A Warhorse In Equestria

Chapters

A Knight's Vow
The Pale Horse
Friend or Foe?
Bad Moon Rising
Of Might and Magic
Perspectives
A New Dawn
First Steps
A Knight to Remember

A Knight's Vow

Northern France. 1346

The two armies faced each other across a veritable no man's land of churned mud and grass, the site of many a previous battle.

On the one side in disciplined formations lay the English army under the command of his Majesty Prince Edward of Wales. To the rear, the archers and artillerymen with longbows at the ready. To the fore, the steadfast infantry standing in row upon row of sword, spear, and mace; blocks of pikemen among them to repel the inevitable enemy cavalry charge. And to the wings lay the crown jewel of any army; the cavalrymen and armour clad knights of the realm, mounted upon their trusted steeds and brandishing steel lances and swords. On the opposite side, the French army were arranged in much the same fashion; a small hillock providing a distinct terrain advantage upon which their own archers and crossbowmen would surely seek to capitalise.

Atop his own steed and surrounded by mounted knights of the realm, Edward spied his adversary and opposing commander across the field. Standing tall amongst his fellow Frenchmen at the hillock's crest was the aristocrat known as Philip of Valois; a proud and noble leader tasked with evicting the English forces from this particular corner of his glorious nation. Almost seeming to lock eyes with the Black Prince in spite of being far across the field, he quickly mounted his own horse and turned to stare out at the English army across the plain.

The air was filled with tense silence as both sides waited with bated breath; the only sounds to be heard being the faint clink of armour plate and the impatient trotting of hooves as the knights and cavalrymen reined in their mounts. Among one such cluster of English knights errant, one such horse - a mare - shifted nervously in place; the armour plates that covered her weighing down upon her body just as heavily as the pre-battle tension weighing down upon her mind.

Her name was Midnight, a given considering her dark colouration, and she was to be the replacement mount for the knight who now sat on her saddle with his visor down and lance held at the ready. Midnight was no stranger to battle, this would be her twenty-first since arriving in France via Normandy after all, and nor did she fear death anymore. No, her fears were centred around the man mounted firmly upon her back; for he would be her third knight since the beginning of this campaign.

Her first had been a rather portly fellow who needed a replacement for his steed, a courser, which had suffered from a debilitating illness. He had visited the Wiltshire farm upon which she worked, pulling wagons and ploughing the fields, and seemed to have taken a liking to her powerful, muscular frame. Being a somewhat ignorant sort, he failed to realise that the 'stallion built like an ox' was in fact a mare. The farmer from whom he had bought her didn't bother to correct him, nor did any one else who didn't wish to be on the receiving end of his lethal temper.

Midnight's baptism of fire had come in Normandy, where the petrified mare clad in heavy armour and bellowing overweight noble had cannoned through French lines twice; cutting a bloody swathe through all opposition. Truly, the battlefield was such a violent contrast with the sedate pace of the farm. But as time went on, the adrenaline rush of charging through enemy ranks quickly became an addiction; to run like the wind and rend asunder all who stood in her wake.

Though she disliked the fat man's boisterous manner, she was grateful to him for introducing her to a world she would never have known. He had died during a skirmish about a month later; somehow falling off her back and rolling into a brook where his heavy armour and considerable bulk weighed the knight down, causing him to drown.

The second had been a lanky, rather reedy fellow with a cleft chin and a paranoid manner. Midnight couldn't remember his name, but she did remember the excessive overlapping armour plates he insisted on wearing over his own suit of armour to protect him from missile fire, and how they weighed her down so badly. Any other horse would probably have collapsed under the strain, but Midnight bore the brunt as any warrior should and continued to push herself harder still.

It was somewhat ironic that the knight in question had the misfortune to take a crossbow bolt to the eye through his visor during a charge; one of the few places not covered by his precious extra armour. She had carried him throughout the battle and hadn't even realised he was dead up until her return to allied lines, whereupon his squires had rolled the corpse off of her back.

After that she had acquired an unlucky reputation among the soldiers and stablehands. They called her the 'Black Widow', for any who mounted the dark-coated mare in battle were destined to die. None of the knights searching for a replacement steed would think of looking at her twice, and she couldn't blame them for their paranoia. All Midnight wanted to do was to be on the field of battle again, what she was meant to do, not languishing in some musty old, windswept stables.

Then, one day, her fortunes changed.

His name was Sir Galland of Shropshire, and he had come to find a replacement steed for the one he had lost in his previous battle. Dismissing the stablehands' warnings as 'superstitious nonsense', he ignored the rumours surrounding her and had taken Midnight as his own. For the first time in weeks she was elated. Finally she would return to the field; finally she would fulfil her purpose in life. On that very day, she vowed to never lose another knight again; to protect him with her very life. Should she fail, she was prepared to sell her self dearly.

The contoured armoured plates fit snugly against her like a second skin once more; Sir Galland's heraldry replacing the old set that decorated her frame. After a scant few days of getting acquainted with drills and practice runs, Midnight felt like she had worked with him all her life; the synergy between them far greater than any she had ever felt before. He was to be her third master of the field, and one way or the other, he would be her last.

A week later by her count, fresh orders had come in; they were to march towards Crecy and reinforce the army currently gathering there for a decisive battle against the French for control of the region. It took the best part of a fortnight to reach the English encampment, battling the elements and making do with an inadequately supplied caravan all the way. After a night's rest, battle plans were drawn up, and the following morn saw a sea of armour, equines, and steel as far as the eye could see; all marching forward with a single purpose until a similar force could be sighted on an opposing hillock.

This leads us back to the present situation, with both sides drawn up and ready for battle.

Midnight fidgeted on her hooves, pre-battle jitters making her antsy. She could practically smell the anticipation, the fear, the violent undercurrent that hung heavily in the still air like early morning mist. She longed for battle once more; to eat up the ground with her galloping strides, to feel the adrenaline as she and her rider closed ranks with the enemy. Unfortunately all Midnight could do was wait; but thankfully for her, it wouldn't be for long.

She didn't know where the first cry originated from, only that it was reciprocated in kind. Soon the air was filled with the roar of fighting men, bellowing their war cries as they prepared to move forward. The wave of euphoria soon reached her own unit of knights, and their anticipation reached its climax. Almost as one, Midnight reared back on her hind legs and brayed out a cry of her own while Sir Galland gripped her reins with one gauntlet; the other hefting his lance to the heavens above, while all around them knights and steeds joined in their ode to glory.

As the last horse set down upon the soil once more, they began to gallop en masse; a swarm of thundering hooves and shining steel that tore across the uneven ground, seeking to smite their common foe. The skies darkened with a cloud of arrows arcing down towards the unit, and like a flock of birds avoiding a predator, they quickly changed direction; the whistling death impacting harmlessly upon soft ground in their wake.

From in front Midnight could see an approaching herd similar to her own, clouds of dust and dirt billowing in their wake. French mounted knights no doubt. It had been some time since she had last faced them, and it would certainly prove interesting to see how they fared. Long strides ate up the ground, turning it into a churning sea of grass and dirt. Within seconds the lead elements were upon each other; metal clashed, blows traded, and Sir Galland was plucked from her back by a French lance. While most mounts would canter off to escape the field however, Midnight did not; for she had made a vow and intended to fulfil it, no matter what.

Where once there had been two proud units of opposing mounted knights there now was a veritable melee, and Midnight wasted no time in getting involved. Seeing a French knight stood over Sir Galland, his sword raised high over his head to deliver the killing blow, she burst into action. Just as he was poised to strike, a solid buck severely dented the Frenchman's armour and caused him to pin wheel several yards away.

A thankful Sir Galland staggered to his feet, drawing his short sword as he braced to deflect the blow from another dismounted French knight while his fellows fought all around him. Seeing one of her fellow mounts disembowelled by a French knight on foot, Midnight immediately charged him with a whinny of anger. Hearing a thundering of hooves approaching from behind, the knight's head whipped around just in time to witness Midnight rearing back on her hind legs before bringing her forehooves crashing down upon his helmet; crushing both it and his skull like tin foil.

Pain assaulted Midnight's left flank as a stray crossbow bolt penetrated her armour; embedding itself deeply into her hindquarters. She hadn't even realised how close to the enemy's frontline she had been, and hesitation cost her again as flying metal dented and buckled the armour on her barrel. Lowering her head, the mare rammed her opponent and knocking the wind out of him, before viciously stomping him into the ground.

A distinct yell of pain caused her to snap out of her assault, and after shooting a look over her withers to locate the source, Midnight's eyes widened in horrified realisation. There were two of them with Sir Galland sandwiched between; one holding his attention while the other struck a cowardly blow from behind. Through a gap in his armour, a longsword had driven deep into Sir Galland's side; blood seeping from the wound he clutched while swiping ineffectively with his own blade in an attempt to keep them at bay.

Midnight saw red. The Frenchmen had no honour, no chivalry; they sought to break her vow.

She would give them no quarter.

Taking off at a full gallop, she focused on nought but her target. Everything else dimmed in her peripheral vision while she weaved through a maelstrom of clashing blades, homing in on the man she vowed to protect. A scant few yards away, Midnight brayed an anguished cry as she body checked the nearest assailant into next week; pain scything through her right hind leg as the second French knight sliced cleanly through the exposed flesh there.

A fumbled buck put him down while Sir Galland finished him off, but the damage had already been done. They were both wounded, and she could barely canter let alone carry him on her back. There were a lot more Frenchmen then there were English near by, and while the knights on both sides had largely cleared the field, small groups of enemy infantry had already begun to advance upon their position. It was clear they were overwhelmed, and yet even though she could likely get away under her own power, Midnight still did not retreat.

Despite their dire straits, Sir Galland could not help but feel a surge of pride. How many others could boast such a loyal and determined steed? The mare was a force to be reckoned with; a knight in equine form. She had stuck close to him the entire fight, saving his life twice now, and wreaking havoc upon their foes. And now here they stood; side by side, horse and human, as allies against a common foe. Truly, he could not ask for a finer comrade in arms. For a long moment her expressive muddy amber eyes seemed to lock with his own, conveying what he already knew; that this was the end for them both. Midnight's narrowing gaze then returned to the incoming soldiers, her head bowing as if in decision.

At some ungiven signal, the mare reared up on her unsteady hind legs and whinnied a battle cry. As momentum carried her back to the ground, she took off in a loping run; head lowered as nigh 1400 pounds of raw muscle, sinew, and armour charged into French lines. Infantrymen were trampled or bowled over as Midnight cast them violently aside like broken toys. Several tried to strike her down, but they were either too slow or their blows bounced off of her dented armour plates. Seeing his steed was carving a corridor of destruction through the enemy's ordered formations as if she were God's own wrath, Sir Galland offered a brief prayer to the Almighty for her safety before hobbling back towards friendly lines.

Pain lanced through her injured hind leg as she thundered forth, but Midnight ignored it as best she could. If she could not carry her knight to safety away from the enemy, then she would make damn sure that none could get to him. She was deep now, too far into their formations to back out. The only way was forward, but she was running out of momentum; the physical impact of each French soldier she hit coupled with crashing adrenaline and fatigue brought on by her many wounds causing her charge to falter. And yet she continued on; for to stop would be death, to retreat would be futile. There was only forwards; onwards to the next foe, blood and carnage trailing her wake.

Even so, she would not be able to run forever. Midnight knew in her heart that she would not survive this day, but she pushed on nonetheless; for she had made her vow, and keep it she would. For as long as she breathed, the mare would do everything in her power to keep him safe; and if that meant her life, then so be it. For every second she fought brought her knight more time, and she would make sure that when hers finally came, she would not go quietly.

As it turned out, It wasn't until she was several hundred yards deep into the French lines that Midnight's luck finally ran out.

She had just trampled through a hastily mobilising unit of pikemen when the staggering mare felt the lance of cold steel pierce the gap between the Flanchard attached to her saddle and the Crupper protecting her hindquarters. A second thrust from a spear pushed deeper into her bowels and caused the mare let loose a scream of agony as she desperately tried to lash out at her attacker, even while more Frenchmen assailed her thoroughly surrounded form. Heart thumping wildly in her chest, Midnight continued to fight as if possessed, even as her life-force continued to ebb and stain the green sods of turf below in the ensuing melee.

All warriors have their limits however, and this particular equine was no different. Feeling woozy, Midnight's movements were growing increasingly sluggish as she began to bleed out; the loss of blood proving too much for the mare as she finally slumped to the bloodied ground. Barely conscious, she could just make out the surrounding soldiers in the haze that increasingly clouded her greying vision.

Come to finish her off, had they? Let them come. She would show them that even on the precipice of death, an English horse was not to be trifled with.

Before any could get near however, the ground shook to the thundering of hooves coming from behind the dying mare. Midnight was dimly aware of the clash of steel as mounted English knights ploughed through the disintegrating French lines around her; fresh skirmishes between opposing infantry breaking out as the enemy was slowly being pushed back little by little. Resting her tired head upon the war torn earth, Midnight couldn't help but feel a sense of elation as her life faded away to the blackness of death's embrace. She had kept her vow and fulfilled her duty as her knight's steed; only regretting that she no longer had the strength to serve him in battle again.

{()}

Sir Galland strode forth over the carnage of the field, mindful of the fallen as he sought out the one comrade he had not accounted for once the battle had concluded in England's favour. There were others present too of course; serfs and soldiers alike combing through the dead either for ill gotten gain or to ensure that they were recovered so that carrion birds would not feast upon them before they could receive a proper burial. The knight ignored them all however as he retraced his steps from barely half a day before, passing the point where he had been violently dismounted and following the trail of destruction left by his noble steed.

He found her surrounded by the crumpled bodies of French soldiers in a pattern almost like a morbid flower; several displaying blunt force trauma that could only come from the impact of an angry equine's hooves. The mare almost seemed peaceful, asleep even as she lay resting on her folded legs while her muzzle lay on the churned grass with eyes closed. Reaching out a gloved hand, Sir Galland gave Midnight's still body an affectionate stroke along an exposed portion of her muzzle before standing back up.

Even though he had not known the horse for long, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Never before had he seen such strength, courage, and loyalty in an animal; truly the mare really was a knight in equine form until the very end. Once he had paid his respects to his fallen steed, Sir Galland began the short journey back to where the rest of the English army was encamped while recuperating for the next great battle. Later that night, he would offer a prayer to God for the safekeeping of the mare's soul. Little did he know however that a strange bluish-green hue would envelop the recently deceased equine's body when none were looking, causing it to vanish in a flash of light.

Nor would he know that though Midnight's life on Earth had come to an end, her story was only just beginning.

The Pale Horse

A sense of fuzziness fogged Midnight's mind as she slowly came to, though considering that the last thing she remembered was being at death's door then anything was an improvement.

Realisation jolted her awake as the memories surged back with a vengeance; the cavalry charge, the ensuing melee, and her final stand to protect her knight's very being at the cost of her own mortality. Looking around the dull grey landscape surrounding her, the war charger couldn't help but feel a sense of puzzlement at what seemed to be a monochrome, winterised forest encroaching on the narrow cobblestone path upon which she now lay, with flakes of snow silently drifting down around her slumped frame.

Was this Heaven then, or had she somehow ended up somewhere else altogether? She honestly didn't know; but seeing as simply lying here would get no answers, Midnight resolved to find out through her own means.

Rising steadily to her hooves, the dark-coated mare was thankful that she was still wearing her full set of barding, though the damage from her previous battle stood out clearly on her otherwise polished armour. On that note, she also found it curious that although her wounds were still apparent - most notably the deep rents of torn flesh upon her flank from where a spear had been thrust - there was no pain. In fact, Midnight physically felt little to nothing at all other than the crunching snow on cobbles under hoof as she set off down the narrow, twisting path in the hope that it would lead her someplace else.

Step after step, Midnight continued down the monotonous path with only her own thoughts for company as she took in her grey and dreary surroundings. The forest was unnatural, that much was clear, and perhaps the land in which she walked as well. Not a bird flew through the dull overcast sky, nor did a single tree rustle from the passing of an animal. Were it not for the flurries of snow continuing to blanket the ground and her own presence, then she would think her surroundings to be as lifeless as its colourless palette.

The cobblestone trail twisted and turned upon itself in a seemingly nonsensical pattern for what felt like hours, taxing Midnight's patience at the apparent lack of progress on her part as she broke first into a trot and then a canter; seeking to expedite her journey along the identical-looking tree-lined path. Just as she was considering picking up the pace again and plain running however, the forest began to peter out from a dense woodland into sporadic thickets until she rounded a bend on the path, only to pause at the sight before her.

With the overgrown vegetation receding, the cobblestone path had widened and the deep snow seemingly melted the closer it got to the edge of a sheer cliff, with a drop that seemed to go on for all eternity into the black void far below. A humpbacked stone bridge led over the sheer nothingness to an island that seemed to be floating without any visible means of support, upon which a picturesque thatched cottage sat within a well-kept garden; the entire entity encompassed within a translucent greenish-blue bubble that seemed to contain all the colour within this otherwise dark and strange place.

With increasing bewilderment, Midnight cautiously made her way over the plain stone bridge towards the oddly placed, cheerful looking home seeing as it was the only sign of life she had seen thus far. A house meant humans, and a human presence meant that she was not alone in this peculiar predicament. Crossing to the other side, the war charger stared warily at the greenish-blue spherical barrier covering the island for several long moments before gingerly giving it an experimental poke with a hoof, only to find that the appendage easily passed through with little more than a tingling sensation that sent a shiver down her spine.

Steadying her nerves against this clear demonstration of sorcery, Midnight nickered softly as she pawed at the ground briefly before slowly easing her way past the now rippling barrier and on to the island itself.

As soon as the mare had crossed the threshold, she noticed an immediate difference. The sky was now a brilliant blue wherever she looked and the world around her was a rich tapestry of colour that had been noticeably absent outside this seemingly idyllic sphere; a soft breeze blowing through the blades of grass on the lush green lawn and arranged flowerbeds flanking the cobbled path leading up to the thatched cottage's front door.

The feeling of emptiness she had experienced in the forest was now absent as well, the sensation of fresh greenery beneath her hooves exquisite in comparison to trudging through the numbingly cold snow... and reminding her stomach that it had been a long time since she had last eaten. With little more thought, Midnight lowered her head and began to graze upon the delightfully tender grass before her, not noticing the cottage door swinging open or its occupant stepping out shortly afterwards.

"YOU THERE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! GET OFF MY LAWN! GO ON, BUGGER OFF!"

Midnight almost jumped out of her skin with a frightened whinny. Not at the tone of words used, seeing as she was long used to the din of battle and shouted orders, but rather how each syllable seemed to claw at her soul with a most primal fear that froze the very blood in her veins, made the hairs of her coat stand on end, and invoked an urge to get as far away from the source as possible. Upon whipping her head around to face the source of the voice, the battle-scarred mare decided to make good on that last instinctual response as her muddy amber eyes widened in terror at the unworldly being now approaching her petrified form.

Contrary to what most people believe, the equines of Earth do have some semblance of culture and traditions kept alive by stories told by word of mouth; passed down by mother to foal for each generation. One such tale tells of a stallion as old as time itself; the one who comes to all equine kind when their time has come in order to reap their souls and allow passage to whatever afterlife there may be.

The Pale Horse

The bleached skeletal equine form certainly looked the part; a tattered black cloak covering a majority of his decidedly male form considering the deep voice, and a pair of glowing blue orbs in place of eyes casting a shadow over a majority of his skull that was covered by a hooded cowl. All in all, the decidedly supernatural creature was the epitomised image of death, and one Midnight wanted to be as far away from as possible as she bolted back the way she came; intending to gallop over the bridge only to slam into the now solidified energy sphere covering the island.

"OH NO YOU DON'T WAR, YOU CONNIVING GIT! LET YOUR DOGS SHIT ON MY LAWN WILL YOU? WELL NOT THIS TIME! TURN AROUND AND FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

Staggering backwards while shaking her head, the shaken war charger reluctantly turned around to face her foe; only now noticing that the creature's terrifying visage was slightly ruined by the fluffy bunny slippers on each hoof and a spangling star-patterned mug of tea being towed along in his wake via a greenish-blue tinge of energy. The walking corpse paused in midstep momentarily with his head cocked before the sense of impending doom washed over Midnight's shivering form, leaving a feeling of calm in its stead; though she still eyed the stallion warily and with not a small amount of fear as he came to a halt but a few paces away.

"Terribly sorry about that, thought you were an old acquaintance of mine; what with all that barding and everything. It does however raise the question as to who you might be, and how you got here in the first place though. I'm afraid I don't tend to get many visitors to my domain, or at all actually, barring my colleagues."

Midnight blinked in bewilderment at both the conversational tone and the realisation that the skeletal horse spoke in the familiar human tongue known as English. Nickering in response to his question, the war charger could only watch as the Pale Horse planted a slipper clad hoof against his skull. "Horse, of course. Rather obvious you're not going to be able to hold a decent conversation, unless..."

Tendrils of greenish-blue ether briefly filtered over the confused mare's head, proceeding a full body shudder and rapid blinking on her part before she set eyes on the deathly stallion once more. "Wh-what was...?"

Midnight froze up at the English words coming from her own lips with a faint trace of rural Wiltshire accent, while the skeletal stallion clopped his forehooves together in satisfaction; neatly ignoring the usual effects of gravity such an action would incur. "Splendid! Now we can have a proper civilised conversation, might I have your name?"

