Night Mare

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 2

Chapter 1

My name is Midnight Snow.

In today's world, where fame is the alter at which most ponies worship, I don't know why you should care who I am. I am not a celebrity, am not related to any celebrities, have never molested nor been molested by any celebrity, and have never saved nor been saved by any celebrities. In fact, I am such a non-entity that Modern Pony magazine will not only never feature a piece about me, but would probably deny me a subscription on the fear that the black hole of my non-celebrity-ness might be enough to suck away their entire enterprise.

Though I am somewhat infamous, I suppose.

Don't get me wrong. I've never committed any atrocities nor do I have any intention to. I live my life in quiet little Ponyville, where I was born, where I was raised, and where I'll die.

What makes me infamous is my habit of not being out in daylight.

Not by choice, you understand. I have a rare condition known as Xeroderma Pigmentosa. My skin, beneath my thin coat, can't handle ultraviolet radiation very well at all. When exposed to such radiation, a normal pony's body will produce certain enzymes to repair the DNA and allow the cell to reproduce successfully. My body doesn't produce these enzymes.

What this means is that, when my skin cells' DNA is damaged by ultraviolet radiation, there is nothing to repair it and the damaged DNA will produce a mutated cell. I'm far more prone to skin cancers than your average pony.

This is an extremely rare disorder to begin with, only one in about two hundred and fifty thousand ponies have it. Most of us don't live past our teens and twenties. I've just entered my twenty-fifth year, but only because I've been so very careful.

I deny myself ultraviolet radiation of any sort. While modern ponies enjoy electric lamps and sunlight, I have candles and night. I'm not upset by this. This was simply the hand Fate dealt me and I must live with it.

Even though I don't have a job, I have income. My parents, well may they rest, worked very hard to make sure that I could live comfortably without the need for employment. As such, I have a lot of free time on my hooves. I play a myriad of musical instruments, read voraciously, and write.

Perhaps that is why I write this. Not as a record of my life, I'm not that egotistical, but to simply fill a boring afternoon. But, I digress.

Because of my condition, I can only go out and about well after Celestia's sun has vanished below the horizon. My nighttime wanderings have led the townsponies to believe that I'm some sort of madpony, freak, or monster, not something to be feared, but to be avoided nonetheless. Perhaps they tell their little foals to eat their vegetables, wash their faces, or make their bedtime or the Night Mare will come for them.

Probably not. Like I said, I'm a writer. I have a very active imagination.

You might think that my reclusive lifestyle means that I am alone most of the time, and you would be right, but that doesn't mean I don't have friends. Ditzy Doo, who brings my mail and most of what I regularly need, is a good friend of mine. She drops by every Tuesday morning, on her way to work, and picks up my list, which she fills and drops off as she's on her way home. Usually, she's in a pretty big hurry, but she sometimes stays to chat over coffee. Because of her eyes, many ponies believe she is somewhat slow, but, I assure you, the mare is quite intelligent. The books she borrows from me speak to this.

Occasionally, Vinyl Scratch, Lyra Heartstrings, and Octavia Harmony drop by and we have ourselves a little jam session. Recently, Vinyl suggested we put together an album. When I reminded her of my condition, she began to turn one of my spare rooms into a studio. The album will be released in a couple of months. My name will not be on it. I don't like that kind of publicity.

Twilight Sparkle, the town librarian and the Princess' Prized Pupil, brings me books from her collection every few weeks. She's often too busy to stop, but our friendship is special all the same.

Because I have such a thin coat, I require special clothing to cover all of me and protect me from the cold and light. Rarity is generous enough to come to me, take my measurements, and fill my orders. It's a difficult job, requiring a lot of time and energy which I'm sure is better spent elsewhere, but she's more than happy to help me and I'm more than happy to throw in a few extra bits for her.

Finally, what group of friends would be complete without Pinkie Pie? The excitable mare just sort of pops up in my general vicinity, which was a little disconcerting at first. I have never figured out how she was able to get into my house.

Though I've managed to convince her that I don't need parties to be happy, she and I have discovered a mutual love of baking and often do it in each other's company on nights when she's not busy. We sing and laugh and generally have a good time without the noise and mess of a full-scale Pinkie-patented party.

I glanced out the window and noticed that the sun was nearly down. Many ponies would be hurrying home for supper, but I would be heading out. I often suffer from cabin fever because of my semi-voluntary confinement in my house so, during the nights, I wander the streets of Ponyville. Sometimes my wanderings would take me by the park where Lyra, who suffers from insomnia, plays her lyre. I sit and listen while we talk.

Sometimes my wanderings take me around to Sugar Cube Corner, where Pinkie and I commandeer the kitchen for baking by candlelight.

Tonight, I wanted to go to the bluffs. From there, I had a perfect view of the night sky and Ponyville nestled beneath. I loved to watch the stars swirl by in their pale ribbons of galaxies. It was always so quiet, so peaceful, so perfect.

Getting dressed, for me, is an act of contortion. Most ponies wear clothes that consist of a few straps that secure the fabric against their backs and flanks. Because of my condition, my clothes must cover every inch of my body, save my hooves. I wear a pair of work chaps modified to completely encircle my hind legs and plot up to mid-flank. The chaps are made of a soft, warm and durable cotton-based material and have a complicated series of buttons and clasps to secure them around my body, leaving them tight enough to hold but loose enough to allow me to move comfortably. My jacket is much the same way, made of the same material, with a hood to cover my head. Praise Celestia that I was born a unicorn with a fairly-competent grasp of magic or getting dressed to go out would not be possible.

My saddle was almost superfluous, but it had a little lamp mounted on it. The lamp wasn't so much so I could see. I have excellent night vision. A lifetime spent in the gloom tends to have that effect.

The lamp was so that other ponies could see me as I moved about. No, before you ask, I am not that egotistical. I said so before. No, I simply don't want to startle anypony. Sometimes, when lost in my own thoughts, I can move quickly and quietly without really trying to. There have been a few instances where innocent ponies, confused or unaware of exactly who I was, have called the Guard on me, claiming that I was some kind of stalker. Luckily, most of the Guard know who I am and we're usually able to avoid any unpleasantness.

My eyes are the most sensitive part of my body. Even at night, I must wear sunglasses, but, thankfully, they are of a light tint so that I'm not stumbling about like a blind pony. My shades sat on my bureau and I levitated them over my eyes. They settled onto my muzzle and the world took on an amber tint.

I sat in a chair while I waited for the sun to set fully. Even the soft peach of twilight and predawn prove to be too much for me. I must not see the sun in its entirety. I can't and, thus far in my life, I had not.

Wait, I take that back. There has been one instance when I have gone out during daylight hours but that had been an emergency and it was only for a few moments. Still, I shudder to think of how much damage those few moments of direct sunlight did. My entire lifespan probably shortened by five years, not that it's that long to begin with.

As I told you a moment ago, I'm twenty-five. If I'm super-careful, I've got another decade in me. Maybe two, if the cards lay right. My life is halfway over.

As I waited, I wondered about what the night might bring. Even wandering the same streets that I had wandered for the past decade, there was always something new to see and experience every night. I've met new ponies, noticed new things, and had new experiences. It was rare that I made a trip up to the bluffs, where I had the best view of the night sky. I hoped to see a meteor, or perhaps a comet.

If my somewhat foalish ramblings annoy you, I'm sorry. I have been denied so many experiences in my life that those that I am privileged enough to take part in are that much more meaningful.

Finally, the last tints of the sun faded away and it was safe enough for me to head out. The late autumn air held a gentle nip that spoke of the oncoming winter. The moon was bright enough that I almost didn't need the little red lantern that bobbled above my saddle. I trotted down Mane street and turned on Stirrup street, which led past out past Sweet Apple Acres to the bluffs above Ponyville.

As I approached the vast farm, I kept hearing a low thud that piqued my interest. I looked up the dirt lane that led to the magnificent old barn that was the home of the Apple family and had been for decades. The Apples and I didn't really cross paths on a daily basis, but, when I felt the need for fresh produce, Applejack always delivered.

The orange-coated mare and her massive brother had, apparently, decided to use the Harvest Moon to finish up the last of their apple trees. Applejack glanced my way and raised a forehoof in greeting, which I returned. Applejack, for all of her virtues, often had trouble understanding me. To her, I was a lazy aristocrat that chose not to earn my own way in the world and, instead, slid through life on laurels that my parents had planted. As such, our encounters were always cordial, but distant.

I can't say I blamed her for her opinions. She was a simple farm mare who grew up simply, was taught simple morals and lived a simple life. In her world, everypony earned their own way in their own way. Those who were lazy had worked hard enough to earn that right or were born that way and were useless. I had tried to explain why I couldn't work, but, each time I did, I received a bewildered stare in reply.

Sometimes, oftentimes, I envied her. She had a long life of the world she loved and would, undoubtedly, spend her twilight years watching over her many foals, grandfoals, and great-grandfoals from the comfort of a porch and a rocking chair. All I had to look forward to was another twenty short years and a premature death after a battle with cancer that I would, ultimately, lose.

Leaving the main road, I took a narrow, steep, and winding trail up to the bluffs. The trail bordered the Everfree forest and wasn't regularly used. It was full of potholes, overgrown in places, and had random rocks and roots jutting from the dirt to trip the unwary. I was very careful as to how and where I placed my hooves as my pace slowed from a trot to a walk.

Ahead of me, dim light glowed from the windows of a small cottage on the edge of the forest. This was the home of the only other inhabitant of Ponyville who might have been more reclusive than I. Fluttershy was exactly as her moniker implied, which led me to believe that her parents had named her late, or perhaps changed her name some years after her birth. Either way, she was the most timid pony I had ever heard of. She lived in that small cottage with half of the Everfree's wild animal population. The noise must be amazing, and the smell, intolerable.

I left Fluttershy's cottage behind and continued up the trail. As I got further along, I began to feel a difference in the air. It was not something I could easily put my hoof on, but rather like a tingling sensation, like a thousand ants crawling along my coat. I felt my skin twitch involuntarily as it tried to rid itself of pests that weren't there. The sensation only increased the closer I came to my destination.

At the top of the bluffs, the trail leveled out for about a hundred meters or so before continuing on into the forest. This area was a massive field bordered by the forest on one side and a drop-off on the other. I crested the incline and stood in awe of the sight there.

Lying in the grass at the edge of the cliff and serenely looking out at the sights below, was the most beautiful unicorn I have ever beheld. She was tall and slender and her dark coat made her nearly invisible in the night. I would have missed her completely if it wasn't for the heavy alabaster cloak she wore to ward off the chill.

Her demeanor spoke of strength and grace, but also a deep sadness that she tried to hide. She seemed alone in the world, without a friend or confidant. She seemed like she had seen a lifetime of horrors and bore them all on her shoulders alone. My heart went out to her.

A loud pop broke me from my thoughts and I noticed that I had stepped on a twig, which had broken beneath my hoof.

The unicorn noticed as well.

Chapter 3

I awoke the next evening to a hammering on my door. Noticing that it was the ungodly hour of three, I was about to roll over and burrow back beneath my covers, hoping my uninvited visitor would get the hint and take a hike, when I realized that the hammering had a rhythm. That could only mean one pony or, more accurately, two.

