Flame and Desire

by Masterweaver

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Original Character, Comedy, Slice of Life
Length: 4673

Join Fireflare and Wishing Star as they survive the married life in Canterlot... Or try, anyway.

Fireflare and Wishing Star. Pegasus and Unicorn. Married for five years, with four wonderful foals and a hole in the wall of the capital city.

And still just as much in love with each other as the day they wed.

Unfortunately, it's a sad fact that love doesn't pay the bills or fill the stomachs on its own. So join the family as they try to survive their past, present, and future in a city filled with politics, magic, and fashionable morons.

Published 2012-12-17 18:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2014-11-22 16:43:28 UTC

Waking Up

Fireflare rose from slumber early. Old habits died hard, after all, and it was a matter of personal pride that she had enough time to perform her stretches before the day really began. Careful not to disturb her wife, she headed toward the bathroom; with a massive, silent yawn, the shower was turned on, freezing water washing the red coat clean from the results of last night. The pegasus allowed herself a happy grin as she shuddered in memory, before clamping the feelings down and focusing on her chosen task. Massive wings, comparable to the princesses, unfurled as she began her regimen; Wingups, ab crunches, running in place--very difficult in the slick tub, but not impossible.

Thirty minutes later, Wishing Star wandered in and gave her an amused look over her glasses. "How much of that is from the shower and how much is sweat?"

"I dunno... ten percent sweat? The shower water washes it away before I can figure it out." The pegasus smiled at the brown unicorn as she untwisted from a yoga pose. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Don't worry, hon. This way I get to see you... glisten." Wishing Star wrapped her forelegs around Fireflare's chest.

The pegasus smiled, but shook her head. "Starry..."

"What?" Her wife gave her a sly grin. "It's just an innocent shower hug."

"You tease."

"Besides, you can't style your mane worth a damn." The shower shut off in the emerald glow of Wishing Star's magic as a brush floated over to the pegasus's tangles mane. "Honestly, you're giving us blondes all a bad name."

"Hey, you said yourself: Platinum is more blond then pure yellow. If anything it's you and Solar Flare that should worry." Fireflare didn't resist as her wife flattened and preened the mass behind her head. "Besides, it's not like anypony expects me to look nice at the furniture store."

Wishing Star simply gave her a peck on the cheek. "I do."

The pegasus rolled her orange eyes, but her smile betrayed the pleasure she felt at those words.

***

"ALRIGHTY KIDDOS! UP UP AND AWAY!" Fireflare slammed open the door to the boys' bedroom, grinning like a maniac. "It's time for another fun day at school!"

"Yes Ma'am!" A speckled red unicorn popped out of bed, saluting his mother with eager green eyes. "Cadet Solar Flare ready for duty Ma'am!"

"You're two years old, Solar, the guard doesn't take ponies till they're at least fifteen..." Across the way, a gray unicorn shrugged off his blankets, blinking the sleep out of his own jade eyes. "Hey madre. I'll be ready in a bit."

"Well, you're only five!" Solar Flare retorted.

"But I don't want to be a guard."

"Well then, how are you going to get close to princess Luna?"

"I'll be her pen pal," the unicorn said simply. "Or a politician."

Fireflare gave him an exaggerated expression of disgust as she ruffled his mane. "Oh believe me, Moonshine, you don't want to get into the mess that is politics. I'm going to go wake your sisters up, Mommy's baking breakfast again."

Moonshine snorted as his mother walked off, straightening the red streak in his yellow mane. "Madre! Don't mess up my maaaaane!"

"You are so prissy," Solar Flare grumbled. "Why are you the oldest?"

"I dunno. All I know is it has to do with mommy and Madre's--"

"--Madre's happy fun time," the red unicorn continued with him, "Yeah yeah..."

Out in the hall, Fireflare blushed a bit, but kept herself calm. Maybe she and Star should sit the kids down for The Talk soon, it wasn't like they were idiots. She opened the door to the girls' room and sighed when she realized that, once again, Glory Star wasn't in her bed.

Fluttering up to the rafters, the pegasus quickly found her daughter, long crimson tail wrapped as usual around a single beam as she slept in the style of her bat friends. Fireflare had to admit she looked rather cute... in an eerie sort of way. Still, it was almost time to go to school.

