Aberrant Memoriesby SolaripChaptersReminiscenceAmbiguityChallenges and ObservationsReveries and NightmaresReminiscence Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard. It's a bright and sunny morning in Ponyville. The sun shines down the town and the ponies who live in it. The sky, never flawed from its perfect blue. The clouds, on the other hand, taint the beauty of blue. That doesn't cast a problem to the weather pegasi on the job. In fact, they don't seem to mind a few clouds in the air. Why? That's because those are intended for comfortable slumber. The beautiful nature incorporated with the fruit of the alabaster white alicorn, Princess Celestia, makes me want to do something worthwhile outside. Maybe a friend will be nice. It never hurts to have some fun under the sun. If it would, then Pinkie Pie, the nicest and funniest pink mare in town, would send everyone to the hospital. I think I'll bring Flare along. She's a childhood friend of mine who's always up for fun and laughter. She's that ray of sunshine that wants to be with her best friends. Come to think of it, she's much like Pinkie, only maize with a short straight mane and not pink with a fluffy mane like cotton candy. Flare always loves to do random stuff; she hates inactivity like watching paint dry or watching birds. But there's something about her that likes to stare at the sky. I've decided to take her for a walk in the park. Just a calm walk. Kinda boring, but it'll suffice. I finished my breakfast and got ready to head out. I opened the door and stepped outside. The morning rays of the sun welcomed me first, then the cool gentle breeze that blew across my coat. I went across the dirt road toward Flare's house. I think I still know her house, so I'll trust my instincts and head to where I know. After doing what my gut told me, I crossed past Sugarcube corner, the Ponyville Library and the famous Carousel Boutique—where everything is chic, unique, and manefique. How did that got in my head? Anyway, I thought I was lost, but luckily I got to her house. It's not actually far from my house, not as much as Sweet Apple Acres. Her house is not grand nor eye-catching. Just a plain house that every middle-class resident owns. As I stood in front of her porch, I felt something... weird. A warm feeling deep inside my chest. I know I didn't see her for sometime, but I can't possibly miss her. I mean, we talk to each other every time we cross paths. And if we have some spare time, we do random stuff, like rappelling off a cliff or jumping over houses, oddly ending up covered in tree sap. Sweet Celestia, I miss those days. Back to reality, I anxiously knocked on the door. No one answered. I knocked again, but no avail. Before I knock again, I heard a faint voice saying: "LOOK OUT!!!" I moved further away from the door, assuming that Flare would charge through the door. But what really happened is something I didn't expect. I heard a loud crash and I fell on the ground. Clouds of dust covered my field of vision and with that, I can barely see what happened. Ow! My back! What fell on me? It feels like an empty piano. Wait, I think it's a pony. Oh Celestia it hurts! I think Rainbow Dash crashed and I was there. The pony just sat on me, with its tail tickling my back throbbing in pain. It feels the weight of Canterlot sitting on my body, yet so soft like a cloud. After a few minutes of me groaning in pain, the mysterious mare finally spoke. "Hi Caramel!" She sounds so gentle, like Fluttershy, but I can see her up in the air with a skein of geese. "Who are you and what have you done with my back?!" "Let's just call it, a dynamic entry." "Well, I think your dynamic entry almost killed me! Now before you break my back even more, would you mind getting off my back?" I said impatiently. "Oh, right." She finally got off and the first I saw is a set of maize hooves, one of them reaching out to me. "Flare?" "Uh-huh. Who do think I was, Fluttershy?" She read my mind. I grabbed her hoof to help me get up. I raised my head to face her, making eye contact, but she's too close to me. So close that I can see her features in high definition. "So, what do you want to do next?" "Well, I was thinking. How 'bout a walk in the park?" "Sounds pretty boring, but okay." The flashback of memories will have to wait, I have to enjoy this day first. The rhythm of hoofsteps and the battle of noises fill my head. Each minute, my mind gradually turns blank. I can't think of anything to do or to say. I think she's right, it is pretty boring. "So..." Then I realized that she's out of sight. Where did she run off to? Come to think of it, it is kinda crowded in the park. I scanned the perimeter, briefly looking through possible places to where she would end up. The alleys, restaurants, park benches, trees, and flower stands. My mind is racing with my heart, and I think its losing. There she is, at a flower stand not far from the park. That was awfully quick. I thought she might be lost or end up in Appleloosa. She's such a klutz and she always end up lost or in another place far from where she must be. But it's a good thing I found her in record time. I should receive a medal for that. I ran to her and she met me halfway. She has a decent bouquet of flowers on her mouth. From the looks of it, she bought it from that stand. I'm not stupid for not knowing that, but I don't know why she bought it. Inside it are petunias, calla lilies, roses, and a cabbage. Wait, a cabbage?! I don't even know why that stand sells cabbages. Moreover, I don't know what's going on inside her head. She's just random, I guess. "Flare, I've been looking all over for you. And what's with the flowers?" I said, trying to catch my breath. "Um..." she whispered something inaudible. "Huh?" "It's for you." she shyly said, with her face turning to a crimson red. "Um, thanks." I'm burning up. She just can't make eye contact with me while making small circles on the ground. She's so cute. I would definitely slap myself if I can tell what she'll do next. I bet that she will hug me. For what seemed to be an eternity of silence is actually a minute of awkwardness. She finally made eye contact, while I prepare for what I'll do next. She slowly walks closer to me. I closed my eyes and felt two hooves wrapped around my neck. I can feel her intimate warmth and soft embrace. I raised my hoof and gave it my all in one blow. A loud slap was heard by only Flare and me. Ouch! It hurts to be right. Obviously, she's surprised that I slapped myself. Then again, who wouldn't be surprised that the one you hugged would slap himself? Even with that part confusing her, she still continued to hug me. Actually, her hug kinda tightened a little. Now that I realize it, her embrace shouts out her feelings, for me that is. Her soft yet tight grip says that she cares for me, no matter what happens. Her slow beating of her heart shows that she didn't to do something embarrassing. Her bashful smile means that she's happy to be with me and she truly likes me. And to top it off, the stinging pain on my cheek means that I'm stupid for seeing this one coming and I didn't do something about it. It's another day in school. As always, I am excited to go outside and be free from sitting down a chair bigger than me. I am also excited to learn, so I'm always the first to sit down on my chair and wait for school to start. To make myself productive while I wait, I draw. Candy, houses, foals and hay bales are just part of what I can do. If I want, I can draw on the walls that limit my freedom, albeit my capabilities aren't at its prime. And when school finally starts, we always start class with a greeting so loud it hurts my ears. "GGOOOD MOOOORRRNIINNGG TEEAACCHHERRR!!!" Ouch! I try to be silent, but to suffer from the shouts of others is inevitable. "Okay class. I'm happy to say that we have a new student." he lethargically announced. A small filly walks to the front of the class. She looks shy. Her outside personality doesn't quite match her colors. She is mainly yellow, darker actually. Her mane has two colors—gold and pineapple as its accents. Usually, yellow means confidence, but she's anything but. "Um... hello. I'm Flare. I-It's nice to meet—" her soft voice was interrupted by the teacher. "It's nice to meet you too, Flare. Now, would you kindly find a seat." the teacher monotonously said, as if he was ordering Flare. Flare slowly walked to he only seat available in the room—the one beside mine. With her legs shivering, she put her saddlebag down neatly at the chair and shyly sat down. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd faint like a goat when somepony else calls her. "Hi Flare. I'm Caramel." She just stared at me as I greeted her. I stared at her, too. She seemed to be turning to a cute red, if there's a right term for it. With her eyes widened and cheeks red, she turned to her desk. She was then directed to the teacher, who is currently talking about Celestia-knows-what. I think he's discussing about how his teaching experience got him to Canterlot and teach about advanced science. I hope this doesn't show up in the exam. I turned my attention back to her. She seems nervous. Why is she nervous about? Perhaps it's her first day. Besides, the same thing happened to me when I had my first day in school. I was surrounded by new faces, some weird and terrifying. A new environment, the school, brings me a feeling of curiosity. Although it's good to be curious, I hate to be in a place I don't know of. New personalities, potential threats or benefits. Strangers everywhere. Opportunities to get lasting impressions. Those never fail to leave my head. Of course, there were some good things that happened. Perhaps the same thing might go for her. On the first day, she already has a new friend—me. The rest of the morning was uneventful. It is really boring, until lunchtime came. It is a time for us to engage in conversations and replenish and satisfy our cravings, whether it is physical, mental or social. I enjoy lunch break with a large sandwich, a juice box and a bench to sit with nopony else but me. I like peace and quiet and nothing will stop me from having it. As I take down my sandwich to eating all of it, I enjoy the view of vibrant foals across the playground. Everyone was involved in a game of tag. All but Flare and me. She's resting under the blessing of a shade under a tree. I'm still on the bench, finishing on my sandwich. I think I should go talk to her, to know her a lot better. Eating the last bit of the sandwich, I wait for the right time to cross the playing field. The foals running to and fro look like the traffic of ponies with their carts on the street I see every weekday. The untimely rhythm of hoofbeats on the grass and the high pitched screams and yells of the foals make me feel irritated. The crowd ran to the other side of the school. Now's the time for me to go to her. I carefully ran, taking note of the foals on the other side. As fast as I can, I sprinted when I saw them running to where I stand. With fear of getting run over, I outran the stampede of colts and fillies. Heavily panting, I sat beside Flare while she's staring at the spot where I was a while ago. Then she continued to stare at the sky dotted with clouds as big as apple carts. She looks so cute and peaceful. "What?" she turned to me and noticed me staring at her. "I was just curious. Why aren't you out there, playing tag like the others?" "I don't know anypony around here but you, and I could get hurt. Real bad." Flare sighed. "And why are you staring at the sky?" "I do this all the time. The sky just looks so pretty. Sometimes, I space out for hours." she explained. Her cheeks turned red, again. Mine did, too. She just looks so cute and adorable with her cheeks blushing. The both of us stared at the sky. After a few good minutes, she gets closer to me. She rested her head on my shoulder. Her mane tickling my neck as the breeze makes it sway and dance according to its will. After a moment of silence which seemed to last an