Dynasty Warriors - Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji

Wang Yuanj was gushing with pride and happiness.

Throughout her life, from the age of four til now, at the age of sixteen, she had been tutored by her grandfather Wang Lang, one of the great scholars in this time period and various other tutors. Be it in recital of any of the Ancient Chinese tomes and texts, or the lyre, the qin, she could do it all with perfection.

And now, the Lady Zhang Chunhua, wife of the great strategist Sima Yi of Wei had asked her to be her son's tutor. She had readily accepted, this was her moment to impress the Sima Family, with her grandfather and father having close ties with them. She would do her part, for her own pride and her family.

The pride and happiness that she felt at having the prestige of being a tutor to one of the Lady's sons promptly evaporated as soon as she saw him.

Sima Zhao, or Sima Zishang emerged into the living room in nothing but a white tank top and black pants.

Completely improper for a person of his standing. Even if he wasn't the successor to the Sima, his station as the son of Lord Sima Yi should have at least demanded him to dress more properly. Twenty two years old and he acts ten years younger.

"Lord Zishang! Please, dress yourself properly as your station requires!"

He merely scratched his head, running a hand through his brown messy locks before squinting at her. "Who are you again?"

Wang Yuanji couldn't even believe the audacity of him! He was notified days before that she would be his new caretaker!

Zhang Chunhua smiled and bowed to apologize. "My apologies, Yuanji. But as you see, I don't have the time to discipline him, so I hope you can fulfill this duty. If he ever bothers you though...Tell me, and I will always make time to educate him."

Sima Zhao's pretenses at being tired vanished and his eyes were wide alert, although he continued speaking in a goofy fashion. "Ehehe...Wang Yuanji, right?"

She sniffed at him, already disliking him. "Correct. Follow me, Lord Zishang."

Sima Zhao lazily followed the girl, hands stuffed in his pockets without a care in the world.

Honestly, he knew his lackadaisical behavior was irritating the family, but not to the point where they would actually hire a tutor of all things to discipline him.

On the way from the living room to his study, the two saw Shi, his brother.

Sima Shi raised a delicate eyebrow and bowed. "Lady Wang Yuanji. An honour to finally be graced with your presence."

Wang Yuanji flushed and hurriedly curtsied. "The honour is all mine, Lord Sima Shi."

Sima Shi simply smiled. "Please, take care of my brother for me. He is a lazy doofus, but my brother all the same."

Wang Yuanji nodded. "I will, Lord Sima Shi."

Sima Zhao yawned and waved a hand dismissively. "Come on Yuanji, let's go to the study room so you can do whatever..."

Wang Yuanji turned on him, fury burning in her brown pupils. "Lord Zishang. It is improper for you to interrupt the conversations of other people. Furthermore, I have not given you permission to call me by my shortened name. Thus, address me by my full name."

Sima Zhao made a face at this. "Then, why are you calling me by my style name?"

Wang Yuanji sniffed and continued to walk, her blonde hair bobbing. "That is because I am your tutor. You should respect me."

Sima Zhao ran after her. "What!? What about that teacher and student respect thing!?"

"I have heard of no such thing."

The two turned a corner and left, with Shi quietly chuckling at their antics.

Sima Yi walked to Shi, after tending to the fish in the pond. "What is so funny, Shi?"

Sima Shi smiled mysteriously. "Nothing father, nothing..."

"Lord Zishang! You are twenty two, the scion to the Sima Family and you're telling me you have no idea of who is even in the Imperial Court?"

He waved a hand dismissively, lying on the wooden floor with his eyes closed. "Politics belong to my brother...Me? I'm just a nobody."

Wang Yuanji rounded on him angrily. "You are not just nobody, my lord! You are Sima Zishang, the scion-"

Sima Zhao snapped his eyes open, and Wang Yuanji was immediately unnerved by the aura he gave out, instead of the lazy, friendly disposition mere seconds ago. "And what can I actually do, Wang Yuanji?"

Wang Yuanji was stunned, but quickly regained her bearing. "What do you mean, Lord Zishang?"

Sima Zhao snorted derisively. "My father is the Grand Commander of the forces of Wei, and my brother is beginning to shine within the army as a capable commander in his own right. Me? I'm the lazy, good-for-nothing son that everyone snorts at, the black sheep. I'm a nobody, Yuanji."