The mare prodded the sleeping pony. Instantly her amber eyes shot open.

"Hello madre. I dreamed of burning logs. They seemed rather happy, but also sad...."

Fireflare had long ago gotten used to her daughter's odd statements. "Well... I guess they would be happy to be warm, but sad that they had to go away."

"Hmmm." Glory Star unfurled her maroon wings, gliding to the ground and gathering her things up for school. "Do you know what Mommy's making?"

"Well... I saw potatoes." The older pegasus gestured vaguely. "The small kind."

"Okay." The young pegasus put on her saddlebags, checked her pixie-cut mane, and meandered off toward the kitchen. The gentle way she brushed against Fireflare's foreleg, though, was enough to make the mare smile.

Turning to the final bed, she gently prodded the mass of blankets. "Comet Trail? Sweetie? It's time to get up..."

A small brown head poked out from under the sheets, orange eyes quivering as the filly looked up at Fireflare. "...okay..."

"...how much sleep did you get?"

"...a bit," Comet Trail replied evasively.

"Hey." Fireflare knelt down. "We're all still here, right? Mommy's making breakfast for us all, your big brother and sister are getting ready for school, and you know little Solar Flare won't let anything get to you." She chuckled. "Gets that from me, I guess..."

"I know... it's just... so quiet when you all go to sleep." The filly shook her scarlet and lemon mane, crawling out from under the blankets. "I'm sorry..."

"You've done nothing wrong." The older pegasus smiled gently. "I'm the one who should be sorry... Mommy and I need to make more time for you. Do you... want to go for a family picnic on the clouds after school?"

Comet Trail managed to smile back. "I guess... that would be nice..." She glanced at her wings with some embarrassment. "But, um... you know..."

"We'll keep to the city clouds," Fireflare promised. "No flying."

Author's Note

Well here it is, my first OC story. Fireflare originated on a grimdark RP board as my own creations; Wishing Star, however, was meant as a one-off plot device by another player. Of course, the relationship between them grew deep and fast, so... now they're married with kids. The two of them have a very interesting history... even before they met up.

Just sit back and guess where I'll go next.

OM NOM NOM

A single fold away table stood in the center of the living room, bedecked with a platter and six rather simple plates. A stir fry of asparagus, baked potatoes, and some hay fries was mounded on the central dish; Wishing Star smiled as she levitated portions of it off to each plate, pouring glasses of milk for the entire family. She and Fireflare had long ago agreed that the pegasus in the kitchen area was a disaster waiting to happen; the Incident Of Exploding Eggs alone had convinced all their foals save Glory Star of that truth.

Solar Flare was the first to arrive at the table, marching up to his stool and siting in a very straight manner. Here he could keep an eye on the hall, silently noting which of his elders would emerge and planning his own militaristic rebukes. He snorted as Glory Star emerged, circling the table twice widdershins, once deiseil, and once more widdershins before jumping onto the stool two places to his right.

"Do you have to do that?"

"No." Glory Star looked into her saddlebags. "Hmm. I need a new onion."

"...why do you even carry those things?" the unicorn grumbled. "Waste of food."

"Trolls," the pegasus replied simply. She set to preening her feathers, careful of the second primary that extended from the middle of her wings.

Moonshine clipped out with a yawn, shaking his head and plunking himself into the seat across from his eccentric sister. "Morning Mommy. Wow, this smells good!"

"Thanks Moony!" Wishing Star pulled out the stool next to him, nuzzling her firstborn gently. "It's just a little something I threw together. Do you know where Madre and your sister are?"

"Comet Trail had another nightmare," Glory Star reported calmly. "They'll be out soon."

The unicorn mare gave her daughter a stern look. "You know, some ponies might be hurt to discover that they were being talked about so casually without them knowing about it."

This statement so confounded the pegasus that she tilted her head, tapping her hoof against the table.

Fireflare and Comet Trail eventually came out of the hall, the small brown filly riding between her madre's wings. Solar Flare gave a small snort, but Moonshine flicked a hoof against his blank flank to prevent any commentary. Wishing Star smiled gently at Comet Trail as she clambered awkwardly into her seat, giving her wife a significant glance. Fireflare tilted her head toward the counter that separated the kitchen and living room, flicking a wing at the large picnic basket to the side as she sat between Glory Star and Solar Flare.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting, kids. Comet Trail was just helping me wrap my hoofbands, they came loose." The pegasus tapped her rear hooves for emphasis, adjusting the hat upon her head. "Wow, Starry, this smells amazing!"

