Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

What if...?

1000 years ago, I had just returned from a peace mission in Griffin Stone, negotiations were… stretched. But the Griffons respected me for being the Black Knight and heard me out. We didn't get the whole fruit basket from them, but we got a few apples. My father was alone in his study when I returned and saw him in a disheveled state. His mane was a mess, he was hunched over and a dark aura seemed to suround him. It kept me at a distance and as he left his study in a haste, I hid out of sight behind his door. As he left, something fell from his robe. A scroll. I had to read it, thinking it held some clue to my father's current state. When I did, I was horrified.

It was a letter from my mother, Princess Celestia, to her sister, Princess Luna. She explained that my father had discovered the truth about his mysterious appearance in the artic tundra when he was a foal, why he never received a cutie mark, and why he grows ill every year around the time of the Crystal fair. My father was one of the monsters of legend, an umbrum. My mothers letter to her sister continued as she told her sister 'what must be done to him and his son. For the good of Equestria.' She had planned to seal my father away in the arctic tundra, with the rest of the umbrum, and my fate… my own mother, planned to turn me to stone, and seal me away in the Canterlot caves beneith her castle, where no pony would ever find me.

My heart sank as I read and reread the letter, over and over. My head was spinning. I didn't know what to do, who to trust. All of a sudden, I was alone in the world. But something soon brokevme out of my trance. I heard the metallic sound of hammers on metal. Rushing down the hallway, I turned and saw my father had cast some sort of spell on a group of crystal ponies and put them to work making dark metal armor, chains, picks and shovles. He had changed his attire to match the dark armor he was having the mind controlled ponies forge. As they pressed on, I approached my father knowing only of one way to survive.

I had to join him.

He had always been my closest friend. My only friend. All the other ponies may have respected me, but I kept them behind a wall, knowing they made fun of me and my father behind our backs. They never saw anything special about me or had any real respect for me, despite my countless sacrifices I made or all the good deeds I had done. But that was about to change.

My father was glad to see I was on board, and began explaining his plan to me. The Crystal ponies would be put under a dark magic spell and serve as foot solders, temporary guards and look outs. While the rest of the Crystal ponies would be forced to mine beneath the Crystal Empire, inching their way closer to releasing the umbrum by breaching their prison the hard way. My father planned to release the unbrum when my mother and her sister arrived with their army. The umbrum would feed on their fear, then, following his lead, he would begin concuring all of Equestria. The plan was sound, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. For the next day and a half, while my father oversaw the workers and mining, chuckling atop his tower that had become as corrupt as he did, I did my own preparing.

I had practiced with Crystal Rock golems ever since I was a colt. They were a poor substitute for friends, but they did anything I asked and moved without me needing to move them. Not the brightest bunch, but they followed orders. I doubt my father knew about the secret collection of them I kept beneath the hills just north of the Crystal Empire castle. But I guessed there were around two or three hundred. They would do for my own army. But I needed to control them all at once. Luckily, that old goat of a wizard, Star-Swirl, had been working on such a spell. I was just lucky enough to have borrowed his book before he disappeared on some journey, or whatever he was doing.

I cast the spell, and it linked all the golems up, awakening them and binding them all to my will. The spell also grew a large slab of green crystal infront of me. On it, I could see through the eyes of the golems and give them commands without being infront of them. Now that I had my army, I needed one last thing to rightfully rule them. A crown of my own.

The next day, as the sun was about to set, my father and I stood atop his tower and looked out over the Crystal Empire. I was sickened by the sight. The once green hills had shriveled and dried to hard dirt. The crystal buildings that glimmering in the light had dulled to the point of common stone. Whatever ponies weren't being mind controlled and forced to fight in black armor for my father were bound and chained, forced to work in the Crystal mines. Their coats no longer Shinning and majestic, their manes no longer colorful and springy. The Crystal ponies outside image reflected what was in their own hearts. Loss of hope. The castle itself had transformed into a sharp edged, twisted, dark version of itself. Looking again at my father, I realized the castle was a reflection of its ruler. My heart sank. I knew then that what I was about to do was the right thing.

While my father's back was turned, I quickly slipped a magical dampened ring on his horn. The rings themselves are a last resort restrain used normally only against unicorns who are being restrained in prisons. But every royal guard barracks had some in case of an emergency. As well as wing restraints to use on pegusi, or even griffins. My father was shocked by my actions, but didn't have time enough to react to my spell. In a flash of green light, I cast another spell from Star-Swirl's book, and turned my own father to stone. One problem was out of the way, but another was coming. And I had prepared for them too.

