A Toxic Romance (Not A Part Of The Choose Your Own Adventure Mini-Game)
A Toxic Romance
I feel happy...and yet so very tired...
I've left everything I ever had behind just to get away, to escape her...Nightmare.
I suppose that I should explain what exactly I'm talking about, or who I suppose.
My name is Jason Storm and this is my story.
You see it all started on a day like any other. I had woken up, gotten ready and walked to school. And of course Sir Twatalot was there to meet with his usual greeting of pinning me against the gate and demanding I give him my lunch money.
Of course I denied him that luxury...and got absolutely battered as a result of it. But then I was saved, by a stick of all things hitting the great twit in the back of his head. I didn't know who threw it at the time but I distinctly remember thanking them fervently in my thoughts.
Anyway Sir Twatalot decided to be clever and try and find the culprit behind the stick...he never did find her.
The day went on like it usually did, albeit with me having a sore shoulder and random headaches. Eventually I went home and decided that some sleep would do me some good...only to be tapped on my rather sore shoulder by an unbelievable sight.
On my bed stood a tall and svelte midnight black Unicorn...with wings. Now I could say I reacted with grace and dignity, but I'd be lying. In truth I backed away and decided it would be clever to convince myself that it...she wasn't real. This only ended up upsetting the poor creature, or Nightmare Moon as she had introduced herself. She thought I was frightened not by her just randomly appearing in my...attic, but rather by her appearance.
At the time I didn't really see her as I did later on, but I did shush her fear by calling her pretty. This seemed to surprise her immensely and I really couldn't imagine why. But anyway after all the awkward talking she basically asked me if it was possible for me to befriend her.
Or as she put it, be her conversation pony.
I accepted this proposal, albeit because I thought I had gone nuts. But either way she responded to this by hugging the life out of me, stuttering a load of apologies and then more or less dragging me onto the floor with her to sleep.
She always was a bit forward...and very comfy.
The next day I woke up to find her looking at me with her peculiar eyes...and I panicked a little. But after a few convincing arguments and spinning me around like a beyblade I decided that she was indeed real.
It was at school when she first started to act...strange.
We arrived there after I had done all my usual morning stuff, washing, getting ready ect. Except when we got there she dragged me to one side and explained that Sir Twatalot was watching the gate, no doubt for me to walk in so he could beat the crap out of me again.
And then she pulled out a knife.
Now to say I was surprised would be a bit of an understatement. I mean she pulled it out of her mane...and her mane had been wrapped around me like a blanket!
Anyway after a bit of pleading I did manage to convince her not to stab him...although even to this day I'm not sure why. What Nightmare actually ended up doing to him was far worse than death...so much worse.
One second I was through the gate and he was walking towards me, and the next he was on the floor foaming at the mouth and screaming in agony.
And when I looked at Nightmare...She was smiling at the whole thing.
I ran.
But even then I didn't make it far. I made it into the toilets and locked myself in one of the stalls, scared out of my wits!
I mean she had just reduced one of the toughest, meanest son of a bitch I'd ever met to a quivering insane wreck. But even as I hid myself away she still came after me, claiming that it was all for me and that he couldn't hurt me anymore. I didn't know what to think. She sounded so upset and hurt that I had ran from her, and that made me feel like the world's biggest asshole.
It was then that she opened my stall and instead of being angry with me...she cradled me tightly, as if holding me with less force would allow me to slip away.
She was so warm, and her words were so comforting...What else could I do but accept her?
I was a fool...I thought that would be the last time she would do something like that.
It wasn't.
And it was all my fault for admitting how I felt about her.
It happened a little over a month after she had institutionalized Sir Twatalot. The day had been a little bit strange, at least for me. You see during that long month, Nightmare had been persuading me to eat healthier, as well as perform every horrible type of exercise possible.
And in doing so I had lost a lot of the puppy fat that came with only being sixteen, gaining muscle where it faded away instead. And this had caused me to gain some...admirers.
