Just SMU and me

Chapters

Waking Up
Trotting Around Town
Making Lists
Asking Questions
Entering The Palace

Waking Up

I open my eyes and they fill with light. A harsh, bright, light that cause me to shut them again, instantly.

What's going on? What happened?

Hello, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I think I can answer those questions for you.

The voice sounds like mine, but instead of coming from the outside, it originated from inside my head. I open my eyes, again, squinting.

Who are you?

The room I'm in is white, bare for the most part. There's medical equipment lined up against the wall, including an IV running down to my forehoof. There's a door at the far end of the room, closed from the outside world, and no windows. The only light comes from sterile lamps on the ceiling. It seems like a hospital, but looks can be deceiving.

I'm your supplementary memory unit, or SMU, for short. Your brain suffered heavy damage, due to an accident, so I was placed here to provide the information lost to you, until you can learn it again. Luckily, nothing crucial was lost, so you should regain all the knowledge you need and I'll be terminated from your mind.

I can hear my heart pounding like it's prodding on my head. I try to move but get too dizzy to do more than shift a little in my sweaty sheets. It's hot, my pillow sticks to the back of my head and my mane is matted down.

Are you alive?

Not anymore, but you should worry about your recovery. Your body took quite the beating.

What happened? What's this accident you're talking about?

Sorry, I don't have that information, which means it's probably still in your mind. You might find it a little hard to remember specifics, at first, but with lots of rest and patience, it should come back to you.

What information do you have?

Mainly items from books you've read, particularly magical in nature. Your important memories and personality have survived intact, though a bit shaken up.

Who ordered you placed in my head?

The voice is silent. For a while, I wonder if I didn't just imagine the whole thing, or if SMU was gone forever. Finally, I hear her again.

You should get some rest. You still have some healing to do, before you can leave.

Ignoring my desire to try and pump her for more information, I decide to wait until tomorrow for that. I do need to rest, and I can't do too much until I remember just what happened to me in the first place.

I close my eyes, shutting the light from the room out and drifting to other worlds.

I don't dream, but I can almost hear, through the pounding in my ears and the errant thoughts flying through my mind, a quiet snore tucked away.

Why would a packet of memories need to sleep?

I don't like this.

I don't like any of this.

%*%

I wake up what I assume is the next morning to the sound of hoofsteps. I can't really tell what time it is, because there aren't any clocks in the room and no way to tell what it's like outside, but I'm guessing it's the next morning.

A unicorn stallion in a white coat and stethoscope around his neck trots in, peering into a clipboard hovering in front of his face. He looks startled when he sees me awake, but keeps the level expression he entered with.

"How are you feeling, today, Princess?"

I evaluate myself. My head still feels like a herd of buffalo found a prancing ground in it, when I try to move I'm able to move it much farther before I get too dizzy, and my memories are still a scattered mess. I can remember everything perfectly fine, except for what happened in the past week or so: the time of the infamous 'accident'.

"Better than last night." I cough up the words like they taste bitter in my mouth. It's only then I realize how hoarse my voice is from underuse.

"Good to hear. Very good to hear you're awake, as well. I'll be honest that some of the doctors weren't entirely sure if the surgery was going to work, but here you are and good as new."

SMU?

His name is Doctor Synapse, he didn't perform your surgery but he's here to see if you're fit enough to be discharged.

Who performed my surgery?

I don't know.

For a supplementary memory unit, you don't remember much.

Quite the contrary, I can recite all of Sunbright's laws of ethics and Starswirl's theories on changelings and fae creatures at will. Would you like me to, now?

Maybe later.

Doctor Synapse looks at the screens on the medical instruments attached to me and writes something on his clipboard. "Well, your vitals have stabilized, so that's good news. You probably have an enormous headache, but that's just a side effect of the painkillers you're on, so that should fade. How's your memory?"

"Scattered. I'm finding it hard to remember any recent events at all. Can you tell me what the accident I got in was?" I should at least find out what happened, to prevent it happening again.

The Doctor writes another note on his clipboard, then flips the pages back and reads off it. "Yes, apparently you suffered brain damage from a blunt object striking your head, repeatedly. A chair leg, I believe. It's being checked for any signs of the attacker, but I've no idea what they'll come up with. Regardless, I believe we'll have you here for one more night of observation, then you'll be free to go in the morning."

A chair leg? Why?

"Why are you letting me out if I've only been awake one day? Aren't you supposed to keep me longer for more observation?"

Doctor Synapse raises an eyebrow and looks me up and down. "You seem fine to me, given what's happened. I think you'll recover better with the comfort of friends." He trots out and closes the door, but pauses and opens it again to poke his head out. "Besides, if we keep you here longer than four weeks, we'll have to start charging you rent." He closes the door behind him and trots off.

Four weeks? I've been here four weeks? SMU, what happened?

Three weeks and six days ago, you arrived at the hospital with severe brain damage. I don't know much about that time because I was only activated yesterday.

But if that's true, how did I get to the doctors four weeks ago?

Unknown.

Yeah, I got that impression.

%*%

I open my eyes once again.

Something's wrong.

I look around the room and see white walls, medical equipment, harsh lamps, and even an I.V. running down to my hoof, just like yesterday. But the instruments are shifted or out of order, the harsh lamps give off a different hue than before, and my I.V. feels like it was disturbed during the night.

This isn't the same room; it was made to look like it.

SMU? Where am I?

Unknown. However, you are not in the same hospital you were yesterday and before.

Why move me? How is that hospital any different from this one?

Unknown.

It was rhetorical.

Understood.

Nurse Redheart, not Doctor Synapse, trots in. She's wearing a smile, thick and coating her like wax. "Good morning, Princess Twilight. Are you ready to go back home? How are you feeling?"

I check myself over. Alert, movable, a bit sluggish. "Confused."

