Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Into Untold Dreams part 2

"Rarity I must say, your designs are simply the best I have ever seen!" Fancy Pants commented, offering the white fashionista a glass of cider.

"I agree" a well dressed mare added as she showed off the fancy dress she was wearing. "I have never worn something so elegant, so mythic and yet so down to earth, so light, and so well designed!"

"Indeed, miss Rarity" another stallion complemented her. "To be so young and to have a shop opened up not just in every town and city in Equestria, but the entire world! It's simply amazing!"

"Not only that!" Fancy pants jumped in again. "But she also opened up her own fashion school for aspiring youths here in Canterlot! Could you believe it?! She isn’t the element of Generosity for nothing!"

"All three of my nieces are already enrolled, and they say they just love the school! They are learning soooo much!" Another mare popped, heading Rarity’s school mentioned.

"You all are just too kind" Rarity tried to hold back a smile, but it was hard for the elegant fashionista to hold back just how happy she was.

It was the night of the Grand Galloping Galla, and as usual, everypony was wearing one form or another of one of Rarity's creations. It had bairly been a few months into establishing her claim in Canterlot with the 'Canterlot Boutique', and already investors and entrepreneurs in the city were looking to not only invest but to help expand her business! It was truly a dream come true! Even the princesses showed up to the opening day for Rarity's fashion school to be present with her friends to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony. On top of all of that, there was a special somepony in her life now.

"Oh sugar bear " a swave looking unicorn stallion approached Rarity. His name was Diamond Everglow, a wealthy stallion from a well known family who owned half of the shops in Canterlot as well as a major shipping company that distributed throughout all Equestria. He and Rarity had met just as the up and coming fashionista was expanding in Manehatten, and it was love at first sight!

"Yes honey, what is it?" Rarity asked as she got lost in Diamond's eyes once again, just like the day they met.

"One of the musicians said they needed to speak with you" Diamond answered, his voice like a gentle wind chime in Rarity's ears. She often caught other mare's fawning over him, but Diamond only had eyes for her. "Something about an old friend. Sunny, I think his name was?"

"Oh?" The name sounded familiar, but Rarity couldn't quite put her hoof on where she heard the name. Turning to the other guests who were just praising her, Rarity smiled as she told them "if you'll all excuse me, an old friend needs me. And as you all know, friendship is a very big thing to me..."

Leaving the other guests to mingle amongst themselves and enjoy the rest the Gala has to offer, Rarity followed her special somepony to where the band was playing. Rarity quickly recognized the cellist player as Octavia from Ponyville.

When Rarity approached the stage Octavia looked down but didn't stop playing, yet her voice could be heard over all the music as if the music's sound was dulled but their voices were not. "I say, when you dream Rarity, you dream big. I envy you a bit. I doubt even in 'my' wildest dreams I could fabricate something as glamorous as all of this.

"The countless shops, all the bits you would ever need, the fame, even a school that prompts your dream for the future generation" Octavia continued to speak even as the music came to her solo, she still managed to play perfectly. "You even have the 'perfect' boy-friend by your side through it all."

"Well thank you" Rarity said with a small chuckle. "But what was it you wanted to talk to me about, an old friend?"

"Sunny and the others need you" Octavia answered, still continuing to play. "You and your friends are in danger, so Sunny, Big Mac, the others and I have gone into the dream realm to pull you guys out and essentially break you free of a spell you are all under."

Listening to everything Octavia was saying made Rarity hesitate for a moment, but then she chuckled lightly. "Oh dear me! You had me going there! Who put you up to this? Pinkie pie? No, I bet Rainbow Dash. She was always one for-"

"You have a choice, Rarity" Octavia interrupted, her tone firmed deep as her eyes locked with Rarities. "You can choose your perfect life, here, in this dream, and live this life to the fullest with all your desires come true, or you can wake up and save your friends and the rest of the ponies in Ponyville. It's up to you."

Panic began to set into Rarity's heart as the world around her seemed to lose it's color and turn grey, all except for her boyfriend's eyes. His blue eyes remained the same as they always were. So majestic and hypnotizing. But as Rarity looked deeper into his eyes, she saw they were less perfect then she remembered them moments ago. Then, they too, turned grey. And like that, Rarity sighed and turned away.

"This isn't real... is it?" Rarity sighed, almost crying, her heart feeling as though it was breaking.

