Light(n)ing Her Heart Aflutter

Chapters

Morning Meeting
A Day of Memories
Preparations
Feelings Revealed
Under the Light of the Moon
New Dawn (Epilogue)

Morning Meeting

The sun rose slowly over the horizon, casting brilliant rays of light across the morning sky. Wind whipped past Lightning Bolt's ears as he flew along, soaring just below the clouds. His wings beat rhythmically, powering him forward with every flap. He moved at an impressive speed, even for a pegasi. While the land below slumbered, he was wide awake, his muscles dully burning from hours of exertion. He looked up briefly to enjoy the morning view, then lowered his head and put on an extra burst of speed.

It shouldn't be long now, Lightning thought to himself. He scanned the ground below, searching for his destination. The land was a carpet of deep green, with gentle rolling hills covered in trees. If he remembered the map correctly, this was the Everfree forest. It was supposed to be perilous, inhabited by a menagerie of dangerous plants and animals alike. From above, however, it looked quite peaceful. Serene, even.

Looking up at the horizon, Lightning spotted the small town. What started as a small speck of brown in the distance quickly grew as he drew near. The town of Ponyville now laid below him. As the light of dawn illuminated the buildings, Lightning could see the town come alive. Shops were opening, fillies and colts left for school, and ponies all around began their busy days.

Lightning Bolt descended altitude, starting to slowly circle around above the town. He glanced over the quaint little buildings, searching. Now, where is she... there! He spotted her eye-catching rainbow mane. The light-blue pony laid, curled up and sleeping peacefully on a small cloud, just above what appeared to be the town hall. Lazy, as always, Lightning noted. She hasn't changed a bit!

Lightning spread his wings out, cutting his speed as he went in for a landing. His hooves hit the cloud with a soft *plop*, rocking the cloud gently. The rainbow-maned pony groaned and waved a hoof in his direction, her eyes still closed.

"Leave me 'lone," she mumbled. "Thunderlane's got morning cloud duty, I'm sleepin' in..." She rolled over, facing away from Lightning Bolt.

"Oh, is that so?" Lightning said, amused. He took a few steps closer to her and poked one of her wings with his hoof. "So you're not getting up, Rainbow Dash?" His words were met with an affirmatory grunt from the slumbering form. Lightning chuckled. "Not even to see your big brother?"

"What? It can't be! Lightning Bolt?" She turned and looked up at him, her apparent sleepiness draining away. It was him. The same blue coat, the same teal mane, the same lightning bolt cutie mark. The same green eyes stared playfully into her own.

"The one and only," he said, smiling softly. "Little sister."

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash groaned. "You're only, like, a year older than me. I'm not your 'little sister'!"

"Face it, Sis: You might be able to sonic rainboom, but I'll always be better than you at being oldest!" Lightning grinned as Rainbow's face grew red with irritation.

"Ooh, I oughta..." Rainbow Dash rushed towards him. Lightning braced himself, but instead of getting hit he felt her forehooves wrap around him in a hug. "I missed you, big bro."

"Me too, Dash," he hugged her back, then pulled away for a second. "So... show me around town?"

"Oh, yeah, I can give you the full tour!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, her eyes lighting up. "And I can introduce you to all my friends! I'm sure they'll be glad to meet you." She glanced down at a decorated, sugary-themed building below. "There, at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie threw us a sleepover party last night, so they should be there eating breakfast now!" Rainbow Dash leapt off of the cloud and spread her wings, gliding down to the pastry store. Lightning followed, eager to meet his sister's friends.

They landed near the front door. Rainbow Dash put a hoof on Lightning's shoulder, pulling him aside for a second.

"Hey Lightning, wait up a sec."

"Uh, sure, what's up?" said Lightning. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all, just... look out for Pinkie Pie, alright? She can be, well, enthusiastic about new friends." Rainbow turned and opened the front door, motioning for Lightning Bolt to follow. "Hey girls, guess what? My brother Lightning Bolt is here!"

Lightning entered the bakery. What did she mean by 'enthusiastic'? Around a table sat three ponies: one white unicorn with a dazzling purple mane, one orange earth pony with a cowpony hat, and one purple alicorn. All three looked up from the table and their plates of waffles with curious expressions, unsure of what to make of Rainbow Dash and the strange new visitor.

"Uh, hi everypony. My name's-" Lightning was cut off as a pink streak raced from the kitchen and slammed into him, bowling him over almost out the door. A pink pony bounced over him, babbling excitedly as he laid on the ground.

"Omigoshomigoshomigosh-really-you're-Rainbow-Dash's-brother-I-didn't-even-know-she-had-a-brother-but-here-you-are-and-it's-really-great-to-meet-you-I'm-Pinkie-Pie-pleased-to-meet-you-and-I-know-we're-gonna-be-friends-I-love-getting-to-know-new-friends-and-ooh-I-almost-forgot-since-you're-new-here-I-need-to-throw-you-a-PARTY!" Pinkie Pie continued dancing over him, going on to list the many party decorations she'd need and ponies to invite.

"Pinkie Pie, please calm down, you're terrifying the poor stallion!" reprimanded the white pony at the table. Pinkie Pie suddenly gasped out loud and rushed back into the kitchen. Lightning stood up, helped by the white pony, who had trotted over to him. "Terribly sorry about Pinkie Pie. She is rather excitable around new friends. I am Rarity, pleased to meet you."

"Yeah, you too..." Lightning responded, still dazed. The other two ponies at the table stood up and introduced themselves.

"Howdy, I'm Applejack," the orange pony said, with a country accent.

"And I am Princess Twilight Sparkle" said the purple pony, brushing her mane slightly with her wings. "I didn't know you had a brother, Rainbow!" Twilight said, looking at Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Dash said. "I haven't seen him since I moved to Ponyville. He left Cloudsdale at the same time to go do weather control in the zebra lands. Is that right, Lightning?"

"Yep." Lightning nodded. "It was fun. A long ways from home, though. I transferred back to Cloudsdale just a few days ago, and I came straight here to say hello to my sister."

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie zoomed in from the kitchen, carrying a large plate of waffles on her back.

