Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

by steel soul

Memories Lost

Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

By Steel Soul

Memories Lost

Sora gazed upon the figure trapped within the blue bubble of light in the middle of the room, the orange hued stallion floating listlessly, just as Twilight had done before him when she had lost her heart to the Heartless. And just as with Twilight, the stallion's own crystalized heart could be seen, hanging by a thread off the stallion's chest.

As the Keyblade Wielder approached the bubble, a weight fell upon his chest, one he had not felt since that time in Ponyville. Just who is this pony? He thought to himself. Why is he down here? Was he the reason the heartless were gathered together in front of the door? More importantly...why was he like this, just like Twilight was.

The stallion frowned. "I thought this was just an Element of Harmony thing…" He spoke out loud now, his hoof gently touching the bubble, it buckling softly in soft waves. "Do...all ponies get this way when they are about to lose their heart?" Sora asked, slowly walking around it. "It's like it’s some kind of shield that protects it from happening."

No matter what it was, it was strange, to say the least. At least for him and what he knows about the Heartless. Usually, when a Heartless kills someone, the one who's heart is stolen disappears from the world...the body becoming a Nobody...but with both Twilight's and this pony's case, that wasn't true. The bubble thing happened.

Looking around the room he noticed that, while it wasn't as grandiose as the stage in the middle of the room was the stallion was on, there were more than a few indents in the floor where more than likely other ponies might have been trapped in bubbles just like he was. Something of which only caused the stallion more confusion.

Why is he the only one here?

He didn't know what, but something must have happened to them, whoever they were.

Sora took a step back and looked up at the stallion once again. His eyes were closed...almost as if he were sleeping. If the stallion didn’t feel that what was happening to the one inside the bubble was wrong, he would have thought they were almost…peaceful.

Still, it was wrong. With a nod of determination, he would jump back before summoning his keyblade with a flourish, pointing the tip at the bubble. As the stallion closed his eyes, he recalled the feeling he had that day in Ponyville and would channel the light within his heart, making it form at the very tip of the blade.

I may not have my other magic but I still have this.

Opening his eyes he would release the energy, a soft beam of light shooting out the tip as soon as he did so.It resonated with a melodic tingle before the beam pierced the bubble, hitting the heart above the stallion. Immediately, he felt a sudden shock surge throughout his body before everything went.

~

The letter I received this morning. It said I was to work with a mare named Starlight who had found strange creatures within Trottingham Forest.

The surge of emotion I felt when I saw the name was indescribable. The name of a long lost foalhood friend of mine. The reason I was able to get into the Gifted School of Unicorns in the first place.

And then...I felt conflicted. What if it really was her. What if...I couldn't face her again. It has been a really long time and...she...I never talked to her once.

Dear Celestia, give me strength.

*****

"Starlight?" Is that...you?"

A purple mare turned to face me, a frown on her face before a look of disbelief formed . "Sun...burst?"

"It is you!" You run towards her, your heart swelling as you did so. "It's been so long! How have you been?"

"I...what..." She frowned. " What are you doing here? You...Where have you been Sunburst?"

I pause. "Oh...Well I mean. I was the one they sent to help with the discovery you made." I admitted, rubbing the back of my head. "When I heard that it was a mare named Starlight Glimmer that had found a strange being I...well...I kinda jumped at the chance to see if it was the same filly I knew back when we were foals."

"Oh..." She said in a harsh whisper. "So...Finally you show yourself. After all these years."

I could see the hurt and anger in her eyes, and I knew that I had to explain myself. "I'm sorry, Starlight. I didn't mean to disappear like that. It's just that...I got caught up in my studies, and before I knew it, a lot of time had passed."

"Your studies?" She raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you call it? Abandoning your friends for years on end?"

"I...it wasn't like that...No...I mean...I..." I stutter with my words, trying and failing to explain myself.

"You leave for the Gifted School of Unicorns promising to write and stay in contact...but you never did, Sunburst." Starlight's voice was stern, and her eyes betrayed a hint of hurt. "I waited for you, for years. I thought we were friends, but you just disappeared." She frowned harder. "And now you appear in front of me? After all this time?"

I hung my head in shame, feeling the weight of her words. "I know, Starlight. I should have kept in touch. I wasn't thinking." I shake my head. "Maybe...if...I did...I...wouldn't have flunked Magic School..."