Namely a group of girls who weren't quite as subtle as they might have thought they were. Anyway I had refused their invitation to join them for the weekend, having already placed my eye on a certain someone else.
And when the day came to a close and we were both back in my room...alone.
I told her how I felt...and despite her argument that if we ever went to Equestria I would be attacked...or killed, I didn't care. I just wanted her and I knew she wanted me.
And so it was that we become a couple of sorts. I really enjoyed it too. The kisses and soft words of affection made it all worthwhile, even if no one could ever know or would ever know.
And then after a few weeks...we made love, under the moonlight in a grassy field. I suppose if anyone caught us it would have looked...awkward, seeing as only I could see and touch her. But I was beyond caring and so was she. It was a magical moment that I wished could last forever, and even when we finished we never let each other go.
It was that night that I finally told her that I loved her...and she me.
It was so beautiful, that moment. And even now as I continue to hide, I cannot help but remember it fondly.
As I suppose everyone does with their first.
But after that night...she became different.
It was small things at first. Like her sticking by my side like glue and always leading me away from those who wished to talk to me. I didn't particularly mind to be honest and even found it a little cute. But then as the months went by it...escalated drastically.
I first noticed it when I went to school, only to find out that one of the receptionists had been sent to hospital with the same symptoms as Sir Twatalot. When I asked who I couldn't help but be surprised to find out it was the same receptionist that constantly treated me like a child. In fact the previous day she had chucked a lollipop at me on my way out, saying in a rather unprofessional and sarcastic manner that perhaps I should wait for my "Mommy" instead of walking home in the storm that had brewed up.
I had never liked her all that much...but I had never expected Nightmare to punish her like that. I confronted her about it in the safety of my room, only for her to respond by telling me that she deserved it.
"I will never let anypony insult you and get away with it."
And that was just the start.
As the weeks turned into months more and more people from my school or street were sent to hospital with the same symptoms. And every time I confronted Nightmare I would only get the same response.
"Whoever dares to harm you harms me...after all you are mine."
It didn't matter if it was a simple hello or handshake. Anyone had the potential to harm me and that was unacceptable to Nightmare. It came to the point where I simply HAD to avoid everyone I came across, lest Nightmare deem them dangerous and rip into their minds.
And Sofia...oh that poor girl.
Sofia was a friend I had made briefly after Nightmare and I had gotten together. And as the madness of Nightmare continued she was quickly picked up upon as a danger to me... as well as romantic competition.
I pleaded with Nightmare not to do anything. I promised her that I only loved her and Sofia was just a friend that I could talk to normally, with Human problems and issues that Nightmare could never understand because when it came down to it she wasn't Human.
Oh what a mistake I made that day.
Nightmare hadn't really responded to what I had said, choosing merely to be quiet and stare blankly at everything.
I had never been so scared.
And my fears proved correct the next day, when Sofia was found motionless in her own home.
From what I had learned they hadn't been able to get as much as a word out of her. And from what I learned from Nightmare...Oh poor Sofia. Nightmare had attacked her mind with such fervently that she had completely wiped it clean of any normality.
I haven't checked for years...but I know she's still in hospital.
And what did Nightmare have to say about this when I confronted her?
"You have no need for anypony else but me my love, never forget that."
It was at that point that I finally realized just how far she had fallen. She had gone from the nervous and kind friend...lover, into an insanely jealous and overbearing Nightmare.
No pun intended.
But I finally knew that I had to get away, I had to run and get as far away from her as I possibly could. If I didn't then she would only hurt more people...
I considered breaking up with her by just flat out telling her so...but I feared so greatly what she might do to change my mind, so I stayed silent and decided to this in a different way.
I timed it, it took months and months of planning, earning just the right amount of money and booking just the right plane on the just the right day in just the right time. You see Nightmare had placed some sort of magical tracer on me that had to be recast twice a month.
