//------------------------------// // Enchanted Science Fair // Story: Light and Darkness – The Shadow of Midnight // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// After returning from their camping trip and once Star had returned from the Light Kingdom, the twins told her older brother what happened. “Amazing, it had only passed one week ever since you dealt with Miss Nettle and you now faced those… whoever they were” Star said, petting Timber while the three simblings were enjoying the end of the day before the beginning of a new week. “But who were those guys, anyway?” “We don’t know” Sunny replied. “Yeah, the Cutie Mark Crusaders didn’t tell us and also why they were after them” Midnight said. “You know, I don’t know if what I want to know” Sunny replied. “Those guys seemed really dangerous.” “Well, I’m very curious about it” Midnight said. “Also about those cloaks the CMCs had. It looked like they were giving them powers.” After hearing their story, Star meditated about it. Could that had to do with the dreaming cloaks? “Hey, Star?” Sunny called, making her brother get out of his meditating state. “How was your weekend?” “How are mom and dad?” Midnight asked. “I guess they’re fine” he replied. “What do you mean with that?” Sunny asked. “I didn’t see them” Star said. “They were out all weekend.” That made the twins trade a look and Sunny said: “Again? That’s weird.” “Having in count that they have been doing that even before you two were born, I don’t find that weird at all” Star said. “Besides, I think it’s just them making an escape and trying to be a normal couple, without royal duties and Chaos-related problems.” “Yeah, you’re probably right about that…” Midnight said. The next week passed very fast, as the days were now full of sunlight and the sky was most of the times clean, allowing the students to enjoy even more their time, all while they tried to do their best on their studies. At the end of that week, all students of the first-year were summoned to their Science and Magic classroom. That was odd, as normally, an all year didn’t have the same class at the same time. The answer for that was given to them by the headmistresses. “Students, I know you all are still a little green when it comes to Science and Magic, but we believe that is time for you to put in practice what you’ve learned with Professor Xenon Alchemy” Knotgrass said. “We’re having an Enchanted Science Fair” Thistlewit told. “Everyone will be able to make projects and expose them to the other students and your families.” Sunny raised her hoof and asked: “What kind of projects?” “I’m glad you asked, Princess Sunlight” Knotgrass replied. “It can be anything that uses both science and magic. Last year, the winning team…” “Made an enchanted prism” Merryweather replied, making a prism made of glass float in the air, rotate and then originate a rainbow that let every student amazed. After the rainbow disappeared, the prism descended and landed on the holder where it was. “You'll be working in teams, with each year having its own competition” Thistlewit continued. “And the winning team of each year will get these lovely medals of honor.” And she made appear on the air the image of a pair of golden medals. The students got astounded by the price, mainly Gallus who couldn’t help but let the greedy side from his griffon nature show. “Shiny…” he said. “Now for the teams” Knotgrass said. “Prince Gallus, you and Princess Sunlight will work together on a project.” “Yes!” Gallus exclaimed, turning then to his unicorn friend. “With your brains and my flair for performance, we can't lose!” “Silver Wind and Clear Skies” Thistlewit continued. “We're gonna win” Silver Wind said, turning then to her partner. “Right, Clear Skies?” “We might” she replied, a little insecure. “Then again, we might not, but hopefully we will.” “Princess Midnight and Gust” Merryweather declared. “Nice!” they both exclaimed, bumping their hooves. After they were finished, the class was dismissed and the group of six were together. “I don't care what project we make, as long as it explodes” Gust said. “Calm down, Gust” Midnight said. “The best project isn’t always the one with the biggest bang.” “Whatever you come up with, it won’t beat ours, right, Sunny?” Gallus said. “We’ll see about that” Sunlight replied. “The other teams will also do their best.” “We’ll do our best as well and just that will make us win” Silver Wind said. “Don’t you agree, Clear Skies?” “I think so…” she said. “So, you were notified about the fair” a voice said. The six youngsters turned and faced Star and Bramble, having been the former who