Dusk Shine, personal student of Nightmare Moon, has been groomed his entire life to be the left hand of Nightmare Moon. Given access to secrets beyond mortal comprehension, funds to make the wealthiest buisnesspony green with envy, and authority above nearly all nobles, he harbors a dark secret.
He hates this power.
Despite the temptations of his post, and the fear associated with his family name, he wishes only for a brighter tomorrow, where ponies live in freedom and peace with the land. However, in a military nation beset on all sides with enemies, peace is a fleeting dream; in a nation overseen by a tyrant queen, harmony is impossible.
Unless things change.
Cover Art by mariosbro64 from Deviantart
Chapters (3)
How is "hating power" a dark secret?
7668734 Imagine this: You live in a society where everything is dictated by power. Personal, financial, magical, it does not matter. If you have a high military rank, you can ensure a good quality of life for your family and loved ones. If you are in the Queen's graces, your well-being is assured. However, if you are weak, or unlikeable, or something of that sort, you are bound for nothing good.
Thus, to have power, but be unwilling to use it, is virtually a sin in this environment. This version of Equestria has quite a bit in common with 1935-1940 Nazi Germany, where a single party (Nightmare Moon and her supporters) have absolute power. To defy them is to defy society itself.
If you have power, you are expected to use it to better yourself and the state. Even if you were kind, others would suspect that you have some ulterior motive, and would attempt to strike you down.
Dusk Shine, here at least, is a bit cynicle. He is a kind-hearted pony who sees the wrongs around him, wishes to change them, but knows that anytime anypony has tried (such as his father... though we will learn more about that later) winds up against the likes of Blueblood and takes a hard fall. So? Keep your fears inside. Fall in line.
Does that answer your question?
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude..... keep it up! good flip there with the balance.
So the government is basically a blend of 1984, Nazi Germany, and the Imperium of Mankind? A terrifying mixture.