I'm back with another chapter and I hope you'll enjoy this one just as much as I did! There will be more chapters after this one, simply to study Sonic and Shadow's relationship in the aftermath, but I'm not sure if I'll be focusing on With Light In My Heart or Sonic Cyber Revolution next week. I guess we'll see.

In any case, I want to thank you all for your support!

Entry 6

Reach For Me

''I will forge through smoke and steel, breaking free, but can I heal? The answer waits beyond the fire, a pyre built from my desire. What's the price for what I seek? A future grim, a heart too weak? The line I walk is burning clear, yet I press on, despite the fear.''

– Embers of the Abyss by ABOKAI Release (Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings)

xXxXxXx

''It should be here somewhere, right?'' Sonic asked, only for Shadow to shake his head.

''If we were close, we would've seen the Badnik already,'' Shadow pointed out. Sonic nodded, aware that Shadow was right. Still, who could blame him for getting a little antsy about the upcoming battle.

The two had left Spagonia several days ago, just wandering aimlessly until they came across a village in a northern region surrounded by mountains, who told them about one of Eggman's Badniks causing trouble for anyone who went on a hiking trip on the popular mountain trail. The villagers weren't strong enough nor did they have the necessary weapons to deal with it, and while avoiding the mountain trail kept them out of danger, they were still worried that the Badnik would find the village and attack them. Sonic and Shadow immediately accepted the request, not just because they wanted to protect the village, but also because they were in mood to destroy another of Eggman's creation.

''Do you think Eggman has a base somewhere?'' Sonic asked Shadow, running beside him up the trail, the path being covered in snow, with woods surrounding them. While both hedgehog's felt the sting of the cold, they weren't too bothered by it.

''While it is possible, the villagers had told us that they only saw one Badnik. If there was a base, there would be more of them,'' Shadow replied. ''It is more likely that this Badnik is just a straggler.''

''I guess that makes sense,'' Sonic said, shrugging. Truth to be told, he was fine with fighting a whole group of them, even convincing Shadow to compete to see who destroys the most Badniks.

''However, that doesn't mean that we won't check for the possibility of there being a base,'' Shadow said, narrowing his eyes. Sonic snorted, well aware that this was Shadow simply being thorough. If he was paranoid about something, he would make sure that whatever was bothering him was dealt with swiftly and mercilessly. In other words, if there was an Eggman Base here, it would be soon wiped from existence.

''There's the cabin! We should be close to where the Badnik was last seen,'' Sonic exclaimed, pointing excitedly at a nearby hiker cabin, recalling what the villagers told them about where to go. ''The lake should be just a bit further.''

Normally, a hike like this would take a couple of hours for a person to complete, but Sonic and Shadow managed to make it in record time, being only slightly slowed down by the snow and unfamiliar environment. They took a turn as they had been instructed, following a path through the woods to an open area that revealed a huge frozen lake. Both hedgehogs took a moment to look around, observing their surroundings and searching for the Badnik. At first, they didn't see anything, with Sonic taking a few steps further, while Shadow lingered behind, being more cautious than his cobalt rival. Sonic hummed in thought.

''Maybe the Badnik went somewhere else,'' he suggested. Shadow was silent, thinking about their next move, only for the two to suddenly hear heavy steps, quickly turning to the source of it.

Both hedgehogs were met by the sight of a massive Egg Hammer Badnik, one of Eggman's toughest robots who had been carrying a hammer with them and were highly durable. Shadow frowned. ''It is no wonder that no one in the village could deal with this Badnik.''

''That's why we're here,'' Sonic said, giving him a confident smirk and a thumbs-up, then charged at the Badnik. Shadow quickly followed, watching Sonic as he attempted to land the first hit, only to be forced to dodge the swing of the hammer. This left an opening for Shadow, who summoned a Chaos Spear in his hand and threw it at the Egg Hammer, only for the robot to block it with the hammer, being much faster than its giant size implied. That didn't discourage Shadow, as it meant that the battle only last a little longer. Still, he was the type to end a battle as fast as possible and move onto the next one, unlike Sonic, who had fun taunting the Egg Hammer and avoiding getting hit by the hammer by running circles around it. It basically became a game of Whack-A-Hedgehog and Sonic was having the time of his life. After all, there wasn't anyone who could get hurt, so Sonic allowed himself to mess around before he could go for the finishing blow. He curled into a ball, managing to land a clear hit in the Egg Hammer's chest, causing it to stumble and shake. Sonic landed in a tripod stance, giving Shadow a victorious grin.

