At the Canterlot Gardens (SirShadowdeath and Winter)

[Winter]

Storm worried as Inkblot had a panic attack. She new she had to so something, or the night would be ruined. This is my first date, and I already ruined it! Stupid Storm, stupid stupid stupid. Wait... No, I can do this. Alright, I have to toughen up for the both of us she reasoned with herself, preparing her will of iron. "No, dont go, please... Don't be sorry, that was a nice and great thing to say! You are great! This entire night has been great! Please, stay here, at this great place..." She looked at him sadly. "For me?"

[SirShadowdeath]

"I...I..."

He stopped, trying to regain his train of thought. The black pegasus had indeed had a panic attack, but hearing Storm's voice talk to him managed to calm him down a bit. He looked back at her, still nervous, but with a little less fear.

"Of course, I'll stay for you....I don't know what I was thinking...Miss Storm..."

He still stuttered a bit, but he was now recovering quite quicker than he had previously.

"I'm sorry for that outburst, Miss Storm...I'm not sure what came over me..."

[Winter]

"It was nothing. You are just nervous... we were both nervous, being new to each other... but we don't have to be anymore." Storm paused, thinking. "This is my first date, I really don't know how these things go..." Storm said as she looked slowly back to the fountain, marveling it its magnificence.

[SirShadowdeath]

"T-Thank you so much...Miss Winter...," Inkblot said, still managing to stutter a bit. "This is my first date as well....I-I....appreciate your...patience...."

The black pegasus stared back at the shining fountain.

"S-So...What does...the fountain make you think...of?"

[Winter]

Storm let out a small sigh. "Honestly, it reminds me of what I wish my home had been like. Those swamps were terrible, and this place is like the opposite. This place is bright and beautiful. I see nothing wrong here. It is so... clear." She paused a moment... "The reflections are perfection. They show the area around them, but distort and mesh it enough to make it different. They make it unique. Even though it is so frightfully different from everything else, it is still beautiful... The fountain creates something special and different, and still we see it for its beauty..."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot smiled at Storm, hoping to give her a sense of comfort.

"You've had a hard life, haven't you, Miss Winter?" the pegasus asked, finally finding his voice.

"It's okay now. Don't worry about the past. I'm here for you now...You can talk to me..."

[Winter]

"I know I can... it can just be hard to unload things..." Storm paused in thought before adding, "What do you think when you see this fountain?"

[SirShadowdeath]

"I think of the perfection of nature...and its comparison to ponies worldwide...Nature is so much more...predictable...it's not as cold and dark as some parts of this world...I'm just glad that I live in the lighter side of the world...and I'm always glad when I can share the natural feeling of joy with others...That's what this fountain makes me think of...Because I know nothing will ever be as perfect as nature...but I also know we can aim high and hope to be successful," Inkblot replied to thr hippogriff. "And...I understand that talking can be hard...that's one reason why I like to write...I can express emotion so much easier in poetry...would you like to hear a poem, Miss Storm?"

[Winter]

Storm Feather turned to the pegasus, and looked at him kindly, "Yeah, this world, so imperfect..." Storm paused a second, thinking over the subject before continuing and responding to Inkblot's question, "Of course, Inkblot. I would be flattered to hear your poem."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot took a deep breath before reciting his poem. He then stepped a little but toward Storm, and began to speak.

"Through Nature's eyes

Imperfection Cries

And so do those who wish it

But, perfection does not always fit

Into the puzzle of life

And although it may bring us sadness

others may bring us gladness

And lift our hearts up to the sky

And even though we may still wonder why

We'll realize there's no reason to cry."

After reciting it, he took a small step back.

"That's...um...all I got for it at the moment..."

[Winter]

"That was amazing. Do you make stuff like that all the time?" She whispered to him quietly. "It was sad and beautiful. It... I love it, Inkblot."

[SirShadowdeath]

"Thank you, Miss Storm...I'm happy you like it," replied. "I write those all the time...that one I just happene to think of on the spot actually..."

He stepped backward, and then forward again.

"We should probably...see the rest of the garden, huh? I mean...unless you want to stay here...the foutain is quite beautiful..."

[Winter]

"I... uh... don't mind, either way..." Storm paused, thinking about what she wanted, and inched a little closer to Inkblot. "We could, uhm, stay here and just enjoy... each other's company... If that is okay with you..."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot smiled.

"That...sounds...quite nice actually," the black pegasus said, inchind toward Storm as well. Maybe she's finally beginning to open up to me... he thought to himself.

"So...do you have any others stories for me? I'd love to hear them..."

