The Cloud of Duskby RTPOAChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Link to my sequal... Just in caseChapter 3Epilogue: Fighting the ShadowsChapter 1All I remember was falling. Everything was red, and then it was black. It was cold, so cold, as if the sun was gone. It was dark, darker than space. Suddenly a flash of light blinded me. I heard the most beautiful sound I've ever heard, as if it were a beautiful princess singing, but talking at the same time. "Dusk Cloud," said the voice, "you are destined for greatness. You shall plunge our world from great darkness." "Who are you? How do you know who I am? Where am I? Why does my face hurt?" I asked. "All will be revealed in time." Then I started to fall. I felt myself falling through clouds; gasps were all around me as I fell. I only heard them for a split second. I suddenly slowed down and touched solid ground. The last thing I heard was a female voice saying, "oh my god! Are you okay? Oh crap, he's fading! We got to get him somewhere safe! Hurry!" When I woke up my legs wouldn't work. I was in a large room, filled with books. I tried to stand, but found I couldn't. I looked down to see my body was covered with a blanket. I slowly started to remember things. That my name is Dusk Cloud, I am 18 years of age (in human years), and I have an IQ of over 200. After about ten minutes of remembering, my legs began to work. I tried to stand on my two legs, but for some reason I couldn't. I looked down and saw I had no hands or feet, but instead were hooves. I followed those hooves and saw a light blue body, and an indigo colored tail. I closed my eyes and hoped it was a bad dream, and looked at my behind again. I had a tail. "What the hell? I'm a pony?" I said quietly as I brought my hooves to my head to check for a horn, and my body for wings, "dammit, just an earth pony... oh well it was fun while it lasted," I punched myself in the gut. I didn't wake up, "maybe not hard enough?" I punched myself again, with no outcome but some baby barf. I was a pony. And what happened next proved it further. "Oh, you’re awake! I knew you had it in you!" said the same female voice I so vaguely remembered. "Okay, now I know this is a dream. There is no way the real Twilight Sparkle is right in front of me, talking to me. And no way I that I am a pony." "Are you okay? Because you look like a normal pony to me," said Twilight. "Yes, I am okay. I am in a dream, and that means that I can do this," I said as I tried to stick my hand through her. I couldn't, "uuuhhhhhhhhhh," I tried again, and everything went black. When I woke up, Twilight was staring down at me, "Are you sure you’re okay?" she asked as I struggled to my hooves, "I am the one who found you. Well actually you sort of found me. You were falling when I saw you. I slowed you down and ran over to help you. You were bleeding pretty badly. I carried you to my house, which is where we are now." "I can tell," I said, "never thought I'd be in here, in person." "So where are you from? I don't think I know you, but yet you know who I am," she asked. "I am from Earth, the land of the humans. There is actually a show about this place, about Equestria. You’re in it, so are the others? Everyone here is in it. Well almost everyone," I explained. I suddenly realized that I had just broken the fourth wall, and shielded myself. When I realized nothing was happening, I stopped shielding myself. "Do you have someplace to stay?" asked Twilight, "oh, yeah, right. You can stay here with me. I don't have any open rooms, so you are going to have to stay here. There’s an extra bed in that closet, let me get it for you." "No, I got it," I said without thinking. I opened the closet, saw the bed and concentrated on it. It lifted out of the air and floated into the room and to a wall. When I got back into the room, Twilight's jaw hit the ground. Chapter 2"SPIKE!" Twilight screamed. "Yeah? What is it Twilight?" said Spike as he rushed in, "who is that?" "I'll explain later," Twilight said, "but right now I want you to write a letter to Princess Celestia." "Got it. Okay, ready." "Dear Princess Celestia, I am writing to you to tell you about a dire situation. I can't really put it into words; I am going to need to show you. May I please visit the castle to show you? Yours sincerely, Twilight Sparkle." Spike sent it on its way after he had re-read it to make sure he got it right. "Oh, I forgot to ask," Twilight said, "what's your name?" "Dusk, Dusk Cloud." "Lets go to lunch, Dusk," Twilight said, "just you and me." We got a couple of hayburgers and talked about what I did and didn't remember about my past. I remembered that I had one brother and one sister. But that's all I remembered. Our conversation was interrupted by a bouncing pink pony, Pinkie Pie. Pinkie gasped when she saw Twilight with me and bounced over. "Twilight? Is that you? Who is that? You’re new Coltfriend?" Pinkie asked in that high pitched voice we all know. "No, Pinkie, he isn't he is just a friend," Twilight replied. I interrupted their conversation when I said, "look out!" I jumped up into the air and punched a falling flowerpot from the sky. When I landed, Pinkie's tail Twitched. Everyone was staring at me with amazement. Pinkie's eye twitched and Twilight looked at me with admiration in her eyes. "Whydidn'tmyPinkiesensework? Itmustbebroken," Pinkie said frantically. "You saved me," Said Twilight while Pinkie was still babbling, "but how?" "I don't know," a sudden jolt of pain made me fall down. Just then, Spike came running. "What is it Spike?" Twilight asked. "The........Princess........Is here," he managed between breaths. We all ran to Twilight's house, to find Princess Celestia waiting. I stopped and took in her magnificent beauty. Her mane, flowing with absolutely no wind. Her horn crackling with the immense power it held. Her wings, white as snow, folded against her body. "So, what is so urgent that you forgot that you could write, Twilight," she said jokingly, paying me no attention. "Him," Twilight said, pointing at me, "he has done two extraordinary things today that no ordinary pony can do." "Really," she said, now interested in me, "what were they?" "He moved that bed, by himself. No magic, no help. Just him." "Show me then, if you will," she requested. "Yes, your high--" I was interrupted by Celestia, "skip the formalities and show me already." I concentrated on a desk and lifted it with my mind, like I had with the bed. I set it down and looked at the princess. Her jaw was hanging open. Twilight moved my mane to show the princess I had no horn under it. "What was the other thing?" she asked. "He beat Pinkie's Pinkie sense," Twilight said. Pinkie Pie started laughing uncontrollably and fell to the ground. Chapter 4The next morning I did what I usually did. I helped out at the library, ran errands, and wandered through the seemingly endless rows of books. When it was time for lunch, Twilight and I met up with Morning and Scootaloo. We talked about how things were going in each other’s relationships. Nothing too important. Suddenly there was a loud WOOSH!! Everyone looked up and saw Rainbow dash soaring over head in some sort of a rush. I looked at Morning and he had a confused face. A sudden flash of pain went across my body. Once again, I was seeing an image, but I didn't recognize this one. There was a house, Fluttershy's house, surrounded by the Police. The ground was bloody. Rainbow Dash was crying; every pony was in shock. When I came too, I could tell Morning had the same image in his mind. Sudden realization flashed across his mind. "Fluttershy," he said. And with that he took off and Scootaloo followed. Twilight and I galloped all the way to her house. When we got there, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were crying; Morning was staring at the ground in a daze. I saw for the first time why, Fluttershy is dead. And it was my fault. As I was wondering why Fluttershy had commited suicide I realized that she had odd marks on her neck, and a stab wound on her side. I pointed out my findings and Twilight saw more. "Look! There is a blood trail! She must have been attacked!" She pointed out. Just then, Fluttershy's body shuddered. there were gasps from everypony there. Then her eyes fluttered open. She screamed in pain. one of the officers nodded and another stuck her with a neeedle. "No need to be afraid, she will be just fine," explained the officer, "we just sedated her so that she doesn't strain herself." She was taken to the Canterlot hospital by air lift (four pegasi carrying a cot with very secure straps). Rainbow Dash never left her side. And I knew why, I remembered back to "The Royal Pony Wedding: Part 2". Flutter Shy was surrounded by false Rainbow Dashs and the real Rainbow Dash kicked all their asses. And right after they kissed, nothing much. Just a quick peck on the lips, but I had the feeling it escalated into a more serious thing. They were in love. They were in love, and Flutter Shy had been in love with me also. And I didn't have the heart to tell Rainbow Dash. "What do you think happened?" asked Twilight, looking at me with her beautiful purple eyes. "I have no fricking clue," I said without thinking. "Do you think this made it to the show that I'm not supposed to know about?" She asked, just breaking the fourth wall. Nothing happened, so I assumed we were safe. "No, the show is a children's show. No blood or gore allowed," I said soothingly. But I wasn't completely sure, "Let's go home." "Okay," Twilight said gloomily. The next day we went to visit the hospital. When we got to Flutter Shy's room, a cyan colored pegasus with a tail and mane as grey and gloomy as the clouds around the hospital, was passed out on her bed. It was Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were puffy and red, as if she had been crying all night. Then, I realized, she had. "Thanks for comeing guys," Rainbow Dash said when she had woken up, "t-this really m-means a lot to me than you c-c-came," she burst out crying right away. But no tears came out, so I went to get her some water. "We wanted to see how she was doing, how you were doing," Twilight said, trying to comfert her, "we wouldn't ever desert you, no matter if you are in love with a mare or not." We talked about what we would do when we found the attacker, whoever that may be. Flutter Shy regained consciousness long enough to say thank you to the three of us. Flutter Shy was alive and, luckily, it was my fault. Chapter 5About two and a half months later, Flutter Shy was out of the hospital and back home with nothing but a sore throat and a scar where she had been stabbed. The police found the pony who attacked her, he went bye the name Shadow Blade. He was sentanced to death. But first, he had to be punched by everypony in Ponyville. I decided to go last. When it was finaly my turn, he didn't even look like a pony. He only looked like a bloody pulp of a mule, which is pretty much what he was. "Don't hurt my friends, Jackass," I said as I punched him so hard he flew into the police station, a few blocks down. This time AJ's mouth was hanging open. That night, Rainbow Dash, Flutter Shy, Twilight, and I celebrated the return of Flutter Shy, and the capture of her attemptive murderer. Somehow the subject got changed to Twilight's and my own relationship as it does everytime, I noticed. "Okay, here's what I don't understand," Rainbow Dash started, "you two are dateing, you share the same house, the same room, the same fricking bed! Why have you not done it yet?" Wanting to get out of the conversation I asked, "any of you want any drinks?" They all said champagne, so I hurried out and went to the kitchen to get some. When I got back, Rainbow Dash and Flutter Shy where Making out. Twilight was watching, wide-eyed, taking every detail. I sat down and joined her. They didn't seem to notice, they just kept on making out. Finnaly, I got the courage to usher them out the door. I knew that they wouldn't make it very far before they started again. I turned to Twilight and we locked eyes and started to make out. We stopped only to get into bed, but then continued immediately. The next morning, Morning came to visit. So we went to breakfast with him. He explained how moody Scootaloo was, and how she had odd cravings and such. Twilight put her hoof to her face when he said he had no clue what was going on. I started to understand why she was annoyed. "She is pregnant, Morning," she said slowly, as if he were a moron, "your going to be an dad." His eyes went wide and we didn't say anything for the rest of the meal. On the way back he was just too shocked to say anything, or even think anything. Because he kept bumping