talked and then proceeded: “Oh, I still remembered the projects we did back in the day. What about you, Bramble?” “Of course, we managed to win two of them” he replied. “Wait, you’ve already won?” Gallus asked. “What kind of projects did you do?” Gust questioned. “Oh, something we found in the library at the Light Castle” Star replied. “You can find some interesting things there that you can do for the fair… except for one thing.” “Oh, you’re talking about the project impossible, right?” Bramble asked. The first-year students traded confused looks and Midnight asked: “What is project impossible?” Midnight asked. “It’s what we called a certain project we tried to do two years ago” Star replied. “It’s called the Seasonal Balance.” “We recreate the four seasons in distinctive magic spheres and then we try to fuse their energies into one” Bramble explained. “It creates a kind of solar system with the four seasons surrounding what it is the combination of the four” Star replied. “That sounds amazing!” Sunny exclaimed. “It would have been, if it wasn’t too big for us to finish in time” Star replied. Midnight thought for a moment and then asked: “Star, do you think mom and dad mind if we all go home to do our projects?” “As long we ask and the others’ parents don’t mind, I don’t see why not” Star replied. “Great, in that way we all can decide what kind of project we will do and make a good impression at the fair on Sunday” Midnight replied. The other five nodded, agreeing. “And you can count on me for some tips” Star said. “Unfortunately, I and Bramble can’t work together, as we’re no longer on the same year. I will be doing my own project.” “Alone?” Sunny asked. “The students of the sixth and seventh years have the privilege of doing their projects alone, as we have more advanced classes” Bramble explained. “I already know what to do” Star said. “I’ll do an alchemy experiment, one that will certainly impress the jury.” The twins traded a look, as they both were curious about that project their brother was talking about, but they knew he wouldn’t tell them. After getting an authorization from their parents, the six youngsters went to the Light Kingdom, where they started on Saturday to work on their projects. “Okay, all the books you'll need are right here” Twilight said, as she entered with the youngsters at the library and directed them to the section where the books for enchanted science were. “Believe me when I say you will find the perfect project in these books.” “Thanks, mom” the twins said. “Thanks, Princess Twilight” the others said. “Well, I’ll leave you be” Twilight said, heading to the exit. “Remember, I will be available anytime you want.” “Thanks, mom, but we think we will ask Star for help” Midnight said. “I bet you’re too busy with your princess duties.” “Okay, but try not to bother him much” Twilight replied. “He’s working on his project that is going to be big, according to him. I just hope he doesn’t do anything that makes the castle explode.” “That would be awesome!” Gust exclaimed, making everyone look at him. “I mean… it would be awesome because of the explosion, but that that awesome because of the damages.” The youngsters then started to look at the books, looking for their projects. After finishing another book, Gust said to Midnight: “Aw, none of these projects have anything that explodes.” “We could make a thermometer flute” Clear Skies said to Silver Wind, as she turned page after page of a book. “Or a whalesong translator or…” “Oh, how about a glowing glaze?” Silver Wind asked, noticing something. “It makes anything light up like a candle.” “Sounds good” Clear Skies replied, relieved that Silver Wind was able to make a decision, ending her uncertainty. Meanwhile, Sunny and Gallus were looking at a book, with the latter perusing it quickly, with Sunny trying to suggest a project, but with the griffon always dismissing her. “What about…” she started. “Not flashy enough” he replied. “Then maybe…” “Next.” “We could…” “Here!” Gallus exclaimed, finding the project he wanted. “Lightning in a bottle. Let's get started.” Seconds later, Midnight was able to find a good project for her and Gust: “Oh, look at this. Forever bubbles. They never pop and they're strong enough to lift anything off the ground.” “Like a cannon?” Gust asked. “Uh, I guess…” Midnight replied. “Then let's do it.” “Okay. We just need to get all these magical ingredients.” Looking to the ingredient list, they found out that it was a long list of ingredients. “Where are we gonna get all that stuff?” Gust asked. Fortunately, Midnight knew exactly the pony that could help them. “I