Disclaimer: Insert standard legal disclaimer here!
A/N: I'm here, I'm still alive, don't fret… Yup, sorry it took so long, but exams are the devil. I'm in the process of repressing all that horror and anxiety, so while I work on that, let's focus on more fun things. Like, say, a new chapter of my fic? What a coincidence, here's one now!
Personage, Rogue 14, Sweety8587, darkstorm5000, LoneWolf422, Ms.Rogue LeBeau, Rogue4787, NG, naemis, enchantedlight, Swasti, wildcardrose, chicita, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, xmengirlzrule, EE's Skysong, & mj: I'm feeling the love! To show my undying appreciation and gratitude, scroll down a bit and uncover a brand new instalment, just for you!
AnalisDensity, A Denial, & jade: We'll learn about Rogue's awareness next chapter, so stay tuned! Same bat time, same bat channel.
not Eileen Blazer: Oh, you killed Eileen? Well, good – don't tell anybody, but I think we're better off without her. ;-) So, you're predicting trouble. Gosh, with two girls sharing a body and Remy going after them both? Whatever gave you that idea? You don't think it's plausible that they'll all sit down together and work out some friendly, mature agreement? …Yeah, probably not. Oh, your drawn out exclamation was duly noted – don't think it really helped though, sorry.
Shockgoddess: The first Remy/Carol fic? I actually don't know, no others spring to mind… Huh. I suppose that's a good thing, yay for me being original and all, and yet the fanatically Rogue/Remy part of my brain is scolding the creative part that came up with the plot. Shame on me!
demiducky25: There'll be much more about the Rogue/Carol/touching/powers conundrum in later chapters. I've got a theory too, that I actually developed due to my psych class – all that knowledge actually came in handy!
SweetRevenge151: Yay for chit-chat! Gosh, I actually forgot about you coming to my side of the pond, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes, cold, that's what I have to live through each winter – although we're in the middle of a heat wave now, funny how things work out like that. Only 14 'eh's? Huh, I expected more. Oh, sorry about your horrible rowing defeat though… Bad news – looks like our London trip is postponed to next summer. I hope the Morrissey musical is still on then – if not, you'll have to see it for me, and take notes! Or perhaps sneak a camcorder in.
Seven Sunningdale: Note to self – Seven's weakness is a shirtless Remy… Now how to use that to my advantage? And I think every kid went through the 'I want a pet tiger' phase. Heck, I still want one, so what does that say?
Freak87: I don't think Carol dying would make her psyche fade… I'd assume not, since the psyche doesn't have a tangible connection to her body – she's been completely absorbed by Rogue, so that's where she is. Or at least, that's what I'm going by – cuz if that's not true, then I have a huge plot problem, don't I?
Randirogue: I deepen, enhance, spark, and thrill? Aww, shucks, you're making me blush! And yup, I'm definitely exploring the possibilities here – there are so many issues that could come from a scenario like Rogue and Carol's, and I'm going to delve into some of them. Just think of me as a spelunker of the human/fictional character psyche!
Neurotic Temptress: Glad you like them sharing. I figure tons of fics show the problems that Rogue and Carol have when the two of them fight for control – so instead I plan to show that a compromised situation could possibly create even more troubles. Insert evil laughter here. And woah, I can totally picture Remy saying that line… But let's hope the situation never calls for it!
Minnaloushe: Yup, Carol is definitely the anti-Rogue. I'm doing my best to contrast them, it'll definitely help Remy figure things out. You pitying Carol will probably change in the future. And funny you should mention that 'Buffy' episode… Nah, I wouldn't be that cruel – although I certainly thought about it!
missy42: Yup, definitely had a certain world leader in mind… Pretzels, anyone? ;-) Glad you liked my Beast! I think he's a kindred spirit, cuz I love using big words and sciencey jargon too. But regarding Remy kissing Carol's hand, it was gloved – and he never actually put a hand on her forehead, she swatted it away before contact. So try not to freak out about the two of them! …Yet.
simba317: Nope, didn't get the idea for Carol's absorption from 'From the Shadows'. I actually forgot about that until you mentioned it! I just wanted a neutral scenario where neither of them could really be blamed for what happened.
