//------------------------------// // Ouar: Tai ~ Truth // Story: The Chronicle of Tau Niem: Out of Place // by Jack-Pony //------------------------------// It had been four days since I had woken up in the hospital, after my little ‘adventure’. Everypony, the doctors included, were baffled, confounded as to what had happened. I refused to speak about that night to anyone. Everyone who needed to know already did and even a few who didn’t… Though her heart was in the right place, I still couldn’t forgive Twilight for what she had done. If only she hadn’t looked into my mind…if only she had left well enough alone…at least then I could’ve pretended that there was nothing there. Now…? I sighed in distraction, not really in a meditative mindset at all… How could I have been this foolish? This was the second time I had let my guard down, overlooked an obvious oncoming situation. I should’ve known that I would go through withdrawals, it happens every time one of our people wander away from Kelovo. So inclusive are they in our diets’, and for so many long-spans, that we have nearly become addicted to them. Our only saving grace is that the withdrawals are short-lived and easily predictable, not that difficult to treat either. Ironically enough, had Twilight not disturbed my rest, I would’ve woken in the morning with a dull headache, but otherwise fine. So distracted was I, that I never even heard her approach… “Tau Niem? Ah, so this is where you’ve been hiding?” The soft, but powerful voice startled me slightly. “I must admit princess, you’ve quite an astute eye to see through this veil.” I spoke to her, though my eyes remained closed, referring to the technique that I was using to hide myself in plain sight from the ponies, but especially from Rainbow Dash who had been hounding me for days… “I do not come before you as the Princess of the Day.” She informed me, “Might I join you?” This finally managed to draw my attention. Turning my head slightly toward her, I cracked my left eye open and was shocked to see her without her regalia. She stood next to me, nothing between her and I but her pure white coat. If she did not come to speak to me as the Princess… I jumped to my feet, slightly startling her. “My elder, by all means…” I bowed my head to her, averting my eyes and placed my open hand over my heart, blushing mildly in embarrassment. “Tau Niem,” Her hoof on my shoulder drew my gaze upwards, “Please, can we not speak as equals?” “I…if that is what you wish.” I nodded somewhat stiffly, still in an uncomfortable, formal stance. “Then please, relax,” she said sweetly, lying down atop the hill overlooking the valley, next to where I had been, “Come now.” She glanced to the spot at my feet, reminding me what I had agreed to, and I hurriedly sat next to her, “You will call me Celestia, won’t you?” I glanced nervously over my shoulder at her. “I’m not sure I can…” “Oh, why’s that?” She raised an eyebrow. “You see, in my culture to refer to a person by a single name is a sign of intimacy…” I explained in a straightforward manner. She chuckled gently. “I see. What then of the multitude of ponies with only one name? Fluttershy, or Applejack, or Rarity, for example?” she said in a relaxed tone that I had never expected from her. “Both Fluttershy and Applejack’s names are composites, so they are actually very similar to mine.” A guilty grin snuck onto my face, “I must admit I’ve felt a little better the last few days staying at Fluttershy’s…” “Oh, goodness.” Her playful grin was incredibly disarming. “Don’t get me wrong, she’s a wonderful host! Charming and intelligent, wise and caring, perhaps one of the most generous individuals I’ve known…but it was slightly awkward. The longer I’m here, the more divergent our two cultures seem.” I chuckled at my own ironic modesty, “I just don’t know if I can address a Princess, an elder, in such a tone.” “Something tells me that you’re not so young as you pretend to be…?” She gazed deeply, knowingly into my eyes. My expression immediately hardened and became unreadable, betraying my emotions and admitting my guilt. However, at this point, there was little reason for denial. She decided to confront me, so she already knew more than enough…there must’ve been a reason, a plan in her mind…? “She told you, didn’t she?” I did my best to keep the growl out of my voice and only just succeeded. “No, my faithful student hasn’t told me anything.” She raised a knowing brow, I had just unknowingly given her another piece of leverage, “…Perhaps, I put too much faith in her?” “Celestia you will not lay a hoof on her…” I warned her with a scowl, but rather than become angry, she smiled gently, “What’s so funny?” “Gotcha,” she said with a teasing grin, causing me to shake my head, before taunting me further, “Come on…?” I finally laughed. “Yeah, you did…” I said, still shaking my head. My mind immediately turned a one-eighty. She had got me, she had got me good and done a good job at defusing the tension between us. I realized at that moment, without all her regalia on, she was surprisingly approachable and down to earth. Her plain white coat, glowed in the light of her sun like the magnificent star that she had control over – or so they claimed… The idea that any living creature had the psionic abilities to move a star was a frankly uncomfortable