Luna moves to sit on the edge of the bed. I can see on her face that she's trying to process what just happened. I can't help but pace back and forth. Just another mystery thrown in our face with no explanation at all! Tonight, of all nights! Because life couldn't just let us enjoy the night as it was, could it?

"Is this what it's like?" Luna asks me, making me pause. "Because this sort of thing happens to you all the time. Is this what it's like? Because this is awful. This is... why? Why would she say something like that? Isn't there some sort of rule or... regulations!? I can't stop thinking about it now!"

"I know Luna, I know. But there's nothing we can do about it now." I tell her, trying to reassure her. Truthfully, I'm freaking out just a much as she is. But it's easier for me to help others than myself.

"Maybe we should try something though? Maybe do an opposite plan of action or... or... do something big! Big and-and right now! What would we normally do right now? Let's try doing the opposite instead!"

"I don't know if time travel would work like that."

"Well we need to try something! Did you not hear what she said!? Or did you take something else from it? Because to me it sounds like we're not going to make it to our future!"

I go back to pacing again. I know what she said. Whoever that was didn't get the chance to meet us. And they really wanted to speak with us, even though they weren't allowed to. What else could that mean? Maybe they're from way in the future. It would be like Luna meeting Dolum. He would have no way of understanding anything she would have to say.

But that's not what I took from her. I took death from her demeanor. That's what my instincts are telling me at least. But that's not going to help Luna right now. How am I going to spin this without lying to her and keeping her line of thinking from going further down that pit?

"Look... yeah, it sounds like we don't make it from what she said. I'll give you that. But... If that's what it sounds like on the surface, then there's probably something else to it." I move to sit in front of her, trying to keep eye contact with her. I can tell I need to keep digging to bring her back to me.

"Whoever that was probably knows better than to speak that candidly to people from their past. Like you said, there are probably regulations in place to protect... history. So if it sounds like that, then it's equally as likely that the opposite happens."

"So what are you saying? There's a fifty-fifty chance of us dying?" Luna asks desperately. Her eyes are panicked and I see she's starting to spin this in her head. I take a moment to get my thoughts in order. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but it seems to be working.

"I can't say with a certainty what may or may not happen in the future. You know this. But what I can tell you is what I know right at this moment. And in this moment, we are safe. Tempus is safe. Shadow is safe. Celestia is safe. Our friends, allies, country people, we're all safe in this moment. And what I can tell you with a one hundred percent certainty is that in the next moment, no matter what happens, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. To keep our children safe. Our homes and friends; I will do whatever I can to keep them as safe as I can."

I reach forward and take her hooves in mine. I hold onto them as tightly as I can. The truth of the matter is that I can only promise as much as my own capabilities. Anything beyond that is impossible to guarantee. I can't promise that I'll survive any future conflict. I can't give her the comfort of knowing that I'll always be there for her. I know that. I've always known that. But with the idea of it being thrown in my face... it terrifies me.

I'm a planner. I don't like doing something that doesn't have some sort of structure to it. It's why I've fit so well into the military. Even dying seemed so easy to me. A soldier dying in some battle, you don't get surprised by that. But the idea of not being able to protect Luna. The fear of losing someone so dear to me...

"I can't promise something as impossible as tomorrow. Even though we know it's going to happen, there's no way of knowing. There's no stopping it. No avoiding it. Tomorrow will happen, with or without us. All we can do now is promise each other that we'll do all we can until tomorrow, and then do it all again. Will you make this promise with me?"

She squeezes my hooves for a moment before reaching down and kissing them softly. I can still see the fear and panic in her eyes, but she's at least simmered down a bit.

"I know you can't make promises like that. I know I'm asking for the impossible, but that's what I need Miles. And I know how unfair it is to ask something like this of you. I don't want to be that greedy, but I can't help it. I don't want to lose anyone! And I know it's completely fear based but I need something equally illogical to help me. I need you to promise me the impossible so I can continue on pretending like everything will be okay. I need you to lie to me, just this once. Please Miles! Lie to me. Lie and tell me that you'll be okay! Tell me that no matter what you'll come back to me and everything will work out okay. Please!"

