Sunset Shimmer sat in the personal study of Princess Celestia. Normally she'd only be in here during her private lessons, but the princess had decided that this study would give Crystal Note and Sunset privacy. Of course, Sunset Shimmer knew the real reason behind this. Princess Celestia could find out easily if Sunset had smuggled some books about the mirror in or out of this room, also she had the chance to just 'conveniently' drop in at any time. Sunset Shimmer gritted her teeth and slammed shut the book in front of her
Stupid Celestia. Stupid, mistrusting, overprotective...
"Sunset Shimmer?"
A gentle and shy voice pulled her out of her ramblings. Across the table, Crystal Note stared at her with those gem-shaped eyes wide open. Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath and pushed away her anger, as far as she could
"This is just a waste of time. There's no book on a curse that's been cast only once in the history of Equestria and by a crazy unicorn who was out of his mind."
Crystal Note closed her eyes and her head hung low. She was currently skimming through a history book in vain hope that something might trigger her memories, but without success so far
“I’m sorry, Sunset Shimmer. I didn’t mean to waste your time.”
Sunset just rolled her eyes
“Stop taking the blame for everything that happens. If we can’t find any answers in these books, we have to try something else.”
Maybe she didn’t like the new task Princess Celestia had given her, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t complete it. She would complete it and surpass any expectations as usual, and maybe then, Princess Celestia would finally tell her more about that mirror at least.
Crystal Note stayed focused on Sunset Shimmer and waited for an explanation that never came. Instead, the unicorn prodigy floated a set of heavy tomes to the desk and spread them out before her
“These are the most extensive books to get about mind magic. I’ve read them all and learned all the spells.”
Not all with her teacher’s blessings, that is. Mind magic was a tricky thing. While it could be used for great benefit when dealing with trauma, stress or phobias, ponies with less scruple could also use it to manipulate, intimidate or, in crass cases, even dominate other ponies. For that reason, mind magic was usually considered as ‘dark magic’ by common ponies, and even those who knew better kept away from it. In fact, most of the books Sunset Shimmer had studied only existed in Princess Celestia’s personal library, safe enough so nopony could easily access and misuse this magic.
While Princess Celestia agreed that Sunset should learn about mind magic so she could recognize it and defend herself against it, Sunset was pretty sure that the princess was not okay with her trying out some of those spells. But hey, if a book starts with teaching you an amnesia spell that lets a pony forget about the last five minutes, who could resist that sort of temptation?
Sunset Shimmer sighs and focused back on Crystal Note. Making somepony forget a couple of minutes was easy. Making somepony forget almost everything she ever knew was a completely different ballpark. Making somepony remember that kind of stuff seemed almost impossible.
But if anypony can do it, it’s got to be me.
Crystal Note glanced at the tome but of course, she couldn’t even get a single word. This was far advanced magic most unicorns didn’t get. That wasn’t the point, anyways
“With this spell, I can access your subconscious and find out what’s blocking all your memories.”
Crystal Note tilted her head, even more confused
“My sub-… what?”
Sunset Shimmer sighed and rolled her eyes
“The part of your mind that deals with emotions, memories, dreams, all that stuff. Some ponies call it the sleeping-mind.”
“Oh… does that mean you’ll cast the spell tonight when I’m in bed?”
“I don’t see why I should wait that long.”
Before Crystal Note could even look up from the book and ask the obvious question, the sleep spell took hold of her. She slowly slumped forward until her head was resting on the table, eyes closed down. Sunset Shimmer waited for a moment, but the crystal pony’s even breaths told her that she was completely out of it. Since Crystal Note had been distracted by the book, she didn’t resist the spell in the slightest, so Sunset Shimmer had at least two hours of undisturbed sleep. More than enough to scan Crystal Note’s mind.
Sunset watched the sleeping mare with a slight pang of guilt. She knew that Crystal Note didn’t like spells that much, especially cast on her. But this was the easiest way. Sunset noticed how Crystal Note was sprawled halfway across the desk while her lower body still lay on the ground. With a sigh, she levitated the mare to one of Princess Celestia’s sitting cushions, big enough for her to lie down on, followed by a blanket to cover the sleeping pony.
Might as well make sure she’s comfy at least.
With that settled, she cleared her mind and concentrated on the spell. She leaned down and gently touched Crystal Note’s forehead with her horn as she dove into the mare’s mind.
-*-
When Sunset pulled away again, she did so with a pained groan, followed by a hoof rubbing her temples as she felt a royal headache with the grace of a freight train. She wasn’t even sure how much time had passed, but she sure as Tartarus knew she wouldn’t try that again soon.
Crystal Note’s mind was a complete and utter mess. Imagine a library with only empty shelves and every book scattered across the floor. Imagine that every page of every book had been torn out and ripped into tiny little pieces. And then imagine that the books were written in a completely foreign language just to make it perfect.
No matter how hard she tried or how many different approaches she used, she hadn’t been able to restore a single useful memory. She got glimpses and scraps, but not enough to make anything of it.
Nothing but a major headache, that is.
She groaned again and pushed herself back on her hooves. At least Crystal Note didn’t seem distressed, she was still slumbering peacefully by the looks of it. Sunset noticed the blanket had slipped of, but when she tried to pull it back with her magic, her horn winked out and her headache grew worse
“Oh, great. And just after I got better.”
She stumbled towards a cushion and sat down with a tired sigh. Maybe the headache would be better after a quick nap.
Of course, the universe decided not to be kind with her today. As soon as she had settled down, Crystal Note began to stir and soon after, opened her eyes wide with a fearful scream. Her turquoise eyes darted across the room until she found Sunset. She calmed down, but her breaths still came in troubled heaving. Sunset groaned when her gemstone eyes shrunk into tiny pricks as she remembered what had happened before she passed out.
The look she threw at Sunset went under her coat. She had expected tears, maybe even anger. What hit her was disappointment, betrayal and most prominent, fear.
Crystal Note was always afraid: Afraid of the guards, afraid of food she didn’t know, afraid of Princess Celestia. But somehow, Sunset Shimmer realized this very moment, through her headache, she’s never been afraid of me.
Crystal Note tried to hide the waver in her voice when she finally broke the silence
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
Sunset Shimmer just shook her head with her angry frown, at which Crystal Note just closed her eyes and sighed defeated
“Then, it was all for nothing?”
Sunset shook her head
“I didn’t know what to expect. Now I do. Next time, I will…”
“Next time? You promised you wouldn’t use your magic against me!”
Sunset didn’t have much patience to begin with, but her recent failure combined with a throbbing headache only flared her rage up higher
“Would you just SHUT UP! That was a BUCKING SLUMBER SPELL! Unicorns use that on their foals when they won’t sleep. STOP BEING SO BUCKING PARANOID!”
At this moment, the door opened behind her and Sunset Shimmer roared. She knew only one pony would come through this door
“And of course, YOU show up just NOW! Just in time for another scolding. You know what? I don’t care! If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my room trying to sleep off this headache I got for trying to reach out and help somepony AGAIN!”
With that, she stormed out as fast as she could, past a baffled Princess Celestia. Crystal Note just stared after her with her mouth hanging open.
After minutes, the alicorn princess turned towards the mare and blinked
“Would you mind telling me what just happened in here?”