Choice.
Such a simple word, with such a simple meaning.
An act or instance of choosing, selection.
It is something we do every day, often with little to no thought to the repercussions of our choices. Admittedly, most choices are harmless. The choice of what one will have for breakfast is not likely to rock the foundations of Equestria for instance, nor will the choice of what music you will listen to be it dubstep or classical or even something in between.
Very few ponies will ever be faced with the opportunity to make such a choice, likely only the Princesses and a select few of the military will ever make such a choice. But even if I will never make a choice that will have such lasting effects on Equestria I find myself now facing a choice that will forever alter at least two lives.
On the one hoof, I can choose to say yes and bring such joy to those anxious, searching eyes. To agree to a lifetime full of hope and despair, joy and sorrow, of waking up every morning wrapped up in her hooves, feeling her warm breath against my neck as we both wake to greet Celestia’s sun. To see her face scrunch up in anger as we argue back and forth over who has the better genre of music, her muzzle scrunching and eyes crinkling in the most adorable way. To agree to everything that comes with living with another pony, of fighting her for every scrap of blanket I can. Who would have guessed she would be such an outrageous cover hog?
I smile as I look into those beautiful entrancing eyes, how often have I simply sat there and lost myself in their shining depths?
On the other hoof, I can choose to say no. To choose to say no and do what I’ve always done when somepony has gotten too close to me. I can choose to run, to bail and find a new city to live in. How many times have I done that? I’m sad to say that I’ve lost count; I’ve left a trail of broken hearts across Equestria. From the harbors of Manehatten, the sky scrapers of Fillydelphia, Baltimare, even in the glorious mansions of Canterlot I’ve left ponies weeping and cursing my name.
You may ask why. Why have I done such things? The simple truth is I’m scared. I’m scared of what it’ll mean if I stay with them. If I have to give up my freedom and settle down, say that I’m in love with one mare and only one mare for the rest of my life. I’ve never been ready to accept such a thing, always running and moving on.
But, as I looked down into those eyes that were just starting to have a tinge of worry enter them I found myself starting to smile. For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel that overwhelming urge to run away. I…I felt safe. I knew that the mare who was gently gripping my left foreleg in both of hers would never hurt me, would never abandon me and would forever stand by my side and proudly proclaim me as her wife and herself as mine.
I have to admit, as I felt tears begin to gather in my own eyes and my throat started to choke up, I never thought I would find such an amazing special somepony. As a filly I had always dreamed of finding a nice stallion to be with but as I got older and realized that I was more interested in mares that dream changed to be a special mare. But as I destroyed relationship after relationship that dream started to fade until it was dust in my hoof.
Just as I had resigned myself to my self made fate, she came into my life. I’ll never forget that first moment I saw her; she wasn’t even performing for a crowd or anything special. She was just out, shopping for groceries, just a normal every day activity. But from the first moment I saw her, I was entranced. I admit that I may have made a bit of a fool out of myself as I followed her around the store, not even pretending to shop just watching her.
Needless to say she quickly finished her shopping and left, though I had enough sense to stop following her as she left. It took me nearly a month after that before I found her again, this time shopping in a different store no doubt to avoid the strange pony that had been following her. It had been a good plan and had I kept going to the same store in hopes of finding her again it would have worked, but I had been going around to different stores trying to find her ever since that day. She wasn’t exactly thrilled to see me but I eventually got her to agree to go out with me on one date and if she didn’t like it I swore I would never ask her out again.
That date was the best time of my life. I know that ponies like to make such dramatic statements and they’ve got twenty different best such and such but this truly was mine. I have never been happier, never felt such a connection with another pony before. I knew that here was somepony special, somepony to be treasured and protected.
I was brought out of my rambling reminiscing as I felt her hooves give mine a squeeze, trying to illicit an answer out of me. To make my choice.
Choice.
Such a simple word, with such a simple meaning.
My smile went from a soft, small smile to a full blown ecstatic grin as I nodded, whispering out my answer.
“Yes. Yes, a thousand times yes Octy, yes. I will marry you.”
Then the most beautiful sight in the world, those amethyst eyes going from worry to joy. Seeing them light up and shine with love is something I will never get tired of seeing.
The gorgeous grey mare holding my hoof let out a happy cry, slipping the engagement band on it before surging to her hooves and capturing my lips in a heart melting kiss. As my eyes slipped shut and I wrapped my forelegs around her I felt the last of my doubts fade away. As her lips parted and her tongue slipped into my mouth I knew that I had made the right choice.