The usually sunny skies of Maritime Bay were overtaken by a dark downpour. Sunny stood numb beside a large photo of her recently deceased father and a pile of meaningless flowers. Sniffles were heard through the crowd before her. She was expected to say something. It was customary. She had watched her father accomplish that with her mother over a decade ago. No words came. What could she even say? This was so meaningless. As meaningless as a dock in a town that never saw a single ship.
“Do you want me to take over?” Hitch whispered to her as he stood beside her in his new town protector uniform. She glanced at him and his eyes held such earnest concern, she had to look away. She nodded. He walked forward to the podium. “As future sheriff of Maritime Bay, it’s up to me to step in when a citizen needs a helping hoof. And until Sunny can find her voice, I’ll provide mine.” He looked to her again. She didn’t meet his eyes, but nodded. “Argyle Starshine kept our seas safe with his maintained light guiding us to shore. He was also the best historian our town has ever had. If you have foals, you’ve probably helped them with some homework out of his books. His sudden loss will be felt for generations.”
“Will it?” Sunny managed. There was a gasp as Hitch awkwardly looked at the crowd and stood in front of Sunny with a cough.
“Grief is hard and complex for all of us. Some feel sorrow, some anger, and some helplessness. If you or anyone you know needs help through this difficult time, please talk to someone. You can find my dad and I at the sheriff station.” Sunny sighed. The crowd nodded knowingly. As if they knew anything.
“Beloved father, husband, and a valued member of our community. I now turn it over to Jazz Hooves as she plays Argyle favorite song.” Jazz took her cue and started playing a slow piano dirge. Hitch turned to Sunny. “This is a dumb question, but are you okay?”
Sunny sighed, ignoring him. She looked up at the crowd. He ear perked as she realized what song was playing. “Oh! Wait!” Jazz stopped suddenly, keys plunking. The crowd coughed and mumbled to each other. “This isn’t actually my dad’s favorite song.” She found words she didn’t know she had. “He would sing a lullaby to me often. He came up with it when I was having a lot of nightmares as a very young filly.” She stopped, looking around feeling out of place. “Would it be okay if I sang it?”
Hitch motioned forward. “Of course, Sunny.”
Sunny took a deep breath.
Glimmer little night time light
Journey with the stars
Share with the world our words
Guide us all through hope
She looked out at the crowd. There were tears, smiles, nods. The rain was clearing up and a small beam of light warmed her coat. She felt a grand swell in her chest of emotions she could not name, but they formed through the lullaby as she sang a new verse.
Continue on our little Star Scout
The Galaxy will call to you
Old flames will burn anew
You are the story’s truth
…
Twilight, Celestia, and Luna took flight through the clouds above. What Twilight wouldn’t give for the speed of Rainbow Dash right now. The island seemed a lot closer from the ground. “We are almost there!” Celestia shouted against the wind. Her words brought Twilight renewed strength as the three continued their ascent. Despite the air feeling lighter, she could still breathe. The air was frosty and ice formed on their wings. Finally ground was in sight. Twilight landed hard, panting. Luna and Celestia taking a more graceful stance on either side of her. After she caught her breath, she noticed the air around her was still and quiet.
She looked to Celestia and Luna. “Is it normally this quiet?” Twilight asked. Before Celestia could answer, the sound of hoof falls approached. The dark starry sky of the upper atmosphere shrouded who they belonged to. “Hello?” Twilight called out. “We come bearing you no ill intentions. We noticed your land had come to a halt and wanted to offer assistance if it was needed.”
“You smell of the dirt below.” A crimson alicorn with white braids and ringlets that reflected the moonlight above spat with palpable disgust.
“Opaline!” Celestia gasped, surprised to see a familiar face.
“Opaline?” Twilight asked, looking from Celestia’s furrowing brow and Opaline’s catlike grin.
“Hah! I’m surprised you would remember me. You and your sister never had time for a lowly fire alicorn with your sun and moon thing before. And now you come crawling back with not a crown on your head.” She cackled as she paced around them, her hair catching the moonlight.
“Where are the other alicorns?” Luna demanded, furrowing her brow.
“You are in no position to demand anything of me in that weakened state. You lost the one stand out thing about you and for what? This…this…thing?” She motioned to Twilight.
“You know nothing of what we’ve done in the thousands of moons since we have been in Equestria. We’ve changed, but it appears you are the same petulant child you always were.” Celestia stood her ground.
“Hey! Hey every pony! Let’s calm down.” Twilight trotted forward, standing between the two. “Opaline, is it?”
“Opaline Arcana and you would do good to address me by my full title and to not interrupt when actual alicorns are talking.”
Twilight ignored her. “Opaline Arcana, we are here to offer assistance. Skyros has never stood still in the sky before and we want to help if you would allow it.”
