Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Silent Guilt

Applejack kept pacing back and forth in the living room, beads of nervous sweat dripping from her forehead. The sun hadn't gone down quite a while ago, but Apple Bloom and Sunny still weren't home. But she didn't take that long to wonder and start to worry about the yellow stallion.

Not long after lunch, Applejack made her way over to Twilight's castle to see if they had made any headway with the Timberwolf problem. If she knew Twilight, the alicorn was more then likely surrounded by a mountain of her books, searching for an answer at that very moment. She probably even ranggled Sunny into researching with her as well. It thought of Sunny sitting there m, trying to keep up with Twilight as she zoomed through her books made the farm mare chuckle to herself. Sunny was smart and a really fast learner. But a pile of untouched books on his desk that Twilight leant him a while ago told her that he wasn't much for reading.

As Applejack arrived at Twilight's castle, though, she was suprised to find Sunny was nowhere to be seen. She made her way to the library only to find Twilight hypnotized by a book she was reading and Spike just as lost in his comic book. After several attempts, the orange farm mare was able to tare Twilight way from her book. After that, it was all down hill. Twilight told Applejack how Sunny wanted to gather information first hoof, rather then spend time searching through books. Applejack wasn't surprised. But her fears grew when Twilight told her about how he went to find Apple Bloom to lead him to Zecora, in an attempt to get information they might not have had.

It was then that Appeljack began to panic. With what the Timber wolves had done to the orchard, the thought of what they could do to Sunny and her little sister almost caused the sturdy farm pony to faint. Twilight apologized for being so thoughtless. If she hadn't been so engulfed in her studying, she would have realized how bad of an idea that sounded. Sunny taking Apple Bloom into the Everfree Forest. What was she thinking.

Togeather, Applejack and Twilight shot through town, hoping that Sunny and Apple Bloom made it back already, without any trouble. But no pony had seen ether of them. Applejack's fears only grew as she overheard a few pegusi from the weather team talking about how hey saw a hydra fighting with some Timberwolves around the forest not long ago. Word began to spread fast through the town, causing some ponies to panic.

It was then that Twilight went and enlisted the help of her fastest friend, Rainbow Dash, who she found just napping on a cloud. She asked her to fly as fast as she could to the house of their zebra friend, and see if they had made it there ok. Twilight ten told Applejack to go home and patrol with Big Mac around the farm. If Sunny or Apple Bloom were to make it back, they might take a short cut through the orchard, especially if Timberwolves were hot on their trail. Twilight herself was going to patrol from the sky above the Everfree Forest. If she spotted anything suspicious or dangerous, she would investigate and jump in.

Applejack reluctantly agreed and went back home. She found Big Mac putting up some farming equipment and filled him and Granny in on the situation. Granny then hopped on top of the farm house with an old pair of binoculars and began scouring the farm land as best she could. While Big Mac and Applejacksolo up and began running through the orchard as best they could, each calling out the names of their missing family members. It seemed that they were only at it for a few moments, adrenalin still pumping hard in their veins. But as the sun began to go down, and it became harder to see in the orchard, Granny, Big Mac and Applejack returned to the farm house, hopeing for some good news to come their way.

Applejack almost walked a hole in the wood floor, pacing back and forth as much as she did. Then the front door burst open and the most disgusting smell quickly filled the entire house. Granny, who had been flipping through a family album with Big Mac up until that point, almost gagged. Big Mac himself turned a dark shade of green and ran quickly to the restroom. But Applejack held down her stomach as she covered her nose and looked to the front door. She found her self feelin an array of different emotions. Relief to see her sister and Sunny safely back home with only a few scratches, anger towards Sunny for taking her sister into harm's way, and confusion as to why they smelled like an out house in the middle of the hottest day in summer.

After a good scrub in the wash tub outside (Applejack didn't want the stink to linger in the bathroom, and the smell might keep the Timber wolves away), Sunny and Apple Bloom were allowed back into the house for a good scolding from the entire Apple family. Sunny tried to take all the blame, Apple Bloom having no way of knowing about the Timberwolve's recent change of character. But Twilight insisted that she was also partly to blame, not stopping Sunny or even going with him.

Applejack gave all 3 ponies a firm lecture on putting others in danger, the one it hit the most was Sunny. He hadn't mentioned it to Applejack, and was sure Apple Bloom wasn't aware of it, but she had been in danger wen she and Sunny were cornered y the Timberwolves. The image of the sweet little yellow filly almost being clawed by that vicious beast ran threw Sunny's head over and over. His heart sank deep into the pit of his stomach, making him feel even sicker then Big Mac had when he and Apple Bloom arrived back home. But after the lecture, Applejack face then all a big hug, she was truly happy that they all were safe, and she's said so.

But that sickening feeling never left Sunny. Apple Bloom went off to bed, quickly fallowed by Sunny, who claimed that the excitement of the day really tuckered him out too. Before he got to his bedroom, though, Twilight told him Rarity left a gift for him back at her castle and he could come by and pick it tomorrow when they had their magic lesson. That reminded the yellow stallion of the whole reason for the trip.

He then dug a hoof into his Stetson hat and pulled out the leather bound book Zecora gave him. He levitated it over to Twilight, who's grin grew three sized at the thought of a new book with new information. While Twilight and Applejack took a better look at the book, Sunny slipped away into his room, ready for the day to just be over. As he removed his hat, ready to just toss it aside, he caught the vile of white liquid.

He stared at it for a moment, then shook his head and placed it in a drawer in his desk and shut it. The day really did eat away at him quite a bit. Last thing he needed was to be overwhelmed with anything else. He was honestly in no hurry. He would drink it tomorrow night. But for now, he fell onto his bead, and went right to sleep. Hoping his dreams would push the events of the day aside.