The Cutie-Mark Crusaders were all making there way towards the library. They’d made a quick stop at Button's house on the way only to have nopony answer after about six minutes of knocking.
As they trotted towards the library, Sweetie Belle broke the silence.
"I guess Button and his mom had to go somewhere last minute."
"It probably couldn't be helped. I guess will just catch him up on what lessons we have today." Twinken suggested, none the wiser to the exchange of smiles between the other crusaders as they slowed their pace just a bit so Twinken would be walking in the lead.
But as giddy as she felt, Sweetie Belle couldn't help but worry a little. Button told her that he went to find a quick gift for the party. But at very least he could've left a note to tell them he couldn't make it.
While Sweetie Belle was having these thoughts something caught Apple Bloom's eyes. In the distance she could make out a few animals making a beeline towards Fluttershy's cottage.
Normally nothing spooked them that badly.
At the same time Rumble and Scootaloo happen to notice a rather stocky unicorn stallion. From the looks of it he was asking most of the market various questions. What those questions were they had no idea but they noted the look on his face, a mixture of confusion, anger, and determination.
Twinken noticed none of this as he was looking up in the sky to see a pegasus guard, who seemed to be looking frantically for something. But a moment later he flew away.
Each of the Crusaders were now confused and somewhat worried at the happenings of the town, but decided to ignore it for now as another day in Ponyville. They could always question their respective siblings about their worries later.
They had managed to reach the library tree and Twinken opened the door instead of knocking since he knew they were already expected.
"Why is it so dark in he..." Twinken wondered aloud whe-
"SURPRISE!!!!
Lights went on, there were bursts of confetti, balloons and streamers fell down upon Twinken and he shook it all off and gasped at what he saw!
The main room of the library was decorated with balloons, streamers, and twinkling stars. The wooden horse bust that was set on the table in the middle of the library was gone. In its place was a nice spread of cupcakes, pizzas, breadsticks, a few bowls of potato chips and dip, little fancy-looking mini-sandwiches, a punch bowl, along with bottles of sparkling apple cider and colt cola in a cooler of ice.
Attending were all of Twinken’s friends and family, including some of his classmates, Snips & Snails, Shady Daze, Featherweight, Piña Colada, First Base, Twist, Zipporwhill, Blade Runner, Carrot Crunch, Chip Mint, Cotton Cloudy, and (to Twinken’s delight) Dinky Doo!
Besides the colts and fillies, Twinken also saw Dinky’s parents, Doctor Whooves and Ditzy Doo-Whooves, Mrs. Chili Spice, Mr. & Mrs. Cake were here too, Pound and Pumpkin carried in foal-carriers strapped to Mrs. Cake’s barrel, Zipporwhill’s father Nightjar, Cheerilee (who’d come as a chaperone for some of the foals who were here without parents or legal guardians), Cloudchaser and Flitter, Granny Smith, Bulk Biceps (who’d already done his traditional “YEAH”), and of course he saw Applejack, Thunderlane, Big Mac, Rarity, Blueblood, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Twilight, Spike, and Midnight smiling warmly at his little brother.
Twinken stood there at a loss, filled with confusion but excitement when-
“SurPRISE!!!”
Up popped Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich with a happy and hearty “Happy birthday, Twinken!”
“Wha- B-birthday?!” Twinken echoed, confused as he thought aloud, “But… my birthday was months ago! What’s going on here?”
The excited chatter quieted down as Midnight stepped forward, looking happy but there was a hesitation in his steps as he sat down in front of Twinken, “Little brother, what’s going on is…. Today – this day – is your real birthday, when you were born eleven years ago, that special day when you came into our lives when I was thirteen years old.”
“When you were… !!” Realization began to dawn on Twinken as he looked at the alicorn prince in front of him in a whole new light, this pony who had volunteered to be his big brother for a Sibling Revelry, who’d taken him in, given him a home, loved him, made him happy, and while the adoptive status had never mattered to him, Twinken began to realize what Midnight was saying.
“Midnight! Are-are you really…?”
Midnight answered by pulling the little colt in front of him into a warm and tender hug, even wrapping his wings around Twinken, who peered over Midnight’s shoulder and saw everypony.
Rarity, Big Mac, Mr. & Mrs. Cake, Cheerilee, even Bulk Biceps! They were all shedding tears of joy, and Twinken was set back down as Midnight released him and looked at Twinken with tearful eyes of his own.
