Joshua woke painfully, every single movement causing wave after wave of uncomfortable agony washing all over him. Like the scalding water he had been submerged in as They tried to boil him. He of course, bared his teeth and refused to give Them what They wanted.

He sensed Neku somewhere upstairs, his Music a steady rhythm. Sanae was here still, as well, closeby, his Music calm and soothing. It comforted him, as always. He decided to reward his faithful Producer.

"Sanae."

His voice was gravely. He didn't like it, but it had to do, he supposed.

"Hey J." The barista greeted, "Glad to see you're up, hopefully for more than ten seconds, Boss."

Joshua managed a small smirk, but regretted making his usual giggle when it resulted in a violent coughing fit. Hanekoma rubbed his back while he spat blood and sputtered into a container. (Neku had obviously gotten tired of having to get bloodstains out of his carpet)

"Easy, Boss" the Producer soothed.

After Joshua was done hacking his insides out, just like he had done after three of Them decided to take turns trying to punch through his stomach, he looked at his oldest friend and croaked,

"This? This is...nothing...Sanae! Just a...minor...nuesance." He gathered just enough strength for a non-chalaunt hair flick.

Hanekoma saw through him instantly and ran a hand through his hair as he sighed heavily.

"You can't heal, can you." It was not a question.

"Now, now, not so loud, my Producer!" Joshua hissed hoarsely "Wouldn't want to upset poor, poor Neku. Not when he's been so...kind...despite our...history."

"So They DID take your hyper healing. J..."

"Not a single word." The Composer hissed warily "Please Sanae...I'm not commanding you as your Composer." He took a few ragged breaths before continuing "I'm begging you as your friend. Not one word to Neku."

Sanae sighed "Alright Josh, all right. But your proxy'll figure it out eventually you know. Kid's pretty smart."

Joshua smirked again, but said nothing. His voice seemed to have shut down again, and Sanae could hardly blame him for deciding to go silent. The Angel had seen more when he had scanned the Composer's memory than he'd revealed to the orange-haired teen.

"You have a sharp tongue, Shibuya, and a hot throat to go with it. Let's see how well you spew real fire!"

Sanae shuddered. Neku didn't need to know half Joshua's ordeal in the trial, let alone every detail. A bit of him felt extremely guilty about the entire procedure, and he cast his eyes downward, suddenly too guilt-stricken to look his friend in the face.

He had done what he'd done for Shibuya.

He never expected his victim to take his place...take the full reprocussions of his actions despite all he'd done.

He wasn't expecting it from Joshua, period.

Neku really had made that big of an impact on the Composer. On Joshua. There was absolutely no way the being lying on the couch would have done what he did...endured what he had...before the Long Game. If Neku had proven Joshua's theory right...the barista shuddered, refusing to think on it further. But he hadn't. He'd changed. And because he changed, Joshua had changed, and had not only spared Shibuya, but had no doubt spared Sanae from erasure by the Higher Plane.

"I cannot take you seriously when you are looking so serious." Joshua complained in a voice tired but contemplative.

"Don't talk, J. You know it hurts." The man said softly.

"Sanae."

He sat attentive. The voice was stronger. He was using every ounce of strength to steady it.

"I regret nothing."

And that was it. Joshua ran out of strength and passed out again, leaving that one statement hanging in the air between the two.

"Now, Shibuya, about your Producer. You know his status has changed, correct?"

"I do, however, it seems unfair to label one such as Sanae Hanekoma as 'Fallen' when he was acting in Shibuya's best interests. Taboo Noise just happened to be the tool with wich he used to defend that interest. I doubt he would have enlisted those forbidden Noise if it was anyone other than ME threatening the city. Therefore, I claim full responsibility for his actions and demand you take the full extent of your wrath out on myself, and leave my faithful Producer to his duties. If you choose to erase me, so be it. But know that without me, Shibuya falls. She refuses to let YOU decide her next favorite."

There was silence before the judge spoke again

"We accept these terms. Sanae Hanekoma is free of all charges, and his status of 'Fallen' has been revoked. Prepair yourself, Yoshiya Kiryu."

A hair flip and fire within violet eyes answered the booming voice, and a haughty giggle escaped sneering lips.

"Bring it. Bring ALL of it."