Amnesia

Amnesia

Chapter 2: Meaning behind the cutie mark

Running. That is the first memory that I had. Running. Just endlessly running through a thick inky blackness. I stumbled over something and fell to the ground with a loud squelch. Voices swarmed in my head and something seemed to be pulling me down. “S-stay away!” I cried as I struggled to be feet and I began to gallop. I seemed to be moving slower and slower as the inky blackness closed over me…

“My name is Solar Storm.”

The group of ponies smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Solar Storm.” Said Twilight. Solar Storm blushed slightly and mumbled, “Y-you can call me Solar if you want t-to… if y-you don’t mind.” Pinkie Pie popped up from behind the sofa. “That’s an AMAZING name Solar!!” Solar winched and then gave a smile. “Thank you. My mother and father chose it for me… I – I think.” The end part made everyone blink. “Ya think?” asked Applejack, a worried look on her face. Solar nodded. “Where do you come from, Darling? I’ve never seen you around before.” Said Rarity, flipping her hair to the side as she spoke. “I – I… come from… um…” Solar paused, her ears flatting against her head as she thought. She looked down at the carpet as she thought. At last she looked up. She jumped back a bit as the other ponies were crowded around her with curious looks on their faces as they waited for an answer. Rainbow Dash was hovering in the air, but she too had a curious look on her face. Solar cleared her throat. “I don’t know. I can’t remember anything. The only thing I do remember is my name.” Disappointment clouded the ponies’ faces. Twilight’s face brightened. “Maybe you have amnesia?” she questioned to no one in particular. The group gasped. “What’s anm… anme..?” Solar struggled to pronounce the word. “Amnesia, sugar cube.” Said Applejack kindly, as she smiled at Solar. “Amnesia is a deficit in memory, which could be caused by brain damage, disease or psychological trauma…” Twilight carried on, oblivious to the other ponies look. “What?” asked Rainbow, looking around at the group, who all had confused looks on their faces. “To put it simply, you have memory loss.” finished Twilight. “Oh…” exclaimed the group together. “Why didn’t ya just say that?” snorted Applejack, making Twilight laugh nervously. “Sorry. I got carried away. Ehehehe.”

Solar was staring at her hoofs. “Just who am I?” She looked up at the other ponies. “What does this mark mean?” The group crowded around Solar as she stood up and pointed to her flank. “What kind of cutie mark is that?” questioned Rainbow. The others nodded. “What’s a… cutie mark? Is that right?” she asked, looking at the other ponies, who nodded. “A cutie mark is something that defines your special talent. But I have no idea what yours could stand for…” said Twilight as she peered at Solar’s cutie mark. “Oh…” Pinkie Pie jumped up and down. “Mine stand’s for PARTY!” She screamed the last word, making the others jump, and Fluttershy jumped into the air and hovered there. Applejack looked at the clock. It read 4:55. “Would ya look at the time. It’s gettin’ kind of late. I better be going.” Rarity nodded. “I need to get home and start designing!” she gasped. Fluttershy landed on the ground and stepped forwards. “Um… Where should Solar Storm stay?” This made everyone pause as they stepped out of the door. Twilight turned around and placed a hoof to her chin. “Hmm… Why doesn’t Solar Storm stay with you for a while until we figure out what to do?” said Twilight. “Um… That’s should be fine. I could do with an extra pair of hooves to help me feed the animals.” Fluttershy smiled at Solar, who smiled back. “Right. That’s sorted. We’ll be around tomorrow.” Twilight and the others left. Solar sunk down onto the lounge chair. She gave a large yawn, lifting a hoof to cover her mouth. “Oh, dear. Are you tired?” asked Fluttershy as she stepped gingerly forwards. Solar nodded as her eyes drooped. Fluttershy fetched a blanket from the kitchen, humming while she did so. Solar could feel her eyes closing. “Why does that seem so familiar?” she thought, as her vision darkened. She curled up on the lounge as Fluttershy pulled a blanket over her.

A mare stroked my mane, humming. Her face was hazy, but her voice was soothing and made me feel relaxed. The room was dark, with a small candle in the middle of the room, casting eerie shadows on the wall. “Mama, when is father getting home?” I asked as she continued stroking my mane. The mare was silent for a few seconds before answering, “He’ll be home soon. I promise.” I nodded and closed my eyes. The mare began to hum again, a soft melody.

