The Pit

Chapter 32 - The night before

We walked back into the cathedral. Everypony was silent. They tried to act like they weren’t worried earlier, but they were. I was, too.

Kynes tapped my shoulder, “What are you going to tell Vanilla?”

I looked down. I didn’t even think about telling Vanilla. She’d be furious, but I knew I had to tell her.

I looked back up to Kynes, “I have to tell her. I have to tell her that she and Misty might be getting tickets back to Equestria.”

Kypo jumped in, “Why don’t you say that, but leave out the part with leaving your sword behind?”

I sighed, “How would I do that?”

Kypo shrugged, “Maybe tell her that you left it with me so that I’d look after it?”

I shook my head, “That would never work. She knows that I would never do that.”

Kage put his hoof on my shoulder, “I think you should tell her. Just be honest,” he crossed his arms, “there should be trust in a relationship.”

Kynes and Kypo slowly turned to look at Kage. Kage shrugged, “What? That’s how it should be!”

Kynes chuckled, “Yeah...”

Kypo shook his head and turned back to me, “Anyways. Now that doctor emotion is done, I have to agree. Tell her the truth about what’s going on.”

I nodded, “Yeah... I guess you’re right.”

We stood there for a second until the sound of a thunderstorm began. Kypo looked at us, “I should be getting to bed.”

Kage and Kynes both nodded. Kage turned to me, “Goodnight.”

I nodded back to Kage, “You, too.”

We all left to our beds. I opened the door to my room and saw Vanilla laying down under the covers. She looked up at me and smiled, “Digi!”

She stood up quickly and ran over to me, hugging me, “I’m so glad you’re ok!”

I hugged her back and kissed her forehead, “I have some news.”

She glanced over me, “Where’s your sword?”

I tilted my head, “That’s part of the news...”

Vanilla stepped back, “Digi... What did you do?”

Oh Celestia... Here we go...

I sighed, “I may have left it at the mansion where Gluttony was at to get out safely.”

Vanilla’s eyes widened, “What?!”

I scratched my head, “They had us pinned down. Greed made a wager with me,” I tilted my head, “although now that I think about it, it seemed more like a proposition.”

Vanilla hit me, “Wager?! What kind of deal did you make with a demon?!”

I rubbed where she hit, “Ow! He said that if I leave my sword there, he would let us go and tell me where he would be at tomorrow night. Once we get there, he would have already hidden the sword somewhere nearby. While I fight him, I’ll have to find the sword.”

She groaned, “UGH!.. Well...” she looked down, “I guess since you had to do it to get out of there without getting hurt, it’s ok...”

I put my hooves on her shoulders, “If I beat him, he’ll give me two tickets back to Equestria.”

She looked back up at me, “Only two?..”

I tilted my head, “Yeah... What’s wrong?”

She looked down and closed her eyes, “I want you to go, too...”

I hugged her, “I need to stay here and fulfill my promise to Storm...”

She began to cry on my shoulder, “But I don’t want to leave you...”

I kissed her cheek and looked into her eyes, “I’ll be there with you.”

More tears streamed down her face, “How do you know?”

I kissed her, “Even if I’m not right beside you, I’ll be on your mind, as you will be on mine.”

She closed her eyes and hugged me tightly, “I love you, Digi.”

I hugged her back, “I love you, too.”

I just stood there hugging her for a little while. If I wasn’t sure of it before, I was now. This was love. It made me think... why wasn’t this feeling an element of harmony?

Maybe...

The elements are what make love...

I smiled at the thought as she looked into my eyes, “I think it’s time for bed, honey.”

I chuckled slightly, “Yeah.”

We both laid down and closed our eyes. She fell asleep before me. I had other things on my mind. Things like not having my sword and fighting Greed...

There was no sense in keeping myself awake thinking about those things, though. I needed sleep. I held tightly onto Vanilla and drifted off.

Chapter 33 - Not what it used to be

I woke up before Vanilla who was still fast asleep. I got out of bed slowly to let her rest. A pregnant mare deserves to sleep in.

I walked out of the room and into the cathedral. Everyone was up. Blue was playing tag with Misty while Kage, Kynes and Kypo were talking and laughing. I smiled. Everyone seemed pretty happy.

