Midnight Shadow (Outdated)

by Orzo Pasta

The Cost of Progress

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A tree.

The only thing at the coordinates was a tree. It wasn't a special tree, nor did it look unusual. It was just a tree.

I looked at the map, then at the card. It was definitely the right place.

"Hello?" I said. There was nopony around, but I didn't know what else to do. There I was, standing in the middle of a field, where there was nothing but a tree.

I took a closer look at the tree. As I walked around the back of the tree, I noticed a symbol carved into the bark. It was a sun, more specifically the sun symbol that usually indicated a connection to Princess Celestia. Looking closer, I saw there were several smaller symbols etched into the wood.

I smiled. Runes were a subject I'd become very familiar with. It was nearly impossible to make out the exact runes etched into the tree, given how incredibly small they were. Still, curiosity got the better of me, as I switched my horn on and started casting the activation spell.

I watched as the sun symbol disappeared, revealing a small alcove within. Inside was an envelope. I briefly wondered why Silver didn't just give me the envelope directly.

Opening the envelope, a single silver ticket fell out. There was also a note.

21^st of March, 1001, Canterlot Palace, 8 P.M. More instructions will be given upon arrival. Come alone.

That was all it said. I took a closer look at the ticket. Admit One: Unrestricted Access.

21^st of March, isn't that-

No way. I'm not going. Even if I wanted to go, it'd be way too dangerous. The Uprising would know I'm there, and that's the last thing I need right now.

But why would Silver want me to go there in the first place? Why be so cryptic about it too? And why me, of all ponies? Could it be a trap?

No. Somehow, I just knew that it isn't a trap. For some reason, despite the danger, I still felt like I should follow the letter's instructions.

Well, all it says is that I need to be there. It doesn't say I can't bring some things with me.

I had already made the shockwave device, but I could do better than just that. The Gala was a long way away, so I had plenty of time.
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Trial 1: Failure. Notes:

Device's motor failed to hold up when attempting to support my weight. Rope also seemed to have frayed during the test, indicating that a stronger one may be necessary.

Trial 2: Failure. Notes:

Sure enough, the rope broke. The motor seemed to work fine.

Trial 3: Failure. Notes:

The material that the machine had latched on to broke during the test. While this isn't directly caused by the machine itself, I believe it may be possible to design a system that reduces the stress put on the material the device latches on to.

Trial 4: Failure. Notes:

The material it latched on to still broke. Perhaps with three anchor points, it will be able to hold.

Trial 5: Partial Success. Notes:

Device was able to hold, but it managed to slip out of my hooves. I need a way to keep it attached to myself for the whole duration of the grapple.

Trial 6: Failure. Notes:

I attempted to integrate it into my mechanical leg. The rope got caught.

Trial 7: Failure. Notes:

Rope caught again, despite my best efforts.

Trial 8: Failure. Notes:

Rope caught yet again. However, I may be able to fix that by recalibrating and adjusting the motor so it launches at a slightly different angle.

Trial 9: Success. Notes:

The grappling hook worked just as intended. I am unsure if it will be capable of supporting much more than just myself, but that shouldn't be a problem.
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The grappling hook had taken me a few days to complete. However, it was fairly simple in comparison to some of my other ideas.

My next project would require some research. I found myself, once again, standing outside the library. Opening the red wooden door, I went inside.

Twilight wasn't anywhere I could see. I began to look around the library. Surely there would be something that could help me.

There was a loud noise from upstairs. It sounded like something had just crashed into the balcony on the second floor. I ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.

A few minutes later, Twilight came down the stairs. She was out the door likely before she even noticed me. I only stopped looking for a moment, then resumed my search.

I found a few books that I thought could help me, but there really wasn't much. It wasn't a subject that was paid much attention to, but that didn't mean I had to start from scratch. Still, it would take much longer to make something like what I had in mind. It would need endless testing, redesigning, and perhaps some time to heal the injuries it would no doubt cause me during the aforementioned testing.

It would all be worth it, though.

Having found what I needed, I turned and headed for home.
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Trial 1: Failure. Notes:

The original material I chose was definitely too weak to hold up when subjected to such strong forces.

Trial 2: Failure. Notes:

My new material is far too heavy. I'm going to need something light, yet strong. I already have oneidea in mind.

Trial 3: Failure. Notes:

The material held up, but the shape was wrong. I'll redesign it as soon as I can walk again.

Trial 17: Failure. Notes:

I slammed myself into a tree today. Needless to say, it needs to be tweaked more.

Trial 41: Failure. Notes:

The material got caught on deployment. My leg broke yet again. Luckily, it's just my mechanical one. Might redesign it so it doesn't break so easily after my current project is done.

