//------------------------------// // Act 3 // Story: Summer Sun Scavenger // by AizakkuHorooee //------------------------------// I teleport Cozy Glow to in front of the chasm just before the castle of the two sisters.  The castle though is not the reason why we are here now.  The note Cozy read over led us directly to the chasm itself, and to a cave now all too familiar with me, home to the tree of harmony. As we enter the cave, I notice the note we need is on the very top of the tree. “Well, that was easy,” Cozy notes. “Wait a minute… too easy.  We’re missing a part of the rhyme.  I’m gonna go see how.” I fly up to the top branch and approach the note, only for that note to blow away behind the tree long before I can reasonably take it with my magic.  When I land safely on the ground, Cozy Glow catching up to me, I can see a sparkling bright hologram of Twilight. Ah, Aita Bagley-Handy, Cozy Glow, welcome. Cozy and I look at each other, Cozy realizing what I had meant earlier.  “Over there, a spirit pens!  Was that what you were talking about?” That was exactly what Aita was talking about, and she was correct about the riddle.  Astral Twilight now walks up to us, specifically me.  Before you two proceed with the scavenger hunt, there is something I need to tell you for when you meet Princess Twilight Sparkle once more. “Wha…” I look eye to eye with astral Twilight, letting this sight sink in with me. She already knows about your quest, and I assure you her response overall was favorable. “She does?” I ask.  “But how did she find out?” After a brief investigation, she went to Shining Armor, who confirmed what she found out.  Like I stated earlier, she did not object in the end, so you need not worry about that.  Astral Twilight now beams warmly at me.  Since your migration to Equestria, Aita, you have been growing more and more, following in your mother, Amplitude’s hoofsteps.  The very moment Queen Chrysalis protected you from human Spitfire, I knew you could plant the same seed in others as Amplitude and Carve did for Chrysalis.  Exhibit A. She now points her hoof toward Cozy Glow, who looks a little nervous as well as scared. Without you, Aita, it was very much guaranteed Queen Chrysalis couldn’t have led Cozy Glow’s path to good.  This leads me to the very next note that I present to you personally.  Astral Twilight floats the note to in front of the three of us, reading it aloud to us. You may return, but first you’ll need to meet a pony there, indeed. A president from Cozy’s town is having quite the dance right now. Cozy rubs her chin.  “I could tell that’s referring to Heavenly Luck, but where would she be?” “The ball room for the Grand Galloping Gala!” I happily answer.  “You may return means we go back to Canterlot Castle!” After teleporting back to the castle, I lead Cozy Glow to the ball room.  In the wider hall just before, I can hear a familiar sounding song coming from inside the ball room on a phonograph.  I know exactly what it is.  I rub my cheeks with my hooves in excitement. “Oh my gosh!  Physics Engine!” The song I named comes from one of the games I brought with me when I moved. I burst into the ball room, Cozy following close behind as I begin bobbing my head from left to right.  As I walk to the source with my eyes closed due to enjoying the music and suddenly bump into somepony on the back: a pink coated pegasus mare with a yellow curly mane and tail with a spade silhouette for a cutie mark.  She turns around and immediately recognizes my teammate. “Cozy Glow!” the mare exclaims, hugging her.  “How is our top student in preparation for the summer?” “I’m fine.  Thanks for asking… you know my two best friends, right?” The mare lets go of Cozy and turns to me.  “Oh how how HOW could I not!  You’re the one who helped Cozy out during her field trip, is that about the size of it?”  I nod, causing her to shake my hooves.  “Golly!  What a pleasant surprise to meet you, Aita!  I’m Heavenly Luck!  What can I do for you and your friend?” I take the tree of harmony’s note out of the saddlebag and show it to Heavenly Luck.  “Well, we were lead back to Canterlot Castle, so I wanted to see if there was a note like this around here in the ball room.” Heavenly Luck takes the note in her wing and examines it.  “Aha!  Shining Armor!  I just had to attend the final Summer Sun Celebration when he sent me a letter telling me to participate behind the scenes in your scavenger hunt!  Here’s you’re note!” She bucks the phonograph with one backhoof, which not only stops the music, but sends a new note flying out of the bottom of the turntable.  I catch it with my magic. “All this time, what have you done to get this far in the hunt for one?  By now, the spells that Starlight made should be stored to keep them safe.” When I finish reading, all three of us know exactly what the note is referring to. “The Canterlot Archives!” When Heavenly Luck, Cozy and I leave the ball room, the former parts ways to be a part of the festival coming up while we keep going on our hunt. In the archives, we separate to cover more ground to find the next note.  In the process, I find a spell book chained to one of the shelves.  “Huh.  I wonder if there’s a loose copy of that somewhere,” I say to myself under my breath.  “Maybe it was chained up for a-” “Aita look!  I found the note!”  Cozy Glow pops up on the other side of the room and waves to me before flying up to me. “Amazing, Cozy!  Now let’s see…” I take the note and read it.   “You made it now, and found the clues.  How I am so proud of you.  This is the last clue; it’s for real.  You may want to go for a meal.” Coincidentally, Cozy Glow’s stomach begins to growl. “Dining room?” “Dining room,” she repeats after me, prompting us to dash out of the archives. At the dining room, Shining Armor is there to greet me and Aita.  I notice a table has a cloth with a lump on it. “Surprise!  Aita, did you like the scavenger hunt?” he asks, walking over and rubbing the back of her head. She briefly hugs him.  “Oh it was amazing!!!  Great work putting it all together!  Now, you did say there was something in the end, right?” Shining Armor freezes, then laughs.  “Oh Aita, I think you’re gonna like it.  The places I sent you had something in common.” Aita starts to pace around the dining room. “Hm… first we went to the hardware store for ink carts… then we went to Canterlot Carousel for tuxedo buttons… then we visited to the tree of harmony, since it uses my stylus… then we met Heavenly Luck… then we went to the Canterlot Archives, since spells are stored there… carts… buttons… stylus… Heavenly Luck… storage…”  Aita gasps.  “You got me a new game?!?” Shining Armor nods and lifts the cloth to reveal a small cart.  “Happy belated birthday, Aita.  I hope you like it.” Aita floats the cart to herself and smiles.  “Thanks, Shining Armor,” she replies, hugging him again.  “It’s perfect.” Looking around, I see an analog clock saying that it’s quarter after five.  “Not to ruin the moment you two, but do you think it’s time to see the sun rise?” Shining Armor and Aita look at the same clock, and realize the same thing, so all three of us leave and join the crowd in watching the main event. At the stage, Twilight is between Celestia and Luna, and has an amulet of some kind in her magic.  There are speakers at each end of the stage that now play the Summer Sun Celebration music I was already familiar with the other two times they were on display as normal.  While it plays, the sun rises and Twilight approaches a mic at the front. “This celebration has always been a reminder not to fear the night, for there is always a new day to look forward to.  But as we look toward Equestria’s future, I am sad to say that today will be the last Summer Sun Celebration.” The audience gasps. “Because there is something even MORE important to celebrate.  There are two ponies who have watched over us, night and day for as long as we can remember.  We will no longer be commemorating their battle or their reunion.  Instead, we will take this day to celebrate how much they mean to all of us.  From this day forward, today will be known as the Festival of the Two Sisters!” We all cheer to the announcement of a new holiday replacing one I’ve known for years.  During the cheer, Celestia hugs Twilight.  Aita looks between Twilight and her game and grins, knowing things are going to be just fine when all these new changes take place.