MLP: Friendship is Adventure

by Wolven5

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure
Length: 16397

There is Magic in Friendship but at the same time, it's an Adventure! ...As a certain unicorn is soon to find out!

It is said Friendship is Magic but nopony ever truly realizes how Friendship is also an Adventure lived everyday in the company of those closest to you.

Midnight Blaze, the loyal apprentice of Princess Florinda, comes across a prophecy that spells disaster for all of Equestria, but his mentor instead assigns him to oversee preparations for the Dawn of Spring Celebration. Will he avert the coming threat or will he see the Light?

(Technically the story is complete but expect it to be edited in the future. I still consider it, y'know… rough around the edges)

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-23 22:01:52 UTC

Chapter 1

My Little Pony: Friendship is  Adventure

Once upon a time… in the mystical land of Equestria, there lived twin siblings, a brother and sister, whose magic rivaled the power of even the Princess of the Sun.

The Princess personally taught these twins in the hopes they would use their magic for good. The younger sister used her magic to bring the warmth of spring to Equestria.

The brother was tasked with bringing the cold winter.

But as they carried on their duties, the brother became bitter. The ponies rejoiced and celebrated the sunshine and gentle rainfalls of spring brought to them year after year by his sister while they shunned and complained of his peaceful winter and beautiful snowfall.

One fateful season, the brother unleashed a volley of blizzards upon Equestria, refusing to cease winter and make way for spring. His sister and their teacher tried to reason with him but the resentment had frozen his heart, transforming him into a hateful frozen horse, Frostfright!

He swore to freeze the land with endless winter, even threatening his own sister to stay out of his way before setting his sights upon the throne. Storming the castle, he soon stood before the Princess of the Sun, demanding she step down from the throne or he would destroy her.

The princess would not, and sadly engaged her former student in an epic duel. However, her love for her old student hesitated her blow, and Frostfright took advantage of her sentiment to injure her. Before the final blow was struck however, Frostfright sensed his sister’s arrival.

She had chosen to side with her mentor and stepped forth to oppose her brother, empowered by a long-forgotten magic - The Spirits of Adventure!

Wielding the power of the Spirits of Adventure, she defeated her twin, and sadly imprisoned him atop the highest and most desolate peak in the land.

With her mentor’s blessing, the sister thereafter took on the duty of bringing about all the seasons and the balance of harmony was restored to Equestria.

“‘Spirits of Adventure’…” muttered the young reader, having just completed the story. A young adult unicorn he was, with a sapphire blue coat, turquoise eyes, his mane was black at the roots while the ends were a darker blue, the colors matched his tail, and he was carrying a saddlebag which held a few books. His cutie mark was a cyanish-white crescent moon facing up and surrounding a five-point star encircled by five twinkles.

“I’m certain I’ve read about those somewhere …but where?”

Deciding to investigate the subject further, the unicorn started making for a brisk trot to his apartments.

“I know I’ve read about the Spirits of Adventure somewhere!”

Unfortunately, he was so deep in thought he almost crashed into somepony.

“Hey!”

Breaking out of his deep thought, he noticed a pegasus pony, clad in golden armor, with an orange coat and sapphire blue mane.

“Honestly, Midnight, you gotta watch where you’re going!”

“Oh, uh, sorry, Flash,” apologized the unicorn called Midnight. “I guess I was so deep in thought I…”

“Ah, forget it,” the guard called Flash waved it off, “say, why don’t we head over to Joe’s? I heard he’s added a few new items to his menu!”

“Well, uh!” Midnight gibbered nervously. “Actually… I kinda have… an errand to run, so… rain-check?”

“Whatever, brony,” Flash shrugged and carried on, Midnight sighing in relief as he hurried on, not hearing Flash say, “That guy’s gotta come out of his shell if he’s ever gonna make some friends.”

Midnight found his way to the tower where his apartment was, and teleported to his floor. Seeing his door, his eyes glowed as he concentrated upon the lock, hearing the tumblers re-configure at his command, and the door opened, revealing a cozy environment. One wall was a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, crammed with books, tomes, scrolls, knickknacks, antiques, another side of the room was a homely kitchenette, next to a door that read ‘Keep out: Dangerous materials inside’. His bed was by the bay window, the sunshine streaming through the windows, which confused him for a moment before he realized…

I closed the curtains this morning!

Keeping his cool, he scanned the apartment for signs of an intruder, when he heard the shattering of glass, coming from his workroom. The room that had the warning sign on it.

“Uh-oh!” he muttered as he approached the door, charging a spell into his horn in case this intruder was violent.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever villain dared violate his private sanctuary! When…

SLAM!!!

“…you ok? Midnight?! Big brother, wake up!”

Groaning as he slowly regained consciousness, Midnight became all too aware of an aching pain in his nose as well as a very familiar voice.

“Twinken…!” he groaned, holding himself up with his forehooves, realizing he was on his rump, and was massaging his aching nose. He checked his hoof and was relieved to find it free of bloodstains, so at least his nose wasn’t broken.

Next to him was a young unicorn colt, his coat a deep sky blue, his mane styled back in a messy yet endearing way, colored a Brandeis blue, his flank blank of a cutie-mark he had yet to earn, while his eyes were ruby red. The colt looked very apologetic, as well as sheepish, as he brought his brother an icepack.

“Sorry! I was… rearranging your test tubes but I… broke one. So I was hurrying out to grab a broom and dustpan when…”

It didn’t take much to put two and two together, as Midnight groaned while mentally enchanting the icepack to have a pain-killing effect on his nose.

“Twinken… How many times have I told you to stay out of my workroom?! You know there’s dangerous stuff in there you shouldn’t mess with!”

“I know,” moaned Twinken, and Midnight sighed, hating to be the scolding sibling.

“Do the folks know you’re here?” Midnight asked as he got up and cast a spell that quickly took care of Twinken’s mess.

“Yeah, Mom dropped me off,” Twinken explained, as he dug into his saddle-bags and pulled out a note. “She wanted me to give you this!”

Taking the note with his telekinesis, Midnight gave the parchment a read.

‘Dear Midnight,

As you know, the Dawn of Spring Celebration is coming up, and your little brother has been released from school for spring-break. He has expressed a strong desire to spend time with you, and I would deeply appreciate you watching over him, at least for this week.

Make sure he goes to bed on time, don’t give him too many sweets, and please be patient with him.

All my love,

Your mother

P.S.

Perhaps we could have a family outing on the celebration’

Sighing, knowing what a ‘family outing’ meant, Midnight crumpled up the paper in his aura and threw it into a nearby wastebasket, before looking at Twinken.

“If I’m stuck with you for a week, at least make yourself useful, and help me find my copy of ‘Fantasmic Foresight’.”

The two brothers scanned the massive bookcase, Midnight levitating several stacks of books out, giving one to Twinken to search through as he did the brunt, checking each book’s title.

“No, no, no!” Midnight groaned. “I know it’s here, I just did my weekly alphabetizing!”

“Found it!”

Midnight looked over to see Twinken buried in a pile of books, only his hoof visible as it held up the tome he’d sought. Smiling, he telekinetically yanked it from Twinken’s grasp and skimmed the pages.

“Hmm, Spirits, Spirits, S, S…Aha! ‘Spirits of Adventure, see: Frozen Horse’?”

“Frozen Horse?” echoed Twinken, as he pulled himself out of the book pile. “Isn’t that just some old pony’s tale?”

“Bingo! Here it is!” Midnight cheered as he looked over the passage. “Let’s see… ‘The Frozen Horse, myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who ambitioned to conquer Equestria, defeated by the Spirits of Adventure and imprisoned atop the highest and most desolate peak in the land. Legend foretells that before the five hundredth spring after his imprisonment, the setting thaw would aid in his escape, and he will curse the land with endless winter’!”

Gasping, Midnight grabbed his brother, smushing the little colt’s face between his hooves, braying, “Twinken! Do you realize what this means?!”

“Uh…” Twinken held up a hoof, about to say something only to yelp as Midnight dropped him

"There's no time to wait!" Midnight insisted as he conjured a parchment and quill and held them out to Twinken.

“Take a note.”

Sighing, Twinken levitated the items to himself, and Midnight began.

"‘My dearest teacher, Princess Florinda,

This message comes to you from your loyal apprentice, Midnight Blaze. I regret to inform you that, during my research, I have come to learn that we stand upon the very precipice of catastrophe.’”

“Cata- Hold on!” interrupted Twinken, as he scrunched his eyes, not sure how to spell the word, until he gave a shrug to Midnight.

“Disaster,” Midnight substituted.

Twinken looked at the note again but shook his head.

“Uh, doom?”

This time Twinken raised a brow, as though he were saying ‘Are you serious?’

“Urgh! ‘That something terrible is about to happen’!” Midnight conceded.

“Well why din’cha say so in the first place?” Twinken asked, “We would’ve saved a lot of time!”

The growling glare he got from his brother “encouraged” him to hold his tongue and continue with his writings, as Midnight continued.

“‘I have discovered, to my dread, that the mythical Frozen Horse is truly Frostfright! In a day hence, he shall return to Equestria and subject to us all Endless Winter! Decisive measures must be taken to insure this terrible prophecy is averted.

I am standing by for your response.

Your loyal apprentice,

Midnight Blaze'."

"'Midnight... Blaze!" Twinken finished up.

"Good, send it," Midnight instructed.

"Right now?" asked Twinken.

"Yes, right now!"

"Um, I dunno, Midnight," Twinken said with a shrug. "Princess Florinda is busy preparing for the Dawn of Spring Celebration, and it's like... the day after tomorrow."

"But that's just it, Twinken!" Midnight insisted. "The day after tomorrow is the five-hundredth spring since Frostfright’s imprisonment. The Princess must be made aware of the coming danger!"

"Well, alright," Twinken conceded, and cast the spell his brother taught him, turning the message into a hooful of silvery dust. Taking a deep breath, he blew it, sending it out as a shimmering plume as it zoomed right out the window

"I just hope the princess will have an answer," Midnight spoke, and not five seconds after he did than did a robin arrive, with a note tied to its leg, as it perched on Twinken’s head.

"Well, whattya know? Looks like she plans to take immediate action."

Twinken unrolled the note, and in a poof of magic, it transformed into a scroll, and read.

"'My loyal apprentice, Midnight Blaze,

I deeply appreciate your concern for the well-being of Equestria, and am glad to have a student as vigilant and clever as you. But you simply must take your muzzle out of those old books every once in a while.'"

"What?!" Midnight whinnied.

Chapter 2

Not an hour later were Midnight and Twinken riding a chariot, pulled by two Pegasus members of the Royal Guard, Twinken still holding the message from the princess, as they flew through the sky.

"There is more to life than studying, a lesson I wish to impress into you, my dear apprentice, Midnight,'" Twinken continued, "'so I am assigning you to be supervisor for the preparations of the Dawn of Spring Celebration in this year’s location, Ponyville.’”

Ponyville? Midnight considered to himself. That’s where Twilight went to live after she found the Elements of Harmony and stopped Nightmare Moon! …Perhaps she’ll lend an ear to my-

“‘All I ask,’” Twinken went on, interrupting Midnight’s train of thought, “‘is a personal favor from you – Make some friends! Sincerely, Princess Florinda' Y'see, Midnight? Nothing to worry about!"

