//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Canterlot 
// Story: Fragments 
// by Phoenix_Dragon 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2: Canterlot
 
The grand chamber was different.
Celestia still stood atop the dais, the warm rays of the sun filtered in through the broad stained-glass windows, lighting up the elegant room. It should have been beautiful, but it was not.
It was tainted, soiled. Celestia seemed faded, defeated, the aura of compassion and kindness he had sensed before wholly obscured by the sense of dread that now radiated from the princess. It was terrible to behold. Even the sunlight shining into the chamber seemed corrupted by the wrongness of the scene.
A glimpse of yellow to his side caught his attention. Looking over, he saw Fluttershy and her friends. The same sense of defeat radiated from them. They were downcast, dejected, their colors faded. They stood still, unresponsive even as the shadows moved around them.
The shadows -- the changelings, were here. The darkness swarmed about this bright chamber, individual changelings moving about in a blur. The indistinct swarm came to a single, clear point, one single changeling that drew all his focus. A tall figure, lean but imposing, with a vicious-looking horn. Black hide glistened in the sunlight. The defilement of this grand place, the chaos through the city, the dreadful fear of all the ponies gathered here, she took it all in, and stood tall and proud.
She was happy.
She was enjoying this. Among the dread and defeat that permeated the chamber, she radiated a sadistic glee.
Then she stopped. Everything stopped. The shadowy changelings seemed to hang in place, as if frozen, waiting for her command.
She turned.
Two green eyes shone from the darkness, glowing from a dark fire within. Staring at him.




 
Sky woke to darkness. He clutched at the blanket as he looked around. Recognition escaped him for several terrifying moments, before he recognized the upper room of Twilight's home. The memory slowly came back, her offering to let him sleep there so they could start out early. He let out a deep, shuddering sigh.
He only barely avoided jumping out of bed when Applejack spoke softly beside him. "Somethin' wrong?"
He heard a soft groan from the other bed, followed by Twilight's voice, thick with sleep. "What's going on?"
Sky flushed, feeling both sorry for waking the two, and embarrassed for the reason. "Sorry. Nightmares."
There was a concerned pause.
"Yah want to talk about it?" Applejack offered quietly.
He sighed, setting his head back on the pillow, wishing he could will his heart to calm down. "...No." Even thinking about it now made him feel uneasy, and he pushed the thoughts from his mind as quickly as he could. Belatedly he added, "I'll be fine."
It was a lie. He knew it, and he suspected they knew it, as well. If they did, they said nothing, letting the matter drop, much to his relief. He really didn't feel capable of talking about it at the moment. His thoughts were jumbled up and confused, and no matter how he tried, he just couldn't clear his mind. Every time he he came close to settling his thoughts, he saw those burning green eyes again.
There was something both terrifying and exciting about them. A strange, otherworldly beauty, but one that held a terrible, sadistic power. A dark and deadly predator, focused on him.
What happened?
He lay there, trying not to shudder again at the memory. The soft sound of the two mares' breathing gave him something to focus on, and slowly the memory loosened its grip on his mind.
Finally, he closed his eyes again, smiling at the comforting sounds of his new friends.
The dreamless sleep was a much-welcomed comfort.




 
Sky might not remember anything of his past, but he was reasonably certain he had never been on a train before.
It was such a strange sensation, hurtling along this fast, this close to the ground. He was sure he could fly faster than this, at least for a while, but speeding along in a big box, feeling every bump in the ground... It wasn't quite enough to be unnerving, but it was certainly enough to be unusual.
His companions apparently thought nothing of it. Applejack was kicked back by a window, watching the trees go by, while Twilight was lost in a book, a pile of notes laying beside her. The others had remained in Ponyville. He wished at least Fluttershy had come along, but she had regretfully told him that she had too many animals to take care of for her to leave so suddenly. She looked so sad that she couldn't come to help.
Now they were on their way to Canterlot. Not only had Twilight arranged for passage on the early-morning train, she had sent a letter to the Princess herself, receiving a royal invitation for them all! He had thanked her profusely for what she was doing, but she seemed to think nothing of it. He was wonderfully surprised by the length she was going to help him, but he couldn't help a private feeling of dread. Every time he thought of Celestia, the memories of his dream crept back into his thoughts. He shuddered.
Applejack looked over, questioningly. He glanced to her, freezing as their eyes met, staring into her green eyes. It took a force of will to look away, eyes turning to the ground.
She had seen something in that look, something that had caught her attention, and her voice carried her concern. "What's wrong?"
He didn't answer right away. Part of him didn't want to answer at all, didn't want to dredge up that memory. The whole scene was so fundamentally wrong. But it was not going to go away. More than that, he was going to the place of these memories. The more he thought over his dreams, the more he knew that what he would find, at least in Canterlot, might not be easy. He had been in the middle of a terrible situation, and somehow had ended up badly wounded in a forest many miles away. What he found might be worse than he was ready to deal with on his own.
Finally, he sighed, suppressing a shudder as he spoke lowly. "I saw Chrysalis."
Twilight looked up from her book with a momentary flash of surprise.
"Nasty piece of work she was," Applejack muttered darkly. "Woulda stuck every pony into one of those cocoons, sucked out all their love, and probably would have laughed the whole time she was doin' it, too."
He nodded. "Yeah." He didn't know anything about her except what he'd been told, but it seemed right. "I also saw you two there, in the chamber, and your friends, but..." He trailed off. This was surprisingly awkward.
