After a quick checkup with Rib Remover, it was certain; my magic had fully restored. I decided to keep the damping ring as a memento.

I'd examined my new saddlebags carefully and discovered that they were made of a similar, if not the same, type of material that my new suit was made of, meaning that they were pretty damage resistant. I wouldn't have to worry about maintenance much if at all.

After getting back to the library I decided to test out the pain-numbing spell that was in the medical spell book Twilight gave me. Unfortunately, it was Vesper that I asked to help me. I'd asked her to hit me really hard so that I could test the spell at a more realistic amount of pain. I'd also put on the same blindfold that Rainbow had given me about a week ago so that I wouldn't tense up, as to keep it a fair test.

Sadly, she decided that 'hit me really hard' meant 'hit me as hard as you possibly can using a Magistamp that was powered up with a Support Circle in my most delicate spot'.

Well, my two most delicate spots.

It was because of this that I was back in the royal hospital. Rib told me that the paralysis in my hind legs should wear off by the end of the day, and that I should be able to walk again by tomorrow. On the bright side, I'll sleep really well tonight. The beds here are comfy as buck and the mountain air is amazing on the lungs. Rib had only given me a small dose of morphine so that I could still test the pain-numbing spell later.

I was lying in the hospital bed wondering what to do while I waited. I glanced over to my enchanted saddlebags on the bedside table. Well, I do have a lot of spare time to pass... And I have my magic back... I glanced at the room's clock. Time to see what's had Vesper worked up for five years...

I levitated my bags over to me and stuck a hoof into one, activating the psychic message system.

Current contents:
- 1x Unknown chemical substance.
- 3x Apple brand cider (15% strength).
- 1x Jar of memories.
- 1x Tin of high sugar sweets - 'Pinkie Simulators'.

Jar of memories. The jar teleported into my hoof and I put the bags back onto the table. I looked at the jar, its contents swirling and morphing slowly. I'd asked Celestia to send me a few books on memory liquid since my birthday because I was curious on how it worked.

Liquid rainbow was a strange thing. It had the potential to store a huge amount of chemical information, including neural signatures. In this case, Vesper had her memories of her sixteenth birthday (and significant information from the surrounding months) copied into the liquid. If I absorbed it through my horn, I would lose control of my senses and see things through her eyes of what happened at the time (I would also have access to her other senses and basic thoughts). After it was all over, my senses would go back to normal and the liquid would be used up.

The part that interested me the most is what would happen if the memories were fully taken instead of copied. If they were fully taken (consensually or not), there would be barely any trace of the memories left in the Pony. Or non-Pony. The being. Thing. Yeah. Nice recovery. Really? No. If everything was taken, the Pony (or whatever) would only be able to remember tiny scraps of information.

Scraps like their name and a few spells.

I wasn't certain if this was what had happened to me, but it was the closest thing to resemble the results that I'd found so far. If my memories had been taken via memory liquid, then there was a very good chance that I could have them restored.

My thoughts came back to the present and the present. I am the best at mental wordplay! My own existence is agony... I uncorked the jar and stuck my horn into it, soaking up the memory liquid.

Suddenly, all of my senses shut off, leaving me in a world of darkness.

Hey, Dad. These memories need some context so I've added in my own narration into them.

Remember when I told you about the time I swapped bodies with my Griffon friend, Seddan? She and her family moved away at the end of that year. We kept in touch through letters, but on the small scale, I was friendless for a while. A few months later, I made a new friend; an Earth Pony named Self Searcher. Though maybe 'friend' isn't the right word...

Searcher was a huge emo and an even huger cun- I mean, uh... Yeah, she was... She was a huge emo.

While Seddan was level headed, polite and well mannered, Searcher was edgy, arrogant and a complete douchebag. I can't even really remember how we became friends, it just sort of happened. Probably one of those 'sitting next to them in a lot of classes and then yeah' situations.

Anyway, as I was saying (or thinking or whatever the buck this is), Searcher was edgy as buck. She was always moaning about how she knew she was meant for more than what her life was, that she was 'destined for a greater and darker path' and loads of other bullshit like that. She was interested in gothic, mythical creatures, primarily Vampires.

Unfortunately for me, one day she made a discovery.