into buildings and trees alike, not even noticing. When I had got him back to Scootaloo's he just walked in and closed the door. I got back to Twilight's house, even though she says it is our house now, and went in and helped around the library. About a month later, I went to lunch with Morning and Spike, instead of with Twilight. We discussed the weather and how Scootaloo and Morning's Foal is due about two months from now. Then I brought up the subject of my relationship with Twilight. "So, what would you guys think if I proposed to Twilight?" I asked. "Go for it, you two are perfect for eachother," said Morning, "I was accualy planning on asking Scoots to marry me, tonight." "Yeah," said Spike, "when are you going to do it? Propose, I mean." "Tonight, at the stroke of twilight," I explained, "I didn't have enough money to buy a diamond, so I got a purple amathyst instead. It reminded me of her." Later that evening, after dinner, I brought Twilight to the Park. The place where our love began. "Dusk, I have something I need to teel you," Twilight started. "I have someting to ask you first," I said. "Okay, what is it?" I got down on three out of four knees and held up the box containing the ring. "Twilight Sparkle, ever since I met you, ever since you took me in, I have been madly in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with the perfect mare, the perfect pony. Twilight, that pony is you. Will you marry me?" Almost instantly she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me, "does that answer your question?" "Good enough for me," and we continued to kiss. When we had finished I asked, "What was it you wanted to tell me?" "Dusk," Twilight said shyly, "I'm pregnant. And your the father." Once again, everything went dark. When I woke up, I thought I was in a dream. I was going to be a father, and I was marrying the mare of my dreams, Twilight Sparkle. We went to a movie, but we didn't watch it. We were too busy making out. When we got home we barely slept. Doing things only engaged ponys can do, wedding planning and baby naming. "What about Dawn if it's a mare?" I suggested. "Why Dawn?" asked Twilight. "Well, your name is Twilight and mine is Dusk, Right?" She nodded, "Well, they are also both times of day, and so is Dawn." "Okay, but if it is a colt, his name is going to be Shining, after my big brother. Shining Cloud, I like that," Twilight said. I had just remembered Shining Aromor's threat note. Not only had I asked Twilight to marry me, I got her pregnant. I thought. "What's that Dear?" Twilight asked. I had said that out loud. "Have you told Shining Aromor yet? That you are pregnant?" I asked nervously. "Of course I did, wht kind of little sister would I be if I didn't?" She replied, "He will be here tomorow. Now, let's get some sleep." So, we fell asleep. My future wife, foal, and doom wrapped into one. I could barely sleep, afraid that Shining Armor would burst in through the window or something like that and kill me. Eventually, I had to fall asleep. I woke up the next day to a loud knock on the door. I hoped, fearfully that it wasn't Shining Armor. Another knock came, this time quicker and with more urgency. I then realized that it wasn't Shining Armor. I ran to the door to see Rainbow Dash with a panicked look on her face. She was talking very fast so I couldn't understand much of what she said, but what I did understand were the words: Morning, Scootaloo, Emergancy Room, and filly. That was all that I really needed to hear. Chapter 6Twilight walked in with a sleepy look on her face and a yawn. But when I told her, she woke up right away and said, "hold your breath," which I did and in an instant we were in the ER. I sprinted to the suprised secratary and asked for the room that Morning and Scootaloo were in and quickly dashed up. When I got into the room, Scootaloo was holding her newborn filly. It was wrapped up in a blanket, but I could see a dark grey colored snout, like a storm cloud. I walked up to Morning and stood next to him. "It's a colt, his name is Thunder Cloud," he said, "see why?" He moved the blanket back to reveal the filly's face, a dark storm-cloud grey, and a bright yellow mane that looked like a lightning blot. Rainbow Dash walked in along with Fluttershy. We talked for a while, when Twilight suddenly realized that she had to meet Shining Armor at the station. So I got some time with Morning and Scoots. I congradulated them, and wished them luck. "Thanks, Dusk," Scoots said, "oh, and congradulations to you too." "What do you mean?" Morning asked. "Twilight is pregnant, with triplets, your goning to be an uncle," I replied. "Wow, no kidding?" he chuckled, "that's amazing! Good luck, Dusk." So we spent that day in the hospital. Twilight evenually showed up with Shining Aromor (who was being nice for the time being bcause my brother just had a filly) and we talked about what might lay ahead in the future. I saw Spike eyeing Twilight's ring hungrily and walked up to him. "Here Spike," I said, "why don't you go get something to eat." "Wow, really? Thanks," he said as he scapered off to the Cafeteria. When we got home, I got a chance to explain to Shining Armor the situation. He seemed to understand, though he still seemed tense. He reached out his hoof, I took it, and we shook. A feeling of understanding must have swept through his mind, because he had suddenly said, "you know what Dusk, I came here to beat some sense into you. But now, for some reason, I don't want to. Your a good guy, Take care of my little sister, you got that?" "I Pinkie Promise," I said as I made the motions that make up a 'Pinkie Promise'. Shining Armor made the motions too. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie just appeared out of nowhere suspended in mid air, shook our hooves, and disapeared into thin air. "Geez, she is one crazy pony," Shining Armor said. "Aint that the truth," I responded, "Oh just to let you know, the fillys are coming in about three months" So Shining Armor made his way back to the station after we said our goodbyes. Twilight and I got into bed, and went to sleep. That night I drempt I was in a very dark cave. The only light was coming from a small filly. The filly looked like a pony-shaped peice of gold with a silver mane and tail. He was shivering, although it wasn't cold. "Dad," said the filly, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to the filly I now knew as Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be allright. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at what looked like Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out twords the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. "I drempt that, too," Morning explained, "except I could hear you and that little filly, Sparx was it? Talking about how we were going to make it home. It seemed like you were trying to calm him down." We were discussing this at the restaurant we usually went to for lunch. The wedding was only a week away. I had been having the same dream every night since the birth of Thunder, about a month ago. He had taken his first steps and flapped his grey wings for the very first time about two weeks ago. He is still yet to say any words, though. "So, you ready for the wedding?" Morning said, snapping me back into reality. "Yep, couldn't be readier," I responded, still thinking about what lied in the future. The next few weeks passed by quickly. So quickly infact that I didn't even realize that it was the wedding day when the big day came. I was in a daze the whole time I was getting ready. Not because I was nervous, no, I was ready with all my heart. It was because I had stayed up almost every night since I had that cave dream, thinking about what it meant. I just couldn't find out wat it meant, and it was driving me crazy. "Here," Spike said, holding out a bottle, "you look tense, take a swig. Not too much, you don't want to be wasted on the alter." "Alter? Oh, crap! Is it the wedding day?" I asked frantically. I took the bottle in my mouth and took a quick swig, "Thanks, Spike. your a good friend." The next few hours seemed like a lifetime, as I impatiently awaited the final minuets. After a while, though, that moment came. I took my place at the altar and waited for Twilight to come down the isle. Then, the bells started to chime. Here Comes the Bride began to play. The doors opened to reveal Twilight, looking as stunning as ever, in a wedding gown (Undoubtedly designed by Rarity) that sparkled in the light, like a million stars. Her eyes had a certain shine to them that made them look like they could illuminate an entire cave, just like that filly, Sparx. The ceremony past quickly, because I knew that I had made the right choice to ask her to marry me. Because I loved her, and she loved me. And that is how it is supposed to be. Chapter 7After the reception and everything calmed down, Twilight went right to bed. We didn't do anything like that because twilight was pregnant and it was begining to show. The next day Twilight had to go to the doctors, to see what gender the filly's would be. She wanted it to be surprize, even though I already knew what they were going to be, so I couldn't go. Instead I decided to go to lunch with Spike, Morning and "Little Thunder", as I call him. Thunder was the life of the party, as he was one of the first of his generation. Apple Bloom was Just adoring him. Ironicly, the only one out of the "CMC" that wasn't there was Sweetie Bell, Supposedly she was pregnant, but nopony knew who the father was (except Sweetie Bell). It was Ironic because she was a huge party animal, almost as bad as Pinkie Pie just not as crazy. I couldn't help but notice that she wasn't there either. Anyways, at the reception, Thunder said his first word: boom. "Boom!" Thunder cried out, making Spike jump. I swore I heard the sound of distant thunder while he said that. But, I could have just imagined it. "sometimes," Morning said, "I swear I hear thunder whenever he says that." Just then there was a huge flash of lightning and a roar of thunder. Little Thunder started to laugh uncontrollably. I could feel electricity in the air, a lot of it. My mane and tail hair began to stand on end, so did Morning's. Then there was a huge bang, and a lightning bolt hit Thunder. But, for some reason, we were unafected, minus going temporarily blind. when my vision cleared up, I saw Thunder floating in the air not even flapping his wings. On his flank, was a grey cloud with lightning bolts crossing to make an "X". Morning was staring, his mouth so wide you could fit Spike's entire body inside, And I don't blame him. Not only was his one month old filly flying, but he got struck by lightning, and had his cutie-mark. At one month old! Then, Thunder did the unthinkable. He opened his wings and flapped. With a flash of lightning, he disappeared. Within one mili-second we heard a loud THUMP! We followed the sound to see Thunder on the ground, out like the log lying next to him. When I got home I told Twilight what hapened that day. Thunder was okay, just a few bruises, nothing too bad. While I told Twilight the story just how it happened, she just stared at me wide-eyed, taking in every bit of information. When I finished, we were silent for a while thinking of what to talk about. "Oh," she said, "geuss what we're having. We are having triplets! One mare and two colts!" I knew it all along, my dreams weren't dreams after all. They were events that are yet to happen. But I had to let Twilight on that I was suprised and happy, which I was, "really? Thats great!" Somehow, Twilight saw my worry and asked, "whats wrong, honey? You look worried." So I explained my dreams to her in full details. From the dream about her in the kitchen, to the cave dream. She took in every detail, every word, every expression I used. When I finished, she just sat there thinking. Finally, she said, "Mabye they're just bad dreams. Oh well, let's get some sleep, hon." So we got into bed, Twilight fell asleep right away, but I couldn't even close my eyes longer than a blink. I could only think about today's events and the events that will happen tomorrow, and the next day and the next. I looked over at my new wife, smiled and forced myself to sleep. That night I had the Cave dream again, only in more detail than before. It was in so much detail, I almost thought it was real. I could smell the mustiness of the cave itself, I could smell the sweat dripping off my face of obvious nervousness, I could hear voices clearly, I could taste the rust-ish taste in my mouth of dehydration. I could feel the cave winds billowing through the cave, as if it were breathing. When I woke up, Spike was shaking me. Twilight