Chronicles of a Canterlot Guard

Chronicles of a Canterlot Guard

By Liquid Rainbows

Redemption

At first, everything was black. A still darkness, a silence so thick you could cut it. At first, there was only black. Then, there was light. It started small, but grew wider, pushing the darkness away, causing it to swirl and scream, breaking the silence. As the white light overtook his surroundings, feeling began returning to Midnight. Not the feeling of a physical body, but the feeling of existence, on some level.

Midnight opened his slowly, adjusting to the light. Wherever he was, he was not among the living. Midnight stood on the flat peak of a rocky mountain. It was light, dawn arriving just over the horizon. The clouds passed below him, the peak of mountain place rising above them. Midnight felt alive, but not physically alive. Looking at his hooves, he found that his body was more of an ethereal specter then a living being. A strange aura poured out around him, glowing white.

Something was different about him. His mind felt clear and sharp, more so then it had been during his life. Not only were his emotions of happiness and compassion stronger, but his feelings of guilt and regret were amplified beyond anything he had ever imagined. Falling to his haunches, Midnight began to weep. He wept for all the pain he had caused to others, he wept for the marks he had forever left in the lives of the three he had raped, he wept for the life of Winter that he had mercilessly cut short, and he wept for Twilight, whose heart he had broken. A chill suddenly cut threw the air, making Midnight shiver, and his aura of light die down.

Looking up, Midnight saw the form of himself staring back. But this was a twisted version of himself, cold and uncaring, cruel and wicked, a black aura seeping out around him. This was the him who had raped those mares, who had murdered Winter, and who had taken their own life. Anger welled up inside of Midnight. Not a cruel, evil anger, but one of righteousness. Midnight's aura grew strong again as he rose, but the doppelganger merely laughed.

"Midnight," It spoke in a thorny, twisted voice, "Just think of the horrible things you've done." Midnight winced as he recalled the fear in the faces of those his victims. Despair was like a snake, slithering it's way into Midnight's brain. No! He cried out in his head, his thoughts reverberating through the air. I won't let you corrupt me again!

This creature of evil was the darkness in himself, one which had once allowed to take full control of his mind, locking the good parts away. But now, this was his chance to cast out the darkness, to face his actions and atone for his sins. Midnight's aura began glowing brighter.

"I let you into me!" He yelled, "I violated those three, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. I killed my own friend in cold blood. Took advantage of Twilight's heart and shattered it into pieces. But I will face my actions! I'm stronger than you now! You took my body, but not my voice. Not my heart." Tears formed in Midnight's eyes and the white sheath around him illuminated the cool air, expanding ever more. "To all those I hurt, I'm sorry! Nothing I do can make up for what I've done, but I will cast this evil away, and suffer the guilt of my actions for the rest of time if I must!"

Midnight charged towards the creature, who screamed in agony as their aura's collided. The monster was ripped into a thousand shreds of darkness, breaking away and drifting into dust on the wind. It's horrid screech resounding throughout the mountain top long after it had dissolved into nothing.

Midnight stood his ground, panting, and smiled. It felt as though an unbearable weight had lifted from his mind, clearing out his very soul. As Midnight gazed out over the sky, another spirit appeared from the light. Midnight turned and saw the glowing white form of Winter approaching him.

"Winter?" He gasped in astonishment. Winter only smiled serenely.

"Midnight, you don't belong in the world of the dead just yet." Midnight was shocked at his words.

"W-what do you mean I don't...oh Winter, I'm so sorry!" Midnight starting crying again, making up for all the years he spent in emotionless apathy.

"Midnight," Winter whispered, soothingly, placing a hoof on Midnight's shoulder. "It's okay now. I forgive you...I forgive you..." Winter's voice became muffled and slowly faded as Midnight phased back into a world of silent darkness. He could still quietly make out a voice saying "I forgive you," but as that faded away, another sound came into focus. A slow beeping sounded, gradually growing faster as Midnight came to his senses. The scene before him finally came into visibility.

Midnight was laying in a hospital room, hoofcuffed to his bed, Attached to his wrist were thick bandages and a heart monitor. Midnight could hardly move, as he was slowly recovering, but managed to bring his gaze around the room. To his surprise, Twilight Sparkle was sitting in a chair nearby, sleeping. Midnight gasped as he saw her, causing Twilight to be roused from her slumber. She stared at him for a moment, the two holding each others gaze, before Twilight burst into tears and rushed over to the bedside, wrapping her arms around him.

"Twilight...why are you..." Midnight struggled to speak. Twilight gently cried into the side of his neck before rising her head to see his. Midnight was about to ask again, when Twilight kissed him on the lips. Midnight's cheeks went red and his eyes widened in amazement. Twilight finally broke the kiss and leaned back.

"What are you doing, Twi?" He asked, not comprehending why Twilight would possibly want to even be near him, much less kiss him.

"Midnight...I thought you were dead. I just couldn't bear to let you go. I waited here, wondering if your heart would start beating again." Midnight wasn't entirely shocked that he had died, but was more shocked that he had managed to start living again.

"But Twilight, why would you want to be with me?" Tears began streaming from her eyes again.

"Because Midnight, I know th-that there's goodness in you. I could feel it, that night. I really f-felt something for you." Midnight was starting to cry as well.

"I don't deserve to be with you, Twi. I don't even deserve to be alive right now." Twilight shook her head.

"No, you're wrong. Fate is giving you a second chance. Why else would you be here now if that wasn't true?" Midnight wasn't sure if he had been hallucinating in his mind, or if that was all some big metaphor, but it sure felt real. Something about Twilight's words felt right.

"I'm not going to let you go again," She said, "I'm going to help you through this." Twilight held on to him tightly, and Midnight did his best to hug her back.

"Th-thank you Twilight. Thank you for forgiving me." Somewhere up there, Midnight knew that Winter was smiling. The two held each other for a long time, sharing their emotions in silence. Twilight finally looked into his eyes deeply, seeing the goodness that now thrived in his soul.

"Everyone deserves a new start, Midnight. I want you to have a new life, and I want to be a part of it...to be with you." Twilight leaned in again and held her lips to his.

Things weren't going to be easy, Midnight knew, but with Twilight at his side, he knew there was a chance to make things right, a chance for redemption...

The End