Trial 91: Failure. Notes:

The material tore today. I'll have to weave it in a different pattern in order to get it to work.

Trial 113: Failure. Notes:

It's lucky that Earth Ponies tend to be more resistant to blunt force trauma, or I'd probably have lost most of my brain cells by this point. I think I need a break from testing this thing. Just a few more modifications, and I'll call it a night.
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I took a deep breath, looking at myself in the mirror. It had been about a month since I began testing, and it showed. I looked like I had just fallen off a cliff. Which I practically did. Luckily, none of the injuries had been particularly serious.

It was morning. The sun was shining, and ponies would no doubt be going about their morning routines in the small town just outside my window.

I hadn't read the newspaper in a few days, so I decided I'd pick one up. As usual, I put a gem on the counter and took a paper, and as usual, the pony behind the stand just nodded.

I would've started reading it if it wasn't for the sound of several ponies gathering in one place. I looked down the street, seeing the large crowd gathered in the town square. There was some sort of stage set up, on which a blue unicorn wearing a star-covered purple cape and hat stood, speaking to the crowd.

"Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Her mane was a bluish-white, and her cutie mark consisted of a magic wand and a crescent-shaped magical aura.

"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!" As she said that, fireworks lit up the air above the stage.

I rolled my eyes. After all, fireworks were nothing new. If I wanted to, I could even make them, as long as I had the right book. She was clearly just looking for attention. Still, I found myself standing at the back of the crowd, curious as to where this was going to go.

"Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience." I rolled my eyes at the horrible pun. "Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?"

I was wasting my time. At first, I thought there might have been at least a little truth to her words, but seeing as she was claiming to be the most powerful being in Equestria while not actually doing anything, I figured it was safe to assume that there was no reason for me being there.

I turned to leave.

"You! Where do you think you're going?" Trixie said, pointing a hoof right at me.

"Somewhere I can actually get something worthwhile done," I replied.

Trixie seemed taken aback by that, although I suspected she was overdramatizing her reaction. "Is witnessing the Great and Powerful Trixie's feats of amazement not worthwhile enough for you? What could be more important than the most powerful unicorn in Equestria?"

"Well, there really isn't much that's more important that Princess Celestia, but she isn't here, so..." I smirked. "At least, I think that's what you meant. Surely there wouldn't be another pony in Equestria who would claim to be more powerful than Princess Celestia herself, would there?"

Celestia was an Alicorn, not a unicorn, but I figured that wasn't important to bring up at the moment.

Trixie was speechless. The whole crowd was too, standing in complete silence.

"Well, I guess I should be going, then," I said. With that, I turned and headed home, putting all thoughts of Trixie and her conceited ways aside.
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Trial 114: Failure. Notes:

The modifications I made have helped substantially, however the device is nowhere near completion. Which means more testing. Needless to say, I'll be glad when all of this is finished.

Trial 120: Failure. Notes:

The device just can't seem to control the motion well enough, despite the modifications I've been making. I may have to take a closer look at the device's mechanisms to see if there's something I'm missing.

Trial 133: Failure. Notes:

Today, I finally noticed the imperfections in the material. I'm afraid weaving such a fabric so perfectly is beyond my skill set. I'm going to need a professional.
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The Carousel Boutique was certainly one of the tallest buildings in town. It bore a resemblance to the meeting hall, however the smaller details was what set it apart. As the name suggested, its design did bear a resemblance to a carousel. Most notable were the pony-shaped statues attached to poles around one of the upper floors of the building.

I checked to make sure I had all the required materials in my saddlebag, then knocked on the door.

"Just a moment, darling!" It was definitely Rarity's voice. I heard a few crashes from inside, the meow of a cat, and then the door opened.

"What can I do for-" She paused. "Oh, hello again! Midnight Shadow, was it? Glad to see you're okay, after being alone in the Everfree forest..." She looked away for a moment. "Sorry about that, darling."

I shook my head. "It's alright. Anyway, I need you to weave a fabric for me."

Rarity tilted her head slightly to the side, confused. "What sort of fabric?"

I levitated a piece of paper out of my saddlebag. "It's made from a special kind of thread I created. I tried weaving it together myself, but I couldn't make it strong enough for my needs."

She took the paper, looking it over. "So, you just need me to weave the fabric together? No design, no styling,just the fabric? And what in Equestria do you need so much of it for?"

I sighed. "Will you do it or not?"

Rarity looked up. "Well... To make this much of it, I'd need several spools of thread..."

