Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Mother-Sunny-Bonging day!

Sunny had been staring into the magical mirror his mother gave him for what seemed like hours. The same magical mirror that he walked through in the past and magically ended up in his mother's secret room up in Canterlot. The gift was given to him to close the space between him and his mother, giving them a chance to grow closer while still maintaining their life styles. But on this day, Sunny was nervous to walk through it.

"You ok Sugercube?" Appeljack asked, standing at his doorway.

Turning to face his marefriend, Sunny sighed. He knew he couldn't lie to her even if he tried. Some invisible force that burned deep inside of him made Summy want to share the truth with her all the time. This time, though, he wondered if it was the right thing to do. "I'm … worried, Applejack. Worried I might… I might embarrass her…"

"Embarrass her? Who? Yer mom?" Applejack raised a brow in confusion.

"Yes…" Sunny's answer and tone for the entire conversation was refined and to a point, stoic, as if forcing himself to speak clearly in royal court.

Applejack knew Sunny only spoke like that when he felt he needed to and was no longer relaxed. "What makes ya think that?"

Looking away from her, Sunny replied in a low tone "she wants to show me around Canterlot, all day practically. Parading around with her son like it was just an average thing."

Still a little confused, Applejack asked "what's th' matter with that?"

"I know what kind of ponies are up in Canterlot, Applejack…" Sunny stated as he turned around and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "They'll take one look at me, and think my mother raised some… some country bumpkin."

The words struck Applejack hard. She had heard ponies refer to her and her family as many hurtful thing before in the past, even worse then a 'country Bumpkin'. But hearing the words escaped Sunny's lips, stung worse then all the rest of the insults put togeather.

"Well… do what ya gotta do…" was all Appeljack could say as she faught back the tears. A new feeling overcame the orange mare. She began to wonder if she was good enough for Sunny, a prince of Equestria.

"Yeah…I suppose I should…" was all Sunny could think to say as he took his apple family stetson hat off, looked at it for a moment, wondering if this was the right thing to do. Then placed it on the edge of his bed before stepping through the magical mirror to meet his mother for a day of mother-son bonding.

When he was gone, Applejack calmly walked into her room, shut and locked the door behind her and began to cry as she fell onto her haunches, hating herself for the first time in years, wishing she was good enough for him. Wondering if Sunny didn't deserve better.

'Today's the day!' Princess Celestia all but galloped for joy around her secret bedroom. She had been looking forward to her Mother-son day with Sunny for weeks now, ever since they worked out the time and details in their back and forth letters. She almost pulled a Twilight and scheduled the whole day, but decided on just picking a few things she knew her son would like, based on things they've talked about in their letters. 'We're finnaly going to get to act like a mother and son, not princess and prince. Just a mare and her young colt. But he isn't a colt anymore! Remember Celestia, he's a grown stallion who will be treated with the respect he deserves!'

Before Celestia could go back and forth with herself more in her head, Sunny stepped through the magical mirror. She smiled when she saw him, and calmed herself down. As Sunny finished emerging from the mirror, his eyes opened and he smiled at his mother. "Hey Mom, you ready to have some fun on our mother-son-bonding-day?"

"You bet" Celestia answered cheerfully, but since immediately that something was different with her son. He wasn't like he was when she last saw him. But she chalked it up to her excited jitters. Motherly instincts kicked in as Princess Celestia asked a queagion that all mothers have asked their children since time began "Did you eat breakfast?"

"I didn't, actually" In his worry, Sunny skipped his usual morning routine with the rest of the Apples of eating breakfast togeather. An image of Applejack and the last time he saw her flared in his mind. She looked so sad. Was he wrong for speaking his mind to her on such a touchy subject? He would have to make it up to her when he got back. Right now, he had to put on a happy face and enjoy the time he spent with his mother. Time and experiences that Sunny amd Celestia never got to enjoy before.

"How about I make you breakfast?" Celestia chimmed in a sweet tone, practically glowing. "I make a mean stack of pancakes."

