Aoba was asleep dreaming, just then he heard a familiar voice

"You do know the truth don't you?"

"Know that truth for what it is?"

"If you acknowledge it"

"You'll feel better"

"And everything will work out fine

"So acknowledge it"

"acknowledge it and accept it"

"That will make everything much easier for now

"You realise that don't you" that person smirked, Which woke aoba gasping up from his nightmare

Before grunted holding his head

"Ren?" He notice the dog was gone, he got up, opening the door, he then heard a thud, and went to investigate, leaving yuki asleep in the room

She then woke up from her nightmare

She got out of bed and walked to the door and looked out in the hall, seeing Aoba. He looked to her.  "Oh, sorry, yuki. I didn't mean to wake you up." He apologised

"No it's fine I woke up myself. Is something wrong?"

"Ren's not our room, so I'm looking for him." She came out of her room closing the door  "I'll look with you."

Aoba went downstairs together.  "Ren?" Aoba called out.

Yuki looked around as they reached the platform on the stairs " Ren?"

She then noticed someone sitting at a table, their back to them.  "Aoba." She whispered

He looked to her and pointed the figure out. Aoba gasped softly, then he narrowed his eyes.

some transparent computer screens began to pop up, giving just a little bit of light, but it was enough to see who it was. "Noiz?" Shirayuki called out.

"Him again?" Aoba asked.

He flipped on the lights, which caused Noiz to stop what he was doing, "Hey, Noiz. What are you doing here?" Noiz stood up, the screens disappeared, and as he turned, they saw Ren in his arms, a screwdriver in one hand. "Oh, hey." He said, "Look who's here."

"Ren!" Aoba exclaimed. Aoba rushed to him, "What are you doing?! Let him go!" Aoba grabbed Ren and struggled to get him out of Noiz' hold, "Give him here, damn it!"

"Guys stop!" Yuki exclaimed.

Noiz lost his grip on Ren, but the screwdriver cut his hand. Aoba walked away and set Ren on the coffee table, "Aoba!"

"Ren!" Aoba called to his Allmate, but he was unresponsive. "I didn't do anything that'd hurt him, all right? You're being weird right now." Noiz said. Aoba looked to him, "He's just an Allmate. Why in the hell are you getting all pissed off like that? Lame, dude."

"Look, jackass--" Before he could continue, Ren woke back up, then stood to his feet. Aoba looked to him, "Ren!" He picked him up, "Are you okay?" "I'm good, thanks for asking." Ren answered. "All right. That's good to hear."

"I told you I didn't break him, all right?" Noiz sat in an armchair.

Just then they heard a door opened, and a familiar blond walked on " woah, what's going on?"

" aya?!" Both aoba and shirayuki exclaimed

" how's you get here?" Aoba asked

" noiz brought me" she stated, then gasped as she noticed his hand was bleeding. "Oh, no, Noiz! You're hand's bleeding." She said as she came to him.

"Yeah. Looks like the screwdriver." He said

She grabbed his hand. "Did I do that? Sorry about that. We've got to stop it." Aoba said.

"I saw a first aid kit in the kitchen or maybe bathroom, one of the two." Shirayuki said

"Right, I got it." Aoba stood up and went to the kitchen first. "Don't touch me, I'll do it." Noiz said.

"Oh, shush, Noiz." Aya responded. She looked it over. It was a small cut, but it definitely broke through a couple of layers. Aoba returned, soon after, with a box.

He opened it for her and she put some disinfectant on it, before putting a band-aid on it. Suddenly, Aoba's watch began to ring. Ren twitched his ears. "You have a game application waiting." He stated.

" oh are you kidding me?" Shirayuki groaned

"Another one?" Aoba asked. He opened the game and sure enough, it was Silent Oath again. The game showed another demo of a blond character locked in a room. "That's strange," Noiz stated. "Strange?"