I took out a spool of the aforementioned thread, holding it in my hoof instead of levitating it. "I can make as much as you need." I thought for a moment. "You know, there's probably several uses for a thread such as this."

Rarity tried to pick up the purplish spool of thread with her magic, but it didn't budge. "What? Why can't I-"

"It's like I said. I'm sure you could find a good use for a magic-resistant fabric."

Rarity stopped trying to levitate it and took it in her hoof. "I... might be able to find some use for it, I suppose..."

"Well, there's also the fact that the fabric it makes is nearly indestructible. If the color doesn't fit what you're using it for, it can be dyed to be any color you need it to be. I can't say how comfortable it would be, but I'm sure you could figure something out."

Rarity was still inspecting the thread. "Yes, I suppose I could, if all the things you say about it are true."

"So here's the deal. I need this fabric to be as strong as possible. Make it for me, and afterwards I'll give you as much of the thread as you need if you decide to use it in any of your work."

Rarity looked at the fabric one more time. "I'll see what I can do."
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Trial 134: Partial Success. Notes:

The fabric Rarity made definitely made a difference. Still, it only operates at about forty percent of the desired mobility, and as such will need to be adjusted. Now that I can get some concrete data, the process should be fairly simple.

Trial 146: Failure. Notes:

I can't seem to isolate the exact issue with the device. The best I've been able to do is fifty-five percent mobility. Then again, it might be possible that my entire approach to the problem is wrong. I may be relying too much on the physical aspects of this device, and not enough on the magical components. I may have to do some more research.
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I had devoted most of my focus into my work, but that didn't keep me from noticing several strange things going on in the town.

The night after I saw Trixie in the town square, I awoke in the middle of the night to a loud roar. Opening the window, I saw a large bear. Or, at least, I thought it was a bear. Its body appeared to be made of a magical aura, reminiscent of a field of stars. A single, white, eight-pointed star was on its forehead. However, something caused the bear to become drowsy in the midst of its rampage, and the moment it fell asleep, a purple aura surrounded it, and it levitated off into the Everfree Forest. I briefly wondered if that was Twilight's doing.

Only a few days later, a strange smoke filled the sky. It originated from a mountain not too far away, and occasionally a loud roar could be heard from that direction. However, sometime in the afternoon, it stopped, and the weather pegasi cleared it away. I had no idea what had caused it, but by the time the sun set there was no evidence it ever happened.

Not too long after, a bad storm hit Ponyville. That wasn't necessarily 'strange,' but it definitely set me back in my work. Luckily, the storm caused no damage to my home, and it cleared up by the next morning.
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I was walking into town, as I often did in the mornings, when I noticed something really strange. The streets were practically deserted. There was only one pony, standing in the middle of the dirt road, digging at the ground.

"Excuse me, but do you know why there's nopony else around?" I asked. She looked up at me, pulling back her hood. Her coat was a light gray, with darker gray markings on it. Her mane was in a sort of mohawk-style, and it seemed almost to continue the pattern of the markings, with vertical white and gray stripes spaced evenly apart. A large gold earring hung from each of her ears, and around her neck were several more gold rings.

"In fear the ponies hide from me, from the monster they think me to be. You, however, seem unafraid. May I ask why you have strayed?"

Her method of speaking was somewhat difficult to understand, but I got the basic idea. "Well, I don't see what there is to be afraid of. You might look a bit out of place in this town, but then again, so do I. "

She smiled. "A friendly face is welcome indeed, if only the others would follow your lead."

"Well, I don't think they'd listen to me. I live on the edge of town, and I don't know too many of the ponies here. Still, I'm sure they'll see you for who you are soon enough."

"Perhaps it just might be true, one day the others may be as friendly as you."

"Well, I hope all turns out well. However, I really should be going."

She nodded. "May a thousand generations sing your song; that is a zebra's way of saying, 'so long.'"

A zebra, huh? I guess that explains her peculiar appearance.

I was already behind, and there was nothing I could do to help her, so I continued on my way.
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Trial 236: Failure. Notes:

So far, I have achieved seventy percent mobility. It seems like that's the best I can get it mechanically. I believe I may need to integrate some more Arcanium constructs in order to get the desired effect. I'll need some particularly complex constructs for this one, but in the end it'll all be worth it.
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Some time later, something happened in Ponyville. I wasn't around when it happened, but whatever it was caused major damage to pretty much everything in the town. Needless to say, it took quite a while for them to fix it.

Then, winter began. There was little I could do during winter, so I spent most of my time reading. Twilight and I didn't exchange more than a passing word or two. Most of the time, she was either on a different floor or just completely ignored me. I didn't really mind.

