Chaos Missionary

by Protoform66

Rating: teen
Tags: Anthro, Main 6, Discord, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Drama, Original Character, Spike, Comedy, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Random, Sex
Length: 4952

We all know the Displace fics right? Well I noticed a lack of Skull Kid in these and decided to change that! So basic rundown... he went to a convention and bought two masks from the Merchant and landed him in stone with Discord.

Guy went to a convention as the Skull Kid and now is stuck as the mischievous imp. Mistaken as a creation and ally to Discord was locked in stone along with him. Will he find peace as far as an imp can get or steal some hearts? His new friends, a few fairies, a load of his own kind of chaos, and Equestria is in for a real treat! Why don't you join him?
I do not own MLP or Legend of Zelda, they belong to their respective owners minus if I use any OCs, fan-made weapon(s), etc.

Published 2017-07-08 19:00:07 UTC
Last updated 2017-07-08 19:00:07 UTC

Chapter 1: Jailbreak!!!

“So how long we been in here?”

“About 1000 years, give or take.”

“Good then it’s almost time.”

“So you’re sure this will work Skully?”

“It’s Skull Kid Discord, but I think that name works better.”

So you’re wondering why I’m talking to Discord and as Skull Kid. Truth be told, I’m a displaced. As I was told by Discord, I was one of many that were sent to a different version of Equestria, Land of anthro ponies, mythical creatures, magic, and friendship. This helped prove a multiverse theory, but also proved that I was in the show, and my presence could drastically change the plotline.

I was warned not to buy anything from a strange guy at the Convention, but he had a perfect replica of Majora’s Mask and Skull Mask, for only $40! I went as my favorite and humorous character from the Legend of Zelda series, the Skull Kid. I had everything to make the imp costume, by using an old scarecrow costume, a flute that I remade to be like a blow-dart gun, and a shadow mask to make me look faceless. I had everything I needed except the masks, because I didn’t have enough money for the materials to make them. When I bought them I was dizzy and everything went black. When I woke up I was in a strange forest. I wandered around and saw my face in a pond, only to see I didn’t have one, except the one of an imp. And when I looked at the masks I had they felt real, and the rainbow colored mask kept ushering me to put it on. I knew I didn’t want to hurt this place, so I used the pack I had with me to keep in there until I can find a secure place to keep it.

Present

Long story short, I ended up terrorizing the local pony populace and was frozen for being in relations to the Chaos Being, Discord. I decided to use my knowledge and make a deal with him, so I can get out of my prison. He may be a bad guy, but that doesn’t make him a bad guy, so to speak. Besides he’ll be reformed in a while.

“Not my fault I’m a bit freaky. Even if I caused a bit of trouble in towns and cities.”

“Yes but when you used those pies on the Nobles, and switched Celestia’s cakes, with cakes made of veggies and coated with ranch dressing as frosting was a great insult.” Discord said as he laughed from my jokes.

“Hey buddy we’re about to get an escape soon! So be ready!” I shouted and giggled with glee.

What happened next was the one I was hoping for… Ms. Cheerile’s Class Field Trip of the Garden.

“I want to start our field trip here, in the world-famous Canterlot sculpture garden. That one over there represents "Friendship". All right, my little ponies, this one represents "Victory".”

“How cool would it be to have that for a cutie mark?” asked a certain orange Pegasus filly with dark purple hair shortened down. She was wearing jeans and a red shirt with flames.

“Cool, if you were actually victoryful at somethin'.” Said a yellow earth pony filly, with red hair, tied in a ponytail and with a bow. She was wearing overalls and a white shirt with a red apple on the front.

“That's not a word!” Another filly said. She had white fur with a purple shirt and purple plaid skirt of varying shades. She had a horn on her head. Her hair was light pinkish purple.

These were the CMC, Or Cutie Mark Crusaders. From the order there was Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. This was going to be a great day. They then began to argue which fueled the chaos needed to start to breaking free.

“And this class… Is Chaos Underling.”

“What’s it supposed to be?” Asked Twist.

“He called himself an imp that lost his face.”

“How?” asked Apple Bloom.