“Hmm,” Midnight just sulked, having mixed-feelings about the whole situation.

“Aw come on, Midnight!” Twinken assured. “Ponyville’s got a wonderful reputation, and the princess requested Twilight to temporarily bunk us. I’m really excited to see her again!”

“Y’know what, little brother? So am I!” Midnight’s enthusiasm got Twinken excited… until he heard what else the older unicorn had to say.

“I’ll check through the preparations as quickly as possible, then meet with Twilight at the library and surely with her help I’ll be able to compile more evidence of Frostfright’s return.”

“But… what about making friends, like the princess asked?” Twinken reminded him.

“She said to check on the preparations, little brother,” Midnight reminded him back. “As her student, I will gladly and obediently carry out her orders. But the fate of ponykind does not rest on me making friends.”

“We’ve arrived,” Twinken groaned, as the chariot landed.

They found themselves in what they assumed was a town square. Ponies everywhere, earth ponies, unicorn ponies, Pegasus ponies, mares, stallions, foals. The architecture of the buildings was simply yet homey, lampposts here and there, the roads were simply dirt roads, and all around them were shops and abodes. All an’ all, a very pleasant looking town.

The Pegasus guard ponies panted a little but frisked upon landing, Midnight saying to them, “Thank you, gentlecolts. You are dismissed.”

The guards nodded and decided to rest before returning to Canterlot, while Midnight and Twinken started making their way through the square.

“At the very least, Midnight, we should ask somepony to show us around.”

As if on cue, they noticed two ponies walking towards them. One was a pink earth pony mare with a swirly/fluffy mane and tail of darker pink, her cutie-mark a trio of balloons. Next to her was a dark gray Pegasus pony stallion, with a Mohawk-like mane of light blue and silver, his tail was colored the same but kept short, he had golden eyes, and a storm cloud with lightning for a cutie-mark.

“Come on, Midnight! At least try!”

Seeing the pleading look on his little brother’s face, Midnight sighed and approached the two ponies, saying, “Uh, hello?”

Responding to his words, the pink mare suddenly gasped, in horror, shock, surprise, Midnight couldn’t tell, and zoomed off faster than a balloon that was losing its air.

The three looked on in the direction she’d fled, Midnight saying, “…What the hay?”

“Don’t bother.”

“What was that?” Midnight asked the Pegasus, who was chuckling.

“Pinkie Pie,” he pointed out, as the mare disappeared around a sharp corner. “No matter what you do, there’s no point figuring out that pony. I’m Thunderlane, you guys new here?”

Clearing his throat, Midnight answered, “Why yes, my name is Midnight Blaze, and this is my little brother, and assistant for the day, Twinken.”

“Well hey there, little pony,” thunderlane greeted, holding a welcoming hoof out to the colt. “Happy to meet ya! Y’know, I have a little brother too, just your age!”

“Really? I’d like to meet him!” Twinken laughed, before saying to his own brother, “Look at that Midnight! One of the first two ponies we meet is a big brother like you!”

Chuckling nervously, Midnight said, “Yeah. Now, um, Thunderlane is it?”

“That’s me! One of Ponyville’s weather-team, and a pretty awesome flyer, if I do say so myself!”

“Well, in that case, would you be so kind as to play tour guide for the day?” Midnight requested. “For I am here, by order of Princess Florinda, to supervise the preparations for the Dawn of Spring celebration.”

“I’d love to!” Thunderlane reared up, waving his front hooves. “And while we’re at it, we can hang! After all, what’re friends for?”

Midnight ignored the smirk on his little brother’s face at that remark.

“Dawn of Spring Celebration official supervisor’s checklist,” Twinken read as he rode on Midnight’s back while his brother followed their tour guide, Thunderlane.

“First item, catering: Sweet Apple Acres.”

It was a farm, complete with a big red barn, there was a chickencoop, a house nearby, and all around them were acres willed to brim with apple trees.

Nice-looking place, Midnight thought. I would imagine some of the more tolerable of the Canterlot Elite would consider it… charmingly rustic.

“You’re gonna love this place,” Thunderlane neighed as they passed through the front gate, “it’s only the very best apple farm in all of Equestria, and the owners are friends of mine. They’re really great.”

“Yee-haw!”

They all looked and saw an orange earth pony mare, with a blond mane tied back near the ends, wearing a Stetson hat, and had a trio of apple for her cutie-mark. They watched as she galloped right up to a tree, bucked it with her hind-legs, and every apple fell into baskets placed at the base prior. She shook her head, beaming with pride.

“Let’s get this over with,” Midnight muttered to himself, Twinken getting down from his back, as he approached the earth pony. “Good afternoon, my name is Midnight Blaze-”

But instantly the earth pony was roughly shaking Midnight’s hoof with her own, neighing, “Well, howdy-doo Mr. Midnight, a pleasure makin’ yer acquaintance! Ah’m Applejack! We here at Sweet apple Acres sure like making new friends!”

“Fr-r-riends?!” Midnight echoed in a shaky voice from Applejack hard shaking, rather taken by how strong she was for a mare. “Actually-”

“So! What can I do ya for?” Applejack asked with a friendly smile.

Midnight’s hoof continued to shake until Thunderlane stopped him, Twinken chuckling. Midnight cleared his voice and said, “Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Dawn of Spring Celebration, and you’re in charge of the food?”

“Sure as applesauce! Care for some free samples?” Applejack asked.

“Well, I suppose a dish or two wouldn’t-” Midnight said, trying to be polite but that was all Applejack needed to hear.

She rang a triangle, shouting, “Soup’s on, everpony!”

“Uh-oh!” Thunderlane uttered before grabbing Twinken and taking flight. Midnight was about to ask what he was doing when the answer came in the form of a bunch more earth ponies stampeding over him and roughly setting Midnight on a chair in front of a table beneath a gazebo. Midnight shook off the confusion of what just happened, Thunderlane bringing down Twinken as they joined him at the table.

Applejack popped up behind them, neighing, “Now, lemme introduce y’all to the Apple family!”

“Thanks, but I really-” Midnight tried to say, but apparently the Apple family didn’t hear him.

“This here’s Apple Fritter,” Applejack, introducing her family members one by one, as they each brought a dish to the table.

“Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp... “

Applejack stopped to take a breath before continuing.

“Big McIntosh, Applebloom, Zaps, and Granny Smith.”

The old mare was asleep in a rocking chair, prompting Applejack to amble over and gently shake her awake.

“Up’n’at’em, Granny Smith, we got guests.”

“Wha… Soup’s on? I’m’a comin’,” Granny Smith muttered as she got up and ambled over, not quite awake yet.

“Why! I’d say yer already part’a the fam’ly!” Applejack laughed.

“Whoa!” Midnight was in awe of all the dishes set before him, Twinken and Thunderlane were practically drooling beside him as they gazed upon the buffet in front of them. Caramel apples, apple pies, apple cakes, apple strudels, apple fritters, apple cider, apple “I have no idea what it is but looks good” and generally anything you could associate with apples. Along with two or three orange based dishes, which confused him a little, but not enough to raise an objection. He, his brother, and their guide were seated right in the middle of the table as guests of honor, while each Apple family member stood by the dish they’d brought to the table.

“Well then!” Midnight chuckled nervously as he stood up to leave, “I can see the catering’s well in hoof! Come on, Twinken.”

Midnight telekinetically grabbed Twinken right before he was about to take his first bite of a cupcake (causing him to choimp on nothing), and unceremoniously placed his brother on his back, Applejack coming up asking, "Don’cha wanna sample some b’for ya go?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Midnight replied, “I can see the quality of the food just by looking at it.”

There was a massive groan of disappointment from the entire clan. But as soon as he passed by Applejack, there was a pair of obstacles much more dangerous right behind her. Obstacles that could potentially kill an unprepared rookie from big city.

“Aren’cha gonna stay for brunch?” asked two sad little foals, one was a filly of light yellow fur, her apple red mane held by a big pink bow, next to her was a colt of a slightly deeper yellow, his mane and tail were blond tipped black while the bangs framing his face were tipped orange. The both of them had blank flanks, and were gazing sadly at Midnight with big puppy-dog eyes, the filly’s were orange while the colt’s were brown.

"Hnghhh." Midnight suddenly felt a pain in his chest. He pressed his hoof where his heart was, fighting the urge to die. Not like this, not by... THAT! He could hear the whispers from the crowd.

"Oh boy, she’s done it again."

"Poor guy has no chance."

"Eeyup."

"Ain't never seen a pony able to resist our lil' Applebloom."

“She musta’ taught Zaps well, since he’s helpin’!”

Twinken got down, and joined Applebloom and Zaps, adding his own puppy-dog face, mournfully pleading, “Can’t we stay, big brother? They’re being so nice!”

Darn you, Twinken! Midnight thought as he groaned in guilt, before giving in.

“We’ll stay, we’ll stay! Just make `em stop!”

At his words, everypony cheered, and the sampling began.

“No… no more… I’m about to…”

“More please!”

“Hey, let’s get another round over here!”

In response to those requests (and ignored declination), a big mug full of apple cider was thrust in front of Thunderlane, a slice of Apple Pie à la Mode was set in front of Twinken as he sat with Applebloom and Zaps. Midnight could not fathom where that little colt was putting it all.

He on the other hoof wasn’t doing so well. Everytime he finished a dish, Applebloom or zaps would bring him a new one, threatening to use the same puppy-dog look if he refused. It just got to the point where he had enough, as Zaps approached with a new dish.

“Please! No more…” begged Midnight, hurking as he struggled to keep it all down. “I’m gonna explode!”

For a moment, they held each other’s gaze, and Midnight was afraid those puppy-dog eyes were gonna make an encore.

“Ok!”

And he trotted off on his merry way.

All I had to do was ask?! Midnight thundered in his mind but kept to himself for the sake of courtesy.

“How’s all that Apple Fam’ly cuisine treatin’ ya, gentlecolts?” Applejack asked, as she gave the two brothers a hearty slap on their backs.

“This is so yummy!” Twinken neighed, and Applejack took a napkin, wiping his little muzzle clean of the crumbs and ice cream still on it.

“Whoo! Yeah, Apples! You never fail to disappoint!” Thunderlane whooped as he patted his belly, now full of apples and cider.

“Hey Miss Applejack, do you think you could give me some recipes?” Twinken asked. “I’d love to give them to my mom!”

“Sure thing, sugarcube!” Applejack beamed as she ruffled Twinken’s mane. “But before y’all go, there’s one more treat…”

The brothers could swear they heard some kind of angelic chorus as they saw an earth pony bigger than any they’d ever met, his coat a light red, his slightly messy mane and tail orange, his cutie-mark a green apple sliced in half, matching the same green of his eyes, he wore a work collar around his neck, and he carried on a plate of fine china, three cupcakes that seemed to have Everypony present except for the brothers in awe.

“Ah present t’y’all the piece de resistance,” Applejack declared, despite her butchering the words, as she placed a cupcake in front of the brothers and Thunderlane each.

