The house that Kaito and the others were staying at felt so small and strange after spending so much time at the Old Chateau this past week. It was a much simpler dwelling than many of the others that Force had seen in the past, and had yet to be exposed to the ravages of passing time. Whereas the Chateau had dark, faded colors and thick layers of dust, this house was built almost entirely of wood and had been kept in good condition, despite the absence of a human caretaker.

The brighter colors and well-kept state of things gave the entire atmosphere a more vibrant, welcoming vibe. Space was far more limited than the wide, empty rooms and corridors making up the Sinnoh mansion, but the amount of furniture present, and its placement in the room, made good use of the available space. It was actually kind of cozy.

Then again, Force had not yet adjusted to the height difference in his evolved form, and it was a little disorienting to see furniture and familiar faces at a completely different vantage point than normal. For that matter, it was REALLY unnerving to be taller than Lin, when the Weavile used to be much taller than he was as a Riolu. Iris was a similar issue, in that she used to be just slightly taller than Force, but now was much smaller compared to him.

It probably didn't help that the Lucario still felt completely exhausted, and he had the trace of a pounding headache. The nap that he and Iris had taken after his evolution had been nice, but not nearly enough to fully re-energize him. Was this what everyone experienced when they underwent evolution?

The group's reaction to seeing him was about what he might have expected. Even Cecilia's commentary, which some might view as inappropriate, didn't even faze him or Iris. On the contrary, Iris seemed rather amused, and Force only grinned awkwardly, as if the Quilava practically drooling over his new form was no different from the previous round of stunned staring.

Cecilia was the type to share her honest thoughts without any shame or hesitation, even if others might take it to be inappropriate. It was one of the reasons why he and Iris liked her so much. Since Iris could pick up on the emotional states of those around them, she had once explained that when people attempted to hide their feelings or intentions, their emotional state became more guarded and evasive, which tended to make Iris uncomfortable and on-edge around them.

Admittedly, this explanation was given because, early into his relationship with Iris, Force had gotten concerned that Cecilia's tendency to tease him might be misinterpreted by the Kirlia, particularly because he spent a lot of time with Cecilia when Iris wasn't around. From what he had observed from his peers and even complete strangers on the road, too much attention from another female usually made the current lover jealous or suspicious.

When the Riolu had brought up his concerns to Iris, the Kirlia had smiled and explained that her empathic abilities would definitely pick up on the vibes long before it became an actual issue. She added that even if Cecilia was harboring a secret crush on Force, the Kirlia's presence near him would probably cause Cecilia's emotional state to become anxious or irritable, or vice versa if Force was developing a crush on the Quilava.

As time went on and they all got to know one another better, it became increasingly clear that Cecilia had no desire or intention of encroaching on their relationship, and actually seemed delighted by the knowledge that things were working out for them. It simply wasn't in her nature to knowingly interfere or sabotage the happiness of others, and they could tell that if she ever got wind of the idea that her playful teasing and similar behavior was making them more uncomfortable than it was intended to provoke, she would stop.

In a way, it reminded him of the brief conversation he had held with Shadow back in the Eterna Forest, regarding Cecilia's intentions moving forward from the ordeal with Diablos. According to Shadow, Cecilia had said she would stand by her friends, no matter what. The majority of the group understood her feelings about them. To her, they were more than companions. They were irreplaceable friends, with whom she couldn't bear to part.

A cold shiver ran down Force's spine at the thought, for his mind immediately recalled what Diablos had said to them just the previous night. He had mused that Cecilia was emotionally volatile and clingy, and struggled to bond with others, but for those she had bonded with, she would do anything to preserve. This had not been new information, and that's what worried him the most about this visit.

Iris had explained the situation to the best of her knowledge, providing key information to fill in the gap in Force's memory, and the Lucario had in turn told her of what had happened when they had gotten separated, up to the battle against the Sigilyph.

They had both agreed that informing Kaito and the others about the incident was the best course of action, but the surprising thing was that Plasma had descended from the attic to tell Iris that even Diablos felt that they should not delay in telling Kaito everything that had happened. Force could only assume that Diablos knew there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that the incident wouldn't be reported, and that by making an effort to disclose what had happened, the Spiritomb hoped to dispel the immediate assumption that he had been doing something shady again.

