//------------------------------// // Ambiguity // Story: Aberrant Memories // by Solarip //------------------------------// What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce. We finally broke free from our embrace. It lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like forever. Her pineapple and packer gold mane brushing on my shoulders. Her eyes made contact with mine. Those emerald orbs look so bewitching. Her maize coat glows as the sun casts beautiful rays that warm everypony under it. Why it is so hot in here? Flare's cheeks turned to a lovely crimson red–an adorable sight to gawk at. "Are you okay?" she giggled. "What do you mean?" Really? What's wrong with me? "Well it's just..." she turned away. "It's just what?" "I-It's just that you're so cute when you're red." she's still giggling. Oh. She couldn't help but burst into laughter, falling on her back. The grass was beaten and as revenge, they brush on her coat. As a result, she laughed some more, louder to be exact. "HAHAHAHASTOPTICKLINGMEHAHAHA!!!" "But I'm not!" It's so tempting. She's just so vulnerable right now. "Unless you want to?" I continued while I wore a mischievous grin. I stepped closer towards her, put my hooves on her belly and I went all-out. "BPHFAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASTAHPHAHA!!! "I can't stop now, can I?" I said. "HAHAHAHAOHMYGUTAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! The grass and I worked in tandem and it all went well. Eventually, she stopped laughing, leaving tears on her eyes. With a smile on both our faces, we lied down on the grass beside a shady tree. How did we got there, you might ask? Well, she rolled until she bumped one of its roots, then she told me to lie down beside her. Although really shady, spots of the tree aren't fully blooming with leaves, so tiny rays of the sun got through and hit the ground. Some hit my abdomen and Flare's chest. It kept us warm and shaded. It's perfect for the both of us. Perfect enough to take a nap. With one hoof wrapped around her and another on my chest and her head held adorably close to mine, I closed my eyes and... A warm sensation on my lips. It feels familiar and reassuring. I opened my eyes to know what it is. The first I saw is Flare's eyelids closed shut. Then I felt something on my forehead. It's kinda pointy. I looked up, and it's her horn. It doesn't hurt, though. More importantly, her lips are touching mine. Since I've observed the scenario, it's better for me to close my eyes again and go with it. Her hooves wrapped around my body and mine around hers. She massaged my lips as I did so to hers. There's no battle for dominance. Our tongues danced as equals. There's nothing that would stop me from kissing her. Nothing but time and her. It lasted for a few seconds as we broke free from our physical bond. It felt like an eternity, but facts said it was only a few seconds. But during those meaningful seconds, a memory was crafted. Something that would last for it was shared with somepony special. We opened our eyes and we see each other, blushing as we try to imitate the color of roses. I can't help but stare to her eyes and smell her mane. The scent of lavenders is my weakness. I think I've been staring at her for a lifetime. Wait, reality tells me it's only been a minute. Can this awkwardness end? Luckily, she broke the silence. "Caramel." "What is it?" "I love you." That's the words I want to say to her, but I guess she said it first. Two hearts went closer and promises are to be made. But now, all I did is hold her closer and caress her smooth and silky mane. Even then, everything is perfect. The wind blows gently. The birds chirp harmoniously. The trees sway in time. The day is ripe and there's a lot of stuff that can be done. But now, I'll stay here, with her by my side. "I love you, too." It's a strange day in Canterlot as everypony sees and meets a strange pony. A mare to be exact. Nopony seems to know who she is, or where she came from. She doesn't have the heart to harm them, albeit she's a stranger to the elegant residents. Inside the royal castle are two alicorns–Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The alabaster alicorn had been observing Ponyville at a distance while Luna is gazing at the stars. Through the spyglass, Celestia spotted a threat. She was alarmed as soon as she saw her. "This is terrible!" the alabaster alicorn yelled, causing the Princess of the Night to jump. "What is it, sister?" Luna asked out of obvious curiosity. "It is about Ponyville." Celestia started. "The town is in grave danger. A large and murderous threat is at hand along the residences." she continued. "What might that threat be?" "A dangerous pony, who had been dormant for years, started to become active and unstable. She might burn the whole town to ashes in minutes. Her magic can and will cause this if we don't take cautious measures." she explained. "I still have no idea who it is you're talking about, sister." "You will soon enough." Celestia concluded. Luna, still curious, shrugged and left the room, saying nothing while making her way to the door. The stranger made its way to an alleyway not far from the heart of Canterlot. The shadows and darkness that shrouds the path ahead hid the mare's features to other ponies who might be following her. Galloping through with haste, she went through the alley faster than a train with broken brakes. At the end of the alley is a house like all the others, but its location makes it more eerie and suspicious. She went inside with a clicking sound of the doorknob, shutting the door and quickly locking it. She turned on the lights and her living room came into full view. It is dominantly blue, filled with figurines of famous ponies and simple artworks of unknown artists. At one corner, a furniture set and a coffee table are placed in front of a fireplace. The light also revealed the mysterious mare's features. She's a mint green unicorn with her mane lighter than her coat. Her mane has a simple trace of white as an accent. The same goes for her tail. Her cutie mark is a small brownish lyre. "I must find her, before it's too late." she whispered to herself. I woke up form a delightful nap under a shady oak tree. Judging from the lengthy shadows and the yellow orange gradient across the purple sky, I might have slept for almost an hour. We've been asleep for an hour. Flare took a nap shortly before I did. I slept after watching the clouds drift across the sky and as if upon a force of habit, count them as they pass by. I felt a weird sensation–something cold, slightly wet and shivering. I turned to see what it is. The only thing that fits the description is Flare Starlight. She's in cold sweat, shivering and surprisingly asleep. She might be having a nightmare. Now I'm having a nightmare–seeing her like this. She holds me tightly as she experiences this tribulation. I shook her gently to wake her up, but to no avail. I shook her the second time–a little vigorous this time–and her dreaded state waned. Her shivering slowly stopped, but the cold sweat didn't falter. The beating of her precious heart calmed down a bit. I think she's about to wake up. Or better yet, she had woken up. She suddenly opened her eyes, looking as if she had seen the Mare in the Moon. