RD-10

Chapter 12: Squirrel Wedding

Sean wasn't sure what he expected a squirrel wedding to look like, but it turned out to be more adorable than he could have possibly imagined. 

King Rafael and Queen Midnight carried Princess Twilight out from the capital to where Sean waited. She was wrapped up in fragile white cloth like a Christmas present, with a large red bow holding it together in the middle. Only her tail was exposed, and it flip-flopped and rolled up and down in uncontainable excitement.  

The groom was supposed to rip into the wrapping-paper-like-cloth and embrace his new squirrel wife with passion, who would reach out and embrace him from her temporary prison, showing just as much love and desire. It was far and away the cutest thing Sean had ever heard of, and he couldn't wait to watch some squirrel weddings in the future.  

Of course, there were some alterations to the proceedings since Sean was a god-sized Dragon. For a start, the vows Sean would have to make to the Dragon (himself) would just be silly. So, Twilight's Mother and Surrogate Father (Royal Incest wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon) just asked Twilight something Sean couldn't hear over the background telepathic roar of all the bystanders sitting on the city wall. (Yet somehow, he could still make out Dawn's, "That's me next year!" quite clearly, perhaps because he had spent so much time with her in the last several months.) 

Twilight's tail settled down and went still, then did the double up-and-down flick that meant yes (instead of the slow circle that meant no). The king and queen then tossed the bridal package into Sean's palm. Twilight couldn't help herself; her tail spastically flapped against Sean's familiar hand and wrapped around it affectionately. Sean couldn't very well rip the package open enthusiastically with his razor-sharp claw hands. He delicately pinched the ribbon and pulled it open, then used the side of his finger to open it up. She didn't seem to mind, immediately going erect with arms and legs extended out for a hug. 

He bent over and gently booped her furry tummy with the small scales of his nose and she wrapped her arms, legs, and face around his face in a hug. Everyone cheered, and the drums and stomping that Sean hadn't heard in a while kicked in to celebrate. Sean now figured out why he was only supposed to rip open the top of the package – she was naked underneath. To preserve her dignity, he picked her up, high into the squirrel sky. At least he would have no problem with the next traditional step; carrying his new bride home. 

--- 

*Kiss* *snuggle* *smooch* *lick* "Oooh, Dragon Daddy! Why are you so good at this? Have you been practicing with other girls?"  

(No, love. I haven't been in the mood.) 

"Not even with Dawn?" 

(She's just a fluffy whelp. Only good for fluffing and snuggles.) 

"She won't be forever." 

(Actually...) 

"Whoa! Look at you! Did I do this?"  

(You sure did, my love) 

"When's the last time you've been fluffed?" 

(I let Dawn and Hope do it maybe a month ago.) 

"A month! I'm going to drown in it! Why'd you wait so long? And who is Hope?" 

(She's the whelp we watched Cut. And I guess I just missed you too much. Needed it to be you.) 

"Awwwww!" *Furry kisses* "I remember Hope, she's a sweetie." 

(Yup. She's one of my favorites.) 

"What about the two licking your feet right now?" 

(Just a couple of random whelps. It's something I've been into lately.)  

"Is it really true that Warla the Warlord has a crush on you?" 

(Oh yeah, it's great. I've been making her wait, just giving her some pets sometimes. She looks like she is about to explode.) 

"You meanie! You fluff that girl and you fluff her good!" 

(You don't mind?) 

"Why would I mind, you silly Dragon? I'm still your bride! Fluff all the girls! Just always come home to me..." 

(Always, my love.) 

*Smooch* *kiss* *fluff* *fluff* 

--- 

"You wanted to see me, Warla?" Princess Twilight asked at the edge of the Dragon's circle. Twilight was flushed, out of breath, fur wildly mussed up. 

"Thank you for meeting me, Princess Twilight...you forgot your clothes," Warla responded, while averting her eyes, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I completely forgot! My Dragon missed me so much that he hasn't let me get dressed in days. Besides, clothing is optional in the Dragon's circle," Twilight said, arms in the air, showing her magenta to blue to deep purple fur off.  

"It's ok, my Princess," Warla said, not entirely able to hide a whiskered grin at the young Twilight's enthusiasm, "I'm honored to get ot see your beautiful fur. It truly is the loveliest in the land and worthy of our Dragon overlord."  

