Last time, our pony heroes were told the story of why unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies separated long ago and what became of Twilight Sparkle. What will their reactions be? What were your reactions? Wait until you see how the rest of this story wraps up.
I do not own My Little Pony: Make Your Mark series or its characters.
Also, I've left an important message at the end of this chapter. It's vital that you read it!
Sunny was speechless. She had waited so long to discover why the unity crystals were created and the truth about how the three pony kinds separated all those moons ago. But the answer had been more than what she and her friends bargained for.
"So, it was an earth pony who caused all pony kinds to distrust each other?" she questioned out loud.
Zipp was just as haunted. "And it was no magical accident that she hurt her own friend."
It was Catpilla who answered the shocked ponies. "Gem Fire tried to take all magic for herself."
"No" Duchess spoke up. "Gem Fire was an earth pony who only wished for all other earth ponies to possess magic of their own. But when all that alicorn magic that she stole overtook her, the pony she had been was gone."
"Now, she's Opaline" Misty added.
Sunny was so full of disbelief that she felt like she could barely stand. Had she not heard this hard truth from a counsel of leaders who were the descendants of the once Allies of Equestria, she never would have thought it was possible. Opaline was an earth pony? The evil alicorn who tried to hurt Sparky, imprisoned she and her friends, and wanted all magic in Equestria for herself use to be an earth pony? Just like how she was an earth pony who can become an alicorn. In a way, she and Opaline weren't that much different. To make this realization worse, it was Opaline who'd caused all pony kinds to distrust each other all those moons ago. Ever since the holograph of Twilight Sparkle informed them about an evil pony named Opaline, her and Zipp had suspicions that Opaline could know why unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies separated long ago. But she hadn't thought that she was responsible for it.
"So then, what can we do?" Sunny asked, not realizing that she did so out loud.
Griffdora put her paw gently on Sunny's shoulder. "You've already done it. You've found the unity crystals, reunited all pony kinds, and brought magic back. The six of you have accomplished what we have been waiting many moons for."
Prince Yan sighed. "But ponies have one last problem to solve."
Zipp knew right away what he was referring to. "Opaline."
"Sorry to say, that your brainy Pegasus is right on" Smokey added. "So long as that wicked alicorn is still hungry for all of our magic, nothin's goin'a stop her from trying to take it. Which is bad news for us."
Duchess stood up from her seat. "For once, our newest member is correct. Opaline is a threat to all creatures of magic, including all three pony kinds. If she figures out where we are or if any of us even come close to Equestria, she will stop at nothing to finish what she began." The rest of the counsel members nodded.
Hitch held onto Sparky tightly. "So then, how can we stop her?"
Zair answered with a grin. "In order to save your community, you must rely on the Alicorn of Unity." Each of the counsel members turned towards Sunny.
"Who me?" Sunny questioned embarrassedly. "I… I think you're confused. I'm not a real alicorn. I'm just a regular earth pony."
But Griffdora gave her a determined look. "My dear, we witnessed you transforming into an alicorn just before you sunk into the cookie dough trap."
"That be true!" Captain Perry added. "We be seeing it with our own eyes!"
Accordshy baked tap dancing cookies with top hats and tiny legs from a floating pink oven above them. "Might I remind you of how ingenious that cookie dough trap was? Bet my cookies that it was even better than my pop's chocolate milk rain." When she bit into one of her cookies, sparkly glitter poof from it. But no creature took notice of her or her weird cookies. They were all focused on Sunny.
Sunny lowered herself. "I mean… I admit that I can become an alicorn. But it's not like I'm a princess like Twilight was." She was fully aware that during ancient times when a pony achieved alicorn status, they were considered royalty. Course, she'd never considered herself a princess. That title was already held by Zipp and Pipp. And she had no interest in sharing crowns with them. She was perfectly happy being a commoner.
"We are not saying that you are a princess" Riversky explained. "But we are saying that you are far more than who you think you are."
Noticing how confused she still was, Griffdora went on. "Sunny, Twilight's final words were about how she placed a spell on the crystals so that only a pony who would spread harmony through all of Equestria can activate them. When the ponies divided, we knew that the pony who would reunited them was the one Twilight was talking about. The one Twilight chose to trust true alicorn magic with. And that pony is you."
While all of the counsel members stared at her with looks of hope, Sunny didn't know how to break the truth to them. She knew that they had waiting moons for somepony to help them, but she was the wrong pony. She was no true alicorn like Twilight was. She was just an earth pony. An earth pony like Gem Fire. Why would Twilight entrust alicorn magic to the same type of pony as the one who caused so much destruction to Equestria?
