//------------------------------//
// A New Day 
// Story: All Hail, Midnight Sparkle! 
// by MisterEdd 
//------------------------------//

The next few weeks crawled by at a snail's pace. A confrontation with some megalomaniacal threat was nothing new in Equestria and it never took long for things to return for what passed as normal but this was different. Midnight had tested everyone and hurt them in ways that not even Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, King Sombra, or even Discord had. The effects of her machinations would continue to ripple down in the lives of everyone involved for quite some time, perhaps even for the rest of their lives. Some wounds took more time to heal and even though scars faded, the memories of their origin remained as fresh as the day that they were earned.

A gentle breeze ruffled Luna's fur as she gazed down at the simple stone that'd been erected in the Royal Garden. Bearing only the name "Midnight," it was planted amongst some roses and far enough away so that the average visitor couldn't stop to gawk at it. After departing from the Crystal Empire, Luna had some minor surgery performed and the surgeons discovered the remains of an absorbed twin, exactly where Midnight said she'd be located. They found a skull no bigger than a squirrel's, along with some teeth, part of a spinal column, a foreleg, and a spleen. This was what was buried beneath the headstone and though it wasn't much, Luna felt as though it was enough to give her would-be twin some peace.  

Twilight's nightmares, the very menaces that had been tormenting her for months, faded with Midnight and for that, Luna was grateful. However, this didn't mean that Ms. Sparkle wasn't still haunted by these recent events. Although she didn't talk about it, Luna suspected that part of Midnight remained in Twilight, her memories and perhaps even her rage still infected her. Sombra had fled the premises sometime after Midnight's departure, though this was the least of anyone's concerns for the moment. He'd suffered his own tribulations and needed time to sort through them. 

Once the sun had been lowered and the moon raised, Luna found sleep was evading her like a plague and returned to the headstone once more. She wondered what life would've been like had Midnight been born. Would Luna have remained as Princess of the Night for the millennium she'd been away? What would have Midnight's role been? Could she have helped Luna keep a lid on her envy towards Celestia and ensured that the two remained the Elements' bearers?   

She sighed. Perhaps the what-if's and could-have-been's were insignificant in the grand scheme. The past had been written and the future still lingered in the horizon. Out of the corner of her eye, Luna spotted a shadow moving towards her. She didn't move a muscle as it assumed an equine form and stood right beside her. Grinning, she kept her gaze forward as she greeted the newcomer.   

"I was wondering if you were going to appear or not." 

Sombra looked down at the headstone. "Good to see I can still keep you on your toes." 

"Where have you been? I've tried to contact you."

"Around," he answered simply. 

Luna would've asked what he meant by that but she decided to drop it. Truth was, she missed Sombra. Once upon a time, she loved him as a brother and wished to reform a connection with him. Now, however, was not the time nor the place. For what seemed to be hours, the two stood in total silence and when Sombra finally spoke, Luna leapt suddenly at his abruptness.   

"You know, it's funny," he began, gaze still fixed on the headstone. "In a strange way, I have to thank Midnight."

Luna turned her head, eyebrow raised queerly at the statement.

"I'd almost forgotten my parents' faces, the sound of their voices. She gave me that back." 

"Maybe she recognized that you too suffered and some part of her wanted to help you."

"Maybe..." Sombra then turned to face Luna. "Do you remember Midnight's parting words?" 

"About 'he is coming'? Yes?"

Sombra faced the headstone once more. "All signs point to something major heading our way. The rise in criminal activity, strange weather patterns, the return of old foes. I've felt the increase in dark magic. Haven't you felt it?"

A chill ran down Luna's spine. "Yes. A reawakening. Tia has felt the same thing. What could it mean?"

"Midnight was merely a harbinger of things to come. Whatever it is, it will be here soon." Sombra, whether it was consciously or subconsciously, moved in closer towards her. "You all need to prepare." 

"You aided us against Midnight. Help us with this new threat, whatever it is."

Sombra moved away. "I only helped you for selfish reasons, nothing more. I'm not going to come running every time there's an issue." 

Luna couldn't contain the smirk that worked its way onto her face. "You are so transparent."

Sombra glared at her. "You think you know me?"

"You're not exactly complicated. Despite the show you put on, you care. Not just about Twilight, but her friends as well. I think that deep down, you want to do the right thing. You want acceptance." 

Sombra's gaze narrowed. "Think what you will, princess. This isn't my fight." 

The air whipped around them and Sombra disappeared in a ball of inky blackness.

"No, but it may very well soon be..."  


~*~


Once Celestia's sun dipped beneath the skyline, Ponyville's citizens commenced with their celebration. After their disastrous attempt at throwing a Twilight appreciation party, Pinkie Pie convinced them all to try again, so they threw a We-Love-You-Twilight-Sparkle-Part-Two party. And this time, it was a resounding success. No monsters, no strange magical occurrences, just laughter and merriment. DJ Pone-3 worked her magic on a killer beat while everypony danced and drank cider, courtesy of the Apple clan. That is, almost everypony.