"I made more waffles for everypony! You too, Lightning Dash!" Pinkie sat the plate of waffles down on the table. The waffles were in stacks, hot and soaking with delicious-looking syrup. Pinkie pulled up extra chairs for Lightning Bolt and Rainbow Dash before taking a seat herself. Fortunately, the large, round table had enough space for all seven ponies, although one chair still sat empty. Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle sat back down and began to dig into the second helping of waffles.

"Wow, thanks Pinkie," said both Lighting and Rainbow, already taking their fist bites of the waffles. Lightning Bolt in particular felt famished from his long flight earlier. When he finally looked up from his plate, only Pinkie Pie had finished hers quicker. "Delicious!" Lightning said, leaning back slightly in his chair. He looked at Rainbow Dash, who was sitting directly to his right. "So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Rainbow looked over at him, smiling.

"Uhh, kinda! The six of us are, like, only the most awesome problem-solving team in Equestria!" Rainbow spread her forehooves wide, emphasizing their greatness. "We've saved Equestria at least a dozen times!" The other ponies nodded in agreement. Lightning leaned forward, intrigued.

"Oh, I have to hear this! Fill me in, I want the whole story." One by one, each pony at he table introduced themselves, their careers, and then explained the adventures they had had together. Nightmare Moon's return, Discord's return, Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot, all the way up to Starlight Glimmer's redemption. By the time the stories were through, the sun was much higher in the sky, about halfway to noon. The plates that had once held waffles sat empty on the table, as breakfast was long over. The plate by the empty chair still had a cold waffle on it, however.

"Wow..." Lightning said, still trying to take it all in. "You've been busy, little sis. And you even got into the Wonderbolts!" He gave her a brotherly pat on the back.

"Well, I'm just in the reserves, but it's still awesome!" Rainbow Dash replied. "Flight practice was yesterday, but I got back too late for the sleepover. Sorry, Pinkie."

"Oh, it's no problem!" Pinkie Pie assured, smiling. "I'll just throw another slumber party in a few days!" She pulled out a notepad from... somewhere, and began writing sleepover party ideas down, muttering excitedly to herself about decorations and party games.

"Hold on a second, Rainbow," Lightning Bolt said. "didn't you have six friends? And only five are here now. Who's the other one?" Rainbow Dash turned to reply, but was interrupted by the door opening.

"Sorry I couldn't stay for breakfast, girls. A family of squirrels got terrible tummy-aches from some bad nuts, and I had to go take care of them. Did I miss anything?" The soft voice came from the doorway, followed by the pony herself. She had a yellow coat, a flowing pink mane, and a cutie mark of butterflies. Lightning Bolt's eyes widened in recognition. That's... Flutttershy, isn't it? Rainbow's friend from Cloudsdale? Lightning stood up from the table, waving at the new visitor.

"Hey, Fluttershy! Long time no see," Lightning Bolt introduced himself. "I'm Lightining Bolt, Rainbow Dash's older brother. Remember me?"

Fluttershy froze, her eyes shooting wide open. Her mane stood on end, and her jaw dropped. Her mouth worked silently, trying and failing to form words. Finally, she managed a small *eep!* before turning and galloping out the door. Lightning turned to Rainbow Dash, dumbfounded.

"Was it... something I said?"

A Day of Memories

"Hey, wait up!" Rainbow Dash said, racing out the door after Fluttershy. Lightning Bolt shared a confused look with Applejack and Rarity before following his sister outside. There, he saw Fluttershy, hiding behind a tree a short distance from the door. Rainbow Dash stood beside her, conversing with her quietly. Lightning Bolt was too far away to hear the words, but clearly his sister was helping Fluttershy regain her composure. After a few seconds, Fluttershy seemed to calm down. Rainbow Dash looked up at Lightning Bolt, motioning for him to come closer.

As he approached, Fluttershy trotted out from behind the tree, accompanied by Rainbow Dash. They met up right in front of Sugarcube Corner. Lightning Bolt looked down at Fluttershy. Although he was only slightly taller than her, she seemed to shrink in his presence. She stared down at her hooves, muttering something quietly. Rainbow Dash gently nudged her with her wing.

"Come on Fluttershy, just talk to him, he won't bite." Bolstered by her words, Fluttershy stood up straight and looked up at Lightning.

"H-hello, Lighting Bolt. It's good to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too, Fluttershy." Lightning Bolt replied, smiling warmly. Fluttershy smiled back, then looked away, pawing nervously at the dirt with a forehoof. Rainbow Dash spoke next, filling in for her.

"Lightning, I was going to show you around town for a few hours before taking you to my favorite restaurant. Fluttershy would like to come with us. Is that alright with you?" Rainbow Dash asked, then waited for his response. Fluttershy looked back up at him, a hopeful look on her face.

"Sure, I don't mind at all," said Lightning Bolt. "It's been so long since I saw either of you; it'll be nice to reconnect." Rainbow Dash gave a small nod of approval, and Fluttershy let out a small sigh of relief.

After a few short goodbyes to the ponies inside Sugarcube Corner, they were off into the air. Rainbow Dash led the tour, with Lightning Bolt following close behind. Slightly farther back trailed Fluttershy. They flew at a slow pace, a few yards above the hustle and bustle in Ponyville's streets. In a few hours, they had covered the whole town, from Rarity's boutique to Twilight's castle, all the way to Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy's cottage, and finally back to the center of town for lunch.

The sun rose high in the sky, signalling that it was slightly past noon. The three ponies sat outside together around a table at the restaurant Rainbow Dash had mentioned, each with a plate containing something called a "vegan chili dog".

"Phew, I'm famished!" said Rainbow Dash, devouring hers in only a few bites. Lightning and Fluttershy ate theirs more daintily, but each nodded in agreement. It had been a long time since the waffles, and Fluttershy had eaten breakfast before coming to Sugarcube Corner. When they had finished, Rainbow Dash ordered another round for each of them. The worst of their hunger gone, they consumed this next set of dogs at a slower pace, taking the time for conversation.

"So, how do you like Ponyville so far?" asked Rainbow, taking a small bite of her chili dog.

"It's great," Lightning responded. "Certainly different from the zebra lands. It's good to be back in Equestria."

"Omigosh!" Rainbow dash exclaimed. "I totally forgot to ask you, how was it in the zebra lands? Was it just like the Daring Do novels described it? Tell me everything!". She leaned forward, as did Fluttershy, who appeared intrigued as well. Lightning thought for a second, then spoke.