"Oh, stop! Teeheehee," Twilight giggled innocently. "Your fur is really pretty too! I mean wow! I've never seen an adult Human with a tail that fluffy!"  

Warla curled her tail around and held it in her hands, self-consciously looking at it and stroking it, "...Sean likes my tail that way..." 

"Awww! I do too! Wait!" Twilight looked concerned, "I thought your date with my husband was tomorrow? He's doing language listening lessons with Dawn and Bishop Radiant right now."  

"It is..." Warla said, scratching the back of her head, "But I was worried he might see me when I visited you, so I..." She shyly peered in the distance at the great Dragon on whom she had a crush, as he made the strange whispery roar that apparently the rare Human could understand. 

"Awww Warla! You're cuter than I thought you would be!" Twilight exclaimed, wrapping her arms and those strange, jointless, abbreviated fingers of hers that contained her super-rare retractable claws around Warla in a hug. Warla awkwardly hugged the nude, fluff-mussed, barely-more-than-a-whelp, beautiful young woman back. Despite being significantly taller, stronger, and older (although still a young woman herself) Warla felt like the junior in this relationship. 

"So, ahem," Warla did the telepathic equivalent of clearing her throat, "You have more experience than me in certain...areas. I have seen the Dragon penetrated many times in combat, but have yet to have had the pleasure of being penetrated by him, myself...or anyone else, for that matter." Warla's composure began to slip and she started to sweat when Twilight just stared at her blankly, head tilted in confusion. 

"Ooooh, oh!" Twilight's blank look became one of smiling comprehension. "Heeheehee, Warla you're so funny!" Twilight said, rolling on the ground, laughing. "Now I see why Sean likes you so much!" 

"He does...?" Warla asked, eyes wide and eager.  

"Of course, he talks about you all the time!" Warla couldn't help but twitch her whiskers and tail in joy. 

"What does he say? What does he say?" She asked, still wide-eyed and uncharacteristically eager. 

"Hmmm let's see..." Twilight said with a thinking look. Warla held on to her every word eagerly. "He thinks you're witty, he thinks the way you dress is sexy, and he thinks you're super cute when you're embarrassed or flustered. He loves to tease you!"  

Warla smiled into her tail, hiding her face. She shook her face into her and said, "He makes me feel like a pretty little whelp in love. I've always felt like a big, many soldier woman until now..." 

"He makes everyone feel like a pretty little whelp!" Twilight agreed. "Noone can be bigger or manlier than the Dragon! He even pets and embarrasses Uncle Jafaar sometimes!"  

"The Arch-Prime Jafaar? No way..." Warla said, grinning. Then she looked more serious when she asked, "I was wondering if you could give me some advice on pleasuring a man. I'd watch a pleasure whelp to pick up tips, but...those went extinct. I also want to know...does it really hurt the first time, like they say it does?" 

Twighlight put her mussed tail on Warla's fluffy one comfortingly and said, "Maybe Human sex does? I have no idea how that feels. I've only had Dragon sex, and Dragon sex feels sooo goood!" Twilight hugged herself at this and Warla gave a little shiver of anticipation. "Besides," Twilight continued, "Sean likes teasing you because of how innocent you are. You don't want to take that away from him, do you? So don't do any research. Just let Sean take control. He's very Dominant and manly. If he wants to do something, he just does it. If he wants you to do something, he'll tell you to do it." 

"It's just like I imagined..." Warla said in a dreamy way, burying her face back into her tail. 

 

Chapter 13: Date with Warla 

Communication was limited; Warla only knew the signs for yes and no. But it would be enough. She walked into the Dragon's Circle dressed only in a sheer, lacy black dress that extended down to her professionally fluffed tail. Her fluffed up fur stuck out from the top of the low-cut dress. She stopped in front of the Dragon, nervous, but standing proudly, thrusting out her exposed, metallic blue chest fur.  

Sean couldn't help himself; he reached out and stroked Warla's chest with his pinky finger, the one on which he kept the claw completely ground down by using one of his discarded first set of scales, all for the sake of squirrel lovemaking.  

Success! Warla though, closing her eyes and leaning into Sean's stroking finger. She had spent forever in front of her mirror, trying to make the fur of her chest fluff up over her dress just right. Sean's hungry touch made her feel attractive and desired. His size and strength made her feel small and feminine. With his pink finger, Sean stroked her head and over her dress, down to her tail. 

