The Sum of Her Memories
Sunset Shimmer walked into Canterlot High, her camera in hand. As the president of the school’s yearbook committee, it was up to her to make sure that the memories of the student body would be captured forevermore, and that meant walking around the school, taking pictures of every person she came across, including (and most especially) her best friends: Gemini Shadow, Raven Sable, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Twilight Sparkle, and Emerald Wave.
That afternoon, the girls met in the yearbook room to upload the pictures onto one of the school computers and begin laying them out onto pages. Since there would be 80 total, each girl would be responsible for 10.
“You know, when I look at all these photos,” Emerald Wave commented, “I just keep thinking of how things have changed over the years.”
“No kidding,” Sunset agreed, smiling. “In fact, I wrote a new song the other night about all of this. Do you girls want to hear it?”
“Duh, of course we do!” Sonata gushed. “Bring it on, sister! We can play it while we work!”
Sunset nodded and took out her phone, beginning to play the recording she’d made. Her voice and an acoustic guitar rang out from the tiny speakers: “Back in the day, I used to walk these halls. Acting tough, but all alone. I needed a friend to lend me a helping hand, I couldn't do it on my own.”
Then, for the chorus, she sang it a few times over by herself, to simulate a group: “We've come so far together, Got memories to treasure. I look at you, stories come back to life. And if I need reminding, I know where I can find you. In these pages, you'll last forever.”
“Remember when I, I lost the crown. You didn't leave me out in the rain. We still had songs to sing, magic transforming, Special in every way, The gems chose us by name.”
“We've come so far together, Got memories to treasure. I look at you, stories come back to life. And if I need reminding, I know where I can find you. In these pages, you'll last forever… Forever, forever…”
“In these pages, you'll last forever,” finished the recorded Sunset.
The girls clapped, all of them smiling. “That was awesome, Sunny!” Raven exclaimed.
“I like that you quintuple-tracked your vocal part,” added Emerald. “I’m guessing that’s where we come in?”
Sunset blushed. “Yeah, if you’re okay with performing it.”
Gem smiled and nodded, holding Sunset’s hand. “Of course we are.”
Sunset smiled back. “Awesome. I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get a drink.” She rose, walking toward the door, when she suddenly bumped straight into a girl with green skin and hair. Papers flew across the room, and the girl said, “Excuse me.”
“I'm sorry, I didn't see you come in,” said Sunset apologetically.
The green girl blinked at her. “I’ve been here for a while. I've been trying to get your attention for, like, half the song.”
“Ain't she a quiet one?” commented Raven, speaking softly.
Aria nodded. “You can say that again.”
Sunset smiled warmly and offered the girl her hand. “I’m Sunset Shimmer, president of the Yearbook Committee and editor-in-chief. Do you want to join? We could always use extra help.”
The girl simply narrowed her eyes and didn’t take the offered hand. “I’m Wallflower Blush. I've been on the Yearbook Committee all year,” she said icily. “We met in ninth-grade English.”
“Awkward…” said Sonata.
“Anyway, I counted up all the votes for the yearbook Superlatives,” Wallflower continued, picking up the stack of papers and handing them to Sunset.
Sunset looked them over. “Let’s see… Most Likely to Succeed, Best Smile, Class Clown…” She gasped suddenly, “Ooh! We won "Best Friends"! Emerald, Twilight, Sonata, Aria, Adagio, Raven, Gem, and me!”
“That’s fantastic news!” Gem cheered, clapping her hands.
Sonata grinned. “I always knew I liked you all, but now it's official! In yearbook form! The people have spoken!”
“Micro Chips got "Most Likely to Invent Cold Fusion’,” added Twilight. “Not a reason to be jealous! Pfft! I'm not!”
Emerald snickered and nuzzled her girlfriend, smiling. “Don’t worry, Sparks. We know you're a genius.”
“When are we going to take a group photo?” Raven asked. “I didn’t see any in the pictures you took today, Sunset!”
“Why don't we take our picture at the beach on Saturday?” Adagio suggested. “Everyone's bound to look adorable!”
“I think that sounds like an excellent idea!” Gem replied. “Let’s do it!”
As Gem spoke, the door opened again and Vice-Principal Luna entered the room. “How is the yearbook coming along, ladies?” she asked.