“I’m sure you must have questions, and I promise to answer all of them. For now though little brother, here’s your first birthday present.”
Midnight held up his hoof and a turquoise bubble suddenly appeared over it and popped to reveal a small white box tied shut with a golden ribbon. He held it out to Twinken, saying, “I’ve waited for so long to give this to you.”
Twinken accepted the present with trembling hooves, his heart and mind racing, stunned by a mixture of joy, confusion, and plain ol’ shock.
“I… I don’t know what to…”
“Ah-ah-ah, birthday colt!” Pinkie bounced over to Twinken and Midnight, “presents are for after birthday cake!”
“Pinkie Pie, if he wants to open it now, then-” Midnight started to protest.
“Uh, no!” Twinken interrupted, “I… I think I wanna save this present for last.”
Midnight and Pinkie shared a look before the former asked, “Are you sure about that, Twinken?”
“I’m sure,” Twinken nodded with a smile, as he looked at the library again, covered with decorations and seeing all in attendance.
“Besides, it’s… my birthday, after all, so… Let’s get this party STARTED!!!!”
“YEAH!!!” Bulk Biceps yelled over the cheers in response to Twinken’s words and fun and happy times ensued.
Featherweight took pictures for highlights of the party while Thunderlane rolled a video camera. They took all kinds of shots and footage, watching Scootaloo miss her mark in ‘Pin the Tail on the Pony’ and instead hitting Soarin straight in the cutie-mark (his voice showed potential for singing soprano), Cheese Sandwich won the limbo challenge of ‘How low can you go’ (defying the laws of physics in such a way that it made Twilight’s eye twitch at the sight of it), the smiles and laughs on everypony’s faces during the version of Musical Chairs where everypony plays but nopony loses (Spike somehow wound up on top of the pony pile on the last chair), and everypony just had an all-around good time.
“Thanks so much for doing all this, you guys!”
“No problemo, Midnight ol’ pal!”
“Yeah, whenever we Party Ponies put something together we’re happiest when what we do makes everypony smile!”
“Twinken’s got quite a birthday haul.”
“Hey Thunder, if you can, send me a copy of that tape.”
“Sure, but… Is it just me or are a couple ponies missing?”
“Sweetie Belle did inform me that they stopped by Button’s house but nopony answered.”
“An’ Ah ain’t seen `Shy since she moseyed on over t’ her cottage t’ check on her critters.”
*Knock-knock-knock*
“I got it!” Spike answered the door to see it was, “Fluttershy! Come on in!”
“Thank you, Spike, sorry I’m late,” Fluttershy walked in, carrying an envelop with Angel riding on her back, looking a tad skittish.
“Hey there, sweetheart,” Big Mac went over to give his wife a hug and kiss, “Wha’ kept ya?”
“Oh the critters had… a bit of a fright,” Fluttershy didn’t want to think of what she and Angel had experienced in the Everfree Forest. “I finally managed to calm the little darlings and get them home before I finally made my way here for the party.”
“And uh… why’d you bring Angel?” Spike warily asked, not particularly fond of the rabbit.
“Well, Angel just didn’t want me to leave but I didn’t want to miss Twinken’s birthday and give him my present,” Fluttershy continued, “so I brought him along. But don’t worry, he’ll be on his best behavior… though if anypony has a carrot or something for him to nibble on, that would be nice.”
Pinkie suddenly popped up, wearing a fancy waiter costume and fake moustache. Bearing a dish covered by a cloche, which she lifted to reveal a small bowl of carrot sticks with a side of ranch dip as she said (in a bad Prench accent), “Would Monsieur Angel Bunny care to sample ze vittles?”
Seeing what Pinkie was offering, Angel leaned over to take a sniff. At first, he smelled the juicy carrot sticks and rich ranch dip… when another scent tickled his snuffly nose.
He’d smelled that before… Angel felt his heart begin to race and looked in the direction he smelled that scent and squealed at the sight of its source!
He nabbed one of the carrot sticks and threw it.
“Hey!” Midnight reached up with his hoof to his ear where the carrot stick had hit him, and looked confused towards Fluttershy.
“Angel Bunny, why ever did you do that?” Fluttershy looked at her bunny like a parent scolding a naughty child.
