Until My Last Breath...by MellowSoulChaptersThe Suffering Begins...Final HorrorThe Present DayFirst KissBack From The DeadOf Mind and HeartThe Suffering Begins...Author's Note Hey guys. Before you start reading, I just wanted to let you know that this story would be dealing with some very serious topics. There are a few mentions of suicide, mental illness, and a mention of domestic abuse later on (not between my characters). The only reason I'm bringing these things up in this story is to reveal Harmonic and Atmospheric's mental states. Whatever you read, please do not idealize the characters or their situations. The end result of this story is more of the exception than the rule. The romantic themes in this story only work because of Harmonic and Atmospheric's personal thoughts and beliefs. Relationships are extremely complicated. Other characters could respond completely differently to the same situation depending on what the writer wanted. Real relationships work in a similar fashion. One couple could have their bond strengthened by unfortunate circumstances while those same circumstances could cause another relationship to completely dissolve. I just want you guys to be aware that this could be really upsetting for some people to read if they are survivors or have lost loved ones to these types of things. Thank you for taking the time to read this note, and if you decide to read beyond this point, I hope these themes don't offend or hurt anyone. That's not my intention, and I hope you can potentially take something away from this that may benefit you in the future. The Suffering Begins... Two and a half decades ago, a dark colt was brought into the world on December 3rd. His mane was a blinding shade of blonde with one partial streak of black casting a shadow over the left side of his face. Still unknown to him in the present day, his birth was the result of a controlled environment. The same situation applies to another being as well; a white mare Pegasus who was born close to two years later on October 12th. Her mane was long and sported a dark shade of brown. Neither of them remember anything about this time in their lives. It would become the least of their concerns. Shortly after the mare was born, both of them were abandoned in separate locations. Any explanation would've sounded like gibberish to them at the ages they were. Just as unfortunate, they wouldn't remember each other. However, there was one thing both of them possessed; a photograph of the two families. This would be the key to altering their futures, but first, there was a long, hard road ahead. Harmonic Thrash spent most of his early years alone, surviving on grass and water. He was always frightened of ponies he didn't know. Being around strangers filled him with anxiety, but after a certain amount of time had passed, he became used to it by doing odd jobs for money. The abandonment caused him severe emotional distress. As a result, his mind went to a dark place, and it stayed there for the next thirteen years while he traveled the continent. Atmospheric Doom fared far better on a psychological level because of her decision to maintain permanent residence in the nearest town she found. She was able to build a solid support system and had her own place. In terms of the abandonment, she believed maybe her family would come back one day. Thirteen years would go by before her childhood friend found her. The town Atmospheric stayed in held a public event every year for mingling. She attended later on when her general motor skills and vocabulary improved. The year she met Harmonic, he was passing through town and was preparing to stay for the night. When he noticed the event going on, he became curious and entered town hall to investigate. At first, nothing really stood out, but when his eyes landed on a familiar face... "Is that...?" He quickly grabbed the photograph from his hoodie pocket. Coming to the realization his theory was correct, he had to stop himself from making a scene. He made his way over to her as quickly as he could without drawing too much attention. Atmospheric felt a faint tap on her shoulder. She turned her attention to what was causing the sensation. "Long time no see." "Do I know you?" Harmonic handed her the photograph. "I don't ge-." She examined it closer. On the left side of the picture, there was a dark earth colt. On the right, there was a sleeping baby Pegasus. "You're...!?" "In the flesh." Atmospheric was at a loss for words. "It's been a long time." "..." "Listen, I don't want to spoil your night. We'll talk tomorrow. I'm tired." Harmonic started gaining distance between himself and Atmospheric. She was too preoccupied to stop him. All she could think to do was prepare herself for a serving of whatever answers he had. Her muscles hardly moved for the remainder of the event. "I never thought I'd see you again," Atmospheric admitted. "Neither did I." The fountain in the middle of town was soothing to their restless minds. "Where were you all this time?" "Pretty much just going from place to place, drifting through life." "Did you ever find out what happened to our families?" "I didn't wanna' know. They did what they did, and I feel better not knowing why. It wouldn't change anything anyway." "I guess that's true." "How've you been holding up?" "What do you mean?" "Are you happy with how things turned out?" "It didn't bother me as much as I thought." "That's good." "What about you?" "I lived. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" "What do we do now?" "It's up to you. I think you should stay here though. It's safer." "Do you have anywhere to go?" "No." "Then...Maybe you could stay with me." "Are you sure? You don't have to put yourself through any trouble." "I want to get to know you the right way this time. You were one of my original companions." "Yeah..." "Come on. Let's go home." "This is a pretty nice place." "Thanks. You can put your stuff on the bed. I think we should go get something to eat. I was too stunned to do much of anything last night." "I can understand that, but you need to take care of yourself." "I know." Harmonic placed his bag on Atmospheric's bed. "What do you have in there, anyway?" "A few metal records and some money." "Metal records?" "It's a loud type of music with a bunch of different styles. Sometimes I use it to help me sleep." "Isn't that kind of counterproductive?" "Not for me at least." "Can I give one a listen while we're on our way?" "Sure." Harmonic pulled some of his own money out of the bag and placed it in his pocket. He then proceeded to remove a compact disc from the bag as well. "This one is called Shadowtorned World by Blasphemist. It's got a lot of melody in it. The style is actually called melodic death metal if I remember right. You can borrow my CD player if you don't have one." "Alright." "Well, shall we go?" "Yeah." The walk to the restaurant was more relaxed than expected. To Harmonic's surprise, Atmospheric seemed to enjoy what she heard of the record. "I had no idea stuff like that even existed." "It's pretty hard to come by. There's not really a high demand for it." "Really? That's too bad." "By the way, I never asked you what you were up to these days." "Not much. I mostly stay at home and play games or draw." "That's cool." "Hey, I noticed you're wearing a jacket. Isn't it a bit warm?" "It's more about feeling comfortable in my own skin really. I don't talk to anyone else much, and I don't like attention, so I try to obscure myself as much as possible." "Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. The design is really cool." "It's the art from another record I have called 'This is Love, This is Murderous' by Bleeding Through. It's one of my personal favorites." "Sounds pretty hardcore." "You're half right, actually. I think it mixes a style called hardcore punk with metal. I might've even heard it referred to as metalcore once or twice." "Has a nice ring to it. I'll have to listen when we get back." "So, what kind of games are you into?" "A lot of horror and rpgs. I've got Resident Evil, Shadow Hearts, Koudelka, and Parasite Eve to name a few." "I'll have to play a few." "How about we make a night out of it? I'll listen to a couple records and help you if you get stuck on a puzzle." "Sounds like fun." "I also wanna' see if we can find a hoodie like yours in my style before we go home. That whole dark and mysterious thing you've got going on is really interesting to me." "Well, your eyes are covered like mine, so you're already halfway there." "Wanna' see what color my eyes are?" "Let me guess first; either hazel or brown." "Good guess." Atmospheric moved her mane. Her eyes were a medium shade of brown that complemented the slightly darker look of her mane. "Take a guess what color my eyes are." "Gray?" "Nope." Harmonic moved his mane as well. His eyes were a piercing, deep blue color. "They remind me of the lower ocean," Atmospheric commented. "Yeah. I've heard a few statements like that in passing." Atmospheric giggled. It almost sounded like he was calling her response generic, but it wasn't insulting, just a little bit funny. The two continued to talk for a while and remake each other's acquaintance. Final HorrorAuthor's Note Alright, guys. This is the darkest chapter of this story. The suicide stuff and abuse mention will show up here. After this, things will start looking up a little bit more. If this kind of thing is too hard to read about for you, please, do not continue reading. These are sensitive topics, but ones that are important to address. For those of you that do read on, I hope you can take something away from this. This story is about facing adversity in some of its most extreme forms and how a good support structure can affect the outcome. If it helps you in some way, that's great. If it doesn't, thank you for taking the time to read anyway. On to the chapter, I guess. Final Horror Four years went by without much of anything happening. The only difference was, the weight of loneliness was lifted off of Harmonic's shoulders . Him and Atmospheric became very fast friends. They spent most of their time together kicking back and enjoying what they could. All wasn't as peachy as it would appear on the outside though. There was still one problem; Harmonic didn't talk about his personal