Trinity: Shadows of the Past

The day was nice though that didn't stop Midnight from wearing his cloak. Though Fall was soon to roll in, there yet lingered a stubborn rise of heat from the rapidly dwindling Summer, and some passerby wondered how Midnight wasn't sweltering in that dark and heavy cloak of his. What little they knew, for Midnight had spent many years weaving various enchantments into his cloak to make it more than a simple fashion statement. Such as the Thermal Charm he'd imbued into it, which kept him warm in the cold and cool in the heat, and that was hardly the tip of the iceberg.

At the moment, Midnight was making his way to Twilight's library tree, and as luck would have had it, the inn he'd checked into was on the opposite side of Ponyville, and he was still learning how to get around town.

"Excuse me?" he asked a nearby unicorn pony stallion with a light yellow coat, grayish-blue mane and a cutie-mark of a white shooting star. "Can you direct me to the Golden Oak Library?"

"Oh sure," the unicorn pointed down a street, "Just head that way towards the square, and then you'll see it down the street to the north of Town Hall. Can't miss it."

"Thank you very much," Midnight nodded before continuing on.

"Don't mention it," the unicorn smiled kindly as he went his own way.

Midnight soon came to the square, and realized he was approaching from the south-western road. Here, he saw more activity, more ponies out and about. Some shooting the breeze, others obviously with a destination in mind and cutting through the square. Recalling the directions he'd been given, Midnight carried on, going around Town Hall towards the northern road... when he soon saw what appeared to be a setup for a party. There was a buffet table with a punch bowl, a cake, cupcakes, a bowl of chips, and other eats, a pińata, a circle of chairs, streamers hung in the air, and there were bunches of balloons.

"What the...?" Midnight suddenly had an uneasy feeling-

"SURPRISE!!!"

"BWAUGH!!" Midnight fell back onto his rump, startled by the loud shouting and sudden appearance of dozens of ponies, including Twilight and her friends, and especially Pinkie Pie, who'd popped up beside him.

"Surprise, Midnight! It's your 'Welcome to Ponyville' Party!" Pinkie declared happily, "I throw one for every newcomer to Ponyville no matter what! Were you surprised? Were you, were you? Huh-huh-huh?!"

Midnight growling in annoyance as he stood up and rubbed a sore spot on his rump.

"Wow! You must have been so surprised that you're just speechless! That's okay, `cuz we'll have lots of fun and-"

*FLASH*

"-you can tell us about you..." Pinkie's sentence trailed off when she realized Midnight was no longer present.

...

...

...

"Ooh, are we gonna start the party off with hide n' seek?" Pinkie laughed it off. "Well, ready or not, here we come!"

Everypony awkwardly watched as Pinkie Pie started hopping around, looking for the presumably hiding Midnight.

"Looks like Midnight wasn't in the mood to party..."
"Oh my, perhaps he was startled and too shy to stick around."
"More like he's being a jerk!"
"Darn tootin'! An' after Pinkie Pie went t' all this trouble for `im!"
"Well, darlings, perhaps Midnight's just not quite used to Pinkie Pie."

"I give up! Come out, come out wherever you are!" Pinkie gave in, and waited eagerly for Midnight to appear.

Everypony watched as Pinkie's excited smile... soon turned confused as uncertainty began to worm its way into the party pony's high spirits.
"Okay, Midnight, you won! You can come out now so we can get this party started!"

It was rather disheartening to see the corners of Pinkie's smile slowly fall, as Pinkie began to realize, Did... did Midnight leave?

Feeling bad for Pinkie, Twilight remembered that Midnight had been coming to see her at her library before Pinkie had stronglegged her into attending this surprise party. Having a good idea where Midnight was, she said, "Girls, why don't you stay here with Pinkie? I'm gonna go check on something."

Sitting outside the library, Midnight kept his hood up, glad that his Aversion Ward was insuring he wasn't bothered. He'd considered going right into the library but felt that would have been rude.
Then again, teleporting away like that was rude too...

"Nice Aversion Ward."

Midnight lowered his hood while looking up to see Twilight giving him a friendly smile, "Though given it didn't seem to affect me, I'm guessing that's because you were hoping I'd come see you."

"Hey Twilight..." Midnight sighed as he stood up. "Mind if we continue this conversation inside?"

"Come in," Twilight invited while casting her unlocking spell on the door.

