Chapter 7: Epiphany (The Beacon).
10:30 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:
"Gone? What do you mean he's gone?", Jared questioned in disbelief.
"Gone as in gone. He left half an hour ago, and Jenna's out who-knows-where looking for him", Kaltag replied shortly.
"But…but…why would he leave? He's the principal witness in Steele's trial. Without him there to testify, there's a chance Steele's charges won't stick. And if the charges don't stick then-", Star rambled, before Kaltag raised his one of his large paws to his mouth.
"Jeez, calm down already before you start a riot", the husky grunted, wanting his friend to keep quiet.
"But he's got a point, if Balto's not here there's no telling if the jury will find Steele guilty", another dog named Jim added.
"Now hang on a minute, people. There's no need to get all worked up", Doc insisted, hoping to calm everyone's nerves before mass hysteria broke out. But the old dog was already way too late for that.
The crowd of dogs simply acted as though they hadn't heard their alpha and kept on speculating. "How could Balto do this to us? He's supposed to be your team's lead dog. How can our leader abandon us when we need him the most?!", another dog named Chance retorted, feeling outraged.
"He's no better than Steele", shouted an angry female.
"Guys, cool your jets. Everything's gonna be fine", Jared stated, trying to help Doc contain the situation, but their efforts were to no avail.
As he saw how quickly things spiraled out of control, how riled up the crowd had gotten in just a few minutes, Kaltag growled mentally and rushed to Doc's side to help the Saint Bernard. "Balto, I don't know where the hell you are, but we could really use our fearless leader right now. Now get your tail down here and defend yourself!", the chinook thought angrily, even though he knew the wolf-dog couldn't hear him.
((()-()))
Balto's laid in the middle of a meadow (his meadow), resting his head in his paws, trying to wrap his mind around what he had just done. He had just left Nome. When he was younger, he had dreamed about leaving Nome, several times, but he never thought he'd actually do it. He never thought he would be brave enough to take a risk like that. "Or desperate enough", he argued in his head, right before he heard the sound of paws packing in snow behind him.
He didn't need to turn around, he didn't need to ask who it was, he didn't even need to sniff the air. There was only one dog in the world who would follow his scent into the woods, miles away from their home in the middle of the night. Plus, there was there only one other dog in the world he had ever shown this place to.
"Little Amy" by Murray Gold begins.
"I knew I'd find you here. You told me this was where you always used to go to think", Jenna said as she approached her ex-fiancée. Though by the time the night was over, she hoped to lose the 'ex' part.
"How did you remember where this place was?", the half-breed inquired, surprised.
"Are you kidding? Coming here was the longest two hours of my life. My feet were sore like crazy, but the view was well worth the pain. I'd never forget where this place was even if I wanted to", Jenna said lightly, though anyone could tell that underneath the husky's joking façade, she really felt angry and betrayed. And since Balto was a gifted soul reader (a term coined by himself), he didn't have to guess just how much he had hurt her, again.
"Jenna, why did you come here? I just keeping do this to you and you just keep looking for me", he asked confusedly and regretfully.
"I came to stop you from throwing your life away", Jenna replied, sitting down next to the hybrid.
"Jenna, I'm not throwing my life away. I'm speeding up what's already inevitable", Balto argued.
Jenna scoffed, and to Balto's surprise, actually rolled her eyes. "Balto, when we were kids, you told me you had the ability to read people's souls. Now, even if you weren't pulling my leg, I still don't remember you saying anything about being able to predict the future. Neither of us know what's gonna happen tomorrow. As far as we know, the humans just might surprise us and vote for you to stay. So why jump the gun before the bullets are even fired?", Jenna reasoned.
"Because Jenna, Thomas is already anticipating it too. If the people of Nome do vote to banish me from town, he's prepared to move to another village instead of giving me up. He'd rather give up his life's dream and uproot the lives of his entire family than let me go. Now I've always wanted a home in Nome, but I'm not gonna make Rosie's family choose between keeping me and keeping their home", Balto explained, though this didn't seem to faze Jenna either. The husky immediately had a counter for that too.
"Balto, the reason Tom is willing to do something like that is because you're part of his family. He would make a sacrifice like that for anyone in his family. His wife, his daughter, his brother, his father. And Rosie and Eve would do the same as well. I know I would", Jenna stressed.