"But?" Twilight prompted. She had set the book aside, her notes back in front of her, a quill already raised.
He looked to her. "But it was... it was just wrong. You looked so downcast and defeated. Everything seemed dim, and you didn't even respond to the changelings around you." He felt so awkward. "It scared me. Not in the dream, I mean, I didn't know you then, but now..."
Twilight nodded slightly. "We were in that chamber a couple times," she said, softly. "Once as her prisoners. But we weren't defeated, and we certainly didn't give up. I can promise you that. That's just the dream playing with your memories."
He stared at her for several long moments. His mind wanted to reject what she said, to cling to what memory he had, whether real or fiction, but her certainty cut through his reluctance. He could feel his confidence slowly rebuilding itself, and returned a faint smile.
She mirrored the expression. "Were you really so worried for us?"
"Well... No, I guess not. Not really. I mean, it's obvious you all made it through just fine, especially to be doing so well so soon afterward." He hesitated, almost leaving off there, but forced himself to continue. "I'm just worried about what I'll find. Something must have happened to me here. What if it's something bad?"
Twilight hesitated, looking to Applejack. For a moment she looked conflicted, before turning back to him, placing a hoof to his leg. "If anything bad did happen in your past, it's in the past. And we'll be there with you."
His smile grew a bit wider, grateful for the sympathy and support. Then he sat back, giving a weak chuckle. "I'm sorry. I'm making for a really bad traveling companion, moping about all the time."
They shared his chuckle. "It's okay," Twilight said. "Seems like you've had a hard week."




 
Vague dreams and distant glimpses did not do Canterlot a modicum of justice. The broad strokes were largely the same, but the details were clear and vibrant; the city was elegant and beautiful, from the largest tower and buttress, down to the smallest of decorations. Even the streets themselves were pretty in their own way, finely-interlocking stone curving gracefully through the city, with little embellishments and decorations marking corners and edges.
Sky stepped off the train -- oh how nice it was to have stable, unmoving ground beneath his hooves! -- following the bustling crowd of passengers. So many ponies, much more than he remembered in his dream, moved about in the grand station. Many were pulling bags from the train, while others were waiting to board. The crew moved about to arrange business for their departure, while attendants helped with baggage. Royal guards watched over the scene, striking in their brilliant armor.
A young brown stallion quickly approached them, wearing a simple yet elegant uniform. "Ah, Miss Sparkle!"
Twilight seemed to cringe a little, quickly replying, "Please, Twilight is fine."
"Ah, of course," he said, before continuing on, dipping his head to her. "I am Swifthoof. Princess Celestia is looking forward to your arrival, and bid me to fetch you as swiftly as possible."
Sky's ears perked up, surprise clashing with apprehension. Sure, Rarity had mentioned Twilight being the Princess's "star pupil" and all, but it was one thing to hear it among a gathering of friends, and another entirely to receive a personal escort delivering a royal invitation.
Twilight seemed to take it perfectly in stride. "Of course. I'm kind of surprised she sent an escort, though. It's only been a few days since my last visit. I'm pretty sure I could find my way."
"I'm sure," Swifthoof replied, fortunately not sounding offended. "But security measures have been elevated since the changeling attack, and I suspect she did not wish for you to be tied up while the guards do their checks."
It did seem that the guards were paying extra attention to newcomers entering the city. A few unicorn guards were scanning over the ponies leaving the platform, as well as the largest of baggage, and while the procedure was swift, it did slow the traffic somewhat. With Swifthoof leading them, however, they were able to bypass the line, passing the guards with a friendly nod.
Judging by the wealth shown by some of the ponies in line, this was a very unusual privilege. What was his luck in having run into her, of all ponies? Rarity had certainly been right about Twilight.
Twilight looked a little uncomfortable with the treatment, however. "It does seem like security is being much more... thorough."
"Yes," Swifthoof replied, with a hint of reluctance to his voice. "The Princesses were against the idea, but the population insisted, and you know how Princess Celestia tries to give her subjects what they want. She passed the order as a monthly decree, though. I think she is hoping that after a month they will be settled in enough that she can just let the matter drop."
Applejack chimed in. "Is it really so bad? What're they lookin' for?"
"It's just a quick sweep to dispel active magics and suspend enchantments. The idea is to prevent any changelings from infiltrating the city again." He smirked a bit, adding, "So far, I think the total catch is one magically-recolored mane, and about a dozen pieces of fake jewelry. Caused a bit of trouble for a certain jeweler in the upper city, and half the nobility flocked to the gates the next day, jewelry in tow to be scanned. Had to call in extra guards to handle all the work!"
As they walked through the city, Sky's eyes roamed all over, soaking in the place. None of it struck any particular chord with his memories, but he was not looking for that right now. Right now, he just took in he grandeur of the city. Twilight chuckled quietly beside him, and a hint of embarrassment grew in him at how he must be gawking like some tourist, but it was so hard not to. The city was beautiful.
The first sign of recent events came soon enough. Entering a broad square, his eyes fell on the grand statue in the center. Originally an earth pony supporting a banner, it was now broken into several pieces, currently being swarmed over by masons working to restore the great figure. Later was a section of street, hastily patched to fill the crater left by some changeling magic. Then a store with boards replacing the shattered windows, still carrying on business despite the damage. And most heartbreaking, a small home, once quaint and cozy, now gutted by fire. He couldn't help but linger on the thought, imagining the family that had lost everything in those moments. In a way, not too unlike him.
