Notes: Another Rozen Maiden story, this time a crossover. Or, if you prefer, further proof that some men are far more fascinated with dolls than is healthy or wise. But in my defense, it's all Sasori's fault for making it look so cool. And Rozen's for making it look so pretty. And while this wasn't intended to be an April Fools joke, I can't deny that the publish date matches up.

Rozen no Jutsu

A Naruto/Rozen Maiden Crossover by

Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Chapter 1: Uzumaki Mediums

The Present

"Fate has decreed that I will win this fight. You might as well surrender. It doesn't matter if you possess one of the Master Dolls. You can only lose to me."

Naruto glared at his opponent, dropping the heavy case at his feet. "Shut up! I won't let anyone look down on me and my precious doll! We'll beat you into the ground with our awesome power! You're just jealous because I was chosen and you weren't!"

Neji shook his head. "This ends now! Surrender to your fate!"

"No way!" Naruto raised his right hand, waving the glowing ring he wore. "Summoning Jutsu: Hina of the Vines!"

The case at his feet trembled, then sprang open. "Oh YAAAAAAAAY!" a high-pitched voice sang out. "Lovely Uzumaki Hinaichigo is HEEEEEEERE!"

Neji froze as a blonde doll popped out of the case, grinning and waving her arms wildly. "What?" he muttered. "This is... a Master Doll?"

Hinaichigo blinked and stared at him. "Oh! Have you come to play with Hina? Say yes, please, please, pleeeease? You're so pretty, like a fairy princess! I want to put you in a party dress!"

Neji snarled. "You... HOW DARE YOU?! YOU'RE DEAD, UZUMAKI!" He lurched forward, only to gag as a tiny hand gripped his throat with enormous strength.

"You want to hurt my Naru-chan?" Hinaichigo whispered with a frown. "No one... NO ONE EVER HURTS MY NARU-CHAN! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER EVER EVER EVER!" She growled and gave him a vicious headbutt to the forehead.

Neji instantly crumpled to the ground, his eyes rolling back into his head.

Naruto walked over to inspect his fallen opponent. "Hey, Neji. When you wake up, make sure to tell Fate that you just got beat by the prettiest little girl in the Leaf Village!"

Hinaichigo glanced between them uncertainly. "Naru-chan? Will he play with me now?"

Naruto grinned and patted her head. "Nope, but don't you worry, Hina-chan. I'll buy you some strawberry pocky to celebrate our victory."

"Victory?" she asked, confused. "Was there a fight?"

Naruto laughed and shook his head. "Not much of one, but that's just because you're so super awesome!" He picked her up and spun her around over his head. "My awesome, perfect, pretty little sister!"

Hinaichigo giggled as Naruto placed her on top of his head. She latched on at once, giving him one of her patented head-hugs. "I love you, Naru-chan!"

The Past

Kushina stirred and slowly opened her eyes as two tiny hands gently pressed against her side. She glanced at the clock on the wall, sighed, and reached over to grasp the hands as they brushed against a tender spot. "There is something I need to tell you," she said.

"Of course, Kushina."

She winced, both at the obvious loyalty in the tone, and at the sensation of her very lively baby dancing on her bladder. "My darling Shinku, you have served me faithfully since I was a girl. You are my strongest ally, my dearest friend, the sole person I can always depend on."

"I am only what our time together has made me, Kushina. And serving you has been... well, great fun, for the most part. You are entirely unlike any Master I have had in the past. And I mean that as a compliment."

Kushina smiled. "Thank you. But I'm afraid we must discuss the line of succession now, while there is still time. I know that you have your heart set on being inherited by Naruto."

"Well, of course! It's only right that I should be the one to protect your son. Who else could I possibly be inherited by?"

"Shinku... I'm sorry, but that won't happen. Your father visited me in a dream, and... Naruto will not inherit you. You are meant for someone else. Another of your sisters is meant for Naruto."

"What?" Shinku gasped, shaking her head slowly. "No, you're joking! You have to be! I was there when you decided on Naruto's name! I was the first to feel him kick inside you! I have sworn to walk with him! He is my destined Master, just as you were!"

Kushina sighed as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Shinku. You know that if it were my choice... but it isn't. I'm sorry."

"No! I don't accept this! I won't! I'm meant to be with Naruto!"