Starlight's expression softened slightly at my words. "What do you mean, flunked Magic School?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the embarrassment and shame creeping up on me. "I...I couldn't keep up with the coursework," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was good enough, but I wasn't. It...was because of you that I got as far as I did before. I'm good with theories but that's about it. You were always the more magically inclined of us two." I shake his head. "When I failed advance study, I went to secondary study, Stuff only dealing with theory and tall tales. I felt so ashamed about it...I...guess I didn't want to face you...or anypony else..."

"That's...no excuse to just… Keep out of touch though. I…it hurt when I thought I would never see you again" She said softly. "So…I can’t just forgive you…not right now.."

I cringe and nod. "I guess thats fair. It really was a mistake coming here then...Sorry Starlight...I...I'll just..."

"You will stay right by my side until I am finished saying how much of a jerk you were for leaving me." Her magic pulled me close much to my surprise. It was warm. "And then you will make it up to me...Starting with a birthday present for every year you've been away."

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and nervousness wash over me. Maybe there was a chance for us to reconnect after all. "Okay, Starlight. I'm sorry. I know I messed up. But I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

"Good...Then the first thing you can do is help me..." She opens a nearby door. "With this-"

*****

"No matter how many times I see them, these creatures always give me the shivers." I tap the glass that held the black, yellow eyed creature. It moved and I shivered again.

"Oh don't be that way Sunburst." I hear Starlight cooing as she makes her way towards me, poking my cheek with a pen. "Aren't you excited about discovering a new kind of beast?"

I smile as I roll my eyes. "Would rather discover a new kind of book at the antiques store to be honest. Still It is something to see up close. How did we even capture it?"

"The benefactor that hired us gave it up for study."

I let out a low whistle. "That's quite the benefactor giving up such a creature. Any idea what they want us to do with it?"

Starlight shrugged. "Not really. They just said to study it and report any findings back to them."

I nod, turning back to the creature. It was small, about the size of a house cat, but its black body seemed to absorb all light, making it almost impossible to see in the dark. Its yellow eyes were the only distinguishable feature.

I shiver again.

****

I smile as I hold out a box. "Happy Birthday...this time I didn't miss it."

Starlight, focused on the notes about the black creature as it was, looked my way, a look of surprise on her face. Despite barely giving the other scientist a thought when they spoke to her, she would always give me her full attention. Something I decided to take advantage of today.

"Sunburst I...You didn't have to. You know I was only joking about the whole birthday thing."

I can't help the laugh escape my lips. "I mean...I was gonna get you something for those days too...but...It actually is your birthday."

Starlight's eyes widen in surprise as she takes the box from me. "How did you even know?" she asks, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

I grin, feeling proud of myself for remembering this year. "I may or may not have snuck a peek at your file. But only to make sure it was the right day. I mean...I may have not contacted you for years but...I never forgot your birthday. Does that make me sound creepy? It makes me sound creepy doesn't it?"

Starlight chuckles, shaking her head. "No, it doesn't make you sound creepy. It's sweet, really. Thank you, Sunburst."

I watch as she opens the box, revealing a necklace with a small star charm hanging from it. "I thought it would be fitting. Ya know...name and all. Hope its not too weird."

Starlight's eyes sparkle as she takes the necklace out of the box and examines it closely. "It's perfect..."

*****

I watch in horrified amazement as Starlight commands the little black creature, making it move from one side of the room to the other with just a mere look.

"This is...is..."

"Amazing."She finishes for me, though that isn't what I would describe it as.

I take a step back, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. There was something unsettling about the way the creature moved at her command, as if it was completely under her control. "Starlight, I don't think we should be messing with this thing outside of its cage like this. It's...I mean...."

"It's fine Sunburst. I got it under control." She demonstrates as she nods her head, an action that caused the creature to jump. "See. Perfectly fine."

I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as I watched Starlight continue to play with the creature. It was almost as if she was enjoying the power she held over it, and that thought made my skin crawl.

I hope she knows what she's doing.

****

"Starlight...I...Think we should stop this...the project I mean..." I say, sitting up in bed. "That...creature...It nearly hurt that pony."

Starlight turns to me, a look of annoyance on her face. "Sunburst...this again. I have everything under control. That mare didn't get hurt, right? And I'm sure there's going to be a brake though soon...I can feel it."

"I don't know, Starlight. That thing is dangerous. We have to put an end to this project before someone gets seriously hurt."

Starlight rolls her eyes. "You're always so cautious, Sunburst. Sometimes you just have to take risks to achieve greatness."

"But what If you get hurt? Then...What would I do?" I ask. "I just...got you back in my life...I don't want to lose you again..."