"I'm sorry" she spoke up. "I think you got the wrong pony. I'm not a true alicorn or hero or who Twilight would have chosen. I'm just Sunny. Sunny Starscout, an earth pony who's no different from the pony who caused all of this to happen." She hated to disappoint them, but it was true. They all knew how powerful Opaline was. No way could she ever defeat an all power alicorn like her. There just had to be some other creature who could do it. Some creature other than her.
Surprisingly, it was none of the members of the Sparkle Counsel who was the first to speak to her. But her friend Izzy. "Sunny, you're beyond more than you're giving yourself credit for. Don't you remember? It was you who taught all ponies that magic can only be activated by us being together. It was you who gave us hope of restoring magic back in Equestria. It was you who brought all three unity crystals together. It was you who started it all when you sent that letter to me that unicorns like me had friends in Maretime Bay. It was you, Sunny who's responsible for all ponies being together again."
"Izzy's right!" Zipp spoke up. "If it weren't for you, pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies would still be separate from one another."
"And magic would never have been restored without you" Pipp added.
Hitch stepped forward. "I use to think that it was impossible for all pony kinds to get along. But you never lost hope that one day, we would all be friends again. Not only that, but when I was having trouble getting use to all this magic suddenly appearing, you showed me that it's not all bad. Especially since it gave me the ability to talk to animals." Sparky snuggled against his mane.
"You're nothing like Opaline, Sunny" Misty said as she walked towards her. "If anything, you're better. And that's coming from the pony who was raised by her." All of the counsel members stared at her with curious looks. "I use to think that Opaline was always a powerful alicorn who had her magic stolen because other ponies were jealous of her abilities. But then you all taught me about friendship, something Opaline never showed me. You've helped me realized who I truly am, a pony who wishes to do the right thing and help her friends. And you Sunny, are the light that holds this friendship together. I mean, remember when Opaline tried to trick you into becoming an evil alicorn like her by using that mirror trickery?"
Sunny and the others nodded. Oh, she did indeed remember awhile back when Opaline used a small mirror to pretend to be her inner voice. She could still recall it so clearly seeing her alicorn reflection telling her that she was there to guide her when she was having trouble with all the attention she was getting when transforming into an alicorn. After Misty turned her back on Opaline, she explained that it had actually been one of Opaline's tricks. Apparently, she wished to manipulate Sunny into embracing her alicorn magic so that she could become an alley to her. Knowing that she had played right into it still gave Sunny chills.
"Even when you were in a difficult place, you chose not to listen when Opaline told you that you deserved to be admired because you're an alicorn" Misty when on. "You knew that you didn't have to be an alicorn to make other ponies like you. That's something even Opaline never understood. If anypony deserves to have the alicorn magic that Twilight Sparkle entrusted into the unity crystals, it's you."
"Very true!" Izzy shouted. "Had it not been for you, none of us would be friends. Actually, none of the unicorns, pegasi or earth ponies would be friends with each other if it weren't for you." She wrapped her front leg around Sunny's shoulder. "Most of all, you give us hope everyday. Whether it's building a community garden, making an abandoned building into a social hang-out, doing a coordinated dance, or working together to find a missing dragon. It's you who gives us hope that anything is possible. You're the sun that lightens us." She suddenly embraced her with a hug.
Sunny was touched. Somehow, Izzy always knew just what to say whenever she needed wise words of wisdom. And the rest of their friends felt the same. She could not have imagined having better friends than the ones she had right in front of her.
Once Izzy released her strong grip on Sunny, Griffdora nodded proudly. "You should listen to your friends. For they are correct, you are far more than who you believe."
Prince Yan shed a small tear. "Yan feel so honored to be in presence of such a friendship."
Accordshy coughed up butterflies, which made daisies sprout all over her body. "I ought to remind you all of the crisis we are in." She poof herself next to Sunny. "Especially since the pony we are depending on the most is backing down from her destiny."
Summerflame huffed blue flames. "Pardon our friend's rudeness."
"But Accordshy is correct" Duchess announced. "Sunny, you have a right to believe what you'd like. Or you can help us fix this broken world."
"They're right" Kong agreed.
"History's just going to repeat, unless you can cause Opaline's defeat" Zair spoke.
Riversky flapped her wings gently. "Sunny, the last thing we want is to put a lot of pressure onto a young creature such as you. And we don't expect you to accept our request, seeing that we've just met."
"But our predicament is a dire one" Captain Perry sharply added. "And with Equestria's invisibubble be dissolved, Opaline will be desperate to take all them magic within."
Catpilla shivered. "And if she succeeds in taking Equestria's power, nothing will be able to stop her from stealing more magic from other creatures, including us."
