Lost Among Memories

The light completely covers the school parking lot, and it takes almost a minute to calm down.

As Sunset's vision clears, she is shocked by what she sees. Wallflower has changed...

Her hair is longer and darker, her skin has also darkened. Now her body is dressed in a black leotard, sleeveless, adorned with patterns that look like vines and leaves on her legs, in yellow, with an orange tone on the torso area. She wears long gloves with the same designs in a darker shade of orange.

Around her neck is the Memory Stone, as if it were a necklace. And when she opens her eyes, they are completely black, and her irises are a crystalline color.

This, accompanied by the malicious smile on her face and the fact that she is floating, leaves all those present stunned.

Sunset stared, barely able to whisper, "... Wall-... flower...?"

The girl with the stone smiles, looks at her hands, at her body, and then lets out a soft but wicked laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha!" The entity's voice echoed through the air with a cruel laugh. "Yllanif, ev'I enod ti. Rof a tnemom, I thgouht I t'ndluow evah hguone rewop. Tub taht feirb tnemom fo ssenkaew saw hguone ot lortnoc taht evian elttil lrig."

The words she spoke were completely unintelligible to the girls, leaving them all confused, and not knowing how to react.

"Anyone know what she said?" Applejack asked, looking at the others with confusion.

"That's... Old Equestrian...!" Sunset couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Uoy...! Er'uoY ton Wallflower Blush! Ohw era uoy?!

The fact that Sunset was speaking in an unknown language only astonished the group even more. But it also drew the attention of the strange figure before them. The woman, who didn't seem human at all, stared at Sunset intently before responding.

"Llew, enoemos morf siht dlrow ohw swonk eht egaugnal fo Equestria," the entity said with a calm but authoritative voice. "Er'uoy ton a lamron namuh, era uoy?"

With a slow movement, she touched the stone around her neck. As soon as she did, the stone glowed with an intense light, and then...

"I think we can communicate better now," she added, smiling as though she knew more than she let on.

Now that the girls could understand her, their astonishment mixed with a growing distrust. Despite the surprise, they remained cautious, and an increasing fury began to fill them.

"Speak! Who are you and what did you do to Wallflower?!" Sunset exclaimed, her voice firm but filled with desperation.

The entity let out another laugh, this one more mocking. "Ha ha ha ha!! The girl? She's no longer here. But instead of worrying about her, you should worry about yourself!"

With a swift motion, she raised her hand. A green, viscous energy began to emanate from her fingers. As she extended her hand, a bolt of energy shot toward the ground with such force that all the girls screamed and quickly moved out of the way. The blast left a deep hole in the concrete, rapidly spreading across the area.

The impact knocked the girls to the ground, some stunned and others completely terrified. The entity watched the destruction she had caused with an unsatisfied gaze.

"Hmm, it seems my power has weakened. This body isn't made for manipulating magic. But that can be fixed," she muttered as if speaking to herself.

Before the girls could recover, the entity descended quickly and, with inhuman strength, grabbed Indigo by the neck, lifting her. The girls watched in terror, unable to do anything to help her.

The worst was yet to come. The Memory Stone began to glow even brighter. They could see Indigo's memories being drawn from her forehead in threads of light, fading away as they were absorbed by the stone. The girls watched in horror, unable to intervene.

When the absorption ended, the entity dropped Indigo, who fell to the ground, looking completely lost and confused.

"What... what happened... where... who... am I...?" Indigo, with her goggles askew, seemed to not recognize anything, her eyes empty, devoid of the spark they once had, as if she were no longer herself.

Lemon, unable to contain her anger, took a step forward. "Zap-Zap! Ugh! Now I'm really mad!" she exclaimed, her voice full of fury.

She ran toward the entity, who looked at her with unsettling calm. Lemon prepared her throat, and soon a sonic scream as loud as thunder erupted from her mouth. The sound stunned both the entity and the girls present, leaving them all reeling from the intensity of the impact.

"Lemon Zest! Control yourself!"

Sunny yells as she covers her ears, just like all the others.

Meanwhile, the entity glares at the green-haired girl with annoyance. She shoots an energy beam at her, striking her and stopping her attack, knocking her to the ground.

