TWEWY: A Fall Into Honor:

This story is about how Joshua became the Composer. The story is from Joshua's point of view, and others if the story needs to. This is a prequel of the game The World Ends With You. TWEWY is made by Square Enix. And I own the OCs. This is a FAN FICTION and not the real prequel. Enjoy! =3

Okay... the reason this chapter is long because I just couldn't find a point to cut it into two chapters. Oh well, enjoy!

Week 1, day 7:

Chapter 33: Conductor and Composer:

Faint voices whispered in Joshua's ears, although in fact they were quite loud truthfully, it just didn't register in Joshua's mind well until he willed himself to peek open an eye only to shut them immediately.

"Aleck!" The shrill voice of Rei made him ease his lavender eyes open until he blinked them dumbfoundly.

He saw that he was, along with assuming the rest of their group, on a white tower rooftop that was higher than any of the buildings in Shibuya by the looks of it. Joshua could see Pork City Tower; very short compared to the tower they were on.

This made him frown when he stopped viewing Shibuya and looked at Ayumu, Rei, and Izo who also were looking down below.

"We're so high up!" exclaimed Rei joyfully as she closed her bright brown eyes and gave a toothy grin as she hopped up on the spot a little and pumped her fist. When she reopened her eyes she wrote something down on her red clipboard eagerly. "Ooh~ I feel like we can touch the clouds! Heh, even the sky! How lovely!"

Izo shook his head in disdain when he growled icily, "Preserve envisioning that, Tyke. Oh wait… you have no brain, my gaffe."

Rei aimed her clipboard over his head and he let out a gulp, a whack later both of them glared at each other after Izo spat, "You nearly broke my glasses!"

As they did their usual glaring contest, Joshua simply turned to Ayumu when the younger blond poked his hand. "Where we Josh are?

For a second Joshua was confused by what he meant, so he asked gently, "What do you mean, Ayumu?"

"Energy… feel… us here." The blond stared at him blankly.

With a sigh of annoyance that Ayumu was still talking this way, he guessed, "Are you asking about where we are…?"

A nod confirmed he was correct.

The ashen blond turned to look at their surroundings again and he held his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… I don't know myself honestly…"

"Describe…" What Ayumu said was plain and clear enough for him to comprehend fully without thought.

After he studied the area more, Joshua spoke slowly and curious, "Well… from what I see we are somewhere very high off the ground, so it must be a skyscraper or something."

He felt stupid that very instance. It just occurred to him Ayumu didn't hear a single word he was saying, plus he might not even know what a skyscraper even looks like thanks to being born blind. So instead he painted a picture in his mind of what he examined from his surroundings, and he hoped Ayumu would understand what a skyscraper looked like, and where they were.

In a minute or two Ayumu spoke in his hollow voice, "See… ta, Josh."

Joshua couldn't help a smile.

He always knew when Ayumu said 'ta' it was another way to say 'thank you'. Ayumu would once and awhile when they were still alive say 'thank you' that way. And Joshua found it was always so cute when Ayumu said that.

There was a sudden familiar clack sound that ceased the little glaring contest from Rei and Izo and gained the full attention of everyone. The clacks continued to grow a little louder the closer they were there, this was until a familiar face came into view that Joshua seemed to recall vividly: Kazumasa.

The fawn haired man sauntered over calmly as the pale orange and black striped feather hopped a bit in the air before jerking down by the metal chain it was attached to the ivory cane. By the time the man reached them, he smiled. "Felicitations, you survived the week." He took out a small folder that he had under his right arm and looked it over briefly. "Five seconds to spare… Not too low as last week's, as they had none to spare unfortunately." He let out a small chuckle, midnight eyes twinkling.

Just as he put the folder back snugly under his arm, he looked at them as Joshua asked politely, "Excuse me, but are you the Conductor?"

Rei whipped her head to him gasping.

Izo raised an eyebrow.

And Ayumu just stared at Kazumasa.

The man for a moment looked taken aback, both curious and suspicious of Joshua's UG knowledge he held from fateful talks with Sanae.

After a while Kazumasa composed himself before he replied coolly, "Why yes I am, Mr. Kiryu."

