Colours of Dusk

by AlphatheGriffin17

Save the Date

3 months later…

"Alright everyone, I think that's our time," said Fluttershy. "You've all been wonderful today, thanks very much for coming out."

The six former Demon Beast Hosts stood up and started to file out of Fluttershy's cottage, exchanging light banter as they did so bidding one another goodbye.

In the time since these sessions had begun, Fluttershy had gotten to know some of their individual, unique mannerisms. Some - namely the two eldest among then, the grouchy griffin Kernel and the elderly pegasus mare Cumula - threw verbal barbs at each other on their way out, something which seemed to be their version of friendly banter. The youngest of them all - a small earth pony colt named Twig Brush - clung close to Cumula as always, while the stoic dark-furred buffalo, Stonehorn, remained mostly silent as he observed the aforementioned exchange with a faint smile. Meanwhile, Rust withdrew his head from the side window and stood up from his prone position along the outside wall - an unfortunate necessity, as the adult copper-scaled dragon was simply too large to fit within the entryway or sit comfortably in the living room with everyone else.

Fluttershy had been considering moving these sessions into the field outside of her cottage, both for the open space and the fresh air. After all, it was difficult keeping all of her more skittish indoor animals from being startled by the presence of so many guests… one of whom was, again, a large dragon. There would be plenty of time to tackle that problem in the future, however. For today, there were other matters to attend to.

The five aforementioned former hosts soon departed and began making their way back toward the town proper. Only two of them remained, and Fluttershy gave them both big hugs.

"That was great, both of you," she said. "Oh, I'm so proud, I really am."

"You should be commended as well, Fluttershy," said Samore. "Your kindness and patience are a great part of what makes these sessions so successful."

"I'll second that," added Ray, giving her a kiss for good measure. "You really are amazing, Flutters. Thank you."

"Stop it…" she giggled. "You're going to make me blush."

"That was the general idea," he replied with a wink. "Now, I believe we're on a schedule?"

"Quite so," agreed Samore. "I'm meeting Thorax at Town Hall, so I'll catch up with you both later. They will have ice cream at the buffet after, yes?"

"We made sure of it," promised Fluttershy. "See you there, Samore." They waited until she left before she turned to Ray. "Are you sure you don't need any help getting ready?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Fluttershy, I know this is hard to believe, but I do know how to look presentable when needed."

"Are you sure? Because I swear that mane of yours has a mind of its own sometimes," she teased.

He playfully batted away her hoof. "Hey now, I am a messy but adorable stallion and proud of it. Besides, my mane's rebelliousness is part of its roguish charm. Now, I need to hurry and zap back home to-"

Whatever he was about to say was silenced as he suddenly stopped speaking and winced in pain, bringing a hoof to his forehead. In the past, such a sight would have been enough to cause major concern. It still was, but for completely different reasons now.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, tenderly touching his forehead with her own hoof. She could faintly feel it throbbing. "Another headache?"

"Ah, yeah. Just a small one though," he tried to reassure her, shaking his head as though to clear the pained sensation away. "It's fine, I'm sure it'll go away soon. If it doesn't, I'll just take a painkiller or something."

He smiled for her in a clear attempt at shooing away her concerns, but Fluttershy had obtained plenty of experience seeing through such ploys. When it came to Ray, at least, she could read him like an open book. Humming in thought, she recalled that he had also been wincing when he'd arrived for the session just an hour prior. He'd claimed it was because he'd bumped his head while getting ready, but…

"Ray," she said. "How many times have you teleported today?"

"What? Where's that coming from?" he asked, avoiding the question and shifting his gaze away. She gently cupped his cheek and turned his head back to look at her.

"Ray," she repeated sternly, making sure to look directly into his eyes.

"Uh…" He attempted a nervous chuckle as he was forced to meet her eyes. "J-just a few times. You know, to get out of bed, get breakfast…"

She hardened her gaze.

"...and drop by the farm, pop over at Dusk's place, see how things were going at Town Hall…"

He attempted to shuffle away again, but she kept him in place, a frown now growing on her face.

"...get some donuts from the bakery for our session, dodge Rainbow when she almost crashed into me, and… to come here… and…" He coughed. "Okay, fine, more like a few dozen times…"

"Ray…" Fluttershy shook her head in clear disappointment. "We've talked about this. You know you can't keep teleporting that much, not since Wrath left. Don't you remember when you collapsed last month? Do you want that to happen again?"

The memory was still fresh in her own mind, if she allowed herself to think about it. She didn't want to make him feel bad, but she couldn't keep the sadness, even slight fear, from creeping into her voice as she spoke. It must have shown on her face as well, because Ray immediately looked remorseful.

"I know, Flutters, I know," he assured her gently, taking one of her hooves in his own. "I'm trying not to do it too much, I swear. It's just been real busy these past couple of days, you know? This morning especially. Have to be in a lot of places at once if I wanna help out with everything."

"Nopony's asking you to help with everything, Ray." She placed her own free hoof over both of his. "The others are all making sure things go smoothly too. The whole town is. I know you really want to contribute, but the last thing any of us want is for you to burn yourself out. Just… slow down and take care of yourself, please. For me?"

