Memories of the Forgotten

by NonDescript

Chapter 3

Twilight's Exile Journal - Entry #3

.....

...I may have done something horrible today...

Okay Twilight, you're going to sit there, and right it in the book... Get everything down on paper...

So, you know how I was in desperate need of water last night? Of course you don't, you're a book. But that's beside the point! ...I may not have truly understood yesterday just how desperate I really was. Just how far I was willing to go.

I guess I'll have to start from the beginning. You see, when I woke up...

---

The sun had yet to rise, and the landscape, still coated in it's blanket of moonlight, was as dead and lifeless as ever. Oh, and I was still alive. That was an added bonus. But if I wanted to keep it that way, I'd have to continue my journey as soon as I could.

So with that, I stood myself up on to my hooves, and surveyed the surrounding area, and considered my options.

Either, I risk climbing up the cliff-face to get a better view, and try and locate signs of life, but risk being too exhausted to continue. Or, I could make my way into the cave, now no longer in desperate need of rest, and try to find water, in a place that would provide me with some protection from the sun. Or I could just pick another direction, and see what I can find, if anything.

If only Spike were here with me. He would tell me exactly what I need to do. Tell me to keep a level head. Tell me what the best course of action was. Help me to remember common sense. Give some sarcastic but uplifting comment that would-

---

When I had finally managed to calm myself down a little from my little outburst, I had decided it would be best to risk climbing the cliff-face to get a better view. It was fairly tall, which while intimidating, promised a very wide view of the area. A wide view that could tell me where I should be headed next.

Now, I'd like to think I made my way up carefully and calmly...

---

Oh gosh, I looked down, I looked down. Nope. Nuh-uh. Dear Celestia HELP ME!

---

...And it didn't take long for me to reach the top, which I was thankful for. I'm a unicorn, my body isn't built for climbing, or any sort of significant physical activity. But when I got to the top, I had just the view I was hoping for. Long expanses visible on all sides, all the way to the horizon.

On any other day, I would probably have appreciated the view being shown to me. These lands are pretty surreal and calming when you're not worried about something maybe eating you. No interference, no civilization, nothing. Just a desert formed only by the elements.

Some might even call it beautiful.

I however, had more important things to worry about. Like my own survival. As such, I didn't pay attention to any supposed beauty, only to what could possibly be out there.

And thank goodness I was looking.

---

My eyes squinted, scanning the horizon below for anything that would even remotely be of use for me. A spring of water, a broken down carriage... Anything whatsoever.

I halted. My whole body froze at once. I continued to just stare at one single lone spot on the horizon. No.... It couldn't be....

Oh thank Celes-Uhh, someone! Thank whoever is out there!

I had found someone else! I wasn't alone out here!

---

Once again I had totally kept a calm composure. What do you mean you don't believe me? Shush you. You're a book, you're not allowed to think things.

....Anyway.

Yes. I wasn't the only one, out here in the middle of nowhere. There was someone else here in the middle of nowhere. And maybe they knew how to get out of the middle of nowhere.

Have I mentioned I want to get out of this tartarus forsaken place?

But regardless, my hopes at that point were certainly up pretty high. At least, higher than they were before, but I'll take all the hope I can get. And at that point, my only hope was that he knew or had something that could help me...

---

"Hey! Hey! Over here!". I spotted the nearby pony's ear twist in my direction. Clearly they had heard my shouting.

The flailing and running may have also helped. Or that I ran full force into them immediately after. None could be so sure.

"Ooh now, easy there". I now noticed the pony was a he. Earth pony. And most importantly, he seemed to have supplies.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." I say, as I bring myself off of him, and back onto my hooves.

"I meant more for my sake, but that's good to know at least". He lifted himself up, and spared his first glance at me. "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

"Twilight Sparkle. Yourself?"

He looked at me oddly. "Twilight Sparkle you say? Where have I heard that name before..."

"Well, I a-WAS Princess Celestia's personal student...."

"...Princess Celestia had a student?"

It is at this point that I was starting to become worried. "Element of Magic?".

"Nuh-uh."

"Defeated Discord?"

"You mean the statue?"

It is at this point that I was starting to become very worried. "Sister to Shining Armor?".

"You mean the Crystal Prince? Didn't think he had a sister..."