was at the hospital, it had been about a month since I had that dream last. I looked around as my vision cleared up. I looked at Spike and said sleepily, "huh? W-What's going on? What is it Spike?" "The fillys are coming dumb-ass," said the annoyed voice of Shining Armor, "now hurry up and get going." Before he even finished his sentance I was out of bed and out the bedroom door. I ran past the rooms we had built for when they were old enough to be out of our room. Sparx and Pyro would share a room, and Dawn would have her own room (due to Equestrian laws). I grabbed an apple and ran out the door. There was a sudden flash of light and Shining Armor was right in front of me, rolling his eyes. I skidded to a stop so I didn't run into him. "Don't you think it would be quicker if we teleported there?" he asked. Then, suddenly, we were at the hospital. I walked as fast as I could to get to Twilight's room. I wasn't one for blood (it makes me vomit) so I was actually sort of happy that I missed the birth of the fillys. When I got there Twilight was holding three fillys, each wrapped in a blanket. We decided what their names were. They are: Dawn Shine, Heat Wave (he later became known as Pyro) and Golden Sparx. We were now an official family (in my book), I had a wife and children. That's all I ever needed. How did I not see bad things not happening in the future? Chapter 8About a (human) year passed without much happening. Well, minus the fact that the "cave dream" has been getting even more into focus and clear. The fillys took their first steps and said their first words. Dawn's first word was magic, Pyro's was fire, and Sparx's was "deoxyribo" followed by "nucleic" and "acid" (DNA). By now, the fillys were talking in full sentences. They are going to start school soon, joining Thunder, and all the other fillys their age. One night, while I was putting the fillys to bed, I was about to turn out the light when Sparx said, frightened, "no! please don't turn off the light." "Why not? You know you can create your own. You do realize that, don't you Sparx?" came the voice of Dawn from the next room. "Well," Sparx said, "I've been having these dreams. I keep hearing the words: 'the darkness is coming' and that its coming for me." I saw he was abot to cry, so I did what I did in the dream and stroked his mane and said "shhh" soothingly. He calmed down almost right away, "they're just bad dreams, Sparx. It'll be okay," there was snoring from the other side of the room. Pyro was already fast asleep, "okay, I guess I'll leave the light on for tonight." "Thanks Daddy." "Your welcome, Sparx. Goodnight, I love you." "I love you too," he said as he yawned and closed his eyes. I poked my head into Dawn's room to say goodnight, but she got to me before I could say anything. "He isn't lying Daddy," she said, "It's coming to get him." It wasn't what she said that scared me, it was how she said it. It wasn't her voice that said it. And what happened next scared me further: her head jerked upwards and her eyes went completly red. her usual pure whight eyes (minus the pupil) were now red as blood. When she opened her mouth to speak, an extreamly deep voice came out. "We are coming for Golden Sparx. We shall take him, eliminate him," a deep, evil voice said that resonated from her throat, "do not attempt to protect him. For we already have him." Suddenly there was a loud thump from Sparx and Pyro's room. As I ran into the room, I could hear the voice laughing maniacally. I heard screaming from inside the room. Both from Sparx and Pyro, who were obviously scared shitless. "DAD!" Sparx screamed, "DAD, HELP ME!" Morning, who had been waiting in the living room (tonight was goinig to be the equivalant of the human bowling night), came running in. I grabbed Sparx's outstreached hoof and morning grabbed around my waist and started flapping his powerful wings, it wasn't enough though. Pyro floated by our heads, covered in Twilight's purple magic aura (or whatever you want to call it). My eyes (and head) followed him to behind us. Morning was looking that way too. Twilight, Scootaloo, Pyro, Dawn and Thunder were all out there crying our names. "I'm sorry, Scoots," Morning said. I looked at Twilight and said the same, "I love you. I promise we wi--" I never got to finish my sentance. There was a strong tug on Sparx's hooves (submerged in the darkness trying to pull him down) and a loud pop in his leg. If Morning was to flap any harder, his leg would tear completely off. I took one last look at my family as I got pulled into the darkness with Sparx and Morning. I couldn't see anything. It was darker than darker than dark. I guess I was falling, because I hit my head on somthing and I guess I passed out. When I regained conciousness, I couldn't see anything. Well unless you count complete and utter nothingness and pitch-blackness as somthing, then I did see something. I sat there for a while, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. After a while, I eventually saw a faint golden light a few feet away. I stumbled over to it stubbing my hoof on a few rocks that were actually pretty sharp, like knives in a way. When I got to the light, I saw that it was Sparx and Morning (who sometimes gave off a faint light of his own (he seems to generate electricity when his heart rate increases)). Things didn't look too good. Then again, we could barely see anything. Morning noticed me walking up behind them, but didn't make any motions to turn around. He just stayed focused on Sparx, just like he did the day Thunder broke one of his wings falling out of his bedroom window. "It's dislocated. Just be thankful I didn't flap any harder than I did, otherwise his leg would have come clean off," Morning said grimly, "but I, on the other hand am fine. You?" "Let's see," I began, "We are in some unknown dark cave thing. Not like the 'cave dream' but in a different way, Sparx's leg is dilocated. And we're talkning about the Sparx who can barely withstand a paper cut. I've definately been better." "You know he is awake, right?" I just stood there, stareing blankly at Sparx. Whom I thought was passed out. He had no tears in his eyes, so I geuss he was in too much pain to really understand what I said. That or he understood that I was under a lot of stress. I was about to apoligize when he said, "It's all right Daddy, I know I'm weak. But I can get stronger. And I will get stronger than the one who took us here." "Okay, Sparx. This will hurt, but we can't stay here," I said and held his dislocated arm as Morning leld his shoulder. Sparx nodded and I moved his leg back into the socket with a small pop! He got right up and jumped around happily. Wow, he recovered quicker than I thought he would. That makes things much easier, I thought. "Hello, Dusk Cloud," said the same deep, evil voice that had come from Dawn's mouth, "Never thought I'd see you again." Chapter 9"Hello, Dusk Cloud," said the same deep, evil voice that had come from Dawn's mouth, "Never thought I'd see you again." We were suddenly attacked from all angles by what seemed to be nothingness. Before I knew it, I was all alone. Alone in pitch-blackness, no light coming from anywhere. Then light flooded into the room, revealing a lone pony I assumed was dead. Shadow Blade, the one who almost killed Fluttershy. But, this time, his coat wasn't full of blood. Instead, his coat was a shiny black, like the shadows billowing unnaturally around him. His mane was also black with a dark navy blue stripe going down from it, going in front of his face forming she shape of a sickle. "Y-You!" I managed, "H-How are you still alive! Where's my brother? WHERE'S MY SON YOU BUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!" "Yes, it is true I died," he said smugly, "and soon, you will be joining your brother AND your son. When I'm through with my revenge on you." "I am going to kill you. and make sure you stay that way." "On the contrary. It will be I who will kill you." "BUCK OFF!" I shouted as I charged him. Right as I should have made contact with him he vanished into a small puff of dark clouds, "YOU BUCKING COWARD! GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A REAL STALLION!" A maniacal laughter filled and shook the room, "You think I would rather waste my time with you when I have plans to take over Equestria? As if. You will just have to try and survive for as long as you can. It would be futile though. There is over a million of us in this complex. The odds aren't exactly stacked in your favor." I ran out of the room to try and find Morning and Sparx. It turns out that he wasn't lying about there being millions of whatever they were. I used there element against them and hid in the shadows, slipping by without a sound. After about an hour of sneaking around I came through a long corridor. When I emerged, I heard arguing. I peered around the corner to see two ponies arguing. "What should we do with this runt?" said the first, motioning to Sparx, who was crying. "Well, we can't turn him. His heart is too pure," said the other, who sounded female. The female looked around and saw me. I waited, expecting the worst. To my surprise, she didn't even raise an alarm. Instead, she punched the pony in front of her. She bent down and whispered something into Sparx's ear, then jerked her head in my direction. I stepped out f the shadows. "Dad!" Sparx gasped. He ran up to me with tears in his eyes and we hugged. I looked up at The mare, who was crying. Then, suddenly, she became enveloped in a bright light. When he light died, the mare was no longer a shadow. Instead her coat was a bright yellow. Her mane and tail were orange, and her eyes were green. "I never thought I would have to do this, Flare," the downed pony said, "I NEED ASSISTANCE ASAP! WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES!" "Hurry come with me," said Flare as she bucked the living alarm system, "I know where your brother is." We ran as fast as we could into another room a few corners down. I walked in to see Morning hanging from chains attached on opposite walls. I walked over to one wall and unhooked the chains. Flare did the same on the other wall. I quickly ran underneath Morning and caught him. We made our way to the door when I had a face full of shadow hoof. I collapsed from the sheer force of the punch, or buck. I looked up to see Flare beating the crap out of Shadow Blade. I watched Sparx sneak around him, only to buck him in the privates. Of course, like any other colt or stallion would, he collapsed holding his privates. Flare helped me up, then helped me get Morning on my back. We must have come to a wall, or a really big door, because Flare stopped dead in her tracks and started to push. Sparx, also began to push and I helped too (I set Morning down right beside me). Soon the door thing opened just enough so that we could fit through. Sparx went in first, then Flare. I passed morning through the door. Then I slipped my way out. Right as I got out I was blinded by the light. Finally out at last! sure is bright, I looked around, seeing that we were in a large rocky crag. What the hell? Where are we? "I don't think we're in Equestria anymore Dusk," Morning said weakly, partly answering my question for me. He got off my back and stumbled a little, "I-I'm fine. Just let me get my land legs back. And now my wings," he took off and scouted up above, "We can rest there!" he shouted, pointing to a cave. When we got close to the cave, which was farther than Morning anticipated, it was getting dark. Flare looked worried, "We need to hurry and get to that cave. When night comes, we... I mean they... come out of that complex to hunt. Even the Shadow Ponies need food, even if we are already dead." I looked at her questionably, but decided not to ask until we got to the cave. When we got into the cave, we moved a large boulder in front of the entrance, "they can't travel where they can't see," Flare had said. pretty soon the only light in the cave was coming from Sparx. Morning, Flare and I were gathered around Sparx and the light he was giving off. We were talking, more like planning, about how we were going to get back to Ponyville, "More importantly," Flare added, "How are we going to get back to Equestria?" "Where are we, anyway?" Sparx asked. "Not in Equesria, that's for sure. I may have been a Shadow Pony, but we were never told much." "What is a Shadow Pony, Flare?" I asked, finally getting that off my chest. "Well," Flare said sheepishly, "a Shadow Pony is a pony who has done something terrible in their life, then died without making up for it. And community service doesn't cut it. That moron I punched was a hardcore murderer. Killed 20 fillies in