//------------------------------// // The Stars Will Aid in Her Escape // Story: A New Generation: Friendship is Magic // by Sky_Wishes //------------------------------// "Sunny. Sunny! Sunny!" For the second time that day, Hitch was knocking on Sunny’s door. This time, however, she was very much awake. “Come in.” She called flatly. Once again, Hitch pushed open the door. “Ugh, how’d this place get so messy again? Didn’t I just clean up this—” His words were cut off as his eyes fell upon the sight of the orange mare lying motionless in her bed. “Sunny?” He asked, slowly approaching the bed. “Is everything alright?” “I don’t know.” “Is this about the whole ‘Nightmare Moon’ thing? Because Mayor Cloverleaf told me about your little incident today. Listen—” "—She’s coming, Hitch. I know she is. The Princess is trying to hide it from us, and I don't know why." "The Princess?" Hitch said incredulously. "Sunny, I'm not sure where your getting these ideas, but this is getting out of control—" "—I saw her, Hitch." "Who? Nightmare Moon?" "No, the Princess. She was saying all this stuff about Nightmare Moon, and the Elements, and..." And this point she finally looked up to see Hitch, who looked like he was torn between sitting down and listening to her story or calling in a therapist. She shook her head. "Never mind. You don't believe me anyways, and what are we even supposed to do, anyways?” Hitch, whose expression had finally settled on concern, sat down besides her. “Um… do you want to stay home tonight? We don’t even have to celebrate if you don’t want to. We can just hang out, or play board games, or…” Did she want to just stay home? It’s not like it mattered either way. Then again, although she hadn’t been able to get any information out of the Princess earlier today, but if she truly intended to defeat Nightmare Moon tonight, there would be no way she could run away again, right? Right? “Sunny?” Hitch’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Sorry. It’s fine. I don't want to stay home." She climbed out of her bed. "Come on, let's go." Hitch furrowed his brow. "Are you sure? Because you seem kinda..." "It'll be fine. I'll be fine." She glanced outside the window, where the moon was now hanging high in sky. She squinted. Was it just her, or was the alicorn silhouette missing? She felt a shiver down her spine. "We need to get to the town hall. Now." In contrast to how sad and empty the town hall had felt before, the building was now packed to the brim with smiling and laughing ponies, who were chatting amongst themselves while enjoying the provided treats. Normally, nothing would've made Sunny happier than seeing the ponies of her home town enjoying themselves. Tonight, however, it was a much different story. "So um... here we are! Izzy did a great job on the decorations, didn't she?" Hitch's smile was wider than usual, and his cheery tone obviously strained. In spite of herself, Sunny gave a tiny smile. "Yeah. She did." Hitch’s smile relaxed a bit, and he peered around before pointing into the crowd. "And hey, what a coincidence! Here she comes now!" "Wait, really?" Sunny turned to look where Hitch was pointing and, sure enough, Izzy was running towards her, Zipp flying by her side. "Sunny!" Izzy called as she rushed towards her. "You're here!" She nodded. "I am. I almost decided to stay home, but it just didn't feel right." She looked up at them. "What about you guys?" "Same here!" Izzy chirped. "Mom and Pipp wouldn't stay home, so I wouldn't either." Zipp replied landing besides them. "Although I have to say it's weird to see everypony just celebrating like nothing's going on." "Huh?" Hitch interjected. "What are you ponies—" "Yeah," Sunny replied. "I still keep wondering if there's something we can do, but I looked through all my old books and couldn't find anything." "Couldn't find anything on what—" "Me too," Zipp said. "There was nothing in the library books either." "Library books? What library—" "I didn't have any books, but while I was decorating I looked and looked and looked for that nifty magic circle that the Princess was making, but it was like it disappeared! *Poof!