My Little Pony: Love is Everything - Episodes 1-2 (The Beginning)

by robbieierubino

Chapter 5 - The Summer Sun Celebration

After leaving the town hall, the little group made their way over to the edge of the Everfree Forest. It was getting late, the sun slowly dipping down to the horizon, the last rays of spring dancing across the ground and shimmering off flower petals. As they approached the forest, Dream Mist pulled out the checklist an gave it a final once-over.

“Wee, what do you know?” she said. “Music’s the last thing we have to check up on.”

“Oh, wow,” Moonbeam remarked. “How about that? Let’s see how Fluttershy’s birds are doing.”

Everyone nodded and carried on, Stardust yawning as she did so.

“It’s now sunset,” she pointed out to herself. “Why am I so tired?”

“Probably because of the nightmare you had last night,” Dream reminded her. “Don’t worry, though; you’ll have plenty of time to sleep once we get home.”

“Yeah,” the pegasus conceded. “Thanks, sis.” She looked around “By the way, where’s Fluttershy?”

Dream opened her mouth to say she wasn’t sure, but then her attention, along with that of everyone else, was caught by the distant sound of birdsong. They all stopped, listening carefully for the source of the music, and it was Sapling, who’d been turning her head every which way, that eventually spotted the yellow mare.

"Hey, girls," she whispered, “I think I found her!”

One by one, the others also noticed Fluttershy and her choir of songbirds. Carefully and quietly so as not to disturb anyone, they all slowly made their way over.

As they did so, Fluttershy happened to notice that one of her birds was singing off-key.

“Oh, my,” she muttered to herself. “Um, can we stop, please, everyone?”

As the birds trailed off, the pegasus flew up to the little blue jay whose singing wasn’t quite up to scratch.

“Hey, Andrea,” she said softly. “Do you think you might need some water for your throat? Because you’re just a teeny-tiny bit off.”

The jay nodded and then flew off in search of a drink.

“Great! Come back when you’re ready!” Fluttershy called after her.

When she landed, Fluttershy caught sight of the girls out of the corner of her eye.

“Oh, hi, girls. What brings you here today?”

“Hi, Auntie Fluttershy,” Stardust stepped forwards. “We’re just here to check up on the music preparation.”

“Yeah, and from what we’ve just heard, it’s coming along spectacularly,” Moonbeam pitched in.

“Aww, thank you,” Fluttershy smiled. “I’m glad you think so.”

As the blue jay returned, she tweeted to the pegasus that she was all set to start again.

“Excellent, Andrea,” Fluttershy smiled. “Now, girls,” she turned to ask the little party, “would you like to hear what my birds are going to sing for the celebration?”

“Yeah! We’d love to hear your music, Fluttershy!” Sapling answered, the rest of the group nodding in agreement with her.

The yellow mare smiled back, and then faced her choir once more.

“Alright,” she told them, “follow my lead; a-one, a-two, a-one, two-”

"Hey!"

Ponies and birds alike were startled by a voice that that came from somewhere behind them. It was Cirrus, and he appeared a moment after his shout was heard.

“Oops, sorry,” the stallion apologized. “I didn’t realize you were practicing with your birds, Mom.”

“Oh, Cirrus, not again,” Dream facepalmed.

“You startled me,” Fluttershy said, hoof over her heart. “And my poor birds.”

“Mom, I said I was sorry,” Cirrus argued. “And I’ve just got back from the Wonderbolt Academy, okay?”

“Wait, aren’t you supposed to be with Rainbow Dash?” Stardust asked. “Where is she?”

“Well, that’s why I’m here.” Cirrus slowly lowered himself to the ground. “After I’d finished helping, Mom said I should go back home, and that she’d catch up after she and the rest of the team had finished dealing with an issue at the Academy. Now, you know Mom; normally, she would have had me helping with that issue, too, but she didn’t, and there was just something… off about the way she said it. She wasn’t smiling, and her eyes looked a bit empty. I went to grab something, then I went back to her office to say goodbye, but she wasn’t there, she was gone! I asked everyone around the academy, but no one had seen her, and she wasn’t anywhere to be found! So I thought, maybe, she came home already? Have any of you guys seen her?”