The Pegasus pony stared in daze, his tongue showing, and Twinken said, “Wow, these look good!”

“‘Good’ doesn’t do these delicacies justice, little buddy!” Thunderlane’s voice quivered as if he were about to cry.

Midnight observed the cupcake, topped with a rainbow frosting, and a single apple slice. He felt his horn shiver a little, as if he were in the presence of strong magic, and he knew at once this was no ordinary confection. He looked at Applejack, who prompted him to go ahead with a smile.

Well, I suppose a nibble won’t kill me, he thought with a sigh. Levitating the cupcake to his mouth, he took a small bite.

Everypony appeared to lean in to get a better view of the blue unicorn’s face, when they saw his turquoise eyes snap open and widen to the size of dinner plates. He stared into forever, looking as though his mind had snapped. Twinken waved his hoof in front of Midnight’s face, saying, “Big brother, you alright?”

“My mouth…” Midnight uttered, “has found… nirvana!!!”

Midnight’s eyes welled with tears as a smile spread across his face, and he fell off his chair in a swooning sigh of bliss.

“Oh!”

Twinken looked to see a similar expression on Thunderlane, and a telltale smidge of rainbow frosting still on his lip. Like Midnight, Thunderlane’s own eyes were streaming tears as he moaned in ecstasy, “They’re even better than I remember…!”

And the Pegasus also keeled over, joining the blue unicorn in a culinary high, Big McIntosh going over with a box of tissues, which the two stallions absent-mindedly accepted, Midnight even blowing his nose.

Giggling, Applejack asked, “Ah take it yer satisfied, gentlecolts?”

Midnight bolted up and hugged Applejack, braying, “Thank you…! Thank you for sending my taste buds to heaven!”

“Aw shucks, sugarcube!” Applejack blushed, a bit because of the “personal space” thing as she gently removed Midnight from her person, while Big Mcintosh and Zaps high-hoofed, other members of the Apple Family cheering.

“I gotta try this!” Twinken yelled as he took a big bite from the cupcake, and it appeared his brain stopped working.

“What is this?” Midnight asked as he gazed at the cupcake, ready for more despite his aching gut. “Was this really made from an apple?”

“Not just any apple,” Zaps corrected from Big McIntosh’s back. “That there’s a ZAP APPLE CUPCAKE!!!”

"Zap apple cupcake?" repeated puzzled Midnight, to which all Apples nodded.

"Eyup, Granny Smith’s own original recipe," answered happily Applejack, "might seem like a normal cupcake to any other pony, but th’ secret is on th’ inside. Y’see, Zap Apples ain’t normal things growin’ on them trees like any other apples. They appear only once every year, have t’ be harvested in a very specific way an’ prepared carefully using only th’ proper type of tools, techniques, and ingredients that make zap apples happy."

"Happy?" asked Midnight. “These zap apples can feel happy?”

"You betcha, pardner," answered Applejack, lightly smacking him on the back. "Zap apples are magical, with minds o'their own, only mindin’ ya when ya treat `em right. Tha’s a secret passed in th’ Apple family for generations, since we settled in this land not so long ago, way before it was even named “Ponyville” in th’ first place. Granny Smith here was among the settlers who first found themselves here an’ she discovered the zap apples herself as well."

"Wow…” whispered Midnight in awe. As odd as it sounded, he couldn’t deny that the cupcake he tried just a moment ago was too good to be just a regular food. There was surely magic in them that set them apart from all other apples.

“Midnight!”

Everypony looked and gasped! Thunderlane was holding Twinken, the little colt looked to be puffing up, and gasping.

“He can’t breathe!”

Gasping, Midnight hurried over, and recognized the symptoms. He whirled at Applejack, yelling, “Tell met at once! Was there buttercream in that cupcake?!”

“Er- yes, it’s part’a th’ recipe!”

“Thunderlane, he’s having an allergic reaction to the buttercream!” Midnight quickly explained to the Pegasus. “Get him to the closest hospital, on the double!”

“I’m on it!” Thunderlane swore as he held the poor colt close and flew away, Midnight watching them zoom towards Ponyville, looking worried.

“Midnight, wer’ awful sorry!” Applejack held her hat over her chest, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

“I need somepony to lead me to the hospital,” Midnight requested.

“Ah’ll take ya,” Big Mcintosh volunteered, Zaps asking, “Can I come too? I’m worried for my new friend!”

Midnight thanked them and the two earth ponies led the way, leaving a very worried Apple Family behind them.

Chapter 3

Midnight couldn’t help pacing back and forth in the waiting room, sweating with worry as Thunderlane, Big McIntosh, and zaps all sat, all worried as well.

Oh dear Faust, please let him be alright! Midnight pleaded to himself.

Gone were any thoughts of his previous intentions regarding Frostfright. The only thing that mattered now was the well-being of his little brother.

Unfortunately, the worry and stress did not sit well with Midnight’s stomach, still quite stuffed from his visit with the Apple Family. What he felt instantly made Midnight cover his mouth and run for the bathroom. The stallions and colt winced as they heard the unmistakable ralphing from the stallions’ room. A few minutes, Midnight stepped out, panting, and looking even more upset. So Big McIntosh went over and held out a can of soda he’d gotten at a nearby machine.

“Drink up, it’ll help settle yer stomach.”

“Thanks, Midnight groaned as he took a seat on one of the benches. Thunderlane went over, asking, “You ok, brony?”

“I’ll be fine,” Midnight lamented, “I just hope my brother will be.”

“Ah’m mighty sorry,” Big Mac apologized, sounding down. “Ah take full responsibility.”

“It’s ok,” Midnight assured him, “You couldn’t have known about my little brother’s allergies.”

“He’s right, big brother,” Zaps seconded, hopping onto the stallion’s back, and hugging him from behind his neck.

“It was just an accident.”

“I just hope my family we’ll see it that way,” Midnight grumbled. “I can already hear my father, scolding me.”

“Ah take it yer pa’s kinda…strict?” Big Mac asked.

“‘Strict’ would be putting it nicely,” Midnight replied as he leaned against the wall behind the bench and took a sip of the soda.

“My mother would just be worried, my sister would be assuring me I’m not at fault…”

“Y’have a sister too huh?” Big Mac asked, “Wha’ she like?”

“Eponya,” Midnight answered, “very strong and beautiful mare, just like our mom. She works as a teacher for unicorn foals at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She’s nice, encouraging, but firm when she has to be.”

“Sounds like a dandy fine mare t’me,” Big Mac chuckled.

“My mother will be understanding about this but my father?” Midnight hissed through his teeth. “Just add this entire experience to his list of ‘Reasons why my Oldest needs to quit his silly dreams and learn responsibility by joining the Royal Guard’.”

He noticed everypony, including the nurse at the desk, was giving him a look.

“…Sorry.”

“Listen, Midnight,” Thunderlane spoke up, “I don’t really know what’s up with your family, and I won’t ask. But this was an accident, plain and simple.”

“Eeyup,” Big McIntosh agreed.  “Past is past, pardner. All you can do hope fer th’ best, and be there fer yer brother.”

Zaps and Big Mac smiled at each other, as Midnight closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Thanks, everypony.”

At that moment, the doors opened and out walked Doctor Stable, all of them getting up, Midnight asking, “Doctor, how is he?”

“Exhausted from the whole thing, but he’s going to be fine,” the unicorn doctor assured. “We were able to reduce the swelling with a spell and get him breathing again. Then we administered the medication and got him to sleep.”

Everypony sighed in relief.

“It’s a good thing he swallowed only a little,” Doctor Stable explained, “after a good night’s rest, he’ll be fresh as a daisy by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Midnight looked uncomfortable. “I have to get these preparations done today! But I don’t wanna leave Twinken alone!”

“I’ll stay, Mr. Midnight,” Zaps volunteered. “Twinken’s my friend, so I’ll stay with him all night, and you can get back to checking on everything.”

Midnight wasn’t really sure if he was willing to leave the care of his brother with another colt, when the nurse spoke up, “I’ll check on them every hour on the hour, sir, and young Zaps can let me know if anything comes up.”

“Excellent idea, Nurse Redheart,” Doctor Stable replied. “Well, Midnight? You do realize if you don’t get your job done, the celebration will have to be canceled, but I understand if you want to stay.”

Midnight sighed, realizing that was true. As much as he was worried for Twinken and wanted to stay with him, he didn’t want to disappoint Ponyville, or his teacher, Princess Florinda.

“Alright, but hold on.”

Midnight took a piece of paper from the Nurse Redheart’s desk, and signed his name on it while casting a spell.

“Nurse? If something comes up, write it down on this paper and sign your name. The message will be teleported to me, and I’ll come straight away.”

“Of course,” Nurse Redheart obliged.

After checking Twinken, and seeing he was blissfully asleep, Midnight was finally comfortable with leaving him there with Zaps and Nurse Redheart, and followed Big McIntosh and Thunderlane outside.

“Ah’m gonna go let th’ fam’ly know yer lil’ brother’s alright.”

“Ok, nice meeting you, Big Mac,” Midnight said, shaking the farmer’s hoof, “and let Applejack know no hard feelings.”

“Eeyup!” Big Mac smiled and headed off.

“Shall we continue with the tour?” Thunderlane asked.

Sighing, Midnight said, “Alright, let’s check off ‘catering’ from the list. Next up is decorations.”

“Then we’re off to town hall!” Thunderlane declared.

Finding town Hall wasn’t a problem, as Midnight had seen it back in the square. What he wasn’t expecting was to see all the flowers, vines, and floral décor, along with birds and critters.

“Where did all this flora and fauna come from?” Midnight asked.

“Huh?” Thunderlane gave him a confused look.

Sighing, Midnight deigned to use simpler terminology, as he rephrased the question.

“The pretty flowers and cute little critters?”

“Oh! Well,” Thunderlane pointed towards the front door, “I think the decorators are inside.”

The interior of Town Hall had been transformed into a floral wonder, like an indoor garden. Flowers, tied with ribbons hung in strategic places, the carpet had been covered with cherry blossom petals, there were even a few bells. The only thing was, most of the decorations were being handled by the critters they’d seen outside, squirrels, birds, rabbits, raccoons.

“Well, I must say, whoever is responsible for all this is a visionary!”

“Beautiful…” sighed Thunderlane.

“I must agree, beautiful indeed,” Midnight seconded.

“Not the décor, her!” Thunderlane pointed out a butter yellow Pegasus mare, her mane and tail long and pink like blossoms, her cutie mark a trio of butterflies. With her was an earth pony stallion, his coat was a clover green, his mane and tail green like pine, with streaks of soil-brown running through them like roots. His eyes amber while his cutie mark was a pinecone with a sprig of pine needles.

“Well done, little ones,” the mare spoke with such a gentle and adorable voice.

“I can’t thank you enough, Fluttershy,” said the earth pony, blushing a little as he watched her guide the blue jays as they raised a large bouquet and hung it on the chandelier above with the others.

“When the Mayor asked me to provide all the flowers for the decorations, I wasn’t sure how I was gonna get it all done.”

“It’s my pleasure, Forster,” Fluttershy assured him when she noticed the newcomers. “Oh! Um, hello!”