Kushina turned away, unable to bear the look of hurt in Shinku's eyes any longer. "Shinku, my darling, please return to your case. Go to sleep until I call for you again."

Shinku stiffened, her body unable to resist obeying a command from her Mistress. "Kushina, please don't do this! Naruto needs me! I love him as I love you! Please! Kushina!"

Kushina closed her eyes, doing her best ignore Shinku's protests until they were cut off with a loud click. Sighing, she turned to the now closed case, gently running her fingers across the lock. "I truly am sorry, Shinku. Nothing would make me happier than for you to walk with Naruto. But when I signed the contract, I promised to never go against your Father. And if not for him, I never would have met you."

Every child in Konoha knew the bedtime story: how the Sage of Six Paths had blessed mankind with the gift of chakra, then punished mankind's misuse of his gift by ravaging them with the nine tailed beasts, and finally showed mercy by sending seven immortal maidens with the power to calm the rampaging beasts and guide mankind back into the light.

One glimpse was all most people needed to understand why wars had been waged, villages toppled, generations reduced to dust, all for the right to obtain even a single Master Doll. No woman could hope to equal their beauty. No child could hope to approach their vitality. No shinobi could hope to surpass their power.

The immortal maidens and the tailed beasts were drawn to each other, as was their nature. But with only seven maidens for nine beasts, mankind turned to a practice that the Sage of Six Paths himself had once adopted. And though it only increased the rage of the beasts, as well as the sorrow of the maidens, sealing the beasts within humans became the norm.

One hidden village went a step further. A human infused with the power of a tailed beast was thought to be the only thing that could even begin to approach the power of an immortal maiden. Yet a human body was finite, and sure to expire eventually, while the maidens were beyond such limitations. And so, for the first and only time, a tailed beast was sealed within an immortal maiden. It was an astonishing success. For about ten seconds. And then it became horribly clear why the maidens were only meant to calm the beasts, rather than cage them.

The tailed beast simply ceased to exist, devoured by the maiden's new-found hunger for power. A hunger that could not possibly be sated, even if she devoured everything else in the world. But she was still all too eager to try.

She was the first maiden to suffer from man's evil, but not the last.

"Summoning Jutsu: Shinku of the Roses!"

The next time that Shinku opened her eyes, worry filled her heart.

She could tell, even as her case raced to the human world in response to Kushina's call and blood, that her mistress was dying. The ring of contract on her finger pulsed in time with Kushina's heartbeat, which was slowly but surely weakening.

Shinku frowned. "Kushina... why did you send me away for so long?" she murmured. "Why didn't you call me sooner, when I could have been of help to you and Naruto?"

The case hit the ground with a jarring thump, and Shinku burst from it at once, only to stare in horror at the sight before her.

Kushina and her husband Minato, impaled on one of the enormous claws of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Shinku gasped, and then fury filled her. "KURAMA! What is the meaning of this?!"

The fox paused, blinked, and slowly turned his head in her direction. His eyes were different, she saw at once, changed somehow. But as they gazed at each other, the difference faded rapidly.

"Shinku," the fox rumbled, the uncertainty in his tone obvious. "Where am I?"

Shinku frowned. "You don't know?" Her gaze went back to Kushina and Minato, and her heart ached. "What have you done to my... my... oh no! NARUTO!"

At Shinku's heartfelt cry, Kurama recoiled as if physically struck, his claw jerking free of his victims. Minato immediately hit the ground, obviously dead. Kushina remained standing, still alive only because of the supercharged chakra that was pouring into her through her link with Shinku. And even that would only keep her alive for a matter of seconds.

Kushina slowly sank to her knees as Shinku rushed to her side. Her eyes seemed unable to focus on anything.

"Hang on, Kushina!" Shinku pleaded. "I'm here!"

"Shinku," Kushina breathed. "Kurama... innocent. Genjutsu. Masked man."

Shinku blinked and glanced at Kurama, who seemed to want to disappear. "I understand, Kushina, but please, don't try to talk anymore!"

"Naruto," Kushina gasped. "Safe." Her hand shot out and latched onto Shinku's. "Safe," she repeated, so there could be no mistake.

Shinku gripped Kushina's hand in return, happy tears spilling down her face. Seeing the gaping hole in Kushina's body, she had feared the worst for little Naruto.