I dragged myself from my bed and took a second to drag a brush through my mane and tail before trotting down the stairs. I stretched and reached for the door handle. The moment my hoof turned it, the door burst open and a pony leaped through, tackling me before lifting me in a powerful hug.

“Snow pony! 'Sup!”

I immediately curled up. The sun was still out and the golden rays of death arched around me, the shadow cast by Vinyl being my only source of refuge.

“Vinyl, honestly, could you be any ruder a house guest?” The soft, elegant, voice of Octavia floated across the threshold to my ears as she entered and pushed the door shut behind her. “We discussed this before we even made Ponyville. We're to wait at the door for Midnight to invite us in, not spring on her like an attacking Manticore.”

The moment the door closed, Vinyl released me and I fell to the carpet with a thud.

“So sorry, Midnight. Vinyl's been a little excitable ever since we left Canterlot. It's that new Stay Awake drink they've been selling. She gulps it by the gallon.” Octavia said as she placed her's and Vinyl's overnight bags by the door before slinging her Cello case from her back.

“Hey, I was just jazzed at seeing my favorite shut-in.”

“I am not a shut-in.” I retorted.

Octavia took a seat next to her lover and gave me an apologetic smile. “We would have sent a letter ahead, but Vinyl wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Yeah. You surprised, Snow pony?” Vinyl asked, jabbing me in a friendly manner.

“Surprised, Scratch? If I had woken up with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am right now.” I scratched at my mane. “I thought you two were on tour.”

Recently, to consummate their relationship, Vinyl and Octavia went on a tour of Equestria, introducing a new style of music that Vinyl referred to as Dubstep Cello. Octavia just called it “noise”.

“We were, but we needed a bit of a holiday.” Octavia responded.

“So Tavi was like, 'where should we go'? And I said we should go see Snow 'cause we ain't seen ya in a minute. Then, she was like 'where we gonna crash?' And I was like, 'we'll crash at Snow's.' So, can we crash here for a couple of nights?”

I shook my head and crossed my forelegs. Even though I had plans tonight, I was not about to turn my two oldest friends away. Without replying, I went around Octavia, took their bags, and started for my guest bedroom.

“See? I told you we could always count on Snow.”

“Yes, Vinyl, but we still should have sent a letter ahead so she'd know to expect us.”

The two continued their disagreement as they followed me up the stairs. I rolled my eyes as Octavia tried to impress upon Vinyl the importance of consideration. Tavi was of a high-brow breed from Trottingham, her family being amongst the founders and one of the largest landowners. Etiquette had been drummed into her from an early age and I had seen the mare place a proper table setting while blindfolded, able to identify dinnerware by weight alone.

Vi, on the other hoof, had always been a feral filly, even back when we were foals. Her father, Quill Scratch, had been my father's accountant and, because he was a single parent, he brought Vinyl with him. There were photographs of us napping in my cradle together and playing with toys. I think there was even some old film of us having a “conversation”, chattering and responding in foal's tongue. Vi was my first and closest friend.

When she and Tavi first got together, I hadn't liked the mare. I thought she was so snobbish and anal-retentive that I had commented that she wouldn't sit down for fear of sucking up the furniture. She had to have everything just so and Celestia have mercy on any pony who moved even a single object out of place. Everything about Tavi rubbed me the wrong way and, fed up with her horseapples, I gave Vi an ultimatum.

Her or me.

“I love ya, Snow pony.” She told me, angrier than I had ever seen her, “I love ya, but I love Tavi and, if you can't be happy for us, then...then maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore.”

The thought that Vi was actually considering breaking off our friendship terrified me. Her words snapped me out of my crap immediately and I broke down, holding Vinyl as tightly as I could and begging her forgiveness as I wept into her mane. I couldn't bear losing my only friend, especially right after my parents had died.

Eventually, Tavi lightened up. Being near Vinyl can have that effect. Though she was still a bit of a pain in the plot, she also had a sarcastic and slightly sadistic sense of humor. I recall a time when Tavi and Vi were staying with me while their music career struggled. Tavi had gone with me to see an ill friend while Vi was going to stay and clean the house. We returned a few hours later to find the sink still piled with dishes, the floor still covered in grit, and Vinyl passed out on the sofa, an empty bottle of hard cider next to her hoof.

Tavi immediately took a pillow and began to pound Vinyl with it. The white unicorn squawked at her abrupt awakening and tumbled off of the sofa.

“Octabutt, what was that for?”

“Oh, I just wanted to compliment you on your excellent job cleaning the house while we were gone and thank you for putting such an effort into such an incredible task.” Tavi nudged the empty bottle with her hoof.

And that was only the beginning of Vi's punishment.

I set their saddlebags at the foot of the bed and a thud against the wall told me Octavia had brought her cello up. I turned to my friends as their discussion began to heat up, developing into a full-blown argument.

“Girls.”

“Are you so incredibly rude, Vinyl Scratch, that you can't take five minutes to put together a note to ask your friend if an extended visit would be convenient before you show up on her doorstep?”

“At least I'm not a stuck-up snob that makes nasty comments on other ponies taste in decorations.”

“I don't do that anymore.”

It was true. Octavia had gotten much better about keeping her comments and opinions to herself, especially when they were uncalled for. “Girls.”

“Oh, c'mon! You don't like to do anything fun. Remember the fuss you made over 'Tavilicious'? You said it was dreadful.”

“Because it was!”

I bucked the bed, causing it to knock loudly against the wall. “Girls!”

The two mares snapped towards me.

“Don't worry about it.” I assured them, “ I'm always happy to see my friends, but I have to leave for a while tonight. So, if you don't mind, you'll have the house to yourselves.”

“If you have plans, we don't want to impose.” Octavia replied, shooting Vinyl a nasty look, “We'll go stay at the inn.”

“No, no, no, no,” I replied. “I said that you could stay here and I intend to stand by that. I have a prior engagement but I still want to spend time with you. We still have some work to do for that album. I have a new song I've written for all of us.”

The couple followed me to my office. In my desk, next to a waste bin overflowing with crumpled sheets of paper, were a few sheets of very messy music. Granted, writing music wasn't my talent, but Vinyl and Tavi had learned how to decipher my pathetic attempts long ago.

I withdrew the sheet music and presented it to them. Vinyl took the paper in her magic and held it up while she and Tavi examined it. They were silent and I awaited their final say with baited breath. Vinyl's muzzle twitched, Octavia's ear flicked twice and, finally, the signal I had been waiting for appeared. The unicorn began to bob her head as the beat took form within her mind.

Octavia looked up and displayed a small smile. “It appears that we have a bit of a project to accomplish while we're here.”

I exhaled, “You like it.”

Without a word, Vinyl trotted past me and took a seat at my desk, gathering sheets of blank paper, a quill and a bottle of ink, and immediately began editing my work, making corrections and generally cleaning it up.

“Do you two need anything?” I offered.

“Privacy,” the unicorn muttered.

“Okay, so I'm just going to go.”

Vinyl flicked a hoof at me.

“Are you sure you don't need me for anything?”

Without looking back at me, Vinyl took a sheet of paper, balled it up, and launched it. It bounced off of my nose.

She could get a bit snippy when she was trying to concentrate.

Octavia spoke softly, “We'll be fine. I'm just going to make some coffee. She'll be up the whole night working on this. Go and see to your appointment. We'll have this ready for you in the morning.”

I nodded and returned to my room to dress. I hated being a terrible hostess and leaving my dear friends to their own devices, but I didn't want to break my promise to Luna so soon after convincing her that I cared about her. Still, they had given me their blessing so I was free to go.

Lifting my hood to cover my head, I slipped my glasses over my eyes and proceeded out the door, bound for the bluffs. During the daylight hours, the temperature had plummeted and we would see a frost before the night was done. I positively reveled in nights like these, when the frigid air would make your lungs prickle and bring an extra spring to your step.

I thought of how much I enjoyed talking with Luna and how achingly beautiful she was. My walk became a trot, which gradually grew into a gallop. I couldn't wait to see her again. Charging up the path with reckless abandon, I nearly stumbled a few times and, at one point, nearly ran right off the edge of the cliff.

I decided to slow my pace after that and arrived at the top of the bluffs without further event.

Luna, however, was nowhere to be seen.

I scanned the area, hoping that she was standing in plain sight and had merely taken off her cloak, but the clearing remained deserted. With a sigh, I trudged to the edge of the cliff and sat down, content to wait until she arrived.

Staring down at the town below, I could see why she liked it here. To many out-of-towners, Ponyville, with its dirt roads and thatched houses, seemed like the place where bumpkins came from. Below me, the lights glowing out of the windows. I had once seen this same scene on a snowy night and it looked like a Glowing Hue painting.

“I hope I haven't kept you waiting.”

I started at the soft voice and turned as Luna trotted up beside me and sat down.

“Not long at all,” I replied, relieved that she had shown.

“Good,” Luna said, looking more than a little relieved herself. “It was...difficult to get away this evening. It seemed that, just as I'm about to walk out of the door, some pony needed my attention.”

“You sound like you could use a vacation.” I pointed out, sidling closer to her until our flanks were touching.

“I suppose a vacation would be nice, but I cannot shirk my responsibilities for even a day. I would feel terrible about leaving my sister to do them. Besides, if I informed her, she would make a big fuss over me leaving. I fear she still thinks of me as the tiny foal she watched over for so many years.”

“So, sneak away.” I suggested.

She shook her head. “No. She does worry so sometimes.”

I shrugged. “She doesn't seem to care about you wandering off at night.”

“You're joking. Have you any idea of how long it took me to convince her that I could avoid being ponynapped or murdered?” She hung her head. “Sometimes, I feel she doesn't trust me to take care of myself.”

“It's not like that.” I assured her, “It took a hay of a song and dance to convince my parents to let me go out at night. Even then, they would take turns stalking me for over a year. They were terrible at it, but I pretended not to notice them. My point is that your sister does trust you. How else could you be here and not locked in a tower somewhere? She also cares a great deal for your well-being. She wants you to be happy, but she also wants you to be safe. It's a fine and difficult line to walk at times.”

Luna gave me a gentle smile. “How does one so young become so wise?”

I felt a blush at the compliment. “Age has little to do with experience and revelation. Besides, I can't be much younger than you.”

Luna's ears dropped and she looked away. “I'm much older than you think.”

That statement took me by surprise. “Really? You wear your age very well.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

I stood up again. “I'm sorry, but I have to go. Two friends of mine showed up unexpectedly this evening and I'd hate to be a poor hostess and leave them for long.”

“You are fortunate to have so many friends.”

I reached up and rubbed a hoof along her back. “They could be your friends too.”

“Do you think?”

I scoffed, “Yeah. They would love you. Tell you what.” I reached out and pointed at a house, one of the larger ones, not far from the library. “That is my house.”

Luna leaned down to follow my leg. “The one with the pony weather vane?”

“No, the one next to it.”

“Ah, I see it.”

“Meet me there tomorrow.”

“Are you certain?”

