Night had fallen on the dessert. I expected the temperature to drop, but all I felt was a slight cooling on my coat.
I still walked, although not alone.
"Hey," I said to get the mare's attention. She turned her head.
"What is it?" She answered in a cold tone. Looks like she wasn't going to let my suicide attempt go anytime soon.
"How long have you been with me? After all, you just took form today."
"As far as I can remember, I have been with you since the night you were cursed. I was afraid Luna would come back to finish you off with another spell, so I told you to flee." She responded.
So that's where that came from.
"But now that you have a physical form, why do you not leave?" I asked.
"Because, I feel a tie to you, like a sister."
"Huh." I said in response, "Well, I guess you would be my sister. You did come from my soul."
A question popped into my head.
"Why when you took physical form did you take the appearance of Luna?"
"I had no control over how I would appear. There's the possibility that Luna's involvement with the curse may have done it. I could also have a piece of her soul inside me as well."
Those are good possibilities, I thought to myself.
We walked until we reached a small settlement. The sun was starting to rise, and I watched it with awe. I was still alive because of this mare, I thought.
I looked to my right, where the mare had sat, but was surprised to find the spot vacant. Where the heck did she go?
I'm up here, I heard in my mind. Wait, now she was in my head?!
Calm down, I heard again. Wait, she can also hear my thoughts?!
CALM DOWN, my head exclaimed. This is a learning process to me as well, Dawn. Looks like I can't be out during the day, she stated.
"Then how did you appear after I threw myself off of that plateau?" I asked.
It possibly could've been the shock of you THROWING YOURSELF OFF THE EDGE IN THE FIRST PLACE, she exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't thinking straight," I told her.
She calmed down, being pleased by her victory.
"I think I'll get a room at the inn. I feel groggy." I told the mare. Looked like I still had to sleep, I thought.
One other thing, Dawn, if you keep conversing with me out loud, people will think you're crazy, she said.
Crap, she was right. She giggled at the second victory.
I found the closest inn, got a room, and went straight up to it. I lied down, and surprisingly quickly, fell asleep.
I awoke to a mare's voice. "Looks like my hypotheses were right. I cannot be out during the day, but I can at night. Looks like I did get some of Luna's characteristics." I heard.
"Yeah, looks like," I said with a yawn to her.
"Oh, you're awake. I wanted to straighten out a few things, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," I replied. "I was wondering about a few things as well."
"So, let me sum this up." I started. "You are able to roam as a pegasus unicorn, like me, during the night, but as soon as dawn arrives, you assimilate with my mind, during which, you can sense anything that I do, and see or hear anything that I think."
"Yes, you just summarized everything that I said." the pony said with an irked air to her.
"Sorry, my mind is still scrambled from everything I just went through." I replied.
Her expression softened.
"So, are you okay with us being brother and sister?" She asked me.
"Well, this really isn't a father-daughter thing, and you do look the same age as me, so yes."
"I'm okay with that. After all, if we were father and daughter, you already made a bad impression." She said, a giggle following it.
We were both silent for a while, thinking of what to say next.
"So, since you're now my sister, what should I call you?" I asked.
"Well, I'm out at night, so how about Twilight?" She responded.
"Nah, too generic." Light bulb! "You come out right as the sun sets, so how's Dusk?"
"I like that name," she responded happily. "It has a nice ring to it."
"Dusk it is!" I happily concluded.
Our minds then settled on more serious matters.
"So, what is our goal now?" Luna said.
"I really never thought of that," I said, but my mouth got to my mind first. "But right now, I'm parched! Let's continue this conversation at the saloon!" I said merrily.
We walked in through the swinging doors. The place was vacant, except for the bartender and two ponies at the counter. We decided to also sit at the counter.
"Good evening ponies," the bartender greeted.
"Good evening, " I replied. "What you you guys have that's sweet and thirst-quenching?"
"Well, you two look a bit too young for anything strong. How does two cider-seltzers sound?"
My mouth watered. "Yes, that will be fine," I ended.
Although we were far from the other two ponies, we could still hear them conversing between each other. The first pony looked slightly inebriated, while the other looked outright drunk.
"Listen, I know you're still distraught from being kicked off the farm, but do you really think starting an apple orchard in the middle of the desert is such a good idea?" the first pony said.
"Man, I think it's a wonderful idea! It would be a major cash-crop, and put out more than enough profit to support a town!" the other pony said, slurring his words.
"I still think you hit yourself in the head too many times on the way down the stairs. I'm heading home."
The drunk colt slammed his hoof on the bar. "If you don't believe in me, then I don't need your help! I'll be fine all on my own!"
"Listen, you're out-of-your-mind drunk right now! I'll talk to you tomorrow when you're not so....drunk!"
The pony got up and left, leaving the other one yelling after him in rage. He then put his head down on the bar and began sobbing.
The bartender walked over to him and prodded him with his hoof.
"Listen Barry, I think it's about time you headed home. You think you'll be able to find your way?"
"Yeah," the sobbing pony said, his tears starting to subside.
The pony then headed to the door, smashed into the sides a few times, then found the door, and left.
The bartender then walked over to us. "Sorry about the other patrons. They're bright, just not when they're drunk." He said. "Here's your two drinks. I need to start closing up, but you two take your time, and let me know if I can help you with anything."
"Thank you," Dusk replied.
"So you think that we should look around for clues of how to rid ourselves of this curse?" I asked?
"Are you SURE that fall didn't knock your brain askew? If you have to repeat everything I say, it's going to get really annoying, really fast-" Dusk started.
I interrupted. "Alright, I'll stop."
I stared into my half-empty glass, watching the bubbles come up to meet the ice.
"Are you sure there's even a cure to this curse?" I asked.
"Dawn, I have the ability to be within your mind during the day, yet still am able to become a physical form during the night. Where there's a will, there's a way."
"touche," I remarked. "If you believe that we can find a way to undo this, then I have no reason to doubt you."
We looked at each other for a bit, not sure whether or not what either of us had really stuck with the other. I wasn't sure what Dusk thought, but I had a feeling about her.
This was someone I could rely on, someone I could trust.
"Promise me you will always be by my side, Dusk, even when things look bleak."
Dusk was caught off-guard be this, but her expression softened.
"I promise," she replied.
We finished our drinks, paid our tab, and set out, not knowing where we would go.
But one thing was certain: we were going to find what this curse was, and we were going to fix it.
Fix it as a team.