Rei gave Joshua a funny look as she walked over to him. Once her bright brown eyes were set on him she hissed loud enough for everyone on the dull white rooftop to hear, "Conductor? Whatcha mean Aleck about this charming gentleman and a 'conductor'? He doesn't look the type to drive a choo-choo train now does he? Y'know?" She gave Joshua a jab on his exposed fair skinned arm that made him yelp from the sting of pain he had received. No smirk, no grin, nor smile was seen on her face except for a flat line her lips made when she pressed, "Well?"

A breeze was created when Joshua let out a heavy sigh; his eyes flickered to Kazumasa to Rei again. He replied in a matter of fact tone, "I don't think a train conductor carries a cane with a bird feather, Rei." he let out a quiet giggle before he gestured to the fawn haired man. "He's second in command, for your information. And is the Reapers' boss. Am I right?"

The Conductor nodded curtly. "Indeed. That is why I stopped Mr. Saiyama from erasing your young half-brother." he drew out another folder. "From what is written here."

This gripped Joshua's curiosity.

In the Conductor's hand was the very folder that held hidden information of Ayumu, one that had a secret in it that Megumi had told him at the end of day 4: Ayumu's Entry Fee: his emotions. The very thought of wanting to read it made Joshua keener by the second.

But Joshua stopped himself from asking the Conductor to give it to him, most likely the Conductor wouldn't want to hand over something so vital to a Player such as Joshua himself. Plus, it would be rude to ask that naturally.

So he watched painfully as Kazumasa stuck it back with other folders under his right arm before his left hand tapped his wooden cane.

"Defeating Mr. Saiyama, who claims he knows what justice is, is an admirable feat for the damage he caused." Kazumasa remarked warmly. "You four should be proud, tired, but feeling the warmth in your hearts that you did a good job."

At his words, warmth bred in Joshua's heart that made him feel wonderful.

Joshua thought in wonder, 'It feels like a pat on the back…' he hung his head when he thought more, 'Mother and father did that a lot when I did good in school and exceeded well…'

A needle stabbed his heart when he thought of them; he realized his grieving of them must not have ended yet.

Then something came to him so suddenly. 'Are they proud of me now? Here in the UG, surviving this week?'

When they died along with Auntie Chise, he grieved, but Ayumu was the only one who grieved the most. On hours without end, his younger half-brother cried and cried, even stayed in his house where he lived with Auntie Chise every single day since the time of his birth to his death and Joshua's. Ayumu had wanted to be alone most days, unless Joshua successfully coaxed him out for a bit for his health and well-being in mind. After their parent's deaths, Ayumu was scared of crossing the street.

From what he recalled, his half-brother said that only Chise's death was his fault, over and over, grief-stricken and filled with a lot of guilt for some bizarre reason. When Joshua tried to cheer him up by telling him it wasn't his fault, Ayumu snapped at him and Joshua found himself snapping back at him in order to give him a reality check. After their quarrel, Ayumu avoided him for the rest of the day.

The next morning, he remembered, nearly gave him a heart attack.

Ayumu's house's door was unlocked, and Ayumu wasn't at his house, which freaked Joshua out.

So he and Sanae went out to search for him. Throughout the whole time Joshua searched, he feared that Ayumu was going to do something that he was going to regret later on.

But then, Joshua went to the place that made their sorrow blossom: The Scramble Crossing.

He found Ayumu sitting on a bench where Hinata, Mitzuki, Chise, Joshua, and Ayumu were going to have their picnic, and the younger half brother was in his pajamas. Joshua noticed that Ayumu was staring at the spot that the bus took their parents' lives when he arrived. After Joshua had given him a hug and fussed over about how much Ayumu worried him, Ayumu spoke to him baffled about how Joshua was acting towards him.

Ayumu said he came here, to say goodbye to their parents.

That was when Ayumu seemed to get over their deaths, and was when he moved on and went back to his normal self.

The warmth of encouraging them of their good job seeped away, leaving Joshua to push the memory out of his head to focus on the Conductor that was watching all of them.

Pretty soon, Rei marched up to him and demanded, "So do we live again? We kinda won, so…"

"I will be the judge of that."

A new voice startled Joshua, it sounded graceful, rich, and quiet.

So he twisted his head to look behind the Conductor, who also turned to look at the newcomer with everyone else. Out came something that chilled Joshua's blood the moment he set eyes on her, (since he, heard a woman's voice).

