we got this! We so got this!" Fret shouted, effortlessly weaving around the stomping feet of a pachy Noise as if he already had wings. He giggled like a giddy little kid as he stabbed the underbelly of the massive Noise with his freezing darts. He may have been adventurous with his clothes today, but not his pins.

"Will you be careful, kid?" Uzuki growled, shooting at the pachy's trunk to distract it. Still, her irritation and concern was no match for Fret's joy. Or maybe the kid was soaking up everyone else's emotions as much as he could, as he tended to do in his more excited states.

"Yeah, don't have too much fun, Highlights," said Kariya, but he was smiling too. "I'd hate to peel you off the pavement later. So much work." He pelted the elephant with lightning strikes.

"Yeah, yeah," Fret replied in a singsong voice, as a wintry explosion went off behind him. The pachy Noise wailed and fell onto its side, its legs and stomach frozen solid. Fret got lightly coated with frost, making his gelled hair stand up at odd angles, but didn't seem to notice or care. After a second icy explosion, the elephant Noise was reduced to static.

"Yeah! We did it!" shouted Fret, as they arrived back in the UG."Oh yeah, that was nothing!" He burst out laughing.

That laughter sounded wrong. Too loud, too long, too eager.

"You doing okay, kid?" asked Kariya.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good," Fret quickly reassured him. Perhaps too quickly. "Just been thinking about a whole buncha stuff, that's all. Y'know, exams, Rindude, and other stuff I've been meaning to do. For a while. That I should have gotten done yesterday. Or way before that. Hey, you guys don't happen to have a time travel pi...actually nevermind." He gave out a weak laugh, but Kariya didn't need an active link to sense the waves of anxiety rolling off him.

Something fell near Fret's foot, and he yelped. He glanced down to see his old hat, which had fallen off him. And no wonder: there was a jagged tear in the band, probably from that Alterna Wolf that had yanked him around earlier.

"Oh no no no, when'd that happen?" Fret hastily but carefully scooped up the hat, staring down at the damage with open dread. In a way it reminded Kariya of how Beat had carried Rhyme in her Noise form, of all things. "I gotta get that fixed. Maybe Shiki...?"

"Or you could just toss that hat in the garbage," said Uzuki, hands on her hips. "You've gotta a million others, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but..." Fret's gaze stayed focused on the cap. "But this hat was a gift from my friend. Oh man, he'd be so mad right now..."

Kariya sighed as Fret ran his fingers along the edges of the gash, like he still couldn't believe it was there. "Sounds like you need to chill out a little, Highlights. And by a little I mean a lot." He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Uzuki already had her phone out. "How're his numbers looking, Uzuki?"

"Vibe Check's still normal, or as normal as his gets anyway," said Uzuki, putting away her phone. "But y'know what? Let's get something to eat."

"Now we're talking," said Kariya.

"But there's..." Fret looked almost longingly to some Noise symbols floating around the corner. He stood up, hat still in hand, even as he blinked and swayed a little unsteadily.

Uzuki frowned. "Kid. Food. Now."

Fret seemed to regain his stability and offered a tired smile. "...Yeah, y'know what, food sounds good."

Despite Fret's almost frenzied efforts, Uzuki had erased the most Noise with her swift, efficient shots. And instead of ramen, she decided she wanted something meaty. SBY BBQ meaty, to be exact.

But they had just sat down when Fret spotted Rindo walking by with Nagi and Shoka. In a sleepy giddiness, he almost bolted out the door to see them, leaving his poor wounded hat on the table. "Yo Rindude! Been missing ya all day, buddy!"

Only for Fret to turn transparent as soon as he stepped outside, because he apparently forgot he was still in the UG.

His friends, meanwhile, stopped dead in their tracks and stared. As far as they knew, Fret had literally faded out of existence mid-sentence. The kind of thing only Ex-Players would notice, since most minds were Imprinted by the decals not to notice the odd vanishing.

"...That idiot," muttered Uzuki.

Shoka was the first to recover, as she knew exactly what had happened. She smirked and snorted. "Moron."

Nagi was next, with a calm disapproval. "Ah, I see."

Rindo just stared at where Fret was supposed to be.

"Kweh? Something wrong guys?" asked Fret, finally noticing that his friends weren't answering him.

Kariya finally decided to get up and walk the short distance between the table and the door. "You forget that we're still on the job, Highlights?"

Rindo finally registered Kariya's presence. "Job? What job?"

