I woke up with a groan, my limbs stiff as if I had spent the entire night running instead of resting. I stretched, my back cracking in several places.

Wait… why am I on the floor?

I blinked a few times, sitting up and rubbing my head. My bed was right there untouched, perfectly made. I must have rolled off at some point, but that didn’t matter. I slept fine. Probably.

I got to my feet, rubbing my temples. Everything looked normal, but something felt… off. A gnawing sense of wrongness clung to the edges of my thoughts like a whisper just out of reach. I walked to my desk, intending to grab my phone, but I stopped mid-step.

Where was the photo of my mother?

It should have been sitting there, inside the little frame I never touched, gathering dust just like always. But now, it was gone. I frowned, glancing around my desk. Had Dad taken it?

Whatever. I’d ask him later. As I turned to leave, my foot brushed against something. Papers. A lot of them. Scattered across the floor in messy stacks.

“What the hell…”

I knelt down, picking them up. Scribbled words covered the pages, some crossed out violently, others barely legible. It was my handwriting, but I had no memory of writing any of this. Homework? Notes? I didn’t bother reading them—I just shoved the crumpled sheets into my backpack and moved on.

Probably nothing.

I pulled off my shirt, intending to throw on something clean. My eyes flicked down to my abdomen, where an old, jagged scar stretched across my skin.

I ran my fingers over it, feeling the uneven ridges. Then I looked at my wrists. Thin, white scars ran along the skin, barely noticeable unless you were looking for them.

No one at school ever mentioned them. No one ever asked.

I preferred it that way.

With a fast gasp, I grabbed my hoodie and put it on. Long sleeves. Always. I couldn't afford to let anyone see.I made my way downstairs, my footfall heavy on the hardwood floor. The aroma of coffee lingered in the air, mixed with something else—eggs, perhaps? Dad sat at the table, sipping his coffee and flipping through some documents.

“Morning,” I muttered, grabbing a piece of toast from the counter.

“Morning, son”

“Hey… did you take Mom’s photo?”

Dad’s expression shifted instantly. His eyes narrowed in confusion, his lips parting like he didn’t understand the question. “What?”

“The photo,” I repeated, biting into the toast. “The one on my desk. Did you take it?”

Dad set his coffee down, his fingers tightening around the handle. “No” he said slowly. “You threw it away. Don’t you remember?”

“…What?”

Dad leaned forward “You threw it away months ago. You said you didn’t want to look at it anymore.”

That didn’t make sense. Why would I do that?

“Da,” I scoffed, “I know I don’t talk about her much, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss her.”

His face darkened, and suddenly, he stood up, walking over to me. He placed a hand on my forehead, checking my temperature like I was a child with a fever.

“What the hell are you doing?” I swatted his hand away, stepping back.

“Son, are you okay?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.

“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re acting weird today.”

I clenched my jaw. “Weird how?”

Dad hesitated, choosing his next words carefully. “…You said you will never talk about her. Ever.” His eyes searched mine, as if trying to find something buried deep inside me.

A chill ran down my spine. I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but the words got caught in my throat.

I didn’t want to continue this conversation.

“Whatever” I muttered, grabbing my backpack. “This talk is over. You’re the one acting weird.”

I turned to leave, but as I reached for my jacket—

Well, my jacket was gone.

In its place hung a black coat.

It wasn’t mine.

It shouldn’t have been there.

And yet, as I ran my fingers along the fabric, a strange sensation washed over me. The moment I slipped it on, warmth spread through my body, driving away the cold air from outside.

It felt… right.

Without another word, I stepped outside, the crisp air biting at my face. The street was empty, and the sky was a dull gray, the sun barely visible behind the clouds.

I exhaled, watching my breath curl into the air.

Something felt wrong.

Something was missing.

But if I didn’t remember it… then it couldn’t have been important.

I shook the thought away, stuffing my hands into my coat pockets as I walked.

Ding ding.

Another text.

I sighed, pulling out my phone, my eyes narrowing as I saw the sender.

Sunset.

She had been texting me since yesterday, constantly sending screenshots of that stupid MyStable page—Anon-a-Miss. I didn’t care. If this anonymous account wasn’t posting about me, then it wasn’t my problem.

I glanced at the most recent message:

Can we please talk before school?

My fingers hovered over the screen before I scoffed.

Yeah, right.

There was no way I was falling for whatever trap she was setting. I quickly typed out a response:

Not a chance. Leave me alone.

Then, I silenced my phone and shoved it back into my pocket.

