5- The Panic has been Doubled!
5
The Panic has been Doubled!
Dusk didn't expect a lot when he decided to journey into Ponyville.
Deep down, he didn't want to expect much. He just wanted to see if it was true. To see if the town was truly alive and still standing. He had his answer and now it was time for him to leave…
Or it would have been if not for the unexpected and sudden chase nor the equally as sudden crash into another pony.
He couldn't help that he had nearly snapped their neck on reflex. Only the familiar magenta colour of their eyes stopped him from doing so. That moment of uncertainty had led the both of them to crash and become entangled in a cloth dangling from the town hall.
It went without saying that the rather annoyed stallion wanted to get as much distance between him and his assailant as possible before he did something he may regret. However, that was easier said than done as it seemed like the more he tried to escape, the tighter the woven threads seemed to tighten around him.
Dusk's brow twitched when his attacker shuffled a bit too close to comfort and the stallion finally snapped, "Get off me!" With an almost feral growl, he managed to shove them a few hoofs away before renewing his efforts to get out of the cloth without damaging it.
After a bit more shuffling Dusk decided that he no longer cared. This was beginning to piss him off and he wasn’t even close to the mood required to care about some stupid cloth. He had no doubt that the other flyer said something as he shoved them, but he didn't bother to register it.
With a mighty heave, he ripped through the cloth before sparing a glance at his attacker. Dusk's eyes widened when he saw the familiar prismatic mane free itself through the hole he’d just torn in the fabric and his breath hitched in his throat as he saw…
One of his...
...Friends.
Dusk gaped in shock at the familiar visage of his friend, still trying to wrap his head around everything that was clearly wrong.
Was it because his friend's mane was longer than it was supposed to? Or maybe it was how small he was compared to the shocked alicorn?
Or maybe it was the fact that he was sure that Blitz was a stallion and…
Well, not a mare.
"Blitz!?" He asked, a bit lost for words at what he was seeing. His ear flicked when he heard her say something equally incredulous.
"Twilight!?"
Dusk blinked at that. Twilight? Did this Blitz looking mare just call him 'Twilight?'
"Who?" they chorused in tandem as the stallion continued to observe the mare. His mind had finished connecting the dots, bringing a rather startling realization to the stallion's mind.
His breath hitched as he was about to speak and he stopped, his mouth hanging open as he tried to find the words to say, but he just couldn't.
He instead just settled on staring, his eyes continuing to observe, still not entirely over just how similar she was to the stallion in his memories. From the confused tilt of her head, to the furrowed brow on her face. It was exactly like Blitz... Just far more feminine in a weird way that he wasn’t quite sure he could articulate.
The ridiculousness of the whole situation slowly dawned on him and made him laugh.
It was like life was screwing with him! He had explicitly stated that he wouldn't be near any of his friend's counterparts, but it seemed that even in another life, they were still fated to meet.
So cruel…
His laugh gradually turned into a hollow choking sound midway as his mind reminded him that despite the circumstances, he was fated to live alone.
That was simply his life.
He stood up, suddenly feeling both exhausted and sluggish, like every movement was being taken at half the speed of reality. It was something that Dusk hadn't experienced since the bird came crashing onto his life.
With a heavy sigh, the stallion rubbed his face tiredly before turning away from the mare and speaking softly. "I'm sorry, I should've paid attention to where I was going" He didn't have the willpower to meet her face on.
What a coward, He heard his conscious whisper in the back of his mind and the exhausted stallion wholeheartedly agreed. He couldn't even face Blitz's counterpart because he knew if he did…
Dusk allowed himself a little peek, watching as the confusion and light surprise on the mare's face transformed into something... No, someone and the alicorn immediately looked away with gritted teeth, his hoof dropping to the floor in regret.
It was so familiar.
It was painful to even look.
"Hey- Um... I'm sorry as well, I wasn't really paying attention either." Even the sheepish tone was similar and Dusk was way too tired to tune her out, so he let out a breath, sucked up his angst and tried to give his best smile - which he was sure looked more like a grimace since he hadn't had much practice in recent years - and nodded like some bobblehead, hoping it was the quickest way just get the whole situation over with.
Rainbow gave an embarrassed and apologetic smile and Dusk could feel something slowly die inside of him.
Why do they have to look so similar? A part of him gasped. More than anything, the stallion just wanted to hug her and reassure her that everything is alright and-
The thought was cut off immediately when a pony came bouncing from behind Rainbow and his voice was once again taken away by a familiar sight.