''I got the first hit!'' he bragged, only for his smile to falter slightly when he saw Shadow smirking back smugly.

''Take a closer look!'' The dark hedgehog pointed at the Badnik, with Sonic's gaze falling on the robot's back, taking note of the scorch marks.

''Oh.'' Sonic snorted, realizing that while he attacked the Egg Hammer from the front side, Shadow managed to sneak in a Chaos Spear from the back. All in all, it was a tie, but that didn't bother him much. It just showed how much in sync they were to be able to land a hit at the same time.

Both hedgehogs were suddenly forced to leap away when the Egg Hammer swung the hammer once more, forcing them to keep their distance. The Badnik then lunged at them and when the hedgehogs split off into separate directions, it went after Sonic. The cobalt hedgehog managed to avoid its swings, only to suddenly slip and almost fall over, not realizing that he ended up running onto the frozen lake. He gasped, struggling to keep his balance, his ears twitching at the sound of ice cracking beneath them. His emerald eyes were wide as he realized that he was in deep trouble, his legs trembling as he lost any sense of traction and his arms spread wide to keep his balance.

Sonic could only look up in horror as the Badnik swung its hammer down, breaking the ice between them into tiny pieces, with Sonic trying to run on the broken ice back to the safety of the shore, only to be swept away by a massive wave. Sonic gasped as he fell into the icy water, having swallowed some of it, his body burning as he felt as if millions of tiny hot needles pricked every bit of his body, past the fur and skin and turning it numb. He was dragged down by the cold of the water and his own inability to swim, with ice pieces floating over him. Sonic sunk deeper into the water, his eyes closing as he couldn't anymore feel his legs nor his arms. His mind was still fighting to stay awake, but he was quickly losing the battle, unable to make sense of this. Why was he struggling? Why was he fighing? Wouldn't it be better to allow himself be embraced by the chilling depths? Wouldn't it be better to just go to sleep?

''Sonic!''

Shadow stared in horror at the broken surface of the icy lake, his eyes wide as he tried to comprehend what he just witnessed. The Egg Hammer went after Sonic, chasing him towards the lake and then broke the ice, causing the cobalt hedgehog to fall into the chilling waters and sink into it's depths. Shadow managed to snap himself out of his stunned state and rush towards the lake, noting how the Egg Hammer managed to back away from the water and onto the shore, swinging its hammer at the dark hedgehog. Unfortunately for the robot, Shadow was beyond furious, gathering Chaos Energy as an orange-red aura formed around him, his crimson eyes glowing in rage.

''Chaos Blast!''

Shadow didn't even bother to make sure that the Egg Hammer was completely destroyed by the explosion of Chaos Energy, instead leaping into the icy water and swimming after Sonic. His body was screaming, protesting due to the sudden cold, but Shadow kept swimming, managing to spot the cobalt body sinking into the depths. His gloved fingers grabbed Sonic's wrist, pulling him back, but the hedgehog was heavy. Shadow's eyes narrowed as he pulled Sonic towards himself, a cyan light flashing around them, followed by another flash of light back on the snowy shore.

Shadow's lungs burned as he gasped for air, water dripping from the tips of his quills, but he couldn't care less as he turned to Sonic. The cobalt hedgehog was in a bad shape, being unconscious and not moving at all. Shadow felt his heart pounding as a primal sense of fear flooded his mind. He quickly checked Sonic's pulse on his neck and pressed his ear against his peach chest, trying to make sure that he was still alive. There was a faint heart beat, but Sonic wasn't breathing, filling Shadow with a surge of panic, only for the cobalt hedgehog to suddenly start coughing. Shadow quickly flipped him over, with Sonic coughing and vomitting water and slime, managing to get it out of his body. He stopped, his breathing shallow, but at least he was breathing now.

Shadow's own breaths were ragged, his heart racing as he cursed himself for not taking the situation more seriously and finishing off the Badnik before a disaster could occur. However, he quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind because Sonic was still at death's door due to suffering from hypothermia and his condition wasn't going to improve in the snowy environment. He knew that Sonic needed a source of warmth to keep his body from fully shutting down as soon as possible.

