Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Masquerade Gala part 1

"Rarity, if ah'm being completely honest…" Sunny started to say as he looked at himself in a three directional fitting room mirror, wearing a suit Rarity had fashoned for him for the gala. "I must say, ah don't think ah've ever looked this snazy!"

The suit was black (of course), accented with a green bow tie and matching green vest, both of which matched Sunny's eyes. The jacket of the tuxido was a notched lable, with the back end being strait cut. Rarity had suggested one with a tailcoat, but Sunny thought it looked funny. Pants were optional, but Sunny went with them, but decided against the shoes. Most ponies preferred to dance with shoes so their hooves didn't ache afterwards, but after working on the farm so long, everything of Sunny's had toughened, even the bottoms of his hooves. The last bit of the tuxido that pulled it all togeather were the cufflinks, which Rarity was asked to fashion the buttons to have a symbol of an apple, much like the apple on his Stetson hat.

"Why thank you, Sunny" Rarity started, looking over him checking for any slight alterations she would need to make. "I'll admit it isn't like what you must have had 1000 years ago. After the Crystal Empire returned and the girls and I went to help them by researching in the library, I came across several books I had to check out on fasion of their, ah-hem, 'modern' times. It all was very inspirational, but a lot of it for the males seemed rather…"

"Dorky looking?" Sunny finished her sentence for the fasionista, remembering how the formal wear looked when Sunny had to dress for such occasions. Odd frilly outfits that were puffy around the shoulders, with at least five different colors of clothing that had no reason to be sown anywhere near each other. Sunny dreaded having to attend formal gatherings because of such things.

Rairty couldn't help but laugh lightly at Sunny's statement. "Yes, well… things were different back then."

"We'll look at you, Mr. snazzy!" Applejack stood with her back against the door way, checking Sunny out from several different angles, thanks to the fitting room mirror.

Sunny was shocked for a moment, then relaxed and smiled back at the freckled farm mare. "You like?"

"Ah very much do" Applejack said as she walked up to him, grabbed him by his jacket collar, and pulled him in for a quick kiss. When they separated, Sunny looked into her deep emerald colored eyes, and gave her a slightly longer kiss.

The back and forth kissing could have gone on for hours, if not for the awkward way Rarity cleared her throat, letting the couple know they weren't exactly alone. When the couple separated, they blushed lightly. Rarity then took hold of the situation "Sunny, Why don't you go ahead and undress in the other room, and delicately put your tuxedo in one of the boxes in there. The gala may be tomorrow, but it would be a shame if something were to happen to it the day before.

"As for you, miss kissy face" Rarity pushed Applejack up onto a stool to help work around her. "We have some more work to do on 'your' dress."

With that, Rarity shoed Sunny out, not wanting him to see Applejack before the big night. As Sunny began to walk down the hallway towards the room Rarity instructed him to change out in, Something caught his eye.

On a small table in front of a large mirror was a music box. The box itself Sunny didn't connect with, but the images on the box had been used for over 1000 years. They were symbolic illustrations of mares in ballroom dresses dancing with royal guards. It was another royal ball, the Knight's Ball, where mares could ask out and dance with any of the Royal guard who they pleased. This was back when the royal guard was exclusively for stallions. Sunny had taken part in it several times, each mare who danced with him were very sincere and courteous, but none really stuck out. Then a fadded memory started to emerge from the darkest corner of Sunny's mind…

"Once upon
A winter's Eve
My mind burns to remember,
What happened
Why can't I
Seem to recall…"

Just like that, a gentle song began to stir as Sunny saw himself no longer in Rarity's Boutique, but rather a beautiful castle of gold, white and purple. A wide ballroom lined with thick marble pillars was set for a long evening of dancing and celebrating.

(https://youtu.be/e2YF34XlfzU)

"I see ponies
From near and far
Come to see the one who escapes me!

"Winds blow cold over
Lands of ice and snow
But fire in my mind seeks the light!

"Over 1000 years ago
But still so close in my mind!
Things I'm trying to remember!

"All the pieces gathered in my mind
What stone is left unturned!?

"What more still do I need to find
All to feel whole again
What piece am I still missing!?
What do I need to remember?

"Ponies come from near and far
All to see what I can't see

"1000 years ago
Memories engulfed in a shadowy ember!
Things I'm trying to remember!

"And somepony
I hold dear…

"Once upon a winter's Eve.…."

As Sunny's song came to an end, and the yellow unicorn became aware that he was lost in his own song and thoughts. A moment later, he recognized a reflection of a familiar and friendly face appeared in the reflection of the mirror.

"That was a nice song" Twilight said softly, not wishing to offend the yellow unicorn.

"Thank you" Sunny simply stated, slightly embarrassed. "Ugh… how long have you been standing there?"