"Raaaaiinnnnbow! Didya know that there was a new pony-" The pink pony that looked a bit too much like Bubble Berry had started to exclaim happily before she stopped in the air mid hop and let out a gasp at what she saw "Omigosh! You found him! Great job Dashie!"
Dusk had to stop himself from instinctually attacking when she somehow appeared right in front of him. Just like Bubble, was left unsaid and the purple alicorn didn't know what to say, so he instead opted to step back a short distance, his eyes slowly ingraining the counterparts of his friends in his mind.
They looked happy and… well, alive and he didn't really know what to think about that.
Anytime he tried to analyze the pair and the situation his mind would immediately replace them with his friends.
(This… they were so similar.
They’re so happy.)
That image inevitably led to a familiar ache in his chest, which he would try to offset by further analyzing the situation which only led to a vicious cycle, occasionally broken by the question of why his universe had suffered but this one remained whole. Why did his friends have to suffer while their counterparts remained whole?
Don’t think like that. He suddenly berated himself. That’s selfish!
"Hey, are you okay?"
Dusk blinked and snapped his focus to where the voice had come from before he flinched once more. Familiar turquoise eyes and pale pink bangs had greeted him and the icy grip around his heart began to tighten immediately.
Breathing heavily, he began to backpedal once more before being forced to stop himself when he bumped into someone, his first instinct having been to attack.
Instead, Dusk turned sharply, his body tense and guarded as he tried to see who had stopped his retreat. His breath was taken away when a familiar apple-trotting earth pony came into view with clear concern in his her green eyes.
"Sugarcube, Fluttershy over there is askin' the right questions because you don't look right. Do ya' need help? Where is yer’ herd?" The southern accent was on point and he gulped, his eyes switching between the four mares that now stood a semi-circle in front of him.
They stepped closer, and Dusk got ready for a fight.
Theyweren'thisfriend,neverhisfriends- imposters,liars,fakers,theywanthimdead.
Changelings- Umbra’s soldiers-
Dusk only now realised just how haggard his breaths had become, air now rapidly exhaling in harsh puffs. He could see them saying something but he didn't know what.