history. It was still cutting into his head every day, and it wasn't fun to think about. Atmospheric had already told him everything there was to know about her fate, but he avoided talking about himself by putting up a front, acting like nothing was bothering him. He wasn't sure why he continued to hide it, but the most likely reason was because he didn't want to expose her to some of the things he'd seen. He was about to figure out the hard way why that was a mistake. "I'm going to the outskirts for a bit. I need some air." "Okay. Don't forget, it's your turn to make dinner tonight. We need something to munch on while we're grinding in Final Fantasy 8." "I'll figure something out. Be back soon." Harmonic left the house. The walk out of town didn't take very long. It was a ritual Harmonic would often do when he needed time alone to think. Somehow, he'd convinced himself that his thoughts weren't impacting him to the degree they actually were. If anyone had seen his eyes, they would've noticed. He was always extremely aware of his surroundings, even when he wasn't trying to be. The focus was undeniable. It was both a blessing and a curse. "What's that?" There was a large nail driven deep into the ground with a hammer. Around it was a sturdy chain. "What the heck is going on here?" Upon closer inspection, he realized there was something at the bottom of the chain, but he couldn't make it out. He didn't want to move the chain in case someone was using it, so his solution was to shift himself to the left side of the cliff. When he looked down and to the right, he froze... "!!!???" Hanging from the chain was the body of a young filly. She couldn't have been any older than ten. Harmonic's already fragile stability was completely destroyed and turned to dust. He backed away slowly at first, then started picking up the pace. He soon found himself sprinting away from the scene for a short period. After about three minutes, he stopped and vomited. His entire body was shaking with terror. No longer able to contain his emotion, he fell to the ground and cried. Rain began to pour from the heavens, as if to weep with him. The cold did nothing to ease his broken spirit. "Calm down, sir," a guard in town told the distraught stallion, "Tell me what happened!" "A KID IS DEAD OUT THERE! I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN MAKE IT ANY MORE CLEAR!" "What!?" "THERE'S A CHILD'S LIFELESS BODY HANGING FIFTY FEET OVER THE OCEAN! WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" The guard motioned for his men to assimilate. "Lead the way!" Harmonic nodded and they began moving with haste. "Dear sweet princesses! This is horrible!" "..." "I need you to explain what happened here!" "I left the house I live at with my friend to get some air. I noticed the nail and chain. When I went to check it out, you know the rest," Harmonic replied. There was no emotion in his voice. "Celestia, save our souls." "..." "I think you should go home. We'll do what we can for the family and catch the scumbag who did this." "I don't think any outside force did this." "I don't follow." "Examine the DNA on the chain. You'll see what I mean." All the guard could do was make a face of confusion. "I'm going back. Let me know what you find." "Right." "I heard what happened." "Word gets around fast." "Are you okay?" "Fine, just a little shaken," he lied. "Are you still up for dinner and a game tonight?" "Not really. I'm worn out." "Want me to bring you something?" "No. I just need water and sleep." "I'm sorry you had to see that." "Me too." "Good night." "Night." Despite what his earlier comment suggested, Harmonic couldn't sleep at all. It continued like that for several days. When the guard came to their home to report the teams findings, he wasn't even mildly surprised. "It turns out you were right." "Of course I was...," Harmonic muttered begrudgingly, hating his ability to recognize these things. "Right about what," Atmospheric asked them both." "Your buddy here speculated the little girl's death wasn't caused by an outside individual. Between the hammer, the nail, and the chain, we were able to collect just enough genetic material to confirm his suspicions. The cause of death was suicide by asphyxiation." "You're kidding!" "Afraid not. How did you know what happened though," the guard asked Harmonic. "The location and the tools. There were no visible lacerations on her body aside from the indentation the chain caused on her neck, at least from what I saw. Any killer would've tried to hide the evidence. There was no attempt to do that here. Another thing is, everybody knows each other in this town. I asked around later to see if she left town with anybody. Everyone that had information reported seeing her leave alone with those tools." "That could've really interfered with our investigation, you know." "The genetic data would've supported my claim to an extent, but that would've left a suspicion as to any other DNA lost in the rain that day. I had to be sure there was no one in town who deceived her into leaving." "It could've been someone from the next town over." "Not very likely. The next town is a good ways away, and there's no reason for anybody to be out in the middle of nowhere unless they're homeless and don't have enough money for a hotel." "Who's to say that wasn't the case?" "Has anyone new shown up in any of the nearby towns?" "No." "Then that's the end of it. If there was a killer on the loose, they would've probably been caught before they could get here." The guard had no choice but to accept this logic. "We don't have any reason to continue this conversation." "Agreed." "Give the family my regards." "I will." Days of sleep deprivation turned into weeks. Every thought Harmonic bottled up inside had broken free of their prison and consumed what little sense of normal function remained. This was the last straw. He'd had enough of the suffering. Now or never, it was the only way out. With the noose wrapped around his neck, he kicked the chair he'd borrowed from the main room and began to choke. There was no struggle on his part, and soon, he lost consciousness... There was a faint beeping noise. It appeared to be the sound of a heart monitor. Harmonic could feel the plastic oxygen mask on his snout. "Finally awake, sleepyhead?" "...What happened?" "You don't remember?" "A little, but it's hazy." "You tried to hang yourself." "Oh...Yeah..." "I found you shortly after you passed out. The hook you attached the rope to broke off." Harmonic took a deep breath and exhaled. "Look, I don't want to bring up anything painful, but I need to know why you did this to yourself." "How much time do you have?" "As long as it takes." "You want the whole truth? It's been building up to this for a long time." "How long?" "About the last six years or so." "You didn't take them leaving us very well, did you?" "Not at all, but that's just the beginning. Before I started staying with you, there were a lot of things that made me question why I was even alive. I couldn't open my mouth without saying something stupid, whether I meant to or not. I saw violent muggings and did nothing to step in. I saw homeless creatures everywhere and it broke my heart to know that's how they were forced to live. There were several occasions where sexual assaults took place in the towns I stayed too, and I was powerless to do anything. I was terrified something like that might've happened to you." "You were worried about me?" "From my point of view at the time, I had every reason in the book to worry. You can only imagine the relief I felt when I saw you in town hall." "What's the worst thing you saw before this?" "When I was about 16, there was a middle-aged couple I saw here when you weren't with me. The mare was wearing sunglasses and was covered in bruises. I'm positive to this day he was beating her, and I just stayed quiet because I didn't think anyone would believe me anyway. Abusers always find ways to manipulate their victims and lie through their teeth. If I'd just said something, maybe she'd be away from him right now." "I'm starting to get the picture here. You're wracked with survivor's guilt." "I guess that about sums it up." "So, what happened a few weeks ago was your breaking point." "All the times I told you I was sleeping, I was actually struggling with insomnia and nightmares. Every bad thing I saw and read in the papers finally did me in." "Your brain was basically fried trying to suppress everything." "Now I'm stuck here in a hospital bed trying to figure out what to do next." "I think you should see a shrink." "Probably. All I really wanna' do is get out of this town though. I don't think I can stay here anymore." "You're right." "What about you?" "I'm going with you. We'll see what the therapist says first, but it's pretty likely they'll prescribe you anti-depressants." "Whatever works, but I don't want you to leave everything you've ever known for my sake." "I don't really have as much here as you think. I have acquaintances. That's all." "I guess if it works for you, then I'll go along with it." "You should've told me everything sooner." "I didn't think I could trust anybody." "Do you know you were wrong now?" "Yeah." "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're still here." "Coming from you, that means everything. I'm just sorry things turned out the way they did." "Me too. We can grieve together later. Right now we need to get you back in fighting shape." "No kidding. I feel like I was hit by a train." "The fall looked pretty gnarly." The two had a good laugh, and for those few moments, things didn't seem as bleak. The Present DayAuthor's Note Finally getting to the love story. Hope you guys enjoy it. The Present Day "How are you holding up?" "Still kicking." "That's about the best we can hope for." "Your move." "King me." "You're good at this." "Practice makes perfect." "It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you home?" "I'd like that." Harmonic and Atmospheric cleaned up the checkers materials and put them away before heading out the door. "Have you recorded anything new?" "Just the usual stuff." "Nothing wrong with that." "Hey, can I tell you something?" "Yeah." "I really enjoy being around you." "I feel the same way." "I was wondering if maybe I could take you on a date