I eye Aurelia once the buckskin pegasus earns the egg and others begin to disperse, walking towards her. I offer a smile, despite the pain I felt. I had failed yet again. I'm beside her within a few moments, words slipping from my dark lips almost instantaneously. "Hey," I look into her pale eyes, trying to smile even though I had failed yet again at earning a companion, an everlasting friend. "What did the mare mean when she talked to you?" I ask, blinking at Aurelia and cocking my head to the side.

I assume this meant Aurelia had a companion at some point, but she didn't have one when I met her— or did she? Maybe I was just too wrapped up in her beauty to notice her companion? But— surely she would've mentioned it or... I would've noticed it. And it was dead? I frown at the thought. Aurelia must be going through a lot if her companion died— part of your soul goes to a companion, losing that would be losing a part of yourself. I open my lips again, ears laid back and eyes glued to my crimson hooves. "I'm sorry to bring this up—" I mumble, looking up and gazing into her eyes. "What happened to your companion?" I ask her, searching those pale eyes for something— anything. Was she sad, angry, upset? Was she okay?

I look out across the blue magma, shivering as I remember the blue mare screaming at the three equines only moments ago. She screamed at a blue pegasus as well about losing her companion (as I assume, that's what it sounded like anyway), and then to a little colt who thought she was hurting it. Thank Gods that wasn't me she was screaming at, or else I'm sure I would've sobbed and been so scared to do anything. That mare was quite terrifying.
"Talking"

She's there in moments, standing beside me in all her radiant beauty as the others disperse, leaving but us. The two angels of the sweet story of which one has fallen in love with the other and is far too scared to reveal it. A true love story (still better than Twilight) that will melt the hearts and make the readers go "Awww" at every sweet, heartfelt moment.

But clearly this is not one of those moments, not yet anyway. She babbles, slipping over her words and swallowing hard as she finishes. "Oh Aurelia, you are a good mare." I smile, looking quite happy despite the fact that Aurelia wasn't looking as happy or content. "I think you are. And you're not evil, or chaotic. You're an angel remember?" I pipe up, looking into her pale silver eyes and letting loose a sheepish little grin at my reference to our first meeting, when I had found myself awestruck by her flawless appearance.

I listen to Aurelia speaking, listening and near crying as I stare at her. I can hear the sorrow in her voice, and my heart sinks. I walk over to her, reaching to embrace her, to get close. Let my dark skin touch her light, smooth skin that shines like gold, sprinkled in golden flakes all along her body. "I don't think I can hate you—"
"Talking" Butterflies flicker through my stomach, tickling at my sides and making my heart throb. "I like you so much... I don't know if hating you is an option" Stop. Wait. What. I take in a deep breath and pull my neck back, looking at Aurelia. Oh Gods what have I done. "I mean—"

"Oh Aurelia. I am so sorry. But—" I hold back tears as I swallow the knot gathering in my throat. "Please don't leave me Aurelia. Don't leave me. You're the only friend I have— " I look at her, the angel I've fallen not-so-gracefully in love with. Is it love? Or am I just crazy and thinking that it is? Whatever it is that I'm feeling, whenever I'm near her I just want to stay with her for eternity, lay with her and watch the world pass by us.

"From the moment I saw you— I just knew I had to be with you. And you are kind, you were kind to me and treated me kindly." I pause, looking deeply into her pale eyes, my own eyes blurred with tears as I gaze at the pale beauty before me. "You are the only one who's offered my kindness in all of my lifetime. And I cannot repay you for that— the only things I can say is.." A stuttering exhale as a tear rolls down my cheek, followed by a few more. I inhale deeply, I've only just met her, but— "I.. I think I love you—"

I eagerly await her words, afraid that she may not feel the same way and nervous that she will. I won't know where to go after that, what to do once I know. How will we live? Do we live together in a herd or as outcasts? Do we have children or remain childless? Will we find ourselves falling out of love within the next few months? How will this all work out. So many questions stirring within my mind as she murmurs just one single word before falling silent again. My body is tense as I wait, the tears staining my dark cheeks. Gods I think I might just curl up under a rock and cry for a while I'm so afraid. What will others think when they find out I like mares? What will Azarel do? Or—

I have no one else.