The 'woman' was covered in a veil of mist that clouded her figure in white; it looked like it was smoke as well to Joshua. 'She' was just as tall as Kazumasa it seemed. 'Her' very long hair swayed slowly like a breeze tickling the leaves of a tree ever so gently, around the strands to Joshua's astonishment was cobalt blue aura, softly radiating around it.

At the same time though, it puzzled Joshua, because a tinge of recognition tugged at his mind. Cobalt… that shade, the shimmer it gave off… An aching feeling inside him made the teen think; no believe he'd seen that very exact same light before. There was no doubt, nor a way to forget it. Because no matter how many times at that moment he tried to cast it off as only a mere coincidence, the thought of recalling it vividly imprinted into his mind completely.

Brilliant lilac colored eyes caught his own lavender; it was as though they pierced him like the point of an arrowhead that wasn't the very least dulled. They appeared to glow to him as well, like the luminous full moon at night.

Cautiously Rei dashed over to flank Joshua, along with Izo who was at his right. Ayumu slowly approached to be beside the dark blue haired boy on the side that was free for him to stand.

Rei soon frowned at the veiled woman. "Who's she?"

"The Composer," responded Kazumasa calmly, "the director of the Reaper's Game."

"So the Boss Man- is a Boss Woman!?" cried Rei in disbelief with her eyes wide.

Izo let out a scoff when he glared at her, "Feh, you can at least demonstrate veneration to somebody as imperative as this."

"Uh… when was the last time you showed respect to anyone, Fos-bro?" She jabbed a finger obnoxiously at him while he fumed.

The Composer blinked when she said kindly, "Arguing about titles is merely small compared to what is to happen to all of you." her velvety voice went on, "Standing here is a privilege Players strive, lust for even, on the adversity of 7 days of efficient work and drive. Even now, you have earned it."

Joshua was surprised by her behavior; it caught him unexpected.

Throughout this whole week he believed the Composer was cold and unforgiving, letting events conspire between Players until they beat themselves senseless or arrived expecting to live and forget their UG experience. The Composer before him seemed modest but strict at the same time, balancing two traits in a blend of harmony.

She blinked her eyes then elucidated, "Yet, from viewing your adventure here… I see clearly, none of you, shall be able to return to the RG for a second chance."

This earned choked cries and roars of dismay to escape all of the Players, except Ayumu who quietly gazed at the Composer with his blind eyes focused entirely on her unblinking.

Even Joshua was outraged by her decision. "What!? None of us!?" he gave a dreaded glance to everyone in their little group who shared the same opinion as him, only he wasn't sure about Ayumu though.

Izo bit his lip hard as his maroon eyes narrowed into slits, he was shaking like he was shivering madly almost as though the cold air he had always emitted finally managed to get to him and his very bones. No doubt, he was filled with aversion. And he didn't seem like he cared if people saw him like this. Even his cold air penetrated the rooftop, making everyone except Ayumu and the Composer shiver fiercely. Joshua never had seen him so angry before in all the time he spent with the walking freezer.

Rei too shared utmost fury, she cursed as her eyes lost their sparkle and was replaced with cold, hardened, dark eyes mirroring the emotion she displayed. She had her clipboard out, clenching it so hard in her skinny hands that she seemed like at any time would snap it in half without a care. Her lips were pursed once she finished swearing, an intense glare painted her face.

Ayumu… kept doing the same thing still, undaunted by his lack of any emotions.

But Joshua ill temperedly and distraughtly knew this shattered his composure. The burning anger in him erupted making him grit his teeth and clench his hands so hard they turned a sickingly ghostly white, like all blood in them were drained out and locked in place because of it.

He felt dread inside him rise, none of them would return to their normal lives that were stolen and dropped into the UG without any input if they wanted to play in the Reaper's Game. Not only that, the Composer must have done this on purpose, he believed strongly. Nothing more could cool the lava boiling in his veins that was his blood.

For a second he forgot all about the Entry Fees in order to roar at the Composer who seemed to struggle to keep her cool in check, "You can't do that! We played your damn game! We put up with all this shit in order to survive! How could you say we are not fit to live!?"

The Conductor had stepped in front of the Composer protectively with a worried expression, but the Composer gingerly took his arm to move it aside before sidestepping and walking in front of the fawn haired man.

