It was an early spring morning, the sun having barely risen over the horizon. The town below was still fairly dormant, with it's dark windows and empty streets. The chilled night wind whistled softly and fallen leaves were swept across the quiet walkways. Littering the fresh concrete of the sidewalks. Off somewhere in the distance, the gentle chirps of morning doves were the only other sound to be heard.
CRASH
A clatter came from a mediocre sized building. It was lodged in between the other glass and concrete structures on the compact main street. The building was of two stories and took up a decent amount of space on the block. Along the front of the building, the currently unlit neon lights read in curly writing, “Jubilee Cafe”.
With another loud bang, out that very building was a dark colored mare with a light pink satchel. The faint sunlight highlighted the light colored splotches on the side of her face and shoulders. Her choppy pinkish red mane and tail were VERY ruffled and her glimmering orange eyes flashed excitedly.
“Sorry about that!”
A gruff, sharp voice echoed out the double doors. “Damn it Sunny! That was a new shipment of plates!”
“I’ll fix it later!”
A head poked out the doors. “And where are you off too in a hurry?”
Sunny grinned. “It’s a secret!” She laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back to help out with the noon rush! Promise!” She called back as she bolted down the street.
The stallion shook his head with a sigh. “And there she goes.”
* * *
Sunny galloped with energetic vigor down the streets, her hooves beating against the fresh concrete and echoed outward into the desolate streets of Loggerton. The crisp morning wind swept her mane back as she bolted around a pair of morning ponies, expertly prancing around them. She totally didn’t trip just then! Nope! Not at all!
“Hey, watch it!”
“Sorry!” She yelled as she scrambled back to her hooves.
Keep your head in the game, gotta get everything ready before tomorrow. She continued her trek with an upbeat trot through the PARTIALLY desolate town of Loggerton.
As she rushed on, the concrete slowly morphed into dirt, and dirt into grass as she shot off into the emerald green forest. The dark, brooding town far behind her now as she made her way to the everbrightening forest.
The rising sun was causing the morning dew to glimmer on the vegetation. Making the forest feel like the spirits themselves were awakening as Sunny cantered through their beautiful home. She darted, danced, and dashed through the oak trees at top speed. A laugh escaped her mouth as she leapt over a fallen tree trunk and dived through some dense bushes. While she ran, she could glimpse faint patches of wildflowers whirling past her in blurs like the dapples on a painting.
A flash of color to Sunny’s right caught her attention. She paused her journey to glance over and see a glimmering pond of blues and oranges and yellows. Morning birds glided by as the tall grass and reeds swayed gently in the breeze. The sun, once so dim, was climbing ever higher into the sky and thus only brightening the spectacle that was nature at its finest.
With a fond smile, Sunny darted away.
Seconds, minutes, or perhaps even an hour had passed before Sunny finally jumped over some bushes onto a familiar dirt path that snaked through the undergrowth. Bushes and roots and low hanging branches appeared to have wanted to take a crack at the path as well.
Ever growing and ever changing. Sunny thought fondly with some exasperation. She’ll probably have to clear some of it away so that he doesn't get all wound up in it, along with whatever bugs that had made their homes in the vegetation in the meantime. Though in her humble opinion, the forest looked better when it was overgrown like this. Buuuut this was a surprise for him so she’ll suck it up this one time.
With that thought tucked away for later, she began the journey with renewed vigor, bounding over large roots and fallen branches. She leaped over a mighty stream with all the grace of a Cloud Spirit’s gait. She pranced and paved her way between the thin birch trunks and under overhanging roots. Finally, she ducked down into a hollow, very easy to miss with all the bushes and roots in the way, and descended through the dark tunnel.
When she reached the end of the rooted tunnel, she at long last reached her destination.
The area was circle in shape, with the undergrowth being thick and the trees barely centimeters apart. Very hard to find a way in that wasn’t through the hollow.
At the center, a large tree that was split into three tree trunks lay at the center of the clearing. Unlit lanterns laced the low hanging branches of the center tree, and pressed up against the trunk of the tree were old fuzzy carpets she’d found that no one had wanted. The colors of the cloth outlined the site of the tree with blues, browns, reds, and many more that were not yet visible due to the still apparent darkness.