The frantic rabbit hid behind Fluttershy’s hair, shivering with fright, while also pointing at Midnight and squeaking!
“What? Midnight, he- Angel, you’re… you’re not making any… sense…!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in realization as she looked to her friend and saw Midnight looking at her back, the look on his face all but confirming what she was suspecting, what Angel was telling her!
“Midnight…?!”
The sound of her voice cut like a tightening wire, as Midnight began to sweat and the ponies around them began to notice the way Fluttershy was looking at him and the way he was looking at her back. A voice inside was screaming at him to run but his hooves were frozen as Fluttershy hesitantly approached him, Big Mac, Rarity, Blueblood, and Thunderlane looking confused.
“Fluttershy, whatever is the matter, dear?”
“And Midnight, did something happen between you two?”
“Yeah, buddy, you’re looking like you got caught in the act, or something.”
“`Shy?”
More and more ponies were now looking at Fluttershy and Midnight, the two of them sharing a most tense and uncomfortable look, the party music was muted, allowing everypony to hear what Fluttershy said.
“Midnight… was that you I saw in the Everfree Forest?”
Midnight gulped and was really beginning to sweat, as Twilight stepped up, asking, “What’s going on? Fluttershy, what do you mean, you saw Midnight in the Everfree Forest?”
“I… I saw something,” Fluttershy confirmed, keeping her eye on Midnight as she nervously went on. “Angel got fussy and ran off… I followed him into the forest, where… Where we heard a horrible scream! We hid, and I saw… something! It was some kind of creature, covered with this- this… smoky darkness! It chased down and killed a deer! Angel… Angel wouldn’t be acting so afraid right now unless… Unless what we saw eating the deer was here right now!”
Midnight had never looked so nervous but couldn’t think of a word to say as more and more eyes fell upon him.
“N-now hold on, Fluttershy!” Twilight protested, “You just said that, whatever you saw, it was covered with some kind of ‘smoky darkness’, so you didn’t really see whatever it was you think you saw! So, before we go and point hooves-”
“It was me.”
He said it without meaning to, they just slipped out, and now all eyes really were now looking at him as Midnight was hurt to see some of them afraid. A few of them even stepped back a bit. For a moment the silence oozed with trepidation until finally Midnight took a deep breath.
“After… I gave my lecture to Twinken’s class, I… I needed to eat. But I needed something that I couldn’t find in Ponyville, because… I’m part Lunar Pony. Some of you might have seen them, a lot of them as Princess Luna’s personal guard.
“Lunar Ponies are different from regular ponies. Most of them live on the Shetland Isles though in recent years, especially after Luna came back they’ve started making more efforts to integrate with Equestrian society. One of the problems however is, well…”
“They eat meat.”
All eyes turned to Blueblood whose facial expression was neutral as he said “Lunar Ponies are omnivores, meaning their diet includes meat. I’ve met a few Lunar Ponies, even visited the Shetland Isles a couple times when I carried out a few diplomatic duties for my aunt.”
“Blueblood, you mean to say you spent time with- with-” Rarity looked aghast, at Blueblood and especially at Midnight, with a blatant look of disgust for the latter.
“Now hold on, Rarity,” Soarin spoke up, “you can’t blame someone for being the way they are! I’m sure Opalescence has eaten a mouse or fish in front of you, at least once!”
“Yeah, I’ve met a few meat-eating creatures when I was moseying around Equestria to parties in the works,” Cheese added, as though it were no big whoop what they’d all just learned. “I even tried some salted salmon from a restaurant in a fishing village over at Horseshoe Bay! Strong flavor but it was good stuffy, really.”
“Add to the fact that Lunar Ponies need to eat meat on a periodic basis,” Blueblooded brought up. “They can’t survive only on the foods regular ponies eat. Their bodies require them to feed on meat every now and then otherwise their bodies will begin to reject foods like greens, leading to deterioration of their health.”
“Well… I suppose I can’t fault you for needing meat, Midnight,” Fluttershy looked at her friend in a more kindly manner. “But I don’t think I’ve ever seen you go in the Everfree Forest to… well, to hunt!”
“I received a letter from my… supplier in the Griffon Kingdom a while back,” Midnight admitted, “he said until further notice his supply chain would be cut off. I’m sorry you saw all that, Fluttershy, and that all of you had to find out this way.”
