**Author's Note** Hello everyone. I just wanted to explain that there's a song in this chapter which is going to work a little differently than before. It's not actually being sung by a character, it's only playing in the background.

As such, the lyrics are spaced out so that the focus will remain on the events happening. I just wanted you to know that this was intentional so there'd be no confusion.

The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Chapter 81 - Temptations of Love and Fate

Starlight stumbled forward as Rayne pulled her along into a back room behind the dance club. "Rayne! What are we doing back here?! This isn't part of the club!" She whined nervously.

"I know." The stallion smirked. "It's Vinyl's room." He gestured a hoof toward the cluttered space before them that would certainly make any kind of introvert proud.

The two stood in what was clearly a personal area which was not supposed to be open to the public. Small piles of magezines and laundry were scattered about. There were boxes and stacks and bags full of records that took up most of the once spacious room.

Making their way between the spires of musical memorabilia they came across what seemed to be a half bedroom half work area in the back. On one side there was a large mixing station where songs could be altered to suit the night club's needs. On the other side was a spacious mattress spread out on the floor with no stand beneath it. "Oh, how quaint." Starlight sighed.

"Oh just shut up and take a seat." Rayne laughed as he made his way over to the sound mixer. "Looks can be be deceiving. Give it a try."

"Heh, seems like you know your way around here pretty well." Starlight stated with a hint of jealousy to her voice.

Rayne's ears folded as he looked back over his shoulder with a smile. But then his voice steadied as he told her, "Yeah, I might have been here before. But it was nothing serious. I haven't broken our promise, I assure you."

Starlight just waved it off as she stepped over to sit on the bed. "Oh don't worry about it Rayne. I told you, I don't care about your flings. I just wanted to-"

That was when the stallion's ears picked up as he noticed how Starlight suddenly went quiet. Looking back from where we was fussing with the mixer he saw Starlight now laying down and looking at the mattress in complete surprise. "Heh, heh. You like it?"

"Wha... Wait, what is this? Is this jell?" The unicorn mare questioned as she pushed down upon the mattress with a hoof.

"Pretty soft and comfy isn't it? I don't know where she got it from but Vinyl has the cushiest bed in Equestria." Rayne told her as he hit the play button on a track that he selected and then stepped over to join her.

https://youtu.be/YtI5KxSqwOg

As the beat began to fill the room Starlight was surprised when Rayne pulled her close into his arms. "H-hey, wait! Rayne! MnMm?!" She protested as he thrust his lips upon hers.

Laying her down onto her back Rayne just smiled despite how she was frowning to him. "Something wrong Starlight?" He asked coyly as he began kissing across her shoulder.

"Uhh, ugh wait! Yes! What are you doing?!" She snapped before pushing him away. "What are you thinking?! This is Vinyl's room! We aren't at a hotel Rayne. This is HER bed! We can't do... that here. Can we?" She asked while twisting her thighs together nervously.

Her boyfriend just snickered as he began kissing softly along the end of her hooves. "It's fine. She knows all about it. She let us come here remember?"

"Wait seriously?!" Starlight shouted in disbelief. She wore a trepidatious gaze as she nervously allowed Rayne to spread her limbs apart. "You mean she just let you take another mare up to her bedroom knowing we're going to get hot and sweaty in her very own bed?!" But by now Starlight could hardly talk anymore as Rayne worked his hoof down in between her thighs.

"Like I said... it's fine, baby." Rayne whispered into her ear which quickly sent a chill running up her spine. "Vinyl plans to spend the next few days in Ponyville anyways. It's no bother for her to hire a cleaning crew while she's gone... so we can be as dirty as we want..." He breathed softly along the base of her ear which quickly sent another chill racing through her back.

"Rayne-uhh... don't say such things..." Her breath had started to get heavy as she could feel her moisture dripped along his hoof. Starlight tried to block out the steady rhythm from the mixer with her hooves but she knew she was being enthralled by it as Rayne stroked her clit and the rim of her opening to the pace of the beat.

Ignoring her protest his whispering continued as his low seductive voice was making her hooves twitch and her knees buckle at every word. "I'm going to undo you tonight Starlight. I'm going to take everything that you are and break it apart." She could not help but gasp as his touch became rougher and his hold on her body began to tighten. "Then I'm going to put you back together again, using the passion that drips from you as glue to reconnect the pieces." She giggled at the thought but then lost herself in his eyes while she looked up to him.

