Reason For Life

by SuperNeos2

AU! Alexis Rhodes, smartest kid in the school, is persuaded to help tutor punk kid Jaden Yuki for an upcoming test. What follows is the formation of a strong bond of friendship as they reflect on life and all that comes with it.

The Reason For Life

Author's Note: Yes, I am back. I wont waste your time up here. Check the bottom for status updates. Enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or anything associated with it.

Alexis Rhodes was not having a good day.

Sitting in the principal's office, she stared with a depressed look at the form the principal was filling out – a note of misconduct. She grabbed at her blue skirt, digging her fingers into the fabric enough that she felt she had poked holes in it with her nails. Fixing her tie of her school uniform, she looked from the note to the principal himself.

"I gotta say Miss Rhodes, I'm disappointed." He said, sliding the note under a folder. Alexis nodded; he was telling her what she already felt. "A model student like you, smacking another student in an argument. I never expected that from you."

Another student? That guy? The kid who never showed up for class and only did to avoid whatever trouble he got into outside? He was a student now?

"Anything you wanna say about it?" he asked softly, leaning forward with his hands folded under his chin. Alexis looked up, wanting to say his brown hair was getting in his eyes but knew she'd probably get into more trouble than she was already in. "I know he's a punk and probably had it coming…"

Yes! Alexis wanted to yell her agreement. She settled for folding out a wrinkle on her white shirt.

"But rules are rules. A straight-A student like you knows that I'm sure."

Alexis sighed, simply nodding her head.

"How much trouble am I in?" She spoke for the first time, figuring she'd rather just hear what was going to happen and just deal with it. Better to rip off the band-aid than slowly peel it off and have it hurt more.

"None." He answered, having Alexis almost stumble and fall out of her chair. "I figure I do you a favor and not have this brought up on any permanent record you may have. You're a model student, not one who's ever done or said anything that can be considered out of line or deplorable. Plus," he frowned, "Considering who the other person in this situation is, I'm sure no one can fault you for what you did."

Yeah, no kidding, Alexis thought. That guy was an asshole.

"But," Alexis should have known. There was always a but in there somewhere for situations like this. "I'm gonna ask for a favor in return…"

Alexis shrugged. Whatever the favor could've been, it probably wasn't too bad. She already did extra circular activities and helped around the school anyway. She could handle another task.

"Can you help Jaden Yuki with an upcoming test?"

Okay, scratch that, she'd rather suffer through a week of detention than deal with that guy,

Jaden Yuki, the local town punk as he was come to 'lovingly' be known as. He always made sure to come to school in the wrong colored uniform, never stopped talking in class when he bothered to show up, deliberately left his cigarette buds in random spots in the school to make the life of the janitor hell, along with wearing sunglasses all day every day. He was not someone you wanted to be seen with and now she was being asked to go to him willingly.

"Why?" she had to ask in an annoyed tone. Her composure be damned, she wanted to express how much she loathed the thought of even entertaining the idea of going over to him.

"His reputation is dragging down our school's." Alexis was aware of that. Every time a review came in on the school, Jaden was always slipped in there somewhere as the one weak link of it all. A small speck of mold on a loaf of bread she remembered one saying. "If he can get into a decent college, then I feel like we can have our school finally be the number one in the country like it should be." He explained. He adjusted himself in his chair. "He's taking a test next week to graduate early. If he passes this, then he can get into a good college. Whether or not he goes is on him."

Alexis blinked in confusion, "How's he able to take a test next week? We still have an entire semester left. And isn't he failing every class?"

"To be honest, no." the principal explained. "He has a decent grade in everything. His attendance is what's dragging his grades down."

"If he's apparently so smart, then why does he need me?"

"I said he was passing, I never said it was high grades." The principal corrected. Alexis thought it over and nodded in agreement. "He needs a low 90 at the very least to pass the entire year. So, if you can deal with him for a week, you'll be helping the entire school with this. I'll even rip up the note of misconduct I just wrote up."

Alexis sat back and thought it over. She grinded her entire high school career to be at the top, studying day in and day out to the point that she wasn't even aware of the names of any other student in the school. Her time split between schoolwork and extra-curricular activities, she had half-jokingly called this place her real home; her actual home only serving as a mild change of scenery for the work she was already doing here. She wanted to have this place do well. She wanted to be able to proudly state that Kanto High was where she molded her aspirations when she went to college and became a teacher. If she could do that by dealing with Jaden for a week, she'd suck it up and deal with it. She was sure she could kick his ass into scoring a high grade. It would make good practice too; she'd have to deal with kids like Jaden someday.

