//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Amnesia // Story: Hope in the Storm // by PegasYs //------------------------------// “…” “Mmm…” “Woah! Slow down there partner! The last thing you want to be doin’ is trying to get on your hooves again. That was quite a fall, I’m surprised ya didn’t snap yer neck and croak!” I was somewhere warm, wrapped tightly in blankets. My mind was in a haze, and a constant throbbing beat my brain like a hammer on concrete. I couldn’t remember what had happened, and thinking just sent daggers into my skull anyways. My blurry vision was keeping me from determining exactly where I found myself. Dim light filled the right side of my line of sight, and there was somepony, or something moving on the left. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling in agony, trying not to cause any more damage than my body was already in. There was a weird taste in my mouth, it kind of reminded me of apple cider, but it had a sharp bitter aftertaste. A moist object was placed gently on my forehead. The heat and water that began to lightly soak my coat and mane calmed the throbbing down a little bit. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head long enough to get my memory back. “Yer lucky Ah found you when Ah did. Ifn’ you stayed out there fer much longer, you mighta caught pneumonia. Yer in good hooves now, let’s get you nice and cleaned up. I don’t want yer blood t’be stainin’ my sheets now.” The pony, who I discerned was a mare from her voice, reapplied pressure to the wet towel resting on my forehead. I kept my eyes closed, letting her do her work on me. I preferred the current position I was in, and didn’t dare move a muscle, in fear that some other part of my body was in disrepair. My brow furrowed as my captor lifted my head off the soft feathery pillow, and wrapped bandages around the backside to my forehead. Gasping from the change of position, I decided I should find out a little about my situation. “Where… where am I? What happened?” I said, my voice sounded weaker than I would have liked. I kept my eyes closed. Stars swirled in the blackness of my vision. The pony chuckled slightly, “Ah should be the one asking you! What kind o’ pony goes flyin’ durin’ the Storm of the Century?” At least something she said struck a bell in mind. I was flying in the rain, and I crashed. I was racking my brain as hard as I could, trying to remember what made me try something so reckless. “I can’t remember…” I tried to sit up on my elbows. Instead I ended up just flopping down on the bed and looking generally pathetic. The pain that ran down my back was excruciating. The white hot intensity of the jolt sent down my spine caused me to scream in anguish, tears running down into my already damp mane. “Now what did Ah just tell ya? Ya can’t be trying to hard right now, yer not strong enough. Ah just need ya to do one thing fer me,” she ran her hoof down my side, putting stress on my ribs, feeling my slightly raggedy breathing, “Ah need you to roll over on yer stomach, so I can take a look at that wing o’ yers…” Cold lightning spread to my limbs. My eyes shot open, revealing my captor to be an orange earth pony. “Wait! Is there something wrong with my wing?” I demanded. “Ah’m afraid it might be shattered. Ah need ya to turn ‘round so Ah can give it a look see.” Defeat sunk in as I realized the reason for the sheer pain in my torso. I whimpered in frustration and sorrow. For some reason, the idea of not being able to fly sent deep worry into my bones. It didn’t matter if it might only be temporary; any time that I wasn’t able to fly made me feel trapped. She assisted me with the extremely difficult maneuver. I soon found my cheek pressed against the pillow as the mare felt down the bones of my left wing. I was glad I wasn’t able to see it, as I was afraid of the condition it would be in. She found a spot with her hooves that burned like white hot needles when she touched it. I looked behind my back apprehensively, and caught a glimpse of her puzzled face, eyeing my wing with concern. She sighed deeply, “Ah wish Ah didn’t have to do this Sugar Cube. We’re gonna have to get this here bone in the right place ifn’ Ah want to bandage it properly.” I moaned, my strangled voice coming out in a series of short cries as panic kicked in. “Ya may want to bite that pillow.” “W-wait!” Crack! Applejack would check up on me every few hours, bringing me water or food, or helping me to my hooves when I had to use the restroom. I learned her name after I had awoken the morning after I blacked out. At least, I think it was the morning after. It might have been days for all I know. I was bandaged up tight, my bad wing pinned against my side, holding it