Seeing how happy his mother was pushed the sad image of Applejack out of Sunny's mind for a short while, but it lingered just on the boarder of his mind. Her stone face that possibly faught back the pain, the eyes that were watery, but held back tears. 'I think I need to talk to her when I get back…'

Princess Celestia was right, she did make a mean stack of pancakes. Five pancakes stacked with just enough butter to be absorbed between each layer, topped with whipped cream, strawberries and blue berries organized into a happy face, with warm syrup on the side. Princess Celestia had asked the entire kitchen staff to take the day off so she could forfill one of her mother based dreams; cooking her son breakfast. Celestia was practically skipping as she lead Sunny out of her secret bedroom, down a few hallways, and into the kitchen.

Sunny didn't know if it was the pancakes themselves or seeing his mother act so… well, like any other mother should, but the atmosphere felt so normal. So natural. Almost like a breakfast with the Apples. He envied every colt and filly who received this treatment regularly before rushing off to school, hastily chomping down their meals, not even taking in all the serenity of their breakfast. 'Maybe Applejack would like ta join us next time.'

The thought quickly popped into Sunny's head, using his accented voice. But Sunny quickly pushed it away as his mother took a seat across from him, with her own plate of pancakes, identical to his. The table they had sat down at was a small, round wooden one that a pony would expect to see in any regular household. It was probably brought into the kitchen for the soul purpose of their breakfast. Sunny normally didn't like any special treatment, but he smiled at the notion. 'Just like ah regular family…'

There was his accented voice again!

"So today I had several things planned for us, but I wanted to go over them with you and see what 'you' wanted to do" Celestia smiled as she put her eating utensils down, levitating a napkin up to her muzzle and whipped away the small bits of syrup. While she cleaned herself up a little, she levitated a small scroll over to Sunny, who took it in his own magical aura amd began skimming over it.

There were quite a few things on the list, and sadly alot of the suggestions had the two of them out in public. 'What if ah embarrass her? If ah can't get mah accent under control? What if somepony from Ponyville shows up, especially one of mah friends and ah can't control how ah talk!?'

"Is everything alright, Sunny?" Celestia asked, peering at him from across the table, some slight concern in her eyes, worrying if all the activities she came up with weren't to his liking.

"Oh, ugh, no. I mean yes." Sunny quickly corrected himself, making sure to speak clearly and without his accent. "I just was… in deep thought. You know, I've never really seen all of Canterlot castle. How about we start with a tour?"

Easily sencing something was wrong, Celestia paused and studied her son. But after years of guiding young minds, she knew better then to press a colt for information. 'If he wants to talk, he'll talk. Just give him time.' "Alright. If that is what you want. But finish up your breakfast first."

After they finished eating, Sunny had to fight against the urge to clean the dishes himself. He kept telling himself that most princes didn't clean their own dishes, and managed to push himself away from the sink and walked out of the kitchen with his mother.

"Lets begin our tour here" Princess Celestia told her son, motioning with her hoof at the dinning hall.

Sunny stepped out of the kitchen and was instantly amazed by the stained glass windows surounding the dinning hall. Beautiful in structure and meaningful in message. There was one that Sunny recognized depicting the battle between Nightmare Moon and Applejack and her friends. The one next to that had deviant image of Discord with strings appearing above ponies who were being soaked by what appeared to be chocolate rain, next to that one was a window made of darker colored glass, depicting the Changeling Queen Chrysalis and her army. But not all the stained glass images were about the villains that Applejack and the other elements of harmony faced. There were stained glass windows depicting simpler things such as the moon, the sun and the stares. But on the opposite side of the hall where the villainous stained glass windows were stained glass images of Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Cadence, Sunny's aunt Luna and of course Sunny's own mother.

"Beautiful, just beautiful" Sunny spoke carelessly, then stopped himself before he said anything else. He heard a faint hint of his accent and focused to correct his speech before the words left his lips. "Ugh, it must have taken a while to create such amazing glass windows."

Stepping up next to him, Celestia told her son "actually, my sister and I can do it with ease, thanks to a spell Star-Swirl taught us over 1000 years ago. I could show you some time how to do it."

Smiling at his mother, Sunny nodded "I'd like that."