"It was... hot. And dry. That's why I was there, as part of the weather detail. We brought rains for the zebra crops when they were in drought. That was the boring part of the job, though. Occasionally, a fire would start. It could be from a lightning strike, a campfire, a dragon... regardless, with how dry the land was, fire spread quickly. Within minutes a spark could become a roaring blaze. When that happened, we brought the whole brigade out. We'd whip up giant rainstorms to put out the inferno.It could take weeks to get a single fire under control. It was hard work. Dangerous work..." Lightning trailed off, staring down at his half-eaten chili dog. Rainbow Dash had an expression of rapt interest, while Fluttershy's was of horror.

"Oh, that sounds terrible!" Fluttershy said, in a worried tone. "All of those animals losing their homes, I can't imagine. And the zebras, too... what happened to them? Were they okay?"

"Usually, yeah. We had special teams to evacuate any villages that were in the path of the wildfire. They did their jobs well... but they weren't always there in time..." Lightning shook his head, irritated with himself. "Gah, sorry to bring the mood down. I came here to forget about all that stuff! Let's talk about something else. What have you two been up to, besides saving Equestria?"

Rainbow Dash brightened up, launching enthusiastically into a story about the recent Daring Do convention she had been to. When she finished, Fluttershy described her work with animals, and how she helped Rainbow Dash choose a pet. From there, the conversation moved to their time together back in Cloudsdale as colts and fillies. By the time they had finished reminiscing, Fluttershy had come almost completely out of her shell.

The sun moved farther along the sky. It would actually be dinner soon. They paid for the meal, then stood up to part ways. Rainbow Dash turned to Lightning Bolt.

"Come on, Bro. We should get going. You're staying at my place, I assume?" Lightning nodded in agreement, spreading his wings in preparation for the flight.

"Wait!" said Fluttershy loudly, catching their attention. "Um, would it be alright if I... came over later?"

"Yeah Fluttershy, that's alright with me. Come over after dinner. Pinkie's throwing another sleepover tonight, though, since I missed the last one yesterday. I tried to get her to understand, but you know how she is. She'll probably turn me into cupcakes if I miss two of her parties in a row, so I kind of have to attend. Are you fine with it just being you and Lightning Bolt?" Fluttershy blushed, but nodded. Before Lightning could say a word, she turned and flew off in the direction of her cottage.

Rainbow Dash took off as well, but towards her own home. Lightning flew after her, catching up after a few seconds.

"Wait, what's the hurry, Sis? Why are we going so fast?"

"Because," Rainbow Dash said. "We've got to eat dinner, and you've got to get ready for your date with Fluttershy!"

Lightning Bolt's eyes widened. My what‽

Preparations

It wasn't long before they reached Rainbow Dash's house, a fantastical structure made out of clouds and rainbows. Once inside, Rainbow Dash went to her kitchen to make a pair of hay sandwiches for dinner. Lightning Bolt watched from the edge of the fluffy white counter (actually, almost every piece of furniture was fluffy and white), still bewildered from her comment earlier.

"A date? Rainbow, you've got to be kidding. Fluttershy is a good friend, one of the kindest ponies I've ever known, but I don't think she wants to... be in a relationship with me, you know? She's just happy to see me again, that's all," said Lightning Bolt, attempting to explain the situation. At his words, Rainbow Dash face-hoofed and let out and exasperated sigh.

"Really, Lightning? Sweet Celestia, you stallions are all the same..." finishing the plate of sandwiches, she brought them over to the table and set them down.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Lightning Bolt said, growing agitated.

"It means you're all clueless when it comes to mares and what they want." Rainbow Dash trotted over to him. "She. Likes. You." She firmly poked him with each word for emphasis. "Always has, always will."

"Are you sure? I think I would have noticed," said Lightning, in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm sure! She's told me herself several times. Even if she hadn't, I'd still be sure. It's obvious! Think back to Cloudsdale. When we hung out, who was always around?" Rainbow Dash gave him a questioning look, waiting for his response.

"Well, I mean, she didn't have many friends," Lightning said, "so it makes sense that she would stick with us most of the-" Rainbow cut him off, shushing him with her hoof

"And what about when we raced each other, huh? Who was always in last?"

"Fluttershy was, yeah, but I figured she just wanted to improve her flying skills-"

"Fluttershy hated flying! More than almost anything. It terrified her!" Rainbow Dash dug her hoof into his front side, staring into his eyes. "But she flew with us because it meant she got to spend time with you, Lightning. She was too shy to admit it, but she had a huge crush on you!" Her tone of voice turned from frustrated to scathing. "And you never even bothered to notice."

Lightning Bolt stepped back. "Sis, where is this coming from? Have you been this mad at me the whole time?" Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head.

"No, not really," Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane. "I'm glad you're back. We all are. But you have to understand how your actions hurt Fluttershy, even if you didn't mean to." She stood silent for a few seconds, before speaking again. "Lightning, why did you leave us to go to the zebra lands?"

"I... it was on short notice, yeah. But they needed more pegasi. The pay was good, I guess, and they were doing something good for the zebras. I wanted to help them, you know?" Lightning Bolt explained, unconvincingly. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why did you really go, Lightning?"

"I guess I..." He shook his head. "I wanted to see the world. Meet new people. Find adventure. And I really did want to help, I promise. I was younger then, I didn't realize-"

"-How we would feel," Rainbow Dash finished. "Fluttershy had discovered her cutie mark. With that alone, she almost worked up the courage to tell you how she felt. And then you just... left." Rainbow rested a hoof on his shoulder, trying to make him understand. "That broke her heart. If she hadn't had her animals and me to comfort her, I don't know what would have happened. While you went off and played hero overseas, she waited for you. For years, Lightning, she made friends, got over the worst of her shyness, and became confident in herself. But, in all those years, she never once even looked at a stallion the way she looks at you, nor did they ever have the kind of affect on her you do. That shyness you saw today? For her, that's not normal, not anymore. But, then again, neither is the stallion she crushed on for years trotting back into her life without any warning.

"Her asking to come over after dinner? That means she's ready. Ready to tell you how she feels. I know how long she's been waiting and preparing for this, and how important it is for her. So, I swear to Luna and Celestia, if you break her heart again... I will end you. Got that?" Her gaze turned steely again, and her hoof tightened around his shoulder.