one day." "What about you?" I asked. "Well.... I," she mumbled the rest. "What?" "I," she mumbled the rest again. "You what? You What?" Morning asked, growing impatient. "I was possessed and killed an alicorn." Sparx's eyes went wide, and Morning went silent. I just stared at her, "What was her name?" After a while of silence we decided to get to sleep. Today had been a long day. While I was sleeping, my mind was completely blank. no dreams what-so-ever. So I was easily awakened when I heard the rock being moved. I quietly awakened Sparx, Morning and Flare. Morning grabbed Sparx and flew out of the cave on my command. Flare and I ran outside at top speed. When we got out of the cave, we were greeted by a whole army of Shadow Ponies. We pushed through the huge group of Shadow Ponies. We were almost out of the mob of Shadow Ponies, when I felt somepony buck me. As I flew through the rest of the Shadow Ponies, I managed to turn myself around. I saw Flare fighting off as many Shadow Ponies as she could. She looked at me with tears in her eyes as she was consumed in the hoard of Shadow Ponies. When I landed on my backside, Morning was waiting for me. He told me that Sparx was in a cave that was a long distance away. I was lucky he was extremely strong. Strong enough to carry me on his back long distances. He flew me all the way to the cave where we would be taking refuge for as long as we could. We got into the cave and went as far back as we could, to a small room big enough to fit the three of us. It seemed oddly familiar. "Dad," said the filly, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to the filly I now knew as Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at what looked like Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. That's where I've seen this before! I thought to myself I never would have thought that it would come true I looked over at Morning, who looked just like he did in the dream. And the same with Sparx. "Dad," said Sparx, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro and Dawn. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. After a while, I fell asleep. I had a dream this time. I was back in my bedroom, with Twilight. She was looking into her mirror, crying. A picture of me floating in front of her. She must have seen something in the mirror, because she turned in my direction. "D-Dusk?" she said, "I-is that really you?" She ran towards me, tears streaming from her eyes. When she got to me, she tried to hug me but fell right through me, "H-Huh?" "It is all right," I said trying to calm her down, "It is me, but I am not here physically." "I knew you were still alive!" she said, "Everypony else said that you weren't. I... I never gave up. I never gave up on you or Morning. Not for all the time you were gone." "How long have we been gone for?" "A year-and-a-half." "T-That's impossible!. We have only been here on day and two nights. there is no way that time passed hat quickly!" "You must be in that area just off Equestria!" Twilight gasped, "Oh... what was the name...?" she started rummaging through the shelves of books, "Aha! Here it is," she began flipping through the pages furiously, "Ah! You are in the land of... Oh? It doesn't seem to have a name. It is just referred to as The Crag... I wonder what that could mean?" My vision started to go blurry. I was waking up! No! Not now! Why now?, "Twilight! send somepony! We will hold out as long as we can! I Pinkie--" the dream cut out right there. I was awoken by Sparx shaking me furiously, excitedly saying, "They're here! Dad! Wake up! They're here! We've been rescued!" I sat straight up and looked around, not seeing Morning, I assumed he was outside. I took Sparx outside with me and we were greeted with applause and even some bowing. Waiting for us at the end of a line of guards, was a very royal looking carriage. Outside of that carriage was Morning hugging the only mom he had ever known, Rainbow Dash. I looked around for Twilight, but I couldn't find her. She was probably back at the house with Pyro and Dawn (because of Pyro's ADHD most likely). When we got back from The Crag we were greeted like royalty, even by the Royal Sisters (who bowed to us, instead of vise-versa)! We got medals for our bravery, vigilance, and downright courage. I swear I even heard Rainbow Dash whisper to Fluttershy, "and I thought I was loyal." I began searching the crowd for Twilight, but instead found Shining Armor (who didn't look happy). He was with Pyro and Dawn who hugged me with tears in their eyes and continued through the crowd to find Sparx. I went up to Shining Armor. He didn't give me a chance to explain before interrupting me with a hoof. "You, sir, are one brave son of a mule. I could somepony like you and your brother on the force. So, Dusk, how about it?" "Nah... I made a Pinkie Promise not to leave my wife, remember?"I said with a wink, "but Morning might be interested." "Thanks, didn't really want you on the force anyway. Now go get back to my sister before I change my mind not to beat the crap out of you." I went on my way, beginning to gallop, when Shining Armor called my name. I turned around to see him saluting me, which I returned. Link to my sequal... Just in caseOkay, I just want to make sure that everyone who has read and favourited my story has read both of them.So... Here you go. Chapter 3After about a week I became well acquainted with Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. I'm a little afraid of Fluttershy. She seems a little too interested in me. I haven't seen Pinkie Pie ever since that day that first day. I decided to visit her that Friday to see if she was okay. I've been helping Twilight out at the library. She really appreciates it, so does Spike. When I got to Pinkie's house I knocked on the door and no pony answered, so I left. I happened to look into her window and saw a picture of me. A picture of me with a whole bunch of darts stuck in it. Suddenly another one sprouted right in between the eyes of the picture. I ran away, fast. Twilight and I often go out to lunch. We also get asked if we were a couple. Twilight would just say, "No, we are just friends." And almost every time I would see her blush. Every night, my bed seemed to get closer to Twilight's bed. I didn't mind. By now I was getting letters from Celestia asking how I was doing, letters from AJ asking if I could help out around the farm, love notes and letters from Fluttershy, requests from Cheerily to come into the classroom and explain life on Earth (even though I have told her many times that I don't remember), invites to Canterlot, and a whole lot more. I even got a threat note from Shining Armor saying to stay away from his little sister. I usually ignored the letters. I wrote back to Celestia, helped AJ, and stayed clear of Fluttershy, though. One day Twilight left early, before I even got up. Spike told me that she told him to tell me to meet her at the restaurant we usually get lunch at. So I left for the restaurant. When I got there, there were three Ponies there. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and one other that has never been in any of the episodes, so I didn't know who he was. "Hey Twilight, and Rainbow Dash," I said, "Who’s this?" "This Pegasus," replied Rainbow Dash "is Thunder Dash. He is my son. Well, more like adopted son, his real name is Morning Cloud." Imeadiatly following her statement, a feeling of pain enveloped me, and an image flashed in my head, like a movie. There was a destroyed, mangled car with blood dripping out. I looked at a woman, she was crying. "Morning!" she screamed, "Morning, my precious Morning! No!" I pulled her back as a hand slowly stuck out. It was bloody, some bone was showing. I could barely see a bloody face in the wreckage. It showed extreme pain, but no cry came out. The arm went limp. I shielded the woman right as the car exploded. A piece of metal stabbed into my back. I couldn't move my legs. I realized, now that that woman was my mother, and that Morning was my brother. When I came back from my memories, I looked at Morning and said, "Your dead." "What do you mean, I'm dead I'm right here!" Morning said astonished. I walked to him and hugged him and started to cry. He seemed to suddenly remember also, and hugged me back. He started to cry too. We broke the embrace and I said, "Brother. Morning. I missed you" "I missed you too, big brother." There was a couple of sobs from Twilight and Rainbow Dash, tears were streaming down Twilight's face. Rainbow Dash suddenly spoke up "He Just fell out of the sky, bloody and broken, three years ago. He was just a filly, so I took him in. Raised him like he was my own son. He started calling me Mom two years ago. I hope that it's okay." "It's more than okay, Rainbow Dash," I said, "You took care of my little brother while I couldn't. He is your son, but he is and will be my brother." When everything calmed down we somehow got into the topic of mine and Twilight's relationship. "Your both the same age, your both geniuses, you share the same fricking room! Are you going steady at all?" asked Rainbow Dash. I started to blush, and instead of the usual answer from Twilight, she said, "Yes, yes we are." and she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Well," said Morning, "I've got to go meet my marefriend, Scootaloo. Bye, nice seeing you again brother" and with that he took off and flew away. The whole time I was replaying the moment Twilight kissed my cheek, completely missing another conversation. When I zoned back in I was alone with Twilight. "So, are we really doing this?" I asked. "Yep," replied Twilight. "You want to go to a movie?" I asked awquardly "Sure. Let's go." So we went to a movie called "How to Lose a Stallion in 10 Days" it was a really good movie, and halfway through the movie Twilight kissed me, on the lips. After the movie we went on a walk through town and back to Twilight's house, although she insists that it is our house now. We walked into the room, and my bed was missing. "I figured that since we are going steady, we wouldn't need another bed. And, no, we aren't doing anything sexual. Yet," she said mischievously. So we kissed one more time before falling asleep. in the middle of the night I woke up to get something to drink. When I got back into the room, I heard sobbing from out the window. I looked out and saw there was nopony there. I was pretty sure it was Fluttershy. I had broken her heart. Epilogue: Fighting the ShadowsMy name is Dusk Cloud. At one point in time, I was a human. Now, I'm a pony. When I first appeared in Equestria, the first pony I met was Twilight Sparkle. Now, we are happily married, and have three wonderful fillies. Dawn Shine, Pyro (Heat Wave), and Golden Sparx. They are all triplets, and can be a bit of a hoof full at times, but I couldn't ask for a better family. And yet, there's more; my brother, Morning Dash (he changed his name to that because he wanted to be called by his real name but he wanted to show Rainbow Dash he was thankful for taking him in as her own) is part of the Royal Guard and is second-in-command to Shining Armor, he is also married to Scootaloo and has two wonderful filly's himself. Thunder Cloud who, when hit by lightning can go about ten times the speed Rainbow Dash can while doing a Sonic Rainboom, is the apprentice of a Wonder Bolt. Twinkle Hooves, she is smart, and small. She is often mistaken by Spike as a giant marshmallow, funnily enough. About five years ago, when my adventure started, a group of evil ponies called the "Shadow Ponies" tried to take Sparx. For some reason, he was one pony of many (including Morning, the main six, Celestia, some other currently unknown ponies, and myself) who interfered with their plans to take over Equestria. In attempt to save him, Morning and I were dragged into the shadows along with Sparx. A pony named Shining Flare, who had been a Shadow Pony for 2000 years but was never officially evil, helped us get away. She didn't make it, she sacrificed herself to save my life. While we were gone, it felt like two days and one night, a year-and-a-half had passed. We were rescued, of course, because if we weren't I wouldn't be telling you this. When we got back, Morning and I were offered spots on the Royal Guard. I declined, but Morning accepted. He and his family (at the time of the happenings of what I am about to tell you) are moving in about three weeks. Usually, when Morning gets back from his duties, he goes home to Scootaloo, eats dinner and then comes over to visit Twilight and myself. He must have skipped going home because he was at my house earlier than usual. When I answered the door he said but one word, "Flare."