Sunset gave Luna two thumbs up. “Just great, Ms. Luna!”
Luna smiled. “I am glad to hear it, Sunset Shimmer. It is good to see you using your position as president for good, rather than ordering the rest of the staff around as if they were your underlings.”
“No kidding,” said Raven, who was leaning in her chair with her feet on a desk. Luna glared, and she put them back down again. “I remember our freshman year. The whole school voted for her for the superlative of “Biggest Meanie’.”
“That doesn’t sound like one of the superlatives,” Gem observed.
“It wasn’t,” Sunset sighed. “It was still true though. I was a real…” She glanced at Luna. “Uh… witch. With a capital B.”
“Of course, we all know you've earned the right not to be remembered that way,” said Gem soothingly, patting Sunset’s shoulder.
Sunset smiled. “Thanks, Gem.”
“In any event,” Luna continued, “I thought I’d remind you girls that the school will be closing in ten minutes, so I suggest you all save your work.”
“Yes, Ms. Luna,” the girls chorused, and they quickly set about doing just that. After, they turned off their computers and trooped out of the room, turning off the lights as they did.
Emerald paused as they walked down the hallway to the main doors. “Are we forgetting something?”
Sure enough, Wallflower was standing in the dark classroom, her face lit by the glow of a computer monitor. “Don’t mind me, I’ll just finish up… alone… in the dark…”
Aria shrugged. “Nah, I think we’re good.”
That night, Sunset wrote in her magic journal, letting her teacher know about the day. “Dear Princess Twilight, I thought you'd be happy to hear that the girls and I were voted "Best Friends" in the yearbook today. After all, if you hadn't forgiven me, I'd still be the arrogant student I was when I left Equestria. You gave me the second chance I didn't deserve, and I'll never forget it. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.” That done, she closed the book and got into. bed, turning off her lights.
Meanwhile, all across the city, seven streams of red magic drifted out from seven bedrooms, scarcely disturbing the sleepers. Mostly, anyway. Gem was heard to mumble “Great chunks of my past… detaching themselves like melting icebergs…” but she didn’t wake. The next morning, she got up and quickly dressed for a day at the beach with her six best friends. After all, that was how many friends she had. Wasn’t it?
At the beach, Twilight quickly got into position, and made a peace sign as if about to take a picture. A white camera drone flew over to her and snapped the picture, and Twilight grinned, “Yes! Group picture, practice run #36-A, attempt seven — success!” She smiled at the others. “Your eyes do not deceive you! I finally invented a selfie-sensing camera. It hovers into position whenever it detects a selfie opportunity!”
“But is it really a selfie then?” Emerald asked, as she worked on building a sand castle. “I mean, technically it’s the drone taking the picture, not you. Wouldn’t that make it a dronie?”
Twilight shrugged. “I suppose so, but you have to admit, this is far more convenient than using a selfie stick!”
Emerald placed a kiss on Twilight’s cheek. “Damn right. There’s a special place in Hell for the inventors of those things.”
“Either way girls,” Gem interrupted, “We should probably take the picture sooner rather than later. The tide’s coming in, and I think I see storm clouds on the horizon!”
“Those aren’t storm clouds!” Sonata exclaimed. “That’s just Aria screwing around with the tourists!”
Sure enough, Aria could be seen standing about half a mile down the beach, using her geode magic to create a storm over a group of volleyball players. “GET OUT OF MY SUN, YOU STUPID VOLLEYBALLERS! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO TAN HERE!”
That was when Sunset arrived, carrying a beach blanket and her backpack. “Hey girls! Who's ready to take a "Best Friends" picture? Twilight, I guess you got the Selfie Sensor working?”
No one answered. In fact, all six girls (minus Aria, who was too far away) were now staring at Sunset with suspicious looks on their faces. Sunset blinked. “O... kay. So, uh, Should we do it now, or... did you wanna swim first? How's the water?”
“Nicer than you, that’s for sure,” said Emerald, standing up.
“Am I missing the joke here?” Sunset asked.
Adagio shook her head. “The only joke is whatever prank you're playing on us, acting like you're our friend,” she said coldly.
“And it's not funny!” added Sonata.
“Because you aren't nice,” said Raven. “And we ain't friends.”
