Mountains, Ice, and Edelweiss

Flightless

The wind was wild and vicious as I stood at the very edge of the great cliff, overlooking the angry waters of Lake Geneva. It was time now, and I knew it - I had put this occasion off for too long already.

"Basch?" Came a clear voice from my right, and I looked up from lead colored clouds to come face-to-face with the shockingly violet eyes of my best friend, and my beloved.

"You're not... You can't really be planning to..."

"I am," I replied firmly. "I'm sick of running from my fears. I have to do this. My future depends on it."

"No!!" His voice was desperate, tanzanite eyes wide, a beacon in the storm. "Please, Basch, jumping in this weather would kill you, especially if you can't fly yet!"

I scowled and glared at him with a gaze the color of faceted tourmaline. "Don't you see? This is my only chance to learn how to fly, to prove myself! Otherwise I'll be a damned disgrace for the rest of my life!"

"Please!!" He begged, catching me by my slender wrist and pulling me close, where he clutched my shoulders and gazed upon me with eyes as wild as the wind. 

"Roderich, I have to. Do you know what it's like to be flightless in a world of flight? Of course not, before me, it's never fucking happened!" I twisted away, rubbing my wrist. "I'll be fine."

"Basch! Listen to me!" Came his sobs as I stepped to the edge of the cliff and spread my unsteady wings, ready to jump into the storm.

"Please!"

I was silent, hearing only the wind.

"Please..."

I closed my eyes and leapt into the storm.