Twinkle Star’s secret feelings

The hot shower was like the best thing that had happened to Twinkle Star in a very long time. She loved the feeling of the hot water that was taking all the dirt out of her hair. It was ages ago that she had enjoyed something like this. Wait, that’s not true. In fact it had only been 3 days, because she had had a shower the morning she left the castle. Oh well, it felt like ages. Because of that it felt even worse when the water finally stopped flowing.

She didn’t want it to stop, she was enjoying it so much… because for a few minutes the hot water made her forget about all the bad feelings she had. Feelings towards her mother, her sisters, the new friendship lands… They all came back once the nice hot water had disappeared. The small room was all steamy now. She took the towel Kiyoi had given her and dried her hair with it. She hated to admit Kiyoi was right; the towel actually was too small for all her hair. When she was done the towel wasn’t wet, it was drenched.

She opened the door to the kitchen, and she noticed a delicious smell. The fire where Kiyoi had heated the water was still burning; however he was now cooking something above it. Twinke Star noticed he lighted a fire in the fireplace, too. It was all very cozy now. It was getting dark outside again. Twinkle Star completely lost track of day and night, because she had been in the dark forest for quite a while.

“Oh hi there pretty! I hope you have been refreshed? I made you some soup… It’s not much and definitely nothing special, I made it from vegetables that grow in the forest. Grab a bowl from the shelf and go sit at the table; it’ll be ready in a minute." Twinkle Star nodded. Once again she noticed his sparkling eyes. They really are like a forest of stars, she thought. She walked towards the shelve.
“You want a bowl too?”

“Sure, there’s enough for the both of us.” She picked two bowls from the shelve and placed them on the table.
“Ehh, Kiyoi…” Twinkle Star began, “thanks for helping me. For letting me use your shower and making me soup.” “Don’t worry about it, pretty! I’m glad to help you. Besides, I like pretty company. Now, I think the soup is ready.”

“Woah, this is delicious! Honestly, how did you do this?” Kiyoi laughed. “Well, like I said it is nothing special. Just the powers of the forest I think. Like it purifies the water. Anyway, I never heard of anyone not liking it.”
“You have a lot of visitors, then?”
“No, not at all. Most ponies stay as far away from this forest as possible.”
“I can’t blame them, really.” Twinkle Star answered.

Kiyoi laughed. “Well… What are you planning to do now? You’re going to leave after dinner?” Kiyoi asked.
“I don’t really know yet. I haven’t made up my mind, really. I guess I’ll just travel on.”
“Well…” Kiyoi said softly.
“What?”
“Well, why don’t you stay here for a while? Until you have made up your mind. I’ll show you the village and everything, if you want. I dunno but you look really tired, as if there is something you have to work out for yourself. It’s probably none of my business…”

“Oh, Kiyoi, thank you so much! I would love to stay here for a few days. But I don’t want to be a burden, or anything…”
“You pretty, a burden? You’re no burden. I’ll make you work so hard, you’re gonna regret ever deciding to stay here!” Twinkle Star laughed.
“I have an extra bedroom upstairs… after dinner I’ll prepare a bed for you.”
“Oh, Kiyoi, I can do it too, you have done so much for me already!”
“No, I insist. I don’t have guests often and especially not as pretty as you are!” When he saw Twinkle Star’s annoyed face he quickly added “just kidding!”
“You better be.”

When they had finished their soup Kiyoi, after cleaning the dishes, went upstairs to prepare a bed for Twinkle Star. When Twinkle Star sat down on the couch she found it very hard to keep her eyes open, so when Kiyoi returned she went to bed almost immediately.
“when you get upstairs, take the door on your right. Be careful as you have to step down a bit. Hope you have a good night, pretty. If there is anything, I sleep at the room right across the hall.” Twinkle star smiled.

“Thank you, Kiyoi. Good night.” She passed him and walked towards the stairs. Just before she walked up the stairs, she said: “Oh and Kiyoi… you’re a very sweet person.” With that, she walked up the stairs. She could hear Kiyoi whisper “Hishi…” but she didn’t pay any attention to it.