“Good afternoon,” Midnight greeted, “my name is Midnight Blaze, here to check on the decorations. I must say, you’ve done a wonderful job.”

“You’re…w cum…” Fluttershy whispered, shrinking back a little from Midnight’s praise.

“Pardon?” asked Midnight, “I didn’t quite hear you.”

“She said, ‘You’re welcome’,” answered Forester. “I was actually the one given the task for decorations, and I was a little out of my… comfort zone, if y’know what I mean.”

“I don’t see how, considering the job well done,” Midnight assured as he looked around.

“Well, Fluttershy… she kinda offered her help,” Forester explained, looking sheepish, “and she showed up with all her critters, and… They’retheoneswhoreallypulleditalltogether!”

Midnight was a little taken back by Forester’s rushed talk, when Thunderlane zoomed up and gave the earth pony a noogie, saying, “You charmer, you! I’m actually a little jealous!”

Forester turned red as Big McIntosh as he appeared to pass out.

“Oh my!” gasped Fluttershy as she checked on him.

“Well, uh!” Midnight instantly wanted to be out of there. “The décor is obviously in good hooves! We’ll let you, uh… get back to it.”

Midnight grabbed Thunderlane and teleported out of there.

“Phew!” Midnight wiped his brow as he and Thunderlane walked down the street. “Well, I guess it’s time to check on the weather.”

“Hmm, last I checked the morning roster, Starfyre’s supposed to be on weather patrol,” Thunderlane replied while looking up.

Midnight followed his example in scanning the sky and noticed how cloudy it was.

“Well, he’s not doing a good job is-”

“INCOMING!”

“What the?” Midnight looked towards the sound of the voice and…

“OOMPH!!”

It’d only been a split second but for Midnight it felt like an eternity, as he’d seen a figure crash into him from out of nowhere, sending them both tumbling on the ground for a few seconds. When they stopped, Midnight was flat on his stomach, crushed by the weight of a Pegasus stallion with a coat yellow like a harsh ray of sunlight, a swept-back mane and wild tail, orange at the roots but the rest a burning blue, like the most intense tongue of flame, his eyes were bright red, and his cutie mark was an orange and yellow flame shaped like a Pegasus wing.

“Ooh…” moaned the stallion on top, massaging his head “…that didn’t turn out right.”

“Really? It didn’t?” asked Midnight, the venom of his sarcasm made evident. He might have yelled were his lungs not on the verge of collapse. Despite being on his back, he was able to notice the stallion was wearing a Wonderbolts uniform, but one that showed he was a recruit, not a full-fledged member, and he also had on a pair of goggles, that unfortunately had cracked, likely from the crash-landing. He noticed Thunderlane was gaping at them, and as the realization dawned upon him, he looked to be on the verge of laughter.

Then the stallion took off his goggles and yelped, “Aw man! That’s my second pair this week, my trainer’s gonna kill me!”

“Ahem!” Midnight cleared his throat, the stallion looking down and apparently noticing him for the first time, their eyes blinking.

“Hello.”

“Did I…?”

“Yes.”

“Well, heh…” the stallion rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed, “this is awkward.”

“Indeed,” Midnight deadpanned.

“Been a while since I crashed into anypony.”

“You don’t say…”

“No hard feelings?”

“That depends – Are you Starfyre?”

“That’s me, Ponyville’s premier weather pony and promising recruit of the Wonderbolts, at your service.”

“Great!” Midnight beamed, looking happy. “Say, Starfyre, if it’s not too much trouble, mind doing a little something for me?”

“What’s up, brony?”

“Oh nothing, just a teensy favor to make my day a little easier.”

“Sure thing, shoot!”

“Would you be a gentlecolt and…” Midnight started off, sounding polite before he did a pretty good execution of the Royal Canterlot Voice and thundered, “GET THE BUCK OFF ME!!!”

Somehow, from his position of being flat on his stomach with a full grown stallion on his back, Midnight was able to buck Starfyre off and send him flying while Thunderlane helped Midnight to his hooves.

“You ok, brony?”

“Considering somepony just crashed into me…” Midnight seethed as he dusted himself off, while Starfyre promptly returned, looking miffed.

“Ok, I’ll admit I was kinda acting like a dunce there,” he griped, “but was that really necessary?”

“If you’re goofing off and plowing ponies into the ground, then yes,” Midnight retorted. He gathered himself with a deep breath, then said, “I’m Midnight Blaze, and Princess Florinda assigned me to check on the weather.”

“Yeah-yeah, I’ll get it done in a few,” Starfyre waved off as he lazed on a cloud. “Just as soon as I’m done practicing.”

“For what?” asked Midnight.

“The Wonderbolts!” answered Starfyre, pointing to a poster on a nearby tree. “They’re performing at the celebration tomorrow! And I’m gonna show my trainer how much I’ve improved!”

“The Wonderbolts?”

“Yep!”

“The most tested and skilled flyers in all of Equestria?”

“You know it!”

“Ppht!” Midnight had handled these types before. “As if they’d let in a clumsy Pegasus who couldn’t keep the sky clear for one measly day!”

“Yo!” Starfyre neighed, Midnight having gotten his attention. “I could clear this sky without even touching one cloud!”

“Prove it…” Midnight smirked with narrowed eyes.

Growling, Starfyre leapt off his cloud, taking flight. He zoomed straight up into the air until he was so high he looked like a yellow speck.

“You might wanna keep your head low,” Thunderlane smirked.

Ignoring him, Midnight’s horn glowed and conjured a pair of binoculars and looked up. He looked to see Starfyre was diving straight down, leaving a trail of embers in his wake. He zoomed past one cloud and almost-instantly it evaporated into nothing.

The Pegasus zoomed to and fro, up and down, evaporating every cloud he zoomed past, until…

“Loop de’ loop around and whoosh! See? What’d I tell ya? Without even touching one cloud!”

The sky was perfectly clear, leaving Midnight to gape in shock that Starfyre really had cleared it without actually touching the clouds. Unfortunately, Midnight had not heeded Thunderlane’s warning to keep his head low, and his mane had paid the price.

“Ha! You should see the look on your face, priceless!” Starfyre gloated. “You’re a riot, Midnight! Let’s hang later, `kay? Later Thunder!”

And with that, Starfyre zoomed off, Thunderlane saying with a smirk, “Scary, isn’t he?”

“Rrgh!” Midnight growled, having been made to eat his own words as he huffed off, Thunderlane following as he said, “Wait! It’s actually kinda stylish in a… swept up way!”

Chapter 4

They went to Ponyville Theatre where Midnight said, “Next up, the play!”

Inside was a lovely auditorium with box seats and balconies all before a classic stage where they saw fillies and colts setting up a set.

“Well, the décor for tonight’s play seems to be coming along nicely,” Midnight commented when they heard a loud bray.

“Cut! No, no, no, Cotton Cloudy!”

They watched as a curtain rose and they saw a black unicorn stallion with a snow-white mane slicked back, a well-kept tail, amethyst eyes, and a cutie mark of two spotlights. He appeared to be directing and was talking to a little Pegasus filly.

“You need to feel the part, dear, act as though it’s all real!”

He sighed and said, “Take five, everypony, we’ll continue rehearsing after lunch. Dinky Doo, Button Mash, help me finish this back drop, if you please.”

Midnight approached, saying, “Hello.”

“Just a moment please,” the unicorn said, not looking to see who it was. “My vision is slowly becoming realization! Now, just a little higher, Button, Dinky, keep it in place… Yes! Perfect!”

The backdrop was in place as the unicorn thanked the two foals and let them go eat as he then said to himself, “My vision is complete, Bravissimo you are talent! Now, ahem!”

He turned, saying, “How can I help you- Augh!”

Getting a look at Midnight, Bravissimo neighed, “My goodness gracious, sir! Whatever happened to your coiffure?!”

“Oh, you mean my mane? Well it’s no big deal,” Midnight insisted. “I’m just here to check on the play, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“My hair? What about your hair?” Bravissimo asked before he suddenly pushed Midnight, who yelped “Help!”

Thunderlane just followed, shaking his head in good-natured submission. He knew Bravissimo well-enough that nothing would stop him from correcting a grooming-related error.

Bravissimo ended up taking Midnight to a place called Carousel Boutique, where he insisted on getting the stallion a fix up for his mane. They tried different styles, but Bravissimo found a flaw in each one.

“Hmm, no, no… too long, too short, too wavy, don’t like it… Uh! Disgusting, no!”

Midnight finally convinced Bravissimo to let him put it back in its normal style.

“Ah, yes!” Bravissimo said, as Midnight regained his original hairstyle. “I must say, I find your choice to be a blend of casual and formal, ingenious!”

“If I may, gentlecolts,” interrupted Rarity, the proprietress and seamstress of the business, as unicorn mare with a marble-white coast and pristine royal purple mane and tail styled carefully into elegant curls, her cutie-mark a trio of diamonds, “I would say our overseer could do with something to wear to the celebration!”

“Rarity, my muse!” Bravissimo beamed. “Perhaps you’ve something our friend here would find dashing?”

Rarity chose a burgundy-colored bow tie and absent-mindedly tied it around Midnight’s neck, a little too tight.

“Now my good stallion, you were telling me about yourself?”

“I – was – assigned by… Agh! Princess Florinda to-!” Midnight choked, and Rarity and Bravissimo both gasped, thankfully with her letting go of the bow tie, and Midnight gasped for breath.

“Princess Florinda?!” Rarity gasped, Bravissimo getting up in Midight’s face as he asked, his eyes seeing stars, “You know the princess of the seasons? I’m so jealous! You must be a very important pony!”

“We simply must arrange an outing sometime!” Rarity insisted, Bravissimo saying, “Wait, let me get you some diamond cufflinks! Rarity, if you would accompany me?”

The two drama-queens went to get the cufflinks when Midnight ran off, telling Thunderlane, “Let’s get out of here before they hang me with an ascot!”

Later outside, Midnight sighed as he asked, “What’s next?”

“Actually,” Thunderlane said, holding the check-list with his wing, scratching his head with one of his fore-feathers, “I think we got everything!”

Sighing in relief, midnight said, “Well, of we’re really done, I’m gonna go check on Twinken although perhaps I should go see Twilight at the library.”

“Before you do,” Thunderlane brought up, “why don’t we take a break and grab a snack? It’s been pretty hectic, huh?”

“You can say that again,” Midnight agreed. All the excitement had worked up an appetite for him, especially after he tossed his apples back at the hospital.

“Know any good places around here, besides Sweet Apple Acres?”

“I know just the place,” Thunderlane said with a smirk.

The Pegasus led Midnight to…

“There she is, Sugarcube Corner!” Thunderlane pointed it out. “The perfect place anywhere for you to sink your sweet-tooth!”

Midnight saw what looked like a life-size gingerbread house topped by a giant cupcake.

“Don’t tell me you can actually eat it,” Midnight cracked, Thunderlane chuckled and they hoof-bumped.

But as they entered, Midnight was put off by how quiet it was and it was dark.

