Midnight Sparkle is Replaced by Darth Vader
Written and Directed By Rian Johnson Lite
Author's Note
I wrote this several months ago before deciding to not put it up. However, due to my wisdom tooth causing me serious problems, I decided that I'd put it up for laughs. Enjoy.
Written and Directed By Rian Johnson Lite
The Friendship Games had been tiring to say the least. A flurry of magical mishaps had made them particularly interesting for those who cared not for school competitions and a headache for others, like Principal Cinch, who was of the opinion that Canterlot High was cheating.
But it all came to a head when Twilight Sparkle was sucked into a portal that had formed thanks to her magical doodad that she called an anomaly detector. Not that the majority of students from either school cared. No, rather, they were pissing themselves, fainting, or running for the hills.
“Heeeelp meee!”
And just like that, Twilight was gone, having vanished into the portal, only to be replaced by something more machine than man. It fell to the ground, cracking the concrete beneath it, and rose to its legs. It unsheathed its weapon, a large red sword made of energy.
Then everything went farther downhill. Fast.
Students were flung around like rag dolls, some choked as the being asked where the plans were. Some fled into the school halls, only to be trapped between the being and a door that was stuck because the school was in disrepair thanks to budget cuts. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and it was all thanks to Sunset Shimmer and her merry band of friends, who managed to purge the evil being from Twilight’s body and bring her over to the side of friendship, harmony, and goodwill.
“Twilight!”
Well, sort of.
Although the Friendship Games had been over for a week, Twilight Sparkle found herself still haunted by the evil being that had taken over her body, which called itself Midnight Sparkle. Every day, no matter what the hour or where the place, Midnight was always there, attempting to plant the seeds of ill will and discord within her mind.
And today was no different. It was a Saturday, and from the rays of sunshine that entered Twilight's room, a nice one at that.
“No, mom, I don't want to wake up…”
“It is now ten o’clock in the morning. I agree that you should continue to sleep in so that you may forget to spend your Saturday as most other humans would.”
Twilight’s eyes shot open. “What!?” She sat up and looked at her alarm clock, bug eyed. “Oh, no, no, no! I was going to spend my day studying the magic of friendship with Sunset!”
“Don’t,” Midnight replied in a beautifully majestic (and robotic) voice. “Sleep in, and get some rest so that we may plan on how to take over the school and rule it together. We can instill fear across the halls and then set our sights on bigger and better places, such as the galaxy.”
Twilight turned her head and glared at Midnight Sparkle, who sat in the corner on the remains of a broken stool. The lightsaber that had been used to almost decapitate her new friends rested next to it, alongside a coloring book. “And just how long have you been over there?” she asked angrily.
“All night.” Midnight grabbed the lightsaber and stood up. “Now, if you insist on not following my advice on sleeping in, may I suggest that we watch cartoons? I’m particularly fond of the one with the yellow sponge.”
Twilight shook her head and got dressed. Once she had finished, she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
“You should ignore your dental hygiene. You could do so much in the time that you spend taking care of those inconsequential things that you call teeth.”
“No, Midnight,” Twilight said with her toothbrush in her mouth.
“You clearly have no desire to see your friend if you're wasting time here.”
“Because I don't want my breath to be volatile.”
“It will be regardless and you know that, Twilight,” Midnight replied. “You're efforts to counteract the stench from your mouth are always futile. If you'd just accept the gift of the dark side, we'd be able to fix that as we crush our enemies and rule over all that stands beneath the infinite banner of the Empire!”
“No.”
“You can't resist forever, Sparkle,” Midnight said as Twilight rinsed her mouth. “I was in your position once. Naive and young. Then I saw the error of my ways.”
“Friendship conquers all, no matter how powerful the opposition may be,” Twilight deadpanned. “I've told you this every single morning when you give me the same spiel.”
“It certainly didn't help Obi-Wan.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and left the bathroom. “I don't care, Midnight, and I never will!” She grabbed her purse and made her way downstairs.
“Your anger is the fuel for what will give you unimaginable power, Sparkle, just as it fuels mine.”
