Chapter 1: In Memoriam
Twilight could not help but smile as she watched the train depart. Starlight Glimmer had come a long way in a short time when it came to her mental health. The mare that was now going to make up with the ponies at her old village was much more stable than the one that had left.
"Another victory for the Princess of Friendship, eh, Twilight?" Spike said from where he stood at her side.
"It's not my victory, Spike," Twilight replied as she walked back into Ponyville. "If anything, this victory belongs to Starlight Glimmer. She could never have become a better pony unless part of her had wanted to all along. Besides, she still has a long way to go. As soon as she gets back, we'll start planning for her first Friendship lesson."
"I suppose that's true," the young dragon replied, "but I still think-"
Spike was cut off as an orange blur slammed into him, Twilight only barely managing to avoid getting hit, herself. It only took her a moment to identify the 'blur' as the pegasus filly Scootaloo. After quickly checking that neither the filly nor Spike was injured, Twilight said scoldingly, "You should be more careful, Scootaloo, somepony could have been hurt."
"But somepony is hurt!" Scootaloo cried in distress. "Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are keeping an eye on him while I came to get help!"
Realizing that this was an emergency, Twilight asked, "Where are they?"
"By the edge of the Everfree Forest," Scootaloo replied, quickly hopping back on her scooter. "Follow me!"
Twilight quickly scooped Spike up onto her back and galloped after the filly. For a few minutes, Twilight's mind was awhirl, wondering who was hurt and what could have happened. Before long, the group came upon Scootaloo's friends, the other two fillies standing over a dark mound on the ground. It took Twilight a moment to make out the stallion among the shadows, so dark was his coloring. Taking a closing look, Twilight felt like the stallion's grey coat and wild black mane were familiar, but she was interrupted before she could place where she had seen him.
"What's wrong with him, Twilight?" Apple Bloom asked. "We just found him layin' there and he wouldn't wake up."
"Don't worry," Twilight reassured her. "He's still breathing and doesn't seem to be injured."
To make sure there was not any wound being hidden, Twilight gently used her magic to pick him up. Or, at least, that was her intent. As soon as her magic touched him, there was a flash of green light, and Twilight and the fillies were blown backward. Springing back to her hooves, Twilight quickly made sure the three youngsters were alright. Once that was done, the group turned to the now stirring figure.
Hurrying over, Twilight asked, "Are you alright?"
Groaning, the stallion finally began to stir. Cracking open his eyes, he saw several blurred figures leaning over him. He groaned again and squeezed his eyes shut, as a splitting headache pounded behind his horn. He tried to remember what happened, but his mind was even more blurred than his vision had been. Fragments slowly became clear. Curled horns and a rasping laugh... Violet eyes filled with pain and sorrow... The sticky warmth of blood running down his horn... Those whispered words... "It's not your... your fault..." And then... Darkness.
"Are you alright?"
Prying his eyes back open, he tried to ignore his headache and focus his vision. Slowly, the faces above him became clear and he found himself staring into the concerned violet eyes of the mare leaning over him. "Can you hear me? Are you alright?" She repeated.
"Y-Yes," the stallion replied, as he struggled to his hooves. "Thank you, Twilight."
"Then, you know who I am?" Twilight asked, still trying to place where she had seen him before.
The stallion frowned as he replied, "No, actually, I... It is strange. Your name, it just... came to me."
"Now that's weird," the little dragon beside her spoke up, causing the stallion to notice him for the first time.
Looking around, the stallion saw three young fillies standing nearby as well, looking at him with concern, a dark forest beyond them, and a nearby town opposite it. Seeing his wandering gaze, the mare that had awoken him said, "These three found you unconscious near the woods. What's your name? What happened to you?"
"My name... It is... Hmm?" The stallion winced as a splitting pain shot through his head. He raised one hoof and brushed aside his wild mane to rub his curved, red horn in an effort to alleviate the pain. So preoccupied was he, that he did not notice the eyes of the mare widen in recognition as they fell on his unusual horn.
"Ya don't even remember yer own name?" The earth pony filly asked sadly.
"I am not sure if..." The stallion lowered his hoof and focused his emerald eyes on the worried-looking mare once more. "My apologies, but could you tell me where I am?"
"I've heard of this!" The unicorn filly cried out in an almost excited tone. "It's called amnesia!"
"It's called a load of ponyfeathers," Spike muttered doubtfully. "How is it you know Twilight's name but not your own?"
"I understand your doubt but I swear it is the truth," The stallion replied. He raised one eye in curiosity as the mare leaned down and whispered something to the young dragon, whose eyes widened in surprise at whatever she had said.