"Sky..."
Twilight's voice was full of concern again. He hadn't realized how transparent his thoughts were, his sad gaze looking over the lingering signs of destruction. But at the same time, he looked over the ponies that walked around him. Sure, there were signs of sadness and despair still evident, but they were faint, fleeting glimpses. More frequently, he saw smiles and happiness. Passersby smiled in greeting to each other, while foals ran about laughing and playing. A cafe owner laughed happily with a few customers, despite standing beside the roped-off remains of his now-shattered patio.
He looked over to Twilight, giving her a little nod and an attempt at a weak smile. He continued on, trying to sort out the chaotic mix of emotions running through his mind.
The palace and its grounds were grand and elegant even when compared to the rest of the city, and yet, showed the most scars from the battle. There were not nearly as many workers as they had seen in the city, certainly not as many as were needed to repair all the damage.
Beside him, Applejack made the same note, and murmured a soft "Huh."
Swifthoof glanced back with a questioning look, and she just smiled a little, tilting her head toward the craters they were walking past.
"Ahh," he said with a smile. "You caught that. The Princesses insisted that repairs to the city come before repairs to their own palace. I believe Princess Celestia said something along the lines of how the work should go to helping those in the most need, before those who had too much."
There was a happy pride to his voice that made his respect for the Princess's decision clear, and Sky noted that Twilight was smiling happily to herself. Even he felt a bit better at this. It made him think of that happy image of Celestia, the caring, compassionate ruler. Without the horrible corruption that followed in his dream.
His heart was beating harder in anticipation as they entered the palace. It was amazingly magnificent. Everything looked brilliant. The polished floor of white marble sent clear clops with every hoofstep. Grand columns of pure white stone supported the great arches of the ceiling. Decorations accented the room in many places, from the gold-and-crystal chandeliers to the intricate tapestries and finely-carved banisters. Most impressive were the grand stained-glass windows. The whole scene glowed in the light of the sun that shone through these, and the grand clear windows that gave such a full view of the sky, making the great hall feel almost as if it were wide open. Many ponies hurried busily about inside its halls, engaged in the constant business of running the kingdom. They passed through the crowd and past guards, without challenge.
Swifthoof showed them into the grand chamber where the princesses waited.
It was the same chamber from his dream. A faint chill went through him as he looked about. He couldn't remember all the fine details, but there was no doubt that this was the same room. Celestia stood tall and brilliant, in the same place he remembered her. He almost kept himself from looking, memories of his dream clawing at his mind, but he forced himself to look.
The knot of his stomach relaxed slightly, to see her standing, serene, a soft smile on her face. She looked up to them, the smile widening as her eyes settled on her pupil. Happiness bubbled up inside him at the sight. That horrible, panicked expression was nothing now but a fragment of a dream, gone forever.
Perhaps it was ridiculous to have held onto such a fear, so completely contrary to what he had heard, even what he knew, but emotion rarely works so logically.
As they approached the dais, he looked around, noting a few other differences. There was hardly anyone here, just a few guards, and the previous visitors, likely nobles by their bearing, who were now exiting the chamber. There was another winged unicorn as well, but not the pink one he remembered. This one was a midnight blue, with a flowing mane that looked like a wisp of starry night. She looked tired, currently holding a hoof to her mouth to hide a yawn, but the yawn was quickly replaced by a happy smile as she, too, saw Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said happily, as she began to gracefully walk down the steps to meet them. Even without any knowledge of proper courtly etiquette, he knew this must be unusual. She certainly hadn't stepped down for her previous meeting, and those were nobility. This was less like a formal meeting with the Princess, and almost more like a friendly social call.
She continued while his thoughts ran wild. "I must admit, I hadn't expected you to return so swiftly." They were only feet away now, and even without the dream-fueled fear, he could feel his heart racing. So close, he was even more aware of just how big she was, practically towering over him. He watched in surprise as Celestia ducked her head, nuzzling Twilight in a fond greeting.
"And Applejack," she said, raising her head again. "We've seen far too little of you, for how highly Twilight speaks of you. Hopefully we shall not have so many interruptions with this visit."
The orange mare seemed to blush, trying to cover it up with a soft chuckle.
Then Celestia turned to him. His heart practically stopped.
"And you must be Sky, the pony Twilight wrote of."
He stammered softly. Oh sweet Celestia, the princess is talking to me, he thought, while somewhere in the background of his mind he noted that an oath naming the very being that had provoked said oath was unlikely to be productive. "Yes, um-" Abruptly he was aware that he had no idea how to properly address a princess. A hint of fear crept up, concern not only of upsetting Princess Celestia, but possibly also hurting Twilight's relations with her. He scrambled for an appropriate title. "...Your Highness?" It came out more like a question, but he supposed it was better than nothing.
Celestia just chuckled. "Oh, please, no need for such formalities here. I get more than enough of that from the nobles."
"Oh, um, sorry," he quickly offered.
"Nothing to apologize for, I assure you," she replied.
He opened his mouth, only just stopping himself before he could apologize again. Fortunately, she continued on before he could embarrass himself even further. He swore he caught an amused smirk.
"I understand you have come on a bit of a quest, here. Discovering yourself again, so to speak?"
Sky nodded. It sounded a little more extravagant and poetic than he would have described it, but he supposed it was accurate enough.