Calliann: Now why would I have Remy put a shirt on? Where's the fun in that? ;-)
Just a small note before we head on. I'm going to use my artistic license, so this Carol will be slightly different from comic Carol – mainly that her powers are not due to Kree genes. Let's just pretend she's a typical mutant that manifested her powers, okay? Cuz we really don't need to make an already complicated situation even more confusing with aliens. ;-)
Symbiotic
Chapter 4 – Ease
March 2005
Something suddenly exploded to the right of Gambit, causing the ground to tremble. Losing his balance, he quickly caught himself in a somersault and rolled behind some crates that shielded him from the blast. After checking himself over, mainly to make sure his trench coat wasn't singed, he leapt up and jogged away, a deck of cards ready in his hand.
Turning a corner, he came upon an open area and saw Shadowcat and Nightcrawler dancing around giant animals that Pyro, laughing maniacally, had constructed out of fire. They were in no grave danger, seeing as how they could phase through or teleport away from the flames, but he felt he might as well give them a hand anyway. It appeared that all those pep talks on teamwork were sinking in slightly…
Charging a card and letting it fly with precise aim, it sliced right through the pack on the mutant's back, thereby cutting off his fuel supply. Another card thrown at his feet made the Aussie jump back in alarm, distracting their opponent enough to allow Nightcrawler to teleport Shadowcat behind him. The girl then grabbed him, phasing him into a nearby packing crate – much to the young man's chagrin, who began loudly spouting curse words inside the box.
"Zat's one down!" the German mutant happily exclaimed, high-fiving the girl next to him.
"Now only a bunch more to go!" she grinned in return, then turned to the Cajun. "Thanks for the cards, Gambit. You ready for some more?"
"'M always ready, petite (little one)," he smirked – only to have it wiped off his face as Kurt ported them to another corner of the warehouse. He still wasn't used to that unique mode of transportation yet, it always left him with a vaguely queasy feeling.
As the smoke and smell of sulphur cleared, the thief could make out Jean using her telekinesis to deal with Quicksilver, Colossus pounding on Avalanche, and Carol going toe-to-toe with the Blob. They all looked to be handling themselves rather admirably, so he simply stood aside and watched them – or more specifically, he watched Carol. He often enjoyed observing Rogue bend and flex in her skin-tight uniform, but there was more entertainment value in this fight due to more impressive superpowers thrown into the mix.
She caught the large boy's punches easily, deflecting them like he was no more than a mere fly buzzing annoyingly around her head. When it appeared he got tired of attempting to land any hits on her, he simply dove on top of her – only her reflexes were well honed, and she arced into the air around him, flying up as he landed on the concrete floor with a crash. Taking advantage of him being down, the girl reached and grabbed his arm, then to Remy's shock, lifted the gigantic mutant as if he weighed no more than a feather. A second later he was thrown into a nearby wall that then collapsed on him, and the Cajun couldn't help but whistle in appreciation.
Carol wasn't a particularly notable combatant, lacking the finesse and agility Rogue had, but her powers were truly remarkable. They were quite something to watch, especially since he hadn't seen them in action before – it prompted him to wonder why Rogue tended not to use them, but his ponderings were interrupted as a deafening grating sound emanated from above them.
All the X-Men looked up to see the metal roof being ripped off the warehouse like it was a sardine can, with a figure in purple and red armour floating down inside. The team went to work immediately. Gambit threw a steady stream of cards at the Master of Magnetism while Jean telekinetically propelled some crates at him, only to have them deflected with a shield torn off from the roof. Magneto then sent a few beams their way – one Jean stopped with her powers and one Colossus caught with his enhanced strength in metal form, but the last one headed straight towards Carol at an astonishing velocity.
"Rogue, watch out!" Kitty cried, as Kurt immediately teleported over to the girl and bampfed out her out of the way.
They reappeared next to Shadowcat, where Carol shrugged out of Nightcrawler's grip. "Geez, calm down! It wouldn't have hurt me anyway – invulnerability, remember?" she pointed out, annoyed. "And it's Ms. Marvel."
"Right, sorry," Kitty mumbled as they stepped back, looking abashed. "I forgot…"
"Whatever," Carol sighed, taking flight once more.
Kurt and Kitty sent sad looks at each other but then returned to the fray. Magneto had taken advantage of his control over Piotr's metal form, attempting to crush his body in on itself – Shadowcat quickly jumped on top of him, turning him intangible and therefore leaving no metallic particles for their enemy to manipulate.
