"Thanks again for agreeing to help me edit and upload this video, Sunny," Pipp Petals said with a smile as she and Sunny were currently gazing at the small screen on Pipp's phone. "You were right: Canterlogic Studios was the perfect place to film our little PSA on how to be respectful to other ponies when online," She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "Can you believe how quickly ponies forget how to act when they're behind a screen? I mean, for hoofness' sake, there are children watching! Can't you at least try to set a good example for them?"
Sunny shrugged her hooves, watching as Pipp scrolled up and down on her phone, occasionally tapping it with a golden polished hoof. "It's a lot like what it used to be like here in Maretime Bay. My dad and Phyllis weren't the only ones who would get into heated arguments over the simplest of things. I guess some ponies just don't know any better. That's all the more reason why we needed to make that PSA."
Pipp smiled. "Exactly, Sunny," She then giggled. "And thank you for convincing Sprout to be our volunteer. Gotta give him credit, he sure knows how to come back from taking a hit."
Sunny replied with a knowing wink. "Just try not to have too much fun with him next time, Pipp."
The popstar princess just winked back. "No promises." Then with another tap of her hoof, the video was uploaded and posted on all the websites that normally hosted her content: Including her many music videos and glow up tutorials. Soon, she could easily see it gaining traction, ponies were clearly clicking on the video that had been filmed (and hopefully were paying attention to the message in it).
It seemed like just another day in Maretime Bay as far as the two mares were concerned. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
That was all about to change as Pipp absentmindedly placed her phone down on a desk within the movie studio as she said to Sunny. "I think I'm gonna step outside for a bit and swing by Mane Melody to see how Rocky and Jazz are doing."
Sunny Starscout had to blink and make sure she wasn't seeing things when she saw the pastel pink pegasus fly away without appearing to notice her phone wasn't with her. "Wait, Pipp!" She called out as she picked up the phone. By chance, she happened to see an icon that looked like a newspaper headline. Out of curiosity, she tapped on it and thus opened up an article directly on the phone.
What Sunny read caused her to gasp! It was about the pony who had created a show the earth pony still fondly recalled, a show she remembered watching all the time as a child and never ceasing to be entertained. The article that had been opened up announced the creator of the series had died, the news being made official by a pony who worked with the creator on the show and had remained in close contact with them even after they were no longer working together on said show.
The news made the earth pony mare with a vivid orange coat stumble back in disbelief, nearly dropping Pipp's phone as a result! She could still recall that show as if it were yesterday: How it took place on a magical island far away, how it featured characters that were actually these sentient machines that could talk and had feelings, of the cleverly crafted world it had established, and the lessons it had tried to teach that were simple enough for a child to understand yet deep enough for an adult to appreciate.
It had been a dream of Sunny's to visit said creator, even after finding out that the creator lived far away from Maretime Bay and rarely made appearances despite the show's popularity. Oh the things she would've told said creator had she only been able to visit her, even just once. But that would never happen now.
The earth pony mare could already feel something stirring up deep down inside of her: A feeling that she hadn't truly felt since her father had died suddenly all those years ago. That was the day her life had changed forever. Now another pony that, while not as close to her personally as her father had been, had still meant so much to her was gone forever. A pony and creator who had provided something Sunny knew she could always turn to, even on her darkest days when everything else around her gave her reason to worry or feel depressed.
Despite how long it had been since last she had watched any episodes of that show or any clips of that show, Sunny could still vividly recall so many details about it. Already, she was thinking in her mind about what to do. There were so many conflicting thoughts and feelings swirling around in her head right now: She didn't know which one to act on first.
By chance, that was when none other than Sprout happened to come trotting up, suspecting nothing. "Hey, Sunny," He called out, either not noticing or not caring that she appeared to be distracted. "I was just thinking... About that little project you asked me to help you with..." Yet when he got closer, he could see that the very pony whom he'd only recently rekindled a complicated friendship with appeared to be tearing up. Sprout stepped back, concerned and worried. "...Is something wrong? Was it something I said?"
Sunny Starscout turned around very slowly, wiping her tears away with a hoof. "Sprout," She asked him in a deep and sorrowful tone. "Do you remember that show you, Hitch, and I used to watch as children? You know: The one that took place on that magical island and had those talking machines? We used to watch tapes of it on my dad's old television?"
The earth pony stallion with a bright red coat nodded and put a hoof to his chin as he recalled. "Oh yeah, that one. I remember: It was the one thing we could watch without arguing about unicorns and pegasi. You loved it as much as you loved your dad's studies and stories," That made him ask. "Why did you ask?"
Rather than reply with words, Sunny held up Pipp's phone and showed her childhood friend the article she had discovered.
Sprout, though not moved to tears, nevertheless seemed to feel something akin to shock and sorrow if the change in his expression was anything to go by. He blinked slowly, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing with his own two eyes. Yet it was there, plain as plain could be. "Wow. I... didn't know until now. I mean, I was never as into that show as you were. But I still enjoyed watching it with you."
