Up All Night

by TheFoxern

4: Hate

He was not sure why exactly he could not sleep. There where several reasons for it, that was sure. But which one in specific? He was the only one to keep watch over essentially all of Equestria now. That blasted captain. Shining Armor... He had just been promoted to captain a few weeks ago, apparently. Youngest captain in recorded history, in fact. But like everypony, he was going against him. It did not matter what Celestia said. Pulling out all of the guards from the night, and re-assigning them to the day shift.

There was a shifting across the room. Which was another reason he could not sleep. It was... Odd. He had no room here in Canterlot, and so he was staying in the same room with Princess Luna. Mostly for her protection. Or at least that's what he had been told. He had never shared a room with anypony. Plus, she was a Princess. He just felt... Out of place. Awkward.

On top of that, he was sleeping on the floor. In front of the door. There where so many problems he had to solve at this point. Nopony would side with him, except for Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. Slowly, he got up, taking a deep breath. He was tired, but sleep wouldn't come. What was he going to do? There had to be guards at night. He couldn't do it himself. Could he?

Again the pile of blankets shifted. Princess Luna tossed quite a lot in her sleep. Perhaps Princess Celestia would have some sort of solution to the problem. Though he had issues asking her of all ponies. But he was, at this point, out of options. There was a moment of hesitation, before he decided that he should leave Princess Luna a note, in case she woke up.

Once that was done, he left the room, as quietly as possible. Where would Celestia be at this time? He was sure that she would not be too difficult to find. It was not long at all, in fact. She was sitting in the main hall, talking to somepony. “I am not fond of the looks that I receive,” he said. The conversation stopped.

“Ah, Corser. If you would allow me a moment to finish, we can discuss,” Celestia said as she gave him a smile. Discuss? Did she already know why he had come to her? She probably did. It was an obvious problem. One that she should be helping to deal with anyways, or at least, that's what he felt. So far, she had not been helpful. She allowed Shining Armor to remove all his guards from the night watch.

It bothered him how she could look at him like that. Like he had done nothing wrong. But what he said was true. The looks that everypony gave him where... Horrible. He missed the days when ponies looked at him in fear, or avoided looking at him at all. It was better than the hatred he saw in their eyes. He shook his head, and sat down. “I can wait.” After all, he had plenty of time. He only recently lowered the moon after all.

He occupied himself with his own thoughts, and ignored their conversation. It held no interest to him, and tuned it out when he heard the word farming. The biggest thing he would need to work on, was finding guards. It had been a fairly rough night, with just him. Jet had caused problems, but Shining Armor dealt with him. Apparently he caused issues every night. What else was on his list... Redesigning the Night Guard attire. It would need to be far more basic, easier to move in. He was also fairly certain that the armor he had attempted to wear had been made for an earth pony. Then there was the matter of actually assigning the guards to posts... And retraining Luna. Hopefully that would prove simple. She seemed so willing to learn, almost impatient to- “what was it you needed Corser?”

Celestia's voice snapped him back, and he saw the other pony leaving. “Ah, yes.” He bowed out of habit, though that sort formality felt odd, “I am having difficulties recruiting guards. None of the day guards are willing to cooperate, and I feel as though citizens would be insufficient.”

“Does nothing else come to mind?” That smile was starting to annoy him. Just being in her presence annoyed him.

But what did she mean? He thought for a moment, and then slowly shook his head. “I am afraid not. I have not been able to think of anyponies that would help.”

She nodded slowly. Knowingly. “Yes, I would think not. Ponies that could help, would not, because of what you have done.” That seemed a little harsh, coming from her. “So you must look at ponies, who would not care if you are a traitor.”

His brow wrinkled. How could she be so nonchalant about his betrayal? It made no sense to him. “Somepony... Who wouldn't... Care...” Nothing was coming to mind. This was frustrating. But from what he knew of Celestia, she was far more about letting ponies work out their own problems. Though she had a point. If such ponies existed, then they would be the best option. Then something stirred within his head, slowly something came back. There was... Something. “Only ponies who wouldn't care, would be the ones who sided with Luna. And I'm the only one who did that.”

“Where you?” Her smile was almost infuriating at this point. Something about the subtlety of it, while at the same time being so blatantly obvious.

“Is there somepony that I'm not aware of? Somepony that just so happened to side with her, but did nothing?” He was trying to hold down his anger, but getting her to simply answer a question was so difficult. He was tired, and he just wanted an answer from her. Why was that so difficult?

“Mmm... I am not sure if they did nothing,” she said as she turned away from him. “I'm not sure they where even aware of her return... I did not curse them. Them, I merely banished.”

