Whooo. We are on a roll! Well I have this stuff pre-written... I'm stuck on 48 not sure how the enemy's going to move next... :(
But enough for notes up here, As normal I do not know Naruto cause if I did there would be a Minawa Yumi and a Junko Asami!
Enjoy & Thanks for reading!
- Rain
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"So, we believe this actually happened and occurred in the past?" The Hokage asked the Kazekage, Kankuro, Matsuri, and Tomohisa. Kakashi and Naruto were there but neither seemed to be able to remember exactly. Both had different pieces they could remember, but were missing major parts of it - even some of the time before the seal had grabbed them.
"I honestly don't know." Kankuro answered the Kage's question to fill the silence.
"Wouldn't someone know? An elder?" Matsuri replied.
"No, only those fighting the demon had been out that night. I have investigated that night before for perosonal reasons..." The Kazekage answered, he had questioned many before curious for his own sake on what happened that night and if it would affect him as a Kage now.
"I have a theory on how Yumi and Kurokawa ended up there. Look!" He pointed the blood pool. "Yumi's blood has soaked into the seal. If she was bleeding like that from before she tried to stop the seal from vanishing, it could have affected the seal. While the seal wasn't able to pull her with us having already activated, it maybe grabbed her in that time - taking Kurokawa with. It also explains why we could hear only her voice and no one elses, her blood was soaked in." Tomohisa brought attention to the blood that had mixed into the seal where she was been kneeling.
The Kazekage's eyes dashed away from the group, but did not find her. She was probably getting stitched up somewhere if she couldn't heal herself for whatever reason.
"Even with not knowing what we are talking about - I would buy into that idea. Blood activates a number of seals and jutsus." Kakashi spoke, he remembered being in the Suna desert, but not how he got there. He remembered a deviled eyed man as well, but not a young female. Patches of memories...
"I agree, that quantity could have had unknown affects and it was obvious that man would go anywhere with that little girl even be transported. Plus he did accuse you, Tomohisa, of being the one who transported them." The Hokage spoke remembering their initial meeting.
"So what happened with Shukaku?" The Hokage now turned to an even bigger question. Just what was it they had witnessed? Her mind replaying what she could see under the moon light so far away. The massive demon, the small child in front of him somewhere, and then the demon yowling and howling in front of her calling that little girl a bitch and then that man with his axe drawn...
Gaara felt his eyes grow hard. His mind went to that night in the cactus garden. Yumi, who jumped so fearlessly into a fight, unable to hold eye contact, constantly brushing back her bangs, so very nervous and uncertain as she spoke..." I just take a person's chakra - entirely."
His pale blue eyes drifted to the taller older man's. He also knew, right?
Tomohisa said nothing.
The Kazekage's eyes met the Hokage's, saying nothing - acting as if he didn't know.
"Shukaku threatened her and the Gaara from back then, scaring her. She hit him and he roared like he was in pain - his sand falling from him. Then he swung at her with his whole arm and the sand just fell down, flooding the area - burying her." Kankuro described what he had witnessed.
Matsuri's eyes went wide! The sand just fell? Her mind flashed to the two playing.
"That happened when they were playing! Twice the sand shot up or grabbed her and then just fell down harmlessly. And she even jumped through his sand shield!" Matsuri piped up, instantly gaining a glare from her Kazekage.
"How's that possible? What could it be? That man used water and Yumi just uses Taijutsus, right? No blood line traits?" The Hokage looked to Tomohisa for answers.
"What are we talking about? Who? What!? Huh?" Naruto asked, his heading turning to look at each and every person, confused.
"Naruto, this conversation isn't for us. Let's go check on the others." Kakashi summoned his student with the nod of the Hokage. They did no longer remembered whatever it was the others did.
Gaara kept quiet, his eyes looking about the group. She could take chakra with a touch and back then she obviously couldn't control it.
Tomohisa sighed, unsure what to say. He brought his hand up and flagged Atsuhi Shimizu, their former Jinkun, to come over. He always knew the right things to say that's why he had gotten elected.
"Huh?" Naruto paused his exit to see the Jieti-erito leader go join the small group. "Does he know?" He asked Kakashi.
"Probably." Kakashi answered, his eyes studying the man. It would be normal for a leader to know all present and former group members.