“There’s music in the treetops, and there’s music in the vale and all around the music fills the sky…”

Solar woke up to the sound of singing outside. She shook her head slightly to shake the sleepiness from her eyes. Solar slowly clambered to her feet and flapped her wings slightly. The feathers on her right wing have grown back over night and the bruises and cuts were healing quickly. She combed back her mane and tail to get rid of the dried mud and then walked outside. Fluttershy was hovering in the air with her animal friends around her. She was sowing out food from a bag, which the animals were eating. There were a majority of different animals around her, ranging from rabbits to falcons. Fluttershy had her back to Solar as she sowed out more food. She was singing a song that sounded very familiar to Solar Storm.

“…There’s music by the river, and there’s music in the grass and the music makes your heart soar in reply…”

Fluttershy spun around as she sang the last part then shrieked as she noticed Solar. She dropped the bag and the animals quickly ate up the rest of the food. “O-oh… Solar. I didn’t know you were there…” said Fluttershy as she looked down at the ground, blushing slightly. “Your voice is amazing!” cried Solar as she jumped up into the air and flew around Fluttershy, who blushed harder. “T-t-thank you.” mumbled Fluttershy as she held a hoof to her cheek. Solar hovered in the air, as she tested her wings. She flapped them harder and nearly blew the rabbits away. “U-um… Solar? Could you stop flapping your wings so hard?” asked Fluttershy as she landed on the ground. Solar giggled and landed on the ground. “Sorry!” she giggled again, which made Fluttershy start to laugh. “Fluttershhhy! Sooolar!” called a voice. Solar and Fluttershy looked around and noticed Pinkie Pie bouncing up to them with the others. Rainbow was flying, Pinkie was bouncing and the others were trotting. Once they reached Fluttershy’s cottage, Rainbow landed on the ground, but Pinkie Pie continued to jump up and down on the spot. “Heeey, guys!” she cheered. “H-hello, Pinkie.” Said Fluttershy, as she crouched nervously on the ground as Pinkie Pie had scared her. Twilight trotted up to them, her nose buried in a book that was being held up by her magic. “She’s been like that ever since this mornin’.” commented Applejack.  Twilight looked up from the book. “Solar,” Hearing her name made Solar jump. “Yes?” she asked. “I need you to think back. How did you end up at the entrance of Everfree forest?” Solar closed her eyes and thought. An empty blackness swirled in her vision. A glimmer of light broke through. “….I was running.” She said, her eyes still closed. “Running from what?” asked Twilight. Solar thought again. The light seemed to be getting brighter. “The blackness.” She said. “Blackness?” asked Twilight. “An inky blackness... I wanted to gallop faster but it held me back.”

Twilight buried her nose in the book again. “That does sound strange. I’ll have to report this to Princess Celestia. She might know something.” At the mention of Princess Celestia’s name, Solar’s eyes snapped open. “Princess Celestia?” she asked. The other ponies nodded. “Princess Celestia rules over Equestria with her sister, Princess Luna.” said Twilight without lifting her head from the book. “Of course we get audience with the princesses whenever we need them.” added on Rarity, as she flipped her mane over to one side. Solar nodded but wasn’t really listening. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

I was running with Mama. I flapped my wings in my effort to catch up. Mama’s face was hazy as well as her cutie mark and mane and tail colours. The only thing I could pitch together was Mama’s coat, which was a light yellow. “Mama, where are we going?” I asked, as Mama hauled me onto her back with her wings without breaking pace of her gallop. “We are going to Princess Celestia’s castle.” I thought for a few moments. “Who is that?” I asked. I’ve heard Mama and her friends talk about Princess Celestia before and how everything would be different if she was still around. I had often wondered who this Princess Celestia was and what role she had in Mama’s life. According to Mama, she was a very important pony and had helped them a lot. Another thing Mama said was that Princess Celestia was beautiful. That can’t be true as Mama is the most beautiful pony there is…

