//------------------------------// // Chapter 2.5 - Memories and Home // Story: Little Lost Raichu // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Little Lost Raichu - Chapter 2.5 - Memories and Home Snow White and pure scenery wherever she looked, puffy snow under her feet as she left marks on it with each step. Small snowdrops were falling from the sky while one landed on her nose and dissolved into water. She felt cold, with only the warmth of her own fur protecting her. She tried to stop walking, but failed as she had no control over her own body. Am I... dreaming? As her head examined her surroundings on its own, she could see a massive stone wall on her right and a long way down from the cliff on her left. Jungle and endless water were on the horizon. I’m on a mountain on an island? I… remember. This is my home... I was born here. There were two important details she noticed. First one being that she wasn’t alone, but walking alongside other critters. Most of them light-yellow with very tiny legs, short and small black tails and very large ears with black edges, as well as small black marks on their necks. Their heads alone were as big if not bigger than their bellies, with two pink dots decorating their cheeks. A big surprise came when a word ‘Pichu’ was born in her memories, as well as the fact that she was one of them. There was no reflection to look into, but a mere look at her own microscopic nose told her that she wasn’t herself. I thought my nose was small before, but now it’s almost as small as a snowflake. There were also a few taller creatures with slightly longer forepaws, thinner ears, bigger tails and their head-size being more reasonable when compared to their belly. Similar dots decorated their cheeks, which were red instead of pink, while their fur was pure yellow. Two bronze stripes decorated their backs. Each of those creatures spoke in a parental tone while leading the way. M-mom... D-dad? she thought with more memories returning to her, two in particular being of words: ‘Pikachu’ and ‘their child’. A realization struck her almost as hard as the headache she felt not long ago, which was saying a lot. What she was experiencing now was a memory of her childhood. Her body being small and young as she traveled with her family in a herd. Her vision blurred. No, please no… I want to see more! she screamed in her mind, but it was all for nothing as darkness overtook her surroundings. Raichu yawned as she spread her forepaws and opened her tired eyes, the blurry vision slowly sharpening. She tried to move, to raise her head, only to feel the headache once more, a reminder of her painful experience. She massaged her forehead, noticing that it was wrapped in a bandage. She took a deep breath before looking around. She examined her body for a moment before rolling the bandages off her belly and legs. All the bruises and scratches she had accumulated were gone, her fur spotless and presentable. Once free, she dumped the soft material to the side and thought deeply, That dream I had… it was a memory. Two of those… Pikachu… were my parents, and I had a few Pichu brothers and sisters as well. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, feeling a weak pain while thinking, but kept trying to recall her past regardless. This was m-my home, on an island v-very h-h-high on a snowy m-mountain. The jungle n-nearby had food and water, while the h-harsh environment made us st-strong. She took a slow breath and opened her eyes before looking at her own paws, still finding holes in her memory. But why am I so different now? I’m bigger than my own parents and my fur has different colors. She poked her ears and glanced at her tail. Why was she so different now, with so many features standing out from the rest of the family? And why she couldn’t recall any further events? Tired of intense thinking, she examined her surroundings. She was lying on a spacious wooden bed with violet eiderdown and a large blue pillow as her size was certainly no match for the owner of this bed. One quick glance out the window at the brown sky told her that the night was coming soon. On both sides of the bed were cupboards for books and small tables. Her attention focused on a small basket filled with sweets similar to the one at the veterinary clinic, with the difference being the apples added into the mix. She licked her lips. While the hunger was no longer an issue, the taste of sweets brought her so much joy. Wasting no time, she grabbed a chocolate cube and tore away a fragment of it, leaving a small bite mark with her little teeth. Her savoring was interrupted by the sight of a memo supported against the basket. Placing the chocolate on the table, she grabbed the paper and read. I am really, really sorry for hurting you. I was so focused on breaking the magical seal in your mind that I ignored your well-being. I know that after what you experienced you may fear me and I have no excuse for my action, but know that I am truly, truly sorry. Starlight Glimmer. PS: The seal is damaged so your memories should return over time, little by little. I hope it will cheer you up. Raichu placed the memo back on the table and exhaled in relief. Despite all that indescribable pain she experienced, in the end it proved worth it. Learning that she apparently could read was an extra bonus. She perched herself on a pillow and picked up the chocolate, eating it one little bite at a time as she savoured the