Apparently, the day when winter was scheduled to end was mis-scheduled, resulting in some confusion regarding the seasons. I later found out that there was an argument among the weather pegasi over what to do in response. Some of them said they should roll back the season to fall and redo the whole thing. Others said they should make it winter again and pick up from there. There were also those who claimed they should just move on to spring and make sure the transition to summer was on time. Since the weather teams swapped leaders from time to time, this caused some major confusion with the weather that wouldn't sort itself out for many months.

The confusion only added to the already growing list of setbacks I had to endure. Still, I persevered, going out to test my device on every day I could safely do so.

One day, I was redesigning the device, when I heard a loud noise from outside. Looking out the window, I saw a rainbow sweep across the sky. It reminded me of the day I tried to show my horn to the Royal Magic Advisors, when the exact same thing happened. I only let it distract me for a moment, however. I went straight back to my work, seeing as the Gala was coming up fast. I couldn't afford any more major setbacks.
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"Twilight, who's that?"

I was visiting the library, as I often did. The voice had come from a small purple dragon with green spines. He seemed familiar.

"Hey, you're Spike, right?"

He hadn't left the staircase he was standing on when he noticed me. "Uhh... Yeah, but..."

"I'm Midnight Shadow. Twilight and I were friends, back when we were foals. You were too young to even walk back then, so it doesn't surprise me that you don't recognize me."

"Oh. Well, um, nice to m-" He was cut off as a purple aura surrounded him, and he was lifted up onto the back of a purple unicorn who had just started coming down the stairs.

"Spike, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?"

Spike looked down. "But, he said you were his friend... Twilight? Who is he?"

Twilight looked over at me. "He was my friend. Not anymore." With that, she turned and headed back up the stairs. Spike took one last look back at me.

I lowered my gaze to the floor.
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Trial 297: Failure. Notes:

Device is now operating at eighty-seven percent mobility. While many ponies would call that good enough, I know better. Since I'll be going to Canterlot during the Gala, that last thirteen percent of mobility could mean the difference between outmaneuvering the Lunar Uprising and being captured by them.

Trial 300: Failure. Notes:

I really have put a lot of work into this. Three hundred tests in, and the device is at eighty nine percent mobility. However, I have a pretty good idea of how to proceed from this point. Now, it's just a matter of a few more tweaks, and it will be done.

Trial 315: Success. Notes:
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I had discovered long ago that I had a very high pain tolerance. Even when I was crushed under the rubble of the old tower library, I could move around enough to light my first Arcanium horn, despite the fact that I was in immense pain. And that was when I was a colt.

I had embedded my metal leg into my skin not long before I was captured by the Uprising. Again, I was able to tolerate it. If it wasn't for that, the leg would've been taken from me just like my horn was, and there's no telling how different things might have been then.

I could handle pain, as long as there was a reason for it. In the case of the tower library, it had been survival. Embedding my metal leg, a precaution.

I had been wearing my cloak whenever I went out in public. After being captured, I was much more hesitant to show others my work. Plus, chances are ponies wouldn't respond well to seeing the sides of my coat stained red. Not that they'd be looking at that anyway.

No, they'd be looking at the two wings attached to my back.

It was the second of my machines that relied on a vestigial feature of pony anatomy. With the horn, it was the point in the skull where a unicorn's horn connected to the brain. This time, it was the muscles that would form the base of a pegasus' wings. They were very weak, but that didn't matter much. My new mechanical wings might have been powered mostly by Arcanium constructs, but they still needed a control method, and manually activating each construct with my horn would be tedious and inefficient. Therefore, I had to physically connect the wings to the vestigial wing muscles.

It was a good thing that I had such a high pain tolerance.

I had finally perfected the design of the wings, making everything I went through worthwhile. They worked just like the wings of a normal pegasus, which was exactly what I had intended. But, because it was powered by magic instead of muscle, I could reach speeds that would rival even the fastest pegasi. I assumed that I would never need to reach such speeds, but I could if I had to.

It did take some getting used to, at first. Since I'd never used the muscles before, I had trouble at first. By the time it was finished, though, the muscles were strong enough to control the wings accurately.

Flight had been a concept I had thought about in the past, but it was such a daunting task that I had simply chosen to work on easier, more practical projects. However, if I was going to the Gala, I would need an emergency getaway method, in case things went wrong, and a teleport construct just felt like it might not be enough. Plus, the wings would make many things easier for me in the future.

They may have been one of the greatest feats of mechanical engineering up to that point, and as such they weren't cheap. Gems were becoming increasingly difficult to find in the caves, indicating that I had perhaps been relying on them too much. Between buying the materials, making the flux-steel thread, and paying for everything else I needed on a daily basis, I had adopted spending habits that would easily bankrupt most ponies in a week. I couldn't keep relying on gems alone.

