Binary

Ever had gender explained in computer terms? It's actually a lot simpler then science.

You're either a 0 or a 1. on or off as the techies would explain it. You can't be one and the other.

And then from this you can get a lot more complex like...10 meaning you are a guy who is tall.

Now imagine if binary stretched all the way up to a 2. and I don't mean 10 I mean 21. ruins the whole system.

…..or does it?

"This ain't gonna be a walk in the park my friend" I swear if you call me friend one more time I'm going to gut you like a fish. "But...seeing as you need to know" I grabbed a fork from beside me, pointing it at Hunted Down Deer, giving her a blank stare. Don't make me use this. "I-I guess I can explain it" She jumped up to her feet, walking over to the computer as I put the fork down, the thing walking up and down the section near the touchpad, thinking over what she was going to say. Or at least I hoped she was. "But...where to start from?"

"How about we start with how I got this damn thing on my arm?" I angrily demanded, pulling down my sleeve and showing off the red Bracelet, the deer looking at it and nodding.

"That...is a story in itself. Though the short version is 'it's my fault'-" I grabbed her at this point, my hand holding onto one hand tightly and dangling it in front of me.

"GIVE ME THE LONG VERSION OR I'M GETTING THE SCISSORS!" …...what? How else do you threaten what amounts to a teddy bear?

"OK! OK! PUT ME DOWN!" it was panicking, I knew that much, and when I put her down she rubbed the arm. "Jeez...tu Anglais...tu demon"

"Do I have to inform you I know French?" OK, it's limited but come on, I think it was obvious. I don't even think the last word she spoke was even French at that. She nodded, then tapping her arms together.

"To begin with, I am part of a set of toys that are given to Kampfer as part of a contract of sorts" Now we're getting somewhere. "The deal...practically amounts to you being given the power to transform like you do, but you have to fight Kampfer that aren't on the same team" team?

"Back it up a sec" I put my elbow on the desk, looking down as I though through how I was going to word this. "So...why was I given a contract I had no choice in...and has no benefits for me...and what do you mean team?" Deer nodded, turning around a sec and jumping on the keyboard in order to get searching on Google. It took her long enough to get there, but she eventually got me to a webpage that was about some show called Red VS Blue...Rooster Teeth? "...you're kidding me"

"Well...yes and no, but it's a tad like that" She explained, spinning her arms around each other. "Kampfer are split into two teams, and from that, three types. First off, you are either put onto the Red or the Blue team and are meant to fight those that are on the other team...only girls are allowed so that may explain why you transform into said woman"

"...sadly that makes sense. Though I wish I were given a choice in the matter"

"Second split is into the types, like I said" This should be good. "These are...pretty much as they sound, Gwehr, the gunner type, Zauber, the spellcaster type, and Schwart, the sword fighter...and combat isn't restricted to Japan mind"

"OK so why exactly are the trio all Germanic in name?" I know Valkyria Chronicles got it's tank inspiration from Germany, but names for combat types sound...uninventive.

"The battles began in Germany and eventually spread during the Renaissance" …...so let me get this straight. The French, Spanish and British Empires, not to mention the Portugese, Dutch and...Netherlands were not just spreading their lands by Colonialism, but were responsible for spreading the Kampfer fights throughout the world?

"Next thing you'll tell me is that it was spread by the Catholic church"

"It was" …...I'm not going to say it. NOT! GOING! TO SAY IT! But I will bow my head in utter amazement.

"Welp, guess the church has something to explain" 'We're the Papal state, we don't value women as equal until the events of World war 2. Men can transform into women for some big shindig involving swords guns and magic' God the Witchhunter General must have had a field day. "Now then...what else is there to explain?"