thought. “So, what was it that Twilight hasn’t told me?” She asked me curiously. I sighed, I suppose it was only a matter of time until she would’ve learned, now that Twilight knew. Stupid… I chastised myself. I suppose it's time for damage control, and it would be better for her to hear it from me. “Can you promise me that will go no further than you and I?” I asked, only to remember her sister, “…and of course Luna, but no one else?” “Does it involve my ponies?” She wondered. “No.” I shook my head. “I do.” She nodded, only to notice that I was not continuing, awaiting those words, “You have my word that this stays between the three of us.” I smiled in thanks, then sighed, preparing myself for the plunge. “I’m a time traveler,” I revealed, hoping for the best. “You are not the only, in fact Starswirl the Bearded…” She began to tell me, only to stop as I raised a hand. “Not quite like that.” I shook my head, “I know of Starswirl and even of Twilight’s exploits...but I jump from life to life, birth to death. I’ve long observed Humanity in secret…” She was silent a long moment, only watching my eyes. “How many…?” She asked hesitantly. “I am somehow back in my original form, so I suppose that would mean I am still at one hundred sixty-nine.” I stated plainly, with an exaggeratedly slow blink of my eyes. “Why tell me now?” She asked observantly. “Partly because it was easier than keeping up the façade, and partly because you deserve to know. I did crash mysteriously into your throne room and nearly destroy it…” I chuckled guiltily. “That you did!” She laughed playfully. “Also…” I muttered, silencing her, “After so long keeping it a secret, it felt right to tell someone. I figured that telling the next oldest creature I know would be a good place to start.” “I thought you said you told Twilight?” She gave me a curious look. “A mere technicality…” I laughed dismissively and before long, both of us were laughing, until I spoke once more, “You know…” She quieted down to hear what I had to say, “I am sorry.” “What for?” She wondered. “For being so rude. When you jokingly said that you may have put too much faith in Twilight Sparkle, I jumped to conclusions.” She looked at me with an ‘Oh?’ face, “You see, in my last life there was a seer…one who has seen into your world. Her stories of Equestria, while lacking context, were amazingly accurate about all of you. Your trials and tribulations, your characters, even many of the places.” I breathed deeply to give her a chance to ask any questions, but she only nodded, willing to let me finish first, “I…I sort of…” “Yes…?” She prompted me to speak. “I assumed that you would be crass with her, maybe even punish her.” I admitted, diverting my eyes once more, this time in shame. She gently lifted my jaw with her forehoof. “Why would you ever think that?” She asked incredulously. “Not everyone viewed you in the kindest light. Some even called you an ageless, immortal tyrant.” I swallowed, “I may have been…” She interrupted me, her violet eyes filled with understanding. “Have you told her yet?” She inquired, clearly having put together all the pieces. “I have.” I nodded. “…and?” She prompted. “I told her the truth.” I sniffled, “I care for her, but I fear…” I scratched my brow and looked away for a moment, before bringing my hand to my chin in a thoughtful pose and looking back at her with no little difficulty, “Ever since the…since my wife’s passing, I have found it difficult to reciprocate the love of another. I live in fear of losing yet another love.” A pang of both fear and pain of loss struck my chest, “I can’t-I can’t lose another. I know that I-I couldn’t live through another.” “Instead you would live an entire lifetime alone?” She asked curiously. “Surely living for centuries on end must not be that dissimilar?” I asked curiously. “I suppose not, but the life of a princess is rarely lonely.” She said in a tone that screamed of lies. “That is a lie,” I called her out bluntly, earning a sharp, surprised gasp from her, “I imagine that thousand years without your sister must’ve been difficult.” “It was…” She admitted, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. “Come here…” I said affectionately, wrapping my arms around her neck, “I know it’s not the same, but I know what it is to sit alone at night and pine for one you love.” She nuzzled the side of my neck appreciatively, “You have told her, right?” “I have…many times.” She whispered into my long, brown hair, a dramatic contrast to her multi-colored mane, “…but sometimes I worry that she only pretends to love me? That deep down she’s still bitter?” “She knows that you love her, and I know that love will heal those wounds, I have to believe that they will…” I hugged her tighter at that moment, only hoping that my feelings would make it to the one I loved too... “Time may not heal all wounds, but there is nothing love cannot do. No obstacle too high, no gap too wide, no wound too grievous…” “Have faith, Tau Niem, if there is one thing I have learned over my many years, it is to be steadfast in the face of adversity.” She pulled back slightly and blooped me playfully on the nose, “Things have a way of working out, if you’re patient enough to see them through…” “I sure hope so.” I chuckled once, before looking to her sun with closed eyes, letting the warmth