Chapter 1All I remember was falling. Everything was red, and then it was black. It was cold, so cold, as if the sun was gone. It was dark, darker than space. Suddenly a flash of light blinded me. I heard the most beautiful sound I've ever heard, as if it were a beautiful princess singing, but talking at the same time. "Dusk Cloud," said the voice, "you are destined for greatness. You shall plunge our world from great darkness." "Who are you? How do you know who I am? Where am I? Why does my face hurt?" I asked. "All will be revealed in time." Then I started to fall. I felt myself falling through clouds; gasps were all around me as I fell. I only heard them for a split second. I suddenly slowed down and touched solid ground. The last thing I heard was a female voice saying, "oh my god! Are you okay? Oh crap, he's fading! We got to get him somewhere safe! Hurry!" When I woke up my legs wouldn't work. I was in a large room, filled with books. I tried to stand, but found I couldn't. I looked down to see my body was covered with a blanket. I slowly started to remember things. That my name is Dusk Cloud, I am 18 years of age (in human years), and I have an IQ of over 200. After about ten minutes of remembering, my legs began to work. I tried to stand on my two legs, but for some reason I couldn't. I looked down and saw I had no hands or feet, but instead were hooves. I followed those hooves and saw a light blue body, and an indigo colored tail. I closed my eyes and hoped it was a bad dream, and looked at my behind again. I had a tail. "What the hell? I'm a pony?" I said quietly as I brought my hooves to my head to check for a horn, and my body for wings, "dammit, just an earth pony... oh well it was fun while it lasted," I punched myself in the gut. I didn't wake up, "maybe not hard enough?" I punched myself again, with no outcome but some baby barf. I was a pony. And what happened next proved it further. "Oh, you’re awake! I knew you had it in you!" said the same female voice I so vaguely remembered. "Okay, now I know this is a dream. There is no way the real Twilight Sparkle is right in front of me, talking to me. And no way I that I am a pony." "Are you okay? Because you look like a normal pony to me," said Twilight. "Yes, I am okay. I am in a dream, and that means that I can do this," I said as I tried to stick my hand through her. I couldn't, "uuuhhhhhhhhhh," I tried again, and everything went black. When I woke up, Twilight was staring down at me, "Are you sure you’re okay?" she asked as I struggled to my hooves, "I am the one who found you. Well actually you sort of found me. You were falling when I saw you. I slowed you down and ran over to help you. You were bleeding pretty badly. I carried you to my house, which is where we are now." "I can tell," I said, "never thought I'd be in here, in person." "So where are you from? I don't think I know you, but yet you know who I am," she asked. "I am from Earth, the land of the humans. There is actually a show about this place, about Equestria. You’re in it, so are the others? Everyone here is in it. Well almost everyone," I explained. I suddenly realized that I had just broken the fourth wall, and shielded myself. When I realized nothing was happening, I stopped shielding myself. "Do you have someplace to stay?" asked Twilight, "oh, yeah, right. You can stay here with me. I don't have any open rooms, so you are going to have to stay here. There’s an extra bed in that closet, let me get it for you." "No, I got it," I said without thinking. I opened the closet, saw the bed and concentrated on it. It lifted out of the air and floated into the room and to a wall. When I got back into the room, Twilight's jaw hit the ground.
Chapter 2"SPIKE!" Twilight screamed. "Yeah? What is it Twilight?" said Spike as he rushed in, "who is that?" "I'll explain later," Twilight said, "but right now I want you to write a letter to Princess Celestia." "Got it. Okay, ready." "Dear Princess Celestia, I am writing to you to tell you about a dire situation. I can't really put it into words; I am going to need to show you. May I please visit the castle to show you? Yours sincerely, Twilight Sparkle." Spike sent it on its way after he had re-read it to make sure he got it right. "Oh, I forgot to ask," Twilight said, "what's your name?" "Dusk, Dusk Cloud." "Lets go to lunch, Dusk," Twilight said, "just you and me." We got a couple of hayburgers and talked about what I did and didn't remember about my past. I remembered that I had one brother and one sister. But that's all I remembered. Our conversation was interrupted by a bouncing pink pony, Pinkie Pie. Pinkie gasped when she saw Twilight with me and bounced over. "Twilight? Is that you? Who is that? You’re new Coltfriend?" Pinkie asked in that high pitched voice we all know. "No, Pinkie, he isn't he is just a friend," Twilight replied. I interrupted their conversation when I said, "look out!" I jumped up into the air and punched a falling flowerpot from the sky. When I landed, Pinkie's tail Twitched. Everyone was staring at me with amazement. Pinkie's eye twitched and Twilight looked at me with admiration in her eyes. "Whydidn'tmyPinkiesensework? Itmustbebroken," Pinkie said frantically. "You saved me," Said Twilight while Pinkie was still babbling, "but how?" "I don't know," a sudden jolt of pain made me fall down. Just then, Spike came running. "What is it Spike?" Twilight asked. "The........Princess........Is here," he managed between breaths. We all ran to Twilight's house, to find Princess Celestia waiting. I stopped and took in her magnificent beauty. Her mane, flowing with absolutely no wind. Her horn crackling with the immense power it held. Her wings, white as snow, folded against her body. "So, what is so urgent that you forgot that you could write, Twilight," she said jokingly, paying me no attention. "Him," Twilight said, pointing at me, "he has done two extraordinary things today that no ordinary pony can do." "Really," she said, now interested in me, "what were they?" "He moved that bed, by himself. No magic, no help. Just him." "Show me then, if you will," she requested. "Yes, your high--" I was interrupted by Celestia, "skip the formalities and show me already." I concentrated on a desk and lifted it with my mind, like I had with the bed. I set it down and looked at the princess. Her jaw was hanging open. Twilight moved my mane to show the princess I had no horn under it. "What was the other thing?" she asked. "He beat Pinkie's Pinkie sense," Twilight said. Pinkie Pie started laughing uncontrollably and fell to the ground.
Chapter 4The next morning I did what I usually did. I helped out at the library, ran errands, and wandered through the seemingly endless rows of books. When it was time for lunch, Twilight and I met up with Morning and Scootaloo. We talked about how things were going in each other’s relationships. Nothing too important. Suddenly there was a loud WOOSH!! Everyone looked up and saw Rainbow dash soaring over head in some sort of a rush. I looked at Morning and he had a confused face. A sudden flash of pain went across my body. Once again, I was seeing an image, but I didn't recognize this one. There was a house, Fluttershy's house, surrounded by the Police. The ground was bloody. Rainbow Dash was crying; every pony was in shock. When I came too, I could tell Morning had the same image in his mind. Sudden realization flashed across his mind. "Fluttershy," he said. And with that he took off and Scootaloo followed. Twilight and I galloped all the way to her house. When we got there, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were crying; Morning was staring at the ground in a daze. I saw for the first time why, Fluttershy is dead. And it was my fault. As I was wondering why Fluttershy had commited suicide I realized that she had odd marks on her neck, and a stab wound on her side. I pointed out my findings and Twilight saw more. "Look! There is a blood trail! She must have been attacked!" She pointed out. Just then, Fluttershy's body shuddered. there were gasps from everypony there. Then her eyes fluttered open. She screamed in pain. one of the officers nodded and another stuck her with a neeedle. "No need to be afraid, she will be just fine," explained the officer, "we just sedated her so that she doesn't strain herself." She was taken to the Canterlot hospital by air lift (four pegasi carrying a cot with very secure straps). Rainbow Dash never left her side. And I knew why, I remembered back to "The Royal Pony Wedding: Part 2". Flutter Shy was surrounded by false Rainbow Dashs and the real Rainbow Dash kicked all their asses. And right after they kissed, nothing much. Just a quick peck on the lips, but I had the feeling it escalated into a more serious thing. They were in love. They were in love, and Flutter Shy had been in love with me also. And I didn't have the heart to tell Rainbow Dash. "What do you think happened?" asked Twilight, looking at me with her beautiful purple eyes. "I have no fricking clue," I said without thinking. "Do you think this made it to the show that I'm not supposed to know about?" She asked, just breaking the fourth wall. Nothing happened, so I assumed we were safe. "No, the show is a children's show. No blood or gore allowed," I said soothingly. But I wasn't completely sure, "Let's go home." "Okay," Twilight said gloomily. The next day we went to visit the hospital. When we got to Flutter Shy's room, a cyan colored pegasus with a tail and mane as grey and gloomy as the clouds around the hospital, was passed out on her bed. It was Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were puffy and red, as if she had been crying all night. Then, I realized, she had. "Thanks for comeing guys," Rainbow Dash said when she had woken up, "t-this really m-means a lot to me than you c-c-came," she burst out crying right away. But no tears came out, so I went to get her some water. "We wanted to see how she was doing, how you were doing," Twilight said, trying to comfert her, "we wouldn't ever desert you, no matter if you are in love with a mare or not." We talked about what we would do when we found the attacker, whoever that may be. Flutter Shy regained consciousness long enough to say thank you to the three of us. Flutter Shy was alive and, luckily, it was my fault.