I try to look her in the eye and tell her that I can't do that. I try to look away and say that goes against everything I've ever stood for. I try to find a way to rationalize this in my own head so I can convince her as well. But... no matter what I do, I keep coming back to that sad face before me. That look of desperation. That bated breath waiting to hear what it needs. I know what I should say. But I also know what needs to be said. Two words. But impossible repercussions.

"I promise."

She pulls me in for the tightest hug she's ever given me, and I hug her in kind. I feel wrong saying it knowing it's something that I can't really control. I don't even know if it's a lie really. And what am I even promising? That we'll survive? Or just me? But I don't know if any of these questions will ever be answered, which is what I hate about it. This will come back to bite us both in the ass. It's going to change everything moving forward. Left turns become right. Inaction to action. It's unfathomable to comprehend! And I promised it. All just to ease Luna's mind.

There's no going back on it though. I've said it, so the only left to do is make it happen. Even if it means utter failure, I have to give it my all. I can't let her down. Not when there's so much at stake.

It doesn't take long for us to break apart, sharing a small kiss and sweet nothings seemed... wrong. I don't know how to put it. It feels as if it's been said already. Or maybe the mood wouldn't allow for it. I don't know, but it's definitely didn't feel right to say or do anything further. I asked if we should go back down to the Gala, but we decided to leave instead. With everything going on, we're done here. Besides, sleep sounds amazing at this time.

We sneak our way out of the Gala. It wasn't that hard really. Something is going on in the garden, so no one was in the halls to stop and pester us. A squad of night guards escorts up to the mountain. One of them started spouting business rabble to Luna. Something about projections and possible candidates. I zoned out of the conversation fast. Mentally, I'm practically dead to the world. I don't even know if I'll be able to fall asleep, which is confusing in it of itself.

When we make it to the teleporter Luna listens to the guard for a moment longer before thanking them and dismissing them for the night. I don't know how she does it. Despite being as tired as me, if not more, she can still listen and delegate this kind of crap. I'll bet her mind is racing with all of the information she just learned and is planning ahead for it. It's amazing really. Planning battles and war scenarios, no problem. Talk taxes and... bureaucratic crap, I'm useless. Not Luna though. It just comes naturally to her somehow. She's a schemer. That's my best guess.

When we make it home we start getting ready for the night. Showers. Changing. Shutting off my phone so no one can wake me up tomorrow. I'm passing out tonight and nothing is going to wake me until I've got my fill of sleep. Luna tells me that the kids will be in Mooseden, so there's nothing to wake us up tomorrow. So we're taking full advantage of that.

Luna makes it to the bed before me but I'm not that far behind her. I was going to say goodnight, or I love you, something. But it was just silent. We're laying back to back, and it's... weird. We feel so close it's almost claustrophobic. But we feel so far away from one another. It's as if I'm going to turn around and she won't be there.

Is everything fine between us? I know we said we'd clean slate things, but it's never that easy. Maybe we just need to sleep the day away and that will 'clean the slate'. But if that's how we're approaching this whole debacle, then I should say something. But what should I say?

I guess I love you would be the most suitable. But saying something because it should be the right thing to say is being disingenuous. I'm keeping one lie already, I'm not going to add to it. Maybe I should just go to sleep. It's probably nothing anyway. There have been plenty of times we've gone to bed without saying anything. It seems weird not saying anything tonight, but it shouldn't. Right?

Gah! I don't know what to do! The tension in the room is keeping me awake and I can't figure out what I should do to fix it! I start looking around the room trying to distract myself from... myself. There's nothing to really look at though. We just threw our clothes on the ground, but there's nothing special about that. Our furniture seems the same, so nothing there. My phone is on the dresser next to me... next to... the thumb drive Susurrans gave me.

Everything else in the world fades away as I stare at that little device. Everything about that fight flashes before me as I stare at it. How pitifully out classed I was. I really thought I finally had that edge over the old bastard. But despite all my power, he brushed me aside with no effort whatsoever. How did we lose with someone as powerful as that!?

"In time you will learn of your mother's past. You cannot avoid it. But... there are secrets that you will have to learn. Secrets that will shake you to your core. Listen well and let your flame guide you. And though we walk the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil. It's time you started to learn of your father's past, and why you will never meet him."

