Masu, Salazar

[Sal]

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CASE FILE: Ex-Homonculus/Chimera {Pirate}




"بابوري رايح رايح . بابوري جاي

بابوري محمل سكر وشاي"

((Translation: My boat is going, going, my boat is coming;
My boat is carrying sugar and tea.))

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FULL NAME:

→ Salazar Masu

AGE:

→ 12 13 14

SEX:

→ Male

BIRTH PLACE:

→ Unknown

RACE/SPECIES:

→ Half Ishvallan, half Amestrian, Cat-Rabbit-Fox Chimera


GENERATION:
→ Two

DATE OF BIRTH:

→ September 24, 1998

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HEIGHT:

→ 137.16 cm 154.94 cm / 5'1"

WEIGHT:

→ 44 kg 49.89 kg / 110 lbs

PICTURE:

→

Spoiler:

DESCRIPTION:

→ Salazar has clear features that come from his Ishvallan heritage, despite the fact that he is half Amestrian: his skin, eye, and hair color. It’s as though he doesn’t have a sliver of Amestrian in him. In fact, at first glance, most simply assume that he prefers to speak Ishvallan over Amestrian, simply because of his appearance. Sal’s accent doesn’t help, but it has let up slightly since he first learned to speak the latter, which is an accomplishment that he’s proud of. Luckily this hasn’t led to a decrease in his ability or willingness to speak Ishvallan, but has led to his increased willingness to learn other languages. On the other hand, his physical structure is slightly unnatural – but more about that later.

His long, snow white hair appears unkempt, though the messy look of it could be attributed to the layered cut. It reaches halfway down his back, which gives him a more androgynous appearance. Wind-swept bangs tease his forehead, though they used to tickle his eyelashes. A thick section of hair drapes along the right side of head, the tip barely past his chest. On the left, short strands seem to act as a frame for his round face. This is a look that has held up, almost hair for hair, for the past (almost) two years. One can immediately see that this boy is not solely human, however, as soft white cat ears are positioned atop his head, their pink, almost leathery skin being the only deviation from the white of his hair. A long, graceful tail, also white in color, waves gently around his legs. It originates from just above his rear, his tail-bone having extended beyond that of a human’s. Despite the unnatural nature of his tail and ears, they move quite naturally, as though he had been a cat-boy his entire life.

Despite his age, his jawline appears to be strong and sturdy, befitting a young man in his position. His face is, like the rest of his body, coated in smooth, brown skin. Not a single blemish is visible, and though he has yet to even see a single zit on his chin, there’s no telling how long it will be until he does. His subtly round nose compliments the shape of his face, and his eyes have sharpened, now holding a certain shine that denotes an increase in maturity. No longer does he have the aloof, naïve appearance of a child, but carries with him the atmosphere of someone that has matured beyond their years. The eyes themselves are a bright crimson, with two distinctly different pupils. While his left pupil is round, his right is slit – assumed to be the consequences of the chimera’s creation, yet a cat’s eyes are not always menacing. While one of his most interesting and traits, it is one of his most physically defining. His spine is more flexible than most humans’, as is the rest of his body. He can comfortably move around on all fours, even if it looks a bit…odd.

A young man that used to be rather short has now experienced his first growth spurt, growing close to 20 cm in height, yet putting on a mere 6 kg. While he’s not muscular by any means, it his combat experience is apparent in the way he carries himself: perfect posture, with a back so straight one would think he was pulled out of a fairy tale. Yet he treads lightly and carefully, making no wasted movements. A slight swagger and bounce can be detected in his stride, but they’re subtle, unlike the way he used to appear as though he were skipping 24/7. The beginnings of puberty have taken their toll on the young Ishvallan’s voice – it has noticeably deepened, yet he still experiences cracks in his voice every so often. Regardless, his experience dealing with the military has caused him to develop better communication skills, making him seem much older and more mature when the situation demands it.

