Dusty looked in the full mirror on the door to the bathroom. Admiring the gold array of sandals and the light chest piece brandishing the symbol of his mothers rule, a bright purple star made of amethyst with five other symbols around it; a butterfly, a lightning bolt, a purple gem, pink balloons and lastly a sparkling apple. Dusty forgot what they all mean, but he figured he wouldn't space out the next time his mother explained it.
He stepped out of the large bathroom, closing the door behind him with a swift kick and picked up his JoyBoy. Jumping on the bed and ignoring the fact that if anypony deiced to visit him, they would be greeted by an...interesting combination of smells and sights. Comics stuffed under the bed haphazardly and floor a mine field of trash with a pair of pajamas hanging of the bed post. Work desk still supporting a week old pizza slice, but the books above it were spared the same treatment; untouched but clean at least. The tiny screen flicked on the game came to life and just like that, he was wrapped in its fantasy world.
"This time you'll fall to my blade, Ganon..."
Each passing level was time flying by faster than his cyan aunt on a clear day. All he needed to do was focus on the game and try and not think about the amazing party just moments away now...all the gifts that awaited, cake he intended to demolish and aunt Pinkie always was fun...he paused the game and frowned; setting it down and hopping up. The colt paced back and forth, glancing at the window every few seconds to see if other ponies were coming...
After what felt like an eternity...thought it was only five minuets..a carriage pulled up. The tall and confidante Scootaloo hopped out with a clumsy but ecstatic Sweetie Belle. Dusty hung his head out over the balcony and waved, yelling much louder than needed...
"HAY! IM UP HERE!"
Scootaloo looked up quickly, poor Sweetie Bell jumped at the surprise and hid behind her friend.
"Oh hay, kid! Come meet us downstairs,we got something for ya!"
Dusty gasped, throwing himself off the stone ledge and opening the door with a burst of blunt magic. Skipping steps as he ran down and landing in the foyer, gold sandals clanking against the marble. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell were waiting just as the door behind them closed and sure enough, a long box wrapped in rainbow colored paper was waiting behind Scoot.
"Now...I'm not suppose to give you this before the party....but I can't stand the wait any longer."
She stepped aside letting Dusty get full access to the mysterious gift...he lunged at it only to get yanked back by his ear from a force of purple magic.
"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" he cried helplessly.
Twilight gracefully took the gift up and let him go when he was back by the stairs, rubbing his ear and pouting. Sweetie Belle glanced around as if not involved in breaking party procedure. Twilight happily stepped back to have both of them in her view.
"I see not much has changed for the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" She said, air permeating the kind of disappointment that had unnerving cheer...
Scootaloo scoffed and lifted her head in pride, lifting her wing, turning to the side to show off the large wing on her flank and Sweetie Belle showed the red and gold embroidered heart on her backside.
"Come on, Twilight, We've had these for a while now." Scootaloo said with a laugh
The story behind them is a entertaining one, Twilight was sure she would hear another recounting of when Scootaloo's wings suddenly had a growth spurt, breaking record wingspan and nearly breaking Rainbow Dash's wing power record. Though the feet didn't come without training, and Sweetie Belle was there all the way to the end. Earning her cutie mark when she realized she could find a talent in helping others; truly pushing ponies along to reach their goals and even find comfort should they fail. Kindness became the little sister to generosity, and Sweetie Belle moved in with Scootaloo after the wing power competition. Twilight couldn't help but notice the smaller details between the two...
"I'm so glad you both could make it." Twilight said after a short laugh, putting the two at ease once again.
"We're just happy to be here for Dusty Armor's big day." Sweetie Belle cut in, trying to work her way out of being in any kind of trouble with Twilight still.
"The party is in the grand hall, just take that hallway left of the stairs and you should see it." She pointed for emphasis and Sweetie Belle quickly pushed Scoot along, the orange mare protesting to such a quick exit but walking along to not cause even more trouble. Twilight laughed and looked down at Dusty.
"More should be coming soon, and don't even think about opening a present before the cake."
He sighed, lowering his head.
"Yes, ma'am..."
The door opened again, the guard holding it for the newest arrivals and just like that Dusty was wide eyed and almost bouncing with excitement. Soarin and Spitfire walked in, both their eyes widening when seeing the Princess and her son waiting at the door.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle. Always an honor." Spitfire said, giving a small bow in respect. If only her wingmate was as courteous.
"Twilight, its been forever! Wheres the grub?"
Spitfire elbowed the stallion, he looked surprised but quickly changed to apologetic. Digging through his saddle bag and taking out a box wrapped in the same pattern used on Wonderbolt uniforms; Twilight took the gift and held it in the air behind her next to the one from the two crusaders.
"Thank you so much for coming, just down the hall there and make yourselves at home."
