//------------------------------//
// The Sun Princess 
// Story: A New Generation: Friendship is Magic 
// by Sky_Wishes 
//------------------------------//

"Izzy! Izzy, wait!"

Sunny and Zipp both raced after Izzy, nearly tripping over their own hooves as they did so. Before they knew, they were running towards the unicorn faster than they could stop themselves, and they crashed into her, once again sending books and paper plates and paintbrushes flying.

Izzy however, was unperturbed. "Oh hey guys!" she said. "Funny that we're running into each other like this again!"

"Never mind that!" Zipp said, suddenly standing up. "What was that you said earlier?"

"I was just saying how funny it was that—"

"—Not that!" Sunny interrupted, standing up besides Zipp. "Earlier! Before we ran into into each other!"

"Crafting waits for nopony?"

"Earlier-earlier!" Sunny and Zipp said simultaneously."

"Oh!" Izzy said, nodding. "About the Princess! Well, I was decorating the town hall, trying to figure out whether to use blue glitter or purple glitter, because you see blue glitter gives a 'Shazam' feeling while purple gives a 'Shazing', feeling, and the effect is—"

"Izzy!" Zipp stamped her hoof. "Get to the point!"

"Right. The point. So I was trying to decide between them, when poof! The princess popped in! And I don't think she knew I was there because didn't say hi or anything, and she muttering all sorts of things to herself like, 'elements', and 'Sun Celebration', and 'Stars', and 'Moon', and it gave me the greatest idea: Sun and moon themed plates! So I rushed out to get supplies and..."

Sunny began tuning the rest of Izzy's words out as she processed the information. Izzy had seen the Sun Princess, the Princess Celestia, in the flesh! On one hoof it made sense; The Summer Sun Celebration was taking place in Ponyville this year after all, so it made sense that the Princess would arrive prior to prepare. But on the other hoof, it still seemed unbelievable. After all, she was notoriously reclusive; Save for the Summer Sun Celebration, she was seldom seen outside Canterlot Castle.

"Stars..." Zipp mumbled to herself. Suddenly, her ears perked up, and her head jerked towards Sunny. "The legend said that the stars would aid in Nightmare Moon's escape, right? So when the Princess was talking about stars earlier..."

Sunny's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "...She could've be talking about the prophecy! But that would mean she'd have to know about it, so why—"

"...And then you guys asked me what I said about the princess so I started telling this story!" Izzy finally finished. "Any other questions?"

"Yes!" Sunny replied, urgency tinging her voice. "Is she still there?"

"Probably!"

"Then you need to take us to her." Zipp said, stepping forward. "Now."

Izzy nodded. "Okay then! Follow me!" she said before trotting forwards.

Sunny shared a nervous look with Zipp before following. What was the Princess doing? Did she know about Nightmare Moon? If so, why hadn't she said anything?

Just keep walking, Sunny, keep walking. Hopefully, you'll get your answers soon.





"Here we are, at Town Hall!...Town hall...town hall..." Izzy said, echoing her own words as she gestured to the building. "The Princess should be right through those doors."

Right through those doors. Sunny involuntarily gulped. It's not that she didn't want to meet the Princess— she been dreaming of this day for moons and moons now! —but she hadn't expected her first meeting to be like this. What was she even supposed to say? "Hey Princess! Quick question— is your jealous sister going make nighttime last forever? Just curious!"

Zipp approached the door cautiously. "So do we knock or something?"

"I mean..." Sunny started. "...It's Town Hall. You don't normally have to knock to get in, right?"

"But if the Princess is in there..."

The pair's brief dispute was interrupted by Izzy simply walking through the two of them and opening the doors. Both mares rushed to stop her from walking in, only to tumble in themselves.

"Oof..." Sunny groaned as she slowly stood up. "That felt—"

Her eyes fell upon the Sun Princess, and words failed her. As she seldom made public appearances and there was a strict "No photos" policy, Sunny, like most ponies, only knew of the Princess's appearance through old portraits and books. Seeing her in person, even from a distance like this, she realized that none of them truly did her justice. Her silky white frame stood strong and tall, much taller than any other pony she'd ever known. Her mane, a rainbow of colors, shimmered and sparked as it swayed in an invisible wind. Her wings were spread out, radiating strength and beauty. In fact, she looked much more like a Goddess than she did a Princess.

And yet, she looked... sad.

