Chapter Four - The Bullet
"Yes... yes, he's seventeen years old. Five-foot-eight. He has brown hair and green eyes. Has a light tan, probably wearing a blue shirt... sir, he's an American teenager in Japan, I feel like that'll stand out to you," Rick said over the phone to a Japanese policeman who was able to comprehend and speak English fluently enough to assist him. Following his daughters' frightful command, he had contacted the Fukushimaken Prefectural Police headquarters, as he had no idea where Noah was in Japan and could only assume he was close by... if he was in Japan at all, which Rick still seriously doubted.
"Did he run off from our room? No, he couldn't have. I came here alone on a business trip, so none of my children have any business being here in the first place," Rick explained to the officer. "And besides, my children would have no reason to run away. We're a very close-knit family. It just wouldn't make sense."
In the best English he could muster, the officer on the other end asked another question.
"I'm sorry? The reception is a little fuzzy on my end, I didn't quite hear what you said. Could you repeat that, please?" Rick asked. When the officer repeated the inquiry, he replied, "No, I don't feel like he was kidnapped. My daughters said that some strange earthquake happened, and when it calmed down, they went to check on Noah and he was gone. Then, somehow, they managed to get into contact with him over the phone, and that's when he told them he was here in Japan somewhere."
The officer's next question made Rick sit up straighter in his seat.
"Have I tried contacting him? Uh, heh... no, I can't say that I've thought of that. I-I'll give him a call, see if I can't get any concrete details to help you out. Could you hold on for just a moment, please? Alright, thank you, I'll try and be quick."
Rick's face felt hot with embarrassment as he realized that he never even considered calling Noah. His son was in contact with his sisters, despite that he shouldn't have been able to get service; how had it managed to slip Rick's mind to try and call the boy?
Rick dialed Noah's cellphone number, laying the work cell he was using to speak to the policeman down on the table, and waited for Noah to pick up.
"...Hello? Dad, is this you?" Noah's voice came. He sounded surprised.
"Noah? Oh, thank God, you are okay," Rick said, relieved. But this was soon replaced by aggravation: "So why, exactly, did you think it was a good idea to scare your sisters senseless and have me on the phone with the Fukushima police? Do you realize what could happen if this turns out to be just a stupid joke you decided to play?"
"You know, I kinda wish I was joking, for once," Noah replied.
"...So you're sticking with that whole 'being in Japan' nonsense, then?" Rick demanded.
"I'd love for it to be nonsense, dad, I really would," Noah said, beginning to sound a bit irate. "The way the girls say it, there was a weird noise and an earthquake, and boom, here I am-"
Noah was suddenly interrupted by an unintelligible question on his end. Rick could only just make out a feminine tone to whoever's voice it was.
"Uh, Kaya, I'm talking to my dad right now..." Noah muttered.
"I beg your pardon? Who's Kaya?" Rick asked.
"Uh, well, I'd let you talk to her and find out, but I'm pretty sure she thinks my phone is some kind of demonic artifact or someth- hey- wha- sto- Finn!" Noah snapped as his phone was apparently wrestled out of his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Eranns," Finn's voice came over the line.
"Finn? Finn McDaniel? So, I take it you're with Noah, then?" Rick guessed.
"Yeah, and he's being a twit, so I figured I'd help him out with this," Finn replied ever-so-casually - a stark difference in demeanor from Noah, who had seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"Okay... so, are you going to say the same thing Noah did? About being in Japan right now?" Rick asked.
"Aye," Finn replied. "I was in my room, just doing my usual thing, and all of a sudden this massive earthquake rocks the house, I black out, and when I come to, Noah and I are here in Japan."
"That's five times I've heard that, now... Oh shit. Maybe you kids are serious," Rick realized, his fear mounting.
"Sir, we've been serious this entire time," Finn said plainly. "I'm not allowed to say what I think that earthquake was, because Noah'll punch me if I do, but let me put it this way: We're still in the clothes we were wearing yesterday, neither of us have any money or our passports, and we have nothing but what we're carrying on us to hold us over for the time being - which is one of my crossbows and a sword. So, to say the least, we certainly didn't hop any planes here," he explained.
Rick blinked, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing. "I'm sorry, this whole earthquake thing just isn't making sense to me. Did you two stow away on a boat, maybe?"
