Ray of Sunshine

by Gaara's Panda-hime

After Laxus is excommunicated from Fairy tail, he wonders how he can possible make up for what he has done, while he's in a mage hating town it gets attacked and he saves them, with repercussions. He finds himself saved from prison by a little girl who lives in the woods, he tells himself that in this child he might have found his redemption, but which one really needs saved?

Pan) Hey, I figured I would try my hand at my new addiction a Fairy tail fic.

Pan) I don't own Fairy tail.

XXXXXXX

The blond mage sat with his head pressed against the window, eyes closed trying to force down the urge to vomit as the train swayed slightly on the tracks. He had opted to take the train it was faster than walking and his magic was still low due to the fight with the Flame brain and the Iron bastard, so he couldn't teleport. Not wanting to stay in Magnolia, after being expelled from the Guild he had tried to take over, Laxus was forced to take the only other option available to him, letting out a nauseated moan he quickly re- thought his idea. He would get off and walk for the rest of his journey, where ever that might be, the train would be stopping in Bosco for the switch over. Laxus told himself he would find something from there, maybe he would go to Joya and take in the sights and the casino's. He had done a few missions there with his team but they had never stayed long enough to enjoy anything, except a few restaurants and Ever had once drug him to a lingerie store there.

That had been awful, the smell of the store assaulted his sensitive nose, making his eyes water from all the perfumes being sprayed. The woman who ran the store kept calling Ever his girlfriend and trying to drag him off to buy the Fairy mage 'sexy' panties. They were kicked out after the irate Lightning Slayer destroyed a set of red lacy lingerie, Ever had complained that she shouldn't be kicked out over the blonds behavior. The owner didn't agree, saying that Ever should put her boyfriend in anger management classes, causing the blond to snarl and storm off. He had ignored the ginger haired mage the whole way back to the Guild, she nagged and harped at him and Freed tried to pacify the Fairy mage as Bickslow laughed.

The train jerked, causing Laxus to lean back into the plush seat of his compartment and breath in through his nose, he only had to endure this torture for another half hour and then he could touch solid ground again. The thought made his rolling stomach calm somewhat and his thoughts went back to Fairy tail. He didn't want to admit he was wrong about the Guild, it wasn't past of his code but he knew he had been, mostly. His Gramps was a sentimental old fool and Fairy tail was full of idiots who caused more collateral damage to the missions they took on than any other Guild he knew of. The only responsible ones were the ones that were never there and that was a stretch on Gildarts being responsible, Mystogan always put everyone to sleep when he stopped at the Guild and Erza was a whole story of weird. He never really understood that girl she was dependable and level headed up until someone messed up her strawberry cake, then all hell broke loose. Then the worst two there were Natsu and Gray they caused the most property damage by themselves than everyone else combine.

The Flame brain let his emotions run his thought process and the Ice mage just followed along breaking just as much as the fire Slayer. They were all idiots, but they willingly destroyed his Thunder palace lacrima knowing they would get attacked with lightning magic due to the link magic he had on them. Then the fact he lost to Natsu and the Iron freak put a twist on how he viewed the Guild members, granted they were both wrapped head to toe in bandages, unlike him. Then his team begging to follow him into banishment told the blond that his team though of him as a friend more than just there boss. The final blow, that broke the big blond was when he was watching the parade from the ally, when his Gramps and the rest of the Guild threw up there left hand and made the sign that Laxus himself had made when he was younger. The day he did the parade without his Gramps and he said he would make the hand sign so his Gramps would know he was watching him. As he stood watching the Guild he had tried to destroy the day before, tell him that all was forgiven he couldn't hold back the tears as the shame of what he did finally hit him, he walked away after that.

Finally the train lurched to a stop and the lightning Slayer grabbed his bag and quickly got off the train, feeling solid ground under his feet settled his stomach. Setting off from the train station Laxus still had no plan for where he was going or what he was going to do. For now he would just wander doing a few free lance jobs as a Guild-less mage they didn't pay as well as Guild missions but he couldn't be picky as it was. Finally making it to a small town on the outskirts of Bosco he heard people taking about a band of mages that were attacking the town at night and how the town had kicked all the local mages out of the town. Walking through the square he figured he would keep his magic abilities to himself in this town he didn't feel like camping in the woods if they ran him out for being a mage. Finding a small Inn he got a room and took his bag up and tossed it on the tiny bed and looked around the small room, it held the bed a small dresser and a bedside table with a lamp and a door that led to a small bathroom. Glancing at the small clock on the wall he figured he would grab some food then come back shower and go to bed then plan out what he would do tomorrow.

