Chapters I Through X - The Synposis

In the beginning, Andrew and Mark are walking along in a forest speaking of small matters that are not elaborated on. Eventually, Andrew brings up the topic of Sephiroth, and Mark replies enthusiastically to hopefully meeting the fabled soldier one day. They are cut short when Mark smells supper in the distance, and goes home for the meal.

After that is taken care of, Mark leaves the home with an object (despite his mother's worrying) and goes back to the forest, where Andrew eventually appears. Mark hides in a tree when he sees Andrew in the distance, who stands by the tree waiting for Mark. After about 5 minutes, Mark taps Andrew on the shoulder with his wooden sword (the object taken from his house) and Andrew hits the tree, causing Mark to fall down from the branches above him. A fight ensues, but not an angry one: the two are training each other to be able to defend themselves if need be.

During this fight we see the differences between the two friends in terms of abilities: while Mark is quick and agile, Andrew is clearly the strongest and seems to be able to think a little straighter in battle. After the fight (which Andrew wins, though Mark does not concede victory), Andrew brings up the topic of Mark's Plane Tour of the Northern Crater that starts the next day. He also brings mention of Mark's long-time friends, Larissa, of which Mark only turns red-faced to. The two share farewells and Mark leaves.

Later on that night, Mark meets Larissa on top of the water tower and attempts to say farewell, but Larissa begs him to stay and forgo the trip. Mark remembers that Larissa does this on every trip he ever took, but still finds it saddens him. He tells her he is coming back, but that still does not comfort her any.

The next day, at the hangar, Mark is ready to go on his trip but is stopped by a tearful Larissa chasing him, begging him one more time not to leave. Mark stops walking, but does not look at Larissa. He gives her a Lion pendant, and tells her 'I'll be back for that' before going towards the plane once more, all the while never looking at her.

Three days later, Andrew receives a phone call from Mark from the plane, but due to interference in the area, the call is disconnected. Some time after that, Andrew goes to watch the news, and is devastated when they report that a tourist plane crashed near the Northern Crater, killing everyone on board.

Three months go by, and during this time, the events of Final Fantasy VII occur. With Midgar destroyed and ShinRa down with it, many people have changed their names to prevent being tracked further. Andrew changes his name to Amarant, but that is not all that has changed for him. Since the death of Mark, he was been in constant sorrow and suffering, though trying to hide it. Exactly three months after Mark died, Amarant goes to the area of the forest where he seen and fought Mark last, and laments at the loss. But then a stranger, clad in black, appears, and utters the name 'Andrew' before collapsing. Confused on how this white-haired stranger could know his 'true' name, Amarant decides to take him back to the house and heal him. Along the way, Amarant stopped for a rest and noticed a small rope necklace on the man's neck, and checked it out. It was one he had only seen on Mark, but due to his appearance, Amarant didn't know what to think.

For nine months, Amarant took the task of caring for 'Mark' as he had fallen into a coma-like state. He told no one of the man's existence, save Larissa, who for the first four months visited every second day, hoping the man would awaken. But as he did not, Amarant requested that she stop visiting, for he seen it was hurting her. She agreed, and for five months, she never visited. At the end of the five months, this man finally awakened, but it was not Mark. He said his name was Tailz, and after Amarant refused to believe that he was no longer Mark, Tailz shoved a knife at his throat. He stopped short of killing him, but the point was made: he was no longer Mark, even if Amarant couldn't accept it. Tailz left Amarant's house to go wherever he pleased that night.

The next day, Amarant went back to the forest where he found Mark, and Tailz soon joined him there. He told Amarant that he had to leave, to search for an object known as The Black Materia. Amarant warned him of the rumours of the Black Materia, but Tailz would not abandon it. It was then that Amarant seen not Mark in the man in front of him, and equipped his claws for battle. Tailz, pleased that Amarant had finally accepted the truth, seemed to cast Sleep on his former friend, sending him into a deep slumber.

Amarant awoke later in the day, alone as it seemed, but Tailz was nearby. He claimed to have combined his blood within Amarant's body, giving him enhanced abilities to fight Tailz in the future, as well as what seemed to be a telepathetic link between the two. After this, Tailz left him alone in the forest. Amarant asked him where he was going, but all he said was, 'If I knew, you would as well.'