"Aye, we totally ran down to the nearest marina, in the middle of an earthquake, tucked ourselves into barrels, and stowed away to Japan like a couple of wannabe pirates," Finn scoffed. "Come on, man, try and use your head, here."
"I'm being serious here, Finn," Rick snapped. "This earthquake nonsense sounds like something out of a damn book, you'll have to forgive me if I'm not inclined to believe it!"
"Sorry, but it's the truth. It was an earthquake. No getting around it," Finn said, his calmness never wavering.
"Okay... fine, fine. I'll let you have the benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I'm more concerned about how you're handling this so well. Aren't you worried?" Rick asked.
"Of course I'm worried. We have no idea how to get back home, that should worry anybody in our position," Finn replied. "Thing is, though, getting all nutty about it won't help the issue, so I'm just putting it in the back of my mind."
"...I guess you're right. From the sounds of it, you and Noah are both safe, so there's no real sense in freaking out." Though he said these words, Rick's heart only seemed to pound faster. Then, another question crossed his mind: "Hey, since I have you, do you, by any chance, know where the two of you are? Noah probably doesn't know his face from his tail."
"...See, I was really hoping you wouldn't ask that, because we're not anywhere in the present day," Finn said.
Rick sat back, chuckling. "Oh come on, Finn. It's already bad enough that you kids managed to find your way across country borders without anything to keep you from landing in jail, and you're all so adamant that it was the work of some alien earthquake, don't go and pull this crap on me, too."
"I really, really wish it was actually crap. We're on our way right now to an Emishi village," Finn said with no trace of humor in his voice. "They're one of those groups of people who you would only learn existed after accidentally finding a page about them on Wikipedia."
"I can't imagine how you expect me to buy this," Rick sighed. "I'm probably going to land myself in jail for wasting the police's time."
"Quite honestly, I didn't think you'd believe me. But, hey, it's the truth, so whether you buy it or not is moot," Finn responded. "Sorry if it lands you in jail, though."
"Right. Well, at least I know you kids are okay, so I can tell the police that much. You're not exactly making finding you an easy process, though, just so you know," Rick said.
"Trust us, we know," Noah said, having snagged his phone back from Finn while Rick was talking.
"Alright, I've kept the officer waiting long enough, I think. I'm going to be keeping in contact with you frequently, so keep your phone handy," Rick advised.
"Sure thing, dad," Noah replied.
"Don't get into trouble," Rick ordered.
"I mean, we'll try, but I'm not gonna promise anything," Noah said.
"Noah," Rick said in a warning tone.
"Look, I didn't say we were gonna go out and look to start shit, did I?" Noah argued defensively.
"...Just try and behave. I'll talk to you soon," Rick replied. After he and Noah exchanged their goodbyes, he hung up and returned to his work phone. He paused while reaching for it, however, as he came to a realization: as he had said to Finn, telling the police such a tall tale would likely end with a trip to a Japanese jail cell, if not a mental institution. And from the way all the kids were behaving, it didn't seem like there was anything the police could do in the first place. And the more they persisted about the whole thing being some supernatural phenomenon... the more he began to believe it, himself.
Rick quietly made a decision, and picked up his phone.
"Hello, officer? Yes, I'm back. So, apparently, this was all a big prank, and my son was just screwing around with everyone. He was at home the entire time. I apologize for inconveniencing your department," Rick said to the officer on the other end.
An irritated response was given.
"Yes, sir. I realize that I've wasted your time. Rest assured, it won't happen again. I'm very sorry," Rick apologized.
The officer issued a very strict warning not to call again unless an actual problem cropped up, and then hung up the phone in annoyance.
Rick leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"Well, this is going to be an uncomfortable call to the girls..." he muttered.
"Sheesh, the guy acts like we're about to set off fireworks in someone's yard or something," Noah muttered, placing his phone back in his pocket.
"China learned how to make fireworks at least as far back as the seventh century, and trade between them and Japan was probably a thing in this time period, so we probably could," Finn said.
"I swear, I don't know how you manage to stay awake enough in your first period history class to retain any of that information," Noah sighed. "I guess it's better than first period P.E., though."
"Who said I learned that in my history class? Mate, we're covering Mesopotamia right now," Finn replied.