Wang Yuanji's brown eyes focused on his own. "That is because you don't try, Lord Zishang. What holds you back, my lord? Fear? But what is there to fear when you possess one of the sharpest minds in the land? You could unify the land, and bring peace to the people!"

Sima Zhao closed his eyes, and the aura that he gave out immediately dissipated, replaced with the now unnerving cheerfulness. "It's pointless. Conflict is always within human nature...so what if we unify the land? It'll descend into chaos once more."

Suddenly, she realized, that this man might act like an idiot, but he was born from two of the greatest minds to walk this land. He was no simple fool.

Wang Yuanji shrugged and fondly smiled, her mind projecting an image of the smiling populace. "Still, I believe in the greater good of the people. You only believe that because you have not seen peace. But when I see the masses strolling through the city, the children with a happy smile on their face, I wish to bring that to all of China. Is that wrong, to want and bring even a single generation of happiness? A land of equal, fair and justice. That is what I wish to bring to the people, and it is also my duty as a subject of Wei."

Unknown to her, when she had delved into that monologue, Sima Zhao cracked open a single brown eye and calmly observed her. There was no external change of facial expression, nor the slight in body language, but the sheer conviction and passion that came from her was astounding for a sixteen year old. He had only seen such passion from his brother and father, both stating it was the duty of the strong to lead the weak.

He idly ran a hand through his hair again. "Duty, huh..."

Wang Yuanji didn't say anything, and an affable silence fell on them, both lost in their musings.

Since that talk, Yuanji had spent more and more time with Sima Zhao, trying to understand how this man thinks. He could be incredibly lazy and unmotivated to even save his life, yet he possessed incredible charisma and drew in many to him. Little saw past the goofy, uncaring mask that he put up, but the few that did could see the enormous potential and wisdom he held at a young age.

"Lord Zishang, you must attend the War Council today. Please do not attempt to run away. It is shameful of you. Do you have no pride or dignity as a Sima or as a man?"

Despite knowing this, he riled her up so easily, without trying. Yet if she insisted, he would relent and go...sometimes.

She inwardly smiled at how he let out a resigned sigh and let himself be dragged to the meeting room.

She curtsied to Sima Yi, the strategist having an approval glint at seeing his wayward son. "My deepest apologies, Lord Sima Yi."

Sima Yi rolled his eyes. "It's to be expected. Now if Zhuge Liang..."

The council dragged on for several hours, and although Zhao slept through most of it, he remained coherent to hear the important parts.

At the end of the meeting, Cao Zhen had finally burst out in indignation. "Master Sima Yi! Your son has no respect towards these meetings! How can we place our trust and the lives of the troops in him!?"

Sima Yi calmly smiled and continued as though there was no interruption. "Zhao. You will work under Shi, is that a problem?"

Sima Zhao let out a crooked smirk and waved his hand airily. "Nope, not at all."

Cao Zhen spluttered, but was shut up with a cold stare from Shi.

At the end of the meeting, Sima Yi dismissed everyone except for his two sons and Wang Yuanji.

"Zhao...Why must you deliberately play the fool?"

Sima Zhao waved his hand, his eyes full of mischief. "Oh come on. Zhuge Liang's not one to be underestimated. If we actually fail, you can use me as the scapegoat."

Yi grimaced. "No. Part of being the strategist is to accept-"

Zhao snorted dismissively. "Oh come on, father. It's just one of the contingencies plan. I have full trust in you."

Shi sighed. "Zhao...If you had just displayed your intellect at an early age, there would be no risk of this..."

Zhao shrugged, uncaring. "Ah, but if we lost, everything you've done would be gone. Anyway, I'm gonna go wander in the woods now."

Zhao left, humming a small tune as he walked languidly, as though without a care in the world.

Yi turned to her, and she was unnerved by the harsh steel in his eyes. "Yuanji...You must, at all costs keep him safe. Do you understand me?"

She stammered back, frightened by the sheer force of will that he exuded. "I-I understand, Master Sima Yi."

Shi held his father back. "Father."

That single word cooled down Sima Yi considerably, and his face was once again impassive, with a cold smirk. "Never you mind. Attend my son now."

"Yes, my lord."

She found him lying on the grass, just staring up into the sky.