Shadow's mind immediately went to the hiker cabin and after he wrapped his hands around Sonic's body, he used Chaos Control to get them both there. He almost kicked the door in, only stopping himself when he recalled that it was unlocked, and carried Sonic inside. The cabin itself was well-furnished, having a kitchen area, a bathroom and a living room area in front of a fireplace, as well as a loft with several beds on it. Shadow placed Sonic in front of the fireplace, then rushed towards the bathroom and grabbing the spare towels. He ran back to Sonic, removing his gloves and shoes, and starting to dry him as best as he could. He then placed Sonic on the couch, then rushed towards the loft to grab a pillow and as many blankets as he could, then placed the pillow under Sonic's head and placed the blankets over him, his mind focused on only one thing – keep Sonic warm.

He then pushed the couch towards the fireplace, followed by throwing several pieces of wood into it and starting a crackling fire with a spark of his Chaos Energy. His own breathing slowed down as the panic he had felt earlier waned, leaving him in a state of dizziness. He felt the coldness seeping into his body, trying to fight off the fatigue and drowsiness that was slowly over taking over his mind. He stepped away, shaking the water droplets out of his fur and quills, then grabbing another towel to dry himself. He removed his own shoes and gloves, placing them next to Sonic's to dry, then he sat on the couch and tried to warm himself up by rubbing his arms, refusing to take a blanket away from Sonic since he needed them more. Shadow sighed, knowing that he was fortunate that his body was more resilient to extreme conditions, but that didn't mean that it didn't affect him. Still, he was more worried about Sonic, not even wanting to think about what would've happened if he wasn't there to save him.

No, I haven't saved him yet. He is still in danger.

Shadow reached for Sonic's hand, realizing that despite his efforts, it was still icy cold and clammy, not even reacting to his touch. He knew that he needed to find something else that would help in warming Sonic up, but having searched the whole cabin, he couldn't even find a heat pack or a hot water bottle. He stared at Sonic, feeling his own hands shake. Whether it was out of concern or fear, he didn't know. He had to make a decision.

Warmth… He needs more warmth.

Shadow furrowed a brow, then lifted the blankets and quickly slipped beneath them, wrapping his arms around Sonic's waist and slotting his legs between the latter's. Shadow knew that the only thing he had left was to share his own body heat. He hoped that he could act as a living heater for Sonic, keeping him warm and comfortable until he woke up. He reached for Sonic's hand, bringing it up to his lips and breathing into it, using his other arm that was wrapped around Sonic's torso to pull him even closer, almost pressing Sonic's head into the white fluff of his chest, his teeth gritted in self-directed anger.

Why did I let that Egg Hammer chase after Sonic?! If I had gotten between them, Sonic wouldn't have fallen into the lake! If I had reacted faster, he wouldn't have been put into this situation! If I had just… Shadow closed his eyes, the sense of guilt and pain he felt overwhelming his mind. He had promised himself and Sonic that he would keep his rival safe and he couldn't even fulfill one damn task. If Sonic dies because of my own shortcomings, I will never forgive myself.

The sensation he felt in his chest was that of a heavy weight, one that was suffocating him, and he forced himself to breathe, opening his eyes. He observed Sonic, noting how his body was still cold, especially his bare hands and feet. Shadow tried to come up with other methods he could use to warm him up quicker, but nothing came to his mind. His thoughts were in a haze, and he could focus on nothing but Sonic wrapped in his arms, fighting for his life.

''Com'n, Hedgehog, wake up…'' Shadow whispered, his voice trembling despite doing his best to keep calm. ''You've been through much worse than this…'' His hand dug into Sonic's quills and he pressed his cheek on top of Sonic's head, pleading, ''Please, Sonic, wake up…''

Shadow exhaled once more, the anger, guilt and despair being slowly replaced by a sense of emptiness. The rationality of his mind finally prevailed, making him understand that he had done everything he could to save Sonic and that it was now Sonic's turn to respond. Despite that, he still felt hollow, still furious at himself for letting someone he deeply cared about almost die.

