Chapter Two

The first thing Gold Dust felt was pain.

Not excruciating pain, but broken-something. It wasn't as intense as he thought it would be. "Wait…I can feel pain? I'm not dead?" he thought through his hazy sub-consciousness. Then, he became aware of other things; his comfort, the sounds of talking and beeping, the smell of chemicals, a male unicorn standing over him…

A male unicorn? All of his senses suddenly came back at once; He was in the Ponyville General hospital. He was hooked up to a heart monitor and a blood-pressure machine. A nurse was in the corner of his room, looking over sheets attached to a clipboard. Then, he looked up at the other male unicorn.

"Who…?" his throat was raspy. The unicorn snapped his head back around to look at him square in the eyes. It kind of creeped Gold out. "Oh, thank God, you're alive…" the unicorn sighed. "Nurse!" he hollered at the pony in the corner. She instantly got up and hurried over to Gold's bedside.

"Oh, good, he's awake." The nurse sighed. "You know, you're lucky to be alive. A four-story fall? That would cripple or kill any other pony. You? Just two loose teeth and a cracked hoof. I would've expected your cutie mark to fall off for crying out loud!" she pointed at the gold bar that decorated his yellowish flank. "Oh…" was all he could say.

"Now, just rest up. You've been out-cold for the past twelve hours. You should be out of here in no time." she trotted out of the room. The other unicorn watched her go. His body was grey while his mane was white. His cutie mark was five stars, arranged in a plus sign. Then, he looked back to Gold Dust. His smile had vanished

"Why'd you jump?" was the first thing he said. "Um, well...I am extremely depressed and unloved." He answered. "Aren't we all, in some way. You're lucky I'm a unicorn, too, or else I couldn't have slowed down your fall with my magic."

"Why the hell did you do that?" Gold Dust gritted his teeth. The other unicorn was taken aback. "Don't you have SOME will to live left?" he questioned. "Nope. I have no friends. No chick wants me…" Gold started.

"No CHICK, wants you, eh? Have you ever thought about…you know, switching sides?" Gold Dust sat up and the dull pain made him wince. "No. Not ever. It's always pony and stallion. That's how it's always been in Ponyville High. Gay couples… "

"Gay couples are ruthlessly beat up and humiliated there, I know. I go there, too. I'm a senior." The unicorn sighed and pawed at the ceramic tiles planted on the floor. "Then how come I've never seen you before? Gold Dust asked. "I tend to stay in the shadows. All my classes are honors, anyways."

"Really? What's your name? Mine's Gold Dust."

"Silver Star" he replied.

"You're a male unicorn, too?"

"Yep. I've gotten beaten up for it before. That, and my…my 'side'." he turned away.

"Wait…you're gay?"

"Yep. I've never had a relationship, though. Everypony else is either straight or already in a gay relationship.

"You know…I think I actually kind of like you…" Gold Dust couldn't believe he had said that.

"Funny, because…I feel the same way about you…" Silver Star glanced down at the floor, but then went over to Gold's face and kissed him on the cheek. He was shocked at first. "Why did you…why…" then, a warm feeling set in. "I…kind of liked that…"

"Most ponies are insecure when it comes to a kiss from the same gender."

"No, I don't feel insecure…your warm lips felt…right…" then, sudden realization struck him like a thunderbolt; he liked being gay. It felt amazing to go against society and to be his own pony. He pulled Silver Star's surprised face up to his, and returned the favor, but square on the lips this time. Silver was wide-eyed for the first few seconds, but then closed them to enjoy the delicious embrace.

After a minute, they broke it up. "That felt awesome… "Gold Dust smiled.

"That was pretty good…you know, maybe we should…become a couple?" Silver braced for ridicule.

"I love the idea. However, we should get to know each other a bit more after I get out of this joint." Then, his face brightened. "Say, how about you and I go to the senior prom together?"

"Well, after we get to know each other, of course. I love the idea." Just then, the nurse came back into the room. "You're free to go, Gold Dust."

"Alright." He hopped out of the hospital bed, and put his arm around Silver Star. "What to go to my place? I have Call of Cutie: Modern Warmare."

"Oh, hell yeah. I love Call of Cutie!" they walked out of the hospital towards Gold's apartment holding each other's hoof.