A Very Minty Summer Sun Celebration

All I Need Is A Little Time,
To Get Behind This Sun And Cast My Weight.
All I Need Is A Peace Of This Mind,
Then I Can Celebrate.

— Air, “All I Need”

The pair of ponies had been asleep for what seemed like only minutes when Minty was startled awake by Pinkie's movement and loud whimpering. She opened her eyes to find Pinkie thrashing about, caught in the throes of a nightmare. Minty sat up and gently shook Pinkie, calling out to her softly, “Pinkie! Wake up! You’re dreaming!”

The pink pony slowly awoke, still trembling from the dream. "Oh my gosh!" she said, breathless and wide-eyed. "That was so terrible!"

Minty put an arm around her friend's shoulder and drew her close. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "Whatever it was, it can't hurt you now."

“Minty, it was horrible! I’ve never had a dream that awful before.”

“Do… Do you want to talk about it? You might feel better if you talk about it.”

Pinkie sniffled and nodded. “Okay… I was back in Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash waved me into her dress shop. She said she needed someone to model a new dress. And I thought that sounded like fun, but after I was inside she bolted the door and she… she tied me up so I couldn’t move at all, and she pulled out a big, sharp knife…”

Minty’s eyes went wide as she listened, but Pinkie continued. “Then she said she was going to cut me into p-pieces and make a d-dress out of me.”

Minty gasped, “Oh noooooo!”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “So I was like, no Rainbow Dash you don’t want to do that! It would be all pink, and I know you don’t want a dress that’s only pink. And then she was like, you’re right Pinkie darling! I simply must lure all my friends in here, one by one, and take their fabulous manes for myself. Then I can stitch them together and make a cape with every color of the rainbow. It’ll be so dashing!”

Minty whimpered.

Pinkie continued, “And then she came over to me with the knife and she… and I… I screamed, and then I woke up.”

“You poor thing!” said Minty, and she embraced Pinkie Pie with her front legs for a big hug. “You know it was just a bad dream, right? Rainbow Dash would never hurt anyone. She’s one of the nicest ponies there is.”

“I know, I know. It’s already fading. Erg… My head hurts. I’m never gonna drink any more hard cherry lemonade, I think there was something wrong with that stuff.”

Minty looked around, seeing that activity around the fairgrounds had died down. “How long did we sleep? We don’t want to miss the sun raising ceremony.”

“You’re right,” Pinkie Pie agreed. “If I didn’t have my nightmare, we might have slept right through. Let’s go find it!”

They both stretched and began moving toward the exit of the fairgrounds, where they found other ponies streaming out. A quick question to a passerby sent the pair in the right direction, toward the avenue where the ceremony would take place.

Pinkie Pie and Minty raced through the pre-dawn darkness, the hustle and bustle of the fairgrounds fading behind them. “Where are we going?” Minty asked.

“To watch the Solar Procession, of course!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “It’s going to be grand! Now come on, we need to get a good viewing spot!”

Minty followed Pinkie Pie as they snaked their way through the streets. As they passed by stands of blooming lilies and ornate shrubs decorated with paper lanterns that cast an orange-pink glow across the scene, Pinkie Pie let out a delighted squeal.

“Wow! Look at all these decorations—it’s like all of Equestria is preparing for something big!” Minty said in awe.

Pinkie Pie beamed. “I know, right? Now come on, let's find a good spot!”

The two continued on, eventually reaching a spot in the middle of a large open square, where a central platform had been prepared. Emblems of the sun and moon were posted on opposite sides, and there were two rows of trumpets set up on stands. Armored guards were present to keep the crowds from encroaching. All around were other ponies eager for the procession to begin—some chattering excitedly, others simply waiting in silent anticipation. The atmosphere was electric as Minty and Pinkie Pie found places at the edge of the gathering. Pinkie Pie excitedly claimed it as their spot. “Ooh, this is perfect!” she said, gesturing at the view around them. “Look at the city's towers, reaching up for the stars! And the banners—isn't it amazing?”

Minty smiled. “It sure is.”

Star Catcher joined the throngs of ponies along the thoroughfare. She had been awake for a long time, but this morning she felt invigorated by the crisp air, the novelty of the gas lights along the sidewalks, and the bustle of ponies gathering. There was excitement in the air. She moved through the crowd keeping an eye out for Pinkie Pie and Minty, hoping they were somewhere nearby and wouldn’t miss the event.

