She doesn't mean to lurk, to sit in shadow away from prying eyes. Indeed, it is the opposite of her intent- firechild wants only to glow, to warm those around her with the strength of her flame and incendiary heart. Yet in the days following the return of dawn, she finds herself faced with a new conundrum, one less abstract and more tangible than the miserable and mysterious darkness had presented: who is there to have her?
She tries not to think about it often. Since her reunion with Natraj the loneliness has ebbed, dissipating from a full-frontal attack down to the drone of distant gunfire, a buzz of bees ignored until they come too close for comfort, as the knowledge of her isolation does now. In a crashing wave it overtakes her mind, melodramatically washing away her happy glow, her contented banter with brother and friend. Friend- does she have any, really, outside of Natraj? Amaris is gone, and Semira, childhood playfellows cast into the abyss. In fact, as time passes the filly is coming to realize that her family has fled in full, leaving none but Natraj and herself behind.
The thought blazes hot through her dark despair, a cold, brittle anger surging up in her mind. Did they not think to wait for her? Was no headcount done, no tally of Mirage, Rishima, Twins One, Twins Two... hmm, where is the seventh?
Or perhaps they were glad to be rid of her. Perhaps her sins were so great, she deserved to be alone. After all, she still has not rescued Lace. After all, she had yet to gain a friend, no matter what she might tell herself about Hototo and Sacre.
It is the appearance of the black-blue pegasus that brings about this surge of shame. Wind-tossed and beautiful, the mare alights on the hallowed ground, just as the girl retreats behind the shrine of the sun. At her feet Natraj purrs a questioning note, gold eyes shifting to glance her way, but the girl is trained upon the electric queen. Twice before has gold met blue, and the girl remembers the last time with a sickening vibrance, remembers her resolve to follow her home, once she had something to show for herself. Now the mare is here, in her haven of gods, and Tandavi has nothing but the skin on her back, nothing to make Ampere take her as one of her own. No wonder I'm friendless, she waxes morose. I have nothing to offer, no exchange to make.
Natraj snorts his laughter at this melancholy turn, unimpressed by his sister's poetic descent, but pauses as the wind whispers into his ear. The blue mare is close now, and large ears pick up the now-stronger words. He throws them like darts in the path of her mind, disrupting the filly's spiral of doom with blithe disregard for her requiem's grace; before she can be angry the kitsune's gone, dipping out from around the shrine to approach the mare on dancing feet. He pauses some paces in front of Ampere, gold eyes gazing bright at her face, as if to say Hi, Companion right here!
Behind him a sharp inhalation is heard, as Tandavi struggles to choose a second step. Part of her wants to flee from the passionate mare, but the other, smarter part pushes her forward, moving her legs and steering her gaze. Besides, she is curious now to know the reply, see if the Gods won't answer a question she never thought to ask: what is a companion, and why is the bond formed so close to her soul?
And who knows. Perhaps, in their shared curiosity, the mares will find in each other a peer. A partner. A compatriot. A friend. Braver, the girl swallows her fear, letting the shadow of a smile stain her crescent face.
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
⇒
[P] Should I Believe In The World Momma?
