Fate/Grand Order story · Events, Nanmei Yumihari Eight Dog Chronicles
Prologue: The Stray Shaggy Dog Commotion
Nanmei Yumihari Eight Dog Chronicles
1 scenes, 478 lines
1. Before the battle
478 lines(Sniff... Sniff, sniff... Sniff, sniff, sniff...)
(Rustle, rustle) (Rummage, rummage)
I think someone's sniffing me...
So much for my nap... Who could that be?
？！
(Sniffle, sniffle)
Fou? Is that you?
Fou. Fou fooou. (Special Translation: No, but I do smell a new rival.)
Merlin? Is that you?
Hmm, makes sense. I suppose it could be me, if this were happening in a dream.
Afraid you're already half awake, though. It's a bit late to spend the night together.
？！
(Sniff, sniff...)
Huh!?
Is that...a puppy?
？！
(Sniff...) (Whine, whine)
Hehe. Easy, boy. There's a good dog.
What's that around his neck?
？！
Forgive the intrusion, Master. I've brought you a change of clothes.
Miss Crane finished making the alterations you asked for.
Miss Crane and Habetrot finished making the alterations you asked for.
Humans really DO grow fast, don't you? Keep this up, and you may just end up talleHm?
I don't recall seeing this creature before. It looks like a canine.
May I approach? I should be able to determine how strong it is simply by stroking its nape
(Twitch)
(Pitter-patter, pitter-patter)
Aww, it ran away.
？！
O-oh. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to scare it...
(Pant, pant, pant...) (Whine)
Hm?
I have never seen this stray dog before. I sense faint magical energy coming from it... Is it someone's familiar?
You there. What are you doing here? ...You seem lethargic. Are you hungry?
...Yip.
Are you searching for something? Hmm... Regardless, you should have something to eat.
Fortunately for you, I keep dog food in my room at all times for just such an occasion.
For the time being, I think I will call you...Cavall III.
What about "Peritas"?
I do not recall asking your opinion on the matter, young Iskandar. Unless this is your hound?
Sadly, no. I've never seen this adorable puppy before.
Look how glossy his coat is, and how evenly the coloring is dispersed.
He might still be a pup, but I can already tell he's going to grow into a big, strong dogone who will have no trouble in the cold.
Here, puppy, have some water from my bottle. Here, come on.
...(Sniff)
It seems he is refusing to drink.
...You really are a smart boy. I bet you already have an owner, don't you?
Ruff?
Dude! Okinamaro! It IS you! What in the world are you doing here!?
Do you know this dog, then?
Hm? Hmm?
No, wait. Now that I look closely, this isn't Okinamaro at all. He was way bigger than this guy.
But the sublime way he's panting right now, it's exactly like the pup I used to keep at court.
Theeere we go, Okinamaro! Who's a good boy!? (Nuzzle, nuzzle, nuzzle)
Wuff... Wuff, wuff!
Hey, no fair. Let me nuzzle him, as well.
Haha... Hm? Say, I just noticed he has a heart-shaped spot on his back.
Well, well. I see everyone's fighting for a piece of that little fur ball.
A stray in Chaldea? That can't be right. This IS a top secret organization.
It's probably just some Servant's pet. In fact, don't we have a circus ringleader or something now?
So we've got a Demonic Beast tamer here, huh? Nice! But let's not bring in any rune-enhanced bears, yeah!?
...Now I see, Lancer. So what you're trying to say is:
"I want women and children to fawn over me, too! Especially with belly rubs!"
Well, if you want it, you're always welcome to my foot. Now lie down on the floor and pull up your shirt.
What the hell? Where'd that even come from? Were you just not listening?
Hmm...
I know anything goes in Chaldea these days, but I still can't help but feel like something's going on here.
Huh? What do you mean by that? ...Huh?
Peritas! Cavall III! Okinamaro!
Yip!
(Pitter-patter, pitter-patter)
...And now it's run away. Maybe we should catch it before things get weird and totally out of hand?
(Huff, huff, huff...)
(Sniff... Sniff, sniff, sniff)
"Oh my. It's a dog! Stay back! I don't want it biting me!"
"Don't worry, Abby. It's just a tiny puppy."
"Here, boy. It's okay. I wonder who he belongs to?"
(Whine...)
"Ah."
