//------------------------------// // Chapter 26: Rain // Story: Pandemic: What you are Meant to Be // by Halira //------------------------------// The majority of the evening was spend internet browsing for things of Rosetta's choosing. Remedy was much better informed about any number of things she never knew even existed. A lot of it was extremely interesting; there was a temple somewhere off in the Middle East that had this massive block of stone that was heavier than anything any modern crane could lift, yet it had been put on top of two other massive stones to form the massive doorway to an ancient temple, and no one really knows how those ancient humans actually managed to do it. Rosetta was quick to gush about the ingenuity of ancient people working with limited technology to accomplish big tasks. Remedy had to agree with her on that, and wondered what kinds of things the ponies of today could accomplish with the limited knowledge they had of their own abilities. All of this was actually much more interesting to Remedy than what she would have initially guessed it would be before today. A good part of that was probably seeing her marefriend's enthusiasm for the subject be shown. Rosetta all but glowed as she talked about ancient temples, religions, philosophies, rulers, battles, and various achievements. Her passion was impossible to mask, and Remedy found it impossible not to smile as Rosetta happily carried on and explained things. A pony caught up in their passion was a beautiful thing, and Rosetta caught up in her passion was doubly beautiful. As the night wore on though the endless listing of names and places that all sounded almost indistinguishable from one another to Remedy's ears started to get to her, and despite not being tired her eyes started to get heavy. Rosetta caught sight of it and closed out the browser, before kissing her companion. "You lasted longer than just about anypony ever has before you started getting bored," Rosetta said with a smile. "A lot of it really was interesting, but the thing that made it most interesting was you. I think you will do well if you ever get that professor position. You transmit that enthusiasm well when you're talking,"" Remedy said. "You're just saying that because you're my marefriend," Rosetta said with grimace. "No, I am just extra caught up in it because you're my marefriend. We have been at this for a few hours now. If you were dealing with say a class for just an hour or hour and a half at a time you would definitely keep their attention and get them almost as caught up in it as you are," Remedy assured her. "You really think so?" Rosetta said doubtfully. Remedy gripped her marefriend with her forehooves and turned her so Rosetta's cutie mark was being put on display. Looking her marefriend in the eyes Remedy spoke. "Look at your flank. See that mark? That mark means you are good at this and this is what you have passion for. You have every reason to be confident in yourself. If you get your chance you will be able to do that job and be good at it." "You make it really hard for me not to just start trying to bump fuzzies with you, do you know that?" Rosetta said with a sigh. "Bump fuzzies?" Remedy said with confusion. "It's a euphemism dear, for sex, one that feels very appropriate since we are both very fuzzy. You are somehow even cuter by being so completely ignorant about things like that," Rosetta giggled and gave Remedy a kiss. "Is the fact that we haven't done..that yet the thing that is bothering you?" Remedy asked as her mood dropped. "No," Rosetta said with a shake of her head. "And don't worry about it. I told you it isn't a bad thing. And yeah, you not having sex with me yet is frustrating, but..actually forget I said anything about the frustrating part. I am not pressuring you. If I did that I wouldn't be..," she caught herself and gave herself a shake. "I am really bumbling this up." "Maybe I don't mind being pressured," Remedy suggested helpfully. "Sweet Flanks, you can't even say the word with a straight face," Rosetta said with a long suffering face. "Well, isn't that a good thing? I am a lesbian after all," Remedy smirked. "A joke? I think I heard a joke. We are making progress still. Say the word, I'll pressure you on that," Rosetta said with a half contained chuckle. "The word," Remedy said with a completely innocent tone. Rosetta gave her a flat look back. "You're still adorable, and you're still avoiding saying sex," Rosetta said, crossing her forelegs in front of her and smirking back. "Um, sex," Remedy said in a whisper that was barely audible by even pony standards. "I think that a dog whistle might be more audible than that," Rosetta said. She then got a slightly thoughtful look on her face. "Do you think we can really can hear dog whistles now? We've much better hearing now. That would make the dog whistle more audible than you for sure." "Okay, sex," Remedy said, looking like she swallowed a full lemon. "Better, but still proving my point. You're still uncomfortable just saying the word. That means you're even more uncomfortable doing the deed. We're not going to do any of that till you're comfortable, no matter how horny you get me. I'm not going to do that to you," Rosetta said as she booped Remedy on the muzzle with a hoof. "I just want to make you happy," Remedy said dejectedly. "And you do that, constantly. Which is a big part of why I'm so eager to do more than just cuddle with you. I won't be happy if I make you uncomfortable doing something intimate though, okay?" Rosetta said fondly. "Alright," Remedy said without looking up from her hooves. "You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing. By the way, that was two pieces of humor from you too. You're loosening up a bit, that makes me happy to hear too," Rosetta said. She jumped down to the floor and nuzzled her companion. Remedy nuzzled back but still seemed down. "I used to be very focused on John's happiness with no concern for my own. Please, don't do that to yourself for me. There has to be some balance to it," Rosetta said. Then she looked down at her hooves for a moment and took a deep breath. "You want to talk about what has been on my mind? Let's talk about it. I'm clearly hurting you by not doing so." Remedy looked up at her marefriend. She briefly considered saying that Rosetta didn't need to do that, but Rosetta was right, it was hurting her. The grey night pony instead considered how to best consider both their needs as asked. "Let's go take a quick flight, get a little air, and find somewhere more comfortable to talk. That gives you a few more minutes