"This...isn't the only reason you came by, right?" Kaito ventured, after enough time had passed that everyone present had a time to digest the revelation that Force had evolved.

"Sadly, no," Force agreed, glancing over at Iris with a slightly awkward smile. "It's kind of a...big issue."

The Kirlia may have managed to tell him the situation, but he knew she wouldn't be nearly as comfortable reliving such an emotional experience with a larger group, even if they were close acquaintances. Iris had suffered far more emotional pain than Force, and he was the one who had nearly died.

It was strange to think about, really. Force couldn't be sure if it was a side-effect of his evolution, or the fact he was still physically and mentally exhausted, but for whatever reason, he didn't feel nearly as upset about his brush with death. Iris, however, had been forced to experience all the emotional highs and lows, and was still very shaken by the event.

"Could we maybe sit down or something before we get into it?" Force asked, massaging his forehead with one paw. His head was still pounding, and it was a struggle to keep his eyes open. "I'm too tired to stand in the doorway."

It was as though a light bulb had been clicked on in the rest of the group's mind, because without any protest, they moved as one to the living room area. The setup wasn't too much different here than back in the Chateau, with a single couch, a small table, and an armchair. The main difference was the room was connected to the entrance way, with no doors or corridor separating them, and the living space was much smaller than the wide spaces of the Chateau rooms.

Force allowed himself to sort of flop limply into the armchair, wincing a little bit when he realized the cushioning in the backrest was more sparce than the luxurious chairs at the Chateau, but it wasn't necessarily an uncomfortable chair. With only a moment's hesitation, Iris climbed onto the chair with him, and reclined against his chest.

Lin and Cecilia opted to seat themselves down on the couch, with the Quilava taking care to extinguish her flames before doing so. Kaito sat on the couch's backrest, his feet dangling down near Lin's head, although he adjusted his location slightly when the Weavile cast him an annoyed glance.

Once all eyes were upon Force, he hesitated, not sure exactly how to start things off. There were so many little things that built up to the bigger picture, and starting off at the wrong point would require that they pause to clarify certain details before they could continue with everyone on the same page.

"How long ago did you evolve, Force?" Lin inquired seriously, and the Lucario blinked, suddenly aware that the Weavile was watching him closely, her eyes slightly narrowed as she examined his facial features and reactions.

"Uh...a couple hours," Force answered, stifling a yawn with his paw, and shaking himself to try and dispel the lightness in his head. Iris' presence was doing a little bit in keeping him alert, but it was still an uphill battle to stay awake.

"I thought as much," Lin murmured, more to herself than to Force, and she folded her arms idly across her lap, watching him passively. The Lucario took a deep breath, deciding that he was best off just getting straight to the point and work the explanation out from there.

"We ran into Shadow in the Eterna Forest."

There was a moment of stunned silence as the significance of the statement gradually sank in. Cecilia flinched, her blue eyes widening in concern. Lin blinked in surprise, whereas Kaito appeared to take several seconds before it dawned on him why this was potentially problematic.

"When?" Cecilia blurted out.

"Um...this morning," Iris supplied. "Um...not too far from the Chateau."

Lin glanced at Cecilia with a hint of suspicion, prompting the Quilava to flare up her flames indignantly. "I didn't tell him anything about the Chateau!" she insisted.

"Whoa, whoa, it was probably a coincidence," Force said, raising his paws placatingly. Iris had tensed up when Cecilia had reacted, and the Lucario didn't want the subject to get derailed with suspicion. When he had spoken with Shadow in the forest, the Espeon had given no indication that they had been investigating or intending to visit the Chateau, or that he knew the building to be their base of operations.

"A coincidence," Kaito repeatedly slowly, tapping his chin. All eyes turned to him for a moment, expecting him to continue his line of thought. The Togetic's eyes were vaguely unfocused in thought, before he nodded to Force, "Continue."

The Lucario hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Iris and I were walking at the time, uh, with Plasma. He's uh, a Rotom or something that lives in that TV set in the attic near Diablos. Wait, didn't you bring Plasma with us?" Force asked, breaking off and giving Iris an inquisitive look.

"Yeah, um...I think he got distracted by the city, but he'll probably drop in later," Iris said, glancing around the room as if unconvinced that the electric ghost hadn't followed them inside. "He saw which house we're in, I know that much..."