"Oh! Right!" Fret double-tapped his pin, and popped back into the RG, to the baffled stares of a few observant passersby. Only now did Fret notice his friends looking at him with a mix of disbelief and amusement. An anxious smile squiggled onto his face. "Oh...Right...Uh...So..."

What perfect timing, the waiter had arrived with the menus. Soon Kariya and Uzuki would have dinner to go along with the entertainment.

"Nice way to out yourself, dumbass," said Shoka. "Real smooth."

Fret squinted at Shoka, which only seemed to entertain her further.

"Do regale us about your adventures, Lord Tosai," said Nagi. "I pray they haven't been overly fraught with danger?"

"Don't worry, Boss! It's nothing that bad!" Fret quickly added. "We just fought some Noise for a while! Now me and Kariya and Uzuki are getting a bite to eat. So y'know, fun times!"

"Hmm..." said Nagi, rubbing her chin. "What are your thoughts on this, Lord...Rindo?"

One look at Rindo's balled-up fists, as he stared at the floor, was enough to make all of their smiles falter.

"Uh...Rindude...?" Fret asked uncertainly. "...Rindo...?"

"Fun?" Rindo hissed, glaring back at Fret. "Fret, it's the UG! What the hell are you doing there? Why the hell are you going back?"

"L-Lord Rindo!" Nagi exclaimed.

All traces of a smile vanished from Fret's face. "W-W-Why are you so mad? It's not like I'm out trying to fight Plague Noise or something. Most natural Noise is only like Week 1 level or whatever. So don't worry, me and Candyman and Uzuki got this no problem!"

"Fret," said Rindo, tone clipped as he massaged his shoulder. "Fret, I don't have Replay anymore. If something happens to you, I can't reverse it. Can you please not put yourself in danger on purpose? Stay here, in the RG! Where I will at least know if something happens to you, and you won't just..."

Fret glanced away, eyebrows creased as he massaged his shoulder. "...Hey, buddy, don't worry. We'll be even more careful, okay?" He returned his gaze to Rindo's face, calmer. "But between erasing Noise, Imprinting, Reminding...it really helps people, y'know? How could I not do it? And that's stuff I can only do in the UG. Reminding is a thing only I can do, period. Trust me, Rindo, I need to do this!"

Rindo still frowned, now rubbing his back with his knuckles.

Nagi meanwhile gave concerned looks to both of them.

"And since I can read minds here, I can...I can tell if someone really needs help," Fret continued. "And by scanning I can tell if my Imprints and stuff are actually helping them too. And I can keep an eye on them for a while, to make sure they're okay, without them having to know I'm checking on them, you get me?"

"...Fret, that's stalking," said Shoka.

"Wha? No that's not..." said Fret. "Okay, it kinda sounds bad, but I swear that's not...I'm not doing this to be a creep, okay? I just do it to make sure they'll be alright..." He looked uncomfortable. He reached for his hat, realized it wasn't there, and grew even more uncomfortable.

"Lord Tosai," said Nagi. "I understand that you only have the best of intentions, that you wish happiness for all. But you cannot live other people's lives for them. They must be free to make their own decisions, make their own mistakes."

"And what if one of those mistakes makes them dead?" Fret snapped back.

Rindo glanced away.

"Now you're just getting paranoid," said Shoka.

"Am I though?" asked Fret. "That's what they always say. Oh, he'll get over it! Oh, he's just doing it for attention! Oh, he wouldn't actually do anything!"

Nagi's expression went from composed to alarmed. "Lord Tosai, wai-"

"But hey, if somebody wanted to step in and stop my friend from killing himself, that sure would've been nice!" Fret yelled.

Everyone became silent.

Ah, thought Kariya. So that's why the kid freaks out whenever there's someone with destructive thoughts.

Uzuki glanced at the torn-up cap on the table. "Same friend, I bet." She sighed and looked away. "Where's our food already?"

Fret chuckled nervously under the quiet pressure. "So, uh, y-yeah..." He slowly slunk back toward the restaurant.

"Fret..." said Rindo, looking pained.

"Deepest apologies, Lord Tosai," said Nagi. "It seems that I failed to understand the true gravity of the subject."

"N-No, i-it's all good, Boss," said Fret with a clearly forced smile. "I wasn't exactly clear about what I was really talking about. You know me, all talk, no communication, heh. Gotta work on that, play more EleStra, I know." He managed a feeble laugh, but not eye contact. "G-Gotta try harder to be a better friend, really..."