flavor. While the sour taste she felt when eating the apples was discouraging, the sweet taste of chocolate and lollipops made her crave for more. Her supper was interrupted as she sensed an aura coming from behind the door. I can feel… worry… and hesitation, but how? Now that I think about it, it’s not the first time it happened, she wondered, taking it for yet another ability she forgot about. In the end, her own body was one big mystery, proving to be her greatest ally and her worst enemy. The door slowly opened, revealing a worried face of a unicorn with drooped ears. Raichu waved hesitantly, her enthusiasm gone. “Oh, you’re awake,” Starlight said. She took a deep breath and entered with hesitant steps, not daring to take her eyes off the critter even for a moment. She closed the door behind her with a gentle movement of her rear hoof and asked, “N-nice weather we’re having?” Raichu remained silent, thinking, This is going to be awkward. “I just wanted to check on you. You’re not angry with the whole ‘frying your brain’ thing… I mean… with my attempt to recover your memories which could cause a permanent damage to your mind…” She frowned. “Ugh… I’m really terrible at this.” Raichu crossed her arms, her face unamused. I have no idea what the Element of Honesty is, but I think it would fit this pony better than Applejack, she thought. The moment Starlight took a few steps deeper into the room, she walked backward in response, stepping down from her pillow. Starlight pointed at the memo on the table. “By the way, I wrote you an apology… but now that I think about it, you probably can’t read in the first place.” She stopped and rubbed her foreleg nervously, now looking to the side. “You’re still scared… aren't you? Not that I can blame you.” Raichu sighed and lowered her head. I don’t want to be scared, especially after you gave me hope of remembering my past, but I can’t help it, she thought before a sad apologetic “chuuu…” left her mouth. She raised her head and waved her forepaws as if asking for the unicorn to stay away. Awkward silence overtook the room as Starlight and Raichu stared at each other and none of them dared to move. The silence was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice coming from the hallway outside of the room. “Starlight, where are you?!” Raichu climbed down and peeked from behind the bed as only the upper part of her head was visible thanks to her cover. The unicorn looked around nervously and trotted in place. She raised a forehoof up to her chest and exhaled. “There’s no need to worry, it’s not like I’m harboring a dangerous beast from the Everfree Forest.” She looked at the hiding animal and added, “You can come out, I’m sure Twilight will understand your situation and help as well.” Raichu climbed up onto the bed and perched herself on the pillow, her eyes not letting the unicorn leave her sight even for a moment. Starlight turned around, took a deep breath and spoke, “Over here! Can you come here for a moment?” Raichu focused her attention on the opening door which revealed a lavender pony with both horn and wings, radiating with might and authority. “Finally found you. There’s something we need to discuss,” Twilight said as she entered the room in haste and sat in front of her pupil. “I was investigating the phenomenon that took place above the Everfree Forest and…” she paused, noticing someone new. “Who’s your guest?” Starlight stepped to the side and pointed at the critter. “Twilight, meet… ummm… Raichu, she’s a creature… a female one.” She pointed at the pony with both wings and a horn. “Raichu, meet Alicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle. She's my mentor.” Princess? Sounds important. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m supposed to do something in front of a princess, but I can’t put my mind into it, Raichu thought. She smiled and waved with her paw. “Applejack found her hurt and hungry at her farm,” Starlight explained. “She did feed her, next she took her to the veterinarian and brought her here in the end.” Twilight narrowed her eyes and rubbed her chin, now glaring at the critter with a judging stare, who in return blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Funny… not long ago Fluttershy told me she had seen an animal from the Everfree Forest run by her towards the Sweet Apple Acres.” “R-really?” Starlight asked and took a step back. “During my investigation alongside Fluttershy, she talked with the Manticore, learning of an animal it tried to eat,” Twilight said. She rounded her student and approached the critter. “You aren’t this mysterious animal by any chance?” she said, poking her paws against each other nervously. Her speech sounding as ‘R-Raichu’ to the alicorn princess. “So that’s what happened,” Starlight said, now understanding the situation. She pointed at the critter and asked, “You’re a resident from the Everfree Forest. Did the Manticore hurt you so?” Noticing that Starlight was approaching, Raichu hid behind the bed. she said, peeking from behind her cover a moment later. She shook her head and next nodded. Answering two questions at once while unable to speak ponies’ language was proving quite difficult. “Is this a yes?” Twilight asked. Noticing another nod of confirmation, she said, “You certainly were in the wrong place and at the wrong time. While the Everfree Forest has become much safer since we returned the Elements, being at a Manticore’s hunting ground is