Walking down the street he heard more people talking about the band of mages and how they thought they should be delt with. A few thought they should band together as a town and run the mages off, others said that was a stupid plan and Laxus agreed, civilians would never bet a band of dark mages. Others said they should hire a Guild to take out the bandits, a few said they didn't have the money for a request like that. The ones that suggested the idea said they could lie on the request paper and say there were only a few mage's. That angered Laxus, mages had to trust in the client to be honest and forthcoming and if the client lied and the mage was not properly prepared for what they were walking into they could die. Biting his tongue, he picked up his pace before he could say something and blow his cover, it wasn't his problem. The Guild that got the mission could deal with the lying town, he had his own problems, finding a small pub he walked in.

The smell of tobacco, sweat and liquor filled his nose and he wrinkled it at the offensive smell, sometimes he hated his heightened senses. He found a table where the smell was less offensive and ordered, his waitress giggled and twirled her hair as she talked to him then flounced off to get his drink. When she came back with his beer her skirt was shorter and her hair had been pulled out of their pig tails, Laxus rolled his eyes at the girls attempt to flirt and brushed her off. She pouted and stomped away, she came back ten minutes later and all but slammed his food down before storming off, she didn't seem to handle rejection well. As Laxus ate he heard a few more details about the mage's tormenting this town, they came in a group of twenty including the leader to ransack the town stealing small live stock like chickens and pigs, and busting out shop windows and sometimes kidnapping women.

He wondered if he should help the town or not, the animals didn't concern him but the kidnapping bothered him, despite what many thought he wasn't heartless. As time went by he saw the pub slowly emptied and then the little waitress walked up and told him he had to leave so they could close and get home before the mages came. Paying the small girl for his food he stood and left, he saw the streets were empty save for himself it was slightly erie. Nearing his Inn he caught a whiff of something like smoke and growled, of course he would run into the damned mages, looking over his shoulder he saw them. The one he assumed was the leader stepped out of the group of twenty pointing a sword at Laxus.

"You, give us all you have if you want to live." The man demanded.

Laxus raised his brow was this guy serious? Laxus Dreyar didn't bow down to anyone, expecially second rate wannabe mage's like this. Turning to face the leader he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the men, sizing them up the only ones that would cause any major annoyances were the leader and the man to his left the rest were chumps the only thing that made them formidable was the size of their group.

"Hey Blondie didja hear me hand over your shit!" The leader snapped, slashing the sword through the air.

"You might wanna watch what you say, you second rate chump I'm a little pissed right now and you ain't helping my mood." Laxus growled out, pissed the man had called him Blondie.

"I'll tell you one more time you big Ape before we use force." The Leader said. "Hand over your valuables!"

"You can try but you won't get far." Laxus said dropping his arms and eyed the leader and watched as the other mans face reddened with anger.

"I warned you, men attack! Rip this town down!"

The men behind the bandit leader shouted out battle cries and charged forwards they got a few feet before the sky lit with a flash of lightning and half of the men dropped to the ground twitching. The other half stopped, looking at Laxus who stood looking back at them a smirk on his lips as he saw the fact about what he was sink into the bandit mage's heads.

"Take him out, he can't win if you attack together!" Their leader shouted.

His men chored his enthusiasm and gathered their magic's and sent them at the blond who snorted and flashed out of the way using his lightning body. Appearing to the far left of where he stood he lifted his hand and growled out. "Thunder bullet." A yellow circle appeared and a barrage of small bullets slammed into a few of the slower mage's and they fell to the ground. Scanning the group Laxus saw there were only nine left, he gave a smirk and walked forward and the men stumbled back towards their leader.

"Boss what do we do now!"

"Attack him again, now!" The man shouted and pulled his hands up and five more swords appeared, so he was a re- equip mage.

The man threw his hands forwards as the other men threw their magic attacks at Laxus, who used his lightning body to avoid it all reappearing to the right of the attacks he looked around and he saw people come out of their houses to watch. Fucking perfect, he growled at the men.

