The night was calm, cool and peaceful in the orphanage, not an errant sound was heard as the foals slumbered in their bunk beds. The fillies and colts were holding their stuffed friends and pillows tightly. A loud cough made some of them stir as the raspy hacking continued for a few seconds. Silence resumed and the rest of the night was as peaceful as any other.
12 years later
Sun Struck was opening his shop in Ponyville, Sun's and Son's Hobby Shop. His son had left to start a career his own two years ago, but he was always proud to keep the name the same. He opened the shades and smiled as the sun washed over him for the first time that day. His orange coat shined in the light and he had to shake his head to get the mane out of his face. Red with a yellow stripe, just like the color scheme on the sign.
He unlocked the door and started organizing shelves, making sure every toy was in place, paint was in order and sewing supply was arranged. "Now, I wait," He said with a huff. Business had been slow the past few weeks since the Changelings attacked the capitol city of Canterlot. Ponies were in good spirits on the outside, but there were a lot of ponies talking about distrusting their own families. Paranoia should have been keeping ponies inside staying busy with crafts, he thought every day. Instead they spend all their time outside now watching each other, waiting for a sign another is a Changeling.
The door dinged and Sun snapped back to reality. "Welcome, what can I get you?" I sound too excited, I should have asked 'how are you.'
The colts hopped in and started looking around at various unpainted toys and the paints that could be used before talking amongst each other then scampering out the door. "Thank you, you ungrateful brats. Come again with paying adults that are interested in buying something."
He crossed his forelegs and smiled into the empty store. Soon Powder, we'll get popular again and they'll be coming in here again in no time. I promise, I'll keep this place alive for you. His memory drifted back to a time when he was younger and met Powder Snow, the mare of his dreams. They were both vacationing in the north and hiking in the snow when they got caught in a snow storm. Her magic was able to keep them dry and safe while he kept them warm.
So, does a pretty unicorn like you get trapped in blizzards often, or just for me? He asked her as they sat by his magic fire.
Sir, I don't know what you're talking about and I am personally offended. "Crap, I think I messed up," he thought. This is a snow storm. If it was a blizzard I'd have teleported us out hours ago.
They shared a laugh and that was the moment they knew it was fate they were supposed to be together. They moved to her home town of Ponyville and saved up enough to open a hobby shop, it was something they found they both had in common while trapped in the snow. A year later she was pregnant with their only son, Rain Song. Life was perfect until she got sick with an unknown illness. It took six weeks of sorrow inducing days and nights before she finally died. When she left him, so did their son.
Dad, I don't know what happened to mom, but there has to be a reason or answer. I'm leaving and not coming back until I find something, anything, that explains what happened. I took notes on what happened to her and the stages the disease progressed through her. I'm sorry I have to leave you a letter instead of talking to you like the stallion you're raising me to be, but I can't have you talk me out of this. I Tears stained the paper from then on, I can't look at you and know that she died without reason. I have to know how to cure it, what it is. I love you and I'll see you around. Love, Rain.
Falling from his chair Sun stumbled and grabbed at anything he could as he hit the floor rolling to his side. I fell asleep? What time is it? Getting up and looking at a clock he sighed. "8:45. I've been open for an hour and forty five minutes. 8:45!" he shouted. Picking up his chair he fixed the area up and went to the back. "Powder, I'm closing early for a bit. I'll be back soon, I promise." He kissed a picture on the wall and went to lock the front door.
The door chimed as he was walking back through the curtain that separated the front and back. He smiled wide. "Hi, how you doing? Welcome to the hobby shop."
A young looking unicorn mare walked in. White in color with a yellow mane and a blue scarf. "Hi, I'm looking for Sun." Sun felt his heart drop as he looked at her. Too professional to be local. Too young to be a professional or expert. A messenger, not what he wanted at this time. Or ever until his son was home.
"Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?" He said cheerfully extending a hoof in greeting. She bumped his and smiled warmly.
"I'm White Snow. Powder was my cousin and I'm here to help. I walked from Whinnypeg to get here." She smiled and he felt the room get brighter as she did. He didn't like this feeling, he shouldn't feel romantic affection to his wife's cousin.
"It's nice to meet you. How exactly can you help us? We're still open and everything is going well. I'm sorry you made the trip for nothing, would you like a room for the night or two?"
"No, you don't understand sir. Rain sent me, he found something up in his research and can't afford to tell anypony. You have to come with me back north."
Sun stood in the shadow cast by the wall as sunlight flickered in the dust around him. "I, I thought you were here to tell me he died at first. Now I have to travel halfway across the country to see him for a secret. Who are you, exactly?"
"My name is White Snow. I'm the daughter of Doctor Chem Mikal. He's working with your son and has," she stopped to cough roughly, "found something disturbing. How long has it been since you left this place?"
Sun thought for a moment. He'd eaten here, slept in here. "The restroom is out back, does that count?"
