Midnight

by The Chip

First published

During the climax of the Friendship Games, Twilight hears a voice in her head. One that has taken complete control of her.

"I'm so sorry...I didn't mean any of this to happen..."

When I said those words, I meant every one of them. For during that dark moment, I was not in control of my actions. There was something else inside of me that forced me to do all of it. Something powerful. Something wicked. Something that I did not want to become.

And it called itself...Midnight Sparkle.

Midnight

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I was walking up to the middle of the field with my device in my hands. I was convinced by Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts to unleashing the magic that I accidentally drained from the girls. It was something I didn't want to do but yhey seemed to genuinely believe they were using their magic to cheat and all I would be doing was making things fair. Well, for the team anyway. What I wanted was to see what would happen if I unleash it. There was an infinite amount of possibilities. As I was thinking of those, something tingled in the back of my mind that ultimately made me decide to open the device. And when I did...

There was a large explosion and a huge ball of magical energy that was pulling me in! The more it did, the higher up it dragged me and the more it began to hurt! I had not foreseen this outcome! Both teams were all in shock and fear of what was gonna happen!

"Heeeeeeeeeelllllllp...meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" I screamed. I tried to reach out my hand for anyone, anyone, but I was fully consumed by the magic. The tears I shed completely vaporized.

I shut my eyes waiting for it to end. Before I knew, I felt excruciating pain all over my body. Most notably, from my forehead, almost as if something was trying to emerge from it. The next I knew, the pain stopped and instead, I felt something different. Something I had never felt before. It was strange...and yet so exhilarating. Was it the magic I was feeling? Was that what was giving me this strange new feeling? Yes.

I open my eyes again to see what happened. My skin had become darker, I was wearing a strange outfit, my hair was standing on end and seemed to have been dyed, I has giant imposing Raven wings on my now-bare back and to top it off, a large teal horn and fire around my eyes resembling a domino mask. Everyone was standing there in fear. Cinch, the very person who made me into this, was backing away. I see the redhead who yelled at me, told me I didn't understand magic. Then, I laughed in a way that sounded almost wicked and ominous. Why was I laughing? Oh, I know why.

"You were right! I didn't understand magic before! But I do now!"

It was true. I did understand magic. I felt it flowing through my horn. I raised my hand and...blasted the Wondercolt statue, blowing it to smithereens?! From the remains, a vortex appears leading to...

"Equestria!" said the redhead. And as cracks emerged from it, I...smiled.

Why was I smiling? This was not a good thing! Oh, but it was. A new world had opened up to me and as the cracks grew, I created a new portal right where...the girls were standing?! No, this isn't right!

As I was creating more and more portals, everyone was panicking, running scared! Why was I doing this? Why can't I stop myself?!

Why do you want it to stop?

Huh? I thought. Who's there?

I am your ambition. Your desire to understand magic. The very thing that drives you now. I...am...you! But for the sake of clarity, you may call me...Midnight Sparkle!

Why is this happening? I asked her, or me, or whatever.

When you absorbed that magic, I was given life. I'm here to give you the drive you need!

What do you want?

Only what you want. To learn, study, understand. And soon we will understand everything!

As this was happening, Principal Cinch was sneaking away. Sunny Flare angrily shouted to her,"Hey! Where are you going?!"

She responded, "Anywhere to avoid that...MONSTER! And I suggest you do the same!"

Monster? I've been called many hurtful things but never that. Not that I blame her. Look what was I was doing.

Oh, don't listen to her. Compared to us, she is nothing!

Just then, the redhead shouted, "Twilight, you can't do this!"

"Why not?" I, or I guess Midnight, said. "There's a whole other world right there and it's just filled with magic!"

"But you're destroying this world to get it!"

"So what? There's more magic there and I want to understand it all!"

So what? I thought, horrified by what she just said. We're gonna hurt everyone!

