Splitting aMid the Night

"And because of that, I learned to walk on three legs. Easier than you'd think once you know how to do it, and it was that or nothing for me." Midnight looked her right foreleg up and down, slightly exaggerated for comedic effect. "Nope, the scar really is gone. Huh. You'd expect a half-footlong cut along the leg to stay for a bit. Maybe I have amazing healing powers too and just never noticed." Unfortunately, her thesis was disproved when she ran a hoof down the leg. "Oh wait, there it is. Yeah, fur covering up and stuff. Silly me."

"Didn't that hurt?" Ruby asked. "You made it all sound like no big problem."

Should I-

Don't you even dare.

"It probably did and I've managed to push the pain out of my memory since then. So yes, I assume that it did, but describing it would've taken an inappropriate amount of time in the story. No one really wanted me to do that, trust me. Especially since I'm supposed to watch the clinic right now. Excuse me while I go do that." For a good ten seconds, Midnight vanished from the room, then returned. "Everything alright. Ah, thank magic for rapid-fire teleportation. Where was I?"

You were explaining to little Ruby Pinch what her cutie mark will do to her and why she should stay away from colts when she gets it, despite feeling more attracted than ever.

"Ah yes, I remember. I had just finished the story of the only time when I was in a hospital as an actual patient, and was trying to figure out what to do next. Perhaps the Principem Ex Machina would be to tell you to be more careful than I was back then." She reclaimed her seat and slid a little closer towards the bed. "Then again, if you're dumb as past me, tell me so I won't have to bother with you any more."

"Uh, that's a compliment, right?" Ruby looked as uncertain about Midnight's intentions as she herself. This, of course, was a situation to be changed. Midnight wouldn't have it that anything other than smiles and happiness stain Ruby's expression.

"Yeah. I'm sometimes a bit like that. Just ignore it." A quick glance to the wall, to the hanging clock. "And to help you do that, it's about time for special therapy again. Yay. Where would we be if we didn't have magic as an overall plot hole filling device. Aaand I guess I didn't mention to you that I used to be into writing, so consider that before your imm- young mind thinks anything else. So, roll over if you kindly would."

Ruby Pinch obeyed Midnight's every order with such conformity that she almost didn't know whether to revel in the act's adorableness or abuse her powers over her. She decided on the former, perhaps a bit of the latter too if the situation called for it. "Ooh, really? How was that?"

Her horn lit up and Ruby shivered slightly as the energy ran over her back. Now, she only had to sustain the cast spell, meaning that most of her mind was free to wander and tell tales about it once back at the campfire of reality. "Like everything, that was years ago, though less than the broken leg. It was decent fun for spending a summer, I suppose. You see, there's a residential school in Canterlot for ponies with special talent in writing and what's like it. No, before you ask, I didn't actually move in there. I did happen to live just two minutes by hoof from there, even though I never really walked that distance. Teleportation does tend to make a lazy pony out of you. Anyway, that school offered a temporary membership during the summer months, when you're not otherwise busy. So I'd figured I could broaden my arts a bit. As it turned out, I was also pretty good at writing."

"What happened? Did you meet many friends?" Ruby managed to say before going back to basking in the silent bliss that was a side effect of the spell Midnight was using.

"Too few to be noteworthy, too many to explain them all. Yeah, what did happen?" Silence followed, lasting just too long to not be awkward. "I guess I finished it as normal. I remember joining the big feast at the end of term. For temporaries like me, of course. It was only beginning for the regulars. Hah, those ponies. There were some really big fireworks that night, too. Then, hmm, I think it closed down not too long afterwards. Maybe the fireworks ruined them. Who would know. I know I don't."

"The mind of the subject will struggle to create memories where none exist." Your fillyfriend has such amazing literature in her library, you should get to reading them sometime. I don't need your permission or even cooperation to know what's in them, not when she does, but it might broaden your perspective a little. Also, mind the time, would you kindly?

Yeah, shift change will be soon, I get it. Who would blame me for wanting to stay with her for a bit longer?

Midnight cut the flow of energy. The marine glow that she'd brought forth continued for a second, but was soon reduced to but a dying spark. "There. That'll be it for now. How are you feeling?"

Ruby rolled around, making a complete mess out of the sheets in the act. Midnight corrected them out of reflex. "Great! Maybe I'll get out of here after all." She obviously didn't want to let it on, but her eyes said more than enough as they displayed only a disappointing void.

"You would prefer not to, wouldn't you." Midnight kicked herself from the inside for her thoughts, but somehow still managed to get her other planned sentences out. "I know what it's like to feel abandoned. Maybe it'd be easier on you if you had an honorary sister."

Fascinating.

Ruby beamed at her, now filled with the glimmer that she'd been missing before. "You mean- you'd do that for me?"

"Yeah, that surprises me more than it does you. As I said, I know what you're feeling, what I mean for you." Midnight was uncertain what would be the appropriate gesture in such a situation. She wanted to show affection, but anything that came to her mind would either seem inappropriately close or fall within the area of what she'd do for her simply as a nurse. She remained still, hoping her expression would be enough to support the message. "The one thing that you gotta remember is that you're never alone, no matter if you feel like everypony's left you. That's why I'm doing this, you deserve to not become the monster I did, Ruby. Well, that, and because you're just too adorable. Before you get any hopes though, you'll have to stay at home. Before we can start stuff like that, I have to talk to Sparkle and find out how she thinks about foals. Alright?"

Ruby nodded, barely containing her excitement. "Of course. This is just awesome of you!"