"I'm sorry" Octavia said as she got off the stage and joined Rarity by her side. "We all strive to achieve our goals..."

"But it's ‘how’ we obtain them that decides in the end, weather it was worth it or not" Rarity added as she grabbed hold of Octavia's hoof and gave her a smile. "Thank you for that. I would never want to sacrifice my friends for my own dreams to come true."

"Wouldn't be very 'generous' of you, would it?" Octavia commented with a small smile as she stomped her hoof, the rest of the gala disappeared. Both mare's found themselves floating in the dream realm, with the same purple stream of light that lead Octavia to Rarity, ready to lead them deeper into the dream realm. "Shall we go see our friends?"

"Let's" Rarity agreed as the same purple light that surrounded Octavia now surrounded her as well.

The two mares travels together, following the element they shared that would lead them back to their friends...

"And if you follow me this way, you'll see the pictures taken of Rainbow Dash as she took on the flight of evil dragons with one hoof tied behind her back" a mare giving the tour instructed her group.

Rainbow Dash sat back, relaxing on a very comfortable cloud as she half slept, half watched the ponies below explore her museum of all her accomplishments. Yes the times she and her friends took on Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, and the rest of their adventures were all recorded and documented, but that was down a much smaller wing of the 'Rainbow Dash Amazingpotium', the museum dedicated to the greatest wonderbolt, flyer, and explorer that ever lived and all her about accomplishments.

"Other then being the greatest, fastest, and all around best flyer to come out of Cloudsdale and make it to being captain of the Wonderbolt's, Rainbow Dash also completed training to be a royal guard, and became a captain in less than a week!" The tour guide continued to show off various pictures of Rainbow Dash in all kinds of armor, Wonderbolt's pictures, and even portraits taken with the princesses.

"There is little she has not accomplished. She even went on to take down Tirek when he came back a second time, an evil army of trolls who attacked her home town, a meteor and all on her own with nothing but her bare hooves and wings!” The travel guid continued. "And if you open up your new age dictionaries, and look under the word 'Awesome' you'll find a picture of her has been placed there. Quite literally."

Chuckling to herself, Rainbow could no longer hold in her pride and jumped down from her hiding/napping spot to perform a few acrobatic moves before landing in front of the tour guide and her group. "Did I hear the definition of 'Awesome'? Yeah! That's me!"

"It's Rainbow Dash herself!" A stallion called out, almost screaming like a little filly.

"It's really her!" A mare added, speeking with delight with her friend who was standing next to her.

"I can't believe it!" A filly asked as she pulled out an ink pad and a copy of Rainbow Dash's autobiography 'Awesome as I wanna be, and then some!' "Can I please, please, PLEASE, have your autograph?! PLEASE?!"

"Ha Ha...sure kid" Rainbow Dash said as she pressed her hoof to the inc pad then to the book, earning a glee filled 'squee' from the filly.

The entire tour group then moved in to get the famous mare's autograph as well. Well, all except a stallion who kept his face and body hidden under a hat and coat. He just kept to the back of the group and waited for his opening. It took Rainbow Dash a few moments to get through the seemingly endless sea of fans, but when she did, she noticed the menacing stranger in the back. Thinking this could be trouble, she approached him once her fans all moved to the Rainbow Dash gift shop. He stayed behind.

"Do I know you?" Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes as her wings flexed, ready for a fight if it came to it.

"I should hope so..." the stallion said, a smile sticking out in his muzzle. Once he tipped his hat, his Mohawk kicked it compelled off, revealing who the mysterious stallion actually was.

"Oh, it's just you Thunderlane" Rainbow Dash began to relax. "What can I do for you? Need me to come to some charity ball for the Wonderbolt's? Spitfire need me to train more trainees? Ponyville under attack again and you need me to save the day again?"

"The last one, actually " Thunderlane said as he tossed off his coat.

"No problem, I'll just grab a protein shake from my office and we'll go" the cyan colored mare replied. "You want one?"

"Rainbow, you know this is a dream, right" Thunderlane asked his daring friend. "None of this is real, not your office and not your shakes. Though, I kinda wish they were. I skipped lunch to look for Sunny."

"Sunny?..." Rainbow Dash repeated the name, and memories began to flood back to her. "Wait! That's right! Sunny... he became an Umbrum again, and hit Applejack with dark magic..."

