Dusk Shine levitated the final items into his saddlebags and double-checked his list a final time. According to his notes, he had everything he needed but still,  he couldn´t help but feel like he´ll never be truly prepared for this.

“Spines! Come down here!” he shouted from the basement.

The little dragon assistant came down the stairs, shuddering at the thought of the next crazy experiment she will be subjected to.

“Yes, Dusk Shine?”

“I need you to send a few letters,” he said and levitated four scrolls. “This one it´s for Prince Solaris, this one it´s to my parents, this one for my sister back in the Crystal Empire and this last one…” he held the letter away from her fiery breath. “This last one is for you.”

“For me? Why would you send me a letter? We live in the same roof, you dumb colt!”

Dusk Shine didn´t answer back. He looked at Spines with a serene and quiet face.

“Dusk Shine?”

He then took the little dragon and held her in a tight embrace.

“I love you very much, little sister.”

Spines had no idea what was going on. Dusk Shine let her go, levitated his saddlebags and went up the stairs.

Before he left the room he looked back once more.

“Take care.”

Once she heard the sound of Dusk Shine opening the front door and going outside, Spines opened the scroll, hoping to make some sense to all of this.

"Dear Spines..."

             Dear Spines

                                     Writing this letter is the most difficult I have ever done. It breaks my heart to do so but I´ve come to realize that certain circles need to be closed and all good things must eventually end.

You have been with me your entire life, which was a sizable portion of mine too; but the time has come for us to say goodbye

*****

Dusk Shine was walking across the town square when a familiar raspy voice called him from above.

“Hey Dusky!” Rainbow Blitz said as he flew down to the ground. “What´cha doing so late at night, egghead?”

“You know I´ve always been a bit of night-owl, Blitz.”

“So, mid-night strolls, uh? Cool, I like taking mid-night flights. They keep my babies here fresh!” and he kissed one of his wings.

“I was actually heading to Elusive´s but luckily I found you first, that way I can give you this now…” he reached inside his saddlebags and pull out a dusty object. “Here you have.”

“Dudeeeeeeee! A Wonderbolts Cap?! 19th edition! These are out of stock, how did you get one?!”

“My father bought it for me when he took me to the races once, back in the days when he was trying to get me into sports. He eventually gave up. I´ve forgotten I have it until two days ago when I found it inside my old vault.” Dusk Shine explained.

“Awesome! But wait, it isn´t my birthday, is it?”

“No Blitz, but I wanted to give you that. I know how much the Wonderbolts mean to you.”

“Woah, thanks dude…”

“Blitz, ever since I met you, you have been a serious pain in my flank. Always crashing in my library or on me, always showing-off, always getting all the mares attention, never listening to reason or orders…”

“I hope there´s a but coming soon…”

“But…” and Dusk Shine placed a hoof on the pegasus shoulder. “You have always been a loyal friend and taught me to never give up. Thank you.”

For the first time on his life, Rainbow Blitz was actually speechless. He just stayed there while Dusk Shine walked away.

“Oh and stop worrying about your weight so much.”

Rainbow Blitz looked at Dusk Shine go down town. He felt like he should go after him but another part, deeper inside his heart, told him not to. He gave a final look at the battered cap, smiled and put it on before taking flight.

*****

My latest experiment brought to my attention the unquestionable fact that there are infinite possibilities to explore. Every decision we made could be a radical different one, just one step away in the grand scheme of the multiverse. There isn´t a single line of events and yet, every event is so unique and different to the rest.

The point I´m trying to make is that I´ve been wondering about the decisions in my life and what could have happened have I took a different path.

And that’s why I must leave.

****

Elusive put his cup of tea down.

“Well my friend, I understand your decision and although I can´t say I approve it...”

“Sorry Elusive, but my decision it’s final.”

Elusive got up of his chair and reached a hoof.

“Well my friend, I guess there´s nothing more to say then. Godspeed to you, Dusk Shine.”

Like true gentlecolts, they shook hooves but halfway they decided instead to hug, like true friends.

Dusk Shine was leaving the store when Elusive said

“Remember this, Dusk Shine. The end of the road it’s merely the first step to your journey back home.”

“Thanks. I´ll try to remember that.”

****

I´ve already make accommodations for you to live with Elusive. I´m sure you´ll love that.

You´re probably angry and wondering why I won´t take you with me. The truth is that I´m not sure when I´ll come back, If I would come back; and I can´t tolerate the idea that something may happen to you.

I need you to be safe Spines so please, accept this selfish demand from your big brother.

****

“…and that’s the last one of those dimensional-displaced Dusk Shines. Sorry for all the troubles I caused you, Butterscotch.”

“I-it was no problem at all…”

“Well, goodbye Scotch.”

Butterscotch scratched his arm nervously, having an epic battle of wills inside him. Finally, one side won.

“Dusk Shine, wait!”