It was as if she was waring for something to click inside his head. But she was either playing one of her silly games, or she thought he knew something that it was obvious he didn't. “What did you banish?”

“Why don't you go and find out? I'm sure they would love to see you.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it immediately. He had to thing for a moment, before he spoke again. “And where should I start?”

“I do believe there is a train leaving for the Hollow Shades in half an hour,” once again her smile turned to him. “I shall inform Luna of your departure. And I will be sure Shining Armor assigns guards for the night while you are gone. Remember to raise the moon, wont you?”

~

He had to run, fast. It was little to go on. In fact, it was nothing to go on but a subtle hint from Celestia. But why would she send him there? What was in Hollow Shades that she banished? Or, more likely, was it just the first step. But at least, he managed to sleep on the train ride, and he awoke, as if on cue, to raise the moon, as Celestia was lowering the sun. Of course, he had to climb on top of the train car in order to do it. He needed space. Nopony tried to stop him, which he found odd, but not surprising.

Of course, he didn't want to get down now. It was so refreshing to be on top. But there was still work to be done. The next part was to shield the Everfree forest. From here, he could barely see the forest, and could not see the magic that he was even casting. It looked as though he was just sending magic off into the night sky.

Then, there was Hollow Shades. It reminded him of a mixture of Ponyville, and a much nicer Everfree Forest. Dark. Very dark actually, with trees that stretched up into the sky, until there was nothing but branches, and leaves above. As he stood on the platform, the train leaving behind him, he tried to think what to do next. He was here. What now. “What now...” He muttered. Did she banish something to the forest? No, that wouldn't make sense. He walked out into the town. It was... Quite pretty. Like, a land of eternal night, lanterns hanging from everywhere, like stars. There was a Pegasus floating about, and replacing lights that had gone out. Such an interesting place.

He wandered this way and that, just... Exploring the streets. This was a place that seemed active all day and night. It was such a great sight. As he watched them go through their lives, he had a sudden realization. If he had been the night for everyone, then that meant that he had urged these ponies to sleep. That was an odd thought. All of them. Was it in all of Equestria? Again that question went through his mind.

Focus on something else, keep your mind off that. But remember to ask Celestia about it. Think of something else... Like... Princess Luna. Think about how you just left her alone. No, don't think about that. But now he couldn't help it. He had left her alone, with nothing more than a note saying that he had gone to see Celestia about finding some night guards. Would she be alright through the night without him? Well... She was a Princess. She probably didn't need him at all... Now he had made himself depressed again.

He did that far too often, but he couldn't help it. It was why he shouldn't let his mind wander in those sorts of directions. Maybe someday he would be able to not do that. To just be able to simply... Go a a week without making himself sad. He had no reason to be depressed. Well, except for the fact that everypony hated him, or at least everypony he knew of.

“What are you doing here?” The voice had drawn him back, and he looked down at the little filly who was... Yes, glaring at him. Those bright blue eyes seemed to shine in this gloom. It was... Odd.

“Should you not be asleep?” He said, quite softly. He had not realized that he could speak in such a way. Softly, and tenderly.

Yet she was still glaring at him. “I just woke up,” was her response as she rubbed her eye.

“I see. I just got here,” still he kept that soft tone.

“But what are you doing here?” Apparently, ponies where already teaching their foals of him.

“I'm looking for something, but I don't know what,” it was weird saying it out loud, but that was what he was doing.

She stared at him, less of a glare now. “How are you going to do that?”

“I don't know,” he said, and sighed, looking around again.

There where several moments of silence, where she simply stared at him. “My daddy says you're a bad pony.”

“I'm sure he does,” Corser was hardly paying attention to her now. He was getting quite a lot of rather mean looks now, as word slowly spread that he had arrived in town. And he was sure that those who didn't know what he had done, where promptly being told.

“He says you should've been punished.” She was following him now, trotting behind him.

It wasn't like he was trying to get away from her, just that he needed to make some sort of progress. “I am. Believe me.” At least, he sure felt like it. Just from the way everypony was treating him.

“He said, that if he ever met you, he would have some very choice words.” Was this how a normal foal's brain worked? He supposed that it must be.

“Well, where is he? I'd gladly listen,” he said, looking down at the filly. “Honestly he would have nothing to say I've not heard yet.”

She grinned, and trotted off. Well now, that should probably be interesting. He decided that this may be at least a little entertaining, and so he decided to follow her. If not entertaining, than at least a distraction. Following her lead him to a large building, several ponies went in and out, and all moved quickly out of his way. He came in right in the middle of a conversation of the little filly, and who he assumed was her father, “not lying. He really is!”

