//------------------------------// // Chapter 15: A Second Chance // Story: Midnight Star // by Nebula Star //------------------------------// Midnight Star By Nebula Star Chapter 15: A Second Chance *** “What!?” The exclamation came from eight throats at once as everypony seemed to have thought Midnight was gone for good. “But Twilight, I thought you defeated her!” Rainbow Exclaimed. “I did,” Twilight explained quickly before anypony panicked; “but she's still in my head. I have her contained, but I don't really want to leave her up there forever,” Twilight said rolling her eyes. “Did you have time to study the spells for removing invasive spirits that I sent you?” Celestia asked. Twilight bit her lip. “I did, but...” She hesitated, not sure how they'd react if she told them her plan. “There's something else I want to try first. Something with the Elements.” “Why the Elements? What do you want to do?” Rainbow asked. “I... I just want to try something,” she said, sure that they wouldn't understand if she told them. They didn't know what she knew about Midnight. “Twilight, It's clear you don't want to tell us what it is you want to try for some reason. If I had to guess, I'd say you're worried we wouldn't agree to it if you told us,” Celestia said knowingly. “You're therefore leaving it up to us to trust your judgment.” Twilight sighed and nodded looking around at all of her friends. “Please help me do this, I think you'd understand if you knew everything...” “I will trust you on this, Twilight,” Celestia told her. “Though you have kept secrets, I assume you have your reasons. It is also clear that you know much more about Midnight Star than you have told us.” “Yes...” Twilight admitted. “Very well, then it is up to the rest of you whether you will help Twilight in this or not,” Celestia said turning to her five friends. Twilight watched them anxiously as they all looked at each other in silence. Finally though Rainbow stepped forward. “We all trust you, Twi. I think we're all just curious what it is you want to do. Sounds like you want to go easy on Midnight. I mean, you obviously don't want to banish her.” Twilight sighed and nodded. She tossed her head slightly. “Well to be honest, I don't really like it. But if you're willing to go easy on her after all she did to you, I suppose you must have good reason.” “We'll help you, Twi,” Applejack agreed; “but I hope you'll explain your resonin' after.” “If it works how I think it will, I think it will help you all understand...” Twilight told them. “Alright then, let's get to it.” Twilight nodded then glanced around. So far none of the town's residents had dared approach the group that included all four alicorn princesses of Equestria, and were instead keeping at a respectful distance. But for part of her plan, it was important that nopony but her trusted friends knew who Midnight Star was. “Shining, Cadence, can you reassure everypony that everything's alright, but whatever you do don't mention Midnight Star by name. For now I don't want anypony else to even know of her existence.” Shining looked confused but nodded. “Uh; sure, Twi,” he said and still limping he and Cadence went to reassure the townsponies. “When you're done, join us in the library,” Twilight called after them. Then taking a deep breath, she turned back to her friends. “I think it would be best if we go inside,” Twilight told them gesturing to the Library. “Okie dokie Lokie!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully and immediately bounced inside. “Why all the secrecy, Twi?” Applejack asked curious. “It's important for what I want to do,” she said simply. Applejack looked at the rest of their friends and shrugged, then they all turned and started filing into the library where they were soon joined by Princess Celestia as well as Luna with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo still close by the Lunar Princess. Even Discord joined them, his curiosity getting the better of him. Once they were all inside, Twilight turned toward them all. “I know this seems strange. But trust me, it's for the best.” She took a deep breath. “Alright gather around me,” she told them and they obediently formed a circle around her. Twilight smiled in thanks. “Here goes then...” she said and then she began. She called on the power of the Elements once more and as before, she didn't try to cast a specific spell, she just directed their power towards their target: herself and the second soul trapped within her. The light from the Elements grew brighter and brighter as she felt the energies swirling around her. Then they began their work. Twilight felt pain like she'd never felt before. It was as though something were being torn away from her. Then there was a scream of rage that seemed to come from a great distance. Overwhelmed by the pain, she collapsed as the light of the Elements of Harmony continued to grow in brightness. When she came to, she was lying on the floor in the center of her friends. She opened her eyes and saw all of her friends were just doing the same. Surprise crossed all their faces though as they looked at her, or more specifically; to the side of her. She turned