Jaune sat in his usual spot at the coffee shop, staring out the window at the people passing by and doing his absolute best to focus on them and not his own reflection. Truth be told it was a little more difficult than one would believe, especially considering just how reflective the glass the shop used actually was. He grimaced at the thought and tried to ignore the fact that he saw his image adopt a snarky grin instead. He'd been avoiding every reflective surface he could since this morning, praising whatever Gods existed when Weiss sent him a message asking if he'd like to meet up for coffee and a conversation. Nothing would please him more than to have someone else to talk to aside from himself. He never thought he'd find himself thinking that thought but he did and it annoyed him to no end.

He hadn't slept much the previous night. To say he'd actually slept at all would have been wishful thinking. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd either see or hear Phoenix laughing at him, mocking him, telling him that Jaune Arc was dead. While he'd protested in the beginning, after a few hours he just found it horribly irritating. He knew he must be having a mental breakdown of some kind but, until he had a chance to speak with Lazarus later, there wasn't much he could do about it. Seeing a doctor was out of the question as that would inevitably lead to him having to create some story about who he was before and who he was now. It was all a complicated mess and one that was best left between the two of them.

"Don't you mean three of us?" he heard Phoenix ask.

I fucking hate you he thought to himself, knowing Phoenix would hear his thoughts regardless.

/-/

Weiss stood at the entrance of the café, checking her reflection in the glass door to ensure she looked absolutely perfect. She'd done the same thing after getting out of the shower this morning and before she left her dorm and on the ride down to Vale on the bullhead. She must have checked her reflection a half dozen times in an obsessive manner as she prepared herself for her meeting with Phoenix. When she wasn't obsessing over her appearance, however, she was suppressing the urge to squeal from excitement at the prospect of officially entering into a relationship with him. While she wanted to keep it quiet, and most of all private, she knew all too well that her father would catch wind of it and demand to know why he hadn't been informed. By that point he would have performed a thorough background check on him as well as have contacted anyone of note related or associated with him in some way. It would be a complicated mess she wanted to keep between the two of them but, for now, she would focus on the present.

Stepping into the café she glanced around, checking to see if Phoenix had arrived yet or not. It didn't come as much surprise to her when she noticed him sitting at their usual table, glancing out into the streets outside. She felt another strong urge to squeal or express her overly giddy excitement but suppressed it, focusing instead on the establishment's menu as she decided on what she should order. Something to commemorate the occasion, perhaps? Would that be too presumptuous, though? Sure, she was certain Phoenix and herself were now in a relationship but what if he didn't feel the same way? Would her beverage choice then fall flat, no longer celebrating what was supposed to be a sweet occasion? Realizing what her traitorous thoughts were doing to her, Weiss shook her head, ordering a simple coffee with cream once she reached the front. That, at least, would ensure a neutral stance on the issue. Neither good nor bad, overly optimistic or pessimistic. It was simply coffee and this was simply a friendly conversation.

With her coffee in hand she made her way their table. How odd it was now to think of it as their table. Not to insinuate that they were a couple only that they always seemed to end up there. She groaned mentally, wondering if Nora had somehow stricken her with a disease that would lead to her eventually adopting the same mentality as that overly exuberant girl. Once she reached her destination, however, she focused on the task at hand, clearing her throat to gain his attention.

"Good morning, Phoenix. It's wonderful to see you."

/-/

Jaune quickly disengaged his gaze from the window the moment Weiss spoke. A warm smile spread across his face, faltering only slightly at the reminder that it was Phoenix, not himself, that she was greeting. Regardless, he kept his focus on her, on the girl he had admired, adored and chased after all throughout his time at Beacon, whom he had shared a passionate moment with the night before and even now shared a table with. Still, he found it rather annoying to see Phoenix reflected in the window, a specter which managed to keep himself within eyesight despite being nothing more than his reflection. It seemed the same rules did not apply or perhaps it was simply his mind playing tricks on him. It didn't matter. He would figure it out later. For now, he would ignore him and focus instead on the beautiful woman sitting opposite him.

"How was your night?" she asked, making polite conversation.

"It was…eventful," he said, reflecting on what had transpired and making a mental note to inform Lazarus that he would need his mirror replaced.

"Mine as well," she replied, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. "The moment I returned to our dorm my team decided to bombard me with questions."

"That may have been my fault, sorry. I met Yang at the entrance, ran into Ruby at the buffet table, and well it's difficult to escape the sights of a faunus who's also ex-white fang," he admitted with a chuckle.

"Seems we were both doomed from the start," she said with a laugh.

"Ask her how she liked my kissing technique," Phoenix interjected.

Jaune glared at the reflection, ignoring his comment as he glanced back at Weiss. "So, how badly did they interrogate you?" he asked.

"As much as one would expect. Yang could barely hold back her excitement. She looked like she might die of anticipation if I didn't give her something to work with. That or she would continue to come up with outrageous ideas that would continue to escalate as the night progressed."

"Ah, so they know then," he concluded.

"Indeed."

"And their reactions?"

"Victorious, giddy, and content," she said in order of Yang, Ruby, and Blake respectfully.

He nodded along, knowing she was merely toning down their actual reactions. No doubt they would have far different reactions to him in the future should they see one another. Thinking on that, however, he wondered if that would be a good idea. Bad enough he decided to kiss Weiss in the heat of the moment but if they assumed they'd entered into a relationship things could become a whole lot more complicated. While dating Weiss had been something of a goal for him while at Beacon, here and now he saw it as something to be avoided. Not only out of respect for her but more so when considering his future objectives. There was no telling how long he'd be in Vale for and a relationship could add a whole lot of complications that neither of them would need.

"I asked you out here because I wanted to ask you something," he heard her say.

"Five hundred lien says she wants to make you her man," Phoenix piped in.

Jaune ignored his comment but couldn't shake the feeling that he was right. Looking at how serious her expression had become, there was little else he could imagine it being. He felt his grip on his coffee cup tighten and a small pit opened up in his stomach. He knew he should cut her off at the pass but, somehow, his mouth and brain wouldn't work together. He felt the words forming in his mind but his mouth refused to say them. It was as if he was silently torturing himself, forcing him to listen to her fully before giving her an answer.

"I was wondering, about last night, regarding the kiss," she hesitated for a moment, biting her bottom lip before pressing onward, "would you be at all opposed to the idea of courting with me?"

"Oh, give the man a prize! Right on the money. Course, not the exact phrasing I used but close enough," Phoenix cried out exuberantly.

