Jacobs late welcome party at Sweet Apple Acres was exactly what everypony expected... AWESOME! but honestly when are Pinkie Parties ever NOT?

By now the whole town was aware of the strange two legged creature that was seen at Midnight's shop and around town. Now they knew him to be Midnights brother.

The introductions were well received by all, especially by a turquoise unicorn who after shaking his hand ran off screaming "I KNEW IT!", but that was the only odd one.

After the meet n' greet the games started. Jacob was actually familiar with most of them like bobbing for apples and pin the tail, but he wanted to introduce these ponies to his favorite.

In a loud booming magically enhanced voice he said "MIDNIGHT STAR, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL OF SHATTER BALL!!!" using his pony name for the sake of the spectators.

Midnight smiled. It had been years since he's played that and even longer since he's lost, "CHALLENGE EXCEPTED, JACOB CORBIN!"

He and his older brother faced each other and started backing ponies out of the way to give each other room. A golem of Jacob's arrived with a duffel bag and placed markers in a large square. After a large space was marked out the metal man pulled five balls out of the bag and placed them in the middle.

"What are your terms, brother." asked Jacob.

"If I win, Twilight gets to turn you green and your hair pink." Midnight replied.

"Then if I win," Jacob paused with a big grin, "I, and anyone I want, gets to ride you around town all day tomorrow."

Midnight had to think about it for a moment. Jacob was never very good and Midnight was great at it, but luck is always a factor and being ridden around like a beast would be humiliating.

"Oh, hell, deal." Midnight said at last.

The markers started glowing as a slightly visible wall surrounded the two competitors.

In his magic voice, Jacob announced to the crowd, "The rules are simple, the object is to hit the opponent with the ball three times by any means. We cannot pass the middle line. that is it. I'm the challenger so David... Midnight goes first."

Midnight grabbed one of the balls, while the others were enveloped in a dim light. He walked back to his side and poured energy into the ball. when it turned from metal to light he through it up and kicked it on the way down at the wall bouncing it off and toward his brother's side. Jacob fell to the opposite side bringing his foot up kicking it back.

Midnight was caught off guard at the unexpected counter. It was the first time Jacob deflected his strike, and the first time he got hit in the nose playing this game. The ball burst on his face sending him back against the back wall.

The onlookers gasped at the painful looking hit until the blue pony got up laughing and said, "Someone's been practicing. Guess that means I don't have to hold back. Let's go all out."

The seal on his forehead started glowing as runes appeared on his shoulders and flanks. Jacob shot his hands out as similar seals appeared in the palms of his hands as several runes began glowing all over his body.

Midnight stood on his hind legs with his fore legs out in front with ghost hands open, "Let's rock."

Jacob held the ball in front with his left and connected with his right in a powerful thrust sending it rocketing towards his little brother. Midnight hit the ball strait down before spinning around and kicking it on it's way back up with a loud crack. The ball was returned as the game escalated into a flurry of strikes and blows as the ball became a glowing streak in the air. Looks of shock became cheers as the battle raged on until it was tied at two each.

The last serve was Midnight's. He wound up and gave it a forceful kick sending it flying at his opponent at dizzying speeds. Jacob returned it with a quick jab strait at his little brother knowing what he would do.

Midnight saw the projectile flying strait for his chest and smiled at his brother's mistake. He poured all of his energy into his back right leg and spun to his left coming around and throwing his leg at the light ball contacting it with a visible shockwave.

Jacob knew what was going to happen before it even happened and instead of countering he simply moved. The ball ricocheted off the back wall and barreled back at the still air born and defenseless pony striking him in the back with a crack that shattered the arena sending him into the dirt.

Midnight couldn't believe what had just happened. In all the years he had played he never lost to his brother.

"How did you get that good?" he asked finally getting to his feet.

"What, I've always been good." Jacob said, "You only beat me all the time because of your demon power."

Midnight's eyes widened as he look to Twilight to see if she heard what she said. Her confused expression told him she did.

"Demon powers?" she asked.

"Yeah from the demon blood that Mage Guard get." He said, "He never told you?"

Midnight looked horrified, "J-Jacob stop..."

Twilight looked at her husband and asked, "Midnight, what's he talking about?"

Midnight saw she looked worried so he silently motioned for her to follow him to the barn. Jacob decided it would be best to leave them to themselves.

When they were inside they checked to make sure there were no 'private parties' going on. When they were satisfied Twilight put a privacy spell around them.

"Ok, what kind of secret have you been keeping for all these years that would scare you that much?" Twilight said. Midnight thought she would be angry but she sounded sad and a bit scared herself. She apparently caught his train of thought as she said, "I know you wouldn't keep anything from me unless it was to protect me from something awful, but I'm your wife, Midnight." she looked at him with pleading eyes.

Midnight sighed, "Ok, but it's far from pleasant." He paused to gather his thoughts, "I told you I was Mage Guard, and that we protected the mages on the battle field. We also engaged in special missions that were too dangerous for large groups."

Twilight nodded and he continued, "What Jacob was talking about was the reason why we were so powerful that we could take on a hundred enemies at once and come out alive." The blue stallion steeled himself for the story, "In order to become Mage Guard, one must undergo a dangerous and terrifying ritual... they have to drink demons blood."