The tour lead Celestia and Sunny out of the dinning hall, down several winding corridors, where Celestia stopped and showed Sunny a piece of art, an artifact, or tapestry that held a bit of interesting history behind it. Sunny was amazed at how much history he had missed in his 1000 year slumber. After Celestia and Sunny left the winding hallways, Sunny was reintroduced to the library where he and the other Guardians and Elements were told his parents story. The room next to the library was a restricted section specifically for unicorns who were granted access to it by Celestia herself. For the next part of their tour, Celestia lead her son out of the castle and into the garden, a place Sunny remembered from the galla. This time, though, it felt more peaceful, more relaxed, less like something was going to pop out of nowhere and attack you.

As Sunny walked into the garden, taking notice of the many different types of plants growing in it, as well as the many kinds of odd looking insects and animals that made the garden their home, he accidently kicked something with his dominant hoof. The item was hard, but softer then a rock. Loomong at the item in queagion, Sunny was a little shocked by what he saw.

It was an apple.

It didn't take Sunny long to figure out where it had come from. Right infront of him was a large apple tree, full of ready to buck, red, juicy apples. On impulse, he almost turned his back to it and bucked the tree's base to shake loose the ripe red fruit. But remember where he was and not wanting to embarrass his mother infront of anyponys watching, Sunny held back his bucking instincts.

"It's funny that you would come across that tree." Celestia appeared next to her son, her eyes gazing at the tall, apple filled tree. "The pony who gave me that tree as a sapling was Granny Smith's father. He gave it to me for the garden as a thank you for helping them find a place for him and his family to settle down."

"I remember Granny Smith telling that story" Sunny said, struggling still to keep his accent at bay. "Granny also talked about how she discovered Zap Apples not long after they settled down there."

"The Apple Family certainly do have a rich family history" Celestia tore her eyes away from the tree and smiled at her son. "Perhapse that is what drew you to them. They're all good ponies. Honest, noble, giving, and all very close. A family I couldn't give you, but one you deserve."

Nudging his head against his mother, Sunny tried to remind her he was there with her and shared no ill feelings towards how they had to be. "I'm here now, and so are you, and so it your sister… and Father will come around."

The thought of Sombra erased Celestia's smile from her muzzle, and a sharp wound reopened in her heart. She wanted to share a normal Family too, but the love of her life was still out of her hooves reach. "I don't know about that, Sunny."

"Trust me" Sunny nudged his mother again, getting her to look him in the eye, he beamed his bravado to her. "I'll knock some sence into him. He'll come around and we can all be one big, happy family"

Seeing the confidence her son had, Celestia couldn't help but smile again. "There isn't much of the castle left to explore. Why don't we hit the town? We can go sight seeing, visit the spa, there are a few antique stores you may want to check out."

The nervousness Sunny felt earlier had returned to him, but he had to put on a strong face for his mother. He had kept his accent hidden thus far, how bad could seeing a few sights and checking out a few antique stores be?

When Sunny and his mother left the castle, they were kept under constant surveillance by two unicorn guards both infront and behind them, maintaining a distance of 10 yards on both sides, meanwhile 3 pegasus guards kept an eye on them from the air. It was doubtful that anypony or any creature would actually try something, but it was standard procedure to keep the princess and a special guest safe. Other then the guards around them and ponies who dropped and bowed to Sunny and his mother, the walk was actually rather casual. It was a nice day, the temperature outside was a nice 70 degrees, the sun was high over head without a cloud in the sky, and Sunny had not yet embarrased his mother.

"Here we are" Celestia announced as she stopped infront of a large, older looking building. Most of the newer buildings in Canterlot city were white and purple to match the castle, but this one appeared to have been red brick that was recently spraypainted white. The name of the place hung adjacent from the wall on a wooden placard, 'Antiques and aquired things'. "The old owner just retired, but this is still the most famous antique store in Canterlot. It has things from Canterlot's early years. I've never been in here, though. Would you like to go inside?"

Looking to his mother, Sunny saw how excited she was to spend time with him doing something HE himself enjoyed doing with the Apples whenever they went out of town. Antique stores were always fun for them to visit, all the Apples being so knowlageful of older things, amd Sunny so eager to learn about them. Sunny had written to his mother all about the stores they visited which must have given her the idea. She seemed just as excited to go inside as she was teaching him about the castle. How could he say no?

Fighting back his accent, Sunny smiled at his mother. "That sounds like fun. So, you've never been in there before?"