Sunset now looked thoroughly bewildered. “Wait. What?! But that doesn’t make any sense!” She grabbed Raven’s hand and was assaulted by a flood of memories from the other girl; from performing at the Battle of the Bands to competing in the Friendship Games, or rescuing them from Juniper Montage’s mirror. In each and every case, Sunset watched herself fade away, as if she’d never been there.
“Impossible…” Sunset whispered, tears in her eyes. “It's like I've been... erased! I can see your memories, and I'm not in them!”
“And exactly how is it you can see our memories, if you don't mind me asking?” said Twilight.
“With this!” Sunset held up her Camp Everfree geode.
“Oh, pfft!” scoffed Adagio. “It’s obviously a cheap knockoff of ours.”
“We got them together,” Sunset insisted. “You were there, remember?” She looked at Twilight. “Twilight, you remember me, right? We've been through so much together.”
Twilight drew back, linking her arm with Emerald’s. “I only met you once, when you yelled at me at the Games,” she said quietly.
“Gem, who was it that brought you and Raven back together during the Battle of the Bands?” Sunset asked, sounding desperate.
“Why, Vinyl Scratch and her astoundingly appropriate music collection, of course,” Gem answered.
“Doesn't anyone remember that I've changed?!” Sunset shouted.
“NO!” Raven shouted. “You never changed, Shimmer! You’re as much of a bitch now as you were before! Now clear out!”
Crying, Sunset ran back the way she came, headed toward her car. Once inside, she grabbed her journal and wrote a quick message: “Dear Princess Twilight, this is gonna sound crazy, but... are we friends? Am I... nice?”
“Of course we're friends!” came the Princess’ reply. “Are you okay? What's going on?”
“Kinda hard to explain,” Sunset wrote. “Might be easier in person.” She started her car and drove back across the city to CHS, parked, and dove through the portal.
“This is bad, Sunset,” said Twilight, once Sunset had explained the situation. “It's way beyond anything I've ever heard of. Although… There is one pony who might be able to help.”
“Princess Celestia,” Sunset finished. Though she and the sun princess had mended ways some time ago, it still wasn’t often that they saw each other. “Are you sure we should be bothering her with this, Twilight?”
“With Starswirl exploring, she’s the only pony I know who’s in a position to lend a hoof,” Twilight explained. “Besides, we both know she’d be more than happy to help her two former students.” So off they went to Canterlot.
“I am not familiar with the exact spell that could have erased your friends' memories,” said Princess Celestia, as she, Twilight, Luna, and Sunset walked together toward Canterlot Library, “But it sounds like Equestrian magic is at work in your world.”
“Again,” added Sunset dryly. “Honestly Princess, this kind of thing seems to happen every few months.”
“Indeed,” said Luna grimly. “The toilings of this nefarious enchantment could portend unimaginable catastrophe if left unchecked.” This made Sunset giggle, and the moon princess looked questioningly at the unicorn. “Pray tell, what dost thou find so amusing?” she asked.
Sunset blushed. “Sorry. I'm just used to hearing you say no student parking in the faculty lot.”
Luna thought this over. “This "faculty lot" thou speakest of sounds like a place of great power. Perhaps we may journey to thine world and see it for ourselves.”
“We’re here,” Celestia announced. “Welcome to the Canterlot Library, everypony.” Before them was an enormous room filled with more books than either Twilight or Sunset had ever seen in their lives.
“There's over a million books in here!” Sunset gasped. “How will we ever find what we’re looking for?!”
Twilight smiled. “You’re looking at somepony who knows this place like the back of her hoof! Where are you going, Princess Celesta?”
“To the restricted section,” said Celestia breezily, as though this was a perfectly normal thing to say.
When they got there, Twilight could hardly contain herself. “Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! So many books all unread! Ancient historical artifacts! I just... I thought...! I can’t…!" She trailed off.
“You sure you're up for helping me go through all this stuff?” Sunset asked, looking concerned.
“Don't take this away from me! No way!” Twilight flew over to a bookshelf and grabbed a book at random. “Can you believe they have Canterlot Cantabiles Volume Thirty-One? You heard me! Thirty-One! Sunset, that's when it gets goooooooood! Over here! An original Windigo Weather Warning from the pre-Equestrian era! Oh, my goodness! I can't! I just can’t!” Sunset and Celestia both laughed.
