//------------------------------//
// Capitulo Dieciseis 
// Story: Cuatro 
// by Dirty Bit 
//------------------------------//


Capítulo Dieciséis


Comfort


Cuatro appeared over the city of Canterlot, hovering with his wings as he stared down at the majestic city, then setting his sights on the castle . He considered it to be rude of him to just appear in front of the castle with his Sonido, and decided to glide towards it quietly.

"Knowing that she watches over the night, it must be obvious for her to be awake at this hour...I hope that she may help me..."

It was a long shot, but Cuatro had nowhere else to turn to so late at night to open up his problems and question his existence. Granted, Twilight and her friends were an option, but he was too tensed up from the latest memory that he could not bear to share it with them. That, and he felt that there was one pony where he could not only find peace, but clear his mind of his hindering confusion.

"...It cannot be true...Could I have been forced into a life of murder? Was I a dutiful servant back then, carrying out my orders without question?"

The more Cuatro thought about his memory, the less he focused on his flight as he began to descend. The strange alicorn caught on with a flinch and realigned his flight pattern, though still shaken by his own thoughts.

"If I was indeed a murderer...Would it even be right to be around Twilight Sparkle? Or anypony in Equestria? Where has my life began here?"

Cuatro grew increasingly frustrated and stressful by arbitrarily asking himself of his origin branched from his latest memory, almost to the point where he felt like turning back and wanting to sleep on it, but it changed when a song reached his ears. He stopped in his tracks and hovered as his ears perked up to the melody, tracking it at its source. His pupils slightly dilated when the source was found.

Seen by Cuatro from his shortened distance from the castle was Luna standing at the balcony of her tower. She sang more of her alluring aria that continuously led Cuatro away from his harmful thoughts and put him at a state of mental ease while he stared at her while she sang with her eyes closed. He stared for so long that he even forgot that he was hovering as his wings unconsciously flapped in the air.

"I know not of this song...but it is very soothing..."

What snapped him out of his stare was seeing Luna hop from her balcony and choose to hover into the air while she sang. Her eyes remained closed as she began to dance gracefully in place, leading Cuatro to believe that she, too, was enraptured into the melody she was uttering.

Cuatro then ended his hovering session and chose to glide towards Luna, ignoring the presence of the castle below while he closed the distance. When he was close enough, he contemplated on whether to cease Luna's wondrous performance, or wait for her to finish.

A bad move on his part. He remained both silent and captivated by Luna's appearance that he ignored the choice to simply identify himself to her. The princess had just finished her song with a deep breath and opened her eyes to see Cuatro hovering directly in front of her, causing her to gasp with a startled expression as she fluttered back a few inches "S-Sir Cuatro!" Her anger was only outweighed by her embarrassment as she cringed and looked away with a blush that merged with her midnight coat "Hath thou been watching us this whole time?"

Cuatro nodded "I apologize deeply for not stating my presence...But your song was very intriguing."

Luna turned to Cuatro, looking surprised "Dost thou think so?" She questioned curiously. Remembering his mistake, she then shook off her surprise to show her anger "An intrusion like that is most inappropriate!" She stated firmly "What could be the reason for thy presence to catch me unawares?"

Cuatro looked down with his usual expression, though he was floating with despondency "I...I wished to seek you..." He replied coherently as possible, urging himself to keep silent and turn back after angering Luna.

Luna's irritation softened while she floated with Cuatro "Dost thou wish to gain an audience with both us and our sister, or just us?"

Cuatro looked back to face Luna "Just you...Earlier, I was met with grave tension through another memory, and I felt that you could perhaps help me ease my troubles. You've already did part of the mentioned role with your singing..." He gave a polite nod with his eyes closed "An astounding performance..."

Luna was surprised to think that somepony would consider talking to her over her older sister. This has not happened since Pipsqueak during the last Nightmare Night celebration. She was also flattered to have her singing voice complimented by Cuatro ever since he admitted his fondness of the night. She cleared her throat and gave a thin smile "Well, thy compliment is appreciated, and us and our sister promised thee access to the castle for guidance..." She looked over at her room, and poked her chin with a hoof. The princess of the night then turned to Cuatro "Since thy reasons are concrete and thou only came for us, perhaps we can allow thee to converse in our room?" She asked with a smile.

The strange alicorn paused in silence, not expecting such a question from a princess.

"I promised Twilight I would be back soon...That I would return to the library and wait for the morning. But I also promised to visit Canterlot, even when met with trouble within myself...And here I am now, offered a moment of bonding with a princess..."