He couldn't bear losing another loved one. Not after Maria…

Shadow hugged Sonic tightly, his fingers almost digging into the cobalt fur as if he had feared that Sonic would suddenly vanish into nothingness. The fact that this was once a possibility made him feel even worse, causing his stomach to churn. As much as he used to get annoyed at Sonic and fight with him for reasons only they were aware of, he still cared deeply about him, even if he refused to be open about it. Emotional attachment led only to pain and suffering, and the complete refusal to form a connection with anyone had the same results. So, what was he even supposed to feel? How was he even supposed to act? Taking either path only led to anguish.

Shadow sought an answer for so long, and every time he believed that he had found it, the reality he lived in was crushed either by his own actions or by some karmic force that wanted to see him suffer. He believed that he could make Maria healthy, only for her to die at the hands of G.U.N. He believed that Maria wanted to see Earth's destruction, only to find out that it was Prof. Gerald who had manipulated him into becoming a weapon of destruction. He almost gave into Black Doom's manipulations, with the only reason why he never took that crucial step being because someone else was by his side, either Sonic and his friends or Maria and Gerald. He refused to communicate with Sonic, choosing violence instead, which resulted in the Paradox Prism breaking and their reality shattering. He allowed himself to believe that he was immune to the Metal Virus, only for reality to punish him for his arrogance and stubborness by turning him into a Zombot.

At some point, he started believing that he was never allowed to be happy, to feel joy. He believed that he wasn't allowed to get close to anyone, that they would get coldly torn out of his grasp if he ever dared to hope. During the past few days, he had opened up to Sonic in ways he never thought he would be possible, but fate had other plans, laughing coldly at him as he desperately clung to the light that was flickering feebly.

I'd do anything… anything to-

''Shadow…''

''Sonic?''

Shadow's attention snapped immediately to Sonic, who stirred, slowly opening his eyes, the familiar emerald gleam being now muddy and unfocused. He looked so weak, so vulnerable, barely even able to move his head, let alone his body. It would take some time for him to fully recover. Nevertheless, Shadow felt a wave of relief washing over him when he saw Sonic awake and trying to talk to him. He would be fine. He was safe.

''How do you feel?'' Shadow asked him, his tone quiet but filled with concern.

''Cold…'' Sonic mumbled, barely audible. He shivered, only to sigh contently when Shadow placed his hand, now warm, on his fawn muzzle. ''I wanna sleep…''

''You can't. You need to stay awake,'' Shadow told him, part of him surprised with just how gentle his tone was, but he didn't care anymore. ''If you fall asleep now, I don't know whether you'll wake up again.''

Sonic didn't respond, but the look he gave Shadow made it clear that he understood. He pressed his head into Shadow's chest fluff, a faint smile on his lips. ''Heh… I knew you were a hugger.''

''I'm trying to keep you warm, you idiot,'' Shadow replied, but his tone lacked the usual irritation. He even smiled a little, aware that he needed to keep up the conversation so Sonic would stay awake. As for Sonic, he just snorted in amusement.

''Thanks for saving me,'' he muttered with a tired smile on his lips.

''You would've done the same for me,'' Shadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone, with Sonic suddenly falling silent, his gaze falling. Shadow gave him a look of concern, wondering what was wrong. ''Sonic, are you okay?''

''I couldn't save you…''

''What?''

''You fell, and I couldn't save you…'' Sonic whispered, with Shadow's eyes widening as he heard that. He had some idea what Sonic was referring to, but he still wanted a confirmation, choosing to remain silent. Sonic took a deep, albeit shaky, breath. ''I know I was running out of time, but I thought that I would still be able to reach out for you… But, I failed. One moment, you were there, and in the next one, you were gone. I-I regretted it for a long time… I still do.''

''Sonic…'' Shadow finally understood what Sonic meant. He was talking about their battle against the Biolizard, with him having lost his Super Form due to his own inexperience with that form and falling towards Earth. He recalled the conversation he had with Sonic about the latter feeling guilt and regret for not saving one specific person, but he never expected that person to be him. Not only that, but despite his miraculous return, Sonic still blamed himself for what happened, even if it was none of his fault. Shadow had to wonder if his presence was a constant reminder of that moment, each of their encounters adding more and more weight to his sense of guilt. Was his carefree smile really genuine or just a mask he used to hide how he really felt? ''You have no reason to blame yourself for what happened.''