Twilight's face became full of terror, and sympathy. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After what those monsters did the stallion she loves, she couldn't blame him for not telling her.

Midnight continued, "The blood mixes with that of the drinker." He shuddered, "The pain is like nothing you could ever imagine. Not only is your body in incomparable amounts of pain but the thoughts that go through your head are so terrifying that nothing war can ever show you would ever faze you again. It makes the scene at the camp look like a sunny day at Fluttershy's." Twilight shuddered at the thought of the camp, it was the most horrifying she had ever seen.

"It goes on for three days, but when it subsides all you feel is... power." he looked at Twilight with a look that told her that he still had a longing for the feeling again, "You feel like you could do anything and no one could stop you. My first thought was that I could protect everyone I loved." His face shifted to a deep seated sorrow, "But instead the first thing I did was go to a bar and pick a fight with some guy I didn't even know... I," Tears started falling down his face as he looked up at her, "I killed him... just because I could."

Twilight couldn't help but cry with him. She had seen him cry before, it's something he's never been ashamed of. She had seen him depressed when he first arrived but not like this. She had never seen him so vulnerable. She put her hooves around him and held him for a few minuets before he could continue.

"I fell in love with hurting people. The only thing I loved more was Sarah.

"When we got married I realized that the demon blood would only put her in danger so I started researching ways to expel the blood from my body. After a year I finally found a ritual that would do just that.

"One night I gathered what I needed in The shed in the back and performed the ritual, but something happened. The ritual worked and the power was expelled but..." Midnight had to stop for a while to strengthen his will.

"When It was expelled it didn't disappear. It manifested itself in the form of a demon and named itself Nag-ta."

Twilight's eye widened at the name of the monster that killed his first wife and child. That's why he always blamed himself for what happened, the thing was a part of him. she thought, He told me that someone sent the demon after him. the thought upset her for a moment, but she decided that if there was ever a GOOD reason to lie, this was it.

"You already know what happened after that." he finished the story, "I would understand if you want nothing more to do with me." he turned away from her.

She was hurt. Midnight actually thought she would hate him for that.

"Why would I leave?" she asked him.

"Why would you stay with somepony who killed innocent people. I'm a murderer." he said

"No, you didn't do anything." she tried looking in his eyes but he turned away, "Nag-ta did. He just used your body. It's not your fault."

"If were stronger I could have resisted, but I was weak." he said with strain in his voice.

She put her hooves on both sides of his face and turned his face toward hers. His eyes were hollow, all emotion pushed away.

She pulled him into a deep kiss. If words couldn't show him how much she cared, Twilight decided her body would.

---------------------------------------

Twilight and Midnight woke to loud banging. They realized they were still in AJ's barn.

"Would y'all two get up already. Ah got work that needs ta be done." Applejack was getting impatient.

Twilight dispelled the privacy spell that was keeping the farm pony out.

"Sorry about that, Applejack." Twilight and Midnight said in unison as AJ walked in.

She sniffed the air, the couple blushed with sheepish grins, "Ya know there's an inn in town for that, but no every time we have a party here y'all find yer way inta my barn."

"Oh come on, AJ, it's not a party without two ponies going at it." Midnight teased.

Applejack facehoofed shaking her head, "I'm charging y'all rent next time."

"Awww, but it's our favorite place." Twilight joined in teasing her friend.

"OOUUUUTTTT!!!!"

The lovers needed no more incentive and ran as fast as they could laughing the whole way. When they got back to the library they saw Jacob, Rarity, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash standing in front with evil grins on their faces.

"There you are, little brother, we've been waiting for you." Jacob said.

"I have a gift for you, darling." Rarity said floating a package to the very worried Midnight.

Slowly he opened it and removed the mysterious item. A saddle.

"Oh shit..." was all he could say before being tackled to the ground by pony and human alike.

------------------------------------

Midnight had embarrassed himself before but this was by far the worst.

After riding him through the town square and giving Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Applejack, and Twilight (that hurt) a ride, Jacob rode Midnight to the market and put a sign saying "pony rides two bits".

Great now he's whoring me out. Midnight thought.

Surprisingly there were a lot of takers. the line to ride him was about twelve ponies average. Even Lyra when Midnight had just fixed her washer the other day.

"I hope your washer breaks again" Midnight said after she got off.

She giggled as she said, "You made the bet."

After three hours of this Jacob decided he would treat everypony to lunch.

Midnight mopped the whole meal.

"Oh, come on, little brony, how many times have you humiliated me with bets." Jacob smiled as they left, "It was worse for me though being the elder. Like the time I had to run through the mess hall wearing nothing but maple syrup."

Midnight had to laugh at that, "Yeah I guess I AM still better than you. What's the score now, seventy-four to one."

"Oh laugh if you want, you have two more customers before I'm done selling your body." Jacob had the evil grin again as he pointed towards the center of town.

"Hello, Midnight Star, my sister and I have been looking forward to this all day."

Midnight's jaw dropped as everypony else and Jacob bowed in respect to the to regal ponies. Next Chapter: Chapter 7: Fun, Flashes, and Foosball Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 6 Minutes