Twilight was sleeping in her bed, and sleep was something she needed but could barely enjoy comfortably nowadays. Because of that girl. Ever since her standalone demon was formed at the Friendship Games, she's been around.
This demon would haunt her during her nights, but the victim has no idea why. Was it her hatred for Twilight? Or was it something she did naturally because she's simply a demon? These nightmares consisted of various things Twilight would be afraid of happening in real life or things she simply felt insecure of. But, considering the number of times she's experienced these fears, she has probably gotten over them thanks to the girl.
"Wakey wakey, Twily~."
Having noted the poking was at least gentle, Twilight sighed regardless because she knew what it led to. "Not you again."
The girl holding herself above Twilight pouted. "Well, don't get too excited."
Twilight lifted herself and pushed the girl to the side so she could sit up. "Let's just get it over with. What have you got in mind this time?"
"That's the thing. I kind of… need your help."
Twilight looked at this mischievous girl for the first time in a while. "Huh?"
"You heard me, Twily. I've taken advantage of all the fears I know of you. Now that you seem used to it, I need inspiration."
"Let me get this straight. You want me to give you more ideas for you to continue torturing me?"
"Yes, that would be great. I'm listening."
Twilight surprisingly found this funny, so she turned to a more serious tone after laughing, making the demon feel somewhat stupid about herself. "Why do all this? Why do you cause so much grief to me?"
The girl sat up too but to a slouch. "I thought it would get you to do what I want you to do."
"Well, you certainly got my attention. What do you want me to do exactly?"
The girl beamed with her suggestion: "I want to leave your body."
"What do you mean?"
"You remember the Friendship Games when you released the magic from that device. It let me experience life, and I felt free. I want to experience that again."
Twilight took a while to think about it. "That device that took the magic… It created you within me. It never separated you from me; it allowed you to take over my body. It was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. So, I'm sorry, but I don't want to let that happen again."
This girl almost seemed pitiful for the first time since the games as she turned around and said, "Really?"
Even if this was a demon Twilight was talking to, it had feelings, and it still hurt to crush their hopes. But it was for the best. "Yeah… Do you know the way I see it?"
"What?"
"You're a product of my hatred and anger. The Equestrian magic I got ahold of simply made a conscious being out of these negative feelings, hence you. You've been taking out all those feelings on me since then. I never knew why until now. I used to think it was because you naturally enjoyed it."
The demon couldn't talk back; Twilight had a point. As a conscious of her very own mind and feelings, she could recall Twilight's memories before the Equestria Games. But she couldn't for the life of her remember her own memories.
It made sense why: until then, she was nothing but emotions caused by Twilight’s memories. Now, she was somebody with her own memory.
Before Twilight could go on, the girl quickly shuffled around with her back facing the victim. She just sat on the edge of the bed. Twilight took this as an opportunity to think of what to say, but she could've sworn she heard a sniffle. A sniffle that didn't come from her this time. "Hey?"
The sudden coughing followed by quiet subbing confirmed Twilight's suspicion. No matter how bad the girl had been, she was surprised that it hurt to see her outright cry. She supposed this girl was made up of Twilight's negative feelings, but sadness was one she had never witnessed exposed by the demon.
With determination and no plan, Twilight crawled across her bed and gave a rear hug to the girl. It surprised the girl, as evident from her audible response. This soothing feeling was new to her, so her crying stopped in only about a minute at most.
Twilight then pulled the girl back, lying on the bed together while still pressed against her back with her arms around her neck. This is the most extended silence Twilight's experienced in her dream for a while, and it was blissful.
"You never told me your name."
"Oh, I… call myself Midnight."
"Midnight, huh? It suits you."
The silence went on for longer, but it felt good.
"Penny for your thoughts, Midnight?"
"I'm just wondering how else I'm supposed to leave. You know, without taking over your body."
"I've been thinking about it myself. Do you want to hear my opinion?"
"Sure."
"I want you to stay with me."
"Why? Even after everything I put you through?"
"Well, I more or less need you, Midnight. Like I said earlier: you're my anger and hatred. If you managed to leave me, that would be a part of me missing - I'd be incomplete. And if you think about it, I'm a part of you. Without me, you probably wouldn't be able to experience happiness since I'm the one who harbours those feelings. Besides, I guess you feel some happiness when you torture me, thanks to me, so I don't think you'd want to give that up."
Midnight turned on her back so she could see Twilight next to her. "So… it's because we're sharing our emotions with each other that I can be happy and you can be angry?"
Twilight shrugged. "It's a theory I came up with, but it makes sense. What do you think?"
"Well, I am a part of you, which means I think like you, even though I let my emotions get in the way too much." That seemed to stop her sadness as she sat back up and looked at Twilight with a soft smile that never appeared during past nightmares. "Since we need each other, I guess I have no choice but to stick around, not that I mind anymore."
Twilight smiled and sat up, followed by Midnight. "Twilight? That sadness I felt a few minutes ago: the last time I felt that was when I lost to Sunset. I felt lost, like I didn’t know what to do.”
"You just needed motivation; I got that myself."
"But this feeling right now, this happiness. It feels good. It feels wholesome and peaceful."
"I'm happy to share it with you. We could do this every night: gossip, play, and just be happy. What do you say?"
Ever since she was born, Midnight had shone her brightest smile yet.