"Lemon Zest!" Sunset calls out.

Before the rocker can recover, the entity grabs her and steals her memories, just like she did with Indigo Zap.

"Hey! Pick on someone your size!" Rainbow shouts angrily as she dashes at the greenish entity with great speed.

The entity is surprised but doesn't react in time before being hit by the multicolored speedster.

The entity crashes to the ground, and Rainbow rushes toward her again. This time, however, the entity creates a barrier around herself, causing Rainbow to crash into it, leaving her stunned enough to be captured and have her memories taken.

All the remaining girls stand watch as the entity starts emitting a greenish glow, her body crackling with electric energy.

They ready their magic powers to attack and defend, but with just a simple movement—raising her arms to her sides and then bringing them forward—the entity creates magical vines that entangle everyone. By sheer luck, Sunset's magic reacts, allowing her to leap out of the vines, but her friends aren't so fortunate.

Sunset watches as the malevolent entity approaches each of the others, ripping Pinkie and Fluttershy's memories away before taking Rarity and Sunny Flare. With each action, she grows stronger.

Sunseen, too, sees this, focusing her kinetic power. Twilight notices and mirrors her, both of them using their magic to break free from the vines holding them.

"Sunset! Twilight!"

Our former equine approaches her twin and locks eyes with her bespectacled friend. The three watches as the entity, who was once Wallflower, steals everyone's memories. Her power increases tremendously, and all their friends are left collapsed on the floor, without any memories.

"Bitch...!" Sunset mutters in a low but hateful voice.

The entity just smiles wickedly, and with a magical energy ball, forces the three of them to separate and leap to dodge it. At that moment, the entity seizes the opportunity, grabbing Sunseen and starting to take her memories.

Sunset and Twilight look on in horror, but Sunseen resists, raising her hand to grab the exposed part of the entity's arm. With her magic... she has visions...

Visions of a hooded woman appearing from a portal in the forest...

This woman looks wounded and tired, but most of all, furious...

The woman starts digging into the ground, creating a small hole. She then takes the Memory Stone, holds it over herself, pointing it at herself, and then... the stone activates...

The entity seems to realize what's happening, and immediately throws Sunseen to the ground, hitting her in the process.

"What did you just do?!" the entity demands.

"Sunseen!" Sunset cries out to her twin. Sunseen supports herself on her arm and hand to weakly get up.

"I saw... I saw... a woman... she used the stone..." Sunseen explains, her voice shaking.

Sunset listens, but she stands frozen in shock at what Sunseen tells her.

"Sunset, she used the stone on herself! She took her own memories!"

Sunset is stunned by this, staring at the entity, then remembering what she learned from the princess about the sorceress who once used the stone... she also recalls what the entity said when she first appeared...

"For a moment, I thought I wouldn't have enough power. But that brief moment of weakness was enough to control that naive little girl."

"… The sorceress..." Sunset whispers. "You are the nameless sorceress who once had the stone! The one who fought against Clover Clever and disappeared through a portal!"

The entity, the sorceress, smiles at what she hears.

Sunset stared at the sorceress, her face serious and full of determination.

"You came to this world and used the stone to seal your own memories. And… when Wallflower found it…" Sunset said, raising her voice with a mix of surprise and accusation.

The sorceress let out a cold, cruel laugh as if her words were an expected response.

"Indeed. When I found myself in a strange world, with no magic, I decided the best course of action was to lock my memory in the stone. I had to make sure my memoryless body knew how to bury the stone. And so, I waited, patiently, for the day someone would find it. That was when that foolish girl, 'Wallflower,' discovered it. Since then, I began influencing her to use it. With each memory I took from another human, I grew stronger. And with the power your friends gave me, I finally took control of her. Now that I’m back, I will take control of this pathetic world… and then, I will use the portal I now know exists, to return to Equestria and conquer it."

As if to emphasize her words, a burst of pure dark energy erupted from her hands, lighting up the surrounding darkness.

Sunset clenched her fists, her expression fierce.

"You won’t succeed. I’ll stop you."

The sorceress let out a sardonic laugh.

"HA HA HA HA! And what can a pathetic human like you do?"

