literature

MLP Adventure is Magic The Castle of Dreams P9

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Surrounded by a misty grassland, everywhere he looked was depressing and dreary. But it wasn’t on his mind as he panted, tired from having just galloped what felt like miles.
I have to keep moving… I don’t have long before he catches up to here.

In fact, I’m here already!

Midnight froze up as he heard that familiar dark chuckle and he looked behind him to see those horrible red eyes.

What took you so long?

But- How did you know to I would come here?! Midnight gasped.

Here? Where is here, my little crony? chuckled Sombra, appearing as Midnight had first seen him. This is the Dream Plane – There is no “here” or “there” unless you count the Castle of Dreams. Everything here is exactly however I desire.

I see you’re not too keen to my good looks if you’re talking to me with your own ugly mug, Sombra, Midnight smirked.

Your back-sassing would be annoying were it not so pitifully amusing. I simply thought I should appear to my son without a mask.

I am not your son! Midnight screamed as he charged Sombra, only to be blown away by some unseen force that sent him careening a distance and landing painfully on his back. But even in pain, he remained defiant.
I am nothing like you!

Do you think so? Sombra sneered maliciously as he circled Midnight like a shark, leaving flaming hoofprints behind him with each step.
We’ll get to that…

Whatever you have planned, Sombra, my friends will stop you!

Ooh! I’m quaking in my hoof boots! Sombra simply laughed, sounding not even in the least concerned. Your Knights of Adventure are nothing without you, Midnight, because their Spirits draw their power from your own, that miserable Spirit of Light! As for those insufferable mares who wield the Elements of Harmony, my spy in Canterlot has already informed me that Princess Celestia is keeping them close, thinking it will keep them safe from my power. The very fact she refuses to wield possibly the one thing that might have a chance of giving me a tickle shows just how much they fear me! As they should…

You won’t take Canterlot so easily… Midnight warned, trying to sound threatening.

True, but soon I’ll have amassed enough mind-slaves and thinned out enough enemy ranks to take Canterlot, Sombra’s expression sent chills up Midnight’s spine as he looked upon the grin of a mad stallion.
If your annoying body was better-able to withstand the strain of using my dark magic, I would already be storming the castle. Unfortunately, even certain dark spells that were originally colt’s play for me now tax my strength, and I must keep it up in order to retain control of my slaves…!

Hearing the frustration in Sombra’s voice, Midnight got an idea.
Perhaps you should’ve thought of that before you body-jacked me but you must have been pretty desperate to resort to such a method without such foresight, if not then you were stupid. Just as it was stupid of you to blab all that to me right now…

Growling, Sombra turned his horn to Midnight and Midnight screamed as he was engulfed in crimson aura of crackling energy.
Make any smug remark you want, my pitiful descendant! I’ll have the last laugh once I restore my original body! Once that bridge is crossed, my power will truly be at its peak, and I’ll have no need of you any longer…

Sombra released the spell, taking a cruel delight as Midnight collapsed in pain, groaning. However, the dark king was admittedly a little irritated to see Midnight’s defiant glare.
I suppose you have more smart-alecky remarks to say…

No matter how much you conquer, how many you oppress, Midnight seethed, you will never truly rule Equestria, so long as there is even one pony who has hope! And I know who that one pony is.

Sombra broke out into a roaring laughter in response.
It’s so adorable the way you continue to delude yourself!

Suddenly, Sombra looked truly frightening in such a way Midnight couldn’t help letting out a whimper at the thunderous stamp of Sombra’s hoof.
But don’t get me wrong – I fully intend to snuff out that annoying “light” inside you that so brightens your false hopes, and believe you me I will make it hurt! But that won’t compare to the pain you’ll feel knowing that it is your face that will haunt the darkest nightmares of everypony in Equestria!

Steeling himself, Midnight stood tall and met Sombra’s gaze with a look unflinching.
The path you walk has no end, Sombra. No matter how much you conquer, how much you destroy, how many you oppress, you will never know the peace of feeling content. You will always fear losing your power, just as you do right now.

SHUT UP! snarled Sombra, as he launched an energy bolt at Midnight, knocking down the blue unicorn who let out another cry of pain. Stomping over, he stamped down on Midnight’s back, making him grit his teeth but refusing to scream. The Black Unicorn bent down as he whispered, I was going to allow you to bear witness to the eventual downfall of Canterlot, but now… You just signed your own death warrant! Come this time tomorrow night, I am going to get rid of you, once and for all…!

Sombra stamped Midnight’s head to get his point across and vanished, leaving Midnight to stew, as the young magician couldn’t help but shed tears, hating how helpless he felt.


Ugh!!!!” Starfyre groaned as he laid on a balance beam. “This is taking forever!!!”

Everypony was in the Canterlot Library – Twilight and Shining Armor had led their friends there and spoken to Faerie Tail about their mission. At that moment, everypony was in the Wing of Star Swirl the Bearded, looking through a book or scroll that pertained to magic involving dreams, sleep, magical artifacts, or even portals.