Twilight sat off to the side, watching the festivity around her, despite being the guest of honor. While she greatly appreciated the gesture, she just wasn't in a party-mood. The whole experience with Midnight had affected her far more than anyone could've imagined and despite her friends' care for her well-being, she needed some space to cope with recent events. She smiled and waved whenever somepony said hi and gratefully accepted some cider when Applejack offered it. She even humorously listened as Spike regaled some ponies of his heroics as the newly-appointed Element of Empathy.   

I swear, if Spike's head gets any bigger, it will block out the moon.

"Hello Twilight."

Her ear swiveled at the sound of a very familiar voice and turned to look at the speaker. It was Sombra, garbed in his usual black patchwork cloak, a bandage applied to his left cheek from where Midnight's spear had nicked him. He smiled somewhat uneasily at her, as though he were afraid that his presence was somehow unwanted. This, of course, was far from the truth in Twilight's eyes.

"Sombra?" She held a hoof out then placed it on Sombra's chest to confirm, yes, he was physically there and not a mental projection. "I...I'm so glad to see you!" Tackling him, Twilight wrapped her forelegs around him and snuggled into his coat. Chuckling, Sombra returned the gesture, albeit with much more delicateness. "Where were you? You didn't return my letters."  

Sombra's grin, which had widened greatly, soon drooped. "I...I'm sorry. I needed some alone time." 

Reaching into a saddlebag, he magically withdrew some bound envelopes. "I received every single one. When I heard about the party, I decided to visit you in person." He soon replaced the envelopes and stroked Twilight's mane lovingly. "How are you?"

It would've been easy to lie but one look into those crimson eyes and Twilight couldn't resist spilling her guts. "I'm trying to hang in there. Even though Midnight is gone, I still...feel her. Her anger, her memories." She sighed. "I still feel so guilty over everything I said and did."

"It wasn't your fault. It was Midnight-..."

"But it was my body, my voice! Every time they look at me, that's what my friends will remember."

Sombra held Twilight close, air exhaled through his nostrils. "Do your friends blame you?"

"Well, no-..."

"Did they forgive you?"

"Yes, but-..."

"But nothing. Your friends don't blame you and neither do I. The only one that does is you and you shouldn't."  

"I...you're right. It's just hard. Between the new castle and everything recent, it's just too much."

Gently, Sombra's lips found Twilight's cheek. "If anyone can do it, you can."

Twilight soon found herself grinning like a schoolfilly. "Th-thanks. Listen, why don't you stay and join the party?"

Sombra backed away, throwing her face partially into shadow. "I don't think that's a good idea, Twilight. I appreciate the offer, really, I do, but I highly doubt that my presence would be acceptable." 

"I don't think that."

Pinkie joined them, followed by Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow, and Spike. 

"Ya did help us wi' savin' Twilight," Applejack observed. 

"And you did help us stop the grootslang from destroying Ponyville," Rarity reminded them. "...even if we did have to twist your hoof to do it," she added. 

"You left the dream world Midnight created for you." Spike smiled up at Sombra. "You could've stayed, but you didn't."

"Yeah, that was kind of cool," Rainbow said nonchalantly. "Not that cool but a little."

Fluttershy brought her hooves up in a pleading motion. "Would you please consider joining us?"

"It'll be fun! We can eat cake, play Pin the Tail on the Pony, dance, eat cake..."

"Darling, you said 'eat cake' twice."

Pinkie shrugged towards Rarity. "There's no such thing as too much cake."

Sombra, meanwhile, was studying them curiously. "You all actually want me here?" 

"Why not?" Spike held up an open claw. "You're our friend, right?"

Twilight nodded at Sombra approvingly and he reached over to grab Spike's claw. 

"I suppose...I am."

"In that case..." Rarity brought out a blue box, took off the lid, and withdrew a crimson cloak "I made this for you, to replace that," she shivered. "Piece of garbage you've been insistently parading around in." 

Taking foal-like steps, Sombra approached Rarity, his eyes squarely focused on the levitating fabric.

"You made this...for me?"

"Think of it as a thank you gift for helping us."

Tenderly, he took the cloak in his hooves, tracing over the material and examining it as though it were made out of gold. "I...I don't know know what to say." He bowed his head. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, darling."

Shedding out of his old cloak, Sombra threw it to the side and wrapped himself in his new, pristine one, admiring the way it felt against his skin and how it flapped in the air.

"Smashing, isn't it? Besides, crimson is more your color."

"It certainly is," Twilight sighed, resting her head on Sombra's shoulder. 

Rainbow looked as though she was going to vomit. "Bleh! Enough of this touchy-feely stuff. There's a party going on!"

"Whoo, party!" 

"Yeehaw!"

"Yay!"

Just then, there was a white explosion and Discord appeared, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, a pair of suitcases floating next to him. He pulled down his sunglasses and peered around.

"Ooh, nice party. What did I miss?"