"To begin with...your power as Gwehr" Can't you just call me gunner? "You might have noticed already that you can summon guns and ammo as needed. Effectively you have an infinite number of guns, clips and mags, you just need to learn how to summon them, along with reload and charge the weapons" well, the last two are easy enough. "You also are...unique amongst Gwehrs as you can summon a pair of combat knives if you so need them" I can get two? Sweet. That's gonna help me out a lot. "Though the transformations are...more complex, going from man to woman then a normal transformation. You know, considering you need the...'Motherly attributes'"

"You could just say breasts"

"I have my own way...however, there is one major point I need you to know. Transformation relies on two things: you being able to activate it...or an enemy kampfer being nearby in her relevant Kampfer form"

"I presume the first part is more an at will thing then the second part"

"You pretty much get forced into it on the second half of that statement. However, if you should get into a fight, your clothing doesn't change with you...unless you happen to be in a schoolgirls outfit" …..OK, whoever instigated that rule is a pervert of the highest degree. "But should your clothing be damaged, regardless of whether or not you are Kampfer or normal, transforming will fix it all up for you" Guess that saves on buying new clothes cause I tore some in battle. "I'm sure you already noticed the problem by the way" Problem? What problem? "That look on your face tells me 'non'...you're a man, correct?" Well yes, what do- oh.

"...I need to wear unisex clothing"

"Well, a bit more then that..." She crossed her arms, chuckling to herself. "Les Jumeaux" erm...huh?

"Les Jumeaux..." where is my limited knowledge of French when it's needed? She smashed a paw against her face, shaking her head.

"Seins? Mamelons? Les Pasteques? Les Soutiens-gorge?" the blank look I knew I was giving her wasn't telling her enough of what I was thinking was it? "BOOBS YOU MANIÉRÉE ILL , IMBÉCILE D'UN HOMME QU'EST-CE QU'ILS VOUS ENSEIGNE CES JOURS , LA REINE ANGLAISE?" the only think I actually managed to pick up from that section of French was 'The Queen's English'.

"You really have to d-" Wait what? "Erm...I'm going to have to we-"

"A bra, oui..." Couldn't you have just spelt it out you idiot daughter of a- wait that doesn't work...damn. I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "And you can't just buy any ol' bra, my dear, you need to get one measured" …..DEAR GOD! I almost fell out of my chair as she said that.

"Whoawhoawhoa...YOU of all things should know I can't exactly walk into a shop like this and ask for a bra to be measured" At the very least, it'd stand out because the party asking is MALE of all things. Not like I can argue it's for my flat chest girlfriend when she's A: not flat chested and B: being fitted on me. She chuckled, shaking her head.

"I do...but it is imperative that you dress for such an occasion as being a woman" I think I'd prefer to be able to dress as a man never mind having to acclimatise as a woman, don't you? She started dancing over the keys again, only this time taking it back to the home page before typing in a few characters before I managed to get a look at what she was up to.

Men in bra-

I slapped her away, knowing what was coming before she could finish that line, and for once Google deciding not to do it's autosearch. She landed with a thud against my books, standing up slowly and brushing herself down, crossing her arms and looking away, as if trying to look indignant. I sighed, shaking my head as I crossed my arms, quickly deleting the search. If there was one thing I had to ask, then it was this.

"...So how do I tell?" I started, leaning back and looking over to her, the chair squeaking as I did so, and she looked to me, her head tilted as if she was trying to look quite whilst inquisitive. "Who's on who's team I mean. I'm pretty sure I can't go around just expecting to be attacked by every Kampfer in sight now can I?"

"Ah, I see what you mean" She spoke, though shaking your head. "Though you might end up being a dumbass for asking. You see that Bracelet of oath on your arm" I lifted up the red crystalline bracelet in question, nodding. "That is stuck on all Kampfer, though it varies between two colours, either red or blue. If you ever manage to see a Bracelet, that'll let you know who is sur le côté" This is starting to annoy me. Pick a country and stick with it's language...in fact why isn't the translator working in this case? She should be speaking English with those lines. Does this thing work on those who have no mou- why am I even questioning the logic here? This is something that just DOESN'T happen. I'm sure if it did there'd be at least some kinda news report about it. "That's about all I know anyway. Though it might be wise if you started a check list"

"Buy clothes, learn how to control my powers, fight other team Kampfer, right?" She nodded. Seems I'm good at surmising. "I guess I have one advantage over other Kampfer..."

"And what's that, Monsieur Appleby?" I chuckled, standing up and heading to the kitchen.

