Blaze the Pony Tale

by Wolven5


121. The Midnight Dour - Part 1

Everything was wrong.

Everypony wandered about in aimless stupor, their spirits broken, their bodies withered by famine.

The town was nothing but ruins. Many of the buildings burned to the ground, leaving skeletons of houses that once provided happy homes. The market was dreary, so very few ponies selling anything, desperate to make a profit and buy food.

That monster had burned their crops and much of their food-storages. He’d known exactly where to direct his ruthless campaign.

Once upon a time this dismal community was the happy little town of Ponyville. But then he came… and set a fire so devastating, and even then it had been but a prelude to what came after. He had toppled the diarchy – The Royal Sisters were no more. He had conquered all, forced unto everypony the most tyrannical laws. He’d forbidden magic, disallowed weather ponies to clear the smog of his fires, polluting the sky and blocking out their life-enriching sun!

Those who dared defy him ended up dead or enslaved, set to work in the mines that had once been the Crystal Empire. He had clouded the minds of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, enslaving them body and soul.

To make doubly sure, he alone had imprisoned Eris into stone and then stole the Element of Magic so the rest could not be used against him. And if that weren’t enough, he’d invited everypony to watch… as he shattered the Element of Magic under his hooves! It had rendered the rest impotent, leaving them as nothing but trinkets with dull and lifeless gemstones.

Everypony had been all but broken in body or spirit.

Pinkie Pie was in the empty Sugarcube Corner bakery, which didn’t sell yummy things anymore. It was empty of all but Pinkie, who had fallen into a depressive mania, as she was hosting parties with inanimate objects.

Applejack struggled to find apples on the charred remnants of Sweet Apple Acres for her to sell, looking to the barnhouse and shedding tears about her brother. Big Macintosh had stood up to the monster and had been rendered crippled as a result, Fluttershy spending all day with him to take care of him, but the once-proud and strong earth pony was ashamed that he could not do the work he once did to care for his family, as his father once made him promise to do.

Fluttershy had no one else to look after. All her poor animals were gone, killed or driven away by him. Her cottage had been burned to ashes, and despite her efforts she’d only managed to save a few while the rest of the poor critters had either burned or smothered to death.

Rarity’s once-gorgeous boutique now only offered cheap rags or tunics, since that tyrant had outlawed gem-digging unless you wanted to be sent to the mines. Even though she was all but dirt-poor, Rarity still found it in her heart to provide clothing to her neighbors to help them keep warm.

Her relationship with Blueblood fell apart after the beast had destroyed his company in Canterlot and set his workshop in Ponyville ablaze, leaving the once-dignified prince with nothing to do but drown his self-pity in cider.


A horn sounded that made everypony gasp in terror and scramble for a hiding place. In moments, a chariot descended, pulled by Rainbow Dash, Thunderlane, and Soarin, the three of them looking ragged, their backs crisscrossed with scars from the whips.

Aboard the chariot was him… The monster who had set a fire to Equestria and toppled everything it once stood for.

He gave the decrepit town a once-over and snorted in amusement as he stepped off.
“Twilight Sparkle! Come out here!”

From their hiding places, everypony looked towards the library, now naked and bare of its leaves, many parts of it burned or broken off. The door swung open and out walked Twilight, her eye covered by a patch, a scar on her cheek, her mane no longer its beautiful style after it got burned and she had to cut away the damaged parts. She wore a tight black bodysuit, and walked with a defiance towards the tormentor.

He sneered as he looked her over, the mane would grow back, he could probably heal the eye, but all an’ all the beautiful flower before him had yet to wither.

“I hope you took the time I gave you to really consider my offer…” he growled hungrily as he licked his fangs.

“I did and my answer is the same as it was before,” Twilight glared at him hatefully. “I will never marry you.”

“Not even to improve your town? Not even to help your friends…?” he snarled mockingly.

Twilight narrowed her eyes and turned around to leave.
“Friends? …What good are they now?”

He watched her walk away but inside he was screaming…
Twilight! You can’t mean that! Please…Help me! This isn’t my fault! I didn’t want this!!

…TWILIGHT!!!!”

“MIDNIGHT!!”

A bucket of water was thrown onto the blue unicorn and he jolted awake, sputtering as he got a hold of himself and found himself back in his workshop, Twinken gazing up at him in worry.
“What th-?! I th- Twinken! What’s… the matter?”

“The matter is, you had another bad dream!” Twinken snapped as he put the bucket down. “You told me they'd stopped!”

“What does it matter?” Midnight shook himself dry, Twinken holding up his arms to shield himself, as Midnight sighed, feeling his pumping heart begin to settle.
“It’s just a dream…”

“Well, this ‘just a dream’ has been keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep!” Twinken pointed out the bags under his brother’s eyes.
“Please, Big Brother… Get help! I’m really worried about you.”

Seeing the look on his little brother’s face, Midnight sighed.
“Alright, Twinken. I’ll talk to Twilight, maybe she can help me.”

Twinken stepped up to Midnight and they pulled each other into a tight and warm hug, Twinken saying, “I love you, Big Brother…”

Midnight’s ears drooped, feeling ashamed, but he put on a smile as he let go, Twinken looking him in the face with a concerned smile.
“Love you too, little brother… Go play with Rumble and Button.”

Twinken nodded and scampered out the workshop.

Midnight looked to a section of the floor in his workshop, and levitated away a board to reveal a bound book. He levitated the book onto his worktable, clearing away his tools and papers as he opened it to write the nightmare while it was still fresh in his mind.

Entry# 24

The dreams continue to get worse but this one was by far the most horrible… Ponyville- No, all of Equestria! Burned, ruined, everypony despaired except for Twilight though she appeared to have lost faith in friendship…

I can’t keep going like this. Every nightmare is worse than the last, and the more they feel real!

…I can no longer suffer in silence. I must consult with somepony, maybe Twiligh-

I wouldn’t be so quick to blow the whistle if I were you…

That voice! Midnight thought in horror as he looked around his workshop, seeing nopony but he heard that voice as though someone had been standing right behind him!

“Who’s there?” Midnight said warily.

Aw come on, buddy! Don’t tell me you forgot me after the fun we had back at the Crystal Empire…!

Midnight whirled and gasped at what he saw in the mirror he had on his wall. It was him, but- It looked wrong!

His reflection’s sapphire coat had darkened until it was almost black, his turquoise eyes and the dark blue streak of his mane had inflamed to an angry red, and the look his reflection was giving him…!

It was cruel, mocking, evil.

Long time no see, Midnight…

“Who are you?!” Midnight demanded, his heart resuming its impression of a hammer to an anvil.

Isn’t it obvious? …I’m you! the dark reflection sneered, Or rather… I’m that part of you that you’d rather nopony see.

Midnight scuttled back nervously, his backside bumping against his bookcase, as he panted and said, “You’re not real, just figment of my imagination! Go away!”

Oh but we’re gonna have many merry games, you and I! the reflection snickered eagerly, Well, maybe a tad merrier for me. I’m just guessing, since you seem a little reluctant to my company. Anyway, be a good boy, finish your homework and be in bed by nine, and hey! Do tell that mare with the sweet star-spangled ass I said… hello!

The reflection shimmered away, but his dark mocking laughter echoed in Midnight’s fear-fevered mind, as he curled into a fetal position, holding his tail like a security blanket as he began to cry.