A sigh escaped a pink haired girl’s lips, her emerald eyes looked down over the street corner. The young adult’s name was Sakura and she leaned on the railing on a buildings flat roof as she looked over a shopping plaza in her giant ninja village that she lived in. The town was more of a giant city in a forest, she lived in the village hidden in the leaves.
Sakura was a ninja of the village and currently was wearing her normal set of clothes. Her sleeveless red and white lined qipao dress which reached her upper thighs. Underneath that she wore her slightly loose black shorts. On her right thigh she had white sports tape wrapped around it to hold a tool pouch to her leg. She covered her knees with brace like padding while a pair of black fully covered shoes except for the opening for her toes.
Flexing her fingers, the black gloves she wore flexed. Lastly, she had one some sand colored elbow proctors that covered her joints.
Looking down at two people who were talking, she sighed as watched them. ‘Can't believe I let him slip through my fingers.’ She thought. She rolled her eyes to the side as she felt another presence on the roof. “Hey Ino.” She greeted her blond-haired girl.
Her baby blue eyes starred the short pink haired girl’s stance. Ino put a hand on her hip as she grinned at her friend. Currently she had her hair flowing over her back to her waist with a huge part of her hair bang parted to cover her right side of her face. She had a crop top purple shirt on with two fish net elbow sleeves on.
Her belly would be shown as she had a set of black form fitting shorts and a purple apron skirt over that. Over her thighs and knees she had fish net chain mail sleeves to protect them. Finally she had on some black boats with a toe cut out.
“Sakura.” She walked up to her friend. She leaned onto the railing with her. Looking over the roof top to see the street corner that they were overlooking. “Still made about him?” Her question was more of a statement. Her eyes rolled over to look at the longing Sakura.
“Yes. I should have seen it.” The pink ninja sighed. She rested her head in her hand as she watched Naruto and Hinata laughing.
“Well you could always make them break up.” Ino suggested. “And break up with Sasuke.”
“Well Sasuke would be easy to break up with, more or less.” Admired Sakura. “It's how to break them up and not know its me. We are all ninjas you know that.”
Ino nodded, “True but use girls have our bodies as weapons.” She smirked. Right then both Naruto and Hinata stopped talking before going their separate ways. “That and I have a good solution to our problem.”
Emerald eyes narrowed, killing intent leaked out at the single target. ‘Our problem?’ She thought. ‘She better not be trying to steal Naruto from me.’ She aggressively thought. “Our problem?” She asked. “It sounds like you like Naruto.”
A grin covered Ino’s lips. “Well of course I do.” Lips curled into a lustful smile while eyes went a bit weak. “More than a friend. Granted I would normally never have a real chance to date him.”
The pinkette’s blood boiled. Rage leaked out of her body. “You want to steal. Naruto from me?” She had turned her head to look at her friend with a smile. That smile was so angelic, yet her tone of her voice set off alarms in Ino’s mind.
“H-huh?” Gulped Ino as she blinked her eyes. Shaking her head, she snapped her head back up to look over at Sakura. “No!” She responded extremely fast and held up a hand. “I do not want to steal him from you.” She dropped her hand as a sweat drop went down the back of her head. A bit of fear crept over her face.
“Good.” Sakura smiled. But her smile and happy expression betrayed the killing intent she radiated. “I would hate to lose a friend.”
The platinum blond gulped, “but what I have is a solution that can solve both of our problems.” Ino weakly smiled. “Will you at least hear me out?” She quickly added.
“Fine.” Sakura’s eyes narrowed as they gazed at Ino. “But I want to talk about it elsewhere.”
Nodding, Ino disappeared into a swirl of leaves. Which Sakura instantly followed in the same manor.
“Alright Ino, what is this so-called solution you have?” Sakura said. She was currently leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. Currently the two where next to one of the forest training grounds. And they were just far enough away from a nearby path and the grounds so no one would hear them.
With her hands behind her back, Ino leaned forwards off a tree. She grinned as she looked at her friend on her left. “It's a jutsu.” She pulled out a black and burnt orange scroll which gave a very fire like feel.
Sakura’s face fell. “Really a jutsu?” She droned. “That’s it? Ino, Naruto is not going to fall to ninjutsu.”