"I must admit I feel quite honored to think you would want to date someone like me, Weiss, though I'm sure many others who thought the same of themselves were turned down by you in the past," he said.

"True, but I think I can make an exception this time," she admitted.

"To be honest, I do find you to be an attractive young woman, in more than just looks I might add. You are quite skilled, talented, and your determination to see your goals through to the end despite what others may think or tell you otherwise is admirable and something I greatly respect about you."

His naked praise had an obvious reaction on the girl as her cheeks turned a distinct shade of pink that highlighted her pale skin quite well. Jaune knew such praise was not foreign to the girl. Being the heiress of the SDC it would have been almost natural that suitors as well as their parents would have showered her with praise, all in veiled attempts to gain her favor. Such pretty words were simply a means to an end, however, and over time it was understandable that she would become disillusioned by such adoration to the point that it sickened her to hear it. Yet, seeing her react in such an adorable manner at hearing him say those same words sent a trill of excitement through his entire frame. She liked hearing him say it. She liked hearing him praise her, complement her. Were the situation different, were he still himself, he might have taken the time to bask in the moment but unfortunately such was not the case.

"It is also because I respect you, and wish the best for you, that I must decline your request," he said, the words feeling heavy as he spoke them.

Jaune immediately wished he could take those words back. Their effect was immediate and her reaction just as swift. The bright smile she had worn faltered, settling down into a frown before she quickly recovered. Her facial expressions were slightly behind, maintaining the distress and disappointment at his decline. It was her eyes, however, that spoke the most to him as the sadness that radiated from them cut him to his core. Regardless, he pushed through his guilt. This was for the best. He liked Weiss, admired her really, and wanted nothing more than to be at her side. However, he could not do that knowing she saw him as someone else and actively working to maintain what was a well fabricated lie. Sooner or later he'd slip up, she'd catch on, or something regarding him would be revealed and everything would come crashing down around him and the longer he kept it going the worse it would be in the end. Better to rip the band aid off now than fuel a lie that was liable to blow up in his face.

"Oh, I see," she said, wilting back into her chair.

"Weiss," he said, reaching over to place his hand on hers in what he hoped would be interpreted as a comforting manner. "I apologize if my actions feel misleading. If my situation were any different I'd gladly accept, I'd be thrilled even, but I'm unfortunately in a place where relationships are risky."

"So you're saying if I were not a Schnee things might have worked out?" she asked in an almost defeated tone.

"No! Gods no," he said, the abruptness of his retort causing not only her but several other nearby patrons to jump in their seats before shooting quizzical glances at their table. A sharp glare from him had them all returning to their previous conversations, however.

"It has nothing to do with you or your family name," he continued, "rather it has everything to do with me."

"So it's an 'it's not you it's me' kind of situation," she concluded.

"Had I a better excuse, I'd gladly use it," he admitted, knowing just how much worse his excuse sounded compared to her first assumption. "Thing is I care about you Weiss. I care about you a great deal and because of that I don't want you to be held down by someone like me."

"What could possibly be wrong with you to the point that you'd deny your own feelings?" she asked, her voice laced with desperation despite her usual composure.

"I'm not… who you think I am," he admitted.

His comment was enough to cause her to sit back in silence. Even Phoenix, reflected in the window next to her, was silent, a solemn almost worried expression plastered across his face. Had this been any other situation he might have taken some pleasure at having managed to cause his own mental instability to hesitate but sadly this was different.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a wary tone.

"Weiss, I've little doubt that, if you wanted to, you could use your family's resources to look up everything about me. Within days you'd know everything from my family background to my schooling, even down to the missions I've conducted and the results of my actions were you to bribe the right people. In essence, there's little if anything I could hide from you that you could not uncover.

That said, there's only so much you could learn from all that. Even if you were to memorize everything written down about me in those files it would do little to tell you of the man beneath it all. You could research my family tree as far back as ten generations discovering everything from physical traits to the likelihood of me contracting a specific kind of caner but it wouldn't tell you of how my upbringing shaped me, how my relationship with my parents and siblings molded me into the man I am today or how, despite everything that's happened, I wish I could take out my scroll and call them if only to see their faces and hear their voices once more."

His words fell over Weiss, caressing away her lingering doubts and assumptions in regards to what he was about to reveal to her. For a moment she almost thought he would tear away his hair off his face, revealing a completely different person hidden beneath, and thus forcing her to confront the reality that this man had been hiding behind a mask, quite literally in fact, and that the man beneath as compared to the man she'd come to harbor such strong feelings of affection for where two completely different people.

"You could look up every mission I've ever conducted, soak up every word from the testimonies of the victims and survivors, and come to your own conclusions of how I had grown from that experience," he continued. "Yet, you'd never truly know how those experiences shaped me, changed me, and haunt me. There are nights when I awake in a cold sweat, unable to go back to sleep for fear that I'll have to relive those events again."

At this point Weiss was gazing at him from across the table with a sympathetic look in her eyes. Instinctively, she reached out to hold his hand only to stop as he retracted his own, clutching at the empty sleeve that hung loosely at his side. It was a difficult scene to witness and she was quickly beginning to feel self-conscious the longer it went on.

"Fact of the matter is Weiss, I'm broken," he said, collecting himself towards the end. "Right now, involving yourself with me would be a mistake and that's something I can't in good conscious let you make."

They were silent for a moment. The gravity of his words sinking in, Jaune didn't know what else to say. After a moment he decided it was probably best to leave things as they were, offer his goodbyes and leave. Some time away from one another would do them good, give them time to think, and with his mission to Mount Glenn in a few days he would have plenty to occupy his mind while out in the field. Before he had a chance to act, however, Weiss broke the silence in a way only a Schnee could.

"What gives you the right to tell me what mistakes I should and shouldn't make?" she asked, her tone calm but honed to a razor's edge that had him feeling skittish.

"Weiss?"

"You think I care that your broken, that you're not like all the other men I've had to force a smile for or act polite around because it was expected of me? What makes you think I'd want anyone else but you? What gives you the right to say that my desire to spent my time with you, to foster a relationship with you is a mistake? Do you honestly think it would be something I would come to regret?"

Her face set in a scowl, her eyes narrowed as she gazed at him from across the table with tears cresting her eyes. It was obvious he'd hit a nerve, an emotional minefield of sorts, and any misstep could be his last. If he was to survive this mishap he'd need to think carefully about his next words.

