//------------------------------//
// 7. Choose 
// Story: Solace 
// by ThatLimeyFuck 
//------------------------------//


Your heart threatens to jump out of your chest. But your body does not express such a demeanour.

You look into her captivating golden eyes, and give a curt nod.

"A-And you're not the one who did...that...to me, are you?"
You break your silence, fighting past the lump in your throat.
"If I had done that despicable act to you, why would I even be allowed here?"
As you speak, she stops in her tracks, and her eyes go wide, accompanied by a gasp.
"I-It w-was you!"
You stop, too, with a renewed hope. She knows who you are?
"You...you know me?"

"Your voice! It was YOUR voice I heard!"
Tears began to stream down her face. And from what you could tell, they were tears of joy. A smile comes to your face, and you well up, too.
"For the longest time, there was nothing, I was walking in the park one evening when this...thing, like a rift, opened up, and out jumped something looking like you. It took me, and they did..,they did horrible things, things I don't even know. I couldn't see anything, like the world had gone dark. All I could see was nothing, and all I could hear was white noise, it was...it was horrifying, I was terrified. I tried to scream, but I couldn't, and there was no-one to help me."

Her depiction shakes you to your very core, and you bring yourself down to eye level with her.
"But one day, something happened, I heard a voice, someone nearby. Whoever it belonged to took me in, and wanted to look after me, and with that knowledge, I was able to rest comfortably. And when I woke up, the sleep was just what I needed. I could feel the rift, the magic on the other side, like a beacon. I couldn't have gotten back here without you. You must've had no idea what I was dragging you into, but you still put faith in me."
Her shaky excitement gave way to an ecstatic whisper.
"You saved me."
Without another word, she wrapped her forelegs around you, pulling you in tightly, crying tears of joy in full force, unable to form any words but "thank you" over and over and over.
Her hug completely blindsides you, and you sit bewildered for a moment, before you drape your arms around her back. The time for words was over. You'd done what you had to do.

Now was the time to choose.
After a minute in blissful silence, you whisper to her.
"I've seen my efforts through to the end, you're safe. I hate to say it, but...this might be where we part ways. After all, it's not like anyone else in this town is on good terms with me, and I still have a life back home."
Lyra's hold on you closed even tighter like a vice, before she spoke back.
"I have faith in you. And as long as one pony does, there's hope that everyone else can see you for the person you really are."
Only one question remains now.

Stay. Or go.