A New Pony Comes to Ponyville

It was a dark and stormy night at Ponyville. Everyponies doors and windows were shut. Rain pattered against the glass windows and the wind rocked the sides of the houses. But our story goes to the Everfree forest. Running through the woods was a dark figure. It ran quickly and almost quietly. It wanted shelter from the rain and cold. But, it didn't seem to be heading into town. It seemed to be avoiding it at all costs. However, it came to a clearing. In the clearing was a hut. It was lit, meaning someone was there. The figure walked underneath just to get some resistance from the weather. However, it knocked over a pot from outside creating a lot of noise. The figure ran into the bushes. However, it stopped when it heard somepony shout, "Stop, do not flee. Step out of those bushes and reveal yourself to me." The figure turned and saw a zebra. The zebra had gold rings around her neck, left front leg, and golden earrings. She was looking in the direction of the figure, but she could not see it. The figure started to walk back slowly, trying to avoid further detection. "I can hear your steps, you should not hide. I can assure you that I am on your side" she continued. The figure started to move forward, but stopped once again.

"Y-You won't hurt me right?" it said. By the voice, it was a male pony. The zebra smiled and nodded. The figure started to move closer into the clearing where he could be seen. His body was dark blue with black stripes and his mane and tail was a mixture of gray, light blue, purple, and black. However, this one wasn't the average pony. His front two legs were bird talons instead of hooves. He had wings, but these wings were like bat wings. His head had several gray spikes and one pointed straight like a horn. On his eye were three scars that cut nearly to the bottom of his muzzle. The zebra's eyes widened but she moved aside revealing the door. The creature didn't know what to say and quickly ran inside. It has been a while since he was actually inside a hut or any shelter with a solid roof. The hut had several bottles, flowers, and masks that seemed foreign to him. The zebra walked back in and closed the door. He turned around, "You are not scared of me?"

"It never matters how you look, you should never judge the cover of a book" she said. "But tell me young one while you are here, why did you try to run from me in fear?" The pony looked down at his back first but then at the ground. The zebra looked at his back and noticed his cutie mark. Most ponies' cutie marks represent their talents or abilities, but to this creature, this mark was a curse. The zebra knew of this mark as well. The mark was a heart, but with a figure covering the bottom and along the back. She looked at the creature in front of her. She walked in front of him and lifted his face with one of her hooves. "You have no reason to be scared of me. I wouldn't even harm a flea. But those features of yours are quite unique. Maybe you could…"

"I was born like this" he interrupted. The zebra stepped back from his sudden voice. How he knew she would ask that was quite unusual. But, she left him be. She placed down some straw down enough to make a bed. She walked back over to him and led him to it. The creature dropped to the straw with exhaustion. "Thank you" he said to the zebra. The zebra nodded, "It is no trouble at all; I am a kind pony as you can tell. My name is Zecora; do you have a name as well?"

The creature let out a yawn before answering, "My name is Midnight." He collapsed from his exhaustion and fell asleep quickly. Zecora smiled and went to her quarters. Midnight had trouble falling asleep like he always does. But, tonight he was somewhere safe. At least he believed it was safe. The next morning came, and Midnight was up early. He got up silently and stealthy. He did not want Zecora to wake up. Midnight was about to leave, but once again Zecora stopped him. "Midnight, are you leaving so soon? It's a lot safer to travel at noon" she said. Midnight stopped and turned around. But his wing hit a shelf and the entire contents fell. Before Zecora could grab even one, they all became suspended in a black light. The several items placed themselves back onto the shelf as if they were never knocked off. Zecora turned to Midnight, whose straight spike was glowing in the same color. He noticed Zecora looking and stopped. Zecora walked towards him, but he opened his sinister wings and covered himself with them.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do it! Please don't hurt me!" he muttered. Zecora still approached him despite the troubling chatter he is muttering. She placed a hoof on his back and gently rubbed it. Midnight calmed down and looked up at her. Zecora smiled at him, "Midnight, that's a magical gift that you just made. But what reason do you have to be afraid? Hiding one's talent is no weak sign. Why, I would be proud if your gift was mine."

"My gift is a curse if at best" he replied. "You've seen my mark. I am a threat to everyone around me. That's why I only stay for a few minutes and leave. No one wants me around. I barely have time to eat or sleep. I just, run, run until I need to rest. You were probably the kindest pony I've met in years. The difference between you and me; you are normal and you have friends."

Zecora looked away in thought. Then, and idea flashed on her face. "Come now Midnight, your life will not end. In fact, I know a few ponies who would be willing to be your friend." Midnight was confused by this but she led him out. Zecora had a plan, but she wasn't sure it would work. The walk wasn't long, for her hut wasn't far from the edge of town. As soon as Midnight saw the clearing, he backed away from it. Zecora turned and saw him trying to hide. But all of the bushes and trees were either too small or to oddly shaped to hide him properly. However, his dark color did hide him pretty well. Zecora ignored his actions and walked into town. As she entered, she caught the friendly hellos from everypony there. She scanned the crowd of ponies for a group she knows well. Finally, she found at least one of them. She headed to a unicorn with a mane that has multiple shades of purple. Her skin was a light shade of purple as well as her horn. The mark on her side was a six-sided star with small sparkles around it. The pony saw Zecora and walked to her.

"Good morning Zecora" she said.

"It is a wonderful afternoon indeed. But dear Twilight, I need your help for a kind deed" replied Zecora. Twilight seemed confused but let Zecora continue to speak. "Last night I ran into a pony that was caught in the rain. He believes that everypony wants to give him pain. I believe the cure for this little remedy, is some friendship from some another pony."

"I get ya Zecora" replied Twilight. "I'll get my friends and I'll meet you little friend."

Zecora nodded and they took their separate paths. Twilight stopped by every place where her friends were; the Library, Sweet Apple Acres, the Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, even the open meadows and sky. Twilight gathered all of her friends to meet this one pony. Twilight led them all to the entrance of Everfree Forest.

"So…who is this pony exactly?" asked a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane.

"Anyone that Zecora has found surely would be a strange one" said a white unicorn with a well kept mane.

"Oh come on now Rarity, Rainbow Dash, we were suspicious about Zecora when we first saw her" said a pony with a yellow mane and cowboy hat. Her accent was deeply western. "At least see this pony before y'all start judging the pony."

"Yeah! But you still wonder what he or she is huh?" said a pink pony with a messy mane.

"…I…I don't know if we should be going…" said a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane.

Suddenly, a small baby dragon popped up from behind Twilight. "Twilight, did Zecora give you any information on what this pony is?" he said.

"No Spike, she didn't really say anything" Twilight replied, "All Zecora said was that he is always scared of everypony. He thinks that everypony is out to hurt him. I think we can help him if we just try." They all agreed and continued on. Zecora was waiting for them at the entrance. They all said hello as they greeted her. Meanwhile, Midnight was still hiding in some of the bushes. He saw Zecora at the entrance, but then he saw more figures show up. Midnight became instantly worried. Then, Zecora turned and lead the rest of them in.

Oh no, she was just leading a group of ponies just to hurt me! She…she really wants to hurt me! And now, there are even more than just her!

Author's Notes:

This is the first chapter of when I was first writing, so I apologize to this style if it does not meet your standards

A New Pony Comes to Ponyville Part 2

Midnight was in complete panic. He was out in the open, surrounded by ponies, and he had nowhere to go. Zecora turned around and led the others in. Midnight crouched as low as he could to the ground and surrounded himself with his open wings. Thankfully for him, the black insides of his wings and the darkness of the forest was enough to hide him. Zecora looked around but didn't see him anywhere. "He should be here, it isn't right. Where are you little Midnight?" she said. Midnight wanted to tell Zecora, but not the others. He thought for a second that she wasn't going to hurt him, but his fears caused him to shove it out of his mind. Twilight walked beside Zecora, "I got this Zecora." Twilight focused hard while her horn glowed. A small light emitted from it, illuminating the entire area. Midnight was revealed to be in the middle of the group. Everypony but Zecora stepped back. Midnight saw everypony and tried to run. But everywhere he tried to run; there was a pony there instead.

"What is that thing?" said Rainbow Dash.

"That thing looks dreadfully awful!" said Rarity.

"It's a monster!" shouted Spike.

Midnight was completely scared out of his mind. He flapped his wings just to jump over the crowd of ponies and ran off. Everyone ran and screamed the other way except for Twilight and Zecora. Twilight's horn glowed, capturing all of them in her spell. She and Zecora looked at them with anger. "Are you ponies mad?! I thought you were all kind! Who knows what toll those screams had on his mind?!" Everypony was still too scared but Twilight wasn't. She walked in the same direction as where the…pony…ran. A small pond was in a clearing, kneeling beside it was Midnight. Twilight eventually found him. He was crying, but his tears were muffled. She slowly walked towards the strange pony. She took note of his distinct features; bat wings, bird talons, and spikes along his snout and mane. Twilight accidentally stepped on a small twig and the pony took notice. He looked behind him and became instantly scared again.

"Please, if you're going to hurt me make it quick!" he said. "Do what you want! Cut my mane, try to pierce my wings, cut me, just make it quick please!"

Twilight was surprised, "I'm not going to hurt you!" Midnight lifted his wings and looked at her in surprise. Twilight slowly walked closer to him, but he cowered in fear. "It's alright, I won't hurt you" she said, "See…" Twilight stretched out her right hoof towards him. Midnight saw this, and began to stretch his right claw out. It took a lot of time, but they eventually met and they shook hooves…er…hoof to claw. "It's a pleasure to meet you" she said, "My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"

"I…I…I'm….Midnight…" he replied.

Wow…he's even quieter than Fluttershy…

Midnight moved his claw in a circle in the dirt. An awkward silence filled the area. Twilight spoke up, "So…why are you so afraid?" Midnight looked at his body and back. Twilight saw his gestures and took it as an answer. Another awkward moment of silence passed through. But this time, Midnight broke the silence. "I still don't think you should be around me" he said. "Anypony that is seen with me gets hurt. I can't go anywhere without somepony scream or run away in fear."

Twilight's sad expression flashed with an idea. "Stay right here Midnight, I think I know somepony that can help" she said. Midnight nodded and Twilight ran off. Midnight knew she wouldn't be back; she was just trying to trick her. But, something inside of him told him to stay there and she will come back. Twilight ran out of the woods and saw her friends. But, she also saw a group of ponies. They all had this expression of fear on their face.

"I'm serious, this thing had HUGE bat wings and claws!" said Rainbow Dash.

"It jumped over us and ran away, but it's going to come back and eat us!" said Pinkie Pie.

"That is enough!" shouted Twilight.

Everyone turned around but Pinkie Pie tackled Twilight. She got up and hugged her tightly, "Twilight your alive!" Twilight struggled against her, "Pinkie Pie let go!" She did as she asked and Twilight turned to Spike, "Spike, send a letter to Princess Celestia telling her…"

Spike pulled out a quill and paper and started to write, "Got it! I'll inform the princess of the monster so she can…"

"No Spike, not that kind of letter." Spike stopped writing and looked at her. "I need you to write a letter to the Princess saying that I need her and Princess Luna's help."

"What are you planning Twilight?" asked Rarity.

Pinkie Pie screamed, "The monster hypnotized her to bring the princesses as its meal!"

All of the other ponies screamed and ran around in circles. Zecora stepped up to her, "Forgive me Twilight, I have tried. But these six have told nothing but lies." Using her magic, Twilight grabbed the quill and paper from Spike and wrote on it herself. She rolled the message up and gave it to Spike, "Send it…" Spike blew green fire on it and the message flew away. Soon after, the royal carriage came with both princesses. Princess Celestia is a grand white Pegasus unicorn with a mane and tail that shined the colors of a rainbow. She had a sun mark on her flank and a golden necklace around her neck. Princess Luna is a dark Pegasus unicorn that has a mane that sparkles like a dark blue aurora. Her flank was black and it had a white crescent moon marking. A black necklace with the same marking that sparkled as well.

"I'm glad you could make it Princess" said Twilight.

"Twilight, my most faithful student, I arrived as quickly as I could" said Princess Celestia. "I have great sorrow for the pony you mentioned."

"Wait a second, you said it was a pony?" said Rainbow Dash. "Princess, that thing is definitely not a pony. It's some kind of…monster or something!"

"Rainbow! That's no way of treating Midnight!" said Twilight. "Please Princess, I ask for the aid of Princess Luna."

Luna looked confused, "Me, why do you need me?"

"Princess Luna, remember your first Night Mare Night? How everypony was sacred of you?" Luna nodded and Twilight continued, "Well, Midnight is experiencing the same thing. But, he finds that everypony will hurt him instead of just running away. You of all ponies know what he is going through. I believe you of all ponies can help him cope with his looks."

Princess Luna nodded and followed Twilight. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew in front of them, "Hold it Twilight. How do we know you're not trying to lure the princess to her doom?!" Twilight rolled her eyes and continued, "If you're so worried, how about you come with us?" Rainbow looked back but swallowed her fear and nodded. The rest of Twilight's friends came with them as well.

Midnight stayed where he was. He was waiting for a sign that the pony called Twilight was coming back. Then, he saw her horn. He was slightly happy, but he saw more movement behind her. He started to back up, "W-W-Who's behind y-you…?" Twilight walked to the side, "Midnight, allow me to introduce you to Princess Luna."

Midnight was confused who Princess Luna was. But, a larger pony stepped in. At first Midnight was scared, but then he calmed down. Her mane sparkled like it was the night sky. Her eyes were full of a caring emotion. Midnight calmed down completely as she approached. Luna bowed but Midnight did nothing. Both Twilight and Luna were surprised by this. Suddenly, Rainbow shot through the treetops and came face-to-face with Midnight. "Hey pal! You don't treat the Princess like that!" Midnight shot back to run but he slammed into a tree and passed out. He awoke in the forest, but everyone was surrounding him.

"Man that was a stupid move" said Rainbow.

"I thought it was funny" said Pinkie Pie.

Midnight shot up again but he saw Princess Luna. All of his fear drained out of him and he was as calm as can be. Twilight walked up to Midnight, "Sorry Midnight are you alright?" Midnight nodded and Twilight walked to the others, "Let me introduce you to the others."

A tan pony with a yellow mane walked up and placed her hoof out. "Howdy, I'm Applejack" she said. "It's a pleasure to meet ya." Midnight grabbed her hoof and shook it. A completely pink pony walked up, "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! You know, I've never seen somepony like you before. I mean look at you! You got wings, spikes, claws, funky mane, weird m…" Applejack roped Pinkie Pie with a rope and stopped her from talking. A Pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane flew down next to him. "I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Equestria!" she said with much confidence. A yellow Pegasus with a pink mane walked up slowly, "……uh…hi…I'm Fluttershy…" Midnight stepped back from her and everypony was surprised. A white unicorn with a lustrous mane walked up, "My name is Rarity, quite a pleasure I'm sure." Finally, Spike walked up and waved, "My name is Spike, nice to meet ya."

"I-I'm glad to have m-met all of y-you" said Midnight. "But why are y-you trying to h-help me?"

"We heard from Zecora about what troubles you were showing" said Twilight. "We couldn't just stand around and not help you."

"And now I can see why Midnight's fears were even greater than yours" said Princess Luna. "Look at his mark…" Everypony turned and looked at Midnight's flank. Midnight's ears drooped as everypony looked. "That mark on his side is the Heart of Darkness" continued Luna.

"What's so special about that?" asked Rainbow.

"It sounds mighty spooky if ya ask me" said Applejack.

"The Heart of Darkness is a very rare cutie mark" explained Luna. "The mark can be only given when a very kind pony commits a very evil crime."

As soon as Luna said that, Rainbow got between her and Midnight. Midnight backed up slowly, keeping his distance. "I'm not proud of my mark" he explained, "I rather have one of your cutie marks. But I will assure you that it was all from a good reason…"

Twilight walked up and patted his back, "Nopony will judge you for that. Will we Rainbow?" Rainbow grunted as everypony else laughed. After some more reassuring, Midnight was lead out with the others. They came to the clearing but Midnight stayed behind. Luna stepped forth to the people, "Citizens of Ponyville. You have no fear in this new creature. For his name is Midnight and he will cause no harm. He is more afraid of you than you would be of him. Please welcome him in joining our fair town."

A small applause was heard but it wasn't much. Everypony there was curious of what Midnight looked like. From what the others have said, he looks like a monster. Midnight heard Princess Luna speak and started to walk out. He doesn't know why, but Midnight had this feeling inside of him when he looked at Luna. He stopped at the edge of the trees where the last bit of darkness was. Everypony out in the group was waiting for him to step out. He checked the eyes of the ones that greeted him. Everypony was waiting as well. Midnight took one step out and immediately there were gasps. He forgot that his front two legs were bird talons. He continued walking, revealing his other demonic features. Princess Celestia gasped, but it was only towards his cutie mark. Midnight walked to the center of the group and tried to smile. Some ponies were scared and others were surprised. Midnight looked at the ground in sadness and turned to head back into the Everfree forest. But, something caught his eye. There was a small filly on the roof of a building in the background. It was a Pegasus filly. She was hanging on by the edge of the roof. Midnight ran towards the crowd of ponies and jumped over them. They parted away from him, but he didn't care. The small filly lost her grip and she began to fall. Midnight's straight spike glowed with black energy and so did the filly. She was floating barely a few inches off the ground. Midnight placed her down nicely, "Are you alright?" The filly nodded and she was quickly reunited by two more fillies.

"Scootaloo, when are you goin to learn that jumpin off a roof won't help ya fly?" said a small yellow filly. She sounded like she had the same accent as Applejack.

"Sorry guys, it won't happen again" she replied.

They all hugged and giggled. Midnight smiled but realized he did it out in the open. He turned to the crowd who were all now applauding. Princess Celestia walked to him, "Midnight, what you did was completely selfless and noble. You have proven to me that you are no threat."

"But…my cutie mark…" he said.

"Your cutie mark doesn't matter. What matters is the way you behave around others. If you dwell on the past, you can never live up to the future."

Midnight nodded and was approached by the seven that came before. They all greeted him with kindness and praised him for his kind deed. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia headed back to their carriage. Before they left, Princess Celestia turned to the group, "Midnight, you are welcome to stay in Ponyville. But try not to cause too much trouble." Midnight nodded as the carriage went off.

"So Midnight, ya got a place to stay 'ere in Ponyville?" asked Applejack. Midnight shook his head as he talked to his friends. "Well, you're more than welcome to stay with my family till you get a place of yer own." Midnight was shocked, "R-Really?" Applejack laughed, "Why sure, what er friends for?" Midnight couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not only did he have just one friend, he now had ten. Maybe even more if he counted the one he saved. Everyone said their goodbyes and Midnight followed Applejack to her home.

Cutie Marks the Spot

Midnight followed Applejack down the girt path. He looked at the scenery around him as he walked. Never has he seen such beauty in nature. He was always forced into the dark and sinister areas of the woods or other dangerous areas. Everyone that met Midnight always wanted him gone. But now, he has met a few ponies willing to be friends. Applejack seemed nice, but he wasn't so sure. Soon, they came to a large farm filled with apple trees.

"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres" she said, "We make the best apples in all of Equestria."

Midnight looked at a basket full of apples and his mouth began to water. His stomach growled loudly and even scared Applejack. Midnight looked ashamed but Applejack laughed. She grabbed a basket and placed it beside him. Midnight exchanged looks between the basket and Applejack. Applejack giggled, "It's alright, there's plenty." Midnight took no haste into eating. The apples he was eating were the greatest thing he has ever eaten in a long while. He nearly ate half the basket in one full minute. But, he stopped himself and looked up. Applejack had a slight look of disgust on her face. Midnight finished the apple he was eating and pushed the basket away. "I'm sorry Applejack" he said, "After many days of running; I haven't had anything so delicious in a while."

"That's might fine" she said. "I'm just glad you liked our apples. In fact, I know a way you can help out while yer here! Follow me partner!"

Applejack galloped towards the apple trees with a mouthful of baskets. Midnight grabbed a few and followed. Applejack placed all of the baskets under the trees in a circle. She reared up and kicked the trunk of the tree. All of the apples on the tree fell off and piled into the baskets.

"This here is called Apple Bucking" she said. "Let's see if you can do it…"

Midnight walked to a tree surrounded by baskets. He went up on front claws, something he has never done before, and kicked the trunk. Apples fell into the baskets, but they also fell on top of Midnight. A giant pile of apples were now where Midnight used to be. Applejack laughed as Midnight fought his way out of the pile. Another laugh went along with Applejack and Midnight turned. The same filly that was beside Scootaloo was now here. She had a pink bow in her mane and no mark on her flank. Applejack walked over beside her, "Midnight, this is my little sister Apple Bloom."

"I just want to thank you again for saving my friend" she said.

"It's no trouble…" he replied, "But what was she doing up there?"

"She was trying to get her cutie mark. You see, me, her, and Sweetie Bell are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Apple Bloom stood in a victorious pose that made Midnight chuckle. "We try everyday to find out our special talent and get our cutie mark! Hey!" Apple Bloom ran over and looked at Midnight's flank. "That's a mighty fine cutie mark ya got yourself there. How did ya get it?"

This caused Midnight to become uneasy. "Uh…I rather not…" he said. "Aww…come one!" Apple Bloom pleaded, "Please…?" Midnight looked slightly mad now, "I said NO!"

Midnight ran off in the other direction. What he didn't realize was that he was running straight into town. Midnight instantly saw that he was being stared at by many ponies. Everyone saw his heroic act, but that wasn't enough for some ponies. They simply walked right past him but couldn't help but to stare. Midnight slowly walked into the closest building. It was a large blue building shaped like a carousel. As soon as Midnight entered he gasped in awe. Surrounding him were several outfits and dresses designed with prestige fashion and beauty.

"Hello and welcome to the Carousel Boutique" said a voice. Midnight turned to see Rarity. She was facing him but her eyes were closed, "How may I be of service to…" Once she opened her eyes she let out a small scream. Midnight backed up but Rarity calmed down, "My goodness dear, don't sneak up on me like that!" Midnight looked down at the ground. Rarity seemed to perk up and patted Midnight's side. Midnight walked away from Rarity and looked at all of the outfits. Some of them were covered and lined with colorful gemstones and displayed on a grand stand. "Where did you find all of these gems?" he asked.

"I found them myself" she said. "That is my special talent and that's now I obtained my cutie mark."

The word cutie mark made Midnight feel depressed again. Rarity saw his sudden change in emotion. She came to his side and patted his back again. But Midnight turned and left. Rarity tried to run out after him but he was nowhere to be found once she went through the door. Rarity looked around and didn't see Midnight. She did see Applejack and Apple Bloom gallop past. "Applejack, where are you going?"

Applejack stopped in her tracks making Apple Bloom run into her rear. "Oh, howdy Rarity" she said. "Have you seen Midnight runnin through these parts?"

"Midnight just left my boutique. Is something wrong? He seemed very depressed about something…"

"Well he was angry when he ran from us" said Apple Bloom.

Rarity joined Applejack and Apple Bloom as they ran off. Unfortunate for them, Midnight ran off in the opposite direction. And another unfortunate turn of events was that Midnight ran into Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy as well. They all mentioned something about his cutie mark, causing him to run off. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy met up with the others to try and find him. But Midnight wasn't anywhere in Ponyville. With no clue where to look, they turned to one person and hurried there.

Twilight was organizing her books when the door flew open. "Twilight, we have a situation out 'ere!" shouted Applejack. The sudden sounds caused Twilight to lose her focus, causing all of the books to fall. Twilight groaned and faced them. A situation for them was always something simple. "Midnight is missing?!" Twilight was shocked that this was an actual situation.

"Wait, I thought he was supposed to stay with you Applejack?" she asked.

"He was supposed to" she replied. "But he ran off in anger when Apple Bloom asked about his cutie mark."

"He seemed sad when he ran from me" said Rarity.

"I tried to help him…" said Fluttershy quietly, "But…I was too scared…"

"I couldn't even make him laugh" said Pinkie Pie.

Twilight thought it over and an idea flashed onto her face. Using her magic, she levitated a book off the ground and it hovered in front of her. The pages turned very quickly but landed on a page that caught Twilight's attention. "This is his mark right?" she asked as the book floated towards the others. The page had a very detailed copy of the Heart of Darkness along with a detailed description. The others nodded and the book was brought back in front of Twilight. "It says here that the Heart of Darkness is extremely rare both to come by and to get. There has only been one other pony recorded within this book. His name isn't given and neither is the way he received his cutie mark. The only thing that is listed is that he was a very noble warrior."

"But then what does it say about the mark?" asked Rarity.

"The book mentions that the noble warrior said he regrets what he did to receive his mark. It gives no other details. The Heart of Darkness cutie mark is a complete mystery."

There was a small silence before Applejack spoke, "So…what you're saying is…Midnight hates his cutie mark…?"

"That would explain why he ran from us" said Pinkie Pie.

There was a knock on the door and Rainbow Dash walked in. "Hey guys" she greeted, "Why is everyone here?"

"Midnight ran off Rainbow" said Fluttershy.

"No he didn't. I saw Midnight heading towards the Everfree Forest. I think he was going to see Zecora. It didn't look like the normal way, but he probably just wanted to see some more of the forest."

Everypony ran past Rainbow leaving her stunned. But, she ran out and joined them. As Rainbow said, Midnight was just on the edge of the Everfree Forest. It was indeed not the same way they usually took to Zecora. Midnight seemed to be walking away with his head down. "Midnight wait!" shouted Twilight. Midnight stopped and turned. Everypony that he knew was there. "Where are you going?" Twilight asked. "I thought you wanted to stay in Ponyville."

"I do, I honestly do" he replied. "But…my cutie mark…"

The same book that Twilight was reading before was placed in front of him open to his mark. He looked at the page and then back at Twilight. "We know how the mark comes to a pony, but we don't know what you did. It obviously scares you, but maybe if you tell us we can help you. We know it upsets you but we are your friends. We won't judge you because of a stupid mark." A long silence filled the area as the sun began to set. As of now it barely touched the horizon. "I was a very small filly when I got it…"

---

A small black figure was running through a small village surrounded by trees. It was carrying a small basket in its mouth with some apples in it. He came into the light of the moon, revealing his colors. It was a younger version of Midnight, but he did not have his cutie mark and his eye had no sign of any scars. He placed the basket down and took a bite out of the apple. Then, a trio of older fillies came up behind Midnight. "So freak, what you have for us today?" Midnight shuttered as he turned and faced the group. They were large for their size, each one sporting some powerful muscle. One was blue, one was yellow, and the other one was black. Each of their manes were the same color and same style; short and red. The black one was a Pegasus and the blue on was a unicorn. The blue one had a knife cutie mark, the black one had an ice crystal cutie mark, and the yellow one had a boxing glove cutie mark. Midnight backed up as the three fillies ate the rest of the apples in his basket.

"W-Wait…t-that's all I had for…t-today…" said Midnight in a scared tone.

The three fillies finished eating but the blue one walked towards him. The horn on his head began to glow a sinister red. "Aww…does the little freak think it's unfair for us to steal its food?" he said in a mocking tone. "Well, let's see what my special talent thinks…" The unicorn swung his head and a red blade flew towards Midnight. Midnight dodged it and tried to run away. The yellow pony suddenly appeared in front of him and bucked him. Midnight landed right back near the blue unicorn. The unicorn charged his and sliced his horn towards Midnight. Midnight was flung back from the hit and his back slammed into a tree. Red liquid was near Midnight's face on the grass. He grasped his left eye and looked at it. His hoof was covered in blood and his eye continued to bleed. Midnight backed up as all three of them closed in on them.

"I think he's had enough" said the Pegasus.

"No…I think he deserves more" said the unicorn. "This freak has been here for years and he still hasn't left."

The unicorn continued his attacks. Midnight tried to run away, but he ended up getting several scars across his body. Blood ran all across his body. It almost seemed like his body was red instead of blue. Midnight collapsed on the ground from exhaustion and the lack of blood. The unicorn aimed his horn towards Midnight and the glow became extremely bright. "Just one more hit should finish him off…"

Suddenly, a blast of black energy knocked back the unicorn and the yellow pony. They got up rather quickly but shuttered at the sight in front of them. Midnight was now covered entirely in a black aura. The aura seemed to float up off of him and dissipate. His eyes now glowed a bright blood red. His wings were outstretched and the tips of his wings and spikes appeared to be razor sharp. His claws dug deep into the ground by just standing there. The two ponies were now scared stiff. "You wanted…to kill me…" Midnight said in an even deeper voice, "Let's see…how you like it!" Midnight pounced on the blue unicorn and began to slash his claws into his skin. As much as the blue unicorn tried to fight him off, Midnight continued his attack. Blood flew everywhere as Midnight continued his attack. The yellow pony ran towards them as a desperate attempt to stop the fight. However, a black energy formed around him and slammed him into the ground. Midnight's straight horn was surrounded in black energy as he turned to him, "You will get your turn…" Midnight ignored the annoying yellow pony and continued his attack. The blue unicorn was mauled until there was nothing left but a motionless corpse. Midnight turned to the yellow pony who was now trying to fight against the black magic. Midnight said nothing as he did the same attack onto him. But this time, he stabbed his straight horn straight into the pony's heart. Midnight dislodged his horn and stood tall. The black Pegasus stood beside them at a fair distance. Midnight slowly turned his head towards the cowering Pegasus, making him flinch even more. "You spared my life" he said in a deep tone, "So I shall spare yours…"

With that said, the black Pegasus galloped away with great speed. Midnight's all red eyes slowly faded back to the blue pupils of his original eyes. The black aura stopped flowing out of him completely. He collapsed on the ground from complete exhaustion. However, he quickly got up when he glanced down at the ground and saw a loose bloody limb. He looked around and saw two mauled corpses of what was left of the two bullying ponies. Midnight shifted his eyes across the scene, but his eyes landed on his own claws as he lifted them towards his face. Blood covered his claws, but this wasn't his blood. His body was also covered in a mixture of blood; some of his own, the rest of the two innocent ponies. Midnight had no idea what happened, but he was sacred out of his mind. Lightning struck and thunder sounded as dark clouds began to roll in. Midnight ran away from his village, away from the ponies, away from anything. He was a threat to everypony. One last thing he noticed before he said goodbye to his home forever, was the new mark along his side.

---

The entire group was silent after Midnight explained his past. Fluttershy seemed to be sick. Rarity looked ready to turn around and run from Midnight. Everypony else had a very stunned expression on their faces. Midnight knew they would do this. He turned around and started to leave, "If you ever see Princess Luna…tell her that…"

"Midnight wait!" shouted a voice. Everyone turned to see both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" shouted Twilight. All of the ponies bowed except for Midnight. Where he was from, there was no princess. So he never learned how to address on properly. But, he caught on to the importance of the kneeling and attempted to mimic it. However, he fell over as a result. This received a small giggle from Pinkie Pie but nothing else. Both princesses walked up to Midnight.

"Midnight, we have heard your tale" said Princess Celestia. "We understand your concern from us. But your violent actions were only a result from the actions done onto you. Ponyville is one of the least violent places in Equestria. Please stay…"

Midnight gazed at the Princess. Her words were true and her emotion was kind. His gaze shifted to Princess Luna. She seemed like she was going to cry at the wrong answer. Midnight hated to see her like this, but he would hate it even more if he caused any pain to her on accident. He took in a deep breath and exhaled greatly. He slowly walked back to the group of ponies. They all jumped on him in happiness and started to laugh. Midnight couldn't help but to at least add a little chuckle in as well. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna smiled at his decision and left for their carriage. But Princess Luna stopped and turned to Midnight, "Midnight, what were you going to tell me?" Midnight's face flushed red as she asked that. Luna took this as an answer along with a small giggle. The sun was nearly set so the ponies said their goodbyes and departed. Midnight followed Applejack to her home. Sadly though, he needed to stay in the barn. Midnight did not mind though, it was probably one of the most comfortable places he has ever been in. He slumped onto a pile of straw and fell asleep.

Author's Notes:

The triple dashes --- mean a chance in scene

Sparkplug's Power Surge

Midnight woke up to the call of a rooster. Although it was early to others, Midnight was wide awake now. He has never slept for so long on something so comfortable. He got up, stretched his legs and wings, and left the barn. Applejack was already up and preparing for the day. Midnight walked towards her as she ran about the farm. He entered the house after her, but he ran into her instead. Applejack took a while to recover but she managed. "Sorry Applejack" said Midnight.

"It's alright there Midnight…" she replied. "I'm just in a hurry because…" Applejack stopped after that and looked around nervously. Midnight was confused by her actions, but then she pushed Midnight into another room. "I forgot to show ya to my family!" she said with enthusiasm. Midnight walked after about a few minutes of being pushed. First pony he met was an old pony in a rocking chair. Her mark was an apple pie. She seemed to be asleep while rocking in her chair.

"This here is Granny Smith" said Applejack. "She here started the farm way back when. Granny Smith! Wake up!"

Granny Smith's eyes suddenly opened and she quickly turned her head in several directions. Midnight backed up slowly as Granny Smith's sight landed on him. Granny Smith smiled, "Aww…it's nice to see another pony 'round here to help out my little Applejack…" Midnight calmed down and smiled back at her. Applejack led Midnight out of the house and they encountered another pony. This one was much larger and taller than Midnight, causing him to crouch to the ground and open his wings. His wings were fully extended and covered Midnight's entire body.

"Midnight…what in the hay are you doin'?" asked Applejack. "Big Mac here wouldn't harm a fly…" Midnight slowly closed his wings and looked up. Big Mac had a friendly smile on his face. Midnight eased up and slowly stood up straight. Big Mac wore a horse collar around his neck and his mark was an apple cut in half. "Midnight, this here is Big Mac. He may be big, but he's as gentle as a butterfly. Aren't ya Big Mac?"

"Eeyup" he replied.

Midnight briefly introduced himself and helped Applejack some more. He still didn't get the hang of apple bucking; all of the apples still fell on top of him. Applejack laughed at this some more but stopped when Midnight was beginning to leave.

"W-Where are ya'll goin?" she asked.

"Can't I go into town?" he asked. "After all, I need to get used to the other ponies."

Applejack seemed like she wanted to protest but she said nothing. Midnight turned and headed to town with a confused look on his face. It wasn't that far of a walk to town, so Midnight could be back before dark. Immediately, Midnight was greeted normally. No one shouted at him, no one threw things at him, and no one even screamed and ran. If Midnight never saved Scootaloo, he probably would still be treated as a monster. But there seemed to be some caution in the air. Some ponies were sealing their windows shut and placing outside stands inside. He saw Rarity and Fluttershy, but they avoided him for some reason. It made Midnight worry, but he ignored it. A wondrous smell hit Midnight's nose and he followed it to the source in a daze. Midnight entered a building without even realizing it. He bumped into a counter and accidentally knocked over a glass display case. The cupcakes inside were now crushed and ruined. Midnight backed up but ran into someone. He turned around suddenly to see a pink pony with three cupcakes as a mark and a multi-shaded pink mane. She looked at the mess and then looked at Midnight. Midnight backed against the wall and covered himself with his wings. "Please don't hurt me! It was an accident!" he shouted.

He heard the sweeping of a broom and looked out from under his wing. The pony was sweeping the broken glass and crushed cupcake into a small pan. "Oh it's alright dear" she said. "Accidents happen…"

Midnight cautiously returned to his normal self and walked towards her, "Y-You're not s-scared of me…?"

The pony laughed slightly, "After what I have heard from you dear…I'm not afraid. Besides…it's your first time here in Ponyville. I just don't want you to be afraid anymore dear."

Midnight smiled and his horn began to glow. The broom and pan began to levitate and sweep the mess on their own. The pony backed up as the task was done for her. She turned and watched as Midnight completed the job and threw the mess away. "There you go miss" said Midnight, "Everything is all cleaned up." "Thank you dear" she replied. "I'm Mrs. Cake and I…"

They were interrupted by Pinkie Pie quickly rushing in and shutting all of the window shutters. At first Mrs. Cake was confused, but then she joined Pinkie Pie. Midnight was in a complete loss of what they were doing. But, he didn't want to interrupt them. Obviously it is very important and he didn't want to bother them. He stepped out of Sugarcube Corner and began walking somewhere else. But, everypony was still placing things inside and shutting their windows. Suddenly, the town was blasted with the sound of thunder. Midnight jumped along with everypony else outside. A lightning bolt ran through the town and struck the ground in the center of town. Midnight rubbed his eyes because he thought he saw a pony standing there. The light dimmed and revealed a unicorn. His skin was brown with tan hooves and had a green mane and tail. His mane was cut short and messy, while his tail seemed to be edged like a lightning bolt. His horn wasn't whole; it was fractured to where he only had about one to two inches of horn left. His eyes seemed to match the color of his hooves and showed no sign of the gentle sense like all of the other ponies. They weren't evil looking, but they didn't seem normal. The mark on his side was a lightning bolt.

"Good evening ponies and gentlecolts…" the unicorn said. "This evening we have a very special performance planned. I will shoot electrical discharges from my horn, and then YOU will run in the other direction. Have fun!"

Everypony began to run as the unknown unicorn shot electricity out of his fracture of a horn. Midnight ran before he even faced him. A flash of light and a crash of thunder boomed behind Midnight, causing him to run even faster. Suddenly, the unicorn from behind him appeared in front of him. Midnight tried to stop himself but he ran into the unicorn instead. Midnight quickly recovered from the crash and got a fair distance from the unicorn. A bolt of lightning shot up to the sky as the strange unicorn. He glared at Midnight, causing Midnight to nearly collapse from fear.

"Who do you think you are?!" he shouted.

Twilight and Applejack ran in beside Midnight. Midnight already felt safer around them. Twilight's horn began to sparkle but the mystery unicorn smiled. Lighting suddenly struck behind her and Twilight lost her concentration. Applejack galloped towards him with her lasso twirling. But, the unicorn simply smiled again. In a flash of light, he disappeared from sight but reappeared behind Applejack. Applejack quickly turned, only to be kicked by the guy's two back hooves. Now Midnight was mad. His claws dug into the dirt and his eyes slowly began to glow. His horn began to glow black but he quickly shook his head and all of his evil thoughts vanished. But, he still wasn't going to sit there and watch his friends get hurt. His horn glowed black again as well as the unicorn. Midnight lifted the unicorn up and prevented him from moving.

"Who are you and why are you doing this?" asked Midnight. "Can't you see your scaring the other ponies?"

He snorted and turned his head, "My name is Sparkplug freakshow. And of course I'm scaring them; I'm trying to help them. There is a…"

Sparkplug's body became surrounded in purple energy and was slammed into the ground. Twilight came up beside Midnight and glared at Sparkplug. Although Twilight had him under, Midnight's horn continued to glow. "That's enough Midnight, I'll take it from here" she said.

Sparkplug only laughed, "Yeah, take this!" His horn glowed and lightning shot out. But, the lightning swirled around in the air slowly and lazily. Everyone was surprised as the electricity slowly hit the ground a few feet away from them. Sparkplug tried to fight Twilight's spell but it was too powerful. "Let me go!" he demanded. "You don't know what's going to happen!"

Suddenly, the sky turned dark and the wind picked up. Twilight, Applejack, and Midnight all looked up. Dark thunderclouds were beginning to roll in. Rainbow Dash flew into town and landed beside them. She saw Sparkplug under Twilight's spell and she glared at him. Sparkplug smiled sheepishly, "Oh, hey…Rainbow Dash…how is the Weather Factory…?"

"Damaged no thanks to you!" she said coldly. Her friends turned their head to her for an explanation. "Thanks to our little friend, the Weather Factory keeps emitting thunderclouds. He was firing rapidly and one of his stray bolts hit our machines. That's why we told everyone to hide inside. Didn't you guys get the notice?"

Lightning struck down beside the group and rain began to pour down. The wind started to pick up, causing the rain to sting a little. The group separated as they all ran for cover. Sparkplug stayed where he was and stared up into the sky. The sun was entirely blocked out and the clouds were filled with lightning. Midnight saw Sparkplug standing there and stopped. Another lightning bolt hit the ground but this one hit Sparkplug. Sparkplug stood there, unaffected and electricity discharged off of him harmlessly. Midnight had an idea.

"Sparkplug, I think I know how you can fix this!" he told him.

"Why would I help you ponies?" he said. "It's only a thunderstorm…buildings will get destroyed and ponies might get hurt, but it will only last about a few minutes."

Midnight wasn't usually a rough pony, but something in his eyes flashed and he walked up to Sparkplug roughly. Midnight grabbed Sparkplug's neck and turned it so that their faces met. "You better listen to me you living battery" he said. This "little storm" was your fault to begin with. Ponyville could be destroyed from this storm. This isn't something you can just ignore. Now, I know you can control lightning. So, I suggest you do something to attract this storm away from Ponyville, otherwise you will not only learn a lesson from everypony that lives here, but you will also have to deal with me! So, what's going to happen?"

Sparkplug looked at Midnight with some fear. He didn't expect such behavior from a pony that ran from him. Midnight looked slightly threatening, but he sure wasn't a monster. Sparkplug looked at the black sky. Rain was pouring down in sheets and the powerful winds were causing the rain to sting. Sparkplug faced Midnight boldly, "This is my mess, and I will fix it."

Sparkplug charged with electricity as he galloped out of town. Lightning struck but they struck behind him; missing every time. The rain seemed to slowly settle and the clouds seemed to be following Sparkplug as he ran away from Ponyville. The sun soon appeared through the cloud layer as the storm moved. Twilight and the others stepped out from cover as the skies became clear. Midnight smiled as everypony else were now able to come outside. Midnight was about to walk back to the farm but Pinkie Pie popped up in front of him.

"Hey, where are you going?!" she said enthusiastically. "You're going to miss the party!"

"Party…" said Midnight, "What's a…party?"

Everyone gasped, but Pinkie Pie was the one most surprised. "Oh my gosh, you've never been to a party?!" she rambled on. "Well, it kinda makes sense since you were never invited to one because of your looks. But that's really no excuse to even get an invitation. What a bunch of jerks. They were probably the same jerks that bullied you when you were little. They probably got an invitation and you didn't because…"

Applejack covered her mouth, but Pinkie Pie kept speaking. Her voice was muffled as she kept talking past the hoof blocking her mouth. Twilight rolled her eyes but smiled. She told Midnight to follow her and the others. Pinkie Pie finally stopped talking and walked beside the others. Midnight was not only getting a better view of the rest of Ponyville, but he was also excited to see this "party." Soon, they walked along a dirt path that led to a building. It was strange because this building seemed to be built within a large rock. Although, it was more natural, so it seemed like a small hill. What was the actual building it was black and blue. One door and one window were visible. Midnight was curious to see whose home this was. He opened the door with his magic and walked in. Immediately, Midnight gasped in disbelief. The entire ceiling looked like the clear sky at night. There was a wooden table, cabinet, and bed arranged perfectly against the walls. Midnight wished he lived here, it would be perfect.

"Do you like it?" asked Twilight.

"It's amazing…" said Twilight. "Who lives here?"

"I believe y'all find the answer right over there…" said Applejack.

Midnight turned to where she was pointing to and walked over. There was a scroll on the bed nicely rolled and tightly kept. Using his magic, Midnight levitated it and flattened the scroll. He began to read,

"Dear Midnight,

We all know you haven't been in Ponyville for long. But, we all decided to give you something to show you our true friendship. We decided the best way to show you is by giving you something you have never had, a home. So please enjoy your new home that we prepared for you and have a wonderful time here in Ponyville.

Signed…"

Midnight didn't finish reading the letter because of two reasons. One, was because he was too shocked to continue reading. The second reason was that everyone behind him shouted "Surprise!" Midnight was basically in tears when he returned to the group. Everyone thought something was wrong, but Midnight raised his head a smiled, "Thank you…my friends…"

Author's Notes:

Thanks to my friend on deviantart for allowing the usage of his OC Sparkplug http://weredrago2.deviantart.com/

Lightning Strings

The rest of the night was a blast for Midnight. This was his first party ever. Not only did he experience his first party, but he also realized why everyone was acting strange that day. They were planning the party for him and preparing his new house. Midnight thanked them all, but his thanks were not exactly heard as the party went on. Midnight also learned something that hard way; Pinkie Pie loves to party. She went nuts during the party. It lasted all the way till the moon was completely up. Twilight and the others offered to help clean up, but Midnight said they shouldn't. However, they helped anyway. After about an hour of cleaning, everyone said their goodbyes and left. Midnight collapsed onto his bed in slight exhaustion. For once in his life, Midnight fell asleep with a smile on his face, and tears not coming out of his eyes.

---

Midnight appeared in a completely dark area. It was pitch-black, barely capable of seeing anything. However, he seemed to be in the middle of a forest. The trees were outlined with white and the ground was slightly visible.

"Where am I?" he asked aloud.

You are not the only one who is alone…

Midnight looked around randomly, slightly confused and slightly scared.

There is yet another pony that has experienced the same pain as you. She feels alone, scared, and afraid…

A pink and green blur raced by Midnight's field of vision. Midnight ran after it with his legs and also using his wings. He landed in what seemed to be a clearing. The blur raced past Midnight in the opposite direction. Midnight continued to run and chase after it. Every time he thought he cornered it, the blur raced past him once more. Eventually, the blur raced by and entered a tree. Midnight stopped and looked at the shape of the tree. It seemed familiar to him, but Midnight couldn't place it.

Find the pony and help her…before it's too late…

---

Midnight woke up with a startle. His covers were all messy, tangling in his wings, claws, and spikes. He sat up and looked around. There was a knock on his door. Midnight tried to get the covers off but he ended up ripping them by accident. He embarrassingly tossed the damaged covers aside and walked over to the door. Using his magic, he opened the door and saw a familiar face. It was Twilight. But, the sun was in the middle of the sky at the moment.

"There you are…" she said, "I thought you would never wake up…"

Midnight rubbed the back of his head with one of his claws, "Yeah, I guess I was so used to running that I never had time to stop and rest."

Twilight laughed, "Well, you can get plenty of that around here."

Midnight left his home and closed the door behind him. He slowly walked beside Twilight as she led him to her home. Twilight's home was the library. The library also had a few spare rooms, but it was also was built inside of a large tree. As soon as Midnight walked inside, he was amazed by the amount of books. Shelves after shelves, books were piled on the large shelves. Midnight looked at each column, reading the cover's titles. He heard a slight tumble down the stairs and turned. That little dragon he met before, Spike, was lying down on the floor with several books all around him. He sat up and rubbed his head, "Uh…that's the last time I carry every book at once…" Midnight stepped up and his spike began to glow as well as the books. The opened books closed and all of them floated up around Spike. Spike seemed surprised but he got up. With Midnight's help, Spike was able to put all of the spilled books away. Spike dusted himself off and rubbed his claw against his chest, "Yep…nothing like a day's work to put some hair on your chest…"

Twilight walked over and smacked Spike's head with her hoof. "Spike…there are two things wrong with that statement" she said. "One…you're a dragon, you have no hair. Two, Midnight helped you. I believe you should thank him." Spike groaned but Midnight chuckled. It already seemed like he forgave him. "Now Spike" said Twilight, "Get a pen and paper ready. I think I need to write a letter to the Princess…"

"You mean…Princess Celestia…?" asked Midnight.

"Yes, my friends and I always send the Princess letters. That's one reason why I was here. Before I was one of her most loyal and experienced students. Then, I was sent here to advise a celebration. And after a few events and moments, I was ordered to stay here. Every now and then, I send a letter to her about what I learned about friendship."

Midnight seemed slightly confused by her explanation, but he took it. After the letter, the trio set off for Ponyville. As soon as they entered the main street, they were greeted by Pinkie Pie and Applejack. Pinkie Pie was hoping around as her usual energetic self. "Twilight, Twilight!" shouted Pinkie Pie. "You won't believe what we saw!"

Twilight rolled her eyes but answered, "Won't believe what Pinkie?" The way she said it sounded like she heard this reaction from Pinkie a lot.

"There's this new stand in town! The owner that runs it has magic unlike anything I've ever seen!"

Hearing magic immediately caught Twilight's attention. Now to Pinkie, any form of magic would be amazing to her. But if it really showed this much of a reaction, it must be very unique magic. "What kind of magic is it?" asked Midnight. His voice now had a hint of enthusiasm. Pinkie Pie hopped in the opposite direction with the rest of them on her trail. Once they got within town square, they all looked around. "That's amazing…" said Midnight as he caught sight of the stand. Twilight turned around to see her friends gathered around something beside the stand. She broke the circle, and slightly laughed at what she saw. What she saw was very small; no bigger than half of Spike's height. It looked like an eel made of wood. Its body and bottom part of its jaw was black wood. The top half of its head was white. It was glowing as it floated in the air. Twilight rolled her eyes once more.

"It's just a floating puppet…" said Twilight. "It's just a simple levitation spell."

"It's really small" said Spike as he walked up to it. It floated lower to the ground and turned towards him.

"But Twilight, its alive!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

"I know you find it a bunch of hooey, but she's right this time Twilight…" said Applejack.

Twilight looked at them like they were both nuts. "Alive?" asked Twilight, "How is that even possible?" She looked around, mainly at the booth, for the pony who is casting the spell. "A puppet can't be alive, it's not possible…"

"Stormstrike, get back here!" said a voice. "I need your help at the stall!"

The puppet suddenly turned around, causing Spike to stumble back from shock. It seemed that the puppet's eyes landed on the stall. Everyone else followed its gaze as a pony stepped out. A black stallion walked out from the stall. His mane and tail were a bright neon green, as well as the circuit-like markings along his side. The mark on his side seemed to be a marionette board with lightning bolts coming down from it. "Coming Lightning!" shouted the puppet. Twilight, Midnight, and Spike looked shocked. The puppet known as Stormstrike seemed to swim in mid-air as he went into the shop. The other walked up to the new pony and the new pony noticed them.

"Hello there ponies…" he said. "Who are you…?"

"My name is Twilight Sparkle" said Twilight. "This is my assistant Spike" as she gestured to him on the ground. "And this is Midnight." The stallion's eyes landed on Midnight, but he never reacted like others do. "My name is Applejack mister" said Applejack, "It's a pleasure to meet ya."

"Hi I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie shouted causing everyone to step back. "Oh…you look neat! You look like a party I once went to! It was so techie! There were so many lights and fancy designed decorations and…" Applejack covered her mouth with her hoof before she kept rambling on. Everyone else made a nervous laugh but Lightning. Lightning looked confused but faced Twilight.

"I have two questions" he said. "One, what is she on and two, can I have some?"

Pinkie Pie randomly pulled out a bag of sugar and offered it to Lightning. He was about to accept it, but something crashed within his stall. "Sorry, but I have to go" he said. "It was nice meeting you all!" Lightning rushed back to the stall after a wave from everybody. Applejack had to leave for the farm and Pinkie Pie had to go back to Sugarcube Corner. However, Midnight managed to see Pinkie Pie pour a large amount of sugar into her mouth. Before Twilight left with Spike, she turned to Midnight. "I heard that Zecora wanted to see you" she said. "I don't know what it was about, but she sounded like she really wanted you."

Midnight thanked her and headed for Zecora's place. On the way there, he took note of the path he was taking. It looked similar to the one in his dreams. The trees bent the same way, the bushes were pushed back, and even the ground seemed the same. He finally reached Zecora's, but something hit him mentally. Zecora's hut looked like the final location in his dream. He shook it out of his head and walked into the open door. However, he crashed into someone else. He thought it was Zecora, but he saw a blur of pink and green. His vision cleared, revealing a pony with strange features. She looked at Midnight and gasped. She immediately backed up, "W-Who are y-you…?"

Author's Notes:

Thanks for my friend Hunter on deviantart for allowing me to use his character http://hunter1254.deviantart.com/

The Oracle of Beauty

Both the pony and Midnight instantly backed up to the opposite ends of the hut. They were both in the same position; backs against the wall, crouched on the ground, and both had something blocking them. Midnight had his wings, and the other pony had a large feathery tail. After about a few minutes of hiding, both of the strange ponies unblocked themselves. Midnight had a better chance to look at this strange pony. It was obviously a girl, because Midnight seemed enchanted by her beauty. Her body was pink while her hooves were green. Her long mane was a brilliant mix of dark pink, green, and blue with green ears sticking out from the top. One single feather swirled out in front of her face. The pony's eyes were blue with a small pair of glasses in front of them. Her tail however, was the most distinct feature about her. The pony had a long tail of a peacock, several long green feathers each ended with an eye-like design. The area where her feather met her body was this yellow feathery growth. The mark along her side was a peacock. The two slowly stood up straight and stared at each other. Midnight wanted to take a step closer, but he was afraid. He wasn't afraid of the pony, he was afraid of her being afraid of him. The girl did have a look of fear in her eyes, but what it was towards was unknown to Midnight.

"Are…are you afraid of me…?" he asked calmly.

The girl leaned back, "Are you…scared of me…?"

Both ponies ended up in a dead silent stare down. The door opened and Zecora walked in. She appeared in the dead center of the two's eyesight. "Zecora, who is this?!" the two shouted together. Zecora laughed slightly when she heard them both speak at once she walked out of their line of sight so they could both see each other. "You two may not see, but you're both more alike than any pony" she said. "You both live in fear, sadness, and regret. But do not be scared of each other just yet. I will be back in a moment's time, but you will both realize that this meeting is a sign…"

Zecora left as shortly as she entered. Midnight was left all alone with this strange looking pony. Silence passed through the hut once more. No one could take a step closer because of the other's reaction. Eventually, Midnight decided to speak up.

"H-Hello…" he said, "M-My name is M-Midnight…W-What's yours…?"

The pony saw the way Midnight acted and sighed at the result. "You're afraid of me…just like all the others…"

Midnight's fear vanished as she said this. Her statement triggered something in his mind. Memories of his past he wished he forgotten, moments in his life where he was all alone. Midnight walked up close to the girl. Her closed eyes were starting to form tears. Gently using his claw, Midnight wiped a tear away. This startled the pony, causing her to stumble backward and run into a shelf. Some pots and other items toppled over and began to fall. The girl did nothing prepare for the impact. Midnight's spike glowed and every item falling followed suit. The girl opened one of her eyes to see each item floating harmlessly above her. He focus landed on Midnight as he concentrated to put each item back where it belonged. The girl, still flabbergasted, stared at Midnight with her faded eyes. Midnight saw her look but confused it with fear. He sighed and started to head for the door. "…w-wait…!" said the pony. Midnight stopped, half afraid and half confused. He turned his head, only to see her head rush towards his body and rub against him as a thank you. Midnight's blue face flushed red when she returned the kindness.

"…I-I'm sorry about before…" she explained. "The…last few years of my life were…hectic…"

"My life has been nothing but misery every since I was born…" replied Midnight. "I think know we should start over. My name is Midnight, and you are?"

"I'm Oracle" she replied with some confidence. "Might I ask what you were doing here?"

"I was told that Zecora wanted to see me."

Oracle gasped, "…that's…what she told me…"

Another long drawn out silence filled the hut. Both ponies now had a shocked expression on her face. But, Midnight changed and looked at her tail. "That is a very beautiful tail…" he said. "Is it…really feathers…?" Oracle moved her tail closer to Midnight. With a careful claw, he slowly stroked her tail. It was indeed a feather, same texture, same feeling. Now, Oracle seemed interested in Midnight's features.

"Are those…wings and spikes…?" she asked. Midnight nodded, getting ready for the next question. "Are they real?" Midnight stretched his wings out to their fullest extent and lowered his wing towards her. Raising a hoof, Oracle felt the rough rubbery texture of the wing. Midnight tried to not react to her touch as much, but she only felt it for a little bit. "What…happened to you…?"

The next hour or so, Midnight and Oracle explained their pasts. Midnight explained the horror and sadness of his cutie mark and the loneliness he felt. Oracle explained how she got her tail and mane. Apparently, it has here in Zecora's hut where her transformation started. She accidentally spilled something that was in Zecora's cauldron on her by accident. Whatever was inside the large pot, caused her to look like this. But this happened to her as a filly. Midnight was even more surprised when Oracle explained what others called her; a demon, a curse, an accident. Midnight understood her pain and stretched his wing over her in comfort.