“My friends give me power, Midnight, and you'll never understand that.” Twilight left her house, locking the door behind her.
“You'll never be able to escape me.” Midnight exited it through the door and stood beside Twilight. “You really should let me just lock the door for you. It'd save you time.
“Last time I let you do that, I walked in and was electrocuted.”
“It was a demonstration of what could be yours.”
Twilight grit her teeth and stomped away.
“So, what's first on your to-do list?” Midnight asked, running up to Twilight's side.
Before Twilight could respond, her stomach growled.
“Ah, breakfast.” Midnight clasped her hands together. “A meal that is fit for any galactic conqueror. Where shall we dine this morning?”
Twilight groaned, knowing full well that she was going to have to put up with the incessant babbling of her malicious companion. Putting a hand up to her chin, she thought until an idea came to mind. “How about the local diner?”
Midnight scoffed. “Took you that long to come up with that?”
“Well, it was that or I'd have cereal,” Twilight said as she resumed walking. “I couldn't decide at first. Don't judge.”
To Twilight's delight, Midnight remained silent for the remainder of the walk. Eventually, they arrived at the diner—aptly named Diner—and entered, where a waiter seated Twilight and Midnight, who nobody took notice of.
“Isn't it great having a friend that nobody but you can see?” Midnight asked, taking a seat.
“You're not my friend,” Twilight muttered as she sat down next to Midnight. She grabbed a menu and opened it. “Hmm… oh, eggs sound delightful.”
“You wish to add more protein to your diet?” Midnight replied, ignoring Twilight's comment. “I feel I'll be able to use you as a chemical weapon against the rebels when I finally regain control of your pathetic mind."
Twilight blushed a deep breath. “Don’t say stuff like that,” she said in a hushed tone.
“Quiet, I'm the one in charge here.” Midnight held out a hand. “Or must I do to you as I have many of my own appointed troops?”
Twilight remained silent.
“Twilight!”
Twilight hummed.
“Twilight!”
Twilight ordered her food.
“Twilight Sparkle! Your other half demands that you obey her this instant!”
Twilight took a bite of her food.
“Huh, that arrived faster than I expected.”
“I know, right?” Twilight took another bite of her fried eggs. “The service here is wonderful!”
Vader looked down at the eggs and pointed a finger at them. Lightning struck the eggs, burning them to a crisp. “You were saying?”
Twilight stared down at her eggs and blinked once. She slowly turned her head to head to Midnight and cleared her throat. “That was my breakfast.”
“I didn't do anything.”
“Midnight,” Twilight said through gritted teeth.
“I can't fix them, even if I wanted to.”
Twilight groaned and waved down a waiter. “Excuse me, but can I get a fresh plate of eggs?”
The waiter glanced down at the plate. “What on Earth happened to these!?”
Twilight glanced over at Midnight. “Freak Ball Lightning. You know how it is.”
The waiter nodded and took the plate away, returning a few moments later with two freshly made fried eggs. “Do enjoy. They’re on the house.”
Twilight nodded in appreciation and cut off some of the egg and putting it in her mouth. “You better not burn these.”
“You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes and flipped off Midnight.
“Now that's just rude.”
Twilight remained silent and finished her meal a short while later.
“Your bill, miss,” the water said once he had come back with the receipt.
Twilight took the bill from the waiter and smiled. She looked at it and did the math in her head for her tip.
“Tip her two percent. There are two of us after all.”
Twilight turned her head to her right and narrowed her gaze. “No.”
“Your will is weak, Sparkle. You cannot resist the power of the dark side forever.”
“Yes I can.”
“Excuse me, miss,” a passing waiter said, “but who are you talking to?”
Twilight looked at Midnight and then back at the waiter. “Uhh… just doing some math in my head,” she said sheepishly.
“Excellent. You're already becoming a master of the art of deception, Twilight. Soon, you'll be able to master the force.”
Twilight let out a sigh and slammed a twenty dollar bill onto the table before slamming her head on top of it. She let out a groan and shut her eyes. Why me? It took a bit, but Twilight eventually found it within herself to leave the restaurant.