“It is said he used to be a young earth pony colt that wandered into the Everfree Forest at night and got lost. When he emerged the next day, he lost his face and became this. They say he wears masks as a way of remembering of how he used to have a face before he lost his, and lures foals into the forest to become one as well with music and promises of having fun forever.”

‘Really Tia? You made sound like a pony that turned into this? It’s a shame a lot of books will have to be rewritten.’

Discord laughs as the group leaves and he begins to large cracks begin to take shape as he broke free.

He then made big entrance by making smoke appear and making a loud noise as he began to take form and made himself bigger as he stopped and cracked his neck.

“Oi! 10,000 years, will give you such a crick in the neck!” He said in his best Genie impersonation.

“Now that’s how you do it.” I said as I told him about my planet and its movies that had someone with magic like his, but used it grant wishes, but loved to make puns and references.

“Now c’mon I want to cause some trouble! I’ve kept my end of the deal!” I said as I practically felt like I could shake the statue if I could.

“Ohhh… ok! Welcome aboard Chaos-teer!” Discord says as he snapped his fingers and I was free once more.

“Wooohoohoho! I feel great” I shouted as I danced around. I reached into my pack and pulled out the Skull Mask and put it on.

“Ahhh, a mask is so nice to have. You can be whatever you want even if it’s just for show.” I shout again.

“Pleasure doing business with you Skully, now why don’t we cause some Chaos?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice, just remind me when we take care of the Princesses.

Later

It was glorious. Cotton candy clouds, Chocolate rain, and Cola storms. It was great. I may like causing havoc, but I try not to get anyone hurt unless they deserve it. We decided that I would take the Elements, while Discord starts up an entrance with the Mane Six and Celestia.

“You sure this’ll work?” Discord asked.

“Of course, you think they would put a seal on the strongest items in Equestria, they’d be useless to anyone else. Unless you know what they do.” I said as we entered the Castle Vault and found the box. I opened the box and found the six gemstones. Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic. I place the Laughter one on.

“This suits me doesn’t it?” I laugh out as I put it on my neck.

“It won’t work, but you sure know how to make a draconequus laugh.” Discord laughed as I admired my new piece.

With a snap Discord made the Elements disappear into the Hedge Maze and warped to the mural of him being turned to stone by the Princesses and me close behind.

Cue the introduction

“That chamber is protected by a powerful spell that only I can break! This doesn't make sense!” The princess said. She had her celestial flowing mane, with her white fur and a sparkling white dress with her cutie mark on her chest, which was quite big, at least an E cup.

“Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?” Discord says as he laughs.

“Discord... Show yourself!”

“You miss me, Celestia? I missed you. It's quite lonely being encased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you, because I don't turn ponies into stone.”

“Enough! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?”

“Oh, I just borrowed them for a teensy little while. My friend likes his new gift.”

“You'll never get away with this, Discord! And Imp, show yourself!”

“Oh, I'd forgotten how grim you can be, Celestia. It's really quite boring.”

I make myself known as I walked into the room with a kooky grin.

“Hi.”

“Nopony insults the Princess!” A rainbow-haired pony shouted before trying to fight a Chaos god. She was wearing shorts and white tank top and blue vest with her cutie mark on her vest and shoes. Her chest was small, at least a B-cup, probably held down by a sports bra to help gain more speed.

“Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash, famed for her loyalty, the Element of Harmony you represent.”

“That's right! I'll always be loyal to the Princess!”

“We'll see about that.”

He then begins listing the other Elements. Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie. Rarity was wearing a designer black skirt and white blouse with a purple mini scarf around her neck. Her chest being DD. She was wearing black high heels. Applejack was wearing denim jeans and an orange button down shirt with her trademark Stetson and a pair of boots. She was well toned, and had C-D cup bust. Twilight was wearing a black skirt and white button down shirt with a purple shawl. Her size was D. Fluttershy was wearing a sunhat and a green dress with pink flowers embroidered at the bottom. Her size was at least a DD. And Pinkie was wearing bright blue pants and a yellow tank top saying “Party” on the front. Her size was a perky C.

“Stop stalling, Discord! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony? And why have you released your Minion?

“Oh, so boring, Celestia. Really? He’s not a Minion, he just likes to be a jokester like me.”

I just laugh a little.

