As they left Twilight’s mind her door disappeared causing the others to jump. Rarity and Applejack both tired to place their hoof through the wall where the door was. Nothing it was a solid wall for them. Luna rolled her eyes as she opened the door to Selene’s mind.

“This is new” Luna stuck her head in as the others turned towards her. moving from the empty spot in the wall Rarity and Applejack forced their way into the room noticing it was empty. Rainbow and Fluttershy followed Celestia and Luna as they entered the empty room. The coins, gems and the trunks they were hiding behind before, as it was just the crystal. Star was floating in front of the crystal with a smile on her face. Luna walked up towards the merpony noticing she had a trident in her hooves.

“I did not think you would be back princess. And with reinforcements” her eyes glanced towards the ponies behind her.

“We came to break the spell on her mind” Luna’s wings were fluffed up beside her. Star tilted her head as she moved towards Luna.

“Really?” she tilted her head as Luna nodded “If that is the case where is Twilight then?” Star crossed her hooves as she stared towards the ponies.

“She is asleep with Selene,” Celestia spoke up causing Star to turn towards her. She huffed a bit as she moved away from the crystal “Fine it is yours but if you make it worse.” She hissed before disappearing causing Luna to sigh.

“That pony is creepier than Nightmare” she leaned in and whispered towards her sister. The others started to snicker as Luna shot them a glare. Rainbow and Applejack kept grins on their faces as Rarity was shaking her head. Celestia walked up to the crystal noticing silver cracks running along the crystal. Flaring up her magic Celestia cast her spell watching as the crystal took the brunt of the spell. Backing up Luna and the others looked towards the elder alicorn in shock. The floor started to creak as the crystal started to turn to dust filling the room pulling them into the memory.

The water was calm as it could be as Selene was swimming around the brightly color coral hanging out on the bottom of the sea. She had her nose down to the sand sniffing around before her eyes glance towards a cave. A smile formed on her lips as she swam over to the cave noticing her grandmother was up and about.

“Grandmother! Your up” Selene moved into the cave causing the merpony in front of her to turn her head smiling.

“My little star. What are you doing” she giggled as Selene took a spot upon a rock.

“I am going to go towards the surface” She placed her bags down causing the merpony to smile wider.

“Are you? You know the surface is harsh for a merpony” her grandmother moved closer as Selene nodded. She watched as her grandmother moved around her “I know the chief is nice but still”

“Grandmother” Selene wined as she looked over at her.

“How about this. Once you are done for the night, you come and see me so Za or Ra can escort you home” she had a grin as Selene’s eyes lit up.

“Deal” she zipped out of the cave. Selene swam up to the surface stopping for a bit looking up towards the large ship that was moving into the area. Moving to the surface she stuck her head out as she saw the purple filly staring down at her. At this point, her memory started to line up with what they saw with Twilight’s memory. The only difference is that Selene never saw her father. She had her book in her hooves as she moved towards her grandmother’s cave. Her grandmother had her mane up as she was sitting in front of a large cauldron tossing ingredients in as she was writing down the reaction.

“Grandma! Twilight gave me a spellbook!” Selene shouted as she came crashing into the cave. Her grandmother leaned back staring at her granddaughter as she hung from the kelp smiling. Chuckling she waved her hoof towards her causing the kelp to release her.

“Grandma I got a book!” Selene smiled as her grandmother placed her down on a nearby rock.

“So she didn’t stay,” she noticed Selene looked away as she pulled the book towards her.

“No” her voice was soft causing her grandmother to place her quill away before pulling out a necklace “I know you gave her your sword. But maybe this will help. It’s a good luck charm and it will make sure you get back to her” Selene looked towards the necklace noticing it was a large white opal with a black onyx creating a crescent moon.

“I want to follow her now” Selene glanced up as she watched her grandmother shake her head.

“Oh my dear you will never survive if you leave” she ran her hoof along Selene’s cheek.

“Okay” Selene kept her hooves around her book as her father barged into the cave. His eyes were staring down at Selene causing her to back up. He gripped his daughter’s hoof pulling her towards him.

“I told you to never come here” he hissed as Selene started to shake.

“Grandmother was just helping me” her voice was shaking as her father stared down at her.

“She is not your grandmother. She is a witch and witches do not teach!” he snapped.