[Winter]

"Well..." Storm inched even closer to Inkblot, to the point that they were nearly touching. She debated with herself a moment before continuing. "A long time ago, when I was just a filly... We lived in Rockwington, as you know. My dad was respected, everyone loved him. His only problem was my mom. Griffons don't seem to really like ponies that much... Well I, being half pony... well, they didn't really like me either. We had a rough life there... I had a rough life there... When I thought it couldn't get worse, we moved to the swamps. It was mostly the same, but there was one major difference... It was dirty, smelly, and gross there... The hatchlings... they would take any chance they could to throw mud at me. It was horrible..." Storm dropped her head in sadness before continuing. "Our house would break a lot. No one would help us. Mostly everyone there looked down on us, really... We... we had to fix it ourselves... I had to fix it myself... I guess it was a good thing, it taught me how to look at life, how to be strong. It taught me what I am good at. It told me that I had to leave... It brought me here..." Storm looked back up, teary eyed, and slowly shook her head. "But let's not talk about that, we are here together now to be happy. Inkblot, you make me happy..."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot reached out a hoof to gently pat Storm.

"I'm...I'm so sorry...that you had to..."

He stopped completely to regain his stature.

"I'm....glad that I make you happy...Storm...I...I'm touched by this..."

The pegasus fought to held back tears. He couldn't tell if they were tears of sadness or joy...but he definately had mixed emotions at this point.

"You don't have to worry anymore...You're here...with me. You don't have to fear your past anymore...."

[Winter]

Storm looked to Inkblot lovingly and smiled. She blinked slowly, clearing away the tears, and sat a moment, as if thinking about him. "Inkblot... this is such a great night. Thank you for bringing me here... is there... anything... that you need... to talk about?"

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot returned the warm smile to Storm.

"I...Thank You...for coming, Storm," he replied. "I...I never really understood love...or even friendship honestly...I've made so few of friends...and I've never even thought of love..My family was always so nice and warm to me...I never realized how hard and cold the world could be until I grew up...I realized how hard life can really be..."

Tears began to fill the black pegasus's eyes.

"I stayed...isolated for so long...with only my writing...and later my pet Corvus...I forgot how hard life could be...I forgot what life was...I neer experianced love...and I rarely ever experienced friendship...I would carry slow and short conversations with customers...but I...I never...never..."

By now his eyes were flowing with tears. He fell forward, landing his head on Storm's shoulder.

"I...I...I love you, Storm...You're...the only one...who...who's been here for me..."

In the distance, Corvus looked down from his cloudy perch. He observed Inkblot and his Hippogriff friend, and didn't make any movements.

[Winter]

Storm Feather embraced the pegasus, sharing in his sorrow. "I love you, Inkblot." She whispered to the crying form she kept close to her. She could feel his warm breath and his freezing sadness, and she gladly shared in his loneliness. She stayed with him, held him tightly. She understood his sadness, she knew his pain. They were to be lonely together. "This is life."

[SirShadowdeath]

"I...I...You...," he mumbled under his crying breath. "Why is...why...is life...so hard...what have I...what...have you...done...wrong...?" "Why...do...we...us...deserve...this?" he continued, still mumbling. He felt the warmth of Storm's coat on his own. This comforted him, knowing that there was someone for him to lean on...someone for him to love.

"Storm..."

He couldn't get out anymore words. His tears ran down his cheek rapidly, dampening the hippogriff's coat slightly.

"I..."

[Winter]

"You... we... have done nothing wrong, Inkblot... I know you... us... we... deserve better... It isn't fair... Life isn't fair. We just have to do the best we can." She held him tightly, knowing this moment would end, but praying to Celestia it wouldn't. She was crying herself, now. She let her feelings flow out in her tears. She loved this pegasus. She knew she loved him. She was content to sit there with him forever, embracing, and knowing each other, sharing feelings, rather than return to the dark and cruel world.

[SirShadowdeath]

Both of them stood there, crying. Inkblot knew that Storm was the only one who he would ever love. A sense of both security and lonliness swept over him. The one who he loved was now crying as well. He felt that this was destined to happen. He felt that is was part of fate that two were to be togethor, sharing in each other's pain and emotion.

"Storm..." the black pegasus started, "I...You...We..."

He was stuttering again. His nervousness had returned to him in the midst of his show of emotion.

"Promise...me...t-that...you...you'll never give...up...on me...on...l-life..." he mumbled quietly. "I love...you too much...to want to see...you fail..."

[Winter]

"Inkblot, I'm not going anywhere. As long as you're with me... I'll never give up... We'll never give up..." She said quietly to him, smiling and hoping to cheer him up. "We only get to live once... We should make the most of it...while we can."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot tried desperately to return the smile. He found it hard, despite the fact that he was with the one whom he loved. Yet, he finally found the strength to return it and speak up.

"Thank you, Storm. I..." He stopped, unable to think of anything to say. "I hope I can stay with you...as long as my life lasts...whether it be a short time...or...a long one."

At last, after saying this, his tears had come to a halt.

[Winter]

"Forever, Inkblot." Storm raised a claw to wipe the tears from the pegasus' eye. "You are my very special somepony, forever. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health. I love you, Inkblot."