The two nodded and said their thanks with their departure,Twilight called for a guard and had him stand at the door for any more new arrivals. Dusty followed behind his mother quickly when she carried the gifts to the great hall, only to get held back by a magic barrier just before he could get close enough to see inside the room.
"Hay, no fair!" He said in a tantrum.
"Not until everything is ready, it's going to be a surprise party anyway."
The colt stomped on the ground and ran back to the foyer, no doubt to pester the guard for information...and to intercept any gifts perhaps. Twilight just laughed, knowing she gave the guard express orders that her son is to not lay a hoof on anything. The great hall was ready, the disorganized mess of color was now a extravagant party that would no doubt hold a place in the top ten of parties thrown by Pinkie. Twilight walked in and noticed Soarin already arguing with Applejack over pie, Rainbow Dash dropping everything to rush her idol with questions, luckily, they were the only things out of place. Streamers of every color hung from the chandelier and it seems the band was all set, drums, electric guitars....Twilight could never guess just where her son's taste in music came from.
"Alright...I think I'll wait for a few more guests and then let him in." Twilight said with
Dusty paced around the guard, stopping behind him when a thought occurred to him. Guests filed in steadily and each bearing a gift..all of which intercepted by the guard and given to the already exhausted privet to shuttle to the great hall. Aunt Cadence was fun to talk to, though Uncle Shining saw though his ruse and quickly shot him down, taking the gift himself to the great hall while he painfully had to work his way out of the conversation with his wife. Eventually, she let him go and joined the rest of the group in the great hall. Yet...it only just occurred to him to try asking the guard for the presents...
"Hay, whats your name?" Dusty piped curiously.
"Sentinel Fury." He said quickly...voice gruff and bitter, hoping that the prince ends this conversation out of fear.
"Sounds way to cool to be real..."
No such luck....
The guard stood silent, Dusty glaring up at him but getting shoved out of the way when the door opened. Sentinel blowing past him and taking to door from the guard outside, giving directions to the guests he didn't care to know. More and more walked in and Dusty stayed focused on him and behind the door so as not to get grabbed by anypony walking in until the stallion sighed heavily.
"Sentinel Heart."
Dusty smirked, laughing until the last guest passed the staircase. Shutting the door and turning quickly enough to force Dusty to jump back. Sentinel returning to the center of the foyer and staring at the door.
"I am one of the few corpsman stationed at Castle Twilight. If an attack befalls this castle you pray...that I see you in time to save your life. Do not disrespect me."
Dusty backed up a little and raised a brow...
"Whoa whoa, calm down, i'm not disrespecting you...I just like analyzing names. Sentinel, you take you job seriously. Not much of a fun lover like some in the royal guard, right?"
Sentinel growled under his breath...
"Heart, you said you're an HM?"
The guard actually gave away a little surprise when Dusty knew his title aside from Royal Guard like most called him.
"Oh yea, I know the terms,best friends with Vanguard before he got pulled back to Canterlot. Heart...You would do anything to save a solider, huh?"
"...No sign of a talent for years so I joined the guard, during boot camp the Drill Sergeant tossed a grenade into the platoon and everyone ran...I jumped on it. He said I was the dumbest private he ever meet, and that he would serve next to me in the trenches in a heartbeat....I went from being a Fleet Marine Force corpsman...and now i'm collecting presents for a prince. I guess it's how you look at it...."
Dusty smiled a little, proud of getting the tough guy to open up. Looking over his shoulder and noticing a flash of purple, eyes widening, he looked back up to Sentinel and grabbed his arm..dragging him down the foyer and into the hallway. Sure enough he passed though barrier, but the protests from the guard fell on deaf ears, nothing but joy radiating from the colt.
"You need to loosen up, so if anypony asks, tell them you were personally demanded at the celebration by the Prince of Ponyville."
Sentinel laughed on the inside at the statement, the title of prince of a small town not much on its own, but he figured arguing was pointless. As soon as he entered the room, cheers rang in the hall for the prince...and Sentinel searched out the most desolate corner. Dusty would find him again sure enough, but he figured he could hide for as long as possible.
Dusty ran to the center of the room, noting familiar faces like Applebloom, Lyra Heartstrings, Featherweight with his camera, the Princess of the Night standing with her sister and so many others he couldn't even begin to register. Twilight pushed through the crowd and smiled down at him...her little prince...her dusty light in the darkness.
"Today is your day...enjoy every bit of it...and always remember how much I love you..."
Pinkie crashed though the crowed and was about to interrupt Twilight before Rainbow Dash flew down and crashed on Pinkie Pie and taking the moment.
"Come on Twilight, lets get this party started!"
Applejack chiming in from the stage by a black maned singer and grinning guitarist.
"You can smother the poor colt later, y'all wanted to go all out, right?"
