The alarm on the nightstand blared, though it was still dark out, and both Dusk and Barb shot up, remarkably well-rested despite their recent activities that had stained the bedding. After a quick wash, the pair hurried to the Assembly Hall, where ponies of all sorts had gathered. Surprisingly, there were an impressive number of visible males of all ages, with relatively few pot-bellied mares. Dusk smiled, glad that no one would look at him weirdly for wanting to be on his own four hooves to see the thing that everyone had gathered to see.

Then Pinkie ran up. “I’m so excited! Are you excited? I’ve never been so excited! Except for that time, I saw you walking into town, and I went,” she inhaled in a deep gasp as her eyes darted between the stallion and drake. “But, I mean, really, what can top that?”

While Barb was put off by this blatant disregard for her reptilian enormity, she didn’t hate it, so she let the pink one chatter away.

Fluttershy’s birds sang their introductory song as the mayor gave her speech. However, Dusk tuned them all out as his eyes and ears swiveled on high alert. Everything seemed fine, yet his anxiety grew by the second, making his horn itch. Unfortunately, while scratching, Dusk saw that he wasn’t the only one. Although all eyes focused on where Celestia was to appear on the second-floor balcony, every unicorn in the room began scratching their horns with increasing agitation, no one noticing that something was off. Dusk snapped up to spy the moon through the upper window, noting the absence of the familiar craters shaped like a long-horned mare. “… buck.”

Catching Dusk’s whisper, Barb followed his line of sight and winced. “Oh, that’s not good, is it?”

Then, at the crescendo of the mayor’s presentation, the curtains revealed… nothing, causing all in attendance to gasp in horror, save for two.

“Nope,” Dusk confirmed, only to flinch when he felt a stabbing pain in his horn. He’d never been a drinker, but the burning sensation piercing his brain reminded him of descriptions of a hangover. This time, everyone noticed the unicorns doubling over in pain, with even some pegasi and earth ponies wincing.

All saw the cause when a mass of starry indigo aura manifested on the upper stage where Celestia was meant to appear. The mass swirled and congealed like a novice learning a new spell, finally finding a shape that sent another wave of gasps through the crowd. The mare’s fur was pitch-black, yet her helmet and regalia were a lighter shade of blue than her billowing, starry mane. Blue-green eyes with slit pupils bore menacingly down on the audience while a tremendously long horn left most unicorns feeling inadequate, and large black wings did the same for the pegasi. Her cutie mark, as only Dusk knew, was a white crescent moon.

“Oh, our beloved subjects,” greeted the black mare in a voice that sounded sweet, but was laced with venom that made most buttholes pucker. “It’s been so long since We’ve seen thine precious little sun-loving faces,” she said as though it were a curse.

“What did you do with our queen?” Rainbow demanded, almost charging headlong into a fight before Apple Jack caught her tail, recognizing this was not a fight a regular pony could win alone.

“My, are We not royal enough for thee?” questioned the black mare, her voice still dripping with venomous honey. “Doth thou not know who We are? Does Our crown no longer count now that We’ve been imprisoned for a thousand years? Didst thou not recall the legend? Didst thou not see the signs?” she asked with growing frustration at the lack of recognition.

“I did!” Dusk declared as he stepped forward, his stance bold despite his missing drake. The other ponies gave him a wide berth as all attention fell on him, including the threatening mare. “And I know who you are. You’re the mare in the moon. Nightmare Moon,” he announced to another round of gasps.

“Well-well-well, somepony who remembers us,” Nightmare Moon said, genuinely pleased as her eyes crawled appraisingly over this brave little stallion, noting his tail fidgeting to not tuck between his legs. “Then thou also knowest why We’re—”

“Someone,” Dusk cut in.

“… Say what?”

“Someone. In this context, you meant to say I’m someONE who remembers you, not somepony,” Dusk explained, satisfying his itch to correct others who were so blatantly wrong.

Nightmare blinked at the little stallion’s audacity. “Wh-what difference dost that make?”

Dusk smirked as he forced himself to look Nightmare in the eye and not let his gaze deviate to the form gearing to pounce behind her. “Well, it’s rather insensitive to those of us present who aren’t ponies.”