I gave her a confident smile. “Of course. I want nothing more than for you to meet them and I'm sure they'll love you. You will come, won't you?”

She nodded. “Of course. I look forward to it.”

I turned and trotted away. “See you tomorrow, then.”

I returned home to find the house completely silent. I expected to hear Tavi and Vi talking quietly, or, perhaps arguing loudly, but I couldn't hear a single thing. Quietly, I crept around the house. I don't know why I crept around my house when I'm usually the only occupant. Perhaps it's a habit left over from when I sneaked out without my parents permission.

Carefully, I made my way up the steps and into the hallway that led to my office. “Vi? Octavia? Are you okay?”

I knew that the mess I had made of that sheet music would take most of the night to clear up, even with both of them lending their talents. I expected a hushed disagreement over some squiggle that was supposed to be a note. Instead, they were both stretched out on the floor, fast asleep in each others embrace.

I felt a pang of guilt for having asked them about the music. I knew Vinyl would want to work on it immediately, but I knew both of them would be exhausted after such a long trip. They would want to rest, not work on some horseapples project that I had doodled up while bored. Granted, I had never actually asked Vinyl to work on anything, but I knew, the minute I showed her that paper, she would want to work, despite how exhausted she must have been and Tavi would want to work with her, despite having put up with Vinyl's antics for hours beforehand.

I went to the hall closet and fetched a blanket. Carrying it back into the office, I draped it over them and, with a sigh, returned to my room.

Chapter 4

I awoke incredibly early, around noon, the next day after having dozed off just after three the night before. The blackout curtains kept my room well within a safe degree of exposure. I wandered around to the bathroom and showered in the dark, not bothering to light the candles on the vanity. Usually, when alone, I keep my house as unlit as possible. It saves me a bundle on candles. Even though my parents left me more than enough to live off of, I try to live frugally. There are some things, like supplies and my special clothes, that I have to pay a little extra for, but I cut everywhere I can.

On the ground floor, I could hear Vi and Tavi moving about and the smell of grilled vegetables wafted up from the kitchen, causing my stomach to remind me that I hadn't eaten the night before. Tavi, being the more domestically-inclined of the pair, would be working the stove. The mare could make mud appetizing and palatable.

After shaking myself dry, I ran a brush through my pale mane and along my dappled coat. Many ponies, those who had not seen my actual hues, assumed me to be an albino like Vinyl, but I'm actually a rather dark blue, almost black, in color. Which had prompted my parents to name me Midnight.

I left my bathroom and started down the stairs, pausing halfway when I noticed that some pony had left the curtains open.

Sunlight flooded the entire ground floor.

I cleared my throat loudly. “Would some pony mind closing the curtains so I can come down?” I called out.

Vi trotted in from the kitchen, drawing the drapes with her magic as she passed the windows. “Always gotta make an entrance, don'tcha Snow pony?”

“You know me, Scratch. The only thing more over-inflated than my ego is...yours.”

Vi froze and stared at me in open-mouthed shock. “Normally, I'd beat the horseapples out of any pony who insults me like that. Lucky for you, I don't fight handicaps.”

“What!” I squawked, galloping the rest of the way down the flight and actually leaped the last few steps to the landing. “You come back here and say that to my face, Vinyl Scratch.”

“You're not worth the energy.”

“Heh, they should've named you 'Chicken Scratch'.” I shot back.

Vi froze again. “What did you say?”

I snorted. This type of insulting was how Vi and I played and our fights were little more than wrestling. It had taken Octavia a while to get used to it. Once, while witnessing such an altercation, she had tried to pull us apart and caught a stray blow from Vinyl. The hoof had been aimed at my withers and the ricochet had robbed it of most of its force. However, it was still more than enough to bloody poor Octavia's muzzle. The mare had promptly ran and hid under one of the beds. It had taken most of the day to convince her that Vi and I were not actually fighting. She eventually emerged, delivered a solid bop to VI’s nose, and marched off to clean herself up.

“You heard me.” I retorted.

Vi trotted up and pressed her muzzle to mine. “I couldn't hear you from over there.” She said, menacingly, while lifting a hoof to point behind her.

“Oh, will you two kiss already? Your posturing is incredibly annoying. Besides, it's time to eat.” Octavia said from the dining room alcove.

Scratch and I continued to stare at each other, neither backing down.

Until I stuck my tongue out and licked Vi’s nose.

Vinyl fell back on her plot and immediately covered her nose with a hoof, a bright blush forming across her cheeks. I gave her a teasing wink before following Tavi into the next room.

“Don't give her ideas, Midnight. The next thing you know, she'll be asking you to join us in bed.”

“That might not be such a bad idea. Me and my two best friends...”

“My two best friends and I,” Tavi automatically corrected.

“...having a little menage-a-trois. I've read about a few thing I'd like to try. I think, if I'm careful enough, I might be able to synchronize yours and Vinyl's orgasms.”

Tavi froze with a squeak, her face flaming. Despite how long we've known each other, she still wasn't used to the wildly-inappropriate turns my sense of humor could take and I doubt she would ever be.

“Midnight Snow!” Tavi snapped, recovering admirably. “I don't need to tell you how inappropriate that was and I demand an apology.”

Judging by the way her tail was twitching, she was opposed to it only on principal. Even the elegant and sophisticated Octavia Harmony had a naughty side.

“C'mon, Tavi. You know it would be fun. Besides, I know one of you is a screamer, but I can't figure out which one so I'll gag both of you, just to be safe.”

Octavia gave an indignant huff and trotted past with her nose in the air, her tail flicking out to swat my muzzle. I could see why Vinyl loved her. She only pretended to be prissy. Chuckling, I followed her and took a seat at the table. Vi was the last to sit down, having gone to the study to fetch the sheet music they had finished while I was sleeping.

“Where didja disappear to last night, Snow pony?” Vi asked as she sat down.

“What Midnight does in her spare time is none of our business.” Octavia snapped, sending a murderous glare at the white Unicorn.

Vinyl gave a shrug. “I was just curious.”

“I've been meaning to tell you two anyways, seeing as we're going to have a guest tonight.” I took a deep breath. “I've met some pony.”

Two pairs of eyes widened comically at this revelation. I was known for being a recluse who rarely acknowledged other ponies. Not out of rudeness, but because I was often very shy. Like I said before, I'm not the most socially-adept pony. All of my friends figured that I would spend my days as a confirmed bachelorette. The news that I had met another pony who was equally interested in me was met with the same surprise that I would receive if I told them I was actually a stallion.

Vinyl was the first to recover. “Way to go, Snow pony!” She cheered, giving me a high-hoof.

Octavia cleared her throat as she began to dish out the grilled vegetables. “That certainly wasn't news I was expecting. Nevertheless, I'm very happy for you.”

“Thank you, Tavi. That means a lot.”

“So, spill! Is he hot? Have you, y'know, done it?”

“Vinyl!”

I chuckled. “She is the most beautiful, most amazing mare I have ever met.”

“Is she like you? With the sun?” Octavia queried.

“No, I don't think so. I think she just enjoys the night.”

“Well, that's convenient. Does she have a name?”

I met Vinyl's gaze. “Her name is Luna.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Octavia cock her head. Vinyl turned to meet her lover's stare and mouthed the words, Couldn't be. Tavi rapidly shook her head.

“What do you two know?”

Octavia bit her lip. “Well, Midnight. Vinyl and I were a bit confused. You said this pony's name is 'Luna'?”

“Yes.” I drawled.

“It's just that...one of the Princesses is named Luna and it's not a very common name is it?”

“Wait. I thought Celestia was the Princess. Where's this Luna been all of this time?”

“You don't know the stories? The Mare in the Moon?”

“Yeah. C'mon, Snow. I know your dad told that story to us when we were still little.”

“Yeah, but that was an old pony's tale.”

Octavia blinked. “Apparently, it was true.”

I held up my hooves. “Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me that there was a pony living in the moon for the past thousand years?”

Vinyl nodded. “Turned back up during the Summer Sun Celebration. Tried to take over Equestria and make everlasting night, banished Celestia somewhere, got her plot kicked by the Elements of Harmony.”

“I'm surprised you haven't heard anything about that.” Octavia commented.

I fixed her with a look. “Don't get out much.”

She suddenly found her plate very interesting. “Right.”

“And, besides, there's no way that my Luna could be Princess Luna. The Princesses are Alicorns, right? My Luna is a plain old Unicorn.”

“Have you seen her wings?” Vinyl asked.

“Well, no. She wore a cloak. It's been chilly.”

Octavia and Vinyl passed a look between themselves.

“Listen,” I called their attention back to me. “Let's look at this logically. This Princess Luna is famous, right?”

“Well, more infamous, but yes.” Octavia agreed.

“What are the chances that, of all the places Princess Luna could go, she ends up on the Ponyville bluffs on the exact night that I decide to go up there? Hmm? I think it's more likely that a random unicorn, also named Luna, is the one I met.”

Both of my friends nodded.

“Yeah. Like Snow said, what are the chances?”

“Indeed. Forgive us for jumping to conclusions, Midnight.”

Unbeknownst to Octavia, Vinyl reached across the table and rearranged the forks.

“I, for one, look forward to meeting Midnight's-” Her sentence broke off as she lifted a fork. “This...this...feels like the olive fork. This should be the asparagus fork.” She turned her attention to the utensil in her hoof, finding that it was, for certain, an olive fork.

She set it back down in the empty space. When her eyes raised again, her glare burned into Vinyl, who shook with silent laughter.

I had seen this happen before. Remember when I had mentioned how Octavia could be when somepony messed with her neurosis. Sometimes, she went a little above that.

She leaped over the table and tackled Vinyl. “Put them right!” She roared.

Vinyl cackled madly.

Tavi hauled her to her hooves and dragged her around the table. “Now!”

“Oh, Tavi, you're adorable when you're angry.”

With the strength that only Earth ponies possessed, Octavia lifted Vinyl up and pressed her muzzle to the utensils. Her voice became a deadly whisper as she leaned to Vinyl's ear. “Put them right, now!” Her bellow, so close to the ear, caused Vinyl to wince.

“Okay, okay. Sheesh.” She glared down at the silverware. “Let's see. Uhm...Olive fork to the right of the salad fork-”

“Left!” Octavia snapped.

“Right.”

“No, left.”

“That's what I said.”

They continued like this for some time. Vinyl resetting the silverware with Tavi glaring over her shoulder. I watched with a degree of amusement. Though their relationship could be described as tumultuous, it was obvious that they loved each other. Hopefully, Luna and I could have such a relationship.

For as long as it lasted anyways.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long, folks. You would not believe the trouble I had with this chapter. Hopefully, none of you gave up.

Chapter 5

I paced before my front door as the hours ticked away. While we had never established what time Luna was due to arrive, it was getting late. The tap of my hooves synchronized with the tick of the grandfather clock by the stairs.

Vinyl and Octavia waited with me for a while, but soon grew bored and found other activities to occupy their time. Vinyl made a fire to ward off the chill of the night and lay before it, reading. Octavia sat in one of the ancient wingback chairs, tuning her cello.

And I paced as the clock ticked on.