I try to summon the memory of my accident, somepony beating me over the head with a chair leg, but I just get a series of fuzzy, only vaguely familiar, disconnected images. My head starts to pound and I feel like somepony's putting a knife through my brain. I stop trying to remember the accident and clutch my head until the pounding finally stops.

If Nurse Redheart saw my pain at trying to remember, she didn't say anything. She finished adjusting whatever she was doing with the medical instruments next to me and turned again towards me. "Do you feel ready to be released?"

Yes a thousand times. I can tell something's wrong and I can't find out what until I'm out of here.

"I believe so."

For a moment, her waxy smile drips off and she smiles for real, visibly relieved. She helps me into a wheelchair and wheels me out of the room and through the hall.

The room I was staying in is drastically different from all the other rooms I pass by. Those have windows, comfortable bedding, warm lighting. I shake my head. Why am I so paranoid all of a sudden? I was mildly paranoid before, but now I'm analyzing everything like it was planned by my worst enemy.

It could be, the paranoia stems from your difficulty in accessing memories. Without the proper context of your memories, you feel your environment is circumspect, as if your memories were purposefully violated. Additionally, any medicine they had you on for your recovery may also be to blame.

Were my memories purposefully violated, though? It all seems too convenient that I suddenly lose the memories leading up to my accident. Much too convenient.

I'm wheeled outside and I can finally feel the sun. It feels warm, like it's washing the cold off of me.

So I'm released, what now? Where should I start trying to figure out what happened to me? Who bludgeoned me with a chair leg, even if that actually happened? Or should I just forget about it, realizing I'm just being paranoid and moving on?

I sigh, closing my eyes. I can still feel the sun, warm after weeks in the cold hospital.

I can't just move on without knowing.

I grit my teeth, opening my eyes and staring straight ahead.

I'll start at the beginning: my library.

Author's Note

GO AT FV AC AT NW OY

For anyone wondering about the above, I can only say I don't play fair with stuff like that. Really, there's no question that you don't have a ghost of a chance solving it.

Good luck.

Trotting Around Town

Travelling to the library was unnerving, at first. I knew everypony, but I didn’t know them as well as I did; Derpy got a new mane cut, Lyra and Bon Bon were married, Carrot Top moved away. So much happened that I simply don’t know about. Maybe I could remember attending Lyra and Bon Bon’s wedding, maybe I had heard Derpy talking about getting a new mane cut or Carrot Top moving away, maybe if I could remember anything that’s happened recently.

Yet still, every time I try it feels like somepony’s gripping my brain and squeezing it, disrupting my focus and drowning the memories I try to conjure.

The streets are the same, but there are new plants in the gardens or decorations outside. It’s as if a whole chunk of my life has just been stolen from me, and for what, for money? Was I beaten over the head by a burglar because he wanted some change, or is there something even bigger I can almost see?

The outside of my library is the same as the rest of Ponyville, like it’s almost how I left it. Everything’s almost the same, but I can see the sign hanging slightly crooked and the branches near the top in need of trimming. Why didn’t I fix this before? Was I too busy? Too busy doing what, though?

I manage to tear my eyes away from the outside of the library and open the door to step inside.

I don't know why I didn't expect them to be there. I just got out of the hospital, of course they would be waiting at my library. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike were all gathered in the front room to welcome my return.

Thankfully, nothing extreme has changed with them. They all look concerned, Fluttershy very concerned, and Applejack looks a bit mad about something, but they don’t seem to be different from before.

Thank Celestia for small favors.

After a group hug, Spike brings out tea and we sit down and talk.

"My Celestia, Twilight, you look absolutely dreadful. What were they feeding you at that hospital? How do you feel?" Rarity asks.

"I'm fine, Rarity. Really, I just want to find out what happened." I take a sip of my tea and look around the room, the place is spotless, but I can see where Spike cleaned things up. I can even see there’s a missing chair usually off to the side which must have been the weapon used against me. I pause from inspecting the room and count my friends again. "Where's Rainbow Dash?"

Applejack huffs, looking out the window. "In Las Pegasus. She said she had 'urgent family matters' to attend to. 'Tain't right, though. She doesn't have any family in Las Pegasus. She should be here for you."

SMU?

Your friend, Rainbow Dash, was the one who discovered you and took you to the hospital.

"She took me to the hospital?"

Fluttershy nods. "I think she just needs to be alone for a while."

Alright. I'll talk to Rainbow Dash later. For now, I need to find out what I was doing. "Was I acting strangely for the few weeks before I went to the hospital."

Spike laughs. "You're always acting strangely."

I shake my head. "No, really. Try to think. Did you ever hear me say what I was doing or what kind of things was I talking about?"

Applejack shrugs. "You did ask a lot about my family, what I remembered about 'em and such. But I thought you were just curious."

I might have just been curious. Why wouldn't I be? What could have been so important about Applejack's parents? They died in a house fire, no foul play, nothing wrong. It was probably nothing. I tell myself it was nothing.

But I don't believe it was nothing.

Pinkie Pie raises a hoof and jumps up and down. "Ooh, ooh! You were also asking me questions about my rock farm and about Fluttershy's, Rarity's, and Dash's parents."

Why the sudden interest in their parents? If I asked about all of their parents, that makes it much more likely I was just curious, unless I can find a connection between all of their parents besides that their daughters are friends, maybe the books I was reading at the time could shed some light on this.

I rub the bridge of my nose between my eyes.

No. I'm grasping at straws now. They were innocent questions and I should stop being so paranoid. End of discussion.

"Are you alright, Twilight? You've been sitting completely silent for ten minutes." Spike laws a claw on my shoulder and I gasp and jump back, falling over and slamming my head down onto the wooden floor.

