"Mister H?"
Neku stepped into WildKat timidly. He could feel in the air something wasn't quite right with the quaint café. The air was heavy, and the lights were dim. There was a scratching sound like an old record player caught off needle and stuck on a continuous, creepy loop. There were voices coming from the upper room, and every once in a while, thumping could be heard.
The whole thing was eerie. He decided to come back later. The teen was halfway out the door when he heard it...
The shreak of some kind of animal.
No, not an animal...
That voice could only belong to one person.
Neku dashed upstairs and flung open the door, to reveal a scene straight out of a horror movie.
"Hold him Sanae!"
"Please, Apollo...don't do this, he's had enough! One psych attack is plenty of punishment for his crime, especially one of yours!"
"Hold him, or face erasure! He's too spirited, too cocky...and needs—" One touch to a pale arm, and all the joints torqued backwards, even the fingers.
"AAAUUUGH!"
"—To learn he has strings, and we pull those strings."
Neku felt himself get beyond sick as the glowing figure literally puppeteered and contorted the body of Shibuya's proud Composer, twisting his limbs with a powerful psych until they cracked and popped. It was cruel. It was sadistic.
It was totally uncalled for and he refused to stand by and watch it happen.
"HEY ASSHOLE!"
Both Hanekoma and the glowing being had literally just enough time to turn towards the furious Proxy before he layed out Apollo with a flying punch to the face.
Joshua's body, no longer held by his Producer's powers, fell to the ground, where he panted and whimpered his pain, curling up and extending his wings so they could cover his broken body and hide him.
Neku's burning blue eyes fell on Hanekoma, their fire only somewhat soothed by the sickened, horrified look on the barista's face.
"The hell." The teen snarled, kneeling next to Joshua, "Was THAT about?! The hell did you sit there and LET IT HAPPEN?!"
"I had no choice. Josh ticked off the Higher Plane. They sent Apollo to punish him."
"Nothing." The teen's voice was a low growl, "nothing he could have done...warrents that!" he pointed to the Composer still hiding under his wings, refusing to let anyone see how wounded he really was.
"Absolutely nothing."
He stood and glared at the baffled, glowing Apollo, who was still stunned that a mere human teenager had knocked him to the ground.
"You stay away from him." The teen threatened "Stay the hell away!" He spread his arms out, blocking Joshua.
Apollo laughed and turned to Hanekoma,
"This must be the Proxy. Well, I see why he picked you!"
He snickered at the scowling boy, and then began to fade
"We'll be in touch, Neku Sakuraba."
"Like hell you will. Damn bastards." The teen spat.