“Midnight, come here and sit down. You're driving me mad with your constant back-and-forth.” Octavia said.

“I can't. I'm so nervous. Or, am I excited?”

“How about a nice cup of tea, hmmm?”

“Third cabinet by the sink, second shelf.” I replied distractedly, staring at the door.

“Vinyl, would you like some tea?”

“Meh.”

There was a thump as Octavia set her cello aside. “Well, I certainly would like tea.”

As she disappeared into the kitchen, there was a tap on the door. I nearly leaped out of my skin at the unexpected noise.

Taking a moment to compose myself, I opened the door. “Luna, I'm glad you could make it.” I stared at the mint-green unicorn on my threshold. “Oh, it's you.”

Lyra's ears fell back in annoyance. “Well, a fine hello to you too, Midnight.”

“Sorry. I was expecting somepony else. What are you doing out this late?”

“Couldn't sleep. I knew you'd be up. Bit brighter than you usually have it.” She wandered into the living room. “There she is!”

“Hey-a, Harpbutt.”

“When did you get into town? Where's Tavia?”

“We got in yesterday evening. She's in the kitchen making tea.” Vinyl said in a horrible mimic of Octavia's accent.

“Just for that, Vinyl Scratch, I'll spit in your tea.” Octavia called from the kitchen. “Hullo, Lyra. How are you this evening?”

I followed Lyra into the living room, my vigil momentarily forgotten as I saw to my newest guest. Lyra and I had met courtesy of my midnight wanderings and the Guard. As my body wandered, my mind tended to do the same. When my mind wandered, I tended to follow the first thing that moved. Unfortunately, that was Lyra, who was on her way to the park with her lyre.

Lyra's general paranoia kicked in when she noticed the shadowy form behind her. As she quickened her pace, I, mindlessly, did the same until I was practically chasing her through the town.

Suddenly, I was surrounded by light. Lyra had led me straight to the Guard station. Three of the large armored ponies stared down at me while she lingered behind.

“Hi, boys. Corporal Measure, any luck with Rarity? Captain Prod, good to see you. How's the family? ”

The captain nodded. “Fine, fine. Elecktra is getting ready to start school next year.”

“Is that right?” I responded. “Cheerilee's class?”

“The afternoon one.” Lyra's throat clearing brought the good captain back to focus. “Midnight, this mare says you've been stalking her.”

“Was I really?” A nod from the captain confirmed my suspicion and I gave Lyra a friendly wave. “Sorry about that. My mind was miles away. No harm intended.”

Luckily for me, Lyra was fairly good-natured and found me more peculiar than threatening. She invited me to the park and, in between apologizing for scaring her, I told her about myself and why I was out so late. She, in turn, explained what she did and why she was about. In the span of an hour, I had gained a new friend.

Of course, Lyra had fallen in love with my other two friends. Vinyl's bold attitude and Octavia's quiet grace had captivated her. The only thing that was better than them was, according to her, my own incredible personal strength. She confided that, had our positions been reversed, she would have killed herself years ago rather than be denied the sun.

Octavia returned, balancing a tray on her back. Atop it was the tea set that had been in my mother's family for generations. I wished I had a filly or colt to pass it along to and wondered what would happen to it when I finally died.

Gracefully, Octavia transferred the tray from her back to a table, not spilling a drop despite the brimming teacups. Vinyl levitated two as Octavia joined her by the fire. Lyra took one for herself and I took the last.

While my friends chatted, I found my eyes wandering back towards the door. I wondered what was keeping Luna. Had she forgotten? Had she been unable to get away? Had something happened to her? Had she decided I wasn't worth her time?

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Luna's loneliness had been genuine. She would not have simply given up on me.

But, then, where was she?

“Midnight? Is everything alright?”

Startled, I looked up to find my three friends staring at me. I gave them a brittle smile, “Fine. Just thinking.”

“About what?” Lyra, always the nosey pony, asked.

“I was expecting somepony. She hasn't shown. I was just wondering what might have become of her.”

“It seems, Lyra,” Octavia said, “that dear Midnight has made a new friend.”

Lyra turned her attention to me. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Her name is Luna and she is really wonderful and I really want you all to make a good impression.”

Lyra cocked her head. “Are you afraid we won't?”

So that's what a hoof tastes like.

This was a very delicate situation and I had talked myself right into it. If I said that I wasn't afraid, that was practically giving them permission to act like heathens. If I said I was afraid, I risked alienating them.

I chose the diplomatic route. Which is to say, I didn't really answer the question. “She's not really used to other ponies. I just don't want her to walk through the door and feel overwhelmed.” That should do.

“Why would you feel we would overwhelm her?” Lyra queried.

Ponyfeathers.

“Well, uh...y'see. She's not used to other ponies.”

“For Celestia's sake, Midnight,” Tavi exclaimed. “You're making it sound as if she's lived under a rock her whole life.”

“It's just...y'see, you're all just so...” I spread my hooves wide, gesturing what I couldn't find the words for and hoping they wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Vinyl cocked an eyebrow. “Did Snow just call us fat?”

Oh, hello, Hoof. My name is Face.

Octavia sighed. “I think she means that we all have larger-than-life personalities and fears that we might inadvertently intimidate Luna.” She turned to me. “Correct?”

I smiled. “Tavi, you are a goddess and I will love you forever.”

“That isn't necessary, dear.” She turned and pointed at Vinyl. “Though you could stand to lose a few pounds.”

“Yeah? What about you, little miss stout-frame?” Vi shot back.

Tavi gasped. “I'm an Earth pony. We're of a thicker build than most other ponies. It's genetics.”

“Genetics, my plot. You just don't want to admit you nom too many sweets.”

“I'll 'nom' your 'sweet'.”

“Kinky.” Lyra interjected. “Looks like tonight's going to be interesting after all.”

I laid down and covered my head. This was exactly what I was afraid of. My best friends were squabbling like foals. It happened every so often and it was always amusing to set them off. One well-placed remark would have them yipping like little dogs.

But this was not what I wanted Luna to see. This was what I was afraid would overwhelm her. Their extreme and opposite personalities loudly clashing. Octavia would toss out a comment about something that irked her. She couldn't hold them in forever. Vinyl would take it personally and strike back. Lyra would make some innuendo-laced comment. Somepony would tell her to get bent. Somepony else would rise to her defense and the whole cycle would begin again.

“Enough!” I barked, shocking the trio into silence. It was rare that I raised my voice. In fact, I could count all of the instances on one hoof. “Y'see? This is exactly what I was afraid of: you three at each others throats when she walks through that door. I swear to Celestia, there are times I'm thoroughly ashamed to be associated with you lot.

“You!” I pointed to Tavi. “You need to lighten up. Not everything in the world is designed to please you. Accept that!”

My wrath turned to Vinyl. “You need to stop taking statements like personal insults. Yeah, I know you're a little sensitive about your appearance. I know you had a hard time as a filly, but we all love you and nopony wants to hurt you like that.”

I fixated on Lyra. “Making sex comments isn't funny. It's stupid and juvenile. You are a grown mare and need to act like it.”

I sat down and panted, done with my rant. None of my friends would meet my gaze and the silence was oppressive. I could hear Octavia swallow from across the room. With downcast eyes and lowered ears, they all sat in shame.

I felt a pang of guilt. Technically, I had started that little fiasco with my botched attempts at explaining a statement I should have never made in the first place. I was stressed and I had taken it out on them. They were my friends and supported me, unquestioningly, in everything I did. They deserved better than to be my punching bags.

“I'm sorry. This is all very frustrating for me. I just wanted everything to be perfect for her. I really feel a connection with Luna. It could become something else, something special. This is my one opportunity and I don't want to risk losing it. I don't have much time left, guys, and I'm scared. I don't want to die alone.”

I tried to keep from shaking. I really did, but I couldn't. I was scared. No matter how inevitable it may be. No matter that I had accepted it years before. Death still terrified me. I didn't want the last thing I saw to be an empty ceiling.

The first pony to approach me was Octavia. She gave me a gentle nuzzle and sat with me.

“I'm sorry, Midnight. I can't imagine how this must be for you. I know I'll die one day, but that, hopefully, won't be for a very long time. It's strange how it doesn't seem a threat now, but it is. Especially for you. I know I won't be alone. I'll have Vinyl. As much as she confuses and irritates me, I'll always have her. But, who will be here for you? In the end, when all is quiet, who will hold your hoof?”

She tucked her head against mine. “I will. If it means I have to give up everything I am, I will be here for you.”

Vinyl stood and removed her glasses. This was an extremely symbolic gesture for her. She had always believed that the eyes were the window to the soul. Whenever she had something important to say, she always removed her glasses.

I was completely enraptured by her crimson eyes and nearly missed when she began speaking.

“When we were growing up, I was made fun of for my appearance. I was called 'Ghost', 'Freak, 'Demon'. You were always there for me. Whenever I was broken, you helped me pick up the pieces. You held me while I cried and told me I was beautiful. I've never forgotten that and I never will. Midnight, I owe you everything that I am today. Dad...he tried. He really did, but he never understood what it was like to be...different. If-If you hadn't been there for me...I don't want to think about it. I wouldn't be able to call myself your friend if I wasn't there for you.”

“Wow. Wish I had a cool and touching oath to give.” Lyra said. She trotted to me and rested against a whither. “I just have me. Hope that's alright.”

“That's fine, Lyra. We love you all the same.”

There was a tap at the door. Shaking, I opened it with a smile. Luna stood on the threshold and returned my smile.

“I'm glad you came. I was getting worried.”

“I had some trouble getting away tonight, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

I turned to my friends. “This is Lu-.” My voice broke as I saw the identical looks of awe and terror on their faces.

“Sweet Celestia, it's her.” Lyra whispered.

Chapter 6

I looked between my friends. Lyra stood petrified. Octavia and Vinyl were trying to hide behind each other. Luna was trying to maintain a friendly composure, but that was quickly slipping. Her expression shifted at her eyes and her grin became more desperate.

Octavia's whimper was barely audible. “Nightmare Moon.”

I wasn't sure I had heard her correctly, but Luna had caught every word. She flinched and let out a quiet sob as her smile vanished. Slowly, she began to back out the door.

My mind raced for damage control. I had no idea what was going on, but I had to fix it. I could see my future happiness slipping away like sand in my hooves. “Luna, please wait. Whatever's wrong, we can fix this. Octavia made tea. It's good tea. Please, come have a cup and we'll talk this through. I'm sure this is some kind of horrible misunderstanding.”

“We are not that monster anymore.” She said. “We were washed clean. Have we not paid for our sins? Was our banishment not punishment enough? We sought only companionship with our fellow pony, but of this, we must be denied.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she took a step forward. “Have we not suffered enough?!” She screamed.

Lyra bolted, disappearing up the stairs. Octavia fainted while Vinyl dropped to the floor, defensively hiding her belly.

“Nay. Apparently, we have not. How much more must we suffer? How much more time must pass before we may reconnect with our subjects? How much longer will we be perceived as that monster.” She let out a pained sigh. “We knew this to be a mistake. We knew we would still be feared. While it pains us, we accept this as the consequences of our actions.”