They went inside and Twilight gestured for Midnight to have a seat at the nearby reading table while levitating out some cushions for them to sit on. Once they were both comfortable, Twilight had to ask, "So Midnight, I take it you weren't comfortable with that surprise party Pinkie prepared for you."

"No, I wasn't..." Midnight looked away guiltily. "I don't really like parties. They're loud, annoying, and just... Well, Twilight, they're just not for me."

"Well, I can understand not liking parties, Midnight," Twilight brought up, "but the way you teleported and left? You kind of hurt Pinkie's feelings."

"Well, she's just gonna have to get over it," Midnight harrumphed, "I don't like parties, and if she can't understand that it's her problem."

Twilight felt her heart sink a little to hear that, because she knew Pinkie wasn't going to like this.

As it turns out, Twilight was right. Later, she'd gone to see Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner, where the Party Pony had asked if Twilight had seen Midnight and if she knew what had happened or if she did anything wrong.

"Oh no, Pinkie, we all know you meant well, but Midnight?" Twilight paused to find the right words before she finally answered, "He just doesn't like parties."

...

...

...

Pinkie stood there, in frozen stupor, as if all of a sudden she was blind and deaf to the world. Twilight began to worry and was about to say something, only for Pinkie to whip out a pair of reading glasses and a dictionary, which she leafed through, uttering, "Those words... Is is possible to use them together in a sentence like that!?"

"Pinkie, please listen," Twilight levitated the dictionary and glasses away to get her friend's attention. "I understand this sounds strange to you, but not everypony enjoys parties. Or at least, not the kind of parties you throw, no offense."

"But why not?!" Pinkie whined, looking despondent, "Did I make Midnight angry? Is he mad at me?!"

"No, Pinkie, Midnight's just always been this way," Twilight assured. "Remember, he used to be Princess Celestia's ward, so a few times during his foalhood, she made him attend some high class parties back in Canterlot, partly because it was expected of him. But those parties were stuffy and boring to a young colt like Midnight was back then. I guess he just got so bored and annoyed with those parties he grew a distaste for them in general."

"Really, that's it?" Pinkie flabbergasted before shaking it off and putting on a look of determination, "Then as a party pony, I cannot allow this terrible misunderstanding to go on any longer!"

"What do you mean, Pinkie?" Twilight suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

"It's like you said, Twi! Midnight's got the wrong idea about parties," said Pinkie, "so all I gotta do is show him just how fun and stupenderous parties can really be!"

"Now, Pinkie, hold on-" Twilight tried to protest.

"There's no time to lose... To the Party Cave!" Pinkie pressed some kind of mechanism on the bottom banister of the staircase in Sugarcube Corner, which caused a trapdoor to open beneath Pinkie Pie, into which she dropped and the trapdoor immediately closed, leaving Twilight perplexed.

And then she gave a sigh as she thought, Midnight, forgive me for I think I've just unleashed Tartarus upon you...!

Later on that day, Midnight had decided to do a little browsing of the Ponyville marketplace. There were plenty of stands, most of them selling food, but here and there were some selling other kinds of merchandise. He passed an older earth pony stallion who was selling firewood, another stallion making balloon animals, and another selling tools, to name a few.

He wasn't really interested in buying anything, though he hoped there was a pony selling wares he could use for his own business, Or perhaps I oughta set up my own stand where I could sell my wares.

The idea was appealing, as he usually placed his wares on a blanket and he'd sit nearby with his business sign and bits box at the ready.

Then, he noticed a stand nearby that was covered with different rocks, geodes, and natural crystals. His interest piqued, he sauntered over for a closer look when he nearly bumped into somepony wearing a shawl, sunglasses, and an oversized sunhat, "Oh, excuse me."

"No worries! In fact, I'm so glad that I almost bumped into you!"

"Oh no..." Midnight muttered as the pony threw off the hat, shawl, and sunglasses, revealing Pinkie Pie in all her pink poofy glory.

"Hi Midnight! I'm here to invite you to a party that will knock your horseshoes off!"

*FLASH*

Pinkie stood there, stupefied before she felt like a statue crumbling and being blown away by the wind before she pulled herself together.
"Well, Pinkie, nothing ventured nothing gained!"

For the rest of the day onto the next, Pinkie Pie tried time and again to throw a party for Midnight. At first, she tried inviting him to a party, but he always told her no and would teleport away if she tried to persuade him otherwise. However, Pinkie would not be deterred.

