Leviathan [Godzilla/Evangelion Fusion]

[Thuktun Flishithy]

The battle was fierce

and bathed the land in great fire.

The Great Ikusagami

and the mighty sea dragon

that reigned over all

of the great and terrible

beasts of the wide world

were the last to stand before

the Golden Serpent.

All the others had fallen,

but the might of both

Ikusagami and the

greatest of all the scaled beasts

combined their might to slay it,

and the land knew peace again.


-A chōka that serves as an account of Ikusagami's battle against Orochi, as chronicled within the Infant Island Fragments discovered by Shinichi Chujo in 1961. Whether or not the "sea dragon" in question is indeed the kaiju known as Godzilla has yet to be ascertained, though other Muuan texts appear to support the claim.

==/*\==​

NERV Medical Wing

Shinji's eyes opened.

The first impression he had was that of light, almost blinding. He winced, but kept his eyes open, forcing them to acclimate to the brightness. To his surprise, there was no pounding in his head, or even a slight ache.

Numbly, he moved a hand towards his temple, then paused. Slower than before, he gently brushed his fingertips against his temple, where the concrete had hit him. There was some bandaging wrapped around his head, but there was no soreness, or even discomfort. He considered peeling away at the bandage, but ultimately decided against it.

As his vision adjusted, he realized that there was an unfamiliar ceiling over him. Turning his head slightly, he saw a lush green landscape, littered with the occasional building or road. His attention was drawn upwards, and with wide eyes he realized that the sky was actually a massive cavern that simulated the effect. Cables criss-crossed the cavern, and he could see carts moving along them.

Was this a dream? Maybe he was still in the car, bleeding out from the wound on his head. Maybe that whole encounter with the alien was just a hallucination, and nothing more.

And yet...

He sat up in the bed, folding his legs against himself. There was nobody else in the room, and he couldn't hear anybody outside.

Where am I?

I do not know, a voice replied.

Shinji sucked in an involuntary breath, and his heartbeat began to quicken.

"It wasn't just a dream," he whispered to himself.

No, it was not. Had it been a dream, you would be dead now.

Shinji once more touched the side of his head, a sense of awe finally creeping in.

You healed me.

Of course I did, the voice replied. I would not have stood by and let a life be extinguished when I could do something about it. Even if it came at great personal cost.

What do you mean by that? Shinji could feel himself growing nervous, dreading the answer.

I used more energy than I had anticipated when I set about healing you, Shinji. Were I to sever the link between us now, we would perish. For the time being, we must be bonded for our mutual survival.

So I'm stuck with you. Shinji closed his eyes. Maybe I was hoping...

I am sorry, Shinji. However, I believe we can make this situation benefit us both.

Before Shinji could ask anything else, the door to the room opened. A blonde-haired woman in a lab coat stepped inside, looking up from a clipboard.

"Good morning, Shinji," she said in a somewhat exhausted tone. "I'm Dr. Akagi, head of Project E. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he replied uneasily, suddenly aware that he was only dressed in a hospital gown. He glanced back at the strange view through the window before continuing. "Where am I?"

"You are at NERV, the organization charged with fighting the Angels."

"Angels?"

"A bit of a misleading moniker, I'm afraid. Think of them as a special type of kaiju. The creature that you encountered was an Angel." She looked back at the clipboard, and a small frown formed on her face. "You gave us quite a scare with that head injury of yours."

"Sorry," Shinji mumbled reflexively.

You apologize, yet you made no offense, the voice asked. Why?

Sorry, Shinji replied, then caught himself. It's... a habit I learned.

An unfortunate one, in my opinion.

Dr. Akagi cleared her throat, breaking the hidden reverie. "Are you all right, Shinji?"

"I'm fine," Shinji replied hurriedly. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed, after what just happened."

The blonde-haired woman sighed. "I suppose it's only natural. It's not every day you have a close call like that. Speaking of..."

She stepped forward and gently lifted the gauze wrapped about his head. "We ran a CT scan while you were unconscious in order to determine whether or not you had any brain damage. Thankfully, it appeared that the wound was only superficial."

She removed the gauze and eyed his temple with a steely gaze, her brow furrowing ever-so-slightly. "And now it's nonexistent. We did give you a regen-induc spray, but I must say that's faster than expected. Any lingering pains?"