"I'm not a woman...these guys have to find the real me before they can take me by surprise"

I'm not going to claim it was a good nights sleep. If anything the fact that I had all of these things to take into account wasn't going to let me sleep. Part of me was always hoping that I'd wake up and find that it was all a dream, that 'Silven' as I'd named her, didn't exist. That I hadn't come to Japan yet and this was all some dream induced by mass amounts of anime...don't tell me, I know that sounds a lot better in my head. I woke up to the sound of bird song, the alarm having not gone off yet...well, it was a day off. It's set for around 10am...I looked over, seeing the red numbers burning in the darkness: 8:05...guess it was an uncomfortable sleep. And here I was hoping I could sleep in today. I looked over at my arm, still seeing the red bracelet, sighing to myself.

"Great" I said to myself, sitting up and stretching off. "Guess this is real...not a fantasy huh?"

"Caught in a landslide...no escape from reality" the last thing I need is that damn plushie joining me in this. "What's up Sugah?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair to try and relax myself...as bad as that sounds.

"I'd call it a date with destiny...but then that's not exactly something I can claim" Least I was honest, turning to Deer and watching her standing up, then doing a few stretches. "What about you? Are you going to be fine entertaining yourself here alone for the day?" She chuckled, nodding a few times.

"You know you have a spare laptop here right?" I raised an eyebrow, getting out of bed and heading to the closet.

"Erm...no...do I?" Where did I put the jacket? Not the leather one the one with the red fabric down the arm...AH HA! Here it is.

"Yep...some poor smo' left it here when he moved out" wow that's...convenient. "Least it gives me time to watch things online" ….don't you dare look up porn. I'm going to be checking that thing when I get back. "That and online gaming...hell, I've got a game of chess going with some guy in Portugal" ...I'm almost impressed...that I never noticed. "Anyway, I'll be fine mon garçon. Things will be fine here...besides, what's the worst that can happen" WITH SOMETHING LIKE YOU! I CHOOSE NOT TO ANSWER THAT!

"Right..." all this time I've been getting dressed by the way.

What? You wanted to know what I'm like? Take a hike, I'm not telling you what I'm like under my clothes. It's a black shirt and jeans underneath, taking the jacket from earlier out and putting it on. I chuckled, looking outside and seeing one of the peach blossom trees waving in the morning breeze. God I still love those damn things. They're beautiful. Anyway, where was I?

"Anyway, I'm going to be out a while, who knows, I might have more answers when I come back as to what's going on" Well it's not like she was too helpful now is it? I learnt a few things but not too much. I grabbed my card and the Pucca keyring before grabbing my keys, smiling as I tipped an invisible hat to Deer. "Take care, all right"

"Will do boss man"

Sometimes I have to wonder what I'm dealing with...and I mean in life, not just with this. I'm walking to uni on a day -off-. Just when did I get so diligent on my second day? Makes me want to sigh. But then...guess it's something I need to do. Even though it's got me up WAY too early in the day. If it weren't for the fact that I don't think it's my religion...or in fact a religion I know anything of, I'd have paid the shrine a visit, but knowing me, I'd be doing it wrong and end up cursing myself. And considering I'm a Kampfer now that's not a risk I'm willing to take. And now as I opened the door to the university that made no sense in it's segregation,this was getting put to the back of my mind. This time the reception was manned by a woman, and as I showed her my card, she nodded, going back to reading some...Japanese magazine, I think it was something like a business magazine or something, and I wandered by, heading into the library.

And as I closed the large door behind me...I was amazed at the size of this place. This had to be the biggest Library I had ever seen. First thing was a balcony, A BALCONY of all things, overlooking the place, and as I walk over to it, there's just this...EXPANSE of shelves, to my left on the bottom is a section of hexagonal tables, each with a computer set up separated from the rest by a divider. Each with a fancy chair, obviously made for comfort. I didn't bother counting them all, as there was enough to make anyone happy. And the rest of the room was taken up with an almost entire forest of shelves, with the floor being a green carpet with some weird pattern.

The only thing that doesn't really stand out as either book shelves or tables for computers was a desk below the balcony that was staffed with a woman. Red head, and I mean Red, not a fancy shade, red, hair short but spiky, definitely gelled, though shining as well. There's a small section down the back of her head but it's minuscule, barely worth noting at all. She was, what...5'8, somewhere around there. A small scar on her right cheek, and it looks jagged...and deep. And I'm not even going to try and discern her eye colour from her. Just looking at her, she was sat there shuffling papers, occasionally moving over the wooden desk to the computer on there. From here...OK, I'm a guy, (I guess I now need to throw in a disclaimer of 'mostly') I'm gonna have a look, but she has a respectable bust...and the legs are nice. She doesn't look...Japanese. Hell, I'd say she was more European. She's wearing one of those thin jackets, near enough a hoody, with a red v-neck top and jeans with the right leg shorter then the right.

