//------------------------------// // Pereh: V'tek ~ Point of no Return // Story: The Chronicle of Tau Niem: Out of Place // by Jack-Pony //------------------------------// Fluttershy awoke from a dead sleep with a fright. Moans and groans of desperate struggle emanated from downstairs, where her sluggish-with-sleep mind told her Tau Niem slept. Without a second thought, she took to her hooves and cantered down the stairs to check on him. As she cleared the floor that blocked her view, her eyes fell on his shadow-painted form, atop the spare mattress that had been pulled out into the living room. The only light painting the room came from the fireplace that kept the tree house comfortably warm, though the fire was waning from lack of tending. She could tell that the man was having another of his nightmares, which he seemed to have almost every night, but this one appeared worse than the ones over the previous nights. He was flailing his arms and legs under his blanket, appearing to fend off whatever plagued him in his dreams. Slowly, cautiously, she approached his sleeping form, still kicking and punching...yes, definitely punching. If his soft cries were any indication, he was not faring well within… “Um…Tau Niem?” She murmured, nearing close to him, “It’s alright. You’re safe…” She cooed, hesitating, but finally covering him in a wing, “Hush now, you’re safe with me.” In a surprising turn he leapt up, eyes bulging and covered in a cold sweat. Tossing aside her wing without realizing it, or that she was even there for that matter, his hand leapt to grasp at something not there. “Karai! Ra!” He cried out desperately. Fluttershy shrunk back with a startled squeak that went unnoticed by the distraught man. Jumping up, first onto all fours, he transitioned into a full speed bolt for the door in nothing but his underlayers; his robe and even his shoes remained forgotten within. In the few seconds it took Fluttershy to process what had happened, she realized in fright that he could’ve still covered a large amount of ground. While nowhere near as fast as a pony on hoof, Tau Niem had impressed them all with the level of speed that such a lanky, bipedal frame could produce. Storming out the open front door after him, she instantly halted and sighed in relief. He had thankfully not gone far at all, just a dozen steps or so out the door, only to fall to his knees in her front yard. Slowly trotting to him, careful not to accidentally upset the poor creature further, she then heard him sobbing into his hands. “Tau Niem?” She called out to him softly, only he gave no indication of hearing her. “Karai…” He moaned between sniffles, and continued to moan, as the butterscotch mare wrapped her wing around him, “E’oo dowski nel sar…” However, rather than calm him, it only seemed to make things worse. He leaned forward, out of her wing’s embrace, until his head touched the grass and his weeping intensified. As she leaned forward, she saw that his face had turned a deep red. Now she was no doctor, let alone knowledgeable of his kind, but she knew that elevated blood pressure could be dangerous for ponies – increasing the risk of stroke. In a split second, she made up her mind and shot back inside like a dart. Fetching Angel and placing him down next to the man, the bunny only shot her an angry glance at being woken at such an hour. “Watch him,” she said simply to her pet and in her haste, ignored his exasperated expression that screamed, ‘What am I supposed to do?’, before she turned her head down toward the man… “I’ll be right back, I promise!” With that, she bolted off towards Ponyville. She had to hope that Twilight would know what to do. She always did… As the pegasus shot off down the road, Angel cocked a curious eyebrow and looked at the alien creature wondering what his pony companion expected him to do? Finally, with much trepidation, the tiny bunny lifted a paw and gently patted the man on the arm, with a look of uncertainty… ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It did not take long for Fluttershy to return with Twilight in tow…the flight of a frightened mare is indeed swift! The two froze in fear at what they saw at their return. He stood on the raised edge of the stone bridge that lead across the small stream to Fluttershy’s cottage, staring down at the water’s surface, the small, white rabbit tugging furiously at his pant-leg. Though it looked deep, the bottom was actually very shallow and covered in large stones, some of which had been removed to build the bridge in question. “Asto!” Twilight shouted at him, causing him to glance sideways and her friend