It’s a new day in the middle of the summer and Sunny is up with the sun, but unlike normal it’s strangely quiet. “Where is daddy?” Wonders the young mare. “He’s always here when I wake up.” She heads to the kitchen where she finds his pendant and a note waiting for her along with his glasses.
“Last time I saw these,” says Sunny to herself, “I had seen them on his face and around his neck. Now they’ve moved from my bedroom table to in here all up on their own.”
She runs out the door and to Hitch’s place. There she bursts through the door and into his hooves, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Sun-sun,” responds Hitch, “slow down. Stop crying. Your dad died last spring, remember?”
“That, that’s not true,” cries Sunny in denial. “He’s out there, alive somewhere. He is!”
“No, he’s not, Sunny,” responds Hitch, “we’ve gone to his grave together several times. Do you not remember?”
“Not really, no,” responds the young mare, “I guess I don’t remember. But what of this note then?” She hands it to Hitch.
“It says a bunch of nonsense, Sunny,” responds Hitch as he tries to read it, “it’s just a bunch of scribbles, there’s nothing here.”
“You’re wrong,” cries Sunny, “you’re wrong! There’s something here! There’s got to be!” Sunny steals the note back from him and reads it herself. “It says,” says Sunny, “in the old castle, there is a journal. I couldn’t find it my daughter, you must, to restore friendship to this world. Finding it, or attempting to, has got to be how he died. Right, right?” Cries Sunny.
“I…I guess so, but I can’t let you go after it, you know I can’t,” responds Hitch. “Come now, let’s go and lay flowers on his grave together like we always do.” Sunny nods and follows hitch to the flower stall where they purchase the flowers. The two then head to the grave where Sunny places them before sitting down and bawling her eyes out as Hitch comforts her. He watches on as she slips the pendant off her own neck and lays it on his gravestone.
“I…I miss you so much daddy,” cries the mare, “I miss you so so much…”
“Are you good here alone? I really should get back to my job.” Inquires Hitch.
“I’m clearly not okay,” responds the mare bluntly. “Please stay.”
“Okay, I’ll stay,” responds Hitch. He sits down next to her. The two just sit there in silence. “If you want to search for more answers, you know I can’t stop you no matter how hard I try. You’re a stubborn filly, Sun. So so headstrong, just like your dad.”
“Yeah, in time,” responds Sunny, “because I don’t want to do it alone.” With that, she tells him that she’s ready to leave and he walks her home before returning to his work at the sheriff station. There, he is greeted by his little brother.
“Is Sunny okay?” Inquires Sprout. “She seemed distressed earlier.”
“Poor kid just still misses her dad, the loss is still recent, you know?” Responds Hitch. “Now get back to your work, you useless little brat.” He shrugs off his brother before heading into his office where he too breaks down into tears. He won’t say it to anypony but he misses the crazy old coot that was Argyle too. Sprout watches on from outside his brother’s window. He doesn’t dare knock. A few moments later, the door flies open and they’re greeted by their mother.
“Where is your brother, Sprout?” Inquires Phyllis.
“He’s in his office as per always when he’s not out on duty, but he said he wants to be left alone. Why? What’s wrong now?”
“It’s Sunny, she’s missing,” responds Phyllis. “I figured he’d want to know. Figured he’d know where she is.” She goes and busts into her son’s office and tells him the news herself. “Son, Sunny is missing. She hasn’t been seen since you last saw her this morning.” Says Phyllis.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!” Says a scared Hitch. “We need to go and find her!” He rushes out in search of his friend. He’s so worried and concerned about her. He searches high and low through the lighthouse there in Maretime Bay for her but can’t seem to find her. He does, instead, find a note which he reads. “I wish you had agreed to come with me. You know where I’ve gone, the old castle ruins in search of the Journal of Friendship. I need to finish dad’s work. It’s not too late.” Hitch grabs the note and sticks it in the clip of his badge. He then heads off towards the wood. Sunny is heading into unicorn territory and he knows that isn’t smart. When the tribes separated, they took the journal and both he and Sunny know it-that’s why he’s so worried about her and her safety. He must find her first before the unicorns too.
As she goes through the forest, Sunny is soon greeted by a purple coated unicorn with a blue braided mane and tail. “I’m Izzy, what’s your name?” Inquires the mare.
“I’m Sunny,” responds the earth pony, “I was told you guys have the Journal of Friendship.”
“Well, we did,” responds Izzy, “until a bunch of old unicorn nobility decided to use it as fire kindling. I’m sorry.”
“Well, surely there are more copies?” Responds a dejected Sunny.
“Only five, but they’re behind lock and key in The Moor Unicorn’s Book Emporium,” responds Izzy. “That place is unbreakinable if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, but we can still give it a go,” responds Sunny, “I need to get them. I need to finish my father’s work. It was his last dying wish. The reunion of the pony tribes that is. I need to do this for him. For me. For all ponykind. Equestria is better, stronger as one.”
“Do you really mean that?” Responds Izzy, “because I’d love to help. Let me show you something.” She pulls out the note Sunny sent out with her lantern as a kid.
“You got my note?” Says Sunny in awe.
“That was you?” Responds Izzy excitedly.
“Yes,” responds Sunny. “Now let’s do this! Let’s get these books!”
“Okay!” Responds Izzy. “Let’s break in to the book emporium!”
