Twilight Under The Sea

As Twilight, Skystar, and Queen Novo broke the surface of the waters around Mount Aris and changed into a more land friendly form, Twilight still thought this was a bad idea.

What did anyone really expect her to do? To go running and embrace a bunch of ponies she didn't know? That claimed to ber her friends? She didn't think ponies were that dumb.

But she could be wrong of course. And if they thought she was going to go back with them, then they had another thing or two coming.

As the three of them spread their wings, Novo and Skystar in what they had called their Hippogriff form, Twilight tried to keep her mind on the meeting ahead, and not how wrong it felt to be a pony again.

Though she had only been a seapony now for only a few days, it felt like she had always been one, and that her seapony form was her natural one, not a pony.

Maybe it had something to do with the Heart of the Sea. Twilight made a mental note to ask Queen Novo that later. Assuming, of course, this went well.

"Where are we going?" Skystar finally asked as they flew over the thick jungle that covered the island, all rising to a steep peak in the center.

Novo pointed out a clearing in the distance. "There. It's the usual meeting place for outsiders who don't wish to come down to Seaquestria. They should be there by now."

"Why wouldn't they want to come down?" Twilight asked.

Novo shrugged. "I do not know, but Princess Celestia asked that we meet here on the island, and I really could not say no."

Twilight didn't like that, as she saw that indeed an airship of some kind had landed in the clearing ahead of them. It looked nothing like the kind in the waters around the island, so that was a start.

Novo saw the look in Twilight's eyes. "Are you ready for this?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. But I want to get this over with sooner rather than later. I made my choice. If they don't like it, that's not my problem. And if my parents are here," she paused before sighing. "I don't know."

Novo and Skystar shared a look as the trio began to descend. In front of them, a decent-sized group of ponies and on tiny dragon awaited them. All of their eyes lit up as they saw Twilight, but none of it meant much to her.

The two largest of the group, one a brilliant white and the other a dark blue, stepped forward with formal smiles as the trio landed. "Queen Novo, Princess Skystar," the eldest said, before turning and looking at Twilight with a hopeful look in her eyes. "Twilight Sparkle. It is good to see you again."

Novo smiled as she stepped forward and hugged the pony. "Princess Celestia. It has been far too long since we met face to face. We really need to do it more often. I wish it was for better reasons though."

Celestia nodded before she once more looked at Twilight, a pleading look in her eyes. "Do you know who I am Twilight?"

Twilight shook her head and was quick to respond. "No. Should I?"

And just like that, the light died in Celestia's eyes, her whole body visibly deflating in despair. She lowered her head and tried to remain calm, but Twilight could hear the sorrow in her voice. "You once called me your mentor, even your friend." She looked at everyone around her. "You once called us all friends. Even family."

Something at the back of Twilight's mind made her stop. It was like an itch she couldn't scratch, but why? She could feel that Princess Celestia was being truthful with her. She bowed her head. "I have no memory of my life before I woke up in Seaquestria. Queen Novo tells me that they have been erased and can't be brought back."

Princess Luna came to stand by her sister's side, her expression grim. "She is correct. No magic can give you your memories back. The ones we know of only work if they have been hidden away somewhere."

Twilight nodded, her own deep-seated fears confirmed. Something about being in their presence told her that she could trust them. It felt right.

Two older unicorns soon joined them, a light grey mare, and a light blue stallion. "Do you feel anything for us Twilight?" The stallion asked gently.

Twilight felt something. She didn't know their faces, but this was a feeling that didn't need to, a feeling that was ingrained into her, as it was for all when seeing certain individuals, if only for the first time. "Mom? Dad?"

The pair nodded, their smiles growing. It was enough for Twilight, as her eyes became misty and she began to sniff. The pair pulled her into a hug, and the damn broke. Twilight cried into the mare's shoulders, not caring who saw her. Her mother patted her on the back, content to let her cry. Twilight felt warm, loved, protected.

As only her parents could ever make her feel.

Novo and Skystar watched the heartfelt scene play out from a distance, Skystar trying not to squee in delight at what she was seeing.

"I don't get it," Rainbow said, earning a groan from the others.

"A child will always know their parents. No matter what may be missing, or how much time has passed," Novo explained.

Cadance nodded. "It's a bond and magic that cannot be broken. Not even whatever took Twilly's memories can change that."

"So what about us?" Spike asked as he shared a look with Shining Armor. "Why doesn't she know Shining?"

Luna shook her head. "One step at a time Spike. I saw it in her eyes. There is no recognition there. We are total strangers to her. If we want to be friends with her once more, we must start again from the very beginning."

Celestia nodded. "It will be a long process, and it may not even happen. The Twilight Sparkle we knew and loved is gone. We cannot bring her back. Let us begin again with the Twilight that is here now."

Angel rummaged around Fluttershy's saddlebags, and soon pulled out the Element of Magic. "Could this help?" The Pegasus asked.

Celestia and Luna shared a look. "We do not know," Luna said. "It is Twilights by right. Maybe it will do something, and maybe it will not."

Celestia nodded as she took the crown in her magic, as Twilight finally got her emotions under control and pulled apart from her parents. She looked much better now, as she dried her eyes with a hoof. She eyed the crown idly, as Celestia stepped up to her.

Celestia smiled as she set the crown on Twilight's head, the Element settling down comfortably. "You may not know us Twilight, but I hope you will let us try and change that. This is yours by all rights, and it should stay with you."

Twilight looked up at her new accessory. It felt right that she was wearing it, whatever that meant. It felt like it was hers, as Princess Celestia said. She tried to smile at the ponies around her. "You're right. I don't know you all. But something tells me that maybe, just maybe, I should change that."

It wasn't much, but for the girls, Spike, Cadance, Celestia, Luna, and Shining Armor, it was a start.

***

In the Deep Hold of the airship, HMS Harmony, the World Mirror hummed to life.