Designs of Love

“Forma!” Ah the dulcet tones of the goddess herself. I thought unkindly. Not that I had much occasion to bring myself to be kind to Amore diVolare. The mare was notoriously difficult to work with, a fact in which  Amore seemed to take great delight.

“Coming, signora.” I replied, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

“Hurry!” She called back.

“Heaven forbid Amore goes out without her beloved sash.” I muttered to myself. I pulled out the last few pins as I trotted over to the diva of the sky. It was not hard to imagine the horror previous designers went through trying to fit the garish sash into about every outfit she performed in. Luckily, I was the kind of mare with imagination. Well, imagination and a strong sense of humor.

“M’scusi, signora. I have it completed.” I patted myself on the back for not throwing it at her.

“Finally.” She huffed as she tugged it away. As her designer, I should have put it on her myself. Touching the diva, however, would only have further incurred her wrath. I watched her, though, to make sure she placed it appropriately.

She peeked around the curtain as she threw the sash over her head haphazardly. Before she could walk out, I stepped on her tail.

“Oof!” She called out as she stopped suddenly. Whipping around, I could practically feel her trying to kill me with her eyes. The hatred those blue orbs contained would certainly have felled lesser ponies. Instead, I stood taller.

“Pin that sash down or it’ll end up in the grandstands. And you won’t be far behind it.”

“Do you have any idea how important this competition is?” She exclaimed.

“Do you have any idea how to wear a sash while flying? If you don’t buckle it down here and here…” I popped the button flaps at shoulder and under her wing. “…you’ll wind up wearing that sash around your head and wing.”

Flustered and angry, she snapped the sash into place. “I swear, della Forma, if you…”

I’d heard this pile of garbage before and wasn’t having any of it. “If I wasn’t the last designer who would work with you, you’d be going out there bareback.”

“If you were a better designer…” She started, but couldn’t work out how to finish it.

“I’ll get noticed sooner or later. My problem is not my attitude.” I said in challenge.

“I was in a perfectly equitable mood until somepony…” The coordinator popped her head in.

“diVolare! You’re up!”

“Coming, signora!” She called as she trotted away. I sighed in relief. I threw my sewing supplies back in the bag and headed to the viewing area. As much trouble as she was, Amore was a great flyer to watch.

Her program tonight was to be fairly simple. One circuit around to get to speed and another to perform her feats. Amore’s coach, Maestro diVolo, sidled up next to me.

“Our little diva looks good tonight.” He remarked.

I smiled. “She insisted on the sash.”

“Athletes are superstitious. You are kind to accommodate her…eccentricities. She performs before royalty today.” He indicated the premier box. Princess Celestia sat in attendance.

“The princess looks well.” It was said she loved to watch young fliers.

diVolo turned to face me. “I’ve put a good word in for you with Maestro del Cielo.”

My eyes opened wide. “You didn’t!”

He smiled. “I did.”

“What of Am—Signora diVolare?” I asked.

“She will be sent back to the regional flyers. She lacks a certain…something as far as the nationals are concerned.” He explained. I looked down at my hooves.

“What is this? I tell you you have an in with the biggest national team in all of Bitaly and you are more concerned with the headstrong filly who makes your life miserable?” I turned my gaze onto the course. She was just finishing her first lap.

“Does she know?” I asked.

“Si. I told her this morning.” He replied, turning his gaze on the mare in question.

“You told her this on the morning of her last national exhibition?” Was Amore flying faster than usual? I felt a sickening dread begin in my stomach.

“Si,” he answered, puzzled by the change of topic.

She was definitely going too fast. I trotted up to the rail and set both forehooves on the top. Maestro diVolo followed me, his expression a mirror of the horror on mine.

“Has she ever…?”

“No.”

“Can she do this?”

“I don’t know. I hope…for her sake.”

The tension built as she performed her first set of loops. She gained altitude without losing much of her speed at all and spiraled down headfirst. She pulled out and veered off, once again turning her momentum into altitude. Amore placed herself between the crowd and the sun, he position perfect to eclipse the yellow disc with a sweep of her wings.

“No. Nonono. Nonononono!” Maestro diVolo cried as she began her descent.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, alarmed.

“She has too much altitude, her velocity will be too great if she waits too long to open her wings.”

I silently prayed that her wings would open. Please. Please. Please.

“Open your wings!” diVolo screamed, his roar drowned out by the crowd’s excitement.

Finally, with a flick of her wings, Amore opened up to slow her descent. She’d aimed herself perfectly to land on the end cloud. But I could see it on her face, she was going too fast. Then, the worst happened.

