Between Questions and Memories
“She responded!” yelled Twilight as she ran to Celestia. “Princess! Princess!”
Celestia was sitting in her room, feeding her pet bird Philomena. Her ear twitched as she heard the voice of her student. She let out a small sigh and thought, 'So she finally wrote back...what should I do first? Hmm...perhaps I should see Twilight’s opinion first...'
Celestia turned her head and showed her usual smile as Twilight ran and tumbled over into the room. Twilight lifted the book up as she tried to lift herself back up. Celestia walked over and grabbed the book and the two made themselves comfortable in Celestia's room as they opened the book on a stand. The two read Sunset's latest entry and Twilight asked, “So...what do we say first?”
“Hmm...” Celestia rubbed her chin in thought. “Well...we shouldn't just right out tell her everything Twilight. I am pretty sure if we did that, she might think we're crazy.”
Twilight let out a giggle. “Yeah, that would be weird if we just suddenly told her her life story.”
“I agree...tell me my faithful student, what would you write first?”
“Well...” Twilight looked back at Sunset's entry:
I am. Hello Twilight Sparkle.
“She is saying she's there...maybe we should ask her about her day? I mean, I think anypony would start a conversation with something like that...”
“That sounds good Twilight, let's start there.” Celestia said as she thought, 'Twilight...you truly have a caring heart...I'm glad you're here for this...'
Twilight levitated a small feather pen and wrote:
How was your day?
'How was my day?' thought Sunset. 'That's the one question I don't want to answer...'
I don't want to talk about it.
“Maybe that was the wrong question...” Twilight said with a small frown.
“No Twilight...she might have just had a bad day.” Celestia said in a comforting tone.
“Yeah...” Twilight wanted to talk more but another entry appeared in the book.
How was your day?
Twilight glanced at Celestia only to see Celestia nod. Twilight then wrote:
I had quite a day. I learned a whole bunch of different stuff including stuff about the book!
Sunset's eyes grew as she saw the words appear on the book. 'She...she found out stuff about the book?! That quickly?!' Sunset immediately grabbed her pen.
What did you find out? Did you find out how this book sends messages like this? Or how this book even exists?
“Um...where do I begin Princess Celestia?”
“That's a good question my student...um...” Celestia's train of thought stopped for a second as she tried to think of a response. “Let's see...perhaps we should tell her why she has the book first.”
“Okay...how do we do that? You told me it was a gift you gave her.”
“It was. I gave it to her so we could always keep it touch. She just...never used it till this happened.”
“Okay...” Twilight twirled the pen around for a second. “So what do we tell her? Do we just say she was your former student?”
“Hmm...let me write this next part Twilight. I'm going to pose as you for now. I think I might know the right words...I hope...”
“Okay.”
Celestia's horn shined as she began to levitate the pen. She let out a small sigh of hesitation and wrote:
The book is a magical book. The one you have was given to you my mentor.
'Her mentor?! Wait...was I student of her mentor?!' thought Sunset as she read the entry over and over. 'I...I gotta know!'
Was I a student of your mentor?
A few seconds later...
Yes.
'I was...that means...that means her mentor has to know who I am!'
Did your mentor tell you anything about me?
Twilight looked at Celestia with a worried look. “Um...princess?”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure about this? I mean, you told me that you and her had some problems before she left...”
“I...I know.” Celestia's head slumped over along with her ears. She gave the pen back to Twilight. “That's why you're here...I'm not sure what to write next.”
Twilight looked at the pen and back at Celestia. “Why me?”
“Because...because I'm afraid I'll mess up Twilight. I'm not perfect.”
Twilight froze at that statement. 'Princess...' she thought, 'I've always looked up to you and...and...you look so desperate right now...' Twilight turned and stared hard at the book. She took a deep breath and puffed up her tiny chest. 'Okay...I can do this!'
She told me a lot about you. You were her student before me.
'Before Twilight...okay...' Sunset began to recollect her thoughts, 'What should I ask next? Who her mentor is? Or maybe where Twilight is so I can meet this mentor of hers? Then again, would Celestia let me go wherever Twilight is?' Sunset let out another sigh and wrote:
What is our mentor's name?
Twilight looked at Celestia again only to receive a nod.
Princess Celestia.
