Taylor held Luna's hoof in a gentle grip as he stared at her. His mind racing with all the new...well old memories that Faust had passed onto him from his last life. Everything just came to him so quickly when she gave him those memories. And to find out that his future wife from back then is the one pony his is in love with now. Does he tell her that he is the reincarnation of her past fiance ior, keep it to himself for now? He wasn't sure what he should do. But he was happy that she was alive and with him. He hoped that Celestia and the other girls were alright as well. He places his other hand on the top of her hoof, gently squeezing it. He saw her stire slightly and open her eyes slowly. Taylor gives her a warm smile and a light chuckle.

"Rise and shine Lulu. You can't sleep while the patient is awake. Bad bedside manners silly mare."

Luna's eyes opened quickly as she saw he was finally awake, she leaps up, wrapping her forearms around him lovingly. Tears of happiness began to fall down her cheeks as she looked up at him, a weak smile on ehr face. Taylor reaches up, wiping those tears away from her cheek, leaning in and kissing her lovingly.

"Thank the night....I am so happy you are alive Taylor. How could you have been so reckless?! You knew that combining both of your magic types could have sent you into an uncontrollable state of mind...if I had lost you Taylor...I couldn't live through that again...."

Taylor lightly kissed her again, cupping her jaw in both of his hands, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I knew the risk Lulu...I knew it all too well. But I was not going to stand by and let him kill you. Nor will I stand by and let anypony else lay a hand on you. I care too much for you to be taken away from me. If I have to lose a bit of my sanity to do that, that's what I will do."

Luna lowers her head as she relives the memory of her love becoming the monster that slaughtered Tirek so mercilessly. Shivers running down her back as she looks up into his face, seeing those kind eyes once more, happy that he was back to his gentle and protective self. Her arms tighten slightly around him.

"Taylor...what me and Tia saw you become, it shook us to the core. The sweet and gentle man we had come to know was a monster. Even more fearful than Tirek. It reminds me of something that happened a long long time ago..."

Taylor lightly placed a hand on his head as what she was talking about came to him. A tall and thick pony in a black cloak and black leather armor was standing in the middle of a field as arrows and spears flew through the air, that same black lightning he could cast was coming from the unicorn. This must have been what he looked like in his past life, though eh couldn't see his face from the hood, those same glowing blue eyes made it clear it was him. Luna saw Taylor grabbing at his head. A look of deep concern on her face.

"Taylor..? Are you alright? Do I need to go and grab a nurse?"

"No Lulu...I am fine. Just....a bit of a headache is all. After affects of getting banged up I guess. Anyways...I had a surprise visitor as I slept.. Faust decided to thank me personally. I was very honored to be in her presence."

Luna's eyes widened as he told her that. She leaned in closely, placing her hooves on his thighs

"Faust came to you?! That may have been why I couldn't get to you as you laid here. But the fact that 'The Mother Of All Ponies' came to you...you must have caught her attention when you defeated Tirek."

Taylor nodded to her, reaching up and gently caressing her side with one hand while the other strokes of of her wings. He heard her let out a small coo and moan as he caressed her so lovingly

"I am just happy that all is well again. You and the others are safe. How are the other girls? Are they alright? Tirek threw them around quite a bit."

"Yes Taylor, Tia and the element bearers are already fine and moving about. Its you we have been worried about. You have been out for a whole week. While we were able to seal your wounds, you just kept on sleeping. We all feared you wouldn't wake up. But it seems that fear is now forever gone now. You have come back to us..and more importantly...me."

Taylor blinks a bit. A whole week? It felt more like a mere thirty minutes when he was talking to Faust. He brings his attention back to Luna, looking to ehr with a loving gaze. continuing to caress her form

"I Told you Lulu, I am not going anywhere. Not when I have you with me."

They stayed like that for a good ten minutes, just holding each other and kissing one another ever so often. After that, they seperated and Luna got off the bed, She turned to look at him.

"You think you are feeling better now? I know I may sound selfish...but I miss you in my bed with me as I sleep...I miss your warmth."

Taylor rubs his chin, then manages to pull himself out of the hospital bed, revealing that...he was indeed fully naked, then again he was sure it had to be done to bandage him up properly. Luna's eyes went wide and even drool started to come from the corner of her mouth, she was eyeing her lover like he was a fresh red apple what she just had to have. Taylor couldn't help but laugh as he found his clothing which had been washed and cleared of the blood from the battle. he gets dressed and slides his boots on. making sure he had everything. Knowing he left his baton and mp3 in his chambers. He nods to Luna.

"Alright, I am ready to go...I think I have had enough of hospitals for awhile now...no matter how nice they are.."

Luna giggles at him teasingly and motions for her to follow him. As they walk out and into the hall. All the ponies stop and bow.

"Geez Lulu, don't you ever get tired of having them bow each time they see you?"

"They aren't bowing tome this time Taylor, they are bowing to you. You are their hero after all. You are all of Canterlot's and Ponyville's hero. After what you did."

Taylor would widen his eyes as he gazed at all the ponies lowering themselves in front of him, he waves his hands in front of him frantically, not wanting them to bow to him. His eyes shifted about as he did.

