Neku was not doing fine. Neku was very much panicking.
"What do you mean if I can't retain my Vibe I'll EXPLODE!?"
Hanekom,a laughed grandly, "No, no no, Phones! You won't explode! You'll be torn into millions of pieces and dispersed in the plane that you failed to sync with, or throughout the in-between plane."
"Yeah, Mister H, that is the definition of I'LL EXPLODE!"
"It's more of a disintegration. But anyway, if you do exactly as I tell you, it won't happen."
The Proxy groaned and closed his eyes, "Alright."
Sanae smiled "Atta boy! Now, let's practice raising your Vibe, and then we'll see if you can sustain it for five minutes."
Over three hours later, and Neku was thoroughly exhausted. He collapsed onto his bed and groaned. Sanae chuckled lightlyt and rubbed his back.
"Easy there, Phones. You did good today."
After panting for a bit, the teen asked curiously, "So, what was the last Composer like?"
Sanae cringed
"You thought J was sadistic and cruel, Phones? He's a pussy cat com[pared to his predecessor. It got so bad that if J hadn't usurped him, the Higher Plane would have stepped in and erased him themselves."
"Wait, I thought Josh battled Apollo for the seat."
"No. J battled Apollo for the rights to Challenge the Composer. It was how things worked under Kurosan's rule. It was hardly fair, but that old battle toad loved a good bloodbath before adding insult to erasure. It was how he stayed in power. Most combatants were too exhausted after the Battle that he just erased them the minute they hit the ground at his feet."
Neku looked disgusted, but the Angel went on,
"J was an anomaly. Even after his Battle. Even after having his Soul torn into, even after his sense of hearing, sight, and touch were enhanced a thousand fold and then taken from him completely..Yoshiya Kiryu waltzed into the Room of Reckoning like he already owned it. He looked fresh, like Apollo's fight was nothing. Kurosan was suprized. He knew J all right. Knew him as the RG soul that had Sight. The Player who voluntarily entered the Game. He was hardly surprised to sdee him win against Apollo, but he was very surprised to see him still standing, as if he would bow to no one."
"Was the battle brutal? I mean, Josh had just gone through hell nine times...the Composer was fresh."
The Producer frowned slightly "Phones...Kurosan was the type of sick bastard who got off on seeing people bleed. Suffering was a pleasure he indulged in, even the suffering of Shibuya itself. And J knew it. You asked me what the last Composer was like...he was pain, Phones. He twisted the Music, he reveled in seeing the notes contort. The city hated him. J answered her cries, and she lent him help when he needed it most."
"I'm guessing this Kurosan guy tried to make him bow." Neku murmured.
"Tried being the optimum word." Hanekoma snorted "J was still disorienmted from his senses still getting back to normal. He seemed like easy prey. But this was the reason he'd entered the Game and stayed for as long as he did. This was his goal since before entering at all. There was nothing, on any plane, that was going to stop him from taking that throne. Especially when Kurosan made the mistake...of playing with him."
Neku cringed "Battle of wits against Joshua?! Guy was sadistic and suicidal."
Hanekoma laughed then, "Ain't that the truth! But unfortunately, J ticked him off, so he went full Composer. I thought it was over for J then. I really did. He was a rag doll, a limp, skinny rag doll in Kurosan's glowing fist. He got thrown around that room so viciously I thought he'd be erased for sure. But Shibuya had other plans."
Sanae's eyes lit up, amnd his grin spread across his face like a fire.
"If only you coulda seen it, kiddo. But, it seems you're done for today. I'll induldge you another time, if J, competitor spirit that he is, doesm't beat me to the punch, that is."
"He seems pretty occupied, Mister H." Neku snorted as the sounds of a friendly snark contest could be heard from downstairs.
"So he does. I wonder about those two sometimes" the barista chuckled "A match to surpass all others, those two."
"Again, feeling sorry for Rhyme right about now."
"Little Skulls is mortal, Phones. She will die, hopefully of old age, but their love can't last. One way or another, death will claim her, and Josh'll be alone again. Who better to court him than another immortal, his first love to boot?"
Neku shrugged "He could at least wait then."
"Phones, cut him some slack, he hasn't seen her in seven decades, and what his memories of her sparked didn't register until Little Skulls repaired him. Let him live in the moment...just for now."
Neku sighed begrudgingly
"You're right."
"Good! Now get up, we're going again! After all, I'd hope you'd want Josh to stay in power, rather than let Uzuki call the shots, right?"
Neku snorted "Damn right."