Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Jealous Apple

"Pinkie, I'm not sure I'm doing this right…" Sunny stated, sounding completely unsure and hesitant in his tone as he stood before two fussy eating Cake twins, all three covered in blotches of baby food.

"You have to make eating sound fun to them, silly!" Pinkie called out to him from behind the cash register of Sugarcube Corner. "If babies aren't hungry, or they put up a fight, you need to make them smile and have fun with eating! Make it a game! Pretend it's something like a bird made of peas, a yummy bug, or a flying orange!"

Right at that moment an orange with blue bird wings flew by the window just as Sunny took in what Pinkie suggested to him. Looking from the small spoonfulls of baby food then at the twins who seemed to enjoy spreading it around on the table with their hooves. Taking a deep breath, Sunny forced an awkward smile then began talking baby to the Cake twins again in an attempt to get them to eat. The yellow unicorn made the spoons float around in the air with his green magical aura, like two dragons fighting in the air (complete with dragon sounds), he noticed the twins watched with great anticipation as the spoon dragons headed right for their cave homes (the babies mouths).

Pinkie smiled at the sight, but was quickly reminded why she needed Sunny there. Mr and Mrs Cake had to make an urgent delivery to the next town over. All of Pinkie's other friends were busy and couldn't help out at Sugarcube Corner today, well, all except Sunny, who really needed to get off the farm for a day to clear his head.

It had been a few days since the battle at IronLock prison, since the three groups of ponies, Yeti, and Dragons came togeather, and with both the Elements and New Guardians of Harmony, took back the mountain, freed the mind controlled royal guards, and caputed the prisoners Sombra left behind. The battle was over, but despite their triumph, somepony felt it was a loss, a hollow victory. As the groups disbanded, the dragons returning to their Homeland, the Yeti to their own mountains, and the ponies to their homes, Sunny remained behind, left with his mixed feeling and thoughts about what his father had said and done.

Sunny had been in a funk for a while, but Pinkie knew that all he needed was something to take his mind off things and keep him distracted for a while. And what's more distracting then a pair of cute, twin babies?

"There you guys go, food's all gone" Sunny smiled at the two foals as they began to nodded off at their high chairs. "Guess I better clean you guys up and put you down for a nap."

As Sunny took a mid warm, wet, baby cloth to Pumpkin Cake, Pinkie walked into the back and caught him. Her smile reached from earlier to ear. "I think you'll make a great dad some day."

In the past, when Sunny was a prince, the thought of being a father never even crossed his mind. But he never really had a special-somepony to ever even talk about having foals with back then. Many things have changed for the yellow unicorn. "You… you really think so, Pinkie?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely. But that won't happen for quite a few more chapters" Pinkie pie replied as she picked up another baby cloth and started cleaning up Pound Cake. "You have other things to do first. Don't want to put the saddle before the horse. First comes love, you got that, then comes marriage, not quite there, then comes Sunny with a baby carrage."

The bell in the front desk rang, pulling both their attention away from Pinkie's rendition of the old nursery rhyme. "Oh! Coming!"

As Pinkie popped out from the back of the shop, she noticed the one who rang the desk bell stood ominously waiting for her with their full body covered from head to hoof in a raggedy cloak.

But despite the stranger's appearance, Pinkie's tone never follied as she greeted the potential customer with a smile and stated with great energy "Hi! My name's is Pinkie pie! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, is there anything in particular I can help you with? Looking for a certain sweet to satisfy that rumbling in your tummy? Need to order a super special birthday cake for a super special friend or family member? Or would you like to try our-"

"I'd like 'you' to try and be quiet and listen to me for a second." The stranger snapped, keeping her face hidden. As the spoke, her teeth seemed to clap togeather when she talked, making a clicking noise.

"Oh, ugh sorry miss…" Pinkie's smile wavered from the rude comment, but she kept up her sunny side in front of the customer.