"This game. I think I've played it before, but I don't remember this." Noiz said

"After we watch this game, my grandmother and yuki got kidnapped and...things seem to happen in real life after we watch them on the game screen. So...maybe this is another preview." Aoba stated

"Let me have a look." Noiz clicked on his watch, trying to track its source. He stared at his screens

"I don't recognize this code. It's just disguised as corrupt data packet, so routers aren't dropping them. And this IP address is completely inaccurate. Not exactly sure what they're up to." Noiz informed

"It's something from Toue," Aoba suddenly stated. "Well, he's being a jerk about it." Noiz and Aoba clicked off their watches."

"So, tell me, what are you doing in our suite, huh?"

"I got one of these. Right here." He showed his invitation, "I could've hacked my way in, if I wanted to, but...you know."

" you too?!" Shirayuki exclaimed in surprise

" he's not the only one" aya said, activating her watch and showing her invite " after everyone left your house, I got this when I reached home, Junko, Ai, Jane and michiko"she stated " i saw the police at your house, I knew this is where you'd be, at first I had trouble finding you, but then I bumped into noiz and he lead me here"

" them too?" Shirayuki says wide eyed

" does everyone else we know have an invite here, what's going on?" Aoba groaned

Elsewhere

In the tower

"Pleasure, Happiness and enjoyment" toue muttered while watching the screens of the people in platinum jail " they just don't have the power like feelings resentment and hate have" the computer was mainly scanning the peoples faces

" that power binds them to places in the human heart where they grow and multiply"

One of the robots caught four peoples faces in particular, Kojaku, Minene, aoba and shirayuki" ryuho's tattoos seemed to have worked in some fashion on him, they may not have awakened his true power just yet, but close Im betting if we put him in situations where he's fearing his or another's life"

Even in the suite it caught aoba's and shirayuki's faces even, aya and noiz "He'll wake up" his assistant pours wine for him "To that end, To develop him We should probably keep growling those emotions in him, and see what we get"

He then turned to his assistant

" by the way, is it ready?" He asked referring to something that seemed important " it's been cleaned and prepared for her arrival sir"

" excellent" he smirked "won't be long now, and she'll look exquisite, if she hadn't run away...the only thing the dress is missing, is the bride"

Back at the suite

In the room

Aoba sat on his bed while holding Ren

"So tell me. What did he do to you, anyway?" Aoba asked. "It seems as if he gave me an overhaul, found an undetected worm and got rid of it." Ren explained.

Aoba's eyes widened "You really had a virus? That's not good!" Aoba said. "Great, I feel like a jerk now. But he should've told me first!" he said.

Time skip

Aoba and shirayuki's room

It was about 7:30 in the morning and Aoba awoke Although, despite it being the next morning, the setting outside remained the same and the people were still out there, partying " it's morning, but nothings changed since last night, is it always like this in this place?"

He got up out of bed and proceeded to make his way downstairs. He smelt freshly brewed tea, which he knew that shirayuki was awake, whenever he woke up he always smelt freshly made tea, since she woke up early than him

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked to the couch, seeing Noiz asleep on it

Aya seemed to be busy on her watch

Shirayuki made her way into the living room, setting a tray of tea on the coffee table. She looked to Aoba and smiled. 

"Morning." She whispered.  "Morning." He replied with the same smile

Aoba walked to her and then he picked up a tea cup and its small plate. He went to Noiz and set it down beside him, "Hey," Noiz awoke to hearing his voice and he looked up to him, "It's fresh. If you want it." Noiz stared at him.

Aoba backed away, sitting on the couch with shirayuki, aya came over after working at sat down too

Aoba picked up his own tea cup.  "Hey, look...I was kind of a jerk about things the other day. Ren said, you actually cleaned a virus off of him. Sorry, man. I...didn't give you a chance." 

"Whatev." He said. He took a sip of the tea, but it took him by surprise of how hot it was. He flinched and dropped his tea, the liquid spilling onto his hand.

Aya gasped, yuki covering her mouth and Aoba stood up.  "You need to go ahead and cool your hand off right away! It has to be burned now, right?" Noiz looked to his hand, "Take off the bandage already!"

