The Shadow of Equestria

by Masked Brony

Flying High

The buzzing of air whisking by my ears awoke me from my slumber and when I open my eyes I was greeted with a bright blue sky, but…that wasn’t the only thing that caught my senses.

“I didn’t think the sky could be so clear,” I said through the roar of the wind.

Then I remember what happen to me only mere moments ago.

The purple lightning striking me, a bright light.

I then realized that I was falling.

My eyes went wide as I flipped my body around to a pointy ice cap mountain, and you know the amazing part was that there was a small city tucked right into the side of it.

It’s a shame that I won’t get to see all of it. Because I’m going FUCKING CRASH RIGHT INTO IT!!!

I closed my eyes and brought my hands to pitifully guard my face as I soared straight towards castle’s tower. I felt my body hit the glass before spun around and crashed into the wall.

I let my hands flopped to the side as I let out a groan of pain.

“Ow.”

I stood up gingerly while flicking the broken glass off of my jacket, which I took off and gave a quick scan to check for damages. I was surprised to find not a single blemish and the fact that I managed to survive such a fall. I slipped my jacket back on a looked around the room that I was in.

It would appear that I’m in somebody’s study as shelves upon shelves of books were everywhere. I flicked my heard around to study the room only for a small gasp to put a pause to that. I turned around and my confusion instantly became one of shock.

Standing before me were two horses. One was about the same as the average horse, while the other one was noticeable smaller probably going to my waist at best while the other stood about my height, although that wasn’t what had me shocked.

No, what shocked me was the appearance of the animals. I mean really the lengths people will go. It’s one thing to dress up you dog or cat, and that in itself I find stupid, but to dye their fur and mane purple, that’s just wrong. I have to admit the non-existent wind blowing the mane from the white one is pretty cool effect.

The big one was cover completely in white fur and its eyes were a light magenta. Its mane was a mixture of cerulean, turquoise, cobalt blue, and purple. The colors were a very light shade, and the tail matched its mane. It was wearing a golden crown with a violet gem set in the center the same for the gold necklace. And if I’m seeing this right it was also wearing a pair of light gold slippers that went up a little bit of its legs.

The other one had purple fur and eyes, but the eye was a bit lighter. For the mane and tail it looked like a dark blue with a light purple and rose red streak going through it.

Each on had some kind of mark on their back sides but from my position I couldn’t really see.

I let out a sigh as I placed my face into me hand.

“The lengths people will go to dress up their pets,” I said irritably flicking my hand out, “Gluing horns and wings are bad enough, but dye the fur purple that’s just sick.” Covering my face with hand again as I shook my head.

“It’s lavender not purple!” a voice of a girl exclaimed.

I lowered my hand and looked around to find the source, but came up with nothing. “I don’t care, “I said as I looked about trying to find the source of the voice. “Just let me call a taxi or something and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Get behind me princess,” I heard the girls voice say.

I zero in on the purple ‘unicorn’ and I could have sworn that the white horse actually looked shocked and murmured, “Impossible,” but that can’t be right. Horses don’t talk. The purple one stood in front of the white one. With a cocked eye brow I tried to comprehend what’s going on.

Then it came to me, “I get it,” I said with my fist tapped into my open hand.

“You made robots to fulfill your furry fantasies,” I said with a hint of amazement as I walked towards the small one and tapped it on its nose. “It looks very real,” my tone dropped to an annoyance, “If it weren’t for the cartoon look and the purple fur.”

Although the nose felt so…lifelike, hmm, it must be some advance padding or something.

I watched as the robot began grinding its teeth as a dark pink glow enveloped its horn. “It’s. LAVENDER!!”

What the-

The next thing I know something hit my chest with the power of a semi, and I’m sent through the air and to the wall. My back exploded with pain as I crumbed to the ground.

That felt extremely real, but what was that? Magic? Impossible! Magic doesn’t exist. Then again neither do talking horses, but the truth is right in front of me.

“GUARDS! ASSASSIN!”

Wait!?! SHIT!?! Purple called Whity princess.

The door next to me burst open and two more horse came through. These two were pure white and wore golden armor from head to toe. The horns on top of their head told me that these two were also unicorns. Instantly I knew I was in trouble. I figure what’s going on later. Purple called me ‘assassin’ and with my state of dress and with added weapons…

Yea...I can see where this is going to go. Well I need to get out of here so I can figure a way home.