Luna's smile vanished when she noted Cuatro's pause, but was patient to wait for an answer after studying the way he talked around her and other ponies 'He is indeed a hesitant one...'

Cuatro was conflicted with listening to his friend's request on returning home, and actually agreeing to a temtping offer being placed in front of him. It wasn't a spell that would completely restore his memories, but it was something.

"Why must I feel this way whenever I am around Luna? Her offer alone has already silenced me completely..."

It was maddening and time-consuming to stay on this particular thought when he needed to give Luna an answer. Before his conflict could rise even further, he remembered that he came for the sake of relieving himself of his troubles. Going back would mean having to deal with them again, and they somehow vanished when he approached Luna. With his mind made up, he nodded "Yes. I shall take you up on your offer, Pri-...Luna..."

Luna smiled and nodded back "Very well. Follow us inside our  chambers, Sir Cuatro..." The two glided towards the balcony and landed as they trotted inside Luna's bedroom.

Cuatro looked around to see that Luna's room was decorated to match her background as the princess of the night, even showing that her bedsheets resembled an ocean of stars.

Luna watched him with an amused expression as she raised a hoof over her mouth to stifle her laughter "Dost thou like our room? Tis the work of our royal artisans and carpenters." She then looked more serious, albeit compassionate, as if she were trying to imitate her older sister "So thou come to us because your latest memory hath inflicted thee with tension, correct?"

Cuatro nodded and replied "I was reluctant to face Twilight and the others with it on account of it being so dire and happening late at night...I did not want to disturb them or place them in as much unease as myself..."

Luna blinked "Pray tell, what did thy latest memory consist of?"

At that question, Cuatro felt a lump in his throat while he luckily managed to keep his usual emotionless expression. Telling Twilight was one thing, but how would Luna react to him sharing his memories? He looked down in thought as more tension and anxiety built up inside of him.

"She would possibly see me as a threat...To have me destroyed...Why am I so nervous around her?"

Luna took a good look at Cuatro and held a sad expression "Was the memory that bad, Sir Cuatro?" She asked in a caring tone.

Cuatro slowly nodded "My sincerest apologies, Luna...I did not think this visit through, having to feel reluctant as to talking about my memory. I suppose I came here merely to visit, and escape the tension I once felt before..." He responded in his usual tone, though was serious in his words.

Luna stared at Cuatro sympathetically before trotting over and giving him a brief nuzzle, causing the strange alicorn to become instantly breathless. His pupils dilated while he felt the otherworldly caress of Luna's cheek with his own, her ethereal mane brushing along the side of his head. When she stopped, she looked at Cuatro with a warm smile "If thy memories are truly dire, then thou mustn't stay on them forever. If anything, thy heart is in the right place while thou art staying with Twilight Sparkle in Ponyville, making new memories whilst learning about the Magic of Friendship!"

Cuatro replied "But...But what if somepony recognizes me? Was I wrong in choosing to stay in Ponyville?"

Luna shook her head "Thou hath made thine own decision, Sir Cuatro, and thy conviction showed. And to be truthful, thou art the most rarest sight seen in Equestria! We would be most surprised if there were somepony around that actually recognizes thee!"

Cuatro stared back, taking in all that Luna had said to him. It was a thought to be pondered, but thus far, her previous action along with her words were setting Cuatro at peace "Then what about your sister?"

Luna frowned and thought about this, turning to her door "Tis a different story..." She muttered in a bitter tone, then turned back to Cuatro "We've nary seen our sister act so distant and serious lest there were a catastrophe about to befall our country!"

Cuatro paused for a moment, thinking over what Luna had said, and thought back to when Celestia casted a memory spell on him; how her mood instantly changed when they were at dinner. When he thought back to his latest memory, he gave a low gasp as his pupils dilated again.

"Could she...know something about me? Is she hiding something from me?"

Cuatro looked at Luna "Luna, I must ask you something..." Luna tilted her head "Your sister, Princess Celestia...Her magic is unsurpassed, and her spells are effective, yet she claimed her memory spell had no effect on me...Is there something wrong with this?"

Luna thought about Cuatro's words and turned to the door again "Now that thou mention it...Tia hath been keeping something from us ever since thy departure from our castle..." She looked over at Cuatro with a frown "She warned us to be more...wary around you when thou claim more of thy memories..." She spoke hesitantly.

Cuatro thought about this more and looked down "I see..." He then turned away and began trotting towards the balcony.

Luna perked up and followed him "Art thou leaving so soon?"