* just like that!" "Wait, the Princess made—" "Wait really?" Zipp asked, pulling out her notepad once more. "I did try to do some research on magic circles too, but since I didn't exactly get a good look—" "All right, that’s enough!" All three mares turned to face Hitch, who had slammed his hoof to the ground in frustration. "Just what in the Hay are you all talking about? Library books? Magic circles? The Princess? I—" At that moment, the lights began to dim, cutting off his rant. Everypony began to stomp their hooves in anticipation as Mayor Cloverleaf walked onto the stage, followed by a spotlight. “Fillies and gentlecolts, as Mayor of Ponyville let me welcome you to the Summer Sun Celebration!” She paused, waiting for the second round of applause to die down. “To all newcomers, I hope you enjoy your stay, and to all my little ponies, thank you from the bottom my heart. I’ve watched you all work tirelessly to make all this a reality, and you’ve all done such a wonderful job! Give yourselves a round of applause everypony!” Another round of hoof-stoomps. “In just a few moments, our Beloved Princess Celestia will raiee the sun, officially commerating the longest day of the year! But before all that, I am proud to introduce local celebrity, our very own Pipp Petals, to sing her new song in honor of the event!” The crowd erupted into a thunderous round of applause (Haven’s whoops and cheers in particular could be heard above the crowd) as Pipp sauntered onto the stage. Without saying a word, she took the microphone from Mayor Cloverleaf and began to sing, clear and sweet: ♪Oh, glorious sun♪ ♪Shining above us♪ ♪Bringing with it a new day♪ ♪May you inspire us♪ ♪And always guide us♪ ♪Forever lighting the way…♪ For awhile, Sunny just stood there with her eyes closed, drinking in the music. The slow, melodic anthem may have different from Pipp’s usual upbeat pop, but it was beautiful nevertheless. “Wow,” Izzy gasped. “She’s good.” Hitch nodded. “You did a good job too, Izzy. That blue smoke really adds to the ambiance.” “What blue smoke? I didn’t make any blue smoke.” “What?” Zipp asked. “If you didn’t make it then where is it…” she let out an involuntary gasp as realization dawned on her. “PIPP!”, she shouted, practically launching herself at her younger sister, tackling her off the stage. The crowd gasped. “Zipp!” Pipp yelled. “What the Hay—“ Pipp was cut off by the sound of chuckling. Although it was soft at first, its volume grew louder and louder until it became racuous manical laughter. The blue smoke grew larger and thicker until a very familiar black alicorn stepped forth. “Oh no…” Sunny whispered. Nightmare Moon gave a wicked grin as she scanned the room. “Oh, my beloved subjects. It’s been so long since I’ve seen your precious, sun-loving faces.” A series of gasps and murmurs of ‘Nightmare Moon’ began to come from the crowd. Pipp, in either awe or curiousity, began to step forward, only to be blocked by Zipp spreading out her wing. Nightmare Moon’s smile grew wider. “Oh, so you all recognize me! I have to say, I’m touched.” She stood up taller and began walking forward. “In that case, as your new princess, I’d like to make a decree, that the night shall last— Oof!” To everypony’s surprise, Nightmare Moon’s ‘decree’ was interrupted by her slamming into a golden forcefield. “What? She shrieked, as she looked down at the glowing runes at her hooves. “A sealing spell? Who did this?” “I did.” Another round of gasps and murmurs started up from the crowd as a bright light appeared, revealing Princess Celestia herself. Much like before, she stood strong and tall, the very picture of Equestria herself. However, this time all traces of sadness were wiped from her eyes, replaced by sheer determination. “Hello, Sister. I thought you might make your enterance here.” The other alicorn grinned once more. “Ah, sister. I should’ve known that this was your doing. But surely even you know that this won’t hold me forever.” “I do.” Celestia said solemnly. “And I also know that you must be stopped. One way or another, this ends tonight.” A laugh. “And what’s your plan, dear sister? Just trap me forever? Perphaps you’d like to try and use your precious elements to banish me for another thousand years? I don’t see them with you~” A pause, ever so brief. “This ends tonight,” she simply repeated, charging up her horn. “Very well then.” Nightmare Moon began charging her own horn. “Let’s see how this ends.” The sound of lightning crackling was heard, and the crowd began fleeing for their lives. Izzy had to put up a protective barrier to prevent them from being trampled as Hitch fruitlessly tried to shout orders