sometime." "How about a picnic outside town?" "Sounds good. How about this weekend?" "Sure." "I'll bring some water and juice." "I'll bring the food." "Alright. Good night." "Don't forget to call the doctor about you prescription." "I won't." Harmonic entered his Ponyville home. They'd moved into their own places here six years ago now. Harmonic rarely left his home unless Atmospheric was with him. They'd grown extremely close over that time. All of the previous events had changed them dramatically. They were more quiet and reserved towards the outside world than before, and their conversations were both beautiful and somber at the same time. Asking the other out was just a formality. It was bound to happen eventually. Harmonic's heart was still in pain every day, but it mixed with his feelings for his friend to create something unique. There was a balance now that he'd never experienced before. In some odd way, it was cathartic, maybe because he trusted his mind and heart equally. Atmospheric shared in his struggle, and it gave both of them a sense of strength and belief. All that mattered now was being together. A lot of their time together consisted of listening to music, playing games, and recording their own stuff, similar to how it was when they first met. Harmonic watched the sunset through his window. "It's pretty out." For most creatures, cold weather and bluish-gray clouds foreshadowing rain would be the opposite, but to them, it was comforting. Harmonic was focused on his friend with a weak but genuine smile. There were no butterflies, but it was still magical all the same. He could feel the chains constraining his spirit weaken for these brief moments. "We should go ahead and eat before the rain starts." "Mm," he responded in agreement. They ate sandwiches and chips and talked for a while. "How's the demo coming along?" "It should be ready for release soon, but i think we can record one more song." "What'd you have in mind?" "I was thinking a cover of a Cast from Eden or All That Remains song." "All That Remains sounds like a good option." "Will you do the bass and vocals with me?" "Yeah." "I thought maybe dual vocals would make it different from the original." "I think so too." "I can't really sing very well. Do you mind if I do my screams and growls instead?" "I don't mind. What song were you thinking of doing?" "Probably two weeks." "You should save your parts for the chorus. It'll sound more powerful." "Good idea." "Hey, can I ask you why it took so long to ask me out?" "Fear. I was afraid of having my heart broken. It's one of the trust issues I had to face, but there was something else too." "Something else?" "Sometimes I see things that aren't there. They look like ghosts." "You see things?" "So far I've had about seven hallucinations in my life. Each of them lasted a few minutes." "How does that relate to my question?" "I didn't know if I would wake up one day and find out everything was a lie." "You thought I wasn't real?" "Yeah." "Not sure if I should be flattered or insulted." "Illusion or not, I prefer you over whatever would be waiting for me elsewhere." "You have a good heart and head. I think you'd be fine without me." "I don't want to be though. I care about you too much." "You'd really rather be crazy with me than sane and alone?" "Loneliness kills, and that's the truth of it." "That's pretty heavy." "Nobody said being alive was gonna' be easy, but the best things aren't easy to find. Meeting somebody who really, honestly cares about you and spreading that feeling to others is what makes life worth living." "I never thought about it like that." "Not everybody agrees with that philosophy, but there's truth to it. It might not kill you on a physical level, but it'll destroy your happiness if you let it. That's why I'm determined to start over and do it right this time." "I can say that definitely broadened my perspective." "Anyway, I don't wanna' talk about it anymore. Can we just spend some time together here for a while?" "Okay." "I think we should clear the air for good." "Right." "Sometimes, everything we've been through gets to me too. I feel like I'm losing it from time to time." "I don't think anybody could go through it unaffected." "What about you? What are the rest of your issues?" "I have a fear of physical intimacy. I've never felt it, but it scares me for some reason. What really bothers me though is what would happen if I became a dad. I'm so messed up that I don't think it's worth the risk of doing them psychological harm too." "It's okay to be worried." "I'm tired of this analytical and philosophical stuff too. I just want to let the emotions out." "Then do it." "What do you mean?" "Tell me what's on your mind." "I've pretty much said all I can right now." "For what it's worth, I think you'd be a great dad." "Why?" "You're always learning. I feel like you made one of your biggest breakthroughs today." "I want to believe that." "I do, because I believe in you." "If I do become a dad...Will you be the mother?" "Am I the one you see a future with?" "The only one." "Then we'll turn it into a reality, one day at a time." They gave each other a long hug. No matter what it took, they would find a way to be happy once and for all. First KissAuthor's Note Special Christmas chapter. First Kiss About two months went by after the expression of trust. It was the holiday season, and Harmonic and Atmospheric were going to spend Hearth's Warming together in town. "How are you doing," Atmospheric asked. "Better now that you're here." "Awe. You're so sweet." "I try." "What should we look at first." "Today's all about you. You pick." "I was thinking about a cross necklace I saw a while back. Can we go check it out?" "Of course. Maybe we can get two engraved with our names on them." "I'd like that." "Is there anything else you're looking into?" "I want to see what kind of horror games are out. It's cold and dreary, so I figured it's the best time for stuff like that." "It is." "What about you?" "Thought about checking up on some novels and looking for a couple new records." "Well, we should get going." "Right." "Do you want to exchange them," Harmonic asked. "You mean like mementos?" "Yeah." "Okay." Harmonic and Atmospheric gave each other their new crosses. "Whenever I'm down and out, I'll look at it and think of you. I'll have a reason to wake up again." "And I'll look at mine to see your courage." Another weak smile made its way onto Harmonic's face. It always made him feel like his life was worth something when he heard her belief in him. "That's the way. Show me that smile." "You really are a beautiful soul." "Did you ever doubt that?" "Not for one second." "It's so cold." "Here." Harmonic removed his hoodie and placed it on Atmospheric's back. "Aren't you freezing too?" "No. My fur absorbs all sorts of light to warm me up." "Thank you." "Is that better?" "I'm still a little cold." "Come here." Atmospheric wasn't sure why he suddenly said that, but complied anyway. Without warning, he hugged her. "...How's that?" "Much warmer." "Let me know when you're ready to move again." "I will." "..." The two held each other for what seemed like hours. The light of the sun actually began to further diminish behind the clouds after some time had passed. "Atmospheric." "Hm?" "I'm ready. If it's okay, can I kiss you?" "Absolutely." Moving back so their faces met, Harmonic stared at the mare who had gotten him through so many hard times. He didn't see a worldly being. He saw a guardian angel sent down from heaven itself to free him from the bondage of sorrow that had swallowed him for so long. When their mouths made contact, there was no aggression or lust. It was something completely different. The world around them completely disappeared. This feeling had been referenced many times in stories, but to experience it was surreal to say the least. "I would say I love you, but compared to how I feel, the word doesn't mean anything." "Shh. Don't say anything. Just hold me and I'll hold you for as long as I can." Harmonic nodded. The cold snow pervaded their bodies, but they didn't notice. All they cared about was being lost in each other's spirits. That one day on December 25th, all was right with the world. Back From The DeadIt's been one year since Harmonic and Atmospheric started dating. Compared to the eleven since they reunited, it was extremely minuscule, but in that time, they became as close as spiritually possible. Some days, they rarely needed to say anything. Just being together felt like something beyond heaven. There were times when Harmonic began to fall into his downward state of mind, but Atmospheric always caught him and reminded him what he was fighting for. "You've stared death in the face twice," she would say, "Now you probably wouldn't even flinch. That's why I love you. You would take on the grim reaper if it meant finding happiness for yourself and everyone else. If I kissed you or killed you, you would be okay with either option." "Hopefully you would kill me with kisses," he joked in response. "There you go. That's the spirit." "Why did you choose me? There has to be someone out there better for you; someone stronger and less mentally broken." "Because they couldn't replace the things that are specific to you. Everything you've seen and everywhere you've been is what made you the stallion I love today. I wouldn't change that for the world." "Are you sure it's me you want to be with?" "Positive." "Then, I have a question for you. I wasn't sure if I should ask you here because of what happened." "I know seeing her like that was hard, but we can turn this into a better place than it used to be." "I had the same thought just now." "You did?" Harmonic pulled a case out of his hoodie pocket. "Atmospheric, I love you more than I've ever loved anything before. For a long time, all I dreamed about were the tears I cried and the terror, but for a while now, those dreams have been gradually replaced with better ones. I see a future where neither of us have to hurt. I've envisioned who our children could be. I want to make all that possible." "Are you asking...!?" Harmonic opened the case, revealing a gold bracelet. "...Will you marry me and be the mother of our children?" Atmospheric quickly moved her mane away from her right eye. She was in shock. Harmonic was wearing a smile like one she'd never seen. It wasn't weak and full of sadness. It was strong enough to move the planet from orbit. The tears of joy started to well up in her eyes. "On one condition," she replied. "What?" "Let me see your eyes." Harmonic parted his bangs and placed them behind his ears. Her suspicion was confirmed. His eyes were lively and full of vitality. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this a worthwhile existence for both of us." "YES!" "Really!?" She nodded and hugged him. The emotion was overflowing. "Hey, don't cry. Everything's gonna' be alright now. I promise." The day their children were born was the happiest of their lives. They had two fraternal twins, the sister being the oldest. The children were named Melodic Death and Hard Core. Melodic strongly resembled her father, and her brother looked similar to their mother. "Hi sweetheart. Daddy loves you very much," Harmonic told his newborn daughter. "Have you noticed how she stopped crying when you held her and he stopped when I held him?" "I think we have a daddy's girl and mama's boy situation." "Awe! That's adorable!" Harmonic and Atmospheric were married a month after their children were born. Unlike with a lot of parents, sleepless nights weren't really an issue. Melodic and Hard Core would always fall asleep while their parents held them or if an album done in the styles their names were based on was being played. "What should we read them tonight?" "Little Red Riding Hood was one of my favorite fairy tales when I first heard about it. I thought about writing my own comic book version." "Why don't you?" "Guess I never found the motivation, but I might get to it soon." "You should. We've already put our demo out and it looks like we have a small audience here. Adding a comic to the mix would be fun." "You know what? Why not. I'll start on it tonight." "I wonder how the kids will take to school when they're older." "You're pretty good at math, and I can help them with some stuff. I'm sure it'll be fine." "Do you think they'll be bullied?" "Hopefully, if that happens, what we teach them will help. I got made fun of a lot in a few places I went. You just have to let stuff like that roll off your shoulders and be kind to everybody. Befriending bullies and learning about them can really change their perspective, especially if they're young." "I'm worried they won't adjust very well." "Look at me. I won't let anything happen to our children. Okay?" "I know." "I love you; all of you. As a husband and father, I'll protect you at all costs." "I'm proud of you." "What for?" "You were so scared and sad when we first met, and I couldn't see it. When you started healing, I knew there was something great in you. You overcame your fears for me, and now we have two blessings." "I just did what felt right." "Will you kiss me?" "As you command." As their lips met, they held their children close together. They were determined to become the strongest family Equestria had ever seen. Of Mind and HeartAuthor's Note The final chapter. It felt like a longer process than it was writing this story, but I feel content with the final outcome. Of Mind and Heart Things went along smoothly after the marriage and births. The family was sincerely happy. For the next five years, not much changed. There was still an unresolved piece of the puzzle though, and it was about to fall right into their laps. One early afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Harmonic was getting ready to go out with the kids, so Atmospheric answered the door. There was a large group standing outside the door. She instantly recognized them. "It's...You guys!?" "Hi, sweetie," her mother said. Her family and Harmonic's were all standing together. "Honey, come down here!!!" Harmonic quickly came down from the upstairs room. "What's up!?" "Look. We have visitors." He peaked out the door. "So you guys finally showed up. I was wondering if we'd ever cross paths again." "Wait," Atmospheric's father said, "did you just call him honey!!!?" Their families were speechless. "Me and Harmonic got married over five years ago." "Oh my gosh! That's wonderful," Harmonic's mother exclaimed. "Harmonic, can you get the kids from upstairs?" "WHAT," everyone said in shock. Atmospheric smiled. "We have two children; a boy and a girl." "Holy crap, bro," Harmonic's brother said, "You married your friend and had kids with her. You're the only one in our family that's done that. Guess that makes you a legend." "Hold on. Let me get them," Harmonic replied. He left the room. "Is he okay," his mother asked. "It's a long story." "Their names are Melodic Death and Hard Core," Harmonic spoke when he came back downstairs. "Those names are really unusual," Atmospheric's mother stated. "I actually have an idea about why they chose those names," Harmonic's brother responded, "Remember when Harmonic was born? I said from the beginning he would love heavier music." "You're right," Atmospheric said. "I'm about to take the kids out for a bit," Harmonic interjected, "Can you guys stay here until I get back?" "Of course, son," his mother told him. Harmonic moved through them and left the house with his children. "He seems really tense," Harmonic's father mentioned. "Come inside. I'll explain everything." They all sat down on the floor of the house. "He's really been struggling to keep it together. I stayed in the first town I found for a long time, but he traveled around. He saw a lot of bad stuff." "Like what," his mother asked with concern." "Violence, sexual assault, and a little girl's suicide." "Oh my dear lunar savior," his mother expressed. "He's been dealing with a lot of mental problems and tried to kill himself a long time ago. He was even afraid to be intimate with me until he proposed. We've only made love one time because we wanted kids." "Does that bother you," his mother wondered. "No. I think it's really sweet actually. He only wanted love because he was alone for so long. Where better to give and get it than starting a family?" "He sounds like a good guy," Harmonic's brother said. "He is." "We should tell her why we're here," Harmonic's older sister thought out loud. "No. It's okay. I think i know why. We feel like it's better not to know." "But you deserve the truth," Harmonic's mother insisted. "We've already figured enough of it out. We were born in some kind of research lab, right?" "How did you know?" "The architecture from the photographs. Most places don't look like that." "It was a facility for psychological testing," Harmonic's younger sister spoke, "There was a risk that growing up in that environment would've caused its own issues." "The research we volunteered for was considered too cruel and was abandoned," Harmonic's mother finished, "We were already struggling to support ourselves." "So you guys left us where you thought we'd have a better chance for decent futures," Atmospheric finished the story. "Exactly. By the time his younger sister was born, we had a better income." "Did you look for us?" "Not as thoroughly as we should've. We were scared of what would happen when we found you." "I don't think you have to worry anymore." "What about our son? From what you told us, he wasn't doing very well." "Wasn't is the key word. He took medication until the doctor told him he could stop. When the kids were born, I don't think anyone in the world could've been happier. They're the ones who really brought meaning to his life." "Does he hate us?" "Not a chance. He was hurt for a while, but when he took whatever reasons you had into account, he shifted his focus to trying to better himself." "That makes me feel a little better." "Did you know your son is a hero?" "How so?" "He saved a little girl from being crushed after the second story of a building collapsed." "Heck yeah! That's my bro," Harmonic's brother praised. "He's been training for a long time in case he needed the extra strength." "Does he use weights," his brother asked. "He used to lift heavier stuff when he was working, but he hasn't had to for a while." "I think I know what i'm getting him for his birthday." "What do you guys do these days," Harmonic's mother questioned. "We record music. We've started teaching the kids how to play too." "Can I check out some of the records you guys have," his brother inquired. "You'll find them upstairs." "Cool. Thanks." "Do you guys want something to eat?" "Sure. That'd be great," Harmonic's mother replied. Harmonic returned home after about two hours. Everyone was waiting for him outside. "Hey bro. How are you holding up?" "Pretty good. Got some ice cream with the kids and did some clothes shopping." "Atmospheric told us what happened," his mom said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know things were getting to you so much." "It's okay. Bad things happen. I only have control of my own actions, and I have to make better choices each day than I did the day before." "If you ever need us, don't hesitate to call," his older sister told him. "Don't try that again or I'll kick your rump," his younger sister said. "I love you, son," his dad spoke. "Keep training, bro," his brother vocalized, "keep saving as many lives as you can." "I will. I love you guys too." Atmospheric's father came up to him. "Take care of our little girl." "Stop by sometime to see your grandkids." "I might start coming around a bit too much," he laughed. "By the way," Atmospheric's mother asked, "are they starting school soon?" "Yep. Kindergarten." "We'll pick up their supplies." "I appreciate it." "We'll see you later," Harmonic's mom vocalized. "Alright. Bye, mom." His mother smiled. Everyone left, save for Harmonic, Atmospheric, Melodic, and Hard Core. "You took it pretty well." "The kids deserve to grow up knowing them, and I've got you guys. That's all I could ever ask for." "Daddy, I'm sleepy," Melodic said. Harmonic nuzzled his daughter. "Go ahead and take a nap, sweetheart. I love you." "Wuv you too." "Are you tired too, sweetie," Atmospheric asked their son. He nodded, "I think we could all use a nap," she got the impression. "Right," Harmonic agreed. He lifted Hard Core onto his head while Atmospheric cradled Melodic. All that was on their minds in that moment was how much they loved each other and how bright the future was. Nothing would ever crush their spirits again, because they would make sure of it.
