Dusk to Twilight
High on top of a palace stood a tall, spiraling tower sat a purple colt with a mane of night blue and two stripes of magenta and lavender running through it. In front of the colt were books and scrolls of spells and magic. His horn twinkled softly with magic as the magenta aura turned a page in his current book.
The colt threw the book aside, accidentally getting tossed into the tower’s crackling fireplace. He panics and squeaks as he quickly fishes it out of the fire with his horn, smothering the fire with his hooves and quickly repairing the book with the Starswirl’s Fix-It Spell, his mentor, and ruler: Princess Celestia, after breaking more than his fair share of windows and a wall or two.
He sighed heavily, feeling so very lost. He’s tried so many spells and potions and anything he could find. He’s near tempted to sneak into the forbidden part of the library and find something that would work or at least something he thinks could work.
The colt’s eyes went over to the sleeping baby dragon. It’s been years since the purple pony hatched his egg and he’s become somewhat like a son to him. Playing with him, feeding him, teaching him, and loving the dragon’s cute little face.
“I wish I was you right now, Spike. Wrapped up in a warm cocoon and sleeping so happily without a care in the world. I wish... I wish I could just stop feeling this wrongness whatever it is.”
The colt first started feeling wrong not long after he had earned his cutie mark and kind of became a father. At first, it was just little things like how his snout became broad, how his body seemed to be more stallionish, and how he seems to be getting taller. He thought it was silly and when he talked to his dad, the colt’s dad just told him he’s growing up and he’ll grow out of it eventually. Of course, as the colt grew the feeling of wrong continued to grow with it. It came to a boiling point about four months ago he had a whole panic attack over the fact that everything felt so wrong. So very very wrong. Such a panic attack was so strong that his magic became out of control and his mentor had to put him in a magic suppressor to keep it from going out of control.
When asked what happened the colt in his ever-present wisdom told the truth. That he’s been feeling wrong and it didn’t seem to be getting better. They asked him why and he didn’t know, he still doesn’t know and he feels like he’s so close to knowing that it’s right under his snout and he still can’t find it. Celestia practically ordered him to see a therapist and that therapist well nothing is really working.
The colt thought therapy was going well but they still don’t know what the wrongness is. His therapist told him to bulk up and that made it worse. He told him to get a fillyfriend and that was a complete fiasco. He even told him to have sex and that was... well not the worse idea he had... but definitely not something a therapist should be telling a patient whose only friends are books!
Now, now all he has is spells and books. The colt sighed again as he stood up and walked over to his sweet little flame. He nuzzled the infant dragon. Spike’s eyes slowly flittered opened, a joyful grin spread his lips to show a few of baby teeth. “Good morning, little flame. I hope you slept well.”
“Duh duh, duh duh.” The infant lifted his arms towards his adopted parent.
Spike has been so close to saying the colt’s name. For days now and each time he gets close, his eyes water up seeing his little flame growing just a little bit. “Yes, it’s me, little flame, Dusk Shine.” He kissed the infant hot his cheek causing him to giggle. The giggle caused Spike’s tummy to rumble. The infant looks surprised at this as his expression turns to upset. The colt quickly grabbed a bottled-shaped gem before the baby could cry, and hovered the baby to his fetlocks and the bottle to his lips as Spike began to suckle and feed. “Here you are. Don’t worry, Duh-duh is here.” The colt cooed and rocked the infant dragon.
It’s little moments like these that allowed him to forget the wrongness. Seeing his little flame feed onto the gem-shaped bottle that the boy cut himself with a little magic and lots of practice. He didn’t actually need to do that but Dusk was so scared that Spike would choke on a gem if he wasn’t careful enough.
Dusk Shine sighed in content watching his little dragon finish the rest of his bottle and slowly fall asleep again. The colt kissed his son on his forehead and set him back down in his crib. His parents told him he was stupid for keeping the dragon but the boy felt a connection he’s never felt with anyone, he couldn’t just let the infant dragon go to where ever they send infant dragons.
The colt sighed again as he walked and flopped into the chair, resting his head on the desk. He still couldn’t figure out what this wrongness was.