"Atsuhi-sama..." Tomohisa could barely speak. Did he dare say the truth before two ninja groups? (Would Kurokawa come back from the grave, or worse find a way through time using the very seal that had sent them back there in the first place!?) Tomohisa waved the Hokage to explain, wanting no part of this witch hunt.
Again, they explained.
"I see..." Atsuhi gave a nod. They knew, without knowing, they pretty much knew.
"Where is Yumi? She might know given he raised her." The Hokage stepped back from their group to look about.
"Not sure. Probably getting healed, she was bleeding through her layers." Atsuhi answered. He had seen her wandering off back towards the way she came - honestly, she probably left. Which was turning out to be a good thing.
Gaara's eyes bore into the man wanting a more clear explanation on where she was. Yumi was injured and he didn't like it that no one seemed to be able to find her all of a sudden.
"Hn, once she's healed we should ask her. Maybe that man put some sort of special seal on her." The Hokage let it known that she was leaning towards it being that man.
"Heh." Atsuhi debated internally. They practically knew. "Taiki was there and he left you alive with your memories in tacked?"
"Yumi's voice came through and saved us last minute." Kankuro informed the man "But Kakashi and Naruto ended up getting that stuff slammed down them."
"She was muttering to herself, asking him to help her - you know." Tomohisa elaborated, thankful for Yumi's habit of talking to the dead.
"Saying his name?" Atsuhi spoke as if he was about to realize something.
"Yeah."
"Oh. He probably believed she was talking to him in this time then...a still alive him... Which would explain why he never shared so many things, always believing he'd still be alive later." A light bulb came on for the ex Jieti Leader. The man had took so many secrets to his death. Leaving Yumi with so little all because he had believed he'd still be around - he'd always be around due to hearing her in the future...
"So... do you know what happened? If it was a seal? With so many demons now freed, it would be good to know in the future - just in case." The Hokage spoke, hinting at the thought of using such an ability.
"Heh. Would you risk the life of every person in your village, your family, your lineage?" The former leader asked them, dead serious.
"That axe, Taiki carried is known as the Black River assassin group axe. Truly though, it's said to possess any welder, to give them a Death God's strength, speed, and killing ability. However for Shinigami, dead is normal and death is their job, so killing doesn't stop with just the enemy - you will turn to kill everyone holding that thing... Anyone who touches it and has killed before, will be possessed gaining power, but also the warped sense of life. Only Taiki was able to return to normal and still carry that axe, to not kill blindly anymore. But honestly that was probably an unspeakable trade to gain his soul back. The Jieti keep that that axe is sealed in a prison box, to not be used unless absolutely needed - but it comes with such a great risk. All secrets, always come with a great risk... So, do you risk the life of every person you know for the answer?" He decided to give them one secret to save another.
"No. A weapon like that, even with the freed demons, would be more dangerous than good. Plus we currently have peace with the demons so there is no reason to risk it." The Hokage's eyes went hard. They didn't need the enemy having anymore of these forbidden, ancient, jutsus. The man's answer made sense to her. It made sense that monstrous devil-eyed man would have a weapon against demons, that he would be able to have that much power to protect the child he seemed to care so much about..
"So it was that man?" Kankuro stated in disbelief. How could someone be so powerful? Was he really a Death God?
"Kurokawa would have done anything to protect that child. She was so attached to him, loved him. It was how he showed love, protecting her." Tomohisa stated, remembering the odd pair of the young happy constantly working Yumi and the broody monstrous Kurokawa.
Gaara's eyes went to the Jieti men. They had covered for Yumi's secret. They wanted to protect her from becoming a weapon, a tool, something to use...
Yumi. He thought, wanting to find her.
...
...
"You should join with the Ninjas. You're going to put people at risk since you helped the enemy, Yumi." The Jinish clone informed the 24 year old who was back on the guarded land, getting her bag.
Yumi glared at the rock clone, wishing him to leave. She knew that. She knew they were going to regard her as an enemy now. She knew that if the enemy decided to come after her for trying to help the two Kages, she was putting others at risk for being here. She knew she no longer was a Jieti.
"Got anything helpful to say?" Her voice reflected her anger.
"It would be better if you joined the ninjas. You could assist in ending this fight at least." He informed her, noticing how her eyes still held the glare. She had always been proud of her Jieti title.
