//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: Tranquility // Story: A Shadow Brought to Light // by k12314 //------------------------------// CHAPTER 19 Sure enough, Pinks was sitting up, looking over all of us. Our gazes met, and we stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. "Shadow?" She rubbed her eyes, as if she thought I were an illusion. "Pinks..." I almost started crying, but I managed to hold it back. I walked over to the side of her bed, and she put her hoof on my cheek. "I... I didn't think I was gonna wake up. It was dark, and I kept calling your name, but you wouldn't answer me..." She must've been dreaming while she was out, and she was having a nightmare. I gave her a hug. "It's alright... I'm here..." Everypony else in the room decided it would be wise to leave us alone, so they left. I saw Rainbow Dash mock-vomit while she flew out the door. Pinks started crying into my shoulder, and I could feel the skin under my coat getting wet, but I didn't mind. "It's alright... Celestia saved your life. She said something about not wanting me to suffer anymore. But I don't care about myself nearly as much as I care about you, Pinks. I don't care how or why you lived, I'm just glad that you did." She stopped crying and leaned back, staring me straight in the eyes. "Don't think about yourself like that, silly-filly. You should worry about everypony, not just me." "I do, Pinks. But... You're the most important thing in the world to me. We may've only been going out for almost two months, but you've done more in that time than any other pony has in my entire life." I hugged her again, and smiled, the content showing on my face. I felt like everything was right at that moment. Something kept eating at me in the back of my mind, though: The gang. They'll be back, and they won't be happy. I don't want Pinks being exposed to all of that violence, or have it used on her... Again." I shuddered at that last thought. What had they done to her? I almost had a panic attack at the thought of all the terrible things that could have happened in that warehouse while I wasn't there. "Pinks...?" "Yeah?" "What exactly did those guys do to you in there?" She frowned a bit, but understood my concern. "Well, they just hurt me really bad. They hit me, either with their hooves or with different things, like a bat or a metal rod. It really hurt, but that's all they did for a while. They were going to... Have their way with me, and then you saved me." I almost threw up. I'd stopped them from raping her. "They were gonna WHAT?! They're all dead. I'm gonna kill them all." Pinks saw me gritting my teeth in anger. "Please, Shadow, don't do anything you'll regret..." I took a few deep breaths, and took a long look at Pinks. When I first met her, I thought that she was just a crazy mare, running around and throwing parties. Then, I thought she was never serious about anything. But now, I know that under her mask of constant happiness, she's just like any other pony out there. She worries about things, she fears things, she hates things. She just covers it all up with an act. "Shadow?" I snapped out of my deep thought, and realized our faces were mere inches from each other. Pinks was blushing, but I know that I was too. I could feel the heat in my cheeks... Or was that just her breath hitting my face? I couldn't tell, because by the time any of those thoughts crossed my mind, our lips were locked together. I couldn't focus on anything else around me but Pinks, as if we were the only two things in the entire world. But, just as soon as the sensation came, it went. I was standing in Pinks' hospital room, and I felt AMAZING. "... Wow..." Amazing statement, huh? Pinks just giggled. "That was nice... I think I feel better already!" She climbed out of bed. She didn't even wobble a bit when she stood up. "One could say that you're feeling 'Pinkie keen.'" Pinks started rolling on the floor, holding her sides. I just stood there and laughed, even harder so because of her reaction. "I knew it would be funny, but really?" Pinks wiped a tear out of her eye and nodded. "So... What do you wanna do now?" "IWANNAGOONADATE!" "WAIT WHA-" Before I could even react, she had me by the hoof, and we were halfway down the road. Nurse Redheart had to sign Pinks out. Oops. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "... And I was just yelling out for you! It was so scary! There was even a part where I saw you, but you just turned and started walking away... And the faster I galloped, the quicker you went." We were on a cliff just outside of town that overlooks the ocean. Pinks was telling me about her nightmare, and it sounded horrible. "Well, no matter what you have a nightmare about, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere... I Pinkie Pie promise." "Thanks, Shadow." She nuzzled my neck. A breeze whipped up, and Pinks' hair swayed lazily. She looked beautiful. She noticed me staring, and giggled a bit. "Enjoying the view?" "Yeah, I am." I blushed a little bit, but she just laughed. "It feels weird being up and about after being in a bed for so long. But now I can throw more super-duper parties!" She jumped for joy, and I gave her a little "Yeah!" in response. "Finally, things are getting back to normal. Well, as normal as they can get around here."