Suddenly, the sorceress raised her hands, and several bursts of dark magic flew toward Sunset, who leaped to the side with agility to dodge them. Her eyes shone with a fierce light as the wind collided with her face, but her focus remained sharp.

The sorceress, seeing how easily Sunset dodged, frowned, and her voice rang out, filled with arrogance.

"It seems you and your friends have some experience with magic, but compared to me, YOU’RE JUST NOVICES!"

The sorceress fired another wave of energy, which Sunset dodged again, twisting in the air. But the force of the attacks kept her away, leaving no opportunity to get close enough for a counterattack.

Meanwhile, Twilight watched in horror and worry, unable to stay out of it. With a face tense with fury, her eyes gleamed with determination as she noticed the stone hanging from the sorceress’s neck.

Focusing all her energy, she concentrated on the stone, trying to snatch it away, but the sorceress noticed the attempt and quickly grasped the stone with one hand, launching an attack with the other.

In that instant, Sunset rushed to the rescue, pushing Twilight aside, and both tumbled to avoid the impact of the spell that hit the pavement, creating a sizable hole.

Twilight slowly rose, looking at Sunset with a mix of relief and gratitude.

"Sunset…"

"Are you okay?" Sunset asked, her expression softening for a moment.

Twilight nodded, but both turned toward the sorceress, who was now approaching them with a malicious smile. Her eyes burned with a palpable threat.

"I won’t let you get away with this," Sunset said, determined to face the danger.

However, just then, the sorceress was engulfed in a purple aura that surrounded her, starting to immobilize her.

"What…?!" the sorceress exclaimed, surprised.

Both girls looked on, and to their astonishment, saw the girl from Canterlot using her own magic to hold the sorceress in place.

Despite her effort, the sorceress began to shift her body slightly, as if trying to force herself free. Sunset, struggling with all her might, tried to keep her contained.

"Twilight!" Sunset shouted, begging for help.

Twilight, still weak, got up and joined the fight, channeling her energy into the sorceress. Together, they managed to keep her trapped, though the tension was thick in the air.

"Now, Sunset!" Sunseen cried, struggling.

"Take the stone! It’s the only way!" Twilight says.

Sunset nodded, feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on her. Her mind focused on the stone, on her sole objective. She took a deep breath before charging toward the sorceress.

The sorceress, realizing she couldn’t stop it, tried to resist, raising her arm to launch an attack. However, Sunset, with agility and speed, jumped, dodging the blast while also reaching her target and placing her hand on the memory stone.

As she fell, she yanked the stone from the sorceress's neck and rolled across the ground to absorb the impact of the fall.

"Give it back!" the sorceress screamed, filled with rage.

With a wave of pure fury, the sorceress unleashed a massive burst of magic, creating a shockwave that slammed into the two girls with glasses, forcing them to cease their struggle.

Both of them fell, bruised, while the sorceress lunged at Sunset to recover the stone.

Sunset looked at the stone in her hand, glowing with a greenish light, and when she noticed the sorceress coming toward her, she quickly turned and aimed the stone at her.

The sorceress seemed to realize what was happening, but she couldn’t stop in time. As she reached Sunset, the stone activated its magic, beginning to drain the sorceress's memories.
"
AAAAHHHH!!" the sorceress screamed as her memories were pulled from her mind and absorbed by the stone. "NO! NO! NOT AGAIN…!"

It only took a few seconds before all the memories, and with them, the magic controlling Wallflower faded away…

Soon, the shy, freckled girl reappeared, but it was clear she was weak, and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Sunset watched her, then glanced at all her friends, who, still with confused and dazed expressions, could only watch without understanding what had just happened.

Sunset raised the stone, and with one final effort, released the memories of everyone. Each memory returned to its rightful owner.

The place fell silent as everyone tried to recover from what they had just experienced. As for Sunset, she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fainted, dropping the stone beside her. Her friends rushed to her side to help.

~ Lost Among Memories ~

Sunset lay on her bed, resting in her apartment room. Twilight was sitting beside her, while Sunseen stood nearby.

"Are you feeling better, Sunset?" Sunseen asked with concern.