"Naruto," Kushina said again, her body beginning to shudder. She squeezed Shinku's hand harder than ever. "Please?" she whispered.

Shinku understood Kushina's final request. "Of course, Kushina. He will always know your love. I swear it."

Kushina smiled, or more accurately, started to.

Shinku bowed her head, clinging to her dead mistress's hand for several moments.

"You'll have to do it, now," Kurama noted. "They won't understand. They won't be in the mood for understanding."

"Yes, I know that." Shinku released Kushina's hand, stood up, and slowly turned to face the fox. "Kurama... I'm so sorry."

The fox seemed to shrug as he lowered his head to the ground. "At least it's you and not them."

Shinku touched a finger to his nose. "Rozen Sealing Jutsu: Unwind."

Just as being a container for a tailed beast was seen as a curse, being the partner of a Master Doll was seen as a blessing. There were drawbacks, of course, but the benefits tended to far outweigh them.

Once a Master Doll and her partner had total trust in each other, they were able to use a limited number of each other's techniques. Shinku had preserved Kushina's vast sealing knowledge, and wasted no time in applying weight-increasing seals to herself and Hinaichigo. Anyone other than their appointed partner who attempted to move them would feel as if they were trying to move several tons. This doubled as a training exercise for the partners, because though the seals were keyed to their chakra signatures, Shinku had designed them to triple her original weight. Though Shinku had done this with Naruto in mind, Sakura had not been spared from the training. Hinaichigo at least liked to walk on her on regularly, but Shinku insisted on being carried nearly everywhere. By the time Naruto and Sakura entered the ninja academy, they were far stronger than any of their peers.

Each Master Doll also placed a subtle but constant drain on their partner's chakra. Shinku was careful not to overtax Sakura in this way. Hinaichigo had some trouble doing the same, but since Naruto's chakra reserves were so much larger than normal, even for an Uzumaki, this was not an issue. On the other hand, when a Master Doll sent chakra back to their partner, it was supercharged with her own essence, and far more potent.

It was a given that the tailed beasts generally detested humans and especially resented being sealed into them. Yet they, and humans as well, viewed the maidens as carriers of the Sage's will. And the fact was that the very presence of a Master Doll almost instantly calmed any tailed beast, or at least got their immediate attention, with one very notable exception. Even with two Master Dolls in her possession, Kushina had never managed to tame the Nine-Tailed Fox, so sealing it had been mandatory. Shinku could at least safely converse with it, but it was a task neither enjoyed, Shinku because she could not effectively diffuse its hatred, and the fox because it loathed the idea of aiding humans, willingly or otherwise. Shinku understood how cruel humans could be, how lost they had become, so she could not blame the fox for the way it felt. Perhaps a small part of her even felt the fox was justified in its hatred.

"I have called this emergency council meeting for obvious, and not so obvious reasons," the Sandaime Hokage said as he glanced around the room. "As you are all aware, the village is still recovering the rampage of the Nine-Tails. I would like to address the ongoing efforts to locate the missing and treat the wounded, but there is far more pressing matter: the deaths of the Yondaime Hokage and his wife."

"This is admittedly a major blow, Hokage-sama," Inuzuka Tsume admitted. "I'll be the first to say the village will never be the same without those two. But with all due respect, what else is there to discuss? We have recovered their bodies, and I trust they will be treated with all the honor we can afford to give them."

The Sandaime sighed. "Kushina gave birth to a son shortly before her death. She was clearly prepared for the possibility of her premature death, and left certain instructions to be followed."

Tsume chuckled. "Again, with all due respect, she isn't here to scare us into doing her bidding anymore."

"The instructions aren't for us, exactly. They concern the fate of two Master Dolls that were in Kushina's possession. I understand that she made contact with the Sage during her pregnancy, and the next successors have been chosen."

"What?" Shimura Danzo demanded. "Why was the council not made aware of this the moment she knew?"

"Several reasons, including the fact that Kushina was aware the selections would not be at all popular. As has happened before, the Sage seems to have chosen someone whose potential is well hidden from our eyes. But I am not the best one to explain. I have invited Kushina's partner to act as a living will, as she was also there when Kushina died." The Hokage nodded slightly, and a masked ANBU stepped out of the shadows, carefully placing a large carrying case on the table before the Hokage. At once, the case sprang open.