"I'm not the man you think I am."

"Then tell me who you are," she demanded. "Help me to understand, Phoenix. Don't push me away simply because you don't think I can handle the truth. Let me in, please. Even if its just a little at first, let me know what it is you feel so strongly about keeping hidden from the world."

Her pleading eyes tore at his heart. More than anything he wanted to rip off the wig and tear out the voice modulator, to show her exactly who he was. He desperately wanted her to know the truth, to show her how much he respected her by banishing the lie he was allowing her to believe was the truth. Despite this, however, he couldn't will himself to and as his eyes trailed from hers to the window he watched as Phoenix's smile grew wider, the distortion from the glass somehow making it appear far more twisted than was humanly possible.

"I can't Weiss, not right now," he said, pushing himself to his feet before he could lose anymore of his will power. "I'll be out of town for a few days. We can talk more when I get back, if you want. I promise, I'll tell you more then but just not right now."

As he moved past her towards the door her hand shot out, latching onto his and preventing him from leaving. "I'm holding you to that promise," she said, her eyes fixed to the floor as she spoke. "We're not done here, understand?"

He managed a weak smile before nodding his affirmation and slowly walked out the door.

/-/

"Well that was interesting," Phoenix said as Jaune made his way back to his apartment. Jaune said nothing, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the path ahead. Phoenix floated alongside him, his image flitting across the various store front windows and the occasional vehicle. "Going with the silent treatment today, are we? A rather drastic change from how talkative you were last night."

"You're not real. You're just a hallucination created by my subconscious due to stress," he said to himself.

"And yet, by that logic, that means I'm still as real as the nose on your face," Phoenix concluded with a sarcastic grin.

"You're only as real as I allow you to be."

"And just how real am I then? Hmm?"

By now Jaune was standing at a corner, waiting patiently for the light to turn and allow him to cross. Phoenix floated before him, reflected in the window of a nearby car as he posed the question. The question was a loaded one that much he knew, because it entailed the fact that he had to don the disguise upon which his hallucination was based. He had chosen to create a life based upon a lie and an identity to go with it. To say that Phoenix wasn't real in any sense was to bring into the question the validity of his own life. How real was the life he'd created here in Vale or the relationships he'd formed with some of his former friends? Were all of those, as well as the feelings he had for them, an elaborate part of his lie or were they real? It was a never ending maze of questions and perspectives, each one leading to a dead end that would turn his claim of being himself into a contradiction. The only thing he could really do was stay silent and not acknowledge the apparition floating before him. He'd have to ignore it as best he could and, sadly, that was becoming more and more difficult as time wore on.

"You're only as real as I allow you to be," he repeated, echoing it in a manner that phrased as being a sort of mantra.

"I see," Phoenix said, the smile never fading from his face. This unsettled Jaune, causing him to wonder just what he, or rather his subconscious, had cooked up in retort. "Well then, by that same logic just how real are you then? Just how real is Jaune Arc?" he asked, chuckling silently to himself. "By all accounts you are dead, the unfortunate victim of a training mission gone wrong. Granted, there are still people who exist who remember you, who keep your memory alive, but for how much longer? It's only natural that your memory will begin to fade into obscurity, either from negligence or a desire to ride themselves of the pain and guilt they feel at your passing. Weiss is a perfect example of that. She confessed as much to you, to us last night. The guilt she feels at how she used to treat you and at having failed to save you is eating away at her heart. Who's to say that her feelings for you, for us, for me, are not an inherent product of that same pain? How real do you think her affection for you truly is, hmm? You know, it would be funny if it weren't so pathetic," he chortled.

"Weiss isn't like that. She would never be so shallow as to use me simply to help herself heal and move on with her life. She's better than that," Jaune argued.

"If that is what you wish to believe. Consider this, however. When all of this is said and done, when Merlot is exposed and you either bring him to justice or move onto another kingdom, what will she be left behind with, hmm? What image, what memory, will she have of you burned into her skull? As much as you may care for her you can't deny that you will either leave her pinning after a man who is himself a lie or loathing a boy who used her in a manner that is far worse than anything she's experience back home."

Phoenix's chortling laughter stayed with him as the car drove on and the sidewalk signal began to blare a warning, letting all other pedestrians know they were free to walk across. Only Jaune remained, his feet glued to the cement. Phoenix's words, his words, had struck him to his core. As much as he wanted to tell Weiss the truth, to revealing everything to her and tear down this elaborate fabrication, he couldn't deny the consequences that would be devastating in the end. What's worse, the longer he remained here as Phoenix, the worse the outcome of if and when she finally discovered his true identity. It was a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of situation.

Gods, why couldn't his life have been a simpler one?

/-/

Weiss couldn't quite remember how she ended up back at their dorms. Once there, however, she was grateful to find it empty and immediately flopped down on her bed. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to disappear. She'd gone out with such high hopes, such high expectations. She thought, without a doubt, that Phoenix would confirm what she had already thought to be true. They'd start dating, going out to a few choice restaurants, maybe sharing a chaste kiss here and there, before taking things to the next stage. It would all be perfect. Everything would fall into place as it should. But then, he'd dropped a bomb on her plans, blown them to smithereens, and left her questioning everything that had transpired.

It seemed that was the way things were destined to work out for her. No matter what she did or attempted to do there was always someone or something waiting to come along and thwart her plans. Back home it had been her father. His high expectations, not to mention suffocating rules and demands, had left her feeling like a prisoner in her own home. She'd come to Beacon, not only to escape her father's influence but to start a new life for herself, and had arrived thinking things would be different. In truth they had been. Not two minutes in she found herself engulfed in a dust explosion curtesy of Ruby Rose sneezing. Then, the next day, her expectations of becoming her team's leader had been thwarted as well when that same child not only became her partner but was made their team leader as well.

On and one it went, every hope, every attempt to control her destiny being thrown back in her face. It was enough to drive her insane. Then Jaune died and the world stopped for a brief moment. It was difficult to admit that something she felt she could have controlled, something she knew she should have been able to avert, had transpired right before her eyes and she'd been useless as a result. Now, when she thought things were looking up, when she'd meet a man who saw her for who she was and not simply her name or prestige, he too pushed her away, claiming she would be better off not associating with him. Of course, he did say he was open to the possibility of having a relationship with her in the future once he got his overly complicated life in order but, lets face it, that was simply an elaborate excuse on his part meant to save her from thinking he felt nothing for her the same way she felt for him.

