“Um, Sunset?” A quiet voice asked.
The redhead looked over from her locker to see a girl standing nearby, nervously rubbing her forearm.
“Hey, Wallflower,” she said, smiling. “What’s up?”
“I just, um,” the girl whispered. She was still a little self conscious about the incident with the memory stone. “About what happened.”
Sunset smiled sympathetically as she shut her locker and started for the photography room. “Forgiven,” she said, reaching out to pat her newest friend on the shoulder. “Trust me, there’s been far worse here, remember?”
The president of the garden club laughed nervously.
“That’s not what I meant,” she said, tucking a green lock of hair behind her ear. “When you lost your memories, you acted...weird.”
This time it was Sunset’s turn to chuckle nervously. “Yeah,” she whispered.
“What was that all about?” Wallflower asked.
Sunset looked at her and sighed. “Guess you have a right to know. Please, sit down.”
After a deep breath, Sunset looked at the girl and ran a hand through her hair before speaking.
“You know how we keep getting these weird events the last few years?”
“Yeah,” Wallflower nodded. “Hard not to notice.”
“Right,” Sunset said with an awkward grin. “The truth is...they’re all sort of my fault, directly or indirectly.”
“What?”
“Well, you see,” the former unicorn said, tapping her Fingers together nervously. “I’m not actually from here. I’m actually from another world, and I’m a...pony.”
The shy girl blinked. “Wait, what?”
Sunset rubbed her forearm, face tinging red. “I’m from the world that the Stone is from, and it’s a world full of talking ponies.” She looked down. “About six years ago I fled that world and came here. The next time I was able, I went back and stole a magic relic and accidentally infused this world with magic from mine. That’s why we changed the way we did when we defeated you.”
“Is that why you seemed so confused?” Wallflower asked.
“Part of it,” Sunset replied. “You didn’t just erase high school, you also grabbed a few weeks prior to me running away.”
The redhead looked at her hands, remembering how shocked and scared she had been in those few moments. “I was suddenly in a place I didn’t know and my body was fundamentally different from what I could remember. I remember how long it took me to figure out fingers the first time, so I’m glad we reversed that.” She frowned. “Though I’m not sure why erasing my memories of the girls made me forget that I had been here a while. Something else to ask the princess, I suppose.”
“Princess Celestia?”
“Hm? No,” the Equestrian smiled, remembering the look on Twilights face when Celestia has shown her the restricted section of the library. “A friend of mine from back home. She’s what’s you call one of the foremost experts on magic. Princess Celestia is the counterpart to our Principal Celestia, and she rules the kingdom I’m from. She was also my mentor.”
Green eyes met teal as the whole sordid affair behind her flight from Equestria was told, including the events at the Friendship Games and Camp Everfree, which Wallflower hadn’t been able to attend because of a family trip the same week.
“And so I suppose that’s another apology I owe you, Flower,” Sunset said with a sad smile. “If I hadn’t brought the crown here, there wouldn’t have been enough ambient energy for the stone to work. Maybe.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
Sunset looked up in confusion. “What?”
Wallflower smiled. “I know you’re not seriously going to apologize for things I did just because you might have had something to do with it.” The nondescript girl pointed a finger at Sunset. “It’s my own fault I made you all forget me, and my fault that I got mad about it. I just took it out on you.”
She shrank down a little. “And I’m sorry about that.”
Sunset smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” she said, brushing her lap before standing. “We’ve all forgiven you and the stone has been destroyed. It can’t replace the memories you erased over the years, but we can form some new ones, yeah?”
The green-haired girl fingered the small chip of stone on a chain hanging from her backpack. “Yeah.”
“Still holding onto that, huh?” Sunset observed.
“For now, yeah,” Wallflower nodded. “Makes me remember that not all things are better if forgotten.”
“Better words haven’t been spoken,” Sunset agreed. “There were times that I wished I could erase what I’ve done. But then I remember, even the bad times have led me to now, and helped me get the friends I have.”
She glanced at the shy girl as they headed for the door. “And then friends you have now.”
“I’ll try to remember,” Wallflower whispered. “No pun intended.” She glanced down momentarily. “Sunset?”
“Hmm?”
“Would you mind horribly if I asked you some more questions about where you’re from?” She blushed. “It sounds like a pretty amazing place.”
“I’d like that, actually,” the redhead agreed. “I’ve been back twice now in happier times and made amends for my actions, even being forgiven by Celestia. That alone takes the sting out of remembering things.” She frowned.
“What?” Wallflower asked.
Sunset shook her head, pulling a heavy looking tome from her messenger bag and a pen. As she started to write in what was apparently a journal, curiosity got the better of her.
“What’s that?”
Sunset looked up as she closed the book, sliding a hand over the cover before slipping it back into her bag.
“It’s how the Princess Twilight and I stay in touch.” She patted her bag as they walked along. “It’s not quite as good as a cell phone, but it works in a pinch.”
“And what secret thing were you saying to her? If you can share, that is.”
“Just a trend I’ve noticed lately. Before she rigged the portal, it was only open for three days every thirty moons. And now it turns out that the memories erased by the Stone could only be restored within three days.” She shrugged. “I’m just wondering if there is some significant symbolism behind the number three. Because it seems everything comes in three lately. Your episode is the fifth event since I stole her crown.”
“Worried if another shoe is going to drop?”
Sunset nodded. “Also asked her why we’re so prone to singing.”
“Ponies sing a lot?”
Sunset laughed. “A lot? Please.” She turned her brilliant grin on her newest friend. “In Canterlot Castle, every Tuesday at three the entire staff would break out in song like clockwork. And don’t get me started on Princess Twilight. She sings arias about panic attacks.”
The two girls giggled as they went to go meet the rest of their friends.
