Hello and welcome back finally to RWBY by Night and after an extended amount of time away from this story to work on other endeavor's such as A Second Chance and a few other stories, I've finally decided to return to one of my more underrated stories. It's time for Y,N and Pyrrha to begin their mission of reclaiming the illustrious Castle Nightclaw from the bloodsucking monsters of the night known as vampires, with their mysterious leader Belladonna leading the charge against the Vampiric Inquisitor Duo from the shadows of the looming castle. Yet, before Y,N and Pyrrha can fight Belladonna and her legion of thoughtless bloodsuckers, they must find a way to either scale the castle's nearly impenetrable defenses or use savage brute force to bust their way in....which may lead to the entire castle getting knocked right down to its foundations. Anyway, I'm your host/author of the night or day OverlordAKX and I don't own anything besides my account, this idea, and my OC's. As always sit back, relax, and enjoy the chapter. 

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO

LET'S GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Y,N POV, Location: Bullhead(heading towards Castle Nightclaw)

Pilot: *speaks calmly over the intercoms* ETA ten minutes. Prepare everything you deem necessary to complete this mission, as once I drop you two off, you'll be on your own. Is that clear vampiric inquisitor L,N and vampiric inquisitor Nikos?

Y,N: *responds in a reserved tone, while sharpening his blade* I heard you loud and clear. 

Pilot: And what of Miss Nikos?

Y,N: *tilts his head and looks at the still snoozing form of Pyrrha, with her head slumped against his shoulder* If she were awake right now, she would say the same exact thing as me. 

Pilot: *scoffs and says in a passive aggressive tone* You might want to wake her up, otherwise you're going to be lugging around deadweight for the entire mission. 

Y,N: *rolls his at the passive aggressive response* You leave waking Pyrrha to me, you focus on flying and making sure we don't meet a premature end via crashing into the side of the castle or getting shot down by vampires. *narrows his eyes* Do I make myself clear pilot?

Pilot: *says in a nervous tone, clearly afraid of Y,N's intimidating presence* Yes sir.

Y,N: *lets out an annoyed huff* Good. 

*Resting his sharpened and glistening blade against the bench they were sitting upon and tilting his head back once more to meet the snoozing form of Pyrrha, Y,N couldn't help but lightly blush at his once lost friend and crush. Even when asleep she looked like a divine angel sent down from the heaven's above to end the vampiric plague once and for all, which made her fall into darkness and blood-soaked insanity even more heartbreaking for Y,N. He remembered clear as day when Pyrrha never returned from her mission, he waited, patiently for her to arrive, yet soon patience turned into faithful hope, and finally hope soured into desperation. As Y,N waited for her to return, days tolled into weeks, which then turned into months, and finally years. All of that trauma and inner turmoil surrounding Y,N like a dark cloud soon caught the attention of the experienced vampiric inquisitor and ridding crop enthusiast known as Glynda Goodwitch, and over time Y,N was able to bond with her and she helped push the sad memories of Pyrrha's disappearance into the subconscious of his mind, with an eventual romantic relationship blooming between the two vampiric inquisitors', much to the annoyance and frustration of Glynda's other suitors when she broke the news to them. Snapping his eyes open wide, Y,N felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek as now only realized the gravity of the potential situation he was now in, as not only was he in a relationship with Glynda, but now Pyrrha has returned from the dark clutches of vampirism, and she was showing clear signs of romantic desire. Y,N let out a sigh of frustration as he knew after this mission some things needed to be cleared, before he would be caught in the middle of a cat fight between two women he loved dearly.*

Y,N: *thinks to himself* May Oum himself have mercy on my soul when it comes to that mission. *speaks softly into Pyrrha's ear* Pyrrha, it's time to wake up. We're about to deliver some divine justice onto the monstruous hides of a vampire legion. 

Pyrrha: *yawns, before her green orbs flutter open* Is it that time already? *smiles* It only just felt like I started sleeping! 

Y,N: *chuckles* I guess time flies when you're resting.

Pyrrha: *smirks brightly, with a wink throw in for good measure* And thanks to you, I had the perfect pillow for napping.

Y,N: *blushes, before coughing nervously and responding* Y-You're welcome.

Pyrrha: *laughs, which makes Y,N's heart skip a beat* Who knew that the cool and collected Y,N would get flustered around anything, let alone anyone!

Y,N: *turns his head away, while saying in a serious tone* I don't get flustered over anything nor anyone! What you saw and heard was something completely different!

Pyrrha: *grins with a knowing look on her face, before then saying in an innocent and mock clueless tone* Oh? Then what was it? 

Y,N: *gulps discreetly, before then responding in a collected tone* What you saw was merely an undesirable moment of weakness. 

Pyrrha: *continues to talk in her mock clueless tone, all the while her eyes glisten with delight* Undesirable you say? *cups' Y,N's right cheek with her hand, tilting his head back towards her* Then, would you also deem this as "undesirable"? *In one fluid motion, Pyrrha grabs the sides of Y,N's face with her soft and delicate hands, before bringing the surprised warrior into a kiss filled with passion and love.* 

*Y,N's eyes widened in response as he felt Pyrrha's tongue gently and playfully probe his mouth, with her warm and slick appendage working and twirling within his mouth, with his own tongue being forced into the submissive position. At first Y,N was simply going to push Pyrrha off of him due to being startled by her desire and gung-ho nature, which was something that Pyrrha before her vampirization never did, yet instead.....Y,N felt himself weirdly enjoying the kiss. And slowly, he brought his tongue closer towards Pyrrha's and the last shred of Y,N being apprehensive about the suddenness of this all vanished as the two tips of their tongues connected and both let out a collective moan as it felt like a shock of electricity ran through their bodies, before fizzling out. In one swift moment, Pyrrha had unleashed the full might of her towards the man she was currently kissing, with Y,N's mind momentarily going blank from the sheer intensity of Pyrrha's tongue dancing and slapping against his own. With their lips locked and small and sloppy smooching sounds emanating from their mouths, neither wanted to end the makeout session as neither knew when they could do this again, but Pyrrha was basking in the heavenly feeling of her crush's lips impacting her own in a soft tango of love and passion. However, before the lovebird's impromptu makeout session would have to wait for later, the comms of the pilot crackled through their ears telling them that their drop zone was coming up in a few minutes, with the voice immediately shooting Y,N's closed eyes open like a rocket and he all but pounced back from Pyrrha's loving embrace, leaving the reformed vampire in a displeased heap as her crush was back to collecting his blade and checking his supplies, with his back turned to her.*

Pyrrha: *thinks with a hiss* Damn you PA system! Ruining my plans with your sudden announcement! *her hated-filled glare at the PA lowers back down to Y,N and immediately all of her rage was replaced with happiness and desire* Next time Y,N, next time, I promise we'll get farther in our passion.

