Splitting aMid the Night

You are tired. Give in to your needs. Yes... forever sleep.

"I... yes. No! Oh, I'm so sorry..." Midnight withdrew her head, but didn't step off the mare below her.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, but this illusion has to end. If the real you is in there somewhere - and I hope it isn't, considering what we've done - forgive me for what I'm about to do. The world of dreams can supply us with neverending happiness, but that is all but an empty charade, in the end."

Out of the void of her imagination, Midnight produced a traditional kris. She could literally hear Twi-Spark's heart beat faster and stronger as her eyes followed the simple blade through every movement. She struggled to break free, but Midnight's grasp was inescapable.

Wanting to get everything done with as quickly as possible, yet unable to avert her gaze or even blink, Midnight sunk the knife home. Through the direct visual contact she'd created, she could watch the filly's heart rapidly pick up speed and power, staining both of their coats, before giving up.

With the image of her love splayed out below her with her eyes rolled up in her head, Midnight knew there was only one other thing to do.

The Bat never dies... they say.

Day one, hour one. Actually, day one, hour nine.

Hum.

Slowly, Midnight got out of her bed, her consciousness following a bit after once she was in the bathroom.

Playing with you is no fun.

Never said it would. What did you expect me to do? I can't lose myself in illusions while sleeping in on my job.

I'd have expected you to react worse to running late.

Silly me, I'll just have to work in later. Unpleasant, though I'd think it was worth it.

Midnight didn't feel like she'd need breakfast, so as soon as she fixed up her appearance using what little tools she had in her room, she'd be ready to go.

Surely. Do you think the collective subconscious exists? A hive mind to connect to during our sleep?

If it does... I hope Sparkle liked it!

I wonder who built the world. Was it really your dream... or were you connecting to hers?

Midnight passed, surprisingly, not Octavia, but Vinyl Scratch sitting in the kitchen and began her journey to the clinic.

Why should she form a dream where I carve out her heart?

Yes, why should she want to do that? Think about it, robot.

Her second day at work proved to be slightly more interesting than the first. Halfway through, the Nurse had sent her to collect herbs from 'a herbalist in the Everfree Forest', obviously uncaring about the assistance she would lose through that.

Depending on definition, it was either good or bad luck that made her run into Twilight Sparkle when almost out of Ponyville already. It might have been good luck that allowed her to be with her crush or bad luck that forced her to.

"Oh, so you gotta visit Zecora. What a coincidence, I'm headed that way too! We got a lot of catching up to do." Sparkle was so happily trotting besides her, if she pushed off a little harder, she'd be positively bouncing. Midnight wasn't sure she liked that. Ponies were never happy without a reason.

"... It's been one day."

"Yeah, but that's a lot of time for good friends. I mean, that's like, twenty-four hours, or thirty-three in this case, of absolutely not seeing each other and..."

This didn't sound like the unicorn she was in love with and more like a pink pony Midnight had already learned to dislike. She gave Twilight's horn a tentative poke with her left forehoof, disappointed to find it firmly embedded into her body.

"Hey, what are you doing? I mean, I kinda liked it, but..." Midnight lifted a very sceptical eyebrow. "What? Everypony's got their little sensitive spots."

"O-kay. So what's so special about this forest?" Midnight asked as they crossed the small bridge that marked the forest's entrance.

"It's one of the most magical places around Canterlot and they haven't told you anything about it?"

"Did they tell you?"

Sparkle allowed a corner of her perfectly angled mane to distract her before shaking it back into place. "No... but I left school a few years early. I almost wouldn't have graduated, remember? Glad I did after all."

What are you implying, Miss Sparkle? More importantly, why aren't you Mistress Sparkle yet? Oh Celestia, put the words I need in her mouth, please! Hm, would I become Mistress Midnight or Mistress Sparkle? Do I even HAVE a last name? I can't remember. Does she or is it a fancy double name?

"Same."

"You may not know, but the Everfree Forest is known for displaying great amounts of untamed magic, the sources of which..."

"I have an encyclopedia at home, you know. Just tell me what's odd with this bunch of trees."

Twilight looked like she would have loved to recite every single word written about the Everfree in 'Hitchhiker's Guide to Equestria' and would also have done so if Midnight hadn't interrupted her.

"Of course. You know how the weather is shaped by pegasi and all that?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, not here. This is one of the oddest places in all of Equestria. All the animals feed and the plants grow and the clouds grow... all by themselves!"

"And that's supposed to be scary in what way?" Midnight had honest difficulty understanding what the deal was with this place.

"I mean, they don't usually do that and... remember the blue flower I showed you earlier? That's from here. I'd love to see its effects on you one day, hehe."

It'd look something like this.