Nightmare blinked, her confusion morphing into understanding as she sensed the new presence, and smirked. “Nice try.” Her horn suddenly lit, casting a light that nearly blinded most ponies. However, the light was more than just the byproduct of her spell. It was innately magical in nature, meant to be seen only by those with a high magical proficiency. As expected, most unicorns winced, with the audacious little stallion covering his eyes and crying in pain. Five other ponies had similarly strong reactions, effectively outing themselves as the biggest threats in the room. Additionally, the drake behind her also flinched, leaving her open to the spell. The mighty beast tried charging despite her blinded state, unleashing a billowing roar, only for Nightmare’s magic to flip her would-be assailant, sending the drake barreling over the railing and crashing onto the floor.

“Barb!” Dusk cried, his brave mask dropped as he ran to his unresponsive companion. “Barb. Barb, answer me!” he begged in a growing panic.

“Fear not, oh clever colt,” Nightmare taunted. “Thy familiar is unharmed. She merely rests in a beautiful dream, a gift for thy bold plan. But oh, how thine knees doth quake without thy familiar’s protection.” Her lips split in a predatory, sharp-toothed grin.

Dusk did nothing to stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. He’d heard every word, but that did little to quell his panic as he fervently shook Barb.

“Mwa-ha-ha-ha!” Nightmare cackled maniacally. “Remember this day, Our little ponies… and drake. For it will be thine last. Henceforth, the night… will last… FOREVER!” And lightning struck to set the perfect tone.

Utter chaos followed as the mayor assumed authority and ordered the guards to attack Nightmare Moon, only for the obvious to happen. Upon seeing the well-trained soldiers so easily dispatched by such an overwhelming magical force, most ponies scattered in a screaming panic. When Nightmare transformed back into a mass of magic to escape, only Rainbow pursued. That just left four ponies who’d kept their heads enough to notice Dusk still weeping over Barb. Luckily, between the four of them, but mostly Apple Jack, they were easily able to carry Barb back to the treebrary, with Fluttershy escorting the distraught stallion.

Dusk watched the mares work, setting up a makeshift bed on the ground floor since carrying the drake upstairs wasn’t going to happen. As he sniffled, not minding the yellow mare’s consoling hoof on his back, the normally neutral stallion’s mind began running faster than Pinkie’s mouth. Without saying a word, he wiped his runny nose, faced away from his beloved companion, and ran at the nearest bookshelf while his magic grabbed their contents, tossing them aside in uncharacteristic disregard as he read, muttering, “Elements. Elements. How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?”

“And just what are the Elements of Harmony?” demanded Rainbow; having caught up to the others, she put her face so close to Dusk’s that she saw his nostril hairs. “And how did you know about Nightmare Moon?” she demanded again, pushing forward as the small stallion backed away from her intimidating aura, ears splayed and tail tucked between his legs. “Are you a spy? Gah!” she yelped when the orange mare grabbed her tail and pulled her back.

“Simmer down, sally,” Apple Jack consoled. “He ain’t no spy, but he sure knows what’s goin’ on. Don’t cha, Dusk?” she added in accusation as she and the other mares expectantly faced the small stallion.

It had been ages since Dusk faced a wall of intensely staring mares by himself. Being alone with a bunch of mares demanding something from him was basically his biggest nightmare. Glancing at Barb in some vain hope for help, he found her merely snoring. However, in seeing her unresponsive state, Dusk found new resolve to do what needed to be done, and faced the familiar mares without quaking legs. “I read about the prediction of Nightmare Moon’s return, which mentioned some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony. Those are the only things that can stop her, but I don’t know where to find them or what they do.”

“Elements of Harmony, a Reference Guide,” Pinkie read while staring at one of the few books left on the shelf.

Dusk ran into the pink mare’s side, unable to knock her over, given their considerable size difference. “How did you find that?”

“It was under E~,” Pinkie cheerfully sang.