Wishing Star gave her a wry grin. "Almost as good as what your madre makes?"

"Hey, her special talent is cooking, don't be too harsh on yourself." Fireflare dug into her meal with much aplomb; while years of training by her wife had improved her manners significantly, she was still a ferocious beast when it came to the consumption of foodstuffs. The rest of the table began to quickly eat at their own half-as-big shares of breakfast, hoping to keep her from taking their necessary meal.

The unicorn mare turned to Moonshine. "So, how's school going?"

"Well, I don't really understand what all this literature stuff is supposed to be, but I'm really good with geography!"

Solar Flare nodded his agreement. "Literature isn't real. I keep a high grade only to maintain excellence, but in the end it isn't worth anything."

"Solar!" Fireflare rebuked, managing to swallow the mass in her mouth. "Only nothing is worth nothing!"

"What do you use literature for?" the colt replied snidely.

"Research," Wishing Star quipped.

Her wife blushed. "Er... yeah. That and... Literature is about... expressing yourself."

"To put to page the thoughts unknown so others may wander your mental realm, to understand patterns in world and self, to express the soul in matter most profound, to act in thought what never wouldst do in realms of reality."

Everypony turned to Glory Star with amazement.

The little pegasus shrugged. "Well... that's how I interpret it anyway."

There was a moment where they all contemplated her words.

"...I like reading," Comet Trail offered.

"That's great!" Fireflare replied enthusiastically.

"I like reading Mommy's magic books," Moonshine explained, "but the teacher says that's not literature."

"Sweetheart, you know that you shouldn't cast new spells without adult supervision," Wishing Star reminded him gently.

"I don't! I just read them!"

"Speaking of spells," Fireflare segued, "I was thinking maybe you three should get ready to have a cloudwalking spell cast on you this afternoon. A picnic in the sky, when was the last time we did that?"

"Three months, four days ago," Glory Star replied idly. "It was windy, and you yelled at a pegasus trying to get Mommy to come home with him."

"...yeeeeeeah, but other then that it was fun, right?"

Glory Star nodded. Suddenly she scooted away from the table. "I'm going to get a new onion." She wandered round the table, twice deseri, before walking into the kitchen.

"Has everypony eaten enough?" Wishing Star asked. A moment later she rolled her eyes. "Everypony except Madre?"

"I'm good!"

"Rations consumed dutifully ma'am."

"...I, um... well, if we have to go right now..."

The unicorn nuzzled her younger daughter warmly. "We've got a few minutes. Finish up."

Drop Off

It had been short work to gather up the school supplies and get everypony loaded into the cart. Wishing Star couldn't help but glance out the front, where her wife glided through the air on those majestic crimson wings of hers, not once complaining about the weight on her back. She could see the faint line under the harness where her coat had been pressed flat day after day...

"Here we are, Westwing Elementary!" Fireflare clipped to the ground, letting the wheels of the cart roll to a stop. "Hop on out, fillies, and have a good day!"

"I believe today will result in spring tea," Glory Star commented as she breezed toward the door.

"I guess that's good...?"

Comet Trail shivered, glancing at the milling crowd of young ponies. "Why can't I go to school with Moony?"

"Because the people who made the schools were racist and the people in charge now are idiots."

"Fireflare!" Wishing Star snapped.

The red pegasus sighed. "I'm not going to lie to my own daughter."

"She's worried enough as is," the unicorn groused. "Be gentle with her."

Fireflare sighed, her ears flattening. "...sorry. Um... Comet, you'll see Moony this afternoon. Buuuuuut you should try to enjoy the time here at school too! You have friends here, right?"

Comet Trail nodded, though her eyes were on the ground.

"I'm sure you'll have a good time with them!" Fireflare leaned down, nuzzling her younger daughter. "Try to? For me?"

"...okay Madre."

"Oh come on, don't let me leave without you smiling!" Wishing Star leaned out of the cart and tipped Comet's chin up. "Please? I want to see you smile, please please please please pleeeeeeeeease?"

The filly giggled, blushing a bit. "Alright, Mommy, I'll keep smiling!"