My mother, Celestia, and her sister Luna had entered the castle, cautiously. Looking around every corner, waiting for my father to show himself. They expected an ambush. They didn't expect my golems to be the ones ambushing them. But they were ready for a fight. While my golems kept them busy, I managed to slip between the two and slide a magical dampening ring on the both of them. Without their magic, my golems quickly overpowered them, allowing me to slide wing restraints on them, cutting them off from any possible escape, as well as another third of their magic.

Weakening them by cutting off their flow of magic to their horns and wings was the only way I could be sure the petrification spell could work on them. I had to cast the spell on them separately, so I started with my aunt. The spell took a few moments to finish casting, the whole time, my mother just stood there and watched in baffled awe. Once Luna was fully petrified, I turned my magic to my own mother and began casting the spell on her. Tears fell from her eyes as I cast the spell, slowly turning her to stone from the hooves up.

Tears.

Tears ran like two small rivers from the corners of her eyes, as if she were hurt for what I was doing. As if 'I' had betrayed 'her'.

She was planning to do the same to ME. I just happen to get the jump on her and her sister, as well as father.

But that left a vacume in the chain of command. And against my own wishes, I took up a black crown and mask, and presented myself to the army of Canterlot as the Supreme King, after freeing the Crystal ponies. I showed off my father turned to stone to them, claiming to have overthrown him, and declared myself King of Equestria.

Of course, there were many who didn't like my self declaration as the King of all Equestria, and I was met with alot of resilience. But thanks to my army of loyal golems, any and all attempts had been fouorted. My army easily overpowered the Canterlot royal guard, and the Crystal guard were too weak to do anything against me. I made many more Crystal golems, spreading them out to all corners of Equestria. They never replaced the royal guard, but they made sure to enforce my rule. The golems weren't indestructible, but attack one and all other golems near that one will act swiftly.

To ensure my rule, I allowed any and all challenges openly. There were some brave individuals who fought in the name of my mother, who had no idea of her wicked plans prior to my rule. There were the occasional odd characters who challenged my rule; A pegasus guard who welded a magical shield, who lead a group of armored pegusi against me. Then there was a very muscular earth pony who was handy with a shovel, who lead his village warriors. At one point even a draconaquis who could bend all reality. They were quickly defeated by my own hoof. Over night, the kingdom of Equestria was mine. All other threats were turned to stone, and joined my back stabbing family as statues.

Other trouble makers included a power hungry centar and his gargoyle brother, insect like creatures that could change their shape, half aquatic horse like creatures who influenced others with their singing, and a good dozen large dragons. All fell to my might.

But as much as I did to protect my fellow ponies, they still feared me and a few tried to raise up against me. Start a revolution. I took down monsters with great power, so a small, unorganized revolution or two wasn't all that difficult to deal with. But I found myself having to lock up more ponies then I cared for. Ponies who, although they tried to overthrow me, they weren't bad. I could still see the good in them, what they could offer society, and what they would leave behind if I left them to rot in a prison cell. So I invented a simple system to give them all what they wanted while still giving them what they needed.

And thus, Sunny Knight, Captain of the royal guard, friend to all ponies, was made.

I would put a crystal golem in my place in the throne room, manipulate him from afar to make public announcements in my voice, and all the while I would spend time amungst the ponies around equestria. Performing tasks such as pushing off golems to give ponies peace of mind, to rescuing ponies from natural disasters. Yes, I did it all to gain their trust. Over time, I spent less and less time as the Captain, and more and more time as the Supreme King. But the legend of a royal guard who was for the ponies stuck around, I was a living legend. And in time, Captain Sunny Knight became head of the Revolution to overthrow the Supreme King. Why would I help them to overthrow myself you ask?

It was quite the opposite.

