(??? POV)

The forest’s breeze carries an aromatic scent that only unpolluted nature can provide. Its refreshing, intoxicating scent can pull anyone into a comforting nap, especially with the soft bed grass with its equally soft ground underneath it.

Tempting…just tempting… I kept my gaze forward, staring at the endless amount of blue celeste colored trees that reach over a six-story house. What do I do now? I may not show it, but at this moment, I am stressed over my incapability to decide, troubled at how this body reflects how I looked as a human, and scarred for God knows how long I will stay like this.

Why is it so hard to decide? The safest thing for me to do is go with Fauna and Pebbles. …I can’t…survive on my own.

After I faced the nightmare of Sunshine Forest, I knew what to do next.

Those words hadn’t left my mind when I read them. How did they even get there? Did Fauna…no, why would she…it doesn’t make sense!

A mental debate raged on inside my head. The existence of those words probably don’t even matter. They don’t make sense to begin with. the nightmare of Sunshine Forest. That part alone is the whole reason it doesn’t make sense.

This is Lostshine Forest! Fauna and Pebbles keep saying it is! …But…but then who wrote this. This book-

A sharp, long jolt of pain suddenly passes through my head; I lowered it immediately, pressed a hoof on it to suppress the pain and closed my eyes.

W-Why…why does it hurt So Much!? My hoof began to tremble, and so did my head. Then the book I been carrying in my left saddlebag feels heavier; its presence becoming more known.
Then, just as suddenly, it stops. I open my eyes with surprisingly no difficulty, and raise my head with equal ease. What? I pondered as I moved my hoof back down, That was…what was that? In any kind of headache, there is usually a small warning of it coming, and afterwards, leaves a small throbbing sensation as a remainder of the pain.

Why does this day have to keep getting weirder and weirder? I can feel my saddlebag weighting slightly more than usual. Before, when I was about to collapse on the ground and curl in a shameful fetal position, the book felt like rocks with more being added. I get a feeling that I should take one tiny peek inside, look at the text again and see if the words were made-up by my mind or not. Now I am becoming weird. Yet, I have this nudging sensation to check the book. It’s the only thing I can call a belonging. How did I get it? Why do I even have it in the first place? Question after question, and this book might have the answers if I-

My entire body shivers as a cold trail is left on my back after a sharp, rough point brushes by it.

W-what? Even my thoughts are quivering from whatever caused the sudden chill.

*Gulp* I turn my head as slowly as I possibly can, and shuddering while doing so. What greets me are giant white fangs with a purple mist hovering around it. My first thoughts were blank as the sound of my heartbeats intensified, and when its sharpened teeth grew, heartbeats are all that resonates in my ears.

I turn around in a single heartbeat and take more than ten steps back in the next few. *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* H-h-h-h-hyperventilating, I am Hyperventilating!!! *Pant* *Pant* T-t-that thing! W-what is- *Pant* *Pant* Finishing thoughts became too arduous.

“I might have gone a bit too far on this one,” to the side of the floating monstrosity, the head of a green unicorn comes out into view with a gleeful smile.

There is a blue light surrounding her horn, and when it dims out, the phantom-like mouth dissipates as a black fog, revealing a broken, leafless brown branch that falls without much resistance. “Being a unicorn doesn’t mean I can use every type of magic, but a simple illusion spell is something even the youngest of the Brightwood family can perform.”

M-magic, s-s-spells, shouldn’t surprise me in a world with unicorns, but now-*PantPantPantPant* If that thing out there doesn’t kill me, I am probably going to die from fright instead.

As I continued the fight to lower my breathing, Fauna started walking towards me. And once she got close, the next thing she does is place a firm hoof on my chest.

Her smile never faltered, staying there as if to comfort me. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of my heartbeats are still very strong, but its not racing like before, and my breathing has relaxed.

This…actually…feels nice. It’s hard to describe, but it’s almost like waking up after a long, restful nap. Like if now I can tackle any sort of problem, big and small, without much worry of failing, That’s a first one.

“It’s natural to be scared.” The way she spoke, so calm, in such a gentle tone that relaxes my tensed body – all this worrying is not good for someone like me. “You are here all alone, and I can tell it’s in a place you never been before.”

I immediately moved my gaze to the grass below, You don’t know how right you are. Of course, there is more than that, a lot more problems that I might never solve.

“You and I are very much alike; I, for one, am lucky to remember three names. As for the rest I hold dear, I cannot fathom why recalling them is impossible.” What she just said brought my wide-eyed gaze back to her.

“The world sure is cruel on us, don’t you think? We remember they exist, but we don’t know how to call those ponies that were once close to us. …Maybe…it’s a punishment for waiting and hoping time would fix everything.”

That smile and those words really don’t go together, but coming from her, it makes me feel better.

