Sunny Knight: a Pony's Tale

by TheothersideofSunny968

Present prince vs Former prince

It didn't take Radiant Hope long to speak with Mercury, the Crystal Empire's top mail mare, about delivering her letter to an old friend, but somehow in that time Sunny had not only forgotten to enter the archery tournament, but had completely vanished from sight. After looking on the archery board of competitors and not noticing either Sunny's name or his fake name, Radiant patiently watched as each competitor for the archer tournament have their turn. After all the contestants cleared the first round, Radiant went looking for her nephew, worried something or somepony might have gotten to him. As the crystal unicorn walked through the crowd, eyes darting all around, Radiant failed to see a fallen ice cream cone on the ground, slipped, and fell right into somepony.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Radiant said as she got up, shaking her head clear, then offering a hoof to whoever she knocked over.

"It's ok, I'm fine" Twilight said as she took Radiant's hoof and pulled herself up. "I did that earlier."

"Oh my! Aren't you the princess of friendship?! Princess Twilight Sparkle?!" Radiant grasped, remembering Sunny telling her a little bit about Equestria's newest alicorn princess.

"Yes, yes I am" Twilight said as she dusted herself off, then proceeded to see if Radiant herself was ok.

"There you are Twilight!" Cadence said as she walked up to her little sister. Immediately, the pink alicorn noticed the pony who Twilight was with and shot her a friendly smile. "Head nurse Radiant Hope, are you enjoying the fair?"

"Of course I am, I always do when I run into some pony new!" Radiant joked, as she often did in both stressful or relaxed times. "I was showing my nephew around the Crystal fair, but he seems to have disappeared."

"I could use a locator spell to find him if you'd like" Twilight suggested.

"No, I'm sure he's around here somewhere" Radiant waved a hoof. "I just hope he's staying out of trouble. He kinda has a talent for getting into it when I'm not looking."

A Crystal guard approached the three mares, saluting the princesses. "Your highnesses, the jousting tournament is about to begin. Please follow me to your seats."

Cadence let out a heavy sigh, wanting to say that she would skip it. But not showing up would discourage not only the other jousters, but the rest of the empire as well. And as much as Cadence hated jousting now, she couldn't do that to the Crystal ponies. "Right. We're coming."

Seeing Cadence discouraged as she was, Twilight had an idea. Even though Twilight just met the mare, she could tell this head nurse was a fun loving and cheerful individual. It might help Cadence to be around not only her loving little sister, but some pony who could make her smile. It was times like this that Twilight really wished she could find Pinkie Pie, but the party pony was last seen in a pie eating contest. The purple alicorn turned to Radiant hope and shot her a little smile. "Care to join us, Radiant? I'm sure there's room for one more."

"Really?!" Radiant's eyes lit up as her other concerns melted away and she happily bounced from where she stood to right beside Cadence. "Oh this is going to be fun! So do you have somepony you want to win? I think my nephew was going to enter too! Maybe we'll see him there! He was pretty good at jousting a while back!"

As the three mares took their seats, ponies from all over the fair took theirs as well, all patiently awaiting to see one of the Crystal Empire's most treasured sport. A lot of them have heard that the Crystal Empire's own prince would be entering this year, which is part of the reason for such a large turn out for this year's fair. Once every pony had been seated, all the jousters ready behind the scenes, the two announcers took their own seats and spoke into their respective microphones.

"Well it certainly seems to be quite the turn out here today, doesn't it Rainbow Dash?" Flash Sentery said as he turned to his coannouncer. The newest member of the Crystal guard had filled in for the mare who was supposed to be doing the announcing, but for some odd reason was no where to be found.

"It certainly is, Flash" Rainbow commented as she looked out into the crowd. "Not as big of a crowd as the one me and the wonder bolts bring in, but no crowd could be that big."

Flash cleared his throat. "Ugh, thank you miss Dash. But getting back to-"

"I mean" Rainbow ignored Flash trying to redirect the crowd's attention. "The stands would need to be, like two, no, five times the size to hold everypony!"

"Thank you, Miss Dash" Flash spoke with a more annoyed tone as she tried to change the subject.

"There would even be some fans having to wait outside because tickets for seats sold out" Rainbow continued. "But hey, what are you gunna do. I mean, a show with somepony as awesome as me in the wonderbolts isn't a show anypony would want to miss."

"Let's get started!" Flash now screamed into his microphone. A moment after his voice ran over the crown, the new guard realized how loud he actually spoke to get his voice over Rainbow Dash. The guard looked nervously around as his cheeks turned slightly red.