splash upon my face, “If all of this is for naught…” “If it’s not too presumptuous, what was her name?” She asked gently, worried that it might hurt me, which it did, but not terribly so. “Karai Nagai.” I smiled sadly, “She was the last heir of her family, gave up her name to join my clan.” I sniffled gently, “If it weren’t for my family’s honor, I would’ve been bound to her family, rather than the other way around.” “What does it mean?” She wondered. I stopped to think, glad to think of anything but her, because every time I did, it hurt unbearably. I mused a long moment, trying to put enough emphasis on the poetic verse that her name was in, unlike my own. Finally, I decided upon a decent enough translation… “It means Fire-forged Soul. It’s a modernization of the heroine’s name, Kua’at Ne-guy, from the epic, Obet-o.” I saw that she (understandably) missed the reference, “She was the Queen of the great Northern-Kingdom during the sixteenth dynasty, the late period.” I clarified, and received an attentive nod, “She was one of the greatest rulers of the ancient period, strong and determined, intelligent and wise. Also one of the most selfless Danårians to have ever lived.” I paused to wet my tongue before continuing, “For generations her people had fought their neighbors to the Southeast, a kingdom far larger and more powerful than their own, repelling every attempt to quell the tiny monarchy. Then, one dark day, their armies broke and their enemy made it to their hilltop stronghold. So loved was she, that every man and woman picked up arms in defense of their queen, but all of them she waved off. She alone went to meet her foe on the field of battle. So stunning was she, so determined, it’s said that the great-king fell for her then and there. Imagine her surprise when he went to meet her and not demanded her surrender, but instead asked for her hand in marriage!?” The two of us shared a brief laugh, “The two kingdoms merged and unrivaled by any of their neighbors, ushered in an age of relative peace over Danåria for the next six-hundred years…” “What broke the peace?” She wondered. “The War of Kings. The final bloody chapter in Ancient Danårian history, and the decisive moment between religion and science.” I nodded. “From what you said before, I take it that the cold horseshoe of science toppled religion?” She assumed – and what an odd turn of phrase… “Not exactly.” I shook my head. “Oh?” She cocked her head slightly to one side. “The final punches of the war were never thrown.” I stated plainly. “Why is that? If you’ll forgive me for saying, you don’t appear to be the kind to leave things unfinished…?” Her opinion was perhaps not wrong, but still it was obvious that she knew little of our culture or history. “That may be true, but we were saved from ourselves. A huge spaceship parked itself over the capital city of the largest kingdom for three days, blotting out the sun.” She listened in rapt attention, “Finally, they showed themselves. However, rather than bearing a message of welcome and brotherhood, they came bearing a warning. If we did not abandon our warlike nature and learn how to live together, we’d meet our untimely end by our own hands. It was with no little shock that they left as mysteriously as they had came. Back to the stars…” “What then?” She barely murmured, enthralled. “We as a people had an epiphany. We were small…so very small. So, we did what we do best. Survive. We banded together. Discarded our hatred, our intolerance, our narrow-mindedness and sought a new path forward together. It rather reminds me of the Elements of Harmony actually…” I revealed. “How so?” She wondered. “Well, I’d be lying if I said it was quick. Though we were quick to start, we found that breaking old modes of thinking was difficult. Our kings put down their crowns and our priests put down their scepters, and the two proposed a new faith.” I smiled, “A faith in ourselves. One where we did not ask for the assistance of gods, nor painted them as perfect beings…but one where we acknowledged ourselves either as the agents of our own misfortune, or our happiness. We honored those both living, as Imperators, and those dead, as paragons. By this, our civilization has survived over eleven million years, in three incarnations, overcoming every obstacle that has tried to hobble us...” “Eleven million years, surely you jest?” Celestia gasped. “Nay, I do not.” I chuckled, “We were once the masters of space, going where we pleased, but no longer. The horrid seven million year war with the Jakial managed to humble our once great Federation. It may be many more generations before we return to our former glory…” “Surely it wasn’t that bad?” She almost looked frightened. “It was.” I nodded, “They overran most of our outer-colonies, before they managed to sack our homeworld.” “Sack?” She repeated, clearly unfamiliar with military terminology. “They burned it. Destroyed our greatest accomplishment, the Great Forum – a center of interstellar trade and enlightenment. Effectively ending the Trade Coalition that our people had formed ages before, which allowed us access to the wealth of the universe, both in resources and ideals, but also in friendship.” I admitted, and she muted a gasp with her forehoof, “Thanks to the sacrifice of a great many of the warrior caste, most