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Fluttershy shook her head. “Have you checked the house? Or the town hall?”

“Yeah, I looked everywhere here,” Cirrus said. “She’s not in the house, which is why I thought she might be with you. I’m not sure, but I’m starting to think there’s something suspicious going on…”

“Huh? What’s so suspicious about that?” Sapling asked.

“I don’t know,” the pegasus admitted. “I think I need to think for a moment.”

“Um, okay then. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, Cirrus.” Fluttershy smiled at her son, who smiled weakly back. “Now, shall I continue, girls?”

“Of course, go ahead!” Stardust insisted, her friends nodding in agreement behind her.

“Alright then.” Fluttershy turned back to the choir. “Here we go!”

“Wait! I remember now!” Cirrus shouted, startling everyone again.

“What now, Cirrus?” Dream asked angrily.

“I think I might have noticed something after I left Mom’s office!”

Everyone rolled their eyes but turned their attention to the stallion nonetheless.

“It was the sound of laughter; a creepy laugh. It came from somewhere behind me, but, when I turned around to see who it was, no one was there!”

At Cirrus’ words, Stardust realized she had heard a similar thing; that morning, when she and her sister had left the castle, she had noticed a low growl.

“No,” she muttered to herself. “Could it be?”

“Stardust?” Dream asked her sister, a look of concern gracing her features.

“What’s wrong?” Sapling finished.

“Could it be what?” Moonbeam chipped in.

“Could it be… when we left this morning…?” Stardust continued murmuring. “Maybe…”

Art by GlorysiaMelodyYT

Suddenly, she gasped, having come to a realization.

“Dream, I think our parents disappeared this morning when we left!”

“WHAT?” the rest of the gang shouted in unison.

“Don’t tell me you heard the laugh, too!” Cirrus asked.

Oh, don't tell me that you heard the laugh, too," said Cirrus.

“Well, not exactly, but I did hear something, and, if Rainbow Dash disappeared after the laughter, it could mean that, well…” She trailed off and glanced towards her sister. “Dream, I think we need to go back to the castle.”

Dream nodded in solemn agreement.

“What about the rest of the preparations, though?” she asked. “We’re almost finished with them.”

“Let somepony else take care of them,” Stardust instructed. “Here,” she swiped the list off her sister and thrust it at Cirrus, “take this, make sure the birdsong is ready, and double check the town hall.”

“What?!” Cirrus protested. “Why me?!”

“All of you can work together,” Stardust pointed out. “But we need to make sure our parents are okay. Sapling, Moonbeam, thanks for helping us out today, we’ll see you all later.”

As she was speaking, the pegasus flapped into the air, grabbed Dream round her midriff, and flew them off on the direction of their home as quickly as she could.

The remaining ponies all looked at each other with a mix of confusion and concern as the royal sisters flew away, worried for both the girls and their parents.

“Okay,” Moonbeam broke the silence. “Uh, how about that music then?”

---

Night had long descended upon Ponyville as Stardust, Dream Mist, Sapling, Moonbeam, and Cirrus entered the town hall, all preparations complete and in place, and the only thing left to do is to have fun. None of them are with their parents, save for the presence of Fluttershy and Trixie.

“Hey, Stardust, have you seen your moms anywhere?” Moonbeam asked. “Only I can’t see my mother either, so she’s probably with yours. Any ideas where they are??”

Stardust shook her head.

“I don’t know; I haven’t seen them about all day. Do you think they’ll miss the Celebration?”

“Oh, I highly doubt that, dear,” Moonbeam smiled reassuringly. “At least, not Auntie Twilight; she’d never miss a Summer Sun Celebration, at least, not of her own will.”

“Yeah,” Cirrus chipped in. “And my mom, too. I mean, Mommy’s here with her birds for the music.” He pointed at Fluttershy, who was stood by the music stand giving a last minute pep talk to her birds.