"So...this...facade...everything, it was all part of a plan, right?" She murmured softly.

Zhao continued humming dismissively, and a fire welled up in her chest.

She was cool, calm, collected, yet even with her considerable intelligence, she could never seem to understand what was hidden behind his image. She just had a wish, a desire, a hunger to figure out Sima Zhao.

"You are one unbelievably stupid idiot, Sima Zhao. You somehow turn that weakness, that laziness into something that actually you use as a strength...all for the sake of your family. Do you think you are a hero!?"

Sima Zhao stood up, a grin on his smiling face. "Oh come on Yuanji...I'm just a simple nobody, remember?"

She did. I'm nobody, were his words.

And suddenly, she found herself blurting out those words.

"Know this, Sima Zhao."

That quickly got his attention. It was the first time she had addressed him with his full name. "Hmm?"

She gazed at him, brown staring into brown. But now, she could see the weariness that the burden had on him, the determination which had been dipped into fire, reforged into a will of steel. But all that lay deep, deep where none could breach.

"I will be at your side. No matter what happens, you are still Sima Zhao to me."

Sima Zhao was stunned. Here was a woman that constantly grated on his nerves, and one he thought hated her...but here she was, all but proclaiming her desire to follow him until the end of time.

The two just sat there until sunset, watching the amber sun slowly sink to the horizon.

It was two years since that talk...and a lot has changed since then.

For once, Sima Zhao had remained as goofy as ever, but he had started depending on her more and more. The two were practically inseparable, with one always whining and one always admonishing.

But now she considered everything he did from several angles, and found herself both admiring and detesting the innate cunning in every action that he did.

"Hey Yuanji!"

She inwardly smiled at the sight of him, but remained as collected as ever. "Lord Zishang...Isn't there a very important strategic meeting right now, to discuss the battle in three days time?"

Zhao grinned. "Eh, those old farts don't need me there. Father and Brother will be enough. Wanna get something to eat? I heard there's a great noodle shop somewhere around here."

She deadpanned at him. "Lord Zishang, the meeting is about the existence of either Shu or Wei. Could you show some consideration for your father for once?"

He moodily grunted. "I've done so much already...I'm at the vanguard...what more do you want, Yuanji~ You're so mean..."

Yuanji rubbed her eyes tiredly. "That is because you don't want to do anything at all. I heard from your brother that you simply wander around like a lost puppy on the battlefield."

Zhao shrugged, somehow looking bothguilty and innocent at the same time. "Hey, we were winning at the time!"

"That is because Lord Ziyuan had to pick up the slack for you. Seriously, if you just put in that tiny bit of effort..." She retorted.

"Yeah yeah, whatever...you and brother are always picking on me. Anyway, I'm gonna go eat at that awesome-..."

"You will not, Lord Zishang. Go attend that war meeting right now, and I'll go reserve two seats." She grumbled out, half resigned and half amused at how his eyes lit up.

"Fine fine..." She accompanied him to the meeting room, bowing in apology. "My apologies, Master Sima Yi. I will be taking my leave now."

Sima Yi didn't have a cold smirk or a sneer, but instead a measuring glance and a half smile on his face this time. "I see. Zhao, sit."

She bowed out and left, fondly shaking her head at the sleeping sight of Zhao.

"So...Zhuge Liang is dead...Now there is no one, who is worthy of being pitted against my intelligence?" A resigned sigh came from Sima Yi, as he coolly gazed at the armies of Shu.

"What do you mean, father? Should we not be happy the greatest obstacle to a united land is gone?" Sima Shi was a bit puzzled.

Sima Yi didn't respond, but instead gazed at the sky. "But now, the wars will oh so be boring..."

Zhao rolled his eyes, and leapt to his feet. "I don't see what's the matter...boring just means less work to do."

Yuanji deadpanned. "Only you would think so.."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

The father and the eldest sibling rolled their eyes at the typical back-and-forth response between the duo, with Sima Yi coughing to interrupt. "Zhao does raise a good point though...At least cleaning up these imbeciles will be far easier without Zhuge Liang."

The four mounted their horses and prepared to charge and crush the army of Shu.

After the subsequent crush of Shu's main army at the Wuzhang Plains, Sima Yi had quietly retired along with his wife, and Sima Shi was quickly 'nominated' as the Chancellor and Commander.