"W-wouldn't dream of it, Sis," Lightning Bolt said, trembling slightly. Rainbow Dash's grip slackened, and she smiled widely.

"Heh, I knew you wouldn't, Bro. I just wanted to make sure you understood Fluttershy's feelings, and didn't ignore all her signals with your dumb stallion brain. Now, I have to get going soon."

"About that," Lightning Bolt said, "didn't you say earlier that Pinkie's sleepover was tonight? I thought it wasn't for a few days." Rainbow Dash grinned again.

"It isn't, but Fluttershy doesn't need to know that. I just needed an excuse to duck out for the night and give you two some alone-time. She's hardly going to reveal her personal feelings to you while I'm standing right there, duh." Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, although it was quite muffled since the door was made out of soft clouds. "Aaand, that's my cue- seeya Bro!" Rainbow Dash quickly waved goodbye with a hoof before leaping out a nearby window, leaving Lightning Bolt to answer the door.

He gulped. This is it...

Feelings Revealed

Lightning Bolt stood behind the front door, mentally preparing himself. After a few seconds, he reached out and pulled the door open. On the other side sat Fluttershy. Clearly she had spent some time getting ready. Her yellow coat was clean and brushed, her pink mane combed to perfection, and she smelled of fresh forest berries- likely some special perfume or shampoo. Lightning realized that standing and gawking at her probably wasn't making the best impression. He coughed and made eye contact before speaking.

"Wow. Fluttershy, You look amazing. Come inside, please." He stepped aside, making room in the doorway. She blushed at his compliment, then smiled and responded as she trotted through into Rainbow Dash's home.

"Thank you, Lightning Bolt. It wasn't all my idea, though. Rarity took me to the spa to prepare when I told her I was coming to see you. She tried to get me to wear a dress, but I thought that would be too formal. She insisted that I at least wear this hair bow." Fluttershy turned her head, revealing a small, yellow bow that sat behind her right ear. "Do you like it?" Lightning Bolt closed the door and turned around to reply.

"It looks good on you. I'm sure the dress would, too. Are you hungry? Rainbow made some hay sandwiches. We were going to eat them, but she had to leave for Pinkie's sleepover." Fluttershy nodded.

"Yes, actually. Rarity kept me so busy getting ready I didn't have time for dinner either."

She walked towards the kitchen. Lightning Bolt watched her, drawn to the view of her pink tail swishing between her hind legs. Now that I think about it, she is a pretty mare. I wouldn't say no if she asked me to- Lightning's lewd thoughts were interrupted by a sharp blow to his right foreleg. He looked down, angrily, and saw that the perpetrator was a small, white rabbit. He recognized it as Angel, one of the pets that Fluttershy had told him she cared for. Since when did he get in here? Was it when Fluttershy came in?

"Hey, what was that for?" said Lightning Bolt. For such a small animal, he had a surprising amount of strength! Angel stared up at him with an expression of clear disapproval. He motioned to his eyes with his paw, then pointed it at Lightning. The gesture's meaning was clear: 'Break her heart, and you'll answer to me.' Before Lightning could say a another word, Angel turned and hopped away. Lightning tried to see where he went, but the white, fluffy rabbit was impossible to see among all the white, fluffy walls, floor, ceiling, and furniture. Giving up the search, he went into the kitchen.

Fluttershy sat at the table, chewing a bite of her hay sandwich. She turned towards him, swallowed, and spoke.

"Hey, did something happen? Who were you talking to out there?" Lightning chuckled nervously, and took a seat across from her, taking the other plate with the other hay sandwich.

"It was... nothing. Never mind." He took a bite of his sandwich. For a few awkward moments, they did nothing but eat. What should I say? Aah, this is going terribly! Lightning thought to himself.

"What should I say? Aah, this is going terribly!" Fluttershy groaned, letting her sandwich fall back onto her plate. "I'm sorry I'm being such a poor guest, this isn't going at all how I planned..." Fluttershy looked down, sighing. Lightning Bolt felt a pair of beady little bunny eyes glaring at him from... somewhere.

"No!" he said, a little too loudly. "No, it's not your fault, it's mine. I was a bad host, leaving you alone in the kitchen to eat room-temperature sandwiches. And right now I can't think of anything to ask you about, since we've already spent so much time talking today." He rested his head in his fore hooves.

"That's okay," Fluttershy said, "I can ask you something. Like... how you got your cutie mark?" She looked at him kindly.

"Yeah, I haven't told you about that yet! It's quite a story, though, not the kind you'd tell in a kitchen. Follow me." Lightning got up from his chair, motioning for Fluttershy to do the same.

A few minutes later, they sat together on a couch, enjoying the sight of the setting sun from the top balcony in Rainbow Dash's home. Lightning Bolt turned to Fluttershy and grinned. "How's this for a view?" Her eyes lit up as she gazed out at the sprawling scenery.

"Oh, Lightning," She whispered, "I can't believe it, it's amazing!"

"I knew you'd like it. Now for the story of how I got my cutie mark..." Fluttershy curled up with him on the couch, listening attentively as he told his story.

"When I left for the zebra lands, I still didn't have my cutie mark. It was pretty embarrassing for a colt my age, actually. It was part of the reason I signed up to go. I thought that, maybe, I could find my special talent over there. They were a bit skeptical about accepting me. I was the youngest applicant, and a blank-flank to boot. Still, my flying skills must have convinced them, because next thing I knew I was on a long-distance sky carriage ride over the ocean and away from everything I'd ever known.

"The trip took almost a whole day. We flew in shifts, taking turns pulling the sky carriage while the others rested. There were about two dozen of us, if I remember correctly. I've forgotten most of them, since we were split up pretty quickly after we arrived. We landed in Pegasus Point, an Equestrian base on a peninsula of the zebra lands. Technically we were still in Equestria, as the whole peninsula was gifted to us by their Caesar as a place to organize and coordinate our pegasus squads.

"As I said earlier, our specialty was weather management. All pegasi can control weather on a small scale. With training, this skill can be deepened. For some pegasi, it's their special talent. If you get a lot of trained pegasi working together, they can cause drastic changes in the weather. Of course you already know this, since that's what most pegasi do in Equestria.