But she still had to talk to him, and after what just happened between them, she wasn't sure how that would go. She'd plan it out on her way to talk to him.

She nodded her head. "Okay. I'll talk to him. I'll try and teach him." She promised. She shook hands with the principal before she left the office to stand in the hall. She leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath before she walked off to locate Jaden, which shouldn't be too hard; just look for where the crowd was standing.

…

Speak of the devil, she found him loitering by the school rooftop door.

Jaden Yuki, a boy that matched her in height – and she was a giant compared to all girls her age standing at 5'10 – with a green shirt and blue pants opposed to her white and black respectful school uniform, stood on the top step as he picked at a loose thread of his shirt with a pocketknife. He wore a pair of large sunglasses that hid his entire line of sight from meeting hers, only the top of his nose being seen from the top of his lip up. His hair was a dark brown with the top half dyed as orange, Alexis wondering why he chose orange to dye his hair; she thought about changing her dark blonde hair to a lighter shade once after falling asleep doing an art project and some yellow paint got into it, but that was a normal color to consider. She never understood why orange. Then again, Jaden was a weird kid; he was a mess of random colors everywhere as if he was trying to stand out.

She cleared her throat, feeling she'd get the conversation over with. Jaden ignored her, mumbling something under his breath as he cut the thread and saw he missed a piece. Alexis cleared her throat louder, then again, then again, then-

"I heard you!" Jaden snapped, finally looking up. "I'm doing something! Give me a second, damn!" he cut the thread off, along with a piece of his shirt, before pocketing his knife and finally giving her his attention. "What do yo-" he saw who it was, his aggravation being replaced with amusement. He smirked, "Oh, Alexis! Come back to hit me again? Finally found your kink?"

She blushed. She immediately regretted her choice. She had one foot behind her ready to walk away if she had a moment of insanity like she did before. "No. I'm here because Principal Sawatari asked me to."

"Oh?" Jaden leaned forward in amusement, feeling a pull of excitement as he started climbing down the stairs slowly. "Any particular reason why he sent the bookworm to come talk to the punk? Did he give you permission to come hit me this time?"

"You asked for it!" She glared. "You said I was a hot mess!"

"It was a compliment!"

"Then you said I had a nice bust!"

Jaden growled, turning his head. Alexis saw he folded his arms and stared at a random spot in the wall. "Why're you here?" He was one step above her, probably figuring he'd give himself some breathing room between the two of them in case she attacked him again.

Alexis kept the glare on her face as she answered, thinking back to how embarrassed he made her in the lunchroom. "He asked me to tutor you for your test next week."

Jaden turned his head after hearing that, tilting his head in what Alexis guessed was genuine surprise. She would have to gamble if he was surprised she knew about the test or if because she was here talking about it with him and offering to help on top of it. Jaden took that last step down to get face to face with her. He reached over, Alexis stiffening as he grabbed her shoulder. Before she could shove him off, he gave a reply:

"No thanks. I don't need your help."

He began walking away.

Alexis stood there flabbergasted. He didn't want her help. Every rational thought in her head told her to leave too. She tried. He gave his answer. That should have been it. But she felt a yank in her chest as she thought of his reasons. He had none. She was the top of the school, offering free help for a test he asked for, so he obviously wanted to pass it to leave, yet he rejected her offer.

She needed to know why. She needed an answer to this confusing question.

"Hey!" she chased after him as he began descending the stairs to the third floor. "Why not? I'm the smartest one in the school!"

"Congratulations, now go tell someone who cares."

She gave a little screech. "Just tell me why you don't want my help?"

"Why do you even want to help me after what I did to you?" Jaden asked, his voice soft for the first time since they began talking. They were approaching the second floor now, the school empty as students were on their way home or in their clubs. Jaden began heading for a row of lockers on the far end of the hallway. "I made you mad enough to smack me. Why are you trying to help me? What did he offer you?"

