//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Dark Sun, Dark Sky 
// Story: Sunrise 
// by Black Kyurem 
//------------------------------//





"Hurry up girls!"  Twilight Sparkle led her five best friends and Spike, still sleeping on her back, to the top of a hill that gave them a magnificent view of the mountains.

"Why did you have to wake us up so early?" groaned Rainbow Dash.  "I know you want us all to see the sun rise, but why today of all days?"

"It's the anniversary of my coronation!" said Twilight.  "One year ago today, I was crowned Princess of Friendship!  Once I learned about friendship after moving to Ponyville, little did I know that it would be my destiny to bring friendship to all of Equestria and spread peace and happiness!"

"Ah remember your coronation like it was only yesterday," said Applejack.  "We knew you would do great things, Twi... even if our friendships started out a bit rough and you seemed reluctant."  The six friends shared a good laugh over how things were back then.  That's when Spike finally woke up.

"Couldn't we just do this some other time?" groaned Spike, rubbing his eyes.  "What's watching a sunrise got to do with the anniversary of your coronation?  Why can't Pinkie just throw a party at noon when we're all awake?"

"A party!" Pinkie gasped.  "What a great idea!  I can't believe I never thought of that!  If Twilight's the Princess of Friendship, then I'm the princess of... PARTIES!!"  She threw confetti and streamers everywhere and blew through a party blower.

"You wish," Rainbow laughed.  "But you do throw the most amazing parties in Ponyville!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Twilight.  "Oh!  Here it comes!  The sun is rising!  Princess Celestia is raising the sun!"  The sun slowly starting rising over the mountains, casting its sunlight into the valleys below.  But just as the sky was starting to change color, the sun suddenly sprang high into the sky and then dipped back down below the mountains, causing the sky to return back to the way it was before sunrise.  Spike and the Mane 6 gasped in shock.

"Oh my goodness!" said Fluttershy.  "What happened?!"

"The sun!" exclaimed Rarity.  "It's... gone!"









Back in Ponyville, the denizens were abuzz with the recent happening.  The sun had suddenly jerked high into the sky, causing a premature sunrise before setting in the exact same direction that it rose.  The sudden brightness had alerted most of them, so they were able to witness the sun disappearing behind the mountains.  Mayor Mare was of course trying to calm everyone down.

"Citizens of Ponyville!" she announced.  "Please!  Do not panic!  We will resolve this as soon as we can!"  At that moment, Twilight and her friends approached her.  "Princess Twilight," said the mayor.  "I trust you can figure out this bizarre happening?"

"Yes, Mayor Mare," said Twilight.  "My friends and I will get to this one way or another."

"Any ideas, Twi?" asked Applejack.  "Ah reckon the Elements of Harmony could fix a problem like this, but we don't have 'em anymore."

"I know," said Twilight.  "But something terrible must have happened.  Neither the sun or the moon are in the sky."

"And that means it's neither day or night," said Rainbow.

"It's... twilight!" gasped Pinkie.  The others looked at her strangely.  "What?  It is!"

"Well, I reckon somethin' must be up with the Princess," said Applejack.  "She's the only one who can raise the sun."

"Yes, but Princess Celestia wouldn't do a thing like this," replied Twilight.  "Now who else do we know that would play with the sun like this?"

"I smell trouble," said Rainbow Dash.  "And when there's trouble, there's chaos!"

"And when there's chaos," said Pinkie.  "There's..."  The epiphany hit the Mane 6 and Spike.

"Discord!" they all said at once, save Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, darling," said Rarity.  "You saw Discord last.  Do you know where he is?"  Fluttershy just pawed the ground nervously.

"Oh, dear," she murmured.  "Well... I don't think... um...  You girls don't think that Discord would actually do this, do you?"

"Who else has the magic to move the sun and the moon?!" asked Rainbow, starting to get impatient.  "We all know Discord is a trickster!"

"Come on, Fluttershy!" insisted Spike.  "Just tell us where he is!"

"Um... he's... he's at my cottage," she said.  "But I don't think..."

"Let's go, everypony!" declared Twilight, before Fluttershy could finish her sentence, and they went off.

"Um..." mumbled Fluttershy, to no one in particular.  "Don't you think... we should check on the Princess first?  But... if you want to talk to Discord first, that's fine."  She then trotted along after her friends.





Twilight was the first to knock on the door to Fluttershy's cottage.  The Mane 6 and Spike heard grumbling and moaning on the inside, following by the angry squealing of a bunny and a crash on the floor.

"You know," grumbled the familiar voice of Discord.  "I'm very much in the mood for some bunny stew!"  Angel was heard shrieking in fright followed by another crash on the floor.  "Well, really!  Mistress Fluttershy is going to have a fit and we don't want that!"  Finally, Discord answered the door, looking half-asleep and dressed in a bathrobe.  "Oh, it's you again," he grumbled, seeing the Mane 6 and Spike staring at him angrily, except Fluttershy.  "Would you mind if I get some more beauty rest?  Princess Celestia hasn't risen the sun yet."

"Oh, yes she has," snarled Twilight.  "Or at least she tried to before someone messed her up!"  Discord's eyes lit up.

"Well, well," he said, stroking his goatee.  "Princess Celestia wasn't able to raise the sun.  Yes, that does raise a few questions now, does it?"

"Drop the act, Loki!" Rainbow Dash shouted.  "We know you're the one behind this!  No sun, no moon, no broad daylight... and it has your name written all over it!"

"Hm?" said a supposedly puzzled Discord.  "Does it now?"  He then looked up at the twilight sky with the stars barely visible in the darkened magenta and blood red colors.  "Funny... I don't see my name anywhere.  It's not even written in the stars."

"You cut that out, mister!" snapped Pinkie.  "Just give us back the sun!"

"Oh, now see here," said Discord with a small hint of defiance.  "There's no reason for Ponyville's favorite party pony to lose her temper, especially over a minor setback such as this."

"This ain't a minor setback!" growled Applejack.  "Both the sun and the moon cannot be seen!  Without them, Equestria is gonna be up in arms!"

"Now really, ladies," said Discord, keeping his cool.  "I think we can all handle this a bit more rationally.  After all, accusing me just like this won't do our friendship any good.  Unless of course, you're just playing me because you no longer have your precious elements."

"Oh, of course not, Discord," said Fluttershy sweetly.  "We know how important our friendship means to you.  Don't we, girls?"  For once, Fluttershy's friends looked at her rather crossly.  But Fluttershy stood her ground.  "Don't we, girls?" she said a little more seriously and with a hint of anger.  Twilight sighed.

"Of course we do," she said almost sarcastically, rolling her eyes.  Fluttershy was not convinced that Twilight was being truthful, but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Good," she said, sounding nice.  "Now then, let's all settle this calmly and rationally over a nice cup of tea."

"Tea?" groaned Rainbow Dash.  "Oh, come on!  We don't have time for this!"

"Oh, yes we do," said Fluttershy.  "Now come inside, everypony.  I'll put the kettle on.  Oh, and Discord, please don't worry about those broken dishes.  I'll talk to Angel."