hour, I heard tiny snores from her. I turned to see her face and I saw her eyes closed and her mouth letting out small sounds of snoring. "Yup, she's asleep." I said softly, trying not to wake her up. This day, her first day in school, the day I met her. She's quite a unique filly—looks confident yet real shy. I'm her first friend in Ponyville. Ever since, she never forgot about me. For me, it's not about forgetting her. It's about remembering her every time. Author's Note Is it cute enough? Please leave a comment. Constructive criticism is mostly appreciated. Also, comment on how I can make this cuter. If you're asking why the 'Sad' category and you haven't read even a silver of sad, it's because the feels will arrive soon enough. EDIT: Changed some sound effects to sentences. Ambiguity What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce. We finally broke free from our embrace. It lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like forever. Her pineapple and packer gold mane brushing on my shoulders. Her eyes made contact with mine. Those emerald orbs look so bewitching. Her maize coat glows as the sun casts beautiful rays that warm everypony under it. Why it is so hot in here? Flare's cheeks turned to a lovely crimson red–an adorable sight to gawk at. "Are you okay?" she giggled. "What do you mean?" Really? What's wrong with me? "Well it's just..." she turned away. "It's just what?" "I-It's just that you're so cute when you're red." she's still giggling. Oh. She couldn't help but burst into laughter, falling on her back. The grass was beaten and as revenge, they brush on her coat. As a result, she laughed some more, louder to be exact. "HAHAHAHASTOPTICKLINGMEHAHAHA!!!" "But I'm not!" It's so tempting. She's just so vulnerable right now. "Unless you want to?" I continued while I wore a mischievous grin. I stepped closer towards her, put my hooves on her belly and I went all-out. "BPHFAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASTAHPHAHA!!! "I can't stop now, can I?" I said. "HAHAHAHAOHMYGUTAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! The grass and I worked in tandem and it all went well. Eventually, she stopped laughing, leaving tears on her eyes. With a smile on both our faces, we lied down on the grass beside a shady tree. How did we got there, you might ask? Well, she rolled until she bumped one of its roots, then she told me to lie down beside her. Although really shady, spots of the tree aren't fully blooming with leaves, so tiny rays of the sun got through and hit the ground. Some hit my abdomen and Flare's chest. It kept us warm and shaded. It's perfect for the both of us. Perfect enough to take a nap. With one hoof wrapped around her and another on my chest and her head held adorably close to mine, I closed my eyes and... A warm sensation on my lips. It feels familiar and reassuring. I opened my eyes to know what it is. The first I saw is Flare's eyelids closed shut. Then I felt something on my forehead. It's kinda pointy. I looked up, and it's her horn. It doesn't hurt, though. More importantly, her lips are touching mine. Since I've observed the scenario, it's better for me to close my eyes again and go with it. Her hooves wrapped around my body and mine around hers. She massaged my lips as I did so to hers. There's no battle for dominance. Our tongues danced as equals. There's nothing that would stop me from kissing her. Nothing but time and her. It lasted for a few seconds as we broke free from our physical bond. It felt like an eternity, but facts said it was only a few seconds. But during those meaningful seconds, a memory was crafted. Something that would last for it was shared with somepony special. We opened our eyes and we see each other, blushing as we try to imitate the color of roses. I can't help but stare to her eyes and smell her mane. The scent of lavenders is my weakness. I think I've been staring at her for a lifetime. Wait, reality tells me it's only been a minute. Can this awkwardness end? Luckily, she broke the silence. "Caramel." "What is it?" "I love you." That's the words I want to say to her, but I guess she said it first. Two hearts went closer and promises are to be made. But now, all I did is hold her closer and caress her smooth and silky mane. Even then, everything is perfect. The wind blows gently. The birds chirp harmoniously. The trees sway in time. The day is ripe and there's a lot of stuff that can be done. But now, I'll stay here, with her by my side. "I love you, too." It's a strange day in Canterlot as everypony sees and meets a strange pony. A mare to be exact. Nopony seems to know who she is, or where she came from. She doesn't have the heart to harm them, albeit she's a stranger to the elegant residents. Inside the royal castle are two alicorns–Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The alabaster alicorn had been observing Ponyville at a distance while Luna is gazing at the stars. Through the spyglass, Celestia spotted a threat. She was alarmed as soon as she saw her. "This is terrible!" the alabaster alicorn yelled, causing the Princess of the Night to jump. "What is it, sister?" Luna asked out of obvious curiosity. "It is about Ponyville." Celestia started. "The town is in grave danger. A large and murderous threat is at hand along the residences." she continued. "What might that threat be?" "A dangerous pony, who had been dormant for years, started to become active and unstable. She might burn the whole town to ashes in minutes. Her magic can and will cause this if we don't take cautious measures." she explained. "I still have no idea who it is you're talking about, sister." "You will soon enough." Celestia concluded. Luna, still curious, shrugged and left the room, saying nothing while making her way to the door. The stranger made its way to an alleyway not far from the heart of Canterlot. The shadows and darkness that shrouds the path ahead hid the mare's features to other ponies who might be following her. Galloping through with haste, she went through the alley faster than a train with broken brakes. At the end of the alley is a house like all the others, but its location makes it more eerie and suspicious. She went inside with a clicking sound of the doorknob, shutting the door and quickly locking it. She turned on the lights and her living room came into full view. It is dominantly blue, filled with figurines of famous ponies and simple artworks of unknown artists. At one corner, a furniture set and a coffee table are placed in front of a fireplace. The light also revealed the mysterious mare's features. She's a mint green unicorn with her mane lighter than her coat. Her mane has a simple trace of white as an accent. The same goes for her tail. Her cutie mark is a small brownish lyre. "I must find her, before it's too late." she whispered to herself. I woke up form a delightful nap under a shady oak tree. Judging from the lengthy shadows and the yellow orange gradient across the purple sky, I might have slept for almost an hour. We've been asleep for an hour. Flare took a nap shortly before I did. I slept after watching the clouds drift across the sky and as if upon a force of habit, count them as they pass by. I felt a weird sensation–something cold, slightly wet and shivering. I turned to see what it is. The only thing that fits the description is Flare Starlight. She's in cold sweat, shivering and surprisingly asleep. She might be having a nightmare. Now I'm having a nightmare–seeing her like this. She holds me tightly as she experiences this tribulation. I shook her gently to wake her up, but to no avail. I shook her the second time–a little vigorous this time–and her dreaded state waned. Her shivering slowly stopped, but the cold sweat didn't falter. The beating of her precious heart calmed down a bit. I think she's about to wake up. Or better yet, she had woken up. She suddenly opened her eyes, looking as if she had seen the Mare in the Moon. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She's pretty hesitant. Is she trying to say something, but she couldn't? Maybe if I calm her down, she can say whatever she needs to say. "Um... Flare?" She calmed down from the sound of my voice. She gently loosened her grasp on my foreleg. She nuzzled me on the cheeks with a reassuring smile. All I did was smile back. "Hm?" "Did you have a bad dream?" "Well yeah, but I've seen worse. Good thing is gone now, once I heard your voice." "That's good to hear." "While you were still asleep, you were shivering like a dog in a frozen tundra. Plus, you were sweating, real bad." I continued. "Oh." she said with a hint of melancholy. "I thought I stopped having those things a week ago. I felt really happy when I didn't wake up dripping of sweat. But I guess it came back. I don't know how to stop it, though." she explained. "Wait, you were having these things since when?" I got curious, and it can't hurt to ask. "I can't tell you exactly when, but I've been having these things for as long as he can remember. I don't even know how and why I got it. It's quite a mystery if you ask me." she sighed and made an adorable pout. Since she was a filly, she have been experiencing the same symptoms. That must feel horrible for her. If I were to have those, I would have gotten used to it. How can she simply go on with her life with some sort of burden of unknown cause on her back? A nightmare that always comes back as she sleeps. If that's the case, then I must be there for her. We're no longer friends, but a couple of amorous ponies with memories that keep us from forgetting what made us together. "What if..." I gently placed my hoof on her belly. Every rise and fall of her breadbasket is in stable rhythm with the faint sensation of her heart. Soft and tiny giggles are heard every time I shift my hoof left and right. All of it makes her adorable. With her head leaning on my shoulder and her hair tickling my cheek every time I move, she simply listens to what I will say. Her heart open to whatever I can say; her mind jogging on what I might say. I can even feel every inspire and respire of her breath. "What if you come to my house and stay there for the night? Sounds good?" I said without hesitation. "Really?" a confident beam brightened up her face as her ears perked up, sliding from my neck to my cheek. "Yup." "Yay!" she jumped in place like Pinkie would. "So, when do you wanna go?" I asked while Flare is busy being jumpy. "How 'bout now?" "Well, I guess. It's getting pretty late and I'm getting hungry." "So what're you waitin' for?" she said with a huge grin stuck on her face and a blush on her cheeks. I got up from the grass which have suffered enough pressure. With a reassuring hoof, I reached out to her to help her get up. She grabbed my hoof and with a mighty pull, Flare stood up. Still wobbly from the pull, she landed on my shoulder, but then quickly recovered. "Shall we?" I said gesturing the way home. It's already dark, but the sun still peeks at the sky. The sunset red of the sun and the evening blue of the night complements each other as the clouds try to imitate the sun and glow an orange hue. The stars on the other side twinkles humbly; the moon rises slowly as its counterpart sets. It is such a wonderful view. Flare and I try to enjoy such a scenery, but the thought of Flare got into my head and me into hers. At my side is the night while hers is the setting sun. We looked at our own sides, trying to turn and make eye contact. We walk the lit streets of Ponyville; our tails oddly tied to each other. Halfway through the journey, we finally made eye contact. Her eyes widened while she stares at me. Moments later, her face turns red. The same old red that I never forget. We stopped but we continued to stare at each other. Her emerald eyes stare at me deep down. Her coat blends with the sun's rays. Her mane blows with the balmy breeze as it glows with color. Her crimson red cheeks and her shy smile keeps it alive more than ever. To top it off, the setting sun made her whole