//------------------------------// // Entering in Neverland // Story: Light and Darkness – The Shadow of Midnight // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// The battle between Sweetie Belle and Hook against the zombie pirates was now being dispute at the ceiling of the Watchmaker’s hideout. Two of them launched their ropes against them, but Sweetie Belle and Hook jumped and landed on a beam on a lower floor. But the zombie pirates attacked again, forcing them to move. “Sweetie Belle, don’t you think you should use your little tricks?” Hook asked. She agreed it was time for that and so she summoned her dreaming cloak. After that, she jumped, getting into the air using the weightless ability of the cloak. To prevent herself from falling, Sweetie Belle used her wind nature to keep herself on the air and, using that, she started casting wind gust against the zombie pirates, all while dodging the ropes of the zombie pirates located at higher floors of the hideout. “You have to get her!” Smee exclaimed to the zombies. “Capture her! The Queen will be happy with that!” The zombies kept launching her ropes, but Sweetie Belle dodged everytime. “You’ll never going to catch me” she said to the villains. But the truth was that the zombie pirates were putting a lot of pressure on Sweetie Belle and, between focusing in dodging and focusing on using wind to keep her on the air, she was starting to get tired. It wouldn’t last until they caught her. And, eventually, one of the zombies managed to get one of Sweetie Belle’s front hooves. Seeing that, other two zombies prepared to attack. Sweetie Belle reacted by forcing the zombie that was grabbing her to let her go, however, another rope got her back hoof, followed by another that caught a front hoof. It didn’t take long for two other zombies to get her other hooves. Smee drew a smile, seeing that the plan was going well. Hook, taking advantage of the zombies’ focus on Sweetie Belle, got down the hideout and placed himself a few hooves from Smee’s back, waiting for the perfect opportunity to act. Sweetie Belle continued to struggle and she said, while doing it: “I have to… I have to… I have to get free!” The zombie pirates started to pull her down, while Hook got closer to Smee. “Don’t worry about your Rara or any of the other talents we captured” Smee told to Sweetie Belle as she was pulled down. “You’ll be seeing them soon.” It didn’t take long for Sweetie Belle to reach the ground. Smee started to approach her, while she said: “Tell me why Tinkerbell is doing all of this.” “Oh, you’ll soon find out for yourself, my dear” Smee replied, while Sweetie Belle noticed Hook not so far away from Smee, with him telling her to not say anything. “The Queen loves to talk with her new victims.” He then heard something and turned around, only to see Hook about to attack him with a kick. However, the zombie pirate that was free was able to grab his back hoof and secure the front hoof and his hook with the other two tentacles. Laughing, Smee approached him and said: “Hook, you’re so predictable.” That caused Sweetie Belle to get mad and she started to focus magic, while saying: “He’s not alone!” “Are you intending of casting your magic?” Smee asked. “Don’t dare me” Sweetie Belle replied. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.” “Well, then, I guess I’ll have to activate this symbol” he said, as the octopus-like symbol started to glow beneath him, what caused Sweetie Belle to stop charging her horn as she knew what that do. “If you hit me, the all Watchmaker’s tower will explode, along with your friend Hook.” Taking advantage of her hesitation, Smee threw at her some pixie dust that caused her to fall on the ground and she started to get sleepy. “Sweet dreams, Sweetie Belle” he said to her. Smee laughed and approached Sweetie Belle who, while struggling to fall asleep, watched him opening a portal with his own magic watch and said: “We’re going on a nice trip to Neverland. Just you… and me.” And Sweetie Belle succumbed to the pixie dust and fell asleep. Elsewhere, Star had summoned Kurama’s energy form and, with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom inside the energy body, Star advanced through the montain. “Wow, I’ve heard about this form of yours, Star, I’ve never seen it with my own eyes” Scootaloo said. “It’s very impressive.” “Thank you” Star thanked. “Scootaloo, let Star focus” Apple Bloom said. “Don’t forget we need tah get tah Sweetie before it’s too late.” It was then that Star felt something strange. “Star, did you felt that?” Kurama asked him, while running. “Yes” he replied. “What?