• Published 5th Jun 2012
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What Might Have Been - GreenFrogRibbit



What guides the path history will take? Is it grand destiny, or is fate a more delicate flower?

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Chapter 3: A Secret Revealed

Disclaimer:
The ponies in this story I host
Are not mine so I can not boast
I must say it's true
that they belong to
The Imperial Alicorn Faust

What might have been

Chapter 3: A Secret Revealed

The Lunar Guard did not restrain their captives, they did not threaten or demand. Always did they say please, and allow Dusk to comply with their orders under his own power. They never pushed him, or insulted him, or mistreated him in any way. Because they didn't need to. Such was their professionalism that they never used more force than was necessary, nor flaunted their legendary might. Were it the Canterlot city watch, or even the Royal Night Guard, the purple unicorn would be in shackles. But that wasn't how Equestria's most elite military force operated. The Lunar Guard just asked nicely and if you obeyed, that was the end of it. If you refused, well, that was the end of it.

In a way, it eased the fear Dusk Shine had that he was under arrest. He wasn't in any physical duress, nor had his dignity been compromised. Of course these were small consolations given the fact that HE WAS A CAPTIVE OF THE LUNAR BUCKING GUARD!!!

What he had done to deserve this honor he had no idea but that didn't stop his mind from frantically reliving his every mortal transgression. Maybe it was that time he knocked a vase over in the palace when he was still getting the hang of telekinesis. Or maybe it was when he accidentally set the hedge maze on fire during one of his lessons with the princess. Or maybe Princess Luna had found out about all the overdue books he had checked out from the palace library!!!

OR THE BOOK!!! The book he was supposed to read and discuss with Princess Luna as soon as possible! He had forgotten! He had gotten distracted by the Moondancer's party and her asking him to be her friend and OH SWEET STARS ABOVE THAT MENT HE WAS...

“T...T...Tar...Tardy.” The words sounded so far way. Like they had been spoke by a pony on the other side of thick glass. For a moment Dusk couldn't recognize who was speaking, or where he was, or what was going on. All he knew was that he had to keep walking with these two nightmare monsters on either side of him, and that it was a very bad idea to do any thing else. Then every thing gave way, and he slipped in to blessed catatonia.

He became aware that somepony was sobbing. Strange he thought, why would somepony be sobbing in front of Princess Luna? She is speaking to me. Her voice is so soothing. Whoever is crying, I'm sure she'll make it better. He took a deep and shockingly ragged breath and it all came back to him.

His name was Dusk Shine and he had been arrested by none other than the Lunar Guard and brought directly before Princess Luna herself. The Princess had assigned him a task and requested he complete it with the utmost haste and he had failed to do so. He was quivering with fear of the no doubt terrible punishments that he would soon endure. He was shattered because he had let his beloved mentor down.

“Princess I'm so so sorry! Please please please forgive me. I...” He choked out between sobs. Dusk would have continued to prostrate him self had he not been interrupted by the tender voice of his teacher.

“Dusk Shine my loyal student, please stop crying.”

The violet colt looked up from his weeping and into the tranquil turquoise eyes of his much beloved mentor. She was kneeling down with him on the floor and her body language spoke volumes of comfort and remorse.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who needs to say they're sorry. Please, will you forgive me?” her voice was sweet and tender and being asked for forgiveness from the most perfect pony in all Equestria at once mended Dusk's shattered heart, then broke it all over again.

“Princess...” He hesitated, unsure of what his mentor was talking about. “What could you have to apologize for?”

The Princess gave him a sad look, and for a moment Dusk could see the burden of all her immortal years pressing down on her. But in the next instant that weary and vulnerable creature was gone, and Princess Luna, De'Noct Selene, Regent of the Night, Steward of the Day, and Goddess of the Moon stood in her place.

“Hammer, Anvil” In response to being addressed by their princess the named lunar guards snapped a out a salute in perfect unison. “Who authorized you to take custody of this stallion?”

