Splitting aMid the Night

It appears that Pegasus Eye allows me to see pegasi. Hm. Who would've guessed that. Not that I'd need it to see her, of course. I wonder if she knows. Thanks, that's enou... did I just thank the single unliving thing that I want to see dead with every fiber of my being?

That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons, even Death may die. Have you forgotten Canterlot?

I'm trying to, if only you'd let me, liar.

For as long as we live, so do I, for I am but an incarnation of what the epiphany that allowed us to see the real world did to our brain.

So you ARE the crater. I knew it.

That's just broken data, consuming everything in a vain attempt to regain structure itself. But why am I telling you that? Why are you telling yourself that?

The point is, shut off Pegasus Eye. I'm not sure why it's active in the first place.

Harbor thy gifts for them to flourish or else they'll shrink and die.

Midnight gave the glass of wine in her telekinetic grasp another swirl. She had decided to go out on that Tuesday night, lacking motivation to prepare anything for herself. It wasn't exactly the smartest way to spend her budget, but she didn't care. She wouldn't be needing it until the first paycheck to, for instance, take one of two non-Earth Pony out on a date, anyway.

In the cheap little restaurant she'd chosen, she had obviously had to run into Shimmer, who was sitting a few tables to the right of her. Midnight took another sip of her post-meal beverage. She wasn't terribly fond of wine, claiming that it was usually far too sour for her taste, but this brand was somewhat enjoyable, rich with spice and sweetness.

Also, she felt so classy ordering that particular drink that she had simply had to do it. Not that she really liked feeling classy and incorporating what she hated the most in ponykind, second to her inner demon.

Ah, medequestrian stuff. Where the wine is sweet and the stallions are strong... what am I thinking? I'm not that inebriated, I hope. Like, twelve percent by volume, multiplied by about point one that I've drunk so far, multiplied by point six to account for the hole, multiplied by my body weight... how heavy am I? I haven't measured in ages. Probably better that way. And... oh sheesh, I'm doing math again when I should be enjoying myself, aren't I.

If you're sober enough to calculate that X, you need to increase it.

As if I had the money or intention for that. Maybe I can leech some out of Shimmer. She surely would deserve it... ah, three days. How sad. For her.

It appeared that Shimmer just couldn't spot Midnight. Either that or she was very good at hiding it, which was more acting talent than she expected of ten Shimmers all ground up and fed to an average actor pony. She'd love to test her suspicion, though.

They say pegasus wings are the softest material known to ponies.

Ooh, can I test that? Surely she'd love me to snuggle into them. If she doesn't, well, I'll just chop them off. Choppy choppy!

You're really unforgiving with somepony you love.

Somepony I think I'm in love with. That's a difference.

Thought equals action, action equals crime. Imagine my point of view. For an imaginary being like me, the concept of a thing or action that is just imagined without being real is literally inconceivable, as is the concept of volume for a Flatlander. That is, if I didn't have your understanding to tap into. Care to let me get my own?

It's hard to pull a knife out of the back you've voluntarily turned to your nemesis.

Worth the try.

Midnight finished her drink in one swig after many tentative sips and prepared to take her leave, which, sadly, included paying for her consumed items. At least, she thought she'd have to.

"Oh no, ma'am. A certain pony that doesn't want her identity known insisted on paying for you," the server stallion said with a smile betraying his thoughts. Clearly, she was already in a relationship to him. She could hardly care less about either his misconception or what caused it.

How pointlessly romantic. Could it be that she knows about everything? Trying to score extra points?

You're just waiting for the three days to end anyway. But before judging, how about taking a closer look at the situation?

Looking back from the door, the Flow revealed not only one, but two pink spots to Midnight. She set off towards her home in order to avoid having to talk to either of them.

Hm. Now whodunit?

We must collect clues and investigate!

I'm not sure, but I think there are better actions in such a situation than to barge at the anonymous pony asking her why she paid for your foods. Where does she even get that kind of money? I mean, she's been at Canterlot for the last few months, in school, with me! And I hardly earn enough for anything already. That is, assuming Sparkle did it.

Ooh, don't you know your pick already?

If only I did! This is tearing me apart and I haven't even started trying to decide yet.

Don't worry, your special day is coming up soon. Just a few days, maybe even tomorrow.

What is the meaning of thy words? Explain theeself!

Look into your calendar.

Midnight came into her room with the intention to follow the request of her second fragment, who claimed to be the better part within the shell or something like that. When Noon went out of her zone of usefulness, Midnight had learned to just ignore her.

However, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't spot a calendar along the walls. That could be attributed to the fact that Midnight simply did not own a regular calendar. Tired from her adventures of the day, Midnight decided to just go to sleep.

Sweet dreams, twilight princess. Know that I'm always watching over you.

