Duskrunner Chronicles

by Gigglebrony

Ch1 Ancient Mystery

This is a story based off of something me and a friend were kidding around about. We wanted to maker up our own ponies and I made up Duskrunner, who was supposed to be an astronomer. When i started to think more about him, I thought about how Duskrunner was such an awesome name, and how it sounded important. Well, i started to daydream about him being an important pony in Equestria, and that's how this story got started.

This is something of a pet project of mine, so it means a lot to me to know people's opinions. So, leave any feedback you feel would help make the story better in any way.

Cheerilee stamped her hoof on her desk to call the class to attention. The class of young colts and fillies quieted down slowly, sensing something exciting about to happen. Their teacher stood up in front of the class.

"Today, my little ponies, we will be visited by a very special guest who has a very special lesson for you all. Twilight Sparkle."

As the teacher pony stepped aside, Twilight stepped up to the desk and set down a large book. Using her magic, she opened it to the first page and made it levitate where the whole class could see it. "Today, I'm going to teach you all a little about Equestrian history." The entire class groaned, except for a young unicorn filly in the back who pulled out a pen and paper. "Now, now, this is something I think you will all enjoy. This is a piece of Equestrian history that was lost a long time ago. Everyone had forgotten about it, even Princess Celestia, until Princess Luna came back and told me about it."

A few members of the class perked up a bit, the filly in the back looking excited. She didn't have a cutie mark that Twilight could see, but she had a feeling that the little pony would end up being a scholar or something. "This is the story of a very special pony from way back in the beginning years of Equestria." She turned the page on the book, showing a picture of Equestria with 2 large castles at each end. "Not many ponies know this anymore, but the 2 princess used to live at separate ends of Equestria to make it easier for them to raise the sun and moon everyday. When Celestia lowered the moon, Luna was supposed to raise the moon, which was supposed to be instantaneous. But Luna had a habit of sleeping through her turn and often the moon would not rise for hours,since Celestia would have to fly over and wake her sister up."

The class snickered at this, everypony trying to cover their mouths to muffle the sound. Twilight turned the page, showing a picture of Celestia and Luna weaving some sort of spell. "Since this was becoming a major problem, the 2 princesses worked together to make a magical solution to it. They worked for 3 days to make a spell that was able to create a pony from nothing and imbue him with special powers." She turned the page, showing a picture of a powerful looking unicorn who was the color or thunderstorm clouds. His horn was obsidian black, and his mane was the color of the twilight sky. The mark on his flank was a half sun/ half moon with a running unicorn at its center. "This is Duskrunner. He was the result of the spell woven by the sisters. He was the first and only pony ever created by magic, and was given the power to run faster than any other pony. He was faster than even the swiftest Pegasus, able to run faster than the pony eye could see."

A young pony int he front raised his hoof, waving it back and forth. "Miss Twilight, why did they use magic to make a pony? Why didn't they just give Princess Luna an alarm clock?" The class chuckled at him, but many nodded non-the-less.

"Well, back then they didn't have alarm clocks," Twilight said, turning the page again. "Back then, technology wasn't nearly as advanced as it is now, so they needed a magical solution. Now, as you can see by this picture, Duskrunner's job was to run from 1 tower to the other to wake the princesses up to raise their orb into the sky. To do this, he was given the ability to travel clear across Equestria in only an hour. that is weeks faster than anyone else has ever managed it. he did this every night and morning, leaving the castle an hour before the time the sum or moon was due to go down and running to the other castle. He was so fast that, when he ran, he twisted the magic of the sun and moon until they blurred together for the hour that he ran."

The filly in the back who had been taking notes raised her hoof in the air. "Is this why we had twilight every afternoon?"

Twilight smiled. "Yes. And every morning too, though few ponies are up at that time to see it. And I have to say, I'm glad that he caused that. Who knows what my night would be if we didn't have twilight?" the class laughed again, as did Twilight and Cheerilee. "Well, that's the basic story of Duskrunner. Any questions?"

The filly in the back raised her hoof again. "Miss Twilight? If Princess Luna had Duskrunner to hang out with every night, why did she go on to become Nightmare Moon?"

Twilight's smile disappeared, and several of the ponies in the class shuddered. "Well... that has to do with Duskrunner's speed. As any pegasus will tell you, going fast for so long is a very tiring experience. Duskrunner, after having run so fast for an hour strait, had just enough time to wake the princess up before he collapsed from exhaustion. The princesses each had a special room set aside for him in their castle so he could sleep the 6 hours he needed to after each run."

Another young filly in the middle of the room raised her hoof, asking her question before being called on. "Miss Twilight, if Duskrunner has such an important job, how come we've never heard of him before?"

A young colt next to her rolled his eyes. "Because he doesn't exist anymore, duh. Why would they keep him around after Nightmare Moon was imprisoned in the moon?"

"Actually," Twilight said, setting the book down, "You're only half right. It's true that Duskrunner wasn't needed anymore after one of the princesses was missing. But according to Both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, Duskrunner was as immortal as they are, so he should still be around. but nopony has seen him since he last rode out to Princess Celestia's castle about a week after Nightmare Moon's incarceration. Some ponies went looking for him for the first few years, but after a while everyone gave up. Duskrunner has been lost to history ever since."

The rest of the class was spent with the students asking questions about Duskrunner and trying to figure out where he may be today. The class was one of the most fun that week and seemed to fly by. As the little ponies filed out of the school, Twilight stopped the young unicorn who had been taking notes int he back.

"Excuse me, can I talk to you for a moment?"

The unicorn girl squeaked and came to a dead stop, dropping her bag by accident. "Oops. Sorry, Miss Twilight. You spooked me."

"Sorry, Um... what's your name?"

"Pagette, but everyone calls me Page. Among other things.." she said, looking down sadly.

Twilight used her magic to pick the pony's bag up and set it on her back. "Well, Page, I noticed you taking notes on today's lesson. So, I thought you might enjoy taking this home." She pulled the Duskrunner book out of her bag and handed it to Page.

"B-but, isn't this yours?" Page looked excited and a little nervous.

"Yes, but I have several of them back at the library. Spike has been helping me make them to give away to all the libraries in Euestria. Since Princess Luna came back, we've been learnign alot about early Equestrian history."

Page smiled widely, putting the book inside her bag and closing it. "Thank you Twilight! I'll be sure to read it as soon as I get home. Oh!" her eyes widened. "I have to get home! Mom will be wondering why I'm late."

Twilight smiled and moved aside. "Ok then. Hurry home; and enjoy the book."

Page ran off, giggling happily at her new book. Twilight smiled as she saw the little unicorn run off. For some reason, she had a good feeling about giving that book to the little filly. she wasn't quite sure why, but she had learned not to question her feelings about stuff like this. She turned and started for home.