MudBug

The poor unicorn, it did seem that she was far out of her element but the Appleloosan that had been all to kind to help her out was also too happy to help this 'Willow Wisp' out aswell and that just made her smile at him. Such a gentleman.

Brushing away any blush that may have strayed on her cheeks, her eyes wandered to the unicorn with a pleasent smile as she removed her hat with a few dainty tugs of the silk that held it to her head, flopping her ears once they were free. What a relief.

"If'n y'need some place to stay, Braeburn was jus' takin' me to mah new home, y'all can weather the day out there if y'like?"

Again her manners had left her and she sighed to herself almost embarassedly, cheeks now full blush wih pink.

"Sorry, mah name's Bluebelle, it's lovely to meet y'all miss Wisp, Ahm sure y'll get home safely like Braeburn said."

The molly offered a reassuring smile to the other as she rested her hat leisurely on her flanks.

One could only imagine the day Celestia was having, several documents to settle upon and so many of her court to talk too as she had fled her entourage briefly to spend some alone time in the courtyard. Giving herself some space to breath as her eyes wandered over the yard leisurely. Peaceful.

Well...she thought it'd be atleast.

All at once, she heard her sister's voice, she turned to see their guest peryton clearing a good few feet over her head despite the fact the mere sight of him heading towards her had her dipping her head slightly so he didn't catch her horn. That would've been a terrible wound to bear. And a further guilt upon her mind.

But thankfully, he cleared over her and she glanced to where he'd landed with a clatter. Her concern obviously reaching the hilt as she trotted towards blue deer creature and blinked down at him before his amusement made a small smile lilt upon her lips.

He was alright. And they were obviously having a good time, which made the ageless mare smile all the more as a soft chuckle tittered from her muzzle.

"Well, it's good to see you on your feet, Skye."

Drawing both hooves down her face with a slight grumble at Tempest's words, the multicolored found herself supressing the irritation in lew of glancing over Strawberry's direction with an arched brow. A distraction!

Yes! Thank Celestia!

Her smile was maybe a bit too bright at the aspect of going on a tour and avoiding the procrastination topic...yeah she liked to nap.

So what? There was no harm in that with her speed...she'd get it done in no time at all.

With a small, 'good natured' smile towards Tempest as she flapped there merrily.

"I'd be HAPPY to take you on a tour of Ponyville and if Tempest isn't too busy with all those boring files and such, maybe she'd like to tag along?" The mare aimed a playful smirk at the green filly.

The little foal had to glare slightly at Champ's crushing of the candy cane, who would give up on such an awesome candy? The flavour. The texture. For home made, this wasn't bad at all and Starlight revelled in it quite happily as he watched Cherilee chide the brute.

Serves him right.

As everything was settled back to order, it seemed the day would continue without a hitch-

What was that ringing?

Whose voice was that?

Looking up to the ceiling, the foal had to blink slightly with the end of the candy cane sticking out of his mouth like a cigar and soon reccess was called. Poor miss Cherilee, she was so stressed out because of everything and now some weird pony was on the roof.

Was it that gray pegasus that kept bumping into things?

Oh well.

With lunch and reccess called, the little pegasus smiled towards the nice filly who gave him his candy cane and offered a nod. Slurping the stick out of his hungry maw.

"It's super yummy! You have a real talent for candy!" He piped up happily.

For most of what happened, the telling off and settling down for lessions, Champ just sat there with his pencil in his mouth and crudley doodled away in his notepad. Since the day was ruined anyway, he found no point taking anymore notice in what was said and lost himself in his own little world.

He did manage to catch the reaction of that frizzy haired dork, seeing that anguished expression of hers over the destruction of her stupid candy cane...so why didn't he feel any better?

Glancing to the dust that had now scattered around the floor, that inevitable pang of guilt tugged at his chest like the other day with Sweetie...frowning he just furiously continued to doodle.

He didn't have to appologise...stupid candy...

When the lesson seemed to settle, like the other ponies, he too glanced up at the roof and groaned as a hoof rubbed at his face in irritation.

Great. Now they had a weirdo on the roof.

Lunch was called and Champ felt a tiny bit torn, did that mean he had to stay in class and get a telling off? It probably did...detention and stuff...with a grumble, he moved to grab his bag from under his old desk and bring it under his new one.

