Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Friendship dies, True Love Lies

Spike came rushing into the Canterlot castle throne room where he knew Twilight Sparkle was, and stopped suddenly just after he entered through their doors. Something was off. He rushed in feeling like he had something really important to tell Twilight, but now he can't remember what it was. Almost like it was so long ago that some important news that he needed to tell Twilight was relivent. So long ago.

"Everything OK, Spike?" Twilight asked as she levitated another scroll up to her and placed one she was previously looking at down. Over the years Twilight had grown in size comparable to Princess Celestia herself, complete with flowing mane and tail, while still retaining her purple color pallet. Her tone was a faint sort of cheerful, like a single birthday candle on a cake, compared to how it used to be years and years ago.

"Ugh, to be honest, I don't remember" Spike admitted. He shrugged off a feeling that was eating at him and casually walked up to Twilight's throne. While walking, he caught sight of his reflection in a mirror, flexed his muscles and thought how well cut he had become in maturing into the young adult dragon he was, complete with strong wings and a square chin that would have had Rarity swooning over him. After briefly examining his own image, Spike continued his now casual walk to Twilight's throne.

It was odd for Spike to think the throne belonged to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna so long ago, seeing everything the way it was now. It still feels like only yesterday that they went on a quest to find Cadence, Shinning Armor and Flurry Heart. Spike let out a sigh at the thought just as he reached Twilight's throne, taking a seat at a smaller throne next to hers, holding his head up with one claw as his mind reeled back the memories that seemed fresh to him.

Noticing his downed spirit, Twilight paused in her reading and looked down at her number of assistant. "Everything OK, Spike?"

Letting out a sigh, Spike looked up at Twilight with eyes reflecting a conflicting sence of sadness and confusion. "Something doesn't feel right. About what happened long ago. Or, well, to be honest, it feels like it happened yesterday. Something bad. Really bad."

"Lots of bad things happened in the past, Spike" Twilight stated in a dulled up beat way, her eyes back on her scroll as she talked. "You want to be a little more specific?"

Spike adjusted in his throne, which was custom made to seat him perfectly, but like his memory of the past events, it didn't seem quite right. "Well… the Crystal Empire. What happened to Cadence, Shinning Armor, and Flurry Heart? I can't… seem to remember…"

Putting the scroll down, Twilight took a slow and unnoticeable deep breath to help keep her calm. This story always hit her hard at her core, but the many years of being the Princess of Equestria had taught her how to present herself in a way completly different to how she felt, to keep up thr appearance of control. Outside she may appear to be calm, cool and collected, but inside she could have been filled with doubt, worry, sorrow, anger occasionally, and most often, regret. "What don't you remember, Spike?"

"Any of it. Or all of this for that matter!" He motioned wildly, like he was still a baby dragon, at the throne room and the stained glass windows that had replaced all the ones that depicted the battles Twilight and her friends have had. "I don't remember any of this! But… I do. Like… this is supposed to make since to me, but it doesn't. Where are our friends? The princesses? I think I know, but… tell me what YOU think. What YOU know."

"Well, Spike, many, many moons ago, after Celestia and Luna left to find Cadence, Shinning Armor and Flurry Heart, I had to a assume the roll of acting Princess of Equestria" Twilight began her tale, most of it seemed familiar to Spike, well, except the part about it being 'many moons ago'. But he said nothing and nodded for Twilight to continue.

"Sunny and Applejack became the acting King and Queen of the Crystal Empire, our friends came with us to Canterlot help with what was supposed to be a temporary arrangement. The other Guardians of Harmony, Sunny's group of close friends, all stayed back and watched over Ponyville while we were here" it was at this point Twilight had to try her hardest to keep up her regal disposition, this part of the story always broke her heart. "Well… Celestia and Luna never came back… Neither did Cadence, Shinning Armor or Flurry Heart. Years past and, well… we all kinda broke apart.

