Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Father's Day

Sunny had found a secure cave just outside the apple farm that he divested I unload his personal belongings he regained form his room back at the Crystal empire. He had no idea who it was who left the magical lavender bag for him, but they defiantly intended it to be for a quick escape for the prince. But he was very greatful. As he began looking through the various items, Sunny knew he could never bring anything back to the farm, less somepony find them and begin investigating. The former prince began to rummage through the items, deciding to organize and even decorate the cave with the various items. He may not want anypony to find this place filled with items that could easily expose his deepest, darkest secrets, he still wanted to be organized. 'Even if somepony were I find just a picture, it could...'

It pulled at the young unicorn's heart strings when he picked up an old picture out the many things in the pile. Sunny sighed as he brushed dust off of the old photo. He remembered the day that picture was taken. It was of him and his father, before the fall of the Empire. It was one of the proudest days of Sunny's old life... It was the day he started to fallow in his father's hoof steps, and became a member of the Crystal Empire Royal Guard....

-over 1000 years ago, the Crystal Empire-

Sunny stood in his silver suit of armor, proudly right next to his father, King Sombra, posing for a picture. They were posing right outside the front gates of the Crystal Empire Castle, it was a bright and sunny shinning day, making it perfect for the picture. Both son and father beaming, happy to immortalized this moment forever with a modern portrait taking device. After the picture was taken and both Sunny and King Sombra were waiting for it to develop, the two began to make plans for the celebration dinner tonight.

"If you want, we could invite your future COs to join us so you can get better aquatinted. Some of them I knew from my time at the academy" Sombra began to suggest to his son. "You will be serving some of the finest soldiers in all Equestria, and I know they personally couldn't wait to have you aboard."

"He he, ugh, that sounds great father..." Sunny began to say as he scratched the back oh his head with his hoof.

Sombra studied his son for only a moment before releasing a held breath and smiling down at his son. "But you would rather have a meal, just the two of us?"

"And maybe mother if she, well, ... If she is free" Sunny said with a heavy heart, head slightly dropping, already knowing the answer.

Sombra's easy smile fades as he tried to lock eyes with his son, who avoided his father's gaze. "Sunny... You know as well as I do that your mother is-"

"Very busy" the yellow unicorn said, finishing his father's sentence. "I know, I know. It's just... I haven't seen her in a really long time, and I... I really miss her."

Sombra draped a hoof over his son and pulled him into a hug. "I know, Sunny, I know. It's not your mother's fault, or anypony's fault really, that she isn't here. I know for a fact that she wishes with all her heart that she could have been here. And it breaks her heart to know that she missed this momentous occasion in your life."

Sunny took a deep breath, fighting back the tears. As he did, his father plastered a smile on his own muzzle then nudged his son. "Hey, I know she'll want to see you, especially in that shinny new armor. Geeze, it's no wonder the princesses from the north want to court you. Talk about a stallion. You are rocking that armor son! I bet you'll beating he princesses off with a stick!"

Sombra's joke was able to put a smile on Sunny's face. He didn't know how, but Sombra was always able to pick his son up when he was down, even if it meant the king had to act like a goof to do so. Because to Sombra, Sunny's smile was more precious to him then all the gold and jewels in Equeatria.

"Hey! Tell you what. How about you and I have a private dinner, just you and me, and I'll see if that puppet comedian is available to a private show tonight" Sombra suggested, knowing that his son just loved puppets and that that pony comedian never traveled far from the Empire.

"Giggle Strings?!" Sunny's eyes lit up. "Really?! You mean it!"

"Of course" Sombra said. "I think he's pretty funny too. Especially when w used that cranky old donkey puppet."

"Dad, you're the best!" Sunny said as he tackle hugged King Sombra.

"Any thing for you, son" Sombra said as he returned the hug and gave the yellow unicorn a noogie.

"Here you go sir!" The photographer approached Sunny and King Sombra, presenting the picture.

The two unicorns gazed at the photograph in amazement. It may have been 1/10 th the size of a portrait, but it was surprisingly accurate with their details and fast to develop. No more having to pose for hours on end while somepony paints you.

"I can see these things catching on" Sunny said with amazement.

Later that night, Sunny and Sombra enjoyed a private dinner and a show as they were entertained by the greatest ventriloquist in all of Equestria, Giggle Strings. It was hard not to spit out their food as they laughed at the comedian's back and forth banter with his various puppets. The Giggle was famous for a wide range of puppets that had different voices and characteristics. Half way through the show, Giggle asked for a short break while he rested his voice and got something to drink.

Sunny thought that this break was the perfect time to give his father his gift. The yellow unicorn smiled at his father as he levitated a small box in his magical green aura. "Hey dad, here..."

Sombra looked at box and watched as it landed gently in front of him. Confused, he looked from the box to his son. "What is this?"

