//------------------------------// // Memory never dies // Story: My Little Pony: Lands of Time // by Lolsternater //------------------------------// My Little Pony: Lands of Time, Chapter six: Memory refuses to die Written by LOLSTERDarkmoon Master of evil and chaos: Spell Bound, Editor / Co-writer* (*this chapter only. Currently): Bookworm, The love doctor: Flutterpie-sparkle The inside of the house seemed quite elegant. It had a crystal chandelier hanging in the grand entrance with a large set of marble stairs reaching upwards towards the second floor, doors were on the left and right on the ground floor leading to more rooms. “Right this way, if you’d please,” said Sweet Heart, “We have much to discuss. Is anyone hungry?” We shook our heads and said “No thanks,” “Pity. I have quite a selection. Very well, this way,” We were lead to an equally grand living room complete with a giant fireplace. Each of us took a seat on the many chairs around the room, and once we were comfortable the conversation began. “Right, now I understand that a rather horrid creature attacked Hour Valley. I’m sure you will feel better if you talk about it.” Sweet Heart gave a concerning look, like we were patients or something. Free Leaf talked first, which was strange since she hadn’t said anything for a while. “Oh it was horrible. It was big and made of many animals, and it somehow knew each of us like it had been watching us our whole lives! It said some very mean things about my poor, poor plants.” The others nodded in agreement then Clean Beam continued. “It was quite strange to be honest. It was almost like just seeing it was taking something from us. Like a missing number in an equation.” I took my turn to speak. “I don’t know what this Spell Bound guy is, but he’s bad.” I looked up to see Sweet Heart spit out the tea she had been drinking and the others give me funny looks. “What? Was it something I said?” Cadence put a concerned hoof on my shoulder. “OK Dream; who is this Spell Bound pony? I don’t remember anything about a pony like that,” I looked in her eyes for something hinting that this was a joke, but there was nothing. “You… you don’t remember? You told us he was your adopted brother. A unicorn, whose father was Discord,” I looked around at the other faces. “Do none of you remember?” Before they could answer, Sweet Heart spoke up. “Well, I just remembered something I forgot to do. Why don’t I show you all to your rooms and maybe tomorrow your minds will be in better shape.” She gave a half-hearted, nervous laugh, and lead us out of the room to our bedrooms we were to stay in. Flame and I had the same room, like always, but as I looked at her she gave me a strange look. “You okay Dream? If you're seeing ponies or your brain is making up memories, then you need to sleep,” I was shocked. Not even Flame, who had to remind me that I had fur sometimes, had forgotten about the information Cadence had given us. Something was wrong, very wrong, and I was the only one who noticed. ===================================== Sweet Heart paced around in her living room, concerned. “I don’t understand. How can he remember. I put a block on all their memories so they wouldn’t even remember the name Spell Bound” She took a break to pour herself a drink. “Most curious, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll remain silent for now, lest the others think he’s lost it.” Sweet Heart smiled to herself and moved over to the window and pushed aside the curtain with her hoof. “Tomorrow we shall ‘discover’ the others. Oh it will be most enjoyable to manipulate these ponies to finding the artifacts for me, especially Cadence.” She gave a soft a chuckle and levitated her drink over to her. “The sooner the better, every month I waste Equestria recovers.” Taking a long drink from the glass, she walked out the living room and headed upstairs to her room; turning the lights off on the way. ============================== The morning sun poked its way through the curtains, gaining a grip on what it could in the room. Flame woke with sleepy eyes stinging from the light. She looked over at Dream, but he was still asleep, so she decided to leave him there. Out in the hallway dust was floating around, getting caught by rays of sun. As Flame passed, it stirred causing a thin haze. She made her way down the stairs, her mind set on a cup of tea and something tasty. About 5 minutes later she found she was lost. She flew over to a window, and found she had somehow got her directions confused and was upstairs. She turned round to make another attempt at going downstairs, and flew straight into Sweet Heart. “Flame, isn’t it?” Sweet Heart asked. “Yes, and you’re the one I don’t trust much. So what do you want?” “Why you offend me! I only wish to welcome to my home. Oh, and the kitchen is that way.” She pointed a hoof back towards the back of the mansion, back the exact way Flame had just came. Unsure how that could happen, Flame turned back down the hall, to find it was a completely different hallway. “W-what, how did...?” but Sweet Heart was gone, leaving an even more confused Flame sitting on the floor. Flame shrugged and almost took off again, but something caught her eye. In a room to her right, an old book sat open on the bed. Everything around it was gathered in dust, yet the book itself seemed untouched; despite being the oldest thing there. Flame had only learned a small bit about reading, but enough that she could understand most of what was written. At the top of the page was a date, the 17th of April. ‘I have been traveling with my old friend once more, Spell Bound! The old rascal has got it into his head that his ‘family relations’, as he puts it, are somewhere in ol’ Dayflow. We’ll see what he digs up, it’s sure to be interesting.’ The next page read 22nd of April. ‘Spell has been a bit jumpy lately, might just be he feels we’re close. We got Intel of some ruins where some strange folks were always hanging around. Only problem is its location, it’s bang in the middle of the Mad Lands. Any stallion knows that place is plain suicide, but knowing Spell Bound that will only ruffle his feathers. Here’s hoping we get out alive.’ 30th of April ‘The men are getting a bit pissy now. We came all this way only to find a clue pointing to some more ruins half-way down the country. Stand Still Desert is our next stop, let’s just hope that legends are just legends.’ 11th of May ‘This... is one of the stranger moments of my life. We got through the desert and found the ruins just as a sand-storm picked up. However, one of the ponies touched something he shouldn’t, and now the land outside is, well, frozen. Nothing moves, not even the animals. This shows that maybe this might be a bad idea after all.’ 25th of May ‘More clues led us to the ocean. After my last encounter with the vast salt water, I wasn’t too keen; but I had to stay strong and lead my stallions. So now we find ourselves heading towards the Luna Islands, I remember this place.’ ??? THEVOICESTHEYTELLMEEVERYTHINGTHEDEATHTHELIFETHETRUTHABOUTHIMHEMUSTNEVERGETBACKHEWILLKILLTHEMALL SPELLBOUND DREAMBLIZZARD SILVERMOON! That was the last entry. After that was blank pages, turning back brought up something about a ‘Soul of Seas’ and a strange prophecy, but nothing more about Spell Bound. Flame shut the book, not wanting to read more into whoever life this was, when a letter slipped from the pages and landed on the floor. She should've left it, but curiosity got the better of Flame and she picked it up. After reading she looked around the room in a panic, slipping the letter under some feathers, she left the room and headed straight back upstairs towards Dream. She was almost there when Sweet Heart came walking out of a door. “Hello there, Flame,” Sweet Heart spoke in her silky voice, “Why in such a hurry?” “I read that journal, and I think I know who you really are. You’re that Spell Bound guy Dream was going on about, aren’t you?” Flame stammered, worried for her life now she knew the truth. “Very good, you must be very close to Dream. You gonna go tell him? Well you’re not.” Sweet Heart glared into Flame’s eyes. “But rather, you are going to become a good little spy for me.” Before flame could object she felt something tug at her mind. Looking into Sweet Heart’s eyes, she saw them become swirls, and gently pulling her into a trance. Once Flame was under Sweet Heart’s control she spoke up. “Flame, can you hear me? Good. You are going to remember none of this, not the conversation, or what you read in that journal. You are going to watch Dream for me. And at midnight, when everypony else is asleep you will report to me. Now go down stairs, and get yourself some tea.” Sweet Heart walked away, and almost instantly Flame broke out of the trance, and flew downstairs as if nothing had happened. ======================================= Later that morning, everyone was gathered around a large ordinate dinner-table eating breakfast, which consisted of salad, oatmeal, and milk with honey; all plated on posh silver platters. The others watched me; still not quite sure whether my current sanity could be trusted. ‘I still can’t believe they don’t remember,’ I thought, ‘still, probably shouldn’t say anything. Don’t want them to be more worried about me than they already are.’ My head turned as I heard the sound of flapping, and saw Flame flying down the stairs. “Oh, breakfast! Save me some, you hungry bastards,” she chuckled and perched herself next to me, “Are you okay today? ‘Dammit,’ I thought, ‘Why can’t she remember?’ “Dream…?” “Yeah, I’m alright,” I lie through my teeth, “I’m perfectly fine.” “Good!” she smiled, “You gonna eat that muesli?” “Here, have it.” I really wasn’t in the mood for food right now. I needed some answers, Now. ======================================= Nitro sat in the Hour Valley Parliament Building, brooding over Swirly. “What is that lunatic planning?” He looked over his shoulder, and quickly opened a drawer under his desk, “Ah, sweet, sweet Smirclop. We meet again.” He took out a cup, and poured himself a glass of the liquid, and downed it in one gulp. (A few moments later) “I’ve been dreaming of a true love’s *Hic* kiss! Aaaand a Princess can only come with this...” Nitro staggered down the corridors, having drunk the entire bottle, “Wheeeee!” As he stumbled about, he bumped into a bust of Therefore, the respected philosopher. The head flipped back, revealing a hidden button. “What the...” Nitro snapped back into focus. Where was he? And how come nopony noticed this? He heard a faint voice coming from the wall. Nitro pressed his ear against it too hear well. “Everything is coming together!” a gleeful voice leaked from the wall, “Not long my friends, before we can finally lay waste to this planet!” Nitro gasped. Was that... Swirly? Was that what he’s been planning all this time? “Huh, I probably shouldn’t be shouting this in here.” Nitro placed his hoof over the button. No doubt it would open the hidden door, allowing him to take Swirly by surprise! It was perfect! Unfortunately, he was drunk. It was probably wiser to wait. Thanks to Bookworm who helped write this chapter! Oh, and Bookworm, before you kill me, you did kinda edit while we wrote it.