Contrary to the simple attire he once donned, his wardrobe selection has seemingly matured with him (and that’s not just because he’s gotten taller). No more simple t-shirts and baggy jeans. He’s amassed a good selection with plenty of variety, ranging from casual to formal. While he still wears jeans when dressed casually, they are well-fitted. Other times he will wear denim capris or shorts, depending on his choice of footwear. Gloves, particularly fingerless gloves, have become a staple of his wardrobe, as has footwear that is higher than his ankles. His formal attire has much less variation, as it consists of two kinds of clothing: suits and traditional Ishvallan clothing. Of the two, he will choose the suit more often, but will wear the other on occasion, as well.

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PERSONALITY:

→ It’s been said that people change, but more often than not, that’s meant to be applied over a fair amount of time. Then again, sometimes that span of time is condensed, the change happening rapidly as a result of a number of events that work together to re-shape an individual. One example of this is the boy standing before you. Yes, that seemingly innocent Pirate Captain, whose appearance has only changed slightly, has undergone mental changes that surprise even those that know him well. Of course, these changes aren’t as drastic as the context may make them seem, but they are certainly significant.

Where once was a self-conscious, shy boy, now stands a confident, outspoken young man. No longer does he limit himself to only the most important words and phrases, regardless of whether he knows the individual in question or not. Age is simply a number to him now, not a source of intimidation. There was a time where he would change his behavior around those older than him, particularly if they were adults, but he has gained entrance into the formerly estranged world of grown-ups, where the men and women of the world partake in more important discussions. Talk of wars, alliances, treaties, and other topics beyond the scope of a young child’s imagination are now common ground, even for him. His grasp on the language of Amestris has been a catalyst to this change, and has sparked in him a curiosity for other languages. Languages he would not have known the existence of had he not taken it upon himself to lead the Pirates. He has even embraced bits of traditional Ishvallan culture, though mostly in the realms of attire and color choice. Perhaps someday he will delve into all the culture has to offer, but for now, he is at a happy median, with no pressure presently pushing him to any extremes.

He has learned, over time, that good manners – no, impeccable manners – will get a man far in life, even with his enemies, and that is motto by which Sal has decided to start living. This is particularly true when he is dealing with people he has just met, as he would rather make more friends than enemies. In fact, he will always introduce himself formally, whether he meets someone in a formal situation/setting or not. Said introduction will typically include bowing slightly, or, in more casual situations, a gentle dip of the head with the removal of his hat, should he happen to be wearing it. With regards to persons of authority, or more specifically higher political standing, or military personnel, he makes sure to address them properly, with rank and last name, unless he knows them personally and is talking to them in a situation that allows for relaxation of formality. Of course, his hope is that he’ll make a good impression on others in this way, as he still feels that other’s opinions do matter when it comes to the way he behaves.

Despite the fact that he has matured greatly, he still holds on to his playful side, and enjoys a lot of the same games he did before (i.e. tag, hide-and-seek), with the addition of a good sparring match. Though he is opposed to unnecessary violence, he feels that practicing one’s combat skills is important, especially if the individual plans to be involved in situations that could turn hostile, or situations that will most definitely be dangerous. He still finds entertainment and amusement in some of the simpler things, such as going out for ice cream or going to the park, but wishes he could find more time to do these things, especially with a certain Xanthus Icarus. While he holds on to his playful side, he is very capable of being serious. In fact, he usually takes things very seriously, as neglecting to do so lead to unpleasant consequences in the past, which he prefers to avoid. It’s this fact that has led to an increase in his credibility as the Pirate captain and as a political figure. His own level of seriousness has allowed the public to take him much more seriously, especially since he approaches his work with as much enthusiasm as any high-ranking military officer should.

One notable difference that has come about from his growth is his attention to detail. More specifically, he is much more attentive when it comes to his surroundings, which includes the people around him. He is very thorough when looking over the faces in the crowd, a tactic and skill he has developed while hunting down rogue thieves and the like. It’s quite difficult to slip past Sal without being spotted. Not only that, but he is much more attentive to weather patterns as well as the happenings of Amestris as well as the world, though this is mostly in terms of politics. This is a very useful addition to his skill set that he not only takes pride in, but will not hesitate to point out. His enthusiasm for learning has also contributed to this, as he takes time to learn as much as he can about people and places, whether it’s through reading or through experience.