"You're really pissing me off." The blond snarled, his magic was dropping and he didn't like it, he needed to finish this before he passed out in the street.

Gathering his magic he held his hand out and lightning sparked around him and shot out, skipping over the ground he heard a few bystanders scream but he didn't flinch, he had control over the erratic lightning as it hit the bandit mages. Dropping everyone but the leader who managed to jump out of the way, Laxus huffed as the man re-equipped a new sword in his hand. It seemed he couldn't re-equip armor so that was an advantage for the Slayer. The man shouted and charged, his sword held down at his side he swiped up at Laxus' face and the Slayer jumped back, the man was faster then the blond gave him credit for. The bandit leader swiped at Laxus again and he jumped out of the way he didn't want to teleport again it used too much of his magic and he didn't have the magic to waste, he needed to land a solid blow to this man.

Ducking out of the way of another swing that nearly sliced into his shirt Laxus glared at the leader who had a crazed smile on his face, and he brought the sword down and it buried into the ground. Laxus took advantage of the mans position and lunged forward fist drawn back and crackling with lightning, the man surprised the blond when he re-equipped a pair of gauntlets and caught the throw fist. With a jerk he tossed Laxus over his body, the blond flipped and landed on his feet. Now he was really pissed, he couldn't get the upper hand on a two-bit mage, the hell! Snarling his common scene left him as he used his lightning body and appeared behind the bandit leader, his fist coated in lightning that smashed into the mans face as he turned to look at the blond.

He felt the crunch of the bandit leaders nose under his fist as the man flew back and smashed into the fountain sitting in the town square, breaking it. Fuck he'd have to pay for that, his head swam and he blinked rapidly to keep himself up-right, he would pay for the damage later. He needed to go back to the Inn and sleep before he fell face first into the dirt, turning to leave he was stopped by someone shouting.

"Wait, mage!" Looking at the voice he saw a short paunchy man walking up to him, Laxus looked down at the man. "We thank you for ridding us of these men." The small man waved at the twitching group behind him. "But I must ask you to leave."

Wait, what! "Leave I just saved your town." He growled, glaring at the little man.

"I am aware of that and we are grateful we will compensate you for your trouble, minus the cost for the fountain but my towns people are weary of mage's because of the bandits actions they would not sleep well knowing one of your kind is here." The little man sniffed, looking up at Laxus.

He felt his anger bubble up and forced himself to not strangle the little man, he didn't have the strength to.

"I'll leave tomorrow." He said, and his vision swam again and his head felt light.

"I'm sorry but I would like for you to leave tonight." Son-of-a-bitch.

"Look you little shit I don't have the energy to fu-" He stopped as the world around him swayed and everything blurred together his final thought before he was pitched into darkness was Shit!

XXXXXXX

He woke to the sun filtering through his eyelids, groaning he drug his hand over his face and took a breath and froze as the smell of sage and dirt filled his nose. Opening his eyes he sat up and took in his surroundings he was on a bed in a tiny cottage, a fire in a stone fire place was going with a cast iron pot over the flame. The shelf above it was covered in jars, herbs hung from the ceiling, there was a pile of furs in the far corner a small table sat in the center of the room and a small tattered couch sat against the far wall. There was also a few wicker baskets lined alone the wall, other than a few furs laid out on the dirt floor the cottage was bare. Looking down at the bed he sat on he saw his coat and shirt were missing, and his boots sat beside the bed. Confused he looked out the small window beside him and saw nothing but trees, did one of the towns people take him in?

As he wondered on where he was he heard footsteps and looked over as the door opened and his jaw fell slack at what he saw. A girl of no more than twelve walked in wearing a dirty, too big shirt, jeans and sandals and she had two dead rabbits in her hand and a bow slung over her shoulder, shutting the door she looked over at Laxus. Pausing she looked him over, he dropped his shoulders and tried to make himself seem less intimidating, the girl seemed to snap back. She pulled the bow over her head and leaned it against the wall by the door as she spoke.

"You're awake, finally." She said as she tossed the rabbits on the table and walked to one of the baskets along the wall and crouched down, digging through one and produced a large knife and a cutting board.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days, you snore by the way." The statement threw him off, he had never been good with kids he didn't know how to reply to that.

