Entry 1, last day of 982 YC (Year of Celestia)
Here goes, I’m going to try writing in this diary. It’s been a bit more than 3 months since I found myself in Canterlot Orphanage. The awe factor is still somewhat high, I think it took me the better part of the first month to get used to everything to the point that I could walk without consciously having to stop myself from twisting my neck as I took everything in. Especially when one considers how many interesting things happened in that first month. I’m still impressed with myself, that I managed to NOT walk into a wall, a post or anypony for that matter during that time. But monotony and normality (well Equestrian kind of it anyway) are setting in, largely due to school… urgh. I think I’ll end here, we’re going out to watch the fireworks. Midnight, out.
#2, 4th January 983
Got my birthday cake! Chocolate on a crunchy bottom, I think I ate too much…
#3, 5th
It’s Monday and the first day of school after the break, but I'm staying in the orphanage. Got a bit sick after yesterday. It’s worth noting thought, that apparently equestrian ponies really can vomit and it's not pretty. Note to self, eating more than half of a cake is not a good idea, also a reminder for later: kill Dandelion. Why or how did he manage to goad me into it I still can't quite grasp. Well alright, I do see him shoving - not eating, shoving - food into himself everyday so I thought I can eat that puny half of cake, but no… must be an earth pony thing.
#4, 25th January 983
Been some time now since I wrote in this thing. Admittedly nothing really exciting happened during that time. Well maybe there was one thing, Silent Flight dropped by and took Trixie and me on an outing. It’s still the middle of winter so we just went to a couple of stores and a bakery…
Might as well write it down, I think Trixie is either crushing on me or is becoming jealous or something. She can become awkward in my company at the strangest of times. Time to investigate!
#5, 1st February
Finally! Hearthfire taught me a basic heating spell and then we began working on a cooling one. Funny thing, for me cooling is waaay more efficient - not stronger, just more cost effective - than warming something up. Hearthfire quickly caught onto that and promised to borrow me a book on basic ice magic. However something is still missing I can feel it but explaining that to the magister is a struggle, good thing he understands that. Magic is at its roots a highly personal, private experience… he told me that enough times.
#6 2nd February
I’ve managed to subtly prod Trixie about her behavior during one of our own magic lessons, at least I think I was subtle. I’ve got the standard “Trixie has no idea what you’re talking about.”, that’s promising…
It was Sunday afternoon, a month after his last magic lesson with magister Hearthfire and a few days more than that from his last diary entry, as Midnight held the quill above his journal in his blue-black aura. The ink already managed to drip down making two small splotchy marks on the blank page. After the few initial entries he put in it, it was getting easier to express himself on paper. It was also surprisingly… refreshing. But how does one write down what had happened lately?
“Right then, let's just start with ‘Dear Diary my life turned on its head…’”, he muttered writing it down.
The lesson started normally, Hearthfire would quiz him on a few runes old and newly learned. Then they would exercise his magic using telekinesis, the newly added cooling and heating spells. After that thought…
“Midnight I’ve had some discussion with other magisters and masters in the guild about what we discussed. The incomplete feeling of your magic?”
This managed to pull him out of his reading, the introductory chapter in the ice magic book looked too interesting to resist diving right into it.
“It is rather bothering…”, the young unicorn answered as he closed the borrowed book.
“You have discovered and I’ve confirmed that you’re attuned to the ice element. However I’ve been made to rethink it by my peers,” Hearthfire started to walk back and forth inside their assigned classroom while Midnight just frowned, deep in thought after hearing that.
“How come? I mean it’s obvious to me, my magic feels cold. The one spell with affinity for cold I can do, I do with almost no mana wasted…”, the ex-human jerked back when the older unicorn twirled and jabbed his hoof at him.
“That right there! Cold, not ice!”
“Uhm… you lost me magister?”, right now Midnight missed hands, because he would gladly scratch his head in confusion.
“Lets try something then,” Hearthfire sat down. “Close your eyes and imagine the coldest place or thing you can and let your magic flow just as you would do it for the spells you know.”
Midnight did so with a small sigh and muttered ‘whatever’. His curiosity was piqued but his official lesson could be used for something better than, what he was suspecting was simple meditation. He had to imagine the coldest place or thing he could? He could do that and more, a small smirk formed on his muzzle. With an image firmly in mind, he pulled from his mana pool.