Interestingly enough, another thing he hasn’t yet been able to let go of is his love of sweets. Though he loves all sorts of candies, pastries, and the like, his absolute favorite treat is doughnuts. Any and all types of doughnuts are welcome, of course, but especially the regular glazed ones or any that have chocolate. No matter where he goes, he always needs to make sure he knows where to get the best doughnuts, and, of course, some good chocolate milk to go with them. Plain milk is alright, but chocolate is the best when it comes to doughnuts. Don’t try to sell him a bagel instead of a doughnut, though, or you’ll regret it…

Of course, he’s also one of the most lovable people you’d meet. Though this is partially due to his animal DNA, he’s quite the cuddle-bug. Hugs, snuggles, cuddles, you name it – he loves it. He also behaves a lot more animal-like rather than human-like in these types of situations, but he doesn’t even realize it himself. If told about this, he simply shrugs it off and dismisses it, either forgetting about it or denying most of his connections to his animal DNA. His cat naps, however, prove otherwise.



LOVE:

→ Milk, , candy, autumn, animals, food (in general), doughnuts, eating, apple juice, sparring, parkour, free running, doughnuts, Xanthus Icarus, Ogihci Masu, Secundinasci Invidia, Shula Brighton, and did I mention doughnuts?



HATE:

→ Outright dishonesty (though just avoiding the truth, he can do), unnecessary violence, misunderstandings, loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, lightning, extreme heat, cold, hungry, being away from Xanthus for long periods of time, being stuck in one place for long periods of time, , free falling, flying

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HISTORY:

→ Salazar was born to two parents, as most children, but they were too self-absorbed to care for him. When he was only a few weeks old, a group of traveling merchants passed by where his biological parents were living, and before they left, he was snuck into one of the bags of the merchants. They discovered him a few hours later when they heard crying coming from close by. It was muffled, but it was clearly coming from amongst them. It was shock enough that they found a child in their luggage, but the fact that he was so young made it even worse. Unfortunately, they were never able to locate his parents, so they took it upon themselves to act as his family. Since they were mostly comprised of Ishvallans, that was the main language Salazar grew up learning. His mother figure was a Xingese woman, named Jie Huan. She was older, having children that were already adults themselves, but she was still very much capable of raising him. She made sure he ate well enough, and during his infant years, she focused on supplying him with milk that would provide all the nutrients he might need.

His name, “Salazar”, came from the sounds he would make before he was capable of forming words. He would communicate with certain sounds, and the most frequent pattern of them was more accurately “zaazzaa”, but the merchant group thought it sounded very much like the name Salazar. Thus, he was named.

As he transitioned into his toddler stage, he became very curious about wildlife that he encountered. He would always get into trouble when the adults caught him trying to catch wild creatures or touch dangerous vegetation. It was during this period that he came to realize the different faces around him: Ishvallan, Xingese, and those who might be in settlements they crossed. At one point, they encountered an Amestrian alchemist in the desert. He seemed very fragile, despite his young appearance. Though Salazar may have forgotten some name along the line, he remembers how good it felt to have a family. He grew attached to them, and he never even thought about the fact that it wasn’t his biological family. As time passed, he began to notice it more and more, but he didn’t question it.

By the time he was 8, he was becoming an able salesman, and he was good with mathematics. Although he felt very proud of his feats as a young salesman, he noticed that Jie Huan was looking older and less lively than before. In addition, they traveled less and less frequently, to accommodate her needs. A few months later, she passed away in her sleep, but with a smile on her face. The others found a small note under her pillow, in which she stated that it was about time they told Salazar about his real parents. Gilles, the alchemist, was reluctant to agree with it. When he found out about her passing, Salazar became less social, and he was the last person to leave her burial site.

Salazar suddenly seemed more mature than his age would dictate, and at 9, he looked more like a teenager than a young child, because of the way he carried himself when he walked. This transformation came about rather quickly, and though he was short, his intelligence compensated for it. Gilles approached him during one night, while Sal was looking at a fox run across his view in the distance. He asked him how he was doing, but Sal replied with, ”I like foxes…they’re pretty neat. They can get by all on their own, without someone else to help them. I think it would be pretty neat to be a fox, don’t you?” He continued to talk about his other favorite creatures of the animal kingdom, giving reasons why he thought it would be nice to live as them, if even for a short period of time.

