//------------------------------// // Escape // Story: Night and Day // by Tom Ink //------------------------------// Midnight was in the most heavenly place on Earth: a wide prairie with fresh grass, mountains on the horizon, and Golden’s hooves that tenderly stroked her mane. She felt the warm fur of the pegasus on her back, who whispered sweet words in her ear, making her giggle. It was heaven. One of the stallion’s hooves released her mane and crossed Midnight’s. She stroked them softly, peppering them with sweet kisses. The place was quiet, the birds were singing a nice tune, and the sky was a sheer blue, with the sun casting a gentle glow on their bodies. Midnight turned back and faced the beautiful face of her lover. His blonde mane flowed in the wind, his eyes blue like the sky, his smile so soothing…. Midnight gazed at him for a few seconds before connecting her lips to the stallion’s. Tightly held by him, she melted into the kiss, and their fur brushed  against each other to create the most beautiful picture for the batpony. It was like they were close to merging into one body, never leaving each other again. Midnight broke the kiss first and gazed at Golden. “I love you, Golden,” she softly said. “I love you, Midnight. More than anything in the world,” he answered with the same tenderness in his voice. The batpony rested her head on the pegasus’ chest, and they both resumed their cuddling on the grass. Midnight closed her eyes on put her hoof upon Golden’s. She suddenly felt a void, like a hole. She cracked an eye open and discovered a black hoof instead of his white appendage. She gasped and looked up to the head of the pegasus, His coat had turned from white to black, and his feathered wings had become much thinner. And his face was… Shocked, she saw that the beautiful stallion had turned into a hideous changeling. She stepped back, and the creature rose. Midnight fell down and crawled backwards. “W-What have you done to Golden?!” she asked. The changeling cackled and said, with a hollow voice, “But I’m Golden, I have always been.” “No! You’re not Golden, you’re lying!” Midnight shouted, panicked, raising on her four hooves. The world seemed to shatter around her, literally. The mountains crumbled, the grass turned black, and the sun seemed to burn itself out. The changeling continued to walk towards her and smiled in a creepy way. “You don’t believe me? Watch this!” His head looked like Golden’s, and the rest of his body followed. He was the perfect clone of the stallion. Midnight held her head between her hooves and fell on the floor, never turning her gaze away from the pegasus in front of her. “It can’t be true! Golden loves me, and he’s not a changeling!” she shouted, as if to convince herself. The changeling regained his original shape and stopped in front of her, raising her head with his hoof. “You really thought a royal guard could love a batpony? You’re really an idiot… But now that your love for him is stronger than ever, the meal will be even more….” He showed his fangs and licked his lips. “…delicious!” Midnight saw the changeling jumping on her and closed her eyes before waking up with a start in the jail of the batpony’s camp. She turned her head all around the room, panicked, thinking the changeling would attack her at any moment, and she noticed with relief that she was alone in the dark jail. It was a  relief that quickly turned to despair when she remembered where she was. Only a small dim light from the moon provided some visibility. She breathed quickly, shallowly, with sweat drenching her body. The pain in her wings brought her back to reality, and she turned her head to them, noticing what had been done to them. She gritted her teeth and winced. Someone had bandaged them to avoid an infection and an early death before her trial. Just in case. Pain awoke in her body and quickly became unbearable, chasing all the other thoughts from her mind, including Golden. She breathed deeply, like she’d learned in school, and made an extreme effort to erase all the dark thoughts from her head, hanging onto the picture of the pegasus. He wasn’t a changeling. Well, she was almost entirely sure. He was real, he waited for her, somewhere, and thought about her too, she hoped. The simple idea slightly warmed her heart. She thought about his hooves, so soft, his face, so gorgeous, his voice, so soothing. She repeated to herself all the words he’d said to her before. It was a bit of comfort and light in the darkness.  