The war charger shifted uncomfortably on her hooves for a few seconds before deigning an answer with but a slight quiver in her voice. "I was given the name Midnight, milord. Might I be so bold as to ask who you believed me to be?"

The Pale Horse meanwhile had somehow produced an aged scroll from underneath his cloak and had it unravelled in front of his face while pouring over its contents. "Bit of a faux pas I'm afraid. I mistook you for War; an old colleague of mine and one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, alongside Pestilence, Famine, and myself. He's a bit of a bullish sort who has a tendency of letting his bloody dogs take a dump on my front garden when he knows I'm not home."

Midnight blinked in confusion; a habit that was likely to grow considering her increasingly odd circumstances. "I do not understand... How canst thou be a horseman if thou art not human? Art thou not the Pale Horse of legend come to take mine soul to the beyond?"

The skeletal Stallion briefly lowered the parchment to give the equivalent of a frown at the armour clad mare. "I am the Death of all things; be they the greatest king or the lowliest blade of grass. Every species perceives me in their own particular way, and my physical form shifts to compensate." Skimming over the contents of the parchment once more, Death muttered aloud to himself as he got further down the list. "Mary... Mindora... Ah, here we are; Midnight..."

...

"Well that's peculiar; I wasn't supposed to see you until next Tuesday. I even had you pencilled in for an afternoon slot." He discarded the now rewrapped scroll which promptly disappeared in to the shadow of his cloak, before returning his attention back towards the dark-coated mare. "Quite simply put, you aren't supposed to be here. Perhaps if you were to recall the circumstances leading up to our meeting then I might be able to deduce the reasons as why this has occurred."

And so Midnight recounted the events leading up to their impromptu meeting. The battle upon French soil, her sacrifice and presumed death, awakening in the wintry forest of Death's domain, and the journey leading up to the bubble encapsulated island upon which they now stood.

"Well that's a bit of a pickle," The skeletal horse began with a hoof held thoughtfully under his chin. "Sounds like the sort of thing Epona would do. Bloody interfering nag of a Celtic deity always had a soft spot for equines, and now I've got to fix it. Just wonderful."

Death gave a dry sigh before briefly rummaging in his cloak once again, producing a contorted hourglass that seemed to ignore the laws of physics entirely. Sand that was pooled in the bottom was now slowly and inexplicably trickling upwards through a corkscrew pattern of tubing to the top half, and wouldn't alter course no matter how much the keeper of souls tried to shake it around.

While he continued to mutter dire threats at the supposed cause of this anomaly, Midnight tried to wrap her mind around the circumstances she now found herself in. Not only had she to come to terms with the fact that she truly was beyond the land of the living, but Epona, patron goddess of equines everywhere, had interfered in her passing to deliver the war charger directly to Death's door in the literal sense. But for what reason? Had she earned favour somehow for her prowess in battle, or was she being punished for some unknown sin? All Midnight knew was that these events had been but a footnote in no doubt strange and troubling times to come.

A sudden frustrated growl cut off Midnight's introspection and caused the hairs on her coat to bristle as Death turned his piercing, glowing blue eyes back towards her still form. "Well I don't know how she did it, but she's gone and messed up your allotted life time, and even I can't fix it! Believe me, we are going to have words once I find that insufferable woman!" His expression seemed to soften slightly as he looked over the armoured equine before him. "The question now is, what to do with you..."

Midnight wetted her suddenly dry lips and her heart quivered in a mixture of nervousness and possible hope as she spoke once more. "Lord Death, if there is still sand in my glass, does that not mean... that I might live again? Please, I beseech you milord, could I not return to the field of battle once more?"

The skeletal horse slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid not my eager friend. Once a soul has left the mortal plane of its world, it may not return. Unless you count reincarnation, and that's a bit of a grey area at the best of times."

Midnight felt her spirits lower along with her head at the disappointing news, even as Death began to pace back and forth while voicing his thoughts out loud. "You can't well stay here, seeing as I don't have the lodgings, and returning you to Earth is certainly out of the question. What to do... what to do-"

Death's pacing came to a sudden halt mid-stride as a metaphorical light bulb illuminated inside his skull; a worryingly creepy-looking grin briefly lighting up his bony face before he turned shining eyes back towards Midnight. How had he not seen it before? If he couldn't empty her hour glass through conventional means, then why not take a leaf out of the goddess' book and cheat? An idle thought sprung to mind that this might actually be playing directly into the deity's hands, but was ruthlessly squashed in favour of solving the issue at hand and getting back to his morning crossword and now probably stone cold tea.

"Midnight my dear, I believe I may have a solution." The scarred mare perked up slightly as she gave the approaching reaper of souls her full attention. "Though you might not be able to return to your own realm, the sands of time in your glass would allow you to start fresh in another altogether."

The war charger felt her heart skip in anticipation as she framed her question. "Would I be as I am now milord, or but a young filly once more?"

Death shook his head slightly before replying. "You would be exactly as you are now; a grown mare fresh from battle. The realm I have in mind has many equines that speak in human tongues just like you do now, and has seen its fair share of conflicts in the past. I'm sure you'd get along there just fine."

If Midnight hadn't been sold before, she certainly was now; with the image in her mind of glorious battle alongside horses like herself. Bowing her head in supplication, the dark-coated mare voiced the words that would seal her fate for better or for worse. "I accept, my lord. For granting me this boon, I shall forever be in your debt."

Death nodded in a solemn manner that was a world removed from his previously jovialness; his scythe materialising from the ether beside his muzzle and glowing blue eyes flickering as he scryed for the world to which he would send this wayward soul. "Very well, young mare. Keep still and focus upon the name of the realm; Equis."

Midnight did as he asked; closing her eyes and evening out her breathing while mentally repeating the name of her new home as if it were her own personal mantra. Static discharge in the air prickled the hairs upon the war charger's coat and a faint breeze began to pick up as the Pale Horse gathered his considerable power into his traditional instrument of reaping; bluish-green energy crackling along the ebony handle and condensing towards the tip, while a growing hum began to permeate the enclosed area. Finding the intended realm, Death mentally locked in the coordinates and, with a gratuitous sweep of his scythe, tore a rent in the fabric of reality barely large enough to accommodate a small family car.

"Now, Midnight! The bridge will not last long!"

The armour clad mare snapped her eyes open to see a blank white tear in the space-time continuum before her; looking for all the world like someone had merely ripped through a piece of cloth, only this particular phenomenon was rapidly closing by the second. Wasting no more time, Midnight trotted forth to stand before it; shooting one last look at the virtually godlike being concentrating his considerable power behind her. "Fear not my lord, for I shall not squander this chance. Thank you... and farewell."

With those parting words, she passed through the closing breach and was gone with a flash of light. Letting the hole collapse upon itself now that she was gone, Death began to chuckle aloud. "Don't worry my dear. With the way you act, I'm sure we'll be reacquainting ourselves all too soon."

With a shifting of blue-green ethereal power, the Grim Reaper stood once more in his preferred human skeletal form; flexing his bony digits and retrieving the mug he had dropped earlier, before draining the dregs of tea on to the lawn and making his way back up the path towards his quaint cottage retreat in order to finish a rudely interrupted breakfast. Crossing the threshold, Death couldn't help an almost sinister chuckle escaping his tooth laden jaws at the thought of what he had done. After all, he'd barely divulged anything about where he was sending the overeager mare; especially about the dominant species and their largely pacifistic ways.

He was almost tempted to dig out the old scrying crystal gathering dust in a drawer somewhere in order to observe the potential mayhem up close, but before that trail of thought could go any further, an odd noise disturbed his thoughts. Moving to the window of his kitchen area, Death poked his head out only to seethe with rage at what he saw.

"WAR, YOU UTTER BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU LET YOUR DOGS SHIT ON MY LAWN! AGAIN!"

The enraged horseman of the apocalypse bolted out the front door in pursuit of the tank-like mass of bearded muscle and armour that was the humanised representation of war; bullishly laughing as he took off with a pair of extremely buff Chihuahuas close on his heels that were at least ten feet tall at the shoulder and wearing spiked collars. Death neatly skirted around the massive piles of poop that would put a T-Rex to shame as he sent shockwaves of blue-green energy at the retreating trio, screaming dire threats all the while and getting more frustrated by the minute.

Why War's wife - sweet Valkyrie that she was - would get her husband puppies for his birthday and not expect him to turn them in to some form of weapon was anyone's guess; especially now that the tiny, yapping lap dogs were currently towering instruments of mass destruction. Death gritted his teeth as his colleague continued to mock him from afar, an idle part of his vast mind wondering which deity he had annoyed in order to get such a terrible morning.

"Why me?"

Friend or Foe?

Twilight Sparkle was beside herself with worry along with the other five mares in their group; even the normally hyperactive Pinkie was being uncharacteristically quiet in the face of what they had just witnessed. The giant armoured pony had not only taken on a manticore single-hoofed but beaten it in a most gruesome manner, before brutally snuffing out its life. Having never experienced such violence before, let alone seen death up close, it was a particularly disturbing scene that would likely be ingrained on the girls' psyche for quite some time; especially for the animal-loving Fluttershy, who was whimpering with brimming tears at the sight of the broken manticore corpse.

The issue right now however was that said black-coated mare was now approaching them at a leisurely pace. A mixture of manticore blood and her own were both plastered across her dirt-encrusted armour and dripped from multiple wounds, forming a gory image that reminded Twilight so much of one of Spike's trashy horror novels that he seemed to leave lying around back in Canterlot.

The six ponies edged back as one as she got closer; Applejack and Rainbow Dash standing protectively between the large mare and their friends despite feeling the same tension as the rest. Coming to a halt, the battle-scarred stranger smiled at the cowering mares while raising a hoof in greeting; seemingly not comprehending just how terrifying she looked to the much smaller ponies as she spoke an incredibly old fashioned dialect of Equestrian with a peculiar accent.

The rational part of Twilight's mind that wasn't gripped with fear was already buzzing with questions even as Applejack tried to warn the black-coated mare off. Who was this mysterious pony? Why did she intervene so violently to the extent that she could casually take a life? And how was she still standing so nonchalantly after suffering such grievous wounds that would cripple anypony else?

"Peace young filly, I mean you no harm. I am but a mare in a foreign land who happened upon your battle with the vile creature and wished to lend my aid."

The armoured mare's response was in itself an excellent source of information should one know where to look. Her admission of not being from Equestria might partially explain the odd manner of speech, as well as the fighting skills that were far too brutal to be derived from the Royal Guard. But what did that leave, and more importantly, why was she here? Before Twilight could pluck up the courage to approach the mysterious mare, Rainbow Dash in her impulsive hotheadedness got right up in the newcomer's face to spout off at a pony who no doubt could snap her in half without even trying.

Twilight heard Rarity's breath hitch as she likely came to the same conclusion at the blatant confrontation happening right in front of them, while Applejack looked like she was preparing to drag the pegasus away by the tail. "Consarn it filly! Git away from her, she's dangerous!"

Thankfully the armoured giant remained calm as she turned her attention from the hovering pegasus to the wary earth pony mare, determination set in every feature. "Only to those that threaten the lives of my comrades and the innocent, such as that beast had. Upon my honour, this I solemnly swear."

A tense silence stretched out as Applejack's brilliant green eyes stared into the mare's own, seeming to communicate their intentions without words, until finally the farm pony spoke once more. "Ah believe you. For now."

Rainbow however was less convinced as she darted over to hover above her ground-bound friend. "Are you serious?! With that get up, how do know she isn't working for Nightmare Moon, huh?"

The Stetson-wearing mare gave a sideways glare at the pegasus hovering above her head. "Ah know when folks are lyin' RD, an' best ah can tell, this here mare is speakin' nothin' but the truth." Those same green eyes narrowed a little as they settled back on the massive pony before them, to whom her next words were aimed with all the subtlety of a flying house brick. “Ah jus’ hope it ain’t a trust misplaced.”

A chuckle drew both of their attention, a small smile gracing the subject in question's muzzle shortly thereafter as she moved to speak. "Thank you most kindly, though I would be troubled if thy minds did not have doubt of a strange mare's intent toward a herd of young fillies. Perhaps introductions are in order?"

The dark-coated mare bowed her head in a regal manner before standing proudly to attention. "I am Midnight, daughter of Willow, and proud member of the knights errant under the command of his Royal Highness Prince Edward of Wales. Might I have the pleasure of knowing thy names?"

Dash seemed to be thrown for a loop momentarily considering her wide-eyed expression before an appreciative grin lit up her muzzle. "So you're like a royal knight, huh? Well, I guess you really aren't with Nightmare Moon since you did save our hides from that manticore, though I totally could have taken him myself." The pegasus performed a short loop in the air followed by hovering high and proud with a smug look plastered across her face. "Name's Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all Equestria and captain of the weather team."

Though Midnight might not have known what a 'weather team' was, she did recognise the military rank when she heard it and acted accordingly; hooves clacking together audibly as her posture stiffened and her left foreleg clanged against her front plating in salute. "My greetings, Captain Dash. Truly it is a surprise to meet an officer so young."

Still a little wary but not wanting Rainbow's ego stroking to get worse any time soon, Applejack stepped forward to gain the larger mare's attention before tipping her Stetson in greeting. "Ah'm Applejack. Me an' mah family work the orchards up on Sweet Apple Acres growin' the best darn apples ya ever had. If ya an honest sort like ah think ya are, then we'll get along jus' fine."

Midnight, as the armoured mare had introduced herself, perked up in interest at the farm filly's statement; eyes lighting up with a sense of nostalgia. "Before I found my calling, I too used to till the land; though it has been long since I last touched a plough. If thou would'st allow it, I would not mind experiencing it again."

That got the earth pony's attention. A warrior who knew what it was like to do a honest day's work on the farm? Now that was a pony that she wouldn't mind getting to know. "Ah'd like that, sugar cube."

Suddenly Midnight's vision was filled with pink. Well, mostly pink, save for the baby blue eyes staring upside down into her own from mere inches away. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, and I know every pony in Ponyville!"

The war horse whinnied in shock as she recoiled from the sudden invasion of personal space, though her unwelcome passenger continued to spout nonsense without batting an eyelid. Or apparently needing to breathe.

"IlikemeetingnewponiesandI'venevermetyoubeforesoyoumustnewandifyou'renewthenIgettothrowyouawelcometoPonyvillepartywherewegettohavecakeandplaygamesandhavesomuchfunbecauseweloveseeingnewponiesinPonyvilleandIlovetothrowparties,doyoulikeparties?"

Having ceased her attempts to throw off the pink menace, Midnight narrowed her eyes at the pony-shaped limpet before responding with exceptional restraint. "If thou must speak in tongues child, then at least do it some place else. And what, pray tell, is a 'party'?"

There was a period of awkward silence as the poofy-maned earth pony blankly stared back at the much larger mare, followed by somersaulting off to gasp dramatically with a loud inhalation of air. "YOU'VE NEVER HAD A PARTY?!"

Pinkie remained upside down throughout the shocked declaration; In midair, for several seconds, before flipping round the right way and landing on all four hooves with cat like grace. "A party is only the most splendiferous thing ever!" In the blink of an eye, the physics defying pony had somehow migrated from several feet in front of Midnight to glomping her foreleg with a teary-eyed expression. "Don't you worry, you sad, sad pony. Auntie Pinkie's going to make sure that you get the bestest party ever! Then we'll have a party for every birthday you've missed, and then-"

Midnight turned a pleading look towards the other mares present to save her from the pink abomination to nature, only to find Applejack hiding her amusement behind her hat and Rainbow Dash cackling with glee even as she fell to the forest floor while clutching her sides. Could they not see that some form of witchcraft was at play? How else could one explain the filly's unnatural abilities?

Taking pity on the bewildered-looking mare, Rarity cleared her throat before speaking. "Pinkie Pie, you're overwhelming the poor dear. Perhaps you could plan your party later once we are out of this ghastly forest?"

"Okie dokie lokie!"

Seeing the relief in the imposing knight's eyes once Pinkie had bounced off, Rarity put on her most disarming smile and flicked an imaginary strand of hair away from her face as she turned on the charm. "Salutations darling, and might I say what a fabulous ensemble you have. Though it could do with a... bit of a spruce up. "

Now that she wasn't gibbering in terror, the fashion conscious pony could appreciate the intricate design of Midnight's armour, in spite of the caked blood and dirt that made her feel a bit nauseous just looking at it. The carvings were so precise and minute that she doubted even the best pony artisan could easily replicate the pattern; a shame then that the once no doubt beautifully gleaming armour was now ruined by exposure to such barbaric violence. The design however, especially the 'skirts', gave the fashionista so many ideas for new dresses that she didn't know where to begin.

Though the accent might be slightly odd to her ears, Midnight recognised the undertone of nobility and reacted accordingly with a bow of the head. "Thank you, my Lady. Though might I be so bold as to ask for thy name?"

The white unicorn barely suppressed a squee of delight at being addressed as a 'Lady', though she felt a little sheepish at forgetting to properly introduce herself. "How dreadfully rude of me! I... am Rarity, and this is my good friend Fluttershy." Peeking around the prim and proper mare, the pale yellow pegasus from before gave Midnight a fearful look before ducking back out of sight behind her equine shield with an 'eep' of terror. Rarity gave the imposing mare a sheepish smile along with a nervous laugh. "She's... not very good with strangers. But once you get to know her, she is the sweetest pony you could possibly hope to meet.

Midnight felt a little crestfallen at the shivering filly being so petrified of her very presence, and so, being mindful of her injuries, she gently eased herself down to lay on the ground in front of the two ponies with a gentle manner in both expression and tone of voice. "Little one, why do you fear me so? Whatever I have done to sow such distrust, I humbly apologise."

To her credit, Fluttershy peeked around Rarity's posterior and, with a little encouragement from the white-coated unicorn, managed to stand shakily beside her before the much larger mare. Sniffling a little, tears could be seen brimming in the pegasus' eyes behind the veil of pink mane that covered much of her face from view as she spoke softly. "Y-you killed him..."

The voice was barely a whisper, and one that Midnight wasn't entirely sure she had heard correctly. "Pardon?"

Teal orbs hardened in response as they glared at the war horse accusingly. "The manticore! He never meant to hurt anypony, and now he's gone! Oh, the poor little kitty..."

"Little?"

Dash's sentiment echoed Midnight's precisely, though she choose to remain silent and let the filly vent her grief while Applejack played the voice of reason. "No offence sugar cube, but that there manticore weren't nothin' like those little critters ya take care of. If Midnight here hadn't turned up, who knows what could've happened."

The ponies present collectively shuddered at the sight of the bloodied rents in the war charger's armour, not needing much imagination to picture what such powerful claws could have done to their much smaller bodies. Though for Fluttershy, it was like flipping a switch in her mind. "Oh my gosh! You're hurt!"

Gone was the righteous anger in favour of the frantic veterinarian that the introverted pegasus often played to her animal friends. Midnight craned her neck back over her withers to check her wounds, but saw nothing too debilitating; certainly nought that would keep her from combat anytime soon. "Calm, little one. 'Tis but a flesh wound. Truly I have suffered far worse before."

Fluttershy would have none of it though; zipping back and forth to the treeline with various plants and leaves in hoof at a speed that would rival even Rainbow Dash, before dumping the contents on the forest floor in a small pile and setting to work on a basic dressing for Midnight's reopened leg wound. Though the kindly pegasus was still experiencing a mixture of indignation and fear with regards to the much larger mare, she still felt an obligation to help. Slipping back into a medical role was both comforting and familiar; especially if she just thought of the scary blood-soaked pony as just a big animal that needed her care.

Tying off the dressing once she was sure the ad hoc salve was firmly applied, Fluttershy stepped back to regard her work with a faint smile as her patient rose steadily to their hooves and tested the affected limb for stiffness. "My thanks to you kind Fluttershy, you need not have aided me when it was I that caused you grief."

Face flushing at the praise, Fluttershy made small circles with a forehoof and a weak smile tugging at her lips. "Oh that's alright. I mean, I still don't like that you k-killed the manticore, but I know you only did it to protect us."

The pegasus squeaked in surprise as the war charger bent down to nuzzle her mane affectionately, but giggled unabashedly at the attention... Or at least until she remembered the other mares around her and retreated behind her pink mane once again with a flustered 'eep'.

Straightening back up, Midnight noticed that there was still one pony to which she had not been introduced; the predominantly purple one with curious lavender eyes and a small horn jutting from her forehead, who up to this point had been content to sit back and observe. Noticing that the much larger mare had her focus, the studious unicorn trotted forth to stand just in front of the equine knight before deigning to speak. "Um... Hello there, my name is Twilight Sparkle. As Princess Celestia's personal student, I just wanted to say-"

Whatever Twilight had planned to say however was cut off by a wide-eyed gasp from the armoured mare. Not only was the filly a scholar, no doubt of noble blood, but also with close ties to royalty?! Midnight reacted in the only way she knew how when faced with one of such a clearly higher station; by dropping to her knees and bowing her head in respect. "Forgive me for my lack of respect, Lady Sparkle. I had not known you were of such high birth."

Clearly flustered and confused at the display along with the other mares present, Twilight managed to stutter her reply with only a bare minimum of red tingeing her cheeks. "P-please Midnight, my family's not that well off. I'm just studying under the Princess' tutelage. Or at least I was, until what happened a few hours ago."