A squadron of guard ponies, all of them white-coated and clad in golden armor, came up the street and began herding the crowd onto the sidewalks, clearing a path. “Make way! Make way! Clear the carriageway!” they called, and they prodded the slower-moving ponies. Ponies formed up along the sidewalk, standing shoulder-to-shoulder to get a view of the roadway.

Star Catcher glanced right and left, wondering if it was considered acceptable for a pegasus to fly above the throng for a better view. She saw that a few others had taken wing, although they were careful to stay over the sidewalks and not intrude into the space above the carriageway, and they stayed near to the ground. Star Catcher followed their example, spreading her wings and lofting herself near a street lamp.

Ponies shuffled anxiously as they waited, and after a few minutes she began to wonder if she’d flown too soon. It’s not that Star Catcher was a poor flyer, not at all. It’s just that, to put it politely, she was heavier than the typical pegasus. Her impressive wingspan gave her an advantage when soaring and riding on the wind, but hovering was a much less efficient form of flight—and she began to tire quickly.

She looked around for a place to land, but the crowd had closed in below her. Many of the buildings lining the street had balconies, but these too were already crowded with ponies, so that trying to land on one of them was out of the question. She turned her gaze a bit higher and saw the answer to her problem. She flapped her way up to a rooftop and landed on it, her hooves clattering on the tiles as they felt for purchase on the slick, uneven surface. Her wings remained extended, reflexively trying to keep her balance as she struggled not to slide off the overhang.

After she was reasonably certain she wasn’t going to slip, she lowered her body onto the tiles and sprawled with her front hooves dangling over the edge, and her wings still extended, draped over the tiles on either side. She puffed lightly from all the exertion, and keeping her wings spread would help her cool off. She glanced up at the bright moon, then down at the street, and realized she did, in fact, have an excellent view from this vantage point.

There was another clatter of hooves to her right as a second pegasus alighted on the roof. “Hi! Mind if I join you?” came the cheerful voice.

Star Catcher looked to see a white stallion with blue eyes and a powder blue mane and tail settling down on the overhang tiles. “Be my guest!” she uttered as she looked him over. A fedora was perched on his head, and he had a metal brace around his neck supporting some sort of mechanical device in front of him, the likes of which Star Catcher had never seen before. It was a complex gadget of black metal with a round lens in front like a spy glass. Her eyes flitted toward the stallion’s sigil, but he’d already furled his wings in a way that mostly obscured it. “I’m Star Catcher,” she ventured.

The stallion grinned. “I’m Flash Bulb! Hey, Star Catcher? With a name like that you ought to be in my line of work.”

“Oh? What do you do?”

He blinked, then chuckled nervously. “Heheh… What do I do? That’s a good one.” He lifted his head and peered down the avenue, then looked to Star Catcher again and said, “If I can get a good shot of the princesses coming down this avenue, it’ll go on the cover of The Canterlot News-Free Press!”

Star Catcher found everything this pegasus said puzzling. “Um… News-Free Press?” she wondered.

“Oh, uhh… The Canterlot News recently merged with the Canterlot Free Press, so that’s the title they’re running with. I hope they rename it pretty soon. It’s kind of embarrassing.”

Star Catcher giggled softly. Then she asked, “So, Flash Bulb, what did you mean about the princesses? I’ve been hearing a lot about them. I’m really looking forward to seeing them.”

“You and me both! This is big, big news! It’s been two years since Princess Luna came back from the moon, and this is the first time she’s joined the procession at the Sun Raising Ceremony. She’s so reclusive… Very hard to get photos of. And this year the princesses aren’t riding in a chariot; they’re walking to the ceremony! Oh yeah, I hope they stay close together. I’d love to get a shot of Luna and Celestia in the same frame.”

Star Catcher thought that over for a moment, then frowned and asked, “Came back from the moon?”

“Uhh, yeah? Because she was Nightmare Moon, remember? Where you been the last few years, toots?”

Star Catcher looked down at her front hooves. “Oh! I’ve been… away. Yes, a long ways away, somewhere, for a long time.”

Flash Bulb gave her a suspicious glance, but was distracted when a cheer came up from the distance, up the avenue to their right. “They’re coming!” he said, and both ponies lifted their heads and strained to see.

A pair of guards led the way, with brush-like crests atop their helmets. Some distance behind them walked the two princesses, side by side. Princess Celestia was a giantess, standing about double the height of an average mare and towering over her own guards. Princess Luna, although not quite as large as her sister, also cut an imposing figure in comparison to the average pony. Every time their progress down the avenue brought them within view of another group of spectators, another cheer went up.