Pursing his lips, Dusk extracted the book and quickly found the relevant portion. “There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty,” he read aloud, only to look around in confusion, swearing that he just heard five tings as he listed the Elements, but dismissed it as he resumed reading. “The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the Elements is the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, situated in what is now”—Dusk gulped—“th-th-the E-Everfree F-Forest?” Dusk sighed, taking the time to shelve this book and all others to calm himself.

“So, whatcha gonna do?” Apple Jack asked.

“I’m gonna save Barb.”

“WHAT!?” demanded the mares in unison as they listed off the horrors of that dangerous place. Wild magic flowed like water, enabling the plants, animals, and even weather to conduct themselves without pony help. Legend had it that such magic was born of a terrible hatred for ponies, and any who entered would face certain doom from the resentful flora and fauna. Also, there was the obvious thing.

“We can’t let a li’l fella like yawl go somewhere so dangerous alone,” asserted Apple Jack.

“Yeah, who knows what kind of nasty monsters are lurking around every corner, waiting to do unspeakable things to a helplessly cute little guy like you,” Pinkie added.

“About eight that are active at this time of night,” Fluttershy stated. “Although, with Nightmare Moon stirring things up with her powerful magic, a safer estimate is probably eighteen, including plants.”

Rarity nodded. “Indeed. Can’t we, perhaps, send word to Canterlot and summon more guards?”

“Chh. Fat lot of good those shmucks were,” Rainbow dismissed before putting a hoof on Dusk’s shoulder. “Besides, I’m not letting an out-of-towner show me up,” she said with a reassuring smile.

Dusk was caught off guard. “Uh, what?”

“You heard me. You’re doing this for your family, and I get that,” Rainbow informed. “Besides, AJ’s right. We can’t let you do this by yourself.”

AJ furrowed her brow and snorted. “Dang it, Rainbow. Ah was jus’ getting’ ta that, then ya had ta go ‘n steal mah thunder.” At Dusk’s confusion, she elaborated with a smile, “Well, obviously, we can’t let ya do this alone. How could we call ourselves mares if we left a stallion ta do all the dirty work?”

Dusk shook his head. “No, that isn’t necessary. I’m the Royal Protégé, so this is my responsibility. You’re all civilians, which means—”

“My guy, don’t bother,” Pinkie cut in. “I know these mares, and I know that when they set their mind on something, there’s not much that can stop them. So, since it looks like we’ve all decided to come along”—she paused to look around, waiting for the others to nod—“that’s what’s happening. So, you can either waste your time fighting us, or let us help. Personally, I’m kinda hoping for the former, cuz it means I get to sit on ya until you submit,” she finished with an ear-to-ear smile.

Dusk’s shoulders slumped in defeat, yet his ears did not splay. “Fine. I just—wha!” he yelped when the orange mare nosed under his butt and tossed him onto her back.

“Glad ya saw reason,” AJ said as she led the pack, smugly trotting out the door and down the road as she felt the others’ jealous gazes on her back. “So, anythin’ more ya can tell us ‘bout this Nightmare Moon?”

“I h-heard she has sh-sharp teeth for chewing up ponies,” Fluttershy admitted.

“My dad’s favorite swear is ‘colder than Nightmare’s cooch,’ which I think means your dick will freeze if you try bucking her,” Rainbow offered.

“As I recall, the moon holds sway over the tides, so might she have some water affinity?” Rarity inquired.

“Shoot, we should have brought some candy,” huffed Pinkie. “Maybe giving her some sweets will put her in a good mood. Ya know, a Nightmare Night offering.”

Dusk shook his head as he rode atop AJ’s back, appreciating the smooth surface compared to the coarse one he was used to. “I don’t know anything concrete about her abilities. Texts on the Elements were hard enough to find, and Nightmare Moon is just as obscure. The only thing I can say for certain is that she’s an alicorn, like Celestia, which means she’s powerful.”

As the Everfree came into view, Dusk hurriedly imparted the legend of the mare’s fall from Queen Luna, Celestia’s younger sister. The forest looked particularly menacing as strange sounds stirred beyond what the group could see. Unfortunately, Fluttershy’s theory was probably accurate. As such, the ponies packed tightly together in a defensive formation, with Dusk at the center.