"A Rotom?" Lin repeated, furrowing her brow. Kaito's eyes lit up.

"Knew there was something weird about that set," he mused, but like before, he broke off his own line of thought and nodded at Force to continue.

"Right, uh...Diablos hadn't figured anything out about the stone we retrieved, but suggested that it might resonate with me instead, and requested that I carry it or something to see if anything happens. Plasma came with us so that he could neutralize the energy or something if needed," Force explained, stifling a yawn with his paw. It was actually fairly difficult for him to recall all the little details and justifications that had been given, even though he had been told them only a few hours ago.

"Ooh, I almost forgot - I actually figured out what the stone was and - " Kaito began, but Lin cut him off by snapping her claws.

"Not now, Kaito. We'll never get to the end of this if we change the subject. You have a lot of information to share with us as it is, don't forget," the Weavile said crisply. Kaito rolled his eyes, but he seemed vaguely amused at being told NOT to explain himself for a change.

"You know what it is?" Iris asked incredulously, ignoring the glare Lin sent her way. "Because we still don't. But that Absol, uh...Astrid? Yeah, she knew something."

"Astrid?" Cecilia repeated, furrowing her brow, as if trying to remember something from the distant past. After a few moments, she shook her head. "No idea who that is."

"She was one of the Pokemon with Shadow," Force explained. "Her, Shadow, that Glaceon Lin fought at the Ruins, and...that young Leafeon," he finished, giving Iris an apprehensive look, knowing the mere mention of the young Pokemon would agitate her. Surprisingly, Iris kept herself composed, save for a slight twitch.

"So Frostbite and Leaf, Shadow and this Astrid," Cecilia mused.

"Here's where it gets weird," Force said seriously. "We all got attacked by something, and got separated from each other. I ended up with Shadow...we actually got along, kind of, despite the whole...tension between us."

No one really said anything, but it was clear that they knew what the Lucario meant by that. Force took another deep breath, steeling his nerves to continue with the next little reveal that was on the way.

"We talked a bit while trying to find our way out...and I told him about how our bodies react negatively to one another's presence. It's because we had the same soul fragment inside us. When we're close...they resonate, but I didn't realize it until we were in the same place again, and saw that he reacted at the same moment I did. Diablos can sense where the holders are. That's...how he knew when Shadow and I were in range back at the Ruins."

"Yours should have been gone," Lin interjected sharply.

Force laughed humorlessly and shook his head. "Diablos told me and Iris last night - there's a third piece. A tiny, tiny sliver of a piece left in me...because you broke it, Lin."

"What?" the Weavile just stared at the aura Pokemon uncomprehendingly.

"When he was taking the fragment out of me, you broke it," Force repeated and he gave a slight shrug. "Shadow said you hit my paw with an Ice Shard."

"Oh...I did do that," Lin mused, scratching her chin idly.

"Soon after we talked about this, we got attacked by the source. It was...a Sigilyph or something?" the Lucario shrugged again. "Shadow said Cecilia beat it at the Ruins, and it did have a burned body."

"Seriously, it was the same one?" Cecilia asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "How did it even survive that? I Flash-Fire Inferno'd the thing."

"It was after the stone from the Ruins," Force said seriously, and then paused. "By the way, Shadow calls you 'Cece'. It's actually kind of creepy."

"How is that creepy? Close friends call me Cece," the Quilava said blankly. "YOU could even call me Cece."

"I don't...want to," Force stammered, his cheeks flushing slightly. He was never really fond of using nicknames or the sort, no matter who it was for. It usually implied a sort of close, personal connection with the person, assuming the nickname wasn't intended to mock them instead. "Creepy probably wasn't even the right word; I just thought it was weird."

Lin cleared her throat, stopping Cecilia from making a rebuttal. "Could we stay on the current subject, please?" she asked, betraying a hint of impatience in her tone.

"Sorry," Cecilia said, wincing. "So um...the Sigilyph went after the stone? Which...you had with you? Were you carrying it in your paw, or was it attached to something?"

"Plasma had fastened it to a bracer or something," Force said, relieved at how quickly they had returned to his previous line of thought. It saved him the trouble of trying to remember where he had left off. "I figured out it was after that because it targeted me more than Shadow. We had to work together to hold it off, and even that didn't go that well."

