AN: Were is Steel ball run episode 2?
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Issei could physically feel the tension in the air as all three combatants stopped restraining their demonic power.
Gasper looked at Sona, and Sona looked back.
Then in unison, they looked up to Bludwan in the sky.
Without a word, both opened their wings and took to the air.
Bludwan swept his hand to the side. A multitude of magic circles bloomed into existence, spreading across the sky.
Electricity crackled along the edges of each circle, and without warning—
Beams tore downward toward Sona and Gasper.
Both twisted through the air, weaving between the falling pillars of lightning.
One bolt descended directly toward Gasper.
He swiped his hand out, a spinning steel ball forming in his palm.
Gasper drew his arm back and hurled it forward.
Lightning coiled around the ball, its trajectory bending—
Then it shot back upward…
Right back toward Bludwan.
Bludwan remained where he was as the beam approached him, and before it could reach, it dissipated into electric sparks.
Gasper raised a brow. "How the hell?"
"Did you really think I didn't account for you doing the same thing as before?" Bludwan said, narrowing his eyes as his smile only grew. "You shouldn't underestimate your seniors' intelligence, boy."
"Well, that's nice and all, but that doesn't explain HOW YOU DISSIPATED A LIGHTNING BEAM WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING!" Gasper shouted.
Gasper twisted midair, narrowly dodging another descending bolt.
Bludwan's voice echoed calmly. "Well, you see, it's a technique I picked up from some monks a while back."
Gasper grinned, letting his momentum carry him upside down over another beam. "Ohhh… you should've just led with that!"
Sona, watching this interaction while dodging a beam, couldn't help but sweat drop. "Gasper… less frolicking with the enemy… *sigh*—please."
"Gotcha. But I have to ask, lady… what's your name?"
"HUH!? What? You don't know her name?" Bludwan exclaimed.
"Nah, man. I don't even know who she is." Gasper sped forward, wind crackling in his wake.
Bludwan thrust a hand forward. A light-blue circle formed in the air; ice appeared in front of it and began to form and meld into an eastern dragon that lunged toward Gasper.
"Then why are you even helping her?"
"Well… other than you trying to kill me and all that stuff!" Gasper twisted midair, planting his feet squarely on the dragon's head. The yellow glow of Hamon ignited along his shoes as he sprinted up its icy form. "I—just felt like it!"
Reaching the end of the dragon's body, Gasper crouched low and launched himself forward, aiming straight at Bludwan.
"Wow…" Bludwan said on pure instinct, his voice going deadpan.
Then in a low voice, "You really are a lot like your mother in that regard...aren't you?"
Sona raised a hand; a blue circle formed as she reached toward a cloud. The cloud responded instantly, rushing into the circle.
She steadied her right arm with her left and pointed it toward the yellow magic circles that were shooting at them. Sharp streams of water erupted from the circle as she fired.
"Now that you mention it… we haven't formally met, have we?" Sona said as her streams struck home, destroying each magic circle one by one. "My name is Sona Sitri. I'm a friend of Rias."
'Oh… no wonder she looked familiar.'Gasper nodded subtly, keeping his focus on Bludwan.
Sona brought a hand to her chest in a circular motion. The streams of water she had just fired out returned slowly, molding into a massive sphere.
She surged upward, taking off further into the sky, soaring past the clouds.
As she did that, Gasper, now closer to Bludwan than before—swiped his right hand at him.
A stream of ten bubbles streaked right toward Bludwan.
Bludwan moved to the side as they passed…
But something was off.
The bubbles weren't ordinary; they shimmered with a yellow light, warping as they approached.
Before they could fully pass, all ten detonated simultaneously—
BOOOOM!
A blinding flash tore across the sky. A shockwave rippling through the air, sending sparks and smoke swirling in every direction.
When the smoke subsided, Bludwan hovered there, both mouths on his sides open, magical barriers up—
Creak!
Shatter!
But they didn't last long.
'That… was a lot stronger than the first bomb he threw at me…' Bludwan thought, eyes narrowing. 'So he wasn't really going all out with the first one, huh?'
Suddenly, he felt a high surge of demonic power rapidly forming above him.
