"Sir! Forgive me for not updating you on the situation sooner. I have been. . . unconscious for. . ." I trailed off, unsure of how to answer. How long had it been since that fight? A few days? A week? I never did ask Tadashi how long I was away from my duties.

Joshua sighed and leaned against the armrest of the couch. "It's the same day as when you left. Honestly, that's not very promising for my Conductor if you can't even remember what day it is."

I furrowed my eyebrows, processing what he had just said. It was still the same day? If it was then how did I recover so quickly? Was there more to Tadashi Hanekoma then I realized? I cleared my throat and shoved those thoughts aside as I noticed Joshua staring at me expectantly.

"I would have contacted you sooner but unfortunately the perpetrator escaped with my phone, leaving behind the unconscious bodies of many Reapers, including myself." A frown made its way onto my lips as I recalled how the fallen angel had erased everything that reminded me of Neku on my phone. I clenched my fists at my sides and looked away from Joshua. Speaking of him, where was Neku?

"Oh! I've already heard all about it. Someone else briefed me on the situation just before you got here," Joshua said as he pulled out his phone. The orangeness of it only reminded me of Neku's hair.

"Then what happened to the other Reapers if I may ask? Are they back on their normal routines and schedules?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I mean, none of them are incapable of doing their duties so they're still assigned them to continue with that and then the Harrier Reapers are all assigned on what you could call a reconnaissance mission around Shibuya to keep on a lookout for the very same man who scheduled an attack on my city. Although, I must say, I was curious when he would make a move on my city," Joshua mused and placed a hand on his chin.

"So you were anticipating this attack?"

"Well I don't know if I would use the term anticipating but I was already informed of the attacks on other UG planes throughout Japan and just assumed that soon enough, Shibuya would be next. You can't blame me for thinking that can you?"

I opened my mouth to speak but found no words to say. He wasn't wrong but even I felt a little conflicted with how to respond to his statements.

Joshua, seeming oblivious to my lack of a response continued to speak. "But even so, there wasn't as many casualties as there have been elsewhere so we do have that to be thankful for. Also I do have a few questions for you. I suppose it's a little broad but what are your opinion on the Fallen Angels speaking that you seen to attract quite a few of them?" Joshua let out a small giggle at the last part and his eyes showed amusement and something else I couldn't place.

"Well," I spoke, unsure of how to word my answer, "of the ones I've encountered that I know of their identity, they haven't been very. . . friendly. The most recent one I've encountered just tried to kill me and a handful of other Reapers."

Joshua let out a mixture between a snort and a giggle and I raised an eyebrow. Was there something wrong with what I said?

"Oh? Is that so? Well I suppose it's normal for you to feel that way. And I'm almost shocked that you haven't asked a certain question yet," Joshua said.

"And what question is that?"

"Well I thought the moment you came here you were going to ask where Neku was but you don't seem to be concerned in the slightest, unless I'm mistaken." I held back a scoff. Of course I had wanted to know about Neku. Something could've happened to him the moment I had left and something didn't feel right with him leaving before I got back. Unless it was only a mistake on my part for thinking that he was worried for me, I didn't believe Neku was the type to leave before learning what had happened after I left him with Joshua. The latter wouldn't tell me if something happened between them and the only option I had was to go and find Neku directly. Although Shibuya was only one city, trying to find Neku in it would be like finding a needle in a haystack among the crowded streets. The only thing that could give him away easier would be his hair that makes him stick out like a sore thumb.

"I noticed his absence but I figured I should wait until after I've discussed the most recent events before asking about him."

"I suppose that's reasonable well he actually left shortly before you arrived. I don't have the slightest clue where he is but I have a few ideas as I'm sure you do. Now, back to our original conversation, I was curious if you felt any specific vibe from the Fallen Angel you encountered."

Vibe? I thought back to when I first arrived at Udagawa Back Streets when he and Koki were having their discussion. Even from behind the wall where I was, I could sense a greater presence than one I had ever sensed before.

"Well his presence was suffocating to say the least. He didn't appear like he belonged in this world and I felt as if he gave off a greater vibe than you. His power is certainly nothing to mock."

"I'm amazed really. The fact that you were able to perceive him for what he really is shows that you truly have a high imagination. I was right to pick you as my Conductor. But I've heard all I needed to hear and besides, before you get back to work, you need a new phone to replace your stolen one so you're dismissed for now but when you return I want you to call a meeting with all of the Reaper Officers. I let you know the specifics after you get a new phone."

