Earth Mother

  • Posted on April 11, 2019 at 1:40 pm

by Pretty Pink Taco

{ This story was originally posted at Lesbian Lolita in June 2015 }

I was always attracted to nature. Growing up, I would spend hours and hours in our back woods finding tadpoles in the creek or lost on a hiking trail or swimming in the nearby lake. When I decided to become a hermit after coming into some inheritance money, I knew I could finally be alone in the environment I had longed for.

I wasn’t always a recluse. Sometimes I’d go to town to sell some artwork or teach art twice a week at the local community college in the fall. I loved teaching, but not as much as I enjoyed complete mountainous solitude.

One winter I took a three-week yoga retreat in the wilderness of Peru where we crossed colorful psychedelic spiritual planes by consuming heavy amounts of magic mushrooms. Love was in abundance that trip, and the hint of sex lingered in the air as men made love to men and women to other women and men and women made love to each other. I can’t remember how many orgasms I had or how many pussies I ate or penises I had inside of me but it was one of the most sexually uplifting experiences of my life.

It wasn’t until early April or so that I realized I was pregnant. I researched natural prenatal care foods to farm for fall and winter. Whatever I didn’t have I made sure to pick up on visits to town before my belly began to show. I had her at home, on my own, during a 30 hour meditative state. I fought the urge to scream from the pain, wanting to bring my little baby into the world with the least amount of negative energy as possible.

Juniper Autumn Breeze, I named her. She was born with a full head of jet black hair and chubby tan cheeks. My gift from the universe. I would spend hours upon hours just staring at her, completely in love with the creature I cared for and nourished in my belly those nine months. I’d nurse her on my right nipple and then my left– nursing would ease the soreness and tightened the bond between mother and daughter. I’d let her hold my finger in her tight little grip and then tickle her little chubby feet.

I couldn’t tell you exactly when it began, but at six months, my little Juniper was looking at me in a way no one else ever had before with her bright blue eyes. I liked to walk down to the field near the river and lay her on a blanket, the two of us naked, playing with each other. Her body was so pudgy and fat, I couldn’t resist caressing and stroking her little legs and blowing on her belly. I’d nurse her until we’d fall asleep under the warm sun, naked to the fresh breeze and listening to the water run.

After my retreat, I couldn’t think of a sexier time to masturbate to. I pictured myself in the arms of a man, leaning against his chest as we sat up and watched a soft, gentle woman with her mouth on my clit. I began to rub myself as my little baby slept on her belly beside me on the blanket. I rubbed harder and faster, filling myself up with my fingers as I remembered people rotating, finding myself stuffed with a warm, hard penis while a woman squatted in front of my face and spread her hot cunt across my lips.

My body shivered and I felt a wave of pleasure begin in my clit and spread to my fingertips. Suddenly, I felt a suckle on my right nipple. Juniper had woken up and crawled over to my full right breast that hung near my right arm. I was too far along to stop her.

“Ohhh, baby, yes!” I caught myself moan. She paid me no mind as she continued to suck fiercely on my nipple, drinking its warm milk. My body tensed up and then released. I looked at my little baby, who was completely unphased, and smiled. “You’re still hungry, little June?” I said, scooping her up and laying her across my chest. She started to fuss and cry a bit, rubbing her face. “Aww, it’s okay. Let’s go inside for your nap.”

*****

Baby Juniper and I did everything together. Wherever I was, she was, helping her Earth Mother. I’d wrap her up and tie her on my back as I did chores or farmed or picked berries outside. We were sometimes clothed outside, but inside we were mostly nude. Especially during feeding time.

A few days after that day in the field, I breastfed Juniper on my side and I could feel my heartbeat rising in my chest and pulsing between my legs. I placed a pillow between my legs and squeezed it tight, rubbing it against my pussy while I ran my hands over her little body like I always did. This time it was different, I saw her body in a different way. I brushed past her belly to her bald, puffy baby pussy lips. I cupped it in my hand, feeling the contour of her slit and squeezed her lips together, then released.

“Yay!” I cheered at her, as I squeezed it over and over again while she laughed. I was becoming increasingly more and more aroused, and the mood began to change.