"Astrid finished it off," Iris explained, when Cecilia looked like she was about to ask for more details.

"Brutally finished it off," Force countered through gritted teeth. Even though the event was long past, it was the last thing he could remember on his own. Everything that had transpired afterwards was little more than a blank gap of time, as if he had been asleep during the whole thing. "Also, the stone I had been carrying was causing me pain at that point. Earlier, that Absol said I shouldn't be carrying it, because it could overwhelm me, or something. That I wasn't strong enough to use it."

"If it was causing you pain, I'd assume not," Lin said seriously.

"I wonder..." Kaito murmured, his eyes lighting up again. "Did she explain what it was? Or why you shouldn't be handling it?"

"No," Force muttered bitterly, but he blinked when Iris lifted her head off his chest.

"She said it was unstable, and not meant to be used by a Riolu," Iris said softly, but clearly. Force blinked. Now that she mentioned it, he did vaguely recall those words being said, but his head had been so wracked by pain it had escaped his memory. "That it was tied to Force's mental and emotional state, and made worse because he was upset at the time."

"Specifically, that it's not to be used by a Riolu?" Kaito asked, a small smirk crossing his face. "Not that his species was incompatible? She specifically said a Riolu?"

"Um...yeah, I think so. Why?" Iris wondered, but Kaito waved it off.

"When you're finished, I'll explain," he said seriously.

"That's all I really remember," Force said, giving Iris a meaningful look. The Kirlia winced, but adjusted her sitting position so that she was facing the rest of the group more directly. The others exchanged puzzled looks at the wording of Force's last statement, but seemed to know better than to question it.

"Force...forgot to mention that he figured out the Sigilyph had the third soul piece in it," Iris said quietly. Force nodded; he knew he had forgotten to mention something, and Iris only really knew that detail because it was one of the things he had explained to her before they had come here. "Astrid's attack on the Sigilyph...pretty much killed it. But at that moment, I felt the most terrifying chill run down my spine, and Force started...convulsing, like he was having a fit of madness or hysteria."

The Kirlia's statement was met with an ominous silence. No one dared speak, so entranced by the emphatic Pokemon's words.

"Astrid seemed to think the stone was overwhelming him, and tried to sever the bracelet," Iris continued, staring down at her paws, but her words were still perfectly audible. "But he...he caught the blade with ease, and forced her away from him. And then I saw his eyes. Terrifying yellow eyes that just...glowed eerily."

Cecilia cursed loudly, causing Kaito and Lin to both stare over at her in alarm. The Quilava's flames had flared up intensely, and her blue eyes had narrowed to furious slits. Iris seemed to cringe away from the Quilava, despite being furthest away from her.

"Calm down, that's not even the worst part of the story, if you can believe that," Force said blandly. It was genuinely hard to imagine that Cecilia would believe that the story could take a turn for the worst, but at the same time, it was probably a huge red flag for Lin, as the Weavile's expression became grim. If the Lucario considered being possessed by Diablos for a THIRD time to not be the worst part of the story that was unfolding, that was not a good sign.

"I told Diablos to leave Force's body, but he declined in that infuriatingly polite tone, claiming that it was necessary to keep Force from being overwhelmed," Iris said, practically seething as she recalled the events. Force shivered slightly at her tone. It was so...venomous, as if the Kirlia was not just remembering something distasteful, but actively FEELING it again, even after the fact. "He went on to say that he was tired of having a fractured soul, and that he'd rejoin the pieces before removing it entirely."

"Makes sense, honestly," Kaito said, but he was wearing a grim expression, the same as Lin and Cecilia.

"He attempted to do so to Shadow, I think, but Astrid attacked him, and Shadow joined in, but...he countered them so easily. He had absolute control over Force's aura...no offense."

"None taken," the Lucario reassured her.

"When I insisted again he stop, Diablos became frustrated...sincerely frustrated. He was not taunting or speaking in that calm, deceptive manner. He was intent on reclaiming the fractured piece inside Shadow, so that we wouldn't go through that ordeal of needing to be in range again," Iris continued, her voice calmer, but still so soft and quiet. "He said he couldn't risk Force's life by withdrawing control while under attack, and that the excess power overwhelming Force was something he can handle. He urged me to trust him, that he'd ensure Force would survive."

