//------------------------------// // Final Confrontation - The Truth // Story: Path of Kindness and Blood // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Path of Kindness and Blood - Chapter 10 Final Confrontation Part 2 - The Truth “Greetings, Miss Fluttershy. It is a pleasure to speak with you, even if not in person, but through the mouth of my pawn,” Hawkeye spoke with a half-bow, his voice suddenly different as a grin formed on his face. Fluttershy hissed. “So you’re responsible for the death of my parents?” “Yes, I am, but in the end, their weakness was to blame. They isolated themselves from the rest of the world, healing ponies under their disguises. If it wasn’t for me, you would still be sheltered, oblivious to the true world around you.” He pointed at her. “And now look at you. Making allies, forming a clan at your age, fighting against enemies and facing obstacles with both strength and words. This is the resolve I expect from every pureblood.” “Because of you, I was forced to turn Rarity to save her life, protect fillies from killer plants, and live without seeing my parents ever again. All the innocent thestrals that were serving us died as well… some which were my friends.” The stallion raised his head arrogantly. “You give me far too little credit. I went further than that. I ordered my pawn to lead hunters into the Everfree Forest. I hoped your current subordinate Applejack would attack you and your escort.” He chuckled. “In the end, you went ahead of time and encountered her alone, and even decided to spare her. Losing the support Fancy Pants had offered, and even killing his personal assassin. This I did not foresee.” Fluttershy could see the stallion clopping his hooves in applause as she resisted her desire to attack Applejack’s father and tear his legs off. “Because of your kindness and your parents’ teachings, you made your life more difficult for yourself. You proved that making peace with ponies is more dangerous than conquering them by force, but you also overcame all hardship. You have my respect.” “But why?” Fluttershy dropped to her knees and slammed the ground in her anger. “All the hardships, pain, deaths… What are you preparing us for?” The stallion approached and pointed at the moon. “I assume your parents told you the tale of the two-faced princess, yes?” Fluttershy sat and nodded, now looking between the stallion and the moon. “Did you also hear about the prophecy? One thousand years after her banishment, the two-faced princess shall return and change the world. However, which face will she greet us with? Will it be Luna, who believed that peace between thestrals and other pony races was possible. Or will she return as Nightmare Moon and lead us on the road of conquest?” Fluttershy wiped the tears forming in her eyes and said with hoarse voice, “I didn’t… know of that prophecy… but what does it have to do with me?’ “The answer is quite simple,” he said, once again looking at her with black eyes, filling her with anxiety. “Just like the princess has two faces, the purebloods are split into two sides. One lead by my honorable rival, Fancy Pants, who believes that peace is possible… and yet even he thought that sparing a huntress was a mistake.” He cleared his throat. “I lead the side which believes that conquering Equestria is the only option.” He slammed his massive hooves together and continued, “Not long before the princess will return, both sides will clash with their beliefs on the line. Would those believing in conquest win, I will do all in my power to convince Nightmare Moon to lead us to the victory.” He pointed at Fluttershy. “But would those believing in peace win, we will need a pony capable to bring Luna into the surface, an emissary of peace to assist the princess.” He gestured over the silent friends, whose mouths were closed, but ears catching every word. “And thanks to my efforts, you have a trusted clan who will help you play your part.” Fluttershy's ears drooped. She felt as if heavy weights of responsibility were dropping on her shoulders. Her legs shook at the mere thought of talking with the ruler of the night herself. “But… why did you have to prepare us… at the cost of innocent lives?” “What do you know? You were sheltered by your family, while I was there to witness the banishment of Nightmare Moon, only to hear rumours about Celestia murdering the strongest purebloods one by one to ensure they wouldn’t become a threat. Our kind was unorganized and weak, depending only on Luna’s leadership.” He sighed. “For centuries I have been preparing for her return. I went to great lengths to ensure that purebloods wouldn’t be a band of self-centered weaklings, but a proud race ready to face any challenge, and soon, we shall be united under one goal.” Rainbow Dash decided to join the discussion and flew over, pointing her hoof