Amnesia: Helping You Forget

Helping You Forget
Chapter 7

It is odd how we find ourselves in recurring nightmares: you would’ve thought we’d have gotten over the fear the first time round, but you can’t rid yourself of a corrupted dream till you confront it and make it disappear, much like I had done very recently. However, this was a nightmare I could never seem to dissipate: the Everfree Forest.

Despite once intentionally returning to this forest, its influence over me seems to cling on like Ivy, wrapping itself around my ever fragile mind. I was still wary in the Everfree, even more so now that I knew what lurked in its dark corners. I couldn’t say my accompanying party was too confident either. Everyone was on edge and spying out for any suspicious movement amongst the trees, myself included. Although, I found Fluttershy’s jumping at every howl or growl as terrifying as the forest itself.

Twilight had recommended against stopping in the forest, so every time I showed signs of slowing or stopping, someone was behind me to urge me on. It wasn’t physical trauma bringing me down; it was what I had seen just recently. Soon, my feet felt heavy to drag across the forest floor as my mind urged them to stop so I could cope with the revelation I had recently been given. Even whilst walking, I had ample time to consider the harsh greeting I received from my deceased sister, whether that is true or not. I realised in that moment what a selfish decision I had made. I had forgotten about my family; my home; my sister. I only sought to make amends with the natives of this world, to befriend them and live amongst them, but was that the right choice? Should I have cared for their understanding of me or just forgotten about them completely and returned home, never to look back again all the while knowing some beings in another world were judging me? Did I care? Did I just want to gratify myself for my actions, to live in some sort of paradise? Whatever my motives were to stay in Equestria at the time, they were misguided.

Fortunately, in accord to my blank stare and glistened eyes near to tears, I felt Fluttershy nudge my leg to break my trance. I could only smile faintly in return.

As we trekked along, it became apparent to me that I was in the dark in regards to where we were heading and why.

“Twilight,” I enquired, “Might you enlighten me as to where you are planning to take me?”

“Certainly,” she replied. “After you collapsed in front of Spike and I, I knew that the method we had used to cure you had indeed not worked. It was then I realised that I knew somepony who might know the solution to your hallucinations. She’s a zebra called Zecora and she specialises in alchemy. She’s setup in the Everfree Forest so she has access to most of the ingredients she needs immediately. I’m certain she will be able to help us at least, if not she might be able to end this once and for all.”

I was at that moment intrigued by alchemy and its possible uses in this world. I have seen many new strange anomalies that might not occur within my world, so maybe alchemy, which was usually just used for destructive purposes or medicine, would have my exotic uses here.

“Have you taken any notes from her profession that I may observe once we return?” I got a glance of Rainbow Dash rolling her eyes at me.

“Come to think of it, not really. There have been several occasions where I have been able to remember certain brews or potions, but nothing too broad. Zecora’s isolated nature makes it more difficult for me to spend an extended amount of time with her, and most of the time I do spend with her isn’t done taking notes.”

“Shame,” I simply replied. Nothing more. Not even considering asking Zecora myself about alchemy. All interest in the subject simply dissipated from my mind. Even at the time did I find this interesting; my behaviour that is. Usually I relished the stream of knowledge and commonly sipped from its refreshing waters, but recently I had no care for any sort of profound academic knowledge, even if maybe it was not appropriately timed considering the current situation - though Twilight's lecture on lucid dreaming certainly was appropriate. True I was drawn more towards archaeology and history, but I should have been a little more enthusiastic about this.

I also noted at the time that my response was quite rude. I could see that Twilight was hardly more than amused by my single-worded, disinterested remark. The rest of the group were giving me a similar look of slight repulse.

Thankfully, we had finally stumbled across a house built into a hollowed tree in the middle of this damp and dreary forest. I found it more than a coincidence that two of the most intelligent individuals I knew of so far were residing in a tree. I also was dumbfounded by the light the treehouse gave off considering the usually pitch black state of the forest. I questioned myself on how I did not see this house both of the times I had been in this forest. It certainly would’ve made things a lot easier.

As we knocked and entered, we were greeted by a zebra wearing ceremonial rings from the more exotic African and Asian countries. I had not even conceived that such a racial stereotype from my world would arise in this one. Incidentally, there were such Africans who wore rings around their wrists and necks near the excavation in which I found the orb. We did not interact, but I caught sight of them doing odd chanting and dancing once around a blazing fire. I never asked Professor Herbert what they were doing because I was more terrified by what the answer might imply than curious.

Despite the rings and the particular species that graced my sight, I did not prepare myself for the alternate accent that came with it. Constantly hearing the same, higher pitched voice everywhere in Ponyville – even if just for over a week – was enough to tune my ears to that dialect perfectly, with the exception of the Apple family who had a distinctive accent from the rest. So when Zecora began talking, I almost found it difficult to understand her.

“Salutations, my dear friend Twilight. A visit from you is always a delight. Your friends of five I recognise, but this strange being is new to my eyes.”

“Hello, Zecora. This here is Daniel,” she said turning to me as if to either point me out or check I was still here. “He’s... not from around here.”

“A human is a rare sight to see,” Zecora began nodding knowingly, “Since they exist in Zebra Mythology.”

“You know he’s a human?” Twilight asked puzzled.

“Indeed, a wild creature of the hunt, apparently taking one down was quite a stunt.” I barely had time to register what Zecora was saying in between her rhythmic chanting, but I was still able to read between the lines. As soon as she had finished her verse, she turned her attention to me with untrusting eyes, almost waiting for me to make a move of some sort. I wasn’t sure if I should pick up one of my compadres and use them as a shield. I certainly had a good mind to be cautious around her; her mystical rhyming gave my subconscious an even greater reason to be wary.