"Hey, you may be a moron sometimes, but you're always a great friend," said Shoka.

Fret looked at Shoka with an incredulous stare. He didn't even try to make his laugh sound authentic. "If I'm such a good friend, then why did you wanna die at the end of our Game anyway?"

Shoka blinked, probably not knowing how to answer that.

"I mean, being a good friend means that your friends don't wanna die, right?" Fret continued, even though he looked at none of them. There was no joy in that anxious smile. "That's...That's probably a basic requirement, right?"

"Fret, that...that had nothing to do with you..." said Shoka, looking away.

"You're my friend! It has everything to do with me!" Fret screamed. "If I can't even make my friends want to live, then what the fuck am I even doing?"

It all fell soundless again. Shoka in particular looked upset, pulling at her hoodie. Even the people in the restaurant grew quiet and restless. Though Kariya doubted they heard much of what the kids outside were actually saying over the loud music of the place. KFC Man, as Kariya called the SBY BBQ's owner, watched the argument with a stony expression, his eyes hidden by his sunglasses.

"Kid's really going off, huh?" said Uzuki, her arms folded. She shifted her shoulders listlessly, probably missing her wings.

"Yeah," Kariya agreed. Had his friend's cap being damaged upset him that much? No, Fret had been on edge before that, hadn't he?

Fret's angry expression slowly sank down to a neutral one. "...Y'know what, I'm gonna fight some more Noise with Kariya and Uzuki. It's...only gonna get worse if I stay here."

"Is that wise in your current emotional state?" asked Nagi.

"Probably not, but since when has that ever stopped me?" muttered Fret, already walking toward the restaurant.

"Fret, wait!" said Rindo, with a new spike of anxiety in his voice. He grabbed Fret's shoulder.

Fret stopped, looking back at Rindo, but he didn't say anything.

"Look, I..." Rindo began. "...I don't even know what to say after all that, but..."

"That I'm an idiot trying to play hero in the UG?" Fret said blandly. "It's okay. You can still be mad. It's dumb, I know. It's really dumb. But I...I can't...I'm sorry I'm always messing things up. I really try not to, really I do, but...Well, guess I just keep breaking the mold in all the wrong ways." He let out a pathetic laugh.

That laugh got cut off as Rindo forced Fret to turn around, putting his hands on Fret's shoulders.

Fret froze. "Uh..." He trembled a little. "S-S-Sorry?"

"Hey." Rindo looked Fret directly in the eyes. "Hey, it's...okay to not be okay, right?" asked Rindo, carefully placing his forehead against Fret's. "Because you're not okay right now."

Fret didn't seem able to handle the close eye contact for long. "Um...T-Thanks?" His chuckle, though still very shaky, sounded more genuine this time. "...No, really, t-thanks. Um...I-I'm..." Fret didn't even notice Rindo reaching up to stroke his hair until he was already petting it.

Only a moment later Rindo abruptly pulled away, rubbing his fingers together. "Geez, why do you use so much goddamn hair gel?"

Fret, who had practically turned into a statue under the brief touch, snorted and started laughing.

"What? It's so stiff and weird! How do you stand this stuff?"

"Rindude...Rindo, you're the best. You know that, right?"

"I...guess?"

After a while, Rindo finally released him, though one hand slipped down to hold Fret's instead. "So...uh..." A nervous smile crept on his face as the full implications sank in. "...You...good now?"

"...Better, yeah," said Fret, his hand squeezing back. "So..."

At this point KFC Man pushed past Kariya in the doorway, and told the kids to stop blocking and disrupting his restaurant. Everyone meekly stepped aside, though Rindo still held onto Fret's hand. Fret, unsurprisingly, didn't seem to mind at all. He still seemed to be drained by his outbursts.

As KFC Man's stance softened and he began to tell them that they could always talk to him when needed, Kariya and Uzuki's meal finally arrived. Oh boy, Uzuki had gotten a whole gator, huh? Kariya would stick with his meat shish-kabob, thanks.

A more peaceful, but still awkward, silence rolled in after KFC Man finally returned to the restaurant.

"So, uh..." Rindo began. "I know it's kinda late already, but do you wanna come over to my house tonight? We could have...a sleepover, or something?"

Fret's expression brightened. "Sure!"

"Great!" said Rindo. Then, almost as if an afterthought. "So, do you guys wanna come over too? Nagi? Shoka?"