"Please don't startle me like that again," I say. Jeez, I'm jumpy. What is wrong with me that a touch from Spike sends me flying? My head slides to the left of me and faces one of the bookshelves. When the world stops spinning, my eyes focus on one of the books on the bookshelf.

The title is 'Blue Sky's Guide To Pegasus Flight,' but there's nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is that it's in completely the wrong place. It should be under the pegasus reference section, but instead it's on the animal reference section. I stand up and trot over to it.

"Something wrong, Twilight?" Rarity trots over and starts to place a hoof on my shoulder, but stops and thinks better of it.

I nod, absently. "Did anypony move this book?"

The collected ponies and Spike shake their heads no.

I take it out and flip through the pages, coming across a bookmarked page.

"Pegasi naturally fly using the air currents and streams naturally found in Equestria. However, in order to supplement this ability to fly faster, or fly without any air current, they are able to use the magic found inside them and in the air."

What does that have to do with anything? Any ideas SMU?

Blue Sky was a little known author and publisher of only two books. The first being a compilation of generally accepted facts on pegasi, and the second being a short story about a pegasus mare named Sprinkler.

So, it's useless. Gotcha.

Regardless, I put the book to the side so I can put it back where it goes later and lay the bookmark on top of it.

I shake my head.

Breathe, Twilight. You'll work on this later. For now, almost all of your friends are here and waiting for you to stop freaking out.

After a moment, I look up and see the slightly concerned faces of my friends. I smile and they relax, smiling back. My stomach rumbles and I laugh. "Who wants something to eat."

Pinkie Pie leaps up in the air. "I do, I do."

The six of us leave the library towards Sugarcube Corner and I close the door behind me, leaving behind Blue Sky's Guide and a torn piece of paper used as a bookmark with the letters 'C U V C B Z R A N' imprinted in neat ink cubes.

Author's Note

Real sick while writing this chapter, hope it makes a lick of sense.

Thanks for reading.

ZB XZ CP PE UF BW IW

Making Lists

I feel much better after getting something to eat, and I finally head back to the library after continued assurances to my friends that I was alright. I'm vaguely aware of Spike traveling alongside me, but at present I'm focused more on the odd things that have been happening. I make a mental note to make a checklist later, but for now I need to compile what I know.

First, there's the hospital. The setup was too harsh to be any normal hospital, then I was moved to the one in Ponyville without being told, why? I need to see what I can find out about Doctor Synapse; he's the only link I have to that other hospital, the room I woke up in.

Second, there's Rainbow Dash. She was the first to find me after my accident and took me to the hospital, but she isn't here now. I need to talk to her about the state she found me in, see if anything she can remember can help shed some light on what happened. Besides that, I need to find out why she's in Las Pegasus. She must have left sometime in the four weeks between dropping me at the hospital and my getting out. I need to talk to her, soon.

Third, there's the questions I was asking before my accident. They could be unrelated, but it seems too coincidental that it all happened at the same time. If I was asking these questions trying to find something specific, I would have kept notes on it. I find the notes and I find the answers. Maybe this should be my top priority.

Fourth, there's the out of place book. It seems useless, but there must be a reason it was in the wrong place; I wouldn't do that unless I knew I'd need to find it later. Maybe this has something else to do with Rainbow Dash, and that's why she left. No, I'm grasping at straws, I need to focus.

Finally, the biggest strange thing of all, my Supplementary Memory Unit. This is the most important thing to figure out of all. Primarily, I need to figure out exactly what it is, who put it in there, and why.

I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important in the list, but I shake it off as more idle paranoia. If it really is something important, I'm sure I'll remember it later.

I focus on the biggest question, first.

SMU?

Yes, Princess?

Do you know who designed you?

My creator was a collaboration between Princess Luna and a number of her personal advisors. The advisors in question were all experts in matters of the mind, physical and magical, and numbered a total of four different races. The Princess decided that the more race diversity there was in the project, the more unique point of views would be provided.

Did Princess Luna decide to design you on her own?

Unknown if the project was commissioned or for private benefit.

Okay, that doesn't work. What about this: what were the four different races involved in your design?

Pony, Buffalo, Changeling, and Draconequiss.

Draconequiss? Discord?

The individual identities of the participants are unknown.

How did Princess Luna get access to Changeling advisors?

Unknown.

The more you don't know, the more I think that's on purpose.

Understood.

Yeah, I got that.

Spike and I make it to the library and I suddenly get the impression that Spike's been staring at me for the entire walk over. "Is there something wrong, Spike?"

He crosses his arms. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Come on, Twilight, you haven't said a thing since we left Sugarcube Corner."

I smile. "Thanks for being concerned, Spike. I'm mostly just trying to figure things out."

Spike doesn't look satisfied, but he drops it anyway.

I mentally add investigating Luna's project to my list. Ponies and Buffalo, I can understand, but Discord and Changelings? I get the feeling only Princess Luna can tell me exactly what SMU is. The only question is, will she?

The question comes down to how much of these problems are problems, and how much is paranoia. If something is wrong, if Princess Luna is doing something wrong, asking her about it will only let her know I'm investigating. On the other hoof, if nothing's wrong, or Princess Luna isn't a part of it, finding out more about what SMU is will give me the information I need to get me on the right track or lay my worries to rest.

I can hear Spike putting on another pot of tea, so I take a slight break in my ruminations. I look around the almost familiar library. Earlier, I had only been here a few minutes and I'd been with my friends. Now, though, I can tell where everything's changed. I've gotten new books, I can see them in their places on the shelves, but besides that, I can also see missing books. Most of the missing books were probably checked out. This is a library, ponies check out books all the time. But, there's something wrong with some of these missing books.