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked at the same time. “It would appear a door between worlds has been opened” Star replied. “Ya mean like… when dah portal to Neverland is open?” Apple Bloom asked. “Oh no… that means…” Scootaloo said. “Kurama, we have to go faster” Star said. And they started to move faster. When they were closer, Kurama stopped. “Why did we stop?” Scootaloo asked. “Hey, we’re going to save a friend, remember?” “There’s something there, on that wood bridge ahead” Kurama said. “I smell a trap.” Star undid his tailed beast form, with he and the two Crusaders landing on the snow, and then advanced to that wood bridge. He saw it: a octopus-like symbol. “I see… It’s a trap that explodes upon contact. If Kurama hadn’t seen it then we’d blow up. Quite clever, actually. Because of the wind, even the flyers would have to use the bridge to continue the way.” “Can ya undo it?” Apple Bloom asked. The young alicorn prince didn’t reply, proceeding just to use his magic that hit that symbol and broke it. “You had to ask, hadn’t you” Scootaloo asked to Apple Bloom. “Of course he can.” “Let’s go” Star said. The trio advanced through the bridge and then climbed the stairs, arriving to the Watchmaker’s tower. “We’re here” Apple Bloom said. “Yeah, but, where’s Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked. Star gathered some natural energy and got in the sage mode. Once he did that and used his ability to sense energy signatures, he could see that there was no sign of Sweetie Belle or Hook. However, there was a slight intensity in the air that indicated to him that there was a fight there, probably against with the neverlanders… and it was recent. If that was so, then it meant that… “I think… she was captured, along with Hook” he said. “What?!” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom said at the same time. “No!” “That’s what I conclude” Star told them. There was a silence and then Apple Bloom asked: “Do ya know who take them?” “For what I can sense… I think it was that guy, Smee, and his zombie pirates” Star replied, while getting out of his sage mode. “The Queen’s servants…” Scootaloo said. “Oh, they just give more will to kick their asses.” “Calm down, Scootaloo” Apple Bloom said. “Don’t forget that we still don’t…” But she stopped, as she noticed something shining just under the snow and went there to grab it. It was the… “The magic watch…” Apple Bloom said. “It must have fallen from Sweetie Belle when she was captured.” “Then we can use it to open a portal to Neverland” Scootaloo said. “Yeah, but is broken, remember?” Star told her. “That’s why we need the Watchmaker.” “And where is this… Watchmaker?” Scootaloo asked. Star pointed to the hideout and said: “He’s barricaded in the tower. I can feel him there.” “So how are we going to get inside?” The young alicorn prince made a smile and then said: “Fortunately, I had the good sense of contacting my mother after I left Sweetie Belle. I had to confirm the intel we got from Hook, as he could be lying to us. It turns out that my mom knows the Watchmaker. She came here in Princess Celestia’s behalf and she told me a way to unlock the tower.” Those news cheered Apple Bloom and Scootaloo up and the former said: “Star, ya really have yer ma’s brains.” “Thank you, but now I think we better go inside” Star said. “It’s getting cold here.” The three headed to the entrance of the tower and Star pointed his horn to the gates, charging it with magic. The gates glowed as well, as the locks started to retreat, allowing the gates to open. They got in, seeing a great deal of gear machinery, looking like they were inside a clock. They advanced to another room, but when they did, a tremor happened. “What’s this?” Scootaloo asked. “It must be the defensive mechanism” Star replied. A large pendulum swung from the wall across from them, but they were able to dodge it. However, as Scootaloo and Applejack landed together on a certain place, they noticed that a cage was about to emerge and they were able to get out of its reach before it emerged. “My mom warned me about it. It’s a complex system of gears and pulleys. Don’t worry, she told me exactly how to deactivate it. Just try to dodge the traps while I do it.” Star, flying, advanced to the controls at the main room and started to pull some levers, push some bottoms and pressing the pedals. After he was done, they heard a click and all the traps stopped. After Star returned to the Crusader’s edge, Apple Bloom said: “Great job, Star.” “Well, I just followed my mom’s instructions” Star replied. “Even so, that was very impressed, young colt” a voice said. The gears moved again and a pulley descended, with the Watchmaker on it. When the pulley touched the ground, the Watchmaker got down and said, while approaching: “Even by knowing the sequence of the levers and buttons, putting it into action is quite more difficult. I haven’t seen anything like that ever since…” “My