Y,N: *thinks frantically as he checks his weapons and supplies* Did I....Did me and Pyrrha.....What happened?! *mentally breathes in and out, before speaking to himself in a calm tone* Clearly Pyrrha's time as a vampire has shifted her personality into something blunter and straight to the point. 

Pyrrha: *wraps her arms around Y,N and whispers into his ear* I hope you enjoyed that little "treat" my beloved Y,N. I'm sad that it had to end so abruptly, *smiles* but consider it a declaration of my love for you! 

Y,N: *responds in a calm tone, even though he's mentally screaming and trying to piece everything together* For right now let's focus on the mission, and if we're successful and walk out of that damned castle alive, we'll get back to our little "session".  

Pyrrha: *smiles brightly, as she takes a few steps back from Y,N* Deal!         

Y,N: *chuckles, while getting back into a standing position* Just don't die on me then. 

Pyrrha: *chuckles back* I would say same goes to you, but when I got your back, nothing is going to harm a single hair on your head.

Y,N: Thanks. Just make sure you don't block anything fatal; I don't want you leaving a second time.

Pyrrha: Don't worry *pulls Y,N into a fierce hug, which he accepts* I don't intend on leaving your side anytime soon.

Y,N: *smirks* Then with us fighting side by side, we'll be unstoppable, and the vampires living in this once proud place will be flushed from this castle in a matter of minutes!

Pyrrha: *smirks back, with her mind wandering towards the mysterious Belladonna* And if this Belladonna dame is anything special, I'll make sure some of Y,N's blood gets drenched down her throat as well.

Pilot: *talks over the PA system* Alright you two, time's up! The drop zone is approaching in only a few seconds, grab anything else and go, go, go, go!

Y,N: *cracks his knuckles* Time to begin the mission. 

Pyrrha: *collects her weapons, attaching both to a sheath on her back* I hope I'm not rusty. 

Y,N: *laughs* Trust me, if anyone would be rusty, I doubt it would be the almighty and fearsome Pyrrha Nikos! 

Pyrrha: *laughs, with a light haze of pink adorning her cheeks* Thanks Y,N, you certainly know how to cheer a girl up.

Y,N: *winks with a knowing grin on his face* Now look who's getting flustered.  

Pyrrha: *waves her hand dismissively as the ramp to the bullhead opens, with air now gushing outwards into the crisp night* Oh hush, you were flustered first. 

Y,N: *snickers* But you're flustered now.

Pyrrha: *raises an eyebrow* And what of focusing on the mission and saving this for later?

Y,N: *raises his index finger in the air* Ah, ah, ah, we haven't officially begun the mission yet. Once we hit the forest floor, then the mission will finally begin. 

Pyrrha: *smirks coyly, with her hair fluttering in the wind* So...what you're saying is, we could make out during our entire descendent towards the ground and we would only have to stop before we get flattened?

Y,N: *coughs and sputters, before responding with a blush on his face* Y-Yes, we could. But I wouldn't get any ideas, one slip-up and our mission would end sooner than either of us imagined.

Pyrrha: *scoffs* Don't worry, I can assure you that none of my lustful emotions will come out to play. I know better than to jeopardize a mission with my own feelings, *blushes* even if it may be hard to contain them, especially when you're just so.....intoxicating. 

Y,N: I hope so. *eyes snap open as Pyrrha's words sink into his mind* Wait, what?!

Pyrrha: *sticks her tongue out cutely, while winking* You heard me beloved. *closes her eyes and shivers from the recollection of her vampiric past* I took those hidden feelings of love for you into the bloody vampiric unknown. *opens her eyes and stares lovingly at Y,N* But now that I've been given a second chance at life...I'm going to do my best and act upon them!

Y,N: *thinks with a small blush on his face, while scratching the back of his head* I just hope that declaration of lustful intent doesn't manifest itself any further during the course of this mission! I rather not have to deal with a lusty vampire, while also fighting off a vampire horde!

Pyrrha: *laughs at Y,N's quietness and the small blush evident on his face* Y,N, don't get entangled in your own thoughts due to my actions! I have no ill intentions about jumping you during this mission, inquisitor's honor! Just consider them as an added incentive to complete this mission!

Y,N: *nods* If you're placing your honor as an inquisitor on the matter, then I believe you. *exhales, then inhales* Let's just keep our eyes focused on the mission, shall we?

Pyrrha: *nods* Right! *smiles* Now, what are we waiting for partner! Vampires await! *runs out the lowered ramp and towards the forest below* 

Y,N: *sighs, while rubbing his forehead wearily* This is gonna be fun. Let's see if me and Pyrrha still got it. *runs out the lowered ramp and towards the forest below, with said Bullhead ramp closing right as he jumped out*

*The moment Y,N jumped out of the Bullhead, he felt his hair rapid whip and sway in the frigid winds that permeated throughout the forest like a horrible plague, all the while the only source of color in this decaying and rotting terrain was Pyrrha as she was descending rapidly towards the target point. Y,N lightly shivered as the frigid cold wind sliced into him like a knife, with even his armor not preventing the chilly climate from affecting him. Peering to his left and right for a few seconds, with some droplets of tears beginning to build up within his eyes due how fast he was falling, Y,N couldn't see anything but miles of never-ending forests and the looming shadowy castle they were about to invade and regain control of. Taking the few seconds he had, Y,N looked towards the gloomy castle before he descended below the tree line to spot any signs of movement or guards, yet from his blurred watery vision he couldn't see anything, which meant he and Pyrrha's offensive would truly be blind. Shaking his head and looking back towards the ground, Y,N looked around and immediately plotted safe landing towards the ground, as Pyrrha had already made it to the forest floor by embedding Milo into a tree, therefore slowing down her descend until she made it down to the rotten leaf covered earth with a smooth crunching of the leaf's ringing through her ears. Meanwhile, once Y,N was beneath the tree line he used one of his learned techniques, the ability of Pyrokinesis, to slow his descent before he landed gracefully on the ground right next to Pyrrha, he then balled his fists closed, leaving nothing but some loose wisps of smoke behind. All the while, the closely looming presence of Castle Nightclaw loomed over the duo in the background, silently daring both inquisitors to step closer towards its dark shadow, with its spires peaking over the tree line.*  

Y,N POV, Location: Evershade Forest

Y,N: *wipes some of the loose tears from his eyes, before then unruffling his cloak* Great. Evershade forest. *grumbles* The bastards couldn't have picked a better location to drop us off at than Evershade Forest.