A discovery that ruined everything...

I was walking through the school halls with a smile, making my way to the lunch room. I can't believe I'm gonna be old enough ta fuck in a couple o' days! It's gonna be buckin' awesome! I arrived at the lunch room and headed over to Searcher's usual corner where she was huddled up reading a book. I sat down next to her, reached into my saddlebags and pulled out a haycon sandwich that had been magically modified to taste like its meat counterpart.

"Hey, Searcher," I greeted before taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Greetings," she replied, adjusting her glasses without looking up from her book.

"Still readin' abou' Vampires?"

"Yes."

"Cool." There were a few minutes filled with the sound of chewing and pages turning. "Have ya heard of the new technology stuff we're gettin' from the alliance with the other-world thing?"

"I don't care for such medial subjects of dialect."

"Tha's not wha' 'medial''s used for." She looked up from her book with a frown.

"Yes it is. 'Medial' refers to the matters of the plebeians walking the streets in the day. Matters that I don't care for."

"Nah, it means 'in the middle' or 'medium' or something like tha'. It's like wha' Mr Decagon says in maths about finding the medium of stuff. It's the medial number or whatever." Searcher's frown deepened.

"I don't care. I know I'm right."

"Uh huh. Anyway, there're these machine-things they call T.V's tha' show ya-"

"I just said that I don't care!" She exclaimed, following her outburst with a small nicker. I rolled my eyes and let her go back to reading.

"Fine, wha' do you wanna talk abou'?"

"Vampires, obviously." I groaned. It's times like this when I miss Sed...

"Tha's all ya ever wanna talk about." She slammed her book and glared at me.

"Because the Vampires are a fascinating and serious race!"

"They're not real."

"Yes they are! I can feel it within me!" I rolled my eyes again.

"Wha'ever ya say, Searcher..."

"It's true! And I can prove it!"

"Ya found another one of those 'lairs' that always turns ou' ta be a homeless Pony's den?"

"Shut up! They were only there because the Vampires had cleared out by the time we got there!"

"Right..."

"And this one will prove it to you!" She stood up. "Come to my house at the usual time!"

"I can'. No' today."

"What?! Why not?!"

"I have a letter ta write and post as well as magic practice and comba' practice. I won' be able ta until tomorrow." Searcher growled.

"Fine! But you had better not be late!" She stuck her book into her saddlebags and stormed away. Looks like she didn't eat. Again. I sighed and finished my sandwich before heading to my next class.

I was very aware that Searcher was just using me to get from place to place but I liked to hope that eventually she would grow out of being a bitch. She wouldn't, but still; the Vampire searching thing was kinda fun. Of course, I always told Sky what I where I was going before I ever went on the off chance I got into some trouble I couldn't deal with. The world had become a very dangerous place over the years.

Although Sky didn't help Solaris with world-saving anymore, she still taught me how to fight with and without magic. She even taught me the basics of how to use the Support Circles. I wasn't great at using them, but it was good enough to get me from point A to point B faster than walking and less exhausting than teleporting.

Sky had been fascinated with ancient magic as far back as I could remember. It first started after she came back from the alternate universe she was trapped in for a while. It wasn't surprising, the stories she told me about the place usually involved primitive magic being used by pretty primitive civilisations.

It was because of this, as well as her understanding of my love for pyromancy, that she tended to teach me old spells as well as the new.

I flew through my window, landed on the bed and dismissed the Support Circle. As I climbed down from my bed, I grabbed a bottle of water from my bedside table with telekinesis. I drank from it as I went downstairs, finishing it as I reached the bottom.

"I keep telling you that it's better to sip it," said Mom without looking up from her book. She was sitting in her usual chair, reading a book about ancient elemental magic. "Your body won't take it in properly otherwise."

"Eh, I'll be fine," I replied.

"Hi by the way."

"Hey, Mom."

"So wha' stuff are ya teaching me today?"

"Jeez, Overcast, you just got in! Sit down or something for a minute, would you?"

"But I wanna fight stuff!" Mom turned to me as she rolled her eye (the other still as scarred and dead as ever).

"I know you get it from me and your Dad, but come on! You're even more energetic than I was at your age!"

