“What makes you think we won’t be thrown out?” Twilight laughed when Vinyl showed her the announcement of a rich family’s party. They both wore dresses, though VInyl’s a lot more plain than Twilight’s. Twilight’s was an elegant dress you’d normally see royalty wear, it was the color of Lavender. Vinyl’s was more of a gown mixed with a dress designed for dancing at a place like a nightclub.

Vinyl insisted that they go, even though they weren’t invited, and seemed confident they would be let in.

“Look at the family name…” Vinyl said. Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled the announcement up on her HUD.

“Let’s see… ‘16th birthday party for a young girl in the rich district, blah blah blah, oh wow they invited Celestia? Girl’s name is Emerald Elizabeth… Scratch…’ Your family?” Twilight read. She looked at the girl next to her. They were currently stopped in the clothing store’s parking area on their Spectres, which is what the bikes they ‘liberated’ were called.

“My little sister… I did some more research, I’m still plugged in to your database, and this family was listed as VIncenza’s family… My family. I’m hoping seeing them in person will help me remember something other than this pain.” Vinyl explained.

“Has it faded at all, by the way?” Twilight asked as they started their vehicles.

“Not at all, but now I’m able to push it back… kind of like that sore feeling you get a while after you get hurt but you’re busy doing something else.” Vinyl replied. They took off out of the lot, then.

When they arrived at the large manor they found a few drone servants in the large lot, filled with expensive looking cars. They stopped the two as they slowed just before the space.

“What is your business here madams?” One of them asked with a synthetic voice.

“We’re here for Emerald’s birthday.” Vinyl said.

“Oh I apologize miss Veronica, We had not recognized you. We recognize your voice, though. You and your Guest can go right ahead, welcome back.” The drone said, bowing as they stepped aside. Vinyl inclined her head and they parked the Spectres.

They were stopped again at the main door by a human servant taking invitations.

“Invitations please.” He said with a smile. The two looked at each other and Vinyl looked back at the lot. They had certainly been noticed, driving in on a Spectre is one thing; but driving in on Spectres that have visible cannons mounted along the sides is a whole other level.

“But they let us in…” Twilight said.

“I’m sorry madams, but without a physical invitation I can’t let you in.” The man said apologetically. They were surprised, then when hands fell on their shoulders from between the two.

“Don’t worry, sir, they are accounted for. This one here is my personal assistant, and the other is her escort. I hadn’t had the chance to have invitations for them in time. I hope my word is enough?” Celestia’s voice came. They looked up at her, she winked, and the man bowed.

“Of course Princess, though I implore you to manage these things a bit better in the future.” He said politely.

“I hear that a lot.” Celestia chuckled and they entered. After a few steps they stopped and Celestia turned to them.

“Fancy meeting the two of you here, I thought you were on your rest days.” She said with a smile.

“Luna wants me to be Vinyl’s escort for obvious reasons, and this is her family’s party…” Twilight explained. Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“We can talk about that after the party. If it’s true, I think that you’ll be wanting some time with them then.” She said. The two bowed their heads and Celestia walked off with a happy farewell. They walked around, Vinyl getting a few looks and stares. Most of them were for her augments, the only other beings here with that much Biometal in them were the servant drones. A few of them were whispering about how terrible she was.

“Why do they think you’re terrible?” Twilight whispered to her as the room went rather silent as they walked up to the main table where a girl and her parents sat. The girl had emerald green hair in an elegant bun.

When they saw her they each had different reactions. The girl’s eyes went wide, the woman looked hurt and the man looked furious.

“I don’t know who you are, but making yourself in the likeness of our passed daughter is an insult I can’t forgive… I’m going to have to ask you to leave or to be thrown out.” The man said, keeping his anger from his voice.

“I’m sorry, but I will not leave.” Vinyl replied softly. With a wordless order, and a few startled yelps from bystanders, the servant drones stepped towards her with blades coming out of hidden scabbards.

“Madam, please reconsider. We do not want to harm you.” One of the drones said.

“I will not leave until I remember…” Vinyl said, her voice wavering as she felt the slightest bit of something within her besides the pain. She seemed to not notice as with another wordless order from the Man, a blade was placed at her throat.

“Vinyl…” Twilight said lowly, concerned. Vinyl stepped forwards, towards the table, grabbing the blade and shattering it as the drone tried to hold it in place.

“I want to remember…” She said lowly.

“Remember what?!” The man exclaimed. More drones rushed forward to block her path, the other guests backing towards the door. Just as Vinyl reached them they all lunged at her, but the scene froze just as soon as it happened. The Drones were all in precarious positions, mid-lunge, and Vinyl had opened all of her compartments containing weapons. Something new, though, was a head of green between then.

“Stop it!” She yelled. There was a silence before the girl’s father sighed.

“Stand down…” He said reluctantly. The drones all retracted their weapons, stepped back, bowed and returned to their positions. The girl turned around to face Vinyl, who cautiously returned to her previous state as well. Twilight holstered a handgun in the holster hidden on her leg under her dress.

“I don’t think this person was changed to look like her, Dad… I think this is Veronica…” The girl said.

“What are you talking about Emerald? Veronica isn’t with us anymore…” Emerald’s mother said. Vinyl knelt down to Emerald’s level and cupped her face.