Ooohh, yes. Suck Earth Mother’s nipple, I thought, not bold enough to say it aloud. Her hand found my face as she sucked, she moved it around my nose and lips just aimlessly like babies do. I opened my mouth and sucked on her little fingers and then her entire fist. It made her giggle at first, but then she tried to pull her hand away and I sucked a little harder, still gently squeezing her pussy lips together. Before she could make a big fuss, I released her hand from my mouth and cheered at her again, removing my breast from her mouth. “Oh, Juniper Autumn,” I said to her lovingly, staring into her eyes as I rested my head back on the bed. I closed my face in to hers, and puckered my lips near her mouth to see what she’d do. She opened up her mouth wide.

Good girl, I thought to myself. I made kissing noises against her cheek while she giggled and laughed. I licked the side of her face and some milk and drool she still had on her chin. Then I licked her wet, lips and she opened up her mouth wide again and stuck her tongue out to touch mine. It shocked me a bit at first, but then I soon found myself exploring my little, almost 7 month old, baby’s mouth. I licked her tongue and the outline of her gums and the roof of her mouth. I sucked on her lips and loved the slimy feel of her spit.

“Yay!” I’d cheer at her and she’d laugh. I moved my body over hers and I knew what would come of it. I pressed mouth against her fatty little nipples and sucked on the skin with loud popping sounds that would make her laugh, over and over again. You’re going to have some nice little titties, I thought to myself.

I lowered my body on the bed and blew on her belly, causing her to have a fit of laughter. Her kicking reminded me I hadn’t yet taken my prize. I spread her legs at the knees as if I were about to change her diaper and blew my lips right above her little slit. She laughed again, the cue for me to place light kisses on her fat little lips.

I began to lick the smooth baby skin, my tongue finding the spaces between the crevices of her inner thigh and over her slit. I didn’t bother looking to see if she was enjoying it or not, but I heard no fuss. I was too caught in her fresh scent and suddenly sexy privates. I took my fingers and spread her lips open, admiring the light pink contrast against her tan skin.

Did I dare taste it? Lick my baby girl in an intimate way I would my lover? Oh, I did. I ran my tongue around her round nubby clit and down to her wet opening. It was the sweetest taste to ever touch my lips. I began to stroke my own pussy while I licked hers, rubbing my clit vigorously, I didn’t stop sucking on her wet hole until I came. I ran my wet fingers across my lips, enjoying the taste of myself and I wondered if Juniper would enjoy the taste of her Earth Mother. I puckered my lips against hers again, having her taste her own pussy as well as mine.

A few days later, I had the nerve to experiment with her baby mouth some more, latching her on to my fat clit while I pinched and rubbed on my nipples. The suction of her little mouth was more powerful than any tongue I had ever experienced, moans and screams I had never heard before escaped my mouth. The orgasm left me breathless and made my head spin with a million colors, better than any psychedelic trip I had ever had.

I felt immediate guilt come over me once it was over and she continued to suck innocently. When I moved her little head away, she started to cry, wanting to keep suckling.

“Aww, it’s okay, Juniper Autumn, Earth Mother is here,” I said softly, cradling her in my arms.

Those were great early memories, of Juniper and I.

*****

We developed a routine, her and I. Everyday we’d wake up to a sun salutation and meditation on the balcony, then a few yoga poses to get the blood flowing. My hair was strawberry blonde, long and wavy — I didn’t spend much time on it other than when I was trying to do anything to get it out of my face. I’d wear it in a big wrap on warm days, the way some women taught me when I spent a summer with a tribe in Nairobi. Sometimes I’d spend a few hours braiding it with beads, while other days it just did whatever it wanted to.

Juniper was three years old and hair was longer now, black and eyes as blue as ever. It was thick and had small waves, unlike mine that was heavily waved. I would watch her as she slept and would spend hours trying to guess who her father was– there must’ve been at least half a dozen men on that retreat, half of whom were Peruvian or Latin of some sort. The Sherpa guide was the one I’d picture the most, he was tall and had a handsome smile. But, I didn’t know — it didn’t matter to me. She was my gift from the universe, my companion, my lover.

We’d pick berries in the forest in the summer and climb trees for honey in the fall. I’d make hearty vegetable soup from vegetables from our garden in the winter. She had a way of running up to me while I was in the kitchen and finding my clit straight away with her tongue on the first shot. It would distract me so much, I’d have to stop what I was doing and lie on the floor until she finished me off. At first I wasn’t sure if she’d do it because she wanted to please me or because she enjoyed it, but when it was her turn she’d be soaked before I’d even touch her. After dinner on most nights, we’d read together or draw by the fire, cuddling each other at first and then kissing sessions where we told each other about the great day we had and how much we loved one another.