Sunny trotted over and moved to look at the nook under the tree, grinning with glee as she enjoyed the fact that the cozy little area was just big enough for about three ponies to fit in without being squished together too closely. She had also laid out a thick fur blanket and a small lantern the other day to add to that effect.
Sitting down, Sunny got to work grabbing various objects out of her bag. Some unlit glow sticks, a couple of streamers the color of grand sunsets, a large, rolled up canvas, and a small, wrapped up present the color of sunlight and oranges with a rosy bow on top.
Sunny grabbed some nails and a hammer, and got to work.
By the time she was done, she’d managed to get all the way up on the tree branches, had hid away the present and glow sticks in the underbelly of the tree, and had put up the banner in between two of the large tree trunks that were facing the hollow. She even remembered to clean the lanterns!
By that time, the sun was a bit higher in the sky, chasing away the extravagant blends of colors the dawn had brought.
Sunny sighed as she wiped her brow. The sun was already starting to heat up the land, signaling to her that she should probably head back.
I wonder how the Forest Spirits handle the heat? She mused to herself, not for the first time as she smoothed out the banner. Then again, they are Forest Spirits, maybe they need a lot of sun like plants do.
She hummed to herself. Stepping away, she picked up her satchel and pulled the strap over her head. She’ll come back later to clear out some of those mischievous plants along the path here. But this’ll do for now.
With a self-satisfied nod, she turned back towards the hollow she came from. She was pretty sure she saw some tea leaves that Dad didn’t have yet. So she might as well go grab those before she returns to the cafe. After all, she had plenty of time before the noon rush.
* * *
Okay, she might have lost track time. Just a little. No big deal. She’ll just have to pick up the pace. It’s not like it’s exactly noon right now. Nooooo.
With a completely calm and collected mindset, Sunny started fast trotting towards the town. It totally wasn’t a full on gallop. Pfft, definitely NOT.
Sunny paused and shook herself to get rid of the heat drowsiness before making a break for the tree line.
As she ran, er, walked, through, she could see that the town was a lot more awake than it was this morning from her standpoint on the large hill. Wagons and townsfolk moseyed up and down the streets in between the drab brick and stone buildings.
Sunny bolted down the hill and past all the orderly trees to hit the sidewalk and started scoping the area. There was an alleyway that went east off to the side, so she could probably hit that and come out near another side street. Said side street should, if she remembers correctly, cut up and around towards the café. At that point she could slink along the sidewalk and get back no problem. It was Tuesday, so there’d be no foals or greens around as they’d be at school. Literally the middle of the day too so no thugs either.
With a nod to herself, she darted across the street and into the alleyway. She was tempted to pause when she heard something akin to a yell behind her, but reoriented herself to keep going.
The alleyway was a bit darker than the streets, colder too. The paint along the sides of the buildings was peeling and graffiti of all kinds was scattered about. Definitely a hang out spot for some dumb greens. She winced, stepping over a mysterious mound of dirt that she had no intention of finding out what it was.
With a huff, she carried on. She didn’t particularly like alleyways, mostly due to how . . . eerie . . . they tended to be, what with the walls closing in, the smells smothering her, the Earthen filth piling all around the area, x y z you get the point. But she’ll take this over getting called out while on main street-er, uh, she meant getting caught in a crowd and being late. Definitely.
It felt like hours had passed by the time she was done walking through the dark side of town. And when she was she felt a prick of anxiety inducing anticipation hit her stomach.
She speed trotted, pointedly ignoring any eye contact with any passerby, until she spotted the café and quickly, without a word or so much as a peep, she dove around the side of the building and through the back alleyway. With a sigh, Sunny paused at the chipped back door. The nerves in her stomach were threatening to claw their way up her throat as the seconds ticked by.
Sunny took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked in.
Sunny swiftly shut the door behind her. Then promptly jumped as a particularly loud shout arose from the background clatter of the café. The burning lights from the ceiling illuminating the area in a bright yellow glow. Framed pictures and trinkets along the walls reflected the light and brought attention to them, practically screaming ‘look at me! Look at me!’
Her ears folded back as she darted her eyes around the area.
Every table had customers. From the wooden tables out on the candy-tiled floor to the cushioned pink seats and tables that lined the walls of the dining area.
Sunny whipped her head around, wincing at the VERY large line that had developed while she was away. While she was la-
“OOF!” She stumbled forward and stiffened. Slowly, she looked back.