"And that's the other reason why I have to go Jenna. I can't keep asking you to make all these sacrifices for me. How can I be a good husband to you when all I cause is you nothing but trouble? In the past few days alone, you've been attacked by a mad dog, you've become a social outcast, and you're about to lose your home all because of me. I told you years ago that you were better off without me in your life", the half-wolf insisted.
"And I told you that my life wouldn't be worth living without you in it. Yes, we've had some close encounters, but all the good times we've had are well worth the bad. You have saved me more times than I can count. And you've saved Rosie, and the sled dog team, and the townspeople, you've even saved Wilson. And I've saved your life more than a few times too. I need you just like you need me, and it's been like that ever since we were teens. That's how I've always known we belong together. That's why I said yes when you proposed to me. And that's why I want to have a family with you and grow old together someday", Jenna replied, raising her paw and rubbing her lover on the cheek.
Balto closed his eyes, trying not to lean into the touch. "I know, Jenna. I want that just like you do. But the other dogs will never let us be together. Look at how far they've gone to keep us apart. Steele and Blaze are always plotting against us, and they're just two of many. Even the mayor wants me gone. This is just one battle even we can't win", Balto reasoned.
Jenna raised her eyebrows. "So's that it? You're just gonna give up?", she asked skeptically. When the wolf-dog nodded his head silently in reply, Jenna scoffed and stood up. "You've faced blizzards and bears, but when one human decides he doesn't like you and he wants you gone, you just tuck in your tail and run away? What happened to the Balto I know? The Balto who saved me all those years ago? The Balto who's willing to risk his own life for something believes in? The Balto who's willing to go out in a blizzard and brave the unknown just to rescue a bunch of people he doesn't even like?!", Jenna asked rhetorically.
"Jen-", Balto started, before Jenna placed her paw over the half-wolf's mouth. The husky had something important that she needed to tell him, and for once he was going to keep quiet and let her finish.
"Martha Triumphant" by Murray Gold begins.
"Remember the day you first met me? You saw me being chased by Devil and his gang. I screamed for help for so long, but no one would come to my rescue. When they cornered me, I thought I was going to die until you appeared. Balto, the most unlikely of heroes. You beat them so badly, for a moment I thought you were a killer, just like they were. Until you spared their leader's life. That's when I knew for sure you were special. So when you told me you were half-wolf, I hardly cared. The only thing that mattered to me was that you were bravest man I knew, and the kindest", Jenna recalled.
"When Devil came back and took me on Christmas Eve, I thought both of our times were up. But as usual, you took us all by surprise. Not only were you willing to work with Steele to save me, but you actually showed mercy on Devil's gang again, and rescued Wilson when no one else would. And you showed the same mercy towards Steele. No matter what happened that night and no matter how much of a risk it was to your own safety, you were determined not to give up until everyone went home alive, even the bad guys. I know a lot of people think your kindness is a weakness, but I think it's one of your greatest strengths", Jenna said affectionately.
"And then came the serum run. I hadn't talked to you in over two years, but you hadn't changed at all in all that time. In fact, I'd say you were even more a hero than I remembered. When you returned to Nome with the medicine, it was one of the greatest moments of my life. You had came through for me, just like I knew you would. My hero had persevered and found a way to save everyone, again. When you asked me to marry you, there was never even the possibility of turning you down. I had made my choice a long time ago that I would never want the spend the rest of my life with anyone but you", Jenna smiled, as she felt her fiancée's lips twist upwards as well. Once she was sure she had gotten everything she wanted to say out of her system, the rust and creamed colored husky removed her paw so Balto could talk freely again.
"I know that it seems like fate's working against us all the time Balto, but this isn't a fairy tale or a story in a book. This is real life and real love. Our story doesn't have to end the same way Romeo and Juliet's did if we don't want it to. Sure people have tried to shoot us down in the past, but everything that didn't kill us only made us stronger. And in the past few days, we've gotten glimpse of what our life together can be like. You know about how history together, but just think about all that future history just waiting to be written. Are you really just going to give up on our dream and throw all that away? Because if you are, then you never loved me the way I loved you", Jenna proclaimed, right before she was silenced by two warm lips pressing against her own. Balto's reply was the kind that couldn't be told in words, but instead shown with the most intimate display of affection a man could give his lover. The kiss lasted longer than any the couple had ever had before, and was three times as passionate as the one they had shared right after the hybrid proposed.