"My name isn't important" the stanger snapped again, this time turning the attention of Sunny who had just put the twins down for their after lunch nap. Ignoring the new pony who joined them, the stanger continued to speak in her harsh tone, the chattering of her teeth continuing. "I'm looking for a pony who's skilled in the magical arts, and has been working with giant pony sized marionettes."

"What for?" Sunny stepped forward, a little edge in his own tone as he pulled his hat down a little, a cowpony's little sign that they mean business. Sunny want about to let anypony talk to Pinkie like that and get away with it.

The stanger moved her head to look at Sunny, cracking her neck in the process. "Do 'you' know the trouble maker? Who ever they are their 'experiments' have been reeking havoc all over Equestria, and my father, Widler, is getting his name dragged through the mud for it!"

The name shook Sunny a little, it had been over 1000 years since he heard that name. The name of the pony Sunny felt so close to growing up, who he had inspired to pursue his dreams, and had made all of Sunny's pony puppets. The yellow unicorn lowered his head to try and see the hidden muzzle of the stranger. "Who… who are you?…"

(https://youtu.be/ZCxJN7lD72A)

"Oh Applejack, that is just too funny!" Octavia laughed at the orange farm pony's joke. "I can't help but see more and more why Sunny's completely taken with you."

"Well shucks, Octavia, that means alot comin' from ya, after… you know…" Applejack tried to tread lightly on the subject. Octavia and her bonded some time ago over a day at the spa. They had enjoyed each other's company and had decided to meet up for lunch today. Octavia reminded Applejack alot of Rarity, with the way she spoke and used fancy words. The biggest differance between the two mares, other then one's passion being music and the other fashion, was Rarity could florish in controlled chaos having her materials spread out everywhere, while Octavia strived for cleanliness. Which Applejack thought was funny because Opal always came along and made a mess of Rarity's 'Controlled Chaos' and Octavia's room mate, Vynal Scratch (or DJ-PON3) loves living in just a mess.

One of the biggest, and most sensitive thing Octavia talked to Applejack about were her feelings towards Sunny. "It's no big deal Applejack. I mean, I want Sunny to be happy. Whether it's with you or me or some other pony, it shouldn't matter."

"Yer ah very mature pony, Octavia" Applejack complemented the elegant mare. "Ah can't say ah would be half as calm and collected as you are."

"Why thank you, Applejack" Octavia smiled at her new friend and was about to tell her of another time she and Vynal were in the same situation over some Colt from a boy band that they got to meet when their food arrived.

Octavia ordered the daffodil Daisy Ceaser salad, and Applejack the sloppy hay Joe sandwich, with french fries on the side.

Right as both mares were about to dig in, a yellow streak zooming around in the distance caught their attention. They closed their mouthes and looked off to the edge of town where it looked like Sunny was being chased by somepony in a torn up cloak, who was jumping from roof top to roof top as Sunny ran below on the street.

"Somepony or something's chasing Sunny!" Applejack stated the obvious as she arose from the table and left some bits for their meal.

"Should we get the others?" Octavia asked, leaving 25% for a tip.

"No time! We might lose sight of 'em!" Applejack explained and began chasing after Sunny and his pursuer as fast as her legs could carry her.

Following quickly behind her was Octavia, who's own naturally strong earth legs were strengthened from carrying her cello around all the time.

Both mares ran through the town, dodging ponies, cart's and other various obsticals to reach their target goal; Sunny. It seemed as though they were about to catch him when he disappeared in a flash of green light! Applejack easily recognized that it was his own magic that teleported him out of sight, but why? Did he know about the pony chasing him on the roof tops? Did he not see her and Octavia coming to his rescue?

Before more thoughts filled the pony's head, Octavia tackled Applejack, sending the both of them rolling into a pile of hay. Before Applejack could climb out of the hay and ask Octavia if she had lost her mind, the orange mare watched the scene from a distance. A battle was occurring on the rooftop between Sunny, the cloaked stranger, and a rouge pony puppet! Applejack was once again about to jump out when she felt a hoof on her shoulder. It was Octavia!

"Wait a moment…" she whispered to Applejack.