Since inviting Midnight didn't work, Pinkie tried the 'Surprise Party' approach yet again. Every hour, no matter where Midnight went in Ponyville, Pinkie would pop up out of nowhere, shouting 'SURPRISE', with confetti, balloons, cupcakes, sarsaparilla, chips and dip, a piñata and party games, along with several attendees she'd gotten involved, only for Midnight to scowl and teleport away.

It was after the sixth or seventh party attempt that Midnight finally lost his temper and made the balloons pop, the streamers wrap Pinkie up, and bluntly told the ponies she'd involved yet again to go home. Then he'd told Pinkie, with a clear and deliberate voice, "Leave. Me. Alone!"

And he'd left her hanging upside down from a tree next to a piñata with her mouth stuffed with so many cupcakes she'd been unable to respond. Although she could have gotten herself out of those streamers rather easily, Pinkie found herself oddly deflated in zeal and passion, and hung upside-down for a while, baffling for the life of her how somepony could be such a party-pooper, that she didn't notice Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy show up.

They got her down from the tree and took her back to Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie flabbergasted, "I just don't get it! Everypony likes to have fun, and what's more fun than parties?"

"Well, Pinkie, Midnight just doesn't like parties," Twilight reminded her, "He put up with some adult parties that were really boring to him as a colt, so..."

"But Twilight, has there really never been one time Midnight had a party that he didn't enjoy?" asked Fluttershy.

"Well, I was too young to really remember," Spike spoke up after taking a gulp of his colt cola, "but didn't Midnight like his birthday parties?"

"Oh that's right!" Twilight brightened up, Pinkie suddenly looking hopeful, as Twilight explained, "He did always enjoy his birthday parties, but... they were never loud and big and had lots of ponies attending."

"Really? Then... what did he like about `em?" asked Pinkie. "Because they were about him?"

"Sort of, but... honestly?" Twilight smiled at the memories, "Midnight enjoyed his birthdays because it was a day where he could spend time with the ponies he cared most about. Princess Celestia, Princess Cadance, Prince Blueblood, me, Spike, my brother Shining Armor, and even my parents. They were small and private and quiet, his birthday parties, but he looked forward to them every year. Not because they were about him but rather because he could spend a nice time with the ponies he considered his family."

"Well, from what you're saying, Twilight," commented Fluttershy, "it sounds like Midnight prefers small and quiet parties with just his friends and family."

Fluttershy's words clicked in Pinkie's mind a second before she GASPED and facehooved while exclaiming, "Hel-lo, Pinkie!"

"Pinkie, maybe you should ease off of Midnight," Twilight advised, still apprehensive about the situation.

"No can do, Twilight!" Pinkie declared before asking, "Could you go out and keep Midnight busy for an hour or two? I'm gonna need the library, and then for you to bring him here afterwards."

Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy shared a look but the expression on Pinkie's face caused the lavender unicorn to cave, "Alright, Pinkie, just... don't go overboard."

"And how long does the magic imbued into your wares last?" asked Twilight as she and Midnight were walking back to her library. "Or do your customers have to have them recharged after a while?"

"Heh-heh, this may surprise, you, Twi," Midnight smirked, "but my wares can last for years before they need another charge."

"Now, Midnight, even Alpha-level unicorns like us can only charge objects with magic for around a year," Twilight debated, "and that depends on how often a magical object is used before its energy runs out, and how well designed is the object and the magic involved."

"That's just one of the secrets to my success," Midnight responded, "but if you really wanna know, I got two words for you: Ley lines."

Twilight stopped mid-step, her mind suddenly blank with stupefied awe, and Midnight mentally counted up to eleven before Twilight finally cried out, "LEY LINES?! Midnight, are you charging your wares with magic from the Ley lines?!"

"Mm, yeah," Midnight said with a shrug.

"THAT'S DANGEROUS!!" Twilight yelled at him so fiercely he shrank back a bit, "Even the most trained and studied Alpha-level unicorn mages have to be really careful when they tap into the ley lines, all that power and knowledge could overwhelm you, destroy your mind!"

"I know! Which is why I spent years of training and study to prepare myself before I even tried," Midnight assured, "I've read about the consequences of unicorn mages who weren't strong enough or prepared enough to tap into the ley lines, Twilight."

