As the white light cleared, I found myself in a familiar property to anybody who knows My Little Pony: a New Generation. I seemed to be the kitchen of the lighthouse, although the lack of walls in many part of the property meant that the rooms somewhat blurred together. To my left was the stove, which was curiously positioned not far from the door, and presumably where meals were prepared (clearly gas or electric piping existed in G5 Equestria). Set to the side was an unadorned table, presumably where the building's occupant ate meals or planned other things.
I looked to the right, and saw the familiar study of Argyle Starshine, still filled with old artefacts and equipment from the old days. The elevator was somewhere nearby, and I had surveyed one side of the building.
I turned to spot a set of drawers with a flat top nearby, and took a look at the top. Sitting on it was an old photograph and a pair of glasses. Argyle's glasses.
I remembered when in the story I was. This is clearly some point after Argyle's death, then. This was, of course, Sunny's shrine to her dad. My dad, I guess, seeing as I was her. I remembered being somewhat caught off guard when the film hinted he'd died when I first watched it. I guess it plays into our fears of losing people, or ponies, we love.
I took a look through some other parts of the building, and took a close look through the study to see if I had any clues. I glanced closely at the old pieces of paper and the ancient assemblies of equipment and artefacts, hunting through them to see if there was anything I should be doing in order to proceed forward with my quest. But I found relatively little apart from speculation about the past. Some details were incorrect, such as some dates, and the order of some events was... confusing, to say the least. There was a note on one book in the Collected Tales of Harmony series.
I'm guessing these are the stories that Argyle read to Sunny as a child. I looked through the books, and found a note sitting on the ninth volume, stating the authorship of this particular volume is disputed and that it is suspected Twilight Sparkle didn't write it. I chucked at that. Clearly this was the pony world's equivalent of showing disdain for Season 9 of Friendship is Magic.
I went on the lift to check the next level. The lift, or elevator if we're going to use US English (which the film seemed to do), was a rickety thing powered by ropes and gears. Only one pony at a time on this!
I arrived at the top to find a mountain of things. Papers sat on a desk opposite to the main glass walls. The central lamp had been removed in order to create more space, and several extra features had been added in order to assist the occupant. Some machinery sat in the centre, with no clear idea as to its purpose. The wall had a board on it, and some connections were being drawn on it between various different events that had happened. There was also a calender. I had spotted another one with today marked in red, at least based on the electronic timekeeping device sitting on the side. This was a duplicate of that, with a marking in the same colours. I trotted back slightly to study the evidence, trying to make sense of it myself.
A small lantern sat underneath the wall, the bottom facing towards the central chamber of the lamp room. I spotted the Earth Pony crystal in there and removed it, placing it in my back. That would save me time later.
If I could describe what being in this world whilst knowing what's coming is like, I guess the appropriate analogy is coming back to playing an RPG after many years and knowing where all the important items you'll need later are, so you can pick them up now to save time later on. I know it feels strange to be comparing a video game to life here, but the analogy fits in my opinion.
I went out through the door and looked out over the bay. It then hit me. That was Equestria unfolding before me. Those blue skies were Equestrian. The clouds were Equestrian. I was breathing Equestria's air. After so many years I had finally achieved the dream of so many bronies and I had gone to Equestria! True, it wasn't exactly the most peaceful period in Equestrian history, but at the same time beggars can't be choosers can they?
I lingered there for a few moments before looking at the time. "Oh sugercubes! Better hurry up!" It still felt a bit weird hearing Vanessa Hudgens' voice coming out of my vocal chords, but speaking was a lot easier than I thought it would be. My teeth were flatter (although Equestrian ponies did seem to be omnivores based on the show), but speaking was the exact same principle. My mouth could still make the appropriate shapes for vocalising sounds.
I took a quick glance over the map and its notes, showing where to enter the Factory and which equipment to bring. I then proceeded downstairs and strapped on my helmet and roller blades. I moved forward- and immediately fell over.
"Ow!" I groaned as I pushed myself back up. "Well, I guess that shows the importance of wearing a crash helmet. I've actually got a plan this time, dad. Wish me luck!" I moved forward to the door and closed it behind me. Hearing a familiar thump, I popped back in and straightened the photo of Sunny and Argyle before shutting the door again.
As I took position outside, I suddenly heard music starting up from some unknown source. I had wondered for many years how songs worked in Equestria, and it seemed that the singer just got the knowledge of the song they'd be singing from the ether. There was just one slight problem. I was slightly shaky on the lyrics of 'Gonna be my Day'. Oh well. Here we go. Here's hoping I don't make a complete fool of myself.
"Good morning, sun!
No time to chat, I gotta run!
'Cause I've got places to be!
"So much to do/
Excited, yes, and nervous, too!
A change is starting with me!
"I never worry 'bout
Upsetting carts, hardened hearts
Or wonder "Will I belong?"
Before I knew what had happened, I was passing through the entrance to Maretime Bay. Well, that was quick. I was wondering why the scenery was flying by so fast. I shifted over to the side to drop off some pro-unity items at a nearby table, stopping to watch some anti-unicorn rant. I then got on my way.
"I've heard it enough, I'm callin' their bluff/
I'll never get lost in the grey!
There's somethin' inside, burns bigger than pride/
Shines out of me lighting the way!"