Kage noticed me and his laughter died down. Kynes and Kypo turned to see what he was looking at and their smiles disappeared, too. I closed my eyes and walked toward them.

Why did they stop smiling just because of me?

I scratched my head and looked at them, “So what’s going on?”

Kynes crossed his arms, “We were just laughing at Blue and Misty.”

I chuckled, “Yeah. They’re pretty funny, aren’t they?”

Kage smiled slightly, “Yeah...”

Kypo jumped into the conversation, “So Digi. Have you got a plan for tonight? Do you know how you’re going to defeat Greed?”

I sighed, “No clue... I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I don’t know where he’s gonna hide the sword.”

Misty stopped chasing Blue and looked at me, “Sword? You mean the glowy one?”

I smiled and looked down at her, “Yes... the glowy one.”

She tilted her head, “Maybe you should have listened to Sol better and gripped it tighter?”

I laughed, “That’s not the reason I don’t have it with me.”

She sighed and went back to chasing Blue, “Whatever you say, Slippy Hooves!”

Kynes laughed and looked at me, “Slippy Hooves?”

Kage smiled, “I think we found Digi’s nickname.”

Kypo shook his head, “Now’s not the time to make names and jokes.”

I sighed, “Kypo... There’s no way to plan this. We can’t.”

Kypo flew toward me and then sighed, backing down, “I guess you’re right. So what do we do?”

Kynes shrugged, “Do you have anything in mind, Digi?”

I shook my head, “Not that I can think of, no.”

Kynes sighed, “Well this is turning out to be a boring day.”

Kage stepped back, “How about we go out on the town?”

Kypo crossed his arms, “No. Not with what happened last night.”

Kage sighed, “Then what do we do?”

Kypo shrugged, “I suppose we just stay here for today.”

Kynes moaned, “Ugh! This is the worst day ever.”

Blue and Misty laughed and looked at us. Blue breathed heavily, “Why don’t you play tag with us?”

Misty jumped up and down, “Come on! It’ll be really fun!”

Me, Kage and Kynes all looked at each other. I shrugged, “It could be fun.”

Kynes also shrugged, “Better than just standing here all day.”

Kage nodded, “Let’s play tag, then.”

Kypo sighed, “Ok. You three play games. I have some things to think about.”

I watched Kypo fly back up to the beam he sleeps on. What did he have to think about?

Kage tapped me, “Come on, Digi. You’re it.”

I turned back around and every pony ran away laughing. I smiled and chased after them.

*~*~*

Night came quickly. It seemed like fun times weren’t as long as they used to be... and not as fun either when you have all this other stuff to think of.

I miss the old days... I miss having fun, but at least I have memories.

The storm returned after a while. Mostly rain rather than thunder.

Kypo flew up to me, “Are you ready?”

I sighed and nodded, “As I’ll ever be.”

Kypo nodded back to me and looked at Kage and Kynes, “You guys ready?”

Kage shrugged, “I guess.”

Kynes sighed and groaned, “I was it!”

Kypo shook his head, “It’s time to go, filly.”

Misty looked at Kypo, “What?”

Kypo and Kynes looked at Misty. Kypo sighed, “Nothing. I was talking to Kynes.”

Misty giggled, “You’re a filly?”

Kynes mumbled and walked out of the door. Kypo turned to me, “Too much?”

I shrugged and turned to Misty as we began to walk out, “I’ll be back in a little while, Misty. Be good.”

She nodded and smiled at me, “Be safe!”

I smiled back and turned to the door, walking out of the cathedral and into the rain. She had no idea what I was going out to do. My smile disappeared as I spoke softly to myself, “Yeah... Safe...”

Chapter 34 - Dust to dust

The storm was still going strong by the time we made it to The Oasis. The place was abandoned. The once busy street was baron. The prostitutes that worked here were gone. The gamblers and drunks were nowhere to be found. Made you question if you’d rather have all of them here or to be alone, because being alone meant that you’d never know what evil thing might come out of the dark.

We all walked up to the club’s doors and I knocked on it.

We waited for what seemed like ages out in the rain until finally Greed answered the door and smiled at me, “Nice to see you remembered the way here. Come in.”

I walked in with Kage, Kynes and Kypo close behind me, but Greed stopped them with a rapier he had unsheathed, “I’m sorry, gentlecolts, but this quarrel is only between me and Digi.”

