Author's Note:: I haven't had access to a laptop in... Months :(. This is was originally typed on my phone because I didn't want to give up on this story! Also, if it seems a little messy, forgive me. I lost my old word processor and the new one isn't working as great as the other ones did with the website T-T. My breaks disappear and italics appear in places it shouldn't, but I'm still trying to figure things out. Until then, this is the best I can do.
Hopefully this is long enough to satisfy people. A lot is revealed, at least. Or well, more than in the other chapters.
Disclaimer:: I definitely DO NOT own The World Ends With You.
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Rhyme pushed the food around on her plate, completely disinterested in eating. She barely slept a wink the night before, her mind flooded with thoughts of Shibuya's Composer. Beat and Neku described Joshua as a smug, narcissistic, manipulating jerk. None of which seemed to fit the boy she came in contact with at the underpass. She remembered seeing him from a distance, shoulders slumped and feet dragging. Rhyme considered turning around and picking a different route, but that's when she saw the headlights rapidly approaching. She screamed out his name, but him not showing so much of a flinch, she bolted across the street. Ramming into him, a strong case of dejavú flooded her and she squeezed her eyes shut. Next thing Rhyme registered was the impact of her arms on the pavement.
Rhyme blinked away her reverie, briefly realizing that she didn't recall hearing an actual car zoom past. Shaking off the strange feeling while
glancing at her scrambled eggs in distaste, she turned toward the dining room doorway. Beat was usually up by noon so they could head out to see Neku and Shiki. Seeing it was already a quarter to one, Rhyme tugged the sleeves of Joshua's sweater lower and ran upstairs to wake her sleeping brother.
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"Joshua dear, I know this is short notice, but we're sure you can handle yourself for a week."
The ashen haired heir was leaning over the railing of the second floor, watching as his parents double checked their luggage. Their unexpected business trips were common. There'd been many occasions that he woke up to them gone and vise-versa. They weren't exactly a family to worry about each other. And Joshua was fine with that.
"Oh, please try to form a little bond with Bito Raimu. I'm sure you'll find she is very sweet. And we can't afford any complications in the arrangement," were his mother's last words before blowing him a kiss and shutting the door.
Joshua scrunched up his face and retreated to the bedroom. 'A little bond, the woman says. You'll find she is very sweet, she says. Oh no
dearest mother of mine. We're quite close as it is. Just last night my lovely fiancé saved my life. Marry us off right away!' He shook his head, wondering what would be on his agenda for the day.
He hummed softly while looking through his room for something to entertain him. And then it hit. 'MY PHONE.' His eyes wildly raked the room for the clothes he was wearing the night before. Nearly breaking the lid off his hamper, Joshua threw the garments onto the bed. Jeans, no luck. Shirt, not in there. Then where... A vivid picture of Rhyme holding a pale blue sweater suddenly flashed through his mind. 'Hell.'
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And so Joshua was sitting in WildKat, waiting for Mr. Hanekoma to come back with a spare phone. Not so he could replace what was lost, but in each phone that the barista made, there was a tracker. Of course, this was of no use to the suspended Composer. Without his energy, it was a regular cellular device. In the ex-Producer's hands however, there wasn't a thing the phone COULDN'T do. Being suspended barely affected the Fallen Angel, his only defect being that he wasn't to interfere with the Game anymore. Joshua scowled, cursing his mortal luck.
"Here ya' go, Josh," Mr. Hanekoma said, returning from the back. He slid a green phone on the countertop, eyeing the boy carefully. Joshua wasn't the type to go losing his possessions, especially his phone. If the stored data were to fall into the hands of any ranking person of ill intent, there would be hell to pay. Almost literally. So he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the teen's "misplaced sweater" excuse.
"So how 'bout helping me retrieve my cell, Mr. H.?" Joshua flashed a dazzling smile, one he used more often than nought in the art of manipulation. But the barista just shook his head in amusement.
"You have to give a little to get what you want. I thought that YOU of all people would understand," Hanekoma smirked, relishing the clear discomfort in the boy before him.