It was clear to anyone watching that Ray wanted to object in some way. He opened his mouth to say something. But… those eyes. Those big, shimmering, caring, begging, hopeful blue eyes.

His mouth hung open. Then it snapped shut. Ray sighed in a mix of defeat and acceptance.

"...alright, alright, you win," he relented, giving her an affectionate smile. "I'll keep it to an absolute minimum for the rest of the day. I'll even walk back and forth across town like a normal pony."

Fluttershy returned his smile with a grateful one. "You promise?

"Pinkie Promise." He brought her in for a brief, tender kiss, one which she eagerly returned. After a few moments, they separated. "Now, go on. I need to get home to get myself all gussied up, and I'm pretty sure the snob will want to see about applying at least fifty different conditioners in your mane."

"Rarity's not that bad, but I suppose I'd better get going. I'll see you there." She kissed him again. "I love you, my snuggle bunny."

"I love you too, my shy sweetheart." He paused for a moment. "I swear one of these days, I'll be able to sound cute without feeling cringey."

"Oh shush. See you at Town Hall. Oh and Ray?" She tossed a wink over her shoulder. "I'll be watching for that bouquet."

"H-Huh?" His face burned red. "Hey, no fair! When did you get so flirty?"

"I've had plenty of practice." She looked contrite. "Th-That wasn't too much, was it?"

"I don't know," he replied with a smouldering look. "You tell me."

Reduced to a stammering, blushing mess, Fluttershy hurried off with Ray's laughter following her the whole way. Oh, she was going to make him pay for that later. But for now, she had an appointment to keep.

It didn't take her long to arrive at Carousel Boutique. Almost the moment she did, the door opened and its owner stepped out, along with a well-dressed, but nervous-looking dragon. A purple scarf adorned her neck, as was her daily custom now.

"Ah Fluttershy, right on time! I'll be right with you!" she cooed. "Now remember, Spikey: just be yourself and enjoy yourself. Never forget that she wants to spend this time with you."

"A-Alright. Okay." He took a few deep breaths, but still shook. "You make i-it sound so easy."

"You'll be absolutely fine. Trust me. Now, go and sweep her off her feet!" Rarity shut the door and turned to Fluttershy. "Now, I do believe the spa is calling us, darling."

"I believe so too. Good luck, Spike!" she called as the two left.

"G-Good luck. Yeah…" Spike tried to remember to breathe as he set off. "Okay. Got the suit. Scales are shined. Just be yourself, Spike. Be yourself. You are going to knock her-"

"Are you talking to yourself?"

Ember's voice made Spike whirl around. Whatever answer he was going to give her died on his lips when he saw what she was wearing. A radiant dress that flowed down to her feet. The bodice and shoulders were a burnt gold, like her armour but the skirt was a deep purple. She clutched the sceptre of the Dragon Lord in her hand, very tightly Spike noticed.

He could see her mouth moving and realised she was talking. Feeling even more embarrassed, he sheepishly asked her to repeat herself.

"I said stop staring!" she barked, her face beet red. "E-Either say something or quit being so weird!"

"S-Sorry!" he stammered. "Just uh… y-you look b-b-beautiful."

The redness deepened. "Don't say something like that! I-I just made sure to find out what ponies wear to this kind of thing. It's not a big deal…"

"Just being honest," he shrugged. "Oh! I got you this."

He presented her with a rose. She stared at it blankly.

"What am I supposed to do with a dead flower?" she asked.

"I-It's something ponies do," he answered. "You give one to your uh… to your date. S-Sorry if that seems weird."

"Well, it is. But it's from you, so…" She took it from him and tucked it on her horn. "Thank you, Spike. Y-You look… you look beautiful too."

"Thanks." They stood in silence for a moment. "You uh… you wanna get going? W-We got seats right near the front."

"That's good. And yes, let's go." They set off towards Town Hall. She glanced at Spike's claw a few times. When she took it, he yelped in surprise. "Oh sorry! I thought that was something y-you're meant to do on a… y-you know, a date. If you don't want to-"

"No, it's fine. I just… just wasn't expecting it." Spike took her claw in his. "You good with this?"

She tensed a little at the contact, but soon relaxed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

---

They weren't the only romantic pairing arriving at Town Hall. Rainbow Dash and Applejack walked side by side, but they weren't alone. The local members of the Apple Family were accompanying them too, the youngest bombarding them with all sorts of questions.

"So does this mean yer my new sister now?" Apple Bloom asked Rainbow Dash. "If ya are, then boy is Scootaloo gonna be jealous. Ya shoulda seen her at the Rainbow Dash Fan Club meetin' when ya made it official. I think she was gonna explode!"

"Yeah, I remember. I-I mean," Rainbow said quickly, "let's not get ahead of ourselves, squirt. AJ and I are taking things nice and slow."

Apple Bloom frowned. "Since when did ya do anythin' slow?"

"Believe me, Bloom, I was jus' as surprised as you," replied her sister. "But we figured it's fer the best, jus' ta let us both get settled in ta the idea. Gotta say though, kinda likin' it so far."

"Y-Yeah, me too. Hey AJ?" She rubbed the back of her head. "You look uh… you look really great."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Jus' great?"

"O-Obviously not just great!" she said quickly. "W-What I meant was you look uh… um…" She said the last part so quietly they barely heard.