Her eyes gleamed in an emotion Joshua couldn't really recall for the moment, but she dipped her head a bit for a few seconds. "You are right to protest for this unruly turn of events, Yoshiya Kiryu. I understand your reason, even tolerate it." she rose her head gazing at him unwavering as she spoke in a leveled calm voice, "My judgment is spoken clear, and doubtless. Nothing vexes to alter it. So I stand here, to apologize, for this disheartening news that has befallen you and your friends."

Joshua shook in rage. "Why bother? You act like you don't care about your decision nonetheless!"

"Yeah!" screeched Rei as she stomped her boot down and looked away slightly but still glared at the Composer on the corner of her eyes. "Can you tell us why? We worked so hard for this! Now it feels like we were peed on by a dog and bitten by leeches! Hmph!"

Izo nodded coldly in agreement, so angry he couldn't form words to describe his anger from what Joshua guessed.

With a sigh, the Composer was given 4 folders that looked exactly the same from Kazumasa.

Shuffling through them like a deck of cards, the Composer looked through one of them. "Since you boldly spoke before any of your allies, let's see your record first that portrays to this reason." She peered into it. "You've been an excellent Player this week, always a step ahead of everyone… intelligent… But, upon learning information that never should have been brought to light… you irrationally chose to end your time as a Player, by letting the Noise, and your distraught, nearly consume you. Clear as day, it is a crime equivalent to suicide in the Realground and everywhere. Something a devil can dream of. You would have devolved into a mindless Noise for that… if I didn't save you myself."

As Joshua gasped, she nodded to Ayumu. "You should be grateful. Your half-brother summoned me in heart of your affair."

Ayumu blinked without a word spoken by him.

Now the Composer closed Joshua's folder without making any sounds from it. She took out another identical folder. "Rei Shuuito."

Rei straightened her back and glared at the Composer when she read the folder. "Like a jack in the box, your personality is unexpected. You can be sly at times, overjoyed, mischievous, passionate, and angry when you need to put your point across. Your behavior can shift making it sometimes hard for others to understand who you are. On day 6, it was your plotting that switched places of Pacts' Players that turned rules upside down, accidentally almost allowing Iwoa Saiyama to erase Players the day before he was granted that role. And today…"

The lanky lady seemed offended by protesting fiercely, "Aleck seemed prepared to bite Ayumu's head off! Geez, Boss Woman, can't you see either way Ayumu could have been erased!?" with a huff she raised her chin up with a snort that the Composer ignored.

Soon the Composer spoke again as she looked at Rei's folder, "And today… you urged Ayumu Ki and Yoshiya Kiryu himself to rip open an elevator door, wreaking chaos on the Realground residents who were there. That is a violation of the balance between the Realground and the Underground. No one, could forget something like that."

Fuming, Rei stepped forward and waved her clipboard wildly in ire. "HEY! That was the only way to get to the Whipster, Boss Woman. We wouldn't be standing on this freaking skyscraper if we didn't go with it, alright!"

Kazumasa noted coolly to the Composer, "What Miss Shuuito says is the truth."

Right away the Composer murmured, "Yes."

She looked at Izo once Joshua was sure she now held his folder. "Cold and ruthless, you, Izo Shuuito, have a sharp tongue. The only crime you did was following with the Partner exchange."

The dark blue haired boy snorted before glaring at her. "Rules are ignored by fools."

Beside Joshua, Rei appeared barely able to restrain herself from commenting on his poetic statement at a time like this.

"Finally, Ayumu Ki." The Composer blinked at him and he blinked back. "You are blank as a slate."

Joshua darted in front of the petite blond, he snarled at her, "Don't insult my brother!"

"I'm sorry, it's the truth," said the Composer sadly for a moment before reverting back to calm again. "On day 5 of this week, you erased one of the Reapers without a shred of remorse. Why?"

Ayumu only repeated what he said to Joshua when he asked the same question; "I had to." the same monotone from before was present.

The Composer seemed surprised by his answer; she only repeated it looking confused, "Why? What do you mean by that 'you had to'?"

"I had to."

Joshua was sure when they got their Entry Fees back, Ayumu could explain the real reason of why he erased that Reaper.

Instead of once again repeating the question only to receive the same answer, the Composer sighed and looked back at the folder. "Like everyone else you worked with, you switched Partners. With your half-brother, you ripped an elevator door open. That is all."

She handed Kazumasa back all the folders and nodded to him.