The Suffering Begins...Author's Note Hey guys. Before you start reading, I just wanted to let you know that this story would be dealing with some very serious topics. There are a few mentions of suicide, mental illness, and a mention of domestic abuse later on (not between my characters). The only reason I'm bringing these things up in this story is to reveal Harmonic and Atmospheric's mental states. Whatever you read, please do not idealize the characters or their situations. The end result of this story is more of the exception than the rule. The romantic themes in this story only work because of Harmonic and Atmospheric's personal thoughts and beliefs. Relationships are extremely complicated. Other characters could respond completely differently to the same situation depending on what the writer wanted. Real relationships work in a similar fashion. One couple could have their bond strengthened by unfortunate circumstances while those same circumstances could cause another relationship to completely dissolve. I just want you guys to be aware that this could be really upsetting for some people to read if they are survivors or have lost loved ones to these types of things. Thank you for taking the time to read this note, and if you decide to read beyond this point, I hope these themes don't offend or hurt anyone. That's not my intention, and I hope you can potentially take something away from this that may benefit you in the future. The Suffering Begins... Two and a half decades ago, a dark colt was brought into the world on December 3rd. His mane was a blinding shade of blonde with one partial streak of black casting a shadow over the left side of his face. Still unknown to him in the present day, his birth was the result of a controlled environment. The same situation applies to another being as well; a white mare Pegasus who was born close to two years later on October 12th. Her mane was long and sported a dark shade of brown. Neither of them remember anything about this time in their lives. It would become the least of their concerns. Shortly after the mare was born, both of them were abandoned in separate locations. Any explanation would've sounded like gibberish to them at the ages they were. Just as unfortunate, they wouldn't remember each other. However, there was one thing both of them possessed; a photograph of the two families. This would be the key to altering their futures, but first, there was a long, hard road ahead. Harmonic Thrash spent most of his early years alone, surviving on grass and water. He was always frightened of ponies he didn't know. Being around strangers filled him with anxiety, but after a certain amount of time had passed, he became used to it by doing odd jobs for money. The abandonment caused him severe emotional distress. As a result, his mind went to a dark place, and it stayed there for the next thirteen years while he traveled the continent. Atmospheric Doom fared far better on a psychological level because of her decision to maintain permanent residence in the nearest town she found. She was able to build a solid support system and had her own place. In terms of the abandonment, she believed maybe her family would come back one day. Thirteen years would go by before her childhood friend found her. The town Atmospheric stayed in held a public event every year for mingling. She attended later on when her general motor skills and vocabulary improved. The year she met Harmonic, he was passing through town and was preparing to stay for the night. When he noticed the event going on, he became curious and entered town hall to investigate. At first, nothing really stood out, but when his eyes landed on a familiar face... "Is that...?" He quickly grabbed the photograph from his hoodie pocket. Coming to the realization his theory was correct, he had to stop himself from making a scene. He made his way over to her as quickly as he could without drawing too much attention. Atmospheric felt a faint tap on her shoulder. She turned her attention to what was causing the sensation. "Long time no see." "Do I know you?" Harmonic handed her the photograph. "I don't ge-." She examined it closer. On the left side of the picture, there was a dark earth colt. On the right, there was a sleeping baby Pegasus. "You're...!?" "In the flesh." Atmospheric was at a loss for words. "It's been a long time." "..." "Listen, I don't want to spoil your night. We'll talk tomorrow. I'm tired." Harmonic started gaining distance between himself and Atmospheric. She was too preoccupied to stop him. All she could think to do was prepare herself for a serving of whatever answers he had. Her muscles hardly moved for the remainder of the event. "I never thought I'd see you again," Atmospheric admitted. "Neither did I." The fountain in the middle of town was soothing to their restless minds. "Where were you all this time?" "Pretty much just going from place to place, drifting through life." "Did you ever find out what happened to our families?" "I didn't wanna' know. They did what they did, and I feel better not knowing why. It wouldn't change anything anyway." "I guess that's true." "How've you been holding up?" "What do you mean?" "Are you happy with how things turned out?" "It didn't bother me as much as I thought." "That's good." "What about you?" "I lived. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" "What do we do now?" "It's up to you. I think you should stay here though. It's safer." "Do you have anywhere to go?" "No." "Then...Maybe you could stay with me." "Are you sure? You don't have to put yourself through any trouble." "I want to get to know you the right way this time. You were one of my original companions." "Yeah..." "Come on. Let's go home." "This is a pretty nice place." "Thanks. You can put your stuff on the bed. I think we should go get something to eat. I was too stunned to do much of anything last night." "I can understand that, but you need to take care of yourself." "I know." Harmonic placed his bag on Atmospheric's bed. "What do you have in there, anyway?" "A few metal records and some money." "Metal records?" "It's a loud type of music with a bunch of different styles. Sometimes I use it to help me sleep." "Isn't that kind of counterproductive?" "Not for me at least." "Can I give one a listen while we're on our way?" "Sure." Harmonic pulled some of his own money out of the bag and placed it in his pocket. He then proceeded to remove a compact disc from the bag as well. "This one is called Shadowtorned World by Blasphemist. It's got a lot of melody in it. The style is actually called melodic death metal if I remember right. You can borrow my CD player if you don't have one." "Alright." "Well, shall we go?" "Yeah." The walk to the restaurant was more relaxed than expected. To Harmonic's surprise, Atmospheric seemed to enjoy what she heard of the record. "I had no idea stuff like that even existed." "It's pretty hard to come by. There's not really a high demand for it." "Really? That's too bad." "By the way, I never asked you what you were up to these days." "Not much. I mostly stay at home and play games or draw." "That's cool." "Hey, I noticed you're wearing a jacket. Isn't it a bit warm?" "It's more about feeling comfortable in my own skin really. I don't talk to anyone else much, and I don't like attention, so I try to obscure myself as much as possible." "Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. The design is really cool." "It's the art from another record I have called 'This is Love, This is Murderous' by Bleeding Through. It's one of my personal favorites." "Sounds pretty hardcore." "You're half right, actually. I think it mixes a style called hardcore punk with metal. I might've even heard it referred to as metalcore once or twice." "Has a nice ring to it. I'll have to listen when we get back." "So, what kind of games are you into?" "A lot of horror and rpgs. I've got Resident Evil, Shadow Hearts, Koudelka, and Parasite Eve to name a few." "I'll have to play a few." "How about we make a night out of it? I'll listen to a couple records and help you if you get stuck on a puzzle." "Sounds like fun." "I also wanna' see if we can find a hoodie like yours in my style before we go home. That whole dark and mysterious thing you've got going on is really interesting to me." "Well, your eyes are covered like mine, so you're already halfway there." "Wanna' see what color my eyes are?" "Let me guess first; either hazel or brown." "Good guess." Atmospheric moved her mane. Her eyes were a medium shade of brown that complemented the slightly darker look of her mane. "Take a guess what color my eyes are." "Gray?" "Nope." Harmonic moved his mane as well. His eyes were a piercing, deep blue color. "They remind me of the lower ocean," Atmospheric commented. "Yeah. I've heard a few statements like that in passing." Atmospheric giggled. It almost sounded like he was calling her response generic, but it wasn't insulting, just a little bit funny. The two continued to talk for a while and remake each other's acquaintance.