(Sniff... Sniff, sniff...) Yip?
...
(Surprised jump)
Y-yip!
(Zzzzzz...) (Snooore...)
(Rattle, rattle)
Snrk... Huh?
(Whine, whine...)
...The hell? How's a dustcloth moving around on its own? Is this one of those robot vacuum things?
Hey, outta my futon. You're too warm.
(Whiiine...)
Izo? Did you see a doggy around here?
Nope.
Really? That's weird. I was sure I saw it come this way.
You there, the sulking strider. Did you see CavallI mean, a puppy around here?
Been drinking a little more than usual, Okada? You're getting quite the beer bellywell, sake belly.
Yeah, you've got me. I'm still almost full to bursting from my morning wake-up drink.
Hmm. Guess we'll have to look elsewhere then.
(Whine...)
Heh... Haha.
All right, all right. If you wanna get out that badly, come on already.
...All that aside, you're an ugly son of a bitch, aren't you?
I'd love to get a load of your owner. They say dogs and their owners look alike.
Yip...
Izo? Is this a good time?
Hi, Izo. I wanted to ask you something.
？！
Great. Not you, too, Master.
Leave me alone, will you!? I just want to catch up on my sleeHm?
I don't trust you. Your attitude... Your behavior... Your belligerence... It puts me in mind of a sopping wet dog.
Who said that? If ya want a fight that bad, then I'll
(Damn, that's a big Western dog! I mean, faerie!)
Wh-what's it to you? As long as I'm not on the clock escorting or man-slaying, why can't I use my time how I like?
Yip!
...Sousuke?
(Whine)
There you are, Sousuke. Phew. I've been looking all over for you.
Arf, arf!
Now, now, settle down. Yes, yes, I get it already. You've been through a lot, haven't you?
...Okay, now I see.
So Sousuke here was the cause of all the hubbub about a stray dog...
...Yip?
Hehe. So you're the lost little dog's owner, hm?
Lady Kyokutei Bakin, famed for being Japan's very first professional author!
Y-you're far too kind. But yes, I am, um, Touto Kyokutei Shujin Bakin...
Kyokutei Bakin...!
Kyokutei...Bakin...!
As in, the great writer of the Edo period's waning years who wrote "Nansou Satomi Eight Dog Chronicles"!?
Uh, y-yes! Th-that's definitely me...!
It's an honor! ...Although, I thought Kyokutei Bakin was
(Male?) (Nth time.) (Or maybe she's used to this by now.) (Maybe I'm the weird one.) (Maybe she's from a parallel world.) (Maybe they're nonbinary.)
Can I say something?
I'm pretty sure there are people here who weren't present for Lady Bakin's summoning...
...so this is probably a good time to explain how we got here.
First off, we didn't summon Lady Bakin here intentionally.
What? Then, you mean she has still not forged a contract?
Yup, that's right. She's still contractless.
She's what we'd refer to in most cases as a Rogue Servant.
You know the summoning circle we were testing? She just appeared there out of nowhere, claiming to be Kyokutei Bakin.
Fujimaru was there too, though he'd only just woken up from a nap.
So the first ones to discover her were him, me, and some others of Chaldea's staff.
But Sousuke here showed up before any of that.
？！
Right. This little guy, who we believe is most likely a Bernese mountain dog...
...was spotted well before Lady Bakin was summoned.
She then told Fujimaru about the familiar who was supposed to be accompanying her...
...which prompted us to begin searching Chaldea for him.
And you finally tracked him to my room, huh?
What a pain in this ass this pup turned out to be.
Woof.
I'm so sorry for the trouble Sousuke caused... A-ah, that is... I beg thy pardon!
Stop acting as if you've been terribly wronged. Being prevented from sleeping all day is not a legitimate grievance.
Don't talk to me about grievances.
More importantly, something doesn't add up. I might not know much about summons...
...but I do know it's weird for a Servant and familiar to show up on their own, and in completely backassward order.
Servants and familiars are supposed to be like a single unit, right?
And if that weren't bad enough, she still hasn't forged a contract with Master.
This is ridiculous! She could easily be an assassin, and you just let her waltz right into our inner citadel!
Well, you can't fool me! She's up to something! I just know it!
U-ulp... Well, um... How can I put this...
(Whine...)