Instantly he could feel his teachers magic flare as he was forced to warm himself as the air in the classroom began to cool.
“Good, what we’re going to do is try forcing your full aura to manifest. The risk should be minimal and I’ll contain any wild discharges,” saying this Hearthfire was so sure of himself only because he had five of his friends from the guild concealed and waiting behind the doors. This was a reckless move, but as his old teacher said ‘Sometimes you just need a push…’
“Now, just like when you were trying to reach your magic for the first time search for the… missing part, concentrate on melding the two together and do not think about anything else. When you achieve this, imagine yourself diving into your mana pool.”
Midnight heard him, but his brows twitched in concern. In almost every beginner book he read the author said not to do what his teacher wanted him to do. From what he gathered if he did this, he would burn the majority of his mana in an instant and if not stopped run the risk of borderline exhaustion.
“Leap of faith, huh?”, Midnight muttered before taking a deep breath.
It took him almost no time to recall the nameless heavines. The harder part was superimposing that feeling on the image and feeling of coldness. His science oriented human mind unintentionally came up with a very specific image. Something clicked inside him and as if a signal was given he plunged into his above average - for a now 7 year old - mana pool.
In that moment a lot of things happened simultaneously.
Ponies shouted, the air was filled with the sound of breaking glass, tearing wood and collapsing walls. Midnight opened his eyes, that for everypony else looked like pools of dark blue light. The young unicorn felt himself float, suspended in the collapsing building by his own magic. His eyes crossed to look up, seeing the moderately sized black orb of… nothinges. Frozen debris orbited him, before being swallowed by the blackness as the orb was slowly growing.
A hexagonal wall of mixed colours suddenly sprang around him and the collapsing building.
A puls of warm energy passed his body accompanied by the sound of a chime almost too silent to be heard among the roar of magic around him.
In a blink of golden light a shining figure appeared before him, her aura smothering his in a blink of an eye. Celestia has arrived and broke his hold on the energy.
The black orb detonated in a final act of defiance and self defence flattening, cratering the area inside the barrier.
His magic no longer supporting him, Midnight began to fall. He didn't even mind, at this point he felt like sleeping for the next whole week was a great idea, he fell bonelessly not having the energy to move at all.
Golden energy surrounded him, catching him.
Before he passed out, the last thing he saw was Celestia's rage filled eyes and a snarl on her lips.
“You foals! How could you even...” the rest of the earth shaking rant went unheard by Midnight as he finally gave up on staying awake.
When he woke up, just before he opened his eyes his nostrils flared as his nose was assaulted with the stench of disinfectant. The ex-human groaned and opened his eyes.
Turning slightly his head he quickly confirmed his suspicion he was in a hospital room. Painted in warm colours, with a comfy bed and stocked with stuffed toys and books but it was a hospital nonetheless.
“Great…”, Midnight muttered trying to recall how he ended up here. Oh, yeah… he did what he dubbed the ‘mana dive’. “Minimal risk my ass…”
Whatever he wanted to say, he had to stop as the doors opened. A pony doctor stepped in followed closely by Celestia. The former all profesional, the later with a strained smile. Both stopped when they saw him watching them.
“Oh, you’re awake! That’s good, that’s very good!” The doctor levitated a small flipchart and began scribbling something in it quickly even as he moved closer.
“Hello Midnight. I must say I’m deeply sorry for what mage Hearthfire did,” Celestia moved to sit by Midnight’s bedside as the doctor began to prod him with dark green magic. Midnight had to fight himself not to squirm, whatever the doctor was doing was slightly ticklish. “He won’t be teaching you any longer.”
“What? Why?”, Midnight blinked as he processed what has escaped his mouth. “Ok, I can see why. But what about my magic lessons?”
“You will be switching schools, to my School for Gifted Unicorns,” the Princess said and her smile turned more genuine when she saw the starstruck young orphan.
“But, but... isn't that like super expensive and you need to pass the entrance exams?”, it was Canterlot’s worst kept secret just how high the tuition fee was in Celestia’s school. To attend there you had to be both rich and talented. The other worst kept secret was how it was like that because of unicorn nobles. When he heard that Midnight wondered how much real power Celestia had as the Princess. He got dragged out of his impromptu musings by said alicorn’s sigh.
“True, but it was taken care of don’t worry about it.”