Twilight approached him and the stand that held the music box on top of it. As she ran a hoof over it, she lifted the box and the same melody Sunny had been singing to began to play. "Long enough to see something is really bothering you, no matter how much you try and forget about it."

After giving up keeping secrets from his friends, Sunny poured his worries out to Twilight. "My father was telling the truth about my mother's betrayal. About her saying he was a monster and I an abomination that needs to be locked away. But then why do I want to see her so badly? Why do I feel like with that missing part of my mind retrieved that I feel like I'm whole again!?

"There are ponies who have gone on to write history who never even knew their parents" Sunny sighed heavily as he shut the music box. "So why am I clinging to it? Shouldn't I be happy? I have friends, a new family, a home, the mare of my dreams, yet…. I'm missing something… should anything else matter? And if I find my mother, what if she reveiled me to the princesses? What if she insists on the previous fate she wished for me?"

"That won't happen" Twilight put a hoof on Sunny, desperately reaching out to reassure him. "I know princess Celestia and Princess Luna would never do something like that. They would take you and everything you have done into consideration.

"You aren't some monster, Sunny" Twilight stated, drawing Sunny to look her in the eye. "When you stood on trial at my castle I wasn't sure what to make of you. I didn't think you were bad, but you did allot of things to help yourself hide who you were. Lying, getting others to lie for you, tricking your friends."

"Gee Twilight, are ya Gunna be mah defence attorney at my next trial?" Sunny half joked, trying to break the tension.

"But then you showed your true colors, and helped ponies again and again" Twilight softened her stone face. "If not for you, all of Ponyville, maybe all of Equestria would be statues by now. But you stopped Charming Knightmare. You also brought three different groups of creatures together and freed alot of ponies from an evil spell."

"Yeah, that my own father put on them" Sunny sighed , eyes falling to the floor. "Let's also not forget that I also put several ponies in the hospital with dark magic because I got angry. Not to mention Applejack. And if not for you, she's still be suffering because of me."

"True… But I wouldn't have been able to help them without your help" Twilight added. "Besides, those guys kinda had it coming. They used to bully Fluttershy."

"Wow, they did have it coming" Sunny chuckled a little, Twilight earning a smile from him.

Smiling back at her friend, Twilight captured his gaze again. "You aren't a monster. You are very powerful, and you need to learn to control that power. But you're no more evil than anypony else. The princesses will see that."

"Sides, ain't no pony's gunna get to ya" Applejack stepped out from the shadows and joined her friend and Coltfriend. "Not so long as ah have any say. And that goes for th' entire Apple family too! That's ah lot of ponies backing ya up so ya'll can stop worryin'."

"Your friends are there too" Twilight added. "You made good friends with alot of ponies from town and the Crystal Empire. I know any one of them would stand beside you and vouch for you."

Alot had changed from the way things were 1000 years ago. It's a new life. A new Equestria. Twilight and Applejack were right, Sunny had nothing to fear from the princesses, his mother, or anypony else. He was just a pony, like anypony else. So long as he had his friends beside him, there wasn't anything he couldn't accomplish.

"Guess there isn't anything to do but wait until tomorrow, when I see my mother at the gala" Sunny stated with a half smile.

"Sorry, I have to interrupt this touchy moment, but there are someponies down stairs here to see you, Sunny" Rarity appeared looking slightly concerned. "They said you gave them some marrital advice, and wanted to thank you?"

Sunny had often gave advice to ponies, but couldn't remember giving marital advice to anypony in specific. "Oh? Well ah better do th' neighborly thing an' see them."

"And while you do that, Applejack, Dear, mind giving me a hoof with something?" Rarity with a sly smile and a wink, leaving Applejack slightly confused and concerned. But the apple farmer had learned to just roll with Rarity's surprises, which, Applejack could tell this was one of them. Sunny left the two mares to their business while he went downstairs to see this couple he supposedly helped.

After turning the corner, Sunny was shocked to see the tall grey mare reporter standing there looking at one of Rarity's dresses. He recognized her immediately as the mare from the train. The one who pursued him along with that dark, gloomy looking stallion she was with. Taking a deep breath to keep his cool, Sunny kept in mind that this mare never met Sunny, so it's best to pretend that he didn't know her. Approaching her, Sunny shot her a sincere smile and asked "are you looking for anything in particular miss? The owner of the shop is a friend of mine, I might be able to help you."

"I know you can" the mare turned and looked at the yellow unicorn, returning the smile. "It's been a while, Black Knight."

Sunny's heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he looked around and found they were the only two ponies in the shop, but still, Sunny wasn't used to ponies calling him that.

"I can't believe I ran into 'the' Black Knight and didn't even know it" a stallion's voice commented as a dark grey pony stepped out of nowhere. It was the gloomy looking stallion the grey mare had been traveling with.