The little bedroom was really cute. The roof was arched, so it was hard to walk without bumping your head. The walls were made of wood and there were small windows on the front and backside of the room. There were 2 beds, One of them had blankets, so it was obviously the one Kiyoi had prepared for her. Twinkle Star walked towards the window that looked out over the square.

Her view was blocked almost immediately by the huge trees, but when she looked up she could see the stars. Her mind went back to Kiyoi. She really liked him. He was so sweet, and he cared so much, and he did so much for her, and he was kind of funny too… What was this feeling in her heart? It was so warm… It was as if something that had been so cold for so long was finally warming up a bit.

She didn’t know this feeling, but it didn’t scare her. It felt good. She liked to look at the stars. Somehow they made her feel very comfortable, like they were there for her, like… almost like she was one of them, and they would protect her if they could. She looked at them one more time and then turned around and got into the bed. It didn’t take long before she fell in a dreamless sleep…

“Right. So you take this rope and that rope… and than you do this… and then you put this under that… no way! I really can’t figure it out!” The old pony laughed.
“You really are hopeless, Hishi! I don’t know why Kiyoi took you in, because you’re definitely no help in the forest!”
“He didn’t ‘take me in’! I’m just staying with him for a while, that’s all.”

It was a bright afternoon. Twinkle Star woke up late that morning, but she felt really good. She had a great breakfast Kiyoi had made for her and after they finished it they had went to the village. It was very cute, small village with a lot of small houses that were made of very light wood, that made them appear almost yellow with cute red roofs. The river that camer out of the forest flowed through the village. The ponies in the village appeared to do everything outside, which explained the small houses. They cooked outside, washed outside, ate outside, bathed outside.

After a while Kiyoi had left her, because he had to do talk about some things with the village’s oldest pony, but some oher old pony was teaching his grandson how to make knots close by; and now Twinkle Star was trying it as well. But, as she expected, she sucked at it.
“Right… well, I really hope that’s what Kiyoi thinks as well.” The younger pony said.
“What do you mean?” Twinkle Star asked.
“Ohh, come on! Isn’t it obvious? I saw him with some friends earlier, we haven’t seen him this happy in a very long time. He really likes you, Hishi!” Although she didn’t want it to happen, she felt she was blushing and her heart was beating faster than usual. Unfortunately for her, the young boy noticed.

“Oooh… grandpa, I think she was lying to us before. Look how red she is now! You do like Kiyoi don’t you? Don’t you Hishi? Are you two going to get married? Are you going to have kids? Are you going to stay with us forever? Are you? I would like it, won’t you, grandpa?”
“Well Kosei! You don’t say things like that to a lady. But Hishi… will you?” Noo! This old man is just as curious as his grandchild! Twinkle Star thought.
“Well… that is…” To stay here forever… with Kiyoi… her mother would probably never find out. She could live her life here, with these nice people from this nice village… She could probably start liking the forest as well… She could live her life as Hishi, far away from everything she had ever been through…

“Hishi? Are you ok?” Hishi looked up. She noticed the old pony an his grandson were looking at her. “Eheh… Yeah I am ok… and I don’t know… maybe I will, but I can’t… Kiyoi…”
“Hishi, listen to me. I have known Kiyoi for a long time now. If he really is as happy as my grandson says he is, then there is nothing you have to worry about.” Twinkle Star gave him a feint smile. Staying here with Kiyoi… forever?

“Oy! Pretty! I’m back! Did you enjoy yourself?” Twinkle Star’s heart jumped. Kiyoi!
“Hey Kiyoi! Yeah we had fun! Though honestly, this girl can’t do anything at all! We tried to explain her a few simple, simple mind you, knots, but it’s no good. She just can’t do it right!” The young boy said.
“Well you! It was my first try!” Twinkle Star replied angrily. Kiyoi laughed.
“So I thought. I knew this pretty pony here wasn’t like that when I first met her.” He put out his tongue.
“don’t… call… me… PRETTY!” Twinkle Star yelled.