It was then it dawned on him that all he could hear was a high-pitched ringing, no matter how hard he tried to focus and hear them but he simply couldn't…
And the smell...
Terror flashed through him when the visage of his friends appeared in the mare's place. His breath quickened and his flank bumped against the town hall. He had nowhere to escape, they were surrounding him and they weredeadanditwasallhisfaultand-
A hoof reached for him and he moved back immediately, his mind now certain that they were going to attack him and shout at him, no doubt rightfully blaming him for all his misdeeds and failures.
How I’m wasting my new life when someone else deserves it far more than I-
His breaths coming in ragged gasps and his eyes scanning wildly for an out, he found he could no longer look away.hey were surroundinghim,theywereallaroundhim- the scarred stallion felt dizzy, his eyes hurt, his neck hurt, everythinghurt.
l
l
(̵̛̙͌̋͋T̵͎͖͎̟́̈̚h̷͎̆̿e̷͇̩͎̿͗͗̋y̷̮̍̾w̴̺̞͚͑e̶̖̖͉̝̐ṛ̵͕̲̌̓̄̓ͅe̶̛̬̟̙̣̒͘͠h̸̙͐̾͑͆û̶̻͚̠̮̓͠͝r̸͓̜͈̅t̵̼̗̖͖͑)̵̜͍̰̈́͗͘͜͝
(̶̟͗Ĩ̴͇̹̠ť̸͎̣̹͒́ ̷̳̥͓̋ẅ̴̘̫͍̈́̍͝a̵̝̣̖̽́s̴͖͝͝ͅ ̶̪͍͎̅a̵̖̔͂̓́l̵̥͊̕l̶̲̒̄̂̀ ̷͍̼͇̅͂ḫ̸̨̢̎̋͊̿ͅi̶͈̞͐͛s̷̹̦̏̏̀ ̷̟̺̈́̚f̷̭͚͙́̿ͅà̷͖ȕ̴͉̹̻̘̓̑l̶̼͙͎̅̿t̴͉̠̯̯̀̑̇͒)̴̛͕͍͈̤̃̂
He tried to speak, tried to say sorry, tried to beg for forgiveness, tried to say so many things but he couldn't. He couldn't-
l
(̷̧̢͉̼̗̼͖̱̯̪͔̗̥͐̉H̶̖̹͙̿̂̄͌̓̇̈́̃̀̾e̶͈͛̀̿̀̕ ̶͕̭̞̮̻͙̍̈́͗͋̓̅̀̕c̴̫̟̬͙̜͊̐̈́̓ȯ̴̭ü̵̦͙̪̥̃͐l̶̼̗͓̞͎̦̜͔̓̈́͆̏͐̓̀̿̆̑ͅḑ̵̥̖̿͂̅̐n̴̥̠̮͈͕͛̇̆͗̎̎̏͘͘̕̚͝'̵̡̣͖̯̺͍̬͙̞̥̙͒̄͊͂̇͐̍͌͌̽̿͊͜͝͝ͅt̴̛̛̠̙͒̍̈́̌̿́̑̓͒̈ ̵̨̭̬̟̻͉̣͙̈́͐̉̊̚͝s̸̿ͅá̸̯̘̜̈͌̌͗̊v̷̜̲̾̈́̃̎͊̆̅e̷̛̙̪̠̦̝̘̠̝͍͍͖͙̭͎͆̀̇̀̽͛̀͆̄̕ ̶̜͉͖̬̈́̾͒̒́̃͐̄̂̽́̕͝t̶͇͈̥̱̅̈́͊͌͂̉̈́̂̄͘͝ḧ̶̢̛͚͇̮̺̜̙͖͈͉̗̥̞̝́̇͌̓͆e̸̳̝̬̦̩͖̞̗̪̰̖͙͓̅̒́̇̃̇͂̊͑͊͘̕̕͝m̶̧̛͇̟̲̯̜̦͕̙̗̺͚͕͌̌̈́̃̀̐͝͠)̶̯̩̗͂̓́̓̐͊̆̓̂̀̏͜͝͠ͅ
l
Everything was spinning and everything was after him-
He heard something and he immediately flared his magic to ward them but they still didn't move and Dusk made his decision. If they wanted to fight then he would give them a fight!
He wasn’t going down without one!
Heowedthemsomanythings-
He Couldn't Die Unless He Finished It.
How could he have forgotten? He felt his fur stand on end as a burst of magic flowed through him.
A pitch stung his ears and he slouched on himself, his hooves digging onto the side of his head, trying to make the pain stop.
He Wanted It Gone.
A cool liquid dripped onto his hooves.