Noiz did so aya went to the kitchen and got the first aid kit as well as a rag to clean up the mess.

She returned to the living room, setting the first aid kit on the coffee table, while she proceeded to clean up the mess.

"Are you intentionally trying to hurt yourself, Noiz?" She asked. Noiz stared at his burnt hand, which was red. However, on his hand were also scars from deep cuts that weren't able to heal completely. 

"Where did you get those from?" Aoba asked. Noiz stood up and walked to the kitchen, rinsing his hand under cold water.

Once Noiz was finished cooling it down, aya wrapped it in a fresh bandage.  "Oh, by the way, thank you for Ren." Aoba said. 

"Well, fixing your dog just kind of happened. If you have to know, I had a personal interest in your Allmate here." 

"Interest?"

"I wanted to find out if your Allmate is what let you beat me in the game. And I saw the virus and got rid of it. And I didn't really have a motivation beyond that. That's all. You know, you two are way too nice. Or maybe...you're going to try holding all these favors over my head." 

"What favors?" Aoba asked.  "Noiz, unlike a lot of people in this world, Aoba nor yuki, or even me are the kind of people who will do something and expect something in return," aya explained

"That's selfish and if we expected to be given back each time we did something, then...well...It just isn't right, not very humane." Noiz stared at her, before finally saying something near her face

"Hey" he made her flinch, He paused for a moment, "Let's go eat."

"Huh?" Aoba asked. Noiz stood up, putting his hands into his pockets, and then began to walk out, "Hey! Where are you going?"

  "Shopping."

  "Hey, I wasn't finished with your hand, you know." Aya said, before sighing and getting up to follow

"I guess, we're leaving." Shirayuki said as she stood up, and went after them, grabbing her coat and slipping on her shoes. 

Aoba had to chase after The others, for he was a little behind, having to go back upstairs, grab his jacket, and then go back down and put his shoes on. He found them at a booth, Noiz was getting something from it.  "Hey!" Aoba said as he got to them. Noiz turned to him, placing two boxes in his hand.  "Hold this, will you?" He walked to another booth, buying something else

Aoba, shirayuki and aya walked with Noiz, Aoba being the one to carry it all.  "You're still buying stuff?" Aoba asked.  "Money is not a problem with me, dude." Noiz replied. 

"What do you mean? You've got have a hell of a job to afford this." Aoba stated

"Yeah, out of curiosity, how are you able to afford all of this?" Aya asked curious

"I'm a Rhyme information mole. You'd be surprised how much money people will pay to find out where Usui is going to show up on the streets. Me and Ruff Rabbit turn a pretty tight profit on the information." Noiz explained.

"Oh. So, Noiz, what do you know about me and Rhyme, anyway?" Shirayuki  asked, joining the conversation

"Hm?"  The four got off the main street and off into a wide alley, so they could get away from all the loud chatter. 

"So, tell me," Noiz said, "you really don't have any memories of playing the game?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry." Noiz stared at him, interested. He, then, suddenly, took a bite of the takoyaki on a stick, which was in Aoba's hand " wha?!"

  "Well, I don't think you need to apologize," He swallowed, "Anyway, it's not like I believe it when you say it." He held up the takoyaki in his hand, "What is this thing?"

"What?!" Shirayuki and aoba exclaimed surprised. 

"What? You just bought it a minute ago." Aya said.  "Yeah, I know," Noiz replied, "But, what do you call it?"

"Please You're joking right?" Shirayuki asked

"I'm not joking at all. Now, tell me." 

"Takoyaki."  Aoba said

"And this?' He held up a crepe, wrapped up in tissue paper to prevent a mess.  "It's a crepe."  "And those?" He looked to a box in Aoba's arms.  "They're donuts, man." 

"They look different from what I had at your house." Noiz said

  "Not all donuts are round, Noiz. If you don't know these foods, what exactly are you eating all the time?" Aoba asked

"I usually have pizza or pasta, okay?" 

