Another storm raged outside Neku's apartment.

Joshua slept fitfully on the couch, Haineko watching over him and stroking his fluffy blond locks. She pressed an area on his spine, and his wings shot out, folding elegantly over his skinny frame. The Composer shuddered in his sleep and tucked one wing around himself like a blanket, while folding the other back into his back.

Neku cocked his head as he came down the stairs

"I've only seen them twice. He doesn't let them out often. Not in this form."

The Angel chuckled softly "He doesn't like making himself vulnerable. Yoshi's wings are the weakest points on him in this form. It's why he chooses to keep them either invisible and in the UG, or in his back, and its also why he's keeping them close and hidden now. It's not that he doesn't trust you, Neku. It's just..." she touched a flight feather gently, and the form on the couch snarled and quickly hid the wing in the UG, shaking and curling up tightly with a whimper.

Neku frowned "The hell? They're real sensitive, even when he's sleeping."

"Yes. He's not on either my or Hanekoma's level. So his wings are way more sensitive than ours. Think of Composers as...teenage Angels. Their wings haven't grown in quite yet, so they're much more fragile."

"Fragile..." Neku hid his face in his collar, tipping his head so his hair fell over his eyes. "Just like the rest of him. Why the hell did he pick his starved-ass RG form for...well...his RG form? He's so thin I can almost see right through him. It wouldn't take much to break every bone in his body like they were twigs, and I could strangle him with one hand closing around his neck, and connect with my fingers on the other side!"

"Yoshi likes this form, Neku Sakuraba." Haineko said "Blame yourself. He's used other bodies to wander the RG, but ever since the Long Game, he's stuck to his RG original. Something about 'his proxy making him feel more...human.' or something. He gave us a report that said as much anyway."

Neku snorted "Like I could make him feel anything. Bevermind all that. Why the hell isn't he healing? You put the note back, but he got worse. All he does now is sleep, cough, and listen to Shibuya. He hasn't eaten since two days ago! What are you guys hiding from me?!"

Hanekoma sighed as he came in with broth from the kitchen,

"Well, Phones, I'd say it's just the worst of whatever he picked up. It'll surge before it finally lets go for good."

"He'll get better after this?" Neku gave a glance at the prone form on the couch.

"Most likely. Trust me, Phones, if the Council couldn't erase him, then nothing will. He isn't fighting alone, either."

The orangette had to smile at that "Right. We're supporting him. Trust your partner."

The barista stole a glance at the raging storm outside, and chuckled lightly

"Not exactly what I meant. But go with that, kid, it's just as accurate"

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

Neku awoke to the shreaks of a dying animal. Actually...he'd heard that agonizing sound before...that night Apollo had been in WildKat.

"Josh!"

The proxy threw off his blankets and dashed down the stairs in a panic. He was then thrown into a weak but effective barrier as another scream ripped through the room. He hit his back hard against the counter, and slowly stood up. He took in the scene with utter confusion and fear.

Joshua was either having a major seizure, or something decided to descend from the HG and possess his body and throw it around...or he was trapped in a nightmare he couldn't escape.

Whatever the case, the Composer was seizing, hands gripping his ash-blond locks as he dropped to his knees, head down, eyes tightly closed, wings out and fanned up. A wretched scream erupted out his mouth as he threw his head back in his distress.

As Neku pressed his hands to the barrier and looked on, a hand came and rested on his shoulder. He flinched and turned accusing eyes at the Angel looking down at him, her eyes wet with shame. The Proxy wrenched away, his own blues blazing as he snarled.

"What have you done?!"

Haineko hung her head "I didn't mean to...We were talking and I triggered something."

"Likely story. Where the hell is Mister H.?!" Neku balled up his fists and glared daggers at the black-haired Being

"He had to go to the HG to get a remedy for memory overlay. I told him not to even bother. The Council wants Yoshi to suffer. He didn't listen." Haineko wrung her hands and actually wilted at Neku's answering death glare.

Neku snarled and banged the clear wall, "Josh! Josh come on, snap out of it and let us help! Don't be an ass!"

A tortured scream was the Composer's answer. Joshua's thin frame arched as he clutched his head again, shaking it vigorously. He threw himself to the ground, bloody froth in the corner of his mouth as his body shook and curled like a turtle hiding in its shell, hands still gripping his head as the scream eventually died out into a weeping groan.

Neku closed his eyes and searched for the whisp of their partner bond that still lingered...even after everything that happened "Come on...let me in...let me see into...your world."

A flash of memory.

Flames crawled on his skin, charring pale flesh. The agony was almost too much to bear, but he couldn't even scream. A far greater pain was roaring up his bony back, paralyzing him without dulling the creeping agony. Ashes made from flecks of down floated in front of his eyes and he realized...

His wings were burning!

The waves of torment hit him like a semi on a train, pouring over him until at last the wall of pride he had crumbled to dust, and he had no choice but to open his mouth and let out his agony for all to hear.

"PHONES!"

A hand was shaking him, gripping his shoulder hard. Someone was making a heartwrenching racket in his ear as well, and it took him three minutes to realize that he was hearing his own voice. He shut his mouth and panted hard, lifting a hand to his head as a migrane suddenly made itself known.

"The hell was that?!" he gasped breathlessly as Sanae helped him get shakily to his feet and handed him a glass of water, wich he greatfully accepted. As the boy drank and panted to slow down his breathing, the barista ran a hand through his hair and said in calm explination,

"I take it you entered his mind with your pact bond? Well you just experienced exactly what he's reliving right now. I don't know what triggered it, and I really don't want to risk experimenting to see what did."

Joshua let out a wail, and finally collapsed. The barrier shorted out, and Neku rushed to the fallen ash-blond. After looking him over, he suddenly gasped. Sanae walked to him curious.

"What is it, Phones?"

The orangette didn't say a word. He just lifted a shaking hand to the Producer.

Two of his fingers were stained red, and stuck in his sweaty palm...

Was a charred flight feather.