"Would you like me to... take it off?" Warla asked, trying to sound sexy and confident, but Whiskering adorable nervousness to Sean's amusement. He did the finger nod for yes, and she hurried to take it off. He stopped her with a finger to her shoulder and did a slow movement that even Warla could understand; Take it off slowly.  

Warla was instantly aroused; she was Warla the Warlord, leader of Humanity's armies, fearless and decorated in battle. But this Dragon, this man, was making her strip in front of him and telling her how to do it.  

After she took off her black dress and untied it from around her tail, she folded it up neatly on the ground, then put her hands behind her back, making it clear that she would be Sean's submissive plaything for the night. He held one hand flat on the ground in front of her and she obediently climbed onto it. With his other hand he pushed her down on her back on his palm, head and shoulders on his wrist, tail and toes hanging off his fingertips. For a moment, she was scared; trapped between two hands that could crush the life from her effortlessly. But then she chose to just let go and trust, relaxing into his hand.  

He rewarded this by stroking up and down the fur of her chest, stomach, and the underside of her tail. Warla had never been touched on the underside of her body before, but she clutched Sean's fingers and arched her back, accepting those intimate touches like she had been ready for them her entire life. Sean bent over and mussed the fur of her stomach with the small scales of his nose, then gave her kisses with the little, delicate scales of his lips, from the top of her head to the tip of her tail.  

She closed her eyes, put her tiny hands and feet on Sean's face and clung fiercely while he enjoyed her soft fur to his heart's content. Then he rolled her over in his hand and stroked her gently, up and down. She hugged his wrist and ground her crotch against his palm in arousal as he rubbed little circles in her fur right where her back met her tail. Then, without warning, he lifted her tail and breathed a slow, open-mouthed, warm breath on her most sensitive parts. She involuntarily curled into a ball, clutching her tail as she spasmed.  

Sean thought squirrel orgasms were the cutest thing. He held her to his chest and pet her gently while she recovered. She snuggled into his hand, rubbing the sweaty fur of her face into his palm. 

"Oh, Sean," Warla said in a smaller voice than usual, almost like that of a whelp's. "You made my first time so wonderful. But I'm afraid I don't know how to pleasure you in return. I'll do my best to do whatever you want me to do, though..."  

Sean signed (No) with the hand that wasn't holding Warla, as if to say, 'Don’t worry about it, this was plenty for a first date.' 

He then laid down on his stomach with his head resting on his pillow and his hands under the pillow, making two triangles of space with his elbows, his usual sleeping position. He had gently placed Warla on the long pillow next to where he laid his face, and she curled around his face, holding it while they lay. She was surprised when a couple fluffy young whelps, as naked as she, snuggled in next to her.  

"Aw, you stole the good spot, tonight! Usually, I have to fight Hope for it," said Dawn as she snuggled into Warla and got comfy.  

"Where's Princess Twilight?" Warla asked. 

She usually sleeps on the other side so she can use her claws and give Draggy head scratches until he falls asleep." 

"Yup, I'm over here!" Twilight called from the other side. "I hope your date went well and Sean made you feel really good, Warla! Good night, Sean! Good night, Warla! Good night, Dawn! Good night, Hope, even though you can't hear me!" 

"I'll tell her," Dawn reassured her. "Good night!" 

Warla blushed and hid her face by pressing it into Sean's, embarrassed that her losing her virginity (Did she? She had no idea.) had been such a public experience. She fell asleep shortly afterward to the sound of the great Dragon's loud, steady breathing. 

--- 

Chapter 14: Exerting Dominance 

It was the end of Summer and Sean had been in this world for nearly a local year. His scales had grown in over 95% of his body, leaving only the occasional scale missing on his chest and stomach, as well as one bare patch of blue-black skin slightly off-center and to the left of his lower back. Sean figured that as long as no one showed up with a giant sword and shoved it into that one weak spot in his lower back, then he should be pretty much invincible. 

It was with that belief and the arrogance nurtured from being treated as a wise god-king for an extended period of time that he volunteered to patrol Cromag territory and try to dissuade feral guinea pigs that had started raiding the farms of the sympathizer pigs that lived just across the river border. Thus Sean roused himself from his piles of fluff and treasure and went for a refreshing morning flight with Twilight. He kissed his many fluffy lovers goodbye and took Excalibur, the brutal stone-headed club along with him. 

