Light in the Dusk

by AlphatheGriffin17


Discovered

Several things happened in the course of the next few days. The Old Mare's tale, it turned out, was true and, on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, Nightmare Moon returned, to bring eternal night all over Equestria.

But a group of six ponies found and used the fabled Elements of Harmony to defeat the tyrannical villain and restore her to normal; the long lost sister of Princess Celestia, Luna. She returned to Canterlot with her sister, for recuperation and rest.

Some other events ocurred as well. There had been rumors that a dragon had taken a nap in the cave on a mountain, near the settlement of Ponyville and something about a swarm of bothersome pests over in Fillydelphia. Dusk was a little vague on the details. He never really listened to the gossip.

But the ponies who found the Elements were more than mere gossip. Everyone in Canterlot talked about them, and how they had saved all of Equestria from endless night, as well as saving Princess Luna.

Finally, the young princess emerged from her seclusion, made a public apology to the entire land and announced that she would once again be resuming her responsibilities as the Bringer of the Night. So, a celebration was called for.

That was where Dusk was now, at the party that was being thrown in honor of the return of Princess Luna. All of the school had been given the evening to attend, and he thought he might as well come along. He had nothing better to do.

He drifted in and out of the crowds of ponies, all of them laughing and smiling, enjoying the festivities, not seeing him. Just as he was used to. He had thought that, maybe, a party might help to raise his spirits and put him a good mood. That had gone quickly out the window.

Speaking of windows...

"Everypony, if I could have your attention." All eyes turned to the voice.

Her fur coat as white as the snow, every step she took as graceful and easy as a waltz, crown glinting and mane shining, Princess Celestia took her place above the crowd, looking over everypony.

"I am grateful and overjoyed that so many have come to witness this momentous occasion. I thank you all." The ponies all cheered at this. Even Dusk couldn't help but smile a little. "Now, I am pleased to present once more, my sister and fellow ruler of Equestria, Princess Luna!"

As gracefully as her sibling, the Princess of the Moon glided over to her sister and sat beside her. Her mane glittered with starlight, her fur was a nighttime blue and she had her dark crown upon her head. She was smaller than Celestia and, perhaps a little more frightening, but that didn't make her any less important.

"Ponies of Canterlot, of Equestria," she boomed, in a voice that seemed much larger than her body, "we thank you all for your kind appreciation and support! It has been of great help to us in these difficult times!"

Dusk couldn't help but smile a little again, as everypony else looked a little intimidated. She still adressed her subjects using the Royal Voice of Canterlot. Celestia had abandoned that tradition centuries ago. But, then again, she had been stuck in the moon for the last thousand years.

"But our true gratitude extends to the ponies that freed us from our reign of evil! While we regret that they cannot be here today, we would dedicate this tribute to them, for all they have done for us and this fair land over which we rule! We give you the wielders of the Elements of Harmony!"

As she said this, a curtain fell on the wall, exposing a new, stained-glass window, which beamed light upon the clouds from the shining stars and moon. Upon it was Princess Luna, in the form of Nightmare Moon, being consumed by beams of purple light, originating from six ponies that were facing her.

"We thank you, once more," she resumed, as everypony applauded again, including Dusk. "Now, let us return to the festivities. For tonight, we celebrate!"

With one last round of applause, everypony resumed their previous conversations, whilst Luna and Celestia began to mingle with the crowd, greeting their loyal subjects and receiveing their congratulations.

Whilst most were gathered around the princessess, Dusk moved to get a closer look at the window. He had an interest in history and was eager to see this for himself, to say to everypony that he had been there on the unveiling of this historic monument. If anypony actually cared what he had to say.

He like, everypony else, knew the story. Of how Princess Celestia had banished her younger sister in the moon with the Elements, because she wished to have night eternal, so her subjects appreciated her work. The six elements, Kindness, Honesty, Genorosity, Loyalty, Laughter and, the once unknown, Magic were the most powerful magical items in all of Equestria and it took true goodness and a pure heart to use them. Now, they had been found again.

He gazed up at it, along with a group of other ponies. There was Nightmare Moon, armoured and terrifying, shrouded in darkness, just like the stories he'd heard when he was a foal. The other six seemed to be two members from each of the different sects of pony society, all using the Elements of Harmony. There was an orange and a pink pony, Earth types, a pair of Pegasi, one blue and one yellow and two unicorns, one white and the other...

He blinked. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. He squinted for a better view, to get a better focus on that pony. It couldn't be her, could it?