Time to blow this taco stand.

I reached into my belt and pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it down. With a ‘poof’ the area was blanketed in a thick white smoke. As the horses coughed and hacked I pushed the guards out of the way and ran down the hallway.

“After it!!” a guard said through a cough as a loud ring echoed all around me.

“We have an intruder in the castle it is armed and dangerous. Apprehend it immediately. All forces move to seize. Elites protect the princesses!”

Shit!

Alright just remember your training and you’ll be—FUCKED!!

Another unicorn appeared in front of me when I turned around the corner. It wasn’t alone either. With him a pink fur unicorn with wings much like Whity. Her mane was a streak of purple, light red, and gold. And like the white one she was also dressed up like a princess. Its friend was white furred and had dark blue mane with a streak of light blue and light blue eyes. He was dress in some kind of gold and purple armor with some kind of emblem on its chest.

“Princess Cadance get behind me,” the white one said as he steeped in front of pinky.

I let out a growl as I heard steps coming from behind me. “I don’t have time for this,” I said charging the duo.

I was going to jump past them, but instead I slammed right into a bright pink shield. I let out a grunt as I was flung backwards. With a flip around so that was straighten up so that I could slid on my feet. “Fuck this,” I said as I reached into my belt and pulled out a flash bang.

Striking the belt the wick became inflamed.

I waited for two seconds before I flicked it towards the couple who tensed before I clasped my eyes shut. A second later there was a loud bang followed by two cries of pain. I opened my eyes and ran forward as the duo was on the ground and the shield was gone. ‘Breaking concentration breaks magic.’ I tucked that bit of information for later.

I ran down the hallways as I prayed not to end up at a dead-FUCK!!!

'Is anything going to work out today!?!' I fumed and glared at the large window that was in my way. I turned around to double back, and found a lot of guards headed towards me. I looked back at the window grinded my teeth. “Fuck it,” I said.

Might as well take my chances besides if I managed to live through falling from the sky then this should be nothing, but let's try not to test that too much.

I turned back to the window and ran full tilt towards the window.

For the second time that day I crashed through a window, but this time it was intentional. This time I was ready as I had taken my kusarigama from my waist before I jumped. I slammed the blade part into the stone frame of the window and wrapped the weighted part around my arm. Now comes the tricky part making sure that kusarigama stays in place long enough for me to find a landing spot and pray that there is a place to land.

The chain went taunt and I swung in the air around the tower before I felt the chain become loose letting me know that the blade had lost its grip on the frame

Thankfully there was something for me to grab, but not to stop my fall. There was a banner on the tower that I was zooming towards. I flicked my arm that had the chain and the kusarigama whistled through the air as it came towards me…and wrapped itself fully around my arm. I didn’t have time to ponder the unusual way the tool acted.

I controlled my fall so that I could grab the top part of the banner and with air escaping my lungs I latched on.

Thanks to my momentum and my weight the banner rip where my hands were at before it tore slowly with me still attached. I watched in fear as the ground came towards me at an increased rate as the banner couldn’t hold my weight.

I was suddenly jerked back as the banner reached the end of its cloth. I let out a sigh of relief before I looked down to see that I’m still pretty high up. I began looking around to see if there was a way for me to get down safely when there was small tug and quiet rip sound. I slowly up to see that banner’s seams were coming undone. “This is gonna hurt,” I said just before I free fell to the ground.

With closed eyes I waited for the pain to come as I hit the ground.

…

…

Wait? Huh?

I don’t feel anything. That fall should have hurt like a bitch. Like bones should have been broken, but than again I did fall from the sky and manage to stand up a moment later. Or maybe the constant landing on my back has I snapped my spine in half and now I can’t feel anything.

Nope wait there’s the back pain.

I let out a hiss as I opened my eyes and looked around to see that I was in a small ‘me’ size crater. “Okay this is just getting ridiculous,” I muttered as I pulled myself out of the ground. Giving my body a good stretched I found that everything seemed fine except for the back pain thanks to sword and stick which cushion my fall.

How is this possible? How is any of this possible? I should be dead many times over, and yet here I am. Maybe I am dead and this is some kind of weird version of heaven or hell. But I don’t think souls can’t feel pain right? That also crosses out me being in a coma or dream.

