//------------------------------// // Not Too Long // Story: Dusk Falls // by Lyreaxiose //------------------------------// The two guards bow their heads as Dusk passes by into Celestia's throne room. They follow her into the chamber, the door, compelled by magic, closes behind them and they assume position on either side. Celestia rests on her throne, her head leaning to one side. She sees the broken glass which she never bothered to clean. Her light didn't seem so bright lately. Dusk's presence rouses her from her daze. She rises to greet her student. Dusk curtsies in a sign of respect to which Celestia returns a slight nod. She follows the nod with a warm, if weary smile. "Your Grace, I have received your summons." "Student, we are so glad you could come on such short notice. We know how your recent studies have left you so tire. We have called you to inform you that you shall be entering a new phase in your tutelage." "Oh, Princess, this is wonderful! I've been studying new spells I found in the library so much! I can't wait to show you! What must I do, my Princess? I'm ready." "You're to make friends." "Of cour-friends, your Highness? I. well. friends?" "Yes. Friends. There's a shortage of them in these times." "Ever since Lu-?" "Nightmare Moon." Celestia cuts in, "Yes, ever since We banished her to the moon. The wounds are still upon this land. Ponies need something. We want you to be our light in their heart and minds in these troubled times." Celestia pauses, looks at her student. Her small, lanky little teal unicorn with the cyan mane and the nervous, green eyes. "Besides, you're so lonely, Dusky. You spend all your time reading. Seeking knowledge is admirable, but there is a certain magic in friendship you can't learn just from your research. It's time you discovered that. We can not teach that in any classroom." "But, Princess, I. It's just. There's so much. So little." Dusk sighs "As you wish, my Princess. I shall tell Pan to get ready." "There shall be a carriage in the morning. Meet with me again tomorrow so We might brief you in detail. Good Evening, Dusk." Dusk bows and turns to exit. Celestia rushes to her and embraces her student. "I'll miss you so much. Please, write me about everything you learn. I have faith in you, my student. Have faith in me. You're like my child. It's been so hard since Luna has been gone. It feels as if light is no longer so bright. The night sky is dead and the sun has no warmth. Be safe." Dusk blinks as tears begin to form. She breaks away and quickly exits, hardening her heart to leaving Canterlot. She stops before her door. It seems so foreign now. Less like a home and more a cell. There are many doors down the hall to other rooms. Dusk wonders if it ever was home. She takes a breath, and slowly enters. Pan the dragon is snoring in his bed. She considers waking him, but decides instead to pull out a book of spells. Unfortunately, the sharp-eared dragon is roused by the sound of a closing door. (Drat!) "Ah, Dusk, how did things go with the Princess." "Fine. Pan, I want to go over some spells." "Sure, but, your meeting? Is everything alright?" Dusk slams a book down and opens it to one of her bookmarks. "Why wouldn't it be?" "You seem a little upset." "I'm not. First spell, levitation." She lifts a vase filled with flowers, a gift from Celestia. "You've already mastered that, Dusk. What's wrong?" Dusk drops the vase. It shatters on the ground. "Nothing is wrong! We're not going anywhere! Focus, Pan! Teleportation." The shards of the vase are outside the window, falling to the ground below. The flowers are still on the floor. "That was your favorite! What are you do-. Wait, who said we were going anywhere?" "We're not going anywhere, Pan. Transformation. (Not if I can do anything about it.)" Her horn fizzles from her lack of concentration. "Talk to me, please. What's going on?" "It's nothing. It's-it's just not fair." Dusk heaves a sigh "It's not fair. I don't want to leave, Pan. I don't want to be alone again." "Why are you leaving?" "The Princess. She says it's part of my lesson, but she's sending me away." "Whoa now. It'll be okay, okay? Celestia always has your best interests at heart. When has she ever done you wrong? Just calm down. Everything is going to be okay." Dusk stares out her window "I hope so, I really do. I'm tired, Pan. I just want to forget this day ever happened." "Hey, I've got your bed ready. I can get a bath going, and make some tea, if you like." Dusk smiles at her loyal companion "Thank you, Pan, really, thank you." Pan fetches a kettle, some tea, and cups. He breaths flames to heat the water. The smell soothes Dusk as she washes away the burden of the day. A half-hour later she is sitting on her bed, enjoying the tea prepared by Pan, reading her favorite book. Sleep overtakes her. Pan the dragon sits next to her that night, comforting her frequent tossing and turns. She awakes the next morning, still tired. The sun has not yet risen. She departs to meet with the Princess once again and returns shortly afterwards with a sealed letter. She is now in a daze, automatically going about her business of preparing to depart. "Pan prepare my things. Pack extra quills and paper, and pack the books. All of them. Pack something warm as well, we're going to Tundragrov. We'll be staying at the Academy for Gifted Unicorns. Celestia says I should meet some mares more my age there instead of being surrounded by military ponies of the guard or stuffy sycophants here. The lot of them are nothing." She slouches against her doorway. "Hey, slow down. You don't look good. When was the last time you ate?" "I can't remember. Are my things packed yet? Remember the quills, the paper, and the books." "You told me that, already. You're not feeling well. You need to eat." "No, I really must-" "Eat." Dusk heaves another sigh, but gives in. She eats a small breakfast before finishing her packing. A host of guards come to her door, introducing themselves as her escort. They guide her out of the palace to a waiting carriage outside. As she prepares to get in, Dusk takes one look back up at the Palace. There, in the window, Celestia is watching her leave. She places a hoof upon the pane of glass. They share a silent farewell before Dusk closes the carriage door. They ride in silence for several hours when she turns to the small dragon beside her. "Pan, thank you for being there for me. I don't how I would get through this without you." Outside the lush meadows gave way to patches of snow. Dusk wonders idly if this is all there is to see when the carriage abruptly descends into a valley. The sudden change in altitude causes Dusk to feel her stomach rise. The plains give way to a thick taiga. The trees all crowned in snow. Between the patches of forest snake swift rivers choked with ice. On the horizon a city rises. It sits on the shores of a large river. The buildings are all made of a dark, red wood. One of them stands gloriously above them all. It has elegant spires that bulb out like onions. It's painted in the colors of the Western sky during a sunset. Fluttering in the wind are banners of Celestia. The carriage lands on a small pad connected to a large spire near the edge of the building. Dusk sees that it's built like a fortress with thick wooden walls. Despite this, she also notices that the wood of the railing along the platform is intricately shaped by magic into images of unicorns and pegasus. "Well, Pan, are you ready?" "Are you?" Dusk laughs nervously. The guards open the door where stands an old unicorn in a thick coat to greet her. "Welcome, Madame Dusk Crystal. I hope you've had a good trip. Please, come this way, and quickly! It's quite cold in this part of the world, and the wind can be fierce. Best not to dally too long." He gazes fearfully into the sky. "Not too long."