//------------------------------// // A1 C4: Summer Sun Celebration (Updated) // Story: The Spirit Trilogy // by Enderdragonslayer1 //------------------------------//         As I lay in Mom’s gentle embrace, I felt something nudge my side, prompting me to mumble, “Five more minutes, Mom.” Unfortunately for me, the offending pony just tried harder. Releasing a yawn, I cracked an eye open at the offending pony to see Mom looking down at me fondly.         “Get up, Sunny,” she said, nudging me once more with her muzzle. I yawned again before opening my eyes completely, rubbing them with my hooves a bit. Mom lifted her wing off of me, allowing me to stretch a bit as Mom got up to raise the sun. From the bed, I could see her horn light up in a golden glow before the sun started to rise. I just stared, jaw-slacked, as I witnessed something that shouldn't be possible. I may not remember anything from my past, but I did remember a little bit of Physics and quite a bit of Trigonometry. With how large the sun is, it shouldn’t be possible for a single person to move it by herself, even if she is the physical equivalent of an equine goddess. Even when she came back in, I was still frozen in shock, singular strands of my mane sticking up in random directions. Mom tried to stifle a giggle at the sight. Eventually, my brain just couldn’t handle it anymore, shutting itself down, causing my eyesight to fade as I fainted.         When I came around again a few minutes later, I noticed I was under the blanket again as Mom looked at me worriedly. When she noticed I was awake, she gave me a gentle nuzzle as she gently said, “Are you ok, Sunny?” I gave her a nod.         “C-can you never speak of that again?” I asked. She gave me a playful smirk.         “No promises~!” She sang. “You won’t tell anyone,” I declared, “No matter what I have to do.” As she rolled her eyes at my ‘declaration,’ I started to stare at her with the biggest puppy dog eyes I could muster, my lips quivering as my ears flayed back against my head. When she finally noticed what I was doing, she made an attempt to look away, but by then, the damage was already done. I saw her struggle with her entire will not to give in to my look, but even the mightiest can fall.         “Fine…” she relented finally, causing me to perk up. Success! “Did you know you do that look too well?” She asked, causing me to stick my tongue at her before giggling, though I quickly stopped once I saw that she had a devilish smirk, one that promised that things won’t end well for me. “You know,” she started as I started to sweat a bit, “The Summer Sun Celebration is happening in a few days, and we still need to get you something to wear. However, we can’t get you fitted while you’re dirty.” My eyes started to widen as I realized what she intended to do. Unfortunately for me, she already picked me up in her magic and started to carry me towards the bathroom before I could even protest.         As she was fiddling with the knobs, she kept me off the ground with her magic so I couldn’t get away, though that didn’t stop me from struggling. Once the tub was filled, she levitated me over the water and gently lowering me into the water, using her magic to hold me in place. However, it was unnecessary as I’ve already lowered my body into the warm water, comfortable and content right where I am. As I laid there, Mom levitated a cup over and filled it with water; she dumped the water over my mane and coat. After getting my mane and coat thoroughly wet, she then brought over strawberry-scented shampoo, squirting out a bit of the scented goo onto a hoof. Next, she started to rub both hooves in my mane, making sure to get every inch of it before doing the same to my tail. She promptly used the cup to wash the soap out of both my mane and tail.         Next, she picked up another scented soap that I didn’t recognize and repeated the same process that she did for my mane. Finally, she once more used the cup to wash the soap out of my fur. She lifted me out of the tub and placed me on a towel that she had prepared earlier before using another towel to dry my mane, tail, and coat.         “Now, how to do your mane,” Mom mused to herself as she levitated a hair brush (mane brush?) over to her. After a few moments thinking to herself, she finally started to style my mane.         “Done,” Mom said a few minutes later. She levitated a mirror in front of me, causing me to gasp as I took an involuntary step back at the sight of the unfamiliar filly in the mirror.         “I...I don’t recognize myself,” I managed once I recollected myself.         “I have one more thing for you before we go,” Mom said, causing me to look up at her in confusion. Her horn lit up in a golden aura; a silver box appearing from nowhere. She levitated it over to me. “Go ahead and open it,” she encouraged. Taking one last look at her, I turned my attention towards the box before using my magic to open it. Once I fully opened it, I gasped at what I saw. Lying in the box, a silver pendent with an orangish-yellow stone rested in it. The stone itself looked like it had a sun that seemed to literally shine imprinted in it. Carefully picking it up with my magic, I examined it from every angle.         “The stone that is with the necklace is a rare stone known as a Sun Stone. Legend has it that each stone is a piece of the sun itself that fell to Equis,” she explained to me.         You don’t know how right you are, Mom, I thought to myself before pausing, Where did that come from? “I-I don’t know what to say…thank you,” is what I said, unable to show my gratitude. I levitated the pendant around my neck before closing the clasp. My pendant glowed a soft yellow for a few moments.         “Anything about it that I should know about?” I questioned while I continued to admire my pendant in the mirror.”         “Besides the simple enchantment that keeps it clean? No, not really,” she told me as she carried me out of the bathroom to get my regalia. Once she got it on, she started to carry me out of the room where my personal guards, Golden Sword and Quick Shot, flanked us on both sides. I looked around, trying to figure out where Mom’s personal guards were.         “Mom, where are your personal guards?” I asked her in curiosity.         “For now, while your leg is still healing, they’ll be switching out every day so the other can rest,” she explained. I blinked once...then twice before nodded my head at that. That...actually makes a lot of sense… I thought to myself as Golden and Quickshot continued to escort us.         “Check,” Golden said as he moved his knight to attack my king. We arrived at the Canterlot Bouquet about half an hour ago. After my measurements were finally finished being taken about ten minutes ago, Mom was told that my dress would be finished in about twenty minutes, so to pass the time, me and Golden started to play a game of chess. Once I was taught how to play, we set up the board and started. Anyway, I looked at the board for a good move to make. I had two Pawns on the other side of the board, my Black Bishop in position to check Golden’s King, and my King in check. Golden only has a Knight left in play, his King is a few spaces away from my right-most Pawn. I moved my King directly next to his attacking Knight. He promptly moved it away.         “Check,” I said when I moved my bishop to attack him, forcing him to move his King away from my Pawns. I then moved my right-most Pawn to the other side of the board, getting my Queen back. He tried to move towards my Bishop, but I quickly intercepted it with my Queen.         “Check,” Golden said as he attacked me with his Knight again. I once again move my King next to it, forcing him to move it away from my King once more. Next, I moved my next Pawn to get my Rook back. He tried to move his Knight into position to check me again, but I captured it with my Queen. A couple minutes later, I managed to corner his King on his side of the board.         “Checkmate,” I said smugly as I moved my Queen into place, winning the game.         “That was only beginner’s luck,” Golden told me, a little bit irritated with me for beating him first try, “You won’t win next time.” In the background, I could swear Mom was trying (and failing) to hold back her mirth.         “Princess Sunny Days?” a voice called out, interrupting my retort as I looked towards the back room where the mare that was making my dress went, “Your dress is ready.” Once Mom levitated me in front of a mirror, they started to work the dress onto me. Once they got it onto me, I was able to see the fruits of her labor. The dress itself is a sunflower yellow dress with orangish yellow sleeves with amber along the saddle of the dress.         “Well?” the seamstress nervously asked.         “I don’t like it,” I said in a monotone, causing her to deflate a bit, “I love it!” I then exclaimed with a large smile, causing the seamstress to jump a bit before perking up as she finally processed what I said.         “Ok, Miss Belle,” Mom said, getting her attention, “How much do I own you?”         “Being able to create a dress for the young princess is enough payment, Your Majesty.” Miss Belle said with a bow.         “Mom,” a young voice called out, causing my ears to prick up, “I’m home!”         “Come into the back room, Rarity!” Miss Belle called back. While mom was working on getting my dress off, a young, white filly came into the room. She has a purple mane that moved down one side and ended in a curl and a purple tail that coiled around itself. She seemed to freeze in place when she saw me and Mom. After a few moments, she dropped into a bow.         “Your Majesties,” she said, causing me to sigh, this was honestly getting annoying, fast, “What brings you here?”         “I was given the honor of creating a dress for Princess Sunny, Princess Celestia’s daughter,” Miss Belle explained, causing the filly’s ears to perk up, “Your Majesties, this is my daughter, Rarity.”         “Hello, Miss Rarity,” I greeted once Mom got my dress off, bowing my head a bit.         “Hello, Princess Sunny,” Rarity returned, doing the same.         “I can bring her back later if you want,” Mom whispered to Miss Belle, unaware that I could hear her, “If you’ll allow that, that is.”         “Of course, I’m sure Rarity would love to see her again.” Rarity’s mom commented.         “Come on, Sunny,” Mom called out to me, unaware that I just heard their entire conversation, “We still need to do a few more preparations before the Summer Sun Celebration in a few days.”         “Okay, Mom,” I replied, genuinely depressed that I couldn’t talk to Rarity more. Mom levitated me onto her back, allowing the full view of the bandages that were still on my right foreleg, causing Rarity to gasp out in surprise.         “W-what happened!” Rarity gasped, her worry audible in her voice.         “My daughter was foalnapped about five days ago, not even a day after I adopted her” Mom gently informed her, “She was gravely injured during the operation to rescue her.”         “Don’t worry, I had worse injuries before,” I tried to reassure her as my right wing twitched a bit as the memory of the manticore surfaced in my mind. I felt a shudder flow through my body.         “Sunny?” Mom asked worriedly, most likely have felt my shudder.         “Don’t worry,” I told her, “Just a bad memory.”         “The manticore?” she tried, causing me to do a double take.         “How did-?”         “That was your earliest memory,” she told me before switching to our connection, “That and I could feel the memory surface through the link.”         “I honestly forgot about the link alicorns share with each other,” I replied sheepishly, scolding myself for forgetting about it so soon. “Anyways,” I continued as Mom started to leave the Canterlot Bouquet with Golden Sword and Quick Shot escorting us on both sides, “What do you still need to do for the Summer Sun Celebration?” I asked.         “I just need to polish my regila,” she told me. After she did that, she continued to help me with my magic until it was time to go to bed. Unfortunately for me, I was subjected to another nightmare...         I was running through a thick forest, panting as I continued to try and escape my pursuer. Whenever I tried to stop to catch my breath, a roar, followed by the rapid approach of heavy footsteps, forced me into running once more. This continued for a few minutes before I was blocked by a vertical cliff. Like last time, I tried to turn around but found myself cornered by the beast that I realized was a twisted version on a Manticore. I curled up on the ground as the Manticore continued to move towards me, thinking that this was the end for me. However, when the Manticore raised a paw to swipe at me, a deafening, but strangely familiar voice rang out.         “GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!” With that, a silver beam of light pierced the Manticore, causing it to dissipate into darkness as a large alicorn mare stood over me protectively. “Are you ok, Apricis Diebus?” the mare asked, saying the last part in a language that I didn’t recognize, but, somehow, understood. It took me a few moments to translate what she said into Equestrian.         Sunny Days.         Once I processed what she said, I gave her a thankful nod. She gave off a sigh of relief.         “Thank the spirits,” the mare muttered before giving me a gentle nuzzle. As she did, I finally had the chance to see the figure clearly. She was an tan alicorn with a silver mane and tail that seemed to flow on an invisible wind. Her Cutie Mark is a brown sword and shield with a silver star in the center. For some reason, this...mare...seemed familiar. After a few moments on contently laying in her embrace, a memory surfaced.         This was my mother, I realized, My real mother.         “Mom…” I managed to get out through the tears that started to flow down my face, “W-what happened? Why can’t I remember anything?” Mom seemed to ponder on it for a few moments.         “Maybe the chaotic magic that caused you to disappear also repressed you memory?” she mused for a few moments before shaking her head, “No matter, all that matters is that you’ve returned to me.” We continued to lay there in content, trying to enjoy the reunion while it lasted. However, that time was short as the dream started to fade as I started to wake, causing Mom to panic. “Apricis,” she said, trying to get my attention, “Don’t worry, I’ll find you again.” She planted a kiss directly below the horn, “And remember, I’ll always love you…”         The dream collapsed.         “Shh,” I heard a voice say lovingly as I started to wake, “It’s only a nightmare.” As I started to come to full awakeness, I became aware of the feeling of someone rubbing my back in an attempt to calm me down. I also felt the damp fur that was the result of my heavy crying.         “M-mom?” I got out, my voice broken and tears still flowing from what I just experienced.         “Don’t worry,” she said softly, nuzzling my cheek as she brought me closer to her barrel with one of her wings, “I’ll always be here for you.” As she continued to nuzzle me, I could feel myself instinctively lean into it as my muscles continue to relax more and more. “Why don’t you get some more rest?” she asked softly, “There is still a few hours before you need to get up.” I gave her a relaxed nod before resting my head against her barrel once more. I began to start to doze off before I heard a door slam open, causing me to literally jump five feet (hooves?) into the air. I floated in the air with my eyes clenched closed, expecting to feel the impact of the ground. When I didn’t, I risked a peek and saw that I wasn’t falling. Confused, I looked down. However, the moment that I did, I felt gravity take hold once more as I started to fall, causing me to yelp in surprise. As I started to fall, I felt something surface inside me… 4993 SE (Spiritual Empire) 5 years before Sunny’s Disappearance         “Ok Sunny,” Mom said, “I’m going to lift you into the air. Use what I taught you to glide safely down.” I gave her a nod as she used her magic to levitate me about ten hooves into the air. I stayed there for a couple of moments before I felt gravity take hold. I let myself fall for a few moments before I snapped my wings open, letting my magic flow through it. I continued to fall before I felt the air resistance increase tenfold, slowing me down to a safe speed.         “Excellent!” Mom praised once I landed, “Remember, you can use this technique to get out of any fall unscathed.” I gave her a nod, eagerly awaiting my next lesson. Present Time         Remembering what I once did, I let my body take control, letting it do what it knows it can do. Time seemed to slow down as my wings started to open on their own accord. As they did, I instinctively channeled my magic through them. I continued to do this until I felt the air resistance increase tenfold, slowing me down to a safe rate of descent. Time speed up once more as I continued to glide down safely to the ground. After I landed on the ground with a soft ‘clop,’ I turned to look at Mom and saw that her jaw had dropped. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but giggle a bit as Mom was usually has better control of her emotions.         “W-what….H-how did…?” Mom stuttered, trying to find words to express her confusion. This caused me to outright laugh at her confusion. After a few minutes of her trying to find her voice (and myself trying to hold back my amusement), Mom managed to compose herself before she quickly move towards me. Once she reached me, she picked me up with her magic before examining all over me for injuries.         “Mom,” I said after a few moments, “I’m fine.”         “Sorry, I’m just worried that you’ve made your injured foreleg worse,” she admitted while I just facehoofed.         “Mom, you saw how slowly I glided to the ground,” I told her, shaking my head a bit as she gently lowered me to the ground.         “Still doesn’t hurt to check.” I sighed, knowing that I wasn’t going to win this battle.         “Mom,” I said, trying to change topics, “I’ve never asked, what is the Summer Sun Celebration?” I immediately knew that I asked a bad question when I saw her the sadness in her eyes when I asked the question.         “I-it’s the anniversary of the banishment of Nightmare Moon,” Mom said, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice, most likely for my sake.         “Mom,” I asked gently, “What’s wrong?”         “N-nothing…” I gave her a look that screamed ‘Try Again’, causing her to sigh in defeat as sadness fully replaced the normal emotionless face that she normally had when others were around. “It’s just...the Summer Sun Celebration isn’t just the anniversary of the banishment of Nightmare Moon,” she told me, visibly trying to hold back her tears, “but it’s also a terrible reminder of the fact that I had to banish my own sister!” Once she finished that, I could see that I had unintentionally reopened an old wound, if the fact that she was crying was anything to go by. Without second thought, I immediately tackled her into a hug, nuzzling her in an attempt to cheer her up.         “Mom, while it may be a terrible memory, know that you don’t have to shoulder your burden alone,” I told her as I continued to nuzzle her, “I’ll be here for you, like you’ve always been for me since you’ve adopted me.” For the first time since the conversation started, I felt Mom return my embrace, nuzzling me in return. We continued to sit there in each other’s company for what seemed like hours (though it was really only ten minutes), contently embracing the warmth that we gave to each other. During this time, I felt what seem like a...spark, so to speak…and in it’s wake, a connection was left over. I followed said connection to it’s end, finding that it led to what I realized was a soul. However, it wasn’t just any soul, it’s Mom’s soul. From the link, I could feel a huge amount of love, happiness, and compassion emanating from her very soul, this was the truest visual of one’s feelings, something that cannot lie, no matter how hard it tries. When I saw (or rather, felt) this, I couldn’t help but cry tears of joy into her fur until I drifted off into a dreamless slumber. Trottingham Day of the Summer Sun Celebration         It’s the night before the Summer Sun Celebration, something that I’m personally looking forward to. After I fell asleep in her embrace, Mom tucked me back into bed before going to make sure that everything was ready. Now, Golden Sword and Quick Shot was giving me a tour of their old home. As we continued to walk, I saw some of the peop…ponies…that saw me sigh in relief.         “It’s just that they’re relieved that you’re fine after what happened to you, after all, you were in bad shape,” Golden explained when I asked, putting emphasis on ‘were.’ I gave him a nod in understanding before they continued to give me the grand tour.         “Lieutenant Golden Sword and Sergeant Quick Shot,” an authoritative voice rang out from somewhere above us, causing Golden and Quick to instinctively snap to attention. A few moments later, a midnight blue pegasus mare with a moon white mane and tail landed a few hooves in front of us. “What brings you here? I thought you transferred to the Solar Guard?” The mare asked.         “We did, captain,” Quick replied, “We we’re tasked with an very important job: guarding Equestria’s newest princess, Princess Sunny Days.”         “And I assume the young, yellow alicorn filly in front of me is her?”         “Yes,” I replied, “And may I know your name?”         “Nightwing Nightstalker, Your Highness,” she said with a bow as I groaned internally at the title, though I said nothing as I know it would be useless to try and stop her.         “Your Highness,” Golden said, interrupting what I was about to say, “It’s nearly time for it to start, let's get to the Town Hall.” I gave him a nod before bidding farewell to Nightwing. Trottingham Five minutes until Sunrise…         As I sat there in my yellow dress with my person guards flanking me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something’s going to happen, something bad.         “Golden, Quick,” I whispered, “I have a bad feeling something’s going to happen. It’s probably nothing, but be ready just in case.” They both gave me a nod as their hooves ever so slightly moved towards their respective weapons. Once the announcements were over, the curtain revealed Mom in all of her glory. I saw that she had a smile on her face, but it looked...fake, forced, and I knew why. I saw Mom take a deep breath as she closed her eyes starting to float into the air, her horn humming with power. It looked like somepony who couldn’t be beaten, somepony who could stop anything.         That was when all hell broke lose.         Just before Mom could rise the sun, a wall of pure magic expanded outward through the room, causing Mom to drop to the ground, disoriented. I looked around and saw everypony else seemed to be disoriented as well.         Everypony but me, Golden, and Quick.         “W-what’s going on?” I asked, the fear in my voice could be easily heard.         “I don’t know,” Golden replied, him and Quick quickly (No pun intended) surrounding me, “But stay close. Whoever did this, isn’t doing this with good intentions.” We stayed there for a few moments, staying on guard, as the Royal Guards that came scrambled on my and Mom’s positions, each with their respective weapon drawn, though I noticed that none of the pegasi and unicorns were flying or using magic, respectively.         “Golden, can you use your magic still?” I asked, “Because that wall may have been the start of some kind of Anti-Magic field.”         “Yes,” he replied, “But right now, the only advantage we have is the element of surprise.” Not even a few moments later, the sounds of glass breaking quickly surrounded us as the Royal Guard immediately got into defensive positions.         “For Nightmare Moon! Let the Night Rien Forever!” a loud, male voice yelled out. A lot of ponies dressed in black cloaks that covered their faces and cutie marks rushed through the windows and doors, quickly outnumbering us five-to-one. They were welding the same stone dagger that my foalnappers used.         “That’s Alicorn Stone!” I heard Golden yell out in alarm, “Don’t let them get near the princesses!”         “Alicorn Stone?” I questioned, turning my head towards Quick.         “It’s one of the only ways to kill an alicorn,” Quick explained to me, pulling out a Spiritsteel Dagger.         “Quick!” Golden suddenly yelled out over the commotion, “Spiritual Magic authorized!” I saw Quick nod before putting up his Dagger, replacing it with some kind of….stick?         “Mutationem,” Golden and Quick yelled out in usion, causing a flash of light to blind everypony in the immediate vicinity.When my eyesight returned, my jaw dropped at what I saw. Both Golden and Quick were now clad in glinting silver armor that seemed to shimmer in the light. Golden was now holding a Spiritsteel Short Sword in his magic while Quick was holding an Oak Shortbow, a Spiritsteel Dagger strapped to his left foreleg. Quick took to the skies, drawing the string of his bow back as five shimmering, silver arrows appeared on it.         “Quaerens sagittam!” he yelled out, releasing the string, causing the arrows to launch out and seek their targets out, each arrow seeking a different cultist.         Seeking arrow, I translated effortlessly, surprising myself by how easily I can understand him. Tearing myself from Quick, my eyesight landed on Golden, seeing him sword fight with a cultist, matching him blow for blow, before effortlessly somersaulting over said cultist, stabbing him in the back with his sword. However, what surprised me was the fact that, unlike when one of the other guards take out a cultist, the ones slain by Golden and Quick dissipate into a silver cloud before disappearing from view. Due to my surprise, a cultist managed to sneak up on me and grab me.         “Hey! Let me go!” I yelled out in surprise, trying everything I could do at the moment to escape.         “The Nightmare shall return!” the cultist yelled, raising his Alicorn Stone Dagger to stab me. At that moment, the Dagger started to fall towards me, aimed towards my heart.  I saw my life flash before my eyes, though one of the memories stood out: an incantation.         “Spirituale disco!” I yelled out, my body and the air around me buzzing with energy. My senses started to faded away as my instinctive side took over, effectively knocking my conscious mind out.         As I started to regain consciousness, I became aware of not only the soft embrace of somepony, but I also noticed the beeping of a heart-rate monitor. This led me to one conclusion.         I was in the hospital….again.         As I lay there, I could hear the soft breaths of the larger pony beside me. After a few moments, I realized that there was a connection leading directly towards the pony’s soul, love and compassion pouring from it. That was when I realized that the pony next to me is Mom. At this realization, I snuggled closer to her barrel, attempting to stay by her side where it’s safe. This rewarded me with a nuzz….         Wait, I mentally brought my thoughts to a screeching stop, If she just nuzzled me, then that means…         I immediately snapped my eyes open and looked towards Mom, who was smiling down at me fondly.         “I’m glad that you’re finally awake,” she told me as she gently nuzzled the top on my head.         “W-what do you mean my ‘finally’?” I asked, realizing that my throat was very dry.         “Sunny, you’ve been out for a couple of weeks,” Mom informed me, causing my jaw to drop. I tried to search my memories to try and figure out what happened, but the last thing I remember was walking into town hall, then….nothing.         “W-what happened?” I asked.         “Well….” Trottingham Several Weeks Ago...         “Spirituale disco!” Sunny’s voice rang out through the building, causing everypony to look towards the filly in question. What I saw shocked me to no end. Sunny seemed to be floating without the use of her wings, her mane and tail glowed a bright silver, flowing on an invisible breeze, and her eyes glowed a pure white. The air around us was filled with energy that started to move towards Sunny. As I looked at her, I noticed that her entire body started to glow silver, starting off faint before growing in intensity. With a flick of her horn at the glow’s peak, a wall of energy exploded away from her, disintegrating the cultists while leaving everypony else without a scratch. Sunny slowly floated to the ground before falling unconscious, causing every guard in the room, including Lieutenant Golden Sword and Sergeant Quick Shot, to scramble to her daughter’s position. Present Time         “...Also, that’s not the only thing that happened,” Mom stated, pointing towards my flank with a hoof. I turned my head towards it and gasped in surprise before my muzzle split into a huge smile.         Right there on my flank was a silver sword and shield, the shield had a yellow star encrusted into it. I honestly couldn’t be happier at that moment, even though I didn’t know what it meant.