to look at her questioningly. “Twily…” He smiled softly, briefly, before his sorrow overtook him once more and he returned to watching the flowing water, “Ele’ei ra… Eh ra-nei!” “Meníden…?” Twilight looked at him desperately, hopeful that she had picked the right phrase, before prompting her mare friend in a whisper, “Go find his translator…the small metal octagon!” “Got it…” Fluttershy whispered back, taking aloft, hopefully out of sight of their friend. Twilight turned back to him and blanched, he was now walking on the edge – literally! Angel bunny had jumped down, to get out from underfoot and now stared up at him. “Asto…?” She called out to him gently to gain his attention once more. “En…” He responded simply, still staring down at the water. Searching her memories, looking in that place that he had segregated in her mind, she found the basics of the language there, and from it she gleamed the meaning of his response…an informal, huh? She sighed, relieved that he was at least listening to her. Now came the tricky part, getting him to understand her, in a language that she didn’t speak and scarcely understood! “Ke ou igou.” She said quietly to him, in a near whisper ~ I’m worried about you. His emerald eyes turned back to gaze into hers, completely bloodshot and her heart ached with him. She knew what this was about, before he even told her… “Ele’ei niel nocto eh ego.” He cast his head downward at the ground between them, “Seai eh shur’jay ra illum-hui?…ra’savid.” ~ She has passed beyond the veil and my essence with her. What is a man without the light of his life?…worthless. “Bas-ra!” Twilight barked at him, violently pulling him off the edge of the bridge and face-first into the ground with her telekinesis. “H’ow…” He groaned in pain, before looking up at her, his face covered in dirt, and shock at such language – she had dropped one of the worst insults in his language. His jaw dropped instantly when he saw her crying, for he knew it was his doing and he hated himself for it… “Twily…?” “Bas!” She shouted at him again and another, even greater insult, “Eh no-ra’savid! Nel ow-ri eh…no-hui eh ra’savid.” ~ You are far from useless! If something happened (to you)… I would be heartbroken to the point of uselessness. He ignored the ache of his body, while laying on his stomach, as she ranted like a true Danårian woman, laying into him with amazing skill for someone unfamiliar with the language. Despite her failure at conjugating most of her phrases, her pure emotions spoke for her, erasing the possibility of any misunderstanding… Indeed, when Fluttershy hurried back out of her cottage, translator in hoof, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Tau Niem on the ground being shouted at by her friend. Her defensive nature causing her to leap to his defense… “Twilight, how could you!?” She boomed, her ‘stare’ in full effect, before Tau Niem’s hand reached up to activate the translator in her hoof. “Fluttershy, its alright.” She looked down at him skeptically in response to his assurances, “I deserve this.” He chuckled weakly, “Heck, I think I downright needed it.” Releasing his grasp on the device, he rose just enough to take to his knees and pull Twilight into a smotheringly tight hug. “Umora he’dora.” He whispered tenderly into her mane, “E’eh eda?” ~ I am so sorry. Can you forgive me? “Bas-ra…” She rebuked him in a playful tone, both chastising him and forgiving him. He held her for several moments longer, before releasing her. As he turned to Fluttershy, who was still holding the translator, both of them caught sight of the mare blushing redder than a freshly cooked lobster! Fluttershy remained frozen in shock, right up until the moment when his hand fell upon the device and he pulled her too into a one-armed hug, causing her to squeal a little, ’Eep’ of surprise. “Thank you for everything, you are a true friend.” He said to her earnestly, before releasing the still blushing mare, “Though, from your expression, something tells me that we have some explaining to do…?” