A Thousand Years Later...

[Dusk's View]

I hurried after the six ponies, my wings healing from the wound. "I'm so stupid! They don't know where the dungeons are!" Galloping through the corridors, I found they were not anywhere I could find. I decided to find Celestia myself, and worry about getting them afterwards. "I'm sorry..." I felt like I was betraying them, but even so, I ran to the lowest dungeon. I knew that was where she was, it was the most protected dungeon. It needed an alicorn's magic to open. With Twilight's alicorn magic disabled, and Celestia's Unicorn and Pegasus magic removed, I knew I had to release her. I had my mother's magic in me myself.

I made my way to the lowest dungeon, and called for her. "Celestia? Princess Celestia?"

"Who... Are you?"

"Aunt Celestia! It's me, Dusk! I'm releasing you from the cell! You won't worry anymore!"

"Wait! Don't come near me!"

"Why? Aunt please, I need to rescue you!" I cantered towards the cell, throwing my hooves on the bars. Suddenly, a magic spell backfired from the bars, and I fell, losing my pulse, and coming into an unconscious state.

                                                                  ~~~

Twilight's mind kept flicking back to the moment when Dusk shiverously made them run while he fought, not wanting to risk their own lives. He was her night in shining armor. Shining Armor... She hung her head, her own brother, her own kin, her own BBBFF... Called her a peasant.

He had changed. Even his eyes had changed colour. "Wait, Colour?" His blue eyes were not blue... But red.

That was when the six ponies saw him. Dusk was lying on the floor, his eyes shut. The only thing moving was his chest.

"Twilight? Girls? She let you keep your Alicorn body?"

"Minus the magic, yes. We cannot see you, dear, where are you, your highness?"

"Heh, it's been a long time since I last heard that. 'Your Highness' has lost her highness."

She showed herself, a simple, snow-white earth pony with light pink hair and lilac eyes. They all gave a gasp, then looked at Dusk, wondering which scenario was worse. Twilight was sitting on the floor beside her loved one, crying. "Twilight," her eyes twitched, and she looked at Celestia tearfully, "Remember that healing spell I taught you years ago?" She nodded.

"It won't be of use. I haven't my alicorn magic. It's much too dangerous to perform. I could kill him-"

"Or you could save him. You haven't a choice, dear. Let him die or live and love." Twilight hung her head, then nodding.

"I will play my part." Her magic suddenly burst, it's purple aura gliding around the barely living body. "It's his heart... The magical outbreak caused heart failure. All I need is to start it up again..." She gave a quiet shriek and stood back. Dusk's eyes slowly opened, he looked around him, and galloped towards the lavender alicorn.

"Now you healed my heart, though you stole it the moment I set eyes on you."

"And the cheesiness hit maximum." Rainbow Dash giggled, only to be met with a slap from Applejack.

"Do I hear a fly abuzzin'? It sure is annoyin' me, how bout y'all." And they all nodded their heads in agreement.

"What? Where! I love insects! They're so...sweet...and...never mind." Fluttershy whimpered, the others shushing her.

"Don't you think that you should,  well, I dunno, rescue the darn princess so we can have a darn super duper darn epic par-tay?" Dusk nodded his head, walking towards the cage. His eyes went white, and a creaking noise echoed through the dungeons.

Celestia was free.

                                                                                 ~~~

Nightmare Moon shrieked, rushing towards the secret passage that remained secret for a millennia unend. She slung her hoof frantically like a madpony, trying to remove the cobwebs from around her. Somebody had indeed gone through her magical key that contained Celestia... But only alicorn magic could do so... Unless. It couldn't be, her own son? She shook her head, besides, he was I'm Ponyville. She unfolded her wings and galloped towards the exit, trying to locate where her enemy would be.

                                                                                 ~~~

"Thank you, my nephew. Please, excuse me while I turn to a place that will come to use for us. Confront Nightmare Moon, I will retrieve it and return." They nodded as she cantered out. Dusk turned to them.

"Let's go." They ran out, intent on finding the chambers of the monster. "Rainbow Dash, go with Rarity and Twilight. Fluttershy, Pinkie and Applejack, come with me." They nodded their heads, all except one.