Taking out a carved lunch box with a metal handle his dad had managed to make for him and paint his favourite colors, the usual blues and golds. And once settled, took to eating at a daffodil and tulip butter sandwhich as he blanked the rest of the class completely as they blanked him.

Eyes settling on the doodle he'd made of two ponies...well...what looked like two ponies atleast...he wasn't an artist.

There was a smile that beamed over Starlight's muzzle as he took the multicolored stick of candy with such a gleeful expression, tiny tail tickling away as he clutched it delicately between his forehooves.

"Mhm! Thank you very much!" Not picking up on the lisp, if anything, it made her more interesting to listen too as he began licking his candy cane happily, watching the colors smear together before the indicent went on.

Blinking over his shoulder at the commotion, tongue still stuck out mid-lick, he had to peer at Champ and frown ever so slightly. What was his problem?

They were getting candy and he was acting like a jerk still!

Glancing at Grim and the splat of paper on his person, Starlight couldn't help but look on in faint awe. He was really brave! Another soft feeling of vindication came to the foal's face as Champ was given detention, memories lingering on when he was dared into Everfree because of him and watching the blue colt closely.

Champ's face was a picture, first seeing his spitwad intercepted by that geek from the other day and then Cherilee's voice perked up and made the colt's head turn with a blink on his face. Then the bomb was dropped and so did the foal's face. Detention? He had to stay AFTER this stupid class!?

For a moment, he could only stand there and blink before turning his eyes on Grim and growling with a very blatant ferocity to his deep orange eyes as his ears splayed against his head. One hoof irritantly pawing the floor.

"You are so -dead-, lame-o." He hissed between his teeth, making sure it was low enough for a whisper...but loud enough so that this LOSER heard him.

With a stomp, he moved to his new desk and peered at the blue swirled candy cane once he'd gotten there with a faint look of suprise and confusion. Squaring his jaw and glancing at Twist, he raised a hoof to crush the candy cane under it, grinding it almost painfully slowly aswell. Hoping that she saw that.

Stupid candy.

Stupid school.

Ears splayed against his head, he slumped over his new desk and puffed the candy 'powder' out of his way whilst staring at the chalk board. Making sure to take his gnawed pencil and his notebook so atleast he wouldn't get told off for that..and that he wouldn't get bored.

Name of Tea Cozy's nursery added in additional notes.

I like it so far, a few more dislikes and likes and maybe a more deep look into his personality and I can see this approved. ^^

Oh he knew where it was! Thank goodness for that. Her smile beamed as she followed him and politely hid a giggle as he dropped the bag and continued to trot after the cheerful pony. He was such an energetic gentlecolt! She felt exceedingly lucky to be in the company of somepony who knew his way around like he knew the back of his hoof.

Glancing over the buildings and the scenery, it just filled her heart with a resounding warmth. This was going to be her new home. She was so excited.

"Well Ah jus' moved here, signed th' documents a few weeks 'go when a nice stallion came with th' papers." She replied with a soft smile. Still worried for the pony's back and still wondering...if he was actually an apple pony.

When it seemed like he was about to answer though, a blue and black blur just appeared out of nowhere, her luggage going everywhere and Braeburn and the blur tumbling as she followed suit worriedly before realising it was infact a unicorn. And a very flustered unicorn aswell! When she mentioned something about falling asleep on the train, a soft gasp escaped the mule.

"Oh you poor dear! Here lemme help you up, you took an awful tumblin' there!" Holding out her hoof to the unicorn, she glanced over the filly, or Willow, as Braeburn had mentioned and wondered if she was alright. She also wondered if Braeburn was alright. Those unicorn horns musn't have felt nice it they poked the wrong place.

The white colt instantly perked up...candy? Sweet candy?

Eyes widening, he noticed a few others of the class stare forward with wide, hungry eyes also at the rather tasty looking treat that had been offered up for all of them by the nice filly up front.

Starlight loved candy, despite how much his aunt tried to talk him out of it, he WAS only a pony and a little pony at that and little ponies loved candy. He was sure his aunty loved candy at some point...but maybe it had diminished with her love for clean teeth.

They should've invented a candy that could clean your teeth.

That wouldn've been the BEST invention EVER!

So the little white pegasi waited at his desk to see if the candy would be share out and as soon as miss Cherilee said yes, he mentally felt himself leaping for joy...despite the fact that thankfully he never carried out the actual action. And just sat there...brimming with joy atleast.