'…' Sunset's brain had to take a second to reboot as she read those words. 'WHAT?! Princess Celestia?!' Sunset gritted her teeth with a twinge of anger and confusion.
Is this a joke?
That response made both Twilight’s and Celestia's eyes light up in disbelief. The two looked at each other in confusion. “Why would she think its a joke?”
“Um...I'm not sure Twilight.”
No. Its not a joke, why do you think that?
'Its not a joke?! But...but that doesn't make sense?!' thought Sunset as she scratched her head. 'Wha...what is going on?! Maybe I should just tell her what I'm thinking...' She slammed the pen down and wrote:
Okay, I think its a joke because I am currently living with Celestia and she's the principal of Canterlot High!
“Canterlot High?!” yelped Twilight as she turned and stared at Celestia with a face filled with confusion. “But I thought Canterlot only had the public school and the School of Gifted Unicorns?!”
Celestia closed her eyes as she let out another sigh. “I see...I was afraid of this is...”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I think...I think Sunset must have gone to that other world.”
“I...” Twilight quickly glanced at Sunset's words again and back to Celestia. “I don't...how can you be so sure?”
“Well...if she has lost her memories...ask her if she knows what Equestria is.”
“Ask her what...um...” Twilight decided not to ask and just turned and wrote.
Have you ever heard of a place called Equestria?
'Equestria? What is that?' thought Sunset as she read the entry again. 'Wait...is that where I'm supposedly from?!' Sunset got up and rummaged through her backpack, pulling out her history book for class. She quickly flipped through several pages, her eyes skimming everything. 'Let's see...I know there was a modern map in this book...'
Soon, she found the map and studied it for a few seconds. 'I can't find this Equestria...is it some small town? It sure sounds like a country...' Sunset went back to the book and wrote:
I haven't. Where is it?
“Where is it?! How do I explain that Princess Celestia? I mean, Equestria is the country we live in, right? Did she really forget even that?!” Twilight asked in a panic. Celestia put her wing over Twilight and said, “Don't worry Twilight...if she has forgot even that, than we will try to help her remember, right?”
“But what if she doesn't wanna remember?”
“Well...” Celestia wanted to say no but she knew she didn't know the real answer. “Perhaps...perhaps we should ask her if she wants to remember?”
Twilight wanted to write that immediately but couldn't. She just sat there and asked. “But...I don't know princess...don't you think that's a little early?”
“I...yes. You are probably right. Let's just tell her what Equestria is first, okay?”
“Okay!” Twilight said with a shine in her eyes.
Equestria is a country where both me and Princess Celestia live.
'A country where they live...makes sense...' Sunset glanced back at the map in the history book. 'Except I don't see a country called Equestria on Earth!'
Where is this country? I'm looking at a world map and I don't see it.
“Okay...I believe you princess. She has to be in another world.”
“Yes...what should we tell her now?” Celestia gave Twilight a calm look. “Any ideas?”
“Well...” Twilight sat there, thinking for a bit. “How about we ask her what her world is?”
“That might work.” Celestia levitated the pen.
What is the world you live in called?
'What is the...what?!' thought Sunset as she stared at the ceiling after seeing those words. 'Why is she asking that?! Why the...what?! I'm so confused...maybe I should just answer her question...'
Earth.
“Earth? I've never heard of that princess...is that what the world in the mirror is called?”
“Hmm...it must be.” Celestia let out a small sad sigh and thought, 'I...I don't know what to do here...should we ask Sunset what she thinks about all this? Or we should just straight up tell her what Equestria is?'
“Have any ideas princess?”
“Well...I was going to ask you that Twilight. Do you think we should ask her what she thinks about this?”
“Um...do you mean we ask if she understands what we're asking?”
“Yes.” Celestia nodded. “Do you think that's a good idea?”
“I don't see why not...unless she decides to stop writing...” Twilight turned and grabbed the pen again. As she was about to write, she stopped again and said, “But...I kinda want to know more about this 'Earth' world though...don't you?”
“Yes. I do as well...maybe we should ask about it first...” Twilight then put the pen to paper.
What is Earth like?
'…' Sunset's brain began to fry after that entry. 'Okay...this has gone on long enough. I am too confused to answer something like that.' Sunset slowly the pen, only for a lightbulb to suddenly go off in her head. 'Wait a minute...she's saying I'm from this Equestria...is this country or something in another world?! I...I'm from another world?! That...that's just crazy! No! That's stupid! Why is...wait...if I really am from this other world...how long have I been gone?'
