Sanae didn't like going to the Higher Council. They were stuffy, strict, and sometimes extremely pompous. But They were reasonable and fair.

Right now They were also his greatest hope of getting rid of Apollo.

"Sanae Hanekoma." The High Councilman boomed from his middle seat. "It is not oftenm you request an audience with Us. Tell Us what is troubling you, old comrade."

The Producer took a long breath, and let it out slowly.

"Your Honor." He began, "I wish to repay a debt that I owe. Yoshiya Kiryu, Composer of Shibuya, took my punishment upon himself, as You know, and saved me from possible erasure. I wish to repay that debt."

The council murmured among themselves before the High Councilman spoke again, curiosity in his tone.

"Yoshiya Kiryu's existence is not being threatened, Sanae Hanekoma. He is in no danger of being erased."

"Maybe his life isn't." Sanae said "But his spirit and Imagination...are. You all know what happens to Shibuya if her Composer loses both those things."

"You speak of Apollo Sarahara's mission to cull the young Kiryu's...shall we say...rampant arrogance."

"I do. I think you've made a rather big mistake in granting Apollo permission to go anywhere near Yoshiya."

"What is that mistake?"

Hanekoma sighed, rubbing his temples with a hand

"Where do I even begin?"

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

"Come on Josh!"

"Neku, I haven't the slightest idea of what you're on about. I am the Composer of Shibuya. What have I got to fear?"

"Apollo Sarahara." Neku bit out finally, getting tired of his patient dodging the true question.

Joshua snorted, fipping his hair and answering without missing a beat.

"You're referring to the incident at WildKat. He would never have been able to touch me if it hadn't been for Sanae. While I admit it had been a more than painful experience, it did not frighten me. Without Sanae there to hold me with his power, Apollo would have faced incineration from above."

"Seriously?!"

"Well, I was sorely out of vending machines. Sanae got rid of them a while ago."

"He's a Higher Being!"

"They aren't invulnerable, Neku. While its true I wouldn't have been able to erase Apollo had I full control over my limbs, I would have scortched him enough that he would have been forced to leave."

Neku sighed in exasperation

"Why can't you just admit you were scared? That it still scares you? I saw what he did to you that night, Josh! No one would think any lkess of you if you admit that it scared you. Admit it, please! Just to me at least!"

"ALL RIGHT!"

Neku started. That was the first time he'd heard Joshua actually...yell.

"But I wasn't scared." he continued softly.

"Oh come—"

"I was terrified."

The proxy was stunned silent.

Joshua hung his head, his voice eerily calm, but there was a haunting note to it.

"Do you know what Death feels like, Neku? It's painful. It's cold...It's a constant thrashing you can't stop. It's having absolutely no control. Not over the situation, not of fate, not even your own body. You're a puppet on strings, your will is no longer yours, but the puppeteer's."

Neku couldn't help but murmur "Yeah, I know the feeling." To wich Joshua promptly snapped

"I manipulated you. I never forced your body to move without your mind's consent. That was different."

The haunted note drifted back into his tone as he continued solemnly

"It was Death, Neku. Apollo is death. His touch kills me. Kills my will. Kills my Imagination. Kills my ability to even move."

"Kills your...control." Neku finished, finally coming to the root of the Composer's terror, "You're afraid of him because he takes control away from you. You're always in control of every situation you walk into, and if you aren't, you make sure you get control. Having that taken from you ...you can't comprehend it, so it scares you."

"Yes...and no. Not completely what I meant..."

"Any way you slice it Josh, you have to be in control or you have no idea what to do. That includes being in control of your own body." Neku smirked slowly, a plan forming in his mind to help his friend.

The Composer didn't like the tone his Proxy was using, and he didn't trust that grin.

"Nekuuuu" he said slowly

"No. We are going to do this!"

"What...exactly is...this?"

His proxy smiled a bit too wickedly for his tastes.

"We are going to make you face your fears"

"I'd rather not." Joshua deadpanned, waving his hand dismissively.

"Give me your conduit."

"My whatnow?"

"Your phone. Give me your phone. You channel your psychs through it in that form, yeah?"

"Yeees. Though technically, that was due to me handicapping myself during the Game. I can use my powers without it."

"Give it to me."

"No."

"Don't be difficult, Josh. You're weak as hell right now, don't make me take it by force."

"But Neku I told you, I don't need—"

"Cell. Now."

The Composer sighed and surrendered the orange conduit. Neku pocketed it and smirked.

"Now we're making progress."

"You are very cruel, Neku." Josh pouted.

"Trust me Joshua...please, just trust me."