"Oh my gosh, is that Twlight Sparkle?" a colt murmered in front of him.

"Hey, yeah it is." His friend sounded approving. "Guess she did find some friends after all."

"Yeah, who would have thought? You know I always wondered if-"

But Dusk didn't stay to hear the rest. That had been the last bombshell. He'd turned tail, his head bowed and pushed his way out of the crowd, not really caring who got in his way and fighting back the tears in his eyes. He just wanted to be alone, away from everypony else.

He galloped away from the crowds, from the party, until he could no longer hear anything. He looked up breifly to see that he was in the Canterlot Gardens. No-one except the animals and the gardner came here, the former were probably hiding and the latter most likely was asleep.

Satisfied he was alone, he let the tears begin to flow. Quietly sobbing, he cursed himself for being such a coward, and for even thinking he and Twlight could have been friends. There was no chance now. She was away from Canterlot, with friends of her own. She would probably never even glance at him, if she ever saw him that is.

Sniffing, wiping away his tears, he decided to play out what was in his mind before him. Literally. He was alone after all. He tapped into the magic he naturally held as a unicorn and reached out into the night with it.

Shaping it gradually, he formed a small imitation outline of himself, in a dark blue. It twinkled and glowed from the magic. Then, he made one of Twilight, in the same way, in her purple colour.

From a young age, he had been able to do this: to use magic to shape what was in his mind into a coloured form, that moved as he instructed from his thoughts, like they were alive. He had never learned it from a book, it just came naturally to him, like breathing or eating. No other unicorn could do anything like he did. It was a special talent of his. That was why he kept it hidden.

He didn't want to know what others would think of him, of what he could do. He didn't want that kind of treatment. What if they didn't like it and scorned him for it, said it was stupid? So, he focused on study and knowledge. He passed his tests, earned his Cutie Mark of his scroll and kept his magical colour puppetry hidden from everypony.

He sometimes used it, but only if he was alone and if he was perhaps a little bored, or emotional. Tonight, it was the latter of the two.

He played out his little scene, with his coloured avatar nervously approaching the Twilight-puppet, before shyly slinking away again. The Twilight puppet didn't even turn around or notice his. Each time he did this, he would get a little closer each time before leaving. Then, when he was at his closest, the Twlight-puppet stood up and flew away soaring into the night and vanishing with other formless colours, leaving his puppet reaching out for her. It then dropped its hoof, collapsed in a heap and wept. Alone.

Finally, he erased this one too. Their light faded, leaving him in the dark. Then, the tears began to fall again. He must look so pathetic, sobbing here by himself like a foal. At least nopony was here to see him.

Well, that was what he thought...

"My, that was beautiful." He jumped at the voice and whipped around. Standing there, as clear as the day she bought, was Princess Celestia. "I've never seen such wonderful magic like that before."

Wait, what? Was she talking about what he had just done? Had she seen him doing it? He then suddenly remembered who he was with and sunk in a low bow. In fact, he did it too fast and his head smacked the floor.

"Y-y-y-your Highness, um... good evening," he stuttered, his skull throbbing, but still remembering his manners.

"And good evening to you too, young colt," she said, with a voice that had been dipped in honey. "You may rise." He did so, but kept his head bowed. "I saw you, as you ran past me in the Hall before."

"You... you did?" Why would the Princess of the Day bother with him?

"I was curious why you were in such a hurry to leave," she continued gently. "Why aren't you enjoying the celebrations with your friends? Why are you all alone out here?"

"If... if I may, Your Highness," he replied sadly, "I don't have any friends. Nopony would want to be friends with me. I'm nothing special..."

"I don't believe that at all," she said adamantly, but still in a voice as loving as a mother's caress. "Why, just now, I saw that wonderful display of magic that you did. Where did you learn how to do that?"

"I've... well... I've always been able to do that, Your Highness. Ever since I was young."

"Really? Well, I'd say that's special, wouldn't you agree?" She glided over to Dusk, like a swan over water. "I'm surprised that it isn't your Cutie Mark, such a special talent like that."

"Well... that's because I've... never shown it to anyone before," he sighed pathetically. Then, it all tumbled out. "What if they didn't like it? What if they thought it was weird? What if they just started making fun of it? It's not like anyone would care if they saw it anyway..."

His eyes widened in shock. He'd just said that, in a bitter, disrespectful tone, to Princess Celestia. "I mean uh... what I mean is..."

"Well, I've seen it and I think it's marvellous. It's a shame you keep it hidden." He looked up. She was still smiling. "You know, one of those... forms bore a remarkable resemblence of my student, Twilight Sparkle. Do you know her?"

