Queen Novo wasn't one for surprises, something her daughter Princess Skystar was quick to tell anyone who tried. Birthdays notwithstanding of course.

Which left her current situation vexing in the extreme, and not just because it had ruined her weekly spa trip with Jamaal, but also because of the nature of the surprise.

She had been fin deep in a seaweed wrap when her innate connection to the seas around her told her someone had breached the Vortex on Mount Aris. That was odd in of itself seeing as few even knew of the island itself let alone what lay in the waters surrounding the peak.

Skystar had swum off even before she had finished explaining what was going on to her. Novo loved her daughter, she really did, but sometimes she drove her mother crazy.

Skystar had come back a little while later with the one who had presumably come to the island. A lavender unicorn mare with a navy blue mane and tail with some nice highlight streaks in both.

What threw Novo for a loop was what was on her back: She had wings!

Now, Novo liked to think she was well informed about what was happening on the surface. She was on great terms with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, even Princess Cadance and Shining Armor to a degree.

Tides, she had even named Celestia and Luna Skystar's godparents if something ever happened to her!

But she had heard nothing of a fourth alicorn at all. This was something she would be discussing with the two of them when she had time. But first, they had to settle this.

"Is she?" She asked, gesturing at the pony.

"Don't worry mom, she's fine," Skystar replied cheerfully. "Well, she's alive anyway."

Novo sighed, relieved for this at least as she waved a hoof. "So?" She prompted.

Skystar grinned. "So I swim up top and there she is! Out cold and about to drown. Well, I couldn't leave her up there, so one Air Bubble later and here we are!"

Novo couldn't help but smile in return. For as young as she was, her daughter already had the makings of a great leader when the time came. Hopefully not for some centuries yet but still.

Before they could say more, the mare began to stir. Opening her eyes, she looked around the room in confusion before she saw Skystar and Novo. "Hello. Where am I? Who are you?"

Before Novo had a chance to respond, Skystar swam right up in the mare's face and began talking quickly. "Hi, I'm Skystar! Welcome to Seaquestria! What's your name? Can we be friends? I really need a friend."

"Skystar!" Novo warned and her daughter backed off, looking sheepish. Novo rolled her eyes. "I do apologize for my daughter. I am Queen Novo, ruler of Seaquestria. Who might you be?"

The mare racked her brain, trying to remember. This went on for several minutes while the mother and daughter shared a concerned look.

With mounting horror, the mare came to a conclusion. "I. I don't know. I don't know who I am, or where I came from. How did I get here?" She looked down at herself. "Why do I look so different?"

She looked back at Novo and Skystar. There were tears in her eyes. "Please. Who am I?"

Novo and Skystar shared a horrified look. What, by the briny depths, could make a pony lose their memories?

Even as they pondered the question, the mare's tears grew. The sight broke Novo's heart. She couldn't have been much older than Skystar was. Her motherly instincts were screaming at her to pull the mare close and tell her everything would be fine.

Skystar though beat her to it and pulled the mare into a comforting hug. She soon broke down into crying deeply into Skystar's shoulder.

Novo used the chance to cast a quick spell, looking for the lost memories. Her worst fears were confirmed with what she found. In fact, it was what she didn't find that made it hurt even more.

Skystar cast a pleading look at her mother. "What are we going to do?"

Novo made her mind up at once as she smiled. "Find her a room in the palace. As close to yours as you can."

Both their faces lit up. "You mean?" The mare asked.

Novo nodded, her smile softening. "You can stay here for as long as you want. I can't promise we'll get your memories back, but you are welcome here."

For the first time since she woke up, the mare smiled as she swam over and gave Novo the biggest hug she could. "Thank! Thank you!"

Novo returned the hug before prodding her along. "You are very welcome. Now go on you two. I have to take care of something."

Skystar grabbed the mare with her hooves as they swam off. "Come on I know just the room. Oh, we're going to have so much fun together. You can see my shell collection."

"You collect shells?" The mare asked.

"Sure! I even named them." Skystar replied as they passed out of earshot. Novo watched them until they were out of sight before her face fell.

She wasn't lying when she said the mare could stay as long as she wanted, but there was a catch if she stayed past a certain point in time.

Right now though, she had a call to make to a certain Solar Alicorn.