    After giving Amarant his 'gift', Tailz left the the forest near Filo-Finale Oril with no true destination in sight. He headed west, though limping most of the way. The blood loss from the tranfusion left Tailz somewhat weak, and around the three-quarters mark of the path to Kalm, Tailz rested in a forest. A few moments later, a swordsman crossed his path, and Tailz challenged him to a duel without offering his name or taking the man's. Rushing at him with a scythe ready to strike, the swordsman was halted by Tailz through some unknown power of the dark man. Plunging an intricate but tiny dagger into the man's heart killed him, and allowed Tailz to plunder the swordsman. After taking the scythe for a staff, a short sword, and trading cloaks with the man, Tailz set out once more. He only went a few steps, though, before he lost consciousness due to the use of his power.
    When Tailz awoke, he found himself on the other side of the small forest, and noticed a small crowd had gathered where the swordsman's body lay. After getting to his feet, Tailz went forth on the moonless night to Kalm. After getting there, he went to the pub and summoned who appeared to be a priest to his corner table. He asked the man where the Black Materia may be found, but the priest simply got up and left. Tailz smiled at this, then stood up and yelled to the whole pub if they knew where that item could be. Silence took the pub until one drunk man said Tailz was crazy for seeking that item. Tailz admitted to this, shortly after killing the man with his scythe. He then left the town and headed west.

    After Tailz left, Amarant tried to bring himself to his feet, but was still weakened by the transfusion of Tailz's blood into his. After a short moment, he fell asleep, to eventually awake in the middle of the night with a deer standing over him. After unsuccessfully telling the deer to move, Amarant swatted the deer and got the first look at his new power, as the deer slid across the ground before hitting a tree and knocking it over. Amarant had enough strength after this to rise to his feet, and he went home to pack for the journey he would undertake. After nearly finishing, Larissa visited him and asked if the man he rescued was Mark. Unable to tell her the full truth, Amarant said it was not, and he was setting out to save Mark, whom he believed was still alive. Larissa was somewhat relieved with that remark, and requested that if Amarant should find him, to tell Mark to see her again and retrieve the pendant he gave to her.
    Amarant left Filo-Finale Oril, and decided that Tailz would most likely use a Chocobo to cross the Midgar Zolom plains and go on to Junon, where one could go anywhere. Swiftly running to the east, he was told by a member of the ranch named Suonymona that a man was found dead under unusual circumstances by Kalm. Amarant concluded after hearing the manner of his death that Tailz killed the man, and since he was still some distance away from the Ranch, he sped towards it. He was quickly stopped though when Suonymona told him that there were no Chocobos available for service. He scorned her for not telling him right away, and left for the west.
    When he arrived at the swordsman's body near Kalm, he was as perplexed as the guards there were, for only a short sword and scythe were taken while 2 katanas and a broadsword were left behind. But Amarant soon realized Tailz took the scythe out of need for a staff, and ran towards Kalm. Just on the outskirts of the town he met Dincht, who told him that a man spoke of the Black Materia and killed a man before heading west. Amarant went to the Inn that night to prepare for the real start of the journey.

    Until the late night, Tailz walked the land towards Midgar with more haste than the day before, for he was feeling much better. But as he laid down to rest, he was attacked by a kid named Silver who wanted to take care of the Killer of Kalm. Tailz played with the boy, angering him each time the boy missed a sword strike. The kid continued to attack by sword, even though he never got close to connecting a hit due to Tailz's immense speed advantage. Eventually, the boy launched an earth attack at Tailz, who easily dodged the first half of the attack. He ran from the second half of the attack, and attempting to misguide the heated pebbles following him, he leapt into the air. An explosion soon followed, and thinking that the Tailz was dead, Silver sheathed his sword and started to leave. Tailz, however, surprised the boy from the shadows and pinned his neck to a tree with his scythe-handle. After a brief introduction, Tailz let the boy down and talked to him for a moment. But when Silver asked Tailz how he got his powers, Tailz left the boy, saying he did not know. Silver mentioned that he coinceeded with one man, and he had another to hunt down.

