It was a crisp morning in Ponyville as the sun soaked the town in an almost angelic glow, but there was much to do for the next day was the summer sun celebration and Princess Celestia had decided that it should be held in the town of Ponyville since this is where her sister Luna was brought back from being Nightmare Moon and thought it only fitting as a repayment of gratitude for what was done save her sister.
Though it was still early in the morning ponies were all working away with a cheerful smile and happy skip in their step as they wanted to make the town as amazing as they possibly could. The flags of Ponyville and Canterlot hung from house to house, trees were decorated with ribbons and bows, Ponyville seemed to gleam out as a beauty radiated from it with perfect streets to the fountain even being polished. To hep with the perfect look there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky as the sun beat down on any bystanders.
Meanwhile at Golden Oaks Observatory Twlight was ding other preparations which included reading up on what the summer sun celebration actually meant and why it was done among a great many other things that was told about the celebrations, suddenly out of nowhere a load crash came from the kitchen as Twilight was back to reality with the intrusive noise looking around to see what had happened then hearing Spike call out "Sorry Twi, I dropped the pan by mistake", Twilight simply rolled her eyes trying to think about the research she was doing before hand and what she had learned before the interruption, again though she wouldn't get much further before she heard a familiar belching sound from Spike. She turned to the kitchen and saw spike running out with a scroll in his hand.
"Hey Twi" Spike said as the unicorn lifted the scroll from his claw and began to unfurl it, "do you think Celestia has something special planned for the event tomorrow?" he said almost with an ecstatic tone.
"Maybe Spike, but I’m sure she knows how special it is to all of Ponyville to have the summer sun celebration taking place here" she paused for a moment, "I mean Canterlot usually gets all the action when events happen so it’s a nice change." She gave a chirpy grin and immediately went to reading the scroll.
Dear Twilight
My most faithful StudentAs you are aware I will be hosting the summer sun celebration in Ponyville this year and that I and my sister Luna are very much looking forward to the trip and hope it all goes well.
What i have not told you is that we will be bringing a statue of great importance to the celebrations where it will act as a sort of centrepiece for the event, i am sure this will be okay as there are no need for any preparations for this item. Looking forward to seeing you and your friends Twilight and hope the preparations are going well.Yours Truly
Princess Celestia
"Statue?" Twilight looked at Spike puzzled as to what kind of statue would be so important.
Spike looked at her blankly as if he had no idea what was meant by any of that. "Oh well I guess there will just be an extra decoration then", Spike just nodded in agreement and went back to cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.
Twilight gave an exasperated sigh and then picked up her book to finish her research, however it just wasn't meant to be as a knock came from the front door.
"Oh for the love of..." Twilight was cut off as the door opened and Applejack followed by Rainbow Dash came into the library.
"Howdy Twilight" Applejack was quick to say "Ya'll ready for tomorrow then?" Twilight gave a quick nod of the head as Dash manoeuvred herself round to the back of Twilight.
"Watcha doin there braniac?" Dash said peering over Twilights shoulder.
"Oh im just reading about why we have a summer sun celebration, its really quite interesting, see its all about..." Twilight was suddenly cut short by Rainbow Dash's yawn so Twilight just rolled her eyes and continued on a different topic, "However the princess says she’s bringing an important statuewith her to the celebrations, I'm curious to know why its SUCH a special statue and not just another carved rock like every other one in the Royal gardens." Looking at Applejack with an almost quizzicale face.
"A'm sure the princess has a good reason to bring it, I mean it might mean alot to the princess to have it there so a guess just go with it" Applejack had a face that said it all, 'why on earth would the princess bring a statue, it’s not like there aren’t any statues in Ponyville'.
Rainbow Dash just sat there not really saying a lot until Twilight looked at her, "What do you think about it Dash?"
Rainbow looked a little surprised at the question, "errr..." her mind didn't really know what to think, "It's a statue Twi, it’s not like she’s bringing the end of the world with her"
Twilight looked at Dash for a moment "I suppose I am blowing this a little out of proportion"
"Ya think" Rainbow added almost too hastily as Applejack shot a glance at Dash, Dash just smiled nervously.
"I'm sure it'll all be fine Twi" Dash nudged Twi as if to get her out a trance.
"Why don’t ya come look around the Town and see how amazin' it looks sugarcube" Applejack intervened.
Twilight looked up at her, "Well I havent properly seen the town yet so I might as well see how its all looking", Rainbow looked up as a smile formed on her face and she got to her hooves. The three of them started towards the door but just before they left Twilight called back in, "Will you be okay if I go out for a bit Spike?"
Spikes head popped round the door "Yeah I’m just gonna finish cleaning in here and probably relax for a bit Twi."
Twilight nodded with a slight grin on her face and followed her friends out the library, the door closing with a magic aura from Twilights horn and they set off into the Town.
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The next day the event was well underway and everypony had come out to take part in the celebrations, the moon was still high so the main event was yet to happen yet everypony was happy and content going about their business. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had arrive and the royal guard were patrolling everywhere making sure there were no security exceptions, however Twilight could see the Statue behind where the Princesses would stand and it was covered in a red velvet cloth laced with gold thread, making her wonder why it was covered up, what was so special about this statue. Suddenly Pinkie jumped in front over what’s with the long face Twilight?" Pinkies face was once again adorned with the biggest smile you could get on a pony.
"Nothing, it's just why cover a statue thats so important to bring to the summer sun celebration an then not show it." Twilight said slightly glumly.
"Now sugarcube, you still going on about that statue?" Applejack asked almost teasingly
"Yes, it doesn’t make sense, I checked my books and there is only one mention of this statue, and it says its like something from another world and that’s all it says" her friends just stopped and look at one another with slightly confused expressions.