"I'm just glad Zecora had a kind enough heart to forgive me" she explained. "I just wish I didn't have these stupid feathers…"

"You're making your feathers sound like a disease or curse" said Midnight. "To me, they could possibly be the most beautiful thing about you."

Oracle blushed, "My feathers are a curse…I can't go anywhere…"

"Your feathers are a gift. And I can cross through town without being yelled at. Here, let's go into town."

Midnight got up but Oracle did not. She stayed in the hut with her ears down and her attention focused on her tail. Now, without her tail, Oracle could possibly at least go out. Her mane would just be unique. But her tail really did stand out. Midnight looked around and noticed something hanging on the wall. He used his levitation magic to pull it off the rack. It seemed to be a full body cloak with a hood. Slowly, Midnight maneuvered it over Oracle's tail and fit it on her body. Once it fit, you couldn't see anything of Oracle except for the tips of her hooves and her muzzle.

"I'm still not sure about this…" she said. "What if someone sees me…?"

Midnight thought it over, and an idea came into his mind. "I think I know someone who can help."

Midnight wrote something on a piece of paper and then left Oracle out of the hut. As soon as they left, Zecora walked in. She was slightly surprised to see no one around. She saw the note left on her table. It read:

"Bringing Oracle to town had to borrow your cloak. Will return it later…

-Midnight"

Zecora smiled as she went back to organizing a new potion. As for Midnight and Oracle, the first few steps were the easiest. Oracle did not mind walking through the Everfree Forest. The light was nearly blocked from coming down through the treetops. The path was relatively clear, it had a few bushes and rocks, but it was basically clear. Everything was silent as they walked. "…Midnight…" said Oracle, breaking the silence. "There's…something I forgot to mention about me…" Midnight was curious but he let her continue. Oracle seemed sad, "Whenever I see a new pony, I sometimes get these…"

Oracle suddenly broke down and collapsed onto the ground. Midnight managed to catch her before she fell completely. He pulled the hood back, revealing Oracle's glowing eyes. She stood up straight and looked at Midnight. Her gaze scared him a little. "Be thankful to those around you that are willing to be a friend" she said in a different tone, "Because soon all of their lives will surely end."

The glow in her eyes faded, returning her faded pupils. She shook her head and rubbed it a little. She noticed Midnight's scared look and realized what happened. "I…I did it…didn't I?" she asked. Midnight was slightly scared, but confusion came onto his face. "Whenever I meet a new pony, I sometimes have a vision of them. I sometimes cannot hear what I say when I'm like that. What exactly did my vision say?"

Midnight stayed silent, with the slightly scared look stuck on his face. Oracle took this as a bad time and pulled her hood up. The moment they stepped out from the edge of the Everfree Forest, Oracle became instantly nervous. But, with Midnight at her side, she managed to move on. Everypony that passed gave Oracle a strange look, but said hello to her nonetheless. After a few hellos, Oracle began to say hello back. After a while, Midnight and Oracle reached their destination; the Carousel Boutique. The store was empty but was filled with several dressed decorated with gemstones. Oracle gazed at these as Midnight talked to Rarity.

"Hello Midnight, how may I be of service?" she asked.

"Hello Rarity" he replied. "I need your help. You know everything about beauty, right?" This comment caused Rarity to blush, something Midnight did not try to do. "I met this pony who is absolutely beautiful! But, she thinks her beauty is a curse. Maybe you can help convince her…"

"Well…since you consulted the expert of true grace and beauty…" she said, "It's the least I can do…"

Midnight rolled his eyes from her self-recognition and went back to Oracle. She still kept her hood up, which startled Rarity a little. They introduced themselves and shook hooves. "Now dear…" said Rarity, "Midnight has told me that you have beauty but find it as a curse. Now then, I would like to see what you look like."

Oracle became nervous and turned to Midnight, "You didn't mention anything about this! She'll tell everyone for sure!"

"It's alright dear, I promise not to tell anypony."

Silence ran through the shop for several minutes. "At least take off your hood" whispered Midnight. Oracle sighed and reached for her hood. As soon as she took it off, Rarity gasped. "Oh my stars darling, that mane is simply magnificent!" she gasped. Oracle was instantly surprised. "What wonderful colors! They match perfectly with the nice tone of your coat! Please tell me this is what you were talking about a curse!"

Oracle smile disappeared when she said that. "No…my mane isn't the problem…it's…my…tail…" Midnight used his magic to remove the rest of the cloak. Rarity gasped at what she saw. Oracle's peacock-like feathery tail was spread out fully. Oracle looked down in sadness, but what she didn't see was Rarity rushing over to her desk. "Oh…where is my camera?! Those feathers are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" Oracle was surprised by her statement, but even more surprised when she saw a flash. Rarity was almost fussing over the picture, "Those feathers would make such a wonderful design for a dress. You have true beauty my dear."

"See Oracle, you features aren't a curse, they're a gift" said Midnight.

The door opened and the pair turned. The rest of Midnight's friends were standing out there. But that wasn't everypony. Zecora was out there, as well as Lightning Strings, and Sparkplug! Everypony circled around Oracle in awe. Oracle was scared out of her mind but Midnight helped her calm down.

"That's one pretty tail you got there sugar" said Applejack.

"That tail's even cooler than mine!" shouted Rainbow Dash.

"Om my gosh! They're just like a bird's!" shouted Pinkie Pie. "There so green, and blue, and yellow. They're almost like a rainbow! Except it doesn't have the other colors. How did you get them?! And your mane is colorful too! Was your mother a bird or was your father a…"

Twilight covered her mouth, trying to silence her. Sparkplug walked to the center to get himself some attention. "I know I'm not as important as feather face over here, but I have something to say" he said. "I would like to apologize for what I did yesterday. I should not have tried practicing my lightning spells by Cloudsdale. Can you ever forgive me?"

Everypony nodded and Sparkplug let out a sigh of relief. Lightning Strings seemed content with himself at the moment and made small talk with everypony. Oracle walked up to Midnight, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Midnight" she said. "Now I have some faith into returning to Ponyville."

Midnight blushed but was lead away from the group by Twilight. She explained to him that she never has written a letter to the Princess yet. So, she was wondering if he would like to. Midnight said he would be honored.

"Dear Princess Celestia" Midnight said aloud as he wrote on the paper, "Today, I have learned something about making friends. It's harder than what it seems. Ever since I came to Ponyville, all of my friends were ones that I simply had to say hello to. But today, I earned these two friends. Sometimes, showing your aggressive side isn't always a bad thing. Heck, it helped Ponyville from a storm. But, the opposite is also true. Showing kindness towards others will also not only help you, but also help them.

Sincerely,

Midnight"

Author's Notes:

This is a special thanks for my friend Makenzie on deviantart http://nektarios-cat.deviantart.com/ Check her art out, she Is really good!

Poison Joke Epidemic

The next few days were pretty simple for Midnight. He spent the next few days doing simple tasks and visits. He took regularly trips to Ponyville to meet his friends. Oracle went into town some days, but she was still nervous around other ponies. The other ponies in town had some slight tension, but they were kind to her no doubt. Oracle was surprised of how different they treated her since she was a filly. The past few days, Midnight spent most of his time around her. He liked her, but he had a feeling that was greater. But he had no idea what it was either. Oracle was aware of his increasing feelings, and just made it so she pretended not to notice the complete obvious feeling. One day, Midnight decided to do something nice for her. He was just entering the Everfree Forest with Lightning Strings and Sparkplug.

"Why are we here again…?" asked Sparkplug.

"We are here to find some nice flowers" said Midnight.

"Then why aren't we at the flower shop? They have tons of flowers there!"

"I want to find something exotic for Oracle…"

"You two seem to have bonded over the few days…" said Lightning.

"Well" Sparkplug said with a cocky smile, "At least one of them is…"

Midnight ignored their slight laughter and entered the forest. There were many plants, but not many flowers. There was only just a lot of everything else; trees, bushes, shrubs, the usual. They walked past Zecora's hut, but Midnight did not stop. Sparkplug and Lightning stopped and looked at it.

"Whoa…that's a funky looking house…." exclaimed Sparkplug.

"Yes, it is a very unique house indeed…" replied Lightning. "Midnight…who's house is this…?"

Midnight turned towards them, "Oh…that's Zecora's house. She's this zebra who is good at making potions and medicine and such…"

Without warning, Sparkplug bolted into the hut. Lightning and Midnight looked at each other before running in after him. Some smashed containers were on the ground with some liquid splashed everywhere. Sparkplug was looking through the shelf wildly, dropping one container as he moved. Midnight used his magic to prevent any more from falling as Lightning grabbed Sparkplug by the ear. He instantly started to stop and flailed, "Alright alright! I'm stopping! Just let me go!" Lightning dragged him out of her hut and threw him onto the ground. Midnight walked out but only had a few bottles still levitating.

"Man…you were such a tough guy before, but now you got held back by an ear tug?" said Lightning.

"Shut up!" shouted Sparkplug. He shot a streak of lightning out from his broken horn. For some reason, it strangely bounced off of Lightning and hit the bottles under Midnight's magic. They sparked and flew over the trees.

"Oh great job guys" said Midnight. "Well, now we just have to…" Midnight turned around and didn't see Sparkplug. Instead, he saw Zecora standing beside Lightning. Lightning looked to his side and nearly jumped back from the surprise. They all sided in unison and helped Zecora clean up. What they didn't know was that those electrified potions flew and broke onto a small patch of familiar blue flowers. The liquids combined and soaked into the ground. The one blue flower began to sprout taller and change to a different shade.

Midnight and Lightning left after they finished cleaning Zecora's hut. They forgot about the missing potions, so they said their goodbyes and went home. Midnight was slightly sad that he never found any flowers for Oracle. Maybe he should just go to the flower shop. The next day, Midnight woke up feeling very groggy. He got out of his bed and stretched his limbs. When he stretched his wings, he felt something different. They felt like he couldn't change their position as easily. He turned his head, seeing bright colors. He turned his head slowly back to its original position. His wings were all black, not pink or yellow. He ran over to the mirror he had standing beside her dresser. One look in the mirror and Midnight gasped. Instead of his menacing bat-like wings, he had large butterfly wings. They were mostly pink with yellow patterns. But, that's not the only thing that changed. His coat wasn't black and blue anymore, it was reversed. His coat was now red and white. The spikes on his head and neck were now small light blue flowers. The door suddenly opened with everyone else coming in. "Midnight!" they all shouted. "Are you…"

Rainbow Dash knocked into all of them and crashed into his wall. He stepped back so Rainbow could stay on the ground. She took one look at him, and started to crack up. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as she held back a laugh. "Not…one…word…" said Midnight. Everyone else came in and stood up. Spike and Sparkplug looked like they were trying to hold back a laugh as well. The others giggled but Midnight was more focused on the three holding back a laugh. They couldn't take it anymore, and they all laughed out loud rolling on the floor. Midnight used his magic to stand them all up.

"What part of this is funny?!" shouted Midnight.

"Let me think…everything!" replied Sparkplug.

Midnight was furious right now but he took note of everyone else. All of his friends each had something wrong with them. Twilight's horn was covered in purple spots and soft. Rarity, at least he thought it was Rarity, had raggedy hair that made her look like a mop. Pinkie Pie's tongue was covered in purple spots and seemed swollen, preventing her from putting it back into her mouth. Applejack was standing on Twilight, because she was barely three inches tall! Fluttershy seemed fine at the moment, but something was probably wrong. He looked over at the three laughing. Rainbow did not have control over her flying, constantly crashing into stuff. Spike had purple spots all over him, but nothing else seemed wrong. That is, until he burped. Instead of fire, bubbles came out. He continued to laugh, but he burped constantly. Bubbles were now surrounding him. Sparkplug's mane and tail was now completely standing out, creating an afro-like style. Midnight started to laugh at Sparkplug, but static began to charge off of it. They all finished laughing, Spike burped bubbles one last time, to finally talk about the situation.

"Does anyone know what's going on?" Midnight asked.

"I think it was that Zecora you talked about yesterday!" shouted Sparkplug. "Maybe she cursed us from messing up her shack! Or maybe one of her potions caused this!"

"Sparkplug, no potion caused…wait! What do you mean you messed up her shack?!" shouted Twilight.

Lightning ran through the group and was out of breath. "Guys…entire town…weird symptoms…strange spots…wait…" has said between breaths. He took one look around and smiled. But, his gaze landed on Fluttershy. He walked over to her and bowed, "Hello Madame, I am Lightning Strings. But you can just call me Lightning. What is your name…?" Fluttershy blushed but did not speak. Everyone else knew but Midnight, Sparkplug, and Lightning. Rarity nudged her, "Go on my dear, speak! It doesn't matter what changes you have."

Changes…? She seems fine… What changes could she possibly…?

"Hello, my name is Fluttershy…" she said but in a deep voice. It sounded like it should have came out of a big hefty mare. It sounded nothing like her usual sweet and quiet voice. Midnight laughed a little, but Sparkplug lost it. "My voice isn't usually like this…" she continued. "But…thank you for being so…uh…sweet…"

Everyone was introduced briefly. "Midnight, you asked what caused this" said Twilight. "What caused this is a plant known as Poison Joke."

"Poison…Joke…?" Midnight asked.

"It causes a random effect to anypony that touches them. It's like, it wants a joke. But, that's what I don't get. No one here has touched the plant…did they?" Everypony shook their head no and Twilight sighed. "Well, at least we know where to get the cure…"

"I'm sorry Twilight…but do not waste your time…" said Rarity. "I have already went to the Spa and ordered that luxurious bath…but nothing happened."

"The bath didn't work?!" Twilight exclaimed. "Then where can we get a cure…?"

He room was filled with silence, except for the short moment when Spike burped bubbles. Then, everypony shouted it as once, "ZECORA!" They all ran through the door except for Rainbow Dash; she crashed into Midnight's ceiling before she flew through the door. Applejack was hanging onto Twilight's mane along the trail. Eventually they reached Zecora's hut, but the door was shut. Twilight knocked on the door with her hoof. "Zecora…are you here…?" she asked. Everypony heard a soft crying from behind the door. But, only Midnight recognized who it was. He ran up and knocked Twilight out of the way, "Oracle…it's me! Are you alright…?!"

"Midnight…?!" the voice replied, confirming his guess. "M-Midnight…I'm not myself…I don't think…"

"Listen Oracle, I'm out here with everypony else. No one here is normal. I'm probably the one that is messed up the most. Please, we need to speak with Zecora…"

The door cracked open, but her eyes were only visible to Midnight, "Alright…but I want you to see me first." Midnight turned to the others, he saw it in their eyes that they understood. Midnight walked in through the door. It was kinda dark, but the windows put some light in. "Oracle…where are you…?" asked Midnight. From the shadows, a pony tail came into the light. At first he thought it was Zecora's, but it wasn't the usual black and white striped tail. This tail was mainly green with a blue highlights. Midnight wondered whose tail this was. The tail shifted out from the light, and two faded eyes revealed themselves. They were Oracle's.

"Midnight…you have to promise me that you won't be afraid of me…" she said. "No matter what things appear to be…it's still me…"

Midnight nodded, and the eyes blinked in response. Oracle stepped into the light, showing what this strange thing did to her. Basically, the Poison Joke whatever did the same effect to her as it did to him. Where ever her coat was, was now replaced by feathers. But these feathers were identical to the ones that was her tail. Her unusually colored mane now consisted of feathers. Her tail was a normal pony tail. Everything else about Oracle was normal. She seemed to be in tears, but she stepped back when she looked at Midnight. Then, a smile stretched across her face and a giggle escaped. Midnight blushed and moved one of his claws against the ground in a circle, "I said I was changed too…"

Midnight opened the door for everyone else, and they all filled the room. They were surprised by Oracle's new looks but ignored her for the moment. They asked where Zecora was, but Oracle said she had no idea where she was. Suddenly, the door swung open, causing Spike to be crushed from behind. Zecora was now inside but she was panting. Spike wobbled back from behind the door, letting out one last burp of bubbles before collapsing over.

"Zecora…where have you been?" asked Twilight.

"Pleh ot yaw a wonk I eveileb I. Pley ot deen on si ereht, dneirf ym Thgiliwt" she said.

Everypony stepped back. No pony could understand her.

"What in the hay did she just say…?" said Applejack, now tangled in Twilight's mane.

"Please dear, slow down…" said Rarity.

"Maybe she is speaking in her native language…" said Sparkplug.

Zecora shook her head wildly, "Kaerf deriah-yzzuf uoy teiuq eb dluohs uoy! Kaeps ot thguat saw I who ton si siht!"

"I beg your pardon?!" shouted Rarity.

Pinkie Pie jumped around the room, muffling something. No pony could understand her either. She grabbed a mirror and carried it over. She pointed to Zecora and then to the mirror. Spike woke up but he was still dazed, "What's Pinkie trying to say?" She kept doing the same thing, pointing between the mirror and Zecora. Lightning stepped in, "I believe what our hyper young friend is saying that Zecora is talking backwards."

Zecora nodded as fast as she shook her head before. Midnight has never seen her act like this. Obviously she wanted this gone as much as anypony else.

"If she's talking backwards, how are we supposed to understand her?" asked Fluttershy.

Twilight's eyes widened and she turned to Spike, only to be burped in the face with bubbles. "Spike, you think you can write down what Zecora says?" Spike pulls out a paper and quill, and burps once more. He walks over to Zecora, ready to write down her scrambled speech. "Oh…you also might want to write the words from right to left…" said Lightning. Spike was confused, but Twilight and Lightning seemed to have the same idea. Spike nodded, burped once more, then turned to Zecora.

"Dnuos dna efas eb dna elpmas a eveirter ot deen uoy, dnuora emit siht eruc a tnaw uoy fi. Niag ot ti desuac gnihtemos, nosaer nwonknu emos rof. Niap reggib neve na si ti emit siht tub. Kao Nosiop, tnalp railimaf yrev a si sekoj eseht fo esuac eht."

Spike wrote down every last word, and gave it to Twilight. Twilight thanked him, but she was also burped in the face with bubbles. Twilight groaned but used her magic to hold it up to the mirror. "Alright" she started, "She said "The cause of these jokes is a very familiar plant, Poison Oak. But this time it is an even bigger pain. For some unknown reason, something caused it to gain. If you want a cure this time around, you need to retrieve a sample and be safe and sound.""

Everypony in the room gasped at what she said, but at the same time, everyone else is confused. "What do you mean something caused it to "gain"?" asked Twilight. A crash outside was heard, it was Rainbow. Everypony helped her up and she pointed in a certain direction, "Uh guys…you should see what's over there…"

Everypony ran in that direction quickly. But, some giant leaves blocked the path. Midnight clawed his way through the leaves by fluttering harmlessly in the air. Some ponies laughed, and by "ponies" he meant Sparkplug, as he was slicing through the leaves. Past the leaves, was a giant plant stem. At the top of the stem, was a giant bright blue flower. It seemed to glow brightly as it emitted something through the pistils.

"What…is that…?!" exclaimed Midnight.

"I believe that is the giant Poison Joke flower" said Lightning. "I do wonder though, what caused it to go this big?"

Midnight landed on the ground, but something pierced his claw. He lifted his claw, to reveal a broken piece of colored glass. There were several more pieces of different colors around. Midnight grabbed it and held it up, "Look familiar Sparkplug?" Sparkplug looked embarrassed but everyponies attention was focused on the giant plant.

"Well, now all we have to do is retrieve a sample from the flower" said Oracle.

Midnight began to fly up, but Twilight tugged on his tail, "Wait…Zecora also said something about safe and sound. Maybe this plant is dangerous…" Midnight nodded and floated back down. Rainbow Dash crashed into the trees beside them but suddenly busted out from the treetops, "What?! This plant is not dangerous! I'm going to get that sample!" She charged for the top but crashed into the side of a petal. She fell to the ground surrounded in blue pollen. Everypony ran to her, but started to smile when they looked at her. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, got up with no trouble and her wings were free.

"Hey guys!" she exclaimed, "I can control my flying now!"

Half of the group burst into laughter, creating confusion to Rainbow. Rainbow looked at herself and screamed. Her colors were switched. Her mane was blue while her main coat was rainbow striped. She looked at everypony with anger, "It's not funny!"

Lightning walked out of the group and walked beside the only ones not laughing; Midnight, Oracle, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight. "It seems that the plant's effects are now increased and anypony that touches it can't get close."

"What we need is somepony that will not be affected by the Poison Joke to get the sample" said Twilight.

Rarity walked up to the stem, then reared back and kicked the stem. Everypony else stepped back from her. "I don't care what this horrible plant does to my fine appearance" she said, "Anything but this horrid hair will suffice."

The pollen fell on her, immediately changing her symptom. The ponies laughing stopped, but took one look at her and laughed even more. "What on Equestria is so funny know?!" she asked angrily. She looked down at herself, and then her eyes went wide. She screamed at the top of her lungs, shattering some eardrums and cracked Oracle's glasses. Instead of having raggedy hair, Rarity now had no hair. Her mane, tail, and wondrous coat were now bare. Her pale pink skin was now showing. She started to cry and ran off. Midnight wanted to go after her, but they needed to get a sample. Lightning's face expressed an idea as he ran off into the forest. Midnight and the others stayed there for a while until he came back. The one puppet they met before, Stormstrike, was now beside him.

"Stormstrike, we need you to get a sample from that flower" said Lightning.

Stormstrike nodded and floated up along the stem. The pollen hit him, but nothing happened. Midnight was glad Lightning had those puppets; otherwise they would have never got the sample. Stormstrike came back down with a piece of pollen in his mouth. Everyone ran back to Zecora's and hoped for the best. It took about a couple of hours, but Zecora pulled off a miracle and showed exactly what her cutie mark is. Not only did she come up with a cure for them, but she also came up with something to shrink the Poison Joke flower. The group got the cure and everyone turned back to normal. Rarity was so relieved about having her hair back. Even Oracle seemed glad to have her large feathery tail back. Everypony else in town got the cure as well. At the end, Oracle and Midnight were walking down a path. The sun was setting as Midnight explained what happened.

"I can't believe this all started from you trying to look for flowers…" said Oracle.

"Yeah…I was trying to…find some…for you…" Midnight replied while blushing.

Oracle simply nodded as they came onto his house. They said their goodbyes and Midnight walked into his house. He offered for her to come inside, but she didn't want to at the moment. Midnight closed his door and Oracle walked away. She stopped for a moment and looked back, "How big of a crush does he have on me…?

Author's Notes:

You want to see what Midnight looks like after the effects of Poison Joke? http://artgazer12.deviantart.com/art/I-ve-Been-Poison-Joked-290320303

Lightning's Puppets

The next morning came into Ponyville. Everything was normal, well as normal as Ponyville can be these days. Twilight was waiting at the end of a trail, pacing back and forth. A shadow in the sky caused her to look up, her face now gleaming with glee. Downward from the sky came a carriage drawn by two Pegasi. On the carriage itself, stood Princess Celestia. Twilight waited for the carriage to stop and the Princess to get off before approaching. She kneeled on one leg and bowed her head, "I am grateful that you came under my request Princess."

Celestia laughed slightly at Twilight's behavior. Even if she was the Princess, Celestia didn't mind being treated with some recognition under her authority. "So my student, have you found anything interesting?" she asked. "According to the letter you sent me you found somepony capable of using a different and interesting kind of magic."

"Yes Princess, this is true" replied Twilight. "I am not entirely sure of the facts, but I do believe this magic is one of the ancient magics from long ago. He calls it Puppetry Magic…"

Celestia's eyes opened wider, "Puppetry magic…that is one of the lost arts. I would be honored if you would introduce me to such a talented pony."

Twilight's eyes sparkled with glee as she turned around and headed towards the shop. As Celestia walked through town, several ponies bowed their heads in respect. The Princess nearly returned a nod to confirm her loyal subject's gratitude. On the corner of a street, Twilight and Celestia entered a small shop. The name, as indicated on the sign in front, was called Strung Puppets. Celestia was taking notice of all of the hanging puppets up for display. Each one was carefully crafted and well painted. But, something about these hit something in the Princess's mind, something that seemed…familiar about these puppets's construction. Before Celestia could think about it more, she caught onto what Twilight spoke out. "Hey Lightning…are you here?" she said. "I have somepony for you to meet."

Lightning…as in Lightning Strings?! That cannot be possible…Lightning Strings cannot be alive in this time… He would have to be older than me!

In a response, a voice shouted from the door leading to the back room. "Hey Twilight," Lightning replied, "So who did you want me to me…"

Lightning stopped once his eyes landed on Celestia. His body froze completely, not even showing signs of him breathing. The room was filled with an awkward silence, one that even Twilight was getting worried about.

"Eh, Twilight…" said Celestia breaking the silence, "Could you please step outside for the moment? I need to…speak with this esteemed shopkeeper…"

Confused but regarding the Princess's orders, Twilight walked out of the shop and the door closed tightly behind her. With Twilight gone, Lighting could show his true emotions. His eyes glared at Princess Celestia, taking on a little red hue of anger. His tail angrily whipped behind him, knocking over some shelves and items. "What are you doing here Sun Chicken?!" growled Lightning.

Celestia ignored the comment and returned her response. "My student said she had found somepony that has found one of the lost arts" she replied in a calm tone. "However you're the last pony I would have ever expected it to be. How have you been for the past eon?"

Lightning huffed and kept his glare at Princess Celestia. "You know darn well how I've been you backstabbing featherbrain!" His eyes seemed a different emotion of anger. It's more than hatred, a level of anger where somepony has lost something very dear and important to them.

"I take that you are still sore about Fiery then…" Celestia seemed rather surprised by what she said. But, Lightning's reactions and behavior show her guess correct. "I trust you will not mention her to the current elements. Otherwise this quaint little shop might be closed down. Something revolving around the owner being dragged off by the royal guards…" Celestia held her voice high and mighty as a princess should.

Now Lightning, on the other hand, was very upset. He was practically on the verge of steam coming out of his ears. His horn started to glow a green color, but it was so faint that no one could have seen it. "Get…out…" he said with the utmost anger. Princess Celestia lowered her head towards him, unsure if what he just said. Lightning repeated himself, but not in the same way. His eyes were glowing slightly and his horn was nearly blinding. "GET…OUT…NOW!" he roared. With a sudden beam of light, Princess Celestia was hurled out of the store through the front door. The door immediately shut afterwards, nearly breaking off of the hinges from the sheer force used to close it. Lightning as still mad, but sadness soon came over him. He slumped over, tears falling from his eyes to the floor and his mouth quivering, trying to keep the greatest reminder of her in decades. "Of all the ponies in this lousy kingdom, I HAD to make friends with a student of CELESTIA?!"

Outside of the shop, everypony was in panic. The force of the spell caused Celestia to crash into a building on the other side of the street. Twilight seemed too shocked to say a single word and the royal guards began to head towards the shop.

"Guards…stand down" said the Princess as she got to her hooves. "It was…an accident, an experimental spell gone wrong. Lightning was trying to show me something new, but it backfired. Do not arrest him for a mere accident." The guards took it as an answer and stopped advancing. Princess Celestia bowed to her student and Twilight returned it. The royal carriage flew back out to Canterlot. Twilight looked back at Lightning's shop, but never entered. She returned to her library to look for more books on this strange magic.

Later during the day, Midnight and the other main six were walking towards Everfree Forest. Fluttershy was leading, which is not usually the normal routine. The others seemed to be upset and scared, unlike Fluttershy. She seemed determined for something. The path they took through the forest seemed unused.

"Now suga cube, I know you like animals and all…but why are we doing this again?" asked Applejack.

"My animals have been avoiding this area" she replied. "Something is wrong here, so I'm asking you guys to help out." When it came to animals and their safety, Fluttershy's usual shy behavior was replaced with bravery.

"Even so…Fluttershy, you should-" Twilight spoke but Spike closed her mouth. "Something is out there…" he said. Everypony was on edge, especially Midnight. He crouched low to the ground with his wings covering his sides. A bush began to rustle and everypony turned to see a tail dart into it. Fluttershy walked towards it slowly.

"Oh, come here little one…" she said, trying to coax the creature out. The bush shook some more, but then the animal revealed itself. A large cobra head rose from the bushes. Its hood opened, revealing a very terrifying design on the inside. Fluttershy reared back and let out a small scream. "FLUTTERSHY!" shouted everypony.

"Face my fire!" shouted a voice. Before anypony could look around, a flaming comet slammed into Rainbow and crashed into the ground. The flames dispersed, revealing the shouter. It seemed to take the shape of a phoenix, but its body seemed to be made of wood. Rainbow was on the ground, burned and under its talons. The wooden phoenix did not seem like she would ease her tense grip around her neck.

"Hold on sugar cube" shouted Applejack, "I'm a comin!" She galloped straight towards the phoenix. The ground beneath her leveled and large claws grabbed Applejack. Some wooden puppet covered in gemstones stood above her. "You ain't goin anywhere 'Sugarcube'" said the puppet. The puppet placed Applejack on her back so she could see her captor.

"My my, why must there always be such violence?!" shouted Rarity. "It is SO unladylike!" While she was talking, a puppet walked up right next to her in a similar manner. The puppet took the appearance of hyena. "Yes, of course" it said. "The others do disgust me with their intense brutality. But, what must be done must be done. Now, please stay still so I will not hurt you." The hyena held her in place, showing her large bone crushing teeth in Rarity's face.

"Stay back!" shouted Twilight. "I'm warning you! I know spells that can break you into shambles!" Spike was clinging onto Twilight's back in fear. His eyes darted around the path quickly, trying to find some sign of victory between the rivals. "You do not know such spell" said a voice. Twilight and Spike looked around, only seeing a pair of yellow eyes in the darkness. "There is not a spell that does that" the feminine voice continued. The puppet jumped out from the bushes, revealing her form. The puppet was a wolf with saws on the surface of the wood. She lunged at Twilight, knocking Twilight down and Spike off of her back. All Spike could do is stand in fear.

"Wow!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, "With all of these new friends, I can throw more parties!" Her remark received a groan from everypony, including the puppets. "Great, we have another one!" shouted the phoenix puppet. The small pond beside Pinkie Pie bubbled. A dark figure burst from the surface, landing on the dry land beside her. The puppet looked like a crocodile. "A party, where?!" shouted the puppet. "If there's a party, I'm the gator you wanna call!" She looked around as the smile dropped. "Oh, they're just intruders. Did you guys at least save me one?" The other puppets pointed to Pinkie, who was right beside her. The puppet licked her lips and grabbed Pinkie Pie. A door on her stomach opened like a treasure chest as the croc stuffed Pinkie Pie inside. The others now had a look of disgust from the actions they have seen. The puppet lay on her back, "Ah…it's good to be full."

"Yes, but you're going to be empty soon" said a voice. Everypony turned to see Lightning step out from the bushes. "Let her go…everyone, let them all go."

"Alright Lightning!" they all said. One by one, the puppets let their victim go. The croc opened her stomach and rummaged through it. She didn't pull out Pinkie, but she pulled out a lot of stuff. Balloons, streamers, noise makers, confetti, even a three layer birthday cake with lit candles. Pinkie Pie was finally let out, but she blew out the candles before joining her group.

"I'm sorry my friends…" said Lightning as he approached them, "Looks like you've stepped into my area…"

"YOUR…area…?" asked Rainbow.

"My house is within this area, and this is considered my territory. But as you know, it's dangerous out here in Everfree Forest. So, I made some puppets to help protect my home. I guess you all got caught in the cross fire. Let me introduce you to them." The puppets got in order by which they appeared every one of them except for the cobra, who went last/ Lightning walked in front of the phoenix first, "This is Firestorm; she is very loyal to me and her friends. She will do basically anything or everything to save them. The next one is Jewelripper, she is very honest and sincere, but she can be a major threat when needed."

Spike walked up beside one of Jewelripper's legs and stared at the gemstones covering her. He reached out for a large blue one, but Jewelripper lowered her head and faced Spike, "Careful sugar, I'm not like the gems you eat. I bite back!" Spike backed up and hid behind Twilight.

"This is Windrunner" continued Lightning. "She cares a lot about beauty and can run pretty fast." Windrunner smiled at the remark her creator gave her. "This is Sharpfur; she knows nearly every single spell out there." Twilight caught onto the whole magic thing, not really believing it at all. "This is Ginger. Don't let her looks fool you, she's a real partier." Pinkie Pie smiled when she heard that. "And finally…this is Hebihime. She is very caring, but also very defensive."

Everypony said their hellos to each other so they would be properly acquainted. It seemed that the puppet that attacked the main six have similar personalities. Well, more or less at least. Midnight was less tense because of Lightning, but the other puppets still scared him. Lightning offered a tour of his home, and everypony else seemed very excited. As they traveled, all of the puppets took notice to Midnight. Midnight felt uncomfortable as they all stared at him. It's not like he wasn't used to being looked at, it was just the puppet's eyes. Their eyes were all black with a glowing pupil. But, the travel wasn't that far. Lightning's house was an average two story building, painted neatly and built properly. One by one, the ponies went inside. The puppets stayed outside to guard the house. As the others followed Lightning, Fluttershy felt something calling her. The feeling was coming from this one room. Fluttershy stood in the middle of the hallway while the others continued. Fluttershy slowly walked towards the room, and opened the door. What she saw surprised her. A large puppet the size of the Princess stood in the room. The puppet had a hole were the horn and wings should be in place. The puppet seemed to take on a crimson color. What really impressed Fluttershy were the puppet's azure glowing hooves. The puppet slightly moved, causing Fluttershy to move up to its eyes. The eye sockets flashed green, showing a deep emotion of pride. Fluttershy gasped and quickly ran out to catch up with the others.

Unknown to her, Stormstrike was watching from the opposite room. Azure responded to that pony…Fluttershy I believe… Should I tell Lightning…?

After the gang finished the tour, they all said their goodbyes and left. Fluttershy seemed a little tense, but she seemed fine to everypony else. Lightning, on the other hand, saw through her fake emotion. She was nervous about something. She probably went into a room that he never showed or something.

"Stay here and retire for the night" Lightning told his puppets, "I'll be right back."

Lightning tailed Fluttershy almost silently, keeping his distance. He accidentally hit a rock and stubbed his hoof. He stayed there, trying to ease the pain away. But, the pain instantly vanished once he heard a scream from the dark forest, it was Fluttershy's scream.

Staredown Strikes

Lightning galloped through the woods with great speed. He had the greatest motivation, his crush was in danger. He could sense it, almost like it was his sister. He shook that horrid memory out of his head but continued. Lightning saw something in the opening and stopped short of the bushes. In the clearing, was a injured Fluttershy.

Fluttershy wasn't the only thing in that clearing. There was also a Cockatrice. A Cockatrice is a creature that is half dragon, half chicken. Weird combination I know. But these have the ability to turn things to stone with a cold stare. Fluttershy could easily beat their stare with her own, but this one was different. This Cockatrice hurt her before she could even look at it. Now, Fluttershy was too weak to try and dominate over. She looked at the beast, its stare slowly working its way through her. Lightning could see that her back hoof was beginning to turn to stone. This set him off. Lightning stepped out of the bushes, making sure he was noticed.

The Cockatrice turned around, hearing the sound behind him. Once it saw another pony, the hybrid instantly began its stare. However, the stare was not working. Lightning was staring at Fluttershy, not the monster. Seeing her cut like that, it boiled his blood. His crush…his love…no, his hoard…

"What do you think you're doing on MY property bird?!" he yelled, "And what do you think you're doing to MY LOVE?!"

Fluttershy seemed to wake up after Lightning said that. Although the Cockatrice was no longer looking at him, the stone freezing still took place. Now, her entire back half was stone. This made Lightning's anger rise even more. "You are about to see what happens when I really get mad!" he shouted. His entire body became surrounded in a red light. Then, a large cloud of smoke exploded from his body. The Cockatrice and Fluttershy seemed surprised. Then, the Cockatrice turned to the bushes, seeing what looked like a wooden tail. But the hybrid was not paying attention to what was really happening. But, Fluttershy saw it. If she had feeling in her legs she would run. But two things prevented that; her injuries and her legs were now stone. A large snake was appearing behind the monster. One thing that was different was that the snake appeared to be made of wood. It almost seemed to be like a puppet. It was pale green and had a white underbelly. It was also very large. It could wrap around Applejack's barn and still rest its head on its coils. Its head alone appeared to be capable of swallowing two ponies whole. Fluttershy shuttered as its all black eyes with yellow eyes stared down at her. But the massive Basilisk wasn't staring at her. It was staring at the Cockatrice. The Cockatrice noticed the massive shadow looming over it. Not sure if it was fear or curiosity, but the hybrid turned around. It instantly froze in place from the stare. It was greater than his. The stone process was now up to Fluttershy's neck.

"Do you understand now…little bird?" asked the snake. Its voice was harsh and cold. "Do you see now that you've entered a BASILISK'S territory?! That you've harmed a BASILISK'S HOARD?!"

When a Basilisk's hoard is even touched by an unknown being, a Basilisk will do anything to protect it. The results vary from injuries to simply turning to stone. The Cockatrice wanted to run, but its legs wouldn't move. Its eyes never left the snake's eyes. The Basilisk lowered its head dangerously close to the Cockatrice and placed its large eye in view. Something finally kicked in the Cockatrice's instincts and it ran. The Basilisk, however, wasn't finished. It lunged at the fleeing bird and closed its large mouth around it. Fluttershy closed her eyes and turned her head away. She would have curled more, but only her head was free, but even that was slowly turning to stone. But, her area turned to stone glowed white and slowly revealed her normal coat color. The stone was now completely gone. Fluttershy felt like opening her eyes, but she could feel the presence of the Basilisk still near her. The large snake was beginning to coil around her, but not tightly. The snake was actually giving Fluttershy more than enough room. The snake lowered his head close to hers.

"It's okay Flutters…everything is fine…" said the snake.

Fluttershy opened her eyes, but made a small whimper when she saw the Basilisk's head so close to her. But it was showing no anger or aggression. Its eyes seemed happy for her to be in their sight. Something about its eyes changed; it went from yellow slits to green pupils. Although the pupils were still like slits, they weren't just as narrow. Fluttershy remembered that shade of green from somewhere. It then hit her; she has met someone with those eyes.

"Lightning…is that you?!" she exclaimed.

The snake chuckled, "In thissss form, I prefer to be called Staredown, my little Fluttersssss…"

The long drawn out S sounds caused Staredown's tongue to stick out. It tickled Fluttershy, causing her to giggle. All of her fear vanished as she spoke to him. "How exactly can you do this?" she asked with a greater voice. "It's all a part of learning Puppetry magic" Staredown replied. "I learned how to transfer my conscious to a puppet's body. It's helpful in some cases…like now…"

Fluttershy giggled and blushed. But they went away and she looked up at him, "Why exactly did you save me…? You made me sound like a treasure to you…"

Staredown's head raised a little and his eyes diverted from Fluttershy. "I…uh…I…sorta…l-l-love...you…"

Fluttershy was taken aback by this remark; she never would have guessed that Lightning…or Staredown would have a crush on her. She smiled and gestured for him to lower his head. Staredown lowered his head closer to hers, curious to what she has to say. Fluttershy nuzzled Staredown, almost causing his head to shoot back. But, he returned it the best that he could. A giant snake and a small pony probably wasn't the greatest pair, but Lightning wasn't always Staredown. Staredown lifted his head up, only to be replaced with another cloud of smoke. Lightning appeared from the smoke, almost like the event never happened. Fluttershy needed to get home, so Lightning escorted her.

"So…you can talk to all animals…?" asked Lightning.

"Most animals give trouble to others, but I can calm them down so they understand…" replied Fluttershy. "My gift is just as unique as yours…"

Lightning simply nodded, not wanting to get into his powers or past. Fluttershy would learn about it in time. Soon, they reached her house. Lightning smiled as it looked like a tree, all of the animals running in and out of it.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow Flutters…" said Lightning.

Fluttershy went up and kissed Lightning's cheek, "I guess so Stormy…"

Fluttershy left Lightning stunned by the kiss as she entered her home. Lightning began to walk away, but looked back. "She's perfect…"

Friendemey From the Past

Nearly weeks have passed since Midnight's arrival. Midnight spent most of his days simply heading into town and chatting. Other days he would visit Oracle near Everfree and walk along the forest paths with her. It seemed like Oracle was noticing something about Midnight, but he thought it was nothing. Oracle knew that Midnight had a crush on her; she just stayed quiet about it.

One day, Midnight and Oracle were heading towards Ponyville. They were heading to Sugarcube Corner to have something sweet. According to Midnight, it was for a special occasion. However on the way there they saw a group of several ponies, unicorns, and several Pegasus. Oracle and Midnight managed to get through, only to be blown by a cold blast of air. Oracle shivered, but Midnight covered her with his wing. Rainbow Dash landed in front of them.

"Hey Rainbow…what's going on?" asked Midnight.

Rainbow Dash turned quickly, "You won't believe this guy! There's this new Pegasus pony that has an amazing gift!"

Another cold blast of air rushed by them, slightly messing up some pony's manes. It was a black blur rushing towards the clouds. It shot straight through the cloud, but circled around and flew straight down. The blur then spun around quickly, creating a small tornado of snow. The white drift disappeared, causing everyone to gasp. A large sculpture made of ice was in place of the tornado. The sculpture was shaped like Princess Celestia. Everypony stomped their hooves in applause. The black figure landed on the ground and bowed. It was a male Pegasus, with a red mane that grew out a little. He had a snow crystal cutie mark on his side. One thing about this one was he seemed very buff in muscle build. He was also very tall; taller than Big Macintosh. His wings were much larger than that of Rainbow's, or his for that matter. All of the female ponies started to drool over him. The image of this pony hit Midnight's memory hard.

No…no…it can't be him…he's…he's…he's the one that tried to kill me!

Midnight slowly back away, trying to be unnoticed. Oracle saw his nervousness, and tried to see what was wrong. The black Pegasus noticed as well. He only had a glance, but he was the tips of bat wings and a few spikes before it ran out of view.

That wasn't…no…there's no way…is it really him…?

The Pegasus tried to get through, but the crowd was preventing him. Oracle managed to catch up to Midnight just before he bolted from town. Midnight was quivering with his wings blocking him and tears beginning to form. The very memory of that night now haunted his mind. Oracle was now worried about him. He seemed to be scared to death from something.

"Midnight…what's troubling you…?" she asked. "I've never seen you like this…"

Midnight continued to shiver in fear, never even answering his crush. Rainbow Dash landed beside them and looked just as concerned as Oracle. Midnight seemed to calm down, but he tensed up once again as he saw the black Pegasus approach. Without warning, Midnight bolted from his two friends, leaving them stunned.

"Excuse me…" said the pony. Both Oracle and Rainbow turned to greet him. "That strange looking pony wouldn't happen to be named Midnight…?" They nodded but still seemed confused. "My name is Shard. I'm like…an old friend of his. Do you know where I could meet him?"

As they discussed, Midnight finally arrived at his home. He slammed the door shut and quickly went onto his bed. Tears began to form in his eyes. "No…he couldn't have found me" he said. "I…I ran away…he ran away from me. Does he…does he really want to kill me? Is his desire for my death that great?"

A knock on the door silenced Midnight's thoughts. Midnight calmed himself down before heading to the door. Using his magic, he opened the door but regretted it completely. Standing there was the pony from before. Midnight forced the door closed, but one of Shard's legs blocked it from closing. Midnight stopped his magic and backed away fast. Shard was a lot different last time than what Midnight remembered. He was a lot bigger, taller, and mean looking. Midnight was backed into a wall. His wings were spread to protect himself if needed. Shard continued to approach him, but stopped after a few feet.

"It has been a long time Midnight…" he said. Midnight simply nodded at his remark. He was too scared of his death happening so soon that he didn't want to provoke him. "I have something for you…" he continued, "I've been trying to find you ever since that incident you had." Midnight's heart was in his throat.

W-W-What is it…was does he want? Revenge…anger…my death…? No…please tell me it's not that…

Another knock on the door caused Shard to turn around, "Oh…it must be that unique pony Oracle…" Midnight's heart beat faster, faster than ever before. His concern for her suddenly raised, his cutie mark strangely beginning to flash black. "I guess I will have to deal with her before I deal with you."

Those words instantly triggered something in Midnight's mind. All of the fear and sadness vanished from his mind. Instead, it was all replaced with anger. Complete raw anger. His wings moved from in front of his face to the sides of his body. His eyes went from a clear blue pupil to a blood red shade. No pupils were shown, only red anger. The spikes on his snout seemed to grow slightly and glow with a similar black energy. The black energy began to flow around Midnight's body and dissipate as it traveled up. His claws dug into the wood of his house by just standing there. Shard noticed the complete silence and turned. Now that memory haunted him, the death of his friends Boxer and Edge. But now, Midnight was angry at Shard.

"Whatever you did to Oracle…you will DIE for it!" yelled Midnight in a deeper voice. Midnight blasted a black concentrated beam of energy towards Shard. At the last second, Shard jumped out of the way. The blast hit the door and shattered it to pieces. Shard took the advantage and ran out of the house. Midnight had other plans for him. He followed suit, chasing him with greater speed than what he had. Once Midnight went outside, he immediately focused his magic around Shard. Shard was lifted into the air unable to move a single muscle. He was brought closer to Midnight, very close. Midnight raised his claws and grinned evilly.

Unknown to Midnight, Oracle was closer to being hurt by him instead of Shard. Oracle was concerned by what Shard did to Midnight in the past, so she followed him. He may not have seemed like it, but he was definitely sorry. Oracle sensed something evil in the area, so she hid behind the rock arch that Midnight's house had. She was surprised that the evil presence was actually Midnight. But this didn't seem like Midnight, it was something more evil.

"P-Please…! I didn't do anything to her!" pleaded Shard. Midnight simply chuckled, "You really expect me to believe that. After everything you and your friends treated me…you expect me to give you mercy…?" His claws extended as he raised them for a strike. "…I did…" replied Shard.

Midnight stopped his claw and stared at him in confusion. "I was the only one that stopped fighting you" Shard continued. "I wanted them to stop, you were cut and bleeding. I never expected them to go that far. Now that I look back at it, I am so ashamed of myself that I treated you like that. I…"

Midnight's magic slammed him against the ground, stopping him from talking. "Stop saying such lies!" shouted Midnight. "I would never believe you!"

"Would you believe me…?" asked a voice.

Midnight turned around in anger, but his anger drained from him. Standing behind him was Oracle. Her eyes were filled with sadness and concern, but there was one emotion that Midnight hated to see, fear. The evil transformation Midnight went through reversed, revealing regular old Midnight. Midnight looked at Oracle, seeing relief in her eyes. Midnight sighed as well, but didn't notice Shard rising behind him. Not only that, Oracle also talked to Twilight since she seemed to be the most reasonable pony to have around. Spike sat on her back with as much concern as everyone else.

"Please Shard…I don't want to get hurt…" said Midnight. "I'm sorry for…"

Shard stuck out his hoof gently towards Midnight. This was a sign of saying "no hard feelings." Midnight was hesitant, but he placed his claw beside his hoof and grasped it. They shook and Shard sighed.

"I'm glad you forgive me" he said. "I should have apologized to you years ago. Do you really forgive me?"

Midnight looked at the bigger and buffer Pegasus pony actually asking him for forgiveness. It would have been strange either way they tried to do it. But, Midnight nodded, receiving a big relief from everypony. Midnight turned to Spike, who was now off of Twilight's back. "Spike…do you mind if I write another letter to the Princess…?" he asked.

"That's what I'm here for…" said Spike as he pulled out a quill and paper.

"Dear Princess Celestia" began Midnight. "Today, something unexpected showed up. I met a pony from my past that wasn't exactly the greatest memory. He wasn't the nicest pony to me as a colt, but he wasn't the meanest either. When I saw him today, I thought he was here just to bully me like when I was colt. But, he instead asked for my forgiveness from his harsh actions. When it comes to friendship, you may not know what to do. But just because somepony acts one way in the past, does not mean they will act the same in the future. From your loyal subject, Midnight."

Spike finished the letter, rolled it up, and breathed green fire onto it. The letter burned into smoke and flew into the air. "I still cannot say how sorry I am" Shard continued. As they walked towards Ponyville, Shard glimpsed at Midnight's bat-like wings. "You know…as long as I have known you…you have never used those wings…" Midnight looked back at them. It's true; he hasn't used them much, only to simply give him a boost when jumping. "You know what, I know a way to make it up to you" Shard continued. "I'm going to help you learn how to fly."

Midnight's First Flight

Midnight was a little hesitant when Shard offered flight lessons. Midnight was still afraid of him. But, he did want to learn how to fly. So, he and Shard agreed to start his lessons the next day. Midnight said goodbye to Oracle before he went back inside his house. The next morning, he was greeted by Oracle. But she looked different. Her mane seemed longer than before, almost touching the ground. She looked nice, which Midnight complemented her on her and caused her to blush. They headed towards town, but Shard flew in front of them. Midnight flinched and covered himself with his wings. It took less time, but Midnight eased up. Shard smiled, "Are you ready for your lessons Midnight?"

"I guess" he replied. "But I'm not sure what I'm capable of…"

Shard smiled as started to walk away, "Well, let's start with the basics then. Follow me if you will." Midnight and Oracle followed Shard towards a small river. In the distance, the river could be seen entering the Everfree Forest. Shard stopped as well as his company. "Alright Midnight, let's start out with something simple" Shard explained. His wings opened and they began to flap, lifting Shard into the air. "Let's just see if you can take a simple standing take off" he explained.

Midnight opened his bat-like wings to their fullest extent. The only other time he used his wings was to increase his height during jumps. Midnight was hesitant, but he brought his wings back down. Surprisingly, Midnight was hurled into the air by his wings and landed in a nearby tree. Oracle and Shard laughed but helped him out. Shard patted his back, "Hey, don't feel bad. That shows you have great power. Now, instead of trying to use everything at once, try to maintain your altitude."

Midnight nodded and opened his wings once more. He flapped them gently, creating a small gust of air to rush around him. Ever so slowly, Midnight began to ascend into the air. However, Midnight had his eyes closed. He opened one of them and looked down. He was a good few feet off the ground. Midnight became scared and lost control. He crashed to the ground with a mighty thud. Oracle didn't laugh this time, she was worried. Midnight got up just fine.

"That was good for a beginner" said Shard as he landed. "Keep practicing that and I'm sure you will be a great flyer."

Midnight nodded as Shard left. Oracle turned to him, "You know, I can't wait to see you fly. I have to go meet Zecora, I'll see you later." Oracle headed for the woods, but along the way her tail flicked against Midnight. Midnight blushed but soon stopped. He opened his wings again and practiced. But every time he opened his eyes, he freaked out and crashed. Midnight swiped the grass in anger, "Why can't I stay in the air?!"

Rainbow Dash was lying on a cloud when she heard something below. She glanced down to see Midnight. But she turned her head and focused when she saw him fly and crash. She flew off the cloud and landed beside him. "Hey Midnight, I didn't know you could fly" she said.

Midnight turned to her with a small expression of sadness. "I can't fly" he replied. "I'm trying to learn but I get scared every time I get into the air."

"Fluttershy was like that when she was a filly" explained Rainbow Dash. "She was too scared but she managed to learn. I'm not exactly sure how but she learned." Midnight sighed, the advice giving no help to him at all. Rainbow saw this and patted his back. "Listen, I don't tell many ponies this" she said. This caught Midnight's attention. "I was scared of flying once. It was my first time. You see, I was born in Cloudsdale. It's literally a city in the clouds. I took one look below me and was filled with fear. But, once I tried it, I found out that there was nothing to worry about. As long as you concentrate of flying, you will never crash. Keep that in mind."

With that Rainbow flew off to the sky, leaving Midnight alone. With newfound determination, Midnight spread his wings once more. He practiced the rest of the day, constantly flying.

The next day, Shard and Oracle arrived at Midnight's home. But for some reason he would never open the door. They continued to knock on the door, unknown to what was flying behind them. "Hey guys, what you need?" the figure asked. Both Oracle and Shard turned around quickly to see who was behind. To both of their surprise, Midnight was flying right behind them. Midnight smiled at their expressions, "What? Surprised I can fly now?"

"You have been practicing haven't you?" asked Shard. Midnight nodded and Shard joined him. "Now I think you're ready for the next step. While you can fly, you need to know how to maneuver through the air. Just flying up and off the ground isn't really flying. Try and catch me."

Shard flew past Midnight and stopped a good distance away from him. Oracle sat comfortingly on a grassy hill beside Midnight's house. Midnight flew over to Shard no problem. "Not bad" he said, "But let's see you catch me!" Shard climbed upward and looked down. Midnight wasn't even there. A claw tapped Shard on the rear, causing Shard to turn around. Midnight was behind him.

"Could we skip this step?" he asked. "I already learned how to from somepony else."

Shard was silent, but he smiled, "…Rainbow Dash…?"

Midnight nodded, but that only caused Shard to fly off. "I told you that you have to catch me!" he shouted. Midnight rolled his eyes and took off after him. With every turn and rise, Midnight followed. Midnight's wings were much larger than Shard's, making him able to use less energy in flying. Shard's wings were bigger than the average Pegasus, but he was starting to get exhausted. Shard looked back to see where Midnight was at. He wasn't that far behind him, he was going to catch up soon. Shard decided to show some of his talents. He ran through a cloud and gathered some moisture. Midnight wasn't aware of this, but he knew Shard was going to try something. Suddenly, Shard turned around and spun around Midnight. Ice formed as he spun, the ice covering Midnight's body. With one of his wings covered in ice, Midnight began to fall. This scared Midnight stiff. He wouldn't even try to fly or break the ice. Shard saw this and rushed to him. He grabbed Midnight just before he hit the ground. Oracle ran over to them as soon as Shard broke the ice. Midnight ran off and hid behind his house. Oracle chased after him but Shard walked over. "Midnight, are you alright?!" asked Oracle.

Midnight was curled up with his wings covering him. "N-Never again…" he mumbled. "N-Never f-flying….n-never again…"

Oracle looked devastated, but her face quickly changed to anger. She whirled around and glared at Shard. "What did you think you were doing?!" she yelled. "You scared him half to death!"

Shard cowered against Oracle's yelling, "I-I thought he would be able to break it. I was only trying to make him a better flyer."

"But now he's too scared to even flap his wings! You almost killed him! I was right, you are no better than your old friends."

Shard was shocked by this remark and quickly flew away. Oracle's face returned to concern as she walked up to Midnight again. He was still muttering in fear with no sign of calming down. Oracle curled up next to Midnight and wrapped her tail around him. "It's okay Midnight" she said soothingly, "Everything will be okay."

"B-But…I-I almost c-crashed…" he managed to say, "I-I d-don't have the c-c-courage to f-fly again…"

Oracle smiled and gently kissed his cheek. Midnight's shivering vanished completely. Oracle uncurled herself from Midnight and began to walk away. "Midnight, you can still fly" she said. "Please follow me."

Midnight got up and followed Oracle. They took a small path through a series of the woods that Midnight has never been to yet. They soon began to climb uphill. It took a while, but they finally got there. "Oracle…where are we?" asked Midnight. He stopped walking when he looked at the view. They were on a cliff that over looked Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. Midnight was amazed by the view, but he felt like there was another purpose to this place. A small updraft caught up and blew against his wings. He backed up, "Oh no! I am NOT flying again!"

Oracle looked back with big pleading eyes. Midnight sighed, but he couldn't go off. Oracle saw this and took matters into her own hands. She jumped off the cliff, the last thing Midnight expected it to be. Midnight quickly ignored his sense of fear and jumped off of the cliff after her. He opened his wings and flapped them in frantic search. He looked below him, but Midnight was even more surprised than when Oracle jumped off. Below him, was Oracle. She seemed to be drifting on the winds by using her tail. Midnight flew down low enough to see Oracle. She turned to him and smiled. Her tail ruffled, causing her to gain speed and change direction. Midnight followed her with two emotions flowing through him; happiness and love. He gently grabbed Oracle by her body and grasped her. Midnight flew very close to the river leading through the forest. Oracle gently glided her hoof against the surface of the water. She looked up at Midnight and smiled. Midnight smiled too. He looked down at his reflection in the water. He was flying, and he had no fear. Oracle's tail was helping him adjust as well. This is what Oracle wanted to do; she wanted to show him that there was nothing to fear about flying. Midnight was about to fly up, but he ran into an unexpected treeline. Both Oracle and Midnight tumbled onto a grassy hill laughing. Oracle brushed her mane out of her face. Midnight smiled as well, too fixed onto her beauty. She just seemed so stunning. Without a question, Midnight kissed Oracle directly.