"Geeze, calm down, we were just about to" Rainbow Dash was now the annoyed one as she rolled her eyes at the embarrassed royal guard and redirected the attention of the crowd. "Right off the back, folks, we have an awesome line up. For the very first round we have the crowd favorite, most likely to win. He helped to save the Crystal Empire, he and his wife with the power of love have repelled both Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra, let's put our hooves together for the one, the only, Prince Shinning Armor!!!"

After his name was called, a wave of hoof stomping applause and cheers followed quickly by thundering chants of his name, Shinning Armor appeared in a purple magical flash at one end of the field. He stood proud and ready in his newly outfitted jousting armor that was fashioned much like his royal guard armor with the purple base color, gold trimming, and his own cutie mark on the side. For show, as some jousters did to get the clouds railed up, he ran once up one end of the jousting field and down the other, jousting lance locked in place. Most of the crowd went wild. All except Cadence, who looked highly unamused to say the least.

"This will be quite the match to say the least! Against the prince of the Crystal Empire, we have..." Flash started off strongly but his voice shook a little as he looked down at his line up sheet. He couldn't believe the name of the pony who was lined up to face Shinning Armor in the first round.

"What's the matter there, slick?" Rainbow Dash joked. "You don't need to panic so much. I'm not scheduled to go up for a few more rounds."

"Well, ugh..." Flash couldn't find his words, and instead just handed his clip board off to Rainbow Dash.

The cyan colored mare at first just smirked, having no idea what could be bothering the Crystal guard so much. But when she read the name, Rainbow nearly jumped out of we seat. "No way! Really?! 'He''s here?! That's awesome!"

The crowd remained confused, along with Shinning Armor down on his side of the jousting field. The jousters were not allowed to know who they would be facing in each round, to add to the suspense and thrill, as well as to prevent any foul play.

"We have a real treat for you today folks! One that just made this whole contest 20% cooler!" Rainbow said as she jumped into the air, mic in hoof. "Facing off against our own hero of the Crystal Empire, is a mysterious stallion. One my friends and I just met the other day. He held off a dragon ten times the size of Canterlot, he's a stallion of few words, put your hooves together for the one, the only, the Black Knight!!!"

Before the crowd could ask 'who' this Black Knight was, a cloud of black smoke exploded, with just the figure of a pony barley visible inside. The crowd remained silent as a stallion in black armor emerged from the smoke, most of his body covered by the armor, say for some dark purple fur that poked through the cracks and his dark green eyes. The crowd remained silent for a moment, not really knowing how to react. Twilight slightly nudged Cadence. The two looked at each other for a moment, then began to cheer the Black Knight on. As they did, many ponies around them began cheering and stomping their hooves as well, feeling that if the princesses supported this frightening looking contestant, then they should too.

Before Flash could put his two cents in, his microphone was coated in a green magical aura and began to float over to the Black Knight. Once it reached him, the Black Knight's metallic voice ran over the speakers. "Shinning Armor! I have entered this contest with one goal in mind, so listen well!"

The white stallion in purple jousting armor glared at the Black Knight, who had stolen his thunder. "And what would that be?"

"I challenge you to a royal duel!" The Black Knight declared. "A match between two royals, held with stakes great. And should I win, you shall, from this moment on, never again joust. Be it for competition or recreation!"

The crowd gasped, chatter and whispers broke out across the crowd. They didn't know how to take such news, such a challenge with such stakes. Cadence turned to Twilight, half concern on her face as she witnessed Twilight's own conflicted worry. The only pony not concerned by this was Radiant, who's mind was only reeling with 'why is he doing this? I thought he was going to lay low.'

"Is that so?" Shinning Armor's own purple magical aura was cast around Rainbow Dash's mic and levitated over to him. As the Prince of the Crystal Empire turned to face the Black Knight, eyes blazing with determination as he spoke into the mic, projecting his voice clearly to the crowd. "I'll take take your bet, but if I win, Mr. Black Knight, you have to take off that helmet and mask and show your face to everypony here! Show them who this 'mysterious' Black Knight really is!"

"I accept the terms" The Black Knight announced into the mic, eyes narrowing on Shinning armor. "And by honor and duty, we are both bound to our words."

"Yes we are..." was the last thing Shinning Armor said as he and the Black Knight levitated their respective microphones back to the announcers.

Once Rainbow Dash's mic was back in her own hoof, she immediately began reeling. "Wow! What a show folks! What a way to kick things off! Not only a prince and a mystery stallion, but a Royal challenge! Who! Will! Win!"

