When the Sun Stopped Shining
Something soft and warm nuzzled Sunny Daze's cheek, rousing her from her sleep. "Huh?" she mumbled as she lifted her head to find the culprit. A pair of familiar green eyes stared back at her.
"Hey," Peachy Pie whispered, leaning her head on Sunny's shoulder. "It's a new day."
"It's gonna be a stupid day," Sunny muttered. She rolled onto her side and stared at the wooden planks that were suspended inches above her muzzle. Sunny and Peachy Pie slept under the porch of Peachy's old house. It wasn't that comfortable, but it was enclosed. Inside, hidden from sight, Sunny felt safe from the Changelings. And this was where she had spent the most recent years of her life, only emerging a few times when she went to find food.
"Where's Button Mash?" Sunny asked, realizing the third member of their trio was missing.
"He went out to get food," Peachy explained. "I recall him telling me something about Sugarcube Corner. Who knows? I was half asleep."
"That's good," Sunny responded. She inched closer to the exit, a hole right underneath the creaky wooden steps. Suddenly, a mocha face filled the hole.
"Button!" Peachy cried in delight.
The young colt smirked and made no attempt to enter. "The day is number five hundred and fifty one," he told the fillies as if he was reciting a textbook. "No, wait! Fifty three," he corrected himself, smiling sheepishly.
Sunny let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. The Counting of the Days was a code the three of them had. With shapeshifting monsters on the prowl, you could never be too careful. "Come on in, Button."
Button crawled inside their living space. He brought with him a large bag, obviously filled with food.
"What did you bring us?" Peachy Pie asked, leaning forward.
"Some crumbly cupcakes and sugar I found in the shop basement, and some strawberries from the bushes outside." Button placed the bag in the center of the ponies, inviting them to dig in.
"Sugar?" Sunny raised an eyebrow. "I know we're hiding under a house and running low on supplies, but sugar? Like, how do you eat that?"
"Well if you don't like it, I'll take it!" Button rolled his eyes and stuffed his hoof into the bag. In the dim light, Sunny could see that his hoof was covered in sparkly grains of sugar. Button proceeded to lick the sweetener off his hoof. "Delicious!"
"Aaaaaand this is why you don't have a filly friend," Peachy Pie teased, snorting at Button's immaturity.
"Hey, I have you two." Button waggled his eyebrows mischievously. Peachy giggled, but Sunny rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, gross," groaned Sunny. "By the way, did you see any other foals on your errand today?" As she spoke, Sunny took several strawberries from the bag and began to nibble on them.
"No," Button replied, for once speaking in a somber tone. "I'm sure there are still some around here, though. We're just too afraid to show ourselves to each other."
The conversation died down. The three foals finished their "meal", if it even qualified for the title.
Sunny eased herself into a leisurely position and observed the filtered light that reached her through the cracks of the floorboard. She had walked those boards many times, back before the war started.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Peachy?" Sunny turned to look at her friend. "What if we went into your room and played catch for a little bit?"
"But... that's not safe," Peachy responded. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "There could be Changelings."
"We've barely gotten out to play in the year we've been in hiding!" Sunny argued, folding her arms. "If the Changelings don't find us, we'll waste away like Button playing his video games!"
"Hey!" Button protested.
"I'm tired of being under here all day!" Sunny pleaded, looking straight into Peachy's eyes.
Peachy glanced away. "I don't want any of us to get hurt."
"What's the harm?" Sunny pressed. "We'll be inside."
Peachy scratched her mane, considering the suggestion. "...Okay," she agreed. "Let's go play. It'll be fun."
Excited, Sunny followed Peachy through the floor boards the latter pried up.
"I've been living under here, but it feels like the first time in years I've been here," Peachy whispered. Sunny could feel her friend breathing quickly.
"One day you'll get to be here every day," Sunny assured her. Truth be told, she didn't believe that.
"Hey!" Button called, ruining the nostalgic moment, "I'm still under here! I want to see the inside of Peachy's house!"
"Hold your horses!" Sunny grumbled, stepping onto the floor, which was coated with a light layer of dust. The kitchen counters were littered with crumbs and utensils. She joked, "You need to clean up, Peachy."
Peachy kept her gaze cast downward. "Let's go play catch."
"Cool house," Button remarked, looking around.
A sudden crash from the other room froze them all in their tracks. Sunny's breath caught in her throat. Peachy froze. Button inched back to the hole from which he had emerged.
What if Peachy was right? Maybe there's a Changeling here! Sunny's pupils widened when she realized the implications of that scenario. It was my idea to come up here! This is my fault!