Hearing the sincerity in Midnight's words and seeing it on his face, Twilight sighed, "Midnight, I... What if you'd made a mistake? What if something went wrong and... I'd have never seen you again!"

Smiling in appreciation of her concern, Midnight gave Twilight a hug and said, "I promise you, Twilight. I always take precautions for things like tapping into the Ley lines, as much as I prepare for whatever I might encounter during my travels. If I didn't, I have to admit, I probably wouldn't be here."

"That's precisely my point!" argued Twilight before a thought popped into her head and she asked, "What exactly do you mean by that? Have you had dangerous experiences in your travels?"

"Everyone does, but mine, I will admit, have been considerably more..." Midnight paused a moment to find the right word, "perilous."

"Like what?" Twilight folded her forelegs and gave Midnight a stony look.

"Well, a while back, I almost got my cutie-mark stolen by this psychotic unicorn, Starlight Glimmer, who was leading a cult that believed cutie-marks were bad and that harmony and happiness was only possible by being equal," Midnight responded off the bat. "Turns out, she was using a spell to forcibly strip ponies of their cutie-marks and brainwashing them into her cult when Starlight herself had never removed her own cutie-mark to begin with, making her a huge hypocrite."

Twilight's jaw dropped in response to what she'd just heard.

"I exposed her, got her village to turn against her, and managed to put an Inhibitor Ring onto her horn to disable her magic," Midnight wrapped it up. "I then took her to Manehatten, with four ponies from her village backing up my story, and told the cops about Starlight's crimes. Now she's enjoying an extended stay in the Atticolt Correctional Facility."

"A unicorn devised a magic to remove cutie-marks?!" Twilight was utterly horrified at the very idea. "We have to tell the princess about her!"

"She already knows," Midnight assured, "I suggested the Manehatten Police Department inform the princess about Starlight, but I asked them to keep me anonymous. From what my associate in the MPD told me, Princess Celestia declared that Starlight's cutie-mark removal spell to be forbidden magic and she ordered more measures to be taken in keeping her imprisoned."

"Wow... And I thought being a traveling merchant was adventure enough," commented Twilight. "I mean, you travel around, seeing new places and meeting new ponies, but to think you've such harrowing experiences!"

"Eh, Starlight and her 'equal' crock doesn't even make the top five of my adventures," chuckled Midnight, "So, what did you want to show me in the library anyway?"

"Um..." Twilight wasn't sure what to say and looked down the street, seeing her library at the end. "To tell you the truth, Midnight, Pinkie Pie asked me to keep you preoccupied and then bring you to the library."

She noticed the sudden change on Midnight's face, from curious to stony, so she went on, "Now, Midnight, I know that Pinkie has been... persistent, and I know you don't like loud parties. But please, this time? Give it a chance! You never know, it might surprise you how much you like it."

Midnight gave Twilight a stern silence, looking from her to the library and then back at her before sighing heavily, "I'll do it for you, Twi."

"Alright then, c'mon," Twilight gave Midnight a flirty bump on the rump, making him blush as she led him towards the library. "Ready?"

As I'll ever be..." Midnight braced himself for another loud obnoxious 'SURPRISE' as Twilight opened the door... only to reveal something smaller and simpler. In attendance were Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike, and of course Pinkie Pie was there, all of them standing around a tale with a spread of cake, a pizza, a bowl of chips, a pitcher of iced tea and another with colt cola, and above was a small banner that read 'Welcome to Ponyville, Midnight' and the only decorations were a few balloons and streamers.

It wasn't at all what Midnight had been expecting.

"Hi, Midnight," Pinkie stepped forward, smiling but looking a little nervous. "To start off, I wanna say I'm sorry for how I've been acting, I, uh... Well, sometimes I get an idea in my head and it just sticks. Anyway, I really should'a figured out that the parties I was trying to throw for you just weren't the right kind. Some ponies like parties that are big and loud, and other ponies like their parties to be smaller and quiet, and there's nothing wrong with that.

"So whattya say, Midnight? How does a little dinner party with your new friends here in Ponyville sound?"

She smiled hopefully, and Midnight looked past her at everypony else, and saw they were giving him looks of encouragement, as was Twilight when he looked back at her. He then looked back at Pinkie and finally spoke.

"...We're going to need ice cream."

Pinkie Pie GASP'd before saluting, "I'm on it!"