Star grinned right back. "That's my girl!"

"Try to keep that smile on, you hear?" Fireflare added, smirking. "I gotta get your brothers to school now. Glory! Don't provoke Feather Quill again, okay?"

The other pegasus filly clipped her wings shut. "If she does not bother, I will not speak."

"Glory Star..."

"...I'll be good."

"Good." Fireflare gave her a pointed look. Then her wings spread wide and with a powerful flap, she was in the air again.

***

The Spiralform school for Young Unicorns was dominated by a tower, which Fireflare mentally labeled The World's Most Stupidly Fancy Magic Gym. Intellectually, she understood the reasoning behind the tower; keeping magic accidents far from the ground would lessen fallout, and hey, some of the nerds would never get any exercise if they didn't have to clamber up that long staircase.

But did they really have to make the thing out of MARBLE? Good old skyscrapers were fine back in Manehattan...

Nevertheless, she kept a smile on her face as her colts hopped out of the cart. "You two have a good day at school! Learn... magic stuff, I guess!"

Moonshine frowned at her. "Madre, why are you acting like you don't know what--"

Without a word, the pegasus flicked a wing at a teacher who was busy herding some other foals around.

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "Really, Flare? Really? You're still holding that against her?"

"If Sparkstone changes her tune, I'll be willing to sit down with her. But until then, it's a lot easier to just play dumb and avoid a conversation."

"Madre, you are weird." Moonshine nodded firmly, point made, and headed inside. Solar Flare looked between his mothers and his teacher in confusion.

Fireflare sighed. "Don't worry, private, it's just some stupid grown-up stuff."

"I'm not a private!" the colt insisted. "I made Sargent rank!"

"Oh, but you'll always be a private to me soldier."

Solar Flare smoldered at his madre's smirk. "Disrespect is not allowed in the royal guard!"

"And neither are noogies!" she replied, mussing up her son's mane playfully. "I'm capitalizing on the time I have!"

The unicorn glared at her as he escaped her reach and ran for the school. "I assure you, madre, that time will be short!"

Wishing Star frowned, leaning over the front of the cart. "You really shouldn't tease him like that, Flare. Especially not when he's so young."

"He'll work off his anger in sparring," the pegasus replied... though she did turn around to face her with a worried look. "Do you... really think I should hold back?"

The unicorn waggled a hoof vaguely. "Mmm... let him know you love him in ways that don't make him feel less awesome. I think that'll work."

"...alright. I'll try." Fireflare smiled. "But you got to admit he's just so darn cute with his soldier games..."

"Oh, I wonder where he gets that from," Star singsonged.

"I wasn't a soldier, I was with the DAIA. We were mercenary."

"Like he's old enough to understand the difference."

Fireflare shrugged, flapping and taking to the air again. "Trust me, it's loads different. For one thing, I never had to work under Shining 'prettyboy' Armor..."

***

"...look, all I'm saying is that princes are ponces, and Shining Armor is a prince."

"He married into the position, hon! Besides, he's the sister of Princess Twilight."

"It's not about blood, Starry, it's about behavior! Have you ever talked to the guy?"

"Have you?"

"...no. Okay, fine," Fireflare grumbled as she landed. "Maybe he's not a bad guy. But maybe he's not a good guy either. All I know is that he's a prince and the few princes I have had the joy of meeting were self absorbed dicks whose contribution to society consisted of 'Fuck it all I'm popular nerneyner!'"

Wishing Star smirked as she hopped out of the cart. "Prejudice is unbecoming, hon."

"...did you just call me preju--?"

The pegasus was silenced by a sudden lunge as Wishing Star locked lips with her wife and draped her forelegs around her neck. Her eyes widened for a moment before she returned the gesture, pulling the unicorn in closer as the shared breath.

After a good half minute, Wishing Star broke off and gave her a gentle smile. "Hon, I love you. You know that right?"

"Aaaaaa...."

The unicorn giggled. "Fireflare, snap out of it."

"Aaaaa... um." Fireflare shook her head. "Right. Yes, sorry. What were you saying, Starry?"

"I was saying that I love you."

"I..." The pegasus blushed, but managed a cocky grin. "Yeah, I think I got that. I love you too--"

"And because I love you, I've gotten to know you quite well. And I know that you hate royalty with a passion."