“Oh, it’s nothing like that.” Ino grinned. She continued to hold the scroll. “But in a way it could be. Instead I found that it's some sort of a reality bending jutsu to a point.” Sakura rose an eyebrow. “Just effects the users. But it'll let us permanently hypnotize a target of our choosing.”
‘Then I could get Naruto…’ Sakura started to understand what she was saying. “But… there has to be a drawback.”
Ino shrugged, “If you call having to be mega walking ass with legs or a hyper detached breast. Then yes.” She simply replied.
Emerald eyes starred at the woman. “That is insane!” Snapped Sakura. “How could I even do anything as an ass.” Disbelief covered her face. “Let alone if I was a hyper breast?!” She was flabbergasted yet in her mind a thought ran threw it. ‘Granted being a hyper detached breast sounds fun. And erotic.’
Ino held up her hand and sighed. “Well I am not entirely sure. All I know, based on what I read in the scroll. We can still preform and be Kunoichi.”
“How would that even work?” Sakura demanded.
Shrugging Ino replied, “No idea but at least we could still be able to get our guy.”
“Our?” Once again emerald eyes narrowed. “You are talking as if we would both share Naruto.”
Ino gulped, she held up a hand. “Well I do want in his pants.” Her voice cracked as she felt Sakura's killing intent. “But I am willing to work out some sort of deal! Come one Sakura. Won't you at least think about it?” She squeaked.
Her mind buffered as she processed the words. “Fine but I'll only agree to it but I got a few conditions.” Sakura informed her friend who nodded.
“Name them.”
“First I am Naruto’s main girl. Second, I'll be the bigger ass.” She began to list off her requirements. She held out her hand and counted her fingers as she listed off her demands. “Third, Naruto will forget about Hinata. Period.” She sternly said.
“Those are some harsh conditions,” Ino hummed as she dropped her hands behind her back. “You really want to make me a third wheel.”
“Butt of course.” Sakura made a joke with a smile. “Why would that be a problem? You said yourself that you don’t have a deep crush on Naruto.”
Sighing, the blond shook her head for a second. “Alright fine. But if Naruto wants me to get bigger than I can. Got it?”
“Fine.” Sakura sighed as she dipped her head. After a minute she looked back up at Ino and nodded. “I can deal with that.”
“Glad we are in agreement.” Said Ino.
“Now can I see that scroll?” The pink haired girl held up her hand. Complying with the request, Ino put the scroll into her hands. Slowly Sakura opened the scroll. Emerald eyes skimmed over the words with ease. “This…. Is very different then what I expected.” She breathed as she realized what the entire thing did. “Ino.” She uttered the blonds name. “The margin for error ridiculously precise.”
Ino’s eyes looked down to where Sakura was pointing on the scroll. “Yeah I know.” She pushed some hair out of her eye. “But it works with two people and the margin of error widens when two team up with it.”
'Just using my ability for chakra control,' Sakura hissed mentally behind a poker face. "Well. That makes it better..." She admitted as she looked up at Ino. Dipping her head she sighed again. “Alright Ino. Let’s go.” Sakura turned and took a step away from her friend.
Perking up, Ino quickly asked, “Where!?”
“For our target of course.” Sakura sweetly smiled as she looked over her shoulders at Ino. She then vanished in a swirl of leave and without a word, Ino followed her.
“Wait. The target is Hinata?” A surprised Ino shook her head. Currently Sakura and Ino where standing on a tree branch a good distance away from the Hyuga Clan grounds. She currently was standing up tall with her right hand on the tree trunk. She started out over the compound before looking to Sakura sitting on the branch at her feet.
“Of course. Who else?” Sakura simply responded.
Ino just shrugged, “I guess we will go in once it’s a bit darker.”
Sakura nodded, “In just a bit.” The ninja replied.
Soon dusk started to fall and the two female ninjas made their move.
‘Could this day been any better? ‘ Hinata thought to herself with a smile. Currently she was in her bedroom slowly taking off her clothes. Humming to herself she slipped off her panties and bra. Letting her breasts flop out. She made her way to get dresser to change clothes but stopped as she felt something prick the back of her thigh. Gasping she fell to the floor unable to move her body. ‘What is going on?’ She thought.
“I am surprised that you let your guard down.” The sound of a familiar voice made her gasp.