Cuatro flared his wings when he reached the edge and looked back at Luna "I need to think on some things when I return to Ponyville...I shouldn't keep you here when you have your own royal duties to attend to soon enough."

Luna huffed and trotted up to his side and looking at him "Our duties can wait til morn, Sir Cuatro! And besides..." She looked away, a sad expression on her face "It is lonely to be a princess in a castle most of the time..." She muttered sadly.

Cuatro halted his advance and curled his wings while looking at Luna. He began feeling guilty for seeing her so sad when it was him that needed comfort "I..." The strange alicorn turned to face Luna "Forgive me, Luna...I'm only confused about all of this information. Your sister doesn't trust me?"

Luna looked back at Cuatro "It would seem that way, yes...And she would not fully reveal to us as to why. But thus far, while thou art so different..." She smiled "...thou show great promise as a friend..."

Cuatro stared back in silence at Luna's statement.

"...A friend..."

The strange alicorn went to bow in reverence while thanking her greatly for the title, but was stopped when his chin hit a hoof. He looked up to see Luna smiling at Cuatro with her foreleg stretched out "Must we repeat, Sir Cuatro, that there is no need for thee to act so formal around us?"

Cuatro stared, then stood himself up with a nod "Yes, that's right..." He looked to see Luna with her smile, and instead of tension, he felt warmth build up inside of him while he stared.

"Luna..."

Luna took a step forward "Since thou art feeling well, perhaps we could - how they say - hang out again sometime? As friends?" Cuatro nodded in reply, causing Luna to grin "Splendid! It was good to see thee again, Sir Cuatro!" She then wrapped her forelegs around Cuatro in a hug.

It was the biggest shock to him, but unbeknownst to Luna, Cuatro felt blood rush in his cheeks while he was being embraced. He was lucky to even stand as he felt time stop along with his movement. When Luna stopped hugging, she looked at Cuatro with a tilted head "Sir Cuatro? Art thou...blushing?" She asked curiously.

Cuatro stared long enough before he shook his head, his coat returning to its pale splendor. He looked at Luna and answered "No...I should return to Ponyville, but I shall take you up on your offer to hang out sometime...preferably at night."

Luna nodded while she beamed "Verily! We art glad to establish a social link with thee this night, Sir Cuatro! Til we meet again!"

Cuatro nodded and turned to face the end of the balcony. He then activated his Sonido as the sound of booming static was heard with him blurring out of existence. Luna was instantly startled as she darted her head around. The only thing that went through her mind at the moment was 'What in Tartarus just happened!?'
_____

While Spike slept in his bed upstairs, Twilight stood in the main lobby of her library and looked up at the clock. She groaned "Where could he be? I figured he would stick with his promise and come back here around this time!" She trotted back and forth while she spoke, but then perked up when she heard the front door open. Cuatro came in and Twilight trotted over to him with a mixture of worry and irritation "There you are! I was beginning to think you were about to abandon us or wander off aimlessly!"

Cuatro never thought he would worry Twilight like this. He looked over at the clock and sweatdropped when he realized he had only been gone for about twenty minutes "I'm...sorry?" He apologized halfheartedly.

Twilight sighed "Just don't let it happen again, okay? We can't have you wandering off while you still have amnesia! Speaking of memories..." She looked over at Cuatro's list of terms "These memories of yours are growing more and more strange. I've studied them while you were gone, and I've never seen a place in Equestria called Soul Society!"

Cuatro hummed "I wouldn't be too worried about it, Twilight...I can only gather more memories before I can piece together my existence completely."

Twilight looked up at Cuatro "You seem pretty collected about this. Earlier, you looked as if somepony scared you out of your wits!"

Cuatro nodded "I was tensed up, but..." He turned to the door "I had time to think about it, and I realize I mustn't be entirely bothered by what I remember..."

Twilight smiled "That's good to hear. But hopefully more of your memories can make sense to us in the near future. I'm beginning to think that what you've gathered so far seem to be a bit far fetched..."

Cuatro nodded "I can only hope so...I wish to look at the moon."

Twilight shook her head with an amused smile "Why am I not surprised. Go ahead, Cuatro. And try to get some sleep, okay? I know your nocturnal, but you should at least rest sometime! Good night!" She trotted up to her bed and covered up as she doused the lights.

Cuatro saw this as a sign to make himself scarce as he opened the door and went outside. He flew up to the top of the library and stared up at the moon as he felt more warmth. But one thought nagged at him while he stared up.

"...Celestia..."


To be continued...