Watching the lisping filly meanwhile, Champ was too 'amused' trying to balance a pencil on the top of his nose than listen to the spluttering red head try to get a coherent word out about candy or something stupid like that.

Sharing the candy out? He had a sneer a little at that, all that mane, he was shocked the candy cane's didn't look covered in fuzz by now and hid his snicker with expertly laced venom as he sat there despite the sentiment of his dislike lay heavy on his face.

Glancing around for any of the students, he only found that the little unicorn he'd laughed at the other day was one of the few that had yet to speak. Jeez, the faster she spoke. The faster this class was -over-.

Looking over the paper wads and straw, he let the front be distracted by Twist as he chewed up some of the paper and aimed the straw for Sweetie Belle's blank flank. Stay on target. Not hard enough to pierce the skin, but certainly enough to jolt her up so that the teacher -had- to think she was volunteering herself.

Then she'd have no choice.

Taking a puff of air, the wad of paper shot out with Sweetie's flank in pursuit.

...Bandits....?

...Ninjas...?

The powder blue mule had to blink at Pinkie Pie as a slightly fearful expression swam over her face...did all those horrible things actually do that whilst you were on a train? Then again, the pink mare did seem to have a very...active imagination. Smiling weakly, her eyes turned briefly to Knightly and a small blush came to her cheeks.

All this nice attention, she wasn't truly used to it after all the time at home.

"Oh, sir Knightly, y'all are too kind, but Ah wouldn' wan' to be a bother."

Smiling softly, reassured that no danger would possibly happen thanks to her cousin, she tapped her chin thoughtfully.

What to have.

She was assured that they must've had a wide range, rubbing her stomache gently, her mind quietly went over the options before it finally stopped on something that...honestly must've been the best choice to her because her smile split so brightly across her muzzle.

"Ah'll have an apple juice an' a muffin."

The little shove from the equally little filly made her chuckle as she continued the leisurely walk with her tiny compadre and couldn't help but feel a bright sliver of pride working its way in her chest, this little gal was super cool, just like she was when she was her age and she could forsee a bright future for her.

On the bully subject, Rainbow rolled her eyes as a small, knowing smile tugged the side of her mouth up into the corner.

"Scoots, you have NO idea how right you are, but when you're doin' it for your friends, your fear takes a flyin' leap."

It seemed then, that the fun had began.

Watching her with an arched brow, she saw the little orange pegasi speed up whilst she kept on walking, watching her stop ahead of her and turn with that little, memorable grin. That competetive, fun loving grin. The grin practically her trademark. Before the little orange filly became a blur and Rainbow Dash just had to feel the burning in her chest.

These were the moments she lived for.

Pawing at the ground, she quickly broke out into a canter before catching up with Scootaloo, wings stretched out, but not taking off just yet as she stuck at a steady pace to come neck and neck with the young foal.

Brow furrowed with an intensity as the smile beamed on her face.

Starlight noticed the older unicorn as he was apparently drawing, his head tilted at him and then to the little filly with a faint blush to his cheeks. And it just GREW when the red haired stallion adressed him, shrinking into his shoulders slightly as one little hoof shyly scuffed at the ground and glanced to his neighbour who watched the proceedings.

With a coersive nod from the older filly, the tiny colt gulped and pushed himself up on his hooves. Looking up at Carrot curiously.

"I-I can't fly, sir...."

There was a smile on Mud's face, atleast he was trying. She had to give him that and seeing the little foal all shy and nervous made the filly smile brighter before her eyes turned back to Carrot. Help?

He wanted to help her and Star out on her deliveries? Her smile grew a little and she looked over her mud with an arched brow, could you be a dirt farmer? She supposed you could be, but she didn't really consider herself to be on ein the long run.

"Huh? Oh no, I enjoy working with mud, I find different vitamin and mineral enriched soil deposits in specific area's for ponies or landscape for them, it's my talent to work with dirt."

One of my absoloute FAVE first gens, love how this has gone so far. <3

I do have to add mw own concerns that this apart from a few minor details is very disturbingly similar to Twist, maybe a few more notable differences need to be added? Maybe a different sort of candy product cutie mark?