“Sakura!?” She cried as she felt Sakura’s hand lift her up so she could see those emerald eyes. “What in the world are you doing…” Her voice trailed off as she saw the predatory smirk from the pink ninja and to see Ino set up a privacy just. Blocking out any noise from the room.
“Taking care of a problem that I should have done awhile ago.” She flipped the limp girl onto her back before she held out her hands and rapidly went through hands signs.
“W-what?!” Stuttered Hinata with some terror. “Sakura! You are confusing me.” She cried, still unable to move her head.
The pink haired ninja smiled as she turned around to finish with the justu prep. Releasing her hands she lowered her shorts and panties to show off her naked ass. Instantly Sakura slammed her ass right over her rival’s head. Her soft fleshy ass covered Hinata’s mouth to quickly prevent her from speaking.
With a silent hand sign, Sakura’s anus pulsed as the paralyzed girl’s vision was filled with the pucker. It opened and closed slowed before the circular hole opened wide to kiss Hinata on the face. Slowly Hinata’s face slid through the anus’s rim. It’s skin felt a bit clammy to the touch. The lips slowly slurped on Hinata’s face as her ears started to get wet by the clammy backdoor.
Keeping her eyes shut, Hinata let out a muffled scream. ‘It’s sucking on me!’ She cried to herself as she felt the anus sucking on her face like a child sucking on a lolipop.
At this point blue chakra started to flow over Hinata’s head as the anus muscles pulled her head all the way in. It snapped tightly around the girl’s neck. The sudden snapping made Sakura moan hard as she blushed. A smile once again covered her face.
Focusing on her ass again with the justu she pulled on Hinata’s limp body harder. Squeezing hard, she pulled those wide broad shoulders. With a huge wet slurp. They entered the warm fleshy pucker.
A burning filled Sakura’s ass, the fire spread into her legs to make them go weak. A shiver went down her spine while her ass started to fill out. ‘Soon.. No more Hinata.~’ Sakura cheerfully thought. He small smile turned into a huge grin as she forced her ass down over Hinata even harder then before.
‘Naruto!’ Hinata thought with a panic. ‘This has to be a genjustu. ‘ The panicked thoughts ran through her mind. ‘What… why can’t I pulse my Chakra?!’ Hinata’s eyes opened wide as she shook. ‘Did Sakura a- act- ually..’
Ino who was currently performing the maintaining hand signs, grinned as she felt some pleasure fill her ass hole. A blush filled her cheeks, ‘Wow I can feel her enter too.~’
A soft wet sound filled Hinata’s ears, letting her know that her shoulders had already been claimed. As much as she would want to move and shake her body, Hinata found her body unresponsive.
Bit by bit her soft breasts started to rub over the pucker. They quickly got smashed and forced to push out and around Hinata as she got squeezed into the woman’s anus. Some tears ran down her cheeks as she was forced farther into the darkness. ‘I can’t even make a chakra signal’ She cried while she feel the warmth covering her arms.
Sakura was blushing hard as she felt those big nipple pop into her anus. She grinned and made a few hand signs, ‘Time to move to the next step.’ She told herself. Using the hand signs she focused more of her Chakra in her ass. Once she made her last hand sign, her ass cheeks burned.
‘You won’t be needing your eyes anymore Hinata.’ Sakura thought as she focused on them. A sharp pinch poked Sakura’s eyes making her snap them shut. ‘After all. You will be nothing more than my new ass fat.’ She grinned as she the just began to drain Hinata’s Chakra.
Moaning, Sakura blushed once again as the fire that was growing burn hot in her ass. The pinkettes ass cheeks then began to grow, pushing out as the fat multiplied. Rapidly her cheeks grew while Hinata’s belly slide on in.
A wet pop filled the room once Hinata’s waist got pulled in. Ino watched in awe as Sakura’s ass grew well past basketballs. Practically beach balls, each a foot round on her expanding hips. Sakura’s body had been adjusting to absorbing Hinata by adding much fat and muscle into her hips to perfectly hold her grow ass.
Squeezing her ass tighter, Sakura forced her chakra through her rectum to strengthen its grip on Hinata. The moment that Sakura opened her eyes. Anyone would be able to see how her eyes changed. They had increased in size to make a Hyuga’s yet they were still Emerald green and had a black pupil.
