Blaze the Pony Tale

Tarred Watcher’s eye glimmered with emotion, in spite of the wretched filth engulfing his body. How it hurt, how it agonized every inch of his body! The only relief came from lashing out, acting on rage, instinct, fear, but it was always temporary, because the painful effects of not only the tar but the runestone set onto his forehead exerted their cruel influence.

Did- Did …she… love? I… No, no! It’s- It’s a trick! Destroy Midnight, destroy the Crown! De- Love… why…? Ny…ra…? RRRGHHGGHHHH!!!!!

Tarred Watcher threw back his head into a roar of agonized fury, the tar gooping back over his eye as he felt two piercing stabs of torment, in his heart and in his head.

He raised his forelimb, the tar morphing into a viscous sickle, Star gasping in horror as Midnight gritted his teeth, struggling to hold Tarred Watcher in his shadowy snares. But he mustered the will to manifest another to pull Star out of harm’s way, but the lapse had been enough for the creature to finally break free of its restraints.

“STAR, GET OUT OF THERE!!!” Midnight felt a pain in his head akin to whiplash, as his hold was broken, like a rubber band snapping after being pulled too hard.

“OH!!” Star took flight to get away from the agitated creature, but felt her heart jump into her throat as she saw its goopy mass concentrate to its back… and a pair of hideous wings spread.

They resembled distorted and ugly growths of roots with a putrid membrane of purple between them as they dripped before they began to flap. It was clumsy at first, but the monster soon took to the air, and glared with animus towards Star as it pursued her.

Star was no longer safe in the air, but thankfully she was a far better flier than this beast. If only it wasn’t so tenacious as it flew after her.

Back on the dock, Midnight was focusing his mana to regain control as well as to assuage the pain he’d felt from the magical backlash. It was stifling, and slow-going, but he still had enough awareness to see that Star was in trouble, and it wouldn't be long before the monster caught her or else she made a mistake.

Rrgh, I’m no good to her now, but I can’t… recover fast enough! Midnight gritted his teeth, feeling the minor relief contrasting with the debilitating aches holding him back.

“Midnight!!” peering out the corner of his eye, midnight felt his heart soften with more relief to see the others arriving, as Thunderlane immediately flew over to him.

“We defeated the other monsters and got here as soon as we could, are you-”

“Never mind me, help Star!” Midnight pointed to Star, continuing to fly circles around the monster, but it was obvious she was getting tired. “That creature is Watcher, possessed by the tar!”

“Yer kiddin’!” Macintosh gaped at the alicorn, who shook his head. But it was Nyra who confirmed it.

“He speaks the truth…!” All eyes turned to her, and they saw Nyra looking up at the tarred monster with horror and guilt in her eyes, “Malice… what have you done?!”

“Help Watcherrrr, we must!” Narbus snarled, “Narbus grab him, hold him down!”

However, before he could, Tarred Watcher unleashed several black tendrils and began to lash out wildly. Immediately, Midnight and the others leaped out of the way of the oncoming tendrils that swung at them, trying to grab hold of them. Nyra though, despite the heartache Watcher had caused her, she still didn’t want to see the same stallion in agony. Using her sharp eyes, she noticed the glowing rune stone on his forehead, just below the base of his horn.

“The rune stone… upon his head! We need to get it off him, now!” Nyra pointed out, avoiding the tendrils. “Prince Midnight, if you have a way to hold him, we can get the stone off of him.”

Having just recovered from the magical backlash, Midnight charged into the fray, Thunderlane and Macintosh behind him as Midnight and Thunderane took flight and quickly got between Star and the Tarred Watcher.

“Light Side of the Moon!” Midnight raised his gauntlets, the jewels in them emitting a blinding flash right into Tarred Watcher’s eyes.

The lunar luminescence worked, causing Tarred Watcher’s vision to swim and his wings to falter as he tried to shake off the blinding effect while flapping.

“Sonic Arrow!” Thunderlane pulled back a string of energy on his bow, and released an arrow of mana that zoomed at supersonic speeds, striking Tarred Watcher in the shoulder.

Its piercing was augmented by a vibration at sonic level, allowing it to take effect even through the goop coating Watcher’s form. It spread a numbing effect and even caused a break of cohesion in the tar, causing the wings to start to disperse and break with every flap.

“Mac, Narbus! He’s coming your way!” Midnight called down to them.

Macintosh rushed forward and positioned his shield just underneath Watcher, “Fortress Stance!”

A barrier of Macintosh’s magic surrounded him, and the moment Watcher made contact it rebounded his entire body, sending him hurtling right into the waiting arms of Narbus, who immediately bear-hugged him and dropped forward onto the ground, pinning the tormented creature.

There was an initial struggle, but then the Tarred Watcher seemed to give in as he panted heavily, making raspy breaths, sounding exhausted.

Narbus was surprised, but he still held tightly, even as everypony began to carefully close in.

“Is he…?” Thunderlane asked, a lightning arrow at the ready in his bow.

“Seems like he’s finally getting tired,” Midnight furrowed his brows. “Given all he’s been through, it makes sense.”

“Oh Watch…” Star dared to get closer, and Nyra easily saw the look on the pegasus mare’s face.

A look she was rather familiar with. At first, a stab of jealousy made her grit her teeth, but then she felt ashamed. After everything that had happened as of late, she regarded the corrupted form of the stallion she loved, as Nyra thought, Do I even reserve any right to feel jealous…?

Suddenly!

Watcher’s eyes snapped open, and he roared as the tar massed underneath Narbus, causing the diamond dog to whimper and growl as he struggled to keep hold, only for the foul substance to throw him off before Watcher glared directly at Star. The mare was frozen in fear, while the tarred pony and the zebra mare felt a mutual pain in their hearts, and Nyra knew what he was going to do.