''I do!'' Sonic protested, only to resign himself to the sense of dejection he felt. ''I know you're back, but if I had caught you, you wouldn't have suffered so much…''

''Sonic, the reason you didn't save me was because I stopped you,'' Shadow told him, feeling Sonic shiver as a pair of emerald orbs gazed at him. ''My memory may be hazy, but I recall that I waved you off when you tried to reach for me. You would've fallen along with me if I didn't do that. Besides, the world needed you more than me. I had fulfilled my purpose and I didn't care what would happen to me…''

''I cared,'' Sonic cut him off, his voice uncharacteristically serious. ''The world was safe, but you needed me…'' He snorted, a bitter smile forming on his lips. ''I know I sound stupid, but that's how I felt. Back during our fight in the Void, when you were knocked back and falling into that massive black pit, I was reminded of you falling to Earth all over again, and I was telling myself that I needed to save you even if I fell with you. I'm glad that I had succeeded.''

Sonic fell silent, the memory flashing back in his mind. He could hear his own screams echoing as he rushed towards Shadow, the fear holding a tight grip on his mind as he reached for Shadow before he could disappear into the nothingness. It was a terrifying sensation and Sonic didn't want to go through that again. I won't let Shadow get hurt because of me…

''You don't want to lose me,'' Shadow stated in a quiet tone. Sonic didn't respond, but Shadow spotted the faint dust of red on his fawn muzzle. For a moment, he thought that Sonic had a fever, but when he reached for his forehead to check, Sonic grabbed his hand, not letting go as his lips curved into a cocky smirk, his eyes half-lidded.

''I want to do something stupid…'' Sonic muttered, gazing into Shadow's crimson's eyes, a spark of determination in his emerald eyes. ''If you're gonna get mad at me, could you lecture me when I feel better?''

''That depends on…'' Shadow trailed off when Sonic leaned closer to him, managing to muster enough strength to lift his hand, cupping Shadow's muzzle and crashed his lips against Shadow's, giving into a shockingly tender kiss. The dark hedgehog was left speechless at his rival's boldness, not even knowing how to respond. The kiss may have lasted only a few seconds, with Sonic falling back on the pillow, his fawn muzzle now as red as Shadow's quill marks, but to the hedgehogs, it felt like eternity. There was a sense of heat that spread through their bodies, having nothing to do with the fact that they tried to keep each other warm.

''Shadow, I…''

Shadow placed his hand on Sonic muzzle, noting how he was still a little cold, but there was some colour underneath the fawn fur. He could feel Sonic shiver beneath his fingers, wondering if it was because he was still freezing or because he was fearing Shadow's response. The dark hedgehog could feel just how tense Sonic was, his expression showing how worried he was about Shadow's reaction. Nevertheless, he tried to hide all of that tension behind a nervous smile, acting as if none of this was important. Shadow noted how his rival was still an idiot… but damned if Sonic wasn't his idiot.

Sonic's eyes widened when Shadow suddenly closed the gap between them, kissing him back. He closed his eyes, the familiar sensation of heat spreading in waves across his body as he returned the kiss, allowing Shadow to press him against the pillow, moving his bare hand onto blue shoulder. He placed his own hand on Shadow's chest fluff, curling his fingers as he held onto his fur, not wanting to ever let go of him. Unfortunately, the need for air forced them apart.

''Woah, Shads…'' Sonic gasped.

''Don't think too much of it. Your lips were still cold,'' Shadow replied in his usual serious tone, causing Sonic to snort in amusement, his eyes sparking up as the light returned to them.

''I guess that's one way to warm me up,'' Sonic said, giving Shadow a knowing smirk. ''You like me.''

''Tch, what if I do?'' Shadow responded, not caring anymore for whatever his relationship with Sonic was before all of this. All he wanted to know is how they'd proceed from this point and refusing to let go of his rival until he got an answer that satisfied him.

''I wouldn't mind having you as my boyfriend, Shads'' Sonic admitted, tapping on Shadow's chest. ''That's, if you agree.''

''I don't have any reason to disagree,'' Shadow replied, with Sonic's ears flicking as he beamed at the dark hedgehog. Sure, it wasn't exactly a romantic confession where they would pour their hearts out to each other, but neither of them cared for more conventional interactions. They have bonded through their rivalry, challenging and pushing each other to become better versions of themselves. They knew what they wanted, having learned how to read each other, be it in a battle or during a chance meeting, and were capable of working together in almost perfect sync. They didn't want to change anything about their relationship either, so they viewed this situation as an upgrade to what they already had. It was simple and they were content with it.

