Morning Star was gathering towels to bring down to her now soaked son. 'Does he even know how scared I was? He has to, I've raised him to think about things beforehand, but why in Equestria would he run off? Could it be that something more serious has been going on? Oh, Morning... you'll never get anywhere asking yourself questions. I'm going to have to ask him directly.' She put the last towel on her back and began her balancing act down the stairs. "Dusk, I want to talk." Dusk knew what was about to happen, he knew he would have to pay for what he had done and was ready to accept the consequences. Morning began to throw the large towels over the shivering colt that lay on the couch and helped to dry him off. His eyes were glazed with pain and regret, the compassion that was built into her heart from when she was a filly began to leak out. There was no way she could punish him. She still wanted answers however. "Dusk, what made you run? Why would you scare me like that?", she said with her voice cracking near the last words. Dusk could see she was on the verge of tears. She had never done anything wrong to anypony for as long as he could remember and bringing her to cry would only cement his sin in his eyes for eternity. "I ran because... I ran because I was afraid. I was afraid the laughter would continue, everyday I have to listen to it and I couldn't take it anymore.", said Dusk, now on the verge of crying himself. Flashes of his nightmares transformed into the abstract realities that he faced earlier this morning. He grew afraid once again. "What do you mean the laughter?" Morning was becoming fearful for her son, she knew that ever since they had moved he had changed but there was something else about him that she feared.
"I don't want to talk about it..." Dusk lowered his head and began to pull a towel over his head. Morning had been passive for too long, "No Dusk, you are going to tell me what is going on and you are not going to beat around the bush this time!", she pulled down the towel that was over his head. Dusk was afraid, the nightmare still ran freely through his head and now his mother had grown angry. That had never happened before. Ever.
'I can't do this! I can't do this! It's too much!'
'Dusk! Let me take over!'
'I can't do this! I can't do this!'
'Dusk, are you listening? Dusk?'
Dawn prepared himself. This would be the first time he would have a body and the anticipation made him anxious to get out and assist Dusk with his problem.
'Showtime.'
Dusk was being haunted by the memories that circled his broken mind; suddenly, there was a release. Nightmares, memories, and new fears seemed to dispel and Dusk opened his eyes. He was in his house but everything was opposite of where it used to be. Everything was empty. He felt relief. Suddenly a booming voice shook whatever dimension he was in, the voice belonged to Dawn. "Listen up lady! Dusk has had enough problems today and he doesn't need you to poke at sore wounds!" Dusk ran to a mirror that was on a wall, as he ran he felt no weight. It was as if he had no body and once he reached the mirror his suspicions were confirmed. Looking through the window of a mirror he could see exactly what Dawn saw. Dawn was staring down Morning and the look in her eyes was a look of pure shock, a look of fear even. "Dusk! How dare you talk to me like that! What has gotten into you!" Her voice was quivering and unsure. Dusk had never acted up before, let alone so often in one day! "My name is not Dusk! It's Dawn, and you should get it right next time!" Morning began to back up, the colt that she had loved all her life was suddenly changing both in behavior and physically. His mane was becoming ragged and losing its order, his eyes hardened and filled with hate. Worst of all, his red eyes that she took such pride in passing on had changed to a morbid orange. "What are you looking at!?", Dawn moved his forward in a display of power.
The view in the mirror moved aggressively towards Morning's face and Dusk decided enough was enough. "How dare you!", Dusk shouted at the mirror, "You said nopony would get hurt!" Dawn had apparently heard him because he turned his head to the side and to Morning it looked as if he was yelling at the couch, "But Dusk! She was hurting you... I was protecting you..." Dawn's voice had a hint of fear and if there was fear, there was reason behind it. Dusk thought for a quick moment before responding, "I didn't need protecting!" This time Dawn turned his head in the opposite direction and Dusk's words spilled out of his mouth. Dusk thought again,'the barrier is weakening..' Dawn turned his head again, "But, you said you couldn't handle it!" His head shifted again, "I don't care! I never gave you permission!" The argument continued and the Dusk's/Dawn's head kept tossing and rage began to grow. Morning was terrified, the rain outside added to the tension and the feeling in the air was not a safe one. Thunder cracked. Something bad was going to happen and soon. Dusk screamed, "You are done! I'm taking back control and you are not coming back!" Dusk through himself at the mirror and he found himself in a void, floating in blackness. Finally weight returned in his hooves and moved up his body. A flash brought him back to reality, back to the cold, and back to his house. His mother was repulsed by his presence, she was truly afraid. "D-D-Dawn? D-D-Dusk?" Dusk leap forward and attempted to hug Morning but she flinched at this movement and tried to move away from him. "Mom? Mom? I am so sorry! That wasn't me! I promise I am so sorry!" His voice was broken, tears burst from his eyes, he kept moving toward her hoping for his offering to be returned.
Morning was against a wall, no where to run, she kept expecting an aggressive movement. None came, her son embraced her and buried his teary face into her chest. "Mom, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Morning didn't know what to expect but her motherly instinct broke out of the face of fear that hid it and, hesitantly, she returned the embrace.
"Dusk, we are going to have to have another talk..."