“Allright, everything seems to be quickly returning to normal. However I would recommend keeping our young patient in the hospital to the end of the week. I’ll be in my office Princess, if you feel the need to discuss anything,” with a small bow the doctor swiftly left the room.
For a moment the two occupants of the room were silent.
“Midnight,” Celestia called gently seeing his attention wandering. “There are also a few other things we need to discuss.”
That got his attention quickly, he just nodded.
“After what happened it was decided that you will be moving out of the orphanage,” his jaw dropped and he was opening his mouth to speak. “Silent Flight will be adopting you.”
“Wait, what?!”, Midnight jumped up, throwing off the thin blanket to stand on his bed. He was shocked speechless, he felt his jaw move but no sound came.
“He asked for this personally and I granted him the right for a prolonged leave, at least until you two settle in. Silent will be here today afternoon to talk with you about it in detail.”
His back legs gave out and he plopped down still not being able to process what was said, he felt a suspicious moisture in his eyes. Quickly the young unicorn wiped his eyes with his fetlocks.
“Something got into my eye…”, he muttered causing the white alicorn to giggle quietly.
“Stallions… There is still one more very important thing to discuss though,” Celestia’s voice turned serious again and was that a hint of worry? “Look at your flank Midnight.”
His eyes widened, she couldn’t mean?! The ex-human looked down on himself. She did!
“Buck yes!”, he couldn't contain his excitement as he jumped on the bed.
“Language!”, Celestia’s sharp admonishment made him sit down with ears folded.
“Sorry,” when he sat down it struck him just exactly what caused his cutie mark to appear. He gulped as the excitement was disappearing just as fast as it appeared. “So… I'm good at destroying things?”, he asked in a half joking matter.
“That’s not quite it I believe, although I would have preferred that you found your special talent in a less spectacular way.”
Midnight didn’t believe it quite either. The shape of his mark was telling when he thought about what his unrestrained magic did.
“But with what I saw, I will be honest. This is quite the dangerous mark,” Celestia’s serious tone and hard gaze immediately stopped any words of protest. Then she closed her eyes with another deep sigh. Gracefully she stepped onto the bed, sat down and hugged the young unicorn to her right side with her majestic wing. “This is why a lot of things are being arranged Midnight.”
He was silent for now, basking in the comforting warmth that was Celestia and trying to sort and process what was said. “And just as I was getting comfortable in my routine, this happens…”
“We, that is Silent Flight and I still have a few thing to go over regarding you. Mostly due to the fact that as of four days ago your magical surge has become the best gossip material in Canterlot,” the white alicorn stroked his mane calmingly. “A lot of ponies will be truly interested in you now.”
“That doesn't sound encouraging, you know,” Midnight answered with a weak smile as he looked up.
“You will manage, I have faith in you,” Celestia said as she began to get up, once on the floor she turned towards him and leaned forward to lay a motherly kiss on his forehead. “The Sun will guide you Midnight, but I think I saw other ponies wanting to see you. Until we meet again.”
Two thing struck Midnight during that moment, one was the warmth spreading through him again as Celestia give her strange blessing. Second was the certainty her voice held when she said they would meet again. Still, by far it was the first feeling that jump started his memory and lead to some wild speculations.
“Is this some kind of tracking spell?”, he blurted the first thing that popped into his mind.
Celestia froze mid step, with eyes slightly widened and… was that a delicate blush? It was as if he was looking at a kid with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. The white alicorn coughed silently and cleared her throat before she turned once more to face him.
“It is a one time monitoring spell. It activates when a vast amount of magic is being channeled. It is commonly used by unicorn parents on infants as they can experience quite volatile accidental magic, if they are powerful enough. Mine is a bit different and more complex as it also establishes a teleport anchor, but basically does the same.”
Honestly Midnight didn't know what to think. It was strangely touching that she would care so much, but it also irked something in him about personal space. Seeing Celestia was waiting for his reaction… he shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s alright I think. I mean, it means you care,” he smiled although his tone was more thoughtful than cheerful, but it was enough for the Princess.
“That I do,” with that and a smile she finally left the room.
The doors didn’t even have time to close before they were thrown open by an excited trio of young colts. Dandelion and the twin Rumble and Bumble skidded to a halt and bowed before him, repeatedly.
“Our hero!”, they all said loudly. “We have the next two weeks free!”
“Until the school repairs the damaged wing!”, his roommate said as he finally sat down.