She grinned while the limp legs that were sticking out of her but got yanked into. Making a loud ass slurping sound as pulled Hinata up to her feet. She looked over her shoulders to see how much more her ass had grown. Each ass cheek was already near 2ft.
Falling to her knees, Sakura let out another long moan as the pleasure over took her ass. Biting her lip she tilted her head up as the loudest wet pop filled Ino and her ears. Her entire body went weak as it burned hot with erotic pleasure that originated in her huge ass.
Closing her eyes, she felt her waistline start to submerge into her hips. She let out a soft gasp while her belly sunk in quietly into the enlarging ass. Putting both hands on her butt, she softly squeezed it until her hands were absorbed through the skin. This pulled her arms through the booty flesh as if it was water.
A hot wave shot through Ino’s ass and traveled up her back. With a small gasp her wist began to shrink into her hips and ass. She looked around to see her booty start to grow.
Putting her ands onto her ass, the blind girl felt her skin pushing up against her clothes. She smiled with a blush while her waist finished sliding into her growing back side. She hummed to herself as she start to stroke her butt while her upper body shrank away. Inch by inch her belly vanished into her huge rear.
Biting her lip, she clothed her eyes right before her clothes began to rip apart. It dug into her budding soccer’s, trying to hold back the lush skin from seeing fresh air. With a huge gasp, her ass won out. Ripping her clothes to shreds.
On the other hand Sakura was almost all the way into her own ass. Opening a single eye she looked over to watch Ino catch up with her transformation. She closed her eye and looked straight ahead before her shoulders slipped right in. ‘Here comes a new life.’ She told herself. Right then the familiar feeling of a head vanished only to be replaced by and the alien feeling of her new body.
A tingle shot through her mouth, rather anus. Her pucker started to bulge out and turn pink like her hair she used to have. Once the pucker puffed out enough it started to widen out. It quickly formed extremely plump lips as her anus finished transforming into a mouth.
SakurASS stood there for a moment before she shifted on her legs. Letting her two 4ft round butt cheeks bounce. SakurASS could feel her soft flesh bounced up and down and swaying gently around as she shifts on her legs.
‘So… erotic!’ SakurASS thought as she felt her newly formed ass body sway softly on her legs. ‘And so happy to finally get rid of Hinata!~’ She giggled to herself.
Looking out straight ahead between her mega ass cheeks. She looked over to the window of the room. "Ino. Let’s get out of here before someone else comes in." SakurASS told her friend InoASS.
InoASS giggled as she walked up behind her. Now that they were asses on legs. They would walk backwards as their natural forwards walking. She nodded her ass front before she smiles. "Of course. Now it’s time to get Naruto.~" She giggled.
‘That was a great date,’ Naruto thought as he walked up the stairs to his apartment. As he reached the door of his place, he heard Kurama speak up.
“I am surprised that you are still dating her.” The fox said. “Here I thought you would have broken up and went to the pink haired one.”
“You mean Sakura?” Naruto talked back to his friend. “She has Sasuke,” He told the fox. “And she always had a crush on him.”
‘Idiot,’ Kurama shook his head. ‘He could have just left the Uchiha out there and nabbed SakurASS for himself.’ The fox paused after that. ‘Wait… why does that sound… off?’
“What the!” Naruto exclaimed at the sight. “SakurASS what are you doing here?!”
The mega ass just smirked before she cooed. “What I am not allowed to surprise my boyfriend?” Her word struck Naruto’s mind. Making it turn a bit num.
“Boyfriend?” Naruto started to zone out as his eyes felt heavy. “But you have Sasuke?” Naruto seemed to ask uncertain. “And I am dating Hinata.”
‘Wait… that’s my old just,’ Kurama recognized with a bit of surprise. But that turned to a foxy grin, ‘Well SakurASS. Let me help you correct kit’s dumbass mistake of a girl friend.’ As he thought as he pumped his chakra into his host. He pushed it up into Naruto’s mind, taking root to let Sakura’s just start to take over and manipulate his mind.
“Who is this Hinata?” SakurASS filled his mind with the unknown aid of Kurama. “We don’t know anyone with that name.”
Naruto stood there for a second before he blink and sheepishly laughed. “Sorry, I don’t know where that came from.” He laughed. “I Don’t mean to confuse my girlfriend.”
“Don’t you forget about me,” InoASS appeared next to Sakura. “Your second Girlfriend,” Her words took root in Naruto’s mind.