“She…She was teaching me how…how to use my gem” she started to cry causing her father to turn her around noticing the gem in the middle of her back. He pulled her towards him as he swam back towards the castle.

“Now listen we have found you a husband. He will be here soon so I want you presentable” her father placed Selene with her mother. She slipped past her mother and moved towards her room placing the book Twilight had given her on a bookcase.

“Selene?”

“I have a crush mother” she turned towards her mother as she had a soft smile on her face.

“Oh my dear. that is lovely but you must continue the tradition” her mother moved in front of her as she placed her mane up before putting a crown on her head. She moved her hoof towards the necklace causing Selene to shake her head.

“Leave it… I want to wear it please” Selene was staring at her hooves. She was scared as her hooves were shaking. She silently followed her mother towards the garden where a taller older orange and white koi merpony waiting. He had a white mane pulled up allowing his crown to rest without the fear of being knocked off.

“I will leave you alone” she smiled as Selene watched her mother swim away. She moved towards the merpony bowing towards him as he smiled. Selene could see his eyes were staring her up and down before pushing her against a nearby pillar. He had a grin on his face as Selene’s heart sank.

“Oh you will be a lovely wife. Now let us see if you can keep the royal tradition” he smiled as he moved in kissing her. Selene placed her hooves on his chest pushing him off of her as she stared at him in shock. He looked towards her pushing her hard against the pillar causing pain to run up her spine. He held her hooved above her head causing her to freak out. She started to scream for help as he started to assault her. She did her best to fight him till the guards rushed in pulling them apart. Ra and Za were the only ones that stepped in-between them. The others were just watching as the family members entered the area. Selene was bruised and bloody as the poor prince had a bloody nose. They rushed towards his side as Selene watched her father stare at her in shock while her mother shook her head. Her brothers turned their backs on her causing her to toss her crown against the ground as she left the castle. She went to her grandmother’s cave causing her to gasp. She placed Selene on her bed of kelp as she started to pull out different potions. Ra was the only one to come to see her as Za had stayed behind.

“You should have called for me” a voice whispered into her ear as her grandmother was still looking for some potions. Selene glanced around as her grandmother noticed Ra had entered the room.

“Her wrist are bruised. Her gem she was given by the sea is cracked. She has a black eye what happened!” her grandmother turned towards the guard.

“Father left me alone with my soon to be husband” Selene was shaking as her grandmother sighed.

“This is why your grandfather declared me evil. I wanted to end that awful tradition no royal mare should half to go through that!” she placed some lotion around her wrist before pouring different potions on her gem “Ra I am leaving you some potion that should help her gem heal.” Her grandmother handed Ra a small vial as Selene got up and moved towards his side.

“I told father I had a crush. I want to go to the surface” she buried her face into his coat as Ra helped her back to the castle. Her family was waiting for her. All ten brothers were staring at her as she moved into the room where her mother and father waited for her. Her mother stayed silent as her father said nothing. He tried to say something but his eyes were looking towards her. Selene was trying to curl herself up into a ball as she shook with fear.

“You broke the tradition set for the mares of the royal family! your lucky your older brother Stratus is going to marry the mare of their family” her father’s voice was cold and emotionless causing Selene to glare down at the floor.

“You call that tradition! He was hurting me, father! I do not love him I had a crush!” As she was getting angry the water around them started to boil. Her eyes were blue as she looked towards her father.

“That is not a tradition that needs to stay!”

“Silence!” her father shouted causing her to lose focus on her magic. She looked up at her father before bolting from the throne room. She went and hid in her room as she sat on her bed crying. She got up and wrapped her cape around her and slipped through her window as she had done many times. Watching the guards Selene slipped past them as she moved towards her grandmother’s cave. It was empty as for a sea reaper standing in the corner over a pile of gems. Selene picked the gems up looking to the reaper saying a few words.

“I will not tell your father you were here” she smiled as Selene gathered the gems before swimming off. She moved towards the family graveyard burying the gems in the dirt. A hoof rested on her shoulder causing her to jump. Ra and Za were behind her with a worried look on their face’s

“I want to go to the surface and never return. I want to find my aunts. I want to find Twilight” she blinked the tears from her eyes as she went back to her room. As she entered the room her father was standing there with his trident in his hooves. He aimed it towards his daughter.