Midnight looked away from everypony before saying in a lower tone, “I didn’t want you to find out like this… but I won’t apologize for being different.”
Nopony knew what to say. Awkward silence befell the room, as everypony shared looks, unsure of what to say or do next. Twilight looked around and could see somepony had to break the ice; the longer this went on the more uncomfortable it would just get. She took a deep breath and stepped forward…
“Midnight-”
…only for the library door to swing open and in came a distraught Love Tap and a Pegasus guard. The sobbing earth pony mother was crying as she spoke, “M-my Button! Is he here?! Has anypony seen my son?!”
And just like that, the object of everypony’s interests was shifted, as everypony looked to Love Tap and the guard, the both of them looking out of their minds with worry.
“Love Tap! What’s going on, Button’s missing?” Twilight asked first, the colts and fillies all suddenly looking worried.
The guard stepped forward, giving a wing-salute to Midnight and Twilight, “Your Highnesses, Miss Love Tap and I came here, looking for young Button Mash but it appears he’s not here. I humbly request your help in finding him.”
“Please, your majesties!!” Love Tap went up to Twilight, putting her hooves on the princess’s shoulders, sobbing, “My baby is missing! I-I- I can’t lose him too-hoo-hoo…!!!”
“Him too?!” Twilight echoed as she did her best to calm the weeping mother down.
“Soldier, what does she mean?” Midnight asked, and again all eyes were on the guard.
The royal guard looked down in sorrow, “I came here to deliver some messages, Sire. The first was to Miss Love Tap, to inform her that… that her oldest son, Lieutenant Cheat Code is dead.”
Multiple gasps sounded, especially from the parents present, Love Tap crying even harder that Cheerilee, Mrs. Cake, and Granny Smith came over to comfort her while the soldier continued.
“Young Button Mash arrived just as I gave the news and… I had come to personally deliver a Red Heart of Service. Button figured out the reason why. He ran off crying his eyes out after that.”
Sorrowful silence befell everypony in the library, except for Love Tap, who continued to weep despite the comforting efforts of those around her. Even Sweetie Belle was beginning to sniffle, Rarity noticing and hugging her dear little sister close, knowing how Sweetie and Button were such dear friends. Even Pinkie’s mane started to deflate while the curly forelock of hair above Cheese’s face suddenly drooped.
“I see. Lieutenant Cheat Code is dead,” Midnight spoke solemnly before addressing the guard again, “Do you know the COD, soldier?”
“That’s just it, Your Majesty,” the guard explained, “Cheat Code, and several other guards, they were all killed in action! By unknown assailants.”
Unknown assailants? But who could’ve- Midnight thought a moment, No, Button’s more important right now. We need to fin-
"Sir, there's something else you ought to know..." the guard added, interrupting Midnight's train of thought.
He looked back at the soldier, acknowledging him, "Sure, go ahead."
"We may wish to step out," warned the guard.
Midnight rolled his eyes. He had just been informed of a crushing tragedy for several families that would scar them for life. Whatever else this guard had to say was likely to pale in comparison.
"It's fine, go on."
After clearing his throat and darting his eyes a little, as if struggling to find a way to say it, the guard announced, "Well, it's about the Hossmane case. We found him today... dead at his desk in an apparent suicide."
“WHAT?!?!” Midnight yelled, the news hitting him, flinching the instant he realized everypony in the room had heard their conversation.
Midnight silently cursed himself for failing to go outside with the guard to hear the other news. Now that he'd let him blurt out that information, his cover was blown, and he hesitantly looked around noticing once again all eyes were on him, especially Twilight. The awkward silence returned but it was much shorter this time, as Twilight's eyes stared at him in that special way that means an explanation was due.
“Midnight, wh- I don’t know what exactly is going on here, but… Are you involved somehow with the Blackberry Hossmane case?”
What do I do… what do I say?! Midnight’s mind was racing as he tried to think of how to handle this. Wait… Button Mash! I can remind them he takes priority and-
*BANG*
Everypony flinched at the sound of the library door being forced open and Midnight’s hopes of damage control flew out the window as he saw Joe walk in, glaring at the alicorn prince.
“Doughnut Joe?! What’re you doing here?” Twilight asked the million-bit question.