Smokey was the last to speak. "As much as I dislike being a part of conflicts, I have to side with the rest of the counsel here. We all knew that the day would come when a pony who brings unity and hope to Equestria will be granted with the alicorn magic Twilight had placed in the unity crystals." She turned to Sunny. "I know how it feels when the lives of so many other creatures suddenly falls onto your shoulders. So I feel you there, little pony. But the thing that's helped me come this far is knowing that I don't have to be alone in this and neither do you. I have this entire counsel full of other leaders who can help me whenever I'm not confidence in my leadership. Just as you got your friends who help bring up your confidence whenever you're down."
The rest of the counsel members' cheeks turned as red as apples. "Why, that's the nicest thing I've ever heard you say, Smokey" Griffdora spoke, then she turned back to Sunny. "Look, whatever you choose, we will accept it. Just know that you will have the full support of the entire Sparkle Counsel no matter what you do."
Gee, when she put it that way, Sunny felt a bit more comfortable not accepting their request. Yet, all of what her friends said was true. She did find all the unity crystals, she did try her best to inspire ponies to better the world, and she did bring all pony kinds back together again. Maybe they were right. Maybe she was the pony this counsel believed would help them stop Opaline once and for all.
Although, she was still unsure whether she was strong enough to stop an all mighty alicorn. But with her friends by her side, Sunny was filled with a new found hope. Now more determined than ever, her answer to the counsel was "alright. I'll do it. I'll defeat Opaline!"
All of the members of the Twilight Counsel cheered. "There's the pony we were waiting for" Summerflame said.
"Very good indeed" Kong add. "Only one thing you'll need to defeat the evil alicorn."
"And what would that be?" Zipp asked.
"Yeah" Misty added. "What does Sunny need in order to stop Opaline?"
Yes, what does Sunny need to be able to defeat the all mighty Opaline? Any guesses? Please, give me your thoughts.
This is the second to last chapter of this series. So be prepared for the final chapter arriving very soon!
P.S. Horse racing, one of the world's most favored sports. But what's so exciting about watching animals being forced to run till their bones break and owners giving their racers heavy drugs so that they could win all the gambling money they get from betting on the winners. Let me be very clear when it comes to horse racing, the horse never wins. In the United States, around 24 horses die every week on race tracks from injury alone. That's mostly because racing exposes horses to significant risk of injury and sometimes catastrophic injury and death through trauma or emergency euthanasia. The odds are stacked against horses in the racing industry. That's mostly due to the fact that too many of these horses run on performance-enhancing drugs or were so doped up on anti-inflammatories and painkillers that they run unnaturally fast and hurting themselves, often fatally. To make this act more cruel, racehorses tend to be housed in isolation and close confinement. Horses are very social creatures and need lots of free-roaming space. Lack of these requirements causes stereotypical behavior, which manifests itself as abnormal behaviors including crib-biting (repetitive oral behavior where the horse sucks in a large amount of air) and weaving (a repetitive behavior where the horse sways on its forelegs, shifting its weight back and forth). Worse yet, many of the horses that were used for racing get sold to places like Mexico, Canada or Japan where they're slaughtered for their meat (horse meat can kill you, by the way). Over the past decade, an average of more than 600 thoroughbreds a year have died because of racing, according to research by the USA TODAY Network. By contrast, an estimated 7,500 thoroughbreds a year are slaughtered for human consumption, according to the president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). Without public outcry, American-born thoroughbreds are trucked across the border for slaughter. So far this year, accounting for all breeds, more than 57,000 horses have been shipped for slaughter to Mexico and Canada from the United States, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. So to recap, race horses often die from injury from racing or from being given too many drugs, they're isolated from each other in small confinements, and most of them are shipped to different countries to get slaughtered. Why is this continuing? Well, most people who support it say that "racing will never be banned because there is too much money to be made from it, particularly as gambling becomes easier across the U.S. Basically, they're really saying: "We don't care about the animals, we just care about how much money we'll make from them." Horse racing is no different than dog fighting. The animals are dosed with drugs, forced to do something unethical just to entertain humans, and the losers are tossed aside to await a terrible faith. All so that the people who running the whole thing could gamble and pocket dirty/ blood money caused by the suffering of multiple creatures. However, since dog fighting has become illegal, I have no doubt that society can open its eyes to see that horse racing should also stop. Right now, the best way to end this cruel act once and for all is to stop supporting it. Please, refuse to watch the Kentucky Derby or any other horse race and don't attend/ bet at any horse races. Once the money stops coming, racing will slowly stop. Long ago, we treated horses as no more than means for transportation (during Black Beauty's time). Over time, we've changed that perspective and I believe we can also change the perspective of horse racing too. And one day, no horse will ever die from racing or be slaughtered for their meat. They will all be treated with the love and respect that all animals deserve. But it's going to take our help to make it possible.