“You will forget your grandmother. You will forget that surface pony” Selene could smell something strong coming from him as he cast his magic over her. Selene landed on her side as she closed her eyes. It took a while before Selene would open her eyes. It was still dark around her as she moved towards her bedroom door. Looking towards her cloak she placed it on her door before walking out into the hall of the castle. None of the staff was around as she made her way around the castle. She missed the dark blood-red eyes staring at her from the shadows.

“So here you are” the voice was horsed causing shivers to run up her spine. Selene stopped in the throne room looking down the hall. A large black sea witch swam into the room her teeth were showing as she looked down at Selene.

“I can help” the voice whispered in her ears again as the sea witch moved closer towards her. Selene backed up as the witch drew her in closer.

“Oh you can” her voice was eerie and gargled as she moved closer placing her nose up against Selene’s.

“Let me help! Its what I am here for!” The voice called out as Selene moved away from the witch.

“How can I help?” Selene’s voice was shaky as she looked towards the merpony.

“You can help by dying” she grinned as she raised a bone in the air. She turned to run but she felt the bone enter her back causing her to scream.

“Help!” Selene wined out as she closed her eyes.

“It’s alright I will do the work” The voice called out as light from her necklace blinded the sea witch. Selene felt something burning on her neck as her eyes shifted to pitch black with a red iris.

“Normally my eyes are a bright pink” she huffed as she noticed the bone with a random spell written on it. The witch glanced up towards Selene.

“What are you?” She started to back up as Selene looked towards the witch.

“You can call me Star” her smile grinned as she pulled the bone from her backstabbing it into the Sea witches heart. Looking up she noticed lights coming down the hall causing Star to pull back leaving Selene sitting in front of the sea with blood running from her back. Her father and her brothers with some guards stopped as they noticed the horror in front of them. Selene looked up at them as she looked around.

“Father where am I? What happened?” tears were in her eyes as “Did brother Coral’s party end already?”

“Father?” a dark grey merpony with silver and greyish blue scales looked towards him as his silver mane floated around his head “Coral’s party was two days ago” Selene watched as her father leaned into the merpony. The spell ended as Selene quickly woke up sending them flying from her mind. As they were tossed from her mind Selene woke up screaming. It sent Twilight flying out of the bed as the medics and guards came running up the stairs towards the room. Selene was holding her head as Twilight sat up watching as the merpony was screaming on the tops of her lungs.

“I need a sedative now!” a medic turned towards the others.

“Sir we can’t give her anymore. It will harm her and the other” another medical pony leaned in and whispered causing the others to gasp. Twilight climbed back up to the bed pulling Selene’s head into her lap as the merpony was winning.

“Find the princesses now!” Twilight shouted causing the guards to run. A few medics walked in whispering to each other as they heard the guards rushing up the stairs again. Princess Luna and Celestia walked in with the others following them. Luna walked up to the winning merpony placing her horn down to the head. The darker alicorn placed her in a heavy sleep spell allowing Selene to rest peacefully.

“Princess, what is going on?” Twilight glanced towards Luna.

“Her memories are returning to fast for her” Luna ran her wing through Selene’s mane.

“But my memories returned perfectly” Twilight looked towards the alicorns.

“Twilight your mind has been trained to sort memories into books and categories. It's easy for your mind to categorize incoming memories. Selene here had one large portion of her memories sealed away with little ones added to it. When her memories were sealed they disrupted her memories that were not sealed tossing them out of order. She also had some memories she knew about but now they are trying to figure out where they belong in her mind” Luna kept moving her wing through Selene’s mane as the merpony wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s waist.

“When will she wake up?”

“When her memories sort themselves out” Luna watched as Twilight glanced down at the sleeping merpony.

“You know when I meet her many things ran through my head. How could she swim under the water like that? How could she breathe underwater and what spell was she using. When I learned she wasn’t using a spell I was shocked. But the time I heard her tell stories about her time under the sea and saw how others were listening and willing to chat with her I wanted to know more. The more time I hung out with her I was worried that she wouldn’t want to be my friend. I was thrilled when she expected my friendship. I was also shocked that I had to go so far away from home to get a friend. I was even more shocked she accepted my feelings for her.” Twilight kept her eyes on the merpony as she moved her head a bit. Her friends watched Twilight pull Selene closer to her hugging the sleeping pony.

“Twi sug” Applejack took her hat off as she looked down “I’m sorry for doubting ya” As she spoke that Rainbow and the others nodded. Pinkie was missing from the group but they were unphased from it.