Joe approached Midnight until they were only a yard apart. They held each other’s gaze but while Joe’s was razor-edged and adamant with a tempered fury, Midnight’s was flickering and nervous, like a lit candle struggling to stay lit in a harsh windstorm.
“…I followed you,” Joe spoke, and Midnight’s sweat turned cold with realization as he remembered where he’d gone that early morning and that if Joe had indeed followed him there could be only one reason he was here, confronting him.
“I lost you in Canterlot General Hospital, but I found her… She looked like she was just sleeping. But there’s somethin’ wrong with her, ain’it?!”
“Joe, who are you talking about?!” Twilight asked, finally noticing the emotional turmoil on her coltfriend’s face and realized how cornered he must feel.
“Whatever the situation is, I’m sure if we all just take a moment and-”
“Why is she in there?!” Joe yelled, his eyes boring into Midnight, who looked desperate for a way out. “And why haven’t I heard from her for so many years?! Did you do something to her, ‘Your Highness’?! You did something and you kept her hidden from me!”
“Joe, that’s enough!” Twilight exclaimed but there was a pleading in her voice, as she saw Midnight fall onto his haunches and cover his face with his wings.
Joe ignored her and pushed at Midnight, “What did you do to her?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER?!”
“Get away from him!” Twinken yelled, unable to take it anymore as he got between Joe and Midnight-
“SHUT UUUUUP!!!!!” Midnight screamed as a wave of shimmering shadowstuff exploded with a defensive flap of his wings… and Twinken screamed as he took the brunt of it and was hurtled into the partygoers, specifically into Doctor Whooves and Carrot Cake, who just barely managed to catch him.
Joe was blown back too, thrown by the power into one of the bookshelves. He grunted in pain as he fell into a heap, quickly covered in disheveled books.
There were a few screams and cries of fear and confusion, but as it began to wind down, Twilight looked to see Midnight on his hooves, panting and shaking, his eyes bugging out as he struggled to clear his thoughts.
“Ohhh….”
That one groan of pain struck him deep as Midnight froze in realization. As if in a trance, he slowly looked towards Twinken, seeing him being held by Dr. Whooves, Ditzy and Dinky looking at the little colt, concerned as he didn’t respond to their voices.
Midnight didn’t even hear them talking, hear them asking Twinken if he was okay. All he knew in that moment… was he had hurt his little brother.
What have I done...?!
“Midnight!”
That scolding voice snapped him out of it, and he looked to see Twilight looking at him in a way that hurt.
“Upstairs. Now.”
Everypony watched as Midnight shamefully did as Twilight told him, walking up the stairs, disappearing from sight. Twilight then went over to Twinken and gave him a look, “He seems fine, just out of it, right now.”
“Be that as it may, I think Twinken should be examined at the hospital,” Dr. Whooves concurred, “I’ll take him there straightaway.”
“We’ll come too,” Ditzy added as she helped Dinky onto her back.
Twilight nodded before addressing everypony, “Everyone, I’m afraid the party is gonna have to be cut short.”
“What about him?” Carrot Cake pointed out Joe, who was still buried under the books that had fallen on him.
Chili Spice went over to check on him for a moment, “I think we should get this stallion to the hospital as well. He might have a concussion.”
“We got him,” Zipporwhill’s father Nightjar and Bulk Biceps came over, Nightjar hoisting Joe onto Bulk’s back. Zipporwhill and Featherweight followed their fathers out the library, Chili Spice in tow.
Cheerilee and the Cakes, along with all the colts and fillies under Cheerilee’s watch, left after them.
Twilight then looked to Love Tap, who was still sniffling, “Now, Love Tap, while I need to speak with Midnight, I’m sure some of our friends will be more than happy to help you look for Button Mash.”
“We got this, Twilight!” Cheese saluted, Pinkie adding, “It’s time for a search party! I’ll get the night-vision goggles!”
“Th-thank you!” Love Tap hiccupped as Cheese and Pinkie helped her to her hooves and escorted her outside.
Big Mac, Thunderlane, Blueblood, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, the Cutie-Mark Crusaders followed, Rarity and Fluttershy hanging back as the former asked, “Darling, are you sure you don’t want one of us here with you? I mean… tonight has been quite… eventful.”
“And we’ve learned rather much of some secrets Midnight’s been keeping,” Fluttershy added.