I helped ponies devise a plan to sneak into the castle, to bypass the Crystal golems, to get to the throne room, and if they did make it that far, in some way or another, one of them would trip an alarm, alleart a royal guard, or if they were lucky, they actually reached the throne room. If their little revolution was stopped before they the throne room, they would be taken to the dungeon to be chained up in individual cells lined with fake skeletons, and left there. The Supreme King later would approach them and tell them that their revolution had failed, that THEY had failed, and they would stay down there for the rest of their lives. After a few misserable days of feeding them food that was less then appetizing, chained to the walls of the dungeon to think about what they did and what they lost, Captain Sunny Knight would sneak in and free them, and sneak them out. He then would tell them another revolution would try again. He would fill their heads with bravado and false hopes. Some would rejoin the revolution and work to storm the castle again. But most lost hope aftair their valiant effort failed the first time. Which is what I planned. I gave them false hope so they could get out that angst feeling that fuels their revolution, and lead them right to their prison cell. But I never mean to keep anypony there longer then is nessisary.

Now, those were only the ponies who didn't make it to the throne room. The ones who actually breached the doors to my thone room are met with this long white table you see before you. I invite them all to sit and enjoy a meal. Obviously there are some smart and cunning individuals in that determined group, and I wanted to hear from them over a meal. They would hesitate, but I reasure them that information from them would be worth their weight in gold. I would have them sit and tell me what it was that they felt so strongly about that bothered them enough to go against me. I wanted their complaints, essentially. And as the ones who risked it all to achieve their goal, they had the right to speak to me.

Alot of the times we are able to verbally work out our problems. Somethings I've neglected are brought to my attention, in which I correct and thank them for it. Controlling all of Equestria isn't easy, and although I see most of the big problems, some smaller problems such as funding for new school equipment, restoration of national land marks, or even harvest being ruined by fire locust. I correct those such problems, tell the individuals that if there are ever problems such as that in the future, that all they have to do is notify me through one of the Crystal golems, and I'll take care of it. Then I send them on their way, no prison time for their successful efforts. But not all who storm the castle and make it to the throne room are as pleasant as those with such noble issues in mind.

There are some revolutionists who see me as a tyrant, despite the fact that I do very little to oppressors them, who won't be swayed by defeat or reason. They simply wish to fight the good fight and liberate Equestria from my rein. Unfortunatly, it's those poor ponies I pitty the most. I have no choice but to give them the fight they think they want. I cast a black magic spell on them that shows them the chaotic world in which I'm no longer ruling.

The illusion is different for every pony. There is no way for me to know what it was they were seeing, but nopony likes the world they see where there are no princesses and no Supreme King to protect them from the dangers of our world. Whatever quarls they had against me fade away after the nightmare, and the ponies begged for my forgiveness. And I gave it to them, along with hours of community service to show how sorry they were…

"… and THAT is MY story" Supreme King Sunny stated, his front hooves folded infront of him as he sat at the head of the long white table next to Sunny.

Sitting back in his chair, the story Sunny's counterpart just told him reeling in his head, Sunny tried to take it all in. It disturbed him. Mostly due to how similar their stories were. That all could have happened to him if he just took a few different steps. It sounded as if the Supreme King Sunny never went on any adventure with his univers's Doctor Whooves, which made him arrive at the Crystal Empire sooner then Sunny had. Eventually, Sunny gathered his thoughts enough to speak his mind. "Well, that explains it."

"Explains what?" Supreme King Sunny asked, a brow slightly raised.

"Why I couldn't pick an emotion from you earlier" Sunny stated readjusting his stetson. "You've built such high walls, no pony could ever get close to you. You act kind and forgiving, but you don't do it becouse you want to be kind or really forgive anypony. You do it to put them at ease. Everytime somepony rebells against you, you are reminded ponies don't really look up to you like they did with your mother. And after putting out so much effort to keep them safe, you're being eaten up inside."

"I would ask 'what you would know', but since our stories are so similar, it seems redundent." Supreme king Sunny stated, appearing halfway between minority annoyed and accepting. "But it doesn't really matter."

"It does matter" Sunny stated, looking the Supreme king in the eye. "You think you're doing the noble thing, but really you're running away from your problems."

"Excuse me!?" The Supreme King Sunny shot up from his seat, a flash of anger flared I his eyes. "How dare you!? Do you know all I have sacrificed for the Empire of Equestria!? For over 1000 years I monitored, protected, and preserved peace for the ponies of Equestria!"

"What you did was run away from a problem and are making excuses so you don't have to face them." Sunny remained calm as he saw the rage building up in the Supreme King's gaze, their seemingly identical emerald eyes locking.

"Are you suggesting I am afraid?" The Supreme King growled, as the fire in his eyes crackled looking at Sunny.