"Wait a minute, the crazy mare that Blueblood used as a pony shield was you?!" Midnight couldn't help but burst out in laughter as did everypony except for Rarity and Spike, the former blushing and angrily pursing her lips.

"Why I never!" Rarity snapped, "I would have thought you a gentlecolt that would never have condoned such boorish behavior from that royal pain, Midnight Blaze!"

At Midnight's suggestion, Pinkie had prepared hot fudge strawberry sundaes with angel food cake, and it hadn't been long before the Mane Six shared stories of their previous adventures with Midnight, all of which he'd found interesting and funny. Then the conversation had steered towards the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Well, no offense, Rarity, but I think you kind of asked for it," Midnight shrugged.

"And why would I ask to be treated so poorly and thoughtlessly by the likes of Blueblood?!" demanded Rarity. "I say, he got off rather easily!"

"Well, you're the one who was all swoony and presumptuous," Midnight pointed out. "You went to the Gala, why? To meet a pony you didn't know personally because you thought the moment you both saw each other it'd be love at first sight and you'd get a happily ever after? I would think a mare as successful and eloquent as you, Rarity, would not be so silly as to believe in real life fairy tales.

"I mean, seriously. A pony's reputation isn't who they are, it's an impression everypony gets from that pony. You heard of Blueblood being a prince, and sure, he's a good-looking stallion, but what did you know of him really before you went to actually meet him at the gala?"

"Well, I- It's- That is..." rarity found herself tongue-tied, unable to come up with a reasonable argument before she finally stated, "Well, you can't deny how inconsiderate he was towards me."

"Sounded to me like he was trying to get rid of you," Midnight commented before looking to Twilight, "Twi? You remember how Blueblood was like back in school, right?"

"Of course, he was actually a kind and thoughtful young stallion and a hard worker," Twilight nodded, "but he didn't get to pursue his magic studies as much as he wanted due to his lessons in royal etiquette, diplomacy, and politics."

"And I can still recall the many admirers he had back then," Midnight added, "He was annoyed with them, how they kept trying to get his attention, being a distraction to his studies, and trying to cut into what limited spare time he had for friends, family, and his own personal hobbies. It's been years since I've talked to Blueblood, so to be fair I can't say how much he's changed since then. But in any case, Rarity, you probably gave a similar impression to Blueblood as the many unwanted admirers he had back in school, and he decided he wasn't going to give a pony like that the time of the day for wanting him over superficial reasons."

Those words finally clicked in Rarity's mind, along with the words spoken prior as she thought, He's... he's right! I don't know Blueblood, and in retrospect, desiring him and seeing him as some kind of prince charming from a fairy tale- Oh dear...

Rarity sighed heavily as she rubbed her temple, so Midnight kindly said, "I'm not defending Blueblood's behavior or the way he treated you, but I think there could still be a friendship for the two of you to share, if the both of you set aside your preconceived notions about each other and just talk and get to know one another."

"What?! Oh-no-no-no-no! After how things resulted that night?!" Rarity shook her head dramatically. "I mean- I still feel put off and perturbed by the very thought of him, and... Oh! My, my, my, would you look at the time? Ladies and gentlecolts, I daresay it's time to bring this soirée to a close."

Without waiting for anyone else to agree, Rarity stood up, daintily wiped her lips, and said, "As riveting as this dinner party conversation is turning out to be, I really must be getting home. Nightmare Night is still over a month away and already I've been getting orders and commissions for costumes that I really should get started on. Good night to you all, dears!"

"Uh- Bye, Rarity!" Spike called after her as she left, while the others all began to stand up from the table.

"Yeah, Ah should get home too," Applejack said, "Applebucking starts next week an' then not long after we'll be preparin' fer Cider Season."

"And this time..." Rainbow glared into Pinkie's eyes, "I'm gonna be first in line."

"Whatever you say, Dashie!" Pinkie smiled it off, Rainbow grumbling as she followed Applejack to the door.

"Nice party y'all!" Applejack said as she and Rainbow left.

"I hope you had a nice time, Midnight," said Fluttershy, "I know I did. I enjoy quiet parties like this."

"Have a good night, Fluttershy," Midnight bade her and they watched her leave.

"So, Midnight?" Pinkie looked at him, "Did... did you have a good time?"

"You know what?" Midnight gave her a kind smile, "I did. I can't remember the last time I did something like this. I mean, I love traveling and seeing new places, but... As much as it's been my nature to be alone, I can't tell you how many times it hurt to be. To have someone to talk to, to laugh with, just knowing someone was there with you."