“Strange, it’s not even sunset yet and the places looks empty. Thunder, are you sure the place isn’t closed for the celebration tomorrow?”

“…Not exactly,” Thunderlane trailed, sounding like he was up to something.

“Well, where’s the light?” Midnight asked, and no sooner did he did the lights flick on and…

“SURPRISE!!!!”

Midnight yelped as he found himself surrounded by ponies, along with party decorations. Balloons, streamers, confetti, you name it, it was there. A lot of the attendees he didn’t know but he did recognize some of them. Big McIntosh and Applejack were there, along with a few more of their family members, he saw Forester and Fluttershy, Bravissimo and Rarity, Starfyre, along with a Pegasus mare who could only be the famous Rainbow Dash, even Twilight Sparkle and Spike were there.

But before he had a chance to talk with her did a very familiar face pop up in front of him, the same pink earth pony mare who’d been talking with Thunderlane. Pinkie Pie.

“Surprise!!!” she cheered. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you and your brother! Were you surprised, were you, were you? Huh-huh-huh?!”

“Very surprised,” Midnight admitted, nervously. “But I didn’t exactly ask for a party…”

“Well, that’s silly!” Pinkie giggled, “How could this be a surprise party if you knew beforehoof? I mean – Duh! Bo-ring!”

Midnight sighed and walked towards the refreshments table, as Pinkie went on. And on. And on.

“Y'see, I saw you when you first got here, remember? You were all "hello" and I was all,” she made a deep gasp, just as she did when they first met, “remember? Y'see I've never saw you before and if I've never saw you before that means you're new, 'cause I know everypony, and I mean Everypony in Ponyville!”

Midnight groaned, unable to comprehend how one pony could have so much to say and say it all as fast as she was going. So he just helped himself to a drink.

“And if you're new, that meant you haven't met anyone yet – Well, you did meet Thunderlane – and if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, especially after I heard about your little brother! Then I had an idea, and that's why I went” she made a deep gasp again. “I must throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville! See? And now you have lots and lots of friends!”

But as soon as Midnight had taken a sip, his mouth felt hot, his face turned red, he was sweating as he turned around, Big Mac asking, “You alright, haystack?”

Midnight leapt into the air, his mane and tail bursting into flames as he zoomed off to look for water.

Pinkie said, “Aw, he’s so happy he’s speechless!”

Unbeknownst to the partygoers, Midnight had run outside and dove into a nearby water-well, Thunderlane and Big Mac following him outside. They heard him sighing in relief, his voice echoing in the well.

“Hey Midnight!” Thunderlane called down to him. “You need any help?”

They heard a poof behind them and found Midnight soaking wet, not looking happy.

“No! All the ponies around here are nuts!!”

He then conjured what looked like a chess piece, a rook to be exact.

“What’cha got there?” Big Mac asked.

“Call it my home away from home,” Midnight sighed as he walked away, the other two stallions following. “You don’t have to follow me anymore, the overseeing is done, I’ll be fine.”

“We just wanna make sure you’re ok, Midnight,” Thunderlane replied.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac seconded as they found Midnight had led them to a large clearing, a good way away from the other residences.

They watched as Midnight set the rook piece on the ground and backed away from it. They heard Midnight whisper what sounded like an incantation, and his horn flared with light. They watched as a stream of magic extended to the rook like a ribbon of light, shimmering blue and silver, and the rook started to grow in size, and they saw it was turning into a real tower!

In no time at all, they found themselves standing before a tower-house, at least five stories tall, the top sided with turrets, windows here and there, and a banner hanging above the door emblazoned with Midnight’s cutie-mark.

“Whoa…!” Thunderlane and Big Mac both said in awe as Midnight went to the door.

“I’m getting some rest,” he declared. “I don’t want to be disturbed until the beginning of the celebration, at which point either of you are welcome to let me know.”

Without waiting for a response, he slammed the door, a portcullis falling from the archway above, and Thunderlane and Big Mac looked at each other, looking a little worried.

“Something tells me today didn’t quite go as he hoped.”

“Eeyup.”

As the night dragged on, Midnight laid in a bed, trying to relax as he muttered, “All I wanted was to speak with Twilight Sparkle about the Spirits of Adventure. But nooo! I get shanghaied to eating till I puke my guts out, my little brother ends up in the hospital, I get plowed into the dirt by a pony with a huge ego, he makes me eat my words, I almost get suffocated by a fashion accessory, and a party favor almost scorches my esophagus!!”

Sighing, he looked outside. Seeing the position of the moon, he knew dawn wasn’t far off as he recited, “‘On the night before the five-hundredth spring since his imprisonment, the thaw will aid in his escape and bring about Endless Winter.’ Perhaps the princess is right. Maybe it really is just an old ponytale…”

Then from outside he heard somepony yell, “Come on, Midnight! It’s almost time to watch the sunrise for the Dawn of Spring!”

“Eeyup!!”

Everypony in town had turned out for the event. Midnight stood with Big Mac and Thunderlane who said to Midnight, “Isn’t this exciting?! Seeing the Dawn of Spring is gonna be so cool!”

Suddenly, a chorus of music played by some birds at Fluttershy’s direction silenced everypony as the mayor walked onto the stage and announced, “Fillies and gentlecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my pleasure to announce the beginning of the Dawn of Spring Celebration!”

Everypony cheered until the mayor went on.

“In mere moments, we shall witness the magic of the sunrise, as we celebrate the beginning of Spring! And without further ado, it is my great honor to introduce to you her royal highness, the very pony who brings us spring and winter every year!”

On a balcony above the mayor, Rarity and Bravissimo stood ready to pull the curtains as the mayor announced, “The kind, the humble, the bringer of happiness to Equestria, Princess Florinda!”

Bravissimo pulled a chord, causing the billowing curtains to move away to reveal... nopony?!

Everypony started to chatter in alarm, Midnight saying, “This doesn’t look good.”

“Calm down, everypony,” the mayor said, “I’m sure there’s an explanation!”

Bravissimo appeared on the balcony, announcing, “She’s not here!”

“Is it just me or is it getting cold?” Thunderlane asked.

“E-e-eyup,” Big Mac shivered then gasped as everypony saw the balcony slowly freeze over in ice and frost, Bravissimo teleporting away as a snowy wind whirled until it revealed…

“Frostfright!” Midnight whispered in alarm.

A tall alicorn stallion stood on the balcony, his horn like a sharp piercing icicle yet it radiated the colors of the northern lights with a harsh brilliance, his eyes a cold unfeeling icy blue, his coat a freezing bluish-black like his whole body had suffered frostbite, his hooves looked like they were made of solid ice, as everywhere he stepped the floor froze beneath him, his mane looked like a sharp glacier, his tail like a blizzard of flowing snow. His cutie mark was a fanciful pattern of frost, like one might find on their window during winter. On his head he wore a helmet similar to the helmets worn by the princesses’ royal guard, but with a plume of icicles, and similar armor around his shoulders, a bone-chilling cold spread through the room for every beat of his wings, as he sneered.

“Ah, my beloved subjects,” he spoke in a voice that sounded like the harsh crack of ice. “It’s been such a long time since last I saw your precious spring-loving faces.”

“What did you do to our princess?!” Starfyre brayed, trying to fly at Frostfright but Big Mac grabbed Starfyre’s tail in his teeth, stopping him as the farmer said, “Nnope!”

“Why, am I not royal enough for you?” Frostfright chuckled darkly. “Do you not know who I am?”

“Ooh, ooh! A guessing game!” Pinkie gasped. “How `bout… Freezie-Breezie? Or King Nasty? Or-”

Applejack shut her up by stuffing an apple into the party pony’s mouth.

“Does my name no longer count since I’ve been imprisoned for five hundred years?” Frostfright asked in an accusatory yet rhetorical manner. “Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

“I did!”

Frostfright looked to see Midnight.

“And I know who you are – You’re the Frozen Horse, Frostfright!”

Everypony gasped as Frostfright simply chuckled, “Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here.”

“You’re here to…” Midnight spoke, sounding nervous.

“Think fondly of your last spring, my little ponies, for indeed it was your last!” Frostfright declared. “From this moment forth, the Winter shall last forever!!!”

Frostfright laughed wickedly as his magic whipped up a whirling blizzard, freezing everything around them, the clouds covering the sky, snow fell, icicles formed, lakes, trees, flowers, all froze, to everypony’s horror.

Chapter 6

With that understanding settled, the ponies continued on into the tunnel when they came to a large chamber that was a labyrinth of ice walls.

“Everypony, stay close,” Midnight instructed, “it’s easy to get lost in here.”

But as they slowly walked through the labyrinth, Thunderlane suddenly slipped and slid through an opening. The other stallions all screamed and looked through to see Thunderlane sliding further and further away.

With no choice, they all leapt in, sliding along trying to catch up with Thunderlane, when the ice slide split five ways, and, of course, they were split up.

Midnight was sliding on his back, screaming as he came to an upturned slope and was sent hurtling into the air.

Big McIntosh was sliding on his belly underneath a narrow of ice and careened over an edge, spinning like a Frisbee.

Bravissimo had gone down the same way as Thunderlane and was trying to catch up, as he grabbed Thunderlane, levitating him up, declaring, “I gotcha!”

Unfortunately, Bravissimo fell through a hole in the ice, releasing Thunderlane, and Bravissimo landed on the still airborne Midnight, causing them to fall through another hole where they crashed into Forester, as Starfyre fell on them from a hole above, and they all screamed to see they were headed for a bunch of icicles. Thinking quickly, Starfyre spread his wings as they came to a slope, sending them gliding across the icicles, as Big Mac flew in out of nowhere, and they continued to slide after Thunderlane.

But ahead, they saw an obelisk of ice.

Starfyre grabbed Midnight’s horn and spoke into it, “Captain, iceberg ahead!”

Crashing into the obelisk of ice caused them to break apart on a set of ice slides along each other, and it became a race of who got to Thunderlane first, when a slope sent Thunderlane careening into the air.

Midnight stamped his hooves onto his slide, making him slow while the rest slid smack into a wall of packed snow, while Midnight used his magic to catch Thunderlane but they still smacked into snow with everyone else.

Everypony pulled themselves out of the snow when Thunderlane popped up, whopping, “Whoo!”

He gave a hearty punch to Big Mac’s shoulder and whooped, “Yes! Who’s up for round two?!”

Everypony gave him a look, and he protested, “Aw come on, not one of you can look me in the eye and say he didn’t enjoy that?”

Everypony looked at each other, seeing similar glimmers of amusement in each other’s eyes, and they couldn’t hold it in as they all burst out laughing.

Soon they all had their laugh, when Big Mac tapped Midnight’s shoulder and pointed to a nearby archway that led them to a flight of stairs. Above the archway was an ice-carving displaying the cutie-mark of Midnight’s teacher.

“Well, well, Thunder,” he said as they gathered behind him, “seems you led us to where we need to be.”

“What? All I did was… wonder off!” Thunderlane cracked but this time nopony laughed, Bravissimo deadpanning, “That’s a terrible pun!”

Thunderlane just shrugged and they resumed their quest.

As they climbed, they could hear some distant crying. Going up, they saw a couple of pups wearing diamond-studded collar, crying and whining and clawing at a solid wall of ice, completely blocking the way.