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It took the two of us the remaining few hours till dawn and a kettle of tea to explain what had occurred over the last few days – albeit a watered down version. Though she knew some of what had happened, there was much that she didn’t know…including our flowering relationship. Truth be told, even Spike did not know. The only ponies that had any clue were the Princesses, and now, Fluttershy herself. “That’s about the sum of it.” I said with a faux-smirk, to cover my pain as I completed my explanation to Fluttershy. “So…these nightmares…?” She began solemnly. I nodded and rubbed my left arm unconsciously. Twilight caught this and placed her hoof on my shoulder, earning her an almost imperceptible smile that I was sure only she would recognize. “Yes, I get them every night.” I swallowed, though my mouth was dry, and looked back across the table to Fluttershy, “…sometimes while I wake too.” “That’s horrible!” She exclaimed meekly, though I had come to expect her to be meek by this point, it was still cute. She turned her attention toward her mare friend, “So, that’s what you saw when you looked into his mind?” “Yes,” she said simply in response, hinting to her friend that she didn’t want to talk about it further. “I am sorry to have frightened you two, sometimes they are worse than others…” I sighed dejectedly. “I just hope that you’d never hurt yourself?” Fluttershy asked pleadingly. “I know that’s what it must’ve looked like, but you don’t have to worry about that. Running water just has a way of calming me,” I said reassuringly in response, but turned my eyes to Twilight, “Besides, I have found a little sparkle of hope…” I gently placed my hand on her hoof and she smiled simply. “I’m glad to see that you two are happy.” Fluttershy said with a simple smile, breaking our focus and drawing our gaze to her curiously, to see her smiling genuinely, “When are you going to announce your relationship to everyone else? Um…that is if you don’t mind me asking?” I chuckled. “Fluttershy, don’t worry so much. We’re all friends here, right?” I asked her curiously, waiting for her to nod her answer yes, “We can speak frankly here…I don’t think we’ve had a chance to talk about much of anything that serious…?” I answered honestly, looking back at my tiring mare, only to notice that my host was tiring as well, “Speaking of which, you two should try to get a little more rest before the day begins in earnest…” At my suggestion, Twilight and Fluttershy both looked out the nearby window to see a gentle glow at the horizon – it would be dawn before too long. Both looked quite surprised to see how late it had become! “Oh goodness, it’s almost morning already!?” Fluttershy exclaimed, albeit it quietly. “I think I should get back to the library…” Twilight hinted. “I’ll walk you back.” I offered, though in reality, it was more me telling her what I was going to do…I would never let her walk back alone this time of day! “No, that’s quite alright, you stay and get some rest.” She replied in the same tone. “No, I’m walking you back and that’s final.” I declared gently, but in way informing her that there was no point in arguing with me about it. “Alright…” She acquiesced. “Fluttershy, don’t wait up for me.” I said standing up, “In fact, I may just catch a nap in the library…?” Fluttershy blushed slightly. “Oh, my…” She murmured. “Now, it’s nothing like that.” I assured her. “Oh, alright, if you say so...” Something about her voice told me that she wasn’t completely convinced. I simply rolled my eyes, before looking to Twilight. “Shall we depart?” I asked her in a more formal, serious tone than usual. She nodded with a gentle smile. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We had scarcely left Fluttershy’s cottage, before I noticed her eyes bouncing to and fro constantly in time with her ears. For a few moments I was unsure what she was doing, until I accidentally kicked a stone into a nearby bush while distracted and she leapt in front of me defensively, her horn alight with magic. I placed my hand on the small of her back and hunched over ever so slightly… “Twily, it was just an errant rock. Why are you so on edge?” I asked her curiously. She looked up at me as though I had just grown a third limb, or had asked, ‘What am the sky?’ It took her a moment to respond, as if the answer was so clear that its answer was almost too obvious to put into words… “Because you’re my stallion…?” She deadpanned. I too hesitated at that response, my brain unable to make sense of the obvious. “That has what to do with the issue at hand…or rather hoof?” I wondered. She looked at me incredulously. “I know you mentioned that your people were a matriarchy, but aren’t you…men, guarded jealously?” She cocked her head to one side curiously. “As if…” I laughed gently. “Why would your females not guard such a valuable resource!?” She exclaimed without thought, before blushing, “…That’s not to say that you’re a resource and not an individual! I just meant…” Finally kneeling before her, I silenced her with a finger to her lips. “I think I see what’s going on here…” I grinned brightly. “What?” She asked, after I removed my finger. “Culture