Then Midnight held out his forelegs and Pinkie smiled at the cue, coming over to give him a hug, and he whispered to her, "Thanks for the party, Pinkie."

When they let go, Pinkie looked over to Twilight and said, "Hey Twi, I'll be back tomorrow. I think I have a letter about friendship I'd like to send the princess."

Twilight nodded, "Good night, Pinkie."

Pinkie left, and Spike yawned, "I don't know about you guys, but I am ready to hit the hay."

"Not before you brush your teeth, mister," Twilight gave her assistant a parental smirk. "I better not smell dragon breath tomorrow morning."

"I'm going, I'm going," Spike harrumphed wearily as he went upstairs.

Now that they were alone again, Twilight said to her old friend, "Well?"

"You were right," Midnight shrugged, "Pinkie's heart was in the right place, she's just gotta work on her... tact? Taking a hint? I don't wanna be mean-"

He noticed Twilight raise her brow, and he grumbled, "Oh you know what I mean!"

"Yes, I know what you mean," Twilight said teasingly. "But you'll get used to Pinkie and the rest of our friends as well."

"Which is why I've extended my stay at the Nesting Pegasus," Midnight nodded as he smiled, "I have to admit, Ponyville's growing on me."

"Do you have enough bits for that?" Twilight was concerned, "Maybe... you should look into housing."

"I don't know, Twily," Midnight sat back down at the table, Twilight joining him, "I honestly didn't plan to stay as long as I have already. I had no idea you were here, is the only reason I've stuck around."

"Me?" Twilight was a little surprised, and then noticed the uncomfortable look on Midnight's face. "I mean, I know we were classmates, and I'm glad we're still friends after all these years, but... Midnight, do you like me? Like, like me more than as a friend?"

She then saw the blush on Midnight's face, and couldn't help but smile a little at seeing him shift a little. Seeing the bright look on her face, Midnight decided to `fess up to Twilight and took a deep breath.
"One of the hardest things about growing up under Celestia's care was... I didn't know what I wanted or what I was even studying for. To tell you the truth, I don't think even the princess had a clear idea for me. The future is a scary thing when you don't know what you want to do with your life or if someone's trying to groom you into something you may or may not want to be.

"Then came that day when Celestia came to see me and she brought something with her. Something I wanted to be a part of my future the moment I saw it, the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"Midnight... was that when...?" Twilight didn't dare say it, and felt her heart swell when Midnight looked directly at her and said three little words.

"It was you."

"The day we met," Twilight nodded, "when she introduced us to each other, her ward and her new student."

"I was still a colt then, but I was growing out of the 'girls are gross' stage and... starting to see something else," Midnight confirmed. "When I met you, I saw somepony special, not because my legal guardian had chosen you to be her protégé, I just... felt it."

They held each other's gaze warmly for a long moment before Midnight finally said, "Twilight?"

"Yeah?" she responded.

"Would you... I mean, I understand if you have a schedule or something else going on, but..." Midnight rubbed the back of his neck before finally getting it out, "Would you maybe... wanna go out sometime?"

"Midnight Blaze," Twilight crossed her forelegs while giving him a raised brow, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Well, I suppose- Uh, that is... If you don't want to, I-" Midnight flummoxed, only to stop when Twilight put her hoof to his lips, leaving him perplexed, until he saw the smile she was giving him.

"I would love to," Twilight smiled before leaning over and giving Midnight a cheek-to-cheek nuzzle, which he couldn't help but return. When she pulled back, she then added, "I do have to look at my schedule to find a suitable time, but yes, Midnight. Let's go out sometime, and soon."

"Well, good!" Midnight smiled, feeling awkward but happy at the same time as he stood up, "Then, uh... I'll come see you tomorrow, we can talk about it then?"

"Come by around lunch," Twilight invited as she stood up to walk him out. But as he passed the threshold of her door, she said, "Midnight?"

He turned to face her, curious, as she gave him a nice smile and said, "Good night."

"Sleep well, Twily," Midnight replied with a smile of his own as he pulled up his hood, and Twilight watched him leave until he vanished around the corner of a street.

She closed the door behind her and felt a whimsical flutter in her chest that caused her to giggle in a way she hadn't giggled before, and suddenly she gasped, "I have to check my calendar!"