//------------------------------//
// Chapter XVII: Three 
// Story: Memoir of Misery 
// by Silvak 
//------------------------------//

"So wait, you had those wings when you were a filly?" Rainbow asked as she laid on a cloud that she brought in from the nearby window. The rest of the Elements were seated in seats of their own choosing in another study room, considering that the last one is undergoing some repairs.

"I guess? I mean, it was just one memory where we saw a four, or maybe a five-year-old version of me. But since I'm an alicorn now, its apparently true, I guess," Sapphire stated as she took a cookie from a plate of cookies that Joyful provided for her. After lunch had ended, Celestia had debriefed the Elements on the nature of Sapphire's alicorn reveal, along with any facts that the doctors had found. This caused Pinkie and Fluttershy to freak out at the thought of her being injured, while Twilight freaked out even more with the idea of something similar to dark magic playing a role.

"Hmm... that might explain a bit about your nephophobia. Perhaps you had a bad flight experience that involved some clouds that might have been the root cause of it. So that's one mystery partly solved, in a way," Twilight declared before rubbing her chin in thought. "But that green sky memory of yours is still an unknown..."

"Well, I for one would like to think more about Sapphire's future instead of her past for the moment, like how she's going to be going to the Grand Galloping Gala!" Rarity declared with a smile.

Looking at Rarity in confusion, Sapphire asked, "What do you mean? I didn't get a ticket to the gala..."

Waving a hoof off, Rarity countered, "Sapphire, you're a princess now, you can go to any royal gathering as you please. In fact, once nobles get word of you, they would be dying to invite you to their own parties as well!"

As Sapphire started to look nervous at Rarity's statement, Pinkie leaned over and said, "Psst, you could probably eat as much food at those parties as you want," causing Sapphire to blink before fantasizing about all the possible feasts she could enjoy.

Rolling her eyes, Rarity stated, "Sapphire, you worry about being a princess too much. I'm certain that you'll make a fine princess."

Giving Rarity a skeptical look, Sapphire turned towards Applejack as she asked, "Applejack, do you think I would make a good princess?"

"Nope, at least not right now," Applejack answered with a shrug as Rarity just glared at her.

"Applejack! Why would you say such a thing about your dear friend?"

Giving Rarity a flat look, Applejack answered, "Element of Honesty, remember? Besides, I reckon that Sapphire isn't a bit offended at what I just said," as Sapphire nodded in agreement.

"Well, it can't be so bad now since Princess Luna came back and is taking back some of the duties from Celestia, like raising the moon. With three princesses already, I don't think there would be much work left over for an inexperienced princess like yourself Sapphire," Twilight commented as she started to take some notes on her notepad. She was now looking over some medical reports that Celestia had the infirmary wing provide to her when she requested it. "Though, I wonder what this means for your special talent."

"Oh oh!" Pinkie exclaimed as she waved a hoof in the air, as she said, "Maybe Sapphire's actually the ruler of the seaponies since she has a water drop Cutie Mark!"

Tilting her head, Rainbow remarked, "But Pinkie, if she was the ruler of the seaponies, wouldn't she be a seapony instead of an alicorn?"

"Oh, darn, you're right about that," Pinkie replied in a disappointed tone as she stuck a tongue out while tapping her chin in thought.

"...Seaponies?" Sapphire said in confusion, only for Applejack to shake her head as she let out a sigh.

"Nothin' to worry about sugarcube, just an old mare's tale," Applejack stated as she slapped Sapphire's back. "Besides, ya don't have to worry too hard about being a princess. You're a good, honest pony, and in time, I'm certain you'll be a great princess."

"Now that's something you should have said earlier dear. Though... I wonder how Photo Finish would react to you being an alicorn. I mean, while you look as lovely as you always do, I don't think you'll be as good as a model since you're... larger than life now," Rarity declared.

"Don't remind me," Sapphire said with a groan, before frowning as she noticed Twilight with her horn lit up as she was using a scan spell on her. "Would you stop that already Twilight?"

"Sorry, it's just that I can't resist! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" Twilight responded with a smile.

Hovering over to Sapphire, Rainbow nudged her ribs as she said, "You know, you could just toss Twilight in the dungeon since you're a princess now."

As Sapphire looked at Rainbow with a flabbergasted look, Twilight growled, "Not funny, Rainbow."

Laughing at Twilight's response, Rainbow replied, "It totally is, haha!"

Ignoring Rainbow's antics, Rarity turned her attention towards Sapphire as she said, "Well, back to the topic on hoof, since you can go to the Gala, I would so love to make a dress for you! That is... if you would permit it, your highness."

Her left eye twitching at the 'highness' bit, Sapphire stated, "Rarity, you're my friend, so of course I would like to let you make a dress for me to wear to the gala."

"Oh good! But that means I would need to take your measurements all over again dear. Since you’ve changed more than just getting a pair of wings, like how you're a bit taller than you where before," Rarity stated as she levitated some measuring tape before her, causing Sapphire's ears to fold against her head.