Fauna closes her eyes and lets out a small giggle, “Hehehe. In difficult times, Flora would go on yelling for everypony to remain strong, that as long as we have each other, we can always pull through.”

Each…other? Those words ring heavily in my mind, At least they had each other. Me… my eyes travel to the side this time. I always need someone to be strong.

“For someone who’s lost almost everything, what do you have left?” I lazily move my eyes to meet with hers.

“What?” I replied with the little enthusiasm I have. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of my heartbeats makes my eyelids rise from their tired state.

“Where do you draw your strength? I have Pebbles with me. What do you have?”

Me? …All I have…is me. At the end of that thought, I lower my gaze to the grass beneath me. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* Something is tugging at my chest, and surprisingly, it isn’t pain; it is the opposite. Every heartbeat is strong, loud and clear. My heart, that was frightened more than once in this already crazy day, is still beating; it’s still functioning.

“The answer is inside you, and in every other pony.” *Thump* My ears perked up a little, and by genuine interest, decided to meet her gaze again *Thump*. “Life,” one word, only one word to get my ears completely perked up and my eyes wide as circles (I must look dumb right now), “use that to move forward, and before you know it, you will find somepony else to draw your strength from.”

*Thump* *thump* *thump* Silence followed, but not the hollowed kind of sound, instead, it’s a peaceful emptiness. A rare occasion that will probably happen once in my lifetime. I…this is… I hardly know what to think, but right now that’s good. I want this inner peace to continue.

After a light nod she says “I will leave you with your peace now.” She then removes her hoof from my chest and heads back to her little home, which is only a few yards away from us.

I didn’t say anything, – I didn’t want to anyways – but I am curious about something. It isn’t bothering me like I have to know it no matter what, but it did have me thinking.

Fauna stops midway to her home. Instead of turning around to face me, she only turns her head. She speaks with a caring smile and a gentle light on her deep blue eye, “I had to get your heart beating faster. That’s all.”

“That’s why you scared me with the giant fangs, but couldn’t you have done something else?” As to why I asked that question, probably the peacefulness in my head is affecting me.

Her smile drops, and she stares at me in what I can assume is in deep thought. Fauna turns around and walks towards me in a few seconds of silence. She keeps a normal pace as she gets closer until she stops in front of me.

Our faces are a few inches apart as we continued to stare at one another. We blinked occasionally, but that was it.

Then her eyes close before she leans forward.

What is she- her nose brushes against mine, finally giving an obvious clue even an unexperienced man like myself can understand. !!!!???? No mental debate, no thought, only reaction.

I backpedaled at full speed, and when my rear touched a recognizable hard wood, I scurried on to my hind legs and placed my back firmly on the tree. My cheeks burn intensely, – first time I even use the word intensely – my mouth agape as my lips quiver, and eyes as wide open as they can be. Sh-sh-sh-sh-she almost-she almost! Loud and strong heartbeats echo in my eardrums, but it’s not beating as fast like when she used that…illusionary spell.

At least my eyes work to see Fauna’s small smile, “It’s not the same, but now I really need to get inside my home. Since we are not coming back, I want to make sure nothing with sentimental value gets left behind.”

With that said, she turns around and heads back to her home. It took her a few seconds to get to the door, but it took me a minute to slow down my heartbeat and for the hot sensation on my cheeks to banish. I…I will try to forget that ever happened. That little voice in my head sounded shaken.

“Over here! Helloo!?” I shifted my eyes from the house to a wagon not far on its left. Its carrying a mountain of small bags with an equally small brown pony on the top. She smiles giddily and waves a hoof at me, “Come and talk to me! I promise I will make it fun!”

*Gulp* I remember the last time Pebbles and I talked; from between a scary and horrifying experience, I say scarred for life is the best way to describe how I came out of that.

Still…I should go talk to her, I don’t know where those words came from really, but I hardly gave it any thought. Actually, the words just…manifested as gently as the breeze caressing my face – cheesiest simile I ever used, and hopefully the last in my life. ...I really have no idea what’s going on with me.

Following the suggestion I made for myself, I went back down on all fours and walked towards the primitive vehicle.

On the way, Pebbles jumps from the peak of bagged goods to land near the wagon’s edge,. Regardless, I had to look up to meet her sky blue eyes.

“Soooo, how did it go~?” Her cheerful tone is very pleasant to hear. Unlike before when I didn’t really appreciate it.

“You mean when she scared me or afterwards?”

“Both!” she presses her front hooves on the wooden rim and waits for a reply.

“You mean…both?” I raised an eyebrow, “She’s your-” the disrespect I showed made me flinch, and when I opened my eyes I corrected myself, “Fauna is your mother, so you should know about that…illusionary spell.” Spell, it sounds foreign, difficult to pronounce the first (second, third, etc.) time until it becomes familiar.