"Where are your parents, kid?" He asked tossing the fur blanket off and swinging his feet to the floor, feeling fur under his bare feet.

"Dead." She said as she sat on her knees at the table and started to gut and skin the rabbits, Laxus cringed at the sight.

"Who lives with you?" He asked watching in a sort of morbid fascination as the small girl worked on the rabbits.

"I live by myself." Laxus went to stand and take the rabbits from the girl and finish them, it didn't set right with him that a kid was skinning and gutting rabbits. "You shouldn't get up, Mage you used all your magic and you need your rest."

"Why do you live by yourself? and how do you know about magic?" He questioned standing anyways moving to the table and sat across from the girl.

"I know 'bout magic because I can use it and that's why I live alone the town chased me out after my mom died." The answer had the blond growling, how could that town kick a child out to fend for herself? It was ridiculous.

"You should go back to bed Mage, your magic will never restore if you keep runnin' around." The girl chide.

"I'm fine, kid." He said looking at the rabbits and sighed "Give me those." He said snatching the knife and rabbits from the girl.

"Hey!" She shouted glaring at him. "What are you doin', I can skin rabbits."

"I don't like it, you should be out playing or something." He gruffed as he finished the first rabbit and started on the second.

"I don't have time for that." She said crossing her arms over her chest pouting then looked over at him. "You're welcome by the way."

"Huh?" He looked at her a brow raised.

"The towns people they were goin' to turn you in with the bandits, but I told them I would take care of you." she said as Laxus scowled at her words. "They said that I could take you if I wanted too so two of the men from the town brought you here."

"Those people are bastards, I should of let those mage's ransack the place." The blond snarled.

"There just don't like mage's cause of those bandits, they think all mage's are bad like them but there stupid so who cares what they think." She stood up and walked to the fire and wiped her hands off on a towel setting on the shelf, grabbing a hook she pulled the cast iron pot off the fire. "When you cut the rabbits up put um' in the pot and put it back over the fire, I'm goin' to get more stuff for dinner." She walked toward the door and called over her shoulder. "Your bag is in the basket at the foot of the bed." Then the door shut.

Laxus finished skinning the rabbit and cut them up and tossed the meat into the pot and shoved it back over the fire. Wiping his hands off on the towel the girl had used, he grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, slipped his boots on and went outside to find the girl. He found her around the back of the cottage, poking around in a small garden, she had a basket by her feet as she pulled a carrot from the dirt she saw him and jumped. Seeing who it was her little face turned menacing, as she threw the carrot in the basket and moved to another vegetable.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in bed, you don't listen too good Mage." She snarked digging up a potato, Laxus couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face.

"I don't like being told what to do, kid." He walked over and stood over her and watched her pull up a few more vegetables. "Did you do all of this?"

"Yeah."

"So how old are you, you don't look that old." He asked and she looked back at him pushing her tangled honey blond hair from her face, leaving dirt smudged over her cheek. Laxus finally got a good look at her, he was right she was no more that twelve, she had a round baby face her nose and cheeks had a splash of freckles across them her eyes were a deep green.

"Don't you think you should tell me who you are first Mr. Mage and how old are you?" She said as she stood grabbing the basket and holding it in front of her.

Laxus laughed at the girl, she was spunky. "Name's Laxus and I'm twenty-three, your turn."

"My names Youko and I'm ten almost eleven." She said and walked away toward the woods, Laxus followed. She stopped at a small stream and washed the dirt off the vegetables as she put the last one back in the basket she pulled a canteen out of the basket and filled it with water and put it with the vegetables.

"How long have you been alone?"

She stood up and paused, thinking. "Nearly a year, come on so I can finish dinner." She walked past him, he watched the girl walk toward the small cottage and wondered why she had helped him. Granted he was glad she did, otherwise he would most likely be on his way to prison right now. He would have to ask her, he followed Youko back to the cottage.

When he walked in she was cutting up the vegetables she had pulled from the garden, with a steady hand and pushing them off to the side making room for the rest. As Laxus shut the door the small girl called over to him. "Since you won't go to bed can you put the vegetables in the pot with the rabbit meat?" Looking at the bossy child he rolled his eyes and pulled the pot from over the fire and tossed the vegetables in. As Laxus tossed the last bit of carrot into the pot and was ready to put it back over the fire, Youko stopped him. Going to one of the baskets she pulled out a small sack and poured some of its contents into the pot. "Corn meal it thickens stews." She muttered, pushing the pot over the fire and replaced the small sack and looked at Laxus.