The two competitors readied themselves, going over their armor one last time to make sure all was secure, then a mare from the jousting committee ran a lance over to the Black Knight. As the Black Knight took the lance, the bright colors of Blue and yellow darkened and turned pure black to match the competitors' armor. As the two stallion's looked each other down, each one ready to knock the other out, their hearts racing, the only thing Shinning Armor saw in the Black Knight was a mountain he would conquer. The Black Knight, however, could feel his mind working as it had all those years ago. The black armored unicorn was taking in everything he could, from Shinning Armor's stance, the angle he held his lance, the texture of the ground, the position of the sun, and several other factors that have changed the outcome in battles he had taken part in before. Shinning Armor may have been a captain before a prince, But Sunny had been a prince and worked his way to becoming a captain. It was as if fate itself was pinning the two against each other. But one thing Sunny had that Shinning Armor didn't, was a virtuous drive.

A Pegasus mare holding a flag flew up and waved it, singalong for the two to go! Not a split second later after she did, were the hooves of the two competitors heavily beating against the ground, pushing themselves faster and faster at each other, lances aiming for their respective opponent. Shinning Armor's eyes were locked on the Black Knight's, never breaking contact. Sunny's eyes may have been locked, but his muscle memory began to kick in, and his body began to work without his eyes. As the two neared each other, the Black Knight made a sudden burst from the ground and jolted forward at Shinning Armor. It was a risky move, leaving Sunny momentarily suspended in the air, it would have been very easy for Shinning to just plant his hooves, taking a stance, and knocking Sunny off his hooves. The only way to properly beat Sunny's risky tactic. Which is exactly how it happened!

Even though Sunny didn't care much for Shinning Armor, and had grown angry with him for neglecting his wife, Shinning Armor was indeed a great jouster. Hours and hours spent working on his form and practicing with the Crystal guards had not gone unpaid. And as Shinning Armor knocked the Black Knight off to the side and continued to gallop on to the opposite end of the jousting court, the crowd remained silent but for a moment. Once the the black armored pony hit the grass though, and a point was awarded to Shinning Armor on the score board, the crowd went wild with cheers and applause. Rounding out at the opposite end, Shinning took a moment to wave, his lance up above his head and smile at victory to the crowd.

"Wow! What a shocking first round!" Rainbow said into her mic.

"First point goes to prince Shinning Armor!" Flash was able to speak once more. "All he needs to do is win the next round and he wins the match, moving on to round 2!"

"Will he do it?!" Rainbow began to really stir the crowd up. "Will he be able to beat the mysterious Black Knight? Will we all see who this mysterious dragon taming masked stallion is?! Or will Shinning Armor have to hang up his jousting lance for good?!"

"It certainly is exciting, isn't it?" Flash asked Rainbow, still speaking into the mic.

"It sure is, Flash! Let's see what happens next." Rainbow said as she and Flash watched the Black Knight got up and galloped over to the opposite end of the jousting field.

'He's better then i thought' Sunny said to himself in his head. 'I don't know if I can beat him...'

Just as he thought that, Sunny looked up to the crowd, and beyond the cheering ponies, both residents of the Crystal Empire and not, in the very center of the stands were Twilight Sparkle, his Auntie Radiant, and Princess Cadence. It was then that Sunny froze as he saw the sadness in Cadence's eyes as she looked down at her husband who was gorging himself on the cheers and applause of the crowd. It was then, at that moment, that Sunny knew what he had to do. He didn't like it, but if there was anything he learned as a prince, it was you sometimes had to do things you didn't want to do.

Both competitors readied themselves for possibly the deciding round, the one that would determine weather Shinning Armor would go to the next match of the jousting tournament or whether a third round would take place. Each armor clad stallion dug his dominant hoof into the ground, glaring each other down as they did just moments ago, ready for the signal to begin. Once again, the Pegasus mare flew up with her starting flag and waved it. Before she could even get out of the way, the two jousters were off, darting at each other with all the strength they could muster. Their hooves steps echoed like thunder as the crowd went silent, all eyes on the jousting field, watching the whole thing as a competition that took only a few moments stretched on for hours in their minds. Eventually the two competitors reached each other. Shinning had his Lance aimed perfectly at the Black Knight's chest plate. He was planning to just slightly off balance the Black Knight, which would cause him to lose his footing and fall, thus assuring victory. But right as the tip of Shinning's Lance would have made contact with the Black Knight's armor, the black armored stallion ducked!