Gambit used that distraction to aim more charged cards his way, which the older man blocked in the nick of time. He kept at it, annoying the other mutant greatly. He sent some piping hurtling in Remy's direction, only to have the Cajun dodge the pieces with ease. Swiftly dipping beneath one pipe and leaping over another, he kept throwing his own projectiles towards Magneto, only needing to keep him occupied for a few more seconds.
As he was doing so, Ms. Marvel silently swooped up behind him. Reaching out and grabbing the helmet off his head, the man instantly let out a yell as Jean's telepathy invaded his mind. Knocked unconscious a second later, he plummeted to the ground, caught by a teleporting Nightcrawler mere seconds before impact with the ground.
"Danger Room session 1315-2b completed," sounded a computerized voice from all around them, and the mutants watched as the simulation faded from view, leaving only an empty, echoing room around them.
"Great job, team," Cyclops' voice then came from the speakers, and they looked up to see him standing in the control room. "Come up for your debriefing, and then you can all hit the showers."
Remy rolled his eyes at their leader's no-nonsense tone of voice, and then joined the rest of his teammates as they headed for the doors. He watched as Kitty walked over to Piotr and shyly asked if he was okay, amused as the tin man became all flustered at the younger girl's concern. Shaking his head, he wondered how long it would take them to realize the other's feelings, which were apparent to everybody in the mansion – except for them, of course.
He suddenly coughed, having walked through a cloud of smoke, the by-product of Kurt porting up to the control room. Remy waved his arms around in attempts to diffuse the odour before jogging on ahead to get away from it quicker. His eyes then settled on Carol and Jean walking together in front of him.
"Great job today, Carol," Jean was congratulating the other girl enthusiastically.
"Thanks," she beamed. "You too."
"Thanks, but I couldn't have done much against Magneto without his helmet off," she modestly brushed away the compliment. "That was good strategy."
"Yeah?" Carol asked thoughtfully.
"Definitely. I'm sure Scott will mention it too," the redhead said with the fond expression that always appeared at mentions of her boyfriend.
"Of course he will, he goes over every single second of every single exercise!" the other girl groaned with a laugh.
The telepath giggled too, but then tried to half-heartedly defend her man. "Oh, he's just thorough…"
"Is he that thorough in everything he does?" Carol queried suggestively, looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a mischievous grin.
Jean gasped and giggled, but didn't reply. From the snickers that then erupted from Carol however, Remy had to assume they were communicating psychically, and for that he was glad – he didn't need any details about Scott and Jean's private activities. Well, anything regarding Jean he wouldn't have minded, but Scott? Considering what sort of things the girls were most likely gossiping about, he felt being left in the dark about certain aspects of One-Eye was best for his sanity.
As he trailed them, he couldn't help but furrow his brow at how strange the duo in front of him looked. He had never seen Rogue act this friendly and warm towards Jean – or vice versa, as a matter of fact. Conversely, he had noticed that Kitty and Kurt seemed rather uncomfortable around Carol – not only in the simulation, but outside of training as well. It would be interesting to see how different Carol and Rogue really were, and how the dynamics of the team would be affected… Remy would need to keep his eyes and ears open, especially if he wanted his plan to win them both over to succeed. All the facts he could get would help. He was a professional thief, after all – gathering information was one of the many skills in his extensive repertoire.
As the rest of the team all entered the control room, the thief kept to his observations. He watched Carol and Jean lean against one of the consoles, still chatting animatedly. Kitty and Piotr came in after he did, and he noticed that the girl walked over to the opposite side of the room, shooting gloomy glances at the body of her best friend. When Kurt finally settled down and perched in a chair, Scott began his breakdown of the exercise.
"So, like I said, you all did well," he began, glancing down at the clipboard in his hands and perusing the extensive notes he had taken during the session. "I was impressed with your teamwork, especially at the end. Kitty, nice move helping Piotr by making him intangible."
"Thanks," she chirped, turning beet red when Piotr looked over at her.
"And Jean, Carol, good job working together to take down Magneto."
"See, told you so," Jean whispered to her friend, elbowing her in the side.