“So, did you enjoy your meal?” Midnight asked as she and Twilight stepped outside.
“Meh.” Twilight shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to contain the anger had that had been building inside of her since she woke up, and began her walk to Sunset's apartment.
“I concur. The food could've been better,” Midnight replied. “I believe that the Rebels are behind this atrocity on your taste buds.”
“Oh, the food was fine,” Twilight said as she continued on her way. “You, however, ruined it! Just like you ruin everything!”
“You're in denial over the fact that I'm beginning to get to you.” Midnight stepped in front of Twilight and stared her dead in the eyes. “The dark side always gets what it desires, Twilight. You and I both know this. To deny it is to delay the inevitable.”
Twilight stopped dead in her tracks and grabbed a hold of Midnight's cape. “Listen, I don't care about what you have to say. I just wish to go to my friend's house to learn something that's actually worth my time,” she snarled. “Nothing you say will ever be worth my time. You hear?”
“Yes. Caress your anger. It feeds the power of the dark side…”
Twilight's eye twitched. “Stop. Saying. THAT!”
“And if I don't?”
“Then I will have my friends come to my aid and get rid-”
Midnight raised a hand and pushed it forward, throwing Twilight back onto the sidewalk. “You will do no such thing, child.”
Twilight held onto her bruised arm and whimpered in pain. She looked up at Midnight, who drew her lightsaber and aimed it at her. “Please, I just want to see my friend.”
“Then you will cease these nonsensical ideas of freeing yourself from me,” Midnight said as she moved the lightsaber so it was mere inches from Twilight's face.
“O-Okay…”
“Excellent.” Midnight lowered the lightsaber and deactivated it. “Now, let us visit the bacon haired one known as Sunset Shimmer.”
Twilight nodded and sat up. A sense of uneasiness filled her as she walked to Sunset's apartment. It was a walk she was used to, but now it felt like it was taking an eternity. The air felt still. The world itself felt still.
“Do not mind the individuals who may have seen our argument, Twilight. I have it so they're standing still and ignorant to our presence.”
Twilight felt a brief sense of serenity, now knowing she wasn't crazy that the world felt as though it had suddenly been paused by some unseen entity. Though she wasn't fond of Midnight's magic trick.
Oh well, she couldn't be too picky. At least she wouldn't get a visit from the local police force about disturbing the peace for the twelfth time that week. Good thing her parents were rich.
However, that sense of serenity faded—rapidly. The events from a few moments ago replayed in Twilight’s head. Would Midnight really have taken her life then and there? She didn’t dare ask Midnight for fear of her potentially making an example for her by taking one of her limbs. She gulped and turned a corner onto the street that Sunset lived on. Hastily, she made her up to the apartment complex and went up to the floor her friend lived on.
Knock knock
Twilight tapped her foot and waited anxiously until it creaked open after what felt like an eternity and a half.
“Oh, Twilight!” Sunset said happily as she lay eyes on her newest friend. “So glad you could make it!”
Twilight rubbed her arm and stepped inside; a forced smile on her face. “Me too.”
Sunset closed the door and turned to Twilight, who sat down on the stairs, her smile having been replaced by a slight frown. “Is something wrong?”
Twilight raised her head. Looming behind Sunset, and glaring down at her behind her helmet, was Midnight. She drew her lightsaber and aimed it at Twilight. “You know the consequences of telling her, Twilight. Don't you?”
Twilight gulped and looked down at the floor. “I… tripped and fell on my way here.”
Sunset cocked an eyebrow. Deep down, she knew Twilight wasn’t telling the truth. The look of fear in hers eyes told her otherwise. Despite that, she remained silent on the matter. “Alright. Well, want something to ease the pain?”
Twilight shook her head. “Let’s just go to your room,” she said. Sunset nodded in response and the two ascended upstairs.
“Alright, today’s lesson will be on forgiveness,” Sunset said once they arrived in her room. She took a seat on her bed and looked over at Twilight, who sat in a spare chair on the other end of the room. “Tell me, has there ever been anyone in your life you’ve needed to forgive?”
