Fading in Time (Non-Clop Edition)
Fading in Time (Non-Clop Edition)
The song which inspired me. You may wanna listen to it.
I remember that night being warm, somewhat hazy. The stars were out, and my windows were open, tilted towards the sky. I was staring right at them, the stars, I mean. There was always a peaceful tranquillity about the night, hauntingly beautiful, but gentle too, in its silent solidarity. Something about it just seemed to make time stand still. And you know what? I liked it that way. It was an escape from the world. To stare into an endless expanse made you forget about all the things close to home.
The lights in my room were off, and the house was quiet, save from the odd creaking floorboard. I lived in a rural area, so there was no reason to suspect anything out of the usual, all was well with the world, and I hoped it would remain that way. It was so long since I had seen or even heard from anyone, I’d even begun to forget the sound of my own voice. With no need to use it, you throw these things away.
I was lying down on my bed, back to the duvet, looking upwards from the end of my bed. My room was in the attic, and so the windows were Velux, inserted right into the slant of the roof. It was wonderful being able to sit alone and just drift away. It was one of the rare times where I had no cares in the world. Nights were still, and timeless. It had become somewhat of a routine for me.
I was reminded of the strange happenings of the past few days. It was a night, just like this one, when a few days ago, a… well, pony, a pristine, white mare, had almost died. I know I said it was a calm rural area, but something was out of the ordinary on this night. Things were not as they used to be. The sky was a deep red. The night clouds rolled away to reveal a bleeding underlay of crimson. They banked and twisted into a mesmerising flare and then settled down again, as if nothing had happened. I was just sitting here as usual, when I heard the knock.
It was midnight, and so I didn’t know what to expect. No one comes knocking at midnight. Not the ‘nice’ kind of person anyway. Come to think of it, no one ever knocks for me anyway… I trudged down the stairs and approached the front door. It just so happens that behind the door, I have a selection of walking sticks, and so I grabbed one of those in order to defend myself if anything bad were to happen. I nervously raised a hand to the handle, unsure of what to expect. I was even more perturbed when I noticed no silhouette through the frosted glass. Usually, a spectre comes to stare back.
I turned the key in the lock, and heard a familiar click ring out as the bolts slid into place. I tentatively opened the door and gazed outside. Nothing… Nothing but the same old field there always was. It was dark, and so I couldn’t see far, but I was sure of something; there was no one there. I shouldn’t have been surprised, most people forget about the old house on the hill. That was, until I looked down anyway, things got stranger from here on. What I have been referring to as; ‘day one’ ever since, had begun.
At my feet, there was what I could only describe as a pony; it was equine in any case. It was a pure white colour, with locks of purple hair trailing down over its face and neck. Its fur looked soft; velvet soft, and reflected the light of the moon, shimmering. It looked in poor condition though, as there were scars all over it. Most notably, across its lower forehead and over one cheek, though there were more wounds across various other areas of its body too. It was a sad sight.
The creature limply coughed, and rolled to the side a little, exposing its underbelly; it was caked in mud. Locks of hair fell away from its face too, and I could see something protruding from its forehead. Upon closer inspection, this was a unicorn, true as I could lay my own eyes on it. I wasn’t sure either, but I was fairly certain it was a ‘she’ by this point too. I figured that before passing out, she had managed to knock on the door, trying desperately for attention.
I’m going to be honest; I truly had no idea what to do. I was pretty shaken up, and not all that comfortable with the random idea of bringing a wounded unicorn into my home, for whatever possible purposes. I remember laughing at how crazy the night was getting. With freak weather first, and now this too…
I made my decision, and lifted the unicorn up and into my arms, cradling her gently as I stepped back inside the building. I had no idea what to do, and so I put her in a bed, and fed her drink and water when she would occasionally wake up. Conversation for the night was at a minimum, as I watched over her still form. Even when she would wake up, she wouldn’t say anything. I had suspected that she might not understand me, but I was soon corrected when she did as I said, and ate the food and drink I’d left for her. She gave me the rare nod, of what I presumed to be ‘thanks’ every now and then, and I’d just sit and watch as she’d eat her food. It was a long night. This routine passed on throughout day one, and then ’day two’ as well. The whole things just seemed so… crazy… But then again, I’m not sure I’m all there either. I’d simply get sleep when I could, and watch over the unicorn every other waking minute. Waiting, expecting.