"I love you baby." She replied tenderly.

"You're mine tonight." He stated dominantly.

After that firm declaration from him the enticed mare could wait no longer. Starlight threw her hooves up around Rayne's neck and kissed him wildly. The two twisted into each other's arms as their tongue slid together like a pair of snakes. Meanwhile the music played on in the background with soft lyrics as both ponies wrestled to be atop of the other.

Starlight squealed out in delight as her boyfriend bit her softly on her neck. Falling limp to desire, she giggled nervously in anticipation when Rayne started to crawl down in between her legs. "Eeeeeiaahh! RAYNE! HAHA! NOOO, DON'T TICKLE MEEEE!!!" She shrieked as she felt his warm tongue dance circles along the arch of her hip. But then she gasped harshly and threw her head back into the mattress as Rayne plunged his hungry tongue deep through the folds of her marehood.

For what seemed like an eternity she felt him keep her locked into that position. Rayne's face buried itself between her thighs while his tongue worked it's magic within her. Meanwhile Starlight kept her knees bent over the tops of his shoulders giving Rayne perfect access to cradled her flank with his hooves. With feeling her hind end being squeezed as her insides were being licked out Starlight could only close her eyes and gasp while she lay having the time of her life.

But her part though, Starlight did not remain a passive bystander during all this. Starlight moved her hips and rocked her body along with the music. Letting the steady rhythm take hold of her movements the unicorn mare bit her lip as she arched her hips in time with Rayne's tongue. She reached down holding onto the back of his head and grinded up and down, humping the stallions tongue while he fucked her with it.

Rayne held his girlfriend down by her hipbones when she steady began to squirm. Using his magic to stroke along her clit Raybe delighted in the sounds of her bliss. And as his attentions soon caused her to thrash in that bed, he savored holding her prisoner trapping her in her own pleasure.

When it looked like she could no longer breathe Rayne finally released her and sat up to enjoy the sight of her panting deliriously upon the bed. But not long after she looked up at him with a wicked grin full of devious intent. She grabbed him around the neck and shoved him hard down onto his back.

"You had your fun and now you're going to lay here to do as I say. Is that understood?" She declared to him in a utterly dominating tone.

"Your wish is my command." Rayne snickered as he loved seeing Starlight so excited like this.

"You said I'm yours... but you're mine now baby." He chuckled with a little grin as she crawled down and instantly swallowed his rod straight to the back of her throat.

Through every movement she keep her eyes steadily on him as her face bobbed up and down his length. She didn't blink and didn't falter as her wet mouth slicked upon his cock as if she only got hungrier with the more she tasted it.

With a wet pop Starlight slurped her mouth up over his tip and giggled playfully. "This is one heck of a song Rayne. It's making me want to be so dirty..." She whispered as she ran her tongue down along his scrotum licking from one end of it to the other.

"Hehe, but I think you like it..." Rayne groaned in delight as she polished his nether region without missing an inch.

"Mmhmm." She nodded as her eyes smiled at him while tracing her tongue from below back up to his tip. "But Rayne, what'd it say?" She asked as she started to crawl back up his body now. "The juices running down my thigh?" She repeated, rephrasing the lyrics into sultry and even more seductive tone. The words clung to her lips before flinging to his ear exotically.

Rayne had always found Starlight to be an amazing lover because unlike most of the other mares he slept with, she knew exactly what she was doing. The heliotrope mare eagerly climbed up onto his lap while spreading her knees apart to each of his sides. She grinned down like a huntress who had caught her prey as she reached below to guide him inside. And his groan that came from her warmth enveloping him was her satisfaction that she was in control while he was the successful hunt that she had captured. Stsrlight wasted no time in gyrating her hips as soon as she had slid herself all the way down upon him.

Rayne held onto her thighs as Starlight stared down to him confidently. She no hesitation proudly bit her lip in satisfaction. She pressed down onto his shoulders and rolled her body forward and back. She twisted her pelvis around in a curve while humping with her hips in perfect time to the beat. Starlight chuckled seeing Rayne's eyes light up at the sight of her belly tightening and gyrating around while she practically danced in his lap.

"Who's your little cyclone now, huh?" She smirked.