“I will you where the Elements are, but only in my way. To retrieve your missing Elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began. Ho ho ho hoooo.” Discord answered before disappearing and leaving me with confused and angry mares.

“So who’s up for a little Scavenger Hunt?” I ask before being hit with a magic spell. ��m,F�

Chapter 2: Awkward Introductions

I woke up to find myself in a rope. I tried to move it only for it to glow and stop.

“Don’t bother, that rope is enchanted.” A voice says.

I look over to see a group of frowning ponies, minus one that was jumping and smiling.

“Hey, dinner and a show first before you want to tie me up.”

They all blushed deeply, and Pinkie was just giggling.

“Silence! Where are the Elements!” Celestia yelled in my face.

“Me no know. I just wanted out of the rock.”

Pinkie jumped up to me.

“HI!I’mPinkiePie,butyoucancallmePinkie,doyoulikeparties?What’syourfavoritetypeofcake?Areyouanalien?Aretheremoreofyou?Whyareyou…” She was silenced by Rainbow Dash before dragging her back.

“Darling I must say your clothes are quite dreadful.”

“I took them from a scarecrow.”

“That explains a lot.”

I only respond with a raspberry that appalls her and she scoffs.

Fluttershy moved in to see me. She moved very carefully, I smiled under my mask, but it didn’t really help since it was shaped like a skull.

“Are you ok? You seem hurt.”

“No I’m fine pretty pony, just a bit hungry.”

She blushed deeply before hiding behind her mane and walking off.

“Can I go now?”

“NO!” They shouted, except Fluttershy and Pinkie.

I sighed as I moved around.

“How could you be working with him?” Celestia says to me.

“Because I was a statue, he became my friend and freed me.”

“He’s not friends to anyone!”

“Hmph. Stubborn pony.”

Celestia groaned. She leaves me alone with a pair of guards as I could only smile.

‘This is going to be fun when they want to reform him and hopefully me.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Approximately 1½ episodes later, including commercials…

“109 bottles of cider on the wall! 109 bottles of cider!!”

The Guards were losing patience and were starting to twitch.

‘Someone make him stop…’ One guard says to himself.

They were interrupted by the doors opening and walking down Celestia and her sister Luna. Luna was wearing a dress similar to Celestia, only it was like the night sky with her cutie mark on her chest and a DD chest. She stared at me before giggling. Before being banished I made Luna laugh with my pranks and making the Nobles look like idiots a few times.

“Greetings Skull Kid. Art thou well?”

“As always Luna.” I smiled

Celestia only sighs before she nods to the guards as they bolt out to get away from my never-ending songs. Her horn glowed a second before she lets me out of my binds.

I stand up and crack a few bones before start to dance around.

“Ahhh. Feels great to be up and about again.”

Celestia only grins before holding me in her magical grasp.

“You’ll be happy to know that you are going to be one of the first reformed creatures in Equestria.” Celestia explains as she drags me out of the dungeons.

I look over to see Luna still smiling as I’m taken outside.

“So what are you going to do? Use the Elements I’m still here.”

“No you are going to learn lessons in friendship from my student.”

“You mean Sparkle?”

“Ye… How do you know her name?”

“Uh… Discord told me.” I smiled hoping they fall for it, can’t let them know the future, grinning like an idiot.

She only stared a before sighing.

“Very well imp, let’s take a chariot to Ponyville.”

“It’s Skull Kid.”

“Ugghh.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So the Princess told us to meet her here?” Dash said with her arms crossed.

“She said she was bringing a guest.”

Pinkie was giggling getting her party cannon ready.

“Maybe it’s royalty? Or a coltfriend!”

“Pinkie, the Princess isn’t dating anyone.”

“Look! Here they come!”

The chariot lands as they see a brown blur jump out and roll on the grass.

“Oh sweet nature, I never want to leave it!”

“Skull Kid! Control yourself!”

I jump up and shake off the grass. I then look over to see the shocked group of ponies.

“Hello again.”

“You!?” They all shout.

“Me!”

“This is the ‘special guest’?!” Twilight shouts.

“I’m a special guest? Oh thanks Celestia didn’t know you cared.”

“Quiet you. Celestia you can’t possibly think he’s safe to be out here.”