and looked as well and then smiled. It had worked. There, lying on the floor next to her was a little purple unicorn filly, appearing at least two years younger than Sweetie Belle and her friends. “Twilight!? What exactly did you do!? Who's the filly?” Rainbow exclaimed. Twilight smiled at their confusion, but looked down at the filly casting a spell to keep her from waking for now. She didn't want the filly to hear the explanations she'd have to give her friends. “This is Midnight Star.” Their shock was clear in their eyes. “But you said Midnight Star was another version of you!? If that's so, why is she just a filly?” Applejack asked clearly confused. “I used the elements to Purify her, to cleanse her of the bitterness and hatred that had taken hold of her heart, just like we did for Luna,” Twilight explained and looked up at the lunar princess. Luna looked slightly surprised, but at the same time she seemed to understand. “But why is she a filly?” Applejack repeated. Twilight smiled. “I think that when the Elements are used to purify somepony of the evil in their heart, that they do so by reverting the pony back to the age they were when that evil first took hold.” she explained. Luna nodded. “That does sound about right. I was older as well before I was banished, but after you used the Elements on me I was barely a young adult again.” Twilight smiled but then looked down at the tiny filly Midnight. “Look at her... look at how young she was...” she said softly, tears coming to her eyes. “I can't imagine how hard her life must have been, how much she must have suffered for evil to take hold of her heart at such a young age.” Twilight sniffed realizing she was crying, but not caring as she went on. “She told me some of it... Some of what she'd gone through. The world she came from. It was terrible, a nightmare. I think she'd just been hurt so many times, that she was lashing out at the world. She just wanted the pain to stop.” “She's the pony you were talking about!” Rarity realized looking surprised. “When I was fitting you for your new gala dress!” Twilight smiled and nodded. “Even after all she did, I... I never hated her, I couldn't. I wanted to help her, but she wouldn't let me, she wouldn't let anypony get close. She'd lost so many, so many she'd cared about; lost so many friends that friendship was just another source of pain to her. She just wanted the pain to stop. But her world was such a terrible place, it wouldn't stop, and so her heart turned to bitterness and hatred.” As she spoke Cadence and Shining Armor quietly entered the library having reassured the ponies of Ponyville. Twilight gave them a quick smile before going on. “I realized too late that she was too far gone, the evil had to great of a hold on her heart for me to help her on my own. The bitterness, hatred as well as the pain, had to first be washed away. That's why I needed the Elements. I couldn't do that for her on my own.” “But Twilight, when the elements purified me of the evil of Nightmare Moon, I retained my memories,” Luna spoke up sounding concerned. “The jealousy and bitterness were gone, but I still remembered how they had felt. Won't her memories of all that she suffered, all the pain, just drive her to evil once more?” Twilight shook her head. “She has no memories... I made sure of that,” she explained. “When she wakes she will remember nothing of who she was before. This is a complete second chance at life for her, a chance to be happy.” “But, she's just a filly,” Rarity pointed out. “Who's going to take care of her?” Twilight looked down at the filly again and smiled. “I will.” “What!?” They all exclaimed at once. Then Celestia stepped forward. “Twilight, are you sure you're ready for that kind of responsibility? Taking care of a filly, being a mother for her is a different kind of responsibility than you've ever taken on before.” Still smiling Twilight recalled one of the alternate worlds she had seen. One with a little black alicorn filly that had called her mother. “I think I can manage,” she said confidently then looked up at the sun princess. “I want to do this for her. I want to give Midnight a chance to be happy.” “Wait, Twi, who is this filly?” Shining asked completely lost. Twilight smiled. “This is Midnight Star, I had the elements purify her and removed her memories. But the elements also reverted her back to the age when the evil first started to take hold of her heart,” she quickly explained. “And you want to take care of her!? Twilight, she nearly destroyed half of Equestria!” Shining exclaimed. “Shining, you don't know the world she came from, who she is.” “Well who is she then?” He exclaimed. “She's me, Shining,” Twilight told him. “Or rather, she's another version of me from an alternate world.” He looked stunned glancing back and forth between her and the filly lying by her side. “She's another version of you?” Twilight nodded. “From another version of Equestria. Her world though... it was such a horrible place. In her world, Discord, her world's version, appeared about the same time that the Luna of that world became Nightmare Moon. The two joined forces against Celestia and banishing her to