Starlight looks at me, her expression softening. "Sunburst, I appreciate your concern, but I know what I'm doing. And besides, we've come too far to just give up now. I can only do this with you...so please." She wraps her hooves around me.

I can feel her warmth and her heartbeat as I lean into her embrace, but the unease still lingers in the back of my mind. "Okay, Starlight. I trust you. But please, promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise, Sunburst. I won't take any unnecessary risks," she says, and I can hear the smile in her voice. "Now come on, let's get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

****

I feel myself flicker on the edge, darkness all around me. The sensation of falling engulfs me, and for a moment, I feel as though I've lost all control of my body. Despite the sensation I never hit the ground.

All I hear is a voice...her voice...

"I'll make this right...I...I should have listened...I'll make this right...I need them...I'll make this right..."

~

Sora's head jolts as the memories fade away, his eyes opening just in time to see the stallion gently fall to the ground in a heap. The crystalized heart that had been above him slowly seeped into his chest.

Slowly, the Keyblade Wielder would regain his faculties, a hoof pressing against his head as it throbbed. "What...was that? Were those...Memories?" He looked towards the fallen stallion. "His memories?"

The Keyblade Wielder’s heart tingles softly, a feeling he remembers when the one within his heart needed him.

"Sora! What happened!" He heard Ventus’s voice call out. "You just...stopped moving. Like you were in some kind of weird trance."

Standing up, Sora took a deep breath, allowing himself to slowly calm down. "I don't know, Ventus. I saw flashes of memories. Memories that weren't mine."

“Memories? What kind of memories?”

“Of…this one's past.” He looked over towards the fallen stallion. “He…and another, a mare, were given a Heartless to study.”

The stallion could feel the shock emanating from the one within him. "You're serious aren't you? Who would do something like that? Was it...The Organization?"

"Wouldn't be surprised." The Keyblade Wielder responded. "Those guys are always starting trouble on other worlds."

"Did...the memories show you anything?"

The caramel stallion shook his head. "Bits and pieces. I was looking through the stallion's eyes so I could only see what he saw." Sora folded his hooves about his chest. "There were...a lot of faces in the background...but there was a mare he was focused on. Someone named Starlight Glimmer."

"Geeze...what is with the pony names?" Ventus half joked. "Anyway...what about her?"

"It looked like they were working on some kind of project." Sora admitted. "Something to do with the Heartless I think."

"That doesn't seem good. Was there anything you found out about the project?"

The Keyblade Wielder shook his head. "No...but...there was one thing. She...was starting to control the Heartless they had been given by someone..."

Ventus’s thoughts stopped short, stunned by what Sora had told him. "You think she's responsible for all that's been going on in this town?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case," Sora muttered. "And finding her might not be easy."

"Is anything ever easy when it comes to stuff like this?"

Sora let out a light laugh, "No, it never is." He studied his surroundings, a small frown appearing on his face. "In any case, whatever was happening here is done with. This place is totally powered down now."

Ventus hummed in agreement. "Yeah, I get that feeling too. For now focus on what you can do. I'll be here if you need me." The one within Sora chuckled softly. "And next time, warn me when you are about to black out. Almost thought you lost your heart there."

Sora chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll try to give more of a heads up next time. No promises though." With that the stallion was alone again. He was surprised at how not weird it felt to talk to someone within him."

Getting back on track, the stallion rushed over to the one who had fallen, his mind once again replaying the memories he was able to see. After taking a deep breath, he would slowly lift the stallion's head before leaning in. He was breathing. That was a good sign.

"Your name...is Sunburst. I remember?" He shook his head slowly, shaking the haze away. "You...were trying to warn her that the Heartless were bad news. Why didn't she listen?"

The stallion huffed. There was no time to think right now. Carefully, he picks up the still sleeping Sunburst, rolling him onto his back as he does so. Taking one last look around, the Keyblade Wielder frowns, still conflicted on what happened to the rest of the ponies. Still, that was a worry for another day. Right now he had to get this one out of her, and then find a way to get Trixie too.

It didn't take the Keyblade Wielder long before he made it back to where he had left his friend. Before he could make his way towards her however, his heart would catch in his chest as he spotted some sort of...hawk with the lower half of a lion. He had honestly never seen anything like it before in his life.

He barely had time to gawk at them however, spotting just who it was that the creature was towering over. The still sleeping form of Trixie beneath it.

The stallion cursed himself for leaving Trixie alone. Not wasting a second longer, he rushed towards the beast. Knowing he had to act fast, he summoned his Keyblade, feeling the familiar weight of it in his hoof. In a downwards arc he swung. The lion bird only had enough time to squawk before dodging the blow, falling backwards onto their rump as they did so.