He rushed to Dusk Shine and gave him a deep, passionate kiss.

Once he finally let go, Butterscotch said

“Umh sorry for my boldness. I know this maybe won´t make you change your mind or anything but the truth is…umh the truth is that ever since we first met, I´ve a sort of a crush on you, I mostly ignored it but lately…”

Butterscotch was interrupted by another kiss, only this time Dusk Shine was the bold one. His kiss lasted much longer and was definitely most passionate.

“Thank you for being such a good friend, Butterscotch. I´m sorry I don´t feel the same way about you, but I appreciate your feelings and your friendship. Who knows, maybe in another reality, we could be a great couple.”

Butterscotch smiled.

***

¿Have your ever wondered how different our lives could be if we did something as simply as turning left instead of right?

We could live in an Equestria where dragons are the norm and you´ll be the one pony in Dragonville. We could live in a world where Prince Solaris turned bad or where Queen Tenebra never banished the Crystal Empire.

Hay, we could live in a world where I was a mare and all the other boys are in love with me!

There are simply too many possibilities and no way to know them all.

****

Bubble Berry was standing in a street corner, waiting for Dusk Shine to pass by.

He didn´t asked any question, didn´t need to. He simply nodded.

Dusk Shine nodded too and kept moving.

****

Sorry for all the times I´ve treated you like a guinea pig, wasn´t my intention; you know I can get a little absent-minded at times.

Guess nopony is perfect.

***

“Goodbye, Derpy Hooves.”

The cross-eyed pegasus looked down, as best as he could, and saw a lavender unicorn waving him goodbye.

Derpy waved back and kept flying straight to the horizon.

****

Please don´t be sad, Spines. I don´t want you to cry. Even if we don´t see each other again, we still have all the memories of our good times together.

Hold to that memories Spines.

Hold them close.

****

Applejack was putting the last pile of haystack inside the barn when Apple Buck came in. He took his scary mask off and said:

“Big Bro…Dusk Shine is at the hill and he´s talking kinda funny.”

“He always talks funny, little seed. Ah better go check him out though,” and he went outside.  “And yah better stop scaring the cows!!”

Apple Buck pouted and threw the mask away.

Applejack walked to the tallest hill in Sweet Apple Acres and found his friend staring at the night sky.

“Hey-a haystack! What bring yah so late at night ´ere?”

“Hi Applejack. I was just looking at the stars. Remember the last time we sit here and watched the stars?”

“Ah remember a bunch of mean ponies playing pranks on me…” Applejack joked but Dusk Shine kept looking up.

“They looked so bright. They always do…”

“Buddy, you okay?”

“I´m leaving, Applejack.”

“Uhh okay.” Applejack looked at Dusk Shine´s eyes and suddenly understood what he meant. “Wait, yah mean leaving Ponyville?”

“Leaving Equestria.”

“What? Ho-how? What do yah mean? Did Solaris send yah across the sea or something?”

“Much further than that and this has nothing to do with the Prince,” Dusk Shine explained.

“Then yah better speak the truth! Yah know ah don´t like to go ´round the bush, just get to ta point!”

“I´ve created a new type of teleporting spell, the most powerful yet. If my calculations are right, it will tear apart the barriers between worlds and send me to another universe.”

“What do yah mean with if mah calculations are right?”

“Well, there’s always the possibility that instead it would just kill me.”

“KILL YAH? Then why in the hay would yah want to try something that dangerous?” Applejack yelled.

“I have to, Applejack. I´ve had been here for far too long. It´s time for a change.”

Applejack scratched his head. “Ah don´ get it. Don´ yah like being in ´ere? With us in Ponyville?”

Dusk Shine laughed. “I loved it in here! I can´t imagine a better life than this!”

“Then why are yah leaving?”

“Because, there must be a better life somewhere.”

Applejack sighed. “There´s nothing ah can say to make yah change your mind, isn´?

Dusk Shine shook his head.

“Well then hays- Dusk Shine, ah guess this is the end. Ah wish yah luck, mah friend,” and he reached a hoof to him.

Dusk Shine shook his hoof and said “Applejack, you were the first friend I made, ever. Before I met you, I had no idea what it meant to have a friend. Somepony who will remain by my side, no matter what. Thank you, Applejack.”

“…same here, partner.”

Dusk Shine asked Applejack to move a few steps aside as he casted the magic for his spell. Cracks and purple lightings appeared in the sky as magical energies formed in a whirlwind above his head. Small orbs of light began to surround Dusk Shine and before they covered him completely, Applejack asked a final question:

“Dusk Shine, ah always wanted to ask yah. Solaris send yah ´ere to learn about the magic of friendship. Tell me, after all this time, what have yah learned about friendship?”

Dusk Shine smiled.

“That friendship sure is complicated.”

And with that he disappeared, leaving behind just a few small orbs of light, that blinked in the night like fireflies and vanished in the cold wind.