Midnight raised her head to the same level as the smaller unicorn in order to meet her gaze, though she still lay down on the forest floor. "Perchance, was this recent event the reason why you little ones are here alone at such a late hour?" A reluctant nod of confirmation only steeled the growing feeling in the war horse's stomach as she continued. "Might I ask then as to what has occurred that would lead thee to such a dark and dangerous place?"

And so she listened intently as the noble filly recounted what had happened less than a day since; of a dark and terrible sorceress having returned from ten centuries of banishment to enact her fiendish revenge, stealing away the beloved rightful ruler and spreading eternal night across the land. Though she might not have been the most intelligent of equines, Midnight was once a humble farm workhorse and knew what a lack of sunlight could do to a village's harvest. Imagining the sheer magnitude of failed crops and mass starvation to follow, not to mention the drop in temperature, caused her to shudder in revulsion at such a cruel and drawn out genocidal scheme.

However, there was but a glimmer of hope to this tale. For Lady Sparkle and her herd of like-minded ponies had learned of six ancient artefacts said to have been used to bound the evil maleficar to her otherworldly prison before, and believed to reside in the ruins of an ancient castle deep within these perilous woods.

With such high stakes at hoof, it would be almost certain that this 'Nightmare Moon' would seek to impede their progress if not silence them altogether in order to prevent the sun from ever rising again. Seeing as the little ones lacked any weapons or protection and seemed bereft of combat experience that would be needed to face such a foe, Midnight knew where her sense of duty would lie for the hours to come. For in her eyes, there was but one course of action open to her now.

"Lady Sparkle, the peril you must face will surely be beyond that which thou have encountered before. If thou would'st allow it, I wish to accompany thee and thy retinue on your most noble quest."

Twilight blinked in stupefaction, not entirely sure what to say for a moment as her analytical mind shifted gear. Having an extra set of hooves to spare would be useful, especially since the armoured giant was more than capable of seeing off any wildlife that might try their luck at their group. That said, Midnight was still mostly an unknown factor with little to no hesitation when it came to violence and even killing anything that stood in her path. What to do... What to say...

Feeling a hoof on her shoulder bought Twilight out of her mental funk, turning her head to see that said appendage was attached to a confident looking Applejack. "Ya trusted me once before sugar cube, and ahm askin' ya to the same again. That girl is as honest as they come."

Skimming around to Twilight's other side but still hovering a good six inches off the ground, Rainbow Dash decided to voice her own opinion. "Well if AJ trusts her, then I say we give her a chance. Hay, if Nightmare Moon shows up, I'll bet she can buck her straight back to the moon!"

Rarity with Fluttershy in tow stepped forth to concede their own opinions. "You can't have too much of a good thing dear Twilight, and having a dashing knight by our side can only make our journey safer."

The pale yellow pegasus stood beside her nodded timidly in agreement. "She's still kind of scary, but, um... sort of... nice?"

Everypony turned to look at the impossibly wide grin spread across Pinkie's face as she quite literally vibrated across the ground in excitement before bursting into a torrent of words that no sane creature could ever understand, though the gist was unsurprisingly positive.

Twilight returned her attention to the patiently waiting armoured mare with a tired smile. "Well since I'm outvoted either way, I guess that means you're coming with us too."

Midnight steadily rose to her hooves, reminding the six ponies of just how big the armoured giant was in comparison as conviction radiated from her every feature. "Then so shall it be. By my honour bound, I am thy shield and thy retribution; a weapon to smite any foe who seeks to cross thy path. Until the forces of darkness lay crushed and the light of righteousness shines once more, this I do solemnly swear."

The surrounding mares couldn't help but feel more than a little awe at the war horse's vow as she stood tall and proud like some heroic character from a historical or fantasy novel. But although she had appointed herself their guardian, Twilight couldn't help but be more than a little worried over her... choice of words. "Uh... Maybe you could do a little less 'smiting' and just scare away anything that tries to attack us."

Midnight considered the fillies' previous horrified reactions to her slaying the manticore before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Very well, Lady Sparkle, I shall do as you ask. However, should any creature directly threaten your lives, then I shall act accordingly."

Twilight sighed in resignation, seeing as this was probably the best compromise given the situation; speaking of which...

The studious unicorn's eyes widened in alarm as realisation dawned. "Oh my gosh! All this time we've been talking and Nightmare Moon is still out there! Every second we waste gives her more time to get stronger, and the castle ruins are supposed to be deep in the Everfree! What if she finds them first?!"

Midnight drew herself up in the face of Twilight's words, the thought of such a dark and twisted creature possessing such undoubtedly holy relics unthinkable. "Come then, we must make haste!"

Nodding in agreement, Twilight broke into a fast trot with the rest of the expanded herd close on her heels. "Come on girls, let's go! We need to make up for lost time."

Midnight took position near the centre of the formation, ready to respond to any incoming threats. The battlefield may have changed, but the nature of war had not. She had comrades to protect, an unrelenting foe, and a clear objective before her.

What more could a mare reborn in the fires of conflict want?

Bad Moon Rising

The unnatural darkness blanketing the Everfree seemed to encroach from all sides, creating a foreboding atmosphere for the herd of fillies and one battle scarred war horse that made best speed ever deeper into the deathly quiet woods. The further the seven equines went, the thicker the forest canopy got; cutting off a majority of what little light the moon offered and forcing them to move in a close, staggered formation in order to pass through the narrowing clusters of trees.

With her longer strides, Midnight found herself having to move at a slower pace in order to match her much smaller companions; something that also inadvertently gave her time to regain some of the vigour she had expended in combat with the manticore. It would seem that her very presence had a ripple effect on the local wildlife as well seeing as nothing had jumped out at them for the past twenty minutes or so, and the sole timber wolf they had caught a glimpse of had promptly bolted at their approach. Feeling a lot more confident at the distinct lack of threatening creatures, the herd of brightly coated ponies began to relax a little; save for their still vigilant and much larger armoured sentinel that is.

Having observed the dark-coated mare for a majority of their trek so far, Twilight was bursting with questions about her origins. Where had she come from? Why was she here in the Everfree forest of all places? What sort of life could make her inclined to such violence? All she had were theories, some more outlandish than others, and she was not a mare who liked to be without all the facts to hoof on a particular subject.

Seeing as there weren't exactly any convenient books she could reference, Twilight realised that the only way to get some answers about their mysterious protector was directly from the source. Stopping Nightmare Moon was far more important than the unicorn's innate curiosity, but she was definitely going to find out once this crazy series of events was over; preferably with a quill and notepad to hoof.

"Ugh, my eyes need a rest from all this icky muck!" Rarity's words broke the companionable silence and snapped Twilight back to focus on the situation at hoof; especially since the thicker undergrowth they were passing through dropped visibility down to barely anything, leaving only the sounds of their hoofsteps treading over a decidedly squelchy carpet of moss. "Well, I didn't mean that literally..."

Everypony present shared the glamorous unicorn's sentiment, glancing around nervously with straining eyes while imagined dangers preyed at their minds. Midnight felt decidedly uneasy as well at the sense of an imminent threat, but maintained an exterior sense of detachment so as not to panic her skittish companions. "Stand firm, little ones. Lady Sparkle, how much further is the castle we seek?"

Twilight could only groan in frustration as she struggled to put one hoof in front of the other without running into something in the near pitch black. "I can't even see my hooves in front of my face; we could be right on top of it and not even know it!"

With that declaration, the other girls added their own thoughts and more often than not bumped into each other in the process as they stumbled forth. Although she remained silent - her eyes having somewhat adjusted to the increasing darkness - Midnight kept her gaze sweeping over the terrain before them; a niggling feeling growing in the back of her skull that something truly was amiss. It was Fluttershy's sudden scream though that had the armoured mare bursting into action; putting her much larger body between the demeanour pegasus and the potential threat.

"Aren't ya overreactin' jus' a little? It's jus' mud."

Applejack's dismissal quickly turned to a yelp of fear however as she bumped into the reason for Fluttershy's wide-eyed terror. For thick oak trunks all around them now sported twisted effigies of faces with demonic eyes and gaping maws of sharp teeth; surrounding the herd entirely on all sides.

"To me! Stand together!"

The frightened fillies were all to happy to comply with the larger mare's booming command, huddling around her legs as they stared back at the treeline fearfully. With hooves set apart to better balance her weight, Midnight stared down the nearest monstrosity with the intent to counter once it attacked, only to look on as it did... precisely nothing?

Surely there were unholy magics at work here with the glowing monstrous visages on the tree trunks and sense of foreboding in the air that had the hairs pricking up on coat, but that was all it was. The only threat was to the mind; no different than dozens of displays of intimidation she had seen used before by both sides during the war in France.

Relaxing her tense stance at that revelation, the war charger attempted to get the idea across to the ponies clustered against her side. "Little ones, there is nothing to fear! 'Tis but an illusion; mere trickery!"

Unfortunately they seemed far too terrified to listen to reason, though It was then with the sound of childish laughter filling the air that Midnight noticed she was one filly short of a full herd. Turning her head every which way, she soon spotted the strange poofy-maned pink pony stood several yards away; pulling faces and making odd noises at the possessed tree in front of which she stood. Apparently the fillies surrounding the armoured mare noticed too, seeing as the grip of terror loosened enough for them to take in Pinkie's antics with disbelief.

"Pinkie, what are you doing?! Run!"

Twilight's horror struck expression only elicited a soft giggle from said earth pony who simply shot back a smile over her withers. "Oh girls, don't you see?"

Seemingly from the ether around, soft upbeat music began to play; a bewildered Midnight attempting to find the source as Pinkie bobbed in time with the beat before suddenly breaking into song. What followed left the war charger stupefied as she stared on in bewilderment; the dark forces responsible for the creepy faces poofing away in the face of the filly's laughter, with the others joining in once they saw how effective it was.

Taking into account her earlier demonstrations of chaotic impossibility, Midnight was beginning to suspect that the pink pony really was some sort of witch; though seeing the six fillies rolling around on the grass in helpless giggles as the last of the malevolent presence dissipated away stilled her hoof. The filly had gotten through to the herd when Midnight herself could not, and since she was a loyal member of Lady Sparkle's retinue then the unnatural pink pony likely had no ill intent; especially considering how childish she was.

Still, the stories of devil worshipping crones spoken of by her former stable hands in hushed whispers on dark nights preyed on the mare's mind as the high spirited group picked themselves up and prepared to continue on. For now Midnight would reserve her judgement in respect of the filly's aid, but she was definitely going to keep a closer eye on the currently bouncing and giggling Pinkie Pie.

Said pony was now leading the herd in her own peculiar bounding way, allowing everypony to spread out a little as the density of the forest petered out into rough scrub and overflowing thickets. Or at least until she suddenly skidded to a halt without warning, the fillies following close behind piling up at the unexpected hold up with muffled grunts. Being used to the rapid manoeuvres required by mounted cavalry on the battlefield, Midnight simply veered off to one side and stood beside Pinkie as she stared at the frothing and churning waters ahead that neatly bisected the forest.

"How are we gonna cross this?" None of the other equines present had an immediate answer to the earth pony's question, though their attention soon shifted at the sound of hysterics coming from further up river.

Carefully pushing aside some bushes, the six ponies plus one war horse peaked through to see what was likely the cause of the hazardous rapids; for thrashing beneath the broiling waves was perhaps the largest creature Midnight had ever seen. A large tail as broad as she was tall repetitively slammed down upon the water's surface, connected to a long and winding purple-scaled, serpentine body that rose and fell in coiled humps above and below the waterline for as far as the eye could see. At the opposite end, an equally serpentine neck rose up to support a pair of spindly arms that clutched a large, distinctly reptilian head with a flowing mane of golden hair; mournful wails escaping from its fang laden, elongated snout.

"Forsooth! 'Tis a dragon!" The war horse felt a pulse of fear shoot up her spine at the sight of the towering monstrosity, before squashing it down in favour of righteous anger. "Flee children, I shall hold it off for as long as I am able!"

Fearing a repeat of the manticore incident, Twilight jumped in front of the armoured mare with hooves waving placatingly. "Midnight, please stop! He isn't hurting anypony, he's just crying!"

Midnight merely shot the much smaller unicorn an incredulous look as she tried to keep the potential threat in constant sight. "But Lady Sparkle, the beast could strike any-"

Whatever else she had to say was cut off by Twilight, whose violet eyes stared back at her own with imploration. "He's a sea serpent, and he's obviously upset about something. Please, Midnight, you promised you wouldn't fight unless it was necessary. Let me just talk to him, okay?"

As much as the scarred war horse wanted to drive off this towering creature, her honour bound vow stayed her hoof from charging forth. No matter how badly she wished to do so. "I... As you command, Lady Sparkle."

With a weak smile and a murmured thank you, the studious unicorn trotted back to her other companions and the herd moved forward to converse with the tumultuous sea serpent. Despite Midnight's unease however, the river dwelling creature proved to be less than a threat; especially seeing as his primary concern was losing one half of his moustache to a 'tacky little cloud of purple smoke'. Applejack and Rainbow Dash didn't seem impressed, and neither was their armoured guardian. For a mare who had seen blood spilt upon dozens of battlefields and lives ended in some of the most horrific ways possible, missing facial hair was beyond insignificant.

Rarity however felt entirely different about the whole affair; launching into an overdramatic speech on the sea serpent's carefully managed appearance, which culminated in the effeminate-sounding creature bursting into tears once she reiterated how his image was ruined without his precious moustache. "I simply can not let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected."

With that declaration, the glamorous unicorn leaned forth and tore off a scale from his hide much to everyone's astonishment. "Ahh! What did you do that for?!"

Ignoring the pained serpent's outburst, Rarity kept the sharp-looking purple scale clenched in her teeth as she raised it up; swiping the makeshift blade down across her withers with a violent motion before anypony could protest otherwise. The assembled ponies gasped in shock while the sea serpent fainted dramatically, leaving Midnight to stare with confusion at the severed tail lying on the ground a few yards away, even as the white-coated mare spat out the scale and focused her horn on the inert mass of coiffered hair.

But while the others watched with interest, the displaced war horse could only goggle at the sight before her very eyes as the stubby appendage on the unicorn's head lit up with a faint blue glow and a similarly coloured, shimmering mass of sparkles enveloped the severed purple tail; slowly levitating it off the ground and fusing it with the stump of hair on the sea serpent's snout. "Sorcery..."

Midnight's awed whisper contained an audible tremor of fear at the spectacle she had just witnessed, for magic had been spoken of by both commoners and nobles alike back on her home world, and never in a positive light. Such power was considered devilry; strongly associated with witchcraft and evil intent. That radiant glow had come from lady Rarity's horn, similar to that of Lady Sparkle's... Did that mean then she too possessed such terrible power that could surely wreak havoc in the wrong hooves? Just what or whom had Midnight vowed to protect from harm?

That said, the two ponies had done nought of nefarious intent thus far, and had only used their magical abilities to aid rather than cause harm; unlike the villainous Nightmare Moon who sought to bring about eternal night. Perhaps then such otherworldly power was neither evil or benign; merely a tool to be wielded as the bearer saw fit. From what Midnight had witnessed thus far, Lady Rarity and Lady Sparkle were the complete opposite of the dark sorceress, and had given her no reason not to trust them other than their no doubt powerful magic.

"Are ya alright there sugar cube, ya look a little... strange?"

Blinking back to reality, Midnight startled a little at Applejack's concerned face right in front of hers, but was internally relieved that it wasn't one of the horned ponies that preoccupied her current thoughts. "I-I am well, fair Applejack. Merely... concerned..."

The farm pony followed the larger mare's gaze to the unicorns of their group and back with a raised brow. "What's the matter, ain't ya never seen magic before?"

Midnight shook her head vehemently. "Nay. Such unnatural power is unheard of whence I hail, save for in dark rumours of foul deeds."

Applejack adjusted her Stetson with a frown before carefully wording her reply. "Midnight, trust me when ah say there ain't nothin' to be afraid of. We all got a little magic in us; even us earth ponies use it to help grow plants and make us stronger. Jus' because folks think magic is a bad thing where you're from, don't mean that it's the same here."

Midnight honestly felt a little better for hearing the orange-coated pony out; the knowledge that the closest analogue she had to a normal equine in this strange new land had access to even a sliver of that awe inspiring power calming her nerves. At least now she knew that should the worst come to pass, the horned mages couldn't conquer the land without her close cousins putting up stiff resistance. "My thanks for thy wise counsel, fair Applejack. I should not have judged thy companions' motives so harshly when thou art the one who placed such trust in mine own."

Applejack flashed the war charger a genuine smile as a small chuckle escaped her lips. "Don't you worry none, partner. Now c'mon, let's get across while we still can."

Enamoured with his repaired moustache, the flamboyant sea serpent had ceased his thrashing tantrum and the waters had calmed to small ripples that ran across the surface. By way of apology, the aquatic creature contorted its coiled body around to form a series of stepping stones for the ponies to leap across single file to the far bank. When it came to Midnight's turn however she hesitated, seeing as she was still wary of such a large being and because she doubted that he could support her considerable weight.

Instead the war horse opted to ford the river herself, managing to find a relatively shallow section that left most of her body submerged up to the neck; the heavy armour weighing her down considerably when water pressure was added on top. On the plus side, once she had finally hauled herself up on to the far bank, a vast majority of the caked blood and encrusted dirt had been washed away by Midnight's impromptu bath, and more importantly cleaned out her many wounds.

Waving goodbye to the much happier sea serpent, the mixed group of equines continued on into the depths of the Everfree forest once more. The further they went however, the darker and more denser the vegetation became; forcing the ponies to advance single file behind their much larger escort as she used sheer brute force to carve a traversable path through the undergrowth. Much to Midnight's annoyance however, the pink witch had somehow migrated to perch atop her saddle in a very human manner while bouncing in barely contained excitement.

"Weeeee! Giddy up pony!"

The black-coated mare bit off the sharp rebuke before it could leave her lips, instead focussing on the task at hoof while stewing at the fact the unnatural pony was occupying the seat reserved only for her knight. The bristling annoyance did not go unnoticed by the others though, with Twilight opting to divert attention from the oblivious party pony and simultaneously sate some of her own curiosity.

"Midnight, can I ask you something?"

A rattle of armour proceeded a pair of muddy amber eyes looking back at the purple unicorn, the dried blood still coating Midnight's shaffron causing an involuntary shudder to run down the shorter mare's spine. Friendly or not, that image still scared the Tartarus out of her. "I shall answer what I can, Lady Sparkle. Though my knowledge is somewhat limited, and I have a few queries of mine own."

Twilight groaned aloud at the unnecessarily formal title that the bigger mare just insisted on using all the time. "A question for a question sounds fair, but please just call me Twilight like everypony else. 'Lady Sparkle' just makes me feel uncomfortable."

Before Midnight could respond however, a chipper sounding Rarity broke in to the conversation. "Speak for yourself, darling. I think it's wonderful that somepony finally sees me as the vision of grace and beauty that I truly am."

While the glamorous white unicorn was posturing, Rainbow Dash decided to add her five bits too from her position on the ground, seeing as flying in such a cramped space was just asking for trouble. "Yeah, and I kinda like mine. 'Captain Dash: Wonderbolt extraordinaire'."

"Hoo boy..." Applejack rolled her eyes in exasperation at the boisterous pegasus' antics, while Twilight clear her throat in annoyance.

"As I was saying..." Regaining her composure, she continued. "I wanted to know a little more about you, and where you're from."

Midnight inclined her head in affirmation but otherwise kept her eyes on their environment as she replied. "Very well... Twilight. What wouldst you like to know?"

A particular gleam lit up the studious unicorn's eyes; one that her number one assistant would find very familiar seeing as it usually proceeded either a binge research session or a new source of knowledge that would likely keep them both up all night. "Well first of all, where are you from? You said you were in a 'foreign land', so I assume you're not from Equestria originally."

The armoured mare hummed in interest before replying. "Equestria is the name of this land then?" With Twilight's confirmation, she continued. "Very well then. As I have said afore, I hail from the province of Wiltshire in England; a nation surrounded by the sea. 'Twas there I was born and raised; toiling upon the land until the day I learned of my true calling."

"'True calling'?"

Midnight smiled wistfully at Dash's question. "To ride the fields of battle and rend England's foes asunder."

Fluttershy gasped at the declaration, while Applejack sounded more than a little uncomfortable judging by the tone in her words. "Not sayin' we ain't plum grateful fer yer fightin' abilities, sugar cube; but didn't ya like workin' on a farm?"

The war charger shook her head at the farm filly's words. "'Twas all I knew since birth. When I was chosen to serve as a noble's steed, a world I never knew was revealed to mine eyes. Since then, I have not looked back... Though, I miss it sometimes."

Rarity gave the dark-coated mare a puzzled look. "Darling, I'm a little confused. If you miss your old life, then why stay as you are? Why not go back?"

Had any of the ponies been in front of Midnight, they would have seen a twinge of regret before she managed to school her features once more. "You misunderstand, Lady Rarity; the decision was not mine to make. I was taken from my home to be trained in the art of war; to serve at the fore of the greatest conflict of all time until victory, or... my own demise."

The Equestrian mares were understandably shocked, stunned speechless even. How could anypony do this to a mare? Without a choice, she was little better than a conscript at best, and a slave at worst; doomed to fight for the rest of her life. What kind of rulers did her country have where ponies could be plucked from their homes and forced to fight against their will?

Surprisingly enough, it was a justifiably upset Pinkie who recovered first; reaching forward in the saddle to hug the war charger's armour clad neck with a deflated mane and teary eyes. "What kind of meanie pants could do that to a pony?!"