When the memories came back to the mare with the rainbow mane and tail, all the color of the world around her and Thunderlane began to vanish.

"That's right. But he's ok now" Thunderlane told her. "But the rest of the town's in some serious trouble. Some guy named Charming Knightmare had turned everypony into stone and locked them in their most awesome dreams."

Looking around at the disappearing museum, Rainbow Dash sighed. "None of this is real?..."

Putting a hoof on her shoulder, Thunderlane shot her a half smile. "Our friends need us. That's real. What do ya say? Wanna kick some bad-guy butt?"

The thought of her friends needing her to fight some bad guy once again rekindled the spark inside the cyan colored Pegasus mare. And just like that, Rainbow Dash jumped up, did a flip, and the world crashed around her, leaving her and Thunderlane floating in the dream realm. Her eyes locked with his as she said "lead the way, rookie."

Ignoring Rainbow's ego, Thunderlane lead her into the dream realm where they hoped to meet up with the others, following the path created by the red light of loyalty.

It was the most beautiful sight in all of Equestria; a giant sanctuary ten times the size of the Everfree forest,inhabited by animals of all kinds who needed a safe place to call home, as well as other ponies like Fluttershy an Tree Hugger, who only wished to aid nature and nurture it.

"It's totally rad that you did this, Fluttershy" Tree Hugger commented as she sat next to her friend.

Fluttershy was taking a small rest after a rather busy morning. She had aided the veterans in tending to new arrival’s wounds, cleaned out the waste fill areas, gave every critter their morning doses of medicine along with breakfast, and still had time to tend to Angel Bunny's own needs (mainly refluffing his tail and making him a special breakfast salad).

"I agree" Fluttershy's tone was still as gentle and soft as ever, despite the exhaustion she felt from all her hard work this morning. "It just filled my heart with joy to know that all the animals of Equestria have a place they can call home, where they can live in peace, make friends, and not have to worry about all the scary dangers out in the world."

"For sure" Tree Hugger agreed. "It's weird, but I, like, got this really bad feeling something or somepony is, like, up to no good. Like, some major bad vibes are trying to get in, but, like, something is keeping them out."

"I think it's more like he doesn't want anypony else to come in" Derpy pointed out as she dipped a bubble wand into a bottle of soapy water, pulled it out, and began blowing bubbles that seem to spread across the sky, reaching out farther then they should have.

Small bubbles began floating all around the animal enclosure, with some animals jumping up to hit or pop the bubbles and some just sat back and watched them float around with the sun's light reflecting off of them.

Tree Hugger watched with Fluttershy as Derpy offered her bubble wand to some beavers, a bear, and a few squirrels who all wanted to try and blow bubbles like she did.

"That is, like, so spiritually lifting" Tree Hugger commented with a small smile. "Your aura totally shines like the sun. What's your name, bubble master?"

"It's Derpy" Derpy replied with a smile as she looked half at Fluttershy, half at the sky above, due to her wall-eyes stare. "But you already knew that, silly!"

"I did, but I don't think Tree Hugger has ever met you" Fluttershy smiled back as she motioned to her nature loving friend.

"It's really nice to meet you!" Derpy said with a wide smile and a waving hoof. After a joyful moment of waving her hoof in the air, Derpy stopped, put her hoof down and gave a more gentle, relaxed smile. "Your friends need your help, Fluttershy. That's why I'm here."

"My friends?!" Fluttershy ghasped. "W-what's the matter?! Are they ok?"

"The other guardians of harmony are gathering them. We need to go and meet them, though, I really don't know where we're supposed to-" Derpy started to bashfully say with her signature awkward smile when a pink light appeared between her and fluttershy.

The light pulses for a moment as the two Pegasus mare's closed in around it. Then it shot off into the forest, poking a hole in the background like a movie screen, leaving a stream of pink glowing light behind it for the two girls to follow.

"Guess that answers my question" Derpy said with a little laugh before turning back to Fluttershy. "Will you come with me?"

Looking into Derpy's wall-eyed stare, Fluttershy never noticed how gently and soft they were, possibly because she herself always avoided eye contact if at all possible. But looking into Derpy's yellow eyes at that moment, Flutrershy saw something she could trust, something she felt comfortable with. And with a nod, Fluttershy left her dream world behind and followed Derpy into the dream realm, hoping her friends would be alright until she got there.

