//------------------------------//
// From the unknown he comes 
// Story: The Vast Unknown 
// by FLUTTERxxDASH 
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Chapter One
From the unknown he comes


“Hurry up get the portal ready!” a voice bellows that is raspy to the ear from a tall dark black pony wearing royal attire.

“Sir the gate is nearly ready to transport the item in two minutes,” a meek voice behind the first replies with a much more quite tone than the first.

“Dear you know how long this process would take to have the kei’talin runes to have any effect on this plain,” a sweet voice  coming from an dark purple coated mare with a sapphire mane as she walked into the room.


The room was domed over, lowly lit apart from the glowing red glyph's that led in the middle of the room, there were six ponies present. Three of said ponies donned torn brown cloak's working on the runes while the meek voiced pony had the same but with his hood down to show ivory white fur with a dark blue mane. The glyph's were centered in the room and looked to be some sort of alter.


One of the cloaked ponies span around to their leader, “Sir.. it is..... ready,” panting as he says this he moves over to where one of six small line's end that lead up to the alter. 

The dark pony began to walk to another line that connected to the alter, “Finally my plan can come to fruition, you take the item and put it in the center of the three rings” pointing a hoof at the farthest pony in a brown cloak.

With a quick reply of, “yes sir,” the pony rushes and picks the object thats wrapped in a white cloth, no larger than his two hooves that carried it, “its placed sir, what now,” releasing the object in to the middle of three golden rings.

Glaring at the pony, “Now you should move out of the way you foal,” shouting with a regal tone of a noble but with a tinge of malice he makes the other quiver where they stand.

After all ponies were finally in their own positions they began to chant making the room start to shake, “chanu… terk… grinh… drak… zerk… chalo… trett…,” the group keeps mumbling as the room grows ever more violent with shaking.

The middle of the room where the alter stands glows brighter than before and the three rings of gold start to spin, each ring containing their own set of glyph's. As each one span faster and faster they broke one by one turning into dust that floated and covered the item in the center. After a few more minutes there is a wave of energy that erupts from the alter leaving only dust and debris in its wake.


A Few Short Year's Later


The wind whistles past the trees as the sound of hoof steps slap the ground, on a dirt path we find a pony walking “well looks like this is another one of those boring days where nothing will happen again right Dusk?". 

Replying in a tone of disbelief, “Wow look at you all talkative today,” a pony with white fur and a crimson mane not the regular colors you get a mix of but that's not the weirdest thing about him. In the far off distance you could see the smokey mountain pass that lead to Vanhoover facing his back.

Ignoring the first comment, “C’mon I am bored can’t we go to another tavern like last week and scare the living day lights out of some pony again,” hissing at his own comment a snake behind the first pony says eyes beaming dark red. 

“You know it wasn't us but you that did that,” replied Dusk, “oh wait technically it was us but …… well you get what I mean,” looking back at the snake but carried on walking well I mean technically we do share the same body so yeah and consciousness nonetheless so I guess it was me too but for crying out load this always confuses me.


Our pony in question was a teenage looking colt with white fur and a red mane, not only that but he shares his body with a snake in the place of where his tail is, for many years now the snake refereed to itself as Shadow, Dusk also has two horns on either side of his head that curl over then under his ears in the color onyx. Three scar's go across his neck while marks were placed on his face, back leg and his back that are dark black. The marks were placed by his grandfather to 'protect him' whatever that meant I'l never know now. Shadow always finds ways to annoy Dusk in some way or form, both Shadow and Dusk share one consciousness but he can’t seem to control the thing, making the relationship more of a split personality. His eyes were not normal either with their golden rings that twisted around his pupil like spikes.


With a stern look on his face Dusk turns to the now curled up Shadow, "you know we could have stayed at that inn longer but you had to fuck up and make trouble again, it always has to be about Shadow, sometimes your such the literal ass," with a huff he turned back around and carried on walking. Even if the snake hadn't of had the personality of a..... well snake being viscous and uncanny it would already be weird and scary to see a pony with tattoo's, scar's and a talking snake tail to begin with, mostly every where they went they were shunned and chased out of, only a few ponies would truly come to know Dusk. 


Shadow elevated his head ever so slightly, "well where are we going then Mr almighty leg colt?" between breathes letting his tongue seep in and out in a quick flipping motion.

Without turning Dusk reply's, "Well as you already know back in Vanhoover that elderly mare pointed us to the direction of the library for more information and said to look at the 'history of equestria' and the 'effects of harmony'," slowing his pace to catch some breathe. 

"Yeah, yeah the hag who mentioned that flutterpony tale about the six mare's of destiny," coiling back up closing his eyes huffing with clear annoyance himself. 