“I wish I could just fix it and be done with it.” He mumbled to himself with another heavy sigh. Then something hit him, hit him harder than before. “What if I use the Fix-it spell?” He asked himself. “The spell isn’t designed to fix things kinds of problems, you nitwit.” He scolded himself but then sighed feeling a sense of defeat as he pulled himself out of his chair and back onto the floor. “It’s better than nothing.”
The colt closed his eyes to concentrate. Aiming your spell at your own body is a hard cast but one he practiced when he learned he could fly by using simple telekinesis and a whole lot of focus. The first layer of aura is a divination spell called Astral Projection. One of the most difficult yet rewarding divination spells to pull it. It basically allows you to see outside of your own body. This allows Dusk to himself as a second layer of aura is created then pops, putting a dome shield around him just in case. Another second layer of aura is created and this time it’s the Fix-It Spell itself.
The last thing he remembers is a loud Pop.
“Welcome Dusk Shine. I’ve been expecting you.” A feminine voice chimed in as the colt slowly felt his body waking up. Or so it felt like he was waking up.
“Who? What? Why?” Dusk's eyes slowly lifted and met with crystal. Like a lot of crystal everywhere. He jumped to my hooves and shouted, “WHERE?” A feminine giggle came from behind him. Dusk swiveled his whole body to meet the eyes of an... alicorn. An alicorn. A purple alicorn with dark purple eyes and night blue mane with a stripe of lavender and magenta. His eyes narrowed, “Who are you?”
She looked like Dusk only grown-up and a mare which was odd. On her hair was a crown with a six-pointed magenta star as the jewel and on her thrown, or at least he thought it was a throne, was a star just like it. Looking at it felt familiar to me but he had no time to think about it as the alicorn introduced herself, “I am Twilight Sparkle, Alicorn of Magic, Princess of Friendship.” She bowed, a princess is bowing to him, one he's never heard of before. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Um hello, your highness. I uh wasn’t expecting to see you or even know that you existed until today.” He nervously blurted out, “Please don’t throw me in a dungeon or banish me or banish me then thrown me in a dungeon where I’m banished to!”
The princess giggled once more, “Don’t worry, my little pony. You have not insulted me from not knowing who I am for I am-”
The doors behind him burst open with what sounded like a kick as a blue pegasus mare with rainbow hair flew in, “Hey, Twi, you got any- Who’s this squirt?” The rainbow mare flew orbit around me with perfect hover then got close to his face allowing me to see those gorgeous cerise eyes. He could feel his face heating up. “And why’s he look like a teenage colt version of you?”
“RAINBOW DASH!” The princess scolded causing the pegasus to hover back and fall on her rainbow lightning bolt painted plot in surprise. “I told you I was having a visitor today!”
“Oh uh sorry, Twi. I guess I forgot.” The mare scuffed the ground sheepishly, which Dusk was now noticing was a table of some sort. “You have any ductape?”
Twilight sighed, “Yeah, go find Spike, he should be in his room.”
Dusk Shine blinked at that name, Spike, the same name given to his little flame. His eyes went to the purple alicorn then to the magenta star embedded in her throne. A smaller throne right next to hers. Five other thrones sat around the table. And one of those thrones had a red lightning bolt gem embedded into it similar to the blue pegasus who was currently flying out of the room. Then something hits him like a lightning bolt as he remembers Rainbow Dash’s words and tied it like a knot to the alicorn, the magenta star, and another being named Spike.
“No that’s silly there’s no way that’s true.” Dusk shook his head and mumbled to himself.
“What’s not true?” The purple pony princess stared at him with a twinkle in her eye, her smile etching into her face as though she knew something the boy didn’t.
Dusk found this odd but shook his head, “Nothing, it doesn’t matter.”
Twilight nodded, “Sorry for the interruption. My wife can be a little featherbrained sometimes.” The colt nodded at her comment. “So, you’re wondering why you’re here.”
“Either I died after misusing a spell designed to fix things, this is a dream, or I traveled to an alternate dimension using a level two spell.” Dusk theorized.
“Was I always this morbid?” Twilight mumbled at a near inaudible volume.
“What?”
“Nothing.” The princess cleared her throat. “Do you believe in destiny, my little pony?”