“I agree with you, Cirrus,” Sapling said. “It’s strange that my parents aren’t here either. Think they could all be together somewhere planning something special?”

Stardust looked unsure.

“Possibly? I don’t know though; this is the first time I can ever remember them being late to anything. Have you seen them, Dream?”

“Me? Well, we looked for our mothers around the castle, but they weren’t there,” the unicorn reminded her sister. “I can’t think of anywhere else they’d be.”

“Hey, look!” Sapling shouted, pointing over the heads of all the others. “Constellar Starburst is coming to the balcony! Oh, I can’t wait!”

The group moved closer to the balcony just as a handsome pink unicorn stepped into the view of the crowd, accompanied by a fanfare sung by Fluttershy’s bird choir.

“Citizens of Ponyville!” Constellar started. “It is my honor to stand before you all tonight in celebration of a great tradition; the first day of summer. But, first, I, Prince Constellar Starburst, would like to tell you a story.”

“Really?” Cirrus asked. “I thought Sunset is always the one to tell the story before the sunrise.”

“Not always, Cirrus,” Constellar responded. “Not always. Anyways, a long time ago, two sisters ruled Equestria, one raising the sun, the other the moon. But, when the older sister banished the younger to the moon for 1000 years, she had no choice but to take over the duties of the night.

Many years later, the princesses were reunited, thanks to the Elements of Harmony and those that wielded them. For a time, all was peaceful and right, but then a tragedy struck, a tragedy that took the lives of our nation’s two beloved princesses, and all hope was lost.”

“Here comes the miracle part,” Dream whispered.

“But then, a miracle happened,” Constellar continued. “Equestria was saved; my mothers, Queen Sunset Shimmer and Princess Starlight Glimmer, took the sisters’ places as the rulers of Equestria. Happiness was restored to the kingdom, but we will never forget those we have lost.

I hope that the two sisters are looking down on us even now, smiling. I hope that Celestia and Luna are proud of their students, and all they have done for Equestria, and I hope they are proud of us for being so strong in their absence.

The crowd awed with a mixture of heartbreak and happiness, some wiping away tears as they remembered the moment that Sunset and Starlight proved their loyalty to their country in the moments before the sisters’ death, and how they went on to show themselves to be worthy successors.

“Now,” said Constellar, “before the main event, the rising of the sun, Queen Sunset Shimmer, and Princess Starlight Glimmer have an important announcement to make. So, fillies and gentlecolts, I would like you to welcome the rulers of our land, the very ponies who give to you the sun and the moon each day and night, the good, the wise, the bringers of harmony to all of Equestria, and my beloved parents-”

“Ready?” Fluttershy prompted her birds.

“-Queen Sunset Shimmer and Princess Starlight Glimmer!” Constellar announced.

As Trixie swiftly pulled back the curtains with a flourish and Fluttershy’s birds sang out once again, the ponies in the crowd all craned their necks to catch the first glimpse of….

…no one.

The stage was empty, not a ruler in sight.

The audience gasped, and the little group of ponies we now all know so well shouted various versions of ‘WHAT!?’

“Oh no, not them, too!!” The feelings of worry that had started to grow in Stardust’s stomach suddenly burst into bloom.

Confusion dusted the face of the young Prince as he stood alone on the balcony.

“Now, would Queen Sunset and Princess Starlight please rise to the stage?”

But nopony did; it remained empty.

“Uh, remain calm, everypony,” Constellar tried to appease the quickly panicking audience. “I’ll be right back.”

After his plea, the unicorn lit his horn and teleported away from the scene, leaving the crowd to murmur amongst themselves.

A moment later, Constellar reappeared.

“Hey, Bursty,” Cirrus called, flying towards the prince. “Are your moms here yet?”

“Well, they were,” Constellar answered. “But now they’re gone!!”

His remark drew a gasp from the audience.