“Sorry Sunny!” A high pitched male voice chirped from behind.
The short, young stallion standing behind her was glancing up at her curiously, he had bright pastel fur and a short, brown mane that was neatly combed to perfection. A set of glasses rested on his muzzle with light blue rims that framed his observant brown eyes.
He grinned. “Hey you’re back! And right before rush hour too!”
Before?
This . . . this didn’t look like before rush hour.
Sunny nervously laughed. “Uh, yeah, before rush hour, that’s what time it is.”
“Is that a new record, all things considered?”
“Yep . . .”
Welp, a four to eight ratio is better than a three to nine.
Right as she had that thought though, the Spirits decided that no pity would be taken on her this day.
“Where in the world is she?! This is the ninth time this month!”
Storming out from the back was a broad shoulder stallion with coppery orange fur that blazed in the lights of the cafe, a large jaw that was clenched tight, and furious yellow eyes that sparked with fire. He whipped his head toward them, his bright white chef’s hat almost falling off his head before he fixed it.
He stomped towards them. His large, hulking body looming over them.
“Sunny Starscout this is ridiculous! It’s a quarter after twelve, and you come in like a rat that was used as a hot potato between a bunch of vultures!”
Oh, would you look at that, there was suddenly a very certainly interesting crack on the floor!
The stallion stomped his hoof again, nostrils flared, “And on top of that, you’ve officially hit a resounding Jubilee Café record of being late a whopping NINE TIMES IN A SINGLE MONTH!”
Here we go again. She grumbled as her ears folded back and she frowned, a deadpan already etching its way onto her face.
That deadpan was immediately knocked away though as the stallion besides her gasped.
“I’M LATE! Oh, oh no oh no oh no I’m so sorry Chef Cash! I-I promise to do better and I’ll work even harder and-”
“Woah woah,” Chef Cash put a hoof up. “YOU aren’t in trouble, just, just get to the back. Okay kid?”
The young stallion sighed with relief. “Oh thank the Spirits, I promise I won’t let you down!” With that, he charged away.
Chef Cash huffed, then looked sharply back at Sunny. “You, on the other hoof, will be having a very long talk later with both me AND your father. Now get your tail back there and serve these customers damn it!”
She opened her mouth.
“If you say ANYTHING about gathering herbs for your father, that does not excuse your tardiness, missy!”
She closed her mouth.
With a huff, Sunny mockingly saluted him, “Yes sir.” She huffed as she began walking towards the back.
Sunny stiffened however when she heard Chef’s voice again. “Actually, on second thought, get your tail in the shower before you step anywhere near any food! I will not be having you poison any of these customers, ya hear!”
* * *
“Hey, Sunny! Ya comin’ or what?”
“I’m coming, I’m coming-AH!”
Sunny skidded down the stairs, just barely throwing herself against the wall to avoid a full frontal collision of the floor to her face. Thank you kindly.
She brushed her sopping wet mane out of her face, freezing in place as the stallion raised an eyebrow at her and her watery state.
His ear flicked. The light brushed against his face to light up his dark brown fur and highlighted the lighter markings along his mouth. His long, choppy black mane was glimmering with a faint blue color that mirrored his bored eyes.
“Ya good?” He asked with a head tilt.
Jumping to attention, Sunny stuttered. “U-Uh, yeah, just slipped is all, erm. Oh! Right! The customers! Come on Domino, they’re waiting for us ya silly goose!” She quickly walked past him.
“It's jus’ Frosthoof.” He said in a monotonous complaint that was barely discernible to her as she headed towards the back where the staff aprons hung.
Quickly slipping on her apron, Sunny turned and pushed her way through the mahogany doors out the back to the front, where the counter was. The small stallion from earlier, now with an apron on and a nametag that read “Canter Jack”, was chipperly talking to the customers ahead of him.
“Okay, a Farmer’s Delight Sandwich with a Cream Latte coming right up! Do you want it on the go-yes? Okay. OH! Hi Sunny! The order for Table 4 is ready to go if you could take that.”
“Yup, yup, got it.” Sunny sniped as she zeroed in on the tray next to him.
Using her hooves, she picked up the tray and balanced it on her right hoof with ease before walking through the swinging door and out into The Fray.