By the time I arrived at Canterlot High, the morning air felt colder than before. The school loomed ahead, its entrance familiar yet… distant. I didn’t know why, but something about walking through those doors sent a strange chill down my spine.

The moment I stepped into the courtyard—

"HEY, YOU!"

I barely had time to react before a loud, aggressive voice rang out. I turned my head, immediately spotting the source.

A girl with wild, rainbow-colored hair.

She stormed toward me, her fists clenched. Behind her stood a small group of girls—ones I was sure I’d seen before in the halls but had never really spoken to.

And yet, there was something about them—something familiar, buried beneath the fog in my mind.

A girl with blonde hair and a cowboy hat—Applejack, I think?—crossed her arms and glared at me.

“What the hell is your problem?” she demanded, stepping forward.

“What?”

Applejack’s glare deepened. “Why’d you send that to Sunset? And why haven’t you answered her texts?”

I barely heard her.

Because my gaze had already drifted to the person standing slightly behind them.

Sunset Shimmer.

There she is. My enemy. The liar. The bully. The one who made my life hell.

But…

She wasn’t smirking.

She wasn’t sneering at me or looking down on me like I expected.

Instead… she looked sad.

Her arms were crossed tightly around herself, her face pale, her eyes red-rimmed like she had been crying.

What the hell?

Why would she be sad?

This was Sunset Shimmer, the same manipulative girl who had tormented the entire school.

I scowled, snapping my gaze back to Applejack. “Why wouldn’t I tell her to leave me alone?”

Applejack’s fists clenched at her sides. “Because she’s hurting, you idiot! And you—”

I scoffed, cutting her off. “And more importantly, why are all of you standing here, defending her?” I gestured toward Sunset, frustration was boiling in my chest. “She’s evil in human flesh! She’s probably the one behind Anon-a-Miss!”

That was the only explanation.

It made sense.

She’d done this kind of thing before—stirring chaos, tearing people apart, all while keeping her hands clean.

So why couldn’t they see it?

SLAP.

Pain burned across my cheek.

I barely had time to react before I grabbed the wrist of the girl who had struck me.

The violet-haired girl—Rarity, I think?

She gasped, her face twisted in fear as I gripped her wrist a little too tightly. My fingers pressed into her skin, her breath hitching as she winced in pain.

I let go immediately, the tension still burning in my veins.

Rarity stumbled back, clutching her wrist.

“What the fuck is wrong with you today?” Rainbow Dash shouted, stepping in front of her.

“Nothing’s wrong with me!” I snapped. “I don’t know what’s going on here. I don’t know any of you.”

The second those words left my mouth, an eerie silence fell over the group.

I didn’t know why, but their faces shifted shock, confusion, pain.

But I didn’t care.

“But I do know her” I spat. “And I know she’s scheming something.” I took a step back, my breath heavy. “Get away from her while you still can.”

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away.

Or at least, I tried.

Because before I could take another step—

Something wrapped around my throat.

A powerful arm pulled me back, locking me in place.

Applejack.

She tackled me to the ground with force, knocking the air from my lungs. My back hit the pavement, a sharp pain shooting through my ribs.

“Let me go!” I growled, struggling against her iron grip.

I was stronger than this. I should be able to break free. So why—?

Papers scattered across the ground.

The ones I had stuffed into my backpack earlier.

I didn’t even remember what was on them, but I knew one thing—

They were mine.

“Leave them alone!” I snapped, thrashing against Applejack’s hold. “They’re mine!”

But my protests fell on deaf ears.

A quiet, timid gasp cut through the tension.

The pink-haired girl had picked up one of the papers.

She looked horrified.

“…Sunset,” she whispered. “Read this.”

Sunset, still crying, hesitated.

Her fingers shook as she reached for one of the papers.

Then, she read it.

And everything stopped.

She went completely still, her breath catching in her throat.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the paper, staring at it as if it had just shattered her entire world.

“…No,” she choked out.

Sunset took a trembling step toward me, her hands clutching the paper as if it were the last thing holding her together.

Her face.

There was something in her eyes, something I couldn’t understand. It wasn’t just sadness or desperation. It was like she was looking at a ghost, someone she had loved and lost in the same breath.

“…Why don’t you remember?”

Her voice wavered, barely audible over the silence that had swallowed the courtyard whole.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Sunset held up the paper, her fingers tightening around the edges. “Look. This is what you wrote.”

I didn’t even glance at it.

“I don’t need to read that” I said flatly.

Sunset swallowed hard, her grip shaking. “Then I’ll read it to you.”

She turned to Applejack, who was still keeping me locked in place with her damn near inhuman strength.

“Make sure to hold him.”