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She's pretty hesitant. Is she trying to say something, but she couldn't? Maybe if I calm her down, she can say whatever she needs to say. "Um... Flare?" She calmed down from the sound of my voice. She gently loosened her grasp on my foreleg. She nuzzled me on the cheeks with a reassuring smile. All I did was smile back. "Hm?" "Did you have a bad dream?" "Well yeah, but I've seen worse. Good thing is gone now, once I heard your voice." "That's good to hear." "While you were still asleep, you were shivering like a dog in a frozen tundra. Plus, you were sweating, real bad." I continued. "Oh." she said with a hint of melancholy. "I thought I stopped having those things a week ago. I felt really happy when I didn't wake up dripping of sweat. But I guess it came back. I don't know how to stop it, though." she explained. "Wait, you were having these things since when?" I got curious, and it can't hurt to ask. "I can't tell you exactly when, but I've been having these things for as long as he can remember. I don't even know how and why I got it. It's quite a mystery if you ask me." she sighed and made an adorable pout. Since she was a filly, she have been experiencing the same symptoms. That must feel horrible for her. If I were to have those, I would have gotten used to it. How can she simply go on with her life with some sort of burden of unknown cause on her back? A nightmare that always comes back as she sleeps. If that's the case, then I must be there for her. We're no longer friends, but a couple of amorous ponies with memories that keep us from forgetting what made us together. "What if..." I gently placed my hoof on her belly. Every rise and fall of her breadbasket is in stable rhythm with the faint sensation of her heart. Soft and tiny giggles are heard every time I shift my hoof left and right. All of it makes her adorable. With her head leaning on my shoulder and her hair tickling my cheek every time I move, she simply listens to what I will say. Her heart open to whatever I can say; her mind jogging on what I might say. I can even feel every inspire and respire of her breath. "What if you come to my house and stay there for the night? Sounds good?" I said without hesitation. "Really?" a confident beam brightened up her face as her ears perked up, sliding from my neck to my cheek. "Yup." "Yay!" she jumped in place like Pinkie would. "So, when do you wanna go?" I asked while Flare is busy being jumpy. "How 'bout now?" "Well, I guess. It's getting pretty late and I'm getting hungry." "So what're you waitin' for?" she said with a huge grin stuck on her face and a blush on her cheeks. I got up from the grass which have suffered enough pressure. With a reassuring hoof, I reached out to her to help her get up. She grabbed my hoof and with a mighty pull, Flare stood up. Still wobbly from the pull, she landed on my shoulder, but then quickly recovered. "Shall we?" I said gesturing the way home. It's already dark, but the sun still peeks at the sky. The sunset red of the sun and the evening blue of the night complements each other as the clouds try to imitate the sun and glow an orange hue. The stars on the other side twinkles humbly; the moon rises slowly as its counterpart sets. It is such a wonderful view. Flare and I try to enjoy such a scenery, but the thought of Flare got into my head and me into hers. At my side is the night while hers is the setting sun. We looked at our own sides, trying to turn and make eye contact. We walk the lit streets of Ponyville; our tails oddly tied to each other. Halfway through the journey, we finally made eye contact. Her eyes widened while she stares at me. Moments later, her face turns red. The same old red that I never forget. We stopped but we continued to stare at each other. Her emerald eyes stare at me deep down. Her coat blends with the sun's rays. Her mane blows with the balmy breeze as it glows with color. Her crimson red cheeks and her shy smile keeps it alive more than ever. To top it off, the setting sun made her whole body–including her tiny features–glow like the sun itself. Oh Celestia! This is a sight I'll never forget. She's just so beautiful. The both of us are sunken in deep red. Realizing that I've been staring at her for what seemed like forever, Flare quickly turned away and continued walking. I shrugged and followed her. "So where's your house?" Flare asked out of the blue. "What do you mean?" I know she'd just kidding around. "I mean, where's your house?" "Flare, you know where my house is." I said with eager disappointment. "I do?" Did she really forget? "Yeah. You go there every time back then." "I did?" "Yeah." "Well, I must have forgotten." "Well, it's a good thing we're going there." I think she did forget. "Yup." Her expression clearly shows that she's having a hard time remembering things. Has she really forgotten where my house is? Judging from her looks, I think she has. What else has she forgotten? Probably her own house. "Welp. Here we are." I announced as we stood in front of my porch. "Hey! It looks just like my house, only it has a balcony." she said out loud. She seems delighted to see it. Well at least she hasn't forgotten her own house. Speaking of forgetting, what happened to her? What made her forget things completely? It probably has something to do with her past. If that's the case, then I have to know what happened to her during our foalhood. What seems like a trivial problem turns to a somber dilemma if you cared for her, who needs your help the most. Her burdens turn to ours. Each act of kindness is a mark in her heart that never fades.