"Hmm..." said Nagi, her mouth in an uncertain line. "Pardon me, allow me to...erm..." She never completed her sentence, instead checking something on her phone.

"I think I'll pass this time, thanks," said Shoka, her voice quiet. "See you later, losers." Kariya caught her fading smile for just a moment before she turned away, disappearing into the crowd.

"Shoka?" asked Rindo, but she was already gone. His brows immediately bunched up in worry. "Did..Did I upset her?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I did that," said Fret, his voice still somewhat monotone. "Boss, can you check on her? 'Cause I, uh...I should talk to her too, but not now...I'd probably just blow up on her again..."

Rindo cast an anxious glance at Fret, and then at Nagi. "Yeah, could you do that, Nagi? I-I mean, I could it instead, if you're not feeling up to it, but...uh..." His hand squeezed Fret's.

Nagi's whole body relaxed a little, but she still frowned when she briefly gazed up from the screen. She furiously typed something up as she talked. "Nary a concern, milords. As her comrade, I shall attend to Lady Shoka. But if anything at all troubles either of you, contact me at once!" Then she too left, and finally Fret and Rindo left as well.

Finally Kariya and Uzuki could eat their meal. Sort of. Kariya wasn't that fond of his shish-kabob, and it turned out Uzuki didn't like gator nearly as much as she had expected to. Welp, that was the unnecessary danger of eating someplace different.

"Well, I think I'm gonna turn in early tonight after all that," said Kariya, and honestly he was tired. Especially after watching that argument. "How about you?"

"...You know what, yeah," said Uzuki. "I've been with the kid since 6:00, and it's, geez, 6:00 PM now? Seriously? How has today been so long and so short at the same time? We got more than enough quota from all the Noise we erased today, I'm sure." The mere thought of it seemed to make her eyes sag.

"Then my place then?"

"Uh huh, your place."

IIIIII

Another day, another exhausting series of Noise battles with Fret. The kid had done almost nothing else, and seemed irritated when Kariya reminded him to, well, Remind people. He claimed he couldn't sense the singing like the Reapers could, but Kariya wondered if he was subconsciously noticing it. With the concert at full swing, the air was thick with singing constantly, no matter where they went in Shibuya. Today they were passing through Miyashita Park.

"Doing okay, kid?" asked Kariya, as Fret stopped to knead his back again.

"Fine." No smile from Fret this time, just a tired edge to his voice. He closed his eyes to scan the crowd.

While Fret was concentrating, Kariya brought out his phone and checked Fret's numbers. Hmm, his numbers were a little erratic, with sharper peaks and valleys than usual. The mood swings and manic energy the kid had lately, the sore back...if Kariya didn't know better...

"C'mon--think!"

And Kariya was Reminded of when those damn Red Skull Pins had started taking over him and Uzuki, the splitting headaches and screams.

And the time when another Shibuya Reaper had been hunted down by Shinjuku Reapers, again.

And the time when he had been the one being hunted.

And the time when he had been the one hunting.

And the time when he had been above everything, hunter and prey...

"Kariya?"

The Reaper was snapped out of his strange spiral of thoughts by Fret's concerned words.

"You good, dude?"

"Yeah..." said Kariya, as they turned onto Miyamasuzaka. "Seems like your Remind's starting to pack a punch, kid. Caught me off guard a little, not gonna lie."

"Really?" asked Fret. "But I didn't do anything different? I mean, it's gotten easier. It got easier during the Game too. But no one said anything about it being...stronger?" As his eyes wandered, he spotted the Miyamasu Mitake shrine nearby. "Oh yeah, my folks wanted me to pick up some charms! Can we stop by there real quick? I usually get them at the Meiji Shrine, but...I dunno, I just felt weird there today? Still feel kinda weird here too, but...Anyway, I still brought the offering and everything."

"You can, but I sure can't," said Kariya.

"Kweh? Why not?"

"Because there's probably a wall," said Kariya. He closed his eyes and scanned. Sure enough, a thin translucent barrier shrouded the area, starting at the wooden gate at the bottom of the stairs. "Yep, thought so."

Fret scanned too, and his eyes snapped open. "Dude you're right! What's up with that? I thought there weren't any Games right now?"

"Game's got nothing to do with it," said Kariya. "Belief is a form of Imagination. If it's strong enough, it can repel so-called evil spirits. Notice how there's no Noise anywhere near here?"