“You’re both sweet to want to help, girls, but…” Twilight looked to the way upstairs. “The way Midnight reacted, it was like a cornered animal lashing out! …I feel he will be more at ease if he’s talking to just me, and I’ll have Spike here too!”
“I’ve always got Twilight’s back!” Spike puffed his chest out as he stood by Twilight.
“Well, if you’re sure…” Fluttershy hesitated.
“Just be careful, Twilight, and you too, Spikey-wikey,” Rarity gave them both a hug, before gesturing Fluttershy out the door.
But before she stepped out, Rarity said to Twilight, “Midnight has clearly kept a great deal of secrets from us, Twilight. You might not like what else he’s been keeping.”
He’d made sure to glamour himself before stepping out onto Twilight’s balcony, he didn’t want anypony to see him as they left the library. He had a perfect view of everypony leaving, and his keen hearing helped him pick up on what some of them said as they left.
Vicious carnivore.
Monster.
What is he involved in?
Did he kill Blackberry Hossmane?
Is he behind the death of Button Mash’s brother?
Is he holding that Doughnut Joe’s sister hostage?
How could he hurt his own little brother?
How dare they?
How dare they judge him? How dare they condemn him? After all he’d done for them and Equestria? After all that he’d suffered and lost? Who were they to accuse him when all he’d ever done was protect them from the worst enemies of society, the ones that dwell within it?
But… they were right.
Oh Twinken… I’m sorry- I’m so sorry! Midnight wept as he leaned onto the balcony railing, feeling like the monster everypony was calling him.
How did it come to this…
“Midnight.”
He inhaled sharply through his teeth and wiped his tears before looking at her, and what he saw on her face… Confusion, disapproval, concern, disappointment.
Underlying all that, not a demand but a request for an explanation.
“Midnight… I don’t even know what to ask or where to start-”
“He’s my uncle.”
Twilight gaped at Midnight, not quite sure of what he’d just said, “Wh- He- Wait… are you talking about Joe?!”
Midnight snorted and collected himself before taking a deep breath, “Joe… He’s my mother’s younger brother, which also makes him my uncle. After I became an alicorn and everything that came with it, Celestia hid me away in the countryside where I could study and train in secret.
“As I told you before, she made everypony in Canterlot, except for my parents and Shining Armor, forget about me… that included Joe. I should have, but… I never approached him after what happened to Mom and…”
He made a shuddering sigh, Twilight sighing as well before she moved things alone.
“And Blackberry Hossmane? Did I hear that guard right? He committed suicide?”
“…It would seem so,” Midnight hesitated.
“But- Why?!” Twilight demanded, “What possible reason could he have to- to… take his own life?! Midnight… did you do something to him?!”
“I threatened to expose him,” Midnight answered, his voice losing its shame and becoming more even and adamant. “I finally compiled enough evidence to have Hossmane convicted of all his crimes. I approached him when I went to Manehatten and showed him the evidence. He realized I really did have him, he tried to threaten me, to bribe me, but he realized there was nothing he could do.
“I gave him a choice between confessing his crimes himself or copies of all the evidence would be anonymously given to the Manehatten police and every major news media in all of Equestria. I gave him the chance to confess and own up to his own misdeeds. But I forgot something.”
“And… what’s that?” Twilight was afraid to ask.
“…Take away his power, take away his money, take away his ability to hide behind the law or even his own anonymity, and all you’ll find is a coward,” Midnight said in a tone so chilling it made Twilight shiver.
“And Blackberry Hossmane did what cowards do – He took the coward’s way out.”
“Midnight, that’s… Whether or not Hossmane was guilty of any crime, what gives you the right to act in that way?!” Twilight was aghast at her coltfriend, “There are laws, regulations, procedures-”
“Which the likes of Blackberry Hossmane have used and manipulated to worm their way out of justice time and time again!” Midnight turned to look at Twilight, stone faced with judgment.
“Do you know what my father once told me, Twilight? Good is restricted by honor but Evil doesn’t play fair!
“Evil, corruption, crime, it preys upon the innocent and denies justice using manipulation, bribery, blackmail, and extortion! It’s even worse when the very laws we create are used to justify wrongdoings or deem actions made to undo the wrongs wrong themselves! Do you know how many cases against criminals I’ve seen get dropped because some idiotic procedure wasn’t followed or broken?! How many criminals have walked or been acquitted because the law saw the evidence that would have put them away as fruit from the poisonous tree?!”
Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but Midnight wasn’t done yet. He took a moment, using Cadance’s calming technique before he continued.
“I got tired of watching criminals get away with their misdeeds… So I did something about it.”
“Did something about it…?!” Twilight echoed, “Midnight what are you saying?”
“…I am the leader of a covert organization,” Midnight explained, looking out into the night, a dispirited expression falling over his face.
“The Brotherhood of the Evening Hoods, our purpose is to enforce the law and punish the guilty in ways the legitimate law enforcement cannot.”
“Midnight! You’re- You’re talking about taking the law into your own hooves! You’re acting as a vigilante and punishing without giving due process!” Twilight admonished but then noticed Midnight made a heavy folder appear, floating by him.
He turned to face her, his face unforgiving as his horn lit up and the folder opened, revealing documents and photos of ponies, griffons, dogs, minotaurs, even a few yaks, dragons, and zebras. He made them float above their heads, orbiting like Twilight did every week when she rearranged the books in the library.
There are hundreds of them! Twilight thought when a document with a photo of an earth pony mare floated in front of her.
Twilight read the mare’s name, age, cutie-mark… and her crimes! She was convicted of multiple counts of foal-abuse and neglect, with all her victims had been her foster children, most of them she’d taken just to get paid more money from Foal and Family Services! And instead of spending that money on their welfare, she’d spent most of it on herself while subjecting her foster foals to inequine living conditions and barely kept them fed.
Two of her foster foals had almost died from malnourishment and whenever any of them had acted up she’d beaten them and forced them to spend nights in dog kennels!
She was convicted and sentenced to twenty years of prison for each count of abuse, and she only barely managed to get her multiple sentences to be served concurrently instead of consecutively when she provided crucial testimony to an especially heinous sex crime.
Another document, this one of a dog showed him to be a serial killer and pony-eater, having killed and eaten twelve stallions, six mares, four foals, and an unconfirmed number of pony-slaughters and aggravated assaults. He was given multiple life-sentences without possibility of parole.
Each document detailed crimes just as bad, if not worse, and Twilight became more and more disgusted and horrified for each case she looked at.
Murder (serial, spree killings, premeditated, etc.).
Embezzlement (spending money from charities, money intended for public services ,etc.).
Fraud (tax evasion, faulty goods, etc.).
Rape (serial and sometimes rape-murder).
Political corruption (involving bribery, blackmail, payoffs, death-threats, etc.).
Trafficking (weapons, artifacts, drugs, sometimes even of living creatures).
Assault and battery (robberies, hate-motivated, sometimes as warnings, etc.).
Torture (psychological, emotional, or physical, more often a combination. Or worse yet, sexual; including where the victims had been foals).
All motivated by the most selfish, depraved, or despicable of reasons, and some committed by even the most upstanding looking citizens. Most of the crimes were perpetrated in the bigger cities, like Manehatten, Baltimare, Fillydelphia, even in Cloudsdale, but Twilight also noticed some had been done in Canterlot!
But then she began to notice several of the criminals, confirmed or suspected, had been labeled ‘eliminated’.
“Midnight… what does this mean,’ eliminated’?” Twilight looked at him in an accusing way, only for Midnight to look away.
“Midnight…! Tell me you didn’t-”
“I’d be lying,” Midnight answered, “and I’m not gonna lie anymore…”
“Midnight, I- I-! I don’t know wha-” Twilight stammered in horror as she couldn’t look at anymore of these papers. Couldn’t bear to see the faces of those who’d been labeled ‘eliminated’. She finally choked out, “…H-how many?”
“How many labeled 'eliminated' or how many altogether?" Midnight responded coldly but also heavily, not quite guilty but clearly not proud of the blood on his hooves.
"Was Hossmane labeled 'eliminated'?!" Twilight brought up.
“I didn’t kill him,” Midnight responded adamantly.
“You backed him into a corner!” Twilight admonished, horrified by Midnight’s indifference to Hossmane’s suicide. “After what happened tonight, I would think you’d know how that feels!”
“Blackberry Hossmane had a list of crimes longer than my horn,” Midnight snorted callously. “He ruined so many lives that he doesn’t deserve a drop of your sympathy!!”