"What was that?" Applejack leaned in. "Say that again? Didn't catch it."

"I s-said… you look really, really…" In a voice barely above a whisper, Rainbow said, "A-Amazing…" She glared when Applejack chuckled. "Hey, cut that out!"

"Sorry, sorry. Ya jus' look so darn cute when ya get all flustered like that." She planted a kiss on Rainbow's lips, making her even worse. "Thank ya kindly, Rainbow. Ya look pretty darn amazin' yerself."

"I'm happy fer ya, young'un," said Granny Smith. "I knew from the start no good'd come from chasin' that Ray feller. Good ya managed ta move on."

Applejack frowned at her. "Granny, it was you that did that whole thing."

"Don't know what yer talkin' about, Applejack. She gotta funny way-a rememberin' things," she said in an obvious aside to Rainbow.

"Hey now, don't you go tryin' ta-"

"I dunno, AJ. You and Ray, I can sort of see it." Rainbow raised her eyebrows. "I shouldn't be worried, should I?"

"We've been over this, we are jus' friends and he's with Fluttershy anyways so don't…" She trailed off when the whole family, including Rainbow, fell about laughing. "Of all the dirty, underhoofed… I don't know why I bother."

"Hey AJ?" Rainbow leaned in, booped her nose and kissed her forehead. "Gotcha."

"I hate you, so much."

"I know," she said with a wink. Her eyes fixed on something else when they neared Town Hall. "Hey, look who made it back in time. Pinkie, Strongheart! Over here!"

The party pony and stalwart buffalo both looked up and beamed toward them.

"AJ! Dashie!" Pinkie darted up and caught them both in massive hugs. "I missed you both so, so, so much!

"I take it… things went well…?" Applejack managed to gasp out.

"All things considered? Very much so," answered Strongheart. She shivered a little. "I must admit, while I did expect it to be cold in Yakyakistan, I wasn't completely prepared for how cold. Pinkie didn't seem all that bothered though."

"You should have seen it, guys! It was so high in the mountain, you could see for miles," she told them. "And they had huts for everything! Sleeping hut, music hut, eating hut, even a hut for coming up with new huts! Not to brag or nothing, but I'd say I made a pretty good impression with Prince Rutherford."

"She certainly did," agreed Strongheart. "He seemed very keen to arrange a visit to Equestria in the near future. I would call one of the first appointments of the Friendship Council a great success."

Pinkie nodded. "Yep, even despite the pony-eating yetis!"

"Pony-eatin' what now?" asked Applejack.

"Don't worry about it," replied Pinkie. "Now come on, let's all get inside! Ooh, I can't wait for this!"

She zoomed into Town Hall, the rest of the party following closely behind. Not too far away, another unique pair were approaching from the direction of the Everfree Forest. A zebra dressed in her formal robes and a griffin, decked out in a pressed suit and tie, deep in conversation.

"You know, Zecora," Gilda was saying, "I never really thought that my anger was because of where I grew up. In Griffinstone, the way we live is just how it is: every griffin for themselves."

"Such things can be hard to determine, until you look from the outside in," she replied. "You'll find when you take some time away, new perspective will then be gained."

"I get that, but still…" She sighed. "I wanna do my bit to make things better, you know? I mean, I've made a little progress but it's just so slow. It's hard to change what's been our way of life for so long, when it's just you."

Zecora nodded. "I understand the pressures of feeling alone, but remember you're never truly on your own. Try and wish as you might, an acorn does not become an oak overnight. It needs water, sun and proper care, but with time and help, you'll eventually get there. A little patience and compassion is what you need, along with good friends, to help you succeed."

"Yeah… yeah, you're right." Gilda smiled and punched Zecora's leg lightly. "Thanks, 'Cora. You're a pretty awesome zebra, you know that?"

"How sweet that is, coming from you. I think you're a very fine griffin too," replied Zecora with a smile. When she faced forward again, she lifted her chin and gestured to a tall, green-shelled figure standing outside by the entrance steps, looking as nervous and out-of-place as ever. "Ah, look and see over there: King Consort Thorax, noble and fair."

"He's pretty hard to miss. Hey, your majesty!" she greeted when she reached him. "How's it going?"

"Hello Gilda. You too, Zecora. Honestly? Still getting used to the whole king thing," he admitted. "But it's actually been going really well. With Samore as queen and our new ways of sharing love, the Swarm has never been better. We've been sharing ideas with other colonies and hives in the Loveless Lands. You wouldn't even recognise them anymore!"

"Good for you, dude!" said Gilda with a slap on the back. "Sounds like you're doing a better job than me with the griffins."

Thorax patted her on the shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up, Gilda. Change takes time. We still have some elements of the changelings that are resistant to our new way of living. Sting has been especially bad, he has a hard time letting go of what's happened. It doesn't mean you're failing. You just need to keep working at it."

"I guess. Hey uh…" She paused, but pressed on. "Maybe you could uh… come by sometime? Maybe help move things along? I-I mean, changelings and griffins have a decent history and once they see how things are working out for you, w-with friendship and stuff, then um…"

Thorax blinked in surprise. "You… you want my help?"