Silence reigned, and she closed her eyes to imagine Golden in front of her, saying he was there, saying he would protect her, saying he would love her until the end, saying he would help to leave Canterlot, saying to not worry because he would stay by her side as long as she would like. A small smile emerged on her tired face. She sighed contently and lay down on her bed, taking care of not hurting her wings. She told herself they will be together again, soon. It was just a matter of time. In a castle of Canterlot, a royal princess woke up with a start, eyes opened widely and looking all around her, worrying. A nightmare stronger than the others was felt in the dreamscape, the space where Luna watched the well-being of her loyal subjects. But this nightmare wasn’t like the others. It was unique, ot a child believing that the headless horse was coming to eat him, or a stallion stressed by work and drowning into an ocean of paperwork, no. Something more powerful and even more terrifying for the one who felt it. But something prevented her from going  further. Something that directly concerned her. Something new. She rose and rolled away from the balcony where she rested to watch the stars and the dreams of the ponies. Quickly, she went to the library to conduct some last minutes research and started to work. Time was running out. In his dark jail, Golden couldn’t sleep. He was too worried about Midnight to let his mind rest. The Moon cast a thin light into the room thanks to a small window, and he imagined that Midnight was watching the same thing now. And that she was thinking about him. Sunny’s support helped time go faster, and he rarely looked away from Midnight’s brooch.  It was shining in the moonlight, the golden sun reflecting in the moonlight. The scene warmed his heart, even if it the symbolism was cruel at this moment. He softly kissed the brooch, praying in silence to the princesses for a miracle, for anything so he could  feel Midnight in his hooves again. Her midnight blue mane, so beautiful, her golden eyes, so shiny, her fangs, so cute, her wings, without feathers but still perfect for him… The list was quite long, and her absence was getting more and more painful at every second. Two hearts in love can never be far from each other. He remembered the sentence he’d read one day in one of the romance novels he owned. He laughed, thinking of Midnight making fun of him when she heard about that. Even her sweet teasing made her more unique and beautiful to him. He held the brooch tightly against his heart, and talked in the empty room. “I haven’t forgotten you, Midnight. We will be together soon. I promise.’ Silence fell for a long time after. But deep into the night, one of his ears pricked up. Hoofsteps. Getting closer and closer. A shadow. A shape that stopped in front of the gates. With a key in his hoof. The sound of a lock opening. A door squeaking slightly and offering freedom to Golden. It was too good to be true. The pegasus rubbed his eyes, thinking he was in the middle of a dream. They stayed, he and the black shape, still for a few seconds, then the thing in front of him advanced into the moonlight. “Hey, are you waiting for an official invitation to get your rump out of here?” “White!” Golden jumped and approached his friend. They fell into each other’s hooves, and Golden held White tightly, suddenly feeling much better. “What are you doing here? H… How did you…?” the stallion mumbled, happy to see his loyal friend there with him. His friend smiled and tightened his grip. He released it after several seconds and explained. “I thought you could use a helping hoof, though admittedly, I almost didn’t come when I remembered you made me spend a night with Sunny.” Golden laughed and punched him slightly on the shoulder before continuing. “I knew Glass would watch you tonight, and I thought he could use some company to pass the time. And something to drink, too,” he detailed, making the keyring turn into his hooves. “He’ll be so drunk that he won’t even remember his name tomorrow. Come on, we need to go,” he concluded before starting to turn towards the exit. “White, wait!” Golden stopped him. “And Midnight? We must find her! I won’t leave without her!” His friend turned back and smiled. “Hey, you thought I’d forget about her?” White asked. “Of course we’ll go find your marefriend. But we will need to be discreet in their camp. So, as soon as we’re outside, put this on.” He pulled a bottle of dark paint from his saddlebag and threw it to Golden, who caught it with his hooves. “Come on, it’s time to go,” White urged him. “Wait!” White groaned and turned back again. “What?” he asked, slightly annoyed. Golden walked up to him and gave him a big hug. White’s eyes softened and he returned