"Tell me, Sky. What is it you are looking for?"
It seemed a strange question. She apparently already knew. He was here to find out who he was, what had happened to him. Maybe she wanted more of an explanation? "I woke up a few days ago without any memory, except this nightmare of the attack here. I was hoping I might be able to find somepony here who knew who I was -- I mean, who I am. I don't know my own name, what my cutie mark means, where I live or what I've done. I don't even know if there's anypony out there to miss me."
She was nodding, expression gone slightly more somber. "Discovering who we really are has always been one of the greatest goals in life. I wish I could just answer those questions for you, but I'm afraid it won't be so simple as that. The best I can offer is the service of the scribes. Many ponies were missing shortly after the attack, and letters have come from around Equestria, inquiring about loved ones. If there is somepony looking for you, they would have the records to help you."
Which left one last possibility. "...and if there isn't somepony looking for me?"
He thought he saw a hint of sadness cross her features, but it vanished just as quickly. She lowered her head, speaking softly. "If not, then you will have to discover who you are for yourself."
He nodded slightly. Beside him, Twilight was quickly scribbling in her notes.
"But if I might offer a comment," she continued, "Remember that our past may help shape who we are, but it does not control us. Finding who you were will not tell you anything you do not know about who you are, and being too focused on the past can be worse than not knowing it at all. Some things may not be pleasant. Every pony has flaws, every pony has done something they regret, that they may be happy to forget." The midnight-blue winged unicorn shifted uneasily, suddenly looking embarrassed. "Every pony. Even ones who have only done what they feel is necessary. It is all too easy to focus on a single aspect of the past to the point of being blind to everything else."
Her smile grew. "And above all, do not be so consumed in looking for your past that you do not live for the future. Even if you never discover who you were, you have your whole life ahead of you to find out who you are now."
Despite the encouraging words, it was an uneasy feeling that rose from this, a possibility that he hadn't considered until that moment. He had assumed that finding his past would be the end of the matter. A name, a past, a place he belonged, everything sorted out for him. He had only considered the two outcomes; a happy ending, or a new beginning. Now there was a third. What if he didn't like what he found? He couldn't imagine it being worse than not knowing, but... what if?
Twilight touched his shoulder, drawing his attention back. She smiled at him, a happy confidence that he wished he could feel, but which still fed a tiny spark of hope inside him. "We should go get you to the hall of records," she said.
He nodded. Casting a glance back, he saw the Princess ascending the steps, pausing to fondly nuzzle her midnight-blue companion. He smiled; faintly, but it was there. "Yeah..."
 
Sky walked out into the streets of the upper city, slowly looking around. The visit to the scribes in the hall of records had been brief. The list of inquiries toward loved ones was short, and the list of missing ponies was shorter, even before most of them had turned up. Twilight quickly set most that remained aside -- "Obviously you're not a unicorn or earth pony," she had pointed out -- which reduced the already small list to just three. Coat color and cutie mark dismissed those.
It was a little disappointing to have what could have been such a simple solution turn out to be nothing, but he found himself surprisingly at ease with it. The news of the attack had spread across the kingdom, as had the request for information on anypony who might be missing. As disappointing as it might be to not have the answers he sought, there was some comfort that there were no ponies out there worrying over his absence.
Of course, that also meant there were no ponies out there waiting for him, either.
It was a bitter thought, but one he could handle. He had already made some friends, and in only a few short days. Friends who were good enough to go out of their way to help him, disrupting any of their own plans to bring him here. From all Sky could tell, he may well have more now than he did in his previous life, whatever it was.
Still, he couldn't give up the search. Not just yet. They had traveled all the way here to look for his past, and he wasn't ready to be done after a few minutes of looking over scrolls.
"I think this is where I saw you and your friends," Sky said, looking down the street. Crudely-filled craters marred the surface, dozens of them. A proper barrage had come down here, and his new friends had been in the middle of it.
Twilight was nodding. "That was at the beginning of the attack. The dome came down, and all the changelings came hurtling down at everypony."
"Was a hairy couple minutes," Applejack added. "Little buggers came down like fiery hailstones, smashing all 'round us."
Sky shook his head. "I'm glad you got away. There must have been so many of them."
Applejack snorted out something rather grumpy sounding.
Twilight sighed a little. "Actually, we didn't entirely get away. We were trying to get the Elements of Harmony to fight off the queen, but there were too many changelings. They captured us, and dragged us back to their queen." She shrugged a little, seemingly unaffected by it, though he got the sense she was playing down the severity of the event. He couldn't imagine being dragged back to that creature as anything short of terrifying.
"Well in that case, I'm just glad you're all okay," he said softly, hoping he could be as comforting as they had been for him. "That dream was so vague, and I didn't see her actually do anything, but Chrysalis seemed... Imposing. Dangerous."
"That's putting it mildly," Twilight said dryly.
Sky smirked a little. "Well, it was a pretty short dream."
She chuckled softly. "Okay then. So, where to?"
He looked about, then gestured down the pock-marked street. "You all ran that way, then?" Twilight nodded, and he turned to look the other way. "Then I guess I must have gone this way."




 
After almost an hour of walking down unfamiliar streets, backtracking, detours, and sightseeing, Sky finally found a familiar sight. It was a small detail, the curve of the street edge meeting a decorative planter, but for some reason this one little feature caught his eye, rekindling the hope that had slowly faded over the fruitless search.
