guide:
"Normal talking"
"Spoken in foreign language"(in this case English)
'Thoughts'
Flashbacks/Memories
*Techniques*
Chapter 8- Where Memories Live...
"Mom?...Mom!" Izuku shouted as his legs carried him towards his destination, his mother's arms.
"Mom! You're...You're here!" He weeped into her shoulder.
"Of course I am but...look at you! You're covered in dirt and...are those burns?!"
"Izuku baby, what have you been doing to get these?! Is someone hurting you?! I'll call the police to make sure whoever did this doesn't do this ever again!" Her voice was filled with pure concern and even anger.
"No, no, no mom! Kacchan was just playing a little rough! I-It doesn't hurt anymore, see." To prove his point, he jumped around stretching his arms and legs to which his mother could only sigh in relief.
"Well, we should really be heading home now. Come on, I'm making Katsudon tonight." She smiled as she took his precious little hand in hers.
Izuku smiled in turn, a smile filled with happiness, surprise, elation, and pure disbelief. This felt so real. His hand could feel the warmth of his mother's hold and that warm feeling spread throughout his body.
But deep down he knew it wasn't real, too many things didn't add up to make sense. First and foremost, he's too smart to be a five year old.
This was an illusion, just a very powerful one.
'This must be my trial.'
'But what do I have to do?'
'Where do I start? Or is this the start?'
Truly this is something he had never even come close to expecting. Then again, Merlin did claim to be the most talented magic user in the world so the possibility of this was not too far off.
'Merlin said I had to control my emotions, that I should never lose control.'
As he was thinking, a pair of chopsticks with a slice of pork stopped right at his face.
"Open up Izuku! It's your favorite!" His mother cooed.
'When did I get here?' He thought before opening his mouth and biting the piece of meat. The taste was just like how she made it.
'Wait...'
'I can't control my body!'
Months later...
Izuku covered his ears at the loud shouting he could hear from his room. He curled into a ball as he cried. It did little to drown out the heartbreaking argument his parents were having.
"I can't be related to some quirkless runt!"
"Hisashi, he's your son!"
Izuku hugged his knees tighter to his chest as each word his father spoke stabbed his little heart leaving it with bleeding wounds.
For him, it had been several months since this trial had begun, each and everyday of his life ever since he could remember was replayed before his eyes, each and every emotion he had once felt before, he felt again with the same intensity. When he was young, he saw the world as good and bad, but with the mind of a teen, everything had a deeper meaning. Each action had more than one implication, each emotion had more than one reason.
"I'm not wasting resources on a quirkless brat!"
The sound of the front door slamming loudly made Izuku jump slightly from his spot on the floor. He let out a small whimper as his aged mind was able to comprehend what his young mind could not and did not. His mother's cries only added to the pain.
'So this is what she meant by controlling your emotions.'
The door opened and in came his crying mother. She hugged him tightly trying to either comfort him or herself he wasn't sure. All he knew at the moment was pain and betrayal.
"I-It's g-gonna be okay I-Izuku, mommy will always be with you..."
"I promise.."
'Please...never leave me.'
'Keep smiling, like All Might. Hide the pain, hide the suffering. A great hero always smiles.'
1 year later...
"Stop following me around Deku!" Katsuki exclaimed as he pushed Izuku off of his feet and landing butt first into the dirt.
"Kacchan, wait up! Wait, wait! Wait for me Kacchan!" The green boy didn't wait another second to get up and start running after his 'friend.'
He can't afford to lose his best friend too, his young mind thought. His older mind however, could only realize how much of an ass Kacchan was even back then but even so, he still kept chasing after him.
'Why did he keep chasing after someone who made it blatantly clear that he doesn't like him?'
'What was he supposed to feel? What kind of control was he suppose to have?'
—
1 year later...
"Let's go this way!" A young Katsuki ordered his followers
"Kacchan, wait up!"
"Don't follow me Deku! You'll only slow me down from finding a villain and kicking his butt!" And with that, he set off an explosion, sending him flying further into the forest as his followers used their quirks as well to follow suite. He stopped, out of breath and panting. A sound of someone falling caught his attention.
He knew where this was going, where this event will eventually lead to...
"All will be revealed."
...but he didn't know what truly happened...