"Hey! I don't hate royalty! I..." Fireflare looked around. "I just don't like the lazy bastards that leech off people who actually do work because of some inheritance!"

"You and me both," Star grumbled. "But we both know that royalty isn't ALL like that. So please don't judge ponies based on their titles?"

"...fiiiiiine. I'll be good."

"Thanks. Well! Off to another day of filing papers!" The unicorn bounced off into the office. "The Pippington trade company needs my expertise!"

The red pegasus smiled and waved. "Watch out for pirates, they be sailing these clouds!"

"Don't worry, matey, I'll keep me booty safe!" Wishing Star waggled her tail as she entered the building. "Yar har!"

Fireflare giggled, snapping her wings out. "I'll hold ye to that, lass!" With a few powerful flaps, she was once more in the air, flying off to her own place of work.

***

It was a matter of a few minutes to lock her cart down behind the store and unlock the office. She pulled out all the mail from the drop in, mostly purchase slips from various shipping companies--Pippington Trade having a few more then any other group--and organized it into the proper folders. Somepony had to be the manager, unfortunately, and of all the ponies working here Fireflare was the most efficient in keeping the books aligned.

The other workers were only just pouring in when she stepped out, arranging couches and chairs and tables. She grinned, flying over and helping Soft Cushions move a bed into place. "Hey, how are things?"

The ivory earth pony rolled her eyes. "Oh you know. I'm still looking for a good stallion, one that likes me for me and not..." She flicked her blonde-and-pink mane back meaningfully.

Fireflare nodded, lowering the bed into place. Soft Cushions was extraordinarily hot, to the point where the pegasus had initially assumed it was actually her special talent; when she found out the mare's cutie mark was actually symbolic of upholstery, she'd been more then a little embarrassed. "I don't know what to say, Cush. They're all going to see the wrapping first. Just... stick with them and find out if they're interested in the package underneath, okay?"

"I guess... it's just so frustrating! Everypony thinks I'll hop right into bed with them!"

"Every pony?"

"Yes!"

The pegasus snorted. "You know what your problem is, Cush? You're paranoid. You read too much into things."

Soft Cushions rolled her eyes. "You know I don't have to listen to this."

"Sure you do, I'm your boss."

"Flare, seriously. Stop."

Fireflare rose a placating hoof. "Alright, alright.... I'm just saying, not everypony's mind is in the gutter all the time." She walked across the room, lightly kicking a couch into a more precise alignment with the surrounding chairs and making various minor adjustments to the whole store's setup.

Only when she was completely satisfied did she flap her wings, hovering in the air. "ALRIGHT EVERYPONY! Oh, and Genevieve."

The sole griffon in the building rolled her eyes at the small chuckles of her coworkers.

"You all know the drill! Advise but don't pressure, listen to what the customer is and isn't saying... and above all, have fun with this." Fireflare grinned. "Even though we're selling furniture, I don't want you sitting around all day!"

The store workers split between laughing and groaning at the horrible joke.

"In all seriousness, though, it should be a slow day today. Not many people are moving into new houses and we're only just hitting heat season, so no broken beds yet. Mostly rich ponies coming in and looking for something to flaunt. I know," she added wearily, "they're idiots, but keep smiling, okay?"

"We'll try our best!"

"Thanks Cush. Now.... let's open for business!"

The Furniture Shop

"Hey kid."

The colt froze in midair, which messed up his landing. "Oh! Uh, h-hello."

Fireflare smiled, leaning against a nearby wardrobe. "You know that bed's for display right?"

"I... don't you want customers to test it?"

The pegasus brought a hoof up to her chin. "Yes. Are you buying?"

"What? No! I don't have the mo....." The unicorn trailed off. "...am I in trouble?"

"Are you alone?"

"Mommy and daddy are over looking at desks. I... don't want to get in the way." He kicked at the mattress awkwardly. "This is fun, and... I'm sorry."

Fireflare shook her head, glancing around. "Kid, you're not in trouble. Here..." She reached into her pocket, pulling out a pack of colorbits. "I'll give you these. Just make sure to make the bed when you're done, kay?"

"Really? Oh! Yes ma'am! I'll do that ma'am!"