"I fucking love you!" Rayne panted.

At that moment Starlight looked to him as if that was the sexiest thing he could have possibly said. She threw herself forward embracing his lips as they both grunted together now as she started slamming her pussy down on him as hard as she could stand to.

With sweat dripped through their fur, neither one of them were holding back. Rayne used her shoulders to hold her as he bucked up hard enough to bounce her mane about wildly. Meanwhile, Starlight huffed and whimpered she rocked her groin forward and back as if she had a motor strapped to her. The stallion felt like he was in heaven as he knew his tip was most likely digging her in the gut. But despite how her eyes winced from their slamming, Starlight lifted one of his hooves to tug on her mane showing that she was still loving every minute of it.

"RAAAYNE, YOU FUCKING-DAMMIT! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS LAST FOR SO DAMN LONG?!!!" She screamed at him as her stomach began to visibly flutter from the orgasm was contracting within her. "AAH! AAAAHHH! CUM! DAMMIT RAYNE! CUM ALREADY! PLEEEEASE!!!"

Nearly twenty sweet sweaty minutes later Rayne had to physically grip her hips to hault her from moving. "Wai- whoa, wait! Hol- hold on! Hold on just a minute!" He panted as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Nooooo!" Starlight whined. "Just cum already! Pu-lease!" The mare above him looked like she was almost in tears by this point. Her face was flushed and her lungs were burning for fresh air. She tried to move her arms but found her hooves to be trembling. "Rayne! This isn't natural! Stallions aren't supposed to last longer than a few minutes, you're breaking me!" She sobbed from how heavily her body had been pulsating between her legs. But still she maintained her thrusting.

"Wait dammit!" Rayne chuckled as he pushed again to stop her humping, toppling her over right off of him. "You were right." He said while sounding just as out of breath was she was.

"Uh... wha... about what?" She licked her lips and slicked her sweat coated mane back behind her ear.

"Heh... uh. I- I do have a sur-prise for y-you." He chuckling, knowing this was going to make her angry and loving every second of it.

"Wha-... WHAT?! NOW?!" Starlight shouted in surprise. "Rayne, come on! Give a mare a break! I'm sure you've already given me more orgasms tonight than most mares experience in their whole lives... What more could you possibly surprise me with?" She sighed as she collapsed beside him with a hesitant laugh.

"I'll tell you, or rather I'll show you... but you have to kiss me first." He slyly whispered, making it obviously that he was hiding something.

Starlight stared at him as if she had never been more certain of anything in her life. "Rayne, baby... Of course. I will always kiss you..." Starlight lovingly climbed back atop him to lay on his chest. Then she lowered her lips, wetly savoring the touch of giving him a deep heartfelt smooch.

When she finally pulled away she heard him say, "No, I mean kiss me here." Rayne said from kneeling beside her as she nodded and leaned forward to repeat the kiss.

Just then, during mid-smooch, her eyes shot open wide seeing herself kissing her boyfriend beside her while she still felt her body support below her by his own. "AAAHHHH! RAYNE! What did you do?!" She screamed in a horrified expression while trying to covering her pussy with both hooves. "Rayne! Did you invite a changeling into bed with us?! I get the appeal but I am NOT into that!" She hissed down to the stallion below furiously.

"Whoa easy, easy!" He told her as his copy smirked from beside. "It's not a changeling. I would never embarrass you like that." He reassured her. "It's me. It's just me." He whispered.

"Wh-what? But... I don't..." She whimpered until her ears suddenly perked and her eyes spread wide. "Rayne... did you copy yourself? Did you manage to make... a perfect autonomous duplicate of you?! Do you have any idea how difficult that kind of magic is to use?! Or the repercussions?! And... and you used it for this?! In order to... in order to..." But her voice trailed off as she watched Rayne smirk while a second duplicate of him spread out to her other side.

"Heh, heh... that's right." The one below her said as her eyes spread wider and her ears now lowered nervously.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no!" She whimpered as the other two stallions began to wrap their arms around her. Now her panicked voice hitched desperately as she pleaded, "Rayne please! I can't! Just one of you completely wipes me out, I can't take three of you!" The nervous mare was now quivering as the two trailed their lips along her shoulders from either side. One turned her face in and kissed her warmly while the other stallion reached down to slip the original Rayne's back into her. From down below Rayne watched a frightful tear fall from her eye as that other stallion pulled her back for a kiss of his own. But he felt it as her pussy squeezed from how excited she got when all three of them suddenly grabbed her.