"Hn." She huffed, holding the bag she had retrieved from the tree. Her finger tips and toes were cold. Her head light. She needed to tend to the wound she was currently holding pressure on with her hand.
"And we should train together again before the next Certs, so make sure you send word where you are when the notifications come out." The clone mentioned, causing her eyes to flash.
Would they even invite someone who failed?
"Get yourself healed up. Help the ninjas." The clone decided to state again before crumbling in front of her.
Sure, I'll get right on that. She thought sarcastically.
An enemy to all, that's what she was. Who wanted to hire her, now?
A person for hire that is an enemy to all - that's just great credentials right there. Bitterness tore into her.
She wanted to be alone.
She wanted nothing from no one.
She wanted no one to bother her anymore.
She was supposed to being strong!
Right?
Yumi was laying by the small creek. Her bloody clothes soaking. She still had her black chest wrappings on and her under shorts, but both had blood on them. Once her cloak, armor, and other layers were dry - she'd clean them too. She had stitched the wounds up that she could reach, but the scratch on her back was still open. Yumi used the ground to apply pressure to it.
Her fingers were cold and her body shivered randomly in protest at the blood loss. Idiot. She cursed herself, placing medicine in her mouth. She knew it wouldn't help with the poison, but it could relieve the symptoms. Most of her chakra had gone to holding that seal in place, now she didn't have enough for her restoration jutsu. That jutsu required a large amount of chakra, but it was one of the only two jutsus she could do. All of the other medical or healing jutsus, she could not seem to accomplish. All other jutsus she never seemed able to do!
Fail.
Placing an arm over her eyes to hide them, she let the tears fall unable to hold them back any longer.
Failure
Unable
Weak
Unhelpful
An Enemy!
An Enemy. Not family. Not date. Not a friend. Not even a stranger. An Enemy to all. Worse than no one.
A complete outsider... No, I'm even worse than that!
A disappointment to Kurokawa and all other Jieti.
I failed...
...
...
"Where's Yumi?" Gaara asked, his eyes searched every small gathered group for the short charcoal haired woman. He normally found her so easily, and now it was like she was not even here.
"She probably went back - to the Jieti." Kankuro answered his brother's question, having noticed how quickly the two locked eyes. Man, they had it bad.
"Naw, the Jieti wouldn't risk that. They would have cut ties from her the moment she ran out to help with the seal if not for helping the ANBU." Tomohisa spoke up, also glancing around for the girl.
"So where is she?" Gaara's eyes landed harshly on her ex-leader. This was the man who had informed him she could guard when she could barely run back in Suna during the Chunin exams!
Atsuhi looked the young Kage over carefully. Maybe he could sway her...
"She had a bag hidden somewhere, so I would assume to get that if she's not here. But, I don't think she's going to come back. Being Jieti was everything to her, and more so after Taiki died. Honestly, I thought she maybe had changed when she used you as her emergency contact, but she still refused to leave to join us helping you guys." Atsuhi spoke honestly. He had no hold over the younger member. Even with knowing Kurokawa and being the Jinkun, Yumi rarely listened unless it was about a job. But this red haired man, the Kazekage, she had finally updated her own records removing a dead man as her contact (something that he and her had argued about for years since the deceased wasn't supposed to be an emergency contact in the first place!)
"Kazekage-sama." Baki interrupted. "We need to move out." If the girl was no longer Jieti, then she was even more dangerous.
"Start preparing the groups. I want to survey the area to see if there's any more of those creatures around." He ordered.
"He's going to search for Yumi - I bet you." Kankuro leaned over to Matsuri, who's eyes narrowed.
"He would for anyone who helped us." She found herself stating.
"I hope he finds her. She's lost a lot of blood, and she saved our lives." The Hokage's voice came from behind the two.
"Hokage-san." Matsuri jumped, she was being glared at by the blonde woman.
"Shouldn't you two be getting ready to move out?" The Kage asked sharply.
"Yes. Of course!" Matsuri jumped to attention, bowed, and RUSHED off. She had heard of the Kage's unforgiving strength!
"Heheheh." Kankuro chuckled. That was funny.