Joshua crossed his arms and inwardly growled. Of course it wouldn't work on the old man, but it was worth a shot. Perhaps he could just think of a good lie. A really good lie that had nothing to do with his cream puff fiancé. But each second he stared the man in the face, the more apparent it was that he'd only take the truth. Besides, Joshua was a rotten liar. Always was. Which was why he developed a method of saying a lot whilst exposing little to nothing, anything revealed being mysterious or questionable. Joshua threw his hands up in defeat and was about to spew a story filled with more profanities than actual content, but the bells above the door chimed signaling a customer. More specifically, four regulars; all stopping dead in their tracks upon the sight of Shibuya's Composer.
"Oh yeah I forgot to mention, Phones and them are stopping by this afternoon," the café owner innocently proclaimed, a lopsided grin on his face.
But Joshua barely registered the man's belated warning, instead focusing on the sweater draped over Rhyme. She was fiddling with the sleeves, clearly trying to figure what to do with it now that they were in the same vicinity. Joshua quickly composed himself, putting on a mask that landed somewhere in between his usual smirk and an awkward sneer. Well, it'll have to do.
"My my my. Seems none of you can stand to be away from me very long," the ashen haired boy bit out, his mind still set completely on the short strawberry blonde.
"Go screw yourself, Josh."
"Aw but Nekky dear~"
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
"Hey hey. Calm down you two. No fighting around the java. You're upsetting the beans," Mr. H. winked and pointed a thumb at his menu. "So what'll it be? The usual all around?"
The two best friends of the group grumbled their response and started toward their favorite table by the windows, the girls in tow. The coffee man quirked an eyebrow at Joshua's strange expression and followed his gaze to the younger skull child who was donning a powder blue sweater over her summer threads. Then immediately, the gears in his mind started turning.
"Hey, Rhyme!" The blonde turned to face the barista, her eyes betraying the soft innocent smile she wore. "Hop in the kitchen with me real quick. I've been testing out muffin recipes again." The tension in the young girl's shoulders visibly dropped and she smiled larger, happy to help the man who quickly became a father figure in her life.
The corners of Mr. Hanekoma's mouth rose to a lazy grin, discreetly eyeing Joshua in a signal to follow. The heir stiffly nodded and watched them enter the kitchen, feeling two sets of eyes burning holes into the back of his head. Opening his mouth with an exaggerated yawn, Joshua dropped from the stool and stretched, glancing at the three through his peripheral vision.
"Mr. H! You better be making that cup of coffee you owe me!" A half hearted 'uh huh' called out from the kitchen and Joshua heaved a sigh.
"Amazing service as usual. Must I always do things myself?" And so the ex-Composer dramatically went through the kitchen doors, not missing the grunts of disbelief behind him.
And just as Joshua slipped past the doorway, he met chest to face with his fiancé. She looked up at him, an embarrassed red tint spread across her cheeks and a half a squished muffin in her hand. Sanae was busy stifling a laughing fit upon seeing the young boy's face contort into some sort of twisted, tight expression.
"Sorry," Rhyme gushed, lightly swiping crumbs off of Joshua's shirt. As her hand swiped lower, the young boy's face heated bright pink, uncomfortable with Rhyme's close proximity to all things holy on his body. With more effort than it should've taken, the teenage boy gripped Rhyme's wrist, halting the procession of the young girl's swipes.
"Quit it," Joshua mumbled, and in one fluid motion, slipped both his hands in the sweater pockets, retrieved his phone, spun on his heels, and strut out where he came. This once again, leaving Rhyme behind with thoughts racing a mile a minute and the sweater slipping down her arms. And at that, the eyebrows of the fallen angel shot up to his hairline.
Emerging from the kitchen, Joshua threw a look at Neku and Beat, whose eyes were most likely set on the doors since he'd gone in. Neku
wrapped an arm over Shiki protectively and the prince groaned.
"Honestly, would I really try anything in my godfather's shop? You should trust me more than that."
"Trust isn't the issue, Josh. I trust you to be the same scheming Composer you always were, just fine," Neku retorted. Beat stood up in a flash, stalking up to the ashen haired boy.
"You better not'a lay a grimy paw on Rhyme. I don't give a rat's ass whu' mah folks say. You ain't goin' anywhere near her!"
Joshua all but scoffed at the blonde's outburst, but chose to shove past him instead of wasting the breath that finally resurfaced since SHE
walked into WildKat. One foot out the door, though, Sanae's voice called out to him.
