Despite a rocky start, Midnight adjusted of life as a pony in Ponyville rather quickly and soon started working for Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres. It was hard but rewarding work, and the Apple family was actually quite wealthy so his pay was good. He was even adopted as an honorary Cutie Mark Crusader by AJ's younger sister Applebloom and her friends. Despite not really caring about getting a cutie mark he accepted, he always had a soft spot for kids.

The mayor offered him land for a home so he asked for the hill. The home he built was small but more than adequate with his secret basement. He would expand it one day if he's still around but it was fine for the time being. It gave a place to practice spells that would help his new form. The one he was most proud of was an ethereal hand that he could use like the one he used to have, it even had feeling in it.

The ponies around town started accepting him after a time and seemed to forgive his "outbursts" at the parties. Everypony started keeping a mental list of things that sent him into flashbacks, luckily it wasn't too long.

After adapting it to pony anatomy, Midnight even started teaching his combat techniques to his friends. Rainbow Dash advanced the quickest as she had experience in the martial arts, Fluttershy, surprisingly, wasn't too far behind, Twilight was the slowest.

A year passed, and Ponyville returned normal. The shock of the mysterious pony who appeared out of thin air in the library died down and Midnight became just another of the towns unique and colorful residence. Thing's were looking up for the human-turned-pony.

----------

Midnight Just finished another hard day's work and was heading back home, contemplating stopping by Sugarcube Corner for some hot chocolate. A familiar smell came from town... smoke. Running now, he searched for the source. it was easy to find, he just had to watch where the pegasus ponies were going with clouds it tow.

Sugarcube Corner was burning. Pegasus ponies were dumping cloud after cloud of rain onto it but it did nothing to the blaze.

Pinkie Pie was crying, apologizing to Mr. and Mrs. cake, her mane flat. Fluttershy and Rarity were holding Rainbow Dash down as she hollered "I GOTTA GET TWILIGHT OUT!!!" Midnights heart sank. Twilight was in there. without a single thought Midnight charged at the burning sweets shop ignoring shouts to stop. A window was already busted out, that was his entrance. A police pony that jumped in front of him made a good spring board to launch himself into the inferno.

Damn it was hot! "TWILIGHT, WHERE ARE YOU" Midnight called for her as he made his way through the fire to the kitchen.

She was slumped beside the pantry. The now black and blue pony-man ran to her side and felt for breath with his cheek. Thank god he thought, though it was weak. Now the problem was getting out. Lifting her and putting her on his back was easy after a year of farm work, But the flaming timber that fell right in front of them was not so easy.

Damn, he thought I don't want to have to use magic, but if it means saving Twi, I'll gladly accept being outcast.

Just as he began focusing, he heard a loud crack

-------

The four friends watched in utter horror as Sugarcube Corner came crashing down knowing their friends were in the middle of it. Rainbow Dash through her restrainers off and flew strait toward the flaming pile just as the scene erupted in a brilliant light beaming from the center of the mass of ruble, flinging the rainbow pegasus away.

Every eye was on the column of light as a sphere of blue energy rose from the ashes with the Midnight Star in its center and Twilight on his back, unconscious. The light faded as the ponies cleared the fire and landed on the ground in the middle of the crowd of stunned spectators.

Midnight laid the Lavender unicorn on the ground and turned and headed back to what would have been their tomb. "STAND BACK EVERYONE!" he yelled as he once again focused on the magic he needed. His forehead glowing, the flame leaped from the wreckage to him. The crowd gasped as every last flicker and spark flew into the earth pony. Staggering, he turned away from the crowd, aimed at an empty patch of sky and released it in a burst of concentrated energy that roared into space. He looked back to see medical ponies putting Twilight on  stretcher.

So long as she's ok. The world suddenly tilted and went dark.

----------

Midnight awoke in the clinic better rested than he could ever remember, but with a strange feeling. It was a feeling he had not felt for more than four years. Happiness, pure and true. He was glad that he used magic for all to see. That reminded him of what happened, so he stood and opened the door.