“Even if that’s true, he still deserved to have his day in court!” Twilight maintained, “He deserved the chance to defend himself!”
“He robbed hundreds of ponies of their money, their livelihoods, and their dignity!” Midnight exclaimed, his eyes burning unforgivingly. “He ruined their lives and left many of them with nothing! He was supposed to answer for his wrongs but from where I stand he deserved the same fate!”
“At least he wasn’t a killer-“ Twilight quickly stuck her hoof into her mouth.
But that damage was done.
She hesitantly looked at Midnight and realized she had hurt him, seeing it in his eyes. The hurt that quickly burned into anger.
“A killer…?” he echoed with a low whisper that it actually frightened Twilight into taking a step back.
“At least he wasn’t a killer…?!”
“Well, even if he did hurt ponies you don’t have the right!” Twilight tried to argue, “You don’t have the right to be judge, jury, and-and… and executioner! Midnight, how could you possibly think this is acceptable?! Princess Celestia would never approve of this!”
…
…
…
Twilight felt a chill run up her spine as she felt the look Midnight was giving her more than she saw it. It was cold and pitying, like looking at somepony doing something so stupid it was just pathetic. He levitated all the dossiers that were labeled ‘eliminated’ and flipped them over for Twilight to see.
“No…!”
It was unmistakable. The boldness in the strokes, the elegance of the curves, the way that lowercased ‘a’ was written as a single-storey ‘ɑ’ instead of double-storey ‘a’ at the end of her name.
It was Princess Celestia’s signature!
All of them had her signature!
At first, Twilight thought No, they’re fake, they must be! She cast several charms and spells to be certain, only for her certainty to deflate into mind-numbing shock. It was her signature, nopony had copied it, each paper with her signature had been touched with her mana as she’d signed them.
Midnight voiced her thoughts as the truth began to sink in, “She knows and she approves.”
Twilight was too shell-shocked to respond and Midnight continued.
“How naïve are you, really, Twilight Sparkle…? You honestly believe Equestria is a perfect nation? That everypony in it is a law-abiding citizen living in harmony with each other, without conflict or strife? That is the perspective of a child.
“You’re looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, Twilight. You see good and evil, and chaos and harmony as though they’re black and white. There are some absolutes in this world, but everything else? It’s a gray area, it’s just a matter of figuring out how dark or light are the shades.”
Twilight couldn’t look at him. She couldn’t think of what to say or what to do with all that she’d just learned. It was as if somepony had taken her whole world and twisted it all up into a tangled mess of knots, like the knots she felt in her insides, causing her eye to twitch and her stomach to bubble and her wings to wrap around her from the chilling enlightenment from the secrets she’d just learned.
Seeing the pony he loved this way, Midnight felt horrible and disgusting. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
*Knock-knock-knock*
“YES?” Midnight responded, barely keeping his tone in check.
The door to Twilight’s room opened and Spike walked in, looking nervous as he held a message.
“Um, Midnight, you… You got a summons, from Princess Celestia. She wants you in Canterlot as soon as possible, and it looks like she really means it!”
That was just what he needed, Midnight growled in vexation. He nodded to Spike and started walking towards the door, saying, “Spike? Look after Twilight…”
“Always, Midnight,” Spike could just feel the bad in the situation and shuddered when he saw Midnight’s shadow rise up and envelop him like a heavy curtain.
It fell away but left behind a heavy black hooded cloak over Midnight’s form, the hood held in place by a hole in its brim. Just before he left, with tears running down his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, Midnight said without looking back, “You’re not as educated as you think you are, Princess…”
He slammed the door, leaving Spike to look after Twilight with deep concern and feeling his heart sink at the sound of her crying.
Deep in the Everfree Forest, within the cave where stood the Tree of Harmony, in front of it the mysterious Chest. Shaped like a six-sided pyramid with a flat top, the upper panels sporting keyholes, below them were the six new Elements of Harmony: Unity, Trust, Music, Sincerity, Devotion, and Faith...
Faith was flashing on and out, like a lightbulb with faulty wiring. The flashes became less and less frequent, until they stopped flashing and became a weakened glow. Like a dying ember, it dimmed before falling out of its slot in the Chest.
As the Element of Faith lay in the dirt, the life in it was all but gone.
The Light of Faith... had gone out.