Amnesia: Helping You Forget

Helping You Forget
Prologue

He was terrified. His breathing was heavy. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. His body was scratched and cut from his earlier close escape. Next time, he might not be so lucky. He turned to see a guest room with a once luxurious bed (its sheets now torn and ragged and covered in blood) surrounded by two separate closets. A chest of drawers with its contents pulled out stood against the wall near the bed and underneath a window with a dim light coming through. Daniel moved towards it and flipped one of the drawers. A tinderbox lay underneath it. Quickly, Daniel opened it and lit one of the matches inside. All of the candles in that room were no longer burning, and so the room itself was very dark. Only the dim light in the window allowed him to see anything. Daniel stumbled around, trying to find a candle that he could light. He found one next to an old wooden door.

As soon as he lit the candle, he spotted the door and went through. He was then greeted by an empty void, and the only way to pass over it was by a path of floating stones. Cautiously, he began to creep his way across, lightly tapping the stones ahead to make sure they did not fall when touched. As he continued to advance over the empty abyss, he silently told himself: “Don’t look down. Don’t look down.” He did not take heed to his own words and felt light headed. The void he stood above had no end. To fall into it was to fall for eternity. That was a fate Daniel would rather avoid. Unfortunately, Daniel began to lose his balance after peeking into the void and felt himself falling to his side. He struggled to keep balance, but it was no use.

Screaming, he fell and fell and fell...

Suddenly, something came into view. It rippled throughout his vision and engulfed the whole void as far as the eye could see. Something was splashing nearby and soon he realised that he was falling into water. This water was not uninhabited, however, and the splashing got nearer to his landing point. A loud roar made the water vibrate violently and small waves began to rise. Daniel knew what inhabited these waters. The Kaernk.

Suddenly, a large tidal wave formed to Daniels right. It grew higher and higher. Eventually, Daniel came crashing into the water and the Kaernk came splashing after him. It was safe to say Daniel was terribly frightened for his life at this point.

He was surrounded. Kaernk to the left of him, tidal wave to the right of him. Daniel waited for the eventual clash of the two forces, with him in the middle. His knees became wobbly and gave way underneath him. He collapsed onto his knees and began to weep. It was over. A small, piranha-like fish jumped at his head and he felt the tidal wave clash with his back. He was gone.

Daniel sat up on the couch he slept on with a yell. He was sweating viciously and his eyes were stained with tears. He sat on the couch for a while, trying to catch his breath and calm his nerves. Six days officially in Ponyville. Five nightmares in a row, and all the same one. These nightmares were getting worrying.

He looked out of the window. It was still dark and the outside area was only illuminated by the Moon. The sky was clear and the stars in the night sky were shining as bright as ever. Daniel had only got the privilege to see such beautiful and silent nights since he had arrived in Ponyville, since the Everfree’s canopy was too thick for anyone to see the sky. The sky was quite a moving image.

Daniel heard hoofsteps coming down the stairs behind him. He looked over the couch to see same the purple unicorn he saw every night at this hour.

“Having nightmares again?” She asked tiredly, and somewhat irritated.

“Indeed Twilight.” Daniel replied, looking over to the window again so as to avoid eye contact. He knew she was getting irritated with these constant awakenings, but at least she understood somewhat.

“The one where you ran from those horrible monsters, ran behind a door, fell off of a floating stone bridge and died to a tidal wave and... the Kaerek was it?”

“The Kaernk... and... yes it was.” Daniel replied.

“*Sigh* We really must do something about that nightmare. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since you arrived because of them, and neither have you. I insist we do something.” She had persisted like this for the past several nights. Each night was like a scripted loop, the same routine happening every time. Daniel would love to rid himself of these nightmares, but it just wasn’t going to happen. How could he rid himself of these nightmares?

“I will try and get rid of these nightmares when you find out how.” He replied a little too sternly. Twilight recoiled slightly at his tone of voice.

