My Dearest Dusk

by CrackedInkWell

Chapter 12

“Ow!”

“I told you not to move, didn’t I?” Spines scolded him. “Luckily for you, I’m nearly done anyway.”

Dusk frowned in the mirror; his assistant was combing his mane until each hair was even. From the mirror the alicorn was holding up with his magic, he glanced at the clock on the mantle. Almost seven o’clock, yet the young Prince still felt unprepared. He took a moment to take a look at the card for the half-a-millionth time:

Dusk, meet me at airship loading dock #9 at 7:30. If I’m not there, the servants will guide you to where you need to be. A formal dress is optional. I’ll see you soon.

-Solaris.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” the dragoness reassured him, again. “Whatever he has in mind, I think it’ll be fun.”

Dusk chuckled. “You’re starting to sound like my parents talking to Gleaming before she went on a date with Crescendo.”

Spines snickered. “Come on Dusk, both you and your sis pretty much share the same trait of being way too nervous before you go on a date. Trust me, I was there before she went on her first date, remember.”

“Oh yeah, I remember. She was trying to make sure that everything about her was just right. Plus mom and dad were giving her enough advice to make her sweat all over. Eventually, when Crescendo did arrive with that bouquet, we could barely get her to budge out the front door.” Dusk laughed at the memory of his older sister’s awkwardness that night years ago.

Spines tried to suppress a giggle of her own. “Yeah, and we had to use a crowbar just get to loosen her grip on the door frame. I still wish I could have taken a picture of that.”

“No kidding.” Smiling again, the lilac Prince looked over at what he was wearing. A simple white shirt, violet vest and a black tie with a white tie pin. In the mirror, he inspected one wing, then the next to find they were nice even. He went through his mental checklist: shower, done; teeth brushed and taken a whole box of breath mints, done; clothes that were both formal and non-restricting, done; mane and tail combed… still in progress.

As Spines finished combing his mane and started on the tail, Dusk’s mind wandered once again. He had an idea what he was getting himself into. In almost half-an-hour, he would be going on a date with the embodiment of the sun himself. Spines were right; after all, he already knew Solaris pretty well. And as Rainbow Blitz once said, “Going on a date is just Fanciness for hanging out with somepony you like.” Yes, perhaps he should think of it as a glorified hang out with the Prince, someone who was his teacher and best friend.

At the same time, that was the only thing he couldn’t get over. He was going on a date with the same pony that had taught him to teleport up to several miles away, trained him in advanced defensive magic, and even enlightened him on various subjects in literature.

On the other hoof, he was going out on a date with the same stallion that probably held the record of being in the closet for the longest time. It made him wonder if anypony else knew of his secret. No doubt he had tried anything and everything to keep it that way. He made a mental note to himself to talk to Solaris about that.

“There we go,” Spines said, finishing combing Dusk’s tail, “all set and ready to go.” She said as she stepped into the mirror’s reflection as well. The little dragoness looked between Dusk’s reflection and the real pony beside her and nodded in approval. “You look good.”

Using a wing, Dusk pulled her into a hug. “Thanks a lot, Spines for all of your hard work.”

“It’s my job,” she shrugged. “So, do ya think you’re ready for this?”

“As if I ever will be ready for something like this?” the Prince questioned. “But seriously, I still might be somewhat nervous. Yet, I still think I should go through with it, even though I have no idea where it might lead.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Spines said as she walked away. As Dusk put the mirror back on the wall, his assistant went over to the nightstand to pick up a scroll. She went over to his side once more to give him the rolled up piece of parchment.

“Thanks,” the lilac alicorn took the scroll in his aura, placing it underneath his wing. Looking at the clock which currently read 7:05, he decided that this would be a good time to start heading over. “I don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” he added as he headed for the door of their room, “so I guess until then, you’ll be catching up on your comic books, won’t you?”

“Of course,” she said, flopping onto the bed was her copy of ‘Origins of the Ghost Ninja, Vol. 2,’ with the receipt still sticking as a bookmark. “I still have some ways to go before I move on to the next volume. Good luck, Dusk.”

“Thanks,” he said, as he closed the door behind him.

_*_

The carriage rolled into the address that was on Dusk’s card. “Loading Dock #9” was what the sign overhead said. Dusk got out of the carriage and thanked the guards for bringing him here. They saluted and went off on their way, back to the palace no doubt.

The young alicorn turned around to face the gate to the loading dock to find one of the new airships. The ship itself was hung below a blue balloon that had some gold leafing. Hanging from thick black ropes was a boat that was about the size of a yacht with one of the rear ropes holding a flag bearing the Equestrian Royal Seal. The vessel itself was small compared to some of the surrounding cargo ships nearby, but the small ship was decorated in gold and silver leafing, painted white, with azure silk wings extended from the side and a large propeller in the back. At the center of the ship, he saw lanterns dangling by ropes from the balloon above. On its side, near the head of the boat was the title: “E. A. S. Compass Rose.”

Dusk Shine looked around. ‘Where’s Solaris?’ he wondered. By now, the sun would be approaching the horizon within an hour or so. The airship yard wasn’t entirely empty; there were a few ponies and gryphons still roaming about, but the Sun Prince was still nowhere to be seen.

“Prince Dusk Shine?” His attention was turned to a mare in a white uniform. She took a quick bow to him and said, “You’re here early.”

“Why? What time is it?”

The mare took out a pocket watch, “7:20, Your Majesty. If you wouldn’t mind, would you please follow me onto the ship?”

Dusk nodded, following her down the plank pathway, up the ramp, and onto the airship. When he stepped on the deck, he found a table for two with some of the glass lanterns hanging from above. The table was covered by a white cloth, fine china, silverware, and crystal glasses.

“Go ahead and have a seat, Your Highness,” she said as she went to another part of the ship. The young Prince did take a seat. As soon as he sat down, however, he noticed some other ponies in white uniforms descending on the deck, taking the platform up onto the ship, and letting go of the ropes that connected with the dock.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Dusk asked as one of the crew walked by him.

The mare paused for a moment to answer: “What does it look like? We’re taking off.”

“But what about Solaris?” he pointed out. “He’s not even on the ship.”

“Trust me when I say this, he’ll be here. Besides, you’re early anyway.” Before Dusk could say anything further, she, along with the rest of the crew, vanished out of sight, leaving the purple alicorn behind.

‘Don’t worry Dusk,’ he told himself. ‘Remember, Solaris can fly too, and he’s never late. I’m sure that he’ll be here soon enough.’

But with the ship’s propeller spinning at full speed and pulling the ship further from Canterlot, Dusk began to grow more worried, wondering if his old mentor was going to arrive at all. He kept his eyes on the Capital, trying to see if he could spot his date anywhere.

He wasn’t paying attention when he heard somepony taking up his glass from the table. “Water, good sir?” somepony asked.

“That’ll be fine,” he said, not turning to see who it was.

He heard his glass being filled with ice water before it was placed down on the table. “Are you ready to order?”

“Look,” Dusk said, “Prince Solaris isn’t here yet, so maybe you should…” This time, he turned to look who he was talking to. He trailed off when he saw Solaris, wearing a large version of the butler uniform from the castle: a white shirt, white vest, black bow-tie, and a slick pitch black suit. Even more noticeable was his missing crown and his golden boots. “Solaris?!” Dusk exclaimed.

He cracked a smile. “Good evening to you too, Prince Dusk Shine.” Solaris put the glass pitcher down on the table. “So, can I get you anything this evening before I join you for dinner?”

Comments

[PrinceCelestia]

im confused by this string of events but oddly interested as well...