Alister: Remembrance and Revelations

The next morning, I awoke to the sound of birds chirping in a nearby tree. A cool breeze came in through the open window. The door opened and Dominic was standing with Shining Armor; both of them in their armored attire.

“Alister, Dominic and I are going to patrol the entrances of Ponyville.” said Shining Armor. “You can go around town and explore a bit. Be sure to meet with us at Town Hall at 2:00.”

“For the last time, my name’s not Alister.” I said beginning to get annoyed.

“Whatever you say.” Shining Armor remarked sarcastically.

“Don’t worry about him.” Dominic whispered. “Right now just have a nice stroll around town. It’s a beautiful day out. Be a shame to waste it in-doors.”

After they both left, I went downstairs to have some breakfast at the buffet. There were omelets, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and an assortment of fruits. I chose to have a waffle and drank a cold glass of orange juice. After I was satisfied, I went outside to see the town, just as Dominic and Shining Armor suggested. I kept getting stares and people whispering “Alister” when they though I wasn’t looking. It didn’t bother me as much as it did this morning. After looking in a few shops, Rarity ran into me and was completely excited.

“Oh, you must try on this cape I made! When I heard you have returned, I couldn’t wait to show off my designs.”

While she had her back to me while picking out another suit for me to try on, I slipped out of the door and headed to one of the entrances to town. The sign that was posted at the edge of town pointed down the road and said “To Canterlot.” As I looked down the road, I could barely make out a farmer pony pulling a hay cart. Once he got closer, it happened. Three nasty, little green creatures came out of nowhere and started to attack the farmer. Their jagged swords were slicing through his body like a hot knife through butter. A giant pool of blood began to form around the corpse. The guts that were once inside the pony’s body hung out in a messy pile. The creatures turned their attention towards me and began to sprint. They were fast. I tried to move, but the fear that had clouded my mind prevented my legs to step back.

As soon as the creatures were about 5 feet away from slicing my head off, a unicorn horn stuck through one of the creature’s forehead and coming out the back side. The creature now dangling like a rag doll was tossed aside. Another unicorn picked up the second creature with his magic and then bashed his brains out on a nearby boulder. Multiple pools of blood began to form as the third creature’s was kicked clean off by another pony. The unicorn with blood on his horn turned to me and said “Are you all right, Alister?”

It was Shining Armor. That meant the second unicorn that beat the creature’s head in the now blood stained boulder was Dominic.

“Yeah, I’m fine” I lied. My head was light and my mind clouded with the events that just happened.

“That was close.” said Dominic. “If we were a little later and you would’ve been pushing up daisies next to this farmer. What a mess.”

“What were those things?” I said trying to collect my thoughts.

“Goblins” said Shining Armor.

“What are goblins doing in Equestria?”

“The same thing they’ve been doing for a thousand years. Killing and terrorizing the ponies who live here.”

“But why?”

Dominic put his hoof on my shoulder and said “I think it’s time for us to help you collect your memories.”

As we headed back into town, the attack that just happened kept rolling in my mind. The farmer pony being sliced, Shining Armor and Dominic brutally killing the goblins. I couldn’t think of anything else. Finally we arrived in front of the library. Shining Armor knocked on the door. A purple unicorn was on the other side.

“Shining Armor! What are you doing here?” she said excitedly as she gave him a big hug.

“Hey, Twighly. We just came back from one of the entrances.” he explained. “There’s been another attack.”

Twilight’s smile turned into a look of horror.

“That’s the fourth time this week. When will it end?”

“I don’t know, but that’s beside the point. You know who this is, don’t you?” referring to me.

Upon further inspection she gasped and put a hoof to her mouth as she whispered “Alister.” I was about to say who he really was when she suddenly pulled me, Shining Armor, and Dominic into the library.

“Are you crazy?!” she yelled. “What are you thinking letting him strut about outside. If the enemy heard he was back, they’d send an army just to kill him!”

As Shining Armor scratched the back of his head in an attempt to make an excuse, Dominic stepped forward and said “We’re trying to help him regain his memories. Looks like sights and sounds aren’t working though. We have to go into the ‘vault.’”

Twilight’s horror turned into complete fear.

“You can’t go in there. You’ll be killed faster than the enemy’s army could.”

“It’s the only way.” persisted Dominic. “We need the keys to get to the vault. What’s down there is nothing me and Shining Armor can’t handle.”

She paced the floor for a moment. Then, sighing, she said “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She ran upstairs and grabbed a small chest. She unlocked it with a glow of her horn and lifted a set of keys, each a different color. When she gave them to Dominic, he stuffed them into his bag quickly.

“Come on, Al.” said Dominic. “We’ve got to find your memories.”

As the three of us left the library, Twilight was at the door with a concerned look. As I turned around to say goodbye, she said under her breath “Be careful.”