What's your take on this, Da Vinci?
？！
Hehehehe. I think this is all fascinating. Izo's right as far as something like this never having happened before goes.
But, we're already running an analysis on her and Sousuke to make sure Chaldea stays safe...
...and for good measure, we can have Barghest keep an eye on them, too. Would you mind, Barghest?
...No, not at all. I am, admittedly, well-suited for keeping a stray dog on a leash.
Great. Oh, and one more thing.
We actually have someone here at Chaldea who knows more about Lady Bakin's temperament than anyone else.
So I'd like to hear from her next.
Oh! That's right!
You're from the same time and place as Kyokutei Bakin, right, Hokusai? And if I'm not mistaken, you even worked together when you were alive!
...So why have you been so oddly quiet?
？！
...Hmph.
Izo's got plenty reason to be suspicious. Whole buncha things 'bout this ain't addin' up.
First big question for ya:
You're Omicchan, ain'tcha?
"Omicchan"?
Welp, Izo left. Said he ain't one for complicated topics.
Okada...Izo...
I wanted to thank him for looking after Sousuke, but I guess I missed my chance...
That won't be a problem. I'll be looking after you both from now on.
Yes, of course. Thank you so much, Lady Barghest.
...
(I can tell she is genuinely placing her trust in me, but that's somehow just throwing me off...)
...Okay, Senpai, I have Da Vinci's analysis.
She said she has something else she wants to look into personally, so I'll be reading her report in her stead.
Fine with me. What does it say?
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"Kyokutei Bakin is a Rider-class Servant."
"She possesses all the same general knowledge Servants are given when they are summoned. Physically, she has the body of a young adult woman."
"Her mental autonomy and responses to external stimuli all check out. No signs of Madness Enhancement detected at this time."
"However, her Spirit Origin is incredibly frail. I estimate she has no more than one eighth the power of a typical Servant."
One eighth? That's weirdly specific.
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Woof?
Apparently, that number doesn't just refer to a Servant's magical energy.
It seems to mean that all the various elements which go into making up a Servant are severely lacking.
Yeah? I gotcha. No wonder there's only one Dog Warrior here with her.
Dog Warrior... That was the name given to the eight young samurai featured in "Nansou Satomi Eight Dog Chronicles."
I remember one of them was also named Inukawa Sousuke. Though this Sousuke is an actual dog, of course.
One eighth the power of a typical Servant, huh? That will certainly not be helpful in a fight.
What was the point of her being summoned to Chaldea in the first place?
Well, we still don't know for certain that she was summoned to Chaldea per se...
So, is that why this "Kyokutei Bakin" is mostly Omichi?
Does that have anything to do with why "Kyokutei Bakin" here is mostly Omichi?
It's definitely possible, though we still don't know for sure.
All we know at this point is that this Servant is missing most of Kyokutei Bakin's memories and personality.
...Yes, that's right.
So, if you don't mind, I would be grateful if you called me "Omichi" rather than "Bakin."
...Okay, Omichi. How are you feeling about all of this?
A lot of what Da Vinci said made sense to me.
First of all, I could clearly tell that I'd been summoned as Kyokutei Bakin.
And I can also intuitively tell that I'm missing all sorts of things.
Such as?
The Eight Dog Warriors Oei and Mash mentioned earlier, for one thing.
As a Servant, I have eight dog familiars. Sousuke here is one of them.
I'm sure the other seven must be around somewhere, but I'm afraid I have no idea where!
Eight dog familiars... Those must be Kyokutei Bakin the Servant's Eight Dog Warriors.
I can see that the large bead tied to Sousuke's neck has the Chinese character for "justice" on it. Do the other dog warriors have something similar?
Yes, they do. Each of them has a bead with a character corresponding to one of the Jingi Hakkou, or Eight Virtues:
Jin, benevolence... Gi, justice... Rei, courtesy... Chi, wisdom... Chu, loyalty... Shin, faith... Kou, piety... And Tei, respect.
Only once all eight dogs, along with their beads, have been brought together can I wield my full power.
But, I was so confused after I was first summoned that I, um, didn't handle myself very well...
I tried acting tough so as not to dishonor the name Kyokutei Bakin, but that obviously didn't go very well, either.
Hahaha! I coulda sat back and pretended not to know for a bit longer, but it was just too damn funny.