Nightmare Night Surprise

When Midnight delivered a kiss onto her lips, Oracle was not expecting that at all. The sheer surprise of it caused her tail to unfold and extend. This caught Midnight off guard and he stumbled back. Oracle was still in a daze from the sudden affection, but soon recovered and brought her tail in. Midnight rubbed the back of his head, "Oh….I-I'm sorry…I just…you were so…I think I should leave…"

"No wait!" she exclaimed. This caused Midnight to step back, but not from fear. It was out of surprise. When he thought about it, he believed that Oracle would be disgusted by him. He was willing to take the risk to show her his love. She was the first pony that was feeling the same pain as her, but she managed to live with it better than him. "I…er…mean why not come in?" she asked. Midnight was confused until he looked out into the distance. There were these massive ruins in the background that the river ran by. Midnight simply nodded and Oracle gladly lead the way. Midnight walked beside her so he wouldn't step on her tail. They came upon the stairs and climbed them. He was excited to see what her house was like. Well, technically this wasn't exactly a house. These were just some ruins that survived in good condition. Once Midnight stepped inside, he couldn't help but to gasp in awe. The entire room would be considered one big art project. Along the walls hung several paintings; some of ponies, and others of landscapes. Other places had a wide instruments hanging. Near the base of the walls had flowers planted. This made Midnight kind of upset. He tried his best to find some exotic flowers, but now he was in a room filled with some. Although, one set of flowers caught his eye. One day in the past week, Midnight purchased these roses that he found in the flower shop. He bought four of them; one red, one white, one blue, and the strangest color, green. They were planted in some fine soil and placed near the wall. Midnight smiled as he walked up to them. He had no idea how she planted these, especially because of the thorns the stems had. But, they were planted and she kept them nonetheless.

"Wow Oracle…" spoke Midnight, "This place is amazing!"

"Oh…it's nothing special" she said. "This place actually has the one upside of my accident at Zecora's house. If it wasn't for her potion, I would have never found that I was a great artist. I can also play a few instruments and keep some flowers around."

Midnight walked along the walls, gazing up at every painting. All of them were expertly painted. The two he liked the most were ones of a clear sky at night and a beautiful sunset. As Midnight walked by the walls, there was one painting lying against the wall. It was covered by a white sheet completely. Midnight reached for the sheet but Oracle stopped him. "No…that's…not ready yet…" she said. Midnight took that an answer. With one final thank you, and a small blush from Oracle, Midnight left for the day.

---

More weeks went by in Ponyville. Midnight practiced flying every single day by Oracle's house. The strangest part was that neither of them saw Shard within those weeks. But, Midnight's flying improved greatly and his wings grew bigger. The seasons began to change from the summer crisp air to the chilling cool breezes of fall. Eventually, to Midnight's first experience, the most celebrated holiday came through; Night Mare Night. Apparently, you need to wear a costume to the festivities they hold in Ponyville. Midnight invited Oracle to meet at his house to get ready for the festivities. Midnight was currently inside getting his costume ready. Since Midnight had large bat-like wings, he decided to go as a bat. He was wearing something over his body that made him appear to have brown fur. On his head were these fake bat ears, much larger than what his were. To top it off, he placed a fake set of fangs in his mouth. These allowed him to take normally without causing any discomfort. A knock on his door signaled that Oracle has arrived. Midnight smiled once he saw what Oracle was wearing. Oracle had a fake beak piece around her mouth and wore a feathery cloth around her body. She resembled a peacock. They were a matching pair; two ponies with odd features, each wearing a animal costume of their own features.

"Nice costume Midnight" said Oracle. "You really look scary."

"Well you look beautiful in your costume" Midnight replied.

Midnight's comment caused a blush to occur on Oracle's face. Her tail began to ruffle, but she contained it. The last thing she wanted was her tail to ruin her friend's house. Another knock on the door was heard, giving a confused look on Oracle and Midnight's faces. Using his magic, Midnight opened the door once he was close enough. "TRICK OR TREAT!" shouted a group of ponies. Midnight smiled, but some of them stepped back. Midnight noticed this and spit out the fake fangs, "Don't worry kids, their fake." The group settled down and each held out their bag. Each pony had a different costume. Midnight knew he would at least have some visitors and was prepared. He levitated a piece of candy for each kid and placed it in their bags. The pony with them was an Earth pony. Her coat was a shade of cerise and her mane was light grayish rose. Her cutie mark was three flowers. "Now kids, what do we say?" she asked. "Thank you!" they all said in unison. As they left, the pony approached them.

"I have been waiting to talk to you Midnight" she said. "My name is Cheerilee, and I am the teacher here in Ponyville. I heard about you from a few students from my class. I also have heard of the pony behind you" she said. Oracle heard her be mentioned and walked forward. "I was just wondering if you two would like to come into my class one day and help me with a lesson." Both Oracle and Midnight nodded in agreement, causing a smile to form on her face. Midnight closed the door and placed his fake fangs back in. He walked beside Oracle on his way to Ponyville. The town had many booths and decorations hanging along the buildings. A stage was set up in town square and some ponies were playing music. Oracle and Midnight looked at the town with wide eyes.

"This is incredible!" exclaimed Midnight.

"I know how you feel" said Oracle, "I haven't been to a Night Mare Night Celebration ever since I was a filly."

Soon enough, they met their friends. Pinkie Pie was wearing a clown outfit, probably an excuse just to use her several party pranks. Rarity was in a princess outfit. Applejack was even more of a cowboy attire than usual, more likely a sheriff. Fluttershy had fake butterfly wings with hers along her sides. Rainbow Das had the outfit of a Wonderbolt. As Oracle and Midnight accompanied them and discussed their outfits, Twilight was accompanying Princess Luna.

"Well Luna, I want you to meet my new friends" said Twilight. "They seem interested in meeting you."

"Well, we shall see if they like me" replied Luna.

"Come now Princess, you already met Midnight, and he liked you. Plus one of the others was an outcast just like him. Don't worry Princess, tonight is basically your night." As they entered town, Twilight noticed her group of friends. "Hey, there they are now!"

Twilight galloped towards the group and everypony said their hellos. Luna approached slowly and cautiously. She knew Midnight, but the other one was a mystery. To her, seeing a pony with a tail like a peacock made her think it was just a costume. But the way it moved made it seem real. Oracle saw this, approached her, and bowed. "Good evening Princess" she said. "My name is Oracle. I am pleased to see you after for so long to talk to you."

"Please, drop the formalities" she said. "Please, just call me Luna. I am very curious, is that tail truly yours?"

Oracle answered her question by opening her tail to the fullest extent. Her action not only gave Luna quite a startle, but caught the attention of the smaller fillies and colts. They all gathered around Oracle and started to laugh and talk. Oracle seemed uneasy, but Midnight stood by her side.

"Wow! Your tail is pretty!" said a couple.

"Are you really a bird?" asked a small colt.

"Look at the pony beside her!" said a pony. "He's a bat!"

Midnight and Oracle chuckled. "Sorry kids" said Midnight, "I'm not a bat. But these wings are real." Midnight opened his wings and flapped them a little. The young ponies gasped in awe. One colt approached him and tugged on his wing. "Um…excuse me…" he said. "Can you use echolocation like a bat please?" Midnight looked at him strangely, "I'm sorry, but what?" "I mean can you emit sound waves?"

Midnight looked up to see a bat. It opened its mouth and emitting a small screech. As Midnight watched the bat, his center spike began to glow black. Twilight noticed this strange event. "I…I guess I can try…" he said. Midnight opened his mouth, and a loud shrill screech was emitted. Everypony there and at the party stopped to cover their ears. Midnight stopped and looked around. He saw that everypony was hurt and shuttered. "Wha…what did I just do?" he said nervously. Oracle patted his back but Midnight ran off. Oracle tried to run after him but Midnight opened his wings and took to the skies. Oracle sighed and rejoined the group. Everything seemed to calm down after they recovered. Soon the festivities were back to their original status.

"Hello everypony, what happened?" asked a voice. Twilight turned to see Lightning. Well, at least she thought it was Lightning. He looked like a puppet with black wood and green glowing circuit-like markings. The cutie mark was the same, but his mane and tail seemed to be like green electricity. Twilight was startled but Fluttershy galloped towards him. She nuzzled him greatly, and Lightning returned the favor. "I'm glad you're here Flutters…" he said. "And I am glad that you're here Stormy" replied Fluttershy.

"…Stormy…?" asked Luna. Lightning's head suddenly shot up. Luna was shocked and confused at the same time. The small group turned between them, waiting for an answer. "Aw BUTTERBALLS!" shouted Lightning. He ran off from the party rather quickly, leaving everypony in confusion.

"Uh Princess, how do you know Lightning?" asked Twilight.

"He's…um…an old friend…" replied Luna.

"Hold on a sec, how can Lightning be an old friend?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"I have to agree" added Rarity, "You are at least over a thousand years old. It seems impossible for him to be your old friend."

"Well…Lightning is older than me…"

Staredown Revealed

After the celebrations, everypony left to their homes. Oracle walked by to check up on Midnight, but he wasn't home. Fluttershy was going to check up on Lightning, but it was extremely dangerous to go out to the Everfree Forest at dark. Especially how late it was when she left. Only one pony was not going to bed, Twilight.

Twilight was impatiently levitating books off of shelves and quickly skimming the pages. Spike walked down the stairs rubbing his eyes in disturbed slumber. "Twilight…why are you up so late…?" he asked. Twilight never turned to face him, she kept looking through books. "I saw something tonight, something I have never seen before" she explained. "I never read about a spell that allows you to emit powerful sound waves before."

Spike yawned but walked up beside her, "What are you talking about?"

"When you were here, I went with Princess Luna to the celebration. Midnight accidentally used a spell when a little colt asked him to try and imitate a bat."

"So Midnight can imitate stuff…it's not like it can do any real disaster…"

Twilight's eyes grew wide as Spike said that. She turned to Spike and embraced Spike, "Spike you're a genius!" Twilight galloped to a shelf and used her levitation spell to grab a book from the top of the shelf. It was dusty and rather worn out, but Twilight put in on her desk. She blew the dust off, creating a cloud of the dust to fly off into the room. Spike and Twilight coughed from the cloud, but it eventually cleared up. The cover of the book was now readable. The title read: "Forbidden Spells and Dark Magic." Spike was confused by the book and the reason why Twilight picked that book. But, Twilight read through it. Eventually, she gasped at a certain page.

"I found it!" she exclaimed. "Midnight used the Catastrophe Copy Spell!"

Spike's face instantly had an expression of confusion, "The Cata Copa whata?"

"The Catastrophe Copy spell" Twilight repeated. "It's one of the lost and forbidden dark magic spells. The user can copy anything he sees, spells, abilities, just about anything and increase the power of it to dangerous levels. But, Midnight was born around the same time as me. There is no way he could have learned this. There was also that one time with Sparkplug when his magic couldn't be affected."

Spike yawned and headed back the stairs, "Sorry Twilight, but it's too late for me. You can go on ahead without me…" Twilight rolled her eyes and continued to read. Once she was done her research, she would take to Midnight.

---

Midnight left the celebration in fear for others. But more importantly, he was afraid of hurting Oracle. He had to admit, things have gotten closer between them. Although Oracle hid it, he was sure that Oracle had the same feelings for her. Midnight flew to the forest, hiding until he thought it was time. He was hiding in a hole under a stump. "Uh…why am I always a threat to others…" he spoke out loud. "If it's not from my appearance, it's from what I do. How…how did I even do that anyway?" Midnight walked by a puddle and he glanced down into it. He looked at himself, just trying to think of what happened. He thought about the bat once more, and his spike began to glow black. Midnight was surprised, but looked around for a target. A rather large rock was a good distance beside him. He let out a small breath, but a rather loud shrill screech emitted instead. The rock was shattered into several small pebbles. Midnight backed up from the sheer power he just exerted. Midnight didn't know who he was afraid of, other ponies or himself.

"…Midnight…?" said a voice.

Midnight tensed up and turned around quickly. Standing behind him was the last pony he expected to be there, Princess Luna. Midnight was too startled to even think of what to even do. Luna approached him, "Listen Midnight, you shouldn't be afraid of yourself. The magic you just demonstrated is powerful, but it can be controlled."

Midnight turned around, sat down, and lowered his head in sadness. "Yeah…almost like how "controlled" it was at town square" he replied.

"Now Midnight, everypony that has learned magic doesn't always have control. Even…even I had no control once." Midnight turned back to Luna in astonishment. "When I was young, I was scared of my power as well. I was also very arrogant and selfish. I plunged Equestria into a permanent nightfall. I had to battle my own sister, just for my own selfish evil ways. And…I had to suffer a millennia of imprisonment for my mistake. I now understand my importance. Although most ponies only spend their time in the light, it only takes darkness to start the process over again. Please Midnight, you have some importance in this world, but destruction is not one of them."

With that, Luna gently rubbed Midnight's back with her wing. Then, she took to the skies once more. As she flew through the skies, the night followed. Morning soon came, the rising sun soon starting to shine. Midnight took Luna's words to heart. The next day, he would go to the one pony who knows all magic, Twilight Sparkle.

---

Fluttershy was wandering the woods the moment she was done with her tasks. It was around midday when she left her home. She headed towards Lightning's house, in hope of finding him. It was the day after Night Mare Night, the night he ran off. Fluttershy was worried that something happened to him and wanted to find him. Once his house was in view, Fluttershy flew over with great speed. Once she stopped, she noticed that none of the puppets were guarding it as usual. Instead, they were lying down around the pond he kept behind his house. The only puppet that wasn't there was Firestorm. But Lightning was nowhere to be found.

"Um…excuse me…" she said almost silently, "C-Can anyone tell me where Lightning is…?"

All of the puppet's eyes landed on her. Fluttershy became nervous from every puppet staring at her now. The cobra, Hebihime, spoke up. "Trust me Flutters; you don't want to see them today. This is a sad day for all of us, but especially for Lightning and Firestorm. Today is a day of mourning."

Fluttershy soon felt the same feeling of sadness, "Oh, I'm sorry. Who were they?"

"The one Lightning is mourning for is his sister Fiery Strings" replied Ginger sadly. "Today is the day she passed away. For Firestorm, it was her first love, Windstorm."

Ginger turned to Sharpfur and nodded. Sharpfur's eyes glowed slightly then she opened her mouth. A light purple mist started to expel from her mouth, creating a cloud in front of Fluttershy. A vision began to appear within the mist. It appeared to be a deep green dragon puppet close to the size of Celestia.

"This…" started Sharpfur, "Is Windstorm. He was made by Fiery as a guard. He had a very close relationship with Firestorm." The vision cleared to that of Windstorm and Firestorm. They were nuzzling each other with gentle kindness. Fluttershy smiled at this, but the image blurred quickly. "Unfortunately, Windstorm fell into the line of duty to protect the others. He died as a result. Fiery tried to save him, but her fate was nearly the same." The vision showed Celestia standing over Windstorm. Fluttershy was surprised to see Celestia in the vision. But she was even more surprised to see her raise her hoof and crush the skull of Windstorm. Some of the other puppets flinched at the sighting of that moment. But, the vision kept going. Celestia turned around and faced a small female pony. The pony had a crimson coat, orange mane, and yellow horns. On her hooves were these similar azure hoofguards. Celestia's horn glowed with a golden light. Fiery's colors started to fade and a small orb of purple light began to form over her. It slowly began to solidify into stone as a familiar shape began to appear on it. Fiery's body soon became gray and lifeless. The scene was too great that it caused Fluttershy to look away.

"I'm sorry…but I don't understand how Windstorm is dead" replied Fluttershy. "Can't you just…you know…rebuild the puppet?"

Windrunner sighed, "That is one of the major flaws in puppetry magic. Once the head or skull of the puppet is crushed, all of the puppet's memories and behavior is lost. You could rebuild the puppet, but you cannot rebuild their memories."

The mist dispersed once the explanation was finished. However, something else started once the mist disappeared. Slow, sad music began to play. The puppets rose up and stared towards the house. "Impossible…" Hebihime whispered quietly, "He hasn't played a single song since Fiery passed away."

"Uh…what is it…that you're talking about, if you don't mind me asking…" asked Fluttershy. She quickly received a quick shush from all of the other puppets. A beautiful voice soon chimed into the music being played. It was sad in tone as well but it was beautiful. Stormstrike began drift closer to Lightning's house, "Amazing…Lightning hasn't played any music since Fiery's death. Firestorm hasn't sung since Windstorm's death either. Now, they can make music once more."

The music and singing suddenly picked up and increased volume. It scared the birds out of the trees within the area. A piano was heard at the beginning, but then it picked up with them singing about their sorrows. The puppets started to dance to the music and cheering, they repeated, "He's back! He's back!" Fluttershy smiled warmly and turned to walk away. Stormstrike floated away from the group and stopped behind her, "Where are you going?" Fluttershy turned to meet the small eel-like puppet. "You are the reason behind his new behavior. You brought happiness into his dark world. You should stay and enjoy the music."

Fluttershy smiled and sat next to the house. She never decided to enter because he never wanted to ruin his moment. Once the singing finished, the other puppets cheered. Fluttershy was happy, but her cheers were outmatched by the others. Lightning walked out of the house and the other puppets ran inside. Lightning turned and had a rather surprising expression on his face when he saw Fluttershy. Both Lightning and Fluttershy's face became red.

"How long…have you been here…?" asked Lightning.

"Long enough to hear about Fiery…" she said.

Lightning's head shot up with the mentioning of her name. "They told you?" Fluttershy nodded slowly. Lightning sat on the ground, head hung low and eyes beginning to water. He lifted his head once he felt a comforting wing on his back. Fluttershy was beside him, gently wiping the tears with her hoof. Lightning smiled and hugged her gently. Fluttershy returned the hug, but the pair jumped as a scream ran through the woods. Fluttershy flew a bit higher to see where it came from. "It came from the Froggy Bottom Bog!" she exclaimed. She began to fly towards the bog as Lightning followed her on the ground.

Twilight and her friends were looking for Fluttershy. They haven't seen her all day and wanted to find her. They assumed that she was helping more animals, so they looked at the usual spots. Once they came to the Froggy Bottom Bog, they soon encountered a Hydra. It roared at them all, causing Twilight and Applejack to scream. Fluttershy flew closer to the Hydra's heads, "Please…calm down now…"

The Hydra roared at her, causing Fluttershy to get quickly knocked down to the ground. The other head suddenly began to crash down on top of her. "Look out!" shouted Lightning as he began to gallop. He pushed Fluttershy out of the way, getting slammed with the full force of the Hydra's head. The weirdest part was that the impact sounded like something just hit wood. "I…I won't l-let you hurt her!" he shouted up at the Hydra. "I…I won't let you hurt ANY OF THEM!" The beast's heads shot back, each one having an expression of confusion. As Lightning glared up at the Hydra, a red aura began to emit from his body. This caught the attention of everypony.

"Lightning…what are-?" Twilight was cut off when a large cloud of smoke exploded from Lightning's body. The smoke cleared, but revealed no Lightning. But, Twilight saw a tip of a tail sink into the bog. The Hydra's instincts kicked in, sensing what was in the bog. But, fear took over its instincts to run, casuing it to freeze.

"Did you really think you could run away after trying to injure my hoard?" a loud hissy voice said. "After all, a basilisk is known to fiercely protect its hoard."

Twilight's eyes became filled with fear when she heard the word basilisk. Basilisks are very large snake-like creatures, capable of mass destruction. Her head quickly turned to different locations, "Girls…we have to get out of here!" The other ponies began to run except for Rarity. She was heavily dressed so that the bog's muck wouldn't touch her. Fluttershy flew in front of them, blocking their escape. Rainbow Dash flew down beside her, "Fluttershy what do you think your doing?!"

"Everyone…he…" she quickly tried to say.

"Are you trying to doom us all?"

"I..."

"I mean really…I know it's a giant snake, but you really don't have to…"

"WAIT!" Her voice caught everypony by surprise. "I was trying to say it's okay. Show them what I mean Stormy…"

Everypony was shocked when she said "Stormy." She has only called one pony that. "Ah…I live to please Flutterssssss……" said the voice. He mud flew up like a wave as a large creature emerged from the bog. It was a huge pale green and white snake. The basilisk was unfamiliar to everypony except for Fluttershy. The large wooden snake towered over the Hydra. The Hydra cowered as it rose even higher in front of it. "Thisssss issssss a warning Lizzzzard…" Staredown continued. "Ssssstay out of my territory…and sssstay away from my hoard!"

With that said, Staredown flicked the Hydra clean out of the mud and up into the sky. The Hydra roared in pain as it was hurled across the bog. Staredown then looked down at his friends. Everypony but Fluttershy was in awe, staring up at the giant creature that saved them. Smoke exploded off of Staredown, clearing to reveal Lightning in his old self. Fluttershy galloped up to him and gently hugged him. Lightning returned the hug, but stopped when he saw that everypony was staring at him. He broke the hug and walked up to the group. "Puppetry magic, it has its advantages…"

The Trouble with Dark Magic

Midnight walked through town, saying hello to the occasional pony that greeted him. Some of the ponies still gave him bad looks, but he didn't take them too badly. He headed back to the library where Twilight should be. Once he opened the door, Midnight found Spike on the floor rubbing his head. Several scrolls were scattered across the floor. Using the levitation magic, Midnight gathered up all of the scrolls and collected them into a pile. Spike knocked out of his daze and grabbed them.

"Thanks…" he said. "Your magic isn't evil at all…"

Midnight was confused, "What do you mean my magic isn't evil?"

Spike placed the scrolls down and walked to Twilight's reading desk. He grabbed the book and placed it down in front of Midnight. Midnight read the title, "Forbidden Spells and Dark Magic." "I don't think knowing two spells in this book is considered a good thing" he continued.

Midnight was shocked that either Spike or Twilight found what his spells were. He was even more surprised that the spells he knew were forbidden. Twilight walked into the room and stepped back from seeing Midnight. Spike walked up the stairs with his hands full of scrolls. The room was silent as Midnight and Twilight never even spoke. The silence was broken by a loud burp from the top of the stairs. Spike ran back down part of the stairs, "Uh…Twilight…I got a letter for you…" Twilight used her spell to get it and Spike walked back up the stairs. Twilight opened the letter and sighed when she read it.

"Alright Midnight…you will be fine…" she said. Midnight was confused by this, but Twilight floated the book towards him. "I know this sounds bad, but you need to read this book." Midnight used his levitation spell and placed the book back on a shelf. Twilight rolled her eyes and brought the book back down, "I already asked Princess Celestia, you can learn more of these…"

"Twilight, hold on!" he shouted. Twilight was surprised to hear Midnight raise his voice. He has never done that around her before. "Twilight, what exactly are you doing? What does this spell book have to do with me?"

Twilight inhaled then exhaled lightly. "Midnight, two nights ago was Night Mare Night" she explained. "You used a spell that was unknown to me, so I looked it up. I found it in this book. It is known as the Catastrophe Copy spell; a spell that allows the user to copy almost anything and increase the power to dangerous levels." Midnight's eyes widened when she explained the spell. But, Twilight continued. "Another spell you used I found inside the contents of that book. You used it once around Sparkplug. It was the Cancelation spell; which prevent him from using his magic. You can weaken the strength of it or otherwise cancel it out completely."

Midnight looked at the book. He focused on the words "Dark" and "Forbidden." He backed away from the book in fear. Midnight wanted to be good, not evil. Those spells were forbidden for a reason. Twilight noticed this and walked up to him. "It's alright Midnight, just because you know those spells doesn't mean you are evil" she assured him. "Those spells could be useful for some cases. I can help you control them too. Here…"

Twilight levitated a book off the shelf with her magic and held it in front of Midnight. "Try a Cancelation spell…just prevent my magic from holding this book."

Midnight was worried but he attempted it anyway. His straight spike began to glow a shade of black. The book became surrounded in black light then suddenly crashed to the ground with great force. This shocked both Twilight and Midnight. But Midnight's magic continued. The books began to fall off the shelves and slam onto the floor. One made the wooden floor crack underneath. The light vanished from the books as well as his spike. Midnight backed up in fear. Spike peered from the very top of the stairs, "Uh…I'm no expert on magic…but I don't think that stopped the spell…"

Twilight shot a glare to Spike that made him walk back upstairs. Twilight lifted the spell book up close to her and flipped through the pages. She landed on a page then cleared her throat, "You just used a Reversing Spell. It makes the spell cause the opposite effect of what it intended to do. You sure know a few of these…" Twilight lifted the book and lifted a few pieces of paper along with them. She then levitated the covered book to Midnight. Midnight grabbed it, but the paper caused it to slip. Twilight giggled at Midnight's struggles and placed a holstered sack on his back. The book was placed in the sacks and covered with the top.

"I get the sack but what's with the paper…?" he asked.

"I highly doubt some ponies would let you go if they saw a book with "Forbidden" at the top of it" she replied.

Midnight smiled and thanked her. He mentioned that he would return hers once he was done. There was another thing to add to his checklist, an item sack. He left the Library and began to trek home. Midnight had no idea what to do. Sure, Twilight was nice enough to give him the book, but they were forbidden spells. Princess Celestia may have given him permission, but he was still worried. Speaking of being worried, Midnight hasn't seen Oracle lately. He hoped that his leaving didn't do much to her.

Midnight crossed town with no trouble. He entered his house and threw the sack onto his bed. The book flew out of the sack and landed on the floor. Midnight glanced at it, "That was weird." Midnight used his levitation and placed the book on his shelf. But, something inside him wanted to look at its contents. He wasn't sure if it was curiosity or something else, but Midnight opened the book. He started on page one and just skimmed through. Midnight was scared of half of these spells, just their names; Horror Reanimation, Disaster Destruction, Fatal Fire, all of these sounded horrible! Midnight founded one that seems to be pretty harmless to try. It was called a Tremor Stomp.

Midnight wandered outside and walked behind his house a bit. The book said to concentrate his magic on the ground and then slam his front…claws onto the surface. Midnight concentrated, a dark aura forming along his spike. He slammed his claws down, but the effect wasn't as expected. The ground shook violently, creating a crack where he once was and it branched out across the ground. Midnight became surprised and stumbled back. He fell on his back and ran back into his house. The tremors stopped and Midnight was scared out of his mind. He put the book deep into his shelf to where he couldn't even tell which one it was. Midnight went to his bed and quickly covered himself up.

"I can't believe that I can do all of this" he said. "Why must I be the one with this curse…no pony will care for me…"

But, as quickly as it appeared, Midnight's sadness quickly vanished. That was not true, there was one pony. The one pony that truly cared for him was Oracle. She had the same troubles as him when she was a filly. Not as much when he was a colt, but she still had troubles. Midnight quickly climbed out of bed and went out the door. Nightfall began to turn again, but Midnight was going to find her.

The Hidden Side of Oracle

Midnight flew towards the Everfree Forest and then followed the river. Last time he followed the river, and…met with Oracle, he found her house. Once he found the clearing, Midnight landed and tucked his wings to his sides. Midnight eventually saw the same ruins that Oracle showed him. He headed inside, but found that the place was dimly lit with only a few candles. Everything seemed untouched. Although he saw nothing more than the main area, he didn't want to explore more of her house just to talk to her. Midnight found a quill and paper on the floor, and began to write. "Dear Oracle" he said aloud, "I hope you're not upset with me leaving yesterday. It's just that I was afraid. If I started to become more of a threat here, then everypony would chase me out of town. I just don't want that to happen again. I have things here I could never replace anywhere else. If you read this, please come and find me."

Midnight placed the note near the front door and walked outside. Before he opened his wings, Midnight looked back and sighed. He really hoped that Oracle would find him. He took off for a rest from the hectic days he had.

---

The next day was just as sunny and clear as always. Midnight, however, did not wake up till mid-afternoon. Midnight walked out of his house and went into town. Surely Oracle would be there. As he walked through town, he saw Pinkie Pie hopping down happily. "Hey Pinkie Pie" he said, "You haven't seen Oracle around have you?"

Pinkie Pie did not stop hopping but answered, "Sorry, but I haven't seen her in a while."

Midnight didn't have time to thank her since she kept hopping down the street. He was worried, he hasn't seen her yesterday and Pinkie Pie hasn't seen her to even recall. Midnight tried to see his other friends and even tried random ponies. His friends had no idea and neither did the ponies. Some were even confused about who she was. Eventually, Midnight went to Twilight. She of all ponies would know what's going on. She wasn't at the library, but there was a note saying she was in the Everfree Forest. Midnight took no time into getting there. Lucky for him, Twilight was just on the edge of the forest with Spike standing beside her. She had her bag back, which was strange. "Hey Twilight, how did you get your bag back?" he asked as he approached her.

"Sorry Midnight, but I used a spell to get it back" she said. "I'm doing research…" Midnight looked at what she was doing. On the ground in front of her were animal tracks. But these tracks were different. One set were hoof prints while the other seemed to be paw prints. "What are these?" asked Midnight.

"Torch Hound tracks" she replied. "A Torch Hound is a hybrid creature that shows some resemblance between a pony and a canine or dog. They only come out at night, but they also stay underground. It's rare to find one above ground, so that's why I'm researching what I can now."

"But why don't you try to meet them?"

Twilight became silent at that, but only for about a few seconds. "Torch Hounds are generally shy, never really interacting with other species. Besides…I already had my encounter with one…"

Spike leaned over to Midnight, "Twilight met a Torch Hound named Meep. She was nice, but she went on Twilight's bad side."

"How…?"

"Meep ate one of the books from the library…"

"Besides books…" Twilight said changing the subject, "Torch Hounds also eat tree sap. That's where they get most of their nutrients. They also…"

"I'm sorry Twilight…this is fascinating and all but have you seen Oracle anywhere? I've been trying to look for her all day…"

Twilight shook her head, "Sorry…I haven't seen her…"

Midnight turned to Spike, "Sorry, haven't seen her either. Good luck finding her though…"

"…thanks…"

Midnight left half-heartedly with his head down and his wings dragging. The sun was almost down and he had no idea where she was. If she wasn't at home, or in Ponyville, or even in the forest, where was she? Midnight then had an idea. Zecora might know, after all they've been friends since Oracle was a filly. Midnight took off to the Everfree Forest once again. He arrived at Zecora's hut, but stopped when he passed the window. He looked through again to see if what he saw was right. Zecora was balancing on a pole from her head. Her eyes were closed and she was in a meditative stance. Now trying to be rude, Midnight knocked on her door. "Hey Zecora…can I ask you something…?"

"I will be there very soon" she said through the door, "Just let me clear up this room." A few seconds later, Zecora opened the door and happily let Midnight inside. "Since me meditating has come to an end, what can I do for you my friend?"

"Zecora…have you seen Oracle lately?" he asked.

Zecora's smile disappeared. She seemed nervous, but contained it well enough for Midnight to expect nothing. "I am sorry Midnight, but she hasn't come around" she lied, "Are you sure she wasn't already found?"

"I talked to everypony, but no pony saw her. Are you sure there isn't anything you know that could help me…?"

Zecora's eyes darted around the room, her nervousness starting to shine through. Midnight started to notice, but then Zecora started to push Midnight out. "I told you she hasn't been here; maybe you're only reacting to your fear. Take a nice rest and I'll guarantee, you'll find you very special pony."

With that said Midnight was out of Zecora's hut and the door slammed behind him. Midnight was more than worried, he was deathly scared. He now didn't care where he went, he needed to find Oracle. Night fell, but Midnight continued to run through the forest. He eventually tripped over a loose root and fell in a mud puddle. Midnight gave up after that, he broke down and cried. "Oracle!" he shouted out loud, "Please…give me a sign that you're even alive!"

A couple of bushes rustled beside Midnight, scaring him out of his trance. His wings unfurled and his spike began to glow. But, he continued to back up. A small amount of chirps and barks was heard from the bushes. Then, a pair eyes appeared in the darkness. At first Midnight was scared, but there were two things about the eyes that calmed him down. One, the eyes appeared to have a sad expression in them. Two, they were a familiar shade of a pale blue. Midnight's spike began to fade as well as his wings being folded to his side. "Or…Oracle…?" he asked. "Is it you…?"

The pair of eyes blinked to each side before resting onto him again. Another bark was heard, but Midnight could hear something. It was starting to clear up. "Midnight…" Midnight shot back slightly, still afraid. But, the voice seemed to clear up. It was definitely female, but it had a different tone. "Midnight…it's me…" she said. "I'm alive…"

Midnight's eyes began to form tears as he stared into the darkness. He took one step forward, but then the bushes rustled. "No…you can't see me" she said. "I'm…different…"

"Oracle...you won't scare me…just please…come on out…"

Oracle took a step out, but to Midnight's surprise, it wasn't a hoof; it was a paw. Oracle began to walk out, or at least what Midnight thought was Oracle. She kind of reminded him of him. Her front legs were paws while her back legs were hooves. Her front half had purple fur with light green markings. Her front legs were green with light green glowing markings. Her back half had a lighter shade of purple, her normal color. Her tail still had a fan-like quality, but it was shorter and the yellow growths were slightly longer. A white mask covered her face, the eye sockets dark but a pale blue pupil was shown. Her mane was straighter but had the same colors. One thing that was the same, a long hair with a feather on the end came out from her head.

"Oracle…you…you're a…" stammered Midnight.

"A Torch Hound…yes…" she replied.

Tears seemed to be forming, but she then quickly ran off. Midnight chased after her, him barely keeping up. Oracle turned around, seeing Midnight. She quickly began to dig, picking up a lot of dirt. Midnight ran straight through the cloud of dirt, but turned around quickly. His wings blew away the dirt, revealing a hole. "Oracle!" he shouted.

"No Midnight…" she replied with an obvious state of sadness, "In this form…I'm Oria…and I'm…"

"It doesn't matter to me! Oracle, Oria…there is no difference! It won't matter to me if you're half peacock, I wouldn't mind if you are a Torch Hound, I wouldn't care if you were a dragon! The only thing that matters to me is that you're alive and happy. Nothing in all of Equestria will change how I feel about you."

Two pale blue eyes appeared from the darkness of the hole. Then, dust clouds started to pick up. Oracle…or Oria's head popped up from the hole. Midnight lowered his head to greet her, and got a peck on the cheek as a result.

Author's Notes:

Torch hounds belong to: http://stickfigurequeen.deviantart.com/

Oria is respectively belonging to my friend Makenzie along with Oracle

The Blank Flank

After convincing Oria enough, she finally came out of her tunnel. Midnight wasn't sleepy at all so he could stay out with Oria as much as he could. Oria was just Oracle, but she asked to be called that as she was a Torch Hound. Oria became like she was because of Zecora. She felt guilty changing Oracle to what she was, so she believed she made a potion that could reverse the process. Unfortunately the potion caused Oracle's form to change again. Zecora thought when she changed back she would be her old pony self, but every time Oracle took the potion she changed back into her half peacock self. Midnight stayed beside Oria the entire time. He was still very grateful that Oracle was even alive. But, once the sun started to rise, Oria began to dig a hole.

"What's wrong Oria…?" asked Midnight.

"It's the Torch Hound side of me…" she explained. "Torch Hounds do not react well with light, so that's why we stay underground."

Oria finished her hole and she eventually climbed inside. Midnight walked towards the hole with a sad expression, "How long will this last…?" Oria's head popped up from the hole, "Don't worry Midnight, the effects of the potion will end tonight. So about when the sun rises again, come and find me in my house." Midnight nuzzled Oria a little before she ducked back down into the whole. Midnight smiled intently, finally finding the one he cared for.

---

As Midnight headed back into town, a stallion wearing a fully body cloak began to walk into town. Only a bit of his snout and legs were visible. His coat was red, almost blood-red. As he walked through Ponyville, he turned his head to either side of the street. He eventually made it into town square, where a lot of ponies were roaming around. A small apple stand caught the stallion's eye. As he walked over to it he avoided confronting any other pony. Applejack was watching the stand as she was selling some apples. "Excuse me…may I have some apples?" he said.

Applejack turned around with a warm smile. The stallion never bothered to reply the kind gesture. "Howdy there partner, I'm Applejack" she replied. "I don't think I have never seen you 'round these here parts."

"I'm a traveler…I never stay in one place for so long. I would like to purchase some apples, but I'm afraid I have no money…"

Applejack smiled as she set a bag full of apples beside the stallion. "Nonsense, everypony deserves some of these fine apples. You're new 'ere, so I'll let you have some on the house!"

The stallion seemed surprised by her being so kind. But, he grabbed the bag with his mouth and began to walk away. A piece of his cloak was caught onto the cart and was beginning to pull off of him as he walked away. He struggled against the pull of the cart, but what he did not want to hear was a loud rip. The cloak was pulled off of him, revealing the rest of his body. He was coat was a unicorn with a blood red coat and his mane was pitch black. This caught him entirely by surprise, him trying to find somewhere to hide. But a lot of ponies began to take notice of him. A smaller filly began to laugh at him, "He has no cutie mark!"

Other ponies began to join in with her laughter. This set the unicorn off. His horn began to glow red and he glared at the smaller filly. He approached her quickly and pointed his horn at her. The small filly stopped laughing as well as the rest of the ponies. "You have a problem with a blank flank?" he said coldly. Before the unicorn could try anything, a lasso roped around the smaller filly, pulling her away from the menacing stallion. He turned to see Applejack with the rope in her mouth.

"What in the hay do you think yer doin'?" yelled Applejack.

"All of you ponies are the same" he said. "Once you see one thing different about somepony else, you criticize and mock them for it. Have you ever considered they are different because of a reason they could not control? You can keep your apples; I don't want to be bothered anymore."

The unicorn began to walk away in anger. The crowd of ponies was scared, but there was one that wasn't. Rainbow Dash was just flying overhead when she saw the commotion. She flew down and landed in front of the unicorn. "Who do you think you are threatening ponies like that?!"

"Don't get in my way Pegasus, I have no quarrel with you" he said.

"Are you sure? Because to me your probably just jealous of all the ponies that have cutie marks. You probably don't even have any special talent…"

The unicorn's horn glowed red, but this time it was very bright. Fire began to swirl around him before flying towards Rainbow Dash. Rainbow quickly flew away, but the unicorn kept using his magic. The fire attacks did not hit Rainbow, but they hit the surrounding houses. Some ponies began to try and douse the flames. Applejack was trying to help out as well. Twilight and Midnight ran to the scene completely stunned. "Applejack, what's going on?!" exclaimed Twilight.

Applejack turned quickly, "Twilight, oh thank goodness! This new unicorn showed up and started all of this 'ere mischief. We need a spell for this fire, quick!"

Twilight started to think, but Midnight stepped forward instead. "I know what to use!" he exclaimed as his spike began to glow. A beam shot out from the energy surrounding his spike and hit the sky. A large dark thundercloud began to form. It quickly spread across the entire town, covering everything with darkness. Lightning struck the ground beside Midnight, but then rain began to fall. The fire from all of the buildings quickly extinguished. The rain continued to pour for a little while longer, but then the clouds began to clear up. Rainbow Dash landed beside the other three as the one unicorn came back.

"Who are you and why are you doing this?!" exclaimed Twilight.

"My name is Fire Star" he said. "And if you must know, it's to show you all that I do have a skill. You ponies have mocked me for the last time!" As he was saying this, his horn was still glowing. The water around them began to flow into two puddles that lied beside him. "You ponies count so much on your Cutie Marks that you are inconsiderate to those who do not. I have been laughed at near every place I traveled to. I'm tired of being considered a freak just because of a stupid mark!"

Midnight felt the same sympathy for him as he did Oracle. It wasn't exactly the same thing, not nearly even slightly. But being laughed at and caused to constantly move reminded him of his troubles. The water started to rise up and formed into closed fists. Midnight stepped forward, "I do not think you're a freak."

Fire Star stopped commanding the water and looked confused, "What do you mean? I have no Cutie Mark. I…" His eyes widened once he saw Midnight clearly, "What the heck happened to you?!"

"I was born like this, and I have been through worse than you. I was ridiculed like you, but instead of laughter it was screams of fear. I was attacked at least three times in every place I traveled to. It was because of my looks, and I ran away because of this…" Midnight turned to the side to show his Cutie Mark. Fire Star was surprised to see that. While studying his elemental magic he read something over that mark. The water fell back down into puddles as Fire Star seemed to calm down. Before Midnight could say another word, Fire Star ran off away from town. Everypony cheered for their small victory, but Midnight did not count it as a victory. He extended his wings and flew in the same direction as Fire Star. It was pretty easy to follow him, his red coat stuck out easily. Midnight dove down while his spike began to glow. He landed right in front of Fire Star. Fire Star stepped back in surprise but aimed his horn at Midnight. Nothing happened and Fire Star was surprised.

"Why isn't my magic working?!" he exclaimed.

Midnight simply pointed to his straight spike, "My magic may be forbidden, but it comes in handy. I didn't want to hurt you, I just wanted to talk." Fire Star nodded and Midnight ceased his magic. "Like I said before, I was injured while you were being laughed at. Honestly, I would trade your place in a heartbeat if I wanted to. But…I don't want to anymore…"

Fire Star looked confused, "But I thought that Cutie Mark was a curse…"

"It is, but the pony that has it is not. I thought that I would be a major threat to everypony, but the friends I've made changed my views. What I have doesn't make me a curse. I can act freely; I am not bound by my mark. You forgot that although ponies have special talents, they have other talents as well. They are not limited to their mark; their mark only shows what they are best at."

Fire Star seemed to understand, but he still seemed unsure. Midnight opened his wings to begin his leave, "Just think about it." With that Midnight left Fire Star, heading back to town to clean up. Today would be worth it when he saw Oracle again tonight.

Author's Notes:

Thanks to my friend Collin in deviantart for allowing me to use his OC Fire Star http://turnaboutking.deviantart.com/

Major Accident

Life for Midnight has been great. Fall soon came and Midnight was able to fully enjoy the seasons changing like a normal pony. More and more ponies in Ponyville were getting used to him, although there was that selected few that were still cautious. But Midnight did not care as long as he was with Oracle.

Sparkplug was galloping out into the outskirts on Ponyville. He was looking up at the clouds and carrying something that was wrapped in his tail. Eventually, he stopped and looked up. Rainbow Dash was lying down on a small cloud above him. Sparkplug's broken horn sparked with magic and electricity and a bolt fired from it. It blasted straight through the cloud and zapped Rainbow. She fell to the ground slightly charred. She got up quickly and shook off the ashes, "What in Equestria was that for?!"

"Sorry Rainbow…not really…" he replied. "But I heard from a pony that you are a fellow prankster, would you like to see the greatest unicorn prank ever?!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened and she began to smile. Sparkplug unfurled his tail and placed the object down on the ground. Rainbow Dash's smile and excited expression changed quickly to a frown and a disappointed expression. The object that Sparkplug had looked like a large rubber band, but this one was light blue and had a few sparkles on it.

"THAT…is the greatest unicorn prank ever?" asked Rainbow in disbelief.

"This…my dear foolish and blind Pegasus, is the Magic Diffuser" replied Sparkplug. "Simply place this ordinary band onto a unicorn's horn and the victim will instantly lose control of their magic abilities."

Rainbow Dash's smile returned, "And I know just the unicorn for this prank!"

---

Midnight was at the Library with Twilight. He was going to return the book she gave him, but instead he wanted to know more. He wanted to know if he could use other spells besides the forbidden ones. But, sadly Twilight did not have anything on hand. They needed to go to ask Princess Celestia for permission first. Fortunately for them, she would be in town today for the grand display of a new statue.

"Twilight…how do you exactly know the Princess?" asked Midnight.

"I was a student in Canterlot" she replied. "I was very skilled in her teachings and soon became her most faithful student."

Midnight was surprised by this. He would have never guessed that Twilight was THAT close to the Princess. After the last book was placed away, Twilight and Midnight began to leave. Outside of the Library and hiding above in the branches were Rainbow and Sparkplug. However they managed to sit up too high in the tree to see properly. They heard the door open and Rainbow pulled back on the band. He let it go, and the magic inside activated. It wrapped around a pony's horn, but it wasn't Twilight's horn. Rainbow Dash and Sparkplug popped their heads out and gasped. The band was around Midnight's spike. Rainbow Dash was going to fly off but Sparkplug grabbed her tail, "No wait…this might be good…"

---

Before going to Ponyville for the statue revealing, Midnight walked towards Oracle's house. A few black sparks flew from Midnight's spike but he was in too good of a mood to even notice. Once he joined Oracle, they set of for Ponyville. Midnight was happy that he was finally accepted into society. On occasion Midnight just looked at Oracle. Every time she turned away quickly and blushed. Midnight was confused by her actions. "Oracle…why do you do that…?" he asked.

"Do…do what…?" she asked nervously.

"You just turned away…after I looked at you. Is there something wrong?"

"Oh…uh…look it's the ceremony!"

Oracle ran ahead of Midnight and further into town. Midnight sighed, still curious of her actions. But, while he was going a large loose black spark flew in front of him. Midnight looked around to see where it could have come from. Another loose spark appeared but this one was much larger. Midnight looked at his reflection in a nearby window. His spike was beginning to spark.

"What's going on?" he asked himself. No pony was around him; they were all crowded in the center of town. Princess Celestia just took the stage and began to make her speech. Oracle was near the back and looking side to side. "No…I have to contain it…" A loose bolt of magic shot out of his spike, ricocheted off of the window, and hit a potted plant near the flower shop. Midnight simply began walking to the crowd of ponies. Oracle's eyes finally landed on him and a smile returned to her face. But the smile vanished when she saw him. Midnight was trying to contain whatever magic was uprising, and it was giving him great pain. Great pain is very hard to hide.

"Midnight…are you alright…?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah…I…I'm fine…" he replied in pain. "Just…w-watch…the ceremony…"

"Midnight…"

A scream caught everypony off guard as they turned. Daisy, the flower shop owner, was running towards the group. A loud roar was heard behind her, and the ground began to shake slightly. Behind her was a giant plant. It resembled a flower but had massive jaws like a Venus flytrap. The roots at the bottom were pounding the ground as it traveled. The crowd began to disperse, including Oracle. But, Midnight couldn't move; he was in too much pain. "I…I…I can…" he couldn't finish those words. Suddenly, his horn exploded in black light. Black fire and lightning struck the houses and ground, catching everything on fire. Ponies began to try and put it out. Directing away from the houses, Midnight attempted to run. But instead, his magic created a small tornado that began to wreck devastation through the town. A quick stomp of his front claws caused the entire ground to shake. But pieces of the ground began to come up and level some of the buildings, including the stage Princess Celestia was on.

While all of these disastrous events were happening, Oracle stood there and watched. Midnight was releasing so many dark spells that they seemed in control more than Midnight. Every time Midnight tried to hold it back, another large spark formed and another dangerous spell was cast. She couldn't take it anymore. Oracle ran through the scattering ponies and the uprising disasters. Midnight was crouched against the ground, clawing into the dirt and holding back cries of pain. Oracle couldn't stand to see him like this. "Midnight…please stop!" she pleaded. "Your destroying the whole town!"

Midnight's eyes never opened, but his mouth did. "Oracle…r-run…!" he barely managed to reply. "G-Go b…before…you get…hurt!"

"ENOUGH!" shouted a voice.

Everypony in town looked up to see Princess Celestia flying overhead. Her horn began to shine like the morning sun and her rays cast down onto Ponyville. Every small disaster and dark magic spell began to fade away. Midnight's spike sparked for one last time before finally dying down. The band that was once covering his spike snapped and laid on the ground. The pain went away, but not the guilt for what he has done. Midnight saw Oracle with a face of concern, but more expressions scared him. Ponies he thought were his friends or at least friendly to him were giving him the evil eye. Midnight crouched down in fear, "…sorry…"

Princess Celestia landed directly in front of Midnight. Her landing was anything but graceful. Her stare was anything but soothing. In fact, her stare was making Midnight even more scared than before. "Midnight…" she said sternly. "You have abused the right that I have given you. I allowed you to research on the spells of dark magic, and look what it has done." Midnight was able to divert his eyes away from the Princess to look around him. Several of the building were either upside down or sideways, burnt to a crisp, or leveled from the ground. His gaze immediately entered Celestia's eyes once more. "I directly told you that those spells were to be used with control, not from random mischief!"

"But…I…I…"

"Do not interrupt me when I'm speaking!" Her voice was enough to scare Midnight silent. Oracle could do nothing but just sit there and watch. "Midnight, I always thought you were a nice pony. But this has just placed you in the one place no pony wants to be." She let out a sigh before continuing, "Midnight, from reckless use of magic that nearly destroyed the town and the citizens in it, I hereby banish you from Ponyville and Canterlot! You shall never step hoof in these areas again, and if I hear from anypony that you were here, I will personally deal with you! Understand?!"

The crowd of ponies was agreeing with the Princess, yelling at him to get out. Midnight couldn't believe his ears. His heart just sunk; everypony he was friendly to and the Princess now wanted him gone. Midnight turned to Oracle, her expression just shattering the remains of his heart. Tears were in her faded eyes and beginning to cover her glasses. Oracle stepped closer to Midnight, but he stepped back. He not only stepped back, but he put a fair distance between him and her. He took another look around, "I…I'm…I'm a monster…" Midnight opened his wings and flew off into the forest. Oracle wanted to chase after him, but he was going too fast. The group of ponies cheered at his departure but stopped quickly. Tears fell from Oracle's eyes as she just replayed what happened in her mind. Something caught her eye as she was staring down. She walked over to it and picked it up. It was a band, a glittery rubber band. She needed answers, and this band could help her. "Midnight…you're not a monster…"

Changeling Encounter

The next day, Twilight and her friends crowded into the Library. Sparkplug, Lightning, and Oracle were inside as well. Everypony was talking at once about different things, but all based around a similar subject, Midnight. Twilight stomped her hoof into the ground to silence the crowd. However, everypony but Oracle continued to talk. Twilight tried to quiet everypony down, but her voice was silenced through all of the noise. "QUIET!" shouted Oracle. The room was now quiet and many ponies were stunned. She looked around and then paid more attention onto Twilight.

"I called you all here for the recent banishment of our friend Midnight" she said.

"I never knew you had it in you" said Sparkplug, "You always follow Celestia's orders."

"Yes, I usually do. But, Oracle showed me something that could have been the real cause of the accident yesterday." The broken band was lifted into everypony's view. Rainbow Dash and Sparkplug became nervous when they saw the band.

"Twilight, what is that rather hideous fashion accessory have to do with our friend?" asked Rarity.

"Oh! I know! I know!" squealed Pinkie Pie. She bounced to the front and grabbed the band from Twilight's magic. "I've seen this in one of my party catalogues! It's called the Magic Diffuser. When you place it on a unicorn's horn, they lose control of their magic abilities and cast random spells. They are supposed to be very fun at parties. But they are very hard to get…"

"How so?" asked Applejack.

"These pranks can only be bought by a unicorn."

At that said, Sparkplug began to slowly make his way to the door. Twilight saw this, and closed the door before Sparkplug could get out. He turned around, meeting everypony's edger eyes. "Oh…well…yeah…I bought the…"

Before he could finish, Oracle tackled Sparkplug and slammed him against one of the walls in the Library. Some books fell from their shelves but Oracle did not care. "Why did you have to do it to Midnight?!" she shouted. Sparkplug cowered from the stare that Oracle was giving him. "You could have done it on Rarity or Twilight, but you chose Midnight! And now, Midnight is banished! Why did you do it?! WHY?!?!"

Sparkplug was very scared, but something in his eyes flashed as a sense of courage. "Oracle, why are you so worried over Midnight?"

Oracle immediately stepped off of Sparkplug and backed away. Oracle began to blush while looking away. Most of the ponies awed but Sparkplug laughed. "Oracle and Midnight, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N" Sparkplug never finished his taunt because Oracle slammed her tail into him. Lightning walked up to her, "Not trying to sound inappropriate like our friend in the wall, but it was obvious from the behavior Midnight shows around you. We just never assumed you felt the same."

Oracle blushed even more and then turned away, "Midnight…he's…the only one that thought of me as a pony instead of a freak…"

"But now he's banished" said Rainbow, "Way to go Battery Pack."

"At least I'm not the one who shot the band!" he shouted back, "Nice accuracy Rainbow Crash!"

"YOU WHAT?!" shouted Oracle.

Rainbow flew higher as Oracle suddenly ran towards her. But, her flight did not stop anything. She jumped off of a shelf and tackled Rainbow to the ground. This time, the others separated them before Oracle could do anything she would regret.

---

Midnight flied away from Ponyville, from Canterlot, from everypony, from…Oracle. Never in his life did he expect this. Midnight finally found a place to be, an actual home, and he was kicked out. Why did he have to have these abilities? But that was yesterday.

Midnight was now deep within the Everfree Forest, so deep that he did not even recognize it. The trees and plant life were twisted and sinister appearing. A green and eerie fog rolled in through the rotten trees. The ground wasn't solid, it was a swampy bog. Midnight sat in a rotten tree stump that was surrounded by filthy water. Rotten leaves and swamp gunk covered his body. Midnight did not feel it nor would he care. His body was in a slumped mess, a trail of tears leaving his eyes.

"Why…why must it be me…?" he whimpered. "My powers…my appearance…what does it mean? All I can do…all I can do is destruction. What good am I for?"

Evil laughter ran through the forest. Midnight was forced out of his sadness and it turned straight into fear. Whatever was laughing was beginning to sound like they were all around Midnight at once. Midnight curled up in the rotten stump, "Please…if you're going to kill me make it quick…"

Laughter was heard again, but this one was more defined and clear. "Now why would I harm a special pony like you?" said a voice. Midnight raised his head to see the speaker but soon regretted looking. A pony about the size of Celestia stood in front of him. But, this was no ordinary pony. For one, she had insect wings. Her legs seemed to have holes near the very bottom as well as her tail and mane. Her tail and mane were a faded shade of blue that seemed almost dead. The horn on top of her head was twisted and corrupt. She had a small pair of fangs and her eyes were a brilliant shade of green. Midnight wanted to back up, but something prevented him. "Now now…don't be scared…" she said almost soothingly. "I won't hurt you…" The strange pony hovered behind Midnight and began to stroke his back. Despite her looks, the pony was doing a good job of calming him down. His tears began to dry up, which brought a smile to both Midnight's face, but to her face as well. "Now since that is over, why not tell me what happened?"

Midnight's tears dried up completely. Something about this pony seemed…trustworthy. "Who…who are you?"

A slight chuckle escaped her lips, "Of course. I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings."

"Changelings?"

"Changelings are a mistreated race. We can take the form of anypony we see, like so." A green light circled around Chrysalis and her appearance changed completely. Midnight almost believed he was looking into a mirror. The green light passed over her again, revealing her true form. "We were cast off from civilization by that accursed ruler of Equestria…Celestia…"

"My name is Midnight…and I…was banished too…"

Queen Chrysalis was shocked to hear this, or rather appeared to be. "You seem like a nice pony, why are you banished?"

Midnight sighed, "I can use spells like a unicorn. But, all of my spells seemed to be forbidden and evil. All of my spells have devastating effects; I can copy any spell and increase its power, I can reverse a spell's true intended effect, I can cancel out a spell completely…"

"You can cancel a spell?!" This sudden change in voice surprised Midnight greatly. Chrysalis was hovering in front of him with her face very close. Midnight gulped, "Y-Yeah…I can weaken spells and even make it possible that no other magic could happen."

This pony…he could be of great use to me. But he will probably be very difficult to control. It wouldn't hurt to try…

"Midnight…what would you say if I can help you?" she asked. Midnight looked at her with a slight expression of confusion. "What if I told you I can change your appearance…?" Midnight's eyes widened, causing Chrysalis to smile. "You can do that?! To me?!" he exclaimed.