When she turned back to face the four of them again, she spoke kindly which made Joshua feel angered by the tone, "You all broke rules, why should any of you return to the Realground, if you are to keep breaking rules there?"

Rei waved her clipboard at her. "Uh, hello!? What choice did we have, Boss Woman?"

For a moment it looked like the Composer recollected her thoughts before she murmured in reply, "You always had a choice. Life is built on the actions and choices a person may decide and act. Upon those choices, events are shown to follow, good or bad. It all depends on the person, and how they perceive and handle the consequences. Is that not how individuals shine their own light compared to others around them in the world?"

That question caught Rei off-guard along with Joshua. It never did occur to him like that before.

'Is that how she judges Players to see if they are worthy for a second chance?' wondered Joshua curiously while letting his anger go briefly to consider what she had said. 'And… is that why she is denying us that!?'

He let his anger come back again as he stalked over to the Conductor and the Composer.

The Conductor seemed wary of him because he tried to shield the Composer from him, but the Composer gave him a look before he halted and went backwards to where he was standing before. So she looked at Joshua before walking up to meet him face to face in the middle with their distance from their allies equal.

The Composer softly mused as they looked at each other, "You want to say something concerning what is to happen, is that right… Yoshiya Kiryu?"

Joshua tried his best to keep any amount of anger out of his voice; the ashen blond wasn't sure what powers she had so he didn't want to find out personally. He instead locked his lavender eyes with her brilliant lilac as he pleaded, "If-If there is anything now than ever that I want for my friends… it is that at least they live!" the Composer was about to object when Joshua rose his voice louder as it cracked with hurt, "Please… They are people, who are extraordinary in their own ways. They are people, who have something, something that they live for."

Hanging his head to look at the ground, he sobbed, "I have nothing. The only thing I have been doing is taking care of my half-brother. Other than that, I do nothing but sit in a café and learn about the UG. Tell me, is that really something you would live for? That is why… I have no ambitions. So for me to live again, I would return to the same routines that I did before I died and joined the Reaper's Game as a Player."

There was no way he could be more sincere than this, his heart throbbed from the thought of Ayumu, Rei, and Izo not being able to live their lives to the fullest.

He always knew, from the moment he met Sanae, who had known of the UG like Joshua, that there wasn't anything that he wanted to be when he grew up. Even when his mother gave him violin lessons in hopes they could preform together at concerts as mother and son, to him it was merely a chore. Something that steered him away from learning about the UG, the thing he really cared about and was on his mind constantly.

He knew that as time went on, he grew more distant from people, even his family. But Ayumu still tried to drag him along and mingle with him, despite how many times Joshua had the feeling Ayumu knew his mind was on other things he never believed in. He always voiced his opinions freely about Joshua being insane.

But now, thanks to pushing Ayumu away one time to learn about the UG without interruptions from him, Joshua caused their demises.

The Composer studied him for a while until she mused, "You knew that only one person would get the second chance. You kept it a secret from Miss and Mr. Shuuito."

Joshua heard Rei and Izo gasp.

It hurt to hear Rei call out in shock, "Whoa, what do you mean by that?" Joshua only looked at them briefly feeling like he ate a rock when Rei ran up to him and grabbed his shoulders, it hurt from how hard she gripped them. She dragged him back away from the Composer before her teary eyes gazed at him. "Aleck, please tell us that isn't true! We won the game, we survived, we live, and that's how it goes. Right?" Joshua tried to hold in his tears when she pulled him closer and asked desperately, "Right?"

Izo walked over with Ayumu following slowly, his maroon eyes glittered in fury as he snarled, "Terminate your ludicrous interrogation. He would have opposed promptly if whatever the Composer said wasn't precise." He gave Joshua a glare. "You knew this, didn't you?"

Speechlessly, Joshua found it hard with effort to nod.

The ashen haired lady let out a sob while Izo snorted when he looked away. By now Rei had let go and she hung her head. "Why...?"

"I didn't want-" Joshua choked out pitifully feeling the invisible painful lump in his throat grow, "-want to hurt any of you! I…" he lost his voice once he couldn't find any other way to explain, it hurt him as much as his two only friends about this.

Kazumasa and the Composer said nothing; clearly they knew they couldn't interrupt this affair between them. Joshua was thankful for that.