Shock,” I said plainly. “You mean to tell me that our ways are opposite to yours?” She asked me, only to receive a nod, “Why would your females allow you males to be put in harm’s way?” “I suppose because that’s our lot in life. There are more of us than there are of them…” I shrugged. “I…I see… Since ponies birth about one male to every four females, sometimes as high as six to one, each stallion is precious.” She thought aloud. “With Danårians, its about five to four.” I stated as a matter of fact, “Even that ten percent difference has a significant impact.” “So, your people don’t live in herds?” She assumed. “Not exactly.” I shook my head, “If the subject you’re skimming around is that of polygamy, it’s not the norm. We’re usually monogamous.” “Usually?” She wondered about my choice of words. “Well, a union…a marriage if you will, to our people is not the same. It’s less a binding relationship and more a…breeding contract?” I shrugged, “Relationships with or between multiple partners, is not unheard of. Basically, so long as a contract is not broken, there is no legal basis for repercussion for any party involved. It really sounds more complicated than it is…” I explained, “Basically, so long as no one is harmed and no contracts are broken, it’s left up to the individuals involved, how their union is to function. Multiple partners and even partners from other species are not unheard of…though, as I said, they’re not the norm.” “How about you?” She inquired. I sighed. “A fair question.” I supposed, “My wife was the only partner with which I had a union during this lifetime. Though we both had relations with others on a few rare occasions.” “You sound pretty accepting of that.” She sounded surprised. “I suppose our people are fairly liberal on the subject of sex?” I chuckled. “So, if…you and I…?” She blushed deeply. “Whoa, slow down. We’re a long way off of that yet!” I placed my hand on her shoulder, “You are a fascinating individual and don’t get me wrong, I care for you very much, but that’s another issue altogether. I’m not so sure I would be comfortable with a physical relationship just yet…” “I’m sorry, I just assumed…?” She stammered, even more embarrassed. “Please thy stallion?” I wondered. “I suppose that’s one way to put it…?” She chuckled awkwardly. “Let me assure you of two things…” I said seriously, “One, I will protect you with my life. Of that, you have my word.” Only to grin deviously, “Two, it is a Danårian man’s place to serve his partner. To bring her honor, to bring her happiness, and most importantly, to bring her pleasure.” I finished with a wink. “Oh…” She blushed and in doing so, pulled off an above average Fluttershy impersonation! “So, do me a favor? Leave the being on edge to me?” I brushed my hand through her mane gently, “Seeing you happy and carefree puts my mind at ease.” “I…I’ll try.” She nodded, before placing a hoof on my chest, “…but I still get to fuss over you sometimes!” “Deal.” I agreed with a chuckle, after all, there was nothing I could do to stop her, “We should get moving. I imagine you need all the rest you can get?” “What about you?” She wondered, as we started walking once more. “I went through military training prior to leaving on the Cel'e’rah. I can go days without sleep if need be…” I shrugged. “The what?” She inquired. “That wasn’t part of the memories?” I said in surprise, “She was the Esterion-Class exploration vessel that Karai Negai and I were on…when…” “I’m sorry.” She said apologetically. “It’s alright. Though I am surprised that fact wasn’t conveyed to you from the memories?” I examined my thoughts for a long moment, before continuing, “Then again, I suppose I never held it against the ship? She did bring the crew back home, well some of it…” “You speak of it like it was alive…” She looked up at me curiously, “It wasn’t…was it?” “Well, no…but that doesn’t seem to stop our ships from having their own personalities. Their own likes and dislikes…” I thought back to all the times my wife complained about one thing or another about that ship, it seemed to like taunting her? As if playing little tricks on her was its way of showing affection?