    When Amarant awoke at the Inn, he soon found out it was 5 O'Clock in the afternoon. Blaming his rigorous pace from the last day due to his 'newfound' powers, he quickly left the Inn and ventured forth, Tailz's tracks towards Midgar. However, along the way, the sky opened up and rained, washing away all traces of his path. Unwilling to just guess a path, for the wrong one would take days to correct, Amarant went to a nearby Temple in the mountains south of Midgar to see if they had seen Tailz go by. The monk, Brother Aarton, said he had not, but asked Amarant to accompany him to see the Head White Mage, who may have heard something. After finding out that she was busy, Brother Aarton offered Amarant a bed and supper for the night.
    During the night, as Amarant slept, he spoke in his sleep about the Black Materia and his friend. Brother Aarton, hearing this, told the Head White Mage. Intrigued by this, she ordered that he be kept under watch and that he not be allowed to leave until she talks with him the next day.

    Still venturing forth towards the Ruins of Midgar, Tailz received a 'message' from Amarant telling him that he was leaving on a different quest. Tailz grew angry quickly and scorned Amarant, warning him of what he may due in his absense. But the yelling fell on deaf years as Amarant chose to ignore Tailz.
    Later on, among some of the rubble that was far-off from the actual city, Tailz tested his powers to see what he could do. After casting a few fireballs and blasting some of the ruins to pieces, he incased some of the rock in ice and shattered in with his sword. But he remembered what Amarant said, and grew angry at his 'friend.' He yelled at Amarant for not following him, for leaving him alone when Amarant knew what he may do. He grew exhausted from the sudden rush of emotion, and fell to his knees. He said 'Do not leave me alone...that is the only time I fear myself.' before sitting down and trying not to think the rest of the night.

    After waking at the Temple, Amarant noticed that he was kept under guard to keep from leaving. Thinking that ShinRa had control of the Temple, Amarant attempted to leave only to be stopped by a small army of monks ready to take him on. Escorted to the Head Mage's room, he spoke to her and was revealed her name: White Magic. After a tense moment with speech about the Black Materia, White eased the tension by revealing her normal 'spunky' tone, which greatly contrasted the cold demeanor she had showed Amarant when he first entered the room. After some more talk, White suggested Amarant accompany her on a trip to the south, a trip that would inform him of the Black Materia. Amarant was undecided at first, and retired to his room to think about it. He knew he needed as much information as possible, but was unwilling to leave Tailz to go on his own path where Amarant may not be able to follow the next time he tries to track his former friend. He did decide the take the trip, and after giving Tailz a brief message in hopes of confusing him, him and White Magic set out in the direction of the Chocobo Ranch.

    After White Magic and Amarant left, a monk named Meot informed two unknown individuals about Amarant's quest to find the Black Materia, or find his friend that was searching for the Black Materia. Not having Amarant's named confused the individuals, for they only got the name of Tailz and it was unsure by the monk if that was the friends name or the man's name who stayed at the Temple. The two individuals mentioned that the news that someone was seeking the Black Materia was much sooner than they had anticipated, and let on that a new plan was going to be formulated. To what ends and how, though, remains a mystery.

    Awoken by a voice of one whom he did not know, Tailz was relaxed a bit by looking at the night-sky. He laid back down and went back to sleep when he was awoken by the sounds of a nearby battle, hours later. Upon observing it, Tailz saw that Silver was fighting the Priest that Tailz had talked to in Kalm. But Silver was already injured when Tailz arrived to watch unseen from a ridge, and he saw the Priest had superiority in battle. The Priest had the ability to fade from view, and then be able to attack undetected. And despite using a strong Wind to try and keep him at bay, and eventually a sword of Fire that also created a defensive shield, Silver was beaten. But the youth would not spare his own life by admitting defeat, so the Priest went for the final blow only to have Tailz stop him with his own sword.
    Tailz and the Priest soon faced off, but a distraction from the wounded Silver allowed the Priest to fade from the view of Tailz. While trying to locate his opponent, Silver stood up and leaned back to back against Tailz, attempting to help him in this battle despite his injuries. Silver was soon knocked out by a punch that was meant for Tailz, but was dodged. Throwing the kid to the side, Tailz resumed his battle with the Priest. Quick remarks and wit followed, as well as injuries on both sides as each fighter voiced their egos and swung their weapons. In the end, the two stopped fighting as a stalemate was reached, though what kind remained to be seen.