Gilles, being an alchemist (though not a trustworthy one), had many thoughts going through his head then. He spent most of his time writing in his notebook, but it was all alchemic jargon that nobody else would be able to decipher. A few weeks later, Salazar experienced something he would remember for the rest of his life. Gilles gently shook him awake in the middle of the night, while everyone else was sleeping. He invited him over to look at his research, but of course, Sal understood nothing of alchemy at that point, so it just looked like a giant picture in the dirt. When asked to sit in the middle of the circle, he though nothing of it and did as he was asked. Gilles brought out 3 caged animals: a fox, a rabbit, and a cat. He placed them on the circle with Sal, and told him to relax, that it might hurt a little. Even though Sal should have found this alarming, he followed instruction. Gilles placed his hands on the circle, and then the lines began to light up. Salazar shut his eyes tightly and braced himself for whatever was going to happen, but he blacked out, maybe from pain, maybe from still being tired, or maybe from some other cause.

When he woke up, he was in his tent again, seemingly normal, but when he looked at his reflection in a puddle of water, he noticed that something was different about his right eye. The pupil seemed thin and elongated, instead of round like it should have been. He immediately looked to Gilles for the answer, but he was gone. Nobody knew where he was, and none of his things were there, either. Sal went back to the site of the transmutation, and there it was; it had been defaced, but the remnant of the circle were there, as well as 3 empty cages.

As if Gilles disappearance wasn’t already an even that he would need to handle, the other merchants began too avoid him. Not because of what happened between him and Gilles, because they knew nothing of it; they realized that Jie Huan was right, he should know about his real parents. They didn’t want to tell him though, and so, they (in a way) avoided him. Soon enough, Sal found the note from Jie Huan, and when he asked them about it, they just apologized to him. He felt a deep pain in his chest, having been lied to for so long. When they explained it to him, he turned away from them and just began to run. He ran until he was out of breath, and realized he was in Resembool. It was dark out, and the moon was already high in the sky, so he found an area where the houses formed a dark pathway, and he slept on the ground that night.

Over the next few years, he stayed hidden from most people, and was able to pick up on Amestrian (the language) by listening to conversations, and watching people walk by. His small Amestrian vocabulary from traveling with the merchants was vital in his learning of the language. However, without proper instruction, his grammar was left with holes. After becoming 12, he decided that hiding was no longer going to suffice, especially since getting food was such a difficult task. He helped many people on the eastern side of Amestris, earning his food the honest way, and picking up more vocabulary at the same time, but he wanted to explore Amestris, because he had a feeling that he might be able to find out what exactly was done to him that night when Gilles had him sit on that circle. As a result, he began traveling inland, to Central, hoping to find some answers there…

* * *

Sal spent quite a while in Central. He had encountered a number of people, and they all contributed something to his life. One of them left a rather negative mark on Sal’s history after maliciously assaulting him. After that experience, Sal learned to be careful around alchemists (not that he wasn’t already, considering his experience in becoming a chimera). Yet another one taught him about some important values, and Sal became the so-called Captain of a pirate crew that was based in Central. Said pirate crew only had a few members, but it was still important to the boy. He also began to develop a closer relationship with someone rather important to Amestrian society…Xanthus Icarus, Amestrian militant and Colonel. Sal paid the colonel a visit at Central HQ, and after a rather emotional meeting, it was decided that he stay with Xanthus.

Not long after becoming Xanthus’ little brother, so to speak, the colonel had discovered a Philosopher’s Stone…and promptly made an attempt to hide it from Sal. However, Sal has always been a curious young Ishvallan, and so he sought to have a peek at whatever it was that his older brother was hiding. Upon searching, he found a nice red stone…it looked wonderful and Sal just held it, examining the little red rock. Xanthus entered the room, and Sal, in an attempt to hide what he knew he shouldn’t have had, shoved the stone into his mouth…and Xanthus began to talk to him about something, requiring a response from the chimera. In his panic, Salazar ended up ingesting the stone, and after a long, painful experience, Sal became a homunculus…the homunculus most commonly known as Gluttony. He found that he had become even less human than before, which was in a way the opposite of what he had wanted to do when he first entered Amestris, but now that he was a homunculus, he felt so powerful! This new development of his would have to be kept secret from others, though, as Xanthus so dutifully reminded the boy…

