Shortly after Dusk and Dawn switched in the locker room
Dusk returned to the opposite realm once again. He had not stayed for long and he often only caught glimpses whenever he did because he was busy fighting off Dawn on most occasions. Now that they were on good terms, however, he had time to relax and let Dawn off of the leash. The original agreement was for Dawn to do his gym class while he studied, but...
The chance to explore was to tempting.
He was still in the reverse living room that he had seen those many years ago when he and Dawn had initially switched. He had stepped through a metaphorical mirror, like how Dawn traveled through mirrors, and was now on the inside of his own mind. Everything was blanketed in a dreamlike "fuzz" that accompanies all dreams. Looking around the room he found it empty except for a couch and the mirror on the wall which he traveled through. Then he saw the door.
His front door looked like it always did but now there was a aura of mystery about it. In the real world he would open it up and there would be the town all around him, but now things where different. He figured as long as there was a dream like feeling then he would have the ability to affect it with his thoughts. Dusk sat on the couch and thought for a moment as he thought of a place he wanted to go to, ponies he wanted to meet, adventures he would want to have. There were so many that he just couldn't decide, until he remembered the picture.
Those many years ago when he had first met Dawn he was escorted home by a police pony who had identified him with a picture that Morning had provided. It was a picture of him and his friends, some of the only friends he had ever had, in front of his old house. Times were so much more simple back then and he missed the smiling faces, thrilling adventures, and the memories that had nested in his heart for so long. He opened the door and wind blew across his face. It was a soft, country wind.
Small ponies ran all around, laughing and playing furiously. One of them was a grey one with the same color mane as his own. "Dusk! Come on, your it!" The grey pony responded, "OK, TAG!!!" He lunged forward and rolled before tapping a brown colt on his back. This wasn't a dream as Dusk had originally thought, this was a memory. He distinctly remembered this day as he watched it unfold right before his eyes, this was the day he would move away from his old house and into town. Dusk looked back at the couch and the house, 'Of course, when we left all that we left was a mirror and a couch. I was thinking about the photo the time that Dawn and I had our fight! Come to think of it, how come I never noticed this in the first place?' A familiar and cheerful voice broke up the chorus of laughter, its soothing qualities where now lost in the era that Dusk currently lived in. Everytime he heard this voice now it was tired and worn with stress but always kind. It was his mom, Morning.
"OK everypony! Gather up now so I can take your picture." The little colts gathered and posed in front of the house. "WHEAT!!!", they said as the camera flashed and the photo popped out. "Bye Dusk! We have to go now. Good luck!" The children scattered, each heading in the direction of their own home. "OK, guys. I'll miss you all!" Dusk's smile slowly disappeared and his eyes became crestfallen. Morning handed the photo to Dusk and lowered her voice to try and console the now troubled colt. "Now, now Dusk. When we move to Ponyville I'm sure that you'll meet lots of new friends. So lift your chin!" He had believed her that day. He watched as a loading van arrived and both of them piled into the vehicle and were taken off into the distance. Something caught his eye though... a dark house in the distance that looked as though he had seen it before. It scared him.
Dusk shut the door and closed his eyes, there was something that he wanted to test. His father, he had never known his father. The very day that Dusk was born his father had died and that part of his life was ripped away from him forever. He had no actual memory of his father or his birth but if he could just see his father that would be enough for him. The floorboards felt odd under his hooves and the air seemed to flow endlessly, like a massive hurricane all around him. Suddenly it all stopped and he opened his eyes. The colors of his walls had changed and the building itself looked as though it had been altered. It was the home they had in Canterlot before they had moved out to the country, it was where he was born. Upstairs he heard crying, the crying of a young child. Closing in on the source of the noise he finally found the room and walked through the doorway.
His mother was in a bed and she was holding a figure wrapped in a purple cloth. "He looks just like you.", said Morning sweetly to a black unicorn in a purple black suit of armor. "I'm sure he'll be as sweet as you though, Morning." Dusk looked at the unicorn and began to tear up slightly. This man... was his father? "Dad?" His voice made no impact on the colt, this was only a memory and thus it could not be rewritten. Sirens blared in the distance and the morning light was drained away, morning instantly turned to night. "What is going on? Is it happening again?" Morning began to look fearful and pulled the child close to her chest to protect him. "Night, is it happening again?" Night Star stood tall and closed his eyes, before looking out the window. "I'm sorry Morning. I'm so sorry but you know what those sirens mean. Princess Luna has called me to arms and I need to answer." He walked over to the bedside next to Morning and placed his hoof on the child, "Dusk, you grow up and work hard. I know you will make us all proud." He kissed the child on the forehead before turning to Morning and kissing her. "I'll be back, I promise." He left silently and the child began to cry. Morning tried to console him by rocking him to and fro, "Now now, calm down. He'll be back", she said as she looked at the doorway that he had just exited, "He'll be back..."
Dusk followed Night down the stairs and watched as his father left for the last time. Night had acted bravely when Morning was in the room but Dusk now saw that he was shaking furiously. Any iron will he had was shattered and his true feelings spilled out. "Discord, I swear you will pay for making me miss this." Dusk stopped as his father strode past him and opened the door, night turned to morning once more.
Discord... That name... It was so... Familiar.
Before Night shut the door, Dusk could see in the distance a dark house that projected itself out of the scenery. It was the same house he had seen when he had went to see the photo. He couldn't help it, he had to find out what was so special. Why was it following him. It was there in his last memory and seemed to haunt him still. He left the house and ran for the dark figure in the distance while his younger self cried in the distance. As he neared, decrepit shingles and shattered glass came into view, this house was nothing new to see. The path to it had never changed, it was the same path no matter where he went. It seemed as though Dusk had been here too many times now yet he was still drawn to it.
He stood on the doorsteps leading up to the building. It stared back and practically asked, "Why haven't you come sooner?"
...
It was the house he had met Dawn in.