Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

dinner with the family

- apple farm-

It had been a long hard day of work, but Sunny enjoyed himself. Between him and Big Mac, they cleared the entire orchard section they needed for the day and were all caught up and where they needed to be. Tomorrow 'real' work will begin. Or so Granny Smith told him. It made him smile. Not the work, or the 'real work' but... This feeling he got deep down inside. Was it from an honest day's work? The wonderful feeling Sunny got from helping ponies out in need? No, but those concepts did make him feel good. But there was more too it.

It started when he and Big Mac came in for dinner. Granny and Pinkie Pie, along with another mare around Pinkie's age named Fluttershy, had prepared a huge dinner for them all. As Sunny sat down and looked at everypony eating dinner, he felt something new. Or, maybe something he experienced before, but had long since forgotten. It was a warm feeling. A comfortable feeling, just being around all of them. Watching them talk and interact in their own special way.

Maybe he was reminded just then, that every pony is different. Some are big, like Big Mac, some are small like Apple Bloom . Some ponies are loud and are open like Pinkie Pie, and some are quiet and reserved but full of kindness like Fluttershy. No, he enjoyed each pony's uniquenesses, but something else was burning inside. A good burn. Sunny caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror by the kitchen, and his heart sunk slightly as he looked at a stallion he didnt even know. This made the yellow stallion sigh for a moment. 'But... What am I? WHO am I?'

As everypony began to eat, Sunny forced himself to take a few small bites, but couldn't stomach that he didn't know anything about himself.

"Everything alright there, Sunny?" Granny whispered to the young stallion.

He forced a smile "nothing to worry about Granny Smith, just... Thinking..."

"What cha thinkin' bout?" Apple Bloom swallowed her bite of food and looked up at their newest guest.

He smiled at the yellow filly with a pink bow on her head. "Just thinking of how the lack of knowledge doesn't sit well in my stomach."

This just earned a confused look from the yellow filly. "Wha...."

"Ya know, Sunny" Granny put her hoof on his in reasurance as she smiled up at him. "Sometimes answers come to a pony who waits. And if anything is ever botherin' ya, feel free to talk ta any one of us. That's what family is for."

That warm feeling Sunny felt before now erupted from his heart like a joyful volcano as tears began to form at the corners of his eyes. "F-f-family?...."

"Yeah! We're not just friends!" Pinkie Pie somehow appeared behind Sunny and gave him, Granny, and Apple Bloom a great big hug. "We're one big happy family! We stick together and always look out for one another!"

Sunny then found his meal easier to eat after Pinkie Pie let them all go. 'Maybe I don't need to know who I was, but... But rather decide who I'm going to be, here and now!"

He took another look at the ponies at the table again, and smiled as it felt like his heart had exploded twice. "Family..."

-Canterlot-

Celestia levitated the crystal shards that Cloud Skipper and Midnight Blossom brought her. Double, triple, and quadruple checking it over to make sure it was what she suspected. Her heart sank when she realized it was.

"And you say these were growing out of meteor?" She asked the two guards who had just returned from the site.

"Yes ma'am" Cloud Skipper answered first. "From what Alister and I could tell, they, as well as burn marks on the meteor... In the shape of a unicorn, ma'am."

"As well as a trail leading away from the site?" Celestia continued, we voice firm as her heart was deeply troubled.

"Yes ma'am" it was Midnight Blossom's turn to speak. "I followed the trail for a good mile, but the trail began to shrink and it eventually disappeared deep intot he forest about half a mile away from the crash site."

She held the dark crystal shard up to a candle light, watching in horror as it absorbed all the light without letting any go. 'Just like its creator...'

"Go back and find Alister, begin the hunt. I will send reinforcements to all the neighboring towns and cities. We need to find him."

Midnight Blossom and Cloud Skipper bowed, then as quickly as they arrived, they left. They flew out the window, heading back to the crash site. Just then, a royal guard knocked on the door.

"Your highness, dinner is ready, your sister awaits for you" he told the princess of the sun.

Celestia signed and placed the dark crystal on her desk. She knew if she was to face this foe, then she would need all of her strength to do it. She followed the guard out of her room, leaving the dark crystal in the path of the candle's light.

Just as the Princess closed the door, the darkness in the crystal began to dissipate and it became a bright green color, then, it turned to crystal dust and was carried away but a slight gust that was let in by an open window.