Peachy's green eyes met with Sunny's blue ones. No one breathed, waiting for something to step out and reveal itself.
A tiny mouse scampered into the room.
"Can Changelings turn into mice?" Button whispered in unmasked horror.
"I don't think so," responded Peachy quietly.
Sunny was transfixed on the mouse, the source of their terror. Had they really been so paranoid as to freeze up at the sight of a mouse?
The mouse skittered back the way it had come, scared by the large ponies. Sunny counted to ten in her head, six times, until she allowed herself to breath. Beside her, Peachy also relaxed.
"I changed my mind," Button whimpered. "Can I stay down below?"
"Suit yourself. I need to get some exercise," Sunny replied. Turning to Peachy, she addressed the latter: "Are you gonna play with me or are you gonna join Button?"
"I-" Peachy swallowed. "-I want to play catch. I want to do something normal."
"Maybe we can get some books from your room and read them under the house later," Sunny suggested as the two walked into Peachy's room.
"That's a good idea," Peachy conceded, picking up a rubber ball just inside the doorway. Peachy kept her gaze low to the floor, as if she didn't want to see her room. Which, Sunny reasoned, she probably didn't.
"Let me get the books," Sunny said, trotting over to a wooden bookcase that sat right below a window. Sunny reached up for a flimsy chapter book on the top shelf. Suddenly, the mouse from earlier appeared on the windowsill. In one fell swoop, it snatched the book in its paws and dragged it out the window.
"Hey!" Sunny cried indignantly, hastily swiping at the rodent. The mouse disappeared behind the book shelf.
"What are you doing?" Peachy Pie turned around.
"I'm going outside to get your book," Sunny told her as she pushed herself onto the windowsill. "I'll just be a moment."
"No, don't go outside!" Peachy cried, dropping her ball. "You won't be safe!"
A large shadow passed over the area outside, probably cast by a cloud.
"I'll be fine," Sunny assured her best friend, dropping to the ground below. With the book in her grasp, Sunny began to walk to the other side of the house.
"Sunny! Get out of sight! Look up!" Peachy cried.
"What?" Sunny looked up in surprise. The shadow wasn't a cloud; it was a flock of Changelings! And by the looks of it, they were descending nearer to her.
"Get underneath the house!" Sunny commanded Peachy. "I'll meet you there!"
Peachy ducked back into her house, while Sunny galloped to the door. She had one hoof on the handle when something cold and clammy surrounded her.
"Hey!" she shrieked, dropping her book.
"We have found another pony!" hissed the Changeling that held her.
"Very good," sneered the lead Changeling. The dastardly creature cupped Sunny's chin in his hoof. "Tell me, little filly, is there anypony else hiding here?"
Sunny swallowed, willing her brain to devise a convincing lie. She sputtered, "N-no! I was just inside trying to find some scraps of food! I'm starving! I'm no threat, let me go!"
"Obviously a little filly is no threat, but you young ones have so much love inside their hearts." The Changeling sighed as if imagining a plentiful feast of ponies' love.
The first Changeling tightened its grip on Sunny. "Do we bring this one back to the dungeons?"
"As long as you can carry her the distance, Antony," the leader replied dryly. "Don't think I forgot about your little slip up last month."
"Understood, Commander," Antony hissed. A second Changeling joined him, and the two lifted off into the air.
Sunny nearly choked. "Let me go! HEEELP!" She kicked her hind legs in an effort to break free, but Antony whacked her in the head.
"Quiet!"
"The rest of you!" The commanding Changeling flicked his wings. "We're headed for the Everyfree Forest. Rumor has it there is a resistance force in their." Heeding his words, the Changeling fleet rose into flight formation flew off in the direction of the Everfree Forest.
"No!" Sunny shook her head, trying to shake the tears that were brimming in her eyes.
"Make this flight easy, filly," Antony snapped maliciously. "Otherwise I might have to report an accidentally dropped pony to the Queen."
Sunny blinked and didn't respond.
When she opened her eyes again, Sunny was still being toted across the sky, which was now painted with shades of sunset.
"When are we gonna be there?" she complained. So what if she was a prisoner? Right now, Sunny wanted her hooves on solid dirt.
"You're one to talk," snarked the Changeling whose name Sunny did not know. "We've been carrying you for hours!"
"But to answer your question," Antony added, "we'll be at Canterlot, or what was Canterlot, soon."