It would tickle her too much when she was awake, but as soon as she fell asleep on her belly some nights, I’d squeeze and kiss her ass cheeks, spreading them open and fiercely sucking on her tight little asshole.

As she grew a little older, she began posing for me in the nude. At around five years old, I had canvas after canvas filled with artwork of her by the stream or her in the field with flowers in her hair or sleeping with the cat by the fire. I went as as far as submitting them to local art shows to make some extra money. They sold like crazy. Everyone would ask who the model was or if I had a daughter of my own (Juniper didn’t look anything like me), I told them it was just from imagination — wanting to keep them as far as possible from my beautiful little girl.

Juniper never doubted or wondered why we did what we did. All she knew was that I was her Earth Mother and that I loved her very much. She loved me just the same and making love became part of our daily lives.

*****

Over the next couple years, my artwork was in high demand in small groups throughout the state. I was asked to teach more advanced courses at a local state university, which of course paid more and allowed more flexible hours. I’d leave Juniper with a chore or task to do every time that would keep her busy until I came back.

One evening, while cleaning up the classroom during my last class, I realized the light in the supply room was on. When I opened the door, I found a young woman from my class in a chair, legs spread open and rubbing herself over her pants to a painting of Juniper doing a yoga pose in the nude with her right leg in the air. I knew the girl, her name was Sarah and she was a doughy, quiet, plain, mousy girl, dull brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin. But knowing someone else was aroused by the sight of my Juniper in the nude, that turned me on almost immediately.

“I’m sorry, Professor!” the girl said, jumping out of her seat and looking at me in shock.

“Oh, I’m sorry, dear! I didn’t see you there, I almost turned off the light!” I pretended to not notice her masturbatory session. I saw her eyes close as she sighed with relief of not being caught.

“I– uh, I was putting some stuff away here and I dropped some supplies, so it was taking an extra long time,” she said clumsily finding the words.

“Ah, I see. Well, thank you, Sarah.”

“You know my name?”

“Of course I do, dear!”

“It’s only the second week of this class, I didn’t think you’d know my name. Most professors don’t know their students’ names so soon,” she explained.

“Well, I’m not really a professor. I am an human and an artist, I like to connect with other humans and creatures alike, soul to soul. You know my name, so of course I will do my best to learn more about yours and your soul.”

“You have such a great aura,” she said to me, doe-eyed. I was used to compliments from students, it was their way of schmoozing to earn their grade. But I was also used to compliments in the art world, people always want to be around you and pick your brain.

I smiled at her with a raised eyebrow. “Thank you, Sarah.”

“Professor, do you think you’d want to get a cup of coffee or something sometime? I’d love to sit and talk to you about your work.”

“Hmm,” I looked at her.

“You don’t have to, I was just wondering.”

“What are you doing tonight?” I asked.

“Tonight? Well, nothing–” she started.

“I have some great tea at my place I’d like you to try. I made it myself,” I told her.

“Oh. Wow — I mean, sure! Tea sounds great.”

“Great. Sarah, not many people know where I live, and I’d like to keep it that way,” I said sternly.

“No, of course. I understand,” she nodded.

“Good,” I smiled. “You can leave your car here and I will drive us.”

“I did notice you use a P.O. Box for your mailing address here in town.”

“We should get going,” I smiled at her.

She couldn’t be older than eighteen or nineteen years old, and on the shorter side. She followed me up the steps to my cabin in the mountains and into the warm cozy air inside.

“Mmm, it smells great in here,” I heard Sarah say behind me. I could tell she was eyeballing our rustic art decor.

“Earth Mother! Earth Mother!” Juniper came running out of the room naked and gave me a big, warm hug. She suddenly gasped when she realized someone else was there. She had never seen another person before, besides me.

“June, this is Sarah, a friend of mine from town,” I said. Both of their faces were in awe.

“It’s her!” Sarah said with her mouth hanging open, “The girl from your paintings.” I smiled at Sarah and held Juniper closely to me by my waist, curious to how she would react. “Hi there!” Sarah waved, trying to engage.