Kypo began to fly toward Greed, “Like hell it is!”

Greed shut the door and yanked me in before the others could come in, “Really... Charming character.”

I turned to him, “Why aren’t they allowed in?!”

Greed smirked, “This deal was between you and I. Not them. I am a stallion of my word.”

I stepped toward him, “You aren’t a stallion.”

He sighed, “True. Why do I continue to play along with this ruse?”

I shook my head and turned around to begin searching for my sword. Greed smiled and began walking toward me, “I guess that means ‘go’”

Greed ran toward me and slashed his blade at me, but I knelt below it and rolled away. Greed began chasing after me as I ran, looking frantically for my sword.

I turned toward the stage that the band was playing on when I was here with Kage and Kynes. Greed’s rapier came dangerously close to piercing into my head. Instead, it cut into my shoulder, making me stumble and fall.

I began to crawl back onto my feet as Greed walked over me, shaking his head, “This is sad, Digi... I really thought you’d be the one to do it.”

I turned to look at him, “The one to do what?”

He smirked, “To kill us all.”

He lifted his sword over me, readying it to stab into my heart. I closed my eyes and time seemed to slow down.

Memories rushed back to me. The lush fields and crystal waters of Equestria. The fun times I had in Ponyville with friends. The days I put smiles on ponies faces... My love for Vanilla... The times I made Misty smile... Blue acting like the father I never had... Kage being there when I needed it... Kynes never failing to make me laugh... Kypo... I never actually understood Kypo...

Storm... I miss Storm... I wish I could’ve got to know him a little better. He seemed so kind. So misunderstood. No wonder he hid under that disguise. The world didn’t understand him, but he seemed to understand the world more than me.

A tear rolled down my cheek. Greed’s blade was lifted over his head and he smiled down at me, “Soon you won’t have to worry, Digi. You had a good run, kid.”

I turned my head and my eyes widened at what I saw. It couldn’t be...

Greed was pushed over by another pony wearing a mask right before his sword pierced into me. The pony took off his mask and held his hoof out to help me up. I grabbed his hoof as I looked at him, “Mr. Chyne?”

Mr. Chyne smiled and brought me back up, “Glad you remembered me.”

Greed stood up and ran toward us, “This quarrel doesn’t involve you, stallion!”

Greed slashed toward us both, but Mr. Chyne and I ducked under his attack and began running away. Mr. Chyne looked at me, “Maybe we should wait to talk after we deal with this pony?”

I began looking for my sword again, “He isn’t a pony.”

Mr. Chyne dodged another one of Greed’s attacks and tilted his head at me, “What?”

I got up onto the stage, “I’ll tell you later.”

Mr. Chyne nodded, “Good plan.”

Greed shook his head and began chasing after me once again. I looked up into one of the cages the mares were dancing in when this place was still running. My sword was trapped inside of it.

I ran toward the rope that let the cage down, but Greed’s sword once again slashed toward me, hitting my side.

I yelled and put my hoof on the wound, but continued to run toward the rope.

Mr. Chyne jumped toward Greed, but the demon caught him and threw him down, “I’ve had enough of this.”

I made it to the rope and I heard Greed’s rapier slicing through the air toward my head. I ducked quickly and the blade cut the rope, making the cage fall.

I rolled under Greed’s sword toward the cage and picked up The Begotten, unsheathing it and turning back towards Greed.

Greed turned slowly to face me and smiled, “Nicely done, Digi. You’ve got some good friends, don’t you?”

He dusted himself off and closed his eyes, “I’m going to enjoy this fight,” he put his sword up, pointing it toward me and smirked, “engard.”

I slashed toward him, but he blocked the attack and tripped me. He smiled down at me, “Get up.”

I looked up at him and tilted my head while standing back up. Why didn’t he just kill me?

I slashed toward him again, but he dodged out of the way of my attack and parried. I rolled under his sword, however, and cut the back of his legs, causing him to fall as he looked at me, “Getting better, but you need more force!”

He stood back up and began furiously swinging his sword toward me, his blade thrashing around me. I blocked the majority of his attacks, but some of them cut me. The last swing I dodged and rolled away from him to escape the deadly swings.

He changed into his demon form, and his eyes began to glow as he stepped toward me, “MORE!”

I rushed toward him and ducked under his sword, stabbing mine into his stomach.

