(Hey everyone, how are you all faring with this pandemic going on? I know I have a lot to explain, but please understand that things were a bit… crazy time with me at school, getting back on track with writing a chapter for a good friend of mine who is no longer able to write with us.

And if I must admit another reason, I was waiting for Kingdom Hearts III to come out to check on things that they were doing and I found out that some of my theories were correct. Especially with Xehanort's plan of dividing his heart between his '13 vessels' for the clash between him and the seven guardians in the game. It didn't go as I expected but it did bring up some interesting ideals for what might be happening in the future.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or RWBY, they are the properties of their owners. The only ones that I do own are my OCs Vino, Gin, and Wolfe.

I'm sorry for how long this has been Chris Nest, I hope you can forgive me...

I swear this chapter will not take as long in to write now that I got everything organized... for lack of a better word.

Please read, review, and enjoy.)

Cinder remembered how she stood alone with the darkness, her eyes closed as she remembered what set her down his path when she met her mistress.

"I want to be strong." Cinder's voice echoed in the darkness. She sensed a presence in the darkness. It was almost threatening but she remained confident.

"I want to be feared." Cinder said, in the darkness, feeling the presence growing to millions, within that darkness growing closer.

"I want to be powerful." Cinder said, her eyes opening, the darkness around her remained still. Then, a burst of green flames suddenly erupted and forced the darkness away.

When the flames died down Cinder stood still and saw a woman, the tallest woman that the woman in red had seen, with a dark cloak over her body, snake like fingers around a staff with a yellowish-green sphere at the top of it. The woman's pale, green tinted, skin glowed while her cold black eyes were seconded only by the horns of her headdress similar to a dragon's, "It is rare to find someone who willingly embraces the darkness as readily as you do, my dear."

Smiling the woman bent down and said in a sinister sweetness, "I can give you all you want and more."

Placing her thin, snake like fingers around the girl's chin she said, motherly, "All you have to do is-"

A jewelry salesman stood in front of his wares. A sharp sound went off and he saw a beautiful woman standing before her. Enchanted by her beauty, he held up a ring and said, "A beautiful ring... for a beautiful woman."

"I'm sorry?" A woman asked, confused.

Suddenly surprised, the Salesman asked, "What!?"

The sound of running footsteps sounded. "Impossible! What did...!?"

A man nearby looked and pointed after the girl who stole the ring, "She went that way!"

"Someone, call the police!" A woman cried, seeing this happening.

Still shocked, the salesman asked, "How'd she do that!?"

From the darkness Cinder Fall walked out, smirking as she did. Appearing behind the thief when seen with shorter hair and dual swords with arrows on her back.

"How did you do that?" Cinder asked, surprising the green haired woman as she did.

The thief in the abandoned alleyway, cornered against a wall, was revealed to be Emerald. She had a ponytail instead of her usual locks and was wearing a different outfit. She glared at this stranger while glancing around, backing away slowly and not answering. Without warning, she attempted to get her revolvers from their holsters.

Cinder then warned "Don't."

Emerald grimaced before Cinder continued, "Unless, of course, you want them to hear you.

A sound of footsteps running past while she spoke. The men after Emerald were still in pursuit of her for her theft.

Emerald let go of the grips as a voice asked where the thief went. Looking back to the black haired girl in the eye, she asked, "What do you want?

Stepping forward slowly, glass anklet shifting with her footsteps, Cinder stated, "I've already told you. And I don't like repeating myself."

"I didn't do anything! Just leave me alone!" Emerald denied, wanting to get away before the authorities found her.

Cinder, still smiling said, "I know my fair share of liars and thieves. Stealing is an art of patience, coordination, and in a pinch, sleight of hand. But you didn't steal the ring in your pocket."

Emerald looked shocked and checked the pocket where her prize was as Cinder crossed her arms, continuing, "You took it right before the jeweler's eyes. And he smiled."

Emerald's surprise turned to suspicion once more, not expecting anyone to notice how her Semblance worked, "Who are you?

Cinder kept on smiling as the two began to talk.

Sometime later, Cinder stood silently as monstrous growling is heard in the background. "You will question everything you know."

Behind the very tall woman, Emerald saw creatures, different from Grimm standing there as more of the more recognizable creatures snarled. There was a symbol on one of the bone masks, the Heartless Emblem. Two of them held a man who was screaming for someone to help him.

