Midnight Tales trotted out into the evening as soon as the moon had risen and put the blasted sun to rest. Tonight he would be training alone while the other recruits had their night off. Reddling and Web would be enjoying some manner of date in Canterlot, while Nightshade and Tops had apparently arranged an evening alone as well. To the best of his knowledge, Bruiser would be going out drinking.

None of this would be for Midnight though, as he would be taking the extra training shift for his friends. He knew they needed the time off more than he did anyway-- Nightshade seemed as though the strain of this training might break her body even if her mind survived. Reddling as well-- although tougher than he looked-- was frail compared to the bigger stallions of the group. Yes, with their night off they should all return to the camp refreshed and ready to join ranks as brothers and sister once more.

Midnight stepped outside into the twilight and approached the practice field, lowering his helmet and awaiting the arrival of Captain Lunar. Midnight felt a horrible, burning envy for Captain Lunar. He was Princess Luna's right hoof pony-- he was always at the Night Mother's side, he was always the one she turned to. Despite the envy that burned in Midnight's bosom, he knew that he could respect the Captain as well. The two of them were one and the same-- both lived only for the night.

Yes, Midnight had always been a creature of the night. He had been born into a village that worshipped Luna as the rightful ruler of Equestria, and he had studied the night ever since he was a little colt. These others-- Nightshade, Tree Tops, Bruiser, Web Weaver, Red--no, Riding Rain, they were merely adopted by the dark. I was born from it, lived in it, and given life by it. To them the night is a home, but to me it is my shrine.

Captain Lunar dropped from the sky, touching down on the field and looking at Midnight. In an instant, both had their blades drawn, and were circling each other in fighting stances. Midnight kicked his cape aside, letting it hang over one shoulder so he would be able to move freely while keeping part of his figure distorted. Kicking off from the ground, both bats took to the sky and slammed blades, sparks flying out and falling earthbound. The sky became a whirlwind of clashings, but finally, Midnight got the upper hoof and managed to cleave through Lunar's armor, hooking under an obvious weakspot and dismembering the captain's swordarm. Lunar fell back in shock, slamming into the ground and looking at his bleeding stump in shock and terror.

But there was no place in the Night Guard for the weak. There was no place in the Night Guard for the dishonest. Swinging his blade in one fell swoop, Midnight ended the Captain of the Night Guard and gazed around at the empty enclave. In the distance, Midnight could see Canterlot on fire-- the horrible souls inside burning up in their own vice.

Equestria was a happy place, but it was only a hallow shell. The world simply managed to go on because of corruption. Midnight had long known there were two kinds of ponies in the world-- the ones working their hooves to dust and the others with their hooves in another one's face. But it wouldn't be that way much longer. No, his time wasn't yet, but the future was quickly coming around.

Clutching his already bloodstained sword, Midnight turned from the scene and trotted towards the dining hall. Balefly's remains were splattered against a wall behind the serving counter, bits of her brain and eyes rolling towards the ground. Midnight spared no time for the ponies as they turned around. Before Web would have a chance to stab him, he swung his blade, beheading her and leaving her body slumped over some freshly cut apples. Midnight's former companions let out a cry and jumped up from their seats, but it was already going to be too late for them. Nightshade did not have her sword free before he had vivisected her and moved on to Tops, slicing both his forehooves off. Tops let out a bloodcurtling scream before being silenced by Midnight lurching forward, ripping into the stallion's exposed throat and tearing open his jugular.

Midnight let out a screech of pain as he felt a maul slam into his side, denting his armor in and spewing Tops' blood across the room as he flew a few feet. Bruiser had landed a blow powerful enough to take anypony off their balance, and had now raised it over his head, preparing to bring it down on Midnight's skull. Rolling to the side, Midnight swept one of his hooves at Bruiser's hind legs. The great pony fell, his maul slamming into and shattering Midnight's blade down the middle. Shards of blue metal flew in all directions as Midnight drew his blade back and stabbed it into Bruiser's eye, cutting into his brain and dropping the fighter.

Midnight ripped his half of a sword free and turned to the last pony in the room. He wasn't wearing more than a coat, and clutched his knife in his mouth shakily. Midnight gave the pony a crooked grin, showing two rows of teeth sharped like stakes.

"You know, I studied your language." Midnight said, tossing his broken blade aside and approaching Reddling. The pony lashed out to stab at Midnight, but he simply grabbed the blade, letting it sink into his hoof. Blood ran freely from his grasp as Midnight held the knife, pulling it closer to himself and grinning down at the pathetic tryhard in front of him.

"Your knife, Ausfall?" Midnight grinned, ripping the knife out of Reddling's grasp and flipping it around, holding the handle with a bloodied hoof. "It means to be a failure, you uneducated foal." Midnight rammed the blade forward, stabbing it into his foe's chest and leaving the blade lodged in Reddling's heart. Pushing the pony against the ground and leaving him to die, Midnight looked out one of the windows. It was fully nighttime now, and the world had taken on an appropriately twisted visage. Plants grew wildly, buildings succumbed to nature as they were devoured by shifting shadows and the blackness that robbed material of form.

Purely as an afterthought, Midnight lifted up his hoof and licked his own blood off it. The world was jumping and turning as incorporeal creatures threatened to swallow it up.

Just as it should be.

---

When the Nightmare finally faded, and the moonlight trickled under Midnight's door, he drew his sword from it's sheathe. No sooner had he taken it out than it shattered down the middle, shards falling onto the ground and leaving him with about a fourth of a blade, and that itself was cracked. The sword was destroyed beyond normal means of repair, but that didn't much matter.

He could get a new blade. he would soon, too-- but not from the Night Guard. Not until the filth had been purged and the Guard restored to it's proper glory. It's proper, and terrible, glory. Now Midnight could finally answer his true calling.

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