“He has potential to be good, and maybe bring smiles to ponies if pointed in the right direction. He barely has any magic in him.”

“Hey the magic I use is in my music and masks!”

“Yes like how you caused day and night to change sporadically and make it rain when no clouds were around.”

“I wanted to sleep a bit more, plus it was the desert, the locals appreciated it.”

“Not when it was a giant mud bath!”

“I didn’t know it wouldn’t stop without me playing the song again!”

This peaked Twilight’s interest. A song that caused things like this to happen was a new type of magic she could possibly learn.

“How did you do that? Only Pegasus can move clouds and cause rain.” RD states.

“But do they know this song?”

I pull out a blue ocarina to play one of my favorite tunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkYEJXN2QWk

Thunder crashes as it beings to storm.

“And then I play it again…”

The storm stops as if it was never there.

They all look at me with weird expressions before I place it back in one of my pockets.

“You’ll freeze like that if you leave your faces like that.” I laugh before sitting down.

Twilight then bounded towards me with a spark in her eye.

“You have to tell me how you did that!!”

Dash also joined in, with an irritated but also intrigued look. The rest were indifferent, except for Rarity, she was complaining about her mane being ‘too frizzy’. Luna only giggled and added on.

“As you can see, he is very mischievous, but he doesn’t really pose any threat.”

Celestia only groaned at how many complaints she had to deal with and the paperwork that came with it from Skull Kid’s pranks. She had to deal with some vandalism to pricey dry cleaning after getting them wet.

“Fluttershy, I want you to look after him first.”

The group gasps as the yellow Pegasus behind her mane. She never thought that the first pony to look after him. He looked over and smiled. She blushed at the thought of when he called her pretty.

‘Maybe this won’t be too bad…’

“Well…ok… he can stay.”

“Not to sound dramatic, but have you lost it Fluttershy?!” Rarity yelled as cam as she could.

“Yeah, who knows what this creep has in his arsenal.” RD sates pointing at the duffle bag I was carrying behind me.

“I have full faith in Fluttershy, if anyone can start the process of reformation, it’s her.” Celestia stated.

“If anything goes wrong, you can use the Elements on him, and turn him back into stone.”

The Bearers nodded. They looked back to see Luna and Skull Kid talking, while she’s laughing.

~~~~~~~

“No wait it gets better! So when the patient woke up, his skeleton was missing! And the doctor was never heard from again!”

Luna was wheezing at his story.

“Anyways… That’s how I lost my medical license.”

She instantly stopped laughing to see if he was even joking, but not having a face had its perks. You had the greatest poker face.

~~~~~~~

Celestia clears her throat.

“Now Skull Kid, you will be staying with Fluttershy as the first part of your reformation. The Bearers will be keeping their Elements on them at all times in case you cause trouble. Do you understand?”

“Yeah yeah yeah… Be good, don’t be a nuisance while you’re staying with Fluttershy.”

She sighs as she begins to depart.

“Good luck my ponies.”

Luna gives a small hug to Skull Kid.

“We won’t let you down!” The group says.

The Princesses smile before they turn and leave. I wave as they move off and see them looking at me with differing faces of interest. Twilight obviously wanted to ask me many questions, Applejack and Rainbow were frowning, Fluttershy was smiling a little bit under her mane, Rarity was indifferent, and Pinkie was… Pinkie.

She grinned as she jumped in the air, and pulled out some cake.

“Here have a ‘Welcome to Ponyville Imp Cake’!”

I took a giant bite out of it and grinned. It was the greatest cake I could imagine, even if it was just plain chocolate, but this was just the start for Pinkie.

“Welllll? Did you like it? Or did you reallllyyyyy like it?” She grinned.

“I don’t like it.”

Her man instantly deflates as she starts to frown.

“I LOVE it!”

This earns a big smile from her as she realizes the pun in my wording.

“For a weird creature, you have a ‘debatable’ sense of humor.” Rarity says.

I just continue to giggle. They roll their eyes as they decide to take me to Fluttershy’s home. Along the way I look around behind my mask to see ponies staring in awe or fear of the creature walking with them. I only wave as a few young colts and fillies wave back at the weird thing. The parents pull them away. Of course. When we arrive I see all sorts of animals flying, walking, or even lying about the home. My eyes instantly glow at the sight.