Anyway, over the next few days, we had gotten closer, in our own unique way anyhow. She had begun to speak, if only in singular words, and that was encouraging. She’d corrected me on the improper use of ‘hair’, and told me that she had a ‘mane’ instead, and also reprimanded me for what was apparently a cataclysmic disaster of a dress sense. Overall, for a guy who lives alone, her company was readily welcome. I had nothing else to do anyway… Time fades by in this place.
It took another day before she would tell me her name, and when she did, she let me know that she was called ‘Rarity’. It was an unusual name, but pretty none the less. I simply assumed it was unicorn custom. Which come to think of it, was another thing I’d asked her about; what she was? She had confirmed my unicorn theory, and nothing more. She wouldn’t say much, only that she’d run away from home, and her old life. She was quite the mysterious female, but as some people might argue; aren’t they all? I didn’t pry for further details.
It was on ’day three’ that I’d realised that I was enjoying being in her presence, and from what I could tell by the occasional smile that was glimmering through, so was she. Call it escapism or whatever, but I think finding me and a whole new world was just the relief she was after. It’s a shame she can’t walk yet though, I’d love to show her the outside, especially at night-time.
I for one, had begun questioning myself. I had taken it at face value that a sentient unicorn had fallen out of the sky, and paid no notice to it at all. But then again, why did I need to? No one would come. I had no clue what I was doing. All I knew is that I wanted to look after her. She needed me, and I was willing to help. You may call it selfless, but I’d begun to gain out of it too, for she kept me company.
I’d begun to question whether this was all a dream, or… somehow created by my imagination. I wondered if I was insane. These thoughts passed quickly though, as I realised that I didn’t care either way. Things were as they were, and I was used to them that way. It’d been years without change.
It was on ’day four’, that I realised the true extent of the wounds I had previously seen. Aside from the scars on her face, there was a large burn on her back, and on what I believe is her flank, was what I could only guess as being a giant bruise, slowly fading with time. The girl had really been banged up. Despite the physical abuse, she seemed more ‘down’ due to the mental fatigue. On the bright side, I appeared to be helping fix that one, as I took her mind off of her past. This was also the first day that she got out of bed.
Finally in a lit room, I could see the mare properly. The only thing I hadn’t taken notice of before, were her eyes. They shone a silvery blue colour and were cold. Judging from her state, I could tell she had gone through a lot, and the eyes just proved to reinforce that. After a while, she had asked for a shower using no more than three words. Apparently she felt hideous being unclean. I showed her how it worked, and she trudged in. That was the last I saw of her on day four. At least it was an improvement.
’Day five’ started just as the others did. I got up, did what I needed to do, and checked on Rarity occasionally. Or, I was going to, had she been in her room when I first poked my head in. I was shocked, I won’t lie. She had been there, and I was used to it; to find her gone was disturbing. I was about to check the room further, when I heard sounds coming from the bathroom. My heart raised a little, and the butterflies in my chest receded.
I waited for her to finish, and when she had, she stepped out in her full glory. It was amazing how much a good wash up had done for her. Her coat shone brighter than ever, and her mane was cascading down around her face beautifully. Her eyes had even regained a bit of their warmth too. The wounds were still a bit concerning, but whenever I’d asked her about them, she seemed indifferent. Still, I wondered how she’d got them.
The day went on as usual from there, all I could tell that was different to the usual, was that she seemed… Happier, almost. Maybe it was just me… Who knows…? One of us is brightening up anyhow. Regardless, that leads us up to now, present time; this night.
As I said, it was a calm night, and the stars were shining. It was warm, and I was taking in the bliss of the night, lying down with my back on the bed. I was getting lost in my thoughts of the previous few days, when I heard a knock on the door. There was only one person or, pony, it could be. Rarity.
I told her to enter, and closed my eyes.
“You don’t have to stand there you know, you can come in.” I told her, my barely used, raspy voice calling out into the night.
The door slowly nudged open and the white mare trotted in slowly. We made eye contact for a while, although it seemed like hours, before she moved over to me and sat down on the bed, her hind legs dangling off the edge. We both dropped our gazes, and continued looking up at the stars; me from on my back, and her from a seated position. Usually, this was my time to be alone, and yet, I felt comfortable with her here. It felt right. It had only been five days and yet, the thought of not having her around saddened me. No, it was more than that; it crushed me.
Before too long, I felt her twist and lie down, placing her head on my chest. A warm spot grew from our combined body heat, and she let out a deep breath. We both gazed up again, although from her breathing, I presumed she was falling asleep. I was about to pick her up and return her to the guest bed… or, her bed, downstairs, when her weak voice spoke back to me, quiet, but loud in the silence of the room.