“THERE IT IS!”

Well no time to think about it.

I looked to my side to see more horses chasing me. So I ran in the opposite direction.

I don’t know if I hit my head pretty hard to knock a few screw loose when I fell, but it seemed as if I was moving a little faster than normal.

My wandering mind cost me as I ran face first into a pink wall. With a stumble backwards I shook my head and looked to see that it was the same white unicorn from before.

“My name is Shining Armor Captain of the Royal Guard,” I snorted at the girly name, “surrender now.”

I flipped to my feet before I took a deep breath, “Yea…how about no,” I said narrowing my eyes.

Shining blew heavily through his nose, “I wasn’t suggesting nor asking,” he said as he spread his hooves a part. “I won’t let you harm the princess,” he said as he scraped the ground his front hoof while his horn lit up in rosy pink the same color as the shield that I keep running into. So they can create magic constructs and it matches the glow of their horn. It also doesn’t seem as if this guy isn’t going to let me go without a fight.

“Look,” I said letting my kusarigama uncoil around arm, “I’m didn’t mean to crash through the window, and I’m just trying to leave.” I flicked the bladed part to my open hand, “So if you just stand aside and let me through we can both go on with our lives.”

“Not happening.”

I took the bladed end and began spinning around while slowly giving it more length. “We’ll see about that.”

Shining made the first move and blasted a bolt at me. I flung the blade at the unicorn while I move to the side to dodge the attack and Shining jumped up to get away from the kusarigama. Spinning my body around the blade moved in the same direction as my spin and I pulled on the chain so that I had some space to spin the weight end and throw it at the airborne horse.

I was planning on wrapping Shinning up and bring him on the ground hard but the motherfucker vanished in a pop. A second later there was a pop behind me before I felt a blunt force smash into my back. Letting out a cry of pain I tumbled on the ground before my body stop close to the castle’s wall. I snapped my head up and glared at the smirking unicorn. “Give it up,” Shining said, “Against a unicorn’s magic, especially that of the Captain of the Royal Guard, you can’t win. I will admit you have skill in stealth, but in straight up combat you lose.”

I let out a growl as I grind my teeth. I get it he has a job and he’s going to do it, but last bit was a unnecessary. “I just wanted to get out of this place, but now,” I said wrapping the kusarigama around my waist, “Now I’m going to kick your ass first.” I drew my ninjato. I reached into a pouch in pulled two kunai, or throwing knives, and a smoke bomb.

With a twitch of my arm I flung the knives at Shinning who pulled up a small shield to block the projectiles. During that I lit and threw the smoke bomb so that when he dropped the shield my bomb was there to blow up in his face. I used the distraction to rush the captain with my blade hovering over the ground cutting blades of grass as it went. The ninjato too caused a sound, but unlike the kusarigama’s whistle it gave a musical tone. Like what you would get if you played a note on a piano or something like it.

As I entered the smoke screen I jumped in the air with my bladed poised at the silhouette of my target as it stood there unmoving.

Wait a minute…

For the third-fucking-time today I slammed right a pink wall and landed on my ass. “That’s really starting to PISS ME OFF!!” I roared as I picked up my sword that was knocked out of my hand when I fell, but I paused as I saw that the blade was seem to have shine to it.

I was snapped out of my gaze when I saw the smoke dissipated and in its place a pink bubble surrounded me cutting all means of escape. I looked over to see Shinning standing there looking smug. “Nice try,” he said.

With a yell I ran towards the bastard and slashed at him only for me to be rebounded by the shield. Stumbling I ran again and try to break through but I was met with the same results.

“STOP HIDING BEHIND THIS SHIELD YOU PUSSY! FIGHT LIKE A MAN DAMN IT!!”

So I tried again and again, and getting the same results over and over. Finally I sheathed my sword and switched to my fist, and the results didn’t change. Soon I was surrounded by more guardsmen and they didn’t look to please. “It’s over,” Shinning told me looking a little sympathetic, “You can stop now. If what you say is true then there nothing for you to worry about,” he gave a smile, “You have my word that you will be treated nice and fair.”

