Splitting aMid the Night

Isn't it nice that your world and the Magic Flow just so happen to converge both at your new home and at your workplace, allowing you to use it for fast travel instead of having to cast a teleportation spell, even though that would be subjectively faster? Why does time even stand still relative to your world while you're within the Flow, since you certainly didn't learn enough to control it? Does time truly stand still or does it only run as fast as a teleportation spell would take you? If it does, what if you were to spend a lifetime within the Flow? Would you not age, or does your body follow the rules of whence it came? If it does not, then why can you still move and do other stuff that living beings do which is indirectly linked to ageing? Perhaps you are only moving your energy projection by will, but then again, that also needs brain activity, so you'd need some sort of throughput nonetheless.

Wonderful questions, none of which will be answered. Coming to think of it, can I shape it like that? Of course I can. Obey, your princess demands it!

Additional rock flew in out of nowhere, piecing together around her. With a flash of light, the breaking points mended and the scenery united itself into trees, clouds, houses, cloud houses, clouds shaped like trees, and even a single tree house. She could only give it the shape of Ponyville, not its looks, but it still felt a bit more like home. Blobs of energy walked the newly formed streets, each signifying a pony in its wake in the real world. Midnight gave herself an imaginary pat on the back for her mastery of the Magic Flow and continued on her way to the clinic.

Impressive. You do not ask for points of merging, you make both worlds as one. A feat of strength, or naivety. Oh look, it comes to meet you!

A tiny creature approached Midnight, pausing on every third step as if shy to advance further. She'd seen it before, its hospitable expression, its wide, glowing eyes; It was the same as she'd seen in the glade and on Lorwyn. "Hey there, little one," said she once it was close enough. It didn't respond, it only stood and stared up at her. "Of course. The one denizen I get to question is a mute. Guess what, tiny, you're not. Now talk to me. Got anything interesting to tell me?"

"Goddess gave me back my voice!" it squeaked, running to keep pace with her. "What is it that she asks in return?"

Hey! Stop mistreating your subjects and get to the task, would you kindly?

If they didn't want to be shoved, it shouldn't be so much fun to do it. Anyhow.

She picked up the small creature in her magic and set it down on her back as she took flight over the street valleys of Ponyville. "Gods and kings don't exist. You all are to call me princess at best. As I know this place, anything I tell you, all of your kind will know, right? Great. Find Sparkle at the place they call Canterlot. Make sure she is safe and continues on her path. Got that?"

"So be it," it said in a voice suddenly much deeper than it should be able to produce, then faded into pure energy.

The world of twilight wasn't always like that, you know. It adapts to the princess which takes reign, even if she happens to be a piece of insanity tied together with string. Still, nice fellows, aren't they?

I'm not sure I like their hive mind. Or them being made entirely of energy. Speaking of which, why haven't you taken form yet? Why don't you have my wings when you do?

Ascended form is surprisingly common here. As to the other questions, laziness, and because they aren't mine. I may take your form as you appear to the untrained eye, but there is only one princess. At a time, anyhow.

You've never had a problem with altering yourself.

Am I a halfbred bug? There is more to royalty than wings, and they award more than flight. Speaking of which, we've arrived.

The shadow she'd been casting vanished as she stepped through the door, unable to prove itself within reality, where the true sun was in front of her.

Looks to be a calm morning. At least I'll be able to get dressed before the shift begins. I feel like there might be better uses for having access to any and all information around me... but I can't seem to think of one. Hey there, Nurse.

Destiny? The greater good? Something? Princess, you're holding an entire world inside of you. All that is needed is the will to release that which was taken. Speaking of releasing, thinking what you're saying won't do anything, you know that, right?

I just noticed that myself. On that note, I really should get help, considering I'm talking to myself more often than to anypony else, and my self even responds. It's been a few months now, and you still haven't made it clear what or who you are.

I am where I am needed, and needed where I am. Once you meet the glory of ascendancy, affairs such as your past life and whether you've had one stop concerning you. You should try it sometimes. The Border of Reality isn't a bad place to hang out while you try to figure out who you are, so long as nopony has any greater plans for you then. Know only that you need me; I'm keeping your fragmented self together as good as I can.

The insanity that you caused in the first place, which is now fixed with no thanks to you.

Oh, really. Well, I suppose now that it's fixed, you don't have any more problems with hallucinations, spontaneous, perhaps imagined, pains, or actions beyond your control. Do you?

Blood came leaking out of the walls and flooded the main hall. Midnight did her best to push on through it, though her splitting headache wasn't making things any easier. Fortunately, the liquid was held up at the door frame as though contained by an invisible field that yet allowed her to pass.

Oh, just on a side note, I do not count as hallucinations. I'm just a little something which can overlap into your common illusion thanks to you anchoring it to reality. You are broken, little princess, and it is only through my favour that you are even still alive. Too bad that I don't have a body, else I'd enjoy my gifts myself. Hell, mind sharing yours?