At first Sunny couldn't quite place it. There was just something off about her. But looking into her eyes, there was an unmistakable and deep melancholy about them. It called back memories of the time Sunny had said her final goodbyes to her father.

Izzy opened her mouth to speak. "Prin—"

Sunny instinctively clamped her hoof over her mouth, not want to let words ruin the moment. She looked over to face Zipp, who also seemed frozen in place, perhaps in awe over the Princess's beauty, perhaps locked into some sad memories of her own. Whatever the case, it kept her still.

The Princess lit up her horn. Underneath her feet, a series of runes forming a circle glowed. 

Sunny heard Zipp give a faint gasp of surprise from besides her. A magic circle, she mouthed, entranced by the magical process happening in front of her.

"My dear sister."

The sound of the Princess's voice stole Sunny's breath away. It was equal parts regal and melodic, and yet it to carried the sadness that Sunny saw in her eyes.

"It's been a thousand years since we last met. In those years, I have searched and searched for the Magic that would finally free you. But alas, it is not my fate. I burn too hot after are." A wistful smile creeped onto her face. "I wonder if our roles were reversed if you would be able to do what I could not. You were always the one more connected with our ponies." Her expression steeled into something much more unreadable. "But that doesn't matter now. Unfortunately, I am more than your sister, and I'll do whatever it takes to defend my ponies. No matter what happens, this next meeting shall be our final one. Goodbye, Luna."

At last, Sunny's burning curiosity could take it no longer. "Princess!" she called out.

The Princess's eyes fell upon Sunny. Then her horn lit up again. Then she was gone.

"No!" All three mares shouted while rushing forward. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Where'd she go?" Sunny asked.

"What was all that stuff she was talking about?" Asked Izzy.

Zipp stamped her hoof on the ground. "The legends are true! And the Princess knew! She knew and she didn't try to tell any of us!"

Chills went up Sunny's spine as she sensed her friend's anger. "Easy Zipp. I'm sure she had a good reason—"

"—What, a good reason to lie to us? To actively try to hide this from us?" She stamped her hoof once again, tears welling up in her eyes. "To just let us go about our day without knowing about the big threat hanging above our heads? What possible good reason could she have for that?"

Once again, Sunny was at a loss for words. "Maybe she didn't want to cause a panic?" was all she could muster, a not-so-convincing grin on her face.

Predictably, Zipp didn't calm down. Instead she stomped her foot again, before sitting where the Princess had once stood. "So what now?" She asked, voice laced with bitterness. "Obviously the Princess isn't interested in telling us anything, and I doubt Phyllis is going to believe us about hearing all this. She'll probably just accuse us of trying to cause trouble.

Sunny sighed before sitting down besides her. "I'm not sure if Hitch will believe us, either. I'm not sure if I'd even be able to reach him with all the festival planning going on." It wasn't fair. This was supposed to give Sunny the answers. Either the Princess would tell her that she was being silly and just to enjoy herself, or that she was correct and that she had it all under control. Not... this.

"Did she seem sad to you two?"

Both mares turned their head. Sunny had nearly forgotten that Izzy was there. "Yeah..."

"I mean, I always expected the Princess to be proud and happy. She's the princess of the Sun! But she seemed so down, and I don't know..."

"She had to banish her own sister." Zipp interjecting, the anger from earlier slowly leaving her voice. "And now it sound's like she's going to have to do it again. I know if I had to do that to Pipp..." Zipp's whole body stiffened as her voice trailed off. "Pipp," she whispered, more to herself than to anypony else. She stood up. "Listen guys, I think I need to go check on her. Maybe I can convince her to stay away or something. I don't know. I gotta split."

Sunny didn't even have the energy to protest as Zipp bolted out of the town hall. All she could do was weakly wave goodbye.

"So..." Izzy asked. "What now?"

Sunny turned away. "I don't know. I guess you finish your decorations, and I go get ready for the celebration." Sunny's natural instincts urged her to talk to someone, do more researching, do something— but her desire for action was stymied by reality. She'd done all she can. With a heavy heart, she walked out of the building.

Outside, it was already dusk. The Sun was mostly gone, and the moon was peeking out from the horizon. Sunny could still see the craters and seas forming Nightmare Moon's silhouette, along with four stars surrounding it that seemed glow closer and closer to the moon each passing second.

Legend has it, on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars shall aid in her escape.

Sunny gulped.

She prayed the Princess knew what she was doing.