"Oh yeah," said Fret, glancing around at the empty air. "But you're not an evil spirit."

"But I am a Reaper. Which means I'm part Noise essentially," said Kariya, pointing a thumb back at his wings and flapping them. "These Barriers can't tell the difference."

"Oh. Huh," said Fret. "And here I thought my folks were just crazy." He sighed, massaging his shoulder as he peered up the steps. "Still kinda don't like this place much, though. My folks used to bring me here to get me blessed all the time. To, uh, fix me."

Oh boy. "What kind of fixing?"

"I mean...But you just said this place has actual power, right? I mean, I thought I believed in it too, but maybe I just didn't believe hard enough..." said Fret with a grin that was more sad than anything, and it soon faded. The silence went on for longer than it usually did. "Like, they thought I was possessed or something, and that's why I could never remember much or sit still. But I, uh, I'm not really sure about this, but I think I might have ADHD? I haven't been able to get it checked out or anything though."

"Because your parents won't let you?" said Kariya.

That only seemed to sour Fret's mood further, as he rubbed his back. "Like, it's probably nothing, really. It would just explain a few things, y'know? Like why my memory is garbage. Or why I have so much trouble focusing. Or why I'm so easily distracted. Or even why I get so emotional, like, all the time."

"Sounds like you've been doing some research on this," said Kariya.

'Well, yeah, and..." Fret stayed quiet for a few moments. "...I had a friend who had it. Like, officially had it. He had a doctor and medicine and everything. Said the meds helped a lot with focus and stuff. But we had, like, a lot of the same issues. Not just with school, but other stuff too. So he always thought I probably had it too." He cast a sad glance at his hat, which was now held together with some black duct tape

"Hmm, same guy who gave you the cap?"

"Yeah," said Fret. "It's funny, he just gave me his favorite hat one day. No reason, just because. Said it made a good fidget for him sometimes. I was really happy, and he was happy that I was happy, y'know? And that...was the last time I ever saw him..." He fell silent, picking at the hem of the ragged cap.

Admittedly, Kariya wasn't quite sure what to say after that.

"Anyway!" Fret continued, smiling a little too brightly. "It'd just be nice to know for sure. Maybe I've just got it all wrong. I mean, some stuff you need someone else's opinion on, y'know?"

"Why don't you just make an appointment yourself? Or did you spend all your extra pin money already?"

"Dude, I'm a minor. The docs won't take me seriously," said Fret. "They probably won't even let me set up an appointment. Or if they did, they'd tell my parents about it, and...I don't wanna get into a fight over this, y'know? They're stressed out enough about my grades as it is, and I don't get to see them that much. Well I mean, they both gotta work, so I get it. Mom works retail, and Dad's got his insurance sales to businesses and stuff. And it's not like I can't take care of myself. Mom always leaves some food in the fridge for me, unless she's really busy like she has been lately. But then we got plenty of instant ramen for that! And I can always try throwing new stuff in it! I don't usually make myself sick, and I've made up some pretty neat dishes. Like, did you know that peanut butter and green pepper actually taste pretty good together?"

"Sure didn't," said Kariya, and he doubted that he ever would.

"Yeah, if you just slather on a bunch of peanut butter on a slice of green pepper, it's great!" Fret babbled on. "Maybe if I make some for Beat, I can trick him into eating more veggies...But, uh..." He let out an embarrassed chuckle that turned into a hiss as he gripped his back. "Man, my back's killing me today, and I don't even know why. Uh, what were we talking about again?"

"Parents," said Kariya. Hmm...

"Oh yeah!" said Fret, shifting the massage to his shoulder. "And Dad's always bringing me these neat little car figurines, since he travels a lot for work. I've never really been a car person, but they're like, really detailed! You can open and shut the doors and everything! Though I'm kinda starting to run out of places to put them...But I don't wanna put any of them away, because I, uh, may never find them again if I do. I really should clean my room sometime, but that...might take a whole excavation crew at this point."

"Hire Uzuki. She'll get it as clean as her desk."

"Oh man, if Uzuki saw my room..." said Fret, a nervous chuckle escaping him. "Anyway, they're gone a lot, but we're still a family, y'know? We try to help each other out when we can. Like, I'll clean stuff like the dishes sometimes too, and then they'll give me some allowance for it. I don't know how good I am at it, but hey if they're paying me it can't be too bad, right?"

