"You flaunted your power a bit today, J." Sanae said disapprovingly as he entered the monster that was the Kiryu Estate. Kariya took his coat and led him into the study, where the Composer was lounging in the office chair he used to curl up and sleep in as he waited for Daichi to come home.

Joshua snorted and spun around twice before facing the chair and a wry look to his Producer.

"You say 'flaunted', but I prefer 'exerted'. Technically no one saw me, so I hardly would call it a flaunt. Besides, I'm getting enough greif from Uzuki without the headache of having her complain about yet another Noise stronghold, especially when I am there to make sure the area stays Noise-free."

"What about Victor?"

"He saw nothing." The Composer waved a hand dismissively "That simpleton is slower than Daisukenojo. He will assume that I had simply walked into his line of sight at that exact moment, and his clumsiness tripped him."

Hanekoma's answer was cut off as a ferocious growl came from the floor behind the desk. Josh snickered at the Barista's indignant glare upon realizing that the Composer's new acquaintance was not fond of him.

"I believe Shiro knows your true identity, and he does not approve." The ash-blond giggled.

"Maybe he really is a demon dog." The Angel muttered.

"Mmmm. No. He just knows you're a CAT person." Joshua snided, lacing his fingers together and reaching down to sooth the raging akita. "Now, what did the Council say in regards to my proposal?"

Hanekoma sighed, pinching his nose "Right to business, hmm? This really is important to you."

"My highest priority" the purple eyes narrowed "Now, what was their answer?"

Hanekoma leaned back in his chair, folding his arms and lifting one to place a hand on his chin.

"Well," he began, "First of all, they want to tell you that such a thing isn't as uncommon as you think. In fact, there are four other Composers in the world that aren't even dead, and they manage their UG districts just fine from the RG, as well as keeping their RG lives normal. As for UG Composers who run their districts from the RG and have both RG and UG lives...there are seven. All of them, like you, were forced to rewrite their history. However, unlike you...their reason for doing so was more self sacrifice than selfish."

He threw up his hands as Joshua spat out a large amount of protests and insults, waiting for the 'boy' to let off steam before shouting over him "Their words not mine...HOWEVER"

The Composer silenced himself.

"However, They seem intrigued enough that they are willing to see how this whole thing turns out. As long as you remember that your responsibilities as Composer come far before any...personal wants or desires, and your identity remains secret. The citizens of the RG must never know what you truly are, Josh. If even one soul figures it out...you'll be forced to undo everything, and even ascend depending on the offense."

"That was always a condition." The Composer growled "They didn't nee to remind me of it. Nor was that threat truly necessary. I knew the stakes going into this endeavor."

He swiveled his chair away from the Angel and tossed up a hand "Tell Them their message was received, and that I know the risks. I thank Them for giving me the opertunity top figure out this personal mystery, and I accept the consequences if it goes awry. Tell them also that I am insulted by their insinuations that I would do anything that would remove me from being Composer unless Neku was ready to take my place."

Sanae shook his head with a sigh "Nice to see your bite hasn't become any less even considering these beings can disintegrate you with a glance."

Again, he was waved off.

"Honestly. They can do whatever They please. It makes no difference. They know Shibuya will fall if I am removed. Anyway, that isn't the only reason I asked you here, my faithful Producer."

"Oh?" Sanae lifted an eyebrow curiously.

Joshua slowly turned his chair around again, an evil little sneer on his face as he folded his fingers together and lowered his chin, a gleam of malicious intent in his amethyst eyes.

"What do you know...of RG customs concerning non-lethal revenge?"

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

Rhyme was passing through the halls, when her ears caught wind of a disgruntled muttering of Joshua's name. The voice that uttered it wasn't Neku, and the girl was curious. She snuck to the source of the murmurings, and saw Victor, Reggie, Chuck, and several others huddled in a classroom. She was going to leave, when her sharp ears caught a stray, whispered threat.

"We'll get him at lunch today. He always goes off-campus. No teachers, no staff...baka never even has bodyguards, rich as he is. He'll be easy pickings."

"Yeah." Reggie said with his head cocked "But he's slippery. What's going to keep him from running off?"

Chuck suddenly looked right at the spying Bito, and she gasped and turned tail and ran, the boys soon giving chase.

Joshua was still in a meeting with a teacher, as he'd decided to challenge the policies she taught and was currently in a debate with her that would possibly last until lunch. Rhyme couldn't wait that long, she had to get help now. So she headed for Neku.

Neku Sakuraba was not a fighter either. However, his standoffish, loner behavior distanced him from the majority of the students because his aura seemed...creepy and foreboding. He shut the world out. So the world, in turn, avoided him like a plague. Even after his change, the students at the school generally left him alone, or avoided him altogether. He never really got picked on because he never engaged, so he wasn't any fun to harass. The bullies were also pretty intimidated by his energy, rumored to be so dark that it left you depressed for reasons unknown if you looked at him wrong.

So it was with great relief that Rhyme dashed behind the redheaded teen as he was traversing the halls on a ten minute break. The older teen looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing as the boys that were after her saw who she was with from several feet away, thanks to his orange hair, decided to stop their persuit.

Unfortunately, the younger Bito couldn't hide behind the once-emo forever...