One of the ink black creatures with yellow eyes thrust its claw into a man's chest and pulled out a cartoon looking heart and then crushed it as the man's motionless body disappeared and the body was replaced with an exact copy of the creature.

Emerald stared in shock as she said, "This is impossible."

"Ah, but it is the truth." Maleficent smirked as she raised her staff, the gem on the end glowing briefly. Then there was a sound similar to something vanishing in a puff of smoke, and the growling instantly stops. The creatures disappeared while the Grimm remained passive.

Turning to the girl, Maleficent stated, "And this power to control them could be yours too."

Cinder and Emerald stood as many Heartless had surrounded an unusual sight. A Beowolf without a mask on its head like the others with it. It snarled and snapped its jaws at the creatures with the two young women. On the center of his chest was a crest in the shape of a wolf's face behind it was a shape that represented the moon. Maleficent arrived on the scene and after a quick observation, stated, "I see, this appears to be another man in beast trappings. Or vice versa."

Maleficent used her magic and the Beowolf fell to the floor, jerking about as its body reduced in size, the spikes on its back looked as though they were shedding off of it while the fur retracted into what looked like was human flesh.

Its wolf ears shrank with the rest of his body. Before them now lay a young man with wolf ears in nothing but the flesh on his back.

Heavy panting was heard as a growling voice whispered, "Cccccccccciiiinnnndddeeeerrrrr…"

Cinder approached a man with her two companions, "I wish to take on an apprentice."

The large man turned before answering, "He lives in the mountains with his son."

"Follow me, and you'll never be hungry again." Cinder said, promising Emerald as she handed the girl a piece of food.

Staring at it as though the action was a shock to her, Emerald in a shaky voice, "Thank you..."

The three came upon a burning cabin as Wolfe, who took on his Grimm appearance, stood protectively before Cinder and Emerald. He snarled at the grey haired man, who got into his stance to fight, but the woman in red held her arm out to stop them, "No. That's no way to treat a new friend, Wolfe."

The Beowolf stared between her and the injured human before his body shrank to the size of a dark grey haired young man with wolf ears, claws at the end of his fingers, and canine like teeth as he growled at the grey haired kicker. He now wore rags around his waist since Cinder and he met again.

Cinder did not speak, but looked over the young man who had defeated Marcus Black and asked, "What's your name?"

"Mercury." The grey haired young man said, identifying himself to the three.

"Tell me, are you anything like your father?" Cinder asked, causing Wolfe to look at her confused. He saw her smile, as the four of them left the burning house.

Mercury, after getting treatment for his, legs asked, "So what's in it for me?"

While Maleficent was talking to the assassin's son, Emerald, looked to Cinder and argued about Mercury joining their group, "We don't need him! Everything was going fine! We especially don't need that Grimm freak!"

A slap was heard, and the thief cried out in pain. Looking up, Emerald saw her leader's eyes narrowed in anger as Cinder hissed coldly, her eyes glowing a slight green, "Do not mistake your place in all of this."

In the poor side of a city, Mercury shrugged, as he led his new allies down an alley way, "If you want to do this plan of yours you need to know the city. My dad always said... 'If you need to know a city, ask the rats.'"

They soon arrived to a location as Roman appeared walking towards the four of them and said, snarkly to Cinder, "Well, hello gorgeous."

He then chucked darkly. Wolfe growled at the ginger criminal. Even as the brown and pink haired girl with the parasol grinned at the antics of her ginger headed boss.

Time passed until…

"So, let me get this straight..." Adam finally spoke when he heard their proposal.

Cinder stood respectfully in the center of a tent, Emerald and Mercury sitting on their knees behind her. Wolfe however was kneeling behind Cinder, between the two humans. Two members of the White Fang armed with a rifle and sword to one side, and the Lieutenant leaned up against the other, as the bull Faunus stepped before a map of Remnant, speaking to them, "You could've gone to anyone for help. You could've made a deal with a gang leader, paid off some Huntsmen that have strayed from their... righteous path... but instead, you choose to seek an audience with me."

Cinder, confidently, explained her reasoning, "You're the one we need. Your skill, your ability to lead those beneath you. You're an exceptionally valuable man, Adam. And we've put a lot of thought into-"

Adam interrupted her abruptly, stepping forward with his finger raised accusingly as he said, "Then you're clearly not thinking straight! If you truly understood me, you would know coming here was a mistake. The White Fang is not an organization for hire. We're a force of revolution!"