"I was here," he said softly, looking around. A few other facets of the location looked vaguely familiar. "...That way."
They continued down the street, the feeling of familiarity growing. He trotted along, barely pausing at the intersections, pushing down the urge to break into a gallop. Each step felt like he was drawing closer to... to something. Finally, out of the haze of indistinguishable features and half-remembered events, something seemed familiar.
Sky rounded one final corner and came to a stop. The street he had led them down ended in a small plaza, a broad circle of street around a small green. Several buildings lined the sides, leaving a gap for a small overlook, the low wall being the only obstacle between the ponies there and the grand view beyond.
Slowly he walked into the plaza, stepping onto the soft grassy circle in the center. He stopped, looking over the buildings in front of him. "I stopped here."
A nervous sensation started gnawing at him as the memories of that dream passed through his mind, and fading only slightly as his companions stepped up beside him. "There was a mare," he said quietly, and gestured to the wall of the building in front of him, which had turned out to be a fancy furniture shop. "Right there. I had run behind her this whole way, but the street ended here. Then the changelings were all around us. That's the last thing I remember."
"Any idea who she is?" Twilight asked, softly.
No. He remembered seeing her there, but there didn't seem to be any familiarity past that. That didn't matter to him; at the moment, she was the strongest connection yet to his past.
Sky walked forward. The owner of the furniture shop was an elderly earth pony, currently sitting in the front courtyard of the building, a small, open display area. He was working on filing down a curved piece of wood for some project, barely pausing with his work to nod to the approaching pony.
"I'm sorry if this is strange," Sky said, "And I know it's not very much to go on, but I'm looking for somepony. She was here during the attack. I don't know if you know her, she might have only been passing but, I, er..." He paused, the other pony now looking at him with a questioning expression. "Did you happen to see a mare with a smiling flower for a cutie mark?"
The questioning expression held for several long moments, that nervous sensation growing stronger by the second. Then a smirk slowly spread across the shop owner's face, and he raised a hoof, pointing.
Sky followed the gesture to look straight across the plaza to a small cafe, with a sign shaped like a flower hanging in front of it, a happy little smile painted in its center.
Sky blinked in surprise. "Oh. Well that was easy."
Thanking the elder pony, he hurried across the street, Twilight and Applejack close behind. He was just stepping up onto the cafe's front patio when she came out, and there was no question it was the same mare. His heart pounded, the tinge of adrenaline hitting him as he approached.
"Oh, hello there!" she said, in a delightfully cheery voice, giving them all a welcoming smile. "I'm Sunflower, welcome to the Sunny Cafe. Please, take a seat wherever you like."
Sky flushed a little, finding himself suddenly awkward. She seemed about ready to trot over to one of her customers. He quickly stepped up to keep her attention. "Um, actually, I was hoping I could ask you something."
"Oh, sure, of course." She paused then, eyes moving past him. "Hey, I recognize you..."
Sky looked back over his shoulder to Applejack, who looked very self-conscious under the unexpected attention. "Who, me?"
Sunflower nodded. "Yeah. You were one of the ponies at that big award ceremony earlier this year, weren't you? Right after everything went all... funny."
"Oh, that," Applejack said, now sounding distinctly uncomfortable. "It was... nothing. Ahm surprised you'd even remember me."
Sky couldn't help but smirk a bit at this. She looked embarrassed, but that nervous smile seemed perfectly genuine. She might be quite modest, but he had the feeling she liked the recognition.
"Well of course I'd remember," Sunflower said, giving a big grin in return. "A freckled orange earth pony with a cowboy hat isn't a very common sight around here, particularly at a big and fancy gathering like that! I'd certainly hope you get some recognition after what you and those other ponies did for Equestria."
Twilight was smirking now, as well. "Seems somepony's famous," she teased.
"Ah, well, heh." Applejack fidgeted a bit, quickly attempting to change topics. "Anyway, thanks for that, but we were actually kinda hoping you might recognize our friend here."
Sunflower looked over both Sky and Twilight, apparently unsure which she meant.
"I know it's a long shot," Sky said, drawing her attention back, "But I was hoping you might..." He paused, sighed. It seemed so simple in concept, but so strange to just ask some complete stranger if they knew anything about you. He mentally backtracked, figuring it would be better to start from the beginning.
"I was here during the attack," he said, quietly.
Her smile faded, replaced by a look of sympathetic concern. "Oh..."
"I was hurt afterward, and I'm having a really hard time remembering anything at all." Simple enough, he supposed, no need to go into too much depth here. He felt like he'd explained all of that far too many times in the past two days. "One of the few things I remember is running from the changelings, following you, and ending up here. I... I know it's a long shot, but I was hoping maybe you'd remember me. Anything at all, even the smallest detail, might help."
His heart sank at her expression. She looked thoroughly crushed by this. Suddenly, he wished he could take it all back. To unsay what he had just said. Hey, it all just came back to me now, nevermind, no need to worry yourself! Anything to undo the grief that he unwittingly seemed to have brought to this young mare.
"Oh... Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, stepping up to gently place a hoof on his shoulder. "I wish I could help, but I don't remember meeting you."
He sank a little, giving a deep sigh. Nothing. He'd gotten so hopeful that something would turn up, even if the smallest of detail, and yet he had come up empty.