"Hmm... yeah, I was just exhausted. ... What about the others?" Sunset replied softly.

"They’re in the living room. Well, I think Sonata and Lemon are raiding your kitchen," Twilight said with a small smile.

"Heh, that’s fine. Although I’m not sure they’ll find anything they like," Sunset commented as she began to sit up.

Twilight instinctively tried to stop her, but Sunset gently took her hand and smiled reassuringly. The three girls left the room and headed to the living area, where all of Sunset’s friends were waiting. They greeted her warmly, relieved to see her feeling better.

Sunset glanced around the room. Some of her friends were sitting on the sofa or chairs they’d found, while others stood around. The space felt crowded, leading Sunset to a clear conclusion.

"... I need to move to a bigger place," she murmured, loud enough for Twilight and Sunseen to hear.

"Are you okay, Sunset?" Applejack asked with interest.

"I’m fine, Applejack. I just needed some rest. ... I’m still not used to being a... magical sleepwalker or whatever," Sunset said with a small laugh.

"You saved us again, honey. We owe you one," Sunny added warmly.

"No, all you helped," Sunset replied modestly.

"Don’t be modest, Suns. Honestly, we were pretty useless... We need to get better at this magic stuff if we want to be real super heroes," Indigo Zap admitted bluntly.

"I don’t think that’s something we need to worry about, Indigo Zap," Twilight said, prompting a few chuckles from the group.

However, Rainbow remained serious. She looked directly at Sunset before speaking.

"Hey, Sunset, what do we do about... her?" she asked, nodding behind her.

Everyone turned to look at Wallflower Blush, who was curled up in a corner of the room. She hugged her knees tightly, looking as if she wanted to disappear. Concerned, Sunset approached her while the others stayed silent.

Wallflower’s face was hidden, but her red, tear-streaked cheeks were visible. When Sunset placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, Wallflower lifted her gaze to meet Sunset’s empathetic turquoise eyes.

"I’m sorry... I never wanted any of this to happen..." Wallflower murmured in a shaky voice.

Sunset gently squeezed her shoulder, took a deep breath, and replied:

"I know. It wasn’t your fault, Wallflower. That witch enchanted you to do her bidding."

"I just wanted someone to notice me. I don’t want to be invisible again," she admitted, her voice breaking.

Sunset hugged her from behind, and Wallflower burst into tears, apologizing over and over. No one interrupted the moment, though the tension in the air was palpable.

After letting Wallflower cry it out, Sunset released her gently and stood up.

"And the stone? Where is it?" she asked.

Sunny Flare retrieved the Memory Stone from her bag and handed it to Sunset, who took it with a serious expression.

"Um, Sunset... Is it safe to keep the stone? I mean... could that evil sorceress come back?" Fluttershy asked timidly.

The question made Sunset pause, recalling how she had managed to trap the sorceress’s essence inside the stone. But...

"I don’t know, Fluttershy," she admitted.

"Give it to me. I’ll smash it, and bye-bye witch," Rainbow suggested confidently.

"Um, that might release her... For now, we need to ensure the stone doesn’t fall into the wrong hands," Sunset replied.

Hearing this, Wallflower curled up further into herself, though no one noticed. The tension was interrupted by Pinkie’s energetic voice.

"Cheer up, gals! We defeated another magical threat and saved the world! This calls for a ‘We-Defeated-Another-Magical-Threat-and-Saved-the-World’ party! Let’s celebrate at my place!"

The idea was enthusiastically received, and everyone began preparing to leave. However, Sunset noticed that Wallflower was still seated in the corner, looking dejected. She approached again, kneeling on one knee and offering her a hand.

"Come on, Wallflower. I know it’s hard... I’ve been there myself. But believe me, things will only get better from here."

The freckled girl didn’t seem convinced, but the friendly and kind smile of the ex-equestrian persuaded her to take her hand, allowing her to help her up.

“...Things will get better... but... how can they improve if I...? No one notices me anyway...”

Sunset was ready to respond, but to her surprise, Rarity spoke first.

“If you’ll allow me, darling, I know it might sound bold of me, but I think, if you want everyone to notice you, you need a makeover. Something that makes you stand out more.”

