• Published 11th Feb 2015
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The Eyes Are Blind - Fe94Knight



A colt, with a broken mind, and a gift he sees as a curse more often than not. A mare, looking for a companion, and willing to help him pull the pieces together.

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Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen

While the trip to the glorious city of Canterlot may have not been that long, or arduous. The resulting actions in the name of ‘research’ by a particular alicorn in reference to study on the curious colt with the odd abilities, have been found to be more of a hassle than Midnight would have expected. After a minor explanation to the solar princess, and her husband. The colt now finds himself strapped in to whatever contraption of science that Twilight can muster up in the middle of a lab room while she does her studies on him. Several wires stick out of his temple while few sensors attach to his chest, and a clamp on his tongue inhibits his speech to some extent. Leaving him only to look around at the odd assortment of tech surrounding him. The golden eyes wander about trying to figure out if the mare now running about is either going to help him, or likely kill him.

‘Well Shard is out for an undetermined amount of time,’ A deep sigh rolls past his tongue, ‘and now I might end up dead at the hooves of an overzealous princess with an experimentation hard on… odd way to go out.’

“Okay everything is set up now Midnight,” Twilight checks a few of the final connections to her sensors, “Just relax, and follow what I say, okay?”

Instead of trying to answer her with a few words that will likely come across as nothing more than bumbling. He instead nods to the princess while she does what she does best.

“Glad that we’re on the same page. Okay I’m going to try, and read out some of your scans so I can get an idea where this magic of yours is coming from,” The openly blank stare that she gets as a response proves to her that the colt generally has not a clue what she is talking about in the field of magic. Which makes sense considering who she is talking to, “In a unicorn, the magic flows from their head as well as their heart, and focuses on their horn. However, considering your circumstance. A horn isn’t a viable place to send it. So I’ll ask something simple like casting a few spells, or what you can do, and I’ll try to learn a thing, or two. Sound like a plan?” The nod from the colt drives forth her efforts as she flips on the switch, and checks some of the default settings, “Okay something simple. Like the levitation spell. Use it on whatever you’d like, just don’t hurt yourself.”

Closing his eyes for a moment he lifts up a single hoof, and aims at a trash can in the corner. Clearing his mind, Midnight focuses what he can on the action, and in only a few seconds his hoof is wrapped up in a green aura while the can does the same. Soon lifting itself up off the ground, and around the room as he guides it with his own motions. All the while Twilight looks over at his actions, and the charts to try, and get a reading on what is going on in the colt’s head. Her eyes widening with every passing second that the machine spits out new information.

This is astounding!’ she starts to jump up and down in her own mind, ‘Oh Celestia is going to have an entire essay written on this subject!

The efforts continue while a single bead of sweat starts to trickle from Midnight’s brow, and down to his nose. The princess catching the strain on him before it becomes too great and motions him to halt, shutting the machine down. With a light clatter, the can hits the ground as Twilight uses her own magic to pull the tongue clamp off.

“How are you feeling?”

“My mouth tastes like copper, and heart rate is through the roof,” Midnight sums up after lapping his tongue against the roof of his mouth and tasting the metal, “Other than that, I’m okay”

“Good,” She beams for a moment before going full nerd on him, and spilling all she can see at the moment, “Because from what my readings have produced your magic is projecting itself from your very heart, while most of your mind is left in the dark. Translation… you are literally feeling what you want to cast, and between that, and your head. The spell moves to whatever part of your body is seen fit to best cast it.”

“So… What does that mean in terms of helping me control it?” He wonders the implications though they quickly fall from mares first words.

“I haven’t a clue!” Twilight yells out on accident. Catching herself in the moment of learning something new, while composing herself to deliver a better understanding, “Okay that came out bad. Sorry… I love learning,” She pauses in the moment of enthusiasm, “Unicorns will normally use all of their mind to use a spell. Putting every other thought they have on hold to concentrate on the enchantment. However, as I said, most of your mind is not even reacting… except for one.”

Mulling it over in his own head, Midnight poses the only question that one would imagine to ask, “What part is that?”

“Well, oddly enough, the part that takes care of memories,” She cringes as she remembers about what Midnight had said while they were in the empire about his memory block, “There might be a way around it. Have you ever had a unicorn actually try to peer inside your mind?” Another dumbfounded expression on him answers Twi better than he could have, “Hmm… I should have guessed that much from what you said about being alone for the-” A single knock on the door interrupts the two as the princess beckons in her visitors, “Come in!”

Midnight sits up in his seat to see a bright orange colt Pegasus guard enter with a small foal on his back with a white coat, and black mane. The male trots up to the princess, and plants a tender kiss on her muzzle while the child on his back just covers his little face with a pair of wings, gripping them by his hooves.

“Well looks like you’re having fun,” Flash looks over the wide array of science equipment around them, “Thank you for letting us know you got back safely. I assume this is the one that Cadance mentioned?” he casts a wary eye at the colt currently tied up to the said equipment. As his wife gives a second kiss to his cheek to butter him up before answering.