"So you got all that off the internet, then?" Noah assumed.
"Wikipedia is a wonderful thing when you want to learn something just because you're bored," Finn confirmed.
"Um... excuse me?" Kaya piped up. "What... was that strange device you spoke to your father with? Was it some sort of talisman? And what is this, uh... Wikipedia, I believe you called it?"
Noah and Finn both stopped in their tracks, both having forgotten that they were still in the company of Kaya and her friends, and fell silent as they realized that they had been speaking so casually about things the girls would never live long enough to understand. The two boys shifted uncomfortably, waiting for one to suddenly have a brilliant explanation and thereby save the other the trouble.
"...Uh, let's put it like this," Noah said, "I was talking to my dad through a very advanced device from my time that, I'm sorry to say, is far beyond your time's capabilities, and Wikipedia is kind of like a... book of infinite knowledge, you could say. And whenever new things are made, dedicated knowledge-keepers add that new information to its pages."
Kaya and her friends seemed intrigued by this, and whispered amongst themselves for a moment. It seemed as though they were prepared to launch into a tirade of further questions.
"And you get on my case for liking fantasy stories," Finn chuckled.
"Your fantasies involve elves and dragons and shit like that," Noah argued.
"You just called an encyclopedia website some book of infinite knowledge forever maintained by keepers. I don't think you have any room to talk," Finn rebutted with a smug grin.
"Oh, stuff it," Noah grunted.
Kaya pulled herself back to reality first and said, "We must hurry to the village. We can't afford to spend too much time out here, or else the others may worry about us."
"Right. Sorry, I forgot that we had somewhere to be," Noah said.
The conversation ended there, and the group picked up the pace along the web of pathways.
Elsewhere, Ashitaka and Yakul arrived at the base of the watchtower. Ashitaka whispered a command to Yakul to stay, then hopped off his back to the ladder leading up to the tower's landing. Quickly, Ashitaka scaled the rickety structure, stopping only to peer into the shadows of the thick forest. Something seemed... off.
"...Something's coming," Ashitaka muttered to himself. He felt as though he might get a better view at the top, and so scaled the rest of the tower to the landing, where old Ji-sama the watchman watched the forest intently.
"Ji-sama, what do you see?" Ashitaka inquired.
"I... can't say," Ji-sama replied. "It's too thick in the trees to know for certain. But it doesn't feel human, whatever it is."
"Whatever it is seems to have Hi-sama just as worried. I hear she's issued a call for everybody to return to the village," Ashitaka added.
"Yes. That's what has me concerned. Her visions have foreseen-" Ji-sama was cut off by a horrid noise, and the sound of trees being violently felled. His eyes widened in horror as the ground suddenly started to tremor. "Beware, Ashitaka! It comes!"
Ashitaka unslung his bow from his shoulders and nocked an arrow, his aim true to the shadowy opening in the treeline, waiting for the monster to reveal itself.
Several seconds of anxious silence passed between the two men, broken only by the ever-increasing volume of the chaos coming their way, until finally, something appeared - a few black, oily tentacles. Then a few more. Then many more. The ground shook more and more intensely.
Ashitaka pulled the bowstring back.
Suddenly, the true beast burst forth, roaring madly. It was some horrible abomination, many limbs made of tentacles, only two blood-red eyes to mark its face.
Ji-sama choked out a frightened gasp. "I-It's a tatarigami!"
"A tatarigami...?" Ashitaka repeated.
Just then, the tatarigami stopped, the ground rotting away beneath its feet. And to the shock of Ashitaka and Ji-sama, the tentacles that obscured its face peeled away, revealing the head of a gigantic boar. With another enraged roar, the tentacles flew up into the air, revealing the boar's entire body, before crashing back down upon it and consuming it, becoming the many-limbed monster once more.
And then it charged the base of the tower.
Ashitaka recoiled in horror and leaned over the railing.
"Yakul! Run!" he screamed to the red elk below, who was frozen in terror. When Yakul failed to respond, Ashitaka aimed his bow and fired an arrow into the post beside him, startling the elk out of its trance and sending him fleeing from the oncoming monstrosity, which wrapped itself about the tower's supports and broke them into pieces.
Ashitaka grabbed Ji-sama as the tower began to fall and leapt off the landing, the two men plummeting towards a thick tree canopy below and crashing into the uppermost branches - bruised, but safe.