Shinning didn't have time to react, only time to see the Black Knight's Lance turn, and make direct contact with a part of his back leg that wasn't protected by his jousting armor! The pain shot up to Shinning several long moments after a loud bone cracking sound echoed throughout the entire jousting field. Ponies watched in horror and gasped at the sight of the prince now on the ground in immense pain. They had watched the Black Knight take a cheep shot, flipping his lance to the side, taking aim at, and possibly breaking, Shinning's back left leg!

"Match over! Match over!" Cadence screamed as she teleported from her seat over to her husband who was on the ground, breathing heavily as pain from his leg shot all the way through his body. Cadence held his head in her hooves and cooed at him, trying to keep him calm.

Meanwhile the entire crowd broke out into panic and outrage. But the first ponies to act were Twilight and Rainbow Dash, who shot up from where they were sitting and surrounded the Black Knight from both sides.

"What is the matter with you?!" Twilight shouted in anger and disgust. "Why would you do that to my brother?!"

"Because I couldn't risk losing" the Black Knight answered as he caught the sight of Radiant Hope and several other medics rushing to Shinning Armor's side, just as he had planned.

"Well, bub, ya lost" Rainbow spat out as she narrowed her eyes on him. "I can't believe I thought you were cool!"

"Some lessons are hard ones to learn" The Black Knight told them, as he looked back at Shinning Armor.

"You just have an answer for everything, don't ya?!" Rainbow spat again, catching the Black Knight's attention.

It was then that Sunny realized that he was surrounded not only
By Twilight and Rainbow, but a good fifteen to twenty guards. Things weren't looking to good for his escape.

"Guards, seize him!" Twilight yelled the order to the crystal guards, which was something she never liked to do, but under the circumstances she made an acceptation. The Crystal guards began to swarm the Black Knight, ready to take him into custody.

When the guards were but a few feet from him, the Black Knight raised his voice and yelled "STAND DOWN!"

The Black Knight's voice ran in their ears, triggering something deep inside, possibly something almost forgotten about. But the order was clear, and the feeling of loyal obedience shined through. All the guards that were just about to capture and put the Black Knight in chains were now kneeling to him. The sight shocked and dumbfounded not only Twilight and her friend, but Cadence, the suffering Shinning Armor, and all the surrounding members of the crowd.

The Black Knight then pulled out three crystals, much like the time before, and arranged them on the ground, ready to use them to get himself out of there. But before he did, one guard, one fairly new guard who did not recognize the authority of the Black Knight, jumped up and flew as fast as he could, aiming to stop the Black Knight from escaping.

Seeing this, The Black Knight looked to several of the guards nearest to him and shot out another order. "STOP HIM!"

Without hesitation, the guards grabbed Flash Sentry and held him down. Despite his young age, speed, and strength, the Pegasus guard couldn't fend off several experienced earth-pony guards.

"Who are you?" Twilight asked, amazed and confused at his ability to control the Crystal guards.

"Yeah!Take off your mask!" Rainbow spat out. "You cheated and that means you lost!"

"She is right" Twilight's shocked uncertainty was buried by a since of royal authority. "You need to uphold your promise. Or does your word mean nothing?"

The Black Knight chuckled a little before placing his hoof over the green Crystal. "Oh, I will. But your brother never said 'when' or 'where' I need to do so. Could be now, could be 1000 years from now. He really should have been more specific."

"Why you!" Rainbow had had enough of this by now and decided to attack the stallion herself.

But before she could even reach him, the Black Knight crushed the green Crystal and teleported safely away in a flash of green light. Confused for a second, Rainbow Dash looked around, hoping to see where the Black Knight had gone, but he was beyond the reach of her sight. Frustrated, Rainbow Dash stomped her hooves on the ground and kicked off with her back legs at the air. Once the Black Knight was out of sight, the guards seemed to break out of their trance, stood up and looked around for the criminal. The ones holding Flash down released him, apologizing and saying they didn't know what got into them.

"Search the area!" Cadence appeared, anger burning in her eyes. "I want the Black Knight found and brought to us! He couldn't have gotten far! Go!"

All the Crystal guards saluted the princess of love before marching off to patrol the entire Empire if
need be. Only a little that after giving the order, did Cadence stop one of the guards from marching off. He was one of the guards who had taken orders from the Black Knight to hold Flash down, and she asked him why.

"Ugh... to be honest, your highness, I don't really know" he sheepishly answered. "It just... it felt like something I needed to do. Like I needed to obey him."

