//------------------------------//
// Snowfall 
// Story: Another Thirty Moons 
// by Zeppo 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight checked over her things one more time as she waited for the train to arrive. Satisfied with her inventory she looked down the railway and could not see anything beyond five feet due to the snowfall. The station was empty and completely silent, save for the almost unnoticeable rustle of thousands of snowflakes joining the others on the endless white blanket that lay over the landscape. Soon, another rustling joined the rest, and Twilight turned around to see her friends trudging through the snow, kicking up dunes of white powder that were quickly smoothed over by the elements.

Applejack was the first to speak, "Hey Twilight," she said quietly.

“Hi Applejack," Twilight responded in like manner.

"Dear, Spike tells us that you are going to revisit the mirror world, is that right?" Rarity asked.

"Yes," said Twilight. The faint rumble of the train could be heard in the distance.

"And you are sure this is something you need to do?" Rarity asked.

Twilight nodded. After a few seconds she then said, "Don't worry, I'll be back in about ten days." Her friends slowly nodded one after the other. There was an unsurity about them and a slight coldness that was separate from the snow. "Is something the matter?" She asked.

There was another pause as they looked down at the ground, not quite sure what to say. Applejack spoke again, "We're sorry Twilight, it's just that we've been the best of friends for the past few years, and the thought of you leaving for a few days for some other friends that are similar to us but not quite us is a little- unsettlin'. Ah suppose we're a little jealous you could say."  Twilight looked around to her friends; all were wearing tight smiles but couldn't quite meet her eyes.

"Oh girls," Twilight smiled at another sign of how close they'd become. She then pulled them into a hug, "don't worry, this will be the last time I go." Though she felt a certain sadness as she said so. 

"Well, I hope you have fun!" Said Pinkie Pie brightly but not too loud in respect to the tranquility around them. They then stood there under the station overhang as they waited for the train to arrive, doing nothing more than enjoying each other's company and happy to have resolved the short lived problem.

When the train did arrive, the conductor stepped out and was about to shout "all aboard" out of force of habit, but stopped when he saw the lone ticket holder. Instead, he simply held the door open and waited. Twilight walked towards the train, looked back, exchanged one last smile with her friends, and stepped on the train. With one shattering whistle, it set off into the flurry.

The wait was unbearable, the portal would open in one day, but the last three days she spent preparing were occupied with said preparing. Now that everything was together, she could only sit around at home. She hadn't allowed much communication with her friends. Despite knowing of the mirror world, they knew nothing about it; they wouldn't understand. She looked out the window and could see a mother and her daughter walking through the snow, kicking up short-lived dunes as they did so. She felt a pang of guilt as she watched them, and so became more resolute of her task. She stared out the window.

The snow continued to fall.