“Speaking of obscure, h-has anyone here ever actually, ya know, been this deep in the forest?” Dusk asked, trying not to quake atop AJ’s back as he noticed all eyes fall on the yellow mare.

“W-well, I’ve read a little, b-but I’ve never gone deeper than the outskirts,” Fluttershy clarified as the path took them to a clearing by a cliff. “N-never go so far you can’t see the outer trees. Th-that’s the rule.”

Dusk nodded as he looked ahead. Seeing a suspiciously tall patch of foliage in the distance, he pointed and said, “I bet that’s it.” He then whirled on Rainbow and said, “Don’t go alone. Splitting the party will only put us at risk.”

Rainbow dismissed. “As if I’d do that.”

“Yawl’ve done that, like, every chance since this mess started,” AJ countered.

“Yeah, but that was just when it was me,” Rainbow argued. “There’s no way I’d leave you guys hanging. You’re my pals. Plus, I’m looking to get Dusk under my tail, and I don’t think abandoning him would win me any points.”

Dusk blinked. “Uh, I can hear you, ya know.”

Rainbow tilted her head in confusion at the small stallion. “What’s your point?”

Suddenly, the ground collapsed under their hooves, sending two-thirds of the group tumbling down the steep cliff. The pegasi reflexively took flight, but quickly dove in pursuit. Rainbow and Fluttershy saved Pinkie and Rarity, respectively, leaving AJ to catch herself on a root, while Dusk nearly fell off the edge of a sheer drop.

“Hold on, Ah’m a comin’,” AJ said as she slid down, finding Dusk hanging precariously from another root just out of reach. “Hang on there, sugar cube. Ah’m here. Jus’ reach yer hoof out, ‘n Ah’ll grab ya.”

“No-no-no!” Dusk violently shook his head as he desperately clung to the root. “No, this was stupid. I should have never come here!”

“Sugar cube?”

“I-I’m nothing without Barb!” Dusk confessed, unable to open his eyes. “Sh-she’s the only reason I can face anything, b-because I know she’ll protect me. Y-you were all right. I-I’m just a stallion. A short, miserable, worthless stallion. I can’t do anything by myself. If I’d just stayed home and got married like everyone told me, Barb wouldn’t have gotten hurt, and I wouldn’t—”

“Oy!” AJ cut in. “Ain’t no pony’s gonna badmouth mah friend like that. Try it again, ‘n Ah’ll slap the shit out ‘f ya.”

Still quaking in fear as he clung to the root, Dusk finally cracked an eye open to look up. No mare had ever threatened to hit him before, as such things simply weren’t done. More surprising than the mare’s words was her unexpectedly radiant smile.

“Dusk, yer one of the bravest stallions Ah’ve ever met. Ah can tell how scared ya are. Yawl’ve been shakin’ like a leaf since this trip started, but that’s why yer brave. Yer facin’ yer fear ta do what has ta be done. That’s the honest truth, ‘n if yawl don’t know that’s the literal definition ‘f bravery, then Ah’m gonna take yer bookworm card right after Ah’m done smackin’ ya. Hear me?”

*Ting*

Now wide-eyed as he stared at the orange mare, Dusk nodded as he stopped shaking while processing the mare’s mostly accurate words. However, while weighing the value of correcting her grammar, the purple stallion furrowed his brow when AJ retracted her helping hoof.

“Alright, girls, Ah think he’s good.”

Dusk looked around to find both pegasi hovering to either side. “Uh, how long have you two been there?”

“A little after the bravest stallion part,” Rainbow answered. “And don’t worry. I only checked out your butt a little, but I can’t speak for Fluttershy,” she said with a grin as the yellow mare blushed. “We’re gonna need to get some meat on your bones as soon as this is over.” She and her yellow friend then scooped Dusk up before setting him gently on the ground with the others, and on his own four hooves at that.

While pondering his newfound mobile independence, Dusk’s eyes tracked AJ descending the cliff side like a mountain goat to join the others in the ravine. Her words rang in his mind, and he muttered, “The honest truth.”

