"Raimu" Joshua said one day as the two were sharing a bento during lunch hour. "You seem tense lately. It's not like you at all, dear. Is something the matter?"
The girl gazed at him, knowing full well he could read her mind and hear her song. There was no hiding things from the Composer of Shibuya. At the same time...he asked, which meantt he trusted her to tell him without him having to probe. Taking a deep breath, the girl put her chopsticks down and looked into his amethyst eyes seriously.
"Why do you tolerate mere mortals, Joshua?"
The Composer chuckled and waved his chopsticks subtly towards the popular girl crowd "You mean besides the obvious, why do I tolerate them, or rather, Sakura?"
"Yes."
"I don't."
Rhyme was curious "But surely you do. I mean, you haven't entered her in the Game yet, even though she clearly annoys you beyond your limit."
"And I remain unascended because of it." The blond said pointedly "Which is an obvious stipulation of my being able to remain in the RG. No, it's not a matter of tolerance, it's instead, more accurately, self restraint. I do not tolerate Sakura's obnoxious behavior, Raimu. I simply restrain myself from turning her to dust."
"For how much longer, Josh?" A barely growling voice hissed from behind the two. Neku had sat himself behind the Composer, waiting for Shiki obviously. "We both saw your reaction to her hanging off you, squealing like a banshee. Your restraint won't last at this rate."
"As I said, I don't tolerate her. That was an assault on my highly developed senses, and I reacted accordingly by shutting her down. I was not pleased, but I'm on a mission and cannot risk jeopardizing my standing. I let her existence continue. Besides, I doubt very much that Raimu would forgive me had I sent the banshi into the UG." He looked pointedly at the younger Bito, who nodded slightly, grinning at his consideration of her feelings concerning his judgment.
His proxy remained skeptical, however.
"I told you before that I trust you, Josh. But what can you doi to restrain your own instincts indefinitely? I mean, you did almost erase pi-face when he stepped too out of lineā¦"
"Minamimoto is a different matter entirely." Joshua snickered "He's entertaining, which is why I continue to allow him to exist, despite the fact he is soley devoted to dethroning me. Sakura tries my patience on a whole other level."
"Yeah, she tries a lot of people's patience." Neku growled. "I remember when I first came to this school. I didn't want to have anything to do with anyone. She hung on me. I snubbed her even more, but she kept being annoying. It took her a month to finally give up."
Joshua snickered "You were standoffish. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately most girls find that attractive. I on the other hand should strike her as overly flirtatious, and she should be discusted by that. However, it seems I gravely underestimated the female ability to switch preferences. Make no mistake, I will not do so again."
"You could always imprint her." Neku bit out.
"I'd rather reserve that for a 'need to do' situation, dear Partner. Using my dwarfed powers as is has been exhausting enough, plus the imprint I sewed to exist in the RG is still taking a toll on me. I am not, as you believe, overflowing with infinite energy at the moment. Infinite powers, yes, but they come at a price, especially when I downshift like I am currently doing."
"So Pie-face was kinda right to attack you when you were in the RG. Your powers are less than usual here."
"Very astute, Partner." Joshua took a bite of pork from his bento, chewing slowly "Of course as I've said before, he made a few grave miscalculations. I'm weaker here is all, nowhere near powerless. I could still snap my fingers and end every single life on this campus; human, plant, animal, and Noise, if I so chose, in this form."
Rhyme shuddered, and Joshua chuckled "Oh Raimu, do not look so frightened! I would never do such a thing. To do so would be counter to what I've already established, and would get me evicted from this plane faster than Sanae consumes coffee."
"Well wouldn't that be a bummer."
All eyes turned to Shiki, who had a suprizingly jaded look on her face as she nudged Neku over a bit so she could sit. The group sat in silence for a second, digesting the girl's needleed remark. Rhyme hung her head. It seemed that not everyone in their merry band had come to terms with the ash-blond completely. Shiki was sweet and kind, but she was also in love with Neku, whom Joshua had killed twice in the past, so Rhyme supposed it was only natural that the older girl harbor a little animasity towards the Composer.
As the bell rang, Joshua stretched "Well now, I suppose learning goes on. After all, I can hardly be expected to blow the teachers away if all I do is lounge around!"
Neku cringed as he also stood.
"Please don't say that phrase so...lightly."
Joshua just chuckled as he swaggered into the school building, soon to be flanked by half the student body.