"Shikamaru sent a letter that Yumi might be suspicious, and possibly the enemy targeting the Kazekage... I think it's just how that man raised her, anyone raised by him would naturally have skewed ideals on normal - and be a bit suspicious..." Tsunade commented, thinking to herself. The girl's strength and determination was suspicious, but that man seemed to defy nature itself.
"Hey! Tomohisa! How was Kurokawa even hired for jobs anyway!?" She yelled to the elder Jieti, suddenly curious.
"Haha. Good question. Some people took comfort in their guard being more terrifying than their enemy, I guess." Tomohisa laughed, having though the same thing when he first met the terrifying man.
"I can see that." Kankuro nodded his head. Who worried about enemy when that was your protector!
...
...
Yumi tensed. Instantly she focused on stopping her tears, the signs of her weakness. She didn't move otherwise. His chakra was here, now standing right there just a few feet away from her. Her arm was covering her eyes. Her other hand pressed on the newly stitched wound above her right hip, trying to stop the bleeding despite the venom/poison.
Gaara's eyes inspected every inch of the non-moving body. She wasn't dead. Just not moving. She had washed herself though her chest wrappings and loose shorts still had blood stains. The rest of her clothing and armor was hanging on the nearby tree, drying with only a few cuts in it - nothing equivalent to the sewn wounds on her body.
She transferred someone's injuries to herself and then probably not healed herself... Gaara concluded, feeling annoyed. It was how she had ended up bleeding into the seal... How she ended up so injured.
"Yes?" Yumi moved her arm first, quietly wiping away any signs of tears. She would not let it known she had cried. She was a Jieti. Jieti did not shed tears. She wasn't supposed to cry, even with no longer being a Jieti - she couldn't cry in front of others. She wouldn't show a sign of it in front of him.
She rose to her feet, slowly without help and faced him. Her bold, hard, green eyes met his pale blue. Her face showed no sign of pain, worry, or fear. A seasoned fighter. Gaara made sure he showed no emotion...
"We are going to move out." Gaara found his voice. He felt himself glare at the sight of the black sitches on her white skin, the smeared blood trails in the grass, her pale complexion - signs of fever and poison. She had walked away from them, from him, injured.
"Be safe traveling back." A nod of her head, acknowledged his statement but showed no hint of going with them.
"You should come with us. You need medical attention." Gaara became more direct, his frustration growing at her dismissal of him. He had screwed up, breaking up with her just because of some suspicion.
"Hn. I'm fine. It will heal." Yumi didn't budge. She was... She had been a Jieti. But now, at least, he was safe. She loved him, and he was safe. That mattered to her. He was a Kage. His priority should be the village. She understood that. They were broken up. It was the right thing to have done. It was Ok. She was Ok. She was fine. She didn't need anyone, she was fine.
Gaara felt angry at her words and defiant eyes. She was being stubborn and the venom had already taken many ninja lives.
Silence filled everything up as the distance between them expanded and a cold air emerged. He was not leaving like she expected him to. She was not easily going with him like he wanted her to.
"Do you guys need an escort?" Yumi asked, her eyes were like that man's, Kurokawa's, - like his own had been so long ago.
Gaara felt his temper flare, but said nothing. How can she offer an escort in her current condition? She is obviously feverish. Obviously faint. Obviously injured. That was not why he was here. He did not want to hire her!
He wanted... He wanted...
Gaara could feel his blood boil underneath his sand mask. She was soo stubborn. How had he not seen before how stubborn she was, how distant, so guarded? Why had he given in and written that letter!?
The sand wrapped around him, transporting him. Finally, Yumi felt relief.
To right in front of her! Instantly she snapped back on guard.
Yumi took a step back. He was TOO close. Her body tensed and her lip twitched as her eyes glared at him. She wanted him to leave, hadn't he got the hint!? Just what the hell was he thinking!?
"I'm your enemy, you should treat me as such... And, you'll want your group to head out soon to give yourselves more daylight to move in." She added the last part noting the time by the sun. She wanted them to stay safe and it would be better for them to leave, soon.
Yumi slowly moved to take another step back, to get even more distance between them.
Gaara's hand went to her, holding her still. Instantly her eyes met his - their look clear, she'd fight him. She was not as emotionally open as she made herself seem. Maybe, in fact, she had never been fully unguarded, even around him, just kind and understanding. She had been letting them build trust little by little, and he broke it with pen and paper.