Suddenly, a vicious roar rumbled across the ravine as an enormous creature charged at the group. The manticore had a lion’s head and body, bat-like wings, and a scorpion’s tail, yet that did nothing to deter the ponies emboldened by AJ’s speech. Rarity went first, gathering up forest debris and hovering it around her to make herself look bigger, but the beast’s roar messed up her mane, and that was that. AJ jumped on the manticore’s back, riding it like a bull while Rainbow flew circles to disorient it. The thing just bucked the former off and casually swiped its tail at the latter. Even after that failure, five of the six formed a spear formation, with Dusk taking point, ready to show off his magic. However, before they could enact the final charge, the sixth pony stepped in.

“Waiiit!” Fluttershy cried, startling even the monster to stop and see where this might be going. The yellow mare approached the manticore without a trace of fear, no matter how much the thing postured at her. Such an unwavering approach made the beast shrink down a little, suddenly wondering what this stranger knew that it didn’t. Extending her hoof, Fluttershy said, “Come on, let me see.”

The others watched in slack-jawed awe as the manticore presented its paw for Fluttershy’s inspection, revealing a sizeable thorn. And while the group once more readied for action when the beast unleashed an even more powerful roar, several tripped over themselves when they witnessed the thing embrace and gratefully lick the yellow mare, purring like a kitten. The manticore then flew off into the distance, leaving the ponies with their other bravest member.

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Rainbow muttered.

“H-how did you know about the thorn?” Dusk asked.

“I didn’t,” Fluttershy casually replied as she fixed the mane that had been licked out of place before tossing the thorn aside. “Sometimes, we all need to be shown a little kindness.”

*Ting*

Dusk’s ear flicked as he looked around. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Uh, nothing. We should get going,” he said, once more taking the lead into the darkest part of the forest yet.

“Ugh, my eyes could use a break from all this icky muck,” Rarity complained as they trekked through mud. Suddenly, the moon disappeared behind the canopy, casting the group in darkness. “Ugh, my eyes could use a break from all this lack of handsome, coltish stallions in sexy underwear!” she said more loudly than before and waited, only to putter her lips in disappointment.

“Eh, worth a shot,” consoled Pinkie.

“The ruins could be right in front of our faces, and we wouldn’t even know it,” Dusk added.

“Maybe yawl should get back on mah back where it’s safer,” AJ suggested.

“Yipe! Hey, now’s not the time for grab-ass,” Rainbow shot back.

“Whoops, sorry,” AJ apologized.

“Don’t be sorry. Just save that for later.”

“Aaah!” Fluttershy screamed.

“Oh, relax,” Rainbow dismissed. “It was just my—AAAHHH!” Her scream was almost deafening when she beheld the tree’s menacing face.

Suddenly, it appeared like every tree in the vicinity was in a nasty mood, the kind that usually preceded rending flesh from bone. Naturally, the ponies circled up for protection. Dusk found himself at the center, unintentionally wedged between four mare butts that threatened to suffocate him. This was hardly the first time the stallion had been in such a predicament, as it had been a favorite means of asserting dominance by his mothers, sisters, and even his former babysitter, yet more than two was something else. Dusk couldn’t help but notice the difference between each booty, with AJ and Rainbow having the most muscle, the latter being a little on the bony side, Fluttershy’s plot was the squishiest, leaving Rarity in a comfortable middle. Their smells were also distinct as a rich brew of odors delighted Dusk’s nose. It wasn’t overbearing, like the stink of mares in heat, but it still triggered an involuntary physical response.

All these distractions made it difficult for Dusk to throw spells at the monstrous trees. However, just as he’d found sufficient focus and was ready to finally cast, everyone caught Pinkie making faces at one of the particularly terrifying trees. They asked what her deal was, and before anyone knew it, they’d been pulled into a spontaneous song where laughing at the trees stripped them of all horrifying features. By the end, everyone was still laughing, but more out of relief than genuine humor, with Dusk barely noticing another ting.