I stop my train of thoughts, watching as it dips down into an abyss known as reality, blowing up in my face. There was no one else here in this big wide world that I cared for aside from Azarel and Aurelia. Why? Why did I only have two people to care for and that cared for me (so I hoped at least). How come I'm such an unsocial hermit? I'm so stupid and alone, here trying to fight a war that I was clearly losing. It was just me against the world right now, and I don't know if I'll make it without Aurelia by my side.

Her words aren't really something I was expecting, but I do understand her point. "Neither do I." I smile, trying to stay positive about this, although inside I was a mess of negativity and mixed feelings. "But maybe we can find out what it is— together." I look at her, into her pale eyes with a slight smile on my dark lips. I didn't know what love is, what it feels like to be in love. How do you know that you're in love? Is it just a certain feeling you get, or is it more than just a feeling?

"I- I don't think I have a choice." I murmur, lowering my head and looking up guiltily. This wasn't choice that I found Aurelia so alluring, so beautiful and charming with her sweet words and melodic voice that soothed me. "Every time I see you I just— I just want to be close to you. I want to know you and— I don't know how to put my feelings into words.." I trail off, taking a quick look up before averting my gaze back to my crimson hooves, breaths shaky.

"You tell me if this is love that you feel—" I raise my head up, stepping closer to Aurelia and staring down into those milky pools divided by a blaze of gold, her pale forelock falling down, parting the golden divide. My stomach twists and my heart reaches out, longing for Aurelia. I see that she's extended her muzzle to meet mine, and I let them touch. Her warm, pink nose touches my velvety black muzzle, sharing a warm, affectionate touch. As our muzzles are pressed against one another she whispers to me those sweet words that complete me.

"Thank you—" I murmur, feeling those tears of joy finally rolling down my cheeks, flowing down and dropping to the earth below. In a stuttering, soft whisper I tell Aurelia, "you have made me whole." I close my eyes for a moment, feeling the warm breeze sweeping my mane and tail up, ruffling my feathers and the smile creeping back onto my face. I can feel the tears blow away in the wind as I step closer to meet Aurelia in a sweet, loving embrace.
"Talking"

There is silence, stretching on in a span that seems to never end. I wait patiently for something, anything from Aurelia, but I receive nothing. But I suppose that in this moment of bittersweet bonding we don't really have to talk, we can mere gaze into one another's eyes for a while and have an entire conversation. At least, that's what I hope to do one day. For now, we are but a mere two mares trying to figure out the ropes of our homosexual love, if you can call it that.

I can't help but want this moment in time to last forever, this sweet moment we share here and now. I want to hold it dear, this one joyous memory lurking in the abyss of hatred, depression and fear that has been my life so far. Maybe more of these happy memories can be made with Aurelia, memories that will last me a life time. I will cherish these times of smiles and heartfelt embraces, this love that I feel deep within my heart is something I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

I smile at Aurelia's sweet words, telling me that I'm her other half. Does she mean it? Is it true what she says, that she loves me and that I complete her? I would be heartbroken if it was not true, but she was just playing me for a fool, a young, stupid girl who was desperately clinging to some little hope that maybe she can find the love she's lost.

In our embrace, she pipes up about going home as she slips out of the loving hold. I want to reach back to her, to take in her sweet scent and forever hold her close to me, to feel her warm skin against mine. Her smile is brighter than the gold flecks on her coat, a loving, affectionate smile that I return with my own. I was so happy, not a glimmer of sour thoughts in my head (not anymore anyway). I don't think I've ever been this happy, at least, not in a long time. When our eyes collide, my crimson and blue flecked eyes meeting her pale silver pools, I tell her with a soft, dreamy voice. "Let's go home." I begin to walk towards the bridge, glancing back with a smile on my face to see if Aurelia was going to take the lead and take me to our home.
"Talking"