She groaned into her pillow, wondering if this day could get any worse.

"Weiss!" Ruby bellowed, the door to their dorm room slamming open. "You're back."

Apparently it could.

"Weiss, you alright?"

"I'm fine, Ruby, just tired," her muffled voice came from her pillow.

"Did your meeting with Phoenix not go well?"

Despite how innocent the question was, Weiss silently cursed how easily her young team leader had guessed at the reason for her gloomy mood. She wanted to turn and scream at her, to throw her pillow at her face and otherwise force her from the room so she could wallow in her self-loathing. However, she'd long since matured since the days when she might have stooped to such a level and, while she desperately wanted to be alone with her feelings of dejection, a part of her wanted to be comforted by her partner and friend.

"You don't have to tell me what happened. I think I can guess from your mood. I just want you to know that, if you need someone to talk to or to just be here with you, I'll be right here."

She felt the soft touch of Ruby's hand as she placed it comfortingly on her shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time someone other than Ruby had done something like this. She knew Winter had, in her own way, shown sympathy and comfort, but such memories had faded with the passage of time and most of them had been replaced with ones of her team.

Slowly, she turned herself over, righting herself on the bed and whipping away the last remnants of her tears before recounting her conversation with Phoenix. To her credit Ruby didn't say a word, instead remaining silent as she spoke. Weiss greatly appreciated this. Being unhindered and able to speak also allowed her to unpack all of the emotional baggage along with it, somehow reliving her in the processes. By the end she felt lighter, better even, but nonetheless heartbroken and confused. She'd thought things between them had been going so well and yet he still chose to distance himself from her. It was perplexing and maddening all at the same time. Add to that the fact he would be out of town for a few days, preventing her from confronting him about this, and it made for an aggravating situation.

Ruby was silent once she finished. The young girl looked lost, like she wanted to say something, anything that might help to alleviate the pain her partner was feeling but didn't quite have the knowledge or experience to help back her up. Weiss appreciated her effort regardless. That was simply how Ruby was. Even when she was backed into a corner the young leader still sought for a way to ensure everyone came out alright. Problem was, this wasn't a situation that could be solved with a few swings of her scythe. Matters of the heart were a far more delicate matter and simply rushing into things could lead to disastrous results.

"How are you feeling?" Ruby asked, choosing to instead go with an easier alternative.

"Honestly? Angry, hurt, embarrassed, confused. I went in with such high hopes only to have them dashed. I kind of wish he had been a jerk to me, if only to make it easier to blame this on him, but he wasn't. He was kind, considerate. He was everything I didn't expect and that just makes this harder to deal with."

"Maybe. He did say he was willing to give it a chance later on, right? Maybe he just needs some time."

"Yea, I suppose you're right," Weiss admitted, though her tone held little in the way of confidence.

"Cheer up, Weiss. Yang and Blake will be back soon. We can talk to them and get their advice. I know Yang will have some ideas. Who knows, maybe after we've come back from our first mission, things will take a turn for the better."

Weiss gave her leader a weak smile but said nothing. As hopeful as it sounded she just didn't feel the same way. Regardless, perhaps some time away would do her good. With their first mission coming up, having something to take her mind off things might just help her to put things into perspective. Who knows, she might just come up with something to help persuade Phoenix to give a relationship a chance, perhaps a trial period even? Her smile broadened, realizing that Ruby's optimistic mood was starting to affect her and somehow not at all feeling annoyed by that fact.

/-/

Jaune sat in his chair opposite Lazarus as he listened to the man brief him on his mission. To say he was "listening" was an understatement as he'd long since tuned the man out the moment they sat down. Having packed the necessary items he would need for his mission and stowing away everything else in a safe place, his mind had wondered back to the conversation he'd had with Weiss earlier that day. He kept running the exchange through his head, considering how he'd handled it and how she'd reacted. Nothing about it sat well with him and he could help but thing that he might have said or done something stupid or immature that could have been misinterpreted. Then again, there might have been nothing wrong with his approach and the outcome was something that would always be out of his favor. Regardless, things between himself and Weiss were tenuous at best and he didn't foresee them getting any better. What's more, being on an all girls team and having come from a family with seven other sisters, he knew that a storm was already brewing on the horizon. It was only a matter of time before it struck.

"Do you have any question's, Phoenix?" Lazarus concluded.

"Jaune," he corrected, returning to the conversation at the tail end of things.

"Jaune, same question."

"We've been over this already. I know the plan like the back of my hand and we've prepared for any contingencies that might occur. Regardless, I doubt it'll matter much. Assuming Merlot is in fact dead I'll just be exploring an abandoned laboratory looking for any viable information that might have been left behind. However, if his is alive, there's little chance this plan of ours will survive our initial meeting. No plan survives the enemy, as they say."

"That may be but it's never a bad idea to have something waiting in the rafters should things take a turn for the worst. Speaking of, you seem to be out of sorts."

"I've been feeling a little under the weather lately, "he admitted.

"By 'under the weather' do you mean physically or emotionally? I just want to clarify because I'm still trying to wrap my head around how you could have slipped and smashed your bathroom mirror."

"What, you never slipped on the tile floor after stepping out of the shower?"

"Of course I have but I never left a fist indention in the wall that was nearly a foot thick," Lazarus shot back. "Tell me, how have you been coping with the mental strain brought on by your recent missions? That exchange you had with Torchwick at the White Fang rally must have left an impression on you."

"Aside from some bruising, the only mental impression he left on me was a greater distrust of my toaster," he replied mockingly.

"I'm being serious Pho- Jaune," Lazarus said. "Things aren't going to get better. Honestly, from what my informants have told me, things are to kick off in a colossal way. I need you here with me, mentally, to help ensure that whatever part Merlot has to play in this little game of theirs falls flat. Now, is there anything you need to tell me in regards to your mental stability?"

It was as open an invitation as he would get and, while he did appreciate his employer's overall concern for his health and wellbeing, he strangely found himself hesitant to answer. It should have been easier. Ever since his encounter with his mental projection, the hallucination that was Phoenix continuously mocking him, goading him, he strangely found himself unwilling to reveal such information to Lazarus. Why did he hesitate? What was holding him back from confronting this problem head on? Simply put, it was fear.

