"Hey, Aerial?"
"What?"
"I'm bored."
"Cool. So am I." I yawn and get up from the couch to watch her cook breakfast..
"What do you wanna do?"
I was kinda hoping you'd tell the story of how we met." She smiles at me in that sideways style of hers, and I smile back.
"You've heard it so many times! Heck, you even lived through it!"
She chuckles, and we walk over to the table with our food in tow. "But it sounds so much better when you tell it. Come on..."
I think for a minute, and realize I've got nothing better to do. "Alright, if you insist! I've got work off today, anyways. We were at the Canterlot Boutique, right?"
"Please stop touching me," she said.
I unwrapped my hoof from her around her shoulders and stood looking at her. "Um...I'm Aerial Roundoff. What's your name?"
"Odessa." She blinked slowly at me, then walked over to the counter to pay for her new dress.
I trotted after her. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Home."
"But we're not even done with our conversation yet!"
"I didn't know we were in the middle of one," she told me. The white Unicorn at the counter put Odessa's dress in a clear bag so it wouldn't get rumpled on its way home. I paid, got my dress cover thing, and rushed after her.
"...Why are you following me home?"
"'Cause I wanna be friends with you!"
She sighed. "What if I don't want friends?"
"No mare is an island!...or something like that," I replied. "So...can we start over?"
She didn't reply, but she did give a sideways glance at me. I figured we were getting somewhere and continued.
"Okay, so my name is Aerial, yours is Odessa... I like your eyeliner!"
"It's not makeup. These are my real lashes." She gestured to it, gently tugging for emphasis. After a few seconds the blue-gray Unicorn seemed to be satisfied that she'd convinced me, and put her hoof down.
"Well then...I like your eyeshadow! Brings out your eyes."
I thought I saw the corner of her mouth twitch up a little as she spoke up. "Uh...thanks. So why'd you pick that dress?"
"I dunno. I guess I just thought it was pretty, and you gotta admit, it looks like it was made for me!"
"True. I feel the same way about mine. I'm just glad the dressmaker discontinued that hideous Princess Dress. Never would've walked in there if she hadn't."
"Wow!" I grinned. "That was the most I've ever heard you say!"
"Well...I guess I've never had anypony to share my hate with."
I stopped smiling, slowing my pace a bit to match hers. "Really? That's pretty sad. Everypony needs someone to talk to, at least a little."
Odessa abruptly turned into an alleyway, and I found myself slipping on a puddle. I felt my stomach make contact on wet ground, sending up a spray of dirty water. I looked up at Odessa, a nervous smile on face, as she walked towards me. I guess I expected her to walk right by me, but she stopped and held out a hoof. I gratefully took it, still neither of us speaking as she helped me up. Once I was up on my feet, she handed me my dress and continued on. I followed her out of the alley way and down another block. Odessa walked up the path to small, dark, simple house and lifted a key to the door. I opened my mouth to say goodbye, but she turned to face me and cleared her throat.
"Do you want to come in for a drink or something?"
"Uh...sure." I gave her a tired smile and walked inside after her.
"...and now we're best friends!" I finish cheerfully, swallowing the last of my pancakes. I let out a satisfied sigh and look over at Odessa, who seems perfectly content with eating half the size of a normal breakfast.
"I wonder what would've happened if you hadn't chased after me."
"I wonder what would've happened if you hadn't helped me up!"
Her horn takes on a yellow glow as she takes our plates to the kitchen. "I'm not sure...but I really wouldn't have it any other way."