“Well,” Twilight somewhat nervously chuckled, “There won’t be any violent ‘stunts’ here today, will there?”

Zecora seemed only to respond by relaxing slightly. I could see I wasn’t the only one to notice the zebra’s odd behaviour. My worried expression became contagious within the entire group. Even though Zecora had calmed, her death glare did not avert. It was a glare that would’ve struck fear into the heart of the most courageous of Cossacks, the most experienced of Napoleon’s Old Guard, and the most accurate of the Green Jackets. In pierced the deepest caverns of my heart and made my blood run cold. It was very clear to me that whatever these ‘mythological’ humans were renowned for, it put a wedge between me and the stripped equine before me.

When we had been welcomed in and offered a wide array of specially prepared brews that sounded far from tasteful, Twilight began to explain what was occurring as of this moment. I too perked my ears eagerly in hope that I could finally understand what was happening.

“Well,” Twilight began, “Daniel here has been living in Ponyville for barely over a week after he saved Scootaloo in the Everfree and then went back in to apprehend another human called Alexander. As it turns out, he was using an orb to power a portal to let his world through into ours in order to enslave us. Luckily, Daniel destroyed the orb which he claims is also the reason a dark shadow has been tormenting him. The following days have been torture for Daniel. He has been experiencing hallucinations and recurring nightmares which we have so far been unsuccessful in dissipating. I believe I have cured the nightmares, even if temporarily, but the hallucinations have twice since proven to be problematic. I believe there something about his past that must be causing the traumatic events, but he refuses to tell us the details of his past.”

Whilst Twilight continued to explain about my ghastly run-ins of the nostalgic kind, I had a sudden epiphany. I was unsure of how something so simple could actually even come to fruition, however, considering the necessary ingredients might not even exist in this world. Nonetheless, it was worth a shot.

In the brief moments that I contemplated this, I must have given an emotion away that Zecora easily interpreted.

“To solve this riddle you must answer, no further than your human you should gander.”
All eyes suddenly diverted to me.

“Y’all knew how ta cure ye’self all along?” Applejack questioned in an almost interrogative fashion. I remained silent, constructing my answer and panoramically glancing at all of the eyes surrounding me.

“I have only just fathomed how we might rid me of this cursed guilt-ridden torment I have suffered,” I carefully replied, “Though I am not entirely sure if we can actually accomplish such a task.”

“Why not?” Pinkie piped. “We’ve probably done harder.”

“Because it may be impossible for us to attain the necessary resources.”

Zecora seemed to consider this before beckoning me away from the group momentarily.

“And what ingredients are those you require that of a nature that I can’t acquire?”

“Fortis Aqua... Vitae, and a Damascus Rose.”

“There is a way these things you can acquire, but first there is information I desire.” I nodded firmly in response. “The orb you destroyed to make your revenge exact, where can I find this sacred artefact?” I admit I was taken aback by this request for the location of the orb. I suspected that Zecora might have had an interest in it when I had mentioned it, but only through a vision did I know how to repair it. Even if she found the orb, two things would occur. She would either be unable to repair it, or she would succumb to the guardian of the orb that stalked me relentlessly.

After telling her that the orb was probably still in the throne room of the castle, she nodded and led me back to the group.

“So?” Rainbow Dash immediately asked.

“There are three ingredients we need: Fortis Aqua, Vitae, and a Damascus Rose.”

“What are trying to make with them anyway?” Twilight enquired.

“An amnesia potion. We used them in Brennenburg. If I can make myself forget about Brennenburg and the preceding events, then I should be cured.”

“But wait,” Rarity interrupted, “If you drink this potion, surely you will forget everything after as well?”

“Fear not, by adjusting the level of vitae, I can accurately determine what I remember and what I forget.”

“What are these ingredients anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Fortis Aqua is an adhesive which will hold the other two ingredients together, Vitae is a harvested energy,” I narrowly avoided saying how it was harvested, “And a Damascus Rose is a plant that, when combined with Vitae, will haze over the minds of the drinker, covering their memories.”

“You said we couldn’t find them though,” Pinkie pointed out, “How are we gonna get them?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What did you use the amnesia potion for?” Fluttershy innocently asked. I froze there, dreading the answer they might squeeze out of me.

Zecora’s arrival after an unnoticed departure thankfully moved on the conversation. Zecora was bearing seven vials on a tray. They had a purple liquid, with the exception of one pink one, that were calm without bubbles or fizzing, suggesting to me that she had made them a while ago.

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

“A potion I made to get into one’s head, to put one’s troubles to bed. Once Daniel drinks his pink vial, you must connect yours through magic to his all the while. Then you will enter his mind to begin your quest to put his nightmares and hallucinations to rest.”

“Are you implying we can make the potion inside my memories? But surely that would mean there are dangers as well? I wasn’t precisely alone in that castle.”

“Anything that could kill you physically will be able to slaughter you psychologically.”

A unison of worried gulps ensued before everyone took a single vial with the coloured liquid, me taking the pink one. We all knew that anything could happen from here, though I was much more worried. I needed vitae for the potion, but how was I to harvest it? I wasn’t going to let them see me do it, it is a gruesome process which would likely shatter our relationship and any trust we had between each other. How could I hide my past endeavours like I have for the past few days?

I dismissed these thoughts temporarily, convincing myself that I would figure these predicaments later.

Wasting no more time, I drank.