Sean went at the running speed that he knew was just under that which made everything a blurry, mind melting mess for Twilight. He didn't bother to take his Phalanx body guard with him because it would have added a day to the journey in both directions when he could otherwise easily jog all the way there and all the way back within one day. 

The new, extended Dragon Road made the journey even faster and easier and his passing greatly comforted the occupants of the several towns that had been created or relocated along its path. As he passed the capital, he gave a quick wave to King Rafael and entourage who were standing out on the city wall to see him off. He recognized Warla and her distinctive black cape and silver armor (she never stopped wearing it constantly after receiving the first compliments from Sean) and stopped just long enough to blow her a kiss. 

Warla mimed being knocked over from the power of the blown kiss, which conveniently allowed her to curl up and hide from the embarrassment of being flirted with by her Dragon boyfriend in front of hundreds of other people and her King.  

"Oh my Dragon, Warla's so cute! I'm glad we're dating her, my love. But I kind of miss when you used to tease me like that..." Twilight pined. 

(If you like, we can go back to teasing. I thought you liked the sex and orgasms I give you every day more...) Sean signed, grinning, hands in full sight of the hundreds of squirrels watching from the capital's walls. 

"Seeeaaann nooo! Everyone can see what you're saying! Ahhhh!" Twilight buried herself in Sean's hair, supremely embarrassed. "Oh..." She said a few minutes later as Sean continued down the path towards the border between Human lands and Cromag lands. "You were teasing me just now, just like I wanted, weren't you? ...I love you, my Dragon." Sean felt her hugging the top of his head.  

The good feelings were lost shortly afterward when they reached the stream/river and the Cromag farms immediately beyond. The farms were in ruins, food stolen, corpses of both sympathizer piggies (well-fed, but tails cropped as a sign of loyalty to Humanity and its Dragon) and starving, feral piggies that had been reduced to a savage, wild state, and recognized by extreme leanness and missing clumps of fur. 

"Disgusting and horrible," Princess Twilight declared, commenting on a scene of brutality happening outside of the wrecked farms. "Whelps shouldn't be treated that way, even if they're Cromags. Noone should be."  

Sean recognized what Twilight was doing; she may or may not believe her own words, but she was doing one of her jobs as Sean's Dragon Rider; helping him get mad, and thus offering him the ability to use fire breath if he wanted. He examined the scene she was referring to and immediately agreed that it was one worth purging from this world with fire.  

Four wild guinea pigs were simultaneously raping and cannibalizing a younger, smaller one from the farms. It could no longer fight or even squeal, and just lay, shivering, as it was penetrated and had its skin ripped off with guinea pig teeth. 

None of the smaller peoples could begin to handle or react to Sean's combination of great size and speed; he stepped over the river, ran up to the gangbang buffet, and coughed fire straight down on the little pigs, following it up with a full, long breath of flame to make sure that everything was charred and blackened and still. If the guinea pigs had screamed in agony or fear in their final moments, Sean didn't hear; the flamethrower roar of his breath was too loud. 

(Kinda smells like breakfast,) Sean commented, causing Twilight, also immune to the gory death of Cromags at this point, to giggle.  

Sean traveled up and down the farms, running up and punting any feral piggies that he came across. They would become briefly impaled by his toe claws then fly through the air, often in pieces. It became a sort of game and Twilight cheered him on, as he tried to see how far he could send guinea pig bodies. 

He let one bite his ankle, just to see what would happen. It only shattered its teeth, of course. Sean was invincible; the God of this land of tiny people. Half the farms were wrecked, and any living allied piggies had already retreated to the squirrel's forest for protection. It didn't take long to clear the farms of attackers; Twilight and Sean decided to explore the Cromag lands up to the Cromag Capital, then report what they saw to the Squirrel King, and get lunch. 

On the way, Sean would sometimes punt the Feral Cromags he came across, and sometimes leave them alone; they would starve soon enough, anyway. At one point he encountered a group of civilized Cromags that were still walking on two feet, wearing armor, and fighting with weapons. It looked to be a heavy patrol that was trying to make the lands surrounding the Cromag Capital safe. Although they were individually more than a match for the bitey, scrawny, four-legged feral Cromags, they were quite outnumbered, surrounded, and obviously losing.  