The earth pony nodded, sniveling a bit. "Exactly, Sprout. The show meant so much to us, to me. And I'm sure Hitch felt the same way. I really wish there was a way I could show that. But how?"
Pipp came practically bursting back into the studio but a moment later! "Oh, Sunny! Have you seen my..." She began, only to notice her phone being held up by Sunny. She immediately flew over and carefully grabbed it. "Thank you, Sunny," She smiled, apparently not bothered. "Now let me just..." But she cut herself off in mid sentence upon seeing the same article Sunny and Sprout had seen. All she could bring herself to say was! "No way!"
Sunny Starscout nodded ever so slowly. "I'm afraid it's true, Pipp."
The popstar princess found herself on the verge of tears in response. "That's... that's... well, that's really sad. I think I remember there being a similar show in Zephyr Heights when Zipp and I were fillies. But it was a bit different from the show you knew, Sunny. There were a lot of things that they changed, just little details, mostly: A few terms here and there. Yet I know that when it was airing on t.v., I loved it and tried to catch every episode I could. Looking back, I think that's partially what inspired me to do my own videos and post them online." She didn't move to dismiss the article, instead opting to keep it up.
Sunny (who had by now ceased crying) managed to force out. "We've got to tell our friends about this, Pipp. They need to hear about this."
"Sunny, are you sure that's wise?" Pipp questioned with concern. "They probably didn't love the show or the ponies who worked on it as much as you and I did. Some of them probably never even heard of it."
Sunny Starscout was quite firm. "They need to know, because with the way I am now they're sure to notice how I'm feeling. It's better they hear it now so they understand. Plus, with how much that show impacted me, the least I can do is make everypony I know aware of this development that doesn't already know."
The pudgy pink pegasus was hesitant for a moment or so, appearing to weigh the mental pros and cons of her friend's desire. Then, she made up her mind, reluctantly deciding to trust Sunny's judgement. With but a few taps on her phone, she had quickly sent a message with a link to the article to the phones of all of her friends. She smiled a bit, knowing that her decision to give a cellphone to each of her friends (and to her sister Zipp) now seemed like a wise decision. It would make the task of sharing the sad news with them a little easier.
Sure enough, in a mere matter of moments, all of Sunny and Pipp's friends had arrived at Canterlogic Studios. By now, Sunny was waiting for them and her eyes were still stained red from crying. She was grateful they had all been close by after helping Pipp with her PSA, and all of them appeared to have looks of sorrow and concern spread across their faces judging by the way their faces seemed overall unhappy.
Hitch was the first one to reach a hoof out, tapping Sunny gently on the side and asking her. "Sunny, are you feeling okay?"
Sunny Starscout managed to force out. "Not really, Hitch. This is bringing back memories of my dad's passing. I've always wanted to tell the creator of that show how much her work meant to me, and now I'll never have the chance."
"I really wish I'd have known about that show sooner, Sunny," Misty said with a sad smile. "It probably would've helped me cope with all the time I had to spend with Opaline, all the times when she'd leave me feeling cold and unwanted, or all the times when she'd send me to my room as punishment. A show like that sounds like it would've been an excellent way to get away from it all."
Izzy, meanwhile, had a hoof put to her chin. "I think I remember there being an attempt to try to bring that show to Bridlewood once, before we got phones or televisions. But it didn't work out, and I thought I'd just imagined that show's existence, until now."
And Zipp could only say. "It seems like it was quite a show. Not really my thing, but I could see how you might like it, Sunny," And to Pipp she added. "And I remember how you practically forced me to watch it with you all the time when we were younger. You'd watch the old tapes of it over and over again no matter what."
"It was a really good show, Zipp," Pipp weakly replied. "It meant so much to me. And from the sound of it, it meant even more to Sunny. Now, it's like a part of it is gone forever. A dream that she'll never be able to see realized."
Hitch let out a sigh. "I wish I'd have cherished the show the way Sunny did. It was one of the many things I thought I had to give up once I got older. It was only after I became sheriff that I started realizing how much that show helped me and inspired me: Making me believe that I could do anything if I really put my mind to it."
"Exactly!" Sunny sorrowfully pointed out as she began pacing back and forth, thinking out loud. "And right now, all I can think about is how to show my appreciation for everything that creator did. I know her legacy was so much more than just that show. She even tried to make it into a movie. And she was involved in some other things that I never even realized she was a part of until now. I have to do something to honor that legacy! I just have to!"
Zipp, however, seemed puzzled and perplexed by the suggestion from Sunny. "But what would that even look like? Do you even have any idea, Sunny? Anything at all?"
That caused the earth pony mare to frown and hang her head. "No. That's the worst part of all. I want to do something, anything! Something that'll really stand out, something that feels like it came from me. But I can't think of what that something should be. I've got all these thoughts swirling around in my head, but none of them sound like something I want to do."
