Joshua refused to talk about what had happened, claiming that he knew very little of the previous day's events, save for the singing of Shibuya that told him to stay grounded to her. He trusted the district knew what it was talking about, and shrugged the rest off.

Hanekoma warned Neku that pressing the ill Composer on the matter was a bad idea.

"He'll either get annoyed, or defensive. Neither one is advisable, kid."

So instead, the proxy engaged in another one of Joshua's favorite methods of conquering boredom...Playing 20 questions.

"Reaper?"

"Yes. Very good, Neku. You're improving."

"Harrier Reaper."

"No. Try again."

"Officer Reaper?"

"Three guesses left."

"Arg! Um...uh...Conductor!"

"Very good!"

"You've made Kariya your Conductor?! The guy's lazy as hell!"

Joshua giggled and waved his hand dismissively "You were unavailable. Besides, Kariya may be lazy, but he's also just filling in temporarily. I need a Conducter, now more than ever. I'm stuck here in the RG, unable to properly run the next Game, and I can't trust Uzuki to do a decent, unbiased, fair job. She's a bit too power hungry for my tastes. Kariya is far older than even I am, making him the more experienced anyway. He'll make sure the rules are followed, and will follow them himself."

"You bribed him with free Ramen, didn't you?"

Anopther giggle, this one cut off by coughing "No fair, Neku! It's my turn! But yes, ramen was involved. Guy wouldn't take the promotion otherwise, temporary or not."

Neku sighed. "You just went. My ramen question doesn't count. Are you sure you're ok, Josh? Your eyes are drooping. Maybe you should sleep a while."

Joshua giggled and shrugged "I can handle a few more hours. You worry so, my dear, dear Proxy. It's adorable, really."

A vein on Neku's forehead popped.

"Don't scowl so much, dear. It ruins your fabulous looks."

I will not strangle him...I will not strangle him...

"Why the hell do you make a habit of pissing me off?" he ground out.

"Because it's ever so fun, and I am ever so very, very bored." The answer was smug, and for once, completely honest.

"You little-"

"Actually it's due to my Vibe." Joshua put a hand on his chin, "I should turn it down, but I rather enjoy the fact that it makes you so irritable. Frankly, Neku, your own Vibe really should be high enough by now to tolerate being around me at this level. You are my Proxy, after all."

"...Your turn." Said proxy groaned out, defeated for the moment.

The Composer yawned, then said after a small coughing fit that reminded Neku exactly why the skinny, pale-haired nuisance was even at his house,

"If you were to die, and I'm not saying you will any time soon, at least not by my hand, would you finally agree to become my Conductor?"

Neku glared at him before realizing that the question was a serious one. Joshua was genuinely curious. This gave the teen pause. He had actually been secretly dreading the day the Composer considered him for the role that, to Joshua, Neku had full rights and obligations to, seeing as it was him who erased Megumi. The reason for this dread was because, the last time Joshua needed him for something, he had shot him.

But now that the Composer was earnestly asking, that if Neku died naturally, if he would consider taking the role, the teen actually had to consider it.

"If you didn't kill me?" he began slowly "If you were actually patient enough to let me die on my own without interfering?" he paused. "Then...yeah, sure. I'd become conductor. Wouldn't enjoy it much, sending in Reapers to erase Players and all that...but...if there was no deceit on your part, and if you actually had nothing to do with me dying again? Then I sure as hell wouldn't mind working under you."

Joshua was silent. Stunned. It was clear he wasn't expecting a positive answer. He considered Neku's words, and sighed heavily, as if he was about to make a very large, very difficult decision. When he spoke, it became very clear to Neku that it was, for him.

"All right Neku."

The teen gave the invalid on his couch a double-take "What?"

"You have a deal. I swear not to have a single finger in your death, let alone a hand in it...and you will become my Conductor. You won't even have to enter the Game a fourth time. You will simply die, whenever that will be, and end up in the Room of Reckoning."

Neku was flabbergasted. This was a huge step in positives for Joshua. A huge step in earning his Proxy's trust even further than the orange teen already had in him.

"You'll wait?" he croaked, "No matter how long it takes?"

"I can be remarkably patient when I've a mind to, dear. I will wait, for as long as it takes. Just hold up your end of the bargain." He held out a trembling hand, still weak from the poison and sickness ravaging his body. "Gentlemen usually shake to seal a deal, Neku. Let's make this official."

The boy smiled and held out his hand. Joshua raised an eyebrow, but nodded solemly.

He then relinquished control over Neku's fate by completing the handshake. In doing so, he also raised his proxy's opinion of him to the utmost digit.