He make a heavy emphasis with a fist on his last word, causing Emerald to share a look with Mercury, her eyebrows raised.

Cinder, unintimidated, remained as she continued speaking, "I believe our plan will be beneficial for all parties involved."

Adam continued to pace around the tent, annoyed that the human woman wouldn't do the smart thing and leave, even as she spoke, "I have... an associate in Vale and another from outside of the four kingdoms. They and I are working on a revolution of our own. But we can't do it without your forces. We need-"

Adam forcibly finished her sentence, having heard enough of this insane idea, "What you need... is to leave."

He then hoisted up his weapon, Wilt and Blush, at the three humans, "You're asking my men to die for your cause - a human cause."

Anger built in the leader of the White Fang as he placed a hand to the hilt of his sword, noticing the wolf eared young man behind the woman, "And while you tricked one of our own to be deceived by your words. That is not an idea I am willing to entertain."

Wolfe growled at the faunus' rudeness towards Cinder. Cinder scowled in obvious displeasure, but made herself bow in respect to the White Fang leader before her, "Very well."

The four left the tent and go off into the nearby woods. Once out of sight, they entering a portal of darkness and vanishing without a trace. Adam, stepping out, saw the entire thing from behind his mask.

Blake walked up behind him, hand on her side, "What was that about?"

Adam, brought back to the here and now, "Nothing."

Walking away he said, "We need to finish preparing. The train will be here at dawn."

Blake follows her mentor a worried expression growing on her face.

Back in their base, Mercury sat down and asked Cinder, "So now what?"

"There's another task we must attend to." Cinder told them as she pointed to a spot on the map.

"Where's that witch anyway?" Emerald asked, noticing Maleficent missing since she made Mercury agree to join Cinder's group.

Cinder looked to Emerald and answered, "Our friend has more important things to deal with. But for now we shall do as we've been ordered by my master."

In the next few hours, thanks to the Corridor of Darkness, they arrived at a village. At which Emerald approached a man with a photo of a woman on it, "Excuse me, but I'm looking for a friend of mine."

The man stared at it as he said, smiling, "Ah, yes. She was just here yesterday."

As they traveled to the location, Cinder said to her followers, "Remember the plan. Exactly as discussed. Not a foot out of place."

"Understood." Wolfe said with a snarl. His hair was standing on end for some reason unknown to the other two humans.

Close to a forest, a single path with a wooden fence on either side, cutting through the green. From the trees came a lone white horse trotting along slowly, a green-cloaked rider with golden armor and her hood up on its back. The animal came forward as the sharp sound is heard, and the two stop when they came across the scene of a young green-haired girl curled up and crying next to a fallen bicycle.

Emerald stood there, the rider dismounted from her steed and slowly approacheed the child, who looked up at the mysterious stranger who knelt down to her level and smiled friendly to the girl. The girl flinched in fright when the woman reached into her clothes and pulls out an apple, not realizing she was only offering it to empty air.

Emerald shifted only a few feet away from the oblivious heroine, scrunching her face up in determination and readying to attack by grabbing her weapons and sliding a foot back. The kicked-up dust managed to be seen behind the girl even when the one who kicked it did not, and the woman gasped as the image of the child happily reaching for the apple suddenly vanished.

Dropping the fruit and leaping back quickly as the horse turned to run away, the woman, who revealed to be Amber, ditched the cloak and pulled out her weapon, expanding the double crystal-headed staff to full length. She saw Emerald running towards her, guns blazing green shots, each of which are deflected against the Fall Maiden's hand. Amber twirled the spear around her body, kicking up the winds and blasting it toward her opponent, forcing Emerald to slide back.

Just as she does this, Mercury came up from the side and jumped over the fence, landing on her staff as she forced him and a returning Emerald back with another gale. Mercury simply leapt on a post and launched himself at her, forcing Amber to unleash a stream of fire from the red Dust crystal on him, but her attacker merely curled up and let his legs take the brunt of the damage. The flames burning away the legs of his pants as the complex machinery and lit-up metal revealing the robotic, prosthetic legs underneath.