*Much like Castle Nightclaw itself, Evershade Forest was once filled with beauty and wonders that you had to view yourself in order to believe. What was now a rotting and decaying forest filled with a foul stench and bloodthirsty monsters that could be described as even worse than vampires, used to a forest filled with crystal blue lakes, lush and full green grass, shady tress brimming with life and sometimes fruits, beautiful creatures that weren't hunger for human flesh, and other wonders that were snatched from this place once the vampires took over and turned everything rotten. The most incredible part of the forest, was its constant shade and how wherever you walked, there would always be some comfy grass and lovely shade to grant you some rest and relaxation during your travels. Yet, ever since then the forest slowly decayed over time, with the vampire's mere presence transforming this beautiful oasis of life and amazement into a foul bog, with the only occupants being the creatures demented enough to stick around for the chance of a good meal. Y,N then let out a breath of relief as neither he nor Pyrrha would have to deal with any of those nasty beasts as they were within walking distance from the castle, hell they could see the spires peaking and taunting them from over the treeline, which showed how close they were to purging the once glorious castle of its residents.* 

Y,N: *rolls and cracks his right shoulder, releasing any knots built up within it* At least, step one complete.

Pyrrha: *smirks as she skids down the rest of the tree, before pulling Milo free from the tree with one tug* Onto step two. 

Y,N: *nods* Onto step two, invade the castle. 

Pyrrha: *tilts her head* Any ideas on how we're going to make our way inside the castle? No one seemed to be guarding the perimeter walls, but those walls looked tall, with who knows what other traps lying in wait. *frowns* And I doubt those rotten vampires are going to let us in if we just ask them politely.

Y,N: *smirks* Don't worry about entry into the castle, I have a multitude of options. Ranging from silent to loud and noticeable.

Pyrrha: *hums* While I do love the idea of making a spectacular entrance, we should keep ourselves undetected and unnoticed until we've made it into the castle.

Y,N: My thoughts exactly. Which is why sneaking and blending into the shadows shall be our best friend for the entirety of this mission.

Pyrrha: *says in a joking tone* What do you think we are Y,N, ninja?

Y,N: *responds in a lecturing tone* A vampiric inquisitor must be prepared for anything and everything that could possibly be thrown at them, that includes being stealthy and blending in.

Pyrrha: *rolls her eyes playfully* Yeah, I remember. Adaption is our greatest tool. *taps the side of her head, with her hair continuing to flutter in the chilling wind* Not everything was lost when I went blood crazy, thankfully.

Y,N: *says in a serious tone* Then what are we waiting for? That entire castle of vampire's isn't going to slay itself! 

Pyrrha: *dramatically gestures her arms towards the pathway leading to the gloomy castle* After you Y,N.

*With a solemn nod, Y,N turned his attention away from his recovering half-vampire, half-human teammate and towards the looming structure that was the once great and respected Castle Nightclaw. As the duo trekked closer to their goal, with only tiny creaks and snaps of decaying leaf's and feeble twigs being the only noise emanating within these foul woods, Y,N couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach as they edged closer towards the withering bleakness that laid beyond the decaying wood's reach, and with every step Y,N could feel his rage growing, almost like some king of feral curse had befallen him, yet he knew the truth of his rage and why it was coming into effect right now. Y,N's rage stemmed from knowing that Castle Nightclaw was once a mighty human stronghold that had fallen into the clutches of the vampire scum centuries ago, it was indeed humanity's greatest failure, and for that it remained a constant gnawing and underlying rage within the inquisitor's mind. Yet, that's not where the personal rage towards the castle ended, Y,N's own great-great-grandfather, Alexander L,N, was the captain of the guard defending the castle during that infamous siege, and while it was a fierce battle with humanity refusing to give into the vampiric forces, they ultimately lost after managing to survive a week-long siege by the vicious bloodsuckers. And sadly, during the closing moments of the battle, Alexander took a vampiric arrow to the back and days after the castle was lost and humanity was handed its biggest loss in the war's history, he died of his wounds and broken pride. From then on, the L,N family had done everything they could to reclaim their lost pride, with some of them being driven into an early retirement or an early grave due to their desire to see their name restored for future generations. Such actions had upset Y,N when he was younger, as it was traumatic seeing family members return home in terrible conditions.....or sometimes coffins.*

Y,N: *thinks with a snarl* I promise, by the family's legacy, I shall reclaim this castle in the name of humanity! 

*Yet, it was due to his family's shattered pride and their desperate aspiration to reclaim it that gave the boy everything he needed mentally in order to become the world's deadliest vampire inquisitor, and now it was time to pay back everything his family had done for him, intentionally or not, by reclaiming the place of their biggest failure in their honor. With this thought of victory now lodged within his mind, Y,N's snarl of hatred and rage over memories of past rising from their graves soon transformed into mental laughter as of course Father Ozpin had sent him specifically on a mission to clear the vampire's nest that was lurking within the castle's interior, it almost seemed poetic that he, Y,N L,N, would be the one to reclaim humanity's honor by finally taking back something that belonged to them. And with this newly awakened fire of determination flowing through his veins, Y,N was even more dead set on eliminating the vampiric menace skulking throughout the castle, as now this mission had transformed from one of professionalism, into something much more personal. Meanwhile, Pyrrha had noticed Y,N's entire posterior and demeanor change from that of a calm and collected combatant who was charging into a variable hornet's nest without even batting an eye, into something a lot more aggressive and dare she say...bloodthirsty. The recovering vampire didn't know what was happening to her beloved, but she needed to keep a careful eye on him, lest he do something foolish and hurt himself, which was something she would never forgive herself for letting happen! All the while, the duo traveled underneath the decaying shade of the rotting trees, with the only source of light being that of the broken moon floating within the night sky, with distant stars twinkling and shining throughout the black void.*

Pyrrha: *coughs softly, before speaking in a whisper* Y,N are you alright? Your posterior, your demeanor, hell your attitude itself, it all seems...different now. *smiles lightly, trying to coax a similar reaction out of her beloved* You look tense, like somebody told you an awful joke ha-ha!