The tatarigami consumed and destroyed the watchtower with nary a care as to its existence, as it was locked onto a new objective.
"It's heading for the village!" Ashitaka gasped. "It's going to attack our people!"
Ashitaka leapt from branch to branch down to the ground.
"Ashitaka, wait! You must not touch the tatarigami! You'll be cursed by its evil if you do!" Ji-sama called, though Ashitaka didn't seem to hear him.
Ashitaka made his way to the rotting hill where the tatarigami had begun its assault and whistled loudly. Yakul was quick to respond, having only run to the nearby trees, and as his rider hopped atop his back, the elk charged after the beast.
Noah and Finn's bodies went cold at the sound of the monstrous roaring. Kaya and the other girls looked about worriedly, trying to pinpoint the source.
"We need to move," Kaya ordered. "It's not safe out here!"
"Get ready, Noah, it's happening," Finn said grimly.
"Oh shit, oh shit, shit..." Noah said, trembling in fear. Had it been loaded, his quivering hands might have unintentionally bumped the crossbow's trigger and fired a bolt into Finn's side.
Kaya ran back and grabbed Finn and Noah by their arms, dragging the two boys with her as she ran after the other girls. The closer they got to the village, it seemed, the louder the roaring became, and the harder the ground shook.
"I just hope this stays true to the movie, and we don't end up having to square off with him," Noah said to Finn in between breaths.
"Just make sure you have that thing ready to fire if it comes to it," Finn panted back. "Our being here could change any number of events!"
"W-what do you mean?" one of the girls stammered.
"I mean, we're about to see what it is Hi-sama is so worried about, and I fear it's not going to be pleasant," Finn replied.
Ashitaka rode down the hill and into another patch of the forest, scanning the area around him for any sign of the monster. For being so large, the tatarigami had proven itself to be quite skilled at hiding from sight, and that had Ashitaka worried.
His fears were well-founded, as he suddenly felt the ground rumbling, looked behind him and locked eyes with the tatarigami, who had now chosen him as its target.
'It's seen me... perhaps I can use this chance to divert it away from the village!' Ashitaka realized. He made sure to keep Yakul in front of the monster and made several attempts to redirect its course, but no matter where he tried to lead the tatarigami, it refused to follow, and Ashitaka would have to cut back in front of it again to regain its attention.
Finally, he turned and faced the tatarigami, holding his hand out in a warding gesture.
"Calm! I beseech you, calm your rage!" Ashitaka begged.
No response. The tatarigami continued its rampage.
"Why? Why must you do this? Why do you, a protector of these forests, seek innocent blood?!" Ashitaka demanded.
Again, no answer. But as he and the tatarigami burst forth into the clearing leading down to the village, the monster stopped and turned... and it was then that Ashitaka spotted Kaya, her friends, and the two outsiders quickly making their way to the village.
"No...!" Ashitaka gasped.
"Kaya! Monster!"
The girl's shrill warning caught everybody's attention, and they collectively blanched at the sight of the tatarigami - Noah and Finn knew who it really was, of course, but they weren't in any frame of mind to say it aloud.
"Shit... I just remembered, he's going to try and come after-" Noah whispered.
"Kaya. Who we're standing right next to," Finn finished, and for the first time since they arrived in the Muromachi Period, he sounded afraid.
Almost as if on cue, the beast turned towards them and began to charge.
"Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" Noah cursed as he fumbled with the crossbow, trying to set the bowstring and load a bolt before it was too late.
"No time! To the village! Hurry!" Kaya screamed, grabbing Noah's sleeve and dragging him behind her as he continued to fumble with his weapon, his shaky hands constantly losing their grip on the bowstring and snapping it across his fingers painfully. He didn't have time to try and use the stirrup.
Finn looked back to see Noah having difficulty with the crossbow, and Ashitaka failing to stave off the monster's attack, and decided something needed to be done, now. He stopped in his tracks, reached out and ripped the crossbow from Noah's hands, swiped a bolt, and in a matter of seconds, he had set the string and loaded the ammunition. He dropped to one knee, aiming directly at the monster and waiting for his opening to fire.
"Finn, what are you doing?!" Noah called out in shock.
No response. Finn narrowed his eyes as Ashitaka and the monster drew closer.