“Hi,” Juniper said shyly, pressing her face against my side like a small child would do.

“Are you shy?” Sarah asked her directly and jokingly. Juniper shook her head.

“Sarah, have a seat, dear. I’ll make you some tea,” I smiled. Sarah took off her heavy winter jacket and draped it behind behind the chair at the round table of the kitchen area. She pulled out the seat so it was adjacent to the table. The cabin was one big open space with kitchen and living room together and a bedroom and bathroom off a small hallway to the side.

“What a pretty fire,” Sarah said out loud.

“Oh, I made it today,” Juniper told her.

“You’re a very smart little girl,” Sarah said, still amazed that the nude little girl she was masturbating to earlier was right in front of her.

“Want to see me add a log?” Juniper asked Sarah.

“Alright!” Sarah laughed, I glanced at her while she checked out my daughter’s ass as she bent over to pick up firewood and carefully added it to the fire.

“Here you are, dear,” I said to Sarah, as I placed the warm cup of tea at the table in front of her. “I added some honey, I hope that’s okay.”

“Yes, that’s perfect. Thank you, Professor,” she said to me before taking a sip of her tea.

“You can call me Earth if you’d like,” I said to her, pulling out a chair to face her.

“What did she call you, Earth Mother?” Juniper asked, running back to us at the table and sitting on my lap. Sarah’s mouth parted slightly, as she watched Juniper spread her legs and straddle my left leg on the chair. I ran my hands up and down Juniper’s thighs, watching Sarah’s face as we faced her. I knew she had a clear view of my child’s pussy.

“Professor. It’s what students call their teachers at college,” I explained, pulling her up closer to me on my lap and resting her head on my left shoulder.

“H-how old are you… June, is it?”

“Juniper Autumn Breeze,” my little girl said proudly. “I’ll be eight in November.”

“Oh, little Scorpio, are you?” Sarah said to her devilishly. I nodded.

“I guess she is a Scorpio, huh.” I said, kissing Juniper’s cheek and wrapping my arms around her body.

“I missed you, Earth Mother,” Juniper whined and turned her face toward me. I gave her a small peck on the lips, which then grew into a longer peck and then long tongue laps. Juniper rubbed herself against my leg and I ran my hands up and down her flat chest.

I moaned softly as our long kiss nearly ended. I looked at Sarah who was just staring with a blank look on her face. Her eyes were transfixed on Juniper’s pussy still rubbing against my leg.

“Why don’t you get your stuff ready so you can do your dance for Sarah?” I said to Juniper and her eyes lit up. She ran off into the bedroom.

“How’s your tea?” I asked Sarah, completely throwing her off.

“Oh– uhm, yeah, no– it’s great. Very sweet,” she said before taking another sip of it.

“It should help you relax,” I smiled at her, “Come, bring it here by the fire. Take your shoes off, get comfortable.”

She took her shoes off and I could see that after a few minutes, the tea was hitting her pretty strongly. I sat up against the wall on some floor pillows near the fire and draped myself in a large blanket. I motioned for Sarah to sit between my legs, leaning her head back against my shoulder like Juniper was sitting earlier. I draped us both in the blanket.

“Are you ready?” Juniper called out.

“Yes, darling,” I responded, Sarah started giggling randomly. “You feel good?” I whispered in her ear. She nodded. Juniper came out with a long sheer, orange ribbon and began to twirl it. She danced, slowly moving her body in unison and moving the ribbon from one hand to the other. We watched as she extended her legs, bent her body backward and forward and moved her little hips.

Under the blanket, I cupped both of Sarah’s breasts in my hands and squeezed her erect nipples. Oh, how good it felt to have actual breasts in my hands. I had missed them for such a long time since Juniper was born. Sarah turned her head to face me like Juniper did earlier. The kiss was deep, passionate — the kiss of two adult mouths longing for each other.

“Earth Mother, are you watching me?” Juniper complained a few feet away.

“I’m sorry, baby, I thought you were done,” I said, pulling away from Sarah’s lips.

“Well, I’m done now,” Juniper said with her hands at her hips.

“Go put the ribbon away,” I told her and she did. “Show me how you were rubbing yourself in the supply room earlier,” I whispered in Sarah’s ear.