have an idea” she said. The six first-year students went to Leaf Mane’s room which was filled with many plants, with some in vase and others covering the walls or hanging from the ceiling. They had come to ask her for some ingredients. “Okay, I think I may help you with that” she said, while summoning a trunk and opening it. “What is it you require?” With each one looking to their respective list, they started to tell the ingredients so that Leaf Mane could give them to them, until it came for Midnight to tell her the last ingredient she needed. “And hocus-crocus” Midnight said. “Hocus-crocus?” Leaf Mane repeated. “We need some of that, too” Clear Skies told. “So do we” Sunny added. Looking into her trunk, she took a jar. “It's the rarest magical flower, both in the Pony World and the Enchanted Forest. And the most powerful. It’s very hard to find as it grows in high altitude. Fortunately, I grow them, but currently I have none fully grown. This one jar is all I have, so you’ll have to share.” She handed it to Gallus who said: “Thanks, Leaf Mane.” “Yes, thanks” the others said, as they headed to the exit of the room. “Oh, do be careful with that hocus-crocus” Leaf Mane warned as they got out. “It is extremely potent…” But they got out before she could finish. “Well, I guess they’ll have to learn it by themselves.” At the library, the youngsters started working on their projects. Sunny was just adding a pinch of hocus-crocus in the measuring flask. “Is it working?” Gallus asked. But Sunny didn’t reply, as the answer was answered as a little thundering cloud was formed inside the flask. Despite the Light Twin being satisfied with the result, Gallus was not. He had noticed Silver Wind and Clear Skies’ project with their glowing glaze being a goblet that was irradiating light. “We need more lightning” he said. “Let's put in more hocus-crocus.” He went take the jar that was near Gust who was setting everything up to his and Midnight’s project. Seeing his griffon friend taking the jar, he said: “Hey, we were using that.” Gallus started adding more hocus-crocus, but Sunny, not liking that, said, while the young griffon plugged the flask: “Gallus, the book says a pinch of hocus-crocus. That was at least… well, much more than that.” But Gallus was paying more attention to the thundering cloud to hear her. The cloud increased in size and Gallus said: “That's more like it.” Suddenly, the flask started to shake violently what clearly was not a good sign. And the cork used to plug the flask was shot out and the thundering cloud got out, starting to cover the area where the they were and fired lightning that completely destroyed all the projects. It then disappeared and the cork fell on the table. Everyone looked angrily to Gallus who made a nervous laugh. Midnight sighed and then said: “Looks like we have to start our projects all over again.” “But you heard what Leaf Mane said, Midnight” Sunny replied. “She doesn’t have any hocus-crocus left.” “And we need it for all of our projects” Clear Skies added. “Wait, didn’t Leaf Mane said that she grows hocus-crocus?” Gallus remembered. “Yeah, she did say that” Gust said. “Perhaps we could…” “Get some of it?” Silver Wind asked. “Excellent idea.” “But… Leaf Many did say it was not ready” Sunny said. “The very least, it may only work for one of our projects.” Hearing that, Gallus, Gust and Silver Wind traded a suspicious between each other and then they both started running towards the exit of the library and got out, with Gallus and Gust flying and Silver Wind using her pony-wolf speed. “Oh no… we better stop them” Midnight said. “They will get in so much trouble.” “Why do you say that?” Clear Skies asked. “Leaf Mane doesn’t seem to be that strict.” “It’s not her, it’s her room” Sunny replied. “It has a security measure that makes the plants attack any uninvited guests.” “Okay, that’s bad” Clear Skies said. “Let’s go” Midnight said. And the three fillies run towards Leaf Mane’s room, finding it opened. At the entrance, they got shocked for what they were seeing. Their friends were being hold by creepers and tendrils that had a soft and springy look that was constricting them. “What’s that?” Clear Skies asked. “It’s… devil’s snare…” Sunny said. “I can’t believe Leaf Mane has a plant like this one.” “How can we stop it?” Midnight asked her twin. “We need to save our friends before that thing suffocates them.” “Well… the safest way is for them to relax” Sunny told. “The harder its victims struggles, the faster and more tightly it binds them. If they are able to relax, the snare will also relax its grip on them.” “Yeah, I don’t