Y,N: *scoffs, before responding in a similar whisper tone* You could say that.

Pyrrha: *says in a concerned tone* Y,N, please, tell me the truth. You're obviously lying, and I want to know truth. *smiles compassionately* Maybe it'll help get the worries and troubles off your shoulders by sharing the load with someone else? 

Y,N: *sighs, before saying* The "awful joke" is how my family failed defending this castle and how that singular event cursed my family's legacy with failure, desperation, and strife! *smirks viciously, almost giving him a manic expression* Yet, now all of their misfortune and pain is going to be ended tonight in one fell swoop!

Pyrrha: *gasps* Are you sure about that course of action Y,N? It wasn't your fault that humanity lost this castle and it shouldn't be your sole responsibility to "reclaim your lost honor" by retaking it!  

Y,N: *looks down at the rotten flooring of the forest, before recapturing Pyrrha's concerned and worried gaze with his own* I know Pyrrha, I know. But ever since this once mighty castle fell to the vampire's, my family has been feverishly devoted to achieving the lost pride they once possessed. *chuckles faintly* If anything this is a rite of passage, and if I'm somehow able to do what my ancestors could not....I'll have achieved something spectacular! 

Pyrrha: *frowns and avoids Y,N's gaze* I'm not sure about this Y,N.... It seems foolish to say the least to risk your own life to avenge your family's wounded pride. 

Y,N: *sighs* I know you wouldn't understand this Pyrrha. *cups one of her cheeks with his left hand, making their gaze meet one another's and making Pyrrha lightly blush* But I need your help when it comes to sieging this castle.

Pyrrha: *squeaks out* Really?

Y,N: *nods with clear conviction evident in his mannerism* Yes. As with your assistance we can severe the vampire's connection with this once majestic place and my family can finally rest easy knowing that their pride has been restored!

Pyrrha: *removes Y,N's hand from her cheek, before cupping the hand in one of her own, making Y,N smile* I may not fully support nor understand this crusade of personal ambition to reclaim your family's lost pride, when you yourself had nothing to do with its loss, but I shall help you achieve your goal! *giggles* Plus, someone's got to make sure you don't die while on this quest of yours.

Y,N: *smiles, which makes Pyrrha blush even more* Thanks Pyrrha. I know with our combined might, we shall reclaim this castle not only for the benefit of humanity, but for the honor of my family!

*With this clear statement of intention laid bare for Pyrrha to know, the duo once more set off towards the shadowy and grim presence of the once mighty castle, with both of their hearts beating together as one as clear, fiery determination coursed through their veins. Sure, Pyrrha didn't really want Y,N gaining tunnel-vision and becoming solely invested on restoring his family's legacy when he had nothing to do with its loss, yet there was no stopping her beloved once he set his mind on something. It was a trait she equally adored and loathed about him, as sometimes his determination to see something to its natural conclusion brought her joy and happiness, while other times it brought, her nothing but frustration and annoyance. And while something like this fell into the second category, she could see why Y,N wanted to do this from his own perspective, even if she couldn't fully understand it herself. Which meant as they stepped out of the forest's withering protection and onto the singular stone road that led up to the castle's entrance, with no vampire or defense system in sight, all Pyrrha could do was protective her beloved with everything she had. Meanwhile, Y,N desired for nothing more than to break down that miserable termite-ridden door that once served as a mighty oak door that protected humanity from the bloody claws and equally sharp fangs of vampires back in its heyday, but that would alert enemies and while he did want to kill all the vampires that used this place as a squaller, he needed to be tactical about this and get into the castle without alerting the occupants.* 

Y,N POV, Location: Castle Nightclaw

Pyrrha: *raises an eyebrow* Bizarre how no one is here to be guarding the perimeter. 

Y,N: *says in a serious tone* I know, this definitely seems and feels like a trap.

Pyrrha: *looks at Y,N, with curiosity in her eyes* So, what shall we do if our "distinguished" hosts are expecting us?

Y,N: *says in a nonchalant tone* We spring the trap.

Pyrrha: *is taken aback by Y,N's words and tone* What?

Y,N: *smirks* Then we their vampiric asses back to their coffins!

Pyrrha: *smirks back, while stating in a joking tone* I hope their trap is within the castle, as getting out of these frigid winds would be fantastic. 

Y,N: *chuckles* For someone complaining about the wind, you aren't shivering or stuttering a lot. 

Pyrrha: *deadpans* That's because the wind hasn't gotten to the point of annoyance yet beloved.

Y,N: *looks around the castle, observing the damaged structure and the non-existent defenses* Regardless, we should be focusing on how we're going to get inside. There's the loud and extremely noticeable "break down the door" entrance, we could potentially use my portal creation to get up to that walkway, or there could be an even stealthier option to get inside. 

Pyrrha: Your teleportation power isn't stealthy enough? 

Y,N: *shakes his head* The problem with my portal creation is that any potential vampires nearby could sense the magical presence pierce the very air. After all, my portal creation isn't a natural semblance of mine, it's a power I learned after pouring months into an ancient tome. 

Pyrrha: *tilts her head* But didn't you mention that you wanted to spring the trap they were setting up?

Y,N: *nods* I would love nothing more, but we should enter the castle quietly before deciding to spring their trap and letting all hell break loose. 

Pyrrha: Then if your portal creation and pyrokinesis are both out of the question, we need a different strategy. *looks around the castle's defenses, before her eyes widen as she sees a stable enough perch* There! *she points to said perch, with Y,N's eyes looking to where she's pointing* That's perfect for a stealthy entrance, with no magic or explosives involved!

Y,N: *says in a disappointed and underwhelmed tone, with a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead* Pyrrha, that's just....a perch. What's so special about that particular perch when there's several more identical to that one on the row alone!

Pyrrha: *smiles brightly* It may just seem like an average perch, and it is! 

Y,N: *frowns* And, you're losing me. 

Pyrrha: *shakes her head, before grabbing something from her pocket and presenting it to Y,N* We can use this to help scale up that wall without anyone even noticing or detecting any traces of magic!