Sunny squinted her eyes, and sure enough, she could see Canterlot Castle's spiraling towers drawing nearer. But they weren't the familiar ones she knew. The towers had been redone, and though kept the same basic shape, they were no longer glistening marble. The castle seemed to be made of moss-colored quartz.
"How long did it take for you to redesign the castle?" Sunny asked.
"Not long," Antony replied. Though she couldn't see his face, Sunny guessed he was smirking. The Changeling continued, "The citizens of Canterlot were eager to work, if it meant they could escape from their dungeons for a little while."
"Hey, you'll be one of them soon!" snickered the other Changeling.
Sunny ignored him, and turned inwards to plan escape. She'd have to see Canterlot's architecture first, to figure out the route. And maybe she could reach the dungeons and set free some ponies? That would be helpful.
In a short while, the Changelings landed in the center of Canterlot.
"Oh, thank Celestia for solid brick paths!" Sunny laughed. If she hadn't been under arrest, she would've kissed the ground.
"Don't thank Celestia, considering she's a prisoner of war!" Antony laughed. "Now, let's get you down to the dungeons."
Sunny tried to move as quick as she could, but it wasn't enough for her captors. The Changelings kept shoving her forward, urging her to trot faster.
"Hi!" A pink earth pony with curly fuchsia hair appeared in front of them.
"Pinkie Pie?" Sunny's eyes widened. "I thought you escaped the Changelings!"
Pinkie Pie grinned. "Oh, did she?" A bright flash of green surrounded Pinkie. When Sunny looked again, a smug Changeling stood in the pink pony's place.
"Oh, you fell for that!" the Changeling chortled in a raspy voice. "You're from the Ponyville region, right? Apparently all prisoners from there know Pinkie."
"Yeah, so what?" Sunny stuck her nose up. "Pinkie leads the resistance! She'll totally kick your bug butt!"
"Resistance is futile," the Changeling chuckled. "Although, you mention a resistance. Maybe you should tell us what you know?"
"What are you gonna give me if I do?" Sunny asked. Maybe she could bargain her way to freedom!
"A meeting with Queen Chrysalis," the Changeling replied. "She'd be interest to hear any news of a resistance. Few ponies get to bask in her Majesty's presence."
Sunny hesitated. Antony took the silence as a chance to pipe up, "Can we get her to the dungeons first? That's my favorite part of capturing pitiful ponies."
"Hey!" Sunny protested.
The Changeling in front of them rolled his eyes. "I suppose. She can go meet the Queen after she's been settled in."
Well, if I'm going to the dungeons, I can probably find some of my captured friends, Sunny thought as they resumed their trip.
Sunny stumbled a few times as they walked through the dungeons. The place was huge, built in an old crystal mine. Changeling goo dripped from the walls and ceilings, stronger than the strongest earth ponies, forming barriers around the Equestrian prisoners. The unicorns and pegasi had goo coated on their wings and horns, rendering them unable to escape .
"I don't remember where the Ponyville section is, Laurva," Antony commented, finally revealing the other Changeling's name.
"Oh really? I thought it was next to the Philidelphia dungeon on the lower level," Laurva replied, keeping a steady grip on Sunny.
"So all the ponies from Ponyville are in the same area?" Sunny asked as they approached a minecart.
"If you're around ponies you know, it maximizes the love in the area," Antony replied gruffly. "Step in the cart, foal."
Pursing her lips, Sunny complied. Laurva climbed in next to her, while Antony pushed the cart off. The tracks spiraled in a circle, leading down to a lower level. Sunny watched several prisoners look up when they heard the sound of a minecart.
After getting off the roller coaster, Sunny was escorted down the dim passageways.
"Here." Antony halted in front of a pack of ponies. "Do you recognize any of these ponies?"
Sunny squinted, looking at each face. "Blossomforth? Sweetie Belle?"
"Sunny Daze?" Sweetie Belle squeaked, poking her muzzle through strands of Changeling goo. "Where's Button Mash? Is he okay?"
Sunny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I think so."
"Well, we'll leave you two to catch up," Laurva sneered.
Antony spit on the gooey strands, then cut through them.
So Changeling spit is potent, Sunny noticed. Gross.
Antony and Laurva shoved her next to Sweetie Belle, then resealed the prison walls.
"We'll be back tomorrow for feeding time," Laurva snickered. Antony's and her wings began to buzz, and the two Changelings left.
For a moment, everything in the large Ponyville cell was silent.
"Hey guys!" Sweetie Belle called. "Sunny Daze is here!"
Sunny smiled weakly, then fell back on her rump and slumped against the gooey wall.