"If you can't, no big deal!" she said quickly. "I get it, king and lots to do! We'll figure it out, it'll be-"

"I'd love to!" Thorax exclaimed. "Samore's just inside. How about we go in and see what we can think of? We can work out the details after today, but I'm sure she'd be happy to help."

"Really? Oh that'd be great, Thorax!" She punched his leg and grinned. "Man, you are the best, thank you!"

"N-No trouble at all," he said, rubbing his leg. "Come on, let's go and get started."

Gilda fist-pumped the air. Zecora caught her eye, giving her a knowing smile. Gilda winked in return and eagerly entered Town Hall, the zebra following close behind.

---

Meanwhile, Trixie was proceeding away from the Town Hall towards another building, close to the town's centre. Or at least part of it was a building. The new Treebrary had grown quite nicely in her absence. There were some changes. The space above had expanded to accommodate the private living of those who called it home, fitted with a new skylight. The trunk was a little straighter and the balcony was on the left instead of the right. But she liked it.

She didn't bother knocking, opening the door straight up. It was closed to the public while its primary resident was readying herself for the big day. Or rather as Trixie imagined in her mind, freaking herself out for the big day. When she got upstairs, she found that to very much be the case.

"Where's my veil? I know I left it here somewhere." She teleported to the dressing table. "No." She teleported next to her bed. "No!" She teleported to her reading table. "NO! Where is it, where is it?!"

"Has she realised yet?" asked Trixie to the watching Cadence, who kept being interrupted by her sister-in-law's panicking.

"That's what I'm trying to do currently," she answered.

"I've got this." Trixie cleared her throat and yelled, "Twilight Sparkle!"

"Huh?" She whirled around. "Oh Trixie! When did you get here?" She teleported to hug her. "Wait, no, hold on, don't waste time with a hug! Quick, I need you to help me find my veil! I've looked all over and I can't-!"

"Ahem." Trixie raised a hoof and dropped the garment in question over Twilight's face, currently around her head. "Found it."

"Oh. Right." Twilight flushed and plastered on a grin. "I-I knew that."

"Of course you did," giggled Cadence. "Now, will you calm yourself down and take a moment? You've still got plenty of time before the ceremony and you're pretty much ready to go."

Trixie had to agree. The white gown she wore was a simple, yet lovely choice. The cuffs of the sleeves and a ribbon tied around the chest were a dark pink, with bunches of lilacs decorating her wedding veil. Her mane had been conditioned and the ends of it brought together as a single, wavy strand that went down to her neck. Her fringe had been curled, like for her coronation and her engagement necklace half rested on her chest.

"I know, I know. But I can't help but feel like I've forgotten something. What about my-?"

"Your bouquet is right here," said Cadence.

"And my-?"

"The wedding rings were delivered to the Mayor early this morning, I saw to it personally."

"And the-?"

"Luna has the reception in Canterlot well in hoof," said Cadence. "Everything is as ready as we could hope for it to be. All you have to do now is wait and the rest will take care of itself."

"Okay… okay…" Twilight took a few calming breaths. "Sorry. I'm just… just so nervous."

"No, really? I hadn't picked up on it," remarked Trixie.

"I-I just can't help but worry that something else might go wrong! Something we didn't account for o-or didn't expect, like if-!"

"Twilight, stop," said Trixie firmly. "Honestly? I'd be more worried if you weren't getting worked up over nothing, but it really is nothing. Cadence is right. Just go out there, make his jaw drop and make him feel lucky you proposed to him. Got it?"

She took a few more breaths and smiled more easily. "Right. Right, I'll do that. Thank you, both of you."

"It's fine, Twilight. I can't blame you for being worried, we've not really had the best track record with weddings," said Cadence. "But I promise you, this day is going to be perfect. Now, how about we take our mind off it for now?"

"That sounds good." They settled onto a nearby set of couches. "I really appreciate you being here, Cadence. Are you sure you're not needed in the Empire?"

She waved a hoof. "Twilight, don't be silly. I was never going to miss this. Besides, the reconstruction efforts have been going really well. The majority of homes and businesses have already been rebuilt and they're going to be starting on the Spire soon."

"You mean you don't have anywhere to live right now?" asked Trixie.

"Of course we do. Luna's housing me and Shining in Canterlot for the moment. We take regular trips to check on progress, but my subjects come first," she said. "Until all the crystal ponies are rehoused, the Spire can wait."

"I wouldn't have expected any less from you," said Twilight. "What about the Heart? How's that going?"

"We think we've assembled most of the pieces, but we haven't found a way to get it repaired yet," she answered. "It's alright though. I've worked with Luna and Sombra to devise temporary protection measures using their magic to keep the storms at bay. We'll find a way, don't worry."

"I'm just glad those henchponies haven't been causing you any trouble," said Trixie.

"I was pleasantly surprised myself. Osteo especially has been a great boon, his strength has really helped move things along. For the most part he just keeps quiet and does as he's told. He can get restless at times, I've noticed, but whenever that happens he just throws himself more into the reconstruction work," she said. "Selena's a little cagey, but she's making an effort and the twins pretty much follow her lead. They've actually started doing little shows to keep the work crews entertained. Apparently, they used to be performers before they were sent down a darker road."