"Of course I can. But, this will not come fairly easy. I will need something in return."

"Anything! Anything you want I will do!"

Chrysalis smiled evilly, "You see, I've wanted to pay Princess Celestia a visit. I would like to prove that we Changelings are not evil creatures. But sadly, the entire kingdom is blocked with a protection spell. It was casted nearly years ago, but the effects still linger. We cannot get through on our own. Help us get through the barrier, and I will change your look. Do we have a deal?"

Midnight thought over it. He always wanted to look like everypony else. Ponies would stop chasing him, threatening him, and Midnight could go back to Ponyville! With Oracle! But, there must be a reason why there was a barrier around the castle. Nevertheless, Midnight nodded and grasped Chrysalis's hoof with his claw, "I accept your offer."

Oracle's Nightmare

After the meeting, Twilight promised she would find some way to reveal the truth to Princess Celestia. Everypony left quickly at the end of dusk to their homes. However one pony wasn't feeling as good as the others. Oracle did manage to pay her revenge against Rainbow Dash and Sparkplug, giving them quite a beating that they would be sore for quite a while, but she still felt empty. Midnight was out there all alone, probably cold and starving. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she entered her home and climbed into her bed. "I hope Midnight is alright" she said to herself before drifting off to sleep.

---

Oracle's eyes suddenly opened and she immediately sat up. She lifted a hoof to rub her tired eyes. When she stopped and opened them, Oracle's eyes went wide. She was lying in the most beautiful room she has ever been in. Large grand windows, fine polished tiles, wondrous bed sheets, this room was fit for a Princess. A small knock on the door caught Oracle by surprise. "Uh…come in…?" she said.

The door opened and a pony stepped in. To Oracle's surprise, it was Twilight. But something seemed different about her, her body seemed weak and thin, and her mane was messy. "Mistress…my lord requests your presence" she said.

"Twilight…?"

"Yes mistress, what do you need?"

"No, Twilight, what happened?" Oracle began to approach her carefully, "What…?"

To Oracle's surprise, Twilight backed away in fear. "No! What did I do wrong?! Don't hurt me?! Just please, go see Lord Midnight!"

Oracle was shocked by both Twilight's reaction and the mentioning of Midnight. Twilight galloped to the other side of the room as Oracle left through the large doors. Oracle walked down the grand hallway carefully, trying to wrap her mind around some things. "Why was Twilight acting like a servant?" she asked aloud. "I'm sure this has to be a dream, but it seems so real. And what is with the 'Mistress' and 'Lord' stuff? Maybe Midnight could shine some li…!" Oracle stopped short when she looked ahead. The hallway went from beautiful and colorful to ruined and destroyed. Her home in the ruins was in better condition. Only a fracture of the ceiling actually lay on the pillar of stone. "What…happened…?"

"Ah…Oracle my sweet…" said a deep voice.

Although the voice was deeper, Oracle recognized the voice. It was Midnight. Oracle turned to greet him but was taken aback by his appearance. Midnight looked practically the same, but things were different. The spikes on his head were larger, and accompanied with a few more. A trail of spikes went down his neck like his mane. His wings had a spike on the end of each finger and on the corner of his wing. Midnight's claws appeared to be sharper, piercing the tiles he was on just by standing. His coat had the same colors, but they were all darker. The scariest part, in Oracle's opinion, was his eyes. Midnight's once calming blue eyes were replaced with menacing blood red eyes with slit pupils. Oracle backed up, but Midnight approached her and gently stroked her mane.

"How is my lovely queen doing on this fine morning?" he asked.

Oracle backed up, carefully avoiding getting scratched by his claws. "I'm sorry Midnight, but I have no idea what is going on" she said. "Could you…explain…?"

Midnight let out a deep chuckle. "I would do anything for you my love. I cannot blame your confusion. This did happen pretty fast, although I would have assumed that you would have been used to this after two years."

Oracle gasped at his reply. But, she followed Midnight as he went through the damaged hallway. "All of what you see now was possible by Princess Celestia."

"Celestia…? What did she do?"

"The day she banished me was the proudest day. Not only did I learn control of my powers, but I also learned the true use for my powers. Why would I follow a weak excuse for a ruler like Celestia? Then, I realized that I could become the ruler!" As they continued to walk, the hallway began to lead into a main room. The room was half in ruin and half in condition. In the center of the room were a few pedestals. On each pedestal was a different object. But one pedestal made Oracle gasp. Lying on the pedestal was a wooden puppet head. But, she recognized this head. It was Lightning's head when he was a puppet. "Yes, that is my favorite piece in the collection" Midnight replied.

"What…"

"Lightning tried to use his weak magic against me. So, I used my magic against him. I guess his puppets are still slightly mad about me taking him down, but I allowed them their lives, they should be thankful. I also let the rest of the others live, so they should be thankful as well."

"The others…live…?"

Midnight gestured to the end of the ruined room. Oracle galloped to the end of the room and looked out. Her face soon had a identifiable expression of horror. The entire land was either in flames or in complete ruin. Looking down he noticed that most of the ponies appeared to be slaves, digging away at the earth. Oracle recognized several of these ponies, each one being one of her friends. Midnight laughed as he approached her side.

"This land was once beautiful, but now it has true beauty" he said. "But this is only the beginning!" All of the spikes on his head began to glow a pitch-black aura. All of the slaves began to cower in fear as a black cloud began to form from the spikes. It rose into the sky, covering the sun completely. "Once I take over Equestria, I will aim for the next country. Then the next, and then the next! Soon, I will control all of Equestria!"

Oracle cowered in fear once Midnight's magic turned everything black and Midnight's red eyes were the only thing visible. The only sound that was heard was Midnight's evil laughter.

---

Oracle shot out of her bed screaming. She quickly began to grab her head and touch every part of her face to make sure she was in reality. Her eyes darted around the room, seeing her very familiar room in the ruins. She would have made a sigh of relief, but she was too scared. Was it a dream, or a…vision? "What will Midnight become?" she said in fear.

Overrun

Midnight walked alongside Chrysalis as they walked through the forest. As they walked, the swampy lands became normal grass covered earth, and then it began to clear. Midnight gasped as he saw the view ahead of him, the castle. Never in his life did he ever imagine that he would ever step foot near the castle. Although Midnight continued on, Chrysalis stopped short. She could not step past where the woods met the clear field for the castle yards.

"This is what I have been having trouble with" she explained. "I cannot get through; there is this barrier that keeps me and my kind to get through. Now if you will please destroy the barrier." Midnight hesitated, wondering what he should do. Chrysalis spoke up, "Remember our little deal?" Midnight nodded just before his spike glowed a deep black. The barrier became visible, and soon it started to crack and fall to pieces.

Chrysalis smiled as she turned around, "Now my subjects, it is time to take revenge on the ponies that shot us away! Go out and feed!"

Midnight had no idea what she was talking about, but several Changelings flew from the trees. They rose into the sky and flew into Canterlot and the castle. Midnight dropped his head as Chrysalis approached him, "Now now Midnight, our deal isn't done yet."

---

Celestia was reading some of her scrolls in her room. Suddenly, guards stormed into the room. "Princess Celestia, Changeling armies are inside Canterlot and making their way to the castle!"

"What?!" shouted Celestia. "That barrier Shining Armor and Princess Cadence put up should have lasted for over a hundred years. How could they enter so easily?"

Celestia ran with the guards out of her room and into the grand hall. She stepped onto the balcony and looked down into the streets. Changelings were everywhere, chasing ponies and capturing guards. Celestia took out a quill and paper and began to write on it. However a sudden explosion caused her to stop and send the letter accidentally. It disappeared into the air before the dust cleared out of the room. Chrysalis appeared from the debris laughing evilly.

"Chrysalis…how did you break the barrier?!" shouted Celestia.

Chrysalis let out a small chuckle, "Let me introduce you to a new friend of mine…" Chrysalis stepped to the side as a new figure appeared. Celestia's eyes went wide as she saw it was Midnight. Chrysalis smiled at Celestia's reaction, "You should really watch who you decide to banish…it could have some…consequences."

Celestia glared at Chrysalis, "Whatever spell you have on that poor pony you better release him right this instant!"

"Oh, I have no such spell on him. Isn't that right Midnight?"

Midnight was silent for a while, but his head dropped at his response. "Yes, it's true Princess."

Celestia gasped at his reaction, "Why Midnight, why are you helping her?"

"Midnight has made a deal with me" replied Chrysalis. "I will help him if he does what I ask. Now then Midnight, defeat Celestia."

Both Midnight and Celestia were shocked by her words. "Wait…that wasn't part of the deal…"

"Midnight, you told me you would do anything for my help. So, if you refuse to do as I ask, I will not help you in return."

Midnight cowered in his hooves but slowly walked forward. His spike began to glow black and Celestia began to back up in fear. A black beam shot out of his horn and Celestia shot a beam of her own. However there was no competition, Midnight's attack easily overpowered Celestia's. The black beam hit Celestia's horn and then bathed Celestia in black magic. Celestia tried to stay awake, but the magic was draining her energy. Midnight and Chrysalis walked closer to Celestia, Chrysalis was laughing but Midnight was crying, "…I'm sorry…"

---

Twilight and her friends were still crowded in the library. Only Oracle was not inside with the others. They were discussing ways to bring Midnight back, but Sparkplug was trying to convince them not to mention the prank he pulled. Spike ran down the stairs but tripped on the last few. "Twilight!" he shouted, "I got a…" Spike burped and a piece of paper formed from the fire. Twilight was confused but read it. ""Twilight, please help…Chang…?" What is a Chang?"

"Who was it even from?" asked Rainbow.

"It was from the Princess!" shouted Spike. "I get letters from no pony else."

"But what in the hay is a Chang?" asked Applejack.

The door swung open and two ponies stepped through. They were Shard and Fire Star. Everypony was nervous for Fire Star, but he was silent. "I heard Midnight was banished, what happened?" asked Shard.

"Oh, just a harmless prank that somepony pulled on him that caused his magic to get out of control" replied Twilight.

"But you will not believe what I saw while I was flying here. I saw Midnight!" Everypony gasped but continued to listen. "But that is not all! He was heading towards Canterlot with this…pony."

"Why would he go to Canterlot" asked Rainbow. "He knows he was banished."

"Shard, you mentioned that he was accompanied by another pony. What did she look like?" asked Twilight.

Shard rubbed his head with his hoof. "Uh…well she wasn't normal" he started. "Her mane and tail seemed to droop like it was dead. Her horn was twisted and her mane…or skin was dark gray. But there was something even weirder about her. She had wings, but they seemed to be like wings on a bug."

Twilight gasped after he was done explaining. "Changelings!" she shouted. Everypony but Sparkplug, Shard, and Fire Star gasped as a result. Twilight turned to the other three, "About a year ago, Canterlot was attacked by a massive group of creatures called Changelings. My brother and his wife managed to drive them away once, but it seems that now they have Midnight under their control. We need to get to Canterlot and fast. Someone better get Oracle."

"I'll get her" said Shard. "I need to say something else to her as well. I think I know where she lives." With that Shard rushed out of the library, a cold blast of air following him.

Inside her house, Oracle never bothered to get out of her bed. That nightmare she had was all too real. Her eyes were red with tears, crying over the fact that Midnight could be evil. However she stopped once she heard a few steps inside her home. Oracle dried her tears, wiped her eyes with her hoof, and walked out of her room. She stepped into her main room, and saw somepony she did not want to see at all.

"Oracle…I need to tell you something…" he said.

"What do you want Shard?" she said coldly. "Midnight isn't here anymore."

"That's not why I'm here. Okay, that's real reason I'm here but I'm here for something else."

"What, are you going to freeze me solid now?"

"Just listen! I never intended to harm Midnight. I just thought he should see what happens when you're flying. Sure I think I went too far, but if anything I saved him. So, could you accept my apology?"

Oracle seemed to brighten up a little. "Yeah, I guess I can forgive you. After all you are the one to start him flying. Now, what else do you need?"

"Midnight has been taken by these evil creatures called Changelings. He was seen heading towards Canterlot castle."

The mentioning of the castle caused Oracle to have a grim expression pass over on her face. Shard noticed this, "Oracle…are you okay…?"

"We need to get there quickly!" she exclaimed. Shard was pushed to the side as Oracle galloped out of her home. Shard quickly recovered and flew beside her. They met inside the Library, where Twilight was concentrating.

"What are you doing Twilight?" asked Oracle.

"We need to get to Canterlot fast, and the usual trip there takes too long" she explained. "So, I'm going to try and teleport us there."

"Uh…Twilight…are you sure this is safe?" asked Fluttershy.

Lightning stepped beside her and stood close, "Don't worry Flutters…Twilight can do it. After all she is Celestia's student."

Twilight's horn glowed brightly as purple sparkling energy surrounded everypony in the room. With a quick flash, the room was empty.

---

Canterlot was in chaos. Changelings were flying around the streets, chasing and trapping any ponies that they caught. A bright flash was seen beside the castle entrance underneath the grand stairs. Everypony was scattered around, with Twilight in the center exhausted. "Is everypony alright?" she asked.

Everypony agreed except for one. "I think you forgot about me!" shouted a muffled voice. It came from Shard, but he was just fine. Then, he stood up, revealing Spike. "Whoa, sorry Spike" he said.

Spike got up and dusted himself off, "Do you even know how much you weigh?! Lighten up man!"

"Excuse me, but all of this is muscle" replied Shard sternly. "Unlike you, I actually have some."

"Well pardon me for being a baby dragon!"

"Will you two stop it already!" shouted Twilight. "We need to get into the castle!"

Twilight and a few others peered around the edge and looked at the chaos. Oracle

sneered, "You should have told me those were Changelings, I would have brought my flyswatter."

"Trust me, a flyswatter won't fix this Oracle" said a voice.

Everypony turned to see a pegasi pony. Her coat was white while her mane was a bright turquoise and white. Her eyes were a very light blue while her mark was two square crystals. Everypony was confused on who she was except for Oracle. Oracle ran up to the Pegasus and hugged her, "Shia, what are you doing here?!"

"I was trying to escape from these Changeling like everypony else" she explained. "But don't worry; a few ponies have taken refuge from a inner room in the castle. Follow me."

Shia ran up the stairs with the others following them from behind. As they ran through the castle, Twilight ran beside Oracle. "How do you know this pony?" she asked. "Shia was my best friend when I was little" Oracle replied. "This was before I was changed."

Twilight wasn't too sure on what Shia was. Her flying sounded like the beating of insect wings. But, if there was a safe room, there was a chance to save Canterlot again. Shia entered a large and grand room. Once everypony was inside, the doors slammed shut. The room was empty except for one being, Queen Chrysalis, "It was so nice for you to join us, too bad it will be your last moment here."

Chrysalis smiled evilly as she stared at all of the trapped ponies. Everypony had a scared expression on their faces, but Sparkplug had one of disgust. "What in Equestria is THAT?!" Chrysalis's smile disappeared for a second before she bowed slightly, "I am Chrysalis…Queen of the Changelings…"

Sparkplug leaned over closer to Shard, "I feel sorry for the king."

Chrysalis now glared at Sparkplug, "You little brat! I have no husband!"

"Now THAT is a surprise…" said Sparkplug with a sarcastic tone.

"You need to be taught some manners. But I wouldn't be taunting others with a broken horn."

"Lady, I rather have a broken horn than what you have."

Chrysalis looked like she was about to explode in anger, while the others were trying to contain their laughs. "Do you even know why I am here?"

"It's obviously not to find a husband."

Chrysalis walked closer and put her face close to his, "You lousy unicorn, why I otta…"

"Get a perm…go to the spa…" Sparkplug sniffed near Chrysalis but took his head back, "Go and brush your teeth…"

Rainbow Dash busted into laughter and hit the floor. The other ponies began to laugh louder this time and Chrysalis wasn't getting any happier. "You stupid pony, I will teach you to…"

A bolt of electricity shot out of Sparkplug's broken horn and hit Chrysalis, causing her to jump back. Sparkplug looked back, "Hey look guys, I'm a bug zapper."

Chrysalis sneered but then smiled, "Oh Midnight, be a dear and shut the unicorn up."

A black beam shot from behind Chrysalis and hit Sparkplug. Sparkplug flew into the others along with the black energy. A black barrier formed around everypony. Twilight tried to get out using her magic but it simply bounced off and hit Sparkplug. His mane was now slightly charred. "I'm guessing this is cosmic payback for the insults" he said.

Midnight stepped out from behind Chrysalis, becoming noticeable. Oracle gasped as well as the others. "We know you have a spell on him Chrysalis!" shouted Twilight. "Release him now!"

Chrysalis chuckled, "Oh foolish child, you are clearly not thinking correctly. Midnight has told me of the magic he can perform. If he used his cancelling magic, he would have broken my spell and immediately woke up."

Twilight's eyes went wide, "She's right. If Midnight used his spell, he would be fully aware."

"So…that means…" said Applejack.

"Midnight is fully aware of what he is doing" responded Chrysalis.

Oracle ran to the very edge of the barrier, "Oh Midnight, please don't tell me this isn't true!"

Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. Midnight never looked up at her, "It is true everypony. I'm sorry, but I made a deal with Chrysalis. If I do everything she asks, then she will help me."

"But that is not the only pony you know that is working with me" said Chrysalis. "Oh Shia, can you come here please?"

Shia dropped her head and walked straight out of the barrier. Rainbow Dash looked surprised but then she charged the barrier, only to slam her face against the barrier. Shia turned with a few tears in her eyes, "Oracle…the reason I left when you were first changed wasn't because of your looks…it was because of…this…" A green light began to encircle her and travel up her entire body. Her white coat changed to a deep black, the bottoms of her limbs forming holes near the hoof. Her mane reversed colors, going from light blue and white to black and dark purple. A small horn formed on the top of her head, her eyes changed to pupil-less blue eyes, and her wings took on the appearance of insect wings. Tears were now falling from her real eyes, "…I'm…I'm a Changeling…"

Everypony was surprised but then Chrysalis stomped her hoof once, signaling Midnight to shoot another beam at the barrier. The barrier began to shrink slightly, and electrocute everypony inside. Tears were falling from Oracle's eyes, as well as Midnight's eyes. Everything blacked out for the ponies inside the barrier. Midnight ceased his magic, enough to turn away and sob. Chrysalis patted Midnight's back to try and calm him down. "Everything will be paid off in the end Midnight. But for now, put these with the other two."

---

Twilight stirred in her unconscious state, awaking once another pony nudged her head. Twilight woke up and looked around. They were in a cell, everypony was. Two ponies however she took notice of; Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

"I'm glad to see you awake Twilight" she said.

"Princess…what happened?" asked Twilight.

"Midnight sided with the Changelings, using his dark magic to aid the queen by any means. I knew I should have never given him permission to practice that magic."

"Princess…Chrysalis and Midnight mentioned something involving a deal" said Oracle. "Maybe Chrysalis has control over him, because of the deal."

"What in Equestria would Midnight want?" asked Rainbow. "Besides being allowed back in Ponyville, I don't see anything else that he would want."

"I can think of something" said Lightning. Everypony, even Celestia, paid attention. "Midnight was always sad about his looks. Chrysalis must have convinced him that she can change his looks if he helps her. That must be what she's doing to him."

A loud banging echoed throughout the cell. Everypony turned to see Oracle slamming her tail against the bars of the cell. "We need to get out of here!" she shouted. Sparkplug blocked her off once before aiming his horn at the cell. Energy sparked, but that is the only thing it did. "The cells are built to withstand even the most powerful magic" explained Celestia, "Even my powers are useless against the cage."

Lightning walked up to the cell and put his hooves by the door. A few seconds passed and then Lightning faced the group. He walked beside Applejack and whispered in her ear. Applejack walked over, reared back, and kicked the door with her back hooves. The door flew clean off of its hinges and hit the wall across the room. Everypony made a small cheer and got up to leave. Rainbow needed to pull Fluttershy out.

"Alright everypony, I need your help to get our kingdom back" said Celestia.

"Don't worry Princess, we will always fight for you" said Twilight.

"I was not talking to you Twilight. I was talking about the rest of you."

Twilight and the other elements turned to face the small group of remaining ponies with them. They all stood slightly shocked. Shard took a few steps forward and bowed, "It would be an honor to fight by your side Princess." Oracle galloped up beside him, "I want to get Midnight back more than anything! I will fight too!" Fire Star walked slowly to the same area, "Although I have never known of a princess, I believe what these creatures are doing here is wrong. I will help." Sparkplug stayed where he was until he was hit by Oracle's tail. "I guess I will help…"

"…NO…" replied Lightning coldly.

Everypony looked at Lightning in shock. Lightning had just said no to the Sun Princess. "Care to say that again…LIGHTNING?" said Celestia in a new tone. Her tone hid a sense of violence, which surprised everypony on her side.

"You have no control over me Celestia" he replied. "If MY ruler asks me to join this battle, then I shall." Lightning trotted over towards Luna. Luna appeared to be shocked, as well as everypony else in the room. "My ruler, the one I still serve after all these years, will make the choice if I am to be in this battle or not." With that said, Lightning bowed to Luna.

Luna slowly smiled, "Old friend, you know you have no reason to bow. Help in this battle; show them the might of the Crimson Puppeteer."

Lightning rose triumphantly and walked valiantly to the other fighters. His pose made Fluttershy blush slightly, which caught the eye of Celestia. But, she would not let this get to her, not yet. They all climbed the stairs from the prison and headed for the main room.

---

Chrysalis stood on the balcony, watching the Changelings perform their havoc on the city. Midnight and Shia stood behind her, looking very sad. Midnight began to walk closer to Chrysalis, "Uh…Chrysalis…I think that…I have done enough…"

Chrysalis turned, her sudden gaze causing Midnight to cower. But, a smiled stretched across her face. "Of course dear Midnight, none of this would be possible without your help" she said. Her horn shined that sickly green color and a mist began to form around Midnight. Shia backed off in slight fear. She has never seen her queen do this before. Midnight coughed and opened his eyes. Nothing felt different, so Midnight doubted. "Go and look at your new form Midnight, you earned it."

Midnight turned around, seeing Shia's shocked expression. He quickly ran to one of the glass windows, trying to see his reflection. The pony that stood in the mirror Midnight hardly recognized. A blue pony with a grayish mane stood in the mirror. All four limbs were hooves, not a single one was a claw. Midnight was surprised that he not only had a single unicorn horn, but also two large feathery Pegasus wings. That horrible mark of his was now a simple red heart with a small crest-shaped black marking underneath. Midnight was so happy that he couldn't express his full concern. The doors to the room suddenly opened and everypony before entered. Chrysalis was surprised but Midnight suddenly approached them. "Hi everypony!" he happily said.

"Who are you?!" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, very funny Rainbow Dash, don't tell me you don't know who I am…"

"No pony here knows you" said Twilight, "What's your name…?"

"Guys, it's me, Midnight!"

"Yeah right, like we are going to…"

Oracle gasped loudly, enough to stop Rainbow from talking. She slowly walked forward, her legs wobbling with each step. "M-M-Midnight…? Is that…is that really y-y-you…?" she asked.

Midnight ran up to her and hugged her. "It is me Oracle!" he shouted. "We can finally be together now! I am a normal pony! No more dark magic, no more banishment, we can finally be together without any trouble! Isn't this great?!"

Oracle was speechless and her eyes were wide. The room was filled with dead silence. Teardrops began to form in her eyes, the last thing Midnight expected for Oracle to have. She suddenly ran out of the room and through the doors once more. Midnight flew over the group and followed Oracle.

"Well, now since that is over, we can get you properly retrained" said Chrysalis.

Everypony turned once more to see the room filled with several Changelings; all of them either flying or on the ground. Celestia stomped her hood once, signaling everypony to charge. The Changelings except for Chrysalis charged as well.

---

Oracle galloped through the halls with tears falling from her face. Midnight flew right above her but then landed in front of her. "Oracle…what's…?" Oracle ran right beside him, leaving Midnight stunned. She ran around the corner and out of Midnight's sight. But, that did not stop him. Midnight flew around the corner to chase her but stopped immediately. Oracle was huddled by a grand statue, crying her eyes out. Midnight slowly walked to her, trying not to disturb her. He reached out to rub her back, but her tail opened up, shielding them apart.

"So…so this is why you did it…" said Oracle between sobs. "You…you wanted to be normal…just like everypony else…"

"Well, yes…that is true" replied Midnight. "But why are you so sad? Please, move your tail."

Midnight tried to go around Oracle's tail, but it was bigger than he noticed. And, whenever he moved, the tail blocked his path. "Why…why Midnight? I thought that…that we…we were happy just the way we were. When I met you…I felt normal. But now…now I feel alone. I'm not a pony anymore; I don't know what I am…"

Even through her lush green tail was blocking her face; Midnight could tell what expression she had. Midnight's heart was crushed. Never in his life did he ever feel so guilty. "Oracle…I…I had no idea" he said. "I'm…I'm sorry that I caused this sadness. I guess that is all I can really say now is that I am sorry." Tears were forming in his eyes now. Midnight reached his hoof and gently touched Oracle's tail. Her tail suddenly folded and she turned around.

"Midnight, what did you touch my tail with?" she asked.

"Uh…my hoof…" he replied.

"No, the touch did not feel the same. It felt like a claw, like your normal claw."

Midnight was puzzled but he tried something. He placed his hoof on the floor and rubbed it against the tiles. He lifted it, and to Oracle's and Midnight's surprise, three claw marks were against the tiles. Midnight stepped back from it, and then flew off to the room. Oracle quickly ran after him, worried for his concern now.

Midnight stopped by the door and peered inside. Everypony was stuck to the floor due to the slime that coated their legs. Twilight, Lightning, Fire Star, Celestia and Luna had a coating of the stuff on their horns as well. Chrysalis walked up to Celestia and laughed, "Did you think you could stand a chance against me Celestia? After all, the most powerful pony of us all is the one you banished. I wonder how he feels now…"

"I learned that it was a mistake to banish Midnight" she said. "It may have been his powers that caused the damages, but it was not his fault."

"But now, he will forever be loyal to me. Why you may ask? Because I granted him the one thing he wanted, to look normal."

"But Changelings do not have the ability to change others!"

Chrysalis smiled and let out a small giggle, "Oh how right you are Celestia. I cannot change his looks permanently, so I simply cast a spell that made him look like a normal pony. And as long as he believes he looks like that, he will always look like that."

"You evil monster!" shouted Fire Star. "That is the most diabolical thing I have ever heard! And I'm the one who tried to destroy Ponyville!"

"Yes, I will admit it. I tricked that mutant pony and used his abilities to take over Canterlot. And, because you will be the first one gone, no pony will be able to stop me!"

"No pony except, for me!"

Everypony turned to see Midnight at the door. His expression was clearly recognizable, anger. A green mist started to come off and fade into the air. When it cleared, Midnight stood in his true form. Oracle's eyes grew wide with excitement and she ran into the room. Oracle immediately hugged Midnight, but Midnight pushed her away slightly. "You tricked me!" he shouted in anger. "You made me go against everything I thought about. I fought Princess Celestia! Now, it is my turn to fight back!"

Midnight's spike began to glow, but the glow only lasted a while. Midnight looked at what he was against. Several Changelings were around him and Oracle, all either laughing or showing their fangs. Chrysalis walked down the small flight of stairs but did not approach the pair. "Now now Midnight, do you honestly think you can face us?" she asked. "There are hundreds of us, and only two of you."

"No, there are three of them" said a voice.

Chrysalis turned to see Shia walk past her and join Midnight and Oracle. "You are the reason why I left Oracle" she shouted. "If I would have stayed, they would have accepted me. Staying with you will only bring more loneliness, so I'm going with them!"

Chrysalis growled but her smile returned. "One little bratty Changeling will not make a difference. After all, you are all outnumbered."

Midnight sighed, Chrysalis was right. Unless he could get the others free, there was no way they would win. He could use a spell but he only knew some of them by heart. That's when the idea struck him. "I got into this mess with random spells, and I will get out of it with random spells" he said.

His spike began to glow black as he pointed it at Rainbow Dash. A small black tornado shot out and hit her in the back. But instead of getting damaged, the tornado carried her and increased her flying speed. Rainbow Dash flew straight through the massive army of Changelings that were flying. Midnight then pointed his spike up as black lightning began fly out. The black electricity was drawn in by Sparkplug and Lightning's horn. The lightning destroyed the gunk that was covering their horns and the gunk that hit their hooves once the electricity went through their entire bodies. Finally, black smoke formed out of his spike that flew to the top of the room. Rain began to pour into the room, causing all of the Changelings to fall. The gunk off of the remaining pony's hooves, horns, and wing soon melted away.

"Now it is our turn Chrysalis!" shouted Midnight.

All of the Changelings tried to fly, but the water prevented them. Midnight lead the charge as the army of Changelings charged as well as the others. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity were doing fine with just their hooves. Sparkplug was zapping Changelings left and right, the water on the floor acting as an amplifier. Fire Star was using the water to his advantage, creating large waves that hurled several Changelings away at once. Lightning was using his electric magic as well, but he soon noticed that he was surrounded.

"Oh no…" he said in a sarcastic voice, "It seems that I am completely surrounded…whatever will I do…?" The Changelings laughed, obviously not aware of his sarcasm. "Oh, I know what I can do…THIS!" A red explosion followed by a cloud of smoke erupted from Lightning's body. The Changeling's expressions went from confident to fear as they ran away from the wooden basilisk. Staredown struck and several Changelings were inside his mouth now. Although the scene was hard for somepony, everypony kept fighting. Staredown made sure that Fluttershy was alright, curling around her to prevent any Changelings from getting her. Midnight was blasting a few away but he suddenly turned. Out of the corner of his eye he saw several Changelings fly towards Oracle. Oracle smiled as her tail opened quickly. Then, the colors on her tail seemed to swirl and change in Midnight's eyes. The Changelings stopped and stared as well, each one very confused. Oracle's tail folded and she quickly swung it at the dazed Changelings. Midnight was still stunned with swirls in his eyes. Oracle walked closer to him and gave a small peck on the cheek. Midnight's gaze was replaced with his usual love struck one. However a beating of wings knocked him out of that daze. Chrysalis was flying out of the room.

"You're not getting away you liar!" shouted Midnight.

His wings opened and he charged at Chrysalis. Several Changelings flew in his way but Midnight easily blasted them away. Chrysalis flew out of the room, but Midnight followed them. Staredown saw this and swung his tail all around. Most of the Changelings were now knocked out. The only ones still aware were the ones by Princess Celestia. He was about to move, but Fluttershy gave him a look. Staredown couldn't even stand that look, so he rolled his eyes and slithered towards Celestia. With one bite, all of the Changelings were swallowed whole.

"It is very grateful for you to help Lightning…" she said with some sarcasm.

"Don't push your luck Princess…" he said coldly, "There is still plenty of room left in my mouth."

They all parted for the door, charging after their friend and enemy. Unknown to them, Midnight did not catch Chrysalis yet. They were on the far end of the hallway now. "Good luck catching me Midnight!" she shouted. "I am much older and more skilled than you!"

"Then let me use a technique I learned from a friend!" he shouted.

Midnight's spike glowed as he flew in a circle. A black tornado soon formed where Midnight was. Chrysalis tried to fight it, but her insect wings were not exactly the best wings. She was sucked into the tornado and a flash of green appeared before it stopped. The other ponies approached to see two Midnights fighting each other.

"Guys, I'm so glad you're here!" one Midnight said. "Get her! She's in disguise!"

"What…?!" the second said, "I'm the real one not you!"

The others darted between the two, obviously dumbfounded by who is the real one. Staredown moved his head close to the two identical ponies, looking at each one. Fluttershy, who was on Staredown's head, looked as well. "I have no idea which one is the real one…" he said.

"Shia…can you tell?" asked Twilight, "You are a Changeling after all?"

"Sorry everypony, I can't" she said. "I feel so useless…"

"You're not useless" said the first Midnight. "Everypony has their gift…"

"That has to be the real Midnight" said Oracle, "Midnight is always nice…"

Everypony began to approach the second one, but he backed up and his wings unfurled to cover his body. "Wait everypony" said Celestia, "We may not be entirely sure. Chrysalis may be trying to act like Midnight just to get us. We need to make sure that one is real and the other is not."

"I have an idea" said Rainbow, "Why not just ask them questions?"

"It won't work" said the second Midnight, "I told her everything that happened to me."

"It's true, I did say everything" said the first. "She asked me what happened, and I guess I continued from there."

"There has to be a better way of settling this without playing a silly game or anything…" said Rarity.

"What's wrong with playing a game?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Everypony stop, I know how to tell" said Oracle. Everypony watched as she approached the second Midnight slowly. The second one was confused by her actions. Suddenly, Oracle kissed Midnight on the lips! Many ponies awed while Sparkplug and Rainbow Dash pretended to be sick. Oracle broke the kiss to a stunned Midnight, "You…she…she kissed…she kissed me…" Midnight fell over with his eyes glazed over and a blush on his face. "That…is Midnight" said Oracle.

The first Midnight ran away quickly as they soon realized he was the fake. Staredown slithered in front of the fake, trapping him. Midnight broke out of his daze and shot a black beam from his spike. A barrier formed around the fake, revealing Chrysalis.

"How can this spell work on me?!" she shouted, "This was only supposed to work on ponies!" When the others gathered, Chrysalis chuckled. "It still will not matter…there is no barrier that will keep us out that no regular pony could pass through either…"

"Oh…I wouldn't say that…" said Midnight. "The spell you showed me only does work on ponies. But, I can reverse any spell, reverse it to the point where anypony I believe is a normal pony can pass through, and Changelings cannot. And…and I can increase the power of it as well."

The expression on Chrysalis's face was priceless. Midnight's horn glowed brightly. A barrier slowly began to form, causing Chrysalis to freak out. Midnight smiled as the barrier exploded in growth. Chrysalis was slammed by the expanding barrier as the other Changelings were as well. Soon, a black barrier stretched across the castle and disappeared, replacing the old one. Cheers could be heard throughout the kingdom and in the hallway. However some stopped to notice that Shia was still here.

"Wait…I thought that barrier would keep Changelings out…" said Sparkplug.

"I said it would allow anypony that I considered a normal pony to pass through" said Midnight. "Shia went with us to defend what is right. To me, she is a normal pony."

Shia had tears in her eyes, "You…you think I'm…normal…?" She quickly ran up to Midnight and hugged him. Oracle got her off of him, only to replace her. Hours later, a large gathering of ponies were held in the main room of the castle. Celestia approached the crowd, "It would be an honor to humbly represent the ponies in this kingdom to thank the group of ponies that helped save our castle" she started. "I would also like to apologize greatly to one pony that saved this entire kingdom, Midnight." Midnight walked into view as well as the others. Lightning did not seem happy to stand on the stage for Celestia, but Fluttershy urged him one.

"I…I don't know what to say…" said Midnight. This caused everypony to laugh slightly. "Honestly, I was banished one day, but then granted entrance the next. I do not blame the Princess for banishing me after that accident. I would have done the same in her position. But, I will say this, I intend to fix it. As of now, all damage that I caused I will work off." Some ponies were shocked by this. "Any job that could be available I will work for the money. After all, everypony must take responsibility for their actions."

The crowd began to applaud Midnight's words and decision, as well as the others on stage. Oracle walked up to Midnight and kissed him on the cheek. Midnight blushed, "Any chance I can get another kiss like before…?"

Oracle gently brushed Midnight with her tail, "Sorry Midnight, don't push your luck."

Author's Notes:

Thanks for my friend Darian to allow me to use her OC http://bweeka.deviantart.com/

Midnight's Lost Family

It was another quiet day in Ponyville. It has been a week since the Changeling incident, and Midnight has been working ever since. Pinkie Pie was waiting outside of a door inside of Sugarcube Corner. "Come on Midnight…Mr. and Mrs. Cake said you needed it…" she said through the door.

"I don't see how this is necessary" he replied. "I may be shy and quiet at times but I still have my dignity!"

Mrs. Cake walked to the door and knocked on the wood, "Midnight, are you still in there dear? Come on, we are about to open for the morning rush!"

The door opened, and Midnight walked out. Midnight was wearing a pink apron and a small white baker's hat that was punctured by his spike. "I still don't see why you couldn't have gotten me a white apron" he said while walking out.

"I told you silly, all of the white ones were dirty!" replied Pinkie Pie with a laugh.

"I knew I should have taken Applejack's offer."

"Oh don't worry dear" said Mrs. Cake, "You look fine. And I cannot thank you enough for helping out here."

"It's the least I can do Mrs. Cake. I'm just surprised that you and your husband are this kind considering I…blasted a part of your roof."

Mrs. Cake giggled and was about to speak but then the door opened and rung the bell hanging above it. Mrs. Cake turned, "Hello there and welcome to Sugarcube Corner. How may I help you?"

The colt was red with a black mane. "I would like a dozen cookies, but not all one flavor" he started. "I need five chocolate chip, two oatmeal, three sugar cookies, one peanut butter, and one double chocolate."

The customer said it so fast that Mrs. Cake was having a hard time writing all of the cookies she needed. However, Midnight heard every word. Using his magic, the cookies he needed were levitated safely and cleanly into a small container. Before Mrs. Cake could move, the container was placed onto the counter. "There you are sir" Midnight said as he approached the counter, "Five chocolate chip, two oatmeal, three sugar cookies, one peanut butter, and one double chocolate cookie. Will there be anything else?"

Both Mrs. Cake and the colt stared in surprise. But, the colt recovered, "Er…no…that is all. That is some fast service…"

The colt paid for the cookies and added a few more bits for the fast service. Mrs. Cake smiled at Midnight. Midnight was feeling very good, being praised for his kindness and service instead of being feared by his magic. Customer after customer came in, some asking for simple orders while some asked for more complicated ones. But, nonetheless, Midnight was able to give them what they asked with no time to waste. It became quiet within a few minutes, but then a large commotion sounded outside. A tall, thin light blue Pegasus pony walked in. Her mane and tail were a deeper shade of her coat. The mark on her flank was a blue spiral. Her eyes were a deep sparkling shade of blue and her eyes had blue eyeliner. A small colt walked beside her. But this one was very unique. His coat was green, but on several different locations on his body were different colors. His mane and tail were brown, and his eyes were gray. His cutie mark was a color palette. Midnight approached the main counter to meet this beautiful Pegasus. But, she gasped and took a step back.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Midnight. He was trying to hide his sadness from her reaction.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she said. "I didn't mean to upset you." Apparently he couldn't hide his emotions well. "I'm just glad to meet somepony that doesn't through a big fit everywhere I go. My name is Misty Fog." He small colt hid behind her legs for a while but started to come out. "Oh, and this is my son Easel."

Midnight looked past the counter and saw him. "Well I must admit he is quite…colorful…" He and Misty shared a small laugh. "Now, what can I get for you?"

"Easel, what would you like?" asked Misty.

Easel leaned against the counter, jumping to try and see what sweets the store had. A black energy began to glow around him, slowly lifting him up in the air. Misty was shocked for a second but calmed down when she heard her son laugh. Easel looked around, and then pointed a hoof towards a chocolate cake. Midnight set him down and prepared to package the cake. "Would you like a slice to eat now?" he asked. Easel shook his head wildly yes, making both Midnight and Misty laugh. He set a piece of chocolate cake onto a small plate and levitated it down to Easel. He quickly began to eat it as Midnight securely placed the remainder of the cake on Misty's back.

"How much is the cake?" she asked.

"Well…does twenty bits sound too much?" asked Midnight.

To his surprise, Misty pulled out a large pouch from her wing and set the amount on the counter. "Before I leave I must saw you are probably the most unique colt I have ever met" she continued. "Why may I ask that you are working here?"

"Oh, I need to help pay off the town for something. I only do this for a while until I can find a different job."

"And I never managed to catch your name…"

"Oh sorry" Midnight bowed behind the counter, "My name is Midnight."

Misty's face went from a smile to a quick look of surprise. Midnight caught notice of this, but Misty left with Easel in a hurry. Midnight was confused, but he did not let that get to him. He levitated the plate up and began to wash it.

---

Misty Fog quickly galloped down a dirt road, the chocolate cake tightly secured Easel hanging on tightly. Misty soon saw her son starting to fall and then started to trot. "You alright back there Easel?" she asked.

"I'm fine mommy" he replied. "Mommy, why did you run?"

"I…we need to see daddy Easel."

Easel stayed quiet and sat still. Misty began to keep trotting down the dirt road. Near the end was a single male unicorn. The unicorn was as colorful as Easel. His coat around his neck and head was red while his body was white. His mane and tail was black. His horn was multicolored as well as the colors along his hooves. His eyes were green and his cutie mark was an exploding firework.

"Color Burst, I need to ask you something" said Misty.

Color Burst turned and slowly approached Misty, "Ah, Misty my dear wife, the ponies in town were not giving you much trouble were they?"

"No, well some were but that's not what I am talking about. Remember that brother you had but haven't seen in a while? What was his name?"

"Oh…I remember him. He was born right before I left my home. He was a very unusual looking pony, but he seemed very sweet. His name was Midnight…" Misty gasped, causing Color Burst to worry. "What is wrong dear?"

"Color Burst…you might want to see for yourself…"

---

After working a good morning shift, Midnight met with Oracle to go visit some of their friends. They met at the Carousel Boutique, helping Rarity a little.

"So…why do I need to stand still again?" asked Oracle.

"Because darling, I have inspiration for a dress, and your tail feathers would be a perfect for it" replied Rarity. "So Midnight, are you still looking for a job to perform?"

"Sorry Rarity…" he replied, "I don't want to do fashion. The whole Sugarcube Corner job was enough. Some of their orders were so complicated!"

"Yeah, well it's not like you could do MY job!" shouted Rainbow Dash.

"Uh, sugarcube, all you do is rest on that dang cloud all day" said Applejack.

"Hey, keeping the clouds clear is harder than it looks. Not like apple bucking…"

"So Midnight" said Oracle, "Meet and interesting ponies?" asked Oracle, trying to change the subject rather quickly.

"Well, there was this one Pegasus pony…" This received a look from Oracle. "Don't worry; she was a mare, nowhere near my age. But I had to admit, her looks were pretty impressive. I mean, I do not know many ponies that only have one color. Her blue mane, coat, and eyes all seemed to sparkle."

Oracle was still a little upset at Midnight talking about another pony like that, but everyone's thought were stopped when Rarity gasped loudly. "D-D-Did you s-s-say…all blue Pegasus?!" she stuttered. Midnight nodded, nearly making Rarity explode in excitement. "OhmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmyGOSH! I cannot believe SHE is finally here!"

"Calm down there, who is SHE?" asked Applejack.

"Only the most important and famous model that came from Cloudsdale!"

Rainbow Dash gasped and flew right in front of Midnight's face, "Wait a second…you met HER?!"

"Who…Misty Fog?" asked Midnight.

"YOU MET HER?!" they exclaimed with excitement.

Everything was getting too intense. It stopped when there was a knock on the door. Rarity calmed herself and opened the door with her magic. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique…where everything is…" Rarity stopped because she saw who it was. Misty Fog entered the room, causing Rainbow Dash and Rarity to freak out. Applejack lassoed them so they wouldn't rush her.

"You know Rainbow…I never thought of you as a model liking type" said Midnight.

"Oh, shut it Midnight!" she exclaimed.

"…Midnight…?"

Everypony turned to see Color Burst walk into the room. No pony was sure who he was. Midnight approached him, "Uh…yes…?" Suddenly, the pony ran up and hugged Midnight. "Oh, I can't believe I finally found you!" he shouted. "When I received word from the village, I feared the worse. But you're alive!"

Midnight fought against the unknown stallion's grasp and backed up, "Wait a second, who are you?!"

"Midnight…it's me…Color Burst…your brother!"

Everypony gasped and Midnight stood frozen. His wings dropped, his legs began to shake, and his eyes were wide. "I-I-I…I…I have a-a-a…I have a b-b-bro…I have a brother…" he stammered. Suddenly, his expression changed from shock to anger. His wings unfurled, he pointed his spike at Color Burst, and a black energy began to surround it. "Stay back! I have no brother! Stay away from me!" Everypony was surprised by Midnight's reaction. Color Burst took a step closer, but a black beam of energy blasted in front of him. "NO! I SAID STAY BACK!" Color Burst stopped, but he still talked, "Midnight…we are brothers. What's wrong…? I haven't seen you since you were born…" The energy around Midnight's horn began to glow brighter. "You…you left me…you could have stayed and protected them. You could have given me a better life…you could have given them a better life…you could…just…" Midnight ran out of the building, crashing straight through Color Burst. Oracle and Color Burst were the only two ponies that noticed Midnight was in tears. Oracle ran out, pushing Color Burst out of the way. He followed, as well as Misty. Oracle was accompanied by Color Burst and Misty Fog. They gallop towards Midnight's home, in which Oracle was leading them. They arrived there, and saw that the house seemed empty. Oracle gently and slowly walked up close to the door. Faint sobs were heard coming from the other side. Oracle knocked on the door, "Mid-"

"GO AWAY!"

Oracle was taken back, she has never been yelled at by Midnight before. Color Burst walked up to the door and placed his horn near the lock. Instead of one color, Color Burst's magic was multicolored. The door unlocked and began to slowly open without a single sound. Color Burst's horn still glowed, he was preparing for the worse. "Midnight…"

"I said GO AWAY!" Midnight turned and shot a black beam of energy from his spike. Color Burst formed a multicolored shield around himself that absorbed the attack.

"Midnight, what's wrong with you?!" shouted Color Burst. "You yelled at your girlfriend and almost blasted your only brother! What would mom and dad say?!" Midnight's ears drooped, the magic stopped immediately, and Midnight burst into tears once more. Color Burst lowered his shield and walked straight to Midnight. "What…what's wrong?" he asked once more.

Midnight suddenly tackled his brother and pinned him to the ground. "THEY'RE DEAD!" he shouted. "MOM AND DAD ARE DEAD! WHILE YOU WERE LIVING YOUR LIFE TO YOUR HEART'S DESIRE, MOM AND DAD WERE KILLED! I WAS TORMENTED, ATTACKED, AND CONSTANTLY BULLIED WHEN I WAS ALONE! YOU SEE THESE?!" Midnight pointed to the scars on his right eye. "These scars, these scars were an attempt to kill me. TO KILL ME! And after all the years of torment and misery, I found out that I had a brother, WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED ALL OF MY MISERABLE YEARS! So brother, now ask me, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!"

Through that entire outburst, Midnight was in tears. Oracle was shocked to see such violence occur from Midnight. Misty was just relieved that Color Burst wasn't hurt and that she never brought Easel with her. Color Burst was still trying to comprehend that his parents were dead. "Midnight…I…I had no idea…"

"Yeah, you didn't." Midnight calmed down slightly, tears still in his eyes but he stepped off of Color Burst. Color managed to get up and brush himself off. "So why are you here…brother…?

"Well, I am here for many reasons" he replied. "But none of that is important right now. Midnight…I'm just glad I found you. I received a letter that you left the village, so I had no idea where you were. I tried to search for you, but you did not show up anywhere I looked. If there is anything you want to know, just ask me…"

A moment of silence passed through the home. "I still do not trust you…but…I want to know about…our…parents…"

"Our father was an Earth pony named Hot Wax and our mother was an Alicorn named Sunrise." Midnight paid attention to his mother's species, "That is right Midnight, our mother was an Alicorn; a pony with the features of a unicorn and Pegasus. Anyway, I know what pain you went through. Not the torment part, but the bullying part. As you can see, I'm not exactly the most normal looking pony. But, that's not the reason I left. Our family wasn't doing well, mom and dad were struggling to survive. And when I heard the news of your birth, I knew I had to do something. I stayed just to see you. I must admit, you surprised me. But, you were an even greater reason to leave. I left to get money to help care for you and our parents. I even sent a large amount of money to the village…"

Midnight gasped as a memory struck him. A certain pony in town was throwing a celebration with the rather large amount of money he suddenly received. Midnight felt badly for him since he killed him, but now all of his pity was now lost. However, Midnight felt a hoof on his back. He turned to see Color Burst, now with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry Midnight; I never knew what pain you would go through. I…I should have stayed behind. Could you…could you ever forgive your failure of a brother…?"

Midnight was astonished. His feelings suddenly changed about this pony, no, his brother. Color Burst was his brother. Midnight hugged his brother in tears. "I'm just glad to see I have some form of family…"

Misty Fog and Oracle entered as well. Color Burst and Midnight separated to join them. "Midnight," said Color Burst, "I believe you have already met my wife Misty Fog."

Midnight was shocked to hear the word "wife." His friends would never stop talking about this. "Oh, and this is Oracle, my…"

"I know Midnight; she's your girlfriend…"

Midnight blushed viciously as well as Oracle. They said nothing as the couple laughed.

Meeting of the Unique

The next day was at least somewhat quiet. There was still a commotion for Misty Fog's arrival, Rarity constantly asking if anypony has seen her. Midnight stopped by the Carousel Boutique to pick up Oracle before they went out on a walk. Oracle had no idea why Rarity wanted her tail feather design, but there was no way she was going to allow somepony going to pull one of her tail feathers. Oracle stopped while they were walking when she noticed something. Attached to the side of a building, a flyer was posted.

"What's wrong Oracle?" asked Midnight as he walked up.

Midnight turned and read the flyer. It said: "Attention all Ponies. Are you unique or different and afraid of being out in public? Well you shouldn't. We are holding a small gathering in the Library to all ponies that have more than average powers of appearances. You are not alone."

Twilight walked beside Midnight, "It was Mayor's idea." Midnight and Oracle turned to Twilight. "The Mayor saw how much attention you two were getting, and how a lot of ponies quickly adapted. She thought there are more ponies out there like you. So, she set up this up so that Ponyville can learn to not judge a pony by their looks."

"That is very nice of her" said Oracle.

"Oh, and she asked if you two would join us at the Library as well."

Midnight nodded and Oracle stayed close to him. Midnight blushed and Oracle giggled. Inside the Library the center was cleared out and there was enough room for many ponies. However, Twilight wasn't sure of who would show or not. "The meeting is going to start soon, so be prepared for anything" said Twilight.

The door opened, causing everypony to turn. Four ponies entered the room, the Mayor, Sparkplug, Color Burst, and Easel walked in.

"Color Burst…? Easel…?" asked Midnight, "What are you doing here?"

"Well this meeting is for unique ponies' right?" he replied. "Well, as you can see, my son and I are not exactly normal then."

Midnight had to agree, most ponies were lucky to achieve three colors. Color Burst and Easel had at least one of every color. Mayor walked in and approached Midnight, "On behalf of Ponyville I would like to apologize for our behavior towards both you and Oracle" she said.

"Let's hope that the others feel that way as well" replied Oracle.

"Hey, did everypony forget about me?" asked Sparkplug.

"We all know you Sparkplug" said Twilight.

The door opened with a small gust of wind. The wind had a few sparkles floating around in it. Everypony turned to see a Pegasus pony. But, instead of feathery wings, her wings were like a butterfly's. The pony's coat was yellow with pink covering her hooves. Her mane had similar colors and had a white flower tucked behind her ear. Her wings were a brilliant yellow and pink with white spots. Her cutie mark was an outline of a sun with a single butterfly in it. Everypony was stunned, and the pony that entered was surprised.

"Why is everypony so…so stunned?" she asked. She took a look at Midnight, and her eyes went wide, "Oh…my…gosh…what happened to you?!"

Twilight stepped forward, "Uh, getting back to your wings, I know a spell that gives temporary wings."

The pony was offended, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but these wings are real. I was born with these. My parents do not even know why my wings are like this. But, I'm unique."

"Is that your name or are you just describing yourself?" Sparkplug joked.

Everypony sighed, "My name is Sunmist. It is a pleasure to meet all of you."

The door opened again, making everypony turn. This pony seemed the most normal one yet. His coat was pure white and his mane and tail was red. His cutie mark was colored in a similar red and it was a shark. His eyes had the same color as his mane, tail, and cutie mark. He had these slits on his neck but they were barely noticeable from anypony. For some reason, he kept his mouth closed and did not speak.

"Welcome unique pony!" said Mayor. "And what is your name?" The pony looked at the others around him, looking concerned. "Do not worry" assured Mayor, "No pony here will judge you."

As the pony opened his mouth, he revealed what he was trying to hide. The pony had a large set of pearly white teeth, like that of a shark. "Hello" he said, his teeth flashing as he talked. "My name is Gameshark. And as you can see…I'm…well…part shark…"

"Gee…we haven't noticed…" said Sparkplug. "If I may ask, how much damage can that jaw of yours do?"

Gameshark looked around and saw a simple wooden table. He walked slowly over to it, opened his mouth, and chomped down. About one fifth of the table was still there. He spat out the wood and smiled his toothy smile, "Does that answer your question?"

Sparkplug nervously nodded his head. Gameshark walked into the center with the others. He didn't look scared as he saw Midnight. The door opened and a familiar beating of insect wings. Midnight and Oracle turned to see Shia. Some of the other ponies needed to be explained to in order for Shia to stay. Oracle approached her and gently nuzzled each other.

"It's nice to see you Shia!" Oracle exclaimed.

"It's nice to be accepted" she replied. "Oh, and Oracle, I found a certain somepony…"

Midnight overheard her tone and became worried. Did Oracle have a boyfriend that she never mentioned? The pony that entered surprised him. To Midnight's relief, it was a male pony. The female pony that just walked through was as unique as Oracle. Her coat was brown while the tips of her legs were blue. Her tail had so many colors; they seemed prettier than Oracle's. Of course, they only appeared to be greater. Midnight still believed Oracle's tail was better. The pony's tail was as colorful as her mane. Oracle's eyes widened with disbelief as she ran forward.

"Ritani!" shouted Oracle as she nuzzled her, "It has been a long time!"

"Oracle, you look great!" Ritani replied. "So…" She looked past Oracle and looked at Midnight, "I heard you found a certain special somepony…"

Oracle looked in the direction of Midnight. Midnight saw this and turned his body and darted his eyes away from them. They shared a giggle as Oracle turned back around. "Midnight is nice…but I need to know if his feelings are true…" she said.

"Don't look now but he is looking at you again" said Shia.

Oracle turned, only to see Midnight's eyes dart away once again. The door opened once more, making everypony's attention fall on the one who entered. This one wasn't exactly strange looking in general; it was the things he is wearing. The pony that entered had a white coat with brown stripes. The stripes were not as much as Zecora's, but they were similar. His mane and tail was brown while his eyes were green. One thing about this colt was that he had both wings and a horn. His wings had this brown armor on its edges. His legs had one silver band around each leg. On his chest was a red colored form of armor.

"Salutations to you all" he said with the upmost honor and pride while taking a gentlemen bow. "My name is Wavez, and I have come here to not only reveal myself, but to also see what other ponies we have out there." Wavez opened his eyes and stepped back, "Oh dear…what a strange bunch indeed."

"I do not need more ponies already telling me what I do not have" said a voice. Everypony turned to see Fire Star in the doorway. He walked in and greeted most ponies. A clopping was heard and everypony silenced down. The Mayor was about to speak.

---

Outside the window was a set of pure blue eyes. They all observed each pony in the room. But, the pair of eyes widened when they landed on Midnight. "Him…" a hissy voice said, "He issssss perfect…once he leavessssss for the foresssssst…I will put my sssssspell to work…" The being chuckled before the pair of eyes disappeared. "That pony sssssshall be mine…and mine alone…!"

Author's Notes:

Thanks to all who allowed their OCs to be a part of this story

Sunmist: http://crisis16.deviantart.com/art/MLP-SunMist-210683117
Gameshark: http://albinosharky.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Gameshark-is-Magic-279269065
Ritani: http://microdigit.deviantart.com/art/Mystical-Friends-302503966
Wavez: http://ultimatebloodmoney.deviantart.com/art/Wavez-version-1-2-295374609

Love Triangle

The meeting went very well. Everypony there was allowed to stay in Ponyville and help out anypony. As long as they did not create any damage or disaster to the town, they were able to stay. The next day, Midnight got off of his job at Sugarcube Corner early, so he decided to visit Oracle.