How long has it been since I left this Princess Celestia?
“Whoa! Why is she asking that?” Twilight said as she looked Celestia again. “I'm not sure Twilight. She may be making some sort of assumption...”
“Do we tell her how long she's been gone?”
“...” Celestia let the gears in her brain turn for a while. Her mouth opened and said, “Let's tell her. She has the right to know.”
“Okay...how long has she been gone again?”
“A month and half a week.”
A month and half a week.
It was at this point that Sunset’s brain completely shut down. She sat there, just staring at six words that had just appeared in the book. 'A...a month and a half a week?! Are you kidding me?! That...that...that...' Sunset put her head on the desk, her eyes completely wide open in shock. 'That's when they found me in the school...does that mean I lost my memory right after I left this Equestria place?! But...but...that can't be right. That can't be right...' Sunset's brain went through all the memories it could think of. The two weeks she was awake in the hospital. The first meeting with Principal Celestia. Her first ride in a car. Her rage when she fought Gilda. The moment she saved Fluttershy. The moment the book suddenly vibrated and glowed. As she thought of that last moment, she realized something. 'I always thought this book was some kind of key to my past...but...this is crazy...this is...this is just too crazy...' Sunset's mind began to race again, thinking about her time at the hospital. 'They told me that all they found on me was a bag with those coins...and the book...no...no no no no no! That can't be right! It just can't! But...they told me they couldn't find any record of me...and...and...there are so many things I don't understand in this world...' Sunset slumped over in her chair, her face completely pale in pure shock. 'I thought...I thought it was my memory...no...no it has to be my memory! It just...it just sounds so...so...'
At that moment, Sunset's brain clicked. She looked over every word that had been written down and thought, 'I...I can't believe this. I won't believe this. If this is real...if this is what she is suggesting...' Sunset picked up the pen and tried to start writing. 'Am I really gonna ask her that? I mean...am I really gonna consider asking her if I'm from another world? That...that's stupid. That's just stupid. Why am I even thinking that this might be true?! Why?!'
“She sure is taking a while.” said Twilight with a worried look. “Should we write something else?”
“Let's wait a little longer Twilight. Perhaps she's just thinking.”
Sunset stared at the book some more. 'Why?! Why can't I get that nagging feeling she's telling the truth?! I mean, she doesn't have a reason to lie to me...I think. But...I mean...I know I woke up and I had that problem with eating and walking and...didn't know what a car was...but that was my memory! I know it was! All of this is happening because I lost my memory! Except...' She looked at the book again. 'Except she said this book was magical. And she told me that before she found out about my past...that she's hasn't told me about yet. I mean, I know I was amazed by those phone things and the cars and...all these things I don't recognize...that people use on a daily basis...' She opened her backpack and glanced at her other schoolbooks. 'I know these books aren't magical...all those books they let me read at the hospital couldn't do what this book does...I...I don't understand...'
Sunset looked at the pen in her hand, 'What do I even ask? Should I ask anything? Do I...do I even want to really know? Do I...do I really want to know who I am? Am I ready to hear that answer?' Sunset slumped down in her chair and dropped the pen on the desk. Her body began to shiver. 'Why do I feel afraid? All I know of my past is that I apparently started that fight with Gilda which led to my accident...all I've done is mess up and get into fights...what if...what if I'm an even bigger screw-up than I already am?!'
Twilight kept turning her head back and forth. Celestia giggled as Twilight would look at the book and then back to Celestia with a slightly panicked expression. “Why isn't she responding?! Did we mess up?! Are we not going to be able to help her?!”
Celestia hugged Twilight while showing her usual calm smile. “It's okay Twilight. Stop panicking.”
“But-”
“No buts. We need to wait for her response.”
Sunset's face was now a mix of confusion and pain. Her eye was twitching as her brain tried to keep itself together. 'I...I can't decide...I just can't decide...do I really want to know who I am? But its my memories! My life! I need to know! I need...I need to know...'
Sunset grabbed the pen again.
Twilight Sparkle. Who am I?
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Yay
Awesome... this chapter was beyond so.....it was... it was... Smashing *Does Nigel Thornberry face*
Can't wait to see more of the AandWGuy!