Midnight sighed in exasperation at the overly emotional response. Was war such an alien concept to these children that they could not foresee the need for additional bodies to bolster the King's armies? "One who holds a far higher station than a commoner such as I. It is a noble's right to take what they will from those below them, so long as it is in the name of the crown's service."

With abject horror and fascination, Twilight fervently regretted not having a quill and scroll close to hoof before asking any questions; the scarred mare's answers providing a disturbing yet interesting insight into how a foreign power worked. "Sorry to interrupt, but what did you mean by 'steed'? I've never come across the term before."

Back in familiar territory now, Midnight brightened up considerably. "It is what I am; a mount for a knight so that he may ride into battle."

Applejack wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Why in the hay would ya let another pony ride on yer back when ya fightin'? That don't make no sense."

The black-coated mare choked up for a moment at the mental image before bursting into laughter. "Oh fair Applejack, truly thou jest! We war chargers carry upon our backs a knight of the realm; a human, not a-a pony! No noble worth his salt would even consider mounting a pony for battle!"

"So, wait..." Dash's brow furrowed. "If you're not some super-sized pony, then what the heck are you?"

Midnight merely smiled at the pegasus' question. "I... am a horse. Equine like thy self, only of far greater scale."

Twilight listened with avid interest as the armoured mare tried to explain to the rest of the group about how a human knight and their equine partner would work in tandem on the battlefield, almost as a single being. Almost like... a form of symbiosis, the studious unicorn realised with a glimmer in her eyes. A partnership between two varying individuals of different species whose differing strengths made up for the other's weaknesses, forming a whole that was far greater than the sum of its parts.

She honestly wanted to know more, especially about these 'humans'. But before Twilight could ask, the war horse had broken through the edge of the treeline and revealed their intended destination; the broken and decaying ruins of an old castle, lit from behind by a high moon on the far side of a mist enshrouded gully.

"There it is!" she exclaimed. "The ruins that hold the Elements of Harmony. We finally made it!"

Of Might and Magic

"Come on girls, there's no time to lose!"

"Dangnabit Twilight, wait for us!"

The purple unicorn paid Applejack no heed however; galloping onwards and leaving the rest of the herd to catch up. So focused was she on their goal, Twilight didn't notice that the bridge spanning the gully separating them from the castle ruins was broken until she began pitching forwards over the cliff edge with a cry of fear. Fortunately for her however, Rainbow Dash was a lot quicker off the mark than anypony else; darting forth and managing to grab Twilight's tail in the nick of time before yanking her back off of the precipice.

"What's with you and falling off cliffs today?"

The purple pony was far too busy panting and trying to get her heart rate back down to normal to reply to Dash's wise crack, though that didn't stop an overprotective Midnight from dropping down to her side. "Lady Sp- Twilight! Are you well?"

Thankfully there was no damage done, but as Pinkie pointed out, they now had a new problem.

"Now what?"

Rainbow merely rolled her eyes at the party pony's exaggerated sigh while waggling her wings. "Duh, I'm a pegasus."

Pinkie brightened up at the realisation, while Midnight saluted with one foreleg across her chest in respect. "Good luck to thee Captain. I shall maintain watch until thy return."

The cyan-coated speedster gave an awkward imitation of the gesture in return before setting about her task. "Uh... yeah, sure thing 'Night. Just you watch, I'll have that bridge up in ten seconds flat!"

So saying, Dash took off and dove into the mist enshrouded gorge; grabbing the dangling ropes on the loose ends of the bridge and flying up to land on the opposite side. Just as she was about to tie the ropes off and secure the rickety structure however, a whispered voice on the wind caused her to whip round in surprise. Was that... somepony calling her name?

Back on the far side, the small herd of ponies and one war charger waited anxiously.

"After all that boasting, I rather thought she'd at least try to be punctual."

Applejack shook her head at Rarity's statement, recognising the nervousness underneath. "Somethin' must be wrong. 'Taint like the filly at all ta take so long."

Sheltering by their armoured protector's side, Fluttershy was beside herself with concern as she stared out over the abyss. "Oh no, I hope she's all right. Um, excuse me M-Midnight, but can you see anything on the other side?"

Taking advantage of her height as the nearby clustered ponies looked on at her expectantly, Midnight narrowed her eyes in an attempt to better see through the rolling mist that had begun to cover the bridgehead. An equine shape that resembled a winged pony had to be the elusive Rainbow Dash, but who were the other three that had seemingly materialised from the ether? A brief clear patch allowed Midnight to glimpse a trio of ponies clad in dark uniforms surrounding the good Captain, malicious intent likely if their limited expressions were anything to go by. Try to pour poison words in her ears, would they? Not on this mare's watch.

Fortunately Twilight had caught on as well, a gasp of surprise leaving her short muzzle before she shouted across the gap as the fog rolled in once more to cut off their vision. "Oh no. Rainbow! Don't listen to them!"

Drawing in a deep breath, Midnight thundered her own... encouragement at the unknown pegasi. "VILE CURS! LYING FIENDS! LEAVE THE CAPTAIN IN PEACE, OR FEEL THE TASTE OF MINE STEEL!"

There were several long seconds of silence before they could see the rope bridge go taut; a speeding Rainbow Dash flying down its length a few heartbeats later with her wings dissipating the unnatural mist and landing before the cheering ponies. "See? what did I tell ya? I'd never leave my friends hangin'."

Stepping forth, the solitary war horse of the group inclined her head to the returned pegasus with a look of respect in her eyes. "I see the battle went well Captain. Thy have driven off the enemy and appear to be no worse for wear."

Preening at the praise, Dash could only grin as she took flight once more. "Yeah, I totally showed those guys not to mess with me! But, uh... Thanks, y'know, for helping anyway."

While the ponies slowly made their way across the rope bridge, their armoured escort realised that she had a new problem. Testing her weight on one of the wooden slats, Midnight saw the part rotted board snap almost instantly and fall into the gully below; unsurprising considering she outweighed the much smaller equines by a landslide, even without the steel plates adorning her considerable frame.

"Midnight! Are you alright?"

Muddy amber eyes flickered up to see Twilight and the others watching her from the far side with worry as she considered her options. She could stay here and guard against any exterior threats, but that was not the knight's way. She was meant for attack, not defence against an unseen foe; and the only way to achieve that was to continue moving forwards.

"Stand back children! I am coming across!"

The assembled ponies looked on with shock as the armoured mare turned away from the bridgehead to gain some distance for a run up.

"Are you crazy?!" Dash yelled in disbelief. "There's no way the bridge'll take your weight!"

Midnight turned around at the edge of the treeline with determination set on her features. "Which is why I shall not be taking the bridge, Captain."

Rarity gasped in horrified realisation. "Darling, you can't possibly be thinking of jumping across! You'll never make it!"

The scarred veteran pawed at the still wet ground as she psyched herself up, muscles coiled and ready to spring on a hair trigger, even as Twilight made a last ditch bid to prevent the mad mare from doing something suicidal. "Midnight, you don't have to do this! Please, just stay there!"

Midnight flared her nostrils aggressively, and at some unseen signal, charged forth at blistering speeds for such a bulky equine. Thundering hooves ate up the ground in seconds, tearing clods of grass and mud up in spades as she raced for the edge of the cliff and used the momentum to leap forth with a triumphant whinny.

Everypony could only gawp at the sight of nigh 1400 pounds of muscle, sinew, and steel plating soaring across the wide gap to land heavily on their side with earth shaking force; skidding to a halt several yards away before turning back around to face the stunned group with her head held high. "I vowed upon my honour to protect you, little ones; a solemn duty from which no mere chasm shall keep me from fulfilling."

The resulting silence was broken by Applejack's whistle of appreciation. "Boy howdy, I ain't never seen anypony jump that far before!"

Pinkie's baby blue eyes lit up as her head rapidly darted between Midnight and the leap of faith she had taken across the gully. "Ooh! Ooh! Can you do that again? Can I ride along next time?!"

Feeling a headache coming along, Twilight massaged her temples with a hoof before turning tail and heading for the overgrown ruins just behind them. "Ugh, let's... just get inside and find the Elements before anything else goes wrong."

The looming archway was one of the few structures on the front of the castle still miraculously intact, including the towering, partly-rotted oak doors that ominously creaked open at the push of their hooves. Since a good portion of the ceiling was missing, the pale moon illuminated the interior; revealing musty flagstone floors and what were once stained glass windows, now shattered by the ravages of time. In the centre of the entrance hallway however was a huge multi-tiered plinth overgrown with moss, with slender arms extending out to hold several ornately carved stones that instantly drew everpony's attention.

"Whoa..." Applejack breathed before quickly regaining her senses. "Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been waitin' for?"

Midnight couldn't help but agree with her sentiment; with the holy relics within grasp, there was truly no time to spare if they wished to stop the dark sorceress in time.

With Twilight fretting over their condition, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gently hovered in place to grasp the artefacts from their high pedestals and bring them back down to the time weathered floor. Once the stones had been arranged in to a loose circle however, yet another problem became apparent.

"One, two, three, four... There's only five!"

Midnight looked between the worried ponies with more than a hint of confusion. "Only five? Were there to be more?"

Not taking her eyes off of the inert stones, Twilight lowered herself down to the floor with a frown of concentration on her brow. "The book said: 'When the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed'."

Applejack scowled in annoyance at the nonsensical riddle. "What in the hay is that supposed to mean?"

The studious unicorn spared the cowpony a glance before turning back to the reason for their perilous journey so far. "I'm not sure... but I have an idea. Stand back, I don't know what will happen."

The present company dutifully backed off a few paces to give Twilight space to work, with Applejack leading the herd back outside so as not to disturb her. Midnight however elected to stay put where she was despite the farm filly's insistence. No; if Lady Sparkle were to be reviving these ancient relics with her mage's power, then she would need protection against their foe as she performed the ritual, lest she be struck down unwary.

With that decided, the war charger watched with fascination as Twilight screwed her eyes shut with concentration while breathing deeply; her horn glowing with the now familiar glow of magic as she attempted to channel it into the dead stones before her.

No sooner had she begun however when a sudden flicker of movement caught Midnight's eye; her head swivelling to see a viscous bluish-purple mist flowing through the air past the young noble filly, causing the hairs upon her coat to prickle as it condensed into a spinning vortex that sucked the stones in. "Twilight!"

Gasping aloud, the unicorn's eyes snapped open to see the precious artefacts rising higher and faster into the air as the magical whirlwind gained momentum; the tingling sensation on her coat indicative of an imminent teleport spell. "No! The Elements!"

Not even considering the consequences, Twilight sprung to her hooves and dove straight into the eye of the condensing storm; her loyal armoured protector a split second behind.

The remainder of the group came galloping back into the hall moments later; calling out for their two absent companions, only to find it entirely devoid of life. But while the others searched frantically around while talking over each other, Rarity's attention was drawn to one of the cracked window frames; for near the centre of the castle ruins stood a thin spire that towered over the rest of the crumbling structure, blinding white light blazing from its windows like powerful strobes. "Look, over there!"

"Come on, let's go!" Applejack yelled back as she took the lead; the five rushing off through the castle ruins to help save their missing friends, with each praying that they wouldn't be too late.

{()}

"Oof!"

Twilight fell flat on her barrel with limbs awkwardly outstretched; the dissipating bluish-purple smoke and sudden impact with the flagstone floor having left her coughing and momentarily disorientated as she tried to get her bearings. A low, dark chuckling reverberated throughout the room shortly thereafter; gradually shifting into malicious laughter that left the unicorn gasping with widened eyes as she looked up to see the source on the opposite side of the room.

The pale moon cast an ethereal glow through the wall length shattered window, the instigator of tonight's terrible events highlighted as she stood imperiously atop a raised dais where a throne may once have sat. With ceremonial armour worn over the top of a coat that seemed to be the sheer absence of colour was the dark alicorn herself; ethereal mane and tail a blanket of stars that wavered on an invisible breeze, while the five Elements levitated around her in a firm telekinetic grasp.

"Nightmare Moon..."

The lunar obsessed antithesis of Princess Celestia narrowed her eyes at the much smaller pony, slitted pupils boring into the interloper as a twisted smile graced her lips. "Well, well... It seems I have a guest. Come to bear witness to my triumph, have you?"

Heart thumping in her chest, Twilight could only stare back at the dark goddess in horror; for without the Elements to hoof, any chance of saving Equestria from eternal darkness would be lost. She thought about her home, her family; the mares who had been crazy enough to get themselves involved in this mess, and yet still stuck by her side regardless. Terrifying as the prospect was, if there was to be a future, then there was only one course of action left available to her. Eyes narrowing in determination, Twilight pawed at the cold flagstones with nostrils flared; psyching herself up for what would no doubt be her only shot at defeating Nightmare Moon.

The dark alicorn however was far from impressed and mockingly rolled her eyes at the display, faux amusement evident in every syllable. "You're kidding. You're kidding, right? Do you honestly believe an insignificant little unicorn such as yourself has any chance against the ruler of the night?"

The sound of clattering armour plates rubbing against each other interrupted any further exchanges; heavy hoofsteps echoing on the stone floors as Midnight rose from the floor upon which she had been recovering from her first experience with teleportation and stood beside the scholar she had sworn to protect. "Then perhaps I will prove to be a worthier challenge, maleficar."

Seeing the battle-scarred veteran beside her gave Twilight a much needed confidence boost; relief colouring her features at the thought of not having to do this alone. "Midnight... am I glad to see you."

The larger mare nodded cordially. "As am I to see thou art none worse for wear, my Lady."

Nightmare Moon on the other hoof appraised the heavily armoured newcomer with a sense of indifference. "And just who are you supposed to be?"

Midnight returned her attention to the malevolent alicorn with a penetrating glare, eyes burning with unadulterated fury. "I am Midnight, of the knights errant, under the command of his Royal Highness Prince Edward the Third. Guardian of Lady Sparkle's retinue, and by Epona's grace, the sword of righteousness that shall strike thee down, demon!"

Mocking laughter was the dark alicorn's answer as she looked down her muzzle at the pair from her raised position. "Oh this is too much; an overgrown earth pony who thinks she can take on a goddess!"

While the villainous mare continued to monologue and posture grandly, Midnight turned her attention to the distinctly edgy-looking unicorn by her side. "Be calm, Twilight. This is not thy battle to fight."

Lavender eyes narrowed at the much taller mare in disbelief. "'Not my fight'? But Nightmare Moon has the Elements! We need to get them back if we want to have any hope of defeating her!"

The war horse merely shook her head with a sad smile. "Not 'we', my Lady, for only thou may bring forth the power of these holy relics. I shall engage the demon directly, to better serve as a distraction."

Twilight gasped in horrified realisation. "B-but... she's an alicorn! Her magic is too powerful, even if you were warded against offensive spells! I know you're strong, but what could you hope to do against her?"

Midnight grimaced in sheer bloody-minded determination, placing her bulk in front of the purple pony to better shield her charge as she settled into an aggressive stance. "I hold no illusions as to my chances of victory. But so long as my body still draws breath, I shall continue to fight. Now come, let us purge this evil from the land with thy divine light."

Apparently Nightmare Moon had finished her speech in the meantime, since she was now glaring down on the two once again with her ebony wings flared. "Enough of this foolishness! Remember this day sun lovers, for it shall be your last!"

Midnight snarled in response; nostrils flaring angrily as her muscles coiled in preparation to strike. "For once we agree, maleficar. Except that it is thy wretched self that shall not survive this encounter. HAVE AT THEE!"

The war horse and alicorn pushed off the ancient stone floor almost simultaneously; both galloping straight at their respective opponent with long legs rapidly closing the gap. As planned, Twilight kept just behind her significantly larger equine shield, horn already glowing with a build up of magical power, before she disappeared in a flash of light just as the two black-coated equines clashed in the centre of the tower.

Alicorns are unique among the residents of Equestria in that they possess the inherent abilities of all three pony tribes; the pegasus' gift of flight, the unicorn's magical prowess, and the earth pony's enhanced physical strength. While this gave the deity level equine an unrivalled advantage against most creatures in a straight up fight, it did not account for the combination of hulking muscle, heavy armour, and righteous fury that was a veteran war horse not of this world.

And so it was that rather than flattening the insolent overgrown pony with her magically enhanced strength, Nightmare Moon instead found herself unpleasantly surprised at being caught in a deadlock; her broad-framed opponent beginning to slowly force her backwards with metal horseshoes throwing up sparks from the friction. Though momentarily stunned, the dark alicorn quickly recovered her wits thanks to her previously cast shield spell taking the brunt of the assault; a quick stun blast from her horn buying the necessary time to take flight and regain the initiative in what should have been a quick humiliation for the self-professed knight.

Clearly this opponent was not to be underestimated, unlike those inept Royal Guard ponies she had easily trounced when upon crashing Celestia's precious celebration earlier that night, and it was not a mistake that Nightmare Moon intended to repeat again anytime soon.

Shaking her head to clear the bleariness that graced her vision, Midnight spun on her axis only to take another magical missile to her side; this one powerful enough to stagger the mare as even more rained down from above. Drawing her attention to the direction of attack, the equine knight soon spied her foe hovering near the ceiling upon raven wings while letting loose a steady barrage of ranged blasts from her advantageous position.

"You're tougher than I thought, but still no match for one who can both fly and cast magic! So what are you going to do now, hmm? You can't dodge forever!"

True though that was, Midnight had already spotted a way to even the odds. Jumping aside from another blast of bluish-purple magic that scorched the flagstones beneath her hooves, Midnight dashed across the chamber to what was once a marble pillar of exquisite quality. Now though it was covered in creeping vines and weakened by more than a millennium of neglect, and more importantly, it was just what she needed to bring this fight back down to earth.

Skidding to a halt behind the thick and crumbling pillar, Midnight reared up on her hind legs and forced as much of her weight as possible into one almighty shove. The marble column cracked under the sudden, violent impact; splintering along its base and sending the entire structure crashing down on the space where Nightmare Moon would have still been hovering had it not been for a last second teleport.

"Insolent wretch! You'll pay for that!"

Rather than answer in kind however, the ground-based equine substituted action for words and charged the mare in the moon's position, only to slam into another pillar as she teleported away again with a mocking laugh. The pattern continued twice more, with Nightmare Moon blinking out of the way to another part of the room while her opponent scored achieved little more than denting her armour, and accumulating a few new bruises with each impact bought on by near misses.

The dark alicorn had gotten lazy in her arrogance however, and it didn't take long for Midnight to predict the pattern of teleportation and be in place to intercept her with a vicious double buck to the face. With a cry of anguished pain, Nightmare Moon careened across the chamber to slam into a miraculously intact pillar with enough force to shatter her still active shield entirely; the passive spell likely the only reason why she was able to stagger to her hooves at all, let alone still fight after such a bone-shattering impact.

"Thou art powerful, maleficar, but far from the goddess thou claim to be," Midnight stated bluntly as she purposely strode towards her recovering foe with steel in her eyes. "Surrender now, or perish by mine hooves."

Nightmare Moon growled like a rabid dog at the insinuation. "You... dare! YOU DARE INSULT MY LEGACY?!"

Whatever else she might have said was an entirely incoherent scream of rage as the alicorn pushed off of the broken column and launched herself at the wretched interloper who had now dropped into a defensive stance; her horn alight with dark sorcery as the battle renewed once more.

{()}

"Come on, come on! Just one spark..."

While the titanic equines tore in to each other with wild abandon, Twilight Sparkle had long since completed her teleport and was now making use of Midnight's diversion to desperately try to bring the inert Elements to life from where they had been abandoned in Nightmare Moon's race to fight head on. So far it had been for nought though, for no matter how much magic she channelled into the five stones, all she got was a few weak surges of static before they fizzled out.

Why?! Why weren't they working?! Midnight, crazy mare that she was, had put her life on the line to buy the frantic unicorn the precious time she needed and she was failing!

The cacophony of battle continued to grow behind her as she desperately sought an answer, until a triumphant cry distracted the studious unicorn from her vital task. "I have you now, vile fiend! Now, Lady Sparkle. Do what must be done!"

Midnight had somehow ended up physically grappling with her opponent, and was now using her considerable weight to keep Nightmare Moon pinned down while she thrashed irritably. Of course the war horse's less than subtle declaration caught the mare in the moon's attention as well, and it took her less than a second for her to realise she had been tricked. "Get off of me you insolent fool!"

A blast of dark magic propelled the armoured equine holding her down into the air and launched her halfway across the room, before the dark alicorn shifted into an ethereal mist and blinked back to the podium where Twilight still fervently worked. Said unicorn was also sent careening away by a similar bolt of condensed magic even as the inert stones began to flicker with power; a chain lightning effect linking the five and emitting a faint glow that grew briefly... then died entirely.

Pushing herself upright, Twilight could only gasp at the sight with plummeting hope. "But... I don't understand! Where's the sixth Element?!"

Laughing gleefully at her impending triumph, Nightmare Moon reared up on her hind legs before slamming back down with a localised magical shockwave that shattered the ancient stones into splintered fragments; the heart-wrenching look on the face of her arch enemy's student simply the icing on the proverbial cake to her final triumph. "Silly little foal! Thinking you could defeat me? Such a shame; you and the overgrown earth pony almost had me going for a while there, but now you are all finished! Never again will you see your Princess or your precious sun; for the night... will last... forever!"