There were a number of revolts, fools and imbeciles who thought they could take advantage of undermining Shi's position. The brothers had quickly suppressed them with ease, although it left Sima Shi with a blind eye as a surprise arrow had took it. Guanqiu Jian had been hanged for his crimes, but Wen Qin had escaped to Wu.

"Lord Zishang...Zishang...Zhao!"

Broken out of his musings, he blearily looked at Yuanji who was glaring at him.

"What Yuanji? You broke me from a perfectly good daydream..."

Yuanji huffed and glared at him. "I will be in the surprise strike force. Zhong Hui will lead the attack from Chang An into Han Zhong, while Deng Ai will attack from Jing into Jiang Cheng. Apparently you will be in charge of the supplies."

He sheepishly rubbed his head. "Ehehehe...thanks, Yuanji. So, who else is with me?"

"Jia Chong. I'm going to be taking a jungle pass that leads us straight into Hu Lao Pass, where we will all gather and have the final fight at Cheng Du."

"Alright...now, I heard there's a really good dumpling-"

"No. You will go bring your striking sword to be sharpened first, then you can have those dumplings."

He moodily grumbled, but nonetheless did as she ordered, a faint smile playing on her lips with every step he took.

The three pronged attack had worked splendidly, and now the main force of Shu was separated by Chengdu as the remaining Shu forces made one last stand.

"Give up, you dogs! Return to Chang An and I might consider not killing all of you!" The shout came from Guan Suo, wielding a replica of his father's moon-cleaver sword.

Deng Ai snorted, not impressed and began dueling him with his drill. The Jin forces were forcing the Shu back, until a large bang reverberated through the battle field and a force from the North had started butchering the Jin.

And at the forefront, Yuanji saw..."Zhong Hui!?"

The reedy, high pitched voice tinged with arrogance mocked her. "Hmph! Without Master Sima Yi, Sima Shi and Sima Zhao are nothing but dogs on a leash! Even Sima Yi must bow down to me, the chosen one from the heavens."

Wang Yuanji gritted her teeth at the completely unexpected betrayal from Zhong Hui. She knew that his greed and ambition would drive him to betrayal one day, but never would she thought it would be so soon. Coming to a decision, she called out to Deng Ai. "Continue to press Shu! If we take Cheng Du, all is over!"

Deng AI grunted in the affirmative and began rallying his forces. The loyal Jin forces began to fight back against their traitorous counterparts, but she knew it wasn't enough. If she took down the figurehead, the infighting would stop and they could refocus back onto Shu. Having made her decision, she readied her knives.

"You know, my lady. I always knew you were smarter than most. Why don't you join our side, and abandon that good-for-nothing Sima Zhao?"

She had never said it, but his voice always wanted to make her kill herself. Readying her throwing knives, she coldly rebuked him. "My loyalty is to the Sima and Wei. I knew you were gifted, but arrogance has blinded you."

Zhong Hui erupted to laughter, his hungry eyes glinting. "Well, I've always wanted to take you down a peg or two, Lady Wang Yuanji. Maybe if you become my concubine, then I'll teach you a thing about respect or two!"

The two clashed, the four flying swords against near infinite throwing knives.

Zhong Hui almost lazily blocked all of them with two, sending the rest to stab her. "Really now? Is this all Lady Wang Yuanji can do?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Deng Ai, the normally gentle giant in anger at how Zhong Hui was pressing her, but she called out. "Take Cheng Du, Deng Ai! I'll be fine!"

Deng Ai simply nodded and directed his force into charging the castle, intent on ending this as soon as possible.

Guan Suo's corpse was on the ground, already dead.

Zhong Hui simply leaped from his horse and directed his blades with an ease of talent, skill and precision that Wang Yuanji was disarmed in a matter of moments, as the blades had impaled both legs and pinned her by the sleeves of her jacket, leaving her sprawl-eagled on the cold, marble floor.

Wang Yuanji for the first time in her life, was terrified beyond belief. Death was one thing, but to be used as...as this, was...

He grinned lecherously. "You've always had my eye, my lady, but there was no chance. Oh, Sima Zhao guarded you well, well indeed."

Wang Yuanji mustered her courage to ask one last question, before she resigned herself. "What do you mean?"