"Midnight your awake, good." nurse Redheart greeted him, "Twilight's reading in her bed.She suffered some minor burns but she's ok. You were just exhausted from using to much magic, you need to be more careful with that."

"You say that like it's normal for an earth pony to use magic." Midnight replied.

"Well, no it's not, but your not just an earth pony either are you." she said with a wink. "It's ok, I won't tell anypony."

"So, Twilight will make a full recovery." he said changing the subject, "I'm glad. Can I see her?"

"Oh, yes of course." answered the nurse, "Room seven."

Midnight quickly found the room and knocked, "Come in," said the voice of Twilight. He opened the door and was pleased to see the mare only lightly bandaged, though she also had patched of missing fur.

"Oh, Midnight, I'm glad your here. I want to thank you. I was told you're the pony who saved me." She said smiling.

Midnight sat down next to her on the foot of the bed "I couldn't leave you in there to die, I..." here goes nothing "I care about you... as more than just a friend" he confessed, and looked over at her.

She looked at him blushing. I should have known she didn't... his thought was cut short as Twilight pressed her lips to his. His surprise quickly turned into joy as he wrapped her in a passionate embrace and returned the kiss.

They left the clinic an hour latter, tails curled together. it was about one in the morning and the town was quiet. Neither of the ponies said a thing, they just walked tail in tail until they came to Twilight's library.

"Shh, spike's asleep," she said when they walked in, indicating the guest room that spike commandeered.

They went quietly up to the loft falling onto the bed in a lovers embrace.

---------

For the first time in years, there were no nightmares. Pleasant dreams of hanging out with his friends, humoring the cutie mark crusaders with their crazy ideas for his mark, and of spending time with Twilight, filled his night. He woke up to find the best of his dreams still lying next to him.

"Twilight, are you home yet," Spike opened the door, "I've made break...fast." The dragons face was one of utter shock. "Midnight, what are you doing here?" the baby dragon asked.

"oh, umm... you see," awkward, "we were released late and we were tired so Twi offered to let me stay here, but you had my old room so...,"

"Cut the crap, I'm not dumb." Spike interrupted, "So, what are you two together now?"

"Yes, Spike," Twilight said sitting up, and kissing Midnight, "we are. I expect you to behave yourself."

"Fine, but you better treat her right." he warned Midnight and left the room.

"Sorry about that." Twilight said

"It's ok, your like a mom to him, you always looked after him. He's just returning the favor." Midnight said

"Well, after last night I wouldn't be surprised if he's going to be a big brother." Twilight gave him a seductive look, running a hoof across his chest.

Midnight wrapped her in his hooves kissing her passionately.

"You better not be doing anything up there with me right here" Spikes voice came from downstairs

Both ponies got up "Let's eat we have a long day of news breaking and you have to be threatened by more of my friends." said Twilight

"Sounds good to me" replied Midnight as they headed down stairs.

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It was surprisingly easier than either of the love-ponies thought it would be. Applejack said she would bury him behind the barn while he was still alive, Rainbow Dash said she would drop him from the stratosphere, Fluttershy said she would send her bear friends after him, Rarity said she would use his skin as drapes, and Pinkie Pie just looked him in the eyes and said something about 'cupcakes', at least that one was innocent enough. Despite the numerous, painfully creative death threats they were all very accepting of them and were happy that they were happy together.

They were having a celebration picnic behind Midnights house talking about his type of magic and demonstrating what he can and can't do with it. At the moment he was showing off the 'mage form', which used solidified magic energy to form tools and weapons.

"This was what I modified to make my 'ghost hand'." Midnight held up his hoof and a blue translucent hand formed on it. "When it's attached to my hoof i can feel through it as if it were my old human hand. But unlike that one..." he held out his ghost hand and it flew over to a flower, plucked it and returned to him, and he handed it to Twilight "a flower for my flower."

"Your magic is simply fabulous," praised Rarity, "why did you keep it a secret so long."

Midnight's expression became sullen "My magic isn't meant for this world, it's war magic. All it's good for is fighting, destroying, and killing. This world is too peaceful for that kind of thing."

