Our previous journey

The smell of withered flowers came to Twinkle star when she entered the inn. Slowly she took off her soaked cape, and she walked a bit further into the room. The room was rather small, with two large wooden tables and some wooden chairs. A small fire was burning in the hearth in the corner. There weren’t many ponies here, which surprised her. She had thought that with the storm, people would have sought shelter. But there probably weren’t many travellers to this town. Or maybe they were in another inn. She didn’t know. She didn’t really care, either. The less ponies, the more chance for her to get a room.
“Can I help you with something?” A dark purple pony wearing a white apron asked her.
“Yes… I would like to get a room. It doesn’t have to be special or pretty, as long as there is a bed where I can sleep in and a bowl of water to refresh myself.” She answered.
The pony nodded at her request. “We don’t have any private rooms, but I can get you a room that you will share with another. Does that suit you?”
“Just fine.” Twinkle star answered, and the pony led her up the stairs.
The corridor was dark, lit by a few candles. The pony halted in front of one of the few doors. “Here. Another girl is sleeping, but pick any other bed you like. You can come down for some food and drinks later, if you want.” The pony opened the door. Twinkle Star thanked her, and stepped inside. As the corridor, the room was lit by a few candles. Twinkle Star noticed four beds, two on each side of the room. A pony was sleeping on a bed closest to the window on the right. Twinkle Star decided to take the bed closest to the door on the left. As the rain hit the window, she unpacked her small bag. She didn’t have that much possessions. An old map, a brush that really had to be replaced soon, a blanket and some other useless junk, including her family pendant. Of course she didn’t need much. Most items would just be a load to take along. Slowly she got on the bed, trying to make as little noise as possible to avoid waking the other pony.

She had never planned to fall asleep, but by lying down on the bed she realised how weary she actually was. She dozed off into a dark, dreamless sleep, only to be awakened hours later by a hard sound. She almost jumped up, trying to see where the sound came from. She noticed a candle holder lying down on the floor, and a pony standing behind it.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to wake you, it happened by accident, it…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, really.” Twinkle Star interrupted the pony. “Let me help you clean it up.”
The pony had some peculiar colors. She was a deep color pink, with neon yellow mane and tail. Not a combination one saw often. In fact, only her sister Crystal had had those colors, Twinkle Star observed. But it couldn’t be. Her sister had died almost fifteen years ago. Along with everyone else. She walked towards the other pony, and picked the candleholder from the floor. The candle had broken, and it’s remains were scattered over the floor. Twinkle Star put the candle holder on the bed of the other pony, but right when she dropped it, her heart skipped a beat. On the little table, next to the pony’s bed, was a pendant. A bright pink one, shaped as a crown. Twinkle Star knew it only to well.
“What’s your name…?” she whispered, unable to talk out loud.
“Crystal…” The pony answered, and Twinkle Star turned around. She looked in the pony’s eyes, ad she felt almost stupid for not noticing it before. She was looking in her sister’s eyes. Her sister hadn’t died that day. She was standing right in front of her.
“Crystal…” She said softly.

But the image began to fade. Crystal’s face began to disappear in a flow of colors. For a short moment, Twinkle Star realised she was in fact not in an inn with her sister. She was somewhere else, in a place she was unable to escape. A place that made her remember these things… the cave! But right when she realised it, she lost it all over again. The world began to materialise around her once more, and she had already forgotten it was but a memory.

She and Crystal were walking on a market place. Stalls were everywhere, merchants trying to sell their goods. They had earned some local coins by working or a few days on a farm. They would spend them on buying some items they could need on their journey. Some fire stones, some strong bottles to carry clean water in, maybe some clothing to keep them warm in the coming winter. But for now, they were just enjoying the sight of the market. All those ponies with their goods. Some carried useful but not so special goods, like blankets, or food. But others had really exotic stuff. They had just been at a stall from a salesman who sold jewellery from the beach country of Madash. Pearl necklaces, Rings with a sea stone, bracelets for around your legs made of shells, things like that. Crystal had adored the nice foreign items, especially because she had never even been close to a sea shore. But unfortunately, all of the items had been way too expensive, so they hadn’t been able to afford any. They were now on their way to a blanket stall, to see if they could get a new warm one for cheap, as the ones they already had were only summer blankets.
 “Over there, I see some.” Crystal said, while she pointed at a stall a little farther away. Twinkle Star noticed it too, now, a stall with a few special blankets hanging on the frame of it, with special patterns and colors. Twinkle Star hoped he would have some ordinary, less expensive ones, too, as there was no way they would be able to afford a special one like that. But there was no harm in checking it out.

They made their way through the crowd of ponies, and they ended up in front of the stall, where it was rather quiet. An old man was standing behind it, and he even looked a bit surprised that he had some customers.
“Hello there, my pretty ladies. How can I help you?” the pony said while he got up and faced them.
“We were looking for some normal, warm blankets for the winter. They don’t have to be fancy, only warm and strong.” Twinkle Star answered him, while she was admiring the beautiful other blankets the pony had for sale.