“Kreka mir” (It’s okay I know) Twilight spoke up as Selene’s fins started to flex a bit.

“What did you just say?” Rainbow spoke up.

“She said it’s okay I know.” Selene huffed “freak bik” ( you know) her eyes slowly opened up as Twilight glanced down at her smiling.

“Selka tick” (smelly socks) she kept her smile up as Selene sat up her hooves shaking as she looked towards the purple unicorn.

“Your island still bites. You just said smelly socks” Selene tried to move but was unable and sat her head back into her lap.

“I can understand island better than speaking it” Twilight pulled Selene closer as she nuzzled her. She let out a small yawn as she closed her eyes. Twilight smiled as she slipped out from under Selene before placing a blanket on her.

“I’ll let you rest”

“Trying to get your friends out of here before I tell embarrassing stories?” Selene giggled as she pulled a pillow under her head.

“No…no” Twilight shook her head as she opened the bedroom door.

“Oh?” Rainbow and the others glance towards each other before looking at the merpony.

“I did not do anything stupid on that trip!”

“We were telling stories around the fire as most of the crew of the ship were off cooking dinner. The islanders were sharing their food with Twilight and her mother. The chief gave Twilight a common drink that many enjoy on special celebrations. She got drunk placed a coconut shell bra on with a grass skirt. Made her mane into a rainbow like my aunt and started to act like her. She tried to raise the sun before falling to her knees and asking the moon to marry her. The chief realized he gave her the stronger drink out of the others” Selene cracked an eye noticing the purple unicorn turning red as Rainbow and the others started to laugh.

“I so want pictures!” Rainbow groaned as Celestia let out a small chuckle.

“Oh her mother has pictures. And drawings as well” Selene grinned as she pulled the blanket up as Twilight banned her head against the door frame. Rainbow looked towards the others as they raced down the stairs.

“Shining!” they shouted causing Twilight to groan. Celestia followed the rushing ponies as Fluttershy and Luna stayed behind allowing the chaos to pass naturally. Twilight moved from the door down the stairs scared to see what her brother might do. Fluttershy moved with her trying to comfort her as Luna glance back towards Selene.

“Yes auntie” Selene opened her eye as she looked towards the alicorn.

“I was just thinking.” She smiled as she started to walk out of the room.

“Auntie when I am better will you teach me about the stars? I stare at them every night and I never know what they are” Selene glanced towards the dark blue merpony.

“Of course my dear niece” she smiled as she walked out of the room. Luna quickly joined the others. As they were bugging Shining Armor for pictures from his mother elsewhere dread was building.

Maremuda…

King Triton was sitting on his throne with his two eldest children sitting beside him. Saluki was on his left while his nonexistent son Stratus was sitting on his right. Stratus was enjoying some tea as his children ran around the castle chasing Ra and Za.

“I thought you placed Ra and Za on Selene’s service for good father” Stratus spoke up as Triton shook his head.

“I did but now they are supposed to be packing. I have given them to Princess Celestia and Luna” he looked towards his son as he called his children off.

“Go find your mother and grandmother” he smiled causing the children to swim off.

“Why did you do that father?” Stratus looked towards his father.

“The nobles are forcing me to exile your sister. I have agreed to exile her and to cut any ties she may claim on the throne. I did it so the citizens will be safe plus I think we need this to bring the kingdom to what it once was.: Triton sighed as Saluki placed his cup down.

“Even when they learned her short life span” he hissed as Stratus looked towards them.

“So that night caused her life to shorten?” he watched as his father and sibling both nod “How many does she have left?”

“Five years” Saluki sighed “Our brothers want to go and see her and the friends she made on the surface” Saluki watched as a dress came flying at him.

“Your coming to!” His brothers shouted causing Saluki to roll his eyes.

“I will get a chariot ready for you all. I see there is no stopping you all” Triton huffed as he stood up causing Saluki to turn towards his brother.

“Are you coming?”

“I think I will.” Stratus smiled as he placed his cup down.

“Really!?”

“Of course. If we are going to make this peace treaty I would at least like to see what they are offering. I would also want to see where our sister will be staying” Stratus smiled as he watched his brothers swim along holding different gifts in their hooves. Saluki rolled his eyes as he watched Ra and Za zoom around a hidden chariot outside placing their items along with Selene’s stuff inside. As he was watching it his heart was sinking in his chest.