'Where did he come from!?' Sunny asked hismelf, then realized he had been quiet for too long. After taking a deep breath, Sunny calmed himself down and turned to the tall, grey mare. "So what is it you want from me? Did you two talk out whatever was bothering you?"

"We did" the mare answered as the stallion kept one eye out for anypony who might walk in on them and another on Sunny. "And I'd first like to thank you for your help."

"Your welcome" Sunny wanted to throw a smile at them, but didn't. "But something tells me ya ain't here just ta thank me."

"You're right" the mare started to say as she pulled out a cleaning cloth and began to wipe the smudges of her glasses. After placing them back in place on her muzzle, the mare shot Sunny a small but kind smile. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is White Out. And my husband over there is Thunder Veil."

Looking over at the dark coated stallion with the deep dark green eyes, Sunny nodded in scinc with him. The yellow stallion then noticed little sparks coming off of Thunder's horn. Something about it was very familiar. He had seen a condition like that before, but it was a long time ago.

"Anywho" White Out reeled Sunny's attention back to her. "I'd like to thank you further and help 'you' by becoming your official photographer and reporter."

Sunny raised a brow at the mare. "Oh? And how would that benefit me exactly?"

"Think of it this way" White started to explain. "The Crystal Empire took the pressure off trying to find you, but quite a few reporters are still looking for you. They want to know who the Black Knight is, what's his angle, where he came from. You're still very much a mystery to all of Equestria, despite the stories ponies come up with."

"Comics book interpretations too" Thunder added, his horn slightly sparking again.

"EXACTLY!" White Out spoke up, excitement bubbling up inside her. "So let me interview you and get the 'real' story of the mysterious Black Knight, and show all of Equestria you aren't some bringer of doom, the next Tirek or Chrysalis wanting to destroy or conquer Equestria, that you actually are a nice guy. Just a regular pony out doing little good deeds wherever he can."

"What makes you think I do good deeds'?" Sunny raised his brow.

"Other then helping us" The reporter mare nodded for her husband.

The dark stallion then pulled out a notebook and began flipping through the pages. "We talked with several ponies trying to learn a little bit about you. Sunny from Ponyville, not the Black Knight. We told them it was for a news article, not technically lying. We have multiple reports of you running around town reconnecting friends and family, helping the elderly, and even you and your friends saving the entire town from some evil unicorn."

Sunny realized he and his frinds did have quite a few adventures, but he didn't think he did anything more then anypony else did to help one another. But thinking it over, it might be a good idea if everypony got the 'real' story about him, his friends… his father…

"Alright, you two have a deal" Sunny smiled as he tipped his Stetson. White out smiled widly at her husband who shared her enthusiasm and excitement. "Under a few conditions."

"We understand, that's no problem. We just ask that you tell us the truth" White Out started. "And if you can't tell us something or want to keep it to yourself, you have every right. But do give us something to work with. Now, where is that assistant of mine?"

Just then a brightly colored bird flew in an open window and landed next to White Out, an odd looking box hanging around his neck. It was a mixture of dark and light blues that seem to meld togeather and flow. It looked up at Sunny and said "Please speak clearly, otherwise-"

"Well golly gee! Look at that! Your pet bird can talk!" Sunny had never seen something like it. There was so much the yellow unicorn had not seen that came about in the last 1000 years. Machines, pictures, Machines that project moving pictures and now talking birds!

"PET!?" The bird's tone sounded more then a little flustered, his wings folded to look like arms, what could be considered hands curved into knuckles on his hips as he glared at Sunny.

"Feza is actually my assistant" White Out quickly interrupted before things really got worse. "He's a bird of paradise, beautiful and smart enough to learn and comprehend our language of speech."

"That's right" Feza snapped and poked his wing at Sunny. "I'm a serious journalist's assistant. And as such, I deserve a fair amount of respect."

"Oh, ugh, sorry there fella" Sunny felt a little embarrassed, and tried to think of a way to just move forward. "Ugh, so what is this thing?"

Feza noticed Sunny pointing to his recorder. "It records what you say, but you need to speak loudly and clearly."

Looking to White Out, Feza asked if she was ready. The grey mare pulled out a list she had on a notepad, looked it over with the paper inches from her muzzle, cleared her throat, then nodded for her assistant to start the recording. Once the machine started recording, White out turned to Sunny and began her interview.

"So, Mr.Black Knight, tell us your story" the reporter started. "Where did you come from? What is your real name? Why come to Ponyville? What are your ultimate goals? Tell us your story."

Taking a deep breath, Sunny stated back and thought back to the very beginning. "My real name is Solggiato, Solggiato Cavaliere, but my friends call me Sunny. And to answer your questions I need to start back at the beginning of my tale;

"It all started back 1000 years or so ago, when I returned home from a far away adventure. Home, the Crystal Empire…."