The orange farmer wanted nothing more then to jump to Sunny's aid, but she took a deep breath and waited, despite her better judgment, and watched from the hay pile. The more she watched the three of them jump around in the roof top, Sunny, the puppet and the cloaked stranger, the more Applejack realized that the cloaked stranger was working together with Sunny against the rouge puppet pony! Their attacks worked perfectly with one other, playing off each other's slightest movements as if it was all choreographed months ahead of this battle. Applejack was both in awe and slightly jealous. Sunny had offered to help train her in self defence, having years of practice under his belt, but she didn't have too much interest in it. Watching him work with this stranger now, she wished she could perform half those moves with him.

Not two more moments later did the puppet come crashing down, with Sunny's hoof smashing it's head into the ground, shattering it into pieces. Bouncing back away from the rouge puppet, Sunny was quickly joined by the cloaked stranger, who stood close by his side. They both watched and waited as the pony puppet, who's head was smashed, got up, and it's head's fragments began to float up and rebuild it's head from the pieces!

"See what I mean?" Sunny told the cloaked stranger. "They don't stop, even if they are shattered into pieces."

"Got any idea what we can do with them?" The stanger asked, Applejack and Octavia quickly noticed the stranger's voice was feminine.

"Let's lock this one up with the others and we'll go from there, I have a few ideas" Sunny told the stranger, who nodded in response.

Wrapping the rouge puppet in a cloak of his own magical aura, Sunny levitated the struggling creature as the stranger brought around a large, rattling cart, pulling back part of a large tarp that covered the entire cart, the stranger opened a door for a split second, just long enough for Sunny to throw the puppet inside. Once the rouge puppet was locked up and the door secured, Sunny offered a hoof bump to the stranger, who was hesitant at first, but met Sunny's hoof bump with her own hoof. The stranger couldn't help but giggle a little as she tried to hide herself more under her cloak.

Something began to boil deep inside Applejack, something that she never felt before, and something that wouldn't let her stay hiding in the hay anymore.

Emerging from the hay, Applejack straitened her Stetson hat, puffed up her chest and marched over to Sunny and the giggling, cloaked stranger he had so quickly seemed to warm up to. "What in sam hill is going on here!?"

Applejack's booming voice quickly silanced the stranger's giggling, and she withdrew behind Sunny. Sunny himself was shocked to see Applejack emerge from the hay and found it hard to find his words for a moment. "A-Applejack, I didn't see you there. Ugh, listen, I can explain all of this, but later. Rosewood and ah have some business to take care of."

More and more ponies began to come out to see what all the ruckus was, which made the stranger hide even closer to Sunny, and made the yellow unicorn seem more and more nervous.

"Oh? Is there anything ah can do to help?" Applejack pulled back her aggression a little, giving Sunny a little room to breath. She didn't know the full story, maybe what she thought was going on wasn't quite what was going on.

"I can't tell you now" Sunny started to say when the cloaked mare, Rosewood, tugged on Sunny's shoulder. The yellow unicorn nodded and motioned for her to go ahead and get on the cart, that he would pull it this time, then he turned his attention back to Applejack. "I need you to trust me. There's something I need to do to fix something I did. I'll meet you back at the farm tonight ok?"

Her questioning anger subsided. Applejack released a heavy breath, and nodded. After holding her for a moment, Sunny kissed her on her forehead, then left and began to pull the heavy cart through town as fast as he could, using that muscle enhancement spell to help him do so. In a matter of moments, Sunny, the cart carrying the rouge puppet, and Rosewood we're out of sight, leaving Applejack In the dust, with Octavia doing her best to comfort her…

Applejack tried her best to forget about everything with Sunny and this 'Rosewood' mare, but everywhere she looked, the orange farm pony just saw them. Not really them, but couples. Couples laughing, joking around, sharing milk shakes, it was almost as bad as the Hearts and Hooves day that Apple Bloom and her friends tried to hook Big Mac and Cheerilee up. Applejack thought it was wierd that every couple seemed to be out in full bloom that year, but payed no attention to it. She actually didn't care for the longest time about Hearts and Hooves day until Sunny came around…

Wandering around aimlessly after bidding Octavia fairwell, after the whole scene with Sunny and 'Rosewood', Applejack found herself at the edge of town and not far from Twilight's castle.