see that happening” Clear Skies commented. “Come on, Sunny, you’re the best with magical plants” Midnight said. “There must be something we can do.” “Let me think” Sunny said, but unable to think clearly, as the pressure to find the answer before the devil’s snare was able to suffocate Gallus, Gust and Silver Wind was too great. “I know I read something about it… Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare. It's deadly fun,… but will sulk in the sun! That’s it, the devil’s snare hates sunlight.” Having said that, she immediately cast from her horn an immense light. Before it, the devil’s snare stopped suffocating its victims and started to recoil away, releasing them. After that, the three fillies went to see if their friends are okay. “Are you all okay?” Midnight asked. “I… I think so…” Gallus said, while he was trying to recover his breath. The other two nodded, agreeing with him. They heard a sound and noticed that the devil’s snare, with the absence of Sunny’s light, restarted to grow in order to get them again. “Let’s go!” Midnight exclaimed. And they all got out of the room. “Looks like we’re going to accept the fact we’re not going to get any hocus-crocus anytime soon” Sunny observed, looking to the devil’s snare inside Leaf Mane’s room. “Yeah, and it’s all Gallus’ fault” Gust said. “Hey, how could I know that making my thundering cloud bigger would cause all this?” he asked. “Because of you, our projects are all gone and we almost died” Silver Wind said. “Actually, I think that happened because you three wanted to win the fair so badly” Midnight commented. “Midnight is right” Sunny said. “If you were so hasty, we could’ve told you about Leaf Mane’s security measures.” Gallus, Gust and Silver Wind both realized that they really should have been less competitive, as it was exactly that competitiveness that led them to that situation. “Come on” Sunny said. “Let’s return to the library. Perhaps we can still make a new project that can at least not embarrass ourselves at the fair.” And so she, Clear Skies, Gallus, Gust and Silver Wind started heading to the library. Midnight was sad to see her friends like that. She just wished there was something that they could do about their situation. It was then that the jewel of her mane cliff started to glow and a hoof was placed on her shoulder. Midnight turned and saw Leaf Mane. “Leaf Mane?” “It would appear you and your friends are in a bit of a pickle” she observed. “I’m sorry if we tried to get in your room” Midnight said. “It’s just… we needed more hocus-crocus and…” “You don’t need to worry about that, princess” Leaf Mane said. “I’m more concern about the problem you have in hooves.” “You mean the projects?” “No, I mean you and your friends. It looks like you have let the rivalry between you to get the best on your friendship.” “I know that” Midnight said. “Despite I didn’t do anything to cause this rupture, I also didn’t do anything to prevent it.” “Perhaps, but you can still fix it” Leaf Mane said. “And, at the same time, you can also save your project for the fair.” “And how are we going to do that?” Midnight asked. “Without the hocus-crocus…” “Without the hocus-crocus, you can’t do the projects that you were working on” Leaf Mane told. “But, I bet that, if you all work together, you may create something extraordinary.” Hearing her telling that made Midnight think for a moment. It was then that an idea came to her mind. “That’s it…” she said. “That’s the answer! Thank you, Leaf Mane.” And so she headed back to the library, with Leaf Mane smiling and then turning to her room, where she made the devil’s snare to retreat to its place with her magic and then got in. At the library, the others were sitting around the table with a pouting look when Midnight got in and said: “Guys, I know the project that we can do.” She took a book from a shelf and opened it, right on the page she wanted. “How about the Seasonal Balance?” she asked, showing the pages that were describing the project. “It doesn’t need the hocus-crocus.” “Well, it did seem pretty brilliant” Gust commented. “But your brother and Bramble said it was too big a project for two” Gallus replied. “What if all six of us work on it together?” Midnight suggested. “But we got put in teams of two, Midnight” Silver Wind replied. “And each team can do one part of the project” she replied back. “To be honest, I'm not sure we can work together anymore” Sunny told. “I kind of agree” Clear Skies said. “So do I” Gust added. “They're right, Midnight” Gallus said. And they got up and started heading towards the exit. But Midnight was not ready to give up