the embrace, feeling that his friend needed it more than ever. “Don’t worry, you’ll see her again, sshhhhh.” He patted him on the back. “You’ll see her and you’ll get far away from here,” he reassured him. “But you need to be strong for her. She needs that.” Golden smiled, let him go, and followed him without a word but with strong convection. There was no time to lose. His coat and wings now black, the two guards slipped between the different buildings of the batponies’ camp, avoiding the patrols that watched their surroundings. White seemed to know this place by heart, and Golden was a bit intrigued. “Psst, White?” he whispered. “Hmm?” the black pegasus hummed without turning his head towards his friend. “How do you know this place so well?” White smiled and turned his head towards him. “Are you stupid? Our spies have mapped the camp, just in case,” he said. “Sun doesn’t shelve his office well. Who knows who could be stealing secret documents without him noticing.” Reassured, Golden quieted down. The jail was a small building isolated from the others with just a simple office in the entrance, which was the only way to a hall that lead to the few prison cells. Neutralizing the guard was the only thing to do to free Midnight. The morning sun started to rise, and the sky still hesitated between the sun and the moon, giving a nice orange color to all Equestria. Golden and White had to act quickly, their make-up being less efficient during the day. The two pegasus stallions managed to reach the entrance of the jail, and they paused briefly, keeping an eye on their surroundings. Golden and White opened the door, and a single batpony welcomed them. He looked up to the two guards, a bit surprised by this unexpected arrival, even moreso because of their awkward looks. He got up from his chair and approached the two disguised guards. “May I help you?” he asked, examining their fur more closely. “What happened to your coats?” Golden and White looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak first, hoping he had a good excuse. “Err… We… We came to see if the prisoner was… Err… still in good shape for…” Golden mumbled, unable to finish his sentence. The guard raised an eyebrow and frowned. “What game are you playing? And what happened to your fur?” he asked again, getting closer and  facing White. “Err, well, we’re sick and… Our coat becomes white and…” The guard frowned his eyes even more. “And we… Oh, Princess Luna!” he exclaimed. “Huh? Where?” The guard looked all around him, and when he turned his head back towards White, he received a big blow in the teeth, leaving him unconscious. Golden was stunned. “Why did you punch him?! We need to stay quiet!” the pegasus squeaked, turning to his friend. “I panicked, okay?! He kept asking me questions, he looked at me with his small, creepy eyes and I panicked, okay?!” White sputtered while looking at the unconscious batpony on the floor. “We need to be quick. Go get the keys and free her! I’m watching your back!” Golden nodded and took the keyring hanging next to the office. He rushed towards the hallway leading to the cells, his heart beating faster and his mind buzzing at the idea of seeing Midnight again. He stopped in front of the last prison cell, at the very end of the hallway, and saw something lying on a bed with bandages around her wings. She was still asleep. Golden opened the lock before entering the room. He stopped in front of the batpony. She was so beautiful, and he asked himself how he had survived  with the idea of losing her forever. He watched her for a few more seconds before getting to his knees and stroking her body with a hoof. Quietly, he spoke. “Midnight…. Midnight….” The batpony groaned something and cracked an eye open, showing that her eyes were  bloodshot after a restless night. Her eyes focused on the face in front of her. She only needed a quick glance before recognizing her pegasus, even with the black coat, thanks to his blue eyes. “Golden!” She jumped on him and pinned Golden on the floor, holding him tightly in her hooves and burying her face into his chest. Golden wrapped his hooves around her back and stroked her tenderly, lovingly, softly, just like he had imagined this moment in his mind. Their embrace continued for several seconds, and they wished this moment could last forever, just so they could feel their warm bodies pressed together for the rest of their lives. After a few moments, Midnight looked up, gazed at Golden for a few more seconds to enjoy the blue eyes she’d missed so much, and kissed him passionately, adding an unusual tenderness. Golden returned the kiss, and