Hurt who? Who matters to you so much that you want us to stop?! Sour Sweet? Sugarcoat? Abacus Cinch?! I was rather shocked when she was no longer referring to the last one by her first name rather than Principal. But that wasn't important.

What about Spike? Cadance? Pinkie Pie and the other girls?

We're on the verge of a new discovery and you want to throw it away for your pet, a former babysister turned dean who wasn't there for you when Cinch blackmailed you, and six girls on the other team you barely even know?! One of whom made you cry?! Well, forget it! We're gonna understand magic at all costs whether you want to or not!

As I watched as Midnight continued to use my body to destroy the world, I could only watch as I see what my mistake was gonna cost me and everyone. A new portal opened on the courtyard and students began to fall through as it got bigger and bigger. This was all my fault! I no longer cared about understanding magic. I no longer cared about my application to Everton. In that moment, nothing I wanted mattered to me anymore. I just wanted all of this to end. Then, I realized that Cadance was right. Being alone sucked. I never have felt more alone than when this was happening. I didn't even have Spike to comfort me this time. I didn't want to be alone anymore.

Oh, get over yourself. We don't need anybody. They will never understand us. All we need is to go and--

"This isn't the way!" the redhead shouted. "I know you feel powerful right now, like you can have everything you want! I've been where you are, I've made the same mistake you're making! I put on a crown and, just like you, I was overwhelmed by the magic it contained! I thought it could get me everything I wanted!"

She...she's been where I am? Has she had a voice in her head, forcing her to do things she didn't want to do?

"Oh, you're wrong," Midnight said. "Unlike you, I can have everything I want!"

"No, you can't. Even with all that magic and power, you'll still be alone! True magic comes from honesty! Loyalty! Laughter! Generosity! Kindness!"

As she said those words, each of her friends glowed and emitted beams of energy that went into my device the girl was now carrying. As that was happening, she was leviatating into the air.

Impossible! We stole their magic!

"I understand you, Twilight, and I want to show you the most important magic of all..."

She clasped the device shut, threw it to the ground, destroying the device, and a new ball of magic energy emerged and engulfed her. But instead ofof a demon, she was turned to a beautiful angel with a horn and wings of pure light.

"...the Magic of Friendship!"

Midnight was terrified. I, however, smiled inside knowing she would set everything right. She used her new abilities to seal the portals that were created.

No! I've worked too hard to be stopped now!

A great battle ensued where Midnight and the girl fired beams of magic at each other. However, Midnight's magic was much stronger. I had to something but what could I do? She was stronger than both of us.

"Twilight!" said a voice. We look down to see who had spoken up and see Spike, making sad soulful eyes, like dogs normally do. Looking down at him and remembering all the good times we had and everything we been through together helped me regain control of myself. "Spike..."

No, you fool! You're giving her the upper hand! The beam's getting closer to us! If it reaches us, we'll be--

I don't care! I just want this to stop! I just want it to end! I don't want to be alone anymore!

"NOOOO!" That was the last thing I heard from her. After that, she was gone and I had control of myself again. As evidence of this, the fiery mask disappeared.

I found myself in some sort of area surrounded by white magic. In front of me, there was the girl, approaching me lending out her hand.

"Take my hand, Twilight. Let me show you there's another way...just like someone once did for me."

I was scared at first. But she looked like she truly wanted to help me and like I said, I didn't want to be alone, so I accept. When I did, I felt a warmth in me I never felt before. This was true magic. This was the Magic of Friendship.

We leviated back down onto the Canterlot High courthouse. We were both restored to normal.

"I am so sorry..." I said. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen..." Able to cry again, I felt deep remorse for everything that happened. Midnight left a mental scar on my life that felt could never be healed. I've hurt so many and could do nothing to stop myself.

"I know," the girl told me. "And going by my own experiences, they'll forgive you."