"And what else?" Aya asked

"I've had that for 19 years." Noiz stated

"Oh, that's...oh my goodness." Shirayuki groaned, clutching her stomach at the mere thought, while Aya snickered

"Oh, man. Pizza for 19 years?" Aoba's eyes flew wide open, "Wha--? You're actually younger than I am?!"

" oh so your aya's age" shirayuki nodded understanding

"There shouldn't be a problem with that." He ate his takoyaki.

Suddenly, the three of them looked over as they saw some guys coming toward them. Morphine guys, all with that blank expression on their faces, with black hoodies on.  "Come on, Noiz. We don't need to make a scene here. Let's run." Aoba looked over, but he was taken aback as he saw Noiz putting his metal fingerless bracers on, holding his crepe in his mouth, "Noiz, don't!"

  "Noiz, if we can avoid a fight, then we should." Shirayuki said.

Aya sighed knowing he wasn't going to listen, and prepared to fight

Aoba looked back, seeing more of them coming.  "Damn it." He said. Noiz raced toward one, "Hold up!" Noiz slammed his crepe into one of the guys' face, exposing his tag art on his neck,

"Morphine!"  Aya growled

Noiz made a kick to one, before landing back on the ground. He made a roundhouse kick to the last one near him

One guy was sneaking up behind the other two with a knife, he reached out for shirayuki, which aoba noticed and gasped

"Shirayuki!"

" yuki!" Aya was about to hurt him

Before either could even push her out of the way, she quickly turned and roundhouse kicked the guy and sent him flying, much to aoba's surprise " wow...."

" damn girls picking up fast" Aya smirked, blocking another guys punch, then kicking him back

Aoba and shirayuki looked to Noiz, who stood amongst them all, and some more surrounded the other two as well.

A few of them were holding metal pipes. Noiz looked back with a glare. He suddenly jumped up and then struck a Morphine guy, kicked another, easily fighting and taking them all down.  "Noiz!" Aoba and shirayuki yelled.

Noiz was struck with a metal pipe.

" noiz!" Aya yelled, then got yelled as she was hit in the back

" aya!-"Aoba groaned as his head started to hurt.

' break them..destroy...tear them apart...' he heard the other him

Noiz was kneeling down, one of the Morphine guys standing over him with the pipe, another held a knife and was about to stab Aya  "Stop it!" Aoba begged.

Shirayuki gasped as the Morphine members rose the pipe and knife to strike noiz and aya

"I told you to stop!" Aoba's voice was filled with that compelling emotion again, and the guys stopped. Noiz took this opportunity and punched him, knocking him out, as Aya knocked the other guy off his feet, then kicked him

He looked around, seeing that the others were knocked out, too.  "Noiz?" Shirayuki called. 

"Hey, man, are you all right?" Aoba asked, "I mean you're bleeding like a stuck pig, dude."

Noiz reached up to his wound on his head, then brought his hand away, looking at the blood

Aya with a peeved off face, walked to him, pulling out a handkerchief and she started to dab his wound with it. She hissed as she winced. 

"Does it hurt?" She asked.  "What's going on?" Aoba added, "Don't you feel pain at all?"

  "Not really, no. You can kick me, or try and punch me and I won't flinch all that much. No matter what, it doesn't hurt me. I really don't feel pain. All my senses are dull, except taste. I can sort of feel when I'm touched, but I might as well be wearing two rubber scuba diving suits." 

"Oh, Noiz. That'....." Shirayuki said as aya pressed on his wound with her cloth. 

"Hands off. It'll heal by itself if you let it." He looked to her. 

Aoba gritted his teeth.  "Look, dumbass, you're going to bleed to death! Either that, or you'll get infected. You can't just let it bleed. Are you trying to get yourself killed, huh? You're obviously hurt."

Aya brought her cloth up back

"It's actually done bleeding for now, but be careful. It'll open very easily, until we get you some stitches." Noiz looked forward and he saw someone standing a little ways away, watching them, but he was masked.  "We're being watched." Noiz stated. He took off running.  "What?! Noiz! Stop!" Shirayuki called.