Hours later however, even Twilight was starting to show signs of fatigue. While Celestia and Luna had left to attend to royal duties, Twilight and Sunset both sat at a study table, surrounded by stacks of books, or in Sunset’s case, one book that was as tall as she was. Sunset sighed heavily and said in a tired voice, “Hey, Twilight… Did you know Chancellor Puddinghead tried to pass a law mandating Earth ponies drink carrot juice at every meal? I do. Know that. Now.”
As she spoke, a pony with a curly blonde mane and tail passed by, wearing a coat so loud that Rarity would have had nightmares about it for months, after setting it on fire and arresting the stallion for committing a high crime against fabulosity and good taste. “Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice… that loathsome beverage will be the death of me…” he muttered. Sunset took no notice of him.
“Aww, sounds like you got to read all the fun books,” Twilight teased. “Anyway, we should probably take a break from looking, because I found something! You're familiar with The Seven Trials of Clover the Clever?”
Sunset nodded. “Obviously. Why?”
“Well, first of all, these date back to before the founding of Equestria. Look at this.” She pointed to a scroll of ancient looking parchment.
"The Memory Stone". That sounds promising,” commented Sunset.
Twilight nodded. “It belonged to an evil sorceress who was practically invincible. With the Memory Stone, she could erase any memory from anypony. Even fragments of memories.”
“Fragments like... memories of me being nice?” Sunset asked.
“Mm-hmm,” Twilight confirmed. “Clover the Clever knew the sorceress had to be stopped and the Stone destroyed, so he chased her across land and sea. But every time he got close, the sorceress would erase his memory and escape. But he kept finding her.”
“How?” asked Sunset.
“These scraps of parchment,” Twilight explained. “He secretly wrote everything down so he'd know what had happened and where to go next. Like a trail of bread crumbs.”
“What happened on the other side of this portal?” Sunset asked, pointing a hoof at a blank space that followed a representation of a portal.
“No idea,” said Twilight. “The last page is missing. Clover must've hid it to keep anypony else from finding the Memory Stone. Unless… Sunset, what if the Memory Stone ended up in your world?”
“And someone is using it to make everyone hate me again?” Sunset finished.
“But who?” they said together.
Then Sunset sighed. “I guess that’s for me to find out… which means I should be getting back to my world. Maybe I can convince my friends I'm telling the truth, now that I know what we're looking for.” She got to her hooves.
Twilight nodded. “You do that, I’ll stay here and search the restricted section top to bottom until I find a way to get your friends' memories back.”
“If that's even possible,” Sunset said with a sigh, putting her saddlebags back on with magic.
Twilight smiled. “Oh, it's possible. Even if I have to reorganize the whole library by subject. Or maybe chronologically! I'll figure it out.” She hugged Sunset tight, and Sunset left.
Sunset came running back to her friends, clutching at her side as she did. It was late afternoon now, and the sun was starting to go down. “Great news, guys! I figured it out. Someone's erased your memory with Equestrian magic! You don't remember, but we're still friends!” She held up her phone, specifically a picture of all eight of them together. “Look! See? This is proof! We are friends!”
While the rest of the girls looked suspicious, Gem stepped forward. “I recognize that photo…” she said quietly. “It was taken at my eighteenth birthday party… and you’re in the picture, standing next to Raven and I!”
“What?!” Raven exploded. “But that’s impossible! She wasn’t there!”
“But she was, Raven!” Gem insisted. “Look at the picture! I’m holding her hand!”
“Gem, come on,” Emerald said, crossing her arms. “For all you know that picture could have been photoshopped.”
“Photoshopped or not,” said Gem loudly, “I believe Sunset’s right, someone has been messing with our memories.”
“Is that even possible?” Aria asked. “I always thought that kinda thing only happened on TV shows.”
“Actually,” Twilight put in, “Human memory is remarkably malleable. A few years ago, a scientist at the University of Washington managed to convince a group of people that they’d met Bugs Bunny at Disneyland, which is impossible, because Bugs Bunny isn’t a Disney character.”
“Okay, but what do you expect us to do about it?” Emerald asked. “She was a total bitch to Sparks and me when we came to CHS. I’m not helping her one way or another.”
“I will,” said Gem, crossing her arms. “Because that’s what friends do.” And so, she and Sunset left the beach.