He flicked his head upward. His eyes glowed bright blue, pupils dilating.
And there she was…
Sona.
With magic circles in each hand, she raised both arms above her head. Then, as if trying to pull the sky itself downward, she slammed her hands forcefully toward the ground.
For a moment nothing happened
Then the clouds gave way.
Bludwan's eyes widened.
Water in the shape of a grid was coming right toward him at an astounding speed!
He opened his mouth, a light-blue circle coming to life as he fired a wave of frost, freezing the section of the grid that was about to hit him.
He caught the frozen chunk midfall and started spinning with it, carried by the momentum.
The rest of the grid struck the ground, cutting everything in its path like a hot knife through butter.
.
..
…
Issei peered into the sky with the eyes of a dead man, standing on dirt that had been cut into a perfect cube. His bush-camping privileges were permanently suspended as his bush was now in four clean sections.
He gulped.
How… was he still alive?
.
..
…
Bludwan stopped spinning and, with a flick of his wrist, hurled the frozen chunk like a deadly frisbee toward Sona.
Seeing it coming, Sona folded her wings, letting gravity carry her downward. The frozen shard skimmed past her head.
Once she leveled out at Bludwan's altitude, she popped her wings back open and stared at him… no.
Past him.
Behind Bludwan, a few meters away, Gasper extended his index finger and thumb like a gun. At the tip of his finger, a blob of water from the same grid Sona had thrown molded itself into…
…the shape of a toothpick.
But there was something peculiar about it…
The toothpick…
Was spinning.
Gasper fired.
BOOOM!
A shockwave ripped through the air.
Squelch!
Bludwan's eyes widened.
The spinning toothpick dug through his left shoulder from behind, piercing clean through as it sped its way toward Sona.
But she, anticipating it, stepped aside and let it pass harmlessly.
Bludwan spun around, his smile wider than before. He raised his right hand; a red circle blazed to life, and a compressed flaming orb ignited within. With a twitch of his finger…
The orb transformed into a flaming javelin.
Gasper's eyes widened. 'FUCK!'
Gasper thrust his hands forward. 'Just… do it like she did!' he screamed in his mind.
A blue magic circle appeared in his palms as he pointed toward the nearest cloud, absorbing it into the circle…
And slapped his hands together.
CLAP!
Bludwan drew the javelin back…
Gasper opened his hands slowly, the water swirling with intensity between them…
Sona's eyes widened. 'There's… no way.'
And insideGasper's hands…
Was the head of a serpent.
Bludwan tossed the flaming javelin straight at Gasper.
Gasper pushed his hands out; the head of a massive water serpent spewed forward, opening its mouth wide swallowing the javelin whole—before the serpent itself exploded into a sea of steam that swallowed Gasper entirely.
Bludwan threw an arm out, shielding himself from the wave of steam rushing toward him.
Drip.
His eyes widened.
He spun around as fast as he could.
Sona was already there, right behind him. Two fingers pointed forward, her face deadly cold as the surrounding steam condensed at their tips.
In an instant, two serpent heads of water burst forward, coiling around one another—
Merging into a single massive maw.
Bludwan brought up a hand, a magic circle flaring to life as a barrier as the massive head hit.
his arms buckled under the weight—
Cough!
Even his lungs felt the pressure as he coughed up blood.
Slowly, he shifted his hand. The serpent head pressed against the circle, warping around it. With a heavy swipe, he redirected the force, sending the water serpent shooting past him and into the sea of steam.
Bludwan panted hard as Sona stared him down.
"Bludwan... tell me... who exactly in the Old Satanfaction sent you?"
"Sorry, can't do that, Princess. Customer confidentiality—"
WHOOSH!!
It was a faint, sudden burst of wind but…
Slowly a faint smile broke out on Sona's face as she moved her gaze to the wall of steam
Bludwan turned, hearing the wind…
His gaze falling right…
On two hands parting the steam…
In an instant, the steam was blown away as Sona's serpent head ascended into the heavens…
But on top of its nose…
WAS GASPER!
His sailor hat was gone, his long hair whipping wildly in the wind as he laughed in excitement, his arms spread wide as he rode the serpent straight toward the Heavens!