When Balto finally pulled away, more than a minute later, the hybrid's smile had increased twofold. "Jenna Jones, you are the most the stubborn, talkative and amazing woman I've ever met", he remarked contently.
"So does that mean you're staying?", she asked hopefully.
"How can I argue with a case like that?", the wolf-dog replied, his large smile turning into a full-blown grin. Jenna laughed, tears of joy now replacing the sorrowful ones, as she ran up and hugged her boyfriend. "You were right. I've never run away from something this important before, and I'm not going to start now", the half-breed declared resolutely, as he wrapped his paws around the husky, holding her close.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it together. Just like we always have", Jenna proclaimed, raising her head so she could look the bigger dog in the eyes.
"Jenna Jones versus City Hall. Mayor Sutherland won't know what hit him", Balto teased playfully, before kissing his mate again.
Like he told Dixie before, there was no way Jenna would ever let him go again. And now Balto realized there was no way he would ever be able to let her go himself. Everything he had done, everyone insane obstacle and trial he had overcome over the years, it had all been in Jenna's name. Jenna said that without him her life wasn't worth living, and Balto felt the same way. He couldn't imagine a world without Jenna Jones it, the dog who had fought off a bear to help him. After all, what would be the point of living in a loveless world?
All those times Jenna had said they worked best together, there was always a part of him that hadn't quite believed her, who thought she was still better off without him. But now…he felt like whatever fate would befall him the next night, him and his unbreakable bride-to-be would be able to handle it. He would gladly welcome a life outside of Nome (in South Dakota) with Jenna, than spend the rest of his days in some other strange land alone. Like Jenna had said, this was one love story that they were determined to make sure had a happy ending, if only be sheer stubbornness and force of will.
When their kiss was over again, Jenna stepped away from her boyfriend and beckoned for him to follow her. "We should be getting back, the others will want to know that we're okay", the husky remembered worriedly.
"I guess it's time to face the music. On a scale of one to ten, how furious do you think Dixie will be with me?", Balto asked as he trailed his girlfriend across the meadow.
"Eleven", Jenna replied, grinning at the thought.
((()-()))
11:34 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:
Blaze smirked. The husky knew something like this would happen eventually. It was only a matter of time until the lobo got scared and skipped town. No matter how much of a hero everyone had claimed he was, Blaze knew all along that the half-breed was a coward and now everyone knew how he right he was. The only way Blaze could have enjoyed this moment more was if his hero, Steele, was there to see it with him.
Poor Doc had tried the best he could to calm everyone down for the past hour, but every time he managed to put out the fire, someone always spoke their opinion of Balto and fanned the flames again. The Saint Bernard was only one dog, and even with Jared, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie and Sylvie helping him run damage control, it still wasn't enough. With Balto AWOL and unable to defend himself, they were fighting a losing battle.
In fact, the town alpha and his diligent followers were so busy tending to the hectic crowd that none of them noticed when the doors to the Old Mill swung open again and two very familiar dogs walked inside.
"Wow, this is interesting. I've never seen the Mill this packed before. Why are there so many of you?", Balto asked, the hybrid and his girlfriend stepping into the throng.
When everyone stopped talking and turned to stare at the couple speechlessly, Jenna smiled. "I told you he'd come", the husky remarked, satisfied.
Blaze and his pals were among the ones who were the most shocked. They delinquent dogs stood up from where they were sitting and growled underneath their breaths. How could the half-breed be back already?! They thought they had finally got rid of him.
Meanwhile, Dixie and Kaltag slowly padded over towards Balto and circled the hybrid, their expressions still uncharacteristically neutral.
"Balto?", Dixie asked slowly.
"Yeah?", the hybrid replied, before his face was knocked backwards by the sheer force of Dixie's savage paw slap.
"What the hell were you thinking?!", the show dog snarled.
The hybrid flinched and rubbed his sore cheek. "I've never heard her swear before, even in an emergency. Jenna was wrong. This is way more than an eleven", he contemplated. "I deserved that", he admitted. And then just when he was recovering from the last blow, he felt himself being slapped again, only this time twice as hard. It didn't take much to guess that Dixie's sudden outburst had inspired Kaltag to follow suit. "Okay, I deserved that too", Balto groaned as he bounced back from the impact.