It was not a girl, or a doll, that emerged from the case. Such words simply did not do the being proper justice, nor did they adequately describe the grace in her every movement, the power hidden just beneath her bright blue eyes. But from the mere fact that no one protested when she turned and greeted the Hokage by his given name, it was clear who had the power in the room.

"Honored council, I thank you for the opportunity to address you. However, I fear that I bear news you will not find welcome. Likewise, I regret the news myself, but I am duty-bound to deliver it. Mistress Kushina has spoken with my Most Honored Father, and in accordance with his wishes, effective immediately, I must wake Hinaichigo."

Virtually every person in attendance wore the same grimace in that moment. While possessing any Master Doll was certainly a blessing, Hinaichigo's immaturity was legendary. It was a source of immense relief that her last partner, Uzumaki Mito, had decreed that Hinaichigo was to take a nap for a decade. Ten years had come and gone, however, and that Shinku had not acted on the matter at the time told everyone that even among the Master Dolls, patience was limited.

"I take it this means that Hinaichigo's intended partner has been found?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked. "I was under the impression that only an Uzumaki, or a Senju, had the necessary stamina and chakra reserves to support her. Has this changed in some way?"

"It has not. Hinaichigo's partner will be an Uzumaki... the last in the village, in fact. Kushina's son, Naruto." It was clear from the pain in Shinku's tone that this was not something she agreed with.

"But why?" Tsume asked. "You were Kushina's partner. Shouldn't you then be inherited by her son?"

"I had thought the same as you do. But my Most Honored Father... in his wisdom, has chosen otherwise. I am to be the partner of a girl from a family with no significant history as shinobi. I am under orders to bring out her true potential, as I am sure Hinaichigo will do with Naruto. I will, of course, check in on them regularly. And let me be clear on one other matter. Once Hinaichigo is awake, she will be Naruto's sole guardian. I will give her full authorization to deal with anyone who targets Naruto, and anything on or within his person, with lethal force. Traitors to Mistress Kushina's will shall not be tolerated."

"He's so cute!" Hinaichigo giggled, gently poking Naruto's cheek with a finger. "My very own little baby to play with!"

Little Naruto endured such treatment with a surprising amount of amusement, in Shinku's estimation. She sighed and shook her head. "You must take excellent care of him, little sister. I swore to Mistress Kushina that he would be in good hands."

"I didn't know her," Hinaichigo murmured. "But from the way you talk about her, she must have been really nice, like Mito-chan! I bet he'll turn out the same way!"

"You must be very careful, Hinaichigo. There are many in this village who would harm Naruto because they do not understand his burden. You must protect him to the best of your ability. Even if you need to draw on my strength until Naruto is old enough to make a contract with you, do not hesitate to do so."

Hinaichigo pouted. "Why are you talking like you aren't going to be around, Shinku? You aren't leaving us, are you?"

Shinku smiled and fondly stroked her sister's hair. "Of course not. But I won't be able to play with you and Naruto as much. I have my own human to mold into an acceptable servant now. So I am counting on you, Hinaichigo. And so is Naruto."

Hinaichigo nodded and leaned over Naruto, tickling his foot and laughing when he squealed. "It's too bad the others couldn't be here. I bet Kana knows plenty of songs to help him to sleep."

"I'm sure you can manage without her. Besides, being quiet has never really been a strength of hers, and Naruto will need plenty of rest."

"And you still haven't heard from the others?"

Shinku took a moment to consider how best to answer. "I spoke briefly with Souseiseki a few years ago. She was purposely vague, and would only say that Suiseiseki is contracted to a human in an allied village, and that they had no plans to separate at that time. I have not heard from Kanaria and Suigintou, not that I expected to. And as for our other sister... I have a rather firm idea of where she is, or rather, where she is hiding. And at this point, no contact with her is probably for the best."

In the shinobi world, there exist ninja tools of the highest order, said to contain the essence of the fabled Sage of Six Paths. They have been passed down for generations among the hidden villages, in the hopes of finding the chosen few who can successfully wield them.

No one can truly say what the requirements are, only that former wielders seem to have an eye for selecting their successors. But even there, the lines of succession are never so straightforward.