Twilight for a few moments as she thought back to her childhood. “Well, my brother a few times when he’d pull a prank on me when I was younger.”
“Which was a foolish decision,” Midnight added, ignoring the glare that Twilight immediately shot her. “You had no reason to be angry at your brother. He was simply toughening you for a world that shows no mercy at any impasse.”
“Mhm… so, you know how important it can be to forgive someone?”
“Yeah, I do.” Twilight turned her head to Midnight. “Though I find it much harder in certain cases than others.”
Sunset looked over at Twilight’s side and stared, perplexed. “Um, Twilight, who are you talking to?” she asked. “I mean, I agree, but… I’m over here.”
Twilight turned her attention back to Sunset and giggled. “Oh, I… thought I saw a spider.”
“Once again showcasing your ability for incredible manipulation.” Midnight rubbed her hands. “You’re a quicker learner than I initially thought, Twilight.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Sunset. “Um, Twilight, if you aren’t in the mood for our lesson, we can always pick up later or tomorrow,” she said. “I’m not forcing you to be here by any means. I know how difficult it can be to learn after such a traumatic experience.”
“O-oh, no, it’s… it’s not that,” Twilight said. “I’m just thinking about something that I, um, read last night on my phone. It was a… a very silly article on how you don’t need friends and how what I’m learning from you makes that article seem so silly!” She flashed a big smile and did her best to ignore Midnight, who clapped so slowly.
“My, how you show such incredible promise. You truly are an incredible individual, Twilight…”
“Oh, well, I’m so glad that you feel that way!” Sunset beamed. “Now, if you understand the importance of forgiveness: do you understand why we’ve all forgiven you?”
“Yes, it’s because you believe that I earned it and that I wasn’t in control of my actions. You also believe that I can change and learn something valuable from having been forgiven.”
“Well, yes, that’s true,” Sunset said. “However…”
Midnight glanced down at Twilight. “She hasn’t forgiven us,” she said as Sunset explained to Twilight why she, and other members of the Rainbooms, had forgiven her. “She, along with the others who claim to have forgiven you, are nothing more than liars and deceivers. They wish to control you and to make you a pawn in their game of life. It is why they were so quick to forgive you, Twilight. It is why they will always say they forgive you.”
Twilight grit her teeth and clenched her fist. “Shut up…”
Sunset stopped speaking and looked over at Twilight, shocked. “Excuse me?”
Twilight’s blood ran cold. She gulped and turned to Sunset, who folded her arms and glared at her. “S-Sorry…”
“Sorry?” Sunset furrowed her brows. “I thought you wanted to learn the magic of friendship.”
“I-I do!” Twilight protested. “It’s just that…” The world around Twilight felt off kilter. Her eyes darted around the room. From a dresser full of clothes to a nightstand. A lamp. A ceiling fan. Sunset. Midnight. She wasn’t sure who to look at it, what could be a potential saving grace of some sort. Eventually, everything felt the same. Nothing quite made sense. It was all meaningless.
Twilight’s head hurt. Confusion and anxiety had overtaken her. She rested a hand on her head and fell to her knees. Tears formed in her eyes, and a few ran down her face as quickly as they had formed.
“Twilight…” Sunset got off her bed and walked over to her friend. She kneeled down by her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. “I know that this is all very new for you. But if you feel confused or unsure of something, just say so. There’s no need to snap.”
Twilight looked up at Sunset and wiped away a tear. “It’s not that, Sunset,” she whimpered.
“It’s not?” Sunset asked, visibly surprised.
Twilight turned her head behind her and then back to Sunset. “It’s… it’s her,” she whispered before she grabbed a hold of Sunset’s shirt, pulling her forward so they were face-to-face. “Sunset, I need your help!”
Sunset nearly jumped out of her skin. “What, uh, do you need help with?”
“Midnight Sparkle won't leave me alone and keeps talking to me!” Twilight said, doing her best to ignore the thunderous footsteps that ended as soon as they were right beside her.
“I… I thought Midnight was defeated at the Friendship Games?” Sunset said, unsure as to how she should react to this revelation. “I mean, she seemed to be defeated, right?”
