The Colours of Dusk

by Gallifrey


Rain or Shine

The Colours of Dusk
by Gallifrey

Chapter Fifteen
Rain or Shine

The day had finally arrived. It was the high solstice, commemorations were in earnest, the Summer Sun Celebration was well underway all over Equestria.

It was the longest day of the year.

It was the big one.

It was raining.

Rainbow Blitz, who for whatever reason seemed very distracted of late, and had mixed up his orders and forecasts from Cloudsdale and so the weather team had made it rainy when it was supposed to be bright and sunny. While the pegasi were flying around, desperately trying to fix the mess, down below, Dusk and Elusive were enjoying a coffee together, sheltered from the rain inside Elusive's cosy living room.

"It's been a while my friend," said Elusive, stirring creamy milk into his drink. "Where have you been these last few days?" He leant back in his armchair and surveyed Dusk with a keen eye. He looked... tired, and that was being generous.

"Oh you know... work, keeping the library, research, Celestia's tasks for me... thinking. It's all been rather hectic."

"Yes," said Elusive measuredly. "In fact, it hasn't escaped the notice of a keen young pony, who came to me the other day asking me for advice about your current health and situation."

"Ah," said Dusk, looking guilty. "That explains all the meals and cups of tea she's been making me recently."

"Yes, I told Dawn to make sure you were eating well. I know what you're like when you're too busy or distracted. You never take care of yourself, that's the problem; too busy running around taking care of everything else."

Dusk looked at the window. It was covered in condensation and water trickled down the panes, like they had on Blitz's face...

"I've been thinking a lot lately."

"You mean more than usual," said Elusive, helping himself to a ginger biscuit.

"Yes. Elusive, what do you do when someone says they like you?"

The white stallion nearly choked.

"You mean, he actually asked you?!"

"You knew?!" said Dusk, shocked.

"Oh Dusk, everyone knew except you!" said Elusive impatiently. "What did you say?"

"I-I said I didn't know," answered Dusk honestly, as Elusive facehoofed.

"And you left the poor guy fretting about it didn't you?"

"Stop making me feel worse than I already do," said Dusk miserably.

"I'm sorry my friend, but really! You need to give him a definite answer! If you say yes, then everything's dandy, and if you say no, it'll let him move on. But keeping him on the fence like this will only make him, and you, feel awful."

You don't have to tell me," mumbled the purple stallion.

"Apparently, I do," said Elusive, smiling slyly. He raised his cup to his lips. "Why not give it some due consideration this afternoon, and give him an answer tonight at the Dance?"

"But what if I ruin the Dance for him by saying no?"

"Dusk, his night will be ruined if you don't give him an answer anyway!"

"Right! I get it!" snapped Dusk, his teacup rattling on the saucer in his stress. Elusive noticed and felt a pang of sympathy.

"What are you looking forward to then, tonight?" he asked, trying to divert the conversation to more pleasant affairs.

Dusk gave himself some thought, before answering "Dancing."

"Dancing," Elusive repeated warily, peering over the ceramic rim of his teacup.

"Before you say anything," Dusk said hurriedly, "I'll have you know that I've been taking lessons!"

"Oh?"

"Yes! I've seen those pictures from my last birthday, and from my brother's wedding, and my dancing was so embarrassing!"

"It was embarrassing," affirmed Elusive. The white stallion's mind dug up the memories. Good grief. Dusk danced like a giraffe on a trampoline, and the giraffe was on stilts.

"So, I thought it would be a good idea to get better at it," said Dusk, looking considerably more cheerful than he had done a few minutes ago. "I visited Zecora a few months ago and she said she'd be more than happy to help."

"Zecora can dance?" asked Elusive doubtfully.

"Very much so! She's taught me loads of neat dances."

"Hmm, I look forward to seeing how you've improved," said Elusive with great interest.

"So do I! I hope I'm better than I was."

"Look at it this way, I don't think you could possibly be worse."

Dusk nodded and relaxed a little more into his chair. That was the problem with Elusive's furniture, it was far too comfortable. Even his mind started going soft as it conformed to the contours of the silky velvet of the headrest.