Alexis wondered if she should tell him it was to help the school. She could be honest, but he wasn't with her so why should she be honest with him? "I can't just do something nice for someone?" she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You can." Jaden agreed as he stopped at a locker. "It just makes no sense it's for me, someone who did something bad to you" he rebutted, grabbing the side of the locker door and yanking it open, Alexis seeing it had a broken lock on it. "So, again, what did Princ offer you to help me?"

Alexis took a quick glance into his locker out of normal curiosity, seeing a few packs of cigarettes sandwiched between textbooks. Alexis heard rumors in the girls' room that Jaden sold cigarettes for a quick buck, her classmate Jasmine being a regular buyer. She silently berated the 'business' he ran as he closed his locker, holding an unopen pack in between his fingers. She couldn't see his eyes, but she was sure he was staring at her eyes as if he can read something that would give him the answer he was looking for. Alexis shivered under his glance, missing Jaden stepping back and looking away after seeing that.

She sighed – might as well say something to appease him. "I'm going to be a teacher." Jaden turned back to her after hearing that. "I want to practice for it. I figured tutoring you would be helpful to me."

Jaden stayed silent thinking it over. Alexis watched as he nodded slowly, wondering why he was taking so long to say something in return. He seemingly replayed what she said in his head a few times, it being the only reason she could think of as to why he was taking so long to answer her.

"Okay…" Jaden shrugged. "I'll take your lessons."

Alexis almost buckled hearing that, not realizing she had crossed her legs in anticipation for his answer. "Really?"

"Like you said, you're the best. It would be dumb if I didn't take help from you when I want to pass." Jaden stated as if he was telling her the sky was blue. He looked up in thought as he undid the seal for his cigarettes. "I'll see you tomorrow. I gotta do something today. Meet me by the rooftop door after school." He said as he walked away past her.

Alexis listened to what he said, nodding her head at it – she was okay with that. It made sense. She heard his footsteps fade away as he stepped onto the first floor to leave the building. She found herself still staying at his locker, wondering what other wonders were hidden in there. It was like those treasure chests she saw in pirate movies as a kid – what wonders awaited her inside? The lock was already broken, so she wouldn't be blamed if it opened.

She shook her head. That was wrong. No matter what he had in there, that was his locker. It was private and a violation of rules to go into another student's locker, no matter who it was, even Jaden.

She walked away, thinking about the lessons for tomorrow.

…

"So, it looks like you understand History. How about Math?"

Alexis and Jaden sat atop the steps they had met at yesterday, textbooks and notebooks, mostly Alexis', surrounding them. Jaden was leaning against the door reading a math book with a lit cigarette in his mouth while Alexis was leaning against the wall with her legs outstretched. They had been up there for forty minutes and, much to Alexis' surprise, Jaden did know quite a few things. He recited enough of Japan's history quickly and accurately enough she wanted to move on quickly, but Jaden, feeling a need to impress or brag, kept going well into what happened in World War Two. He only stopped when he saw she had supposedly stopped listening when, she was taking in everything he said.

"Math…" Jaden mumbled. "I was so good at it until they decided to add the alphabet into it. Some kind of alphabet soup disaster."

Alexis giggled even though the joke was bad.

"You can laugh?" Jaden said surprised. "Here I thought you were ice cold when it came to humor."

Alexis dropped her smile. It seemed like every time she was changing her mind about Jaden, he said something stupid to mess it up.

"I like jokes." She huffed. "I like a good laugh."

"So why were you the only one who didn't laugh when the seniors last year put a bag of cigarettes in a pig's mouth and tattooed 'Smoked Salmon" on its back."

"That was just juvenile and cruel to the animal." Alexis pouted, remembering how the poor pig looked with the seniors leading it around the school asking if anyone wanted a slice of pork. "Now that I think about it, did you sell the cigarettes for that joke?"

Jaden held his hands up in defeat, "Oops, looks like I'm caught." He smirked, lowering his hands back down. "Yeah, best $50 I've ever made." Alexis started at him with a disappointed look. "Don't give me that look, Lex, they came to me. I never turn down a customer."

"Don't call me Lex." Alexis tightened her glare. "My name is Alexis."

"Does it upset you?"

"Yes."

Yikes, she wanted to smack her face when she let that loose. Should've kept her mouth shut.

Jaden smiled, "I'm sorry, Lex." He went back to his math book. "So… how good do you think my chances are of passing?"