She turned to me with a forced smile. “We apologize, Midnight Snow. We thank thee for thy attempts, but it seems the world is not ready to accept us again. We will not darken thy doorstep anymore.”

She turned and exited without another word. Before I could say anything to stop her, she spread her wings and took flight.

Spread her wings and took flight.

Spread. Her. Wings.

Ponyfeathers.

I stood and watched as she disappeared into the night sky. I wanted to run after her, but, already the sky to the east was pink with approaching day. I felt sick. I had wanted nothing more than for Luna to meet my friends and everypony to have a wonderful time.

The mare hadn't taken two steps into the house before everything went to Tartarus. I turned to Vinyl, who refused to meet my glare.

“What, in the name of Celestia, was that?”

She stared at the floor.

“I asked you a question.”

“She's dangerous.”

Lyra had returned.

“During last year's Summer Sun Celebration, something happened. Nightmare Moon, from the stories, turned up and kept the sun from rising. She promised to make it everlasting night. Do you know what that means? Crops would die off within weeks. Half of the planet would be covered in ice and the other half would be scorched desert. Food shortages would cause mass rioting before we all starve to death. Her hubris would spell doom for all of ponykind.”

“Bit melodramatic, Lyra. Don't you think so?”

She stomped a hoof in frustration. “This is serious!”

“And what? Celestia is allowing her demented sister, who planned and executed a coup on two separate occasions, to run amok among her subjects?”

“No. The Elements of Harmony fixed her.”

“Fixed her? So she's not a danger anymore?”

Lyra raised a hoof in objection and opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came.

“We don't know that.” Vinyl said, quietly.

“So you think the Elements didn't work or that our wise and gracious ruler isn't?”

“That's not what I meant!” She snapped.

“Then explain.” I replied, sitting back and crossing my forelegs.

“We don't know what's going on in her mind. This could all be some sort of grand plan to gain our trust. Besides, even if she isn't planning a repeat of before, she's still a princess. She's not like us.”

I began to tremble. Not from fear this time, but from rage. “Vinyl Scratch. I don't think I heard you correctly. I'd swear I'd heard you say she wasn't like us, but that would be wrong.” I approached her and leaned close, pressing my muzzle to her's. “The Vinyl Scratch I grew up with would know better than to shun somepony because they were different. Especially given her past.

“Now, tell me what you really said.”

Vinyl remained silent.

My lips twitched as I fought a sneer. “You elitist nag. After all of these years, I thought I knew you.”

“Midnight-”

“No!” I snapped, cutting her off. I was angrier than I had been in a long time. It was mind-boggling that she, of all ponies, would do this.

I started up the stairs. “Thank you, Vinyl, for effectively ruining any chance I had at a relationship with a really good pony. I'm going to bed. When I get up, I want you gone. Don't ever knock on my door again.”

My bedroom door slammed shut behind me as I jumped up onto the bed. I didn't want to believe that my best friend would do something like that. Would even consider doing something like that. A burning lump formed in my throat. Despite trying to choke it back down, it remained firmly lodged. Hot tears ran down my muzzle as I tucked my face against my quilt.

From the floor below, I could hear Vinyl's quiet sobs. Good; she should feel bad for what she did. She, and Lyra, and Octavia, they should all feel horrible. I was sick and ashamed of them.

There was a gentle tap at my door. “Midnight, please open the door. I know you're angry and you only said what you did out of anger. I know you didn't mean any of that. Please, come downstairs and let's talk about this. I don't want any bad blood between any of us and I know you don't either.”

I ignored her.

“Midnight, please come and talk. We can't let this go. If something happened tomorrow and we weren't able to fix this, I'd feel terrible and I know Vi and Tavi would, too. Please, let's settle this.”

I hated to hear Lyra beg, but, perhaps out of stubbornness, I continued to ignore her.

“I'm coming in.”

With a quick flick of magic, I locked the door. I could hear the knob click against the lock. “Midnight, stop being so obstinate. This needs to be settled and it needs to be settled now.”

I got off of the bed, unlocked the door, and swung it open. I suppose Lyra wasn't expecting the sudden movement, if the look on her face was any indication.

“I've settled it. I don't want to see either of them, or you, again.”

She let out an exasperated growl. “Just a few short months ago, a monster from our darkest nightmares, one we had been told never existed, appeared and tried to kill us all out of some sort of jealous temper tantrum. Can you blame us for being afraid when the source of that nightmare suddenly shows up?”

“No. I can't blame you for that, but I can blame you for not trusting me and for judging her before getting to know her. That hurt. You hurt her and you hurt me. You didn't even bother giving her the benefit of the doubt and trying to relate to her. She's lonely and just wants a friend. That's all she wants.”

“You don't know that.”

“I do, Lyra, and if you gave her a chance, you would too.”

“She could be using you. You want us to trust you, but you won't trust us and listen when we tell you she's still dangerous.”

I snorted with contempt. “You keep believing in that, Lyra. Whatever helps you sleep. Just keep convincing yourself that you did the right thing and get lost. I'm done.”

And, with those words, I ended years of friendship.

x----x

I woke up the next evening feeling a bit better than I had the night before. Lyra's words had rang through my mind and made a lot of sense. Luna had been a very real and very terrifying threat to their existence and, though she had been healed by the Elements and forgiven by her sister, the rest of ponykind wasn't as easy to forgive. They still remembered the stories and the events and were still suspicious of the mare.

It had hurt that my friends hadn't trusted me, but I could now understand why.

I went downstairs, where it was eerily quiet. For a moment, I feared that my friends had, indeed, left. If that were the case, I would have a hard time of tracking them down.

Fortunately, I found Vinyl on the sofa, staring off into space. I can't recall ever seeing her so silent and still. Her eyes were red, more so than usual, and were surrounded by dark circles. Combined with her pale coat and thin frame, she looked like a skeleton.

She started once she noticed me watching her and her ears fell back. “Hey.”

Her voice was little more than a whisper and very hoarse. Obviously, she had spent the night crying.

“Hey.” I replied. I looked around and noticed that another pony was conspicuously absent. “Where's Tavi?”

“Over there.” Vinyl indicated with a bob of her muzzle.

I noticed Octavia curled up in one of the chairs, quietly snoring. “Good to know you two aren't attached at the flank.” I joked.

She gave a half-hearted chuckle. “Listen; Snow. I know ya said that ya wanted us gone before ya got up, but Tavi thought it would be a good idea for us to talk before she and I left.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I got something I need to get off my chest.” I hopped up on the chair across from her and took a deep breath. “I was out of line last night. I had really high expectations that weren't met. In my defense, I was unaware that she was the Luna, but that doesn't excuse how I spoke to you and Lyra. I was angry, but I was wrong. I'm sorry.”

Vinyl sighed. “I get where you're comin' from. To be honest, I was outta line too. I know the Elements of Harmony fixed her and she's supposed to be doin' better, but I was so scared. I was afraid she'd hurt Tavi, or me, or you. I don't want ponies getting hurt and I suppose that fear made me do what I did. I know ya like her and I want ya to be happy and I want to be happy for ya, but that mare scares the horseapples out of me.”

“She's not dangerous anymore, Vinyl. Yeah, she can be intimidating, but she doesn't harbor any ill will towards anypony. She realizes what she did was a horrible mistake and she wants to make things right again. She just needs somepony to give her a chance.”

“I've been doin' a lot of thinkin', Snow, and I thought about a lot of things. Tavi can be annoyin', but she makes me really happy. I want you to know that same happiness and, if you think Princess Luna is your ticket to that happiness, then what kinda friend am I if I didn't help ya?”

“I appreciate the thought, Vi. I really do, but I don't think she'll be too inclined to come back here for any reason. Especially not after she was welcomed last night.”

Vinyl winced. “Yeah, I suppose we really screwed that one up, didn't we? How are we gonna fix this?”

“Well, it's quite simple, isn't it?”

We both turned to find that Tavi had partially awoken. She hadn't moved, but watched us with partially opened eyes.

“We didn't mean to wake you.” I apologized.

She raised her head and yawned, demurely covering her mouth with a hoof. “It's no matter. I was trying to wake up anyways, as for your question, all we need to do is go to Canterlot.”

“I can't go out in daylight.” I reminded her.

“Commerce doesn't stop because the sun goes down, Midnight. Trains run after dark.”

“So, we get train tickets, go to Canterlot, and convince Princess Luna to see Snow.” Vinyl summarized. “What then?”

“I suppose that's entirely up to Midnight.”

They were staring at me, waiting for instructions. “I'll tell her the truth. We want to make amends for what happened last night. It would really help if you two were in there with me, but I don't know if she'd even be willing to speak with you.”

“We can, at least, try. I have a feeling that, if we show her that we're making an effort towards fixing our mistake, she'll be willing to hear us out.” Octavia assured me.

“There's no assurance that we'd be able to get there, talk to her, and return before sunrise.” I pointed out.

She waved away my concern. “If all else fails, there's my apartment. We can stay there and return tomorrow night.”

Vinyl thumped a hoof. “That's all there is to it. Tonight, we go see Princess Luna.”

Chapter 7

Trains.

I've always been fascinated by locomotives. Something larger and more powerful than I could ever be going places I would never see and going faster than I ever would. To me, they were the example of what I would never be and that was what made them so incredible.

This would be my first trip by train. The first and; possibly only chance to witness that power and majesty first-hand. I was dancing excitedly while we waited on the platform.

“Midnight, do calm down.” Octavia urged.

“I-I can't. I'm going on a trip. By train. To Canterlot. To see Princess Luna. How can you not be excited?”

“It's not that amazing.” Octavia countered. “Trains are noisy and smelly. Canterlot is crowded and dangerous.”

“Let the filly have her fun, Tavi.” Vinyl came to my aid. “She's spent her entire life cooped up in that house, only allowed to come out after dark and, even then, only able to wander the same streets she's wandered for years. I can't blame her if she's excited at the chance to see what's beyond Ponyville. Remember how excited you were at the chance to leave Trottingham? Sweet Celestia, I thought you'd never shut up.”

Octavia blushed and looked away. “Humm, well..yes, but...” she trailed off.

“Thought so.”

Impatience pushing through, I trotted to the edge of the platform and stared down the line. “Where is it?”

“Midnight, we have half an hour until the train is scheduled to stop.”

I felt my ears fold back. “Half an hour?”

“Yes, and we wouldn't if you hadn't insisted on leaving immediately after the sun went down.”

“Tavi,” Vinyl warned

“I'm just saying.”

I ignored the two as they started arguing again and began to plan what I would say to Luna. I had to be very careful if I was even to get in to see her. The guards wouldn't know me and she wouldn't be expecting me to come after her.

And what of Vinyl and Octavia? I couldn't, in good conscience, leave them behind. They were my friends and I needed them if something went wrong and we were unable to make it back to Ponyville before sunrise.

“What the-?”

“Who?”

The surprised cries behind me broke my attention and I turned to see what had startled my friends. I followed their gazes to the sky and saw a pair of pegasi, clad in golden armor, pulling a golden chariot. The pegasi circled once before landing on the train platform.