“She’s quite scary, isn’t she gramps.” She heard the young boy whisper.
“I was just kidding, Hishi! Just kidding. Calm down. Please?”
“Hmm…”
“Pleaeaease?” He put the most fake smile of his face Twinkle Star had ever seen, and she burst out laughing. “Well, for this one time. But don’t do it again!”

“Good. Well, Hishi, I am done here… I bought some food. It’s getting late, the sun is setting already. Why don’t we head home?” Head home with you…
“Allright. Well, you two, I guess I’ll see you two again! I will practise those knots!”
“Good! Well Hishi, byebye!” Twinkle Star said good bye as well, and then walked with Kiyoi to the gate of the village.
“Oh and Hishi… You definitely have nothing to worry about!” She heard the old man calling.

“What is that all about?” Kiyoi asked.
“Oh, nothing. Don’t worry about it!”
“Right. So what did you think of my village?”
“Oh, it is lovely. It is so small and cute, and the ponies are so nice! It is great, really.” Kiyoi smiled. “I’m glad you like it.” They walked on silently. There were green fields on both sides of the road, with a lost tree here and there. In front of them was the lurking shadow of the forest. She could see the bridge over the river in the distance. The sun was setting and the air was filled with a red glow, which made the river look like a river filled with blood…

Memories flowed back to her. A red sky… crying voices… burning… blood… No! I don’t want to remember it! Not now, not anymore! I have a nice life here. And maybe… She looked at Kiyoi. Though it seemed as if his thoughts were miles and miles away, he was probably thinking of something very nice, since he was smiling.
“What?” She asked.
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking about? It was as if you were miles and miles away.”
“Oh, it was… it was nothing. Forget about it.”
“No I won’t! You looked really happy. What where you thinking of?”
“Well… Something I would like. But I will not bother you with it, pretty.” Twinkle Star stopped, but Kiyoi walked on.

What was he thinking of? She wanted to know. That smile…
“Hey, Kiyoi! Wait for me!” She galloped towards him and stopped for him. They were standing on the bridge now. The sun had set; the air was filled with blue now, and some lost stars were already appearing, fighting to be the first to be seen. There was still a pink glow on the horizon, as if the sun didn’t want to give the light to just the moon.
“What were you thinking off? I really want to know!”
“Hishi…” Twinkle Star almost didn’t recognise his voice. It was dreamy, and very soft now. Not hard and fun as it used to be.

“Wh… what?”
“I was thinking about how it would be to stay here with you. To be here with you.” Twinkle Star felt her heart beating faster. What was he talking about?
“But you are here with me now, aren’t you?”
He smiled. “That’s not what I mean Hishi. I like you. I really do. I did from the first moment I met you. Your eyes were like twinkling stars to me. Stars like you see in the sky now, those bright ones that are always there first, those stars you really can’t miss, because they are so bright and… beautiful.”

“Kiyoi…”
“Hishi, I… you are like one of those stars. When I look at you it’s almost as if you are not really here, as if you are actually very far away. When I saw you, I knew what angels were. I am so happy I met you, Hishi. And I don’t want to think of the moment that I have to say goodbye to you.”
“Maybe you don’t have to…”
“What?”
“Kiyoi… I never allowed myself to feel this way about someone. I felt weak at those times, I didn’t want to depend on anyone. I wanted to take care of myself. But it’s different with you, Kiyoi. I can’t fight this feeling anymore. I feel so safe with you. Please, don’t… don’t talk about saying goodbye.” Twinkle Star looked in his eyes. She didn’t wanted to be lost in them anymore. She was lost in them.

“Hishi…”
“Kiyoi…” Twinkle Star buried her head in his mane, felt the warmth of his body, felt his lips kissing her neck. A single tear fell down her cheek.