mom?” Star asked. “So you’re Twilight’s son, the young prince that saved us all from the Lord of Chaos” the Watchmaker observed. “You know who I am?” Star asked. “I may live isolated, but that doesn’t mean I don’t keep tabs of what happens outside” the Watchmaker said. “My name is Iron Gear. But you already know that, right?” “Nice tah meet ya, sir” Apple Bloom said. “Yeah, but just one thing, could you please next time choose a place to live that doesn’t require dangerous paths and passing through a snowstorm?” Scootaloo asked. That caused Star and Apple Bloom look at her in a disapproving way. “What?” she asked. “You all noticed how hard it was to get up here.” “I live here because I enjoy living alone” Iron Gear replied. “And also to avoid everypony from bothering me for trivial matters. What makes me wonder why do you bothered to have all the trouble to get here.” “We’re here tah fix dis watch” Apple Bloom replied, while showing him the magic watch. “It’s really important.” Looking at it, Iron Gear couldn’t believe in what he was seeing. “It can’t be…” he said, while taking the watch with his magic. “I’ll consider that as a confirmation that your ancestor, the original Watchmaker, made it long ago” Star said. “This watch is one of three that were passed down in my family for generations” Iron Gear told. “They served as a way to inspire the future holders of the title of ‘Watchmaker’ to be as great as the original one. However, some moths ago, they were stolen by some shadow creatures.” “Tinkerbell’s minions…” Apple Bloom said. “They took advantage ov dah anomaly in dah seal tah secure a way tah travel tah Pony World an’, in dat way, kidnap talents whenever they want.” “Can you fix it?” Star asked. Iron Gear look at it and said: “I’ve studied the watches and their gears for a long time, but they are a real brainteaser. I think it’s beyond my capabilities.” “It can’t be…” Apple Bloom said. “Oh, and now what are we going to do?” Scootaloo asked. “Wait for another attempt of the neverlanders to kidnap a talent?” Iron Gear thought for a moment and then said: “Perhaps there’s a way I can help you. I may not be able to fix the watch, but I know somepony that may be able to do it. I have an apprentice… or rather, I had one. She is my granddaughter and the one that would be my heir to the title as Watchmaker. Her talent is even bigger than mine. In fact, her talent may be close to the one the original Watchmaker had.” “That’s great!” Star exclaimed. “Where is she?” “She and I had a disagreement” Iron Gear told. “She wanted more than living here and learning about watchmaking. I can’t really blame her, as she is just a filly. So she went to live with her uncle and aunt in Canterlot.” Hearing that Scootaloo realized who his granddaughter was. “Wait, is your granddaughter’s name Atlanta?” “Yes, it is…” Iron Gear replied to surprise of Apple Bloom and Star. “How do you know?” “Wait, Atlanta is his granddaughter?” Star asked. “How did ya figure that out, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked. “Remember that she was my mission, Apple Bloom” Scootaloo told. “I discovered what her talent was and help her embrace it. If she is really that talented in watchmaking, then perhaps she can fix the magic watch.” “I can’t believe that you know Atlanta” Iron Gear said. “How is she?” “Well, let’s say that she really needs someone like you when it comes to modesty” Scootaloo replied. “Perhaps now that she is more open with her talent, you may be able to connect with her… That is, if you left your place for once.” “Maybe your right…” Iron Gear said. “We don’t have time to lose” Star said. “We have to return to the academy at once and talk with Atlanta.” The two Crusaders nodded in agreement. The three of them teleported back to the academy, with the night starting to fall. Midnight came to them as soon as she saw them approaching the entrance. “Your back!” she said. “How did it go?” “Not as we expected” Star replied. “Sweetie Belle was captured by Tinkerbell’s minions.” “What?!” Midnight asked. “But that’s horrible!” “Don’t worry” Scootaloo said. “We already have a way to go to Neverland. We just need to find Atlanta.” “Atlanta?” Midnight asked, a little confused. “But what she has to do with this?” “We’ll tell you on the way” Star told her. Following Scootaloo, they reached the outbuilding that served as Atlanta’s office. Scootaloo knocked and Atlanta opened it. Seeing them all, she said to Scootaloo: “Oh, I can see that you told them about this place. And I was thinking you were trustworthy.” “I’m sorry, Atlanta, but we really need your help.” Inside, Scootaloo and the others told Atlanta about their situation. When they finished, she said: “It’s typical of grampa Iron” Atlanta replied. “Always making me to fix his