body–including her tiny features–glow like the sun itself. Oh Celestia! This is a sight I'll never forget. She's just so beautiful. The both of us are sunken in deep red. Realizing that I've been staring at her for what seemed like forever, Flare quickly turned away and continued walking. I shrugged and followed her. "So where's your house?" Flare asked out of the blue. "What do you mean?" I know she'd just kidding around. "I mean, where's your house?" "Flare, you know where my house is." I said with eager disappointment. "I do?" Did she really forget? "Yeah. You go there every time back then." "I did?" "Yeah." "Well, I must have forgotten." "Well, it's a good thing we're going there." I think she did forget. "Yup." Her expression clearly shows that she's having a hard time remembering things. Has she really forgotten where my house is? Judging from her looks, I think she has. What else has she forgotten? Probably her own house. "Welp. Here we are." I announced as we stood in front of my porch. "Hey! It looks just like my house, only it has a balcony." she said out loud. She seems delighted to see it. Well at least she hasn't forgotten her own house. Speaking of forgetting, what happened to her? What made her forget things completely? It probably has something to do with her past. If that's the case, then I have to know what happened to her during our foalhood. What seems like a trivial problem turns to a somber dilemma if you cared for her, who needs your help the most. Her burdens turn to ours. Each act of kindness is a mark in her heart that never fades. Author's Note Did this came too late? Anyway, hope you enjoy the second chapter. I want to add more, but my gut told me to leave the rest for another chapter. If you want more cute, then don't worry, I'll add MOAR cute. Please leave a comment. Constructive criticism is mostly appreciated. Also, comment on how I can make this better. Also, a new story will be arriving soon. It's all about TIME. Challenges and Observations Memories bring color to life, no matter how dull the present is. I know what I'm gonna do today. With that said, I planned out a mental schedule that includes fire and attempts to burn her. I will burn her. It kinda sounds like what a crazed psychopath would say, but I am sane and I will remain as such. I'll try not to get carried away with the whole "burn the smoking mare" scheme, or else I might burn the whole house down to ashes. I'll be subtle, yet promising. Otherwise, she might think I'm a murderous killer and never talk to me ever again. I don't want that to happen. The scent of lavenders filled my nostrils once more when Flare turned to face the window, the same one I'm facing, and with her magic, she folded the curtains, letting Celestia's early blessing shine on the whole room. It's still really early for the sun to get past through the sun roof and its rays aren't that bright just yet. Dawn has just begun, so the time must be around five in the morning. Five o' clock is too early for a day of doing nothing but staying beside Flare. Perhaps I'll continue writing on my manuscript. I am a writer after all and it is my job to inspire the readers and interact with them through the written art. She quickly turned to me and gave herself a little push. In an instant, our lips met as a form of saying "Good morning" to me. I greeted her in the same manner. A moment of bliss ended when we slowly broke away from our kiss, but our intimate embrace still remains. Her hooves start to get restless. With a mischievous smirk planted on her face, she grabbed my sides and pushed me to break our hug. I rolled on the bed with my back laid flat. She lays her hoof on my belly. Soft movements of her hoof rubbing me reminds me of when I was young and my mother would rub my belly when I can't sleep. It feels so nice, I could just drift to sweet slumber. "You really fell for it," she said with an impish grin. What does she mean by that? Her other hoof joined and both of them begin to— "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," I laughed aloud as she tickles the only part where it is possible – my belly. "Told you," a silly grin stuck to her face as she constrained one of my hoof with her neck. "STAHP!" I said as my plea was mixed with a cornucopia of laughter, making it barely understandable. All the tiny movements that tingle every part of my body gave me no choice but laugh. I threw my hind legs in an attempt to stop the pleasurable torture, but it was a losing battle. I did fell for it though. I forgot that my only weakness is situated on my belly. Rubbing it cause me to fall asleep. Tickling it would make me laugh to my heart's content. What could happen if she does something more? I'll let my body decide. Her hooves stopped and my arousing torture was cut short. Finally, I took the time to catch my breath. I wiped the tears formed from laughing so hard with my free hoof. Wait a minute, I just realized something. Her head is on my hoof. Why does it have the freedom to move without physical constraints? Where did she go? I opened my eyes and saw a yellow blob. The tears slowly dried and my vision went vivid. I saw Flare laid between my legs in front of me. Her hooves still rest on my belly. I looked down to see a pair of emeralds wide open and a pair of rosy cheeks. In the middle of the adorable features is a more adorable detail – her innocent and natural smile. She seemed sound asleep. The rising and falling of my belly matched with my steady heartbeat is a lullaby to her. The obvious ensued; I close my eyes to do the same. I can feel her tiny movements and her soft breaths amplified as I focus on what I feel around me. The cloud-like bed, the plump pillows that envelop the couple inside, and the sheet of silk over us. I don't want to leave this bed. I woke up after what seemed like two hours of slumber. Oversleeping is not in my field of interest, but the lazy atmosphere is really contagious. I tilted my head to face the window at my right. Sunrise strikes me head-on as a warm yellow tint hits my face, causing my eyes to squint. I face back to the yellow pony on top of me. "Hi!" Flare greeted me as she draws circles with her hoof. "Good morning," I greeted in the same manner as well, making her blush lightly. She is resting in between my hind legs, tilted sideways. The sight of her being adorable makes me want to faint, but given the possibilities of her being worried about me, I should probably stay conscious. Come on, don't pass out. She looked up and our eyes met. "Are you okay?" she cooed with bright red cheeks. "Why? Did I make you worry?" "No, it's not that. I-It's..." her words were cut off as she stopped and hid her face under the sheets. I placed my hoof on top of her head, but a white sheet keeps me from caressing her mane. I slide it off, but not to its entirety. All I did was to reveal her shy face up to her horn. Her cheeks lit up to a bright red. She pouts as I stare into her pleading eyes, wanting to be cuddled. I took off the sheet that masked her head in toto a few moments before. As we stare at each other's eyes for a small eternity, I was encompassed by her half-lidded gaze. Until a sound broke the silence. Flare let out a loud grumble, not from her mouth but from her abdomen. The two sets of eyes widened as the strange sound mildly startled us. Then the bright red form her cheeks grew to her whole face. Her ensued embarrassment led her to cover her head with the sheet from before. Although she hid her adorableness from my field of vision, she still continued to do so. As she draws circles with her hoof on my chest, I simply melt away as her gentle touch immobilized me to where I lay. "So," I said to break the palpable awkward atmosphere. She stopped her hoof-drawing and tilted her head slightly towards the source. "Wanna grab something to eat?" I rubbed the back of my head with a hoof, waiting for a response. Instead of a word, she sprang out of bed and trotted happily to the door, bringing the white blanket with her. I went straight to the door, opening it with a flick on the knob. With a swift swing, the door went widely ajar. With a chivalrous gesture, I motioned her to go first. This act made her grin sheepishly. It's a good thing we're alone. "Do you have some sugar?" "Yeah, I have some sugar cubes." "Awesome." I opened the small jar on the center of the table. Sitting beside it is Flare, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Beside her is me, holding another cup of coffee. One of the cubes were enveloped in an orange glow – the same on her horn. It flew and gently landed to her cup. I don't actually use sugar lumps. I'm the kind of pony who likes coffee as they were – black and bitter. "You know, I didn't notice the jar before you opened," she said as she stirs the coffee with a disembodied moving spoon, dissolving the sugar to the liquid. "Well you would've taken a good look at where you are. Otherwise, you can be in serious trouble," I advised her with a caring tone. "Yeah, mom," she jokingly replied with a sheepish grin stuck on her face. I can't help but giggle a little. I put the cup down, got up and trotted to the kitchen. A short journey after, I reached for the cupboards. I seek for a pair of candles and a matchbox. In record time, I grabbed all of them and trotted back to the table. I placed one of the candles on Flare's side of the table and the other on mine. I held the box of matched as I sat opposite of her. "How 'bout we play a game?" I asked her while she sips the last of her coffee. She stares at her empty cup; her expression blank. I waited for her to respond, but I don't want to ruin her moment. A small eternity had passed, her mind snapped and went back to Equestria, putting her cup down. "Sure. What'll it be?" I point at the candle in front of her and said, "The pony who lights the candle the fastest wins." She points her horn at the candle, ready for her to cast a spell. I have the matchbox on my left hoof and a matchstick at my right. "Three," I said while staring at the candle. "Two," she said, looking awfully calm. "One," I said as I neared the match to its match. "Go!" we shouted in unison. Author's Note My apologies if you waited for so long. My schedule for the month is simply restless. Although I've already written chapter five, time won't let me accomplish this one earlier. The chapter is fairly shorter than the rest because I don't have time to make it at least 2,000 words. Again, enjoy the chapter! Reveries and Nightmares The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared. I looked under the doormat and grabbed my keys. With extreme precision, I managed to unlock the door. I stepped inside and opened the lights. Flare ran to the nearest couch. She seems to know where my couch is. Maybe she hasn't forgotten my house that much. "Flare." "Hm?" "Are you sure you've never been to my house before?" "Yup." "Then how do you know where my couch is? If you haven't been to my house, then everything would look new to you. My couch is hard to spot. How come you found it so easily?" We shouted across the room as she sits on the couch and I walk to where she went. My couch is really hard to spot. One needs to take a right, then a left, then a turn to see it. I finally got to Flare, looking curious and worried at the same time. "I... I don't know." she said, matching her looks and words. She has forgotten some parts of her memories of being here. I don't know how and why that happened to her. Flare's either traumatized and forgotten some of her memories or something or someone made her forget those without her being aware of it. I have to find out for myself. The rest of the night was uneventful. We ate a light dinner–a daisy salad and some soup. We watched the stars as they sparkle in the twilight. We read some books in my surprisingly huge library. We moped around the house like we used to. Why is that, you may ask? Maybe she does those things to others' houses. As for me, this is my house and I can do whatever I want in it. Finally, we laid on