Next, the group arrived at a stream with torrential rapids. However, before anyone could suggest letting the flyers carry them across, a large, serpentine tail whipped out from the water’s surface. This drew the group’s attention to a weeping sea serpent with a fabulous head of hair, an effeminate voice, and half a mustache?

“Oh, what a world, what a world!” wailed the serpent, his tail violently thrashing in a tantrum that the pegasi didn’t want to risk traversing.

So, Dusk did the obvious. “Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?” As per usual, the purple stallion tuned out most of the explanation, dismissing it as unimportant. However, he noted how the culprit of the serpent’s distress was a ‘tacky little cloud’ tearing off half his mustache. However, while most of the ponies scoffed at the seemingly petty reason, as before, one stepped up.

Rarity agreed wholeheartedly with the serpent, praising his scales and hair, much to his appreciation, only to bemoan the damaged mustache. Even more shockingly, the fashionista so obsessed with appearances suddenly grabbed an errant scale and sliced off her tail. She then embedded the severed hairs into the serpent’s draconic snout and dyed them to match, much to the effeminate reptile’s glee.

*Ting*

“Great thinking, Rarity,” Dusk praised. “But, what about your tail?”

“Oh, it’s not a problem, darling. Short tails are in this season,” Rarity assured while turning her body sideways and shaking her rump at Dusk. “Do you like it?”

Able to see everything, Dusk blinked like a deer caught in the headlights, once more silently acknowledging the ting.

“I don’t suppose we could take turns taking the lead?” Rarity daintily inquired. “Since I helped with the last obstacle, I think I’ve earned that privilege.”

“What d’ya say, Dusk? Think she’s earned it?” AJ offered.

“Er, I-I mean, I guess,” Dusk stammered.

“My, how considerate of you, darling. Thank you,” Rarity said to the orange earth mare.

“Don’t read too much into this,” AJ dismissed. “Dusk ain’t the only one wantin’ a peek,” she said with a suggestive eyebrow wiggled.

“Fair enough,” Rarity allowed. Seeing as the others seemed just as eager to see her goods, she turned her back to the bunch and marched with a swagger. What little modesty her shortened tail had afforded was wiped away by the broad sways of her wagging hips. The attention from such a desirable male was nice, but knowing that an additional four lovely mares also eyed her body with such naked lust only sweetened the experience.

Unfortunately, Rarity’s tenure as leader was short-lived when the castle came into view beyond a thick fog. The unfortunate part came when they approached a broken bridge.

Examining the wooden planks and rope, Dusk deduced, “Wow, this is a really strong bridge.”

“Uh, it’s broken, sugar cube.”

“I mean, besides that,” Dusk amended. “Supposedly, ponies haven’t been here for hundreds of years, yet everything looks in great shape. I can’t even detect any preservation spells. So, either they really don’t make them like they used to, or someone’s been doing maintenance out here,” he suggested. “Also, that looks more like a cut than a natural break.”

“Oh, goodness. What could have done this?” asked Fluttershy.

“Well, given the sea serpent guy said he was attacked by a cloud, and we saw Nightmare Moon turn into a cloud…” Dusk leadingly rolled his hoof at the others.

“Hmm, I thought that thorn looked a little odd,” Fluttershy pondered. Sensing the question, she elaborated, “I’m not sure, but it kind of felt like the thing was staring at me.”

Dusk nodded, only to wave the others in close and whisper. “The enemy’s been following us this whole time. This is probably another obstacle, but we shouldn’t let on that we’re aware.”

“Dude, I think you’re overthinking this,” Rainbow said as she flew down and grabbed the bridge’s end. She carried it to the other side and prepared to secure it, only for the fog to roll in and obscure the other ponies as eerie sounds echoed nearby.

“Raiiin~booow.”

Adopting an aggressive stance, Rainbow turned to face the source. “Hey, who’s there?”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash. It is such a pleasure to finally meet the greatest young flyer in all of Equestria,” said the spooky voice.

The cyan mare instantly relaxed and began smugly examining her hooves. “Well, I see you’ve got good taste. Although, who are you, anyway?”