"Hey, she was nice, she let us stay in her spare bedroom without pay for three days you ingrate and she even had the decency to tell us the information we needed," Looking forward a breeze making him cover his face, "and maybe we can finally find out something if this twilight sparkle will help us, she might be the key to uncovering something about our appearance and truly what we are," back at a full paced walk with new resolve they carry on. 

"Oh right, sure the newly crowned princess prissy pants of magic will take her time to help a deformed pony such as us, be realistic!" Shadow snarled with one eye open showing pure ruby red eye.


Many hours pass walking along the turning and twining roads of the country side, finally ponyville is now in sight, a red barn with its apple crop field, a tree in the middle of the large town, unique to Dusk as not many ponies have been seen to make a tree their home in a town, only the odd few who live the wilderness by themselves many bad memories their huh Dusk. 


Not long off the trips end a sound all too familiar to the duo sounded an alarm *GURGLE* seems were hungry, hope we can find something sweet because is it me or can you smell muffins, putting his muzzle in the air sniffing. 

well your the only one getting that feeling their ive never been hungry, guess you have to wait a bit longer, after that last thought they carried on walking in silence until civilization could be in reach.


A few minutes later they near the end of the path, towards the town two mares could be seen talking and laughing, between the two there was a sky blue mare that was grabbing the cream mares hoof shaking it and staring at it, "Hey, hello, please could you help us," Dusk shouts while he waves a hoof. 

When the two notice him the blue mare backs away a few steps, at a better look her fur and mane had not much of a deference between their color but he could see a horn, her cutie mark showed a musicale instrument which was golden, a look of confusion and fright splashed across her face. The cream mare had more colorful mane being dark blue and bright pink and a set of three candy rappers covered her flank, springing into action she moved in front of the blue mare, staring at Dusk with almost the same look as her friend but her eyes glaring a deep sapphire at Dusk. With a quick nudge both mares were sprinting down the path toward Ponyville.


Another expected reaction, "Ha!, again another town, another mare that runs from you Dusk, will you once again taste the bitterness you give us of having other ponies glares in this new town?" sarcasm clearly the tone of this sentence.


Dusk and Shadow arrive in ponyville and start to walk through the town, wow D this place is empty what happened to the ponies, maybe we scared them off even better than usual, walking past the quills and sofas shop there were tables with half eaten sandwiches’ and warm drinks still steaming, clearly stating somepony was there moments beforehoof.  there’s got to be somepony around maybe I should try shouting for some ones help. “Hello is anypony there,” Dusk shouts but to no avail, “helloooo…ooo,” he looking from right to left again. 

“your just making a foal of yourself again Dusk c’mon it’s a dead end lets go somewhere else,” coiled upon Dusk's back Shadow himself looking around at the streets that were empty.


In the meantime inside of sugarcube corner


A bouncing piece of pink jumps around a group of mares, “hey, hey, hey guys, is that the pony your all talking about coz he’s the only one out there and he’s shouting something hehe,” the giddy mare says that is always recognizable as pinkie pie, pinkie was all... well pink and her mane and tail looked like yummy candy floss finally her cutie mark was three balloons. 

A shaking cream mare sat at a red table, “Y..yeah that’s the guy, he looked at us like we were meat and that snake stared at us while it licked its lips”. 

A mare with a dark purple mane with lighter purple and pink streaks stepped forward, “oh please girls, Bon Bon are you sure it wasn't you just misunderstanding the colts intentions did you hear what he was shouting”. 

“No B.b..but twilight you weren't there, me and Lyra were so scared we didn't have time to think we just ran, right Lyra,” Bon Bon looked over to the blue mare from earlier said with a jittery voice.

Lyra who was sat next to Bon Bon started to shudder, “Th..Th.Those red eyes, snake..s.s.snake,” Lyra mumbled. 

“SEE! Look at her!” Bon Bon said pointing at her friend. 

“Okay, yes she does look frightened but that does not prove that the colt over there is evil or up to something does it now” Twilight questioned.

“Well no but..,” Bon Bon started before Twilight carried on with her usual lecture, “well that’s that then, shall we go meet him or shall we let the town be like the times when Zacora was ignored,” Twilight said rhetorically.


Twilight began trotting to the door when a southern accented pony said, “you know sugarcube you should consider he might be dangerous and be more cautious about this,” the mare with worry in her voice. 

“Oh c’mon Applejack you know better than most about a judge of character,” Twilight turning to the orange mare. 

“Erm I…I.I don’t think you should…… go out there either,” whispered a mare hiding behind a long light pink mane clutching her hooves over her head behind Applejack. 

“Yes darling please reconsider and listen to Applejack,” clearly spoke a mare with a refined voice that of an angel. 