"But, in the zebra lands, they can't control the weather so easily. In fact, the zebra lands are wild in just about every way, like the Everfree forest. The land and weather act independently of the zebras, unlike in Equestria, where pegasi and earth ponies work together to guide these natural processes. The zebras do have spells, potions, and other magics that allow them to temporarily influence the land and weather, but they can only do so much. The zebra lands are naturally dry, making farming difficult.

"That's where we came in. In exchange for natural resources, such as coal, Equestrian pegasi teams would influence the weather to help zebra crops grow. In addition, we were first responders to any wildfires that ignited when things got particularly hot and arid. I volunteered for the firefighting job, and got transferred to another base specifically for handling that aspect of our mission.

"This base was located further inland, in roughly the center of the continent. From there, we could respond quickly to any fire. The base itself occupied an island on lake Altum, the largest lake in the zebra lands. When wildfires broke out, we'd whip up a tornado to suck up the water and move it to where we needed it to fight the fire. You know this technique, since it's the same one we use in Equestria to collect surface water for Cloudsdale.

"After training for a few weeks, I was allowed to go out on a firefighting mission. They still wouldn't let me on the main crew, though, since I was still relatively young, and didn't even have my cutie mark yet. Since I could fly fast, they put me on the six-pony evac team. It was our job to warn any towns and villages in the path of the fire, and help them escape if necessary.

"So we were ordered to clear out this small town a few miles down from the blaze. This was a small fire, but it was spreading quickly. The fire team had whipped up some water, creating a large thunderstorm to combat the fire. We were too far out for the rain, but the dark clouds still hung over the village. We were almost done evacuating, but it was taking longer than we expected.

"I realized that, if the lightning from the thunderstorm struck the taller buildings in the village, we were at risk of a second fire breaking out. The fire team was busy dealing with the first one, and our evac team was too small to effectively combat a second fire.

"I saw what I needed to do. I grabbed a metal spear and flew up above the buildings. I was hoping the spear would act like a lightning rod, directing the lightning to hit it instead of the town. As it turns out, I was right, and when the lightning struck the spear I got the full blast. Next thing I knew I was waking up in a zebra medicine tent with a wicked headache. From what the rest of my team told me, they managed to catch me before I hit the ground and brought me to a zebra shaman to recover. When they removed the bandages, the cutie mark was there.

"Thanks partially to my actions, the main fire team was able to extinguish the wildfire and dissipate the storm, preventing any further damage. I got chewed out by my superiors for my reckless action, and had to scrub latrines for a week, but I earned the respect of the fire team. The next time there was an emergency, they took me along. I still worked on the evac team from time to time, but both teams wanted me with them ever since. Considered me a 'good luck' charm against lightning strikes."

Lighting Bolt watched the sun dip below the horizon as he finished his story. The majestic orange and red in the sky began to form into gentle purple as night fell on Equestria. He turned to face Fluttershy, who was still snuggled next to him on the couch. Her eyes stared into his, a look of admiration on her face. She leaned in and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Lightning Bolt, what a wonderful story! The way you risked your life for those zebras, so brave and dashing!" Lightning Bolt tensed up slightly as she embraced him, but then relaxed and returned the hug, holding her close. He could feel her slender yellow body pressed against his, smell the sweet scent on her flowing pink mane, gaze deeply into her loving eyes.

"Fluttershy," he said, softly, "is there anything else you want to say?"

"J-just a question... Lightning, do you have a... special somepony?" He shook his head no, still holding her. "Would... would you be mine?" Fluttershy whispered. He smiled and leaned in, kissing her. Fluttershy's eyes opened wide, but she didn't pull away. He held the kiss for a few seconds before drawing back and responding.

"Of course, Fluttershy. Maybe I should have realized it sooner, but... I love you." Fluttershy blushed slightly, still hugging him.

"I love you too, Lightning. I've spent so much time dreaming of this, I almost can't believe it's actually happening." Lightning grinned slyly.

"Really? What happens next in the dream?" Fluttershy blushed deeper, her face turning from pink to red, and her wings- which had been tightly against her body- spread out, answering his question . Lightning chuckled, realizing that his wings were standing out as well, and motioned inside towards Rainbow's bedroom. "Come on, it's getting cold. Rainbow Dash won't be coming back until tomorrow, so we can take her bed for tonight. Want to make those dreams of yours come true?"

Fluttershy's face somehow turned an even deeper red.

***

(Woop-woop, clop ahead, you've been warned)

Under the Light of the Moon

Author's Note

Note: This chapter is almost exclusively clop. If that's not your thing, consider skipping to the epilogue. I tried to have the story so that you won't miss much, but I feel the sex is an important part of the characters' growth and the growth of their relationship. For those reasons, it's sort of the climax (heh) of the story. But I understand that it isn't for everyone. If pony lovemaking weirds you out, feel free to pass on this chapter, I won't judge you. Now, let's get to the squishy stuff...

Under the Light of the Moon

Lightning Bolt led Fluttershy into Rainbow Dash's room. A variety of Wonderbolts memorabilia decorated the walls. In the center of the room sat her large bed, the covers rainbow-striped. Lightning climbed onto the bed and laid down, motioning for Fluttershy to join him. She obliged, joining him on the bed, although still red in the face. She snuggled up to him, and he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Fluttershy smiled, but then worry crossed her face.

"Lightning, have you ever... been with another pony before?" Fluttershy's voice was soft and slightly nervous. Lightning chuckled a bit and rolled over onto his back, still looking at her.

"Well," he explained, "There was this one young zebra schoolteacher who was very grateful to me for saving her school from being burned down, if you catch my drift. Grateful to my entire team, in fact... at the same time." Upon hearing this, Fluttershy gave an embarrassed squeak. Lightning laughed, poking her side teasingly. "Hey, love is different over there. Zebras are much more open about sex. To them, oral is about as casual as a hoofshake! Well, maybe not that casual, but not far from it. It's not uncommon for zebras to have sexual relationships with most of their opposite-gender friends, even if they don't have romantic relationships with them. And, as we found out, it's an accepted way of saying 'thank you'." Fluttershy had her face buried in her hooves, thoroughly embarrassed.

"That's... wow." Fluttershy spoke quietly. "I can't imagine being so... loose." Lightning grinned.