“Day secretary Pen Scratch commissioned guardspony Anvil and myself to carry out verbal order 337 of this day's court. That the unicorn Dusk Shine be brought into your majesty's presence as quickly as possible.” The one on the left replied.

“We found the fugitive attending a birthday celebration in the west castle reception hall after we searched his residence and found him missing. We did have to subdue his guard dragon though.” Explained the guard on the right, Anvil must have been his name.

Sharp concern filled the Night Princess’s eyes. “You did the young drake no physical harm, did you?”

The two warhorses looked at each other briefly, then returned their attention the their liege. “No Princess. No physical harm.”

Back at Dusk Shine's home, all the lights were on and one fear stricken baby dragon was sitting wrapped in his blanket, with his back to the wall. “I'm OK. Everything's OK. There aren't any Lunar Gurads here. Nope! None at all! Oh man, keep it together Spike. Keep it together. OH SWEET LUNA WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?!”

The princess let out a tense breath and her posture again showed her weariness. “Thank the stars. The two of you are dismissed once you convey my displeasure to secretary Scratch for her gross misjudgment in fulfilling my wishes.” A sadistic smile spread across Luna's lips. “Do her no harm, but you need not be polite about it.”

The armored stallions gave each other a serpentine smile, then turned and walked out of the throne room. If Pen Scratch sees fit to treat my loyal student like a criminal, she'll just have to sleep in the bed she has made for herself. Luna thought. I imagine I'll have to make it up to her somehow though. Maybe a treatment at the royal spa. Hopefully we'll both be laughing about this before too long. The moon goddess looked down at a still thoroughly rattled Dusk Shine and remembered the purpose for this visit. If I can be there for that laughter at all. Her heart sank with the thought.

“Um.. Princess?” Dusk began.

“Dusk, we are alone now. There is no need for formalities.” She gently reminded him.

“Sorry. Luna?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you need to see me so urgently?”

For the first time in a very long time, perhaps the first time he could ever remember, Dusk saw Luna struggle to give him an answer. “I...” She began, only to stop, hesitate then start again. “I'll tell you soon. I promise. But please, would you do me the honor of watching the sunset with me?”

“I would love to Luna” Dusk replied. Together they both walked out of the throne room and onto one of the many balconies that adorned Canterlot Castle. Though the evening was clear and cold, being near his mentor filled Dusk with a pleasant warmth, as though Luna herself was denying the winter air access to his skin. The purple mage looked out over the valley below and saw the shimmering lights of a small town off in the distance just coming to life.

“Dusk Shine. Look at the sun and tell me what you see.” The princes whispered, her voice filled with a strange reverence. The sun was just barely above the western horizon, waiting to be set, and it did not hurt to look upon. As always, the glowing orb left a characteristic after-image on Dusk's eyes. Rather than a round orb, the off-color spot behind the mage's eyelids was that of a feminine unicorn's head and sholders, her face bowed in sadness, or maybe penitence. Some called it the mare in the glare, or the solar mare, Dusk chose a more common name.

“I see the Mare in the Sun, a beautiful sunset about to unfold, and a beautiful night to follow.”

“An excellent observation my loyal student.” Luna said quietly. Dusk looked up at his teacher and was shocked to see a tear run down the princess's cheek.

“Luna, what's wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with compassion and concern. But the night goddess gave no indication that she had heard him. For a moment she just stood there, looking into the sun before she set it. When she finally spoke, it was in a voice that quivered and seemed to be meant only for herself.

“She... she's taller than me, you know. Just a little.” Dusk was thoroughly bewildered by her words, though he could plainly see how much they meant to his mentor. After a moment, Luna sniffed her sorrow away then lit her horn. With the most graceful bow Dusk had ever seen, the night princess lowered herself to a knee, and with her the sun lowered itself below the western horizon. Rising, the Goddess of Night then turned her gaze east and with a soft glow of magic, she lifted the moon into the sky and began the night.

