Sins of the Father

by Robobrony

Chapter 4: Death of an Orchard

Chapter 4: Death of an Orchard

Midnight had just woken from another mysterious black out and found himself in his house when he didn’t remember coming home. “Ok, now I am REALLY getting worried here, what are these blackouts I keep having, I just hope they don’t happen while on my date with princess Luna.” Midnight couldn’t help but smile at that thought. “My date with princess Luna.” He still couldn’t believe that a princess was agreeing to letting him take her out on a real date and possibly persue a relationship with her. Then he remembered what he was about to do before Luna showed up. “Oh ponyfeathers, I forgot about that painting for Applejack. I’d better get to work on it before anything else happens.” Midnight then approached a blank canvas he had set up that he was about to use. He already knew what he was going to make for Applejack.

Midnight got straight to work on it and let himself forget his troubles for now. While he painted, he could forget everything else in the world around him, it brought him a kind of peace. There was nothing and no pony around but him and his work. He focused easily as he moved two brushes about the canvas with ease creating his masterpiece for Applejack to help advertise her orchard. After almost two hours of work he stepped back to admire what he made. It was a simple setting. The apple family home on a hill with the sun in the background with apple trees surrounding the house. A big wooden sign as an archway as a kind of entrance to the farm with the words ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ in red lettering.

Midnight admired his handiwork. “There we go, all done, I just hope Applejack likes it. Time to deliver my work.” Midnight then used a special spell he remembers coming across that makes the paint dry instantly so he could deliver his work right away. Another thought then crossed his mind as he looked at it. It brought him back to when he made his first painting that showed his special talent and earned him his cutie mark. While this painting wasn’t the first one he made in a long time, it was the first one he made ever for a friend. Inspiration struck, he just had to recreate his first painting for Luna, he just knew she would love it. “I am so brilliant, It’s a good thing I can still remember what it looks like. I just wish I still had the original though, but it was a long time ago, it’s long gone by now. Oh well, I’d better make it before I forget when I get back from delivering Applejack’s painting.”

Midnight gathered some brown paper wrapping he bought to wrap his work in when delivering it, he levitated the painting, wrapped it up with his magic and placed it in his saddle bag. He then levitated the bag and placed it on his back and headed to Sweet Apple Acres to deliver his work. “Applejack is going to love it.” As he exited his house, he noticed two royal guards outside Rarity’s place speaking with her. “This must be about the break in she had this morning, I wonder if they found anything?” Midnight decided to head over there first to check up on Rarity, the painting for Applejack can wait.

He approached the boutique and heard Rarity speaking. “Thank you again for all your help sirs, and good luck in your investigation.”

One of the guards spoke. “Thank you mam, we promise that whoever did this will be caught.” The guards, who were unicorns as Midnight could now see while they were leaving, headed off.

Midnight came up to Rarity and greeted her. “Hey Rarity, how are things, did the guards find any clues as to who broke into your house?”

Rarity gave Midnight a warm smile as he approached. “Oh, hello Midnight, yes, they did find one clue. It is a rather strange one, they said whoever did this used dark magic to destroy everything, they found trace amounts of it in the trash we cleaned up from the mess left.”

“Dark magic, that can’t be good, but how could there be a unicorn with dark magic here in Ponyville?” Midnight asked with concern.

“I don’t know, but whoever it is had to come from somewhere. I just hope the guards find them soon. Where are you off too with your saddle bags?”

“I just finished a painting for Applejack, I’m on my way over there to deliver it. I just hope she likes it.”

Rarity smiled again at Midnight. “Oh I’m sure she’ll love it, may I take a peek?”

“Well, I did already wrap it for delivery, but I guess I can unwrap it carefully and show you, then I can just rewrap it.” Midnight then used his magic to open his saddle bag, brought out the painting, and carefully unwrapped it before Rarity’s eyes.

“Why Midnight, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I’m so glad I finally get to see one of your works. I just know Applejack will love it.”

Midnight Star couldn’t help but smile at the compliment. “You really think so? Thanks Rarity, maybe after I drop it off and make another painting I have in mind, I can get started on yours, sound good?”

“Of course dear, before you go, I was wondering, how did your talk with Luna go?”

Midnight was surprised by this. “How did you know about my talk with Luna?”

“Luna told us she wanted a chance to speak with you for a while yesterday before we left, SO, don’t leave me in suspense darling, how did it go?”

Midnight was blushing a little thinking about how he managed to get a date with Luna. He decided that something this big won’t stay quiet for long, so he decided to tell her all about it. He told Rarity what he told Luna, about what his father was like, what they did together, all the fun things they did. Then he got to the part about how he earned his cutie mark, how it was Luna’s night that inspired his first painting which earned him his cutie mark. “So upon mentioning it, I kind of started letting on about how I had a crush on her but figured that some pony like me would never have a chance with a wonderful princess like her. One thing led to another and the next thing I know, I’m asking her out on a date for tomorrow night and she accepts. So, believe it or not, I have a date with a princess. “

Rarity was beaming at this point. “Why Midnight, that’s absolutely splendid, congratulations, oh I just know you two will make a great couple. WAIT, you simply must let me design an outfit for you before your date. You must come inside immediately so I can take your measurements and get to work on it right away!”

“That’s very nice of you Rarity, but right now, I really need to deliver this painting to Applejack. I’ll swing by later then and do that, I really appreciate it Rarity, thank you very much.”

“Not at all dear, think of it as a thank you for your help this morning. I’ll see you later then, ta ta.”