After sending the guard away, Cadence rushed over to Shinning Armor who was under the current care of Radiant Hope. Several other medical ponies who had been standing by joined her, doing whatever they could to help the injured prince. The anger in the pinkie princess's eyes melted away, and nervous fear grew for her beloved husband. "Is he going to be ok?!"

"He'll be just fine" Radiant said as she stood up, giving Cadence a small smile. "I've cast a spell to start mending his broken leg, but it will take a while to fully heal. He shouldn't be on it hardly at all. No running, jumping, and defiantly to jousting."

"How long will he be down?" Cadence asked as the other medical ponies began to push back the crowd. "Is there anything I can do to help with his recovery?"

"I want to say maybe two to three weeks worth of taking it easy should do the trick." Radiant said as she stepped a little away out of ear shot from Shinning Armor, wanting him to relax. The last thing he needed was to hear he's be down and out for a while. "As for helping him..."

While Radiant gave Cadence instructions on how to care and aid in her husband's recovery, Twilight noticed the anger and rage building up in her brother's gaze. Wanting to calm him down and prevent him from hurting himself further, Twilight walked over and told Shinning "we'll find the Black Knight, Bro. You can count on that."

"Somepony put him up to it" Shinning spat out. "Somepony who wanted me out of the tournament. But who?!"

"We'll find out, you just rest" Twilight tried to reassure her brother.

"Ugh!" Shinning grunted in frustration more then from the pain in his leg. "Now I'm going to need to practice three times as hard to make up for having to take time off! I could still overlook the guards as they practice and coach them-"

"Shinning will you shut up!" Twilight snapped, shocking her older brother, catching him off guard. "All you've been talking about for months is jousting!"

"Well, yeah" Shinning caustically answered. "I'm really into it."

"Don't you see you're driving poor Cadence insane, though?" Twilight began to calm her anger.

"What do you mean? Cadence loves talking about jousting" Shinning replied, appearing slightly confused.

"No, she doesn't" Twilight answered, relaxing we tone further. "She's been venting at me about how that's all you talk about. She's been trying to get you to take a break from it because she's feeling neglected! That's why she wants me and my friends to watch the Empire for you and her, so you two can have a week to yourselves!"

Shinning's face was plastered with shock and slight guilt. "Wha... Cadence... she really... feels that way?"

Twilight rested a hoof on his shoulder. "She told me she really needed time with you, that the stress of the Empire topped with you only talking and focusing all your time and energy on jousting was making her miserable."

Guilt went into full bloom in Shinning's heart. Thinking back to all those time he would talk about jousting at breakfast, between their royal duties, lunch, overseeing various things, at dinner, and even before going to sleep. Then the last conversation Shinning had with his wife popped into his mind. The last conversation they had behind the tents before his match. It was then that Shinning thought back to how Cadence looked, how her tone of voice sounded. She wasn't arguing with Shinning. She was pleading him, begging him almost, to spend just a week with her. And all he could think about was the week of practice he would put himself through.

"I've... been kinda a jerk, haven't I Twily?" Shinning asked as he looked over as his sister.

"Yeah" Twilight answered honestly, then turned her head over and looked at Cadence as she continued to talk to Radiant. Shinning did the same, and wanted nothing more then to run over and be with his wife. "But you can make it up to her."

"How?" Shinning asked, still being a guy and having no idea.

"Go with her to the cabin, take time off for her" Twilight replied. "Just be with her. Don't just go off and talk about stuff you want to talk about. Talk 'to' her, about maybe what she likes too. That makes a mare happy.

Just then, Radiant Hope and Cadence returned, both of them with forced awkward smiles on their faces, trying to make it sound like they had good news. Radiant let Cadence break the news to her husband. "Radiant said you need to take it easy for a few weeks. Your leg was broken, but she reset it and started the healing process. You'll be fine, but it will be a while. You can't compete in the rest of the tournament."

Shinning Armor gave his wife an easy smile and shrugged. "Well, stuff happens. Jousting was getting boring anyway. Maybe now we can go on that week long vacation, say, to the cabin?"

"Shinning? Really?! I mean... are you sure?" Cadence said, using all of her strength to keep down her enthusiasm. "But what about your leg?"

"So long as he doesn't walk on it, he should be fine" Radiant popped in. "And you know, nothing says I love you like playing nurse!"

Everypony chuckled at the comment. After the laughs got out, Shinning turned to Twilight and asked "you and your friends mind looking after the Empire while we're gone?"

"Anything for you BBBFF" Twilight said as she gave her big brother a hug.