Final HorrorAuthor's Note Alright, guys. This is the darkest chapter of this story. The suicide stuff and abuse mention will show up here. After this, things will start looking up a little bit more. If this kind of thing is too hard to read about for you, please, do not continue reading. These are sensitive topics, but ones that are important to address. For those of you that do read on, I hope you can take something away from this. This story is about facing adversity in some of its most extreme forms and how a good support structure can affect the outcome. If it helps you in some way, that's great. If it doesn't, thank you for taking the time to read anyway. On to the chapter, I guess. Final Horror Four years went by without much of anything happening. The only difference was, the weight of loneliness was lifted off of Harmonic's shoulders . Him and Atmospheric became very fast friends. They spent most of their time together kicking back and enjoying what they could. All wasn't as peachy as it would appear on the outside though. There was still one problem; Harmonic didn't talk about his personal history. It was still cutting into his head every day, and it wasn't fun to think about. Atmospheric had already told him everything there was to know about her fate, but he avoided talking about himself by putting up a front, acting like nothing was bothering him. He wasn't sure why he continued to hide it, but the most likely reason was because he didn't want to expose her to some of the things he'd seen. He was about to figure out the hard way why that was a mistake. "I'm going to the outskirts for a bit. I need some air." "Okay. Don't forget, it's your turn to make dinner tonight. We need something to munch on while we're grinding in Final Fantasy 8." "I'll figure something out. Be back soon." Harmonic left the house. The walk out of town didn't take very long. It was a ritual Harmonic would often do when he needed time alone to think. Somehow, he'd convinced himself that his thoughts weren't impacting him to the degree they actually were. If anyone had seen his eyes, they would've noticed. He was always extremely aware of his surroundings, even when he wasn't trying to be. The focus was undeniable. It was both a blessing and a curse. "What's that?" There was a large nail driven deep into the ground with a hammer. Around it was a sturdy chain. "What the heck is going on here?" Upon closer inspection, he realized there was something at the bottom of the chain, but he couldn't make it out. He didn't want to move the chain in case someone was using it, so his solution was to shift himself to the left side of the cliff. When he looked down and to the right, he froze... "!!!???" Hanging from the chain was the body of a young filly. She couldn't have been any older than ten. Harmonic's already fragile stability was completely destroyed and turned to dust. He backed away slowly at first, then started picking up the pace. He soon found himself sprinting away from the scene for a short period. After about three minutes, he stopped and vomited. His entire body was shaking with terror. No longer able to contain his emotion, he fell to the ground and cried. Rain began to pour from the heavens, as if to weep with him. The cold did nothing to ease his broken spirit. "Calm down, sir," a guard in town told the distraught stallion, "Tell me what happened!" "A KID IS DEAD OUT THERE! I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN MAKE IT ANY MORE CLEAR!" "What!?" "THERE'S A CHILD'S LIFELESS BODY HANGING FIFTY FEET OVER THE OCEAN! WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" The guard motioned for his men to assimilate. "Lead the way!" Harmonic nodded and they began moving with haste. "Dear sweet princesses! This is horrible!" "..." "I need you to explain what happened here!" "I left the house I live at with my friend to get some air. I noticed the nail and chain. When I went to check it out, you know the rest," Harmonic replied. There was no emotion in his voice. "Celestia, save our souls." "..." "I think you should go home. We'll do what we can for the family and catch the scumbag who did this." "I don't think any outside force did this." "I don't follow." "Examine the DNA on the chain. You'll see what I mean." All the guard could do was make a face of confusion. "I'm going back. Let me know what you find." "Right." "I heard what happened." "Word gets around fast." "Are you okay?" "Fine, just a little shaken," he lied. "Are you still up for dinner and a game tonight?" "Not really. I'm worn out." "Want me to bring you something?" "No. I just need water and sleep." "I'm sorry you had to see that." "Me too." "Good night." "Night." Despite what his earlier comment suggested, Harmonic couldn't sleep at all. It continued like that for several days. When the guard came to their home to report the teams findings, he wasn't even mildly surprised. "It turns out you were right." "Of course I was...," Harmonic muttered begrudgingly, hating his ability to recognize these things. "Right about what," Atmospheric asked them both." "Your buddy here speculated the little girl's death wasn't caused by an outside individual. Between the hammer, the nail, and the chain, we were able to collect just enough genetic material to confirm his suspicions. The cause of death was suicide by asphyxiation." "You're kidding!" "Afraid not. How did you know what happened though," the guard asked Harmonic. "The location and the tools. There were no visible lacerations on her body aside from the indentation the chain caused on her neck, at least from what I saw. Any killer would've tried to hide the evidence. There was no attempt to do that here. Another thing is, everybody knows each other in this town. I asked around later to see if she left town with anybody. Everyone that had information reported seeing her leave alone with those tools." "That could've really interfered with our investigation, you know." "The genetic data would've supported my claim to an extent, but that would've left a suspicion as to any other DNA lost in the rain that day. I had to be sure there was no one in town who deceived her into leaving." "It could've been someone from the next town over." "Not very likely. The next town is a good ways away, and there's no reason for anybody to be out in the middle of nowhere unless they're homeless and don't have enough money for a hotel." "Who's to say that wasn't the case?" "Has anyone new shown up in any of the nearby towns?" "No." "Then that's the end of it. If there was a killer on the loose, they would've probably been caught before they could get here." The guard had no choice but to accept this logic. "We don't have any reason to continue this conversation." "Agreed." "Give the family my regards." "I will." Days of sleep deprivation turned into weeks. Every thought Harmonic bottled up inside had broken free of their prison and consumed what little sense of normal function remained. This was the last straw. He'd had enough of the suffering. Now or never, it was the only way out. With the noose wrapped around his neck, he kicked the chair he'd borrowed from the main room and began to choke. There was no struggle on his part, and soon, he lost consciousness... There was a faint beeping noise. It appeared to be the sound of a heart monitor. Harmonic could feel the plastic oxygen mask on his snout. "Finally awake, sleepyhead?" "...What happened?" "You don't remember?" "A little, but it's hazy." "You tried to hang yourself." "Oh...Yeah..." "I found you shortly after you passed out. The hook you attached the rope to broke off." Harmonic took a deep breath and exhaled. "Look, I don't want to bring up anything painful, but I need to know why you did this to yourself." "How much time do you have?" "As long as it takes." "You want the whole truth? It's been building up to this for a long time." "How long?" "About the last six years or so." "You didn't take them leaving us very well, did you?" "Not at all, but that's just the beginning. Before I started staying with you, there were a lot of things that made me question why I was even alive. I couldn't open my mouth without saying something stupid, whether I meant to or not. I saw violent muggings and did nothing to step in. I saw homeless creatures everywhere and it broke my heart to know that's how they were forced to live. There were several occasions where sexual assaults took place in the towns I stayed too, and I was powerless to do anything. I was terrified something like that might've happened to you." "You were worried about me?" "From my point of view at the time, I had every reason in the book to worry. You can only imagine the relief I felt when I saw you in town hall." "What's the worst thing you saw before this?" "When I was about 16, there was a middle-aged couple I saw here when you weren't with me. The mare was wearing sunglasses and was covered in bruises. I'm positive to this day he was beating her, and I just stayed quiet because I didn't think anyone would believe me anyway. Abusers always find ways to manipulate their victims and lie through their teeth. If I'd just said something, maybe she'd be away from him right now." "I'm starting to get the picture here. You're wracked with survivor's guilt." "I guess that about sums it up." "So, what happened a few weeks ago was your breaking point." "All the times I told you I was sleeping, I was actually struggling with insomnia and nightmares. Every bad thing I saw and read in the papers finally did me in." "Your brain was basically fried trying to suppress everything." "Now I'm stuck here in a hospital bed trying to figure out what to do next." "I think you should see a shrink." "Probably. All I really wanna' do is get out of this town though. I don't think I can stay here anymore." "You're right." "What about you?" "I'm going with you. We'll see what the therapist says first, but it's pretty likely they'll prescribe you anti-depressants." "Whatever works, but I don't want you to leave everything you've ever known for my sake." "I don't really have as much here as you think. I have acquaintances. That's all." "I guess if it works for you, then I'll go along with it." "You should've told me everything sooner." "I didn't think I could trust anybody." "Do you know you were wrong now?" "Yeah." "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're still here." "Coming from you, that means everything. I'm just sorry things turned out the way they did." "Me too. We can grieve together later. Right now we need to get you back in fighting shape." "No kidding. I feel like I was hit by a train." "The fall looked pretty gnarly." The two had a good laugh, and for those few moments, things didn't seem as bleak.
