Darkness
Twilight's conversations with Midnight had never really been the friendliest, even in spite of all the times she'd attempted to get closer to her. But, let it never be said that the Princess of Friendship ever gave up on anyone. Walking towards her guest's chambers, she took in a deep breath, then put on a smile in an effort to put on the best face possible. With her horn lighting up, she turned the door's knob, opening it up.
"Midnight? I was wondering if we could..."
But her words were halted as soon as she saw what was transpiring within the room. Midnight was there, sitting quietly in front of her dressing table, but what truly caused shock for Twilight was how she appeared. Her eyes were closed, but from them could be seen small wisps of smoke, purple in colour. In addition to this, the cloned alicorn's horn was glowing a bizarre and unnatural shade, a combination of not only more purple, but also green as well. Recognition immediately came to Twilight, and she rushed in, her voice drenched in worry.
"Midnight!"
The louder tone caused the double's focus to break, and her eyes snapped open. This act caused the strange aura around her to vanish, and now she appeared as she normally did, albeit with a slightly annoyed expression as she turned towards her host.
"Princess, I'd appreciate it if you didn't break my concentration like that. Coming out of magic like that so abruptly can be jarring."
But Twilight had far bigger concerns than that right now.
"You...you were using dark magic?!"
Midnight raised an eyebrow, then gave a nonchalant nod.
"I was. And...your point is...?"
Twilight blinked, utterly astounded that her mirror image would ask such a thing.
"I...you...dark magic is bad, Midnight! That's why it's called dark magic!"
Midnight rolled her eyes.
"Twilight, in case it slipped your notice...I'm made of dark magic! It's kind of unavoidable for me to get involved with it."
Twilight took another step forward, a frown forming on her face.
"Midnight...we don't ever use dark magic like that! It's dangerous!"
Midnight frowned right back.
"Magic, no matter what form it has, is a tool, Princess. The only danger is in its use."
She narrowed her eyes.
"If you used your teleportation powers to send some hapless earth pony a thousand metres into the sky, that would be pretty deadly, right?"
Twilight scoffed at such a suggestion.
"That is completely different! We're not talking about some spell that can simply be misused here, Midnight! Dark magic has only ever been bad! No good has ever come to ponies who indulge in it!"
Slowly, a smirk came to the doppelganger's lips.
"No good, you say?"
Twilight, although she knew by now that her double was probably forming some kind of "gotcha" moment, maintained her stance.
"Yes, that's right."
Chuckling, Midnight hopped off her chair, looking her host right in the eye.
"You know, I'm still sifting through a lot of these memories I have of your life, Princess. And I couldn't help but notice one in particular."
She stepped forward confidently.
"Your first visit to the Crystal Empire, where you and your friends had to search for the Crystal Heart?"
Twilight sighed, knowing where this was going now.
"You're going to mention how I needed to use dark magic to reveal the Heart's whereabouts in the throne room, right?"
Midnight nodded.
"A rather useful application of it, wouldn't you say?"
Twilight narrowed her eyes.
"If dark magic hadn't been responsible for hiding it away in the first place, I wouldn't have had to resort to it!"
Midnight laughed, turning away and walking towards the window.
"The pristine and flawless Princess of Friendship, using dark magic of all things! Oh, what gossip that would yield, eh?"
Twilight looked to her guest with concern, but said nothing as another laugh came from her.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on letting others know. Wouldn't do me any good to antagonise the one giving me sanctuary after all."
Twilight's face softened, and she slowly turned to look at the mirror on the nearby dressing table. After a few moments, her eyes then drifted back to Midnight.
"What were you using dark magic for back there anyway?"
Midnight herself continued to stare out of the window, yet even though she did not look to Twilight, she nevertheless began to answer.
"...Practice."
Twilight took a few steps closer, looking a little curious towards that response.
"Practice? For what?"
Midnight let out a sigh.
"In case...she comes back."
Twilight didn't need to ask who she was referring to, and the young Princess soon gave an understanding nod.
"Chrysalis?"
Midnight, though she continued to stare outside, nodded back.
"I don't doubt that I'm still in her thoughts, one way or another. I'm her failure. Her 'rebel creation'. Sooner or later, she will come back for me, as she will for all who've crossed her. And on that day, should it ever come..."
She finally turned, bearing a clear expression of determination.
"...I need to be ready."
Twilight walked over to her, taking a brief moment to look at the sunny skies out of the window, before facing her copy in earnest.