"You need to leave with me, I have to show you something." She turned and opened the door, the light filled the floor as she left, but held it open for him. He walked to the threshold and stared at the ground just beyond the doorway. Why was he afraid? He spent his whole life outside but now, the ground was like it was made from thorns. "You're in the first stages, it's okay. Take my hoof, I'll help you out."
He looked at her cautiously and took her hoof and she helped him through the doorway. His heart raced for a moment as the felt the air on his coat for the first time in days. "Ugh, what day is it?"
"Saturday. Lock up, we've got a long trip ahead of us." Sun turned and locked the door to his shop and dropped the key in the bushes next to the door before walking to White.
"Where are we going? Why is it so long a trip?"
"The trains stopped running two days ago. I think I have to fill you in on a few things. We're off to Canterlot to see the Princesses."
The trip was going to be along one however the weather was nice and she had enough food for the trip just barely. As they left town the mood seemed a bit more somber. Ponies weren't talking as much and the magic in the area felt awkward, unicorns were looking especially down for some reason. "You said I was in the first stages, of what exactly?"
"The disease called arcane illness. Almost every unicorn is affected and the cure is unknown, it's resistant to magic so we can't even scan it to find out what its made out of. Where it's from or anything about is a complete mystery and we were losing hope until your son and a group of scientists came to our laboratory, they had an answer, but it wasn't a good one."
Sun hesitated as he listened. "What, what was the answer?"
"Dark-chaos magic. A hybrid of the two that targets unicorns for reasons unknown."
"That's awful! Why would any pony make that?"
"We don't know, not even the princesses are sure as to who and why or how long they'll be able to fight the disease before it consumes them."
"How many stages are there? Three like most sicknesses?"
"Four. Stage one is fear, paranoia and phobias. Stage two is dementia. Stage three is loss of body functions and balance. Stage four is deep sleep, doctors call it a coma. We do have one cure, though."
"Well, why don't you use it and save lives?"
"Dehorning is not an option for every unicorn," she said bluntly as he gasped, "and the surgery takes hours per pony. We can't do that to every unicorn in time. Time is short."
"De-, that's awful! I can't understand this, why is this happening to us? Only us?"
"Let's talk about something else until we get there. It's a half days walk so we have to get a move on." Speeding up she led a fast trot out of town with Sun in tow right behind her.
"So, what do you do exactly at the hobby store?"
"Well," Sun started, "usually I sort and organize the shelves, check my stock and inventory my items, order supplies and replacements."
"So, you live there?" She asked.
"Yeah, in the back. I used to have a nice house with my family but I sold it when," he paused and shut his eyes tightly, "life changed. After Rain Song left I was alone and just lived there, waiting for customers every day. All day every day. Business is really slow this time of year I guess," he sighed.
"Not entirely. Most ponies lately have been, or know one who is, in stage one or two. The fear of enclosed spaces is most common so they don't go into shops. If you setup outside your business would go back to busy in no time."
"That's if this ends with me not crazy or hornless, m'lady," he mused, "so, what's a beautiful mare like you doing messenger work? You could be a model or a waitress."
"Are you flirting with me, Sun?" she giggled, "I'm flattered but I like doing this. It gets me across Equestria for fun and I get paid for it all."
"Hm, I should start traveling again. I wonder how the world's changed over the last year."
"Except that whole thing in Canterlot, it's the same. No new tech or inventions. Fashion in major cities is as tacky as ever, especially Manehatten. I try to get in and out of that city before I get pulled into a shop and get a 'free' makeover and they slip 40 bits worth of product out of my bag."
"Yeah, Powder hated when that happened. Once, they took her into a shop and colored part of her mane as a sample and she went crazy. She created a tornado inside the place that got us out and shut them down for hours, I imagine. We laughed about it for days."
They shared a laugh as they began to tell happy stories about their lives and travels.
Arriving at Canterlot he looked in awe at the city in chaos. The garbage was piling up in the streets, a dozen insane ponies ran down the center of the streets in a single line each singing their own song with socks glued on their legs. "That is the oddest thing I've ever seen White."
"It only gets more odd if you look for it. Just follow me to the castle and do not make eye contact with anypony," she warned him.
Walking to the castle with their heads and eyes down he followed her through the capitol city. It was relatively calm save for the random shouts or screams in the distance. The one pony that concerned him shouted at him directly 'I'll wear your coat as a dress, you firey stallion.'
Arriving at the castle the guards stood their ground and let them pass after White showed them her papers. "That was the most intense walk I've made since my wedding," he joked to her, "so, where are the princesses?"
"In the castle."
He gave her a 'are you serious?' look. "Yeah, where in the castle?"
"Are you asking me if I personally know the location of the rulers of our nation in their own castle?"
He smiled at her as he realized he just asked an impossible question. "Yes. I do. You're going to cast a spell higher than any princess can muster to find them and save us time." He smiled wide. Oh no, I am flirting with her.
"Sir, you may be right. Let me just focus, this could take about an hour. If we bump into the princesses it means it worked."
Oh Celestia she's funny and cute... keep it under control, Sun. You're a big stallion and can control your emotions.