"And we've looked more into Selena," said Twilight. "Apparently, she grew up in Transylmania originally in the town of Blight. Her original parents left her with the orphanage and because the ponies there had never seen thestrals before, she had a hard time growing up. Luna has really been making an effort to expose her to other thestrals and make her feel more at home. She's even tried tracking down her parents, but no luck so far."

"Well, that's something I guess." Trixie sighed. "I guess I can't really judge them. I was driven to do some pretty bad stuff. I really hope things work out for them."

"I don't think we'll have too many issues," said Cadence. "Now come on, Trixie. Tell us about where you've been taking your show! I hear it's been received quite well."

---

While Trixie launched into an enthusiastic recounting of her travels throughout the land, the other important part of the ceremony was having his own private freak-out. Not as evident as his soon-to-be wife, but enough for those who knew what to look for. Constantly checking the clock. Fiddling with his collar. Pacing about near the head of the desk where they'd be registered.

"You know," a familiar voice said, bringing him out of his reverie, "frilled shirts actually suit you."

"Hmm? Oh, thank you, Shining." Dusk looked down at his shirt, paired with a purple suit and matching bowtie. "I never really thought about it."

"And that helped you stop thinking about everything else right now, huh?" Shining patted his shoulder comfortingly. "You're going to be just fine, trust me. I guarantee you she's just as nervous as you are right now."

He chuckled a little. "I don't doubt that. Did you feel the same before marrying Cadence?"

Shining laughed. "You mean when I was actually marrying her and not an imposter, following a wide-scale conflict? Yep, even then. But trust me, Dusk, I don't think the two of you will have any problems. I know I wasn't sure about you at first, but I have no doubt that my sister couldn't have picked a better pony."

"I… I appreciate that." Dusk shook his outstretched hoof. "I certainly couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law."

"Oh yeah, that's gonna be a thing," remarked Shining. "Wow. A lot is changing, huh?"

"There certainly is a lot of that. But then again…" Dusk looked around at his steadily gathering friends. "There's a lot that's staying the same too. In a good way, of course."

"Not going to argue that. Oh hey, there's my parents. I'd better go and say hi." He leaned in to whisper. "Be prepared for a thorough inspection from my mom."

Dusk tapped his nose and nodded, watching Shining walk off. Just behind Twilight's parents came another pair, who spotted Dusk and made straight for him.

"My young friend, how well you look this day," greeted Sombra. "I'm happy to be here to witness this."

Dusk accepted his hug. "It's good to see you too, Sombra. How's the prince life treating you?"

"It's harrowing, with little time to think and many things demanding my attention." Sombra grinned. "I can't tell you how much I've missed it. Luna has certainly helped to ease the transition for my authority."

"I do have some experience in re-establishing myself after succumbing to my darker ambitions," she remarked. "You're fortunate you have me to count on."

"I couldn't agree more," he replied with a nuzzle and a kiss. "My stars and moon."

"My crystal prince," she returned, before hugging Dusk. "You look most handsome, Dusk. Twilight is certain to be gobsmacked at the sight of you."

"If you think so, I might just agree with you," he chortled. "How are you, Luna?"

"Well enough. Rather pleasantly, though I've given up my connection to the night sky, I am still able to enter the dreams of others. Sorry for surprising you again last night, by the way," she added. "I didn't mean to walk in on you during-"

"Let's not talk about it," said Dusk with a blush. "You don't have to worry about it too much, though. You can't always be patrolling dreams, especially when retirement comes."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Rather keen to cart me off, my former student?"

"Not at all, my former teacher," he returned. "I actually had a thought. Since my dreamwalking abilities are still intact, perhaps we could see about seeking others who could be trained in a similar way. A selected few, dedicated to preserving the dreams of ponies."

"A sound idea, Dusk. It would certainly be nice to share the load. Dreamwalking doesn't come as easily to me as it once did," she said. "Did you have anypony in mind?"

"I think I did happen across one potential candidate so far. A young stallion by the name of Silver Shade. I've only had limited contact with him so far, but he shows some promise," he answered. He hesitated a moment. "What about, well, everything else? I mean, with regards to… well…?"

He looked quietly at a broach she wore on the clasp of her dress. It depicted a sun, with the silhouette of a pony at its centre. A pony with a long, flowing mane.

"Some days…" Luna touched the broach and let out a shuddering sigh. "S-Some days are worse than others…"

Dusk nodded, gazing at her. "You miss her."

"I shall always miss her, Dusk," she murmured. "I… I don't think that will ever stop." She took in a deep breath, pressing against the broach and closed her eyes. After a moment, she opened them again. "But that doesn't mean I will stop. I know that's not what she would want. I intend to make the best of things, for her and for those I love. You included, Dusk Noir."

"I love you too, Luna." He hugged her tightly. "She would be so proud of you. I know she would be. I certainly am."

"As am I," put in Sombra, resting his head against hers.

A quiet sob escaped Luna's throat. She squeezed Dusk and kissed her husband's head before stepping back with a sad, yet content smile.

"I thank the stars to have been blessed with such wondrous ponies as you two. With all of my friends…" She looked over her shoulder and wiped her eyes. "Anyway. No tears, not the sorrowful sort at least. This is a joyous day and I shan't be the one to bring the mood down. May the moon shine brightly upon your union, Dusk."