"Tha's 'cause you were always training! And trying ta get into bed with your trainer!" Mom blushed.

"I... Really regret telling you that story..."

"So can we train now?" She facehoofed and sighed.

"Fine." I rushed over to her chair and started pulling her up.

"Come on! Come on!"

"Bucking Tartarus, Overcast, calm down!" She gently pushed me away and stood up.

"Oh, and Searcher wants ta go Vampire hunting tomorrow nigh'."

"I'm surprised she didn't want to go today, knowing her."

"She did, bu' I wanna train and write ta Sed."

"Oh. Well, just be careful. And be back by three."

"Why are you telling me that now?"

"Because I know how badly you need forewarning." Fair enough... She started walking towards the front door. "Come on, let's go train."

"Yeah!"

When I was about one, Sky moved to Neigh Torque, specifically Bucklyn. I grew up there and gained my accent that I'm trying to lose. When I was eight or so, we moved back to Ponyville. That's, uh... That's all there is to say, really.

It was eleven o'clock at night and we'd arrived at the so-called Vampire lair; a old, run-down house. I dismissed the Support Circe and gasped for breath as Searcher skimmed through a book she pulled out of her saddlebags. I'd taken us pretty much to the other end of Ponyville (right near the edge), which was pretty far considering we'd started on an edge of it already.

"Now wha'?" I asked after catching my breath.

"We enter the entitlement and find the Vampires, obviously," she replied.

"It's 'establishmen''."

"What?"

"You mean' ta say 'establishmen'', no' 'entitlemen''."

"No I didn't!"

"Yeah ya-"

"No! It's 'entitlement'! You're being stupid!" I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever..." I sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

"You go first."

"Why? Aren't you supposed ta be the one who's obsessed with this shi'?"

"Just go first!"

"Fine." I walked up to the front door and opened it, revealing a dark hallway. I lit up my horn and continued in further, presuming that Searcher would follow me. After a couple of seconds I stopped, realising that I couldn't hear her hoofsteps. I turned around and- Gah!

Something grabbed me from behind! The thing pulled me onto my hind legs and started to choke me out, causing me to fizzle the illumination spell. I slammed an elbow back to where I hoped its head was and was rewarded with a satisfying crack and a cry of pain. Its grip loosened for a second, allowing me to concentrate and summon a Support Circle underneath us. I zoomed upwards, smashing the whatever's head against the ceiling and knocking it unconscious.

I dismissed the Circle, landed on my hooves and spun around. Before I cast another illumination spell to see what it was, more dark figures appeared from what seemed like the shadows on the walls. They rushed me and, before I could dodge or counter, hit me hard.

I fell into unconsciousness.

When I said I couldn't take her to the supposed lair until the next day, Searcher went by herself. It turned out that it was a real Vampire lair filled with, you guessed it, Vampires. However, they didn't immediately attack her.

After what I could only imagine a lot of metaphorical ass-kissing and begging to become one of them, Searcher eventually worked out a deal with the Vampires: If she brought them a sacrifice, she would be allowed to become one of them.

I think you can guess who she chose.

It wasn't too hard for her, I'd already agreed to go after all. All she had to do when we got there was convince me to go first. Luckily, Sky had convinced me to let her cast a tracking spell on me so she could find me if I got into any trouble. When I wasn't back by the time we'd agreed on, she went looking for me.

For the next set of memories, I've cut a some stuff out. Primarily the torture. I didn't think you'd wanna experience that. It was... Pretty horrible. Not something you'd wanna see or go through.

...And not something I'd want you to see either...

I woke up strapped to some kind of table. Either the table was made of gold or they'd cast a spell on me, either way, my magic wasn't working. Shit, wha' happened ta Searcher?! I twisted around and thrashed as best as I could, but I could barely move. I managed to twist my head around to see the room I was in.

It was very dark. A few beams of moonlight made their way through what looked like an old cellar door, giving me just enough light to barely see. Evidently, I was in an old cellar, probably the one for the house I was attacked in. A cluster of dark shapes stood near a small weapon rack in a circle, surrounding something. They stepped back, revealing the something to be Searcher. I tried to call out to her, only to realise I was gagged. They all turned to me, letting me see what they looked like.

