The Cloud of Dusk

by Goodbye1234567890

Chapter 9

"Hello, Dusk Cloud," said the same deep, evil voice that had come from Dawn's mouth, "Never thought I'd see you again."

We were suddenly attacked from all angles by what seemed to be nothingness. Before I knew it, I was all alone. Alone in pitch-blackness, no light coming from anywhere. Then light flooded into the room, revealing a lone pony I assumed was dead. Shadow Blade, the one who almost killed Fluttershy. But, this time, his coat wasn't full of blood. Instead, his coat was a shiny black, like the shadows billowing unnaturally around him. His mane was also black with a dark navy blue stripe going down from it, going in front of his face forming she shape of a sickle.

"Y-You!" I managed, "H-How are you still alive! Where's my brother? WHERE'S MY SON YOU BUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!"

"Yes, it is true I died," he said smugly, "and soon, you will be joining your brother AND your son. When I'm through with my revenge on you."

"I am going to kill you. and make sure you stay that way."

"On the contrary. It will be I who will kill you."

"BUCK OFF!" I shouted as I charged him. Right as I should have made contact with him he vanished into a small puff of dark clouds, "YOU BUCKING COWARD! GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A REAL STALLION!"

A maniacal laughter filled and shook the room, "You think I would rather waste my time with you when I have plans to take over Equestria? As if. You will just have to try and survive for as long as you can. It would be futile though. There is over a million of us in this complex. The odds aren't exactly stacked in your favor."

I ran out of the room to try and find Morning and Sparx. It turns out that he wasn't lying about there being millions of whatever they were. I used there element against them and hid in the shadows, slipping by without a sound. After about an hour of sneaking around I came through a long corridor. When I emerged, I heard arguing. I peered around the corner to see two ponies arguing.

"What should we do with this runt?" said the first, motioning to Sparx, who was crying.

"Well, we can't turn him. His heart is too pure," said the other, who sounded female. The female looked around and saw me. I waited, expecting the worst. To my surprise, she didn't even raise an alarm. Instead, she punched the pony in front of her. She bent down and whispered something into Sparx's ear, then jerked her head in my direction. I stepped out f the shadows.

"Dad!" Sparx gasped. He ran up to me with tears in his eyes and we hugged. I looked up at The mare, who was crying. Then, suddenly, she became enveloped in a bright light. When he light died, the mare was no longer a shadow. Instead her coat was a bright yellow. Her mane and tail were orange, and her eyes were green.

"I never thought I would have to do this, Flare," the downed pony said, "I NEED ASSISTANCE ASAP! WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A TRAITOR ON OUR HOOVES!"

"Hurry come with me," said Flare as she bucked the living alarm system, "I know where your brother is."

We ran as fast as we could into another room a few corners down. I walked in to see Morning hanging from chains attached on opposite walls. I walked over to one wall and unhooked the chains. Flare did the same on the other wall. I quickly ran underneath Morning and caught him. We made our way to the door when I had a face full of shadow hoof. I collapsed from the sheer force of the punch, or buck. I looked up to see Flare beating the crap out of Shadow Blade. I watched Sparx sneak around him, only to buck him in the privates. Of course, like any other colt or stallion would, he collapsed holding his privates. Flare helped me up, then helped me get Morning on my back.

We must have come to a wall, or a really big door, because Flare stopped dead in her tracks and started to push. Sparx, also began to push and I helped too (I set Morning down right beside me). Soon the door thing opened just enough so that we could fit through. Sparx went in first, then Flare. I passed morning through the door. Then I slipped my way out. Right as I got out I was blinded by the light. Finally out at last! sure is bright, I looked around, seeing that we were in a large rocky crag. What the hell? Where are we?

"I don't think we're in Equestria anymore Dusk," Morning said weakly, partly answering my question for me.

He got off my back and stumbled a little, "I-I'm fine. Just let me get my land legs back. And now my wings," he took off and scouted up above, "We can rest there!" he shouted, pointing to a cave.

When we got close to the cave, which was farther than Morning anticipated, it was getting dark. Flare looked worried, "We need to hurry and get to that cave. When night comes, we... I mean they... come out of that complex to hunt. Even the Shadow Ponies need food, even if we are already dead."

I looked at her questionably, but decided not to ask until we got to the cave. When we got into the cave, we moved a large boulder in front of the entrance, "they can't travel where they can't see," Flare had said. pretty soon the only light in the cave was coming from Sparx.

Morning, Flare and I were gathered around Sparx and the light he was giving off. We were talking, more like planning, about how we were going to get back to Ponyville, "More importantly," Flare added, "How are we going to get back to Equestria?"

"Where are we, anyway?" Sparx asked.

"Not in Equesria, that's for sure. I may have been a Shadow Pony, but we were never told much."

"What is a Shadow Pony, Flare?" I asked, finally getting that off my chest.

"Well," Flare said sheepishly, "a Shadow Pony is a pony who has done something terrible in their life, then died without making up for it. And community service doesn't cut it. That moron I punched was a hardcore murderer. Killed 20 fillies in one day."

"What about you?" I asked.

"Well.... I," she mumbled the rest.

"What?"

"I," she mumbled the rest again.

"You what? You What?" Morning asked, growing impatient.

"I was possessed and killed an alicorn."

Sparx's eyes went wide, and Morning went silent. I just stared at her, "What was her name?"