Starlight groaned lewdly around the cock that was pressed into her mouth. She tried to focus on being attentive to it but was continually distracted as the other duplicate began licking along her pussy lips while she was still impaled by her original boyfriend beneath her.

The stallions eventually shifted places. Her body was rigid and nervous but willing by this point. Rayne slid out from under her allowing his first copy to take his spot beneath her. Starlight whimpered knowing she'd have to start all over to get the stallion under her to cum. But that seemed like the least of her worries as she realized she was technically being gangbanged now.

She looked up in surprise as the original Rayne kissed her cheek and stroked her mane back softly. "Heh. Why are you being so sweet all of a sudden, huh?" She asked while smiling up to him. But then her eyes bulged out as she felt the second duplicate squat down behind her. "H-h-hey now! What-" But then both of her hooves shot up over her mouth as she felt the other stallion's tip prod directly against her tail hole.

Starlight was fully aware that she'd become a sopping mess. Rayne had brought her to cum so many times that her pelvic area was practically painted white. She looked like she had already been ejaculated into by three different stallions and yet it was all her own cream only. So she knew there was more than enough to coat the way in for the pinhole behind her as she felt the other stallion doing a good job of working his way in.

"Rayne!" She screamed as she held onto the stallion in front of her. "Rayne! RAYNE!" She pleaded while she clung to him with her hooves. Then he watched as her face scrunched up and she let out a world shattering scream when the stallion behind her slid forward.

Starlight screamed into Rayne's chest, batting upon it with her hooves as she bounced helplessly between his two copies. One black stallion bucked up into her pussy while the other drove fiercely into her anus from behind. "AHHH! AH! RA-UUHH!" She whimpered before biting her bottom lip until it bleed, having never felt anything like this before in her life. Starlight heaved back and forth in his arms as the two thrashed together inside her from both ends. Starlight could only scream as she was rocketed between them and she groaned senselessly as she couldn't even tell which one of them suddenly yanked her head back by her mane.

Rayne voice whispered once more beside her ear, again sounding low and seductive and enthralling to her. "You doing alright... baby?" He grinned as he could almost see the chill run up her spine.

She just thrust her mouth aggressively up to his kissing him hard. "Don't... stop!!!" She shouted which made all three of the stallions smirk. Her boyfriend in front stood up now and she didn't think twice about shoving his pussy coated cock straight down her throat. She sucked wildly as if she suddenly needed his cock to breathe and the other two rocked her forward onto it until she was gurgling and choking from how into her throat it reached.

Despite the feeling of being so overwhelmed, it didn't take Starlight long to prove to find her bearings even through how Rayne was triple teaming her. Starlight knew how to fuck and do it well so even as her boyfriend was also buried in her ass, she wasn't about to let that stop her. The sweaty mare bucked hard to maneuver her hips despite their thrusting. She pushed and bent and arched her midsection, grinding by force to repeat the cyclone twisting of her body that she knew Rayne loved. And she could easily tell that all three of her boyfriend were appreciative from how they groaned and started to fuck into her even harder.

It wasn't long before Starlight couldn't tell when one thrust ended and the other began. It felt like the stallions were hitting against each other through her insides. And now that another was spear fucking down her gullet. She only only tell that it was the original anymore by the taste if her own pussy on his shaft but while he was throat fucking her she couldn't help but imagine that they were all one big cock somehow going all the way through her.

However pleasure turned to panick as she heard the stallion in her mouth say, "Are you ready to do it to her?" The other two snickered and nodded. Starlight looked up with worry but the only answer given to her was to see the light of all three of their horns begin shining. "Uuhhhh fuck yeah! That feels amazing!" Rayne cheered and the others agrees when the defenseless mare suddenly went into a helpless screaming spasm.

All three used their magic at once to torment her body with pleasure. Starlight almost pissed herself when she felt her clit being nudged around in three different directions. Likewise it felt like cat claws were massaging up and down her entire body. They roamed through her mane, down her back and even across the ends of all four hooves. Furthermore all three cocks continued to piston into her sensitive holes that were already on fire from the orgasms forced through her up to this point. All that was left for her to do was to scream and cum and fear that this was how she might die while the three stallions fucked her into oblivion.