Shinji squirmed under the doctor's stare. "Not that I know of."

"Hmph." Dr. Akagi murmured, frowning. She straightened, sparing the clipboard another glance, and headed back to the door. "Your clothes have been prepared in a bin by the bed. Once you've changed, please meet with Misato and I outside."

Shinji waited until the door shut behind the doctor before turning his attention to the bin. He rose to his feet, taking a tentative step forward, then walked towards it and pulled out his clothes. Just as he prepared to remove his hospital gown, however, he paused.

What is it? the voice inquired.

Are you able to see through my eyes and stuff?

Of course; I am linked into your nervous system. There was a brief pause before it continued, as though it were recalling something. Ah, now I remember. Your species has a nudity taboo. It is not that uncommon, I've encountered similar problems with my earlier hosts.

Did you solve that problem?

Yes. Please wait while I cut myself off from your optic nerves. A few seconds passed in awkward silence. Done.

Thank you, Shinji replied, quickly removing the gown and throwing back on his clothes. You can look now.

It has indeed been a long time since I last visited, the voice commented. Everything is... different.

You've been here before? Shinji inquired as he walked towards the door.

Not in a great while. I believe it has been... oh, say a few thousand years. I never had much opportunity to measure your planet's revolution cycle, so I might be off.

Shinji opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Misato and Dr. Akagi were waiting for him, and with a pang of guilt he saw that the former had a very haggard look.

"Hello," he said sheepishly.

"Glad to see you're all right," Misato said, managing a small smile. She straightened, her face becoming more professional. "Do you know why you've been summoned?"

He shook his head. "Nobody told me."

The faintest signs of a smirk formed in the corner of Misato's mouth, something that did little to assuage his fears. "Well, I guess you're in for a bit of a surprise."
​

==/*\==​

The ocean was dark, its freezing depths crushing in on her from all sides, and yet she was safe and sound in a warm bed. She could feel her powerful body glide through the waves, and yet it was not her body. The presence she could sense was proof enough of that. It was old and strong, opening her mind to ages she could not begin to fathom, and it was what truly controlled the eyes she saw through. For her entire life he had remained dormant, barely stirring, but now he was fully awake.

And he was searching...

"Rei."

The presence faded, becoming a small but persistent sensation in the back of her head. Opening her eyes, Rei Ayanami rose to find the commander standing at the foot of her hospital bed. She stared blankly at him, one of her eyes hidden under a gauze pad.

"Yes, Commander?" she inquired in a soft and stilted tone.

"What is your status?"

She rose to a sitting position. "My body has completely regenerated the damage it sustained during the Unit-00 incident yesterday."

The commander made a barely discerned nod of satisfaction. "Good. Continue wearing the bandages for a few more days; we cannot afford any more suspicion at the moment."

"Yes, Commander."

"Dr. Akagi will give you another dose of the gene serum tomorrow." He leaned in closer, the reflections of his glasses obscuring his eyes.

"The secondary part of your purpose has come," he said, his voice lower. "You will be our oracle, who sees the coming of the Leviathan. We must be aware of his position at any given moment. Be sure to not reveal yourself to him."

Rei nodded. "I will not fail you, Commander."

"It is your actions, not your words, that will convince me." The commander turned briskly from the bed and walked out of the room, pausing at the doorway. "The Third Child has arrived."

"I had reason to believe so already; I sensed someone new."

"You will meet him soon," the commander replied. "You may find his scent off-putting. Do not let that hinder your interactions with him."

The commander left the room, shutting the door behind him. Rei stared at the door for a few moments, then laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes. She let the presence dominate her mind again, taking care to hide her own mind to the extent of her abilities. The Leviathan was strong, stronger than her, and she knew that the consequences could be... unpleasant, should he sense her.

The ocean grew darker still as she dove deeper into the abyss. The currents were strong, and she could faintly discern the bottom of the ocean floor...
​

==/*\==​

The Eva Cages

Shinji sat in the entry plug, trying to keep calm as he lowered into the innards of Unit-01. The interior was dark and smelled faintly of blood; he felt as though he was within the cavernous belly of some horrific beast. Anxiously, he tugged at the skintight material of the plugsuit.

"Does it have to be this uncomfortable?" he asked over the commset.

