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// 14- Breaking wishes 
// Story: A Dusk's New Dawn 
// by ThatWritingDragon 
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14
Breaking wishes





Dusk strolled past several guards, a blank look on his face as he trotted through Ponyville. Occasionally slipping through alleyways, where he wouldn’t be so easily found and noticed.

(friends…)

Dusk wasn’t good with the whole friends thing, he wasn’t good at socializing, period. The fact that he somehow ended up with not one but five good friends that he regularly spent time with before the… incident- 

Was a miracle.

A grimace crossed his face as he thought back to his time in the field. Sure, he spent time with other creatures but they weren’t friends per say. Just companions that helped him in his journey, never once giving a significant memory other than-

“What are we?” he had once questioned, his eyes trailing to the body that lay next to him. Who would’ve thought that the pony who owns such a lithe and small form was someone who could make him sweat?

The mare didn’t answer, not for sometime. She turned to him, an indiscernible look in her eye as she spoke:

But it wasn’t the lightly scratchy voice he was used to, instead it was….

“Bubaba! Da-bu!”

Babble?

Ah, right. There is a foal on him.

Dusk blinked before snorting, his head shaking as he realized that he must’ve zoned out. Just what has been going on with him? Letting his guard down, allowing himself to even zone out, did he really allow himself to let himself go so easily?

He tilted his head, leaning it back to glance at the bubbly and rather joyous alicorn foal on his back. She was still sucking on that pacifier and as he scrutinised her. He was glad to not see anything off with the disguise. Not even a little flicker that usually came with most illusion spells.

That’s good, with how weird his head has been, he wouldn’t be surprised if his concentration went wack and made a rather easy to destroy spell.

While he liked to have faith in his arts, he'd rather not risk being exposed and trialed for foalnapping.

Dusk shook his head, a bit of exasperation in his face. 

Who would've thought that out of all the crimes he did. He'd be brought in for foalnapping?

With a light shine of his magic, the foal from his back was hoisted up and brought in front of him.

He couldn't stop the pang of something coming forth when he saw how she looked. 

Faust, maybe he should've gone with a different look because the more he stared, the more he could feel memories he had long forgotten began to slip right into his head.

Memories of a time where he felt just a little bit hopeful, where he could still smile because he felt like he wasn't so alone in this world.

("You're somepony to me, Dusk.

Isn't that all that matters?"

Dusk stared, his mouth drying before he brought a smile onto his muzzle. Acting as if her words hadn't affected him as much as it should be.

With such an answer… 

How could he say that she was so much more?)

"What a troublesome foal," he murmured. "First I have to deal with ponies and now you're bringing up memories." He continued to trot, ignoring the fact that the alicorn in disguise was patting his cheek, a happy smile on her face.

His slightly soured mood rose at that. 

Foals were troublesome, yes. But foals were a reminder. A reminder that he fought for something. Even when he's alone and no one is by his side. The thought that winning could leave foals to grow up like how he did instead of the barren bloody one he had long gotten used to was a push he used when he couldn't find anything else.

Maybe it was that small part of him, a tiny piece of a colt he once was that made him have faith.

Or maybe it's because foals had always reminded him of his little sister. With that bright gleam in their eyes and enthusiasm of simply living. Vaguely, he can remember the time where he was but a young colt peeking over a crib where his sister laid. Remember the time where he glanced up at his mother, wondering if it was alright to even hold such a tiny thing.

The warmth that burns in his chest is as comforting as being hugged.

And sometimes, when his head gets too tired to keep up, when his energy is as drained as his magic. Where it's so hard to breathe and he wonders why should keep going, keep on living in a world that takes and keeps on taking. He doesn't just see his friends when he closes his eyes.

He sees his family too.

With a dorky father who edits, a mother with that fond exasperated eyes and a sister that despite her rather icy exterior, truly loves him.

Sure they were busy but they did their absolute best to raise them. In the darkest of times, Dusk remembered when he wished that he visited more instead of focusing on his studies because he knew that that magic wasn't worth it if he was all alone in the end. Magic wasn’t worth the tears he shed when he was greeted with his empty home. Magic wasn’t worth the drenching pain and agony he felt when he was sent the ashes of his loved ones. Magic wasn’t worth the times where he wished that he could still think up their names and not be met with the blurring faces of a family that he is slowly forgetting. 

He just wished that he could see them one more time and say;

"I'm sorry."

Faust-

Dusk blinked as a hoof brushed against the bottom of his eye and he stilled.

A sad cooing noise was heard and he met the eyes of the alicorn foal he held. Pressure was pressed and Dusk simply watched as she wiped at something. The feeling was odd and he wondered what she was trying to do.

Then it clicked.

Oh.

She was wiping him.

Why?

His ears flicked when he finally registered the blur of his eyes and the wetness that was trailing down his cheek.

Ah.

I'm crying.

Dusk likes to think he’s strong. How could he not have with a body count as high as his? 

But as he stands in one of the lone alley ways of Ponyville, he hears the chattering of ponies, the clopping of hoovies and the laughter of foals. All pointing to the fact that they were happy, peaceful and alive. 

This could’ve been how his world would’ve looked if he succeeded, he noted.

This was a world where he succeeded instead of fleeing like a coward.

Dusk just reached for the foal and placed her onto his back. His cheeks already dry and his face blank.

To the castle, Dusk. 

There is no need to embarrass yourself anymore. You already do that enough as it is.

Just keep on walking and get the foal home.

Dusk is strong, he knows he is.

But even the strongest of creatures break and he wonders if this is the world where he finally does.