The two walked into the store after two unicorn guards entered ahead of them to make sure it was safe. The other unicorn guards waited outside and stopped other ponies from entering, while the pegusus guards kept a look out from the rooftops.

"I'm afraid not. And I feel some what bad about it. Especially since the previous owner retired recently. I forgot who the new owners were-" Princess Celestia told her son, before a pair of yellow stallions popped up out of nowhere.

"Welcome to Flim and Flam's Treasure trove!" A yellow unicorn with a red mustache declared as he flashed a smile at both Sunny and his mother.

"And we hope you two have a-" Flim was about to continue with their welcoming routine when he paused, realizing who had entered their shop. The thin yellow unicorn claimed up quickly, his voice shrank as he pulled his hat to cover the top half of his face in a desperate attempt to hide himself. "Ugh… w-welcome to our shop."

Flam's expression dulled like his brother and they both retreated back behind their counter trying to relax their nerves by hidding behind news papers. But their nerves betrayed them as their hooves shook their newspaper shields almost enough to shake the letters right off the pages. Flam gathered the last of his courage to look up over his paper and tell Sunny and princess Celestia "If there is anything you need, please, let us know."

"We will be glad to help" Flim added, the life drained from his voice as well.

Sunny didn't care much for the con artist twins, but seeing them as they were now didn't sit right with him. They may have tried to steal the Apple family farm, but deep down, there was still a part of Sunny that didnt like seeing anypony in a state the Flim Flam brothers were in. Deep down, Sunny wanted to help them. 'There must be a place where they belong. Someplace far, far away from Sweet Apple acres. Someplace where they can put their showmen ship to good use without, well, scamming ponies.'

As Celestia and Sunny started their little adventure, looking around, Celestia pointed out a few items of interest to Sunny, telling stories linking her to them. Mostly pictures that were in black and white or brown and white from the passing of time, but there were a few commemorative statues and placards with her image on them.

"I remember this day" Celestia chimmed in again, stopping at another case of misalanious items. Sunny looked to see what his mother had stopped at. It appeared to be an old photo of herself infront of a large school with a good two dozen or so unicorn fillies and colts. A cheerful unciorn mare with her mane done up in a bun, held up a sign that read 'Gifted Unicorns, First class'.

"It was so much fun teaching them, when I could" Celestia stated as she looked down at the picture, levitating the framed picture infront of her. "They all were so eager to learn and master their unicorn magic. Not a bad one in the bunch."

"With you as their teacher, I'm sure they all went on to become great wizards or leaders of some kind" Sunny stated, smiling at his mother.

"Actually, only one went on to become a wizard" Celestia lowered the photo to show her son. "The one on the top right, Bright Horizon. He went on to travel across Equestria like Starswirl did. He wrote a few books. I have copies in my personal library. The filly next to him here actually went on to become the first mare captain of the royal guard, Captain Dazzle Flair. And next to her was Swizzle Stick, she invented the first dual flavor candy cane. The filly next to her is Drizzle, she got married, became a stay at home mother, married her school yard sweet heart and had five foals of their own. Three of them went to the school-"

"Five foals!?" Sunny was shocked to hear that, his accent peaked into his speech as his tone shot up. But he quickly gathered himself amd cleared his throat, returning to his inside, refined speaking tone. "What I mean, is, she didn't become somepony who used her magic to become great?"

"Being a mother was her dream" Celesfia went on to explain. "Even as a filly, she dreamed of having many foals, and one day many grandfoals. I was present at her family's last great gathering. She met her twelve grandfoals, seven of them were just starting to have foals of their own. Seeing how big her family was, how well they treated eachother, and how close they all still were, warmed her heart. She had completed her dream and realized she had done her job as a mother…"

Celestia hesitated for a moment as a small tear gathered at the corners of her eyes, but never fell. "I have to say… I'm a little envious. I wish I could have just been there for my one son. You. When you needed me."

Putting a hoof around hers and patting it in an attempt to comfort his mother, Sunny looked up into his mother's eyes. When their eyes met, Celestia felt the warmth and love in his eyes, eyes that were so much like his father's. "We're here now. And we have the rest of our lives to be there for one another. I'm not perfect, and I'll still need you there some times. But more importantly, I want you there, in my life. One day, you'll have grandfoals too, you know."