Light flooded the chamber as a viewscreen appeared on the interior of the plug, revealing the rather bored face of Dr. Akagi.

"It has to be," she replied, not even bothering to look up from her clipboard. "Normal clothing can interfere with the nervous feedback you get from the Evangelion and hinder piloting. We had originally considered sending in the pilots nude with some equipment stuck to their skin, so be glad you get the suit."

You want me to be glad when I'm inside this?! he thought to himself, trying to keep his heart from racing.

It had been unsettling enough to see the Evangelion, a monstrous thing resting waist-deep in something that looked like blood, but to learn that he was to pilot it... He closed his eyes again, hoping that it was just a surreal nightmare, and that he'd be away from it all when they opened.

That was when the plug began to flood with a viscous red fluid that reeked of blood, rapidly rising up to his position and submerging him before he even had time to scream. He thrashed in his seat, desperately trying to hold his breath.

"Calm down, Shinji!" Dr. Akagi barked across the viewscreen. "That's LCL. It's a hyper-oxygenated fluid; you can breathe it."

He didn't acknowledge her words; he was far too busy panicking, eyes wide. His lungs were burning now, and he wondered how much longer he could hold his breath.

Calm, Shinji, the voice assured, like a gentle blanket over the mind. Take a deep breath, and know that not everything is as bad as it seems at first glance.

That finally did it. Shinji emptied his lungs of air and breathed in, gagging as the blood-like fluid entered his airways. He took a few more breaths, then began to feel more at ease, if only slightly.

"I feel sick," he mumbled to himself.

"That's perfectly normal," Dr. Akagi replied. "Now, try and clear your mind. We're going to begin synchronization shortly."

Shinji did as told, trying his best to relax as he leaned back into the control chair. He became faintly aware of motors whirring on the outside of the plug, echoing ominously throughout the cavernous interior, and then...

Nothing.
​

==/*\==​

Back in the control room, Ritsuko frowned.

"Odd," she muttered to herself. "The equipment must be malfunctioning."

"It isn't, sempai," Maya replied. "We just did a check this morning."

"What's wrong, Rits?" Misato inquired, peering over her friend's shoulder and attempting to make sense of the indecipherable scrawl of data coming in.

"It's likely a systems malfunction. According to Unit-01's telemetry, Shinji's sync rate is... all over the place."

"What do you mean by that?" A slight frown formed on Misato's face. "That doesn't make any sense, right?"

"It doesn't," Ritsuko said. "He's going from zero, to fifty, to back again, and then to seventy."

After a moment's thought, she activated the comms. "Shinji, I want you to touch each finger of your right hand to your thumb. Can you do that?"

They watched the hand of Unit-01, waiting. One of the fingers twitched, like it was having a spasm but nothing happened.

"Even a Mysterian or Xilien would be able to produce a small sync rate," Ritsuko muttered. "Hell, a Simeon managed to get the sync up to 3%."

She fumbled for a cigarette, but decided against it and instead opted to run a hand through her hair. "We'll run a few more synchronization attempts with Unit-01, then switch to the secondary plug and run a few more tests. The commander wants us to have at least one available pilot by the end of the week due to Godzilla's reappearance."

"It's kinda hard to believe that he's back," Misato said, absentmindedly playing with the cross about her neck. "Everybody was so sure he was killed in Second Impact."

"You must've been talking with the wrong people," Ritsuko retorted. "I minored in Kaijuology before dedicating myself to Applied Metaphysics. He's a marvel in biology; a creature that size should collapse under its own weight, not shrug off atomic weaponry and lob similarly-sized objects over the horizon."

She sighed before continuing. "His appearance complicates things. The Evas were designed specifically to fight the Angels; I'm not sure how they'd fare against kaiju."

"I don't think we'll have to worry about Godzilla, at the very least. I mean, he never really attacked people. Hell, he saved the world a few times."

"What about Letchi Island? Or the fact he always pulverized half a city in his old fights with other kaiju? Even if he harbors no particular grudge against us, he's still a wild animal. All those times he came to fight off kaiju or invaders? Just bestial instinct, nothing more."

Misato's gaze fell to the cross in her hand. "I'm... not so sure about that."

Ritsuko arched an eyebrow. "We're not doing this argument again, are we?"