“Fine, I’ll figure out a way. I just can’t bear to look at you like this anymore.” Daniel realised that he was still crying slightly. “I need you to at least try and fight this fear. I don’t where all this stuff is coming from,” she lied, “But it has to end. I am going to do some research in the morning. In the meantime, try and get some sleep. You have bags under your eyes because you are becoming sleep deprived.” And with that, she went back upstairs to her bed. Beginning of Daniel’s sixth day in Ponyville, and it began like any other. Twilight hadn’t conjured up the courage to tell him that she had seen his memories, in case of his reaction. She didn’t want to lose a friend, especially one she had only made six or seven days ago. Rarity knew of Daniel’s past and her deed, and she thankfully didn’t press any further into the subject.

Daniel couldn’t sleep. He was scared that the same nightmare would repeat itself. He looked to see if Twilight had returned to her bed yet, but a familiar light snore confirmed that she was asleep again. He silently lifted himself off of the couch and crept over to a small table stool near a window.

He picked up a quill off of the table stool and dipped it in some ink. He then reached underneath and grabbed onto a small diary he had kept. Twilight had given it to him and told him to write absolutely anything he wanted into it as it would help him release his inside thoughts. Daniel knew that Twilight was reading the diary and coming up with solutions for his obvious Post Traumatic Stress, as he would see her every day hiding a book behind her back and denying that she had one. Why else would she have a reason to hide a book? Did she honestly think he felt that this was like a diary? If anything, he would appreciate some life counselling right about now. He flipped through his past entries.

Day 1 in Ponyville:

Today was an interesting day to say the least. After my ‘welcoming party’ last night, the inhabitants in Ponyville seem to enjoy my company. I had a stroll down the streets to stretch my legs and clear my mind. All around me, ponies were smiling at me. Some even greeted me by name.

When I returned to the library, Pinkie was there having a conversation with Twilight and Spike. The conversation itself was too trivial and possibly personal for me to bother listening to. Pinkie acknowledged my presence, and I found out in that very moment that she had given me a pet name: Danny-man.

Pinkie also demonstrated what Twilight and the others call ‘Pinkie being Pinkie’ later on as she jumped out of a window, only to return seconds later with a strange contraption that was very similar to Leonardo da Vinci’s designs. It had a strange spiralling propeller on the top and a seating area with many small cogs and other mechanical parts beneath it. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was not hallucinating again whereas Twilight merely rolled her eyes. I assumed the event had some sort of connection to the conversation they were having.

Day 2

Last night was awful. I had a terrifying nightmare. This nightmare was not like the ones I had in Brennenburg (curse its name). I was running from Alexander’s deformed servants when I came across the guest room. I stepped through the side door and entered a dark and miserable area. There was a floating bridge of stones as a path. I could not see the other side, but I walked onwards cautiously anyway. I lost my balance and fell into the empty abyss below. I fell into the clutches of that awful water monster, the Kaernk. A tidal wave also assisted my death. At that point, I wake up sweating and crying, not unlike when I had nightmares in Brennenburg.

The day went on normally, and I told Twilight of my nightmares. She tells me that I need to rid myself of these nightmares, and that she can help me. I told her that last time someone offered me help with nightmares, I committed awful crimes against humanity, but she insisted. I refused her help.

Day 3

It happened again. Same nightmare, same conclusion. I am beginning to dread and fear the night, or anytime I might be asleep. I know it isn’t the Shadow; it forgave me and accepted me. I am thinking of looking towards Agrippa and Weyer for help.

The day was spent on helping Applejack at her farm. It turns out that hands can be more useful than hooves at times as they are more dexterous and flexible. I have seen ponies grip things with their hooves, which leaves me in great confusion. I do not see the logic behind some of the ponies’ antics, but I have decided that thinking about it will only cause me to perceive all this as a dream. Who knows, maybe this is a dream. I certainly hope it isn’t.

Day 4

The nightmare happened again. Twilight has been visiting me in the night. She is always being awoken by my screams after waking up. She knows I am sorry, and I don’t need to tell her again. I fear I am troubling her. She continues to persist in helping me with my nightmares. It is not that I do not appreciate the assistance, only that I do not see how she could help me. I cannot stand the nightmares anymore and I feel that I may soon give in to her.