    After arriving at the Chocobo Ranch, Ronald (the owner) showed Amarant the hidden Mini Chocobo, a small two- seater jet that the Temples had use of. However, due to a theft the night before, all the extra fuel for the aircraft was stolen, leaving them with just enough fuel to reach Fort Condor. When they arrived there, a rather embarassing scene followed which left Amarant's face rather red for some time. After the jokes and the laughing subsided, they found out that Fort Condor, ran by President Bob, was also hit by the thieves and were very low on fuel, having need for most of it for the back-up generator. After giving what little they could, Amarant and White Mage headed for the city of Junon.
    Along the way to Junon, Amarant thanked White for her attempts at keeping his friend off of his mind. But Amarant admitted that the only way to save his friend may be through death.

    After the Priest had left, Tailz and Silver went about the battle site, quickly cleaning it up so to not draw the attention of the band of Monks Silver had spotted coming this way. After misinterrupting that Silver was Tailz's son, the head Monk was told that Silver was an apprentice he was teaching, and learning from. After the Monks left, Silver was about to ask Tailz why he said that when Tailz told Silver to decide whether or not he would accept his offer.
    After a few hours of Silver thinking it through, he informed Tailz that he would accept the offer, and accompany Tailz. Tailz immediately scoffed the young man, telling Silver that he would not be accompanying, but following the seeker of the Black Materia. Tailz then asked Silver a few questions on himself, and during that time, Silver realized that his Master was wise in more ways than just battle. After the questions were over, Tailz told Silver that training would begin the next day. Silver, after asking what the training would be on, grew excited and practically begged Tailz to show him something tonight. Tailz grew angry at this, and after pushing Silver to the ground, told him three lessons he just learnt. After getting up, Tailz used to speed to approach the Apprentice and grab him by the throat, threatening his very life should he grow that excited again (that was the fourth lesson). Silver, shocked at the great change in the man who seemed mostly kind to him before, said nothing. Tailz then told the Apprentice he would keep watch tonight, and that he would seek some rest.

    After being woke up by White Magic and informed that they were at the landmass she spoke of the day earlier, Amarant seen a crater from the jet they were in. White told him that that was their 'final' destination on the island, then landed a few kilometres away from it. She said she needed to explain many things about the Black Materia before they reached the crater, so it would be the best if they walked and talked along the way.
    During the trip, White Magic told Amarant about Jenova, and how she corrupted the Cetra after she crash- landed on this planet. Jenova infected the Cetra with a virus that turned most of them into violent monsters, then went to the ones not affected and made them her slaves. Under her orders, they eventually crafted the Black Materia, which fused debris in space to form a meteor, and sent it at the earth.

    Tailz could not sleep, but in watching the flames in front of him, he felt content. Eventually, he had to go and get more wood to keep the fire going, and when doing so, created some noise that woke Silver up. After re-entering the 'camp', Silver asked Tailz why he had put the logs on the fire rather than just use his powers to move them. Finding out that he could actually do so, Tailz just told his apprentice that he was powerful, but not lazy. Silver went back to sleep, and at that time, Tailz decided that Amarant should know about him. With words that quickly angered Amarant, Tailz told him the kid not no idea what he was getting into, and that he was young.
    When at last Silver awoke, he joined Tailz in standing on some rubble and looking at the sunrise. For two hours, they did nothing but stare at the sunrise, until at last Tailz descended the rubble and told Silver that he wanted to know about Silver's mind. Silver proceeded to tell Tailz about his past: about how his geomancer powers were unlocked by the force of a ShinRa Solider, how he was exiled but not hated by his home of Mideel, and how he learned to control his powers. After that, Silver asked Tailz about his past. Tailz replied that his past was not important, and that he strove for the future. He then told Silver they must prepare for war.
    Not understanding what Tailz meant by 'preparing for war,' Silver voiced his concern. Tailz told him he was seeking the Black Materia, which at mention put Silver into a nervous sweat. Tailz told his apprentice that there would be opposition, and he would not stop until he found the item. He also told him that 'justice' would not prevail, for he would kill anyone, innocent or not, that stood in his way. Lastly, he told Silver that his free will was gone: Silver would follow any order given to him by Tailz now.