It was the same fear he held when considering revealing himself to his former friends and teammates. It was the same fear which had him imagining one scenario after the next, each one worse than the one before, of what would unfold when his secrets were laid bare before them. The same thing was happening now with the only difference being what Lazarus would do as a result. It wouldn't be good, that much was for certain. Depending on how bad it was, Lazarus may just scrape everything entirely, ultimately costing him what little connection he'd reformed with his friends. It was a gamble, one that he knew could end poorly for him either way. Either he revealed his cards now and dealt with the consequences in the vague hopes of riding himself of this affliction or ride it out and hope for the best despite the possibility of it becoming far worse than he could have at first predicted.

"Things have been stressful but nothing I can't handle," he finally said. "I'll be glad to have this all over with and behind me."

"I see," Lazarus replied, not at all sounding convinced but deciding to let the issue go. "Very well then, I'll see to having someone stop by the in the morning to replace your mirror and patch up that wall."

He rose from his seat, making his way towards the door before he stopped and looked at Jaune with a curious gaze. "Just one quick question, earlier you corrected me when I called you Phoenix. Any reason for your sudden desire to be called by your real name?"

"You told me before you would call me by my alias until I'd established myself here. From my reports I'm sure you can agree I've accomplished that to the point that its almost instinctual for me to react to that name. Being called Jaune while in private, however, helps to remind me of who I am. Others may think I'm dead but I like to have some reminder that I'm me."

"I understand," Lazarus said before giving him a curt nod before departing.

"You like being reminded that you are you, huh?" Phoenix's voice whispered into his ear.

Jaune glanced around, looking for the source of the noise. While he expected to see Phoenix's reflection gazing back at him from a window, picture frame, or even a metallic surface, much to his surprise there was nothing reflective within view. It was strange. Usually he saw him as well as heard him. Apart from his first appearance, he'd only heard his voice once but even then it had been distant and eventually led to his bathroom mirror. Now, however, it sounded as if the man had been standing behind his shoulder.

"You're not real. You have no power over me," Jaune said aloud.

"I'm more real than you're willing to admit and my power over you is far greater than you realize," his disembodied voice whispered to him. "Deny it all you want but slowly, bit by bit, day by day, you'll find yourself being replaced by me until there's nothing left of Jaune Arc. Only Phoenix Ash will remain and then you will truly be dead."

Jaune scowled, unwilling to listen to him any longer. He quickly snatched up his pack, filled with all his essentials, before heading out the door. He didn't bother to lock it, so focused on reaching the rally point where he could change into his Archangel guise and make preparations for his mission out in Mountain Glenn. He walked swiftly and with purpose. He'd take care of Merlot, or whatever was left of his legacy, and then he would take care of Phoenix. He was still Jaune Arc. He was still in control. Nothing would change that and certainly not an abnormality created from his own imagination.

/-/

Blake and Yang were silent as Weiss finished recounting the events of her meeting with Phoenix earlier that day for the second time. While they'd both said nothing, their expressions alone had been enough to showcase the myriad of emotions that had taken hold of the girls. Yang's usually calm, lilac eyes had darkened to a dangerous shade of crimson, an obvious sign her legendary temper was already beginning to fray. Blake was much more stoic in her appearance, an ability she'd honed over many years, but her ears beneath her bow had twitched uncomfortably at several points during her story, an outward sign to her teammates that she found the whole exchange rather suspicious. Ruby had been sitting next to her, a supportive arm wrapped around her teammates shoulders. While there was no doubt in the young heiress mind as to the loyalty of her friends and their boundless support for her, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear for what they might have in mind for Phoenix in retaliation of his rejection of her feelings.

"What happened after?" Yang asked, breaking the long silence.

"We said our farewells and promised to talk again once he got back."

"Do you know how long he'll be out of town?" Blake asked.

"A few days, perhaps longer. He didn't give me an accurate time frame."

"Do you at least know when he's leaving?"

"Tomorrow at the earliest, I would assume."

"Great, that means we have time to talk to him tonight," Yang said, a cheeky though dangerous smile on her face as she got up and stretched.

"Yang, no," Weiss said, knowing all too well what the blonde brawler had in mind. "He promised we'd talk when he got back. Personally, I'd like to take this time to work through my feelings and prepare myself for our next meeting."

"You do what you need to do, Weiss-cream. I, on the other hand, plan to get more direct answers. Besides, he promised you he'd talk once he got back. He never made that promise to me so there's no point in waiting for an answer."

Yang was already out the door, with Blake in tow, before Weiss was on her feet and chasing after them. Knowing her teammates, one who was a literal force of nature and the other who's obsessions had nearly gotten her and other's killed in the past, wouldn't be hindered by any attempts she made, she instead opted to act as damage control and sent Phoenix a quick message from her scroll. Better that he knew a storm was coming than to have him be caught unawares. Somehow, despite their good intentions, Weiss knew this would only serve to hamper her relationship with Phoenix. She could only pray to any deities listening that chose to talk first before opting for more aggressive negotiations, Yang especially.

The bullhead ride and subsequent walk down to his apartment gave Weiss ample time to come up with some sort of excuse to tell him why they'd decided to show up on his doorstep at such a late hour. Unfortunately, considering what had just transpired between the two of them earlier in the day she doubted her excuse would hold up when confronted with four girls, two of whom would no doubt look like they were out for blood. She nearly fainted from relief, however, when they rounded the corner, bringing his home into view, and saw that the place was completely dark and perhaps even devoid of life. Her team were unperturbed by this fact. On the contrary, it seemed to only spurn them on as they stalked towards the house, positioning themselves to be able to overtake Phoenix at a moments notice should he attempt to escape through a window or back door.

"Phoenix, you home?" Yang called loudly, banging on the door. "We're not going to hurt you. We just want to talk."

"Very reassuring Yang," Blake commented in a sarcastic tone.

"I don't think he's home," Ruby said, cupping her hands around her face as she attempted to peek inside.

"He did say he was leaving fairly soon. I wouldn't be surprised if he had to leave tonight to be there early," Weiss said, less concerned now with Phoenix's reaction to their assault on his home and more so of the opinions of his neighbors who no doubt found their presence rather suspicious.

"I don't buy it. He could simply have turned out the lights and hide somewhere in back hoping we'd leave," Yang pointed out. "I say we call his bluff."

"Are you seriously suggesting we break into his home?" Weiss accused.

"I wouldn't exactly call it breaking and entering when the front door is unlocked," Blake pointed out, pushing the door gently as it opened to reveal the darkened foyer.

"Well that's not ominous," Yang commented.

"You think he left it unlocked on purpose?" Ruby asked.