…or maybe it was just old superstition and we were sentimental sailors? “It’s an odd thing to explain…it’s a commonly held Danårian belief that by believing in something can make it so.” I reached down and picked up a stone without missing a step, “…That if I believed in it to my core that this stone were soft, I could squeeze it flat.” I dropped the stone inconsequentially, “If you get enough of us together to believe the same thing, it becomes an unstoppable force. The Om’dema, for example.” “The what?” She blinked, the translator clearly not conveying its meaning. “It means…” I thought for a moment, “Unity of will.” “So, I take it this is important?” She assumed, clearly interested. “Very much so.” I nodded, “Only seven times in Danårian history have our people resounded in one voice.” I stopped, causing her to turn to me, “The last was started by my great-grandfather, near the end of the war with the Jakial. It was the Roar of Triumph, or the Cry of Joy, depending on who you ask. He stood upon the peak overlooking the ancient capital city on the homeworld and all of our kin, no matter how far flung, resounded in their victory! It was the day our foes learned to fear us once more, for he had found our heart once more.” I am not going to lie, just the mere thought brought a tear to my eye… “Wow…” She mumbled, “Do you realize the energy you’re putting off?” “Huh?” I mouthed, before realizing that I was indeed radiating my aura without realizing it, and chuckled guiltily before withdrawing it, “I suppose I am?” “I still find it fascinating how you can use magic without a horn!” She exclaimed. “It’s not magic, it’s psionic-energy.” I informed her with a gentle shake of my head and a pat on her side to get her moving once more. “It feels like magic to me…” She stated defensively. “Call it what you like, there’s nothing supernatural about it. It’s merely the will of its user brought into the physical world.” I stated determinedly. “What about ambient magic?” She posed. “We’re not the only life forms that can produce and control energy.” I looked at her skeptically, “Look at stars and planets…” It was her turn to look at me skeptically. “Stars and planets are not alive.” She stated somewhat forcefully. “Oh, says the one that’s never seen a star born!” I chuckled dismissively. “You’ve seen a star being born?” She exclaimed in curiosity. “Three actually,” I said with a grin. “Oh, goodness, you have to tell me all about it!” She squealed giddily, that cute sparkle of curiosity igniting in her eyes… “Well, for the first, I was on The Desert’s Tempest...a newly commissioned Jarod-Class gunship, being put through her shakedown run…” I began, and her violet eyes locked onto me in fascination, as we enjoyed what was left of our walk to her home. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I could feel it there, at the very edge of thought, pulsing like a heartbeat. The faintest tremor of energy ran through the giant tree, acting like a massive relay, carrying the pulses even further along the planet’s lay-line network. There was something familiar about it…something unmistakable, unique. That was when it touched me and all I could feel was the desperation…the fear…the cold, empty, lonely feeling. That was when it called out for me… ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The two of us, Twilight and I, winked into existence inside the Princesses’ palace, almost exactly where I had appeared just days prior. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit hesitant at having my atoms disintegrated for teleportation, but I didn’t have time to waste waiting for a carriage. Glancing back at Twilight, she was exhausted from moving the two of us such a long distance. Leaning down I pecked her on the forehead in appreciation and a faint trickle of happiness flowed into my mind through our link. “Tau Niem, Twilight, I was not expecting you two…” Celestia said with a smile, though a twinge of curious concern fluttered at the edge of her speech. “I need your help!” I exclaimed, cutting her off rather abruptly. She promptly stood and descended from her dais, to be more-or-less at my eye level. “What is so urgent that you saw fit to endanger Twilight’s safety, rather than request a carriage?” The condescension was now more noticeable than her curiosity. I glanced back at Twilight, who was now resting on her knees, still out of breath. “You told me that you could do it.” I reminded her of her offer with a critical expression. “I did…” she said proudly. “Twilight Sparkle, I don’t expect you to omit something so important as your safety next time I ask…” I said, gently chastising her, before turning back to the princess, “It’s her, she’s here!” “You mean-” Celestia started. “-Karai Nagai is here?” Twilight finished the princess’ sentence, the two exchanging a glance. “Tau Niem, is there something you neglected to tell me?” Celestia asked me sternly, getting a sense that there was something her sister and her prized pupil had neglected to tell her. “I promise that I will explain later,” I assured her, “…but I really need