“Got it.” Applejack’s grip didn’t waver.

I didn’t know why, but something about this felt… wrong.

There was a weight in the air, something heavy pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Sunset stared at the paper.

Then, in the softest, most broken voice I had ever heard her use, she began to read.

"Sunset…

Is it just you or me in this wretched world, that is so confusing for me

And I know you are going to be there with me, but I feel I’m losing myself… and I’m gonna lose you too.

I did a mistake. It took a toll on me.

This magic is making me crazy.

You needed a protector.

But who’s gonna protect me?

Please forgive me… for whatever I do…

When I don’t remember you.”

She stopped.

I couldn’t breathe. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, deafening, drowning out everything except her voice.

I could see the way the other girls looked at me, horrified, speechless, tears gathering in their eyes.

And Sunset…

She looked like she was breaking apart, piece by piece, right in front of me.

Her lips quivered, her hands tightening around the paper, as if it were the only thing keeping her from falling to her knees.

I…

I had written that?

No.

No, this was a lie.

This was a trick.

This was her trying to manipulate me, to drag me into whatever mind game she was playing.

I hadn’t written that.

I wouldn’t write that.

I gritted my teeth.

I had to get out of here.

I forced my weight forward, wrenching myself out of Applejack’s grip. She wasn’t expecting it. She stumbled slightly, just enough for me to push away and get to my feet.

I turned, ready to walk away—

But I didn’t.

I should have.

I should have walked away and left them standing there, wallowing in their own lies.

But something kept me rooted to the spot.

Some feeling deep inside me told me to stay.

To listen.

They all looked at me.

Not with anger.

Not with disappointment.

But with grief.

And then Sunset, still trembling, still crying, took in a sharp breath—

And continued.

"Sunset… I can feel myself slipping away.

I don’t know what it will make me say.

But I want to remember how you saw me. And how my friends did.

But I swear, it won’t be me.

It will be the stone.The Memory Stone.

Tell Discord… he’s our only hope.

I will not remember.

But remember who I was.

Not who I’m gonna be.”

The paper trembled in her hands.

She looked up at me.

And then she spoke, her voice raw and cracked and full of something I couldn’t even begin to understand.

“You promised me.”

I took a step back. Every part of me screamed to deny it. To call her a liar. To run from this.

But there was something in me—something wrong—something that twisted painfully in my chest.

A flicker of something I couldn’t place.

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing it down, burying it.

I didn’t believe in this.

I wouldn’t believe in this.

I couldn’t.

“…That’s fucking bullshit”

Sunset flinched like I had just hit her.

“I didn’t write that. You changed the papers.”

Her head snapped up.

Her hands tightened into fists, her shoulders trembling with barely contained emotion.

“BUT YOU SAW ME PICK IT UP!” she screamed, her voice breaking. “YOU SAW ME—”

Her voice cracked, and she covered her mouth with her hands, gasping through quiet sobs.

I couldn’t let myself fall into whatever trick she was playing.

“All of this is fake” I spat. “You lying pieces of shit.”

The girls recoiled.

And then—

A voice spoke up.

A voice that wasn’t laughing.

A voice that was broken.

“Words won’t make a difference here,”

I turned toward him, confused.

Sunset looked at him too, desperate, shaking. “Discord… why? Why won’t words make a difference?”

He let out a shaky sigh, running a hand through his hair.

His eyes were tired.

“It’s the Memory Stone.”

The moment he said it, the air shifted.

He looked at me, there was something in his eyes....

Regret.

“…It will take more than words, sadly.” He swallowed hard. “It’s magic. His memory is in shambles.”

He turned away for a second, as if the sight of me was too much to look at. “I told him… I told him not to do anything alone. But he didn’t listen. And now…” His voice cracked. “He paid the price.”

I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Magic,” I scoffed. “You expect me to believe in magic?”

Discord’s lips pressed into a thin line.

“I won’t believe in any world you say.” I took a step back, my hands curling into fists. “I’m going to my class.”

I looked at them one last time.

Their faces.

Their eyes.

The grief.

The pain.

The love.

I ignored it.

I turned around.

And with one final breath—

“Leave me alone. Forever.”

Then, I walked away.

Author's Note

Hey very short chapter, but i need to do somethings in rl, and here's a continuation, this... will be longer arc. i want to keep it for some chapters, i had regret in last story keeping evil arc so short, so i will recompensate it with this. Saddly the one with the biggest power, the one who could prevent this, got hit by magic, how are they gonna save him. ( also im thinking of changing perspective to to sunset, like i did in one chapter, so we keep the story going and oc will stay living normal life)