"I appreciate that you feel the need to prepare yourself for that. Believe me, I've had my fair share of contingencies over the years."
Her frown returned.
"But dark magic, and spells of that nature...aren't the way."
Midnight scoffed.
"I know Chrysalis, Twilight. As do you. We both understand that she won't fight fair if it comes right down to it. She'll use tricks, deception, weapons of power, any advantage she can get her hooves on."
Twilight nodded.
"You're right. Your very existence has proved that she's willing to do anything to try and gain some edge over us."
Midnight pointed to her.
"All the more reason we need to be willing to do so! She's out there, right now, plotting her next move, be it against me or you and your friends. When she comes back..."
She turned, looking out of the window again.
"...and she will, I intend to have every advantage possible on my side."
For a time, she paused, and then, after letting out another sigh, she hung her head slightly.
"She nearly killed me once. I have no intention to let her do so a second time."
Twilight looked to her double, and seemed genuinely surprised to see her like this. Midnight had always come across to her as being confident, so sure of herself. Yet now, in this moment, she appeared fearful, vulnerable. It really took the Princess aback to see just how deeply this fear of Chrysalis was for her. And yet, as she dwelt on that thought, she could not deny that she shared it.
"I worry about her too."
Midnight turned to her as she continued speaking.
"Every once in a while, when it's quiet, I'll think about her, what she might be doing. She rejected friendship, and she's been out there, hiding and scheming to do all sorts of terrible things. There's no question in my mind that she'll be back to finish what she started. Vengeance consumes her every thought, and we'll have to face her."
Her copy studied her face carefully, then took on a more serious look herself.
"Yet you would ask that I restrict the kind of magic I use?"
Twilight looked back to her.
"I do."
A frown re-emerged on the clone's face.
"Your deadliest enemy will return one day, and may bring with her the greatest wrath you and your friends have ever faced. In the tapestry of your lives, she may well be the ultimate final threat. The end-game. How exactly do you plan to stop her?"
Twilight paused, deep in thought over that, admittedly, very important question. But then, as she considered it, a smile formed on her lips, and she again looked to her guest.
"...Together."
Midnight looked to her with incredulity.
"...You'll lose."
A quick chuckle escaped the Princess, and she gave a small nod.
"Then...we'll do that together too."
Now, given the kind of cynical mare Midnight usually appeared to be, Twilight was fully prepared for some kind of scoff or sarcastic retort to her words. Instead, and to her immense surprise, her double merely smirked, laughing briefly before starting to walk past her.
"You're an optimistic one, Princess. I'll give you that much."
To Twilight's credit, she matched her smirk.
"One of us has to be."
The two shared a laugh, which was a nice change of pace for them, and before long, Midnight moved back over to her dressing table, using her horn to open one of the drawers. Twilight watched with curiosity as her fellow mare levitated out a pair of scissors.
"What are you doing?"
Midnight stared at the scissors before her.
"You know...I was mistaken for you the other day."
Twilight nodded.
"I know...Starlight told me."
Midnight made a note of that before continuing.
"No offense, but I'm not fond of being thought of as someone else. So..."
She didn't finish, instead moving the scissors to behind her head. There, and to Twilight's genuine shock, she took hold of much of her mane and, with one single perfect slice, cut right through it. Twilight watched as those long hairs fell to the floor, leaving her now non-identical clone with a much shorter mane, one which only went down to her neck and no further. Midnight, after looking at her new reflection, gave an approving nod, before looking back to her host.
"Well? Does it suit me?"
A pause, and Twilight then broke out into a genuine smile.
"Hey, as long as I don't see any more dark magic from you, you can look however you want."
Midnight snorted.
"I'll take it."
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9227101 Maaaaaaaaaaaybe
The darkness will consume her soul
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Question! What would you classify the want it need it? I personally while not classifying it a DARK would also definitely not classify it as LIGHT.
Shoulda gone with the fabulous updo from the spa
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This got me thinking: would the Kirin's transformation into Niriks count as "dark magic"? And how would Twilight's view on the use of dark magic clash with Autumn Blaze's words about emotions and what you do with them?
9227144
good questions!
This is great and I really love seeing how different Twilight interacted with her compared to Starlight. I think honestly Twilight in her own way understand her just better than really anyone. I would LOVE to see a chapter of Midnight getting to interact with Spike. I really REALLY think those two would get along. Hell I think out of all of Twilight's friends she might get to closest to him since she could see just how much everyone else overlook him but he just keep working and helping even if he doesn't get any attention from it. And I think Spike would be one of the ones to really see Midnight's point in alot of what she is saying, and also really be the first to show he doesn't see her as something evil but as her own thing. I mean he had to learn that from his time with his new changling buddy so I don't think his character would regress that wouldn't remember that lesson
9227137
I don't!
