"Mother." Morning was facing Umbra's bed. "Explain something to me."
Umbra sat up where she had been preparing for bed. "For you, any time. What's up?"
"You are a creature of nightmares and darkness." She pointed at Umbra, quite sure on that point. "Why do you sleep through it, and work during the day?"
"Well." Umbra frowned, considering that. "Good question. To start, a lot of the other people I like talking to also sleep at night and work in the day, so I followed. Also--" She pointed at herself. "---I used to be a 'day creature', as you call it. So combine being used to it with wanting to hang out with other 'day creatures', and it was such an easy question, I never even asked it."
"Perhaps you should ask it, mother." She started for the door. "You have the respect and admiration of others. You wouldn't lose it having a more natural pattern."
Umbra slid to the floor. "Hold on. Even if I agreed, this isn't something you do with a pivot in place." She twirled around on one hoof in a display of what it wasn't like. "I'd have to adjust to night life, and be grouchy while I did it. What would I get for doing that?"
Morning smiled thinly. "For one, your daughter is a night creature." She was looking over her shoulder at Umbra. "My schedule is a mess, attempting to meet my mother's needs and my own."
"My son is a day creature..." Umbra rubbed at her cheek. "Dang it..."
"There are consequences for our decisions, mother." Morning sat, facing her. "You are tired. Go to sleep."
"My kid shouldn't be saying that!" She swatted at Morning, but was far too far away to hope to reach her with the halfhearted swing. "Dang it. What hours do you keep, on your own? Pretend I wasn't here."
"Sundown." She lowered a hoof. "To sunup, generally."
Umbra flashed a brilliant smile. "Great. I'm usually awake around both of those times. We wouldn't be entirely separated if you just did what was healthy and natural for you."
"Are you suggesting I separate my sleeping time from you, mother?"
Umbra walked towards Morning at an even pace. "I am. This isn't a dangerous place. If you want to live in the Crystal Empire night life, I don't see any harm in that. Some of them like the night too, and there are other umbrum. They like you too."
"Most of them." Morning shrugged at the report. "My aunt will appreciate my availability. Very well, mother. If you are certain." She didn't give enough time to think about a change of heart. She scurried out of the room, lost to a night of whatever Morning's did.
"Should I report her activity." Oh! The maid, watching as always.
"How will you do that?" Umbra turned to her. "You have a day schedule, like me."
"If you order me, ma'am, I'll keep an eye on her."
That seemed like a fine idea until the meanings of it sank in. "I will not order you to destroy your sleep schedule! You can watch her when you're normally awake, but sleep calls to all ponies. Even umbrum need to sleep. Just at different times."
"As you wish, ma'am. Are you retiring?"
Umbra rubbed at her cheek. "I should... but I'm also worked up now... Dang it." Her favorite phrase of that evening. "Going on a walk to calm down." She emerged from her room at a firm walk, not a proper trot.
She descended the stairs and headed out into the town proper. The clip-clop of her hooves on the ground was... comforting. The steady pace of it let her relax. She was in a safe place, doing her best for those around her. Nothing was wrong, right?
"Howdy."
Umbra slid to a stop, spotting a familiar stallion. "Wensley Apple! It's been a while!" She closed with him with a smile. "Where's Cobalt?"
"Eh..." He wobbled a hoof. "Sorry, didn't work out... Still, thank ya! That was... It was a magic time."
Umbra patted Wensley gently. "Aw, sorry to hear that. I know the feeling, um... Did you do anything wrong? I blew mine up. Nobody to blame but me for that one."
"That sounds like a story... but ah ain't gonna drag that outtaya." He shook his head firmly at that. "We just didn't click, past the surface. A thousand tiny things we did different that set the other on edge... It's hard to put to words... Weren't no hard feelin's, promise! We're still friends even!"
Umbra clapped at that. "I'm so happy to hear that! So what's a day pony like you doing wandering the street at night?"
"The night's comfy." He nodded with certainty. "Peaceful-like... Me an' my thoughts don't bother nopony out here. Um... You?"
"Got worked up," huffed Umbra. "Talking a hike to cool down. I already feel better." A thought came to her. "I know a mare, if you're up for it, that would love to hear the ghastly things you imagine about her. Word of warning, she fires back, and she will pry up every little shame you have on the way. If you can handle that, she will love hating you with every fiber of her being."
Wensley sank to his haunches with wide eyes. "Wow! That sounds..."
"Intense?"
"That's the word ah was goin' fer!" He swatted at Umbra with a smile. "Don't mind meeting her, if yer suggestin' it. Maybe it'll work out, and maybe not."
Umbra waved Wensley back. "Now, I'm not trying to rebound you."
"Huh?" It took a moment to parse that. "Oh! No... We, um... That's set and said. All done. Shoot, wasn't even really thinkin' 'bout it till you came up an' asked. Don't regret it none, happy days. Made me feel better too... Ah knew ah wasn't alone... But just 'cause we shared that didn't mean everythin' else works out, ya know? Hopin' the best fer her, really am!"
Umbra advanced to touch her nose to Wensley's. "Aw! That is so mature! I'm so proud right now!"
Wensley burst into laughter. "Thanks, but yer makin' me feel awkward. We're both, um, grown ponies. Anyway! Sure, I'll meet this mare of yours."