"We're in the middle of a crisis, Steele's trial is in a few days, you're getting married the week after, and you decide to just skip town?! Are you crazy?!", Kaltag snapped, every bit as angry as his smaller friend.
"I am so, so sorry. I was being stupid and all I wanted to do was run. Jenna called me out on it, and she brought me back here", the wolf-dog explained, before glancing over at his mate, who had been grinning silently as her friends' laid into her boyfriend.
"Hey, it's what girlfriends do", Jenna said, feigning indifference.
Kaltag glared at him, before grumbling something that sounded like 'just don't do it again' and nodding his head. Even though his friend hadn't really said anything, Balto knew he was forgiven. Dixie's trust however would be a lot harder to get back, and he looked forward to earning it again.
But just when it seemed like everything was going to be fine again, Doc suddenly spoke up. "Balto, why did you come back?", the Saint Bernard probed, though he couldn't have predicted that his peers would take his good-natured question and twist it all around.
"Yeah wolf-dog, why did you come crawling back here? Shouldn't you have found a pack in the woods and run off with them?!", one dog called Hank said from within the crowd. And now that the gauntlet had been thrown down, there was no way Blaze was gonna miss out on the 'bashing Balto' party.
"Hank's right. You can't commit to anything, even running away", the young husky taunted.
Balto's friends glanced at the wolf-dog, but were surprised to find the sled dogs' comments weren't bothering him for once. Instead, he looked almost amused. The half-breed, in a move that surprised even his mate, ignored everyone else in the crowd and turned towards Doc.
"Doc, I came back here because I want to help. I may get kicked out of town tomorrow, then again maybe I won't. But for now I'm still a legal citizen of Nome, and part of being a town dog includes doing your part for the community", Balto reckone.
"But don't you get it, half-wolf? No one wants you here! That's the reason why the community is trying to get rid of you!", Blaze barked heated;y, trying his best to get the wolf-dog's attention.
"The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)" by Murray Gold begins.
Balto raised his eyebrow and stepped away from Doc, turning his attention towards the dog who had pain in the side for the past few days. Unsurprisingly, Blaze's cohorts were at his side, flanking him, the minute they saw Balto approaching him, ready to back him up in case the victim of their torment was ready for round two. But their actions only amused Balto even more.
The wolf-dog stopped just a few feet away from Blaze. Just like he had the other day, he chose to stand face-to-face with the younger dog so he could look Blaze right in the eye while he was speaking to him.
"You know Blaze, you and your pals are always talking about how you want me gone and how I don't belong here. Basically, you've been saying the same thing over and over for years now. And I want to know why", the hybrid said calmly.
"Why what?", Blaze asked, confused.
"Why don't I belong here?", Balto clarified.
Blaze snorted. "Don't be stupid, lobo", he sneered dismissively.
"I'm not. If I'm not supposed to live here, then surely there's a reason why. So tell me, why can't a wolf-dog live amongst humans and dogs?", Balto asked patiently.
Blaze rolled his eyes. "I don't have to explain anything to you", he remarked hostilely.
"Really? Because I talked to Steele a few hours ago, and he was glad to tell me the reason why he wants me gone. Which makes me wonder, do you have even have a reason? Or have you been deliberately making my life a living hell just because you can? Because you wanted to impress your hero?", Balto theronized suggestively.
At first, Blaze was about to snap at the half-breed, until he realized that everyone in the Mill had stopped looking at Balto and were now all staring at him, pressuring him to answer the hybrid's question. "All right, half-wolf. You want to ask stupid questions? You can't stay here because we don't want any killers in our town", the husky growled.
"Except I've never killed anyone. Not once in my life", Balto countered.
For the first time since their conversation began, Blaze's arrogant expression began to falter and his eyebrows knit together in worry, as he realized the clever wolf-dog had used his own hostility against him, just as he had done with Steele.
"That's just what you would say if you were lying", Derek fired, deciding to come to his buddy's defense in the argument.