"...I'm an Element of Harmony for peeps sake!!"

"...I don't recall you being one of the five elements..."

Five elements...

Five elements...

...

---

That INSUFFERABLE Celestia! How on earth did she manage to do it?! How do you convince an entire continent that someone never existed?! Surely this is a joke right? Celestia wanted me to feel just that much more fearful than I already was? Sent this guy to beat me while I'm down. Only rational answer

Celestia cannot be that powerful. She cannot be that powerful.

Regardless, I had other things to worry about...

---

"But anyway, my name is Steep Climb. Badlands Extraordinaire! Aficionado of Climbing! Doctorate in Danger."

"...A pleasure, I'm sure."

"I do wonder though, what brings a pretty young mare like you out in to this here desert?"

Charmer, ain't he? "Oh, you know. Exile. The usual."

"...Rough."

"You have no idea."

"..."

"...You don't happen to have any water, do you? Besides a little bit of rain the other day, I haven't had a drop of water."

His head dropped a little, and the upbeat expression he wore on his face dropped. "As much as I'd love to help, I'm running fairly low myself. Been trying to conserve what I still have, which is barely enough for myself."

"B-b-but I'm stuck out here! I don't have any water whatsoever! I'll die of thirst before I can find anything!"

Now he just looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't think I could even if I wanted to. If I shared with you, I may just end up dooming us both. If it means anything, I believe I saw a possible reservoir to the south."

I lowered my head. "I guess that's as good as anything. Which way is south?"

He turned his body, and pointed in the direction away from the cliff. "Can't give you much more than that. I do wish you luck though."

"About as good as I'll get". As such, I set off on my journey, leaving the first contact I've had in days behind. I don't know if I'll see him again, yet alone live to do so. My attention is too focused on surviving to linger by. Maybe I could have tried to milk the time for what it was worth, knowing the isolation I was inevitably heading off into yet again.

But at that moment, I just hoped he didn't notice his water missing.

---

...Have I doomed someone to die in my place? Have I let myself live at his expense? These are the sort of things that rattle through my head, now that I've had time to process things. All it would of taken was a quick self-check, or a simple thought about why I was so quick to leave. Any of these things, and I would have been caught.

I just stole a thirsty ponies water. And now I might just live a few more days.

...I don't know what to feel. Should I feel relieved? Disgusted? I just left a stallion to search for water in my place, without them knowing!

...I'm not a horrible pony, am I? I didn't do anything to deserve this. I shouldn't have to be thinking about this.

Am I a horrible pony?

It's just water. It's just water. He'll live, he does this thing for a living. He loves danger! He said so himself!

I guess it could have been worse.

He'll be too worried to realize I stole his lunch too.

Comments

[Thunder--Clash]

YES finally a new chapter MAN you have no idea how happy I am to see a new chapter and it was perfect. I absolutely loved it, I can't wait for more

[sexy nightmare moon]

will celestia ever see that she made a mistake like in some of the otheres exlie stories

[Greatazuredragon]

So Celestia somehow erased her from the memory of the common pony? Will the other elements still remember her?
Very nice chapter, good work.

[BronyPonyMan]

so sun bitch erased everyones memories. man, i hope this comes back to bite her in the ass so hard! like, another one of her 'ancient villains in a can' that shows up every once and a while comes out to play. maybe something out of Tartarus. then the elements are needed, but five aren't powerful enough to beat whatever it is that showed up.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

6501368 You and me both.

[nighters]

I hope twilight can still become a alicorn to rub it in there face without there help!

[Bowow]

Heh, desperation can turn even the purest of hearts to do despicable things. I'm interested to see what Twilight will do next.

[Twilight978]

YOU'RE ALIVE!!! Anyways glad you updated and wow Celestia erasing everyone's memory didn't see that one coming

[SoleReclaimer]

6501368 More then likely I think Twilight is going to be one of those "'ancient [and forgotten] villains in a can' that shows up"

I think if Twilight finds a way to get into Equestria then Celestia will try and use the Element Bearers against her to add salt to the wound.

[Skye Mist]

My reaction to

"...I don't recall you being one of the five elements..."

memesvault.com/wp-content/uploads/What-Meme-01.jpg
How's that gonna work?!