//------------------------------// // 286. Catch you on the Bright Side - Part 1 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// In a reading room in their castle one nice and lovely evening, Midnight and Twilight were both curled up on a comfortable sofa, the sapphire alicorn was re-reading his father’s favorite book, Master Stud Tzu’s “The Art of the Warhorse”, while the lavender alicorn read one of her old favorite spell books by Starswirl the Bearded. All the while, the couple held hooves, enjoying each other’s company as much as their own books. A tired sigh signaled their favorite little dragon as in walked Spike, wearing an apron, rubber gloves, and a red scarf around his forehead, “You know the worst thing about you guys being the Prince and Princess of Friendship? The dishes!” Spike huffed as he pulled the gloves off while Twilight and Midnight gave Spike a thankful smile, “Thanks for taking care of that, Spike.” “Yeah, after three events in one week,” Midnight let go of Twilight’s hoof while making room for Spike on the couch, “we really needed to kick back and enjoy a good book.” “It’s kinda funny, innit?” Spike reached for his own book behind one of the couch pillows and turned to a page he’d dog-eared, “all these ponies coming to you for advice about friendship, Twi?” “What’s so funny about that?” Twilight asked as she slid off the couch, taking her book with her. “You know, cuz you used to be so famous for being such a bad friend- Ouch!” Spike rubbed the back of his head before noticing the glare Midnight was giving him. “What are you talking about? I had good friends in Canterlot,” Twilight said, sounding just a tad insecure. Sighing, Midnight cut in, “Well, he has a bit of a point, Twily. Look at the wall!” He got up and gestured at the framed photos of them and their friends from various experiences they’d shared, such as Shining Armor and Cadance’s wedding, one of Pinkie Pie’s parties, spending time over at Sweet Apple Acres, testing one of Blueblood’s airships, even helping Soarin out with his weather work. “None of these photos show you from before you moved to Ponyville.” “And look at you now, the Princess of Friendship!” Spike pointed to the main picture, showing Twilight and Midnight with their friends at their coronation. Gasping with realization, Twilight exclaimed, “This is a disaster! All my old friends, I- I can’t even remember their names!” Then she got up in Midnight and Spike’s faces with her own expressing her characteristic neurotic worry, “Do you really think that they think that I’m a bad friend?!” Midnight and Spike looked at each other from the corners of their eyes and Spike offered, “Well, I only meant that you’ve come so far! You’re a great friend now and-” “Oh I feel terrible!!” Midnight face-hooved as Twilight declared, “I’ve got to make it up to them! Pack a bag, boys, we’re going to Canterlot!” She hurried out the door, coming back a few seconds later to sheepishly ask, “And make a list of my friends’ names?” As Twilight cantered off, Spike sighed while Midnight smacked the dragon in the back of the head with his tail, snapping, “See what you started?!” “Okay! I get it, I have a big mouth, sheesh...” Spike responded when they both heard Twilight shout from down the hall. “BOYS!! C’MON, WE HAVE TO GET GOING!” They both sighed yet again and got up and out of the room. It was getting late by the time they flew in to Canterlot. During that flight, somehow, an old memory surfaced in Midnight’s mind as he recalled his fifth grade soccer game... *Flashback* The game was nearly over and the score was tied. One last goal from either school wins them the game. 10 year-old Midnight looked around to see that everycolt and filly on the field was nervous. One colt in particular was more nervous that the others. "Midnight I can't do this. I'm usually the goalie in these games and besides that I'm not that good with sports. Are you sure about this idea of yours?" Midnight smiled to let him know everything would be alright. He had to make sure his friend went along with this. "Of course I'm sure. Have I ever let you down before?" "Do you want that list in alphabetical order?" "My point is that I know you can do this. I need you out there for this to work. I want you out there with me so we can win together. Besides, this might be our last chance before..." His friend stopped him mid-sentence with a hoof to the young unicorn’s mouth. "Okay! Okay... I'll do it. Just lets not remind ourselves about what's soon coming alright. Lets just let today be about us and our win." He got up as their team was getting ready for the last few minutes. But before they get there Midnight’s