Ponyville is a small town, one founded and mostly populated by earth ponies. The unicorns in town generally have other interests and talents than magic, most unicorns who do have an interest in magic go to Canterlot. Canterlot hosts one of the best magic schools in all of Equestria, the palace Archive, and the Archmage's quarters as well. But in Ponyville, the only pony who's interested in most forms of higher magic is me, but some of these checked out books are very advanced.

This boils down into three possibilities: the first one, some of the ponies in Ponyville checked out these books because they're genuinely interested in the information contained. I have lost a lot of time, so it could be that new ponies interested in magic moved in, or a pony I already know became interested in magic. The second possibility is that I was reading these books, myself, and I haven't finished them so I didn't put them back on the shelf. The third possibility is that for some reason these books were stolen, perhaps even by my attacker.

The most likely option is the second one, I read books on magic all the time and I rarely put them back before I'm done with them. Second most likely is that some ponies in town checked them out because they'd suddenly become interested. The third possibility is by far the least likely, yet it's still a possibility, I can't discount it.

Spike walks in with the tea. I grasp the pot with my magic and start to pour it, the teapot shakes and falls out of my telekinetic grip.

I sigh and rub the bridge between my eyes. "I'm sorry, Spike, I forgot that my magic probably atrophied. I'll clean it up."

He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it, Twilight, you really need to take it easy. This hospital business really has you shaken up. What happened that has you so worried?"

He's too good to me. "Really, Spike, I'm probably just worrying over nothing. Do you know where the books I was reading are? I'd like to look at some of them before I turn in."

It's not a lie. Everything I said was one hundred percent accurate, technically.

He grins, visibly relieved. "Sure thing, Twilight. I'm glad you're feeling better." He takes two steps toward the stairs, then stops, lifting a claw up to scratch the back of his head. "Actually, I kinda forgot you told me to hide some books you were working on, so it's gonna take a bit to get them. I'll head out for them in the morning, but right now it's pretty late. Do you want me to get some other book from the library?"

Why would I tell Spike to hide my books?

Unknown.

I wasn't asking you.

I think for a minute. "Blue Sky's Guide To Pegasus Flight, my faithful assistant, and some tea. I'll, uh, I'll let you pour it this time," I say, blushing.

He nods and goes off to do his assigned tasks while I head for the stairs up to my bedroom. I expect for things to be as surreal and slightly out of place as everywhere else, but, to my surprise, my bedroom is exactly the same as I left it. Well, thank Celestia for small favors, anyway. It'll be nice to do some reading in a familiar place.

Spike comes upstairs with the tea and the book and sets it down next to me, falling over onto his bed and falling asleep instantly.

With much difficulty, I use my magic to open the book to the bookmarked page again. I study it for a while. Why would I bookmark this page on pegasus magic?

SMU, what do you know about the way pegasi fly?

Pegasi normally glide using natural air currents found all around Equestria. When there are no air currents, or the pegasus in question wants to fly faster, they release magic into the air and burn it as a means of propulsion.

Burn it? Like a firework?

Similar.

So, this burning, does it create a trail behind the pegasus?

Not always, but if enough magic is burnt this way a trail can occur.

What if a pegasus released and burnt a lot of magic at the same time? What would happen?

I ask this, but I think I already know the answer.

Similar to a firework, there would be an explosion, speeding the pegasus far beyond normal air travel speeds. This would require a severely high amount of magic to do, however, as magic would need to be released for speed to build up before the explosion, so it does not tear the pegasus apart, then the explosion itself would require additional stores.

How powerful would you say such a pegasus would theoretically be?

Their power would be roughly comparable to Princess Miamore Cadenza.

Cadence? Is this just pegasus magic?

Negative. Total magic.

I shut the book. So that means Rainbow Dash, and her Sonic Rainboom are as powerful as an alicorn? How? Why?

Hang on, she was supposed to have done a Sonic Rainboom as a filly, how could nopony tell her about this? How could she not have been recruited by the Wonderbolts or even Princess Celestia?

I rub the sides of my head, where a splitting ache now resides.

I reach a hoof over and take a sip of my tea, spying a little slip of paper coming out of Sky's Guide. I take it and hold it in front of me.

What's this?

'C U V C B Z R A N', it reads in tidy black letters. It's drawn by hoof, but every shape is meticulous, without error, except for the second 'C', being smudged.

Some kind of code?

I tuck the piece of paper back in the book and put the book on the nightstand next to my bed.

I'll have to solve it tomorrow. Tonight, I sleep.

I try to listen for SMU's snores, again, for a while. But when I don't hear them, eventually I give up and slowly drift to sleep.

My last thoughts before I'm fully asleep are this:

Oh, yeah. I remember what the last thing I should investigate is, the thing I forgot earlier. I should find out why I didn't use my magic to protect myself from a pony wielding a chair leg.

I yawn.

That's weird.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, for anyone hoping for more you can thank JFalk, without whom this chapter would not be here.

Thanks for reading.

GOCTNKDT

Asking Questions

I wake up, abruptly, in the middle of the night. I don't see Spike anywhere, but standing tall in the dim room is Princess Celestia, herself. I jolt upward and take a hasty bow. "Princess Celestia,” I blurt out, “What brings you here?"

I'm never unhappy to see my mentor; as a matter of fact, I'd planned on taking a trip to Canterlot in the morning, but I hadn't even had time to prepare and it's the middle of the night. I push the question of why she’s here in the middle of the night to the back of my mind.

She smiles. "Please, Twilight, There's no need for that. I actually came to see how you were doing after you were released from the hospital. I would have come sooner, but I was unfortunately detained. I hear you've had some problems remembering things, is that right?"

Only the things that matter.

I nod. "There are actually a lot of things, really. The memory is a big one, but at least it can be explained, I'm trying to find out about all these other things going on that maybe I knew about before I was attacked. But, because my memory's gone, I'm mostly just confused."

She spreads a wing over my back, warming some of it. "There there, my faithful student. I'm sure you'll figure things out. Although, if I could give some advice?"