Soon the Composer spoke softly, "I'm sorry about this." everyone looked at her as she took some steps to the side for all of them to see her. "But I do believe before making your choices for what you will do as your role for the next game, it is time to return what was lost to enable your entry to the Underground."

This topic made Joshua widen his eyes as he exclaimed, "You mean the Entry Fees!?" he gave an excited look to Ayumu with his spirits brightened a little at the thought of getting Ayumu's emotions back along with being able to communicate. Joshua couldn't wait to see Ayumu back to normal again!

Rei suddenly pushed past everyone to sit herself to stand before the Composer who was startled by her. "C'mon! Hurry up then!" her sudden shift from feeling betrayed to raw joy made Joshua sigh in relief that she wasn't sad anymore.

So soon the Composer closed her brilliant lilac eyes then waited for a minute or two before she opened her eyes slowly.

At once Joshua wanted to ask if she gave them back when he heard the furious scratches of Rei on her clipboard. "Yes!"

"What are you talking about, Rei?" asked Joshua in bafflement for what the reason Rei was on a writing spree with her clipboard so suddenly.

Rei simply flashed him a toothy grin at what he had said. Wordlessly she handed him her clipboard for the very first time, and what he saw on the paper made his jaw drop.

Under Rei's chicken scratch writing was flawless writing!

Instead of the long strikes of pen across the paper were small swirls and a fancy style to each letter of her handwriting. It was as though someone different had written on Rei's clipboard.

So Joshua gave her a stunned frown as he breathed, "Is this… seriously… your handwriting?"

The lanky lady gave a huge nod as she chirped just as Joshua handed it back with shaky hands, "Yep! I never found out the reason why my handwriting became so horrible at the start of the week." she looked down then smirked at Joshua. "I tried throughout the week to improve it back to how it was before. Oh, but it went worse, heh…"

She rubbed the nape of her neck as Joshua asked baffled, "So that's why you kept writing on your clipboard? Not just weather predictions, huh? I thought you had the worst handwriting ever imagined, Rei!"

"Heh, some people ask me to teach them to handwrite neater! I even taught Izo how to write, and honestly he was horrible back then!" boasted Rei in laughter as she slid her clipboard back into her hidden satchel then lazily slung an arm around Joshua's shoulders to draw him to closer her. "It's natural when I write this way, Aleck. Yep, sure is… Almost everyone I meet ogle at it and complement it constantly. Did you really believe I was one of those people who have trouble writing in those small boxes on paper? Hahaha… nope! No way! Not in a million years!" she shook him on her last sentence.

Joshua glanced at Izo. "What was your Entry Fee?"

Izo's narrowed maroon eyes landed on him as he retorted, "How should I know?"

Rei twirled the both of them around and hopped them over to Izo. "Ooh! Ooh! I got it! Maybe yours was your humor, fos-bro!"

"I don't tell jokes." coldly growled Izo.

"Oh yeah… I forgot about that…" said Rei sheepishly while Joshua agreed that there seemed to be no humor present in a single bone Izo's body owned. Whatever Entry Fee Izo had was either not known to him or he was trying so hard to hide it from all of them. If Rei had no clue, then Joshua didn't as well.

The only person they didn't check yet was Ayumu.

Thankfully Rei let him go and the both of them went up to the slightly messy haired blond who was quiet this whole time.

Joshua stared into his pale pewter eyes and felt hope inside him as he queried to Ayumu curiously, "Well…? Do you feel anything now, Ayumu?"

Ayumu was silent for a bit before he spoke, "Not really, Josh. I feel nothing." he tilted his head up as he added, "I can tell you clearly for once, brother… but… shouldn't I at least feel something?"

"The Blind Brat spoke clearly for once," growled Izo as he gracefully flicked his bangs to the side only for them to fall back gradually where they were initially.

"Wow! That's the longest I've ever heard him speak!" cried Rei surprised with a few small hasty claps to express her happiness.

But Joshua barely heard them. True that Ayumu spoke in complete and normal sentences again, but he had no emotions throughout the whole entire time!

That made him tremble in rage as he whipped to the Composer who observed him.

'She didit!'

So he narrowed and hardened his eyes as he spoke in a quiet dangerous growl, "Why didn't you give it back?"

"I gave all Entry Fees back, just as I mentioned." responded the Composer blinking. "If that was what you were referring to."

"No you didn't!" roared Joshua clenching his hands hard, everyone on the rooftop gave their full attention to him. "Ayumu still doesn't have his emotions! Give them back!"

