Pit, pat, pit, pat
This is the sound Soul hears as he walks the cobble path leading out of Ponyville, and running besides the Everfree forest. Well, this, and the not so distant of animal chatter. Such a wonderful sound. He thinks, trying to make out what the animals had been saying. Amongst the animal chatter he had tried to make out the sound of a particular pony's voice, the voice he hadn't heard in years. Am I ready to face her?
It wasn't like he had done anything to upset her, nor had she to upset him. It had been a strange time in his life, he had felt he needed to find himself, and sadly, he had to leave her. Not for good, he had always known he'd come back, in his sub-conscious, at least. He had gone on many adventures while he was gone, made many mistakes. Am I ready to remember my past? He kept asking these questions, and many more, as he walked. He could just make out the light from the windows of the cottage in the heavy mist caused by the down pour. The sight had made him remember...
"Do you have to go?" The butter-colored pegasis in front of me had asked. In front of her stood a unicorn stallion, a darker blue, but still bright, one would think it to be the color of a soul or spirit. He wore his signature vest and watch, gifts from his parents.
"Yes, I do, a part of my being feels like it's missing, and I have to find it." He sad, there was something in his tone that translated to sadness, but there was some form of hope in there to. The pegasus couldn't understand this hope, neither could the unicorn, but it was there.
"Then... I... I love you, honey." She wrapped her forelegs around his neck and buried her face into his neck. A gentle stream of tears traced down her cheeks, and in a small puddle of soaked fur on Soul's neck. She couldn't stand letting Soul go, but she knew she couldn't talk him out of it.
"I love you too, Fluttershy."
This is the last memory from his past the he allowed himself to go over since he had left. He had left to figure out WHO he was, he knew this was like a bad movie, but he didn't care. He didn't know what to do with himself at the time, and he had to figure out.
Honestly, he still hadn't known what he was supposed to do, he still felt something was missing. He hadn't wanted to come back until he got himself together, but something in the back of his mind had made him want, no, NEED, to come back to the one he loved. Fluttershy. The name still had a sound to it that he thought surely he was the only one to love so much.
...
He was at the door now, the rain still pouring on him. How moody. He thought to himself, really, like in an old romance or history film. From inside he could hear the distinct animal chatter, followed every so often by that voice... that beautiful, beautifully soft voice. He could catch pieces of what the animals were saying, a lot of it being about the fear caused by the occasional rolls of thunder caused by the storm that had been in the area for the last half-hour. Thinking about it, I could still remember Fluttershy teaching him the intricacies of animal speech.
"You got it?" Fluttershy was hovering between him and a squirrel.
"Yeah, yeah." I replied in my usual 'whatever'/'I got this' demeanor.
"Ok, what did he say?" She asked this as she pointed at the squirrel.
"He said, and I quote. 'I have better things to do in my spare time then help you teach this weirdo how to understand animals'" Soul said this with a bit of ignorant pride, ignorant of the insult, I mean.
"Not nice," She said with an edge to her voice as she cast a glare to the squirrel. "but correct! Good job!" She said with a little too much enthusiasm in her voice has she threw her hooves into the air before she landed in front of Soul.
"Thank you, thank you! Hold your applause!" He cockily smiled at FLuttershy, which was quickly replaced with an expression of slight surprise, and then a loving smile, as Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around him, and buried her face into his neck.
"I love you" She said, the tone in her voice saying that much on it's own.
"I love you too, Fluttershy."
He hesitantly raised his hoof to knock on the door.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
All noise in the cottage stopped, shortly to be replaced by hoof steps. Deep breaths, you love her, you felt drawn back here, there MUST be a reason. He encourages himself to stay there, waiting for the door into the familiar cottage to open, waiting to see the pony inside.
The door opens.
"Hello, who is it? You mustn't be out he... oh, oh dear Celestia." Fluttershy fights back tears, you can see it as her eyes squeeze tight, you can see it as the corners of her eyes begin to build liquid.
She can't hold them.
"I... I mi-missed you..." She whispers into his ear between choking sobs. She's soon wrapping her hooves around his neck, squeezing tightly as if she thinks he's going to disappear.
"I know, Fluttershy, I know." For some reason, he finds that tears are now welling up in his eyes too. Be strong, Soul, be strong. "I love you, Fluttershy." He has no idea why he wants to cry, he had been mentally preparing himself for this, but he just can't help it. Soul buries his muzzle into Fluttershy's mane, the strong scent of of the air after a down-pour fills his nostrils. It reminded him of what he left behind. It reminded him of home.
Author's Note
I've been feeling melancholy lately, I just felt like something was missing, like something had changed in my routine to make this happen, but last night I was reminded of something. My past. Well, For the past couple of weeks random things have been happening to unearth my past, make me remember things about myself that I hadn't even thought of for a long time. Last night it was particularly strong though, even though it was the smallest thing. I found inspiration in it. Anyways, I hope you like this. Also, I'm not quite sure whether or not to make this longer, I have an idea of how I can make this longer without quite ruining the feel of it. Though I'm not sure, can you tell me what you think?
