He tossed and he turned, the fever making his mind a hazy mess as it once again ravaged through his system. He heard Neku warbling about something. He heard Sanae pouting also, though they both sounded like they were under water.

He was then again in the courtroom, but there also, everyone was talking under water. He fell through blackness back to his proxy's couch.

"Josh...Joshua! Wake up...please!"

Neku...

His vision swirled, his breathing slowed. He wanted to keep floating in this haze of the unconscious state. He fell further, willing the fog to become soothing darkness so he could rest.

"He's falling deeper! Mister H...I'm losing him!"

I'm not lost...just tired...

Shibuya called him into her concert hall, and he willingly accepted, shutting the doors and stepping into his domain of music, his district bare for him to see. He blissfully dives into her waves of melody, letting her current carry him in the harmony of her songs.

I see Kariya has started a new game. Very good. Udagawa has spiked in Imagination since Sanae repainted his masterpiece. Ken Doi is continuing to impress me with his creativity in his corner of Shibuya. Shiki's song is playing loudly in Dragon Couture and Eri sings a solo in Natural Puppy. They will liven up the fashion stage with their design creativity, and make everything brighter.

"Joshua!"

Not now, Neku! I'm listening!

"Josh please...don't do this. Don't shut us out like this...not while you're vulnerable."

Sanae, I'm surprised at you. I always shut the noise out when Shibuya sings to me. You know this!

But then...what was that? What horn dare be out of tune with the rest of the symphony?! He focused harder, and a sneer spread on his lips as he was forced to halt the concert to draw out the instrument that dare spoil his composition.

I hear you. I know you're here. Get out of my district, you've punished me enough! This is MY domain, and I alone hold sway here!

His body contorted as pain shot through his back, fire crackled and burned the stage, the horn blasted him with a wave of sour flat notes that sent him retreating into the main hall. He felt something fling him into the gilded wall, and something else crushed his throat, shutting off his breath. He fell to the red carpet, blood spewing out of his mouth. Shibuya screamed for her Composer, and sent her Music to drown the horn and carry her Yoshiya to the safety of the concert hall once again.

But the horn would not relent. He was soon again on the floor, adding his scarlet to the crimson velvet.

"JOSHUA!"

All of a sudden, an orange and indigo solo sliced through the waves of pain, slamming into the horn like a battering ram of techno sound. It was angry and pleading, and desperate as it slithered to Joshua and wrapped him like a snake would a mouse, except this snake was pissed and protective of the creature in its coils. He went limp, surrendering himself to the wrappings of his partner, trusting the song to guide him back where he needed to be. Trusting the solo to protect him from the horn's blaring wailings.

"He's coming back! Whatever you're doing kid...keep it up!"

Shibuya then could reach him, and carried both the solo and her Yoshiya back to the concert hall, where she found the orange/indigo wisp of music could not go. She understood, of course. The Hall was for her and her Composer only. She gently unwound the wisp from it's charge, and sent it on its way, soothing the rage she heard in its note with reassurance.

"Here he comes!"

He opened his eyes, their purple hue glazed, and a bit annoyed as they focused on the Producer.

"Sanae..." he croaked, tasting copper on his tongue. He turned to his proxy, and saw with amusement that he was on the other couch, sound asleep.

"Neku..."

Sanae smiled gently "He tapped into his Music. Don't think he knows how. Knocked him out flat."

Joshua chuckled tiredly, then narrowed his eyes "They are screwing with my symphony, Sanae. They are wrecking Shibuya's melodies with Their tainted, sour notes! The worst part is..."

He paused and coughed blood "They have the ability to break into my concert hall."

"But that should be impossible! There are rules against it. You know how strict they are about following their own rules, J!"

The Composer looked at his unconscious proxy and said grimly

"They obviously made an exception for me. Neku finding and using his music saved my life Sanae. If it hadn't been for my dear, dear partner...I would be dead."

He suddenly gagged out a chuckle, looking fondly at the body on the couch,

"How incredibly ironic...and familiar."