For Sunset, the following Monday felt like she’d taken a step back in time. Everywhere she went, she was greeted with whispers, glares, and hissing. She even managed to find the word “she-demon” scrawled onto her locker door in red marker.
Things only got worse when she accidentally bumped into Micro Chips on her way to math class. She offered a hand to help him up, but rather than take it, Micro gave her his lunch money instead. Sunset threw it back at him, looking infuriated. “I don't want your lunch money! I'm not mean!” she shouted, even as Micro ran as fast as he could in the other direction. “Got it?! I'm not mean!” She sighed, leaning against the door.
“Rough day?” asked Gem, coming around the corner to give Sunset’s hand a consoling squeeze.
Sunset nodded. “Yep… just like before. Not that you remember.”
Gem shook her head. “Not at all. But I do know you can be a good person, despite what everyone thinks. I mean, having this idea of who you're supposed to be, but no one you’re close to sees you that way?” She smiled sadly. “I know just how it feels.” She hugged Sunset tight. “What are you going to do now?”
“Well, for starters, I’m ditching algebra 2,” Sunset answered. “I’m gonna go find Longhaul. I never would’ve made friends with you or Raven if he hadn’t told me to do it, that morning after the formal. Unless he still thinks I’m a cold bitch like everyone else… in which case? I’m really hosed.” She left, walking instead to Longhaul’s office.
Sunset knocked cautiously on the door to Longhaul’s office, looking worried. “Longhaul? It’s Sunset Shimmer… can we talk?”
The door opened, and instead of a kind and reassuring face, Sunset saw a deep scowl and traces of suspicion etched upon the bus driver’s features. “What are you doing here?” he asked suspiciously, his voice dripping with disgust.
Sunset gulped. “Um...this is probably gonna sound stupid, but...what do you know about me?”
Longhaul snorted. “I know you’re one of the most uptight, mean, snotty bitches it’s been my sorry pleasure to cross paths with, and to be frank, I wouldn’t spit on ya if you were on fire. What the hell are you even doing here anyway, considering you think of me as nothing but more than, and I’m quoting now, ‘a glorified roach coach driver who lacks the intelligence or fine motor function to do something worthwhile with his life.’ So,” he continued in a snarky tone, “what bring the all high-and-mighty Queen Shimmer to this lowly peasant’s office?”
Sunset was taken aback by Longhaul’s attitude, but realized he may have had his memory erased as well. “Okay, I deserved that, for how I treated you when I first arrived here. But, don’t you remember? The day after the Fall Formal? Cleaning up the gym together? You sat and told me that I had a great opportunity to re-image myself, to come out of things better than ever, that … that my past wasn’t today. Don’t you remember any of that?” she pleaded.
His eyes were as icy as they were at the start. “Hmph, don’t reckon I do, nor would I waste valuable information on you seeing as you wouldn’t take it to heart anyway. Like my old man used to say, ‘you can shine a turd all you want, it’s still gonna stink.’ Good day, Miss Shimmer.” The door closed, leaving Sunset standing in the hallway, tears threatening to stream down her face at any moment.
“And then he said he didn’t remember telling me I could improve myself,” Sunset said, as she and Gem walked down the hall to the yearbook room. “I couldn’t stop crying after that.”
“That explains why I didn’t see much of you until now,” said Gem, frowning. “I’ve never seen Longhaul act like that before… the very idea is wrong to me. We must get this sorted out, and soon.”
“Soon is right,” said Sunset. “I got a message from Princess Twilight earlier: “Sunset, we think the Memory Stone was buried under this rock formation.” Attached was a picture of 3 tall rocks arranged in a triangular fashion. “And if you don't destroy the Memory Stone by the time the sun sets today, all those memories will be erased forever.” Sunset unlocked the door to the yearbook room and headed inside. “I wanted to come in here and see who we're missing, but we've talked to everyone, A to Z.” She flipped through the proof pages.
“Not everyone,” said Gem, pointing a light grey finger at one picture in particular. No one was shown, it was just a generic silhouette of a person with the caption Not pictured: Wallflower Blush. “Who in the world is Wallflower Blush?”
Wallflower Blush cleared her throat. “I’m right here, you know,” she said.