“Well… I only have special ones, made by special ponies in foreign countries. But I do have some cheaper models. Shall I show them to you?” He said, and Twinkle Star nodded a bit disappointed.
She had convinced herself that she wouldn’t be able to afford even the cheapest special ones. But it wouldn’t hurt to see them, so she agreed with the man. He went through a few boxes and fetched three blankets. He folded them out for them.
“Here they are. They are all very good quality, but they come form some cheaper places. The first one is from a working company in the far east. They work differently there; ponies earn coins for work, instead of working and selling their items. It makes their products cheaper, but sometimes the quality is less. The second one is from the same kind of company, just a different one, so it’s size and materials are a little different. The third one is from the Friendship Lands. They simply sell their items cheap, as they don’t really need money. They live by themselves, mostly, as any of us would in their situation.”

Twinkle Star just stared at the man in disbelief.
“F… Friendship Lands?” Crystal said softly, just as much in shock as Twinkle Star.
“Yes. Oh, I see you both don’t know? After the old Friendship Lands vanished, princess Regina took all the survivors to a desolate place and founded the new Friendship Lands. There aren’t many ponies there, and they prefer to be left alone. Nobody ever goes there, but sometimes some come to markets to trade their items for foreign goods. That is where I got this blanket. The quality isn’t special, but it’s made with a heart.” The man explained to them. Twinkle Star had a hard time believing the story. Why hadn’t she heard of this before, in all these years? Why had nobody known there were other survivors?
“That’s… an interesting story. How much do you want for it?” She asked the man.
“Ohh… I think 10 coins is just fine.” He said. Twinkle Star glanced at her sister, but she just stared at the blanket. She was sure now they had to buy it, even though it was a little more than they could afford. As she handed the man the coins, she asked him if he knew more of the new Friendship Lands, like where it was located.
“Oh, no, I don’t know that. Hardly anyone does. I know it’s in the west somewhere, but more than that… Like I said, they prefer solitude, they want to live alone. No one can blame them, right?” Twinkle Star answered him he was indeed right. She took the blanket from the man, and thanked him for it and the information.

Once again, everything began to blur. The face of the man faded. The blankets became but a weird colored spot for her eyes. Once again she realised this wasn’t right. She hadn’t just been at the market. That was over a year ago. She had been there with Crystal and after that they had begun their search for the new lands. Crystal… She had to be around somewhere in the cave, looking for her! Twinkle Star wanted to break free, but the memories were already sucking her back in. She tried to fight them, but right now, she wasn’t strong enough.

So once again, she lost her sense of reality, and the world began to change in front of her eyes. She was sheltering from the snow now, under a small roof that in summer was used for sheep. It was a desolate place, in the middle of the endless fields. All she could see was the snow. There was nothing else. She and Crystal were next to each other underneath the warm blanket they had bought a few months ago in the market town. It was made by the ponies of the new Friendship Lands, or so he had said. They were travelling west now, but they weren’t going really fast. They had stopped for a month to work and earn some coins. Now they had enough to make it far west, but then again, where in the west should they be? They had heard rumors the new Friendship Lands were somewhere in the mountains. But what mountains? The northern ones, the borders of the old Friendship Lands, or maybe ones farther south, or even ones Twinkle Star had never even heard about?

She didn’t know. She was just staring at the endless snow storm blazing outside, feeling Crystal’s body warmth. It all felt so hopeless at the moment. Chasing after a dream she hadn’t even dreamt herself. Maybe it was all too good to be true. Maybe she wouldn’t even make it. Maybe she would die trying to find someone who was lost fifteen years ago.
“Twinkle Star?” Crystal whispered softly.
“Yes?”
“Do you think we’ll ever find them?”
Well, Twinkle Star thought, at least Crystal was having the same doubts as she at the moment. “I don’t know, Crystal. But I know I won’t give up looking for them until we do, or until we are one hundred percent sure it was just a rumor after all. I promise you that.”
Crystal didn’t reply. Instead, she crept a little closer to her older sister.
“You know Twinkle Star… I’m going to be happy, even if we don’t find them.”
“What do you mean?” Twinkle Star asked confused.
“Well… I already found you, didn’t I? And I’m glad we met. Just being with you… made me realise I’m not alone in the world.” Crystal said softly.
“Me, too, Crystal.” Twinkle Star replied. “This journey is worth it… Even if this journey is never going to be more than it is now.”
She gave her younger sister a little hug, and neither of them spoke again. They just enjoyed the view of the snow storm, that was fading now. All that was left after a while was the soft falling of snow flakes, and Crystal’s soft breathing.

But even the snow flakes began to disappear for Twinkle Star’s eyes. Crystal… how could she have forgotten? The bond she once had with her sister… had it really disappeared the moment they had found the new Friendship Lands? No, no, no. She had just thought she was on her own again. But she had never forgotten her sister, nor had she forgotten that moment in the storm. Their journey had been important. She had created a bond with Crystal, a bond she didn’t share with any of her other sisters. Maybe, they had never gotten as close as she and Aline had, but they had had a bond all the same. And it wasn’t gone, nor was it forgotten. And it was time she would realise that. She wanted to get out of the swirling memories that held her, but she realised once again she was too late. But next time she would snap out of it, she thought shortly before the world began to change once again.