of our people managed to flee…but our great monuments and accomplishments were lost for eons. The still beating heart of our people ripped from our collective chests.” Only then did I grin deviously, “…but there is one thing that they forgot.” “Oh?” She cautiously exclaimed, unsure if she really wanted to know. “There is one thing you never give a Danårian…” I said with a wiggle of the eyebrows, to lead her on. “What is that?” She whispered, leaning closer. “Time.” I whispered back. It took her a moment, but finally, she broke out laughing…and I mean laughing. She was rolling on her side, windmilling her legs in mirth. It was rather comical actually, and no real surprise that I ended up joining her on the sweet grass, laughing without a care in the world! After several minutes, we managed to get ourselves under control, more because of our hurting ribs than any real end to the comedy. The two of us eventually looked into each other’s eyes and giggled once more, before sighing. “Thank you,” I said simply. “Yes?” She replied curiously. “I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. It was nice to have someone to simply talk to. No strings attached…” I ran my fingers through her mane, which felt joyfully warm to the touch, far warmer than her body temperature… “I think I know what I need to do,” I said, once again embracing her. Releasing her, I smiled genuinely for the first time in recent memory and nodded to her respectfully, before standing and hurriedly running down the hill, toward the village below… ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Luna stood just under the balcony where her sister landed majestically. Despite it being late-morning, nearly noon, Celestia was not the least surprised to see her sister up awaiting her return. She put on a surprisingly warm smile for her sister, one that Luna had not seen in a very long time. “I take it that he is no longer in his depression?” Luna assumed. “I think it may be a bit premature for that, but he knows what he wants now.” She responded with a nod, approaching her sister, unadorned, save the last holdouts of grass in her otherwise flawless coat, “Come, we have things to speak of…” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A rousing knock at the library’s door drew Twilight from her study of advanced teleportation techniques. Though she had tried her best not to think of Tau Niem the last several days, she found she could not stop, at least she had managed to distract herself with determining how he had arrived? Perhaps she could help him somehow? “Come in!” She shouted. Why does everypony knock? This is a public library… She then thought purely to herself. I opened the door and entered rather quietly, noticing her attention focused on the tome before her. Closing the door behind myself in an equally quiet fashion, I stood unmoving for a long moment, deciding how I wanted to approach the mare. Truth be told, my original plan seemed foolish upon a second glance and so, I was hurriedly trying to piece together another, when she turned to regard me in confusion, thanks to the silence – ponies hail their presence upon entering a room, I reminded myself, before remembering that we usually do too! Looking up into those lavender eyes, I was about to speak, but was silenced instantly. She looked shocked to see me there, genuinely shocked. “I would like to talk to you, if you will hear my words?” I asked rather formally, after suddenly finding my voice. “Sure…” She nodded not entirely sure of herself either. “First, I want to apologize.” I bowed my head once, “I put you into an awkward position and forced your hand, um…hoof. That was unfair of me…” “Please, Tau Niem…” She started, only for me to silence her with my raised hand. “Please, let me finish?” I asked gently, receiving a nod, “You saw into my memory? You no doubt understand my hesitation?” She looked down at the floor and nodded. I damn near cried at her reaction, mentally chastising myself for allowing her to come to such harm, and because of myself no less! I quickly, but quietly approached her, knelt and raised her muzzle daintily. “Please, don’t cry. To see you cry for me hurts more than you know…” She sniffled, trying to hold back her tears and nodded again. “I’ll try…” She tried to reassure me, but only managed to make me more wary. “If you would allow, I’d take back my emotions?” She looked at me skeptically, “I will not lie to you, I cannot take the memories without causing you harm, since you have lived through them in my mind…but I can help dull the pain by ridding you of my emotions that are associated to the memory.” “Is there any risk?” She asked meekly. “For a Danårian? None.” I shook my head, “For a unicorn? I would assume not…your mind is similar enough that you suffered no ill effects from the link?” I paused, “Right?” “I…” She hesitated, mulling over whether to tell me of her occasional, unintentional slips into the Danårian tongue? “Please, I need to know if there’s anything? Anything out of the normal at all?” I gently cupped her long, equine cheek. “I’ve occasionally dropped a Danårian word or di…” She admitted. I smiled and stifled a chuckle. “That’s not entirely unexpected, but flattering nonetheless…” I blushed slightly. “Flattering?” She wondered. “It means that your mind was open to the