"Ah, Josh? You've got some explaining to do. Why don't you chill upstairs for a bit?" The subject in question turned around in disdain, cursing himself for not abandoning his pride and running out of the damned coffee shop. His eyes drifted to the younger Bito, who was readjusting the sweater over her shoulders with an apologetic look strewn across her young features. An image of her scraped arms rose to the front of his mind and he silently cursed. "Yeah. Go on, now."
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And so after graciously stomping his way upstairs, Joshua was resting on his godfather's favorite recliner. He flipped through the Highs and Lows game on his phone, curious as to whether he will be punished or just interrogated. Since the end of the previous game, the young girl quickly became Mr. H's favorite. He had Joshua informed on them often, sometimes stressing information about Rhyme. A scowl deepened on his face, realizing that if he'd been more involved, he could have known her real name, and therefore avoided that meeting at all cost. But he didn't study her file. He went through Neku's the most, him being his proxy and all.
"So, care to explain why Rhyme's arms look like she's been dragged on them?"
Joshua looked up, realizing that whether he was going to be reprimanded or not, he was going to get questioned. So he stuffed the phone in his pocket and crossed his arms, defiant. The barista sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Glancing at the stubborn boy over his shades, he threw his hands up in mock defeat.
"So I'll just head back downstairs and ask Beat how YOUR sweater came to be on his kid sister's shoulders."
"Dammit Sanae," the boy groaned. The man eyed him curiously, noting that his godson was uncharacteristically worked up over the young girl. Joshua rarely called him by the first name.
But Joshua didn't notice his slip, only sat upright and glanced behind the man to make sure they were alone. Gesturing to the chair across from him, Joshua began from the beginning, when he was introduced to his fiancé and ending at the underpass, leaving out his distressed state at the end of the night. Mr. Hanekoma listened patiently to the tale, a low whistle escaping his lips when it was finished.
"So?" Joshua looked up, not knowing what he was really questioning.
"You're in deep sh-"
"I KNOW!" The barista drew back, not anticipating Joshua blowing up. He hadn't seen the boy lose control since the end of his first Game. It took him a moment, but he licked his lips once before addressing the panicking teenager.
"I'm sure Rhyme will keep this under wraps. As for the scrapes, you'll just have to hope no one will see her sleeveless until they heal." At that, the man handed Joshua a mug of coffee seemingly from no where and left the boy to his thoughts.
Downstairs, Mr. Hanekoma watched his regulars, paying more attention to the younger Bito, contemplating Joshua's story. *'It's strange, though. You'd think I would've seen a car speeding my way. I'm not suicidal.'* His frown deepened slightly, allowing the well-practiced poker face to slip for a moment. If his photographic memory served correctly, there was a blank grade sheet in Rhyme's file at the end of the last game. He hadn't thought much of it at first, but now he couldn't help but wonder if something was brewing in the Underground.
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That night, Joshua lay awake in his bed, continuously scrolling through his phone. Sanae had given him Rhyme's e-mail address, saying he could get his sweater back if he chose.
*"Rhyme said she would've returned it in the kitchen, but you just had to leave in a rush," Mr. Hanekoma frowned, making sure to keep a hushed tone in the coffee shop.
"She was wearing a sleeveless under it. Not sure how her injuries would've gone over with that protective guardian of hers," Joshua waved a hand dismissively. "The brute would've concocted some senseless string of events to somehow link me to the crime in those two minutes I was in the kitchen with her."
"Well she was willing to think up an excuse for that," the man said, shaking his head. "Honestly, you should give her more credit. She's a clever girl."
Joshua thought over the statement briefly, glancing at Rhyme through his bangs. She was smiling softly at something her brother said, looking outwardly at peace. But he saw a strange emptiness to her, only noticeable through her eyes. She should, like most young teenagers, have a distinct shine. What he saw was an almost dull glaze, her blue eyes clouded with troubles and doubts. It was startling, really. She and Beat had the same color irises, but compared to his, hers were hollow. Joshua allowed himself a few more seconds of aimless examining before saving the address to his phone and walking out the door without a last word to his godfather.*
The ex-Composer fiddled with the buttons on his phone, sudden anxiety hitting him as he finished the text. It was short, since it wasn't like he had much to say at 3:11 in the morning. Quickly before he changed his mind, Joshua pushed 'send' and rolled over, dropping the phone behind him.
