I open the door to my room, immediately going towards the desk on the right hand wall. Inside I find exactly what I need, quills, parchment, and even wax seals. I pull out a long sheet of lined parchment and a quill, quickly filling up a small ink well with black, viscous ink. I dip the quill in the ink, but find the consistency of the writing ill satisfactory to my tastes. Looking through my pack, I take a few feathers, twist them together and tie them onto a stick found inside the left hand drawer--how it got there, I will never know. With my makeshift caligraphy brush in hand, I start to write quickly in narrow streaks of black ink.

To Rainbow Dash,

I never got to thank you, nor say goodbye. For that I apologize, as well as to say, "Thanks." Back at the Gala...

I paused, the intent was there, but the words failed to come to mind. I was never eloquent in words or expression, the only art I ever took in highschool was oration, but other than that, nothing. I was absolutely horrible at poetry, having choppy haikus with too many or too little katas. I dropped the brush, dragging my paws down my face, my heart raced, but my hand slow.

'Why did I want to write a letter in the first place?' The thought came to mind. I found myself at a loss for words. 'And to Rainbow Dash no less. But why? If anything, I should be writing a letter to the princess stating how she never understood...'

The Motivation to write came again. I picked up the brush and began to write, forgetting why I was writing in the first place. Quite frankly, I didn't give a damn...

... you gave me the best time of my life, one I thought I would never have. When we danced, It reminded me of when I once...

I stopped again, my hand quivering, fearing of writing the letters that would reveal a piece of my past that kept me up, often at night...

'Should I tell her?' My heart was aflutter, my brush shaking over the paper, "It wouldn't matter now..." I stopped and placed the brush on the table, giving a forlorn sigh.

"I just wish I knew what to say..." Is it so difficult, to put to paper how you feel? This was the first time I asked myself this. I could neither deny it, nor beat around the bush. I crumpled up the piece of parchment, throwing it in the wastebin.

The knock on my door startled me. I opened the door to a young colt.

"Uh, ahem, do you happen to have some... paper?" I grabbed a spare bit of parchment and gave it to him. He shut the door, giving a quick thanks as the hoofbeats faded away.

"No problem..." I wobbled over to the desk again, plopping myself into the chair. I lit a candle to light up the desk, the warm colors offsetting the moonlight to my left. I started my letter again, picking up at the last line.

When we danced... It reminded me of when I was human, you gave me a feeling that I haven't felt for years. That night, you weren't the only one who felt... 'special'. I felt it too. It was the closest thing I felt to actually flying. To be honest, I thought it was even better than flying. Did you feel it too? I could have sworn it right there, it was like floating through the clouds, just you and me, in that ballroom. It didn't even feel like anyone was watching us, like in that pure, exhilirating dance, the world was ours to do as we please.

I stopped to wet the brush with ink again, the words now flowing like silver strands of silk.

I realized that night and the day after that it wasn't just some one night of debauchery where we were to never see each other again, and I never admitted it until now. Now that I could finally find the words to tell you. If I were still there, and If we would have the time alone, I would have said it on the spot. Tonight I write to you, the words that I thought that I would never say to anyone else.

I stopped again... I couldn't bring myself to write the words, somewhat unsure as well as a bit embarassed of them...

'You, who've slain thousands of others and destroyed streets of gangs cannot bring yourself to write 4 simple katas...' I thought to myself. I felt pathetic, like I didn't deserve to even see her, much less be allowed to write a letter to her. The words were there, I wanted to write them, but somehow I felt like I couldn't.

'It's too soon, I'm moving too fast.' I never thought I'd hear those words ring in my head. I had almost no idea how relationships worked, much less even to at the very least write what should be a simple letter, and yet somehow, instinct was holding me back on writing what I knew I should say... my paw reached over the page, writing down what came to mind.

I miss you...

Until we meet again,
-Aoi

P.S. I can see why you like flying so much, being up a thousand miles high in the air, looking down at the world, and knowing that you can go anywhere whenever you feel like it... Maybe I might just learn how to fly...

I wanted to write so much more, what I really felt... but it would have to do for now... at least until I was ready... by then, I could say it to her... face to face...

With that I held it in my hands and started to walk over to the captain's quarters. I had seen him send letters before, muttering something in Latin. I creaked open the door, walking silently about the hardwood floor to where the captain and his mate were laying there, fast asleep. I tapped Griffin, responding with a groan.

"Mrrr-Gilda, I think I've had enough rounds for tonight..." He pulled the covers tightly around himself. I tapped him again, whispering:

"How do you send letters?" He fumbled with the nightstand, scratching it with his claws before finding the nob, pulling it outward, then reaching around to get a gem, handing it to me half asleep.

"You know the magic words, figure it out..." I closed the door behind me, trying to remember what he said. After scrolling through the recesses of my mind, I remembered the words the captain said at breakfast before sending off the letter to Celestia.

"Submitto ad Rainbow Dash." A wisp of blue flame burned up the scroll and a mysterious wind blew the ashes away, hopefully to its correct destination.

I sighed, leaning against the walls of the cabin, sinking down to ground level under a dimly lit lamp. I chuckle a bit to myself as a thought plays into my head like the chords of a piano.

'She reminds me so much of Elena..." I fold my arms over my knees, lost in my star-crossed memories...