"N-no no, please you don't have to bow to me everypony. I don't like that kind of attention...really..."

They all slowly came up from his bow as he and Luna walked passed them, many of them saying thank you and such as they walked out of the hospital wing, happy to be out of that place. Though on the way to the throne room, he gets the same treatment. He rolls his eyes a bit and picks up the pace and walks through the new double doors that must have replaced the others. As he walked in he say Celestia reading over scrolls and writing in them as well. Luna ran over to her sister.

"Tia, I have to most wonderful news!"

"I am a little busy at the moment Lulu. Can't it wait?"

Taylor would feign hurt as he would place a hand over his heart. Grinning a bit

"You don't even have a little time for me Tia?"

The sound of scrolls and a quill dropping could be heard through the throne room. Celestia slowly looked up to see Taylor standing before her. She was nearly on the verge of tears when she did. She leaps off her throne and gallops to him, reaching up and wrapping her forearms around his body and nuzzling into him.

"You are awake Taylor! Thank the sun!! We have all been so worried about you. We have missed you dearly.."

"We? Who else is here?"

"The element bearers and Twilight and Cadence stayed here while you were in the hospital. They will be more than overjoyed to see that you are fully recovered."

Taylor smiles widely knowing that they cared enough about him to stay here at the castle while he recovered. It made his heart feel all warm and melted on the inside

"And you won't believe this Tia, Faust came to him while he was sleeping! Isn't that amazing?"

Celestia's eyes opened widely as she hears about this, then looks between him and her sister, then back to him. Taylor nods in confirmation

"Indeed she did Tia...and my god she is a tall alicorn. But she was a very nice mare. He hugs made me feel...I dunno...safe. Like she was my mother or something."

"Well, I am just surprised that she came to you Taylor. Then again, killing off a foe that me and the other princesses couldn't kill. I would imagine that got her attention."

"It did. She wanted to thank me personally it seemed...though I simply don't see the reason why ponies have been bowing to me because of it...it makes me rather uncomfortable a little bit. Even if I am a 'hero'."

"You know Lulu, I never did mention this. But Taylor is a lot like 'him' isn't he? He never did like the spot light either."

"Indeed he is Tia...which is one of the many reasons why I love this man with all my heart. He is kind, humble and sweet. But isn't afraid to stand up for what's right and defend those who need it. Even if he has to bloody his hands."

Taylor assumed they were speaking of Shadow Strike, he also ventured a guess that he was the same dark wizard pony in the novels a couple of the other girls enjoyed to read, but he wasn't sure. Would he tell them now of what Faust had given him. He had them both here at this moment, so now was the time.

"Um...Lulu...Tia. There was something that she had given me while I was with her. Old memories of a past life...from this realm. My past life apparently."

They both looked at him with eyes the size of saucers now. approaching him rather closely. Lulu spoke up first.

"You were a pony here in your last life?! How is that possible?!"

"Indeed Taylor....that is quite a revelation. Are you sure you didn't just have a dream of meeting her?"

Taylor cleared his throat and takes in a deep breath, then lets it out

"Does the name....Shadow Strike ring a bell for you two?"

Both of the alicorns went silent, both with dropped jaws, especially Luna. Tears began to stream down her face as he heard that name come from his lips, the pieces beginning to fall in place.

"Taylor...you are saying that...you are the reincarnation of...Shadow Strike? My fiance who passed away a thousand years ago before my banishment...? You are...my Shadow Strike?"

Taylor nods to her. His eyes meeting hers as she begins to back away in disbelief slowly, shaking her head. Taylor approached her holding out his hand a bit

"Taylor I....if you are truly the pony who died in my arms to save my life...then tell me the only thing that was kept between me and him. I don't mind if Tia knows..I just...want confirmation..."

Taylor nods to ehr in agreement

"No matter how dark the abyss is, or how bright the sky. Through rain, hail, snow and fog. Our hearts will always find one another. Even in the darkest of times."

Luna began to shed tears of both sadness and happiness. She ran up to him and wrapped her forelegs around him tightly, beginning to sob uncontrollably in his arms, wrapping her wings around him as well.

"It's you...it really really is you...my Shadow Strike...my Taylor.."

Taylor feels her lean into him more, lowering down onto his knees to take her into his arms more lovingly, Celestia coming in to soothe her sister as well, joining in on the hug

"That's right Lulu...even through death, I have made it back to you. But I am sure you know. I am not Shadow Strike now. But I am him at the same time.

"I know Taylor...but the fact that you now have the memories of our past together when you were him....it makes me so very very happy."

"Indeed Taylor...when she lost Shadow Strike...she became so bitter and cold...it was partly the result she was banished. But now...not only have you brought my sister happiness with your growing relationship. But you have brought her even more with this development.I knew there was a reason you were sent here from your world...in that world you didn't truly belong. But now you are home... With all of us at last."

That's right, Taylor was home. While it was a little late, it was better than never. While he was hugging Luna, he could swear that he saw Shadow Strike standing in the corner, removing his hood and smiling warmly to Taylor, he was standing beside a younger version of Luna, both bowing and whispering

"Thank you."

Author's Note

Here ya go everyone. Another chapter!

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May the darkness grant you peace.