The Lucario blinked, but said nothing. Even though Iris had told him about this exchange, she hadn't mentioned that the Spiritomb's tone and mannerisms had shifted in such a way that it seemed legitimately sincere. Had Diablos genuinely been concerned about his health and survival? If the Spiritomb was spiteful, he could easily have switched control promptly on Iris' demand, and been able to say 'I told you so' after Force was cut down. Either the soul was too valuable to lose, or Diablos had genuinely wanted to preserve Force. Both options seemed likely, for Force recalled that Diablos had once said that his soul fragments were irreplaceable.

"Shadow...brought up that I shouldn't trust Diablos' word, because he used Force in the past to murder his parents," Iris said, her voice sounding pained, and Cecilia cringed, although this was nothing compared to what Force felt at those words. It was like having a sharpened icicle rammed into his gut - a mixture of coldness and stabbing pain. The reminder of what his body had been forced to do without his knowledge...the pain it dealt to innocent lives...it was terrible, no matter how Diablos justified it.

No one spoke, although Iris seemed to hesitate, as if she expected someone to interject a comment. Force draped his paws around the Kirlia in a soothing embrace, letting her presence soothe him, and his touch calm her nerves in turn.

"This...set Astrid off," Iris said finally. "She must have known one of Shadow's parents, because she took it personally, and Diablos even abandoned his agenda, telling me to Teleport us both away, because it was escalating too quickly. But Astrid used Mean Look, and Diablos had to fight them."

Now it was Kaito's turn to utter a curse under his breath, and Cecilia seemed more anxious than ever before. Lin was the only one who appeared calm, but Force could see that she was definitely on-edge now, unsure of what direction the tale was taking. Even though Force knew how things went already, his own gut churned in anxiety. Maybe knowing how it went already made it worse, because it involved him, without it really being "him".

Iris took another breath before continuing. "Just like before...Diablos countered everything they did with ease, and taunted their efforts. Shadow managed to score some scratches and bites with...savage enthusiasm...before being knocked aside and taunted as well. He even seemed on the verge of throttling Astrid to death before I begged him to stop. He released her, but knocked her unconscious, to disable the Mean Look."

Force squirmed uncomfortably. Iris had NOT mentioned that Diablos had been strangling the Absol and needed to be called off. Maybe the Kirlia had forgotten the detail until now, or maybe it was to spare him the discomfort of realizing just how close his body had come to taking another life. It chilled him to his very soul.

Iris shuddered, as if she had been dropped into a bucket of ice water. "Diablos then focused on Shadow, and withdrew the fractured soul back into Force's body, making it, I guess, completely whole again. Force's aura flames became pure black, and his eyes more eerie. He took a moment to talk to Shadow, but I didn't hear what was said. And that's when something hit his paw."

"Something?" Kaito repeated blankly.

"A leaf, I think. A Razor Leaf, probably," Iris said, shrugging.

"Haha!" Cecilia laughed, the sound so abrupt and triumphant, yet amused, that nearly everyone flinched. "Leaf hit Diablos with a Razor Leaf?" she asked incredulously.

"I think so. He seemed to have just arrived, but he looked so tired and grumpy, it was really weird..." Iris said, fidgeting nervously.

"Still, it's hilarious, because Leaf is like...super young, adorable as hell, and terrified of my fire ever since he burned himself by touching the flames," Cecilia said. This remark earned her confused looks from everyone present. "It was an accident! It was when I first met Leaf and Frostbite. But then what happened?"

"Um...Diablos taunted Leaf over picking a fight in his condition, but agreed. He then took off the bracelet and gave it to me," Iris said. "He said he'd expend the excess energy in this fight, and that I should find Plasma, take him back the Chateau, and then return to pick him up. He promised he wouldn't hurt them much, that the spar was going to be casual stakes."

Force blinked, sudden realization striking his mind like a lightning bolt. The earlier part of the story had mentioned that the stone's power had been overwhelming him, and after Diablos had taken hold, he had managed to use incredible amounts of aura energy, and predict and counter all his opponents with ease. Yet somehow he had never realized during Iris' first iteration of the story that Diablos had removed the bracer before fighting the Leafeon.

"Wait, wait...you left Force alone with Diablos in control?" Cecilia demanded incredulously.