I look up and nod again.

She looks down at me, the same smile she wore whenever she was teaching me. "You tend to obsess over things that bother you without talking to the ponies that could help. Why don’t you stop trying to answer every question so directly, and try to answer more basic questions before you make too many assumptions.”

I look down at my hooves. It's true; I haven't really asked my friends anything, just SMU. I won't be able to figure out anything if I can't even ask my friends.

I'm just about to look up at Celestia, again, when I hear Spike's voice. "Twilight, wake up."

I jolt upright, flinging my assistant off my bed and hearing him land on the floor with a thump. "Spike?"

He waves a claw up, still lying on the ground. "Ow."

I get out of bed and trot over to him, but he looks alright, if a little annoyed.

He stands up and blinks a few times. "Jeeze, Twilight, it looks like you didn't get any less jumpy in your sleep."

So, I was asleep? It wasn't real.

I shake my head. It doesn't matter, the dream was right; I can't move forward if I don't start talking to my friends to fill in my missing memory. Who knows how many of my theories are based on false assumptions? "I'm sorry, Spike." I help him up off the floor and he goes downstairs to make breakfast, grumbling slightly.

I take a quill and parchment, then groan as I struggle to even hold the quill upright in my magic. Four weeks without using magic is a long time, but it doesn't seem like it should have regressed that much, unless for some reason I stopped using magic altogether in the time I can't remember. I sigh. I guess it's another thing to ask my friends.

I wish I could write it down, but I really can't use a quill with my mouth, so I'll just have to make a mental checklist.

Number one, talk to Fluttershy about Rainbow Dash, what she was like when she was young, what she knows about Pegasus flight and the Sonic Rainboom, etcetera.

Number two, talk to Applejack about what Rainbow Dash has been like recently, including anything she knows about Rainbow finding me and taking me to the hospital.

Number three, talk to Rarity and Pinkie Pie about what I was doing during my memory gap, particularly stuff that seems strange.

I hear a knock at the door and I go to answer it, fumbling with the doorknob as I open it with my hooves.

Outside stands Pinkie Pie, a grin plastered across her face. I don't move aside, but somehow she's already inside the house and bouncing up and down. "Hey, Twilight, how did you sleep?"

Well, I'm not that tired, so pretty well. "I slept fine, Pinkie, but I did want to talk to you about something, if that's alright."

She stops bouncing, but her grin persists. "Okie dokie Loki, ask away."

I mentally rearrange the checklist so that talking to Pinkie appears at the top, then continue. "Can you tell me anything I was doing before I went to the hospital that doesn't seem like something I'd normally do? Did I go anywhere strange, or say anything, or even did anything to you that seemed unlike me?"

She sits down and puts a hoof on her chin in thought. "Well, there was one thing, if I had to pick something: about a week before you went to the hospital, you went up to Cloudsdale because you said you had to talk to some ponies up there. But, when I asked, you wouldn't tell me who. Does that count as weird?"

Who would I be talking to in Cloudsdale? "Do you have any guesses for who I was talking to?"

She puts her hoof on her chin again and elicits a 'hmm' sound. "Nope, no guesses. But I did ask Rainbow Dash to find out."

I blink, my eyebrows furrowing into a thick crease. "Rainbow Dash? How did you convince her to do that?"

She tilts her head to the side, her smile changing to a more even expression. "Well, I said 'ask' but mostly I just told Dashie about it, and she decided to follow you. Apparently, you'd been acting super weird toward her for the past few weeks and she wanted to find out why."

So, does this all lead back to Rainbow Dash, or is there something else I'm missing? "Well, who did Rainbow Dash say I spoke to?"

Pinkie Pies tilted head sprang back upright with a 'ding'. "Well, she said you talked to a bunch of ponies at the Rainbow Factory, and somepony else, whose name I can't remember but Dashie seemed to already know."

That's not quite as useful as I could've hoped. "Did Rainbow Dash hear what we were talking about?"

Pinkie nods, her bright hair bouncing up and down in much the same way Pinkie herself had been earlier. "Yep, she said she heard everything, but she wouldn't tell me. She said you made her Pinkie Promise not to tell anyone, so I couldn't make her break a Pinkie Promise.”

She leans in close, staring at my face like she’s looking for something. “Twilight, I'll do a lot of things for all my friends, but I won't break a Pinkie Promise."

I stare back, but after a minute she slumps backward, visibly disappointed. Her fair fizzles a bit, deflating.

I open my mouth to say something, but close it again. After a few minutes, I finally manage to force something out. "Is there anything else that you think you should tell me?"

She shakes her head no, eyes averted.

We stop talking for another while and eventually she perks up again. "Anyway, it was nice seeing you, Twilight." she pulls me into a hug and whispers in my ear. "I'm glad you're okay." She lets go and bounces out the door.

Spike brings in the breakfast. "What was that all about?"

I'm still staring out the door. "I'm not really sure." I turn around and face Spike. "Spike, is there anything that I did or said from before that you think I should know about?"

He keeps setting the dishes up. "It's kinda hard to say, Twilight. For you, it's probably like a big chunk of your life is missing, but for us we don't know how much you don't remember or what might be important. A lot of what you might find interesting or strange that's missing in your memory might be business as usual for the rest of us."

Hmm. I rub the sore spot on my forehead where I keep creasing my eyebrows. "When did you get so insightful?"

He laughs before sitting down in one of the chairs. "I guess I've just been talking to Princess Luna a bunch, lately."

I mentally check talking to Pinkie Pie off my checklist, sitting down in the chair next to Spike. "When did you have the chance to talk to Princess Luna? I thought she only left Canterlot on Nightmare Night."

He gives me an odd look, then shakes his head. "This is just what I'm talking about. You don't remember visiting Canterlot, or talking to Princess Luna at all?"