The Present DayAuthor's Note Finally getting to the love story. Hope you guys enjoy it. The Present Day "How are you holding up?" "Still kicking." "That's about the best we can hope for." "Your move." "King me." "You're good at this." "Practice makes perfect." "It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you home?" "I'd like that." Harmonic and Atmospheric cleaned up the checkers materials and put them away before heading out the door. "Have you recorded anything new?" "Just the usual stuff." "Nothing wrong with that." "Hey, can I tell you something?" "Yeah." "I really enjoy being around you." "I feel the same way." "I was wondering if maybe I could take you on a date sometime." "How about a picnic outside town?" "Sounds good. How about this weekend?" "Sure." "I'll bring some water and juice." "I'll bring the food." "Alright. Good night." "Don't forget to call the doctor about you prescription." "I won't." Harmonic entered his Ponyville home. They'd moved into their own places here six years ago now. Harmonic rarely left his home unless Atmospheric was with him. They'd grown extremely close over that time. All of the previous events had changed them dramatically. They were more quiet and reserved towards the outside world than before, and their conversations were both beautiful and somber at the same time. Asking the other out was just a formality. It was bound to happen eventually. Harmonic's heart was still in pain every day, but it mixed with his feelings for his friend to create something unique. There was a balance now that he'd never experienced before. In some odd way, it was cathartic, maybe because he trusted his mind and heart equally. Atmospheric shared in his struggle, and it gave both of them a sense of strength and belief. All that mattered now was being together. A lot of their time together consisted of listening to music, playing games, and recording their own stuff, similar to how it was when they first met. Harmonic watched the sunset through his window. "It's pretty out." For most creatures, cold weather and bluish-gray clouds foreshadowing rain would be the opposite, but to them, it was comforting. Harmonic was focused on his friend with a weak but genuine smile. There were no butterflies, but it was still magical all the same. He could feel the chains constraining his spirit weaken for these brief moments. "We should go ahead and eat before the rain starts." "Mm," he responded in agreement. They ate sandwiches and chips and talked for a while. "How's the demo coming along?" "It should be ready for release soon, but i think we can record one more song." "What'd you have in mind?" "I was thinking a cover of a Cast from Eden or All That Remains song." "All That Remains sounds like a good option." "Will you do the bass and vocals with me?" "Yeah." "I thought maybe dual vocals would make it different from the original." "I think so too." "I can't really sing very well. Do you mind if I do my screams and growls instead?" "I don't mind. What song were you thinking of doing?" "Probably two weeks." "You should save your parts for the chorus. It'll sound more powerful." "Good idea." "Hey, can I ask you why it took so long to ask me out?" "Fear. I was afraid of having my heart broken. It's one of the trust issues I had to face, but there was something else too." "Something else?" "Sometimes I see things that aren't there. They look like ghosts." "You see things?" "So far I've had about seven hallucinations in my life. Each of them lasted a few minutes." "How does that relate to my question?" "I didn't know if I would wake up one day and find out everything was a lie." "You thought I wasn't real?" "Yeah." "Not sure if I should be flattered or insulted." "Illusion or not, I prefer you over whatever would be waiting for me elsewhere." "You have a good heart and head. I think you'd be fine without me." "I don't want to be though. I care about you too much." "You'd really rather be crazy with me than sane and alone?" "Loneliness kills, and that's the truth of it." "That's pretty heavy." "Nobody said being alive was gonna' be easy, but the best things aren't easy to find. Meeting somebody who really, honestly cares about you and spreading that feeling to others is what makes life worth living." "I never thought about it like that." "Not everybody agrees with that philosophy, but there's truth to it. It might not kill you on a physical level, but it'll destroy your happiness if you let it. That's why I'm determined to start over and do it right this time." "I can say that definitely broadened my perspective." "Anyway, I don't wanna' talk about it anymore. Can we just spend some time together here for a while?" "Okay." "I think we should clear the air for good." "Right." "Sometimes, everything we've been through gets to me too. I feel like I'm losing it from time to time." "I don't think anybody could go through it unaffected." "What about you? What are the rest of your issues?" "I have a fear of physical intimacy. I've never felt it, but it scares me for some reason. What really bothers me though is what would happen if I became a dad. I'm so messed up that I don't think it's worth the risk of doing them psychological harm too." "It's okay to be worried." "I'm tired of this analytical and philosophical stuff too. I just want to let the emotions out." "Then do it." "What do you mean?" "Tell me what's on your mind." "I've pretty much said all I can right now." "For what it's worth, I think you'd be a great dad." "Why?" "You're always learning. I feel like you made one of your biggest breakthroughs today." "I want to believe that." "I do, because I believe in you." "If I do become a dad...Will you be the mother?" "Am I the one you see a future with?" "The only one." "Then we'll turn it into a reality, one day at a time." They gave each other a long hug. No matter what it took, they would find a way to be happy once and for all.
First KissAuthor's Note Special Christmas chapter. First Kiss About two months went by after the expression of trust. It was the holiday season, and Harmonic and Atmospheric were going to spend Hearth's Warming together in town. "How are you doing," Atmospheric asked. "Better now that you're here." "Awe. You're so sweet." "I try." "What should we look at first." "Today's all about you. You pick." "I was thinking about a cross necklace I saw a while back. Can we go check it out?" "Of course. Maybe we can get two engraved with our names on them." "I'd like that." "Is there anything else you're looking into?" "I want to see what kind of horror games are out. It's cold and dreary, so I figured it's the best time for stuff like that." "It is." "What about you?" "Thought about checking up on some novels and looking for a couple new records." "Well, we should get going." "Right." "Do you want to exchange them," Harmonic asked. "You mean like mementos?" "Yeah." "Okay." Harmonic and Atmospheric gave each other their new crosses. "Whenever I'm down and out, I'll look at it and think of you. I'll have a reason to wake up again." "And I'll look at mine to see your courage." Another weak smile made its way onto Harmonic's face. It always made him feel like his life was worth something when he heard her belief in him. "That's the way. Show me that smile." "You really are a beautiful soul." "Did you ever doubt that?" "Not for one second." "It's so cold." "Here." Harmonic removed his hoodie and placed it on Atmospheric's back. "Aren't you freezing too?" "No. My fur absorbs all sorts of light to warm me up." "Thank you." "Is that better?" "I'm still a little cold." "Come here." Atmospheric wasn't sure why he suddenly said that, but complied anyway. Without warning, he hugged her. "...How's that?" "Much warmer." "Let me know when you're ready to move again." "I will." "..." The two held each other for what seemed like hours. The light of the sun actually began to further diminish behind the clouds after some time had passed. "Atmospheric." "Hm?" "I'm ready. If it's okay, can I kiss you?" "Absolutely." Moving back so their faces met, Harmonic stared at the mare who had gotten him through so many hard times. He didn't see a worldly being. He saw a guardian angel sent down from heaven itself to free him from the bondage of sorrow that had swallowed him for so long. When their mouths made contact, there was no aggression or lust. It was something completely different. The world around them completely disappeared. This feeling had been referenced many times in stories, but to experience it was surreal to say the least. "I would say I love you, but compared to how I feel, the word doesn't mean anything." "Shh. Don't say anything. Just hold me and I'll hold you for as long as I can." Harmonic nodded. The cold snow pervaded their bodies, but they didn't notice. All they cared about was being lost in each other's spirits. That one day on December 25th, all was right with the world.
Back From The DeadIt's been one year since Harmonic and Atmospheric started dating. Compared to the eleven since they reunited, it was extremely minuscule, but in that time, they became as close as spiritually possible. Some days, they rarely needed to say anything. Just being together felt like something beyond heaven. There were times when Harmonic began to fall into his downward state of mind, but Atmospheric always caught him and reminded him what he was fighting for. "You've stared death in the face twice," she would say, "Now you probably wouldn't even flinch. That's why I love you. You would take on the grim reaper if it meant finding happiness for yourself and everyone else. If I kissed you or killed you, you would be okay with either option." "Hopefully you would kill me with kisses," he joked in response. "There you go. That's the spirit." "Why did you choose me? There has to be someone out there better for you; someone stronger and less mentally broken." "Because they couldn't replace the things that are specific to you. Everything you've seen and everywhere you've been is what made you the stallion I love today. I wouldn't change that for the world." "Are you sure it's me you want to be with?" "Positive." "Then, I have a question for you. I wasn't sure if I should ask you here because of what happened." "I know seeing her like that was hard, but we can turn this into a better place than it used to be." "I had the same thought just now." "You did?" Harmonic pulled a case out of his hoodie pocket. "Atmospheric, I love you more than I've ever loved anything before. For a long time, all I dreamed about were the tears I cried and the terror, but for a while now, those dreams have been gradually replaced with better ones. I see a future where neither of us have to hurt. I've envisioned who our children could be. I want to make all that possible." "Are you asking...!?" Harmonic opened the case, revealing a gold bracelet. "...Will you marry me and be the mother of our children?" Atmospheric quickly moved her mane away from her right eye. She was in shock. Harmonic was wearing a smile like one she'd never seen. It wasn't weak and full of sadness. It was strong enough to move the planet from orbit. The tears of joy started to well up in her eyes. "On one condition," she replied. "What?" "Let me see your eyes." Harmonic parted his bangs and placed them behind his ears. Her suspicion was confirmed. His eyes were lively and full of vitality. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this a worthwhile existence for both of us." "YES!" "Really!?" She nodded and hugged him. The emotion was overflowing. "Hey, don't cry. Everything's gonna' be alright now. I promise." The day their children were born was the happiest of their lives. They had two fraternal twins, the sister being the oldest. The children were named Melodic Death and Hard Core. Melodic strongly resembled her father, and her brother looked similar to their mother. "Hi sweetheart. Daddy loves you very much," Harmonic told his newborn daughter. "Have you noticed how she stopped crying when you held her and he stopped when I held him?" "I think we have a daddy's girl and mama's boy situation." "Awe! That's adorable!" Harmonic and Atmospheric were married a month after their children were born. Unlike with a lot of parents, sleepless nights weren't really an issue. Melodic and Hard Core would always fall asleep while their parents held them or if an album done in the styles their names were based on was being played. "What should we read them tonight?" "Little Red Riding Hood was one of my favorite fairy tales when I first heard about it. I thought about writing my own comic book version." "Why don't you?" "Guess I never found the motivation, but I might get to it soon." "You should. We've already put our demo out and it looks like we have a small audience here. Adding a comic to the mix would be fun." "You know what? Why not. I'll start on it tonight." "I wonder how the kids will take to school when they're older." "You're pretty good at math, and I can help them with some stuff. I'm sure it'll be fine." "Do you think they'll be bullied?" "Hopefully, if that happens, what we teach them will help. I got made fun of a lot in a few places I went. You just have to let stuff like that roll off your shoulders and be kind to everybody. Befriending bullies and learning about them can really change their perspective, especially if they're young." "I'm worried they won't adjust very well." "Look at me. I won't let anything happen to our children. Okay?" "I know." "I love you; all of you. As a husband and father, I'll protect you at all costs." "I'm proud of you." "What for?" "You were so scared and sad when we first met, and I couldn't see it. When you started healing, I knew there was something great in you. You overcame your fears for me, and now we have two blessings." "I just did what felt right." "Will you kiss me?" "As you command." As their lips met, they held their children close together. They were determined to become the strongest family Equestria had ever seen.
Of Mind and HeartAuthor's Note The final chapter. It felt like a longer process than it was writing this story, but I feel content with the final outcome. Of Mind and Heart Things went along smoothly after the marriage and births. The family was sincerely happy. For the next five years, not much changed. There was still an unresolved piece of the puzzle though, and it was about to fall right into their laps. One early afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Harmonic was getting ready to go out with the kids, so Atmospheric answered the door. There was a large group standing outside the door. She instantly recognized them. "It's...You guys!?" "Hi, sweetie," her mother said. Her family and Harmonic's were all standing together. "Honey, come down here!!!" Harmonic quickly came down from the upstairs room. "What's up!?" "Look. We have visitors." He peaked out the door. "So you guys finally showed up. I was wondering if we'd ever cross paths again." "Wait," Atmospheric's father said, "did you just call him honey!!!?" Their families were speechless. "Me and Harmonic got married over five years ago." "Oh my gosh! That's wonderful," Harmonic's mother exclaimed. "Harmonic, can you get the kids from upstairs?" "WHAT," everyone said in shock. Atmospheric smiled. "We have two children; a boy and a girl." "Holy crap, bro," Harmonic's brother said, "You married your friend and had kids with her. You're the only one in our family that's done that. Guess that makes you a legend." "Hold on. Let me get them," Harmonic replied. He left the room. "Is he okay," his mother asked. "It's a long story." "Their names are Melodic Death and Hard Core," Harmonic spoke when he came back downstairs. "Those names are really unusual," Atmospheric's mother stated. "I actually have an idea about why they chose those names," Harmonic's brother responded, "Remember when Harmonic was born? I said from the beginning he would love heavier music." "You're right," Atmospheric said. "I'm about to take the kids out for a bit," Harmonic interjected, "Can you guys stay here until I get back?" "Of course, son," his mother told him. Harmonic moved through them and left the house with his children. "He seems really tense," Harmonic's father mentioned. "Come inside. I'll explain everything." They all sat down on the floor of the house. "He's really been struggling to keep it together. I stayed in the first town I found for a long time, but he traveled around. He saw a lot of bad stuff." "Like what," his mother asked with concern." "Violence, sexual assault, and a little girl's suicide." "Oh my dear lunar savior," his mother expressed. "He's been dealing with a lot of mental problems and tried to kill himself a long time ago. He was even afraid to be intimate with me until he proposed. We've only made love one time because we wanted kids." "Does that bother you," his mother wondered. "No. I think it's really sweet actually. He only wanted love because he was alone for so long. Where better to give and get it than starting a family?" "He sounds like a good guy," Harmonic's brother said. "He is." "We should tell her why we're here," Harmonic's older sister thought out loud. "No. It's okay. I think i know why. We feel like it's better not to know." "But you deserve the truth," Harmonic's mother insisted. "We've already figured enough of it out. We were born in some kind of research lab, right?" "How did you know?" "The architecture from the photographs. Most places don't look like that." "It was a facility for psychological testing," Harmonic's younger sister spoke, "There was a risk that growing up in that environment would've caused its own issues." "The research we volunteered for was considered too cruel and was abandoned," Harmonic's mother finished, "We were already struggling to support ourselves." "So you guys left us where you thought we'd have a better chance for decent futures," Atmospheric finished the story. "Exactly. By the time his younger sister was born, we had a better income." "Did you look for us?" "Not as thoroughly as we should've. We were scared of what would happen when we found you." "I don't think you have to worry anymore." "What about our son? From what you told us, he wasn't doing very well." "Wasn't is the key word. He took medication until the doctor told him he could stop. When the kids were born, I don't think anyone in the world could've been happier. They're the ones who really brought meaning to his life." "Does he hate us?" "Not a chance. He was hurt for a while, but when he took whatever reasons you had into account, he shifted his focus to trying to better himself." "That makes me feel a little better." "Did you know your son is a hero?" "How so?" "He saved a little girl from being crushed after the second story of a building collapsed." "Heck yeah! That's my bro," Harmonic's brother praised. "He's been training for a long time in case he needed the extra strength." "Does he use weights," his brother asked. "He used to lift heavier stuff when he was working, but he hasn't had to for a while." "I think I know what i'm getting him for his birthday." "What do you guys do these days," Harmonic's mother questioned. "We record music. We've started teaching the kids how to play too." "Can I check out some of the records you guys have," his brother inquired. "You'll find them upstairs." "Cool. Thanks." "Do you guys want something to eat?" "Sure. That'd be great," Harmonic's mother replied. Harmonic returned home after about two hours. Everyone was waiting for him outside. "Hey bro. How are you holding up?" "Pretty good. Got some ice cream with the kids and did some clothes shopping." "Atmospheric told us what happened," his mom said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know things were getting to you so much." "It's okay. Bad things happen. I only have control of my own actions, and I have to make better choices each day than I did the day before." "If you ever need us, don't hesitate to call," his older sister told him. "Don't try that again or I'll kick your rump," his younger sister said. "I love you, son," his dad spoke. "Keep training, bro," his brother vocalized, "keep saving as many lives as you can." "I will. I love you guys too." Atmospheric's father came up to him. "Take care of our little girl." "Stop by sometime to see your grandkids." "I might start coming around a bit too much," he laughed. "By the way," Atmospheric's mother asked, "are they starting school soon?" "Yep. Kindergarten." "We'll pick up their supplies." "I appreciate it." "We'll see you later," Harmonic's mom vocalized. "Alright. Bye, mom." His mother smiled. Everyone left, save for Harmonic, Atmospheric, Melodic, and Hard Core. "You took it pretty well." "The kids deserve to grow up knowing them, and I've got you guys. That's all I could ever ask for." "Daddy, I'm sleepy," Melodic said. Harmonic nuzzled his daughter. "Go ahead and take a nap, sweetheart. I love you." "Wuv you too." "Are you tired too, sweetie," Atmospheric asked their son. He nodded, "I think we could all use a nap," she got the impression. "Right," Harmonic agreed. He lifted Hard Core onto his head while Atmospheric cradled Melodic. All that was on their minds in that moment was how much they loved each other and how bright the future was. Nothing would ever crush their spirits again, because they would make sure of it.