accusingly. “Big words coming from a coward! It’s easy to put others in danger while you sit on your flank and make others do your work.” Fluttershy spread her wings, ready to protect her friends in case of a violent response. Much to her surprise, the stallion didn’t attack. “I wouldn’t dare to make others face trials if I didn’t do the same.” He looked at Applejack and asked, “Young huntress, I assume you know about the mission where your parents died, trying to kill a pureblood in Manehattan?” The farm mare grit her teeth and took a fighting stance. “How dare ya to even ask? Many great hunters lost their lives. And now Ah see ya turned mah Father into yer slave, you snake!” Possessed Hawkeye raised his head proudly. “That was the test I placed upon myself. I gave the guild clues about the location of my underground fortress in Manehattan. We faced the best hunters they could throw at us and survived. I assure you, I am not a hypocrite.” The moment Fluttershy and Dash landed on the ground, he added, “Speaking of tests and trials, you’ve done well thus far, but there’s one final trial for you to overcome.” He smiled. “Though I am sure you will succeed.” Hawkeye’s eyes flashed in red as a pool of a dark substance spread from his hooves, his body slowly sinking into it. “Where do you think you’re going?” Fluttershy asked as her eyes flashed red. Her hoof slamming into the pool of dark magic, dispersing it. “Do you expect me to let your servant leave? Especially after all the effort I put into defeating him?” The eyes of the stallion returned from red to black as he shook his head. “To be honest, I expected such outcome, however, I cannot let you capture or kill my assassin until your last trial is complete.” He pointed at the empty bottle of blood lying on the ground. “I was prepared however. Providing my servant with a bit of my blood was not just meant to let me talk through his body despite our great distance.” He smirked before jumping towards her. Fluttershy yelped and flinched, just in time to avoid a hoof slamming against her, only to lose balance upon the earthquake that followed. Before she could react, her enemy galloped at her. She braced herself for the impact, but the hit didn’t come. “Are you alright, Flutters?” Dash asked, holding her in her hooves while hovering above the ground. “I’m… I’m fine… thank you,” Fluttershy responded before being placed on the grass. Her friends gathered by her side, all in a fighting stance. The stallion raised his head arrogantly. “You may not face me directly, but even if the body I control is young and weak, it still possess a little bit of my blood. I would suggest you think carefully before picking up a fight you cannot win.” Fluttershy looked at the assassin hesitantly. As much as she wanted to capture him and reverse the effect of brainwashing, or at least imprison him so he wouldn’t pose a threat, two facts she just learned terrified her. He did mention that he witnessed the banishment of Nightmare Moon, which makes him over a millennium old, and yet he somehow escaped the princess’s sight. She gulped. I’m not even a hundred years old, I can’t defeat a servant who drank the blood of a such powerful master. “We have your back, Flutters, just give the word and we’ll beat him up good,” Rainbow Dash said, wings spread and voice filled with confidence. “I believe now is the best time for us to step in,” Rarity pointed out, aiming her crossbow. “Oh… s-sure,” Applejack said hesitantly upon feeling Rarity’s hoof poking her. Fluttershy stepped forward and said firmly, “Like I said before, your servant isn’t going anywhere.” “You are allowing your determination to turn into overconfidence. Have you learned nothing from Sharp Eye’s demise?” Upon not receiving any response, his eyes flashed. “In that case, allow me to show you how tough my strengthened pawn really is.” The moment he slammed his hooves into the earth, half a hundred vines shot out from under the ground, enveloping everypony in a matter of seconds, save for Rainbow Dash as she flew up in time to escape the attack. Fluttershy yelped in surprise as she once again felt restrained. She looked at her friends from the corner of her eye. Ditzy didn’t show much discomfort, however Applejack and Rarity were filled with agony, thorns piercing their skin. “Hang in there, I’m coming!” Fluttershy would roll her eyes at Dash’s comment if the situation wasn’t so dire as she and her friends were now held by vines at least two meters above the ground. Only a moment later, she could see Rainbow Dash cutting their vines from the bottom with silver claws, while evading the ones trying to catch her. One at a time the ponies were freed, Applejack and Rarity landing on their bleeding and shaking legs while gasping for air. Fluttershy flapped her wings, slowly descending next to her injured friends before