Alexis picked herself up from her disappointment in herself to think it over. "Well, we only are on the second subject, and you need to be knowledgeable of History, Math, English, Social Studies, and Science."

Jaden nodded as she listed them off. "Well, I think I'm good on History." Alexis let a little proud smile grow on her face even if Jaden wasn't looking at her. "And I am good in English believe it or not."

"Really?"

Jaden smiled, standing up and pulling out his phone. He cleared his throat. "Can you please tell me where I can find good ramen around here? Can you give me an address?"

Alexis' jaw dropped. "How'd you learn English like that!?" She was debating with herself what feat of academics she witnessed since they started was more impressive.

Jaden sat back down, pocketing his phone. "I have this guy I get stuff from who's an American. He lives here and doesn't speak Japanese that well, so we help each other." He explained.

Alexis was wondering what stuff Jaden was buying from him. The longer she spent with him the more interested she got in him. Beneath that punk exterior and past the countless foolish acts was a smart kid. If he was smart like this, why was he so cocky and arrogant and such a delinquent? He could be so much more. She thought about asking him, opening and closing her mouth many times as she tried to formulate exactly how to ask the question.

Jaden blew a raspberry. "I'm bored." He put the math book down. "I'm gonna go on a smoke break." Oh, so smoking this entire time was just a study habit? He stood up and held his pack out at her. "Come with me."

"No!" Alexis eyed him up and down disgusted. "I don't and won't ever smoke!"

"Just come stand with me." He rolled his eyes at her being overdramatic. "I don't ever give someone their first smoke or give to people who quit. I just find smoking with company a lot more exhilarating."

Alexis stared at him, Jaden giving a large grin as he waved the pack at her. They stayed like that for a little bit before Alexis narrowed her eyes at him. "Just stand with you?"

"Yes…" Jaden repeated. He opened the rooftop door. Alexis was about to comment on him trespassing on the roof before he seemingly read her mind and shook his head. "It's fine. I come up here all the time. I don't ever get caught and it's just for a few minutes. Lighten up, Lex."

She groaned at the nickname again but stood up anyway. She followed him outside as the door slammed shut behind them. She jumped at the sound, Jaden laughing as he tossed his old cigarette away to grab another one. Alexis glanced at the roof, in wonder like a child in a theme park as she stood in unfamiliar territory for the first time in a long time. While bare up top except for a water tower and fences that surrounded the perimeter, she felt like she was looking at a magical place, as pathetic as it sounded.

Jaden leaned against the wall by the door, taking a large inhale. "So, Lex, tell me about yourself." He suddenly dropped on her, Alexis turning back in shock and confusion; he wanted to know about her? Know what? Seeing her confused look, he decided to elaborate. "Tell me more about this teacher job. Why do you want to be a teacher?" He stared at her through his sunglasses, leaning up slightly to signify she had his full attention.

Not knowing how to answer that, she folded her arms behind her back as she shrugged. "I don't know, I just want to."

"You do know…" Jaden shook his head. "I can tell."

"How?"

"My job is to read people." He took a quick inhale. "You looked so happy when I recited history and you were surprised in a good way at my English. I know for a fact it's not because you're proud of me specifically. You don't like me."

Alexis gave a sad look Jaden didn't see as he reached to grab another cigarette. She thought about what he said as he put another cigarette in his mouth and began inhaling from two different sides of his mouth. Was he trying to give himself lung cancer even quicker?

She thought about what he said. Why did she want to be a teacher? She apparently knew but when she tried thinking about it, she couldn't really say why. Why did someone eat breakfast even if they weren't hungry? Because it was just something you did. Just like someone who had high grades like her just got into education. It was what she knew.

Jaden realized she had gone quiet. "Sorry if I said something bad…"

"No!" Alexis shook her head. "No, that's not it…" She joined his side, turning her head away from the smoke. "It's just… I'm smart. Really smart." Jaden rolled his eyes playfully. "It makes sense for me to be a teacher, wouldn't you say?"

"Maybe." Jaden nodded. "It also makes sense for someone like me to be in jail and an idiot, but I clearly am not dumb and not in jail." Alexis shrugged. She didn't think highly of his intelligence before today. "I choose what I wanna do even if it doesn't make sense because I'm happy. Smoking is dumb and no one should do it, but I like the taste and the rush I get so I do it." He said, holding his two lit cigarettes like gold rings in old rap videos.