Looking down from a cliff he saw a patch of white hair belonging to a girl no older than him. To the girl who became or will eventually become his best friend.
...
"Why are you helping me? I didn't say I needed it." Her voice was the same as he remembers.
"You're hurt and looked liked you needed help. I think that's enough reason for me to lend you a hand. That's what a hero would do! And I want to be one when I grow up." His smile brightened.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya by the way."
"Azuki, Azuki Mayuki."
...and he doesn't know if he can handle it.
"Ne Izu, why do you want to be a hero so badly?" His friend asked from beside him. He tilted his head in a cute way to look at her. Her eyes were filled with curiosity, something they share in common.
"Well, I think it's super cool to be able to help people with a smile! You know, like All Might. He's the coolest hero in the world! He always smiles and he always wins too!" He replied with the most excited smile on his face. Azuki only snorted at his response before placing her chin on her hand and gazing back into the hidden field of flowers they were in.
"You're really cool you know. I don't think I'll ever be as motivated as you." She complimented earning her a blush from her friend.
"Y-you're cool too you know. Your quirk is amazing and super helpful for becoming a pro hero or-or maybe even a doctor." He stuttered slightly.
"Thanks, but I don't think I want to be a doctor." She said.
"Then what do you want to be when you're older?"
"Isn't it obvious? I want to be a hero with you that way I can keep cheering you on."
"Because...because that's what friends are for." She smiled even brighter than before.
'Her smile was so pretty' both his young and older mind thought.
"Do they hurt?" She asked with concern, tracing the bruises and small burns he has on his arm. His face also had a few bruises but not as evident as the ones on his limbs.
"A l-little. I'm kind of used to them now. Kacchan has gotten really good with his quirk." Izuku praised.
"He did this to you so many times now and yet you still like hanging out with him. I don't get you at all Izu-kun." She said flatly."I don't like him, he's mean and he bullies you. Plus he calls you that terrible nickname."
"W-Well yeah...but he's really amazing, Zuki-chan. I know because I've been watching him since we were little. He's so driven to win and become the best at everything, I honestly admire him." He said sheepishly.
"That doesn't change the fact that he's a bully." She pouted before hugging him and activating her quirk. Her hands wrapped around his back and she put her chin on his shoulder.
Azuki Mayuki
Quirk: Healing embrace
She can conjure a special energy from her body which can heal others when exposed to physical contact. She can't heal herself though. Her quirk is limited to one use per day and drains her energy.
Izuku blushed at his friend's action but accepted the hug nonetheless. He felt her quirk working on healing his injuries surrounding him in a warm embrace of healing energy made even warmer by the best best friend in the world.
This kind of thing happened quite often now. He would get beat up by Kacchan and some other kids for being the quirkless freak in the neighborhood and then he'll reach Azuki's house slightly battered and roughed up. The first time it happened, she was pretty angry at this Kacchan for hurting her friend but Izuku came quickly to the other boy's defense.
She never interacted with anybody else her age aside from Izuku. She was too scared of interacting with anyone else especially since her family lived quietly near the forest and even more when she saw how scary the other kids can be. That's also why her parents were more than happy to welcome Izuku's presence as their daughter's first real friend.
After a full minute of hugging leaving both parties with equally red faces of embarrassment, the two separated and Azuki looked at her work with heavy eyelids. She felt drained but at least all of her friend's injuries were gone.
"How do you feel?" She asked tiredly.
"Better." Was all he replied
"Good." She said before giving a long sleepy yawn and drooping her posture.
"You've also gotten a lot better with your quirk. You didn't fall asleep immediately after using it this time!" Izuku cheered excitedly.
"Hnnn...Thanks." She expresses her gratitude before falling forward. She would have hit the grass if not for the green boy catching her by the shoulders.
"Do you need me to carry you home?"
"That'd be nice."
He smiled for what felt like the billionth time already and slung her arms over his shoulders giving her a piggy back ride to their destination. He began walking towards their destination away from the smooth rock they were once sat against and across the field of flowers. This forest was full of so many majestic sights hidden from the world. Sights that only he and his friend could enjoy. A sight like his best friend napping peacefully while he trekked through the woods.
"My...hero." Her sleepy voice reached his ears making his heart skip a beat at those cute words. He blushed a shade of red he only ever experienced once before.