"Sunny." Hitch sympathetically locked eyes with his fellow earth pony mare.
It was then, however, that an idea seemed to come to none other than Pipp Petals herself, for she let out a gasp and exclaimed! "That's it! I've just had the most brilliant idea ever!"
"What is it?" Misty asked as all eyes in the movie studio now turned towards the popstar pegasus princess. "What's your big idea, Pipp?"
The pudgy pink pegasus proudly explained. "That creator created something truly one of a kind, something that many of us can recall from our childhoods. So the best way to celebrate her legacy would be to do a tribute based on her work. We can use clips of that show that meant so much to those who saw it and watched it. But we'll add our own little flare at the beginning and the end. And we already have everything we need right here in this studio."
"I... think I get what you're going for, Pipp," Comet commented (up until now he had been silent due to his lack of experience with what everypony else was talking about). "So... how are we going to do it?"
Pipp smiled, turning towards Sunny. "We'll let Sunny tell us what to do. After all, this tribute is very much going to be coming from her own heart."
At that, Sunny felt her spirits be lifted ever so slowly. "Thank you, Pipp," She trotted towards the set, already beginning to feel the gears in her mind start to turn. "I think I know now what I want to do," She turned to her friends, smiling brightly. "Now, here's what we're going to do. And I want you all to play your part."
Producing the tribute video that Sunny Starscout wanted proved to be more complicated than anypony had anticipated. Finding clips and inspiration proved to be the easy part, the hardest part was bringing them all together in a way that celebrated the creativity and wonder of the show, while being a heartfelt and moving tribute to the creator.
At last, however, the eight ponies working together (it was hard to say they were all friends with one another given that Pipp and Zipp still didn't fully trust Sprout, and that Comet and Sprout had next to no idea about each other prior to this point) were able to finish up filming. And with Pipp's experience, they were able to edit and condense the video down to the length that Sunny felt was appropriate.
Ultimately, however, Sunny was the one who had the final say as to whether or not the tribute was good enough to be uploaded, or if it should stay private. She watched the whole thing over once, then watched it over again, all the while speaking not a word. Her friends began to worry.
But with a satisfied smile and matching expression, the earth pony mare informed her friends. "It's perfect! Ready for uploading!"
So it was that, with a few taps and key presses, the video Sunny and her friends had worked on together for what had to have been at least an hour or so was finally uploaded for everypony on the internet to see.
Within moments, responses began pouring in. The comments left behind were utterly astounding, reading as follows:
"This video speaks to me in so many ways! I can't think of a better way to honor the creator's legacy and the impact she had in shaping not only my childhood, but the childhood of so many others."
"If she were alive, I'm sure she would appreciate this video for all that it does."
"I've seen a lot of videos and other content already about the creator and the world they created, and this is among the best ones I've seen yet."
"This feels like the perfect way to say 'Thank you' for all that she did to bring the magic to life for so many of us."
"A very well put together tribute. I especially like the little personal message you left at the very beginning about how the show impacted you."
Other comments and responses seemed to get posted every minute or so with each refresh. And seeing them all made Sunny glow. She was glad to get praise, of course. But what mattered most to her was that she had gotten her feelings out, left her mark by paying tribute to a show and its creator that had meant so much to her for so long.
So it was that the earth pony mare chose to watch the video she'd made again from the very beginning. And when it started playing, she could still hear her voice as it had been at the time of recording: A bit strained and raspy, full of emotions that could not be contained.
"Hey everypony," The voice of Sunny Starscout rang out loud and clear in spite of the clearly sorrowful tone. "I'm sure you've all heard the news by now of the passing of the creator. I'm sure you've heard so many ponies already expressing their sympathies, saying how much the show really meant to them growing up and how much it still influences them to this day. That's why I wanted to make this video: Because this was so much more than just another kid's show to me. It was something I could always turn to no matter, like a friend that was always there for me when I needed it. So I hope you'll all enjoy this little dedication to a wonderful pony and the legacy she leaves behind."
Then the video began playing, clips and images flashing by whilst music from the show played over them. Maybe it wasn't the most well put together video there ever was, but for Sunny it was something that she wouldn't have any other way. It was 100% her.
Smiling, the earth pony mare watched the video through to the end. There were no tears left to shed, she had said her goodbyes. But already, she was thinking of going back to the Brighthouse, digging out that old t.v. set she'd managed to salvage from the old lighthouse, and watching that show again for the first time since... she couldn't remember when. It would always be there for her, to remind her of a simpler time.
Author's Note
I really didn't think I could do a story like this in FiM's universe, even if I wanted to go the AU route. But as soon as the news of Britt Allcroft's death reached my ears, I knew I wanted to do something like this to reflect on my feelings and pay tribute to what she created.
The decision to set this within Canterlogic Studios was inspired by this recently released video.