I wasn't so sure if they would. I don't know what she did when she got overwhelmed but it couldn't have been as bad as what I did. But then, she held my hands for reassurance. I smiled at her, knowing she was right. Then, Spike hopped into my lap, barking happily and bringing me my glasses. I laughed, happy that he was still at my side.

Epilogue

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Later on, I was sitting on the steps of Canterlot High with Spike in my lap, scratching his head. After all that craziness with Midnight, things started looking up for me. When Cinch tried to get the school to forfeit for using magic in the Friendship Games, Celestia pointed out they were using it not to win but to help me and save the world and even her own Shadowbolts admitted they were ones responsible for what happened (mostly Cinch). I didn't see that coming. This made feel a little better that they actually were right by my side along with the Wondercolts.

Then, unable to prove magic was used to the school board without evidence or witnesses willing to back her up, Cinch was forced to leave in a huff, retaining what dignity she had left. Celestia then declared us all winners! And so everyone got a medal, including me for winning the Academics course.

"I guess that was one way of finishing your time at Crystal Prep," Cadance said. "Pretty sure Cinch will be fast tracking your application after that."

"I've been thinking about it and I'm not sure how's the time for me to apply to Everton," I told her. As a matter of fact, I had thought about it since I became Midnight.

"Really?"

"I may know a lot of things but Friendship really isn't one of them. And I'm definitely not gonna learn more about it by being alone all the time." The truth is, Friendship was the thing in my life I had been missing and knew was out there.

"So you're staying at Crystal Prep?"

"Well, it seems the students at CHS know an awful lot about the subject. I don't suppose..."

"You could transfer to this school instead."

"Really?"

"You'll certainly be missed at Crystal Prep but I think that's a great idea. I'll be sure to speak to Principal Celestia about it right away."

As Cadance went to do so, I said to Spike, "I really didn't think anyone would miss me at Crystal Prep."

"You kidding me?" Spike said before shrugging. " Sure some of them was kinda blaming you for costing them the Games..."

Or nearly their lives.

"But I heard Indigo and the others saying they'd have your back," Spike said with an upbeat tone. "Sour Sweet even wanted you first in line before threaten Lemon not to sit next to you 'cause she wants to. Then, they had a friendly fight about it before Sugarcoat bluntly told them that they should let you decide."

I found myself giggling with him and realizing how much they actually would miss me. As well as how much I'd miss them. We haven't had a good start but if I decided to go back, we may have started over and become friends. They would probably feel silly and let down once they found out about the transfer.

"Of course, this school would be perfect for you. Everybody here seems rather fond of you. They hadn't even mentioned what happened once. I'm personally starting to like the pretty girl with the purple hair and diamonds and-Whoops! Did I say that out loud?"

I found myself laughing again. Was he crushing on a human? I didn't think Spike could be any more hopeless. But I love him. He's a good boy. He's my good boy. My little Spikey-Wikey.

"Yeah, Spike. I can't wait to get to know her and the others."

Just then, Celestia came up to meet and said, "Well, why don't we go up to them and you get to know them now?"

As we were walking up to them, they seemed to be talking about something. I didn't catch a whole lot but what I did catch was the redhead whom I now know as Sunset Shimmer saying, "...her own problems to deal with in Equestria. We can't expect her to always be around to help us."

In response, I said, "But maybe I can be?"

Celestia, my new principal, said, "It seems we have a new Wondercolt here at Canterlot High!"

Me as a Wondercolt. I wonder how Shining Armor was going take it. Come to think of it, how would my parents?

"I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I'd like to try. If you would all give me a chance."

They were are smiling at each other once they heard I was going to attend school with them.

"I'm sure I can count on you girls to help her feel at home," Celestia said.

Sunset responded, "You sure can." They all pulled me into a group hug and I don't think anything could make me happier. I can't explain how or why but it was almost as if we were meant to be together. It was then I knew I made the right choice to transfer here. No scholarship or amount of magic could ever satisfy me like this. With these girls by me, I know I'll never have to be alone again.