“Why, we’re an up-and-coming group that will soon surpass the Wonderbolts.” Three ponies ran out of the fog and slid to a halt, showing off their dark and edgy flying suits. “We’re the greatest flyers in the Everfree Forest, the Shadowbolts! All we need to complete our team is the fastest, most magnificent, coolest pegasus to ever live.”

“Oh, stop, you’re making me blush. That sounds awesome, but I’m kinda in the middle of something. So, just give me a sec to tie this up, and we can start talking terms,” Rainbow reasoned, only for the Shadowbolts to suddenly block her path to the bridge.

“No!” said the leader. “It’s us or them.”

Rainbow nodded as she gave the matter its due thought, walked toward the trio, and extended her hoof to shake. “I choose you.”

“Excellent!” said the Shadowbolt leader, descending into maniacal laughter, only to be yanked forward by the rainbow-maned mare.

“To get your butts whooped!” Rainbow finished, swinging the leader like a flail and knocking her silent companions aside. Snickering as she finished setting the bridge while keeping an eye on the downed trio, the aspiring speedster said, “Man, you must think I’m an idiot to fall for that.” Deepening her voice in imitation of the leader, she added, “Choose the strangers you just met over helping your friends save the world. Ha! What a riot. And a secret team that’s been hiding out in the Everfree? Double ha! Okay, yeah, I think that’s good and tight. Now, let’s see about putting you bitches in your—where’d ya go?” She looked around, but the others had gone.

Finally, the others crossed the bridge.

“Rainbow, we heard everything,” Dusk said. “You really chose us?”

“I mean, it was kind of obvious it was a trap,” Rainbow admitted. “And even if it wasn’t, that would have been a lousy deal. Rainbow Dash don’t leave her friends hanging.”

*Ting*

Yet again, Dusk’s ear flicked. “There! I definitely heard it that time.”

“Heard what, darling?”

“A ting, like a little ringing bell. I’d heard five back in the library, but I thought it was my imagination. But then I heard another just now, and now that I think about it, there was one at each obstacle we faced,” Dusk explained.

“Whatcha thinkin’, sugar cube?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure. It’s like there’s an idea just out of reach, but I can’t seem to grasp it.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well, Barb usually talks these things through with me. She notices things I don’t, so what have you guys noticed? Anything you feel like sharing?”

“Well, this might be a bit unrelated, darling, but there has, in fact, been something on my mind that I’ve been meaning to ask,” Rarity began as she approached Dusk. “You called yourself the Royal Protégé back in the Assembly Hall and the treebrary. I know I’ve heard that term before, but could you clarify on what it means?”

“It was on that fancy badge ya showed at the farm,” AJ added. “It seemed official enough, but Ah don’t know what that means either.”

Dusk stared at the five mares in wonder, finally confirming that none of them knew what he was. However, while this left him a tad reluctant to share, he recalled Pinkie’s words about these mares not being easily stopped, so he relented. “The Royal Protégé is the semi-official title given to the Queen’s… proxy.”

“In plain Ponish?” Rainbow requested.

“It means that I act as Queen Celestia’s agent. She sends me places to act on her behalf. This is my tenth mission, and my first outside Canterlot. Also, if Celestia is absent and there aren’t any other officials around, technically… I’m the highest authority in the room.” Dusk flinched as the mares stared blankly at him. “I, uh, I’m also her number one student, heh-heh.”

“So you’re, like, super important?” Rainbow inquired incredulously.

Dusk shrugged and noncommittally replied, “Kinda.”

Rarity smacked her hoof to her forehead. “That’s where I heard it! I was just a filly and a little preoccupied at the time, but I remember reading in the papers how the queen named a new Royal Protégé, the first stallion in nine centuries. That was you?”

“It is me, yes,” Dusk corrected, only to regret his action when everyone’s stares intensified. “P-please don’t be mad that I kept this from you.”

“Why would we be mad?” Pinkie asked. “It’s not like you’re the kind of jackass blowhard who starts every conversation with the reminder that you’re more important than everypony around you. It just didn’t come up,” she nonchalantly explained, to Dusk’s amazement.

“Which is dumb, if you ask me,” Rainbow added while dramatically posing with her hoof over her chest. “I, for one, believe greatness deserves to be recognized.”