I snorted, “Yea right,” I stood up again, “Tell me to give up? HA! The word doesn’t exist in my dictionary.” I back up to the very edge of the bubble and using every ounce of energy that I had I charged at Shinning and slammed my fist against the barrier with everything I had at. “DON’T FUCK WITH ME!!!” I roared as a shockwave came from where my fist made contact with the prison that was holding me.

For a moment I thought I had done something, and by the looks of everyone’s faces they did too, but the shockwave ‘waved’ back towards my fist and slapped me back. I stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. ‘Damn it I just want to get out of here!’ I screamed in my mind as I fell. Being trapped in this reminds me to much of the times I was sent to The Box.

The feeling of tight enclosure, of being in a cage and unable to fly, of helpless, and the loneness.

The only solace I found was in the darkness.

In the darkness I found strength.

The strength to FIGHT to FLY!

My anger turned to confusion as I kept falling but the bright world had turn pitch black. “What the…!” no sound came from my mouth! In the darkness I saw, but not with my physical eyes, the castle wall and before I could wrap my mind around what was happening I landed back on the grass. I lifted my head to see that was still in the castle grounds but I was away from the group of horses who were looking around in confusion. It seemed that everything happened in an instant.

How did I do that?

I looked around and saw that was in the shadow of the castle wall. I looked at the ground around my feet and saw that it almost moved like a gentle wave. I bent down to examine it closer.

Against better judgment I reached out and touched it. My fingers felt like they were being sucked into the abyss, but it felt like a natural pull or at least it didn’t pull me in I could easily pull out. Getting bold, and curious about why no one notice me squatting here, I placed my entire hand in. “This is so cool,” I muttered with a smile on my face and that’s when I notice something in the corner of my eye.

Turning my head I saw something that made my eye go wide. On the other side of the castle gate was a gloved hand, MY gloved hand. To make sure I that haven’t lost my mind and started seeing things I gave my fingers a little wiggle. Sure enough the hand outside wiggled.
I think a normal person would be shocked that they could suddenly travel through the shadows, and I was but my more dominate emotion at the time was…

“FUCKING SWEET!” I shouted.

I think that sums it up.

“THERE HE IS!!” I turned around to see Shinning pointed at me and the guards began charging at me.

Well here goes nothing.

I pushed my entire body through the shadow and I found myself on the other side of the gate. Knowing that I didn’t have much time before the guards could open the gate I got to my feet and began running towards the heart of the city. “The Wonderbolts are in pursuit!” I looked above me to see three Pegasuses, Pegasi, or is it Pegasus? Whatever it is all I know that these three where dressed in some kind of blue spandex like suit that seemed to be a uniform.

I grunted as these ‘Wonderbolts’ started streaking at me. I dodged to side to get out of the way of one of them before I jumped into the air to dodge the next one, but the last one caught my legs as I was airborne causing me to land on my back. The three winged horses landed in front of me. Now that they were on the ground I could get a better view of them.

They were wearing some kind of light blue suits that had strip of yellow on the chest part that almost reminded me of lightening, and they had the same design around their hoofs only smaller in size. The lead horse or maybe their ponies since they all seemed to be on the small size, stepped forward and looked at me. This one had a flame style and color hair, and yellowish fur. But that is all I could tell about it thanks to the suits and goggles they wore.

“This thing broke into the castle,” another one, male by the sound of the voice, said I looked over to the owner and saw that this one had pale blue fur and dark blue hair. “Doesn’t look like much.”

My eye twitch.

“Don’t take it lightly Soarin,” the leader said her glaze never leaving me, “This thing managed to evade the Royal Guard and go hoof to hoof with the Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Come on Spitfire,” Soarin said brandishing a hoof at me, “Just look at it. It doesn’t even seem strong enough to handle an Earth Pony filly.

My eye twitched some more.

“I’m with Soarin on this one Spits,” the last member said cocking her head to the side which made her white mane move a bit. “I don’t think it can do much of anything.”

Okay that it.

“Whatever just keep sharp Fleetfoot, Soarin,” Spitfire said looking at the two.

Finally.

“You shouldn’t judge anyone by looks,” I said standing up to my full height, while I reached into a pouch, causing the ponies to take a few steps back. “And your so called Royal Guard is extremely lacking if that is the best they can do.”

“It can talk!?” Soarin said with a breathless tone.

I glared at him, “Yes HE can!”