    Awakened by Tailz, Amarant was still half-asleep when Tailz told him of a new adversary he now had. Instantly in rage, Amarant scolded Tailz, who replied by saying that the man he has 'recruited' was young and didn't have a clue what he was getting into. Amarant, now at a rage unseen by him befode, yelled plainly at Tailz, who did not respond. Still greatly angered, Amarant began to actually yell out loud, cursing Tailz to his own personal hell before calming down. White Magic heard this yelling, but did not leave the tent.
    Until about noon, only Amarant seemed awake. He was growing somewhat impatient, for it seemed White Magic was still asleep. In reality, though, White was awake, and trying to decide how best to continue the journey after hearing what Amarant yelled out. Eventually, she decided not to tell him, and after she exited the tent and they took down camp, they continued their journey towards the crater.

    Silver patrolled the area around the site where Tailz had fell asleep, waiting for an enemy to emerge. He thought that if he defeated an enemy, Tailz would recgonize his skills and grant him the power he wished. But as no enemy came into the camp, Silver could not do so. Instead, he practiced his powers by creating an ice crystal and manifesting a flame inside of it, then keeping the two in balance. Tailz startled him, though, and he dropped the crystal. Soon after, Tailz told him to abandon the practice, for it could never be some sort of attack.
    After that, Tailz trained Silver a bit about distraction before deciding to leave the area for another. When quizzed about it, Tailz pointed in the direction of the Ruins of Midgar. Shocked by this, Silver asked why they would go to the 'haven of death', and Tailz responded by saying he didn't know, but he had to go nonetheless. Somewhat regretting his decision to become his Apprentice, Silver followed Tailz after a threat of death, should he not follow his Master.

    While walking once more, White Magic elaborated on the events of Jenova and the Cetra, telling Amarant that she was the reason most of the harmful and destructive Materias (such as Ultima and Comet) were created. She also told him of a Cetra who lived her 'virus' and combated her with others, who could only seal her away in Materia instead of defeat her.
    Then White Magic talked about recent history, telling of the rise of ShinRa, who discovered Jenova's body within the Northern Crater and brought it out for scientific reasons. Initially thinking it was a Cetra, they found that was not true, but continued experiments anyways due to the immense power she had. During the experiments, a young doctor named Hojo impregnated a young woman named Lucrecia. And while pregnant, Hojo injected the baby with Jenova DNA and Mako. Upon birth, the child was named Sephiroth, and after Lucrecia left Hojo, Sephiroth was told that his mother, named Jenova, died while giving birth.
    White went on to tell of the history of Sephiroth, and how he discovered his 'mother' on a mission to Nibelheim. Searching the nearby mansion provided Sephiroth with the truth to his existence, who straight after burnt the village to the ground and killed most of the citizens within it. He then went to the Reactor to free his mother, but was stopped somehow and thrown into the Lifestream, along with the head of his mother. ShinRa, trying to cover up the incident, rebuild Nibelheim and populated it with ShinRa staff. They then got Hojo to experiment with the living townspeople and try to create another 'Sephiroth', believing that he was dead. All they succeeded in was creating lifeless Sephiroth clones, who were barely alive. Then White told Amarant that the tale of Sephiroth does not end there.

    While still on the path to Midgar, Silver confronted Tailz yet again, not understanding why they should go to o the ruine city.so. Tailz did not give him a definite answer, but still kept on walking towards the ruined city. A few hours later, Silver again confronted his Master again, and Tailz 'admitted' that he honestly didn't know why he was being drawn to this place. But saying he was going there to find out seemed to be the answer Silver would accept, and they continued walking well into the night.
    Along the night-path, though, Tailz suddenly felt light-headed, and decided they would stop there for the night. During his sleep, Tailz had a dream/hallucination of a woman who claimed to be his mother. She beckoned him to go, to find his own path, before Tailz awoke. Silver immediately asked his Master if he was alright, for just before he awoke, Tailz had yelled out 'Mother.' Tailz shrugged it off, said it was a meaningless dream, and told Silver to get his sleep. But while patrolling the camp, all Tailz could think about was that woman. 'Was she who she claimed to be...'