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At the other side of Shibuya, Rhyme sat at the balcony of her bedroom, enjoying the summer air whilst fingering the outline of her phone. It was another sleepless night, her mind flooded with what if's, if only's, what now's, and newest to the itinerary, Shibuya's Composer. It felt silly writing down her e-mail for him, as if he'd actually contact her. And like the girly heroines in one of Shiki's graphic novels, she found herself hoping he will. There was a strange pull she felt around him. Maybe it was the conflicting faces he wore that piqued her interest. Or just her distaste in taking things that weren't hers. Nevertheless, she sat with the phone in her lap, distracted with more and more thoughts of him.
Minutes passed and the quiet of the night sank in to the grounds of her parents' home. She'd started to drift off to the deepest sanctuary of her mind when vibrations had Rhyme jumping out of her skin. Taking a short moment to catch her breath, she flipped open her phone and stared at the unfamiliar address that appeared on the screen.
-I've many sweaters. Keep it.-
Rhyme blinked, making sure she was awake, and reread the short e-mail. Quickly punching in a response on impulse, she stood up and fled her bedroom.
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Joshua sat upright in his bed upon hearing his phone ring. He glanced at the clock; 3:15. A raised eyebrow adorned his face as he slowly flicked the cover open. One word awaited him.
-Udagawa.-
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"Why did you want to meet me here?"
Joshua clutched the fabric he was holding tighter, refusing to acknowledge he was a little on edge. When he arrived at the mural, Rhyme was
already waiting for him, sitting at the far corner near the skate park. They sat together in an erie silence for a while, both not knowing how to start with each other. He found it difficult to throw his sarcastic persona at her, a skill he had perfected even with the Angels. Something in her seemed to call forth the part of him he showed to none but Sanae. Perhaps it was the fact that he couldn't read her easily like others. Or maybe since she saved his life, he felt a sort of debt needed to be offered. He didn't like owing anyone, especially those who played his Game. A chance for life was usually enough for him to give. It was greater than any material object or action he, or anyone for that matter, can gift in the Realground. And yet there he was, past 4 am, sharing the night with his arranged fiancé.
"You ever do anything for no reason at all, Joshua?" Rhyme asked. The boy tilted his head slightly, ignoring that she responded to his question with another.
"I don't recall ever," Joshua sighed. It was a lie. He and his friends never had a real reason for most things they'd done. But that was long gone.
"I don't like keeping things that don't belong to me or I haven't earned," the strawberry blonde hummed, slipping off Joshua's sweater. "It isn't right."
Joshua stared at the powder blue garment for moment before lifting it from her grasp. He set it aside and offered what he brought with him. Her eyes widened slightly, and he could've sworn her cheeks were a little pinker.
"It's going to get hotter, Raimu. These should suffice until the injuries heal," the ex-Composer muttered, holding the black arm warmers closer to his night's companion. They were simple enough for any outfit, the only color being the orange ribbons that held each together in a corset-like style. She gently removed the present from his hand, looking them over.
"You really didn't have to. I feel like I owe you for holding on to your belongings for so long."
Joshua shrugged, choosing to remain silent. It wasn't as if he'd gone and bought them for her. They belonged to Yuki, but she wasn't in need of them anymore. His jaw tightened at the thought of her. She loved her arm warmers. Mainly because he was the one who gifted them to her, when she turned 10. She wore them everyday, except their last. Joshua pulled on his sweater and Rhyme slipped on the arm warmers. They sat in a companionable silence for a while longer, the tension gone between the two. Joshua decided that Rhyme wasn't as bad as most people. She was quiet, respectful, and didn't speak just to pass the time. It was pleasant. But he shouldn't be in that position, enjoying her company. It wasn't like they were friends. So he stood up and began to walk away.
"Joshua?" The heir turned around, eyeing the young girl thoughtfully, having thought she'd just let it be. "Why were you so down the other day?"
The ashen hair boy stiffened, not expecting such a question. And he stared at her, a ball of anger threatening to curl in his chest. But her face
remained the same. It was blank, innocent. There was no condescending or judgmental trait in her expression. She was merely curious, a smudge of her understanding nature evident on her face. And suddenly, the anger faded away, replaced with another warm, unfamiliar tug at his heart.
"I don't think that's any of your concern."
