Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Queen of Roses

The journey into the far north from Ponyville was long and trying on both Rosewood and her pony puppets. Their pigramage was met with no breaks along the way since they required no rest and very little maintenance. Along the way, more then a few were met with conflict. The other pony puppets were able to overcome various attackers, Bugbears, cragodiles, chimera, as well as beasts Rosewood had never seen in her 1000 years. The weather up until her hurd of pony puppets reached the designated mountain was rather warm and at times humid. Now, the air blowing from the mountain was fridged and freezing, making the puppets bodies seem to stiffen a bit, their wooden bodies obsorbed much of the water in the air from their journey. Although they could not feel pain, hot or cold, the pony puppets still felt the struggle to move their freezing bodies up the mountain.

Rosewood stopped them part way up when they reached a cave and had them settle down. She then boldly broke off parts of herself that she knew would grow back in time, thanks to the magical properties of her Heart Star, and used the chunks to build a fire. The pony puppets clicked their jaws and stomped their wooden and metle hooves in cheering applause as best as animated puppets could cheer. While they all warmed themselves by the fire, melting the ice and drying out their wooden bodies. The other puppet ponies could barely think beyond following the one who gave them life, otherwise they would have realized the painful sacrifice Rosewood made.

But Rosewood was willing to do it. It was her duty to protect the ones she gave life to. But she felt her life was fading. Her wounds weren't healing as fast as they normally did, her movements were alot slower then she wanted them to be, and her mind, she could feel, was starting to fog slightly. She was greatful that the other pony puppets couldn't notice, much less recognize that she was weakening. It would have been even more tiring to try and put up an act of being alright to keep them all from panicking.

The night passed, and by sun up, Rosewood and her pony puppets continued their journey up the mountain where the aurora borealis lights would touch down and supposedly refuel the pony puppets spirits, and hopefully her own as well. With every day of their travels Rosewood felt her Star Heart growing weaker and weaker. The journey had taken its toll on all of them. A good third of her fellow pony puppets were being carried by the others, their wooden bodies too damaged from traveling to carry on without help.

Up the mountain they continued, their wooden and metal hooves crunching in the snow as they pressed on. Something deep inside Rosewood was telling herself that they needed to get to the top of the mountain before sundown. She had a feeling deep telling her they needed to reach the top by that time. The Baba Ya Ga sisters that gave her the map and told her what to do never mentioned an exact time, but she felt it deep in her Star Heart that told her it was true. The winds that had been vicious this whole time blowing down from the mountain seemed to grow kind to them and stopped their violent blowing, allowing their weakened bodies easier passage up the mountain. Oddly enough, a path seemed to reveal itself on the mountain's side that zig-zagged safely to the top. It might take a little longer then just trying to walk strait up, but Rosewood achknowlaged alot of her fellow pony puppets wouldn't be able to make it up the rougher way in their condition, even if she could, and she refused to let anypony fall behind.

Leading the pony puppets up the stone road before them, Rosewood continued the gentle climb up the mountain. Every now and again, she would look back and make sure no puppet had fallen behind. They had to stop twice, a few puppets who's legs gave way and snapped, barely hanging onto their bodies by means strings of wood. But other puppets moved to help carry their damaged commands. If Rosewood didn't know better, she would think they had atleast a basic instinct to help one another. But puppets had no basic instinct, and there was no timberwolf left in them. Still, she was greatful they were looking out for one another.

The sun was begining to set as Rosewood and her group reached the top of the mountain. The sky had just turned from blue, to red, then to a deep violet as Luna raised her moon into view, bringing with it stars that glittered the night sky. Rosewood and her fellow pony puppets all waited and stared up at the sky for the lights that would supposedly give them new life. It seemed like hours passed, and Rosewood was starting to give up hope, wondering if trusting some cloaked legendary witches was such a good idea.

Then it happened.

Flashing lights of green, blue, purple, and white all blazzed across the night sky, stretching from the north east part of the world and swam towards the mountain Rosewood and her company were on. The lights washed overhead, never touching down until something deep inside began to burn. It was then that Rosewood knew what she needed to do.

The living pony puppet plucked her own star heart from her chest and raised it above her head. The aurora borealis flashed in reaction. Rosewood, feeling her life slipping away without the star heart inside her body, made a silent wish. She knew if she spoke it outloud that it would never come true, that's how wishes worked with falling stars. She felt her joints began to stiffen as she lost almost all feeling his them. The numb, lifeless essay began to spread up her legs to her body, and crawled up her neck till they we're just at the boarder of her muzzle. Before she lost her sight, the lights in the sky focused on a single point, the fallen Star Heart Rosewood was presenting to the lights. When the lights touched the Heart, the Star Heart flashed with a light as bright as the sun that blinded every creature there. Rosewood could barely hold onto her Star Heart, but felt that she shouldn't let it go.