'Maybe ah could consult Twi 'bout this whole mess' Applejack thought to herself. Even though Twilight can go a bit overboard, and she may not be the princess of love, she was very insightful and did spend a lot of time with Cadence. Maybe there's something Twilight can do to calm Applejack's worried heart…

"… And then he just rode off, like nothing had happened! And expected me to just 'go back to the farm' and wait for him!" Applejack was reaching the tail end of her story.

It had been a good hour long conversation from the time the orange mare walked right into Twilight's library and sought out her advice. Twilight had been in the middle of reorganizing her books after she received a new shipment from Canterlot, but was skilled at multitasking. While intergrading the new books into her library, Twilight offered an ear and a shoulder to cry on for her troubled friend.

Releasing a heavy sigh again, Applejack looked up at Twilight with worry filed eyes and pleaded to her. "Am ah just over reacting? Or do ya think there's somethin' goin on that ah don't know about?"

"Well…" Twilight was all ready to tell Applejack that there wasn't anything to worry about, but her question didn't leave her with that option. "Maybe it's best if you just go back to the farm and talk it out with Sunny."

Twilight's answer was a little disheartening. "Can't ya give me something's Twi? Ah'm at wits end!"

Grabbing a book from off a shelf, Twilight cracked it open and flipped to a familiar section. "Well, Applejack, I think what you are experiencing is a common text book example of 'Romantic Jealousy.''

"JEALOUS!? Ya'll think ah'm jealous!?" Applejack's cheeks grew red as her hardened eyes locked into Twilight, feeling insulted. "Ah ain't jealous!"

"It's nothing to feel bad about, Applejack" Twilight levitated the book over to her friend. "It's normal to get jealous when your special some pony is spending time with somepony else, especially somepony of the opposite gender. Why, I remember this one time Shinning tutored a filly in his class while he was dating Cadence. Cadence said she was ok, but was acting wierd and paranoid all night, asking me about the pony Shinning was turoring, if she had come over before, if he had talked about her. But in the end, she was worried for nothing."

That made Applejack think for a moment. "Hey Twilight, ya'll didn't happen ta meet this 'Rosewood' have ya?"

"I actually did" Twilight beamed. "She was a very…. Odd pony, I guess you could say. Very shy, but when she got to know me, she opened up and was very sweet."

"Why didn't ya tell me that in th' first place!? Ah got ta go find Sunny" Applejack told Twilight.

"I think they we're heading to Zecorra's next. But they're probably-" Twilight started to say, but Applejack was gone before she should finish.

'How could Sunny introduce that mare to Twilight before 'me'!?' Applejack galloped angrily along the outer limit of town, making her way steadily towards the edge of the Everfree forest, so she can follow the safe path towards Zecorra's hut. 'Ah don't know what's goin' on between those two, or why Sunny went to Twilight first, but ah ain't gonna just wait around for him to come back to th' farm! Ah'm Gunna take action!'

A safe road was eventually cleared in the Everfree that could lead anypony to Zeccora's hut. Although the Zebra shaman loved and felt more at ease in a place as wild and untamed as the Everfree forest, this didn't mean that she didn't enjoy visit when they came around. She was always very hospitable, and loved to talk and listen to anypony who happen to pay her a visit. But this one time, Zecorra wished that she had been out gathering ingredients for her potions rather then be home when Applejack came knocking angrily oh her door. The second mistake was letting Applejack in and asking what was bothering her.

"...And then he runs off with her! Without ah second word!" Applejack's rant with Zecorra went on even longer then hers with Twilight.

"You don't say…" Zecorra sat across from the troubled earth pony and refilled her own tea for the fifth time, while Applejack barely took a sip out of the one that was offered to her.