your help. I do not know the lay-lines of this planet and Twilight Sparkle’s library is devoid of any maps there of!” “Slow down please,” She asked kindly, placing a hoof briefly on my shoulder, “…start at the beginning?” I gave her the brief synopsis of everything that had occurred that morning, omitting some of the more personal details… Until I arrived at the moments just before we left, when I felt her cries. I knew there was only one person it could be…only one. “…That’s when Twilight Sparkle said that she could teleport us here, so not knowing the potential dangers to her, I wasted no time in agreeing.” I explained. “There’s only one lay-line that runs through Ponyville proper,” Celestia said, without even having to reference a map, quite impressive, “It runs East-West. To the east are the fertile grasslands, and to the west…” “Are the badlands…” I recalled from a brief glance at one of Twilight’s maps. Celestia merely nodded. “Which would make sense, seeing as we captured her on the edge of our territory…” The trilling voice responded from the direction of the golden doors. The three of us looked back to see a Solar Guardsmare striding towards us. My marefriend looked at her curiously, the princess merely scowled and I, well, I tried to place the voice? However, at the sight of green magic scrubbing away her body, I knew who it was… “Queen Chrysalis…” I assumed, my voice almost a growl, as I placed myself between the over-tall changeling and Twilight, who now had incentive to take to her hooves despite her fatigue. “Ah, I see you know of me…? I assume it was you that she called to?” She continued trotting until she was within a few lengths of me, before stopping to examine me her eyes… “I can see why the mares are attracted to you,” she said in a teasing voice, to which I merely glared at her, “Oh now, don’t be that way…the scent of your love for Twilight here is positively intoxicating! So exotic…” She trilled even more than usual. “What have you done with her?” I asked outwardly calm, my voice as smooth as silk. Only Twilight, who had a link with my mind knew that was a bad sign…one that hinted to my rage being only barely contained, like an overstretched bubble. She did her best to calm me, even nuzzling against my side, but it was like trying to pent up a volcano with a swimming pool of water, it would scarcely stop its flow. “She is well.” Chrysalis assured me, “She makes poor food-stock…her mind is like a firm dam. Scarcely leaking any emotion.” “You have walked into the very hall of your enemy, one that if I am not mistaken, would gladly burn you to cinders where you stand, and for what?” I asked honestly confused as to her sudden and unexpected move, “What do you hope to gain?” “You of course,” she said deviously, though there was no hint of a lie in her voice. Did she honestly think that she could stride into the hall of her enemy and take me? No. I realized her plan then, she assumed that I would go with her...and ancestors damn her she was right. I nodded in understanding. “Take me to her.” I declared, drawing a gasp from the two mares. “You can’t be serious!? If you go with her, she’ll never let you go!” Twilight exclaimed. I knelt before my purple-mare, and cupped her cheek, which she eagerly nuzzled against. “You know I cannot leave her there.” I said with a shake of my head, a slightly sad expression sneaking through, “I would do the same if it were you…” She closed her eyes and sadly sighed. All I could think of to reassure her was to hug her tightly to my chest and pour my love over her. I knew that she hated it, but I had no other choice, there was no way that I was going to leave my love in the hooves of the changelings. I had already promised to walk through fire and ice for my love, and I meant it. No torture would be too much to suffer to hold her once more…nor any greater than her continued absence. “I understand…” She whispered in my ear, prompting me to release her. Rising, I looked deep into those bright green eyes of Chrysalis and nodded. “Lead on.” I ordered firmly. The changeling-queen nodded subtly in acknowledgement, even as Twilight glared death toward her. “Tau Niem, you know I can’t let her leave this hall.” Celestia spoke smoothly, but I could tell that she was furious. I turned to face her. “Princess Celestia,” – I added her title and the formality was not lost on her – “you know that I must be reunited with my love and she is the only one that can see it happen.” “Think about what you do…once you head down this path, there is no going back.” She said as a warning. I smiled and a single tear came to my eye, knowing