"It was all so chaotic," she continued, "And with all those changelings chasing everypony around... At first I was hidden with a whole bunch of ponies that had holed up in a shop, but I was too scared to remember any of them. When they found us... I know some others had ran with me, but with all those horrible creatures there, I never got a good look at any of them." She gave a low sigh, eyes moving over to the same spot he remembered her stopping in his dream. "Then when I got here, they surrounded me. I'm sorry, I was too scared of what they were going to do to me to notice anything else."
He felt hollow. Words came out without him quite meaning to, reflexively carrying on the conversation. "What happened to you?"
She smirked a little, a small hint of good humor returning. "Well, they grabbed me, for all the good it did them. Guess all the running did some good. That explosion went off a few seconds later, tore the changelings right off me. Cut up my leg where one of them had grabbed me, and nearly cracked half my ribs when I hit the overlook wall." She shrugged, trying to downplay the incident and liven the mood a bit with a smile. "But I'll gladly take that. If they had a slightly better grip on me they would have pulled me right over the edge. I'm sure the guard would have caught me like those poor ponies that were thrown over elsewhere, but I'd much rather enjoy the view with my hooves firmly planted on the ground."
He nodded dully. Words wanted to form, but he couldn't quite make sense of his thoughts. Explosion? He didn't remember that.
"Hey... Why don't you find a seat. I'll get you something nice." She ducked her head a little to catch his eyes, giving an encouraging smile. "On me."




 
Sky lay with his chest across the overlook wall, forelegs dangling off into space. The view was incredible. A waterfall streamed out from nearby, plummeting well over a thousand feet down to the lake below. The land stretched out in every direction he could see, rolling hills, lush forests, and scattered here and there, small towns and villages. He was fairly sure that was Ponyville, off in the distance, the evening sun glowing off the tiny, distant roofs.
"You okay?" Twilight asked softly, both her and Applejack sitting by the wall with only their forehooves on it, rather more conscious of the incredible height than he was. She'd asked this a couple times now, and so far he had been very noncommittal, lost in his own thoughts and conflicting emotions.
Staring out across the land from this vantage point, though, had a remarkably calming effect. From so far above the world, all his problems just seemed so much... smaller. He took another sip of his drink -- some delicious fruit smoothie Sunflower had recommended -- and smiled a little. "You know... I think I am."
He continued on, slowly giving voice to the thoughts running through his head. "I'm kind of disappointed that I couldn't find anything about my past, but... not as much as I thought I would. It's almost a relief, if you can believe it." He shook his head a little, not entirely sure if he believed it himself. "Knowing there's not some pony out there worrying themselves sick about me is something of a comfort, I suppose. If I don't have any ties... Well, I'm free to do what I want, be who I want."
He turned to Twilight, his smile growing more sure. "If I were doing so well before, surely there would have been somepony looking for me. But now? I've been conscious for what, two days? And I've already been welcomed to town with a big party, and made friends who are kind and generous enough to take me to another city on a wild goose chase, even knowing there was little chance of finding anything."
Twilight looked surprisingly awkward at this, with an expression that looked more guilty than simply embarrassed.
"Looking at what I have now, how could I be disappointed, really?" His confidence was slowly growing with each word. "I mean, it'll take a bit to get on my hooves again, but otherwise, it'd be hard to look at what I've got and say it isn't good." He let out a small laugh. "Heck, I just got an audience with the Princess, and over nothing more important than my own well-being."
Twilight's expression quickly changed back to a smile. "I think you'll find that her subjects' well-being is the most important thing to her.
"After what I've seen today, I must admit, I wouldn't doubt it."
He turned back to look over the view, taking another long sip of his drink. Beside him, Twilight and Applejack exchanged a look.
"You know," Twilight said, "It'd be kinda silly to just hop on the train back, not when we've got an invitation to stay at the castle, and to dine with the princesses..."
"We do?" Sky asked, looking back to her with a surprised, but quite happy face.
"We do," Twilight confirmed. "So I was thinking we should turn this into a nice little mini-vacation. Relax, see the sights, enjoy ourselves. We didn't really get much time to take it easy the last time we were here, after all. It's just for a day, but... what do you think?"
"I'd love to!"




 
Despite the initial excitement, Sky had felt nervous at the prospect of attending a royal feast. He was sure the food would be wonderful, but as the hour approached, he became more and more aware that he didn't have the slightest clue what "high society" would expect as proper behavior. The idea of being in the midst of potentially dozens of high-ranking and important ponies was more than a little intimidating.
So he would have thought that discovering that "dining with the princesses" was just him, his friends, and the princesses, would have been comforting. It wasn't. It was far worse. As they were shown in, he was acutely aware that, even being potentially the least interesting or important pony in the room, he was inevitably going to catch the princesses' attention. At least in a crowd of rich and powerful ponies, he could have hidden simply by not drawing attention to himself. Not so when there were a grand total of five ponies in the room, discounting the occasional servant.
Well, hopefully they'd be more interested in talking with Twilight, who had some acquaintance, rather than some new and unknown pony. He fidgeted self-consciously as they approached the table, taking their seats. Celestia cast an amused smile toward him, which made him blush.
Greetings were made, the casual greeting of friends rather than the formal exchange Sky would have imagine of royalty, though Luna -- Twilight had thankfully filled him in on her name and relation before dinner -- spoke in a somewhat unusual manner. He struggled at a way to describe it. Casually formal? Antiquated, certainly, but still friendly.
The food was beyond delicious, giving him the perfect distraction from his sudden attack of self-consciousness. Perhaps a little too perfect, as he missed the drifting of the lighthearted conversation.