“Would ya three finall ‘top thah,” said the next pony in, Cherry Blossom. She held a few balloon strings in her mouth and she move to tie them down to his bed.
It stirred something warm in him seeing everypony from the orphanage coming in. Then he remembered Celestia’s words, he would be leaving them soon. By the happy-sad look on Mrs. Rose’s muzzle, she also knew. He decided there and then not to broach the subject, if it was not brought up by somepony else.
What surprised him was the blue colored missile that launched at him and proceeded to try and hug the living daylights out of him.
“Trixie… air!”, he managed to gasp out to the amusement of everypony present.
When he looked at her after she abruptly released him, she sported the brightest blush he had ever seen on a pony.
“Trixie… I’m glad you're ok,” she said quietly.
“Aww they're so cute!”, only after Cherry’s squeal did the both of them realize that everypony was silently watching them, so they did the only logical thing… jumped apart as if burned. Which made every filly and one mare giggle - besides Trixie who just scowled - and colts to roll their eyes or in the case of Dandelion make gagging noises.
What their little jump also made possible, was for everypony to see his new cutie mark.
“You got a cutie mark!”, Trixie was closest and on the bed, so it was her that first spotted it. Her exclamation made everypony move closer with curiosity.
“Nice, but what does it mean?”, Rumble asked before anypony else as he too jumped on the bed. His question was echoed by a Dandelion.
“It’s kind of hard to explain…” Midnight started as he thought about it, as in really thought about it for the first time. He was not given enough time though, as a hard punch to his shoulder almost toppled him.
“Whatever! It’s still wicked you got one!” Dandelion was jumping excitedly now on the hospital bed. “You do know what that means, right? Cute-ceañera!”
That instantly changed the topic of their talk to the upcoming party. In the time they planned the party, nopony commented on how close Trixie and Midnight sat, with their shoulders almost touching.
Later that day Silent Flight came as Celestia said he would.
Midnight was reading the book on ice magic that was given to him by Hearthfire. He now knew that ice magic was not exactly his type of magic, but it was something to kill the time with. A soft knock, before the doors opened pulled him out of that lecture.
“Hi, Midnight. How are you feeling?”, the pale blue pegasus asked as he walked in and closed the doors behind him, before sitting just by the bed.
“Right now, bored mostly,” Midnight answered while looking up from the book. He wasn't supposed to be using magic right now so he laid stretched on the bed with his head propped on his forelegs, with the book leaning on the pillow.
“I remember that part of being in hospital quite well, landed in it with sprained wings a few times,” the adult stallion took in a deep breath. “So, Princess Celestia talked to you about everything going on?”
“Yeah,” the young colt said as he sat up. “But why? Why now?”
“I found you on the plains, I feel responsible. You’ve grown on me,” Silent massaged his temple with a wing tip and closed his eyes briefly. “However… my family is a bit fixated on Guard duty. For generations we served the Princess and Equestria. My father is a senior officer, you know? I’m still in my early service years and I’ve been pushed through a lot of additional training for future officers, rotated through a few garrisons. Those are less than ideal circumstances to think about family of any sort. But, with Celestia’s personally getting involved nopony can say no to this,” he finished with a wide smile.
“So… what now?”, the ex-human asked. He could kind of see Silent’s point of view, but that still left the matter of what was going to happen moving forward.
“Well, to be honest I’m probably not the best father material, so let’s settle on a big brother?” the pegasus asked with a brilliant smile, Midnight didn't know ponies could smile that wide. “Sure, you will have to deal with my family, but I would like to think I’m well worth it!”, the guard pony finished puffing up his chest.
“Don't flatter yourself, you’re not that special,” Midnight answered with a deadpan stare, but the wide smile kind of give everything away.
“So cold... “, the deflated pegasus answered dejectedly. Seconds later he was brimming with pride and happiness. “Anyway I’ll get everything arranged in my house, so in a few days it’ll all be ready. I got an extended leave so we can settle in. Meaning we have a few months of relative peace ahead of us. Sounds good?”
“Yeah, that’s sound really good,” and it did. Midnight was forward to this newest change in his life.
After that the two of them talked mostly about less important things, with Silent butting in here and there a piece of information on his family and Midnight’s new cutie mark being briefly discussed.
When the sun was setting, Midnight found himself oddly exhausted after that day. Unable to concentrate on his reading he put away the book on ice magic and decided to turn in early.