    Continuing pretty much immediately where they left off, White finished off the story of Sephiroth. She told Amarant about how he planned to summon Meteor and absorb some of the Lifestream to become a God, but how he was somehow stopped. She spoke of the White Materia, Holy, as well, but knowing little on the subject did not help out much.
    Eventually, they came to the area of the collasped Temple of the Ancients, and White told Amarant that it was here that the Black Materia was sealed, but Sephiroth managed to retrieve it, and eventually cast Meteor. She also told him that Holy did not do what it was intended, for it was too late in it's summoning. Instead, while trying to prevent Meteor from doing any more damage to the world, Holy did more damage in the battle against Meteor. It was only when the Lifestream arrived that both were put to rest and the planet saved. At the end of the conversation, White told Amarant that he must know this information, for it may be the only way to persuade his friend not to summon Meteor. Amarant agreed to this, but knew that if Tailz was anything like the Mark he knew, death would be the only way to stop him.

    Upon waking, Silver found himself with his sword-raised and looking for his Master. But using his speed and tactics, Tailz was able to knock his apprentice's sword from his hand, catch it as it struck the ground away from him, and wield them against the young man. But Silver did not surrender as he used fireballs to counterattack swordblows. Soon enough, Silver launched a fireball straight into Tailz, and with it exploding, waited for his Master to emerge from the smoke. Instead, Tailz threw a sword straight at Silver, who under complete amazement, raised his hand from his reflexes and felt the sword go into his hand all the way to the hilt. Tailz soon emerged from the smoke and apologized, saying he threw the wrong sword. Immediately taking his sword from Silver's hand, he threw the kid's sword on the ground and started walking towards Midgar. After Silver subdued the pain and encased his hand in ice to stop the bleeding, he followed.
    For many hours they trekked in silence, which Silver could not take. After trying to make some small talk, he mentioned the weather and how clear the day sky was. Immediately, Tailz seemed to go into a rage and attack Silver unrelentlessly. However, due to his extreme rage, Tailz's accuracy was off, and Silver was able to dodge most of the blows. After surviving that, Tailz threw his sword at Silver, who used his power over Wind to stop the flying blade and toss it far behind him to disarm his Master. But Tailz did not stop there: after calling Silver a 'traitor,' he immediately tapped into a power unseen by Silver before, and filled the sky with lightning bolts that struck around his apprentice. After taking a blow and realizing how devastating they were, Silver created a large Ice Shield to block the bolts. By the time the shield was created, though, Tailz had stopped the random bolts, and fired one massively large one straight at Silver. He raised his Ice Shield to block it, but it shattered instantly, sending shreds of ice at Silver. It cut him in various places on his face, neck and chest, and some of the ice even lodged in his skin.
    Tailz did not end it there, though. Igniting his lower arms in flame, he attempted many jabs and punches at Silver, only connecting on the first one. But with the heat always surrounding Silver, he could not take much more. After an unsuccesful punch by Tailz left him off-balance, Silver attacked his Master, then raised his sword to finish him off. Tailz saw it coming, and with a punch of fire, broke the sword's blade into two. Too surprised after the event to move, Silver just stared behind him at the broken blade that went flying. Tailz immediately transfered all of his fire into a fireball, and launched it straight into Silver's chest. It drove him back and knocked him to the ground. but Silver was instantly up, though only to grasp his chest in pain.     While Silver sat on the ground in pain, Tailz encased his arms in ice and extended that ice to make two blades, and Silver knew it was now or never he must end the fight. QUickly getting to his feet, he threw his now short sword at his Master, who dodged it easily. However, Silver used his Wind powers to set the sword right back at Tailz, striking him on the back of the neck and rendering him unconscious within a matter of seconds. Too exhausted to move for the moment, Silver rested and looked around for some rubble that would be well enough for cover. After seeing some in the distance, he picked up Tailz and started to make his way over there, getting ever closer to the Ruins of Midgar.

    After leaving the ruined Temple, Amarant and White hiked along the mountains, towards a ridge White pointed out. Once that was reached, Amarant saw a camp of White Mages and Monks, with many of them accompanying it. White told him that it was one of Temples 'mobile research stations.' When asked why they would have one there, White showed Amarant a rock-wall that has glowing emblems of the Sun, the Moon, the Ocean and the Earth. Told that there were of Cetra origin, White told him that this was a Time Lock, and that the 'door' would open sometime the next morning. White also explained to Amarant that they had no clue what was behind the door, and that was the reason for all the monks: most of them were combat-ready, in case a killer monster was sealed behind the rock wall.
    In prepartion for the next day's morning, White sought out the Head Training Monk to train Amarant for the rest of the day, so he would be able to help the next. Eventually, after a long wait, Amarant was introduced to Cerberus, who said he would train him.