Princess Celestia’s subtly pink-tinged white coat and wings seemed to almost glow in the silvery moonlight and the warmer pools of light cast by the streetlights as she passed them. Her mane and tail, streaked with the colors of dawn, flowed as if in a breeze, even though the morning air was calm. The eastern sky already had begun to glow in like hues, painted by an eager sun lurking below the horizon and waiting impatiently for her.

Next to her, Princess Luna’s smaller stature and navy blue coat made her seem almost like Celestia’s shadow. And yet, her aqua-blue eyes seemed to catch the moonlight and glow in return. The crescent moon on her breastplate, and the matching sigil on her hip, also caught the light. Her flowing mane, as ethereal as her sister’s, sparkled with starlight. With a bit of imagination one could envision a patch of night sky walking by Celestia’s side.

Both princesses walked with their heads held high and their wings extended and raised above their backs in a regal, formal pose. As they came into view, Star Catcher stared and wondered aloud. “They’re pegasus ponies? No, wait… They have unicorn horns too! How is that possible? I’ve never heard of a pony like that.”

Flash Bulb spared her a glance and said, “Are you for real? What is up with you, toots?” Then he shook his head and turned his full attention to peering through his camera and operating the winder and shutter release.

As the princesses drew closer, the cheers and stomping applause of the ponies nearby grew louder, and Star Catcher’s amazed fascination only increased. Ears perked, eyes wide, she unconsciously lifted her wings to a ready position.

On the street below, Princess Luna took care to maintain a disciplined and formal demeanor: turning her head neither right or left, wings held upward in display position, stepping high as she walked, not responding to any distractions—not even those pesky camera flashes that popped in such great numbers whenever she appeared before a crowd. After her first disastrous encounter with those she had nearly issued a decree banning them, but her sister had urged restraint.

Luna had never been good with public appearances, usually relying on formality and protocol to cover up her anxiety. Her eye swiveled to glance at the almost-luminous form of her big sister by her side. Celestia exuded warmth and easy confidence. Even though she maintained the same formal pose, Celestia’s steps were lighter, her smile less forced. She sometimes flexed her wings, waving to the crowd with them instead of holding them stiffly on display. And why not? She loved her little ponies, and they obviously loved her.

In a small, dark corner of her mind the night princess struggled to fight down envy. For more than a year after her return she’d begged off all public appearances where she might once again become her sister’s shadow, watching from aside while Celestia basked in admiration. Luna knew from bitter experience where that line of thought might lead, and she made an effort to put it out of her mind.

“And then she talked me into joining her on her own special day—an event where being out-shined by her is practically a requirement rather than something to resent,” Luna thought. “That was deviously clever. I couldn’t hide forever, but at least she’s here for me. She’s by my side, not to humiliate me, but to support me and to smooth over any gaffe or misstep that I might make.”

Celestia caught Luna’s glance and returned it with a reassuring smile. Then she let her gaze wander to the crowds of admirers gathered along the sidewalks, then upward to the packed balconies, then to the pegasus ponies perched on the rooftops. As Celestia glanced upward, her smile dissolved and a look of startled confusion flickered across her face, and she stumbled.

It was a very small stumble. For any other pony it would have been a non-event, hardly even noticeable. For the eternally graceful princess of the sun, however, with hundreds of adoring eyes focused on her, the effect could hardly have been greater if she’d fallen on her face. The entire throng of onlookers gasped as one, and the two pegasus guards following behind the princesses involuntarily unfurled their wings. Even Luna’s horn flared with magic for an instant as she came within a hair of trying to catch her sister.

Celestia caught herself. She blinked at all the fearful pony faces gazing upon her from all directions, and then she said, “I… It’s nothing, just a loose cobblestone. Let us continue, shall we?” She raised her head and resumed her march just as before, with Luna falling in step alongside after only the slightest hesitation. Hundreds of ponies resumed their bated breath and murmured to one another in relieved tones, a few even applauding. Celestia hid her embarrassment well, except for the blush appearing upon her nose and the insides of her ears.

After they had progressed a little further Celestia muttered to Luna, speaking through her forced public smile, “Sister… Please do stay near me after the ceremony! I have something I must tell you.”

Back on the rooftop, Flash Bulb all but danced with joy. “Woohoo, what a picture! What a scoop! Suck on that, Equestria Daily!” Then, to Star Catcher’s amusement, he actually kissed the big telephoto lens on his camera.