A few hours after the incident, as the fair was beginning to be taken down, the sun setting in the west, Radiant Hope went out one last time, looking for Sunny, ready to give him a piece of her mind. She was both angry with him and worried that he might have been found by the Crystal guard and taken prisoner. She was so beside herself that she began talking to herself, out loud. "What was that colt thinking?! It's one thing to show up as 'the Black Knight', but then to do something, something like, like that?! Breaking the prince's leg?! Why?! What would he do that?!"

"He was trying to do the right thing" Sunny's voice rang in Radiant's ear as the yellow stallion popped out from underneath an empty, half taken down, popcorn stand.

"Sunny!" Radiant jumped, caught completely by surprise. She began to relax as he crawled out from his hiding spot. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young man! Why in all the Empire did you have to-"

"I did it for Cadence" Sunny flat out said, his face deadpan.

Radiant remembered overhearing half of the conversation between Twilight and her brother. That was one annoying skill she loved using in school. Radiant could talk and talk and talk and still be able to listen to the lesson her teachers were teaching. While instructing Cadence about the proper care she should give Shinning, Radiant also overheard from Twilight that Cadence was tired of his jousting talk and how much it bothered the pink princess.

With a heavy sigh, Radiant raised her brows to her nephew. "You couldn't think of any other way? You really had to break his leg."

"In all fairness I tried to take him on fairly" Sunny moved to defend himself. "But he was good. And I didn't mean to 'break' his leg. I only meant to fracture."

"Well ya went all the way and broke it" Radiant said after she sighed. "And I see you dispelled my color changing spell on your coat."

"I figured they wouldn't be looking for a yellow stallion if it looked like the Black Knight was purple" Sunny admitted. "But to do that I used up all my magical strength."

"I'll give you a potion that could help you get your full strength back" Radiant told her nephew as he pulled out his apple family Stetson and placed it back on his head. Radiant admired the look for a moment. "You look pretty good in a Stetson."

This caused Sunny to blush a little. "Thanks Auntie. It feels right to wear it."

A little while later, Sunny and Radiant stood on the platform of the train station. Sunny had just purchased a ticket for Ponyville, ready to go home and get some rest. He and Radiant agreed that it would be best if he left the empire for the time being, at least until the search for the Black Knight was over.

"But I will come back and visit" Sunny said as he safely tucked a small bottle away under his hat. The potion Radiant gave him should bring back his magical strength in few days. He just needed to drink plenty of water with it.

"Good" Radiant said with a smile. "And bring that mare your always talking about, Applejack."

"Somepony say mah name?" Sunny and Radiant turned to see Applejack ad Fluttershy exiting the train that just arrived. The two
mares Sunny considered very good friends, one specific one more then just a friend, casually walked up to him and Radiant hope. "Hey there, Sunny, didn' expect ya see ya here. Couldn't help but check out th' fair?"

Sunny didn't know what to say, he hadn't planned on getting caught, especially by somepony like Applejack. If Applejack told Twilight that he was here, they might piece things together and figure out that he's the Black Knight! How was he going to get out of this one?! "I, ugh, well, ya see..."

"He remembered a relative of his living in the Crystal Empire and wanted to come by" Radiant spoke up and offered a hoof to Applejack. "I'm Radiant Hope, Sunny's auntie. And you must be this Applejack gal who's been taking care of my trouble making nephew."

"Well ah'll be! Ah real, blood relative of Sunny's?!" Applejack said as she took Radiant's hoof. But smiled as she tugged hard on the unicorn's hoof, pulling Radiant into a full hug. "That make's ya'll family too! And we hug in our family!"

Sunny was shocked at first, but began to relax when he saw Radiant attempting to return the hug and smile at the jester. Once Applejack released her Radiant smiled and chuckled. "Oh I like her. She's just the kind of mare you need in your life."

"Ah try my best" Applejack said with a slight grin as Fluttershy snickered behind her. "But he's ah hoof full, that one. Hard workin' and smart as ah tack, but he gets inta quite ah bit of trouble."

"Boy does she know you?" Radiant nudged Sunny playfully, who was growing more and more nervous looking by the moment. Reading his expression, Radiant thought of a way to slip away without bothering her nephew too much. "Anywho, I need to head back to the hospital, my shift is about to start. But come by and see me some time, seriously."

After wrapping her front hooves around Sunny, the yellow stallion returned the hug and whispered "thanks for everything Auntie, I'll come see you again really soon."

After bereaking the hug, Radiant waved goodbye to Sunny, Applejack, and the timid looking mare who hid bashfully behind Applejack, as the unicorn mare made her way from the train station and down a road that would lead to the hospital she worked at.