the couch with her head rested on my shoulder and her hoof holding mine. "I'm getting really sleepy Caramel." she yawned with her free hoof in front of her mouth. "Same here. I think it's time for bed anyway. Why don't you—" a yawn interrupted me while I speak. "Why don't you go up to the bedroom?" I requested. "Okay." she said while going upstairs. See? She even know where my bedroom door is among the many similar and parallel doors in the hallway. She kinda knows where everything in my house, so she still remembers something in my house. I followed her to my bedroom–the only one in the house. She opened the door and the room came into full view. The plain white walls are decorated with bookshelves, filled with nothing else but books. Candle sconces on the walls made the night a lot brighter. The bed–lined with white sheets under white pillows–is sort of large enough for two ponies. In front of it is a painting of the sunset in Ponyville which hangs on the wall. A window is situated on the right side of the bed, giving light to the room in the morning and a simple dim glimmer of the moon and stars at night. A sunroof above the bed has the same purpose as the window. Flare didn't hesitate to get inside and jump to the bed. With a soft flop, the pillows jumped and the bed sheet was crumpled. The pillows landed on her and feathers filled part of the bed and her soft body. So much for fixing it. "C'mon, Caramel. What're you waiting for?" she gestured at the bed, patting it lightly. I went in and jumped to the bed, lightly this time. I don't want to hurt her by falling on her. I rolled slowly until I'm at her side. Once again, a physical bond was made as I wrapped my hooves around her belly. She also held my hooves. I leaned my head to her mane. As it tickles my face, her mane brings back memories. The scent of lavenders reminds me of our field trip to the gardens of Manehattan for our Botany class. While we cuddled and with Flare dreaming, I can't seem to sleep. It feels like I've been haunted by something. It feels really strange. The rising and falling of her belly soothes my mind a little, but it keeps coming back. I had this feeling of mystery, but it went away after a few minutes. Strange. Flare woke up from the rapid movements of my head and hooves. She opened her eyes and turned her head to face me. "Hey, honey pie. What's wrong?" "I dunno. I felt something really weird." "Really? How weird?" "Just, weird." I can't explain it. It's just so new to me. "Well whatever it was, I just hope it goes away. I don't want to see you–or in this case, feel you–like this." she said with concern. "Yeah, me too." I've seen her like this, and it was much worse than mine. She pecked on my cheek and held me tighter. Soft sweet words came out of her lips before she buried her face on my chest. "Good night," she whispered. Flare fell asleep a few moments after. She's right, though. I hope I don't get to experience this anytime soon. It's already hard enough seeing her like that, but I want to help her in any way I can. Then again, I can't fulfill some of her wishes. I just hope for tomorrow's sunshine to shine on the road ahead. Mysteries keep piling up and I can't seem to solve them. I close my eyes to see the black nothingness I expect. “Huh? Where am I?” I said to myself as I opened my eyes and saw the tall yellow grass surrounding the sky at the center. Things aren’t so weird at all. In fact, it’s much better than plain darkness. Every once and a while, instead of just dreaming about nothing, I dream about everyday life. It sounds pretty boring for dreams, but a simple one is enough. The grasslands that spread from what seemed like miles away danced in sync with the wind. The sky looks so pure for it carries nothing. Not a single cloud tainted the perfect blue and acted as a canopy for anyone under it. I looked down yet another time and saw nothing but grass. Not a tall figure stands out amongst this wonderful wilderness and its virgin beauty. I have no choice but to move forward. It’s the only thing I do besides looking back. I don’t know where I will end up. Trust my guts. That reminds me, where in Equestria am I? I can’t remember a wide grassland located in the kingdom, let alone any memory of going to one before. A close inspection and I already know it’s a dream – a perfect one to be precise. As I trot forward, a trail of tampered grass forms which eventually fades in the ripples of grass by the wind. I looked forward to see more grass. At least I’m dreaming because walking miles and miles will kill me. Oh Celestia! When will this end? After what seemed like an imaginary hour of walking, something strange ensued. I felt a warm spot on my forehead, which gradually went warmer. “Hey!” I heard a familiar voice from a distance ahead. I did what any castaway would do – follow the voice. I galloped so I won’t lose it. Strange enough, I thought my legs would give out from all this trotting, but they didn’t. Instead, they have gained stamina to continue moving. I went closer to the source of the voice. At a distance is an orange and yellow figure about the same height as me. It’s really hard to spot for it looks like an orange pushpin in front of me. “Flare!” I called out loud. She heard it and went to meet me. The both of us galloped like we‘re in a horse race. Wait, she’s a unicorn. Why don’t she just use her magic to get here faster? With a burst of light, she appeared in front of me. Traces of sparks flew around her as her mane fell slowly. With the usual grin of hers, she greeted me. “Hey Caramel!” she said as she wrapped her hooves around me as I did the same. After a moment of silence, I let go of our embrace. Her head rested on my shoulder and her forelegs still wrapped around me. I gave her a gentle push, but she don’t want to let go of me. Every time I push her, Flare’s grip gets tighter. I’m not always good with reading other’s feelings, but she feels like she’s relieved to see me like when a puppy sees its owner after a week of solitude. “What’s wrong?” I asked with a soft tone. “I-I…” she said like she’s really frightened. “C’mon Flare, tell me,” I said as I caressed her flowing pineapple mane. “It’s just…” she said, but I didn’t respond back. Instead, I simply lent her my ears. Silence ruled the atmosphere as I wait for her to say what she has to say. The wind blows through each blade of grass surrounding us. The sound of placid nature gives the awkward silence a pleasing aura. “It’s just that I was alone in the middle of nowhere. I was floating and I don’t know where I was or how to find the ground. I was so scared when I was surrounded in black. Then, my horn glowed and everything turned white,” she explained. After a short while, she stopped and turned to stare at the sky. “Then I ended up in this field. I shouted out loud, but nopony answered. I did it again and heard your voice. I was so happy to see and hear you. But now, I’m happy to be with you,” she said as a shy blush emerged from her downy cheeks. I know it’s just a dream, but how could she end up in the same dreamscape as mine? My process of thoughts were interrupted when I felt something hot. Really hot. Gradually, it becomes uncomfortably hot, then scorching hot. Then, I took a sniff and picked up the scent of burning grass. Wait, burning grass? I turned to see smoke from the grass behind me. The unbearable smoke turned to a small flame. Then the threat grew larger to a huge inferno. It crept close to my leg. As a reflex, I jumped forward to dodge it. Flare let go of me when she saw the flame behind me. “Run!” she yelled and galloped in front of me. I did what she told me and caught up to her. It appears that an easy escape brewed to a near-impossible way out as the fire grew larger and larger. After a few seconds, the inferno surrounded us. Flare ran to the blaze and slipped past through. It’s a dream, after all. I followed her, but the intense heat hindered me. How can she run through that and be left unscathed? The inferno grew and crept closer to me, engulfing me as the fire burned my mane and tail. The sharp pain from my hooves climbed up to my neck and to the rest of my body. I groaned in agony as the fire scorches the fur and hair around it. The flame manages its way deeper into my skin. A scream of agony eluded from my mouth while half of my body is burnt till it's black. What if I trot myself out of this dreadful torch? What if I call for help? Unfortunately, Flare’s far away from me now. I doubt she would come back for me if she’s running in fear. What if I… Come to think of it, it's bizarre how I can still think about escape when I have no way out. Before I knew it, the inevitable came. I can’t help but lie down while every part of my body cooks to a crisp. My blood is boiling as it were like water. My light brown coat turned to a deep scarlet. Blood gushed from my body and forms a pool of crimson. Muscle tissues have no chance against their opponent. My flesh gives up and lets itself burn and fall apart. The victor pushes on to my bones. They were no match for it. My eyeballs were long gone as they popped out of my eye sockets. My mouth and wounds pours out nothing but blood. And after all that, I can still feel the pain. I opened my bloodshot eyes and saw Flare, sleeping beside me. I’m in cold sweat and my heart races a marathon. Her muzzle touched mine and her horn glows as it touched my forehead. “Flare,” I whispered to wake her up, but to no avail. I shook her while calling out her name. She still hasn’t woken up, so I stopped afterwards. Then I stared at her face. She’s so innocent. I pulled back so her horn wouldn’t touch me. After that, I pushed my head and our lips met. Her soft lips didn’t respond, until her eyes opened and gave out a gentle moan as we continued our kiss. A blissful moment has passed and we finally broke free. I pulled back, but she pushed forward. She obviously wants more, but that will have to wait. “Why do you have to wake me up?” she asked with a hint of curiosity. “Well, I had a nightmare. I was in a field and you were there. Then a fire busted out from nowhere. You escap—” I was cut by a hoof on my lips. “I know. I was there, having the same dream,” “But, how?” “I can’t explain much, but lemme ask you this. Did my horn touch your forehead?” “Yeah,” I said with a nod of agreement. “And it glowed, right?” “Yup.” “So while we were dreaming, my horn became a bridge for my dream to link to yours. What you dreamt is the same as mine,” she explained with confidence. “Wow. So how did it glow while you were still asleep?” Really, I simply can’t understand unicorns. “Well, my horn does this every time I sleep,” she nervously said. “Oh,” I said. It wouldn’t hurt to learn a little of life every day. “Now, how did it end?” she asked as if she were a therapist. “I was burned to death,” I said with indifference. “Oh,” she was surprised at my response. “So I guess we had different points of view when we were dreaming.” “Oh yeah? How so?” “My dream ended when everything went black while I was running through the fields.” “Well that’s entirely different as mine.” It was a dream, but what happened in it looks real enough. I mean, if I was in a dream, then I would be an alicorn. A strong and handsome alicorn. But all that comes and goes every time I wake up. A stallion can dream, right? If I were to die in a fire, then if my hunch is right, Flare wouldn’t be touched by fire. I will prove that correct. If I don’t, then it was just a weird dream. I know what I’m gonna do today. Author's Note Now for a little bit of gore. If you're wondering how I got this events, I actually get it in real-life experiences, only gender-swapped and ponified. But the dream sequence is just made up for the plot to thicken. I'm terribly sorry for the embarrassingly late update on the story. I lost connection with the Internet and I can't do anything at home. Anything but write more. The Internet still hasn't gone stable just yet, but until then, chapter four would be finished. Expect it to be sometime in March. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
