MLP Adventure is Magic The Castle of Dreams P10

Shining Armor could not believe what he was seeing – It was Midnight but as a colt! He was sitting there, sniffling into his hooves, his mane messy, but what frightened Shining Armor was the blank flank! Midnight was missing his cutie-mark!
Midnight, is that you?

The colt flinched at his voice before looking at the stallion, and Shining Armor knew it really was Midnight the moment those turquoise eyes looked at him, flowing with tears, scared.
Who… Who are you?

It’s ok, Shining Armor slowly approached. I came for you.

The colt instantly turned tai land ran down a corridor, Shining Armor giving chase as he shouted, Midnight!

The colt ran into a vast chamber, filled with crystal columns, many reduced to rubble, Shining Armor following. The colt then leapt onto an old pedestal and kept going, Shining Armor following as well although the colt was surprisingly nimble.
Lookng ahead, Shining Armor saw the colt was headed for a  bridge across a chasm.
Wait! I mean you no harm!


The colt ignored him and just ran across the bridge for a tunnel. Following him in, Shining Armor found himself in a grotto and almost didn’t notice a black and dark blue tail slip into a crack in the wall. He looked in and saw the colt, scared.
The captain reached in with his forehoof, saying, Please, I just want to- Ouch!

He was answered by a jab from the colt’s horn, not cutting him but the pain was sharp enough that he pulled his hoof back, the colt quickly rushing out of the crack past him. The colt ran but teetered close to an edge, causing him to slip and almost go over. Whimpering as he held on, Shining Armor rushed over, yelling, Midnight!


Shining Armor grabbed the colt’s hoof, and pulled him up. The colt stopped and looked up at the white unicorn stallion who said, Midnight, it’s me! Remember?

The colt whispered sadly, I’m lost.

I know, Shining Armor said gently as he kneeled down to the colt’s level. But I found you, and I want to help you. But I can only if you let me.

Shining Armor gestured to his back, and, though hesitantly, the colt climbed on. Smiling, Shining Armor made his way back the way they came. To past the time, Shining Armor suggested, How `bout a story? This one is about Midnight Blaze, he was my first friend, my best friend. A friend I considered a brother. He was kind and brave. We played together all the time when we were colts, pretending to fight dragons and villains, and dreamed of going on real adventures someday, and we hoped to join the Royal Guard together.

But then Midnight realized he was meant walk a different path, a path that divided the two of us, and I said something to him, and never took the chance to say… I’m sorry.

…What was it you said to him? the colt asked.

But before Shining Armor could answer, they found the tunnel barred as thorn-like crystals jutted out from everywhere, a fissure opened beneath them, Shining Armor leapt to the safety of a narrow ledge, but gasped! He felt the colt slip from his back and screamed, MIDNIGHT!!!

The colt screamed in terror as he fell towards the darkness. Thinking quickly, Shining Armor cast a spell and whipped a line of light towards a stalactite and dived down after the colt. They both extended their hooves, and Shining Armor caught the colt in a tense swoop, swinging them back up towards another ledge. They landed in a tumble, Shining Armor panting as the letter he’d found fell in front of the colt.

The colt took a look at it, his eyes widening as he read it.

Standing up, Shining Armor looked to the colt, asking, Are you ok?

…Shining Armor, the colt said, much to the stallion’s surprise. Why did you come here?

You remember! Shining Armor said.

The colt faced him, and Shining Armor couldn’t help but notice Midnight’s cutie-mark slowly come back.
I wrote this… they day after I told you I was going to take the entrance exam for the School of Gifted Unicorns. I remember it all… The argument, our friends… Sombra! It’s all my fault...

What did he do to you? Shining Armor asked, feeling bad as Midnight seemed to sulk while sitting down.

All of this is my fault, Midnight said, tears welling up in his eyes. Because I gave up, everypony in Equestria is suffering.

That’s not true! Shining Armor insisted, lifting Midnight’s face to look at him. Midnight, listen. It’s easy to make the wrong choices, regardless of the consequences. It’s harder to make the right choices because sometimes it means giving up something important. I understand the choice you made, and when I think about it, I know I would’ve made the same decision.