"Well... during the Third Angel's attack, one of the VTOLs was coming down on me and Shinji. It would've crushed us, but he caught it at the last second. It wasn't by accident, either; he went out of his way to save us."

Ritsuko rubbed her face wearily. "Misato, I don't want to get in another argument about kaiju morality and intelligence; I had enough of those with you. I'll shut up about Godzilla if you will."

Misato sighed. "Fine."

"That's good to hear." Ritsuko turned back to the titanic form of Unit-01, her brow furrowed in consternation. "You don't have to stay for the tests; they'll probably run till late in the afternoon."

"Yeah, but part of me wants to stay and make sure Shinji's okay after all of these tests. I guess I'll see him later, after I finish up with all of the paperwork dumped on my desk." Misato stretched, prompting a wide-eyed glance from Hyuuga, then headed for the doorway.
​

==/*\==​

Commander Ikari's Office

"The Third is incapable of synching?"

Fuyutsuki nodded curtly as he put down his go piece. "According to Dr. Akagi, anyway. She believes that it's simply malfunctioning equipment. Either way, it's troublesome."

"Indeed," Gendo said, putting down his own piece. "Have they run other tests on him and Unit-01?"

"They've run through every test we have available." He paused briefly, considering his next move. "It can't be a malfunction in the equipment. The likelihood of that many sensors failing at once..."

"Is infinitesimal. That leaves another conclusion." Gendo's eyes scanned the board impassively, hidden underneath orange lenses. For the hundredth time that day, Fuyutsuki wondered why he wore them indoors. "We shall move on with the other candidates."

"The next best available pilot is the Second Child, and she's half-way around the world with Unit-02," Fuyutsuki said. "Should we be so quick to dismiss him? It's possible that she might not be able to synch with Unit-01."

"She has shown herself to be an exceptional pilot," Gendo retorted. "Candidates can synch with any Eva, though the ratios might vary considerably. She'll prove far easier to work with than the Third, if what Dr. Akagi says is true. Have her make the request once she finishes procuring the samples."

"Understood, commander," Fuyutsuki said. He paused, then, "Of course, it seems that the Third Child's... issue is the least of our worries, Rokobungi. The Angels we can handle, but what are we going to do about him? Don't give me that vague cypher we use around the old men; I have enough of a headache as it is."

"The less the old men know about our plans regarding the Leviathan, the better," Gendo replied icily. "However, know that at the least, we need not worry from him. He's as unkillable as the legends say, but that shall work in our favor."

"How so?" Fuyutsuki inquired, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"The Scrolls are not perfect, much like what people spout about the public documents. They are merely guidelines; it would be suicidally foolish to take them literally. It's possible, perhaps even probable, that the Angels will prove too much for the Evas. The Arm of God has me most concerned in that regard. But, as demonstrated today, the Leviathan can kill the Angels on his own."

"So, if we fail to slay the Angels, we will be able to fall back on him," Fuyutsuki completed. "You want to have the most powerful creature on Earth as a pawn in your plan."

He shook his head lightly, then put down another piece. "What we will do once the Angels are gone, then? Countless others have tried to kill him, and they always met with failure. What will make us different?"

"It is mentioned in the old legends that God will put a ring through the Leviathan's nose and make him subservient. If all goes according to the Scenario, legend may prove to be fact." He put down one last piece into place, then rose with a slight smirk. "I win again. Your game has gotten sloppy."

"I've gotten old," Fuyutsuki replied, rising as well. "Now, there's one last issue at hand. Major Katsuragi is concerned about where the Third Child is going to live, now that he's been dismissed as a pilot for the time being."

"Have him live with her, then. It might prove fortuitous to have him close at hand, at least for now."

Fuyutsuki nodded. "Very well, then."
​

==/*\==​

Elsewhere in NERV HQ

Shinji stepped out of the locker room, feet dragging across the linoleum floor. Dr. Akagi had continued the tests for a few hours before finally conceding defeat and dismissing him. He adjusted his backpack, noting how it was a few pounds heavier. The scientist had let him keep the plugsuit as a "souvenir", though it didn't really feel like that to him.

He let out a small yawn, running a hand through his hair, still slick from the long shower. It'd taken half an hour to get the LCL out, and it still smelled faintly of blood. He had a feeling it was going to be a while before the scent faded away.