"Hmm…you've got a point. After all, I'm a wolf, and everyone knows that wolves are notorious liars, so you need a second opinion", the hybrid considered amusedly. "Jenna, have I ever killed anyone?", he asked his mate.
"In all the time that I've known you? Not a one", she answered happily, joining her mate in front of Blaze's posse.
"Kal, have you ever seen me kill anyone?", Balto continued, grinning now.
"I've seen you beat the crap out of a couple of guys who deserved it before, including me a few times, but I've never seen you get all bloodthirsty, if that's what you're asking", Kaltag joked, joining Balto on the hybrid's other side.
"Yeah, if anything I'd say Balto is too forgiving", Jared added, followed by a few short murmurs from the crowd.
Balto turned back to Blaze, who quickly replaced his worried expression with his familiar mask of anger. "Well Blaze, looks like that point is now moot. You're just gonna have to think of something else", the half-wolf challenged, folding his arms across his chest.
"Just because you haven't killed anyone yet doesn't mean you won't someday, half-breed. Everyone knows your kind are unstable. All you want to do is kill humans and dogs, and take our land as your own", Blaze sniped quickly.
"There's just one problem with that. If I wanted to kill the humans and 'claim their land as my own', shouldn't I have done that years ago? Instead of living in a trawler with a goose and two polar bears? If I was really the ruthless killing machine you all think I am, why would I choose that life of solitude for years when I could conquer?", Balto countered.
This time it took Blaze a fraction of a second longer than respond, and Balto's grin grew wider when he saw his plan was working. He only had to keep pushing Blaze for a little bit longer.
"Because you're trying to be smart about your plan. You've been biding your time and trying to get us all to trust you so you can stab us in the back. Deception is like a second nature to you lobos. After all, are we really supposed to believe that all you want is to 'run in a sled dog team' and help the humans with 'the greater good'? Please", Blaze scoffed.
"But that is all I'm doing it for. I like to help people. I love to help people", the wolf-dog replied, unfazed.
"And what makes you think we want a freak's help?", Blaze growled hatefully. The husky was beginning to lose his patience now and thus he was falling right into Balto's trap.
"Because if I don't, who will? Everyone in this town is so blind, so uncaring to other people's troubles. Jenna reminded me of that tonight. When I first met her, she was being chased by three dogs. Some of you might remember them, Devil, Wilson, and Cookie? She ran all over town, screaming for someone to help her like her life depended on it, but no one came. No one but me. Now I'm sure I'm not the only one who heard her cries, or saw her plight, so why I am the only one who showed up in that alley and faced Devil's gang to rescue her?", Balto questioned.
When Blaze didn't reply, Balto's grin widened exponentially and the half-wolf pressed the subject even harder. "Well Blaze, why did it take a wolf-dog, the lowest form of creature known to man, to do what a whole town wouldn't?", he asked, stepping away from Blaze and circling the crowd.
As Balto moved from dog to dog, Jenna looked at her boyfriend, and then Blaze, who appeared to be trying his best to keep his tongue bitten, before everything clicked into place in her mind. She had been a little confused at first about where Balto was going with this conversation, since his questions were all over the place, but now she finally realized what he was doing. Her husband-to-be always had an ace up his sleeve.
"And what about the serum run? I didn't see anyone here going out in the middle of a blizzard and trying to do the impossible when the team got lost. I don't really blame you all, you'd have to be out of your mind to try a stunt like that, or just really desperate. But why are you criticizing me when I'm the only one who was willing to sacrifice myself to save all of your owners?", the half-wolf inquired, speaking to the whole crowd this time. No one answered him, just like he had expected, so Balto continued on with his argument.
"Time and time again, I've risked my own neck to help others. Not because I want something out of it, like glory or respect, but just because I can. And you wanna know why I do what I do? I refuse to sit around and watch people suffer and die just because I'm too afraid to take a stand and help them out. I've never turned a blind eye to the needs of this town before, and I won't do it now. When Steele's trial comes, I will give my testimony and make sure I do my part to help bring him to justice. The only way I'm leaving any time soon is if the mayor forces me to go. But that decision is out of my hands, so I won't worry about it until the time comes", the wolf-dog declared, earning a few cheers from his friends. He shot them an appreciative smile, thanking them for their support, before he returned to Blaze again, all set to ask one last, damning question.