"See, Rainbow still had her duties with the Wonderbolts. Practices, shows, traveling and training the new recrutes" Twilight explained as she moved to a stained glass window with the image of an older looking Rainbow Dash with a thick flight jacket and a sick looking Mohawk, surrounded by pegusi dressed in wonderbolts uniforms. "She eventually became the leader of the Wonderbolts when Spitfire stepped down. With all that responsibility, she didn't have time to help out with Canterlot or any other related duties."

"Rarity, I think you remember" Twilight treid to speak casually on the topic of this friend, knowing full well that Spike had deep feelings for her and didn't want to reopen any wounds. The image of Rarity in the stained glass window next to Rainbow dash showed her in a thick fur coat, surrounded by her sewing machine, and countless sparkling dressed and her fasion line's personal insignia. "Well, it's hard to be up to date on the latest fashion being stuck in the castle all the time. She left to create her world renown line of clothing, becoming the top designer in all of Equestria."

"Pinkie Pie ended up going back to Ponyville and trained to take over Sugar Cube Corner for Mr. and Mrs. Cake when they retired" Twilight motioned with her long front leg to another stained glass window of Pinkie infront of the sweets shop. "Running a business isn't all sugar, spice and everything nice. There are alot of numbers and planning involved. Pinkie was always good at planning parties, but needed alot of training with the numbers relating to orders, back stock and other aspects of running a business."

Twilight approached another stained glass window, Spike following behind her. This window had an image of Fluttershy with a slightly messier and longer mane and tail, surrounded by animals, with Discord in the distance. "Fluttershy had to get back to her animal sanctuary, Discord couldn't do it all by himself, not without his magic and guidance. So she returned to take care of the sick and injured animals."

'Discord doesn't have his magic' Spike thought to himself. 'That right. Something happened to him when he returned from stone. But everything else still seems wrong. Fluttershy doesn't even have an 'animal sanctuary'.'

"Oh, and Applejack" Twilight's gaze quickly caught sight of a window depicting friend she almost overlooked. "She and Sunny got married, but knew they couldn't be happy living as King and Queen of the Crystal Empire. So, they appointed Starlight and Sunburst as the next King and Queen. It took the Crystal Ponies a while to warm up to them, but they did eventuality. With the Empire in good hooves, Applejack and Sunny returned to Sweet Apple Acres, where they raised three foals, I hear."

"You 'hear'?" Spike repeated Twilight's last word. "Don't you ever go down and see them or, I don't know, send letters or anything?" Spike asked, seeming concerned, as if he didn't already know Twilight's day to day life.

A forlorn expression broke the refined look Twilight tried to hold onto. "I'm sorry Spike. It's just a fact of life. Friends grow apart. I didn't like it anymore then anypony else, but we each have our own responsibilities, our own destenies. Equestria is at peace right now, but I can't just take a day off to pop in and see ponies I used to know. It's been too long. They all are living their own lives. They don't want to dig up the past."

"That's not true!" Spike snapped. Twilight looked shocked at the muscular dragon's outburst, as if he had never done such a thing. Something deep inside him told him his outburst had two meanings, but he went with the one that made more sence. "It doesn't matter how long its been since you saw your friends. Friendship doesn't diminish with time. Only when somepony gives up. Tell me, Twilight, have you given up on friendship?"

For the first time in what felt like decades, Twilight sat and thought about FRIENDSHIP, and what it had meant to her…

Shinning Armor was at a table in the Crystal guards local hang out, drinking his seventh glass of crystal berry juice. He preferred the Apple Cider that came from Sweet Apple Acres, but it was hard to ship something like that so far without damaging the goods. Halfway though his drink, Shinning thought about the argument he had just had with his wife.

'I saw you! Earlier! When you were out with the 'girls'!' Shinning had snapped at Cadence as soon as she walked in the door. He had offered to take care of Flurry Heart that day so Cadence could have some time with her gal pals. He took Flurry Heart to the park, not expecting to see Cadence there, being pampered by some Rick looking stallion, holding her hoof and kissing her on the forhead, the cheek, and worse, on the lips. It broke his heart.

'What are you talking about!?' Was Cadence's only response. 'I was at the spa with my friends all day! But they had some interesting storied to tell about YOU! Like the extra attention you pay to the mares in the Crystal guard! Making sure THEY get payed extra to keep quiet and be your personal guards when I'M not around! Do you know how humiliating that is!? To be the princess of love and have your husband hanging around a bunch of mares when I'm not looking!?'