It might be some kind of magic, – or I am going nuts with all this inner peace – because I can see a small dazzle in her eyes when her smile widened. She looks like…one of those cheery kids in TV.

“But she never does the whole thing on me, only the illusion spell to scare me at night and put me to sleep.”

That smile and those words really don’t go together, …Like, her mother. I guess family resembles one another in some way. …Family. That word made me think back to that man – my brother. I…prefer not to be like him.

“Are…you okay?”

I found myself staring at the grass, so I quickly moved my gaze up to see Pebbles’ saddened expression.

Sh-she saw me like that! I shook those thoughts away and returned to my neutral demeanor. “Y-yeah, I-I am okay.” I wished to say I am okay with full confidence, but no matter how I looked at it-NO! I will be okay! A-as long as I stay strong, I will be okay.

My expression must have changed with how I am feeling, because Pebble’s smile, the one full of life, slowly came back, “Good. It’s not my talent to solve other ponies’ turmoils.”
“T-talent?”

After a nod and a “Yes,” a few seconds pass until her eyes widen and she gasps exaggeratedly, “Gaasp!” Hard to tell if she is seriously surprised or just playing with me, “Nooo, you sound like…you have no clue what a cutie mark is?” I shook my head in response. How she responds is with another overly-done gasp with a hoof on her mouth, “Gaaasp! I had like no idea!”

I could feel my left eye twitching, Is she…seriously talking to me like that? “So you heard Fauna and I talk.”

Pebbles looks away and scratches her cheek, “I don’t pry on others’ conversations. That’s not the kind of pony my mother raised me to be!” During the entire time she said it, she had an undeniable sheepish smile.

“So, how did you know.”

“Weeell,” her hoof moves back down to the wooden rim, “you know.” “Oh,” she moves her gaze on me, “Remember when you were trying to eat, you couldn’t lift that spoon no matter what. And when you said illusionary spell, its illusion spell. I-L-L-U-S-I-O-N spell.”

I…don’t care if I spell it wrong. …Did I seriously just make…God what has happened to me?

“And you forgot a lot of names, so I thought-”

“You did hear us!” I felt something odd in my left foreleg; I barely had to look down to see it’s been raised, with the hoof pointing at the brown pony. I moved it back down – even I have some manners.

Pebbles gives me her outmost nonchalant smile, “About that cutie mark,” I knew she was trying to change the subject, but I am curious about that…cutie mark she mentioned, so I let her go one with that cheerful tone. “A cutie mark represents the special talent of a pony. Each pony has one, at least when they discover what their special talent is.”

“So cutie mark is another word for…special talent.”

The shake from her head means I’m wrong, “There’s more to that.” She raises her head to have a straight vision at the sky, but when I tried following her gaze, I only see a dark green covering the stars or the bright sun – still have no clue what time it is. “Cutie marks are like the stars, don’t you think so too?”

Stars, the small lights that appear on every night sky. One of those simple things in life; they will always be there when the night comes, but now, they are probably blocked by all those leaves.

“Somepony can stare at the sky all they want, but they will never get to see all the stars. Because maybe some of them are hiding, waiting until it’s the right time to shine.”

It shouldn’t strike me as odd that Pebbles used the word shine like Fauna, I can use it too and that won’t make me like them. But it’s how she used it.

“This picture was taken when Flora and I were just fillies, but even then, our elders expected us to…outshine what the Brightwood family has accomplished so far.”

To shine…at the right time; maybe I am overthinking it. I wouldn’t put it past me to do that.

“Cutie Marks are like that; they are so many, and when you think you found them all, there will be another that pops up. Ponies are like that as well. Ponies, stars, cutie marks, there are so many of them sometimes I think they are endless. But how do you tell somepony apart from the other millions? All you have to do is look a bit closer. Imagine the stars.”

To make it easier for me, I did as she said. I began imagining, and like that, stars appeared one by one under the fake sky.

“By names alone, you can’t point a hoof at a star and say it’s that one. It’s the same as saying I know somepony because I know their name.” As if her words carried some sort of impact into my mind, the stars began spreading, giving each other some space that is filled with pitch blackness. “To know somepony, you have to spend time with them. You get to see their little quirks after a while and tease them about it. Like the stars, you get to see which one of them is the shyest by how much they shine.” Some stars gotten a white gleam as she spoke, while others had a brighter glow as she finished. “But cutie marks are the most obvious to see; it symbolizes our place in life. For us, the Brightwood family, that would be where the cosmos are the closest to each other. That is exactly where we would be.”