“I’m not that great.”

“I’m sorry, but the first stallion in nine centuries sounds pretty great,” Fluttershy interjected.

“However, that entails a follow-up question,” Rarity continued. “How is a stallion such as yourself still single? Surely, you’ve had suitors.”

Dusk rolled his eyes. “I have. They’ve just never been, ya know, right for me.”

“Let me guess,” Pinkie began. “A bunch of stuck-up bitches who only wanted the title and didn’t give a damn about you, right?”

Dusk blinked. “Uh, yeah. How’d you guess?”

It was Pinkie’s turn to blink as she looked around. “Was that not obvious?”

Fluttershy gasped. “Goodness, how dreadful!”

“Follow-up question number two,” Rarity added. “This probably isn’t relevant, but why isn’t your title King Consort?” she asked, looking around as the others stared at her. “What? Dusk is powerful and charming. While I’m not defending any mare who rudely approaches a stallion, I still get the desire. Please don’t think less of me for saying this, but a mare would have to be crazy to let a prize like you go without trying. The queen can have any stallion she wants, so why didn’t she claim you?”

“I… don’t know,” Dusk admitted. “For a while, I thought I wasn’t her type, but then I snuck a peek at her harem, and there were four guys who looked almost exactly like me. So… I don’t know.”

“Maybe she’s been saving you for a special occasion,” Pinkie suggested, licking her lips. “Like the last cookie she doesn’t want anypony else to eat.”

Dusk frowned. “I’m well past the age most stallions are married. What occasion could she possibly be waiting for?”

“Well, we’re on an epic quest to stop Nightmare Moon and save Equestria,” Pinkie innocently observed. “That’s a thing.”

“And I wouldn’t have made it this far without all of you by my side,” Dusk realized as his gaze fell to the dirt. “I needed to be here, to be with you, to… to… Ugh, why can’t I get it?”

“Easy there, sugar cube,” AJ assured, pulling the shorter pony into a hug. “You’ll get there. ‘Til then, wanna go fer another ride?”

“I… sure,” Dusk conceded.

Finally, they arrived at the ruined castle. Ancient and dusty doors creaked open, revealing a peculiar apparatus in the entry hall that bore five spherical stones. Fluttershy and Rainbow helped get them down, openly wondering where the sixth might be. Dusk explained the sixth would only appear when revealed by a spark, whatever that meant. So, out of concern for the others’ safety, Dusk asked them to keep their distance while he experimented.

A second later, the obvious happened, and a dark cloud swooped in to scoop up both Dusk and the Elements, causing all to vanish, and leaving the five mares alone and afraid. Luckily, they weren’t dumb, and deduced their missing member was in the nearby tower with lights shining through the windows.

Author's Note

Sorry to brag, but this and the following segments were all written in one grand burst of 11K words. Eleven-freaking-thousand words! My internet had gone out at the time, and I guess a lack of distractions does a mind good. Anyway, we continue follow the same story beats as the show, with the key difference coming from the modified characters. Obviously, Barb had to be written out for being too much of a power house, thus leaving Dusk to come into his own with his new friends. Having him break down in tears and needing AJ’s reassurance was particularly satisfying to write, as it signals that he’s finally starting to accept these mares. Or, at least, he’s more conscious of his acceptance.

Also, writing Dusk to be more intelligent and genre savvy was tricky, as I had to repeatedly stop myself from having him outright figure out too soon that this was a standard fairytale scenario, and his friends were crucial to their victory. Also, in hindsight, Rainbow’s trial was especially obvious, so having her recognize the obvious red flags wasn’t making her smarter, just less dumb.

In case it wasn’t obvious, Dusk has minor autistic tendencies, such as an aversion to being touched by strangers. Autism just seems to naturally fit Twilight’s character, and by extension, her male counterpart. On top of that, he’s so used to strangers being generally selfish and inconsiderate that it takes even him by surprise by how well he responds to these five new girls who seem to like him for him. Granted, they’re thirsty as Hell and have no qualms admitting it, but they like him reasons beyond mere lust.

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