At any rate, Xanthus was being transferred to the North…Fort Briggs. Since Sal was staying with him, he would have to go, too. The only problem was that Sal wasn’t sure what would become of his small pirate crew! He would have to make sure to meet up with them and have a nice chat before leaving Central to establish a few things…

While wandering around North City in the snow, the homonculus discovered an abandoned ship. It was large, and had enough rooms to house an entire crew of people. It could have been considered a mobile inn during its sailing days, but now it was firmly lodged into the frozen earth. As a way to avoid the issue of leaving his Pirate Crew in Central, without a Captain, Sal moved the headquarters to the ship, which he nicknamed "Ole Miss" (not very original, but oh, well). The problem of powering anything on the ship was solved by giving Celesto S. Krow, Striker, the job of supplying the ship's appliances with energy. As time passed, the ship was made much more livable. Crew members had their own rooms, but bathrooms had to be shared. Sal, however, quite enjoyed the transformation. He could travel around Amestris without having to worry about keeping his crew (however small it was) together.

After meeting an Amestrian militant named Murazar Dauthi, Sal managed to secure himself a rather unique weapon: the love cannon. In an effort to find a way to transport it without having to carry it around on his shoulders or back, he swallowed the device whole, and found that he could regurgitate it, completely intact. Although, there was a LOT of saliva covering the thing. Oh, well.

Sal met a few other Amestrian militants, and as a result gained a handful of outside contacts. In addition, he found himself two more crew members: Secundinasci Invidia, his new First Mate, and Ike Harvard, his new Quartermaster. They were very nice additions to the crew, and Sal hoped that they would do some amazing things when the time came to finally make a move on the Fuhrer...although that would have to be put on hold for a while longer.

With the crew settled, it didn't take long for a decent cover to surface: The Jolly Roger Cafe. It was being run by Karis, who happened to be Celes' twin brother, brought into the world by means better unspoken. The cafe itself was very authentic, screaming pirate no matter where you looked, not taking into account the voice that chimed "ARRRRGH MATEY" upon entering. It was the perfect meeting place, recruitment office, and cover all in one. Being Pirates was difficult, after all. That could be seen in the situation that Sal and Sec got into one day: They ended up killing at least a dozen police officers and jacking a police car, using it to get back to the ship. Sec drove, and instead of trying to take his time, sped until it seemed the car couldn't go any faster.

On a visit to Central, Sal got involved with a militant named Nikolaus Stuka, who enlisted him to search for someone or something named "Miss Sparklebutt". They found a couple guys (doing who knows what) in an alley, and the militant promplty interrogated them and then killed them. The child that was present would have fled - and likely blown their cover - had Sal not gobbled him (and the other two bodies) up before leaving that alley. Their next destination was Xingtown, where they interrogated a store owner. The store itself smelled horrid, and after torturing the man, they burned the place down and ran until they reached a little cafe, where Sal ordered some pastries and sat down with Niko. It seemed that the search for Miss Sparklebutt wasn't quite over yet.

After some time in the North, Sal was contacted by Shula Brighton, Brigadier General and the Head of South HQ. She proposed that the crew be security detail for her, under a payroll from the military, but the Pirates would only serve as security for South City and not as an extension of the Amestrian military. There was a general agreement formed between the two parties in the North, as it was decided that the crew would take the General up on her offer, and the crew thus moved to South City.

They had just moved to South City, however, when Sal experienced something that he wouldn't soon forget. He had been in his room, when he first came in contact with Gluttony. The two of them didn't quite see eye to eye, and a physically and mentally exhausting struggle between them proved unfruitful, lasting an entire week. During those seven days, Sal stayed locked in his room, away from everything and every one else. Once the eighth day came around, they mutually agreed to stop fighting over control of Sal's body. From that day forward, the two of them would be sharing, but as a result, Sal would be experiencing and feeling things more from Gluttony's perspective, and vice versa.