Reminiscence Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard. It's a bright and sunny morning in Ponyville. The sun shines down the town and the ponies who live in it. The sky, never flawed from its perfect blue. The clouds, on the other hand, taint the beauty of blue. That doesn't cast a problem to the weather pegasi on the job. In fact, they don't seem to mind a few clouds in the air. Why? That's because those are intended for comfortable slumber. The beautiful nature incorporated with the fruit of the alabaster white alicorn, Princess Celestia, makes me want to do something worthwhile outside. Maybe a friend will be nice. It never hurts to have some fun under the sun. If it would, then Pinkie Pie, the nicest and funniest pink mare in town, would send everyone to the hospital. I think I'll bring Flare along. She's a childhood friend of mine who's always up for fun and laughter. She's that ray of sunshine that wants to be with her best friends. Come to think of it, she's much like Pinkie, only maize with a short straight mane and not pink with a fluffy mane like cotton candy. Flare always loves to do random stuff; she hates inactivity like watching paint dry or watching birds. But there's something about her that likes to stare at the sky. I've decided to take her for a walk in the park. Just a calm walk. Kinda boring, but it'll suffice. I finished my breakfast and got ready to head out. I opened the door and stepped outside. The morning rays of the sun welcomed me first, then the cool gentle breeze that blew across my coat. I went across the dirt road toward Flare's house. I think I still know her house, so I'll trust my instincts and head to where I know. After doing what my gut told me, I crossed past Sugarcube corner, the Ponyville Library and the famous Carousel Boutique—where everything is chic, unique, and manefique. How did that got in my head? Anyway, I thought I was lost, but luckily I got to her house. It's not actually far from my house, not as much as Sweet Apple Acres. Her house is not grand nor eye-catching. Just a plain house that every middle-class resident owns. As I stood in front of her porch, I felt something... weird. A warm feeling deep inside my chest. I know I didn't see her for sometime, but I can't possibly miss her. I mean, we talk to each other every time we cross paths. And if we have some spare time, we do random stuff, like rappelling off a cliff or jumping over houses, oddly ending up covered in tree sap. Sweet Celestia, I miss those days. Back to reality, I anxiously knocked on the door. No one answered. I knocked again, but no avail. Before I knock again, I heard a faint voice saying: "LOOK OUT!!!" I moved further away from the door, assuming that Flare would charge through the door. But what really happened is something I didn't expect. I heard a loud crash and I fell on the ground. Clouds of dust covered my field of vision and with that, I can barely see what happened. Ow! My back! What fell on me? It feels like an empty piano. Wait, I think it's a pony. Oh Celestia it hurts! I think Rainbow Dash crashed and I was there. The pony just sat on me, with its tail tickling my back throbbing in pain. It feels the weight of Canterlot sitting on my body, yet so soft like a cloud. After a few minutes of me groaning in pain, the mysterious mare finally spoke. "Hi Caramel!" She sounds so gentle, like Fluttershy, but I can see her up in the air with a skein of geese. "Who are you and what have you done with my back?!" "Let's just call it, a dynamic entry." "Well, I think your dynamic entry almost killed me! Now before you break my back even more, would you mind getting off my back?" I said impatiently. "Oh, right." She finally got off and the first I saw is a set of maize hooves, one of them reaching out to me. "Flare?" "Uh-huh. Who do think I was, Fluttershy?" She read my mind. I grabbed her hoof to help me get up. I raised my head to face her, making eye contact, but she's too close to me. So close that I can see her features in high definition. "So, what do you want to do next?" "Well, I was thinking. How 'bout a walk in the park?" "Sounds pretty boring, but okay." The flashback of memories will have to wait, I have to enjoy this day first. The rhythm of hoofsteps and the battle of noises fill my head. Each minute, my mind gradually turns blank. I can't think of anything to do or to say. I think she's right, it is pretty boring. "So..." Then I realized that she's out of sight. Where did she run off to? Come to think of it, it is kinda crowded in the park. I scanned the perimeter, briefly looking through possible places to where she would end up. The alleys, restaurants, park benches, trees, and flower stands. My mind is racing with my heart, and I think its losing. There she is, at a flower stand not far from the park. That was awfully quick. I thought she might be lost or end up in Appleloosa. She's such a klutz and she always end up lost or in another place far from where she must be. But it's a good thing I found her in record time. I should receive a medal for that. I ran to her and she met me halfway. She has a decent bouquet of flowers on her mouth. From the looks of it, she bought it from that stand. I'm not stupid for not knowing that, but I don't know why she bought it. Inside it are petunias, calla lilies, roses, and a cabbage. Wait, a cabbage?! I don't even know why that stand sells cabbages. Moreover, I don't know what's going on inside her head. She's just random, I guess. "Flare, I've been looking all over for you. And what's with the flowers?" I said, trying to catch my breath. "Um..." she whispered something inaudible. "Huh?" "It's for you." she shyly said, with her face turning to a crimson red. "Um, thanks." I'm burning up. She just can't make eye contact with me while making small circles on the ground. She's so cute. I would definitely slap myself if I can tell what she'll do next. I bet that she will hug me. For what seemed to be an eternity of silence is actually a minute of awkwardness. She finally made eye contact, while I prepare for what I'll do next. She slowly walks closer to me. I closed my eyes and felt two hooves wrapped around my neck. I can feel her intimate warmth and soft embrace. I raised my hoof and gave it my all in one blow. A loud slap was heard by only Flare and me. Ouch! It hurts to be right. Obviously, she's surprised that I slapped myself. Then again, who wouldn't be surprised that the one you hugged would slap himself? Even with that part confusing her, she still continued to hug me. Actually, her hug kinda tightened a little. Now that I realize it, her embrace shouts out her feelings, for me that is. Her soft yet tight grip says that she cares for me, no matter what happens. Her slow beating of her heart shows that she didn't to do something embarrassing. Her bashful smile means that she's happy to be with me and she truly likes me. And to top it off, the stinging pain on my cheek means that I'm stupid for seeing this one coming and I didn't do something about it. It's another day in school. As always, I am excited to go outside and be free from sitting down a chair bigger than me. I am also excited to learn, so I'm always the first to sit down on my chair and wait for school to start. To make myself productive while I wait, I draw. Candy, houses, foals and hay bales are just part of what I can do. If I want, I can draw on the walls that limit my freedom, albeit my capabilities aren't at its prime. And when school finally starts, we always start class with a greeting so loud it hurts my ears. "GGOOOD MOOOORRRNIINNGG TEEAACCHHERRR!!!" Ouch! I try to be silent, but to suffer from the shouts of others is inevitable. "Okay class. I'm happy to say that we have a new student." he lethargically announced. A small filly walks to the front of the class. She looks shy. Her outside personality doesn't quite match her colors. She is mainly yellow, darker actually. Her mane has two colors—gold and pineapple as its accents. Usually, yellow means confidence, but she's anything but. "Um... hello. I'm Flare. I-It's nice to meet—" her soft voice was interrupted by the teacher. "It's nice to meet you too, Flare. Now, would you kindly find a seat." the teacher monotonously said, as if he was ordering Flare. Flare slowly walked to he only seat available in the room—the one beside mine. With her legs shivering, she put her saddlebag down neatly at the chair and shyly sat down. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd faint like a goat when somepony else calls her. "Hi Flare. I'm Caramel." She just stared at me as I greeted her. I stared at her, too. She seemed to be turning to a cute red, if there's a right term for it. With her eyes widened and cheeks red, she turned to her desk. She was then directed to the teacher, who is currently talking about Celestia-knows-what. I think he's discussing about how his teaching experience got him to Canterlot and teach about advanced science. I hope this doesn't show up in the exam. I turned my attention back to her. She seems nervous. Why is she nervous about? Perhaps it's her first day. Besides, the same thing happened to me when I had my first day in school. I was surrounded by new faces, some weird and terrifying. A new environment, the school, brings me a feeling of curiosity. Although it's good to be curious, I hate to be in a place I don't know of. New personalities, potential threats or benefits. Strangers everywhere. Opportunities to get lasting impressions. Those never fail to leave my head. Of course, there were some good things that happened. Perhaps the same thing might go for her. On the first day, she already has a new friend—me. The rest of the morning was uneventful. It is really boring, until lunchtime came. It is a time for us to engage in conversations and replenish and satisfy our cravings, whether it is physical, mental or social. I enjoy lunch break with a large sandwich, a juice box and a bench to sit with nopony else but me. I like peace and quiet and nothing will stop me from having it. As I take down my sandwich to eating all of it, I enjoy the view of vibrant foals across the playground. Everyone was involved in a game of tag. All but Flare and me. She's resting under the blessing of a shade under a tree. I'm still on the bench, finishing on my sandwich. I think I should go talk to her, to know her a lot better. Eating the last bit of the sandwich, I wait for the right time to cross the playing field. The foals running to and fro look like the traffic of ponies with their carts on the street I see every weekday. The untimely rhythm of hoofbeats on the grass and the high pitched screams and yells of the foals make me feel irritated. The crowd ran to the other side of the school. Now's the time for me to go to her. I carefully ran, taking note of the foals on the other side. As fast as I can, I sprinted when I saw them running to where I stand. With fear of getting run over, I outran the stampede of colts and fillies. Heavily panting, I sat beside Flare while she's staring at the spot where I was a while ago. Then she continued to stare at the sky dotted with clouds as big as apple carts. She looks so cute and peaceful. "What?" she turned to me and noticed me staring at her. "I was just curious. Why aren't you out there, playing tag like the others?" "I don't know anypony around here but you, and I could get hurt. Real bad." Flare sighed. "And why are you staring at the sky?" "I do this all the time. The sky just looks so pretty. Sometimes, I space out for hours." she explained. Her cheeks turned red, again. Mine did, too. She just looks so cute and adorable with her cheeks blushing. The both of us stared at the sky. After a few good minutes, she gets closer to me. She rested her head on my shoulder. Her mane tickling my neck as the breeze makes it sway and dance according to its will. After a moment of silence which seemed to last an hour, I heard tiny snores from her. I turned to see her face and I saw her eyes closed and her mouth letting out small sounds of snoring. "Yup, she's asleep." I said softly, trying not to wake her up. This day, her first day in school, the day I met her. She's quite a unique filly—looks confident yet real shy. I'm her first friend in Ponyville. Ever since, she never forgot about me. For me, it's not about forgetting her. It's about remembering her every time. Author's Note Is it cute enough? Please leave a comment. Constructive criticism is mostly appreciated. Also, comment on how I can make this cuter. If you're asking why the 'Sad' category and you haven't read even a silver of sad, it's because the feels will arrive soon enough. EDIT: Changed some sound effects to sentences.
