• Published 11th Jul 2018
  • 9,223 Views, 176 Comments

Memory Lost and Found - BoredAuthor817



Alternate ending to "Forgotten Friendship". The Memory Stone has been destroyed and everyone's memories have been restored. Except for Sunset Shimmer's.

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Chapter 22

Mondays.

Everyone hates Mondays.

If there were to be a vote to remove one day from the week, it would unanimously be Monday.

That is at least how Principal Celestia felt as she walked into her office that morning. Moreover, the weekend didn't seem to have helped matters.

It had all started with a talk. A simple conversation. Nothing much. Nor was she was gone long. But, in the time Celestia was speaking with Sunset Shimmer's friends, Luna had adopted a bird on her behalf.

Normally, Celestia wouldn't mind her sister doing things for her without her consulting. In fact, she is often very grateful for her sister's initiative. However, getting a pet is a completely different matter.

“Philomena” she grumbled, pouring hot water into a cup for tea, “who names a cockatoo Philomena? Who names anything Philomena?”

The name, which the bird came with, aside, Celestia had far other things to contend with. Namely, that some juvenile had thought it funny to teach a bird capable of speech nothing but obscenities. That evening, and the whole day after, the house was filled with words that would make a sailor's ears blush.

Celestia was thankful they didn't have company over, as was their normal Sunday fashion.

Still, there was still the matter of trying to get an animal to relearn its entire vocabulary. Being an educator herself, Celestia felt very confident in such a task. However, the bird proved to be more troublesome than even the most delinquent teen she dealt with every day.

Slumping into her office chair, she pondered what to do. 'Flutershy can talk to animals, right? Maybe she could get through to that birdbrain.' She put her face in her hands and let out a groan. 'No doubt, she has already tried.'

Her thoughts were broken by the ringing of a telephone. She looked upon the desk with a sigh. 'Now what?' she wondered as she strained for the receiver. “Hello?”

“Hey, Principal Celestia!”

“Sunset Shimmer!” the principal sat up. This was a pleasant surprise. Her brows furled. Was it Sunset? It sounded like Sunset, yet, the voice seemed a little funny. “Where on earth have you been?”

Sunset let out a light, nervous laugh. “Ah, funny you should say that... I haven't been on earth.”

Celestia's eyes widened. “You mean...?”

“Yeah, um, came down with something early last week and, with really no other place to turn, I just went back to Equestria.”

“Well,” she smiled, “considering you're calling me, I can assume you're back on this side.”

“Yes. Just got back today. Doctors put me on bed rest and gave me some medicine. But you know what they say about horse pills.”

“Well, nice to finally hear from you. I trust you will be rejoining us soon?”

“Depends on what my doctors say. I have a follow-up with them in a few days. Oddly enough, I came down with Equestia's version of the flu.”

That last remark worried Celestia a bit. “It's not contagious, is it?” The last thing she needed was an other-world contagion roaming the halls.

“No, not that we can tell. Or, I'm already passed that window. It's just magical illness need to be treated magically and rarely go the ways you think. At any rate, I'm still under strict bed rest. I really only came back so someone could bring me my schoolwork that I could catch up on.”

“Uh, yes, I'll ask your teachers to give your assignments to one of your friends.”

“Thanks.”

“Well,” Celestia relaxed, “I'll let you go so you can rest. Again, great to hear from you. Oh!” she suddenly remembered, “Do you know Wallflower Blush?”

“Um... no” Sunset replied, “Should I?”

“No,” Celestia's face fell, “just thought I'd ask. Anyway, hope you get better soon.”

---

Twilight ended the call and leaned back in her seat with a heavy exhale. “That was close.”

“I'd say” said Rarity, passing the nerdy girl a plated Danish, “I just hope it buys us enough time.”

“I hope so” Fluttershy sighed into her tea, “I don't like the thought of lying to Principal Celestia.”

“None of us do!” Twilight cried, making the other girls in the apartment jump.

“Woah, Twi,” Rainbow put her hands on her friend's shoulders, “try to calm down there.”

“Calm? How can I be calm? We're teetering just days away from losing Sunset forever!” She felt the tears welling in her eyes, and lost the fight to stop them.

Trixie silently wrapped a comforting arm around Wallflower. With the other girls primarily concerned with Sunset, she had place it upon herself to make Wallflower feel that someone was deeply worried about her, too.

Wallflower showed her appreciation by pulling Trixie into a hug, while, on the couch, three saddened friends consoled Twilight.

---

Fluttershy tensed when she heard the announcement for her to report to the main office. She had no clue why she felt afraid. Unlike Rainbow Dash, she never did anything wrong. Unless, Rainbow did something and she has been implicated merely by association.