They were all Ponies and they were all wearing dark cloaks making up a group of eleven or twelve. Other than the cloaks, the only thing similar between them were their eyes, which seemed to be stained an unnaturally light blue. One of them, a green Unicorn with a red and white mane, walked up to me.

"Yes," he said slowly, "this one will certainly do nicely." As he spoke, I noticed that his teeth were pointed. The weird thing was that all of them were pointed, not just the canines. "Tenderise her." The others walked towards me. Oh buck...

Yeah, so I cut the next part of that out. Just a couple of hours or so...

I lay on the table, blood oozing out of my wounds. My eyelids felt heavy and I didn't know how much more I could take.

"She's almost ripe," said the same green Unicorn from before. "It won't be long until we finish her." He lit up his horn to continue the torture and I reflexively closed my eyes.

Suddenly, I heard a bang, a slice, lots of screaming and an explosion. My eyes opened to see Mom standing between two halves of the green Unicorn, each half of him burning quickly. She was facing away from me but I could clearly see her sword floating in her magic.

"Well," she started, sounding scarily calm, "me, Dawnbreaker and a roomful of Vampires hurting someone close to me. It's been a while." One of the Vampires leapt at her from the side, sinking its teeth into her before she could slice it apart.

"And how will you fight us if you're one of us?!" Exclaimed one of the other Vampires.

"I'm immune to Vampirism, dumbass." The Vampire looked shocked.

"What?!"

"I was the champion of Meridia, do you really think she would let me be affected by that shit?"

"Who is this being you-?!"

"Oh buck this." Mom walked towards the Vampires and, with a few simple and precise swings of her sword, massacred them. She left Searcher alone. She came to me, freed me and healed me. "Are you o-?" She was cut off by a golden dagger stabbing through her throat. No... No! I leapt to her as she fell to the ground.

"No!" I shouted, my voice croaky and ragged from screaming from the pain of the torture. I looked up and saw Searcher sprayed with some of her blood.

"You..." She started. "You always have to get in the way of my-!" I threw myself at her and pummeled her face until she stopped breathing.

The direct memories after that are kinda fuzzy so I'm just gonna tell you like this.

I didn't know any healing spells and Sky's magic had been drained by the gold, so I flew to Dusk's, or male-Twilight's, as fast as I could and got him to where Sky was. I knew he'd learnt healing spells at some point, and if not, he had books about them.

Sky was already dead by the time we got to her. On the dawn of my sixteenth birthday.

Her funeral was a few weeks later and she was buried with her sword in the private Canterlot cemetery, the one preserved for royalty and stuff like that.

Seddan's family took me in and looked after me for a while. I moved away a couple of years later, but I was in a pretty bad state; drugs, sex, alcohol, depression, the whole shebang. I eventually got clean, but it took a while and isn't something I wanna go into right now.

...And now you know the reason I get depressed sometimes. Happy now?

I woke up from the memory-dream thing. Wow... That was... A depressingly anticlimactic death. So that was the death of Sky. Not with a bang, but with a whimper. Is now really the time to quote poetry? Go buck myself. Anyway, I need to talk to Vesper about this. And maybe get her a good therapist.

I lay in the bed doing nothing for a few minutes. Now what? Well... I pulled Zecora's present out of my bag. Now's a pretty rainy day. Is a hospital really the best place to get high? Of course it is! No chance of dying from overdose!

Many balls were then tripped.

Author's Notes:

'Neigh Torque', the only pun name for New York I could come up with.

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This is about a day or so before Keep Calm And Flutter On.

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This took a while because stuff and things.
Stuff is a thing and a thing is a stuff.

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Some good news:
I've been doing a lot of planning recently and now I have a pretty great idea of where the plot's gonna go in the very long run (a few years worth of writing) for specific details and comedy/seriousness balancing while leaving it open enough to keep doing the 'seat of my pants' technique of writing for what happens in between the big stuff.

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Self Searcher's name by Spirit of Sky.

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Sorry if the quality of this one isn't up to par, about two thousand words through I suddenly had loads of brilliant ideas for jokes for later chapters and got sick of writing this one because I wanted to get to them.

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Kind of a shit ending to the memories, but I'm sick of spending so much time on this chapter.
I'll probably re-word it later to make it better.