'That's not true!' Shinning stood up, anger causing his blood to boil. 'Nice lie to cover up YOUR unfaithfulness! I know what I saw! And I can't believe you! I thought you loved ME!'

'I see the way you look at other mares! Don't try and weasel your way out of this one!' Cadence hissed, narrowing her eyes on Shinning.

Shinning knew he wasn't going anywhere with this. He grabbed his coat and stormed past Cedence, not even looking back. 'I'm going out. Don't expect me to come back.'

'Enjoy your mares' Cadence spat, pain and anger in her words.

'Enjoy your stuffed shirt' Shinning growled then slammed the door, never looking back.

Looking into his glass, Shinning could hardly believe what had happened. Cadence accused him of being unfaithful. Him!? He had only been in love with her since highschool. She could have anypony she wanted. She was beautiful, smart, talented, ponies adored her, and she was a princess. She could have her pick of anypony she wanted. Why did he ever think she would be happy with some bucket head like him…

Tears fell from Cadence eyes as she walked out of Flurry's bedroom. It was hard to get Flurry Heart to stop crying after Shinning left, slamming the door on his way out. When he did, Cadence's heart broke in two. She wasn't going to say anything to Shinning about what her friends had gossips about in the spa that day, but his hard tone was too much. She had alway felt like she wasn't giving HIM enough attention, especially after Flurry was born. But she thought he was more understanding that. She thought that if he really had a problem, he would talk to her. Cadence had never seen him so angry before.

Shutting the door to Flurry's room and dragging her hooves several steps away, Cadence fell to the ground in tears, one hoof to her muzzle as she faught to keep her cries as silent as she could, not wanting to wake her daughter.

'I wasn't enough for him' she thought, her heart breaking further. 'I didn't give him enough attention. I knew I was putting in alot of time with my royal duties, but I should have spent more time with him. Been a better wife. Maybe then he wouldn't have become so distant…'

Standing over a defeated Celestia, Nightmare Moon began thinking of a proper way to punish her sister for 1000 years of imprisonment followed by more years of subservience, being forced to play nice with her sister who 'always knew what was best.' When something came over Nightmare Moon, like she had just ran a week long marathon without magic.

Nightmare Moon fell to the ground, collapsing with only one eye able to look up. Her reptilian eyes began to change back to the irises that belonged to Princess Luna as she felt her magic drained from her.

Standing tall and proud of her work was none other then Mourning Cloak. Using Amore's body, the wicked Umbrum Queen chuckled as she drained the magical energy from Nightmare Moon, forcing her back into princess Luna. As the villainess drained the princesses of the night further, Mourning Cloak began to feel more and more whole. It was time. She no longer needed to latch onto Amore and her body. She could leave the old princess behind and become her own being!

Amore began to float in the air for a moment, her eyes and mouth expelling black smoke and mist as her body began to tremble. The Black gaseous substance collected and formed a creature similar in hight and shape to Princess Amore, with the exception of a pair of large, sickly looking butterfly wings, several shades of brown and black with a green outline streached to the top of the cave. The mare's body was elegant but full, as if she had never seen a single day without a meal, and didn't have an ounce of body fat to her. Her eyes glowed a wicked scarlet in the darkness just above two rows of sharp teeth that lay in her muzzle. A flowing green and brown mane seemed to blow down from the top of her head like smoke from a witch's coldrin, her tail acted the same and reached the floor behind her.

Princess Amore fell to the floor out cold. Now free, Queen Mourning Cloak, mother of King Sombra, Queen of the Unbrum, one of the original three ancient shadow creatures, was whole once more! An overwhelming feeling of twisted joy burned inside her, she couldn't help but begin a rumbling laughter that could fill the prisoners of Ironlock prison with nightmares for days. The laugh continued to grow and grow until it echoed like a mad beast in the caves tunnel and spilled out into the wilderness, chasing off any and every creature within miles of the mountain.