She didn't know how they managed to time it but it felt like a dream come true when all three Raynes finally began to climax at nearly the same time. The sounds of their grunts and the way they tightened their hooves upon her was euphoric without end to Starlight. The pride in knowing that she was bringing her stallion, or stallions, to release felt almost better than the pleasure she'd received herself. "Yes Rayne! Baby please!" She screamed out as she felt a surge of warmth flood through her womb and her bowels together. Likewise she doubled her efforts on sucking on the stallion in front of her who came only seconds behind along with the others.

Eventually the song began to fade away reaching it's end of the forty eight minute extended remix that Vinyl Scratch had only finished recording the night before. Now that silence filled the hot and sweaty room Starlight grunted loudly as she felt all three stallions disengage from her. Juice fell freely from her groin just as it did from her lips. Laying on the damp mattress below she looked up and watched how the two others vanished into a puff that floated back into her boyfriend in front of her. "Ohhh wow..." He sighed, now having the experience from what he'd just done to Starlight from all three vantage points.

Seeing that it was just the two of them now Starlight limply threw herself into his arms and started to sob. Rayne's eyes spread and his ears perked as he now stroked her mane in worry. "Hey now, shush shush..." He whispered delicately. "What's the matter? Was I too rough? Did you not enjoy that?"

Starlight visibly laughed to herself as she looked up to him. Sweat coated her fur from top to bottom and her mane lay flat from it now feeling like a sauna in the room. "Are you kidding me?! That was amazing! But Rayne, look at me! I'm a mess! Heh, I can't even move my legs!" She cried out. But then she quirked an eyebrow and reached down with a hoof. "Wow, I can't even feel my legs." She stated with a hint of concern.

Rayne just laughed and pulled the semi paralyzed mare higher up into his arms. "Heh, don't worry. I don't think it's permanent."

She just smirked at him before bopping him gently on the nose. "Smartass. Don't look so proud of yourself." But then she gave a heavy sigh and closed her eyes to lay down on his chest. "No, on second thought... you be as proud as you want to be. That was unbelievable." She cooed softly. "Definitely amazing. I mean fuck... be careful Rayne. I might want to have your foals now that I know you can do that." She whispered breathlessly as she snuggled down finding comfort in his sweaty chest.

Rayne looked down to her with surprise. But he understood she was only making an exclamation of her pleasure at this moment. "Heh, be careful yourself. A stallion like me might start to enjoy hearing such things... I love you Starlight... Starlight?" But he soon realized that the mare had not heard a single thing. She had fallen deeply asleep where she snuggled warmly into his chest.

Giving a gentle smirk Rayne decided to leave the poor girl to her rest. She had been pretty amazing herself in his opinion so he felt that she had earned a good sleep. "Oh gosh... I'm tired too." He sighed as he struggled to lift himself and carefully haul the mare up onto his back.

Taking a moment look back to Vinyl's bedsheets instantly brought another twinge of arousal to Rayne's loins. "Oooh those sweat and cum stains look so freakin' hot." He whispered as he contemplated laying Starlight back down for another round or maybe hauling Vinyl back here for a quickie in these dirty sheets. "No, no... Get ahold of yourself Rayne. It's getting late." And with that he left a short thank you note for the DJ and teleported away with Starlight asleep on his back.

- Ponyville Adjacent-

When Rayne teleported home the bioluminescence of the cave was glowing but all other candles or other forms of light were out. Furthermore, the only sound aside from the rush of the waterfall was a gentle breathing whispering softly from the bed. "Glad to see she didn't wait up for me." Rayne whispered to himself before stepping over to Maud's floor pillows. The stallion still had the unicorn slumped over his shoulder and he gently laid her down still admiring how she looked disheveled from their passions.

"Rayne? What's going on?" Came a tired voice from the bed.

"Oh, Maud honey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wait you." Rayne told her. "I'm home from my date but Starlight and I did a number on each other. I guess I'm being greedy but I want to be with her when she wakes up... reserving my right as her boyfriend for a romantic bath together once she's able." The gray mare nodded that she didn't mind as she lifted the sheets back.

"Come to bed with me. Starlight had her turn, you're mine now." She whispered matter-of-factly.

