The Timepony's Journal

Chapter 8 - The Road Ahead

"Not even your name?" Redheart asked.

"N-no, wait. Something's coming to me. Brightness, something about a bright light." the amnesiac mare in bed replied.

It was only mere hours ago she'd collapsed in Ponyville Square unexpectedly. That purple mare helped her out. Something was strangely familiar about her, like a missing or forgotten connection. Her body had finally regained the nutrients that it so desperately needed and mysteriously had lost.

"A bright light... perhaps Radiance is a good substitute? At least something to call you by until you remember the real thing."

"Y-yeah, that sounds nice."

Radiance smiled gleefully, happy that she had something, anything to remember. She was later assigned to the mental recovery ward to help with any other possible issues that could arise. At least all motory functions were working, a kind of muscle memory. But something about the mare from before, Twilight Sparkle so she was told, felt oh so familiar. Perhaps she should give her a visit.

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Finally reaching home, Twilight settled down for a short rest. It was an exhausting day with the previous occurring events. A test run in the TARDIS, the mare collapsed in the street, all was nothing compared to what she'd faced. But a lingering evil from beyond space and time, that scared her.

She deserved the rest, especially after that. Unfortunately, the peace was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. Upon opening it, Radiance stood shyly on the doorstep.

"You don't mind if I come in, do you?" Radiance asked sheepishly.

"No, no, not at all. Can I get you anything?"

Twilight stepped aside to allow her into the living room. Both of them sat down into the simple upholstery, getting comfortable.

"I couldn't ask anything of you. I already owe you so much."

The room fell silent for a few moments, an awkward tension beginning to linger in the air before it could get any worse Twilight cleared her throat.

"So, anything I can help you with?"

"Oh, yeah! I need to look at some books or records or something to help jog my memory. I know, I kinda have amnesia."

"Oh, I didn't. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. Well, since I don't have much to go off of, maybe we can start with local history. The library's just this way."

The vast crystal corridors glimmered spectacularly, refracting even the smallest hint of light. The library was no different; silver-lined shelves with oak wood backings spanning the whole room. It had to be at least three hundred feet long underground, enough to fit a hoofball field or two. Both Twilight and Radiance began to skim the shelves in search of the correct tome or scroll. But something caught Radiance's eye.

In the corner of a lounge area on a small coffee table sat a short book. Artificial leather and bound with black lace it lay, the words [i]900 Year Diary[/i] stitched in gold silk on the cover. She began to hear whispers, echoes of the authentic voices caused by memory. One step after another, she came closer and closer to the book. The voices became louder and louder by the second. Then, she touched it.

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Ashes rained from the sky as children and adults alike cried in fear. Terror was foreseen to come, and it was here.

"Please, we need your help. These experiments need to be carried out, and it's for the safety of our race and countless others." a new voice begged.

As the current war went forward and the casualties grew the members of this society were growing desperate. The experiments were to determine if a living entity could hold an aural connection to the Web of Time, maybe even controlling it enough to change the outcome or prevent everything in the first place. Using temporal mechanics in such a way was both risky and dangerous.

"Alright... I'll do it."

Radiance was confused as this voice was her own. A memory, this was a memory. Something about that book must have triggered it, a relation to him. Everything blurred out as the scene changed. A silver and stark white room filled with controls. She was scared, attached by cables and wires to some thing.

"If my calculations are correct, you'll be able to link your consciousness with the vortex. Everything is burning, and you can stop it with the bat of an eye!"

The fear enveloped her, transforming into electricity. The memory, everything was blurred around the edges. Her screams and nothing but light, a bright white light. It seemed to last for an eternity. The pain was nullified before everything was replaced with a black void.

She could see them, the box spiraling around through all of the universe. He was there when it happened, his back turned on her while she screamed in pain. This was all his fault. She saw Twilight staring back at her through the TARDIS's doors, stranded within a cold and icy plain. She had to get him at any cost.

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"Radiance!"

Twilight shook her awake as hard as she could. Radiance gasped, awaking in a cold sweat. Her mind nearly rejected what she had seen, so much darkness. So much fear instilled into others.

"What happened, are you alright. Well of course you're not alright after what happened. You screamed a-and.."

Twilight began to trail off at a loss for words.

"I-it's alright. I should be okay eventually. T-that book, what is it?"

"Oh it's nothing, just something I'm holding for a friend."

"I-it made me remember. They hurt me badly, pain was soaring through my body. Then the bright light consumed me, it burned me."

Radiance began to cry , almost feeling the pain from her mind once again.

"It's okay, it's okay. If you need to stay in one of the guest rooms for awhile then that's okay. Just let it all out."

Radiance wailed our her sorrows while receiving a pat on the back.

"Everything's gonna be alright."

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"You sure she's gonna be okay?" asked Spike.

"Hopefully so, but I'm not entirely sure. She touched the diary and remembered something. She may have had an experience so traumatic that her mind finally snapped. It worries me what happened."

Twilight began to pace in circles wondering what to do. This was way beyond her expertise. Either return her to the medics or Zecora if she's experienced something extraordinary. Typically she only went to her for the cases professionals couldn't handle. But if she was involved with the Doctor, there was no knowing what could happen.

It was better to go to bed and think about it in the morning with a clear head. The sun was setting and the sky was turning into an array of purples and oranges. She closed the curtains and went into her room , nearly restless at how much more she had to handle.