"Food time!" a young Changeling guard called out.
Sunny and the rest of the Ponyville section glanced up, waiting for their stale bread to fall from the ceiling.
"One day here, and I've already had it with this prison," Sunny grumbled after a loaf hit her on the head.
"I'm sure the food's better than what you've been living off of the past couple years," Sweetie Belle commented before taking a bite of the bread she was holding.
Sunny rolled her eyes. "Stale cupcakes are better than stale bread."
"If you say so." Sweetie shrugged and continued munching on her bread.
Sunny watched Sweetie Belle eat. "Have you guys given up? You're gonna wait out the rest of your life in here?"
"Hey, we haven't given up," Blossomforth cut in. "We're just enjoying the free meal while we have the chance."
"You haven't been here, you have no idea how many escape plans have been foiled," Sweetie agreed. "Too many to count!"
"Well, I'm not giving up!" Sunny stuck her muzzle up in the air to show her determination.
Sunny approached one of the younger Changeling guards that was near her.
"Excuse me," she called, "but I've given up!"
"What?" the guard turned towards her.
"When I was brought here, I had information about the resistance in Ponyville that I refused to give up!" Sunny stamped her hoof impatiently. "Well, I see now that giving up this info is the best choice! Take me to Chrysalis so I can tell her!"
Her request was not enough to persuade the Changeling. He scratched his right temple, cocked his head, and stared at Sunny as if he was trying to see right through her.
"I dunno," he said after a moment.
Sunny had to convince him, quick. "I'd never be able to escape from a guard as handsome and strong as you! Plus, I'm sure Queen Chrysalis would think very highly of you if you escorted me in." Sunny bit her lip. "Please, I'd do anything to get out of the prison, even if it's just temporary."
The mini speech seemed to satisfy the young Changeling. His chest puffed with pride, and he consented to escorting her.
"Bye, Sweetie Belle." As Sunny was led away, Sunny smiled smugly at her old friend. From behind the bars, Sweetie watched her curiously.
Sunny turned her attention to the Changeling. Slyly, she queried, "Do Changelings love?"
"Yeah," the Changeling answered. He smirked. "I have all the girls chasin' after me."
"Oh really?" Sunny focused on him as they walked, mainly to avoid the gazes of her fellow ponies. "Can Changelings fall in love with ponies?"
Her escort's hoofsteps faltered after the question was asked. "Why do you want to know?"
"Curiosity."
"I dunno. Probably," he answered, resuming his domineering saunter.
Sunny fell silent for a moment. What can I use to my advantage...? An idea suddenly galloped to the front of her consciousness. Flattery might work!
"So, you look like you're a commanding officer. You're so strong and confident." Sunny grinned wider than she should have.
The Changeling smirked. "I'm actually new, I can't believe you ponies are dumb enough to think I'm an officer!"
"Well, you look the part," Sunny responded innocently.
Boasted the Changeling: "Obviously, I'm a natural at this job already. I'll let you in on a secret: everyone's jealous of me because I have so much potential!"
"I can tell," Sunny drawled as they left the dungeons and returned to the sunny world above. Sunny inhaled a breath of fresh air and asked, "Hey, what's your name?"
The confident smile left his face for a moment. "My parents named me Bugsy," he muttered. "But my friends call me Blade, so you can, too."
"Oh, that makes us friends!" Sunny cried, leaning against him. To be honest, she was starting to think the whole flattery thing. It hadn't gotten her anywhere so far.
"It sucks you're a prisoner," Blade answered. "Otherwise we could've hung out a lot."
"Maybe we can," Sunny drawled. "Once I give Queen Chrysalis information on the Ponyville rebels, maybe she could let me go?"
"Nah, you're a pony. And ponies are food." Blade ran his tongue over his pearly fangs. "No offense."
Sunny repressed a nervous shiver. "Well, maybe she could turn me into a Changeling," Sunny proposed. "That is possible, isn't it?"
Blade pondered the question. "I'm not sure. I'd have to asked Professor Baxter, the official Changeling scientist, if you didn't know. He's insane, so I'd rather not."
"Oh, what a shame," Sunny commented.
They walked through the streets of Canterlot in silence. Baby Changelings (were they called larvae? Sunny wondered) were playing in the streets. Sunny watched two larvae shape into the likeness of two fillies. Sunny shuddered and turned away from the sight, remembering Peachy Pie and Button Mash.