"Hmmf! Anyway, what are you looking forward to the most?"

"The wine tasting," answered the stallion quickly. "I've always loved it so, it makes me feel... sophisticated."

"Spitting alcohol into a bucket makes you feel sophisticated?"

Elusive shot him a glance.

"Really, Dusk. You know as well as I there's a lot more to it than that!"

Dusk conceded this. Although it was very easy to wind Elusive up about such matters, Dusk also enjoyed the wine tasting too; he got to have a try of many wines he would never be able to afford otherwise, which was something. In fact, most of his friends enjoyed the event, except Butterscotch, who didn't drink, and Rainbow Blitz, who insisted that wine was gayer than he was. Oh Blitz...

"And the mare who minds the table," said Elusive dreamily, in his own little world. "What is her name?"

"Wh-Who?" said Dusk, coming out of his own little world.

"The girl at the wine. Has red hair, and a rather nice... behind."

"I believe her name is Grape Vine," said Dusk.

"Naturally. Wouldn't you agree she's beautiful?"

Dusk shrugged non-committally. Elusive sighed. It was hard to tell whether Dusk was possibly gay, or just disinterested in the affairs of love altogether. Perhaps putting some alcohol into the purple pony would help him elucidate the answer and loosen his tongue, perhaps in more ways than one.


Work is lame.

Puff! Cloud gone. Tick box.

Holy crap work is so lame.

Puff! Cloud gone. Tick box.

What time is it?

Thundercloud. Kick. Get zapped with electricity. Tickles.

Kinda just wanna go home and knock one off.

Puff! Cloud gone. Tick box.

Same old shit, different day.

"Blitz!" called a voice from below.

"What, Thunder?" asked Blitz irritably.

"It's like lunchtime already," said Thunderlane, dancing with anticipation on a cloud. "Hurry up, I'm hungry!"

Blitz looked at the several dozen clouds he still had to clear. After a resounding "Fuck it," he abandoned his work to join his friend for lunch.

"Alright, but it's your day to pay!"


"Ya know, I've never seen either of them look so down before."

"Oh my gosh, it's like you're reading my mind!"

"You think they'll be okay?"

"It's always the same. In the end, everything's okay."

"Wow, that's unusually deep for you, Berry.

"Thanks, AJ!"

Applejack was watering the flowers around his home, while Berry kept him company. In any other setting, two personalities such as Berry's and Applejack's would not make good bedfellows, or even flowerbedfellows, but life likes throwing surprises at you, and Berry loves surprises.

"So, did you snag anyone for the dance?" asked Berry.

"Not this year I'm afraid. I asked Rose the other day, but guess who she's goin' with already?"

Berry shrugged.

"Mah darn brother! He kept that quiet lemme tell ya!"

"AJ, your brother keeps everything quiet."

"I know. Can be annoyin' at times."

"So you're not gonna try and ask Lyra like you did last year then?"

Applejack visibly winced.

"Hell no! I can still feel where Bon-Bon slapped me." He sighed, wiping sweat off his brow. Watering flowers was harder work than it looked. "How 'bout you?"

"Me? Nah, I'm faar too busy having fun for any of that mushy stuff."

"To each their own ah guess," said Applejack, shrugging. He paused. "What kind of fun might that be?" he added slyly.

"Never you mind, pony boy."

"Ah."

Berry, unperturbed, looked up at the patchy sky above him.

"Who's 'Scotch going with?" he asked.

"Ah, that's a dead end and no mistake. Ah've been trying to wrangle it outta him all week but he won't say anythin'."

Berry frowned. Butterscotch was of course notorious for being shy and easily embarrassed, perhaps that's why he wouldn't tell. Or maybe because he was so shy, he hadn't plucked up the courage to ask anyone. A mystery indeed.

"Do you think they'll get together?" he asked. Whether this question was directed to himself, Applejack, or the sky was anyone's guess.

"Who?"

"Anyone..."

"We're gonna find out in about five hours."

Far off in the distance, the bell of Ponyville town hall rang out twice.