the sun. Then they turned on each other and each took control of part of Equestria, forcing the ponies to fight for them in a war that lasted centuries and destroyed almost all the land. In the end, that Nightmare Moon was defeated and forced to serve Discord.” “Now wouldn't that be a nice switch; a pony princess waiting on me,” Discord said with a grin. “How about it, Luna?” “Not a chance, Discord.” “It does sound like that world suffered a great deal.” Celestia said cutting them off. Twilight nodded. “But that's not even the worst of it. Many of the ponies in that world lived in the forests, seeing the monsters of the wilds as the lesser evil. Midnight grew up in one of those colonies. She lost her father when she was less than three years old, her older brother...” Twilight looked up at Shining with new tears in her eyes, “ he went out searching for food and disappeared when she was only five. Then a year later, she watched her mother be eaten by a hydra.” Twilight looked down at the filly Midnight, that couldn't be much more than seven or eight years old. “After suffering all that, I can understand why anger and bitterness would take hold of her heart. I want to give her a second chance. A chance to be happy, without all those horrible memories. That's why I want to take care of her myself. I want to make sure she has that chance.” “But Twi,” Rainbow cut in. “What about everything she did, she scared a lot of ponies last night all across Equestria, some could have been hurt. They're going to want an explanation; they'll want to know who's responsible.” “I know.” Twilight said nodding, but then stretched out her wing over the filly as if to protect her. “And I'll tell them the truth. I'm the one responsible for everything.” Her friends' eyes widened but she went on before any of them could object. “I brought her into this world, I'm responsible for any damage she caused. I'll make the announcement myself; that I accidentally brought an evil spirit into our world. That that spirit took control of me and tried to take over Equestria before we were able to stop her. But nopony ever has to know that that spirit was Midnight Star.” She looked up at all of them. “Nopony but us ever heard her name. I want you all to promise me that you'll never tell anypony about Midnight's past, especially Midnight herself. I will take responsibility for what happened so she won't have to live with that shadow hanging over her.” She looked down at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “That means you as well girls; you can't ever tell anypony, especially Midnight, that she was the one that did all those horrible things yesterday and last night. Will you promise me that?” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo glanced at each other then nodded. “Yeah, we promise,” Scootaloo said and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. Twilight smiled and looked up at the rest of her friends. “If you're sure this is what you want to do, we'll keep your secret, Twi,” Applejack said with a nod and the rest of them agreed as well. “Very well, Twilight.” Celestia stepped forward. “If you want to protect Midnight by taking responsibility for all that has happened, then we will abide by it.” She said indicating that she was speaking for Luna as well. “Yes,” Luna agreed anyway. “I was given a second chance though I did not deserve it, I could not deny another that same chance.” Twilight smiled in thanks. “However,” Celestia went on. “I hope you realize what this means. The ponies of Equestria will blame you and some may be angry with you for the fear as well as any injuries that they may have suffered because of Midnight's actions. It is likely that they will object to me giving you any more authority or responsibilities as a princess for some time.” Twilight nodded. “I understand,” she said, though in truth she was glad that that would be the case. Celestia smiled, she knew her former student well enough to know that she didn't want more royal responsibilities just then. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you planned this.” Twilight could only smile. “I am still curious about one other thing however, Twilight. Something unrelated to Midnight,” Celestia said making Twilight look up wondering what she meant. “What is it?” “After you released the power of the elements, restoring Equestria, and then raised the sun. It appeared at first that you had attained an ethereal mane and tail like Luna and I. But when you noticed, they went back to normal,” Celestia said then asked, “did you do that yourself?” Twilight laughed, it felt so strange to have Celestia asking her a question sounding confused. “Yes...” she said then, knowing she didn't have to worry about what her friends thought, she released the flow of magic into her mane and tail again and they transformed into the ethereal star-field form. “So I wasn't just seein' things,” Applejack said in surprise. “Oh wow, Twilight, your mane looks just like the sky at that one time just before sunrise!