She forgot how much she’s come to despise the Noon Rush.
Ponies were either bunched up in the line that was nearly backed up to the front door or were crowding around tables like hungry coyotes.
Sunny narrowed her eyes and scanned the surrounding area until she locked on to the table number that her tray was designated to.
With a deep breath, she puffed out her chest, put on her best smile, and marched to the table.
An elderly stallion was sitting at one of the smaller tables with a newspaper in hoof. His mane and tail dead white and his eyes were cloudy with a similar color.
“Order up for Table 4!” Sunny said cheerily as she set it down on the round table.
The old stallion ears folded up, a surprised glow washed over his face as he turned to face her direction. “Oh, why thank you Sunny, I didn’t know you were working today.”
“Hehe, yeah, I almost wasn’t here. Lost track of time and all-”
“Oh, I’m sure, you do tend to keep yourself busy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I do.” Sunny coughed into her hoof. “Well, uh, enjoy your meal, sir!”
“That I will, dearie.” He chuckled as Sunny quickly darted back to the counter.
When Sunny reached the counter, Canter Jack turned to her. “Order for Table 6 ready for shipment!” He paused, “Wait, did that sound too weird? I-”
“Nope! Sounded fine! On the way.” Sunny snatched up the tray and trotted over to the aforementioned table.
“Order up for Table 6!”
The three young mares around the table looked up eagerly. “Oh, thanks Sunny!” One of them said, almost sounding excited?
“No problem!”
Sunny turned to walk off when she heard one of them whisper. “See, I told you she’d be here today.”
“Yeah, yeah, let me get my purse.”
Sunny’s smile fell for a second, before she quickly planted a larger grin back on as she moved back to the counter.
“Order for Table 13!”
This time, when Sunny reached the table, it was a young mare and a young stallion. They seemed incredibly focused on each other, so focused they didn’t notice as Sunny placed the tray down, glanced between the two, and promptly walked away.
“Table 11! Quick, I think they’ve been waiting for a minute!”
Sunny groaned softly, picking up the tray and steeling herself before trotting over.
Sitting at that table was a middle aged mare with rusty orange fur and a blonde mane that had her nose buried in a newspaper, a tired stallion with light brown fur and a graying mane, and a small foal sitting in the stallion’s lap with a blond fluff for mane color and peachy fur.
“Order up for Table 11!” Sunny said with a smile as she placed it down on the table next to the mare.
The mare looked up from her newspaper and looked down at the tray, her lip pulling up slightly in disgust.
“I did NOT order all these sauces.” She snorted with a hard glare at Sunny.
Recognition struck Sunny like a Storm Spirit’s lightning strike.
Oh damn it, not this lady again.
Sunny, sure that her smile was becoming wider and faker, responded as evenly as she could. “Ma’am, these sauces are for you and your family.”
“So why did you give it to ME!”
“Because you’re at the end of the table I was closest too . . .”
The mare looks at the sauces again, before her eyes widened dramatically. “Wait just a second, why is there KETCHUP of all things in this order! I did not ask for this!”
“Ma’am, this comes with your kid’s meal.”
The mare guffawed loudly. “I would NEVER order this for MY child! Do you have any idea what’s in KETCHUP!?”
“. . . . noooo?”
“THE PESTICIDES YOU FOOLISH GIRL! THE PESTICIDES!”
. . . . Choo choo, you have now arrived at the train station of Crazyville at Crazy Central.
With a sigh, Sunny continued onward, “Ma’am, I’ve seen your husband and son have this same meal last week-”
Sunny jumped back as the mare swung her head around violently to her husband. “HERALD! How could you let our child eat PESTICIDES!”
The stallion rolled his eyes, “Sour, the kid’s not gonna die from eating ketchup.”
Sour snorted, “Says YOU! I read an article all about it and I refuse to add our child to the list of victims!
Sunny shifted on her hooves as she looked between the two ponies nervously. “Imma just . . . go now.” She mumbled as she backed away and turned to head back to the counter.
“YOU AND THESE DAMN ARTICLES!”
Sunny winced, her ears folding back as she quickened her pace back to the counter. She brushed past Canter Jack and looked around to see if the next order was ready, when Chef Cash poked his head out of the ‘pass through’ window.
“Sunny! What’s going on out there!?” Oddly enough he’d lost most of his anger at her, which she took as a plus.