I take a bite out of the toast in front of me and sip my tea. "Not in the slightest. Do you know what I talked to Princess Luna about?"

He starts eating the pile of gemstones in front of him, chewing on them a little before answering. "Well, when I was there you mostly talked about what Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were like before Nightmare Moon. After you thought I was asleep, though, I know you were talking about Nightmare Moon."

I choke on my toast. "Did you hear what I found out?"

He shrugs. "You'll have to ask Luna. I forgot most of the stuff about Nightmare Moon. I know you didn't find out much about before, though, because apparently Princess Luna lost a bunch of memory when it happened. I guess that's pretty funny because now it's the same with you, huh?"

I nod, absently. "Yeah, pretty funny."

SMU, what could have caused Princess Luna's memory loss?

The primarily held belief is that there was some foreign being called 'Nightmare' that altered her memories and, upon being destroyed by the Elements of Harmony, her altered memories were unrecoverable.

I think for a moment, letting Spike chew on more gems. The explanation seems too convenient.

Do you think this analysis is true?

It does beg the question of how 'Nightmare' got inside, as any actions capable of putting such a being inside a pony's mind could just as easily remove memories.

I would ask who would do such a thing, but I'm pretty sure the answer is-

Unknown

Yeah, that.

Spike and I finish eating and I stand up, then hesitate. Technically, I should talk to Fluttershy, because she's the first pony on the list, but then again I grouped Rarity and Pinkie Pie together, so should I talk to Rarity to fully complete that checkmark? I shake my head. Pinkie Pie clearly knows something but won't tell me, maybe Applejack would be better to talk to right now. At least I'll know she's honest.

Spike and I trot out the door and head to Sweet Apple Acres, engaging in little conversation during the walk. On the way, I try to prepare talking points and questions for Applejack to maximize our use of time.

Once we arrive, Spike leaves me with Applejack bucking trees so he can get the books I apparently told him to hide at some point. Applejack bucks the apples out of another tree and I can't help but notice something of a scowl on her face, her teeth gritted together.

After I see this, the talking points I had prepared exit my mind and I'm left with nothing to say. A few minutes with just Applejack's grunts and the sound of the apples falling pass and I try to start the conversation. "So, Appleja-"

She interrupts me, eyes still on her task. "What aren'tcha telling us, Twi?"

I blink and take a step back. "I'm sorry?"

She stops her bucking and turns to face me. "When you got out of the hospital, we were all so worried about you, but it was Pinkie's idea to wait for you in the library. We waited for a while and it was hard. RD wasn't there, and we had no idea just how badly you were hurt or what had happened. It wasn't just that, though; before you went to the hospital, it seemed like you were drifting away from us. You were working on something big, something you were focusing on mighty hard and that was fine. I know how easy it is for you to get caught up in one of your projects; in fact, you can get just as stubborn as me, sometimes. I didn't mind that, heck, I didn't even mind you asking some questions about what happened before you went to the hospital after you got out. I know if I ever lost my memory, I'd be going nuts trying to get it back."

I try to say something, but she holds up a hoof to stop me.

She takes her hat off and puts it down on the basket filled with apples, taking two steps toward me. "But there's something else, Twi. There's something bothering you, something that makes ya go quiet for ten minutes at a time. I can see it eatin at ya, Twilight, and I want to help. Tell me what's wrong."

I know she's talking about SMU, that's plain enough. But, didn't I tell them about it already? I could have sworn I did. I guess it just didn't come up.

Hearing voices in your head is frequently associated with the auditory hallucinations exhibited by patients with schizophrenia. Without proof of my existence, Applejack may suspect any form of mental damage particularly considering the form of your accident was head trauma.

I dismiss SMU's warning with a shake of my head.

Applejack is my friend, and she asked my directly. I can't ignore that because I'm worried she'll think I've cracked.

SMU doesn't give a response, so I assume it understands.

I look up at Applejack. "Actually, Applejack, I think there is something you should know."

So, I tell her everything. I tell her about how different everything is, I tell her about my theories and questions, most of all I tell her about SMU. She's quiet, she doesn't interrupt, or laugh, or even raise an eyebrow. When I'm explaining, it strikes me just how little I know about what's going on. It's only been two days, but somehow it seems much longer. After I finish, she pauses for a few minutes. "You said Princess Luna made the voice in your head?"

I nod.

She picks up her hat and places it back on her head, taking the basket of apples on her back. "Well, apparently she had a team of ponies plus a changeling and Discord. I've seen Princess Luna pull some pretty fancy tricks, but I don't think she could pull that off without Princess Celestia knowing about it. So, if Princess Celesttia knows about it, it can't be that bad, right?"

That's a perfectly logical explanation. So why do I still get the feeling I'm missing something about it? "Do you know anything about what I was finding out before I got sent to the hospital?"

We make it to the barn and she drops off the apples. "Seemed like a lot of things, really. Can't say how they fit together, but I know you were really interested in our parents and what we were like before we got our cutie marks or before we moved to Ponyville. There must've been other stuff, too, though, ‘cause you went to Canterlot, Cloudsdale, apparently you were even supposed to go to Las Pegasus next, but you got sent to the hospital before that could happen." She rearranges the baskets full of apples before facing me again. "I think that's it."

I can't tell if that's too much, or too little. Las Pegasus, there was something about Las Pegasus. I just need to remember.

I gasp.

Rainbow Dash.

Is she in Las Pegasus,

Because of me?

Author's Note

Man, was this chapter hard to get out. I was actually traveling with a policeman when a dog came up and bit us. But, I finally got to my square laptop and published it.

Good luck.

52 23 15 33 14 24 14 31 45 33 11 32 11 25 15 43 32 45?

Entering The Palace

Isn't it funny?

