You Don't Remember

by The Sleepless Beholder

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sunset Shimmer, Drama, Equestria Girls
Length: 1054

Sunset has a dangerous addiction to memories.

Sunset's geode has been a small blessing. While not giving common superpowers like the others, it does allow Sunset to do something special. Forgotten Introspection. Something she has started doing quite often. Even if deep down, she doesn't want to. Even if it hurts her.

Written for the A Thousand Words II contest, as Experimental/Drama.

Special thank you's for Dewdrops on the Grass and daOtterGuy for pre-reading and EileenSaysHi for editing and helping out with the cover and ending.

Published 2023-06-16 13:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-06-16 13:50:01 UTC

The Missing Pieces

I stand on the wooden floor of the school's gymnasium, wearing my uncomfortably tight sports uniform. I still don't get why humans insist on having clothes for every little occasion. It's time consuming and frustrating and I can't let others see I still fumble a bit with which side is the correct one. And having to move around in this Diamond-Dog-body isn't any better. I really want to blow off this class, or at least make it more fun somehow. And lucky for me, I see [/////////////////////] trying to skip P. E. again.

"Miss Spitfire," I call out loudly for the whole class to see. "[//////////////////////] is escaping again." I point at the [/////////////] and smile as Spitfire quickly goes over to [///], ready to scream and make [////////////////////////////////]. Serves [/////] right. If I have to suffer through this dumb class, then [////] should too.

Sunset pulled the geode from her forehead, taking a deep breath as the memory she had dug up faded back into her subconscious. It had been so long ago. When she was still learning to act like a human, not being one. Not till the Fall Formal.

Twilight had said memories were never perfect. That the brain tries to recreate them as best it can and never in the same way. But if that were true, why wouldn't her brain fill out the missing pieces?

Not wanting to think about it right now, Sunset pressed the geode to her forehead again.

"Thank you for letting me borrow your English homework, [///////////////////]." I say with a smile as I hand back the papers.

"[///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////]"

I place a hand over my heart, mockingly. "Oh, sorry, I thought you just gave me a copy. You really should've thought about making backups."

"[////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////]"

"Now now, making such assumptions will not do you any favors. You want me as a friend, right? Because otherwise..." The [///] cowers, and says [//////////]. "I thought so. See you later in biology class!" I say happily as I walk away, leaving [//////] with a well earned and learned lesson in trust.

It was sickening, in a way. To see morals she held so high now being abused like that. Had she really been like that before? Could she be making it seem worse than what actually happened?

Trying to think through the fog the Stone had left in her head was hard, to say the least.

But was it even the Stone? Why would her mind, every time, fill in the gaps with the same horrible, disgusting...

"One more..." Sunset told herself, knowing she was lying. Like pulling out a scab, it was becoming a morbid habit, even if it hurt her.

"[///////////////////////////////]" [///////////] shouted as hard as [////] could, turning herself red with anger and with [///] [/////////] face filled with tears.

I do my best to look neutral. I did not expect this kind of reaction. I did not expect her to just ambush me in the middle of the hallway in front of everyone. Shit, even Vice Principal Luna is here. "I don't know what you mean?"

"[/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////]" [///] kept screaming like a [/////////////].

"I did not! Why would you think I would do that? That tree must've just died from not being cared for enough." I try looking at the vice principal, hoping she would stop what should be clearly a fight about to happen with how angry [////////////] is. But Luna just crosses her arms and gives me a 'you deserve this' look along with a smug smile.

Reminder to key her car on the way out. The b-

"[//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////]"

"I-You're right. So why would I've tampered with it? And why are you so angry about it? You were gonna lose anyway," I say firmly, crossing my arms and digging my heels. Hopefully [///////] just goes away when [///] realizes I won't take any responsibility.

However, her reaction is something I'll never forget.

All the rage, all the anger and cries, suddenly stops. And instead of that, it's as if the [///////////////////////////////////////////////////]

[////////////] says [////////]. [///] marches off. Leaving me in the hallway with my thoughts. The rest of the students awkwardly and uncomfortably walking away.

Have I... crossed a line?

Disgust felt like too tame a word to use to describe her reaction to that memory. The implication of her having driven someone to those extremes. To the point even that Sunset had felt regret and wrongness. It threatened to make her cry.

But that would be an insult to her victim.

So, instead of that, Sunset went for her notebook, searched the pages for the picture of who she assumed, and was pretty sure, was her victim, and added those memories to paper. A ritual she had started since the Memory Stone incident. Since she questioned herself if she had truly changed.

The answer was definitely yes. But that didn't make her past actions any less repugnant.

Finishing her notes, Sunset decided to do some more delving, but after that one, she needed something bigger than just memories of what she always hoped were just strangers.

Maybe it was time for them.

Those five Sunset feared the most to hurt now. And knew she hurt before. Those that she had forcefully separated. Those five that represented virtues Sunset had forced them to ignore. Those five she, in a way, owed her new life to. The ones that gave her her second chance. That she would sacrifice all she was for and had done so in a heartbeat.

She had always feared seeing the full extent of her actions to them. She didn't even need the geode for it. She could just ask. But she knew they would talk down any heinous action. Because Sunset Shimmer was now good. Maybe the best person at school.

Sunset definitely didn't feel like it at the moment.

So, in order to make sure she would never become that person again, Sunset closed her eyes. And thought of Rarity.

"So, you running for the Fair Maiden of the Spring Fling?" I say with internal fury at the competition.