She kissed Dusk's cheek, hugged him again and went to her and Sombra's reserved seats. The former king of the Empire lingered, checking the time.

"No doubt we will begin soon. Now, if your best stallion would be here promptly…"

"WAIT!"

Dusk and Sombra's ears twitched at the sound of a familiar voice shouting from across the hall. They watched with shared bemusement as its source, dressed in a dark grey suit, half-speed-walked, half-galloped over to them, manoeuvring around the other guests and townsfolk already mingling about.

"Dusk, hold on a second, I'm coming! I got something to-oof! Sorry!"

Ray apologised when he accidentally bumped into Bon Bon, earning a light glare from her and Lyra. He paid it little mind as he closed the remaining distance to where they were standing, panting as he came to a stop.

"Hah… hah… did… did somepony say… 'best stallion'?" he gasped. "Seriously, did… somepony say it?"

"I did, yes," Sombra replied unsurely.

"Woo, yeah!" Ray cheered. "I can't believe… I actually got to do that!"

"How did you even hear that from so far away?" Dusk asked. "We were speaking fairly quietly."

"Pfft… I'm like Supercolt… I know when I'm needed…" Ray waved his hoof dismissively. "Although, it woulda sucked if… I ran all the way over here and… ended up being wrong…"

"Why did you not simply teleport as you usually do?" Sombra asked.

"Ah… I would've, but I overdid it with the teleports this morning," Ray explained, rubbing the back of his head. "Promised Flutters I'd take it easy. You know how she gets…"

"Extremely concerned over the well-being of her inattentive and impetuous coltfriend? Yes, we do." Dusk allowed himself a smirk. "You seem out of breath, Ray. Whatever happened to all that stamina training you keep claiming to be on?"

"Oh, shut up," Ray responded with a withering glare. "I had to gallop halfway across town when I realised I was running late. And building muscle takes time, okay? At least it's supposed to, we can't all get a free pass like some ponies." His glare lifted into a playful grin. "Now that I'm here though, you don't have to worry. This day is going to be the best!"

"You seem excited," remarked Dusk.

"Any reason I shouldn't be?" He leaned in to whisper. "I know I promised Flutters, but I can still facilitate a quick getaway if you're getting cold hooves."

"Ray…"

"Kidding, I'm kidding," he chuckled. "You've got this, bud. Trust me."

"Thought I saw come barrelling in," said Spike, walking up to join them. "Almost time. You ready, bro?"

"As I'll ever be," said Dusk, taking a few breaths. "I'm glad you could all be here. Especially considering those who couldn't be…"

"That's what we're here for," said Shining, joining them too. "That's why we carry on. For them. All for one…"

"And one for all," they chorused.

Following that, they all went to take their seats as the last of their guests filed in and Mayor Mare arrived at the registration desk. She nodded to Dusk, giving an encouraging smile and looked out to the door.

Dusk took a moment to look out at everypony in attendance. Shining near the front, with his mother and father. Dusk's own parents were sat next to them, with a seat for Cadence next to Shining. On the same row was Spike, giving a thumbs up while Ember nodded at Dusk from the chair beside Spike. On the row behind was Luna and Sombra, both of them holding hooves. Queen Samore bowed her head to him next to them while Thorax gave a wave.

Then came Dusk's Ponyville friends. Pinkie was brimming with excitement. Rainbow threw him a wink, snuggling into Applejack's side, who tipped her hat to him. The Apple Family all waved and smiled too. Scootaloo sat next to Rainbow, shifting with restless excitement. Rarity looked like she was already about to start crying, being held by Fluttershy. The two of them looked lovely, thanks to the spa session they'd attended. Sweetie Belle sat on her sister's other side and waved to Dusk. Zecora closed her eyes as she bowed her head, while Gilda offered a salute of sorts. Strongheart raised her neck and beamed at Dusk, radiating pride.

A few more faces jumped out to Dusk. His old investigation team, Gentle Dream, Frequency Stream and Night Fall, together with their partners. Phoenix Wing, bearing a few fresh scars and Singer, sat near Gilda. Octavia and Vinyl were situated near Frequency. Lyra and Bon-Bon, sat nestled into each other. Mirror Shine and Prim Proper with Jock and Muscles, fussing over the stallions while they shifted in their seats. Derpy Hooves, looking very excited and next to her, dressed in a long, colourful scarf, the brown Earth pony known only as the Doctor.

There was a moment of fleeting eye contact with the latter. An understanding passed between them, as Dusk's slit-like pupils looked back into the Doctor's ancient eyes. The two shared a smile and nodded to each other just as the music started.

With a whirl of her cape, Trixie appeared seemingly out of nowhere. A rune in her cape flashed and she ignited a number of sprinklers along the aisle. With another flourish, she stepped aside to allow Twilight Sparkle to make her walk.

Dusk couldn't help but stare. Approaching with Cadence at her side, he couldn't recall the last time she'd looked so beautiful. Their eyes met the moment she stepped inside and didn't break contact until she was right there with him. She let out a short laugh and grinned, which he returned.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," the Mayor began, "we are gathered here today to witness the union of this mare and this stallion, together in bonded matrimony. I believe they've prepared their own vows, if they would like to proceed now."

