Flare of Love

Haymalayan Mountains, 6:23 A.M., March 20th, 2012

“Careful Midnight, you know how many times you’ve failed this training exercise so far. I don’t think you wanna fail again.”

“Shut up Zero, I know that!” Midnight was surrounded by five explosive barrels. Each one had a long, thin stick coming from the top of it. Midnight inhaled deeply, and exhaled deeply. The tips of each of the poles ignited with a tiny flame. They slowly grew larger and larger as Midnight tried to keep them from reaching the barrels. As the flames got bigger, they trailed down the poles.

“Come on Midnight, you can do better then that!” Zero was a self-absorbed pony just like Rainbow Dash. Midnight had run into her after he left Rainbow Dash in Ponyville. He started hanging out with her, after he realized how much she was like Rainbow Dash. She was standing on top of a rock, helping Midnight train and learn to control his power of fire. “We’ve been through this exercise 50 times today, Midnight! You should have this down by now!”

“Damn it I can do this!” The flames grew to a substantial size, roaring through the sky.

“Alright, now just hold it for 30 seconds!” Midnight held the burning fire above him steady for as long as he could. “20 seconds!” One of the flames slowly started trailing farther down the pole. “10 seconds! One’s trailing its way down!” Midnight held back the little traveling fire as he held all of the flames as still as he could. “5 seconds!” Midnight lost a little control, and a flame behind him quickly traveled down to the barrel. The fuel in the barrel ignited, sending Midnight flying into a rocky wall. Zero arrogantly shook her head back and forth, “Tisk Tisk Midnight. You still haven’t successfully completed this exercise yet.”

Midnight picked himself up while shaking his head, “Thanks Zero, I think I knew that already.”

“Of course, if I could control fire, I would have this down by now.” She jumped off of the rock, and flew next to Midnight.

“Ha ha, I’m sure you would Zero.”

“Say, why can’t you just use that ultimate form of yours?”

“You mean Nightmare Moon? I can’t use her. She’s too powerful, and there’s a good chance she could take me over again. I only use that form when it’s my only option. You remember what happened that day when I was still new here.”

“Oh yeah, it was the diamond dog attack. You nearly burned all of New Fillhi down to the ground.”

“And that’s why I can’t use her for something like simple training. I think we’re done for now. Let’s head back to New Fillhi.” The two flew down the rocky mountainside to the city of New Fillhi. Midnight had retreated to New Fillhi one year before when the danger of Nightmare Moon was still present inside him, “Hey Zero, what day is it anyway?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s March 20th, Tuesday.”

“March 20th, why is that date familiar?” Midnight remembered what happened one year before.

“Did you really think I was gone?”

“No, how can you still be here?”

“I-I’m sorry, I can’t stay here.”

“What?! But we just got you back! You just kissed me! How can you leave?!”

“They didn’t kill me, they only repressed me.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ve gotta take care of something. This needs to be done.”

“Oh, crap. I completely forgot.”

“What’s the problem now Midnight?”

“Can I talk to you about something very important?” Midnight stopped on a ledge below.

“What’s up?”

“Exactly 1 year ago today, I was freed from control of Nightmare Moon. For five years, I was forced to chase down and try to kill my best friend. She only wanted me to kill my best friend because she accidentally nearly killed me. After 5 years of chasing her down, she and her friends used the Elements of Harmony to free me. After I was revived, I had finally admitted to my best friend that I loved her. But just after we kissed, I heard Nightmare Moon’s voice. I panicked and didn’t want my friends to be hurt so I was forced to leave the girl I love. The girl’s name is Rainbow Dash, and she’s a lot like you. That’s why we’re friends, I love both of your personalities. I promised her I would return, but after I met you, I forgot. I’m sorry Zero, I know you’re one of the best friends I’ve had, but I need to go back to Rainbow Dash.”

“Well if she’s anything like me, I don’t think she’d forgive you after leaving for a whole year. What makes you so sure that she’ll accept you back?”

“The look in her eyes when I left. I knew that she trusted I would return.”

“But what if she doesn’t feel like that anymore? If she has moved on, you would return to her for nothing!”

“But it’s not like that. I’ve known Rainbow Dash long enough to know she’s not going to give up on me! Even if she doesn’t want me back, I would rather know that she doesn’t, than not know at all!”

“But what about me?! I don’t want you to leave me!”

“I’m sorry Zero, but I can’t stay. I love her, and I need to be with her.”

“But what if I told you I love you Midnight?!”

“What?! Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“Because I didn’t know what you’d say! I didn’t want to ruin our friendship! I can see why this girl loves you. You’re nice, you’re strong,” Zero put her head up against Midnight. “You’re handsome.”

Midnight took a step back, “I-I’m sorry Zero, but this is getting too complicated. I just need to have some time alone.”

“Please, don’t leave me! You’re all I have!” She began to tear up, “I have no other friends! I have no parents!”

Midnight turned away from her, “I’m sorry.” and he flew off. “*sigh* why is it always me? Why can’t I live a good life? Before I left for Cloudsdale I was a temperamental wreck. Gilda ruined a good part of my life in flight school. I spent five years of my life in a living hell. And now I’ve gotta deal with this. What do I do? If Rainbow Dash doesn’t want me back then my only other choice is to turn back to Zero. But after that, there’s a probability that she won’t want me  back either. Grrrrrr, what did I do to deserve this?!”

“Are you blaming the five years of living hell on me?”

“Yes, Nightmare, I am.”

“How dare you! I gave you all the power in the world!”

“You did, but you tried to make me kill the girl I love.”

“But I also let you kill the ones you wanted to kill.”

“Just shut up! I’m trying to figure this out! *sigh* I guess my only hope is to wait and see if Rainbow Dash wants me back or not.”