Noah heard one of Kaya's friends shriek as she tripped and fell to the ground. He ran to try and help her to her feet, but she had twisted her ankle and couldn't stand. Kaya drew her sword and stood defensively in front of Noah and the other girls, bracing herself for what she must have felt was her inevitable demise.
Noah looked up and saw Finn still sitting directly in the path of danger.
"Finn!" Noah screamed.
Right at that moment, Finn's hand twitched against the trigger, and the bolt was released, whistling through the air and slamming into the monster's left eye - right beside Ashitaka's own arrow, fired at the same time, as the Emishi prince had finally decided that reasoning with the beast wasn't working and resorted to self defense instead.
The monster let out a blood curdling scream and turned sharply to the right, recoiling in pain. Finn took this opening to get back to his feet and sprint back to Noah, Kaya and the other girls, while Ashitaka rode back in front of the beast for his next shot.
"Time to go!" Finn said, shoving the crossbow back into Noah's arms and grabbing the injured girl under her shoulders, dragging her behind him as he, Noah, Kaya and the other girl all raced towards the village as fast as they could manage. They reached the border and were received by warriors who pulled them behind their line and made a tight formation, lighting a barrier of wood and dry brush on fire and holding swords, bows, spears and whatever else could be weaponized at the ready, should the beast make it that far.
Meanwhile, as Ashitaka regained the tatarigami's attention, the beast's tentacles pulled in on themselves, then exploded outward and surged towards their target. Ashitaka threw up his right arm to defend himself, and the tentacles latched on. Fighting back the urge to cry out from the burning pain that he felt, Ashitaka ripped his arm free and drew another arrow, turning Yakul and riding him straight towards the monster.
The tentacles peeled away from the boar they shielded, and as it turned its bloody head to glare at Ashitaka, the prince let fly his arrow, which struck the boar in between its eyes and, with unnatural power, punctured through its skull.
With one final horrible shriek, the boar collapsed to the ground, and the tentacles disintegrated. The battle was done.
Ashitaka winced in pain and looked back at his arm, which still had some residual tentacles wrapped about it. As Yakul carried him back to the other villagers, he clutched his arm in pain and slid off the elk's back. Kaya and the other villagers emerged from behind the barrier, rushing towards their injured prince. Noah and Finn stayed put with some of the archers, trying to see to the injured girl and not wanting to risk getting caught in a trap.
"Shit," Noah gasped, clutching the crossbow to his chest. "I'm glad I'm alive... b-but I think I'm gonna be sick..."
"Take a second to breathe," Finn advised, though he sounded about ready to faint. He was breathing rather heavily himself and was drenched in a cold sweat. Noah noticed that he was trembling far worse than himself, which was making his efforts to bandage the girl's injured ankle quite difficult, and he could almost swear that there were tears streaming down his friend's face. Noah guessed that the spot of bravery he had displayed earlier must have been nothing more than an adrenaline rush that had since worn off.
"You... you okay?" Noah asked.
"I'll be fine," Finn whispered, though he seemed on the verge of breaking down completely.
"Where's Hi-sama? Ashitaka has been wounded!" one of the warriors called.
Finn and Noah looked up in time to see another burly villager cart a frail medicine woman on his back out to the injured Ashitaka.
"Everyone! You must not touch his wounds!" Hi-sama called to the gathered crowd around Ashitaka. At her warning, everyone stepped back cautiously, while Ashitaka sat on the ground clutching his arm in pain.
Hi-sama climbed down from the villager's back and hobbled over to Kaya with a water gourd, proffering it to the girl.
"Here, take this water and pour it on the wound - slowly," the elderly woman ordered.
Kaya took and unstopped the gourd, then poured the water onto Ashitaka's injured arm. To the shock of everybody, the water flashed to steam on impact, making a cloud big enough for Noah and Finn, still behind the barrier, to see.
"I know I saw this in the movie, but seeing it for real is way more unnerving," Noah muttered.
"That tends to be the way things go," Finn mumbled, having had a chance to calm himself down somewhat.
Whilst Kaya tended to Ashitaka's wound, Hi-sama turned and walked slowly to the dead boar, bleeding profusely from its wounds. The villagers took a knee respectfully before the body.