Midnight seemed to have leaned in a bit too far as seconds later, she found her neck occupied by a young filly. "Wonderful," she whispered, realising the full potential of what she'd just done.

Excuse me, I am in the universe Kepler seven, right?

Yes, I did just do that. Blame me, I know I already do it myself.

We need to talk. Take the magical route today, would you kindly?

Midnight found Noon sitting on the path's edge, legs dangling off without regards for safety, basking in the Shadow Star's light. "Alright, here I am. What is it?"

She rose and led the way forward. "Walk with me, princess. We have somewhere to get."

They reached an intersection. Four paths crossed, each leading into infinity without a visible destination. Noon seemed to be uncertain about which to take. "What's the point? All I know, we could keep going forever in one direction and not find anything, then turn around and there it'll be."

"Ah, I see you're beginning to understand. About time." She branched off left and Midnight followed. When she looked back a few seconds later, there was only a straight line leading away. There had never been anything else. "I was getting worried that your attunement may come without understanding. As an infinite number of universes there are, so does the Flow serve as a nexus for all of them. Your destination is, was, and will be ahead. It is only a choice of where to go."

"If this is more of your stupid destiny babbling, how often do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in it?"

Noon missed a single step's timing. To cover it up, she then stood as if by disappointment of what she'd just heard. "You may think so," she said in a calm voice, "but the many, amongst them you, would disagree. You have accepted your gift in the past, you will do so in the future. How often does one hear about a princess refusing her throne, anyway?" She sped up the pace, denying Midnight any opportunity for questions.

After a second's eternity, they arrived at a moderately sized platform. It carried a normal clearing with a single giant tree in its middle. Exactly that made it fascinating to Midnight. The Flow always seeked to emulate the normal world, but could never grasp its finesses. This place, however, was too perfect. The grass was soft under her hooves, a few birds somewhere and nowhere contributed their quiet song, even the sky came to copy Equestria. Rather than the stars which otherwise occupied it, high up stood the sun, true as it was in Equestria, allowing only pure blueness to surround it. The only trace of obvious magic in the area was the center tree. It easily stretched two or three houses' worth into the sky, vines which shimmered in every imaginable colour dangling from its top all the way to the ground. "What is this place? Another sync nexus?"

"It's nice, isn't it? Watch yourself," Noon growled as Midnight bent to inspect one of the many loti around. "This might be the greatest amount of power you'll ever see. Aside from your friend, of course. Still, it should be enough."

Midnight circled around the platform. The tree didn't show any difference regardless of viewpoint. Its tiny ropes never broke the pattern of a perfect curtain, always displaying the same arrangement of colour. "You haven't answered my question."

"This is the world's nexus. Not leylines, stronger. The princesses themselves draw from here. Hence why Canterlot was built on top of it. For eons, this lay dormant, waiting for a pony worthy for it to reveal itself." She strode to the vines' edge, staying just a leg's reach away from them. "This is true power. The power to master the Flow, to change the world. The power which is due to you." She vanished and reappeared leaning on Midnight's shoulder. "The final step, that to reach out and take your throne, is yours." She vanished.

Midnight was alone with only temptation to keep her company. She wasn't going to do it, obviously she wasn't. She had too much to risk everything now. Then again, it didn't appear to require any sacrifices on her part. At worst, she'd have to explain her new wings to Sparkle, if even that. In all likelihood, they wouldn't be visible to the untrained. Perhaps they wouldn't even be real per se. She had every reason to distrust Noon, judging by the previous months alone, not to mention the years before. Her distrust had only met her with displeasure, though. Coming to think of it, Noon hadn't given her too many reasons to uphold caution. Perhaps she only meant to help after all. Midnight trotted forward and parted the vines with a hoof.

"Arise, nether princess."

She awoke an eternal second later, lying on bare rock. The tree had vanished, as had every other sign of nature. Her hair was completely out of order, her joints ached and her wings stung. Once that thought made its way through the dizziness clouding her mind, she was quick back on her hooves and shouted into the nothingness, "What's going on here?"

Noon walked in from nowhere. "You've accepted it, and it has accepted you. Try to imagine what one could do with power like it lies within you."

Midnight rose just a little above the ground. It wasn't due to her conscious effort, much more was her altitude an idea given form, an unspoken desire. This world obeyed her. It was hers. The wings were just decoration. "So I could match Sparkle now?"

"Don't get fancy. If she knew what is within her, nopony could stand up to her. Especially not you, as you'll be but a normal unicorn once back in their world. Now that you have your true form, however, you'll find that it has a few new benefits. For instance, you shouldn't have to rely on rifts which other ponies tore any more. Try it." Once again, she disappeared, taking refuge within Midnight.

As time flew by, she became more and more aware of the energy now focused within her. The Flow was no longer chaotic nor mystical. It was a challenge lying before her, waiting to be arranged into truth. An entire world unravelled before her as the infinity around her took on shapes and voices, forming ponies and patterns. This was not a world separate from Ponyville, it was Ponyville, and it waited for input.

However, just as soon, she dismissed it. She didn't care, there were other, different things to do, places to be. Such where she'd be actually needed. She dug her hooves into whatever grip there was and concentrated, commanding the world to shape to her needs. A few seconds later, the energy bundled at her horn vanished and she found a doorway having appeared in front of her. It'd take her where she needed to go, she knew it.

The library laid before her, silent and immaculate as always. As expected, there were no ruffling feathers from wings being folded back together. She was just a normal unicorn in this world, as she'd always been. A simple cough made Twilight look up from her lecture as it announced Midnight's presence. "Ah, welcome back," greeted Twilight. "Enjoyed yourself?"

"You have no idea."