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// Chapter 2: Magic 
// Story: Crimson Midnight 
// by Crimson_Midnight 
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Crimson Midnight part 2:

The morning light shone down through the branches and leafs of the tree above a warm and gentle breeze flowing through the air and softly brushing over the dark grey pony. Yawning and stretching as the light fell on various parts of his body including his face warming his fur. After a few moments Crimson stood up rubbing his eyes yawning one last time, "one day I'm gonna wake up in a bed."

The unicorn then took a few steps out from under the tree and started walking around he already knew there was still loads of ponies he hadn't asked about if they knew him. Taking a deep breath Crimson started once again asking ponies. The day went on with no results the hours and minutes trailing by at a snails pace. As he continued to ask most of the other ponies began just ignoring him, this started to cause him to get timid and shy, until he went to ask one pegasus. He was grey in colour and looked really tired and irritable. Taking a deep breath Crimson approached the other male, "um e-excuse me sir um I was wondering if you have ever seen me before?"

The grey pegasus glared down at Crimson and began yelling at him about asking and growling as he spoke. The other males outbursts caused the dark grey pony to crouch down against the floor his ears flat against his head and whimpering loudly fear flooding into his face. When Crimson was about to apologize, Typhoon stepped next to the grey pegasus and began growling himself, "Hey he is only trying to find out who he is so back off."

Before another word could be said the grey pegasus snorted and started walking away. Crimson stared at the floor for a moment before looking up at the other stallion. Taking a deep breath he sighed and meekly said, "sorry you had to get involved Typhoon. I shouldn't of been asking so many ponies for help with my problem that was my fault."

Typhoon looked down at Crimson for a moment not saying anything. He then slowly and softly patted the unicorns head. "No, it wasn't that guy was just a jerk. You have every right to find out who you are."

The dark grey unicorn looked up at the pegasus in silence for a moment before slowly standing up. "Thank you Typhoon it means a lot but I think I'm not going to ask anypony anymore about myself. Its not getting me anywhere."

"So you're giving up then?"

"No it's just nopony here knows me so why keep asking and making others unhappy, and annoyed."

"It still sounds like you're giving up to me but it's your choice pal." Typhoon replied draping his wing over the smaller unicorn. "But what are you going to do now, you got no home, no money, and no known family?"

"Well first I'm gonna try to find somewhere to stay. I can't keep sleeping under trees. Second thing I need to do is try and kick start my memory by doing stuff.  I might find out what I'm good at." The dark grey pony replied as his gaze shifted back to the floor. His eyes only read deep thought and a slight flicker of fear.

“Well looking at your cutie mark you may be good at magic or something like that.” The pegasus said looking down the unicorns smaller and more feminine frame towards his hind quarters, to look at the unicorns red star shaped cutie mark with the points of a darker red star pointing out between the gaps. “Rainbow Dash has told me that Twilight is good at magic. Maybe she could help?”

The unicorn froze for a moment as he was sure he saw the pegasus looking down his body. This couldn’t of been normal especially for a stallion to do to another. But the unicorn shook it out of his head thinking nothing more of it. His face then went a bright red as he just caught the end of Typhoons sentence, his face showing disbelief that his imagination had deafened him.

Crimson thought about it for a few moments before he remembered the purple mare from the party, though their meeting was brief he got a good vibe from her. “If you're on about the unicorn from last night then I'm not sure.” The dark grey pony started holding out the ‘then’ a little as he tried to think of how he was going to phrase the next part. “I mean I don’t know her and I'm sure she is busy with something really important. I wouldn’t want to disturb her.”

“So you basically just said you want to try and learn about yourself but now are saying you don't want to bother anyone who may possibly help you.” Typhoon said leaning his head down to look into the unicorns eyes. His gaze was slightly cold and hard as he stared at the now very nervous unicorn. Taking a few shallow breaths Crimson opened his mouth to speak. However before he could even get the first word out he felt the pegasus’ wing strike the back of his head. “No. Don't even try to justify it. Were going to go see her right now do you understand?”

Rubbing the back of his head and whining lightly  the unicorn slowly nodded.

* * *

Crimson did his best to show reluctance to going to the unicorns house. But unfortunately for him the stallions wing was pressed firmly against his body holding him in place, like a prisoner being taken to his cell. However he stopped resisting so much when his eyes fell on to the tree. It was quite amazing how it fitted into the scenery of the two but was still a home. As he looked up at the branches of the tree a small part of his stomach twisted and a tingling pain entered his head. As the two continued to walk towards the tree the pains started to grow and intensify. Each step was bringing a new level of agony to the dark pony. But he couldn't even speak or show any signs of pain. To anypony watching he would look like any other pony walking to the library. The pain started to haze his mind as they approached the door. All he could think about was that he was going to pass out the second they walked in the door.