Rayne gave a little chuckle as he stepped over and asked, "Oh, what's this? Maud being possessive over me? I think I like it." He teased as he climbed into bed.

But then he looked up from his back in surprise after she shoved him down hard with a hoof. "Yes." Rayne just blinked but didn't fight it as she kissed him and crawled into his arms. "Oh, Rayne... You reek like sex. How many times did you sleep with her?"

Now the stallion blushed guilty. "Sorry, maybe I should get cleaned up first after all." But Maud stopped him from getting up.

"No, it's fine. I still enjoy doing this, lay still." Then she slid down the bed and began to lick against thick a matting of cum that was collected around the base of his cock.

"Ooohhhhh Maud..." Rayne groaned. "It never fails to be a turn on when you do that." He groaned as he began stiffening again as she was now taking him into her mouth to suck him clean. Maud made no qualms about what juice might me his and what might be Starlight's. She simply closed her eyes and swallowed, taking pride in licking it all up from her boyfriend just the same.

A gentle moment was shared between them as Rayne relaxed while Maud used her mouth to polish Starlight's juices away from every spot that she could find. However it was on one such stroke over his hip that Maud opened her eyes and saw a sight that made her freeze. "Rayne... are you in love?" She asked him as she quickly returned to sucking along his shaft but with her eyes pinned the dull pink color that she saw upon his flank.

"Oohh yesssss! I love it when you do that." He gasped, being too exhausted to properly pay attention. Despite this, Rayne wasn't so exhausted to miss how Maud's body had tensed uncomfortably. "Maud? Hun, what's wrong?" He asked her as he moved to look down.

Moving faster than he had ever seen, Maud suddenly pinned him back down and spoke quickly, clearly making something up on the spot. "I want to play a new game." She said in a hurry.

"What?" Rayne asked as the gray mare rolled over, pulling him up on top but was very careful to hold his gaze.

"I want to play a new sex game with you. Close your eyes." She told him while guiding his hardening erection down to her slit. "Close your eyes and fuck Princess Luna."

"Maud, whoa. That's pretty naughty. What's gotten into you?" Rayne asked, getting the sense that something else was going on.

The earth pony below him was hyper focused at the moment. "Shush. I'm not Maud, I'm Luna. And look there, it's Chrysalis and she's touching herself. She wants to watch us fuck. You and me, Luna. Now close your eyes." She told him while gesturing to Starlight laying nearby.

Rayne didn't know what was really going on but his good sense was exhausted and this new game was highly arousing. He wrapped his arms around the diminutive mare and slid forward causing her to grunt. He held her tight and started thrusting while Maud continued to whisper into his ear.

"Fuck my moon coated flank." "Chrysalis loves the sight of you pushing into me." "You are the master of us both." "Make me into a dirty princess." Maud had no talent for imitating voices but she was trying and Rayne met her half way for the effort she was putting into this. "That's it, harder... I'm a princess, I can take it. Fuck Luna harder Rayne!" Maud whimpered, completely hiding the fact that he was actually starting to hurt her. But she smiled seeing the green and blue cutie mark on his flank again. "Cum for me! Cum in your princess and for your queen!" She pleaded as Rayne gave into the fantasy, causing Maud scream as he railed her with his eyes closed.

Author's Notes:

Okay so first of all I want to state that this chapter wasn't just about sex. It was about the emotional connection and the depth of that connection that Rayne has with Starlight... and with Maud. Starlight at this point loves Rayne so much that she'd do just about anything for him, even if she's nervous about it. So let me clarify, there was no non-consent in this chapter, only surprise and intensity.

In any case though, this sex scene was important to me because it's been the only scene for Starlight so far so I really hope that you all enjoyed reading it. Also, I hope you could tell the difference in Rayne's behavior with Starlight from him having slept with anypony else.

Alright so mark this date down in your memories. The next chapter will jump ahead a couple days and much further down the line there will be a flashback to these skipped days. It just isn't important right now but it will come into play later on.

Alright so Maud is still as kinky as ever, in her own way. But it would seem that her "roleplay" she started with Rayne kind of had an ulterior motive behind it. Was there something wrong with Rayne's cutie mark? This is the second time someone noticed something like this about him. And all the while, Rayne himself seems completely unaware.