friend turned to him and smiled with little tears in his eyes. "Oh and Midnight, thanks for believing in me." “C’mon, Twilight! You’re getting worked up about nothing.” “Huh?!” Midnight snapped out of it and realized he’d slowed down and Twilight, with Spike on her back, was already on the ground, in the park near Twilight’s old tower, to be specific, and he joined them with a soft landing and looked around, his eyes glimmering with recognition. This was the area where Twilight liked to go and get some fresh air while catching up on her reading, and it was up at her tower she looked at as she declared, “The only logical place to start is at the beginning.” They made their way up the tower and entered through the double doors, a wave of nostalgia washing over them, Twilight and Spike mostly, as Twilight took it in, “It’s exactly as we left it, except... It looks like it’s been cleaned recently.” “Yeah, I asked Princess Celestia to do that,” Midnight admitted with a shrug, “I figured maybe one day you might come back but I asked Celestia if she’d have somepony keep the place nice and clean. Wouldn’t do to come here and cough our lungs out from a build-up of dust.” “Well, thank you, Midnight,” Twilight gave him a warm cheek-nuzzle, which he happily returned before the three of them made their way up to the main study room. There, Twilight noticed a book on her old podium and recognized it, “Look, it’s “Predicitions and Prophecies”! And... It’s bookmarked to the Elements of Harmony.” Spike noticed something on a nearby countertop and picked it up, “And here’s that present I was gonna give Moondancer!” Seeing the teddy bear in it was damaged, he shrugged and set it aside, “Guess she won’t be needing that” - when he noticed something else - “Oh, but the rest is still here!” “And look,” Midnight pointed to the circle of pillows on the floor and gave Twilight a warm look, “Where we had our first time... the first time around.” “What?” Spike didn’t get it but Twilight cleared her throat. “I’ll- Tell you when you’re older,” she giggled nervously before approaching the floor-to-ceiling windows in awe of the night sky outside, “How could I have let this happen...?” “C’mon, Twilight, Princess Celestia gave you an assignment,” Spike reminded her, “No pony could blame you for that.” “It’s how things were meant to be,” Midnight added, “The beginning of your journey to achieve what you were meant to become.” “But I left this place behind without a second thought!” Twilight pointed out before leaning her face against the glass with a despondent look, “I left my friendships behind without a second thought... I’ve gotta make it up toooo...” She gave a slightly pleading smile to Spike who said, “Oh, uh, Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Lyra Heartstrings, and Moondancer.” “Yeah, them,” Twilight nodded firmly. “Well, Twily, if you feel you really need to do this, then do it,” Midnight placed a wing over his mare’s withers, “and I’m sure it’ll work out wonderfully.” “You’re not gonna help me?” Twilight asked, sounding just a little disappointed. “Your friends don’t know me, Twi,” Midnight reminded her, “I was away preparing for my future, remember? But you don’t need me to mend some old friendships. Remember, you embody the Magic of Friendship, and I embody Faith, which is why I have no doubts you’ll make things right in the end.” “You always know just what to say,” Twilight nuzzled up to her stallion, which he returned warmly, before the lavender alicorn gave him a flirty bump with her rump, “and speaking of our first time...” Growling seductively, Midnight said, “Spike, why don’t you go to Joe’s and get a treat on me?” Having an idea of what was about to transpire, Spike hurried out, yelling, “I’ll be back in an hour!” They waited until they heard the doors close shut, and Twilight said, “And now that I have you all to myself...” She threw her hooves around Midnight’s neck, making him yelp as she pulled him down with a giggle, as Midnight wagged his brows at his mare, “I like the direction this is going!” It was late into the morning by the time Midnight was walking through the streets of Canterlot. After wishing Twilight luck on mending her old friendships the sapphire alicorn figured he’d take a stroll through the City of Unicorns, see what had changed and what had stayed the same in the place of his birth. He’d cast a simple ward on himself that would prevent ponies he didn’t know personally from approaching him, being in no mood for ponies looking to meet royalty. He saw Joe’s doughnut shop was still in business but wondered who was currently working there, as Joe had been spending so much time with Chili Spice