Twilight was juggling several books at once while Rainbow Dash looked to be enjoying a particular novel.
“Hey Twilight! Didja know Star Swirl also tangled with an Ursa Minor? He was even younger than you when he did!”

“Stop goofing off, Rainbow,” Twilight gently scolded her.

“Star, get yer tail down here an’ help us!” Country Daze snapped, waving his hoof angrily at the red Pegasus.

“I don’t have the patience for books, bro. I’m a professional athlete!” scoffed Starfyre, as he lounged on the support beam above them.

“Cuz?” Country Daze asked without taking his eyes of the book he was skimming.

“Ah’m on it,” Applejack assured as she went over to the pillar with the support beam Starfyre was lying on, and bucked it.

“Yow!!!”

Whump/Crash!!!

Seeing Starfyre with a scroll enwrapping his middle and an open book on his head made everypony laugh, and even Starfyre found the situation amusing.

Hours later…
“Nothing!” Shining Armor exclaimed in frustration. Looking around, he saw everypony wasn’t exactly happy either.

Books law sprawled everywhere, scrolls unrolled and trailing, everypony was exhausted.
“An entire wing of books and not a single mention of that blasted mirror!” Bavissimo was in theatric-mode again.
“Is this fate turned against us? Is this a test of our resolve?! O woe is we, the striving saviors!”

“Enough already!!!” Starfyre and Rainbow Dash snapped, Bravissimo miffing at their outburst.

“I just can’t believe it,” Twilight wondered aloud, “how could Star Swirl not mention in even one of his works about the Mirror? Granted, it is a dangerous artifact, but still…”

“Maybe this Star Swirl feller did record mentions of th’ mirror but wer’ lookin’ in th’ wrong places,” Country Daze suggested.

“The questions is, where did he put information of the mirror?” Rarity added.

“Um, pardon me…” Fluttershy said politely as she held up a booklet, but nopony except Forester seemed to hear her.

“Maybe we should look into finding a way to restore Midnight to his body,” Starfyre suggested, “I mean, we aren’t getting anywhere in this mirror-search.”

“Hey, uh, Fluttershy says-” Forester tried to say but Twilight cut him off.

“We have to find anything we can on the mirror!” she insisted. “If Sombra gets his hooves on it, Equestria just might be doomed!”

“This page here looks like-” Fluttershy tried again.

“But we can’t just forget about Midnight!” Whirly Gig butted in. “He’s counting on us to help him!”

“Hey, Fluttershy, what’cha got there?” interrupted Spike, and his query alone got everypony’s attention as their eyes fell upon Fluttershy and Forester.

“I- Uh, I found this old booklet under a table leg,” Fluttershy answered, holding it out to Twilight. “I think it’s an old journal.”

She levitated it to herself and looked at the page Fluttershy had it open to, reading aloud for everypony to hear.
“‘It has been a year to the day my old student, Clover the Clever, entrusted to me the knowledge of her work on dreams, and the location of her creation, the Mirror of Fantasia!’”

Everypony listened closely as she continued.
“‘I am torn by her trust in me to never reveal the location of the mirror and the unshakeable feeling that one day the mirror might be crucial to the fate of Equestria. In my many years as a magician, I have always trusted my instincts but the trust of my student is something I hold sacred. So to protect the trust she has in me but to insure the mirror fulfills the purpose I feel is intended by fate, I leave behind this clue to one who seeks the mirror not for one’s self but for the welfare of everypony in Equestria.’”

“So what’s the clue?!” urged Starfyre and Rainbow Dash.

“Oh no!” Twilight gasped as she twirled the booklet around for them all to see…
“The page is torn!”

Now what’r we gonna do?” Country Daze sighed.

“We can’t give up!” Rarity stamped her hoof. “Just because the page is gone, it proves for a fact that Star Swirl left a way for somepony to find the mirror.”

“But who knows when the page was lost?” Bravissimo started another episode only to get tripped up by Starfyre, as he threatened in a low voice, “Don’t do that again…”

Sighing, Shining Armor stated, “Why don’t we all take a break? If we can’t figure something out, we’ll talk to Princess Celestia later. Twily?”

“Yeah, Shining?” Twilight responded as everypony left to ponder.

“Could we talk somewhere private?”

“My old room here in Canterlot Castle.”


The room was just as Twilight had left it, books placed in the wall-to-wall shelves in alphabetical order by their titles, each shelf dedicating to a certain subject, the giant hourglass, the embroidered carpeting, it smelled of familiarity and warm memories. As the brother and sister walked in, Shining Armor said, “Twilight… I think Midnight’s in trouble.”

“Well, of course he is, Shining Armor,” Twilight replied. “He’s trapped in the Dream Plane.”

“No, I mean… I have this bad feeling that he needs my help,” Shining Armor claimed, “right now.”