Opaline held her wings out. They and her horn ignited with a hot, white flame. She sent the flames in all directions lighting torches around the courtyard they found themselves in. There were grand, marble walls and stair cases going every which way adorned with gold and silver inlay creating regal patterns along every surface. Precious diamonds and other stones created points of interest within the inlay. The grass below their hooves was a vibrant shade of green, manicured to perfection with not even a daisy out of place. The torches themselves stood on silver poles with intricately pieces of metal snaking their way along the surface. The buildings stretched higher than Twilight could see by torchlight. She felt small, nothing in Equestria was this ornate. It was intimidating. At her expression, Opaline cackled, her laughter echoed off marbled walls. “Opaline, what’s going on out there? Who are you talking to?” A voice echoed down causing her laughter to catch in her throat.
She coughed a bit, regained her composure and called back “We have visitors your majesty.” She turned back to them with a sneer. “Things have changed my dear Sun and Moon since you lost cantered across these halls. You would do good to remember that.”
…
Her little house was attached to the lighthouse that lit her little bay at night where no one ever docked. As she cooked, she watched foals running around, her elder neighbor watering her plants. A beautiful town with the same ponies every day. No new faces. No new voices. No new canters. And she was so bored of it all. She pulled on her skates and helmet with a dulled expression that softened when she saw the photo of her dearly departed father by the door. She slammed it behind her and was on her way to the center of Maritime Bay.
A town by the sea, what could be more idyllic
Ocean breeze and pleasant sun, a smell so specific
Moors surrounding, beyond where the eye can see
A place where every pony is simply content to be
But day by day I find it all so boring
The same old thing, I’m practically snoring
No one seems to notice, no one seems to care
How stale to keep breathing this same air
She reached the town and picked up a smoothie. Kale again. She received the same good mornings she had every day of her life. Hitch was directing people through busy cross sections as always. Cue Ms Cloverleaf turning her nose in the air at the smell from the vegan cookie stand.
Am I the only one
Who feels the chill of the familiar
Am I the only one
Who feels each day is just filler
Can’t be the only one
Who wants to reconfigure
And yet here we are, I’m the odd one out,
I just need something new
Sunny rolled up to the doors of the bookstore and hung her skates in the back room, preparing to start her shift. Dahlia pointed toward a stack of books. She grabbed them and took them to the shelves to put out, navigating around the browsers and readers.
Am I the only one
Who feels the chill of the familiar
Am I the only one
Who feels each day is just filler
Can’t be the only one
Who wants to reconfigure
I wish I could describe, it’s not pride
It’s the plot of a story no one knew
I just want a different end
She was sliding along the ladder when she misjudged the steps and fell, dropping her stack. “Sunny, are you making a mess again?”Dahlia sighed from the front, turning a page in her magazine. She didn’t need to look up to know what was going on.
“Do I fall everyday?” She asked aloud to no answer. She sighed and shelved the last few books.
The clock chimed noon. Lunch time for teachers. Which could only mean. “Achem!” She heard the familiar snooty sound of somepony clearing their throat.
“Hello Ms Cloverleaf, what can I do for you today?” Sunny said with the biggest customer service smile she could manage. And despite knowing exactly what she wanted.
“It’s been a rough lesson and I need something to unwin—oh!” Ms Cloverleaf was interrupted by Sunny handing her the book ‘The Stallion at Midnight.’ “That’s exactly—”
“When you work at a bookstore long enough, you get a feel for these things.” Sunny nodded, pleased that for once she would dodge upsetting Ms Cloverleaf.
“And why would you assume I’d want some filthy book such as this?” Sunny’s face fell, dumbfounded.
“But... But you always…”
“I always what?” Ms Cloverleaf spat back.
“Hah! You’re in trouble,” Sprout laughed from the comic book rack.
“You always..seem to like…stories about…strong mares…?” Sunny managed.
Ms Cloverleaf snorted. “Bring me the manager!” Everyone gasped, looking at Sunny. Her ears pinned back as she glanced over to Dahlia who was rubbing her forehead with a hoof.
…
“Hey Sunny!” Hitch trotted over, his sheriff badge gleaming in the setting sun.
A passing mare waved at him and he smiled a self assured smile back with a wink. She swooned. Sunny rolled her eyes. “Hey Hitch,” she sighed, slumping onto the sidewalk.
“Rough day?” He asked, sitting beside her.
“I was fired.” Sunny groaned.
“Fired!” Hitch looked puzzled. “That can happen? I don’t think anyone’s ever lost a job here before.”
“You really know how to cheer a girl up.” Sunny rolled her eyes.
“Ah! Oh! Sorry. That really stinks. What happened?”
“I’m surprised you hadn’t heard. It’s only been the talk of the whole town.” Sunny gestured widely. “Ms Cloverleaf asked to speak to the manager.”
“Oooooh, yeah, that is not good.” Hitch whinced.
“And it’s just because I brought her a book I knew she’d like. It’s like all the other books she reads. She loves those cheap, cheesy romance novels. So I saved us the trouble of her drawing out what she’s looking for and just handed her the latest one.” Sunny groaned in frustration.
“You know Ms Cloverleaf. She is a pony of habit.” Hitch offered a small chuckle.
“Everyone in Maritime Bay is a pony of habit.” She sighed. The sun was starting to make its descent overhead as the sky grew a beautiful shade of orange.
“Speaking of, it’s light house time.” Hitch motioned with his head.
Sunny pulled herself off the ground. “Yeah. Yeah it is.”