"Hey Midnight, where are you heading?" asked Sparkplug.

"I'm going to visit Oracle" he replied.

"You two really have been getting close. I'm curious…" Sparkplug put his hoof onto his chin and a smile came onto his face, "You are going to see Oracle, you two will be alone, and then…"

Sparkplug never finished his sentence when he was lifted into the air and placed closely to Midnight's face. Midnight glared at Sparkplug, "Never make that assumption again…" Midnight put Sparkplug down and walked into the forest. Sparkplug dusted himself off, "Geez, what was HE thinking?" Midnight kept walking down the usual trail to Oracle's ruins. Along the way, something appeared out from the bushes. It seemed like a gold spade with a blue gen in the center. Midnight looked at it, but it quickly disappeared into the bushes. Curiosity got the best of him as he followed after the strange item. Midnight saw a trail that seemed to have barely been used. He continued to walk down the path, looking for the strange object. What he found was a cave. The cave seemed it was natural, but other areas of it showed signs that somepony carved it out. A glint sparkled into his eye, causing him to look down. That object he saw before was on the ground. Midnight reached for it, but the object moved into the bushes before he could grasp it. Laughter ran through the cave, but this laughter was different than Chrysalis's. So Midnight did not have to worry about that again. Instead, two piercing multicolored eyes shone in the cave's darkness. The item that he saw started to come out, but a tail was attached to it. The tail wrapped around Midnight, tightly enough so that he could not move. The eyes grew closer, revealing their owner. It was a dark blue pony with a raggedy black mane. Her eyes were slits and she had layers of irises. Her mouth had visible signs of fangs. However, she only had two legs. Her lower half was a snake tail. The scales were light blue as a purple stripe ran down the back. A gold brace covered with blue gems ran across her waist where the snake half met the pony half. Around her neck was a gold necklace with a light blue gemstone.

"It isss niccce to have a visssitor…" she said, "It hasss been ssso long…"

"W-Who are you…?" asked Midnight.

"My name is Sssapphire…and you do not know how long I have waited for a pony like you…"

"Why…why do you want me?"

"You and I share sssomething…sssomething sssimilar…" She went closer to Midnight's face, her forked tongue tickling his face. "You and I…are different…we are ssshunned from sssociety…we are perfect for each other…"

Midnight saw where this was going. "I'm sorry to disappoint you Sapphire…but I already have an interest."

"Oh…ssso it wasss love firssst sssight for you too…?" Sapphire had a wide smile on her face. Midnight looked away, "Uh…actually…I'm not in love with you…" The smile disappeared from her face. "I'm sorry Sapphire…I'm sure there is somepony out there for you…it's just not me."

Sapphire's tail tightened around Midnight, causing him to groan in pain. "No pony ssshall deny me requessstsss…!" The end of her tail wrapped around Midnight's snout and she turned Midnight's face towards hers. Her eyes began to swirl with several colors. Midnight's eyes began to swirl the same colors and he seemed to be in a daze. "Who do you love little Midnight?" asked Sapphire.

"I…love…Oracle…" he said slowly.

"No, you love me."

"I…love…Or…I...love…love…"

"Repeat after me, you love Sssapphire…you hate Oracle…"

"I…love…Or…I…love…S…I love Sapphire…I hate…I hate Oracle…"

Sapphire smiled, "Very good my love. There is jussst one lassst thing you need to do…"

---

Oracle was inside painting on a large canvas. Several candles illuminated the room. A few drops of paint were on her face as she placed the painting in a hidden area. She did not want to reveal her painting to anypony yet, especially Midnight.

"…Oracle…" said a voice. Oracle turned to see just the pony she was thinking about. She walked happily closer to him, but she was stopped by his magic. "No Oracle, no close encounters. I need to tell you something." Oracle looked at him worryingly. "I just want to tell you that there are no feelings between us."

His statement surprised Oracle. "Midnight…I thought that…"

"You thought wrong" he replied coldly. "Oracle, I never had feelings for you. I never will have feelings for you. Everything you have ever felt or will feel was all an act. I love somepony else, and it is not you. So just stay in your ruined home, never leave the forest, and leave me alone."

Those words stung deeply into Oracle's heart. It wasn't just the words, it was his tone. He sounded like there was no emotion behind it at all. With nothing else to say, Midnight left Oracle in tears. Oracle slowly walked her seemingly lifeless body to her bed and collapsed in it. Her heart has been crushed; her existence to her seemed to shatter. All she could do is lye in her bed and cry, "…Midnight…why…?"

---

Sparkplug just wandered through town, looking at the new stores and bought a few things to eat. He walked near Sugarcube Corner, seeing Midnight leave with a package on his back. Sparkplug galloped towards him, "Hey Midnight, got something for Oracle?" Midnight's gaze never turned to Sparkplug. He noticed this but tried to continue the conversation. "So…how is Oracle…?"

"Oracle…who cares…?" he said.

This stopped Sparkplug short. He was wide eyed as he watched Midnight leave. Lightning approached Sparkplug's side, "Did I just hear that correctly?"

"Something's up" said Sparkplug, "Midnight cares for Oracle more than anypony has shown me before."

"Maybe Oracle could shed some light on this…"

Sparkplug and Lightning galloped to Oracle's home. When they entered, it was pitch black. Sparkplug's broken horn glowed, causing a little bit of light to shine. "Oracle…?" yelled Lightning. An almost silent sob was heard echo through the ruins. Lightning and Sparkplug looked at each other before they walked deeper into her home. Sparkplug's light seemed to dim as he walked closer. Oracle was collapsed onto her bed. The light they provided seemed to dim by the second.

"Sparkplug…what's wrong with your light?" asked Lightning.

"No light can penetrate the darkness in my heart…" said Oracle sadly.

They turned to see Oracle sitting up on her bed, facing them. All of the color seemed to have actually drained out of her. Her mane, tail feathers, and her body seemed completely dark. No bright colors showed at all. "Midnight…he does not even…care for me now…" she said.

"You're wrong Oracle" said Lightning, "Midnight loves you…"

"Then…explain what he just said to me…he said he never cared…her said it was all an act…"

Sparkplug got close to Oracle and placed a hoof on her shoulder, "Listen to you Oracle. This is not you. I may be an inconsiderate jerk that loves to pull pranks on others, but I know a caring soul when I see it."

Oracle looked up at him, her face still not showing any form of relief. "But…why did he say those things…?"

"Midnight did seem to be in a daze when I was speaking to him."

"Do you think he was under hypnosis?" asked Lightning.

Oracle's eyes suddenly widened and then an angry gaze filled her eyes. Her colors returned, but she looked slightly evil. Sparkplug stepped back, afraid of her. "If somepony thinks she can take my Midnight…they are sadly mistaken!" Oracle ran off with great speed, knocking both Sparkplug and Lightning.

---

In her cave, Sapphire was happily there with Midnight under her spell. Midnight opened the case and grabbed a cupcake out of it. "A sweet for my sweet…" he said with no tone.

"Oh Midnight…you are the true sssweet…" Sapphire replied white taking the cupcake. "You are posssibly the sssweetessst and mossst thoughtful boyfriend ever…"

"HE IS NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND!" shouted a voice.

Sapphire jumped slightly, but Midnight never reacted. Oracle was standing there, eyes full of fury. Sapphire simply blew a small strand if her mane out of her face as she slithered closer. "Well well, you mussst be Oracle…" she said. "I mussst sssay…you are not what I expected…ssstill, you are not asss beautiful asss me…"

Oracle huffed, "You? Beautiful?! Never in your life, you scaly skinned freak!"

Sapphire lunged at Oracle, but Oracle swung her tail around and slammed Sapphire in the face. She was hurled back into her cave, immediately knocking Midnight out of his trance. But, he stayed quiet and watched. Sapphire wiped her mouth off with whatever spit Oracle's tail caused to come out. She lurched back and lunged at Oracle once more. Again, Oracle swung her tail. But, Sapphire curled around her tail and coiled tightly around Oracle's waist. She brought her face close to Oracle's, "You ssstupid little pony! Did you honessstly believe that you could defeat me?! I have twiccce the power you will ever have! Midnight will be mine!"

Oracle struggled against her restraint. Her eyes flared with anger and determination, "No…you…WON'T!" Oracle managed to get a hoof free and she punched Sapphire. Sapphire let go of Oracle to ease her pain, but she only caused it to get it worse. Oracle tackled Sapphire's pony half and began to punch her wildly. "Midnight…is not your boyfriend!" she said while punching. "He doesn't love you! I don't know how anypony would love you!"

Oracle was thrown off and wrapped tightly. The end of Sapphire's tail pointed at her throat. "You do not underssstand what I have to go through. The conssstant everyday feeling like you will be hated for the ressst of your life. I cannot go out without having to risssk my life. You ssstupid poniesss have no idea what love isss really like!"

Oracle bit the end of Sapphire's tail, avoiding the tip. Sapphire let go of her, but she sneered at her. "I don't only hypnotize colts and stallions, I can also hypnotize mares as well."

Sapphire's eyes began to swirl, but Oracle closed hers. Sapphire sneered but kept her hypnosis going. She was going to open her eyes eventually. Oracle smiled, "You are not the only one who can hypnotize ponies…" Her tail feathers opened to their fullest extent. The colors seemed to swirl and Sapphire's swirling colors were replaced with Oracle's. Oracle opened her eyes, ran up, and bucked Sapphire in the face. Sapphire was knocked back, but she slithered back into her cave. Oracle huffed and panted, exhausted from fighting. Her anger was draining as she stood there. "Sapphire…I understand the pain you went through" said Oracle. "But tricking ponies into loving you is not the way to go. There is a love out there for us all, but Midnight is not yours. Midnight is…"

"Oracle…?" said a voice. Oracle turned to see Midnight. His eyes were full of concern and had a tint of love. "Oracle…I had no idea what she made me say but whatever I said I…" Midnight was caught up by Oracle kissing him on the lips. He was surprised at first, but he settled down. The kiss broke, and both ponies were blushing. Midnight's spike glowed and a cupcake flew in front of Oracle, "A sweet for my sweet…?" Oracle gave Midnight a playful push as they walked away.

---

Hours later, Sapphire was deep in her cave. Tears were falling from her eyes as she cried in her cave. The one pony she wanted to be with was now gone. "The only thing I wanted wasss love" she said to herself. "I am beautiful…but my beauty isss under thessse ssscalesss…will I alwaysss be alone…?"

Faint hoovesteps were heard and Sapphire stood frozen. A faint light was behind her, indicating somepony was here. She turned around, and saw Sparkplug. She was surprised to see not only a unicorn, but a unicorn with a broken horn. However, her anger soon returned and she slithered up to him. "You will go away…" she said as her eyes swirled with color. Sparkplug was unfazed, "Sorry…my eyes are different. You cannot hypnotize me…"

Sapphire stopped and turned around, "What do you want…? I've had a rough day…"

"I can tell from the amount of bruises. But I was just telling you that you will find love."

"Yeah…right…like sssomepony would love a pony with ssscalesss…"

"I'm sure there is somepony out there…" Sparkplug seemed a little bashful when he was talking to her.

"Yeah…and where isss thisss sssomepony…?"

"Uh…r-right…right here…"

Sapphire turned around in shock. Although the cave was dark, Sapphire could see the red on Sparkplug's face. His hooves shuffled against the ground in embarrassment. "Call me crazy, but I find you rather beautiful. Your mane and coat is very shiny, not to mention your scales. They shimmer when there is light." To prove this, the light around Sparkplug's broken horn increased. The light reflected off of her scales brilliantly. Sapphire turned back to hide her blush. Sparkplug still thought she was ignoring him, so he started to walk away. However, Sapphire's tail wrapped around his waist and Sparkplug was brought to Sapphire's face. "Hasss anypony told you that your eyesss are very niccce…?" Sparkplug smiled as he stayed in the cave, with her, his new crush.

The Birth of a Storm

It has been a week since the Sapphire incident. Midnight and Oracle's bond was now stronger than ever. Sparkplug has been going away off and on for a while each day. The next morning, Midnight walked out of his home and headed towards Ponyville. As he was walking, Midnight looked up. "I heard there was a city in the sky" he said to himself. "It would be nice to see what it was like."

"Why don't you?" asked a voice. Midnight looked around, but saw no pony around. When he turned back around, he was greeted by Rainbow Dash sitting on a cloud. "Why don't you go to Cloudsdale?" she asked. "It's a simple fly up. I can show you. But we'll have to see if you can walk on clouds." Rainbow Dash moved off her cloud and flew beside it. She gestured to try and Midnight's wings opened. He was hovering above the cloud, still afraid of the result. He closed his eyes as he slowly descended. His feet touched the surface of the cloud, but he never went through. Midnight opened his eyes with surprise and started hopping on the puffy white cloud. "Looks like you can go" said Rainbow. "Let's go and…"

"Wait" interrupted Midnight, "Could I…could I invite Oracle…?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes but nodded her head. Midnight strolled into town to find Oracle. Along the way, they met Sparkplug. "Hey guys" he said, "Where are you heading?"

"I'm going to find Oracle so we can go to Cloudsdale" replied Midnight.

"Could I come as well? I need…I need to apologize to the workers in the Weather Factory."

Rainbow nodded but she said she would be right back. Midnight went to the Carousel Boutique and found Oracle. She has been there for a while, Rarity asking her to model. Oracle said she would be delighted to go along. As they trio was leaving the shop, Rainbow flew up with Twilight walking behind her.

"Hi Rainbow" said Oracle. "Why is Twilight here?"

"Only Pegasus ponies can walk on clouds" said Twilight. "We had a similar experience, so I have two spells to offer. One, I can make temporary wings so that you could fly. Or two, I can allow you to walk on clouds."

"As awesome as it would be to have wings, I'm think I would go with the simple cloud walking spell" said Oracle.

"I'm going with Oracle on this one" added Sparkplug.

Twilight nodded and her horn began to glow. A purple light enveloped both Oracle and Sparkplug. The energy stopped, causing them to look around. "I don't feel any different…" Rainbow flew up and grabbed a cloud. She brought it down, allowing both Oracle and Sparkplug to step on it. Instead of sinking through, they walked on top. They thanked her but Twilight offered to have a way to get up properly. However, Oracle wouldn't mind if Midnight carried her up. Midnight blushed at the mentioning of this. Sparkplug leaned in on Rainbow Dash, obviously wanting the same thing. Rainbow rolled her eyes, agreeing but saying that he shouldn't get any funny ideas.

---

The flight up was easy, but they had to travel a great distance up. Luckily Twilight cast that spell, now everypony could walk on clouds. Rainbow Dash gestured her hoof outward, "Welcome to Cloudsdale!" Everypony gasped at the scene before them. Cloudsdale was like Ponyville, only everything was not connected. Several shops and buildings were placed on several puffy white clouds. The designs looked like something from Oracle's home. Sparkplug was getting some sour looks from the other Pegasi.

"Hey…uh…Rainbow…" said Sparkplug, "Could we go to the Weather Factory now?"

"What's the Weather Factory?" asked Midnight.

"The Weather Factory is the facility where all of the weather is produced for all of Equestria" explained Rainbow. "I could give all three of you the tour."

Sparkplug was nervous but the others agreed. Rainbow needed to convince the guard to let Sparkplug in, but he allowed them nonetheless. Almost all of the workers sneered at the sight of Sparkplug. Rainbow protected him in saying it was an accident. Midnight, Oracle, and Sparkplug were able to see processes that no unicorn of Earth pony has ever seen. Midnight was amazed to see snowflakes being made in one room. He has never seen snowflakes other than something that caused the cold. Shard was there helping form the ice crystals needed. He was surprised to see Midnight up there, but he needed to work. One area that Oracle found interesting was the rainbow room. They created fresh rainbow and they were in the liquid form. Sparkplug needed to go to the cloud center, where they turned water into clouds. However, there was this one Pegasus yelling at the others.

"I do not care what you have to do!" he yelled. "I need this up and running by today!"

Rainbow approached the Pegasus, "Hey Stormwatch, what seems to be the problem?"

Stormwatch was a dark blue Pegasus with a white hurricane symbol as a cutie mark. His mane was black and his eyes were green. "Well Rainbow Dash, this machine has been broken for some time now. It should be in working order, but somepony caused it to break." Stormwatch stared at Sparkplug in anger.

"Excuse me sir, but I think I can help…" said Midnight.

Stormwatch turned to Midnight and then flew up slightly, "What in Equestria is that?!"

"Stormwatch, this is Midnight" said Rainbow Dash.

Stormwatch returned the ground and began to shake Midnight's claw. "So you are the one who saved Canterlot castle. I'm sorry for reacting like that, I was only told of your name, not your appearance. So, how can you help? You know anything about machinery?"

Midnight shook his head, "Oh no sir. I know a spell that could make your machine look and work like brand new."

Stormwatch put his hoof on his chin and tapped it, "We usually don't allow this, but we need that machine up and running. Use your spell if you're so confident."

Midnight nodded and he headed towards the machine. "A simple creation spell should do it" he said. His spike began to glow black, and a beam hit the machine. The machine began to hum and spur, clouds forming out of the top. Everypony cheered for his success, but then the black energy absorbed into the cloud floor and shot out in all directions. A slightly rumbling along with some thunder was heard.

"That did not sound good" said Sparkplug.

"What did you do?" asked Stormwatch.

"All I used was a simple creation spell; it was supposed to create the machine back to normal."

"The machine was already in its original state, it was the eternal mechanisms that were the problem!"

The newly fixed cloud maker along with the other began to spark with black electricity and started to hum. Dark clouds began to form out of the machines. Instead of trailing off, the clouds began to merge.

"That's only supposed to happen when a storm is being produced!" shouted Stormwatch.

The clouds split into three different dark storm clouds. Each cloud had a single glowing orb suddenly appear. They flew off in all directions, seeming to be alive. The wind began to pick up and a series of color shone from beneath us. This commotion caused Stormwatch to fly out of the factory through the window. He gasped at what he saw below. Midnight flew out and Oracle walked out onto a balcony. Everypony gasped at what they saw. It seemed like a living rainbow that took the similar form of a snake and a large tornado was beneath them. Each one seemed to be alive and in control of their actions. Without warning, Stormwatch grabbed Midnight and tackled him to the floor. "What in Equestria were you thinking?!" he shouted. "You created five different forms of weather, each one completely aware of its surroundings!"

Stormwatch was pulled off by Shard, "Easy there Stormwatch, Midnight is an old friend of mine. You mess with him, you mess with me."

Midnight looked and gasped. He knew Shard was pretty big and muscular, but he seemed much larger than Big Mac! Midnight's spike glowed as a book suddenly appeared on the ground. Midnight began to flip through the pages, but he landed on one. "Alright, I think I have something here" he explained. He kept reading the page, looking confident with each sentence her read. However, his eyes went wide when he read one line. "We may have a problem here…"

"What kind of problem?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Well, I have a spell that will reverse the Creation spell. Only in order to work, every sentient being must be present in order the spell to work, otherwise none of the results of the spell will cease."

"In English Professor Nightmare" said Sparkplug.

"In order for this spell to work, we need every weather creature I made in one area. They were all created by using one spell. That means they can only be destroyed by using one spell."

"Well then, looks like we need to round them up" said Rainbow.

"Alright, but how are we supposed to?" asked Stormwatch. "We have a hail cloud, a raincloud, a thundercloud, a tornado, and a living rainbow! How can we even get close to them!"

Shard stepped forward, "I can deal with the hail cloud. The ice crystals will not harm me."

Rainbow Dash stepped beside Shard, "I can handle any Rainbow. That's why it's in my name."

Sparkplug walked beside Rainbow, "Find a way for me to get airborne and I can deal with that lightning throwing cloud."

Some other ponies volunteered with the raincloud, but there was the tornado to worry about. Midnight looked around, seeing only one pony for that job. "Alright, everypony listen. Shard, you deal with that hail cloud. Rainbow Dash, I need your speed to get that rainbow snake airborne again. Sparkplug, I will take you close to the thundercloud. The workers here in the cloud room, you can handle the raincloud. And Stormwatch…" Stormwatch appeared to be shocked at the mentioning of his name, "I know you can handle that tornado. Just drive it to a open field so the rest of us can combine it."

"But Midnight, I need to warn you" he said. "I do not think combining the weather patterns will be a good idea."

"It's the only way for the spell to work. Unless you have a better idea, I'm all ears. Unless you want each one to cause disaster across Equestria, I suggest you act now!" Stormwatch looked down at Midnight. He smiled, "You got guts kid, and I admire that. Alright, I'm in."

Everypony that was mentioned took to the skies. Sparkplug hopped onto a white cloud and Midnight pushed it from behind. They all reached out to their targets. The Pegasi that was dealing with the raincloud were doing fine. Some got a little wet, but they were doing fine. Shard was dodging attacks left and right. The hailstorm cloud was launching massive ice crystals at him. However, these crystals making contact with him only helped him. Forming ice around his hooves, Shard managed to actually grab the cloud and stop it from attacking. Rainbow Dash was forming a tornado and actually beginning to suck the liquid rainbow up. Now it was Sparkplug's turn.

"I hope you know what you're doing" said Midnight.

"When do I ever cause a disaster?" he asked.

Midnight said nothing as he pushed the cloud into the sentient thundercloud. Sparkplug's broken horn began to glow, as all of the electricity was attracted to it. Midnight nodded to Stormwatch who began flying towards the tornado. He spun with it, actually gaining control of its movements.

"Everypony now!" shouted Midnight.

Shard, Sparkplug, and Rainbow hurled the sentient weather towards Stormwatch. The raincloud was caught in a spiral as it was hurled at the tornado as well. Soon, all five weather abnormalities were together. Everypony moved away so Midnight could work the spell. Before he could, however, something was happening with the storm. The clouds merged, growing to exponentially large portions. The winds picked up as the tornado swelled in size. The rainbow's separate colors began to blast out in all directions, some barely missing Midnight. The storm seemed to also expel ice crystals, rain, and lightning. It appeared to stare at Midnight and growl in anger. Midnight was scared, but this was more important things than his safety. Midnight's horn began to glow, just as the storm swallowed him.

"MIDNIGHT!" shouted Oracle. Oracle actually tried to jump out but Shard stopped her. The storm made rumbling noises as if it was laughing. It slowly crept closer to the Weather Factory. Then, a black beam of energy shot out from the top of the cloud. Several more beams followed suit and shot out in all directions. The cloud suddenly exploded, releasing massive amounts of electricity, water, ice, and wind. Oracle ran out onto the balcony to look at the skies. It was empty except for a tiny cloud. She was about to cry, until she felt a familiar claw on her shoulder. She turned and hugged Midnight, "YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Rainbow Dash put a hoof over her eyes, "What is that?"

Midnight and Oracle looked out to see a single small puffy white cloud. There was something on it. Midnight gasped before he flew off. He grabbed the cloud and brought it closer. He pushed the cloud into the factory. Oracle, Shard, Sparkplug, Rainbow, and several other ponies gathered around. They all gasped that was on the cloud. A small filly laid on the cloud. The filly had a horn and wings. The front half of the pony's coat was black as the back half was light gray. The tips of her front legs had light blue crystal-like markings while her back legs had yellow lightning-styled tips. Her mane was puffy like a cloud near the top of her head but smoothed out as it went down. Her tail had the color and shape of a rainbow. Her cutie mark was a dark cloud that slightly covered a sun with a tornado beneath it.

"What was a filly doing on a cloud out there?" asked Rainbow.

"The only thing that was out there was that storm" said Shard.

The small filly opened her eyes, revealing her white eyes with yellow pupils. She slowly got up and yawned. She looked at the ponies gathered around her, but stopped at Midnight and Oracle. She happily jumped off and ran up to them. She gently rubbed her head against them, "Daddy! Mommy!"

Oracle and Midnight looked at each while blushing. Sparkplug started to laugh, "I knew you two couldn't be trusted alone!" Shard raised a hoof and slapped Sparkplug on the back of the head.

"We have a problem…" said Midnight.

Cirria's Storm

After the surprising result from the strange new filly, Midnight and Oracle explained everything to Twilight. The filly was reading a few books as they were explaining.

"So, let me just see if I got everything" said Twilight. "The Creation spell you used accidentally created five weather anomalies that could think on their own. After you placed them together, you began to use the spell."

"But they combined into a single storm when they were in the one area" added Oracle.

"Then the result is simple, when the storms combined the spell had a greater effect. You destroyed the large storm, but there was still enough of the original creation spell to create something. And with you inside when the spell happened, it based it off of you Midnight. That explains why she has a horn and wings."

"So…she is like…my daughter…?" asked Midnight.

"It may be from a spell but yeah, I guess she is…"

Midnight's eyes shone with happiness. He always dreamed of having a family. He knew Oracle and he would eventually go to that stage, so he was surprised that it happened now. Midnight walked up to his daughter and nuzzled her. The filly laughed as she returned the affection.

"But, she thinks that I am her mother" said Oracle nervously. "How can that happen?"

Twilight put her hoof up to her chin and thought. "I guess she just imprinted on you."

"Imprinted?" asked Midnight.

"Yeah, imprinted; baby birds and other animals usually confuse their parents with the first thing they see at their birth. I guess since she knew Midnight was her father, and you were beside him, she mistook Oracle for her mother."

Oracle shuttered at the word "mother." Midnight saw this and looked confused. He hoped that she wasn't what he thought she was. "Oracle…don't you…want to have a family…?"

"I want to have a family, but I do NOT want to have kids" she replied.

This slightly hurt in Midnight's heart. He knew that birth was really not fun to a mare, but he really wanted to have more than just him and Oracle. Their thoughts were interrupted by a random floating book that passed by them. Twilight wasn't doing it, so they turned to the only other pony in the room. The small filly's horn had a gray light encasing it. Several more books began getting off of the shelves and floated around the room. Twilight was surprised, "It seems the creation spell gave her magic capabilities like a normal unicorn. But there is something else that troubles me…"

"What would that be Twilight…?" asked Oracle.

"This filly seems to have the body of an older pony, say around the age of ten. I wonder what her mind is like…"

Midnight walked up to her, "Well, whatever she is, she needs a name." Midnight stroked her mane, "A name that matches her completely. I know, Cirria…"

"…Cirria…?" Twilight and Oracle asked in unison.

"Well, her mane is like a cloud, so why not call her Cirria Cloud? What do you think?" The filly laughed, "I like the name daddy!"

Everypony gasped at her new speech. Her reading must have improved her speech. Midnight rubbed her head affectionately and she joined along. Twilight walked up beside Oracle, "You know, Midnight cannot take care of Cirria by herself."

"I'm sorry Twilight, I can't, even if she thinks I her mother" she replied.

"Don't do it for her then, at least do it for Midnight. I know you don't want to have a child, but at least watch over her. I'll talk to the Princess about it later."

Oracle looked at Midnight and how he cared for the filly. Cirria was happy as well. Oracle was lost in thought, so she did not see Cirria walk up. "Mommy…what's wrong?" she asked. Oracle looked down at her. "Do you not love me mommy?"

The look Cirria was giving Oracle would cause a criminal to give in. Oracle looked up and Midnight, who was waiting for the answer as much as Cirria. Oracle sighed and looked down at Cirria, "Don't worry Cirria, m…Mommy loves you…" Cirria exploded in happiness and began to hug Oracle. Oracle saw Midnight approach with a warming smile on his face. "Thank you…" is all he said.

---

Within the week, Oracle and Midnight took care of the filly that Midnight named Cirria Cloud. Midnight took more care of her than Cirria, but Cirria did not mind. Since she was a child, Cirria went to school. Apple Bloom and her friends were a little freaked out when Cirria told them who her parents were. But, she was allowed in and made friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Her intellect and speech grew exponentially. Cheerilee was having a hard time keeping up with her brain. Midnight was proud of Cirria and her vast knowledge. However, he had no idea what her Cutie Mark was. Oracle watched her a few days and also wondered that. One day, however, it revealed.

---

It was yet another bright day in the playground by the School. Cirria was reading a book underneath a shady tree. Sweetie Bell trotted underneath with her, "Hey there Cirria" she said happily, "What are you doing?"

"I am reading this novel" said Cirria, her eyes not leaving the page. "It is very interesting. Now, there must be a reason why you approached me?"

"Well, the other Crusaders and I wanted to know if you would like to join us for lunch."

The book closed and was lifted into a saddle sack by grey magic. Cirria stood up, "Sure, I would love to join you. I just finished the novel so there is no reason for me to stay here any longer."

"Wow, you can really read fast. You must be…like…the smartest pony ever!"

As they were walking, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoons walked in front of them. "You are more like the freakiest pony ever" said Diamond Tiara.

Cirria rolled her eyes, "Ah Diamond Tiara, how many times must you try to figure out that there is nothing you can say that will bother me."

"Oh, I know that. I'm just wondering what your parents are like…?" Cirria's cheerful attitude stopped. Sweetie Bell and Silver Spoon were surprised that Diamond Tiara was going to that extent. "I mean, how do two ponies that could be in a freakshow come with you?"

"You can stop talking now…" said Cirria.

"You also have to add that you bear no resemblance to your bird-feathered mother and your horror themed father."

"Diamond…please stop talking."

Diamond Tiara ignored her and continued, "And yet there is one last thing that is weird, weirder than you and your family's looks…" No pony noticed it yet, but Cirria's mane started to darken like a thundercloud. "Isn't it odd to you that both of your parents are as old as…I don't know…Twilight? Usually you have to be much older to have a child. Unless of course your mother…"

Cirria's mane turned completely dark and electricity sparked around it. The wind began to pick up and it started to blow towards Diamond Tiara. Cirria was giving her an evil glare. Clouds above began to darken and thunder sounded. "What…did you say…about my parents…?" she said in calm anger. A bolt of lightning struck right beside Cirria, scaring all of the other ponies. Sweetie Bell did run, but she was running for help, not for cover. Diamond Tiara was frozen in fear, slowly backing up. Cirria took steps that allowed the space between her and Diamond to never change. "You…what are you accusing my parents of?" Cirria asked in calm anger. Lighting struck behind her, the wind really starting to pick up now. Diamond Tiara tried to back up faster, but then she hit a tree. The wind was now very hard to stand against. Each step that Cirria took either sparked electricity of created a thin layer of ice to form on the grass. Her horn began to fiercely glow gray as she pointed it at Diamond Tiara. Suddenly, a black energy sphere formed around Cirria, shocking both her and Diamond Tiara. The weather cleared up back to normal, the wind died, and the lightning stopped.

"Cirria, what did you think you were doing?!" shouted a voice. They turned to see Midnight land on the ground, his horn glowing bright. He turned to Diamond Tiara, motioning for her to leave. She wasted no time to in running. Midnight turned to Cirria, who now looked very sad. The barrier dropped, putting Cirria on the ground. "What were you doing to that filly?!" he yelled. "We don't know the strength of your magic yet, and look what you did!"

"But daddy…" Cirria said sadly.

"No buts Cirria…Fly straight home and I will get your mother."

Cirria slumped forward and opened her wings. She flew off sadly, but quickly to her father's house. She walked inside and collapsed on the bed that they made for her.

"I know what I was doing…but Diamond Tiara had no right in making fun of daddy and my mother" Cirria said to herself. Then, something hit her. Everything that Diamond Tiara said had logic behind it. Cirria should know about logic, she was very bright. She hated to admit it, but Diamond Tiara was right. Her mother and father lived in two different houses, she bared no resemblance to either parent, and they were very young. Cirria has never been so confused about a subject before. She made a decision, she would ask as soon as her parents got home.

Hours later, Midnight walked in with Oracle. "I knew that her talent would reveal soon, I just never thought it would be under her situation" said Midnight.

"Is the other filly alright?" asked Oracle.

"Yes, the other one is alright. It just troubles me what she said. I have never seen Cirria angry before."

Both Oracle and Midnight turned to see Cirria watching them both. Midnight walked up to her and patted her back, "How are you feeling Cirria?"

"Daddy…how was I born…?" she asked.

This shocked both Midnight and Oracle. Midnight sat down beside her and slowly stroked her mane. "Well…Cirria…you were born like all ponies…"

"But daddy…you and mother live in different houses…" replied Cirria.

"Yeah…well…"

"And you are too young to have a child, and I do not look like both of you, and…"

Oracle walked up to her, "Cirria, you were created from a spell…"

Cirria's face could break the heart of the most stubborn dragon around. Her breathing got short, "I…I was…I was…created….by…magic…?!"

"You see, there was this massive accident at the Weather Factory a week ago. The result was five major storms of weather. When we tried to destroy them with a spell, the storm was destroyed, but you were created. Neither I or Midnight are your parents…"

Cirria's eyes started to form tears. She looked up at Midnight, "Daddy…is this true…?" Midnight sighed as he nodded. Cirria's tears were now streaming down her face. Midnight reached his claw to wipe them away, but Cirria suddenly hit his claw away. She got up and shot back against the door. "You…created me?!" she yelled in anger. Tears were streaming down her face and her mane slowly started to become darker. "I…I loved you two…and…was everything…was it all a lie?! My…my life was an accident…what else is?! Is that the reason you will not love me mother? You think I am a burden?! You don't love me?!"

Oracle was actually stung by these words. Midnight was starting to have tears in his eyes as well. He slowly began to walk closer to Cirria, but then her mane turned completely white. Her tears were forced out of her eyes and she ran out the door. It suddenly began to rain, so heavily that puddles already began to form. Midnight walked over onto his bed and slumped over. Oracle walked over slowly, and hugged him gently. He faced her, "I'm a failure Oracle, I don't deserve to be a father…"

Underneath a cluster of trees was Cirria. Tears were streaming from her face like rain. Rainclouds filled the sky above and poured rain equivalent to her tears. Cirria stopped for a second to think about what she just learned. "I…I was…I was created…from magic…" she sobbed. "My father…and my…my mother lied to me…why…?" Tears were still falling, her sadness quickly coming back. "Did they…did they not…love me…?" Her eyes went wide with realization. "I…I understand now…they never told me because they loved me. They knew this would be the reaction…so they were protecting me…" Her tears began to dry and the sun began to shine back. "Although they may not truly be my parents, they are to me. I should go back to them…" With that, Cirria spread her wings and flew through the opening in the trees.

---

Midnight was still in his bed, grieving over the loss of his daughter. Oracle sat there beside him, gently rubbing his back. Tears were falling from his eyes, "I'm a failure…I should never have a family…"

"Midnight…" said Oracle.

"I'm a failure Oracle…I lost the closest thing I have to a daughter. I know you may not feel the need to be a parent to a child, but I do. So…just stop…don't try to make me feel better…"

Oracle stepped back from his sudden statement. Sunshine peered through the window and hit Midnight. He suddenly got up and headed for the door. However, the door opened before Midnight could open it himself. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked in with a few guards.

"Princess Celestia…Princess Luna…what are you doing here?" asked Midnight.

They stepped in and the guards stayed by their side. "Twilight has informed me of your accident" Celestia said. "I am here to help fix it…"

Midnight was shocked. "With all due respect Princess there is no need to fix it. She is not a problem at all."

Luna stepped forward, "Midnight, we are aware of what happened at the school."

This made Midnight's wings and ears drop. "Midnight" said Celestia, "We honor you for fighting off the Changelings, but this is something that must need dealt with. She has raw, disastrous power that is not controlled. She can be a threat to the kingdom, and a threat to the kingdom is something I must prevent."

"Again, I am sorry again Princesses, but Cirria is not even here."

"DADDY!" shouted a voice.

Midnight panicked, and burst through the Princesses to get outside. He quickly ran to Cirria's side to give her a quick hug. "Daddy I…" Midnight placed his claw up to her mouth. "Cirria…no time to say anything…just run…" Cirria was confused until she looked at a relatively angry Celestia. Midnight turned around and opened his wings, blocking Cirria from the Princess.

"Midnight…I must ask you to move yourself away from her…" she said with slight anger.

"I must request that you back away before I stop you myself" Midnight said with anger.

This surprised everyone. Oracle was still in the house, watching all of this. She was still shocked to see Midnight act like her father, even though she was created by a spell. Celestia's horn began to glow and a beam shot out. Midnight shot his beam and the two spells collided. Midnight's beam was easily overpowering Celestia's, but then Luna joined in. Midnight's beam was now being overpowered by their two beams. Cirria watched as her father fought against the two Princesses. The combined beam hit Midnight's spike, causing a small explosion of light. Midnight hit the ground, slightly charred. Cirria looked horrified, "Daddy!"

Oracle ran out of the house and approached him as well. Midnight slowly looked up and weakly spoke, "Cirria…run!"

Cirria tried to run, but Celestia's guards blocked her path. Then, she darted behind Oracle once she saw the two Princesses approach. "Oracle…please stand aside…" Oracle looked at Cirria, who closed her eyes and hugged her side in fear. She looked back at Midnight, who was desperately trying to get up. Oracle turned back to the Princesses and moved Cirria off of her. Cirria did not looked surprised, but that changed when she saw Oracle's tail open. "I am sorry Princess Celestia…but I find this wrong as well. You are not destroying a spell, your destroying a life. And, if Midnight cares for Cirria…I will…"

Celestia sighed and lowered her head, "I am sorry Oracle…but what must be done must be done!" A beam fired from her horn and hit Oracle. Oracle passed out and collapsed onto the ground. Cirria stood motionless, her eyes wide with surprise and tears beginning to form. "Mother…she…she protected me…"

Cirria's horn began to glow faintly, but the light intensified by the second. The clouds in the sky began to darken, and a swirling cloud began to fall. It encased Cirria in a sphere of dark clouds. Princess Celestia began to approach it, but a bolt of lightning struck out in front of her. Lightning flew out everywhere as the cloud swirled around Cirria. Hail and rain started to fly out, as well as streaks of color. The cloud grew bigger and bigger, soon reaching that of Celestia. The cloud cleared, revealing something troubling. Cirria's colors and style stayed the same, only she appeared to be older, almost an adult. Her mane was moving like it was a cloud, only it was much darker. Her rainbow colored tail swayed and swirled and radiated colors like a real rainbow. Her front hooves had solid ice around them and her back hooves sparked with electricity. Her horn was extended and her eyes were completely white.

"You have not only harmed my father but you have also harmed my mother" she said in a loud but surprisingly sweet voice. "You have attacked because of your fear of your kingdom, so now you shall have something to fear!"

Lightning struck all around Celestia and Luna, forming a cage of electricity around them. Cirria extended her wings and flew off into the clouds. The storm surged and grew larger. Rain, hail, and lightning struck as the cloud move. It was heading straight towards Ponyville. Midnight managed to get up and help Oracle. He stared at the new storm, "What have I done…?"

"You have done nothing wrong Midnight" said a voice. Everypony turned to see Lightning step in. "Celestia's attack on you and Oracle triggered this…transformation…" Lightning walked up to the edge of the cage she was being held and glared at her, "Shame on you princess…I thought you have learned from the past…"

Luna looked down in sadness and Celestia returned a stare of equal anger. But her stare turned to sadness as well.

"Lightning, how do we help Cirria now?" asked Midnight with concern.

"Cirria is a child, right?" he started. "Basically she is what most refer to as a temper tantrum. If we can calm her down, she and the weather should return to normal."

Midnight ran off with Oracle on his trail. Lightning turned back to Celestia, "Don't worry Princess…you'll get out eventually." Lightning ran off to join his friends. They could tell they were beginning to catch up when they started to get pelted with hail and rain. Midnight formed a barrier like and umbrella over them as they ran. Up in the sky, Rainbow Dash was trying to fight back the clouds. The main large cloud fired a straight beam of colors, hitting Rainbow with great power. She landed in a lake with a loud splash. Twilight was running down the path towards Midnight.

"Midnight…please do not tell me that is…" she started.

"Yes, that is Cirria…" he said sadly.

"I know a few spells that could help, and they will not harm her either."

Midnight was about to stop her, but Twilight knew magic more than anypony. He was putting a lot of faith in her. Twilight's horn began to glow as she aimed for the storm. When she fired, a rainbow curled in front of the beam. The beam was reflected and hit the ground beside Twilight. Attempt after attempt, Twilight's spells were being reflected. Rainbow Dash landed beside them just before the wind began to pick up. Funnel clouds began to slowly descend from underneath the large cloud. Lightning struck the ground and the hail and rain poured harder.

"Those are a bad sign…!" said Rainbow. "If those things touch the ground, and head towards Ponyville, there's going to be one less town in Equestria!"

Midnight was still hurting, but he needed to do something; not only for Cirria, but for Ponyville. "Rainbow Dash, get me a cloud" he said. "Twilight, cast the cloud walking spell on Oracle." Rainbow Dash flew fast past the storm to grab a cloud that hasn't been controlled yet. Oracle was bathed in Twilight's magic once again. "Midnight, what are you doing?" asked Oracle. "Why do you need me?"

"Oracle, only two ponies can stop that storm and Cirria, and that is us" he replied. "Cirria is my daughter, and she thinks you as her mother. I know you do not like it, but could you try to be motherly to her?"

Oracle looked at the storm and then back at Midnight. She nodded just in time for Rainbow Dash to get the cloud. Midnight and Oracle stepped onto the cloud. Midnight's spike glowed as he placed it inside the cloud. The cloud began to glow the same color and Midnight stood tall and faced the storm. He faced his friends one last time, "Wish us luck." The cloud raised and flew straight towards the storm. Lightning and rainbow beams flew out towards them. Oracle flinched, but Midnight raised a shield. The attacks bounced right off of the shield and they continued on. Soon, the barrier entered the center cloud. Oracle opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw. It was large and empty, but Cirria was in the center. A sphere of gray energy surrounded her and streaks of the same energy flew out in all directions.

"Hello father…hello mother" said Cirria. "It is so nice for you to visit, especially you father. You always showed me kindness and respect."

"Cirria, you do not have to do this" said Midnight. "I love you as my daughter, spell or not. No matter what happens, I will always love you. But destroying Ponyville will only give more of a reason for you to disappear."

"Father, you words are true and kind, but I have made my mind. You said it yourself" she spoke with a smile, "You would love me no matter what happens…"

Grey energy surged, almost knocking them out. Midnight's magic was flickering, showing signs of weakness. Oracle took a deep sigh, "Cirria…please listen to me."

"And why should I listen to you mother? I may have been surprised by you sudden protection, but I am smart enough now to know you only did it for you love…"

"Cirria, you will listen to me. Cirria, we are sorry. We never meant for this to happen…"

"You mean my birth…"

"No, I do not mean your birth, I mean for Princess Celestia and this storm. You were not the only one who was made from a spell; Midnight and me were both cursed to these forms without any true will. You are truly not the only one. We are so…so sorry. I'm so sorry for treating you like a stranger. You are not one…to me or anypony. But, even if some fell like that…" Oracle gulped in nervousness, "We will always love you!"

Cirria's all yellow eyes grew wide and started to return to her normal eyes, yellow pupils with white eyes. "M…Mother…you…you love me…?" Gray energy exploded from her in waves. Midnight jumped off of the cloud and blasted energy at the cloud. A shield formed around Oracle and the cloud as it descended straight through. Midnight flew to Cirria and grabbed her.

---

Outside of the cloud, Rainbow, Twilight, and Lightning waited for the aftereffect. The funnel clouds were almost touching the ground. Suddenly, grey energy exploded out of the cloud. Twilight formed a barrier around the other two near her and watched the storm. The cloud began to collapse on itself, drawing in on the funnel clouds that almost touched the ground. Oracle floating in a black energy sphere floated down and now stood beside her friends. The cloud exploded, revealing the clear sky and bright sun. A ball of grey and black energy flew down and crashed beside Midnight's house. Everypony ran and looked what crashed. Midnight was curled around in the small crater. He turned to face them, and weakly smiled. His wings folded back, revealing Cirria, small and cute again. She opened her eyes and slowly stepped out. Midnight followed her, but he was trembling on his legs. Oracle stood by him and supported him. Cirria ran up and hugged them both, "Daddy! Mommy!"

"It is good to see you back to normal Cirria" said Celestia. She walked into view, causing Cirria to be scared. But, everypony was surprised when she walked towards her.

"Princess…" she said in a cute but sad voice, "If you still want to help your kingdom…I will not stop you."

Celestia's horn began to glow and Midnight panicked. However he was too weak to try anything. Cirria looked down with her eyes closed. She glanced around, and saw Lightning. "Go ahead Celestia…" he said with anger, "Do the same thing you did several centuries ago…destroy a loving bond…" Celestia faced Cirria, pointed her horn on Cirria, and cast a blinding light onto her. When the light cleared, everypony was surprised to see Cirria still there. Cirria opened her eyes, looked at herself, and then looked up at the Princess. "Cirria…you proved that you can be a threat" she started. This caused Cirria to look down again, "But" continued Celestia, "Every force of evil can be a force of good. Your control of the weather can be a great advantage in the future. So, it is my honor that I cast a spell that turned you into a true pony!" Cirria and Midnight went wide eyed when she said that. "Now, no spell can ever destroy you now."

Cirria ran up and hugged the Princess quickly. She then turned to her parents and hugged them both. Tears fell from Midnight's eyes, and surprisingly from Oracle's as well. She never really wanted to be a parent, but now she was going to learn.

Meet Rubyrumor

After the experience with Cirria, everything ended up returning to normal. Well, at least as normal as it should. Oracle was still troubled with the fact of Cirria being her "daughter," but with Midnight by her side she would always be fine. Midnight managed to pay off the full debt he owed to Ponyville. But, he kept working on regular days to get some extra money. One day, Oracle was cleaning up her home. She accidentally knocked over a stack of canvases that was against the wall. Oracle began to pick them up, but she noticed something. There seemed to be a hidden area in her home. She walked deeper into it, noticing stairs. "What is this…?" Oracle grabbed a candle and made her way down the stairs. On the way, Oracle tripped and fell down less than half the stairway. The candle landed and rolled towards the wall. The room suddenly lit up, allowing everything to be visible. Oracle rubbed her head but looked around. "I never knew I had a basement!" Her faded eyes landed on a pedestal. On the top of the pedestal was a golden artifact. It looked like a lamp with these ancient markings.

Now, stuff like this was always a bad thing to touch. But, Oracle's old ways started to kick in. She approached the pedestal and grabbed the artifact. She tilted it and looked at it in every angle. Then, she noticed the loose cap. Oracle stopped herself for a second, but then she removed the cap. The lamp shook out of her hooves and green smoke expelled out of the top. The green mist collected together and took the form of a pony. The pony had a green coat and an orange mane. Her horn was slightly curved and was spiked like a plant vine. Instead of a pony tail, she had a bare tail with a tuff of orange hair on the end. Her eyes were blue and her back had blue scales like a fish.

"FINALLY, I am free!" she exclaimed. The pony looked down, seeing a surprised Oracle. She disappeared in a puff of green smoke and reappeared behind Oracle. "So…who is the pony that I have to thank for freeing me…?" Oracle jumped and fell down the small platform the pedestal was on. The strange pony laughed and disappeared once again. She reappeared in front of Oracle, scaring her again. "Please, tell me your name kind soul…"

Oracle was very afraid, "O-O-Oracle…"

"Oracle…that name fits you. Say…you do not look like the average pony I've seen before…" Oracle was silent as she listened to this strange pony. "Well, it was nice meeting you kind Oracle…but now I believe it is time for me to get back to what I have been doing before my imprisonment…causing chaos! For I am Rubyrumor, the offspring of Discord, and nothing will stop me from ruining all harmony!" She laughed evilly and then changed into green smoke. She floated up the stairs and through the passage. Oracle sat on the ground, still shocked to what she saw.

---

A green puff of smoke flew through Ponyville, twisting and turning through the buildings. It flew by the Carousel Boutique, but it stopped and peered through the top window. Rarity was sketching on paper some designs that looked similar to Oracle's feathers.

"Finally!" she exclaimed while putting the paper down, "I have completed the dress for Oracle. Oh, she will love it so much! I better get right to work…"

Rarity left the room in a hurry, leaving her sketch on her work table. The green puff of smoke flew under the window and reformed into Rubyrumor. She snickered as she approached the table. She grabbed an eraser and pencils and started to scribble on her sketch. Hoovesteps were heard and Rubyrumor quickly left in a puff of smoke. Rarity returned to her room with several bags of supplies caught in her magic. She trotted over to her work board humming happily. But once she looked at her board, all of her bags dropped and she let loose a loud scream. Ruby's head reformed just enough to laugh before turning completely into smoke.

Rubyrumor's next target was at the Library. She flew through the window and hid behind the shelves. Ever so gently, she tilted the shelves, causing the books to fall off. Spike was walking underneath and was rained of by the fallen books. "Spike!" shouted Twilight, "What did you do?!" Rubyrumor snickered and left as the purple pony ran down the stairs to scold the baby dragon.

Rubyrumor headed towards Sugarcube Corner and flew through the open door. No one was in the kitchen currently, so Rubyrumor reformed. She smiled as she saw a batch of cookie batter. She shuffled through a cabinet to look for something interesting to put in it. Her smiled grew once she found what she was looking for, Flaming Skull Hot Sauce. She uncapped the bottle and poured the contents into the cookie mix. Rubyrumor stirred the bowl and quickly dispersed into smoke. Midnight walked in, separated the batter into cookies, and placed them on a tray on a metal rack. He pointed his horn at the cookies and blasted them with a beam of black energy. They instantly baked and he pulled them off the sheet with his magic. Pinkie Pie hopped in happily after she smelled the cookies.

"Those smell great Midnight" she said. "Can I try them…?"

Midnight grabbed one for himself, "Sure…but only take…" Pinkie Pie quickly ate every cookie except for the one Midnight was holding, "…one…" Pinkie Pie randomly started to sweat and she became more energetic than ever. Flames spewed from her mouth as she panted, looking for something to cool her mouth down. She jumped to the sink, put her mouth around the faucet, and turned the handle quickly. Midnight took a small bite into the cookie, causing him to suddenly pant. Midnight heard laughter and looked out the window. Rubyrumor was laughing wildly on her back. Midnight's magic lifted her, made her come through the door, and he glared at her, "Why did you ruin my batch of cookies?!"

"It was a prank…lighten up!" she exclaimed.

"Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Rubyrumor, offspring of Discord…" She suddenly turned into smoke and she was released from Midnight's magic. She reformed on the ground, "And nothing will stop me from spreading chaos!" She reformed into smoke and flew out the door. Pinkie Pie hopped beside Midnight, "Did she say Discord…?"

"Uh…I think she did…" agreed Midnight.

Pinkie gasped loudly and then ran out the door. Midnight took off the pink apron he was wearing and ran after her. They all met at the Library. "I'm telling you Twilight, she said Discord!"

"So let me get this straight" said Rainbow, "You expect us to believe that Discord, THE Discord, had a child…and she's going around causing all sorts of mischief?"

"I saw her" said Midnight, "She disappeared in a puff of green smoke."

"Wait…green smoke…?" asked Rarity. "That's what I saw after my dress design was ruined!"

"That smoke also caused me to pick up all of those books!" shouted Spike.

"We need to warn everypony" said Twilight.

"I'll go and warn Oracle" said Midnight. Everypony nodded and they went their separate ways. In no time at all, Midnight was at the entrance of Oracle's ruins. He stepped in and noticed another passage way that he has never seen before. He stepped down the stairs and gasped at what he saw. Rubyrumor was there facing Oracle. Without question, Midnight jumped and tackled Rubyrumor. Oracle gasped, "Midnight!"

"Oracle, run and I'll hold her off!" he shouted.

"Midnight get off of my new friend…"

Midnight stepped back and got off. He was confused. Rubyrumor's tail began to brush the dirt off. Oracle approached, "Rubyrumor…I am so sorry…"

"I don't blame him Oracle…" she said. "I did cause a little trouble in his kitchen…?"

"That's not my kitchen…"

"Then why were you wearing an apron…and why was it pink…?"

"I had to wear an apron because it is necessary! And it was pink because they were all out of white aprons…"

Oracle and Rubyrumor giggled but Oracle approached Midnight. "Midnight, everything that Rubyrumor does is only a prank. What she told me and you was just another prank. The only magic she can perform is simply turning into a puff of smoke. She's going to live here with me since she lived here for many years."

Midnight had to trust her judgment. She may not be officially his wife, but if he was going to get there, he needed to trust her. Midnight nodded and apologized to Rubyrumor. He flew up, saying he needed to pick up Cirria. Oracle talked to Rubyrumor the rest of the day until night fell. She said goodnight to Rubyrumor and went to her own bed.

Seeing a New Light

Oracle opened her eyes and looked around. Everything was black, but then a single light appeared in the darkness. Some dimly lit trees appeared as well as a river. However the river was not moving. Oracle looked at the beautiful landscape even though it was dark. She noticed a figure on the small cliff and headed towards it. She couldn't see very far, so she walked into the small cliff. As she approached, the crunching of the grass underneath her hooves started to mute. Oracle gasped at the sight she saw.

On the cliff was a pony, a pony that looked like her. This pony appeared to be much older, her body being more lean and feminine. Her mane kept down and it dropped past her hooves. Her peacock tail was longer and more defined. But a few things troubled Oracle. This older-version of herself had blood all over her hooves, flank, and tail. Her eyes were glowing a faint blue, no pupils showed. All of her bright colors were dark and evil. Oracle stopped when the older version moved slightly. She turned completely around, facing Oracle.

"It is good to see you" she said in a soothing voice. "I remember when I was that small and kind." Oracle was about to say something, but her older version of herself spoke before, "I will assure you Oracle, I am indeed you. And before you ask, I can read minds."

"Who…who are you…?" she managed to slip out. However Oracle's voice seemed very faint, almost inaudible.

"I am Wicked Oracle…that is what I call myself. I am essentially your dark side…"

"My…dark…side…!"

"Everypony has a dark side…you must know that of all ponies…" Wicked Oracle smiled as she focused more of her gaze at her younger self. "Our love…Midnight…he has a dark side. Our daughter…Cirria…has proven already that she has one. And now you, you see me…you have a dark side…" Wicked Oracle's tail began to slowly open, each tail feather managing to reveal itself. Oracle gasped, and Wicked Oracle smiled. "You like my tail…I must say age has its advantages…although becoming like me is more difficult than you think."

"Wh-What do you mean…?" asked Oracle.

"As the rest of me grew more powerful, my eyesight grew weak. I am blind, I cannot see." Her tail opened to a greater extent, "And now, you shall take your first step into becoming me…"

Wicked Oracle's tail swung, and several feathers shot out. They all did not hit her, but one sliced a bit off of Oracle's mane. They all stuck into the trunk of a tree that stood behind her. Oracle wanted to scream, but nothing escaped her lips. She wanted to run, but something prevented her legs from moving. Wicked Oracle approached her with a smile, "Enjoy your first steps…" Wicked Oracle's tail feathers swung at her at once, aiming for her eyes.

---

Oracle rose out of her bed screaming in pain. She steadied her breathing, trying grasp hold of her nightmare.

I…I have a dark side…why was I covered in blood…? Am I…am I really going to turn into her? But what troubles me more is her attack on me…what did she mean by my first steps…?

Oracle tried to look around her room, but everything appeared to be black. She looked around, with her eyes and her head, but all she saw was black. Oracle's new eyes started to form tears as she came to her realization, she was now blind.

Midnight woke up with a jolt. He did not have a nightmare, but he heard somepony scream. And it wasn't just any pony, it was Oracle. However this wasn't a regular scream, it was one of complete horror and pain. He slowly walked to the small bed that Cirria laid in. "Cirria…" he softly said, "Cirria, I will be back…" Cirria rolled in her sleep and mumbled, "Okay daddy…"

Midnight gently opened and closed the door once he left. His wings quickly opened and he took off with great speed. Midnight never bothered to land, he flew in through her door and looked around with his spike illuminating her home. "Oracle…Oracle! ORACLE! Where are you?!"