An odd sensation started to spread from her front hooves that heald the star heart and trickled down her forhooves, to her chest, and up to her head and body. A new life energy began to course through Rosewood and she mustered the strength to look at her hooves. Awestruck, Rosewood couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her wooden hooves that had been chipped and broken, chunks missing from the journey, had been healed and looked almost new! No. Not new. They were different. The metal joints at her anckles and hooves that allowed her to bend were gone! But she felt she could still move them! Looking down at her still tingling body, Rosewood was shocked to find her body had undergone a similar transformation, appearing to still be made of wood, but no longer needing metal joints or pegs to move! She was like one solid piece of living wood! If she didn't know better, she'd say she was a regular pony with a wood colored coat. Wait! She noticed something else. Where yarn had been used in lue of a tail, it seemed that branches of a rose bush had grown! And she could feel it! She felt she could move her tail! Like it was one of her own limbs! She could feel every part of there tail move at her whim! This was amazing! Something fell in her face, obscuring her vision as she tried to look out to the rest of her group. Using one of her hooves to push something out of her eyes, Rosewood was amazed to find not only had her yarn tail been replaced by a rose bush but so had her yarn mane! She had a real mane! Well, a mane made of what looked like rose peddles, but still! A real mane that she could style, cut, and do whatever she wanted with! No more worrying about a thinning yarn mane, worrying about brushing it too hard or anything!

It was at that moment that Rosewood realized she had let go of her Star Heart and fell forward, landing on her own two hooves. The Star Heart floated up into the air for a moment, absorbing the light of the aurora borealis as it hovered just out of reach. Rosewood's eyes left the Star Heart for a second when she heard voices coming from all around her.

Amazed at what she saw, Rosewood did a double take, Rubbing her eyes and looking out onto her hurd of pony puppets. They were changing just like she did! Some grew longer muzzles like regular stallions, with broader larger bodies, some more small and elegant muzzles with more curvy bodies. But like her, their metal parts disappeared, their new bodies were now flexable, living wood. And similar to her, they too had frown some kind of flora on their heads and backsides where normal ponies had manes and tails. Most of the puppets that appeared to be stallions had heads and tales made of different kinds of small leaves, where the puppets that appeared to take more of a mare shape grew flowers or petted plants, each of them appearing to have a select kind growing on them.

The broken puppets began to heal back to full form, the ones missing legs or parts had regrown limbs of living wood, now able to stand on their own four hooves. Once their bodies fully changed, the no longer pony puppets began to look at their bodies and the bodies of the others around them, curious but mostly still in a daze. As if they were waking up from a dream, but not yet fully awake. Their eyes still locked almost any life to them. That is, until the Star Heart floated back down into Rosewoods hooves. It appeared much smaller now and had somehow been placed at the center of a silver necklace that hung around Rosewood's neck. The small Star Heart rose up again, floating like a life boat in the air, being tethered down to Rosewood, but glowing brighter then before.

Every former pony puppet looked up at their leader as streams of rainbow light began to pour out of the star heart, similar to the shape of the aurora borealis. The light weapt across Every former pony puppet there, giving their eyes each individual color and filling them all with the spirit they all craved. It was a breath taking sight to see so many numb eyes begin to glow with every color of the rainbow, waking them all up from a deep sleep. Once every former pony puppet was filled with spirit, the aurora borealis seemed to disappear, and the Star Heart fell to Rosewood's chest, still holding a little of the spirit filling light within it. All the former pony puppets were confused and overwhelmed by what happened, but slowly they began to explore themselves and eachother once more, this time their heads filled with thoughts and hearts with emotions. Rosewood was the only one to remain looking down at them, more interested in how they acted and reacted then she was with trying out her new body.

"Wow" one former pony puppet spoke as he shook his head, feeling overwhelmed by all that just happened, which caught the attention of the other former pony puppets.

"Hey! You can talk!" A female former pony puppet called out the one that just spoke.

"So can you!" Another female former pony puppet chuckled with glee as she pranced a little in place, filled with so much joy she couldn't stand it. "And look! So can I! I can talk!"

"Can I talk?" A timid sounding, female former pony puppet asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention to herself, but more or less test speaking.

"I think you just did" a male former pony puppet who appeared more relaxed then the others answered, trying not to frighten his new friend.

'Ths is amazing!' Rosewood thought as she not only saw the former pony puppets testing out their new voices, but also interacting with one another. Not only did the former pony puppets now have fully organic bodies, but they all had differences between them. Manes and tails made up of different foliage, different voices, males and females instead of them all being from the same molds, and from what Rosewood could see, some of them had personalities as well. Timid. Relaxed. Hyper. Calculating. Friendly. There were ones of all different kinds, and they weren't having stings pulled or anything! They were just acting naturally some how.

"Looks like you did well, my little girl…" A voice Rosewood hadn't heard in over 1000 years had rang in her ears.

Turning around to the source of the voice, Rosewood couldn't believe what she saw. Not ten feet away from her was her father, Whittler, the stallion who carved her and the other pony puppets out of wood, who gave her the shooting star for a heart and brought her to life, who disappeared over 1000 years ago promising he would be right back. There he was, in his wheele chair, appearing as if not a day went by. If she had bothered to look just slightly into the distance, Rosewood would have seen a pony called Doctor Whooves, also called 12, sneaking back into a large blue box which made loud noises while it disapeared, fading into nothing.