Cosmos, those lights in the sky other than the stars. I seen them in books, but why-

“One of the things we loved the most was staying connected to everything. Nature, ponies, the sky. Never favoring one over the other, always watching how everything grew before our eyes, and the lights around the cosmos are a good example. Even if it takes time, the lights change, but they are always beautiful, always bright, inspiring us to give new life to the wood. That’s where it all started, our family’s name Brightwood, and our duty.”

Without putting the slightest of efforts, oceans of different lights started to manifest behind the white lights. Soon, the new lights gathered into individual colors with some form of wavy shape, separated by a black, but now lively space, or hovering around the boundary of another color.

If I only had one to describe the perfect night sky, I say it’s breathtaking.

Is this…am I…Is this really in my imagination? Am I really seeing this? Fake and true, pictures and reality. For me, pictures are fake because they can never match to reality - the truth. All I seen are pictures, fakes, so why is all that there?

“My mom’s special talent is to perceive ponies’ emotions.” After minutes of staring at made up cosmos and stars, I lowered my head down to meet Pebble’s gaze. “Like a doctor’s job, she looks inside somepony and fixes them.” Her eyes avert to the side as her smile shrinks, “Mom mentioned it helps when the heart of a pony moves faster, something about the emotions becoming like a cascade coming from the soul.”

I understood the last part, about the soul/emotion stuff; not entirely explaining how that talent could read minds, like a few hours ago, but maybe Fauna is very…talented at what she does. But the simile she used, I don’t see how it’s the same. …A psychiatrist makes more sense.

“Sorry,” she smiles as if to lighten the mood, “starting with my mom’s cutie mark would have been better than talking about stars, ponies and cosmos, but mom and I don’t get many visitors, so even we get lonely at times.”

Again, that smile and those words don’t match; it is creepy if I think of it too much.
“So are you going or are you coming with us, mister?”

“What?” After all she said, I wasn’t sure if she was going to ask a question, “Um, well…I…I…” I thought this was settled, but…then…why do I feel… My eyes ventured to the side.

“You could go out there and face Nightmare Moon.” The moment my eyes widened, I instantly moved them back on Pebbles. “I tried guessing what you and mom were talking about, but what I am sure is that it sounded important.” She sits on one of the bags, but, unlike a human would or when we sat on the stools, she leans forward with her hooves placed on the bag. “And nothing is more important than escaping. You can always come with us,” she leaves a small pause, probably to add suspense, “ooor, go face Nightmare Moon.”

Who would go for the latter? Even if I hadn’t met…encountered Nightmare Moon, I wouldn’t go and face someone with the word Nightmare in their name. I calmed down knowing what the safest option is.

“Be sure of what you want, because there are no second chances.”

I stood still for a moment. From a statement like that, and coming from a little pony, it made me…weary of what I should say, “…If I go and face Nightmare Moon, I am not going to have a second chance at living.”

Her head bends down, but not the enough since I can see her eyes move to the side when she leans away from me, Is she…putting distance between us?

“You have to know. If you come with us, you might never learn anything of what you want.” The meaning in her words sent a quick jolt down my spine, “Where we are going, is for us to find the rest of our family. To see if they are okay. We never made plans for detours or include another pony.”

That’s the same as saying I came late to make the changes I wanted. Why does this sound like school and its deadlines? I can feel how a frown shapes my facial expression.

“Both options give you the same chances at finding what you want. I don’t know if you can survive against Nightmare Moon, but all mom and I are going to do is find the rest of our family. After that,” Her eyes move to meet mine while her head is still lowered, “we planned to rest for a long time.”

I simply didn’t understand the last part. Why couldn’t they just drop me off in a safe place after escaping? Why can’t they help me after they rest? Maybe this is their way of saying, You are a stranger to us, and BTW, do you think we believe your story of ‘I have no memory’. If I was in their shoe-hooves, I wouldn’t have believed the odd pony who I found on the woods.

“Want my advice?” the lively tone of Pebbles returned, along with that bright smile after she brought her head up. “Give it your best, because there are never second chances.”

How many times have these ponies said something that surprised me? And how many times have I stared and listened?

“Chances come and go like the pebbles you throw at a lake, so you want to make the best of it. To never hesitate even when it’s a small chance. I mean, that’s what life is. You can make your life whatever you want, but it starts when you pick a direction, and the rest comes from a good swing of enthusiasm.” She brings her hoof up, and swings it to the side with the strength to turn it into a brown blur for an instance.

What am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to even think at this point? These ponies just…the way they keep talking…only my brother talked to me like that, but when they do it, it’s like if I have a choice.

“AAAAAAHHH!” The scream alone made me jump, but seeing Pebbles holding her head with a hoof and her eyes shrouded with fear is a dreadful sight.

Author's Note

Friendly reminded, this was going to be one chapter entirely, but I had to divided into three parts instead. The next two should be up by tomorrow, but since I finished proofreading this one, I thought I should at least post something.