Then why do I feel so guilty? Midnight asked as he walked to the edge, looking towards that one ray of light that led to outside the chamber.
Why do we have to make such hard choices that end up hurting others one way or another?

Your father once told me something, Midnight, back when I was training in the Royal Guard, Shining Armor placed a hoof on his friend’s shoulder.
Good is restricted by honor while Evil doesn’t play fair. It is because we are Good that we must adhere to honor and morals. Otherwise we begin to loose respect of morals, that we no longer care for honor, and that is the path to Evil. There may still be a way to stop him.

Nopony can stop him, Midnight lamented. You came here for nothing.

I came here for you, Shining Armor corrected.

Why?! Midnight demanded, his eyes flowing with tears. He has my body, my powers! What good am I to anypony now?

Midnight sank to his knees, Shining Armor placing his hoof on the colt’s shoulders again, comfortingly.
He used me, Shining… He lured me right to him like a moth to the flame… I came from him, I share his blood. How can I ever face anypony knowing this?

I know, he’s your ancestor, but so what? Shining Armor insisted. You are not Sombra, Midnight. Blood means nothing when it comes to family. Family is tied together by love and friendship, bonds more meaningful and powerful than any blood-tie. So yeah, Equestria is in trouble. But we haven’t given up!

Look at what he did to me, Shining Armor! Midnight yelled. I can’t help anyone! He’s broken me… I’d be a fool to hope otherwise.

Then I guess I’m a much bigger fool, Shining Armor said with a smile.

Looking at that smile, Midnight recalled something he said to the Black Unicorn.
No… You’re not a fool. You’re the one pony whose Hope is unyielding.

No sooner did he finish speaking did they both feel a great power! The scenery around them faded away, revealing something familiar to them both.
I’m sure I know this place, mused Shining Armor, Midnight agreeing, Yeah, it looks so familiar…

It was the Crystal Empire but it looked like from a long time ago. They saw Crystal Ponies along with a few unicorns, pegasi, even earth ponies, all in what appeared to be a trader’s marketplace. Ponies everywhere were happy, talking, trading, foals ran and played.

But there were three ponies that drew their attention. One of them was a big unicorn stallion who looked rather familiar. He had a swept-back mane and tail black and shiny like obsidian while his coat was gold like wheat, his eyes as blue as the sky above. His cutie-mark was hidden by the armor he wore, and his helmet hung from his shoulders.
He walked with a unicorn mare with a coat silver-white like starlight, her mane was a deep blue like the Nightsky, braided with woven gemstones, her eyes golden like an eclipse.
Her cutie-mark was a radiant star.

With them was a little unicorn colt.  He had inherited his father’s golden coat, albeit a little paler, his mane was white-gold with a silver highlight, and his eyes were blue like turquoise.
“Mom, Dad, can we go to the big jousting match today?”

“I don’t know, son,” said the unicorn stallion. “Your mother has been a little under the weather lately.”

“Oh, Auroran, stop fussing over me,” said the mare with a light laugh.

Auroran?! Shining Armor echoed, Midnight saying, Shining Armor, do you know who that is?

“Evening Star,” Auroran said, sounding insistent, “I would just feel better if you took it easy today.”

Evening Star…! Midnight was blown away similar to Shining Armor.

“Mom, if you’re not feeling well,” said the colt, concerned, “then I can go see the jousting any other day.”

“No, no!” Evening Star insisted. “I am not gonna cut short our family-outing. Hey, let’s go see that fortune-teller!”

The two friends followed the family into a tent, inside which was a table covered by a cloth of purple, the air shimmered and hung thick with incense, and upon the table was a crystal ball.
“Hello?” Evening Star called, her son and husband both sharing a look and lightly shaking their heads.

There was a flash of light and they saw a robed pony, whose face was hidden in the shadow of her hood, and spoke with an accent from a faraway land.
“Welcome, ponies young and bold, have you come to hear your futures told?”