in place to allow it to heal properly. I spent the majority of my time sleeping, because of the lack of anything better to do. Occasionally the sound of crying woke me from my sleep. If Applejack was present, she would run out of the room frantically. Seconds later, the noise would disappear and Applejack would return to my bedside, smiling warmly. She would laugh and say, “Don’t ya mind Applebloom. Fer a foal who can’t even talk, she sure is loud.” She didn’t pursue me any further. She didn’t ask what I was doing that night I crashed. It was probably for the best, because I couldn’t give her an answer anyway. The bump on my head had caused me to fall into a state of amnesia. Instead she would just make jokes and try to keep me preoccupied with conversation. She would tell me all sorts of things about herself, how someday she’s going to be the head of the apple orchard outside the window, and all kinds of stories about applebucking. She was really good company, but at the time I wish I had more to contribute in our conversations. There’s not really a lot to say about yourself when you can’t remember anything. She didn’t seem to have a problem with it, though. When she wasn’t keeping me company, I was either sleeping or trying to discern anything I could about my past. I couldn’t even remember my name anymore. It was one of the most frustrating times of my life. On one particular evening, I was feeling in a particularly good mood. The pain in my wing and head were minor, and I was able to stand and walk about the room without assistance. I felt some of my strength returning, and it felt really good to not be confined to a bed all the time. Applejack walked in the door just as I was heading back to rest after pacing the room a few times. “Hey Sugar Cube, It’s mighty great to see ya on yer hooves again.” “Heh, thanks. I’m feeling a lot better now.” “That’s good to hear! How ‘bout ya come downstairs and have dinner with the rest of the Apple family? They’ve been meanin’ to give ya all the privacy ya need, but Ah reckon it’s about time they got to know ya a little better.” She paused, a sour look curled into her expression, “well, I s’pose ya have to know a little ‘bout yerself before ya can let anypony else know a little ‘bout you.” She rubbed her chin in thought, then chuckled lightly. “C’mon, maybe talkin’ to some other ponies will help ya jog yer memory.” She came to my side and aided my still slightly weak self out of the bed, lending me a hoof for support. I tasted the most delicious apple pie I had ever tasted in my life that night. I sat at the end of a square table enjoying the delicious meal, listening to my hosts making light conversation with each other. I learned all of their names. Big MacIntosh is Applejack’s brother, and in charge of harvesting the apples on the farm. He was not a very talkative stallion, but had an aura of authority that was strong, despite still being an adolescent. Granny Smith is the owner of the farm, and Applejack’s grandmother. She was a very kind old mare, and always had something interesting to say around the table. Applejack also had a baby sister, who was sleeping in her crib in the bedroom next to the one I had been staying in. Applejack hadn’t said anything about her parents in the few days I had been staying here, and I didn’t bother to ask. I didn’t want to seem rude. Granny Smith was looking at me inquisitively, “Shame such a pretty filly can’t remember anything ‘bout herself, I’m sure there’s a mighty interestin’ story about that mane of yers.” I couldn’t help but wonder what she meant by that. I swallowed the bite of pie in my mouth. “What makes you say that? Do not a lot of ponies have rainbow colored manes like I do?” She gave a hearty laugh, “Sweetie, If there’s one thing Ah’ve learned in all mah years of livin’, it’s that rainbows are saved for something truly special. Yer no ordinary pony, even if yer not sure what it is that makes ya special.” Her words didn’t mean anything to me at the time, but they got me to thinking about where exactly my rainbow colored mane came from. A brief memory flashed into my mind that moment. It was a short image of flying, faster than I ever thought possible, a warm energy enveloping me. My mind’s eye brought my head around to see a huge rainbow trailing behind, connected to my mane and tail. And just like that, the image stopped, and I was left with nothing else but a sensation, a sort of aftertaste of the dream. It left me feeling resentful, and uncomfortable in my own skin. For some reason, the memory left me feeling hated. Why would such a beautiful thing leave such a bad taste in my mouth? I said goodnight to the Apple family as I retired to Applejack’s room. I couldn’t help