There was a sign behind her that just said 'reception' in multiple languages and with big bold black writing on a white background. It stands out like a sore thumb in a crowd of normal fingers. Seems to be the place. I grabbed the key ring out of my pocket, juggling it in the air quickly before grabbing it, looking either side of me and finding a staircase heading down. Perfect. What do you say we say hi?

I walked over to the staircase, quickly taking them down, 2 at a time, eager to get down there and get this dealt with once and for all. The stairs doubled back on themselves before they got to the lower floor, and I readjusted my jacket as I walked over to her. The girl looking at me before giving me a bow.

"Welcome. How may I help you today?" She enquired. I held the keyring dongle...thing in my hand, keeping it closed for now.

"I'm looking to return some lost property" I told her, getting a nod in return as she shuffled some forms, then reaching down and opening a drawer, pulling out a list that was half filled with small details.

"OK" She grabbed a pen from her pocket, clicking it once. "Let's see...what is it you've found?" I held my hand out, showing off the little trinket, the woman raising an eyebrow as she saw it, pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. She recognised it, I could easily see that on her face. It was a mixture of fear, and surprise, those blue eyes couldn't hide that. "Heavens...b-but then...th-that must mean..."

"I believe the person who gave this to me said this..." I started, putting the trinket on the desk. "'May Bishamonten guide my path' or something like that...don't think the ol' war god would want to guide me given that I don't really think he'd want a guy on his side" She paused, picking up the trinket and nodding a few times, then sighing, putting it in her pocket.

"I see..." She started, running a hand down her face, the look on her face getting an added layer of intrigue. She was curious, I knew that much. "So that makes you...Green huh?"

"I wouldn't exactly say green, but yes...I'm the one" now an added layer of confusion was put into the mix. She eventually reached down and pulled out a sign, adjusting a few things on it before putting it on the desk. 'No one's home'. Must have been something she brought from her house. "Follow me...oh...and take this" She reached into the desk again, pulling out a small card once more. "One day pass...you'll need it" She held the card out for me, and I took it with gusto, flipping it around in my hand before grabbing my student card, and then following her as she led me out.

I'll skip the details for you, but we ended up on the girl's side...and it was busy. People were EVERYWHERE, going to and fro within the grounds, transferring from a classroom or even just setting down for a stint revising on their laptops in their atrium...it was almost a perfect mirror of what we had in the guys side...almost, if not for the posters being in different places or advertising different things...oh hey, an advert for the air soft club. They even have their own shops, though the bathrooms were changed up for obvious changes that were needed. We passed all this, the girl waving to some of the other girls she passed as she went by.

Eventually, we came to this massive...I don't want to say Dojo, but it's literally that. Think where you get those training regimes in shows involving Samurai and such. It's not a bad place, sizeable, clean, plenty of wooden swords and such on the left side. I think there must be something like this for the men's side, which actually makes me wonder just how much work there is put into this. She closed the door behind us as she got in, locking the door and covering the windows with a kind of curtain. I turned to her as I got into the centre of the room, crossing my arms.

"So...you're the bitch" She spoke. I nodded, crossing my arms.

"I prefer to call 'her' Silven, but yes. And that would make you...Psycho swords woman?" She nodded in response, placing her left hand over the back of her right, crossing them over her crotch and looking down with a blush.

"Y-yeah...th-that's me" She sighed, shaking her head. "S-sorry...th-that's what happens when my Kampfer form takes over"

"Well, I suppose we need to get one thing out of the way then" I peeled back my sleeve, lifting my arm up and showing her my bracelet. She nodded, breathing a sign of, what I presume is, relief, peeling back her right sleeve back and showing off the crimson crystals. Same team. Brilliant.

"Well, thankfully we're on the same side huh?" She nodded, lowering her arm, same as I did. "So on that note...who are you exactly?" Not exactly the best way to talk to people. 'Hey, Psycho slut, gimme a hand over here'.