One turned to me. “Midnight Snow?”

I swallowed and nodded.

“Princess Celestia commands you to attend her immediately. You are to come with us.”

“Princess...Celestia...wants to see....me?”

“Midnight?”

Vinyl and Tavi were watching me with concern.

I nodded to them. “Apparently, Celestia...er...Princess Celestia wants to see me so, I'm gonna go with these guys. Go back to the house and wait for me there.”

“But, what if you get stuck there after dawn?” Tavi objected.

I tried to give her a confident smile. “I'll be okay.”

With no small about of trepidation, I climbed aboard the waiting chariot and, without warning, we launched into the sky.

x----x

If you had been told me, years ago, that I was going to be traveling to Canterlot on one of the Princess' personal chariots at the summons of Princess Celestia herself, I would have asked who let you out in public unsupervised.

Yet, here I was, flying over the captiol city. The Pegasi banked, aiming for a landing strip near the doors. The descent was as fast as the launch and I instinctively gripped the edge of the chariot in an effort to keep from flying out.

As the Pegasi landed, a well-dressed unicorn came to meet us. “Miss Snow, if you would follow me please.”

I hopped out of the chariot, privately swearing to never climb into one again. I'd much rather spend a month on the sun.

Which, given the reputation the Princess had in dealing with ponies who displeased her, was a very real possibility.

“What's this about?” I asked my unicorn guide.

“The nature of your summons has not be divulged to me. I am merely here to bring you to the Princess. She is a busy pony so we mustn't dawdle.”

As we crossed the courtyard and entered the doors, I suddenly remembered something that would present a problem. “Er...Sir? I have a condition that limits my exposure to light.”

He sniffed. “The Princess is well aware of your condition, Miss Snow. You are permitted to wear your headgear for the duration of your audience with her.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled my hood as far as it would go as he opened the doors to a well-lit corridor.

Through miles of hallway, I followed him, working to keep as much of the light off of me as possible. I wondered, briefly, if he would entertain the idea of turning off the lights for me, but I immediately banished the ridiculous thought. It was likely they wouldn't for fear of me wandering off and causing trouble.

We came to a pair of massive oak doors. He hesitated before opening it. “If you are unaware of how to conduct yourself before the Princess, know that you are not to speak unless spoken to. Bow before speaking and before leaving. Address her by title only and speak clearly.”

I nodded, my stomach knotting. “Yes, sir.”

He opened the door and proudly marched in. “Midnight Snow has arrived, Your Majesty,” he announced.

“Thank you, Propriety. Send her in and be dismissed.”

Cautiously, I entered the throne room, my hooves sinking into the plush red carpet. Surrounding me was snow-white marble and rich tapestries and vibrant stained-glass windows depicting heroes of the realm.

And the Princess, sitting atop her golden throne, watched me neutrally. I had seen pictures of her and been told of her grace and beauty, but neither of those had any affect on me.

The first thing, the only thing, I noticed was that she was feathering huge.

My weakened knees finally gave and I dropped into a sloppy bow.

“Rise, Midnight Snow.”

Who knew that I weighed so much. It took all of my strength to rise to my hooves and remain there. She rose from her throne and came to me. I had always thought I was an average-sized pony, but, compared to her, I was tiny.

She gave me a calm smile. “Come with me.”

She opened a nearby door and disappeared through it with me tottering along behind her.

The door led through to a small private dining room. Celestia sat down at the head of the intimate table and gestured for me to sit opposite to her.

“My sister and I use this room for more informal meals.” She explained as a servant set a silver tray with a silver coffee set before her. “How do you take your coffee?”

My brain was still trying to process what was occurring. I was in a private dining room with the ruler of feathering Equestria when I fully expected to be turned into little more than a pile of ash.

“Inna...cup?” I offered.

She grinned. “Bold choice. I can see why my sister has taken such a shine to you.”

My jaw fell. Luna had told Celestia about our relationship? That meant that my hostess had been told about last night.

“Let us speak with candor, shall we,” Celestia said. “I thank you for your attempts to bring Luna out of her shell. Adjusting to modern society after her exile has been...difficult. Everypony from her past, save me, is gone. All that she knew is no more. Everything is different and that terrifies her. Not to mention her own past. Nopony trusts her enough to even give her the time of day.” Celestia stared down at the table for a moment. “It pains me so to see her suffer like this.”

“Your Majesty, about last night...”

She held up a hoof to forestall my explanation. “I want to thank you for you efforts. These past few days have been the happiest since her return. Thank you for showing her trust and earning hers in return.”

“Ma'am, my friends are terribly sorry for how they treated her and, with your permission, we'd like the chance to make it up to her.”

Celestia smiled. “It's not my permission you need, Midnight Snow.”

“Sister, you wanted to see me?”

I turned as Luna entered the room. Spotting me, she froze.

“Luna, please join us and have some coffee. Midnight and I are having an excellent conversation.”

Slowly, Luna approached the table, not taking her eyes off of me. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to speak with you,” I replied.

“Midnight has come at great personal risk.”

“Personal risk?”

I cleared my throat. “I have a condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosa. Light of any sort is very dangerous, especially sunlight. In about ten years, maybe twenty, I'm going to die. My home is the only refuge I have, which is why I can't wander far from it.”

Luna almost looked sick. “Why did you come then? If it's so dangerous, you could have sent a letter.”

“What I have to say can't be said in a letter.” I stood up and stepped up to her. “My friends and I are terribly sorry for what happened the other night. What we did was wrong. They were wrong for how they acted, but I was wrong for not warning them.

“We would like the chance to make up for that mistake. If you'll allow it.”

Luna sighed and paced a moment, wandering to a corner of the room to sit by herself. “What your friends said hurt, Midnight. It hurt more than anything. I am well aware of what I became a thousand years ago. Never once have I held my banishment against my sister. I deserved to be banished and I deserve a great deal more for my transgressions.

“Do you know what attracted me to you?”

I shook my head.

“Before, I had been treated as royalty. After, I was treated as a monster. That is all it has ever been, royalty or monster. All I have ever wanted was to be treated as I truly am, as a pony. I don't know how it happened. You were either ignorant or apathetic of my status and past. Either way, you fulfilled that wish. You spoke of me not as Princess, or as Nightmare, but as Luna. As your friend. As your friend, I am indebted to you for what you have given me, but I cannot forgive your friends for their words.”

“And why not,” Celestia asked.

We both turned to her.

“Just as her friends hurt you with their words, you hurt me, and so many others, with your actions. The lives lost, the property destroyed, as you rampaged unchecked. I had hoped that you would come to your senses, but my hoof was forced. Despite all of this, you were forgiven. You were contrite and wished to atone for your sins.

“Midnight and her friends, like you, wish to fix their mistake and, like you, they deserve a second chance.”

Author's Note

Sorry about the wait. This chapter was an unholy pain to write.

Chapter 8 Author's Note

Er...Hi.
Now, I know it's been a really long time since I've updated this story, but I had a bit of a time trying to decide where I was going to go with this. Not to mention, Real Life stuff got in the way and there was Reaper Mare and all of the excitement with that to deal with. So, to make it up, I give you an extra long chapter. Hopefully, it won't be nearly as long to update this time.

N.D.

Chapter 8

I know I said I would never fly again, but convincing Luna to return with me to Ponyville took far more time than we anticipated. Celestia was able to hold the sun for a bit, but no more than an hour. Any more than that, and there would be serious repercussions for the rest of the world.

The Pegasi pulling it flew with every ounce of speed that they had. We had crossed more than half of the distance, but I could see the sun beginning to rise above the horizon.

“It's not going to be enough. We need more time.” I pointed out the sun to Luna. She took in the sight and, with a single nod, leaned down next to me.

“Keep yourself near the side of the chariot and stay low. It will buy us a few minutes more.”

Only a few minutes, and we still had an hour before we reached the house. I shook my head as I took my position, laying on the floor and pressing against the side.

Luna spread her great wings and flew backwards out of the chariot. With a twist and a flap, she caught up with us and braced her forehooves against the rear edge. With a single flap, we launched. The acceleration was nearly enough to send me out of the chariot, but I only just managed to hold on.

The wind reached around my glasses to burn my eyes as my hood was blown from my head, and we continued to gain speed. Each flap of Luna's wings made a sound of thunder as she pushed us onward, the lead Pegasi holding their movement to keep us steady.

“Your Majesty,” one of the Pegasi called out, “we must slow down. We're on approach to Ponyville.”

I peeked over edge of the chariot and spotted a few Pegasi, the morning shift of Ponyville's weather service, moving clouds about. “Get out of the way!” I cried, waving my hooves to gain their attention.

They looked up and scattered as we blew through their clouds. I glanced behind me and saw the pegasi shaking their hooves at us, screaming profanities that I was glad I couldn't hear. I hoped I wouldn't arrive home to find a thunderhead hovering over my roof.

“Princess, we're approaching the ground entirely too fast! Please, slow down!”

Luna's horn ignited in a blaze of midnight-blue energy, which enveloped the entire chariot. With a mighty yank, Luna's magic killed most of the momentum, allowing the vehicle to skid to a stop mere feet from my front door.

The street was filled with sunlight, which burned my weakened eyes. I could feel its heat through my clothes. I saw movement in the window and recognized Octavia. I waved to her and she turned, shouting something, presumably, to Vinyl. The door glowed with an ice-blue aura and opened. Leaping from the safety of the chariot, I galloped for the threshold.

Tears welled up as sunlight struck my unprotected muzzle. It burned. It actually burned. I could't believe it. I had heard of sunburn, but I had thought that was a metaphor.

Shade appeared over my head and I looked up to see Luna keeping pace with me, a single wing extended to shelter me.

I managed to enter my house without further incident and collapsed onto the floor. I'm not the most physically fit pony and the events of the night, combined with my...exciting...morning, had me completely wasted.

Luna shut the door and settled down next to me. “Are you alright?”

“Peachy,” I panted.

“I am sorry. I didn't realize that we would be arriving so late. Had I not procrastinated...”

“No, no. You're fine. It was...fun?”

She smiled. “You are merely saying that.”

“Well, you might have a point, but that's only because I really don't have any words for it. It was a novel experience, to say the least.” I turned to see my two friends lingering nearby, looking anywhere, but at us.

I caught my breath and stood. “Hey, why don't we go into the sitting room and get comfortable? Octavia, could you make a bit of tea? I could use a cup.”

Octavia's eyes snapped to her and, for a moment, she thought the mare was going to bolt, but she took a few steadying breaths and brought fourth a smile that was too bright to be genuine. “Certainly. I'll...erm...I'll just be right back.”

“I'll go and help her,” Vinyl stated with such speed that it came out as borderline gibberish before fleeing after her partner.

Luna's ears fell as her gaze turned to the floor. “They are afraid of me.”

“Can you blame them?”

Her attention snapped back to me, a pained expression on her beautiful face.

“Listen, we're friends, you and I,” I said. “Friends are honest with each other so I'm going to be honest with you. They have a lot to be afraid of. I mean, you're an Alicorn. You have more power in the tip of your tail than any other pony has in their entire body. Not to mention, your past didn't show you in your best light and your outburst the other night, while understandable, only served to reenforce the belief that you are dangerous.”