but feel a sort of attachment to those ponies. They were so kind to me, and never had anything negative to say. I went to sleep, feeling safe and happy to have shared company with such a caring group of ponies. The feeling of a stomach filled with delicious pie wasn’t too bad of a sensation either. I felt absolutely fantastic the next morning, or at least, as fantastic as I could feel with a shattered wing and a huge lump on my head. Applejack greeted me early in the morning, and decided I should get some fresh air. “Ya should come into town with me! Ah’ll show ya ‘round Ponyville!” She said with a huge smile on her face. The name rung a small bell, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it was supposed to mean. As we headed out the door into the bright sunshine, a phrase played on repeat in my mind: I’m in a much better place. The town of Ponyville was a quaint place to live. Simple houses and shops lined the streets, most of them no more than a single story high, with thatched roofs and simple brick design. Ponies walked up and down the dirt roads, going about their daily business while enjoying the sunshine on a beautiful cloudless day. In the middle of town was a marketplace. Small kiosks lined the circular area, selling various wares: fruits, vegetables, tools, and cloth, almost anything you can possibly imagine. We walked from stand to stand, while Applejack bartered and traded her way into getting everything she needed, for half the price it would have cost a normal pony. We made it to a small shop at the edge of the square, with a sign that read “Pet Supplies Company.” “Ah need to stop in here real quick to get some food fer Winona. We c’n get some lunch afterwards, sound good?” I nodded my head, just now noticing the deep rumbling in my stomach. The shop bell rang as she stepped inside the store, leaving me outside to wait for her return. I inhaled deeply, taking in the sight of the town. Ponies would occasionally walk by the shop, and some of them even would turn to me to say a quick hello before continuing on their path. I would call back to them, feeling a warm sensation of belonging in my chest. I couldn’t remember ever feeling more accepted, but that was mostly due to my amnesia. The ponies here were so kind, they didn’t care about whom or was or where I came from, the mere fact that I was a fellow pony was reason enough for them to accept me. I was lost in the intoxicating sensation of it all. The shop bell rang behind me. I didn’t think anything of it until I heard what sounded like a tiny gasp, followed by the sound of a heavy bag colliding with the wooden steps in front of the shop. “R-Rainbow Dash!?” The voice sounded from behind me. It was a small voice, but there was an obvious tone of surprise behind the words. They gave me pause, and I decided to turn around to find their origin. The crystal blue eyes sent a flurry of short memories into my mind. Lying in a small bed in a small room, standing in a stadium with a bunch of other pegasi, and something that looked like a race, with a yellow pegasi standing on a cloud, ready to lower the checkered flag. That yellow pegasus was staring at me now, mouth hanging open in pure surprise. A sac of birdseed rested heavily in front of her hooves. She squealed a very underwhelming squeal, and wrapped her forelegs around my neck. I couldn’t stop the confusion that was in the forefront of my mind from leaving my body verbally. “Do I know you?” She released me, taken aback by my question. “But… but it must be you. It’s Fluttershy, don’t you remember me? It was because of you I couldn’t be happier with my life.” She looked on the verge of tears. “W-what happened to you? Your wing, and your head… you don’t look so good Rainbow.” “I can’t remember anything. I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are.” Applejack walked out at that moment to see the scene folding out before her. One pegasi was crying tears of concern; the other had no idea why this pony was so emotional all of a sudden. “Hiya, Fluttershy. What’s wrong Sugar Cube?” “Rainbow Dash… She’s hurt. She can’t remember anything.” Applejack looked at me, and then turned back to Fluttershy, “Wait, so ya mean to tell me ya know her?” Fluttershy nodded. “So, yer name’s Rainbow.” She rubbed her chin, then stuck out her hoof towards me, “Nice ta meet ya Rainbow Dash!” I took her hoof in surprise, and she shook it vigorously. “P-please, Applejack. We need to get her to a doctor,” Fluttershy pleaded. “Fluttershy, Ah need ya to come with us and tell Rainbow everything you know about Rainbow. You may be just what she needs to jog her memory. She’s fine, Sugar Cube, I’ve been taking care of her for a week, and at least her body is fast on its