//------------------------------//
// 309. Herd and Bothered - Part 1 
// Story: Blaze the Pony Tale 
// by Wolven5 
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The snowfall last night had turned Ponyville Park into the epitome of wintry beauty, much to the liking of the husband and wife as they walked together, a long comfy scarf tying them together and helping them to keep warm. It had been quite a month - They'd gotten married at the first snowfall of the season, gone on a wonderful honeymoon in Manehatten, visited museums, seen a Bridleway Performance, and made it back home just in time to celebrate Hearth's Warming with their family. However, they'd opted to celebrate the holiday in Canterlot, taking Faerie Tail, Twinken, and Spike with them, to spend time with Night Light and Velvet. They'd asked Joe to come along, but the big oaf had kindly turned them down to spend the holiday with Chili Spice. 

Now the holiday was over, and finally they could unwind. 

"This is wonderful," sighed Twilight as she and her husband sat on a park bench and took in the pleasant scenery, feeling her tail curl around Midnight's. "This whole winter has been wonderful! I loved our honeymoon, seeing all those exhibits in the Museum of Supernatural History? And then afterwards we saw those street performers, remember?"

"Heh, how can I forget when their magician made me fart bubbles?" Midnight had been so embarrassed but had still found it hilarious, "Remember the look on his face? Probably thought I was gonna imprison him in a dungeon, banish him, or banish him and throw him into a dungeon at the place where I'd-"

"O-kay!" Twilight put a hoof to Midnight's lips, ignoring the snickering look his eyes gave her, prompting her to smirk nostalgically as well, "I have to admit, sometimes it still feels so...  incredible that I've known you since foalhood and met another version of you. It's like there never were two of you at all."

"And... you can say that no other mare has had the pleasure of deflowering her special somepony twice!" Midnight bobbed his brows, Twilight shouldering him while blushing.

"Stop it!" 

Chuckling, Midnight leaned over and nipped gently at his Twily's ear, making her laugh and jerk away a bit. She then nuzzled up against the underside of his chin, and he wrapped his wing around her in response. These moments of being so close that they feel each other's heartbeat, she cherished them, more than she'd ever dreamed of before the idea of finding romance ever took root in her thoughts. 

Midnight in turn treasured these moments especially, having lived and journeyed and died and been reborn, a long and arduous journey it had been, perilous and many times he'd felt the weight of the world on his shoulders so heavily. It'd only been the thoughts of her, the vision of what could be, that had been the spark of faith that spurred him to keep moving forward. Now that she was his, his to love, his to protect, his with whom to share the best and the worst of his future, he could think beyond any shadow of a doubt it had all been worth it. 

They kissed and made out a little, not wanting to get too frisky because of how cold it was. When their lips parted, they looked into each other's eyes, and lost themselves for a moment before Twilight cleared her throat, "Um, Midnight?"

"Yeah?"

"Now that things are slowing down this month," she proposed before giving a slight blush, "I was wondering if... Maybe we should... talk?"

"About what?" Midnight hoped nothing was wrong though he sensed hesitation in his Twily. 

"Well, lately, I've been having dreams," Twilight explained, sounding a little faraway, "dreams where... Well, remember the vision you showed me?"

"Twilight, are... are you-?!" Midnight began to seize up.

"Oh! No, no! I'm not, Midnight, I'm not with foal" Twilight answered quickly before clearing her throat, "though not for lack of trying."

"Oh! Uh, I... I'm not sure what to say right now," Midnight rubbed the back of his head. 

"Well, what I'm trying to say, Midnight," Twilight tried to get this conversation back on track, "I'm thinking we should discuss starting our own family."

"Ah, that makes more sense," Midnight inwardly sighed in relief. Though he did in fact hope to make his vision come true, he wanted for him and Twilight to talk about it first and prepare themselves. 
"Okay then, I guess... these dreams you've had were like the vision I shared with you. A foal of our own, having our own family?"

"Yes," Twilight nodded though there was a slight longing in her voice that concerned Midnight, so he cuddled her close, to her appreciation, and she said, "Midnight when you showed me that vision, I felt so... so...! I don't even know how to describe it!"

"And then the vision ended," Midnight sighed, recalling that bittersweet moment when he'd first experienced that vision, only for it to be over and realize it had not been real, that it had only signified a possibility.
"Did you feel like crying a little when you woke up from that vision? I did."

"Because of her?" Twilight gave Midnight a knowing look.

"That sweet, smart, beautiful filly," Midnight nodded, "what hurt most about that vision was I didn't even learn her name. But... I guess that's why they say 'the future isn't set in stone', that it's up to us to make our futures."