"Um..." He felt his cheeks flush at the mention of her. "Uh... sort of. I mean, I've never really spoken to her. I've seen her. A lot."

"Would you have liked it if she had been your friend?" She appeared genuinely concerned.

Was it that obvious, Dusk thought to himself. He was just surprised that the most important alicorn in Equestria, apart from Luna, was interested in what he had to say.

"Yes, I would have." He sniffed, wiping away tears. "But, she's gone now. Away from Canterlot. She has other friends now. She wouldn't want to be friends with somepony like me anymore..."

"Don't be so sure." Was it his imagination, or had Celestia's smile grown brighter? "I think that you would be very surprised." What did she mean by that? Her eyes seemed to twinkle, with an almost filly-like cunning. What was she thinking, he wondered.

Then, it was gone and she began to set off. "I had better return to the festivities, or my sister will wonder why I have gone. Are you coming?"

"No, thank you, Your Highness. I think I'll just go back to my dorm. I'm tired and.. well, you know..." He knew it was too good to be true. She'd gotten bored with him. He couldn't say he hadn't expected but... it had been nice.

"If you're sure," she said gently. "Sleep well..." She paused. "What is your name?"

"Dusk Noir, Your Highness."

"Well, it was lovely speaking to you Dusk," she said genuinely. "Sweet dreams." With that, she cantered away, leaving sunlight in her wake.

Dusk blinked after she left. Had all that really happened? Had Princess Celestia just come over to see him, console him and tell him that the thing he'd kept hidden his whole life was... wonderful?

Despite himself, he felt a small smile form on his face. Even if this was just a dream, it was a nice one to be sure. He'd just feel sad when it was all over and he woke up.

Leaving the castle behind, he walked on back to the school. Most of the students were still at the celebration, so it was strangely quiet and empty when he returned. He climbed the stairs, entered his room and lay on his bed.

He fell asleep almost instantly, smiling the whole time.

The next few days passed without much incident. The different groups of mares and colts all gathered and discussed all the things that they did, how wonderful the celebrations had been, all of those sorts of things.

Dusk continued to drift like leaf on water, his ears always prone to the snippets he heard, but never contributing. It's not like anything he would say would be of value anyway. Just as he did before.

Until, one day, when the sun was highest in the sky and he was reading in his room, there was a knock at his door. Odd. Who would want to speak to him? Who even knew about him?

He opened it to reveal a white Pegasus pony, dressed in the royal colours of Canterlot. A courier.

"Dusk Noir?" he asked.

"Yes... can I help you?"

"I have here a letter for your attention." He handed Dusk the rolled-up scroll. "From Princess Celestia. Good day." He trotted off, Dusk shutting the door.

He looked over the scroll. It did bear the royal seal of Canterlot. It was impossible for anypony to forge, so this wasn't some kind of joke on him. The Princess remembered him? Took the time to write to him?

He unrolled the scroll, opened it and read:

Dear Dusk Noir.

I hope this letter finds you well. Yes, I still remember you from that night at the celebration.

I'm writing to tell you that you are about to take your studies, and your life, beyond Canterlot. I have managed to get you a home in Ponyville, where you are going to work in the local library.

You are going to serve as a second assistant librarian, under my faithful student Twilight Sparkle. Enclosed is a ticket for the train to the town from the Canterlot station.

You will start your work tomorrow, giving you the rest of the day to make yourself comfortable. Don't worry, the ponies there are very welcoming and kind. You'll be fine.

Good luck, and remember, don't keep that special talent of your's hidden forever. Find somepony to share it with.

Princess Celestia.

Dusk re-read the letter several times, taking it all in. Was this really happening? He hit himself with his hoof. No, he was awake. This wasn't a dream.

Inside, some doubts arose. Why had the Princess just assumed that he would want to leave? Why hadn't she asked? Did she just think he was going to up and leave? Was this just an attempt to get rid of him?

But he couldn't hear those doubts, as he quickly gathered up what few things he owned, a few books, his favourite quill, a few oddly shaped rocks he'd found on one of his walks and placed them into his saddlebag.

Then, he flung it over his shoulder, folded up the letter from the Princess, took out the ticket that came with it and dashed out of the doors, towards the Canterlot train station.

He could hardly contain himself, as the train arrived, he presented his ticket and he boarded. He was going to Ponyville. He had been given this chance by Princess Celestia herself.

He was going to see Twilight Sparkle. Despite himself, he smiled widely.