His heart raced in fear as he was trapped in his own moving body. Then he braced himself as his hoof started to enter the door. But nothing. His eyes opened wide as he panted all the pain had gone the second he walked into the tree. He couldn't stop panting either as he drank in the air that was now filling up his lungs. Something about this tree was lurking in his forgotten memories, in the core of his body. But what? His mind was only then snapped out of it's trance by Typhoon looking at him confused and asking, “are you okay Crimson? You just started panting for no reason.”

The unicorn stayed silent as he tried to contemplate what had just happened to him. Though he knew he couldn't say anything to the pegasus. He would look insane and he himself didn’t believe it. "I'm fine. I um j-just got a bit nervous thats all," he replied looking up at the stallion with a weak smile.

Before the pegasi could reply, or even question the sudden change in the unicorn Twilight ran past his field of vision. She was levitating multiple books at once and was constantly putting them on and off of shelves. With a light sigh Typhoon walked closer to the mare, leaving Crimson standing at the door. When he approached the mare he lightly tapped her flank.

Twilight let out a sudden scream dropping the books on her and Typhoon’s heads with a loud crash. The sound caused a few ponies passing by to peek in for a moment before continuing to carry on their merry way, and Crimson to wince slightly. The two stayed under the books for a few moments before shaking their heads out from the pile of books. Staring at Typhoon, Twilight simply asked, “what is it?”

Typhoon looked at her with a giggle before he climbed out of the books, before helping her out as well. With his smile returning the pegasus pointed at Crimson who was still standing in the doorway of the library. “Well you met Crimson here last night. Though it was brief.”

“Yes I remember.” She said rather blankly as she levitated the books once more. This time she stood still as she shuffled the books around.

“Well the thing is. He has no memories apart from yesterday. So we was wondering if you could help him find out what his cutie mark ment.” As he finished he leaned in close to Twilight and whispered into her ear. “Could you do that for me cutie?”

Once again Twilight dropped the books. This time with a bright red blush across her face. Though before she could protest Typhoon bolted to the door yelling. “Well I got to be going now. You kids have fun. I gotta go see all the free ponies out there just waiting for this stud. See ya.” As he passed Crimson he gave the unicorn a wink before walking out of the library, and shutting the door.

For a minute Crimson stood there swaying his front left leg back and forth. All the while Twilight just stood there gobsmacked. She then took a deep breath and collected herself. “Listen Crimson, I would give nothing more than to help you with this. But Princess Celestia sent me a letter saying she needed to come here, and speak with me. I need to make the library look presentable. Sorry but you’re going to have to ask somepony else to help you.”

“W-well I could help you. Typhoon said he thought it was magic, and that Rainbow dash said you was really good at magic. So maybe I could help you and you instruct me on how I could find out.” The dark grey stallion said as he picked up a book and put it on his back. “B-but only if you want the help that is.”

“If you want to help then sure.” Twilight said looking at him and levitating the book on his back. “Though I need to find a way to sort these first. I just can’t decide. Should I go by age, context or alphabetically.”.

“Why not a mixture of all three.” The dark furred unicorn said picking up more books and putting them on his back.

Twilight stopped for a moment before she started beaming with joy. “That's it!” As she said that she made every book fly onto the shelves neatly tucked away in place. Now with a smile on her face she turned to Crimson and gestured him to follow her and sit at the nearby desk. “Thank you for that. I was panicking so much about getting everything perfect, I let logic escape me.”

Crimson nodded to what she said, though he felt like he didn’t do anything really. “You’re welcome. I guess.” He then sat down near the purple mare but not too close to her.

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little at the dark furred unicorn sitting next to her. As she looked at him she thought about how much of Fluttershy she started to see within him. Her eyes then went to his cutie mark. Two red stars one overlapping the other. There was a possibility magic was his talent. After all her cutie mark was a star. “Well looking at your cutie mark, I would have to say magic is strongly related to your talent. But since you have lost your memory we should do something simple.” Twilight said before pushing a cup on the table towards him. “Lets try levitation. Every unicorn is able to do it, so it should be easy.”

