Author's Note

this song tune is what he's whistling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjGE7obmM2o

Chapter Five: Dusk Breaker's Story (Part 2) The Promise.

Dusk's horn lit up and with a flash of light they stood quite a distance from New Yoke near a wooded area.

"I wonder if the place is still there after nearly 500 years... I'd have to go look one day..." Dusk said aloud walking into the trees followed by the three curious crusaders. he whistled a soft sad melody sounding similar to a tune that would come from a music box taking a left at a certain point that seemed to be marked somehow but the crusaders hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

A minute or two more of walking and they were pretty deep in now as the sound of rushing water reached their ears. Walking towards the sound he suddenly jumped up and then disappeared into the ground causing the three mares to rush over to where he was and look around.

"Dusk where in tarnation did ya go?" AB asked looking around

Dusk popped his head out from under the ground, "Boo!" two of the young mares screamed and jumped back only to get upset looks while scootaloo was too interested in the notes she was currently writing.

"What in the HAY made you think that was a good idea." Sweetie yelped.

"Y-Yeah! What the HAY was that fer?" AB asked trying to calm herself.

"Oh relax, I was just having a bit of fun, and we're here... you'll have to come inside." Dusk said his head popping back into the ground.

Sweetie inspected the ground testing how solid it was right where Dusk's head just was and her hoof went right through. Looking to AppleBloom, who was doing the same they smiled. The smiles on the two mares only grew as they both looked at Scootaloo. WIth exchanged nods and sneaking around her they both shoved her forward.

"What's the big d-deal you guy-" She began to say as Scootaloo fell down the hole.

Dusk who was already down in the hole just smiled watching Scootaloo slide down and land unceremoniously on her tush with a resounding 'Oof.' Caused him to chuckle at the pegasus mare as her two friends followed her down can crashed right into her.

"Well glad to see the three of you are having fun." He said between his smile and chuckles. "You three are quite a wonder in yourselves. Such lively crew you have following you around in this adventure in my mind Scootaloo."

The little hide away was much bigger underneath the ground it was actually big enough to warrant shocked looks from the crusaders. The ceiling was just high enough to not be a problem for Dusk himself to stand so long as he was careful of his horn in certain spots. Very ancient and outdated Wonder Bolt memorabilia and some other things are decorating the walls even a Celestia propaganda poster was plastered on the wall.

"Sure, it's a little smaller than later on in life but..." He sighed as a tear rolled down from his right eye without his knowledge. The three mares took notice, Sweetie was going to say something but Scootaloo touched her shoulder and shook her head.

With a deep breath and a shiver his horn lit up and the memory began to play.

There Dusk sat still a young colt his flanks still as blank as ever smiling a crayon in hand drawing a picture of another. He was doing quite a good job, or at least he thought he was.

"Oh my gosh, that's you?" Sweetie said freezing the memory making Dusk look at her and nod. "You were adorable!"

Dusk blushed a tad bit embarrassed at the compliment from her. "J-Just watch the memory will ya. We aren't here so you can see what I looked like. Ya are here ta hear the promise nothing more." The scene resumed immediately after he stopped talking.

"Whhhoooaaa!"

Dusk looked up from his drawing to see a colt from his class had fallen into his hideaway. What was his name again?

"I-Iron Sprocket? What are you doing here and how did you find my place?" The young Dusk asked his little wings puffed up making himself look bigger and trying to be intimidating. Although it seemed rather redundant considering Iron was already a fourth of a pony bigger than him.

Iron looked up from the ground that his face had impacted contorted in confusion. "Your place huh?" He looked around from his spot on the ground before sitting up and sitting back and getting a better look around. "You got a good place down here..." His voice trailed off for a moment when he looked at what Dusk had drawn. "What ya drawin'?"

Dusk picked it up and put it behind his back. "N-Nuthin'... Nuthin' that's any a ya beeswax..." He said blushing.

"Aww come on lemme see! It looked really good!" Iron said excited scooting closer to Dusk.

"Okay but ya have to promise not ta laugh..." Iron did a crossing of his heart motion with his finger across his chest wordlessly. Sighing Dusk handed over the picture he was drawing.

"Is this Ivy Bramble from class? It's actually pretty good... but why draw her?" Iron said looking up from the picture. "Wait don't tell me, ya like her too?" Dusk's face went to on surprise, as Iron continued. "She's one of a kind, I know cause I like her too!"

"Well, uhhh... this is a bit awkward..."

"Yeah... so uhhh... we both like the same girl."

"Yup..."

"Oh, I know. Let's make a vow!"

"A vow?"

"Well my dad said that if you promise something you have to honor it no matter what! He says that a honoring a vow is the thing that makes you a great Stallion when you are older!"

"Huh... so a vow is like a promise, oookay then... I guess that makes sense but how do we start a vow anyway?"

"Oh, that's easy! We have to tell one other what we vow as we raise our right hands and we put our left on something we both treasure. So... maybe your picture will work?"

"Uhhh... sure.." Dusk scooted closer putting his picture between them.

"Okay." Iron put his left hand on the right side of the paper and raising his right hand. Dusk mirrored him his wings twitching nervously.

"So how does it go from here?"

"We should promise that if either of us is ever going to ask Ivy out we should tell the other first! That way we wont be mad at one another."

Dusk's face scrunched a bit in thought but nodded, "Okay."

"Okay, now follow my words. I Iron Sprocket here by vow, that I will tell Dusk Breaker when and if I ever decide to ask Ivy Bramble out. Okay your turn." Dusk nodded.

"I, Dusk Breaker here by vow, that I will tell Iron Sprocket when and if I ever decide to ask Ivy Bramble out." Iron nodded.

"Oh, since we are like this anyway.... I also vow that if I so happen to learn anything new about Ivy Bramble that Dusk doesn't already know I will tell him so as to not be unfair."

"I vow to do the same, and tell Iron any information about Ivy Bramble that he doesn't already know as to not be unfair."

They both smile and drop their raised hands and remove their other ones from the picture smiling like a couple of idiots.

"Sooo.... Friends?"

"Yeah, Friends."

The memory fades as the Crusaders were completely silent.

"There you have it, the vow that we made..." Dusk said as the area around him turned a dark grey but keeping the image of his childhood hideaway.

"Wow, he was the one who even proposed it! That's a pretty scummy thing ta do ta ya." AB said walking over and gently resting her hand on Dusk's shoulder.

"Uhhh, I'd hate to ask but was this ever in your journal?" Scootaloo asked getting a nod from Dusk Breaker, "Okay, and I'm really sorry for making you relive this..."

"Scootaloo, all three of us are at fault here. It's something we wanted to see, and he was gracious enough to show us." Sweetie said looking at Dusk with sympathy. "We're all sorry about this. No one should ever break a vow, especially one made by two friends."

"it's quite alright you three, I've come to terms with what happened... I wouldn't be showing you if I hadn't." Dusk remaining seated his horn flashed a bright light that blinded the three mares returning them to the Crusader's tree-house.