another day, another new topic for gemini. XD

gemini walked through the town square with a sigh, not sure what to do today. sitting down on a bench, he stares up at the sky with a bored look. it's been a while since he saw his friends, and he couldn't find anyone to hang out with today.

Torna was sitting in the town square, having a staring contest with a potted plant while all the other ponies walked by. Torna blinked and lost, "wow, you are really good at this! 246 times in a row!"

gemini heard the mare talk, and looked at her curiously. he decides he might as well ask her what she's doing, since he had nothing else going on. walking up to her, he gently taps her on the shoulder." hello...uh..what are you doing? if you don't mind me asking, that is."

Torna jumps and remains suspended in the air before returning to the ground again. "I was just having a staring contest with my friend" as Torna hinted at the plant "He is unbeatable, 246 times in a row without blinking once"

gemini looks at the plant curiously, then back to torna." huh...might be because he has...no eyelids to blink with?" 'and no eyes, either.' he thinks to himself." i'm gemini, and you are?" he puts his hoof forward to shake.

Torna slowly, seemingly reluctantly, shakes hooves "that might be it, but you would not believe what he was like less than a decade ago"

"oh? and what was he like a decade ago?" gemini ask curiously, somewhat interested in the plant." was it smaller or something? it couldn't have had eyes and then lost them..."

"he wasn't a plant a decade ago, he was a grey pegasus with flowing a white mane, and he was my only friend in Cloudsdale" Torna replies, "Oh, and my name is Torna"

"he...what?" gemini asks somewhat dumbfounded." he was a pegasus? what happened? why's he a plant now? and...it's nice to meet you torna." he stares at the plant in shock.

"Well, not so much of a pegasus as a........nevermind" Torna stops abruptly and gets a look of sadness in her eyes

"well...sorry to hear that...but what happened to him? some sort of magic or something?" gemini looks at her and sees her sadness." s-sorry...want to talk about something else?"

"No" Torna says with a brief squeak in her voice, "It is alright, it's just that everytime I think of it, it brings back bad memories." Torna takes a deep breath "It happened in Cloudsdale, about 6 years ago. Something....bad...... happened and this plant, Storm, saved my life" Torna tells the story openly, but the look in her eyes tells a different story, of sadness and betrayal.

gemini sees how sad she is to be talking about it, so he decides to change the subject." i..see. had a bad time back then, huh? well...how long have you been in ponyville for?"

"About a year now, everything has gotten better. Most people are nicer here" Torna says, keeping the look in her eyes as she relives the memory, but a new look has come, it appears to be relief

"that's good to hear. and yeah, they are. i've made far more friends than i ever had back in my old town...so, make a lot of friends here?" gemini asks, truly glad to hear the mare was having a better time in ponyville.

"Not really" Torna replies"I tend to be a bit isolated, and I am sure that Storm does not help. Nonetheless I will not abandon him"

"that's good. never abandon one friend to make new ones, as an old...friend of mine once said. and i know what it's like to be isolated, but i've came out of my shell since i moved here. this place....just has a way with making me meet new ponies, you know?"

"I guess" Torna says "I believe though that my isolation comes from the......accident......" Torna has a brief pained look "Ever since that day, I have been nervous and easily frightened, as you saw earlier" referencing the jumpiness at first meeting

gemini nods in understanding." yeah, i know what that's like..." he immediately thinks back to the time in the tavern with quillon and lunis." there are some things that are impossible to completely forget about."

"I doubt you could truly understand what I have been through, although, I believe you could come close" Torna pauses for a moment, and looks at the potted plant "Storm, stop looking at him like that" Torna says randomly "Sorry, he is a little protective, He is like my big brother"

"okay then?" gemini glances at the plant curiously, then back to torna." and i also doubt i could come close to whatever happened to you, but there are always ponies out there to help you or listen if you ask them."

"It is not something you want to show the world, embarrass yourself in front of everyone" Torna pauses "There is a reason why I do not go to other people"

"ah. okay then. whatever your reasons are, i'm sure they're good ones. anyway, i suppose i should get going and leave you to your friend, huh?"

"I guess you could" I stare at the plant, and sigh. "Just like the others" Torna mumbles

gemini raises an eyebrow in curiosity at her mumbling." just like the others?"