Everyone in the room - Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, Sylvie, Jenna, Doc, Jared, Rocky, Mac, Jim, Derek, Zeke and Mark - fell silent as they waited for that crucial moment to come to a head, while Balto returned to the question that had started it all.
"So Blaze, tell me now. Why don't I belong here?", he asked simply.
Blaze glared at him and opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.
"What was that?", Balto asked, raising a paw to his ear.
Blaze opened his mouth again, but again no sound came out while his eyes darted around spitefully. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything to say to the hybrid. Not a taunt, not an insult, not a growl, not a snarl, not a bark, not a whisper. During their game of wits, he had unwittingly let the wolf-dog box him into a corner.
And Balto had won.
"He did it", Jenna whispered, stunned. "He actually did it", she said, a little bit louder now.
"Yeah!", Kaltag cheered while Dixie whistled.
As she saw how Blaze, the once proud and unmoving disciple of Steele, stood frozen in place without a single insult in mind to fling at his rival, Sylvie turned towards her girlfriend, confused. "How did he do that?", the afghan asked.
"He's Balto. It's what he does", Jenna replied, chuckling. He was back. The Balto that she knew and loved was back. And he was still just as heroic as she remembered him. Maybe even more.
"The guy has a way with words", Nikki acknowledged. He remembered his fight with Devil and his gang like it was yesterday. The chow-chow and his teammates were convinced that the only way they'd be able to get rid of Devil and his cohorts was by ending their lives, until Balto appeared and talked them out of making the worst mistake of their lives. Not to mention intimidating Devil into submission using only his words as weapons.
"Awesome", Jared smirked.
Once he saw Blaze wasn't going to say anything more, Balto stepped a few feet closer so he and Blaze were now so close together the husky couldn't ignore him even if he wanted to.
"I've always had the best interests of my friends and family at heart. I'm not a hero, I'm just a guy who tries to do the right thing whenever I can. But I'm also not a killer. I am a legal citizen of this town, pet of Thomas and Evelyn Jones, and Jenna's future husband. I have just as much of a right to be here as you do. The city council may vote me out tomorrow, but no one and nothing else can force me to leave my family again, you understand?", the wolf-dog declared, giving him fair warning. Blaze of course didn't reply, but Balto stepped back anyway, satisfied. "That's what I thought", he said, right before the room erupted into cheer.
There had never been a louder applause for just one dog than there was for Balto that night. The sound of three dozen supporters all clapping their paws together at the same time was even more raccous than the humans screaming when Balto returned the medicine to Nome that Monday, but Balto paid no attention to the noise. Instead the happy half-breed strolled up to his fiancée and kissed her on the lips, not giving a damn who saw them.
Confronting Blaze was just the thing Balto had needed. The timid, worried Balto who had been avoiding everyone and keeping to himself for the past few days was now gone, and hopefully gone for good. He had finally been replaced by Balto's true self, the brave and modest half-breed that everyone looked up to. Balto was more than just a dog, and he was more than just a hero. He was a legend. A beacon of hope for everyone who had ever wished they could take a stand and make their community a better place.
As Blaze and his gang slunk back into the crowd, hiding their faces in anger and shame, everyone in the Old Mill that night proclaimed that Balto had more than earned his reputation as Nome's savior, no matter how much he denied his heroics. Whatever happened the following night, the citizens of Nome (both humans and canines) would face it together with Balto leading their way. As it was always meant to be.
Author's Notes:
So Balto's back to normal and just in time. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter. For now, let's talk about this one, specifically the music. Music has always been an important part of my stories, ever since my very first fanfic. If I hadn't been listening to wonderful music of Murray Gold and the BBC National Orchestra, a lot of my favorite moments in my stories probably wouldn't have been written, or wouldn't have turned out quite the way they did (like Balto's proposal to Jenna in Part 1). In this chapter, there are reprises are some of the melodies from Part 1, like "Little Amy" and "Martha's Theme" / "Martha Triumphant". There's also "The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)", the Americana remix of "I Am The Doctor". "The Majestic Tale" proudly underscored several scenes in Doctor Who, particularly the climax of "The Impossible Astronaut / Day Of The Moon", when the Doctor and his friends tricked the Silence into turning their slaves against them. It was a perfect fit for the climax of this chapter.