What was all of that about? he wondered to himself. Dr. Akagi was acting like it wasn't normal.

Perhaps I may be at fault for that, the voice said.

Shinji blinked. How?

Whatever an Evangelion is... it seems that the mind of the pilot is important, yes?

I don't know.

Then perhaps my presence in your mind provided... interference, so to say.

Makes as much as anything I've heard. Shinji rubbed his eyes tiredly. It's all so... strange. I feel like I'm dreaming, and I'm going to wake up any moment.

"Tough day, huh?" a voice asked to his side with a yawn.

Shinji turned to see Misato standing in the hallway. The purple-haired woman was equally exhausted-looking, though she seemed to be carrying it with a bit more of a professional air.

"I've discussed your living situation with the comman- er, your father," she said.

"Am I going back to live with my uncle?" Shinji asked, softly.

"Nope," she replied, cracking a grin. "We're going to be roomies!"

A few moments passed as Shinji's sleep-deprived brain processed the information.

"Wait, what?"

Roomies? the voice inquired.

"I've been made your new legal guardian," Misato explained. "We'll be living together for a bit, until we figure out what's wrong with Unit-01. And maybe for a bit longer. Who knows?"

She leaned forward, accidentally giving Shinji a good view of her cleavage. "Don't worry; I'll wait a few days before making my move on you."

"I-I," Shinji stammered, painfully aware of how red his cheeks were.

Misato straightened, giggling. "Oh, you're so easy to tease. Something tells me we're going to get along very well."

She turned, gesturing for him to follow. "Car's this way. I'll drive you to your new home."

Shinji watched her go for a few moments, dumbfounded.

She seems... unique, the voice commented.

I think that's the best way of putting it, Shinji thought.
​

==/*\==​

A few miles from Tokyo-3

This is certainly less a mess than what I was expecting, Ritsuko thought, studying the damage before her.

Compared to some of the battles she'd seen in old history books, the destruction was fairly mild: a few crushed buildings, a scorched piece of hillside where Godzilla's atomic ray had struck, and bus-sized footprints in the streets. Honestly, there were industrial accidents more destructive than this.

Her musings where interrupted when Maya ran up to her, which was no easy task in the heavy NBC suit she was wearing.

"Dr. Akagi, we've found the sample you requested," she said, panting. "We're estimating about a hundred liters total."

"Thank you, Maya," Ritsuko said.

She made sure the helmet to her NBC suit was sealed, then followed her apprentice into the metaphorical thick of it. Already, her suit's geiger counter was beginning to tick, though only a little more than usual.

Sure enough, there was a massive blood splatter over one of the walls of a nearby building, with some having dripped to the street. It'd long since dried into an ugly brown color, but that didn't mean she couldn't get a useful sample.

Reaching into her supply crate, she pulled out a long apparatus with a pincer at the end, and placed it over a thick glass phial. With a squeeze of the trigger, she picked up the phial, then stepped towards a congealed blob of blood.

"Maya, if you will."

"Understood, sempai." The girl picked up a long pole with a scalpel attached. "Awaiting orders."

"Go ahead," Ritsuko said.

Maya nodded, and placed the scalpel over the blob, visibly straining to keep it still as Ritsuko moved into place. It was much how volcanologists took samples from lava fields. Of course, it wasn't heat they had to worry about, here.

"Make the incision now, Maya."

The girl did as told, slicing open the thick 'skin' of the congealed blood. Ritsuko dipped the phial in, then pulled it out. Sure enough, the bright red blood of a king was still inside, having been preserved. With another squeeze of the trigger, the lid was popped on, and Ritsuko carefully placed the phial in a tray.

"To think that's his blood," Maya murmured, a look of awe visible on her face.

"We'll take a few more samples, then head back to base," Ritsuko said. "Be careful; this is a Level 2 biohazard. There's enough sieverts in here to cause mild radiation poisoning."

"Understood, sempai."

Once they were finished, Ritsuko placed the tray in a chilled lead-lined container, then loaded that into the VTOL. Theoretically speaking, there was enough blood to last for three months, barring any incidents.

Then again, she thought to herself, there's always incidents whenever Godzilla's involved. Even if it's just his blood.
​

==/*\==​

Misato's Apartment

This... is a little mess? Shinji thought as he gazed upon the veritable wasteland of discarded clothes and beer cans.