Dusk raised a brow, “Well yeah, our cutie mark shows our destiny. At least this is what Princess Celestia said. By the way is she still the ruler of Equestria?”
“Yes, Celestia is still the princess of Equestria and she rules right beside her sister Luna.”
Dusk blinked trying to process that last bit of information, “What?”
“I mean, she rules Equestria, yes.” Twilight tried to cover up but from the look Dusk Shine was giving her, he didn’t quite believe it. The princess cleared her throat again, “What if I told you that because of your misuse of the Fix-It Spell that you’ve traveled to the future.”
“I would tell you that you’re full of horse apples.” Dusk said bluntly.
“Was I always this skeptical?” Twilight mumbled inaudibly again.
“Huh?”
“It’s true, my little pony. You sent yourself into the future.”
The teenager gave the adult a very deadpan expression. “Really? Do you have anything to prove that claim?”
The princess grinned, “Why yes. Yes, I do.” Her horn glowed and a calendar popped into existence.
She floated it to the colt who practically yanked it out of the princess’s aura. The calendar read ‘June 15th, 1005’ as the year. “This doesn’t prove anything. How do I know that this isn’t just the future in an alternate universe?” Dusk crossed his fetlocks, tapping his hind hoof on the table.
“You have a point.” Twilight agreed. “I was going to reveal this later but oh well.”
“Reveal wha-”
Twilight stood on the table and pointed her right flank at him. Painted on her flank was a six-pointed magenta star with five other stars around it. Dusk looked at his cutie mark: A six-pointed magenta star with five other stars around it.
“Now do you understand?”
“Yes, yes I do.” Dusk nodded, head swiveling from her cutie mark and his.
“Good, that we got that out of the way, we can-”
“You’re the mare version of me from a future alternate dimension!” The boy declared as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Spike, the star, Rainbow Dash’s comment, all of it.
The mare sagged feeling a bit frustrated that the young stallion couldn’t understand that it wasn’t a future alternate universe but decided it didn’t matter anymore as she shook her head. “Hey Dusk-”
“...But how can this be?” The colt paced. “The Fix-It spell couldn’t possible...”
“Dusk.”
“...There’s no way...”
“Dusk Shine.”
“...But if that’s the case then...”
“DUSK SHINE!!!”
The colt snapped out of his thoughts, “What?!”
Twilight trotted up to him and put a hoof on his shoulder, “What I’m about to say is very shocking.”
“Okay?”
“I’m the future version of you.”
“But there’s no way-”
“Let me finish.”
The colt huffed and crossed his fetlocks, “But if you’re the future version of me, which you’re not, then how did I become a mare? Wait no, better question, how did I become an alicorn?”
Twilight sighed heavily, feeling irritated at her old self for interrupting her again but she decided she didn’t care anymore. “That’s a long story and all that matters... you know what, it’s better to just show you rather than tell you.” The princess began trotted away as she jumped off the table they’ve been standing on.
“Where are you going?”
“My wife’s boutique.”
The colt stumbled after, “Wait, you have two wives?”
“Five in total actually.”
“I wish I had five wives.”
“Oh, you will, in time.” Twilight mumbled inaudibly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
They walked to the boutique went through a place named Ponyville as Dusk learned. A small town with houses made of thatch and wood which the colt hopes are all enchanted with the fire immune spell else this place is asking to be burnt to the ground in a glorious blaze.
The boutique was an odd place compared to the rest of Ponyville. It almost looks fireproof though the cloth makes it just look like a big tent with multiple floors. The dresses the boy saw in the display windows were very tasteful and he’d go even beyond to say beautiful. Dusk wished he could wear something like that.
Dusk blinked and shook, no no, he’s a colt, a stallion like his dad and brother. It’s foalish and wrong of him to think that he could wear something like that. Besides he would just look like a stallion in a dress and that would look weird.
Twilight and Dusk went into the boutique as the bell rang behind them as they entered. “Give me a second, Darling, and I’ll be right with you.” An elegant, feminine voice called to us. It wasn’t a second later before a gorgeous white unicorn mare with the prettiest sparkling blue eyes and deep violet mane came out from behind her shop. The mare’s eyes locked onto the purple mare, “Twilight!” She squealed as she trotted up giving the princess a nuzzle and many kisses.