The chorus shouldn't be too difficult. A quick glance over my shoulder as I hitched up to a portable smoothie carrier revealed Sprout was already running after me. Oh well. He could use the exercise.
"Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (be my day)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (gonna be my day)
Gonna be my day!" (ooh-ooh)
I had no clue where the backing singers had come from, but singing those words seemed hilariously ironic considering what was coming. Unfortunately, as Sprout rocketed into the air on a skateboard and crashed through a floral arrangement, I was coming up on the second verse. I would have to make some of this up and hope it worked.
"Hey there, hello!
The friends I make, the friends I know/
Today you answer my call!" (Hello, anypony there?)
I don't remember that last bit in the film. I continued on my way, trying to remember the words.
"Instead of hide!
Instead of staying stuck inside!
Instead of building your fall!"
I needed something that rhymed with hide!
"Come on and party with me/
Join the band, understand!
We'll all be singin' this song!"
Ok, that went better than I thought it would. As I dropped off a pair of unicorn and pegasus balloons and cleaned up some racist graffiti, replacing it with unity stickers, I turned back for no good reason and rolled across the tram tracks second before the town's sole tram rolled past. At least I was back in the safety of the pre-chorus now.
"I've heard it enough, I'm callin' their bluff/
I'll never get lost in the grey!
There's somethin' inside, burns bigger than pride/
Shines out of me lighting the way!"
"Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (be my day)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (gonna be my day)
Gonna be my day!" (ooh-ooh)
I kept going to avoid the trail of destruction emerging behind me as Sprout seemed to be demolishing every floral arrangement in Maretime Bay. He must have had a seriously bad day. I heard the notes begin to shift, indicating we were about to go into the middle eight. I watched as an Earth Pony adult screamed at the sight of a unicorn balloon. If only they knew the truth.
I couldn't help but notice I was thinking more and more like Sunny as this went along. Perhaps I was getting too into character.
"Everyone's afraid/
Always judgin', never budgin'!
Ain't it time we made/
The team, the dream?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhhh!"
It was time to stop beating about the bush and get on my way to the CanterLogic Factory. I Turned back and started to sing the chorus, but the notes I was singing clashed horribly with the backing. I was very confused. Was there an extra set of words I didn't know about?
I waited for the melody to move to the next bit of the song, but it simply looped back to the start of that section. Clearly it was my fault for not listening to the album version. I racked my brains for the words, and finally got something.
Let's flash a new smile, like a crocodile/
Let's sparkle right out of the grey!
We'll open our eyes, sun's quite a surprise/
And finally able to say!"
It finally let me move to the chorus. What I'd sung probably made no sense whatsoever, but it fitted the rhythm anyway. I then resumed singing.
"Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (gonna be my day)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (gonna be my day)
Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be my day! (gonna be my day)
Gonna be my day!" (be my... day!)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
"Gonna be my day!"
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
"Gonna be my day!"
The song was not starting to fade out as I followed the tram to the factory. I slowed down, fully waiting for Hitch to jump out from behind a notice board. Though something stunned me. When I was a human, I wasn't exactly a testament to human might. And yet I'd just skated about at speed, doing lots of strenous activities, and been singing at the same time, and I wasn't out of breath.
Sunny's got some serious stamina.
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Hello folkies! New chapter's here!
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Thanks immensely. I'll have my review up very soon. :-D
Hello again. Definitely appreciated the work going into the inner reflection, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Definitely liked "Sunny" looking through his/her belongings in the lighthouse (including the playful jab to certain episodes airing out of order and the attitudes toward the final season). And we just got our first difference from the actual movie on THIS end with "Sunny" grabbing the Earth pony crystal right away (even comparing it to a point-and-click adventure game). Also liked the reflections on where the music and back-up singers during the "Gonna Be My Day" song. Especially liked the observation concerning just how good of shape Sunny is actually in. This seems to indicate that the main characters are sharing the bodies with the ponies they're in the roles of instead of simply replacing them (memory muscle and all).
Most certainly looking forward to more of this.
nice chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter my godsister always sings 'Gonna be my Day on her way to school
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Np.
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That's so sweet! Nice to hear there are fellow G5 bronies/pegasisters out there.
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Some of the approach to this is inspired by two different stories. One of those is It's Always Sunny in Equestria, a story about a G5 hater who finds himself transformed into Sunny and forced to live her life. Naturally, he tries to rush through the events as quickly as possible, with some segments resembling a player speeding through NPC dialogue.
The second story is Erm... Princess Luna?, written by a friend of mine. In that one, a human ends up as Luna some point before the events of the first season of FiM, and uses their knowledge to speed things up a bit.
I appreciate you spotted the reference to adventure games. Those were a big source of inspiration for me, even if knowing where everything is does rather reduce replay value.
And I'm amazed fewer people don't comment on Sunny's physical health. As noted, the girl's got stamina.
Still hard to believe she lost her father when she was young.
Good thinking.
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1. Tragic indeed. Having said that, there's no denying the massive influence he had on her, and the restoration of the magic means that, in a sense, he emerged victorious. In that sense, Argyle will never truly die.
2. Rather like speedrunning a game, eh?
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Mhm and yeah.
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Rest assured things may go a bit differently to the film.
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Got it, can't wait to see what you got planned.
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Same here.
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It takes place in the same continuity as Zipping It, actually. There are currrently four stories on the go that take place in this setting. I can link the others if you'd like.