Giggling, Evening Star stepped up, asking, “Yes, I would like to know if what I’m hoping for is going to happen.”

“What?” Auroran said, but the fortune-teller spoke.

“In the crystal ball, let us peer, so you may see for yourself, my dear.”

The fortune-teller’s eyes glowed yellow, as did the center of the crystal ball, into which Evening Star bored her gaze in concentration.
“Many things for you I see, something soon will bring you glee. The future distant will play a part, a coming shadow will break your heart. A trial tragic, you will not cope. But in the end, there is always hope.”

At once, the scene dashed away like smoke, and they found themselves in what looked to be a bedroom, the family huddled around Evening Star, who looked exhausted but happy, as she held a bundle in her arms.
“Oh, Star,” Auroran whispered. “She’s perfect.”

“Hey there, baby girl,” whispered Auroran and Evening Star’s son. “I’m your big brother!”

“What shall we call her, everypony?” asked Evening Star.

“I was thinking… Star,” Auroran brought up, looking at his new daughter lovingly, “Little Star…”

“I got a better name,” their son said. “Nova.”

“Nova… I like it,” Evening Star agreed.

Auroran nodded, saying, “Let me hold our little Nova.”

Evening Star held out the bundle, and Shining Armor and Midnight saw it was a tiny filly with a coat black like the night sky while her mane was a deep blue like her mother’s. She slept soundly as her father held her close.
“Nova, welcome to our family. I’m Auroran, your daddy, that beautiful mare is your mother, and this scamp of a colt is your big brother, Rising Hope.”


How touching…


That voice cut through the love in that moment like an executioner’s blade!


Shining Armor and Midnight gasped as it all was blown away, and they found themselves in a desolate looking prairie that looked like it went on forever to nowhere. Standing before them was Sombra.

This is just perfect, the black unicorn sneered. Now I shall have the pleasure of killing you both.

Sombra… Or should I call you Auroran? Shining Armor narrowed his eyes.

That name no longer has any meaning for me. Sombra instantly lost his zeal, now looking murderously serious.
I have entertained your existences long enough. Enjoy oblivion…!!!


An orb sparked from Sombra’s horn, radiating red with hatred, but at that same moment, everything seemed to shake.
What is this?!

Shining Armor! What’s happening?! Midnight yelled.

It’s Twilight! Shining Armor realized. She’s waking me up!

You will not escape me! Sombra roared as he launched the spell.

Midnight! Come with me! Shining Armor held out his hoof to the blue unicorn colt.

Shine, I can’t! I don’t have my body!

If you don’t, who knows what Sombra will do to you?! Shining Armor insisted. Just trust me!

Although unsure, Midnight reached out, Sombra concentrating more power, his spell racing all the more. But the moment before it would hit the two best friends, they took each other’s hoof, and a golden light burst, extinguishing Sombra’s spell and blowing him back. Groaning as he got up, he saw they were gone, and let out an unearthly scream of rage.



“Shining Armor!” Twilight worried as she kept shaking her brother. “You have to wake up!”

Shining Armor was sweating and moaning, obviously having a bad dream when he thrashed a bit, causing him to fall out of bed.

“Shining!” Twilight cried but then gasped!

She watched as the cerulean streaks in her brother’s mane and tail, along with his left hooves, turned black, and his cutie-mark on his left flank faded away and was replaced by a very familiar cutie-mark, of a moon facing up, containing a five-point star surrounded by five twinkles.

Shining Armor groaned as he slowly stood up but sat down on his haunches, rubbing his head.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight said, holding his face. “What happened?! Is Midnight ok, how’d you get his cutie-mark?”

“Midnight…” Shining Armor whispered as he opened his eyes and Twilight gasped!.

While Shining Armor’s right eye was still the same cerulean, his left had turned a very familiar turquoise.

“Shining Armor, tell me what happened!” Twilight was really getting worried.

“Twily, Midnight…” Shining Armor groaned. “He’s… inside me.”