examining their wounds. This time however, she didn’t have the luxury of time to heal them as she had to come up with a quick plan for a counterattack. *** Hawkeye, controlled by his master, looked at the agile pegasus, who flew at him the moment her friends were free, the grey one following a moment later. He stood up to his rear hooves, bracing himself for the impact as he sent magic into his hooves. Cut after cut, he felt silver claws slashing the surface of his body. With his magic finally charged, he grit his teeth and slammed his hooves at the ground, causing a large amount of dirt and mud to shoot upward, catching the pegasus off guard. Hawkeye smirked as Rainbow Dash was sitting in front of him, her wings covered in mud as she tried to wipe dirt from her eyes. A large vine emerged from the ground by his side, pulsating with a dark aura. “Earth pony magic doesn’t influence just strength and stamina, but the earth itself.” He pointed at the large vine. “Allow me to demonstrate what happens when one mixes a large amount of dark magic with earth pony magic.” The vine kept emerging from the ground until it reached nearby trees, dark crystals growing on the tip of the vine. With one swift swing, three large trees were sliced in half, a demonstration of power that Fluttershy’s strength couldn’t compare to. He could hear Rainbow Dash gulping in panic, easily sensing her fear and picking up the smell of her sweat. “You seem to love flying. You will not miss your legs then,” he said, sending the vine towards the pegasus’s legs. Dash’s pupils shrank as her heart tried to escape her chest, her wings flapping rapidly, but not fast enough as drops of mud were sent in all directions. Much to Hawkeye’s surprise, the hit didn’t connect against the target, but instead left two bleeding wounds on Ditzy’s forelegs and one big slice across her belly. “That attack was strong enough to cut trees and boulders in half. How did you survive?” Ditzy stood on her hind legs and rubbed back of her neck, smiling awkwardly. “My mom always says I’m very tough.” She turned around and picked up Rainbow Dash between her hooves, now flying away from the hostile pony before landing next to Rarity. “T-thanks… you really did save my flank there,” Dash said before pointing at the clearly visibly cut across the stomach while green appeared on her cheek. “I can only… imagine… how much does that hurt.” “Not much actually,” Ditzy responded before wiping the leftover mud from her friend’s wings. “Not much? But it’s an open cut!” “Did you know that during a fight, an ant’s nervous system can shut down all the pain? Some of them can even have their heads cuts off and still keep fighting.” Ditzy chuckled. “My mom said that after crashing a few thousand times, my body developed something similar.” Dash looked to the side. “That’s… something I didn’t need to know.” “Quite the contrary for me,” Hawkeye said and crossed his forelegs. “Testing if she can live while decapitated may be an interesting experiment.” Ditzy massaged her neck. “I’m sorry, but I fear my neck may be too hard for your vine to cut.” “Is that a challenge?” “M-more like a personal opinion.” Hawkeye placed his hoof on the ground, causing the vine to rush at the clumsy mare, missing due to Rainbow Dash’s quick save. “Stop giving him ideas, Derpy!” Dash said, holding her between her hooves while hovering above the ground. A wall of vines formed on Hawkway’s right side, blocking a silver bolt from hitting his head. A moment later, another bolt hit the vine surrounded by dark aura, bouncing off while leaving but a mere scratch. “Nice try, but I can sense your movements with ease. The beating of your heart alone is enough to make every ambush useless.” Rarity walked backward, shooting bolt after bolt with little result as she backed away from the approaching stallion. “Applejack… a little help would be very welcome.” Hawkeye’s attention shifted to the farm mare, who this whole time was staring at him. Applejack shook her head to snap into action and charged, silver blades ready to strike. He grinned, effortlessly deflecting Applejack’s blade attack to the side before grabbing the second blade between his hooves, breaking it with strength alone. “I stopped your father’s attack the exact same way,” he chuckled, “and his shocked expression was identical to the one you’re displaying now.” Using the moment of hesitation as Applejack kept staring at him with her mouth agape, he delivered a quick punch to her stomach before throwing her aside. “I am actually having difficulty not killing any of you. You should follow your master’s example and retreat before I will change my mind.” Each pony looked around, only now realizing that Fluttershy was missing. “What’s wrong? No longer so confident without your leader?” “You’re wrong! Fluttershy wouldn’t abandon us!