link, rather than defending itself. Put simply, it means that you trust me.” I smiled at her. “Is it permanent?” She asked in shock. “If I do nothing, you will eventually come to recognize that part of your mind and segregate it, but it would take a great deal of time…” I told her honestly. “…and if you do…?” She asked in trepidation. “Then, you should only access those memories as you would any second language.” I reassured her. She thought for a long moment and nodded in decision. “What must I do?” She enquired. “First things first, we need to sit. Neither of us are going to feel too well after this…” I warned her, sitting on the floor before her with my legs crossed. “How so?” She asked, worry creeping into her voice. “Lightheadedness and perhaps a temporary headache, oh and fatigue. Lots of fatigue.” I tried chuckling with levity. “Does this happen every time?” She inquired, her usual curiosity taking hold once more. “No, just the first few.” I replied studiously, “We Ne Ni Nei are not so skilled as some when it comes to empathetic connections.” “Is there anything I can do to help?” She wondered. “I suppose you could try to create a link of your own with your horn?” I assumed, “…but let me lead? I know what I’m looking for…” “Alright.” She stated determined. “Right.” I said in a reassuring voice, “I’m going to take you by the head now…” “Ok…” She murmured, watching my hands. With a deep breath, I gently brought my hands up to her face, before placing them further back on her skull itself. My thumbs rested beneath her jaw, parallel with her jawbones, as my palms ran up the powerful muscles at the back of her jaw, and my fingers finally landing about her ears. Closing my eyes, I slowly, gently brought our heads together, until my nose met her muzzle and her horn touched the crown of my head. “Alright…” I said, my own trepidation slipping into my voice. Once I did this, there would be no going back. I would be admitting the truth, that I had feelings for another. I would be bearing my heart to her, vulnerable to being wounded once more… “Tau Niem?” Her gentle words caused me to open my eyes and look right into her lovely purple ones, “It’s going to be alright.” I chuckled. “It will.” I said in unspoken thanks, “Ready?” “Yes.” She reminded me. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Without another thought, I opened my mind to hers and took the plunge… I physically felt her horn alight on my forehead as she also opened a link into my mind. It was odd, her mind was so familiar, yet so alien. It consisted of none of the constructs that our minds made to understand the world, to defend itself from the rigors of life…or rather none that I could recognize, but they were there in different forms. Then, all at once, I stumbled upon her conscious mind and the shock was mutual. She had only observed my unconscious mind before, and I had not been conscious to have viewed hers either… Her mind was warm, and curious, and caring, containing none of the hard, armored facets that mine did. However, she did not shy away, but like an inquisitive child sought it out. Her mind ran over mine, as I examined hers with a rapt curiosity of my own. It was the most thrilling experience I think I ever had? Her fluid mind transitioning from one thought to the next without regard, as mine carefully shifted, its crystalline nature beholding something of unrivaled beauty. Then came my first roadblock… Motioning towards her consciousness, I became aware that I was unable to communicate with her. Her mind and mine separated by a gulf wider than I had ever expected. Sure, hers was able to read my emotions and even see my thoughts, but without the context of their meaning, my higher thoughts were as alien to her as my form. The ‘words’ my mind tried to convey were meaningless to her. At that moment, I froze, trepidation becoming a gentle fear. However, quite to my shock and surprise, she sent me feelings of both trust and confidence. I recoiled a moment, unsure how to proceed, before she once again, reinforced those feelings. At that, I knew what to do… Leading her into my mind, I dragged hers into my memories. There was anxiety from hers at that point, knowing some of what lay within, but I simply reassured her as she did to me and she followed. This time, I lead her on through the memories I wanted her to see, looking for a specific response…and when I got it, I latched on. A moment of fear washed over her as she no longer found herself within my memories, but within my mind’s eye, the creative portion of my mind. “Twilight?” I called out to her in the utter void that she found herself within. “What’s going on!?” She yelped. “It’s alright…” I made sure to send her calming emotions, “I…am having some, difficulties, communicating with you.” “Your mind is-” She began. “-so very different.” I agreed, “We are communicating now.” Her confidence slowly began to return as she sensed my glee. “What next?” She wondered. “I think that we should start with the issue of you speaking my tongue.” My humor, found in the irony of the solution was conveyed to her, “I might just be able to strike two birds with one stone!” “What do birds and stones have to do with our minds?” Confusion leaked back to me. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it once I’m through…” I assured her, before pulling her mind back to the more abstract plane that composed our minds’ parts. This time, crossing into her mind, I immediately realized that the ‘damage’ was much worse than I had thought… Her mind had attempted to absorb so much of my memories, I am surprised that she could even function properly. As funny as I thought it might have been to have seen her accidentally try meat, I worried what that would do to her…both mentally and physically. It should come as no surprise that the first things I did were to ‘scrub’ the subconscious memories, thoughts and emotions from her memory. I did not really want her trying to fight as I did, nor did I really want her to have that foreign drive to aggressively deal with every issue that crossed her path. I was honestly surprised that it had not surfaced yet? Eventually, I segregated the memories of her mind communing with mine and the glimmer of my language that she had adopted, but I did not remove it. There was no need now that she would remember it as something other than her native tongue. Finally, I latched onto the memories of my own, which we now shared, since she had lived them in my unconscious mind. I did my best to remove as much emotion from it as I could, but was shocked to find that the level of pain that she felt from it nearly rivaled my own… I once again felt horrible for hurting her, even if there was nothing that I could’ve done to prevent it. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Finally complete, I withdrew from her mind and gently broke the link. As I came back to, I gasped, catching a held breath. What had seemed an eternity, was in reality only a few long seconds. When I noticed that she had not yet come to, I sent a gentle shock of my aura into her, which, while harmless, triggered her to wake with a gasp of her own. Then, all at once, the lightheadedness and fatigue hit me like a brick! Had I not caught myself with one hand upon the table next to us, and the other on Twilight, I would’ve likely fallen over… “Uh…Tau Niem?” She groaned, feeling a strange hand on her shoulder. “I think that we can disregard given names at this point…” I chuckled, trying to get the world to stop spinning for a moment, as I noticed that Twilight seemed otherwise unaffected. “Are you alright?” She shrugged off my hand and took me by the shoulders to steady me. “I will be…” I smiled to reassure her, “I’m just wicked lightheaded.” “That was intense.” She stated almost absentmindedly. “Now you know why it’s considered intimate…” I chuckled, finally shaking the majority of the vertigo and looking deeply into her eyes once more. This time, I saw something that I had not before, I saw the love evident in her eyes. Apparently, the exchange went both ways this time? “Tau Niem…?” She spoke almost in a whisper. “I think that you can stop calling me by my given name, at least in private.” I informed her, gently stroking her ear with my right hand, her hooves still on my shoulders, “If you have no objections, I would like to exchange names?” She searched her mind a moment, before feeling a little nugget hiding there, in her newfound - though far from complete - knowledge of my language. Finally finding it, she smiled gently. “Are you quite sure?” She asked hesitantly. “You are the female, by my culture, it’s your choice.” I reminded her, which made her blush slightly. “I think I would…” She nodded meekly, “How is it done?” “You simply pick a word that describes the person to you, hence why we rarely speak it in company…” I explained. “Will you tell me yours first?” She implored me. “Alright.” I nodded, with a gentle smile, “To me, you are my Twily.” “My brother calls me that…” She looked at me skeptically. “He may, but to me it means something special. To me, it is a reminder of the playful, giddy little filly that lies underneath your studious demeanor. That one that occasionally escapes and shines its little light over the world.” I moved my hand from her ear, to cup her cheek, “You are the first light that has shone on me in a very long time. I can’t help but feel that there is hope with you around.” She blushed a deep crimson at that, and her eyes misted up. Never before had she been complimented so. Only then did she realize the true significance of the gesture and she hesitated, what did he mean to her? What did he really mean deep down? After a long moment and some soul searching, she found her word. “Asto.” She stated determinedly. “Star?” I cocked my head to the side, “I am a star?” “Notice I chose one of your words?” She asked me curiously. “I do…” I acknowledged unsure of where she was going. “To me, you are something curious, foreign. I know that you are my star, but I still do not understand what that means to me...” she said with a soft smile, “You are so distant that I can only observe you from afar, but I want to see you more closely. I want to know so much more about you…” At that moment I couldn’t help myself, I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly…nothing exotic or erotic, just a simple, loving kiss, expressing my deep affections of her. It was a strange sensation kissing…well, an alien, but not for one moment did I regret it, not for one moment did I hesitate. It felt different, but oddly right…? After all, I did care for her. I did love her… Ancestors save me!