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “Or is it just after sunset?” Twilight smiled trying not to laugh. “You mean, 'twilight'?” “Yeah! That's it! Oh hey, that's your name, did you know your name is that time right before sunrise?” Twilight and most the others couldn't stop themselves from laughing after that. “But, Twilight, how did you do that?” Celestia asked truly confused now. “The only times my mane has ever gone back to its original form was when I'd exhausted my magic completely.” Twilight's smile brightened at the prospect of actually teaching Celesita something. “When I saw my mane and tail had changed, I sensed that there was a great deal of magic flowing to them. So I just stopped the flow and they went back to normal.” “So you just sensed the flow and you knew how to stop it? But how did you stop it?” She shrugged, “I just...” Focusing once again she stopped the flow of magic to her mane and tail and they returned to normal. Celestia watched seeming to pay close attention this time. “I see, so you just...” Celestia seemed to concentrate a moment but nothing happened. “Hmm, I think... no.” Twilight noticed Luna grinning in amusement watching her sister. Finally Celestia's mane and tail shifted becoming normal hair, a soft pastel pink in color. She looked at them surprised. “Well would you look at that. I haven't looked like this in years, centuries even.” “You know, if you really wanted to know how to do that, I could have told you,” Luna said and as Celestia turned toward her sister, Luna's mane and tail returned to the light blue hair that they had all seen when they had first freed Luna from evil of Nightmare Moon. Celestia's eyes widened. “You knew how to do that!? Why didn't you tell me!?” Luna laughed. “It never occurred to me that you might want to know,” she said, her mane and tail returning to their normal flowing star-field. “I was glad when I regained enough of my strength for my mane and tail to change back. It never occurred to me that you might want to turn yours off.” “Luna, you know other ponies find our ethereal manes intimidating,” Celestia argued. “You remember what happened when you came here for Nightmare Night? Don't you think they would have found you less intimidating without the star-field mane?” “Perhaps, but that wasn't the only thing they found intimidating about me back then,” Luna admitted. “Even so, changing back to a normal mane in informal situations would be a good way to put other ponies at ease,” Celestia insisted. Luna just rolled her eyes at her sister. “Well you can if you want, I don't think my light blue mane is really befitting me as the princess of the night. I'm curious though, Twilight. It took me months to figure out how to change my mane and tail back, how were you able to do so without guidance?” Twilight shrugged. “Well, I... In order to free myself from Midnight, I had to push myself harder than I ever had before and reach deeper into my magic than I'd ever dreamed. When I finally did... it was like a barrier shattered. I could suddenly feel everything, all the magic around me. Then, when I was fighting Midnight, I realized I could feel exactly what she was doing with her magic. This allowed me to duplicate her spells or even find ways of defending against them, though I couldn't duplicate her chaos magic.” Both Celestia and Luna were staring at her surprised, and though most of her friends hadn't completely understood what she was talking about, they realized what Twilight had said was impressive to the princesses. “Twilight,” Celestia said finally; “what you just described is a level of attunement to magic that very few have ever attained. Luna and I can only reach it through focus and meditation. You're saying you were able to do this during battle?” Twilight slowly nodded. “It's still there, I can still feel all the magic around me... It's surprising actually, I sense magic in all of you,” she said turning toward her friends. “Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, even you Spike, and Scootaloo.” “Well Celestia did say the Elements of Harmony live in all of us...” Rainbow said with a shrug, but Twilight shook her head. “No I can sense them too, sense how strong the elements are in each of you, but there's also regular pony magic in all of you.” “That is true, there is magic in everypony.” Celestia told them. “But only ponies with a horn can make conscious use of that magic. For Earth Ponies and Pegasi, the magic benefits them in other ways. But for you to sense that, Twilight is proof of how attuned to magic you've become.” “Yes...” Luna agreed. “Twilight Sparkle, I just have to say, your potential in magic is frightening. I understand now more than ever why Celestia chose to teach and guide you herself. If you had grown into a pony that would misuse their power...” Twilight looked down at Midnight. “I think we all know the kind of damage such a pony could cause...” “Which makes the responsibilities of raising her all the greater,” Celestia agreed. “I know,” Twilight said softly. “I won't deny I'm a little anxious about it. But this is what I want. I'll do my best to make sure she grows into a pony that will never abuse her power.” “You're certain you're ready for this?” “Yes,” Twilight said firmly, holding her new charge protectively under her wing.