The thought was so warm and bubbly, that Celestia had to fight back a small prance as she giggled. "You and Applejack thinking about foals already? It's a little hard for a mother to take in."

"Ugh, well…" Sunny scratched his head. He normally would readjust his stetson hat, but with it being back at the farm, a small nervous scratch on his head was all he could do while he gathered his thoughts. "We talked about it after Cadence had Flurry Heart. You know, for way, way, waaaay down the road."

"Not too far down, I hope" Celestia winked at her son.

"Ugh, so what about these other students of yours" Sunny dodged any further talking about foals bringing his mother's attention back to the picture before them.

After going through all the fillies and colts who were in Celestia's first class of her school for Gifted unciorns, Sunny decided he wanted to buy it. He could show the Apples later and share with them the stories his mother passed onto him. As they were leaving, Sunny noticed a rack of pamphlets. They were advertising all kinds of places to see in Equestria, the great Hoofer dam, the Rainbow falls, Ponyville of course, and one more thing that caught his eye. Levitating the pamphlet up to take a closer look. Sunny quickly skimmed it over, then began talking back and forth with his mother, never speaking above a whisper as he and Celestia looked up from the pamphlet to Flim and Flam, who still stood behind the counter, still, this time pretending to wipe down the counter top and dust the items behind them.

"Brother of mine" Flim finnaly spoke through his teeth, afraid to talk above a whisper himself or make it appear that he was talking.

"Yes, brother of mine" Flam answered, mimicking his brother's discretion.

"I believe we have the worst luck in Equestria" Flim noted, dreading the day they decided to buy this store from the old mare.

"I believe you are right, brother" Flam replied, glancing slightly up at Sunny and his mother. "Do you think we'll get shut down?"

"If we aren't tossed back in prison…" Flim answered honestly. Both of their hearts sank at the thought.

Their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably as Celestia and Sunny approached them once again, smiles spread wide on the mother and sons muzzles. Flim and Flam felt like their shaky legs were about to give way when Sunny slapped a pamphlet infront of them. The two brothers paused in their panic attack and looked at what Sunny was presenting to them.

"I think you guys need a vacation" He simply stated. "Why don't you two take a few weeks to relax and enjoy yourselves without thinking about making a sale. You've had it pretty rough for a while."

"I agree with my son" Celestia stated, smiling down at the twins. "I have a friend who can look after the shop while you two are gone. And I'll purchase enough of your items to fund your vacation for the two weeks."

Flim and Flam couldn't believe what they were hearing. Sunny, Applejack's coltfriend, who they knew hated them for trying to bulldoze Sweet Apple Acres, and Princess Celestia, who sentenced them to the IronLock prison, were now giving them a vacation… to Los Pegasus!? A place where ponies went to spend buckets upon buckets of bits on cheap thrills, souvenirs and food! That was their dream! Well, not to stay there as guests, but to open up shop there! Where the bits were ripe for the picking!

The twins exchanged a side glance at eachother, then looked back at Sunny and his mother, not believing what they were hearing, assuming Sunny and the princess were just playing a cruel prank. But after a moment, the Twins broke down and fell to Celestia and Sunny's hooves.

"Oh thank you, merciful princess" Flam stated, kissing her hooves.

"Kind princess!" Flim agreed with his brother, mimicking his actions.

"And forgiving prince!" Flam then threw himself at Sunny's hooves to thank him as well.

"Yes! So forgiving and so kind!" Flim agreed once more.

After several long minutes of the Flim Flam Brothers thanking them, Sunny and his mother left their antique store. Several royal guards would be by later to pick up the items Celestia had purchased to help pay for Flim and Flams vacation, giving Celestia and her son the chance to continue on their mother-son-qualuty-bonding day.

After some window shopping and stopping for some ice cream, Sunny and Celestia decided to head next to the Canterlot spa. Sunny had told his mother how he, Applejack and even Big Mac had gone to the Ponyville spa for deep tissue massages after some specifically hard days on the farm. It was just what the doctor ordered to relax and refresh oneself. Celestia herself had massages on a weekly basis. The pressures of ruling Equestria wore on your body as well as your mind, and a spa day helped to ease the burden. It was nice that Luna was able to join her on her spa days, since her return in the last couple of years. And now, Celestia was able to enjoy it with her son as well.