"Ah know! And ta top it all off, Sunny went and Introduced 'Rosewood' ta Twilight before me! ME! Like ah'm second fiddle or somethin'!" Applejack continued.

"Yes, very rude, when you put it that way…" Zecorra's tone remained very flat as she took another small sip wondering when this was going to end.

"Which reminds me" Applejack's tone shifted again, calming down a bit as she turned her fill attention to Zeccora. "Twilight said they were comin' by here, did they get here yet?"

"As I tried to say before,
Sunny and the stanger in a hood,
Came for some ingredients to deal with wood,
We had some laughs, then they left and nothing more,
I tried to tell you at an earlier time,
That I couldn't even make a proper rhyme" Zecorra started in, finaly getting more then one line of words out. "I believe they went back to the apple farm-"

"Th' Farm! What didn't ya say that in th' first place!" Applejack jumped from her seat and dashed out the door.

Again, before Zeccora could get even a few words in, the orange farm pony was gone, leaving the Zebra to tend to her poor ears that spent almost two hours listening to the farm mare's troubles. But insisted to finish her rhyme even if no plans NY else was listening. "Perhaps you will see little pony,
That the cloacked stranger means you and your loved one no harm.
But beware your jealousy can lead you astray,
I hope your love can light your way…"

Faster and faster Applejack ran down the dirt road back to the apple farm where she hoped to catch Sunny and Rosewood and finnaly find out what's going on between those two! Her irrational emotions we're spinning out of control, pushing the mare to go as fast as Pinkie when she tried a shot of espresso for the first time! In no time, Applejack made it back to the farm to catch Sunny sitting on the porch with Big Mac and Apple Bloom.

The angered mare marched right up the dirt road and was about to call Sunny by his full name to indicate how angery she was when she saw Granny and the still cloaked Rosewood emerge from the farm house, pictures of apple cider and mugs for all. The scene hurt her. It was a perfect family scene that could have been put on a post card. The only thing that was missing was her. But after seeing how they all laughed and smiled without her, Applejack felt lost and alone. That is, until somepony reached out to her.

"Hey! There ya are!" Sunny appeared beside the defeated looking orange mare, his smile practically glowing on his muzzle. "Ah was wonderin' where ya we're! Rosewood has been dying ta meet ya!"

"Sunny, who th' heck 'is' Woodrose!? Why are ya so close to her!? Ah ain't even heard nothin' bout her till taday, but ya go off with her all over town, intraducin' her ta everypony but me, and ah demand ta know why! " Applejack could still muster enough of internal fire to spit out that much.

"Excuse me…" a faint filly's voice came from in front of the two farmers. Woodrose stood still covered in her cloak, offering Applejack a hoof. "My name is Woodrose. My father was Widdler"

"Widdler?" The name was familiar to Applejack, but when couldn't quite place where she heard it from.

"Right! Remember that carpenter pony I told you about who made my pony puppet's 1000 years ago?" Sunny asked Appleljack, trying to jog her memory.

"Yeah, ah remember now" Applejack couldn't forget the pony who Sunny treated like an older brother.

"Well, I'm his daughter, which Sunny insists on treating me like a neice" the mare explained. "I've been hunting down the rouge pony puppet all over Equestria, and rumors lead me to Ponyville. That's where I found Sunny. He explained to me everything, well, at least everything about you and the pony puppets."

"He did?" Applejack raised a brow.

"Yeah! He's told me all sorts of things about you, like all the adventures you have gone on, and all the bad guys you took on. It's super cool." The filly's voice started to spark and random clicks came from underneath her hood.

"Well, ugh, thanks" Applejack said, rubbing the back of her head, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I wanted to introduce you to her earlier, but… well… Woodrose is alot like me. That is, she's kinda different then most ponies in Equestria..." Sunny tried to find the words.

Before Applejack could ask what that meant, Woodrose pulled back her cloak and showed the confused farm pony.