9227154
eh, this is MLP we're talking about here. Case in point, Fluttershy... wait, dammit! No positive emotes of Flutts
Ever heard of knocking oh "Princess of Friendship" ?
Which means that "dark magic" has applications beyond just hurting others since it could be used to obscure/hide things, nad can probably be used for many other things... in fact, what even is "dark magic", how does it differ from "normal magic"
Going nuts that's what
I mean did you see her in "The Mean 6" episode, she was talking to herself and everything
-*JUMP CUT*-
A Certain former Changeling Queen gazes across the desolate wastes of sand dunes. No signs of life in any direction, and not even a fixed shape to act as a reference point as the sun beats down upon her near broiling carapace. But not so broiling as her rapidly increasing temper.
"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW?!" she snarls, the only response faded echoes of her scream.
-*JUMP CUT*-
And now I think we've cut to the core of it. Midnight, for all her snarkyness and attitude, at her core is someone who just wants to live. And I don't think it's cheeselegs she's most worried about.
She's more afraid it'll be Twilight and her friends that will end her. Deicide she's an abomination against life and erase her from existance. And worse. If they did.
There's not much she could do to stop them.
9227144
Heck, what about the Stream of Silence? A magic spring that causes muteness and emotional dampening doesn't exactly sound all that wholesome a magic artifact/location in hindsight.
I would LOVE to see what would happen to the Clone if she went through the portal to the Terra where Sunset Shimmer is at, would she look more like how Sci-Twi did when she went all 'Midnight Sparkle' then or what?
9227300
Also a good question!
I'd also like to go record to say even "Light" magic can be used for evil. Take for example a sleep spell, a theif could use it to disable a mark take what he wants and leave. Many medical spells could also potentially be used for ill purposes. Take for example if there was a spell to make cuts on a patient to get to an area the doc had to work on. And say a pony who was NOT a doctor knew the spell and used it on others. Now going back to my earlier statement about the want-it-need-it, after some thought I came to a realization. it could be said its teetering on the edge of Dark Magic. One could cast a spell on something (say a balloon) and say to a pony "You want this? Then you need to do something for me" in which a pony could quite possible get another to do anything they wanted all just to get a simple balloon.
Wonder how Chrysalis will react when she realizes that not only did her plan fail, but forces are now being better arrayed to deal with her.
Congratulations, Twilight, you have failed to prove Midnight wrong.
I’m starting to see a flaw in harmony of friendship, Trust. They trust Twilight so much, they believe a dark clone of her. Oh and the ‘I’m made of Dark Magic’ part. She reminds me of Dark Materia vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/villains/images/4/42/Dark_Materia.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120922185125
The danger with Dark Magic isn't that it's inherently evil, but rather that it's far more dangerous to the user than the normal variety. Same way that a stick is less dangerous to its user than fire is. IF that is kept in mind then it should be fine, but it's incredibly easy to become complacent.
9227342
Heck even a simple spell to heal a scratch must speed up the division of cells to do so and all cancer is just sped up cell division...
9227684
Like I said, it's not just "Dark Magic" that can be used for ill gain and or intent
9227164
Um, did you see her in Sound of Silence? Flutters gave AJ a bit of a challenge there.
And even earlier, where she built her sanctuary, where she had to put her hoof down and fire the "experts".
9227684
While you’re not wrong about what cancer is the fact is that it would take more than magic speeding up cell division to cause it.
9227919
True, but think about all the times she learned to be assertive. Over and over and over ad nauseam. See Joshscorcher's review of Fame and Misfortune to get my point.
9227974
Fame and Misfortune:
"Could you completely change who you are by learning something once?" (Paraphrased) -Fluttershy
Hmm, well Midnight is starting to seem a bit less of an evil character, if not quite a good one. I will admit I prefer Midnight's mentality to Twilight's.
9208225
In essence, you are right. Though a (real) troll is a harmless but sometimes annoying goofball. „Feeding them” can be quite fun. Sometimes you have to „review” their skill at it, though.
Dude... I never thought I'd say this but you watched too much MLP. What makes you think that another person would seek your company even if they act in a „friendly” manner from your perspective?