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she landed and shot him an angered glare, Ditzy landing by her side while Rarity helped Applejack stand. “Abandon? After seeing how effortlessly I have been defeating each of you, she wisely decided to accept my mercy and give up on a lost cause. As her pawns, you should follow her example without her needing to foal-sit any of you.” Each pony looked at each other, clearly unsure what to do, their attention shifted back to the stallion quickly though, or rather to the pair of fangs that pierced Hawkeye’s neck. The stallion smiled as he felt blood being sucked from his body, alongside hind legs anchored around his large belly, and forelegs restraining his own. “I didn’t expect such a bold move from you, young Miss Fluttershy. Using a difficult and draining spell like Veil of Darkness at your age to bypass my senses, waiting patiently for me to be distracted.” He chuckled. “However, don’t expect that drinking a bit of…” His eyes opened widely as he was proven wrong, his legs feeling weak, the power and control over the body fading at fast rate. “W-what… you…” In desperation, he swung his head at Fluttershy’s muzzle, but the mare still held on. With a bit of struggle, he broke Fluttershy’s hold and grabbed her foreleg, pulling the mare from his back and slamming her against the ground, creating a crater as Fluttershy’s body sunk into the dirt with a loud thud. Hawkeye grit his teeth as a bolt struck his neck where he was bitten just a moment ago, causing blood to stream from his neck-wound, feeling weaker with each passing second. Upon sensing a powerful aura from around the young pureblood as her eyes flashed brightly with power, he slammed his hoof against her foreleg, crushing it before ripping it off the rest of the body as the mare screamed in pain. Much to his surprise, Fluttershy repaid the favour by levitating her blood towards his foreleg and belly as he felt burning sensation overtaking him, as if covered in acid. Rainbow Dash flew over and slashed his face with silver claws, forcing the stallion to close his eyes and step back, giving Fluttershy time to stand on her three legs. Distracted, he failed to jump back as the empowered pureblood mimicked Applejack’s technique, standing on one foreleg as her hooves struck his large foreleg, breaking his hard bones as if they were made of cheap balsa wood. Upon seeing another silver bolt heading towards his head with his slightly opened eyes, he raised his foreleg defensively, blocking the shot. Ditzy flew at his head, grabbing it in a vice grip while blocking most of his vision. Hawkeye struggled against Ditzy’s strength, pushing her away a moment later, only to see Fluttershy’s second kick connect with his chest. The sound of breaking bones followed as he was sent flying towards the trees of the Everfree Forest, destroying at least three with his wounded body as a large amount of wood-pieces and dust spread around the impacted area. Fluttershy lost her balance and started writhing in pain. *** Rarity galloped over, now looking down at the pureblood in a panic as the very look at the large bleeding wound in place of a foreleg nearly caused her to wretch. “F-Fluttershy… how can I help?” Ditzy flew over and looked at Fluttershy in pity before pointing at what was left from the foreleg on the ground. “Only Fluttershy has the power to put herself together…” Rainbow Dash nodded before grabbing the yellow foreleg and placing it in front of her suffering friend, who struggled to stay focused. After a few seconds as drops of sweat fell down her face, Fluttershy commanded her blood to return into her body, separating itself from the dirt while pulling her foreleg back into its original location. She grit her teeth as her bones merged and recovered. The agony however continued. “I can’t just stand here and watch, we have to do something,” Rainbow Dash said as she lowered her neck to her friend. “Please drink!” Much to her surprise, she was pulled away by Ditzy. “She doesn’t need yours or anypony else’s blood. If anything, she drank too much blood.” “What do you mean?” Rarity asked as she glanced occasionally at the location of the impact, making sure the assassin wouldn’t return to attack them. Ditzy looked to the side and said sadly, “Fluttershy didn’t just drink Hawkeye’s blood blindly. She focused on drinking the blood of his master that was empowering him. It not only weakened Hawkeye greatly and empowered her, she also weakened the connection between the master and his servant.” Her ears drooped upon hearing more yelps of pain. She turned her head to see Fluttershy trembling and rolling uncontrollably. “However, drinking even a bit of a thousand plus year old pureblood provided her with power she isn’t used to. Her body is desperately trying to get it under control, causing her a great deal of pain.” “Is