"I know not where or why you came, nor for what crime we were made to witness your fury, great one... but I would humbly speak," the elder said. "Your death will not be dishonored. We shall plant a totem in your memory, upon the very ground where you lay. May you release your anger and find peace where your soul now travels."
For a moment, there was a solemn silence... but then, to the fright of everyone, the boar spoke:
"You filthy humans... you will know of my pain, and my sorrow! You will suffer, as I have suffered!"
The boar's voice rumbled like thunder, and the ground trembled ever so slightly. The warriors ducked protectively behind their shields, some moving to guard Hi-sama, others inching back as if preparing for a full-scale retreat. With one last menacing glare through its undamaged eye at Ashitaka, the boar finally breathed its last, and in a sickening display, everything dissolved until only the massive skeleton remained, upon the blackened, ruined earth where it fell.
Noah and Finn peaked out from behind the barrier, then decided it was finally safe to emerge and followed the archers out to the crowd.
"Wow. That... that was ominous," Noah remarked.
The villagers turned and stared warily at the two outsiders, but Ashitaka stood shakily to his feet and approached them.
"I have you two to thank for protecting Kaya and the others. Were it not for you, there would have been far worse damage than a few injuries," the prince said graciously. Hearing his words, the other villagers seemed to decide that the boys were of little threat and calmed themselves.
"Yeah, about that - how bad's your arm hurt?" Noah asked.
Ashitaka didn't answer, merely cradled his newly bandaged forearm grimly.
Noah suddenly saw a glint come from the skeleton behind Ashitaka.
"Hang on, it looks like there's something..." he muttered. Ashitaka looked to where he had as he started to move towards the small point of light.
"Wait! Don't approach the body! There's no telling what could happen!" Hi-sama warned.
"I'm pretty sure he's dead this time, call it a hunch," Noah replied, walking to the skeleton. As he stepped into the shadows of the massive bones, onto the ruined ground where they laid, he spotted what looked to be something metallic and bent down to pick it up.
It looked to be a small, almost spherical metal ball, scorched slightly on one end. It was small enough to be called a marble, but was heavy in the hand. It gleamed in the sunlight from the blood it was coated with.
"Hey, isn't that-?" Finn asked quietly.
"The bullet that kickstarted everything. Yep," Noah replied. "And everybody just watched me find it, so it's not like I can avoid questions at this point. What do you think, should I fudge it and act like I've never seen this before, or...?"
"Worried you'll accidentally mess up the plot and possibly trap us here forever?" Finn asked.
"I'm actually more worried about being strung up for being suspiciously well-informed about this," Noah answered, gesturing to the bullet ball. "But sure, we'll go with your idea."
Ashitaka and Kaya approached the two boys from behind, as did Hi-sama and a few of the warriors who were willing to brave the scarred ground they stood upon.
"What is it? What have you found?" Hi-sama inquired.
Noah and Finn exchanged a glance which said, "no avoiding it now," and turned to face the group. Noah walked up to Hi-sama and placed the bullet into her open, bony palm.
"I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I have this funny feeling that what you're holding might have some responsibility for what happened here," Noah said carefully, choosing his words.
Hi-sama looked at the small metal ball with a dark, worried expression. Ashitaka and Kaya stared in wonder at the object. Whispers began circulating through the other warriors as they tried to wrap their heads around how such a small thing could cause so much trouble. Then, without a word, Hi-sama turned and made her way back into the village, guarded closely by the warriors. Ashitaka and Kaya stayed behind with Noah and Finn.
"I suspect there's to be a gathering tonight, in light of this," Kaya mused.
"It might do you two good to be present as well. No doubt, the villagers will be concerned about the circumstances of your arrival and the attack happening within the same day," Ashitaka advised.
"Okay... but are they even going to let us in? It doesn't really seem like you cater to visitors very often," Noah wondered.
"You're correct - we don't typically host outsiders. But this is a different occasion. There's no ignoring the effort you went to in order to protect Kaya and the other girls, and she attests that you played a hand in helping me fight off the tatarigami as well. Besides that, you two stood beside us, ready to fight to the end, if it came to that. You've more than earned our respect. They'll let you pass," Ashitaka said with utmost certainty.
Finn and Noah looked at each other and shrugged.
"Well, no time like the present, then," Noah decided. "Let's get to that gathering."