"It's for your own protection my darling." She had said.
Anyway after a while I began to feel a certain tingling that would signal when it was about to vanish. So within all the months of planning I eventually figured out the right day and time to escape, knowing that if it all worked out then Nightmare would never be able to follow me...or hopefully never find me.
And when the day came to be, I left a note for my Mother telling her not to try and find me.
She never did...She never got the chance to try if the news is anything to go on.
Nightmare's anger is...immense, yet never directed at me.
Anyway on that day I asked Nightmare if she wouldn't mind stealing something from the nearby shop, telling her that when she came back we could cuddle up and watch a movie together. She had never trained me to be a deceptive as she herself was...but I had quickly picked up on it as my life became that much more dangerous.
Her expression when I asked her this was beyond happy. I suppose it was because of how distant I had been with her. Well with all that she had done I couldn't exactly help it. Anyway she gave me a deep kiss, tongue and all and then quickly flew off to the nearest shop.
I waited a few seconds just in case she came back...before quickly grabbing my duffle bag that I had hidden under a floorboard and racing out of the house. A taxi pulled up moments later just as I had ordered it too and I quickly got into it, chucking a twenty at the driver in advance and telling him to floor it.
A part of me can only imagine Nightmare's excited and happy face twisting into a confused and upset one whenever she came back, food and drinks in her magical grasp only to find out that I was nowhere to be found. It always makes feel like dirt if I'm being honest...I suppose despite all of what she did, I still feel something for her.
Just as I had planned, I felt the tingling sensation of Nightmare's spell vanishing by the time I had left my street. I arrived at the local airport not half an hour later, and although my flight was delayed by a few hours I still managed to catch it.
And so within twenty four hours I found myself lying in a bed, in a small two bedroom house that I had worked my ass off to purchase...As well as taking money from my Mother's bank account.
It was for everyone's safety I kept telling myself...Obviously I never thought of the possibility that Nightmare would take her anger out on my Mother.
And so here I am, in Australia or Darwin to be precise. I'm currently residing in a little house not too far from the Botanic Gardens. It's quite beautiful to be honest...it almost makes up for all the pain Nightmare caused others...because of me.
It's been five years since I left, I'm twenty three now. I've obviously changed my appearance, just in case Nightmare ever decided to visit Darwin. My once black hair has grown out, not too much but enough to no longer be considered short. I've also died it brown, which I have to constantly top up every so often.
But it's worth it if it keeps her from recognizing me.
I've also bought some green contacts, not that I need them but it does help to keep me anonymous. I've also taken up a job bartending in the Darwin sailing club, a rather popular place to be honest even if it is full of mostly old geezers.
"Hey Steve get us a couple of Ciders will ya?"
Oh yeah I almost forgot. The first thing I made sure I changed once I moved over here was my name. It took forever to do and I actually had to GO BACK to England just to get my birth certificate amended.
It cost me a pretty penny too.
But the result was worth it. I am now known as Steven Moon...I figured it would be safe to have the last one.
I suppose I'm a little ashamed to admit that I still needed to feel somewhat connected to her. And if I couldn't do it by touch then I'll do it with sentiment...Five years and I still can't go a day without her in my thoughts.
The good and the bad.
And now we get up to the present. I've just finished my shift and it's time to go home.
"Later Bob, make sure Jess buys you a drink this time."
Jess is one of my co-workers and she currently owes both Bob and I a drink for losing a bet. Well it was her fault for thinking she could out drink me, something that I've gotten pretty good at over the years.
"Will do Steve, get home safe and try not to get too drunk."
I just waved at him sarcastically and made my way home. Thankfully I don't live too far and so I've never been averse to walking. It's good exercise and if anything, Nightmare was good at keeping me in shape.
It was when I made my way through the market that something...or should I say somepony caught my eye.
I nearly stopped. Dead in the street, I nearly stopped.
