//------------------------------// // The Mysterious Mare // Story: Twinkling Star in the Night Sky // by Tigerishbook //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Mysterious Mare     Zany was 15 now. So was Applespike. Jewel was a year younger than the others but still enjoyed their company and friendship.     Those seven years had gone by well for the trio, seven years since they had seen Twinkle at all. They tried not to forget her, even Zany would make an effort in the matter, though they all still sometimes ceased to remember their friend from those many years ago.     Zany didn’t even know why he had tried to remember Twinkle. He had barely liked her, anyways.     Still, he missed their fights, for now he had no mortal or immortal enemy. He had many new weapons he had wanted to test on the filly, but had never gotten to. Perhaps that was the reason.     He hadn’t thought of it that way then, but over the years, Zany decided that his cute ciñera was the best day of his life so far.     The others had missed her as well, and for more obvious reasons at that. They had been her only two friends- which seemed strange to think, knowing who her mother was.     Even during Hearth’s Warming, the trio was too busy saving Santa Hooves or off lost in the frozen wasteland to see their friend.     It was one day, almost exactly seven years after the departure of Twinkle and her parents that at the breakfast of the Chaos family that the fates finally aligned.     “I have to go to the train station,” Fluttershy told the others, “My friend Tree Hugger will be waiting there for me. She’s on the train from Canterlot, which should be arriving in just a little while.     “Well, at least one of us has plans.” Discord told his wife.     “I’m gonna hang out with my friends! You know, Dinks, Lightning and Thunder, Apple Blossom, Cinnamon Sticks,” Screwball said, “That counts as something, doesn’t it?”     “And I’m going with her this time!” Mothball added.     “I don’t imagine anypony will be going with me- it’s alright though; I can handle the walk on my own.” Fluttershy said.     “Actually,” Zany said, “Applespike and Jewel aren’t available until this afternoon so I have nothing better to do. I can go with you.”     “Thank you, Zany,” Fluttershy responded, “I’d be delighted if you came!”     Soon, breakfast was finished and the two headed out to the train station.     As they trotted over, Fluttershy decided to ask her son a question. “So, anypony you’re meeting up with?”     “No. I’m just here because I feel like coming. Besides, I have nothing better to do.”     They then reached the train station just in time, as the train arrived moments later. As the ponies got off, Zany could tell that most of them were directly from Canterlot. Then, he saw a green mare with a red and orange mane wearing a yellow flower hat of some sort. Immediately, he saw his mother rush over to the mare, hug her, and help her with her luggage.     That must be Tree Hugger, Zany thought.     As soon as he looked away, however, he laid his eyes on a mare. She was wearing a brown cloak covering most of her body, but even then, he could see her face along with the fact that she was a dark purple unicorn. He looked into her eyes even as he knew that by now she had noticed him, and could see that they were like two oceans endlessly deep. The background around her melted away as his vision kept on her and only her. Without noticing, he subconsciously lifted himself up off the ground with his chaotic magic and floated over to the mare.     “H- Hi, miss.” Zany said, stuttering.     “Why hello young-” she said in a very broad and diplomatic voice, but clearly not the Canterlot Voice.     “Zany?” She asked, more personally this time.     “Y- Yes. I’m Zany,” he responded, looking deep within her eyes, “Wait. Why do you know my name?”     “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.” She said with some business tone in her voice.     “L- Later?” Zany asked happily.     “Sure. I can go see you later,” the mare responded, “Though right now I need to deal with all my luggage. I’m staying here for a few days.”     “A few days? I- I mean, would you mind if I… um.... helped you with your luggage?” Zany asked.     The mare smiled, increasing Zany’s happiness. “No, not at all. But just so you know, they are kind of heavy.”     “Don’t worry, miss,” Zany said before taking a quick bow, “It won’t take a minute.”     The mare smiled once again. “I’m sure it won’t.”     Suddenly, Zany poofed all of the mare’s belongings to the other side of the train station.     Zany made a guilty smile. “I… uh… I have chaotic powers.”     The mare giggled. “I know.”     The two then trotted over to where Zany had put their luggage.     “You know,” the mare said, “I don’t think I’ve seen this train station in a long while.”     “Do you not visit Ponyville anymore?” Zany asked.     “Oh, no. I mean, yes. I don’t. But, used to, I didn’t visit this town. I lived here.” The mare said.     “Oh. I see.” Zany replied.     “Not until… I got my cutie mark.” The mare finished.     Zany then spoke up. “You know, I once knew a pony, a mare, well, I guess at that time a filly, that lived here in Ponyville until she was a little over six and got her cutie mark. She left the next day.”     “Oh.” The mare said, staring off into a nothingness.     “She got her cutie mark at the same time I did. I mean, we always fought, but somehow our cutie marks just came at the same time. For being a petty little filly to me, she sure was nice to her to only friends. And, you want to know something?” he continued.     “What?”     “The last thing I ever heard her say, it was directed towards me. And I still remember what she said.” Zany told her.     The mare blushed. “What?”     Zany looked off into the distance, remembering something from deep in his youth that even then, he had ceased to forget. “She told me ‘... and, for what it’s worth, I think I’m going to miss you too, Zany.”     “Right after she left, we were sad until Applespike, my best friend, told me that he thought that she liked me.”     The mare blushed even harder than the last time. Still, Zany didn’t notice.     “Wh- What was the filly’s name?” The mare asked.     “Oh. Her name? She’s Twinkle. Twinkle Sparkle. Though, to be honest, I preferred calling her ‘Twinkle Toes’.” Zany answered.     “Oh, Twinkle Toes.” The mare sighed whilst muttering out.     “And she would call me Lamey Zany.” Zany added.     The mare chuckled at that.     Zany laughed under his breath a bit as well. “I know. It did kinda get under my skin, though.”     “Would it be okay if I called you Lamey Zany?” The mare asked, “I mean, not like to be rude, just as a little nickname?”     “Sure. You can call me that. You know, about names, what’s yours?” Zany asked the mare.     The mare looked shocked, her eyes going wide, before making some sort of realization and returning to normal. Suddenly, she started humming a little tune.     “Umm… why are you humming ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’?” Zany asked.     “Oh my Celestia, I don’t remember you being this blind last time we spoke, Zany.” She said quietly yet angerly before teleporting them both to behind the train station.     “Because that was the easiest way I could tell you.” she said before taking off her cloak to reveal her mane, cutie mark, and wings.     Stunned, Zany asked, “Twinkle?!”