"She seemed nice" Fluttershy spoke up, now that the new face was gone.

"She really is, once you get to know her" Sunny said as he readjusted his hat, then turned to Applejack.

"So, ya talked a lot 'bout me, hmmm?" Applejack shot Sunny a sly smile.

Sunny in return smiled a little while avoiding eye contact. "You might have come up once of twice."

"Is that all?" Applejack teased, but got back to business. "So ya got some of yer memory back?"

The question threw Sunny through a loop for a moment, but the yellow unicorn collected himself, cleared away his ghost for the moment and gathered what he was going to say, wanting to stay as close to the truth with Applejack as much as possible. "Well... yeah. Some memories. I knew I had a relative who lived in the Crystal Empire. And I just needed to go see for myself. Ugh, h-how did the giant monster thing go? Empire is still here, ah guess ya'll beat it?"

Just then the train's whistle blew, signaling for all passengers to board at that time. Realizing he
didn't have spare bits to buy a ticket for a later train, and knowing it would be bad if he stayed behind, Sunny knew he had to go now. "Sorry, that's mah cue. I guess we'll have ya catch up later. See ya fer supper tamarow?"

"Actually, we'll be here fer ah week" Applejack awkwardly readjusted her hat, breaking eye contact. But an idea popped into her head as she turned back to Sunny with a gleeful expression. "Mind protectin' th' farm while ah'm gone? Granny and Big Mac know what ya do chore wise while ah'm gone."

Sunny saluted the orange farm mare, a smile of his own shinning brightly. "You can count on me!"

"Ah know ah can" Appleejack said then gave Sunny a quick peck in his cheek, turning his face completely red and her cheeks to bright pink. "Now don't miss yer train."

After regaining his composure, Sunny shook his head clear and hopped aboard the door frame of a train car. He looked back at Applejack and shot her another smile. "I'll see you at home, sugar cube!"

The train at that moment began to slowly move, and both Applejack and Sunny remained starting into eachother's eyes until their images faded from sight. The train began to kick up speed and the conductor, who had just enjoyed his fifth cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, instructed Sunny to take his seat.

Applejack stood watching the train as it rolled away, her smile began to fade as the train traveled farther and farther away from her, carrying with it that yellow as the morning sun stallion. Fluttershy put a hoof on her shoulder and brought her friend back to the train station. With a single, gentle glance, Fluttershy was able to reassure Applejack that everything would be ok. Taking that in, Applejack sighed happily and began her short walk back to the Crystal Empire Castle with her timid Pegasus friend.

"Excuse me, Applejack" a voice called out when the two mares just barely stepped into town. Looking down an alleyway, Applejack saw Sunny's Aunt standing in the shadows. "Sorry to bother you, I know you two have to get going and so do I. But can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Sure, sugar cube" Applejack said, and nodded for Fluttershy to go one ahead.

Once the shy yellow Pegasus flew off towards the castle, and out of hearing range, the crystal unicorn felt free to speak. "I just wanted to say, thank you. Thank you for taking care of Sunny. He's... had a... difficult life, I guess you could call it. Not the worst, but it's used to take it's toll on him."

"'Cause of his Daddy?" Applejack immediately asked, the page of Sunny's journal still fresh in her mind.

"You... you know about him?" Radiant was surprised. She thought Sunny had kept his father's identity a secret.

"Ah, ugh... ah know he did somethin' bad ta Sunny..." Applejack began to say, feeling still guilty about reading Sunny's journal. "But ah really don't know much else. Well, other then he and his daddy used ta be closer then two peas in a pod."

"Really close" Radiant admitted with a heavy heart. "Sunny... never had friends, well, not ones that weren't family or like family."

"Shoot, family are th' first friends ya make" Applejack said with a cheerful smile.

"Not when you're the only foal around a bunch of adults" Radiant admitted, but then shocked Applejack with a smile of her own. "I can see why he likes you."

This caught Applejack off guard and she began to blush again, part of her wanting to hide under her hat, but a stronger part of her was too happy to hide it. She'd never admit it, but that yellow stallion's the only pony she's ever known to make her feel weak in the knees, light headed, and want to actually slow dance all at the same time.

"Can you promised me something?" Radiant asked, bringing Applejack back down to Eauestria.

"Ugh, y-ya, anything fer ah relative of Sunny" Applejack straitened her hat, trying desperately to collect herself.

"Please, no matter what horrible things you find out about Sunny's past, please, don't ever give up on him." Radiant begged as her dark blue eyes looked deep into Applejack's.

