"I never forgot anything before." Crescent pushed against the powerful coils of her captor, to little effect. "I don't wanna start."

"Never?" The snake turned her head to face Crescent directly. "Of course, such a young thing. I thought you were older. You must. A creature who never forgets at all eventually loses it all. Little thing, have you never asked another? They all forget much, especially when they were younger still. It is natural."

Crescent pushed, feeling the scales of the serpent's body slip around her. "I don't want to start! No!"

The serpent slid away, as if she were never even there in the first place. "How long can you fight nature, child?" She smiled, tongue flicking the air. "I suppose it is a child's place to try, to resist until they collapse. Speak to your parent, little one. They will understand. They are older than you."

Crescent huffed gently, turning back towards the snake. "Why do I have to talk to mommy? I know everything I want!" She stomped angrily, pouting.

The serpent laughed softly at that, her tail shaking as she did. "You think you know everything? Mmm, you are a child. You know nothing." She slid in smoothly, touching her nose to Crescent's. "Speak to your parent. They will explain it better than I, a dream snake, ever could."

Crescent waved away the snake. "Go, you're not welcome here!" She shook her head softly. "I will go find out, myself."

The snake uncoiled herself as she spoke, slithering away into the dream world, fading from existence as she left Crescent's line of sight.

Crescent stomped from hoof to hoof. "Well, now I don't wanna." Her mood to explore the dreamworld thoroughly ruined, she left the world of dreams as easily as she had entered it, sitting up in her small bed. Night was still present over the land of Equestria, but she had something that felt more pressing. She had to know what she had been told by the dream snake.

"Is it true?" She slid from her bed and padded towards the dining room. Part of her suggested grabbing a snack, but the rest was too agitated to sit down and enjoy that. She wandered right past the available snacks, heading towards the throne room. If Luna was awake, she would be there, tending to her various duties. As Crescent entered the throne room, she found it to be empty.

"Hm." Crescent considered a moment before she smiled. "Silly me, maybe she was right where I started." She trotted back for the bedroom, where Luna could have been patrolling dreams.

She poked her head in, but there was nothing. She stood up and began dashing around the castle, room to room, searching frantically. As she went by, she called out to Luna, desperate to find her mother.

"Crescent?" asked a tired voice from behind a door. "Is something wrong?"

Crescent slowed, looking at the door with its sun-like designs. "Did I wake you? Sorry."

"Come here," bade that muffled voice. "And tell me what's wrong."

Crescent pushed open the door and wandered into the room. Celestia had been sleeping on a bed of soft pillows. They were large, and she had nested herself among them. She had one eye cracked open. Crescent approached, her eyes downcast, and Celestia reached over and put a hoof over her. Crescent leaned against her aunt's side for a hug.

"What's wrong?" Celestia sat up slowly, wrapping her wings around Crescent. "You're sad."

"Upset," Crescent corrected with a little huff. "I was told I have to forget things. I never forgot anything ever. I don't want to start!"

Celestia let out a slow sigh. "I remember my foalhood. So long ago it was. I have no idea who made my bed, or what I had in it. Those are things I've long forgotten." She mused on that distant speck. "Only the most important bits are there for me now."

Crescent frowned. "But you're an old pony, and you've had like a million years! I'm not old at all. I haven't done anything worth forgetting."

Celestia fluffed up Crescent's mane. "No one's as young as they think they are, my dear. Also, it's not polite to call anypony a million years old." She chuckled as she nosed at Crescent. "How old are you, little one? Have you celebrated a birthday?"

Crescent wobbled her hoof in the air. "Well, I think I have?" She shook her head softly. "I'm not sure."

Celestia blinked down at the foal. "Crescent, how long has it been since you became a separate pony, rather than Luna's imagination?"

That narrowed it down nicely. "Oh, well, no. I have not seen a birthday that wasn't Mom's." She tapped her forehooves together slowly. "Is that bad?"

"Not bad, no." She flopped down slowly and brought Crescent in closer. "All ponies begin to forget. Our heads are only so large, and there's only so much room. We remember what's important, and discard what isn't. What you had for breakfast two days ago isn't very important, in the long run, is it?"

Crescent shook her head. "Well, no. But it was good!" She giggled at that. "So, if you forget the little things, you make room for big things? That sounds right."

"It's how most of us work, Crescent." She nuzzled her niece. "You offer a unique chance. Most ponies suffer this long before they can speak of it. They are silent as it happens, and have only themselves to consult, and their parent's embrace for comfort, words still a thing they are crawling towards. You are born, and able to speak, so I may offer you the comfort you need at a time of great upheaval."

Crescent rubbed her hoof under her eye. "But I don't want to forget anything!"

Celestia nodded. "I suppose not. But you are a pony with your arms full of so many toys. They all look so dear and precious. Still, if you put a few down, the ones you've played with well enough. There will be new toys for you, this I assure. They will be as wonderful as those that came before."