Kariya unwrapped a new lollipop. Something told him he was going to be here a while.

"Heh, Rindo's parents though?" Fret continued. "They've got everything squeaky clean like, all the time! And man is Rindo spoiled! He doesn't even have to do chores most of the time, besides maybe picking up some groceries. And his mom fusses over him, like, constantly! Won't even let him leave the house without eating breakfast. Man, no wonder Rindo's such a baby sometimes!" His giggles faded into a more wistful sigh. "I wonder what my Rindude's up to right now..."

Ironically, in the false quiet of the uncrowded evening, Kariya picked up on the music before anything else.

Oooooh, take a look at meeeee! I'm not the perfect boy you want to beeeee-

The blaring, howling rock of Breaking Free, distorted and isolated. He turned and, sure enough, there was Rindo, black headphones over his ears and hands on his pockets, looking right at Fret. Speak of the devil.

With pinpricks of yellow Noise light burning in his eyes.

What the hell? "Fret!" Kariya barked.

"Wha?"

With amazing speed Rindo dashed toward Fret. Kariya shoved Fret past the gate, who yelped and the sudden shove. His yelp turned into a yell as Rindo shot straight through Kariya, only to shriek as he rammed face-first into the ward, falling onto his rear. His headphones got knocked off his ears and onto the back of his neck.

Fret shrieked too, more out of perplexed surprise than fright. "W-What was that? Dude, are you-" He suddenly froze as he stared at Rindo. Fret must have seen the yellow still burning in Rindo's eyes.

Now Rindo looked more hurt than ravenous, as he turned off his music. "Ow...why did I do that? Why did I..." He paled as the light in his eyes dimmed. "Fret, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah I'm fine..." said Fret with a feeble grin. "But Rindo, are you..." His eyebrows creased.

"Am I what?" Despite the harsh wording, he sounded more desperate than angry. "Fret, do you know what's wrong with me? Because I don't feel right at all. I haven't felt right for a while, actually."

"Uh..." Fret's eyes wandered everywhere except toward Rindo. He turned to Kariya with a look that likely meant 'What do I even say?'

"Sorry, I know I should have said something earlier," Rindo murmured, getting up. "I guess I...I just thought it was just me freaking out over nothing? Like I always do nowadays? But this...this doesn't feel like just anxiety anymore...But I...miss you? Even though you're right here?"

Fret swallowed hard, still not making eye contact. "Y-You're...You're singing, Rindude. S-Singing...for me?" A giggle laced with both delight and fright fled from him. "Y-You are, aren't you Rindude? That's why...that's why I've been..." He gripped the front of his shirt.

Ah. The kid's not singing, he's resonating. No wonder his numbers make no sense, thought Kariya. Of course the real question was how and why was Rindo of all people singing?

"Singing? What is that?" asked Rindo, drawing his coat more tightly around himself. "The way you and Kariya are acting...it's nothing good, is it?"

Fret took a deep breath, and released an even deeper sigh. "It's...It's not bad, exactly." He smiled a little. "W-With you, my Rindude, I'm sure it'll even be..."

"Now normally I'd say you two have fun," Kariya began, but his smirk quickly turned to a frown. "But this, well, this ain't normal. Stay behind the gate, Fret."

Fret looked troubled, but stayed where he was. "Uh yeah, Kariya's right, Rindo. Because you shouldn't be singing? Like at all? Because you're not a Reaper? I mean you're not even dead! And I'm not either, so...uh, none of this makes any sense?"

"But what is singing?" asked Rindo.

"I-It's...when one Reaper absorbs the other one to evolve," said Fret. "And they become one person. Kinda. It's complicated. Like most Reaper things really."

Rindo blankly stared at Fret, his body suddenly stone-still. "B-But...what? How does that even work?"

"Uh, t-there's a fight, and we turn into half-Noise for awhile, and then whoever wins...uh, yeah," Another fluttering laugh from Fret. "But if you don't do that...i-if you d-don't..." His hands trembled.

"Easy kid," said Kariya.

"Why are you so calm about all this?" Rindo hissed, glowering at Kariya.

Kariya blinked. Rindo just spoke to him directly.

"You can see him?" asked Fret, mouth hanging open. "Wait, you're in the UG?"

"I guess?" said Rindo. "But I was bumping into people right before I saw you? And I kinda, uh, went straight through Kariya earlier, even though I could see him?" He stuck out his hand, and it phased through Kariya's arm. "So uh...?" He reached for Fret, only to be zapped by the barrier. "Ow. Right..." Still his gaze lingered on Fret.