they both lost themselves in an alternate reality for a few moments, where they were the only two things that existed in the world. “I thought that… I would never see you again,” Midnight sobbed after breaking the kiss. “Yeah, me too….” Golden answered, kissing her forehead. “I will never leave you again, Midnight. I will protect you, I swear, whatever the cost, like I promised. I love you, Midnight.” Midnight smiled weakly and rose to her four hooves. “I love you, too, Golden. I love you more than anything in the world.” She paused. “So, what’s the plan now?” she asked. She examined him from top to bottom. “Nice disguise. You’re an horrible batpony.” Golden smiled and rolled his eyes. “Compared to you, that’s for sure. We need to go now. e don’t have any choice. They locked me up, too, and White freed me. And… oh, look what I found!” he exclaimed before searching in a saddlebag. Midnight looked at him, a bit confused, and saw Golden pull out the brooch he’d given to her. She put her hooves on her mouth and felt her eyes water. She let the pegasus put the brooch back in her mane. When it was there, he stroked her cheek with a hoof. “It fits you perfectly”, he whispered. Midnight smiled and became serious. “Keep your sweet words for later, Golden. We should go now. But…” She turned her head towards her wings. “I hope you’re ready to fly with me on your back.” Golden looked more closely at her wings, and asked, curious. “What happened?” Midnight sighed and answered, lowering her head. “They broke them so I won’t escape,” the batpony explained. Golden’s throat tightened at her words, and he felt his eyes watering too. How could they do something so cruel? How dare they do that to his love? Who could be so mad as to break her wings? A cold anger grew in him, and he wanted to scream, to let out the rage that started to burn his insides. When he found who did that, he would make him regret the day they were born. He would make them suffer the same fate. He… He recovered and shook his head, thinking it wasn’t the best time to lose control, before hugging Midnight again. At that moment, he wanted to protect her more than anything else in the world, so she wouldn’t have to feel the same thing again, so she wouldn’t have to feel pain again. He stroked her on the back, and she kissed him lovingly on his neck to show her affection. Golden breathed deeply. “I will do it, I will carry you until my wings fall off,” he promised. “We must go, and quickly, before somepony sees us.” He took her hoof in his, and they left  the cell, almost glued to one another. Halfway through the exit, they heard a loud noise coming from the entrance, ike a fight. Golden and Midnight hid in an empty cell, and they both looked carefully into the hallway. The pegasus heard  White’s voice mixed with another one, lower, along with  a sound of breaking glass that echoed in their ears. Two bodies shot into the hallway, fighting furiously, one blow answering another. Their hooves were intertwined, and they struggled to win the fight. “White!” Golden shouted, approaching him. He quickly recognized the other fighter as Starry Eyes. “No, Golden! Run! I… won’t let him catch you! Go before he warns the others!” White shouted, before getting a knock in the jaw that drew blood. “Quick!” Golden nodded and didn’t waste time. He took Midnight by the hoof, and they both escaped, passing in front of Starry as he started to gain the upper hoof on the pegasus. The batpony was in bad shape too. One of his eyes was closed, and he was bleeding, and one of his wings was bent in an unnatural angle, like he had just suffered through a torture session. “GUARDS!!! THE PRISONER IS ESCAPING!!!” Starry shouted as loud as he could, hoping to be heard from the outside. A well-placed punch from White shut him up. Starry squirmed even more and managed to turn the situation to his advantage. The last thing Midnight and Golden saw before leaving was the batpony showing his fangs and ready to dive onto the poor and helpless pegasus. But for them, they should no longer turn back. They could only escape and not look back. Midnight climbed onto Golden’s back, and he quickly took off, flapping his wings harder than ever, under the gaze of the batponies that had been alerted by the noise. Because of the black on Golden’s wings, they didn’t understand right away what was happening, and they went to the jail. The couple quickly climbed into the sky, high enough to hide in the clouds, taking off to an unknown destination. Anywhere, as long as it was far from there. Away from that life where they could not love each other freely. It was time to go.