//------------------------------//
// Chapter Forty Nine: Headwinds of life (Conclusion) 
// Story: Cure For a Toxin 
// by RadBunny 
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Toxic looked out across the ocean, the cool spray ruffling through his mane.

Four months.

Coming to terms with never aging( among other ascension bonus’s) had been oddly anticlimactic. Then again, knowing Gelliana was going to be there with him took away all the fears associated with the idea. Whenever his mind delved into ‘what if’s’, all Toxic had to do was look over to the gryphoness. She had quickly picked up on his doubts, and could almost sense when such things were occurring.

He couldn’t imagine a life without her; and she had made the same sentiment known to him many times. All that was left was a bit of romantic formality.

And that leads to today.

The Organization was firing on all cylinders, and Toxic had essentially been ordered to take time for himself. The new hazard suits had worked, leading to the extremely rapid development of more extreme ones that came even closer to Toxic’s own natural abilities. Celestia, Luna, and Twilight were working with Varti and Pick to draft an international set of relations to make sure the Organization didn’t step on any hooves during their operations. They’d observe a large-scale response in the future as a demonstration of sorts.

But that was no longer Toxic’s concern; a frightening and freeing thought. The Organization could now respond instead of him.

His dream was coming true, and yet another was about to begin. A few meetings with Gelliana’s parents had gone as well as he could have hoped. They didn’t understand fully, and how could they? But they supported their daughter, and Toxic had their blessing.

Toxic’s own mother had been rather coy when he brought it up, and the stallion had a feeling Gelliana had been doing some sneaky talks as well.

Said gryphoness landed with a hop next to him, Gelliana taking her favorite place next to the stallion, her head on his left shoulder.

“Hey, Tox,” she whispered, letting out a happy hum as he turned to give her a kiss.

“Hey, Gells.”

They stayed like that for a few moments, as they had other days. There weren’t any nerves on Toxic’s part, not concerning her.

He reached over and gently held her claws, giving them a squeeze. So much had changed, and then abruptly, stayed the same.  Clari and Fide had chatted with them briefly a few months ago. Apparently Gelliana had given them quite a bit to think about, along with Discord.

They would be in the background, watching over the island as silent guardians. Well, Fide wasn’t as quiet, now that she and Varti were continuing to go on dates. But they had apologized, and Toxic had accepted it, even giving Clari a hug to console the distraught mare. They had made well-intentioned mistakes, but both Toxic and Gelliana had suffered due to it.

Yet Toxic would go through it all a hundred times again if it led to this moment. The prospect of a thousand years with Gelliana at his side. Living his dream with her, living her dreams…

He couldn’t wait.

“Gells?” Toxic asked, the gryphoness at his side letting out a hum. “It feels weird, huh?”

“Very. But we can be weird together.”

He chuckled, rubbing his cheek against hers. 
“I’d like that very much.”

Levitating an object out of his saddlebags, Toxic held out the engagement bracelet to the gryphoness. A beautiful silver and gold pattern, it wreathed a gem carved in the same pattern as the gryphoness’s armor.

“Want to go on a new adventure?” Toxic asked, the gryphoness’s eyes widening in surprise, and then overwhelming joy. “Will you marry me? It’s more formality at this point, but…”

The unicorn abruptly burst out laughing as Gelliana withdrew a golden ring from her own bag, her beak quivering.

“Yes. Of course I will. And this means you beat me to the proposal race,” she pouted, Toxic giving her a loving kiss.

“You can still ask me, Gells,” he said, forehead leaning against hers.

“Will you marry me, Toxic?”

“Yes, Gelliana. Nothing would make me happier,” the stallion chuckled.

She laughed, the two of them hugging together in the cool sea mist, sunbeams reflecting off the water down below.

Pulling his head back to gaze into the eyes of the gryphoness he loved more than anything, Toxic felt a few tears slide from his eyes despite the smile on his face.

“I love you, Gells. Thank you for choosing me,” he whispered.

The gryphoness knew the full weight of those words; Toxic had explained it shortly after the ascension spell. And her answer was the same.

“Love you too, Toxic. And I’ll always choose you,” she said, a wry smirk on her face. “And now I get to be your Shield.”

He laughed, the unicorn hugging the gryphoness close as she rested her head against his chest. A simple spell activated the music recorder in his saddlebags, the gryphoness’s ears perking up.

As Toxic pulled back and offered his hoof, Gelliana was all smiles as he sent her spinning into a twirl, wings flaring. The carefree and loving look on her face made the stallion’s heart catch fire.

She chose me.

The two continued to dance on the sea cliffs, occasionally pausing to rest in each other’s arms. Knowing they had each other made every other worry fade away. A gryphoness who had found her voice and pushed herself to find a hidden fire and strength, and a stallion who had finally discovered the peace of someone who chose to save him.

And they both knew that a thousand years of adventures awaited them, together.

The End