Gem looked up. “Ah! Hello!” She noticed a picture on the computer screen behind Wallflower and asked, “Where did you take that lovely photograph?” Behind her, Sunset took out her phone and started recording the conversation using its video camera function.
Wallflower smiled. “Oh. That's my garden. Well, the school's garden, technically. I'm the president of the Gardening Club. I founded it, too. I'm also the only member. And the only one who's ever been to the garden. Or seen it. Or even asked about it… I was maybe going to add this picture somewhere in the yearbook. What do you think?”
Gem smiled. “it’s a lovely picture, Wallflower. I think the school deserves to see it!”
At that moment, Sunset dove from behind Gem and grabbed Wallflower’s hand, her amber fingers ensnaring Wallflower’s light green ones. Again she was assaulted by a flood of images: Wallflower at the Fall Formal, the Battle of the Bands, the Friendship Games, the Camp Everfree trip, in the audience during Gem’s attack on the school as Cassiopeia… and through it all, no one even spared her so much as a glance. Then she saw Wallflower find the Memory Stone, and use it to steal her friends’ memories of her.
The connection broke as Sunset let go of Wallflower’s hand. “You erased everyone's memories? What did I do to you?! Honestly, I don't even know you!” she shouted, horrified.
“Exactly!” Wildflower shouted back. “You had everyone fooled, but now they know you're still the queen bitch of Canterlot High!”
“You're about to see how bitchy I can get!” Sunset snarled.
“Sunset, calm down!” Gem exclaimed. “Getting mad is just going to make things worse!”
“Are you insane, Gem?!” Sunset exploded, completely losing her temper as the events of the past few days took their toll. “This girl has ruined my life! Everyone, including the one person I honestly thought would stick by my side no matter what happened, hates me! It’s even worse than it was last time!”
“I don't like confrontation,” Wildflower interrupted. “Let's just... forget this ever happened!” She took out the memory stone, and a second later, the carving glowed blue, and everything went white.
Gem sat up, looking confused. “Sunset, what… what happened? How is it already three o’clock? Wasn’t it two when we arrived? Why are we even here?”
“We’re here because we’re looking for whoever it is that has the stone,” said Sunset. “Any ideas?”
Gem was about to reply when something caught her eye: three words, written on her hand in black marker. “Check the video… Sunset, may I borrow your phone, please?” Sunset handed Gem her phone, and the two girls watched a recap of the preceding conversation, which ended when Wallflower activated the Stone.
“How did you know to record that conversation?” Sunset asked Gem.
“Well, when you said that Clover the Clever pony wrote notes for himself, it gave me an idea,” Gem explained. “And, in the Utah episodes of that show I like, the Doctor takes a video of the Silence recorded on Amy’s phone and hacks into the broadcast of the moon landing, instructing the viewers to kill every Silent they see, since they can only remember seeing them when the Silents are being looked at.”
“Smart,” Sunset complimented. “But how can we stop her? The door’s locked, and I’m pretty sure she has the key!”
Gem grinned, and twirled her magic screwdriver between her fingers. “Ah, but you’ve got a girl with a screwdriver!” she said, aiming it at the lock and pressing the button. The tip glowed green with a buzzing noise, and the lock disengaged with a click sound. Gem grinned and opened the door. “Shall we go?”
“Let’s,” said Sunset, and the two girls ran as fast as they could toward the faculty parking lot.
The sun was already starting to set, and the other Rubies were gathered around, watching suspiciously.
“Wallflower, stop!” Sunset shouted, catching up with the green girl.
Wallflower turned around, looking thunderstruck. “You remember my name?!”
Sunset nodded. “I remember everything! The Memory Stone, how I acted, all of it!”
“What?! How?! I erased the whole afternoon!” Wallflower spluttered.
“Not important!” Sunset barked. “Listen. I used to be just like you. Sure, I was popular, but I was lonely.”
“You're nothing like me,” Wildflower scoffed, “And I'm not lonely, because I have... plants!” There was a pause as everyone, the other Rubies included, looked at her with concerned expressions on their faces. “…that sounded less lonely in my head,” she said eventually.
“I'm sorry, Wallflower,” Sunset said, reaching out with one hand.