As the pale lunar light washed over the two ponies, Luna gave a small, wounded laugh. “Ah ha. She is beautiful is she not? My moon. At least I will have that in the days to come.” With a weak smile Luna turned to her loyal student, seeking his opinion. Dusk Shine however, was beyond lost at this point and seeing his beloved Princess Luna in so much apparent pain was fundamentally distressing to his psyche.

“Please Luna, tell me what's the matter. Why are you crying?” he begged while giving his princess an affectionate nuzzle. The regal alicorn reached up and wiped her tears away, and took on a more somber demeanor.

“Come Dusk Shine, and I will tell you.” With a quick burst of magic, student and teacher both found themselves in Princess Luna's private apartments. Dusk looked around, having been allowed into Luna's personal sanctum only a few times before, when he was very young.

Little had changed from how he remembered it though. The space was shrouded in rich gold and orange tapestries that gave it a cozy warmth despite its open and airy architecture. In the main room a fire danced in the fireplace and made the saffron walls and pale cream carpet fairly glow with a light of their own. The contrast with the tall nighttime windows made the violet unicorn feel like he stood within a bubble of light adrift on an endless sea of black.

The princess walked over to an extra fluffy floor pillow and made herself comfortable, gesturing for dusk to do the same. Once Dusk was settled, Luna levitated over a tray bearing a shining silver coffee pot and a pair of cups.

“I had this made ready for us to share when you arrived. It's imported from Nickeragua and roasted dark.” Dusk's mouth began to water as the rich aroma met his nose. He had always loved the time he spent sipping coffee with Luna. It had become something of a habit for the two of them, when ever they sat down just to chat. The purple stallion took a careful sip of the steamy black goodness.

“Mmm. It's delicious.” he cooed.

“I thought you might enjoy it. Now tell me, what did you think of that book I gave to you? The one about ancient history?” she asked.

“Well I liked it. I have always had a soft spot for faerie tales, but I don't see how such stories relate to any of my studies.” Complained the pupil. “I thought you wanted me to study history, not bedtime stories.”

Luna just raised an eyebrow at her companion. “Do you know who wrote that book?”

“A mare by the name of Stoneflower. Why?” Dusk wanted to push for some answers as to what had upset his princess a moment before, but he couldn't find the words.

The night princess chuckled to herself. “Stoneflower is one of my better kept pen names Dusk. I wrote that book. And I wasn't mistaken when I said it was a historical account either. Most of the stories that feature me as a character in some way, I recorded from memory. I chose to publish these accounts because I wanted every equestrian to know the truth about their past, but I didn't want to scare them.

“I mixed in a fair amount of other stories to disguise it as foals tales, though all of those have a grain of truth to them as well. As you can tell the book was a success. Nearly every little filly and colt in Equestria knows these stories from the deep past, and yet none let it affect the way they see our land today.”

Dusk was stunned. Not only was he reeling from the revelation that what was known about the very earliest days of his homeland was not lost, but had in fact been sitting under his nose the whole time. But also the realization that his all-time favorite foal-hood author was and had been sitting right next to him for YEARS!!! And, oh yeah. Luna just admitted that she REMEMBERED these things happening!!! To tartatus with archaeological digging and speculation, here was a pony he could straight up ASK HOW IT HAPPENED!!! His mind was currently at a grinding halt simply trying to think of what he should ask first.

“I am telling you this because there is one story in particular that we need to discuss.” The princess when on. “What are your thoughts on the legend of the Solar Flare?”

Recovering from his shock, Dusk purged his mind of thoughts about interviewing Luna for a moment and turned his considerable mental prowess toward what he had read. “Its a creative story for explaining the mare in the sun. But if it's actually true, and not just a myth...” He paused to think and Luna gave him a solemn not of confirmation. “Then that means she was your sister... and you had to seal her away. Forever.” The magnitude and tragedy of this revelation nearly stopped his breath in his throat.