He laughed heartily. "That Sima Zhao was a sly dog, keeping you all to himself, using his father and brother. Otherwise, I would've claimed you for myself a long time ago."

"You mongrel!"

Despite her situation though, she felt herself blush at the thought of Lord Zishang casting a protective shadow over her.

His blades quickly tore her outer jacket to shreds, as she was only left in her white under-top. Zhong Hui's lips thinned in anger at her last remark, and he grinned maliciously.

"I'm afraid we can't spend much time together, my lady, but seeing as you'll be dead anyway-"

That was as far as he got before his eyes widened and he jumped back to avoid a ball of fire that would've incinerated him.

"The only dead one will be you, Zhong Hui."

Sima Zhao had appeared, and his ever present grin was gone, with his bangs covering his eyes, and a complete blank look on his face. Incredible pressure exuded from him and Wang Yuanji was once again, forcibly reminded of who actually stood in front of her. His iron-laden will roared into physical existence, as Wang Yuanji felt her breath left her, even though the target of his ire wasn't her.

Sima Zhao wordlessly unclasped his jacket and threw it onto Yuanji, covering her. And for just a second, the force that he exuded disappeared as a familiar grin hung on his face as he looked back at her. "I'll be just a second, alright?"

Without waiting for any reply, he charged at Zhong Hui, who charged him as well and a flurry of dancing blades began.

Within six rounds, Zhong Hui was slain, his head rolled off.

Sima Zhao turned to the infighting between the Jin Forces, who had all but stopped to see the bout between him and Zhong Hui. He raised his sword into the air and pointed at Cheng Du, and no more words were needed to be exchanged.

Without fail, each soldier of the Jin had been united again, and all charged at the Shu.

Sima Zhao paced nervously in front of the medical tent, with Sima Shi and Deng Ai calmly onlooking his state.

The doctor finally emerged, wiping his sweat from his brow. "Lord Sima Zhao, she is safe. But she will need time to recover and she is sleeping right now to deal with the traumatic stress."

Sima Shi interrupted him, a smile dancing on his lips. "Thank you, doctor. Now rest."

The doctor quickly nodded and left. Sima Shi gently patted Zhao on the shoulder. "Hey, Zhao. Relax..."

Zhao let out a heaved sigh. "Yeah, I know...But why did Zhong Hui-"

Shi frowned. "It was a mistake on my part. I did not know the Kirin Jiang Wei was so skilled with words...I would've reconsidered sending him as the commander. He could've been useful for some more time."

Zhao really wanted to complain, but he would only really complain to one person and that was not his brother. "Whatever...Have you dealt with Liu Shan yet?"

A bloodthirsty smile appeared on Sima Shi's face. "Political Hostage. I will send you and Yuanji back to Chang An as soon as possible. Do not worry, Zhao. She is strong."

Zhao ran a hand through his messy locks. "Sure..."

Sneaking into the medical tent, he smiled at her sleeping face. Those blonde locks, framing her face as her lips were parted with every breath she took was the epitome of gentleness, and as she would say, peaceful.

"Hey, Yuanji..."

Seeing no response, he decided to continue on.

All those years ago, when she had boldly proclaimed that she would follow him no matter who he was in the end, a faint feeling had stirred up in his heart.

He didn't know if she felt the same, but the battle in the day had shown him the truth. He loved her.

And somehow, he didn't really mind caring for one more person, outside of Shi, Father and Mother. It...she was worth the trouble.

"You really scared me today out there, y'know? When I saw you getting stabbed by those flying blades, my heart roared for that asshole's blood...I really think it's the first time I've been worked up by something...even surpassing before when we had our spats. I don't know about ya, but remember the talk we had ages ago? I still remember it like today."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a fond glint in his eyes. "Honestly, only you can make me feel like this, Yuanji...guess you know what I really want to say after all this, heh."

Ending his small monologue, he gently stroked the cheeks of her face before leaving.

Little did he know, that Yuanji was actually awake and her heart beat extremely fast with every word he said, and it took every inch of her composure and will to continue to listen on his heartfelt speech instead of bursting out like she wanted to.

It was the second time, that he had truly opened himself up, she realized. The first time in the meadow, where she saw everything through his eyes.

And this was the second time, where he opened his heart up.