*Pyrrha's emerald orbs lit up with happiness and delight as she procured an average, completely ordinary, grappling hook, with an added piece of rope and all. Y,N imagined he was supposed to applaud her ingenious idea, yet he was completely baffled to what her ultimate plan was, since he saw nothing more than some rope and a hook laying, with some parts dangling, within the palm of his partner's hand. Pyrrha seeing Y,N's confused expression as he darted his eyes between her and the grappling hook, took this moment to grab her weapon and with a dramatic flourish, Milo switched from its sword mode into that of its rifle mode. Taking the head of the grappling hook, Pyrrha attached it to chamber of her rifle and with a resounding "Bang!", the grappling hook soared through the air, with the metallic head of the grappling head leading the charge like a brave solider on horseback, while the rope followed diligently behind, before the grappling hook flew over the massive wall and with some pulling from Pyrrha, the metallic head latched onto the perch Pyrrha was pointing at before, much to Y,N's newfound amazement. The astonished Y,N couldn't believe his redheaded teammate used her rifle like it was a harpoon and now thanks to her tactical maneuver, both she and him could get into the castle nearly undetected, as the sound of Pyrrha's rifle firing was sure to alert noisy vampires to their location. Sure, the entire technique was simplistic in its plan and execution, yet sometimes something simple was the last thing anyone expected.*

Pyrrha: *bows dramatically, before then sheathing her rifle* Please, please hold your applause until after we've finished clearing this castle of its vampiric residents! 

Y,N: *claps* Impressive. Most impressive.

Pyrrha: *shrugs* You got to appreciate the classics sometimes. 

Y,N: *nods* Let's hope that the "classics" can still hold on nowadays.

Pyrrha: *says in a playful tone* Are you insulting my plan beloved?

Y,N: *raises his hands up defensively, yet with an equally playful tone in his voice* Not at all, all I'm saying is that the classics stopped being used for a reason.

Pyrrha: *giggles* Well, we'll just see about that! *smiles* But I reserve the right to tell you "I told you so" if we make it up there!

Y,N: *nods, with a smirk on his face* Deal. 

*Grabbing ahold of the rope and giving it a few tugs to make sure the head was lodged deep enough within the castle's perch to allow for both of them to climb up, Y,N looked Pyrrha, before looking back up at the great beyond that laid waiting for both of them. Grasping the harsh feeling of the rope with his gloved hands, Y,N softly grunted before beginning to pull himself up the side of the entrance, with Pyrrha soon following behind him. Using all of his upper body strength, Y,N kept hoisting himself up the side of the castle's wall, with Pyrrha following mere inches behind and having an equally "fun" time of pulling her along the harsh feeling of the rope, thanks goodness both were wearing gloves or climbing this would become an ever-greater nightmare. Y,N grunted and gritted his teeth as once they were high enough up, he slowly and carefully placed both of his feet alongside the deuterating wall of the castle, taking extra care in placing his feet in just the right locations to avoid having a part of the wall chip off and smash below, or lose his own footing and go tumbling down into the misty abyss that encircled the giant chasm surrounding the castle on all sides. Over time the climb up the wall became less of a mad dash to the finish line and more of a battle of nutrition, as the wall separating Y,N and Pyrrha from the vampire's nest was a daunting task, and neither inquisitor was mentally prepared for this grueling round of upper body strength that his climb required of them, yet both refused to give into the pressure and kept on climbing, the danger of failing and ending up in a sea of mist be damned! For the next couple of minutes, neither vampiric inquisitor said a word to one another, more focused on scaling this damn wall and making it to the top, where they could finally get some restbit before continuing onwards with their mission, with Y,N currently being the happiest as he could see the perch laying just outside of his grasp, he could just feel his fingers grazing against the stone material, and this sensation brought a grin to his face.*

Y,N: *thinks with a victorious grin* Just a little further and my family name will begin its restoration! Sure, Pyrrha will tell me "I told you so", however the minor embarrassment of that doesn't hold a candle to the red-hot feelings of honor me and my family will feel once this castle is once more in humanity's control!   

*But, before Y,N or Pyrrha could achieve the second step of their plan towards eliminating the vampire horde lurking within the castle, something completely unpredictable and out of their control transpired right before their very eyes. Just as Y,N's fingers were about to get a good grip on the perch, Y,N's eyes widened as once he placed his digits upon the stone perch, he could feel jostling and loosening. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead as Y,N could hear the crumbling of stone feel his ears and with a shout he yelled for Pyrrha to jump back down towards the entrance-way, yet looking back down revealed that the tiny bridge connecting the forest and the castle was much tinier than when they first were walked upon it. Gulping as he felt the stone perch about to give away, most likely crumbling and falling apart due to the sheer disrepair the castle had fallen into thanks to those damned vampires, Y,N felt out an exhale before taking the plunge himself, much to Pyrrha's horror. Yet, instead of jumping down the entire length back towards the small bridge, the vampiric inquisitor outstretched his arms downwards and immediately the entire frigid night air was replaced with an intense heat and the bleak setting was now glowing with the raging inferno burning within Y,N's hands. Slowing down his descent, Pyrrha knew what he wanted without even needing to share a word with her partner, and jumped onto his back right as the perch gave way and the entire section broke off the castle and fell into the misty abyss below, almost dragging both Y,N and Pyrrha down with it. Gasping for air after that intense moment, both Y,N and Pyrrha looked around to spot any vampire or villainous presence, yet strangely, they couldn't sense nor see anyone attempting to kill them before they could make it inside the castle. Truly the stone perch broke off of its own volition, and that left the two inquisitors' right back at square one.*

Pyrrha: *jumps off Y,N's back and stares up with rage at the now broken perch* Well, that could have gone better.

Y,N: *coughs, and once more unruffles his cloak* But it also could have been worse.

Pyrrha: *laughs nervously at that prospect* Anyway, what's our next plan of entry?

Y,N: *cracks his knuckles and smiles at the giant, decaying wooden door* I know we both said we wanted to make a stealthy entrance, but we might as well get this slaying party started with a bang!

Pyrrha: *unsheathes Milo once more, transforming it back into its sword mode* Allow me to assist you with the destruction. After all, if we're actively poking the hornet's nest, we might as well do it alongside one another.

Y,N: *opens his palms after cracking them, once more igniting his hands into miniature blazing infernos* With my pyrokinesis, this'll bring a whole new meaning to "burning down the house".