Gasper lowered his hands, the serpent being enveloped by his red demonic power as it lost its form.
As the serpent dissolved beneath him.
He jumped off and leaned into the wind, one hand braced against his forearm as he leveled two outstretched fingers like the barrel of a gun…
Aimed right under him…
Right towards Bludwan!
The water that had made up the serpent began to vortex at the tip of his fingers.
As Bludwan looked up at Gasper… an image overlapped in his mind.
A woman with blond hair and blue eyes…
Wearing the very same crazy smile Gasper had now.
Bludwan raised a finger of his own toward the heavens, lowering his head as shadows covered his eyes, his expression turning serious.
The temperature began to rise to an insane degree, the very oxygen in the air becoming difficult to breathe.
At the tip of his index finger, a flame appeared, roaring wildly—before condensing into a single point…
No bigger than a coin.
A crazed grin spread across Bludwan's face.
Reaching maximum output, both combatants…
FIRED AT WILL.
A highly condensed beam of flame shot into the sky, erupting into a pillar of light—
And Gasper's vortex tore downward like a geyser, spiraling violently toward it.
At the point of impact, a massive wall of steam erupted as the two forces clashed, swallowing the sky and blocking out the purple light of the barrier surrounding the area.
Both poured their demonic power forward, driving their attacks against each other…
Sona rushed Bludwan from behind, her hand trailing back—then she swiped it forward. Two serpent heads rushed out, positioning themselves at both of Bludwan's sides.
Bludwan's eyes widened.
'Well… I'll be damned.'
He chuckled and brought his finger down, spinning his body in a full three-sixty while keeping his finger aimed forward.
The highly concentrated flames evaporated the water serpents instantly as the beam swept through them.
As the beam passed dangerously close to Sona, she flattened her body against the air, the tips of her bangs being sliced cleanly by the beam.
BOOOOM!!!
The clouds behind her exploded from the passing heat, painting the sky a bright red.
"HU!" Bludwan grunted as the water hit him from above.
BAM!
And brought him back down to earth rasing a cloud of dust.
*Cough!*
Bludwan spat a mix of water and blood, pushing himself up on shaky arms. He inhaled deeply as he slowly got to his feet.
TAP!
SCUFF!
Gasper landed just in front of him, skidding to a halt. He bent forward, one fist cocked back, the other gripping his fist, his Hamon blazing between them like a sharp light cutting through the darkness.
Bludwan raised his arms to block…
But midway, his hands snapped down to his sides, locking stiffly as three rings of water spiraled around his body.
He glanced down and noticed streams of water tethered to his feet. Following them back, he saw Sona skidding to a stop at his side, her hand extended forward.
Gasper swung his fist forward as it radiated as if it were a descending sun.
Seeing Gasper's fist approaching…
Bludwan raised a foot and slammed it back down on the floor…
"Hey… it's a bit cold, don't you think?"
Gasper's fist got closer, about to connect right with his face.
"How about… WE TURN UP THE HEAT!"
Gasper's feet dug into the ground as if it were liquid.
With his footing lost, he redirected his fist toward Bludwan's wounded shoulder.
BAM!
Blood gushed from the open wound, but Bludwan only laughed.
Steam rose from the rings of water on his body, evaporating them almost instantaneously.
The soles of Gasper's shoes immediately caught fire.
Gasper looked down.
'The ground…'
For a full twenty-meter radius…
The ground was now hot…flaming…magma.
Sona leapt into the sky, avoiding getting burned.
A distance away, Issei could be seen hanging from a tree branch, a white cat holding him up by his claws.
Bludwan, taking advantage of Gasper's confusion, brought his foot up and kicked Gasper to the side, sending him flying.
Right as Gasper's body was about to touch the magma-covered ground, he took a deep breath, Hamon covering his whole being!
Gasper flipped in midair as his shoes fully burned off, landing barefoot on the magma.
*Pant*
'Damn… It's so—Hard to breathe!'
Tap!
Tap!
Bludwan started walking toward him, his feet emitting steam with each step.
Gasper looked closer…
And his eyes widened.