With his artificial limbs, he continued to come forward through the fire and kick Amber on her back, only for Emerald to land on her from above, cracking the very ground underneath. She and Mercury jumped back and got ready to fight again when Amber stood up, her head bowed until she looked at her two assailants with orange energy pouring from her eyes. The winds erupted from the Fall Maiden, swirling around and making her enemies cover their faces from the force. She lifted off the ground and spread her arms to the sky, lightning now rumbling in the clouds for her to aim at the two, who barely get out of the way in time.

Calling upon more of the storm, Mercury and Emerald continued to dodge each bolt as Cinder stepped into view a ways back from the fight. The two ambushers fired on Amber, but the invisible shield now covered her whole body, taking each shot as she reached to her side and clenches a fist, making the leaves rise into the air and come to her. With a raised arm, the leaves turned from green to frozen ice, and rained the newly-sharpened projectiles down on her foes, who are unable to avoid the attack.

Amber continued this assault until she sensed Cinder running towards her from behind, and to her surprise a maskless Beowulf. The maiden's face set in determination, summoned a fireball to launch at her new adversaries, who managed to leap over the attack. Cinder slides across the ground, kicking up dirt. Cinder faced her palm to the dirt, the yellow fabric on her sleeve glowing, and coalesced the dirt into several glass shards, which she aimed at the floating Maiden. Wolfe charged slashing with his claws as he snarled, Amber was knocked back from the damage, then fell to the ground from Wolfe's attack. On the ground Amber's face was down in the dirt, until she looked up with normal eyes just when the sharp sound was heard again. She first saw the area empty, but Emerald flickered into view for a moment, and Amber slowly realized what was happening as Mercury also shifted into her frame of vision, with Cinder coming forward in spurts, swords raised.

She attempted to slash Amber with the two blades, only for the Maiden to deflect each hit and kick the assailant away just as Mercury, Wolfe, and Emerald came forward in her stead. The two miss their initial attacks and get kicked for their efforts, but Mercury lands a blow on her only for Amber to rush at him, not noticing Cinder connect her swords together into their bow shape and notching three arrows. Amber managed to punch Emerald, sent a blast of fire at Wolfe, and kick Mercury away right before turning around and seeing Cinder launch the arrows at the ground around her, which erupted in a high whistling noise and a burning explosion from each projectile. She felt the full force of it all, her Aura disappearing entirely from the battle damage.

Cinder appeared with her partners behind her, slowly approaching their target as she got up from her hands and knees. Amber swiped at the four with a gust of wind that blows them all away, but Mercury races back towards her until he's blasted back by a bolt of lightning from the now burning-eyed Maiden. She suddenly turned back and sent a fireball at Emerald, only for it to disappear and the real thief to be revealed on the other side, also getting a blast of flame. Wolfe snarled as he charged, but was blasted back with a gust of tundra wind.

With all three of her opponents down, Amber grabbed her staff from the ground and used it as support to walk over to Emerald, wincing and clutching her side all the while. Emerald only has time to look up in fear before Amber glowers and raises her weapon to finish the fight... just when a quick whooshing noise ends with a sudden thump right as she gasped in pain.

Eyes wide, Amber collapses forward, an arrow sticking out from her back while Cinder lowered the bow and smiles once more. She dropped her weapon and calmly walked forward, taking out a white glove as Mercury and Emerald force their defeated foe to her knees, Wolfe held her head up to look at Cinder. Amber and Cinder met eye-to-eye before the villainess lifted up her now gloved hand, the back of it marked with the red symbol of an open eye in a compass shape, broken on one side by five diamond shapes. Cinder reached down, palm towards Amber when the part of the glove that covered Cinder's palm suddenly opened a small black-red portal, out from which a Grimm looking bug came out.

Amber's pupils contracted in fear, she then began begging in a whisper, "Please don't..."

The creature spewed out black webbing, attaching to Amber's face in a pattern. Amber pulled her head up, screaming, her one free eye is blazing, a final blast of wind erupting from her as the glow faded into the inky strands, up through the glove, and into Cinder's body. Her own victorious eyes light up with power, a shower of sparks surrounding her and black-and-red circle appearing under their feet. Amber closed her eye, feeling her strength leaving her.