"You should let me check your wounds, I couldn't while you was sleepin' you were too heavy to move. It took me forever to get your shirt off to make sure nothing was broken or bleeding." She said pointing to his face and the bandages that covered it. "You got those before the fight with the bandits, what happened?"

"Feel free to check my injuries, kid." He said and sat on the floor he didn't comment on the last part of her question.

"You won't tell me what happened, that's okay." She muttered and unwrapped the bandages around his head and pulled the patch off his cheek tilting his head this way and that, she nodded. "Looks fine to me, I'm no doctor but you're not bleedin' so you're fine."

"That's one way to look at it." Laxus laughed as Youko tossed the bandages in the fire. "So I have a question." He said making the small girl look at him.

"What?"

"Why did you help me? I mean you didn't have to, what if I had been a mage like them?" He said leaning his elbow on the table and set his head in his palm.

"I helped you cause we're both mages and if you was like the bandits you would have helped them instead of beatin' them up." She replied as she stirred the stew.

"You keep saying you're a mage what kind of magic do you use? How good are you?" He was curious to know what type of magic this little girl used. Was it offensive, defensive, support, or some type of holder magic.

"Same as you." She said, the Slayer noticed her hand tightened on the wooden spoon she held, he decided no to say anything on it, he had his secrets she was entitled to her own.

Instead he said, "You use lightning magic, are you any good at it?"

"Sort of, I know a few spells but I can't control the direction of the lightning it kinda goes where ever it wants." She pulled the stew off the fire and grabbed two bowls and spoons from the shelf above the fire place, filling the bowls she handed one to Laxus. She tossed the cutting board on the table into another basket along with the knife and sat at the table with her food and ate. Looking at the bowl of stew the blond had to admit for it being made by a ten year old, granted he did some of the prep work it looked damn good.

Taking a bite only confirmed his though, so the kid could cook, well stews at least but still a step up from what he could do. Of the many things Laxus Dreyar could do, cooking was not one of them, Master of his element yes, boil water not likely. The two ate in silence when they had finished Youko took the bowls and put them in the basket with the cutting board and knife. Pulling the canteen from the vegetable basket she took a drink and held it out to the blond who took it, taking a drink he watched as the little girl put out the fire in the hearth and pushed the half full pot back over the dying embers.

"Do you want me to help you?" The girl looked at the blond in confusion, he went on. "With your magic do you want help to control it?" He didn't know what possessed him to ask the girl if she wanted help, he never trained anyone before. He would practice with his team before but that was different they knew what they were doing, he would have to start from scratch with pipsqueak.

"You don't have to help me, no one ever wants to stay here for long," She waved her hand around the little cottage. "Cause it's run down and pretty far from the towns."

"Its the least I can do, you did help me, besides I like the woods." He capped the canteen and set it on the table. "Well?"

Youko looked at him, her brow drawn down as she thought about the older mage's offer, he could help her control her magic, maybe teach her new spells and she wouldn't be alone as long as he stayed to train her. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Alright then lets go." Laxus said standing from the floor, only for Youko to object.

"Your magic still ain't recharged, we should wait til tomorrow."

"It ain't like we're gonna fight." The blond retorted, looking down at the small girl in front of him.

"You're gonna have to show me the attacks and you'll have to use your magic and that'll drain the supply you have which ain't in top condition and then you'll be at square one all over again." She chastised, arms crossed over her chest.

Laxus looked at the kid in front of him, she was too serious for a kid her age. He remembered Natsu and Gray as kids they were rambunctious little monsters, running around Fairy tail like lunatics. Even Erza and Mirajane had played little games with the other kids and they were the more responsible ones, his brow furrowed as he thought.

"Okay we'll start tomorrow but on one condition." Youko looked up at him pouting in confusion.

"What's that?"

"You have to start being a kid."

"I am a kid."

"I mean playing, you know kid stuff."

"Why?" She cocked her head to the side as she looked at the blond.

"You're only ten and you act like you're my age."