He lunged, his forelimbs forming claws, while Nyra didn’t hesitate.

Reaching into her pouch, she leapt to intercept the attack, putting herself between Star and those claws even as the zebra held up a runestone and called out a word in her language. The stone gave off a flash of light before it exploded, and the runestone embedded into Watcher’s head had a reaction before it too broke into pieces.

But not before those claws raked across Nyra’s chest, beads of ruby red flying in a spray as everyone watched in shock.

It’d happened so quickly none could have reacted without the forewarning Nyra had had.

The force of the attack sent Nyra rolling across the ground, while Watcher stumbled, feeling a similar agony both on and within his chest.

“NYRRRAAAA!!!!” Narbus whimpered in terrified concern, rushing over to the zebra mare, and gingerly picking her up. “Nyrrra, talk to me!”

Midnight finally regained his wits and summoned more Shadow Lassos to restrain Watcher while Star stood there, shaken and unsure of what to think or say in response to what had just happened in seemingly the blink of an eye.

“I’ve got him, he’s not going anywhere this time!” Midnight concentrated, and strangely found it much easier to hold Watcher this time.

Because he wasn’t frantically fighting to get free. This time, Watcher struggled as though he were afraid… and Midnight noticed, despite the tar still on his cousin’s face, Watcher’s eyes were upon Nyra, who was being cradled in Narbus’s arms, which were beginning to redden from the bleeding.

“Nnnn….Nnnnyyrraaaa…!” The voice was congested yet there was heartache in it, and Midnight felt a bittersweet relief.

He’s regained his wits, but… He looked over to Nyra, and was relieved as Star hurried over, pulling out a first-aid kit from her cloak.

Midnight was glad, remembering Star was among his Hoods who’d trained as a field medic. He was certain Nyra would be in good hooves.

The zebra’s eyes fluttered open, and she returned Watcher’s fretful gaze with one of deepest shame, as she sorrowfully uttered, “Watcher… you were right… you were right to leave.

“Had only I been as brave as you, perhaps… none of this would have happened…”

“Easy, Nyra, we need to stop the bleeding,” Star tried to gently hush her patient. The elixir in her kit was helping, but then she gestured for Narbus to help hold Nyra up as the pegasus began to bandage the wounds.

“I was so… foolish. No, I was a coward…” Nyra held Watcher’s gaze, and felt her heart swell with loving relief as some of the tar began to slide off the poor unicorn’s face, allowing her to see those purple eyes she loved so much, and the pain in them that was both physical and emotional, deepening her shame, but still she had to say, “I should never have been so selfish, Watcher. Which is why… I forgive you.”

As the madness addling his mind cleared, Watcher gasped at those words, and felt his heart tighten more when Nyra added tearfully, “I only hope, perhaps one day… you may forgive me…”

I… I do, Ny…! Watcher thought and just like that, a great weight was lifted, from his heart and from his spirit.

The dour malaise that had followed Watcher ever since he’d left the House of Assassins suddenly wasn’t there anymore. As though it had never meant anything at all. Or perhaps, it no longer did, for mutual forgiveness had finally set him and Nyra free.

The tar itself began to glow with a gentle golden-white radiance, amazing everyone as it dissolved into glowing mist, and there Watcher was.

Without even acknowledging any of the others or even when Midnight released his hold on him, Watcher stood up and approached Nyra, who gazed up at him with blessed relief. As did Star, who smiled tearfully at Watcher as he knelt down in front of these two mares, and touched them each on the cheek before kissing them both and pulling them into a most tender hug.

Earlier that day, back in Ponyville, Twilight had received her usual postage and was going through them, sorting through junk mail, advertisements, and she'd gotten a few letters from friends around Ponyville.

Like Doctor Whooves, asking Twilight for advice on cracking a quantum equation he was having trouble with. Cheerilee wanted to know if Twilight would accompany her to a teachers’ retreat in order to learn new teaching methods for her students. The Cakes mentioned in their letter to Twilight that Pinkie Pie was busy with some secret project and were wondering if she might know anything about it. She even got a letter from Shining Armor and Cadance about little Cora’s first playdate with some of the baby foals of Shining Armor and Cadance’s friends up in the Crystal Empire.

These welcome distractions however were losing their effect in keeping Twilight’s mind off of how things went with Midnight prior to his departure to Manehatten. Then there was that talk with Faerie Tail that helped put things in perspective. Twilight knew she had to make this right with her husband, truly acknowledging her behavior had been unfair.

Taking a deep breath, she thought of her Midnight Blaze. His compassion, his patience, his creativity, his light, and how it brightened and warmed her heart each and every day. Theirs was truly an unusual journey from foalhood friends to partners in love and life.

Sunset Shimmer’s kiss had shaken things up and Twilight had let that disturbance spur a negative reaction she’d taken out on Midnight for something that wasn’t his fault.

I’ll tell him I’m sorry, Twilight thought with faith melancholy as she continued to look through the mail. Hm?

A letter addressed to her with the seal of Manehatten City Hall stamped onto it, indicating it was one of those “official” communiqués, so she opened it to read:

To Princess Twilight Sparkle, Daughter of House Esther, Lady of Magic, Consort to the Prince of Faith,

You are cordially invited to an award ceremony as the guest of honor in recognition of your scientific contributions to the Magical Science Department of Manehatten University, to take place at the Empony State Building tomorrow afternoon.

If you are able to attend, simply check the checkbox below the signature at the bottom of this letter. We hope you will accept our invitation and eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,
Mayor Joe Pescolt

Well, that’s convenient, Twilight thought with a pleasant surprise. Perhaps she’d get to have that conversation with Midnight sooner than she’d thought.