Dark Cabot's reaction was much more subdued as he eyed Cynthian's new form with a slight hint of jealousy. The Cranidos leaned back with his arms stretched behind his head, a small frown forming on his face.
"Lucky bastard."
The Shadow snickered and walked by him, flaunting his tails.
“Fuh huh huh! It stings, does it not?” But then, his voice shifted further, sounding even more like Icetales.
“Hmph… Just keep going. Thou will get thy chance soon… perhaps.”
Then, he walked toward his host. With each step, his body became slightly less charred. Almost… as if it was starting to heal?
Though, it soon stopped, and so did his walk, at mere steps from Icetales. Almost there. Not yet. Not—
Cynthian held Icetales' paw, gently squeezing it with her vines. She moved forward and kissed him on the cheek, and followed it with a light nuzzle.
There was a jolt, then a warm burst. Icetales’s eyes widened and his tails spread out, then started wagging furiously. Glitters of Radiance and diamond dust scattered in all directions, filling the reddish environment with a white and golden veil.
That sensation… why did it feel
so good?
"Yes, you would. You always have. I no longer have to worry, because you have become the light radiating in my heart now. That's why I've come to love you," Cynthian said in a voice filled with clarity and unshakable trust.
By the stars and heavens! Icetales feared that his heart would be reduced to dust soon, it was beating so fast! His cheeks burned and took a blue tint, two bright spots in a dark pelt, while those last words echoed in his mind.
‘Love you.’
Can someone really… love a monster…?
‘Love you.’
I thought that was impossible. And yet, despite knowing who I am…
‘Love you.’
I was so wrong, but never before I have been so glad to be wrong…
She embraced him again, tighter this time. "I believe in you, and everyone. I'll be waiting for you, Icetales, because I know I'm going to be okay now."
…Cynthian knew. She knew that his visit was temporary, that they would have had to part ways soon. And yet, she wasn’t scared anymore. She was going to pull through…
for him and
because of him.
“Thou will. I know thou will,” he said without hesitation, before nuzzling her cheek. “Thou art much stronger than what thou believe. Thou survived hell once, and I believe thou can do that again.”
He looked at her in the eyes, his gaze brimming with determination. “I will do everything in my power to assist our comrades in the living world to rescue thee. To rescue
everyone. But… We need some time. There is much we have yet to do.
“Which is why… I need thee to be strong. To hold onto hope and never let go. Because… we will reunite out there. We
will. I promise.”
As soon as Cynthian let go and addressed the Cranidos, his Shadow approached him and beckoned to follow. While Icetales wasn’t exactly thrilled at the idea, he could tell that there was… something different in that other Ninetales, and it wasn’t only the more purplish shade of his entire being. They took a few steps away from everyone and stared at each other.
“What?” asked Icetales, frowning.
“Drop the hostility. I only desire to talk,” replied the Shadow, swishing his tails.
“About what?”
“About thee. About us.” The Shadow leaned forward, his mane releasing purple sparks.
“…I felt it.”
Icetales tilted his head, confused. “Felt… what?”
“The chain… is breaking. Thy fear is dimming. A slow process, but I can feel it.” The Shadow narrowed his eyes.
“Thou… art not as afraid to be a monster as thou used to be when we first reached Cibus, art thou not?”
“I…” The fox-in-flesh looked down and rubbed his forepaws, looking for an answer he couldn’t find. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I know, because I am thy fear.” Then, the Shadow diverted his gaze.
“…We have much in common, hm?”
“Huh?”
Icetales followed his Shadow’s gaze, realizing that he was staring at Cynthian. There was an aura of serenity around her despite the circumstances, he could tell.
“We went through hell. We are ashamed of our pasts. We doubt ourselves.” A small smile appeared on his muzzle.
“But she took everything with stride and is marching forward. She has bloomed. And even with the knowledge of what we are, she still… believes in us.”
Icetales glanced again at his Shadow, then again at his comrades. They did. They all believed in him. They all trusted him, they all were grateful for his presence, they all were willing to wait for
him and the living comrades to rescue them.
They were going to trust… a monster. A monster who fell into the Voidlands to help them. A monster with a heart.
“…It is our time. We have been at war for too many years.”
“I… I do not want to be at war with myself anymore, either,” admitted Icetales, before sighing and looking at his Shadow. “But… how can we go through that?”
“Thou art still assailed by doubts. I can feel that. Thou art afraid of what others might think about thy origins,” the Shadow looked at him,
“which is precisely why thou must reveal to everyone the truth about thyself, as soon as they return.”
Icetales’s eyes widened in horror. “W-what?!”
“This shall be the final test. The final proof that folks care about thee—about us for what we are, not for where we come from.” The Shadow narrowed his eyes.
“We are a hellspawn? So be it! If they do not accept that, then they were not thy friends to begin with.”
“I’m scared…”
“I know. But thou must do that. It’s the only way… to truly heal.”
With this final sentence, the Shadow walked toward the lake, in order to give to his host the time to think about what to do.
Tell everyone… What will they think? Will they… accept me or shun me?
Icetales stood there for a few seconds, before narrowing his eyes and cloaking himself in a shadowy aura. He went back to his comrades, having made up his mind.
“There is only one way to find out…”
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