Ambiguity What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce. We finally broke free from our embrace. It lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like forever. Her pineapple and packer gold mane brushing on my shoulders. Her eyes made contact with mine. Those emerald orbs look so bewitching. Her maize coat glows as the sun casts beautiful rays that warm everypony under it. Why it is so hot in here? Flare's cheeks turned to a lovely crimson red–an adorable sight to gawk at. "Are you okay?" she giggled. "What do you mean?" Really? What's wrong with me? "Well it's just..." she turned away. "It's just what?" "I-It's just that you're so cute when you're red." she's still giggling. Oh. She couldn't help but burst into laughter, falling on her back. The grass was beaten and as revenge, they brush on her coat. As a result, she laughed some more, louder to be exact. "HAHAHAHASTOPTICKLINGMEHAHAHA!!!" "But I'm not!" It's so tempting. She's just so vulnerable right now. "Unless you want to?" I continued while I wore a mischievous grin. I stepped closer towards her, put my hooves on her belly and I went all-out. "BPHFAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASTAHPHAHA!!! "I can't stop now, can I?" I said. "HAHAHAHAOHMYGUTAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! The grass and I worked in tandem and it all went well. Eventually, she stopped laughing, leaving tears on her eyes. With a smile on both our faces, we lied down on the grass beside a shady tree. How did we got there, you might ask? Well, she rolled until she bumped one of its roots, then she told me to lie down beside her. Although really shady, spots of the tree aren't fully blooming with leaves, so tiny rays of the sun got through and hit the ground. Some hit my abdomen and Flare's chest. It kept us warm and shaded. It's perfect for the both of us. Perfect enough to take a nap. With one hoof wrapped around her and another on my chest and her head held adorably close to mine, I closed my eyes and... A warm sensation on my lips. It feels familiar and reassuring. I opened my eyes to know what it is. The first I saw is Flare's eyelids closed shut. Then I felt something on my forehead. It's kinda pointy. I looked up, and it's her horn. It doesn't hurt, though. More importantly, her lips are touching mine. Since I've observed the scenario, it's better for me to close my eyes again and go with it. Her hooves wrapped around my body and mine around hers. She massaged my lips as I did so to hers. There's no battle for dominance. Our tongues danced as equals. There's nothing that would stop me from kissing her. Nothing but time and her. It lasted for a few seconds as we broke free from our physical bond. It felt like an eternity, but facts said it was only a few seconds. But during those meaningful seconds, a memory was crafted. Something that would last for it was shared with somepony special. We opened our eyes and we see each other, blushing as we try to imitate the color of roses. I can't help but stare to her eyes and smell her mane. The scent of lavenders is my weakness. I think I've been staring at her for a lifetime. Wait, reality tells me it's only been a minute. Can this awkwardness end? Luckily, she broke the silence. "Caramel." "What is it?" "I love you." That's the words I want to say to her, but I guess she said it first. Two hearts went closer and promises are to be made. But now, all I did is hold her closer and caress her smooth and silky mane. Even then, everything is perfect. The wind blows gently. The birds chirp harmoniously. The trees sway in time. The day is ripe and there's a lot of stuff that can be done. But now, I'll stay here, with her by my side. "I love you, too." It's a strange day in Canterlot as everypony sees and meets a strange pony. A mare to be exact. Nopony seems to know who she is, or where she came from. She doesn't have the heart to harm them, albeit she's a stranger to the elegant residents. Inside the royal castle are two alicorns–Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The alabaster alicorn had been observing Ponyville at a distance while Luna is gazing at the stars. Through the spyglass, Celestia spotted a threat. She was alarmed as soon as she saw her. "This is terrible!" the alabaster alicorn yelled, causing the Princess of the Night to jump. "What is it, sister?" Luna asked out of obvious curiosity. "It is about Ponyville." Celestia started. "The town is in grave danger. A large and murderous threat is at hand along the residences." she continued. "What might that threat be?" "A dangerous pony, who had been dormant for years, started to become active and unstable. She might burn the whole town to ashes in minutes. Her magic can and will cause this if we don't take cautious measures." she explained. "I still have no idea who it is you're talking about, sister." "You will soon enough." Celestia concluded. Luna, still curious, shrugged and left the room, saying nothing while making her way to the door. The stranger made its way to an alleyway not far from the heart of Canterlot. The shadows and darkness that shrouds the path ahead hid the mare's features to other ponies who might be following her. Galloping through with haste, she went through the alley faster than a train with broken brakes. At the end of the alley is a house like all the others, but its location makes it more eerie and suspicious. She went inside with a clicking sound of the doorknob, shutting the door and quickly locking it. She turned on the lights and her living room came into full view. It is dominantly blue, filled with figurines of famous ponies and simple artworks of unknown artists. At one corner, a furniture set and a coffee table are placed in front of a fireplace. The light also revealed the mysterious mare's features. She's a mint green unicorn with her mane lighter than her coat. Her mane has a simple trace of white as an accent. The same goes for her tail. Her cutie mark is a small brownish lyre. "I must find her, before it's too late." she whispered to herself. I woke up form a delightful nap under a shady oak tree. Judging from the lengthy shadows and the yellow orange gradient across the purple sky, I might have slept for almost an hour. We've been asleep for an hour. Flare took a nap shortly before I did. I slept after watching the clouds drift across the sky and as if upon a force of habit, count them as they pass by. I felt a weird sensation–something cold, slightly wet and shivering. I turned to see what it is. The only thing that fits the description is Flare Starlight. She's in cold sweat, shivering and surprisingly asleep. She might be having a nightmare. Now I'm having a nightmare–seeing her like this. She holds me tightly as she experiences this tribulation. I shook her gently to wake her up, but to no avail. I shook her the second time–a little vigorous this time–and her dreaded state waned. Her shivering slowly stopped, but the cold sweat didn't falter. The beating of her precious heart calmed down a bit. I think she's about to wake up. Or better yet, she had woken up. She suddenly opened her eyes, looking as if she had seen the Mare in the Moon. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She's pretty hesitant. Is she trying to say something, but she couldn't? Maybe if I calm her down, she can say whatever she needs to say. "Um... Flare?" She calmed down from the sound of my voice. She gently loosened her grasp on my foreleg. She nuzzled me on the cheeks with a reassuring smile. All I did was smile back. "Hm?" "Did you have a bad dream?" "Well yeah, but I've seen worse. Good thing is gone now, once I heard your voice." "That's good to hear." "While you were still asleep, you were shivering like a dog in a frozen tundra. Plus, you were sweating, real bad." I continued. "Oh." she said with a hint of melancholy. "I thought I stopped having those things a week ago. I felt really happy when I didn't wake up dripping of sweat. But I guess it came back. I don't know how to stop it, though." she explained. "Wait, you were having these things since when?" I got curious, and it can't hurt to ask. "I can't tell you exactly when, but I've been having these things for as long as he can remember. I don't even know how and why I got it. It's quite a mystery if you ask me." she sighed and made an adorable pout. Since she was a filly, she have been experiencing the same symptoms. That must feel horrible for her. If I were to have those, I would have gotten used to it. How can she simply go on with her life with some sort of burden of unknown cause on her back? A nightmare that always comes back as she sleeps. If that's the case, then I must be there for her. We're no longer friends, but a couple of amorous ponies with memories that keep us from forgetting what made us together. "What if..." I gently placed my hoof on her belly. Every rise and fall of her breadbasket is in stable rhythm with the faint sensation of her heart. Soft and tiny giggles are heard every time I shift my hoof left and right. All of it makes her adorable. With her head leaning on my shoulder and her hair tickling my cheek every time I move, she simply listens to what I will say. Her heart open to whatever I can say; her mind jogging on what I might say. I can even feel every inspire and respire of her breath. "What if you come to my house and stay there for the night? Sounds good?" I said without hesitation. "Really?" a confident beam brightened up her face as her ears perked up, sliding from my neck to my cheek. "Yup." "Yay!" she jumped in place like Pinkie would. "So, when do you wanna go?" I asked while Flare is busy being jumpy. "How 'bout now?" "Well, I guess. It's getting pretty late and I'm getting hungry." "So what're you waitin' for?" she said with a huge grin stuck on her face and a blush on her cheeks. I got up from the grass which have suffered enough pressure. With a reassuring hoof, I reached out to her to help her get up. She grabbed my hoof and with a mighty pull, Flare stood up. Still wobbly from the pull, she landed on my shoulder, but then quickly recovered. "Shall we?" I said gesturing the way home. It's already dark, but the sun still peeks at the sky. The sunset red of the sun and the evening blue of the night complements each other as the clouds try to imitate the sun and glow an orange hue. The stars on the other side twinkles humbly; the moon rises slowly as its counterpart sets. It is such a wonderful view. Flare and I try to enjoy such a scenery, but the thought of Flare got into my head and me into hers. At my side is the night while hers is the setting sun. We looked at our own sides, trying to turn and make eye contact. We walk the lit streets of Ponyville; our tails oddly tied to each other. Halfway through the journey, we finally made eye contact. Her eyes widened while she stares at me. Moments later, her face turns red. The same old red that I never forget. We stopped but we continued to stare at each other. Her emerald eyes stare at me deep down. Her coat blends with the sun's rays. Her mane blows with the balmy breeze as it glows with color. Her crimson red cheeks and her shy smile keeps it alive more than ever. To top it off, the setting sun made her whole body–including her tiny features–glow like the sun itself. Oh