Born during war, deprived of both Mother and Father, raised by the fallen Generals of her mother's army… and completely unknown to her Mother's enemy. Most of the citizens of Equestria had no notion that the black alicorn mare existed. Her need for justice against her Mother's destroyer developed into a drive for vengeance that burned as brightly as her first real memory – the dazzling explosion of light that took her mother from her, shortly before she became a yearling. Rising from the ashes of the final battle, the Earth Stallion, Golden Blade, and the broken Pegasus, Fire Mane raised her as their own, teaching her of her history, and the ugly truths of the war.

Golden Blade taught Midnight the ways of political warfare and how to overthrow the current leader. Fire Mane instructed her in the ways of flight and aerial tactics. Golden Blade and Fire Mane shaped her into a beautiful and lethal alicorn devoted to vengeance against Celestia for taking away her father, banishing her mother and maiming her foster parents. News of Coltyn's escape reached their ears along with the victory speech from Celestia claiming that rewards would be given to anypony who helped capture the criminal. Golden Blade knew that Coltyn wouldn't look for them other than scrying magic to keep them safe. They didn't know how he escaped or why he had not tried to continue the fight but they knew two maimed ponies and a foal would not be the best in continuing the war.

Midnight took all of her foster parent's lessons to heart and let it fuel her anger and need for vengeance. Golden Blade and Fire Mane watched Midnight grow into a fine mare, strong and agile whose only weak point was magic casting due to lack of materials. She could do basic things like levitate and manipulate objects but it would take some more study to really gain a mastery of it.
Midnight got her hooves on a book containing transformation spells and like her father was able to quickly grasp and understand the mechanics of the spells. In just a week of study she could take on the form of anypony she saw. Taking on the form of Fire Mane she went out and found a pony she knew from the camp and inquired as to what happened to Coltyn. With a sour look and sad tone the young stallion told her that he rolled over and accepted defeat and disbanded the troops like a coward. She couldn't believe her ears but with similar stories from other ex-warriors she felt disgusted. She figured that Celestia had brainwashed him and that maybe he just needed to be reminded of the goal and she began to plot her vengeance.

Over the centuries she kept herself hidden and tried many times to disfigure, dismember and destroy Celestia. Her attempts were either stopped or just missed but her deep-seated hatred kept her going. Then came the day when Celestia announced to the world that she would be a mother. The news filled Midnight with anticipation and she formulated a plan for the vengeance she had craved for so many centuries. Her pegasus assistant, Blaze, was eager to help. The plan was simple, use her shadow shift ability to get into the royal chamber, grab the foal, and disappear into the shadows again. As the day drew near, she set Blaze to seek out a temporary base, from which they could enact the first steps of her scheme. Blaze found a rundown stable outside of Manehatten and they busied themselves with preparations.

The day came and everywhere ponies knew that there would soon be a new foal born into the world. Midnight moved through the shadows to Canterlot. Silently she observed the birth of not one but two alicorn fillies. A sadistic smile crossed her muzzle knowing that her deed will not only break Celestia's heart but will also tear apart the twins. So after the birth, once the fillies were separated from their mother, she pounced. From under their crib Midnight slid and with the delicacy of a mother, raised the blue filly from her bed making sure not to disturb the pink one.

"You, firstborn of Celestia, shall be used to strike a deep blow to the sun," Midnight cooed, softly. "I will laugh as I watch your mother's heart break and in her deep despair I will strike her down and finally eclipse your wretched mother," Midnight explained, sinking back into the shadows.

The two foalnappers placed the child in a pile of straw, and Midnight put the foal into a deep magical sleep. As they searched for a permanent place to hide, the two began caring for the foal – planning to raise the child as their own and then use her against Celestia. Midnight and Blaze were talking about future plans as the foal played around their hooves when the door burst open, startling them and causing Midnight to shy, hitting the foal in the head with her hoof.

"Eclipse!" Coltyn gasped, seeing the fresh blood on his daughter's hoof.

Midnight looked up at him, and her eyes widened so much that the whites could be seen all the way around the sclera. "Father?"

Coltyn's eyes fell on the shivering form of the foal on the floor between Midnight and Blaze, and his own eyes widened, in appalled shock. "What have you done?"

"Vengeance, Father. For over nine-hundred and fifty years I've waited, guiding and honing the flame of justice in those who remained faithful to Mother, and now, finally, we have struck a blow for vengeance against that wretched Princess, for banishing Mother and nearly killing all of her friends. After you skulked off like a coward, someone had to take up the torch."

Her voice was icy with scorn, but she was waiting for him to praise her for her work. The foal lay on the floor, shivering in terror, and bleeding from the ragged stump where her horn had been torn off. The tiny filly's eyes were glazed and feverish with pain, and she was giving out pitiful little squeals that were almost inaudible, but Midnight hardened her heart to the sounds, refusing to be distracted from the threat her father represented.

Defensively standing over the foal, she was taken unprepared as Coltyn lowered his horn. Midnight tried to cast a protection spell but Coltyn was more powerful and he blasted Midnight and Blaze away from the suffering baby. He reached out with his magic, lifting the weakened little pony into his saddlebag, and then whirled and galloped away. Midnight shook her head, wincing as she cleared her mind. Recovering from the impact, she looked over at Blaze, horrified to find his neck twisted under his body and blood seeping from his mouth. She bellowed, cursing the sun and everything under it. Her assistant was dead and her father betrayed her. Rage burned her insides and further fueled her hate.

***

Then a few years later came the day she had waited for, the return of her mother. Midnight didn't know where to look so she figured that Nightmare would return to one of the larger towns to quickly rebuild her army and strike down Celestia. She never considered the possibility that she would go to a town like Ponyville, despite the little town having been built atop the site of her mother's last battle against Celestia, or that her mother would lead six ponies to the old ruins in Everfree.

Midnight arrived at the ruins in time to see the prodigy unicorn and five other ponies attack Nightmare Moon with a familiar rainbow light. No pony heard her scream for her mother as the elements purged the darkness from the alicorn's heart. Midnight could feel the rage burning inside her as she moved to put an end to the ponies but the sudden warmth of the sun on her back made her quickly vanish into the shadows. Silently she listened to the interchange between Celestia and the small filly she called Princess Luna. Midnight looked on in horror and disgust as Luna cried and nuzzled the enemy.

"Murderers," Midnight snarled, disappearing into the shadow. "I will have my revenge. I just need the right distraction."