The girl with forest-green hair looked surprised, though she also seemed a bit intimidated by the fashionista’s determined approach.

“I already have a few ideas for a very eye-catching ensemble!”

Sunny Flare joins the chat “And I’d love to add some touches to highlight your natural beauty, honey.”

The two elegant girls exchanged enthusiastic glances, while Wallflower seemed even more intimidated. Her eyes quickly searched for Sunset’s, almost as if pleading for help, but the ex-equestrian could only shrug.

Wallflower swallowed hard, dreading whatever they had in mind for her.

~ Lost Among Memories ~

A new day began at Crystal Prep. Students wandered through the halls, chatting with friends or hurrying to their classes.

Sunset walked calmly, receiving a few friendly greetings from those passing by. She took a deep breath and exhaled in relief, noticing how everything seemed to have returned to normal.

As she continued, she spotted Twilight at her locker, organizing her belongings. With a smile, she approached her.

“Hi, Twilight!” she greeted enthusiastically.

Twilight looked up, staring at her with a puzzled expression.

“...Sorry, do I know you?”

Sunset’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of horror. Her face turned pale as she took a step back, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. Before she could say anything, Twilight burst out laughing.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I couldn’t resist.”

The scientist kept laughing while Sunset stared at her, first confused, then angry, relieved, and finally amused.

“You...!”

With a yell, Sunset put her in a headlock. Twilight couldn’t stop laughing, even as she tried to apologize.

“Let’s see if you think it’s funny when I’m done with you!”

“Ha, ha, ha! I’m sorry! Sunset, please forgive me!”

When Twilight finally stopped laughing, Sunset released her, though she still looked a bit annoyed.

“Damn it, Twily. Couldn’t you pick another moment to turn into a prankster?”

“Sorry, I don’t know where it came from. I just thought it would be fun.”

“Yeah, ‘fun.’ You almost gave me a nervous breakdown.”

Sunset was still smiling, but her tone turned more serious, and her expression showed a hint of sadness.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. You managed to fix the problem, and I’m sure you’d still be able to convince us all that we’re friends.”

“Even so... thinking about you forgetting me is... painful...”

The humor faded when Sunset said that. She looked down with a sorrowful expression, and Twilight grew concerned.

“Having everyone forget me was horrible, but knowing that you had forgotten was the worst... I felt like I had lost something far too important...”

“Sunset...”

Feeling genuinely regretful, Twilight quickly stepped forward and hugged her, surprising the ex-equestrian, who soon returned the gesture.

“I’m sorry, Sunset. I didn’t mean to hurt you like that...”

“No, I should apologize for getting like this. I just... I guess I didn’t realize how much you mean to me...”

Twilight was taken aback by her words, but before she could ask anything, Sunset gently pulled away, though she kept her hands on her friend’s arms. Their gazes met, filled with unspoken emotions.

“Twi, I...”

Sunset looked nervous, as though searching for the right words. Twilight watched her expectantly, her gaze trembling and her cheeks slightly flushed.

Both of them stared at each other, their hearts beating faster, and then...

"Hey, Sunset!"

Both of them jumped in surprise and quickly pulled away, their cheeks flushing. The athlete, accompanied by Lemon Zest and Sonata Dusk, approached them with a carefree smile.

"Uh... hey, girls" Sunset murmured, trying to regain her composure.

"Hey, Sun-Shim! Twi-Spark!" Greeted Lemon enthusiastically.

"Hi!" added Sonata in her usual cheerful tone.

"Hey, did you see Cinch this morning? She nearly lost it because of the holes in the parking lot in the back!" Indigo said with a mischievous smile, causing Lemon and Sonata to laugh.

While her friends laughed, Sunset furrowed her brow, clearly frustrated, and Twilight looked equally concerned.

"It’s not funny, Indigo. Remember, we were the ones who made those holes." Sunset emphasized, locking eyes with the athlete.

"Shhh! No one can prove it" Indigo whispered, putting a finger to her lips. Then, with a smirk, she added "And in any case, it was the Memory Witch’s fault. Cinch should thank us for stopping her before she did something worse.

