The wind howled and the thunder roared overhead. Shibuya was deteriorating even as Neku and Apollo played their Game to end all Games. Neku was oblivious to all forms of the Music, but the district's tantum was visible even to him. The UG was in chaos, the RG cranky and full of negativity that even the Noise would find excessive, and the citizens were at each others throats.
Apollo wasn't as aware at the moment. After his victory in their last challenge that had him take yet another point from the Proxy, placing him two points in the lead, the Higher Being had been distracted by his dark memories. He fantasized hourly about the things he was going to do to break his Kiryu, and the fun to come after he suceeded in his task, paying no mind to Neku's increasing frustration at his spaciness.
"What do you think screams 'dominated'...metal or leather?" He asked the proxy on the sixth day. Their score was 4 to 6 in his favor, and he was feeling smug.
The question granted him an enraged snarl and Neku's rapid disappearance from the area.
Apollo chuckled. Humans would never understand the humor of Angels.
"You may be a Higher Being, but you're no Angel, Apollo." a voice chastised from the shade of a tree.
He turned, a smirk on his lips "Sanae. This is a surprise. I'd thought you were holed up in your Cafe, watching from afar."
"I was." the barista said with narrowed eyes "Until Phones's murderous aura alerted me that he was dangerously close to breaking the rules. Luckily, the kid's smarter than you give him credit for, and de-escalated the situation before I had to step in." The Angel rubbed his eyes with two fingers, "I swear, I never get any reprieve when that kid plays the Game. If it's not one thing it's another, and you aren't helping the situation."
Apollo laughed, putting a hand on the other being's shoulder,"I'm in the lead. Pardon me if I felt the need to gloat, Hanekoma. I can already feel my Kiryu's will crumbling in my hands…" he balled a fist "I am so close, I can taste it!"
"You;'re still forgetting the other half of the wager." Sanae snapped, wings raised as his frustration spiked "You haven't won yet. Save your victory feast for after you actually swallow it."
"Semantics. There's no chance Neku Sakuraba can beat me in open combat. He might be playing the game alive, but after this little precurser is over, I can go all out. He'll be dead before even drawing a second breath." Apollo boasted with a short laugh, then turned to face the furious Producer, not being able to help himself one small jab out of curiousity. "So...how is my little pet anyway?"
The entire dimension shook slightly as Hanekoma fought every maternal and protective urge to fire all of his power at the being who stood before him. He took a deep breath and said hotly "He's...unchanged. But don't be too smug. We happen to think that under that state, Josh is fighting to come back. He'll shatter your illusion of control, Apollo. Mark my words."
The barista spread his wings, "Try not to bend the rules too much. Remember that this is just the beginning. Your victory at this stage means nothing. Also, please, keep your dark, disturbing fantasies to yourself. Neku has as much tolerance for your dark thoughts as I do, but he has less restraint. I Will give him a pass if you incite an attack."
As he faded, Apollo pouted "You are no fun, Hanekoma."
"You are a sick bastard." Neku snarled from the bench he'd parked on "I can't wait to shut you up."
The Higher being narrowed his eyes at the teenager who sat in defiance of his very existance, and finally saw the red aura that crackled and burned around him. The fires of his ire had been sparked, and instead of outwardly exploding, the Proxy was storing his emotions deep within himself. They were building slowly, threatening to break free of the chains of control binding them inside. However, Neku Sakuraba had spent a lifetime forging those chains, shaping them, strengthening them, building on them until they basicly became a wall of stoicism and suppression,. So they were not about to give even a little against the storm of flame that would have consumed any other hormonal teenager. He was storing it, this furious inferno, for a powerful unleashing, that much was quite clear.
The Proxy was dangerous.
Apollo wisely decided to put distance between himself and the silent volcano that was Neku Sakuraba, and returned to Dogenzaka to wait for his next oppurtunity to triumph over the Proxy. He also retreated into the dark corners of his mind, smiling in pleasure as he thought on a future that made him excited.
His eyes snapped open as a brush of something familiar breezed his cheek. Drawing a hand up, his eyes sparkled in elation. He gazed into the darkened skies of his dreams, and smiled a hungry, longing smile as he recognized instantly what he was feeling.
"Yoshiya?"