There was…
A thin veil of ice coating Bludwan's feet.
'No way… is this—'
—When a liquid makes contact with a hot surface, one would assume it would evaporate instantly…
Usually, this would be truth…
But if the surface the liquid is on is past the temperature of the liquid's boiling point, then…
A phenomenon occurs, one known as the Leidenfrost effect; essentially, the bottom of said liquid will vaporize instantly…
In turn, creating a protective shield of water vapor for the user of this technique, making the user… Effectively never truly touch the heated surface.
Gasper's face turned deadly serious...
as Bludwan slowly aproched him.
.
..
…
Sona landed lightly on a nearby tree branch, her gaze shifting downward—
To the boy dangling helplessly, held up by a white cat.
She lowered her hand and grabbed hold of his shirt. Then took off into the sky.
"WOW!" Issei shouted as the wind pulled at his hair.
With both the cat and the boy in hand, she descended slowly to a part of the park that was still intact and set them down.
Issei landed right on his ass.
"It's best you go as far as the barrier allows you to." Sona looked down at the cat. "You're… Koneko's familiar, right?"
Shiro nodded.
"Keep him safe if you can."
Shiro let out a meow as Sona expanded her wings once more. If it were up to her, she would have wiped the boy's memory right there—but sadly, time was not her friend right now.
"Wait!—" Issei extended a hand, trying to stop her.
But she shot up above the trees and headed back in the direction of the fight.
.
..
…
Gasper and Bludwan stood ten meters apart, staring each other down as their hair blew in the wind, embers drifting between them.
Gasper spread his legs wide as he took his fighting stance, his scarf flowing in the wind. He raised his fists up as blue and yellow energy surrounded them.
Bludwan raised a hand to his face, wiping blood off his cheek... and gave a slight smile. "I'll admit you almost had me there… brat."
Gasper gave him a cheeky smile. "Whaaat? You ready to roll over and die already?"
Bludwan spread his legs wide, both hands extended, with purple energy coiling around his fists. "HA! You wish, brat!"
Bludwan lunged himself at him, fist aimed at his midsection. "You're getting a little too cocky for your own good, aren't you?!"
Gasper raised his leg, blocking the punch with his knee
Gasper stuck out his tongue as he threw a punch with his right aimed at Bludwan's face. "HEY! I'm just saying you look like an old geezer…"
Bludwan tilted his head to the side, the punch passing harmlessly.
"...Old…geezer…?" Bludwan said, utterly confused while bringing his left fist down on Gasper, aiming for the top of his head.
Gasper bent backward, shooting his right hand out to catch Bludwan's incoming forearm…
And then lifted his body using Bludwan's arm to stabilize himself as he wrapped his left leg around it.
Gasper now upside down clinging to Bludwan's arm, bent his head upward to look at Bludwan's bewildered face while bringing up his right leg…
…and extended it forward
"...you heard me! So make my job easier and roll over and die, you loud bastard!"
BAM!
Hitting Bludwan's chin with his right heel!
"..." Bludwan stared up at the sky for a second.
Then his eyes moved to look at Gasper's grinning face, while giving him a bloody smile.
"Well, aren't you just heartless?"
Gasper moved his extended right leg and clamped down on Bludwan's shoulder with it!
Gasper pointed two fingers toward Bludwan, a magic circle igniting at the ends of his fingers.
And Bludwan opened his mouth while staring down at Gasper, a magic circle igniting in front of it.
BOOOM!
Two beams of pure demonic power shot out of both circles simultaneously, exploding on impact!
Sending dust and molten magma flying.
As the dust was about to settle—
—Gasper came flying, eyes closed, his right hand burned, soot on his cheek.
And within the dust cloud was Bludwan, his knee extended. And his mouth…
It was burnt.
Bludwan slammed his foot back onto the ground and rushed forward, the steam from his feet launching him forward at insane speeds!
While in midair, Gasper moved his burnt hand forward.
The blood under his fingernails hardening…
And he swiped at the air.
A thin line of blood accelerated forward.
Bludwan's face turned serious, eyes full of intensity.
And on his face…
A wound opened up from his left eye down to the end of the right part of his jaw.