Solar shook her head, as the other ponies crowded around her calling out her name. “Solar, are you alright?” asked Fluttershy, concern on her face as well as the other ponies. “I-I’m fine.” The group stepped back and looked at each. “If you say so.” muttered Rainbow Dash as she folded her legs across her body as she hovered in the air. Solar smiled nervously and turned to Twilight. “What is that you are reading?” she asked, as Twilight once again had her nose in the book. “Hm… Interesting. Oh, sorry. It’s a book about cutie marks.” Solar blinked and looked at her flank. “What is my cutie mark?” she asked. “That’s just it,” Said Twilight as she turned the book around to show the others. She flipped through as few pages. There were pictures of different cutie marks on the page. “There’s no mention of a knife cutie mark. The only special talent with a knife would be cooking, but a cutie mark for cooking would be a cake or a cooking item, like a fork or spoon, but never a knife.” The group looked at the book as Twilight pointed to the cooking cutie mark. They all turned to look at Solar’s cutie mark. Solar blushed slightly and turned away. “Why don’t we go and speak to Princess Celestia or Princess Luna?” asked Rarity. “It’s obvious we don’t know what her cutie mark is, but the Princesses might know.” At Rarity’s suggestion, Twilight gave a little jump. “Of course! Princess Celestia or Princess Luna might know what that type of cutie mark means!” she galloped around them excitedly. “Let’s go now!” Rainbow Dash jumped up into the air with a powerful flap of her wings. “Yeah!” she cheered as Pinkie Pie jumped up with her.

*Time Skip*

The group arrived at the Canterlot palace. Two guards stood at the entrance of the throne room. “What business do you have with the Princesses?” one of them asked as him and his fellow guard stared at the group. One of the guards was slightly taller and was a lighter grey than the other guard, who was smaller and had a white coat. Twilight cleared her throat and waved a hoof in front of the guards. “I am Princess Celestia’s student, Twilight Sparkle, and I need to speak to the Princesses on royal business.” The guards stood to attention. “I apologise. We didn’t know it was you, Twilight Sparkle.” Said the slightly taller guard. Twilight smiled. “Please let us through. We have important business with the Princesses.” The guards nodded and opened the large throne room doors.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were at the end of the throne room. “Welcome Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student.”  Twilight smiled and then looked towards Solar. “We are here to talk to you on the request about a cutie mark.” The two Princesses looked at each other. “A cutie mark?” Luna asked, her booming voice making Solar and Fluttershy squeak. “I see Luna is still using the royal Equestrian voice. That’s so old!” whispered Rainbow to Applejack and Rarity, making them giggle. Twilight nodded. “You see,” she waved a hoof at Solar, who smiled nervously. “We have come to find out the meaning behind Solar Storm’s cutie mark.” Princess Celestia and Luna rose from their seats. “Step forward, Solar Storm.” commanded Princess Celestia, even though she said it in a gentle voice. Solar shuffled forwards nervously. This made Celestia and Luna smile at each other. “Thou remind me of a certain mare.” said Luna as she stepped forwards, and nodded her head towards Fluttershy, who squeaked and tried to hide behind her mane. Solar turned to the side to show them her cutie mark. “You have an interesting cutie mark.” commented Celestia. “Me thinks we have seen this cutie mark before.” Luna said as she turned around. She trotted towards the end of the hall, to the royal library. She returned a few minutes later with a book. The book looked fairly old and the spine was cracked. The book’s colour was faded, it looked like it was once a gold yellow, and the writing was faded and could barely be made out. She used her magic to hold it in front of her as she flipped through the pages. Her horn glowed a dark blue. At last Luna stopped on a page. Dust floated in the air. “The last pony to have a cutie mark like thee… was an assassin pony.” proclaimed Luna as she turned the book around. There was a picture of a stallion with the same cutie mark as Solar.

The stallion was tall, had a grey coat, and a black mane and tail. The same cutie mark that was displayed on Solar’s flank was the same as the stallions. “An assassin cutie mark.” wondered Twilight out loud as she placed a hoof to her chin. “W-what does that mean?” asked Solar nervously as she twisted around to look at her flank. “There’s has only been one pony with a cutie mark like that. He used to be a royal guard for me and Luna centuries back,” Said Celestia. “He helped protect us from assassination attempts.” She smiled at Solar. “That is your purpose in life. To protect somepony.” Solar nodded and looked back at her cutie mark.

'To protect somepony? That’s my meaning in life? Just who am I supposed to protect?'

After that thought, Solar dropped to the floor. The last thing she heard was Fluttershy calling out her name.