//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Memories of the Forgotten // by NonDescript //------------------------------// Twilight's Exile Journal - Entry #1 My name is Twilight Sparkle. Daughter to Twilight Velvet and Night Light. Brother to Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor. Sister-in-law to the Princess of Love, and Princess of the Crystal Empire, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Adopted sister to Spike the Dragon. Bearer to the Element of Magic. Caretaker to Golden Oaks Library. Student to Princess Celes Sorry. With everything going on, I just needed to put all that down. Remind myself that at the very least, there's somepony that remembers me. Even if that one pony is me. I'm sorry, I'm not particularly good at this. The one thing I was given before my exile was this journal, and I figured I could at least try to get my thoughts together. Try and figure out the extent of my situation before it really sinks in, because by then it will probably be too late. Regardless. This is something that can distract me for at least a little while. You don't mind, do you? ....I'm talking to a book as if it can actually understand me. I'm losing it already. I've only been out here a few days, and with all this heat, the lack of food or water, and no one being around to talk to, and the lack of any landmarks or distinguishing features, and none of my friends- Okay. I'm together again. I am fine. I am calm. As I was saying, I've only been out here a few days, but things have already seemed to get to me. Nothing has really hit me truly hard yet, but I can't help but keep remembering what led me to being here, and try to make sense of all of this. But I guess the best thing I could be doing now, is try and do something productive. Like making my way to some water, or better yet, some proper shelter. From there, I can attempt to better my mental state, and find my way back to Equestria. .....If I can ever go back that is. I scanned the horizon for any indication as to which direction I should take. I knew that Equestria was further to the north, but that wouldn't help me unless I had something to keep me going. Nothing seemed to indicate signs of life, or any natural features different to my existing surroundings. I'm not surprised I can't see any signs of life. It's been at least a century since exile has been used as a punishment. Ponies started to view it as a cruel punishment to give, even for some of the more heinous crimes, and as such, it's use had managed to phase out over time. Although, there were also significant decreases in the number of crimes worthy of exile over the years, so if you consider that... Focus. Focus Twilight. You're not out of this yet. Just need to pick a direction. Any direction. I oriented myself, facing away from the sun, and marched myself forward, praying to whatever deity is out there, that there would at least be something before nightfall. "What is the test, Princess?" Twilight said, more than just a little worried. However, whatever worries she had right then were nothing compared to her willingness to please the Princess. "My faithful student, what I'm about to give you will be a challenge unlike any other." Celestia spoke to Twilight, her usual calm demeanor having taken on a slightly more serious expression. "It has been studied by few, and fewer have close to understanding the full extent of it's many intricacies." "Twilight Sparkle, I want you to study Chaos Magic." Come on... Just a little more... A little more to the left... Almost there... Ahhhh.... Much better.... Whatever deity there is must have found some favor with me, because the single lone cloud in the sky has managed to block the sun from reaching my already scorching fur. Oh! And there's a little cliff-face right up ahead! Which means, at the very least, I'll have some kind of cover that's better than a hole in the ground. ...Frankly, I'm perfectly fine with how low my standards for things to be excited about are right now. It just means I'm content with the little things that I'm (hopefully) going to be receiving during my times out here. It means that I can have something that gives me the boost to get up in the morning, and continue my little adventure. Something that allows me to- -Oh, I'm at the cliff-face already. Well, I can either rest against the side of the cliff, leaving myself open on one side as opposed too all.... ....Or I can brave the really dark cave I just noticed not too far from here. .... I don't think I'll try my luck. I don't exactly have much of it on my side, beyond the movement of a couple clouds. I edged myself into a small indent in the wall, and lowered my head to rest it. Sun had yet to set, and I still hadn't managed to find a proper source of water. Unless it rains again (and knowing my luck, it won't), I'll be completely bone-dry by the end of tomorrow. I'm starting to run out of options. "C-chaos magic, Princess?" "Yes my dear Twilight, and I have my utmost confidence in you." "B-but, what am I supposed to do?! I don't know the first thing about chaos magic Princess!" "That's not at all a surprise. Very few ponies do." Celestia turned away from Twilight, looking slightly downcast. "However, if we were to completely understand the secrets behind chaos, who knows the sort of things that could be prevented. The villains whose powers would be rendered useless. The darkness the world could be rid of!" She turned to look Twilight straight in the eye. Determination flowing through her, finding it's way into Twilight as well. "While many have tried before and failed, I know that you can figure out what other ponies could not." If only she could have been wrong. Twilight's Exile Journal - Entry #2 You know what the worst thing about this whole situation is? Before, if life wasn't particularly good to me, I could always be sure that in my dreams things would be better. That sleep would bring me a comfort that the day could not. Unfortunately, not so anymore. Forgetting that Luna will obviously want nothing to do with me, so even that route for conversation is shut down. No, because she believes that what happened was actually my fault, she won't even look twice if she thought I might be having a nightmare. Just the idea that even in my dreams, not only am I not safe, but that there's nothing that can be done? It's more demoralizing than anything. To know I have no sanctuary from the harsh reality. Nothing to delude myself into a false sense of security. It's harsh reality through and through. I'm scared, okay? I'm scared of my own mind. I'm scared that it will make me relive that one moment over and over. The moment that I could never turn back, even if I wanted. My own mind scares me. I'm just so scared.... I had made my way to the Royal Archives with Spike, to see what they had on chaos magic. Spike had fallen asleep hours ago, but I wasn't gonna stop for sleep quite yet. I'd just gotten to the good bit. Ooooh, this book was just so fascinating! I couldn't put it down, as it went on about many things I hadn't even thought of when it came to magic! Why didn't I attempt to study chaos magic sooner? I'm just confused as to why the Princess claimed that chaos magic wasn't yet understood, everything here seems to make so much sense, if not just a little bit unconventional. However, I still had the other book I had found to read. Hopefully by the time I'd finished reading the two, I'd have the firm grasp necessary to kick-start my own research. ..... .....No, that makes no sense. The other book said, that casting was done by directing the flow of the ambient-No, it said in the other book that chaos acted on the inherent imbalance in the state of- ..... .....No. .....No. This makes no sense. Makes no sense at all. In the back of my head, all I hear is a familiar voice. "Make sense? Oh what fun is there in making sense?