Splitting aMid the Night

What Midnight was doing wasn't stalking. It was simply tracking a target without her direct consent or knowledge. Some might still classify that as stalking. However, Midnight couldn't remember a case where anypony had used the method of sensing their target's aura through the Magic Flow, so she should be safe, if only because there was no evidence of how she found out Sparkle's location.

All she had to do was making it look like she had found her by accident, then say an excuse for how she knew Sparkle's true appearance. Spell detection, of course, would do, as it wasn't even completely a lie, even though the truth would be dipping into the Flow, and Midnight didn't want anypony to know about it yet.

Hardly any ponies double our age could do that, you know.

Odd. It took me only five hours to master this kind of meditation. That was unexpectedly short. I'd have expected it to be as easy for anpony else. Seems like spilling forth from the so-called highborne doesn't mean they can listen to themselves and the cosmos.

Same thing, remember? Oh, look, more funnies!

Noon moved their spirit further through the Flow, a few more meters away from Midnight's physical body, where she could see five more blobs of color, which were technically white, but each had a tint of color, all but one. The one that was purely white had a stronger resonance to Midnight's approaches, though. She guessed from the strength of this one's aura that she had to be a unicorn, as close as she was to the Flow.

Very faintly, Midnight could make out a streak of energy between them, flowing to and from each, carrying a bit of their essence. Through the essence, it also took their colors, thus becoming a rainbow of orange, pink, blue, yellow, white and, surprisingly, a lavender Midnight knew very well. The bands also went into the restaurant where she could still see Sparkle.

Walls did not stop her vision. As soon as she looked, they flowed aside. It was foalish to assume that matter did not bend voluntarily after what truth Midnight had seen about how the real world actually was.

So those are Filly's friends.

While she was seeing the real world, Midnight couldn't see how they looked, so she decided to return to her body and make her approach in due time.

In due time. First, Midnight had to do all sorts of things like packing all of her stuff so that she could soon leave Canterlot behind or ignoring her father's continous ramblings about how and when she could get his help, then answering with the same reassuring sentences. She expected to have about one point five, as true mathematicians expressed it, hours at least.

Since she'd be spending most of the evening in her room, it wouldn't be hard to hide meditating again to check back on those ponies eating and laughing and having a good time. That was what friends were for, after all. At least according to those fillies' standards. How old were they? Through visiting the Flow, extended Pegasus Eye, one might say, she could somewhat look into their souls, not into their passports.

All Midnight had were some feelings when her ethereal form approached them, like some Zebrican shaman communicating with the spirits of the dead and what other stuff they could make up to draw additional money from tourists.

How ironical it was that what once had been one of the things she despised of most was now her greatest gift after Noon, according to said illusion of her insane mind, at least.

Midnight stopped what she was doing and stroked her chin with a hoof in reflection, trying to analyse what she had felt near the Bannered Mare. Those ponies didn't seem to be much younger or older than her, but there was nothing in their heads other than joy and love and whatnot. The only mature thought she had been able to make out were from one of the pegasi and Earth Ponies each, secretly thinking about each other's flanks.

Midnight had just hoped that those two were supposed to be in love and tapped out when those thoughts had turned into what they wanted to do with said rumps. Another pony, the unicorn, had had a much more child-friendly mind about the other pegasus, though Midnight could sense that said pony had no hopes of following her imagination. At least one of them was being realistic.

Only foals and idiots actually believed that they had any chance of achieving what they wanted unless Celestia or whoever decided to give them luck and make their dreams come true.

Like giving Midnight additional time to win Sparkle for herself. That had only been a coincidence. What would make anypony care about normal ponies like them? Not that she had any interest in her. Midnight was very good at denying, then accepting, then re-denying facts every two days.

Midnight found that she actually had fairly few possessions she wanted and needed to take along. As living space and all would be provided, her luggage was reduced to what she could take along in her regular school saddlebags, with the addition of a pair of packing saddlebags. She doublechecked that she had everything ready to take along.

Some money, emergency rations - alternatively known as candy for when I feel like it - alarm clock, toothbrush, strange thing I don't know what it does and that basically only takes away room... books, paper, quills... hmm hmm hmm... I think I've got it.

Looking up to her stationary clock, she saw that it was about time for her, too.

"Dad, I'm going out for a bit. I'll probably be back before midnight, though I may get overwhelmed with Canterlot's sights."

Midnight's father turned his head to look at her from his forelegchair. "All right. Just make sure that the sights don't catch you without protect... oooh. Okay, okay, didn't mean it anyway.." Midnight's glare quickly made him reconsider his words.

Midnight was at the location a bit too early. That shouldn't be a problem, though. She could hide in the shadows and wait it out there. Her face showed a rare, genuine grin as she realised she was being unnecessarily stealthy again. It'd be hard to conceal her intentions if she'd just storm into the building. She couldn't think of a situation where that'd be appropriate. Perhaps for two lovers which her and Sparkle clearly were not.

The two of them were just good freinds. Using her recent voyage, she had even found an explanation for the tingling she felt in her proximity. Apparently, Sparkle had been connected. Tied to Midnight. Soon to be drawn into Twilight.

That had been unexpected. One way, Midnight understood what had formed between them. The Flow was permanently shifting, just waiting for somepony to alter its ways. When there was even the slightest input, though, it took all actions required in order to change itself to what that manipulating pony truly wanted from the bottom of their heart.