Maniacal cackling filled the chamber and Twilight couldn't help but feel a little piece of her die. She had failed to resurrect the Elements, and without them Equestria was surely doomed. A scraping sound announced an exhausted and heavily wounded Midnight dragging herself along the ground towards the broken mare, blood flowing freely from multiple lacerations through her now torn and bent armour. "Have courage young Twilight; we are not yet finished."

The crestfallen unicorn could only look down at the cold flagstone floor in defeat, her voice barely a whisper. "The Elements are gone... There's nothing else I can do."

A cracked hoof against Twilight's jaw forced her to look up at a pair of fierce, muddy-amber eyes inches from her own; an unquenchable fire of determination burning within. "Just because the relics are no more, does not mean that we can no longer fight. So long as blood still flows within my veins, I shall continue to do battle; until victory, or death's embrace. The fate of many rests upon our actions this day; our lives inconsequential if it means but a sliver of hope in slaying the demon."

The sounds of voices drifted up from the stairwell beyond the doorframe behind them, a familiar blend of feminine tones that caused a faint smile of relief to form on Midnight's muzzle. "Hark, Twilight. Thy friends come to our aid even now. So long as we all stand united as comrades in arms, we shall not falter."

The right words at the right time can make a world of difference given the circumstances; and to Twilight, the injured war horse's words had struck a chord that had gears turning in her highly analytical mind.

"Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her..."

"What ah'm sayin to ya is the honest truth..."

"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known..."

"My thanks to you kind Fluttershy, you need not have aided me when it was I that caused you grief."

"...'when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed'."

"Learn to face your fears~ You'll see they can't hurt you~ Just laugh to make them disappear~"

"My dear Twilight... Make some friends..."

"Short tails are in this season. Besides, it'll grow back."

"United... we shall not falter."

"See? I'd never leave my friends hangin'."

'That's it!'

Twilight gasped in realisation as Applejack came bolting into the room, just in front of the other ponies who had stuck by her side throughout their perilous journey into the Everfree; confidence filling out her features as she rose to her hooves with renewed determination. "You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements are right here!"

Midnight could only watch in amazement as the stone shards began to vibrate around a startled Nightmare Moon before swirling forth as Twilight continued to speak aloud.

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... Honesty!" The farm pony started in surprise as a cluster of shards began to orbit around her with a shimmering glow, but quickly stilled while the purple unicorn moved swiftly on.

While Twilight regaled the valorous conduct of the other ponies, Midnight forced her aching body off of the floor to stand once more. Fate had tipped the scales yet again, and the foul maleficar was unlikely to go quietly in the face of such an undoubtedly powerful weapon. In fact, the dark alicorn was becoming more agitated by the second as more and more shards took flight to hover around each of the ponies, despite her attempts at lashing out with her magic.

"The spirits of these five ponies, and our unexpected guardian, got us through every challenge you threw at us," Twilight finished; each of her friends now being orbited by the Elements remains.

Nightmare Moon snorted contemptuously, but it was obvious to all that her composure was beginning to slip; even without the hint of desperation in her voice. "But you don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!"

Midnight's focus drifted away from Twilight's reaction in favour of keeping watch upon the demonic being. For the prospect of certain death drives most creatures to the brink of desperation in order to survive, and the tell tale glow of dark magic condensing on her horn was exactly what the war horse feared would come to pass.

She didn't think: merely reacted.

As the shards condensed into a quintet of jewelled necklaces and a newly revealed crown, Nightmare Moon released a pent up beam of magical force large enough to engulf a pony whole straight at her hated enemy's precious student; only for the armoured mare she had bitterly fought to fling herself in to its path. Screams of pain were muted by the magical rainbow light that swept forth in an overpowering tide from the six now glowing and levitating ponies, and Midnight found herself unceremoniously tossed to the other side of the room after smashing into one of the few pillars still standing before slumping lifelessly to the floor.

Before the darkness claimed her once more however, Midnight's rapidly dimming vision made out a blinding light through one of the windows that faded into a most wondrous sight. Standing regal and proud with a pure white coat was a horse with angel's wings flared and a fluted horn upon her head; an ethereal mane and tail comprised of pinks, blues, and nautical greens flowing in an invisible breeze that combined to exude a godly aura surely not meant for those of the mortal realm. Tired eyes closed, too heavy to stay open any more; a small smile playing across Midnight's bloody muzzle at the holy vision she had been granted in what would likely prove to be her last moments once again.

"Epona... you hath come for me..."

{()}

"Ugh, my head..."

Twilight couldn't help but agree with Dash's sentiment considering how sluggish she felt and the throbbing pain in her skull that seemed to be gradually receding. The six ponies gradually began to stir one after another from where they lay sprawled on the flagstone floor; checking themselves over while wondering about the jewelled necklaces - and in one case crown - that they now possessed. Although Rarity seemed far more enamoured with her magically regrown tail than anything else.

It was then that a regal yet motherly voice interrupted their excited conversation, the sun finally climbing over the horizon to take its rightful place in the sky and bringing with it Equestria's missing ruler; Princess Celestia. "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it."

Though the rest of the ponies bowed in respect, Twilight was far too relieved to see her teacher again and leapt forth into her warm embrace. Stepping back to face her mentor a moment later however, the studious unicorn's face fell a little as confusion entered her tone. "But... you told me it was all just an old pony tale."

The alicorn of the sun chuckled good naturedly. "I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and knew it was you that had the magic inside to defeat her; a power you could not unleash until you let true friendship into your heart."

Twilight smiled back at the Princess' praise, a small niggle in her mind prompting her next words. "Thank you, your Highness. But if it weren't for Midnight, I don't know if any of us would have made it this far."

Celestia raised a delicate brow in question. "Oh? And who is this Midnight you are referring to? I assume they are not one of the new Element bearers?"

Twilight turned around with her hoof poised to point out their oversized friend when she realised one very important thing. The normally very vocal mare was missing. "Has anypony seen Midnight?"

A chorus of negatives was her answer, however it took but a few seconds to make out the slumped, lifeless equine lying in a pool of her own blood in the newly lit room.

"Oh no... No! No! No! Midnight!" The purple unicorn rushed over to the still, black-coated body with everypony else just behind; eyes teary in shock and disbelief at the state of their imposing armoured guardian.

Celestia's face meanwhile had twisted into an uncharacteristic grimace as her experienced eyes took in the extensive injuries on what was probably the biggest earth pony she had ever laid eyes on. Aside from the multiple instances of rent scar tissue and lacerations, the main concern was the hoofball sized crater seared into the mare's central mass; the armour plates actually warped and melted into the quasi-cauterised wound no doubt caused by a high powered beam attack. Miraculously she was still alive, if barely; the thick armour likely the only reason she still clung to life at all given the circumstances.

The sun alicorn had originally planned to reconcile with her long missed sister and reassure the populace that all was well, but this horrific casualty was far more important. Especially if said pony was indeed as integral to her student's success as she had implied. "Stay close, my little ponies. Your friend is gravelly injured and needs medical attention immediately. Luna?"

The assembled ponies gasped as they saw who the Princess was now looking at, for sitting up in the shattered remnants of Nightmare Moon's armour was another alicorn. Significantly shorter than Celestia's lithe frame, she was distinguished by a midnight blue coat, dark blue mane with matching tail, and an appropriately scaled set of dark-coloured counterpart regalia to Celestia's own.

Upon hearing her name, the restored alicorn of the night shrank back on her haunches with a shiver of fright; eyes warily darting between the room's occupants before widening upon settling upon Midnight's prone form. "Oh no... I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"

Celestia pulled her sniffling sister closer with a touch of telekinesis before nuzzling her gently. "Hush now, dear sister, it's going to be alright. We have so much to catch up on now we are together again, but right now there is a pony here in dire need of our help."

With everypony bunched closely together, the sun alicorn channelled pure magic into her horn, and with a flash of golden tinted light the entire group vanished from the desecrated throne room; leaving another battlefield empty of all but blood, armour fragments, and the destructive signs of conflict seared into the very walls themselves.

{()}

The receptionist at Ponyville General Hospital was startled by the sudden flash of blinding light in the front lobby, needing several seconds to blink the spots out of her eyes and take in the entourage of ponies who had just teleported in with the sovereign ruler of Equestria. In all honesty, it was a small miracle she didn't fall of her chair as she scrambled to supplicate herself before the alicorn of the sun. "Y-your Highness, what an unexpected visit! How can I-"

The surprisingly grim faced ruler cut the mare off with a raised hoof as she gestured to a limp, black-coated pony laid beside her where another alicorn - to her mounting surprise - was fretting over them. "I apologise for being short, but this mare is gravely wounded and in need of immediate medical attention."

The receptionist couldn't help but think that to be an understatement considering the hulking mare's condition, especially since a crimson pool was now slowly spreading over the polished floors around her body. "I need a trauma team to the reception desk immediately! Priority one case! Somepony prep the ER, and get Doctor Stable up here, stat!"

A small herd of medical ponies responded in prompt fashion to the harried receptionist's orders over the PA system, arriving less than half a minute later with a gurney that would barely take Midnight's bulky frame without a little magical manipulation. Several of the easier to remove armour pieces had to be pried off in order to make the mare light enough to move at all; taking the combined efforts of several unicorns to lift the exceptionally heavy metal plates and drop them off to one side.

Finally mobile, the combined team of medical orderlies, doctors, and nurses wheeled the unconscious war horse through a set of double doors; away from the six worried ponies and two alicorns left behind in an increasingly tense atmosphere.

"Nightie's gonna be alright, isn't she?" a sad and straight-maned Pinkie asked the room in general, to which the ruler of the sun shook her head gently.

"I do not know, my little pony, but your friend is in good hooves now. If anypony can help her recover, it is the well trained medical staff here." Turning her attention to a downcast Twilight, the alicorn continued. "That being said, I would like to know where you met such an exceptionally large mare."

The studious unicorn slowly shook her head. "It's... kind of a long story, your Highness."

Princess Celestia merely shrugged, making sure that she kept the distinctly nervous Luna close by. "Time is something we appear to have a lot of, my dear student. Perhaps you could start from when you first met."

And so, while everypony prayed that the equine knight would survive and recover, Twilight recounted the night's events leading up to their reunion. "Well, I guess it began after we fell down a collapsing cliffside shortly after entering the Everfree..."

Perspectives

Venting a soft sigh as she placed the book held within her telekinetic grasp back on its respective shelf, Twilight couldn't help but reflect upon just how crazy the last few weeks had been, and the direction her life had now taken. Within the course of a single day, she had gone from being a socially dead butterfly, whose idea of a good time was locking herself in Canterlot castle's west wing tower with a dozen or so thick tomes, to one of the chosen bearers for arguably Equestria's greatest magical artefacts; the Elements of Harmony.

Since then and her subsequent taking custody of the Ponyville library by Royal decree - a fact that still made her squee in private when nopony was looking; so many books! - Twilight's subsequently increasing interactions with the town's residents reinforced her analysis from what almost felt like a lifetime ago now; these ponies were crazy! Case in point being the whole Grand Galloping Gala tickets debacle, with Pinkie in particular not helping in the slightest by sending the entire town into a frenzy and almost laying siege at her front door. Not to mention Applejack's stubbornness and refusal to accept help with the family orchards a few days later, culminating in numerous problems and a horde of rampaging rabbits of all things.

Thinking about that however brought Twilight's thoughts back around to another particularly resolute pony, or rather horse as she had claimed herself to be. For once the rollercoaster of emotions and revelations from Nightmare Moon's defeat had settled down and cooler heads prevailed, the consequences of their unexpected guardian's actions in those final moments became horrifically clear. From fragmented memories due to the Elements' influence and the patient records Twilight had managed to obtain thanks to Royal privileges, Midnight had thrown herself directly into the path of a class seven offensive spell; presumably Nightmare Moon's last ditch attack, and one infused with such dark magic that it should have torn apart the target at a molecular level on impact.

And yet Midnight still lived; even if the doctors at Ponyville General believed it to be touch and go for quite some time considering the nigh fatal wounds inflicted upon her. Being so much bigger than the average pony probably helped in that regard, but it was a scrawled note on the bottom of one particular nurse's report that provided a possible answer; one that shocked Twilight to her very core.

'No magical signature.'

Equestria by its very nature was steeped in magic, permeating every living thing in existence and even the landscape itself. It was the reason why so many different species could understand one another and co-exist in the spirit of harmony, as laid down millennia before in the wake of the three tribes era. Even nations as far away as Zebrica and the Griffin Principalities had some form of magic filter down into the very lifeblood of their respective populations, but to have no magic at all... Just where exactly had Midnight come from? The library's historical and geographic texts held not one scrap of information on an 'England', let alone 'horses' or even 'humans' at all. It was as if Midnight's species didn't even exist!

But Twilight couldn't ignore the evidence she had witnessed with her own eyes, nor the growing hypothesis that had her scientifically inclined mind positively giddy with excitement. Midnight was very much real, and if the doctors assessments and failed treatment methods thus far were anything to go by, then they were looking at an entirely new species that were an antithesis to magic; one that could absorb vast quantities of channelled energy while largely ignoring its intended effects entirely.

Unfortunately that would make the black-coated mare's recovery a much more arduous process than it would be for the average pony, and likely leave a number of terrible new scars to go with those she still bore. But for now at least Midnight was considered to be in a stable condition and would hopefully make a full recovery any day soon; an occasion for which Pinkie was no doubt already planning on throwing a party given her previous track record and the town's increasingly exaggerated rumour mill surrounding the mysterious equine knight. Hay, there was even a story making the rounds that she was in fact some long lost alicorn princess, for who else could have taken on both a manticore and Nightmare Moon in single combat?

It was an annoying deviation from the facts as Twilight and her new friends had given them in the days after the summer solstice incident, but perhaps not too surprising. Especially given that the only ones to have physically seen Midnight were the new Element bearers, Princess Celestia along with her newly returned sister, and those medical professionals that had battled to save the mare's life. With luck they could set things straight then, and the studious unicorn could finally get the answers she craved straight from the horse's mouth once she had opportunity to settle in. But for now there were more pressing concerns with regards to her findings which simply could not wait.

Settling down upon a soft cushion, Twilight turned an enthusiastic eye towards her nearby and unsurprisingly tired number one assistant given the late hour; yet another late night research session having clearly taken its toll on him. "Spike, I need you to take a letter."

Releasing a small groan, Spike fumbled around for a piece of parchment and quill before making sure it was inked and poised to write; raising a brow towards his mother-come-sister figure and preparing for her to dictate what was sure to be a rather lengthy letter. "Ready, Twilight."

And so, with a grateful smile and clearing of her throat, Twilight Sparkle began. "Dear Princess Celestia..."

{()}

Stood upon the open balcony to her personal chambers with horn ablaze, Princess Celestia watched as the sun's final rays began to fade as it sank below the horizon; ushering in the rising moon's pale light and continuing a cycle that had gone uninterrupted for millennia until but a few weeks past. It was perhaps the single most important duty any ruler could ever hope to bear, and one that had been a constant reminder of perhaps her greatest failure; of whom was no longer by her side, and whose face stared down at her judgmentally from the moon that was her namesake. So it had been for the past one thousand years. But while time is supposed to heal all wounds, guilt merely caused them to seep anew.

If only things had been different, if only they had been more cautious following the defeat of Discord so long ago, then perhaps events would not have transpired as they did. Barely two centuries old and brimming with confidence in their innate abilities, two sisters had sought out the self proclaimed spirit of chaos in their quest to end his regime and restore order to a turbulent land fraught with fear. But Discord had proven to be far more powerful than either alicorn could have imagined, and it was only his sense of amusement at their futile efforts and the entertainment it provided that stayed him from simply wiping the floor with them both.

It was that if nothing else which ultimately led to Discord’s downfall once the Elements’ power was finally unleashed, but not before he could leave a rather unwelcome going away present for those who had finally bested him. For even as his power was restrained and body encased in magically reinforced stone through the Elements’ power, the spirit of chaos left a parting shot with a finger snap and that persistently insufferable grin of his that would change both their lives forever.

“Well, if you wanted to be in charge that badly then fine; it was getting boring anyway. But what say we make things a little more interesting, and see how you handle some responsibility.”

When nothing initially happened, Celestia had thought Discord’s words to be little more than an idle threat from a defeated foe. It wouldn’t be until a week had passed after their joint ascension to the throne and establishment of the diarchy however that the sisters began to notice something decidedly amiss. For each passing morn heralded the beginning of an increasing number of daylight hours that was mirrored by just as many at night, and appeared to be getting steadily worse. But while such an occurrence was theorised to be natural by several learned unicorn astronomers thanks to the moon’s influence, it was supposed to be measured in milliseconds and take millennia to make any real impact upon the planet’s rotational cycle, not mere hours.

In his madness or perhaps through some disturbed form of amusement, Discord’s final act had warped the very fabric of reality itself and permanently destabilised the planet's rotation; causing it to slow down at a rapidly accelerated rate that would soon see it cease altogether and spell extinction for all. No amount of magic could ever hope to fix something of that magnitude, not even that of both alicorns and every unicorn in existence combined. But with enough effort and sufficient thaumic energy from the Elements themselves, a workaround was swiftly found; one that would ensure the world’s continued existence, but at the cost of forever binding both Celestia and Luna to a responsibility without measure.

For while the Elements’ power was able to help restart the planet’s rotation, it was not a permanent solution; what should have been continuous momentum decaying rapidly to the point that it would soon run out within a few dozen hours and cease altogether. To prevent this, the sisters would complete a twice daily ritual that would impart sufficient energy to replace that lost and keep the Planet’s momentum going much like a child‘s spinning top; ensuring that each side had its turn in the sun and life continued on. It was a monumental task, and one that had taken its toll on body and spirit both in equal measure. But shared equally between the pair, it was a burden that united Celestia and Luna in a way that nothing else could.

Or at least it did for a while, until centuries of rule and devotion from their ponies had left her ignorant and dismissive of her dear sister’s concerns; complacency breeding contempt that drew a wedge between them both that could so easily been resolved.

Betrayal, arrogance, and jealousy had culminated into an event which very nearly ended all life upon this world for the second time in memory; and all for something so stupid as one sister not willing to share with the other. It was a petty squabble which grew and festered over time; one to which she was blinded by her self importance until it was already far too late, resulting in a battle that tore their fledgling kingdom apart and left her to shoulder the burden alone.

Such truths were of course brushed from history or otherwise forgotten as time passed, with the ponies of Equestria firmly believing that she alone controlled the very heavens themselves. But moons orbit planets, and planets orbit their parent star as they have always done; not even one lauded as a goddess could alter that in spite of the overwhelming power she might wield.

Had this been what Discord intended all along for his usurpers; to teach them a pre-emptive lesson in humility? To show that there is always something far greater out there no matter how powerful one became, and to pass the reins in such a way that they could never truly be relinquished to any other for fear that it would all come to an end? It was these questions and more that Celestia often found herself pondering in her rare few moments of peace once the day’s duties had concluded, and even now close to two millennia since those terrible events, she was still no closer to finding the answer.

Whether through some warped sense of duty to Equestria’s future or out of sheer spite in defeat, only Discord knew the real truth behind his own actions, and he wasn’t likely to be waking up any time soon. Nor was Celestia inclined to ever release the spirit of chaos from his stony prison for the sake of sating her curiosity.

"Tia, what are you doing?"

Then again, neither was it time to dwell upon the past and what could have been, for Celestia was no longer alone.

Gone was the lingering reminder of her greatest mistake forever etched upon the moon and the bitter memories it had invoked. Gone was the terrible sense of loneliness and isolation spending a thousand years apart had inflicted upon her soul. For thanks to a plan set in motion so long ago and the single-minded determination of perhaps the greatest magical prodigy she had ever had the pleasure of tutoring, Luna had returned alive and well. Free of the monstrous being that controlled her like a puppet and its influence, though not quite up to her full power just yet.

Stepping back down from the balcony and into the darkened room, Celestia took in her much shorter sister with a loving smile; the soon to be re-established alicorn of the moon looking exceptionally cute in her currently growing but still filly-like state, with a plush unicorn doll held close to her chest and eyes wide with curiosity. It was a look that reminded her of much better times during their childhood when the world was much more simpler and every day was an adventure to be had; where responsibilities were nonexistent and the hardest decision she had to make involved what to have for dessert.

How times change.

Leaning down to nuzzle her fondly, Celestia couldn't help but giggle at the indignant noises Luna made upon being smothered in affection. Deny it though she might however, Lulu was still a cuddle bug after all these years, and didn't exactly make much effort to get away from her sister's embrace until the sun alicorn finally took a step back. "Raising the moon, Lulu. Don't you remember what we discussed last week?"

"But you said we're supposed to do it together," not quite whined with an adorable pout. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Celestia sighed happily before replying, finding comfort in slipping back into the older sister role after so long apart. "Because you need to rest and regain your strength, dear sister of mine. Being responsible for this, keeping the endless cycle running, is enough to take its toll upon anypony. And considering the Elements have drained much of your magic along with the dark influence that had consumed you for so long, I am not willing to risk your well being."

"But Tia-"

A hoof upon her shoulder quickly stalled Luna's words once she took in the saddened look upon Celestia's face. "I promise you Luna, this is only for a little while longer. We were destined to rule together, and the moment you are able to resume your duties I shall gladly step aside." Her lips quirked into a faint, self depreciating smile. "Besides which, I do not believe there to be any other able to bring about a night quite like yourself, and I've had more than ample amount of practice in the meantime."

