Cure For a Toxin

by RadBunny

Chapter Forty Four: Relaxation

The nightmares were different.

Before, Toxic usually could handle them with the various techniques taught by Luna. But now?

He woke up, body plastered in sweat as his barrel heaved for breath. He could still hear that monster’s laugh, breathing out all sorts of threats of what he intended to do to Gelliana when Toxic failed.

He knew it was a mind game. Toxic knew it was personal. He had seen worse things. But when it was her…all prior horrors paled in comparison.

Toxic could still see Gelliana’s body blowing away in the wind, her features turned to ash.
Sliding out of bed, Toxic softly made his way over to the window, the island’s lights sparkling softly. Gelliana was still asleep from a quick glance; her bed located next to his; a simple accommodation to be close on bad nights.

He took a few moments, finally then starting to walk over to Gells. That was his therapy assignment; to ask her for help. Even if she needed the sleep…

“Gells?”

“I’m up, Tox,” she said immediately, yawling and blinking blearily. “Sort of. Dozing. Heard you get up.” Her ears immediately perked upon seeing him staring at the floor. “Toxic?”

The gryphoness’s eyes shone with concern as the pony shook his head.

“Just a nightmare. I’m just glad y-you’re ok,” Toxic whispered, tears running down his face. “You…I lost….”

The gryphoness immediately scooted off the bed, the stallion melting into her arms as he sobbed. She rocked him back and forth, Toxic’s limbs shivering as he tried to escape the horrors in his mind.

“I’m ok, Tox. I’m not going anywhere. Ever,” Gelliana whispered fiercely. Reaching out to snag a blanket and a pillow, the gryphoness held her stallion tight as she rocked him to sleep. Toxic quickly dozed off amid the familiar scent of her feathers, a tight hug chasing the fleeting nightmares away.

She promised to help him through all of this, and Gelliana wasn’t about to go back on her word.

They were a team, after all.

---

“These mornings are not my favorite,” Toxic muttered over a steaming breakfast, Gelliana abruptly breaking out in giggles. A few days had passed since their therapy session, and neither of them had been getting much sleep.

Unfortunately, that was due to entirely unpleasant circumstances.

“Well, we can be tired together,” Gelliana said with a sigh, flopping down next to Toxic, the two of them sporting circles under their eyes. “At least you’re with me. And I’m with you.”

“That makes things significantly better,” the stallion said firmly. “Much, much better, headache aside.”

“And you have been doing rather well at your assignment,” the gryphoness said cheerfully, snuggling up against her stallion. “Which in turn makes me quite happy.”

“I didn’t know it was that big of a thing.”

“Well, I’d prefer it if you didn’t have nightmares,” she admitted, “but the fact you let me know; it almost makes you seem ok, even if you’re not. It’s difficult to explain.”

“Well, it’s a lot harder than I thought,” Toxic grumbled, “I am not used to having someone there to help and stuff. Still is going to take some getting used to. But I’m not complaining in the slightest. It’s a good change.”

Gelliana let out a happy hum, the drowsy gryphoness burrowing into his shoulder.

“Still better than running from those freaky things. And at least my feathers are clean,” she said, forcing herself a bit more upright lest she doze off again.

“Speaking of which, I don’t think I ever told you how ingenious you were over there,” Toxic said seriously. “Like, burying yourself in the mud? That was some quick thinking!”

A rather embarrassed blush lit up Gelliana’s face as her stallion gushed, the gryphoness’s feathers poofing as he leaned over onto her shoulder.

“Does talking about it help?” he asked cautiously, “I only know for me that I’m used to it. But for you…”

“When it’s less focused on what happened and more of the good, it feels ok,” she admitted. “Especially when you’re being cheesy and trying to get me to turn into a puffball.”

The stallion gasped in mock horror, drawing a hoof across his chest.

“I would never do such a thing!” he proclaimed. “Besides, I was being serious. Of all the things we experienced, a muddy spa date wasn’t on the list of expectations for that month.”

Gelliana then saw his eyes light up.

“Hey, Gells. I have an idea.”

“Toxic. I know what you’re thinking. And the answer is no.”

“You do not know what I was going to suggest!”

Gelliana reached over and tapped his lips with a claw, a playful smirk on her beak.
“You were about to suggest a trip to a spa. And probably have us get clay masks. I’d really like to avoid that sensation for a bit.”

The stallion initially pouted, but then nodded his head in agreement.
“Ah. That-I didn’t think about that,” he admitted. “Perhaps some time in the geothermal hot springs?”

“Now you’re talking.”

---

Icait happily began to stack the pile of books, the Windigo humming to herself. Things were just nice. No new crazy events, just a normal day. Most ponies would think it was boring. Having a job and all that.

But this is exactly what Icait had been dreaming of. She had her own apartment (well, sort of,) a job that paid for her bills and some, and just her own life.

If she wanted to take a short break to go watch the ocean? Totally could do it.
Eat herself sick at the cafeteria? Unwise, but 100% possible.
She was free. And that was the best feeling of all.

Her special somepony was starting to perk up too, in his own way. Onyx was still a grump, but there was a softer side to the shadow-pony that was starting to peek through, especially on their dates.

