Forgotten

Twilight and her friends made their way back from Sugarcube Corner, having filled their respective stomachs completely with all the delectable treats that were made there. They each dealt with their own form of stomachache, and realized that their caloric intake for the day had been grossly exhausted. The collective groan from the group could be heard throughout Ponyville as they headed towards the trapped bear.

"I ate too much cake…" Twilight moaned.

"I ate too many apple crisps…" Applejack groaned.

"I ate too much ice cream…" Pinkie said in pain.

"I ate too much chocolate…" Rainbow Dash said.

"I ate too much cobbler," Fluttershy moaned, "but it was so delicious!"

"I ate too many wintry frost milkshakes with delicate whipped cream and a nice, pleasing frothy foam…" Rarity said, "the balance of flavors…the ultimate culinary genius…it was all too much for my palette to handle! I had to have just…one…more!"

The other ponies looked at her and stifled smiles. Even at Sugarcube Corner, their fashion obsessed friend had to eat like she was in the highest of societies. She always remembered her manners, and would take polite small sips of her milkshake while the rest of them scarfed down their own desserts.

"Man," Dash said, "I thought I'd never stop eating Mrs. Cake's special chocolate recipe. Good Celestia, that stuff's delicious!"

The other ponies nodded as they reminisced about the delicious items they had enjoyed. Twilight could almost taste the butterscotch frosting off the cake she had consumed. Even in absence, its sweetness danced with her tongue. It was as if she was the belle of the ball, and it was the charming prince who had come to sweep her off her hooves. Her eyes grew wide with excitement and soon she was giggling to spite her stomachache.

"Uh…Twi? You're giggling like a filly," Applejack said, "mind tellin' us why?"

"Oh, I don't know," Twilight said amidst spurts of laughter, "I find that, whenever I'm sick, laughing helps a bit."

"I couldn't agree more!" Pinkie shouted as she began laughing, "amusement is always good for a stomachache!"

"Alright, alright," Rainbow Dash said, "I got one. What kind of hats do racing ponies wear?"

"What?" Rarity asked.

"Derbies!" Rainbow Dash said.

The whole group burst out into a joyous cacophony of laughter, giggles, chortles, and chuckles. They couldn't contain themselves any longer, and they found that their princess leader's advice was good. The laughter really did help with the pain they felt in their stomachs. "Oh, my Celestia! That was a good one, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said, "but I think I've got a better one. What do you call music made by an apple?"

"What?" Twilight asked.

"Apple Core!"

Another great bout of laughter followed this, as the group continued down the main street of town. Their fellow ponies peeked out of their cottages, looking oddly at the group, but chalking this outburst up to their amazing friendship. Truth be told, those ponies were always envious of the bond between Twilight and the rest of her group, but they never dared speak about it. After all, they didn't want to insult a princess of Equestria. Celestia would have their manes on silver platters if they did so.

Twilight smiled as she walked at the head of her friends. Kindred spirits… she said to herself once again, …two words never described a group of friends so well. Six ponies who are so different, yet so uniquely compatible. I am truly honored to call you all my friends…and I will never, ever forget you.

As soon as she said this to herself, a huge quaking shook the earth beneath their hooves. They all fell over and covered their heads, fearful of some great apocalyptic event. Then, a huge white wave came from the direction of Canterlot and blanketed the land. Twilight instinctively threw a force field around herself. She tried to do so for her friends, but by then, it was too late. The wave had caught them all up, and it slung them around like rag dolls. Twilight had seen washing machines with less of a spin cycle. "Wha…what is that?!" She yelled from inside her bubble. But she didn't have time to answer her own question, because suddenly, her bubble was smashed in and everything went dark...

...When she awoke, she noticed she was back in the forest where they had fought the bear, only the bear and all traces of the fiery trap were completely gone. That's strange, she thought to herself, why would all evidence of our fight be gone? She looked around and noticed that the trees that had been damaged by she and Rarity's constant magic blasts had been repaired. Then she looked to the side and got an even bigger shock: Fluttershy's animal sanctuary was completely gone!

This is too crazy, she told herself, I'd better get back to town and find out what's going on.

She ran back into Ponyville, expecting to get the happy greetings she normally got from the ponies there, but everypony seemed to ignore her. To be frank, their cold shoulders insulted her. She became angry at their incivility and ran off towards Sweet Apple Acres. At least there's somepony there who'll listen to me, she told herself.

She ran through the gate and noticed that the entire Apple family was out bucking apples. Ah, she told herself, finally, a familiar environment. She ran up to Applejack and tapped her on the shoulder. The orange pony turned around in surprise.

"Hey, Applejack," Twilight said, "look, I don't know what's going on, but I'm-"

"Pardon?" Applejack asked, "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've been properly introduced yet."

Twilight's mouth fell open in shock. "I…you…we're friends!"

"Friends?" Applejack asked, and then got an odd look about her. "Sorry, hun, but I'd remember meetin' somepony like yourself. Especially them odd wings of yers. You look funnier than a timber wolf at the spa!"

"My odd wings?" Twilight said, "but…I'm an Alicorn, and all Alicorns carry elements of Earth ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns."

"Sorry, sugar cube, ain't never heard of an Alicorn before. Maybe you need to go see the pony psychiatrist. I don't think yer all right in yer head. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some apple buckin' to do." The apple farmer turned her back on Twilight and went right back into the orchard.

Twilight could only stand there in complete and absolute shock. The impossible had happened. Her friends meant more to her than anything in Equestria, and one of them seemed to have forgotten her existence. I have to find out what's going on! Twilight said to herself. She turned tail and ran out of the farm, looking for more of her friends.

As she ran along, she spied Rainbow Dash flying high overhead. "Rainbow Dash!" She called out, waving a hoof. The blue pony stopped and dropped to the ground, sitting on her haunches in front of Twilight. "Hi, Dash," Twilight said, "look, Applejack seems to have forgotten my existence, so I-"

"Who? Who the hay's Applejack?" Dash asked.

Twilight stumbled back a bit in surprise. No…not you too, she said to herself. "Why…she's your friend, and so am I!"

"Sorry, but I think I'd remember meeting somepony like you," she said, "I mean, you've got wings and a horn! What are you, some kind of Pegasi/Unicorn hybrid?"

"I'm an Alicorn!" Twilight said in frustration, "why hasn't anypony heard of an Alicorn?!"

"Sorry…um, what was your name?"

"Twilight Sparkle."

"Sorry, Twilight Sparkle, but I've never heard of this…Alicorn species. All I know are my Pegasi brethren, and we rule the skies, by order of Queen Celestia! So I'd highly recommend getting those wings removed, otherwise we may have to rip them off your sides." Dash gave Twilight a very unfriendly scowl before jetting back off into the bright blue heavens. QUEEN Celestia?! Twilight yelled internally, and no Alicorns?! What the hay's going on here?! Determined to find out, she headed off towards Rarity's boutique, certain that her fashionista friend would remember who she was.