The red mare snorted. "Ma'am is for old ponies, soldiers, teachers, and tight-lipped mares who wouldn't know a good time if Pinkie Pie herself dropped by. You can just call me miss Flare."

"Alright, ma--er, miss Flare." The colt went back to bouncing.

Fireflare shook her head and trotted off, keeping an eye on the current batch of 'customers'. The likelihood of them buying anything increased with repeated visits, but in her experience there were only two types of purchasers: first timers looking for something they needed, or those ponies that would spend four visits browsing before coming in a fifth time to get something they wanted. Still, it paid to keep an eye on the crowd, since there were always exceptions.

Like the one walking through the door, for instance. Fireflare flapped once and glided over a chaise lounge, smiling broadly at the white unicorn. "My most humble greetings, o lady, and a warm welcome to a returning champion."

"Oh, tish tosh." The mare flipped her violet mane. "We both know I don't stand on such ceremony outside working hours."

"So you're not here to purchase items for those who need it?" Fireflare asked with a sly grin. "I might just have to throw you out."

"Legally speaking, I am the advisor to one princess Twilight Sparkle. Being the Element of Generosity is a title and a duty, not a job."

"Good to know. Well, welcome back Rares." Fireflare waved a hoof, leading her down the aisles. "What are you looking to give away today?"

"Well, there's a family in Baltimare who lost their home. They need whole set... oh, and the commune in Manehattan I met last week needs three more couches. Cheesecake says hello, by the way."

The pegasus smiled. "Heh, crazy gal. Is Twilight still pestering her?"

"Yes." Rarity rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I wish that unicorn would just give Twilight a chance."

Fireflare shook her head. "Cheese... she's had bad relations with nobility. Even if she trusts Twilight, she can't trust those under her, that's why she's keeping her business privately owned."

The white unicorn sighed. "Yes, I can understand that.... honestly, I thought that joining the upper echelons of society would make for a more... accessible pony to those in need. Are we really that intimidating?"

"You personally? No. The rich sychophants that trod over those with less wealth unless you are very directly glaring at them? Yeah, pretty much."

"Oh. Them." Rarity flipped her mane disdainfully. "I suppose that I can see your point. Ah, this couch looks good."

Fireflare pulled a small notepad from her vest pocket, grasping the pencil in her feathers and writing down the product number. "So, three of these for the commune?"

"Mmm, I believe that would be accurate. Oh, how are things at your place?"

"Oh, same old same old. The kids are doing alright, Wishing Star is doing awesome, I'm okay..." Fireflare shrugged, gesturing down the aisle. "Nothing too much to report. The children's bedroom stuff is over here."

"Well, that's good to hear." The two ponies trotted down the furniture-lined path, glancing around at the goods available. "Is little Moonshine still harboring his crush on our lovely princess of the night?"

"Oh, he's pretending he's too old for that sort of thing." Fireflare rolled her eyes with a smile. "Because, obviously, crushing on the princess is just something for little colts, not big ponies like him."

Rarity tittered in amusement. "Oh my, is it really? Color me surprised!"

"It was news for me too!" Fireflare shrugged, glancing over the beds in front of her. "Okay, so how many beds did that family need to replace?"

"They have two fillies and three colts, one of them is almost a stallion though." Rarity walked through the displayed furniture, tapping her hoof vaguely. "Hmmm. This one, this one.... not this one... I'm terribly sorry, I must seem ever so picky!"

"Professional courtesy requires that I deny that statement." Fireflare carefully schooled her face into an emotionless expression.

The ivory unicorn returned her look with a lidded eyed stare of her own. "So kind of you to be so courteous."

"I try my best, ma'am."

The two continued their miniature glare-off for a few moments.

Rarity's lips twitched.

Fireflare let out a small snort.

Then the dam burst, and both mares were laughing out loud, one in a high-class giggle and the other in unbound guffaws.

"HahahahaHAHAhahahahaha!"

"Hmmhmmheehmm..."

"Hahaha... hah... heh. But seriously, Rares." Fireflare shrugged. "You can be picky, but for you it's more about quality then looks so I don't mind. Take as long as you need."

"Hmmm. Well, thank you miss Flare." Rarity gave her an ironic little curtsy. "I shall endeavor to be as... discerning as always."

Fireflare smiled, glancing at her notepad. "Wouldn't expect anything else."