"Midnight?!" shouted a voice. Midnight took no time in flying towards the voice. He flew into a room where there were a few discarded candles. He lit them as he placed them back up. Oracle was on a bed, crying large and heavy tears. Midnight walked up behind her and placed his claw on her back. She gasped and turned to him. Her hooves began to feel his body and face, but then she hugged him tightly. "Midnight, I am so glad you're here!" she shouted. "I had this horrible nightmare and then…and then…" Midnight could feel tears beginning to fall on his back. He broke the hug and pushed her away to look into her eyes. Her eyes looked different, they seemed paler. "Oracle…what's wrong…?" asked Midnight.

Oracle's tears were very great, "Midnight…I'm blind…"

Midnight's heart sank and Oracle returned the hug and cried. Midnight was surprised she said that. He hugged her tightly, hoping this was a cruel prank or a bad dream, but it wasn't. The morning sun soon came and Midnight started to walk Oracle to the hospital.

---

Sitting inside the room was Oracle and Midnight. He was currently slumped over with tears falling from his eyes. Oracle had a sad expression on his face, but she could not see Midnight's. Their friends were outside of the room, peeing in.

"How do ya think he's taking it…?" asked Applejack.

"He doesn't seem too well…" said Rarity.

"I don't think a party will fix this at all…" said Pinkie Pie.

The hall doors opened suddenly as Cirria ran through. She ran past the crowd and ran into the room. Oracle heard the hoofsteps and turned to the door. Midnight saw Cirria with tears in her eyes as well. "Mother…?" she asked, "Are you really…?" Oracle nodded her head in sadness. Cirria hugged Oracle and started to cry. Oracle couldn't help but to feel happy that Cirria was here, even if she wasn't her real daughter. Outside, some of the others began to join.

"How long has she lost her sight?" asked Shard.

"According to her story, just this morning" replied Twilight.

"Man…that has to be tough for her" said Sparkplug. "I mean, she's a painter and she lost her sight! I would laugh if it wasn't so horrible."

"I believe Midnight is taking more of this sudden blindness than Oracle is" said Lightning.

"Hey Twilight, can't you just fix Oracle's eyes?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow, magic like that is tricky. If I mess the spell up by even the tiniest amount, something could go wrong with her. And I do not believe Midnight would be happy with that either."

The doctor strolled past them and entered the room. The others crowded around the door as the doctor read over the papers. "Now Oracle, we run some tests, and strangely we couldn't find what caused this sudden blindness" he started. "And unfortunately, we cannot find a way to stop it. I'm sorry to say, but it seems that you are now completely blind."

Midnight's hopes shattered and he stood there motionless. Cirria noticed her father in this state and tried to cheer him up. Oracle managed to face the doctor, "Is there any way for me to get around?"

"We're trying to put something together, but now you should just allow one of your friends to lead you around. And it seems you may need another, because he does not look very well."

Oracle turned to where she could hear Midnight's cries. Cirria was doing her best to comfort her father. Oracle managed to make her way over to where he was, and hug him. "Midnight…everything will be alright…" she said. Midnight hugged her back and Cirria joined in.

Hours later, Midnight walked Oracle back to her house. However, it was more like Cirria walked Oracle and Midnight to her home. Midnight was still in his depressed state after hearing the news on Oracle's blindness. When they stepped inside, light suddenly turned on and a group of ponies was inside. It was like a party, but it was more of a get well soon group. Everypony there was there to see if it was true that Oracle was blind and to wish her luck with her life. Midnight recognized most of these ponies from the meeting of unique ponies. Rubyrumor also revealed to everypony that she could not cause true chaos.

One moment, everypony started to gasp and scream. Midnight turned to see Sparkplug beginning to walk in. He wasn't sure why everypony was behaving like that until he saw a familiar set of eyes from behind him. Sparkplug was walking right beside Sapphire. Cirria hid behind Midnight and Oracle faced him, "Midnight…Midnight what's wrong?"

"Oracle…do you remember that snake pony from before?"

That is all Midnight had to say. Oracle's tail feathers spread out fast, unfortunately a few ponies were knocked over. Sapphire stopped a few feet from where they were standing. Sparkplug was beside Sapphire.

"What do you want Sapphire?!" shouted Oracle. "I may be blind but I will take everything down if I have to!"

"Oracle…I'm sssorry…" Those words were not expected from either Midnight or Oracle. They quickly relaxed, letting her talk. "I jussst came to sssee how you were doing. I'm ssstill mad at you for hurting me…but now I ssse the error I have done. Midnight doesss not love me, ssso I tried to force hisss love. But, after you fought me, I met sssomepony elssse…" Sparkplug smiled as well as Sapphire. Everypony gasped in horror, and Oracle did once Midnight told her who Sapphire was referring to. "Could you ever forgive me…?" Oracle slowly walked up to her until Midnight stopped her. Oracle let out a hoof, and Sapphire shook it. A few small cheers were heard after they stopped.

The party went on for a few more hours until the dark started to come. Everypony left after saying a final goodbye and a final good luck to Oracle. Midnight and Rubyrumor offered to clean up as Cirria helped with Oracle. Oracle couldn't help but smile as her daughter helped her. She also allowed Cirria to talk about her life at school and such. Even though it has only been about two weeks since Cirria joined them, but Oracle felt like she hasn't been a part of it that much.

"Mother…" asked Cirria, "Can you still paint?"

"Of course I can dear" said Oracle. Could you bring me to a canvas and paint?"

Cirria led Oracle to a canvas and levitated a paint brush and paint to her. Oracle grasped the brush in her mouth and began to paint. Cirria started to giggle but Oracle continued. "Uh…Oracle, what are you doing?" asked Midnight.

"I'm painting…" she managed to say with the brush in her mouth. She changed colors and painted again. Cirria was barely holding in a laugh and Rubyrumor was laughing as well. After she used one more color, the two burst into laughter. Oracle spat the brush out, "What is so funny?!"

"Oracle…your painting me instead…" replied Midnight.

Red flushed onto Oracle's face as she walked towards the sound of his voice. "Oh Midnight…I can't paint, what am I going to do…?"

"Listen, you do not have to worry about it" he said. "I told you before, no matter what you are, you will always be beautiful to me."

Oracle kissed his cheek, causing Rubyrumor to giggle. More hoofsteps were heard and everypony turned to see Zecora. Zecora had her saddle bag and she quickly approached Oracle, "You should have told me before my dear, otherwise you would have put fewer ponies in fear. I have this elixir that will aid as a cure, for your sight will return for sure."

Oracle was given the potion from Zecora's bag and she quickly drank it. Midnight watched as her blurry eyes started to clear up. Her eyes were pale before, but now you could see her pupil. Her eyes went wide when Midnight was across from her, "I can see!" She quickly hugged Midnight and he hugged back. Oracle looked at Midnight's body after she could see again. His face, body, flank, and parts of his wings were coated in several colors of paint. She could help but to giggle and Midnight blushed. Midnight faced Zecora, "Thank you Zecora!"

"I'm afraid you should not thank me yet, for I have to say something that I will soon regret. The potion I made fixed the sense she lost, but this one comes with a cost. You may have regained your sight, but now your eyes will see sooner see no light."

Oracle and Midnight gasped but Rubyrumor and Cirria were confused. Cirria approached Midnight, "Daddy…what does the zebra mean?"

Zecora looked at Cirria strangely at the mentioning of "daddy," but she did not let it get to her. "Cirria, Oracle may have regained her sight, but it means that she will lose her sight even faster than normally."

"Although Oracle's loss is not right, I can teach her to see a different light."

That night was the start for Oracle's training. Zecora said that she could teach Oracle to see auras, the living energy that surrounds almost everything. Of course, Midnight was more than happy to hear this. Oracle, on the other hand, was skeptical. She doubted that Zecora could teach a common Earth pony something magical. But, that did not stop her from getting interested. Midnight found that staying would only be a distraction, so he left. Cirria, however, wanted to stay. She wanted to spend time with her mother. Rubyrumor was exhausted from the party, so she retired to her room. Zecora seemed slightly upset by seeing her out, but she ignored it.

"Alright Zecora, how do we start?" asked Oracle.

Zecora reached into her bag and a pile of gold dust lay on her hoof. She exhaled, making the gold dust fly all across Oracle. Oracle coughed and blew the dust away. Suddenly, her eyes started to glow. "The dust I have blown has a special task" she started. "For the reason you do not need to ask. This dust will allow you to try, and see the world with a whole new eye. For this newfound power to be used and grow, closing your eyes is all you need to know."

Oracle was slightly confused, but it was worth a try. She closed her eyes and focused. At first, all she saw was the all too familiar sight of darkness. She was starting to worry that this would be all that she would see. However, a strange purple energy started to pulse. The ground started to form along with the stacked canvases and other objects on the walls and floor. Soon, Oracle was two purple blobs form in the darkness. The two blobs formed into the two shapes she recognized, Zecora and Cirria. But, their colors started to change. Cirria's took on a gray hue and Zecora's was more of a light green. Oracle reopened her eyes, seeing everything the way it should.

"So my dear, has the magic make you see clear?" asked Zecora.

"I was able to see you and Cirria and the room, but everything was in purple" she replied.

"Oh, I read about auras" said Cirria. "Yours must be purple, since you saw everything in that color. Did me a Zecora look any different?"

"Cirria, you were surrounded by a gray light. And Zecora, you were green. But I couldn't tell the color of anything else. I don't want to see everything in black, but will I be forced to see everything in purple?"

"You should not worry, for this power is new" she said. "Once it develops, good will come to you. But for now I'm afraid it is late, and I better go before a monster ruins my fate."

Zecora left with a goodbye from Cirria and Oracle. Cirria approached Oracle, "Mother, I know you will get that to work." Oracle smiled as she stroked her hoof through her mane. Oracle was starting to warm up to the small filly, daughter or not. However, Oracle realized that she had no bed for Cirria to sleep. Cirria noticed this just as they approached her bed. Cirria moved without Oracle saying anything. She grabbed a large pillow with her mouth and slowly began to drag it to the floor. She stopped a good few feet away and laid down. Oracle felt slightly guilty for not having a bed, but she also felt guilty for watching Cirria act like this. Oracle sighed, "Cirria…would you like to sleep with me?" she asked.

Cirria stepped up from the floor and flew towards Oracle. She tackled Oracle in a bunch of giggles, causing Oracle to laugh as well. Oracle tucked Cirria in as she laid on the covers. Oracle started to close her eyes, attempting to let her exhausted body to put itself to sleep. But Oracle's eyes and mind shot awake once she felt something wrap around her waist. She managed to move her head and saw who was grabbing her. It was Cirria, with her front legs wrapped around and a smile crept across her face. Oracle smiled, "Good night Cirria…" Cirria slightly shuffled, he embrace getting slightly tighter, "Good night mommy…I love you…" A smile formed on Oracle's face, the first time where she smiled after being called mommy. Oracle closed her eyes and then started to drift off to sleep.

---

When the next day came, Oracle found something troubling. Her eyesight was still good, she was not blind. But to her worry, Cirria was not longer beside her. Rubbing whatever was caught in her eye and yawning to relieve herself of any cling to sleep left, she got off the bed and walked around her other rooms. "Cirria…where are you?" Oracle received her answer when some of her blank canvases moved. Oracle gently pushed some away, revealing the weather alicorn hiding amongst them. "Cirria, what is wrong?"

Cirria stayed silent and never moved. Her wings were tight against her side, her tail on the ground, her eyesight resting on the floor. Oracle slowly walked to her, both curious and worried about her abnormal behavior. Cirria's eyes were glossy, meaning she was on the verge of tears. Oracle did the only thing she could do; she gently wrapped her front legs over the smaller filly's body. Cirria returned her hug, but it was not of any equal force.

"Mom…?" asked Cirria.

"What is it Cirria?" replied Oracle.

"Do I have to go to school today?"

"Why wouldn't you…" Oracle stopped herself. She now remembered. Ever since Cirria's "temper tantrum", she has missed school for quite some time. Cheerilee even stopped by Midnight's home for questions. In all of her heart, Cirria did not want to go to school, to face the fillies she knew as friends but to be turned down for being a monster. Oracle only hugged her tighter, "Cirria, I understand your fear. But you must go to school, you have already missed so many days. But I will promise you something, if you feel like you should come back home, I or your father will come to get you. Does that sound fair to you?"

Oracle laughed mentally on how mother-like she has become. She hated to admit it, but she know saw what Cirria saw in her. To Cirria, Oracle was a sense of guidance and wisdom. And with last night, Cirria also saw Oracle as a sign of comfort. Cirria sighed and looked up at Oracle, "You promise…?"

"I will even talk to your teacher about it."

Cirria wiped her almost teary eyes and nodded. Oracle gently allowed the alicorn filly to rest on her back as she walked to the school house. Along the way, they stopped by Sugarcube Corner for something healthy for the morning. Of course they laughed when they saw Midnight wearing yet another pink apron behind the counter. Midnight still wanted a white one, but he couldn't help but to admit that the pink one has grown on him. After their little snack, it wasn't far to get to the school house. As promised, Oracle talked to Cheerilee about Cirria's fear. Of course, being the loving and caring teacher she was, Cheerilee allowed it. Cirria felt a little better about going in, but not so much on everypony's reactions. But she hugged her mother one last time before they departed.

The Darkness Reveals Itself

Cirria's school day went not as bad as she believed. The only two ponies that gave her grief were Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. Everypony else was either worried or excited to see her. Cirria was happy that no one feared her. She returned home to Midnight's home, happy and carefree.

Midnight was putting the finishing touches on the gift he was making when he suddenly heard the door open. He was about to try and hide it but he was tackled by a giggling Cirria. "Daddy I'm home!" Midnight laughed nervously, trying to quickly hide the gift. However, Cirria knew that something was wrong. "Daddy…what do you have?"

Midnight sighed, realizing that he could not hide the gift any longer. Midnight gently removed Cirria and stood up. His spike began to glow as the gift he made levitated in front of Cirria. Cirria gasped and her eyes went wide. Floating in front of her was the greatest and most beautiful necklace she has ever seen. The gemstone in the center of the necklace had swirling gray colors, bordered by a golden metal with a silver lace. Cirria's eyes gleamed with happiness as the necklace floated over and attached to her neck. "This necklace is perfect for you Cirria" said Midnight. The gray gemstone went perfectly with Cirria's gray coat on her lower half, and yet it stuck out on her black coat on her upper half. Cirria quickly hugged her father, "Oh thank you daddy!"

Midnight returned her loving embrace. They stopped when they heard the creak of the door open. Oracle stepped inside with Shia and Ritani following. However Oracle had her eyes closed. Cirria separated from Midnight and approached Oracle. Oracle smiled, "I can see you Cirria. And that is a beautiful necklace." Cirria giggled as she hugged Oracle. Oracle's head turned as Midnight approached her, her eyes still closed. "Don't worry Midnight, I'm only practicing," he eyes slowly opened, "I can still see you." Shia and Ritani smiled as they departed. The trio of lovers stood in a group hug.

---

The next day Cirria walked through Ponyville with her necklace. She was walking to go to school. But, she couldn't help but to be a little mischievous and walk through Ponyville. She received several gasps and stares as she walked through town. She joined the Crusaders as they walked to school together.

"Wow Cirria, that is a beautiful necklace!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle.

"That thing really does match your coat" said Apple Bloom.

"Eh…I'm not a fan of jewelry" said Scootaloo.

The schoolhouse was in sight as they four fillies walked closer. Cheerilee approached the group, "Excuse me Cirria, I would like to talk to you in private." The Crusaders walked away from Cirria and entered the schoolhouse without her. Cheerilee had a wicked smile on her face as she rounded around the school with Cirria following.

---

Inside the schoolhouse, Cheerilee was extremely late. It was over fifteen minutes before she finally walked in the door, "Sorry I am late class. I had trouble with my door this morning."

Scootaloo raised her hoof, "Uh…Mrs. Cheerilee…where's Cirria?"

"I thought she was already here."

"Wait" said Sweetie Belle, "Weren't you talking to her earlier?"

"No dear, I was trapped in my house from my jammed door."

The three Crusaders gasped and quickly ran out the door. "Girls!" shouted Cheerilee, "Where are you going?!" The three fillies quickly ran through Ponyville until Scootaloo got on her scooter. They rolled to Midnight's house and beat on the door. Midnight and Oracle appeared when the door opened, "Aren't you three supposed to be in school like Cirria?"

All three ponies began to talk and yell all at once. Oracle and Midnight could not hear a single word from any of them. "Girls girls calm down!" shouted Oracle, "Now one of you tell us what is wrong."

"Cirria was kidnapped!" shouted Scootaloo. Both Midnight and Oracle gasped at what she said.

---

In the ancient castle deep in Everfree Forest, a dark figure walked inside carrying something on its back. The item was placed on the small pedestal placed in the center of the room. The item was a pony, and that pony was Cirria. Her lazy eyes shot open as soon as she woke up. "Where am I?" she asked.

Laughter echoed through the ruined castle walls. Cirria' eyes and head darted around the room in total and complete fear. However Cirria stopped and tightly closed her eyes. "No no, be brave Cirria…" she whispered. Her eyes opened, showing an expression of anger. "Show yourself!"

More laugher echoed through but this was more of a chuckle. "As you wish" said a voice. Cirria's head turned in the direction of the voice. A colt alicorn started to walk into the light. His coat was black and his mane was green with black streaks. He wore a dark band around his neck with a crescent on it. "Are you scared little filly?"

"Hardly…" she replied, "You better let me go otherwise I will…"

"Will what? You have no training in magic. You may be able to control weather, but you cannot control yourself. You were only able to control it when you were angry, and even then you were not yourself."

Cirria growled, "Just till my father, he will…"

"Yes yes, I know, your "father." I know all about your birth. I'm surprised you consider him your father. But soon you shall only have a mother. Why do you think you're here?" Cirria gasped and started to struggle at her binds. The colt laughed, "Don't worry little filly, if your father doesn't come, you will be the one who goes instead…"

"You can't kill me as easily! I am a normal pony now! Celestia cast a spell that made me normal!"

"Oh…are you…?" The alicorn approached Cirria and placed his horn to her neck. Cirria grew worried, which made a smile stretch across the strange colt's face. His horn swiped across Cirria's mane, cutting it in half. Cirria gasped at his action but stopped when she noticed the cut off piece. The piece that was cut off started to float in midair. Her mane started to move and it grew to its original length. "The spell that Celestia cast on you did not turn you normal, it only made you more vulnerable!" he shouted. "The Princess knew that you would become a threat again, so she made sure that she could easily defeat you next time!" Cirria's eyes welled with tears as she started to cry. This only made the alicorn laugh, "Ah, the child of my enemy is my relief, especially when she is sad."

---

Midnight ran through the forest nonstop since he heard about Cirria's abduction. Oracle joined him, along with Shia and Ritani. Midnight's horn was glowing nonstop, trying to indicate where his daughter was.

"Oh, it's so horrible that sweet little Cirria was taken" said Ritani. "Poor Midnight…"

"I'm worried for her as well" said Oracle. "I can't explain it, but I feel happier with her around." Ritani smirked, causing Oracle to smile as well, "What?"

"Are you finally admitting that having a child is a good thing?" Oracle nudged Ritani playfully. "Hey Shia, did you find anything?"

Shia said nothing. The silence worried her friends; it even snapped Midnight out of his worry-filled trance. They all turned to see Shia staring blankly in space. Her wings were flapping and her eyes seemed to be glowing. "My Prince…" she mumbled. Oracle placed a hoof on her shoulder, which caused her strange behavior to suddenly stop. She looked at the others with a confused expression. "What?"

"Shia…you were acting weird" said Ritani. "And who is this "Prince"?"

"Oh, I guess my Changeling self is still active. Well, there is a royal Changeling nearby, and there are only two royal Changelings that I know of. One is Chrysalis, and the other is…" Shia's eyes went wide before she could say the other name. Her wings flapped and lifted her off the ground quickly. Her horn glowed green and flashed in front of her. She took off down the almost hidden path with great speed. Midnight, Oracle, and Ritani followed after her. Midnight's wings unfurled and allowed him to fly at the same level with Shia. Shia faced Midnight, "I think…I think I know who took Cirria." Midnight flew with even greater speed, unknown to where he was going.

The others were amazed by his speed. Of course, if they lost a child, they would do anything to help them. Oracle was relatively fast, but nowhere as fast as Midnight. Oracle still had mixed feelings about the "daughter" concept. They continued to run until they saw Midnight on the ground. They approached him, unknown to why he stopped. However, once they followed his gaze, they realized why he stopped. Resting on the hill was a large and ruined castle. The pillars were crumbled away as well as the walls that surrounded it. Shia ducked behind Midnight, shaking uncontrollably. "Uh…I think I will tell the others where we are…"

Shia quickly flew off with the buzzing of her wings fading away as she flew down the path. A rope bridge stretched across the valley between the ruined castle and them. Midnight started to fly, but he turned around to Oracle and Ritani. Of course, they went on before he could ask. The bridge looked creaky and old. Midnight was just worried that the bridge would give out. Unfortunately, once Midnight stepped foot on the ground across, his fear came true. With a snap, the bridge broke off of his side and collapsed, with Ritani and Oracle to fall down the cloud-filled valley. "ORACLE!!!"

Nothing happened for a few seconds, causing Midnight to worry greatly. Suddenly, a bright golden light began to shine at the bottom of the valley. A gust of wind blew up the valley, causing Midnight to be knocked back. To his relief, both Oracle and Ritani landed on his side. Midnight quickly hugged Oracle as relief rushed over him. Ritani's tail ceased its glow as she approached, "Thanks Midnight, I'm fine too."

He ignored her sarcastic comment and walked inside the castle. Inside the room stood a pedestal, and on the pedestal was Cirria. Cirria's eyes opened wide when she saw her father. Midnight was overjoyed and ran quickly to her. But Cirria's expression grew troublesome, "Daddy it's a trap!"

Without any warning, Midnight was knocked to the side with a blast on energy. He got up very quickly, not being affected by the hit for that much. He looked across to the other end, seeing a pony. Midnight's horn began to glow, "Release my daughter!"

The pony simply chuckled, "Ah yes, your "daughter." It is a strange word to use considering she was made from a spell."

"She is my daughter, whether she was born normally or not! Who are you anyway?!"

The colt chuckled, his horn beginning to glow green. A swirling column of green magic began at his feet. His appearance started to change from that of a pony to that of a Changeling. His hooves began to have holes through them, and insect wings replaced his feathery ones. His mixed mane now took a deeper shade with black ending it. His teeth were replaced with fangs. His eyes were now green slits. "I am Prince Thorn" he said in his new voice, "And I seek revenge for you ruining my queen's plans."

Prince Thorn took off and lurched towards Midnight. Midnight, however, saw this coming. With a quick thought, a barrier of black magic formed around him. Prince Thorn was shoved away, but he charged again the moment the barrier dropped. Midnight focused his energy again, but Prince Thorn was fast. The worst part was that he was blind siding Midnight, he couldn't see him at all. With a final charge, Midnight slammed against the wall and landed against the ground with a grunt. Prince Thorn stood victoriously above Midnight. "When you are dead, nothing shall ever stand in me or my Queen's way" he said with great joy. "And once you are gone, I will take it out on your precious daughter."

Midnight's eyes shot open and he let out a growl. He was done using magic; Prince Thorn just made this was personal. He slashed Prince Thorn with his claws, causing small but deep wounds. Blood leaked out of these wounds, causing Prince Thorn to slow down. However, Midnight was not letting up on him. Attack after attack, more blood was lost from the Changeling's body. Prince Thorn now laid on the ground, completely exhausted. Midnight was still angry, he saw no mercy. He held Prince Thorn by his neck and raised his other claw. "You shall never harm another pony again!"

Suddenly, the ground rumbled beneath them both. Tree roots burst from the ground and began wrapping themselves around Midnight, preventing him from attacking again. Ritani stepped in with a glowing green tail, and beside her stepped Oracle. "Midnight, you are not a killer!" shouted Oracle. She approached Midnight and gently spoke to him, "You're the pony that I care for and you care for me. You are a sweet colt, so do not ruin that now."

Laughter emitted from the severely damaged Prince Thorn. He focused his gaze to the couple, revealing the nasty scars he received. "You think you have won?! Well you haven't! I still have one way to make you suffer, and suffer you shall!"

Prince Thorn shot a sickly green beam towards Cirria. When it hit, and explosion of light knocked Ritani away, Midnight free of the roots, and knocked Oracle against the wall beside Ritani. A loose brick fell from the top of the wall, landing on Oracle's head and causing her to go unconscious. Midnight was worried, but something else was more important. Whatever Prince Thorn used on Cirria not only allowed him to escape, but now something was happening to his beloved daughter.

Cirria twisted and turned, screaming in unbearable pain. Midnight quickly ran up to her and gently wrapped her in his arms. However, the screams only got worse. Midnight had no idea what was happening to Cirria, but he saw what was happening, and he wished he wasn't. Cirria's colors started to fade as her movement began to cease. Her front hooves began to crack like ice, until they eventually shattered like glass. Her back hooves once bright yellow glow faded into a even gray color like that of her back coat. Her vibrant tail started to melt into water, the seven different colors splashing on the ground as it fell like colored rain. The cloud-like mane began to dissipate, vanishing into thin air. Midnight became horrified with what his daughter now looked like. Her body was extremely frail and weak, her ribcage visible. Her front legs were only half as long as they used to be and the edge was shattered. Her once puffy mane was now gone leaving her head and neck bare. Her coat's colors were fading even more. A weak groan signaled her still being alive. Midnight went to her face and gently nuzzled her cheek. Her eyes opened, revealing nothing but the white background. "Da…Daddy…where…Daddy where are…where are you…?" she said weakly.

Tears fell from Midnight's face as he continued to nuzzle his dying daughter. "Cirria…" he said in a weak tone between sobs, "Cirria…I'm right here…Daddy's right here…"

"Daddy…I…I will…I will always…always love you…"

Her last words spoken, her entire body began to vanish. A gray steam emitted from her body and began to rise back into the sky. Midnight then realized what was happening, Cirria was going back to what she once was, the sky. Midnight tried to grab what was left of her body, but soon it all was gone. Midnight looked up at the sky, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. "CIRRIA!" Midnight collapsed onto the floor in tears.

---

Oracle went unconscious, but she was able to see the whole thing. She was on the verge of tears as well. However, laughter behind her snapped her out of it. She turned around quickly, seeing a sight she would never want to see again. It was Wicked Oracle, surrounded by darkness. "Wh-What do you want?" asked Oracle. Her voice was quieter than it should have.

"I find you emotion touching" she said. "You always tell Midnight and others that you never want a child, but here you are crying at the lost of one. She wasn't even your real child and you are worrying about her."

Oracle was terrified by her appearance, "She…She is important to Midnight…"

Wicked Oracle laughed once again, "Oh, you have no idea what is important. Right now, getting out is my top priority. As a matter of fact…" Wicked Oracle's tail quickly lashed out, grabbing Oracle and dragging her close. However Wicked Oracle's tail started to absorb into Oracle's body. "I believe it is time for me to get out, and I must thank you. I was blind and could really only guess where my victims were. But now since you learned to see auras, it is now almost ten times easier to kill."

---

Midnight continued to cry on the floor, grieving over the loss of his daughter. He looked up from his claws, seeing a glint. It was the necklace he made for her yesterday. Midnight grabbed it with a trembling claw. He gently grasped it and pressed it against his cheek. "Oh, is Midnight sad…?" said a voice. It sounded like Oracle's, but it was much deeper. Midnight turned his head, but then he got up in fear. Standing in front of him, was a tall mare. Her main and tail resembled a longer version of Oracle's. Her eyes glowed the same color as what her eyes once were.

"Wh-Who…Who are you…?" he asked in fear, "Wh-What do you want…?"

The mare laughed, "My name is Wicked Oracle. And what I want, is your blood on my body…"

Author's Notes:

I want to thank my dear friend for allowing me to use his OC

Prince Thorn: http://www.mlp-crystalthorn.deviantart.com

The Light Comes Back

Midnight was still trembling from the horrible experience of watching his daughter vanish and die slowly. Now, there stood an older version of Oracle who looked very menacing. Her eyes were glowing fiercely, her tail beginning to open up. Midnight slowly backed up, his small injuries starting to take effect. Suddenly, several feathers shot out from her tail. They slashed against Midnight's legs, body, and face. Deep cuts covered Midnight's body. Blood began to leak out of each of these cuts. Midnight wanted to run, but the weight of his emotions with the injuries prevented from him even taking a step. He wanted to fight back, but this was Oracle, his love. He couldn't fight her. Wicked Oracle chuckled as she saw Midnight struggle. "What is wrong my love, are you too frightened by my new appearance?" She stood tall over Midnight. Midnight tried to get up, but he could not, he was too weak. Wicked Oracle moved her hooves across Midnight, collecting blood onto her hooves. Midnight shuttered at her starting cover herself with his blood. "Midnight, you have no true idea how good this feels" said Wicked Oracle as she stopped. "However, I need…more…"

Wicked Oracle swung her razor sharp tail towards Midnight, aiming for his neck. Weak and drained from the lack of blood, Midnight closed his eyes and stood there as he prepared for the hit. However the final hit never came. Midnight did not feel the final blow; he never even felt the edge of the blade. Midnight opened his eyes slowly. Wicked Oracle's tail was inches away from his neck. Wicked Oracle was even surprised by this. She grunted and swung her tail again and again. Each attempt was followed by the same result; her tail was always inches from his body. Wicked Oracle slightly panted from the constant attempts but a smile stretched across her face and a chuckle ran through the castle. "It seems that the good side of me still has a slight hold on my actions" she said. "You are lucky; you are one of the only ponies that will not die. But, that does not stand for the others. Soon, you will be the only living among the bloody corpses!"

Oracle's eyes seemed to glow brighter and fog began to roll in through the broken walls and windows. The fog covered Wicked Oracle while she let out a evil laugh. The laugh caused a shiver to flow down Midnight's spine. The fog began to clear, but Wicked Oracle was not there. Midnight's vision began to blurry and fades as he slowly felt his body go cold. The last thing he saw was a blob of purple light.

---

After the entertaining fright on Midnight's face, Wicked Oracle needed to get away. As long as her other side had control, she could not kill him. She could harm Midnight, but she could not kill him. Wicked Oracle walked towards Ponyville but walked slowly. She was in no rush, and she enjoyed the dark more that the light. Although she was blind, she could now see everything with Oracle's…she meant her new aura ability. "It was pleasing to see a pony in that state…" she said to herself.

No it was not!

Wicked Oracle looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. No pony was around her, no anypony was in sight. It was strange, the voice sounded close, almost as if it was…Wicked Oracle laughed to herself, "Oh, you still managing to stay awake in there?"

You horrible monster! You nearly killed Midnight!

"Watch what you say dear, remember that I am you."

You are nothing like me! I care for other ponies, I care for my friends, and I certainly do not kill for the blood!

Wicked Oracle glanced to the side to see where exactly she was. Through her aura vision she could see a hut. This hut was familiar, so familiar that it gave Wicked Oracle a smile and an idea, "Your right, I am nothing like you. And I believe it is time for a certain pony to know that as well. And by pony, I mean zebra…"

---

Midnight groaned in pain as hi eyelids started to open. His vision was still blurry, but he was coming through. Several blobs of color swirled in his eyes, causing his mind to swirl as well. He tried to concentrate, his vision beginning to clear. Voices were beginning to be heard, but they were only muffled messes. Finally, his vision cleared enough to see who he was looking at. It was Ritani and Twilight.

"Oh thank goodness you are alright!" shouted Ritani.

Midnight managed to sit up, still in terrible pain. His body was covered in several bandages and patches. He was still in the abandoned castle. Twilight and Ritani were not the only ponies there. Lightning and his puppets were there, along with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Shard, and almost everypony else he knew. One thing that surprised Midnight was that his brother, Color Burst, was there as well.

"You alright sugar?" asked Applejack.

Midnight rubbed his head and shook it a little. "I think…I think I'm fine."

"Midnight, did you ever rescue Cirria?" asked Twilight.

Midnight's good feeling vanished once she said those words. His ears dropped and his tail drooped. He slowly held up the gray necklace that was once around her neck. Everypony gasped and some looked devastated. Color Burst trotted up and quickly hugged Midnight. "It's alright brother…it's going to be alright…"

The beating of insect wings was heard behind the group. Everypony turned to see Shia. Shia landed roughly on the ground with an audible thud. She seemed exhausted and was breathing very quickly. Rarity and Applejack helped her up. Shia's tears were visible when she looked up at the group, "Zecora was attacked!"

No gasps were heard, and no pony stood there. Everypony was now running out of the broken castle, across the strangely fixed bridge, and ran towards Zecora's. Fluttershy, Shia, and Shard hung back with Midnight. He was struggling to run. The combined pain of his injuries and the reminder of his daughter dug into him.

"So…uh…" mumbled Fluttershy, "I know you are…uh…uncomfortable with questions like this but…uh…what happened to…Cirria…?"

Midnight began to slow down but he sped up again. He was not going to let this affect him that much. Cirria would want her father to be strong. "The Changeling that took her shot a spell on her" he explained while trying to fight back tears. "The spell slowly turned Cirria back into what she originally was, weather."

As they ran, he could feel a wing in his back. Shard was somehow managing to pat his back with his wing while running. "If we get through this, I will try everything to get her back."

Shard's statement made Midnight smile and caused him to gain confidence. He ran faster from the boost, but was still hurting from his injuries. The others were grouped ahead of them, signaling that Zecora's was there. However, Midnight stopped in horror when he saw the results. Zecora's once beautiful hut was split open. Blood splattered everywhere inside and outside the hut. Several sharp feathers stuck out of the ground and in the tree. Shia and Fluttershy shuttered at the scene while the others just had a look of disgust. A horrible moan of pain sounded inside the hut, indicating someone still alive. Lightning and a few of his puppets walked inside. They were not afraid of the blood, so they could easily walk over it. Gently and slowly, they walked out holding Zecora. Her striped coat was painted with the color of her own red blood. Her mane no longer stood up in its original place. It hung down, covering her eyes a little. Her mane could not be fixed at the moment for it has been dried with her own blood. She moaned in pain and shook a little. Twilight began to try and clean up her wounds, "Zecora…who did this to you?!"

Zecora's eyes slowly opened, her releasing a grunt while doing it. "M-Midnight…" she said. "Oracle is the one who did this deed…" Everypony gasped but Zecora managed to raise her hoof to silence them, "P-Please Midnight, Oracle must be freed…"

Midnight nodded and took off down the path. Everypony else was unsure what they were talking about, they were still stunned when Zecora mentioned Oracle. However, only a few ponies followed Midnight. Shard, Color Burst, and Rainbow Dash followed, as well as a few of Lightning's puppets. Midnight knew where to find Wicked Oracle. The trail was covered with a trail of blood. And if guessed correctly, Wicked Oracle would not was the blood off. So wherever the trails of blood lead, is wherever Wicked Oracle was.

---

Wicked Oracle smiled as she walked down the trail. Getting the blood from that zebra was too easy. But her nice side still prevented her from finishing her off. But, Wicked Oracle knew she couldn't keep a hold on everypony. At the crest of the hill is when Wicked Oracle could see Ponyville in all of its glory. However, that glory would only last as long as she stayed in there. "STOP!" shouted a voice. Wicked Oracle turned around to see Midnight. She laughed at seeing his bandages, "Hello there dear…come to join me?"

"Oracle…I know you're in there" he said. The other ponies that followed him were now approaching. "I know you are stronger than her, so fight her to get out!"

Wicked Oracle sneered at Midnight, "Do you honestly think she can fight her way out?! She is locked up inside, not all of the good and love in her heart can free her now! And you will die if you think you can free me!"

Suddenly, the gray necklace around Midnight's neck glowed. Clouds above started to darken and merge together above them. Everypony looked up, including Wicked Oracle. Then, it strangely began to rain and hail at the same time. What was even stranger than that, the hail was only falling around Wicked Oracle. Midnight was confused on what was happening, and he was about to get more confused. The necklace that was around Midnight's neck began to levitate and rose towards the sky. Midnight did not want his only memory left of Cirria to disappear, so he quickly grabbed it. However the pull was stronger, it pulling Midnight up as well. Shard and Rainbow Dash flew up with him, "Midnight let it go!"

"No, I will not let my only memory of my daughter leave me!" he replied with some tears. "Cirria may be gone in body, but she lives in spirit!"

"You are more right than you think Midnight." Everypony looked to see Princess Celestia. Wicked Oracle was the one most surprised. "Midnight, let go of the necklace" said Celestia. Midnight struggled to, but Celestia was giving him a stare of certainty. With a painful motion, Midnight let the necklace go. The gray light intensified as it shot into the sky. The clouds soon began glow the same color. Wicked Oracle stopped watching the necklace and charged towards Midnight. A streak of lightning came down in front of her before she made contact with Midnight. More lightning struck around her, causing her to back up each time. A column of clouds began swirl down from the storm above. The column formed into a sphere that condensed and shrank into a tighter sphere. A blast of gray light blinded everypony for a few seconds before it died down as fast as it started. Midnight gasped as his eyes opened. Standing in front of him, was his daughter Cirria. She looked like the day she was first formed, only she wore the necklace she had this time. Cirria gently turned her head, her yellow eyes landing on Midnight. "Daddy…" is all she said before Midnight ran up to her. He quickly hugged her with tears streaming from his eyes. Although this moment was sweet, it was cut short when Midnight and Cirria screamed.

Wicked Oracle could not stand a sweet moment like that. She felt like hurling the moment they hugged. So, she decided to end it in a way that made her smile. She threw her razor-sharp feathers towards the hugging pair. Several cuts reformed on Midnight over his bandages, releasing more blood. Several cuts formed across Cirria's body, head, legs, and wings. Cirria cried in pain but then cried tears when she saw who did it. "M-Mommy…?" she said in disbelief.

Wicked Oracle chuckled as she walked forward, "No Cirria, your mommy is not here right now." Her tail feathers then spread out evenly, "However you won't have a mother or a father when I'm done!"

"NO!"

Wicked Oracle was suddenly knocked back away from the pair. Shard stood in her way, and was soon accompanied by Rainbow Dash and Color Burst. Then one by one, the others came and joined them. They formed a wall between Wicked Oracle and Midnight and Cirria.

"Oracle, you need to take control again" said Twilight. "You're hurting the ones you love."

"Please Oracle, we know you're in there" said Ritani.

"You're not the friend I know…" said Shia with a few tears.

Wicked Oracle looked in disbelief at the ponies protecting the father and son as well as the others caring for her good side. Her feathers shot out again, leaving cuts on all of the ones making the wall. She laughed evilly, "You really think she can hear you?! She was silent ever since I attacked that zebra! I am the new Oracle, so you might as well get used to it!"

"NO YOUR NOT!"

Wicked Oracle crouched like she was hit in the stomach. She looked around for the source of the voice and the source of the blow. She could not see anypony that was not injured and bleeding. Oh how she wanted the blood on her body. She rose to finish the task, but another blow was felt.

"You will not hurt anypony any longer!" she shouted.

Wicked Oracle gasped, "You…you have…"

Her glowing eyes faded and returned to the ones that everypony recognized before, the ones that belonged to Oracle. "You can hurt my friends, and you may can hurt Zecora, but when you hurt Midnight and Cirria, that was the last straw! Let me OUT!"

This fight continued the same way. Wicked Oracle's eyes changed from hers to Oracle's, fighting internally for control. She was literally fighting with herself. Midnight could not watch this. Every argument that passed was hurting Oracle's body; her feathers were actually piercing her body. Midnight, despite his injuries, left Cirria and leapt over the others. He tackled Wicked Oracle to the ground. Now it was two against one. Midnight held her down, fighting the current pain along with the constant slashes of Wicked Oracle's tail. Blood splattered across her body and his, but he remainded still. His center spike glowed black as he pointed it to Wicked Oracle's head. "What…what are you doing…?!" she shouted in fear.

"I'm getting Oracle back" he said coldly.

A black beam fired into Wicked Oracle's head. Her eyes suddenly glowed black, her body twisting and turning as she screamed in pain. Midnight needed to keep this spell up, if he did it right he could bring her back and banish Wicked Oracle deep in her mind. His spike's light intensified, blinding the others around him. Twilight, Celestia, and Lightning all formed a barrier around the large group to protect them from anything.

The light dimed down around the two. The light revealed a large crater, but no Midnight or Oracle. The shield was dropped and Cirria ran out to see if her parents were still alive. To her and everypony's else relief, Oracle and Midnight laid at the bottom of the crater. It wasn't Wicked Oracle, it was just Oracle. Her body was still stained with blood, but she was back to normal. Oracle's eyes gently rose as she turned her head to Midnight. She gently kissed his cheek, "Thank…you…"

Sparkplug's Family Reunion

Everything turned out alright. Celestia explained that what Prince Thorn said was true; Cirria was not a real pony. She explained that making Cirria real would also take away her abilities. So, she cast a spell on her that would not allow her to be destroyed. Midnight's rush of emotions caused him to rush to Celestia and hug her, but the regal ruler did not mind. Oracle, however, was not feeling as well. She was happy that Cirria was alive, but she could not but feel guilty at the pain and injuries she gave to her friends, especially Zecora. However, everypony told her it was alright. Zecora may need a few days to recover, but she would be fine.

---

It was a week since that moment. Zecora's wounds were healed and Oracle was fully forgiven. But she still felt a bit of guilt for her actions. Today, Midnight and the others were taking a small stroll down Ponyville. Suddenly, a blob of color whirled by them and stopped in front of them. It was Sparkplug; his breathing was heavy as his unique eyes darted around. Behind him was Sapphire. She was trying to catch up with him, she clearly ignoring the few screams from the surrounding ponies. "Midnight, Twilight, everypony I need your help!" he panted.

Sapphire panted slightly as she cleared her throat, "Sssparkplug, I honessstly think you are overreacting to thisss…"

Sparkplug suddenly turned around, to talk to her, but a scroll dropped from him and rolled to Twilight. Sparkplug rushed over, "That's mine!" Twilight levitated the scroll just before Sparkplug made contact. Sparkplug ended up slamming headfirst into the building behind them. Twilight opened the letter and read it aloud, "Dear Sparkplug,

We are so happy to hear that out son is a hero. We always knew you would be special. After hearing your more recent accomplishments, we decided to go and take a visit. We expect a warm welcome from you when we get there, and tell those friends of yours that they should learn more from you.

Love; Mad Mane, Valkyire, and Amp."

Everypony in the small group looked at Sparkplug with confusion and anger. Sparkplug rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I might need to speak to the Mayor…"

---

Mayor nodded while listening to what Midnight and the others found out. "Alright, I can see why Sparkplug would be nervous" said Mayor, "But the question is; what did he send them?"

Everypony turned to Sparkplug. Sweat was dropping off of his head and down his mane. His broken horn sparked while his unique eyes darted around. He sighed, "I'm sorry that I brought you into this mess, but I need a huge favor." He turned to face Midnight, "Everything that you accomplished…well…I told my family that I did it." Midnight's horn glowed in anger but quickly disappeared. "I told my family nothing but lies" he continued. "I told them that I was a hero, the savior of this place. I told them about Sapphire, but they have no idea that she's half snake. And I also told them…" Sparkplug gulped and nervously looked to Midnight and Oracle, "I-I-I t-told them that I-I had a ch-child…n-named Cirria…"

Midnight pounced on Sparkplug in anger. "WHAT?!" he shouted, "YOU TOLD THEM THAT CIRRIA WAS YOURS?!" Midnight was about to attack him, but Oracle got him off, "Midnight that is not what you do, allow me…" Oracle swung her tail around and his back hit the side of Town Hall hard. Oracle and Midnight both approached, but Sapphire slid between them "Do you really think fighting will help usss?" she hissed. "I know Sssparkplug lied…but jussst hear him out on why…"

Midnight and Oracle rejoined the others as Sapphire helped Sparkplug. He cleared his throat and approached them. "I know I'm asking a lot from you all, but I couldn't tell the truth to my parents…"

"Why not?" asked Shard. "I mean, they are your parents, they can't hate you?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING?! Look at me! I'm a unicorn with freaky eyes and a broken horn! I caused nothing but trouble, and I will never be counted as a hero! My girlfriend is a freaky pony snake, no offense, and I don't even have a job! How could my parents ever love anypony like me?"

Midnight still felt mad about Sparkplug using Cirria, but he felt a small pain. Midnight never knew his parents, but seeing somepony else worried about their parents causes him to worry. He walked to Sparkplug and gently placed his claw on his shoulder, "Sparkplug, I'm still mad but I will help you." Everypony else in the room agreed, but they did not seem too happy about it.

---

It took a lot to try and get Sparkplug's letter to be truthful. First, the Mayor addressed all the residents of Ponyville to try to get into the charade. Of course, everypony shouted in disagreement. But, some words from Midnight seemed to calm them down. It was only going to happen for a day, so most of the citizens agreed. The next thing was his looks. In the letter, Sparkplug said his appearance never changed. That meant his horn was whole, and his eyes were normal. Lightning was able to make a wooden replacement, and Easel was able to paint it to look like his coat color. Twilight was able to enchant these contacts that would make his eyes look normal. When Cirria heard about Sparkplug's letter, she sent a bolt of electricity at him. Twilight has been teaching her about magic and how to use it. The one Cirria is allowed to use freely right now is a simple levitation spell. Cirria said she would only pretend to be his daughter.

The last touch was the last bit that he sent his parents. According to Sparkplug, his girlfriend is a beautiful Earth Pony. Sapphire was technically an Earth Pony, but she had a snake tail. Sapphire mentioned that the necklace she was wearing caused the curse and she could not get it off. Midnight, however, had this task covered. He learned a spell that was similar to the Changeling's shapeshifting technique. After Sapphire was blasted, everypony was shocked. Sapphire was a normal Earth Pony, but her looks changed for the better. Her mane did not have its dirty and ragged look; it was full of shine and well kept. Her eyes were normal in shape, but she kept her multiple colors. Her tail kept the same shine as her mane. Her necklace stayed around her neck and she kept the golden belt. Her cutie mark was a curled snake. She looked at herself and fiercely hugged Midnight. Of course, a quick glare from Oracle made her release that grip. Sparkplug's parents wouldn't come till tomorrow, but Sparkplug was still nervous as heck.

---

The next day came; Sparkplug was out in his disguise waiting by the main road. With everything on, Sparkplug really did look like a common everyday colt. Waiting beside him was the Mayor, Twilight, Midnight, and Oracle, as well as Sapphire and Cirria. Midnight was trying to keep his anger down, but he still could not believe that Sparkplug said Cirria was his. Cirria seemed to also have the same expression.

To cut the attention short, three figures appeared down the path. The tallest one was a stallion Earth Pony with a spiked mane and tail. There were many colors in his tail, but the most ones seemed to be yellow and green with a few streaks of black. His coat was colored blue and his cute mark seemed to be a black music note ripped in half. He wore a spiked color and had markings under his eye. The mare walking beside him was a little shorter than him. She was a unicorn while her coat was brown while her well kept mane was yellow. Her cutie mark appeared to be a fierce looking hammer. The last figure was nearly a small Pegasus filly. Her mane was all messy and out of place, each showing a slightly different shade of orange. Her coat was white, but it too seemed messy. The mark on her flank was a loudspeaker.

"Hello e…" Before he could say something else, the older mare ran up and gave Sparkplug a hug. Sparkplug seemed to be in pain as a few cracks were heard. "…Mom…your…cr-crushing…me…"

The mare let go and laughed, "Oh Spark, you were always this cute…"

Everypony was about to say something but Sparkplug managed to keep them quiet despite his heavy breathing. He managed to calm down as he approached them, "Everypony, this is my family. This is my father Mad Mane."

Mad Mane walked forward, "I'm sure it is a pleasure to meet me. I am, after all, the one and only Mad Mane!"

Everyone either let out a sigh or groan. Sparkplug ignored his father's remark and continued with the introductions. "Next, we have my mother Valkyire. She's a very good electrician…and a bit of a hugger." Valkyire simply giggled at his way of introducing her and moved on. "And finally, we have my little sister…"

"HELLO!" she exclaimed, "MY NAME IS AMP! I HOPE YOU'RE TREATING MY BIG BROTHER WELL!"

Everypony covered their ears except for the ones she was related to. After recovering from the loud shrill voice that was Amp's, Sparkplug explained. "Yes, well Amp has no real control over her voice. She talks around us just fine, but she's usually always loud when she meets someone new."

"You wouldn't say" said Midnight with a slight expression of anger and sarcasm.

"You must be Midnight" said Mad Mane as he walked closer. He looked across Midnight's frame, "No wonder you were shunned from Ponyville, you certainly look the part."

"Uh…excuse me?"

"Well, I've seen many different ponies in my travels. Most of the ones I closely know are all very freaky looking. But you…you are an entirely different kind of freak."

Midnight did not know whether to be insulted or sad. Oracle went up to comfort him while Cirria stayed still. She wanted to help her father and also hurt this new pony for insulting him, but she had to love her "father," at least until this trio left. Valkyire walked up to Cirria and Sapphire, "Spark has told me all about you two. Sapphire, you truly are beautiful. And you…" Valkyire hugged Cirria tightly, "You are the most adorable pony I have ever met!"

Midnight snapped out of whatever trance he was in and helped pry Cirria from Valkyire's grasp. After the introductions were set, the Mayor offered a tour of Ponyville. The three agreed and they group trotted down the path.

The entire tour was painful for everypony. First off were the villagers, making Sparkplug seem almost as special as the Princesses. But, they made the mistake of calling him Sparkplug instead of Spark, as what his family knows him as. The next thing was his father, Mad Mane. Every stop they made or introduction to a famous location let loose a rude comment from his lips. Even Midnight has never seen such rudeness from a pony. He constantly proclaimed everypony and everything as "boring." Sparkplug's mother, Valkyire, on the other hand loved his life. She did admit it could use a bit more excitement, but she found it nice nonetheless. Amp was a living ear splitter. She couldn't keep her voice down once, shattering many windows as she talked and trotted through town. As a final rest stop for the day, they group ate at Sugarcube Corner.

"So how was the tour?" asked Sparkplug. His family was eating their desserts in many different ways; Mad Mane was devouring his cake messily, Valkyire was eating hers properly, and Amp was surprisingly doing a combined way of both. After they were finished, Mad Mane was the one to start, "Well, this town isn't the most exciting of places, but it could be worse."

"I LOVED IT!" exclaimed Amp with yet another eat splitting speech.

"Well, I enjoyed it as well" said Valkyire. "This town is perfect, your life seems happy, and it's only going to get better!" Everypony seemed confused, but mostly Sparkplug. "Spark dear, we were talking, and we decided that we could stay here in Ponyville!" Everypony gasped, mostly in fear.

Sparkplug received several looks from everypony, telling him to fix this before it got worse. "B-But…why would you stay here?" he asked.

"Well, your father figured that you needed a bit more action to your life. Amp simply wants to be near you. And me, well I would love to see our granddaughter every day…"

Midnight slammed his claws against the table, surprising everypony. Sparkplug gave motions to him saying "Don't blow it!" but he needed to. "That is it! I cannot take this web of lies anymore! Sparkplug, not Spark, is the exact opposite of what he has been saying you are! He is not the hero of the town, I AM! I'm the one who has been saving all of these ponies on a multitude of times! And Cirria is not YOUR granddaughter, she's my daughter!

Everything that Sparkplug has been writing to you has been nothing but lies. You would like to know the truth? Sparkplug is a troublemaking pony with no sense of control. He was the cause of several disasters for Ponyville, which most of them I had to stop! His "girlfriend" is not even a Pony! She looks nothing like that! And speaking of looks, Sparkplug doesn't even look like that! We have been pulling this charade so that he would not let you down. But now the truth is out, and I have had it!"

Midnight was breathing heavily in anger after his outburst. After he calmed enough, he realized what he said and sat down instantly. The fake horn on his head sparked while a burst of green electricity burst from his head. The contacts that he wore now laid shattered on the table, as well as his fake horn. His mane and tail sparked as well, returning him to his once former self. His family sat there shocked for minutes. Silence rung through until Valkyire ended it, "Spark…is this all true…?"

Sparkplug looked at his family with great sadness. With a heavy sigh and teary eyes, he replied, "…Yes…" He then got up and began to walk out the door, "…Follow me…" His family cooperated as well as Midnight and the others. They were taken through the forest. Lying underneath a series of tall trees laid a house. But this house seemed poorly constructed and made of sheet metal. "This is where I live" he explained. "I am not welcome in Ponyville, so I made a house here to where no one could bother me. As for Sapphire…Midnight, would you please…?" Midnight nodded as his spike glowed. Sapphire's body glowed a bright white as her back legs stretched into her tail once again. Everything appeared as if it never changed. Sparkplug took a heavy glance back at his family, "I lied in my letters so that you wouldn't find me as a disappointment. Ever since my horrible accident, everything just went downhill. I wouldn't be surprised if you were all mad at me…"

To everypony's surprise, Valkyire trotted up and hugged Sparkplug. It wasn't a tight squeeze either; it was a gentle hug of concern. "Spark…er… Sparkplug, you know we will always love you no matter what happens. I am a little disappointed that you lied to us and that you cause a little bit of mischief, but I am your mother, and you will always be my son."

"Sparkplug" started Mad Mane, "To tell you the truth, you should have never lied. This fake life you created was BORING! I mean look at you, your life is full of excitement! Living in the Everfree Forest, not that is a hazard all on its own! Son, I have never been so proud of you."

Sparkplug received a noogie from his father before Amp walked up. As she opened her mouth, everypony began to cover their ears. "Sparkplug, you're a good brother" she said in a normal tone. This surprised everypony. "You may not have the perfect life, but you're happy. You also have many friends that are willing to help you despite all odds. You are the greatest…"

Sparkplug was not in a group hug with his family. Sapphire joined in, creating an even cuter scene. Sparkplug's eyes released tears, but they were tears of joy. "…Thank you everypony…" he said.

The Revival of a Lost Prince

Midnight and Cirria were walking down a path towards the Library. They were accompanied by Nova, Cirria's new pet. His leg healed, so he was able to run around more. They were going to return a few books to Twilight. Cirria stopped for a second and trotted over to a small flower bush. Midnight watched as Cirria's horn began to glow with her gray magic. A small cloud formed above the bush and a light rain began to pour. Midnight smiled at this, Cirria kindness held no bounds. The cloud disappeared as well as the glow. Cirria trotted back over, "Twilight taught me that."

Midnight ruffled her cloudy mane, "Well, we should properly thank her when we get there." Midnight and Cirria walked in to see Twilight organizing books. "Hey Twilight, we came to bring back a few books" said Midnight. Twilight placed the last book on a shelf and then wrapped her magic around the books Cirria had. "I would also like to thank you for teaching Cirria some magic."

"That is no problem Midnight" she said as she reorganized the books again. "Cirria is a fast learner."

A flash of green light flashed upstairs and was followed by a very loud burp. Spike ran down the stairs with a scroll in his hands. However this scroll was black tied with a purple ribbon. Twilight looked confused but she unfurled the scroll and began to read it. "Oh, Midnight it's for you too…" Midnight walked over and read the letter aloud.

"Dear Twilight and Midnight,

Twilight, I know you will get this first so show it to Midnight. I request your help. Recently I have been having trouble with my son. I fear that he may have chosen the wrong side for the wrong reason. I request that you and a few of your friends please find him and try your best to bring him onto the side of good.

You're Royal Highness, Princess Luna."

Midnight was slightly confused; the letter was from Princess Luna and he had no idea that Princess Luna ever had a son. Twilight, however, was on the verge of tears. Midnight and Cirria were confused, but Spike sighed. "Twilight…do you want me…"

"No… No Spike, I will tell them" she replied. Spike looked at her in sadness and went back up the stairs. Twilight turned to Midnight, silence running through the Library. "Midnight, this will be hard to explain" she said finally. "Princess Luna's son…was…he was Prince Thorn." Midnight's eyes began to glow red as well as his cutie mark flashing black. A small growl escaped his lips as the magic pulsed on his horn. Prince Thorn really gave a bad impression when he almost destroyed Cirria. Cirria was terrified of him, but she was now starting to become afraid of her father.