Then without warning, footsteps are heard racing towards the ritual, and Cinder only has a moment to look up and see Qrow Branwen swinging his sword down on them, severing the web and making the three leap back. The Huntsman grabbed the unconscious Maiden before she hit the ground, and Cinder watched her hand as the glove burnt away into nothingness, leaving only a tattoo of high heels between her exposed shoulder blades.

Cinder looks up with a grin, right eye now brimming with golden energy, as she arose from her position and raised her arms, embers circling around her. Qrow only saw the black haired woman's shimmering face for a second before the ground under him start glowing, and he gets himself and Amber out of the way just as it explodes. He looked back and found that the four were gone, then turned his worried gaze to the marked and comatose face of Amber.

Back at their staging area, Cinder was alone speaking to someone not in the room, "The Huntsman severed the connection before it was complete."

A pause before she answered, explained how she was now feeling with her new powers, "Yes. It's... an emptiness. It burns. Like hunger. I like it."

"About our partner, she's disappeared. Said something about being close to gathering the Seven Pure Hearts." Cinder said, explaining about Maleficent's absence. She turned briefly to the comrades she had with her as they were resting.

She paused before answering, "No…She isn't dead, I can sense it…"

A third pause before she spoke, "I understand."

Another pause and Cinder spoke, "Yes. I will claim what is ours."

One final pause before Cinder said, "Thank you."

At the White Fang camp, Adam and the Lieutenant were in a different tent around a table with maps, masks, and vials of Dust all around.

The Lieutenant, trying to make Adam feel better about Blake's departure, while promising, "We'll find her, sir. I swear on my life."

Sharply Adam said, "Forget it. It's time I returned to Mistral and..."

His sentence was cut short with the sounds of groans, explosions, and crashing are heard outside the tent. The two came out of the tent, their weapons drawn.

Adam asked, as soon as he and the lieutenant exited the tent, "What is this!?

Cinder stood there, swords drawn amid the still-smoking battlefield, with White Fang soldiers laying all around and her subordinates kneeling on the ground with cases in front of the two humans on their knees.

"We could've gone to anyone for help." She then discarded her weapons and strode towards the two Faunus, unafraid, "But we chose you, Adam Taurus."

A ball of flames abruptly started to burn at their feet as she raised her hand, "Our plan will be beneficial for both of us."

Adam and his lieutenant were shocked by this new string of power.

The designs on her sleeve and exposed eye are seen glowing, "Or one of us."

Emerald opened her case to reveal Dust crystals and collector canisters inside, while Mercury showed the neatly-arranged stacks of Lien in his case. Behind Wolfe several eyes appeared glowing from the darkness, a mixture of Grimm red eyes and Heartless yellow eyes. "So, which will it be?"

Adam slowly straightened up while Cinder lowered her arm, clothes going back to their regular colors as she smiles. A familiar laughter was heard as all parties saw that the witch, Maleficent had returned. Smile growing, Cinder said, "Welcome back."

The present…
Mercury was still cradling his injured limb, Emerald kneeling beside him and Yang in the center of a ring of security, all with rifles aimed at her.

Emerald, distressed, called out, "Please, somebody help him!"

A couple of paramedics come over with a stretcher, lowering it to Mercury, "Can you do something!?"

There was a rip in the leg of Mercury's pants, and skin and blood were visible through the rip.

One of the paramedic exchanged a glance with his coworker, before saying, "We need to get this boy to a hospital. Grab a blanket."

They raised Mercury onto the stretcher and rushed him off, Emerald following right behind. Yang looked on with a horrified expression, her lilac eyes now almost colorless.

Looking to the guards, Yang exclaimed, "You don't understand!"

She then said, pointing at Mercury, "He attacked me, I swear!"

However, her words fell on deaf ears as one of the Atlas Security Guard shouted, the robots raised their guns higher in response to the blonde's actions, "Stow it! You've already caused enough of a scene!"

Meanwhile, Emerald ran alongside the two paramedics as they came across an open door with a woman and man wearing the same medical uniform inside. The woman gestured them to stop as she called, "Here! We've got an ambulance ready to go!"

After they loaded the unconscious Mercury into the airship, the back door closed on the emergency airship.

The paramedic sighed, then said to his 'fellow paramedic', sympathetic to the pain those two inside went through, "Hope they'll be okay. That girl won't leave his side."

The female paramedic, revealing to be Cinder, nodded under the white cap she was wearing, "We'll take good care of both of them."

