It seemed like Udagawa and deadly situations had become the norm for Neku. As if fate were playing some sick, twisted joke on the teen every time he went to the place.

Mister H, CAT, had told him that he had just finished making improvements to the mural the boy was so fond of. So Neku hoitfooted it over to Udagawa to go see. He fopund the new design to be even more inspirational than the old one, and would have gladly admired it all day, had he that courtesy.

He did not.

What he ended up having was a pistol barrel buried in the back of his skull.

"Give me your money and your MP3 player, and I'll let you live."

Neku froze.

The gun cocked "You deaf, kid?"

The teen wasn't sure what the guy would do if he moved his head to shake a negative, so he spoke up with a slight tremble in his voice, "N...no. I don't have any money on me...but you can take the player."

When his assailant didn't answer, and Neku heard a barrel click that didn't belong to the gun on his head, he stole a quick peripheral glance. He didn't see much, he found out quickly that he didn't need to see.

"I would suggest rethinking your current course of action. It seems rather unsafe."

That voice...

The safety clicked off.

That gun...

"You have so much potential. Seems a pity to waist it." A giggle...

That damn laugh!

His assailant was trembling, and finally dropped the gun.

"There now, that's better!"

Neku turned to see Joshua holding his gun to the back of the robber's head, his signature smirk firmly in place. The purple eyes narrowed, and the usually haughty voice became dangerous and commanding.

"Now Get. Out."

The man hotfooted it away as fast as his legs would carry him.

Not saying a word, the Composer locked eyes with his proxy, waved, winked, and phased back into the UG.