They approached the pups, Midnight asking, “What’s wrong?”

One of the pups hiccupped as he whimpered, “We were on the mountain with our mama when we all fell through a hole, and we ended up here. But before we could get to mama, this big wall of ice froze up and now we can’t get to her!”

Big McIntosh pressed his ear against the wall, and could hear desperate growls and whines on the other side.

“Eeyup, sounds like their ma’s on the other side o’ this here wall,” he confirmed.

“Looks too thick to smash with our hooves,” Midnight said.

“I have an idea,” Bravissimo declared. He approached the pups, saying, “Little ones, how loud can you howl?”

“Howl?!” echoed the other stallions.

“Why yes!” Bravissimo confirmed. “If the pups howl as loud as they can, the sounds will echo and vibrate, causing the ice wall to crack enough for us to break through!”

“W-w-we don’t think we can do it,” cried the other pup.

“There, there, little one, all you need to do is believe in yourself,” Bravissimo assured her. “Howling isn’t what you think, it’s what you feel! Reach within yourselves and find the strong and confident Diamond Dogs you will grow up to be, and howl!”

The two pups looked at each other and nodded in determination. They faced the wall, took a deep breath, and let out the longest, loudest howls they could. The howls did indeed echo through the tunnel, causing ice to crack in the wall and a few icicles overhead to fall, but the wall let out a loud crack as it appeared.

“Starfyre, Big McIntosh, Midnight!” Bravissimo neighed. “Let that wall have it!”

The three of them nodded and took a running start as they then turned around and bucked against the wall, and it all came crashing down. As the frosty mist cleared, they saw an adult Diamond Dog, wearing a drab gown and a collar as well, come forth and the pups yipped happily as they were reunited with their mother.

“Oh thank you, Mr. Pony!” the pups yipped as they then leapt up at him, licking him as Bravissimo laughed.

“You’re quite welcome,” he laughed as the Diamond Dog called for her pups and they went down the stairs to leave.

“That was ingenious, Bravissimo!” complimented Midnight.

“All it takes is a little confidence, Midnight!” Bravissimo replied and they continued.

Finally, the stallions stood before a dark chasm, so deep they couldn’t see the bottom.

“How do we get past this?” Forester asked.

“Look!” Big Mac neighed, pointing out the remains of a rope bridge.

“Leave it to me, boys!” brayed Starfyre as he took the bridge and flew it over to connect it to the other side.

As he tied one side he set to do the other when he heard a voice.

Starfyre… Starfyre…

He looked and saw, walking towards him from the chilly mist…

“The Wonderbolts?!”

There before him stood three of the Wonderbolts, all looking proud in their uniforms. But Starfyre noticed they looked rather conceited.

“Uh! I’m Starfyre, one of your most promising recruits! I’ve been working my flank off to join you guys forever!”

You? Join us? Like that’ll ever happen!

“Wha- Why not?” Starfyre whinnied in shock.

Why would we allow somepony to join us if they didn’t have wings!

“Huh?” Starfyre looked and brayed in shock to see his wings were gone!

“How is this possible?! What happened to my wings?!”

Like the Wonderbolts would ever let in a silly pony who can’t fly!

The “Wonderbolts” cruelly laughed and taunted Starfyre as he hunkered down in humiliation and shock.

I don’t have wings! I can’t fly! I’m scared…!

“Starfyre!” shouted a voice, and he looked to see Midnight. “Whatever you’re seeing, it’s not real! Face your fears!”

It was then Starfyre understood what was happening: It was his worst fears coming to life, his dream thwarted, his love of flying gone, to be alone. It wasn’t real!

He stood tall, taking the other rope as he neighed, “I don’t know who you are, but nothing’s ever gonna stop Starfyre from making his dreams take flight!”

Instantly, he leapt up, and continued to rise, as he felt the familiar beat of his wings and gasped in joy to see they were there, as he flapped a mighty wing-beat, and the wind blew away the fake Wonderbolts!

With the rope-bridge repaired, the other stallions made it across, as Midnight said, “Well done, Starfyre! You faced your fears!”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Starfyre bragged as he enjoyed his flight more than he ever had before, zigzagging around in a yellow whirl before settling down with his friends.

Chapter 8

Everypony groaned as they got up.

“My head!” Starfyre neighed.

“Everypony in one piece?” asked Big McIntosh.

“Oh my!” gasped Bravissimo.

“Look at our armor!” Forester said. “The jewels look like our cutie marks!”

“So cool!” whinnied Thunderlane.

“Sweet!” brayed Starfyre as he reared up.

“Wow, Midnight,” Big McIntosh smiled at the unicorn, who looked a bit sheepish under his helm. “Ah wern’t so shor `bout all this, but… Ah reckon we are the Spirits of Adventure!”

“Indeed you are!”

Hearing that voice, like the music of rainfall, they looked past the pillars to see the wintry clouds part to reveal the break of dawn as did arose a golden light. The light came down and dimmed to reveal…

“Princess Florinda!” Midnight gasped.

It was indeed Princess Florinda whose coat was blue like the clear morning sky, her mane and tail like white fluffy clouds that gently glowed with sunshine, her eyes spring-green, her horn like a ray of sunlight, her wings folding, she wore jewelry and a crown, and her cutie mark was a stylized sunflower.

The other stallions all bowed as Midnight approached his teacher.

“Midnight Blaze, my loyal apprentice,” Princes Florinda greeted, giving him a warm nuzzle. She stood up, gazing at him proudly.

“I knew you could do it!”

“But… I thought you said it was just an old pony’s tale,” Midnight protested.

“I said you had to make some friends, nothing more,” Princess Florinda reminded him.

“I saw the signs of Frostfright’s return and knew it was you who had the light within to defeat him, but you could not ignite it until you let friendship back into your heart.”

Midnight beamed at his mentor’s praise.

“Now if only another would as well,” spoke Florinda as she stepped past them all as she neighed, “Prince Polaris!”

Everypony looked to see Frostfright was no more, and in his place was a snow-white alicorn stallion with an icy blue mane and tail, his cutie mark was the same pattern of frost, and his horn shined like the northern lights. He wore a plumed helmet and ice-armor smooth like glass. He laid upon the ground, looking exhausted but his eyes, now orange like a maple leaf in autumn, widened nervously as Florinda approached him.

“It has been five hundred since last I saw you as yourself. It’s time to settle our differences! We were meant to oversee the seasons together, big brother.”

“Brother?!” the stallions all gasped.

“Won’t you accept my friendship?” asked Florinda hopefully.

Polaris looked down in shame, everypony leaning forward as tension built, when the alicorn stallion stood up and quickly nuzzled Florinda, whinnying, “Please forgive me, little sister! I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you too!” said Florinda, as a tear of joy ran down her face.

The six stallions all cheered.

There was much celebrating, as everypony in Ponyville had turned out for the event, as the six ponies, wearing the armor of the Spirits of Adventure, walked down an aisle towards Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Florinda, as well as Prince Polaris, who all had gathered in front of Town Hall.

Midnight and Big Mac were happy to see the Mares of Harmony were all no longer frozen, and Midnight’s little brother Twinken was there as well, smiling proudly at his big brother as he stood next to Zaps and a little grey Pegasus colt with a swept-back black mane, that Midnight later learned was Rumble, Thunderlane’s little brother, along with a brown earth pony colt with a messy mane, wearing a beanie-hat, the propeller spinning even though there was no breeze, and he remembered his name was Button Mash.

“Step forth, brave stallions,” bade Princess Celestia.

They bowed before her as she rested her horn on Midnight’s shoulder.

“I dub thee all Knights of Canterlot – By your efforts, has been averted a great disaster and returned to us our once-lost Prince Polaris, the Overseer of Winter.”

Prince Polaris shied, looking sheepish but happy as Florinda nuzzled her brother.

“From this day forth, you shall be remembered as the Heroes of Spring!” Princess Celestia declared and everypony cheered.

As it died down, Pinkie Pie leapt up with her party cannon, shouting, “Let’s get this party started!”

As the party went on, Midnight took a moment to be alone. He should’ve known better as a voice he knew well spoke behind him.

“Why so glum, my loyal apprentice?”

He looked to see Florinda, beaming at him with pride.

“Are you not glad your mission is complete and you can return to your research in Canterlot?”

“Well, it’s just…” Midnight hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I’d all but forgotten just how wonderful friendship can be! …Now that I’ve been reminded of it, I have to leave them…”

“S’all right, haystack.”

They looked to see the other Knights as they approached.

“No matter how far apart we might be…” Thunderlane began.

“…Our friendship will keep us connected,” Bravissimo assured.

“How could it not, with such awesome ponies like us?” Starfyre seconded.

“And you’re welcome to visit anytime,” Forester invited.

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Princess Florinda said, everypony looking at her. “Twinken, take a note please.”

Don’t ask where he got them (except Pinkie Pie maybe) but Twinken whipped out a quill and parchment and wrote down Florinda’s words.

“‘I, Princess Florinda, Overseer of Spring, do hereby decree that the unicorn known as Midnight Blaze shall take on a new mission for the sake of Equestria – He must lead, as Captain, his fellow Knights of Adventure should ever their services be required to protect the ponies of the land, and so he will stand ready with them, reporting to me from his new home… in the town of Ponyville!’”

“Pony-pile!!” shouted the other knights as they all jumped on Midnight, laughing, as did he as he cheered, “Thank you, Princess Florinda, I promise to do my best!”

Everypony cheered happily, some relieved that this particular adventure was over. Little did they know, particularly six young stallions bound by a friendship tested and true, that this was only the beginning!

Chapter 5

“Seize him!” the mayor shouted to the royal guards. “Only he knows where the princess is!”

The Royal Guards all charged at Frostfright, who sneered, “Stand back, you foals!”

The Frozen Horse’s eyes flared with power and a freezing shockwave blew out, freezing the guards stiff.

“You won’t get away with this!” Twilight shouted as she began a spell, Midnight yelling, “Twilight, no!”

“Silly filly…” Frostfright sneered as he fired a beam of ice right at Twilight.

“No!!!” shouted Twilight’s friends as they ran to protect her. Alas, their endeavor only insured they shared her frozen fate, as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony joined the Royal Guards in Frozen Petrification.

“I got you!” Starfyre brayed as he zoomed straight at Frostfright who merely smirked. Starfyre smashed against Frostfright only for the Frozen Horse to shatter into pieces of ice.

“What the?!”

Starfyre saw a shimmering blizzard fly off in a way the weather pony knew was unnatural, and he pursued, shouting, “Come back here!”

But even Starfyre couldn’t catch up, and the blizzard was gone. Then Starfyre finally noticed the freeze that had befallen his home and felt his heart sink.

“Winter forever…?”

Then he heard the crunching of hooves and noticed Midnight galloping off.

“Now where’s he going?!”

Somehow, Midnight made it to the library and was tearing through book after book, muttering, “Spirits, spirits, spirits… Ugh! How can I stop Frostfright without the Spirits of Adventure?!”

“And just what are the Spirits of Adventure?!” barked a voice behind him, and Midnight turned to see it was…

“Starfyre?!”