Shaking his hands before him Naruto quickly replied. “Of course I won’t forget you InoASS.”
“But you just did.” InoASS fake pouted to try to guilt trip their newly conditioned husband.
“But I never intended for that.” Naruto reached out to touch his ass of a wife.
“Then you need make it up to me.” InoASS shifted on her legs again. Making her body sway from side to side.
“Ummm…” Naruto’s stumbling voice started to stir. ‘Ramen? No. They don’t love it like me….’ Right then a flash of his pervy sensei Jiraiya grinning appeared in his mind.
Sakura picked up on his thoughts. “How about some fun Naruto?” SakurASS suggests. Her lips turned into a smile.
More than happy to oblige, “Then let’s get started.”
“Then what about me?” InoASS questioned.
The blind man grinned, “Oh I haven’t, and I have a perfect way for the three of us to play.” As he said it, ‘And Pervy sage would be proud.’ He thought as he grinned.
The male smiled as he dimmed the lights in the bed room. Naruto then had InoASS get on top of his bed to laydown facing up to the ceiling. SakurASS was lead onto the bed to lay down facing up just a little ways from InoASS. Naruto quickly got undressed right before them. With a fluid motion he got on top of the two. Naruto wedged his hips between SakurASS’s ass cheeks with his hard dick staring down his main wife’s plush pink lips.
Digging his way down between the smaller ass cheeks of InoASS. He kissed those puffy lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He went into a deep kiss and he then pushed his dick right down to SakurASS’s mouth. With some force he plowed his dick into her mouth.
This made her lips get forced to glide over his cock. As SakurASS’s lips brushed over his hot dick he felt a tingle going down his spine while her soft lush lips massaged his penis.
SakurASS moaned while the hot dick slipped right through her mouth. It broke right past the back of her mouth to just penetrate her rectum.
Pulling back his hips, Naruto slid his dick partly out before he slammed his rod right up to SakurASS’s lips. Letting her kiss the base of his rod. As he pulled back his penis again which he could feel his first wife lick as he fucked her.
Breaking his kiss with InoASS for a second, he caught his breath along with InoASS. He pulled back his head, rubbing his cheeks right up against her skin. Effectively stroking it with the motion.
Chills when through InoASS’s flesh while the feeling of his soft cheeks rubbed against her skin. “Don’t stop now.”
Smiling, Naruto kissed her again. “I am not.” Right as he whispered, he blasted a load up into SakurASS. “But I need to give you a fun time.”
“Then fuck me silly.” InoASS laughed.
Slowly Naruto slid his hard rod out of SakurASS’s mouth. Using his hands he pushed against InoASS’s soft cheeks to get off of her.
Even through she was dazed, SakurASS jumped off the bed to let InoASS slide right down to take her spot.
Without wasting time, SakurASS back flipped through the air to land in InoASS’s old place.
InoASS laid down on her back as she felt SakurASS’s body pushed down over the top of her head. “Come on Naruto! Kiss this sexy ass!~”
Grinning Naruto laughed. “Oh I will SakurASS-Chan!” He jumped out over the bed and wedged his hips onto InoASS’s cheeks. He then slipped his waist right between the soft ass flesh. He smiled as he guided his hot and hard rod right up to InoASS’s lips. He blushed as her soft lips tickled the tip of his hot dick.
With both hands on SakurASS’s body, he forced the cheeks apart. This let him see her lush lips and with a smile he lowered his head down between her body. Then they locked lips while Naruto let go of her body so her soft flesh smacked against his head.
He pulled back his dick and began to slide his cock in and out of InoASS. Making her lips and mouth burn with pleasure.
She began to moan as he fucked her mouth anus. She licked his cock as she felt his rod continued to blow into her mouth.
Naruto continued to kiss SakurASS’s lips as he squeezed her cheeks. He let go of her soft skin as he pulled back his hips before squeezing her skin as he slammed InoASS hard. “You two are so booty-full.” He said as he broke lips with SakurASS.
“Of course I am.” The lipped booty laughed. “Now keep kissing me.”
“Oh I am going to do more than just that.” Naruto grinned as he reached back down to grab InoASS’s cheek and used his other to squeeze SakurASS’s cheek. “And we aren’t done just yet.” After he said that he felt InoASS’s lips hum over his dick.