I mean, pretty, hardworkin' Omicchan, pretendin' ta be a stern old Servant like some kinda actor?
Ain't never gonna see another show like that!
Hmph. You haven't changed a bit, have you, Oei?
Still, I have to say, I was relieved to see a familiar face in this strange new land.
Well, ain't that a stroke of luck!
So, you command eight dogs as your familiars... But, more importantly, Michi
Yes? What is it, Lady Barghest?
Ulp... P-putting aside the matter of your lacking Spirit Origin for now...
Why did you, Kyokutei Bakin's daughter-in-law, materialize here instead of Kyokutei Bakin himself?
I was wondering the same thing. Is it another Hokusai/Oei kind of deal?
Yeah, is it anything like the situation with Hokusai and Oei?
？！
I wondered the same thing. There do seem to be a lot of similarities!
Huh? Lord Hokusai?
You mean the original Katsushika HokusaiOei's father, Tetsuzouis here at Chaldea, too?
Oh, right, I hadn't told ya yet. This octopus here's actually Toto-sama.
Wait. What???
I-I thought you were calling yourself Katsushika Hokusai because you'd inherited the name from your father.
I don't blame you for being surprised...
But yes, that's right. Katsushika Hokusai the Foreigner Servant is actually both Hokusai himself and Oei.
H-he is!? So, that bizarre-looking octopus is actually...Tetsuzou!?
Then, does that mean...Sousuke here is actually my pops!?
Father? Pops? It's me, Michi! Are you in there, Pops?
Woof, woof, woof!
Yeah, pretty sure that ain't what's goin' on here.
So, Tetsuzou, huh. That your real name, Toto-sama?
...I still don't understand.
You call him father, yet as his daughter-in-law, you were not related by blood. Aren't you basically strangers, then?
I can't imagine how you could have had a bond strong enough to become part of a shared Servant.
...Of course, I am originally from Faerie Britain. There is still much I don't understand about human camaraderie or affection.
But, if I am to monitor you, I will need a reason I can accept. There must be one besides you or that dog
...Woof?
Sousuke? Is something wrong? Did I shake you too hard?
Emergency alert! Deploying magical energy barrier!
We're under attacNo, it's too fast for that! We're picking up an enormous energy surge!
This is an artillery blast! Brace, brace, brace!
Those of you near Fujimaru, make sure he stays safe! Hurry!
What the...!?
An artillery blast? Aiming directly for us!?
What's going on?
Someone's attacking Chaldea directly? I can't believe it...
...Senpai! Get down!!!
...That explosion did a real number on us.
...That explosion did a real number on the Storm Border.
I'm sorry. I should have been more careful. It all just happened so fast.
Fortunately, considering the size of the blast, we were incredibly lucky with casualties. Only a few staff members were hurt, and only minor injuries at that.
Plus, as you can see, Fujimaru is still alive and well, too.
It's all thanks to our Servants responding so quickly.
Phew. I'm so glad you're all okay...
Me too!
Thanks again, Mash.
O-of course! Now I'll run an even more thorough safety check to make extra sure you stay, well, safe!
？！
We'll have to make do with minimum checks for now. We cannot afford to simply sit and wait while we are under attack.
Ms. Barghest is correct. Thanks to the testimony of these two ladies...
...we now know we have very little time with which to act.
She is right. We now know from these two ladies' testimony that we have very little time left to respond.
Huh? Ushiwakamaru and Kiichi Hogen?
Right. And there is one more reason as well.
We have detected a Spirit Origin pattern of the same type seen in the massive Singularity mission we recently completed!
Then why have you gathered us here? We don't have time for this. We should be mounting a counterattack, not simply talking.
Then your gathering us here makes even less sense. We should be mounting a counterattack, not simply talking.
You're right, Barghest. We don't have any time to spare.
We need to make a decision, and we need to make it along with you, Fujimaru.
And here I am still wondering what to do about Bakin.
And we still haven't gotten to the bottom of the mystery with Bakin.
？！
(Bundle of nerves)
I know. This is all a lot to take in.
The situation is simply that urgent. We're preparing for another attack even as all this is happening.
Another attack, hm? Yes, I suppose we should expect as much, given that we are all very much alive.
