//------------------------------// // Magical Mystery... Mystery? // Story: Equestria Guys // by Barrobroadcaster //------------------------------// "Dusk Shine... is that you?" Applebuck asked, covering his eyes with his hoof. He, Rainbow Blitz, Bubble Berry, Butterscotch and Elusive all had their hooves covering their eyes, blinded by the ball of light that had just landed right in front of them. The ball of light that had enveloped his friend, the magical aura that Dusk Shine had descended in faded slowly leaving behind only the purple unicorn. He stood, surrounded by his friends with his eyes closed. Applebuck walked over to him. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like... whatever that was. Are you okay?" he asked his friend. Dusk looked around. Something was... off. He checked his back, his hooves. Wasn't something else supposed to happen? "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine," Dusk finally admitted. That was true, at least. He felt all right, in fact he felt great but somehow his mind couldn't help but feel that something was missing. "What happened to you?" Dusk's Pegasus friend Rainbow Blitz asked. "First the Prosperity Components went all brzzzz and then you were gone and then you flew down in some purple-y ball of light," he explained. Dusk put a hoof to his chin. "I was with Lord Solaris in... well, I don't know where we were. But I saw all sorts of memories. My memories, like scenes from my life in this flat windows. And there was music... and then-" "It's not what happened that's the problem," a voice from behind them said. Lord Solaris, Dusk Shine's own mentor descended and landed next to him. "It's what didn't happen." The prince of the sun walked over to his student still stood from where he descended. "There's nothing wrong with Dusk Shine is there?" Elusive asked, walking over. Lord Solaris put a hoof to his bearded chin. He examined his student, looking for something. Dusk Shine didn't know what to say, he looked himself over again and then stared back at his teacher. "What... what was supposed to happen?" Butterscotch asked in his traditional timid voice. "He.... well," Solaris began. "He was supposed to become an alicorn. And a prince." "What?!" the group asked in shocked unison. "I was supposed to become... an alicorn? You mean with wings and everything?" Dusk gestured to his back. "Yes, you were. I just don't know what went wrong but it seems that you didn't. You... you still might not be ready," Solaris said, lowering his hoof. His gaze drifted towards the ground, the old white stallion was deep in thought. Dusk Shine didn't know what to say. Had he failed? "I... I've learned a lot about friendship. And magic. And the magic of friendship since coming to Ponyburg. I finished that spell you gave me, the one by Short-tailed Spiraling Space? I actually completed it today... it kind of saved all my friends." "That's right!" Rainbow Blitz agreed. "All our cutie marks were swapped and we couldn't remember anything about what happened, our whole lives! Dusk finished Spiraling Space's spell and got everything set right again." "He's right yer majesty," Applebuck commented. "Dusk here's done a great job. If he hadn't been so quick on the draw, I'd still be makin' dresses in Elusive's shop." "And I'd still be bucking apple trees!" Bubble Berry added. "I... think I'll leave the weather managing to Rainbow Blitz," Elusive said. The rainbow Pegasus nodded. "And I'll leave the animal caretaking to Butterscotch." "Dusk has helped all of us out through the magic of friendship and the Prosperity Components. If anypony in Ponyburg knows a thing about friendship, it's Dusk Shine," Butterscotch declared, his soft voice displaying a rare undertone of confidence. "That's right," Dusk said, agreeing with all his friends. "I've come so far, we all have." "I... I don't disagree with anything you have said," Solaris said, still sounding confused... or disappointed. "But I had certain expectations for Dusk Shine. In fact, this moment, this moment right here was supposed to be, well, a turning point. This... changes everything." The comment hung in the air for a good few seconds. "Hmm," Bubble Berry said, thinking. The pink colt rubbed the top and bottom of his head, thinking hard on the predicament. "Maybe there's something else he can do?" the stallion finally suggested. Lord Solaris pondered the statement for a moment. "I'm not sure. I know for a fact that Dusk Shine was supposed to become Prince Dusk Shine, an alicorn when he fully understood the magic of friendship." "Well," Elusive began. "What's left to understand? What more can he learn?" Dusk Shine almost chuckled at that question. "There's always more to learn, Elusive. I think that was lesson one." "Well, that's what I'm asking. What more about the magic of friendship do you have to learn? Where do you go from here? What's the next step?" "The next step was for you to become an alicorn prince," Solaris stated flatly. Bubble held up a hoof. Everypony turned to him. "Maybe... skip it? The purple unicorn laughed awkwardly. It was a tad inappropriate to ask that in regards to magic, especially in front of Lord Solaris. "Uh, it's uh, a little more complicated than that Bubble." "I will... look into this matter. Dusk Shine," the taller white stallion knelt down to Dusk's level. "I want you to know that you are still my apprentice, nothing changes that. You haven't failed me." Dusk's heart sunk. "Failed?" Lord Solaris stood. "I will return to Gallopolis and conduct more extensive research into this matter. It's good to see you all again, I'm very happy that Dusk has mastered Spiraling Space's destiny spell. Your destinies as the Pieces of Prosperity are paramount to ensuring that all of Equestria prospers. We will understand the magic of friendship fully... eventually," the white stallion said, his voice still contained a slight sorrow as he departed. The alicorn prince then flew away into the night, leaving the other six ponies alone. Dusk was left with uncertainty. What had Lord Solaris meant? Had he done something wrong? His mind raced with possibilities, the events of the day replayed over and over in his mind. Then the past week, followed by the past month and then the whole year. He felt like he was with Lord Solaris again watching his memories on display, every moment of his life leading up to now. "It's okay Dusk Shine," Rainbow Blitz put a hoof on his friend's shoulder. "We'll get this figured out. You'll... earn your wings, I guess soon. Sooner or later." "That's right! Now who wants to have a... um, not-alicorn party?!" Bubble asked, hugging the pair. "I think I'm a bit tired Bubble. But thanks, I'll see you guys tomorrow," Dusk Shine said, starting to walk home. "All right Dusk. We'll see y'all later," Applebuck said. "Take care Dusk Shine!" Elusive said. He waved to his friends as he opened the door and entered his house though his mind was elsewhere. Unbeknownst to Dusk Shine, his mentor Lord Solaris's thoughts were also far away as he flew back to Gallopolis. The thousand-year old stallion had seen a lot in his life but it turns out he could still be surprised. He found himself uncertain, something that was rare for him. But he resolved that he would continue, find out what had happened and how Dusk Shine would finally realize his destiny. He would take a page out of his student's book and continue undeterred. Perhaps what Bubble Berry had suggested wasn't that bad of an idea after all?