Celestia! This is a sight I'll never forget. She's just so beautiful. The both of us are sunken in deep red. Realizing that I've been staring at her for what seemed like forever, Flare quickly turned away and continued walking. I shrugged and followed her. "So where's your house?" Flare asked out of the blue. "What do you mean?" I know she'd just kidding around. "I mean, where's your house?" "Flare, you know where my house is." I said with eager disappointment. "I do?" Did she really forget? "Yeah. You go there every time back then." "I did?" "Yeah." "Well, I must have forgotten." "Well, it's a good thing we're going there." I think she did forget. "Yup." Her expression clearly shows that she's having a hard time remembering things. Has she really forgotten where my house is? Judging from her looks, I think she has. What else has she forgotten? Probably her own house. "Welp. Here we are." I announced as we stood in front of my porch. "Hey! It looks just like my house, only it has a balcony." she said out loud. She seems delighted to see it. Well at least she hasn't forgotten her own house. Speaking of forgetting, what happened to her? What made her forget things completely? It probably has something to do with her past. If that's the case, then I have to know what happened to her during our foalhood. What seems like a trivial problem turns to a somber dilemma if you cared for her, who needs your help the most. Her burdens turn to ours. Each act of kindness is a mark in her heart that never fades. Author's Note Did this came too late? Anyway, hope you enjoy the second chapter. I want to add more, but my gut told me to leave the rest for another chapter. If you want more cute, then don't worry, I'll add MOAR cute. Please leave a comment. Constructive criticism is mostly appreciated. Also, comment on how I can make this better. Also, a new story will be arriving soon. It's all about TIME.
Challenges and Observations Memories bring color to life, no matter how dull the present is. I know what I'm gonna do today. With that said, I planned out a mental schedule that includes fire and attempts to burn her. I will burn her. It kinda sounds like what a crazed psychopath would say, but I am sane and I will remain as such. I'll try not to get carried away with the whole "burn the smoking mare" scheme, or else I might burn the whole house down to ashes. I'll be subtle, yet promising. Otherwise, she might think I'm a murderous killer and never talk to me ever again. I don't want that to happen. The scent of lavenders filled my nostrils once more when Flare turned to face the window, the same one I'm facing, and with her magic, she folded the curtains, letting Celestia's early blessing shine on the whole room. It's still really early for the sun to get past through the sun roof and its rays aren't that bright just yet. Dawn has just begun, so the time must be around five in the morning. Five o' clock is too early for a day of doing nothing but staying beside Flare. Perhaps I'll continue writing on my manuscript. I am a writer after all and it is my job to inspire the readers and interact with them through the written art. She quickly turned to me and gave herself a little push. In an instant, our lips met as a form of saying "Good morning" to me. I greeted her in the same manner. A moment of bliss ended when we slowly broke away from our kiss, but our intimate embrace still remains. Her hooves start to get restless. With a mischievous smirk planted on her face, she grabbed my sides and pushed me to break our hug. I rolled on the bed with my back laid flat. She lays her hoof on my belly. Soft movements of her hoof rubbing me reminds me of when I was young and my mother would rub my belly when I can't sleep. It feels so nice, I could just drift to sweet slumber. "You really fell for it," she said with an impish grin. What does she mean by that? Her other hoof joined and both of them begin to— "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," I laughed aloud as she tickles the only part where it is possible – my belly. "Told you," a silly grin stuck to her face as she constrained one of my hoof with her neck. "STAHP!" I said as my plea was mixed with a cornucopia of laughter, making it barely understandable. All the tiny movements that tingle every part of my body gave me no choice but laugh. I threw my hind legs in an attempt to stop the pleasurable torture, but it was a losing battle. I did fell for it though. I forgot that my only weakness is situated on my belly. Rubbing it cause me to fall asleep. Tickling it would make me laugh to my heart's content. What could happen if she does something more? I'll let my body decide. Her hooves stopped and my arousing torture was cut short. Finally, I took the time to catch my breath. I wiped the tears formed from laughing so hard with my free hoof. Wait a minute, I just realized something. Her head is on my hoof. Why does it have the freedom to move without physical constraints? Where did she go? I opened my eyes and saw a yellow blob. The tears slowly dried and my vision went vivid. I saw Flare laid between my legs in front of me. Her hooves still rest on my belly. I looked down to see a pair of emeralds wide open and a pair of rosy cheeks. In the middle of the adorable features is a more adorable detail – her innocent and natural smile. She seemed sound asleep. The rising and falling of my belly matched with my steady heartbeat is a lullaby to her. The obvious ensued; I close my eyes to do the same. I can feel her tiny movements and her soft breaths amplified as I focus on what I feel around me. The cloud-like bed, the plump pillows that envelop the couple inside, and the sheet of silk over us. I don't want to leave this bed. I woke up after what seemed like two hours of slumber. Oversleeping is not in my field of interest, but the lazy atmosphere is really contagious. I tilted my head to face the window at my right. Sunrise strikes me head-on as a warm yellow tint hits my face, causing my eyes to squint. I face back to the yellow pony on top of me. "Hi!" Flare greeted me as she draws circles with her hoof. "Good morning," I greeted in the same manner as well, making her blush lightly. She is resting in between my hind legs, tilted sideways. The sight of her being adorable makes me want to faint, but given the possibilities of her being worried about me, I should probably stay conscious. Come on, don't pass out. She looked up and our eyes met. "Are you okay?" she cooed with bright red cheeks. "Why? Did I make you worry?" "No, it's not that. I-It's..." her words were cut off as she stopped and hid her face under the sheets. I placed my hoof on top of her head, but a white sheet keeps me from caressing her mane. I slide it off, but not to its entirety. All I did was to reveal her shy face up to her horn. Her cheeks lit up to a bright red. She pouts as I stare into her pleading eyes, wanting to be cuddled. I took off the sheet that masked her head in toto a few moments before. As we stare at each other's eyes for a small eternity, I was encompassed by her half-lidded gaze. Until a sound broke the silence. Flare let out a loud grumble, not from her mouth but from her abdomen. The two sets of eyes widened as the strange sound mildly startled us. Then the bright red form her cheeks grew to her whole face. Her ensued embarrassment led her to cover her head with the sheet from before. Although she hid her adorableness from my field of vision, she still continued to do so. As she draws circles with her hoof on my chest, I simply melt away as her gentle touch immobilized me to where I lay. "So," I said to break the palpable awkward atmosphere. She stopped her hoof-drawing and tilted her head slightly towards the source. "Wanna grab something to eat?" I rubbed the back of my head with a hoof, waiting for a response. Instead of a word, she sprang out of bed and trotted happily to the door, bringing the white blanket with her. I went straight to the door, opening it with a flick on the knob. With a swift swing, the door went widely ajar. With a chivalrous gesture, I motioned her to go first. This act made her grin sheepishly. It's a good thing we're alone. "Do you have some sugar?" "Yeah, I have some sugar cubes." "Awesome." I opened the small jar on the center of the table. Sitting beside it is Flare, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Beside her is me, holding another cup of coffee. One of the cubes were enveloped in an orange glow – the same on her horn. It flew and gently landed to her cup. I don't actually use sugar lumps. I'm the kind of pony who likes coffee as they were – black and bitter. "You know, I didn't notice the jar before you opened," she said as she stirs the coffee with a disembodied moving spoon, dissolving the sugar to the liquid. "Well you would've taken a good look at where you are. Otherwise, you can be in serious trouble," I advised her with a caring tone. "Yeah, mom," she jokingly replied with a sheepish grin stuck on her face. I can't help but giggle a little. I put the cup down, got up and trotted to the kitchen. A short journey after, I reached for the cupboards. I seek for a pair of candles and a matchbox. In record time, I grabbed all of them and trotted back to the table. I placed one of the candles on Flare's side of the table and the other on mine. I held the box of matched as I sat opposite of her. "How 'bout we play a game?" I asked her while she sips the last of her coffee. She stares at her empty cup; her expression blank. I waited for her to respond, but I don't want to ruin her moment. A small eternity had passed, her mind snapped and went back to Equestria, putting her cup down. "Sure. What'll it be?" I point at the candle in front of her and said, "The pony who lights the candle the fastest wins." She points her horn at the candle, ready for her to cast a spell. I have the matchbox on my left hoof and a matchstick at my right. "Three," I said while staring at the candle. "Two," she said, looking awfully calm. "One," I said as I neared the match to its match. "Go!" we shouted in unison. Author's Note My apologies if you waited for so long. My schedule for the month is simply restless. Although I've already written chapter five, time won't let me accomplish this one earlier. The chapter is fairly shorter than the rest because I don't have time to make it at least 2,000 words. Again, enjoy the chapter!