Before the creature could retaliate in kind, they would find the tip of the blade pointing at their head, a very angry stallion looking down at them as he slowly slip the one upon his back off of him. "I don't know who you are, but you better back off." he demanded.

The lion-bird hybrid simply snarled in response, baring its sharp teeth. "Who the buck are you!? And are you crazy!? You could have took my head off with that thing!"

Sora narrowed his eyes at the creature, his grip on the Keyblade tightening. "I'm someone who doesn't tolerate anyone hurting my friends." The stallion scoffed. "Besides, If I really wanted to hurt you wouldn't have seen me coming."

"Oh, is that a fact, Spiky?" The creature asked. "Wanna put your money where your mouth is?"

Before he could retort the sudden sounds of hoofsteps could be heard before the door that led into the room was kicked open "Gilda! I just heard you...Huh?" A blue mare paused mid sentence, looking between all within before laser focusing on Sora himself. "S-Sora!"

"Rainbow? Y-Ahhh!" He barely had time to react as the mare pounced on him.

Wrapping her hooves around him in a tight hug, Rainbow Dash squeezes him tightly before pulling away to look at him with a huge grin on her face. "Where the hey have you been!" She then frowned, punching his foreleg. "Dude! Do you know how worried I was?"

The stallion rubbed his foreleg. "Haha...I could say the same for you. I wasn't the one that was getting chased by a wave of Heartless."

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm a pro at dodging those things."

"Are you two dweebs done, or do you need a room?" The lion-bird asks, looking between the two of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Gilda! I told you before! He's my friend." Rainbow responded as she glared at the one called Gilda, a slight blush on her face. "He's one of the ponies I'm here to find." She lifted herself off the stallion, helping him to his hooves. "Forget all that though. What the hey happened? I thought I heard Gilda screaming."

"I was not screaming!" Gilda shot back before glaring towards the stallion. "He came out of nowhere and attacked me!"

Said stallion frowned as he glared right back at her . "Well Sorry. You were the one towering over Trixie here, looking like you were about to pounce on her. What else would you have expected me to do?"

The creature scoffed, crossing its arms. "I was not about to pounce on her. I just found her like that and thought she was dead."

Closing his eyes, the stallion took a breath before looking down towards the sleeping showmare, "Well...She's not. And...if that's the case, sorry I jumped the gun." He raised a hoof towards Gilda. "I was just looking out for my friend. She was already hurt because I wasn't paying attention so..."

Gilda rolled her eyes, ignoring the hoof offered. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Spiky. Just keep your blade to yourself next time, alright?"

"Alright, alrightt. With that settled." Rainbow turned her attention towards Sora. "What the hey happened with you and Miss Sleepy over there when we separated?" She looked down towards the unconscious stallion next to the Keyblade Wielder. "And who the hey is that?"

Sora shook his head before hoisting the stallion back on his back. "That's kind of a long story. Something I'll be sure to tell you while we make our way back to Fluttershy, Rarity and the others."

"Huh? But what about fighting the big bad?" Rainbow asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't we supposed to defeat them and take down this dark shield that's hovering over the whole of the city and forest?"

The stallion made his way towards Trixie. "Whoever was here before left already I think. All that I found was the stallion trapped in the same bubble Twilight was when she nearly had her heart taken by the Heartless."

"What?! Really?!" The rainbow mare asked, shocked. "And you freed him just like you did Twilight?"

Sora nodded solemnly. "Yeah, and I think there were others. But I don't know where they are or what happened to them."

"How...many others?"

"Too many for me to count by the looks of the indents on the floor like this guy was in." The keyblade Wielder motioned towards the stallion on his back. "Anyway. I'll tell you the rest when we get out of here."

"Got it...but." She turned towards Gilda. "What about the one you were looking for before? We still gotta find them."

"If they aren't here...then I'm sure they will be heading towards the camp." the griffin responded. "Something tells me I'll see them there." She cast her gaze towards the stallion before looking away. "I'll take this lump of a pony." says, moving to pick up the sleeping showmare.

Sora nods in agreement. "All right, we should head out then. The sooner we find the others and figure out what's going on, the better."

~

Fluttershy slowly awoke, a pounding headache greeting the shy mare as soon as she did so. She moved a hoof trying to reach for her head, only to find that she had been bound, her hooves tied together.

"Ah...what? Rarity? Lightning?" Fluttershy called out, her voice shaky and weak.