Sunny sighed. “It’s nothing, Chef, it’s just-”
“A couple fighting?” Sunny looked over at Canter Jack as he furrowed his brow in confusion. “Something about . . . ketchup and pesticides?” He looked at Sunny, looking extremely perplexed.
A gasp escaped the back. A young mare, a bit older than Sunny, poked her head out. The lights reflected off her bright orange fur as her brown eyes twinkled. Her curly red mane tied down tight by a hair net.
“Is it THE couple!?”
Canter Jack blinked. “THE couple?”
Chef Cash nodded amusedly. “Oh yes, THE couple!”
Sunny hung her head with a sigh. Filthy gossipers.
Before she could get roped into the conversation, Sunny grabbed the tray Chef Cash was passing through as he chattered away and left quickly. Table 7 by the look of the tag on it.
This was gonna be a looong shift.
* * *
“Have a good day!” Canter Jack chirped as the final customer of the rush finally left.
He turned to look over at the rest of the staff. “Welp, another successful day at the Jubilee Cafe! Wouldn’t you guys . . . say?” He grinned impishly.
Domino Frosthoof groaned from where he was lounging at the counter with his book, “What are you, a poet?”
“Yeah,” Sunny huffed from where she was leaning against the counter. “I thought that was his thing.” She waved a hoof at Frosthoof.
He stared at her blankly before looking back at his book. “Definitely not.”
She narrowed her eyes at him as a creeping realization rolled up her spine, “Wait, what did YOU do today?”
He glanced at her with a tired expression. “Oh, I got the lemons, got everyone their drinks, that sorta thing.”
She blinked at him. “You mean the customers' drinks, right?
“Nope, Cash, Oakley, Chronus, Jack, even you. Playin’ support, y’know.”
Sunny sputtered, “But, I-I didn’t see you doing that at all!”
“Well, maybe you should learn to pay attention. What, did you think that glass of water materialized out of nowhere?”
“Um, guys-”
“WHA-But, I was getting hounded by customers the entire time! Course I didn’t notice!”
“Sounds like a you problem.”
Sunny sputtered, staring at Frosthoof in outrage.
Frosthoof rolled his eyes, “Honestly Starscout, you’ve been here longer than either me or Jack. How have you not figured out how to multitask?”
Sunny stiffened, a churning feeling in her gut made itself present as her eyes widened. “I-erm, WELL, at least I make runs to get more supplies and herbs from the forest-”
“And at least he shows up.”
Sunny stiffened even more as Chef Cash rounded the corner of the counter.
“He shows up when he’s expected to, he does what I ask, and that’s all I really care about. Speaking of . . .” His glare hardens. “I think you and I need to have our chat with your father.”
Sunny’s outrage died out as a heavy sensation made itself present in her chest. Her ears folded back as she looked up at Chef Cash’s steely expression. He gestured for her to go to the back and, begrudgingly, she did as he wanted with her head hanging.
Just before the door shut behind them to the back, Sunny heard Canter Jack call out. “Good luck Sunny!” In a sheepish tone.
She was gonna need all the luck in the universe for this.
Chef Cash led Sunny to the office in the far back of the building. As they walked into the little room, Sunny noted the large stacks of paperwork piled on to the cheap wooden desk. Shelves of books and maps lined the walls as well as some obvious memorabilia from several ponies she herself knew. And some, she didn’t.
Behind the stacks of papers was the scribbling of a pen going a million miles a second.
Cash coughed loudly, causing the pony behind the stack of papers to let out a noise of surprise.
Pushing aside the stacks of papers was a light reddish stallion with a graying brown mane in a messy ponytail, as well as some mutton chops framing his face. His soft golden eyes peered at the two of them through a set of black spectacles.
His eyes widened. “OH, hello sweetie, Monte, are we having that conversation now?”
Sunny furrowed her brow. “What conversation?”
Chef Cash deadpanned at her. The fur on her face heated up with embarrassment as she clicked on to what they were talking about. Right, this conversation.
Her father sighed, putting down the pen as he folded his forearms to look at her.
“Sunny . . .”
“ . . . yes dad?”
“We need to talk about some very bad habits of yours.”
Sunny stared at the very interesting ground. Maybe they’ll leave her alone if she doesn’t respond?