"I'm not entirely sure if we're ready, to be honest," Twilight shrugged before giving a warm smile, "but I am absolutely certain I want this, Midnight. Not yet, maybe, but soon."

Midnight smiled deeply at his wife, his happiness and hope mirrored in her face. They shared a deep and loving kiss... when Midnight felt his flanks shudder and vibrate, alarming him a bit that he whinnied aloud. He and Twilight looked and saw his cutie-mark was glowing, and they both knew what that meant.





In the Map Room, Midnight and Twilight saw that only he had been called by the Map, and he was being summoned to a small town on the west coast, specifically on the coastline that bridged Equestria to the Dog Nation of Bargos. 

"If I'm not mistaken," Twilight took a careful look, "it appears that the Map wants you to go to... Coltson."

"Can't say I've never been," Midnight commented, "smaller towns don't get a lot of crime, not like the bigger cities do."

He gazed up at Twilight and saw she too was dispirited. He cupped her cheek in his hoof, gazing into her eyes as he sighed, "Don't wanna go."

"You must, Midnight," Twilight responded, reaching up to grasp his hoof with her own. 

"I love you," Midnight gave her another kiss before stepping away and lighting up his horn. 

Twilight watched as Midnight conjured saddlebags around his barrel, and his shadow rose up, enshrouding him, then falling away to reveal he was now garbed in his cloak. She saw him give her a small sad smile in the shadow of his hood as he then promised, "I'll be back as soon as I can. We still have a family to talk about."

Twilight smiled warmly in response and said, "Whoever needs help, they're lucky it's you coming."

Chuckling, Midnight stepped over and gave Twilight a see-you-later nuzzle before he collapsed into his own shadow. Twilight watched as Midnight, in his shadowstuff form, slithered away, quiet as a cat, silent as a snake.   





Midnight took the Slipstream, after asking Blueblood to borrow it. The unicorn aeronautical engineer had been a tad reluctant until Midnight showed he actually had a pilot license, ("That's actually quite an interesting story," he'd said) and Blueblood caved, especially when he learned Midnight was off on a mission from the Map. Thankfully, the airship was equipped with an autopilot setting and Blueblood had pointed out various gimmicks to keep in mind. 

Midnight found it both relaxing and thrilling to pilot an airship, and he looked forward to taking the airship he, Blueblood, and their friends Techorse and Doctor Whooves were designing out on its maiden flight. The one he'd commissioned and would be outfitted with their experimental technology. The prototypes had yielded promising results but until they were certain they'd worked out any bugs or flaws, the tech would not be installed into Midnight's ship. 

Before leaving, Blueblood had invited Midnight to check on his commission's progress, and Midnight was pleased to have seen it was coming along nicely. The ship was just over halfway constructed, and Blueblood had pointed out the various areas and points of the ship's blueprints where Midnight would be able to make his magical modifications once the ship was at a certain stage in its development. 

Soaring through the sky, Midnight began to think, if all went well with the prototypes' developments, then perhaps he could unveil his new ship before the ever-approaching Summit, where the Aristocracy would be officially dissolved to make way for one comprised of democratically elected members. The Aristocrats would formally surrender their power before the Triarchy of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Prince Sombra, who would then declare the New Equestrian Council as a ruling body equal to the Triarchy, comprised of elected councilors, each one overseeing specific matters and duties and from different corners of Equestria. 

Techorse would make a fine addition to that council, Midnight considered, though I'm not sure if he'd be interested.

Techorse had great integrity, and that was one of the biggest reasons why Midnight respected him. The young inventor sought to innovate new ideas, create amazing technology to help others, and he refused to use his talents for development of weapons, keeping his more dangerous inventions to himself. It'd taken some deep assurances for Midnight to convince Tech for privileged use of the inventor's Zapper-Saddles from before that second changeling invasion. 

Then there was Doctor Time Turner Whooves, secretly one of Midnight's Evening Hoods. Time Turner had many amazing ideas but due to a misunderstanding (or rather because of a coward's envious scheming) Time Turner's reputation in Equestria's scientific community in his hometown had been all but ruined. Midnight had approached Time Turner with a proposal of him joining the Brotherhood in exchange fro granting the scientist a research and development grant to open up his own private laboratory in Ponyville. While not all of Time Turner's works had turned out well, he had contributed to the Brotherhood with some useful inventions. 

But getting his head back on track, Midnight could only wonder why the Map was sending him to Coltson, and alone at that. He recalled Thunderlane and then Big Mac being sent on solo missions too while Blueblood had accompanied Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to Griffonstone, and Soarin had gone with Applejack and Rarity to Manehatten. Regardless, he knew there was a problem that apparently required his help, and whoever was in need he'd be there for them.