She froze up for a second and grinned, opening up her pants and sliding them off her legs. Her body was soft and plump, and her pussy fat and covered by loose cotton panties. She rubbed herself firmly, moaning softly and arching her back.

“Meow,” Juniper purred softly in the door frame. Whenever she wanted attention, she’d pretend to be a cat.

“Meow,” she got on her knees and began crawling toward us.

“Oh, Kitty, is that you, Kitty?” I said, Sarah sucking on my neck while we both rubbed between her legs and my left hand pinched her breast.

“Meow,” Juniper said sadly, pouting and sitting at the end of Sarah’s feet. Juniper opened up the blanket and watched what we were doing underneath.

“Come tell me what’s wrong, Kitty.”

“Meow,” she purred and knelt at my side. She began to lick the side of my face and my lips like a kitten would. Suddenly, Juniper stared at Sarah who was still in my arms, I wasn’t sure if she was getting jealous or was just showing off but she stuck her tongue out at Sarah. Sarah stared for a moment and then did the same. Juniper leaned in and gave Sarah’s tongue several short licks. I leaned in and joined them, our three tongues flicking the other up and down and in circles.

“Kitty wants milk,” Juniper whined, placing a hand on Sarah’s breast. I began to lift up Sarah’s shirt and Sarah seemed eager for me to do so.

“But I don’t have any milk,” Sarah said sleepily, helping me take the bra straps off her shoulders, revealing two fallen cones shaped breasts with light brown nipples.

“It’s okay. Sometimes Earth Mother doesn’t have any milk, but then when I suck on them it starts to come out,” Juniper explained matter-of-factly, straddling Sarah’s leg and tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ears and out of her face.

Sarah seemed to tense up for a bit, but then I pulled her back toward my chest and let my little girl “nurse” on her breasts, anticipating milk. I held the breasts up for Juniper from behind as Sarah rotated her hips slightly. “There’s no milk in these, Earth Mother,” Juniper looked at me, confused.

“Just suck harder, baby. Suck really hard,” I told her. A whimper escaped Sarah’s throat and I nibbled on her ear. “Should she keep sucking, Sarah?” I whispered seductively.

“Uh-huh,” Sarah nodded, breathing heavily. I turned her face toward mine and we kissed again for even longer than before.

“Nothing, Earth Mother,” Juniper sighed.

“Well, give her a kiss so that she doesn’t feel bad,” I told my little girl.

“It’s okay, Sarah. Maybe tomorrow after your bath, it will come,” Juniper said before locking lips with the young woman. She pulled away and noticed my hand rubbing between Sarah’s legs. “What are these?” she giggled at the cotton panties, giving them a touch. “Let’s see your honey pot.” Juniper began to tug at the sides of the underwear, trying to roll them down Sarah’s legs.

“Juniper,” I said a bit sternly, “You have to make sure it’s okay with Sarah first before you see her honey pot.”

“Sarah–” Juniper started, but then Sarah nodded with a smile and began rolling down her underwear herself. Juniper helped pull them completely off.

“Your honey pot only has little hairs,” she said, closely examining Sarah’s hot cunt, “Put your legs up.” Sarah bent her legs with her knees up and spread her thighs open at Juniper’s command.

“Watch this,” I whispered in Sarah’s ear and almost immediately, Juniper latched on to her hooded clit and began to fiercely tongue it, making loud smacking sounds

“Ooohhhhhhh!!” Sarah groaned loudly while I flicked and pinched her nipples. The sight of my little girl willingly sucking another woman’s pussy turned me on beyond measure. “Professor, I– I’m,” she huffed but I turned her face to me and kissed her. After a few minutes I could tell she was getting near, as she muffled screams into my mouth.

“Just let go,” I whispered softly, and she did, arching her back and rubbing her pussy violently against my little girl’s face. Juniper raised her head with a big smile, juices glistening down her chin. “Don’t wipe your face just yet, Juney. Come up here,” I told her. I began to lick Sarah’s honey off my daughter’s chin and Sarah joined in as well, tasting herself and then darting her tongue in and out of my daughters mouth.

“Earth Mother, can we go to bed, please?” Juniper asked suddenly with sleep eyes. I nodded and started to rise up off the floor with Sarah still resting against my chest. “Can Sarah come too?”