InoASS yawned as she got out of bed. Seeing how no one else was in the bedroom she walked out to see SakurASS standing there against the wall. “Hey what is-”
“Shh,” SakurASS whispered to her. At that point InoASS was able to hear Naruto talking with someone around the corner.
“Damn it Dobe! You stole SakurASS from me!” Sasuke yelled at Naruto as they stood in his apartment. He jabbed his finger right into Naruto’s chest.
Naruto grabbed and pulled Sasuke’s hand from his chest. “I never stole my girlfriend from you.”
“Bullshit.” Sasuke hissed. His eyes narrowed. “We were dating perfectly fine and you had Hinata.”
“What are you talking about?” Naruto asked clearly confused. “I don’t know who this Hinata is. But I know for a fact that I was dating my sexy ass girl.” That comment quickly sent the two into an argument.
“Yes. SakurASS would back me up.” Naruto argued. He held up his hands as they agreed.
At the same time around the the corner SakurASS and sighed to herself as she stood there with InoASS.
‘Great I forgot about how to deal with Sasuke,’ SakurASS thought a bit annoyed. She mentally sighed as she started to listen in on the conversation.
“Fight me.” Were the first words that SakurASS clearly heard from Sasuke.
“What?”
“You heard me dobe.” Killing intent leaked out of Sasuke. His onyx eyes stared into Naruto’s ocean blue eyes.
“Fine. But I am going to kick your ass Tem.” Naruto cracked his knuckles right before the two vanished in a swirl of leaves.
When the two ass woman landed at the scene they would see how much of the land was destroyed by the fight. The two ass woman looked around the place for a second before their eyes locked on the sight of a beaten Sasuke laying There on the ground.
“Looks like Sasuke got his ass handed to him,” InoASS joked.
Noticing his girlfriends, he smiled. “This is what you get from trying to steal my girl.”
“Jackass,” Grunted Sasuke before Naruto knocked him out with a kick. He turned around and smiled. “Are you hungry InoASS?” He asked his girlfriend.
“Well, I am a bit hungry,” The smaller ass woman said.
“He is all yours InoASS.” Naruto didn’t even look back at Sasuke as he jumped over to stand next to SakurASS.
With a huge smile, InoASS walked over to the knocked-out man. Looking down, she smiled at her meal. ‘Oh he’ll help fill me out.’ She thought as she focused on the justu. She then leaned down with her mouth open wide. Softly and gently she pushed her cheeks out and around his head. Kissing the top of his head she started to suck his head into her mouth.
She smiled to herself as she slurped his head right past her lips. When his shoulders hit her lips she had to open her mouth even wider. Luckily she could with her new body. So his tasty shoulders slide right on past her lush lips.
‘So tasty,’ InoASS thought as she slurped his chest right down with ease. As she continued to swallow him, his belly and waist provided no issue. At this point his body was dissolving as it slide into her rectum. His mass quickly got sent into her cheeks, forcing them to grow and wedged Sasuke right between them.
With another slurp, she pulled in the rest of his legs. Her mouth snapped shut with a loud wet pop as her lips smacked together. “This size is much better.” She smiled as she turned around. InoASS now matched SakurASS in size.
But right before she started to join Naruto. Something started to feel different about her eyesight. ‘My eyes… they’re tingling.’ She thought as the tingling in her nonexistent eyes went away. ‘I think I just gained Sasuke’s sharingan.’ She pieced together.
“Damn you look sexier than before. The theme did wonders for your figure.” Naruto called over to his second girlfriend.
The huge ass turned around to look over at Naruto. “Of course, he did.” She silently jumped over to him.
“Let’s head home girls.” Smiled Naruto as he touched the top of his two lovers.
It had been about a week since Mario married SakurASS and InoASS. And things were going fantastic, they had little to no issues with their new life. Currently Naruto was sitting on a couch with his sexy ass girls. “Naruto there is something that we need to tell you.” SakurASS broke the silence that they were enjoying.
Naruto turned to his right to see SakurASS, “What is it SakuraSS-chan?” Naruto asked his wife. He looked over to stroke her a bit as he waited.
“Naruto. We are pregnant,” SakurASS told her husband with a smile.
That made Naruto start to grin like a fox. ‘I’m going to be a dad!’ He thought with excitement.