"We may be celebrating by graduation from the Crystal Empire Royal Guard academy, but it's also Father's Day. Or did you forget that?" Sunny asked his father as he raised a brow at the king.

Sombra was a little shocked that he actually did forgot. "I guess I was so excited about you graduating, that it slipped my mind."

Sunny laughed a little at the notion. "That sounds just like you. Well, go on! Open it!"

The king of the Crystal Enpire couldn't help but enjoy the enthusiasm his son had for the gift he gave him. Leave it to Sunny to get more excited about giving a gift then getting one. The thought crept back into King Sombra's mind again, one that often plagued him when he thought about his kind hearted son. 'I wish he could just make some friends. Real friends. Sunny is a great pony. And I know if somepony could just give him the chance, they would really like him...'

"Hello! Equestria to dad!" Sunny said as he waved his hoof I front of his father. "Are you there?"

Sombra shook himself clear of his troubled thoughts and brought himself back to the present. "Oh, ugh, sorry about that, Sunny. I was lost in thought."

"Well... Go on and open your gift! I think you'll like it!" Sunny said as he motioned to the gift with his muzzle.

Smiling again at his son's enthusiasm, Sombra tugged at the bow on the box and lifted the lid off. Looking inside the box, the king was surprised by what he saw. Using his own magical aura, Sombra levitated the item out of the box to get a better look at it. A million questions running through his head, not about the item. But more on its importance.

"Ugh, thank you son" Sombra said as he held in his magical aura a small cluster of green crystals. "I have a special spot on my desk just for this."

Sunny's eager and excited expression went dull and deadpan as he locked eyes with his father. "You have no idea what it is, do you?"

"Well sure I do" Sombra said, sounding slightly taken off guard. "It's a cluster of crystals. And you know i love crystals. And look! They're my favorite color too!"

Sunny's expression softened as he rolled his eyes, a smile returning to his face. "And can you guess where they came from?"

Sombra was confused but the question for a moment. Crystals were a common thing, even ones as rare as pinks and greens could be found easily in the Empire. Sombra took a closer look at the rock formation in his hoof, narrowed his eyes and tried to study it closer. It wasn't until he saw his son's reflection in the crystals that he realized where it was they came from! He looked up at his son, eyes bigger then his dinner plate, mouth dropped as he muttered "no... You... You did it?!"

Sunny smiled and was beaming with pride once more. "I did!"

Sombra got up and moved across the table to where his son sat and gave him a big, father-proud-of-his-son-moment, hug! "My son learned the crystal creation spell! I'm so proud!"

Sunny smiled as he returned the hug, feeling as though he was beginning to be worthy of status as Prince, as well as being his father's son....

Sunny held the old photograph in his hooves, then pulled it into his chest as tears began to trickle down his muzzle. Remembering the past was painful, especially when he remembered the good times he had with his father. Remembering him for not only the kind king he used to be, but also the father that Sunny missed.

After remembering that day over 1000 years ago, Sunny didn't feel much like straitening up the cave and reorganizing his personal things. He just stepped out of the cave, moved a giant bolder in front of the entrance and began walking back ok the apple farm, with the photo tucked into the rim of his hat. Sunny knew taking the old picture back to the farm was dangerous. But he needed the comfort of the photo more then the comfort of secrecy that came with his caution.

Sunny remained lost in thought as he entered the farm house and began going trough the motions of a regular day. Applejack had just returned from another friendship mission with the girls and was telling the story mostly through dinner, when she didn't take a small break to eat or look over at Sunny. The yellow stallion remained oblivious as he moved some peas on his plate back and forth with his fork.

After dinner, Big Mac offered to do the dishes, leaving Sunny some free time to himself. Which the yellow unicorn decided to use to take a walk and get some air. He didn't walk very far, though. His hooves carried him up a hill just at the south side of the farm. The yellow stallion sat with his back to the tree as he watched the sun begin to set.

"Happy Father's Day, dad..." Sunny said, wishing that he could go back in time and see what happened. Maybe he could have saved his father, stopped the fall of the Crystal Empire... If only...

The last thing Sunny did was watch Father's Day come to a close as the sun finished setting I've the horizon, and wondered how many more Father's Days he would have to spend alone, wondering where his father was...

Author's Note:

hey guys, started something new with this one. originally had this posted on FaceBook for father's day, but couldn't get here until just now. I really like this chapter because it show's who Sombra and Sunny where and what they were like before the fall of the Empire. hope you enjoyed it, I think ill do some more flash backs in chapters to come.

also, incase you couldn't tell, like me, Sunny thinks puppets are totally cool, and thus, I put a pony in here who is a play off of Jeff Dunham, my favorite ventriloquist comedian. if you want a good laugh, check it out. this chapter I also half based on a real life experience when my father took my brother and girlfriend at the time to a Jeff Dunham show. it was nice.