Carol preened, until Scott continued. "…Although after Jean knocked him unconscious, you should have caught him! You were right there, it would have made sense for you to do so instead of forcing Kurt to jump in. I know you're still relatively new to the X-Men, and I know it's hard to show compassion to your enemy, but we all have to do the right thing…"
The girl scowled, looking down at the floor with a grimace. Remy could tell she was tuning out Cyclops' words, and he did the same, until he heard his name mentioned a few minutes later.
"And Remy, you generally did okay, except that maybe you should pay more attention to the simulation and less to the state of your trench coat. Why do you wear that thing with your uniform anyway?"
"Pockets," the Cajun shrugged. Then he smirked, winking in the direction of Jean and Carol. "An' o' course, dis homme's gotta look good f'r de femmes, non?"
"The X-Men are here to defend mutant rights, not to act as your own personal dating service," Scott sighed, exasperated, and then swiftly continued – he had quickly learned not to leave any openings for Remy's cocky rebuttals. "All right, I think that pretty much covers it. We're done for today, team dismissed."
As everyone headed out and towards the locker room, Remy grabbed Carol's arm, pulling her back until she was walking beside him. "Dunno what Scott was goin' on about, de team seems t' work just fine as my datin' service," he told her with a grin, pleased when she beamed back. "Just wanted t' remind y' about t'night. We still on?"
"Of course!" Carol exclaimed. "I wouldn't forget."
"Just wanted t' make sure," he informed her, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. "Don' t'ink dis poor Cajun could handle it if y' cancelled…"
"There's no way I'd cancel," she declared. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Good, so am I," the thief agreed. "Meet y' at seven, 'kay?"
"Definitely," she nodded as he squeezed her gloved hand, but she then regretfully pulled it away. "Um, I've got to shower now, so I'll see you then…"
"Or, how 'bout I join y' instead?" Remy offered jokingly, ready to follow her into the girl's change room.
"I don't think so!" she gasped indignantly, pressing a hand to his chest to stop him from entering. "Besides, you wouldn't just be showering with me, the other girls are in there too."
He just leered. "Is dat supposed t' discourage me?"
Carol could only blush and shake her head, then turn and quickly walk inside. As Gambit moved across the hallway and entered the male locker room, he laughed quietly to himself – it was almost too easy…
- X -
Remy shot a confident grin at his mirror, satisfied with what it reflected back at him. He was dressed in a charcoal-coloured silk shirt and black slacks, his hair was neatly combed, and there was no need to be modest about it – he had to say that he looked damn good. After adding the finishing touch of a dab of cologne, he grabbed his trench coat and headed out the door.
As he strode down the hallway, he tipped his head and winked at the girls he passed. Jubilee's jaw had dropped open and Amara's eyes had bulged out when they saw him, and without even needing to check behind him, he knew they had frozen in their spots and were watching him walk away. He added an extra jaunt to his step for their benefit, and grinned – there was simply no better ego boost than such flattering attention from the opposite sex…
But at the moment, there was one person's attention in particular that he was hoping to catch. Reaching her bedroom, the Cajun lightly rapped on the door. It opened a few seconds later to reveal the auburn-haired girl, and oddly enough, Remy had to remind himself to breathe.
He marvelled at how different she looked – the black clothes he was so used to seeing enshroud her were gone, replaced with a sapphire blue dress, the satin hugging her curves and then flowing down to her knees. She was still covered up, wearing black gloves and a cream-coloured pea coat, but the tantalizing view of pale skin above the neckline and below the hem of her dress enticed him. His amazement intensified as his gaze drew up to her face, where no dark eye shadow or lipstick resided – instead there was a slight shimmer above her eyes and gloss on her lips, somehow managing to make them look even fuller.
"Dieu, just when I t'ought it wasn' possible f'r y' t' get mo' beautiful," he murmured before he could filter what came out of his mouth.
"Thanks… Funny, because I was thinking you couldn't get more handsome," Carol replied, blushing as she stepped out and closed her door behind her.
Remy grinned, delighted at her reciprocating his flirting. "Shall we?"
"We shall," she concurred, and they headed off together.
As they walked down the hallway, Remy lightly placed a directing hand on the small of her back. To his surprise, she leaned into it, welcoming the action. He had assumed she would be like Rogue, tensing when she was in close proximity to others, not wanting another persona to share her body with – but that wasn't the case, and he was glad. It was always easier to turn women into putty in his hands with a few tender touches and caresses…
As they entered the garage, she asked, "Which car are we taking?"