Wallflower slapped it away. “No, you're not! You're just trying to look good in front of your friends!” She noted Gem standing there next to Sunset. “And it's working! Gah! How am I supposed to get back at you if nothing I do matters?! I hate you!” She grabbed the Stone and held it up. “I wanted to teach you a lesson by erasing your friends' good memories of you. But obviously that didn't work. But what if I erased all their memories of high school?”
“You can’t!” Sunset cried. “You'd be stealing their memories of each other!”
“So what?!” Wallflower yelled. “They’ll think of each other the way you think of me! Which is not at all!” The Stone glowed again, and a jet of blue-green light flew toward Gem and the girls.
“Nooo!” Sunset yelled, diving in front of the oncoming rush of magic. It covered her like electricity, making her grunt in pain. “I've ruined their friendships once before…” she growled. “I'd rather give up my own memories than let it happen again! Emerald… Twilight… Sonata… Aria… Dagi… Raven… Gem… Don't forget me!” Then there was another flash of light, and silence.
Sunset opened her eyes, but it wasn’t the girl Gem and the others knew looking through them. This Sunset was scared and horrified, and crouched on all fours, holding her hands like hooves. “This isn't Canterlot…” she whispered, looking around. “Where am I? Princess Celestia? What's happened to me?” She saw all the strange, multicolored, two-legged creatures surrounding her and curled up in fear. “Somepony, please, help me!”
Gem crouched down and took Sunset’s hands in hers. Sunset gasped. “Who… who are you?” she asked.
“My name is Gemini Shadow,” said Gem softly, and gestured to the girls standing behind her. “We have been, and always shall be, your friends.”
“We may not remember you, but after seeing what you did…” said Raven.
“...the sacrifice you made for us…” said Twilight and Emerald together.
“...we'd be proud to call you…” said the Dazzlings.
“...our friend!” All of them chorused. They rose into the air, transforming into their superpowered, pony-eared forms, with Gem (as always) leading the group. She pointed at Wallflower. “Wallflower! You have magic you do not understand! But it is nothing compared with the Magic of—!”
“Yeah, yeah, we get it!” Sonata shouted. “Light her up, ladies!” The eight girls joined hands, and one flash of rainbow light later, it was all over. The stone had been destroyed, and the lost memories returned to their owners.
“Sunset?” asked Gem, as the girls came back down. “Do you remember us?”
“Like I’d ever forget you,” Sunset answered, hugging Gem tight. The other six girls joined in the hugpile.
“We're so sorry,” said Raven, speaking up for the others.
“I'm just glad to have you all back,” said Sunset, giving them a relieved smile. “I thought I’d lost you!”
“And we almost lost you,” Gem said.
Wallflower came over, looking down. “I’m so ashamed… When I first found the Memory Stone, I only erased little things – awkward hellos, saying the wrong thing, literally any public speaking… But I got so used to erasing memories that I got completely carried away. I'm sorry for everything.”
“It's okay,” Sunset said, taking Wallflower’s hand. “I’m sorry, too. I may have stopped being mean, but a dear friend helped me realize I still wasn't very nice to you. Everyone matters, Wallflower. No matter how insignificant or invisible they feel.”
Wallflower smiled. “So, about the yearbook… think there’s room for a Best Gardener superlative?”
Sunset grinned. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Dear Princess Twilight, you can add a new ending to the archives. The Memory Stone is no more. Thank you for your help. Give my best to Princess Luna and, of course, thank my second-best teacher Princess Celestia. Make sure she knows you're kidding when you say that, though. I'm happy to say everything is back how it used to be. Well, almost… we made a new friend, and she’s the best gardener CHS has ever seen.”
Nine girls sat in a circle in CHS’ garden, drinking tea and talking merrily as they looked through the finished yearbooks.
“What a year it’s been, wouldn’t you say girls?” Gem asked, smiling around at all of them.
Raven nodded. “Tell me about it. I don’t know how we have time for school with all these magical shenanigans that keep happening.”
Emerald nodded too. “Yeah. And they always seem to involve random people finding magical artifacts. Between Gloriosa and the geodes, Juniper and that mirror, and now…”
“Me and the Memory Stone,” said Wallflower.
Emerald nodded. “Yeah. Is anyone else starting to think we’re just Equestria’s dumping ground for random magic bullshit?”
“LANGUAGE!” said Vice Principal Luna from somewhere nearby.
“SORRY!” Emerald shouted back, and everyone laughed.