Twilight cleared her throat. "Dusk Noir. When I proposed to you, it was as a newly crowned princess. A lot has changed in the time since then. We've gained a lot and we've lost so much more, but one thing that hasn't changed is my love for you. I stand by what I said then: whatever life has in store for us next, I want to be with you to see it. Whatever challenges arise, I want to face them with you. For all the good times and bad times that are to come, we'll see them through together."

A moment passed to let her words sink in and to let Dusk prepare himself.

"Twilight Sparkle… where do I even begin?" he asked. "In many ways, my life just hasn't been the same since you became a part of it. We've seen the brightest days and the darkest nights. We've made monumental mistakes and foolish decisions. We've shared laughs and amazing experiences. You've given me friendship, trust and so much more besides. I feel I don't have much to offer, but what little I do have, I share it gladly with you. With you by my side, along with those we hold most dear, I feel there is little that we can't do. We have a lifetime together to prove that and I can't wait to see how it unfolds."

He had to really work to hold back tears. So did she. They turned to the Mayor, who presented them with the rings.

"Dusk Noir, do you take Twilight Sparkle to be your wife?" she asked.

"I most certainly do."

"Twilight Sparkle, do you take Dusk Noir as your husband?"

"Absolutely!"

"Then by the power vested in me, as Mayor of Ponyville, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife!" She placed the rings on their horns and beamed. "Now go on and kiss already!"

They wasted no time in following that suggestion and captured each other's lips, applause breaking out from those in attendance. The whizzes and bangs of Trixie's fireworks went off all around them, making their eyes burst with colour when they broke apart and gazed into them.

Then, Twilight looked down at the bouquet, turned her back and tossed it over her shoulder. There was a general scramble for it, but when she looked, the victor was clear. Fluttershy held it aloft with pride, gently descending and landing next to a star-struck Ray.

"I told you I would," she whispered to him, planting a lingering kiss on his lips.

Ray looked stunned, even as a few nearby nudged his side and threw him teasing remarks.

---

A number of chariots were on standby to take them straight to Canterlot. Dusk and Twilight travelled in their own, with the others all following shortly behind. Barely able to contain herself, Rainbow leaped out of the chariot she was in and tore on ahead, marking the occasion with another sonic rainboom.

"NEW BEST WEDDING EVER!" she cheered when she zoomed past.

They didn't waste any time in getting the party started the moment they arrived in the ballroom. Dusk and Twilight shared their first dance as a married couple, with a violin, cello and dubstep provided by the attendant musicians. When their song ended and the music picked up, they were joined by Luna and Sombra, Cadence and Shining, Ray and Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow, Samore and Thorax, Ember and Spike, along with both sets of parents for the bride and groom.

Other dances took their place when the couples were done. Dusk's bachelor party engaged in a tribute dance of Hoofloose. Samore and Thorax put on a truly impressive display, morphing into all sorts of beings and creatures while they hopped and skipped. Strongheart, Ember and Gilda led those who were willing in dances known to their homes. A dance contest erupted between, surprisingly, Trixie and Zecora.

"You may have helped Twilight beat me when she wore the Amulet," said Trixie, mixing in the magic of her cloak with her moves, "but on the dancefloor, you shall fall to Trixie!"

"Don't be too quick to give your ego what you think it needs…" Zecora paused to balance on one hoof, before flipping and landing on the other. "Not before you bite the hoof that feeds."

Taking advantage of the distraction this gave, Dusk and Twilight managed to slip out into the gardens. They took a moment to gaze at one another.

"Good evening, Mrs Sparkle," he greeted with a bow.

"And a fine evening to you, Mr Noir," she returned. She let out a giggle. "You know, I'm glad we decided not to change our names."

"So am I. It wouldn't have felt right to take away the Sparkle from Twilight." He frowned. "That sounded better in my head, honestly."

"I think it sounded just fine," she replied. They walked together through the gardens, side by side. "So… we're married now."

"I know. It isn't quite like we imagined, but… I've never been happier," he admitted.

"I feel the same way," she said. "I didn't get the chance to say, but wow, you look handsome in that suit."

He inclined his head to her. "And you're a vision in that gown, my love. But you always are regardless. It's just exemplified."

She blushed heavily. "Dusk, I'm already your wife. You don't have to keep charming me."

"So you want me to stop?"

"I didn't say that." She winked and nuzzled into his side. "You're mine now. All mine."

"I always was," he murmured.

They kept walking together, listening to the sounds of the animals in the garden as the grass ruffled beneath their hooves. It wasn't long before they arrived where they wanted to be: that special spot, which had been the cause of so much.

For a moment, their sheer bliss faded. Memories and feelings came rushing in at the sight of it. For Dusk, one came to him, clear as the day it happened.

"I'd never spoken to her face to face before I met her that night," said Dusk quietly. "She was the first to truly witness my special magic and not make me feel strange for it."

"In a way, that's something else we had in common: she gave us both the starts we needed…" Twilight lowered her head. "I wish she could have been here, Dusk… I miss her."

He held her close. "So do I. But I know she'd be overjoyed to see what you've achieved."