“Yes it is dear. I’ve already done a test or two on him, just to get a picture of what is going on in that head of his,” Twilight brings Flash’s shoulder off to the side to hide the small conversation between them, “Something is diffidently wrong with, obviously. So Luna and I are trying to help him as best we can… somehow.”

“Do you think he is a problem, or dangerous at that?” Flash looks over his own shoulder at the colt, “I wouldn’t want you down here if he could harm you, especially when you have no other protection.”

“Flash, you know very well that I can take care of myself, don’t worry dear,” She nuzzles the end of her nose in to his neck, thankful still for his concern, “It will be alright. Bumpy start at least, but he does feel remorse for actions in the past, and is rather compliant.”

“Okay if you say so. Besides…” The feeling of small hooves running up, and over his back to the top of his head, begs the father to change the subject matter, “This one wanted to see mom.”

“Hey mom!” Snow beams at his mother’s expression while dive-bombing in to her hooves, and wrapping his own small ones around her neck squeezing tight, “How was your trip to see Cadance, and Shiny?”

“Oh it was great dearie,” She beams to her son all the while keeping a sour grin to her husband. Considering in reality, they should visit more often, and not just when called upon to help in matters like this, “Though actually I went because aunt Cadance wanted some help with this gentlecolt,” she points to the blood moon colt who sits idly, waiting to be tended but not wanting to persist. After all they are doing this for him.

Though her son having little understanding of boundaries at the moment for his age finds no reason not to fly, or more so flutter and fall, over to the strange colt he has never met. Mostly to fill his curiosity with somepony new to him. ‘Landing’ atop his head without even a care in the world, Midnight freezes where he is while he lets the young colt get his footing. Soon becoming face to face with the tike when Snow leans his head over in front of him with a smile.

“Hello mister!” Snow beams from those violet eyes of his, “What’s your name?”

Both Twilight and Flash hold their tongue, already making a note between them to give Snow a talk about ‘personal space’ when meeting somepony new. Midnight is left to bite his lip at the odd intrusion, while both parents are waiting for him to beckon them over to pick up their son, though to their surprise. They only hear the kind words of an odd colt that treats their son like he is five times his age, and maturity level.

“Well good sir, my name is Midnight. Your mom and Aunt Luna are helping me with a… issue,” He answers the colt, not even phased at the curiosity he expresses. Midnight is used to this sort of response from little ones. They don’t know what to be afraid of, and usually are more fascinated than anything else. Best way he has learned to handle foals, is with a simple smile, even with the fangs, “What is your name though, little one?”

“I’m Snow Bolt,” He drapes his black mane over top of the larger colt’s own as he compares the two, “Cool! Your mane has green highlights! How did you do that?”

“I had them for as long as I can remember actually,” He nods in response while the little foal rocks back and forth as a result. Soon drawing his attention to Midnight’s own wings as he sits in awe.

“Leather wings?” it perks his curiosity even more, “are you a bat pony Mr. Midnight?”

The colt only chuckles a bit in the back of his throat, having been asked that many times before from ones that were more curious than afraid, “not that I know of Snow…”

Snow leans up, and looks down at the colt’s tail to see if it matches the mane. Though first notices the cutie mark he wears, “Your cutie mark is awesome!” Snow admires the sight of the grey shield with the green flame, “How did you get it?”

Instantly the smile on Midnight’s face falls away while his mind draws a blank and he only sits there in a dejected slump, looking off to the side away from the group. All the while Snow remains oblivious to the colt’s demeanor and only looks at the cutie mark more, and is left to wonder how he can get his own to look that awesome.

“Why don’t we wait a little later for questions?” Twilight suggests to draw her son’s attention after noticing the change in Midnight, “I was just about to try something on him, before you two walked in.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” Flash whispers in his wife’s ear before taking their son from her magical aura. Attempting to dodge the sultry glance that she gives on the matter.

Taking her position in front of Midnight, Twi’s horn glows with a faint violet aura around it as she draws closer to the colt, “Now this is going to let me in your head for a bit. You may not be able to read some thoughts, or memories, but maybe I can.”

Without any reason to hold off on the action. Twilight leans in, and presses her horn to his fore head. The instant it contacts, the alicorn’s own mind is flooded with the experiences that Midnight has gone through while in his travels. Looking through the colt’s own eyes, she can see many times him running for his life after going in to a town or getting in a fight. Staring off from the most recent experience of the Crystal Empire and working her way back through the years, decades, and even centuries.

On any other occasion, Twilight would have been over joyed to have the opportunity to look at the world from centuries ago, but right now her geek sense will have to wait. At a certain point, from what she can tell, Twi could swear she is looking at a colt no older than her son. But from there, it all begins to haze as Midnight’s mind fights back against her.

‘If I can just push a little farther,’ The alicorn pries more, and more. Still meeting resistance with every step her spell tries to take her.