“Yes Dusk Shine.” Luna whispered sadly “I did.” For a moment neither of them spoke, then the princess took a deep breath and looked her student straight in the eyes. “You are so blessed to have a sister like Gleaming Shield. Cherish that. And don't ever let it slip away. Promise me. Promise you won't ever take her for granted.”

“I promise, Luna.” he swore. Suddenly Luna's behavior made much more sense. She missed her sister, and the fact that Luna herself had been the one to banish her in the first place must have been drowning the princess in guilt. In a way, he was glad that Luna had confided in him. He would happily do anything to make his princess happy, be it lending an ear for her pain or a shoulder to cry on.

As he thought on it more however, Dusk realized that Luna must have been carrying this burden for hundreds of years, plenty of time for her heart to heal. Of course what Luna was telling him was painful, but she couldn't possibly be telling him with the hope of gaining his emotional support. Why was the princess telling he these things now, or even at all? Something else was clearly going on here.

“Oh Dusk, I'm so sorry for what I must ask you to do.” The princess had the unicorn's full and undivided attention now. Dusk could already tell that this was something very big and he could guess that I wasn't going to be pleasant. “There is another piece of that story. One that I did not publish. It is something I have never revealed fully to any other pony, but before I tell you, you need to understand something.

“As a goddess, I am blessed with a great many abilities that even other alicorns, rare though they are, do not posses. One of these abilities allows me to peak past uncertainty like a star peaks through the black sky, and see what will be. Prophesy, they say, belongs to the night, and it is a prophesy that I must share with you.”

Luna rose, walked over to her desk and withdrew parchment and a quill. There was nowhere in Equestria where she would feel safe keeping the words she was about to pen, but of course there was no way she could forget them either. On her parchment, Luna scratched out six little lines, the most damning poem to ever grace her ears, then folded the note and sat back down with her student.

Dusk watched his mentor's odd behavior with consuming curiosity. What could be so important that Princess Luna had never told another soul in all the intervening centuries?

“This prophesy is the second act to the play that the legend of Solar Flare began. It is far darker than the first, and it is far more dangerous. I am showing it to you because you are the most capable, dedicated, and talented pony I have ever met. You are also the one I trust most.” Luna was not singing his praises when she spoke, Dusk could tell. Her words were spoken in the cold, hard voice of fact, and he was left with no illusions as to the kind of responsibility he was being entrusted with.

The princess hesitated for a split second, then added, “I can not, in good conscience order you to take up this burden. You would be within you rights to refuse and walk away now.”

Resolve rang strongly from Dusk's words. “I have accepted every challenge you have given me since the day I earned my cutie mark. I won't let you down now.” Whatever it was, he would face it for his princess, for Luna.

The moon goddess smiled at her student. “I knew I could count on you.” She said warmly. “Once you have read this, I will answer any questions you have. I have ensured that nopony will bother us until sunrise, when we must go our separate ways. Here.” Luna levitated the note over to Dusk and watched as he unfolded it.

Inside the folded parchment was a poem, written in Luna's flowing script. It was short, and Dusk briefly wondered how so small a verse could be so important. Then he read the words, and his heart almost stopped in his chest.

On the longest night in one thousand years, the planets shall align,

Their baleful might will aid release of the Tyrant Sun Divine.

Her hate unquenched, her rage renewed for the starry firmament,

Her sister she will then throw down to lunar banishment.

A single soul, to heal her heart, will bare The Magic key,

But he who holds this broken fate must find lost destiny.

Dusk read and reread the words on the page before him, willing them to be different, to be untrue, but it didn't work. His hooves shook as he let the paper slip from his telekinetic grasp and rest on the floor before him. No mater what he did, he couldn't take his eyes of that little slip of paper, as though it were a dangerous viper ready to strike. Luna said nothing throughout his ordeal. Choosing to remain silent until he worked up the nerve to speak first. When he finally found his voice, all Dusk could manage to say was a scared and scratchy “When?”

“Tomorrow night is the Winter Moon Festival, celebrating the 1000th winter solstice since I divined this prophesy. The longest night in one thousand years.”