It was only with great effort that I kept walking, my head down but not obviously so. And I could see her...how...why is she here?
She looked exactly the same as the last time I saw her. She hadn't aged as she told me she wouldn't...and she was still so beautiful. From what I could see, Nightmare was walking slowly and randomly looking at what the market had to offer.
Was she just sightseeing?
Was this all a coincidence?
Either way I continued walking forward. Whether she was here or not it didn't matter. What did matter was making sure she didn't know that I WAS HERE!
It was as I was almost past her that she decided to walk over to the other side, not looking at where she was going.
And why should she? Nothing could touch her...apart from me.
Thankfully I just about managed to avoid her. She breezed past me and I cleverly acted none the wiser.
And then by the unluckiest of chances...her long ethereal mane touched me.
Oh the warmth...I had forgotten just how lovely it felt whenever she touched me with her mane. It was like a warm and comfy blanket had been wrapped around me. And when she did actually wrap it around me...Ohh there's no word in any language for that amount of bliss.
I shivered ever so slightly as I repressed the sensation that had invaded my skin, choosing instead to ignore it as best I could and keep on walking.
I was safe, I looked completely different from when I was eighteen. There was no way Nightmare would be able to tell who I was.
But then she was suddenly in front of me, looking into my eyes as I somehow managed to ignore her, walking forward whilst she flew backwards. It took all my willpower and whatever acting skill I had not to look back at her eyes. But I somehow did it, looking ahead blankly as I turned a corner and cut through an alleyway to get to my home.
And then she placed her hoof on my chest, stopping me from walking any further.
I couldn't help myself after that...I looked directly at her, remaining silent as she stared at me blankly.
And then her expression changed, going from blank and emotionless to joyous and tearful.
"Jason?"
I didn't say anything...I was so scared of what she was going to do.
Not to me, but to everyone else that I knew.
But Nightmare had seen through my disguise, she didn't need me to say anything back.
"Oh Jason, my love it's you!"
She threw her forelegs around me tightly and buried her face into my neck, weeping for all it was worth. I suppose it was when I didn't return her embrace that she looked at me questioningly, tilting her head in a surprising cute manner.
"Jason what's the matter?" She asked me worriedly, tears matting her fur. "I'm here now, everything is going to be okay."
Okay? No it's not going to be okay. Everything is going to go to hell! She's going to ruin everything I've worked so hard to build up.
My friends.
My job.
My new life.
"No it isn't!" I yelled angrily, shocking her into silence. "You're going to hurt people again and I'm not letting that happen!"
I pushed her away from me and ran. I ran as fast as I could, not even bothering to heed her calling my name. I refused to get caught up in her jealousy again. No one else is going to be hurt because of me.
No one!
I made it home in record time and quickly locked the door behind me...for all the good it will do. In all the years since I left Nightmare I have never been able to figure out just how to fight her if she ever found me.
I mean I could lash out at her and punch her...but despite all that she has done, I don't ever think that I'd be able to hurt her myself.
I suppose I'm just relying on the hope that she didn't follow me after I ran away from her.
And as the minutes turned into hours, I finally allowed myself to calm down and relax. I guess she must have been too shocked from my blatant refusal to accept her again to follow me.
I turned on my IPod and connected it to the speakers, instantly smiling as one of my favourite songs came on.
"Comatose
I'll never wake up without an overdose of you!"
It's a really catchy song, my second to Monster. Although I always had a feeling that Nightmare liked that one.
I wonder why.
Anyway as I allowed myself to relax, I grabbed a bottle of Stella out of the fridge and sat down on one of my rather comfy couches. I then spent the next few hours watching some re-runs of Doctor Who before I eventually called it a night and headed towards the shower.
I like a good shower before bed, it really helps me sleep sometimes.
I quickly shed my clothing and once I had found just the right angle, you know between the Antarctic or molten lava, I stepped in and proceeded to wash myself.
It was then that I started to feel...strange.