This is what friendship is. it made him so so happy.
...
'How long has it been since he started this trial?'
He didn't know nor did he care anymore.
The happiness he felt at the moment drowned out everything else and...
What was he suppose to be doing again?
"Ne Izu, over here!"
Izuku hurriedly followed after the voice of his cheery friend. She wanted to show him something and he was exceedingly curious to know what it was.
"Here we are!" She exclaimed.
Izuku looked over to where she had stopped. They were standing at the entrance of a small cave big enough for a person to fit in. Izuku followed the girl and crawled into the mouth of the cave, but nothing could've prepared him for what he was about to see.
"Woah! This place is so cool!" The interior was an impressive space full of plant-life. There was a small opening on the roof of the cave covered by roots and foliage acting almost like a skylight. What was most eye catching though was the bright blue pool of water with an unnatural glow to it.
"What do you think?" Azuki asked.
"It's awesome! This is the coolest place I've ever been to!" Izuku answered all too enthusiastically earning him a giggle from the white-haired girl.
"I'm glad you like it. This is where I go to relax. It's so peaceful and calm here." She said in a dreamy sing-song voice. Izuku looked further into the cave stopping right in front of the glowing spring.
"This water is special. I don't know exactly why but it glows every once in a while, and when it does everything just seems more...beautiful. Don't you think?" Azuki explained while staring at the water. A soft peaceful smile was on her face. Her eyes were closed as she tried to relaxed.
Izuku turned his attention from the spring to the girl beside him. A smile on his face and a blush on his cheek.
"Hey Izu, check this out." The girl took her boots off and stepped on the water creating ripples on the surface. Her foot however never breached the surface of the water and she started walking to the center of the pool.
He watched with wide eyes filled to the brim with excitement at what he was seeing.
"That's amazing! How are you doing that? Is that a side effect of your quirk?"
She walked back to him, her feet never sinking deeper and leaving ripples with every step. It was a majestic sight in his opinion.
"Nope! Why don't you try for yourself and find out?" She giggled, grabbing his arms and pulling him into the water where he lost his balance and landed with a splat on the water.
"Wow! This-this is so cool! I'm not sinking, it's like I'm standing on jelly but it's water!"
The girl snickered at her friend's reaction finding it too entertaining.
"You have to keep this place a secret, you can't tell anybody about this 'kay?"
"Okay, I promise."
"Thanks, I knew I could trust you."
'I should be the one thanking you for showing me these cool places and... for being my friend.'
"Your dad did what?!"
"I-It's fine. It doesn't really matter anymo-" His voice was hoarse and his chest was heavy.
"It's not fine at all! He's your dad, it shouldn't matter if you have a quirk or not, you're his son." She said angrily.
"My mom said that a parent will always love their child no matter what, Thayer they'll never abandon them. She said that a child should be born out of nothing but love."
"I-I DON'T KNOW! I...I don't..." he sobbed unable to contain his pent up emotions. He never told anyone else because it was never their problem nor did he think they'll care once they found out he was quirkless.
"Being quirkless doesn't make you any less than everybody else, please don't forget that." She approached him gently wrapping her arms around his neck giving him a comforting hug.
"You're a good guy, Izu. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise okay?"
How can someone be so kind to him? What has he done to receive such a person to be his friend?
It's incredible how one chance meeting could change so much, how one person could make this cold world so much warmer.
"The sunset is really pretty, isn't it?" She said as she laid back into the thick snow that covered the grass flailing her arms and legs around to make a snow angel.
"Yeah...this spot is a really good view and it's where we fist met each other too, so it's even better." He said equally as cheerful as they reminisced about their first meeting, blushing slightly at the moment how it ended. It has been almost two years and a half since the two met on that fateful day and their friendship had blossomed wonderfully.
"Zuki-chan, you really like the snow don't you?"
"Mmm. Who doesn't? It feels soft and cozy, I could lay down here forever." she smiled happily releasing a small sigh.
After a few moments of silence, the sky began darkening.
"Welp, we should get going now, my mom probably already made dinner and is waiting on us. We've really explored this forest, I don't think there isn't a single spot we haven't been to." She said while patting her shoulders to remove the snow on her winter jacket.
"I know, it's been a lot of fun." Izuku replied a bit somberly as that meant their adventures that he enjoyed dearly had come to an end.