The trees behind were cut right in half.
'That spell… it was the same one the Sitri girl used!'
Even with his face bleeding, he did not stop; he kept moving forward!
Gasper landed on his feet and skidded to a stop, extending his hand to his side, a green steel ball appearing in his palm as it began to spin.
Bludwan, seeing the ball, extended his left hand, a magic circle forming.
Without any hesitation, Gasper tossed the ball forward.
"[LAGTRAIN]!"
The ball appeared right in front of Bludwan!
But…
Bludwan merely smiled and swiped the magic circle right at the ball, connecting the two as he tossed it right back at Gasper!
Gasper tilted to the side, the steel ball passing him as the magic circle embedded it into a tree.
Gasper looked back at Bludwan…
Only to see him right in front of him!
BAM!
Bludwan's fist buried into his midsection—Gasper coughed blood as he doubled over.
But Bludwan did not stop; a hook with the left caught Gasper right on his temple.
Then he drew both hands back….
and came down with an overhead slam.
Making Gasper hit the ground and bounce back up as if he fell on a trampoline!
Bludwan drew his right leg back—
And drove it forward.
BANG!
Kicking right at Gasper's midsection!
Before Gasper could go flying into the air, Bludwan grabbed his sleeve and threw him right on the floor, Gasper rolling on his side multiple times over before coming to a stop.
Bludwan looked at Gasper on the floor for five seconds…
and sighed… Gasper...
Was not moving.
'Gasper… Vladi… you are not ready.'
A look of regret… and disappointment flashed in his eyes.
But he shut them tight and shook his head.
Then turned around and started walking away.
.
.
.
Drip!
Bludwan stopped… and turned his head back.
Gasper was back on his feet, blood dripping beneath him, his body shaking as he panted hard as he unconsciously bent forward.
The ethereal purple light of the barrier overhead illuminated his very being.
"Where…" a shaky voice came out of Gasper's mouth.
"...do you think…"
"…you're going?"
Bludwan clicked his tongue. "Just stay down, kid… this fight has nothing to do with you…"
Gasper twitched his finger. The steel ball embedded in the magic circle in the tree began to spin faster and faster until it shattered right through it.
"I appreciate you giving me an out… But you're wrong."
Bludwan raised a brow. "How so?"
The steel ball launched itself back at Gasper.
And he brought his hand up and caught it.
"Well, it's simple once you decided to try and kill an innocent girl in front of me..."
The steel ball began to spin in his hand.
A smile slowly crept up Bludwan's face.
"...I knew…there was no way in hell I could let that shit slide."
"Mh, I see… so you're a hero?"
Gasper let out a weak laugh. And looked forward. "A hero? Hell nah, I'd rather not share my chicken… I'm just a guy doing his good deed for the day."
Bludwan opened his mouth to say something but as he looked at Gasper's eyes, he saw…
Deep black flames…
Swirling in his crimson eyes.
Without wasting another second, Gasper tossed his steel ball forward.
Bludwan turned around and put a hand out, and a magic barrier shone to life.
But Gasper said one word:
"[LAGTRAIN]!"
The ball stopped midair and began flickering, as if it were nothing but an illusion.
Bludwan, already knowing what to expect, moved his hand to intercept the ball but…
He hit nothing but air.
'What the—where did that ball go?!'
TAP!
Bludwan turned to his right and saw Gasper, his fist cocked back.
'Shit, he tricked me. The steel ball… it wasn't an attack…!'
Gasper's fist shot out. 'It was a distraction!'
BAM!!!!
Gasper's fist buried itself into Bludwan's abdomen, folding him inward. He pulled his arm back and immediately drove his left forward—
BAM!
The second strike hit the exact same spot.
"[LAGTRAIN]!" Gasper yelled.
BAM!
A fist slammed into Bludwan's back.
Coming back to his senses, Bludwan lifted a leg. Steam burst from beneath his foot, propelling the kick forward as he spun—
THUD!
His shin crashed into Gasper's chest, sending him flying toward the tree line.
Bludwan snapped his wings open and crouched low. With a powerful leap, he gave chase, steam blasting from his feet as he launched forward at blinding speed!