Then… something clicks in the back of his mind, and instinct takes over.

N-n-no-o-o-o!!!” Midnight yells out from the deepest part of his lungs. Filling the air between himself and the princess with the single drawn out word that pulsates with the core essence of magic in a burst from his very being and soul.

The enchantment doing its job and hurtling Twilight up and off her feet in to the sky as the force hits her chest, knocking the wind clear out of her. Though much to her husband’s dismay, the princess is hurtled towards the wall on the other end of the room. Preventing the imminent headache, Twilight flares out her wings acting as an air break while she flutters her way to the ground. Quickly plopping herself down on her flank to catch her breath from the sudden outburst.

Flash races up to her side while glancing back at the stallion with a vinegary to his gaze, “Are you alright dear?”

Taking a deep much needed breath, she finally answers him, “Somepony write that down!” Twilight yells out loud as her husband face hoofs at her response.

“Yep, moms alright,” Snow picks up the plate while his dad tries to reconfigure his mind.

“Sorry about that, both of you,” Twilight gives her husband a light peck on the cheek as they start to walk back to the colt in question here, “I was trying to get in to his head, and I just found somewhere I shouldn’t have trotted.”

Flash leans in for a moment, “So I don’t have to kick his flank?”

“No dear, he’s fine,” She snickers at his protective mark.

“Sorry about that, your majesty,” Midnight manages to hold himself up in the chair, as he rubs his temples, “Uncontrolled release of magic can be an issue. Shockwave spell actually that time.”

“Both of you please stop worrying, it’s not the worst thing that I’ve been through,” She hushes the two colts with a single raised hoof so she can fill them in on what happened in reality. Already remembering having heard about this sort of thing, “I know that I read about this before. Ponies who have a tragic experience of some sort in their past, so much to the point that it is life changing and leaves an everlasting impression on them in their memories, their subconscious will put up barriers around it so they can’t remember to protect its already fragile self,” Twilight recalls the full article that she read, “The very thought of the memory causes too much pain for them to bear in the broken state, so it’s better if they were to simply forget… So to speak.”

“So…” Midnight puts what he just heard together, “…I won’t know what is missing in my broken mind?”

“Only if you were to find it out on your own,” Twi thinks how he could do that, “Retrace your steps, something of that sort. Perhaps it would jog your memory, and your own mind would start to bring down some of the walls it has,” She removes the rest of the sensors on the colt, and hangs them up for the time being, “I’m not sure it’s the best thing to do, though it might help. Luna could probably answer you better when it comes to your magic being involved. Considering she knows more about dark magic than I ever will.”

“Where-” Midnight tries to get out of the seat at first.

Though stumbles about the moment his hooves hit the ground. The use of his magic drawing far more than he realized, and the lack of flesh in his diet to refill his batteries not helping the matter anymore. Thankfully though, even if he is a mysterious new comer. Flash is always willing to lend a helping hoof, while he gives the colt a shoulder to lean on to get his footing.

“Thank you sir,” The colt gratefully nods to him.

Eh don’t mention it,” Sentry brushes off the comment.

“I was going to ask though… where’s Princess Luna?” Flash and Twilight’s ears perk up at the colt mentioning the princess’s name. Though Midnight’s just rather glad his coat covers the truth that his cheeks are displaying, “I half way thought she would be here right now actually. Though I really haven’t seen her all day.”

Twilight rests a hoof on his shoulder, and pats it gently while a slight grin pops up on her muzzle, “She said that she was going to go out, and get something to help your condition. I have no idea what that means, but it should help you no matter what it is.”

“Thank you then,” His words full of truth with every word he says, still may not be enough to show what his heart is trying to say, “Thank you all for what you are doing.”

“Don’t worry about it. What were we supposed to do? Let you stay in the cell the rest of your life?” Twilight, and Flash share a small chuckle before taking note of his condition, “Though you do seem pretty weak from your exertion. Why don’t you rest a bit? We can let you know when she gets back, if she doesn’t find you first.”

“I do tend to get weaker when I haven’t… fed, in a while,” Midnight answers, not intending to flat out say what he dines on if Luna hasn’t already told them, “again, thank you,” he nods to them before heading out the door. Meeting the guards that have been placed to guide him back to his room during his stay at the castle.

All the while Twilight, and Flash look at one another. Mesmerized by the colt’s words on the lunar princess. Left now to only chat with one another as they themselves walk out of the lab, while Snow plays with his father’s false wing.

“Well it seems that Luna has a fan, don’t you think?” Flash sparks the conversation between them.

“And Luna didn’t seem to be faring any better, when he first spoke to her after waking up,” Twilight starts to giggle, “Considering that she could hardly do any speaking of her own.”

“Though I think it’s safe to say, from what you told me, her wings did more talking than she ever could have,” Flash remarks as his wife attempts to stave off any sort outburst while walking down the hall.