"Hey, wait!" Aoba yelled as he and the other two took off after him.

As the two rushed through the main street to find Noiz

Noiz was chasing the person who had been watching them through an alley until he stopped " hey!"

The person stopped and turned to him, making him get into a defensive position

who was singing in an awful way. It sounded like Clear's song, but so much more distorted

Noiz eyes widened a little, then soften as his entire expression turned blank.

They came into another back alley and saw Noiz standing there.

Aoba walked toward him. "Noiz! Come on. Why'd you run off like that?" He asked. Noiz turned to look at him, "Hey, man. What's wrong with you?-"

"Get away from him, Aoba!" Aya warned Aoba looked back to her in confusion "What?"

"Now, Aoba! That's not Noiz, right now!." She yelled Aoba as Noiz suddenly came in with an attack

He took the punch, groaning pain, Aoba looked right into Noiz's eyes and noticed

'His eyes look like Mizuki's did' He thought, Noiz relentlessly kept punching him, but he was able to block him for the most part. "Stop it! Knock it off!" Aoba called to Noiz.

" noiz snap out of it!!" Aya yelled ran forward

He threw aoba aside and threw a punch a Aya, but she dodged it, but got slightly hit in the side

Aoba suddenly groaned as an intense headache started in ' use your strength!...expose it now!'

He let out a scream and then raced to Noiz and aya, grabbed onto Noiz, but Aya was still in noiz grasp

" guys!" Shirayuki yelled running in they're dorction

"Hang on, I'm going...inside you." With that, Aoba entered into Noiz's mind bringing Aya with him in accident, the world breaking apart around them.

Aya sat coughed, then her eyes Widened at they're surroundings " h-holy cow...where are we?"

Aoba turned back awkwardly " oh crap, sorry Aya, I dragged you in with me..." he apologised

" in where?!....where are we?" Aya asked in disbelief, if anything she was seeing was real

" in noiz's mind, i believe..." aoba says, looking around for said person

"Noiz!" Aoba called, "Where are you?"

"Noiz?" Aya called out.

The area they were in soon lit up, dimly, They were in a room and they saw a transparent pink-like doorway open.

As they entered, they saw shadows with masked faces, laughing. Aya backed up a little bit scared, but as they disappeared, they saw Noiz, lying down, curled up, with chains around his ankles and wrists.

"Noiz!" Aoba said. "Oh my gosh, Noiz." Aya whispered covering her mouth

'We found him.' Aoba thought.

The shadows passed by again and they saw a younger Noiz in a bed, sleeping, with two silhouette figure standing at his bedside.

"How did this happen? If this is how it's going to be, maybe it'd be better if he never goes outside." A woman's voice said.

"He's ruined our clan's reputation. We'll bear the shame forever. Would be better if he'd never been born." A man's voice added.

"No, dear, you don't have to go that far."

"Come on. Don't want to let him outside his room, do you?"

"Of course, I don't!"

"Those are his folks?" Aoba asked, "You just don't say that around a kid." Aoba and aya walked toward the scene, "Noiz." The shadows stopped them again, as their mocking cackles continued.

They surrounded them, "Move!" Aoba touched one and as soon as he did, his hand looked distorted and shriveled. He gasped in horror, "What the hell?!"

Just then aya put a hand on his shoulder making him stop and look at her "Aoba, calm down." She said, then starts swilling away the shadows, without getting hurt
"See, They're just illusions, it's not real."

Noiz, once again, came into view. The one who was lying down and chained up. The shadows disappeared again. "Is this a test? This can't be reality. We have to go. Turning our backs on him isn't an option."

Aya pulled Aoba's hand and they walked to him together.

Aya rushed around Noiz and knelt down beside him, as Aoba knelt down at his other side. "Noiz?" She called out.

"Noiz. Get up, man. Come on! You got to get up." Aoba placed a hand to his shoulder. Soon, Noiz opened his eyes.

"What for? The world will always abandon me." He said.

The two saw lines of light go by them, which said

'My parents abandoned me'

'The world forced me to live alone'.