The Composer stared at him a bit before she murmured, "I have not lied to you. If your half-brother has not shown an ounce of them now, he had none at all."

"What!?" shrieked Joshua outraged. "He has emotions! I've lived alongside him my whole, entire, damn, life! You cannot judge that he doesn't have them. You're lying! Give back his Entry Fee! Give it back now!"

"I returned all of them to you."

Rei jumped up and pointed her pen at the Composer. "Every human has emotions, Boss Woman! It's what makes us what we are!" she patted Joshua's shoulder. "If Aleck says his half-bro has emotions, then hell yes he does!"

Izo and Ayumu were silent, but Ayumu watched the Composer making Joshua think he was searching her mind.

"Yes," said the Composer softly, "to be a human without emotions is sad. And if a Noise has emotions, should it be a human as well?"

Joshua gritted his teeth. "That. Does. Not. Count!" he shook his bangs out of his face as he cried, "Give back his Entry Fee!"

"She did." Joshua swung his head to the fawn haired man. "I assure you, Mr. Kiryu."

For a minute, the ashen blond kept tense as he glared back at the Composer. "His emotions… Give his Entry Fee back! Should I repeat myself again!?"

This seemed to make the Composer surprised for a second. "Oh?" She walked over to Ayumu despite Joshua trying to block her path before she placed a hand on the youngest of the four's shoulder. The blond tilted his head to look up at her when she mused thoughtfully, "I see…"

Joshua darted to Ayumu's side while knocking Izo out of the who snarled coldly, "Hey!"

For a moment Joshua apologized before the Composer remarked, "Now I know what you are speaking of." she set her eyes on him. "You just assumed, didn't you?"

"Assumed what?" spat Joshua angrily.

"When Megumi Kitanji told you about both of yours and half-brother's Entry Fees," answered the Composer flatly. "You thought his emotions were his-"

"Of course it's his!"

The Composer patted Ayumu's shoulder lightly before she faced Joshua. "No, you were wrong. Without consideration you dubbed your half-brother's emotions as his Entry Fee." she raised a hand to stop Joshua from cutting her off. "When his emotions, were yours."

A feeling of ice cold traveled down his body making him stumble back, he lost his voice at the end when he tried to speak, "What…?"

"An Entry Fee is the trophy that you aim for," explained Kazumasa when he walked over to them. "Something that you cherish the most of, something to die for." He nodded to Ayumu. "Mr. Ki must have… cherished… or hoped to communicate to people when he still was alive. To enlighten them about whatever he wanted to, from my humble opinion. Thus, he lost his way to. His words here in the Underground were scrambled and incoherent, unable to say exactly what he had or wanted to at the right time. It is something that people yearn for, to talk to people."

He let out a sigh as he tapped his wooden staff. "But, he lost the way to understand them, also. Communication depends on each other, and if you don't understand on both ends, then communication is hard to keep. Therefore, he became deaf to all words spoken to him. But he had the loophole to invade the minds of people. Most people cannot use telepathy to chat, but the thoughts and intentions of people are penned up inside, causing an unhealthy relationship to arise." his midnight blue eyes blinked at Joshua solemnly. "If you hide how you truly feel, it is a betrayal of trust to all people."

Joshua looked at Ayumu shocked from what he just had heard. "How can…?"

"You, Mr. Kiryu, must really care about Mr. Ki feels in a brotherly way," mused Kazumasa warmly as he smiled a little. "A strong bond. You said it yourself earlier, you take care of Ayumu. Therefore, you cherish his emotions. This wasn't something you cherished selfishly for yourself, you cherished another's wellbeing." he let out a chuckle. "Naturally, it shouldn't come to shock. Since you two are… kin…"

'My Entry Fee… my Entry Fee is… Ayumu emotions!?' Joshua still didn't get over his shock, he was sure it increased as the Conductor explained to him this, because he did know it was the truth.

But a horrible realization also set in… Not only did Joshua cost them their lives, he lost Ayumu's emotions! And all this time, he thought he took away Ayumu's communication with others! But now, finding out this truth was worse…

Suddenly it was all too much to handle for him.

He slowly slumped to his hands and knees, and let out on the top of his lungs a wail of anguish.

End of week 1…

To be continued…

Hope you enjoyed the chapter =3