"If I were to turn into a Changeling," Sunny asked suddenly, "are there any weaknesses I would need to know about? Like, get accustomed to?" Sunny mentally patted herself on the back for using a fancy word Miss Cheerilee had taught in class.
"Well, aside from the honey thing, we're unbeatable!" Blade replied proudly, his filmy wings buzzing excitedly. "I can't wait to leave guard duty and-"
"The honey thing?" Sunny interrupted, narrowing her eyes.
"We Changelings hate honey," Blade explained nonchalantly. "You would, too, if it temporarily rendered your powers useless."
"Honey does that?" Sunny's blue eyes widened. "But it's so common!"
"The first thing we did after the invasion was rid Canterlot of honey. It's so gross!" Blade shuddered. "Kinda counteracts our own goo, in a way." Blade stopped his ramblings suddenly. Sunny was about to ask for more details, but Blade grabbed Sunny by her shoulders. He moved so briskly that Sunny wondered if he had been possessed.
"You're not gonna use any of this against us, are you?" he asked, raising an invisible eyebrow suspiciously.
"Me?" Sunny asked, letting her lower lip protrude and pupils expand. It was an "innocent as possible" look she had picked up from Diamond Tiara. "I'm with you, remember?"
"You can never be too sure," Blade pointed out, baring his fangs. "I'd better get you to Chrysalis before I let anything else slip out!" He released his grip on Sunny and continued on his way to Chrysalis's castle.
Honey, Sunny thought as she followed him. How interesting. When I escape I should cover myself in honey so no Changeling would dare attack me! Ha, I'm a genius! But I need to escape, first...
"Blade, how can I prove to you that I'm a Changeling ally?" she asked.
"Nothing you do can convince me to trust you again until you reveal your secrets to Chrysalis!" Blade insisted. "I'm not that dumb!"
They came to a bridge that arched over a river. Sunny followed the water and realized the current led to Platinum Falls.
Named for Princess Platinum, Sunny thought, recalling memories from history class, the falls cascade down the side of Canterlot and to the valleys below.
"Hey, hurry up!" Blade called.
Sunny looked up and realized she hadn't made a move to cross the bridge yet. "Wait up! I need to ask you something!"
"Is it another question about Changeling life?" Blade asked as Sunny trotted up.
"No." Sunny bit her lip. "Are all Changelings as cute as you?" Before Blade could utter a reply, Sunny shoved her mouth against his.
Ew, this is gross!!!! she shouted internally, adding a million more imaginary exclamation points. Why did I decide to do this?!
After a moment, she pulled away, trying to suppress the mild nausea bubbling in her stomach.
Blade, for his part, looked like he was as high as Cloudsdale. "Wow, she kissed me!" he mumbled happily, collapsing onto the bridge's side. "I've never had a real kiss before! That was fun!"
Sunny recoiled as a goofy smiled spread across Blade's coal-colored face. "Colts," muttered the filly, although the being in question was technically not a colt.
He's distracted! Sunny's mind screamed. Run for it!
"Hasta la vista!" she called before vaulting over the bridge. Sunny splashed into the river below and began swimming down the stream. Blade was too love drunk to notice.
A waterfall won't kill me, right? she prayed as she reached the edge of the river. Sunny gulped in a breath of air and jumped off.
Something soft and warm nuzzled Sunny Daze's cheek, rousing her from her sleep. "Huh?" she mumbled as she lifted her head to find the culprit. A set of black, orb-like eyes stared back at her.
"Ah!" Sunny recoiled a little before realizing she was looking at a squirrel. The roar of a distant waterfall dominated her hearing. The rumbling prompted memories to flood her mind.
"How long was I out?" Sunny wondered, trying to pull herself into a sitting position. Her lower half ached, probably from the impact of hitting the water. She could only hope she wouldn't be heavily bruised.
The squirrel chittered and scampered off.
"Hey, wait!" Sunny called, hastily rising to her hooves. "Can you help me find something to eat?" The squirrel didn't listen and disappeared into the bushes.
"Well." Sunny rolled her eyes. "First things first. Find food and honey." Sunny glanced behind her. The mountains of Canterlot towered over her. I should probably try and get back to Ponyville to help with the resistance.
"I kissed a Changeling, and I hated it, the taste of his... cherry chapstick?" Sunny hummed to herself as she walked through the underbrush. The bushes and trees were just sparse enough to not qualify as a forest.
After about an hour of walking, Sunny happened upon a bee's nest. It took a couple tries to get the bees distracted, but soon Sunny had coated her mane and hooves with the sticky substance.
"Time to return to Ponyville."