to think about what you want to say," Remedy offered. "Thanks, I probably need that. I really don't want to screw this up," Rosetta said with a smile. "Come on then. I'll lead the way and find us somewhere peaceful," Remedy said as she started to the door. Rosetta nodded and followed close behind. The two left the church sanctuary and did a quick glance around. The human guards watched them as they exited the church, but considering the two of them were likely the only things to look at that wasn't very surprising. Those guards must get very bored late at night. Remedy quickly took to the air with Rosetta close behind. She did a brief circle around the church grounds as she decided on a direction and then went south towards the hospital. Following the interstate highway. After a few minutes of flight, but before they could get to the hospital area Remedy spotted a spot that looked appealing. She angled her path slightly east and over a large stretch of marsh and woods. There was a little clearing in the trees made by one large old oak that likely made it difficult for any other tree to get enough room to grow in its immediate clearing. They came down into the clearing and did a brief look around. The area was a little oddity in geography as most the rest of the area was pine trees, marsh, and Cyprus trees out in the marsh. This was like a little meadow in an island of marsh. Remedy spotted several old bricks laying about, whatever they had once formed back in the pre-Civil War days long since forgotten. "This was probably part of a plantation ground two hundred years ago. This tree was likely planted here deliberately by some long dead human," Rosetta said as she glanced around at the bricks. "No trace of the place now though. It's amazing to think that this area likely looked extremely different just a few short centuries ago. It seems so recently to me since I study ancient history. I wonder how soon all of human civilization would have been swallowed up again by nature if ETS hadn't stopped." "It's amazing to see how thoroughly it all can vanish," Remedy said as she looked around, trying to imagine this place as the farmland it must have once been. The only hint of that was this tree and those few scattered bricks that indicated something once stood here. Actually on closer inspection she saw traces of where an old dirt road might once have been, with traces of it going through the meadow and disappearing into the trees on either side. "So let's talk," Rosetta said as she came and laid down next to Remedy. Remedy laid down close and cuddled. "Whenever you're ready," Remedy said. "That's a problem," Rosetta said with a dry laugh. "Actually, that's the problem, sort of." Remedy tensed up a bit at hearing that for some reason. "Okay, here goes nothing," Rosetta said as she took a deep breath, held it a moment, and let it out. "I..I want to say that I love you. Like not like you, love you. And that scares and confuses me." "Why?" Remedy asked. "We've been together just a few days is why. It seems like it is way too soon for me to feel certain of that kind of thing," Rosetta said with a sigh. "I'm sitting here second guessing myself because of that. Am I feeling that because it is true? Am I feeling that because I get too attached too easily? Is it a pony thing where it's just that easy to fall in love? If it's just a pony thing is that something I should be worried about or just accept? Is this some sort of bounce back thing? I just got out of a relationship that I committed myself to when I shouldn't have, so I've got to sit and question myself." "That all seems like things to worry about," Remedy said carefully. Remedy herself was filled with fear right now. She understood now why Rosetta didn't want to talk to her about this until Rosetta had more time to think about it. Knowing how scared she now felt her heart went out to her marefriend too, Rosetta must be really scared now that she was going to mess up something special. Remedy needed to focus on Rosetta and her fears, and help her understand them. It was her job after all. "Alright, so let's start by stripping away the illegitimate fears from the legitimate fears, okay?" Remedy said as she focused. "Alright, fear is your thing, I trust you. What are the things that I really am just being silly about?" Rosetta said hopefully. "Is it a pony thing to fall in love quickly and whether you should worry about it if that is so. We're ponies and we don't think exactly the same way we did as humans. If you fall in love easier as a pony then it just means it is easier to fall in love legitimately. I think the fact that my mom and Tonya got physically intimate and continued being friends without a single thought of a relationship is evidence that ponies don't just fall in love too easily," Remedy said. "Anything else?" Rosetta asked as she seemed to be thinking over that part. "I'm not John. He hurt you and I won't, I promise you that," Remedy said. "So, does the rest of that stuff I said seem legitimate then?" Rosetta asked quietly. "Yeah, those likely are things you need to think about, and I'm not sure I can help you with those," Remedy said as she looked down. Rosetta sat in thought for a long few minutes with Remedy saying nothing. "There is me to consider; whether you're wasting your time or not with me," Remedy said slowly. It was now Rosetta's turn to tense up. Remedy took a moment to consider her own feelings. "And?" Rosetta asked worriedly after Remedy didn't continue immediately. "I never even let it enter into my mind that I wouldn't follow you to any school somewhere across the country while you chased your dreams. All the great things you say about me I can say about you too. I don't want ever be without you. It brightens up my night to see you smile. I think I love you too. I am just as attached to you as you are to me," Remedy said finally. Rosetta smiled and sighed. The two nuzzled affectionately, and Remedy kissed her marefriend on the lips with much more passion and eagerness than normal. Rosetta responded on kind. "I think we should go cuddle up underneath the tree over there, I think it might rain," Remedy said after they broke their kiss. Rosetta looked up at the sky in confusion, there were clearly no clouds in the sky. She then turned and looked at Remedy and Remedy's intentions suddenly dawned on her. She looked for a moment like she was going to think up some objection, but then instead smiled and nodded. The two settled down under the oak and got back to cuddling, and nuzzling. Kissing resumed and soon progressed into caressing and love bites. Then it rained.