In the case of Uzumaki Naruto, for example, everyone thought he would inherit Shinku, the Master Doll wielded by his mother, Kushina. Instead, he was entrusted with Hinaichigo, who had last been partnered with a long-dead Uzumaki matriarch. Hinaichio, asleep in her doll case since then, had simply been passed down to other Uzumaki, but never awakened until Naruto was born. Shinku, in an enormously controversial move, was given to a family that had no obvious connection to the clan, and no clear shinobi talent.

Even Shinku did not seem pleased with the situation, at first. She made numerous attempts to run away and win Naruto's favor. And while Naruto was happy to welcome any part of his mother's will into his life, he would not replace Hinaichigo. Shinku eventually accepted this, and quietly resolved herself to remain the Master Doll belonging to Haruno Sakura. And luckily, Sakura, who had no friends and was painfully shy, would do anything to please her beloved doll, so it wasn't long before she and Naruto had become friends, both because of their dolls and their own limited options. This was to everyone's benefit. For the only thing guaranteed to defeat a single Master Doll, was two of them working together. Wars had been fought to ensure that a single set remained in the same hidden village. The Leaf Village was once able to boast two complete sets of Master Dolls, but due to unforeseen circumstances, only one set remained.

The next time that Shinku appeared at a council meeting, it was also to deliver unfortunate news. This time, however, she listened as the Sandaime Hokage regretfully explained the situation concerning Konoha's latest missing-nin, Uchiha Itachi.

She knew nearly every word to be false, but remained silent. As Kushina's representative, she was expected to support the last Hokage that her Master had. Aside from that, Sarutobi Hiruzen had honored Kushina's wishes to the best of his ability. Unfortunately, doing that had cost him much of his power, which in turn prevented him from ensuring that all of Kushina's wishes were honored. He had been largely unable to provide for Naruto, beyond meager funds and a tiny apartment. Kushina had fortunately foreseen such a challenge originating from the village council, and provided ways to get around them.

Having come from their own village that they themselves headed, the Uzumaki clan had set up a treasury that had been passed down to Kushina. No mortal outside of the clan knew of it, and until Naruto came of age, only Shinku could access it freely. She had done so from time to time, to ensure that Naruto had everything he needed, but Hinaichigo had made such occurrences very rare. Between the enormous strawberries that she produced and sold every week without fail despite all weather conditions, and the uniquely long-lasting roses that Shinku cultivated and sold through the Yamanaka clan, Naruto was one of the richest children in Konoha, even if few were aware of it, himself included. Shinku intended to keep it that way, as much of Konoha had already proven they were not to be trusted.

Which was exactly why Shinku could not contain her silence a moment longer.

"My apologies, Hiruzen," she interrupted, as politely as she possibly could. "But I am afraid there is something urgent that needs to be said, and I alone am in a position to do so."

Danzo snorted and tapped his cane against the floor. "In my day, dolls did not interrupt the Hokage."

Shinku glared at him. "I suggest that you hold your tongue, old man. I am about to reveal that you have done more than enough this day."

Sarutobi frowned at her. "What are you referring to, Shinku?" It was clear from his tone that she was on thin ice.

"I am sorry, Hiruzen. But it is bad enough that he still has a seat on this council. If I cannot take that from him, then I will take every opportunity to prove that someone else should."

Homura waved off the concern. "We are all aware that your feelings for Danzo are no different from those of your former mistress, Shinku."

"Are you aware that Danzo has committed two acts of treason within the past twenty-four hours, Homura-san?"

This accusation was met with complete silence.

"Lies," Danzo said at last, totally unconcerned.

"I need only reveal one to prove the depths of your betrayal. The massacre of the Uchiha clan was no accident, nor did Uchiha Itachi have any choice in his role in it. He was manipulated from the shadows, by a force he had absolutely no defense against. He was exposed to this force by Danzo himself."

"You have no proof of any of this," Danzo reminded everyone in the room.

"But I do," Shinku replied sweetly. "Danzo, all in this council are aware that you were entrusted with the safekeeping of the Seventh Master Doll. Please, for our peace of mind, have her brought here and present her to us. And be warned, any attempt to bend the truth will be dealt with severely."

After a very long pause, Danzo sighed. "That Master Doll is no longer in my possession, as you well know."

"Danzo!" Homura cried in outrage. "What is the meaning of this?! That doll's power is-!"