It's amazing how much of what's happened recently is like that.

Isn't it funny that Rainbow Dash, one of if not the only pony that knew what I was investigating arrived at the scene of my attack just in time to take me to the hospital?

Isn't it funny that the same Rainbow Dash then went to Las Pegasus, the same place I had next to investigate?

Isn't it funny that I spent time in Canterlot recently with Luna, the same pony who created SMU?

Isn't it funny that the mare who raised me like a daughter, Princess Celestia, hasn't shown up yet to see how I've been?

Isn't it funny that the same Princess Luna who designed SMU had similar gaps in memory after she became Nightmare Moon?

It is funny. It's too funny.

With the information I have now, I can say that Rainbow Dash started working with me on my research shortly after she found me interviewing specific ponies in Cloudsdale, ponies only she has a chance at identifying at this point. After Rainbow started working with me, I had some kind of plan, either one because I knew I was going to be attacked, or as a precaution. This plan was for Rainbow Dash to go to Las Pegasus in the event I got attacked. If I was that worried and the research was that important it would have had to be at the later stages at that point. This means that whatever reason I sent Rainbow Dash to Las Pegasus, she couldn't have continued my research, I think. Instead, she would be heading to Las Pegasus either to do something final with the research, like a field test or to get it published, or else find another pony who could finish it. Maybe if I had my notes, I'd be able to tell more specifics, but in either case it would make sense for Rainbow Dash to take the notes with her.

From these theories, I can deduce this: Rainbow Dash knew I was going to be attacked, she has my notes, she knows what I was researching and can fill in a lot of the gaps in my memory, and she may even know the pony who attacked me. The question is, why is she still in Las Pegasus when I'm not dead?

This breaks off into another two options: either she doesn't know I'm not dead, or whatever plan that was executed when I was attacked became independent of whether I was alive or not. So, whether I survived the attack or not, Rainbow Dash still needs to find somepony to print or continue my research because I'm what, compromised?

Hang on, what if I am compromised? What if SMU isn't just a device for giving me memories, but transmitting them elsewhere? That would mean that I already knew about SMU before the attack. I already knew that if I got attacked, I would be compromised. It seems a bit farfetched, but it might explain some things.

So, let's start at the beginning and assume I found something out of place. Investigation into this led me to discover the existence of SMU and the way SMU can transmit information to somepony. I realize that with this, any of my friends could be compromised and would tell the pony recieving the SMU data that I was on to them. I spend my time researching more and finally in Cloudsdale, I get the ability to distinguish the compromised ponies and the uncompromised ones. Rainbow Dash confronts me, and I recruit her to help me, knowing she isn't compromised. I don't get help from my other friends, either because I assume they're compromised, or because I was worried for their safety.

At some point, I identify the pony that SMU transmits to, which seems to be Luna, since she invented it. I find or guess that Luna's going to attack me, and give Rainbow Dash instructions for when that happens. Luna attacks me, gives me SMU, wipes out my memory of my research, and Rainbow Dash finds me and brings me to the hospital. After that, Rainbow Dash goes to Las Pegasus to finish the research or find an uncompromised pony who can.

So, if this is true, the best thing to do would be to stay here in Ponyville while Rainbow Dash finishes the research. Unless, since I just told Applejack everything Princess Luna already knows where she is. Which would mean Rainbow Dash is in danger.

I hesitate.

But, some things still don't add up. Why make SMU talk if it would be easier to just have it transmit the information silently? Why wipe out my memories if she wanted to be updated on how far my research was? Why hit me in the head with a chair leg, if magic was such a viable option? For that matter, why is my magic so weak right now? I feel like a little filly casting her first spells right now. What about what Applejack said, about having this type of research go on without Celestia knowing? Wouldn't ponies have noticed Princess Luna leaving Canterlot or entering Ponyville? Wouldn't Celestia?

I shake my head. No. There's nothing I can gain by just standing here and falling apart. If I can't go to Las Pegasus, I'll go somewhere else to get my answers.

I'll go to Canterlot.

"Twi."

Applejack breaks me out of my train of thought.

She pokes me in the chest with a hoof. "This is exactly what I'm talking about, going quiet for ten minutes at a time. So you're worried about this SMU character, that's fine. Seems harmless enough to me, but I don't hold with ponies tinkering with my brain, either. My advice, don't use it. It'll take a bit longer to learn or remember everything again, but at least it'll make ya feel better."

I shake my head. "Applejack, it's not all about that. There's something big going on and I can't just ignore it because it would be easier. I know I'm distant and I know you're worried but, if I just give up I'll never find out what's happening. I won't find out why the hospital changed, or why Rainbow Dash is as powerful as an alicorn, or why I can't use my magic."

Applejack takes a step backward, mouth agape. Then she closes it and looks down. "Twi, what was that last one?"

I squint my eyes and try lifting an apple out of a barrel, but it only wiggles for a moment and falls. "At first I thought it just atrophied, but it's like I haven't used it in years at least."

Applejack sighs, looking up at me again. She doesn't seem tired, even after bucking the trees and moving barrels for so long, but if anything she seems a bit worn, like an old blanket thinning out. "Well, Twi. I don't pretend to know what's going on, but I'll try ta help in any way I can. Ta be honest, I'm just glad we're talking again."

I pause. "Did we not talk to each other before?"

She laughs. "Not hardly. You avoided everypony like the plague for at least a few weeks before you got attacked, 'ceptin Rainbow Dash who hardly ever left your side. It didn't look like you were avoiding us to be mean, but whenever you saw us you just looked so sad. So, eventually, you just stopped seeing us. I tried talking to Rainbow about it, but she just said you were busy working on something, then flew off."

I open my mouth to speak, but she already knows the question. "No, Twilight. I know how you get working on something, but there was more to it than that. I think you found something out about us, or at least me, Fluttershy, and Rarity, something bad. I don't know what, or how, but something about us to make you sad enough to start avoiding us."