Zhao grinned at the form of Wang Yuanji, who was stuck hobbling around. "Hey, Yuanji!"

"Lord Zishang." She blushed, embarrassed at her own image "Please, do not comment on the state of me right now."

He shrugged, running a hand through his messy locks. "I'm sorry that I-"

Wang Yuanji simply shook her head, a fond smile dancing on her lips. "You saved me, Lord Zishang. A debt I can only hope to repay."

He scratched his head nervously. "Ehehehe...well, let me take you out to this great place then? I reckon we deserve it after everything"

"Oh? So you're finally not going off by yourself, but actually being polite? Very well, then." Wang Yuanji hid a smile at the flabbergasted look of Zhao.

"Wait, wait what! You're saying that if I had asked, you would've come with me every time!?"

"Who knows, Lord Zishang. But please, remember your duties first." She mysteriously quipped back, leaving Zhao to look at her incredulously.

"No! Do you know how many great places we could've gone if you had told me that!"

Another few years had gone by, and the final confrontation between Jin and Wu was just on the horizon.

Sima Shi had appointed Zhao as the grand commander of the attack, and in every meeting, Zhao had disappeared every single time, leaving her to delegate each task.

Finally, before the day of the attack, she found him lying in the meadow, looking at the blood red sun.

"Yuanji..."

She wordlessly flopped to his lying form, sitting down. She would never understand his desire to just lie in nature, but spending so many years with him, the sight of nature immediately soothed her as well.

Wait...was that his intention as well? So she wouldn't get as angry as him as she would be!?

Paying it no mind, she just calmly sat by Zhao.

Zhao was the first one to break the silence, muttering in a dejected voice. "I'm scared, Yuanji...of this responsibility. Sixty-eight thousand troops. That's sixty-eight thousand lives I'm in total charge of. It was nothing when I was with Shi, but now. I'm scared. I might shatter...with each life that is lost...and I'll break."

Yuanji was alarmed in a part of her heart, but she pushed on. "Remember the vow I made years ago, Zishang?"

Without waiting for his reply, she fondly repeated the vow, word for word with a smile dancing on her lips. "No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."

Sima Zhao looked at the woman that had been by his side for...almost a decade now. In this long time, she had truly been by his side, every time.

And now, that smile, positively matching the sun in its radiance and warmth, was directed at him, equal parts understanding and support intended.

Suddenly, he laughed, clutching his stomach in mock pain as Yuanji raised an eyebrow, calmly observing his laughing state. "So, you've known all this time, huh."

Wang Yuanji felt her lips twitch. "Does it matter?"

Sima Zhao, despite himself, felt a heavy weight gone from his heart and a half smile came to his lips. "Nah, I don't think it does."

Wu had almost surrendered immediately once the invasion had started, and the land was truly unified under the banner of Jin.

Sima Zhao had stuck around to see Shi take charge of the Imperial Court, but on this grand day, where he was about to be crowned Emperor, he had sneaked out through the gate.

"So, where are you going, on such an important day?"

Or...that was his original plan.

"Yuanji...how did you know?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking when she put her hand on her hips and mock sighed.

"Because you never change."

He merely grinned, his worries abated...for now.

Peace was here, no matter how short it was, and he could freely spend his days wandering around, free from the shackles of which his family bound him in and his own personal desires.

A gentle voice interrupted his musings, as the owner mounted her own steed. "So, let's go."

And in a very long time, Zhao was stunned. "Eh?"

Wang Yuanji raised a dainty eyebrow before smiling fondly at him. "If you don't catch up, I'm going to eat at Luo Yang by myself, Lord Zishang."

With a mighty 'Hyah', her horse galloped into the distance, as he gaped at her disappearing form.

Running a hand through his own hair, he let out a resigned sigh before smiling with a renewed vigor, and mounted his own steed to follow her.

Hi guys!

Like Archer, this is a pet project for me, it was done in a single day. It's just a one shot, but will be the first of many ones.

When I was watching Archer play Dynasty Warriors 8, the Jin cutscenes between Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji were simply astounding and really tore into my heart, as it kind of resembles what me and Archer have. (That lazy asshole...)

But there's no way he can be that lazy, so I turned his lackadaisical attitude into something cunning, that serves two or more purposes at once.

I hope this first one was to your liking!