Meeting his burning gaze with a cool and calm one of his own, Sunny answered "You're not afraid. We WERE afraid, a long time ago. Now you're just tired. I can see it. You don't want all of this responsibility do you? Who would? You aren't just living one life you don't want, you're living two. One of some all seeing king who doesn't take his eyes off his entire kingdom, and the other a royal guard who has to work restlessly to take down the king that nopony knows he actually is.

"I thought for a moment that maybe, the ME, you, in this universe was actually ok with all of this." Sunny continued, the rage inside the Supreme King dying down a little. "And to be honest, I wasn't going to say anything. But now I see you are even more misserable then we ever were as just the princes of our own Crystal Empires."

Taking several deep breaths, questions that Supreme King Sunny had pushed to the furthest corners of his mind began to surface. Questions that proved too great a weight for the Supreme King. Supreme King Sunny fell back on his haunches, his eyes broke away from Sunny's, as his gaze fell to the ground.

"… you're right…" Supreme King Sunny stated in the weakest tone he had spoken in over 1000 years. "I… I don't want to do this. I'm not happy. And I wondered all the time, 'Did I do the right thing?' Maybe I should have let my father fight my mother and aunt. Maybe I should have stayed out of it. Maybe I should have just turned my father and myself over to my mother. Maybe I should have done what you did and tried to reason with my father, but then what would have become of us when my mother returned with her sister?"

"Let me ask you this" Sunny moved to sit side by side next to his Supreme King counterpart. "Do YOU think YOUR mother would have done that? I've seen some darker versions of Equestria, and I know not all Celestias, Lunas, or anypony else are all the same. But, would YOUR mother really do that to you?"

The Supreme King again was left to dig up feelings and memories of his own mother he thought he had buried 1000 years ago when he cast her in stone. Memories of her playing with him as a colt, of her helping him to learn to read, of her helping to take care of him when he was sick, and as he grew older, she showed how proud she was that he was going out into Equestria as a knight to help others. All memories that reflected the image of a loving mother.

Tears began to fall from Supreme King Sunny's eyes as his head drooped. "What have I done!?"

Patting his universe counterpart on the back, Sunny tried to comfort the Supreme King. "We all make mistakes. You were too assertive in protecting Equeatia, I was hesitant in fighting my father. Or maybe neither of us were 100% wrong. Neither of us are perfect. But we have choices we can make to make things right."

Taking a deep breath, the Supreme King stood up, levitated his mask and balack crown over to him and dawned both. "I know what I must do-"

Just then, a group of two dozen or so ponies, lead by Twilight Sparkle, bearing pitchforks, shovles and touches burst into the room.

"Down with the Supreme King! No longer will we live under your watchful eye and be forced to-" this universe's Twilight began calling out as she held a pitchfork high into the air, only to be cut short as the Supreme King appeared before her, looking her down. The reflective lences that once hid his actual eyes were removed from his helmet, and allowed the Supreme King's green glowing eyes to shatter any and all confidence that Twilight Sparkle and her resistance had.

For a long moment, everypony, the revolution ponies, Twilight Sparkle, even Sunny all waited and watched silently as the Supreme King towered over the purple unicorn scientist.

"You don't want me here, fine" the Supreme King turned back to his large green crystal monitors and gave the order to all his golems "this is your Supreme King, execute order IM3. "

The Crystal golems all around Equestria heard the order, and all at once, their bodies began to crack, then fall to pieces, all of them following their self destruction counter measure order given by their creator. Everypony watched as the large green crystal monitors cracked and fell, shattering into pieces that no pony in their right mind would spend time putting back togeather.

Turning back to the crowd of revolution ponies, the Supreme King announced "As of today, I will be retiring as your leader. For over 1000 years I have monitored, protected, and preserved peace for the ponies of Equestria… but I have recently sat down and talked with myself, and realized that not only am I tired, but I was running away from something. I don't want to be your king, and to be honest, I don't think I was a very good one. I wasn't bad, per say, but I'm not what you all obviously want."

The revolution ponies all looked around at one another nervously, then Twilight Sparkle stepped forward and in a meeker voice then either of the Sunnys have ever heard, stated "Ugh, we just wanted a four day work week."

"You can take that up with your new rulers" The Supreme King stated ad he pushed his way past the revolutionist ponies, and made his way out of his former throan room.
Twilight Sparkle and her fellow revolutionist didn't know what to think and turned to quesgion captain Sunny Knight who they swore they saw standing with the Supreme King a second ago. Only, he seemed to vanish into thin air.