"But of course," Luna retorted with faux haughtiness that made her sister snicker at the sight. "After all, we are the ruler of the night, are we not?"

"Perhaps so, little Lulu," Celestia replied with an amused twinkle in her eye. "But not until you've grown up. Again."

The much shorter alicorn huffed in annoyance and was just about to retort when a scroll materialised above their heads in a burst of flame; Celestia catching and unsealing it with her telekinetic grip before poring over the contents with growing interest and widening eyes. "No... Magic?"

"Sister?"

The elder diarch blinked before turning her attention back towards her younger sibling. "My apologies Luna, but this letter from my student... You recall Twilight Sparkle?"

Luna nodded. "How could I not? Without her and the other Element bearers I would still be held in the grip of Nightmare Moon, or perhaps worse had their guardian not intervened when she did. Why sister, what is amiss?"

Celestia nodded slowly in return. "Indeed they did, and we owe much to them all for their assistance in our hour of need. But after hearing of their journey and the mare named Midnight's role in it, I asked my dear student to see what else she could discover about her origins. If this theory is correct however and all the other information holds true, then this pony has no magical signature whatsoever."

"But that's impossible!" Luna protested. "All creatures have a magical signature no matter how small or where they come from!"

"On this world perhaps," the alicorn of the sun agreed. "But there is one such place of which we both know of where magic does not exist in any visible form, and where a mare such as her might learn to invoke mother's name in the manner Twilight recounted."

"But sister, surely you can't mean..."

Celestia merely shook her head, not a strand of magically flowing mane falling out of place. "Perhaps or perhaps not, even I can not be certain. But once the hospital sends word of this Midnight's recovery, I do believe it may be time for us to seek the truth at its source."

{()}

Making her last rounds of the evening, Nurse Redheart stifled a small yawn as she stepped out of the almost deserted children's ward and gently closed the door behind her; the only occupant being a little pegasus filly with a sprained wing who was now sleeping soundly. Starting up the corridor once more with her hooves clopping unnaturally loud upon the polished floor, the earth pony couldn't help but let her mind wander just a little as she fast approached her last scheduled stop of this shift on the hospital's far side; thoughts turning towards the isolated room's unusual patient and the circumstances that brought her here.

She had in fact been on a coffee break when the emergency call out came over Ponyville General's PA system; galloping out of the break room and almost running head first into Doctor Stable as he too raced towards the front entrance at full tilt. They were swiftly joined by a ragtag herd of orderlies pushing a gurney plus a few more doctors and nurses en route, but once the herd had burst through the double doors leading on to the reception area and skidded to a halt in front of Princess Celestia herself of all ponies, it was abundantly clear that even they might not be enough to deal with the situation.

For in front of Equestria's ruler and a mixed group of ponies lay quite possibly the biggest earth pony that Redheart had ever seen; easily outweighing most of those present combined even without the mangled remains of her armour, and likely as tall as the Princess were she not currently lying in an expanding pool of her own blood. The mystery pony's life signs were extremely weak and her sickening wounds so grave that Redheart honestly didn't believe she was even going to make it to surgery in time. But for once she was thankfully proven wrong as everypony got to work with clinical precision and a shared determination to save this mare's life.

Larger plates of charred and bloody armour were cautiously removed while being mindful of the concealed injuries beneath, the gurney magically transfigured to better withstand the mare's considerable weight, and a combined effort was needed just to even get her on to it in the first place. But in the end they had prevailed, and with a fellow nurse keeping pressure on the oozing, hoofball-sized barrel wound that made Redheart feel queasy just looking at it, the medical team just barely managed to get her to the operating room in time. From there it was down to the few dedicated trauma surgeons on duty plus whomever was able to assist, and the pale-coated nurse could do nought but wait while hoping for the best.

In the end Redheart had ended up staying on for a good five hours after her shift had officially ended, acting as a liaison with Princess Celestia and her entourage of ponies - including the smaller alicorn she had somehow missed in the initial rush - and keeping them updated on their friend's condition. It was here that she also learned the mare's name and reason for being admitted in such a state, having been stuck on the night shift and otherwise unable to attend the celebration in town.

Even now she could scarcely believe that the old pony tale of Nightmare Moon was in fact true and had almost brought about eternal night. Nor that those seven ponies were able to defeat an alicorn who had managed to seal away their rightful ruler, or the heroic sacrifice of their largest member to ensure victory. And yet here she was just about to check in on said pony for the umpteenth time that day; opening the innocuous-looking door ahead of her and stepping into the recovery room where a heavily sedated Midnight had been kept hooked up to a heart rate monitor and IV drip ever since her successful operation.

The mare in question still lay on the enlarged and reinforced bed while breathing rhythmically; bandages and medical tape covering a significant amount of her hulking frame, and especially around her mid-section where the worst scar tissue was yet to heal properly. But other than that and a significant amount of blood loss, Midnight appeared to be doing just fine given how badly things could have gone. A cursory inspection of the monitoring equipment showed strong vitals and her medical chart indicated that the magically replicated blood transfusion had taken well without rejection; a small miracle unto itself really given the mare's surprising and virtually impossible deficiency in something that should have been as natural as breathing.

Giving a nod of approval and signing off the chart with her own observations, Nurse Redheart was just about to exit the confined room when a sudden presence to her left made her jump in surprise; one she could have sworn wasn't there a minute ago. With a hoof pressed firmly against her chest and an elevated heart rate, she directed a narrow-eyed glare towards the pony who was only now rising from the visitor's chair that had been shoved into a darkened corner. "S-sir, visiting hours are between ten and five. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"My apologies for startling you, my dear," the oddly skinny-looking stallion responded with a rather cultured voice and brief bow of his head, before fixing the nurse with a wide smile and luminous blue eyes that left her feeling a little uneasy. "I merely wished to check upon a rather special acquaintance of mine."

"Well you can do that tomorrow, just like everpony else," Redheart huffed while ushering him out; finding his black, hooded cloak strangely cold to the touch. "Right now she needs all the rest she can get."

"And so I shall, when she wakes," he replied with a hint of amusement before bowing his head and meeting her gaze once more. "Until then, I bid you adieu. And don't worry about showing me out. I'm sure I can find the way."

Having no intention of letting some strange pony walk around the hospital on their own without supervision, Redheart took a moment to lock the door in case anypony else decided to pay a flying visit and was about to escort him off the premises, only to find nought but an empty corridor. A brief search of the surrounding area found not a single trace and none of the other night staff she had run into had even seen the stallion; the only evidence that he even existed being her own memories and a constantly lingering cold presence outside of Midnight's room, as if he had simply vanished into thin air.

All Redheart knew was that he gone, and a cup of camomile tea followed by several hours of uninterrupted sleep sounded really good right about now. If only she knew then just how true his words would soon ring. For the following dawn would mark a new day; and with it, Midnight finally woke up.

A New Dawn

Through the darkness and fog that clouded her mind, a most peculiar sound reached Midnight's ears; sounding as if miles away at first only to gradually draw nearer with each passing second. Though grating in its incessant, rhythmical pulsing and unchanging tempo, the war horse found her thoughts becoming much clearer the longer she focused upon the noise; as if it were an anchor between her earthly body and mortal soul.

Now that her mental faculties were returning however, Midnight couldn't help but wonder just how that could be. Was she not upon death's door once more? Had she not been graced with a vision of Epona herself, come for this humble warrior's soul? But if that were so, why then was she able feel life slowly return to limbs that felt as if they had not moved in an age? The steady beat of her heart, a strange sterile scent within the air?

There was but one way to ascertain the truth; and so with a gruelling effort that felt as if she were lifting a mountain upon her back, Midnight managed to crack open a heavy eyelid and gain a glimpse of the world beyond. Although considering the frightening visage mere inches from her face, she almost wished she hadn't.

Midnight's gaze swam into focus upon a grinning skull cast in the shadow of a ragged, hooded cloak of black sheath; baleful eyes of glowing blue ether burning like the pits of hell and staring directly into her very soul. The mare's thundering heart matched the rapidly rising, pulsing noise of a strange metal box beside her head, and the accompanying horrified whinny wasn't exactly surprising as she tried to shrink away from the terrifying spectre looming above; her progress halted by a rumpled sheet and something oddly soft pressing into her unarmoured body.

Although now that the other had recoiled away slightly from a flailing hoof and she was able to see more clearly, Midnight stilled upon seeing just who exactly was watching over her so closely. "Lord... Death?"

"And a fine good morning to you too, my dear!" the currently equine keeper of souls replied all too cheerfully. "Almost didn't expect you to wake up at all really given what happened. I don't suppose you're feeling a bit dead, by any chance?"

Her wide-eyed, bewildered stare said otherwise.

" ...Not even a little?"

The black-coated mare merely gave a hesitant shake of her head, not daring to move otherwise.

"Bugger," he sighed with audible disappointment before brightening up considerably. "Still, can't be helped I suppose. And with the way you go galloping off into danger, I'm sure it'll only be a matter of time."

Blinking in confusion and more than a little worry, Midnight finally managed to vocalise her thoughts while scrutinising the strange stable in which she now lay. "I... I do not understand, my lord. If I still live, then why art thou here? Did I not fall once more in battle against the demon spawn?"

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose you were rather close to the edge for quite some time," the Grim Reaper mused as he leaned back in his commandeered bedside visitor's chair with a thoughtful look. "Although those midget ponies and their white nag of a leader brought you here for treatment before it was too late. As to why I am here, well... you did have a near death experience; taking a condensed ball of dark magic to the chest and everything."

"It would most certainly not be the first such occasion," the scarred veteran replied before hesitating. "How... close was...?"

Death raised his skeletal forehooves and held them apart, humming in apparent indecision. "Oh, I'd say... about three, maybe four feet at best."

...

"...That was a joke," he sighed wearily. "Honestly, why does everybody take dying so seriously these days?"

Midnight… honestly didn't have an answer to that, although anything else she may have conceived of was rendered moot by Death's next words as he ploughed on with a dismissive wave of his hoof. "But in any case, aside from checking up upon you, I thought I might stick around for a while as a holiday of sorts. See the sights, get a tan, collect the souls of any unfortunate buggers you happen to off along the way, that sort of thing. I understand the Unicornian coast has some wonderful beaches this time of year, though I'm not adverse to Zebrica either."

"I- But, milord," the increasingly bewildered war horse protested; watching as a whirl of blue-green energy briefly engulfed the Grim Reaper's form, before leaving him stood in Bermuda trunks, Hawaiian shirt, and a pair of mirrored shades perched upon his bony skull. "What is to become of me now?"

"Whatever you wish my dear, for this new life is whatever you make of it," Death replied with a toothy grin; standing up and stretching out before slowly making his way to the door. "But for now I would simply concentrate on resting and regaining your strength for what lies ahead. Farewell for now young Midnight; I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again all too soon."

With that, the brightly attired avatar of death retreated through the doorway and disappeared from sight once more; leaving Midnight staring after him in thought as a much smaller equine stepped through moments later while throwing a narrow-eyed look over her withers. Though she was still lying down upon the curiously soft bedding beneath her, the war horse couldn't help but notice just how short the newcomer was; sharing a similarly diminutive frame to that of Lady Sparkle and her retinue, albeit appearing much more mature somehow.

Her coat was as white as pure snow, with a flowing, light pink tail and mane tied up into a loose bun; an odd white, circular hat emblazoned with a red cross bordered on all sides by tiny pink hearts perched on top, matching the strange picture visible upon her hindquarters. But it was the firm voice and sharp, sapphire blue eyes that caught Midnight's attention as the little one's head swivelled back around while still berating the departed reaper of souls like a parent would to a difficult child; giving the impression of a matriarch rather than the filly she had expected given her size.

"I mean honestly, who does he think he is? Wandering in on a sick patient like that at all hours. I swear that colt needs to learn no means no, and to put some weight on that skinny- Oh my, you're awake!"

"She is?" came an excited and much more familiar voice from just beyond the doorway; Midnight feeling a slight twinge of pain in her side while attempting to rise as a predominantly purple unicorn trotted inside the room on the earth pony's heels.

"Lady Sparkle! Thou art unharmed!"

"Midnight, wait!" Twilight called out with a raised hoof, only to be beaten to the punch.

"Please dear, lie down before you do yourself any further harm." the other filly - or perhaps mare given how much older she seemed to act - called out as she raced towards Midnight's side, somehow managing to push her back down in spite of being several magnitudes smaller. "You've been immobile for two weeks and those wounds still haven't fully healed yet. Now hold still and let me take a look."

Surprised as she was, the war horse lay still as the white-coated pony scrutinised her heavily bandaged body and healed scar tissue with a practiced eye; gently prodding forehooves feeling for any reopened injuries and causing the occasional twinge of dulled pain. "No further lacerations, stitches seem to be holding well... You're lucky you didn't tear something sitting up that fast, young lady. What were you thinking?"

"I... Healed?" Midnight questioned with a frown; the dull throbbing in her mid-section seeming to feel much more acute as she inspected what had surely been a mortal wound, only to find it expertly dressed and almost entirely knitted back together. What looked like a pair of oddly thick bowstrings were attached to her barrel via some round pads too; leading back up to the peculiar beeping machine that had roused her earlier, but didn't otherwise appear to be causing any harm and thus were promptly ignored. "Thou art... a healer?"

"In a way, I suppose," the earth pony replied with an odd look at her choice of words. "I'm Nurse Redheart, one of the practicing nurses here at Ponyville General. Doctor Stable and his surgical team are the miracle workers that got you back on your hooves though, so to speak. Not that you'll be out of that bed until I'm satisfied you've fully recovered, given how badly injured you were when they brought you in. The amount of magic-"

"Sorcery?!" the larger mare hissed; body tensed and eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What manner of trickery-"

"Midnight, please calm down," Twilight interrupted with a forcefully calming tone, before trotting forth to her side so that they were directly facing one another. "You were in a really bad way when we got here, and with the amount of dark magic you'd absorbed interfering with any attempted transfusions..." She trailed off at the bewildered look Midnight was giving her before sheepishly rubbing at her neck. "Um, maybe I should start at the beginning..."

{()}

"Thank you for coming at such short notice, Miss Sparkle," Nurse Redheart apologised as she led Twilight past a duty station and further into Ponyville General's isolation wing. "But given the circumstances and your area of expertise, we didn't know where else to turn."

"That's alright, I was planning on visiting today anyway," Twilight replied with a reassuring smile while flipping through a series of medical notes held aloft via telekinesis in front of her face. "Besides, Midnight is my friend, and if there's anything I can do to help her I will."

It had been just over two weeks since the near disastrous summer solstice event and Midnight's admission to Ponyville General Hospital at its conclusion. But while the titanic mare was physically stable after a constant battle by the resident surgeons and medical staff to keep her alive, there was the much more pressing issue of the effect Nightmare Moon's final attack may have had upon both her body and mind.

Ignoring the fact that such appalling injuries would have long since killed anypony else due to their comparatively smaller size, immediate medical treatment through a multitude of healing spells would be the standard procedure for a critically wounded patient like Midnight, and likely have them good as new within a few days at worst. But for reasons that weren't understood at the time, any such treatment failed without any apparent reason; her body rejecting even the most basic of magic as if it were poison and deteriorating further still.

In the end, Doctor Stable and his surgical team were forced to resort to much more primitive, non-magical methods that hadn't seen much use since the three tribes era, or in isolated locales where trained medical professionals were at a premium; physically having to staunch the blood flow via cauterisation and stitching Midnight's wounds back together once it was safe to do so. It was certainly the first time in years that non-magically transmuted emergency blood packs had to be dug out of their specially cooled storage unit in order to replace that which the mare had lost, and a donation drive would likely be in the works sooner than not considering how many were drained in the process.

After the procedure however and subsequent investigation once she was resting up in an isolated recovery room, it was discovered that Midnight had no natural magical signature whatsoever; an impossibility that only served to confound the hospital staff further still and make them much more cautious with any follow up treatment. As a result, Midnight was largely left to heal on her own while sedated and alternate methods were discussed, or at least until a recent routine check up revealed a further complication that may have contributed to their initial problems with her surgery.

The presence of dark magic.

Though only in small quantities, combined with the mare's unusual appearance and the average Equestrian's natural aversion to outside influences, It had been enough to send ponies into a panic until much cooler heads had prevailed. It was fortunate then that Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia herself and one of the foremost magical experts of her generation, now lived in Ponyville by Royal decree and thus was available to help determine whether it was merely a lingering effect from Nightmare Moon's final attack or something more sinister.

Which was why she was here bright and early this morning with Nurse Redheart helpfully leading the way, even if Twilight could quite easily have found the room herself given how many times she and her friends had visited over the past fortnight. Not that she was complaining of course, especially since the older mare was not only a familiar face who had done so much for keeping everypony in the loop during Midnight's admission but was also one of her primary carers, and thus had the most up to date information on her condition. She was certainly proving to be a lot more knowledgeable than the short and clinical medical notes Twilight was sifting through as they walked at any rate, none of which held any new material.

"Well despite giving us a bit of a scare, Miss Midnight seems to be recovering rather nicely now," Nurse Redheart continued as they rounded another corner. "We've removed her IV drip since she doesn't need it anymore, but kept the ECG linked up just in case."

"What about the sedatives still in her system?" Twilight questioned while neatly tucking her borrowed notes away for further reference. "I assume they're non-magically based given how badly Midnight's reacted to prior treatment."

"Of course," Redheart replied with a bob of her head. "Just an upscaled anaesthetic really to account for her size. Given the dosage, It should be wearing off in the next few hours; plenty of time to do whatever you need before... Oh, now what is he up to?"

Twilight blinked with a start at the sudden change in tone and followed her temporary guide's glare towards the doorway to Midnight's room, where a pale-coated and strangely thin-looking earth pony had just exited at a casual pace. The fact he was wearing clothing more suited to a beachside vacation in the middle of a hospital was unusual enough, but what gave the studious mare pause was his eyes; a brief glimpse of almost ethereal blue orbs over the top of his mirrored sunglasses sending a sudden chill up her spine.

Then he smiled with a toothy grin and it was gone; the sensation disappearing just as quickly as the retreating pony's form as he briskly strolled down the corridor in the opposite direction, though that didn't abate Redheart's narrow-eyed glare in the slightest. "Back again, and at this time of morning? Just what is that boy up to?"

"You, uh... you know him?" the unicorn asked articulately as she shifted focus back on to the clearly annoyed nurse beside her.

"We met briefly last night, right when I was attending to Midnight before the end of my shift," Redheart huffed before taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "One minute I was alone and the next he was just... there; claiming to be an 'old friend' come to visit her. I might have told him to come back during visiting hours, but I didn't expect him to be this early or wearing something like that."

Listening to the nurse's recollections of the previous night's encounter, Twilight couldn't help but wonder who this strange pony was exactly and the nature of his relationship with Midnight. Could he be another resident from Midnight's mysterious homeland - wherever that was - given his familiarity, or perhaps something else altogether? Being able to suddenly appear and disappear like Nurse Redheart claimed certainly suggested that magic and teleportation spells in particular were at play, but that was an impossible feat for an earth pony to perform due to their lower affinity for magic. Not to mention the fact that teleporting was energy intensive and left behind a distinctive flash of thaumic energy that would have easily forewarned the nurse of his presence in an instant.

Unless of course he was already there, perhaps under the influence of a 'notice me not' charm or similar analogue, and simply reactivated it upon leaving. That still didn't explain the brief twinge of sudden terror she had experienced nor how just plain wrong his gaunt-looking body appeared. Twilight was just about to consider the possibility that the stallion might be a changeling in disguise, in spite of the fact none had been witnessed in Equestria for centuries, when she was drawn back to reality by their arrival at the door to Midnight's room; Nurse Redheart apparently not having ceased her venting in the least.

"I mean honestly, who does he think he is? Wandering in on a sick patient like that at all hours," the white-coated mare continued with a scowl. "I swear that colt needs to learn no means no, and to put some weight on that skinny- Oh my, you're awake!"

{()}

"...and of course, you already know the rest," Twilight finished with that same sheepish smile as Nurse Redheart finished her check up and removed the Electrocardiogram machine's pads from Midnight's chest, before jotting down a few additional notes for her expanding patient record.

"I see... Then the sorceress' taint still resides within me, even now," the scarred veteran murmured as she stared unseeingly at the sheet covering her lower half; her eyes slowly raising to meet those of the anxiously waiting young noble filly to whom she had sworn to protect, and who was now her only chance of salvation. "I must ask then, Twilight Sparkle, what is to become of me now?"

Though she remained stoic on the outside, Midnight's stomach roiled with uncharacteristic fear. Magic was dangerous enough as is from what she had witnessed previously, but to be told that a portion of that monstrous creature's dark power still remained within her flesh and perhaps soul as well... Would the taint attempt to consume her very being then, as it had no doubt that demon masquerading as a self-proclaimed 'goddess'? To twist her faith towards a path of damnable evil that would see her destroy all she had sought to protect? Midnight did not know, but if it came to a choice between tainted life and an honourable death, the equine knight knew which she would prefer.

Perhaps sensing her internal struggle or merely seeking to reassure, Midnight's internal turmoil was interrupted by a purple hoof being laid upon her own; the unicorn's gentle smile and understanding look in her eyes quelling any such thoughts as she spoke with conviction. "Midnight, you're going to be fine, I promise. I just need to scan you and see if there are any lingering effects from that disintegration spell, and fix them if I can."