"The fact that the zebra contraceptive spell is simple and easy to cast probably helps," he said, "although many go without it when breeding with ponies. Apparently zony foals are popular over there. I asked a local about it and she said something about it 'strengthening the bond between our two nations' and such. They didn't seem to care that none of us would be around to raise the foals, since most ponies returned to Equestria after a few months. She was rather disappointed when I told her I wasn't interested. The higher-ups forbade us from... mingling with the locals like that. Otherwise, every pegasus on base would be sneaking off to play with the amorous zebra mares." He grinned. "Of course, that's what we did anyway. But to answer your question, I've never been with a pony before. You'll be my first, Fluttershy."

"Lightning," she said, "you'll be my first too. Not just my first pony, my first... at all. So I probably won't be very good..." she trailed off, turning away from him. Lightning Bolt put a hoof on her shoulder, comforting her.

"Hey, Fluttershy, don't feel like that. I wouldn't compare you to them. That was just... sex for fun. Stress relief. Experiencing another culture. Lust, not love. Not what I feel for you." Without saying a word, Fluttershy turned and brought her mouth to his, initiating a kiss. Lightning Bolt blinked in surprise, then embraced her, kissing back. After a few seconds, Fluttershy broke the kiss, staring deep into Lightning's eyes.

"I- I'm ready, Lightning. I want this with you. You mentioned oral earlier... can we try that first? I want to take it slow," she explained. Lightning smiled warmly and nodded, leaning back and resting his hooves behind his head. His penis, which had begun growing while he described his escapades with zebra mares, was now fully erect.

"That's fine, Fluttershy. Go at your own pace." She nodded and bent down, coming to eye-level with his member. It was... big, she supposed. Not much bigger than average for a pony, but still, being this close to it made her nervous. It was a darker blue than his coat, and halfway down the shaft she saw his medial ring. Underneath rested his balls, again only slightly larger than average, but very round. All in all, it was enticing to Fluttershy. She looked up past it at Lightning. His green eyes gazed back at her, and he gave a small nod of encouragement.

Experimentally, she took the tip of it into her mouth. She began to suck gently, keeping eye contact with Lightning Bolt as she did. Judging by his small moan of pleasure, she was doing it right. She continued, slowly sinking down onto it. She reached her limit at his medial ring, unable to get farther. Fluttershy paused for a moment to readjust, then started moving her mouth and lips up and down, pleasuring him.

Lightning Bolt sighed happily, enjoying the sight of Fluttershy between his legs. He reached down and rested a hoof between her ears, feeling her pink mane as he bobbed her head up and down on his cock. She continued to suck him, and together they worked into a slow rhythm. Although there was not much room in her mouth, Fluttershy swirled her tongue around across his head and along his shaft. She used Lightning's low moaning to judge what he liked. Gradually, her speed increased, as did Lightning's moaning.

"Damn, Fluttershy," he grunted. "I'm close already, get ready for it." Fluttershy nodded and went down on him again, as deep as she could go. This time, she managed to get slightly past his medial ring, although it made her eyes water. Lightning grunted again and thrust his hips up, reaching orgasm. Fluttershy tensed up as she felt his load enter her mouth, but she promptly relaxed and swallowed, accepting his seed. The next few spurts she swallowed as well, until she heard Lightning exhale.

She swallowed for the last time and raised up, her muzzle just above the head of his cock. To her surprise, he shuddered and released a final load of semen, striking her full in the face. Fluttershy closed her eyes and yelped, drawing back in shock. Luckily, none of it hit her in the eyes, but her muzzle and forehead were covered, as well as her mane. Lightning gasped.

"Ah, sorry! I got caught up in the moment. I didn't mean to dirty such a pretty face." Fluttershy smiled at the praise, brushing her mane with a wing, getting some semen on it in the process.

"Oh, it's no problem," she said, "I don't mind. We can clean up later." She glanced down at his still-erect dick. "Are you still... horny?" She looked uncomfortable saying the word. "I thought stallions could only go once before needing to rest." He winked at her.

"Zebra magic, Flutters. What can't it do? My second time was with a shaman who was an expert in sex spells. She neglected to tell me that the spell for increased sexual stamina was permanent... not that I'm complaining!" She laughed, and he did as well. After a few moments the laughter died down, and Lightning Bolt looked into Fluttershy's eyes. "Are you ready for the real thing?" After a slight pause, she nodded. Fluttershy then turned around and moved her tail, exposing her backside to him. Lightning stood up, moving across the bed to her. She turned her head towards him as he spoke.

"Now, Fluttershy. As much as I love you, I'm not ready for a foal just yet; I have a feeling you aren't either. So, I'm going to perform that zebra contraceptive spell real quick. Sorry about this." Before she could question his apology, he bent his head down and plucked a long pink hair from her tail with his teeth. Fluttershy yelped again and turned sharply to see what he was doing. As she watched, he fumbled with the hair, eventually tying it loosely around the base of his shaft.

"Prohibitio conceptio," he muttered. The pink hair began to glow. After a few seconds, the light dimmed, and the hair was pure white, beaming softly. "There. The spell lasts six hours, and prevents conception with the pony that the hair belongs to." Lightning Bolt reared up and mounted Fluttershy, His cock pressing against her moistened entrance. She gasped, adjusting to handle his weight. Fluttershy lowered the front half of her body down, raising her hips against his body. Taking this as a sign to continue, Lightning pressed forward, entering her.

Fluttershy gasped as he penetrated her. He was gentle, but she was still a total virgin. She moaned, first with pain, then with pleasure. Despite her virginity, she managed to take his whole length, past the medial ring and all the way down to the base. Lightning pushed a little, feeling her rump cushion him. Although not large, Fluttershy's ass was shapely, a feature of hers Lightning Bolt greatly appreciated.

"Lightning, I feel so full, it's amazing," Fluttershy breathed. "You can start now, just be gentle, okay?"

"Of course," he agreed. He pulled back, then gave a slow thrust. Fluttershy's wetness provided ample lubrication, much to his satisfaction. He continued to thrust slowly, the tightness of her walls squeezing his member. Both Lightning and Fluttershy moaned, their pleasure increasing. Lightning Bolt began to go faster, feeling Fluttershy's rump squish under him as he pounded rhythmically. Fluttershy bucked her hips back in time with his thrusts, urging him deeper. His balls smacked against her again and again, the sound mixing with the other sticky sounds of intercourse.