"I doubt it. He must have forgotten about it when he left which would give credence to Weiss' assumption that he's already on his way out of town."

"Well then, I take it as a I sign that we have an open invitation to look around and find out what he's hiding."

"Yang Xio Long, you cannot seriously be suggesting we snoop around his home? Breaking and entering is one thing but invasion of privacy is something else entirely."

"We're not really snooping, snow angel. We're investigating. Besides, we've been inside his home on more than one occasion with one of us even having an extended stay here," she said, glancing at Blake who immediately hide her embarrassment behind a cough. "Besides, I don't trust his weak excuse. I know he's hiding something and I intend to find out."

"Don't expect me to help you in committing a felony," Weiss said obstinately.

"Fine, then stand out here on guard while we take a look around."

Yang didn't wait for Weiss to comment before she headed inside, turning lights on as she went. Outside, Weiss could see rays a light beginning to emanate from the windows and not all of them part of Phoenix's home. Knowing just how bad it would look if someone as recognizable as herself was seen this late at night outside a stranger's house, she quickly lunged inside before slamming the door shut behind her, praying that there were no paparazzi outside who just so happened to snag a quick photo of her. It would be just her luck to see someone at Beacon the next day reading some tabloid trash with her picture on the front.

"Glad you could join us," Yang mocked her with a cheeky smile.

"I just want you all to know that if his neighbor's call the police, I'll leave you all in your jail cells overnight," she threatened.

"Don't sweat it, it's not like we're here to steal anything. We're just going to have a quick look around, look for any incriminating evidence, and then head back to Beacon."

The easy way in which Yang said all this gave Weiss the uneasy suspicion that the blonde brawler had done this once before. She wouldn't be surprised if she'd snuck out her window once or twice to run off to some party but sneaking into another person's home to obtain blackmail material was something else entirely. Even if they did find something, once they confronted Phoenix with it the subject of how they'd come to obtain it would arise just as quickly, leaving them in a precarious position. As much as she had found his reasons for refusing her advances peculiar she silently hoped they didn't find anything at all.

"Looks like Weiss was right, Phoenix left quite some time ago," Blake said as she picked up a teacup from the table. "It's cold, meaning he left long before we arrived."

"Check the second one for lipstick."

"You think he was meeting with a woman?" Ruby asked.

"Well, if he was she doesn't wear lipstick or lips gloss for that matter," Blake replied.

"Nothing?" Yang asked, surprised.

"As clean as you might expect. I can't even smell any perfume."

Weiss allowed a small smirk to grace her lips. Of course Phoenix wouldn't have any other women here. If he did no doubt she'd be the first to know. The moment this thought crossed her mind, however, she found herself reprimanding herself. Why did she sound like it should be natural for her to know everything going on in his daily life? Sure they were close, but not close enough to warrant her knowing what happened between himself and others behind closed doors. Still, the fact that there was little to no evidence of him having been in the company of a woman did give her a sense of relief. For Yang, on the other hand, it only spurned the girl onwards, as if her pride had been challenged.

"Just because he's smart enough not to leave any evidence out in the open doesn't mean he's not hiding it elsewhere," she said, glancing around the room. It didn't take long for a door on the other side of the room to catch her eye. "Hey Blake, when you were here where did Phoenix sleep?"

"In the guest bedroom," she said, following Yang's gaze, "which is that door right there."

"A perfect place to stash away anything he might want to keep out of sight," Yang said, rubbing her hands together as she approached the door.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Weiss hissed.

"Just a bit of light snooping. Chill, ice-queen. If he has nothing to hide, then there's really no harm in me checking things out."

"I beg to differ," she said, growling in protest but otherwise doing nothing to stop her, not that she could even if she tried.

Yang ignored her, taking hold of the brass knob as she opened it and peering into the dark room. Feeling around the wall she managed to find the light switch and immediately flicked it on, illuminating the room in a brilliance of white. The moment the darkness was dispelled and her eyesight adjusted, a small gasp escaped her as she gazed upon the sight that greeted her.

"Oh my gods."

/-/

Jaune jumped from the bullhead as it hovered some twenty feet over the ground, landing with ease and taking a moment to quickly assess his surroundings. With very few areas large enough to enable the bullhead to properly land, they had instead opted to find a place where it would easily fit while also putting them as close to his destination as possible without raising an alarm. As the airship took off back to Vale, Jaune was pleased to see he was relatively alone and that there wasn't a Grimm in sight. That might change within the next few moments, however, and he quickly made his way to a nearby building that had several of it's upper floors still intact.

Aside from giving him a vantage point over the immediate area, it also gave him a safe place to change out of his Phoenix guise and into Archangel. Opening up his bag he found all of the necessary items and accessories he'd packed waiting for him and he quickly got to work getting changed. The more difficult parts came in the form of his new contact lens and ear piece. The lens themselves had tiny cameras built into the lenses meant to ensure Lazarus had a front row seat to everything he saw. While he'd been assured they would be pain free, Jaune couldn't help but feel skeptical about that guarantee, especially with how uncomfortable they felt sitting on his eyes. Thankfully, this would be one of the few missions that necessitated their use, making his discomfort temporary. Once the earpiece was shoved him, something which felt equally weird with just how deep into his ear canal he needed to press it, he quickly set up the connection through his scroll. Before establishing a link between himself and Lazarus, however, he noticed a notification of a message he'd been sent by Weiss not too long ago. He hesitated for a moment, considering opening to see what she wanted, but ultimately chose to ignore it. Whatever it was it could wait. He'd promised to talk with her upon his return to Vale and for now he needed to focus.

"I see you've made it to Mountain Glenn uninterrupted," Lazarus' voice echoed in his ear.

"As well as can be expected. I've been here nearly ten minutes and haven't encountered any Grimm. While I'd like to count my blessings, I think it best we move on before karma catches up with me."

"Agreed. I suggest we start heading towards the facility. I'm sending a map to your scroll now. Keep in mind, the deeper you go into Mountain Glenn, the more difficult it will be to maintain a connection with you. Visual and audio communication shouldn't be hindered too much but the signal from the CCT tower drops at some point so take note of any landmarks to help you on your wake back to the EZ."

"Understood, I'm on my way now."

Stowing his bag in a safe place, Jaune began the long journey towards his new destination. He knew his things would be safe while he was gone. The risk of scavengers finding them was less than null as no one, apart from huntsmen, would have the training required to survive out here. The Grimm also wouldn't take much interest in it. Unless he was there to give off an aura of negativity, the worst thing that could happen would be for the building to collapse. Hopefully it didn't come to that while he was away.