"One thing." Umbra raised a hoof up. "Technically, not a mare, as in a female pony." She curled the hoof at herself. "She's an umbrum, like me. A creature of nightmares. Like me, she's turning those talents to good things, but she's still an umbrum, and so am I. We're not ponies, but that--"
"--ain't not the end of it," finished Wensley. "If she was a dragon, I'd say say howdy and meet her. Maybe'll work out, or mayhaps not. Only one way to know, right?" He shrugged with a quirked smile. "Don't even know her yet. We're puttin' things out of order, ah reckon."
Umbra clapped gently. "You are being such a good pony about this. Alright. Let's make it a date."
Wensley poked her on the side. "Ya ain't asked yer friend. Figure she should get some kindova vote on it, yeah?"
Umbra slapped a hoof to her face. "You are entirely correct. I'll go ask her, then, if she's up for it, we'll make it a date."
"Deal." He put out a hoof, quickly met with Umbra's in a firm clop. "Right nice seein' you 'gain, date or not."
"Ditto. Now, I'm going to tuck me into bed." She continued her walk, looping around to head towards the castle.
"Still guilty about that?" Midnight emerged from the shadows, a trick umbrum shared. "I thought you'd be getting over it a little. Still, thanks for the treat."
Umbra jumped back. "Hey! Just the umbrum I was hoping to talk to."
Midnight inclined her head. "Me? You sure you aren't confused. You tolerate me, you don't like me. There's a difference. Oh, points on setting Morning free. Poor thing shouldn't be stuck inside at night."
"I want what's best for her." Umbra inclined her head. "You mentioned you had very specific tastes in a potential lover."
Midnight colored faintly, but was laughing through it. "Seriously? I have to hear this. What are you thinking? You're not ashamed of it, or I'd already know. Shameless... Tell me."
Umbra pointed where she had come from. "His name is Wensley, earth pony, with a particular 'quirk'."
Midnight cocked a brow at that. "It better be one hell of a quirk. Why should I care about some random earth pony?"
Umbra tapped at her head. "It's up here, and it haunts him."
Midnight licked her lips. "Mmm, sounds like tasty shame to me... I'm listening..."
"Worse, in some ways." Umbra pointed at Midnight. "He always visualizes the worst. He's not a pessimist, but images of the worst come to him. Any pony he sees, he imagines terrible things happening to them, or doing terrible things to them, or even having terrible things done to him by the creature he's facing."
Midnight blinked softly. "Intense."
Umbra frowned at that. "As if you aren't! Does that sound fun or not? He'll share his visions with you, if you're up for it."
Midnight clapped her hooves together in one firm strike. "Does he know I'm not an earth pony, or even a pony? Does he even know I am a creature of nightmares? Does the sick little pony not care?"
"Not even a little," confirmed Umbra. "But he does know. He did say he'd get to know you even if you were a dragon before making any decisions.
"Bold... I like that." She smiled slyly, rubbing her hooves together. "Wonder how long it'll take to break him... Still, he's volunteering, and I don't say no to free food. Sure. Just make it clear I don't kiss on the first date, pervert."
"I don't think that's the issue. Hm..." She should have gone to bed, but she was so close to sweet sweet resolution. "I saw him this way." She led Midnight back towards where she had spotted Wensley. He was still there, nursing from a cup of something she couldn't tell what. "Good, there you are. Here she is?"
Wensley scrambled to his hooves. "Her?" He looked over Midnight curiously. "She looks dangerous."
Midnight flashed a dangerous smile. "Oh, you're right. Sicko, already imagining what it'd be like to have these teeth on your neck, sinking into the flesh and the spray of blood..."
Wensley flipped an ear back. "Y-yes... Sorry... Did... Umbra explain that?"
Midnight waved Umbra way. "She gave me the basics, and I don't care. A pony that envisions terrible ends around me? That's just intelligent, really... Now, sit." She pointed to the ground firmly enough to make him flop to his haunches immediately. "Good boy. Now let's see what horrors lurk in you." She stared at him evenly a moment. "Besides your shameful visions... Hmm..." She dug and burrowed without motion, performing her mental intrusion. "You're... Wait." She leaned back, laughing. "Are you the actor now? Am I seeing that right?"
Wensley went darker still. "Um... Yes, sorry. I was..."
"Don't hold it back. I want to hear this." So she forced him to admit the depraved and debauched things Wensley envisioned himself doing to Wensley. "Filthy... But, for fun... Let's say I let you do some of that. Would you? Do you have the guts, or should I just spill yours and spare us both the trouble?"
Wensley flipped his ears back, thoughts going back to Midnight as the actor, doing awful things to him. "I don't want to hurt anycreature, ma'am."
"Even if the creature likes being hurt in good fun?" She raised a brow. "What about then?"
Wensley blinked dumbly at that. "I never met such a creature before."
"Hi." She leaned in closer, the aura of nightmares flaring around her. "I am made of terror itself. I enjoy visiting it, and wallowing in it. A little pain? That can be fun, delivered properly. Scare you? Good. You are free to run away, go on. I'm not holding you here."
Wensley forced himself to stand, but didn't run, staring at her. "I may scare you sometimes, ma'am."
"Oh, do try. I look forward to it." Midnight chuckled at the thought. "Please... Now, shall we go somewhere more private, or should I let you run away? Pick, either's fine, but commit."
Umbra watched the two wander off together. "Hope that works out..." She went back to the palace to get her sleep. "'Least I got something nice done, I think..."