messes.” “This is serious, Atlanta” Scootaloo said. “Only you can fix this watch that we need to save innocent ponies.” “Including my sister and Sweetie Belle” Midnight said. “Please, Atlanta, I know that we’re not friends, but I ask you for your help.” It would appear that Atlanta was irreducible regarding in helping them, but then Scootaloo had an idea. “I know that your uncle and aunt made you believe that being part of the elite was the most important thing” she said. “They made you believe in that in a way that caused you to hide your true talent. But I know that watchmaking is what makes you happy and that you love challenges. Well, we have a challenge for you, one that not even your grandfather was not able to solve.” Scootaloo extended the watch to Atlanta and said: “Fix this watch and you’ll be able to surpass your grandfather. Isn’t that what you want, to prove him that you are skilled in watchmaking?” There was a silence, where everypony waited to see if Atlanta would attend Scootaloo request. It was then that she drew a smile and said: “It would appear you really found a way to make me do what you want. I’ll fix your watch.” And she took the magic watch, while the others got happy hearing her saying that. “Thank you, Atlanta” Midnight said. “Really.” “Don’t than me yet” Atlanta said, while heading to her desk. “I still didn’t fix it. And I may still change my mind.” Atlanta started working on the watch. “This is really a challenge” she observed. “No wonder grandpa Iron was not able to fix it. Okay, the only way to fix a clock is knowing how it works. Okay… It seems to have been built backwards, has one hand instead of two…” “Which moves counterclockwise” Star added. That caused Atlanta to think and it was then that she had an epiphany. “Maybe the only way to fix it… is backwards” she said. And she started to work on the clock and, while she was working on it, said: “Just because something looks different, it does not make it inherently wrong.” She stopped and then showed the clock to everypony and they saw to their excitement that the hand had started to move again, counterclockwise. “It’s working!” Apple Bloom said, retrieving the watch. “Thank you, Atlanta” Scootaloo replied. “No, thank you” she said to her. “You made me realize that there is no shame in my talent. After fixing the clock tower, I thought I could make my talent look cool because of me, but now I realize that there was no wrong in it to begin with. I was the one to make it look like it.” “I’m happy for you, Atlanta” Scootaloo said. There was a pause and then Atlanta said to everypony: “Okay, the moment is over. Now, can you all get out so I can focus on my work before I have to go to bed?” And, without the others realizing, they were already outside. “Okay, that was… something” Star commented. “Well, what matters is that we have now dah way tah Neverland” Apple Bloom told. “And we can rescue Sweetie Belle and the other talents” Scootaloo said. “Including Sunny” Midnight added, happy. “I can’t wait for that to happen.” It was then that a glow started to come from Midnight, making her light shine even more. “Wait, what is happening?” she asked. “I don’t know” Star said, curious about the phenomenon that was happening with his sister. “That’s new to me.” “It looks like when our Cutie Marks glowed when the Tree of Crisis called for us” Scootaloo remembered. “Then, that means…” Apple Bloom started. “Exactly what you’re thinking” a voice said. And Mirror Coat appeared. “Mirror Coat?” Star asked. “What are you doing here?” “I came because the Tree of Crisis reacted” he replied. “It would appear that another pony was added to the Crusaders’ mission.” And he looked to Midnight who then asked: “Who, me?” “The Tree says that your help is needed” Mirror Coat says. “It makes sense, as Sunny is her twin and was captured” Scootaloo said. “Yes, but… why did dah Tree chose Midnight tah come?” Apple Bloom said. “Wouldn’t Star be a better choise?” But Star knew the reason. Sunny and Midnight were Twins of Light and Darkness and their fate was interlaced. “If the Tree of Crisis says that Midnight is needed, then it’s because she’s needed” Star said, placing a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “What do you say, little sis, do you want to go to Neverland?” But he noticed that she was trembling. “Why me?” she asked. “Why did the Tree of Crisis chose me?” “Midnight…” Star started. “I’m useless, after all” she said. “I was not able to prevent Sunny from being taken, so why would I be able to save her? I… I don’t think I can do this!” And she started to run away. “Midnight!” Star called. But she ignored him and continued to run. “So… what now?” Scootaloo asked. “We go without her?” “Be patient” Mirror Coat said. “I’m certain Princess Midnight will come