"Miss Sparkle is one of the foremost authorities in the area on magic," Nurse Redheart added as she stored away her patient notes and stepped forth to supervise. "If anypony can get to the bottom of this problem, it's her."

Having previously witnessed the young noble's considerable power for herself, Midnight could not help but agree; her lips tugging into a faint smile at the bashful look upon Twilight's face at such praise. "I accept then, my Lady… and healer."

As it was, Twilight's magical scan took but mere moments to complete and left little more than a slight tingling sensation across the larger mare's fine-haired coat; passing over her wounded midsection a half dozen times before finally ceasing altogether. That however didn't stop the unicorn's sudden burst of excitement and scribbling of notes upon a conjured scroll, leaving Redheart to ask the question which Midnight almost dared not ask herself. "Um, Miss Sparkle? The result?"

"Hmm?" Twilight replied distractedly, before suddenly remembering her audience with an embarrassed cough. "Sorry, but this is just so... fascinating! Midnight, your body somehow neutralised the effects of dark magic on its own without any obvious external stimuli. Do you have any idea what this could mean?"

"I am... cured?" the dark-coated mare enquired hesitantly, only to gain a positively giddy look from Twilight and an accompanying explanation that went straight over her head. Or at least until Nurse Redheart put a stop to it at any rate.

"Fascinating as this is, I'm sure Miss Midnight is eager to get moving again after being cooped up for so long," the earth pony chided gently; a sentiment to which Midnight herself agreed wholeheartedly. "I understand the princess - sorry, princesses - have left her in your care for the time being?"

Of course wishing to move and doing so were two entirely different things altogether, and so it was perhaps little surprise that Midnight's movements upon finally being free from the unfamiliarly soft confines of her hospital bed were as graceful as a newborn foal. Muscles ached with disuse and bones creaked worrying as the war charger went through an abbreviated stretching routine at Nurse Redheart's direction that actively avoided putting stress upon her wounds; getting the blood flowing to stiff limbs and surprising both ponies with just how quickly she had regained motion.

Barely twenty minutes later and Midnight was about as mobile as she could be given her state of health and the fairly cramped room; Nurse Redheart giving a final nod of approval as she checked over Midnight's considerable frame with a critical eye. "Well there don't appear to be any lasting issues and you're about as healthy as can be given what you've been through, so physiotherapy won't be necessary. Just remember to keep those dressings clean and not perform any strenuous activity for at least 48 hours."

"I shall endeavour to do so, Nurse Redheart," Midnight replied with a respectful bow of her head. "Thyself and the healers here have mine eternal gratitude."

"You're welcome, dear," the earth pony returned with a warm smile before leading them out of the isolated room, with Midnight having to duck her entire head in order to fit through the doorframe. "Now, why don't we see about getting you discharged? I'm sure some fresh air would do you some good after being stuck in here for so long."

On that they both agreed, to the extent that Midnight was practically itching to see the sky above and feel the sun on her coat rather than strange mage lights suspended from an artificial ceiling.

Being inside such confined corridors was as novel as it was claustrophobic for a war charger who was far more used to open fields and stables, but Twilight's presence made it that bit more bearable; happily explaining some of the more arcane-looking devices they passed along the way and generally lightening the mood in spite of the stares she received along the way. Such attention continued as they finally reached the much more spacious front lobby after several twists and turns of labyrinth-like corridors; the front desk's receptionist in particular looking at Midnight with wide eyes for unfathomable reasons. Had none of these ponies ever seen a horse before, or was it her litany of battle scars that drew so much attention?

Any further such musing was cut short however as Twilight returned to her side with a polite clearing of her throat, having completed the necessary paperwork for the mare's discharge while Nurse Redheart bid farewell and returned to her duties. "Well, I guess that's it. Ready to get going?"

Midnight nodded with a faint smile. "By all means, La- Twilight," she corrected at the slight twinge of irritation on the unicorn's face. "Please, lead on."

First Steps

"So, Midnight, what do you think of Ponyville so far?"

'What indeed,' Midnight wondered to herself while taking in the strange yet familiar sights around them as they continued to walk down the expansive, compacted dirt road. Pausing only to allow a small single pony cart to pass by before crossing the street and turning the corner towards their intended destination.

Having spent almost the entirety of her time either shrouded in the darkness of night, or the strange mage lights that seemed prevalent within the 'hospital' as Nurse Redheart had called it, Midnight was almost blinded by her first exposure to blessed sunlight in what felt like years. The sheer brightness assaulted her senses, leaving black spots dancing in front of muddy amber eyes as she squinted in an effort to regain her vision and almost causing her to overbalance in the process, much to Twilight's alarm. But after the initial discomfort had passed and she was finally able to see clearly once again, Midnight couldn't help but feel a slight sense of wonder as she took in her first true glimpse at this new land which was to be her new home.

The sky was a beautifully vibrant shade of blue, and far cleaner than any she could ever recall having smelled before in her entire life. Feather-winged ponies soared above with the grace of hunting birds as they went about their daily lives, with some appearing to be lounging upon what few clouds dotted the sky as if they were beds of hay, while others still physically moved them by touch as if were nothing. Below them lay a bustling town much like those she had occasionally passed through on marches during the campaign in Northern France; albeit one where the compacted dirt streets were thronged with a veritable rainbow of multicoloured equines, and all without a single human in sight.

Unlike those sullen, wood and thatch villages, however, the buildings here were much more sturdier and cheerful looking. Each brightly coloured and decorated while appropriately scaled to the comparatively small residents, many of whom had begun to stop and stare at her in small groups for some unfathomable reason. Shops, homes, and various places of work essential to the town's continued existence spreading upwards and outwards among the surrounding low hills on a scale Midnight had never seen before, much like the petals of a flower. Yet ordered in such a way that there was more or less a straight road from one end of town to another, almost resembling the spokes of a cart's wheel were one to view it from above.

Not to mention the fact that everything just seemed so clean and vibrant, despite the town boasting such a significant population from what she had seen so far. Bright and cheerful floral displays neatly interspersed with greenery between homes, and sometimes cascading down from boxes placed beneath windows. While small, decorative trees were placed at regular intervals along what she believed to be the outer edges of town, neatly weaving between brightly coloured banners before giving way to a trio of stone humpback bridges that crossed over a gently flowing stream. Even the dirt road beneath her hooves was pleasantly clean somehow; soft to the touch yet unyielding in a way that Midnight could not truly grasp.

Perhaps most unusual and bewildering of all, however, was the distinct lack of humanity in a settlement that so heavily resembled those built by their hands. Since the day she was born, humans had simply been a fact of life; their numbers without measure and mastery over all they surveyed unchallenged. It was they that had tamed the lands they called home and ensured no predator could match them; eventually ruling over every creature great and small, and due course giving purpose to her own kind. Extending their protection against the elements and those that would seek to prey upon the great herds in exchange for lending their aid in service, both as beasts of burden and instruments of war.

Or so the legends foretold; passed down as they were from mother to foal for countless generations, including her own. And given all that Midnight had already borne witness to during her first life, whether on the farm or the battlefield, she was inclined to believe them. For while it was true that Lord Death had previously informed her that this new world was mostly populated by equines like herself, it wasn't until now that Midnight could truly appreciate what that actually meant. No longer was there a master to protect and carry into the fires of war; nor squires and stablehands tending to her needs between battles, or even an obligation to work the land as she had done so since birth. Without humanity and a nation to serve... what then was her purpose in this new life?

"It is... certainly different from that which I had expected," Midnight hesitantly answered after long moments of contemplation. "Familiar in some ways, yet foreign in so many others. I am... unsure as to whether I might belong in such a place, Lady Sparkle."

"Believe me, I know how that feels," Twilight replied with a sympathetic look in her eyes, a faint smile tugging at her muzzle as she looked up at the towering mare walking beside her. "It was kind of the same for me when I first got here, being some stranger from out of town. But the ponies here went out of their way to make me feel welcome, and given a little time, I'm sure they'll warm up to you soon enough. Especially if Pinkie's got anything to say about it."

Midnight nodded gracefully in acceptance, although the contemplative expression upon her face said otherwise. "As you say, my La-"

"Midnight, please. It's... just Twilight, thanks." the purple unicorn interrupted with a fond, exasperated sigh. "I might be Princess Celestia's personal student, but I'm not all that different than anypony else."

"My apologies... Twilight," Midnight abruptly corrected herself with a faint huff and furrowed brow, "I shall endeavour to remember that. Though I know not why a noble of such high birth does not wish to be addressed by their title."

Somehow, Twilight got the distinct impression that this was one habit the imposing mare was going to have a hard time breaking any time soon. But given her own experiences in Ponyville over the past few weeks or so and the somewhat quirky nature of its residents, she had a feeling that Midnight was going to fit in just fine. It was just a case of easing her into everyday life here, and showing Midnight just why the unicorn had come to embrace this quaint and idyllic little town as her own.

Possessing a certain unique and rustic charm, Ponyville was somewhat typical of countless other settler towns which began to spring up during the fifth great expansion period some eighty-nine years ago. With ponies from all walks of life embracing the same pioneer spirit which had driven their ancestors and seeking out new lands to settle for future generations at the crown's decree. But while great numbers opted to head further out west and tame the wild wastelands there, others opted to stick closer to more civilised areas, or otherwise carve out their own niche in more... unusual territory.

Foremost of which had been the then untouched soil bordering upon the near mythical forest which had grown up around Equestria's long abandoned former capital; the Everfree. Despite the risks involved and perpetual threat of attack from the multitude of predators which called it home, a small family of earth ponies – the Smiths – laid claim to a small strip of land and built a farming homestead there. Their discovery and eventual success in harvesting the incredibly rare 'zap apple' leading to a demand for the jam made from its essence. Which in turn led to a the introduction of a permanent store to market it by one Stinkin' Rich, and ultimately attracted enough commercial interest for ponies to found what would eventually become Ponyville.

To Twilight, it was a fascinating piece of local history, and a shining example of how ponies could not only overcome adversity, but ultimately flourish in spite of their hardships. A lesson that she had taken to heart in the days following the Nightmare Moon incident while settling down into her new role as town librarian; researching everything she could about Ponyville in the hopes of further integrating herself into the community. Local traditions, important ponies, and the facets of everyday small town life, Twilight wanted to learn it all. Partially because of her beloved mentor's royal decree on studying friendship, but also due to the fact that Twilight had honestly felt a little out of her depth upon realising just how different things actually were outside of Canterlot.

For a city mare who had spent much of the past decade in various libraries and surrounded by books, the sudden transition from crowded capital to strange country town had come as something of a culture shock upon her initial arrival. Especially when considering some of the more bizarre things its denizens seemed to get up to, let alone the particular brand of maniacal energy that was Pinkie Pie.

But while she had been able to bury any misgivings at the time in favour of fulfilling the task entrusted to her by Princess Celestia herself, and the subsequent race to stop Nightmare Moon, those feelings would slowly begin to re-emerge in the days that followed. The unicorn's own niggling doubts and inexperience with any lasting social interactions only serving to reinforce her perception of being an outsider looking in, rather than as part of a tight knit community where virtually everypony knew each other by name.

With time and the help of five special mares whom she had come to think of as her closest friends, however, Twilight's perception of herself had gradually begun to change for the better. The other Element Bearers never ceased in their efforts to make her feel welcome as a resident of Ponyville and part of the community, along with the rest of the town's oftentimes colourful residents as well. Her outlook on life vastly improved over the following two weeks, and ensured that no matter how crazy things got with the statistically improbable events that seemed to be an everyday occurrence in Ponyville, she was never without a friendly face by her side or ear to confide in.

It was for this reason that Twilight had felt a kinship of sorts with the self proclaimed 'horse' known as Midnight; both being outsiders of sorts in their own ways and finding themselves living in a strange new place surrounded by unfamiliar ponies. But while Twilight could simply return to Canterlot via train at any time she wished, and could easily see her old home city from Ponyville on a clear day, Midnight had no such advantage going for her. The much larger mare finding herself in a strange and foreign land, so far removed from all she knew and loved that it might just as well be another world altogether, and with no obvious way back seeing as Twilight couldn't even find her an 'England' on any map or atlas she could find in the library's archives.

In fact, Twilight still couldn't find so much as a single scrap of information about 'humans' or the nation Midnight called home; both in the local library and Canterlot archives, along with numerous sources from elsewhere. Which only served to raise more questions as to the unusually large mare's origins, and just how she had ended up in the Everfree on that fateful night. Answers to which she hoped to obtain in the coming days once Midnight had a chance to recover from her terrible injuries, along with any latent emotional trauma.

For while Midnight hadn't expressed much in the way of concern after having woken up, other than her odd wariness of magic, or said anything to the contrary while on their way out of the hospital, Twilight wasn't about to assume anything just yet. After all, it had only taken one particularly stubborn episode with Applejack to show just how bad things can get when personal problems are bottled up without release, and Twilight had a feeling that any such issues with Midnight would be a whole lot worse. Least of all because of her penchant towards violence against anything perceived as a threat, and an honestly disturbing willingness to lay down her own life with little to no hesitation in order to ensure victory.

It was small surprise then that once the princesses had requested Midnight be released into her care upon being discharged from Ponyville General, Twilight had jumped at the chance. To put into practice all she had learned so far about the magic of friendship so far, and ensuring that Midnight experienced the same welcoming atmosphere and hospitality that had defined her own time in Ponyville. Her friends all agreeing in their own ways to help her settle in, much like they had done so for Twilight herself, though in small doses so as to not overwhelm the poor mare with the likes of a surprise Pinkie Party. Starting with a brief tour of the town while taking a steady stroll back towards the library that Twilight now called home, while hopefully getting to know her better along the way.

The overall idea being to give both Midnight and the residents of Ponyville a chance to become accustomed to one another, and perhaps encourage a few conversations here and there to help break the proverbial ice. Something that was proving to be a lot more difficult than expected when taking into account the way small town rumours spread so quickly, and the way they so easily influenced a pony's perception of events. A small frown working its way on to Twilight's face as one group of ponies after another elected to stay well clear of Midnight's path as they passed by; watching from afar with wide-eyed stares and hushed whispering that wasn't nearly as discreet as they thought.

Although she wasn't sure if that was better or worse than that one strange unicorn with the lime green coat who Twilight could swear was constantly following them everywhere. One whom she had occasionally seen about town in the company of an earth pony mare, and who just so happened to look a lot like her old classmate and friend Lyra Heartstrings from Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns so may years ago. Though as to what she might be doing here in Ponyville was anypony's guess, and last Twilight checked, Lyra was…

‘Huh… I can’t actually remember the last time I spoke to Lyra, other than in passing, or any of my other friends since leaving Canterlot… Maybe I should look them up once Midnight’s settled in.’

Although if it actually was Lyra here in Ponyville and trailing them both, then that was one issue that could be at least partially resolved in a timely fashion. Just so long as the somewhat eccentric mare she remembered kept her paranoid conspiracy theories on 'secret seapony cabals that covertly ran the government' to herself, and maintained a sufficient distance so as not to provoke the recovering warhorse beside her. Especially since she suspected Midnight was already well aware of the other unicorn's presence, and was merely waiting for an excuse to retaliate against any perceived attack if her constantly twitching ears were anything to go by.

Aside from that, however, no amount of undue attention seemed to faze Midnight in the least if her otherwise stoic and somewhat regal appearance was anything to go by. Or at least if it did, she certainly wasn't showing it; the dark coated mare simply continuing to walk alongside her with a casual gait and head held high. Almost seeming to wear her horrific litany of deep scars and bandaged wounds with a sense of pride, much like some of the warrior griffon clans Twilight recalled reading about from ancient history tomes in the Royal archives. The sheer amount and variety making her wonder not for the first time just what exactly the mysterious warrior mare had gone through before meeting their small herd on that fateful night.

Still, on the plus side, at least she could cross 'self conscious' off of the list of issues to deal with when it came to her new charge. Although on the opposite end of the spectrum, that also meant Midnight had few inhibitions when it came to satisfying her own curiosity. Case in point being the rather intensive stare she had been levelling at Roseluck's posterior while passing each other by on the opposite side of the street, which led to the mare in question speeding up out of flustered embarrassment, and much furious whispering from gossiping bystanders. Along with an awkward, abridged explanation as to the theorised origins and purposes of cutie marks on Twilight's part, which Midnight found to be as perplexing as it was fascinating.

"These... 'cutie marks' are a form of heraldry then? A way to profess one's strengths so that they might be seen by all, and their role in thy society?"

"Not... Exactly..." Twilight hesitantly replied while searching for an adequate means to describe the magical phenomenon in such a way that Midnight might understand. "It's more like a physical manifestation of a pony's innermost special talent; a representation of that which defines them as an individual and sets them apart from everypony else. But that doesn't necessarily mean a cutie mark has any direct influence on a pony's career choice, or should be interpreted literally in most cases. Take mine for example."

"They appear to be stars, but not those of any heavenly body which I have seen afore." Midnight mused with a furrowed brow. Having taken the opportunity to examine the imagery on Twilight's flanks once again with the same intensive focus she applied to the most crucial of battlefield actions. "Knowing that you are both a noble and scholar, Twilight Sparkle, such markings would suggest you to be an astronomer, or mayhaps a philosopher of sorts."

"Huh... You know, that's actually a pretty good guess," Twilight replied with an appraising look, "and not too far off the mark in a way, given some of the subjects from my studies under Princess Celestia. But in this case, my cutie mark actually represents my aptitude and ability to learn magic across a wide range of fields."

Which made perfect sense in Midnight's eyes, given the sheer amount of power the noble filly had unleashed at the climax of their battle with the demonic Nightmare Moon. For while she had been in no fit state to truly appreciate the awe inspiring, and dare she say terrifying display of sorcery at the time, the foul creature had been obliterated entirely if Twilight's account were to be believed. Leaving nary a trace of its evil presence behind, and providing a potent reminder of just how powerful these ponies could be despite being but a fraction of her size.

"Speaking of which, and I hope you don't mind me asking..." Twilight trailed off hesitantly. Not quite sure how to broach such a potentially delicate subject in a way that wouldn't hurt the mare's feelings. "But I couldn't help noticing that you... um, don't... have a cutie mark yourself. Don't horses get them, or..."

Given that she had been clad in armour at the time, which had covered a vast majority of the mare's hulking mass and obscured her hindquarters entirely, nopony had any reason to suspect otherwise. The idea of a grown, adult pony not possessing a cutie mark was virtually unheard of, and while Midnight had introduced herself as a different species, or perhaps sub-species altogether, it had come as something of a surprise to the surgery team who had battled to save Midnight's life. An awkward subject which had remained un-discussed until now.

If the question embarrassed Midnight then she didn't show it, simply choosing to shake her head in response. "Nay, we do not, and nor do the ponies or other equines from my homeland. We... merely perform that which we are tasked with as part of our duties, and most certainly do not 'earn' a marking for doing so."

"I'm not sure if I could imagine that, honestly," Twilight replied softly. "To go through life without ever knowing what your special talent is... Well, it's pretty much unheard of in our culture. But then again, it is kind of an exclusive thing to ponies, and Zebras from what I remember, so I guess it shouldn't be too surprising, given that most of the other species that we know about don't have an equivalent to cutie marks at all. Sorry for bringing it up."

"Think nought of it, Twilight Sparkle," Midnight countered with a warm smile." You were merely curious, as would I be in thy stead. Speaking of which, might I ask as to where we are going?"

Stopping in her tracks with a hoof firmly planted against her face, Twilight couldn't help but groan in realisation. "Ugh, sorry; I knew I was forgetting something. But with all that excitement back there in the hospital, I just... kind of lost track." Quickly regaining her composure with a vented sigh, the purple unicorn turned to face Midnight with an apologetic smile. "The Princesses requested me to help take care of you for the time being once you'd gotten out of the hospital, and since you don't have anywhere to stay right now, I thought it would be best to head over to my place for now. I'd love to hear more about your home, and maybe get to know each other a little better now that we don't have to worry about Nightmare Moon anymore."

"That would be most appreciated, Twilight Sparkle," she calmly replied with more than a hint of amusement at the noble filly's flustered response. "While healed in ways I do not understand, my body grows weary from our travels and an opportunity to rest would be most appreciated. Please, by all means, lead on."

Of all the dwellings Twilight might have occupied in this peaceful and idyllic town however, Midnight had not expected it to be carved into a positively gigantic oak tree. One that was situated within the town's midst, large enough to dwarf a small fort in its own right, and adorned with tinted glass windows on numerous levels that blended in as if it were simply grown in such a way. While several thicker branches were repurposed as extensions of the interior itself, including an expansive balcony on the third floor, and capacious amounts of lichen acting as a form of thatch roofing over choice sections in a manner that was rather pleasing to the eye. Truly it appeared for all the world as if it were home to the fae folk of legend, and yet Twilight Sparkle claimed to live here herself?

"I give you the Golden Oak Library," Twilight gestured grandly with a slight smirk at the much larger mare's awestruck expression. Never ceasing their steady pace as they casually approached the front door. "My home, research lab, and place of work here in Ponyville. And yours too, for as long as you need it."

"By Epona's grace..." Midnight breathed after shaking off her stunned stupor. "You live inside such a majestic tree... How can this be?"

"A lot of good planning and carefully crafted magical engrams, probably fuelled by natural thaumic energy pulled up from the roots, if I had to guess," Twilight replied sagely. Forgetting her audience momentarily in favour of puzzling out the question aloud. "Otherwise the tree would have died off a long time ago without a constant supply of magic to keep it healthy, and according to the town records, the current library had been standing here for a good thirty years at least. But if that's the case, then..."