Lightning Bolt was on top of the world. Damn, I don't think she realizes how good she is at this, for her first time anyway. This connection I feel with her... it's amazing! They both panted, though neither slowed down. They moved as one, synchronized in a way only two ponies in love could be. This is it. This is what true, passionate sex is like. That casual stuff with those zebra mares can't even compare...

"Ooh, Lightning," Fluttershy whined. "I'm getting close!" She began to orgasm, her sex tightening around his length as she screamed with pleasure. Lightning gasped, the intense sensation bringing him to orgasm as well. He thrust as deep as possible and came hard, planting his seed deep inside her. Fluttershy's screams of ecstasy dwindled, replaced by heavy breathing. Waves of pleasure overcame the two, and for the next few moments the only sounds from either of them were grunts and panting. Finally, their orgasms faded, and they collapsed onto the bed together.

Their manes were disheveled, their coats glistening with sweat. Fluids leaked out of both of them, coating the covers of the bed. But none of that mattered. Lightning Bolt and Fluttershy snuggled in the middle of the bed, feeling the cool night air from the outside balcony blow into the bedroom.

Looking up, Lightning realized that what he had assumed was the ceiling was actually a large glass skylight. He pointed it out to Fluttershy, and they gazed up at the thousands of stars. Brightest of all was the full moon shining down on them. Lightning wondered to himself as he held Fluttershy close.

The night sky is so beautiful... I wonder if Princess Luna is up there somewhere, looking down on us. I've heard the rumors about her observing what her subjects do in the cloaking darkness of her night. She can watch if she wants, doesn't bother me at all, this moment is too perfect. I could stay like this forever...

New Dawn (Epilogue)

The light of dawn streamed slowly into the bedroom from the outside. A beam of light struck Lightning Bolt's eyelids, rousing him from sleep. He yawned and stretched, noting the sleeping form of Fluttershy laying next to him. Gently, Lightning eased off of the bed, taking care not to disturb her sleep. I need some breakfast... and a shower. Lightning trotted down the hallway towards the bathroom.

After a hot shower, Lightning headed downstairs. Searching the kitchen, he found a collection of fresh fruit. Lightning Bolt grabbed two bowls and a knife, and began to slice the fruit to make fruit salads for himself and Fluttershy. As he prepared breakfast, he heard the sounds of Fluttershy showering upstairs. Lightning set the two bowls of fruit on the table and took a seat, waiting for Fluttershy.

From seemingly nowhere, Angel bunny hopped up onto the table. Lightning Bolt sat up in shock. Oh Luna, I almost forgot about him! Wait, was he watching us last night?

"Uhh... hey there," he managed to say. Angel gazed steadily in return, his little face a mask, showing no emotion. Without looking away, he reached down and grabbed a fresh, red strawberry from Lightning's fruit bowl. Angel popped the strawberry into his mouth and chewed slowly. Lightning Bolt started to speak, managing "Look, about last night-" before Angel cut him off with a wave of his paw. He swallowed the strawberry and stared directly at Lightning. After a few seconds of stillness that felt like hours... Angel bunny gave the tiniest of nods. Lightning Bolt sighed in relief, and Angel hopped off the table, once again slipping away among the wispy clouds that made up the floor.

"Good morning, Lightning." Fluttershy greeted Lightning Bolt from the entrance to the kitchen. He turned to face her, opening his mouth to reply. His mouth stayed open.

She looked stunning; somehow even better than when she arrived yesterday. Her mane and coat, previously disheveled and matted, were now perfectly clean and tidy. Her mane, which had yesterday been carefully styled and accented with the bow, was now only casually tidied. It was a natural look, fitting her love of nature. She smiled with an honest, open smile. There was no shyness, nor unease. This was a completely comfortable and happy mare. The mare he loved.

"Good morning to you too, Fluttershy. I made us fruit salads, figured you'd be hungry." She nodded and took the other seat at the table. Now that she was close, however, Lightning noticed something even more surprising about her.

Her mane smelled like... action. Daring. It was a powerful, dominant scent, contrasting her quiet demeanor completely. He recognized the scent immediately. It was the scent he had known since his colthood back in Cloudsdale. A scent that he hadn't smelled in years before last morning. The scent of the shampoo in the shower, belonging to the owner of the house they were in.

Fluttershy smelled like Rainbow Dash. The pony he loved, with her mane smelling exactly like his sister. That raised some conflicting feelings in him, to be sure. On one hoof, the aroma was oddly enticing on Fluttershy, perhaps because of the irony. On the other hoof, it was so connected to Rainbow Dash in his mind that he couldn't feel attracted to it without the thought of his sister making it weird. Lightning did his best to shelve those thoughts and focus on breakfast.

The meal passed quickly, as there wasn't much to say that hadn't been said already after last night. When their bowls were empty, Lightning accompanied Fluttershy to the door.

"I should get going," she said. "Rainbow Dash will probably be back soon, and I need to check on the animals. Lightning, I... really enjoyed last night. It was even better than I had ever dreamed. Will you be staying in Ponyville?" He shrugged.

"I'll have to go back to Cloudsdale in a few days to get all my old stuff, but yeah, I plan on coming back, don't worry." He smiled and nuzzled her. After a moment, they separated, and Fluttershy turned and took off. Lightning watched her go, seeing a small Angel bunny hop out of the clouds and land on her back. When she faded to a dot in the distance, he closed the door.

Lightning Bolt flopped down on the couch. He wasn't sure exactly when Rainbow Dash was coming back, but he assumed it wouldn't be long. After a few moments, he realized that his eyes were feeling droopy. True, he hadn't slept much last night, but it was strange to feel this tired. Lightning tried to stand up, but found himself unable. A few seconds later, he fell into a sudden deep slumber.

zZz

When Lightning Bolt came to, a dark fog swirled around him. He stood up, shakily, and tried to make sense of his surroundings. The fog shrouded the area, covering even his hooves below him, but up above he could see a night sky with thousands of swirling stars. Brightest of all was the moon, full and much larger in the sky than usual. Nervously, Lightning called out into the darkness.

"H-hello? What's going on, what is this?" He listened, but at first there was no response. Then, out of the shadows, a large figure drew near. The fog parted, revealing a deep blue alicorn. "Princess Luna!" Lightning Bolt gasped and bowed awkwardly, caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

Princess Luna laughed softly and waved her hoof, motioning for him to rise.

"Please, Lightning Bolt, there is no need for such formalities here," Luna teased. "All are equal in my plane of dreams."