Huh I just expected the whole conversing via journals thing to last longer (Not that I'm complaining it just felt a bit sudden is all)
As for the characterizations I think you did well. Sunset was adequately freaked out. The only (minor) thing I could say against the chapter would be that Celestia switches from hesitant to eager very quickly.
Great chapter, I'm looking forward to more.
Fantastic work! Keep it up!
Something tells me that this is not going to end well.
6364823 Yay
6364961 Thank you! This was really hard to write!
6364990 There will be more conversing, trust me. As for Celestia, this was the best I could do. This was really hard because I'm known for writing a very petty, manipulative Celestia. Sorry. Though I would imagine she would be a little eager to help Sunset.
6365101 I forgot to put the thank you for the pre-read. I put it in now, I'm so sorry! Thanks for liking the chapter!
6365157 What makes you think that?
6365287 No prob!
Hoo, boys, it's a hell of a lot for Sunset to take in...
6365406 Thanks for understanding.
6365410 It is. Could you imagine if that happened to you?
It would really suck.
6365423 Of course! Why would I make a big deal out of something so trivial? Lolz!
6365427 Yeah...I put the chapter in and that part just blanked in my head. Oh well, time to make the next chapter!
Thanks again!
6365432 Sure thing! Good luck! Lemme know if you need my help again!
6365436 I will.
6365288 I just have this nagging sensation that Sunset's going to relapse back to the way she was before she lost her memory. I seriously hope that's not what you're going to go with.
6365524 No. I will guarantee that will NOT happen next chapter.
6365284 You have nothing to apologize for the chapter was great and it's not that I think Celestia wouldn't be eager to help Sunset, its just that she switches from 'maybe we shouldn't reveal everything' to 'Lets blow her mind with information' really quickly.
Again characterization was great and I enjoyed it. My complaint about Celestia is just me being nitpicky.
6366280 Well...I guess that's true. She wants to help Sunset though. I'm just not good at writing Celestia...
6366302 Don't worry about it, everyone writes every character differently its what makes fanfics differ from one another. There's no writing a character badly, it's just your take on the character.
Your Celestia is just fine and again I thought the chapter was good.
6366339 Thanks...I've had people hate my spins on characters when I write AU stories. I just...I hear the complainant of 'not writing them in character' a lot.
Thanks for liking my chapter.
6366364 No problem. This story is always a pleasure to read.
6366376 Thank you!
6366158 I meant at any point in the story to be honest.
You are taking this into an very interesting direction.
So Sunset will actually know her past sins from the get-go, wonder how that will change things...
Great work.
6366443 I won't deny that idea hasn't crossed my mind. However, according to my plans that won't happen. The key point of this story is that she doesn't remember being like that. If I did that, I would be going against the very point of the story. In other words, it won't happen.
6366460 Thank you. I was hoping people wouldn't think I'm doing some sort of cop out by going this direction.
6366471 no problem, it breaks the usual mold and that's good.
Looking forward to how you will develop it.
6366588 Thanks!
I really appreciate how straightforward Twilight and Celestia are being about this. No long-term deception with an eventual catastrophic and dramatic reveal, just laying out the facts as carefully and sensitively as they can with their limited knowledge. Their efforts feel earnest. Great work!
6366792 Thank you! I try my best!
So time between the worlds is on a 1:1 ratio? That means Celestia replace Sunset awfully fast, especially given how upset and uncertain she seems to be about what happened between her and Sunset. Makes me wonder if something is going on to force the issue ...
6367168 Not exactly. The next chapter will shed some light on your question. I'm going to try to explain most of the timeline in the next chapter, to a certain point...I just hope I can make it make sense. (Right now, it only makes sense in my head and that's not always reliable.)
My nemesis...cliffhanger...we meet again...
6368186 DUN DUN DUN!!!
Oh man here we go
6368301 You have no idea.
This chapter was just...AMAZING! I loved the ending! I can't wait for the next chapter. So much suspense!
6393342 Thank you! Its so nice to see support!
Interesting. I think I'll follow this and see where you go from here.
6398484 Thank you!
I'm not liking how you're writing Celestia here. She's overly involved and overly willing to admit to insecurity to Twilight. I can't really see what cause such a change.
Time for... the Revelation Bomb, or R-Bomb for short.
i imagine the typing thought bubble thing on phones when Twi and Celestia are waiting for a response.