*As the two vampiric inquisitors' approach the decaying and rotting obstacle that prevents them from entering into the unknown abyss, they both got into a fighting stance, ready to unleash some of their most devastating attacks in order to tear down the already fragile entranceway in a singular double-teamed strike, as they couldn't waste time goofing around with a door. Sure, the sheer impact and magnitude of the broken door flying off its hinges and slamming into a wall or whatever happened to lay on the other side would surely alert every single vampire roaming this place, yet the rewards heavily outweighed the risks, especially when most of the vampires that were reported to live here were nothing more than low-tier grunts. Feeling the blazing infernos within his hands slowly manifest into fireballs as he stepped closer to the unfortunate inanimate victim of his fiery rage, Y,N couldn't wait to get inside and begin his personal mission of restoring his family's honor by slaying every single vampire that dared to call this once mighty castle of humanity home. Getting into an appropriate range to blast the door off its loose hinges and then rush through the smoke and dust to immediately the main foyer or hallway of this castle, Y,N outstretched the palms of his hands, with the intense glow of red, yellow, and orange flickering against the wall's white exterior, while Pyrrha got herself into a slicing stance as she intended to segment the withering door directly in two, or tear off any chunks that remaining from Y,N's volley of fireballs. Little did either inquisitor know that two beady, blood-red eyes were watching them perform this combo attack from one of the many gigantic gothic windows that the castle was once famous for. The shadowy figure cackled and grinned, before licking its lips at how succulent the male looked, it then disappeared back into the darkness, with its vile and demented cackling revibrating off the walls as the figure slunk back into the darkness.*   

Y,N: *smirks, as the fireballs glowing within the palms of his hands grew in intensity* Goodbye old, decaying door. Hello soon-to-be deceased vampires. 

Pyrrha: *giggles* Make sure you don't take all of the kills for yourself! I have some personal grudges to settle with vampires as well!

Y,N: *looks at Pyrrha with a grin* I wouldn't dream....but, if any vampires do happen to cross my path, I'll incinerate them on the spot!

Pyrrha: *looks back at Y,N with a similar grin* Guess I'll just have to be faster than you!

Y,N: You'll have to be faster than my portals. 

Pyrrha: I'll gladly take that challenge!

Y,N: *looks back towards the door* Then on my mark. Three.

Pyrrha: *looks back towards the door* Two.

Y,N & Pyrrha: One!

*At once, with blistering speed that would have made gods and goddesses everywhere flush green with envy, Y,N and Pyrrha incinerated and chopped the door until it was nothing more than an unfixable and incomprehensible mess of shattered pieces and charred splinters. However, with the sound of fire blazing and loud slices of a mighty sword echoing throughout the halls, it was obvious that their newest form of entry wasn't going to be silent at all, in fact they had now awoken hornet's nest as stated and could hear the ferocious pitter-patter rushing towards them, with bloodthirsty and near animalistic growls reverberating down the abandoned halls. Both looked at one another with a grin, before nodding in admiration at their handy work, but their eyes widened as they heard the animalistic roars and scamper of frenzied feet coming in their direction, in response Pyrrha raised her blade to cleave any unlucky vampire that dared cross her path, however Y,N, whose flames had been put out by him, put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, which greatly confused Pyrrha as she imagined Y,N above all else would want to rip these vampires a part limb from limb. Y,N quickly whispered his plan into Pyrrha's ear and the confused look on the redhead's face immediately melted into one of joy and excitement as she clung onto every word until it was finished. And before any vampire could spot them or attempt to claw at their flesh like the hungry dogs they were, Y,N opened a portal directly in front of them, before spawning another on the walkway where the stone perch used to be, before Y,N then closed both portals in order to conserve his energy. Seconds after the duo teleported away, several vampires appeared on the bridge and began frantically looked around for their meal.*

Vampire #1: *rushes out and sniffs the air* Where the hell did those meatsacks go! I smelled their blood and now I want every last drop!

Vampire #2: *slaps the back of his fellow's vampires' head, making him growl* No way you glutton! You were allowed to consume the last three meatsacks that were unfortunate enough to find themselves out here! It's time you allowed someone else to feast upon the juicy, succulent delight that is a human's blood!

Vampire #3: *yells, causing every vampire on the bridge to look at him* Enough you greedy bloodsuckers! Instead of claiming the poor beggar's blood individually, I recommend we each take a piece of their delicious body! That way we can all consume the bloody goodness without starting a fight!

Vampire #1: *yells, almost demonically so* No! That human is mine! And their sweet nectar shall be mine as well! You bastards can wait for the next one to come by!

Vampire #2: *narrows his eyes and bares his fangs* That's what you said next time, you gluttonous swine!

Vampire #1: *outstretches his claws, and gets into the second vampires' face* Want to say that to my face you miserable little crybaby! 

Vampire #2: *smirks* I knew you were gluttonous, but I didn't know you were deaf as well!

Vampire #1: *snarls* Why you little------!!!

Vampire #3: *facepalms, while his fellow vampires' watch the display* Why do I even try sometimes?

*Before their argument could continue however, some of the vampires noticed soft, almost undetectable rumbling and crumbling happening underneath their feet. Completely baffled and slightly nervous by this set of events, they used their sharpened claws to crawl onto the underside of the bridge, with their claws digging into the dull stone with tiny bits and pieces of said bridge cracking off and falling into the misty abyss as they did so. Once they crawled onto the underside of the bridge, their eyes all widened as they saw the top half of a human's body, with the rest obscured and unseen by a black and purple portal, creating what seemed to be a bomb.....but it was made completely out of fire?! Y,N out of the corner of his eye smiled and waves at his target's, watching as they hissed and bared their fangs, ready to pounce on him and tear him a part limb from limb, regardless of the fire-shaped bomb that he placed next to one of the support beams that sprouted up from the misty abyss. Winking, before alighting the fire-bomb with the snap of his fingers, Y,N quickly ducked back into the portal, with said portal snapping shut behind him after he disappeared back into like some kind of rabbit. The vampires looked around confused and bewildered by what just transpired, completely forgetting the flaming bomb-shaped present that their escaped meal left behind. This mistake would be their downfall as fire-bomb had an actual fuse on top of it, and after a few seconds, Y,N alongside Pyrrha watched as the entire bridge was blasted away into bits and pieces of stone thanks to the mighty power of Y,N's fire-bomb technique, with the vampires screaming and flailing as they disappeared into the misty abyss, most being scared for the first time in their unliving existence!*

Y,N: *smirks* But the show isn't over yet. *opens a portal, before then opening five others around the flailing and screaming vampires*Go slice 'em up Pyrrha!