‘So many animals…’

“So… this is my home. Please make yourself comfortable… if you want…”

‘Why is she so adorable?”

To be funny I use the random way and go through the small door for dogs, rabbits, etc. What I didn’t judge was my mask to fall off. I instantly panicked at my face felt naked without it.

“Skull Kid!” Twilight shouts as they barge in thinking there was danger. All they found was a Skull Kid hiding partly under the couch.

“Uhm what’re you doin’ there sugarcube?”

“I can’t stand being without my mask!”

RD starts to laugh.

“It’s just a mask dude.”

“JUST A MASK!? IT’S THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE TO A FACE!” I yell.

The sudden loudness scared Fluttershy to hide behind the group.

“Alright come out of there, it’s right here.” Applejack says as they pull me out, revealing I had a blanket tied to my face.

“Alright take the blanket off silly filly.” Pinkie adds.

They untie it to find a book held in my face.

“And the book.” Twilight groans.

They pull it off and gasp at the sight. My face was entirely black with only my glowing orange eyes and mouth. I look away and hide under my hat. The tension was thick as the group felt bad.

“Is that why you wear a mask darling?” Rarity spoke.

I only reply with a nod. This was strange, I wasn’t an imp, and yet I felt naked without some sort of face. Fluttershy rose above the group and went forward.

“Hey… It’s ok… Here’s your mask back.”

I smile softly before placing it back on my face.

“Thank you…”

I don’t know what came over me, but I hugged her, and she just hugged me back… kinda like a mother would to their child… I missed my family.

The group smiles as I stood up and straightened it up.

“Darling if you want a better mask, I could possibly make something for you at my boutique. And maybe something to fix those garbs.”

“But I like them.”

“That’s my point, I think you would better in a suit or something…”

“Shiny?”

“Yes!”

I clap in glee that this won’t be the only outfit I’m stuck with, but I don’t know if Imps even took baths.

“Uhh heads up buddy, you’ll be there for a while.” Rainbow whispers.

I laugh as we begin introducing ourselves once more.

Chapter 3: Mask Origins!!!

This involves plot from the Majora's Mask Manga, if you haven't read it, I would suggest you do. The Manga is so much more detailed than the games could be. I do not know which version would be correct, but I like the story I picked for the Mask's origin :3 Enjoy!

“And that’s how Earth came to be.” I said finally finishing as much as Earth history could remember, minus the blood and gore, but kept the battles still alive.

“Fascinating, and everything is done without magic?” Twilight asks with about 50 or so parchments of notes.

“Yeah and a lot of things here relate to myths in my world, like manticores and hydras.”

Most of the group fell asleep, minus Pinkie who was eating popcorn while listening to my knowledge.

“And there’s an entire city that parties all night?!” Pinkie shouts.

“Yep the most exciting things happen after dark, and the music starts blaring.”

Pinkie had stars in her eyes, thinking how much party planning goes into this, and how much cake has to be made for an entire city. Then she started to think ‘What would Pinkie do… Oh wait that’s me!’

She then looked at the bag I carried. She grinned thinking it would be fun to see what neat stuff the Imp had. She looked in and saw a rainbow colored mask. She cringed at how scary it looked.

“Pinkie don’t touch that!”

This startles her and promptly awakens the group that sets of a chain reaction of squawks and growls from the animals inside the cabin.

“What the buck dude?!” a very pissed cyan pony shouts.

“My mane! My glorious mane!”

“Oh boy.”

“Everypony stop!”

Everyone including the animals froze as they se Fluttershy with an annoyed look. She then looked at me and I froze.

“You better have an explanation for scaring everypony.”

“Yeah that mask is cursed!”

Twilight gasps as she attempts to see the mask. I grab it and seal the bag.

“No one can touch it!”

“What’s so special about a weird mask?” Pinkie asks.

“Anything that comes across this mask will gain power beyond their imagination. But at the cost of one’s sanity.”

“So why do you have such a dangerous item?! The Princesses should have it!”

“They have no idea what this thing can do!

“Hold on there bub, what’s its story?” Rainbow asks.

