Author's Note

SUMMARY: Dennis, Sunshine's former enemy, returns to Sweet Apple Acres, eager to play the part of 'Boyfriend' in order to impress Sunset and Applejack.

Epilogue: Sunny Summer Days

***Sunny Summer Days***

The morning was quiet. A constant, gentle breeze swept over Sweet Apple Acres, causing the fields and pastures to roll like ocean waves. It was Sunshine's favorite part of the day.

In the cool hours of the morning, before the sun rose to its greatest hight, Sunshine took to the horse pasture. There, she would lay in the tall grass and close her eyes, listening to the sounds of the farm. One sound in particular caught her attention. It was the gentle thuds of hooves against the grass.

Sunshine's eyes blinked open, and she found herself face to face with Cider.

The young stallion stood over her, whinnying softly.

"Hey, sweet thing..." Sunshine muttered as she reached upward with her right hand.

She stroked Cider's snout affectionately, extracting a series of nickers from him.

"You... wanna talk about what happened between us?" Sunshine asked.

Cider responded with a confident snort.

Sunshine groaned as she rolled over and stood up on her feet. After dusting herself off, she turned back around to face Cider.

"You were amazing, Cider." She said with a crazy grin. "What more is there to tell?"

Her grin faded.

"I... I don't think I ever got to thank you..." Sunshine muttered. "What you did for me was unforgettable."

Cider whinnied and stomped his hoof.

"You're right." Sunshine agreed. "But you still deserve a proper 'thank you'."

She took the stallion's cheeks in her hands and kissed his snout softly.

"Thank you, Cider..." She whispered.

The distant call of a horse's whinny sounded across the pasture. Cider quickly looked in the direction of the call. Then, he looked back at Sunshine.

"Go..." Sunshine said with a smile. "It's alright."

Cider snorted and playfuly knocked his forehead against Sunshine's before galloping away.

Sunshine rubbed her head and watched him until he was gone. She then brushed the hair out of her eyes and began walking towards the stable.

It was a bit of a hike, but that had never stopped Sunshine before. It was a trip Sunshine used to make once a year, on her birthday, a little tradition of hers. Now, she hiked past the stable whenever she wanted to.

On the other side of the stable, Sunshine continued to walk. The breeze was much stronger on the open fields before her. The wind blew her hair in every direction all at once.

Sunshine beamed, parting her lips and showing her teeth.

She could hear her mother's voice from years of 'tradition'.

*Come on, Sunshine... Let's go see daddy...*

At last, Sunshine reached her destination.

"Daddy..." She muttered softly.

Sunshine sat down in front of the stone, and she gently rubbed her hand across the surface, feeling the cracks and the name inscribed into the rock.

* Chief *

"How have you been, dad?" Sunshine asked the stone. "I'm sure you know how I've been... Mom says you were always watching me, even after you... left..."

The stone replied with silence.

"Oh, guess what! I... I kissed a boy, yesterday. It was... something... something else. I don't even like the guy, but it still felt... nice... I'm rambling..."

Sunshine eyed the stone carefully, as though it was looking back at her.

"Well... I mean, he isn't all that bad... Not anymore, at least. Momma Applejack doesn't seem to like him at all. If he ever comes back, I'm going to have to protect him so Applejack doesn't feed him to the pigs." Sunshine chuckled.

After letting out a long sigh, Sunshine fell on her back, her head resting right next to the stone.

"I... I'm not exactly sure how I should feel, dad... I thought I hated him, but now... I mean, after talking to him, he seems to have changed so much. I don't even think he's the same person."

Sunshine stroked the stone next to her.

"You're a really good listener..." She said with a content sigh.

"Mmmmm... You have no idea..."

Startled, Sunshine sat upright, and she looked up to see her mother standing over her.

Sunset smiled down at her and sat on her rump on the other side of the stone.

"Mom?" Sunshine asked quizzically.

"I would talk to Chief for hours." Sunset explained. "Honestly, I had no idea of how much he actually understood, but I sure could understand him, just like you can understand Cider. That's a special gift, Sunshine, your gift. It's your Equestrian blood, my blood."

Sunshine grinned and looked up at the horn sprouting from her forehead.

"That's how you and dad were able to make... me? It was all because of your pony blood?"

Sunset nodded her head as she rubbed the stone.

"That's right... It was a bit of a shock to Applejack and me, when we first found out I was pregnant with you..."

Sunshine let out a startled yelp as her mother pulled her into a strong embrace.

"But I didn't regret it for a second..." Sunset whispered as she tightened her loving grip on her daughter. "When I first met Chief, I thought he was the greatest thing ever to happen to me. Then, you came along..."

Sunshine managed to free herself from her mother's grasp, and she broke away, gasping heavily for air.

"I always used to think running into Chief was just... chance. I thought it was only luck that saved me from... my heat, but seeing how everything turned out, having you, I cant believe in chance anymore. Equestrian magic, the power of friendship has no limits, Sunshine."

Sunshine looked over at her mother.

"You think magic lead you to dad?" She asked.

Sunset smiled and shrugged.

"Where did your magic lead you, Sunshine?" Sunset asked with a light chuckle. "That boy, Dennis?"

Sunshine's heart skipped a beat.

Sunset noticed her daughter's discomfort and laughed again as she got to her feet.

"Hmm... Wouldn't that be something..."

Sunshine watched as her mother began walking back towards the stable until she disappeared on the other side, leaving her alone with only her thoughts and a lot to think about.

*Wouldn't that be something...*

***Sunshine Harvest Will Return***