"But... Why can't I come with you?" Twilight said, her eyes pleading.

"I know, but the ponies without defensive magic must use all it has. I have the same amount of half of all Equestria's ponies, so I should have the majority of the Earth or Pegasi? You and Rarity should protect Rainbow and each other. Please, don't do anything rash."

"Alright! My group is now  dubbed Team P and Twilight's Team  T!"

"Why is ours P?" Fluttershy whispered.

"What's the first letter in Pinkamena, huh?" They rolled their eyes and they split up.

They hadn't gone a metre before Dusk sensed something. See, when Nightmare Moon gave up a little of her magic, She forged a link between them. This made them sense when each other is near. Maybe he could use that link to send a message to his mother... It was worth a try.

"Mother... there is a Group within the castle walls set on eliminating you. I must protect you, where are you?"

"...Throne..."

That's all she said. They followed Dusk as he threw himself into the throne room.

"Son. You are pitiful. I knew you entered the dungeons half an hour ago. We have a link, I can sense everything you do."

"So... You let me take Aunt Celestia?"

"Indeed. And don't call her that, the simple beginning 'Celest' makes me puke. The whole name plus Aunt?"

She gave a fake shudder.

"I'm done playing, mother. I shall not let you destroy the beautiful blossom of Equestria! I shall let it bloom! But it needs sunlight! I beg of you, mother. Please, no more night!

I can't even see you anymore. The pony who took me in, the pony who raised me? Where is my mother?"

"Your mother? That bat pony probably died years ago. She's probably rotting in some valley far from Equestria."

"Not that mother... I do not want Nightmare Moon. I want Luna. She is the one who is fit for the crown!" His eyes went white as he levitated a black crown to her, the one she had worn as a princess.

"Where did you find that?" She snapped, throwing it to the ground.

"See, mother? You too are blind from all the darkness. This crown is the one I wear on my head each day. Only now do I recognise it as the one you once did."

"YOUR NO FIT TO BE PRINCE! YOUR NO FIT TO BE A CITIZEN OF EQUESTRIA, ALL YOU SEE IS THE BAD SIDE OF MY BEAUTIFUL NIGHT? THE DAY ISNT PERFECT EITHER? THE BLINDING RAYS OF THE SUN? YOU WANT THAT BACK?"

She slapped him on the cheek for the first time, and his head stayed to the left as he spoke the final statement in a quiet voice. At that moment, The other three ponies of Team T came to join them.

"You misunderstand. We don't want the day back. We simply want two things. They want Luna back. I want my mother back."

"As do I." A graceful voice spoke, and they all turned their heads. Celestia stood at the door.

"Where is the object you said you would retrieve?"

"Pardon me, I should've said army, and niece." She slung the door open further, and Cadence stood their, smiling. Celestia pointed at the window, and the ponies hurried towards it. They saw an army of bat ponies looking back up to them.

"Well, Luna? We were meant to rule together. We were happy. Remember all those ponies who spent their lives devoted to the night sky?"

"What?"

"Astronomy?"

"Never heard of it."

"Oh mother it is simply divine! It's the study of the night sky!"

"Stargazing."

"I..."

"Ponies love the night sky... But the world cannot live in eternal night! The crops wither, the ponies develop colds, influenza. Sister, please! I know your in there!"

"I'm... I'm...  not your sister!" it was clear she was about to attack, so without thinking, Dusk pounced on her, breaking the window that was behind her and falling with her.

"Mother... Couldn't you see the light?"

Suddenly, a sphere of light blue magic appeared, similar to that of Dusk's power charge, and Nightmare Moon remained stuck inside it as they fell. She stared fearfully back at Dusk, her eyes slowly returning from slit to normal, her mane turning from a cloud of blue mist to a cyan mane, and black coat turning dark blue. Then, to startle Dusk even more, tonnes of black, dark magic threw out of her, through her eyes. Finally  when Dusk realise who was at the bottom (millions of bat ponies), all he could say was,

"Pony feathers."