After watching the show for a couple minutes, Sean decided to wade in and help for the fun of it. He held his club upside down and smashed the feral guinea pigs one by one so he wouldn't knock them into the armored, bipedal ones. He killed a couple dozen before the remaining couple hundred realized it was happening, lost morale, and ran away. The remaining 50 armored warriors held their ground, looking up at Sean fearfully, frozen. This was the Great Black Dragon of Death that slew their own Dragon and defeated an army of 12,000 Cromags with only 4,000 squirrels, bringing their country to its knees, and it looked even more fearsome and armored then before. Their leader said something and the troop threw down their weapons and prostrated themselves before Sean. 

"The surrendered!" Princess Twilight exclaimed. "What will we do with them, my Dragon? We could send them back home and turn them into food." Sean thought about it. 

(We don't really need the food, do we? We still have tons left from the war. Besides, these Cromags haven't really done anything against me or my people. Nor are they acting like dangerous wild animals. I think I'll spare them.) 

"Wish and Merciful as always, my Dragon!" Twilight agreed. 

The leader stood back up and yelled something in Sean's direction. Sean dropped to a crouch and asked, (Did you hear what he said? It was too far away for me to hear.) Sean signed this while resting Excalibur against his knees. 

"Yup! He said something about the Cromags surrendering to the Dark Dragon of War, and to follow him to the capital where they will pay tribute." 

(Oh, nice. I don't see why not. Think it might be a trap?) 

"So what? You can smash it and run away." 

(True. They sound pretty submissive now. Think I could rule the Cromags too, if I wanted to?) 

"Oh, my Dragon!" Twilight replied, breathlessly, "I think you could rule the whole world if you wanted to!" 

--- 

Sometime later, Sean crouched in front of the capital, Excalibur again resting against his knee, while the Cromags carried out a double handful of gold and treasure.  

(Not bad,) Sean signed. 

Twilight followed this by announcing grandly, "The Dragon is pleased with your tribute!" 

At this, the Cromag leader paused the train of treasure bearers and assured Sean and Twilight that they'll have a real, proper tribute ready on the first day of Spring, and expressed to the Dragon how grateful they were for his Mercy and patience. When asked if he wanted anything besides treasure this day, Sean declined, deciding that it was entirely up to King Rafael in the Spring, and that the Cromags couldn't afford to share anything of real value in their current diminished state. Just a glance over the capital's walls showed that half of it was in ruins and a no-man's land. The guinea pigs really couldn't afford to give away anything except useless shiny metals like gold until they had a chance to rebuild their society. 

(Tell them to ask for help if Titans attack. I'll come and support their army.)  

At this translation of this, the Cromag King and all of his followers outside and watching from within bowed to the Dragon...except one. 

"That's the High Shaman," Princess Twilight reported. "He is the most powerful magic user in either the Cromag or the Human Kingdoms. He's the one that can summon The Mother. Remember not to look up, love!"  

Sean wasn't about to repeat that mistake. He watched the High Shaman warily, while the rest of the Cromags watched him, wondering what he was looking at. The Shaman was standing on a large, ceremonial circle, built into the ground with dark shiny rocks, in the shape of a circle in a square in a larger circle. He was covered in various bones of small peoples, wrapped up in and attached to his fur. He made a signal and a circle of similarly attired guinea pigs rose up around him and began breaking bones and smashing skulls that they had attached to their bodies. Every time they did so, a bright green light above the High-Shaman's head grew bigger and bigger. 

"Now that's green," Twilight declared, absurdly continuing a discussion from months ago.  

Sean couldn't disagree. He watched warily as the High Shaman raised both hands towards the ball of bright green light then thrust them towards Sean, causing the green light to begin moving, slowly, inexorably, through the air towards Sean. When it cleared the walls, the guinea pigs waiting outside it to greet Sean began squealing and running for cover. 

"My Dragon, that looks really dangerous," Twilight said urgently. 

Again, Sean couldn't disagree. He feared no creature, with his armor, fire, and lightning. Even if the Cromags suddenly summoned another Dragon, he knew he wouldn't lose because he had the power of the mighty stone-in-the-sword, Excalibur. But this was unknown magic, from the same source that could summon the surreal and nightmarish "Mother".  