"I'm sorry." He whispered to her, trying to draw her to him.
"Sorry." He stated again, feeling her tense even more.
Yumi grit her teeth, feeling aggravated a his use of that word. Why was he sorry!? What fault did he have? She had chosen jumping in to help them, to help the ANBU! And she'd do it again too! Was he saying sorry for the letter? Or was he daring to say sorry her becoming everyone's enemy? For her being injured? Was it because he cared... He cared that she was hurting... Sorry that he wasn't going to leave her alone when she WANTED to be alone!?
The tightness in her chest growing again. She felt her emotions come in like a flood. But she wasn't going to let herself cry in front of him. She wouldn't. It didn't matter if he cared. She was... She was supposed to be...
"I'm your enemy. You should leave. Please. Just leave. I'm fine." Yumi tried to harden her voice. She thought about physically fighting him, but unless she was willing to take his chakra - he could both overpower her and outrun her.
"No." He informed her, serious.
Yumi frowned, defensive. He was going to cause her to lose face - if he didn't leave, she'd lose face! Kami! She wasn't going to forgive him if he made her lose face just because of a few measly scratches!
"If you are truly my enemy, then I'll just take you with me by force. But I'm not leaving you here." Gaara's eyes locked on hers.
Yumi's entire body tensed before him, her eyes instantly showed rage. She couldn't win against him if she didn't take his chakra, and she didn't want to take his chakra! She didn't want to! Why the hell was he doing this!? SHE WAS FINE! And, they were supposed to be enemies. It was too risky for his village, for those he was responsible for! She wasn't important! She wasn't that important! She was just a person for hire! Someone who did odd jobs and was just a body for others, a Jieti. She didn't have anything, why in the hell was he doing this!? The Jieti had even kicked her out! Why wasn't he!?
"I'm not-" Her voice cracked amid her anger. Fuck. She couldn't say it out loud. She wasn't a Jieti anymore, she wasn't anything to him anymore, he had his village - HE SHOULD JUST LEAVE!
Damn it. The turmoil turned the other way as she realized she really couldn't fight him, not without taking his chakra. Couldn't he just let her go? She was ok. She said she was OK! SHE WAS FINE!
Gaara could see the storm behind her eyes. The torn look.
"I'm not a-" She tried again, unable to say the word. "I am-" She tried another way, feeling the heaviness in her chest as she tried to communicate what she was no longer.
He leaned forward and kissed her, wanting to make it better. It didn't matter what she was and was not.
Yumi felt tears instantly come down her face as she could no longer fight them back.
She had failed, she was nothing. She was supposed to be his enemy, why wasn't he treating her that way? That she could handle, the letter she could handle, the injuries, and anything else other than this she could keep face with - but this, this brought weakness to her knees and made her feel the hurt.
"Sorry." She whispered out, failure...weak.
Quickly she moved to rub away the tears as fast as she could. Jeiti weren't supposed to cry. Not a Jieti. She reminded herself, instantly pained by the thought.
"Here." A cloak appeared with his sand, something more for her to wear. Yumi's eyes went to it, and finally she gave a slight, tiny, barely-there, nod. She'd give in to the confusing stubborn man. She'd go with him.
"I'm carrying you." He then decided to inform her, seriously.
"WHAT!?" Yumi jerked back, stepping back, defiant.
She didn't want to be carried! JIETI DON'T GET CARRIED!
"Since you keep saying we are enemies, I am prepared to fight you, and you will not win... I am carrying you." Gaara's tone was grave. There was no way she was walking injured like that. There was no way he would let her after seeing her tears. Plus, he would not give her the chance to walk off alone, again.
"I'm fine." She snarled. He had gotten her to agree to come with him, but to be carried!? She wasn't broken. She was hospitalized like before. SHE WAS FINE! She was independent! She was fine on her own! She didn't need to be carried...
"I don't care." His voice was cold. She could protest all she wanted, even if they needed to physically fight, he was going to carry her. His eyes grew hard as hers stared in disbelief.
WHAT!? Why the hell was he acting this way!? Why couldn't he have just left her be? It was bad enough to be an enemy, hurt, and weak, but he was seeing it now too.
...
...
Yumi's arms were wrapped around his neck. He had stated she either could be carried on his back or princess style and if she didn't pick, he would. Kami! She was being carried, as if she was unable to even walk! SHE COULD WALK!