This new relationship didn't last long, however. One late night, Sal was visited by a man whose name he couldn't get, but it was certain that it wasn't going to be a pleasant visit. While the visitor didn't say much, his strange voice muttered one thing: "...for my liege..." With that, there was simply no time for the small captain to absorb what was happening- the man lunged at him and forcefully tore the philosopher's stone out of the boy's torso, robbing him of his homunculus status, and leaving him with a permanent scar. If his lack of a belly button wasn't enough, this discolored, lighter-than-normal patch of skin would be a reminder of what he had, what he lost, and that he had enemies that he'd never heard of.

With some of the changes happening around him, Sal has found that he himself has changed, and continues to change. Unfortunately, this change has made an entrance in the form of puberty. Perhaps someone will take initiative and give him all of the necessary "talks" before things get out of hand. On the other hand, he's taken to investing in some weaponry that fits him, and though he also received a rather questionable item from he-who-shall-not-be-named Wolfgang, he has learned how to make good use of them. As they say, changes can be both good and bad, and Sal has yet to experience an exception.

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TRIVIA:

→ Sal has inherited various physical benefits from being a chimera aside from generally enhanced senses (hearing, sight, smell):

1. Significantly heightened agility (Here, agility or nimbleness is the ability to change the body's position efficiently, and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength and endurance)
   
2. Night-vision (in the sense that his eyes are reflective, like a cat’s)
   
3. Increased jump height (The average cat can jump up to five times as high as its tail is long – Sal can jump up to a height of only 6 feet maximum, with a running start, meaning the soles of his feet reach that height. Without running, his jump height is about 4-5 feet.)
   
4. Increased leg strength (from the rabbit DNA)
   
5. Can change direction on a dime (The same way a rabbit runs in zig-zag patterns to escape from predators)
   

→ Stands normally (plantigrade - feet flat on the ground), but runs on his toes (digitigrade).
→ Yes, he purrs in certain situations, including when being pet or rubbed behind the ears, as well as hiss
→ His hair will sometimes stand on end when hostile or when he feels threatened
→ Sometimes maneuvers on all fours, and is especially animal-like when climbing.
→ Though he denies it, he loves cat naps.
→ Due to puberty beginning, he’s starting to experience/explore some new emotions…
→ Fluent in Ishvallan(firebrick) and Amestrian(dodgerblue), but has a heavy Ishvallan accent.
→ He is in the process of learning Cretan(darkorange) and Esparian(deeppink) and has grasped the very basic, most vital phrases and words of the two languages. As a result, he'll only use them if necessary, and is likely to get lost in conversation with someone that is fluent.

Code:

(For copying/pasting into my signature)
[color=firebrick]Ishvallan[/color](Fluent) - Firebrick
[color=dodgerblue]Amestrian[/color](Fluent) - Dodgerblue
[color=darkorange]Cretan[/color](Basic) – Darkorange
[color=deeppink]Esparian[/color](Basic) - Deeppink
Everything has a thick Ishvallan accent.


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ALIAS:

→ Sal


OTHER CHARACTERS:

→ Daemon, Lucas Rosario


CREATOR'S COMMENTS:

→ I was originally going to re-write the history, but the personality and description were really the only things that needed re-vamping, so I only added a little bit. The trivia section also expanded a bit.


CUSTOM RANK:

→ Pirate King

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[Aurelius Schwartz]

APPROVED

Yeah, THANKS Dai. Now Sal lost all his records.

[Sal]

Done~

[Reila Tsukino]

APPROVED

Level three kanseiii~~

[Reila Tsukino]

XD wow Sal you just totally lost Sal............. maybe I'll let you beg me. But for now, he's totally gone.

[Sal]

Ta-Da!

[Sal]

Finished with everything for level 4! :O

[Guest]

{APPROVED}

Welcome back to non-Homunculidom.

[Sal]

Could I get this extended by a couple days? I'm working on it, but I have class tomorrow night and I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish the history by then.

[Iris]

I'll give you a week extension

Archive date is 11/8/12

[Sal]

Done with the re-vamp.

[Iris]

Approved

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