She let out a whimper.

“But...Luna, look at me...but they still want to give you a chance. They haven't fled out the door, which is a good sign, but being around you will take some getting used to. I'm not lying when I say that even I'm a little intimidated by you.”

She let out a weak giggle. “And yet you show me the sharp side of your tongue.”

“Not sharp, Luna, but blunt.”

“We could turn thee into dust for such an insult to us.”

“But you won't,” I countered. “I trust you, Luna, and you trust me. Now, trust me when I say, lose that royal 'we' and that tone. You wanted to be a normal pony, here's your chance. Act like a normal pony long enough, and you'll be treated as one. Everypony will come around, eventually. It might take longer with you, but it will happen.”

Luna seemed to take heart from this. Her spine straightened and I saw a hopeful gleam in her eyes. “Do you think so?”

I shook my head. “I don't think so, Luna, I know so.”

She followed me into the sitting room and, with only a bit of encouragement, took a seat on the sofa. Tavi came in with Vinyl, who was holding the tea tray in a magical aura. Carefully, she set the tray on the table between us and joined Octavia on the opposite sofa, never once taking her eyes from Luna.

“Girls, listen, we really need to air out this dirty laundry between us...” Luna cut me off, placing a hoof to my wither.

She sighed deeply. “I understand why you are both afraid of me, and I do not hold that against you. I was a terrible creature before, driven mad by my own pain, and fear, and selfish desire. I was jealous of my sister and the adoration she held while I remained shunned. Ponies spoke of her as if she was a supremely beautiful being while I was some cretin, cast off as some dark and evil thing.” She took a ragged breath before continuing. “Eventually, it all became too much. I lost myself to my own envy and destroyed everything I held dear. I have regretted everything I did and it is a regret that I'll have for the rest of my days.

“But, the Elements of Harmony have made me new and I wish to start again. Please, I am no threat to you. Please trust me.”

“How can you say that?” Octavia fixed Luna with a piercing glare. “You go completely insane, threaten to kill us all, depose of the Princess, your own sister, in a rage, nearly kill all of ponykind, then show up and tell us you're all better and that we should trust you?”

“Octavia, all she wants is a chance to make things right.” I snapped, getting a little short with my friends.

“I want to believe her, Midnight. I really do, but I don't know if I can.” She held her head in her hooves. “It's all so much to take in at once. I can't make sense of it. I was raised to believe that a pony couldn't change their colors, why are you the exception?”

I placed a hoof on Luna's back, but she shook me off. A strength came to her voice as she sat a little straighter. “You said this would not be easy, Midnight. It is no fault of your own, rather a shortcoming of mine. I can overcome this.” She turned to Octavia. “You say a pony cannot change their colors, but I have heard stories about how you used to be. You were once a creature of incredible habit, needing everything to be exactly as you thought it should be. You could not take any deviation from this and became quite irate when you could not have your way. However, you are no longer that pony. While you do not embrace change, neither do you run from it. You have learned to accept the inevitability of change and not fight it.

“And you, Vinyl Scratch, who were once shunned and tormented by your peers because of your appearance. You, who didn't leave the sanctuary of your home unless forced. You, who never spoke to anypony, save your family and few friends. You now find yourself thriving as the center of attention for throngs of adoring fans. You have traveled the nation and beyond, and spoken candidly with ponies you had not seen before or since.

“If the two of you can change your ways, your coats, why not I?”

Both of my friends were dumbstruck at how much Luna knew about them. Octavia, as always, was the first to recover. “How did you...?”

“Midnight spoke a great deal about the two of you during our most recent meeting in an effort to convince me to return here. Rest assured, she spoke very highly of you both.” She paused and thought a moment. “Perhaps this will help.”

Her horn lit up as she took the blanket from behind us and draped it over her back, hiding her wings. She began removing her royal attire, neatly stacking her jewelry with her shoes on the floor. Raising a hoof, she lifted away her tiara and set it on the seat next to her.

“There. Now, I am no longer Princess Luna, merely Luna. I hope this makes you more comfortable.”

“But, Princess, we couldn't possibly-” Whatever objection Octavia had was cut off as Luna raised a hoof.

“Please, as I said, I am not a Princess. Not here. As far as any of you are concerned, my name is Luna and I am a unicorn.”

“Princess Luna-”

“Must I make it by royal decree?” Luna asked, shooting an annoyed look at Octavia.

“How can you make a royal decree if you aren't a Princess?” Vinyl queried with a smirk.

Luna smiled and jabbed at Vinyl with a hoof. “She understands.”

“Very well then...Luna.” It was obvious how uncomfortable Octavia was addressing royalty without the proper title. “Of course you know, it's a common practice for a mare's friends to pass judgement on anypony that mare has a relationship with.”

Luna gave a nervous nod, happy that she was making progress, but unsure about where this topic was going. “I will answer any question you may ask to the best of my knowledge.”

“Very well. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?”

With a smile, she immediately latched on to that question. “I do enjoy reading the modern great works of fiction, particularly the works of Emerald Mask and Shadow Meadow.”

Vinyl let out a snort. “Trashy romance novels?”

Luna blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

Octavia let out a chuckle. “Luna, dear, those are popular romance novels and they're popular for a reason.”

“And what reason is that?”

Octavia began to blush, as she did when topics began to turn inappropriate. “Let's say that they're of the feminine arousal variety.”

“Masturbatory aids for fillies,” Vinyl clarified only to receive a swat from Tavi.

“Don't be vulgar.” She admonished.

Luna blinked and looked embarrassed. “I-I had no idea.”

Vinyl took this as an opportunity to laugh. “Next, you'll tell us that you enjoy the dulcet tones of Ponitera.”

“Hey, I like Ponitera.” I shot back.

She fixed me with a look. “No, you don't. Nopony likes Ponitera.”

I raised a hoof, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment. I was going to say something about her music, but the words died in my throat as my hoof grazed a lump. Carefully, I probed the unseen mound of flesh, praying it wasn't what I thought it was.

“Midnight, is everything alright?” Tavi asked, noticing my expression.

Everything had been going so well. Everypony was relaxed and joking and having a good time. Why did this have to happen now?

Noticing their concerned expressions, I resolved to keep this matter to myself. I didn't want to ruin this for my friends. “It's nothing. Nothing at all.”

“You're certain?”

I nodded a little too vigorously. “Yeah. Yeah, it's nothing. So, where were we?”

“Mocking modern bands, if I remember correctly.”

“Unfortunately, I don't particularly care for modern music.” Luna stated.

As a friendly argument began to break out over the best genre of music, I continued to probe and knead the lump. A knot of worry grew in the pit of my stomach as it seemed to have more tension than I expected.

This was not good. I needed to tell somepony. I got up and went over to Vinyl, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. “I need to speak with you privately.”

Vinyl nodded and stood. After reassuring Tavi and Luna that we would be back, we went into the kitchen and out of earshot of the other two.

“What's up?”

I sat down. “I don't want you to worry, but I know you will. What I really don't want is for you to tell them.”

“The girls? Tell them what? What's going on?”

I turned my back to her. “There's a lump on the back of my neck. I need you to see what you can see.”

“ A lump?”

“Yeah, just check it out, will you?”

“Snow, I'm a Deejay not a doctor.”

“I'm not asking for a prognosis, just a description.”

“Alright, let me see.” I lowered my head so the Vi could see better and held still as she ran a hoof along my neck.

“I don't feel anything.”

“Up a little and to the left.”

“Still nothing.”

“No, you've gone too far, come back right a bit.”

“Still don't...wait.” Vinyl was silent as she pushed back my mane to get a good look at it. “Sweet Celestia, Snow. This doesn't look good.”

“What can you see? Please tell me it's a pimple or a skin tag or something.”

“No,” she twisted my head to get a better look at it. “I think it's some kind of mole but it's really huge. Raised. Kinda pear-shaped.”

“Keep your voice down.”

“Sorry, sorry, but ya really need to get this checked out.”

“I will. Don't worry.”

Vinyl's nostrils flared. “Don't worry? My oldest friend might have a life-threatening illness and you're telling me not to worry?”

“Yes!” I hissed. “We don't know what it is and there's no point in worrying until we do. I'll make an appointment with Doctor Forrest tonight, see her tomorrow, and have our answer by the end of the week at the latest.”

Vinyl looked uncomfortable. “Snow, Tavi and I are supposed to catch a train out tomorrow morning.”

“So go. I'm a big filly. I can take care of myself.”

“I can't leave you when you need me.”

“Vinyl, please, I can't stand having to inconvenience you or Tavi. I don't want you two putting your lives on hold for anything.”

“This isn't just anything, Snow. Your life might be in danger.”

I gave her a smile. “My life is always in danger, Scratch.” The smile vanished as she grabbed me in her magic and pressed me against the wall.

“Listen here, ya stupid, noble nag. I'm not going to abandon you when ya need me the most. Even if you don't think ya need me, I would never be able to forgive myself if this thing turned out for the worst. I'm staying and that's final. Ya got that!”

“Vinyl, is everything okay?” Octavia called from the next room.

Vi released me and returned to the sitting room. I followed, taking my seat next to Luna as Octavia continued what she was saying. “So, we'll be leaving tomorrow to continue our tour-”

“No, we're not.” Vinyl cut her off

Tavi glanced at her partner with a look of concern. “Vinyl?”

“Something's come up and we're gonna be staying a few more days.”

Tavi looked really concerned. “What's this about?”

Vinyl gave a pointed glance at Luna. “We'll talk about it later. Right now, we're ignoring our guest and that's rude, Tavi.”

Octavia looked to Luna and gave a single nod. “Please excuse me, Luna. I didn't mean to be rude.”

Luna glanced around. “Is there something I should know about?”

I shook my head. “No, it's a personal matter. We'll handle it.”

She looked a bit hurt. “Midnight, please. I trusted you, now you need to trust me. Please don't keep any secrets.”

“I'm not. It's just that something personal came up, and Vinyl and Tavi are going to help me with it.”

“I can help.” She offered. “I want to help. Please, Midnight, let me help you.”

“This is something best left between the three of us for the time being.”

She looked between the three of us. “I mean no offense, but what can you do that I can't?”

“What Snow means is that we're the ones the ones best able to help her.”

Luna looked to me. “Is something wrong?”

I tried to put on a brave face. I didn't want to scare her, and risk her blaming herself for this, if it turned out to be something to worry about. “I'm okay. I just need to make a visit to my doctor for a bit of a check-up.”

She gasped. “Are you ill? Was it because of this morning?”

Octavia spoke up, trying to assuage Luna's fear. “I'm sure it's nothing.”

“How can you say that? You do not even know what might be wrong.” She returned her attention to me. “Please, Midnight, let me help you.”

I got up and began to gather Luna's things. It had taken such work to convince her to come here, that I hated to throw her out so soon, but my priorities had shifted. “It's okay, Luna. Go back to the palace and rest. There really isn't anything you can do right now anyway. I promise, as soon as I know anything else, I'll let you know.”

