//------------------------------// // Chapter XXXVIII: Trickery // Story: Memoir of Misery // by Silvak //------------------------------// "What is with Steel Coat and her random hammer slams?!" Sapphire complained as she threw her forehooves into the air as she looked at another frame that had a mirror shard in it. "What I'm more curious about is the long-term effects of these repeated slams on your body when you were a filly," Luna stated as she rubbed her chin in thought. "Especially since we actually saw the kind of impact she had left on you, you flew off like those little white balls some nobles like to hit with that weird metal stick of theirs." "Don't remind me," Sapphire stated with a growl. It was the night after Skyward's appearance, where Luna and Sapphire where piecing some of Sapphire's memories back together. After getting enough shards, they noticed that the happier foalhood ones were going to one hallway, yet the ones that involved her training were settling down in the frames in a different one. Luna concluded that each hallway represented a portion of her past. "Still, you have to admit that it is a great way to toughen up your bones and help you adapt to blunt force trauma," Luna declared, causing Sapphire to shake her head in return. "You do know she's right about that. Besides, if you can't tolerate pain, you wouldn't last for long in a fight," said the voice of Veritas from above, which brought the two alicorns' attention upwards as Veritas was assuming a phoenix form. "...For some reason, your presence this time annoys me more than the other times I have seen you," Luna stated with a scowl. Stepping forward as Veritas let out a chirping laugh, Sapphire pointed a hoof at her as she asked, "Now you show up? After all the times you made an effort to stay away from Princess Luna?" "Oh, I don't kn—the spring brings the joy of blossoming orchards," Veritas said as she flew around Sapphire's head. "And the winter brings the snowy blanket across the land, Luna damn it!" Sapphire replied as she swung a hoof at Veritas who simply flew away while laughing at Sapphire. "As amusing as it to see Sapphire use my name in such a fashion, Sapphire possesses a good point. Why have you reclused yourself whenever I'm aiding Sapphire with her memories?" Luna demanded as she lit her horn up, using it to pull at Veritas's tail feathers as she yanked her out of the sky. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Veritas stated, "Fine, I'll give you the answer you seek, but don't complain to me about it since you want to hear it so badly. But first, can you let go of my tail already?" As Luna complied with Veritas's request by letting her magic go out. Veritas then flew over to Sapphire to land on her horn, much to her annoyance. "Now where was I? Oh, I remember. I simply decided to take a break from all this memory business since you were so intent on changing the old formula you were going with," Veritas explained with a shrug. Narrowing her eyes, Luna replied, "Do you think me as a fool? Enough with your games, tell us the truth or I will find the means to destroy a being like you." Shivering in a mocking fashion, Veritas said, "Oh, I'm so scared! Not. But regardless, I'm feeling charitable today, so I'll let you two in on a secret. I'm just guiding Sapphire along the right steps to make sure that she's the perfect little princess that you and your sister want." "Somehow, I doubt that's what you're really after," Sapphire stated as she shook Veritas off her horn. Flying over to land on Luna's crown, Veritas stated, "Oh? And what makes you say that? I'm a part of you, remember? So wouldn't it be in my best interests to see you be the best you can be?" "Don't try to use that tired old trick," Luna stated with a snort, before swinging the tip of her wing at Veritas, forcing her into the air. "You're plotting something, otherwise you would be directly aiding us instead of this trickery." "Ah, but trickery is a great way to help a pony grow!" Veritas countered as she landed in the middle of the air, roosting like she was on some kind of invisible branch. "Besides, I meant what I said, for if I don't make an effort in just the right places, dear old Sapphire here could become a monster instead of a leader. Though I doubt you'll be a leader, probably more of a yespony to somepony that can lead, like Celestia or Luna." Glaring at Veritas, Sapphire was about to say something before Luna raised a wing to stop her. Looking at Veritas in an inquisitive manner, Luna asked, "What do you mean by Sapphire becoming a monster?" "Isn't it obvious by that giant evil monster that you two just had to trigger? There's more to Sapphire than meets the eye. Even with all your efforts to dig up Sapphire's past, there are some things that just can't be explained. But, if you two are so serious about finding some answers, how about I give you a tiny