Crimson nodded to the other unicorn intently before gazing at the cup. Every unicorn can do it. It was that easy a spell. How could he mess it up. “Okay sounds easy.” The dark furred stallion then gazed at the cup and pictured it lifting into the air. Though his horn did start to glow and a light enveloped the cup, nothing happened. With a groan he then tried again focusing a lot harder on the cup. But still nothing happened. Then with another groan he stomped the floor. As he did his horn sparked and the whole table went flying up into the ceiling before falling. Though before any harm was done Twilight caught the table with her magic and set it down gently.

Twilight and Crimson were both speechless for a moment before Twilight started to rub her head and pac around the room a little in frustration. “This hasn’t happened before. How can a unicorn fail to levitate a simple cup? I need to look this up. Stay there.” She said before heading into her basement.

The dark grey unicorn with a depressing sigh planted his face on to the table. This was humiliating. The one thing any unicorn was suppose to be able to do and he messed it up. The unicorn than just sat there for awhile waiting for the the other unicorn to return from her research. After a while the unicorn started to think about how slow the time was passing. He thought that a flower could grown from the table in the time it took the unicorn to get back.

As he thought this of though his horn started to glow once more. This time the most beautiful red flower grew out from the middle of the table. It's stork was thick and at least half a meter in height. It's red petals faded from spots of dark red to normal to deep pink colours, the petals also varied in length though were high in density. The center of the flower was a golden yellow similar to the sun with a dark row of seeds stretching along the middle of the flower. Looking up at the flower the unicorn thought it slightly looked like a dragons eye. The different hues of red making the petals look like scales. Crimson started to smile only thinking about how on earth did he do it. He then out of a fit of glee made another couple dozen grow on the table. The once unnoticeable scent of the flower soon grew as the numbers did. The smell was extremely calming and pleasant as it wafted into his nostrils.

It wasn’t much longer before Twilight returned from the basement with her nose buried deep in an old dusty book. “No. Never has there been any record of a unicorn that couldn’t perform a simple levitation spell. You’re probably just out of practice, that's...” Twilight started blabbering before she took a few whiffs of the air and the scent of the flower. “What’s that smell?” Before waiting for an answer she put the book down a little and looked in both shock and amazement as she saw the flowers growing out of the table.

Crimson chuckled nervously as he turned to face the mare. “Sorry. I done one by accident but then was so happy I done something, I got carried away and made a whole load of them.”

Twilight shook her head as she snapped out of her shock. “Its not that.” She said as she walked up to the table. “To do this sort of stuff is difficult and even I would struggle to do just one. But you done a whole bunch easily. How is it you failed at a simple spell like levitation but managed something as complex as this? And I’ve never seen this kind of flower around Ponyville before How did you know what it looked like if you don’t remember anything.? ”

“I-I don’t know I just was bored and it happened.” Crimson said looking down to the floor. “I-I’m sorry Twilight. I just don't know.”

Before either of the two unicorns could utter another word a light as blinding as the suns rays filled the room. The beams of light flashing and twisted bathing everything in their warm glow before vanishing. As the two regained their vision. They looked to where the light originated to see a large white alicorn with a flowing bright rainbow coloured mane and tail. “Princess Celestia you’re here early!” Twilight exclaimed before bowing her head. However Crimson within his ignorance remained standing, and just looked back and forth between the two mares.

Celestia just smiled down at the two ponies for a second before speaking. “You may rise Twilight. You know I don't expect such formalities as bowing from you.” Her voice was soft and soothing. Almost angelic to the stallion. But as he heard it the slight pain he got from when he first saw the library shot into his mind for a moment before dying once again.

Twilight smiled then rose looking up at the alicorn. “Sorry your highness. It's just one of those habits it is hard to break.”

“It is okay Twilight my dear student.” Celestia said as she walked closer to the two before the scent of the flowers hit her nose. “Oh wow Dragon’s Sight. I haven’t seen any Dragon’s Sight in a thousand years.” She said before approaching the table and using her magic to cut the flowers away from the table. “These would be lovely in my chambers.” She said before poofing them away.

Twilight was a little shocked to hear that the princess hadn’t seen the flower in a thousand years, but the unicorn next to her was able to make a bunch off of the top of his head. But this would have to wait in her mind. The princess wanted to see her for an important reasons and she needed to find out what it was. “So what is it you wanted to speak to me about your highness?”

“Well Twilight this is very important, and will need to be kept between only a few ponies do you both understand. Yes and this will involve you Mr Midnight.” She said looking at Twilight before turning to Crimson.

“Y-You know who I am?” The dark grey stallion asked as his face slowly started to light up.


End of Part 2