With a flash of movement I bathed the area in smoke before I made a run for it leaving behind a trio of shocked, and coughing, horses.
Heading into an alleyway I began scaling the wall before I jumped to the one next to and back again repeating this until I reached the top. When I reached the roof I looked down to see that my smoke screen was starting dissipated quickly thanks to the wings of the horses.
They probably have more like them, so I need to get out of here. I looked around to see where the closest exit from the city was at. I found that the south was the best as it just directly straight from the castle. I took a deep breath before releasing it and began running across the roof. When the edge came I leapt using my arms to keep myself steady so that I can land easily and keep going. I kept doing this for about three to four building when I heard a scream.

“SWEETIE BELLE!” I turned my head to the building in front of me and saw a small horse that couldn’t be no more than a small child on the edge of the building.

The filly had a white-ish grey fur that kind of clashed against its two tone mane. Her mane was a mulberry with a grayish rose streak that went down her curly hair. I spotted a small horn on her forehead marking her as a unicorn. The small thing was looking over the edge waving at the ponies at the ground. “There you are mommy! Daddy! I’ve been looking all over for-”

Sweetie Belle was hit by a gust of wind and was blown side to side. The small pony lost her footing and her light green eye widen as she realized that she was going to fall. I watched in slow motion as the filly began to fall.

Without any hesitation I ran towards the corner of the building that I was on and planted my feet down before I tilted forward. This move is not only going to be tricky to do, I’m not even sure it’s going to work, but dangerous as well, but a child’s life is at stake. I squatted down as my weight went forward. When my feet were flat against the side of the building I pushed off with everything I had as I aimed towards the falling pony.

A familiar and a well-loved feeling of flight overwhelmed my body as shot like a bullet towards this Sweetie Belle.

I caught the filly in my arms and tucked her in while I turned my body around so that I can use my body as a cushion for Belle. A sharp of pain shot through my body before I rolled on the ground. When I finally came to a stop my whole body was sore from everything that has happened to me today. I opened my arms to see my passenger curled into a ball while she shook and sobbed.

“You alright,” I asked.

Belle stops shuddering and looks up at me. Her already big eyes went wide.

“Please don’t-” I pleaded sensing what was about to happen.

“EEEEEEEKKKKKK MONSTER!!!” Belle screamed as she scrambled off of me while I clenched my ears with my hands.

“Your fucking welcome brat,” I seethed as I got up to see the filly galloped into her parents waiting arms.

Well at least she’s safe.

I went to stand only for to have a lot of spears pointed around my neck. I glazed up to see Shining Armor glaring down at me. “You’re guards suck ass by the way,” I spat and something slammed into the back of my head clouding my mind in darkness.

Shadow

A few minutes before…

Princess Celestia landed in the middle of Canterlot next to Shining Armor who was talking to Spitfire. The Wonderbolt gave a bow to the princess causing Shining to turn around and do the same. “What’s the status of the creature?” Celestia asked the captain.

Shining pointed at Spitfire, “Spitfire’s group managed to stop the creature, but used a smoke screen to escape capture. Again.”

“Any casualties?” the princess asked as she looked around to her little ponies to see that no one was hurt.

The guard shook his head, “No your highness. Just like in the castle he seemed more worried about escaping rather than hurting anypony,” he said before scratching his chin with a hoof.

Celestia picked up on her captain’s confusion. “Is there something wrong captain?” she asked as her ear swiveled around.

“Princess,” Shining started slowly as if he wasn’t sure if he wasn’t quite sure of his words, “Why are we going such lengths to capture this creature. Sure it broke into the castle but apart from that it hasn’t done anything wrong. Wouldn’t it be best to just let it go?”

The princess closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh the events of the past half an hour have been taxing, and more importantly shocking. To think one of those creatures would, could, come here to Equestria. She remembers the stories that her parents told her and Luna when they were little fillies about humans. Recalling the good deeds and the acts of pure evil they committed.

Celestia looked up to the sky thinking about her exiled sister praying to Faust that she can see her sister again and hopefully show her the power of friendship, and to let her know that their parents wanted them to rule Equestria together just like they did before them.

But she just had to be patient as the time was coming soon and right now she had to worry about the human that was running free across her land. Obviously until she was sure the intent and state of his heart Celestia wasn’t going to let a possibly dangerous human wonder her land and be in close proximity of her precious little ponies.

