Chapter Five: I Don't Know What It Is I Don't Know

I woke up sweating, shaking, and scared. The sun was just rising, and two of the three alicorns I had slept next to were still beside me.

Greyfell was already up, standing in the clearing, staring back at me. I stood up, and he trotted over.

The truth hit me like a wrecking ball: I was in the middle of a forest with three alicorns, no memory, and no idea where I'm going.

What was I going to do?

Greyfell nudged me until I got on his back. I was still lost in thought when he took off.

I had developed a plan by the time he landed. Wherever he was going (I had no idea), I would find a disguise of some sort (in case I was a criminal), and then go looking for my family. Or whatever I lost. They had to be around here somewhere.

This plan was hanging by a thread, with scissors nearby. At any moment someone could snip it. And then me and my plan would fall.

It was a dangerous game, but the only game I knew how to play.

That would've sounded cooler if I knew where I was, who I was, and what happened to me.

I regained focus in time to realize that I was in a bubble of some sort and Greyfell was flying away.

A lot of screaming, crying, and profanities followed.

When I was finally on solid ground, I saw a city. In a bubble.

The streets were crowded, but there were lots of shops nearby. I kept my head down and headed for a strangely shaped building to my right.

There were posters all over the windows advertising elixirs and potions to change your appearance. It sounded perfect for disguises.

I also saw that it was damaged. There were letters missing on the huge sign that stated the name of the store. From the letters I could see, it said: Lurps and Brp.

There was also some burnt places on the sign and around the building. The front door was hanging by one hinge. Inside, I could see crowded shelves that were covered in ash and burnt.

I went in anyway, keeping my head down as I passed two men talking. I heard a snippet of their conversation:

"Close? We would never. This place keeps those stuffy nobles on their toes."

"Fire damage, injuries, and not to mention the costs of fixing this place! It's ridiculous! Not to mention the bad publicity."

"You know what happened was an accident."

"I know. But a lot of people were scared, Kesler. They're still scared. And with that girl..."

The conversation faded to silence as I wandered through the shelves, grabbing random bottles.

I headed into the bathroom. It was surprisingly intact, considering the state of the rest of the store.

I didn't even look at the bottle labels as I drank them. They were a bunch of nonsense anyway.

When I was finished, I glanced in the mirror and gasped.

My features were already starting to change, but I could glimpse my true face for the first time I could remember.

And it wasn't pretty.

My blonde hair was mostly a buzz cut, with a couple spots growing out a few inches. My right cheek was covered in ugly scars, and my arms had blisters. I glanced down at my hands. I hadn't gotten a good look at them before. They were both covered in scars and burns.

I looked back to the mirror. My awful, scarred features were almost gone, leaving a brown haired girl with clear skin and bright blue eyes.

I was also taller. The ground was farther away, making me feel clumsy as I walked out of the store.

No one gave me a second glance as I wandered around the city, buying new, clean clothes and looking as innocent and normal as possible.

I stepped out of a clothing store bathroom, in a new purple tunic. I ignored the fact I hadn't paid for the clothes. How could I? I had no money. No memory.

I was walking toward the exit when a boy's voice stopped me.

"Biana?"

Hearing the name conjoured an image to my mind: a tall mansion. Almost a castle.

I pushed away the foreign image and turned around to the boy.

He was handsome, with messy blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Suddenly, I could hear a voice in the back of my mind.

"You must be lost."

More images. White walls. A ruined cape. The same sky blue eyes she was seeing in real life.

That thought pulled her back to the present. The boy was talking.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"Oh. Okay." I turned to leave, but the boy stopped me.

"Hey, do you go to Foxfire?"

Foxfire.

Another voice. "Would you please stop saying 'fungus'?"

A crystal building. A choker-like necklace. Mallowmelt.

I didn't know what Mallowmelt was, or what the new memories meant, but i was fumbling for an answer to the boy's question.

"Um...yes."

"Oh. I've never seen you around before. Then again, I haven't been at school for a while."

A wave of sadness crossed his face.

"Oh. Um...I'm...Ensley." I said, jumping on the fake name. "I'm not very...social at...Foxfire."

"I'm Keefe."

Keefe.

"And now I get to meet the mysterious new girl."

The Great Gulon Incident. A man with strange goggles on. Fear.

"Oh. Uh...why weren't you in school?"

"Oh...I had...a personal thing. You know...my parents just let me take off the last couple weeks. Especially since school was canceled last month."

"Oh...yeah. Because of the...thing." I was scrambling here, but I needed information.

Anger crossed his face. "You can't even say it."

"Sorry?"

"Whatever." The anger had passed, replaced with sadness. "Do you live in Atlantis?"

"I...used to. My...I was kicked out of my apartment."

"Oh. Where are you staying now?"

"I...don't know." Smooth, Sophie. Real smooth.

"You should come stay with me, if you've got nowhere else."

"Oh. Um..."

"I've got plenty of room. I'm living with a friend right now, and they've got quite a large house."

"...okay."