He stopped and dropped his sword, falling back. I stood over him and took my sword out of his body. He jerked and coughed up blood. I looked down at him, “Was that enough force?”

He laughed slightly, coughing afterwards, “Yes... You did great... You’ll need it for Rage.”

“Rage?”

Greed smiled, “He won’t understand why you’re killing us all and will react to it filled with anger, but he’s a good colt.”

I crossed my arms, “You mean demon?”

Greed chuckled, “You’d be surprised how similar we are... His name is Temper.”

Mr. Chyne got up on the stage and dusted himself off. His eyes widened at what Greed said, “Who?..”

I looked down at Greed, “So where are the tickets back to Equestria?”

Greed coughed, “You’ll find my butler back at the mansion. He’ll give you the tickets.”

Greed looked up at me and smiled, “It’s funny... After centuries of having everything you ever wanted... you don’t want it anymore... I think you know what’s next, Digi... You’ll go far, kid... I’ll be rooting for you.”

I lifted my sword above his body and then thrust it down, piercing the blade into his heart, making him turn to dust. Mr. Chyne stepped back, “What happened to him!?”

I looked at the confused stallion and sheathed my blade, “He was a demon.”

Mr. Chyne nodded slowly, “So that’s what it was...”

I walked toward him, “So why did you want to know what he said?”

Mr. Chyne scratched his head, “What name did he say?..”

I tilted my head, “Temper... Why?”

Mr. Chyne stepped back in fear and astonishment, “That was the name of Crimson Tear’s brother... The one I killed...”

I looked at Mr. Chyne. I remembered the note I read a long time ago. The one that spoke of him killing Crimson Tear’s brother. I had forgotten about it, and it seems as if his brother is a demon... and didn’t die at all.

I stepped toward Mr. Chyne, “Are you sure that’s him?”

Mr. Chyne looked down and thought, “I thought I killed him... I saw him burn in that incinerator.”

I scratched my head, “You put him in an incinerator?”

He shrugged, “After shooting him in the head... I had to get rid of the remains.”

I crossed my arms and began walking toward the exit of the club, “Well that would have gotten rid of the remains... If he wasn’t a demon.”

Mr. Chyne followed me, “I don’t think he’ll be happy to see me again.”

I opened the door and walked out into the rain, spotting Kage, Kynes and Kypo, “I don’t think he’s going to be happy with anything right now.”

Kypo saw me and flew toward me, “Is everything ok?!”

I nodded, “Everything is fine.”

Kypo nodded back and turned to Mr. Chyne, “Who are you?”

Mr. Chyne bowed and stood back up to look at Kypo, “My name is Mr. Chyne. I’m a friend of Digi’s.”

Kynes walked toward him, “Mr. Chyne? Misty’s father?”

Mr. Chyne smiled, “Yes. How is she?”

I looked at him, “She’s fine. Very happy.”

Mr. Chyne continued to smile, “Good.”

Kage crossed his arms and came closer, “So why were you in there?”

Mr. Chyne laughed, “Well I heard some ponies disrupted the crime in this area by killing Big Don and that there was going to be a meeting with the leader of the crime outfit here and the pony that stopped it,” he shrugged, turned to me and chuckled, “I wasn’t expecting to find you fighting a demon.”

I smirked and scratched my head, “Yeah. Well I’ve been getting in a lot of different things lately,” I looked at everypony, “speaking of which. We should go back to the mansion.”

Kage tilted his head, “Why?”

I began walking down the street, “The tickets I was promised are there.”

They all nodded and followed me to the mansion to meet with Greed’s butler. The walk was quiet except for the sound of rain. I kept in my thoughts, as I’m sure Mr. Chyne kept in his own about Temper.

I thought about Greed... Strangely... I felt an attachment to him. Not hate, but a kind of friendship.

A friendship that I didn’t... I don’t think anypony could understand. He seemed to try and teach me. To try and tell me that Rage will be a challenge, and that he was going to get me ready for it... And he did...

Now he’s dead. Just like all the demons before him, and all the demons to come. They all had to die...

But why?

Why am I even asking this?

Have I lost my mind?

They had to die because they were evil. The creatures in the dark...

Maybe what Storm said had more than one meaning...

We ignore the demons because no pony wants to believe in the monster under the bed...