“Sunny, look me in the eye.”
Dangit.
She looked up, slowly, and met her father’s eyes. His very, very sad eyes.
He sighed. “Sunny, can you tell me why you’ve been running off so much? I know this has always been a thing for you, but-”
“But it’s gotten way out of hoof and never should have been allowed to begin with.” Chef Cash snorted disdainfully.
Her father shot Cash a glare. “Monte-”
Chef Cash slammed a hoof on the table, startling both Sunny and her father. “DON’T GIVE ME THAT ARGYLE! She needs to learn she can’t just RUN OFF whenever she feels like it. I get it, it was cute when she was a kid, but she is NINETEEN NOW. Almost TWENTY! And this problem of her’s has Only. Gotten. Worse.” Chef Cash took a deep breath. “You can’t keep defending her from the real world, Argyle, she has to grow up some time.”
“Monte-”
“And not ONLY that, she makes a mess wherever she goes without a care in the world! Tartarus, Argyle, she BROKE a new batch of plates just this morning!”
“I said I’d fix it . . .”
Chef Cash rounded on her with a hiss. “You always say that, but you either never do it, or you never do it properly.”
Argyle sighed deeply. “Monte, I think I know how to handle my daughter.”
“Do you? She doesn’t even listen to you half the time!”
As they talked, Sunny’s shoulders hunched up and her head bowed towards the floor. Her ears folded back as she stared at the ground as she tried to imagine a reality where she was not dealing with any of this.
A voice cut through the unfeeling emotions choking her. “Monte you’re upsetting her-”
“She should be upset! You’re upset! I’M UPSET! You can’t keep sugarcoating-”
Finally having enough, Sunny stood up and quickly left the room.
“Sunny wait-”
She didn’t hear the rest as the door slammed behind her.
Sunny whimpered as she bolted through the back room and up the stairs. Leading way to her and her father’s bedrooms.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned on her back hooves and ran down the hall, reaching her room and slamming the door behind her.
Sunny sat against the door, panting a little both from exertion and from her raging emotions that were still trying to clog her throat. Tugging the apron off her body almost violently just to get it off.
After a minute, she breathed deeply through her nose, then looked up.
Books and drawings were scattered around the room, some in piles, some alone. Old art projects were tucked away nicely in the corner, and small paper figures that had been hung on her ceiling long ago were still present. Candles decorated the tops of her shelves and her bed stand. Her bed was a mess of pastel colored blankets and covers from when she got up that very morning.
The evening sun shined through her window, illuminating the enclosed space. Pictures of fantastical creatures, both professionally done and drawn by herself, hung all along her walls and reflected the sun’s rays back at Sunny.
Getting as steadily as she could to her hooves, she maneuvered over to her bed and threw herself on it. Staring up at the ceiling uncomprehendingly. Every time an unwanted thought reared its ugly head, she immediately struck it down and thought about something else. Like how she needed to clear those plants tomorrow morning, how she’ll probably need to take a dip in the stream, how she’ll probably need to run like a manticore was chasing her if she wanted to make it to the train station on time . . .
Turning over, almost out of habit, she looked at a framed picture on her night stand. An old picture from quite a few years ago. She knew not just from the being in the photo herself, but from the yellowish tint on the black and white image.
Two young foals were smiling at the camera. One lanky with pigtails and the other a little chubby with a choppy, short mane. Splatters of different shades of gray on the foals reminded Sunny of all the wonderfully colorful paint they had been using as they both laid on their bellies with brushes in their hooves and papers all around them.
Sunny smiled fondly, reaching out, delicately, to grab the picture and take a closer look at it.
Tomorrow would be a better day.
It had to be.
As we look into saddened eyes; as we start to walk aimlessly in one’s own mind,
Where the fog of the past crowds the brain with a dense flood of haunting memories.
When we crawl through the thick canopy of murky thoughts,
Through the forest of one’s conflicted emotions,
As we run through the heavy rain of one’s pain,
As we reach our final destination of an aboundless field, overflowing with an array of flowers that seat passion, warmth, and hesitancy.
Author's Note
Hello! This me and my friend's first fanfic! And first time posting on this site, so ye. We wanted to see what would happen if we made a version of G5 that wasn't connected to G4. And this story is the end result. Constructive criticism is welcome and we hope you enjoy!