“Rarity.” Twilight giggled playfully, “Stop that, we have a guest.”
“So I see, darling.” The white mare took a step back and turned towards Dusk Shine, her gorgeous eyes scanning him with a glint of familiarity causing the poor colt to blush and look away. “Now who is this...” She seemed hesitant about something as she looked to Twilight who nodded softly, “Handsome young stallion.”
Dusk would’ve said something but nothing came out as he was too busy thinking about how good this floor is and how he should look at it forever to keep the monster in his sheath from coming out. Rarity smelled good, looked like a wet dream, and has such a wonderful voice that gave him goosebumps.
Instead, he allowed Twilight to answer for him, “His name is Dusk Shine. He’s my visitor I was talking about.”
“Shall I get you two some tea then?” Rarity asked.
“That would be lovely.” Twilight kissed her wife.
“I’ll be back in a minute.” The white mare trotted away.
Dusk followed Twilight into the back and onto a couch. They sat in silence for a moment as Dusk had to compose himself and even then all that could come out is a “How?”
“How?” Twilight asked.
Dusk swallowed, doing some breaths Cadence taught him anytime he feels overwhelmed. “How did you get such a beautiful wife? And can you teach me your secret?”
Twilight was taken back by this, “Oh-”
“Now that I think about it, your other wife was really hot too. How did you get both of them?”
“Well, it’s a long story really and-”
“We started out as friends.” Rarity interrupted, setting the plate of tea on the table in front of them. “It’s funny how a dangerous, world-ending situation can bring the most unlikely of ponies together in friendship.” Rarity sat primly in her chair as she continued after a sip of tea. “After a while, we all fell in love with each other.”
Dusk nodded dumbly not really knowing what to say, and also not trusting his diction while a really pretty mare was right in front of him
Twilight cleared her throat, “Rarity, do you mind if we talked for a moment in private?”
Rarity raised a brow, “Sure, darling. Dusk, please enjoy the tea. I hope it’s to your liking.”
Dusk just nodded again, his brain still melting from seeing the very pretty mare in front of him. The two mares walked into another, and like a spell, he snapped out of it. “What am I doing here?” He asked himself hoping that his little flame is okay while he’s gone if this is a dream or he’s dead. Dusk is starting to feel like this is the former and he sure hopes it isn’t the latter. If it is a dream, thinking back to the beautiful and elegant maiden known as Rarity, it’s a very good dream so far even if it’s a little weird and very lucid.
The two mares came back both with smiles on their faces. Dusk remembers when his dad told him that if mares came back both with very suspicious smiles on their faces after talking, you should probably gallop far away. He’d follow his dad’s advice if he even knew where to run to.
“Dusk, can you do me a favor?” Rarity’s voice soothed and seduced his very soul.
Dusk smiled and nodded for the pretty lady.
She pulled out a measuring tape “Can you close your eyes for me?”
Dusk nodded once more as he closed his eyes. He felt something go over his eyes. “What are you doing?” He somehow asked in a full sentence.
“Making sure you’re not peaking.” Rarity sang.
Dusk felt a bunch of stuff going across his body. He fidgeted, trying to get out.
“Stop fidgeting, it’ll only take a second.”
The boy somehow blushed deeply as he could feel the mare touching him and the scent of some kind of perfume, he couldn’t exactly put his hoof on. Whatever it was, it melted his brain into a puddle unable to ask important questions and be skeptical about this whole situation.
“You’re doing good, darling.” Rarity appraised causing the young stallion to blush fiercely, “Now stay very still.” He heard the chimes of magic as something covered his body. He didn’t know what and he hoped whatever it was would help the white succubus that has taken serenade his soul with her beauty. “Now, open your eyes.”
And Dusk Shine opened his eyes to find himself in front of him... wearing a dress. Why was he in a dress? Why did the dress feel so good on his body? More importantly, why were Twilight and Rarity giving him smiles? Dusk gulped as he stared at his reflection feeling... disgusted and perverted and wonderful and exhilarated all at the same time. It was this confliction of emotion that brought him out of his body. He felt numb. Did they... did they do this on purpose? Did they do this to humiliate me? Then Dusk felt angry. His expression turned angry and dark.