hint towards your objective? And don't worry, I won't be putting you two on a wild goose chase, as long as you're smart about it," Veritas stated as she spread her wings wide in a playful manner. Glancing at Luna who returned it with one of her own, Sapphire stepped forward as she replied, "Fine, just tell us this hint if that's all you're going to be doing for me." Smirking, Veritas pointed at Sapphire, saying, "Arulas had died, yet in a way, is still living. However, she nearly died again but was brought back from the brink of death by the actions of others." As the alicorns were looking at Veritas like she had grown a second head, the false phoenix laughed as she said, "I know, I know. It's all rather confusing, yet still, it's the truth, if you can figure it out. But, I know that Sapphire here won't figure it out until she has just the right memories to piece it all together, so I'll toss you two another bone. Mirrors present many things to all sorts of ponies, but may hide things that a pony would never want to see. Much like the shadows that others see as evil, yet you're stuck right in the biggest shadow of them all!" before she spread her wings wide, their size growing until they engulfed the hallway, before closing in on the two alicorns as Sapphire let out a shriek of surprise. "Uncle Rift, what is the Journey of Arulas?" "Oh, it's the story of our great ancestor, Arulas, a pony who wandered the world to see all that can be seen, only to see something no pony would have ever expected. Do you want to know what it is my dear?" "Yes, Uncle Rift! Yes!" "Heh, aren't you an excited little filly. Since you want to know so badly, I'll tell you instead of making it like some kind of test like Runic would do. Now, Arulas found the gre—" "Rift, what are you doing?" "What? I'm just telling Sapphire here about 'The Journey of Arulas'. What's wrong with that, Runic?" "Are you kidding me? Don't you remember those that went on a wild goose chase, only to never return?" "Maybe they didn't return because they found t—" "Enough of this! I'm not going to let you plant empty dreams into this filly's head. Unless you're planning on leaving with her." "Do you honestly think that I'm just going to abandon everypony when they still need me? How dare you even suggest that!" "I suggested that because instead of training, the ot—" "Sapphire, release thyself from Veritas's shroud!" "Huh... what?" Sapphire said as she opened her eyes, looking around as she saw that she was still in the memory hallway, with Luna looking over her. "Luna? What’s going on?" Letting out a sigh of relief, Luna answered, "We fell into one of Veritas tricks. She sought to lower our guard with that ridiculous statement of hers before trapping us in some sort of dream manipulation that she no doubt has been plotting to use." "Oh..." Sapphire replied as she realized that she was laying on her back. Rolling over to her side before standing up, Sapphire asked, "How long was I out of it?" "I am uncertain, for I had to navigate through some illusion that Veritas would claim to be a memory of yours," Luna stated with a snort, only for Sapphire to look at her in surprise. "Wait, a memory? What did you saw?" Sapphire asked, leaning forward as Luna reared her head back. "Bestill yourself, for the memory is ridiculous in nature. All that Veritas has shown me is a ruined city, underneath a night sky with a yellow moon that is much smaller than my own. How dare that being project such a mocking image to me," Luna answered with a growl. "A yellow moon? What would Veritas show you such a thing, along with a ruined city?" Sapphire asked with a tilt of her head. "How would I know when we're talking about a being that could match Discord in terms of trickery. Most likely it is just a weak attempt to distract me from our goal of restoring your memories. But that makes me wonder, what did Veritas show you?" Luna asked with a curious look. Leaning back, Sapphire sat down as she pressed her forehooves together, saying, "Oh... nothing much, just a bit about the 'Journey of Arulas'. Though... I didn't get a proper hearing of it, I think. But I did learn that Arulas found something that nopony would ever expect to find." Tapping her chin, Luna replied, "Hm... that is curious, though if true, it only told us that she found something. Though... it could be something that caused the disappearance of her and her clan from the face of Equus, though I wish that Veritas would just show us the truth already, instead of pieces of your memory," Luna stated as she slammed her hoof into the ground. Sapphire began to wonder if Veritas was truly a friend or somepony that was just like Discord as Luna claims. Yet, for some reason, she felt like all she saw and what Luna saw held some measure of truth to them, something that made her shudder at what could bring about the memory of a ruined city beneath a yellow moon.