After a massage, Sunny soaked in a hot tub while his mother enjoyed a hoofacure. The hot water relaxed Sunny so much, he let his guard down, and his accent was released. "Boy, ah sure do feel good 'bout helpin' those Flim Flam brothers, even if they were ah couple of swindlin' varmets who would sell water to ah duck."

"I know what you mean" Celestia stated as she relaxed herself. "That was a good idea to suggest Los Pegasus to them. I have a feeling they might just find their place there."

"Well shoot, if anypony can find peace in ah place like that, it's those two. Why, Ah bet those two won't even wait ah-" Sunny stopped his train of thought, replaying what he had been saying in his head. 'Oh no!'

Sunny frantically looked around and saw the spaw was quite busy that day, with ponies he recognized as being some of the upper crust of Equestria! Not just miss Upper Crust herself, but also Fancy Pants was there, Jet Stream, Hoity Toity, and several ponies Sunny remembered from the galla! All of which sounded so refined, carrying themselves with the airs that Canterlot was known for! 'Oh dang! Ah've done it! Ah've done it now! Ah've ruined mah mother's good image by talkin' like some cowpoke!'

Sunny sank down into the hot tub, wishing that the water would dissolve him and he could just be flushed away, after what he did. Another body entered the hot tub, causing the water to slightly raise, then Sunny felt an invisible force coat him in a gold colored aura, amd levitate him up to the surface.

"Sunny, you want to tell me what's the matter?" Celestia asked, her expression was not one of annoyance or confrontation, but more one shoing she was desperate to understand. "You just started to relax. What's the matter, son?"

It was harder to fight back the tears now, Sunny couldn't look his mother in the eye as he told her in a shaky voice "ah… ah didn't want ta embarrase you or have other ponies look at you like ya messed up in raising me 'couse ah don't speak as refined as you do. So ah've been trying ta talk like ah used to 1000 years ago… but ah guess ah couldn't do that for ya… ah'm sorry mom."

Celestia looked down on her son, slightly disappointed with him, but disappointed gave way as she pulled him into her and embraced him in a hug. "I don't care what other ponies think of me, Sunny. They can say whatever they want. I just want you to he you."

Pulling away from her son for a moment, but still keeping a hoof behind his back, Celestia smiled down at him with a more gentle expression as he wiped under his nose. "You're perfect the way you are. Accent and countryisms and all.

"You're a hard working stallion, who goes out of his way to help others, has strong moral values and strives to always do good. You make me proud to be your mother." Celestia stated, using her free hoof to push up under her son's chin. "Now, promise me you'll never be ashamed of who you are again."

Sniffaling and whipping away a few tears, Sunny nodded and promised under his breath before leaning in and giving his mother a great big hug. The crowd, consisting of both staff members of the spa and rich customers, that had been watching and listening let out a collective 'awwwww'.

When Sunny and Celestia finnaly separated, Celestia couldn't help but notice Sunny still had a troubled look on his muzzle. "Something else, wrong, Sunny?"

"Mom… ah think ah need ta make right by somepony else, too" Sunny admitted, then began to explain to his mother what he did before walking through the mirror earlier….

Back at the farm, the Apples were just finishing up dinner when Applejack heard hoofsteps coming from upstairs in Sunny's room. Her immediate excitement was quickly replaced by a pained heart ache as she remembered her conversation with her coltfriend earlier. Her whole family knew something had happened, but Applejack couldn't bring herself to tell them. It would break their hearts to know that Sunny thought they were embarrassing.

Clearing the table and piling the dishes up by the sink, Applejack didn't notice that there were more hoof steps then just the 4 belonging to Sunny. Her back was to the doorway next to the stairs where Sunny appeared.

"Welcome back!" Apple Bloom cheered and ran up to Sunny.

"Did you'll have ah good time?" Granny asked, a large smile across her muzzle.

"We had ah mighty interesting time" Sunny admitted. "But ah got somethin ta say. Actually, quite ah few things ta say."

Applejack turned and looked at Sunny, her expression hard as a rock and impossible for anypony to read. Well, anypony except for Sunny who could see she had built a brick wall around her heart to hide her feelings.

