Forgotten

Twilight marched into Dr. Greyhoof's tent, ready to make her announcement. She had thought about it for a good while, really ever since she had left Ponyville, and she was determined to make it a reality. The gears of her mind had straightened, and she could see what to do clearly for the first time since arriving in this confusing universe. Her friends might have forgotten her, but she hadn't forgotten about them. She would do anything to get them back, and she needed all the help she could get.

"Ah, Princess Twilight," Greyhoof said. She noticed that he was becoming much more comfortable using her official title. At first, it was difficult for him to believe that she was royalty, but over the day or so she had been there, he had gotten used to her. "What can I do for you?" He asked. His kind eyes smiled down at her, and she felt as if he were a grandfather she had never known.

"Nothing, actually," she responded, "but I have to tell you something. I am returning to Canterlot."

He nearly spat out the apple tart he was in the process of consuming. "What?! Canterlot?! But, Twilight…you can't go there! They'll ream you! They'll tear you from hoof to tail if they find out you have wings and a horn! They'll-"

"I'm well aware of what they could do to me, Dr. Greyhoof," she said calmly, "but I need to do this. I need my family's help."

"Will they remember you?"

"I don't expect them to," she said, "but I don't care. I know their personalities, and I know that they'll be willing to help me. It might take a little convincing, but I know I can win them over. They're just like that. So, I've come to say farewell. Thank you for your hospitality, and your friendship. I'm proud that somepony is continuing that legacy."

With this, she said goodbye to the two Cutie Mark Crusaders and left the tent. She trotted back down the hill that led to the clearing where she had been found. Once there, she stopped and looked around. Only a few hours before this, she had been crying and wailing aloud at her hopeless situation. Now, she felt rejuvenated after being with the friendly ponies. Friendship always tends to energize me, she thought happily as she galloped through the clearing and disappeared into the woods on the other side.

Meanwhile, Bumble Trot made his way into Greyhoof's tent. He had determined in his heart that he was going to follow Twilight and try and explain himself. He needed to. He couldn't let this huge mistake live on. He had to make amends with the beautiful princess, and tell her exactly what she meant to him. If he didn't, then Equestria would be doomed to forget about her forever.

"Dr. Greyhoof?" He asked as he went in.

"Oh, Bumble Trot," the doctor said, "is something wrong? Have you made another mistake?"

Bumble cringed at the condescending manner with which the doctor spoke to him. Greyhoof was somepony who was very good at masking his true intentions with a friendly attitude and a welcoming spirit. But Bumble had seen him at his worst. He had once cursed Apple Bloom out because she had put a tent stake in the wrong spot. Greyhoof was a horrible perfectionist, and it exuded from him in every sense of the word.

"No," Bumble said, "I haven't made another mistake. I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving."

"Leaving?"

"Yes. I'm going to Canterlot."

"Going to Canterlot? But, why? Why leave when you can be with your friends?"

"Because I have to see her again. I have to speak with Twilight. I think I can help save this miserable world."

"Oh, Bumble Trot," Greyhoof said, "you silly stallion. You know you can't leave. You couldn't survive without our group to protect you."

Bumble gritted his teeth. "I'm a grown pony, Dr. Greyhoof, and as much as I respect you, I don't need you ordering me around like a foal. I'm leaving."

"But, what about the friends you've made here? Surely you don't want to leave them."

"The S.P.F. talks a great game, but when it comes down to it, there's no substance here. Friendship? You guys hide in the woods, moving from place to place to avoid Celestia's guards. You speak about friendship, but you aren't willing to fight for it! You, Greyhoof, are the worst offender of all! I've seen you berate your fellow pony if they don't do something in exactly the way you want them to. Well, I'm sick of your perfectionism and of all this! I'm leaving!"

With that, Bumble stormed out of the tent, leaving a shocked Greyhoof sitting there with his jaw on the floor. Bumble's heart rose and his spirits lifted. He had never defended himself like that before, nor had he called anypony out in such a manner. He was proud of himself and his self-esteem spiked for the first time in his life. Maybe I'm not such a failure after all, he thought as he packed his saddlebag and headed towards the royal capital.

Meanwhile, Twilight dodged her way through thorns and brush as she made her way out of the forest and into a grassy pasture. She stopped and got her bearings. Let's see…Ponyville is that way, she thought as she pointed a hoof southward, so…Canterlot is this way! She jerked her body around and saw the city that hung from the side of the largest mountain in Equestria. It certainly looked the same, but she knew it wouldn't be the same.

So, she galloped towards the jewel of the nation. Oh, Canterlot…my Canterlot, she thought as she ran towards it, how I yearn for you. How I wish things could go back to the way they were and I might be able to enter your gates and find friends waiting for me. I've always been true to you, and I'll never be unfaithful. But it's hard. My friends are all gone, and I have nothing left. Still, I'm gonna fight for friendship. That's what I do.

With these encouraging words, she found her hooves moving quicker. Her mind was made up. Fighting for friendship was the most important thing she could do. It was the soft and wonderful cloud that everypony floated on. Unfortunately, that cloud had turned into a rather severe thunderstorm, and she was the only pony who could stop it. She didn't know how, but she knew that she could give it her best. If she didn't, then that would be admitting failure, and admitting failure was something she never did.

As she ran up the path towards the front gates of the city, she quickly cast a spell of invisibility on her wings. That way, everypony would think she was a simple unicorn visitor. She joined the stream of ponies headed into Canterlot for various reasons, none bigger than hers. She had a pony she needed to find…or rather, two ponies.

She meandered through the streets of the city, pretending to be new and unsure of where to go. But all the time, she zeroed in on a certain mansion. She hadn't been to her old home in forever, but she still knew the way very well. She finally arrived and rapped on the door. Their old butler, Winston, answered it. She almost cried out a greeting, but remembered that he wouldn't know her.

"Pardon me," she said politely, "but is this the residence of Night Light and Twilight Velvet?"

"Indeed, it is," Winston responded, "I am their butler, Winston. May I help you, young mare?"

"Yes. I need to see Night Light."

"You and everypony else in town. I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back later. He's in session with the City Council."

Ugh! She thought in disgust. She thought she had planned it so she would miss his daily council meeting. But she flashed a smile and asked to see her mother. "Well, I suppose. Excuse me for a moment," Winston said before disappearing into the mansion. Twilight waited with baited breath until he returned with her mother.

"Yes?" Twilight Velvet asked her daughter, even though she had no idea Twilight was her daughter. The purple princess started to speak, but then was stopped. "Oh, my dear!" Twilight Velvet said, "you look positively famished! Have you eaten lately?"

"Well, not in some time," Twilight said. She didn't feel guilty about saying it, either, for her stomach was in more than a few hungry knots. "But, I don't want to trouble you, Ms. Velvet."

"Oh, dear, it's no trouble at all! Please, come in and have dinner with us!"

So Twilight, without another word, walked into the mansion behind her mother. She couldn't believe her good fortune. She was all prepared to offer up a grandiose sob story about how she was an orphan pony and hadn't eaten in forever, but she was thankful that she didn't have to. I might just be able to pull this off, she thought.