" What's with the long face? Aren't you excited? This is the first time we're having a sleepover! I can show you all of the books I have. It's going to be great!" She said cheerily.
"Y-Yeah. It's just that this is the first time I'm spending a night away from home, so I'm a little nervous." "A-And your parents are pretty lively too." He added while scratching the back of his neck.
"I-I guess they are." She agreed while rubbing her cheek feeling the warmth from the memory of introducing Izuku to her mom.
"I'm so glad that you finally made a friend sweetie! And he's such a nice boy too." Azuki's mother turned to the the boy grabbing his hands and placing them together. "Tell me, do you like my daughter? Are you planning to date her when you're older? If that's the case, you have may approval. I'm sure you two will make such a cute couple and-"
"M-Mom!" Azuki screamed, her face completely flushed a shade of crimson with tears of embarrassment in her eyes. Izuku didn't look much different from his friend. His ears were steaming and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water unable to formulate any words. His embarrassment had skyrocketed to new levels and he was sure it could not get any worse.
"Now, now dear, its a bit too early to be thinking of that."
"Oh, but I'm just dying to know more about my potential future son-in-law! It's not everyday Azuki kisses a boy her age." She exclaimed making her husband freeze in thought all the while their daughter was an even darker shade of red.
Izuku was wrong, he was sure he was about to die (or faint).
'This...is so embarrassing!'
"How's your mom by the way?"
"She's doing good. She's been working a lot lately and I only get to see her once in a while now but I've been practicing how to cook and I want to surprise her one day!"
"Aww, that's sweet."
They continued to trek through the woods, the sun had already set and it was dark out. The sounds of the forest filled the otherwise silent atmosphere between the two from the flowing water in the nearby creek, to the chirping crickets, and the occasional rustling in the bushes. Unknowingly, he had been holding her hand the whole time until her house was finally visible.
It was moments like these that he enjoyed most about their friendship. Just the two of them, being together, getting to know each other more, and having fun all the while.
'This is what real friend are like.'
He was a little bitter about his one-sided friendship with Kacchan. Years of trying to build a connection with the blonde boy left him with more bruises than actually exchanging words with the guy. That never stopped him from trying to befriend him but with how things are between them, he'd much rather spend time enjoying a certain white-haired girl's company.
Suddenly, she stopped making Izuku stop with her. He looked at her confused as to why she suddenly stopped and instantly he could sense something was very wrong. She was unmoving and her breath was shaky.
"Zuki-chan, what's the matter?"
She didn't reply and only kept her eyes fixated in front of her. He followed her gaze and instantly made his body shake with pure fear.
"There you are."
It had been a few seconds since Merlin started the trial and said woman was counting the seconds pass by. The boy's eyes were closed but his face still expressed various emotions. At first looked mildly pained before twisting into a small happy smile with a small hint of red on his cheeks and now he was sweating profusely while gritting his teeth.
'Run. Run. RUN!'
'This can't be happening!'
They kept running through the the forest. He never let her hand go as they fled deeper into the snowy foliage searching for somewhere to hide.
The moment he saw it, every part of his body was screaming at him to run, to get out of there as fast as possible. Azuki didn't stop him from dragging them off further into the woods. Her face told him everything he needed to know. She was terrified. It took everything he had to not scream out of terror. How can something be so terrifying that it made him flee in fear with just its presence?
"Zuki-chan, the cave is close by. We can hide there and wait for help okay?" He said exhaling loudly. They were still running leaving tracks in their haste, the heavy clothing they wore to protect them from the cold made running more difficult.
"Quick! We're almost there! We can block out the entrance and-"
He felt her grip disappear from his hand and he was confused. He turned around and saw a sight that was all too familiar.
Azuki was in the deathly hold of a tendril made of a dark substance originating from the source of his fear. A being cloaked in darkness from head to toe, the gleam of metal parts visible under the moonlight, a horrific bladed hook dripping with fresh blood on its right hand and a dismembered bloodied faceless head in its left leaving the snowy ground beneath it covered in a disgusting red.
"Three heads on one hunt, how entertaining this was. Do you really think you could escape me by just running and hiding?" It's grip tightened as it mocked their futile attempt.