“And how did you know about Frostfright?!” Starfyre demanded, sounded accusatory. “Are you a spy?!”

“Whoa there, partner!” said the voice of Big Mac as he appeared behind Starfyre, alongside Bravissimo, Thunderlane, and Forester.

“He ain’t no spy, but he does seem to know what’s goin’ on, don’cha Midnight?”

All eyes were on the unicorn, so he fessed up.

“I read all about the foretelling of Frostfright… He can only be stopped by the power of some mysterious objects called the Spirits of Adventure. But I don’t know what they are, how to find them – I don’t even know how they work!”

“‘The Spirits of Adventure: A Reference Guide’,” said the voice of Thunderlane, who was looking at a book under his hoof.

Instantly, Midnight yanked it out underneath him, making Thunderlane trip, Midnight asking, “How’d you find that?”

“I was standing on it, duh!” Thunderlane quipped with a chuckle.

“Oh.” Midnight deadpanned with a look before looking into the book and read aloud, “‘Of the Six Spirits of Adventure, only five are known: Empathy, Wonder, Confidence, Bravery, and Honor – The sixth is a complete mystery. When Florinda defeated Frostfright and imprisoned him, she thought it best to hide the Spirits in… the very citadel atop the most desolate peak where Frostfright’s prison resided’?! Why would Florinda hide the Spirits in the same place she imprisoned Frostfright?!”

“My guess is, she hid them there because Frostfright would never think to look for them in the place he wanted to escape,” Bravissimo stated.

“Ice Crystal Mountain is a long ways away,” Midnight mused then smiled. “I got it!”

Midnight pulled another book from the shelves and looked into it.

“Aha! The Portal Spell! Alright, I need absolute quiet…”

Everypony hushed as Midnight appeared to be concentrating, his horn shined with power as magical energy appeared and swirled faster and faster until a shining doorway and through it they saw Ice Crystal Mountain.

“Let’s go!” Thunderlane cheered.

“Hold on, I appreciate the offer,” Midnight said, blocking the portal, “But I’d really rather do this on my own.”

“Nnope. Ain’t no chance we’ letting a friend a’ ours go to that dangerous place, alone, “Big McIntosh insisted as he put a hoof on midnight’s shoulder. “Haystack, we’re stickin’ to you like caramel on a candy apple.”

“Didja bring any?” Thunderlane asked, prompting Midnight to facehoof.

One by one, they jumped through the portal, and found themselves at the foot of Ice Crystal Mountain. Its forbidden height and freezing air made it look especially foreboding. As they all began the long way up, Midnight asked, “So, besides the fact Frostfright was imprisoned here somewhere, no one’s ever climbed Ice Crystal Mountain?”

“N-nnope,” Big Mac answered with a shake in his voice.

“They say this place is cursed,” Bravissimo added.

“Whattya mean?” Midnight asked.

“Because nopony who ever tried to climb it, “Starfyre spoke in a scary voice as he crept up behind the others, “has ever… come… back!!!”

Unfortunately, Starfyre’s shout caused an echo and an…

“Avalanche!” Forester shouted.

A flurry of snow and ice slid down towards them that Starfyre and Thunderlane flew up to avoid, Big McIntosh roped a nearby tree, grabbing Forester while Bravissimo managed to climb a large rock. Midnight was not so lucky, as he found himself dangling over the edge of an icy chasm.

“Help!”

Big Mac slid down the snow, stopping in front of Midight and grabbing hold of him.

“Big Mac, please don’t let me fall!”

Big McIntosh tried to pull Midnight up but then he felt a chilly whisper in his ears.

Let him go… he’s only brought you trouble… he got your sister frozen…

Nnope! Big Mac refused to listen to this voice, but it felt like it was starting to drain his strength, when he noticed something.

“Midnight, let go!”

“Are you insane?!”

“Nnope! Ah swear you’ll be alright!”

“No I won’t!”

“Listen, Ah give you mah word – Let go and you’ll be alright!”

Midnight looked at Big McIntosh, and saw no deception in the farmer’s big green eyes. Bracing himself, Midnight closed his eyes and let go, yelling until he found himself being held up by Starfyre and Thunderlane. They slowly lowered him down while Big Mac leapt down from ledge to ledge and Forester and Bravissimo climbed down on Big Mac’s rope.

“Thanks, everypony,” Midnight sighed.

“Look over there,” They followed Thunderlane’s pointing hoof and saw what looked to be an archway made of ice that led into the mountain.

“Something tells me that’s where we go next,” Midnight said and he led the way.

“…and just when it seemed over, me and Thunder whooshed in and caught you in the nick of time!” Starfyre boasted.

“Yes, Starfyre, I was there,” Midnight said, sounding irritated, “I was the one screaming?”

They walked through an icy tunnel that appeared to be torch-lit of blue flames.

“This place shor is creepy,” Big Mac muttered.

“Oh, please, it looks so tacky, in my opinion,” Bravissimo huffed. “Next thing you know, we’ll be hearing some supposedly frightful wail.”

And that’s exactly what they heard, as a ghostly wail sounded through the tunnel, the stallions huddling together in fear, trying to see where it was coming from.

“M-m-maybe we should t-turn back!” Starfyre whimpered.

“Hold on,” said Forester. He went along the tunnel and saw…

“An Abominable Snowman!” the other ponies gasped.

The Abominable Snowman had large sharp branches for arms, coals for eyes and buttons and teeth, a carrot for a nose, and a scarf around its neck. But instead of abominable, it looked like it was melting as it was the one moaning.

“Hey! It’s melting,” Starfyre got cocky and raised his wings. “We can beat it easy!”

“Shame on you!”

They looked to see Forester, giving them disapproving looks.

“How can you even think of hurting a defenseless creature? It’s like cutting down a tree just because it grew somewhere inconvenient.”

Forester approached the snowman, who looked up at the earth pony pleadingly.

“You poor thing, this torchlight must feel horrible! Everypony, blow out the torches, quickly!”

They all blew out the torches and Midnight shined his horn to provide some light as the Snowman appeared to gather himself a little. They watched as he reformed a bit, his snow becoming a little sturdier, and he seemed to fix his melting mouth and, to their surprise, he spoke!

“Oh! Thank you, thank you my friends! The heat coming from those torches was horrible!”

“You’re very welcome,” Forester replied with a smile.

“Sir, have those torches always been there?” asked Midnight, walking up next to Forester.

“Yes, but they’ve never been lit!” said the Snowman, sounding very bewildered. “I live in this ice cave, and was minding my own business when all of a sudden the torches were ignited, and the heat was making me melt! But thank you all so much for blowing them out, and if you’ll excuse me I must go outside and put on some extra pounds in snow.”

“Before you do, would you mind telling us where this cave leads?” Midnight asked.

“Keep following it and you would find yourself atop the mountain where awaits a citadel of sorts,” the Snowman answered as he shuffled past them.

“Uh, Forest?”

Everypony looked at Starfyre, who seemed to have developed an interest in his hooves.

“Sorry, I…”

“You shouldn’t act out of a first-impression, Starfyre,” Forester said, “because things aren’t always the way they seem. All you have to do, is be empathic.”

Everypony nodded and Starfyre gave an understanding smile as Forester held out his hoof.

“Then no worries?”

“No worries,” Forester replied, and the two friends hoof-bumped.

Chapter 7

The stallions proceeded until they marveled at what looked to be a great tower.

“This must be the citadel that holds Frostfright’s prison,” Midnight surmised.

The tower was frozen over with ice, icicles spreading out like glass thorns, a flag completely frozen in mid-billowing, and despite the frost over it, Midnight could recognize his teacher’s cutie-mark emblazoned on it. The doors had been blown clear off their hinges, the stallions having a good idea of what, or rather, who was responsible, as they made their way inside and found a vast circular chamber, likely making up most of the citadel’s lower level, considering the nearby stairs that ran up along the walls, and in the center they saw what looked to be a vast crystal, framed with metal yet broken from the inside out.

“This must have been Frostfright’s prison!” Midnight said. “Look around, the Spirits of Adventure have to be around here somewhere.”

Somehow, each stallion felt drawn towards five crystals in the prison chamber, and set them all before Midnight.

“I thought there were six Spirits of Adventure.” Thunderlane worried.

“The book said that when the five are united, a blaze of power will reveal the sixth,” Midnight replied as he examined the crystals.

“Wha’ in th’ hay does that mean?” wondered Big McIntosh.

“I have an idea, back away,” Midnight said, as he sat himself down and concentrated the magic of his horn, Big Mac saying, “Come on, y’all, let him work.”

Unfortunately, as Midnight was too busy, a swirl of icy winds surrounded Midnight, drawing in the crystals.

“The Spirits!” Midnight brayed as he leapt into the twister, as everypony charged forward to help.

But as soon as Midnight had dove into the freezing whirl, it vanished, taking Midnight and the Spirits with it. The stallions all began to panic.

“Where’d he go?!”

“Midnight!”

“What happened?!”

Suddenly, they heard a distant rumble above them.

“Come on!” Big McIntosh neighed as he led them to the stairs.

Midnight appeared in a flash of light, on the very top of the Citadel, shivering from the cold. He looked around and saw above and around him a structure that looked like a stone rotunda supported by pillars of crstallized ice, the outside revealing the vast mountainous terrain almost hidden by the flurry of snow. But ahead of him, standing on a stone platform, caused Midnight to gasp.

“Frostfright!”

Standing on the platform was Frostfright, with the Spirit of Adventure crystals at his hooves, as he laughed in wicked amusement.

“I must admit – You’re certainly persistent to have come this far…”

Not giving up, Midnight lowered his head, threateningly stamping his hooves, and charging his horn.

“Oh please…” Frostfright sneered, not at all intimidated. “You can’t be serious.”

Midnight then charged, as did Frostfright. The both of them held each other’s gaze as they galloped closer to collision, Midnight’s brows furrowed with determination, Frostfright’s lips sneered in amusement.

But right at the moment before they would’ve clash, Midnight teleported and Frostfright ran into an ice pillar while Midnight made it to the crystals.

“Just a blaze of power…!” he whispered as he charged his horn, trying to send power to the crystals.

Frostfright growled as he became a wind of blistering cold and whisked over, knocking Midnight away. Midnight stood up and saw energy crackle between the crystals, slowly levitating, but before they could do anything, Frostfright blew a freezing mist, and the crystals froze over and dropped to the ground, shattering to pieces.

Gasping, Midnight brayed, “But-! The sixth spirit should have appeared!”

Cackling in wicked triumph, Frostfright mocked, “You poor simple foal! Thinking you could defeat me! Never again will you see your precious princess, and spring will never come back! Welcome… to Endless Winter! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”

A blistering cold encircled Frostfright as he continued to laugh in triumph as Midnight began to despair.

“There is something about you, though, my little pony…” Midnight looked up and froze as he found Frostfright now standing right in front of him.

“…Yes… You’ve apprenticed under your precious princess of the seasons, haven’t you…?”

“She’s my teacher…” Midnight could only glare back. “My hero!”

