Apollo wandered the dark alley where Sanae had decided to graffiti his mantra, his hand running along the mural fondly. It stopped at the new addition, fingers caressing the white feathers etched there, his mouth stretched in a hungry smile. Soon, my Kiryu.

It wasn't often that the Higher Being had time to truly reminis about his past. Some parts of it he regretted, others he relished. His interactions with Yoshiya Kiryu hit both of those descriptions. Sanae Hanekoma had been accurate when he'd commented that the two of them copuld have been friends. Not just friends, but the best of friends. If only fate hadn't dealt the hand it had, things may have turned out very differently for the two of them.

Apollo continued to walk, his mind wandering to that first Game. He remembered Yoshiya wanting to avoid a certain cafe' in this exact area of Udagawa. It had something to do with the fountain that used to be there, he remembered. He smirked as he relished the fear he'd sensed in the ash-blond...a fear Yoshiya seemed oblivious to on some level as he'd explained his reluctance to his partner.

Why did you even bother sharing that memory with me...one who delighted in your weakness...in your fear?

Then again, looking back, it wasn't shared in confidence, but in very potent spite. Yoshiya had been extremely bitter about the experience, and decided to share his ire with his tormentor. Perhaps to show it had no hold on him? That his inevitable teasing wouldn't spark anything but bitter rage if he decided to heckle the blond about it later? Apollo didn't know.

He continued to walk the path he ran many times, each time he turned a corner, a new snippet of memory seeped into his mind. As he rounded such a corner, he caught sight of a team of Players running with hands clasped. It reminded him of when he was literally shacked wrist to wrist with Yoshiya on day 4 of their Game. Forced to work together, the two Partners actually managed to complete the mission fairly quickly and had enough time to have a rare civil conversation before being knocked unconscious. It was that conversation that almost made him waver, even now, in his convictions...he remembered it well.

Yoshiya leaned against the wall, a pondering look on his usually smug face. His hand absentmindedly played with the lightning bolt lock of hair as he sighed in the way he did before getting philosophical. This time, however, the question he posed wasn't one of morality or anything complicated at all, to the suprize of his partner.

"Apollo, have you ever thought how it might have gone had our relationship actually worked? If you'd have taken me seriously once I opened up to you about my Sight?"

Actually, he had thought about it. Quite often in fact. He cocked his head and gazed up from where he sat leaned against the wall as well.

"You mean if we had been friends in life." he snorted, "Actually yes, I had thought of that scenario. Bit boring, don't you think?" He grinned hungrily "Our current dynamic suites both of us just fine."

Yoshiya snickered, eyes shining in silent challenge, purple hue seeming to glow for a mere second before dying out slightly.

"Perhaps it would be dull. But seriously think! What would we have accomplished together, you and I? You often put us as prey and preditor, but if you recall, I also hgave fangs. Think of what we could accomplish, especially here and now, Sarahara. You and I...we could become Composer and Conductor. It wouldn't take much, just some cooperation. With our cunning….we could do it, you know. All it would cost is your twisted desires, and half of my pride."

It was tempting. The offer of power for his desire. Yet, he was reminded of his goals as he gazed at the boy before him. He considered him a boy still, as his own body had matured and buffed up, growing into a fine man, yet Yoshiya still lacked any defining features that would be considered manly. This boy before him was weak, frail, and though he was no longer sickly, he looked pasty and brittle. This observation whet the burly one's hunger to twist that skinny form in his fists like a twisty straw.

He touched his teeth with his tongue, "That cost is too great. My desires get stronger the longer we stay together, and your pride won't willingly be halved. It's a deal neither of us can initiate, Yoshiya. It's folly to even tease the possibility."

Despite his statement, however, the question, the what-if, had stuck with him even after his ascention. Even as he enacted his desires, that one nagging scinerio kept rearing its head. He'd wondered after one session, as the form he'd tormented was draped fully spread out before him on the floor, szeizing violently before crumpling in a heap like a wet towel...he'd noticed how incredibly small his toy's frame really was...and felt the slightest twinge of regret at his actions. The tiniest pity for the body strewn about by his own hand.

It was fleeting, and his desire was quick to amp up his resolve immediately, snuffing any other emotion or doubt out of his being and restoring his hunger ten times over.

Now wandering Shibuya alone, with no outlet for his madness, and only silence to stir his thoughts. At times likje this, he faced regrets. At times like this...he thought of what-ifs. One of those was the way he'd handled Yoshiya's admission that he saw ghosts and monsters. What if...he'd taken a different path?

Images oif him protecting, rather than destroying, a young boy's body and reputation flooded his mind. Images of himself instead of Megumi by the glowing being's side, images...so many images yet not one stuck enough for him to admit his wrongdoings...to admit he was acting more like a Noise than an Angel….

"It is too late...for us to change our fate now."

He ran then, getting pins out as he caught Sakuraba dashing towards HMX records. He checked his phone and sighed in exasperation.

Listen well and decipher the lyrics. Fail, and face erasure.

"The next one better be an advantage for me, Sanae."

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

After an hour of deciphering lyrics, Neku smirked and left the store, throwing a look of triumph at Apollo on his way out. Since it was day 2, the ginger descided to head to Cat Street, just to see if it was open this time.

His luck was right on this time, to his relief. WildKat was open as well, and he wasted no time in opening the door, rushing in, and demanding of the barista inside with fire in his blue eyes and hope burning in his heart.

"Where is he?"

Hanekoma looked up from making a new batch of House Blend and smiled "Hey Phones! J's upstairs."

"Has he changed at all?"

A pause.

"No."

Neku sighed and looked hard at the Producer. Sanae saw his meaning and sighed heavily "You can look, but try not to play the blame game. Also, don't disturb the other guest. She asked to bring another patient so she could tend to both of them at the same time."

Without a word, the proxy was upstairs before the barista could finish his sentence. Neku found Joshua unchanged, except he gained a room mate. Beat occupied a nearby cot, with Rhyme tending to him tirelessly. She looked up at him, and he saw exactly how much a toll events were taking on her. Eyes red and puffy, clouded by the dark shadows under them due to poor sleep connected to his own, stoking his fire and feuling his determination.

"Don't worry, Rhyme. The score is in my favor. It'll be over soon, I promise."

She simply nodded, words seemed hollow here in this place. However, he knew she was entrusting him with her boundless hope, as she turned her attention to the other cot.

Neku: 2

Apollo: 1