above all the screaming. “Let’s get out of here!” Sunny shouted, and she, Izzy and Hitch rushed out into the cool night air. Sunny looked back at building just in time to see what looked like an even bigger forcefield envelop it. “Everypony, wait!” Hitch continued shouting. “You can’t just run off! We need to do a headcount, and come up with a plan, and… oh who am I kidding?” He sat down, ears drooping. “I don’t know to do here. This is all my fault.” “What? No! Of course it isn’t!” Sunny layed her hoof on his shoulder. “How would this be your fault?” “Isn’t it obvious? You told me this was going to happen, and I didn’t listen. If I did, we could’ve canceled the festival, or put in more safeguards, or, or—” he let out a sigh. “I’m really sorry, Sunny.” Sunny gave a sad smile. “It’s okay Hitch. There’s only so much that could’ve been done.” She looked back at the building behind her. “After all, the princess apparently wanted it to play out this way…” Izzy looked up at the sky. “So is the night really going to last forever now? Because I love the moon, I mean, it’s even in my name! But nighttime forever just seems…” “Yeah,” Hitch finished. “I know.” “Sunny! Hitch! Izzy!” The three turned around to see Zipp sprinting towards them along with a very panicked-looking Pipp. Sunny smiled. “You’re okay! Thank goodness!” She rushed to greet them, only to be surprised by them not returning her relief. It was only then when she noticed a very important pony was missing. “Where’s your mom?” “We don’t know!” Pipp yelled inbetween gasps. “We lost her in the crowd, and now she’s gone!” “Oh no!” Izzy said. “Did you check your house?” Zipp nodded. “We did, but we couldn’t find her there, either.” “Do you think Nightmare Moon got her? Oh my hoofness, Nightmare Moon totally got her!” “Pipp! Calm down! I’m sure she’s just looking for us too.” “What if she isn’t though? What if she’s already left town with everypony else! What if we end up stuck here forever, forced to fend for ourselves and grow our own food and live under a sunless sky forever?” “Ugh, Pipp! Now is not the time for this!” “Oh, I’m so sorry my panic attack is so inconvient for you, but what do you want me to do, exactly? Just sit and wait until the Princess wins or she… she…” A silence fell on the group. “Yeah,” Zipp finally said. “I guess so.” Is that true? Is this really it? Sunny closed her eyes, thinking back to Nightmare Moon’s words. Perphaps you’d like to try and use your precious elements to banish me for another thousand years? I don’t see them with you~ And suddenly, it dawned on her. “Wait. We can do something!” Everypony turned to looked at her. “Really?” Hitch asked, “what?” “The Elements of Harmony! They’re what the Princess used to defeat Nightmare Moon the last time right? But she doesn’t have them now.” “So…?” Hitch asked. “If we can get them to her, then we can save Ponyville! Who’s with me?” “Sunny, are you serious?” Zipp asked. “We don’t know anything about the Elements! We didn’t find anything in our research, remember?” Sunny gave a sly grin. “We found out one thing though.” “What?” “Their last known location.” “Their last known—” Zipp’s eyes widened. “You aren’t seriously suggesting we go look for them in the Everfree Forest are you?” Izzy gasped. “The Everfree Forest! But that place is super spooky and creepy and sinister and eerie!” Sunny nodded. “I know. But the Elements could be in there!” “Hold up, hold up!” Hitch said, stepping in. “The Everfree Forest is a strictly forbidden zone. It’s far too dangerous in there!” “Hitch, please.” Sunny said. “This could be our only chance to save Ponyville, and all of Equestria for that matter! Can’t you bend the rules, just this one time?” A pause. Then Hitch finally let out a sigh. “Fine.” He said, using his ‘sheriff voice’. “As Sheriff of Ponyville, I officially give us premisson to go into the Everfree Forest to retrieve the Elements of Harmony.” “Wait, We?” Pipp interjected. “As in us? Go in there?” Zipp rolled her eyes. “Yes, Pipp. We have to go to the dangerous place. You can stay if you want—” “—No!” Pipp interrupted. “Nope, nope, nope! Out of the question. If my big sister is going, then I’m going too!” Sunny beamed. “Then it’s settled! We’ll all go home to prepare, and regroup back at Everfree’s enterance! Does that sound good?” “Yes.” “Yes!” “Yup.” “Definitely.” Sunny nodded. “Alright then! Let’s find those elements!”