'I don't feel pain or anything else. I see nothing.'

"Is this...?" Aoba began. Another line of light appeared, this one saying

'I was left alone...alone in the darkness'.

Aya felt her heart ache, She knew exactly what he was feeling, "Oh, man...Is this what the outside world feels like to you?" Aoba looked back down to his chains.

Aya placed her hand to Noiz's shoulder, rubbing it with her thumb. "Noiz..." She inhaled as a tear fell on his face.

He looked up to her, then proceeded to sit up.

He placed one hand to her face, then the other

With that, his face slowly began to receive small cuts. She gasped. Words appeared
like

'gross'

'disgusting',

'monster'

Aya stared in disbelief, those words, he's been told all of his life.

The mere thought of that made her and Aoba feel so sympathetic toward him, but she felt empathy.

She knew exactly how he felt. Noiz didn't speak, but the question arrived, asking 'Can I just never wake up again?' She gasped.

She grit her teeth, then reached to Noiz and wrapped her arms around him. "No, we'll accept you. We could never...reject you. Please, come back." She pleaded

Aoba placed his hands to Noiz's shoulders, his hand head on his back.

And having physical contact with him caused Aoba and aya start getting cut up as well, but they didn't seem to care, Another question appeared 'Can I stop trying?'

Aya tightened his hold, "No Noiz!...you can't give up now. Not after all this time. I know how much it hurts." She said.

The shackles on Noiz's wrists and ankles shattered, aya gripped him tightly "Come on!" She said, a slight whimper in her voice.

"A world where you can't feel anything is lonely," Noiz suddenly said, breaking the silence, "You don't know what anyone else is feeling. So, I don't know how to get along with anybody. It's lonely and it's so damn hard, but no one really gets it, besides me. My parents decided I was a burden to them, since all I did was cause problems then."

"That kid's nothing, but a menace." The voices of the man and woman said in unison.

"I couldn't rely on them. So, I decided not to rely on anybody. I learned how to be on my own, how to survive the streets. I'd be okay there, you know? Who'd give a damn if I died out there? No family, friends, or anyone else to worry about me." The question appeared again

'Can I stop trying?'

"Stop it, man!" Aoba yelled, "You can't lay on the floor in chain, giving up on yourself!"

"Noiz..." Aya whispered, "I know what it's like when someone tells you they know how you feel, when in all reality, they don't know a damn thing!. I get it, probably better than anyone else does. You may not feel physical pain, but you know all too well, what pain in your heart feels like. And that kind of pain, that is much more complex than any physical wound. I lived out on the streets too, Noiz. And though I don't know what it's like to be told you're a burden by your own parents, I do know what it's like to be left alone, with no one there to help you, with absolutely nothing, other than yourself. But...when you have people come into your life who wants to help you, you need to let them, because then your life will drastically change and it will be for the better. While you may have scars, if you let Aoba and me heal those wounds, they will no longer fester with the infection of loneliness. The poison of despair will be drawn out and the medicine of friendship and love will heal those wounds better than any amount of game playing will ever do. Can't you see that, Noiz?"

"She's right. We're already friends, damn it! Think about that for a minute! Why do you think we're here, anyway? We're worried about you! We're treating all those damn cuts and bruises you've got and we'd be sad as hell if you die just die on us." Aoba backed away a little, to look at Noiz

"On top of that...we still have that match in Rhyme, remember? Something like that makes me your friend, too. That's why you've been following us all over, right? Of course it is," The dark room was outlined in white and the black walls disappeared as they found themselves in a Rhyme field,

"Why in the world are you so obsessed with Rhyme, anyway? You're not even interested in connecting with people."

"In Rhyme...it's in your mind. It registers damage as pain. It's the only place I get to feel pain a little bit. That's why I like it. I don't know what true physical pain feels like, but when I take damage in Rhyme, I get what pain's really about. It's the only time I really feel alive. Not like a monster who doesn't feel a damn thing. I'm really alive, you know? But, in the game, where I feel something, I was never afraid of getting hurt. That's why, with or without pain, I was strong. And that made me believe I still didn't need anyone." Noiz explained. Aya loosened her grip on Noiz a little.

