Joshua gazed into the pool, his smirk predatory and hungry. Anticipation shone in his amethyst eyes as they also sparked with a lust for battle. The angel beside him sighed in resignation. Yoshiya Kiryu was ever enamored and entertained by contests of strength and will, and this was obviously no exception.

"Are you placing bets this time, Yoshi?" She asked cheekily, flipping her hair off her shoulders. "It worked out soooo well last time, after all."

"Last time I didn't know who would win, dear." The Composer smirked, "However if you insist, I shall put my position on the line. I will only remain Composer if Neku wins."

He was smacked hard "Cheeky prissy ass! That's not a true bet, that's the conditions of the match! That so doesn't count!"

"It does so. I am the Composer and I say it counts!"

"I outrank you and I say it doesn't!"

"I'm an invalid who is getting closer and closer to his erasure bed, give me this one thing!"

"Drama Queen! You and I both know the Council refuses to just let you be erased. You're no closer to ascention than the UG is from the HG!"

"Shush, it's starting." Joshua said seriously "They exchanged blows already!"

The Angel peered into the bowl and observed with a concerned frown.

"Uzuki is already in her Noise form. She really, really wants your seat. Yoshi...she's relentless. Neku can't even counter she's attacking so fast!"

"Neku will win" Joshua said through clenched teeth. "Trust me...Neku will win. My proxy wouldn't allow Shibuya to go to the likes of Uzuki."

Soon, though, Joshua got worried himself. Uzuki, in her weasel form, was utterly thrashing the orangette, flinging him around the room and smashing his body countless times into the walls. With a screech of rage, she flung him to the ground, where he tried to stand but took a knee, panting.

"Concentrate, Neku." Josh growled at the image of his partner "He's not thinking straight. He needs to use his long ranged...there you go! Now lightning, that's the ticket, dear."

Uzuki was halted mid-tackle by a lightning strike that threw her several feet away. Neku wasted no time, but went in to deliver several slash attacks before backing off again to ready more pins. Uzuki took the opertunity to launch another attack, only to get thrown into the air as a shard of ice came up from the floor and launched her away.

"You...you BRAT!" The weasel raged "Just lie down and be ERASED already!"

Neku sighed as he dashed around, avoiding the pink fury as she dashed everywhere, trying to blindside him. He fingered the Holy Light pin and Joshua shook his head "Not yet, dear partner. You don't want to throw yourself all in quite yet."

Neku seemed to agree, and instead shot out his chains attack, catching the dashing weasel between an X, halting her madness for the moment.

"Atta boy, Phones!" Sanae encouraged from the sidelines.

"Getting real tired of this, Mister H." Neku grumbled back, again fingering the Composer-level pin.

"This is a Battle for Composer, Phones." Sanae said pointedly "You have no obligations to play nice. If you're tired of her, then do what you gotta do, and do it quickly. She's not holding back, so neither should you. Especially because you're ruinning out of Sync for holding your Vibe this high."

"Yeah." Neku said, clutching the pin "Guess there's no choice."

Joshua held his breath, hoping with his entire being that Neku's Soul wouldn't disintegrate. He guided his hope through the planes and Shibuya answered his plea by wrapping the Proxy in a white aura as he launched beams of fiery destruction onto the enraged Uzuki.

Both fighters fell to the ground.

All the onlookers watched with baited breath as both the bodies stirred.

Only one got back up...and phased back into the RG where he belonged.

"The Challenge is over!" Sanae announced "Winner by Proxy...Yoshia Kiryu! Better luck next time, Uzuki."

"AAAAAAAAAAARG!"