Something grabbed him and he immediately moved, letting his instincts guide him to freedom.
Death was closing in and that was unacceptable.
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(̸̧͈̘̝̬͎̜̹͉͚̫̝͐̄́̐̈̈́̾̀̈́̕͠͝H̴̢̱̙̖̯̦̱̲̞̮͚̣͕̪̣͕̯͗̔̐͆͒̎̂̒̈́̚͠ͅȅ̴͉̤̲̟̘͚̞͔̜͔̪̠̪͇͍̟͖̿̐̾̅̂͆̀̌͐̀̿̋̿͛͊̀͌̅͐̾̚̚ ̷̧̒̈́͆͐̊c̷̜̮͗͊̑̀͐̌̕͝͝ǫ̶̳̺̥̙̙̣̪̳͈̂̐͑̊͂͋̾̋͛̂̂̕͜͝u̸̺̪͖͐̾̉͂̌͐̉̎̂̌̋̂̓͝l̸̥̘̝͔̜̫̒̒̅̅̃̔̋̒̀̂̈́́́̑̄̈́͘͘͝d̶͓͍̬̥͕̻̰̩̗͖̣̣̖̆́̉̊̐͛̇̂͐́͗̿̐̍̌́͋̅̉͌͋̕͜͝͠ͅn̶̡̛͙̦̪͈͒͊̿̅̋̌̈͑̐͆͛̏̋̕͜͝͝'̸̨̧̰̮̝̬͎̭̞̲͉̬̩̗̼̖̫̠͍̫̍̐͌̾͒̓̇͂̎̈͌̒͒͋̓͑̈́̚̕ͅͅͅṱ̸͍̎͆͋̓̏̈́̄͌̐̾̿͌̌͠ ̶̧͖̞̮̤̗͔̟̣̗̜̙̗̲̣̘̌͌̌͜͝d̵̨̢̮̞̳̺̺̜͖̬͍̠̪͉̖͎͓̔͑̀͗̈́̚i̶̲̔e̵͔͋̆͆̎̍̈́̇͋͋́̐͆̋́̒́̅̍͆̆̚͝)̷̘̞͖̞͍͎̙̻̰̙̈́̈̀̑͛̃͂́͑̐̈́̌̀̋̐͜
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(̸̩͔̰̜̯̩̙̥̥̣̫̜̘͉͕̝̦̀͗̒̓͒̉̆̋H̶̛̠̭̱̦͙͈̤͙͕̼̬̟͖̩̮̥͋̔͗̾̒̓͆̃̄̑̇̈́́̉̌̐̀̓͘̚̕͝͝͝ͅͅͅe̴̢̨̢̱͚̙̯͎̟͖̪͕͕̝̜̤͔͖͚̝̥̯̟̒ͅͅ ̶̨̛͔͈̗̟͔͉̥̹̯͈̯̤͂̃̏̓͛̋͋̑̐̇̌̀̀͌͂͋̐̇̓͗̎͝d̵̡͗͂̐̈́̔̿̓̍̀͛͋̆͒̆̔͋͘͝ơ̷͍͈̜͖̝̰̞̜̯͕̼̺̱͓̞̘̖͇̐̀̈̿͆͑̊͒̀͆̈͛͆̄̐͛̅̇̈́̊̈́̐͝͠è̸̗̜̲̒̊͌͛̉͒̌͂̈́̕͝s̶̯̠̝̙̦̮̞̠͎̘̺̈̓̾͆̑̎͑̕͝n̶̡̦̩̺̜̫̹͈͔͍̣͕̼̯̪̤̠̺̝͒̄̚'̵̢̛͓̝̱̪̘̞͙̺̝̪̬͉͉͙̠͛̍̈́̀̑͌̉͒̆͒̋̀̆̋͐͂͝͝ͅt̶̡͕̬͉͍̫̥̮̬̞͍̤̣̍͂̇͊̿͊̎̋̒̊͗̈́̈́́̍̔͐̋̋͝ͅ ̶̢̖͙̲̯͔̼̹̗̲̩̣̣̙͕̝̞̈́̿͗̂͐̽̑͜͜͜d̴̢̧̧͇̣̘̺̼̫̬̫̯̞̹̪̜̭̜̭͔̭͈̲̩̻̒͛̅̾͐̂̂̚͘͝e̷̛̯̳͐̎̓̀̔̾̔̈́͊̾̅͗̑̾́̉͌̚ṣ̶̨̨̭͕͚̯̳̟̥͈̦̟͖͙͕̬̦̥̗̜͒̋̒͜͝e̸̢̛͇͉̖̫͍͍͆͛͋͌̂̾̊̇̏̏͘͠͝r̸͚͇̺͉̣̻̮͖̟̀͠v̴̢̡̛͙̺̞̰̤̺̬̪̰̟͖̹̞̗̪̳̤̖͐̆̒̎̔̐͊͛̾͆́̔̒̉̿͗́͑̋̀̂̊ͅȩ̶̨̨̧̖̻̻͚͇̱͚̙͍̜̔́̌͋͋͐̓̐́͛̋̌̿͘̚͜͝͠ ̸̘̼͈͇̮̺̼͚̫̘̩̂͌͋̇̃̃̈̏͒̀̂͌̈́̈̿̾̽̋́̒͊͌͝i̸̢̛̦̬̐̎̾̽̽́͊̇̓̃̑̄̀̄̓́̾̊͝͝͝ţ̵̫͍͉̼̟̥̝͓̽͒̉̓̔͌̀̀̉)̴̛̙͚̙̱̺̻͙̯̫̜̝̦̳̞̯̯͎̳͙͈̮̈́̐̌̈́̐͒͆̌͌̓̈́̆͑̉͘͜͝͠͠
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Darkness.
It wasn't a surprising sight to Dusk but it was nevertheless an unwelcome one. He tried to move but everything felt heavy, like he was struggling to move through sludge.
Again, not terribly surprising. Abandoning that struggle, the purple alicorn tried instead to remember why he was submerged in the inky blackness yet again. It was hard, to even try and think but he had too.
A quick attempt to sift through his mind soon found the reason and after a few moments to process it, the stallion let out a groan of shame.
An outburst? In Ponyville? And just after meeting his friend's counterparts, no less.
He gritted his teeth and tried to rub his face but his hoof barely moved and only made him feel worse.
He wasn't a foal anymore!
He couldn't afford to just throw magic everywhere like a bumbling newborn unicorn who didn't know how to use his magic.
He was an alicorn and the Prince of Magic itself and yet he couldn't even control his emotions?
