It's been a week since Yang's freakout. A week since she woke up with a voice in her head.

The good news is she's gotten used to ignoring it. The bad news is...

"Now Miss Xiao-Long, there's no need for the hostility."

She had to get used to it.

Yang hadn't told her dad yet. She doesn't want him to think there's another thing wrong with her.

"Taiyang isn't like that. You know that best. He's your father."

"Shut up..." Yang mumbles. She sitting on the couch, mindlessly watching television. Sue her, what else can she do?

"Go outside, perhaps? You've become rusty, Yang. By now you've grown weaker."

Yang ignores the voice. Calling it 'Ozpin' would probably be an insult to her old teacher. If she just ignores the voice, it would go away.

"Firstly, that's not how you deal with a mental illness. Second, I am Ozpin. You're just too stubborn to listen-"

Yang turns the volume up, then looks through the channels. There has to be something that could distract her.

"...with no end in sight. Try as they might, the local Huntsmen and Huntresses can't seem to get a hold of the situation at Beacon Academy-"

Nope.

"...though the fail-safes have supported wireless communication within the kingdom, the loss of the CCT Tower continues to prevent contact with the outside world. Talks with Atlas officials regarding repairs have so far—"

Nope again. Third time's the charm?

"Multiple rumors continue to circulate as to who was behind the attacks at the Vytal Festival Tournament."

Yang sits up, her eyes widening. The voice in her head was silent.

"While no one knows for sure, officials have confirmed that high-ranking White Fang member, Adam Taurus was present for the attack. Any and all attempts to bring him into custody have been met with brutal force—"

Yang turns off the T.V. Alright voice, outside it is. You win this-

"I'm home!" A voice, not from her or her head rings out. Thankfully it's one she recognizes.

Yang sets the remote down and leans her head backward on the couch, looking up at her father. "Hey dad."

"Ah, Taiyang. Miss Xiao-Long, please, I need you to-"

"Oh great, this again."

"Yang, I assure you, if you could just explain to him our situation-"

"Then dad will think I'm nuts. I'll deal with you myself."

"Looking up about mental illnesses will not 'deal with me'-!"

"Guess what just came in? I can't wait for you to try this!" Taiyang comes back into the room holding a white box, giving Yang something to distract herself from her unwelcome mind-intruder... guy.

It sounded better in her head.

"It did not."

"Well?" Taiyang prodded, setting the box down on the table in front of her. On the lid, it shows the symbol of Atlas.

Yang hesitates before finally removing the lid, revealing-

"Brand new, state of the art Atlas tech! You know, I thought I was gonna have to pull some strings, call in a few favors, but you earned this one all on your own, kiddo."

A stark white robotic arm. The voice was silent again, and she had the vision of a man, with half your body replaced with prosthetics. Oh James, are you-

"-alright there kiddo?" Yang snaps back to reality, her father looking at her with concern. "You kinda zoned out on me there."

Yang blinked. What was that? "Huh? Sorry, I'm just... confused."

Taiyang patted her shoulder. "It's alright. Anyways, General Ironwood had one of his top scientists working on this for you. Did it before I could even ask."

Yang looked down on the arm again. Now that she got a good look without any jumpscare cyborgs, it does look state of the art, but...

"Well? Going to try it on?" Taiyang asks.

"I uh... I'm not feeling too great right now. Maybe later?"

Her father deflates. He puts a hand on his neck. "Well... alright."

Yang goes up to her room, catching her father flash a reassuring smile as she goes up.

"Oh Miss Xiao-Long..."

"I want you to prove it."

Ozpin perks up. They were in Yang's bedroom. Well, the bedroom Yang claimed as her new room. Her real room was behind the door at the end of the hallway, her and Miss Rose's. But sleeping there without her sister felt... wrong to Miss Xiao-Long.

Ozpin could understand. "Prove what?"

"That you're not just some kind of... stress disorder. That you're really Ozpin."

"You couldn't have done this sooner? Perhaps a week ago?" Ozpin jests.

Yang groans. "Just do something! I'm tired of wondering if I'm crazy or not."

"I can assure you, you're perfectly sane."

"I'm talking to a voice in my head, how sane can I be?"

"I didn't say you were normal. Just sane."

"Ugh. You are just as cryptic as him." Yang flops on the bed. "But I need more than a voice. Prove it."

"Very well. Have you ever been to Haven? Do you think you could describe the headmaster's office?"

"What? No. How would I-"

"Try. Right now."

Yang sighs. "It's probably, it's..." Yang's eyes widens. She sits up on her bed. "It's autumn-colored... with a large mahogany desk. There's a small table with chairs in a corner for guests, with a tea set that... I... I gave him." She stops. "How... do I know that?"

"Because I helped build that school, and the tea set was a gift to the man running it now."

Yang stands up. "I... that's not proof! I could have read it somewhere, or made it all up! That's..."

"Well, if you're still skeptical, there is one more test to prove that I am in fact, not a figment of your imagination."

"... I don't want to tell dad." Yang mumbles.

"... I know you're afraid. But I assure you, he knows about me, and he won't treat you any differently."

"How can I trust you?" Yang asks, knowing there was still a chance she was talking to air.

"To be honest, you don't have a reason. But do you trust your father?"

"Of course..."

"Then trust him to know what to do, whether I am real or not."

Yang was silent.