She shook her head. That was, of course, silly thinking and illogical. With only a few steps left to the principal's office, Fluttershy rationalized that she wasn't being summoned for any wrong-doing. Still, she had do wonder why the principal had called for her.

Opening the door to the reception, she was greeted by Principal Celestia. Fluttershy gulped, but the principal gently smiled.

“Fluttershy,” she said, softly, “glad you could come. I'm sorry for pulling you away from your lunch, but I was hoping I could have a talk with you.”

“A talk?” Fluttershy sputtered.

“Yes. About Sunset Shimmer.”

“S-Sunset?”

“Yes. Why don't you come into my office so we can sit?”

As Fluttershy timidly took her seat, Principal Celestia continued. “I assume you know by know that Sunset has been in Equestria, battling the flu.”

“Um, yes” replied the girl, trying to recall the script she and the girls had compiled, “She texted Twilight about it last night. She apologized for just running off like she did, without so much as a note. But, she just felt so poorly all she could think about was getting back to Equestria.”

Celestia gently smiled. “If I'm not getting too personal, I can completely understand. Sometimes, you're just so miserable, you lose sight of everything else and just focus on one thing.

“Well, anyway, that's why I've asked you here. Sunset has requested the classwork she has missed so she could work on it while recovering. I've spoken with her teachers and they're compiling a packet for her. I was hoping either you, or one of your friends, could deliver it to her.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy smiled, “you know we would be delighted! We were all planning on visiting Sunset anyway, now that she's back in town.”

“Good! It should be ready at the end of the day. I'll leave it with one of the secretaries for you to pick up.” Her tone suddenly became serious. “But, there is something else I wish to discuss with you.”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, but allowed the educator to continue: “As you may know, I adopted a cockatoo Saturday.”

“Oh, Philomena, yes!”

Celestia looked shocked. “So, you know...?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “Only from those from the sanctuary she came from.” The shelter was affiliated with various other rescues. Most of which participated on Saturday. But, Fluttershy quickly saw that that wasn't the answer Celestia was looking for.

“So, you don't know...?”

“What?”

“Philomena has, let just say, a colorful vocabulary.”

The girl's eyes grew wide. “Oh, my...”

“Do you suppose you could...?” She made a gesture to the geode around Fluttershy's neck.

“Well, I don't know... Yes, I have lots of experience talking with birds. But I've never dealt with any who could actually talk." She was surprised when the principal gave her look of desperation.

“Fluttershy, please, I love my sister, but I can't have a bird turning the air in my house blue!”

Fluttershy pondered for a moment before giving the principal a confident smile. “I'll try my best.”

---

Fluttershy angrily set her lunch tray down upon the table. “Well, I hope you're all happy.”

The other girls gathered gave their friend a clueless stare.

“What are you talking about?” asked Trixie.

The usually timid girl fought to control her temper. “I had to sit alone with Principal Celestia and lie directly to her face. And it as not pleasant. She's preparing homework for us to give to Sunset tonight.”

“Good!” smiled Pinkie Pie, “That means our plan worked! That means celebratory cupcakes all 'round!” She placed a large platter platter in the middle of the table

“You're just looking for any occasion for cupcakes aren't you?” Trixie said, grabbing a few confectionery treats, “Not that I'm complaining.”

Applejack gave a slight chuckle, reaching for a cupcake of her own. “Pretty much every occasion ya can think of.”

Pinkie nodded with pride before a sudden realization dawned upon her. “Oh no!” she cried, much to everyone's surprise, “We completely forgot!” She pulled out another platter of cupcakes and placed it next to the first.

The overwhelming smell of sugary icing made Rarity feel a little sick in her stomach. “And, what, exactly, are these all for?”

“To celebrate solving the mystery, of course!" she hugged Wallflower, "We found Sunset's memories! And" she smiled even wider, "made a new friend.”

Fluttershy had just about lost it. “ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?”

“Woah, Fluttershy” Rainbow raised her hands, “Just try to relax.”

Relax? How can I relax?”

“Look, Fluttershy,” Applejack said calmly, “None of us is likin' this. But, until this is all resolved, we gotta do what we gotta do.”

Fluttershy slumped into her seat. “But, for how much longer?”

“Not long!” Twilight jumped. She opened journal for all the girls to see. “Princess Twilight found a cure! Wallflower, we could have you and Sunset back tonight!”

The whole of the excitement that permeated from around the table could be summed up in one joyous cry from Pinkie Pie. “Oh my gosh! Really?" She hugged Wallflower tighter, eliciting a cry from the girl. "I need more cupcakes!”