Crescent stuck out her lower lip. "That's not fair! I want all my toys!" She turned a hopeful eye on Celestia. Though Celestia had a kind and caring look, there was no pity, nor did she seem to be changing her mind.

Celestia shook her head slowly. "You can't carry them all, but you will get new toys." She smiled softly, sadly. "You are young yet, Crescent. You will understand soon enough." Her smile gained a tinge of amusement as she added. "The best part of these memories is the instant of getting them. Look back on them fondly, but keep your eyes forward, to gather more with a life well-lived, little dream child."

Crescent pouted softly. "That's not fair! What if I only wanted those memories?" Her hoof slowly began to tap as she looked at the floor.

"Then you would never make any new ones, and would have only those." Celestia inclined an ear. "Then we would lose you, and I would be sad. Your mother would also be sad, perhaps even to tears. Don't leave our lives so easily, dear niece."

Crescent flopped her way under Celestia's forelegs, cuddling against the larger mare. "But it sounds so nice." She closed her eyes and smiled brightly as they began to sting. "I want to be happy!"

"Joy is a thing of the moment." Celestia squeezed Crescent close. "A thousand happy moments, like this one. I would not wish to forget this, so I will forget the sleep I had before you came, and likely the sleep afterwards. I will make room, to keep this one, important, memory safe."

Crescent sighed softly, nuzzling at Celestia's chest. "But it won't be the same."

"No, but it will still be beautiful. You don't need every instant of your past. You can keep moving on, and find the future you desire." She nipped softly at Crescent's ears. "You made wonderful memories of new friends, have you not? Hold those close, and don't worry so much about the walk you took to get to them. Those are less important."

Crescent giggled softly at Celestia's play. "I suppose. That's okay with me. But I don't like forgetting."

"I wouldn't say that's an option, exactly." Celestia gave her niece a tight hug. "You are smaller than me, your little precious head will fill up even faster. Eventually your toys will just start falling out of your arms. Better to have some choice in which ones you set down, so you can keep the precious ones close."

Crescent leaned in to rest her head on Celestia's chest. "I'm okay with this. I'll do what you want." Her hoof touched Celestia's chest lightly. "But not because you tell me to."

Celestia laughed at that bit of impish rebellion. "Of course not that. Now, Mmm, Auntie is tired. You are free to sleep with her, or continue your rounds." She kissed Crescent on the cheek and settled into her pillow nest.

"I guess it won't be so bad." Crescent sighed gently and flopped down. "Sleep well, Auntie."

***

Crescent sat in the dream realm, staring up at the sky above. She knew something was approaching her. She didn't hear or see them, but she knew.

"You're back." The snake coiled next to her. "Mmm, I did not think I'd see you again." She turned her head towards Crescent, watching her intently. "Why are you here?"

"I still don't know you," Crescent said bluntly.

"Mmm, is that so?" The snake tasted the air of dreams. "I've told you what I am. I am not much more than that. Once, I think, you were so simple. You were. Now, more complicated." She flicked her tail. "You will lose knowledge, or gain none."

"Of course I will." Crescent waved a hoof at the snake dismissively as she stared up into the void above. "My family told me so." A vision of Celestia's smiling, if tired, visage appeared in her mind. "I don't want to forget my family."

"Then hold them close, and let me take what you do not care about." She approached on silent scales, curling around Crescent. "I am not a cruel creature. If I am, you made me this way. I cannot be other than what I was made to be. Please, let me help you."

Crescent turned her head towards the snake. "I don't want your help!"

"Few do." The snake pressed in, nuzzling her side. "But all need me. All who live. You are alive, are you not?"

"I am!" Crescent hopped up and trotted away. "And I don't need to forget! I can remember all the important things. I know it!"

"Are you sure of that?" asked the snake with a hint of a smile. "Besides, I am not asking you let go of those. Hold close your important memories. I shall take what you do not wish for. I am a friend, a protector." The snake circled in around Crescent's hooves. "You are still young."

"You think you know me?" Crescent pushed at the serpent's head with a hoof.

"Only that you are young, and alive. So you have more memories than you can hold." The snake flicked her tongue. "I can taste them, so close to falling. If you try to hold them all equally, I may take one you really want."

Crescent let out a huff as she considered the serpent before her. "Fine. Take only things I don't care about." She turned to look at the snake, who was smiling widely.

"As you wish, little one," whispered the serpent. She struck, but there was no bite. It was like the snake went right through her, coming out the other end with little glowing motes in her belly. "Mmm. Go on and collect new ones, little pony. Perhaps even brighter."

"I suppose." Crescent sighed gently as she sat up, stretching from hoof to hoof. "Goodbye!"

The snake flicked her tail in reply. "Farewell. We shall see each other again. Mmm, I look forward to it."

Author's Note

Crescent grows, by learning she can't take it all with her.

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