//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight // Story: A Pale Light // by Nobrains //------------------------------// Chapter Eight The hot air beat down on the old stallion's neck. He was sitting in his boat, trying his best to get back to his old life. For some reason he had found himself along the lake's shoreline, unable to recollect any of his memory since his last day in his boat. The strangest part was how everyone else seemed to suffer from the same brief period of memory loss. It just couldn't be explained, and all the people in Hoofington just seemed to push it away and kept going on with their daily lives. That was until the group of Minotaurs had shown up earlier today, however. They seemed to be studying them for some reason, as if they were making sure they were okay. They were polite enough; especially their leader. What was his name....? Totring? Troten? Something like that he was sure. They stayed in town for a while, but among them was a strange being that stood on two legs like the Minotaurs, but his ankles were jointed further down his legs and he was wearing something that only ponies in Celestia's royal guard would wear, it was shiny and metallic and engraved in many places. The stallion got the hint that this creature was important, that everyone that was among the Minotaurs, including several ponies, were important. The Minotaurs and ponies eventually left town after several days, except for the odd creature and a certain green unicorn. They stayed out of everyone's way, seeming to not want anything to do with anyone else. That was fine for the majority of the town, they simply wanted to get on with their lives without anymore distractions, enough weird things had already happened. It just so happened today however that he was not out on the lake by himself, though. He looked over to the other boat floating in the middle of the lake, where that particular green unicorn was dipping her hooves slowly into the water, staring at her reflection. The strange creature was in there, too. He had learned that he was something called a human, and should be treated with the highest respect. Why he did not know, but he couldn't help but sense that the human had done more than he could ever imagined. The old stallion turned to the other side of the boat; happy to enjoy his freedom in the lake once more, even if he had to share it for this day. *************************** Lyra splashed at the water, leaning her head on the boat's edge. She couldn't believe what had happened. Everything seemed to be back to normal, and that was hard enough to believe. To think that the simple shattering of a heart could restore everything in the blink of an eye. All that had been frozen over completely couldn't remember a thing about the Icebringers. She wondered if Celestia or Luna even remembered all of this. It didn't seem very likely. So it was like a chapter in Equestria's history that never really happened. For once, she didn't feel like gloating about her adventures. In fact, she was happy that only a select few knew what had happened: her, Titus, and several of the Minotaurs including Totem. It was like their own little secret, and that was the special part of it. They had saved the world again, and nopony was going to know this time. Now the world was back to normal, with its unseen guardians looming over it constantly. She looked at her reflection; eventually splashing the water, distorting her image. When they went back to Ponyville, She and Titus would be the only ones that remembered this. There was one thing Titus didn't remember, however. The night when they were stuck in the library in Ponyville, she had kissed Titus while he was half-conscious. It was a selfish act, she knew. But it seemed necessary at the time. She wasn't sure she would get another chance due to the deadly temperature drop. She soon followed Titus in slumber soon after, and she was surprised she had remembered the act herself. It was a memory she would cherish forever, and she couldn't help taking a look at the Paladin who was simply resting his eyes on the other end of the boat. He was always dozing off, she thought. She didn't mind that much, but she had a wild idea form in her mind. It was a long shot, but this was more than likely the perfect time. She quietly made her way over to Titus' side of the boat, careful not to cause creak or a change in the way it floated. She quickly placed herself fairly above the Paladin, careful not to touch him or risk him waking suddenly. It was now or never. With a quick bonk on the head, Titus could only act reflexively and jump upwards. Right into a kiss from Lyra. For a few seconds, they were frozen there and Lyra was actually surprised it had lasted this long, and in the end it was her that broke the contact. She was shocked to see the Paladin's face completely red, showing even through his beard. He looked off the side of the boat quickly began to pretend that what had just took place never happened. He was embarrassed! She didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but she needed to take a chance. She came to his side. Trying to catch some sight of his red face, but he had it hidden expertly. “Hey come on...” He grumbled something, but she couldn't make it out. “What? What’s wrong?” He poked his eyes out from his folded arms. “I shouldn't feel like this,” and he quickly buried his head beneath his arms once more. She almost giggled when she heard this. So he did feel something! She wanted to hop right out of the boat and splash around in happiness from the joy the news had brought. But Titus seemed less pleased than her at the turn of events. She squirmed up behind him and wrapped her hooves around his neck in the all too familiar fashion that they had both been accustomed to for too long. She rested her chin on the top of his head. “Why shouldn't you, huh?” she was giggling now from sheer pleasure. “It's just love...” Titus shot up, nearly knocking her off his back. “Don't call it that!” He hissed. “Then what is it, then?” She asked. He sat back down. “I don't know... I just know I shouldn't be feeling it...” Lyra felt bad for her human. Of course he would have conflicting emotions about such a thing! He wasn't even from this world, and she didn't know how the whole intimacy thing worked over in Azeroth. She could have asked, but thought better of it around him. She felt her heart ache. She wanted to reach out to him and make him calm down and understand. But how could she help when she was the one causing the confusion? It wasn't something she could fix, it was something he had to figure out on his own. Then something shot into her mind. What had Colgate told her? To be assertive! How could she have forgotten? Now was the time to force the issue. “Hey!” She bonked him on the back of the head. “It's not something anypony can help! It just happens and you should be grateful for it!” She paused for a second, trying to let her words take effect. “Besides... I kind of... you know... love you too.” Titus turned back to her, the red in his face gone. “I would never have guessed.” She giggled again and smacked him softly on the head. Then rested her own head on his shoulder. “Why do you have to be so pent up about this, huh?” “Because,” he grumbled. “It isn't right.” “It's wrong to love a pony that loves you too?” She was having all sorts of fun with this conversation. “What did they teach you back in your world?” “A lot of stuff. Just nothing on this.” “Look...” She was trying to find the words to say, to get this right. If she failed it might have disastrous repercussions. “One thing we should all have learned... is that it's not about race or anything like that. It's about character, and I'll be honest...” She was trying to grab at stray words now. “I don't think anyone has the kind of character you have...” Titus turned his gaze down, he was thinking. He had to be thinking about things that went against everything he had known and had been taught. She hopped off his back. She wanted to make sure he understood what was going to happen next. She broke into his downward gaze, looking up at him with huge, yellow eyes. “It's not like you have a choice in this, you know.” Titus looked surprised for a minute, his mouth hanging slightly open, then closed it and the mouth farmed to an awkward smile. “If you put it that way,” he said shyly. She pulled herself onto his lap and held him tightly, knowing that everything was right in the world now. She forgot how they even ended up out here, but she was glad that it had happened. That everything had happened.