"I'm responsible." She snipped.

"You can be both, trust me I've seen it at work. You follow my rules or I won't help you with your magic." If she wanted to be that way he would resort to blackmail.

She glared up at him and pouted in defeat. "Fine, you win." She grabbed the basket full of dirty dishes and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Laxus asked.

"To clean the dishes, I don't have runnin' water so I use the stream behind the house." She opened the door and walked out, Laxus following. "You don't have to come I can wash dishes."

"I got more questions." He said. "Like how do you pay for this place?"

"Its just a rundown cottage that I moved into, it's not in town but its close enough that I can go get things I need, like medicine, soap, stuff to cook with that I can't grow." She crouched down and started scrubbing the dishes in the running water.

"How do you get money?"

"I trade in animal furs and meat for the stuff I need."

"You trade in furs and animal meat?" He questioned and thought about the pile of furs in the corner of the cottage, it made scene now.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good with my bow and arrow." She said a smile on her face.

"How often do you trade."

"When ever I get enough to take in, that's the reason you're here I went to town to trade in some squirrel and raccoon furs for the corn meal and some flour."

"You're pretty resourceful, Pipsqueak." Laxus laughed at the face Youko made at the nickname.

"Pipsqueak?"

"Yeah, it suits you."

"It does not!" The girl said in indignation, as she put the now clean dishes back in the basket and stood.

"I think it does Pipsqueak." Youko stuck her tongue out and walked past Laxus going back to the cottage, he followed.

As Youko put the dishes back in there rightful places, Laxus looked around and saw nothing that would keep a child's attention. "What do you do all day, you don't have anything to do."

"I mostly work in the garden or I hunt all day, sometimes I forage for mushrooms and wild herbs like that stuff there I found a few days ago." She pointed to the herbs hanging from the ceiling. "Or I make baskets to trade or sell in town and sometimes I fish all day."

"So basically you don't do anything a normal kid would do?" He sighed, did this kid even know what the word play was?

"Like I said before I don't have time to play, I don't have no one here to take care of me I had to myself, if I wasn't alone I could be a kid." She said and dropped onto the ratty couch.

Looking at the small girl Laxus couldn't help but think that this girl could be his retribution a way for him to do something right. It wouldn't make up for his past deeds but he could say that for once in a long time he did something for the sake of someone else, namely Youko. He sat next to her, leaning back against the cushions.

"Well I'm here so I'll help you with your magic and protect you so you can be a kid, Pipsqueak." He didn't know how long he would stay but as long as he was here he would let Youko be a kid, she deserved it.

"It's gettin' late and you should be sleeping to regain your magic." Youko said looking at the big mage.

"Geez you sound like a parrot." At the glare she shot him Laxus relented. "Alright, alright Doctor. Pipsqueak I'll go to bed once you get off of it."

"You can have the bed, I'm smaller I can sleep on the couch." She argued.

"Nope, now get to bed we're starting your training early after breakfast." Pulling off his boots and dropping them on the floor by the couch Laxus looked at the small honey blond, who sighed.

"Okay." Standing she walked to the pile of furs and pawed through them and finally pulled a thin blanket from the pile and a few furs and tossed them to the older mage.

"Thanks." As Laxus rolled the furs up and tucked them under his head as a pillow and adjusted on the couch his feet propped up on the armrest he heard Youko shuffling around, then he heard a small giggle come from the girls direction. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." She said and giggled again.

"Okay, night Pipsqueak." Kids were so weird.

"Mmm, Night Lala." She said.

"Lala! I'm not a girl, Pipsqueak." The mage barked in disbelief making the girl laugh, the sound was nice it was innocent and it fit her, he would let her keep the nickname but only her.

"Too bad you're Lala now, so goodnight again." He heard the ruffle of fabric as she rolled over, and sighed. Dropping his arm over his face Laxus let a small grin slip across his lips, he had started off with no purpous in mind and he had unwillingly stumbled upon one, in the form of a lonely little girl. He didn't know how he would handle anything with the girl he was not an expert on kids, hell he barely understood himself sometimes but he knew the girl needed someone even if she wouldn't admit it, and he would be that someone. He didn't know why he felt the need to help her but he would, no matter what. With that final thought he drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXX

Pan) Well? There we are, how was it?