Maybe we want to ignore them not just because of fear of them coming to kill us, but because of fear of us having to kill them...

Hmmmmm...

Maybe the demons weren’t so different from us after all... Maybe that’s what Storm was trying to tell me.

That didn’t change the fact that they had to die, though.

Nothing would change that...

Chapter 35: It’s never easy

After awhile, we made it to the mansion gates. Kage opened them as we all entered. The rain was still falling and it began to thunder as we walked up to the mansion doors.

I knocked on the large doors and waited until eventually an old stallion with a grey coat and white mane wearing a black tuxedo came to answer it. He looked at me, “You must be Digi.”

I nodded and the stallion looked at Mr. Chyne and the others, “And these must be your friends?”

I nodded again and he opened the door fully to let us in, “Well please come inside. It truly is dreadful out there.”

We all walked in out of the rain. The stallion closed the door, “My name is Silver Platter, but you may refer to me as Silver. Such is the name my late master called me by.”

I scratched my head, “You mean Greed?”

Silver sighed and walked down a hall, “Yes... Blackjack... he was an interesting pony.”

I followed him while everypony else followed me, “He wasn’t a pony.”

Silver continued walking, “I am aware of this, but he was a friend and insisted on me treating him as just another pony... like I said... My late master was very interesting. Never really got to fully understand him,” he sighed, “I guess I never will, now...”

I tilted my head, “He wanted you to treat him like a pony?”

Silver nodded while he opened a door, “He said he hated what he truly was. A demon. He wanted to be a pony,” Silver turned around to us, “but he knew he could never be one. His brother ignored that fact, though.”

I walked through the door and looked at Silver, “Brother?”

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “Yes. Envy. He longs to be a pony, but deep down he knows he can’t, so now he seeks out to kill all of us. If he can’t be one, no pony can.”

I crossed my hooves, “Why did Greed want to be a pony?”

Silver smiled, “He said it was the last thing he could get. That he would throw it all away if he could have the chance to be a pony, because then he would have had everything,” he pointed his hoof toward a table in the room, “but that is all in the past now. The tickets my master promised you are on that table.”

I nodded and walked over to the table and found two tickets on top of an envelope that read ‘To Digi’. I took the tickets and the envelope, putting them both in my pocket. I turned back around to everypony, “Ok. Done,” I looked at Silver, “thank you for everything.”

Silver bowed, “My pleasure, sir. The boat comes tomorrow morning, where you arrived on this island. Nine o’clock. Before you go, however, my master gave me one last request.”

I walked toward everypony, “What was the request?”

He took out a wrapped object from his pocket and handed it to me, “He wanted you to have this.”

I took it and looked back at Silver, “What is it?”

Silver smiled, “I do not know, sir. He told me only to give the object to you and tell you not to open it.”

I looked at the object, “Well... When do I open it?”

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “He told me to tell you that you’ll know when to open it when you meet a pony wearing an eye patch, covered in scars.”

I scratched my head, “When will that be?”

He sighed, “This is where it got cryptic. He said that you have already met him before, but you won’t remember. It was long ago.”

I put the object away, “Well... He was right. I don’t remember any ponies like that that stood out to me, but I’ll meet him again, apparently?”

Silver nodded, “That is what the master said,” Silver gestured us to leave, “but if you would be so kind to leave the mansion now that you have claimed your prize, I really must be getting back to sorting through the master’s belongings... He had almost everything, you know.”

I walked toward the exit, leaving Silver in the room, with everypony else following behind me. I hung my head as I walked and sighed, “Yeah. Almost everything...”

*~*~*

We all made it back to the cathedral late at night. Vanilla, Misty and Blue were all waiting for us. Vanilla ran to me and hugged me tightly, as Misty ran to her father and hugged him.

I hugged Vanilla back and she sighed, “I missed you.”

I let go and looked into her eyes, smiling, “I missed you, too.”

I took the two tickets out of my pocket and showed them to Vanilla, “These are the tickets that will take you back to Equestria.”

Vanilla looked at them and then back to me, “I... don’t know if I can leave you...”

I smiled and kissed her on her cheek, “You won’t.”

She smiled back and took the tickets, “Yeah...”

Misty ran over to me and hugged my legs, “Digi!”

I looked down at her and laughed, “Yes?”