I thought about growing my own food; after all, since Ponyville was such a small, rural community, many of its residents already did that. That would help with how much I was spending, but it wasn't enough. It was a problem to be sure.

A problem I had no idea how to solve.
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The idea came to me in a dream.

It was simple in theory. So simple, in fact, that I later wondered how it was I had never thought of it before. And yet, it would still be more difficult to build than anything else I had done. Even the wings paled in comparison to it. It was more ambitious than anything I had ever done.

Still, I believed I could do it. It may have seemed impossible, but that had never stopped me before. Time and again, I had overcome all odds. I was an Earth Pony, and yet I could use magic. I could fly. And, given the right knowledge and enough time, I could do just about anything. This was no different. It would just take longer.

A lot longer.

Sure, it solved my problem, but it wouldn't be finished for a few years, and that was a conservative estimate. I couldn't wait that long. I needed another solution, and I needed it fairly quickly.

I didn't have to worry so much about the Lunar Uprising finding me, but there was still the fact that I had a very specific skill set that would easily attract attention if I used it to get a job. I needed something that was outside of my skill set, yet easy to learn.

I looked out the window. There, I saw a single pegasus moving a cloud across the sky. I briefly considered trying to get a job in weather control, then shook my head. Pegasi could move clouds, sure, but that was mainly due to their innate weather magic. Clouds were very delicate, and not even a feather would be light enough to touch a cloud without going through it. However, the magic that all pegasi had allowed them to reduce the amount of force their hooves exerted, so that when they touch a cloud, they might as well be weightless. This effect could be replicated with unicorn magic, but it was temporary, which wasn't good if I planned to be in weather control until my project was completed.

The more I thought about it, though, the more it seemed like it might work. Because of the confusion with the seasons, demand for weather control ponies was incredibly high. The weather agency was hiring anypony with wings at that point, regardless of prior experience or knowledge. As long as I could help move clouds, I was practically guaranteed a position.

I already had an idea of how to proceed.
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Given how small Ponyville was, it was almost surprising that the town had its own weather office. Then again, the weather system tended to be a bit unpredictable around the Everfree Forest. Whatever the reason, it was there, and I found myself walking through its doors on an otherwise normal day.

"Are you here to report a weather incident?" the pony at the desk asked.

I shook my head. "Actually, I'm here to see if you have any positions open."

She looked up from the paperwork she was filling out. "Field weather team, I'm guessing?"

I nodded.

"Well, I can probably find a spot for you, but I do have to ask you to sign a waiver." She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. "Weather control isn't exactly the safest job out there, and due to the confusion about the seasons, injuries have been on the rise."

I looked over the waiver a few times. Not like I was going to sue them if anything happened. Going in front of Princess Celestia to argue a case was one of the worst things I could do. She'd recognize me, and then all hopes of avoiding discovery would be lost. I signed my name on the line, although it was more of a scribble than anything else.

"Very well. What's your name?"

I briefly considered giving a fake name, but I decided it wouldn't be worth it. "Midnight Shadow."

"Alright, Midnight Shadow. How's your flying?"

I had hidden my horn in the secret compartment in my hoof. I hadn't embedded it; the risk of working around my head, and without magic, was just too great, and as such I could take it off whenever I had to. To an observer, I was a pegasus, albeit a strange looking one with metal rings on his hooves.

"I'm not the best at judging these kinds of things, but I'd say it's about average."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll get your name in the system. Next, you'll need to show up for orientation. The next one should be in three days. Be here at nine-o-clock in the morning. Was that all you needed?"

"Yes, that's it. Thanks."

She nodded again, before returning to her paperwork. I turned around and started to leave.
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Upon returning home, I took a moment to relax. I had officially gotten a job, which meant the only things I needed gems for were flux-steel and Arcanium. If I could find enough ways to save money, I could buy the gems I needed instead of digging them up from the caves. Theoretically, since the gems around Ponyville were common varieties, gems from other places could be broken down into flux and Arcanium as well.

I planned on growing my own food, too. Anything I could get myself, I would. The less I spent, the more resources I could get to work on my new project.

The Gala was still a few weeks away. I decided to use that time to take care of any immediate concerns, as well as start the planning stage of my project.

I had known that it would have to be kept secret from the moment I came up with it. If it somehow ended up in the wrong hooves, it had the potential to change everything for the worse.
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Comments

[Rusty Bascule]

Interesting... . .

[Randomfastreader]

this is progressing quite nicely