Applejack looked onto the filly in awe, not 100% sure of what she was looking at. Woodrose was properly named, because it seemed her entire body was made of wood! She was a giant talking, moving pony puppet! Her body appeared to even be made of Rose wood, her joints were metal like the other pony puppets, but more sturdy, her light blue eyes were like glass doll's eyes. Her crimson mane looked real, but somepony who's hung around Rarity long enough could tell you they were synthetic fibers cut and straitened to resemble a mane. But the thing that caught Applejack's attention the most was a bright glowing gem at the center of her chest. The color of the gem seemed to match her eyes in both color and a slight glow.

"My story's a bit of a long one, but I'm more then happy to share it with you and your family" Woodrose smiling face moved from Applejack to the rest of the Apple family back in the porch.

"Ah hope ya don't mind us runnin' off earlier" Sunny adjusted his hat nervously. "It's just… most ponies were frightened by WoodRose's appearance, and ah didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. That's when ah thought meeting back at th'farm would be the best bet. It's away from most ponies and Woodrose can get ta know th' family."

Applejack started to feel silly, and ashamed, when she wondered something. "But why did ya need ta go ta Twilight's castle, first, and Zeccora's hut?"

"We needed to do some research on the Timberwolves" Woodrose explained further. "See, when I found out about the pony puppets coming to life after what happened on nightmare night years ago, I thought it best to do research on the Timberwolves themselves."

"And who else better to ask then Twilight and Zecorra" Sunny added in.

"And the stuff ya got from Zecorra?" Applejack questioned again.

"It's a type of hurb that growd deep in the Everfree near the Den of the timberwolves. We were using it to trap them" Sunny pulled some out from under his Stetson and showed it to Applejack.

"So… ya'll were just roundin' up them pesky critters?" Applejack asked, her cheeks growing even redder then before when she realized she was being foolish.

"I wanted to help make things right" Sunny admitted. "After all, this whole mess is kinda mah fault. But ah also wanted to introduce her to th' rest of th' family. Let her meet ponies who, ugh, have experience with odd ponies."

Applejack felt as low as she possibly could at this point. Everything she had been paranoid about, was just her overactive mind running away with her. Lowering her head and looking up at Sunny, Applejack asked Sunny in a low and hushed voice "mind if ah talk to ya for ah moment alone? Ah won't take too long."

Sunny could tell something was wrong and nodded. "Woodrose, why don't you go back to th' house. We'll be along shortly."

"Ok, I'll hold off telling my story until you guys get there!" Woodrose smiled and ran back to rejoin the Apple family.

Sunny and Applejack had a long heart to heart, filled with many apologizes for the conclusions she radically jumped to. After hearing all she had to say, about how she acted at Twilight's and Zeccora's, Sunny admitted it was probably best that she go back and apologize to them as well, tomorrow that is. The sun had set and most ponies would be settling down for dinner, Sunny also pointed out that he heard Granny ringing the dinner bell just a few moments ago.

Just as Sunny was about to challenge Applejack to a race back home, with the loser doing the dishes, he paused and looked at her. He smiled gently at her as he told her in a tender tone "Applejack, you don't have to ever worry about anypony else replacing you in my heart. You are the only special somepony for me. Trust me like I trust you."

That made her feel better but also slightly guilty. "Ah trust you.. it's just… ah don't know what ah was thinking."

Putting his for head to hers, Sunny added "it's ok. I got jealous when Alister was here the time before last and everypony was head over hooves for him. But I never want to make you feel like that. You are the only mare for me."

Applejack did feel better after hearing that, still guilty, and probably would look for a way to make it up to Sunny and Woodrose, as well as Twilight and Zecorra for talking their ears off. But for now, they needed to get back home before Big Mac helped himself to their supper.

"Race ya home!" Applejack declared then began running off, leaving Sunny in the dust.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Sunny smiled as he raced after Applejack.

"Ain't cheatin' till ah tell ya loser has ta clean out the gutters!" Applejack through out the conditions.

"Yer on!" Sunny yelled as he began to steadily catch up, forcing Applejack to kick it into high gear.

Unfortunately, the winner couldn't be determined, but the next day, both ponies we're happy to work together to clean out the gutters.