"You Druids are all the same, a clan of cowards and liars." It spoke in a ghostly tone raising the bloody head to the girl's face. "Don't worry child, you'll be joining them soon. Your end will be swift unlike theirs, consider it mercy."
It raised its right hand, the one with the bladed hook, and positioned it to it's captive's neck about to swing when a hard object impacted his head.
"Let her go!" Izuku screamed at the top of his lungs picking up another rock and threw it at the monster. It turned its head to him, the mask's terrifying maw of teeth only increased its intimidating aura. Whatever this thing is...it wasn't human.
In an instant, he felt something...something extremely painful...in his chest. The taste of rust was evident in his mouth. He looked down only to see that there was nothing...nothing but a gaping hole where his vital organs should be. He fell to his back, red covering over the white snow. He felt nothing...only an endless cold, his eyes were blurry and heavy, and he couldn't distinguish the endless ringing in his ears from the screams of anguish.
Tears leaked out of his eyes one last time before he closed them forever. They felt hot, burning his skin with their heat as darkness enveloped him.
"Insolent child."
'Did I just...die?'
'This can't be the end. This can't be it. I know it's not.'
Merlin watched as Izuku's unconscious state choked and gagged for air. It looks like he was on the verge of collapse, his legs barely keeping him upright.
He tried to move to force anything to happen but there was nothing. All he felt was the coldness of the snow and the warm tears on his face as he laid there motionless.
"...wake...up!...don't die!...please!...don't...!"
'Zuki?'
He could feel more warmth on his face, more tears...but they weren't his. With all the strength he had left, he opened his watery eyes to be greeted by the sight of his one and only friend looking down at him crying, her tears landing on his freckled cheeks. His strength was coming back to him but how? What happened to the villain?
He fully opened his eyes to see that the massive hole in his chest was gone.
'She saved me. She used her quirk to heal such a massive injury! Then that means...'
He looked at her and he knew she was close to passing out.
"Izuku, please run away and get out of here!"
"Wha-?"
Before he could move, Azuki's form was pulled back forcefully into the air before landing back to the snow just in front of the villain.
He panicked. He needed to get up. He can't let this happen! He cant lose her too! Get up! Get up! Get up!
He couldn't get up and could only tilt his head to the side and watch helplessly. His body wasn't listening to his wishes. The villain has her captive once again and she was struggling to escape. He noticed something odd, half of the villain's body was smoking as if it was burnt.
"You have impressive magic for a child. I have to admit, you caught me off guard."
The sound of a blade slicing through the air rang into the night followed by an object crashing into the snow.
He watched. Watched helplessly as the body fell to the snow, her blood painted white snow into red. The murderer stood and looked at him with the same killing intent as before. He stepped closer and closer, the expressionless mask covered in red.
Something changed within him...something finally snapped.
"AAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!"
"Aaahgghhhh" the unconscious boy's pained scream echoed in the cave and Merlin could only hope that he will forgive her after he finished this trial.
The villain stopped in his tracks paralyzed, looking on in shock at the sight before him. Standing in a circle of melted snow was no longer the same boy he was about to kill. A gust of powerful wind blew away the snow and shook the trees.
"Impossible. How do you possess this power?!"
The once scared green eyes now burned a vengeful crimson so dark it was black. Standing there was no longer a mere boy, but a being of undeniable dark power. A being that has terrorized, enslaved and feasted upon humans eons ago.
A demon. And a high-class one at that.
Demon darkness oozed out of his body like a growing flame. The thick clothing he wore to protect from the cold tore apart and burned off at the sheer heat and power that radiated from his body revealing more of his transformation. Demonic markings and patches of darkness covered his arms and chest adding to his fierce new form but what stood out the most was the symbol on the boy's forehead. A symbol all demons know...and fear.
In an instant, the boy lunged forward with blinding speed with only one intention...
To kill.
His world grew dark and his vision was red.
He had never felt like this before, never felt so powerful, so angry, so...bloodthirsty. He needed to kill it, he needed to kill the thing that took someone precious to him.
He needed to erase it from existence.
Izuku breathed heavily, he lunged forward with unholy speed and started attacking mindlessly. Punching, clawing, tearing, anything that can inflict pain upon the monster!
He didn't ease his relentless assault. He was letting everything out, his anger, his rage, his pain! He was letting them fuel the vengeful flame in his soul.