His journey took him nearly an hour. Getting as close as possible in the bullhead didn't mean he'd be right on top of it and the sun was just beginning to rise as he came upon what appeared to be an abandoned parking garage set against an office building. He walked down into the garage itself, taking precautions should there be any Grimm nearby. Thankfully there weren't and, surprisingly, hadn't been any along the way. While most days he'd consider this a blessing, the overall lack of their presence was rather suspicious. No doubt he'd have to find the answers inside the facility itself. The map led him to a large set of metallic doors, several feet thick from the look of them, and accessible only through a busted keypad off to the side.

"I've arrived but, as you can see, the keypad is out of commission," he said.

"Excellent. Do you have the new toys I gave you?"

"Of course, I never leave home without them."

"Good. There should be a device that has a small screen with a key pad and a couple of nodes on top. Take the blue wire and attached it to the left node and the red wire should go on the right."

Jaune did as he was told, taking the device itself from his pocket and carefully attaching the wires. Despite the general lack of power all over the city, the fact that he was handling wiring of any kind still left him feeling nervous. As soon as he was done he turned the device on and pressed a large green button on its face. Immediately, numbers began flashing across the screen as it ran through several combinations before finally settling on a distinct set. He nearly jumped out of his skin when sparks erupted from the console before a slight pause and then the loud creaking of the doors as they receded into the wall.

"Open sesame," Lazarus said from his other end.

"Very funny," Jaune replied, gazing into the dark hallway tat greeted him. Taking in a deep breath he coughed as he inhaled the stale air that receded from the entrance. "You sure this place is in use? It seems fairly out of service from my point of view."

"Not so much out of service as it is rarely used. The fact that the keypad worked at all tells me its receiving power from somewhere which means its being powered by a generator."

"I take it this generator isn't something that should still have enough juice to power this machinery after all this time?"

"Unfortunately, no. Though it would have lasted quite some time, even when not in use the power would have faded out long ago. No, someone is actively using it otherwise we would have had to find an alternative route inside."

"Great, so I take this is confirmation that he's here?"

"That or one of his subordinates. Stay on guard, though. No doubt opening this door has alerted him to your presence. He'll be looking for you. I suggest moving in quickly and finding a security terminal you can hack into. At best you might be able to slow them down a bit."

"Right, well I better get started before they send the welcoming party," he said and quickly moved inside.

/-/

"It's empty," Yang said.

True to her words the room was completely bare aside from the usual aesthetics of carpeting, windows, and a small closet off to the side. Weiss silently admitted that she was as confused and perplexed by this new found revelation as they were. While she hadn't expected the room to be filled with incriminating evidence or some incredible secret he'd been hiding from them, she at least expected there to be something more in the way of furniture and décor. To find that the room was empty, however, and the guest bedroom at that made no sense to her. What's more, why would he choose to sleep in here when he offered Blake a place to stay? Wouldn't the couch have much more comfortable and preferable?

"Maybe there's something in the closet?" Ruby suggested.

"Good thinking, sis. Boys always have a tendency to hide their deepest, darkest secrets in there."

"And just what are you expecting to find? The room's reveal was already anticlimactic, what more could he possibly be hiding in his closet?" Weiss asked, annoyed.

"His porn stash," Yang answered blatantly.

Weiss spluttered, her face turning red at the implication. "Yang Xio Long, have some decency! Phoenix is far too civil a man to stoop to the level of collecting pornography."

"Hey, I'm just saying. Everyone has needs and their own way of achieving them. Blake has her racy books and boys have porn mags."

"My books are not racy!" Blake snapped. "They're legitimate literature meant for more mature audiences," she argued.

"Emphasis on mature," Yang said in retort, waggling her eyebrows suggestively as Blake's face began to resemble Weiss'. "Now, show mama the goods," she said, ripping open the closet door in a grand reveal.

A bare closet starred back at her, whatever secrets it might have held proving to be nonexistent. The only thing missing was a lone moth fluttering out as if to add insult to injury against Yang's ego. The closest itself, while small, was still roomy enough to house a number of items. As it stood, the only items that could be seen was a light sprinkling of dust and a single bedroll carefully folded up and stowed away.

"You were saying?" Weiss asked in a caustic voice.

"What the hell? Where are the secrets, the incriminating evidence, the porn magazines? Why the hell is there only a bedroll in here?" She asked, frantically searching the threadbare closet.

"Well, he was from Mistral. It would make sense that he'd have a bedroll. I hear they're quite common in some households," Weiss said with a victorious smirk.

"Dammit, I was expecting something, anything," Yang grumbled.

"Well, when you think about it, this is only the guest bedroom. Why keep his personal belongings here when it would make more sense to keep them in the master bedroom?" Blake pointed out.

"That's it! We've been looking in the wrong place the whole time. Come on, we have one more room to check," Yang announced as she marched across the hallway to the other room.

Weiss shot Blake a scathing look, one which showed how displeased she was at her having given Yang more ammo to work with before heading out to cut Yang off at the pass. The faunus shrugged off the look, completely unfazed by her teammates ire, and made to follow after them when something on the carpet caught her eye. Gazing down she noticed a small part of it sticking up against the inside of the closet wall. It wasn't much, not enough to be suspicious, but the fact that a faint line could be traced along the sides had her attention. Most contractors would have ensured the carpet meet the wall, sealing it against it to make sure it stayed firm. It could also have been frayed from age, the constant use causing it to loosen and come undone. She suspected otherwise, however, and whether it was curiosity or paranoia, she was tempted to reach out and pull it back, if only to see if it was more than what it appeared to be.

"Blake, what are you doing? We need your help," Yang shouted from across the room.

"Coming," she replied, sparing one last glance at the carpet before shrugging and walking over to join her partner. "What's up?"

"We just need an expert. Considering you've spent more time here than any of us, I figured you might know the best places to start looking," she said with a cheeky smile.

"Don't press your luck, Yang. All I did was sleep in his bed while fighting off a cold, nothing more."

At the mention of a bed Yang glanced over the queen sized one sitting next to her. She then glanced back at her partner, he eyes wide with surprise. "You slept in his bed?" she asked.

"It's not like that and you know it," Blake growled, knowing exactly what the blond was insinuating.