that what she said was true. “I cannot turn back from this, I am honor bound. Nay…I am bound by something more powerful. Love.” I grinned with determination, a man resigned to his fate, “Do what you must.” I turned my back to her… Alea iacta est. “Guard!” She shouted. I smiled to my mare and bolted toward the golden doors with every ounce of speed I could muster. Even had I not sensed them coming, I would have heard the clatter of arms and armor fill the castle. I laughed as I ran. Even as Chrysalis sped ahead on translucent wings, I sprinted through the grand corridors at a speed that even the fleet footed Pheidippides would’ve been proud of! Somehow, through a combination of luck and skill - and maybe, a few torn tapestries - I managed to keep just ahead of the guard, until I finally exited the main doors. Snapping off one of the small columns that held up an adjacent handrail with my telekinesis, (my mind at the moment didn’t question why ponies had handrails?) I jammed it into the handles of the doors. That would at least slow them. Turning about, I didn’t even manage to cover three paces, before I was halted in my tracks. Between myself and the open outer-gate waited one resolute stallion. He stood, spear in hoof, his purple and gold armor glinting in the sun. I sighed, knowing that there was no way I was going to get past him without a fight. Glancing back, I saw the door jump as the first of the guards set about kicking at it. I turned back to the white unicorn, a hint of sadness on my features. “I don’t suppose there’s any way you’d let me pass?” I ventured a guess, it was rude to merely challenge a man in my culture without provocation. “You know I can’t.” He stated, not at all happy about the fact. “Then, you leave me no choice, I must leave those gates.” I declared and started my decisive march towards him. “Turn aside, Tau Niem.” He asked…no it was more, he was subtly begging. “I cannot. I have no choice.” I shook my head, still bearing down on him. “Of course you do, turn back and explain yourself to the Princess!” He shouted at me. “You should know, I do this not for honor, but for love.” I felt pure psionic power course through my veins as I prepared for this, what might be my last fight… Suddenly, a large pink form settled before me, wings outstretched defiantly. Her light purple eyes glaring down at me. “Stop this!” She commanded me. I looked up at her, both pleading and determined – it was the look of a desperate man. “Mi Amore Cadenza, move aside, I do not want to hurt you.” I spoke forwardly, in a quiet voice. “I won’t let you hurt my husband.” She declared forcefully. “He stands between me and my love.” I revealed to her, a tear coming to my eye despite my constitution. “Shining Armor, stand aside.” She asked her husband over her shoulder in a tone that sounded more like an order. “Honey, I cannot. Celestia ordered the guard to stop him.” Shining Armor replied, saddened to deny the wish of his wife. She stepped to the side, to look at him and gestured toward me with her forehoof. I tried my best to look strong, but at the prospect of losing my one chance to be reunited with her, I could not stop the tears that had come to my eyes. Nevertheless, I was determined, I would die before I failed her again. It was the least I could do… “My husband stands between you and your love?” Cadence asked for confirmation, to which I nodded, “You would do anything to be with her?” “I have traveled a hundred sixty-eight lifetimes to be with her and I would travel them all over again, if it meant I could have her back,” I said with difficulty. “You will fight for her?” She turned to her husband though she still spoke to me, he needed to know what the man was feeling right then, because she knew the feeling herself. “I will fight until he moves aside, or one of us lies dead.” I assured him, “I will fight even if I am bloodied, I will fight even if I am broken…I will fight until there is nothing left in this mortal shell.” A silence fell over us. “Honey?” Cadence’s soft voice floated through the air, making him look up…she nodded. “Go!” He growled, looking down at the paving stones under his hooves. I didn’t need to be told twice, I broke into an open run for the gate. Only at the last second did I stop, wrapping my arms around the stallion and planting a kiss on his lips. If I had the time to stand and watch, I might have found his complete look of shock humorous! However, before he even knew what had happened, I had returned to running across the drawbridge and down the road. “I love you two!” I shouted back to them, swiftly disappearing into the distance.