“I would normally agree with you captain,” she said looking back down to her subjects, “But this creature is an unknown we can’t run the risk of him hurting anypony. We must find him and when we do find him we must be cautious because right now as he is scared and confused so we must handle-”

“SWEETIE BELLE!”

A mother’s scream tore their attention to a filly that was waving from the top of a high building. Celestia let out a gasp as the filly lost her balance and began to fall. Shining turned to Spitfire to order to catch the filly, but he was stopped by Celestia. “Wait,” she said as she pointed to the human who flew through the air.

Celestia had thought seeing a human was the highlight of her stress full afternoon, but what she saw next won by a land slide. To the normal eye one would have missed it, but to Celestia, who had over two thousands of years of experience seeing every little detail, saw it.

The back of human began to glow as he soared through the air, and for a split second a pair of wings manifested before the human swooped the filly into his arms and spun around, his back facing the ground.

From what Celestia knew of Humans they do not have any magic. So how did this one perform it not one but two types of magic. Then her mind replayed what just happened and then it clicked for her. She wasn’t completely sure but she could, no, she had to find out.

“Holy Buck,” Shining whispered as the human landed and tumbled across the ground with the filly tucked safely in his body. When he came to a stop on his back he unfolded himself revealing the young Sweetie Belle unharmed, afraid, but unharmed.

“EEEEEEEKKKKKK MONSTER!!!” Belle screamed as she scrambled off the human and ran towards her parents who were waiting in front of a large crowd that had gathered.

“Captain Shining,” Celestia said not taking her eyes off the human, “capture the human and take to the castle and secure him. Now! I want a full medical examination on my desk within the hour.”

Shining moved his troops in to follow his princess’s orders. Never during his service had he seen his ruler so shaken. Who or whatever this ‘human’ was it defiantly something to take seriously.

“Spitfire,” he said as he followed the rest of the guards to capture the human, “Go to the medical wing and get a full medical staff to meet us in the dungeons and prepare to perform a full evaluation. After that you’re dismissed.”

“Roger that,” the Wonderbolt said with a salute before her and her team took off.

Once the guards had secured and for good measure knocked out the human they began dragging him away.

“Wait,” Celestia said and the guards obeyed.

The princess moved in front of the human ignoring her subjects as they bowed before her. Tapping into her magic a golden aura enveloped her horn and the same glow surrounded the hood of James and was pushed back to revealed his half covered face before Celestia moved that out of the way.

With a slow and careful hoof the Princess of the Sun lifted the head of the human up. ‘So that is what you look like,’ she thought before she removed her hoof and motion for the guards to take away their uninvited guest. She watched as the human was taken back to the castle.
“Will he be alright?” a small voice asked from her hoofs.

Celestia looked down to see the little filly that the human had saved. “I didn’t mean to scream at him, he just scared me.”

Celestia gave a small chuckle before she patted the filly with one of her wings. “Don’t worry little one he’ll be fine,” she comforted the small pony before she took off towards the castle to clear her mind before she goes to see the human. ‘I can’t believe this is happening now, but is this a gift? Or a curse? Could it really be him?’

Comments

[Masked Brony]

6517518
First off I would like to thank you for your criticism as it is very detailed and explained what is wrong with this story. I know that this story is not very original at all, but what can you do when you join a fandom that is roughly five years old. Especially with HiE stories as there are thousands of them.

As for my character I wanted to show that he has a harsh background not really a tragic one. There are people out there who live in these kinds of conditions so it’s not that far-fetched, yes it is rare but it does happen. I didn’t give the protagonists a colorful vocabulary because I wanted him to sound grown up. Quiet the contrary I wanted to show how much of a child he still is, and to show that he hasn’t had a proper parental figure in his life, besides his master that is. I really wanted to show a good character progression, and so as time passes slowly the character will grow and mature and things like bad language will wither and fade.

I know my grammar needs a lot of work, but now I know what needs to be worked on. So I’ll correct what’s wrong and try my best in the future to avoid these same mistakes. I am already looking at writer support groups right at this moment.

I won’t scrap this story because I’m using this as a ‘test run’ of sorts. I’m doing this so that I can find my weaknesses and address them and get the feel of the water.

So again thank you for your time and effort you have put into this.

I hope I can do better so that next time you can have a better reading.