Chapter 5About two and a half months later, Flutter Shy was out of the hospital and back home with nothing but a sore throat and a scar where she had been stabbed. The police found the pony who attacked her, he went bye the name Shadow Blade. He was sentanced to death. But first, he had to be punched by everypony in Ponyville. I decided to go last. When it was finaly my turn, he didn't even look like a pony. He only looked like a bloody pulp of a mule, which is pretty much what he was. "Don't hurt my friends, Jackass," I said as I punched him so hard he flew into the police station, a few blocks down. This time AJ's mouth was hanging open. That night, Rainbow Dash, Flutter Shy, Twilight, and I celebrated the return of Flutter Shy, and the capture of her attemptive murderer. Somehow the subject got changed to Twilight's and my own relationship as it does everytime, I noticed. "Okay, here's what I don't understand," Rainbow Dash started, "you two are dateing, you share the same house, the same room, the same fricking bed! Why have you not done it yet?" Wanting to get out of the conversation I asked, "any of you want any drinks?" They all said champagne, so I hurried out and went to the kitchen to get some. When I got back, Rainbow Dash and Flutter Shy where Making out. Twilight was watching, wide-eyed, taking every detail. I sat down and joined her. They didn't seem to notice, they just kept on making out. Finnaly, I got the courage to usher them out the door. I knew that they wouldn't make it very far before they started again. I turned to Twilight and we locked eyes and started to make out. We stopped only to get into bed, but then continued immediately. The next morning, Morning came to visit. So we went to breakfast with him. He explained how moody Scootaloo was, and how she had odd cravings and such. Twilight put her hoof to her face when he said he had no clue what was going on. I started to understand why she was annoyed. "She is pregnant, Morning," she said slowly, as if he were a moron, "your going to be an dad." His eyes went wide and we didn't say anything for the rest of the meal. On the way back he was just too shocked to say anything, or even think anything. Because he kept bumping into buildings and trees alike, not even noticing. When I had got him back to Scootaloo's he just walked in and closed the door. I got back to Twilight's house, even though she says it is our house now, and went in and helped around the library. About a month later, I went to lunch with Morning and Spike, instead of with Twilight. We discussed the weather and how Scootaloo and Morning's Foal is due about two months from now. Then I brought up the subject of my relationship with Twilight. "So, what would you guys think if I proposed to Twilight?" I asked. "Go for it, you two are perfect for eachother," said Morning, "I was accualy planning on asking Scoots to marry me, tonight." "Yeah," said Spike, "when are you going to do it? Propose, I mean." "Tonight, at the stroke of twilight," I explained, "I didn't have enough money to buy a diamond, so I got a purple amathyst instead. It reminded me of her." Later that evening, after dinner, I brought Twilight to the Park. The place where our love began. "Dusk, I have something I need to teel you," Twilight started. "I have someting to ask you first," I said. "Okay, what is it?" I got down on three out of four knees and held up the box containing the ring. "Twilight Sparkle, ever since I met you, ever since you took me in, I have been madly in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with the perfect mare, the perfect pony. Twilight, that pony is you. Will you marry me?" Almost instantly she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me, "does that answer your question?" "Good enough for me," and we continued to kiss. When we had finished I asked, "What was it you wanted to tell me?" "Dusk," Twilight said shyly, "I'm pregnant. And your the father." Once again, everything went dark. When I woke up, I thought I was in a dream. I was going to be a father, and I was marrying the mare of my dreams, Twilight Sparkle. We went to a movie, but we didn't watch it. We were too busy making out. When we got home we barely slept. Doing things only engaged ponys can do, wedding planning and baby naming. "What about Dawn if it's a mare?" I suggested. "Why Dawn?" asked Twilight. "Well, your name is Twilight and mine is Dusk, Right?" She nodded, "Well, they are also both times of day, and so is Dawn." "Okay, but if it is a colt, his name is going to be Shining, after my big brother. Shining Cloud, I like that," Twilight said. I had just remembered Shining Aromor's threat note. Not only had I asked Twilight to marry me, I got her pregnant. I thought. "What's that Dear?" Twilight asked. I had said that out loud. "Have you told Shining Aromor yet? That you are pregnant?" I asked nervously. "Of course I did, wht kind of little sister would I be if I didn't?" She replied, "He will be here tomorow. Now, let's get some sleep." So, we fell asleep. My future wife, foal, and doom wrapped into one. I could barely sleep, afraid that Shining Armor would burst in through the window or something like that and kill me. Eventually, I had to fall asleep. I woke up the next day to a loud knock on the door. I hoped, fearfully that it wasn't Shining Armor. Another knock came, this time quicker and with more urgency. I then realized that it wasn't Shining Armor. I ran to the door to see Rainbow Dash with a panicked look on her face. She was talking very fast so I couldn't understand much of what she said, but what I did understand were the words: Morning, Scootaloo, Emergancy Room, and filly. That was all that I really needed to hear.
Chapter 6Twilight walked in with a sleepy look on her face and a yawn. But when I told her, she woke up right away and said, "hold your breath," which I did and in an instant we were in the ER. I sprinted to the suprised secratary and asked for the room that Morning and Scootaloo were in and quickly dashed up. When I got into the room, Scootaloo was holding her newborn filly. It was wrapped up in a blanket, but I could see a dark grey colored snout, like a storm cloud. I walked up to Morning and stood next to him. "It's a colt, his name is Thunder Cloud," he said, "see why?" He moved the blanket back to reveal the filly's face, a dark storm-cloud grey, and a bright yellow mane that looked like a lightning blot. Rainbow Dash walked in along with Fluttershy. We talked for a while, when Twilight suddenly realized that she had to meet Shining Armor at the station. So I got some time with Morning and Scoots. I congradulated them, and wished them luck. "Thanks, Dusk," Scoots said, "oh, and congradulations to you too." "What do you mean?" Morning asked. "Twilight is pregnant, with triplets, your goning to be an uncle," I replied. "Wow, no kidding?" he chuckled, "that's amazing! Good luck, Dusk." So we spent that day in the hospital. Twilight evenually showed up with Shining Aromor (who was being nice for the time being bcause my brother just had a filly) and we talked about what might lay ahead in the future. I saw Spike eyeing Twilight's ring hungrily and walked up to him. "Here Spike," I said, "why don't you go get something to eat." "Wow, really? Thanks," he said as he scapered off to the Cafeteria. When we got home, I got a chance to explain to Shining Armor the situation. He seemed to understand, though he still seemed tense. He reached out his hoof, I took it, and we shook. A feeling of understanding must have swept through his mind, because he had suddenly said, "you know what Dusk, I came here to beat some sense into you. But now, for some reason, I don't want to. Your a good guy, Take care of my little sister, you got that?" "I Pinkie Promise," I said as I made the motions that make up a 'Pinkie Promise'. Shining Armor made the motions too. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie just appeared out of nowhere suspended in mid air, shook our hooves, and disapeared into thin air. "Geez, she is one crazy pony," Shining Armor said. "Aint that the truth," I responded, "Oh just to let you know, the fillys are coming in about three months" So Shining Armor made his way back to the station after we said our goodbyes. Twilight and I got into bed, and went to sleep. That night I drempt I was in a very dark cave. The only light was coming from a small filly. The filly looked like a pony-shaped peice of gold with a silver mane and tail. He was shivering, although it wasn't cold. "Dad," said the filly, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to the filly I now knew as Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be allright. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at what looked like Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out twords the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. "I drempt that, too," Morning explained, "except I could hear you and that little filly, Sparx was it? Talking about how we were going to make it home. It seemed like you were trying to calm him down." We were discussing this at the restaurant we usually went to for lunch. The wedding was only a week away. I had been having the same dream every night since the birth of Thunder, about a month ago. He had taken his first steps and flapped his grey wings for the very first time about two weeks ago. He is still yet to say any words, though. "So, you ready for the wedding?" Morning said, snapping me back into reality. "Yep, couldn't be readier," I responded, still thinking about what lied in the future. The next few weeks passed by quickly. So quickly infact that I didn't even realize that it was the wedding day when the big day came. I was in a daze the whole time I was getting ready. Not because I was nervous, no, I was ready with all my heart. It was because I had stayed up almost every night since I had that cave dream, thinking about what it meant. I just couldn't find out wat it meant, and it was driving me crazy. "Here," Spike said, holding out a bottle, "you look tense, take a swig. Not too much, you don't want to be wasted on the alter." "Alter? Oh, crap! Is it the wedding day?" I asked frantically. I took the bottle in my mouth and took a quick swig, "Thanks, Spike. your a good friend." The next few hours seemed like a lifetime, as I impatiently awaited the final minuets. After a while, though, that moment came. I took my place at the altar and waited for Twilight to come down the isle. Then, the bells started to chime. Here Comes the Bride began to play. The doors opened to reveal Twilight, looking as stunning as ever, in a wedding gown (Undoubtedly designed by Rarity) that sparkled in the light, like a million stars. Her eyes had a certain shine to them that made them look like they could illuminate an entire cave, just like that filly, Sparx. The ceremony past quickly, because I knew that I had made the right choice to ask her to marry me. Because I loved her, and she loved me. And that is how it is supposed to be.
Chapter 7After the reception and everything calmed down, Twilight went right to bed. We didn't do anything like that because twilight was pregnant and it was begining to show. The next day Twilight had to go to the doctors, to see what gender the filly's would be. She wanted it to be surprize, even though I already knew what they were going to be, so I couldn't go. Instead I decided to go to lunch with Spike, Morning and "Little Thunder", as I call him. Thunder was the life of the party, as he was one of the first of his generation. Apple Bloom was Just adoring him. Ironicly, the only one out of the "CMC" that wasn't there was Sweetie Bell, Supposedly she was pregnant, but nopony knew who the father was (except Sweetie Bell). It was Ironic because she was a huge party animal, almost as bad as Pinkie Pie just not as crazy. I couldn't help but notice that she wasn't there either. Anyways, at the reception, Thunder said his first word: boom. "Boom!" Thunder cried out, making Spike jump. I swore I heard the sound of distant thunder while he said that. But, I could have just imagined it. "sometimes," Morning said, "I swear I hear thunder whenever he says that." Just then there was a huge flash of lightning and a roar of thunder. Little Thunder started to laugh uncontrollably. I could feel electricity in the air, a lot of it. My mane and tail hair began to stand on end, so did Morning's. Then there was a huge bang, and a lightning bolt hit Thunder. But, for some reason, we were unafected, minus going temporarily blind. when my vision cleared up, I saw Thunder floating in the air not even flapping his wings. On his flank, was a grey cloud with lightning bolts crossing to make an "X". Morning was staring, his mouth so wide you could fit Spike's entire body inside, And I don't blame him. Not only was his one month old filly flying, but he got struck by lightning, and had his cutie-mark. At one month old! Then, Thunder did the unthinkable. He opened his wings and flapped. With a flash of lightning, he disappeared. Within one mili-second we heard a loud THUMP! We followed the sound to see Thunder on the ground, out like the log lying next to him. When I got home I told Twilight what hapened that day. Thunder was okay, just a few bruises, nothing too bad. While I told Twilight the story just how it happened, she just stared at me wide-eyed, taking in every bit of information. When I finished, we were silent for a while thinking of what to talk about. "Oh," she said, "geuss what we're having. We are having triplets! One mare and two colts!" I knew it all along, my dreams weren't dreams after all. They were events that are yet to happen. But I had to let Twilight on that I was suprised and happy, which I was, "really? Thats great!" Somehow, Twilight saw my worry and asked, "whats wrong, honey? You look worried." So I explained my dreams to her in full details. From the dream about her in the kitchen, to the cave dream. She took in every detail, every word, every expression I used. When I finished, she just sat there thinking. Finally, she said, "Mabye they're just bad dreams. Oh well, let's get some sleep, hon." So we got into bed, Twilight fell asleep right away, but I couldn't even close my eyes longer than a blink. I could only think about today's events and the events that will happen tomorrow, and the next day and the next. I looked over at my new wife, smiled and forced myself to sleep. That night I had the Cave dream again, only in more detail than before. It was in so much detail, I almost thought it was real. I could smell the mustiness of the cave itself, I could smell the sweat dripping off my face of obvious nervousness, I could hear voices clearly, I could taste the rust-ish taste in my mouth of dehydration. I could feel the cave winds billowing through the cave, as if it were breathing. When I woke up, Spike was shaking me. Twilight was at the hospital, it had been about a month since I had that dream last. I looked around as my vision cleared up. I looked at Spike and said sleepily, "huh? W-What's going on? What is it Spike?" "The fillys are coming dumb-ass," said the annoyed voice of Shining Armor, "now hurry up and get going." Before he even finished his sentance I was out of bed and out the bedroom door. I ran past the rooms we had built for when they were old enough to be out of our room. Sparx and Pyro would share a room, and Dawn would have her own room (due to Equestrian laws). I grabbed an apple and ran out the door. There was a sudden flash of light and Shining Armor was right in front of me, rolling his eyes. I skidded to a stop so I didn't run into him. "Don't you think it would be quicker if we teleported there?" he asked. Then, suddenly, we were at the hospital. I walked as fast as I could to get to Twilight's room. I wasn't one for blood (it makes me vomit) so I was actually sort of happy that I missed the birth of the fillys. When I got there Twilight was holding three fillys, each wrapped in a blanket. We decided what their names were. They are: Dawn Shine, Heat Wave (he later became known as Pyro) and Golden Sparx. We were now an official family (in my book), I had a wife and children. That's all I ever needed. How did I not see bad things not happening in the future?
