Neku was walking home from Hanekoma's with a lot on his mind. That being said, he was still very much alert.
Which is why he was so bewildered when he was suddenly knocked in the face by a backhand strike that sent him careening into the ground. As he picked himself up, he let out a groan. His gaze had fallen on his attacker... A businessman with slicked-back blond hair.
"Apollo. What do you want, Asshole?"
"Want?" the being stepped toward him, he retreated back "I simply want an honest apology!"
"You want me to apologize for putting you flat on your ass?! Hell no! You deserved that knocking!"
"Then I am afraid I will have to get retribution the hard way."
Neku barely had time to comprehend what was going on before he was plowed backfirst into a wall, then kicked into the side of a dumpster. A hand reached down, grabbed him by his oversized collar, and threw him to the ground.
Neku tasted copper on his tongue. He was pretty sure killing an RG soul was frowned upon by the Higher Plane, but that obviously wasn't a concern to Apollo as he lifted a booted foot and slammed it repeatedly into the teen's stomach. Neku swore he was about to die again.
Among the rushing in his ears and the chaos in his head, the teen swore he heard a welcome interruption of his torment.
"You kick my Proxy one more time. See what happens."
"Yoshiya." Neku heard the sick pleasure, could practically feel the drool in that voice.
"You can do whatever you please to me, Apollo Sarahara." That voice was calm and dangerous.
"But I'm afraid I just can't tolerate you having the audacity...the unashamed gall...to lift a single finger against Neku Sakuraba."
Neku had never heard Josh this pissed off. The Composer's words were ground out in a feral growl. There was a bright light, and the area lit up like a full moon night. Neku looked with hazy eyes, and gasped in...fear.
Joshua had donned his true form, and it was terrible to behold. His Imagination and Soul crackled and flared like a roaring blaze, his wings were fanned out, like an angry cape blowing in the wind of raw power.
With a snarl, he leaped at Apollo, who had also transformed, and the two great, glowing beings fought savagely.
"You fool, Yoshiya! Challenging me in combat! I outrank you! I'm ascended!"
The smaller form was hurled to the ground, but quickly recovered and barreled into Apollo once again.
"You..." The older being sneered triumphantly as he grabbed the throat of his rival then slammed him hard into the ground. "Stay put. I'll play with you in a minute."
The older being powered down and walked slowly to the fallen teenager, a twisted smile on his lips as he reached down, grabbed his wrist...and broke it.
Neku screamed, then prepaired to enter the UG for the fourth time as Apollo grabbed his neck.
"Perhaps...I didn't make myself...clear."
Suddenly, Apollo was knocked off of Neku and slammed into a wall. The teen looked towards where the Composer had fallen...and stared. The white being was changing again.
"Hands...off..."
He was on all fours. His body grew bigger, longer...until the familiar shape became...
"My...Proxy."
A dragon.
A giant, Noise Dragon. Blinding white, with glowing, amethyst eyes. Even as Neku watched in awe, the dazzling, terrible, yet eerily beautiful beast kept growing. One giant, ivory claw came down and flattened Apollo before picking him up. The dragon roared at him, teeth the size of small houses gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. He then brought the being up to one scowling, glowing eye and growled,
"I really don't like repeating myself, Apollo. Leave Neku Sakuraba alone!"
Knowing he was out-powered at the moment, the Higher Being sighed and relented reluctantly.
"I concede, Yoshiya."
It was safe to say that Neku had no more trouble from the Higher Being after that.
Mister H. was astonished and sorry he missed it, because apparently, "Josh hasn't used his Noise Form in decades!"
Neku felt pretty special hearing that, he did admit.