You got a point?

Given how reckless you've been with your power, I want to know if you regret anything.

Hoof already on the door to the next patient's room, Midnight paused to think about her answer. Ruby's room was just to her left, it'd be next on her tour.

Sure. Wish I'd been less patient, wish I hadn't listened. At least I could have kept out of the Order's business, thought that she'd died innocent. Maybe it'd be easier to let her rest. Maybe none of this would have happened, and I would be just another normal unicorn. Drugged to blur out the voices in her head, doing grunt work because she's too irresponsible to handle any living beings, married to a decoy stallion out of fear of dying alone, two or three foals that the nanny brings up so that she can't hurt them.

Exiting the room, Midnight discovered a drop of liquid in the corner of her eye. She wished it away and forced a normal expression onto herself as she entered Ruby Pinch's room.

Destiny never dies, only moves. You'd still find love in the same unicorn as now, still follow her here, still hold the same talents. Perhaps your choice how to use them would have been different. Perhaps another pony would have taken flight to follow you instead. But as time shifts and destinies interchange, even variables remain constant if only the scope is small enough. Do you remember knowing any ponies with special ills, such as blindness perhaps?

"Hey there, Ruby. How is everything going?" Midnight set the medication down on the bedside table, then took her usual position on the opposite side. For once, Ruby took them without hesitation. "There you go. More time for enjoying ourselves, right?"

Not that any would come to my mind. Unless you count Ruby, or stuff like broken legs.

Not really, either of them. Besides, as if one leg more or less was any hindrance for your sort.

You do realise that it'd be plenty enough, simply from the pain itself? I think I had that once, I walked silly three months after!

Beside the point. Fascinating, either way.

With her conscious focus back in reality, Midnight awoke to find her neck occupied by a filly yet again. She wasn't sure how she'd gotten to this point, but the odds of somepony finding her were low as ever, so she could safely give in to the bit of admiration which she did feel. Nopony spoke for long seconds as they enjoyed each other's company, nothing more or less.

That was quick. Are we already back at the library?

You didn't spend eight hours on shift like I did.

Okay, maybe I slept through most of them. Nevertheless, eight hours where you just sit around, complaining about how nopony but you knows her craft and sometimes waving your magic horn to bring across the boxed gods on any harm that could occur. Did I miss anything?

You forgot getting paid way too much for doing nothing because apparently medicine is difficult.

The door just rang.

Indeed it did. Which is interesting since this tree doesn't have any more electronics than light and the kitchen. Huh, I've lived here for too long; I stopped caring about the stuff that Pinkie does.

A tiny spell let in Pinkie Pie without even forcing Midnight to look up from her lecture. When she finally did, the sight would certainly have made her drop out of her seat if she hadn't been lying and already expecting such a thing. "I assume there's a reason you come to our house this late at... afternoon, actually. I really need to get out more, don't I."

Pinkie giggled, much like Twilight would, but also much more annoying in tone. Perhaps the firearm strapped to her back had something to do with it, too. Midnight had decided she was officially no longer interested in any of her affairs. "Silly you, how could you mistake the times like that, unless there's a reason why you do, like getting caught in a time rift or having a super-duper long day, if that's true then I'm sorry for laughing about your silliness, but you gotta laugh off all mistakes, right?" She paused, but didn't seem to take a breath in the time, instead just waiting to continue. "Anyway. I finally perfected my party bazooka, which is like the party cannon except easier to carry if you only need a small party, and I wanted to ask Twilight if she wants to come watch the first test. But now she isn't here and only you are."

"Sharp as a stone that's been in a river for a thousand years, aren't you. Well, how oddly convenient that you'd show up, right now, right here, inviting to an event that brings all of Sparkle's other friends together." Midnight's eyes lost themselves out through the open door. Pinkie tried to follow, but clearly failed to see what Midnight spotted hovering over the horizon. "Anyhow. Her pet assistant dragon thingy fell ill and she brought him to Canterlot for treatment. She might be gone for a while. Make sure to tell everypony the bad news while you're there!"

Pinkie's ears dropped the shortest distance possible, together with her other features. The weapon on her back shifted and dribbled a few scraps of confetti. "Uh, okay. Guess she can't be there then. But I really wanted her to watch... Maybe we can gather it up and send it per mail..."

"I'm sure you'll find a way." She lead Pinkie outside as fast as possible without making it apparent that she only wanted her to be gone. "No, don't bother with me, I'm terrible at parties. Have fun amongst yourselves!"

Great, at least they shouldn't bother me today. Now what?

You still have a novel to finish. I heard Fifty-Two Tones of White: The Official Sequel Book really gets it on as the plot continues.

Why does she even have this in her library? Okay, it wasn't technically in her library as much as under her nightstand. But even the bit of her essence that remains with it interfered with my teleportation, so it's her fault that I found it.

I'm certain that she'll find that to be a fair point.