Sunny held his stetson hat in his hoof as he sheepishly walked into the kitchen. "Ah owe you all ah mighty big appology…"

This caught everypony's attention, all the Apple's eyes were guided to Sunny as he sat back on his haunches and began speaking in a regretful, but firm tone. "See… this mornin' before ah went ta Canterlot, ah thought speakin' the way ah do around ya'll would embarrassing mah mom, so ah left mah hat behind and forced mahself ta talk like ah used ta… an' before ah left, ah told that ta Applejack.

"She knew somethin' was buggin' me, she always knows. And ah stupidly insulted her and ya'll. Ah was bein' ah darn fool…" Sunny paused to look around the room at all the Apples, who were listening and taking in all he had to say, before his eyes locked with Applejacks bright, beautiful green eyes. "Ah don't expect ya ta forgive me. Ah hurt ya pretty bad… but ah mean it, from th' bottom of mah heart when ah say ah'm so sorry. And ah'll never, ever disrespect you, yer family, or way of life ever again…"

The room fell silent as the eyes of Granny Smith, Big Mac, Apple Bloom and even Princess Celestia (who up until then stayed behind in the back ground to give her son room to make his speech) darted from Sunny, to Applejack, back to Sunny, before landing back at Applejack. Everypony felt that the entirety of forgiveness rested with her judgment.

The orange mare broke her stillness by patting her chin and playfully thinking about all he said. "Ah don't know. What do ya'll think? Should we forgive him?"

A smile grew on all the Apple's muzzles when they saw Applejack's relaxed expression.

"Well… ah guess we could" Granny stated playfully, smiling a little.

"He does seem awful sorry" Apple Bloom snickered a little, enjoying the playfulness of thr mood.

"Eh'yep" Big Mac concured, nodding in agreement.

"I've never seen him show so much regret for his actions then when he hurt you, Applejack" Celestia finnaly joined the group, stepping into the kitchen. "And I saw him return from crumbling and Empire into a dessert."

"Ah tried ta reason with them!" Sunny spoke up to defend himself.

"Did ya really do all that!?" Apple Bloom heard Sunny speak about that before, but thought he was just trying to scare some folks.

"Ah kinda want ta hear 'bout that mah'self" Granny chimmed in.

"You have to tell them the story" Celestia smirked.

"Ah'right, ah'right" Sunny waved his hoof, still keeping his stetson hat over one hoof. "But first, Applejack, would ya mind if ah talk to ya alone, fer ah minute?"

A little suprised, Applejack looked over at Granny and Big Mac, who gave her the motion to proceed. Sunny then walked out onto the porch with Applejack, his hat still over his hoof. When the door shut behind them, and Sunny double checked that they were alone, he took in a few breaths before speaking to steady himself. He was feeling nervous and glittery.

"First, ah want ta say ah'm really sorry 'bout this mornin' " Sunny's brave demener melted away into one of a colt who knew he had done wrong.

Applejack's own stone walls crumbled too as tears fell from her eyes. She was so used to keeping her emotions in check, that she didn't know how to speak strait sentences through the tears. "Ah… ah thought ya… like ah wasn't … good enough for ya…"

Swallowing what she was saying, Sunny knew he messed up, big time. His tone was low and forlorn. "Ah'm just so sorry, Applejack… mah mom knew ah wasn't actin' right all day and finnaly asked what was wrong. Ah almost ruined our whole day together makin' her worry. But more importantly, ah hurt you. The most important mare in mah life."

Whipping away the tears, Applejack responded with "maybe one of the two most important mares in yer life. Yer momma should be up there too."

Sunny chuckled at her responce. Seeing him chuckle made Applejack smile. He cleared his throat, then brought up "Did you know yer great grandpappy gave ah sapling apple tree ta mah mom as ah thank you fer showing them ah safe place ta settle down and start their farm?"

"Ah knew 'bout yer mom showing Grannys folks the land where Sweet Apple Acres is now, but ah didn't know Great Grandpappy gave her anything." Applejack was suprised. "How is it? Pretty big, right? How do th' apples taste? Have ya tried 'em?"

"No" Sunny admitted, thinking if he wasn't so worried earlier, he would have thought to grab some for the family. Maybe his mother would let him grab some one of these days, maybe even bring the other Apples to see the tree too!