"Now now Twilight" Fluttershy said softly "I'm sure its not that unbelievable" she offered a smile of support and Twilight gave a smug smile to herself, 'stop being paranoid Twilight its a statue and its not going to destroy Equestria' she chuckled at the thought of being so silly and just shook it off.
"I still think its a waste of that beautiful fabric draped on top of it" Rarity jumped in only to met with stares that said it all 'really Rarity', "what?" Rarity said a little exasperated, the others just rolled their eyes and smiled at one another, "I'm just saying" Rarity mumbled to herself.
"When does it start?" Spike said eager to see it, as he was riding on Twilights back he would have a pretty good view of it, "It's about to start actually" Twilight mentioned as Princess Celestia walked onto the stand, followed by Princess Luna standing next to her, "oooh I can't wait" an overexcited Pinkie said trying not to burst of anticipation, by now the crowds surrounding the stage must've reached hundreds if not thousands of ponies crammed round for a bit of the action.
Everything fell silent and Princess Celestia began her speech, "This was once a hard day for me, reminding me that I had to banish my own sister to the moon, but now I can say with a happy heart that I will raise the thousandth sun since we began long ago" Celestia glanced over at Luna with a heart filled smile on her face, Luna returned the favour, "However I have with me today a statue that I believe watches over us and protects us through the time and years that are to come and have been."
Ponies in the crowd were looking at the veiled statue in anticipation of what it was, "and i believe that he will continue to watch over us, I give you the last guardian" As the veil was pulled away gasps of shock and amazement filled the crowd, Twilight felt her jaw almost detach from her face in awe at what she was seeing, it really was like the books had said, alien in nature, the statue took on the form of a human, the head had a helmet on, smooth at the front and a bit more blocky at the back, the stone jacket was rich with buckles and small steel plating around it, the jacket was long and dropped down to his feet, its stance was his head down towards the ground and forearms raised with clenched fists as if straining from pain. What Twilight was more interested in were the huge wings he had which must've been at least double Celestia’s wingspan, as they swooped around framing his body where it stood, the large stone cube on which he stood was adorned with pillars resembling those of old on the corners, and a plaque at the front that read 'Here stands the last guardian, when the suns burn the trapped will be freed'. Twilight was slightly concerned with the last part of the inscription and started to become slightly fidgety.
"Guess you were right about the statue then Twi" Applejack said quietly, Twilight just looked at her with a slightly worried frown.
Celestia continued to speak as the crowds amazement began to die down a little, still many of them trying to take in what they were looking at.
"And without further due I shall now raise the sun" the crowd broke in to smiles as Luna’s horn lit and the moon began to lower, then soon after Celestia’s horn grew brighter and the sun began to raise. As the two celestial bodies passed each other a bright light flared between the two drawing gasps and Ooos form the on looking crowd, until the light dimmed and the sun rose fully, a loud applause came from all around as the two alicorns set back onto the ground, however their celebration was cut short as a light smashed into the statue behind them sending shockwaves through the air causing the princesses to look at each other concerned as to what was happening.
The crowd slowly moved back as the base of the statue began a long whirring noise followed by a blinding light shooting out the base of the statue and dispersing just above the statue enveloping it completely in bright light. Fluttershy was now cowering behind Rainbow Dash who was looking almost as nervous as to what was happening, Twilight and Applejack just sat there watching the whole event unfold mouths agape, even Pinkie, the chattiest pony in town was completely silenced by what was happening in front of her.
The light surrounding the statue was now pulsating violently as chunks of rock flew out of the light as it ran through every colour known giving a shimmering rainbow effect.
"Twi" Rainbow said gulping down a lump in her throat.
"Yeah" Twilight replied sub-consciously.
"I kinda want to go home now" feeling Fluttershy trying to hide whilst trembling behind her was making her slightly unnerved as she had no idea what was happening, even Twilight was starting to get worried now because what makes Rainbow worry is not to be taken lightly, Twilight went to speak when no words would form inside her mouth except a long noise of speechlessness.
"I'm not so sure this was the best idea for the summer sun celebration to be held here anymore" Rarity let out a nervous laugh followed by a slight scared expression dawned on her face.
The Princesses had told everyone to get as far back as they could and then shielded their subjects and themselves from the flying debris and rock from the shimmering light from the stand.
As the light began to fade, Twilight expected to see a being stood where the statue had once been however, when she saw the being knelt on one knee, wings outstretched as far as looked possible drooping off the sides of the stand, only the crowd didn't know what they were seeing since this BEING was predated before equine life, no one knows what he is or where he came from which sent a shiver of uncertainty down Twilights spine.
As the Guardian stood up he stretched his wings outwards making himself look bigger, or to balance himself as he tried to stand the first time he fall back to his knees after his first attempt to get up, the inside of his wings were lined with feathers ranging all colours of the rainbow before returning to a black colour before connecting to his body, when he stood he looked out over the crowd, not really knowing what was going on at that moment his legs began to give out under him as the wobbly grew from unsteady to downright scary, then in an instant he collapsed onto the stand with a loud thud making everyone jump, having no energy left the guardian could barely form a whisper, with nopony going near to help whether to scared or not wanting involvement he lay there alone.
As the Guardian lay slumped on his platform Fluttershy looked up in confusion as to what was going on and could make a whisper not from anypony but from the Guardian himself, Rainbow not knowing what was going on behind her and continued to stare in disbelief with every other pony. With that Fluttershy took a deep breath and before anypony could stop her she was beside the guardian with a comforting hoof.
"There there, everything’s going to be fine" she said in comforting voice.