"Mister H!"
Sanae sighed in resignation. He had decided to spend some time at WildKatt and brew some beans. He figured Neku could handle Joshua for a few short days while he ran the café.
"Mister H, please, you gotta open up!"
He was obviously mistaken.
He unlocked the door, letting in a panicking, panting Neku inside.
"It's...Joshua!" the Proxy breathed."He's gone...way deeper...I can't even get him to...move!"
Hanekoma raised his hands "Calm down, Phones! Catch your breath and tell me what's got you so spooked you hotfooted it over here instead of just calling."
"There's more." The teen looked at him, completely panic-stricken "The tips of his shoes...are static."
Hanekoma went cold. He dropped everything, grabbed the frantic Proxy, and immediately teleported to Neku's house.
There the Composer lay, his unconscious body limp and lifeless, skin more pale than usual. His mouth hung open as he gasped for air, sweat beaded his forehead, pasting his limp locks to his skin like wet noodles. Creeping up his feet were thin, staticy lines of erasure.
"No..." Hanekoma whispered, kneeling next to the body on the couch, "Not like this...Yoshiya Kiryu. You can't go like this...c'mon kid..."
He turned sharply to Neku, a fire in his eyes that bid the boy do anything he asked.
"Let in Shibuya."
Neku cracked the window, but Hanekoma shook his head "Let it in ALL the way, Phones."
The window was raised as high as it would go. Hanekoma gripped one of Joshua's hands,
"Come on..."
"Mister H...what's wrong with him? How is he being erased in the RG?"
"He was banished here, Phones. He wasn't granted life. Therefore, he's subject to erasure just like he would be in the UG."
"I thought he was improving! We had a full day yesterday where he was pissing me off! The whole day! And not one cough! He even ate a Special Dog from Sunshine!"
The barista fingered a static line, and frowned deeply, his eyes suddenly hard. "Neku...did you happen to notice anyone lingering around here for the past three days?"
The teen cocked his head "Yeah. The groundsperson. He comes every Tuesday and mows the lawn, paints stuff that looks trashy...in fact I ran into him yesterday on my way back from Sunshine. He was painting over some weird grafitti that was on the porch."
Hanekoma's eyes widened, and he put his hand over his mouth, rubbing it down his face as he very obviously tried to stay calm.
"Kid..." he managed in a groan "That 'weird grafitti'...was the only thing keeping the Higher Plane from sending their operatives to torment Josh."
"The HELL?!"
"You didn't think it was strange how he ate something he normally dislikes without a fuss? Even if he was starving, he would have made it clear that he wasn't thrilled about eating it. He was imprinted very strongly. At his level, that should be impossible. Except...for Them."
"So...they forced him to eat something he doesn't like...and what...it poisoned him?"
"Not by itself. Neku...show me the ketchup you used on his hotdog."
The proxy felt sick "Their uh...their hotdogs come with toppings. I didn't add any."
"Then what." The Producer asked dangerously. "Is that?"
That was a bottle of ketchup. On the coffee table. Right in front of Joshua's trash from the hotdog he ate yesterday.
"I swear that wasn't there before!" Neku said
"No, it was." Hanekoma said, his eyes scanning the room "It was just in the UG. Hidden from even my sight. Now that's impressive. Also, now I know who did it. That was very helpful. His poisons always have an antidote."
"Friend of yours?" Neku ground out.
"More like old rival. Or frenemy. Doesn't matter, he's long gone and obviously feels a bit guilty. Phones, I'm going to need some supplies."
Neku looked at his houseguest, the crawling static had made it to his ankle and was steadily spreading. However, he seemed much calmer now that Shibuya was comforting him. Still, the proxy was worried, but determined.
"Just point me where you need, Mister H."
It took four agonizingly slow hours for the two caregivers to whip up an antidote, and for Sanae to redo the runes on the porch. The Producer made sure to seal the mark so that it would continue to work even if it was painted over again.
Neku had the honor of getting the serum into his patient before the static could creep any farther. The Proxy did his task expertly, and waited with baited breath.
"Mister H!" he annopunced ten minutes later "It's working! The static's fading."
Sanae slumped over with a sigh where he was working. Oh, Josh...by the skin of your teeth again? You'll be the death of me, I swear!
"How's he looking, Phones?" he asked aloud, trying to keep his voice fromcracking in his relief.
"Like a drowned rat. Otherwise, breathing's normal and he's getting color again. Static's almost gone too."
"Good, good! Means he'll be back to normal real soon!" the Angel looked over his runes in satisfaction . That should keep Them out. Although...he frowned in thought.
"You know, Phones...I think we should think about moving him. They know he's here now, and more importantly, who he's with. They can't do much to me, but..."
"I get it." Neku said, "But where are we going to hide his prissy ass?"
"WildKat. It's naturally barriored on the top the meantime, kid, watch yourself out of this house. Be extra careful while going through Shibuya. I'd keep your Player Pin on you, just in case."
The teen nodded. "Alright, Mister H."