"Can you put me down now?" Yumi growled. He was carrying her small bag and his gourd with his sand. She wasn't even allowed to carry her own bag. It was small enough. She had agreed to come with him, wasn't that enough?
"No." Gaara replied sharply. Kami, she was troublesome! First sneaking away, then refusing to join, fighting against being carried, and now protesting! He felt anger towards her and her complete disregard for her own health.
"We are coming up to the ninjas!" Yumi didn't want to steal his chakra so she couldn't win against him, but she did not want to be seen like this!
"No. Keep moving and we'll switch to the other way." Gaara threatened her, fully knowing how embarrassing of a thought that was to her to be carried princess style...
"Let me down! The ninjas are ahead! A Jieti shouldn't be carried when they can still walk." She snapped panicked, pulling back from him. She didn't care she was no longer a Jieti. She had let him carry her off the guarded land, but she just couldn't let people see her like this. No one would hire her again! No one would respect her! All those years of work, would be ruined! Everything would be ruined on top of everything else too!
"Yumi! Stop." Gaara stopped moving. His sand pressed into her at his frustration, securing her against him, again. Her own frustration could be felt as she continued anyway.
"Cover your head with the hood. I'll say you are unconscious, that you helped us until you had no energy left. That's what Jieti do right, put their health after others?" He compromised, using her own argument against her. He hoped she'd take the bait and compromise. It was still a long way to the fortress from here and he would not let her walk it in her condition.
"yeah..." Yumi let herself relax, that would work. She could accept that... If no one knew she was awake, then it would be ok. Right? Only Tomohisa and the ex-Jinkun would probably guess the truth (since they knew what happened when she slept).
Gaara didn't move forward though he relaxed his sand he had used to re-secure her. He wanted for her to be completely OK with the compromise. He did not want to have to fight her the whole way back to his base in front of the ninjas. As a Kage he didn't want to be seen like that (similar to how him carrying her feel compromised her as an able Jieti...).
"O-ok." She stuttered, nervous to be on his back for that long, nervous that someone would know she was letting him carry her while she was still able to walk...
Slowly, Yumi wrapped her arms around him, covering her head with the hood of the cloak he gave her. Her legs were wrapped on either side of his torso. It was actually his sand that was holding her up, not her strength. He could probably feel her every heart beat... one compromising, embarrassing, lost face situation, after another. He had witnessed her lows, something she hated for anyone to see - especially someone like him who she liked...
"Good." Gaara said the last spoken word between them for the rest of the trip to the base as she would be pretending to be unconscious...
Finally she was done fighting him... at least until they got to the medics, probably... And he would need to find a place for her in the base too. Given where he wanted her to stay, she'd probably fight him on too...
Difficult. Gaara thought feeling a frustration he couldn't quite explain.
..
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AngelicLuka: Haha, not sure I'd call last chapter epic, but I'm very glad you liked it!. (My favorite chapter is still back a the Chunin Exams). I am glad your week is better! Happy Saturday! If you have any requests let me know. I'm kinda stuck so who knows what will happen next (for chapter 48, I mean)
ClumsyWriter: I saw you changed your name but since you originally reviewed as Let it Flow I figured I should respond to that. :) I too wanted to keep little Yumi and Kurokawa around but I promised myself not to stay in that time forever, it would be too easy. And as much as I want, I don't think I'm going to bring Kurokawa back from the dead either - that doesn't happen in real life. As for creativity of creepy things, you have to check out Grimm it's a tv show (on hulu too) that has creepy things in it! Also I'm more than happy to add more Kankuro showings. He's a harder guy for me to write but it'd be good practice and I get awesome ideas when I get requests for things. I'm half way wondering if eventually I should set up for a hint of a Kankuro pairing! That'd be fun, maybe... after the war... ugh that's a ways... Got any ideas for war? lol
Gifi: Your English is very good and readable! Thank you VERY much for reading. I am glad you like my story and I try for logical honestly so thank you! What language do you speak if it is ok for me ask?
No special notes for this chapter. But as normal please review if you have read this! I really love reviews and I am stuck on chapter 48. Honestly I don't know what I should have the enemy do next! I also don't know how the ninja groups should respond to try to find this enemy and stop them... Complicated things.