I also want to know who fired at us, but whoever it was,how do you know they'll fire again?
How can you be so sure there's gonna be a second blast?
？！
Because I told them, Master.
That attack was a Genji arrow, unleashed by a peerless samurai bowman.
That was what struck Chaldea.
That was what struck the Storm Border.
What's more...I recognize the grudge, bloodlust, and malice that has were poured into this arrow.
Ushiwakamaru sensed the attack before anyone else, even our radar.
She's the only reason we had time to deploy any sort of barrier!
Wait. A single...arrow? That's what caused all this damage? Then, that would mean...
That's right. As you're probably imagining, it was a Servant's Noble Phantasm, not an ordinary arrow.
A good archer always nocks their bow with two arrows.
The first is to zero in on their target...
...and the second is meant to kill it.
So that earlier attack was just the first arrow. A test run, if you will.
Huh? You're saying the massive strike earlier was only a test?
You're kidding, right!? That "test" just tore a massive hole in our defenses!
One more shot with even close to that kind of power, and Chaldea's done for!
One more shot with even close to that kind of power, and the Storm Border's done for!
Indeed. And there is nothing we can do to prevent it.
Eep.
Fortunately, we were able to trace the arrow's trajectory, so we do have a fair idea of where it was fired from.
Take a look at this map.
Luckily, we were able to trace the arrow's trajectory, so we have a good idea of where it was fired from.
Take a look at this map.
We discovered a minute Singularity cluster floating in a space-time rift right around here. It is from here that the arrow was fired.
What's more, this magic arrow jumped through both time and space to reach us, making it a particularly impressive precision shot.
We discovered a minute Singularity cluster floating in a space-time rift right around here. It is from here that the arrow was fired.
Furthermore, this magic arrow jumped through both time and space to reach us.
This suggests it was an astonishingly precise shot.
...Hang on. Didja say minute Singularity "cluster"? As in, more than one of 'em?
Kinda sounds like a bunch of islands floatin' in space-time 'stead of the ocean.
Reminds me of the islets in Nanmei.
Hm. This's all startin' to smell real fishy.
I thought you might have thoughts about that, Hokusai.
So, are we doing anything to prepare for the next attack?
？！
Of course. In fact, we've already begun.
We're going to make a special device that'll be key to our dealing with the next attack. The Nemo Series and Sion are working as fast as they can.
Holmes and I'll be joining them as soon as we're done here.
We're going to make a special device that'll be key to our dealing with the next attack. The Nemo Series and Sion are working as fast as they can.
I'll be joining them too as soon as we're done here.
And we won't just be relying on the device, either. We'll be getting help from the Servant brigade, too.
...Is what you said earlier true?
Did you really detect what appears to be a Holy Grail in that minute Singularity cluster?
We think so. It definitely could have been.
We only picked up the signal for a moment, but it was so strong it's honestly left us bewildered.
We took a closer look, and assuming the numbers are accurate, it looks like there are no fewer than seven Holy Grails there.
Seven Holy Grails!?
...Huh? Like...seven dogs...?
I don't want to even think about it, but if this sniper manages to claim the Holy Grails' power...
...they could bombard us with as many of those attacks as they wanted.
So we need to find this sniper and stop them as soon as we possibly can!
If they're firing at Chaldea from a long distance, couldn't we stop them by obfuscating our position somehow?
Is there no way we could move the Border somewhere safe?
Hmm... No, I don't think that would be enough. In fact, it would probably be pointless.
At the moment, we don't even know how they managed to find us!
No, the only way to defend against a projectile capable of crossing space-time like this is to sever all magecraft connections, or to kill the source of the shot!
What Gordy said.
Which is why I'd like you to lead the mission to find and stop this shooter, Fujimaru.
Of course!
No one's sinking Chaldea on my watch!
？！
Of course!
No one's sinking the Border on my watch!
？！
That's the spirit!
That aside, since we've already established a magecraft connection via the attack that hit us earlier...
...it's possible that this enemy could infiltrate us directly, or employ some kind of curse unaffected by distance.
But given how certain Ushiwakamaru and Kiichi Hogen were about the enemy using arrows, I'd say it's a safe bet that they're fixated on us like we're a giant target.
I don't think so. Whoever's doing this is taking this approach because their proficiency in archery is their greatest weapon...