“Catch you tomorrow.” Hitch smiled and trotted off.
“Yeah. Yeah you will.” Sunny pulled on her skates, absolutely done with the day. She hurried home and up the stairs of the lighthouse. Why was she even bothering. No one was coming. She turned a crank that brought the white, round gem up into place. It lit up as the crank stopped turning, pointed toward the docks. Sunny looked at all the desks with various papers scattered across them covered in dust. She hadn’t the heart to touch anything in this room since her dad arrived.
“I just want something different, something more, to happen. I want to meet someone new.” She often spoke to herself in this room. She liked to imagine her dad could hear her. It was comforting. As she turned to leave, she over guessed her step and tumbled into one of the tables. Her dad’s special lantern clattered to the floor. “Oh no!” She jumped up, setting it back into place, making sure nothing was broken.
“Lantern!” She exclaimed, digging through the closet and pulling out a paper lantern. She hadn’t made one of these since she was a filly. She grabbed a scroll and wrote “You have friends in Maritime Bay” on it and tied it to the lantern. She brought it outside, lit the candle and released it into the night sky. It brought comfort to her to do something like this.
Glimmer little night time light
Journey with the stars
Share with the world our words
Guide us all through hope
She sang with a content sigh. As she walked down the many stairs, she felt a new sense of determination. “Tomorrow I should go back and apologize to Dahlia. Or maybe I can apply for a job at the library. There’s better books at the library.” She prepared herself a meal and then snuggled into bed. “Tomorrow will be better, I just know it.”
…
Sunny woke to her alarm, feeling excited and determined. She sprang out of bed, leaving the blankets where they fell. She combed her mane, braided her hair, brushed her teeth, picked out her best horse shoes, and gave herself an approving nod in the mirror. “Today is gonna be my day.”
Good morning, sun
No time to chat, I gotta run
'Cause I've got places to be
So much to do
Excited, yes and nervous, too
A change is starting with me
I never worry 'bout upsetting carts, hardened hearts
Or wonder "Will I belong?"
She sang as she cantered to the kitchen. She had given herself enough time to bake a batch of apology cookies. She divided them out, one for Dahlia and one for Ms Cloverleaf, and placed them in colorful bags she tied with a bow.
I've heard it enough
I'm callin' their bluff
I'll never get lost in the grey
There's something inside
Burns bigger than pride
Shines out of me, lighting the way
She put the cookies in her bag and tied on her skates. “Safety first!” She exclaimed as she almost forgot her helmet. She could feel it, today was going to be different! She hurried out the door in excitement.
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day (be my day)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day (gonna be my day)
Gonna be my day (ooh-ooh)
Her singing came to a sudden halt as she ran into into a lavender pony with a light blue and purple mane. She fell on her back and shook her head to clear her vision. The purple pony leaned over her with a wide smile. Sunny’s eyes widened in shock as she saw her pale blue horn standing tall against blue curls. “Hello new friend!”
“AHH!” Sunny screamed, scrambling to her feet as fast as she could, but falling again due to the roller skates. In the crash, her cookies had fallen out of her bag.
“Here let me get those for ya.” The unicorn levitated the cookies back into the bag and then picked Sunny up with her magic and set her on the ground. She rolled forward slightly, a stunned expression on her face. “That’s better!” The unicorn’s overly genuine smile met Sunny’s shocked silence. “My name is Izzy! Izzy Moonbow.”
“Uhh, hi! I’m, uh, Sunny Starscout.” She stammered as she regained her composure. “Wait. You’re a unicorn!”
Izzy laughed. “Well yeah, silly. I mean I do have this horn and I can do this!” She picked up a stone on the path with her magic and tossed it. “I mean, I can’t really do much more than that, but you get the idea.”
“You’re a unicorn.” Sunny whispered to herself as her lace lit up. She started jumping in excitement. “You’re a unicorn!”
Izzy watched her jump with confusion. “You’re an earth pony. Woo. Hooray?” She raised a hoof in an awkward but earnest celebration.
“Oh, sorry, can we start the introduction over? It’s just, we don’t get visitors. Ever.”
Izzy giggled with a snort. “Sure, new friend. My name is Izzy! Izzy Moonbow.”
Sunny laughed. “I’m Sunny Starscout. It’s amazing to meet you! How did you find us?”
Izzy out a hoof to her chin in thought. “I saw this weird light in the sky and I followed it and some other stuff happened and now here I am!”
“I didn’t think anyone else could actually come here! I have so many question! You have to tell me everything! What’s it like to use magic? Where do you live? Do you guys have bookstores? Are there other unicorn out there?” Sunny pulled out a journal and a quill. “I have to write it all down! Is this what my dad felt like when he wrote his own books?”
Before Izzy could answer the far too many questions, they heard a voice calling from up the road. “Sunny! Sunny are you okay? Posey told me she heard screaming up here.”
“Oooh, is that another new friend?” Izzy clapped her hooves together. They jangled with her many bracelets.
“Oh there you are Sun—“ Hitch noticed the unicorn standing beside his childhood best friend. “AAAAHHH!” He screamed stumbling back.
“I get that a lot.” She and Sunny laughed as they helped Hitch up.