"Ulrika..." She started, sighing slightly. "Ulrika Carver" Ulrika Carver huh? Sounds like a nice enough name. "I'm...my parents are from Germany...I'm a Japanese National however..." So she was born here? Sounds fun. Can't blame them for the naming convention. "So you are..."

"Craig Appleby...A transfer student from England" I rolled my sleeve back down, nodding once. "My...other half is Silven Eradora...and don't ask why I've had to do that" She didn't seem to question it, nodding in response. "Apologies for dropping the scaffold on you. It was the best option I had"

"S-sorry for attacking you in the first place...twice" She let her hand go, putting one on her side. Seems she's getting more confident now at least. "Though...th-thank you...for saving me..." ...please don't make this go around in a circle, I'm going to shoot you if you do.

"OK, so...why exactly did you bring me here to do that?" She tilted her head, blinking and, I presume, trying to look cute...and succeeding admittedly. "Couldn't you have just...I don't know, said this in the library?" She blinked again, then raising an eyebrow.

"...y...yeah" Where's that penny when I need it? I know it's around here somewhere... "Ooooh...damnitdamnitdamnitdamnitdamnit!" THERE we go. "Why did I have to go the complex way about this? Hnnggg" d-did she just...there is no way that just happened...is there? You know what, let's take plan B with this shall we?

"OK, well, if that's the case why don't I come up with something we could do then?" She looks at me like I've said that one thing that makes absolutely no sense for about...5 seconds. I could hear each second tick by. (yes, the clocks are that loud, I'm glad you asked). "Like...how exactly do we control our transformations anyway?"

"Hu- oh erm...I-I...don't exactly...know...how to explain it but...I-I kinda know how" …..You're not very helpful are you? Can I find a better person to ask? Maybe someone with some actual knowledge of how this stuff works? "But...I-I'm sure you know the two reasons right?" I sighed, turning away and shaking my head.

"The 'when enemies are near' and the 'control at points' right?"

"That's right...darling" Wh-when did her voice change?

I swung around quickly seeing her on the ending portions of her transformation, her legs becoming almost entombed in stockings, and even going under her jeans. She reached behind her back, pulling her swords out of her back, sparks flying around them until settling...OK, if I said I was worried now, would anyone blame me. Before I have an idea of what's happening to me, my bracelet shines. OH GOD NOT AGAIN! The glow washes over my body once more, and my pistols appear in my hands. I can feel my shirt lift once more, and my gloves...well, they're less comfortable then before.

"That's...not a good sign is it?" I rhetorically asked. She shot me a glare, licking her sword before spinning one in her hand, the chain rattling against itself.

"Oh, it's good Silven...it's very good" She replied, licking her blade again. "We got ourselves a Kampfer...ooooh, this is going to be good" I don't know why, but the 'oooooh' part of that freaked me out beyond any comprehension of freaked out up to this point in my -life-. It sent chills down my spine. "I just hope your better with your guns then you were when fighting me" charming. Great way to give me words of encouragement right now. I charged my pistols, sighing.

"This is gonna be fun"

"You damn straight...my blades are singing for blood"

"But then...where...is sh-"

I didn't get to finish that sentence, one of the walls found itself with a new hole, a loud explosion ringing out, smoke pouring through and blinding us, the smoke alarms blaring out already. I covered my mouth with my left arm, doing what I could to keep looking, Ulrika covering her mouth with both of her arms. We swung around through, with me holding my gun ready to fire. Ulrika chuckled into her arm, running forward with her swords to find the fight, and I quickly followed her, not wanting to split up.

We got outside...and I don't think I'm going to forget the sight anytime soon...it's not anything bad but it's one of those things that you don't forget.

When we finally got out of the smoke, we found ourselves on one of the few quiet streets around the grounds...and by quiet I mean everyone was at work. The streets were devoid of life save for the 2 girls who had just run out, one swinging around, trying to find the enemy, the other swinging her gun around to try and find their enemy. Ulrika was scanning the ground, I was swinging around the skies.

"Where is she?" I asked myself, now getting out of the smoke enough to take my arm away, now both pistols scanning around. "You found her?"

"Bitch isn't here" Ulrika replied, her chain rattling as she spoke. "Come on, we need to tr-"

"Track me down?" Who the devil was that?