...making it their most effective and reliable means of harming us.
Indeed. I agree with that assessment, too.
...Gotcha.
(Gulp...) So, is that the decision you wanted me to make?
Leading a mission doesn't seem like an unusual decision to me...
？！
No, it's not that, Mr. Fujimaru. There's another matter for which we require your approval.
Specifically, we would like you to bring Ms. Tokimura...
...or "Kyokutei Bakin the Servant," if you prefer, along on this mission.
In my estimation, her presence will significantly affect the likelihood of the mission's success.
No, it is not that, Fujimaru. We actually want you to weigh in on a wholly different matter.
Specifically, we want you to bring our newest intruderI mean, guest, Ms. Tokimura...
...aka "Kyokutei Bakin the Servant," along on this mission.
I believe her presence will make this mission much more likely to succeed.
What!? You want me to go along?
Huh!? But, why?
But, I thought we determined she can't fight at all right now.
？！
We have a number of good reasons for making this request, but unfortunately, we lack the time to explain in detail.
However, there is one thing we must go over now: the name of the enemy attacking us!
Minamoto-no...Tametomo...!
We have a number of good reasons for making this request, but unfortunately, we lack the time to explain in detail.
But there is one thing we must go over now: the name of the enemy attacking us!
Minamoto-no...Tametomo...!
That's one of the possible candidates we determined could have been behind the powerful ranged attacks we saw in that recent Singularity...
...and he's definitely a high-ranking Heroic Spirit!
I expect Ushiwakamaru and Katsushika Hokusai will tell you more during the mission.
Ushiwakamaru and Katsushika Hokusai should be able to tell you more during the mission.
Understood.
Yeah, I figured as much. Don't worry, I'll take care of it!
Of course, we'll do our best to support you, too. Let's just hope we're able to maintain clear, consistent comms this time.
Of course, we'll do our best to support you, too. Let's just hope we're able to maintain clear, consistent comms this time.
Unfortunately, it looks like I might not be able to help you out myself. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have my hands full shoring up our defenses for the next attack.
So I'd like you to maintain comms support and otherwise provide Fujimaru with backup, Mash.
Got it!
Good luck, Mash. I'll be counting on you over there.
Thank you, Senpai!
？！
So, I take you're okay with Omichi coming along then?
Sure am!
？！
Great. What about you, Omichi? Are you willing to do this? I hate to put a guest of ours in danger, but...
I-if there's anything I can do to help, I'm happy to do it!
Hell yeah, Omicchan! Well said!
Woof!
Okay, based on what Hokusai said earlier, we decided to call this minute Singularity cluster we discovered in a space-time rift "Nanmei."
Apparently, "Nanmei" refers to both a sea in the south and the islands found there.
Unfortunately, the attack damaged our transmission equipment, so we can only Rayshift a limited number of people there.
Let's go over who'll be going on this mission one more time.
First up, the commander and Master, Fujimaru.
He'll be accompanied by Ushiwakamaru, Barghest, Katsushika Hokusai, and Kyokutei Bakin.
That'll be our team for this mission.
So I'm part of the rear guard, huh? Damn, too bad.
T-minus twenty seconds to Rayshift. Nineteen... Eighteen...
Ah! Sousuke's body is...glowing again?
Woof? Yip, yip yip!
Sh-shush, Sousuke. What's gotten into you?
...Hm? What the heeeeeeeeell!?
...!!!
...Hmm. As I suspected.
Oh boy. I thought this might happen.
Huh?
(I'm getting a bad feeling about this!)
？！
My apologies. I failed to mention that we also detected a Holy Grail signal from that canine familiar.
In our defense, it was a very faint signal.
Truth be told, it casts a great deal of suspicion on whether the readings we saw in Nanmei truly came from Holy Grails.
I forgot to mention that we also detected a Holy Grail signal from that canine familiar.
In our defense, it was a very faint signal.
It is enough to make you wonder whether the readings we saw in Nanmei were actually from Holy Grails.
Couldn't you have brought that up sooner!?
？！
Can't we halt the Rayshift sequence? It's already too late? Figures!
It simply goes to show that there must be a very good reason as to why a black dog would glow in such a manner. Heh.
...Hmph.
Please be careful, Senpai! And everyone else, too!
Good luck! We're all counting on you!