“I don’t remember you, but I feel like you are very important to me…” She said.

“Is it really you Veronica?” The girl asked, hope enveloping her tone.

“I think so…” Vinyl replied. Emerald quickly hugged Vinyl and Twilight stepped up.

“We found her not too long ago on the run, an escaped Seeker. Her memory was erased but she resisted the indoctrination.” The girl said.

“I can vouch for this information.” Celestia said from where she hadn’t moved when the half-attack started.

“So you don’t remember me?” Emerald asked, looked at Vinyl in their embrace. “Veronica?” She asked. Vinyl was limp, her eyes wide open and frantically flying around their field of view, as if she was reading at an incredible speed. “Veronica?!” Emerald exclaimed. Vinyl started twitching and moving unnaturally, as if she was seizing up, and her face gained an incredibly pained expression.

“What’s happening to her?!” Vinyl’s mother exclaimed, rushing out of her seat to her Daughters.

“I don’t know…” Twilight said, cradling Vinyl’s head where she had fallen onto her back.

“H-H-Hurts-s!” Vinyl gasped out before she suddenly stopped, going limp again. The congregation remained silent, probably in horror, before Twilight picked the girl up.

“What just happened, Twilight?” Celestia asked as she walked up to them, Vinyl’s family staring at the now unconscious girl.

“I don’t know, but this morning she found out what happened to her and remembered the pain of it… I don’t know if she remembered any of her past or if she remembered more of what happened before she was snatched… We’ll have to wait and ask her when she wakes up.” Twilight explained.

“W-Well then bring her here, we’ll show you to somewhere quiet she can stay.” Vinyl’s Mother said. Twilight nodded and followed the woman, Emerald in tow, as her father attempted to get the party started back up again. It was mildly successful.

“How exactly did you find her, Miss Twilight?” Emerald asked Twilight when they reached a spare bedroom. Vinyl’s mother had left almost immediately to fetch something to drink for her when she woke up.

“Well I saw these two people looking down from a really tall rooftop so I went up there. I’m a Chaser, you see, one of the people that hunt down the Seekers. You know about Seekers right?” Twilight started. The girl nodded.

“Veronica made sure I knew what they were and how to defend myself from them… The last thing I remember us doing was going to a firing range with her and learning how to use a gun…” Emerald replied as they both looked down at the girl who looked like she was sleeping peacefully. There was nearly black blood running from one of her nostrils, in which Vinyl’s mother returned with a glass of water and a rag and proceeded to wipe it off.

“It’s strange, I can remember the feel of her face perfectly from the last time we saw each other… But it’s different now, it just feels a little off…” The woman said softly, more to herself. There were a few moments of silence before Twilight continued her tale, Vinyl’s mother gaining interest.

“The only people that go on rooftops like that are people trying to commit suicide or Seekers looking for a route… Turned out it was both.” Twilight continued.

“Wait, she was trying to commit suicide?” Vinyl’s Mother asked. Twilight nodded.

“I haven’t really talked to her about it, but the first thing she said to me was that she was tired of running. She showed me all of her weaponry outright, which Seekers don’t just do, and just sat down against a wall. She was tired and her companion had run away, so she was alone. As a Chaser I couldn’t just let a Seeker loose… but I couldn’t shoot her.” Twilight continued.

“You almost did, remember?” Said girl wheezed tiredly. They all quickly looked over to find her barely awake. Her mother and her sister quickly bombarded her with concerned questions, but went silent as she put her hand up with a pained face.

“Sorry, but it feels like my head exploded… I’ve got a lot of new stuff up in there that I’m not used to anymore…” Vinyl said, her voice was scratchy and hoarse so her mother wordlessly handed her the glass of water. She took it and gave an appreciative nod and down it. Her next words came out much softer and clearly.

“Thank you… I needed that.” She said.

“Do you remember anything from before now?” Twilight asked, noting what she said before. Vinyl nodded.

“I can remember the house, your faces and who you are… but my memories are from when I was little, up until I was around thirteen if I were to guess… After that it’s either gone or I’ll have to go through another fit again to remember it and I’d rather not do that again right now.” Vinyl explained.

“What about the pain?” Twilight asked. Vinyl snorted, looking down at her hands again.

“More intense than ever before, but I’ll live. Maybe it’s something that won’t fade or will be up to time.” She replied.

“What pain?” Emerald asked. Vinyl looked over at her and put a hand on her head.

“Something you don’t need to know.” She replied. Emerald looked a little disappointed about that but didn’t pursue the topic. Vinyl stood, wobbled a bit but maintained her balance. With a shiver, she did something that was probably along the lines of stretching for her. All of her compartments and moving parts and everything moved, opened and extended and went back to its previous place in quick succession.

“Should we get back to the party or do you want to leave?” Twilight asked the girl. Vinyl smiled at her and shook her head.

“Disoriented and sore I may be, but we spent a lot of money on these outfits. It’d be a shame to waste them.” She said. Twilight chuckled and the four left the room to return to the main hall where the party took place.

Author's Note

I fear the last bit of this is off and rushed and a bit incoherent, but my mood today is one of the worst I've ever been in and I don't think I'd be able to rewrite it in a timely manner...
anyways, hope you enjoy, the first half at least should be half decent