Sean tried to simply sidestep the slow projectile, but no dice. It tracked him perfectly. When he tried to walk away quickly, it increased its speed by the exact same amount. There was no escape; he was going to come in contact with this orb. He could only hope his scales would protect him. And to an extent, they did.  

The glowing ball of light made contact with his lower legs and bounced off, then slowly corrected and came back to his leg again. It kept doing this while crawling upward towards his chest. It began to beep.  

"Beep..........Beep.........Beep........Beep......." 

That can't be good, Sean thought. He didn't want to it to reach his leather skirt and more vulnerable crotch, so he tried to brush it away with his hands. All this accomplished was having it transfer from sticking to and bouncing off of his legs, to doing the same on his hands instead.  

"Beep.......Beep......Beep.....Beep...." 

The beeps were coming faster and Sean had a good guess at what that meant. It would crawl closer to his face and then he would catch it on his arm with the back of his other hand. Then it would crawl up that arm and he would repeat the process. 

"Beep...Beep..Beep.Beep-" 

Starting to panic, feeling as if he was about to run out of time, he crouched and picked up Excalibur from where he had dropped it, then caught the ball of light during one of its little bounces on the tip of the club. The light immediately adhered to the weapon in a way it was unable to do so to his scales, and rapidly climbed up it, once more towards his arm.  

"BeepBeepBEepBEEpBEEP!" 

He flung Excalibur away from himself and raised his hands, one to shield his eyes and face and one to shield Twilight; just in time, as the orb, as expected, exploded. The force was at least as strong as one of his own lightning-spitballs, and Excalibur shattered, sending rock and very hard pieces of wood in every direction. With satisfaction, Sean felt the shrapnel deflect harmlessly off his harder-than-steel scales.  

It took an instant to notice, but one piece had hit him in the black, leather cromag-skin skirt, clipping a testicle. He fell to his knees, hissing in pain. 

"Sean!! My Dragon!! Are you wounded?!" 

To learn the answer to that question, Sean lifted his skirt and took a look; no blood. The skirt had deflected much of the force. He had just been lightly kicked in the nuts. 

(I'm fine,) he signed, cringing. (Unhurt. Just need a second. And better crotch armor.) 

"My Dragon, look! He's doing it again!" 

Sean looked from his sitting position over the low wall, and watched as the High Shaman and his minions, now out of other people's bones to break, began breaking each other's and their own to fuel a new green orb. Sean wasn't sure he could survive a direct hit from that exploding attack; at the very least he would be wounded, deep in enemy territory. And now, he had no more Excalibur to sacrifice.  

"How DARE they destroy your glorious weapon when you came in peace and Mercy! By the way, I can't reach the High Shaman with my magic from here!" Twilight was doing her job as his support excellently; keeping him aware of his surroundings, helping him get mad to use his powerful fire breath, reporting on the condition of her magic and its range. 

He was plenty mad now after being kicked in the balls and having his precious weapon destroyed, but he also couldn't reach the Shaman with his fire breath from here and a single cough of napalm would be too random to guarantee a hit; besides, he couldn't even stand up yet, genitals throbbing as they were. It would take too long to cough up enough flem into his teeth and make a throwable fireball-spitwad. It also might destroy the entire Cromag capital, burning it to the ground.  

He looked over at the Cromag King who hadn't fled with the others, instead standing nobly with his 2-handed greatsword against his own throat. The message was clear to Sean; 'Kill me if you must, but don't take it out on my people. The Shamans acted alone.' 

This noble deed from the Cromag's leader was enough to convince Sean that the Cromags didn't deserve to die as a race, and that he should hold his fire. Instead, he quickly looked around and found a somewhat flat piece of the boulder that had been at the heart of Excalibur and was now shattered; he picked it up and flung it sideways as if skipping a stone across a lake. 

Bullseye; even while sitting, he managed to peg the High Shaman perfectly, crushing him and skipping the stone off his body. It then rolled through the Cromag capital, demolishing dirt and stone buildings.  

As the new orb of green light fizzled out harmlessly, Sean signed towards the Cromag King, angrily, (No more Shamans!) 

"The Great Dragon will spare your people if you kill all the Shamans!" Twilight translated, and then, "SEAN STAND UP, BEHIND YOU!!" 

--