Finally, Celestia and Luna arrived at the platform in the plaza. The guards had moved to the trumpets and now blew a fanfare for the co-regents' arrival. The crowd erupted into cheers as the princesses stepped up, with Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down and Minty waving her flag excitedly. The enthusiasm was infectious; even Luna smiled, feeling a warmth in her heart that could not be denied.

Once they were standing on the platform, the crowd hushed and Celestia began to speak, her voice amplified by magic so that every pony in attendance could hear her words clearly.

“Dear citizens of Equestria, my beloved subjects!” she began. “We come here today to celebrate the magical raising of the sun, an event of both great power and great beauty. As I look out across this gathering, I am reminded of the rich history and magic that surrounds this event.” She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before continuing.

“In ages long past, it was the unicorn mages who were responsible for raising the sun each day, a burden that cost them dearly. But today, I am honored to carry on that tradition, and to use my own magical abilities to bring light and warmth to our land.”

Celestia lifted her chin and spread out her impressive wings in an all-encompassing gesture, pride filling her voice as she continued. “But as we come together to revel in the joy of this celebration, let us also take a moment to reflect on the importance of equality and harmony among all the ponies of Equestria. No matter our differences in tribe, sigil or background, we are all equal and deserving of love and respect. Let us strive to build a society where everypony is treated fairly and justly.”

The princess smiled warmly as she concluded her speech. “And let me remind my dear subjects, that as your Princess, I hold you all in my heart with unconditional love. And to my sister, Princess Luna, I remind her my love for her is just as eternal and boundless.”

Luna said nothing, but looked to her sister with hopeful gaze.

“Let us together lower the moon and raise the sun,” Celestia intoned solemnly, “and embrace the future with open hearts and open minds. Together, we can build a brighter, more just, and more loving Equestria for all.”

On cue, the guards called out, “Long live Equestria!”

The crowd responded with a mixture of cheers and tears as ponies hugged each other tightly in joyous celebration. Even Luna was moved by Celestia’s speech, feeling a warmth in her heart that could not be denied. The sun princess had spoken truly; her love was genuine and all-encompassing. It embraced even those who felt they were outside the boundaries of acceptance by others.

After giving the crowd some moments to quiet down, Celestia turned to Luna and said in a normal, non-amplified voice, "Sister, if you would be kind enough to begin?”

“Of course,” Princess Luna answered softly, and she moved forward on the platform and took her place directly in front of the large crescent-shaped emblem. She closed her eyes, her horn scintillated with blue magic, and she leaped upward into the air. She flapped her wings only slowly, as she appeared more floating than flying. She gradually rose, then held her wings extended and began to drift downward again, and the brilliantly full moon likewise drifted downward. Its hue shifted from cold silver to warm yellow as it neared the horizon.

Celestia had already moved to her position in front of the solar emblem and begun to cast her own spell. Mimicking Luna’s actions, she closed her eyes, her horn flared with golden magic, and she took flight. The glow straining for release now erupted from the horizon in brilliant light. For some moments the sun and moon shared the sky, the moon having immediately been cast into a thin, pale crescent phase by the outburst of sunlight.

As Princess Luna sank to a delicate landing on the floor of the platform, so did the moon slip behind the horizon. Only a moment later her sister also stilled her wings and began drifting earthward, but leaving the sun in its new position in the sky.

Meanwhile, the ponies watching below cheered and stomped hooves along with every movement that their beloved princess made. They were entranced by her beauty and grace as Celestia performed this most sacred ritual of hers—a ritual which held such special significance for them all since it marked the beginning of a new day full of potential opportunity and possibility.

Eventually, though, Minty and Pinkie Pie tore their eyes away from the sky and looked at each other. Pinkie Pie said excitedly, “That was awesome!”

Minty smiled, nodding her head in agreement before saying thoughtfully, “It was amazing!” She paused for a moment before continuing. “So… What do you wanna do now?”

Pinkie thought for a moment before her face lit up with an idea. “Hey, you want to go look at that lava lamp again?”

Minty grinned hugely in response to this suggestion before she replied with an enthusiastic “Yes! Let’s go!” Then Pinkie went bouncing down the street with Minty happily trotting after.

Star Catcher got to see the sun-raising ceremony from a rooftop some greater distance away than her two friends. She observed as the princesses bade their farewells to the crowd, then boarded an ornate royal chariot and departed skyward in the direction of the palace. Then the crowds began to disperse, but Star Catcher still had not laid eyes on Pinkie Pie or Minty.

Resolving to find them, she took flight and tried circling over the area, but the milling ponies below of all different colors made the task difficult. Immediately after the dawn, there were not yet any thermal updrafts to support her, so she had to flap and flap her wings to sustain her and continue the search.