That didn't seem to satisfy her, but she knew there was little else she could do. She rose from her seat and donned her apparel. “Very well, so long as you make certain to inform me if anything changes.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” I said, reciting the Pinkie Promise.

Her muzzle wrinkled. “I beg your pardon?”

I blinked. “It's nothing. I promise I'll let you know. For now, go and get some rest. I have some things I'm going to take care of, then go to bed myself. I would walk you out to your chariot, but...the sun.”

She raised a wing. “I could shield you again.”

I grimaced. “I don't think that's going to be enough this time.”

She glanced out the door, and saw that it was nearly noon. “I expect a letter when you know more. If not, I'll come back.”

I smiled. “Come back anytime. Really, it was a joy to have you around.”

Closing the door behind her, I noticed Tavi trot past. “Everything okay?”

She sighed. “No, everything is not okay. I'm going to fetch a doctor. Vinyl will stay here with you. Neither of us will be going anywhere until we know what's going on.”

“But, your tour...”

“Oh, come now, Midnight. Even you should know better than to compare bits with what we have. The fans will be disappointed, yes, but a few missed dates is nothing to leaving you in your time of need.”

“I'm going to call Doctor Forrest tonight.” I objected.

“I'm going to fetch Doctor Forrest now. We'll not wait while that...thing grows on you.”

“It might just be a benign tumor.”

She fixed me with a look. “As far as I'm concerned, Midnight, there's no such thing as a 'benign tumor' for one in your condition.” And, with that, she was gone. I returned to the sitting room, my tea having grown long cold.

Sitting down next to Vinyl, I said, “I really don't want you putting your life on hold for me.”

“Ya said that already.”

“And I mean it.”

Vinyl sighed and removed her glasses. “Listen to me Midnight. You might not think this is such a big deal, but we do. We love you and we can't just sit around without trying to help you. I don't care if you whine and complain the entire way, we're going to help you, right up until the time when we can't help you anymore.”

Chapter 9

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 2

Her gaze was incredible, simultaneously hard and understanding, and ageless. The wisdom of the aeons was held behind those eyes. My mouth went dry as she locked on to me and I suddenly found myself completely stupified.

I had to say something. I couldn't just stand there, at the edge of the path, and look like an imbecile. I would say something simple. A simple greeting. I took a breath, opened my mouth...

...and croaked.

The unicorn cocked her head at the odd noise I had made.

Great. Now I really looked like an idiot. My mother had always told me to make the best first impression and, here I was, doing the exact opposite. My parents must have been spinning in their graves.

I began to hyperventilate. For some reason, I desperately wanted this mare to like me. No pony's opinion mattered more than hers at this moment. I had to do something, anything, that might erase the fact that I had just made a total foal of myself.

“H-H-H-Hello,” I wheezed.

She smiled. Sweet Celestia, she smiled. That single smile transformed her, adding a vitality to her presence that made her enchanting.

“Hello,” she replied.

She spoke! She spoke to me! Her voice was soft and melodious and I felt I would be perfectly content to sit and listen to her read the dictionary if only to prolong hearing that heavenly voice of hers. I had to have a reply of my own. Something to impress her. Show her that rapier wit, Midnight!

“Hello.”

From somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard Vinyl's sardonic tones, as I often do when I do something inexcusably stupid. Smooth, Snow pony. Real smooth.

She giggled! Celestia help me, the mare giggled. It was nothing short of amazing and, what's more, I had caused it. My confidence, which had sunk so low that I was afraid I would never recover it, soared to new heights. I wanted to try something else now.

“Can I...?” I pointed to the spot next to her. Oh, what was that stuff called? The green, springy, stuff that would be cool and feel excellent against my suddenly hot belly. I knew what it was, its name was up there, in my memory, just out of reach, but I couldn't remember it. I began to fear that I had lost her. She wouldn't want anything to do with a pony too stupid to remember what the green stuff was called.

She giggled again! Two giggles in as many minutes. Hot damn, I was on fire!

She nodded and I began to wobble towards her, my legs suddenly having all of the support of jelly. The distance between her and I, though relatively short, seemed to take an eternity to traverse and I could not arrive at her side soon enough. I would have teleported if I knew how. Tartarus, I would have run straight to the library, woken Twilight Sparkle, and had her teach me how to teleport so that I could traverse that distance all the faster.

My jelly legs finally gave and I settled down next to her, inhaling a deep lungful of her scent as I did. Rose water with Lavender and Morning Glory, wonderful.

Alright, Midnight. Here we go. Now, we'll impress her with that famous rapier wit and in three...two...one. “Hello.”

Yes, Vinyl. I know. Real smooth.

She smiled at me, gently. “It's not often that another pony crosses my path. What brings you out?”

She wanted to find out more about me. That was a problem. Usually, after another pony found out about me, they wanted to get as far away from me as possible. As if I was some kind of Vampony or my XP was contagious. I scuffed my hoof against a small, half-buried, stone.

“I...uh...I couldn't sleep. Figured a walk would clear my head.” I looked back up at her. “And what about you? I haven't seen you before. Do you live nearby?”

The unicorn shook her head. “I live in Canterlot.”

My eyes widened behind my amber-tinted lenses, “Canterlot? You're a bit far from home.”

“Oh, I travel about a bit. It's difficult to see the stars from Canterlot. I come here if I wish to see the sky.”

“Seems a bit far to go just for stargazing.” I commented.

“To some. Not so much for me.”

I blinked. This was so unlike me. Normally, other ponies opinions of me didn't matter to me. A side effect of living the lifestyle that I did. I really didn't know why I wanted her approval. And I didn't even know her name.

“I'm Midnight Snow.” I introduced.

The mare smiled and giggled politely, “And I am Luna.”

Luna. Sweet Celestia, could this night get any better? I know. I know. I sound absolutely ridiculous and I still burn with humiliation after that night, but, what can I say, I was thoroughly smitten. Not only with the pure beauty of this mare, but with what her presence meant.

Now I had found a pony who appreciated the night in the same way I did. I had found a pony who didn't retreat with the sun. I had found a pony to share my nights with.

My life of solitude was over. Companionship was within my grasp. I need only to reach out and take it.

And, yet, I could not.

To this day, after wracking my memories, I still don't know what caused my sudden onset of social anxiety. As I said, other ponies opinions of me weren't my business. Yet, I wanted to make sure this mare saw only the best of me.

I'm not what you would call socially-experienced. Yeah, I had my friends, but they were all like me in their own way. Ditzy had her eye problem and her accidental nature. Vinyl was an albino who wore glasses and magically changed the color of her mane and tail. Lyra had her odd obsession with these bipedal creatures she called “Humans”. Octavia was incredibly neurotic and Pinkie Pie had that personality issue. Each of us was an outcast in some way and this was our link to each other. I had never ventured far outside of my circle of friends and, until now, I had no desire to.

The point is that all of my friends had something that made them obviously different and, thus, outcasts. But, this unicorn, Luna, didn't. She was beautiful, charismatic, intelligent, and sophisticated. Why wasn't there a crowd of ponies competing for her attention? Why was she sitting alone atop a cliff in the middle of nowhere?

Luna sighed, “It is true what they say. Silence is golden, is it not?”

I chose not to reply. Instead, I waited for her to elaborate.

“During my waking hours, there is always some pony who needs my attention. There is always something I need to see to and I rarely have time to myself.” She lamented, “It is here and only here that I can think.”

I blinked. I wish I could say I sympathized with her, but I had the opposite issue. I wasn't surrounded by ponies so much as silence. As a filly, I had wanted more friends then I could count and that was a dream that haunted me well into marehood, despite the fact that I knew it would never happen. Not once had I considered what it would be like to be so surrounded by ponies that all I would wish was to be alone.

“I don't know what that's like. There are few ponies in my life.” I confessed.

Luna exhaled, “I envy you. To have the time and the solitude to pursue my own hobbies, there's nothing I desire more.”

“It's not as great as you might think.”

“Oh? And what do you do in your spare time?”

“Celestia, anything I can just to eat up the days.”

“You take no pleasure in your pass-times?”

Oh, no.” I quickly assured her. “I love making music with my friends and reading books, but there's only so much one can do before one burns out. I try to space it all out to avoid that. However, I don't have many other interests.”

Luna nodded, “I, too, have varying interests. I do enjoy reading with my sister and I've been studying the lyre.”

“I know a lyrist. She's an excellent musician, if a little crazy.”

“Crazy? How?”

I smiled. “She's created these creatures called Humans, bipedals with round heads and tiny muzzles, and she's managed to convince herself that they're real.”

Luna chuckled lightly, “Of all the things.”

I gave her a companionable jab, “I know, right? But I love her all the same. She's a great friend who will go to extraordinary lengths to help the ponies she loves.”

“She does sound as such.” Luna replied. “Do you have any idea how fortunate you are to have such wonderful friends?”

I nodded. “We have our differences and disagreements but, at the end of the day, there no group of ponies I'd rather have around.”

Luna sighed. “If only I were so fortunate.”

“You don't have friends?”

She hesitated. “I suppose you could say I do. I have ponies that do care about me, like my sister, but...it's not the same.”

I thought for a moment. I knew what it was like to be alone. I knew the depression, the self-loathing, the envy at the sight of ponies enjoying the company of their peers. I had felt these same feelings, even though I had wonderful friends. It wasn't so much that I wanted more friends, it was that I envied their freedom. I was a prisoner in my own home, restricted to nocturnal activities and depending on others for what I needed. They had the freedom to go about as they pleased, when they pleased, how they pleased.

Luna was cute, and sweet, and kind. She didn't deserve that pain. Gently, I entwined a foreleg with hers. She glanced down at my leg before turning her gaze to me, a look of surprise on her face.

“Luna, I'd like to be your friend.”

I can honestly say that I didn't expect the reaction that I got. She began with whimpers, which gradually grew to sobs, which evolved into outright bawling. I lowered my head to keep from being accidentally impaled on her horn as she suddenly dove for my neck.

I didn't know what to do. I had always felt awkward around ponies when they were crying, like I was intruding on an obviously private moment. Luna sobbed into my neck for a while while I ran a hoof through her mane.

After a short while, she calmed down and sat up, hiccuping. It was absolutely adorable.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I-I don't know what came over me.”

I shook my head. “Don't worry about it.”

“I've never known a pony offer to be my friend before.”

I cocked my head at this. Surely some pony would have wanted to do right by her. Even Lyra wanted to be friends, once she understood that I wasn't out to attack her. Exactly what kind of life did this poor mare live?

I stayed by Luna's side through the night, enjoying the serenity of her presence and of the night. We didn't speak much, simply reveling in each others company. Finally, the sky to the east began to grow lighter as Celestia began to raise the sun.

“I have to go.” I said.

“As do I,” she admitted.

Slowly, I returned to my hooves and stretched, wincing as chilled joints popped. I lifted my hood to cover my head.

“Same time tomorrow?” I asked.

She smiled. “Yes. I would like that, my friend.” She gave a giggle at that.

I smiled and nodded. “I'll see you then.”

And, with those words, I hurried home, racing the rising sun for my front door.