I remember visiting a world, hundreds of years ago, the voice mused. The predominant culture there believed that a cluttered home was the mark of an active member of society. I believe she would have fit in with them very well.

Shinji heard the shower running. Sighing, he decided to poke around the apartment a little. The fridge was full of snacks and beer, he found, and almost every inch of the kitchen was a nightmare.

He rubbed his eyes. I'm way too tired for this.

Misato had already pointed out where his room was, and he trudged his way over, yawning. Sliding open the door, he stepped inside and plopped down on the sleeping mat, closing his eyes.

You seem... distressed, the voice commented. Are you upset?

It's just a lot to take in, Shinji replied, rolling over. I think it'll be better in the morning.

If I may ask, you said that you lived with your aunt and uncle. I thought your people lived with their parents while growing up?

They do, normally, Shinji replied. But I guess my father has more important things to handle. I haven't seen him in three years. I... I was hoping to see him here, today.

He sighed. My father only wanted one thing from me, and I couldn't even do that.

Then the fault lies with him, the voice said, matter-of-factly. A juvenile should not try to answer for the wrongdoing of the parent.

It's a bit more complicated than that.

Is it?

Shinji fell silent for a few moments. He rolled over again, finding a comfortable spot, and felt overtaking him.

Maybe, he thought. Goodnight.

Goodnight, Shinji.
​

==/*\==​

Chichi-jima, Ogasawara Archipelago

Godzilla's head rose above the waves, his gaze focusing on the island in the distance. For countless years he had made it a second home of sorts, sharing it with the rest of his "family". The humans had found it as well, making themselves at home in a distant part of it and using it to contain creatures they couldn't otherwise handle. They hadn't bothered him, and in turn he left them to their own devices.

That was then, before whatever had broken the world. Now, the island was a shadow of its former self. The largest trees had been swept away by great waves, and the new ones taking their place were but mere saplings in comparison. He could see large shapes brushing through the undergrowth here and there, and faint cries reached his ears. Though Man had left the island, other creatures had stayed put.

He drew nearer to the sandy shores, then emerged from the dark waters, shaking thousands of tons of water off his massive frame as he stepped onto land. The sun had long set, but the Moon was full, casting a faint silverly glow on the island. It was appreciated, but unnecessary; his vision was far beyond that of any other animal. Stepping further into the nascent jungle, he inhaled deeply, then roared.

At once, everything around him scattered, startled by his cry. It was not intended to do so. Indeed, it was not intended to intimidate at all.

It was a beckoning.

An hour of silence passed, then he became aware of something large trudging through the jungle, casually brushing trees out of its path. A howl, almost like the blaring of a horn, rolled across the island in response to his call. His muscles tightened reflexively at the sound, then relaxed as he realized who had made it.

Anguirus came into view, a half-chewed tree wedged between his large fangs. The spiky kaiju called again to Godzilla, then dashed forward, catching him in a friendly tackle. Godzilla growled contentedly at the sight of his old friend, patting his head with rarely-seen affection.

Another call, more like the cackling of some large bird, drew both of their attentions upward. A titanic shadow blotted out the Moon, then descended to the ground with earth-shaking force. A massive cloud of dust obscured it, only to be dismissed with a flap of gigantic wings. Rodan stepped forward, clicking his beak inquisitively. A faint scar ran across his chest, but it appeared that he, too was otherwise unscathed.

Godzilla rose to his feet, a greeting call rumbling out. Rodan replied with a call of his own, then craned his head upwards, as if he was expecting something. Godzilla and Anguirus did likewise, their eyes focused on the sky, waiting for the last member of their family to return. Hours passed, but yet they waited. Time was of little matter to them.

Finally, a faint orange glow fluttered across the sky, and Mothra descended to the ground. The great moth chirped in relief, her turquoise eyes shining softly in the dark.

Godzilla rumbled in satisfaction; his family was once more complete. Turning back to the shore, he stomped down towards the water, stopping only when the waves lapped gently against his clawed feet. His eyes scanned the horizon grimly, taking in the devastation wreaked on the world in his absence. Fury blossomed in his chest once more, and he howled into the distance, a warning to all those who opposed him.

The Age of Monsters had begun once more.
​

==/*\==

You have been reading:
Leviathan, Chapter Two: The New World​