"Right back at you," she replied, nestling her head under his chin. "I love you, Dusk."

"And I love you, Twilight." He looked down at her and was about to kiss her, when a yellow flash distracted him. "Oh now, really? Of all times?"

"Hey, you two will have plenty of alone time on the honeymoon," replied Ray, noogying Dusk. "I'm getting these in before you escape."

"Ray Strike, you naughty stallion. I said no teleporting." Fluttershy followed close by, flicking his ear. "I'm so sorry, both of you. He was gone before I could stop him."

"Well if that ain't a metaphor if I've ever heard one," remarked Applejack, Rainbow at her side. "This a private party or can anypony join?"

"It was, but you might as well. Come on out, everypony!" called Twilight.

"Twilight, you speak as if we were all hiding in the bushes, waiting for our chance," said Rarity as she approached.

"I mean, we kind of were," pointed out Spike.

"Yeah, but you don't tell them that," groaned Rainbow. "You'd make a pretty bad spy, Spike."

Pinkie popped up in front of her. "Oh yeah? If so, then why does 'spy' make up half his name? Huh, huh?"

"She's got you there, Dash," chuckled Spike. They all gathered around the married couple, gazing up at the sky. "You ever think we'll just have a quiet day in Ponyville?"

Ray scoffed. "I don't think those exist. Even on quiet days, ponies are bursting out in whole musical numbers."

"And that's how we like it," said Rainbow. "Guess a lot of things are gonna be different now, huh?"

"Things change, it's what they do," shrugged Applejack. "But ya know what? I reckon we're gonna be alright."

"I quite agree," said Rarity. "Whatever is in store for all of us, nothing shall break the bonds we've forged with one another."

"You got that right," agreed Pinkie. "You guys are the best friends I've ever had and I've had lots of friends. I love you all so much, there's enough for every single one of you!"

"I feel the same way," said Fluttershy. "There's no group of ponies I'd rather be with than all of you."

"There's still a lot we have left to learn, about friendship and each other," said Twilight. "It won't all be easy or calm either. But I can't wait to experience it all with you."

"Nor can I. The more things change," said Dusk, "the more they stay the same."

They nestled in closer together, all of them gazing up into the sky. The stars twinkled overhead and the wind blew gently through the trees. A few loose leaves came loose from their branches, gently twisting and turning to wherever the breeze would take them.

Author's Note:

And there we have it. Seven (eight?) years in the making and here we are. The end of the Dusk series.
I'm sorry it took us so long to arrive at this point. I won't go into details. Suffice it to say, life happened among various other things. But I'm so glad that we made it, at long last.
A special thanks to all those who returned and supported this work. Most notably a group of people, including Auto-Buscus, who always consistently commented with feedback on chapters that always made my day to read. He's included Dusk in a couple of his stories, so go check those out if you want to see more of him!
I would especially like to thank SCI-FIWIZARDMAN. For the creation of Ray Strike and for working with me again, as proofreader and editor, of this last installment.
Thank you again, everyone. I hope this has given you all some closure and resolution. Be strong, be swift, be just.
Alpha.

Comments

[Arexander]

And so it ends. Congrats on finishing this awesome saga. It certainly took a while, but I'm glad to have read this.

[AlphatheGriffin17]

11489099
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

[Stellar_]

Amazing to think that it actually ended! Thanks for the Wonderful ride, Alpha, and for inspiring me for about a decade now. :)

[AlphatheGriffin17]

11489419
Wow, 10 years… xD I’m glad you enjoyed it, right through to the end

[Auto-Buscus]

What can I say that I haven’t said a bunch of times before? You know what? Screw it. I’ll say it anyway.

Having capped this story off, and having shared the experience with you and our other buddies over the years, I found myself very satisfied with the conclusion of the series. When you said you were coming back all those months ago, I was ecstatic.

Having read the final chapters of Ray of Dusk and the entirety of Colours, I was left very satisfied with how it ended. There were things I expected that didn’t happen and vice versa, but I’m glad you got out of the show’s narrative and did your own thing with the story. Your foreshadowing, dialogue and character development is top notch.

Was I a little bit sad over some of the things that happened through the series? Yeah. But that’s a credit to your writing. It did what it’s supposed to. And man, what a ride it was.

I jumped on the train a decade ago almost, because your series promised a good love story for my favorite character. I got that and much much more. And to finally see that story come to a close and to see them get married was wonderful!

All of the characters introduced in the story made an impact in one way or another. Whether they were for good reasons or bad (in narrative), I don’t think there was one character that was fleshed out that I didn’t enjoy, especially in the latter books.

Thank you for putting your best effort forward to give us, your readers one of my personal favorite works of fiction ever.

[Witchery]

Seeing this finally finish... Brought a tear to my eye.

[SamSwordsman123]

Alright finally finished this series. Sad about Celestia but glad for Twilight not outlining Dusk and her friends as well as Cadance not outlining Shining Armor. I guess you're of the mind immortality is a curse as well. I fully agree and made my own little cursebreaker after the finale. Little sad that Rarity didn't find someone here. And I don't recall Pinkie getting someone either. I did read the final chapter but it's been a while. I actually skipped ahead and just finished the rest of them. We'll great series. Loved it.