The left side of Rhyme's lower lip sunk under her teeth as she looked away from Joshua briefly. Then a small smile crept up on her face and she pointed out away from the mural. "Would you like to watch the sun rise with me?"
Joshua followed the direction of Rhyme's arm, noticing a golden lining peeking up from behind the urban scape. He turned his head toward the younger Bito, amused by the warm colors dancing in her otherwise cold eyes. The energy emanating off of her was strangely refreshing, and Joshua found himself smiling despite his circumstances.
"I suppose I could spare a few minutes," Joshua sat back down and Rhyme inched a little closer to him.
"You're nothing like the Joshua I've heard about," she said, more of an observational statement than a conversation starter. But the boy next to her responded, anyway.
"Often the true views of others can be misconstrued by their feelings," Joshua offered, almost sure he knew what Rhyme originally saw him to be. "But I've done many things that aren't... Seen favorable by many people. I don't blame you for seeing me as you heard."
Rhyme raised her shoulders lazily, brushing Joshua's arm slightly. "I didn't, and still don't know you. It's wrong to make judgement on others
solely on what other people say," she stretched out her legs with a hum. "Besides. If Mr. Hanekoma likes you, there must be something my brother and Neku aren't seeing." Joshua bit the inside of his cheek to keep from asking the tempting question. What did Rhyme see? He instead let the quiet night seep in between them.
"Thank you for the arm warmers," Rhyme said a while later. She stood up and stretched, the heels of her sneakers lifting off the ground slightly.
Joshua looked up at her, at the breeze playing with the blonde strands of hair peeking out from under her beanie. Frowning, he decided he liked her without the hat. She was an understated sort of cute. It wasn't flaunted, which he preferred, but you really had to look and examine her to notice it.
"So Yoshiya is your real name, hm?" Joshua nodded in reply and squinted, the sun starting to blare in his eyes. He caught a glimpse of Rhyme's bright smile as the light silhouetted her. "I'll call you Yoshi, then."
Joshua froze, the nickname kicking him straight in the guts. As Rhyme giggled, he forced his eyes shut. He was reminded of the first day he met Yuki. They were seven and she'd been crying.
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*"Hey, you okay?" Joshua frowned, poking his head under the slide. He heard sniffling and followed the sound to the jungle gym.
The source of the noise lifted her head to look at Joshua, her short brown pigtails popping from the bends of her elbows. Her eyes were red from crying and a scrape marred her cheek. She reminded him of a china doll that his mother displayed in the main dining room. Her skin was pale, save for the pink of her cheeks and nose. She wore a green dress that hid her small blue shorts. And Joshua decided, though the situation was inappropriate, that the girl was cute.
"My name is Joshua. Need help?" She looked down, and he felt a pang in his chest. Girls weren't his thing. Crying girls were even worse. But instead of leaving her to mope, he racked his head for what girls would like. Coming to a conclusion, he sighed. "Wanna play hopscotch with me? I could play by myself but it isn't any fun."
Her head shot back up, green eyes wide with hope. Accepting that as a yes, Joshua held up a thick blue piece of chalk.
What he found out that day was that the girl had awful balance. She didn't talk much, mainly just when she was spoken to. Her two bottom teeth were missing. She had two older brothers and one younger sister. And she loved cherry popsicles. It wasn't until he saw his parent's limousine that he asked for her name.
"Yuki," she muttered, a small smile appearing on her face. He, with a renewed childish innocence, held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you," he said, flashing a grin that showed his missing canine. His parents called out to him, then, before she could present her small hand to return his gesture. He frowned in apology and turned to leave.
"So Yoshiya is your real name," Joshua heard behind him. He paused and nodded to her, liking the way the sunset played in the shine of her eyes. "I'll call you Yoshi, then. You're a good hopscotch-er," and with a shy giggle, Yuki ran off.*
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Joshua blinked away the memory, suddenly conscious of Rhyme's worried expression. But just as he saw it, the look faded, replaced by the
gentle smile she so often wore. His muscles stiffened under her gaze, however neutral she attempted to keep it.
"I should go," Rhyme announced, bending over to hug the still sitting ex-Composer. He was reminded of cotton candy, and he relaxed. The spun sugar treat was his secret obsession before he entered the Game. But his parents disapproved, so Yuki would sneak him one every day they saw each other. And since the Game, Joshua kept away from it.