***

A little while later, Novo reclined on the Coral Throne as the Sea-Land Orb connected her to Canterlot. More specifically, Princess Celestia's private chambers.

After a moment, Celestia's face swam into view. Novo was shocked. She had never seen Celestia this hagered before. Her eyes were red from crying and her mane hung limply at her side.

Celestia blinked in surprise as Novo's face swam into view. "Queen Novo. This is unexpected. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Novo could hear the pain in her voice but didn't comment on it. "This is a day for surprises. What's wrong Celestia? I've never seen you like this before."

Celestia smiled ruefully. "I don't show it often, but I have a reason. Somepony close to me is missing and I fear the worst for her."

Novo hid her surprise well. "Lavender alicorn, same age or so as Skystar?"

Celestia's brows rose in shock. "Yes. How did-"

"Because Skystar found her unconscious in the Vortex," Novo replied. "She's awake now and well. At least physically."

Celestia's lessened some, but not fully. "What do you mean?"

Novo sighed. "Her memories are gone. She can't remember anything from before she woke up here."

Celestia frowned. "Surely the will come back with time?"

Novo shook her head. "No Celestia. They are gone. They're not locked away somewhere in her mind. There is literally nothing there about her past."

Celestia's ears folded. "Then?"

"As far as she knows her whole life has been spent with us. I don't know what kind of magic could do that to anypony, and I don't want to know." Novo replied.

Celestia nodded, for she had an idea. Already she felt the first pangs of loss begin. "What happens now then?"

"She will stay with us for as long as she wants. It'll be good for Skystar to have a real friend. In one week the Heart of the Se will give her a choice: Return to your world and start again." Novo paused a moment.

"Or?" Celestia asked.

Novo sighed. "She can choose to stay with us and forever sever her connection to the surface world." She smiled slightly. "You know we would take care of her."

Celestia nodded. It was true of course, and she would rather have her be with those that loved her and that she knew rather than ones she had no memory of. "Thank you." She whispered.

Novo nodded. "Just one more thing Celestia. Does she have a name? Maybe it will trigger something in her, the Drowned God willing."

Celestia nodded, letting her tears fall freely now. "Her name is Twilight Sparkle."

***

Celestia waited a moment after Novo disconnected from her end before letting out a long sigh, her mind awash with all she had just learned.

Of course, she was glad that Twilight was alive and well, and even more so of where she had gone to for she could think of no one better than Skystar to find her.

But that also left several things that could go either way.

Her anger at what the Elements of Harmony had done left her confused as to why. Starswirl's spell had worked since Twilight now had wings, but something else had gone horribly wrong.

Maybe they still held grudge against her for what had happened between her and Luna a thousand years ago. She shook her head. It did her no good to think about that now.

Right now she could only hope that hearing her name might jog something in Twilight's mind. But she also had to prepare for the fact that she would never see her again, that Twilight would forever see Princess Celestia as just a name.

That the Twilight Sparkle she knew and loved was gone forever.

"Any news Tia?"

Luna's voice at the door made Celestia jump out of her feathers. Calming her heart some, she glared at her sister. "Must you do that every time Luna?"

Luna clapped her hooves, unrepentant. "It's so much fun though." Her smile dropped. "Is there?"

Celestia nodded. "Skystar found her unconscious on Mount Aris. She's awake now, but that is where the good news ends."

Luna frowned. "What do you mean?"

Celestia fought back renewed tears. "Her memories have been erased completely. As far as Twilight is concerned, her whole life has been spent in Seaquestria."

Luna was shocked. "How? Why?"

Celestia shook her head. "I am not sure why, but I fear the Elements of Harmony are to blame. On top of everything else, the spell worked. Twilight is now an alicorn."

Luna took some comfort in that. "Then what are you afraid of?"

Celestia sighed. "That when the Heart of the Sea goes to her, Twilight will choose to stay in Seaquesrtia permanently."

luna smiled reassuringly. "Tia, Novo and her subjects are the friendliest beings under the sea. You know they would welcome her."

Celestia chuckled. "I know Luna. It's just..."

Luna's gaze softened. "That you would miss her." Her sister nodded. "Twilight was going to grow up eventually sister. You couldn't keep her under your wing forever."