He just smirked mischievously in response, walking past his motorcycle and the X-Van, stopping beside a small red roadster. "Dis one," he told her, leaning against it and patting the hood affectionately.
"What? That's Scott's car!" she gasped. "How did you get him to let you drive it?"
"Took some skill, I'll tell y' dat," he chuckled, opening the door and chivalrously helping her into the passenger's side. Then he hopped into the driver's seat, stuck the keys that he managed to swipe from Scott's pocket that afternoon into the ignition, and they sped off.
- X -
Remy brought her to a charming Italian bistro in the city, thinking she would love the romantic ambiance. The few girls he had gone out with since coming to New York he had brought here – they had all enjoyed it, why should Carol be any different?
He had the process perfected, planned for maximum efficiency and success – his own assembly line system of dating. Every time, he and his date sat in the corner booth, the one with dim lighting and candles on the tabletop setting the mood. They would order, always enjoying the meal – not just because the food was good, but also because Italian cooking was a safe bet. With choices ranging from pasta to pizza, there was something for everyone – even for those crazy girls who compulsively counted calories or refused to eat animal products.
The bistro was close to the riverfront, which then provided a picturesque location for a walk after dinner to enjoy the skyline – and it then usually prompted offers that would provide further entertainment until the sun rose. He certainly didn't expect anything like that in this situation, but who knew how the night would conclude?
After he helped Carol into her side of the booth, Remy sat down on his. A waiter came by right away, taking their drink orders and bringing their beverages with brisk efficiency, clearly recognizing the red-eyed man as the generous tipper he had served many times before.
As they examined the menu a silence fell between them, with Carol feeling the need to fill it. "So, what do you think you'll order?" she asked awkwardly.
"De Spicy Pasta Plate," he decided, putting the menu down. He didn't know why he even bothered to look at it, he always ended up getting the same thing every time anyway. "An' what'll y' have?"
"I don't know… Something without meat."
"Y're a vegetarian?"
"Yeah."
"Den please don' talk t' Kitty," he groaned, remembering the lecture she had given him when he had tried to serve her Cajun chicken for dinner. "Y' two'll be startin' animal rights campaigns in no time."
"I'll do my best not to," she laughed uneasily. "Oh look, vegetable lasagna, that sounds great."
When their server came back, they both placed their orders. Once their privacy was restored once more, the Cajun took a sip of his bourbon, then smiled over at the girl and began to speak. "So, Carol. Tell me 'bout yo'self."
"What do you want to know?"
"Anyt'in'," he shrugged. "'M curious, I really don' know a t'ing about y'."
"Okay… Well, my name is Carol Susan Jane Danvers," she began, tracing the rim of her glass with her fingers. Remy had to fight raising a scrutinizing eyebrow at the series of extremely plain names, and instead listened as she went on. "I'm eighteen, I was born in Boston and lived there with my family all my life."
"What're dey like?" he asked.
"They're great," Carol recalled fondly. "There's my mom and dad, and my brothers, Joseph and Steven. They're older than me, so I looked up to them a lot. When I was little I'd always be following them, trying to join in their games… It wasn't their idea of fun to have their little sister tagging along, but eventually I even became competition, and started challenging them…"
"Yeah, challenges are fun, henh?" he inserted innocently.
"It was great, showing them that I could do something even though I was 'just a girl'," she went on, thinking nothing of his sly comment. "I loved proving those attitudes about me wrong, trying to make them and my parents proud."
"How could dey not be proud o' someone like y'?" he queried with an intent look on his face, keeping with his constant flattery.
She frowned. "Don't get me wrong, I know they were proud of me. It's just that my dad… Well, he had some pretty chauvinistic ideas, but I did my best to ignore them. We all loved each other though, and got along great – typical family stuff, you know."
"Right," he grinned wryly. The stereotypical, all-American nuclear family? Nope, he didn't know anything about that. The closest things he had to a white picket fence and a dog were the gators in the swamp and the ten-foot tall perimeter wall surrounding the Guild estate.
The conversation came to a halt when their food was served. After the waiter left, the Cajun continued. "You miss dem?"