Chapter 8About a (human) year passed without much happening. Well, minus the fact that the "cave dream" has been getting even more into focus and clear. The fillys took their first steps and said their first words. Dawn's first word was magic, Pyro's was fire, and Sparx's was "deoxyribo" followed by "nucleic" and "acid" (DNA). By now, the fillys were talking in full sentences. They are going to start school soon, joining Thunder, and all the other fillys their age. One night, while I was putting the fillys to bed, I was about to turn out the light when Sparx said, frightened, "no! please don't turn off the light." "Why not? You know you can create your own. You do realize that, don't you Sparx?" came the voice of Dawn from the next room. "Well," Sparx said, "I've been having these dreams. I keep hearing the words: 'the darkness is coming' and that its coming for me." I saw he was abot to cry, so I did what I did in the dream and stroked his mane and said "shhh" soothingly. He calmed down almost right away, "they're just bad dreams, Sparx. It'll be okay," there was snoring from the other side of the room. Pyro was already fast asleep, "okay, I guess I'll leave the light on for tonight." "Thanks Daddy." "Your welcome, Sparx. Goodnight, I love you." "I love you too," he said as he yawned and closed his eyes. I poked my head into Dawn's room to say goodnight, but she got to me before I could say anything. "He isn't lying Daddy," she said, "It's coming to get him." It wasn't what she said that scared me, it was how she said it. It wasn't her voice that said it. And what happened next scared me further: her head jerked upwards and her eyes went completly red. her usual pure whight eyes (minus the pupil) were now red as blood. When she opened her mouth to speak, an extreamly deep voice came out. "We are coming for Golden Sparx. We shall take him, eliminate him," a deep, evil voice said that resonated from her throat, "do not attempt to protect him. For we already have him." Suddenly there was a loud thump from Sparx and Pyro's room. As I ran into the room, I could hear the voice laughing maniacally. I heard screaming from inside the room. Both from Sparx and Pyro, who were obviously scared shitless. "DAD!" Sparx screamed, "DAD, HELP ME!" Morning, who had been waiting in the living room (tonight was goinig to be the equivalant of the human bowling night), came running in. I grabbed Sparx's outstreached hoof and morning grabbed around my waist and started flapping his powerful wings, it wasn't enough though. Pyro floated by our heads, covered in Twilight's purple magic aura (or whatever you want to call it). My eyes (and head) followed him to behind us. Morning was looking that way too. Twilight, Scootaloo, Pyro, Dawn and Thunder were all out there crying our names. "I'm sorry, Scoots," Morning said. I looked at Twilight and said the same, "I love you. I promise we wi--" I never got to finish my sentance. There was a strong tug on Sparx's hooves (submerged in the darkness trying to pull him down) and a loud pop in his leg. If Morning was to flap any harder, his leg would tear completely off. I took one last look at my family as I got pulled into the darkness with Sparx and Morning. I couldn't see anything. It was darker than darker than dark. I guess I was falling, because I hit my head on somthing and I guess I passed out. When I regained conciousness, I couldn't see anything. Well unless you count complete and utter nothingness and pitch-blackness as somthing, then I did see something. I sat there for a while, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. After a while, I eventually saw a faint golden light a few feet away. I stumbled over to it stubbing my hoof on a few rocks that were actually pretty sharp, like knives in a way. When I got to the light, I saw that it was Sparx and Morning (who sometimes gave off a faint light of his own (he seems to generate electricity when his heart rate increases)). Things didn't look too good. Then again, we could barely see anything. Morning noticed me walking up behind them, but didn't make any motions to turn around. He just stayed focused on Sparx, just like he did the day Thunder broke one of his wings falling out of his bedroom window. "It's dislocated. Just be thankful I didn't flap any harder than I did, otherwise his leg would have come clean off," Morning said grimly, "but I, on the other hand am fine. You?" "Let's see," I began, "We are in some unknown dark cave thing. Not like the 'cave dream' but in a different way, Sparx's leg is dilocated. And we're talkning about the Sparx who can barely withstand a paper cut. I've definately been better." "You know he is awake, right?" I just stood there, stareing blankly at Sparx. Whom I thought was passed out. He had no tears in his eyes, so I geuss he was in too much pain to really understand what I said. That or he understood that I was under a lot of stress. I was about to apoligize when he said, "It's all right Daddy, I know I'm weak. But I can get stronger. And I will get stronger than the one who took us here." "Okay, Sparx. This will hurt, but we can't stay here," I said and held his dislocated arm as Morning leld his shoulder. Sparx nodded and I moved his leg back into the socket with a small pop! He got right up and jumped around happily. Wow, he recovered quicker than I thought he would. That makes things much easier, I thought. "Hello, Dusk Cloud," said the same deep, evil voice that had come from Dawn's mouth, "Never thought I'd see you again."
Chapter 9"Hello, Dusk Cloud," said the same deep, evil voice that had come from Dawn's mouth, "Never thought I'd see you again." We were suddenly attacked from all angles by what seemed to be nothingness. Before I knew it, I was all alone. Alone in pitch-blackness, no light coming from anywhere. Then light flooded into the room, revealing a lone pony I assumed was dead. Shadow Blade, the one who almost killed Fluttershy. But, this time, his coat wasn't full of blood. Instead, his coat was a shiny black, like the shadows billowing unnaturally around him. His mane was also black with a dark navy blue stripe going down from it, going in front of his face forming she shape of a sickle. "Y-You!" I managed, "H-How are you still alive! Where's my brother? WHERE'S MY SON YOU BUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!" "Yes, it is true I died," he said smugly, "and soon, you will be joining your brother AND your son. When I'm through with my revenge on you." "I am going to kill you. and make sure you stay that way." "On the contrary. It will be I who will kill you." "BUCK OFF!" I shouted as I charged him. Right as I should have made contact with him he vanished into a small puff of dark clouds, "YOU BUCKING COWARD! GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A REAL STALLION!" A maniacal laughter filled and shook the room, "You think I would rather waste my time with you when I have plans to take over Equestria? As if. You will just have to try and survive for as long as you can. It would be futile though. There is over a million of us in this complex. The odds aren't exactly stacked in your favor." I ran out of the room to try and find Morning and Sparx. It turns out that he wasn't lying about there being millions of whatever they were. I used there element against them and hid in the shadows, slipping by without a sound. After about an hour of sneaking around I came through a long corridor. When I emerged, I heard arguing. I peered around the corner to see two ponies arguing. "What should we do with this runt?" said the first, motioning to Sparx, who was crying. "Well, we can't turn him. His heart is too pure," said the other, who sounded female. The female looked around and saw me. I waited, expecting the worst. To my surprise, she didn't even raise an alarm. Instead, she punched the pony in front of her. She bent down and whispered something into Sparx's ear, then jerked her head in my direction. I stepped out f the shadows. "Dad!" Sparx gasped. He ran up to me with tears in his eyes and we hugged. I looked up at The mare, who was crying. Then, suddenly, she became enveloped in a bright light. When he light died, the mare was no longer a shadow. Instead her coat was a bright yellow. Her mane and tail were orange, and her eyes were green. "I never thought I would have to do this, Flare," the downed pony said, "I NEED ASSISTANCE ASAP! WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES!" "Hurry come with me," said Flare as she bucked the living alarm system, "I know where your brother is." We ran as fast as we could into another room a few corners down. I walked in to see Morning hanging from chains attached on opposite walls. I walked over to one wall and unhooked the chains. Flare did the same on the other wall. I quickly ran underneath Morning and caught him. We made our way to the door when I had a face full of shadow hoof. I collapsed from the sheer force of the punch, or buck. I looked up to see Flare beating the crap out of Shadow Blade. I watched Sparx sneak around him, only to buck him in the privates. Of course, like any other colt or stallion would, he collapsed holding his privates. Flare helped me up, then helped me get Morning on my back. We must have come to a wall, or a really big door, because Flare stopped dead in her tracks and started to push. Sparx, also began to push and I helped too (I set Morning down right beside me). Soon the door thing opened just enough so that we could fit through. Sparx went in first, then Flare. I passed morning through the door. Then I slipped my way out. Right as I got out I was blinded by the light. Finally out at last! sure is bright, I looked around, seeing that we were in a large rocky crag. What the hell? Where are we? "I don't think we're in Equestria anymore Dusk," Morning said weakly, partly answering my question for me. He got off my back and stumbled a little, "I-I'm fine. Just let me get my land legs back. And now my wings," he took off and scouted up above, "We can rest there!" he shouted, pointing to a cave. When we got close to the cave, which was farther than Morning anticipated, it was getting dark. Flare looked worried, "We need to hurry and get to that cave. When night comes, we... I mean they... come out of that complex to hunt. Even the Shadow Ponies need food, even if we are already dead." I looked at her questionably, but decided not to ask until we got to the cave. When we got into the cave, we moved a large boulder in front of the entrance, "they can't travel where they can't see," Flare had said. pretty soon the only light in the cave was coming from Sparx. Morning, Flare and I were gathered around Sparx and the light he was giving off. We were talking, more like planning, about how we were going to get back to Ponyville, "More importantly," Flare added, "How are we going to get back to Equestria?" "Where are we, anyway?" Sparx asked. "Not in Equesria, that's for sure. I may have been a Shadow Pony, but we were never told much." "What is a Shadow Pony, Flare?" I asked, finally getting that off my chest. "Well," Flare said sheepishly, "a Shadow Pony is a pony who has done something terrible in their life, then died without making up for it. And community service doesn't cut it. That moron I punched was a hardcore murderer. Killed 20 fillies in one day." "What about you?" I asked. "Well.... I," she mumbled the rest. "What?" "I," she mumbled the rest again. "You what? You What?" Morning asked, growing impatient. "I was possessed and killed an alicorn." Sparx's eyes went wide, and Morning went silent. I just stared at her, "What was her name?" After a while of silence we decided to get to sleep. Today had been a long day. While I was sleeping, my mind was completely blank. no dreams what-so-ever. So I was easily awakened when I heard the rock being moved. I quietly awakened Sparx, Morning and Flare. Morning grabbed Sparx and flew out of the cave on my command. Flare and I ran outside at top speed. When we got out of the cave, we were greeted by a whole army of Shadow Ponies. We pushed through the huge group of Shadow Ponies. We were almost out of the mob of Shadow Ponies, when I felt somepony buck me. As I flew through the rest of the Shadow Ponies, I managed to turn myself around. I saw Flare fighting off as many Shadow Ponies as she could. She looked at me with tears in her eyes as she was consumed in the hoard of Shadow Ponies. When I landed on my backside, Morning was waiting for me. He told me that Sparx was in a cave that was a long distance away. I was lucky he was extremely strong. Strong enough to carry me on his back long distances. He flew me all the way to the cave where we would be taking refuge for as long as we could. We got into the cave and went as far back as we could, to a small room big enough to fit the three of us. It seemed oddly familiar. "Dad," said the filly, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to the filly I now knew as Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at what looked like Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. That's where I've seen this before! I thought to myself I never would have thought that it would come true I looked over at Morning, who looked just like he did in the dream. And the same with Sparx. "Dad," said Sparx, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro and Dawn. I just want to go home." "Don't worry, Sparx," I said to Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer." Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad." "Me too, Sparx, me too." I looked over at Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in. After a while, I fell asleep. I had a dream this time. I was back in my bedroom, with Twilight. She was looking into her mirror, crying. A picture of me floating in front of her. She must have seen something in the mirror, because she turned in my direction. "D-Dusk?" she said, "I-is that really you?" She ran towards me, tears streaming from her eyes. When she got to me, she tried to hug me but fell right through me, "H-Huh?" "It is all right," I said trying to calm her down, "It is me, but I am not here physically." "I knew you were still alive!" she said, "Everypony else said that you weren't. I... I never gave up. I never gave up on you or Morning. Not for all the time you were gone." "How long have we been gone for?" "A year-and-a-half." "T-That's impossible!. We have only been here on day and two nights. there is no way that time passed hat quickly!" "You must be in that area just off Equestria!" Twilight gasped, "Oh... what was the name...?" she started rummaging through the shelves of books, "Aha! Here it is," she began flipping through the pages furiously, "Ah! You are in the land of... Oh? It doesn't seem to have a name. It is just referred to as The Crag... I wonder what that could mean?" My vision started to go blurry. I was waking up! No! Not now! Why now?, "Twilight! send somepony! We will hold out as long as we can! I Pinkie--" the dream cut out right there. I was awoken by Sparx shaking me furiously, excitedly saying, "They're here! Dad! Wake up! They're here! We've been rescued!" I sat straight up and looked around, not seeing Morning, I assumed he was outside. I took Sparx outside with me and we were greeted with applause and even some bowing. Waiting for us at the end of a line of guards, was a very royal looking carriage. Outside of that carriage was Morning hugging the only mom he had ever known, Rainbow Dash. I looked around for Twilight, but I couldn't find her. She was probably back at the house with Pyro and Dawn (because of Pyro's ADHD most likely). When we got back from The Crag we were greeted like royalty, even by the Royal Sisters (who bowed to us, instead of vise-versa)! We got medals for our bravery, vigilance, and downright courage. I swear I even heard Rainbow Dash whisper to Fluttershy, "and I thought I was loyal." I began searching the crowd for Twilight, but instead found Shining Armor (who didn't look happy). He was with Pyro and Dawn who hugged me with tears in their eyes and continued through the crowd to find Sparx. I went up to Shining Armor. He didn't give me a chance to explain before interrupting me with a hoof. "You, sir, are one brave son of a mule. I could somepony like you and your brother on the force. So, Dusk, how about it?" "Nah... I made a Pinkie Promise not to leave my wife, remember?"I said with a wink, "but Morning might be interested." "Thanks, didn't really want you on the force anyway. Now go get back to my sister before I change my mind not to beat the crap out of you." I went on my way, beginning to gallop, when Shining Armor called my name. I turned around to see him saluting me, which I returned.
Link to my sequal... Just in caseOkay, I just want to make sure that everyone who has read and favourited my story has read both of them.So... Here you go.
Chapter 3After about a week I became well acquainted with Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. I'm a little afraid of Fluttershy. She seems a little too interested in me. I haven't seen Pinkie Pie ever since that day that first day. I decided to visit her that Friday to see if she was okay. I've been helping Twilight out at the library. She really appreciates it, so does Spike. When I got to Pinkie's house I knocked on the door and no pony answered, so I left. I happened to look into her window and saw a picture of me. A picture of me with a whole bunch of darts stuck in it. Suddenly another one sprouted right in between the eyes of the picture. I ran away, fast. Twilight and I often go out to lunch. We also get asked if we were a couple. Twilight would just say, "No, we are just friends." And almost every time I would see her blush. Every night, my bed seemed to get closer to Twilight's bed. I didn't mind. By now I was getting letters from Celestia asking how I was doing, letters from AJ asking if I could help out around the farm, love notes and letters from Fluttershy, requests from Cheerily to come into the classroom and explain life on Earth (even though I have told her many times that I don't remember), invites to Canterlot, and a whole lot more. I even got a threat note from Shining Armor saying to stay away from his little sister. I usually ignored the letters. I wrote back to Celestia, helped AJ, and stayed clear of Fluttershy, though. One day Twilight left early, before I even got up. Spike told me that she told him to tell me to meet her at the restaurant we usually get lunch at. So I left for the restaurant. When I got there, there were three Ponies there. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and one other that has never been in any of the episodes, so I didn't know who he was. "Hey Twilight, and Rainbow Dash," I said, "Who’s this?" "This Pegasus," replied Rainbow Dash "is Thunder Dash. He is my son. Well, more like adopted son, his real name is Morning Cloud." Imeadiatly following her statement, a feeling of pain enveloped me, and an image flashed in my head, like a movie. There was a destroyed, mangled car with blood dripping out. I looked at a woman, she was crying. "Morning!" she screamed, "Morning, my precious Morning! No!" I pulled her back as a hand slowly stuck out. It was bloody, some bone was showing. I could barely see a bloody face in the wreckage. It showed extreme pain, but no cry came out. The arm went limp. I shielded the woman right as the car exploded. A piece of metal stabbed into my back. I couldn't move my legs. I realized, now that that woman was my mother, and that Morning was my brother. When I came back from my memories, I looked at Morning and said, "Your dead." "What do you mean, I'm dead I'm right here!" Morning said astonished. I walked to him and hugged him and started to cry. He seemed to suddenly remember also, and hugged me back. He started to cry too. We broke the embrace and I said, "Brother. Morning. I missed you" "I missed you too, big brother." There was a couple of sobs from Twilight and Rainbow Dash, tears were streaming down Twilight's face. Rainbow Dash suddenly spoke up "He Just fell out of the sky, bloody and broken, three years ago. He was just a filly, so I took him in. Raised him like he was my own son. He started calling me Mom two years ago. I hope that it's okay." "It's more than okay, Rainbow Dash," I said, "You took care of my little brother while I couldn't. He is your son, but he is and will be my brother." When everything calmed down we somehow got into the topic of mine and Twilight's relationship. "Your both the same age, your both geniuses, you share the same fricking room! Are you going steady at all?" asked Rainbow Dash. I started to blush, and instead of the usual answer from Twilight, she said, "Yes, yes we are." and she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Well," said Morning, "I've got to go meet my marefriend, Scootaloo. Bye, nice seeing you again brother" and with that he took off and flew away. The whole time I was replaying the moment Twilight kissed my cheek, completely missing another conversation. When I zoned back in I was alone with Twilight. "So, are we really doing this?" I asked. "Yep," replied Twilight. "You want to go to a movie?" I asked awquardly "Sure. Let's go." So we went to a movie called "How to Lose a Stallion in 10 Days" it was a really good movie, and halfway through the movie Twilight kissed me, on the lips. After the movie we went on a walk through town and back to Twilight's house, although she insists that it is our house now. We walked into the room, and my bed was missing. "I figured that since we are going steady, we wouldn't need another bed. And, no, we aren't doing anything sexual. Yet," she said mischievously. So we kissed one more time before falling asleep. in the middle of the night I woke up to get something to drink. When I got back into the room, I heard sobbing from out the window. I looked out and saw there was nopony there. I was pretty sure it was Fluttershy. I had broken her heart.
Epilogue: Fighting the ShadowsMy name is Dusk Cloud. At one point in time, I was a human. Now, I'm a pony. When I first appeared in Equestria, the first pony I met was Twilight Sparkle. Now, we are happily married, and have three wonderful fillies. Dawn Shine, Pyro (Heat Wave), and Golden Sparx. They are all triplets, and can be a bit of a hoof full at times, but I couldn't ask for a better family. And yet, there's more; my brother, Morning Dash (he changed his name to that because he wanted to be called by his real name but he wanted to show Rainbow Dash he was thankful for taking him in as her own) is part of the Royal Guard and is second-in-command to Shining Armor, he is also married to Scootaloo and has two wonderful filly's himself. Thunder Cloud who, when hit by lightning can go about ten times the speed Rainbow Dash can while doing a Sonic Rainboom, is the apprentice of a Wonder Bolt. Twinkle Hooves, she is smart, and small. She is often mistaken by Spike as a giant marshmallow, funnily enough. About five years ago, when my adventure started, a group of evil ponies called the "Shadow Ponies" tried to take Sparx. For some reason, he was one pony of many (including Morning, the main six, Celestia, some other currently unknown ponies, and myself) who interfered with their plans to take over Equestria. In attempt to save him, Morning and I were dragged into the shadows along with Sparx. A pony named Shining Flare, who had been a Shadow Pony for 2000 years but was never officially evil, helped us get away. She didn't make it, she sacrificed herself to save my life. While we were gone, it felt like two days and one night, a year-and-a-half had passed. We were rescued, of course, because if we weren't I wouldn't be telling you this. When we got back, Morning and I were offered spots on the Royal Guard. I declined, but Morning accepted. He and his family (at the time of the happenings of what I am about to tell you) are moving in about three weeks. Usually, when Morning gets back from his duties, he goes home to Scootaloo, eats dinner and then comes over to visit Twilight and myself. He must have skipped going home because he was at my house earlier than usual. When I answered the door he said but one word, "Flare."