Never thought I would approve of Age of Ultron.
Also I really am on Midnight's side... again. Why are you making her so appealing?
Yes, Twi, Dark Magic is dangerous. But you're insisting on using water when there is fire available. Sure, fire can burn if you're careless, but water can drown. And water might give life, but fire chases the cold away. You've got to be willing to use both. Application and intent are more important than the tool itself.
9228553
Josh: This episode made me like [Fluts] more. As a person. As a character in a serialized episodic tv show, this whole "last verse same as the first" story line doesn't work. It does not work, it does not work...[RANT]
9228851
True, but it also depends on the particular in-universe consequences of "dark" magic.
If it's inherently corruptive, such that repeated use leads to cognitive issues that cause insanity or megalomania or some other undesirable mental influence... well, I'd say ponies are damn right to be concerned if anyone uses it. IE tainted saidin in Jordan's Wheel of Time 'verse. Can't really have a bunch of world-breaking madmen running around bending reality to their whim; that'd be like having Discord at his worst be omnipresent!
If it's just got a bad rap because it's generated through negative emotions, when ponyland is supposed to be a happybouncyjoygleewonderful place of rainbows and snobby bunnies, then yeah... inanimate tools that lack agency of their own are just that: tools. Their goodness or evilness depends entirely on the actions undertaken by the tool user.
Error 404, likes not found
9229296
And that's why you can't just say "but dark = bad tho" without explaining the in-universe consequences of said magic. If I don't see or hear about consequences, I will assume there are none until further notice. Authors failing to explain why dark magic is bad is why the concept of "dark magic used for good" started up in the first place.
9229508
I did upvote your comment before responding, ya know
I see a suit of armor around the world....
9229572
No possible way to know since FiMFiction doesn't display who liked a post! *shrug*
But yeah, the major issue with this chapter is its reliance on the audience already knowing why dark magic is considered bad, even though that's never been explained in the show OR this fic.
9227210
Then she falls into a cursed pond that turns her into a pig.
Ah, the good old “intent vs. classification” argument over Dark Magic.
As a Potterhead, I fancy myself quite well versed in this kind of stuff, though I’ve had the advantage of more explanation on magic in the canon.
The way I see it, using Dark Magic is fine if you wield it for good, but with one caveat: the Magic must not be corrupting. If it corrupts you, even if you at first wielded it for good, you’ll soon be consumed by it, and your mind will be warped and twisted, a fascismile of what it once was. At least, that’s how most corruption goes. The result is, the person will, at best, “help” people against their will, harming them in the process. At worst, it’ll be a total descent into madness and evil. A prime example in action would be what seems to be (spoilers for another story) currently happening to Sunset Shimmer in Ranger.
The other side is true, too, no matter how Light or trivial a certain Magic is, if you use it with malicious intent, you might as well use Dark Magic as it usually is and be done with it. A simple levitation spell can do the same to someone as what Midnight said, and we can all agree that telekinesis isn’t a Dark Magic. For an extreme example, while it’s probably impossible, if you used the Elements of Harmony to wipe out all life on Equestria, the fact that you used the Elements of Harmony won’t excuse you (unless there was some crazy circumstance, since that’s the only way I can see that happening).
Tl;dr, Dark Magic is fine so long as it doesn’t corrupt you, and using Light Magic is no excuse for evil acts.
Oh joy. Another story where a character submits herself to others' judgment but ends up being more correct about morality and life than her supposed teachers. This is something totally unique, and certainly not a concept FiM has indulged in many, many times.
Very nice moment between them.
Good chapter, nice work.
9231105
Most of you vouching for dark magic forget the typical magic-fantasy nature of dark magic. Which is that it consumes its user, tainting them with each use, corrupting them nearly irrevocably. Driving insane those with stout wills and guarded minds, driving to evil those who were dark already all the way to the most pure and noble being, dragging them down into psychopathy at worst, and sociopathy at best.
It's also usually addictive. Frankly, given what we've seen of the Alicorn Amulet I'm fairly sure it's the same way here in Equestria, too.
9297266
Well, there is one potential point that is relevant here: Would the negative effects of dark magic even affect Midnight? Given that she literally is made of dark magic and all that.
9230530
FACTS! FACTS! YOU ARE SAYING PURE UNADULTERATED FACTS MY BROTHER!
9297388
I don't think it would have any negative effects on her. Since Midnight is literally made out of dark magic, I strongly doubt that it would screw her over.