A loud crack echoed over the arena. Amore’s right wing had buckled backwards and hung uselessly. Her approach landing dive became a spin that she was powerless to stop.

Thankfully, somepony could. Celestia rose from her box and shot forth a globe of glowing light, catching the injured pegasus and slowing her down safely. Amore floated down to the landing cloud and the spell dissipated.

As emergency personnel rushed to the field, my eyes were locked onto Amore. The shock on her face gave way to a grimace of pain as she tried to assess her wing. When she looked at the ruin of her wing, she erupted into tears, the agony heartbreaking. Putting my hooves to my cheeks in horror, I felt tears of my own. I lost sight of her in the huddle of medical ponies.

I felt a push on my shoulder. Maestro diVolo shook me to get my attention. “Go gather your things. There is nothing more either of us can do for her.”

*

To my shame, I let a week pass before visiting Amore. I brought an edible arrangement of fruit and flowers. My body practically shook the entire way to the front desk.

The mare at the desk didn’t even look up. “Delivery for whom?”

“Um, Amore diVolare.” I answered.

The nurse snorted. “I’d make it quick if I were you. She might have a broken wing, but she’ll likely hurl that bouquet back in your face. Room 210.”

The room was darkened, so I stepped in quietly. After a pause to let my eyes adjust, I managed to make out a form huddled under the blanket. I was irritated at the nurse. She could have told me Amore was asleep. I looked around, hoping to see an empty space nearby. The closest place, just my luck, was across the room.

Tiphoofing around, I gently placed the bouquet on the open space. “Who’s there?”

I nearly jumped out of my hooves. That hadn’t sounded like Amore. “Sorry, I must have the wrong room.”

I heard the shuffle of a blanket as the pony on the bed turned to face me. I headed to the door, completely forgetting the bouquet. “Della Forma?”

The surprise in her voice gave me pause. She didn’t sound like herself still, bug she didn’t sound mad either. “Amore?”

“Signora della Forma. I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“I know, I should have come earlier…”

“Why? I wasn’t ever anything but horrible to you.” She said plainly.

I hesitated. “I…I wanted to.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You wanted to what?”

“No, that’s it. I wanted to come see you. I was just, concerned that I would be a distraction from you getting the care you need.”

“There’s not much left to care for.” That was new. I’d never heard her sound so defeated.

“Your wing…”

“I’ll never fly again, they say.” It was the worst. The very fear that kept me away for a week. My heart dropped into my stomach.

“I’m sorry; I hadn’t heard.”

Shaking her head, she changed the subject. “How is Signor del Cielo?”

I was shocked. “How did you know?”

She waved a hoof. “Maestro spoke with me about it. It is a good opportunity for you, you should take it.”

“How can you say that? You want me to take on with another team?” Why was I arguing with her? I wondered.

She snorted. “There is no point in staying around. No one else has.”

“What about your friends?” Surely diVolare had some of those. My heart sank as she shook her head.

“Looks like all I had were rivals who hid behind kind words and empty gestures.” She looked up at me with contempt. Her expression was belied by her eyes, wet with tears to shed. “Why are you here?”

“I…don’t know.” I replied honestly.

“You can leave. Del Cielo has a good team. You’ll be a fine addition.” She turned away from me, readying herself for my goodbye. The resignation in her voice was foreign to my ears.

I’d had enough. “I’m sorry. I thought this was Amore diVolare’s room. I must have been mistaken.”

She turned back around in curiosity. “Have you gone pazzo? What madness is this? It’s me, della Forma.”

“Like Tartarus it is!” I challenged. “The Amore diVolare I know would never allow anyone to tell her when she could fly!”

“My wing…”She began.

“Neither did she make excuses. Amore proves everypony wrong.” I asserted. “Where is that irritating pride, signora? Where has all your passion gone?”

I leveled a hoof at her face. “I’ll tell you one thing, diva. If you allow yourself to wallow in pity you will become a fat former ghost of yourself.”

She bristled. “Do you have any idea how many ponies told me I won’t fly. Every doctor and nurse.” Her eyes glistened. “Even maestro himself.”

“That might be true for some ponies. It could be true for you. But are you going to take their word for it, or are you going to make the effort to prove them wrong?” I walked to her bedside as I spoke. We locked eyes.

“I believe in you, Amore.” I said quietly.

She reached out to me. I hugged her to my chest. Her voice was a bit muffled, but I heard her. “Will you stay with me?” The fear in her voice was strong enough to taste.

Without a second thought, I replied. “Of course, Amore.”