Sins of the Father

by Robobrony

Chapter 8: The Long Trek Begins

Chapter 8: The Long Trek Begins

Dear Luna,

I can understand your desire to help Midnight Star, I will be fine with you going to help the girls find him to bring him back, but if what you say is true about him, I would advise that you all bring the elements of Harmony with you. I can take care of things at the castle while you go with the girls. I wish you all the best of Luck in finding him, take care.

Your sister, Celestia.

With Celestia’s blessing, Luna and the girls prepared themselves for their journey to try and find Midnight Star. Twilight took the elements of harmony from their protective glass case that sat in the library and placed them in her saddle bags, along with other supplies, none of them knew how long this would take or what to expect. The girls all met back up at the library and readied themselves.

It was then that Spike had a thought. “Hold on, how are we supposed to find him though, there’s no telling where he went by now, he must be a good few miles away by now.”

“Actually, I think he was heading north, towards Baltimare when he ran off.” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Then that’s where we’re going. Come on every pony, let’s go find our friend!” Twilight exclaimed.

It’s been a while since Midnight Star left Ponyville now, the sun was starting to set and he figured it was time to set up camp. “Guess we should rest for the night.” He said to no one in particular.

His father was looking at him through his shadow. “You know son, since we share the same body, you do have access to my magic, you could easily set up a place to rest with it.”

Midnight looked at his father’s eyes. “Forget it dad, I am not about to resort to dark magic for something like that, besides, you know this isn’t the first time I had to camp out if you have been with me these past five years.” He then proceeded to find some large branches, leaves and vines to make a makeshift tent. With his unicorn magic, it was relatively easy to set it up. He then gathered some rocks and twigs to make a campfire in front of his tent. He was smart to pack some of the food he had in his house for this trip, so he had his food situation covered for now.

He just sat in front of the camp fire and looked up at the night sky as the moon rose. “Hey dad, remember how we use to stay up late and watch the stars and moon come out?”

Midnight’s shadow rose from the ground and made a black pony silhouette with green eyes sitting next to Midnight. “Oh please, don’t get sentimental on me, I don’t care about the past, that all was a long time ago, no amount of remembering things in the past does any good.”

Midnight continued as he looked up. “But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still good to remember. Come on dad, I know you remember that, how we stayed up to watch the stars, how you made hot cocoa to keep us warm, how mom would-“

Midnight was cut off by his father. “I THOUGHT I MADE IT CLEAR NOT TO MENTION HER! She is gone and that is all there is to it!”

Midnight Star looked into his father’s green glaring eyes. He looked away with closed eyes and sighed. He reopened his eyes looking at the fire. “I know there’s still good in you, I know the father I loved is still in there or he wouldn’t remember anything about our past.” He looked back at the black mist that was his father. “I’m not giving up on you, I know your still in there, I will do what I can to bring you back.”

“I am who I am, that father is gone and you will just be wasting your time, I suggest you get your sleep, you are my only transport to get my body back and I can’t have you feeling exhausted.”

Midnight just shook his head, crawled under his makeshift tent and went to sleep.

The next day, after some walking, Midnight found himself in a town. From what he remembered, it was Baltimare. “Good thing I still have a few bits, I can use them to stock up on some more food for this trip. You see dad, it’s thanks to MY FRIENDS that I have some bits to get some food and stock up.” Midnight saw his father roll his green eyes.

“Just make it quick, some of the ponies here may recognize you and that will be troublesome, they may decide to call the guards and have you arrested, of course then, I will have to take control and deal with them should that happen.”

“If you do that, it will just make things worse for us, all we need to do is try and keep a low profile.” Midnight continued his walk through the market place of the stone town. As he walked, he heard a cry for help off to the side. He looked down an ally way and saw a mare being held at knife point by a large grey coated earth pony wearing a black sweater.

“Some pony, HELP!” The desperate mare Pegasus called.

“Just give me the money lady and no pony gets hurt.” The thug said.

Midnight saw the scene unfold and grew frantic. He looked to his shadow and spoke. “Dad, we have to help!”

“What for, it’s not our problem, it’s her own fault for being weak, why doesn’t she just use her wings to fly away?”

“She might be too stricken with fear to do anything, I can’t do this myself, you’ll have to help her.”

“Why should I, like I said, it’s not our problem.”

Midnight had to think quickly. “LOOK, you said that I’m the dominant mind here, if you want me to take you to where your horn is, than you need to do what I say, or I won’t go any further. Now take control and HELP HER!”

“FINE, but I will need more time than I am allowed to control your body, I will be able to maintain control for as long as you will it.”