So engulfed in her munching of the apple she'd bought off of AJ's cart, trying to push the knowledge of that obstructive and irritating...thing...taking up her airspace, that she barely heard the Mayor over her own derrogotary thoughts. Stupid thing. Like a clunk of metal with wings, she had wings, she flew just fine and why did those stupid griffin's need that thing? Couldn't beat her wings. No siree bob.

Looking at the apple core she'd managed to nibble down to the seeds and stalk, she chucked it aside carelessly before her ear twitched.

What was that?

Probably one of the pony's talking, she wondered if she could leave some bits for AJ and get away with an extra app-

There it was -again-.

Frowning, she turned and saw AJ whispering for her and looking just a little silly in the progress as she peered at the cowpony before fluttering over her whilst she kept her eyes to the crowd. She'd wait a good few seconds before poking the apple farmer in the flank with a big, playful, if not cheeky grin on those features of hers.

"Lookin' for me?"

Done with her story, she let herself be praised by the little filly and felt a touch honored by it all as she walked leisurely by her side. Having Scootaloo as a fan and a friend, is what she believed it must've felt for the Wonderbolt's, to have someone adore them and be just like them...like she wanted when she thought of them and it made her smile just grow before the little filly showed that she had a story of her own.

Showing the same interest that Scoots had showed in her, as it was only polite to do, she smiled as the little filly went on about some bully at school and she couldn't help but be reminded of that darn trio again.

All three of them had caused her to suffer in some manner, either emotionally or mentally...never physically...still...she let most of it roll off her back as in the end. She had been right. She'd performed a Sonic Rainboom. And they were wrong in saying she hadn't.

When Scootaloo finished her story, she playfully and gently shoved the little filly in a good natured manner. Her smirk beaming from ear to ear as she looked over her little learner like a proud teacher, or even sibling would.

"Way to go, Scoots! You make me totally proud to know a cool lil filly like you." She said with her smirk still in place. "Was Sweetie okay afterwards?"

Rainbow had to chuckle a little at the look of Scootaloo's hair, raising a hoof to gently smooth it over before smirking. Proper athlete hair to a 't'. Tapping her chin in thought once more as she tried to recollect the story, as if she could forget! She smiled and started to tell the story in the usual, laid back attitude that swam with confidence.

How couldn't you be when you were so awesome? She mentally commented to herself.

"Well, Scoots, it was the day of the Best Young Flyer competition, somethin' you'll be seeing when you're my age, I got no doubt about that." Winking playfully at the filly at this, her smile brightened before she continued.

"Hard to believe this even now, but I was flailing out there infront of everypony, my friends, the Wonderbolts...even the Princess! They were all so dazzled by Rarity's fake wings...I knew there was only one thing to win over them all...the SONIC RAINBOOM! "

She struck a pose at this before chuckling a little, a few ponies in the park peering at her oddly before they continued on their own business. With a soft cough she looked back to her little filly-friend with an intense look as she continued her story with passionate abandon.

"Anyway, I flew up way high above the arena, I could barely see what was going on...and then I heard it! I heard Rarity screaming! I looked below and saw her and three of the Wonderbolts falling toward the ground! I turned tail and bolted as fast as I could toward them, it looked like I would never reach them in time!..."

Pausing she smirked and leant down playfully so her head was beside Scootaloo's.

"It happened...a huge ripple of color burst in the sky and I saved Rarity and the Wonderbolts in a flying streak of color! I won the competition! I saved the life of one of my best pals...AND I got to spend a whole day with the Wonderbolts themselves!...oh and uh...on a side note..." She lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I did also manage to totally stick it to these three jerks I'd known since I was your age."

The filly rose her head up again with a soft, proud smile lilting over her muzzle.

"Needless to say, it was the best day -ever-...but today we're gonna see if we can beat that by a mile, I'm sure we will."

Champ suddenly felt rather...cornered and unsure of himself. At home, he often liked, nay, loved being the epicenter of attention around his friends...but this lot were still really unknown to him and that messed him up just a little inside when he was getting attention. Especially when Sweetie Belle, the little filly he'd made cry the other day, was suddenly so happy and chirpy towards him. His ears splayed against his head in confusion and he tilted back just a little bit as he watched the little white unicorn with big, wide eyes as he stood there stock still like a deer stared down by a wolf.