“Bye Rarity, I’ll swing by after I drop off the painting. See you then.” Midnight waved good bye to Rarity and set off for Applejack’s. On his way over, he figured at some point, he would go see a doctor about these black out’s he’s been having, he was getting worried about them, he didn’t tell any of his friends because he didn’t want to worry them either, this was his problem, it was probably no big deal either. Still, he worried about it on his way, he tried to forget about it so he could focus on the task at hand, deliver Applejack’s painting.

Midnight soon arrived at Sweet Apple Acres and passed through the archway onto the farm. He walked up to the farm house and knocked on the door, he was greeted by Apple Bloom. “Oh, hey Midnight Star, what’s up?” She greeted with a bit of hesitation.

Midnight could see it, she was still a little frightened from the last time he was here and screamed at Applejack for prying in his private life. He just had to say something to try and apologize to the little filly for scaring her. “Hey Apple Bloom, listen, Um, I’m really sorry for my behavior the last time I was here, I really didn’t mean to scare you and I am very very sorry for it, I really hope you can forgive me for it.”

Apple Bloom could see the sorrow in his eyes as he said this. She couldn’t help but give a small smile. “Well shoot, that’s all right, Applejack explained why ya’ll did that, she felt bad fer pryin like she did that caused ya ta yell like that, so no hard feelins.”

Midnight smiled back at the little filly. “Thanks Apple Bloom, I really appreciate it. Is Applejack around, I have something for her.”

“Just a sec, I’ll go get her.” Apple Bloom then rushed in the house to get her big sister, leaving Midnight at the door.

It wasn’t long before Applejack came and greeted Midnight. “Well howdy there Midnight, what brings ya by?”

“Hey Applejack, I finished that painting you wanted, I hope you like it.” He said as he opened his saddle bag and levitated the painting out, still wrapped up.

Applejack was a little surprised by this. “Shoot, you finished it already, DANG you work fast, I didn’t expect ya ta get it done so fast.”

Midnight chuckled a little. “Well, I do work fast when I have the proper motivation, in this case, it was a friend.” “Friend, HA, that’s a joke, can’t you see that they are just using you to get what they want, once you make these paintings for them, they won’t want you around anymore. They will always see you for all the bad things your father did. You’ll never have true friends.” Midnight looked away momentarily and shook his head to get those thoughts out of his head again. Why were these thoughts invading his mind, what was going on? He then remembered that he was in front of Applejack and opened the wrapping for her to see. “What do you think, pretty good right?”

Applejack smiled big upon seeing it, Apple Bloom was right next to her to see the painting as well. “Well I’ll be, that is an amazing piece of work, you captured our home percectly, and them apples look so amazing, it’s like I could just reach in there and grab one.” Applejack complimented.

“I’ll say, this is one fine piece of work you made fer us, we’ll be sure ta let others know it was you that made this here work of art when others see it.” Apple bloom added.

Midnight Star swelled with pride upon hearing such praise for his work, he just couldn’t be prouder. “I’m so glad you like it, I really hope it will bring in the customers for you.”

Applejack took the painting in her hoof and looked to Midnight with a grateful smile. “With something as amazin as this, it sure will. Thank ya kindly Midnight, I really appreciate it.”

“Ya, and any time ya want ta come by fer a visit, our door is always open to ya.” Apple Bloom added again.

“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind, I’d better head back and get to work on another painting, I’ll see you all later.”

Applejack closed the door and went inside. Midnight turned around and headed out of Sweet Apple Acres, however, half way down the dirt path from the house to the exit of the farm, he was hit with another dizzy spell. “No, not another one.” He said silently, he wobbled in place as his eyes struggled to stay open, but to no avail. His eyes closed, his horn became a blood red color, curved, and sharp at the end. As his eyes were closed, a dark purple mist began emitting from the sides of his eyes. He opened them and they were now green, with slitted irises. He gave a wicked grin as he chuckled. “HM HM HM HM.” He looked around to make sure no pony was around. Once the coast was clear, he headed off to the side into the apple orchard.

He walked a good distance away from the house so no pony would see what he was about to do. His horn became enveloped in a black aura, black tendrils slowly snake their way to the surrounding trees and sucked the life out of them. The trees turned from a healthy brown, to a deathly black. The leaves fell off and the apples rotted almost instantaneously as they fell to the ground. Once the trees there were dead, he moved on to another part of the orchard and did the same thing. He continued this until almost half the apple orchard was now a graveyard of appletrees. His task complete, he left the orchard and headed home.

He arrived at his house and entered, he went to the middle of the living room and closed his eyes, his horn turned back to its dull pointed grey color, the dark purple mist faded from his eyes. Midnight’s eyes fluttered open and found himself in his living room. “Wh-what, not again. What is wrong with me?” Feeling a bit of a headache, he headed upstairs to wash his face, hoping it would provide some relief.

He entered his bathroom and looked at himself in the cabinet mirror above the sink. He turned on the water and let it run a bit. He dunked his hooves and brought his face close to the sink. He splashed himself in the face, grabbed a towel to dry off his face and lifted his head as he did. Midnight then lowered the towel from his face and looked at himself in the mirror again. But he was greeted with a sight that chilled him to the bone. What he saw in the mirror wasn’t his own reflection, he stared wide eyed as the face in the mirror smiled wickedly at him.

“No, it can’t be…….. dad!”

Author's Note:

What do you say to that? Midnight Star is seeing his father in the mirror, what ever could that mean?

Comments

[Quasar4000]

I knew it!

[Robobrony]

2709492 When in the story did you get your suspicions?

[Quasar4000]

2709823
When Midnight started to have these blackouts.

[Chaotic Mind]

Sems my prediction was correct or close to correct.

[Robobrony]

2709844>>2710521 I guess it was pretty obvious now that I think about it huh. Anyway, thanks for all your support so far, there's still plenty more story to come.

[WoonaLuvsU]

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