The skies also were thick with air traffic. Not being a city pony, Star Catcher had little experience navigating skyways with so many other pegasus ponies, all of whom seemed determined to fly as fast as their wings could carry them. Trying to split her attention between a ground search and these careening ponies was enough to clench her teeth.

Then, from out of nowhere, a passing pegasus nearly intersected her in midair!

In reaction she quickly tried to dive-roll aside. Unfortunately the sudden movement caused Star Catcher to lose altitude too rapidly and effected a tumble that ended with her clumsily smacking into a masonry structure. The impact knocked the pegasus senseless and dislodged feathers which hung heavily in the air as she dropped past them like so much dead weight onto the street below.

Frightened ponies sprinted towards her still form. One of them galloped off, desperate to fetch help. Not long after, a chariot appeared on the horizon; a team of paramedics was on the way.

The medics busied themselves around her, assessing her injuries. One of them scanned her body with a magical light. After some moments he declared, "She's unconscious, and it looks like she took quite a knock to the head. There's some risk of concussion, but I'm not picking up any evidence of spinal column trauma. Should be safe to move her; let's get her on the chariot!" before gingerly loading her onto a backboard stretcher.

Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna had retreated to their home in the palace. There Celestia bade her sister follow to one of the private chambers, away from the commotion of public celebrations. The room was filled with relics from years past: ancient books lined the shelves, various instruments sat upon benches; even a centuries-old chandelier hung from the ceiling. All around them there were reminders of their long history. Celestia sat down on a large cushion and beckoned her sister over.

“Luna, there is something I must tell you," Celestia said in a low voice as she motioned for Luna to sit beside her. “What I said earlier, in my speech, was true; my love for you is no less than it was for our people."

Rather than feeling reassured, Luna was instantly set on guard. She cut to the point, saying, “We are alone now, Sister. You wished to tell me something? What is the matter?”

Celestia sat down and closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “While we were coming up the procession way, when I stumbled… It was because I saw Star Catcher.”

Luna blinked. “Come again?”

Celestia opened her eyes and said, “She was looking down upon us as we passed.”

Luna took a moment to absorb that. Then she said, “You mean… You imagined she was looking down on us from Heaven.”

Celestia insisted, earnestly, “No, Luna. I didn’t imagine it. She wasn’t in Heaven, she was on a rooftop right next to one of those detestable paparazzi.”

Luna was quiet for a brief moment, then she forced a weak, nervous chuckle. “Aheh. That sort of thing happens to me all the time. I catch glimpses of ponies that look familiar, that I think I knew from before my banishment. I guess that’s unavoidable. I mean, there are only so many possible combinations of coat and mane colors and the like. After knowing and seeing so many ponies over the centuries, obviously there are going to be some that trigger a sense of déjà vu. It’s eerie and unsettling, isn’t it? It’s like seeing a ghost. I guess it’s just something that comes with being so long lived. I figured you were used to that by now, but it’s okay…”

“Luna!”

The moon princess bit her lip and looked at her sister. “Yes?”

“It was Star Catcher.”

“uhh… Of course that’s not really possible. Is it?”

“I am trying to think of possible explanations.”

“A changeling, perhaps?” Luna suggested. Their recent attack on Canterlot was still fresh in mind.

“Possible, I suppose,” Celestia admitted, “but that would raise even more imponderable questions. How would a changeling—or any imposter, for that matter—gain enough knowledge of Star Catcher to mimic her? And why?”

Luna scuffed idly at the floor with a hoof and said, “Well, you can’t be sure. It was dark. You only caught a glimpse, from a distance. It’s hardly surprising that your eyes would play tricks on you. So, there’s a pegasus pony out there who has a superficial resemblance…”

Celestia cut her off with a sharp gesture, saying, “No! It wasn’t a superficial resemblance. She had those oversized wings that I remember.” She ruffled her own to underscore the point. “And she had that heart doodle dyed into her forehead.” She reached up with a golden-shod hoof and tapped the base of her horn. “Have you seen any other ponies with that recently? Those markings went out of fashion centuries ago.”

Luna’s tail swished, and her ear flicked, and she glanced aside for a moment. Then she looked back to Celestia and said, delicately, “But really, it’s been so long since either of us have seen her. Do you even remember that well?”

Celestia’s brow furrowed with annoyance. “Luna, please! It may have been a long time, but I’m not entirely feeble-minded yet. I think I can still recognize my own mother when I see her!”