"Yeah, sort of…" she trailed off.
When she didn't elaborate, Remy took it upon himself to prompt more discussion. "Sort of?"
"It's hard to explain," sighed Carol, fiddling with the utensils in front of her. "I mean, they buried my body and thought I was dead. Then when I got control of this body, I tried to contact them. I really freaked them out – not only did I have to tell them I was a mutant, but there I was, in the body of the girl that killed me…"
Gambit reached across the table, taking her hands in hers. The action seemed to help – she gave a weak smile and continued. "Let's just say they didn't take the news well. They didn't really want to know anything about my powers, or my situation – hell, I don't think they even believed me. As far as they were concerned, their daughter died and they didn't want anything to do with her murderer."
This time knowing better than to correct her wording and defend Rogue, Remy instead squeezed her hands reassuringly. "It was pro'ly easier f'r dem t' just have it end like dat after comin' t' terms wit' it, den t' see y' in dis rough situation an' rehash all de pain," he told her sagely.
"I guess…" She shook her head, stabbing her food with her fork. "Look, can we just talk about something else please?"
"O' course."
"What about your family?" she questioned inquisitively. "What are they like?"
"Not dat interestin'," the Cajun brushed off the subject nonchalantly, not wanting to discuss his past at all. "'M more interested in y'," he cooed, trying to change her focus.
"But I'd like to know about you!" she persisted. "You're so mysterious."
"Ahh, dat's all part o' de charm o' de tall, dark, an' handsome stranger," he pointed out with a seductive expression on his face. "Y' really want t' ruin my mystique? 'Sides, dere's really not dat much t' tell."
"Well, where are you from?"
"De South," he responded vaguely, then shrugged. "Not'in' too excitin' down dere. 'M sure dere's much mo' t' do in Boston, henh? What's it like? I've never been."
He silently breathed a sigh of relief as he successfully managed to change the subject, and Carol ran with it. She went on about growing up in Massachusetts, spending time with her old friends, writing as a reporter for her high school newspaper, and even her stint as a cheerleader. She was an open book, answering every sugar-coated query a seemingly captivated Remy asked. The girl never received answers to her own questions about him, but she failed to notice – he managed to adroitly dance around the issue each time, turning it back to her. It was almost effortless, but the thief just grinned and bore it.
- X -
The mansion was quiet when they returned, with the lights off and the inhabitants snugly tucked away in their beds. Gambit was glad for that – he intended to keep his little game away from Carol and Rogue's friends as much as possible. They definitely wouldn't find it as amusing as he did…
"I had a really nice time tonight," Carol told Remy in a hushed voice as he walked her back to her room.
"Me too," he agreed, forcing a smile. "Does dat mean I'm forgiven f'r makin' y' mad yesterday mornin'?"
"Of course," she giggled, but then turned contemplative. "Actually, maybe not… Only on one condition," she amended, cocking her head adorably to the side and looking at him shrewdly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? An' what might dat be?"
"How about we do this again sometime?" the girl asked shyly, looking at him with hopeful eyes.
The Cajun grinned – did he already have her hooked? He had to admit, he was impressed with his skill, because he certainly hasn't been expecting to win her over so soon. "I'd love t'," he told her, bowing slightly and catching her hand in his.
"Great," she beamed, staring at him for a few seconds. Then she seemed to shake herself back to reality, and stepped towards her door. "Well, goodnight…"
"Goodnight," he purred, bending his head down and planting a gentlemanly kiss on her hand. Looking up at her with hooded eyes, he thought he noticed a disappointed expression cross her face for a split second – but perhaps he only imagined it, because then she gave him one last smile and entered her bedroom.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Remy then sauntered back to his own room, fighting the urge to whistle cheerfully so as not to wake anyone. Despite the ease, the night had gone quite well – it would most assuredly get more interesting from here on out, and he was eager to see for how long he could keep up his pursuit.
And so the games begin! I wonder how far he'll be able to take this. Shall we take bets?
Next chapter – Carol gets even more smitten over Remy, and he asks her to keep a secret…
Well, now that exams are done and school's out, perhaps I'll have more time to write! The key word being 'perhaps'… I'm thinking that reviews would motivate me a great deal and speed up the process, so send 'em on over, pretty please!
Toodles,
– ish –