Lemon decided to change the subject. "Speaking of whiches, what happened to Wall-Blush? Sunny and the snooty girl from Canterlot took her, and we haven’t heard from them since."

The group seemed to ponder this for a moment until Sonata broke the silence.

"Do you think they ate her?"

The others looked at her, confused.

"No, we didn’t eat her" replied Sunny Flare’s voice, who appeared behind the group with a satisfied smile. "but, we gave her a complete makeover" Sunny announced with pride.

Before anyone could ask more, the answer came on its own. From down the hall, Wallflower Blush appeared, walking nervously. As she passed by, the other students stared at her, some surprised, others fascinated.

Her previously unruly hair was now straightened and tied back into a ponytail, adorned with pearls, and a sunflower-shaped pin in the front. Her face had a slight blush, a little shadow under her eyes, and her lips shimmered faintly with what seemed to be lip gloss.

Indigo was the first to react, letting out a surprised whistle.

"Damn, Sunny! What kind of magic did you use on her?"

"It’s the magic I mastered before the flames. You’d be surprised by what a little makeup can do" Sunny replied with a playful tone.

Wallflower lowered her gaze, her face growing even redder. Sunny continued.

"Although I admit the uniform doesn’t help much. But we spoke to Rarity, and she’s already preparing a new wardrobe for her."

"Um, Sunset... what do you think?" Wallflower asked hesitantly, her voice trembling with anticipation.

Sunset smiled after a brief moment of surprise. "You look fantastic, Wallflower."

The compliment made Wallflower blush even more, while Indigo wrapped an arm around her and smiled at the group.

"Alright! I think now we’re the SunSeven! But if you’re going to stay with us, you’ll need an epic name. How about 'Flower Power' or 'Green Garden'? Don’t worry, girl, I’ll think of something."

"Uh...?" Wallflower murmured, confused.

"Indigo, don’t scare the girl. She’s just coming out of her shell" Sunny intervened firmly.

"Shell?" Sonata asked excitedly. "So, are you a turtle in Equestria? That’s cool! I’m not the only sea girl anymore!"

"Who knows? She could be a land turtle" Lemon added with a smile.

Wallflower stood there, completely bewildered by what she was hearing.

Sunny chuckled softly. "Don’t mind them, honey. They’re just happy you’re with us."

Wallflower didn’t say anything, but she smiled, and her eyes slightly watered at those words.

The bell rang, signaling the start of classes, and they all began to head toward their respective classrooms, leaving Sunset, Twilight, and Wallflower alone.

"Well, we should go to class." Sunset said calmly.

"Um, yeah... Sunset, could I ask... could I... ask you something?" Wallflower asked timidly.

"What’s up?"

"Well, you know... I came to this school, but the classes are really hard..."

Sunset let out a small laugh. "Yeah, it’s a big difference from Canterlot."

"Yeah... I was wondering if you could... help me study to catch up with the classes."

"Sure! We can meet at my house to study."

Wallflower’s face lit up with a smile, though the blush on her cheeks didn’t go unnoticed.

After a brief farewell, Wallflower started walking but suddenly stopped, turned quickly, and ran toward Sunset. Before she could react, Wallflower hugged her neck and pressed her lips against hers.

The gesture was as sudden as it was brief. Wallflower quickly pulled away, running off with her face completely red but a radiant smile on her lips.

Sunset stood frozen, as red as her hair, unable to process what had just happened. Twilight, standing next to her, was equally in shock.

"...O-k... um... I’m going to class. See you later, Twilight" Sunset stammered before hurrying away.

Twilight managed to snap out of her daze and called out to her.

"Sunset! Wait!"

Sunset turned, still confused.

"What were you going to say to me...? Just now..."

It took Sunset a second to understand the question, and when she did, her face turned even redder, and she became more nervous.

"I... uh... n-nothing, nothing. It wasn’t anything important. Just... you know, I’m glad we’re friends. Um, see you later."

With those words, Sunset quickly turned and left the place, leaving Twilight alone, surprised, confused, and then disappointed... and upset.

"Ugh... Indigo, you’re going to pay for this"

She muttered as she closed her locker with some frustration and headed to her class.

~ Lost Among Memories ~

~ End ~