Celestia nodded. "I know Luna. But with my other students, goodbye never felt this final."

Luna rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Of for Cosmos's sake Tia! You can go visit her whenever you want. Unless Novo threw you out for good while I was away."

Celestia fumed for a moment, thinking of a good comeback for that quip. She knew she was being silly about this, but she couldn't help herself.

And she still had to write letters to Twilight's family, Spike, and the other Element Bearers.

***

As Celestia and Luna talked, Queen Novo had her own things to muse over, and not all of them were pleasant.

She hadn't been lying when she said what Twilight would face in a few days. She also knew Skystar would benefit so much from having a real friend.

But therein also lay the problem. If Twilight chose to stay as one of them, there was a high chance she would become a Royal Seapony like Novo and Skystar. That in of itself wasn't bad as far as she knew.

It was the effect on the Heart of the Sea if its power was split three ways.

It had been a ritual for millennia beyond count for the new queen, upon ascending the Coral Throne, to bond with the Heart. In effect, they would become as powerful as Celestia or Luna with all the waters of Equus at their command.

So it had been for Novo, and her mother, and her grandmother, and so on back to the very beginning.

She had every confidence in Skystar's ability to do so when the time came. For all that she drove her mother insane sometimes when the time called for it, Skystar showed all that made a great leader.

But if Twilight ascended to their status, then it was anyone's guess what might happen. There had never been more than three at the same time. Her sister had made it clear that the Throne was Novo's and wanted nothing to do with it.

The Heart seemed to have known, for nothing had happened when Skystar and then Silverstream had been born.

Novo held no malice toward Twilight Sparkle. But her first concern was her subjects. If something went wrong when the time came...

She hoped she wasn't making a mistake by letting Twilight stay now. Maybe it was her motherly instincts talking, but she was glad Twilight had come here.

Skystar hadn't looked this happy in, well forever if she was being honest with herself. It gladdened her heart more than anything had in a very long time.

***

"Wow, that's a lot of shells," Twilight commented as she took in the vast trove of seashells Skystar had collected over the years.

The room itself was rather sparse considering its owner's status. A bed along one wall and several shelves that held Skystar's collection of shells and an occasional book were the only furniture to be seen.

On the far wall, a window gave a great view of the outside world, a deep blue that was interrupted by an occasional fish or some other undersea creature.

Skystar slumped as her fins drooped. "Yeah. I don't have a lot of friends. So I collect shells."

Twilight was shocked. "Why? You and your mom have been nothing but nice to me since I woke up."

Skystar swam over to the window. "It's because of mom that I don't." She snorted. "Oh she doesn't forbid it or anything and I go out all the time. But most are too scared of what she might do if something happened to me."

She rolled her eyes. "Mom is scary when she's angry, and I mean really angry. That bit earlier was just her annoyed."

Twilight digested this. Even having known her for a short time, she could already feel Queen Novo wasn't someone you wanted angry at you. She hoped she never saw that.

But the sadness and loneliness she heard in Skystar's voice broke her heart and prompted her to do something about it. Swimming over, she wrapped a hoof over Skystar's shoulder, while Skystar gave her a confused look.

Twilight smiled. "I'll be your friend."

Skystar's eyes lit up. "You mean it?"

Twilight nodded. "Of course. No one should ever be without a friend, and you're too nice not to have more."

Skystar's smile lit up the room and before Twilight knew it, she was being hugged by her new friend. One that she was happy to return.

So engrossed were they that neither noticed the spark that passed between them, but both of them felt something blossom in their hearts.

From the doorway, Novo watched the scene with a mixture of maternal love and not a little bit of worry for she had seen the spark pass between them. She didn't know what it meant, but she had an idea.

Only time would tell though if she was right or not. For the moment though it didn't matter as she left them alone and went to see how Twilight's room was coming along.

***

Beneath the Coral Throne, the Heart of the Sea began to glow ever so slightly.

Author's Note

Few important notes. First, hippogrifs have never existed in this universe. Everyone in Seaquestria, bar a few, are natural seaponies.

Romance tag for the moment is for two. But I'm thinking of making it a three way.

As for Twilight? Her memories are never coming back. The story is writen with that in mind and I have no plans to change that.

Her friends and family will visit of course.