I nodded my head and turned on my heel and as I was about to leave, Joshua spoke up.

"Oh! And one more thing. If anything happens, report back to me immediately. We don't want you running off and getting yourself into anymore trouble now do we?"

With a final nod to Joshua, I left Dead God's Pad. With every question that was answered, I found myself only wanting to know even more than before. While I was grateful to get some answers from Mr. Hanekoma's brother, I was curious who Itsuki Haruka seemed to work for. According to Tadashi, there was a group of Fallen Angels all working under someone else but other than that, I know next to nothing about Fallen Angels or anything like that in general. There's so much that I'm not supposed to know and some of that information could lead to a dangerous outcome.

I walked out of the store and felt myself be forcibly tuned back into the UG. I turned my new phone over in my hand and felt how unfamiliar it was. Even if it was a newer model than my previous cell phone, there something about my other phone that made me cherish it. Maybe it was just the memories I had made that were on it. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the Conductor pin and held it to my phone as I tuned it into the frequency of Shibuya. Almost instantaneously, numerous numbers and Reaper networks (which served as communication throughout the UG) flew across the screen as several Reaper Reports popped up, informing me about the Reapers which were Erased most recently due to the incident with Itsuki Haruka. A frown made its way across my face as I recalled the fading bodies of various Reapers.

As I walked away from the store, I opened up my contacts and saw a few I recognized, including both Koki and Uzuki. I felt the need to call one of them and see if they were alright. I tapped on Koki's contact and held the phone up to my ear and it was a minute before I heard his voice on the other end.

"Hey. Glad to hear you're still up and at em. When we regained consciousness you and the attacker had both vanished," Koki said. I could hear Uzuki in the background asking who he was talking to.

"Yeah," I replied, "someone ended up healing me because my injuries were serious and could've resulted in my erasure. How are you and Uzuki feeling?"

"I hear ya and we were fine after using a few healing psyches like the others that managed to survive. Nothin' too serious. Well since you appear to be doing fine I figured you should probably know of the little game Uzuki and I had while you were gone. Long story short, she lost and is treating us all to a nice bowl of ramen. Figured we could all go and sit down and grab a bite to eat together," Koki said.

"I'll have to check my schedule with the Composer and get back to you. I have a few meetings to attend."

"Ah I see. Well I should let you go before Uzuki rips my phone out of my hand."

After saying my goodbyes, I ended the call and looked around, finding myself in the middle of the Shibuya Crossing. I looked between where Shibu Department Store was and then towards the Center Street Entrance, conflicted on where I should go. I had wanted to go and talk with Mr. Hanekoma about the pins and different psyches but at the same time, I felt like I should go and try to find Neku and ask him what happened. As I looked at my phone, a light bulb went off in my head and I typed in Neku's number which I had had memorized since I was still alive if that was even his phone number still. But as my finger hovered over the call button, I stopped myself. I had never contacted Neku once after I became a Reaper. I was so paralyzed with fear of him getting hurt because of the first Fallen Angel I had encountered that had threatened to make Neku suffer that I never tried. Although, that was just an excuse. While it's true I was scared for Neku, wanting to help him like he had helped me in the past, I didn't know if I could face him again.

Deep in thought, I finally took a deep breath and dialed his number, feeling my heart pounding against my chest as I did. I felt a wave of happiness run through me as I heard the small click of someone answering the phone.

"Neku! T-This is the right number right? I wanted to know if something happened to you," I spoke, not waiting for the person on the other end to speak.

"(Y-Y/n). . .," I heard Neku speak weakly from the other end. My heart dropped hearing him speak with no strength. It was similar to Reapers who were on the verge of fading.

"N-Neku?" I asked. I opened my mouth to speak again, only to be cut off by a sinister laugh that made my face pale as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

"Well well well, it appears that our Conductor harbors some feelings for the Composer's proxy, hm?" an all but familiar voice asked through the phone. I heard the sound of clothes shuffling as Neku grunted in pain.

"You," I spoke, venom dripping off of my voice. "What have you done to Neku? Where is he?"

"Well, nothing yet but that's up to you. After all, I hold Neku Sakuraba's life in my hands, and you're going to do exactly as I say or else he'll be Erased. Permanently."