There was a short silance between Applejack and Sunny after that. But Sunny had something he needed to say. And now was the time.

"Applejack, you make me so happy" Sunny declared gently. "When you're happy, the sun's always shinnin', when ah'm around you, ah feel like ah can do anything. Not alot of folks can make claims ta that."

"Well… ah don't know 'bout all that" Applejack blushed a little, looking away from Sunny.

"Ah do. Applejack, ah may have been born 1000 years ago, but ah never started living till ah met you. Everything else just started ta fall inta place. Friends, family, mah world was coming back together becouse ah had you by mah side. As my friend, as my special somepony, an' ah don't ever want ta let ya go" Sunny put his Stetson hat back atop his head, where it belonged, but held something behind his back, catching the attention and curiosity of Applejack" … I've studied ah little about earthpony customs… and ah hope you take this, an make me the happiest stallion in Equestria…"

Applejack's eyes went wide as Sunny presented her with several small Apple seeds. "These were from the Apple family tree in mah moms garden. Applejack, will you take these seeds an' marry me?"

Tears ran down the edges of Applejack's eyes as she looked from the seeds to Sunny, who was eagerly awaiting her reaponce, flashing his relaxed smile at her. She couldn't move, and didn't want to breath, afraid that this was another dream she was having and she didn't want it to end.

"Applejack?" Sunny finnaly broke the silance after several minutes of Applejack crying as she took it all in. He was begining to panic, thinking she would say no. He started to repeat his proposal "Will you-"

cutting him off, Applejack tacked him to the ground, squeezing him in a tight hug, as if she wanted to sumush them both together. "AH DO! AH DO! AH THOUSAND TIMES AH DO! LETS GET HITCHED!"

Releasing a held breath, Sunny relaxed and wrapped his hooves around his new fiancé, pulling her more into him, nuzzling his muzzle into her mane, taking in her lovely, earthy scent. In that moment, Sunny felt more at peace then he had in a long time. This was true love. Not an emotion that one feels one moment and it's gone the next. But a binding thing that one felt deep in themselves, that lasted even if you were angery at one another. Becouse when you loved somepony, truly loved somepony, even fighting felt like a dance. And eventually the song will end, you two would make up, an begin another dance, hopefully a more gentle one.

Applejack looked up at Sunny, and kissed him. Her soft lips matched perfectly with his own as he returned the affection. The world could have ended around them and they would still be holding eachother in that kiss. Time just seemed to stop for them.

Reluxtantly, Applejack broke the kiss, looked into Sunny's eyes and told him "ah never thought this day would come."

Sunny chuckled and booped her nose. "Ya ain't dreamin'. Ya ready ta make the announcement ta yer family?"

"Ah've been ready fer months" Applejack admitted with a light blush on her cheeks.

"Good, me too" Sunny admitted, helping Applejack up, straitening her hat, and brushing some dirt off her back. As she did the same for him, he remembered something "oh, by the way, mom wanted to learn how to bake a cake. Feel up ta helpin' yer future mother-in-law tie up the day with ah bakin' lesson?"

'Mah mother-in-law is gunna be princess Celestia' the thought nearly knocked Applejack over.

Sunny steadied his fiancé, seeing her nervous hesitation, then spoke gently to her "my advice; just be yerself. Mom already thinks th' world of you already."

Hearing that, Applejack relaxed a bit and followed Sunny inside, already thinking of which recipe to teach a princess. To teach her soon to be mother-in-law.

Author's Note:

This was a chapter I had long been awaiting to write, but I had several revisions when I did get to it.

At first I was gojng to have the major conflict here be Sunny and Celestia didn't know what to bond over, but I thought to add a little more conflict to the story by having Sunny embarrased about his apple family southern traits he picked up. THAT hit the nail on the head!

And it fed into whsy everyone was waiting for; Sunny proposing to Applejack.

Now, I had a hard time coming up with a way for him to do so, just because earth ponies and pegusi don't seem to have anyplace to put a ring (like on unicorns), but I got inspiration from 'The Perfect Pare' and went with him.proposing with seeds. Seeds from a tree that her ancestor gave to his mother. What could have been more solidifying?

Hope you guys enjoyed this one!

And thank you for reading!