"It wasn't for long. And you know my bond with Force can sense if something terrible was happening," Iris insisted, but her eyes were glistening, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I knew he wouldn't go too far in that fight, because if I returned to them dead..."

"Fair enough, it's...kind of a dumb thing to do, but clearly, everything worked out okay," Kaito said, clearly in an effort to placate Cecilia's indignant response than Iris. Force felt his stomach muscles tighten, and if he didn't know better, he could almost feel a burning cut across his chest.

"I got back a few minutes later. That Glaceon had also arrived, but was hanging back. There was a Sunny Day thing active, and the Leafeon seemed to have recharged. The moment I arrived, I asked if we could go, and Diablos agreed promptly, and came closer. He said if I needed a moment to prepare my Teleport, it was fine, so I...I took a few moments," Iris continued, her voice starting to quiver. "The Leafeon tried to get close again, but Diablos threatened him, telling him that he wouldn't let him attack me, although he doubted the Leafeon would consider that. Something about not having the bloodlust to attack with intent to harm."

"Yeah, I can't picture him doing that, either," Cecilia agreed. Lin's body suddenly tensed, as if she realized exactly where the story was leading, even though Kaito and Cecilia did not.

"I-I signaled Diablos...that I w-was ready to T-teleport," Iris said, unable to keep her voice from cracking now that she had reached this moment of the retelling. "And h-he glanced my way...and that was when...when..."

"What? What happened?" Cecilia asked, starting to realize that the story was about to take a sudden swerve, but having no idea where it was going to go. Iris shook fiercely, but was unable to voice her thoughts any further. Force stroked the Kirlia's hair, and straightened up in the chair, wordlessly designating himself as the one who'd complete the story. Iris had told him the details, and some of them had been physical experiences, or easy to assume due to the aftermath.

"Searing pain erupted across my chest," he said seriously. "Blood spilled copiously from the wound, staining my fur and running down my body. It happened so fast that neither Iris nor Diablos saw it coming. Iris didn't sense any murderous intent, no sudden surge of emotion like anger or aggression. Nothing that would have allowed her to sense the danger before it happened. He was completely casual about it as well, all but gloating over the near-fatal wound he had inflicted. A young kit-age Leafeon...had pretty much killed someone, and felt nothing about it. I know that, because Iris didn't sense a shift in his emotions, either before, or after, the strike."

"B-but...you evolved," Cecilia stammered, confused as all hell. If not for the fact Force was sitting in front of them, alive, she undoubtedly would have believed him to have died.

The Lucario nodded grimly. "I evolved on my deathbed, because of Iris."

"...your bond," Lin said softly, and although Force felt he had imagined it, the Weavile's eyes had seemed to glisten. Feeling embarrassed, the Lucario averted his gaze to allow Lin to tend to her tear duct malfunction on her own.

"So...that's what the issue was?" Cecilia asked, her voice shaking slightly. "That's why you came by to talk to us? To tell us...that you nearly died today? That you evolved just in time to survive?"

Force glanced at Iris, and the Kirlia sniffled, wrapping her arms around the Lucario and stifling her sobs into his chest fur. He returned her embrace fondly, stroking her back soothingly before refocusing on Cecilia.

"Um...yeah, that's the main reason," he told her. "We felt it best to tell you as soon as possible."

"Don't get me wrong, we appreciate that," Kaito said, glancing over at Cecilia warily, but keeping the majority of his attention on Force and Iris. "And it's a tremendous relief to know you're alive and well, but...you really sprung this on us."

"Is that your way of saying we should all take some time to collect ourselves before you explain all the other shit you owe us details about?" Force deadpanned.

"Yes, that was...more or less what I was going to suggest," Kaito said seriously. Lin gave a brief nod, rising from the couch and touching her paw to Cecilia's shoulder, wordlessly indicating for the Quilava to walk with her. The two made their way to the front door and stepped outside, closing the door behind them with a gentle clicking sound. "As for you...I'd say take a nap. You both look exhausted," the Togetic said.

Force merely nodded in agreement, and Kaito rose back into the air, making his way towards the door, as if going after Lin and Cecilia.

"Wait, where are you going?" Force asked blankly. Kaito chuckled softly.

"I'm going to check up on Sorin. You'll have the house to yourselves in the mean time, so really do try to get some rest," he said, and without another word, he left the house, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.