"You know..." Aoba said, "That really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Anybody can choose to live alone, if they honestly have the desire to. But, with everything we've seen here, says you want to be around people, Noiz. You like Rhyme, because it lets you feel something like pain."

"That's right...."

"Right now, I'm accepting your rematch in Rhyme," Noiz widened his eyes a little,

"Not just in Rhyme, but in real life, too. You're not alone anymore." Noiz looked up to Aoba, as he stood up, "And you'll never be alone again. We won't abandon you. You, and me, and aya, and everyone else, we're friends. You really want to know what pain is? We'll make damn sure you feel it." Noiz stared up at Aoba, then he slowly brought one hand up and placed it on Kyouka S, "Noiz, I will destroy you." Aoba chuckled, "I'll destroy this world. The world you let yourself get trapped in."

Aya helped Noiz to stand and she came to his side, holding onto him. With that, the world around them shattered like glass and then, they were enveloped in a bright white light.

" aoba?"

......

" aoba?!"

Aoba awoke back in the real world, He looked up to see shirayuki holding him in her lab " are you okay?..."

He smiled " I'm okay, thanks"

" stop scaring me like that" she sighed in relief and embraced him, who reciprocated the hug

" wait where's noiz and aya?" He looked back at her, then turned in they're direction "they're fine, look"

Noiz was on top of Aya. "Hey, man!" Aoba called.

He pushed himself up and Noiz also awoke, getting off of Aya. She opened her eyes and sat up, too. "Damn." Noiz groaned, bringing his hand to the back of his head. "Now, wait. Are you really...?"

"Damn, my head. This shit really hurts, Aoba. So, this is what pain really feels like."

"Kind of complex, isn't it?" Aya asked with a chuckle

"So...are you all right?" Noiz looked to him. "What do you think, genius? I'm feeling pain for the first time in my life and it really sucks. You owe me big time for that." Aoba chuckled "Don't know what to say." "Well, you did it, dude."

"So...you can feel, now?" Aya asked smiling

Noiz turned to her to respond, but before he could, he was taken aback as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

His eyes widened, bigger than they have ever gotten and he blushed slightly, Aoba and yuki smiled slightly

Noiz, not only could feel, but he could smell much better, too, She smelt like strawberries

Her skin was smooth to the touch, her hair softer than anything he could've imagined

"Welcome back, Noiz." She whispered. She released him, giving him a gentle smile. His cheeks turned a little more red, then he averted his gaze and started to stand up, Aoba and shirayuki following his example.

Noiz staggered, but Aoba grabbed him to stop him from falling. He put one of his arms around his neck to keep him supported.

Aya slipped under his other arm, supporting on the other side. Aoba chuckled. "What now?" Noiz asked. "You know, it doesn't hurt that you actually look your age now, you know?" Aoba said. Noiz looked down, Aya, shirayuki and Aoba laughed softly.

"I guess I understand what you two were getting at a little while ago," Aoba and aya exchanged looks of confusion, just like shirayuki

"When someone you know is dealing with pain, you want to help. You were trying to tell me that, weren't you?"

"Yeah."

"You're right." Aya adds. "I guess I didn't understand that before. Because, I didn't have pain of my own to feel." Noiz said.

The four of them started to walk, heading back to Glitter. "But, now you do, and now you know that being there for others, when they're suffering like that, that's the best medicine you can give." Aya replied.

Noiz looked to her and for the first time, gave a slight smile.

As they walked stopped ' acknowledge me...I am your strength...' aoba felt that pulse again and grunted from the pain

" aoba!?" Shirayuki says in worry and surprise

" what's wrong?" Noiz asked

" you okay dude?" Aya questioned

"No...I'm good really" aoba assured them, he then heard the voice again 'You already know what i am...it's time for you to release me...You know you'll feel better if you do' the other guy smirked

Which Aoba grunted angrily