“Why, he looks so AWSOME!! I agree with Twi on this one…. Let’s go!” a pegasi with a rainbow mane says.

“Hey guys,” pinkie says trying to catch the attention of the others.

“You know I can’t think that way until I know the pony myself and I am sure we can protect our self with the elements guys,” twilight states in a tone more regal than before. 

“I know that you've dealt with many different characters now with your entire princess duties assigned to you by princess Celestia,"

“Hey guys,”

“but come now darling think this over, just on the off hoof he is a dangerous pony,” Rarity says with a look of concern putting her hoof on twilights shoulder. 

looking back to rarity, “I know that but what sort of princess would I be if………,”

“HEY GUYS!!!!!!!,”

“What pinkie what in the name of faust are you shouting about,” twilight says, turning to the giddy pink pony.

“I think he’s is coming this way, maybe he’s coming for some cake or maybe a PARTY!!” pinkie says pointing at the window. 

“Get ya head down quick gals,” Applejack says, pulling pinkie away from the window. 
Twilight starts to walk over to the door, “Don’t be silly girls,” with a sigh she then opens the door.


Just before the door opened


Sugarcube corner was a sight to behold, really, it looked like a big ginger house made up of candy sticks and all sorts of treats, “wow couldn’t get any more gaudy than that can ya”. 

Looking quite shocked himself turning towards Shadow, “well I like it plus I'm starving, so if we do get help here we can also get some grub too,” walking up to a bright pink door Dawn raised a hoof to knock just before the door swung open.


“HE’S GRABBING TWILIGHT,” a bright orange mare shouts. 

"Hello?” says a confused Dawn just before being tackled to the floor by the same mare who shouted and was wearing a cowboy hat that now lay meters ahead of them on the path below. 


“APPLEJACK!! I think he was just going to knock, right sir that was what you were doing,” Twilight stated questioning the downed colt in front of her sprawled out like he was just hit by a loose hay cart.

“errerrrrr…… yep I think,” Dawn said wheezing out of breath due to having the wind knocked out of him.

“Stay back Twi y’all still don’t know that be th'truth,” Applejack says in a stern tone looking directly at the colt now mere center meters away from his muzzle. 

Shadow sticks his head to the left and looks at Dawn to see what happened, “Hew, hew, look at you Dawn all cozy with the cowgirl," giggling at his own comment. 

Applejack span her head round, “Who said that, y’all better start talking or Im’a kick your flank into next week,” eyes moving from right to left before she noticed everypony coming out but not noticing the snake just to her left.


Now outside of the shop the group look at the two, Dawn being underneath Applejack, Twilight there trying to get applejack off of the colt, Rarity blushing a tad bit, rainbow hovering trying to get a better look at the new face…… Fluttershy being fluttershy hiding behind Rarity and Pinkie is sat there munching on a cupcake pulled out of thin air. Dawns golden eyes open to look at Applejack, “Well if you’d kindly remove yourself from atop of me I’d gladly tell you whom just spoke and why I’m here,” asking politely was always the best way to calm a situation like this.


Bright red smears itself across Applejacks face as the mare realizes just how ludicrous a picture this scene paints and backs off the colt. Shadow then decides to show his head, getting yet another De-ja-vu reaction of gasps and ponies backing away apart from two, the giddy one who just laughed and the yellow, pink manned pony who perks up a bit at the sight of him……. Weird that was quite a different reaction from what they usually got when he popped out.
Dawn put his hoof up to his mouth and coughed slightly, “first things first I’m Dawn and the voice earlier came from Shadow, don't mind him too much hes just an ass,” Dawn says with a bow putting most ponies at ease, of course Shadow’s enthusiasm lead to just him lying back down huffing at the thought of more annoying ponies to deal with and slightly annoyed at Zalik for that comment. After a quick look around at who he was talking to he asked, “Could I ask where we can find Princess Twilight Sparkle, I need to ask her some questions about a certain matter if she has time,” Dawn states in a polite tone whilst looking around to see if he got a reply.


The purple mare moved forward, “Well look no further,” Twilight says while placing her arm on her chest gesturing it was her that he was looking for, "if you want we can talk over some cake we were just going to have some before we heard Bon Bon and Lyra come screaming in here making everypony run back to the insides of shops and houses," Twilight says pointing a wing at the door.


Now fully stood up, "well I was just kinda getting hungry too, i think that would be great, after you," Dawn replied following Twilight and her group. Inside the shop were the two who didn't come out, sat there with red flushed faces waving slowly to the new face realizing what had really happened. 

haha would you look at those two, we scared them enough to make a whole town retreat to their homes, this has to be one of the most interesting places we have been to I cant wait to see what pops up next Dawn