“I knew it!” Stardust shouted. “Something’s up; my parents have disappeared, Sapling’s parents have disappeared, Rarity’s disappeared, Rainbow Dash has disappeared, and now the rulers of Equestria!? Can this get any worse?!”

More muttering flared up at Stardust’s outburst, but it was quelled almost immediately by a sinister laughter that echoed throughout the town hall.

“I don’t like this,” Cirrus whispered to Sapling, who nodded frantically in agreement.

“Hello, dear citizens of Ponyville,” a voice called out, a dark shadow leaping from the ground as it did so and gliding towards the balcony.

Shocked gasps and whispers erupted from the gathered ponies as the shadow manifested into a giant, red-eyed wolf, teeth bared in a wicked grin and a silver bell around its neck.

Wait, thought Stardust. Is that-? No, it can’t be!

“Have you missed me?” asked the wolf.

He stood and waited for a response from the terrified ponies, grinning as he did so and drinking in their fear, but there was only silence.

When no reply came, his grin grew wider.

“I suppose not, then,” he said. “Maybe it’s been a couple of thousand years, but do not fret,” if possible, the smile turned even nastier, “you’ll have plenty of time to get to know me as soon as I take over Equestria.”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute!” Stardust interrupted. “Aren’t you the nightmare creature I saw in my dream?”

At Star’s question, the crowd of ponies began chattering confusedly amongst themselves.

“Ah yes, I’d quite forgotten that,” the wolf muttered to himself. He cleared his throat. “I am Fromir, the Necromancer of Nightmares, Master of Fear, Wolf of Darkness, and brother of Grogar.”

Some members of the audience gasped as they recognized the name.

“You,” growled Dream. “You’re the one who’s kidnapped all our parents, aren’t you”?

“Wait, you’re their children?” This fact seemed to catch Fromir off-guard. “One moment; Twilight, Tempest, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, Shimmer, Glimmer… yes, that would, indeed, be my doing, deary. But I’m not quite done yet; Fluttershy is the last one I need for my collection.”

As Fromir turned his head towards the yellow pegasus, Cirrus flew right up to his face.

“Hey!” he shouted. “If you want to go after my mother, then you’re going to have to go through me!”

“Oh?” Fromir smiled. “Will I?”

Suddenly, the shadows on the wall behind Fluttershy sprang to life, a shadowy figure, connected to the wolf by darkness, lunging out to grab her.

Cirrus whipped around at the sound of her scream, but he was too late; his mother had vanished into the shadows, melting away as if she’d never been there.

“NO!” the eye-patched pegasus screamed. “What have you done, you monster?!”

“I have just completed my collection, of course,” Fromir smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some nightmares to create!”

“No!” Sweet ‘Apple’ Sapling shouted.

“We can’t allow you to do that,” Moonbeam Thread uttered menacingly.

“You’ll be stopped, you know,” Constellar Starburst promised.

“The only nightmare you’ll create will be your own!” Dream Mist called.

“Yeah! So give it up, you scum!” commanded Cirrus Thunderclap.

“Release our parents and never return to Ponyville again!” Stardust Spectrum threatened.

Fromir paused at their words, turning slightly and smiling.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” he said. “It has already begun…”

A sudden burst of shadow plunged the town hall into darkness, and the audience screamed as they all ran towards the door. They hammered on it repeatedly and put all their might into pushing it open, but it was locked.

The shadow grew more intense, wrapping around Stardust, Dream, Sapling, Moonbeam, Cirrus, and Constellar, leaving the room silent and black.

All was deathly quiet, but then, quite faintly, came a sound.

A heartbeat.

Author's Note:

CHAPTER CREDITS

• ART by GlorysiaMelodyYT and YesterdaysRunaway (in process)
• DIALOUGE by robbieierubino, GlorysiaMelodyYT and YesterdaysRunaway
• EDIT by robbieierubino & Thr3eGuess3s

Find me and the works, stories, and ideas behind MLP: LiE at mlpnextgenbyri.deviantart.com.

PS- Feel free to send me an edited version of the chapter!