Rhyme scowled. She folded her arms and leaned on the wall, glaring at the intruders that dare sully the sacred sanctum of cleansing. She pointed to he heaving lump in a blanket on the couch in her tiny living room, glaring accusingly at the culprits.

"I told you already. I can't help you. I'm taking care of Beat."

"We know." Neku sat on the carpet and gestured to the others to join him "We're here about another matter."

Rhyme cocked her head "Follow me. It's almost time for him to eat something." She led them into the small kitchen and began getting some oatmeal ready.

"Ok, I'm listening." She said as she filled a pot with water. "If you aren't here to tell me to see him, what are you here for? I already told you I'm a bit busy."

Neku leaned on the wall, arms crossed as he narrowed his eyes. "We're going to confront Apollo. Josh has suffered enough, and I can't let it happen any more. Asshole's had his fun, but Shibuya needs its Composer or else we're all dead. Don't know about you, but I'm not down with that happening."

The tiny blond reached for a bag on the counter, and poured the contents into the simmering pot, "So, you're doing it for Shibuya." she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You know the answer to that." Neku said softly, turning away roughly.

"Well, my answer still hasn't changed. Beat comes first." A bowl was retrieved next, as well as honey and cinnamon. Both Neku and Shiki noticed that the young teen was deliberately keeping busy, eyes cast down and refusing to look at them as she moved to set the things down on the counter. Her movements seemed almost mechanical.

Shiki stopped the determined movements by grabbing the smaller girl's wrist, nearly causing her to drop the bottle and jar she was holding. Rhyme tried jerking away, but the seamstress refused to let go, instead tightening her grip.

"Stop it, Rhyme! You know this is all just a distraction. You're just as worried for Joshua as I was for Neku, don't you dare deny it!"

Rhyme yanked her arm free with an uncharacteristic snarl, glaring daggers at the other girl, a hitch in her voice as she turned and finally cast a glare at the glasses-wearing teen, a rare note of venom slicing through her tone, her eyes flaring in accusation and fury.

"How dare you talk about worry?! If it wasn't for YOU, Joshua would have already rematched Apollo and he would be...he would…" She took a minute to calm her raging emotions, swallowing tears that had been threatening to fall for the past three days. Once composing herself, she shook her head "Anyway, don't you of all people tell me to deny my feelings. And Neku, I'm surprised you're even talking to her right now. Did you really forgive her so quickly? You're stronger than you used to be."

Neku frowned "I didn't. I'm still mad. But that isn't the issue right now. If I have a ghost of a chance to take Apollo down...I need my friends by my side. Right now, that includes Shiki. I'll deal with...her crime later."

As Rhyme moved again, taking the completed dish to her brother, Neku followed with Shiki not far behind. Neku continued, his face set in a determined scowl "It includes you, too. Look, I know Beat's in a bad way. Like I said, though, if Josh goes down, we all go down with him. You do remember the rule, don't you? He who kills the Composer becomes Composer. I do NOT want Asshole running things, and I'm sure you don't either."

Neku sighed "On that note...Rhyme if we don't do something soon...then I'll do what I have to do. I don't want to have to ascend, but I will if it gives him release and gets rid of Apollo."

Rhyme gasped, nearly dropping the bowl she had and looking at Neku with suprise and fear in her eyes. "You wouldn't!"

"To release him...you're damn right I would. But I'd rather not." Neku cocked his head "It's a very last resort. But it is an option I'm willing to take over seeing him...basically dead. That thing on the bed...it isn't Joshua. It's a shell if anything. I want Josh back, Rhyme."

The girl put the bowl down, her hair falling over her face as she sniffed and slowly sank to the floor, her head buried in her knees "I want him back too, Neku. But...Beat's so sick. I won't just abandon him."

"I'm not asking you to abandon your brother, Rhyme." Neku said "I'm just asking you to support whatever idea I come up with to save Josh. Because in order to cancel out this deal I made...I'll have to get a little crazy. Kiryu levels of insane." He slowly smirked, his eyes burning as his entire attitude reflected his resolve.

"I'm going to play a game. And this time...Apollo's life will be on the line."

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

Hanekoma paced the room, his eyes hidden by his glasses, Neku outlined his plan for the third time, barely laying eyes on the figure on the bed. He didn't need any reminders of why he needed to do this. He needed nothing at all to give him motivation. All he needed was the cooperation of his friends and Apollo himself.

Sanae sighed as the outline was completed, his head in his palm in a thinking position. "I don't know, Phones. I thought you'd want to avoid this kind of situation if at all possible. Besides, it's not as if you can initiate this plan of yours without the HP's permission."

"I don't need their permission." Neku growled, clenching his fists "There are two representatives on this plane, I think that's enough to warrant me doing this 'legally'. If we sit around waiting for permission, Josh will die for good!"

"You don't know that." Sanae countered, folding his arms and cocking his head to one side "This state could be just that, a state. Niether deteriorating, nor improving. Not saying I'd like it that way permanently, but that's what it could be. Have a little hope, Phones. We have time."

"I highly doubt we do." Neku countered, waving a hand towards the bed "He's fading. You may not be able to see it because you forgot what humans look like while they die. But I can tell. He's way worse than he was, and at his current pace he'll…" the voice of the orangette cracked noticeably "He'll be gone in five days. We have no choice. It's either my idea...or the death pact. I'm not ready to be Composer, and I refuse to let it end that way...not when there's a chance!"

Sanae couldn't argue any of those points. However, he didn't think it was wise for the teen to do basicly a Joshua move against Apollo. Not that he thought Neku wasn't capable, but the boy lacked ferocity, not cunning. That would prove a serious problem when facing off against Apollo, who was ferocious when he wanted to be, and wasn't afraid to literaly psych out his oponent. The truth of the matter was, Neku didn't play dirty and Apollo played incredibly filthy. It would definitely be a losing battle before it even began.

"A slim chance at best. You don't have it in you to beat Apollo, Phones, not in a contest of brutality!"

"This isn't a contest of brutality, it's a battle of wits, just like last time!" The teen argued, folding his arms "Now, for Josh's sake...do I have permission or not? You can teach me to traverse planes so I won't have to die to go to the UG, right?"

Sanae sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers "Yes, I could but it wouldn't matter. You know even if I taught you, it would still be considered breaking the rules because you are still alive. Living players can't legally play the Game."

Neku took out a knife "If that's what it takes...fine. I can work with that." He placed the blade on his throat.

"Don't be hasty!" Sanae said, grabbing the teen's wrist and gripping hard. Neku kept his grip on the sharp weapon and would have struggled if a voice hadn't cut into the conversation.

"He is right, Neku Sakuraba. Do not hasten your death needlessly, when a third option presents itself."

The teen lowered his arm and scowled daggers at the new arrival, his teeth clenched at the mere sight of him.

"What the hell do you want. I wasn't planning on getting you here yet, you bastard."his hard, snarling voice growled as he finally met the Higher Being's gaze with his hate-filled blues.

Apollo simply laughed and shrugged off the deadly aura the Proxy was emitting, smiling with his cunning as he said simply "I can sanction your entering through other means, Naku Sakuraba. I'm rather curious to see if you really have what it takes to win against me. To do what even Yoshiya Kiryu, my most cunning rival, could not do. Are you really worthy of your title, boy?"

Neku narrowed his eyes, his hands gripping the weapon he carried until blood dripped onto the floor. Mouth set in a determined sneer, then a mirrored Kiryu smirk as he taunted in raw determination,

"Why don't you be the judge of that, asshole? Go on then...test me!"