Staring at her in confusion, the well sized colt peered between her and Scootaloo and couldn't help but be sharing the sympathy with the annoying little orange best. Frowning at them both he scuffed his hoof against the ground as his confusion turned to irritation.

"Yeah...why ARE you bein' nice to me?"

His questioning would have to wait however, it seemed. With a blink, he looked to Applejack with such a look that he was caught offguard, for once looking like a curious little foal instead of somepony trying to make other's day a misery. That look however was short lived.

Yes. He did deserve to be proud. He'd done a dang good job and what's more, if it was kicking then atleast he'd be able to pretend it was his favourite ball or something. Or someone that really ticked him off.

But even those thoughts, he mentally chided himself on...but he snapped out of that. Darnit. He was strong.

Looking to the honey colored mare again, his head tilted slightly and he looked back to the apples in the tree and the baskets that she and Sweetie were arranging.

Readying up his legs, his tongue stuck out in faint concentration and soon again those powerful little sporter's hind legs smacked against the trunk again. Another explosion of sound and the apples began falling again, some falling into the baskets, some on the ground...and one well aimed one landing smack on his head.

Letting out a small groan he raised a hoof to rub at his head, frowning at the opposing fruit.

"Stupid apple." He said bluntly.

The mare smirked at the filly's enthusiasm, brushing up her forelock as she snapped on her headband with a small 'whack' as it hit her forehead and she offered up the little one to Scootaloo with that same, playful look on her face. And it only grew at the little friend wanted to hear that old, but awesome story yet again.

Who could blame her?

Chuckling she saddled up her bag on her back yet again and tapped her chin thoughtfully, almost like she was giving it some consideration before trotting past the little pegasus with a small;

"Alrighty! Which do you wanna hear, kiddo? The one when I first discovered the legend at your age to protect Fluttershy's honor? OR the one where I saved Rarity's and the Wonderbolt's life?"

Her total best day ever. Saving her friend. The Wonderbolt's. Showing up those stupid colt's a second time. And her Sonic Rainboom.

She nickered cheerfully to herself as she cantered leisurely into the park and was assured that Scootaloo would follow in hot pursuit as her mind worked over not only the story, but the regime she had in store for today.

Little molly? She felt herself go a bit pink in the cheek as she smiled almost bashfully at how charming this pony was, she was getting such kind welcomings wherever she was going and the memory of her mothers words rang rather cruelly in her long ears. Never accepted. Seen as a freak. Ugly. Seems mother dearest wasn't as wise as she thought she was and as those big brown eyes watched the pony, she could feel her own smile growing.

It did falter ever so slightly as he took on the burden of her luggage, raising a hoof in faint worry to her mouth as she saw him stack them on his back and clutch one in her mouth before she could protest for the sake of his back.

But he seemed to be handling them alright. Thankfully.

Smiling, his muffled words caught into her ears and she rummaged around her saddle purse and took out a piece of paper.

"It didn' have an address, but th' name o' the house is uhm 'Apple Bow Cottage'..." Looking from the piece of paper to Braeburn, she smiled in faint embarssment.

"Do you know where that is?"

When they'd have started off, in high hopes that this gallant gentlecolt knew his way around. And he certainly seemed too, she couln't help but spot that cutie mark of his and feel a touch in awe of what it was. An Apple. An APPLE. Could he be...? Oh certainly he must...

Clearing her throat delicately as she walked by his side, her eyes glanced over him curiously.

"Forgive mah curiousity, Braeburn, but, are y'all part of the Apple Fam'ly? That helped grow the apples here?"

Whilst waiting, Dash played with her hooves, twirling them and clopping them idely on the picnic table as she stared up at the clouds. Her mind slowly made pictures, hoops, memories that made her smile ever so slightly before in the distance that familiar buzzing came to her ears and she smiled. Sitting herself up straight she saw Scootaloo on her way and for a moment, a split second, the rainbow haired mare almost thought she'd end up crashing.

No doing. Not her Scoots.

As it screeched to a halt, Dash let out a hoot and a whistle as the foal scampered onto the bench next to her and one hoof came to playfully ruffle the filly's mane-do with a smirk on the older one's face.

"'Sup Scoots! That was awesome, one day you'll be performin' Sonic Rainboom's 'fore y'know it!"