Entering Pinkie Pie's own dream, Big Mac was a little taken back by the outrageous colors, odd patterns, out of place items and mixed up size ratios of everything. The sky was a rainbow of colors like biting into a multilayered jaw breaker, the ground beneath his hooves were checkerboard, stripped, polkadot and stared with all different bright colors. There were trampolines, giant toys scattered all around, and deserts of all different kinds the size of houses. It was as if this world belonged more to an infant Discord then Pinkie Pie.

"HEY BIG MAC!" Pinkie called out from atop a cloud that appeared to be a mixture of cotton candy pink and blue. The pink earth pony had a tall, chocolate milk shake stretch from the ground all the way into the air to reach her at the cloud. "WHAT BRINGS YOU TO MY DREAM?!"

Big Mac was relieved that he wouldn't need to convince Pinkie that the world around her wasn't real, and just smiled up at his possible cousin. "YER FRIENDS AND MAH SISTER NEED YER HELP!"

Looking slightly confused, Pinkie reached into her ear with her hoof and pulled out several fully blown up balloons, settting them free, then tilted her head in Big Mac's direction once more. "What did you say? Rarity's out of kelp again? I told her taffy works better for her coat!"

"NO! YER FRIENDS NEED YER HELP!" Big Mac called out again, yelling a little louder, but not getting annoyed at all.

"I DON'T THINK RUBBER BANDS ARE A GOOD SUBSTITUTE!" Pinkie yelled back, still not hearing the big red farm pony correctly again.

Sighing a little, Big Mac knew that Pinkie wouldn't be able to hear him if he tried a theirs time. Thinking quickly, the farm pony caught a glimpse of a trampoline. After positioning it just right, Big Mac began jumping on it with all his might until he built up enough momentum to jump up and onto Pinkie's Cotten candy cloud. Unfortunately, he overestimated his own strength and bounced over Pinkie and her cloud, landing in her milk shake.

Popping his head out of the chocolate desert, the top of him now coated in whipped cream and a cherry resting happily on top of his head, Big Mac couldn't help but smile and laugh a little at his delusions mistake. Pinkie Pie started laughing with him, noticing that the whipped cream seemed to make him look like his mane had gone white and he had grown a beard, like an old stallion!

"You're so silly Big Mac!" Pinkie giggled. "Now what is it you were trying to say?"

Sticking his tongue out and licking all the whipped cream off his face in one clean sweep, Big Mac swallowed the sweet treat, then relayed his message to Pinkie once more, his tone turning more serious. "Yer friends and mah sister need our help, y'all need ta come with me."

A moment of shock overtook Pinkie's care free nature. Before Pinkie could react in a more cartoonish way, a light blue light appeared between her and Big Mac. It zoomed around for a moment, like a sugar high firefly, then shot off, leaving a trail of blue light behind that would allow the two ponies to follow it.

Big Mac wondered for a moment how the two of them were going to follow the light for a moment until Pinkie’s front hooves went into overdrive and began pulling parts of her dream world together, creating a giant air ship made of toys and sweet treats!

"Care to be my first mate of the SS Sweet Dreams, Mr. guardian of Laughter?" Pinkie asked as a captain pirate's hat appeared on top of her head.

Big Mac knew better then to question her about most things she talked about, and not just her resourceful ingenuity with the contents of her dream, but also the fact that Pinkie always seemed to know so much. He knew it was just Pinkie being Pinkie, and to just roll with it. There were more important matters at hoof.

Jumping to the ship's steering wheel, which was a giant chocolate chip cookie, Big Mac saluted Pinkie and began to direct the ship in the blue light's direction. "Eye eye, captain!"

"Then let's go save our friends!" Pinkie declared as she pulled a giant candy cane from her mane, held it like a sword, stretching it out to direct her possible cousin, following the light blue light into the dream realm!

"Hey girls! Guess what?!" Twilight called out to her friends who had all gathered in the open field just south of her castle by the waterfall. "Princess Celestia needs us to help with a new festival this year that's going to be held in our honor! A 'Friendship festival' that is supposed to unite ponies and others from all over the world! Everypony is invited! And not just ponies! Dragons, Gryffins, anypony can come!"

"That's great, Twilight!" Appeljack smiled as she pulled out all the goodies she brought for them.