That's what I'm concerned abou...

Midnight couldn't finish that thought, for right then, Noon demonstrated her power and caused her body functions to drop drastically, putting her into a peaceful state of sleep.

Guess what!

Things were more fun when you at least attempted to hide the fact that I'm dreaming. Hey, is this really my subconscious?

Midnight once more found herself in the usual darkness, consuming all that was further away than she could stretch out her hoof.

Our mind is nothing but an empty canvas until it is drawn on, which is the moment in which it takes on amazing shapes and colors. Of course, you could say the same about the world itself.

We are connected, not in the trivial ways that austrologists promise, but in the deepest ways.

Say genes. From a lump of molecules, a lump of lumps of moleculs emerges. You can't explain that.

Well, actually...

That's not the point right now. Which is, your subconscious is bored because you don't play with it.

Meh, as if I cared.

As she could create anything she wanted, Midnight siphoned some of the black out of the mass and reformed it to the statue of a unicorn. She closed her eyes and gave Twilight Sparkle a long kiss on her cold, unloving cheek. With some imagination, she could even feel some of the heat there should be.

Is this what you really want? Is it worth giving up... this?

When Midnight withdrew her head, she noticed the statue had actually changed to resemble a certain pegasus using an agonizingly good puppy look. While she was busy nervously trotting back and forth in annoyance at being tricked again, the object shifted back and forth between its two appearances.

Well, time's up, giovanotta. Now guess what. It's Daylight saving time!

Not again. Have I not proven that I have ascended past such nonsense?

We'll see about that. You know, there's some pretty big locks lying around here. Just what were those used for, I wonder... well, I know something to do with them. Is... this... reality?

I... gnaaah!

The pain in Midnight's head was excruciating as dozens of memories were blurred out of existence. Truly erasing them was impossible, she knew that, but in her current position, even forced repression could be bad enough.

By the time it ebbed away, Midnight's consciousness had already taken such a heavy hit that she was feeling dizzy and about to pass out in her own dream. She couldn't notice her body and reality around her shaping itself to the desired form.

There she is. No cheating. Have fun!

Midnight didn't know the source of this voice, but she knew already that she hated it. Something speaking so dismissively about her mother's soon-to-be corpse couldn't be nice. Also, it somehow talked inside her head, where nothing but her own cheerful thoughts were allowed to be.

It all depended on her. Nopony else was anywhere in shouting distance, except for that mysterious pegasus that had flown off of the unicorn as soon as she had seen Midnight sprinting towards her with tears soaking her face already.

She could do this. She had practiced it. She had just never taken a stress test like this one.

"Midnight? Oh, dear, please run along, I don't want you to see this," Daylight said, the lacking force in her voice indicating her heavy blood loss.

She talked. That was new. Usually, Daylight never talked.

Trying to cheat already. Filly, no. I won't let that happen.

Midnight's attempt at breaking the illusion at the logic flaw was suppressed as quickly as it had begun and she fell back into character.

"W- what are you talking about? Mother, I can do this. You'll be alright, just... hang on in there. Please hang on..." Midnight whispered as she clumsily fetched materials, trying to do her best.

"Midnight... forgive me..."

Oooh! I'm about to enter stage. Does my costume fit? What about my makeup?

"What the hay are you talking about? Just go away!" Midnight wailed between two bursts of tears.

You know, sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don't. Actually, you always lose, useless bag of meat. Sometimes you follow her, sometimes you continue your miserable life.

"Leave me! Can't you see I have own problems?"

Not unti... what?

Midnight paused, listening.

"Open your eyes..."

Midnight found herself in her regular room in the small village of Ponyville, curled into a ball. That was nothing too far out of the ordinary. However, who was standing over her was quite special.

Sparkle... what the hay is she doing here?

You really need help putting THAT together?

"Wear no disguise for me... come into the open, please."

What's she talking about? I'm right here!

"When it's cold outside, am I here in vain? Hold on in there, Night, there will be no shame."

Robot unicorn gets a present.

"Always I want to be with you and make believe with you and live in harmony harmony oh love... wake up."

Why should I... I'm already awake, can't she see that? Why would...

Midnight's eyes were opened, though only figuratively. She wasn't looking at the pony in front of her directly, it was Pegasus Eye that allowed her to see through her eyelids.

With the revelation of true sight, she discovered that her location wasn't her own room at all, but rather her workplace. She could feel the tubes supplying her with air. But something was wrong.

It didn't take long for her vital signs monitor to begin approaching a flatline while all Twilight could do was weep over her, awake to feel her own death, but unable to prevent it.

Midnight awoke drenched in sweat. Everything was as it should be, at last. Except for one thing. It took her only seconds to find her own diagnosis, and she didn't like it.

Oh no... not now...