so got up and headed to her friends, blocking their way, and told them: “Wait. Don't go. We were all friends before the hocus-crocus. And the only way to win the science fair is to start acting like friends again. Please, we can at least try. We don’t have anything to lose. So what do you think?” The other five traded a look. Despite their rivalry on the projects and their pessimism regarding the possibility of working together on the Seasonal Balance project, they decided to give it a try. “Okay, I'm in” Sunny decided. “So am I” Clear Skies said. “Let's do it” Silver Wind and Gust said at the same time, causing them to share a laugh. “If it'll help us win, I'm up for it” Gallus told. “And… I'm sorry if I was mean.” “Me too” Silver Wind and Gust apologized as well. “Then let's get to work” Midnight declared. And the six youngsters started working on the project, with them dividing the tasks needed for it and, indeed, as they were working, their friendship started to be mended, with them sharing laughs and having fun. At the next day, the auditorium of the school was filled with all the parents and relatives that had come to see the students presenting their work. Twilight and Blue were there, just like King Aspen, Gael and Greta, Rarity and Shadow Claw, Rainbow Dash and Soarin and many others. The headmistresses were flying around, while judging the projects. The seventh-years were the first, with Star presenting something that left everyone astounding: an alchemy recipe that turned metal into gold, something that had only be performed correctly by four other alchemists. After his presentation, Twilight and Blue went to his son, with the former hugging him and saying: “Oh, I’m so proud of you, son.” “Yeah, you really managed to do something great, champ” Blue said, while putting his hoof over his son’s shoulder. “Thanks, it was actually the biggest challenge I ever did” Star said. “The measures and the times needed to be extremely exact or else it would only explode me on the face… literally.” “Well, it’s a good thing you can recover fast” Blue joked. “Very funny, Blue” Twilight replied, not had liked the joke. “But, nevertheless, this is a great moment for you, Star. You just became one of the few to be able to produce the formula to turn metal into gold.” “Yeah, I know…” Star said. “I just hope I haven’t outshine the twins.” “I’m certain they will find a way to shine, just like you did” Twilight guaranteed him. “Yeah, it’s a family trait” Blue replied. And so, after the seventh-years, it was time for the first-years. After the presentation of a project, Knotgrass asked: “And now for our next project…” And Midnight, Gust, Sunny, Gallus, Silver Wind and Clear Skies appeared on the stage, bringing a service cart that had what appeared to be a big bird cage covered by a cloth. “Um, which team is presenting this project?” Thistlewit asked, a little confused. “All of us” Midnight replied. That caused a few confused looks. Midnight then explained: “Silver Wind and Clear Skies worked on the seasons, Sunny and Gallus worked on their combination and Gust and I made the whole thing… Well, you'll see.” “We proudly present our Seasonal Balance” Sunny said, while she took away the cloth, revealing a retort with five spheres in some liquid there, with a glass recipient at the top. Midnight, holding another recipient with another liquid, added it to the retort, plugging it with a cork soon after. As soon she did that, the content of the retort started swirling around. The group just hopped that would work. It was then that the content went to the recipient at the top who then was thrown up into the air and then exploded, creating an explosion of glow as the four spheres that had energies from each season surrounded the fifth one who had the combined energies of the four. The glow it was radiating was intensified from the explosion what made everything even more impressive. All the ones who were observing couldn’t stop gasping and applauding. “They did it” Bramble, who was beside Star, said. “They did project impossible.” “Yes, they did” Star replied, proud of his sisters. “Very nice work, children” Knotgrass applauded them. “It must have taken a lot of teamwork” Merryweather commented. “And being such good friends was a big help” Gallus added, looking to his friends in an apologetic way. “It sure was” Midnight replied, placing his hoof over his shoulder and then extending his hoof. Gallus placed his talon over her hoof and the others headed to place their hooves as well, all of them happy that they were able to overcome their rivalry and make their friendship stronger.