She saw a lot of herself in the little orange filly and it warmed her heart up to see it, to see another generation so...speedy. Moving the saddlebag off her back she rummaged through it and took out a headband for herself and a little one for Scootaloo. Training was serious. And they were gonna have some serious FUN today.

"You ready for an AWESOME day, Scoots?"

lolwat.

...

Have I just been duped? D:

Normally so happy to sleep in, Rainbow Dash had promised herself to get up at a certain time, get ready, prepare a saddle bag, buy some sandwhiches on the go. So wound up in her usual regime, so actively ready to get things done, she felt as though she had been neglecting on of the very important aspects of her life to date.

Scootaloo.

Her protege. Or her 'fan' as some would say, Dash liked to think of herself as a teacher who would teach the next awesome flyer of Scoot's generation and it seemed by fate that she met the energetic little filly by her -awesome- moves. Smiling to herself, she packed the last of her things in her lightning embelished saddlebag's and took off from her house with a whistle as her body sliced the air like a blade.

Taking the time, she enjoyed the wind blasting past her wings, billowing through her mane and tail as she sped through the sky like a multicolored streak. She took so much joy in flying. In the speed, in the warmth of the sun on her back and the 'woosh' of the air that made her ears wobble before she splayed them to her head.

Soon Ponyville was on the horizon and she narrowed her eyes with a small smirk lacing her features, hooves clunked forward together and wings brought to her side as she slowly took toward the earth like a missile. As the ground came to view she waited till the last second, wings opening up as she looped the air a few times and slowed her pace. Leisurely flapping over the park before she moved to sit at a picnic table/bench combo that they had strewn around the grounds here and there.

She'd told Scoots to meet her here...now all she could do was wait.

Once Starlight had found his way back to his desk, it took a little more scrambling and such to actually get onto his chair again. A bit of wiggling, a bit of beelike buzzing from his wings and the foal soon sat on his chair and watched Scootaloo tell the class about the cutie mark crusaders. It sounded so fun.

He wanted to ask them more about it, see if it would help him learn to fly...because he was SURE learning to fly would get him his cutie mark for deffinate and true. It had to be.

Resting his hooves on the desk, he heard through all the options in awe before Twist raised her hand to speak next.

Meanwhile, Champ wasn't exactly as eager.

Jeez, he could've fallen asleep in this class, muzzle burried into his legs that he'd crossed atop his desk, the colt slouched lazily. Stray and readied paper balls to chew sat by the side as he thought over the teacher's words, a party for all his friends? Like he wanted to be friends with these lame-o ponies.

A small snort escaped his nostrils and he leisurely rolled one well gnawed pencil over the surface of the desk.

He missed Dusky and Chip and all his other friends from Fillydelphia, he missed his gym teacher, Coach WeatherBee...and he missed his old house. Where him, his dad...and his mom, used to live and he sunk into his shoulders slightly as his memories wandered over his older years in his home town.

Walking back home and playing hoofball with Dusky and Chip, running away from the neighbours dog through the fence like it was a wild lion in a cage despite its limbs being riddled with arthritis.

Coming home to the smell of fresh baked cookies...and his mom. Standing there in a clean bright white apron and ready to hug his little brains out.

Ugh, speaking of brains.

Snapping out of his daydream, he peered at the frizzy, red maned filly upfront and twitched slightly. The queen of dorkitude herself. Groaning he slumped his chin onto the desk with a thunk and stared ahead.

Smiling at Skye's enjoyment of the garden, the old mares ethereal, opalescent mane fluttering against the night sky softly as her eyes partook of the night sky, yes, forgiveness would come in time...but not now. Enjoy the time had and slowly make penance through joy that they have together.

Glancing to Luna and the bat, her deep eyes twinkled softly in admiration for her little sister. Yes. Both creatures of the night and the day depended on their beautiful princess to watch over them before...before that fateful day. She felt like she'd been stepping into the hooves of a mare much bigger than she could ever wish to be.

Resting her hooves delicately infront of her as she enjoyed the night air that lapped over them all, cool, but not biting, soft like newborn fur. And she revelled slightly in it.

Looking back to the peryton, she went a tad pink in the cheek.

"I couldn't allow harm to come to either of you." She stated simply, looking over both the way a mother might overlook her children. And in a way, she looked over most ponies like they were hers, some more than others.

"You always have the books in the library, dear sister." She noted on the magic business.