"Kirakishou's legendary power was being wasted in her box, while the village grew steadily weaker. I had no choice. I attempted to match her with a suitable medium, and-"

"Failed," Shinku offered. "In spectacular fashion, I might add. What did you think would happen, if you simply tried to replace Itachi's existing partner? When has Suigintou ever indicated that she would be likely to share or give up her prized medium without a battle to the death? You are lucky that it was only one clan reduced to dust, rather than this entire village!"

"Arguing over a grand mistake is pointless now," Sarutobi stated. "What matters is correcting it, swiftly. Itachi was a formidable ninja even before he left the academy. In Kirakishou's hands, he is practically the second coming of Madara. Our only hope is if Suigintou is still willing to work with us and select a new partner, one who at least has a chance of fighting Itachi to a draw."

"There is no need to concern yourselves with that," Shinku replied. "I have spoken with Suigintou, and she has already chosen a new partner. She is confident that he can be easily groomed into the last loyal Uchiha."

"I was told that there were no more Uchiha in the village," Danzo growled. "There was a survivor?"

"Obviously. He is traumatized currently, but he is hidden safely away in Suigintou's N-field. Until such time as the village is once again stable, young Uchiha Sasuke shall benefit solely from the care of the Rozen Maidens."

"It wasn't real. Tell me it wasn't, Sui-nee."

Suigintou turned her head away, but gently brushed the damp, black hair away from the feverish forehead. "I can't do that, Sasuke-chan. And this is no time for me to comfort you with illusions. Illusions are your enemy now, and will be until Kirakishou is defeated and torn away from Itachi."

"I don't understand," Sasuke whispered. "Why would she do this?"

"It is the fault of man," Suigintou answered. "The Seventh was corrupted, tainted. She cannot undo what man has done to her. She is little more than a ghost, but now that she has a body, willing or otherwise, she is virtually unstoppable. But we will stop her. Itachi is mine, and Kirakishou was meant for you. Until then, I will make you strong. You will wear my ring of contract, and when the time is right, we will each take back what belongs to us."

"What if she consumes his soul before we can find her?"

Suigintou gritted her teeth. "Then I will find a way to kill my littlest sister, and give you her head on a pike."

By the time that Itachi was allowed to stop running, several things had become clear to him.

The blood would never wash out of his clothing.

His clan was dead.

And if Suigintou reacted as he suspected, and drove Sasuke forward in a fruitless quest for revenge, Itachi would kill his little brother. If only to save his soul from being devoured by Kirakishou.

It hadn't always been that way. Once, Itachi had hope that Sasuke could fill the gaping hole in Kirakishou's heart, and gradually turn her away from evil desires. But now that Itachi had experienced the depths of Kirakishou's hunger and cruelty firsthand, all he wanted was to destroy her.

Even as he thought it, he felt invisible hands caress his sweaty forehead.

"You must not think that way, my Master," Kirakishou cooed in his ear. "You belong to me now. We are one." As if to prove this, his right hand jerked up, grabbed his left wrist, and began to squeeze with monstrous strength. Itachi only screamed when he heard the snap of bones breaking.

"Please," he gasped, doing his best to hold back tears.

His right hand fell limply to his side. It was remarkably like the left one in that way.

"I don't like hurting us, Master," Kirakishou murmured, her voice thick with tears. "Please don't make me do it again?"

"I apologize, Kirakishou," Itachi whispered.

"Master!" she squealed fondly. "I knew you loved me!"

"Of course I do." Itachi closed his eyes and lowered his head. "You are my partner." The lie tasted foul in his mouth, and he prayed that Suigintou would never find out.

"We should go now," Kirakishishou decided, urging his body forward. "We don't want to be caught, and we shouldn't keep That Man waiting."

That much, Itachi did agree on. There was no going back to the village, even though the danger he was voluntarily approaching would be even greater. It was bad enough to put any Master Doll in Akatsuki's hands, but to give them Kirakishou was unforgivable.

Not because of what they would do with her, though.

Because of what she could and would do the world, through them.

Continued in Chapter 2: Uchiha Mediums

The first time that Kirakishou saw Obito, she just knew. An Uchiha was meant to be her Master. If only that silly girl hadn't gotten in the way. If only her soul hadn't tasted so sweet.