Alexis appreciated his words but felt he could've found better metaphors to use. Although when she thought of it, Jaden did seem to enjoy himself from what she knew about his hobbies. He even found joy in selling cigarettes to his fellow classmen for cruel animal pranks.

"Do you wanna be a teacher because you want to or because you think you have to?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I can't know about my friend?"

Alexis' breath caught in her throat. Friend? While she obviously knew of it and what it meant, she never placed the title on someone in her entire high school life. Not that she couldn't. She was smart and hot, a body girls dreamed of, and guys ogled over, but she never found anyone who could be that person. She was content with her books and grades, and no one made her think that over.

She turned to face Jaden, who stared at her with what she guessed was intrigue. Although she couldn't see his eyes, she was confident they were making eye contact. She took a large breath before she sat down on the floor of the roof; Jaden looked down to watch her pull her knees to her chest.

"There was this girl in my class in middle school…" she paused, wondering why she was about to tell him this. She hadn't thought of this in a long time, but hearing Jaden ask her why she wanted something had old memories reopening, like if they were waiting there to come out after hearing a trigger word. "Her name was Asami. She was a fun and pretty girl. She was so outgoing, so energetic, someone you could have fun with. I didn't hang out with her, but I saw how she got the room fired up when she wanted to do something."

Jaden nodded, throwing his cigarettes away as he sat down to join her.

"But she had a problem, a bad one… she was dyslexic. It was bad. Really bad. She failed every test we got. And not through a lack of trying either." Alexis pondered on it, trying to make sure she was remembering this right. "She failed so much she was gonna get left back. She would lose all of her friends as we got to go to high school, and she would be forced to stay back."

Alexis started coughing as she remembered what happened next, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that she had coming back. Jaden reached over and grabbed her shoulder.

"She jumped." Alexis cried. Jaden gasped. "Jumped off her apartment roof. She was so broken over being left behind she couldn't handle being alone!" she let the tears fall. "It was so sudden. No one had time to talk to her. All because she had a hard time learning. And no one could help her." She continued crying, Jaden moving his arm to fully wrap around her. "Why am I crying?" she wondered. "I didn't talk to her or really know her, so why?"

"Because you're a good person." Jaden stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You stay isolated, but you care about helping people. It's why you wanna be a teacher. It's why you chose to help me, no matter what you tell yourself otherwise."

Alexis looked up to stare at him. Why was she reliving this memory to someone she still didn't know that well. While Jaden surprised her the past hour, she still didn't think she should be telling personal stuff to him straight away; especially if she hadn't thought about this in over four years. But she felt a strong sense of relieve and felt strongly informed – now she knew more about why she wanted to do her teaching career.

"Why are you the way you are?" she asked randomly.

"Handsome?" He grinned.

"Be serious please." She spoke softly, dried tears staining her cheeks. Jaden closed his mouth and nodded, clearly sorry about what he said. "Why do you act the way you do when you're so smart?"

Jaden moved his arm from her shoulder, resting his hands on the top of his knees. He stared ahead at a random spot on the fence, looking past to a family of birds that were chilling on the building across from them. Alexis stared at the side of his face, waiting for a response. For some reason, she knew she'd get one. Jaden was a man of service; give him something he'd return it with something of equal value.

"I lost everything…" Jaden said, shrugging at the thought of telling her this. She opened to him; it was only fair he did too. "My parents disappeared when I was a kid. I don't know why, but I've been trying to find them. I've chased dead ends for years. But, last week, I found something that may lead me to them. The only thing is, it's in America."

Alexis nodded, wondering how hard it must've been to grow up without anyone there to guide you in life.

"I have to leave quickly before I lose the lead. It's why I must take the test to leave here quick. I make money selling drugs to have an income for when I find them, so I can buy what I need to help me in my quest." He turned to face her. "I have to know why they left. I have to know why they abandoned me."

Alexis could understand why he felt that way. Any kid who didn't know why he was left alone would have every right to know why. But to abandon everything to go and chase a lead in a whole other country? She didn't know. She thought back to what she told him about why she wanted to be a teacher, now it was time to reverse it on to him.

"Why do you want to find them? Just to know why?"