"I'm... dreaming?" Lightning asked, confused. Luna nodded, and continued to speak.

"Yes, dreaming. As princess of the night, I often visit my subjects as they dream. If necessary, I can call them to dream at any time, which is what I've done to you. Do not worry, in the waking world you have just passed out for a few minutes. I would have contacted you last night, but I figured you needed the rest after your... night with Fluttershy."

Lightning Bolt went pale. First Angel bunny and now this? Is there anypony else who feels the need to comment on my sex life? Princess Luna smiled warmly.

"I should mention," Luna said, "since this is my realm, any thoughts of yours are revealed to me." Lightning Bolt went from pale to blushing, frantically trying to dispose of certain thoughts. Luna stepped towards him, bringing her face close to his.

"Be calm, your intimate desires are safe with me. Yes, even the ones you're having about me right now. I'd gladly fulfill those desires... but I doubt Fluttershy would appreciate that now, would she? Speaking of Fluttershy... it is my duty to watch over my subjects in the night. Last night, you and her in particular caught my attention."

"I-I'm sorry!" Lightning sputtered. "Please don't be angry Luna, I just... I love her! And she loves me! And if you've got a problem with that... well, uh..." He trailed off as he remembered just who he was talking to. Princess Luna froze for a second, then laughed.

"Oh, Lightning, you misunderstand! I'm not mad, I'm grateful. Grateful towards you, for what you've done." Seeing his confused expression, she elaborated.

"When I returned to Equestria as Nightmare Moon, Fluttershy was one of Twilight's friends who helped bring me back to being Princess Luna. Because of what she did to help me, I care greatly about her health and happiness. For years she's dreamt of yesterday's events. Meeting you again. Catching up, remembering old times. Falling in love. For years, unbeknownst to her, I played the part of Lightning Bolt in her dreams, giving her what she so badly wished for. But I could never make it real; that was beyond my power. I wanted to thank you, Lightning Bolt. Thank you for returning, and bringing her the happiness that I could not. If there's anything you need, anything I can do for you, just call upon me in your dreams and I will answer, That is a promise, and the least I can do."

Lightning Bolt opened his mouth to thank her, but it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. His vision swirled and blurred, and everything went pitch dark.

zZz

"Uh, Lightning? Bro?" The voice roused Lightning Bolt from unconsciousness. He shook his head, feeling the tiredness rapidly fading, and looked up from the couch to see his sister standing over him. "Why are you sleeping on the couch?"

"Um, well, you see... it's kind of hard to explain actually..." He replied, unsure of how to tell her about his dream. She waved a hoof in the air, expressing her sudden disinterest.

"You know what, never mind, that isn't important. Where's Fluttershy? Did she leave already?" Rainbow Dash looked around the room.

"Yeah, she left a few minutes ago," said Lightning. Rainbow flopped down next to him. Thankfully, she had showered somewhere else last night, so her mane didn't smell like Fluttershy's had. Ugh, that fragrance is ruined for me now. I can't even think about it without conflicting thoughts of both of them! Maybe I can convince her to switch shampoos... "So, where did you go last night, Sis?" She shrugged.

"Eh, I crashed in Twilight's castle for the night. Rarity came over too. Nothing really happened, we mostly gossiped about you and Fluttershy. They both helped her get ready yesterday. Rarity took her to the spa, and Twilight gave her a summary of a book on how to date." Rainbow leaned in. "They're both very eager to hear what happened, same as me. So, that's two more ponies who will be very disappointed if you blew it with her. You didn't blow it, did you?"

"Hey, c'mon Sis, have a little faith in your brother!" Lightning Bolt took offense. "The date went fine. Great, actually. More than great. We ate dinner, and afterwards we watched the sunset together while I told her the story of how I got my cutie mark. Perfect date." Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed.

"And after that?"

"After that we, uh," Lightning stammered, "we went to bed."

"That's it?"

"...Wellll," he started. Rainbow Dash laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder, smiling.

"Oh, you dog! Really, on the first date you two- bwahahah!" Rainbow collapsed into giggles.

"That's not all," Lightning said, teasingly. "We did it... in your bed." Rainbow gasped.

"Bro, really? Not cool! I swear if you made a mess..." He nodded, grinning widely.

"Oh yeah. Wanna hear the details?" He asked, poking Rainbow Dash in the side. She recoiled, a look of disgust on her face.

"No! No. No details," Rainbow said, looking away from him, embarrassed. He leaned in close.

"Here's one for you," he said. His muzzle was right next to her ear as he whispered three words: "She's a screamer." Rainbow Dash slugged him, sending him tumbling to the floor. Despite the pain in his side, he laughed uncontrollably at her fury.

"Why? Why did you have to tell me that. Sweet Celestia, I'll never be able to look at her the same way, you understand that? Dammit Lightning!" Lightning bolted, running for the front door. Rainbow Dash chased him, yelling. "First, you bang one of my best friends in my own bed! If that wasn't enough, you drop her super-personal sexy-time quirks on me, things that I'm never going to be able to forget, you hear me? Never!" He burst out the front door, sprinting towards the edge of the cloud. Rainbow followed, still shouting. She was clearly mad, but there was a playful note in her tone of voice. "I swear to the princesses I'm dragging you back in there and making you clean up my room, which apparently you seem to think of as your personal love chamber!" Lightning lept off of the cloud.

"You'll have to catch me fi-irst!" Lightning Bolt kept his wings by his sides, gaining speed rapidly. As he hit terminal velocity he spread them, shooting over the treetops at a breakneck pace. Behind him, he heard a deafening boom. Turning his head, he saw the remnants of a sonic rainboom as Rainbow Dash barreled towards him. Almost as loud as the boom were her words that came next.

"Lightning Boooooooooooolt!"

End

Author's Note

Whew, this is finally done. I spent way longer on it than i intended to. I hope you enjoyed! I find it kind of funny that this epilogue ended up being the longest chapter. It was supposed to be just a few quick scenes to wrap the story up, but I kept coming back to add a little more. This might not be the last you see of Lightning Bolt, assuming he can survive his rapidly-approaching sibling beatdown. I might even write a prequel story about his time in the zebra lands, since I feel like there's a lot more to tell there. No promises, but it seems compelling. Anyway, thanks for sticking around and reading this!