Reveries and Nightmares The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared. I looked under the doormat and grabbed my keys. With extreme precision, I managed to unlock the door. I stepped inside and opened the lights. Flare ran to the nearest couch. She seems to know where my couch is. Maybe she hasn't forgotten my house that much. "Flare." "Hm?" "Are you sure you've never been to my house before?" "Yup." "Then how do you know where my couch is? If you haven't been to my house, then everything would look new to you. My couch is hard to spot. How come you found it so easily?" We shouted across the room as she sits on the couch and I walk to where she went. My couch is really hard to spot. One needs to take a right, then a left, then a turn to see it. I finally got to Flare, looking curious and worried at the same time. "I... I don't know." she said, matching her looks and words. She has forgotten some parts of her memories of being here. I don't know how and why that happened to her. Flare's either traumatized and forgotten some of her memories or something or someone made her forget those without her being aware of it. I have to find out for myself. The rest of the night was uneventful. We ate a light dinner–a daisy salad and some soup. We watched the stars as they sparkle in the twilight. We read some books in my surprisingly huge library. We moped around the house like we used to. Why is that, you may ask? Maybe she does those things to others' houses. As for me, this is my house and I can do whatever I want in it. Finally, we laid on the couch with her head rested on my shoulder and her hoof holding mine. "I'm getting really sleepy Caramel." she yawned with her free hoof in front of her mouth. "Same here. I think it's time for bed anyway. Why don't you—" a yawn interrupted me while I speak. "Why don't you go up to the bedroom?" I requested. "Okay." she said while going upstairs. See? She even know where my bedroom door is among the many similar and parallel doors in the hallway. She kinda knows where everything in my house, so she still remembers something in my house. I followed her to my bedroom–the only one in the house. She opened the door and the room came into full view. The plain white walls are decorated with bookshelves, filled with nothing else but books. Candle sconces on the walls made the night a lot brighter. The bed–lined with white sheets under white pillows–is sort of large enough for two ponies. In front of it is a painting of the sunset in Ponyville which hangs on the wall. A window is situated on the right side of the bed, giving light to the room in the morning and a simple dim glimmer of the moon and stars at night. A sunroof above the bed has the same purpose as the window. Flare didn't hesitate to get inside and jump to the bed. With a soft flop, the pillows jumped and the bed sheet was crumpled. The pillows landed on her and feathers filled part of the bed and her soft body. So much for fixing it. "C'mon, Caramel. What're you waiting for?" she gestured at the bed, patting it lightly. I went in and jumped to the bed, lightly this time. I don't want to hurt her by falling on her. I rolled slowly until I'm at her side. Once again, a physical bond was made as I wrapped my hooves around her belly. She also held my hooves. I leaned my head to her mane. As it tickles my face, her mane brings back memories. The scent of lavenders reminds me of our field trip to the gardens of Manehattan for our Botany class. While we cuddled and with Flare dreaming, I can't seem to sleep. It feels like I've been haunted by something. It feels really strange. The rising and falling of her belly soothes my mind a little, but it keeps coming back. I had this feeling of mystery, but it went away after a few minutes. Strange. Flare woke up from the rapid movements of my head and hooves. She opened her eyes and turned her head to face me. "Hey, honey pie. What's wrong?" "I dunno. I felt something really weird." "Really? How weird?" "Just, weird." I can't explain it. It's just so new to me. "Well whatever it was, I just hope it goes away. I don't want to see you–or in this case, feel you–like this." she said with concern. "Yeah, me too." I've seen her like this, and it was much worse than mine. She pecked on my cheek and held me tighter. Soft sweet words came out of her lips before she buried her face on my chest. "Good night," she whispered. Flare fell asleep a few moments after. She's right, though. I hope I don't get to experience this anytime soon. It's already hard enough seeing her like that, but I want to help her in any way I can. Then again, I can't fulfill some of her wishes. I just hope for tomorrow's sunshine to shine on the road ahead. Mysteries keep piling up and I can't seem to solve them. I close my eyes to see the black nothingness I expect. “Huh? Where am I?” I said to myself as I opened my eyes and saw the tall yellow grass surrounding the sky at the center. Things aren’t so weird at all. In fact, it’s much better than plain darkness. Every once and a while, instead of just dreaming about nothing, I dream about everyday life. It sounds pretty boring for dreams, but a simple one is enough. The grasslands that spread from what seemed like miles away danced in sync with the wind. The sky looks so pure for it carries nothing. Not a single cloud tainted the perfect blue and acted as a canopy for anyone under it. I looked down yet another time and saw nothing but grass. Not a tall figure stands out amongst this wonderful wilderness and its virgin beauty. I have no choice but to move forward. It’s the only thing I do besides looking back. I don’t know where I will end up. Trust my guts. That reminds me, where in Equestria am I? I can’t remember a wide grassland located in the kingdom, let alone any memory of going to one before. A close inspection and I already know it’s a dream – a perfect one to be precise. As I trot forward, a trail of tampered grass forms which eventually fades in the ripples of grass by the wind. I looked forward to see more grass. At least I’m dreaming because walking miles and miles will kill me. Oh Celestia! When will this end? After what seemed like an imaginary hour of walking, something strange ensued. I felt a warm spot on my forehead, which gradually went warmer. “Hey!” I heard a familiar voice from a distance ahead. I did what any castaway would do – follow the voice. I galloped so I won’t lose it. Strange enough, I thought my legs would give out from all this trotting, but they didn’t. Instead, they have gained stamina to continue moving. I went closer to the source of the voice. At a distance is an orange and yellow figure about the same height as me. It’s really hard to spot for it looks like an orange pushpin in front of me. “Flare!” I called out loud. She heard it and went to meet me. The both of us galloped like we‘re in a horse race. Wait, she’s a unicorn. Why don’t she just use her magic to get here faster? With a burst of light, she appeared in front of me. Traces of sparks flew around her as her mane fell slowly. With the usual grin of hers, she greeted me. “Hey Caramel!” she said as she wrapped her hooves around me as I did the same. After a moment of silence, I let go of our embrace. Her head rested on my shoulder and her forelegs still wrapped around me. I gave her a gentle push, but she don’t want to let go of me. Every time I push her, Flare’s grip gets tighter. I’m not always good with reading other’s feelings, but she feels like she’s relieved to see me like when a puppy sees its owner after a week of solitude. “What’s wrong?” I asked with a soft tone. “I-I…” she said like she’s really frightened. “C’mon Flare, tell me,” I said as I caressed her flowing pineapple mane. “It’s just…” she said, but I didn’t respond back. Instead, I simply lent her my ears. Silence ruled the atmosphere as I wait for her to say what she has to say. The wind blows through each blade of grass surrounding us. The sound of placid nature gives the awkward silence a pleasing aura. “It’s just that I was alone in the middle of nowhere. I was floating and I don’t know where I was or how to find the ground. I was so scared when I was surrounded in black. Then, my horn glowed and everything turned white,” she explained. After a short while, she stopped and turned to stare at the sky. “Then I ended up in this field. I shouted out loud, but nopony answered. I did it again and heard your voice. I was so happy to see and hear you. But now, I’m happy to be with you,” she said as a shy blush emerged from her downy cheeks. I know it’s just a dream, but how could she end up in the same dreamscape as mine? My process of thoughts were interrupted when I felt something hot. Really hot. Gradually, it becomes uncomfortably hot, then scorching hot. Then, I took a sniff and picked up the scent of burning grass. Wait, burning grass? I turned to see smoke from the grass behind me. The unbearable smoke turned to a small flame. Then the threat grew larger to a huge inferno. It crept close to my leg. As a reflex, I jumped forward to dodge it. Flare let go of me when she saw the flame behind me. “Run!” she yelled and galloped in front of me. I did what she told me and caught up to her. It appears that an easy escape brewed to a near-impossible way out as the fire grew larger and larger. After a few seconds, the inferno surrounded us. Flare ran to the blaze and slipped past through. It’s a dream, after all. I followed her, but the intense heat hindered me. How can she run through that and be left unscathed? The inferno grew and crept closer to me, engulfing me as the fire burned my mane and tail. The sharp pain from my hooves climbed up to my neck and to the rest of my body. I groaned in agony as the fire scorches the fur and hair around it. The flame manages its way deeper into my skin. A scream of agony eluded from my mouth while half of my body is burnt till it's black. What if I trot myself out of this dreadful torch? What if I call for help? Unfortunately, Flare’s far away from me now. I doubt she would come back for me if she’s running in fear. What if I… Come to think of it, it's bizarre how I can still think about escape when I have no way out. Before I knew it, the inevitable came. I can’t help but lie down while every part of my body cooks to a crisp. My blood is boiling as it were like water. My light brown coat turned to a deep scarlet. Blood gushed from my body and forms a pool of crimson. Muscle tissues have no chance against their opponent. My flesh gives up and lets itself burn and fall apart. The victor pushes on to my bones. They were no match for it. My eyeballs were long gone as they popped out of my eye sockets. My mouth and wounds pours out nothing but blood. And after all that, I can still feel the pain. I opened my bloodshot eyes and saw Flare, sleeping beside me. I’m in cold sweat and my heart races a marathon. Her muzzle touched mine and her horn glows as it touched my forehead. “Flare,” I whispered to wake her up, but to no avail. I shook her while calling out her name. She still hasn’t woken up, so I stopped afterwards. Then I stared at her face. She’s so innocent. I pulled back so her horn wouldn’t touch me. After that, I pushed my head and our lips met. Her soft lips didn’t respond, until her eyes opened and gave out a gentle moan as we continued our kiss. A blissful moment has passed and we finally broke free. I pulled back, but she pushed forward. She obviously wants more, but that will have to wait. “Why do you have to wake me up?” she asked with a hint of curiosity. “Well, I had a nightmare. I was in a field and you were there. Then a fire busted out from nowhere. You escap—” I was cut by a hoof on my lips. “I know. I was there, having the same dream,” “But, how?” “I can’t explain much, but lemme ask you this. Did my horn touch your forehead?” “Yeah,” I said with a nod of agreement. “And it glowed, right?” “Yup.” “So while we were dreaming, my horn became a bridge for my dream to link to yours. What you dreamt is the same as mine,” she explained with confidence. “Wow. So how did it glow while you were still asleep?” Really, I simply can’t understand unicorns. “Well, my horn does this every time I sleep,” she nervously said. “Oh,” I said. It wouldn’t hurt to learn a little of life every day. “Now, how did it end?” she asked as if she were a therapist. “I was burned to death,” I said with indifference. “Oh,” she was surprised at my response. “So I guess we had different points of view when we were dreaming.” “Oh yeah? How so?” “My dream ended when everything went black while I was running through the fields.” “Well that’s entirely different as mine.” It was a dream, but what happened in it looks real enough. I mean, if I was in a dream, then I would be an alicorn. A strong and handsome alicorn. But all that comes and goes every time I wake up. A stallion can dream, right? If I were to die in a fire, then if my hunch is right, Flare wouldn’t be touched by fire. I will prove that correct. If I don’t, then it was just a weird dream. I know what I’m gonna do today. Author's Note Now for a little bit of gore. If you're wondering how I got this events, I actually get it in real-life experiences, only gender-swapped and ponified. But the dream sequence is just made up for the plot to thicken. I'm terribly sorry for the embarrassingly late update on the story. I lost connection with the Internet and I can't do anything at home. Anything but write more. The Internet still hasn't gone stable just yet, but until then, chapter four would be finished. Expect it to be sometime in March. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