back in Ponyville. The University of Canterlot looked the same as ever. The New Moon Theater was doing a show of “The Knight and the Moon Princess” next month. Restaurant Row smelled delectable though Midnight noticed a few had some three hoof-rating thing going on. Canterlot Castle looked the same pristine grandiosity as always. He searched his memories however as he came onto a familiar street and saw a few changes. He saw the toy store he loved as a colt had changed into a juice bar. His mother’s favorite bookstore had become an office for accounting. Even the antique store where his grandmother used to take him had been changed into a florist’s shop. But he was glad to see a certain someplace had not changed as he ventured down the street and saw his old primary school, Canterlot Elementary, and getting closer he smiled to see the colts and fillies were enjoying recess. Some of the playground equipment had changed but he still recognized the swing set, the merry-go-round, and the sandbox. Everything else had been upgraded or replaced. Then he heard the school bell and an earth pony stepped out, yelling for the students it was time to come in, a stallion with coffee brown fur, a poppy orange mane that had lost some of its luster, and his cutie-mark was an old-fashioned key with a rolled up scroll through its handle. “Mr. Lodestar...?” Midnight couldn’t help but chuckle to see his old teacher still worked there and as much as he would like to have gone over and say hello Lodestar was already herding the last few foals inside, so Midnight shrugged and carried on. He moved to the next block which was a public park, just across the street from the school. It seemed the same as he remembered, the soccer field where he won that game back in the fifth grade, the duck pond where a filly was feeding pieces of bread to the local ducks, but then his eyes were drawn to the old willow tree. Or rather, the pony sitting at the base of the willow tree. He was an earth pony with a canary yellow coat, soft brown mane, his cutie-mark was a teddy bear holding a quill in one paw and a paintbrush in another. On his lower sides and flanks were faint but noticeable golden brown stripes similar to a zebra’s, but it was the pony’s floofy pudge and soft round belly that made him stand out as he was apparently writing in a notebook. “Bright...?” The earth pony perked up and looked around when he noticed who was addressing him and gasped while Midnight began to smile so big, “Bright Side, is that you?!” “We-he-hell! If it isn’t my old friend, Midnight Blaze,” the fat earth pony got up on his hooves before going, “Oop! Or should I say, Prince Midnight Blaze, Your Majesty!” Bright gave a playful bow that spurred a laugh from Midnight, “Oh get up, you fat ol’ teddy bear!” “Hey! That just means there’s more of me to love, and more of me to hug! Come here, you!” Bright hopped over and pulled Midnight into a glomping hug with such fervor that Midnight choked back a laugh. Midnight was tall for a stallion but Bright had more mass. “Br- Bright! Too tight!” Midnight uttered but returned the hug all the same before they let go of each other, both chuckling. “By the Goddess, Midnight, it’s been years!” Bright had hardly changed at all, aside from several extra pounds. But his smile remained as warm as his hugs as he said, “I didn’t really expect to run into you here in Canterlot. I heard you live in Ponyville.” “I do, friend, I do,” Midnight nodded as he gestured they sit down and both sat beneath the willow tree, “and there I live with my princess and soon my bride to be.” “Haha, I always had a feeling you and Twilight Sparkle would wind up together,” Bright picked up his notebook and stowed it into a saddlebag he had lying on the ground. “But I never would have thought the two of you would wind up becoming royal alicorns.” “Well, we’ve come a long way, had some adventures,” Midnight shrugged, “but what about you? Whachoo been up to these past years?” “Well, I’ve done some of this and that,” Bright leaned back against the trunk of the tree as he recalled, “I’ve been an artist, worked with a toymaker, wrote some funnies in a newspaper for a while - I still get royalties on those, by the way, heheh - but lately I’ve actually taken an interest in ancient lore and mystic artifacts.” “Really?” Midnight gave Bright a look up and down, “Well, you’re no Daring Do but I wager you’ve done some interesting research.” “And you caught me at a good time, pal,” Bright pulled Midnight into a one-foreleg hug while giving Midnight’s chest a rowdy thump, “I’m about to do an expedition into the Everfree Forest!!” “...wha?” Midnight had a bad feeling about this.