"Raimu." Rhyme turned around, already passing Wild Boar. Joshua had stood up, and was staring at her with an expression she couldn't read. She tilted her head to the side, waiting for him to continue. "... Never mind. Get home okay. I don't need your ape of a brother coming to murder me." Rhyme smiled and shook her head slightly.
"I had a good time tonight, too," the blonde responded before turning the corner exiting Udagawa.
Joshua's eyes widened, surprised by the girl's intuitive nature. He smirked, shaking his head as he faced the mural. He'd have to thank Sanae his next visit to WildKat. Movement caught Joshua's eye and he peeked out to the right through his bangs. Two boys were walking past, looking nervous and distraught while looking at their phones. One looked up upon noticing they weren't alone and nudged the other. Joshua raised an eyebrow as they paused, flipped out a pin in each hand and concentrated. Rolling his eyes, Joshua waited for the familiar tug in his head.
'You shouldn't be so nosy.'
The two boys jumped, clearly disturbed by the the thought they extracted from the supposedly unsuspecting bystander. Their target briefly made eye contact with the younger partner before walking away.
So the Game was still being run. By who, Joshua didn't know. And to his knowledge, neither did Mr. Hanekoma. But that was just a fleeting
thought. He could care less about what was going on in the Underground, unless he was to be allowed access again. And as he'd been told, there was no resignation or passing the position on. The Angels made it clear that he'd have to really die before his position was replaced. Surprisingly enough, Joshua wasn't in the least bit frightened.
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*"Go on, Yoshi. You can't be erased. Keep going."
Joshua cursed, clutching onto Yuki's fading form. She was slowly being erased, the color already desaturated from her skin. He stared at her eyes, willing the green to stay, the part of her he loved the most.
"I need you Yuki. Please. You're my partner, remember? You were supposed to-"
"I know," she whispered, a static hand reaching up to touch her friend's face.
"Then stay. Please. I'm a spoiled brat, remember? I have to get what I want," the ash blonde pressed, eyes wide with fear. His friend smiled as her green eyes flashed to gray.
"I'll miss you, Yoshi," were her last words before breaking into static.
Joshua grasped at air, a short gasp escaping his lungs. And before he could completely register the fact that his closest friend was ripped away from him, a sharp laugh echoed through the room. He slowly turned his head to the throne, once again looking at the person responsible for each of his friends' erasures. The man smirked down at Joshua, eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.
"Well well well. Down to one, are we? What does the proud young boy have to say for himself?"
Joshua rose from the ground, hands in pockets and eyes dead set on the current Composer. His friends made it to the end of the line with him, but all too quickly, he was standing alone. The mere thought of it all made him want to scream out and attack the cackling man, but he held back. His friends didn't die just for him to screw up, and he was going to honor them. As the Composer stood, Joshua pulled out his double pistols for the last time.
"You're dead."*
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*"Bito, Raimu. Stand forth."
Rhyme wobbled on her feet as she was gently pushed forward before the bright winged Angels. It was refreshing to be standing upright after being a squirrel noise for so long, but her heart was racing as she faced the beings of the Upperground. She was alone, wondering where her brother and the others were. Only Mr. Hanekoma stood behind her, looking serious and forlorn.
"Under normal circumstances, we would not be meeting with you, I'm sure that is understood." Rhyme nodded numbly as she regained the proper posture drilled into her head since birth. The center Angel flipped open a manila folder, pausing to read the contents before looking down at her again. "Fortunately for you, our Producer bound you to the Game under the impression your soul should not be wasted. This action of course, was illegal."
Rhyme winced at the Angel's statement, dreading the outcome of the situation. "I understand, sir."
"However, in light of the illegal game between the Composer and his Conductor, we the Council have chosen to overlook your death and grade you accordingly," the Angel closed the folder with a small, curt smile. "You exceeded our expectations for a girl your age, and proved different from others who grew in a home such as yours. Your heart is pure. Your mind is sound and genuinely set. So it is my pleasure to announce, at the price of your original entry fee, you've passed."
Rhyme spun around to look at Mr. Hanekoma, the question evident in her eyes. Grinning lopsidedly, the man rested a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Welcome back to life, Little Skulls."*
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Author's Note:: Once again, any feedback is appreciated. I'm actually REALLY iffy about this picture, so I might change it. Thank you for all the great reviews in my absence, though!