“She's right here with me!” Twilight protested, pointing to the air next to her. “She… can't be seen by you because she's a part of me. Your magic fused her with me. Every day since that moment, she's been trying to drive me insane so she can over take me.” Twilight looked like she was on the verge of once again crying—something which didn't go unnoticed by Sunset, who rested a hand on one of Twilight's, and Sunset waited until she had calmed down. Once she had, Sunset spoke up again.
“Have you tried to use your anomaly detector to send Midnight back to wherever she came from?”
Twilight shook her head. “I don't think there is a way I can get rid of her.”
“You’re right. Nothing can get rid of the Empire,” Midnight added proudly. “It is why it would be wise to silence yourself before I fulfill my promise to end your life should you tell anyone of what is going on.”
“Shut up!” Twilight yelled, scaring Sunset.
“I… take it that was to her?” Sunset asked from on the floor.
Twilight blushed slightly. “Yes…”
Sunset sat back up and brushed off her clothes. “Well… I have one idea that could potentially work,” she said. “You open a portal beneath her and close it before she can return.”
“Actually… that could work.”
“I'm right here, genius.”
Twilight facepalmed. “But now she knows our plans.”
Midnight held a hand out and lifted Twilight off the ground, bringing her over so she was directly in front of her. “You two are dumber than the idiots who designed the Death Star,” she said. “Now tell me one good reason as to why I shouldn’t take your head off, just like I did to Count Dooku?”
Twilight’s gulped. “B-Because… if you kill me, you won’t have a host?”
Midnight thought for a bit before throwing Twilight aside. “You’re correct,” she said. Turning around, she walked over to Twilight. “Try this again however and I will do to you what I did to those Tusken Raiders.”
“Are you okay?” Sunset asked, noticing Twilight shiver.
“Y-Yes, I am,” Twilight replied as she sat up. “Look, I’ll… I’ll handle this. It wasn’t right of me to bring this issue to you.”
“No, you were absolutely right to!” Sunset said. “I’ll get the others, and we can get rid of this evil once and for all! Meet us back at your place.”
Before Twilight could protest, Sunset ran out of the room. She let out a sigh and rubbed her temples. “Why did I even bother…”
“Because you’ve now given us the chance to become whole again. Those fools won't know that their magic will simply make us stronger!”
Twilight’s groaned and walked out of the apartment, all the while contemplating using her anomaly detector to stop Midnight. The possibilities of a freak accident felt too high to her, but now knowing that the magic of her friends would only make things worse was arguably, well, worse.
“And then we can destroy this pathetic city and build a new base for the Empire. This building here-” Midnight pointed to a convenience store- “will be our base of operations. We will plan any and all attacks on those who are foolish enough to resist our iron grip!”
“That’s nice.”
“Indeed it is. I pride myself in making the most efficient and glorious bases of operations,” Midnight said. “In fact, I’ve been named the greatest base maker in all the galaxy by Empire Weekly since its inception.”
Twilight stopped and turned to Midnight. “Really now? Why so?”
“Because I threatened to send my lightsaber through the Editor-in-Chief’s head if he gave the award to anyone but me.”
“Figures.” Twilight turned back around and resumed her walk. As she did, so too did Midnight’s chatter.
“Tell me, Twilight, what is it that you desire the most when we become whole once more?”
“For you to stop talking my ear off.”
“You know that you will have little to no say when we are whole again, right?”
Twilight groaned. “Yes. That’s why I intend to put a stop to this all,” she said. “Why do you think I’m on my way home?”
“And you know you will lose.”
Twilight grit her teeth. She felt her blood boil. Whatever fear she may have had was quickly being replaced by pure, unbridled rage. The monumental arrogance of Midnight had always been something she wasn’t fond of, but now? Now it was almost as bad as her incessant attempts to get her to do something evil.
“No, I know I will win!”
“Cute.”
Twilight felt her rage finally boil over. She spun around and glowered at Midnight. “Will you just leave me alone!?”
“Yes… embrace your anger.” Midnight grabbed a hold of her arm. “Embrace the power of the dark side, Twilight!”
