//------------------------------// // Ch.1 The Tragedy // Story: The Time You Forgot // by Hamatopurity //------------------------------// It was just another day in Ponyville,or more accurately,just outside of town,in the illusive Everfree Forest. Seven friends had decided to take a hike on the biggest mountain in the wood. It was Pinkie Pie's idea. "Whee! You can see my families rock farm from here!" The excitable pink mare hopped from rock to rock,pointing her forehoof to the direction the quaint little farm would be. "Pinkie,be careful! It's a hundred hoof drop from here!" The somewhat neorotic alicorn called,see her friend wobble slightly on her perch. Rainbow rolled her dark magenta eyes "oh,stop worrying Twilight! It's Pinkie! She's always fine,don't be such a worry Wort!" Twilight sighed; the fact it was Pinkie was what worried her. And it would appear she was right to worry. "GET DOWN!" Starlight's cry caught the group off guard,Pinkie didn't seem to have even heard her; just as a section of rock began to crumble. Pinkie's ears twitched slightly as she looked overhead too late. The expert party pony let out a frightened sqeak as she attempted to hop away, but the rock she had stood perched on faltered from under her,causing her to fall straight down. "PINKIE PIE!!!" The two unicorns and alicorn tried to use they're magic to grab onto her, but a rockslide that went hurling towards them,making them lose focus on they're attempt to get away. Pinkie was not so lucky. The blue eyed pony went tumbling down,sharp rocks scratching against her body, her left foreleg caught a particular rock,a loud snap was heard,making the optimistic mare to Yelp in pain. The rocks had given a slight comfort though,making her fall not as deadly as it would've been. But the danger was not gone. With but one foreleg supporting her,Pinkie just managed to look up to see the remains of the top of the mountain crashing towards her. The sight was horrifying. The six friends pushed away the ruble fast they could, but when they finally saw the state the party pony was in. It was nothing short of gratifying. Pinkie barely looked alive,there were deep cuts covering nearly every part of her body,her foreleg was in a very wrong position,Pinkie had a large,gaping wound on her skull,you could've sworn there was bone. Her breathing was large and labored, but it was at least a thankful sign she was alive. Fluttershy let out a small,horrified gasp,she looked close to throwing up. But Twilight wasted no time in carefully bringing the wounded mare onto her back,a small whimper escaped Pinkie,even in her unconscious state. "I'm teleporting us all there,no pony is gonna die today." Sheer determination flashed in the lavender alicorn's eyes. The moment they appeared in a bright purple flash in Ponyville's hospital,everything seemed to be a blur,Pinkie was immediately taken into the emergency room,confirmed to be in critical condition. The six waited just outside the operating room just as they heard a single,familiar scream. "AHHHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!" Almost in unison, the mares faces turned pale,not one of them ever heard Pinkie scream like that,it was filled with pure pain and agony. What felt like hours, the screams stopped, and Dr. Red Heart stepped out,a solemn look on his face. "Well? How is she? Is she going to be alright?" The look in they're eyes made the doctoral stallion sigh heavily "she will be fine,yes..." Applejack prodded "but...?" Dr. Red Heart gave another sigh "she's received heavy brain damage, and I'm sorry to say,mostly in the membrane,in other words,her memory." Rarity asked "w-what ever do you mean? Does she...not remember anything?" "...I'm afraid it's abit more complicated than that." With a slight adjustment to his glasses,he continued "while it's a miracle she's survived,I'm afraid,she has gained a horrible case of...anterograde amnesia." Twilight and Starlight gasped horrified,though the others looked confused to what it was; so the doctor explained "it's what you would call Short-Term Memory Loss. I'm afraid,it may be impossible for her to be cured, and on further inspection,she's lost some...current memory." With a dry gulp,Twilight asked "h-how much?" Red Heart heaved a large sigh before he responded "from what I can tell,ten years,four months, and two days." Fluttershy quivered "s-so...she thinks she-she's eight years old now?" The doctor only nodded "I will need to do some extensive surgery on her skull,to ensure no more extensive damage,we'll implant a metal plate." There was a moment of silence before Twilight said "I'll...I'll have Spike send a letter to Pinkie's family to let them know what happened." Twilight teleported away with a heavy heart. It hadn't been long before Twilight retuned in a literal flash,now with Pinkie's family. They looked absolutely frantic,even Maud,usually expressionless and monotone,now looking worried and anxious. Limestone struggled to keep her tough exterior as she commanded "where's Pinkie?!" Starlight sighed heavily "they put into surgery about half an hour ago,I-I don't know how long it is till we can see her though..." Marble looked to be on the brink of tears "is...is it true? About her...head?" Applejack nodded sadly "I'm 'fraid so...they...they said it might be...permanent." Quartz gasped horrified,leaning into her husband for support "oh,my poor baby!" Just then, the doctor came out,the six friends and Pie family rushed forward,Maud asked anxiously "is Pinkie going to be okay? Is she-" Dr. Red Heart stopped her with a hoof "not to worry,the operation was successful, but she's still asleep, but if you want to see her,be my guest." The Pie family walked in anxiously, the six friends following suit,they let out a silent gasp at the sight. Pinkie lay there in the bed,nearly every inch of her body was in bandages,her foreleg in a sling, and her mane had been shaved clean due to the surgery. Her eyes,though closed,had most clearly been crying. The small family stepped forward,each hoof that stepped,felt heavier and heavier. They could just make out her tail,it was straight. That was never a good sign. "p-Pinkie?" The usual,bright pink face of the excitable mare looked so pale,one would've mistook it for belonging to a ghost. Even under the covers,they saw her shivering at an alarming rate. Ignious brushed a hoof against her cheek in a comforting manner,just like when she was a little filly,struggling with nightmares. At her father's gentle, and caring touch,she relaxed,if only a little "there,there, everything's gonna be okay,little Sweet Pie..." Deciding the small family needed some time with the pink mare, the six of them stepped out. "What do you thinks gonna happen to her now?" Rainbow's question made Twilight sigh "I-I wish I knew that...this'll be something that won't go away now,I'm...I'm not sure if she'll be able to stay in Ponyville anymore." "w-why?" Fluttershy timidly asked,it just wouldn't seem like Ponyville without Pinkie, she was practically it's very heart and soul. "w-well,it's like what the doctor said,her mind has backtracked ten years! She won't remember Ponyville,she won't remember the Cakes or Sugercube Courner,she..." Twilight swallowed a large lump in her throat "she won't remember us. A-and since she won't remember anything new for long,there's no telling if she ever will." Five heads lowered in response to this. Whether they liked it or not,Pinkie would be leaving with her parents to the rock farm,it seemed only natural,it was what she could last remember, and it was the only option to help her. They would need to say goodbye to Pinkie. But Pinkie wouldn't say goodbye to them.