“That’s… That’s a bit difficult to explain.”

GROAN

“It’s short!”

True the Mask was never explained of its origins or how it came to be. Ranging from being used in hexing tribes, to a demon sealed catalyst, or made from the armor of an ancient beast. I decided to tell the most interesting one of the ancient beast.

“I’ll tell you the version that makes more sense *ahem*.”

“A long time ago… The creature the Mask holds was originally a giant dragon-like creature who guarded an empty, timeless land -- a land neither living nor dead. The armor this dragon wore was highly sought after, as it was fabled to be capable of granting wishes and bestowing great power unto its owner.”

“Wow! That sounds awesome!”

“Does it sound awesome that he devoured anything that came after him?”

“Not so much.”

“Rainbow Dash. Continue Skully.”

“Thank you. Many brave and foolish warriors came to the land hoping to claim the armor for their own purposes, both good and evil, but Majora devoured them, mares and stallions alike.”

“Oh… Oh dear…”

“One day, an unnamed traveler comes to converse with Majora, rather than to claim his armor. In their dialog, this stranger sympathizes with Majora, pointing out his loneliness. Majora considers the traveler's analysis and using the desires of the devoured, develops a wish of his own; for time to pass, that he may rest at last and end his loneliness.”

“So even after devouring everything he wants to stop?”

“Imagine you were him. Living in a timeless world, with a precious treasure others want. No friends, family, or anyone else but yourself to talk to. And with no time, you never age, and you lose how long this has gone on for and just wish for it to end.”

Their ears go flat as they hear that. To them it sounded like how Luna was being imprisoned on the moon for a 1,000 years.

“The traveler then takes a drum from his bag and begins to play, telling Majora to dance. Majora then beings to dance furiously for three days and nights, and as he dances, time is born. On the fourth day, the dragon dies, as do all creatures for whom time passes, leaving behind only his armor, and the neither-dead-nor-living land is destroyed. The man then carves a mask from the creature's magic armor into what came to be known as Majora's Mask, hoping to seal its power forever.”

The girls then look over at the pack and then Skull Kid.

“This Mask, is the embodiment of the power that beast carried. It only knows how to cause destruction and mischief that would make Discord flinch in terror. His magic is chaotic but what this can do would mean the End of everything.”

“So how bad is that brutish mask’s powers?”

“Imagine the moon crashing towards the Earth in a matter of days. Just like the legend, the Mask will cause the end of the world in three days, unless someone can stop the wearer.”

“But why have such a dark item!?” Twilight shouts.

“Because I’m the only one that knows what it does. It’s happened once before. I don’t trust anypony to keep this away from prying eyes.

The mares gulp at the thought. A Mask with such power couldn’t be left alone by any being, especially if it’s that dangerous.

“Why did you put on such a mask?”

I decided to tell the story of how I met this Mask and almost destroyed everything. Technically it wasn’t lying but I’m Skull Kid now, the name I once had was lost.

“I was in despair, I thought I was abandoned by my only friends, The Four Giants, and was ridiculed for being an imp. No one wanted to associate themselves with me, so I caused trouble to get them to come back, but they threatened me when they reappeared. I then met two lost fairies that became my only friends. We played tricks on the locals, but I still wanted them to pay. I lost it and came upon a Mask Salesman. He had a wide collection of masks, this one spoke to me on getting revenge.”

I went on that is only for jokes, but it got out of hand as it used me like a puppet to only end the world. A young hero, like the lone traveler, was able to defeat the entity and drain its magic away. Through the power of using magic, he traveled through time, to stop the bad events he learned, or to treat the current ones. In the end the hero became my new friend and became friends with The Giants again. I never saw him again after that, he said he had to find an old friend from his previous adventures and went on to travel as far as he could go.

He mares were tearing up.

“Being a monster doesn’t ease the pain. It only increases it.” Twilight says, remembering Nightmare Moon.

“Yeah, but even now this Mask is still creepy on its own, so just to be safe, I keep it away from prying eyes that would want to use it for other purposes.”

“Enough with the scary tales! Let’s get you to Sugarcube Corner for a treat!” Pinkie shouts, hopping around.

“Yeah!” The group shouts before they head out.