"I'm curious, Sky," Celestia said, "How goes your quest of self-discovery?"
It took a moment for him to even realize he had been addressed, and he looked up surprised, his mouth full. Chew, chew, swallow, faster, faster!
He gulped down the bite as quickly as he could, almost coughing as he did so. "Oh! Um, I guess not so well. I didn't really find anything out." He suddenly shook his head, realizing that wasn't quite right. "I mean, I did find out that there hasn't been anypony looking for me, which I guess is good to know. Good to know that there's nopony worrying about me, I mean. At least if I'm starting over, I've got that burden off my shoulders. And I've already made some good friends. I mean, I think we're good friends, I-" He forced himself to stop rambling, and quickly took another quick bite to keep himself from starting up again.
The fact that Celestia seemed more amused than offended by his rambling did at least soothe his nervousness. Even his embarrassment at the rambling outbreak seemed to fade just a hint at the sight of her calming, caring smile. And besides, he was talking to the Princess! Not just as a subject at court or some calling noble, but at a private dinner. He couldn't help but smile at the thought.
"There we go," Celestia said in response to that smile, with a clear hint of amusement to her voice.
Okay, still a little embarrassing.
He suddenly imagined that he was reacting to this much like Applejack had reacted earlier. Though at least she had done something notable. Well, more notable than sharing a private dinner with the rulers of Equestria.
"So, Sky," Celestia said. "Twilight was telling me that you saw me in your dreams?"
Oh yeah. The nervousness was back.
"Er... kind of?" he said. He didn't even want to think of those horrible glimpses and feelings from his dream, particularly not when compared it to her, face-to-face; that confidence, happiness, and compassion radiating from her every movement and expression, every bit as much as it had in his dream. "I don't think it was real. Not entirely. It really doesn't make any sense, honestly."
"As I understand, dreams often don't," Celestia replied. "But all the same, I would like to hear it. Perhaps there is something there, in those dreams."
Well, you can't really tell a princess "no," can you? He took a deep breath, unsure just how to tell this part of his nightmare. "It was in that same room I first met you in, earlier today," he said. "You were standing in the same place, but things were different. The first time I saw you, you were just like you are now, so... Radiant and happy. Then as the dream went on, I saw... other things. The first dream was just this momentary look of... panic. Just a flash, then it was gone, but... But I knew it was still there. It was so strange, so out-of-place."
"But the last dream? You were just... You looked terrified. Everything good was gone, just... fear, nothing but fear. And you just stood there, even with all the changelings flying about, and Chrysalis -- and they were there," he gestured to Twilight and Applejack, while the words came faster and faster. "And their friends. They just stood there, too. It was horrible, you all looked so drained and defeated. It was just so wrong. All that dread and fear, and she was just standing there, laughing at it all. Everything was so wrong-"
"Easy," Celestia calmly interrupted, and he again forced himself to stop. His hooves were shaking.
There was a long moment of silence. Celestia closed her eyes, looking contemplative, almost sad, while Luna gave her sister a concerned look.
Celestia's eyes opened again, and she looked to Sky. "I was afraid, Sky. Your dream might not remember all the details, but it has retained the emotion of that moment. Yes, I was afraid, because I failed. When the changeling queen, Chrysalis, had revealed herself, I tried to stop her, and I failed. She defeated me. I failed, and I feared I would have to watch as all my subjects suffered such horrible fates for that failure."
Sky winced and looked away. A part of his mind was screaming, afraid that the terrible feelings of his nightmares were about to replay themselves in front of his eyes, but she seemed calm, at peace despite her regret.
Luna looked pained, saying in a soft yet surprisingly strong voice, "We... I should have been there for thee. For everypony."
Celestia let out a soft sigh, though her smile had returned. "No, sister. Do not blame yourself, it was certainly no fault of yours. If I had been a little less occupied worrying about a threat from outside, I might have noticed the threat right beneath my nose, as a certain other pony had."
Twilight tried to hide a smile behind another bite of food.
Celestia turned to face her, a hint of a smirk. "Though perhaps she could broach such subjects in a slightly less dramatic manner, next time."
Twilight, suddenly looking embarrassed, was thankfully rescued by Luna. "We wonder where she could have learned such dramatics," she said, teasingly, which earned her a playful smirk from her sister.
His recent near-terror at the recollection of his dream was fully forgotten as he watched Celestia and Luna, the two most powerful ponies in Equestria. Joking.
"In any case," Celestia said, "Where were we? Oh yes, the dream. Standing there, doing nothing. The "standing there" part might not be accurate, but I suppose the "doing nothing" part is, sadly. Apart from the moments I was fighting the queen, I did not manage to do much at all. At first I was barely conscious, after the blast of magic she sent into me. But I suspect if you saw Twilight and her friends there, with an air of defeat about them, that must have been after the changelings put me in the cocoon."
He coughed and sputtered, nearly choking on the bite of salad. "Cocoon?! They put you in a cocoon?!"
The sudden background fear that his behavior was thoroughly inappropriate for a royal dinner was thankfully quashed by her amused smile. Why was she so amused? Was this another joke?
Applejack was looking at him questioningly. "Yah mean to say you saw the Princess, in a cocoon, and yah don't remember it?"
"I... I don't..." He stammered a moment, looking back and forth between them. "...I-I guess not."