After a while of silence we decided to get to sleep. Today had been a long day. While I was sleeping, my mind was completely blank. no dreams what-so-ever. So I was easily awakened when I heard the rock being moved. I quietly awakened Sparx, Morning and Flare. Morning grabbed Sparx and flew out of the cave on my command. Flare and I ran outside at top speed. When we got out of the cave, we were greeted by a whole army of Shadow Ponies. We pushed through the huge group of Shadow Ponies. We were almost out of the mob of Shadow Ponies, when I felt somepony buck me. As I flew through the rest of the Shadow Ponies, I managed to turn myself around. I saw Flare fighting off as many Shadow Ponies as she could. She looked at me with tears in her eyes as she was consumed in the hoard of Shadow Ponies.

When I landed on my backside, Morning was waiting for me. He told me that Sparx was in a cave that was a long distance away. I was lucky he was extremely strong. Strong enough to carry me on his back long distances. He flew me all the way to the cave where we would be taking refuge for as long as we could. We got into the cave and went as far back as we could, to a small room big enough to fit the three of us. It seemed oddly familiar.

"Dad," said the filly, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro. I just want to go home."

"Don't worry, Sparx," I said to the filly I now knew as Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer."

Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad."

"Me too, Sparx, me too."

I looked over at what looked like Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in.

That's where I've seen this before! I thought to myself I never would have thought that it would come true I looked over at Morning, who looked just like he did in the dream. And the same with Sparx.

"Dad," said Sparx, "I'm scared, I wanna go home, I miss Mom and Dawn and Pyro and Dawn. I just want to go home."

"Don't worry, Sparx," I said to Sparx while stroking his shining mane, "we're going to be all right. They're coming to rescue us soon. Just a little longer."

Sparx calmed down a little. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, "I hope they come soon, Dad."

"Me too, Sparx, me too."

I looked over at Morning. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. his right wing was bleeding and so was his flank right in front of his cutie-mark (a cloud in front of a orange-ish sun). He too, was shivering. I could tell it was from pain, not cold. I looked back a Sparx, one of my future sons, and then looked out towards the entrance to the cave. Light was seeping out of the crevice we must have entered in.

After a while, I fell asleep. I had a dream this time. I was back in my bedroom, with Twilight. She was looking into her mirror, crying. A picture of me floating in front of her. She must have seen something in the mirror, because she turned in my direction.

"D-Dusk?" she said, "I-is that really you?"

She ran towards me, tears streaming from her eyes. When she got to me, she tried to hug me but fell right through me, "H-Huh?"

"It is all right," I said trying to calm her down, "It is me, but I am not here physically."

"I knew you were still alive!" she said, "Everypony else said that you weren't. I... I never gave up. I never gave up on you or Morning. Not for all the time you were gone."

"How long have we been gone for?"

"A year-and-a-half."

"T-That's impossible!. We have only been here on day and two nights. there is no way that time passed hat quickly!"

"You must be in that area just off Equestria!" Twilight gasped, "Oh... what was the name...?" she started rummaging through the shelves of books, "Aha! Here it is," she began flipping through the pages furiously, "Ah! You are in the land of... Oh? It doesn't seem to have a name. It is just referred to as The Crag... I wonder what that could mean?"

My vision started to go blurry. I was waking up! No! Not now! Why now?, "Twilight! send somepony! We will hold out as long as we can! I Pinkie--" the dream cut out right there.

I was awoken by Sparx shaking me furiously, excitedly saying, "They're here! Dad! Wake up! They're here! We've been rescued!"

I sat straight up and looked around, not seeing Morning, I assumed he was outside. I took Sparx outside with me and we were greeted with applause and even some bowing. Waiting for us at the end of a line of guards, was a very royal looking carriage. Outside of that carriage was Morning hugging the only mom he had ever known, Rainbow Dash. I looked around for Twilight, but I couldn't find her. She was probably back at the house with Pyro and Dawn (because of Pyro's ADHD most likely).

---

When we got back from The Crag we were greeted like royalty, even by the Royal Sisters (who bowed to us, instead of vise-versa)! We got medals for our bravery, vigilance, and downright courage. I swear I even heard Rainbow Dash whisper to Fluttershy, "and I thought I was loyal."

I began searching the crowd for Twilight, but instead found Shining Armor (who didn't look happy). He was with Pyro and Dawn who hugged me with tears in their eyes and continued through the crowd to find Sparx. I went up to Shining Armor. He didn't give me a chance to explain before interrupting me with a hoof.

"You, sir, are one brave son of a mule. I could somepony like you and your brother on the force. So, Dusk, how about it?"

"Nah... I made a Pinkie Promise not to leave my wife, remember?"I said with a wink, "but Morning might be interested."

"Thanks, didn't really want you on the force anyway. Now go get back to my sister before I change my mind not to beat the crap out of you."

I went on my way, beginning to gallop, when Shining Armor called my name. I turned around to see him saluting me, which I returned.

Author's Note:

Well... that's it for this book. there is still the Epilogue to look forward to though. Well, I guess it is time for the acknowledgements.

First, I want to thank The Abyss for being what I guess was an editor. Next, I want to thank Anniki for supporting me when almost none did (except for Raizu and The Abyss). I also want to thank ShadowFiretail for being my first follower... your name gave me the idea of Shadow Blade, thank you. Lastly, I want to thank Everypony else for reading this story. I hope that you are anticipating the next story more than I am, I am very nervous.

What's coming up in he next story? Well, more OC's and more love (not too descriptive, get's close though) and more Dusk Cloud. Thanks' again, and have a wonderful time reading

Comments

[RecordScratch]

COUGHCOUGH. That was rather abrupt.