"Today was just peachy, absolutely peachy. All this talk about me being a princess never seemed to end! And please don't tell me that you're going to add more to it, Princess Luna," Sapphire complained as she and Luna were in her memory hall. After spending the rest of the day with her friends, where part of them did make their efforts to make her relax after the stress from the morning. Sapphire then retired to her suite to rest, hoping to finally have a reprieve before remembering that she would encounter Luna in her dreams at some point in the night.

"Nay... I mean no dear Sapphire. My duty to you is to restore your memories, which takes top priority over teaching you to be a princess. But, speaking of that, you don't have to refer to me in my title. You can just call me Luna if you like," Luna replied.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sapphire said, "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that, Pr—I mean Luna."

"Indeed... but perhaps we should get back to work now, though with you being an alicorn now, it might accelerate your recovery of your memories. However, we should return to your most solid memory to clear it up some more if we can. The more things you can remember from that particular memory, the easier it might become for you to access memories that share in those objects," Luna stated as she and Sapphire walked into one of the halls, stopping before a mirror that looked to be halfway repaired, the very one that had her alicorn memory.

"Yeah, that would be the best route to take," Sapphire replied as she conceded to Luna's wisdom as she placed a hoof on the mirror, closing her eyes as she focused on the memory before the scenery shifted to the hazy landscape. Looking around, Sapphire said, "So... what now?"

"Now, young Sapphire, you must try to feel with your heart. Try locating any other ponies that your heart has a connection to, for those would be the easiest to remember for they would be the ones most familiar to you, besides your parents of course," Luna instructed. Nodding in response, Sapphire concentrated on her heart, before blinking as she turned to Luna to ask a question, only for her to add, "Just try to look at all the ponies here and see if you feel drawn to them for some unknown reason."

Nodding once more, Sapphire started to look at all the figures around her, first looking at the group she and her mother were in, only to frown as she felt nothing in particular in that direction. It was only till she looked at the group that her father was in that she felt a connection pulling at her, causing her to walk over to the group as Luna frowned in thought. Looking at each colored blob before her, Sapphire kept on going through the crowd until she stopped before a dark grey and crimson blob, that she touched to watch as it shifted before her. Taking a few steps back, she could see the blob form into a crimson-coated unicorn stallion that had a steel colored mane, a dark gray cloak with violet runes inscribe on it.

"Interesting... this unicorn reminds me of my old teacher Star Swirl the Bearded... minus the bells, the hat, and the beard of course," Luna commented as she came to Sapphire's side as Sapphire tapped her chin in thought before looking at Luna in confusion at her statement. "Oh, ignore my comment, I was just reminiscing," Luna added.

"Okay... though I don't recall anything else about this stallion, not even a name..." Sapphire replied with a frown.

"Do not fret, for if you have a visual representation of him, you should be able to concentrate on that while trying to recall your memories. While this is speculation, you might find an easier time to recalling memories that involve him," Luna said while giving Sapphire an encouraging smile. "See if you can recall any other ponies here."

Nodding, Sapphire looked around once more, before feeling not one tug, but two as she walked over to the other side of the group, briefly glancing at the pony that might be her father as she passed by him. Stopping before a grayish purple blob and an orange-brown one with some gray mixed in. Reaching with her hoof again, Sapphire touched them both before stepping back, watching as the grayish purple blob turned into a grayish purple coated pegasi stallion with a dirty white mane. He gave a look of  determination as he was about to launch off the ground with a poleaxe that had teal runes inscribed on it in his forehooves. Meanwhile, the other blob turned into an orange-brown mare with a yellow mane, who was armored in steel plate mail that had red runes inscribed in it, wielding a shield and a war hammer that also had the same kind of runes as her armor.

"Interesting... you seem to recall a unicorn, an earth pony, and a pegasus who are all part of a group," Luna declared as she looked at Sapphire in a scrutinizing fashion as she thought about something.

Staring at the two ponies before glancing at the other one, Sapphire tried to recall anything but came up blank, causing her to say, "Okay... I can't pick up any other recollections about these three... but why does it matter that I recall those three in particular?" as she looked back at Luna.

"It's quite simple dear Sapphire. Since you're an alicorn, so you have access to the magic of all three tribes. That would mean that you would need teachers for all three kinds of magic, and since you would obviously recall your parents, these three could be the teachers you had at some point in your past. Unless they were your relatives, which would complicate that idea," Luna explained as she looked at the trio once more. "Though... I will say, they do look like fierce warriors, which would also explain why you have a figure of a scout..."

"What do you mean by that?" Sapphire asked in confusion.

Returning her attention to Sapphire, Luna answered, "Well, when you were examined, it was discovered that you had a rather fit figure for an alicorn, one that was similar to the scout unit of the Royal Guard. They are ponies that would normally go out to explore the land ahead of their comrades to find any potential dangers. They tend to have bodies more developed for being on the go..." Luna said before frowning as she recalled something. "Sorry dear Sapphire, but we must take our leave, for we have to attend to our nightly duties now. But do try to remember more of this memory if you can," Luna declared before lighting her horn up, causing her form to fade away, leaving Sapphire alone in this blurry landscape.

Letting out a sigh, Sapphire looked at the trio again, before blinking as she felt something coming out of her eyes. Lifting up a hoof to her cheek, she found tears coming out of her eyes, I'm crying? But... why? Sapphire thought to herself as she looked at the three ponies once more.