You’re a disappointment, Someone hissed. A disgrace! Solaris should’ve never made you a prince!
Dusk laid there, tormented by his thoughts.
He was too unstable, he knows this. He sees how his magic pulses, controlled by his emotions compared to before.
Too reckless.
Too attached.
They were right.
No, he was right. He knew better. He should've never let himself feel again.
If he hadn't, then maybe he wouldn't have gotten to this point. Maybe he wouldn't have been the one to destroy Ponyville this time…
The very thought crushed him. Tears began to pool around his eyes and he tried in vain to raise a hoof and remove them, but he still couldn't move.
You can’t do anything but lay there and wallow in your weakness…
Why?
Why was he so... weak?
Why was he still here? He knew that he would never belong. That he’d never be able to be a part of such a harmonious world. They could never accept someone like him. Never should accept someone like him.
They already had their Dusk Shine, after all. This world didn’t need a cheap and broken extra like him.
The stallion let out a sob at that thought. He knew this. He’d known it since he realized the kind of world he’d landed in. He just didn't want to admit it. Even now he couldn't bring himself to vocalize that truth, only think it.
I’m a coward. A pathetic, snivelling-
His thoughts halted as his mind registered something coming close.
Someone was there.
“A coward, you say?” a voice purred. “If you were a coward… then how are you still alive?”
Dusk stared, not answering.
What?
“Do you really think a coward would survive as long as you?” it continued, voice as soothing as it sounds. “You’re far from a coward, my little pony.”
Dusk breath hitched as a warm touch pressed against his head. It was… comforting, especially compared to the cool inky pool that encased him.
“No no no, toss such thoughts away. You’re not a coward, my prince.”
What… what is going on?
Dusk’s eyes tried to focus but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t..
What was he trying to do again?
He felt drained.
No, not drained.
He felt tired.
So tired...
“No, you are my champion. How else are you still alive? Why else would you still be here?”
...Why?
Why was he alive?
“You will find your answers one day, my chosen.”
Was… was that a smile he felt?
“I can’t wait for that day.”
Purple eyes blinked, hazey and unfocused.
“Ah… i'm awake.”
How unfortunate.
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What the fuck is even going on anymore
What the hell just happened?!?!
Neat
10223152
10223158
Yep, I mean SERIOUSLY!!!!!! I get that Dusk has PTSD for losing his Best Friend Guy Buddies and the Princes in the War in his world. But, WHAT THE FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF*************************************************** IS THAT UNHOLY GLIBBERISH NONSENSE!!!!!!!! Is he Possessed or his Brain is F***** SCREWED UP or something????!!!!
If so, HE IS A HERETIC AND MUST BE PURGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* HITTING THE EXTERMINATUS BUTTON A 999 TRILLION TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( WH40K Reference).
Sorry if I got carry away. But I want Twilight, the Main 5, Spike, the Royalties Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor, to take him to a GOOD THERAPIST and FIX HIS BRAIN, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!! 😵😵😵🏨🏨🏨👩⚕👩⚕👩⚕💆💆💆
ok
NMMoon/sombra electric boogaloo incoming?
Well then, this just got both interesting and very confusing in just a span of a couple paragraphs. Bet it is gonna be the nightmare from princess luna.
I think we need another chapter quickly
Poor Dusk. Even the toughest people have triggers.
Is he turning into his version of nightmare moon and what does 'mortal' mean?
well that's a thing
10223520
Mortal Definition: (of a living human being, often in contrast to a divine being) subject to death.
10224245
Well within the story. Alicorn's are supposedly immortal so that is contradicting an ailcorn's stake.
10224558
I know. Just thought you DON'T know what a "Mortal" is for some reason. So I put the definition. Plus, this unknown and possibly Dark being said Dusk is Mortal, despite being a Alicorn.
10224595
Hmmm... Maybe this is implying he is an alicorn but not to the level of Luna and Celestia? That is my best guess.
10224558
time wise yes but they can still die from fatal wounds
10224635
Considering the official canon seems to imply that Twilight, Cadence, and possibly Flurry Heart are 'mortal' alicorns, it seems this fic subcribes to that idea. They're alicorns, similar in terms of power to Celestia and Luna, but they've still got normal lifespans.
10223188
Blood for the blood gods!
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Feathers for the feather throne!
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EMOJIS AHHHH MY EEEYYYEEESSS!
After the caution he used around those fillies, he meets a pony and follows her without any trust between them at the first mention of a familiar name?
The owl keeps acting like a jerk, too.