"Don't worry...your friends are quite safe." The soft voice of Starlight Glimmer would muse, pushing aside the tent's flaps. "In fact, they are behind you if you care to look."

Fluttershy turned her head to see her friends bound and gagged, both mares knocked out just as she had been. She tried to struggle against her bindings, but the ropes were too tight. Giving up, she would cast her gaze towards Starlight. Fear racing in her heart, she spoke up, her voice shaking with fear. "Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?"

"What I want..." Starlight repeated, her tone low. "What I want...is to make things right. To fix my mistake. To save the one I love..."

"To...what?" The shy mare asked, clearly confused.

"To save the one I love," Starlight repeated, her voice growing stronger with each word. "I made a mistake in the past, a mistake that cost me everything. But now, I have a chance to make things right. And I will do whatever it takes to do so. And to do so...I needed power."

She raised her hoof, and a Heartless would appear before them.

Fluttershy gasped in horror as the Heartless loomed over her, its glowing yellow eyes fixated on her. She struggled against her bindings, but they held tight.

Starlight Glimmer watched with a mixture of excitement and fear as the Heartless approached Fluttershy. "Before...it was only a small connection. Now...The darkness is at my command fully. And with it, my command over Shadow Creatures."

"H-Heartless..."

Starlight blinked before looking at the mare. "What was that?"

Fluttershy lowered her gaze as she spoke again. "T-They are called Heartless. And they are dangerous."

The mare sighed before shaking her head. "Of that...I know all too well mare."

"T-Then...why? Why are you working with them?"

Starlight's expression turned dark as she stared at Fluttershy. "Because they give me power. Power to fix my mistakes. Power to save the one I love." She paused. "A power that had no other choice but to use to do so."

Fluttershy had flinched at the mare's tone. Slowly, she would look back up at her. "T-Then...I...What happened in Trottingham...That was...you?"

Starlight Glimmer nodded solemnly. "Yes. Sadly it was me. But it was for a greater purpose." She lowered her head. "And for that...I did what I had to do" She turned away as she waved the Heartless away. "I lost Sunburst once...I won't lose him again. Even if it means I must hurt my fellow ponies."

"But...But there has to be another way." Fluttershy pleaded. "Working with the Heartless...they are trying to destroy our world."

"Maybe So...But what use is a world with Sunburst?" She turned towards the mare. "It is why I must find the one with the light. By subduing him, my benefactors will provide me with the means to save him."

"The one with the...Sora?"

"Sora? Is that his name?" Starlight asked, her eyes widening.

Fluttershy epped before looking away. She wanted to catch Sora…and the shy mare knew it wouldn’t be for a good reason. “I…I mean…”

“Tut, tut, tut.” Starlight Glimmer smirked as she saw the fear in Fluttershy's eyes. "So that's the name of the one who wields the light. The one they wanted out of the picture."

Fluttershy shook her head frantically, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "D-Don't you dare hurt Sora! If you do...I...I..."

Starlight’s eyes widened at the mare’s outburst before, Her gaze would shift from left to right as if she was thinking. And then, it would dawn on her. "Oh my...so that's how it is..." She smirked. "My, my...for the pieces to fall into my lap like this...It must be my lucky day." Slowly she made her way towards the bounded mare. "You...are a mare in love."

Fluttershy's eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment as she realized what Starlight had just said. "N-No, I-I'm not," she stuttered, trying to deny it.

Starlight Glimmer chuckled softly and placed a hoof under Fluttershy's chin, gently lifting her face up. "It's okay, my dear. I won't judge you. Love is a powerful thing, isn't it? The feeling warming your chest. The sight of them sending your heart a flutter. Their touch brightening your day. I know it all."

Fluttershy felt a shiver run down her spine at Starlight's words. There was something unsettling about the mare's demeanor and the way she spoke about love as if she knew everything.

"Though...hmm...Does he care for you the same way I wonder?" She released the mare's chin. "Does he think about you the way I know you think about him?" Starlight smiled. "Quite the theory to prove I must admit.” She turned to face the mare just as she was about to leave the tent. “I am sorry about this, but I will need your help with it. I do hope you can forgive me."

Comments

[AllenVth]

It will be awkward for Starlight to see Sunburst out of the heart bubble that he was previously in, but her mind must be so warped that she might think it's a trick to stop her.

[OnceMore26]

Oh boy glimmer knows. Hope this does not end badly. I know this may not happen but just wishful thinking, but will sora and fluttershy be together? I understand it may not happen, just hopeful.