The day went by with me reading on Equestria’s history. I was fascinated by the small act of peace that caused the three pony tribes to decide to cooperate. It would never have worked back on Earth. Humans are too stubborn and full of pride to ever listen to someone else with an opposite opinion. At the rate we are at, we will end up killing ourselves with war.

Day 5

I can’t take it... the nightmares are becoming more vivid and I remember them even more. Every little detail is a memory in my mind and it hurts to think of them. There is nothing supernatural following me (I confirmed this after a small chat with Agrippa and Weyer); I am simply my own burden. My memories are terrorising me, torturing me. Much like when I tortured those innocent people in Brennenburg. I cannot forget their screams of pure agony or the images of burnt, defiled and broken bodies that I killed. I will simply have to pull through and be the stronger man.

I can’t remember what happened today. My mind is still filled with images of the nightmare, and it takes up the space of my memory that was supposed to hold today’s events.

Daniel put his quill against the new page and wrote a few words. His writing was messy and illegible. His tears fell onto the page, staining it with large splashes of water.

Daniel put the book underneath the stool again rather loudly and put the quill in the ink pot. He looked up towards the sleeping Unicorn and Dragon to make sure he hadn’t awoken them. Satisfied, he crept back over to the couch. He was dreading it, but he had to sleep. Even if the nightmare troubled him, he would get a good night’s sleep if it killed him.

As he lowered himself onto the couch he began to try and think happy thoughts. He thought of Hazel. He hoped that she was still alive and well. He thought of the day to come and what Twilight has in store for him. He pondered on the subject of his nightmare before falling asleep. Thinking about the nightmare caused it to happen, and Daniel fell once more into a troubled sleep.

Twilight had awoken. She had been awoken by the sound of his book slamming against the table stool. She looked over the railings of the upper level to check if Daniel was asleep again. She knew Daniel had written in his journal. The sound of book against wood gave that away. She had been reading his entries in the journal so she could see what he felt each day. Since the nightmares began, she felt her heart fall a little each time she read the entries. A light snore confirmed that Daniel was asleep.

Twilight sneakily trotted over to the table stool and reached for the journal. She put it onto the table stool and looked over each page. She could tell that Daniel wanted help, but his doubts made him refuse help. She knew what Daniel meant by ‘crimes against humanity’ and she understood why Daniel might be hesitant to ask for help. He had only known her and her friends for five or six days. That wasn’t long enough for them to gain his trust.

She opened the new entry and her heart crashed into an empty abyss inside of her. The new entry consisted of two sorrowful words with tear stains surrounding them.

Day 6

Help me

Twilight felt tears welling up. Unable to look at the entry anymore, she slipped it hastily under the table stool and rapidly made her way up to her bed. Unwittingly, she had awoken Spike in her haste.

“Twilight? Are you alright? You look troubled.” He said tiredly.

“Nope. Fine. I’m... I am... fine I guess.” She said quickly through her tears. Spike wasn’t buying it.

“C’mon Twilight! You always have that look when you are upset or scared. What’s wrong?” He stated. Sighing, she told him.

“Daniel is... he can’t take it anymore. I just read his di- a note he left me. He needs my help Spike. I can’t bear to see a friend like this...” She said. Spike nodded and returned to his sleep. He understood Twilight’s need to help anypony with anything they have troubles with. It always seemed to help her friendship studies (and sometimes her general studies on just about everything else in the world). It confused Spike as to how she was still able to think of anything more lessons regarding her friendship studies.

Twilight was still thinking up ways to help Daniel with his memories. Telling somepony secrets is a sure-fire way to get a burden off of their shoulders. Since she already knew what happened in his past, she wouldn’t be effect by it as much as a pony who didn’t know would. She also knew a way to help with the nightmares, but it might take several days to kick in if it didn’t kill the nightmare straight away. She would have to do more research in order to find other ways of helping him, but for now, these ideas would have to do. Silently, she fell asleep.