"Midnight, I know he has gotten on your bad side, but he is still Princess Luna's son" said Twilight. "He…he is also…" Tears began to fall from Twilight's eyes. The evil glow ceased from Midnight's eyes and cutie mark when he saw Twilight's reaction. Cirria walked up with a tissue in her magic. Twilight smiled as she dried her tears. "It's nothing…now…we probably need to figure out how we will find him."

Midnight hated this task, but it was for the Princess Luna. Midnight thought it over, "I have some ideas."

---

The night was up and the moon was full as Midnight and Twilight led the party into Everfree. Oracle stayed home with Cirria to make sure nothing would happen to her again. However, Nova joined Midnight. The others that Midnight brought were Shia and Shard. Twilight brought Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Nova was sniffing the ground while Shia was fluttering around.

"So, we're just findin the Princess's son?" asked Applejack.

"Yes…" Twilight replied sadly.

"Aw…what's wrong there sugarcube?"

"It's nothing…"

Nova continued to sniff the ground. However he was not watching where he was going, and ran straight into a large flower. Pollen clouded his nose and Nova began to sneeze wildly. Shia began to go into a trance as she flew straight forward. She managed to snap out of it but she ran into a tree. She rubbed her head before turning to the group, "Guys, I sense him this way!"

Everypony ran in that direction, following Shia. Everypony followed, all except for one. Twilight did not bother to follow them. She was too sad. Prince Thorn was more than just a prince of the son of Princess Luna; he was something much more to the Element of Magic. The bushes beside her ruffled, but Twilight never bothered to turn. Tears were now visible, falling from her eyes and landing on the ground.

"Twilight…" The voice rung in Twilight's ears, she knew this voice. Her head quickly rose and turned, seeing Prince Thorn. However he was a Changeling, and not in the form Twilight knew.

"W-Why Prince Thorn…" Twilight said, "W-Why have you become…THIS?!"

"My queen gets what she wants, and always gets what she needs" replied Prince Thorn. "It is up to me now to help the Changelings as the Prince of Changelings."

"But Thorn…I…I…"

"You do not understand Twilight Sparkle, no pony does. I needed to join the Changelings, it was for the better."

"NO!" Prince Thorn shot back at Twilight's outburst. Twilight looked at him with tears, "Thorn, you don't understand. The day you left was…heartbreaking. Everypony was sad when you left, you left without even saying a goodbye. Do you…do you know how much crying your mother did? How much I did?!

When I heard of your name a few weeks ago, I couldn't believe it. There was no way you turned into that kind of pony, not a monster! And now that I see you like this…I…I don't believe it!"

"You do not understand Twilight Sparkle; I HAD to join the Changelings. They needed a Prince, and they came to me. I rejected their offer, but they cast a new one. If I never joined, they were going to kill the ones I loved. My mother, my sister, my friends, I couldn't let that happen."

"B-But…B-But Prince Thorn… I-I… I still love you!"

Twilight's words released a stream of tears from her eyes. Twilight crouched to the ground in complete sadness. Prince Thorn was shocked. He and Twilight Sparkle got along very well, and he loved her, but he never would have guessed that she loved him back! He could feel that her emotions were real; her love was being emitted at an alarming rate. Being a Changeling, Prince Thorn began to absorb the love that Twilight had. Prince Thorn enjoyed it, but for some reason he didn't fully enjoy it. This wasn't how he was supposed to get love, not from sadness. Prince Thorn's mind was torn, torn between what the Queen wants and what he truly wanted. He had no idea what was happening. But, he knew one thing, Twilight was sad. Prince Thorn gently pulled Twilight into a hug, gently stroking her mane to calm her down.

---

Queen Chrysalis sneered as she hid in the bush. She knew of Princess Luna's request from a Changeling in town, and devised a plan for it, using Prince Thorn as bait to get her hands on some innocent ponies. She was hoping that her "royal highness" would appear herself, but the group he attracted was good enough. Especially for the two who ruined her plans before, the overprotective sister Twilight and that cursed pony Midnight.

But now, she watched as Prince Thorn was actually not only refusing to absorb a Twilight's love, but he was also fighting Chrysalis's influence on him! "So the little Prince thinks he can just knock away my control just like that…" she said as her horn began to glow. "I will make him so loyal he will become my new permanent pet!"

Before Chrysalis could use her spell, a beam of blue light struck Chrysalis's horn. Chrysalis was launched back into a nearby tree. She quickly recovered and looked to see who would dare blast her. It was Princess Luna herself, flying with great speed and a determined look on her face. Chrysalis smiled as Princess Luna landed in front of her.

"Well well, if it isn't the Princess of the Night…" said Chrysalis.

"Silence you monstrosity!" shouted Luna. "You are the true reason my son has left our side! You not only transformed him into a Changeling, but you filled his head with lies and controlled his mind!"

"Yes yes, that is all true. Let me give you some applause for figuring it out on your own." Chrysalis clapped her front hooves together sarcastically, making Luna even angrier. "It is true that I have control over him, but it is only to make him loyal to me. But now it is slipping, his original mind is leaking out. So, if you will excuse me, I need to patch that leak, once and for all." Luna's horn glowed but so did Chrysalis's, "Ah ah ah, you may not have been there but I was capable of defeating Celestia…do you really believe that you have the power to defeat me?"

"She may not, but we sure do!"

Chrysalis turned as Luna looked behind her. Midnight and the others stood proud, while Nova was growling at the Changeling Queen. Chrysalis fired a beam from her twisted horn towards the group. Shard quickly flew in a circle in front of his friends, the air getting colder by the second. Before the beam hit, a piece of ice formed in front of them. The beam bounced off of the ice and blasted a tree branch above them. Shard knocked that aside as Ritani stepped forward. Her tail began to glow a brilliant green, the ground slightly shaking as it did. Tree roots burst from the ground, encasing Chrysalis in a barrage of roots. Midnight stepped forward now, his spike glowing black. Chrysalis laughed, "You think you can take me?! I am more powerful than Celestia!" A sickly green beam fired from her crooked horn at the same time Midnight fired one. At first, the two beams were evenly matched. Then, Chrysalis's beam began to overpower Midnight's. Midnight struggled, but the beam was getting weaker and weaker. Chrysalis smiled, but the smile was short-lived when Midnight smiled and stared at her with anger, "SURPRISE!" His beam suddenly began to overpower Chrysalis's at an alarming rate. It stopped just short of Chrysalis's horn, Midnight toying with her.

"Is this what you want?!" shouted Chrysalis between struggles, "Do you want to the help the creature that nearly killed your daughter?!"

Midnight though it over for a few seconds before smiling, "…Yes…" The black beam connected with Chrysalis's horn, sending a black and green pulse out from her horn.

---

Prince Thorn continued to struggle between feeding off of Twilight or soothing her, but a sudden feeling washed over him. The feeling of the craving of love was gone, everything that he once was and how he once acted rushed into him at once. This caused him to faint, and Twilight caught him. "Thorn…THORN!" she shouted.

The others of her group, and Princess Luna quickly ran to her side. Prince Thorn slowly got up, rubbing his head, "Oh my head…why does it hurt so much? Twilight… Twilight, I had the weirdest dr-" Prince Thorn stopped when he opened his eyes, his gaze resting on his hoof. He quickly looked at his body in shock. "Wait… Does this mean that it wasn't a bad dream?" he said in shock. "Does that mean I…" he let out a huge gasp as he turned to Midnight, "Oh Midnight… I am so sorry for nearly ending your daughter's life, I do not know what came over me."

"I do" said Luna. Prince Thorn turned to see his mother standing beside him. Tears filled his eyes at the same time it filled hers. Prince Thorn hugged her tightly as they nuzzled each other, "Thorn, you were being controlled by Chrysalis. Even though you were a Changeling, you visited me and told me why you left. All of these years I could not stand to see you with them. You do not know how lonesome it became…"

"I am sorry too mother" he replied after drying his tears. "Everything seemed like a bad dream to me, a nightmare. But now, now I realize that I did cause all of those things on purpose. I deserve to be in the dungeon for all those bad deeds!"

Princess Luna shook her head, "No son, no you don't. The Changeling Queen had a spell on you that made you evil and loyal. It made your true self dormant as the new self took over. But now, now you're the Prince Thorn I know and love."

"But mother, I'm still a Changeling. I will always be a Changeling…"

"No you will not" said Midnight as he drew closer. Prince Thorn and Princess Luna separated as he came closer. "Remember how I said I could block or reverse any spell? Well, I think I can change you back…"

"But Midnight" spoke Twilight as she dried her tears, "You could only reverse a spell that you knew or seen…"

"I know" Midnight pointed his spike to Prince Thorn's chest, "I'm not sure that this will work, or if you will not feel any pain. You want be to try this Prince Thorn?"

Prince Thorn stared at Midnight. This pony was strange to him, he did to this pony what would make most want to kill him. But now, now the same pony is helping him, despite everything that he has done to him. Prince Thorn looked at two main ponies; his mother Luna and his love Twilight. They each had a very sad expression, but hope hid behind it. He turned back to Midnight and nodded. Midnight closed his eyes as a black orb formed at the tip of his spike. The orb slowly sunk into Thorn's chest after it fired.

At first, nothing happened. Then suddenly, Prince Horn screamed in pain as he got to the ground. Black energy pulsed through him, creating a burning sensation from the inside out. Twilight was about to help him but stopped when she saw his hooves. The holes were slowly disappearing, skin and flesh growing where they were lost. The fangs in his mouth receded, His eyes changing from slits to ovals. The wings and hard case disappeared, only to be replaced with feathery pegasi wings. His coat returned to its former color and texture as well as his mane and tail. The pain was over once the transformation was done. Prince Thorn managed to get up to look at himself. Twilight and Princess Luna quickly hugged Prince Thorn after seeing that he was normal alicorn they knew and loved. Prince Thorn began to cry as he faced Midnight.

"Midnight, I and the royal family are forever in your debt" he said. "I want to thank you for all that you have done, and would like to extended the greatest honor that I could give."

Midnight did not reply. He went to his knees and bowed in honor, "It was my pleasure, your Highness. My powers to me are a curse, but to others they are a gift. I am just glad I could reunite not only one loving bond, but two." True words from Midnight, Prince Thorn was more relieved than ever to be back to his normal, alicorn self.

A Not So Merry Mistrel

The return of Prince Thorn was heard throughout the kingdom. It brought relief to the royal families just before the winter snow. Snow clouds began to fill the skies, letting down a gentle snowfall. This would be a very special winter. Cirria never knew what snow was, so she was very excited. However Midnight was feeling the complete opposite. Every winter he experienced was harsh and cold. But this time, this time he would be able to escape it.

Oracle saw how cold he was getting, so she put her talents to the test. She made three scarves; one for Midnight, one for her, and one for Cirria. Midnight's was red and dark green, Oracle's scarf was yellow and blue, and Cirria's was white and black. Cirria loved the gift, probably more than what she was supposed to.

Midnight and Oracle walked down the snowy streets of Ponyville. Only a couple of ponies were out in the cold streets. Midnight seemed to actually enjoy the cold now. Cirria was at home with Nova, seeing as he would protect her with no mercy. The snow on the streets seemed to reflect a bit of light. Applejack was running her usual stand, selling nice hot apple cider. "Hey Applejack" said Midnight, "Business good today?"

"Oh hey Midnight, hey Oracle!" she exclaimed. "I'm sellin' the Apple Family's famous apple cider. Not much business today, we usually sell this stuff in the fall. But I'm sure that this will catch on. Y'all want a glass…?"

"Sure, how many…"

"Aw shucks, it's the first glass ya ever had, no buts are needed."

As Applejack began to pour each one a glass, Midnight snuck a few bits into the pay box. Midnight levitated each glass over to them. He grabbed his, but he kept Oracle's floating. Oracle blushed as she slowly took a sip. Midnight took a sip of his as well. "This is great!" said Midnight.

"Uh…excuse me…?" asked a voice. The trio of ponies turned to see the awaiting customer. The pony waiting was a female unicorn. Her multihued pink mane and tail were very long. The tips of her ears were splotched with yellow as the remainder of her coat was white. Her front hoof had a bright pink and a bright purple band around it. She wore earrings that matched the bands. She wore a stylish and warm-looking vest around her body and the mark on her flank was strangely a feather. "I… I would like to buy a glass please…"

"Well sure there partner…hold one for a sec" said Applejack as she replaced the barrel.

Midnight could not understand it, but there was something about this unicorn. Things did not add together. For one, it was her cutie mark. Why would a unicorn have a wing-related cutie mark? It's not even a quill, it's definitely a feather. Also, the vest seemed to be tight, like something is underneath of it. But what really caught Midnight's attention was her mane. It shimmered in the light and seemed to blow in the wind, and there was not even a breeze. There were only two ponies he knew with manes like that.

"Th-Thank you" she replied nervously. After that she seemed to almost gallop away from the small group. Applejack shook her head, "I could have sworn…nah it must be just my imagination…"

"What is it Applejack?" asked Oracle.

"I could have sworn I've seen that girl with wings, not a horn."

Midnight began to walk away, "Excuse me for a minute Oracle. I need… to check something." Oracle looked worried. He headed in the same direction of where the one pony left. Midnight wouldn't… no, he wouldn't, would he?

Midnight continued to follow the unknown pony. She trotted down the streets, looking from side to side for something. Midnight ducked behind a crate to see the pony walk into an ally. Midnight stepped out and silently followed her.

In the ally, the unknown pony was struggling with the vest. Once she managed to take it off, two large wings opened up. The tips of her wings were splotched with orange, just like her ears. "Oh… I knew I should have just covered my horn today" she said. Hoofsteps were heard down the ally, causing the pony to freak out. She tucked the wings to her sides instantly and then placed the vest over her. The ally was dark, so the pony could not see who it was. But, she saw a pair of calming blue eyes. "W-Who are y-you…?" she asked.

"My name is Midnight" he replied back. "Mind I ask why you were hiding your wings?"

"I never liked these wings… I always wanted only a horn or wings, never both. Do you know who alicorns are? They are the rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I am an alicorn, and I am not royalty. All the names I've been called, "Your Highness" and "Princess," it's all because of these stupid features. And to top it all off, I cannot even fly very well or even use powerful magic! I am a embarrassment to the Princesses…"

Midnight felt pain from her. He has found yet another pony that has experienced what both he and Oracle felt. Sure, hers was not nearly as bad as theirs, but she has experience nonetheless. "Listen" Midnight said in a calm voice, "I know how you feel, as well as another. We can help you if you like…"

The pony looked at Midnight, "And how do you know how I feel…?"

"Well…" Midnight stepped into the light, revealing his form to the pony. The pony gasped as she saw Midnight. Never in her life has she seen a pony with features such as her. His features made her like being an alicorn. "As you can see, I'm a… different kind of alicorn. One who has demonic features, rather than angelic ones. If you would follow me, there is somepony I would like you to meet." The pony still seemed shocked, but she nodded. However she was trying to put her vest back on. Midnight sighed at this but continued walking

Oracle and Applejack were simply talking, although Oracle had a worried expression on her face. "Oh sugarcube, I'm sure Midnight wouldn't go against ya" said Applejack. "You two are perfect for each other."

"Hey Oracle" said Midnight as he approached. The pony that arrived before followed. "Oracle, allow me to introduce you to…" Midnight blushed slightly, "Oh I'm sorry… I never really got your name."

The pony stepped forward, "H-Hello… My name is Merry Mistrel."

Midnight and Oracle nodded as they left Applejack. They walked down the snow filled streets towards Midnight's home. Midnight and Oracle took their scarves off once they entered. Merry, however, refused to take her vest off. Midnight sighed, "Merry, you can't expect us to help you if you always try to hide it." He turned to Oracle, "Even Oracle is different, but I expected you to see her unique ability as we came here."

Oracle took the hint as her tail fanned out. Merry gasped in surprise and in awe. Oracle slightly blushed, nit many ponies have given her that expression in a long time. Merry sighed as she began to take her vest off. Midnight even noticed that she did it with her mouth instead of her magic. Anyway, once her vest was off, her wings extended to their fullest extent. Oracle gasped, "You're an alicorn?!"

"She's been mocked for it" said Midnight. "Just like how you were ridiculed for your tail and how I was tortured for my looks. I offered to help her with flying, and maybe a bit of magic. Maybe you can help too."

Oracle smiled as she nuzzled Midnight, "You are the sweetest stallion ever Midnight."

---

Midnight spent the entire day with Merry and Oracle. He used the same lessons that Shard used on him, all except for the freezing part. Near the end, Merry was flying like an average pegasus. They only stopped because Midnight wanted to do the same with Cirria. Merry and Oracle relaxed inside Midnight's home as they watched the father and daughter practice. They were both enjoying a nice cup of tea.

"I must say that Midnight certainly is a wonderful colt" said Merry. "He has been so nice to me."

"Yeah…" Oracle replied.

Merry set down her glass from within her magic. Midnight helped perfect her levitation spell, so now she could handle things with ease. She looked at Oracle with concern. She seemed down, but she only became that way when she mentioned Midnight. She gasped, "Oh dear, Oracle, you wouldn't dare to think that would you?!" Oracle turned to Merry slightly shocked. "Oracle dear, you will never have to worry about me with Midnight. When I was practicing, he was talking on and on about you. I would never try to take Midnight away, especially after what you did to the last pony."

"He told you about me?"

"Oracle, Midnight is so close to you, I wouldn't be surprised that in a few years he would buy you a ring…"

"Oh… Midnight wouldn't go that far…"

"Surprises in life are usually unexpected…"

Midnight walked in, laughing and with Cirria on his back. He noticed Merry and Oracle were talking with great smiles. "It seems you two are getting along" he said, "What were you talking about?"

"Nothing" they both said in unison.

"However I would like to thank you for everything you have done for me Midnight" said Merry. "I never would have thought that there was a single pony out there like you two."

"If you think we are unique, you should see some of the other ponies out there" said Midnight.

"Oh no, I was talking about how kind you were. I hope I can meet more ponies with you great gift." Merry got up and started to put her vest on. However she seemed to hate it. This gave Oracle an idea, "I think I can help you even more."

---

It took a while of explaining, but Rarity finally calmed down. Rarity always got excited over things that seemed like a big deal to her, and with Merry Mistrel being an alicorn, Rarity expected the best. Rarity was working away on her sewing machine, "Now Merry dear, I may not understand your pain, but I find your wings to be quite wonderful. Those feathers of yours keep a bright amount of shimmer and shine. But, you are the customer, and I must not criticize your request." With one final touch, Rarity's masterpiece was finished. Merry's new vest was a wonderful shade of pink, just like her mane. It was designed to fit comforting around her body and allow her wings to stay in without causing any sort of pain. Merry put it on and cheered slightly.

"It is wonderful, thank you Rarity" she said.

"Oh heavens no dear, you must really thank Oracle. Why, she even paid for the vest herself!"

Merry turned to Oracle in shock, "Oh no Oracle, I could pay for it myself…"

"Merry, it is no big deal for me" she replied. "Just remember that as long as you are true to your friends, they will love you and treat you with the kindness you deserve."

Merry smiled as she and Oracle pulled each other into a hug. Midnight smiled as Rarity contained her excitement. Merry broke away and faced Midnight, "I will not forget the kindness you showed me as well. I may hide my wings, but I will start showing other ponies once they get to know me enough." Midnight smiled as Merry gave him a small hug. But this hug was short, for Merry wouldn't want to interfere with Oracle. She turned to Oracle before she left, "I expect an invitation when the time comes."

Oracle blushed and nearly shoved Merry out the door before she left. Rarity giggled to think what she meant, but Midnight was clueless. "Uh… what did she mean by invitation? Is there… like a party or something soon…?"

Author's Notes:

Thanks to my friend that allowed me to use her OC

Merry Mistrel: http://xmireille-chanx.deviantart.com/

Pet Peeves

Cirria trotted through the woods of Everfree Forest happily. Her hand made saddle bags laid across her back, carrying a few books that Twilight gave her. Cirria happily trotted down the path to her mother's house. She wanted to show her parents what she learned from Twilight. However, a small whine stopped her. Cirria looked around nervously. She was told that there were many monsters in Everfree, but most of them stayed away from paths and such. Another whine sounded, but this one was more audible. Its origin sounded like it was in pain, terrible pain. Cirria's fear vanished as her horn emitted a bright gray light. "Hello…?" she asked. A few bushes slightly shook as more painful whines followed. Cirria put her head through the bushes to see the creature. The creature appeared to be a small dog, or a wolf counting with the features. A small star lay on its chest and his fur seemed to have a constellation on it. However, this wolf's front leg seemed snapped in half and several patches of fur missing. It whined and attempted to back away from Cirria.

"What are you?" she asked as she focused on the creature. As she took a step forward, it took a stumbled step back. Cirria stopped so that she wouldn't scare the poor creature. Then, an idea came to mind. "I know; I'll use that creature guide Twilight gave me!" Enveloped in gray magic, a book levitated out of her saddlebags and opened in front of her. Cirria turned each page magically, making sure the book would not hit the dirty ground. "Let's see… Ursa Majors… Hydras… Scorpios… Ah, here we go!" Cirria stopped on a page that had two pictures. One almost matched the wolf in front of her, while the other one looked very menacing. "Lupus Minor…A constellation creature that represents a wolf in form. Unlike the Ursa Major or Minor, being large in size, a Lupus Minor is about the size of an average pony." Cirria looked at the small puppy, who managed to actually stay the entire time. "Well… You don't look that big; you must be REALLY young to be this small." Cirria turned back to the book, "Although smaller in size, the Lupus Minor and Majors make up for it by their increased ferociousness and speed. This creature is extremely dangerous; do not approach it at all costs."

Cirria looked back at the puppy, which seemed to be more afraid of her than anything. She let out a giggle as the book floated back into its saddlebag. The other bag opened, letting out floating bandages and medicine. She gently approached the Lupus Minor, but the small wolf puppy walked back in fear. Cirria kneeled, "It is okay… I won't hurt you." The Lupus Minor still whined in fear, but mostly in pain. Cirria sighed as her gray magic soon enveloped the puppy. Floating in the air was new to the Lupus, but he still was scared. Cirria gently wiped the cuts from his body and placed bandages on them. The final fix was using a splint and several bandages to keep his broken leg straight. After she was done, everything was tucked away back inside her saddlebags and the Lupus Minor placed onto the ground. The small puppy looked at his leg and sniffed it, his small stubby tail wagging from it. Cirria smiled at this gesture and turned to leave. However, whines of sadness followed her as she turned. Facing the Lupus Minor once again, Cirria saw that the wolf puppy was giving her a sad look and whining. When she approached again, the Lupus gave a happy bark and began wagging its tail. Cirria petted its head and the Lupus gave her a few licks on the cheek as a sign of thank you. Cirria smiled but looked around, a puppy by this size shouldn't be alone, let alone injured. Cirria smiled when the idea came to mind, "Hey, would you like to follow me?"

---

Midnight sat with Oracle inside her home. Oracle needed to move a few paintings around to make room for blank canvases, so Midnight was there to lend a hoof. His magic enabled them to move the canvases with ease. A small clattering of hooves signaled Cirria's arrival. She entered only facing her right side to her parents. "Hello mother, hello daddy…" she said.

Midnight turned his head once he set down a few paintings, "Hello Cirria…how was your day with Twilight?"

"It was fine, nothing special, I'm going to the spare room now…"

Oracle approached her, "Hold on dear, what's the rush? Your bag looks heavy, let me…"

Cirria quickly galloped ahead of her, "No thanks, I'm fine, I will see you both later."

Cirria did not notice Midnight and quickly ran into him. "Cirria, is there something your hiding?" A small muffled bark emitted from Cirria's saddlebag. Cirria looked around nervously before she tried to run again. However this time, Midnight had grasp of Cirria's saddlebag. He used his magic to lift whatever was inside her bag. The Lupus Minor whined in fear as he saw Midnight. Midnight did not react, but Oracle quickly hid behind a blank canvas. "MIDNIGHT GET THAT BEAST OUT OF HERE!"

Cirria quickly overcame Midnight's magic and the small wolf puppy was brought to her side. Midnight went over to his love, "Oracle, what's wrong? It's only a puppy…"

Oracle grabbed Midnight's head and brought him in close, "That is NO puppy! It's a LUPUS MINOR! Those beasts are nasty and cruel! They are probably the most dangerous monster in the woods!"

Midnight turned back to Cirria, who was near the puppy. Midnight leapt and landed between the two. His wings spread out and he aimed his main spike at the Lupus Minor. However, Midnight noticed that the puppy had a splint on his leg. Then, the puppy whined in fear and tried to run. However, the splint prevented it from running anywhere. Cirria quickly ran around Midnight and approached the puppy. "Daddy no!" she said, "It's only a baby! I found him in the woods lost and injured. Please let me watch him, at least until he gets better!"

"You can Cirria…"

"But he has a broken leg and…! Wait…what did you say…?"

"Cirria, I am alright with you watching over him."

Oracle quickly galloped from her hiding place, "Midnight, ARE YOU MAD?! That thing is a-!"

"It's a scared and helpless puppy" said Midnight. "He's lost and has no idea where his parents are. You may not understand the sadness and fear that he is experiencing, but…" Midnight looked down, "…but I do…"

Oracle nearly facehoofed once she saw the connection. The puppy was just like Midnight when he was trying to find his place in the world. Cirria went over to comfort him, and to Oracle's surprise, so did the Lupus Minor. He gently cuddled next to Midnight's legs, his stubby furry tail beginning to touch Oracle's hooves. Oracle stepped back slightly, but she had to admit the monster was being cute. Cirria and the puppy both ran to the one room, but Cirria waited for the puppy. Oracle slightly smacked Midnight with her tail, "Midnight, we still need to finish clearing the paintings…"

"Oh admit it… it's cute…"

"A Lupus Minor will grow into nothing but a monster… After all YOU haven't grown up in Everfree…"

Midnight shrugged as his spike returned to its black glow.

---

It was late at night in the Everfree. Everypony in Ponyville was asleep, along with the ones that lived in Everfree. Well, not everything was asleep. Several figures ran through the woods with great speed. The group's shadows now stood at the entrance of Oracle's ruins. One large figure, larger than anypony around, walked in growling. The figure entered the moonlight, revealing its form to be a Lupus Major, a very nasty looking one at that. It entered the room, sniffing the ground. Once the scent hit its nose, it growled viciously. The pack entered the building, knocking down random paintings and supplies.

"Whoever you are you better…" Oracle ran down the hall saying that. But, she stopped once she saw what was inside. The Lupus Major slowly walked to the trembling pony. He sniffed Oracle, looking for a scent. "…Mom…" Oracle and the Lupus Major turned to see Cirria lazily walking down the hall. Cirria's sleepy eyes shot open once she saw the Lupus Major. The Lupus Major only needed a small whiff before he started growling viciously. Cirria bolted back down the hall in fear. The Lupus Major lunged after her, but a green tail knocked him into a wall. "DON'T YOU DARE HARM MY DAUGHTER!" she exclaimed.

A quick bark commanded the rest of the pack to attack. Oracle backed away, keeping her tail out in case one attacked again. Several Lupus Minors began to lunge at her, some managing to bite her body and legs. Oracle continued to defend herself, but her wounds were getting greater by the minute. Her feathers, along with her blood, soon littered the floor.

"ORACLE!"

Several blasts of black energy hit each Lupus Minor. Midnight flew in with all of his spikes glowing. He looked at Oracle, his eyes growing wide. His cutie mark began to flash black. His eyes took on a red glow and the glow from his spikes soon covered his wings as well. He turned to the pack with this display. "HOW DARE YOU?!" he said in a deep and sinister voice. "YOU SHALL PAY FOR HARMING THE ONE I LOVE!"

The pack started to leave, but each of their bodies became surrounded by black magic. They whined in fear as they were brought closer. Midnight laughed an evil chuckle, "You honestly thought that you could run from me. Nothing, nopony, shall run away from me." The magic around them began to shrink and tighten. The Lupus Minors whined in pain as they were painfully squeezed. Midnight smiled evilly, but he did not see Oracle behind him. She was devastated; he was turning into that monster that was in her dreams.

"…M-Midnight! Look at what you're doing!" she exclaimed.

Oracle's voice snapped him back to reality. His eyes ceased their red glow and returned to its calming blue shade pupils. Midnight kept the Lupus Minors in his magic, but he released his pressure. Midnight helped Oracle up as he began to clean her injuries. Oracle gasped and faced Midnight, "There's a Lupus Major in here…and he's after Cirria!" Midnight's eyes began to flash red as well as his cutie mark flashing black.

---

Cirria quickly ran/flew down the hall as fast as she could. The Lupus Major was not running his full extent; he was toying with his prey. Cirria kept running, only having a few candles to illuminate her path. She came into her and Oracle's bedroom. With nowhere to go, Cirria crouched in the corner in fear. The Lupus Major growls seemed like it was laughing. Cirria shivered in fear as the monster stepped closer. That thing was larger than the Princess! Cirria closed her eyes, ready for the worse.

Cirria suddenly heard a series of barks and growls, along with a howl of pain. Cirria opened her eyes and gasped at the sight. The small Lupus Minor was on the Lupus Major's back, biting his ear. The puppy was thrown off and landed with a thud. "Puppy!" shouted Cirria. The Lupus Major looked shocked as well and he approached the Lupus Minor. The small puppy slowly stood up onto his toes. The puppy approached Cirria and licked her cheek. The Lupus Major looked surprised and growled viciously. The Lupus Minor growled back, although his growls were nowhere close to the older ones. Cirria watched as the two wolfs talked to each other. From behind, she could see her father running down fast. Cirria ran around them and hugged her father.

"Daddy, the puppy saved me!" she said.

Midnight's worry was on Cirria, but he paid more attention to the Lupus Major. After the growling stopped, the Lupus Major faced Midnight. The two stared at each other for a while. Then, with a small growl, the Lupus Major left. The small puppy happily ran to Cirria's side and barked. Cirria picked him up while sitting on the ground. Midnight chuckled, "Well Cirria, I hope you know about Lupus Minors, because it seems like this little guy will be your pet…"

Cirria nearly screamed with happiness. The puppy howled in agreement and they happily played a little. Oracle's injuries were healed up, so she joined the trio. She was nervous about the pet idea, but maybe having one on their side would not be so bad. They grow up quickly, so it looks like they have yet another member to the family. "You know Cirria" said Oracle, "If he's going to stay here, he's going to need a name."

Cirria pondered for a few seconds, thinking of a name. Then, the idea hit her. "I have the perfect name, Nova!" The puppy howled in agreement as Cirria continued to play with her. Oracle and Midnight laughed at the site of them playing. "I guess Nova it is" said Midnight.

Author's Notes:

Lupus Minor and Major were created by Pen Stroke Pony

Hearth's Warming Situation

As the weeks went by, the snow has become worse. Although with the help of some ponies, the streets remained clear. Midnight helped with the paths to his house and to Oracle's. The rest of Ponyville and all of Equestria began decorating for one of the biggest holidays of the year, Hearth's Warming Eve. However, everypony but one knew about this. Midnight had no idea what Hearth's Warming was, nor did anypony have time to tell them. However, Midnight was told when he visited Oracle. She was decorating her place with a few simple decorations. Rubyrumor was helping her, since she could fly and reach higher than Oracle.

"Hearth's Warming is a holiday that passes in the winter months" explained Oracle. "It's about friendship, harmony, and…"

"PRESENTS!" shouted Rubyrumor from a cloud of smoke. Both Midnight and Oracle jumped back. Midnight recovered from the shock and caught all of the glass decorations in his levitation magic. Oracle was helped up by Cirria and Rubyrumor was growled at by Nova. Rubyrumor chuckled as her body formed into a cloud and sank to the ground, reforming into her true form. "On Hearth's Warming, you get presents from other ponies!" she shouted. She seemed excited, but then her ears drooped to the sides. "But…I never got a present from anypony…"

Nova stopped growling when he sensed her sadness. Oracle gave her a small hug, which was also joined by Cirria. Midnight, however, placed all of the ornaments down. He parted for the door as he placed his scarf on, "I will be right back." Nova barked and followed Midnight out the door. Midnight smiled as Nova hopped onto his back. Nova grew, but only slightly. It was only a matter of time before he grew into the same size of a Lupus Major.

Midnight headed into Ponyville, looking at the stores in the streets. He needed to find a special present for Oracle, but he had no idea what to get her. "Oh man… what if I don't find the right gift?" Midnight spoke to himself. "What CAN I get her…? Paint supplies… no, I don't want to make her busy. Perhaps a book…? No, that can't be right either. Gift giving is harder than it seems… What would happen if I don't find her a gift…? OH CELESTIA! What if she doesn't want to see me again?! WHAT IF SHE STOPS LOVING ME?!"

Midnight felt a sharp sudden pain in his leg, causing him to scream. He looked down and saw Nova, biting his leg. He got off and growled at Midnight, shaking his head. Despite the first action, Midnight understood what he was telling him. "You're right Nova, Oracle would not dump me…" he assured himself. "Thanks for breaking me out of it. But next time, do something besides a bite. Those teeth are sharp!"

Nova whined while his tail slumped between his legs and his ears drooped. Midnight gently patted his head, cheering the puppy up instantly. Midnight restarted his search for the gift. Nova barked from beside a store window, signaling Midnight to come over. However Midnight stopped short as he shot Nova a look, "Very funny Nova…" The window held displays for wedding rings. Nova made a noise that sounded like laughter. Midnight ran down the street, but noticed that it was beginning to get windy. The Carousel Boutique was near, so Midnight headed towards it. Maybe Rarity could help him.

Rarity was inside; tidying up the place for whatever customer would arrive. The door opened with Midnight stepping inside, along with a freezing breeze that flowed through. Rarity shivered but only for a second as Midnight closed the door. "Why hello Midnight" Rarity said, "What are you doing out on this cold and freezing night?"

"I've been out finding Oracle a Hearth's Warming gift" he said. "This year is my first year, so I don't want to mess it up. Nova has been trying to help, but his idea wasn't working…"

"Now what did the little puppy suggest…?"

"A wedding ring…"

Rarity put a hoof to her mouth before her laughter escaped at its fullest. Midnight rolled his eyes as he approached her, "Rarity… do you have any idea what I could give her…?"

Rarity looked around, but mostly behind Midnight at the door. "Listen" she said, "I was planning on giving her this whenever she attended a special evening, but I believe you deserve to give it to her more than I." With that, Rarity lead Midnight to her back room. He was stumped, most of what was back here were rolls of fabric or accessories. However, Rarity's horn glowed as the back cabinet's doors opened. Midnight gasped at what she pulled out. His eyes shimmered with excitement, "Rarity, you're a fashion genius!" Rarity blushed as she quickly tucked her gift away nicely and neatly into a box. She was about to wrap it, but Midnight wanted to do it.

A few barks caught Rarity's attention. She turned to see Nova digging through her gemstone case. However, he was gently placing a few on the ground beside him instead of throwing them everywhere. Rarity smiled, "Oh Nova, you are possibly the most well behaved wild animal I know…" She noticed that Nova pushed the gems he placed out towards her and barked. "Oh, you want to have those…?" Nova barked as he nodded his head. Rarity smiled and patted his little head, "Oh why sure dear, let me just put those in a small bag."

Nova wagged his tail as Rarity levitated a bag over and placed each of the gems carefully into the sack. When she strapped it to Nova, he gave Rarity a small thank you lick. Rarity giggled however she heard some straining. "Uh… Rarity… a little help please…?"

Rarity turned and nearly exploded in laughter. The box that Oracle's gift was in was still unwrapped. The wrapping paper was around Midnight. Thankfully his wrapping job was loose. But, he somehow managed to tie his front legs together, wrap his body with his head spikes piercing through the paper, and managed to wrap one of his wings against his body. Rarity contained herself and helped remove the wrapping paper. After careful consideration, Midnight let Rarity wrap the gift. After everything was done, the package was securely fastened to Midnight's back.

"Thanks for everything Rarity…" said Midnight.

"Oh no dear, it is nothing really" she replied. "Consider it a Hearth's Warming gift of your own…"

Midnight thanked Rarity again and then left the boutique. The sky was beginning to get dark, so Midnight needed to get home and quick. Nova's keen eyesight would help when it would get too dark. Midnight trotted through the snowy streets carefully. His wings provided to be excellent cover for Oracle's gift. But the snow on his head and body was beginning to weigh him down.

Things became worse once Midnight entered the forest. Everything was darker than it should have been. Nova was able to see, but Midnight wasn't. He tripped over a root or rock that he was unable to see. It would take forever for Midnight to get home, but he then saw something. A little blue flame, no bigger than the palm of his hoof…er…claw… floated out in the distance. The area around it was illuminated nonetheless. Midnight walked over towards it but never touched it. Then, another small flame appeared behind it. What Midnight saw appeared to be a unicorn horn. Midnight ran past the second one, and sure enough, he ran into a pony.

The pony was strangely an alicorn. Her coat was a bright pink while her tail and mane were a strange shade of green. Her horn was strangely white and her eyes shared the same hue as her mane. Her cutie mark appeared to be one large blue flame surrounded by a few smaller ones. The pony rubbed her head and gasped at Midnight. However she quickly calmed down, "Oh, you must be Midnight…"

Midnight was confused, "Wait… how do you…?"

"Oh come on! Everypony knows your name now! You're practically famous! You saved Canterlot from the Changelings, you rescued Prince Thorn, what will you do next?!" Midnight stood perplexed as the strange alicorn bowed slightly, "Well, I know you but you don't know me. My name is Wisp. And right now, I'm illuminating paths for the dark days of winter. I only do so far in Everfree."

Midnight finally snapped out of his silent stance, "Wisp… maybe you can help me. You see, my girlfriend lives in Everfree, and I am staying there for a while… so…"

Wisp nodded as her horn glowed. Several flames began to swirl around it, startling Nova a little. Midnight soon had an idea, "Hey Nova… mind if I borrow a few of those gems…?"

---

Finally, that faithful day came. The day was Hearth's Warming, and surrounded by Oracle's paintings were a pile of presents. They weren't just for the small family of Midnight, Oracle and Cirria; their friends were there too. Each gift was handed out to their rightful owner. Each pony received a very special gift from one of them. Lightning and Fluttershy were next to each other the entire time. Cirria received many gifts, although most small, she loved them. The cutest display ever was Nova giving Rubyrumor a bright purple gemstone that he got from rarity's shop. Most ponies awed at this display. But, Midnight was not there.

Silence cast over the group once one pony saw Midnight. In his magic was a bright green present wrapped with a blue bow. Rarity nearly squealed as he brought it over to Oracle. "Happy Hearth's Warming Oracle…" he said.

Oracle gently ripped the paper off of the present and then opened the box. She gasped at what was inside. Midnight, helping her out, levitated her present into the air, allowing everypony to see. Inside the box was a dress made by Rarity herself. The main colors of the dress were light blue, green, and pink. What made it special was that the dress's design seemed to be as if Oracle's tail was covering the entire thing. Midnight's magic allowed it to slip over her, allowing everypony to see how it looked. Midnight gasped at how beautiful she looked. Rarity screamed to herself with how well she did. Oracle blushed as she nuzzled Midnight, "Midnight, this is…"

"Wait Oracle" he interrupted her, "There is one last present…"

Oracle shuffled through the box once again to look for her other present. Another loud gasp escaped her mouth as soon as she saw it. This time she grabbed it with her hooves and raised it up. Everypony gasped when they saw it. It was a necklace made with several gemstones. But the design was nearly flawless. The gemstones were shaped and crafted to look almost like Oracle's cutie mark. Oracle turned to Midnight once she placed it around her neck.

"I figured that when you had that dress on it would hide your beautiful cutie mark" said Midnight. "So I asked this pony to help with some gemstones and…"

Midnight never finished his sentence as Oracle gave his a big kiss. Midnight was not even expecting it, so he was more surprised than anypony. Oracle broke the kiss and smiled. Midnight fainted once again from Oracle's display of love. Everypony giggled but one. "Ew mom!" shouted Cirria, "How can you do that?!"

Discord's Final Rule

Midnight and Oracle were greatly allowed to visit the castle in Canterlot. Prince Thorn, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna all agreed that they and some of their friends deserved a tour. They brought along Cirria, Shard, Sparkplug, Lightning, Sapphire, Shia, Fire Star, and Midnight's brother's family. It was a rather large party, but the royal alicorns did not mind in the slightest. Twilight and her friends also accompanied them, as of the Princess's request.

The tour began in the main castle area, where most ponies are allowed to see. The grand hallways were decorated with fine stain-glass windows and fine tile floors. Prince Thorn guided them to a more favorite place of his, the gardens. There were a variety of flowers and a variety of plants. The statues that decorated the gardens were also very impressive. But for some reason Prince Thorn did not stay there for long. Midnight, however, separated from the group. He walked towards a rose bush and reached out to pluck one.

Before he grabbed it, he noticed Lightning strayed away from the group as well. Midnight hid behind the bush, watching him. Lightning stopped in front of one statue. Midnight had no idea what the statue was or who it was. The creature looked like a mixture of animals. It had the head of a pony, a eagle claw, a lion paw, a goat hoof, a dragon foot, a snake tail, an eagle wing, and a bat wing. On its head were two different horns and one fang stuck out of the side of his mouth. The statue's body and face seemed like it was in horror. Lightning sighed as he approached the statue. "Looks like you were imprisoned yet again old friend" he said. Lightning's horn began to glow as he gently placed it at the foot of the statue. The statute slowly began to crack, as the crack grew up along its body, arms, and head. "At least now you will have someone of your side when you get freed…"

Midnight gasped as Lightning went away. The statue began to slightly glow through the cracks on its body. Midnight quickly ran inside after the others. But when he entered, Lightning was right beside Fluttershy, as if he never left. Midnight shook it off as Prince Thorn continued the tour. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna entered the room. "Hello everypony" said Princess Celestia, "Are you enjoying the tour?"

"Yes we are Princess" said Color Burst. "I would like to thank you for allowing us here."

Celestia giggled, "Well, your thanks are more than welcomed. Now, I would like to present something for this little tour." Celestia turned as she led the ponies into a rather large room. Along the sides of the hall were large stain-glass windows. Each one seemed to tell a story. "This is what I like to call the Hall of Harmony" she said. "In behind those locked doors, lie that Elements of Harmony."

"What are the Elements of Harmony…?" asked Midnight.

Celestia smiled, "The Elements of Harmony are six powerful gems that hold limitless power. Each Element represents a different quality; Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty, and Magic. Whoever wields them will have their power. However, only ponies with the six gifts can wield them. As of now, only six ponies can use them."

Cirria trotted over to one of the windows. She smiled, "Hey look, its Twilight!" The others walked up to the stain glass window. One the window was Twilight, along with Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.

"Yes, Twilight and her friends have proven to be the users of the Elements" said Princess Celestia. "They have saved Equestria not only from Nightmare Moon, but also from Discord."

Midnight could have sworn he heard Lightning chuckling, but it was probably just him imagining things. However instead, he heard a small scream of pain from Shia. He turned to see Sparkplug beside her, his horn cracking with electricity. "Sorry, my horn sometimes goes haywire with energy" he said. He turned away, but another loose spark emitted from his horn and hit Oracle. Midnight walked forward with his spike glowing. Sparkplug backed up, "No wait Midnight I…" Another spark hit Midnight, causing the blast from his horn to miss fire. The black beam bounced off the glass windows in the hallway. Everypony pony ducked as the beam bounced around the hall. The beam finally hit Sapphire's necklace, and ricocheted into the door. The door glowed black for a sec before the energy dispersed. Afterwards, a wave of rainbow-colored energy flew through the room.

"What did you just do?!" shouted Princess Celestia.

Midnight quickly ducked against the wall, covering himself with his wings. "It was an accident I swear!" he shouted. "I was only going to cast a cancelation spell on Sparkplug so his energy would go down!" Midnight cowered in fear against the wall. He was afraid that Celestia might throw him into the cells, or worse banish him. But he felt a calm wing on his shoulder. He moved his wings and looked up, seeing Celestia smile.

"Midnight, I do not blame you entirely" she said. "But that spell troubles me. Behind that door were the Elements, and that spell could…" Suddenly, laughter ran through the empty halls. Twilight, her friends, and the three royal alicorns looked around in anger. "Discord, show yourself!" shouted Celestia.

A light flashed on one of the windows, a stain-glass version of the statue outside began moving on it. "What's the matter Celestia… you don't seem happy to see me" he said. "Well it is expected, especially since you turned me to STONE!"

"We defeated you twice, we can do it again!"

"Oh… how quaint… but the Elements seem to be missing. Oh don't bother looking; I already cleaned that room out for you." Celestia glared at Discord as he quickly changed to another window. He startled Cirria, Sapphire, and Oracle. "My my, I must say the few years I have been imprisoned must have drawn out the more… unique ponies." Discord's eyes went wide as he quickly teleported between windows again. He appeared right on the window Midnight was looking at. "Well, I never thought I would see that day. I never believed I would see another pony like you… You must be Midnight…"

Midnight said nothing in response. He was shocked that he saw another pony like him! Celestia walked to the window, "You shall not mess with the minds of my subjects. How did you escape anyway?! Even with the Element's connection gone, it would still take years for you to get out of your prison!"

Discord laughed as he teleported from the window. He reappeared in the room, standing tall and proud. "Oh, unlike you Celestia, I have some good friends…" Lightning stepped out from the crowd and stood beside Discord. Everypony gasped, especially Fluttershy. Lightning smiled, "It's time to pay for what you have done Celestia!"

Twilight and her friends, well everypony except Fluttershy, stepped forward in protest. Discord laughed, "You silly little ponies still want to fight me. Alright, I will tell you where you're precious Elements are, but I will tell you my way." Discord disappeared and reappeared behind the group, causing all of them to turn. "Thinking of the past will simply draw a blank. But instead think of the origin of your flank."

With that, Discord and Lightning disappeared from the room entirely. Fluttershy was still in shock that Lightning would leave her like that. Twilight was deep in thought, trying to translate Discord's riddle. "The origin on your flank…" she said, "What could that mean?" Midnight pondered as well. At first it was about what Discord said about him, but it then turned to his riddle. Something about it made it obvious, but he couldn't place it. "Think girls" Twilight continued, "The last time Discord's riddle tricked us. We need to make sure that we get it right. What is the origin of our flank?"

Midnight got it. "It's not our flanks he was referring to" he started, "But the marks on it!" Everypony turned to him. "Discord's riddle must have hid the Elements where each of you received your cutie marks!"

Twilight nodded, "That sounds right Midnight! Alright girls, we need to…"

"No Twilight, you can't do this alone" said Celestia. "Discord now has Lightning as an ally. He isn't doing the same as last time, causing chaos. We need to pair each of you up."

"Let us go princess" said Midnight. Celestia turned to see not only Midnight, but Oracle, Sparkplug, Shard, Sapphire, and surprisingly Shia. "We were able to help before, let us do it this time."

Celestia smiled, "Midnight, I was hoping you would say that. Alright, your assistance is greatly thanked."

"Let me come too Daddy" said Cirria.

"No Cirria" said Color Burst. "I'm not so sure about this Discord being, but he seems pretty powerful. You will stay with us while he goes off." Cirria pouted but agreed. Midnight hugged his daughter and approached his brother, "Take good care of her brother…"

Color Burst nodded as Midnight and the others spilt off. Unknown to them, Discord and Lightning were watching them from above. Discord chuckled, "Oh, the little ponies think they can overpower me by sticking together. Lightning, I believe that your puppets could help me with this matter."

"Of course old friend" said Lightning. "But, you seem different. What are your intentions this time…?"

"That is me to know, and for everypony else to find out later." With that said, Lightning and Discord vanished with a snap of Discord's fingers.

---

Applejack and Sapphire walked down the path through Ponyville. So far, none of Discord's magic seemed to be taking effect yet. Applejack was slightly mad because she was with Sapphire. Snakes gave her the creeps, and Sapphire fit the description very well. But, she had a mission, and she wasn't going to let a strange pony ruin it. Sapphire was slithering behind Applejack, but she could tell what she was hiding.

"Lisssten… Applejack…" Sapphire said.

"No time partner, we need to get to my farm before Discord does something" said Applejack.

Sapphire stayed quiet as she followed. The farm was in view, but Applejack stopped. Her eyes grew and her breathing was fast. Sapphire slithered up, confused on what was troubling her. Once she looked in the same direction, Sapphire understood. The farm itself was intact, but most of the apple trees were twisted into knots and spirals and such. Applejack quickly galloped to her farm with Sapphire following her as fast as she could.

"Apple Bloom, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, where are y'all?!" she shouted as she ran into the farm.

Sapphire slithered underneath the many twisted trees. Some apples began to fall, some feeling as hard as concrete while the others felt squishy and soft. Sapphire watched as Applejack rushed around her home. "They aren't here!"

"Applejack, lisssten, we need to get the Element of…" Sapphire managed.

"I don't care for the Element now! I want my family back!" Sapphire quickly lashed her tail out and grabbed Applejack. Applejack fought against her tail, trying to get free. "What the hay are you doin'? Let me go right now!"

"APPLEJACK!" Sapphire shouted, "I know you love your family, and I know you would sssave them no matter what. But we need to find the Element firssst. I may be a sssnake and I may be the ssshadiessst, but I know what isss right and what isss wrong. I am probably the mossst unlikely pony to be giving a talk to you now, but we need to find the Element firssst."

Applejack settled down almost instantly. Sapphire's tail unwrapped, allowing her to move. "Sapphire, that be might honest of you" she said. "Now, I believe I saw my cutie mark once I reentered the farm."

"Well, thank you for clearing that up" said a voice. Applejack and Sapphire turned to see Jewelripper. Her toothy smile and glittering gemstones blocked them from the entrance. "You thought that this would be easy for you? Discord and Lightning are going to make sure you either fail to find it, or I must grab it first."

Applejack stepped forward, "And what about my family?!"

"Your family… I have no idea what you're talking about, 'sugarcube'."

Applejack grunted before she lunged at Jewelripper. Jewelripper, however, sidestepped and lashed her tail at Applejack. Applejack was hurled through the air, and suddenly slammed into a wall of gemstones. Jewelripper had her claws inserted to the ground with a large smile on her face. Applejack took a nasty hit into the hard face to the crystal. "In all honesty Applejack, I think you should have thought this one through" she said with a smile.

"In all honesssty, I think I ssshould ssshut you up!" Jewelripper was slammed in the face with Sapphire's tail. The sharp tip managed to cause a gash to form in the wood on her face. Sapphire posed like a traditional snake would. Jewelripper smiled as she quickly charged to Sapphire. Sapphire instead of dodging, she let Jewelripper hit her. As soon as she made impact, Sapphire began to coil around her body and tighten her hold. Jewelripper's wooden body began to crack and moan from the amount of pressure. She tried to get out of the hold, but Sapphire remained content. Her face went right next to Jewelripper's, "Let me tell you once and once only, leave thessse poniesss alone!" With that, Sapphire hurled Jewelripper across the land. After Jewelripper was gone, Sapphire slithered up to Applejack and helped her up, "Are you alright Applejack…?"

Applejack cleared her throat and stretched slightly. She winced in pain a little, but she managed to stand. "Yeah… I'll be fine" she said. "Thanks a ton for helpin' me back there. I should have trusted ya from the start…"

"Hey, I do not blame you. If I wasss in your place, I wouldn't trussst myssself either. I may not be the mossst trussstworthy, but I mussst be honessst about myssself in order for othersss to trussst me…"

After Sapphire spoke her words, a bright green light emitted from the front sign. Sapphire carried Applejack in front of the sign. In the middle of the sign, was a green apple-shaped gem with a golden collar. Sapphire raised herself on her tail, allowing Applejack to reach it while on her back. Applejack placed it on her as the shimmer died down. "Alright Sapphire, back to the castle and fast!" she said. Sapphire nodded as she slithered back down the path she originally took. The changes to Equestria began to worsen.

---

Oracle and Fluttershy walked near the outskirts of Ponyville. Changes were small, but they were very strange. The trees were twisted, some pieces of the earth began to float, and some animals had unusual parts. Finding where Fluttershy received her cutie mark would be tricky, especially when Fluttershy wouldn't speak up about it. "Fluttershy, please tell me something that could help us!" shouted Oracle.

Fluttershy stayed quiet at first. She hated it when ponies yelled at her, and she hated to be alone. Oracle was with her, true, but Fluttershy doesn't know her very well. But, the situation at hand was very grave. "Well…um… where I got my cutie mark is… difficult…" she said quietly. "When I fell from Cloudsdale, I…um… was carried by a swarm of butterflies. The swarm carried me around as I sang and watched the other animals. For all we know, we could have passed it already."

Oracle quickly grabbed Fluttershy and hid her behind a tree. She placed a hoof to her mouth, indicating to stay quiet. The pair glanced behind the tree, seeing a familiar puppet slithering around. It was Hebihime, and she too was looking for something. "I still can't believe that Lightning is with Discord" said Oracle. Fluttershy whined slightly, looking like she was on the verge of crying. Oracle tried to calm her down, but Fluttershy's cries began more audible. The tree behind them began to slowly dissolve from a sickly green liquid. Oracle turned and saw Hebihime behind them.

"Might I ask what you two are doing here?" she asked, "It can be dangerous out here, especially with Discord's magic taking hold." Hebihime saw Fluttershy crying and started to approach her. However, she met with Oracle's tail first. The hit wasn't that hard, but it was enough to knock Hebihime back. She recovered from the small hit, "That didn't seem very nice."

"Hebihime, Fluttershy is too sad to defend herself" said Oracle. "Why are you with Discord anyway? From what I have seen, Discord seems evil!"

"Our master is his friend, and any friend of his is a friend of ours." Hebihime lurked back and spat out another glob of venom. Oracle quickly dodged the glob before it made impact. A sizzling crater was now where Oracle was before. Hebihime slithered around her, her hood scaring Oracle slightly.

"I don't want to hurt you Hebihime…" Oracle said.

"That's a surprise… especially after the feats of aggression you displayed before."

"Hebihime, I only act violent when my friends and loved ones are in danger. I would never hurt an innocent pony unless I needed to. Look at Fluttershy; she wouldn't harm a single little animal, let alone a pony. Please Hebihime, don't do this."

Hebihime was silent and torn. She knew both Lightning and Discord. Lightning acted the

same, but something seemed different about Discord, well at least to her. But, Lightning is her creator, and she knew the penalty for disobeying. "I am sorry Oracle, but Lightning's orders were clear."

Oracle shuddered as Hebihime's hood seemed to grow more fearsome by the second. Oracle tried to block her hood with her tails, but the glowing eye markings seemed to pierce through her feathers. Hebihime's hood was made so that she could scare even the bravest of ponies into submission. Oracle wasn't that brave, so Hebihime believed she could scare her no problem.

But, she did not count of Oracle's quick thinking. Oracle closed her eyes and uncovered her face. She no longer saw the scary hood or its effects on her. Her black vision was changed when she activated her aura sensing abilities. Oracle learned that she could control how much detail she could take in. She could see the simple outline of things, or go into so much detail that it would be like looking through normally. And right now, Oracle only saw the outline of Hebihime, her hood designs were not there. Oracle began to swing her tail at Hebihime, driving her back. The attacks were not hard or fierce; they were just to get her away.

"These are not attacks Oracle" Hebihime hissed, "You are not harming me in any way."

"Uh…excuse me Hebihime" Fluttershy spoke as she flew beside Oracle. "I…uh… I believe you should leave…"

"Fluttershy, Lightning may have feelings for you, but I cannot just leave. Not unless I have the Element of Kindness."

"Uh Hebihime, I think I have to agree with Fluttershy on this one" said Oracle. "You might want to…"

"I told you both, I am not leaving without…"

"No…uh Hebihime, I do not mean leave us. I was just saying leave the spot you are in right now."

Hebihime looked confused but shifted her gaze down. Her wooden body was currently overtopping several anthills. The ants were now crawling over her body. But, Hebihime looked at these ants more carefully. They were not red or black, they were tan. And their pincers were not smooth, they were jagged. Hebihime flinched back, they were termites. They quickly began to burrow into Hebihime, causing her to scream in pain. She quickly turned around and slithered off, trying to get these termites off and out of her.