As I washed myself, I could feel...something else washing me as well. And yet when I looked there was no one there. I even felt the air around me and yet touched nothing. It was confusing but I merely convinced myself that I was imagining things and decided to just get on with it and try to finish as soon as I could.
After I had gotten out and dried myself, I put some boxers on and quickly made my way into my room, collapsing on my bed without really looking at it...
Say to say I was surprised when I heard a seductive giggle would be the understatement of the century.
My eyes snapped open only to see that I was more or less lying on top of Nightmare. I panicked at this and attempted to jump off the bed, to escape from her again. But the Alicorn was having none of it this time. She wrapped her wings around me and for all my strength I found myself unable to pry myself loose.
"Not this time my love." She scolded me, tapping my nose with her hoof. "Why did you run away from me?"
I blinked at this question. I mean it was obvious why I had left her...right?
Surely she wasn't so blind that she didn't see just how badly she scared me.
"Because you were hurting people for no reason!" I told her furiously...even whilst looking into her eyes...so loving...so caring...so fervent in her promise of safety...so...
No! This was probably just another one of her magical tricks. I don't care what she looks like because to me she is...poisonous! And I don't want anything to do with her anymore.
"No reason?" She asked, tilting her head cutely yet again. "They would have hurt you, hurt us if I hadn't acted first."
"Hurt me?" I asked incredulously. "That's absurd! No one was going to hurt either of us, you hurt them!"
At this Nightmare smirked and licked my lips, which I grimaced at and pulled my head as far away from her as I could in response.
"And they deserved it." She growled possessively. "Nopony was ever allowed to take you away from me. You were mine, you're still mine...and I think you need to understand just how much you hurt me when you left."
I literally shuddered with fear as she said this. She was looking at me with such malice, such anger at me for leaving her that I actually feared for my life.
She was going to hurt me.
She was going to hurt me badly.
As if sensing my fear, Nightmare smirked up at me and forced me down with her wings. It was at the point where I was literally touching her muzzle with my nose that she finally spoke.
"You hurt me Jason. You scared me so badly when you left...I thought somepony had took you away from me."
The sheer anger in the voice only worsened my uncontrollable shivering. And despite the warmth of her body touching mine, I felt nothing but chills at her touch.
"I came back with the food and drinks Jason." She continued, her tone becoming hurt and saddened. "I came back to cuddle up with you and watch a movie...I was so excited Jason but you crushed that excitement away. You abandoned me and all you have to apologize with is a pointless excuse."
"I'm not apologizing for anything." I snapped, not really thinking before I did so.
Nightmare's eyes widened in shock at this, but quickly narrowed dangerously as her wings tightened around me.
"I'm giving you one chance to take that back my love." She said quietly...dangerously.
"You attacked my Mother." I snarled angrily, not caring in the slightest that her wings were really starting to hurt me.
"And?"
And? Was that all she could say?
"What do you mean by that? She was my MOTHER!"
Nightmare merely smiled maliciously up at me as I all but screamed in her face.
"She never acted like a Mother and thus she paid for it." She said simply, as if what she had done was of little consequence.
"But enough of pointless topics. It's been five years since I've felt your touch and I want it now...Just as I know you want mine..."
Her touch?
My touch?
"I am not having sex with you." I growled angrily.
I expected Nightmare to become angry at this, or saddened at the very least. What I didn't expect was for her to gain a predatory smile and suddenly switch our positions so that she was the one on top of me.
"Who said you had a choice?" She chuckled amusedly, before lunging down and forcing her lips against mine in a violent kiss.
I tried my hardest to push her off of me, but the Alicorn had hidden strength in her ancient body and compared to that my fit and well toned body was pathetic in comparison. I felt a slight tingling around my boxers before they were torn off of me quite painfully and thrown to one side. It was then that I felt her warm and damp arousal touching my rather limp one.