Pyrrha: *smiles wickedly* I've been waiting for this moment! *jumps into the portal with reckless abandon* Time to slice and dice!

*Leaping through the portal, Pyrrha felt her momentum being doubled, almost like some kind of ethereal force was pushing her out towards the misty unknown of where the screaming vampires were coming from. Silently praying for her own safety, yet with boundless trust in her beloved, Pyrrha jumped into the fray with her sword gleaming and shimmering in the misty dwellings. Feeling gravity kick in once she exited the ring of portals surrounding the unknowing vampires, the redheaded former vampire decapitated one of the vampire's head clean off, before following up her attack with a vicious string of slices that tore the one vampire's body completely asunder, leaving nothing but bloody chunks. The other vampires picked up on this via sniffing the air and began swiping and snarling at whatever moved. Pyrrha smirked and used this to her advantage as she jumped onto one of the rapidly descending body chunks and jumped upwards, landing on the backside of another vampire. Jamming her sword into his backside, the vampire let out a holler of pain, before then he felt his body being moved to the right without his control, which was thanks to Pyrrha tilting her sword to the left, therefore causing the body it was impaled to also move in the direction she desired. Jumping from the impaled vampire, but not before decapitating him and using her superior speed to cleave him into bloody pieces of meat in one singular jump, the redhead swiftly followed up the prowess with two more vampires, while using the ring of portals to give her further airtime. For the vampire's perspective they couldn't see anything and all they could hear was screams and the sound of a blade cutting bloody ribbons, and this alone sent the remaining few vampires into a sheer panic, as some unseen and swift force was picking them off one by one. Meanwhile, for Pyrrha, this was an awesome stress reliever as she sliced a vampire clean in half, before then stabbing her sword directly into his brain, killing the vampire before he even knew he was dead. After a few more seconds of chopping and slicing away at the vampire's, with their screams and spurting blood being music to Pyrrha's ear, she impaled the last vampire directly in the heart, and hearing his screams and attempts to claw at her with his sharpened fingernails brought the redhead inquisitor happiness that only Y,N could match. Finally, in one solid motion, she sliced her blade through the upper half of the vampire's rotten body, therefore slicing his brain in two and ending his existence, much to the vampire's shrill screams of pain and terror. Leaping back through the ring of portals, Pyrrha re-appeared on the walkway, and strolled over to Y,N, who currently was drenched in sweat as he was pushing his limit of portal creation, and when he saw Pyrrha re-appear he sighed and dropped all six portals.*

Y,N: *huffs and puffs* Seems like....seems like you have fun.

Pyrrha: *laughs with clear glee and excitement evident, which made Y,N's heart briefly flutter* Oh, beloved, that was the greatest thrill I've ever experienced in my life, bar none! The sheer enjoyment and pleasure it brought me to cleave up vampire's, oh, it brought me a happiness only being by your side could possibly match!

Y,N: *exhales, while wiping some sweat off his forehead* I'm glad...glad to hear that. *thinks* Oum, if it wasn't for my fiery determination willing me to go forward, I would require a nap.

Pyrrha: *brushes some loose strands of hair out of her face* Shall we continue onwards, beloved?

Y,N: *exhales* Y-Yeah. You take the lead; I still need a little more to recover.

Pyrrha: *smiles, with clear love and determination in her eyes* Don't worry, like I said on the bullhead, anything that dares disrupt a singular piece of hair on your head shall feel my wrath! 

Y,N: *smiles back softly* T-That's good to hear. I'll need your defense when it comes to me regaining my strength. It should only take a few minutes.

Pyrrha: *hugs Y,N, making him blush* Take all the time you need beloved, I'll be sure to keep you protected and guarded at all times. 

*With that, Pyrrha walked ahead of Y,N, and towards the darkness that enveloped a nearby stairwell that was connected to what was once a guard tower, but now was nothing more than a withering building that have no honor or glory to speak of within its remains. With Pyrrha taking charge, she strolled down the stairs with purpose, while Y,N followed closely behind, with sweat pouring all over his body due to over-exertion lowering his strength by a tremendous amount, which left him down but not out at this current time. Yet, Y,N wouldn't allow his own physical body to stop him from completing his mission and regaining his family's honor, nothing was more important than freeing his family and any future descendants from the curse that had plagued them for the longest time. After all, it was why Father Ozpin had specifically sent him, as he could have easily given this mission to literally anyone, someone even more experienced and pragmatic like Glynda, yet in his wisdom, Father Ozpin gave the mission to him and for that he would see the mission to its natural conclusion. All he needed to do now was heal up and then he could slay any more vampires that were lurking within the shadows of this once great castle, the very castle that had cursed his family into becoming a shell of its former might and glory, truly Y,N being in this hollowed place could feel the sense of dread and foreboding clinging onto the walls and permeating throughout the air, something Pyrrha had caught onto as well, as her stance became a lot more defensive. Little did either know of the foul traps and tricks Belladonna had set up for them as they further descended down the steps, the darkness nearly swallowing them whole if it wasn't for the flame Y,N was producing from his left hand, with the flickering colors adding more dread to this already creepy location. Y,N and Pyrrha traveled further and further into the darkness of Castle Nightclaw's blackened heart, with both noticing the cold air and major sense of dread and foreboding, almost like the castle was screaming and yelling for them to get out before something horrible happened, yet both pushed forward as the stairwell opened up into one of the many elaborate hallways of the castle, excitement and underlying dread filling their systems.*

Belladonna POV, Location: Castle Nightclaw's Throne Room

Vampire Subordinate: *says in a revering and submissive tone, while having his head lowered* And that's everything I managed to spot before retreating to inform you glorious leader. 