Twilight felt herself slowly lose control of her body. Slowly, and against her will, she turned around towards a bus stop. On the bench was Trixie, who was on her phone.
Midnight extended Twilight's arm. “Let it course through you.”
To Twilight's horror, Trixie dropped her phone and fell to her knees as an invisible force wrapped itself around her neck; choking her. “What are you making me do!?”
“I'm showing you what you could be if you let us become whole again.”
Twilight yanked her arm away from Midnight, which freed Trixie from the grasp of the Force. “I will not allow you to harm anyone!” She ran off in the direction of her house. Behind her, she could hear the heavy footsteps of Midnight, along with the heavy breathing and heavy voice.
“Twilight, you're not going to be able to get away from me. Wherever you go, I'll be right behind you. Always and forever.”
Fear coursed through Twilight’s veins. From street to street, she ran. Non-stop. By the time she got home, her heart was racing like a horse at a derby. She opened her front door and ran upstairs, in spite of the pleading beats of her heart. She burst through her bedroom door and frantically searched for the very thing that had brought Midnight Sparkle into this world: her anomaly detector. “Come on… where are you!?”
It took a while, but Twilight eventually found it: in a drawer in her nightstand. “Yes! Now to send that monster back to where it came from.”
“Are you really so foolish as to think you can send me back?” Midnight asked from the doorway.
Twilight spun around and aimed the detector at Midnight. “No. I’m sure I can!” She opened up the detector, which opened a portal at Midnight’s side, who darted out of the way as the portal sucked in the door, ripping it clean off its hinges, and everything else around it.
Midnight drew her lightsaber and activated it. “Enough of these games, you insipid child!”
Twilight ducked out of the way as Midnight swung the lightsaber, which sliced a lamp in two, and almost took her head with it. She slammed the anomaly detector closed and rolled out of the way as the lightsaber came down towards her, creating a tear in her floor several inches deep.
Midnight held her hand out and yanked Twilight over. “You know I don’t want to do this,” she said, “it will be nigh impossible to find another person as smart and skilled as you.”
Twilight struggled to reach her pendant, but eventually did. She opened it, forming a portal beneath in-between them. However, before it could fully come to be, Midnight dropped Twilight and yanked the detector off of her neck. She held it up and looked at it in what Twilight could only guess was admiration.
“This… this is quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” Midnight crushed the detector and looked down at Twilight, who looked terrified. “A shame that it holds no power against the dark side.” She walked forward towards Twilight and held the lightsaber at her neck. “What are your final words, Sparkle?”
Twilight crawled backwards, her eyes fixated not on Midnight, but the detector that lay in pieces behind her.
Portals. A lot of portals.
Twilight scrambled to her feet and over to a window as the portals sucked in everything around them. Bookshelves, walls, windows, the floor, toys, the whole nine yards plus the nine yards after those.
Midnight felt her cape get tugged on. Turning around, she saw a portal that grew larger with each passing second. The lightning she fired at it only increased its size. The objects she hurled at it too. Pushing it away was impossible as it was a portal. After a bit, it began to pull her in.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Twilight watched from near a window that hadn’t been taken in both delight and horror as the one who had caused her so much emotional pain was taken back to whatever hellhole she had come from. Her delight was short-lived however as she felt the portals begin to pull her towards them. Quickly, she opened the window and leaped out of it, landing on the grass below with a thud. She rolled over and watched as the portals devoured her home before there was finally nothing left in their reach.
Twilight let out a light chuckle. “Finally,” she said happily, flopping back down onto the grass. A smile formed on her face as she stared at the sky. “I’m free of that lunatics grasp.” Her smile faded rapidly as another thought came entered her mind. “Mom and dad are going to kill me though…”
Thud… thud…
“Ugh. Who is it now?”
Silence filled the air for a few seconds until a robotic voice broke it. “Forgive me…”
Twilight’s eye twitched. She sat up and looked ahead. The portals, to her shock, had vanished. Where one stood however was a man dressed in similar garb to Midnight Sparkle’s. He drew a lightsaber, activating it, and stared directly at Twilight.
“I will finish what she started.”