way to recovery.” Fluttershy nodded meekly, and proceeded to follow Applejack as she led the both of us down the street, back towards the farm. We gathered in Applejack’s house, and took seat in the living room. Fluttershy filled me in on everything she knew about my past. She told me stories about a Flight camp in a city called Cloudsdale, a giant metropolis floating on clouds in the sky. She said that she knew me over three years ago, and we were roommates until she decided to leave school and come to Ponyville. She described the time I got into a race, and knocked her off the cloud, sending her to plummet to the ground, only to be saved by a flock of butterflies. As she told these stories, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at all the things I did when I was just a little filly. They still only felt like stories. Despite some sort of insight into my past, it all still felt like I was hearing some other pony’s life. When she was done, she gave me a sheepish grin, expecting me to suddenly remember everything about the past. “Did that help any, Rainbow?” Applejack chided in. I rubbed my temple with my hoof, trying to make the connection in my brain, “I… I still can’t remember anything. It all just sounds like somepony else’s life.” Fluttershy sagged, and Applejack sighed. “Thanks fer yer help, Flutters. Ya helped as much as you could. Ah’m sure it’ll be no time before she starts rememberin’,” Applejack said very halfheartedly. She walked over to a drawer and produced a piece of paper. She quickly jotted down a note, and handed it to Fluttershy. “Give this letter to the mayor. It says if anypony comes ‘round here looking for a pony named Rainbow Dash, they need to report to Sweet Apple Acres. C’n ya do that fer me?” Fluttershy nodded, and walked out the door without another word. “Ah’m sorry, Rainbow. Ah hope somepony will be able to straighten this out.” My frustration was getting the better of me. I was tired of having my brain stuck in a cloud. I walked slowly up the stairs, not wanting to stay conscious any longer. Consciousness means nothing if you have nothing. I woke with a start a few days later, prompted by a loud knocking on the front door. I could hear Applejack open the door, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying through the walls. The next thing I heard was the loud clacking sound of hooves running up the wooden stairs. Applejack burst through the door. “Rainbow, get up! The mayor is here to see ya!” She ran out the door, and I followed closely behind. It was a huge relief to hear that somepony might have a lead on where I came from. A greying mare was standing at the bottom of the stairwell. She was waiting quietly for my arrival. “Miss Dash?” she said as I made it to the rug at the bottom of the last step. “I guess so.” “Nice to meet you.” She gave me a smile of a caring mother, and turned to her saddlebags. She produced a rather formal looking letter. She cleared her throat loudly. “I copied the letter Miss Applejack wrote me and sent it to every mayor in every city in Equestria. I got a response back from the castle in Canterlot, with Princess Celestia’s personal seal.” She ran her eyes over the letter, “’From the Department of Weather Control in Canterlot: I hereby request that Rainbow Dash be put in charge of the Ponyville Weather Team. Failure to comply with our wishes will result in termination of the current head mare of PoW. We will be checking the status of Miss Dash’s employment in exactly one week. Thank you.’ It is signed by the head of the Storm Scout branch of Weather Control.” Applejack brohoof’d me lightly in the shoulder. “Hoowee! Whoever ya were, ya got some powerful people lookin’ out for ya Rainbow.” I laughed nervously. That was not what I had expected to hear. The mayor nodded curtly, “You will begin your orientation tomorrow. Since you will not be able to fly anytime soon, you will just have to go through the ropes, learn about your job, and get the logistics down. We should have you ready for presentation to The Scout by next week.” I was excited, and very confused as to why I was basically just given a job out of the blue. I was curious to find out who this Scout pony is. “Thanks, Mrs. Mayor. Ah’m sure Rainbow will be a fine head of the weather team after she’s able to use that wing o’ hers again.” She saw the mayor out, giving her a polite goodbye. I didn’t know exactly what to think, but one thing was for sure, nothing about myself had been answered, and that was reason enough for me to remain unhappy with my situation. Still, I couldn’t help but feel like whatever had caused this to happen might shed some light on my past, and that was reason enough for me to look forward to my training.