That night both Juniper and Sarah nursed milk from my big, floppy breasts simultaneously, Juniper was on my lap like a baby and Sarah was kneeling beside me. I cradled both of their heads, and closed my eyes. I hadn’t had two women sucking on my breasts at the same time since the retreat.

“Are you getting sleepy?” I asked my daughter, she nodded, mouth still attached to my nipple. I could see she was using her feet to play with Sarah’s breasts as Sarah fed on me– Sarah didn’t seem to mind, but I think Juniper had only wanted the attention all to herself.

“Sarah,” she said muffled against my nipple, “Can you kiss my honeypot?” And there it was. Sarah sat up and looked at me with wide eyes. I nodded and grinned, giving her permission to taste her precious little flower. Juniper continued to nurse, as Sarah positioned herself between her thin little legs and gave her lots of little kisses around her slit before lapping up my baby’s soaking wet pussy. It started off gentle, a few licks over the skin and down the middle, but soon Sarah’s tongue found her tight, wet hole and couldn’t pull away from it.

All of a sudden, Juniper let out a sharp, quick gasp with a wince that worried me. Sarah started getting a little rougher, it seemed, pulling Juniper by her hips and rubbing her nose against the opening to her clit as she pressed her face harder against her bald, little lips.

“Sarah, that’s enough,” I said sternly.

“No, don’t stop,” Juniper breathed, “Her tongue’s inside me.” Her sharp moans became whimpers and to my surprise, Juniper pushed Sarah’s head and tongue deeper into her wet vaginal opening. I felt relief my baby was enjoying herself, since I had never penetrated her little opening before with my tongue or any object. I used my hand to run it across her chest and lightly pinched her flat nipples. I could tell she was near, I had seen that face thousands of times.

“Let it go, Juniper Breeze,” I whispered softly.

“I love you, Earth Mother,” she squealed, like she normally did before coming. She thrashed her head from side to side and held on to my breast, squeezing it tightly until it hurt. Sarah lifted her head from between my daughter’s legs, finally coming up for air. Juniper’s body rested there, exhausted and almost lifeless.

“Look at what you did to her,” I said to Sarah with a smirk. Juniper started to fall asleep in my arms almost immediately, so I rested her on the side of the bed, tucking her in with her favorite blanket.

“Professor,” Sarah whispered, “Can I have some more of that tea? It’s magical, isn’t it? What did you put in it? What did it do to me?”

“It makes you relax,” I said to her moments later, naked over a warm stove. “It takes away inhibitions.”

“Does it have chamomile?” she asked.

“A bit,” I said, moments later as I poured her another warm cup and handed it to her. I decided to pour one for myself as well.

“Professor,” she said from behind me, dropping to her knees and spreading my ass cheeks, “It’s your turn.”

Sarah and I made love like two women would. I loved the feeling of a hot cunt pushed up against mine — something I had yet to do with my daughter.

Sarah promised to keep the secret and I promised her an A in my course. She’d come and visit us from time to time, but eventually she became preoccupied with a boyfriend whom she got engaged and married to over the next several years. A few years later I got word that she was expecting a little girl of her own, so I knit her a blanket, sent her a miniature sketch of the painting I found her diddling herself to and told Sarah to enjoy her new baby girl.

The End

 

8 Comments on Earth Mother

  1. Margaret says:

    Juniper had such a loving upbringing. She is growing up as such an affectionate child and so open to new and intimate experiences. A beautiful story.

  2. David says:

    A nice tender love story. My imagination can see their love growing at Juniper grows and maybe even a visit from Sarah and her daughter.

  3. Girlluver says:

    Lovely erotic story. May I have permission to share your story at lolicit.org in the Erotic Fiction section along with a link to your other stories?

  4. Comeonnow says:

    Well, so much for that policy about infants.

  5. j says:

    beautiful story

  6. kinkys_sis says:

    It shouldn’t be here, it breaks the site rules.

  7. ClitLicker says:

    I don’t normally approve of stories featuring sex with very young children – as, indeed, in the site rules – but this one has so much love and tenderness that I found it acceptable – and arousing. Rules are (to quote someone or other I can’t remember) for the guidance of wise [men] and the slavish adherence of fools. Let us be wise.

Leave a Reply

Please review the terms of use and comment etiquette before commenting. Messages that break our rules will be removed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.