Jaden tilted his head. "Yeah. I thought about it for years, wondering if it would be worth it. In all honesty, it probably isn't." he admitted. "But I need to know, good or bad, why they took off without me. Once I pass this test, I'll head off that same day."

To hear he was leaving, Alexis felt something ache in her stomach. It felt like a stomach bug, but a million times worse.

"I never told that to anyone," he admitted. "Now we know each other's deepest secrets."

Alexis blinked at his odd statement, "Yeah. Yeah, I guess so."

"Which makes us best friends."

"Huh?"

Jaden smiled, "You know what best friends do?" Alexis shook her head. "They come back and find each other again." He grinned at her. "When I get my answer, I'm expecting to hear you're teaching somewhere."

Alexis giggled. "It'll take more than a year to get a certificate. At best I'll be a student teacher finishing up."

"Then I'll crash your new school," Jaden shrugged. "Sad to say, Lex, you're stuck with me now as my best friend." Alexis laughed, smacking his shoulder. "Why do you like to hit me?" he pouted, rubbing his shoulder.

"Shut up!" she laughed. "Come on, let's study so you can pass."

Jaden laughed in return as they left the roof.

…

"I passed!"

"Yes!"

Jaden and Alexis high fived each other as he showed her his test – a 98 on everything. Principal Sawatari, who had overseen Jaden's test, had a small smile in his face as he watched in the doorway the two celebrate.

Alexis' expression dropped, "So you have to leave now, right?" she remembered, feeling like someone took a dagger to her heart as she realized he would be gone at least a year.

Jaden nodded sadly, "Yeah I do."

"Can I come see you off?"

"Probably not…" Alexis' eyes widened. Jaden shook his hands, "No! It's not what you think!" he looked over his shoulder, leaning into Alexis' ear and whispered, "I have to stowaway on a boat. You probably shouldn't be seen over there."

Alexis nodded in agreement, but still had a pout on her face. Her throat felt tight, her heart feeling like it was slowing down each moment she thought of him leaving. Her eyes burned as she held back the tears, feeling like she needed to be strong for him; so he could have a rock to come back and rest on regardless of the answer.

"I can't wait to meet your parents."

Jaden smiled. He gave her a strong hug that she returned. They stayed hugging in the hall for a few moments longer than they should've, both pulling the other back when one tried to pull away too soon in the other's eyes.

"I gotta go…" he begrudgingly stated, needing to be at the boat before 4. It was already 3:20. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you again." He held a fist out. Alexis looked down confused. "BFF."

She smiled, fist bumping him. "BFF."

"And remember Lex, do what you want because you want to. Always know your reasons why you do what you do…" he took off running, knowing he'd need to in order to get there on time.

This time, Alexis watched him leave, hearing his footsteps fade away even quicker than the last time. Despite smiling, she began crying, wishing Jaden a safe trip and hoping he found what he was looking for.

Either way, he had a place waiting for him when he got back.

End of The Reason For Life

It's good to be back. I'm happy to say that I'm making this a full time priority again now that I have life somewhat put back together again. The only breaks I'll be taking now will be because of writing my own work, which I hope to get published this year to be distributed. I'm trying to rebuild my audience/fanbase.

If this seems rough I apologize. I'm still getting back into the swing of things.

Hope you enjoyed this little oneshot. I can expand on this oneshot or start something new. I'll let you all decide.

I'll give you all a little hint for what I'll be publishing next.

"Welcome to Domino City: a former bristling utopia known for its engrossing people and lively activities, now in a state of financial decay with dried-up crooks and pessimistic citizens. Amongst the disorder, three different criminals strive for success and safety. Jaden, a former assassin looking for redemption; Jesse, a low-rent car jacker who wants big money; and Chazz, a run of the mill drug manufacturer trying to live up to the family name. Driven together through their line of work, the three must work alongside each other to survive in this chaotic city whilst aiming to fulfill their ambitions."

Let me know if this is interesting to you.

Hope you all can welcome me back.

As for Supreme King Jaden and all of that stuff, I may be redoing that instead with new ideas. I'll keep the old ones up, but continuing it may be impossible since I've lost all of the files I had on it and I feel it strayed too far from what my original plans for it were. Plus I've lost my muse for it. I may continue, but don't hold your breath.

See ya'll next time.