there something we can do?” Dash asked. Ditzy shook her head as she pointed at Fluttershy, who a moment ago lost consciousness. “All we can do is take her to safety and keep her safe until she recovers.” Rarity pointed at the location the assassin crashed and asked, “What about our enemy? Should not we give chase?” Dash opened her mouth, but Ditzy spoke first, “After losing most of his master’s blood, his strength will return to normal soon. He’s no longer a threat… not that he wanted to fight us once Fluttershy has proved herself.” “So we should just let him go?” Dash asked. “I don’t know…” Ditzy responded nervously, holding her head in panic. Much to their surprise, Applejack bypassed them and attempted to place Fluttershy onto her own back. “Ah’ll take her to safety.” She sighed. “Ah was useless anyway… it’s the least Ah can do.” Rarity’s horn lit as she reasserted Fluttershy on her friend’s back before standing to her hooves. “Forgive me, but I must agree with your statement.” “...” Rarity glanced at the others. “I will escort Applejack and Fluttershy back to the cottage. You both can search for Hawkeye and try to catch him. In terms of speed, you both… one of you has the advantage.” “Sounds good,” Rainbow Dash saluted. “I trust you both to take care of Fluttershy while we finish what she started.” She slammed her hooves in determination. Aside from positives like strength and endurance, being a big stallion had its disadvantages: reduced agility and more mass for an enemy to target being only one of them. Escaping from danger ending up far more difficult. Fortunately for Hawkeye, the Everfree Forest provided more than enough hiding spots as he now balanced on the branches of a tree, hiding himself in the sea of leaves while waiting for Rainbow Dash and Ditzy to fly by. He wasn’t disappointed though as none of the mares detected his presence. Rainbow Dash’s high speed not being much of use without a thestral’s ability to hear a heartbeat, while Ditzy’s senses proved to be poorly developed. After a minute of waiting for the hunting party to make significant distance, he slowly climbed down, occasionally gritting his teeth in pain. After finally reaching the ground, he walked on three of his legs, limping as his broken foreleg was raised. Each step being a heavy reminder of the damage done by Fluttershy’s boosted kick to the chest. What… happened… he thought while waiting for a response from his master, but it didn’t come. Aside from the pain, he felt a headache strike each time he tried to think about what caused his injuries. The last Ah remember was answerin’ Fluttershy’s questions… no… drinkin’ blood mah lord gave me… and then Ah woke up with a broken rib and foreleg… chased by Fluttershy’s pawns. “Sup?” He turned towards the source of voice, starled. A white unicorn thestral with purple glasses was staring back at him while leaning against a tree, her forelegs crossed. “You don’t look so hot. Seems Fluttershy and her friends gave you a real beating.” Hawkeye grit his teeth. “What do you want? Are ya here to capture me?” Vinyl shook her head and continued in a relaxed tone, “Nah. I know better than to get in the way of manipulative games between purebloods. And Fluttershy asked me to check for traps and ambushes, not to capture you.” She smirked. “Besides, if I wanted to capture you, you wouldn’t be talking with me, but lying in front of Fluttershy’s cottage, tied up in chains and ribbons like a Hearth’s Warming present." Hawkeye took a step back and pointed at the mare accusingly. “Ya… yer Vinyl… Vinyl the Undying! The one mah master warned me about.” Vinyl fixed her glasses and said, “Bingo, though I never liked that title. Now DJ-Pon3… that’s way cooler.” The stallion looked around, making sure they were alone before sitting, giving his legs a rest they desperately needed. “Mah lord said to stay out of yer way. He said that ya were hunted down over a hundred times, and yet ya always got out alive.” The mare blushed. “You flatter me.” She shrugged. “To be fair, when you have a big mouth, you need to be quick on your legs to compensate. After a hundred failed attempts to kill, the hunters just stopped trying anymore.” Hawkeye chuckled, regretting it immediately as he felt jolt of pain in his cracked bones under his neck. “Ah thought it was the other way around, that ya have big mouth ‘cuz of yer quick legs and talents.” “Maybe… makes no difference to me,” Vinyl said, maintaining her relaxed tone. He sighed. “Ah know Ah can’t escape ya, not in mah condition. If you want something, spill the beans so Ah can be on mah way.” “Sure, but first, can I ask your master a question? He’s still in your head, right?” Hawkeye looked to the side. “He… must be pre-occupied. Ah’m just one of many servants in need of his guidance." “Fine by me. How about a question for you instead? Would you be