That makes sense, but what could be so bad I'd avoid my friends? "Any idea what I found out about you?"

She shakes her head. "I'm not perfect, but I don't think I did anything that bad. I don't even know of anything done to me that would make you so upset."

I'm just about to use SMU, but bite my lip. Applejack's right, I should try to avoid using it directly for a while. "Applejack, can you tell me anything you know about Princess Luna?"

Applejack raises an eyebrow, then chuckles a bit. "I dunno, Twi. You knew her much better than me. I know she was Nightmare Moon, and used to rule the Equestrian night, before then. She came back and we stopped her, turning her back into Princess Luna. She's been trying to pick up more of her old duties and to reconnect with some ponies in Ponyville, she's basically started running Nightmare Night. That's pretty much all I got."

Not as helpful as it could be. "I'm going to Canterlot to see her."

Applejack's eyebrow lowers again and she smiles. "Well, tell her I said hi when you get there."

I nod, my mouth even. "Applejack, Spike's still not back with my books, do you think you could make sure he stays out of trouble while I'm in Canterlot?"

She puts a hoof on my shoulder. "Sure thing, Twi. I hope you find what you're looking for in Canterlot."

%*%

As the train pulls into Canterlot station, I start to feel strange. That is to say, stranger than the strange I've been recently. It feels like something nagging in my head, that I try to focus on but always goes to my periphery.

It could be that you are experiencing a negative reaction due to proximity to Princess Luna, and her magical field. It is not uncommon for those who have suffered trauma to react to their attacker in such a way.

I didn't ask you.

It's odd, SMU was so tight lipped before, now it's offering information without my even asking. Is it because I'm getting closer to figuring things out?

I make my way down the Canterlot streets, looking for anything to keep my attention away from confronting Princess Luna. Unfortunately, everything's just about the same as it usually is, here. Nothing catches my eye, nothing keeps my notice, it's just normal.

So, I'm forced to think about Princess Luna.

Applejack's evaluation seemed pretty accurate. A fallen princess wreaks havoc through the land until she was banished and, upon her return, seeks to reintegrate herself into the world. That's basically it. As far as her abilities go, she is the ruler of the night and raises the moon and stars in the night sky. She used to bear one half of the Elements of Harmony, and she can change her shape at will. I think I also read something in the library about how she can dreamwalk? I'm not totally sure about that, though. Beyond that, she's a competent spellcaster and an excellent flyer, even though it's hard for her to match Rainbow Dash's speed, she has a high degree of control and grace in the air that I haven't yet seen matched.

So, let's go to worst case scenarios and say that after I ask Princess Luna about what's going on, she transforms into Nightmare Moon and attacks me. Well, at that point I could try to fight her directly, or see if I can escape and get Celestia to help. Escaping probably won't be viable, she's fast so I don't think I'd be able to get away. So, what if I fought her? Well, her spellcasting talent is above average, but not brilliant. She hasn't caught up on some of the advances magic has had in the last thousand years and, even though she can use magic otherwise forgotten by history, this puts her at a disadvantage. If I were a regular unicorn, then I might have problems, but I'm the Alicorn of Magic, so I should be okay.

I bite my lip as a thought strikes me.

Oh yeah, I forgot that my magic isn't working. If I tried to fight Nightmare Moon like this, I'd get creamed.

I mull over my other options as well as various other degrees of worst case scenarios, such as Sombra coming back to life, or a surprise Changeling invasion, before I find myself at the palace.

Walking up the steps, I go over my backup failsafes, in case of emergency. They pretty much amount to 'scream' and 'die', so I hope things won't go that far.

Some of the pegasus guards try to stop me, but I'm let through by the ones that either I know personally, or at least recognize who I am. I stop in front of one pair. "Excuse me, Sirs. Do you know where Princess Luna is? I need to speak with her."

One of them is a bit portly, and much younger than the other. He's gray, with his chestplate a little tight and his helmet a little loose. He speaks with a manehatten accent, that's not quite haughty, but a bit reserved. "Of course, Princess Sparkle. She's right down that hallway, up three floors and to the left. There should be another pair of guards in front of the door, so you'll be able to tell which door from that. I'll announce your arrival."

I hold up a hoof. "No announcement will be necessary. I'd like to surprise her."

The young guard looks uncertain, a frown coating the surface of his face, but the older guard he's with nods, relaxing him. "Very good, Princess Sparkle. Is there anything else we may do of service to you?"

I shake my head. "No, thank you."

As I trot away, I press my tongue against the back of my teeth, the last few events replaying in my mind. I'm glad that worked, but I'm not sure why it did. According to Celestia, Luna hates surprises and the guards should know that, so why would they let me go in without an announcement? In the Canterlot Palace, Luna outranks me, so there's no reason my orders should supersede hers. That is, unless Princess Luna already knew I was coming, then told the guards to let me in, no matter what. So, if she already knows I'm here, I can't even catch her off guard, making my coming in unannounced pointless.

Each step makes me more nervous, because I have to prepare for the worst, but I can't actually do anything. I'm rushing in here without a plan. I need to make a plan.

I shake my head. There's no time to make a plan. I need answers now, and this is how I'm going to get them. If something happens to me, I'd like it to be in the pursuit of knowledge.

I reach the door with the two guards in front of it, who nod to me wordlessly and let me in.

I open the door and see Princess Luna.

Author's Note

Whew, it took a while to make this one, but I'm happy with how it came out.

I'm sure one of the things Applejack said in this chapter isn't extremely important, though. I wouldn't do that. Don't even suggest it. That would be weird.

So, got any theories about Just SMU And Me? Post them in the comments! I really enjoy reading them, and if I like them, that theory could be posted in the next chapter!