*Tilting his ever-so-slightly upwards, the lowly vampire caught his leader's gaze if only for a moment, before darting his eyes back down towards the ground, where they truly belonged, as no one had the right nor the honor to cast their gaze upon Belladonna's perfect form, which is what Belladonna loved about her minions, they knew their place and none dare stood out of line. Yet, if one were to lay their eyes upon Belladonna's body, they would see nothing but pure perfection, almost like if she was sculpted out of the finest clay by the most talented artist to ever roam the land. While she may have been small, only clocking in around 5'8", everything else about her screamed intimidation and authority, yet while still possessing the aura of sexual energy that drove men around her completely insane the moment, they laid eyes upon her form. D-Cup breasts stood locked behind her black and white corset, liked caged animals that pleaded to be freed, yet there they remained, only teasing the slightest bit of cleavage to keep the limited number of suitable males in her life begging for more. Her legs looked to be delicate and soft to the touch, yet with their sheer might they could break bones with a singular movement, all while being contained within black combat jeans. Going back up, her hair cascaded behind her back like a corrupted waterfall, with midnight black hair rolling all the way down until the middle of her back, with said hair being soft to the touch, making it seem like her hair was completely made out of silk, with two cat ears perched on top of her head, clearly showing off her Faunus heritage and what she had been before becoming a creature of the nighty. Her golden eyes were piercing and one could feel like they were being stabbed or belittled just by her gaze alone, and just like the cat ears, her eyes were slitted much like a cat's, giving Belladonna a much more serious glare whenever someone dared to step out of line and challenge her authority. Finally, there was the coup de grace, the magnum opus, the creation that the gods had to have given her on purpose to seduce every man she came across, it was infamous across the vampiric world for being completely unreal, something that needed to be seen in order to be believed, it was the legendary Bellabooty, even though Belladonna herself despised the name. Her pillowy ass was so glorious, so beautiful and so bountiful that it could mesmerize any man who caught its gaze. In fact, it was Belladonna's ultimate tool when it came to drinking blood, as all she had to do was flash her panty-clad ass at someone, and they would do whatever she wanted.*

Belladonna: *yawns in a bored tone* Yes, yes, I know. The castle told me already, apparently you were too late cackling to yourself like a demented bastard.

Vampire Subordinate: *yells* How dare you, I wasn't-------! *immediately tilts his head right back at the ground, with fear emanating and rolling off his form like waves*

Belladonna: *raises an eyebrow and speaks in a tone that knew she was right and you were wrong* Are you saying, nay stating, that the castle was wrong?

Vampire Subordinate: *nods* Yes! *eyes widen realizing what he said* I mean, no mistress Belladonna! I dare not speak ill against the almighty castle, the great defender that has given us a home for the previous few centuries!

Belladonna: *hums* And what do you think we should with the intruders? After all, we can't have pests like them running around the halls unabated.

Vampire Subordinate: *nods frantically, trying to gain any favor with the mistress he could* Yes, yes, yes, yes! We shouldn't allow the intruders to roam around the halls, not without proper....guidance. I shall handle them personally mistress Belladonna!

Belladonna: *raises her hand* No need. The castle shall deal with them personally.

Vampire Subordinate: *scoffs* Like a dingy and drab place could handle two experienced and well-trained vampiric inquisitors! *laughs* Clearly, you've either lost your mind, or your faith in this place has become even more demented than my laughter! 

*Belladonna doesn't respond and a cold chill fills the throne room as the Vampire Subordinate suddenly and swiftly realizes his mistake, his big mouth usually got him into troublesome situations like this, but it never happened in front of Mistress Belladonna....what if she mistook his arrogance as a personal insult upon her person!? He would be done for! He would killed immediately and without a second thought or ounce of hesitation! He needed to salvage this quickly, lest his head be used to feed the crows! The subordinate muttered and stuttered words, yet nothing came out of his mouth due to the fear flooding through his being, it was almost like everything but his mind had been completely paralyzed! The entire throne room was silent, except for a nearly silent huff from Belladonna and the unsheathing of a weapon that was resting on her backside, and before the vampire could say or do anything, all he saw was the gleam of a cleaver, before he was completely chopped in half by his leader. His final few moments were filled with pained screams as it almost felt like his entire body was burning alive and as the screams of terror and pain echoed throughout the hollow castle, Belladonna sat back down on her throne and continued her disinterested look, but not before sheathing her cleaver back into its container. Nobody knew how or when Belladonna had come across this mystical weapon that burned any vampire it touched from the inside outwards, but everyone was afraid of stepping out of line for that reason alone.*

Belladonna: *says in a completely disinterested tone as she flips upon a book from her favorite series* Like I said, the castle will take care of them personally. *gazes at the deceased vampire, her golden orbs sending the message of presence and intimidation into the empty room* And if the castle were somehow to fail, *narrows her eyes* I'll take care of them myself. *chuckles, before burying herself back within her book* But not before I finish this book! 

*The screen fades to black as Y,N and Pyrrha continue to walk down the abandoned and creepy hallway that they had found themselves within, neither knowing of the many tricks and traps Belladonna had set up with her assistant "the castle". Y,N and Pyrrha wanted nothing more than to shake the hornet's nest and then fight the irate bastards, well they got their desire as vampires where stationed and prepared to take these two intruders down at a moment's notice. Yet, none of them realized who they were dealing with, they weren't dealing with your average, run-of-the-mill vampiric inquisitor's, they were dealing with not only Y,N goddam L,N, the wielder of the God's Blood semblance and a bag of other tricks. But, alongside Y,N, they were also dealing with a former vampire in her own right, and now a once more a powerful and devoted Pyrrha Nikos that would rather see herself die then let anyone dare harm her beloved. And the pairing of Y,N alongside Pyrrha would make anyone run away screaming in sheer terror, yet none of these vampires would know that fact...not until it was too late that was. Yet, there ultimate challenge wasn't any of these minions and grunts, it was Belladonna and her mysterious ally, be careful Y,N and Pyrrha as that devious cat has some tricks up her sleeves!*

And that's a wrap and I hope all of you massively enjoyed my return to form with this chapter update and are hyped to see more updates coming soon, both brand-new stories and updates to older stories! Honestly, I do apologize for how long the bridge was between this chapter update coming out and the previous one, but now I'm going to attempt to re-work writing back into my schedule as I can feel the embers of a once mighty flame still residing, and I won't let the flame go out completely! Additionally stay tuned as the next chapter update will be for the Prologue Chapter of Stand Strong, followed by several more updates coming during this festive winter season, including a special Christmas present from me to all of you! Don't Forget to Hit the Follow Button and join the Broski Army as we're on the road to 5K Followers and I know soon enough we'll have conquered that milestone and have scaled the summit to 7.5K Followers! You're all wonderful guys and girls and I'll see you all in the next chapter!

PEACE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!