Whittler looked forlorn, eyes falling to the ground as he spoke up "I'm sorry I left for so long. It's a long story, but if you want, I can-"
eBefore he could finish, Rosewood ran over to him and gave him a big hug, pulling him tightly into her. Something she noticed immediatly from the hug, she could now feel. Not like before where all sensation of touch was numb to her, but actually feel. His coat was rough and course, but his body was warm despite the slightly cold air surounding them. Tears flowed from her eyes as she pulled him in tightly.

"Sweetie" Whittler patted Rosewood's front leg. "You're… chocking… me…"

Rosewood released him, shocked and amazed by her newfound strength, but noticed something she didn't before. She had grown several inches taller and more slender, compared to the other former pony puppets.

"I think they want your attention" Whittler motioned to the crowd gathering behind Rosewood.

Turning around, Rosewood saw all the former pony puppets had gathered into a collective group and were all looking to her with their rainbow of colored eyes. After a long moment, one of the former pony puppets that Rosewood saw earlier questioning and studying their bodies stepped forward.

"Excuse me, ugh, Princess Rosewood" the mare former pony puppet spoke up, slightly nervous, but more determined to get answers. "What are we? Why are we here? What are we meant to do?"

Turning away from the quesgining former pony puppet to her father, Rosewood looked to him for answers, but like so many other times when he was faced with a difficult quesgion, he shrugged, but this time he smiled at her and spoke softly "you're the leader. Lead them."

Rosewood remembered when she first returned to her father's old work shop, how she was driven by the thought of liberating her kind, making sure thet were safe, wanting to give them life. Well, most of that was done. The former pony puppets had life, and they were liberated. Something deep down told Rosewood that her kind would never be forced to be tools of war ever again. But Rosewood still felt that she needed to protect them, look out for them, and now even guided them. Looking at them all again, they all appeared to be lost children in the dark, wanting their mother to help guide them to safety. But one thing she wanted to address for sure.

Taking a deep breath, Rosewood puffed out her chest, arched her back, and spoke loudly to the crowd of former pony puppets. "My fellow former pony puppets, you all have been given your own life and spirit to make you unique. You all are different from one another, and no longer weapons or tools. You'll start a new life from this day on. You can make your own choices, choose your own paths, and I will be there to guide and protect you. The world, if you can't remember, isn't the safest place, and there are those who might fear you. But do not be afraid, there are those who are kind and open hearted who will look to you as friends. Friendship is the most powerful thing in the world. And I will teach you, as my father was taught by his friend, my uncle, Sunny Knight."

"So… you are our leader?" The quesgioning one asked, her muzzle hidding any and all emotion.

"If you choose, you may follow me and I will do my best to get our lives in this world started" Rosewood was speaking unlike she ever had before, with thunderous courage and devotion, but also open to free will. Maybe it was the magic of the Star Heart hanging around her neck, maybe it was part of her new transformation, or maybe it was a voice she had inside her all along.

The quesgoning pony looked back at the other former pony puppets, then back at Rosewood. "Alright. I think most of us will follow you. But can I ask one thing? Can we be come up with a group name other then 'former pony puppets'? we aren't quite normal ponies, not puppets anymore."

Rosewood thought for a moment, then a lock of her rose petal mane fell into her face. When she brushed it away, an idea popped into her head. "I agree. We, as a new species of Equestria, need a new name. How about Petal Ponies?"

The other former pony puppets whispered amungst themselves for a moment, even the questioning one returned to her group to join in the whispering. Rosewood waited patiently for the answer, her muzzle regal and restraining any and all emotion. Studying how they all interacted with on another before the questioning one looked back and Rosewood, smiled, and nodded their concensus approval.

"Then from this day forward, we are Petal ponies" Rosewood lifted up one of her front legs, puffed out her chest, making a regal pose as she looked down at her new species and family.

The other Petal ponies cheered and stomped their hooves, not really knowing the meaning behind any of it, all they knew was it felt good to react in such a way.

"It's going to be a lot of work, getting them situated" Whittler told his daughter as he rolled over to her. "I know it won't make up for leaving, but can inlend a hoof with your new family?"

Rosewood could tell her father felt terrible about being gone, and it was odd that he appeared to not have aged a day, but Rosewood was just happy to have him back in her life again. "You may stay as long as you like. Buy we're going to have a long conversation about where you have been."

Whittler chuckled. "Deal."

"Also" Rosewood added, catching her father's attention again "disappear for another 1000 years and I'm not going to be so forgiving."

Her father paused then chuckled lightly at her statment. "I promise, I'm not going anywhere this time."

Author's Note:

In the begining I went back and forth with what to do with all the now half alive pony puppets. I bounced ideas off my wife and she helped me narrow it down to this last option to make them their own new species of plant like ponies. I haven't seen the idea be done before, it doesn't mean it hasn't, but if it has I had no idea about it.