The music started to pick up and everypony started enjoying the lively beats and fiery chords. Twilight giving up on her own moment and patting Dusty on the head, just glad he chose to wear the gold for the special occasion.
Sentinel sat at a table in the corner, picking at a cupcake he snagged before Applejack was swarmed with hungry guests. Watching everypony have a blast and noticing Dusty glance over at the table stacked with gifts every so often...
Sentinel tapped his hoof to the beat of the music and eventually got himself a piece of the cake, taking off his helmet and setting it down on the table with a heavy thud. Pure black mane spiked with a high and tight cut, giving him even more of a military look than the helmet did. Of course a few mares and stallions eventually took notice and wandered over, sitting with him and striking up conversations, they even got him laughing and he didn't even notice when Dusty started opening presents.
_ _
Once Applebloom finished setting out the last of the food with her sister, she joined Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, rushing to Dusty with gift in hoof. Dusty eagerly opened the long box while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked over his shoulder. The package was torn apart by the eager colt, the box thrown into the pile with the rest of the empty boxes, holding up a old looking cape with a shield and silhouetted pony on the end.
"What is it..?"
Scootaloo chimed in, feeling nothing but pride for the old stitching, the red fabric and gold inside bringing back so many childhood memories, it took all her restraint to avoid taking up the spotlight by telling an old and no doubt slightly embarrassing story of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"When we were fillies, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and I wore capes like this all the time, running off on adventures just like you to find out our special talent. We even had a clubhouse and everything! Now we're passing the torch to you."
The cape was picked up by Applebloom, wrapping it around his neck and fixing it so it flowed back over his back, the shield fit over his flank like a temporary cutie mark. Dusty smiled and straightened up feeling like a king with the gold formal chest plate and cape.
Twilight had the box from Celestia ready for last, but when she saw him so proud with the cape. Memories turning the armor silver and resemblances haunting her vision...The gift vanished in the air, sent away to her study for tomorrow she resolved, the crown was in need of a private explanation anyway she rationalized.
_ _
The rest of the party went off without a hitch, all in all...as the last pony left the castle to the late night and a long trip home...it was a day in party history. Dusty was in his room, door wide open with Sentinel Heart. Sentinel sharing more stories of service, a few more bloody than Twilight would approve, but when the Princess listened in, he was on a story from his time during the Canterlot invasion. How he worked on no sleep for three days while sorting out the wounded, telling how he was the reason there were no deaths that day; and why he was promoted so fast to becoming the Medical Leading Chief Petty Officer at Castle Ponyville.
Twilight knocked on the door lightly, Sentinel looked over and jumped up, regaining his bearing and standing at attention.
"My apologies ma'am, I was only telling the prince what it was like in the Medical Corps."
"Its quiet alright, in fact...I think it might be a good idea he learns a thing or two about healing."
Dusty rolled his eyes, thinking this was going to turn into another study session later. The guard stood at ease, smiling softly and grabbing his helmet off the desk and putting it back on.
"Go on home, Heart. Tell the rest of the guard tomorrow starts a three day liberty; Dusty shouldn't have all the fun this week. We can take care of ourselves"
Sentinel bowed respectfully and exited, knowing just how happy the soldiers are going to be and already planning his own bit of fun for the first time...
Twilight walked in slowly, yawning and nearly tripping on one of his new video games already scattered on the floor. Dusty smiled sheepishly as Twilight lifted the cape off his neck, the chest plate glowing in the same purple magic and lifting over his head; floating into the closet before she took the cape and draped it on his bed like a sheet.
"I'm glad you had fun today. Thanks for not getting mad about the girly crusader cape..."
Dusty looked shocked, picking the cape up and wrapping himself in it, eyes wide and grin brighter than when Applebloom first put it on him.
"What?! This is the opposite of girly, mom. This is like...the coolest thing ever!" He said so eloquently.
Twilight smiled and ruffled his silver mane with a hoof, the colt yawning finally. Twilight took it as a sign to make an exit, fixing a few things compulsively before standing in the doorway, Dusty Armor already passed out on the bed with the cape over the bed covers. Cutting the lights and admiring the moonlight shining in through the balcony window before shutting the door.
Making her way to her own room on the west wing, the last thing she saw was a guard dashing out the front door. Twilight closed her eyes and sent out a spell that locked the doors and put up barriers around the castle. The door to her room swung open and the purple silk bed covers embraced her. Wings not even bothering to stay neat against her while the covers lifted in a purple swirl and fell over his face, a calming breath escaping her....
"You did good today, Twilight...ya did really...good." She mumbled into the pillow before sleep takes her.
_ _
Dusty's eyes snapped open, grinning as he jumped up and tied the cape around his neck. The door creaked open slowly, Dusty slipped out and stuck to the wall as he was sneaking into the west wing. Twilight told him that the west wing was off limits but that didn't stop him from trying; Of course the guards did stop him every time. Now though, the guards were out in town having their own party. Creeping as carefully as possible he found a large doorway; the door creaking open but when he shut it behind him, Dusty took a look around...