He turned to them, “Why the buck am I in a dress?” He growled, somehow keeping his voice from shouting.
Rarity tried to hold a smile as she nervously asked, “How do you like it?”
“I look ugly, perverted, and humiliated.” He snapped, the words bucking the gut of both the mares. Ugly bucking Rarity, perverted bucking Twilight.
“There’s nothing perverted about crossdressing. We were just trying to help.” Twilight answered, tears were beginning to form around her eyes.
Dusk’s violet eyes glared at her, “I don’t know who the buck you are, Princess Twilight Sparkle, I don’t know why the buck you’d think this would somehow help me --like I need any help-- but you must be getting a laugh out of my humiliation. That’s the only logical bucking reason why I’m in a dress.”
“I wasn’t trying to humiliate you!” Twilight retorted.
“REALLY??” Dusk shouted, “BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I COULD BE BUCKING DEAD LEAVING MY POOR LITTLE FLAME ALONE IN THE WORLD AND RIGHT NOW RATHER THAN TRYING TO HELP ME GET BACK YOU DARE BUCKING HUMILIATE ME!!!” Dusk panted from anger. The mares were now crying. “It doesn’t fucking matter. I’ll find my own way out.” Dusk whispered as burned the dress to cinder and trotted past the two. He didn’t even notice the tears running down my face until he galloped out the door.
The colt’s unathletic legs can only gallop so far before muscle starts burning and breath panting with exertion. Dusk found himself in a park. The foals of all ages were frolicking, parents gossiping, and other ponies napping the day away. It would’ve been peaceful if Dusk’s whole existence didn’t feel like it was crashing down. Having nothing better to do and too tired to run any further, the purple colt plopped himself under the shade of one of the many trees in the park.
Everything felt so surreal and nothing was making sense. Even as Dusk recounts the day, he couldn’t help but feel the whole thing was some kind of scam by that Twilight Sparkle. From the moment he found himself in this... whatever it is... She’s been right there looking like she’s been trying to do something to him. As though expecting something whatever it was, and rather than just telling him what. She decided to show him. Which was a very weird thought considering whatever they were trying to show him involved wearing a pretty dress.
Dusk was starting to think that this was a dream of some sort. It would make sense considering that there is some kind of gender-bent alicorn doppelganger trying to help him with something? But with what? What could he possibly need help with?
Then it hit him right in the got metaphorically speaking, “The Fix-it Spell! Ugh, she was trying to help me with my wrongness.” Dusk rubbed his face with anxiety, feeling so very stupid and guilty with how angry he got at the princess and Rarity. “But why did they did they make me wear a dress?” The colt asked himself. “You know what, the princess knows something I don’t. Let’s just ask her.” The colt nodded to himself with his new determination and mission as he stretched up and out from his shaded spot. “After I apologize for being a dolt colt.”
Dusk took very nervous deep breaths as he walked up to the boutique. The sign read closed but the colt ignored that when he took a hoof to the door and gingerly knocked on it. He waited and waited, then decided to knock again, this time a bit louder.
A voice rose from behind the door, “We’re closed right now, so please go-” The door cracked open, “Oh, Dusk! You’re here?”
“Yes, I’m here,” He gulped as he continued, “I’m here to apologize for being such a dolt colt. I mean, I’ve only been here for what feels like maybe an hour or thirty minutes, I can’t really tell at this point and everything feels like a bad dream and I’m very confused and I’m sorry. Very sorry for what I said. I think your dresses are beautiful and I’d like to apologize to Princess Twilight if she’s there’s too.” He blurted out in quick succession. A bead of sweat rolled down Dusk’s back.
Rarity just stood there shocked not really knowing what to say.
“Rarity? Who is it?” The raspy voice of Twilight came from behind.
“It’s me... or is it ‘it’s you but a colt’?” Dusk answered.
“Dusk?” Twilight came in view, pushing Rarity aside. The two purple ponies came face to face. “I’m glad you’re here, I want to apologize.”
“No, no don’t apologize, it’s my fault. I should’ve listened to you instead I was hanged upon well whatever is going on here. I know you were just trying to help so I’m sorry for shoving your help back in your face.”
