“Ugh…” Midnight awoke and was surprised to see Princess Celestia looking at him, her expression unreadable.
“Where am I…?”
“In Ponyville Hospital,” she said morosely. “Midnight… do you realize what you’ve done?”
For a moment, Midnight didn’t know what she was talking about but gasped.
“Discord…! I- I killed him!”
Celestia nodded.
“I-I didn’t… I don’t know where that…” Midnight was horrified. Somewhere in his mind, he felt a shadow trying to whisper but he shook his head, wanting it to go away. “What have I done…?!”
“Midnight… I understand that anypony would’ve developed some animosity, but I wanted Discord punished, not destroyed,” Celestia gently scolded him.
“I don’t know where it came from!” Midnight cried, feeling the tears slide down his face as he turned away from the princess. “I’ve never felt so angry, so much… hatred!”
Celestia was conflicted. Here she was, scolding this pony but she could see and hear true regret for what he’d done, and it sounded like he hadn’t been acting himself but then he spoke, “This isn’t the first time… I… killed a cockatrice that I turned to stone… I left some Diamond Dogs to die in a cave-in after they tried to enslave Rarity!”
He faced Celestia, looking horrified with himself, and desperately asked, “Princess, what’s happening to me?!”
“Shh…” Celestia hushed as her horn flared with a gentle glow, and Midnight’s eyes became heavy.
“Be calm, my little pony… I am unsure as to what is occurring within you, but until I am certain, this outcome is best forgotten…”
A grand celebration resounded through Canterlot, as the nine friends stepped through the doors, everypony had turned out to welcome and thank them, As they approached Celestia, she smiled at each of them in turn but Midnight didn’t notice the troubled look in her eyes as she smiled at him.
“We are gathered here today to once again the heroism of these nine friends who put an end to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from Eternal Chaos…!”
As everypony cheered, the nine friends marveled at the new addition to the stained-glass windows, depicting them defeating Discord, and they smiled, for they knew despite everything they’d already gone through and overcome, the real adventure that was their friendship had barely begun.