Nothing But Memories - Junicorn 2022

Despite being in the far corner of the Icy Region, and arguably being one of the lands located furthest from the Desert Region, Candentia still had a warm summer. Sure, the island had a winter that was bitter cold and full of snowstorms, but there still was a nice spring with blossoming flowers, a brisk fall with a cool wind and falling leaves, and a hot summer with plenty of sunshine.

But generally, Candentia didn't have rays of sunshine direct enough to cause sunburns.

On one summer day, however, Radiance had taken Sonnet and Minuet to the Desert region, just to visit for the day. Partially because Minuet had stumbled upon some paper-bound books about the Desert Region, and wanted to see Anevay's home for herself. And partially because most of the Palace wanted a break from the two foals. So Psychomyth had convinced Radiance to open up a wormhole to the Desert Region, and get one of Anevay's followers to take Sonnet and Minuet on a mini sight-seeing tour. 

As per usual, Sonnet strutted out of the wormhole, head held high, as if he expected nothing to go wrong. Minuet followed behind him, less brazen, but her gaze conveying the composure, and lack of a single worry, that she had. Radiance then followed behind them, completing the picture of a ruling deity and two grandfoals, who inherited some of that power of the deities. 

The wormhole stayed open behind the three Candentian Quirlicorns, allowing the hot desert air to mix with the much cooler, but still warm, summer breeze of the Icy Region. The sun was quite high in the sky, and the rays beat down on them. 

Sonnet gave his head a brief shake, shaking off the beads of sweat that had already begun to form. Yet he didn't seem to regret coming to the Desert region at all, his eyes darting around, taking in the sea of sand in front of him. His attention wandered over to a tall cactus, intrigued by the spikey plant, the likes of which he had never seen before. 

The three Quirlicorns didn't have to wait long, as a mare with blue flames in her coat soon appeared, the as the feeling of magic around her faded. 

"Teleportation magic?" Minuet asked Sonnet softly. 

"Probably," Sonnet replied, "It feels like Grandmother's magic when she teleports."

The blue mare looked over at Radiance, going down into a bow. "Pleasure to meet you, Radiance. I am Enya, follower of Anevay."

"Wonderful! We're all in the right spot," Radiance said, "Enya, meet my two grandfoals, Sonnet and Minuet! I think Anevay mentioned that you'd give them a tour of the area?"

"Anevay did," Enya answered, the flames in her coat flickering as she nodded her head. "Will you be coming along with us?"

"Nah, gotta get back to Candentia," Radiance answered, "Have a good time! And I'll be back soon!"

Radiance then closed the wormhole behind her, and popped out of existence in a flurry of magic, leaving Enya giving a slightly exasperated smile, as if she had heard about Radiance already, and figured she should have expected the amount of energy Radiance had. 

"Okay now," Enya said, "Come along with me, I'll show you the Desert Region. And if you have any questions, just ask!"

The two foals eagerly nodded. While Minuet trailed closely behind Enya, asking the older mare numerous questions about the Desert Region, Sonnet walked a short distance away from Enya. Close enough to hear what Minuet and Enya said, but still a few hoofsteps away. His attention seemed to have been captured, not by the mesmerizing patterns in the sands, but by the magic in the air. Ambient magic that felt so utterly foreign, in comparison to that found in Candentia, and the rest of the Icy Region.

Some hours later, when the sun had finally set, Sonnet and Minuet were back in Candentia. Right when the sun had begun to set, and the sky had begun to shift into shades other than blue, Radiance had dropped by, startling Enya and the two foals, to bring Sonnet and Minuet back to Candentia. 

Now, Sonnet was laying on his bed, complaining to the ceiling about how much sunburns hurt and how much he disliked the desert region. Occasionally, his mutterings would drift to wanting to ask for more of the aloe to ease his sufferings, or to the way the desert magic felt around him.

But mostly, he just complained about sunburns. 

And questioning why he was so unlucky, as to have gotten sunburned.