The earth shook with every punch he landed cratering the ground beneath them. The sound of flesh tearing with every pull of his powerful arms. The image of black blood splashing everywhere as he brutalized the monster.
With one final scream agony, he landed the last blow leaving only the waist down as the remains of what was once a living thing.
It's not enough. It's not enough!
He needed to break him more!
He needs to satisfy this burning thirst for vengeance!
He needed...
"I..zu..."
He stopped his thoughts and turned around slowly to the source of the weak voice.
There, lying in the snow was none other than his friend, Azuki Mayuki, the only one to believe in him, the only one who never abandoned him.
He rushed to her kneeling by her side forgetting the world around him, the destruction he had caused and the evil thoughts that crossed his mind were replaced by a severe pain in his chest. He looked down at her tear ridden face with tears of his own. Her lifeless eyes sent one last gaze to his direction before all warmth in them disappeared.
"All will be revealed."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"
He screamed. He screamed to the sky. He screamed the most pained scream he could...but it still wasn't enough to express how he felt. The ground shook violently as he continued to scream, to voice out his agony, his loss.
He didn't care that his throat hurt, he didn't care that ground around him got destroyed by the overwhelming force of his power, he didn't notice the burning sensation on his left bicep. All he knew at the moment was unending, unrelenting misery.
Moments passed and his screaming stopped. No voice came out of his open mouth and he couldn't breathe. He was drowning...no...he was choking on something. He opened his eyes only to be met with familiar green substance ensnaring him.
"Don't worry it'll only hurt for about 45 seconds." A malicious voice said as he struggled pathetically against the green sludge holding him captive.
His world was growing darker again. He was gonna pass out any moment now and All Might will wake him up. He knew this. He had always known this
The force of the grip of the sludge villain disappeared and he fell to his knees coughing, trying desperately to breathe. He opened his eyes to see that he was on a rooftop surrounded by railings with the high above him.
"Without power, you can't be a hero."
"It's all right to dream, just make sure it's realistic."
Those words struck his heart because they made it clear that the man he idolized, the man who he aspired to be, didn't believe him.
He tore his eyes from the ground and looked to where All Might's voice came from only to be greeted by the most recent traumatizing memory he had.
In front of him, was the lifeless coal black body of his mother dangling from the grip of the murderous monster that took his best friend away.
The body fell with a thud and he pushed himself off of the wooden floor. A familiar feeling of rage bubbled in his chest as he charged at the man without thinking, only to be cut short with a powerful right hook making him hit the floor.
"Spare yourself the pain and end your worthless life. At least your death will be entertaining."
The villain vanished and he crawled towards his mother's lifeless body despite the pain. He took her cold hand and placed it on his forehead as he cried. His heartbeat was so deafening. Each thump just brought a heavy feeling like his heart was being tied down by weights, sinking deeper and deeper in a dark place.
'Why? Why was he the one privileged to live when he was just a Deku?'
'Was it just so he could suffer more? Was it because this world jus enjoyed seeing him broken?'
He looked to the knife on the floor and a terrible idea became all too appealing.
He grabbed the knife's handle with both hands and with one last cry for forgiveness, he plunged the knife into his chest with what strength he had left.
'Let me leave this place.'
"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Tears of pain leaked from the corner of his eyes. His scream lasted for a few seconds before dying down into small pathetic whimpers.
'10 seconds' The lone mage counted.
'Forgive me Izuku, but... you're only just beginning.'
He opened his eyes slowly, wondering why he could still feel his body hurting despite stabbing himself in the heart. The moment he opened his eyes, he immediately closed them, not expecting the burning image of the sun directly above him.
'Wait.'
"That'll teach you to never get in my way again you useless Deku!"
'No...'
He opened his eyes at the realization of what was happening.
He got up from the dirt and looked forward to see the back of an ash blonde rand his followers running away. He stood up on little legs and gazed at his small hands.
Realization had hit him so hard.
"Izuku! Izuku! It's time to go home!"
He could remember everything that he had gone through, every emotion that he had felt and forgotten throughout this tragic life of his.
'This...'
"Mom!" His little self said while running towards his mother's awaiting arms.
'This is my trial...'
This is where memories live...and tragedies hide.
~End of Chapter~