As Gasper's momentum carried him through the tree line, he lifted his head.
Blood dripped from his lips…
As he smiled.
Bludwan closed in, fist ready to strike—
Ssssstretch—
Mid-pursuit, he suddenly slowed.
His pants had stretched out behind him!
Before he could react—
SNAP!
The tension yanked him backward like a rubber band, slamming his back against a thick, strangely formed branch gripping the fabric.
No… not strangely formed.
Whir~
Bludwan looked toward the tree the branch was connected to.
His eyes widened.
The scarf around Gasper's neck glowed with Hamon, shooting outward as if it had a life of its own, wrapping around a branch.
Gasper grabbed hold of his scarf as he stopped his momentum against the bark of a tree, he crouched low, loading his legs—then leapt, swinging in Bludwan's direction.
"The next thing you'll say is… 'A STEEL BALL?!'"
"A STEEL BALL?!—"
Bludwan froze, staring at the spinning sphere embedded in the tree bark. The very same one Gasper had thrown earlier.
Bludwan: "!!!!!"
'WHAT?!'
"NOW IT'S OVER, BLUDWAN!!!" Gasper roared, his body encased in an ethereal blue energy as a silver figure with blue glasses appeared at his side.
"[LAGTRAIN]!" Gasper bellowed—
And appeared right in front of Bludwan.
Bludwan saw the [LAGTRAIN]'s silhouette cock its arm back—the second stretched out like a full minute, and then…
[LAGTRAIN]'s fist struck true.
BAM!
Then it drew its fist back again…
"MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!"
[LAGTRAIN] rained down a barrage of punches, its final one about to send Bludwan flying, but it caught his leg at the last moment, slamming him down against the branch. Then it lifted both elbows.
And brought them down repeatedly on Bludwan's face.
"MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!"
With its last elbow strike, [LAGTRAIN] slid its left hand into one Bludwan's side mouth's and tossed him into the air. As it let go, it clenched both fists…
"WRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!" Gasper screamed.
And [LAGTRAIN] swung upward.
And threw an uncountable amount of punches!
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Its final punch landed right on Bludwan's temple, sending him crashing through every tree in his path in a tornado of blood.
…
Issei was running for the far end of the barrier just as Sona had told him to. Hoping it would get him out of this crazy place as fast as possible.
A white cat clung to his shoulder, enjoying the breeze. After all, they were nowhere near the fight now…
So what was the WORST thing that could happ—
BOOOOOM!
A tree right in front of Issei exploded outward as Bludwan came flying through it.
Sending a powerful torrent of wind through the area!
Shiro was tossed off Issei's shoulder as if he were a leaf in the wind.
Bludwan hit the ground hard and rag-dolled to a stop.
Issei gulped. A sense of dread crawling up his spine.
But then he sighed as he saw the blood begin to pool under Bludwan.
'He's dead… what a relief!'
Bludwan's finger twitched, and he shakily got to his feet, blood dripping beneath him.
"OH MY GOD!!!!!" Issei shouted out of pure instinct.
Hearing the sound, Bludwan turned and rushed forward, swiping his hand like a blade—
.
..
…
"[LAGTRAIN]!"
Gasper appeared right in front of Issei, hand outstretched, a steel ball spinning in his palm.
FUMMM!
Bludwan's hand struck the steel ball, his skin twisting… but…
He pushed through—
SHING!
The steel ball split in two. A wound cut opened directly from Gasper's left shoulder down to the right of his hip, as blood sprayed out!
Bludwan's eyes widened as he looked at Gasper…
No. He wasn't looking at Gasper.
He was looking at…
'Ma…ria?'
In his mind, that same image of the woman with blond hair and blue eyes overlapped with Gasper's face once more.
Bludwan's hands shook as he brought them up to look at them. His eyes were completely calm.
'No…'
He looked back at the bleeding Gasper.
'It's not her.'
His vision cleared. Those blue eyes sank back into blood red, Gasper's face coming back into focus…
'After all… she's dead.'
In Bludwan's head, there was nothing but silence.
He knew that the boy standing in front of him wasn't her…
But his heart was telling him this person in front of him…
Was his sister.