Swooping in and snagging a small slice of apple pie, Rainbow Dash took a bite and added "I’llbe sure to wow everypony there with a sonic rainboom or two!"

"I can bring my wild bird chorus" Fluttershy offered. "They're three things the size they were for the Summer Sun Celebration, and I think their ready for larger groups then just Ponyville."

After waving her hoof at Rainbow as the egotistical Pegasus chomped down on the slice of pie she stole, Appeljack turned her attention back to Twilight and shot her a half grin. "Ah'm be honored ta help with th' catering."

"Me too!" Pinkie bounced all around her friends. "I've also been building a new party cannon that shoots whole cakes! Bigger then ponies!"

"And I can help with the decorations, just like at the Summer Sun Celebration where we all first met" Rarity added.

That last statement began to bring a tear to Twilight's eye as she smiled at her friends. "You know... I'm really glad that we all met that day. Which if funny, because when we first met, I really didn't want to 'make friends'.

"But after all we went though to save Equestria that first time, and looking back on all our adventures together, I couldn't imagine life without you girls" Twilight couldn't hold back the tears any more, and neither could any of the other girls as they all came in for a large group hug.

Doctor Whooves who had been waiting for the right moment to speak with Princess Twilight didn't want to spoil the lovely dream she was having, so he politely waited for her group hug to end. It touched the scientist's heart to see Twilight and the value she had in all her friends. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, say for what he had learned from Sunny on their adventures. It was at that time that Doctor, with all his might, wished that 'he' too could one day look back on such events fondly with his new group of friends and be able to say that they had great times together. It was with that single wish that the light-purple light of friendship emerged from his chest and floated slowly over to Twilight who was still enjoying a hug with her friends.

When it reached the purple alicorn, it paused in front of her muzzle and caught her attention. "What is this?..."

"It's the light of Magic" Doctor Whooves answered, stepping forward. "You and I are needed. Our friends and all of Equestria is in danger."

Looking back at her fiends, Twilight wanted to believe it was all real, but a part of her knew that as real as her dream appeared, it was all fabricated by her own heart’s desire. “I see. So I'm asleep?"

"Indeed" Doctor replied. "And I must admit, this is not what I guessed your dream to be. I more then half expected to walk into a giant library, or into a classroom where you would be teaching."

Half smiling as she looked back at the mute image of her friends interacting together, Twilight sighed. "I've learned what really matters. And it's not a room full of books or students who listen to your every word. It's the friends you make who like you for who you are, who stick by you thick and thin, who you can rely on when the world crumbles around you. Being with them is my most pleasant dream."

A tear came from Doctor's eye now, that he quickly wiped away. "I hope I can generate half as much Magic from friendship as you, princess Twilight."

Looking over at the time traveling scientist, Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder and smiled gently at him. "You can't measure friendship, or the magic it produces. What I've learned is to just enjoy being with your fiends. 'They' make the magic. And the magic they make is more powerful then anything in the world."

Smiling back at Twilight, Doctor asked the fist thing that popped into his without thinking, which was incredibly unusual for him. "Can 'we' all be friends? You and your friends, and me and the other guardians?"

"I'm sure we can" Twilight replied, then thought about his question. "Wait... who are the guardians?"

"The other guardians of Harmony" Doctor answered with a grin as the light-purple light of magic flew off, leaving a stream of light for him and Twilight tot follow. "You know who they are already. And I’m sure by now they got all of your friends together. We have a bit of a bad guy to deal with."

Chuckling to herself, Twilight shook we head. "Guess here we go again. Let's go see our friends."

With that, Twilight grabbed Doctor as she took to the sky, following the light-purple light out of her dream and into the dream realm.

At the center of chaos that was forming at the edge of the dream realm, on top of a black pillar like podium, Charming Knightmare stood looking at several images on flat screens, displeased by what he saw. "So... these 'Guardians of Harmony' are trying to ruin my plans for a perfect world, hmmmm?

"Guess I can't sit back and let all of them succeed in bribing all of the elements togeather" The tall, dark unicorn said as he walked over to the edge of his podium. With a wave of his hoof, a portal opened up into a very specific dream. The sun was just setting in the dream on a certain apple farm, with a certain orange mare laying next to a certain yellow stallion ok a checkerboard blanket.

"I've always wanted to rip this dream apart" Knightmare said with glee as he stepped into the portal, taking him into Applejack's most peaceful dream.