How could he have lost a detail like that? He could remember her expression, her reaction to the situation, but how would he remember that, and not the fact that she was in a cocoon? How much more had been lost in those dreams? How much had never existed in the first place?
As he struggled with his thoughts, Luna spoke. "Dreams can carry meaning, but they are as likely to be symbolic as they are to be literal, or even nonsensical. Everything in our dreams come from something, but that does not mean that they will make sense in the end, and just because they can carry meaning does not mean they always shall."
He stared at her for several second, mind still wanting to object. "...Thank you," he finally said. "I think."
Celestia chuckled, such a warm and pleasant sound. "Oh, thank you, Sky. It's always intriguing to hear a new perspective, even on something we know so well. Still, I am truly sorry if the topic distressed you. I hadn't known that the subject was such an uncomfortable one."
"It's okay," he said reflexively, even though he would have been quite happy to never think of that particular scene again. He uneasily took another bite of his salad, seeking refuge in his food.
She was still smiling at him, still with that hint of amusement. He was starting to be concerned that he had unwittingly done something wrong, even offensive.
"Sky," she said, softly, soothingly. "I can tell you're not comfortable. Please, what is wrong?"
He swallowed hard. Looking at her, it was hard to feel anything but peace and happiness, yet here he was, right at the focus of her attention. Why was he so nervous? Did he expect her to be offended by his behavior? No, it wasn't that. She seemed so compassionate, so understanding, he couldn't imagine her being offended by somepony simply being a little awkward, or lacking the finer social graces. If that were the case, surely his behavior so far would have provoked some response. No, it wasn't her at all.
It was him. Here he was, dining with the rulers of Equestria, when he had done little more than wake up a few days ago with no memories. But why? Why was he here? How did he deserve what must be a highly-sought privilege?
"It's just... It's just so strange," he said, still boggling a little. "I'm not an important pony, I haven't done anything of note, heck, I just woke up a couple days ago, but here I am, dining with the princesses of Equestria. It's all so..." He trailed off.
Celestia chuckled again. "Oh, Sky. Everypony is important, even if they don't realize it. Please, don't feel like this is some grand formal matter that you have to earn, or that you're somehow any less deserving just because you are not some high-ranking member of a noble family. This isn't a dinner with the "Princesses." It's a dinner with us, Celestia and Luna, just two ponies with a fancy house."
He couldn't quite contain a nervous laugh at the idea of the palace ever being described as just a "fancy house."
She gestured a hoof around the table. "This is a gathering for friends, not formalities. All I want is for you to relax and enjoy yourself." She paused, a subtly sly expression crossing her face. "And if you're still concerned about my reaction to a lack of "proper" formal manners, maybe you'd like to hear the story of last year's Grand Galloping Gala."
Both his friends groaned. Twilight looked halfway between horror and laughter.
Celestia smiled at them. "Oh, it wasn't that bad. Why, the repairs took barely a week, and certainly nobody could ever deny that it was truly a memorable night."
Sky realized he was giving the most incredulous look. The most powerful pony in Equestria. Joking. With him. "...You know, I think I might like to hear that one."




 
The great halls stretched out, the great arches and polished floors fading into the darkness that permeated the palace. The light of the sun did not light these halls, the sky outside the grand windows dark and empty. The warm colors seemed faded and empty, the brilliant decorations sinister and alien.
Every step cracked shockingly loud against the cold floor, yet there was no echo. It was as if the darkness devoured the sound. Slowly he moved through the empty halls, each indistinguishable from the last.
He had to go on. Something was out there, in the darkness, waiting for him just beyond his senses. Some horror lurked.
Another empty hall. He moved down it, pace picking up. He had to keep moving, he had to find... what was he trying to find?
A light flickered above him, faint and distant. His eyes raised to look at the tiny flicker of green descending from the sky. A small speck of flame, such an unusual color. It flowed down through the sky until it landed on the edge of one of the grand windows overhead.
The stone caught.
Fear shot through him. The green flame flickered and spread. He had to put it out, he had to do something, but he couldn't. He couldn't fly. His wings were still bound to his sides. He pulled and tore at the bindings, but they refused to loosen.
He looked up to see the flame rippling across the ceiling, almost like a living creature, casting its green light across the hall. Drips of flame fell to the polished stone of the floor, where they kindled fresh blazes.
The fires grew, and he did the only thing he could. He ran.
Behind him, the fires spread with ever-growing intensity. It flowed along the floor and walls and ceiling, following him like a predator after its prey.
And just like a predator, it was guiding him, corralling him. At one intersection he turned to run down a hall, only to have the flames spring forward, cutting him off, the flames behind lagging only just long enough for him to lunge into a different passage. Again and again he dodged the flames, guided onward.
Doors loomed in the distance. The first doors he had seen, at the end of the hall, tall and grand. He burst through them.
The grand chamber was alight in green flames, flowing about like wisps of smoke, mingling with the shadowy changelings the swarmed about the room. A giant cocoon hung in the center of the room, and he knew the indistinct form inside was Celestia.
And there, beside the cocoon, was the imposing black figure of the queen, eyes alight with the same green fire. She was softly stroking the cocoon, an unnervingly loving gesture amidst the chaos and destruction.
She was looking at him. There was something unnatural to that look. Terrible, enticing, commanding. He could hardly look away, had to physically force himself to not stare into those eyes.
They were beckoning him, pulling at him, drawing him to her.
He turned back to the flame, and ran.