"Do you think she'll be okay…?" asked Fluttershy.

"I am sure she will be fine" said Oracle. "You really are the Element of Kindness, caring for your enemies as well as your friends…"

"But Oracle, you showed true kindness. You stood up for me when I couldn't even move. You're a true friend, no wonder Midnight likes you."

Oracle blushed when she mentioned Midnight. He was really sweet. A small shine blinded Oracle and Fluttershy for a few seconds before their eyes adjusted. Hanging in a tree was the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy flew to the top branch and placed it on her neck. Oracle looked at the Element in awe. The necklace Midnight gave her was more beautiful, but the Element had a certain… mystical feeling. With their mission completed, the pair left back for Canterlot.

---

Rarity trotted down a dirt path while Shia hovered above her. Rarity regretted walking on the path, but she needed to get to where she found her cutie mark. Shia saw her discomfort and flew lower, "Uh…Rarity… if you want, I could try to… carry you…"

"Oh no dear, I am fine" she said. "But that is very generous of you. I can walk; I just wish there wasn't all this dirt." After Rarity said that, she suddenly slipped and fell. She stood up, covered in suds and bubbles. She slightly sighed and started to brush the suds out of her mane. She and Shia looked at the path in front of them. The dirty trails were now soapy water and suds. "Well, this is one way of fixing it" Rarity said. "A Discord original… how quaint…"

"Discord…original…?" asked Shia.

"Discord did this same thing before. If you ask me he could have done something a little different so it doesn't seem so tacky…" At that moment, a sudden wind blew onto Rarity. The soapy path provided no friction, so Rarity was quickly blown away. Shia flew above the gust but quickly flew in Rarity's direction. She grabbed hold of Rarity and prevented her from moving anymore. Rarity got up, but her curled mane suddenly fluffed. She screamed, "MY BEAUTIFUL MANE!"

Her crying was replaced with laughter. They both turned and saw Windrunner. "Oh, what's the matter? Did the model get her hair messed up…?" she said before laughing some more. "You are so pathetic, you worrying about your looks and being clean…"

Rarity levitated a brush and began to straighten her mane, "Well, like I would take advice from a block of wood."

Windrunner stopped laughing and went to growling. Several slots on her body opened up, the sound of rushing wind could be heard. "You want to get your hooves dirty too prissy pony?"

Rarity glared at Windrunner. Shia backed up and hid inside some tree branches. She never saw this between two girls, but she knew that it could get messy. Rarity humphed, "You know, I am not the dainty little fashion designer that everypony suggests. I do not mind using a bit of, magic…" Her horn began to glow a light blue hue. The ground began to rumble slightly, causing Windrunner to go off balance. Several gemstones in a variety of colors launched out of the ground. Windrunner was shocked, but she smiled at her attempt. Windrunner inserted her claws into the ground and released all of the wind through her vents. The gemstones were quickly blown away. The wind currents started to blow Rarity away, her grip on the ground slipping. Rarity tried to fight against the currents, but Windrunner's currents were forcing her back.

Shia poked her head out of the trees. She gasped at the situation at hand. Windrunner's currents weren't doing much, but the soapy ground was preventing her from staying still. They were resting on a cliff, meaning Rarity would eventually fall off. She couldn't let that happen, not to a friend. Shia quickly flew out of the tree and tackled Windrunner. However she was slightly late. Rarity clung to the edge of the cliff, she was managing to hang on, but who know for how long. Windrunner recovered from the hit, just in time to see Shia on the ground. With a quick jump, Windrunner was now on top Shia, holding her down.

"Well well, never thought I would see a bug this big before…" Windrunner taunted.

"I'm not a bug, I'm a Changeling!" Shia shouted.

"Whatever. Bug, Changeling, you both are quite a horrible sight." Those words stung Shia deep. Of all things, she was never called ugly. And with her being very sensitive, tears began to form. "Oh, did I hurt your feelings? You creepy creatures are only powerful with your queen around. Alone you are nothing. Now, be a good little bug and buzz off while I deal with a certain unicorn."

Something ignited with Shia's heart. She was sad and crying at the moment, but seeing Windrunner talk about her was infuriating. Then, she was talking about dealing with Rarity. Shia could not imagine Rarity falling to her doom, or Windrunner using her as a snack. The emotion bubbling inside her was a new emotion, it was anger. "I'M A CHANGELING!"

With that, a glob of green slime hurled out of her mouth. It hit Windrunner's back, causing her to back off. Shia hurled a few more globs before her entire back was covered. "Why you little pest! Take this!" Windrunner growled as she focused on releasing a large jet of wind. Yet, no wind blew. Windrunner kept trying, but the globs of slime blocked her vents. Shia then charged Windrunner head on. Windrunner was knocked back, but her claws prevented her from sliding too far. "You think you can keep me from obeying my master's orders?! Who do you think you are?!"

Shia hovered a good few feet in front of Windrunner. Her blue eyes glinted with power as her small horn glowed. "I am Shia, and I am a Changeling that will kick your sorry wooden behind off this cliff!" A beam fired from Shia's horn, knocking Windrunner clear off the cliff despite her grasp on the ground. Shia could hear Windrunner's howls as she pummeled to the ground below. "Good luck flying you…you… you block of wood!"

"Uh Shia, could you be a dear and HELP ME UP?!"

Shia almost completely forgot about Rarity. She quickly hovered to where Rarity was and grabbed her hoof. Shia then gently lifted Rarity of off the cliff's side and onto safe ground. Rarity brushed her hooves off of any dirt she may have touched and turned to Shia. "I must thank you Shia, I never knew you had it dear" she spoke.

"Have what…?" asked Shia.

"Well dear, not to sound offensive, but you do not seem that powerful. You are a simple Changeling, so there should not be that much power." Shia's wings drooped when she heard Rarity's explanation. "But…" Shia raised her head to see Rarity giving her a warm smile, "Your generosity and friendship overpowers your fear and abilities, giving the power you need. I sincerely want to thank you for what you have done."

Shia was on the verge of tears, but these were tears of happiness. Shia gratefully hugged Rarity for her sweet words. A large rock that was lying on the edge of the cliff suddenly shook. Shia backed away, but Rarity was intrigued. "I remember that rock…" she said. The rock split open, revealing the Element of Generosity. Rarity and Shia looked in awe as they carefully went over and grabbed the necklace. The necklace fastened itself onto Rarity's neck. Rarity turned to walk, "Now that we are done here, we should ah!" Rarity slipped on the soapy cliff and slid down it to where Ponyville was. Shia couldn't help but giggle as she hovered after her slipping friend.

---

Pinkie Pie, as happy as can be, was somehow managing to hop down the soapy road. Sparkplug, on the other hoof, was slipping back and forth. When he fell down, he always kept his horn up. Water and electricity do not mix, and he still hasn't been able to discharge the electricity that's inside him. "Pinkie, why are we out here?" asked Sparkplug, "I thought your cutie mark was from making parties…"

"Of course it is silly!" she exclaimed with happiness. "I mean what else could it be? My mark is balloons! Honestly, how many other things do you think I can do? Huh, huh?! Well, I'm sure there are other things besides parties that balloons could be used for. I mean we were once able to go into Cloudsdale in a balloon, but that was a hot air balloon. And there was that other time that…"

"Pinkie, can we get back to my original question?"

"Oh, sorry there Sparky" Sparkplug slightly grumbled at that name. That wasn't his name, and since his parents arrived, he doesn't want anything to do with his original name anymore. "Well, I did get my cutie mark from a party, the first party I ever made!"

"And that would be for…"

"I made it for my family. You see, I once lived on a rock farm and…" Pinkie Pie stopped when she noticed that Sparkplug was staring off into space. "What's wrong there Sparky…?"

Sparkplug said nothing, not even moaned from the comment. He gently grabbed Pinkie's head and turned it around to where he was looking. Pinkie Pie gasped like the time she saw Twilight. Her old home was still there in one piece, but it was what was around it that made her gasp. The entire fields were covered in many different sweets and candies. Sparkplug turned back to Pinkie, only to see her now gone. Pinkie Pie was eating away at everything she saw. "This is amazing!" Pinkie was somehow capable of speaking clearly when her mouth was full, "Cotton candy, gumdrops, cupcakes, I LOVE THIS PLACE!"

"I know it's like one big party!" Pinkie turned to see Ginger walking towards her. "But, sadly to say, the list doesn't involve you!" Ginger opened her mouth and a stream of water flew out. Pinkie was splashed and knocked into a cotton candy tree. Pinkie popped out, but instead of fighting she took a bite out of it. She was sprayed again and again. Pinkie wanted to fight, but with all of the sweets around her it was hard. "You are a true partier Pinkie Pie" said Ginger. "I respect that, but not enough to where Lightning is involved. I guess you should…"

Ginger was cut off when a lightning bolt hit the ground beside her. She turned and saw Sparkplug. "Ah man, I missed! How could I miss?! She's a giant walking puppet!"

Ginger sprayed another stream of water, but Sparkplug seemed to copy Pinkie Pie and bounce out of the way. Sparkplug was laughing the entire time, "Looks like Lightning forgot to build you with some accuracy!" Ginger growled as she continued her attack. The water bounced off of a large gumdrop and splashed over her. Sparkplug appeared from behind, "It looks like your all wet you croc!"

"I'M AN ALLIGATOR!"

Ginger started spraying around aimlessly, Sparkplug managing to dodge all of the water streams. Soon, the entire area around Ginger was covered with water. Ginger was panting from the excessive amounts of water she pumped out. Sparkplug jumped out, his horn crackling with electricity. "Be prepared Ginger, for you are in for quite a shock!" Sparkplug placed his horn on the puddle, the electricity spreading in all directions. Ginger smiled but the smile was drained as she actually felt pain. The water seemed within her body, where she could actually feel pain. The electricity followed, creating a great surge of pain. A sudden blast went off, launching Ginger away. Sparkplug panted and fell to the ground, "Oh man…it's hard trying to be like Pinkie Pie, it's exhausting…"

Pinkie Pie hopped over giggling, "Sparkplug you were hilarious! All of those small jokes you made, and the way you moved was so funny! I was laughing the entire time!"

Sparkplug nervously laughed but noticed that Pinkie Pie was now gone. He looked around the small farm, but finally noticed a fluff of pink. Pinkie Pie was by the silo, digging through it. Eventually, she came back out wearing the Element of Laughter. Sparkplug explained to her that they had to leave, but Pinkie Pie was too busy biting on a cotton candy tree.

---

Rainbow Dash and Shard landed on a cloud on the outskirts of Cloudsdale. Rainbow took in a deep breath, and then exhaled, "Ah, it's good to be up here." The two flew off of the small cloud and landed in Cloudsdale. "Now, I got my cutie mark when I performed a Sonic Rainboom on the flying course. So, all we need to do is fly the course so that we can find the Element!"

Shard trotted beside her easily. He knew her for a few months, but already understood her thrill. She probably just wanted to run the course like she used to. But, Shard managed to notice Cloudsdale. It was quiet, not a single Pegasus was flying around. Shard leaned down, "Uh Rainbow… isn't it strange that…"

"We're here!"

Shard stood dumbfounded as he looked at the race course. He has never seen it before. He grew up where Midnight was born. But, he smiled as he thought of the many young Pegasi that would fly through the cloud rings. It filled his heart with joy, maybe he would have a filly of his own. But, something troubled him. "Uh Rainbow Dash, look at those clouds…" he said with unease.

Rainbow looked up and her eyes went wide. Several of the clouds seemed to be on fire. Others looked slightly charred. Several rings were destroyed, along with a few pieces of the ground. Rainbow became suddenly angry, "There's only one thing I know that could have caused this…"

"Oh, are you referring to me…?" Rainbow and Shard turned to see Firestorm just land on one of the rings. Her smile was smug as her wooden wings ceased their flames. She placed her wings to her sides before continuing to speak. "Rainbow Dash, the wielder of the Element of Loyalty, it's ironic that we are both very loyal but on different sides. Why not come with us? I'm sure that…"

"What…Discord could use another puppet?!" Rainbow shouted. "Forget it! Discord is a threat to Equestria, and he must be stopped. Shard, stay here, I can take her…"

Firestorm chuckled, "Oh, can you now? Well then, let's see if you're as tough as you act."

Rainbow bolted off the cloudy ground, leaving a small stream of colors as she flew. Firestorm jumped off of the cloud ring and flew ahead of her. While Rainbow left trails of colors, Firestorm left trails of flames. It was hard for Rainbow to follow Firestorm's path exactly, but she was managing to catch up. Firestorm laughed as her body managed to pick up speed. Rainbow gritted her teeth as she strained her wings. Firestorm looked back, "Hey Rainbow Crash, you might want to lose some speed!" Firestorm flapped her wings, causing streams of fire to fly out behind her. Rainbow Dash stopped and attempted to stop by flapping her wings the other way. But sadly, the flames hit their mark. Slightly burnt, Rainbow fell from Cloudsdale. "Bye bye Element of Loyalty…" mocked Firestorm.

Suddenly, a black blur caught Rainbow Dash and placed her back on Cloudsdale. It was Shard, who was now raking his hooves on the puffy ground in anger. Firestorm laughed, "You honestly think charging will be your best option?" Shard leapt of the edge and flexed his mighty wings. However, he did not charge Firestorm. Even more so he never flew in her direction. Firestorm watched as Shard flew higher towards a series of clouds. "Hey, come back here!" Firestorm exclaimed while following him.

Shard had a plan. He promised a pony he would never do it, but that was because it was used on him. Shard pummeled through cloud after cloud. Firestorm was getting really annoyed by this. "Why don't you fight you coward?!" Shard was going to fight, he wasn't ready. It wasn't visible, but most of the moisture and water droplets that were in the cloud were now in Shard's coat. Once Shard hit that final cloud, he dropped instantly. Firestorm had to flap her wings from this sudden motion, flames flying everywhere. Shard, however, opened his wings and started to fly around Firestorm with great ease. Firestorm watched as the small flames she usually produces when she simply flaps her wings began to extinguish. "H-Hey! What are you doing?"

Shard managed a smile through his concentration-filled face, "You may be loyal to Lightning, but I'm loyal to my friends. So, be prepared to fall." The water droplets began to freeze as Shard began using his natural talent. The crystals began to collect and form around Firestorm. If there was one thing that could damage wood, it was ice. Firestorm's body was quickly encased within a massive crystal of ice. She fell like a rock towards the ground. Shard noticed a shimmering cloud and quickly grabbed it. As he pushed it back with him, Rainbow Dash recovered.

"Oh…what happened?" she asked. "Did she win…?"

"Against you… yes, against me… no…" said Shard. "I believe that this is the cloud that holds the Element."

With no further questions, Rainbow reached in and placed the Element of Loyalty onto her neck. Shard smiled as Rainbow too accustomed to the old trinket. The pair flew off, but Rainbow stopped Shard. "You best tell no pony that I was knocked out of the sky…" Shard imitated zipping his lips like a zipper and smiled. Rainbow flew off with Shard following behind.

---

Midnight's mind was in a rush. He trotted down the halls of the castle beside Twilight. Even though there was a task at hand, Midnight's mind raced. Discord mentioned that he had met a pony that looked like him. But that was impossible, only he had this look. There was no way anypony else could have his curse, was there? "Midnight…?" Twilight's voice of concern snapped Midnight back to reality. Midnight stopped and looked at his purple unicorn friend. "Midnight… are you feeling okay…?"

"Well, um, yeah… why wouldn't I be…?" Midnight answer was very shaky and halted. Twilight looked at Midnight with deep concern. She wondered if Discord had somehow started to taint Midnight already. Midnight shook his head and walked forward, "So, uh, where exactly did you get your cutie mark?"

"Well… I was just a small filly." Midnight sighed in relief as Twilight quickly went over her concern for Midnight. As she was explaining, Midnight's mind wondered off. How did Discord even know of a pony, let alone his name? Could it be possible that the pony before was… But Midnight was told his parents were an alicorn and an earth pony… His brother even said it… "And when Princess Celestia calmed me down, I realized that I not only have strong magic abilities, but I also got my cutie mark. So all we have to do is find the room I took my opening exam in and we'll… wait, Midnight were you even paying attention?"

Midnight sweated nervously but he mentally smiled. He had heard of this story from Spike, "You received your cutie mark when you tried to pass the exam for Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns… that is also how you got Spike…"

Twilight smiled contently as she realized that her friend paid attention the entire time. Her eyes wandered for a second, her head turning instantly, "I found it!" Midnight turned to the door where Twilight entered. The room seemed to be an expansive room with a large chalkboard and many rows of seats. It was probably a room for teaching many students at once. Down on the front podium, was the Element of Magic. Twilight rushed down the stairs and trotted over to it. "Once we have this, we can send Discord back to his stone prison."

Midnight smiled as their task was nearly completed. But, some form of danger rung through his mind. "Wait a sec… why would the Element be out in the open… unless…" Midnight gasped as he quickly galloped forward, "Twilight no, IT'S A TRAP!"

It was too late. Sharpfur quickly pounced on Twilight, knocking her to the floor. At the same time, a bright flash of light appeared in front of Midnight. Discord appeared right in front of him, clapping, "Oh, I do must say good job. But, I believe I need to be borrowing somepony right now."

Before Twilight could do anything, Discord grabbed Midnight and instantly teleported. Twilight managed to push Sharpfur off of her, only for the doors to be "suddenly" closed shut. Sharpfur's blades extended and started to whirl like wild buzz saws. Twilight's horn began to glow a bright purple, almost like it was about to explode. "You want to test your knowledge on magic…?" asked Twilight. Sharpfur smiled, "Be my guest…" The pair charged at each other with their own attacks.

Midnight reappeared within the Canterlot castle gardens. He slightly moaned at the small pain, but quickly snapped back to reality. Or, whatever was reality. Everything seemed twisted and misplaced. The ground, the sky, the random floating objects, everything seemed off.

"Like what you see?" Midnight turned to see Discord. Discord, however, was smiling his half-tooth smile and looking very happy. "I did this all myself; everything around you is possible because of me. Including…you…"

Midnight's heart skipped a beat. His curious questions have been bouncing around in his head the past few minutes more than Pinkie Pie hops in a day. Now, now Midnight had a chance to figure it out. "D-Discord… you mentioned before that you have seen a pony like me before… how did you…?"

Discord chuckled before wrapping his arm around Midnight. He grabbed him and brought his face close to Midnight's. "No now Midnight, I will answer all of your questions" he said. "But, what better way for you to understand, than to show you!"

Discord snapped his fingers and then drew a box in front of Midnight. The small box soon started to glow before the glow went down. Midnight watched the images in the box move like he was watching another life. Several small homes were built within a clearing in the forest. The box zoomed in on one house in particular. A pony walked out of the small home. His coat was purple while his mane and tail were brown. His cutie mark appeared to be a melted candle. He turned inside the doorway, "Dear, I will be leaving soon."

In stepped another pony. This one was an alicorn. Her mane and tail were a brilliant shade of orange as her coat was a hot pink. Her eyes were a wonderful shade of purple, and her cutie mark appeared to be a rising sun over a horizon. Midnight felt… calm when he saw her. "Oh Hot Wax, must you always work?" she said. Midnight choked when he heard the name.

"Now Sunrise" said Hot Wax, "We need the money to help raise our son."

"Daddy daddy!" Midnight's heart skipped a few beats, beat normally, and then skipped some more. From within the house, a small colt ran out the door. Midnight's eyes went wide, it was him as a small colt, "Can I go with you?!"

Discord snapped his fingers and the images stopped. "Now, before I go any further, I must tell you two things" he explained. "One, obvious, is that this is your family. The reason you are like this, is because of him." Discord pointed to the frozen image of Hot Wax. "You see, he was not originally like that. He was like… this!" With another snap of his fingers, Hot Wax's appearance changed greatly. Midnight's breathing got quicker. Hot Wax's new image was now almost identical to Midnight's, only with a few color differences and cutie mark.

"Now, you're probably wondering how he became what he was then" Discord continued. "You see your father was born like this many eons ago. When he was within his teenage years, he fell in love with an alicorn. Hot Wax knew how deeply he loved her, but he couldn't stand looking like he did. So, he went to yours truly for some help. He made a deal with me; I change his appearance so that he could hold no shame in loving this pony. But, he must give up his magic and wings and his offspring was cursed to carry the looks. Your brother Color Burst was the lucky one, he was born a unicorn. But, you were not so lucky. The moment you were made the curse took its effect on you. You came out looking like what your father once was. Your mother, Sunrise, was devastated, but Hot Wax told her the truth. She forgave him, but wondered how they would take care of you."

Discord went in front of Midnight's face, "Now the second thing is a warning, what is beyond this is very cruel… I am not sure if you would want to see this…"

Midnight told Discord that he wanted to know and Discord snapped his fingers while smiling. The images began to move again, but this time it wasn't the same day. The same household was being presented, Sunrise and young Midnight playing inside. Suddenly, Hot Wax burst through the door panting wildly. Sunrise noticed him disturbed but Midnight was too busy playing. "Sunrise…we need…to hide him!"

"Hot Wax… calm down…" she said soothingly.

"They're coming, they're coming!"

Suddenly, a blast of magic shot through the window and hit the other wall. The young Midnight began to cry from the sudden blast. Sunrise quickly ran into the other room as a few hard beats hit the door. Hot Wax quickly ran to it and held it shut.

"In the name of Equestria, open this door!" Midnight was stunned by this voice, it was Princess Celestia's! The door was beat down, knocking Hot Wax out from the doorway. Several guards flew in and dragged Sunrise out. Princess Celestia looked down at them both, "Where is the child?" The memory struck Midnight hard, he seemed to be actually remembering something like this. Hot Wax and Sunrise looked to the Princess with anger, "We would rather die than to tell you where he is!"

Princess Celestia's horn glowed as two swords unsheathed from the guards holsters. Each blade now dangled over each of Midnight's parents. "So be it…"

Midnight ducked his head and shielded his eyes. He did not want to see anymore. Discord snapped his fingers as the box disappeared. Midnight collapsed onto the ground in tears. Never in his life did he ever wish to forget something about his past. He only knew two events that happened, and the others were tolerable. But this, Princess Celestia was always kind to him.

"After Celestia killed your parents, you were indeed found" said Discord. "But Celestia knew that if she killed an innocent foal, she would have been thrown off the throne. So, she wiped your memory clean of you parents and anything that happened before the incident.

"Your father held these evil and dark powers that Celestia was trying to stop. That is why he wanted to change so badly, he no longer wanted to face the guards anymore.

Celestia knew that if they child grew up alone, then he would become a threat, and that you would be an evil monster."

It all made sense now. That was the reason Princess Celestia wasn't as surprised when they met the first time. Everypony was scared and nervous but her. She was as calm as a gentle breeze blowing through a wide open plain. The pain went through his head, but he felt anger beginning to rise up.

Unknown to Midnight, Discord was slowly hypnotizing him. The memory was conjured up so that he could use Midnight's true form. Midnight's eyes swirled with many colors as his body swayed slightly back and forth. Discord grumbled when he saw the others joined up. But, a smile returned to his lips. He went to Midnight's ear, "Listen dear friend… why do you think Oracle does not want to have any children. She knew that if she had one with you, her child would be cursed as well. Once Celestia finds you as a threat, she as well as everypony on her side will kill everypony you care about; your brother, your daughter, and especially… your girlfriend…"

With that, Discord vanished. Twilight ran but she stopped just before Midnight. "Darn it, we could have almost got him" she said. She noticed Midnight's strange swaying and gently tapped his shoulder. The swirling eyes vanished and Midnight turned around. "Hey Midnight, are you…" Twilight said nothing else as a pulse of black magic exploded from Midnight. Twilight flew through the air and was caught be her friends safely, but their focus was on Midnight.

Midnight opened his eyes, revealing a blood red glow with slit irises. He began to inch taller and gain more muscle. His front claws began to grow longer and sharper, the ground beneath them getting pierced by just resting on them. Armor began to form around them, making his legs even stronger. Midnight's wings grew much larger and appeared to be slightly torn. Spikes formed on the fingers of the webbing. Armor formed onto Midnight's body as if they belonged on him. The spikes resting on his head grew longer, following the growth of several more spikes on his head and on his neck. Midnight's transformation was complete. He now stood about a head taller than Celestia, his body radiating a dark black aura. Oracle gasped at what Midnight has become. He was just like he was in her nightmare.

Midnight was no longer himself. Discord's false vision was too convincing to him. Midnight wanted to stop the Elements, but his anger is what fueled him. "She wanted them gone… she wanted me to become a monster… anypony on her side is a threat…" Midnight's deep voice suddenly amplified, "YOU SHALL DIE FOR THEM!" Midnight's multiple spikes glowed with pitch-black energy. Multiple beams of energy flew from the spikes. Everypony jumped to the sides, managing to dodge all of the beams. Where they once were was now a large smoldering crater. Everypony gasped, but Midnight continued his constant attacks.

---

Lightning looked in horror as what he saw. Midnight's gruesome transformation frightened him slightly. His puppets also looked surprised. Discord appeared beside him with a large container of popcorn. He smiled and began to eat popcorn as he watched. "Ah… this is wonderful is it not…?" he said.

"Uh… Discord, what exactly did you do?" asked Lightning.

"Oh, I simply showed Midnight his past. Now, he will do my work for me."

"Wait… what are your plans? You seem different Discord…"

"Oh, do not fret my dear friend." Discord patted his head, messing his mane up. "My goals are the same, I just made a few changes. When I was out last time, Princess Celestia managed to undo my spell on the Elements, allowing them to trap me into stone. So, I need to get rid of them before I could finally cast chaos all over Equestria!"

Lightning and some of his puppets looked shocked. "But Discord" said Lightning, "That false vision you showed Midnight, he would…"

Discord laughed and simply waved his hand, "Yes yes, well not every plan can be clean, am I right?" Lighting looked devastated. Discord was using Midnight to get rid of Celestia and the Elements of Harmony. He was kind of happy that Celestia would be ridded of, but Fluttershy was one of the Elements. He couldn't stand to see her get destroyed. Discord laughed some more, "Oh, I think I see Celestia outside. I want to get a closer look!"

Discord disappeared, leaving Lightning alone with his puppets. They each surrounded him. "Lightning, are you… okay with this…?" asked Sharpfur. Lightning said nothing as he looked to the ground. He was silent for a while, before he finally nodded his head. Every puppet stood there, obeying and respecting their master's command.

---

The castle gardens were now in ruin. Several statues were in pieces, the ground was leveled in places, and most of the flower beds were destroyed. Everypony had some form of an injury. Midnight chuckled as the Elements of Harmony managed to get up. "You sorry and weak ponies have nothing compared to my power!" he spoke with pride. "You can't use the Elements on me, I can copy and overpower the spell!"

As much as it hurt to admit, it was true. Midnight's enhanced magic skills allow him to copy nearly any spell and add his own power to it. Twilight still wore the Element on her head, and she was still standing. She glared at Midnight, but her eyes went wide.

Midnight turned and his eyes narrowed. Princess Celestia walked out into the open. Before Twilight could warn her or Celestia could ask what was happening, Midnight jumped onto Celestia. His sharp talons were sinking into her snow-white coat, blood beginning to leak out. Celestia winced in pain as Midnight increased the amount of pressure. Midnight lowered his head closer to hers. "So Celestia… did I grow up like you wanted…?" he asked. "Did you expect this… oh no, you probably expected this scene the other way around." Celestia grunted from the immense pain and managed to look up at Midnight's evil form. "Don't speak, Discord already told me. You were in my village when I was a foal!" Celestia gasped through the painful grunts. "Oh, you did not think I would remember? Well, I guess your memory erasing spell was behind that. But now I know, and now you will suffer for what my parents suffered!"

A sudden blur of green knocked Midnight off of Celestia. Midnight's claws were still in Celestia's skin when he was knocked away. His claws left deep gashes in her body. Celestia screamed in pain as a few guards approached her. Midnight grabbed the green blur and threw it into the building. Midnight snickered as he approached it with waiting claws, but he stopped.

Lying in a small pile of rubble was Oracle. Midnight's heart broke as he looked at her body. Her pink body was stained with her own red blood. Her tail feathers were torn and ruffled. Her mane was in a complete mess, her wonderful feather lying limp. Her face was covered with small cuts and bruises. Her eyes lazily and weakly opened, her gaze resting on Midnight. Midnight's true self came back. He kneeled down and picked Oracle up. But, his talons pierced her skin once more, causing more injuries. Oracle grunted, "M…Midnight…wha… what have you become…?"

Several gasps caused Midnight to turn his head. Standing at the door were four ponies; Color Burst, Misty Fog, Easel, and Cirria. They were all filled with fear, but Cirria's expression was the most heartbreaking. She has never seen her father like this; even Wicked Oracle was not as scary. She backed up behind Color Burst in complete horror. Midnight gently dropped Oracle and began to walk in their direction, "Cirria…it's me… It's you Daddy…"

Midnight's new deep voice never helped Cirria calm down. She cowered behind Color Burst, "Get away you monster! You're not my Daddy!"

Midnight's heart was already broke. Cirria's words crushed his heart pieces into dust. Midnight backed up, scared of everypony now. The dark aura around him began to disintegrate and his transformation began to reverse. Soon, the old Midnight now stood within the group. Discord appeared within the circle with a wide smile on his face, "Oh great job Midnight! You showed those ponies what you are!"

Celestia got to her hooves and shot Discord a glare, "Twilight now!"

Twilight's horn glowed along with her Element. The other five came in close, their Elements glowing as well. The six ponies began to float in midair, surrounded in a bright white light. A bright rainbow of colors began to circle the group. Midnight looked at the spell with great awe. A bright rainbow shot out from the group and flew in Discord's direction. Discord smiled, "Lightning now…"

Lightning and his other puppets jumped in the way of the rainbow. Jewelripper's gemstones were hit with the spell, the rainbow reflecting and refracting. Twilight and her friends were surprised as they were hit with their spell. Even Celestia and her two guards were hit with the spell. Discord laughed as he came out from the pile of the puppets. Lightning's puppets were all knocked out.

"Why… Why didn't they work…?" asked Twilight. She and her friends all were recovering from their hits. "Why didn't the elements affect him…?"

"Oh why didn't the elements affect me, oh that is a good one!" Everypony turned to see Lightning step into view. "Surely Celestia has told you…"

"Tell us what you traitor!" shouted Rainbow Dash. Even after her hit, she managed to get up to her hooves. The lash she gave him wiped the smile off of Lightning's face.

"You're kidding me… you are absolutely kidding me! That all holy sun chicken didn't tell you!"

"Don't you DARE disrespect the princess!" shouted Rarity.

Lightning twisted his head, launching a rock to her head and knocking her down. "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO DISRESPECT THAT BACKSTABBING TRAITOR! IF IT WEREN'T FOR HER, FIERY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"

Lightning's outburst scared Fluttershy to death. She instantly began to cry and lied down to cover herself. Lightning sighed at his impact on her but remained his facial expression.

"Who's Fiery…?" asked Pinkie Pie. Even nearly pounded to unconsciousness Pinkie Pie managed to keep her giggling and upbeat self.

"Hmph… so she really didn't tell you." Lightning began to pace around their tired bodies as they tried to get up. "Tell me might bearers of the Elements of Harmony, do you know where the elements came from?" The six bearers and the others around them shook their head. Celestia had a complete look of disgust, but she was too exhausted to move or speak in protest. Even Discord was interested in Lightning's subject, his ears perking up in response.

"We'er listnin…" said Applejack.

"Do you honestly believe that you six are the only ones that are the reenactments of the elements?" Lightning scowled as all of them nodded their heads, including Fluttershy. "Well you are not. Back in my time, a time where Discord ruled, there were six others. The elements never existed, but these ponies held their traits.

"General Goldheart, the most loyal member of the army. He represented the Element of Harmony. However his loyalty is what killed him…" Rainbow Dash seemed slightly scared of what loyalty could bring.

"There was Applebuck, the first member of the Apple family. He was the most honest pony you could ever meet. But he was a bit too honest to live…" Applejack shivered at the mentioning of her family.

"Gentle Breeze was a pegasi pony that cared for almost anything and everything to her greatest extent. But her kindness wasn't enough to save her own life…" Fluttershy managed to lift her head from Lightning's outburst, but what he said now scared her even more.

"Oldmare Ruby was the most generous pony that ever lived. She was generous enough to give homeless ponies food when she had nothing left to spare. Her generosity is what killed her." Rarity rubbed her sore forehead but managed to listen to what Lightning said. Her face had the utmost recognizable expression of fear.

"Tiny Tot, my dear childhood friend, she was the Element of Laughter. She could make anypony or anything laugh. I could tell that she… she died laughing." Pinkie Pie's usual cheery expression changed to sadness. Lightning was on the verge of tears, but he continued.

"Finally, there was the Element of Magic, my sister Fiery Strings. She knew all kinds of spells, both helpful and hurtful." Lightning's eyes welled with tears as some began to fall. "But… her magic couldn't save her at all…" Lightning recovered rather quickly, but tears were still present in his eyes. "Different ponies, but they were the same elements. Would you like to know how they died?" Everypony was silent; a long drawn out silence where you could hear a pin drop. But rather slowly, the six bearers of the elements nodded their heads. "The six ponies each died from a certain ruler. This ruler killed each pony, and took their spirit and defining traits to make the elements. Their combination of spirit and trait fused into a crystal-like case that held unlimited power. I believe that you are wearing them now…"

Everypony started to gasp in fear at these words. Each of the bearers looked upon their Element with great disgust. Fluttershy threw hers off and chucked it away from her. She collapsed on the ground in tears. Lightning was not finished, "And that ruler was known as… the one and only embodiment of the sun, Princess Celestia."

Twilight's eyes went as round as dinner plates. She turned to her ruler and tutor with great fear. She hoped that he was lying, she hoped that Celestia was not involved in this. But, when Twilight received nothing but an away glance, she feared the worse. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as her active imagination went on at the scenarios the Princess went to make the Elements.

Although the gardens were full of sorrows, Discord was the only being actually laughing. Everypony's sad soft looks turned bitter and hard when they reached him. Even Lightning was confused, "Discord… why are you laughing…?"

"I just realized the work of my own plans" he said. "The Elements of Harmony cast a spell to turn me into stone, right?" Lightning nodded, unaware of where he was going with this. "Well, the spell was refracted and hit them instead. And that would mean that like me several years ago, they would turn to stone!"

Rarity's screams were very audible in the small passing silence. She looked down at her front hoof; it was slowly beginning to turn to stone. The other bearers looked at their bodies. Fluttershy was too sad to even notice, for she felt the feeling before and now it seemed like it was nothing. Pinkie Pie was in great shock as her entire body became encased in stone. Midnight turned to see that Princess Celestia and her two guards were also going through this transformation. Within minutes, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie were complete stone statues. Lightning was nuzzling Fluttershy in tears, saying that everything will be alright. But, he no longer felt the warm embrace of her skin, but the cold surface of rock. He looked to see Fluttershy, frozen in a state of depression. Celestia and her guards became stone, along with the remaining elements. Each statue had the expressions of fear or sadness.

Discord quickly appeared in front of the scared stone Celestia. "HA! How does it feel now Celestia! I said I don't turn ponies to stone, but last time I check I wasn't the one who did it to you! Now that you are not using them, I will just hold on to them for you." The Elements of Harmony flew up from the six bearers and began to hover around Discord. "Now… I believe a little remaking is in order…" Each Element began to glow yellow. The necklaces and tiara began to melt away as the gemstone stayed. Then, the gem began to change its shape as the golden part turned silver. Soon, the Elements were mere silver orbs. Each orb had a different shaped gem surrounded by gold. "Now that they are out of the way, now I shall rule Equestria, and then the world! All of it will be reformed into my beautiful chaos!"

The sky above Discord began to swirl with strange colors. Discord laughed as his reign began. Lightning was still grieving over the loss of Fluttershy, forever imprisoned in stone. Midnight looked at the statues; each one was once a pony that tried to fight. Midnight then looked at the remaining ones, the ones he fought. They were too injured to fight, and some were too injured to move. Midnight hated himself, but blaming himself will not fix the mess. He stood up and approached Discord, "You shall not take over the world! I will stop you!"

Discord laughed as he brought his face close to Midnight's. "Oh really now…?" he said with amuse. "Well then tell me Midnight, how are you going to defeat me? The Elements of Harmony are in my control, the bearers are now in stone as well as their princess, and the others you brought along are too injured to fight. The only two able to fight are you and Lightning, but he's on my side. You will never defeat me on your own… NEVER!"

Discord laughter was followed by lightning in the skies above him. He kept laughing, but something was thrown into his face. Whatever it was, it was somewhat solid and blue. Discord ceased his laughter as soon as he was hit. He rubbed the stuff from his face, "Is this… paint…?" Discord turned and looked surprised.

Color Burst, Misty Fog, Cirria, and Easel were standing there. Midnight and Oracle laughed slightly when they saw Easel with a paint tube in his mouth. "You will not hurt my uncle!"

Discord laughed, "Oh, your uncle… You mean the same uncle who almost killed his own girlfriend?!"

"Hey! Don't you make fun of my brother like that!" shouted Color Burst. "Midnight has been through many things, and he always comes back through. I am his brother, and I will always forgive him."

"My Daddy is not evil, he's good. And we will help him!"

Discord was shocked at first, but his expression quickly changed. He was on the floor, crying tears of laughter. "Oh my… this is completely rich! You four ponies think you can defeat me?!"

"Not alone, but together yes."

Discord looked to see that all of the injured members before were getting onto their hooves. Shard, Sparkplug, and Shia were getting up. Sapphire was beginning to rise as well. Oracle, however, needed to lean on Midnight to get up. Another set of hoofsteps were heard, drawing Discord's attention. His eyes went wide with what he saw. Several more ponies stood behind the four from before. Midnight was surprised as he recognized them all. Ritani, Fire Star, Sunmist, Gameshark, Wavez, Rubyrumor, Merry Mistrel, and even Wisp was there. Princess Luna and Prince Thorn came out of the other entrance of the castle with several guards behind them. They saw what Discord has done, but they were too focused to be effected externally. Cirria quickly went to her mother's side and helped her up, "I went into town as said that you needed help. Everypony was nervous, but these ponies were not. They wanted this to end more than anypony out there."

Discord was surprised by the large amount of ponies that came, especially Rubyrumor. He could actually lose this fight, he could go back being a stone statue. But he remembered that the Elements were in his control now. Discord still laughed, but a slight bit of nervousness was in his laugh. Discord vanished and reappeared at the top of a tower. "Let this day be a very important day for you ponies, the day I became Equestria's ruler! But now, the rebels must be rid of!"

The Elements revolved in his hand as beams of light cast down. All of the statues in the garden, besides the imprisoned ponies, began to come to life. Everypony in the gardens began to back up slowly. Regular ponies would be easy to beat, but living statues? However all it took was one pony to draw the rest of the crowd in. Color Burst was the first one to gallop in, his multicolored magic surrounding his horn greatly. Misty drifted across the garden skies with her wings fanned out, a trail of fog following her. The fog drifted onto the stone ponies, causing them to stop. Although they were statues, they still needed to see.

"Alright everypony, time to protect Equestria!" shouted Midnight.

Everypony cheered as they galloped forward. The fog around Fire Star began to fall to the ground as his horn glowed. The fog condensed on the ground, forming into water. The water rose into a rather large wave, crashing into a squad of statues. Shard slammed onto their bodies, destroying them into rubble. He and Fire Star nodded before continuing.

Merry Mistrel was enthusiastic at first, but now she realized what she gotten herself into. She tried to avoid each statue, but they ended up closing in on her. She cowered but Gameshark jumped in front of her. The statues stepped back before beginning to close in on them. "Hey, you want to see why I'm unique?" he asked to the statues. He opened his mouth, revealing his sharp toothy grin. With a few chomps, the statue ponies fell over headless. Gameshark turned to Merry, who was very scared at the moment. But, she made a nervous smile to him, indicating she was safe. Gameshark smiled, but this caused Merry to laugh. Gameshark moved his tongue in his mouth, instantly began to spit rocks out. Merry laughed as Gameshark tried to get the taste out, "Oh man… who knew they would taste like… like…"

"Rocks…?" Gameshark blushed as Merry laughed at her own joke. He galloped back into the fight. Merry recovered, only to find a rather large statue in front of her. She backed up in fear as the statue came closer. Unknown to her, a bright pink aura began to wrap around her horn. "P-Please… stay back…" The statue stepped closer and closer, Merry's magic glowing brighter. "I said STAY BACK!" A beam of pink energy fired from her horn. Merry opened her eyes, seeing only a pile of rubble. "I…I did it…?" she looked around and noticed Midnight flying by. "Midnight, I did it! I used my magic!"

Midnight nodded just before flying off. Sparkplug and Sapphire were fighting side by side, each one taking out a statue from each other's side. Sunmist's wings flapped wildly, creating yellow and pink glittering winds. The statues were smashed to rubble from the strange and unique wings. Wavez was bucking away, knocking every statue. Midnight landed to help with a few of them, when some suddenly exploded. He turned, seeing Wisp doing her specialty. Ritani was destroying groups of statues with ease. Her powers were making statues go away with ease. Even Shia and Rubyrumor were fighting these statues. Shia's slime made the statues stick while Rubyrumor used some new abilities to destroy them.

"Daddy help!"

Midnight turned to see Cirria and Oracle, cornered by a small group of statues. Midnight began to fly, but several blasts of color flew by him. Every statue but one exploded in a array of colors. The final statue was taken down by Nova. Color Burst walked underneath of Midnight, "If Discord keeps those Elements; he can keep us down here until we're tired. You need to stop him brother, I know you can."

Midnight did not seem the least bit confident. The group of ponies helping was in fact beginning to get tired. Midnight looked down at his brother, for one last time. He flew towards Discord's tower, hoping to at least do something. Discord saw him flying up and laughed at his feeble attempt. The Element stopped spinning and fired beams of energy at Midnight. Midnight dodged left and right, each beam passing harmlessly by him. Midnight's spike glowed just before all of the Elements fired at once. Midnight fired a beam from his spike just before all of the beams hit him. The Element's power was strangely overpowered and the Elements were knocked out of Discord's grasp. The Elements separated and fell. They landed beside Shard, Sapphire, Shia, Oracle, Sparkplug, and Lightning. However, Midnight's blast knocked him back as well. Midnight fell to the ground, a large dust cloud formed from underneath. The dust cleared, showing a large crater where Midnight laid unmoving. Discord landed next to the crater, lifting Midnight with his own magic.

"Did you really think you could defeat me…?" Discord asked. "The only things powerful enough to defeat me are the Elements, and they are now useless only to those… who…"

Discord trailed off because a brightening light shone in his eyes. All of the Elements except for the one with Lightning glowed. The orbs lifted into the air and began to hover by the pony. Midnight managed to see the scene and smiled, "Of course…"

Discord looked at Midnight, "Of course what…?"

Midnight smiled, "Discord… Twilight… and her friends are not… they are not the only ones with the traits…" Discord dropped Midnight, but he stood up. "The Elements are no longer bound to them alone, they are capable of being used by anypony. But, they need to have the same traits as the Element themselves. You were able to use their power because of your magic, but you are not the only one with powerful magic."

Shard and the others Element holders nodded as they threw their element at Midnight. Each one collected around Midnight, glowing in its own color. The magical energy began to flow from the Element into Midnight. Midnight's cuts and bruises began to slowly heal as the energy now radiated from his body. The last one was by Lightning, and he was utterly shocked. "Lightning, throw me the last Element!" Midnight shouted.

Discord panicked, "No Lightning, hand me the Element. Remember who your friend is…?"

"Lightning, I'm your friend, Fluttershy is your friend, and we are all your friends! Are you going to let Discord get away with what he is doing…?"

"Lightning, remember what that cruel ruler Celestia has done to you…"

Midnight's eyes were filled with tears. "Lightning… look what's happening. Fluttershy is a statue, everypony is getting hurt, and Discord is planning to throw all of Equestria in all of his chaos. I know I have only known you for months, but do you really think Fiery would want this…?"

Discord growled and approached Lightning, "Do not listen to that freaky pony. I am your friend, your only friend for several years! Now give me the Element now!"

Lightning looked at Discord. He was not like the friend he knew a long time ago. He has changed. Lightning picked the Element up in his magic, and slowly moved it towards Discord. Discord opened his hands were a dastardly smile on his face. "Discord…" said Lightning, "It's been nice catching up with you…"

Lightning tossed the Element over Discord and towards Midnight. The Element glowed the brightest, casting a bright white light onto him. Midnight's entire body began to go through another transformation, but the light was too bright to tell what was happening. Cirria and Nova ducked beside Oracle, fearing that Lord Midnight would come forth again. The light dimmed down, showing what Midnight has become. Oracle's eyes lit up with glory.

Midnight could be easily be described as a god in Oracle's eyes. His height matched that of Lord Midnight, but he radiated a light aura that was filled with serenity instead of malice. His long mane and tail flowed like a calm breeze blew through it. His claws were sharp, but they were controlled. His once sinister bat wings were replaced with long and beautiful feathery wings. The black area of his coat and wings holds stars and galaxies as if he was made of stardust. His cutie mark changed to reflect not one of a curse, but that of a blessing. The six Elements still spun slowly around his head.

"Discord, your reign has to end." Midnight's new voice was as powerful as thunder, but as sweet and calm as an angel's. "For you see, I can copy and increase the power of any spell that I see. And I have seen the power of the elements…"

The Elements began to spin faster and faster by the second. The radiating colors began to increase by the second as Midnight's spike glowed with black energy. The two spells collided, a dark-colored rainbow formed and began to flow around Midnight. Discord backed away slowly, "No…no… NO!" Discord flew away, but Midnight fired the spell. The dark rainbow hit Discord, causing screams of pain to come from Discord. His entire body began to turn to stone. Discord tried to fight it, but his body was entirely encased in stone. Discord fell to the ground as a statue. But, his body slowly began to crack. A puff of dust formed as the statue of Discord fell into rubble. Midnight stepped away from what was Discord and approached his family. "Are you alright…?"

Oracle was still amazed by Midnight's new form. A red blush formed on her face as Cirria ran up to Midnight. She hugged his leg, "Daddy you're so big!" Midnight chuckled and kneeled to meet his daughter. The ponies that were turned to stone slowly began to get free. Everypony moaned in slight pain, but they recovered fast. Prince Thorn quickly hugged Twilight with small tears. Everypony was fine, all but one. Lightning sat on the ground in front of the pile of rubble. Tears of sadness fell from his eyes. His puppets all awoke, only to feel the same pain as Lightning. Fluttershy slowly approached him, "Stormy… are you okay…?"

Lightning kept his head down. No pony could feel the amount of sadness he was feeling. "He's gone…" he finally said. "The last friend I ever had is now gone. He was the only one that understood what I went through… and now he is gone…"

Fluttershy wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. She has been in that state of depression; it is very hard to get out of. Celestia looked down in sadness as well. She felt slightly guilty for the sadness he felt. The six elements slowly began to make their way to Lightning. His puppets and Fluttershy stepped back as the Elements circled him. They each emitted their individual colors, catching Lightning's attention. The light extended and formed around them, creating the shapes of ponies. Two were pegasi, two were unicorns, and two were earth ponies. Lightning took notice of the unicorn in red, "F-F-Fiery…"

The light pony nodded, "Yes Lightning, it's me…"

Everypony gasped, including Celestia. This meant the other ponies mentioned by Lightning were here too. Oracle closed her eyes and concentrated. She gasped, "It's… it's true… each one has their own aura…" Lightning slowly made his way to her, "Fiery… oh Fiery…"

"Lightning, you do not need to feel sorry for Discord. He has tricked you… he is the enemy, Celestia is…"

"NO! Discord is my friend Fiery… Celestia is the one who not only killed you but five others and took their spirits just to make the ELEMENTS!" Lightning looked up shocked; he never thought he would yell at his sister before. More tears began to form in his eyes at the thought of his sister's reaction.

"Lightning, we were not killed… we volunteered for this…" Lightning looked up in disbelief, but he looked at every light pony nodding their heads. "Lightning, the time when Discord reigned was a threat to everypony. Even with your magic, we would still live under Discord's rule."

"So we all volunteered to help stop him" said General Goldheart. "My time in the army was going to end soon anyway, so I decided to end my tour of duty with honor and loyalty. As long as you die knowing you did something great, that death shall not be unrewarded."

"Lightnin', you should not have even trusted that varmit Discord anyhow" said Applebuck. "We were tired of his shenanigans that we decided to fight back using the only things we have."

"Our bodies may no longer be with us, but our spirits live on" said Gentle Breeze. "We traveled through Equestria in spirit, watching over the ponies as if we were living."

"Back then not many ponies knew what generosity was" said Oldmare Ruby. "But as the years past, I was surprised by the amount that became that way. I overheard some of them mention me and decided to change their life. That is the best gift I could have ever given anypony."

"Sure it was hard to make ponies laugh" said Tiny Tot, "But watching others laugh is always fun!"

"You see Lightning, no matter when we died or how we died, we lived on" continued Fiery. "I watched you age, and I must say I am slightly mad. You lived your life in hatred of Celestia, and your cause of revenge was unnecessary." Lightning looked down to the ground in sadness. "But… you also made me so proud…" Lightning looked up at the aura of his sister. "You made many new friends, found a pony to call your own, and helped save Equestria not once, but now twice. You are a noble pony, and a great brother. I shall never forget you, no matter how long…"

The Element's glow began to dim as each one fell to the ground. Lightning cried, but these were tears of happiness. He found out that his sister was not only alive, but she cared for and remembered him too. The Element of Magic levitated off the ground and traveled to Celestia. Everypony, especially Lightning, was curious to what she was doing.

"Lightning, your dear sister was right" she started. "Each pony volunteered for this task. They were soon to perish on their own, but they asked if they could help out in any way. Even your dear sister, who gave me the painful task of wiping her spirit before it was her time." Celestia even drew a few tears. Lightning actually felt… sympathy to her. Something he hasn't felt in a long time. "But she was right on another thing; you have helped save Equestria many times. And now, I believe I should return the favor."

Midnight approached the Element and placed his spike next to Celestia's horn. The two focused their magic into the Element with great concentration. A blinding white light cast all around the gardens. Everypony shielded their eyes in response to this bright white light. When the light dimmed, everypony had to wait a bit for their eyes to recover. When they focused, there were two main surprises. One was that Midnight returned to his normal form, small and slightly scary as before. But another surprise was that a new pony was in front of Celestia. The pony had an orange tail and mane, a crimson coat, and azure hoofguards. No pony knew who she was, but Lightning and his puppets gasped.

Lightning was not sure how he was feeling. He hated Celestia for centuries because of what happened to his sister. He counted years to find a way to seek revenge and find another way to bring his sister back. Now, all of the hatred of Celestia seemed to vanish instantly. His limbs seemed to be as heavy as lead but shook like jello. He slowly took some steps towards the pony. The pony looked at her hooves in disbelief. Her expression was priceless when she looked at Lightning. They both quickly galloped to each other, embracing in a tight hug. They both cried tears of joy. Lightning's puppets and Fluttershy embraced in a large group hug. The reactions made the scene clear to everypony, Fiery Strings has returned.

Celestia was accompanied by Luna as she stared at the touching scene. Although touching, it also made Celestia feel guilty. Lightning missed his sister dearly, and Fiery's decision did not make it any easier on him. Discord has tricked Lightning for over an eon, but he finally sees the truth. "Sister" said Luna, "I am so proud of you… You rejoined a family bond that seemed to be lost for the ages. I believe this calls for a celebration…"

Celestia looked at the gardens they stood in. Discord's control caused every sculpture to be destroyed. It would take years more to redesign and carve more statues, that is if they don't have any idea on what to carve. Celestia smiled, "You are right dear sister, and I believe how we can thank them all…"

---

The day after the gardens were surprisingly back to its former glory. All of the statues were replaced, but they all had a large sheet over them. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and all of the ponies who risked their lives to help stood in front of the gardens. Everypony from Ponyville and Canterlot gathered in front of the group. Everypony on stage had a shining golden medal hanging around their neck. Well, everypony except for six. Midnight, Oracle, Sparkplug, Sapphire, Shard, and Shia all stood in a straight line facing the crowd. The six bowed as Princess Celestia walked to them.

"Mares and gentlecolts" she said, "I am honored for all of you to come on such a day. We awarded the ponies behind me with their bravery, but there yet a handful of ponies that still need to be rewarded." Twilight Sparkle, trotted aside by Prince Thorn, carried a box in her magic. Once she stood beside the princess, she opened the lid. Six medals each with a symbol of one of the Elements of Harmony lay inside. Celestia grabbed the box with her magic and trotted over to the line. "Shard" she began, "You are as powerful as you are well built. Your loyalty to the throne is not as powerful as your loyalty to your friends. I award you the Medal of Loyalty." Shard bowed his head as the medal went around his neck.

As Celestia approached Shia, the crowd began to complain. Shia backed away slowly, but Celestia's wing drooped over her, filling her with safety. "Shia, you have come a long way. You were once another drone under the command of the Changeling Queen. But now, now you are a proud pony among others. You put yourself behind others at all times. I award you the Medal of Generosity." Shia nervously walked forward as the medal went around her neck. Ritani and Oracle slowly clapped their hooves, everypony on stage following. Shia smiled as Celestia continued.

Sparkplug nervously smiled as Celestia approached him. "Sparkplug, if any you are the cause of the problem than the solution. Your behavior puts innocent ponies in danger and your magic in uncontrolled. But, you always stick with your friends and keep them laughing. For that, I award you the Medal of Laughter." Sparkplug still held a nervous smile, but he accepted the medal with honor. His horn sparked, but Sapphire placed her metal tip on it so the electricity hit her instead.

Celestia smiled as came to Sapphire. "Sapphire, you have a troubled past with several ponies. But you are true to your word and honest as can be. I award you the Medal of Honesty." Sapphire smiled as the medal went around her neck. It clanked as it hit her other necklace.

"Oracle…" Oracle looked up at the princess and bowed. "You have shown great kindness to ponies, including the ones you have only met for a short time. Most ponies would love to have the kindness you give. I award you the Medal of Kindness." The medal slipped around her neck, but it got a little tangled in her mane. Midnight helped her as Celestia walked in his direction.

"And finally, Midnight…" Midnight finished helping Oracle and then bowed to the princess. "Midnight, you are probably the one pony who has a reason to hate the world. Your past is frightful, your looks are not normal, and your abilities are dark. But, you go past your looks to help anypony in need. Your spells may be forbidden and evil, but you use them for good. I award you the Medal of Magic." Midnight bowed his head as Celestia placed the medal around his neck. It got caught on his neck spike, but it went around easily. The six faced the crowd and bowed, a roar of applause following. Celestia smiled, "And now, it is time I reveal the new statues of the Canterlot Gardens!"

With a quick flick of her horn, all of the sheets were removed. The crowd applauded, but the ponies with awards were all surprised. There was a statue for each of the ponies. The smaller ones were of Color Burst, Misty Fog, Easel, Fire Star, Ritani, Sunmist, Gameshark, Wavez, Prince Thorn, Rubyrumor, Merry Mistrel, and Wisp. Cirria laughed as her statue was with Nova. The larger statues were of the main heroes.

Lightning and Fiery stood on a rounded platform with the six puppets surrounding it. Oracle's was her standing tall with her tail spread out. Shia's statue seemed like an exact duplicate of herself. Sapphire's had her posing like a snake with her tail around the base. Sparkplug's statue showed him with his broken horn sparking with electricity. Whatever it was, magic probably made it happen. Shard's statue showed him standing upon a large ice crystal bed. The final statue was of Midnight. In fact, it was more like of two. Midnight stood at the bottom with his wings open. Midnight's god-like form stood behind him in the same pose. The crowd cheered as the others bowed. The group then went inside the castle for the celebration, the one Pinkie Pie helped Princess Luna plan.

Author's Notes:

All of this would not have been possible if it wasn't for my dear friend Hunter. Thank you