“L-let me stay… Please…”
I paused for a moment, and decided on something else. I put my arms under her and felt her wriggle, as if trying to escape. Instead of lifting her, I turned her to face me, and placed her fully on my chest, draping her legs over my torso and pelvis. This was the first time through all of this, that I’d touched her. The fur, no matter how soft it looked, felt softer. The silken hairs ran through my fingers as I traced my hand down her body, and they sprung back up readily. For the first time in a while, I smiled.
I wasn’t sure of how this turn of events would go down for Rarity, but my heart melted when the smile was returned. For me, it was also the first time I’d seen her smile. It cracked open the last lock in place I held for her. It had taken five days for me to realise, but this mare was changing me.
I lived alone, far from anything else. No one visited. No one came. But; she did. Maybe wherever she came from knew to send her here. Maybe it was just wishful thinking… Either way, having her look into my eyes was nerve racking. Being with her was calming, but why now, of all times, did she get me in a fluster?
The moon paced across the window and illuminated us further, its silvery light shining down from above. I ran my hands over her again, slowly, and closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of her coat and trying to calm my nerves. I was not suspecting the sensation I got next, as I felt soft lips touch my own.
I opened my eyes wide, to see the closed eyes of Rarity right in front of me. She had leaned over and was perfectly resting on my chest, her hooves either side of my head. The kiss lasted for a few seconds longer, before we broke apart. Her half lidded eyes and sweeping lashes stared at me, as she leant in again. This time, I joined her and pushed up from the bed, engaging her in the kiss fully.
The silk sensation of her lips met mine as we engaged for a second time, more sure than we were the first. I brought my hand up to rest it on the back of her head, and wriggled my fingers into the back of her mane, cupping her gently. With her chest lying against mine, I could feel the rhythmic beats of her heart, and they joined in with my own, which were substantially faster.
We broke off once again and simply stared. There was another feeling of being lost, as if the night was timeless, and the moon made another sweep, throwing its silver down from another angle. I got to my shaky knees and Rarity did the same, rolling over onto her hind legs. We both made a slow crawl up to the head of the bed, and I pulled back the covers, inviting her inside. As she moved past, I ran my fingers over her fur again. I couldn’t get enough of that feeling. Even with the scars, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I just feel like a fool for not realising it sooner.
I laid down next to her, and settled in under the covers, pulling them back over us both. She wriggled a bit, but eventually turned to face me, curling her legs into my chest. Her head was below my own, but I could see her silvery eyes glinting back up, looking into my own, as if transfixed. I pulled her closer, wanting to feel all of her, her warmth, her movements, her breathing. I wanted to have more of her. I inhaled her smell, and got the scent of violets drifting up into my nose. I listened to her. She would occasionally let out a ragged whimper, as if her voice was cracking. It was adorable. I pulled her in closer yet again.
She was obviously feeling as I was, and before too long, I felt the now familiar sensation of hooves around my waist, pulling me in. I stroked her again and leant in, brushing her hair away from her face. She flattened her ears back against her head and we kissed again, more forcefully though, pushing deeper into each other. We began to move our lips a little more, wrestling gently as we tugged at each other’s senses, playing a small game of seduction and infatuation.
Once again we began exploring each other’s bodies. She ran her hooves up and down mine, and I returned the gesture to her, running my hands all over her silky coat. My fingers eventually settled down on the strange tattoo she had, and I hoisted her up a little further, bringing her head in line with mine. It was easier to kiss this way, and once we got used to the rhythm, we settled in, taking pleasure in the love we had for each other. Seconds rolled into minutes, minutes rolled into hours, and for all I knew, hours rolled back into days. The night was doing what I had always hoped it would; becoming endless.
I don’t know how long we indulged in each other’s bodies, but eventually Rarity pulled away and yawned. She must have still been exhausted from her earlier experience. Who knows what state she’d be in if I hadn’t found her…
She looked up and smiled once again, kissing me on the nose. I returned the favour, and lightly pecked her on the tip of her muzzle, eliciting a hum of appreciation. She then rolled over into the position of ‘small spoon’, and laid there for a moment before speaking.
“Thank you…”
I stroked her stomach from behind and laid another kiss on her.
“No, thank you.”
All I remember of the night after that, was one thing:
Wishing the night would last forever.
Fin.