The moonlight poured though the stain glass windows, giving enough light to the room to help him easily see. Each window was a picture. One that caught his attention was a image of a draconequus, if he had to guess, Dusty figured it was Discord before when everyone said he was evil...
Dusty Armor continued, noting Nightmare Moon, his uncle Shining Armor and even Spike. Though...the one with his dragon brother Spike had a figure he didn't recognize from his studies...the window next to it was obviously related but much darker. A pony looking entity was taking up most of the window, nothing but malice in his eyes and shadows dominating the picture...
A door creaking open caused him to jump, thinking he was caught.
"Sorry sorry sorry sorry!" He cried in reflex.
"Twilight? Is that you?"
The wall behind the throne opened up, the tall dragon sticking his head out and looking around. When he saw Dusty cowering on the ground he was filled with panic.
"Dusk! What are you doing here?!"
"Spike?"
The dragon realized what was happening and shut the secret door quickly. A heavy click and the door was locked tight.
"Nope, no dragon here!" He said, draconic voice rumbling though the wall clear as day.
Dusty growled and charged behind the throne and started banging on the door.
"Open up!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Dusty stood back a little, focusing hard on the door as his horn lit up. A grey swirl wrapping the door handle on the inside and the door swinging open. Dusty jumping in before Spike could realize what happened.
"O-oh, hay you're getting better at magic!" Spike managed, pretending nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
"Whats back here?"
Not waiting for his brother to answer, instead he starts to rummage through papers scattered on a few desks, the room tucked away well but the room was brightly lit by lanterns on the wall.
"What is all this?"
Spike scratch the back of his head, avoiding his glare.
"Spiiiike." he whined.
"Twilight told me to never let you back here, I cant tell you."
Dusty put on his best face yet, eyes wide and ears hanging low, the subtle sniffle and shine on his eyes. Spike backed up, closing his eyes and turned around to face the wall
"No, you're not getting me with the face."
Another quiet sniffle...
"Nope. You cant make me."
"P-please, Spike....?"
Spike opened on eye, peaking around and feeling eight different kinds of guilt when he saw the single tear running down Dusty's face; the latest great battle of will power was over...and the dragon lost.
"Oh fine already, just stop doing that!"
Dusty grinned from ear to ear, the puppy dog face gone in an instant and he started looking through more papers.
"This is Twilight's personal study. Anything she wanted to work on without prying eyes she keeps here. Eyes like yours."
Dusty scoffed, picking up a file that caught his attention. The tab read in black ink, the handwriting of his mother. D. Armor.
The colt opened it eagerly to sift though his mothers secrets. The file was full of papers that he couldn't make heads or tails of, some papers said stuff like Something of Birth or a weird paper full of numbers and names. He kept flipping until he noticed a paper that was different...the title over his mothers name said Medical Evaluation and there was a huge written paragraph at the bottom, he recognized his name but the cursive was impossible to read effectively, rolling the paper up and putting it behind his ear, mane covering over it easily. Dusty looked up and noticed a small blue bow sticking out of a closed drawer...
"I knew I was forgetting something!"
Rushing to the missing gift and snatching it out, Spike grabbed the gift and held it too high for Dusty to reach. When Twilight brought him a slice of cake for missing the party she stashed the gift with a teleportaion spell just a few moments later. Spike was curious but he didn't dare open it. Now he had leverage...
"Heres the deal, I give this to you and you go back to bed. We both forget this ever happened and you get a new present."
"Deal deal deal! Hand it over!"
Spike opened the door and the colt ran out with the box in his mouth by the bow. The dragon crashed on the ground in relief and even laughed a little; realizing just how hard Twilight can sleep...
_ _
Dusty shut the door to his room and flicked on his desk lamp, reading the tag and gasping when it said From Celestia. It had a note stuck to it but he set the tag aside for later, ripping open the box and looking into it...
"Wait...what is it?"
A gleaming silver crown rested in festive packaging, when he picked it up, the light reflected off of it in his eyes. The blindness only a split second but he was sure he saw something else...
"Where do I know this thing from....?"
The crown gleamed, Dusty thought so hard about it his head stared to hurt. Groaning in frustration he tossed the crown back in the box and stuffing it under the pile of comics under his bed. Resigning to ask Sentinel about it when he comes back. Until then sleep took the colt effortlessly. If only the night could end in peaceful dreams for Dusty Armor...
The crown glowed in the box, a soft wind shaking the glass door to his balcony. Dusty tossed and turned through the night, clinging to the sheets in blind fear. Eventually he knocked over the stack of books and the crown fell free of the box; emitting a soft glow and dark mist from the jewel in the center...
Dusk...