"That's not true," Twilight hugged him, "it saved my life, and yours. It may have been made for war but that doesn't mean it can't be changed." she looked deep into his eyes, "That mage form was meant to form weapons, but you turned it into hands, who says you can't do that with other things. If it destroys, turn it into something that fixes"

Midnight's eye's widened with a new idea. He gave his mare a big kiss, "Babe, your a genius, wait here." he ran toward the house, but stopped at a rock in the ground. The others watched as the stone melted away to reveal a stair way. The stallion disappeared for several moments, and returned with several pieces of paper in his mouth.

"How long has that been there?" Twilight asked.

Midnight laid the papers out and replied, "After I left the party at Sugarcube Corner that first week I was here."

Twilight looked at him with a mild irritation, "We're going to have to talk about all these secrets of yours."

"After that one I really don't have anymore." he said returning his attention to the paper, "Look at this," the paper had diagrams and symbols like nopony in Equestria had ever seen.

Pinkie Pie jumped in saying"Oh, wow these are amazing... what are they?" her wide grin never leaving

Midnight replied, "They're golems, well schematics for them, anyway. I was planing on making one to use as an assistant of my own."

"Making an assistant?"asked Rainbow Dash, "How the hey does that work?"

"So glad you asked, Dash. a golem is kind of like a puppet given life by magic. They were my specialty back in my old world." Midnight explained, "Twilight, I could use your help with making them." she nodded in approval, "Rarity, you use metal in some of your work, do you shape it your self?"

"Of course I do, darling." the white unicorn assured him.

"Good, I could use your help as well."

"I'd be happy to help, though I must admit I still don't really know what these do, but I suppose I'll see when it's done." she said

"Good I'll need about five of them." said Midnight, "I'll get started, you two can help whenever your ready." he got up gave Twilight a kiss and retreated into the basement.

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It took the rest of the after noon and the day after but the metal men were finished by bedtime. The next morning Midnight asked Rainbow Dash to get Mr. and Mrs. Cake and the mayor, and bring them to the former location of Sugarcube Corner.

"Good morning, everyone." he said to the tree ponies, and his friends who were already there, "I know your all curious as to why I brought you all out here. Well, as everyone found the other day I can use magic noponies ever seen before. I'm sorry I kept it from you for so long, I was afraid how everyone would react. But now I would like to start using it for the benefit of Ponyville, starting with Sugarcube Corner." that got the Cake's attention.

He walked over to a row of five metal objects, "I give you your 24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week construction crew"

He lowered his head channeling his energy through the now glowing seal on his forehead. A second later symbols appeared on three of the objects that then began to move. They stood on two legs with two long arms hanging to their sides.

He kind of enjoyed the looks of shock and amazement on the ponies faces, "These golems will help rebuild the shop, never needing sleep or rest of any kind. They are powered by my energy so while they're working I'll be rather useless. I would like to show Ponyville that I'm willing to use my powers to help, and what better way than to use it to restore everyone's favorite candy shop."

The Cake's stunned looks quickly turned into pure joy, "Thank you, Midnight, we don't know how we can ever repay you." Mrs. Cake said on the verge of tears.

"How about one of your awesome cheesecakes and we'll call it even." Midnight said with a hopeful smile.

"Oh, your as bad as Pinkie." she said

"What?" Pinkie chimed in, "He's nowhere near as bad as I am." That got a good laugh.

The little things immediately got to work rebuilding the torched bakery. and soon a crowd had gathered to watch the strange steel creatures work. Midnight sat nearby listening to the whispers of the gathered ponies. Most were confused about how an earth pony could use magic, others talked about hiring him to build additions in their homes. He didn't care, he was no longer going to hide who he was.

The construction took a little less than a week. Of course other ponies helped rebuild so it wasn't just the golems doing all the work.

After the New Sugarcube Corner was finished Midnight and Twilight carried the golems back to his basement and stored them in the corner.

"It's been a week," Twilight said

"What was that, Twi, OOOF!" Midnight was interrupted as he was tackled by the mare. He never stood a chance.

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