The transport flew away from the Colosseum. Inside, Mercury was lying on a cargo box in the back, still moaning and crying beside a hunched over Emerald sitting next to him. Mercury, still playing the part of the wounded personal groaned, "Oh doc, tell me, will I ever walk again?"

Instead of a reply, he received a whack in the arm from Emerald. Looking at her, he rubbed the actual injured part of his body that was hit by his green haired comrade and asked, "Ow! What's your deal!?"

Groaning, Emerald placed a hand up to her forehead as she said, "Ugh, headache. One mind I can handle, but two is a stretch."

The male paramedic came in with a medical drink to help her through the pain. Emerald looked up to see that it was Wolfe with the drink and said, in pain, "Thanks…"

Cinder, called back to them from the co-pilot's seat, "Well, you all performed marvelously, driver included."

The driver in question, wearing a similar uniform as Cinder, blinked her magenta eyes back to their usual brown and pink shades gave a smiling nod in silent gratitude.

As the airship continued to fly away, Mercury asked, "So, you think it worked?"

"Yes." Wolfe snarled and looked out to where he could sense his kin coming closer to the city, "They are coming…"

Hours later, Mercury was watching TV, while working on his legs. The channel showed that the Vale News Network with the combined kingdoms' symbol and a caption reading "TOURNAMENT TRAGEDY" was on. The news reporter began, "A terrible tragedy took place this afternoon in the one-on-one rounds of the Vytal Festival Tournament-"

The channel changed to show outside. In the streets of Vale, a tourist from Haven said to the camera, "I don't know what Beacon's Headmaster is teaching his students, but that was disgraceful! Completely uncalled for!"

He then changed the channel as a video of several Grimm and Heartless running across Mountain Glenn towards the city. Another reporter reported, "Despite Atlas reinforcements, local authorities are still calling on any available Huntsmen to aid in suppressing the surprising spike in Grimm activity. And what appears to be new species none has ever seen before."

The projected screen was switched off. Mercury with one of his mechanical leg on its top, a screwdriver in hand as he worked on repairs to it as he said, "Hey, I was watching that!"

Emerald, however snapped, "Shut up!"

"Is this how you treat a patient?" Mercury asked, while Emerald reached over and twisted the screwdriver in his leg, causing him to wince in pain, "Ah! Too tight!"

"Oh suck it up. Besides your legs are stronger thanks to those Heartless. So you shouldn't even feel the pain." Emerald said. The two saw the two NeoShadows standing their letting their darkness flow into the metal legs which seemed to make them appear like a cybernetic appearance than a mechanical limb.

"Enough." Cinder ordered, causing the two to look towards Cinder and Wolfe before telling them, "Our Mercury put on a wonderful show. He was quite brave."

Mercury, though liking the compliment, said to Emerald as he resumed his repairs, "These things aren't exactly cheap, you know. Even with the magic upgrades."

Turning to Cinder, Emerald asked, "So, what's next?"

Once they turn to her, grinning with her arms crossed, Cinder told them, looking to Emerald, "You and I will ensure that our next match up goes just as smoothly."

As Cinder turns to leave and Emerald follows, Mercury looked after the two women, asking, "What about the two of us?"

Wolfe looked to Cinder, wanting to know what she'd have him do to aid her.

Cinder replied as she looked back at the two boys, "You both get to lay low until the end. Wolfe needs to stay due to how he needs all his strength for when the time comes to direct the Grimm for when our plan comes together. Besides we wouldn't want people to see you on your feet and have this all be for naught, now would we?"

"Can do." Mercury said, going back to tuning his limbs, smiling evilly. Wolfe turned back to Mercury watching as dark energy began to flow back into the mechanical leg.

Wolfe rolled his eyes and went to rest, needing all of his strength for what was to come. And soon Cinder would have what she wished for.

(What do you guys think? A look into Cinder's past with a peak as to how she and Maleficent met. This was also to show how she and my OC Wolfe reunited. With the Kingdom Hearts 3 game out and my research and re-strategizing finished I'll be done with this story soon, I promise, for real this time. Especially on a Boss fight that I'm sure that no one might've expected (in the final chapter).

So... Until next chapter, "Destiny and Consequence"

P.S. Stay safe and stay healthy with this new pandemic and craziness is going on.)