"What if it is true, Spike?" The pegasus filly said. "We can't just leave him sitting here confused, all by himself!"
"Yeah, how could we call ourselves Crusaders after that?" The earth pony filly added.
"Yes, well, why don't you three head on back to Ponyville and let me deal with him, okay?" Twilight said, looking nervous for some reason. "Spike, why don't you go with them and let my friends know I'm bringing back a guest?"
"Uh, yeah, definitely!" The dragon said, before sprinting towards the town, followed more reluctantly by the fillies.
"I suppose it is for the best," The stallion conceded. "If only I could remember where I was going or how I got here..."
"Well, don't strain yourself! We don't even know if your memory will come back, so try not to stress about it!" The mare said with a nervous smile as they started walking away from the forest.
"That may be true," the stallion said with a frown. In an effort to change the subject, he asked, "So, I take it 'Ponyville' is the name of this town?"
"Oh! Right, I never did answer your question about where we are, did I?" Twilight said. "Yes, this is the town of Ponyville. The woods back there are the Everfree Forest. You're lucky the Crusaders found you. Timberwolves would have been a rather rude awakening."
"Crusaders?" The stallion repeated curiously.
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders," Twilight replied with a smile. "It was a group they formed in an effort to help them get their Cutie Marks." Her smile slipped as she glanced at his blank grey flank.
"Oh, hello there, Twilight," came a quiet voice from nearby.
Turning to the source, Twilight saw one of her friends approaching from a nearby cottage. "Hey there, Fluttershy," Twilight replied. "What are you up to, today?"
"Just going to buy some more carrots," she replied. "Angel ate the rest of the ones I had last night and he'll be upset if I don't have more for dinner."
"A friend of yours, I take it?" The stallion spoke up.
"Yes, this is my good friend, Fluttershy," Twilight introduced the pegasus.
"H-Hello there," the timid mare whispered.
"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Sombra," the amnesiac replied, before pausing in surprise. "...I just remembered that. How odd. I suppose that's one mystery solved."
Her fears confirmed, Twilight glanced at her friend, only to see Fluttershy frozen in terror at the revelation of who was standing before her.
However, the stallion seemed distracted and failed to notice their reactions, staring ahead, instead. "Is your town holding some sort of festival or bonfire today?" He asked suddenly.
"No, why do you-" Twilight began to ask, only to stop with a gasp as she saw smoke rising from the town, far more than a single fire would have made. She immediately broke into a gallop, Sombra following close behind her.
Moments later, they saw the dragon and the three fillies hurrying back towards them. "Twilight!" Spike called out as they approached. "Ponyville's under attack!"
"They're horrible monsters!" The unicorn filly said.
"They look like zombie ponies!" The earth pony added.
"One of them nearly got us, but then Rainbow Dash swooped in and saved us!" The pegasus went on.
"Then she sent us to come find you," Spike continued.
"None of them seemed to have followed you," The stallion said. "Whatever they are after must be in the village."
"How do you know?" Twilight asked suspiciously.
"Simple," he responded, "if they were after destruction or hostages, three defenseless fillies would have been ideal targets. They must be after a specific object or pony, or else bandits seeking valuables."
"I suppose that makes sense," Twilight replied. Turning to the others, she said, "Fluttershy's just down the path, have her take you to her cottage, and let her know what happened. I'll send word to you all when it's safe."
"Alright," Spike said reluctantly. "Be careful, Twilight!"
As the four youngsters hurried away, Twilight and the stallion rushed toward the town once more. "What about me?" The stallion asked.
"Sorry, but unless you're on fire as well, you'll have to wait," Twilight said. "We'll deal with your memory once Ponyville is safe."
"That's not what I meant," he replied. "I... I am uncertain, but I feel like I have been in combat before. Besides, I am a stallion in my prime and a unicorn, as well. It may take me a bit to remember how best to use my magic, but surely some extra muscle would help."
"Wait, you want to help defend Ponyville!?" Twilight shouted in surprise, nearly tripping from shock.
"But, of course. Why would I not?" The stallion said in genuine confusion. "You are the only pony I can remember showing me such goodwill as you have, and while that may not mean much given my current mental state, I would still repay it to the best of my ability, if you would be willing to let me fight at your side."
"I... I suppose it couldn't hurt," Twilight conceded.
With that settled, they hurried the rest of the way in determined silence... and Twilight hoped she had not made a mistake by deciding to deal with Sombra later.