He was trying, and that was all Icait could hope from him.

---

Onyx trotted down the island’s main path, looking at the signs since he still got lost now and again. His goal was fairly simple, however. Aside from restarting his ‘how to live a normal life’ lessons with Starlight, the shadow-pony had gotten another job.

Why he got so much joy out of sharpening dull blades, the shadow-pony didn’t know, but it was nice. Simple, repetitive, and gained visible results.

Now, however, he was on the stage of ‘surprise Icait’ of his day. The Windigo was just…

He was smiling again, the Shadow-pony shaking his head. They still had regular dates, and being around her felt unique. That was the only word he could put to it. Good, and unique.

To that end, the shadow-pony was on his current path to make his favorite Windigo smile. He didn’t really understand ‘flirting’, certainly not how to do it. Onyx could comprehend the purpose logically, especially when it boiled down to ‘making someone you like smile.’ That made it easy.

It was an uphill battle, the last thing the entity wanted to do was indicate to Icait he didn’t like her in any way. But he just wasn’t naturally like other ponies, in more ways than one.

But he promised to try, and trying was getting easier and more enjoyable.

Making his way to the library, Onyx poked his head into a few of the isles. Now, where was she…

Finally locating his target, Onyx silently crept up along the floor. When she was turning away, he plopped his head on the pile of books and waited. The happy smile on Icait’s face, coupled with the surprised squeak as she turned to look made the shadow-pony’s chest swell with warmth.

Perhaps making other creatures happy wasn’t as asinine as he once thought. One, in particular, was proving that adage wrong time and time again.

---

Varti let out a grumble, the screens in front of him tracking various data points throughout the mainland. The Shadow-King was still on the run, and that was obnoxious, to say the least. The usual reports from Canterlot were fairly unhelpful, but they were trying.

What was odd came in the form of a fluctuating signal on many of the recent reports transmitted by the Royal Guard. It was from the Canterlot Communications Room, a highly secure area. And yet his inquiries to them had revealed no oddities on their end.

It didn’t help that the signal came and went.

It could be just the interference from some sort of magical device, or it could be something else. What ‘else’ encompassed was what Varti was worried about. He had already sent a message to Celestia that it was likely there was a spy in their midst; this odd signal could be the result of that.

But an accusation with no evidence held very little water.

The Yak huffed, scanning over the other screens to his right. They had no leads on the Shadow-King, nothing definitive. Odd magical signatures were popping up at random locations, but nothing cohesive.

“Where are you. Stupid slippery shadow,” he muttered.

The sound of hooves made him glance over, a smile twitching at the Yak’s face.
“Hello, Fide.”

“Varti,” the mare replied, looking over the screens. “No sign of our enemy?”
“Just a bunch of odd signatures. We investigate them, but it’s always just nothing or a rogue unicorn’s spell. The only other thing is an irregular signal during our Canterlot communications.”

“Odd indeed. My sister and I still have not located the King. When we do, he won’t escape again,” the mare said with a hint of annoyance.

“That would be best. Toxic and Gelliana are still recovering, as best as they can,” Varti added softly, “I don’t know how they’d fare with another major disruption. I’m surprised at their resiliency thus far.”

“Likewise. They are a curious pair,” Fide agreed. She then paused, Varti glancing over to her curiously. Was she blushing? Her body language was subdued, almost embarrassed, shy, and unsure.

“If you have time, I was wondering if we could discuss new reactor designs,” she asked, Varti shrugging off his previous observations. Perhaps he had been-

“Over lunch.”

That made the Yak pause, his full attention now on the clearly-unsure mare.

“May I be bold and suggest such a meeting isn’t about reactor designs, which we have already discussed at length?” Varti asked kindly, Fide looking up and nodding once.

“You would be correct,” she said, her usual confidence having been replaced by genuine confusion and curiosity. “You are an interesting individual. And I would like to know more.”

“Well, Fide, likewise. Lunch it is.”

The genuine, cheery smile that lit up Fide’s face made Varti’s entire day.

Well, the now-planned date had already done that. But it was still improved.

Author's Note:

A shorter chapter, but progress on many fronts! Everyone getting used to their new 'normal.'

Comments

[Starkvb]

Varti and Fide. I knew it

[RadBunny]

11165194

[Kiper]

That is weird. I've been tracking the series since the end of Timeless. Been on my phone constantly for the last six hours and never saw the update in my tracker. Was only when I got a groups notification about 10 mins ago that it showed this story had updated.

[RadBunny]

11165404
Hmm. That's odd indeed! I haven't changed the groups it's a part of or anything.

[Starkvb]

11165404
I never got a tracker notification either. I just happened to see it when I was looking through the notifications tab this morning.

[RadBunny]

11165447
I have no idea what would cause that.

[MathBrony173]

For some reason, I get a 'calm before the storm' feeling about this chapter.

Also I knew Varti and Fide would be a thing at some point. Not gonna lie, I was sorely tempted to make an Oprah meme where you're like "You get a date and you get a date and YOU get a date!" Still did meme, I guess, but just described it.

I will say, though, that if this happens with the King of Shadows, you have officially gone too far.

[RadBunny]

11613171