interested in changing sides?” Hawkeye tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Besides him being a jerk, your boss seems to overwork you lately. I mean, just look at yourself.” The stallion glanced at his raised foreleg before looking at Vinyl suspiciously. “Come on and join us, it’ll be fun. We have candies, cookies, and cute little bunnies… literally.” “Do ya expect me to betray mah master?” “Betray is a strong word. I would call it... changing teams because your boss is a real creep,” Vinyl said before standing on her four hooves. “Fluttershy’s clan is very unique, you’re going to have a really good time with us.” Her ears drooped. “Dude… don’t make me beg!” Hawkeye growled. “And why do ya care on whose side Ah fight on? What’s there for ya to gain?” The unicorn thestral approached before taking off her glasses, now staring into his eyes. “Aside from making our dark world a little brighter while gaining a teammate with a sweet flank, I would prevent you from fighting your family.” “Mah… family?” Hawkeye asked before closing his eyes in pain, his headache returning in full force. Vinyl’s horn lit as she levitated up a stetson she appropriated secretly from a closet in Applejack’s home. She then put on a country accent as she spoke, “Yer first daughter, a rodeo pony who followed your hoofsteps and became a huntress.” She replaced the hat with a pink ribbon and performed a puppy-dog stare while speaking in a childish voice, “Your second daughter, the littlest Apple.” She puffed her chest and said firmly, imitating male’s voice, “Your eeyup and nope of a son.” “I… I… I don’t remember having any family... “ Hawkeye said, massaging his forehead with his unbroken foreleg. “Why does it hurt… trying to remember…?” Vinyl stood on her rear hooves and grabbed him by his shoulder, poking his forehead. “Don’t overload that big brainwashed head of yours. Good old Flutters will break your memory locks and help you recover in no time.” Hawkeye pushed the thestral to the side and said firmly, “And how can Ah be sure yer tellin’ the truth?” “Do these eyes look like they can lie?” Vinyl asked, once again using her puppy-dog stare. Stallion frowned. “Should Ah assume yer tellin’ the truth, Ah still have one request from mah master. Refusing to test yer mistress one last time means mah death.” Vinyl placed glasses back onto her muzzle and asked, “Then how about joining us after your task is over? Doesn’t seem your boss would care much if you left once you’re done.” “Yer mistress would rather kill me after her last trial,” Hawkeye said with a roll of his eyes. He carefully placed his foreleg on the ground, testing if it had healed enough to support his weight. “Nah,” Vinyl said with a careless shake of her hoof. “She wanted to spare Sharp Eye. She’ll forgive you.” “Thank ya kindly for the offer, but Ah must decline.” Vinyl shrugged and said in a relaxed voice, “Well, it was worth a shot.” She turned around and walked away. “Wait!” She stopped. “Ah’ve heard ‘bout yer lack of discipline. News of bein’ thrown out from Lord Fancy Pant’s clan travel quickly. Even now, ya don't seem to care that Ah refused yer offer.” “And your point is?” Vinyl asked with an annoyed tone. Not bothering to look back. “Why do ya care ‘bout yer duty or yer clan so little? With yer talents, ya could get more than a nightclub.” He took a deep breath and asked, “Why are ya so different? So careless?” Vinyl sat and asked, “What would it change if I worked harder? Make my clan stronger at the expense of another one? Put innocent ponies in danger?” She sighed and lowered her head. "When I worked for Fancy Pants, I learned that he believes in peace, and yet he couldn't afford mercy on many occasions. Fluttershy on the other hoof faced violence with kindness, but she's too weak and inexperienced to change the world. I prefer to be free and do good deeds in my own way." She then chuckled. "Or it's just an excuse for being lazy. Heck if I know." “And what of the returning princess? The one meant to change the world?” Hawkeye asked. “She’ll either lead us to the conquest of Equestria, turning other races into our servants, or get blasted back to the moon by magical artifacts. Not a fan of either policy.” “And should yer mistress convince her to lead us down the road of peace?” “If that happens, I’ll be there to help them…” Vinyl grinned, “maybe even consider to take it seriously.” She stood up and resumed her walk. “Ah see,” Hawkeye said with a weak smile. “So yer not lazy, but lack motivation.” “Probably,” the mare responded before vanishing into the bushes. “I’ll be at Fluttershy’s. See you soon, and don’t get yourself killed.” Hawkeye took Vinyl’s example and hid himself between the bushes, waiting for his wounds to recover. Without his master’s guidance and after the talk with Vinyl, a seed of doubt was planted in his mind.