Nightmare tore her lips from me and bit down on my neck harshly, her tongue lapping at the blood that started trickling down my skin. The feeling was indescribable. Pain and pleasure mixed together in one twisted mess.
But I didn't want this! She had more or less murdered everyone I had met, for a fear that if she had merely stopped would never have come true.
She had ruined my life so badly that I had to move thousands of miles just to get away from her and start a new one. And even that wasn't enough!
It was at this realization that I felt true anger for the first time.
Nightmare seemed to notice this as she took her mouth from my neck and looked down at me questioningly.
"My love?"
The gall! The absolute gall to call me by that name after all she had done!
No one. Not Sir Twatalot, not my Mother. No one had ever made me feel this angry.
I snapped.
My hands forced themselves from Nightmare's hooves and in a spit second had wrapped themselves around her neck tightly. Nightmare's eyes widened at this and as she started to struggle I found myself back on top of her. I tightened my hands around her neck in such a way that she simply couldn't concentrate enough to use her magic.
"You're...hurting me Jason..." She gasped, her voice clearly frightened.
Her hooves were trying to pry my hands off of her but were becoming weaker with each attempt. I didn't care either way. I wanted her gone! I wanted her to never taint my life again with her voice or her possessive touch.
She looked up at me with pleading eyes and instead of trying to force my hands off of her, moved her hooves up to my cheeks, where they rested and merely stroked them lovingly.
What was she doing? She should be fighting for her life not petting me with affectionate touches. It was then that I noticed just how badly I was shaking. There were tears streaming down my face and my breath was even more ragged then Nightmare's.
My hands loosened around her neck as I buried my face into her chest and cried like I had never cried before. My emotions were a mess. Everything that Nightmare had done, the good and the bad swirled around my mind like snakes, hissing and lashing out at the other to see who would come out on top.
Everything that had happened to me just seemed to crash into my mind. I had held it back for five years...but with Nightmare here I just couldn't hold it back any more.
I felt Nightmare slide her hooves around me and pull me up until I was weeping into her neck.
"Shhh darling. Do you see how much you need me now? Do you understand now that you cannot live without me?"
I Need her?
I Can't live without her?
Was it true? I ran away and left her...but should I have stayed? Would I have been happier with her next to me, comforting me and loving me despite knowing that she was hurting others for simply knowing me?
"Your love is poison." I said as strongly as I could.
Nightmare lifted my face until I was looking at her eyes directly. She chuckled at me before kissing me softly, not caring in the slightest that my tears were dripping onto her muzzle.
I kissed her back...I couldn't help it despite what I felt.
What did I feel?
...I don't know.
Nightmare pulled back from my mouth and licked my lips affectionately...I couldn't resist the blissful smile that forced its way onto my face from this.
"And yet you will always drink it." She crooned adoringly.
I felt her wings encase me in a feathery cocoon, a strong yet comfortable cocoon. She kissed me again, her tongue entering my mouth and playing with my own.
And I let her...
I felt everything. Every emotion and raw sensation that she bestowed upon me.
And when she pulled me into her...I felt complete once again. The emptiness I had carried since the day I left was filled. The gap in my soul vanished...and in that moment I knew.
I knew that she was meant for me...and no matter how much I run away...no matter how badly she frightens me or hurts my friends...I will always love her.
Because she was right. I need her and cannot live without her...
And neither can she without me.
And when I finished, she finished. When I cried out in blissful pleasure, so did she.
And as the weariness set in, I melted into her...and she gladly encased me once more, holding me to her tightly and whispering dark promises that made me shiver.
In fear or excitement I do not know.
But I do know that I can never be rid of her now. She knows this as well...but it matters little to her.
Because as I had clearly not realized until tonight...she is the other half of my soul...my heart.
And she will always find me.
It's a toxic relationship but I wouldn't have it any other way.
And neither would she.
"Sleep my darling. Sleep and dream of me...until you know nothing but my love for you."
END