She shook her head to dislodge that train of thought. Guest now, magical mystery later; especially since they were practically at her front door by now. "Maybe later. Come on, let's get inside. I'll have Spike message the other girls and see if they're available to come around. I know Rarity was practically dying to get your advice on some new fashion trend she's working on."

"Spike?" the larger mare queried with a frown. "Who is this... 'Spike' to which you refer?"

Twilight's eyes lit up in realisation before rolling good-naturedly. "Oh, right! He was still tired out and sleeping in Ponyville by the time we met you, so of course you wouldn't have met him." Clearing her throat, she began again while reaching out towards the door handle with a touch of telekinesis and giving it a twist. "Spike's a dragon and my number one assistant, along with being kind of like a little brother to me. You know, he's been bugging me to come and meet you for the last few weeks after hearing about what happened with Nightmare Moon, but I told him to...

The purple unicorn trailed off upon realising that not only was she alone upon the threshold to her home, but that she could also no longer hear the distinctive heavy hoofsteps of her much larger companion. A brief glimpse over her withers revealing the exact reason as she blinked with bewilderment at Midnight's rigid, frozen form. Her limbs stiff and quaking; eyes wide and dilated in pure terror as her voice hissed out in a hoarse, horrified whisper. "A... dragon... Lady Sparkle, do you mean to say… that there is a dragon dwelling inside thy home?"

"Um, yes..." Twilight trailed off with a bewildered look at normally stoic mare's sudden and complete reversal of character. "I did just kind of say that-"

"ART THOU MAD, CHILD?!" Midnight bellowed with outraged disbelief. The booming echo loud enough to rattle nearby window panes, along with drawing half the town's attention in the process. "WHY WOULD'ST THOU KEEP SUCH A DANGEROUS BEAST, LET ALONE ONE THAT WOULD TAKE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO BURN ALL WHO WOULD DARE TO STAND AGAINST IT TO CINDERS BEFORE FEASTING UPON THEIR REMAINS?!"

Despite feeling flustered at all the renewed attention they were inevitably drawing from everypony nearby, and the sheer volume of noise which left her ears pressed firmly back against her skull, Twilight quickly sought to placate her charge with as much authority as she could project. Knowing all too well Midnight's disposition towards violence when faced with a perceived threat, and hoping against hope that the same sense of respect and subservience towards 'nobility' that she had exhibited thus far would see her listen to reason. "Midnight, please, Spike isn't like that! He's one of the kindest, most caring and loyal beings you'll ever meet. I practically raised him myself since the day he hatched and he's been by my side ever since, no matter what. We're practically inseparable!"

"But, Lady Sparkle– "

"Midnight, no," she interrupted with a raised hoof and firm, unyielding gaze. "I know you find it hard to understand, but I need you to trust me when I say that Spike is perfectly safe and no more danger to anypony or anything than you are. Just give him a chance, please. That's all I'm asking."

"I..." Midnight began, only to trail off at the determined look on Twilight's face. It took several long moments, along with a flurry of emotions flickering across her features, before Midnight finally responded with her head bowed in submission and a dejected sigh. "I... apologise for my behaviour... Twilight. You have already proven thyself to be most formidable in the art of sorcery during our battle against the night demon, and more than worthy of my trust. Far be it for me to doubt thine abilities or state of mind, when I so foolishly allow such fears to overcome mine own."

It was honestly a bitter pill to swallow, and a part of her mind raged at the foolishness of this naive filly; sharing her living quarters with such a monstrous creature of death and destruction that could so easily slaughter the entirety of Ponyville with nary a thought. But the rest of Midnight couldn't help but feel a sense of strength in young Twilight's conviction, and perhaps more than a little awe at what the mage had achieved if her words rang true. To not only subdue and tame a ferocious beast of legend, but ensure its lifelong loyalty and servitude? That one so small could hold such untold power... Truly Lady Sparkle must be one of the greatest practitioners of magic in this strange new land, for who else could accomplish such a feat?

"Hey, it's okay, Midnight, we all make mistakes sometimes," the much smaller mare reassured with a hoof placed gently upon her lower right foreleg. Which happened to be about as far as Twilight could physically reach given Midnight's overwhelming size. "I know you're just trying to protect me, and I appreciate that, but it's really not necessary. Like I said before, Spike's perfectly safe, and he's really been looking forward to meeting you. Just give him a chance, and who knows? Maybe you'll make a new friend."

It took a moment for Midnight to compose herself, but once she had, it was a mask of fiery determination that adorned her face. Her response perhaps unknowingly echoing that which she had first given upon exiting the hospital, much to Twilight's amusement "Very well then, Twilight Sparkle. Please, lead on."

And so Midnight followed the purple unicorn mage into her fantastical home, carved as it was from the bowels of a great oak, and deep into the dragon's lair. Apprehensive but curious to see what mighty beast Twilight Sparkle had claimed for her own service, and to see if it truly lived up to the legend.

A Knight to Remember

Cold.

The absence of heat sent an involuntary shudder through Midnight's aching body as she lay on the cool, wet ground. Cracking open an eye, she winced as dark shapes swam into focus; resolving themselves into tree trunks covered with a thick canopy that admitted little light within the forest clearing in which she had awoken. The dark coated mare idly wondered whether losing consciousness followed by coming to somewhere entirely different from where she began was going to become a habit considering what the day had bought so far.

Stumbling to her hooves, Midnight felt a small tinge of relief at the familiar weight and clanking of her battered armour as she struggled temporarily to find her balance. The sudden movement agitated the myriad of cuts and lacerations that had accumulated during her final battle, including the previously mortal spear wound gouged in to her flank; though a brief inspection over her withers gave Midnight pause at the sight of said wound now replaced with a mass of scar tissue, appearing as if it had been healing for days.

Taking a few moments to test her mobility and make sure that her prior injuries wouldn't impede her ability to fight, the war horse marvelled briefly at the increased flexibility that allowed her to manipulate her forelegs in an oddly human manner, before examining her surroundings with greater clarity in an effort to work out just where exactly she had ended up this time. This forest was certainly not the same dull monochrome one of Death's domain; it was far too... vibrant to be related in any manner, especially considering the rather simplistic colour palette compared to what she was used to on Earth.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves on the trees and the sprawling mass of dew encrusted grass glistened under hoof like a blanket of jewels; the clearing being lit solely by the stars and the full moon in an entirely cloudless night sky. Midnight closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of untarnished woodland with a small smile touching her lips, simply enjoying the elation of being among the living once more.

And then the screaming started.

Midnight's head snapped up with a start; muddy amber eyes snapping open and ears swivelling to triangulate the source of the cries even as a guttural roar proceeded to reverberate across the otherwise serene forest. The war charger automatically oriented herself towards the sounds emanating deep inside the dense woodland and was moving before her brain had properly evaluated the potential threat.

Being of breeding age, the dark coated mare had ingrained instincts that governed her behaviour; chief among them being the drive to protect foals from predators, and the cries of fear she was making best speed towards sounded terribly young. Finding a relatively clear stretch free of debris, Midnight sped up from a fast trot to a near gallop as the bestial roars became ever closer; almost indistinguishable from the cacophony of what would no doubt be a one sided battle against a great and terrible creature. Snapping several low lying branches off of the trees that encroached upon her path, the armoured equine spied her soon to be foe in a gap between the foliage; giving her pause as she took in the monstrous creature while its attention was diverted elsewhere.

The beast resembled an enormous muscular cat with burnished orange fur and a darker shaggy mane, with proportionally larger front paws sporting razor sharp claws. A pair of sleek bat-like wings sprouted from its back but didn't seem to be powerful enough to lift the creature's no doubt considerable body weight, while its tail appeared to be made of segmented carapace complete with a spiked barb on its bulbous tip that flicked back and forth in agitation. All in all, the monster would surely prove to be a fearsome opponent that even the experienced war charger would consider twice before engaging.

However, the sound of hooves pawing at the ground accompanied agitated snorts made the decision for her. No doubt the young ones, judging by the soft hoofbeats, were planning to mount a foolhardy frontal charge against their superior foe; a tactic that would surely result in an unacceptable loss of life. This could not stand, and so upon making sure she had a decent run up, Midnight bunched her considerable muscles and pushed off the damp sods of grass into a full gallop against the monster's flank.

In seconds the war charger had hit ramming speed, head lowered to decrease wind resistance as her thundering hooves ate up the ground and subsequently crashed through the last thicket between her opponent as if it were tissue paper while bellowing a war cry. Her foe would be formidable, but she would not falter in her duty as a protector. Death or glory awaited, and Midnight was determined to see that it was the latter that rung true this day.

{()}

For Twilight Sparkle, the day had just seemed to go from bad to worse. First there was her beloved mentor dismissing the warning of Nightmare Moon's return, followed by her trip to the small town of Ponyville; where everything and everypony seemed either determined to further ruin her day in some form or were just plain crazy! Then of course was the dire prediction come true; Princess Celestia missing without a trace and the dark alicorn of legend returning from her lunar prison to spread eternal night.

Even after tearing the town library apart in her search for answers, Twilight was still no closer to discovering how to defeat Nightmare Moon other than that it involved six ancient artefacts known as the Elements of Harmony, and that they were likely to be found in the old abandoned castle in the depths of the Everfree forest. Of course, rather than leaving the unicorn to her mission, the five mares she had run into at various points during her brief stay in Ponyville had not only tracked her down but were also insistent on accompanying Twilight on her quest.

Admittedly, now that she was actually traversing the dark and creepy overgrown forest, Twilight was rather glad of their company. Trying to do this alone would have been more than a little intimidating, and if it hadn't been for Applejack and subsequently Rainbow Dash with Fluttershy catching her then she could very easily have died right there when the cliffside collapsed beneath their hooves. And now, after having spent the last twenty minutes being regaled by the chromatic-maned pegasus on the event in an increasingly exaggerated fashion - despite already knowing thanks to actually being there - Twilight's reply was cut off by the untimely arrival of an angry manticore in the forested ravine they were travelling through.

What followed was an entirely one sided fight in spite of the group's best efforts. Rarity - the last pony Twilight would ever expect - not only dodged the first pounce by the chimera-like creature, but also delivered a solid buck to its nose; though the spittle-laced roar at point blank range soon sent the fashionista running while screaming about the state of her hair with the manticore in close pursuit.

Applejack had taken the opportunity to leap astride the much larger animal and proceeded to ride it like a bull at a rodeo; whooping and hollering until she was inevitably sent flying off of her bucking and jumping ride past an already hovering Rainbow Dash. The blue-coated speedster then darted straight at the manticore and proceeded to fly circles around it in an effort to confuse and disorientate, the rainbow coloured after trail left in her wake forming a cyclone wall. All of which merely annoyed the much larger creature, swatting her aside with the club of its tail to land in an undignified heap.

Anger at the manticore for jeopardising her companions lives clouded Twilight's mind, a hoof already pawing at the ground and a snort of condensation escaping her nostrils in the cool night air as the other mares formed a battle line beside her. Save for a distinctly fretful looking Fluttershy that is, who was still trying to call their attention. Ignorant of this fact, the five ponies steadily gathered speed as they charged in a loose wedge formation; the manticore tensing to pounce as the gap between the two warring parties rapidly dwindled. Drawing in a deep breath, Fluttershy prepared to shout for all she was worth in order to make herself heard and cease the confrontation, when she was interrupted by an unexpected source.

The thundering of heavy hoofsteps, far louder than anypony present had ever heard, proceeded the forest exploding outwards in a shower of snapped branches and leaves immediately to the manticore's left flank; a bellowed war cry proceeding a veritable behemoth of a pony that charged through the breach and slammed into the surprised hybrid animal like a runaway freight train. The six ponies could only stare in a mixture of awe and more than a little fear as the manticore was sent flying into the forest on the opposite side of the trail, flattening several bushes and saplings in the process, while the newcomer tore up the earth in coming to a skidding halt.

The pony in question was quite simply one of, if not the biggest Twilight had ever seen; easily as tall as Princess Celestia and with a similar elongated muzzle. But that was where the similarities ended, for while the ruler of Equestria had a lithe and slender appearance with a shining white coat, this pony was broad-framed and muscular in a manner that exceeded even Applejack's brother Big Macintosh. The massive equine had a coat that was as black as the darkest of nights along with a similarly coloured short cut tail; the severely muted palette only seeming to highlight the piercing, muddy amber eyes that were narrowed in contempt beneath a dulled silver shaffron covering a majority of the decidedly female-looking pony's face.

It was the armour combined with the imposing size that first made Twilight, along with the other mares, initially mistake the intervening pony for Nightmare Moon. However, the dark alicorn's sparse armour plates had seemed more for decoration than anything else, while the mare before them was wearing a set of barding that was clearly meant for battle; the intricately engraved, contoured armour plates covering almost every surface bar the powerful looking legs, giving her an intimidating air.

A single skirt-like piece covered the mare's entire hindquarters, leaving but a single hole for her tail to protrude through; a similar counterpart providing protection from shoulder to shoulder and halting just below her neck. The gap between the two largest pieces was occupied by a smaller, separate plate closer to the bottom of the 'skirt' while an armoured saddle sat curiously on the top. A segmented crinet covered the entirety of her mane from the withers to the top of her head, with a similar but smaller plate covering her throat to completely enclose the neck.

But it was the shaffron linked to the crinet that was perhaps the most intimidating element of the whole ensemble; covering a majority of the mare's face, from the armoured ear guards to the tip of her muzzle. A comparatively small decorative spike like a unicorn's horn jutted from the forehead, blood dripping freely from the faux metal horn and running down the engraved faceplate in rivulets that formed a truly frightening image for the young mares; who had up to this point been sheltered from anything more violent than a spat between friends.

Before anypony could say anything or otherwise act however, an angered roar announced the return of a thoroughly seething manticore now sporting a bloody gouge on its side. Upon seeing the returning lion-like creature, the armoured mare bellowed a challenge of her own.

"BEGONE FOUL BEAST! BACK TO THE PITS OF HELL WHENCE THOU CAME!"

{()}

Being the experienced war horse that she was, it didn't take Midnight more than a few yards to halt her charge once she had struck true and the demon spawn had been sent unceremoniously flying away from the little ones it had the gall to attack. Keeping her body oriented towards her soon to be recovering opponent, the dark-coated mare chanced a glance at the party she had saved only to feel a sense of bewilderment.

There were six of the strangest equines she had ever seen; each but a fraction of her size with minute muzzles and large, wide eyes staring on the front of their heads that gave their faces an oddly human-like degree of expression. The closest analogue she could compare them to would be ponies, but their shape and size were just plain wrong. Stranger still however was that each of the probable fillies, judging by their softer feminine features, were sporting a veritable rainbow of coat colours and oddly styled manes with matching tails; literally in the case of the blue-coated one with... wings?

On closer inspection, two of the little equines had feathery wings the same colour as their coats; the tense rainbow-haired one with the blue coat and another with a pale yellow coat hiding behind the curtains of her pink mane while giving a frightened 'eep' upon meeting the war charger's gaze. The predominantly purple one with the similarly coloured straight hair and gleaming white-coated filly with coiffured bluish curls for a mane had short stubby horns in the middle of their foreheads; both looking unnerved at her appearance, and more than a little afraid.

The last two were perhaps the most 'normal' looking of the group. The first an orange-coated filly wearing an unusual hat and a wary expression, with long blonde mane and tail both tied up in a pony tail fashion similar to that Midnight had seen used by other war horses to keep hair out of the way. While the other was almost entirely pink, from the colour of her coat to the messy gorse bush of a mane and tail, save the worried baby blue eyes.

Of peculiar interest was the small, colourful pictures displayed upon their posteriors, but before Midnight could attempt an introduction to the strange equines, the wretched beast had made itself known once more. A reverberating roar shook the very leaves from the trees as the large cat-like creature stalked back into the clearing with rivulets of blood trickling from the wound upon its side, its snarling features locked on to her own.

Tearing her gaze away from the children, the war charger focused all her attention on her wounded foe; feline pride no doubt demanding satisfaction for interrupting its hunt. Adrenaline spiking, Midnight noted the wings and prehensile spiked tail on the clearly demonic being; subtlety shifting her stance to prepare for the likely avenue of attack in the battle to come. baring her teeth in a snarl, the former knight's steed snorted in anger before responding to the challenge with one of her own.

"BEGONE FOUL BEAST! BACK TO THE PITS OF HELL WHENCE THOU CAME!"

Clearly the manticore didn't expect such an aggressive response from a prey species, neither did it anticipate the sudden charge as the war horse sprinted forth in an attempt to gore her foe once again. Recovering quickly from its shock, the manticore dodged to one side and swiped a massive paw that raked sharp gouges into the mare's armour-plated flank as she blew past; skidding to a halt thirty or so yards away and pawing at the ground with flared nostrils, before galloping straight back at the slightly larger predator once more.

Anticipating the charge, the manticore braced its hind legs for the coming impact with claws raised and bared only for Midnight to veer to the right at the last second; ramming her spiked faceplate into the beast's side and drawing it through the exposed flesh as she ran past. Roaring in pain and frustration, the manticore's scorpion tail lashed out wildly to strike the galloping mare as she passed by; smashing into her flank and sending her sprawling with a massive dent the size of a cannonball punched into her rear most armour plate.

Tumbling several yards, Midnight shook her head to dislodge the cobwebs in her mind as she forced her pain-racked body to stand once more. Clearly normal cavalry tactics would not suffice on a creature of such size, and since she was incapable of attacking from range such as an archer would, then there was but only one other option at hoof.

Feeling the flow of blood from her no doubt reopened leg wound, the war horse gave a guttural cry of anguish before leaping straight at her approaching foe in order to engage up close. Ducking under one swipe then the other of enlarged feline claws that raked her withers, Midnight used her forward momentum and increased flexibility to pivot on the spot once she was inside the manticore's guard and unleashed a vicious double buck to the face.

With a sickening crunch of bone, the beast clutched its clearly broken jaw with a howl of agony; causing it to rear up and involuntarily expose its soft under belly. Having reoriented herself, Midnight ruthlessly exploited this weakness by ramming her faux horn into the furry pelt before her again and again; tearing the metal spike in multiple directions to inflict the maximum amount of damage and end this fight as quickly as possible.

Unbalanced by the sheer viciousness of the continued attacks, the manticore backpedalled while batting at the black-coated mare in an attempt to stave off the assault, only to topple backwards and land in a pained heap. Sensing victory, Midnight trotted around to the head of the bloodied beast that was now mewling weakly in an agonised stupor on the forest floor; the sight of its stubborn opponent forcing an angered growl and a slowly raised paw with claws bared. Staring at the wounded animal dispassionately, the war charger simply raised a heavy forehoof before slamming it down on the manticore's skull. Once, twice, three times, before the chimera-like creature finally lay still; its head a pulpy mess of blood, bone, and grey matter.

With the manticore no longer a threat, Midnight turned her attention to the six horrified fillies looking back at her with no small amount of terror before slowly making her approach. Now that there was no longer any danger, she hoped to find out more about this strange new land in which would dwell; but to do that, she would first have to attempt communication with these locals and hope that their native tongue was similar enough to understand.

Unfortunately the fillies appeared to be far more afraid of the war horse than of the manticore that sought to do them harm considering the way they drew back with each step closer she took. Halting a dozen or so yards away, Midnight mustered a friendly smile as she held up a hoof in greeting. "Fear not little ones, for the beast is slain."

The armour clad mare felt more than a little crest fallen at their... less than grateful reactions. The two horned fillies along with the poofy pink-maned one were still huddled together while staring at her as if she were a great and terrible monster; the pale yellow-winged pony hiding behind them as well as her long mane, seemingly petrified with wide-eyed fear. In contrast, the orange hat-wearing one - though clearly afraid - had taken a wide stance just in front and to the side of the clustered ponies in anticipation of attack, while the chromatic-maned winged filly took flight and hovered protectively in front of the herd with false bravado; her barrel puffed out to make herself look bigger.

"Don't ya come any closer now, y'hear? We don't want no trouble."

The orange-coated filly's unusual accent gave Midnight pause as she considered her next words carefully. Though the words themselves were strange, at least this one seemed to speak a form of English that she could understand. Of more immediate concern however was the underlying tone of the small equine's spoken words. Did they think her a threat? After all she had done to prevent their no doubt grisly demise? Considering their apprehensive looks, that appeared to be more than certain. Clearly she would have to gain their trust before any meaningful exchange could be had.

"Peace young filly, I mean you no harm. I am but a mare in a foreign land who happened upon your battle with the vile creature and wished to lend my aid."

It was at that moment the hovering blue pony zipped over to the war charger to get up in her face; crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glared at the much larger mare. "Oh yeah? Well I don't trust you!"

Author's Note

To save confusion and avoid having to look things up, here's a bit of reference terminology for medieval horse barding (armour):

http://medieval.stormthecastle.com/images/medieval-horse-armor.jpg

Bard: The complete set of armour (i.e.; barding)
Crinet: Segmented plate covering neck and mane.
Crupper: Large piece of armour covering hindquarters with a hole for the tail to poke out.
Flanchard: Piece of plate armour attached to the saddle, covering the flanks.
Shaffron (or Chaffron) - single plate that covers the head and face.
Peytral - Piece designed to protect the chest/barrel area.