Midnight's mind was filled with a vision of her joyfully bouncing around Ponyville, showing off her unaltered looks and talking and dancing and laughing. She shuddered and discreetly broadened the pink in her mane in response.

"How about no?"

"Heh, afraid?" Twilight poked her in the side. She was such a tease and Midnight loved it.

"Fear? Like, the thing I haven't allowed in my mind for years?"

"Really? Well, I guess..." She began humming a sickeningly joyful tune. "Giggle at the ghostly..."

"That's what I'm supposed to do? Laugh in the face of the demons that haunt me every night? Shake off my maddening past with simple air exhaustion?"

"Still bothering you? Midnight, I feel like you honestly need to let that go. You're in Ponyville now, far from all of that, and you have me and everypony else. Nothing else matters, just enjoy your stay. I mean... do you really have nightmares daily?"

I'd love to have a certain mare for the night. Does that count as a nightmare?

"No... not daily, at least."

"Speaking of which, I had a weird dream last night. It was like... you know Batmare, right? Yeah, but I somehow was the villain and then... uhm... things got a little peculiar. Did you notice that dreams always end when you die?"

"No, because I never die despite the fact that I should, given how much blood I leak sometimes. One time, I think it was over only when I had literally drowned in it... how long exactly is the way?"

"We should arrive soon. Why, would you look at that, there it is. As if our conversation had been fashioned to be just long enough."

Midnight paused a moment to take in her surroundings. They had entered a small clearing, in which a small hut had been built. It had only a few rooms and big windows. All the way around, shamanistic masks and flasks were hung from the roof or put onto sticks.

Following Twilight announcing their presence through knocking, the house's owner showed her face through a crack in the door, then smiled and opened it wide, inviting them inside. Midnight was a bit surprised at the sight. Not that she was a racist, that wasn't right. But zebras were uncommon in Equestria, the pony population of which was kind of purist.

"Ah, greetings. My pleasure at your visit I cannot deride, so please feel free to come inside."

At least she isn't stupid like the ponyfolk

Midnight entered to find that one room took up most of the space within, filled with more masks, pots, and a big cauldron in the middle. Some unknown liquid was quietly bubbling within while a fire below provided far more heat than it seemed to absorb. Midnight decided it was best to avoid approaching it.

"Now, please tell me, what do you need that you seek me out while preferring to read?" the shaman asked Twilight. Jumping to conclusions was bad, but from what Midnight had seen, it was obvious to her what that zebra did with her life.

"Fluttershy would like to ask if you had any tricks on how to best grow the plants you supplied her with earlier."

"Ah, yes. If your library does not know, allow me to ask mine for knowledge..." she turned away, rummaging through some old scrolls.

"Hard to search when you've been away for college. Say, does she rhyme all the time?" Midnight whispered to Sparkle.

The zebra found what she was looking for and flipped back around, "Good, I must admit, the way of rhyming you have hit. And indeed, I rhyme night and day, it helps you think about what you will say. But what do I do, friend of hair blue, what name do they call you?"

"I'm Midnight... you?"

"My name is Zecora, I come from the foot of Mount Tombora."

"That's a long way to travel."

"Aye. I have lied, oh shame. But find another rhyme to this name."

"I know this problem. Midnight, I can't think of one with all of my might. But, uh..." Midnight had to admit that she had gotten a bit lost in the conversation.

"Speak your mind. Surely, you didn't come just for another friend to find."

"Yeah, I remember. Nurse Redheart sent me. She told me that you know what she needs. Which is good because I don't."

"Yes, the pouch I have yet prepared. By dark times it appears Ponyville has not been spared."

They kept talking for a few minutes until Sparkle began to initiate their leave. Midnight didn't mind staying longer than needed. After all, she was still getting paid for her time and nopony could prove she didn't spend it trying to find the way in the forest she had never seen before instead of chatting with the zebra.

The older one of the unicorns was already out through the door when Zecora approached Midnight one last time, speaking in an ominous whisper, "Your wishes I have seen, know that with another pony she has never been. But of your desire approve the spirits, they tell me you have their merits."

"Thanks, I guess?" Midnight said, unsure what else she should say. If Zecora was talking about spirits, then shouldn't she be able to detect them, too?

You're getting predictable. I'm already two steps ahead of you. Watch.

The Flow was different here. It could be due to her lack of immersion, but Midnight found it impossible to bend aside matter. Over Zecora's shoulder, she could see a whisp of energy with a clearly equine face smiling at her. Certainly, the Magic Flow could never be fully understood, changing completely before its researcher could even write down notes.

She thus put it off as another wonder of the world and began her trip back home, herbs strapped to her back. She hated it. She hated the fact that she had to spend another walk out of the Everfree Forest with somepony who just refused to sense her affectionate thoughts. Perhaps Shimmer was the right one after all.