But the answer was simple and honest for Applejack to give. "Ah couldn't give up on that colt even if ah wanted to. He's family now. And we Apple's take care of our own. 'Sides, that colt is... too special ta me, fer me ya give up on."

"There could be dark times ahead" Radiant's soft expression turned dark as she gave the orange farm the warning. "What if your family is in immediate danger because of him? And he is willing to take it on all on his own to protect your family?"

"Then we'll face them dark times together" Applejack answered without hesitation. "Whether he likes it or not."

The hardened expression that Radiant had melted away as the mare began to relax. "Sorry to be so harsh on you. I just... I feel like things are about to go from bad to worse."

Applejack then put a hoof on Radiant's shoulder. "If ya need any help, ah think of ya as family too. And yer just as welcome on the farm as much as Sunny. And if ya see his big bad daddy, and he's honestly looking ta make good with Sunny, then he's welcome too. But if he's lookin' fer trouble, then he's gunna get it. Apple family style."

A tear slipped from the corner of Radiant's eye as relief filled her heart. "Thank you... I know here's in good hooves. Maybe things were meant to be this way. Anywho, I need to get going. I'll see you later, Applejack."

"Ya'll feel free ta come down ta Sweet Apple Acres any time ya feel like, ok Auntie Radiant?" Applejack said with one last hug to the crystal unicorn.

"You bet" Radiant said as she released the orange farm pony from her hug and hurried down the road once more, this time fully intending on going to work.

Galloping happily down the road, though, Radiant came across two figures who stood directly in her path. Two Pegasus Royal guards in faded golden armor looked her strait in the eye, with their pair of glazed over red and green matching eyes.

"Come with us, Ms. Hope" one said in a zombified tone.

"Your presence is required" the other said in the same tone of voice, lacking any and all emotion.

Even though Radiant had been around and knew more then a hooffull of Royal guards, and knew that they had to refrain from showing any and all emotion, she knew something was wrong. As the unicorn mare looked into the eyes of the guards that stood before her, a horrified image of 1000 years ago popped into her head. She remembered the look of the Crystal guards after Sombra finished 'convincing' them that his new order was best for the Empire. Radiant was not fooled, and began connecting the pieces.

With a heavy heart, Radiant sighed, then looked the guards strait in the eye and told the forcefully recruited guards "Of course. Take me to him. To my oldest friend."

Sunny was glad his aunt pushed him to take the private booth, the train had been busy and crammed with ponies who had come to partake of the Crystal Fair, and now were leaving the Empire, heading home. Although Sunny had gotten a decent amount of sleep at Radiant's house, he was exhausted from his long day at the fair. So sleeping in a private booth would have to do until he got back to his own bed back on the farm.

The yellow unicorn had just laid
down and began to dose off into a pleasant dream, when there was a knock on the booth's door. Stretching a little, Sunny forced himself up and answered the door. Sliding the booth door open, Sunny felt his heart sink a beat when he saw who it was. The conductor of the train stood at the door with something in his hoof.

"Sunny Knight?" The conductor asked, sounding as normal as he had when Sunny first met him on the ride over.

The nervous yellow unicorn looked the conductor up and down, wondering if the elderly stallion was under his dark spell again. After a long and awkward pause, Sunny gulped and replied "yes?"

The conductor then held out a letter to the odd stallion. "This arrived just before we left. "

After taking the letter, Sunny looked it over a few times. It seemed like an average letter in an average envelope, with the only thing on it being his name. Looking up, Sunny realized that the conductor was waiting for something more. A tip maybe? Gulping, Sunny dug in his hat and was grateful to find a bit hiding in the fold of his hat. After paying the conductor, Sunny closed and locked he booth's door. If the letter was addressed to 'Sunny Knight' and not just 'Sunny', then it meant it was from somepony who knew who he was. Who he 'really' was.

Taking a deep breath, Sunny opened the letter and began to read;

Dear Son,

I'm letting you know I'm getting better, slowly but surely. It will take a while before I'm back to full strength. I'll keep in touch.

You did a marvelous job with stopping Garganda. It's been a long time since we last saw him, I hope he is doing well.

Also, your birthday is coming up. I'm sending you a gift, you'll know when it arrives.

Sincerely, your father

PS you look good in a Stetson hat.

After re-reading the letter over and over again several times, Sunny slumped down to the ground, slouching half on his honchos half on his back. His heart was a boiling pot of mixed emotions. All at the same time, flashes of anger, sadness, joy, pride, relief, and most of all pain. The tears never stopped sliding down Sunny's yellow cheeks the whole ride back to Ponyville.