Misty looked up at me and smiled, “Daddy said you had something for me?”

Vanilla laughed and showed the little filly the tickets I gave her, “Yes. Digi brought us both tickets to go to Equestria.”

Misty put her hooves up in the air and jumped up, “Vacation!”

Mr. Chyne chuckled, “No. You’ll be staying in Equestria with Vanilla.”

Misty turned back to Mr. Chyne, “You mean... I won’t be coming back?”

Mr. Chyne shook his head, “No... You won’t...”

Everything went silent. The laughter. The talking. The celebrating.

The only noise that broke the silence...

Was a little filly crying, hugging her father. Wishing that she didn’t have to go. That she didn’t have to leave him, again. This time... Forever.

I closed my eyes. Mr. Chyne hugged tightly onto his daughter, “Don’t worry, Misty. Vanilla will take care of you. Daddy has to stay here.”

Misty smothered her head into Mr. Chyne’s chest, “No! I want you to come with us! I don’t want to leave you...”

Mr. Chyne shed a tear, “I’ll try and find a way to get to Equestria. Just please promise me you’ll be a good filly for Vanilla.”

Misty still hung tightly onto Mr. Chyne, “I don’t want to leave...”

Mr. Chyne picked up Misty and turned to me, “I’ll talk to Misty. Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I nodded, “Before nine. I guess we should leave at seven thirty.”

Mr. Chyne carried misty to her room, “Sounds like a good time. I’ll be up then.”

Vanilla walked toward me, “So we’ll be leaving tomorrow?”

I looked at Vanilla, “Yes...”

She nodded and kissed me, “I should be getting some rest, then... Goodnight.”

She walked to our bedroom to sleep. Everypony went to their own beds except me. I stood in the cathedral for a little while.

I closed my eyes and wished that it was easier to say goodbye, but I knew it couldn’t be.

It would never be.

*~*~*

We all woke up at seven to get ready. Everypony seemed excited. Even Misty looked a little excited. I guess Mr. Chyne talked her into going and made her see the good of it.

It made me happy that she would have a new life in Equestria. Away from The Pit.

We got to the docks at around seven fifty. The boat was being boarded. I turned to Vanilla and hugged her, “I love you.”

Vanilla hugged back and then kissed me, “I love you, too.”

I smiled and turned to look at Mr. Chyne and Misty. They were both hugging each other. Saying their goodbyes. Mr. Chyne looked at Vanilla, “Make sure to keep Misty safe.”

Vanilla nodded, “I will.”

Mr. Chyne smiled and began to tear up, “Good,” he looked down at Misty, “now be a good filly for Vanilla, Misty.”

Misty nodded, walked over to Vanilla and grabbed her hoof, “Don’t worry, daddy.”

They walked toward the boat and began docking it, waving goodbye. Kynes walked toward me, “Did you say goobye to her?”

I shook my head and smiled, staring at Vanilla boarding the ship, “I didn’t have to. I’m not going anywhere.”

Kynes smiled, “Kage get to you, Digi...”

I laughed and turned to Kynes, “Shut u-”

I noticed Kynes was staring at something. Something that wasn’t the boat.

I turned to what he was looking at and saw a pegasus flying toward the vessel which was now leaving the dock. Mr. Chyne also noticed what we were looking at, “Who is tha-”

Mr. Chyne’s eyes widened, “Temper...”

I turned to him, “What?”

The pegasus looked down at the crowd as he flew by the boat, “DIGI!”

I turned to look at the dark red pegasus with the black mane. Why did it know my name?

His hoof changed into a claw as fire spouted out of it, “You did this Digi! You killed my friends!”

I stepped back. He was a demon. He was Rage.

He threw the fire at the boat, “YOU KILLED THEM!”

Everypony began to scream and panic. The guards were shooting at Rage, but none of their shots did anything.

He began to fly away, ignoring the bullets, “Now you’ll know how I feel. You'll all know.”

The boat was set ablaze. The crowd continued to panic all around me. Mr. Chyne ran toward the boat yelling for Misty, and all I could do was look and cry while I fell to my knees.

Fun doesn’t last as long as it used to, and it isn’t as fun anymore, either. Especially when you have other stuff to think about. Like saying goodbye, because saying goodbye is never easy.

I wish it was, but I know it couldn’t be.

It would never be...