We both had a simultaneous 'huh' as we heard this...I want to say bold female voice, slightly higher pitched then I heard around the few places I had been around here. We turned towards it, seeing this woman about my height, standing on the edge of a building, her right hand covering her eye with two fingers around her other eye, her palm facing outwards, with mid length black hair, with a few white lines in it, like snow in a night sky. She was wearing this sleeveless black jacket, with a few pockets all over the front, and a vest that doesn't quite cover her abdomen, revealing a piercing around her belly button. She also had a pair of white trousers on, tightly fitting, with a white belt that had the Triforce of Zelda on it...well, either that or the Hojo clan. It's one of the two, and sandals...in this weather, she is wearing this stuff. A strand of her hair covered the eye that could see us so...I have no idea how she can see us at all. Though saying that...I can see the bracelet...it's blue. The enemy.

"You seek to track down the night do you?" ...oh god, this had better not tu- "But you will never have me...for I am that which you will never attain" Really? She's doing this? "Foul women of the Red Kampfer...I will destroy you and all you stand for with my magicks" I sighed, shaking my head as I turned to Ulrika, getting a confused glance in response, but then motioning to my guns. She nodded, the wonder girl changing her pose to try and look heroic. "For I! I AM YUNA! YUNA ARAI! THE SLAYER OF EV-"

I got tired at this point, quickly aiming my left hand at her and pulling the trigger, my shot bouncing off the stone at her feet, her face quickly changing to one of shock and surprise, diving down behind her ledge and getting out of my eyesight. I sighed myself, tapping my head.

"Thank you...FINALLY you shut up" I spoke, Ulrika smiling now. "Rule number one...don't monologue"

"Though it was an impressive speech...did you practice?" Not the time lassie.

"Now then...shall we get this over with?" I threw one of my guns up, catching it once more as it came back down. I looked t the building, seeing a ladder on the side. "Perfect...I'll keep her busy, you climb up"

"Her blood is mine"

I started aiming once more, going down on one knee and looking down the sights as Ulrike put one of her blade's hilt in her teeth, grabbing a rung on the ladder and starting to climb up. And then Yuna came out from behind her ledge, and in her hand was a massive ball of ice. I tried to take a quick shot at her missing as she threw it, then diving to one side, the iceball shattering behind me with shards flying around, and the cold following it. I looked back, finding a small crater where I had once been standing. OK, so she's powerful, that's...good to know...oh boy. So a Faust, nice to know. I fired a few more shots off, keeping Yuna pinned in place as best as I could, watching Ulrika climbing the ladder, putting one hand on the edge of the ledge at the top and seeing her smile. I ejected the empty clips, slamming them against my belt to reload them, pulling back on the slides on both.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE'S STABBY!" She yelled, jumping over the ledge, two loud voices crying out with the sounds of battle starting up their, numerous sounds of steel cutting through stone and panicky screams, and maybe a few explosions of ice. I don't know how to describe it exactly. I sighed, shaking my head.

"She's enjoying this too much" I said to myself, walking over to the ladder, putting my pistol on my waist, feeling it...de-materialise as I let it go...well now I know how it works, putting a hand on the bottom rung of the ladder, looking up at the old metal cylinder guard...whatever you call them, those rings on the ladder, I kept a hand on my gun ready, climbing the first rung.

"And you my friend..." PING! "Need to watch your back!"

I let the ladder go as a shot bounced off of the ladder, the casing bouncing around nearby as I dashed behind a dumpster, leaning against it, trying to keep safe. Whoever that was is close. Too close. Yuna has a friend...just who? I tried to poke my head out, hearing the loud blast of a gun as I did so, quickly retreating back. A Gwehr? It has to be. Talk about unlucky. Now what am I going to do?

"Silven! You handle the Gwehr!" Ulrika yelled down. I turned my head, looking up as she called that. "I'll bring this one to you later! Dead or Alive!"

"Preferably Alive Ulrika!" I yelled back, grabbing my pistol once more and getting ready for this. 2 pistols...and a target who saw me first and missed.

I hope my aim is better then it was when I fought Ulrika.

Things have a way of heating up when you least expect them.

First Ulrika, someone born in Japan turns out to be on my team after trying to kill each other

and Yuna and whoever it was attack us in the morning. In broad daylight.

They were confident in their alternate appearances. That was sure.

I was in Silven...Ulrika was in hers. In this I had one thing to hold on to.

I wasn't alone in this fight...not now.