“Fine, I will allow you control for as long as you need to save her.” Midnight then closed his eyes and the minds switched, his horn became red and sharp, his eyes began to emit the purple mist again and turned green. Sombra was now in control of Midnight’s body.

Sombra stormed into the ally and called out to the thug. “HEY, YOU, LEAVE HER ALONE!”

The thug looked over at the unicorn at the end of the ally. “Get lost punk, this don’t concern you.”

“You have no idea how much it does.” Sombra’s horn then glowed a black aura and levitated the thug up into the air.

“HEY! WHAT THE!” Was all he said before he was slammed into the wall and dropped to the ground. The thug wasn’t done yet. He got back up and glared at the possessed unicorn. “Oh, you’re gonna get it now punk.” The Pegasus mare just watched in awe as this mysterious unicorn came out of nowhere and was trying to save her. The thug started sprinting towards Sombra.

Sombra just smiled evily at the thug. “Foolish move.” Sombra reared up and slammed his hooves to the ground, causing black crystals to erupt from the ground and stopped the thug in his tracks.

“What the hay!” Soon, another black crystal erupted underneath the thug and wrapped around him, encasing his main body, leaving his front hooves and head untouched. “LET ME GO YOU CREEP!”

“You’re the one who thought it was a good idea to rob some pony and impede on my quest.” Sombra then levitated the thugs knife up off the ground and in front of him. “Now to deal with you for good.”

The thug saw the knife float just under his throat and grew terrified. “NO, please, I-I’ll never do it again, I swear. Please just let me go.”

“Why, so you can do this over again? I don’t think so.” Just as Sombra was about to slit his throat, his eyes suddenly closed and looked as if he was straining with something. The knife fell out of his magic grasp and fell to the ground. Midnight’s voice came back out from his mouth. “NO!” Midnight regained control and spoke. Once he had control of his body again, the black crystals broke apart and disappeared.

The thug fell to the ground with a thud. He looked up at the unicorn who glared down at him. “Please, just let me go, I swear by Celestia I’ll never do this again.”

Midnight continued his glare. “Get out of my sight, and don’t let me catch you doing this again.” Midnight stepped aside and let the earth pony thug run off.

The mare, who hid behind a trash can while the scene played out, finally came out and approached Midnight. “Thank you so much for saving me, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”

Midnight Star smiled at the mare. “No thanks necessary mam, I’m just glad I was able to help. You take care now.” Midnight then strode off to leave the mare to her business.

The mare then called out to him again. “WAIT, can I at least get your name, I would very much like to know who my savior was.”

Midnight looked back with a smile and responded. “My name is Midnight Star mam, I need to get going now.” Midnight then continued on his way.

As Midnight walked his father looked at him from the shadow. “Why did you stop me, I was just about to deal with that thug like you wanted.”

Midnight Star kept his eyes forward. “It wouldn’t have been right to kill him, even if he was doing something wrong. It isn’t our place to punish some pony like that.”

“If that’s the case, then it isn’t our place to interfere like that either, so what’s the point?”

“It’s every pony’s place to do what is right, and what you did to save her was the right thing, but it isn’t our place to punish those who do wrong by being the one to sentence them, that is left to the royal guards.”

“This better not become a regular thing son, I detest this morale of yours.”

Midnight turned his eyes to his father. “Hey, your the one who taught me that, besides, you practically said it yourself, my body, my rules. If you don’t like it, then why don’t you just possess some other pony and be their problem?”

Sombra narrowed his eyes. “The spell that put me in your body trapped me in it until I can get my original body back. I am stuck with you and you are stuck with me.”

“Well then, I guess that means that until then, I’m pretty much the boss, but I don’t want you hurting other ponies in my body, so until then, every pony is pretty much a hostage. But then again, if you cause trouble, we’ll be thrown in a prison and it will be impossible for us to do this, because once I get control of my body if you try an escape, I’ll let the guards do what they must. I’m your only hope for getting your body back.” Midnight Star gave a confident smirk as he knew he was right and won the argument.

Sombra said nothing, he simply retreated back into the shared mind and left Midnight alone for now. “Don’t worry dad, I’ll get you back somehow, this may very well be a step in the right direction, convincing you to do a good deed.”

Hours passed after Midnight had left the city, Luna, Spike and the girls all just entered the city hoping to find a clue as to where he would be going. As they entered, the ponies who saw Luna bowed to her. Luna approached one pony at a stand in hopes he might have seen Midnight Star. “Excuse me good sir, might I have a moment of your time?” While Luna questioned him, the others went around asking others if they had seen their friend.