Weiss ignored their banter, knowing it was merely Yang's way of getting a reaction out of her partner. With Ruby glancing through his closet, which she was pleased to see was very well kept and organized, she instead made her way to the bathroom. While she didn't expect much she could at least see what products he used and perhaps gain an idea of what sort of gift to give him upon his return. She could at least use it as a peace offering and maybe even a bribe to help him reconsider a relationship with her.

The bathroom itself was quite dark, having no windows to speak of, and with only the light from the hallway illuminating the bedroom it was difficult to make out anything. As she searched the wall for the light switch she felt something hard beneath her foot and heard it crunch under her heel. She recognized it as glass, something she considered odd but summed up to a cup having fallen off the sink and onto the floor while he was away until she flicked on the lights. A loud gasp escaped her lips as the room was illuminated for her. Her reaction caught the attention of her team all of whom rushed to join her and gazed upon the bathroom with mixed reactions.

"What the hell?" Yang breathed.

Glass littered the floor around Weiss' feet, the remnants of the mirror from which it had originally been a part of clutching desperately to the wall. That might have been explained away easily enough were it not for the sizable hole that was dented into the wall itself where the mirror had once stood. It was a scene that echoed of aggression, anger, and rage having been unleashed all at once but by whom and for what reason no one could truly say. Sure, this place being Phoenix's it might have been easy enough to shift the blame onto him but then that brought with it a myriad of questions as well.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"An accident?" Weiss said, attempting to explain it though, even as she said it she found it difficult to believe herself.

"An accident? You want to label all of this as an accident?" Yang asked, motioning to the dented wall and shattered mirror fragments.

"It's the best explanation I could come up with given the circumstances," she argued.

"Are you sure about that because I think I could come up with something closer to home especially with how everything looks."

"I think you're exaggerating things a little too much," she shot back in retort.

"Weiss, there's a crater in his wall and mirror shards all over the floor," Yang pointed out, causing the heiress to wince, "unless he got up this morning and really hated the image he saw reflected in the mirror, something else happened, something he hasn't told you."

"Well maybe he hasn't told me, or anyone else for that matter, because it's none of our business."

"Are you sure about that because from the way things look your perfect gentleman is much more aggressive than he puts on and not in the good way."

"This coming from the girl who was actively encouraging me to pursue a relationship with him," Weiss snapped.

"That was before I found out he's been using his bathroom wall as a punching bag," Yang snapped back.

"Enough, both of you!" Blake said, pushing them away from one another. "Look, we don't know anything definitively. Yes, it looks bad. Yes, we don't know what really happened and the fact that we're in the dark about this is a little disconcerting but I'm sure if it was any of our business he would have told us. Besides, regardless of who encouraged whom to pursue a relationship with him, Phoenix still shot Weiss down. From what I can see his explanation as to why is starting to make sense. Perhaps these aggressive tendencies of his have prevented him from pursuing relationships in the past and, out of respect and a desire to keep her safe, he refused Weiss in order to protect her. Regardless, we don't know nearly enough to start making assumptions and personally I think we should start making out way back to Beacon before the neighbors decide to call the cops on us."

Both girls were silent by now. Blake had made a fairly good point and, while both wanted to look around to see if they could find out what had caused this incident, neither was willing to jeopardize their careers as huntresses over a presumed breaking and entering charge. Making sure to leave everything as they'd found it, the girls soon left the apartment and made their way back to the school. No one said anything on the trip back. No one knew what to say. What had started as a mission to ascertain the truth had ended with more questions but collectively frightened as to what they might learn as a result.

/-/

Despite the lateness of the hour, Weiss was having a difficult time falling asleep. It wasn't due to Zwei, curled up at the foot of Blake's bed and thrashing his tiny legs as he chased after some imaginary rabbit nor was it due to Yang snoring so loud she could have been mistaken for a chainsaw. No, it was due to the fact, no matter how hard she tried, every time she closed her eyes the image she'd seen in Phoenix's bathroom rose to the surface of her mind, leaving her feeling anxious and even a little frightened. Part of her had wished that they had found porn magazines instead. That at least was a forgivable offense and one she would ensure never see the light of day again. Instead she'd been greeted with a scene that had her thinking of home and the harsh treatment she'd received at the hand's of her father shortly after he sister Winter joined the military, shifting the responsibilities of being an heiress onto her shoulders.

What had caused it, though? The impact was deep and certainly required a great deal of strength. Yang could accomplish the same thing but that was something she'd trained for. Heck, the girl could smash her way through a concrete wall if she felt like it. What's more it looked as if he'd done it with his artificial hand. Call it speculation but she'd noticed that Phoenix appeared to be right handed, despite having trained himself to be ambidextrous, as he'd favored it the night of the dance. Had it been something she'd said or did that had been the catalyst? No, the way he'd spoken to her today suggested he blamed himself, not her, so it was more likely a personal issue.

She rolled over, gazing out their dorm window and up towards the shattered moon which orbited Remnant. She wished she knew what was going on. If she did then she might at least be able to offer him some help. Revealing what they'd discovered to him, however, was a very bad idea. It would no doubt illicit feelings of distrust, not only from her but from him as well. Still, she couldn't keep quiet about this forever. Sooner or later something was going to give and the aggression which had taken itself out on his wall may find a new target at some point.

"Gods, why does everything have to be so complicated?" she grumbled.


Currently at my family's house visiting them. With all the time I'm taking for myself to relax before I take a more extended work trip in the future, I thought I'd give myself an excuse to finish this latest chapter. With the way I ended the previous one I wanted to expand upon the Jaune/Phoenix dynamic more and show how it's affecting him. I think it'll help to spice things up, especially now that he has a new voice in his head, ironically one of his own creation.

The next few chapters will focus on Mountain Glenn and the events that transpire there. Archangel and Team RWBY will run into one another which should add for some interesting reactions once they reveal that they know who he really is, to a certain extent. I'm excited to start working on it but if my business trip should prevent me from working on that I'll be sure to update my profile page. Better to let everyone know that things will be coming to a halt for a time rather than wondering what the hell happened.

On a side not, my father asked if I'd like to record myself reading one of the stories I've made in an effort to test out his recording equipment. I'm going to be reading one of my short stories so, once that finished and he sends me the MP3 I'll be sure to post it so you can all have a listen. I'll update my profile page once it's finished. I look forward to seeing what you all think. If it goes well I may look into doing it for my other stories. I might even start a account and charge $1 for anyone who wants to listen.