"I know you don't want to hear this but you should skedaddle, Mask." Kariya paused. "Rindo. Go home. Something real screwy's going on here, and it's too dangerous for you two to be together right now."

"I should go?" Rindo glanced at Kariya, then stared at Fret for a while longer, before gazing at the ground. "I should go."

And suddenly Fret's breath hitched. "Wait!" He lunged forward past the barrier's threshold, catching one of Rindo's hands.

"Fret!" Kariya shouted, but of course the kid didn't hear him.

Fret's words came out in a rapid jumble. "Kariya's probably right, b-but what if you turn into a Boss Noise while you're gone? I mean this is all weird, so we don't know what might happen, right? And I don't want anything happening to you ever!" Suddenly on the verge of tears, he snatched up Rindo in an intense embrace.

The sheer volume of Fret's singing hit Kariya like a meteor. And he wasn't even the desired target.

"And I can't have anything happening to you ever!" Fret's words only spilled out faster as he kneaded Rindo's back. "Because you're the best thing ever, and I love you so much, and I miss you so much, all the time, even when you're right there, and my back hurts, but I won't hurt you, I just wanna always be with you forever!" He buried his face into Rindo's shoulder, trembling. "Please don't go, my Rindo."

Oh boy...In hindsight, assuming Fret stood a chance while resonating with his crush had probably been grossly optimistic.

"...Love you too," Rindo murmured, returning the hug. "My Fret." His eyes glinted with yellow light as he traced a wing shape on Fret's back.

Fret shuddered, his breath growing quicker as something dark briefly pulsed under his clothes. He pressed even closer against Rindo, like he wanted to skip straight to the merge.

The kid's growing wings? thought Kariya. Would explain why his back's been aching so bad.

Still...much as Kariya wanted answers, and as loath as he was to admit it, he knew a lost cause when he saw one. Once singing started, no one could stop it. And hey, if that was what they both wanted, then it was singing like any other in the end. He wondered how days, or hours, until the inevitable happened.

Fret giggled almost deliriously as Rindo massaged spots near his shoulder blades.

Kariya figured it was about time for him to finally go home, in case it happened soon. This was not something he wanted to be caught in the middle of. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to watch. This whole thing...he should talk to Uzuki about it. He started to walk away.

A high-pitched scream, sounding both frightened and overwhelmed, resounded through the area. It was enough to make the two boys freeze. Rindo let out a low warble, while Fret emitted a confused growl.

Kariya turned to see Nagi, shaking, with Shoka not far behind.

"Y-You mustn't!" exclaimed Nagi.

"Nagi, will you tell me what's going on already?" shouted Shoka.

And then Kariya heard alarmed yelps from both Rindo and Fret. Kariya spun around to see Minamimoto of all people looming over the boys, eyes burning with ire.

"Mr. Minami!" both boys exclaimed, before the mathematician Ex-Reaper yanked them apart.

"This 4-2-1 is garbage!" Minamimoto growled, gripping both teens' collars to hold them away from each other. "It's not adding my zeptograms to its heap!"

"Mr. Minami, what are you-" But Rindo was cut off mid-sentence as Minamimoto teleported off with both boys.

"Did that math freak really just..." hissed Shoka. "Nagi! We gotta find out where he went!"

But Nagi, if anything, seemed more relaxed now. "So he received my message after all. Thank heavens."

"Nagi, what are you-" Shoka shrieked when Minamimoto appeared behind her and Nagi as well, but soon her fear turned to rage. "Hey, you! What did you do with Rindo and Fret?"

But Minamimoto ignored her, his sight fixed on Nagi. "Time to solve this equation, Zeptogram 3." Then, without waiting for an answer, he warped off with Nagi too.

Shoka stood there, blankly staring at where Nagi and Minamimoto were just a moment ago. Then she let out a frustrated yell. "What the hell is happening?"

And that's what Kariya wanted to know too.

IIIIII

Well, that escalated both quickly and slowly at the same time.

It'll be interesting to see how badly my version of Haz gets outdated, if we ever do get another sequel. But since very little is known about him right now, I will write him as I please.

Btw, "Go the Eff to Sleep" is a reference to "Go the Fuck to Sleep", a "children's" book that has a audio reading by Samuel L Jackson on youtube. It's pretty funny.