around. She just needs a little help to find the courage she needs.” Midnight run at the forest until she couldn’t run anymore. She took deep breaths, while looking around and saw that she was alone. With that, she could at least thought about what she was feeling. “I don’t understand” she said. “Why me? I don’t have what it takes to save Sunny, Sweetie Belle or any of the other ponies. I don’t have what it takes to save the day.” At that moment, the jewel of her mane clip started to glow and then a light arrow passed by her and hit the tree. She looked to the direction where the light arrow came from and she saw… “Golden Paladin?” she asked, as the General of Peace approached her. “What are you doing here?” “You tell me, young princess” he replied. “You’re the one that seems to be in need of a little help.” “My sister, Sweetie Belle and others are in grave danger and I’m supposed to go help rescuing them, but… I don’t know how I can do it” Midnight explained. “Unless you want to go. Your power would really help against Tinkerbell.” “You don’t need power or tricks to defeat an enemy” Golden Paladin told Midnight. “Your searching for the wrong thing in the wrong place. What you need you can only find within you.” “What’s that?” “The belief you can save them youself” “But that’s just it” Midnight told. “I’m still getting to use to my powers. How am I supposed to save everyone, when I can’t even stand up and protect my own sister?” After she said that, Midnight started to sing. She sang that, despite she had only started to control her power, she didn’t know how she could help the ones she let down. Because of that, she now felt like a fake, not understanding why the Tree of Crisis chose her when she didn’t know what to do. She then sang about how could she lead and save the day. When she stopped, Golden Paladin approached her and told her: “You can sing what you want about your doubts. We all have them. But you also have the power to wipe those doubts away. If you believe in yourself and what you can do, just stand strong and your aim will always be true.” Following Golden Paladin’s advice, Midnight took a deep breath, calming herself and searching for her blacklight nature. With that, she felt her horn be charged with that same energy. At first, she felt it starting to get out of control, but, by searching all the confidence and belief she had for herself, she could find the control she needed and was able to cast a beam of black light that passed through the tree, creating a hole where everything that was touched by that beam was vaporized. That caused Midnight to smile, after seeing how much she had been able to control her abilities. “You can save your friends and you know it” Golden Paladin said. “So get on with it.” “Your right, Golden” Midnight replied, now more confident. “So, young princess, what are you waiting for?” Golden Paladin asked. Midnight started to sing again, this time saying that, despite not knowing how she would do it, but she knew one thing: that she would be able to free them all if she dedicated to that. She sang that now she could do it, that she was the one that had to save the day. And now she had to go without hesitation and save the day. And so she started to move away, heading to the others, while Golden Paladin watched her, with a smile. The others were still waiting for Midnight. It was then that Scootaloo said: “I guess she’s not coming after all.” “Wait for me!” a voice called. And they saw Midnight arriving. Looking at her, Star could sense a change in her attitude. She looked more confident and that was something Star really appreciated. “I will go” Midnight declared, causing Mirror Coat to make a smile. “Wow, that’s a change!” Scootaloo commented. “What does that matter?” Apple Bloom asked. “What matters is that now we can go tah Neverland rescue our friends.” “Yeah, I think you’re right” Scootaloo replied. Holding the watch, Apple Bloom pointed it ahead and the watch summoned a portal. “Well, here we go” Apple Bloom said, advancing and passing through the portal. “All right, let’s kick some ass” Scootaloo said, passing also through the portal. Before she passed through, Midnight turned to Star and Mirror Coat asked: “Are you sure you don’t want to come? Your abilities would be very useful against Tinkerbell.” “I’m a General” Mirror Coat replied. “I can’t go to a sealed realm and risk to get stuck there.” “And I need to be around, in case another villain comes by” Star replied. “And also someone needs to be here to back you up. Don’t worry, little sister. Remember that you come from a family of heroes. You can do this, I’m sure of it.” Those words gave Midnight some calmness and so she turned to the portal, took a deep breath and also passed through it, with it closing soon after.