''That's settled then,'' Sonic said, looking at Shadow in anticipation. The possibilities were endless.

''There is something I want to know,'' Shadow suddenly said, with Sonic giving him a nonplussed look. ''How long have you kept this to yourself?''

Sonic was caught off guard by this question, but then figured that Shadow deserved an answer. He hummed in thought. ''I… don't really know. Maybe since we started this trip? Maybe since the whole Paradox Prism event? Maybe since I met you for the first time?'' Sonic gave Shadow a sheepish smile. ''I'm not that good with my feelings, so I never thought about it... until now.''

''Maybe it was since you had experienced being cared for by someone who looked like me?'' Shadow suggested, furrowing a brow when Sonic gave him an alarmed look, his fawn muzzle now crimson. ''Don't think I didn't notice, Hedgehog.''

''In my defense, it was nice to interact with a Shadow who was much more open,'' Sonic muttered, puffing his cheeks up as he pouted. His expression changed when Shadow leaned over, his breath ghosting Sonic's lips.

''Your little fantasy is about to come true…'' Shadow whispered, his lips hovering above Sonic's, who closed his eyes, waiting for the dark hedgehog to close the gap, only for a wave of disappointment to wash over him when Shadow leaned back. Shadow smirked when he saw the annoyed look Sonic shot him.

''You're the worst, Shadow,'' Sonic grumbled, glaring at him. Shadow couldn't help but feel amused by Sonic's reaction. It was quite rare to see Sonic annoyed, let alone genuinely angry, thanks to the cobalt hedgehog's perpetual positive attitude. However, Shadow knew better. He knew that there were moments when Sonic was pretending that everything would be fine just to keep his friends and the people who looked up to him happy. He wasn't going to let Sonic drown in that false happiness, just like Sonic would always reach out to him whenever he lost himself in his own negativity. That was an understanding they had never acknowledged, but were always aware that it existed. It was what brought them comfort whenever they were in each other's company.

''I know that you won't be satisfied without getting at least some kind of challenge,'' Shadow told him, with Sonic huffing in response. Despite his own irritation, he knew that Shadow was just teasing him in the same way he would tease the former to get some kind of reaction, and part of him was happy that it worked. Sonic actually felt delighted that he and Shadow reached a point where they were being comfortable opening up to each other like this, calling back how at some point Amy had told him that, for a relationship to work, both parties needed to communicate transparently. He understood what she meant, but he simply wasn't the type to engage in such conversations, even with his closest friends and family. He preferred to comfort and inspire other people instead of opening up about his own insecurities and fears. But with Shadow, it was different. With Shadow, he experienced a strange kind of freedom he never felt before. He wanted it. He needed it. He needed Shadow, and he knew that Shadow needed him.

Sonic couldn't help but smile when Shadow decided to placate him at least a little by nuzzling him. It wasn't a kiss, but that didn't matter, because Sonic was already planning his revenge after he had recovered. While he appreciated Shadow's softer side, he knew they would be back to their usual dynamic and he couldn't wait until he got to mess with Shadow so long until the latter started another fight just to get him to shut up.

''So, now what, Faker?'' Sonic asked, smiling and giving Shadow a half-lidded gaze.

''You are going to rest and recover from nearly getting yourself killed,'' Shadow told him in his usual serious tone, with Sonic having to agree with him. His body was still weak and while he did manage to warm up a little, he was nowhere near his normal temperature.

''Okay, but you will keep me warm however long that takes,'' Sonic stated in the same commanding tone as he jabbed his finger into Shadow's chest, with the latter rolling his eyes, but still kissing him on the cheek, then pulling him closer as he placed his chin on Sonic's head, while Sonic nuzzled into his chest fur, grinning. ''Heh, I could get used to this.''

''You better. I haven't gone through all that Hell for nothing,'' Shadow grumbled, his eyes closed. Sonic snorted in amusement, his eyes to closing as he shifted in the most comfortable position he could manage, finally allowing himself to answer the call of sleep, but not without muttering the one thing that had been intruding his mind for so long and melting in Shadow's arms at his response.

''Love ya, Shads.''

''I love you too.''