Splitting aMid the Night

Hm, well, I could... Nah, I don't think Zeddie wants to see me right now. Maybe Sunday if I want to be cruel. The gang as a whole? Meh, what to do with them. It's going to be another great day, maybe I could ask out... No! No no no!

Midnight's mind was barely present at the kitchen table like her physical body was as she tried to plan her weekend. Very few things managed to penetrate the fog that was between herself and her senses. The smell of fresh coffee was one of them, though.

So, excluding little filly. Sheesh, she wouldn't like me calling her that way. Maybe cute filly would... Bad Midnight! Yeah, excluding anything with Sparkle...

She idly glanced over to the newspaper lying on the table. What wasn't in use by her father showed an article about various culture styles, focusing on tombstones. The one on the picture had two interconnected rings carved into its top. They symbolised endless, unasking trust in everypony. She had told Midnight once when she had been young. Midnight shook her head. No, there was no way it was that one. She dragged the paper over to her seat with a bit of magic. Looking closely, she could make out what words were on the stone.

Bla bla bla... Daylight, Brought out of life undeservedly at its peak. She was brutally murdered by somepony she had blindly trusted, to be exact. Oh, what are the odds...

All souls reveal their true nature when trusted, even when trust is undeserved.

Blood. Wherever she looked. It was beginning to get cold. Midnight had failed. She could do nothing but cry bent over her failure, waiting for some kind of fairy to come and wave her magic wand and fix everything. It wouldn't come.

She tried to remain calm, but couldn't resist trembling a bit, her throat going extremely dry. He noticed over his share of the newspaper.

"Midnight, what is it? I never see you like that..."

She pushed the cause of her little outburst across the table. Her father began to examine it.

"Two rings, isn't that... Oh my. Isn't that just unfortunate. I..." He was at a loss of words.

"Is the whole damn world sworn against me? Why does this keep happening to me every day of my life?" Midnight burst out after a few seconds of awkward silence, sniffing occasionally to try and keep back the moisture her eyes were leaking.

He didn't know what to do. Eventually, lacking a better option, he got up and embraced his daughter into a deep hug, attempting to linder not only her pain, but also his own. Daylight hadn't gone without traces. In fact, one might say that her impression in her two closest ponies was far bigger since Midnight had her cutie mark.

After eating, Midnight sat on the small balcony just outside her room to finish her earlier thought. There was some cheap outside furniture on it, namely a chair and a small table. A chesthigh railing, running along the edge, should prevent her from falling off. She could, very quietly, hear her clock ticking through the open window.

So... I still have no idea what I want to do because SOMEONE had to make me lose control. Maybe I should work a little. Hooray. Because I'm not doing that enough a little. Maybe I could get a few tricks from Sp... Have I not promised myself not even to think about her any more? Someone!

Stop blaming everything on me. Am I your universal evil?

Yes.

Oh, how hurtful of you. Look as I bleed to death from your cynicism.

Midnight flinched as an image came before her eyes, with no way to stop her demon from showing it.

Oops. Wrong unicorn.

Haven't you done enough harm already just today? Let Daylight rest. And when you're at it, why don't you join her in her grave so I won't have to act so strangely when the filly's around?

I know I lie a lot. At least, you claim that. But I wasn't doing anything today... um, at least not about her. Maybe you should think less with and about flanks.

It appeared impossible, but Midnight had no idea what she herself was talking about.

Uh?

I can see where our eyes look when they appear unsighted. What a shame she's still a blank-flank and wants to hide it, right? I bet you'd love to get a closer look on those firm...

How high up are we?

About fifteen feet.

Remember I understand the futility of life itself. I'm ready to destroy both of us if you go too far out of control. Even if I would believe what lies you are telling me about Sparkle, this is would still be an uncrossable line. Got that?

Do it. I dare you.

I'm not irrational like you. Although... Thinking about how much my life sucks, the only reason I haven't followed my knowledge are others... Hell, I don't care about any of those.

Mechanically, Midnight rose to her hooves and walked over to the hoofrail.

Show me one pony that really cares about me.

Daddy?

She flung her forelegs over.

Maybe. But he'd probably understand. He might even have followed her past this stage had it not been for me. Next.

Midnight, with some effort, climbed over to sit on the hoofrail, stablised by only her forelegs.

Your friends?

Don't be silly. As if I cared about what they feel.

She was doing what she wanted, regardless of what anypony said. Midnight was free. The Sun was shining in her eyes, but she didn't mind. She was too busy enjoying the moment. She breathed in the fresh alpine air. Canterlot suddenly looked beautiful again, like it had been before Midnight had learned about who populated it.

Little filly?

Ugh, who cares. As far as we know, I'm probably nothing more than a friend to her.

Class Mate Best Friend Forever.

What does this filly know about friendship? Nothing, because she really believes in it. I'm so much smarter than her, at least in this aspect. Friends are nothing but a burden if you exceed the area where they can be of use for you. Maybe she knows that too and that's why she doesn't answer my desperate calling.

You never called for her love.

And I never will because that's you, not me. Time's up. Eh, who am I kidding. The coward you make us wouldn't ever dare such a thing.

I am but you. You are our coward.

Not willing to argue with that, Midnight sighed and began to climb back to safety. Before she could bring even one leg back, though, the feral something in the corner of her mind that had taken her over at the study date with Sparkle resurfaced.

She jerked forward and off the edge.

Silence. She couldn't hear anything. Either it simply was really quiet or there was some serious problem with her. Maybe it was part of her survival instinct, blurring out what senses Midnight wouldn't need at the moment. That would explain the darkness surrounding her. No. Her eyes were simply clenched shut. Slowly, Midnight's senses returned to her. She didn't hear anypony screaming. She couldn't feel her weak bones having snapped out of form. That meant... She could feel her hooves on a cold surface, holding on as if for dear life. This was nothing. She could land that drop if prepared properly.

It would be fairly hard without seeing anything, though. No matter how hard she tried, Midnight couldn't see with her eyes. It'd be safest to just climb back up. She wouldn't need her eyes, which had apparently chosen to betray her in that moment. Not when she could see with her brain. She had her place memorised and could easily navigate it blindfolded. She grit her teeth in determination and began to climb, not missing a single hoofhold in the ornamented grid. After what seemed like an eternity for her, Midnight was back on the balcony, in safety. Just as she turned and realised she was still blind, her vision began to return. Midnight set off to walk back inside. After spinning around, she noticed something that shouldn't be there. Something that wasn't there.

Sitting in the chair to her right was a copy of Midnight, playing with its blue mane. "Now I'm getting hallucinations too! Awesome!" Midnight called out, just not loud enough for anypony else to hear.

"Oh, you don't seem too happy to see me. Isn't this what you want? Now I am completely separated from you. Now you are strong. Haven't you been working to achieve this ever since?" Noon responded.

"If only it was true."

"Oh, yes, you grasp it. We are still you." Noon played with a nail that had appeared on her hoof. Then, she winked at Midnight and thrust the object into her own skull from the side. Midnight felt a heavy sting at the same spot on her head.

"We're connected. Yet two where one belongs. Is... this... reality?"

"If it wasn't, you weren't here. I can control our mind."

"But I am not real, am I? So how should I be in reality?"

"I don't know. I honestly..."

The other pony's eyes and mouth began to glow orange. "Make us whole, Midnight. Unite us. MAKE US WHOLE!"

"No... no! You are not real!"

"If I am not, neither of us is!"