The girls regrouped and came together to report their findings. Luna started. “I’m afraid I was unsuccessful in my search.”

Twilight was next. “Me too, no pony had seen him, what about you Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy met Twilight’s eyes. “Sorry, no luck.”

Twilight then turned to Applejack. “What about you Applejack?”

Applejack closed her eyes and shook her head. “Sorry darlin, no luck either. What about you Rainbow Dash?” Applejack then faced Rainbow next to her.

“Sorry, no luck either, no pony around here saw Midnight.”

It was then that a mare's voice spoke up. “Excuse me, did I hear you say Midnight?”

The girls turned to face the source of the voice to see a pegasus mare. Luna approached her and responded. “Yes, we are looking for a pony by the name of Midnight Star, have you seen him?”

Upon realizing who she was talking to, the mare quickly gave a bow before speaking. “Yes your majesty, I have. I was on my way to the market when this brute of an earth pony tried to rob me, when out of nowhere this unicorn shows up and stomped that earth pony good. He was able to summon up dark crystals from the earth to trap the ruffian.”

“Interesting, do continue.” The girls all listened intently, hoping this mare would tell where he went.

“There was something odd about him though while he fought the thug. His eyes were a strange green color with some kind of purple mist coming from the sides of them, and his horn was red, curved, and sharp looking. Once he finished with the thug, his eyes changed to a silver grey color and his horn changed to a dull pointed horn that matched his coat in color. Also, he seemed to be talking to himself as he walked away. He was rather odd, but he did save me. Is he a friend of yours?”

Pinkie then jumped forward with a question. “Yes he is, did you happen to see which way he went?”

The mare thought for a moment. “I think I saw him heading north, towards the Crystal Empire when we were both done shopping in the market.”

Luna then spoke. “Thank you for your information mam, it was most helpful.”

The mare gave a bow. “I’m happy to be of service your majesty.” She rose from her bow and left.

“Now why in the hay is Midnight going to the crystal empire?” Rainbow questioned.

Applejack responded. “I don’t know ya’ll, but there’s somthin fishy goin on with what she said about Midnight Star.”

Rarity then spoke up. “I’ll say, green eyes, purple mist, red horn, and he summoned black crystals from the earth? Why does that all sound so familiar?”

Fluttershy came in next. “And why would he be talking to himself?”

Twilight then had an idea. “Oh no, girls, don’t you get it? Who do we know that had those features?”

Spike and the girls thought, but Luna interrupted, realizing what Twilight had come to. “Sombra, it can’t be.”

The girls and Spike gasped. Spike spoke up. “You don’t think he’s becoming evil like his father do you?”

Luna continued. “If he was, he wouldn’t have saved that mare.”

“Then, what could it mean Luna?” Twilight asked.

“What the mare said about what she saw of Midnight, may have given me an idea of what is going on. Remember when I said that when I looked into Midnight’s eyes, that I saw something dark?” The girls nodded. “The mare we just met, said he had descriptions that matched Sombra for a while, then afterwards, she said he looked as if he was talking to himself. With all these facts, I believe that Midnight Star is possessed by Sombra.”

“Oh my, poor Midnight, how could this have happened, I hope he’s all right.” Fluttershy stated.

“Of course he’s not all right, he’s being possessed by his evil father’s spirit.” Rainbow Responded.

“Then it must have been that awful Sombra that did all those nasty things to us in Ponyville.” Rarity Pointed out.”

“Of course, Rarity’s boutique, Applejack’s orchard, my library, Pinkie’s party, they all must have been Sobra. He must have taken control of Midnight’s body and did all those things.” Twilight pointed out.

Pinkie then pointed out in an angry tone. “Yeah, and it must have been that mean ol Sombra that did something to make Midnight Star have to leave, that must have been why he left the way he did.”

“What are we gonna do ya’ll, how can we help Midnight with this?” Applejack said as she took her hat off and held it to her chest.

Luna then pointed out the obvious to them. “Have you forgotten my little ponies, we have the elements of harmony, you six can use their power to free Midnight Star from Sombra.”

“But…..can we really do it, I mean…..Midnight already lost his father once before because of us, can we really do it to him again, even if Sombra is evil, Midnight may still want to try and save him somehow.”

The girls and Spike lowered their heads in sorrow, realizing that they may have to take away Midnight’s dad away from him again. Luna spoke to address the girls. “I realize this is not an easy thing, but it must be done, for the good of Equestria, and for Midnight Star.” Could the girls really do this to Midnight again, he may still love his father, how could they take away their friends dad from him again?