“It’s my fault, Dusk. I should’ve explained it all to you and not just showed you. You’re me, well old me, and even old me would’ve at least listened and been understanding.” Twilight put her hoof out there, “So friends?”
Dusk took it, “Friends.” The colt walked in, “Is she gonna be okay?” He pointed to Rarity.
“Yeah, she’s just having a moment since the author didn’t know what to do with her.”
“Oh, okay. So what were you trying to help me with?” Dusk taking a seat on the couch in the backroom.
Twilight took a deep breath before sitting down herself, “I wasn’t always a mare.”
Dusk blinked, “What?”
Twilight’s horn flashed and tea with its wares popped into existence. She poured two cups and floated one to Dusk the other to herself, “Used to be a colt. You remember the wrongness you felt?”
“Yeah?” Dusk nodded.
“The wrongness is you being a stallion.”
“Is that why you put me in a dress?”
“Yup.” The princess took a sip, “One day, I had a dream after misusing a spell and knocking myself unconscious. In the dream, I saw an alicorn mare who looked like the alicorn mare version of me. Even with the same cutie mark. Celestia mentioned that it was just a dream but here I am.” Twilight gestured to herself, “An alicorn mare.”
“So this is a dream? Because you just described what was happening to me just now.”
Twilight shrugged, “It’s pretty real to me. Anyway, when I woke up from the dream, I desperately wanted to be exactly like that mare and did everything I could.”
“Did you enchant a transfiguration spell to an item to make yourself a mare?”
“I did one better. I found an alchemy recipe that slowly turned me into an infertile mare.”
“That makes sense and would be more permanent due to Star Swirl’s Law of Change.”
“Mhmm. I thought it was a dream until today when you popped into existence. So now I’m here to tell you that you’re a mare and you’ll feel so much better as one.”
Dusk raised an eyebrow, “Is there a way to prove this hypothesis?”
Twilight smirked, “Yes, just hold still.” The chimes and glow of power came rushing to Twilight’s horn.
Several levels of aura, more than Dusk had ever seen folded onto one another. He felt his body twist and turn as a cocoon enveloped his body then it broke with a pop.
Suddenly everything felt very weird. So very right for Dusk that he immediately ran to the full body mirror across the room. Staring back at him was a teenage purple filly, a younger version of Twilight Sparkle.
Everything felt just... just... Dusk couldn’t even describe the sensation right then as everything hit him all at once. Everything felt so right. So very right that the tears couldn’t stop falling and the grin was so wide that it hurt. He realized that he is she and she hated being a colt. Hated how people treated her and hated her body.
Twilight became visible in the mirror, “It’s great, isn’t it?”
All Dusk could do was nod.
“I remember my first time seeing myself in the mirror too.”
The filly glomped the mare in a hug. Twilight giggled and nuzzled the younger version of herself as she began to wail her little eyes out. “Thank you.” The filly sobbed, “Thank you so much!”
POP and the filly’s world became dark.
The teenage filly found herself in a hospital bed as the beeps of machines and noises of nurses and doctors going in and out causing the filly to flick her ears. Slowly, the filly stretched, her mouth feeling dry, and a small weight next to her. Her little flame.
“So it was a dream.” She said to herself.
“Dusk.” The infant dragon mumbled in his sleep.
A spike of pain and joy throbbed in her heart. It’s fortunate that he’s an infant and that he probably won’t even remember the colt named Dusk Shine. The filly smiled and nuzzled her little flame, giving him a smooch on the head as the infant curled into a donut.
“Dusk?” A regal voice spoke. “You’re awake.” It was Celestia.
“I am, princess.”
“What happened? I found you passed out in your room when you didn’t come to our weekly meeting.”
“Misused the Fix-It spell to fix the wrongness.” She answered, the wrongness was still there and worse than before but the filly has faced worse.
“What were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t, but I think the spell worked.”
Celestia’s brow furrowed, “It did?” The princess inspected closer.
“It didn’t fix the wrongness but I know how to get rid of the wrongness now.”
“How?”
The filly smiled, “Can you call me Twilight Sparkle from now on?”