That was a mouthful. It sounded rehearsed, which it probably was. Where do I even start with all of that. The secret bits was obvious, so not there obviously. What valley are we walking? Is that a metaphor for life or something? And fear no evil!? I have listened to countless speeches from Susurrans about fear being a tool for courage! Fear is natural, not having it or denying it seems... wrong.

And letting my flame guide me? I know he's talking about Soul Fire there. But there are so many questions from that too! Where is it guiding me? How do I get it to guide me? Soul Fire kind of just appears when it doesn't want me to do or go somewhere, so is it doing it already? Is this something that I have any influence over or will it force me in the right direction? Where are we going?

There seems to be a lot going on in their pasts. Even with it happening so long ago and so far away, it's still right here with me. I've spent so much of my life being on my own. I had to fight for myself and take care of me. But now I'm learning how much I had from my parents without them even being there.

Okay, this is getting too introspective. I should calm down and go to sleep.

Or... I could see what's in that thumb drive.

I mean, it'll be there in the morning. No reason to rush into this now. And I really shouldn't do it while Luna is trying to sleep. And I already turned off my phone...

But I might fucking explode if I don't look what's in there right fucking now!

I take a tentative look behind me to see if Luna is awake of not. She seems to be sleeping. How long have I been staring at that thumb drive? I go back to staring at it as I wrestle with what to do. I really should just go to sleep. What time is it even?

... my phone is off so I can't even check.

Fuck it, I'm doing it.

I grab my phone and start to power it up. While I wait for it to boot up I feel myself start to get antsy. It's an odd mixture of fear and excitement. Fear of being disappointed because it may just be another clue. Something that only gives me more questions and no answers. But it may finally be something that can end the questions I have to avoid.

Why was Susarrans avoiding me as I grew up? What happened to my mother? What's their story and how do I fit into all of this? What is Soul Fire? Where is this all going and what should I be doing? Who am I really?

MY phone blinks back to life and I link the thumb drive to it. I feel my palms start to get sweaty as I wait for the two of the to link. It only takes a moment, but it feels like forever.

File: Viderunt Omnes// playback//

All have seen? It's an audio file. Not a really big one either. It feels like a let down. The only thing on here is a small audio file. I'm sure a lot can be said in two minutes. But... I don't know. I may have gotten my hopes too high. I pull it up and go to play it. I pause for a second before playing it. No need to get my hopes higher than needed.

Iderunt o-mnes fines terrae...

The moment it starts to play something inside me stirs to life. The person singing weaves the words back and forth and my soul is dancing with it in a way I've never felt before.

Salu-tare De-i nostri...

The words come out so slowly and I feel myself lingering on each and every one of them. Dei, what is that? It seems like a name of some sort. I've never heard it before at least. What exactly are they saving us from though?

Jub-ila-te De-o o-mnis ter-rae...

There it is again. Deo? Maybe it's more like a title then? What are we rejoicing from? Even though all these questions are racing through my mind I'm calm. Calmer than I've ever been in my entire life.

I let the song play out. It brings something out of me that I didn't even know I had. Something I didn't even know I was missing. By the end I feel a tear roll down the side of my cheek as I feel a new sense of... I don't even know. Serenity? Is this what it's like to be at peace? Is this what it's supposed to feel like? It's... sad. It's sad because I've never felt like this before. And I don't know if I could ever feel like this again.

But I also feel strengthened. I feel like I can finally push through it all and try one more time. One more push. Whatever challenges there are in the world, I can take them all on, one more time.

I flinch when I hear Luna hiccup. I turn and see her staring back at me, tears running down her cheeks. Whatever I've just gone through, she was right there with me. We share a look of understanding. Knowing there's nothing we could say in this moment. Nothing needs to be said. Because everything is finally okay.

I reach forward and run my hoof behind her head. She looks up to me and returns the gesture. Every touch feels like the very first time and it draws me to her. From the sparkle in her eye, to the flow of her ethereal hair. Everything draws me closer to this woman until our lips finally touch.

Everything finally feels right.

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