“Well your ‘hero’ has failed you and so perhaps I can take up where she left off…” Frostfright mused as he started to circle Midnight like a shark, “and perhaps you could be useful to me…”

“I want nothing from you.”

“Are you certain?” Frostfright asked in amusement. “Very soon Equestria shall bow before a new ruler, and I will admit the start will be as precarious as thin ice… I would require a powerful soldier.”

“I am no soldier!” spat Midnight. “And I would never betray Equestria.”

“You cannot betray that which you are not affiliated with,” Frostfright pointed out, “and Equestria will soon be beholden to me, while you will be the enemy.”

“Only a fool would fall for that excuse of logic,” Midnight furrowed his brows, trying to figure out the Frozen Horse’s game.

“Nopony with even a shred of morals would willingly follow you, or sincerely consider you a ruler.”

“But consider what I am offering you,” Frostfright pressed, “you will be a lord, legions of soldiers under your command, a share of the realm yours to do with as you will… answerable to but one master. I would care naught for whatever you did with your territory, so long as you adhered to an oath of loyalty to me. You could rule your land with a benevolence, be seen as a protector by your ponies, in time perhaps… a hero.”

“No hero would ever fall for such a bold-face lie as the horseapples coming out of your mouth…” Midnight growled.

Suddenly, he felt a bracing cold enfold him, the young unicorn seething as he felt the frigid ice enclose him, trapping him with only his head and a hoof showing, Frostfright’s eyes narrowed.

“I pity you, to be presented with such a glorious opportunity and lack the vision to reach out and take it… Very well. Die with your pride, pony, and languish when your last thoughts are of your own miserable failure…”

“At least I’ll die as myself…” Midnight struggled to keep his voice even, despite the bone-chilling cold that kept him from moving so much as a muscle.

“You gave in to jealousy, like a foal seeing another with a shiny toy! You couldn’t be content that you helped to maintain the balance of Equestria!”

“I brought Winter every year, to give the land respite from the burden of providing for everypony!” snarled Frostfright, beating his wings in fury.

“I alleviated the land’s pain, allowed for it to rest, gave ponies relief from the burning sun! I gave them soft and beautiful snow to marvel at and play in, I protected them from the Windigoes that would have loved nothing more than to feed on their petty conflicts and bring about their dooms at the behest of their own follies! And what was my reward? Ingratitude, complaining, persecution! Their ignorance of how the Winter is necessary drove them to fear me, hate me! All I ever wanted was acceptance, maybe a little gratitude, but no! They flocked around Florinda like flies to a corpse, desperate for warmth and sustenance!”

“And you chose to lash out like a colt whose parents put him in a two-minute timeout for roughhousing,” Midnight maintained an even tone, acting as though he were really lecturing a child.

“SILENCE!!!” Frostfright released a freezing gale, and that all but took Midnight’s breath away, his heart pumping harder in a feeble attempt to spread warmth through his body frozen over.

“Despair and draw your last breath!”

I’m sorry, Everypony… I tried, midnight closed his eyes and awaited the darkness when all of a sudden…

CRASH

Far behind them, a hatch-door blew open, and there was a haze of frost and dust and smoke, blinding Midnight and Frostfright. Two “whoosh”-ing sounds streaked past Midnight, a yellow streak slamming into the Frozen Horse and shattering him to pieces, while a dark gray figure struck the ice holding Midnight.

Collapsing and shivering, Midnight looked around and heard several gallops run up to his side, the haze clearing and he gasped.

“You’re all here…!”

Big McIntosh and Thunderlane stood at his sides, Bravissimo and Forester backing them up, and Starfyre above them in mid-flight.

“Eeyup!”

“Are we too late for the party?” Thunder asked.

“If so, consider us fashionably late,” Bravissimo chuckled.

“Or we could be just party-crashers?” offered Forester.

“Either way, we’re here to kick some flank!” Starfyre looked rarin’ to go.

They watched as the shards of ice that had been Frostfright collect like a flurry of snow, and he reformed from the frost, looking as unforgiving as a blizzard.

“You pitiful fools should’ve run while you had the chance! Now you can share in this ingrate’s demise!”

With a beat of his wings, the Frozen Horse kicked up a blizzard, vanishing in the flurry. The six stallions all huddled, unsure of where the enemy would appear.

“Buck!” Starfyre cursed. “Wha’do we do?”

“I can’t see hide or hair of him, can you?” Bravissimo scrutinized the flurry, trying to find an indication of where the enemy was.

“Nnope!”

Suddenly, Forester felt a powerful thwack to his shoulder, braying in pain as he yelped, “He’s behind me!”

But they saw nopony.

“Ouch!” Thunderlane felt his wing weighing him down and gasped to see his primary feathers had been frozen over.

“He’s not hiding in the blizzard…” Midnight realized aloud, “he is the blizzard!”

They heard a dark chuckle over the roar of the blistering winds, and realized Midnight was right, and Frostfright was mocking them.

“How can we fight something we can’t touch!?” Starfyre growled in annoyance.

“Much less somepony we can’t see!” Bravissimo added.

“You don’t…”

Almost at once, everything froze. The powder snow, the hail, perhaps even time itself as everything came to an absolute halt around them. And they saw him. Standing there as a tunnel-esque way formed to reveal him as he looked upon them with mocking contempt.

“Do you not realize the truth?”

Suddenly, Midnight was teleported to Frostfright’s side, painfully held by his throat in the Frozen horse’s Aura, the others gasping.

“That from the moment you chose to follow this pitiful miscreant, you were all doomed…”

Then Midnight was thrown aside, like a doll, groaning, as he tried to get up.

“Midnight!” yelled the others, but they felt the chill again as Frostfright leered at them.

“And now, he shall pay for his impudence… by watching his companions die!”

It all seemed to be in slow-motion as Frostfright unleashed a zap of freezing energy, so potent that Midnight immediately sensed the threat it posed.

“NO!!!”

The stallions all struggled to get out of the way but found their hooves frozen to the floor in ice as solid as stone.

They closed their eyes and winced for the coming end but heard the unmistakable sound of a teleportation spell and gasped to see Midnight had put himself between them and the spell. Frostfright’s eyes widened in depraved glee, giddily awaiting the demise of the unicorn who had managed to ruffle his feathers.

This time Midnight did not shy from what would most certainly be the end of him. Hopefully it would be quick, and even if the others did not make it, he would await them on the other side. His one regret was failing his mentor, and hoped she would find it in her heart to forgive him. He’d tried his best, and that’s honestly the most anypony can ask of anyone.

The spell made contact and there was the split-second silence before the explosion.

But there was no pain, no cold, no feeling of his body being torn asunder. Had it been so quick he’d felt nothing? He still felt the pain of having been in a choke-hold but then realized he was still in mid-air, his body seized up in the position of trying to protect his comrades. He peered his eyes open and gasped to find himself surrounded by a barrier of shimmering light! The others were with him, safe and sound, and outside Frostfright gaped in shock, unable to comprehened what was happening,.

“What is this?!” he yelled as he took a hesitant step back. “Where did this magic come from?!”

Midnight touched the barrier, and found it soft and warm, like the morning sun, yet he was unfamiliar with the magic creating it. Then he noticed them, floating around the membrane of the barrier! The shards that had been the Spirits of Adventure! A thread of sparkling magic extending and connecting from each and every shard, creating a web that held the barrier in place. Midnight then noticed five shards, each a different color, float towards one of his five comrades, and then he felt the web extend to him, connecting to his horn as well as to his chest, and felt the pain all over his body fade away, leaving a bliss of strength.

Finally, the barrier died away and the five stallions were alighted onto their hooves, standing together as the Frozen Horse glared at them, yet they saw the flicker of fear in his eyes as he noticed the shards around the other stallions.

“How is this possible?!” he demanded. “The Spirits of Adventure are dead! I shattered them to pieces!”

“It is finished, Frostfright. You have lost,” Midnight declared. “Your Endless Winter is about to thaw.”

“You still lack the sixth spirit!” Frostfright reminded him. “You might’ve saved yourself with that parlor trick, but your power was too weak to restore the spirits completely!”

Although Frostfright seemed to make a point it was obvious he was trying to discourage them.

“Because I tried the wrong kind of power…” Midnight spoke, his eyes closing. “True Power comes not from how much magic you can control or spells you master…”

A whirl of wind surrounded the six stallions but it was warm and pleasant, not cold and menacing, and the shards floating to each of the others glowed brighter.

“Power,” Midnight continued,” is measured not by the strength of your body but rather your heart, as you adhere to your morals and resist temptation!”

The shard next to Big McIntosh exploded in a burst of sparks, becoming a green jewel in the shape of an apple inset to a gleaming silver chestplate that strapped itself to Big Mac’s chest, and extended into pauldrons and added hoof-boots.

“Honor!”

Big Mac gave his new armor a look and nodded in agreement.

“Eeyup!”

“Power is having the compassion to consider another’s plight and lend a helping hoof regardless of inconvenience or even sacrifice!”

The shard next to Forester became an amber jewel in the shape of a pinecone inset into the same kind of armor as it clad itself onto Forester.

“Empathy!”

Forester gave a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

“It’s only natural to want to help others when they need it.”

“…it’s taking the time to look in even the most unlikely places and find something worthwhile!”

Thunderlane became clad in armor with a silver thundercloud jewel along with a piece of gold shaped like a lightning bolt affixed to it, mimicking his cutie-mark.

“Wonder!”

Thunderlane shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“Everypony’s gotta stop along the way to smell the roses, even if it’s accidental!”

“…it’s assuring the uncertain and doubtful that they are capable of surprising even themselves to achieve their dreams!”

Bravissimo marveled at his armor and the lavender jewel in the shape of twin spotlights.

"Confidence!"

Bravissimo gave his armor a quick shine and nodded.

“Now this would make for an interesting costume in my work…”

“…and finally, it’s having the courage to face even your greatest fears no matter how much your own might hinder you!”

Starfyre whooped as he got his own armor and loved the red jewel in the shape of a flaming Pegasus wing.

"Bravery!"

Starfyre loop de' looped and reared in place.

“My wings’re burning, baby, they’re burning!”

Suddenly, a light shined above Midnight, dimming to reveal a sixth crystal as he faced the Frozen Horse.

“You see, Frostfright, when those spirits blaze with the power that exists within us all, it summons the sixth spirit! The Spirit of… Light!”

Everypony rose into the air as the jewels of their armor each fired a beam at Midnight, engulfing him in blinding radiance. Almost at once it died away, revealing Midnight clad in his own armor but his included a helmet, that bore the star and of his cutie-mark, with a plume of black and blue hair on top like his own mane while the moon of his cutie-mark was displayed on his breastplate.

As the power of the Spirits of Adventure combined, the six stallions felt a plea from their jewels, a plea for aid. Instinctively, they sensed the sincerity of this plea, and answered by opening their hearts, feeling their strength empower the Spirits of Adventure, not with their energy nor with their lives. But rather, the spirits drew upon the strength of the bonds the six stallions had forged between them, the feelings and connections tempered by an adventure to test a new friendship proven true!

Midnight opened his eyes and shined a blinding white light that engulfed a screaming Frostfright.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I was so close…!!!”