Her father, a rather large, amber colored pony, did not look happy. “Now that is quite enough, you know you shouldn't-”

“I do believe the young filly, expressed that you had words for me?” The room went silent, as every single pony stared at Corser. “Or perhaps I was misheard her?”

The nervousness was quite clear on the other ponies face, with his matching blue eyes searching for some way to get out of it. “I... Uhm...”

“I will take that as a no then. But, I have words for you.” Corser looked around. “For all of you. You think that what I did was wrong. I do not. Nor does Celestia think what I did was wrong,” or at least he guessed that she did, “otherwise, why would she pardon me? You judge me by one action. An action that I personally am proud that I made.” There was a much larger crowd now, and he had all of their attentions. “You ponies merely want something to hate. Well, that's fine. But do not force your hate unto your foals.” He turned, and found his way blocked by a crowd. But as he moved foreword, they parted. “If you expect me to cause trouble, you will be disappointed. Celestia wanted me to come here, so here I am.”

“He's here to find something,” the little filly said from somewhere inside the room.

“Yes. And though I don't know what, I am sure that Celestia would not send me here, just to waste time.” She wouldn't do that, would she? Was this more of his punishment? A random goose-chase? Would she- a bell rang off in the distance and broke him from his thoughts.

Suddenly he was no longer the center of attention, as the entire town rushed towards the bell. “We spotted one!” It was one of the shouts he heard. It was as if the entire town was moving in one direction. “Shadow!”

“A shadow?” Corser said, watching the ponies rush off.

“They steal food. And stuff,” the little filly was there beside him, looking up at him.

“And stuff?” He looked back at her, and she nodded. “What kind of stuff?”

“Like... Toys. One stole my ball a few months ago. Daddy says I must have lost it, but I know one stole it, cus it wasn't where I left it.”

“Right...” The ponies had all gotten lanterns, and where running about, seemingly at random, shoving the light into every dark spot they could.

“Red Beats says they live in caves in the mountain, but Cherry Sunday says that that's just what they tell foal's to keep us away from the mountain. But then Red Beats says that that's just what they want you to think, so you don't go looking for them. But then Cherry Sunday says that that defeats the purpose of even telling us about it. Then Red Beats usually hits Cherry Sunday, and then Cherry hits him back, and they do that for a while, till they get tired, or a grown up comes and stops them. Sometimes they argue more before they start fighting. They fight a lot, and mommy says that's cus Red likes Cherry.”

“Caves...” Banished? Could she have simply banished them underground? The question is, what did she banish? How do you find, and then talk to a shadow? “Right then... That's a clue to my next step if I've ever seen one. Which way are the mountains?” She pointed, “thanks.”

“If you talk to the shadow's... Can you get my ball back? Daddy wont get me another one.”

As he looked at her, he couldn't say no. “If I find them.”

She smiled up at him. “If you can't, it's fine. They probably have little shadow's who want toys,” and with that, she trotted back inside. A pony inside, who Corser could only assume was her mother, glared at him.

He sighed, and turned the way she had pointed. Of course, he couldn't see any mountains through the trees, but there was a road. Which he followed. And it was a nice walk. It was quite long, though it was quite dark. But Corser liked the dark. It was soothing. Unfortunately, it was not very good for reading signs.

He lit his horn, and for a moment, he was blind. And then there was the massive amount of sudden noise as things in the trees, and bushes by the road ran. “Ah- sorry,” he said, in what felt like a pathetic manner. “Damn thing...” He tried to look up at his horn for a moment, but soon realized he could never see it. “Either full on, or off with you, ain't it...”

It was one of the things he could never quite get the hang of, ever since he was young. His mother used to tell him that it shone like starlight. It sort of did. Her little star-

He shook his head, and looked at the sign. “Foal Mountain... Five miles,” he read allowed, to give himself something to do. “Well, then, I suppose that's not so bad.” He shut off his light, and was once again blind. A sigh left him, as he sat down, and waited for his vision to adjust to the little light that filtered through the trees.

The noises in the bushes and trees around him didn't scare him. With his magic, and newly found fighting abilities, he was confident that nothing would probably scare him for the rest of his life. But now that he thought about it, that probably wasn't true. He really had to stop thinking like this, or he would just keep contradicting himself.

“Again, sorry,” he said, when his vision had returned, and he started down the path again. “That was more than too bright...” He rubbed his eyes.

Of course, there was no response. Well, not counting an owl who hooted in what sounded like annoyance at Corser scaring away some sort of prey. But other than that, nothing seemed to bother with him. He wondered if there where any of those... Shadows, watching him. In the darkness, he could see nothing but shifting bushes, and perhaps the glint of eyes. But there where hundreds of night dwelling creatures, and it could be any number of them.