just asking for trouble, not to mention that all the noise attracted predators from all around.” Raichu whimpered, wondering if she was thrown towards such a dangerous place on purpose so the beast would finish her off. Did someone hate her this much? Twilight noticed loose bandages dumped next to the bed, and took a closer look at a bandage on Raichu’s forehead. She lit her horn and levitated the confused critter up to her muzzle. “You need more sleep to recover! I’ll let you stay for now, but you must take care of your health and not wander around the castle without permission.” She asked softly, “Am I clear?” Raichu nodded, staring at the aura around the alicorn’s horn. So this’s how they use magic. I wish I could use something so helpful. She was lowered onto the bed as her head sunk into the pillow. A large wing pulled the eiderdown up to her neck and next patted on the head. It feels… nice… She smiled warmly and closed her eyes. Something about being taken care of by another creature seemed… satisfying. Not to mention that the comfort of the bed was superior to lying on the cold dirt in a scary forest. “Since Applejack and Starlight trust you, so will I, but please don't make me regret it,” Twilight said. Raichu pushed herself further onto the pillow before curling herself into a ball, her forehead nearly touching her hind legs while her forepaws were wrapped around them. Twilight chuckled before giving the orange ball a motherly smile which she reserved only for Spike, taking a moment to look at her napping guest. “You’re surprisingly obedient and cute for a resident from the Everfree Forest,” she whispered before raising her head and turning to her student. “Starlight, I believe a discussion is in order, as well as an update. What did I miss?” “Of course,” the unicorn responded. “Long story short, Applejack brought her here because she had amnesia, but when I tried to help her, I found out it was actually a magical seal blocking her memories.” “A magical seal, whatever for? Maybe she saw something she shouldn’t,” Twilight asked with a growing curiosity, her wings spread upward. “It’s certainly worth investigating, go on.” Starlight’s ears drooped. She gestured for her mentor to step outside of the room. After closing the door behind them, she whispered in a sad tone, “I tried to help her by attacking the seal.” Twilight shoot her student a serious glare. “Breaking a mental seal is extremely dangerous as brain damage is almost guaranteed. Just weakening it is the safest and most practical solution.” She shut her wings and asked, “You went easy on her, didn’t you?” Starlight rubbed her foreleg nervously, not daring to look her mentor in the eyes. “Define; ‘went easy’.” Twilight sighed in disappointment, now understanding the reasons behind a bandage wrapped on Raichu’s forehead. “It seems you still have much to learn after all.” She smiled and wrapped her student with her wing. “But you learned from your mistake, correct?” Starlight nodded meekly. “I’ll make it up to her.” Her voice and eyes filled with guilt. “I swear.” “I’m sure that you will. If anything, you’re very stubborn when determined to accomplish something,” Twilight said, withdrawing her wing from her student and rubbing her own chin. “Now, the question is, what species our guest is and what to do with her?” “You’re not considering returning her back to the Everfree Forest?” Starlight asked in worry. Twilight shook her head. “Unlike most animals, inhabitants of the Everfree Forest live independently without our help and care, but this one is lost and devoid of her memories. If she wishes to stay with us, I suppose we can take care of her until she recovers.” She gestured for her student to follow towards the library. “And once she does?” Starlight asked. Twilight shrugged. “I’m not sure. If we keep her under our care for too long, she may lose all her survival abilities. I think we’ll need to force her to leave for her own good.” “I... see…” Starlight said and next lowered her head. “Since I damaged the seal, her past should return in due time. The seal itself was designed to repress the most recent memories, so she should remember her childhood first, and recover from that point on. In theory at least.” She gave her mentor a hopeful stare. “Can she stay with us at the castle until then?” “I was actually considering leaving her at Fluttershy’s cottage or her new sanctuary for animals,” Twilight suggested. Starlight looked at the ceiling, considering her options. After a moment of thinking, she grinned. “Actually, I checked a book with information about animals from the Everfree Forest and didn’t find this species. According to Applejack, Dr. Fauna has also never seen such a creature before.” “Interesting...” Twilight said, now looking at her student curiously. “We’re dealing with undiscovered species and a mystery.” Starlight smirked again. “Don’t you think she’s worth keeping around here… for research purposes?” Twilight’s eyes sparkled and a wide smile grew on her lips. “You were complaining how bored you were for the past weeks. Doesn’t writing a book about this new species sounds interesting?” Twilight flew up, now hovering above the floor. My own research project, and a chance to write my own book! Should I start asking about her favourite food? Or maybe test her powers, abilities and magic. She took a quick breath and landed, closing her wings as she struggled to hide her excitement. “I’ll... consider it.”