In that moment, Midnight desired to have an enhanced cover, so she prepared a weak invisibility spell to blend in with the shadows better. There was nothing unreasonable about magic. When casting, unicorns simply used their horn to call out and convince the real world to do their bidding. Those who were better at talking to the Flow resulted as better spellcasters. Yet, even though she knew it almost personally, Midnight was just average at best. Once again she realised how worthless she was.

Then again, it took two for the bonding they had been doing. As it seemed, Sparkle did care for her. Midnight pondered for a moment if the filly was aware of that. She'd be hiding it well if she was. Once again, Midnight had to doubt the explanation she had for why Sparkle had recently done about everything below asking her out on a date.

Most likely, Midnight concluded, changing direction again, Sparkle had messed with her feelings like that as some sort of revenge for that, not too long ago, Midnight had stolen the filly's virginity concerning kissing as part of a 'bet'. Or it had made her realise what she had felt already.

Facing two contrary ideas, as she had done so often in her life, Midnight knew that she could not come to the truth without asking but also that she would never do that if she could help it. Surely, she had tried to siphon up thoughts from the younger one while she had visited Sparkle from within her bed, but there hadn't been any interesting ones. There was nothing but tacky romances, clearly without and experience on the topic. Of course, Midnight hadn't felt the need to collect any of her own yet.

Not until Filly showed interest in her.

Not ever.

Thinking of which, a group of eight ponies came out to the street in that very moment. Five of them were those whose silhouettes Midnight had seen through the extended Pegasus Eye. Two of the others she did not know. Midnight figured that they were most likely Sparkle's parents. Oh, how much Midnight despised of those blessed with the dumb luck to still remain with both father and mother without ever wasting a thought to what such a gesture meant to those who had seen reality.

But she just couldn't hold a grudge against the pony walking in the middle of the group like a goddess of victory. Midnight knew that Sparkle deserved it, but occasionally, that filly could use some help to keep her hooves on the ground. She had taken off her generic dresses, exposing her gorgeous body for anypony to see. Not that there would be anypony who wanted to look at what beauty she had hidden previously.

Nopony except for Midnight, still concealed by shadows and magic in combination, as much as she hated to admit to checking her friend's cutie mark. Sparkle also looked like she had grown by quite a bit since Midnight had last seen herearlier that day. She was too far away to see it clearly, though, so she Midnight dropped her Prismatic Cloak spell and made her approach to the group.

"Hey, Sparkle!" That was sufficient. There were so many things Midnight could and, if she had to be completely honest, wanted to have said, but there was no need to. Those two words had all the effect she wanted and needed.

"Wuh... Midnight! How did you know how I really look?"

"Spell detection, of course. We had that right before the holidays. Didn't you study it?"

Sparkle appeared to be at a loss of words, thinking about her possible options. Midnight could see the blood rushing to her head in embarassment. She would have to teach her how to be more spontaneous sometime. Even though she had now lifted her magic and was clearly a bit bigger than Midnight, she had so much life wisdom to teach the cute one.

"Who's tha', Twilight?" The orange one asked with a thick southern accent. Midnight examined her. She had prominent hip muscles, most likely acquired from bucking stuff, a stetson on her blonde mane and three apples for a cutie mark on a truly giant flank.

"Oh, Midnight's a class mate of mine. Or was, rather."

Hang on a second. What did she call her?

Midnight squinted her eyes at 'Sparkle'. "Tu chi sei?"

"Well, I suppose I can tell you the truth. My name is actually Twilight Sparkle."

"Aaand why exactly did you go through all of that effort to hide your identity?"

"'Cause us six are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and the Princess thought it'd be better if I went into cover."

Twilight Sparkle. Midnight had indeed heard of that one already. Element of Magic. Nightmare Moon. Not that she really cared. She'd have appreciated the mad lunar princess ending her life that many years earlier. She'd be back with her. But good ponies didn't embrace death, even if it was the rational choice.

The other five. As if anypony ever cared about those. There was a reason Magic was the sixth element and was manifested into a tiara.

"Hm. Whatever. You're Sparkle and I'm sticking to that."

"Talk about pet names..." One of the pegasi murmured in the back.

"Let her, Dashie." The pink one replied.

"Uh, yeah, quick introduction, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity."

"Nice to make your acquiantance and stuff." Midnight was bored. She had little interest in those and just wanted to go home. The next day would be tiring.

"Oh, come on, Midnight. Be a little nicer."

"You know, we might meet again very soon. No reason to be overly polite."

"Oh really?"

"Yep. In fact, I think I'll go home, pack and get a bit of rest and all that. Seeing as I'll be moving tomorrow."

Midnight walked away from the group, going into a side alley, then reapplying her magic and continuing to watch them from the shadows.

Stalker.

I'm here, in the shadows.

You require my skills? State thy bidding.

Pegasus Eye.

It shall be as you say. I serve... for now.

This wasn't the Flow. It was merely a projection, allowing Midnight to differentiate between different bundles of energy and thus discover their intentions. It made it far easier to see in the dark, however.

We are one with the shadows. We move unseen.

We... are patient.

One by one, the ponies broke up, returning home, as it seemed. Applejack had Sparkle enchant her with some kind of spell, then was carried away by Rainbow Dash. This was all the evidence Midnight needed. Combined with how the two had looked at each other previously, it was clear to Midnight that they were going to have sex in a remote location, perhaps a cloud house.

Twilight comes, as she must.

Indeed she was. Worse even, she was coming right to where Midnight had concealed herself, so she was at risk of being spotted due to moving out of the shadows to get a better view at Twilight.

Fall back to the shadows!

Midnight managed to scurry back to the wall without making too much noise.

You look better in the dark.