“Well… what do you wanna do?” Twilight asked, seeing Shining Armor was serious. “If your instincts are telling you Midnight needs you, then you’re probably right! Star Swirl was right to leave a clue since we need to get the mirror.”

“Well, Twilight, you studied the works of Clover the Clever, right?”

“Of course! I studied her biography and some of her scrolls on magic, why?”

“Did you learn her spell for lucid dreaming?”

Realization dawned on Twilight’s face.
“You want me to put you to sleep so you can see Midnight in the Dream Plane.”

“Unless I can control my dreams, I don’t have a chance of reaching Midnight! Twily… I made a mistake years ago, back when we were colts… I said something horrible to him and I never apologized. Please… use the spell on me.”

Seeing the look in her brother’s eyes, Twilight sighed.
“I’ll do it. But I’ll only let you sleep for an hour under the spell’s effects. Then I’m waking you up.”

“Let’s do it!” Shining Armor smirked with resolve, and Twilight couldn’t help smiling.

In a few moments, Shining Armor was lying on Twilight’s old bed as Twilight looked at a spellbook.
“Just to be sure, I’m looking the spell over so I cast it properly. Remember, once I cast it you’ll quickly fall asleep, and you’ll be aware that you’re in a dream. After that, it’s all up to you.”

“Got it, wish me luck!” Shining Armor yawned.

Twilight concentrated as she chanted the spell.
“To dreams we escape our waking dilemmas
For a bliss so heavenly
But now to rest with a clear vendetta
To explore all reverie!”

Shining Armor felt the effect almost immediately, and felt the haze of sleep overtake his mind. But then, suddenly, he bolted up and was confused to see himself in the same room, still in Twilight’s bed. But she wasn’t there with him.
Twily? What happened? I’m not sure the spell worked.

There was no answer.

Sighing, Shining Armor got out of bed, muttering, Maybe she went to get a snack.

No sooner did the words leave his mouth did Shining Armor start when a floating tray appeared in front of him, with his favorite snack.
A glass of chilled applejuice and a side of hay-fries.

Now I know I’m dreaming, Shining Armor chuckled as he took the snack in stride and helped himself.
Let’s see. How to find Midnight…

Responding to his thoughts, Shining Armor watched as the scenery around him changed and he saw the thickest part of the Canterlot Royal Gardens. Walking through them, Shining Armor remembered.
Our old secret hideaway!  

He pushed through a few thick branches, and sure enough there it was! An old log set near the pond, nearby was a a makeshift table made from a wooden board set on two rocks, but what drew Shining Armor’s attention was a hollow at the base of a tree. Looking in, he gasped!
It’s still here!

Out he levitated what looked to be an old toychest, the white and gold paint dusty and peeling, the golden hinges slightly rusty but Shining Armor opened it just fine, and inside he found four Royal Guard toys, a stuffed dragon, toy castle building blocks, a couple wooden swords, capes, a home-made castle flag, and an old storybook. Just seeing them made Shining Armor feel like a colt again.
Oh what the heck…

Kneeling down, Shining Armor levitated the blocks to form a castle, the flag behind it, and set the dragon nearby.
Oh no! Shining Armor pretended as he moved the dragon. A ferocious dragon is attacking the castle! Who can save us?

Then Shining Armor moved the Royal Guard toys into a line and spoke heroically.
Never fear, my little ponies! The Royal Guard is here!

Laughing, he made the dragon growl and made the toys attack each other, playing roughly when his hoof lashed out and knocked over the storybook. It was then Shining Armor noticed something in it.
Huh? What’s this?

Opening the book, he was surprised to find an old envelope. Opening it, he was blown away!
From Midnight? he read.

‘Dear Shine,

If you’ve found this letter, I guess you might be feeling bad or confused about what you said yesterday.’

He wrote this the day after that?! Shining Armor thought, and kept reading.

‘I’m not even sure when you’ll get this message, but I want you to know this. I don’t blame you in the slightest for what you said. I broke a promise, and for that I am so sorry. When next we meet, I won’t bring it up, because that’s what friends do. No argument is worth a friendship, and though friends may argue sometimes, true friends always make amends.
You and I may have chosen to walk different paths but our friendship will always keep us connected. And wherever our paths may take us, I have faith that they will cross again the future. Then perhaps one day, you and I can go on a real adventure, just like we used to pretend.

Friends Forever,
Midnight’

Shining Armor read the letter thoroughly, wondering if it might not be real. But it was! It was Midnight’s old sloppy hoofwriting, and the words, how they just came together.
He really wrote this… Shining Armor whispered. But this is the Dream Plane, how can this be here?

It was at that moment Shining Armor heard something. It sounded like sniffling, like somepony was crying.

Hello! Shining Armor turned around and realized the garden was gone! He stood in the Crystal Empire cemetery.
Is somepony there? Are you ok?

Listening hard, he followed the sound of the crying towards the mausoleum. He slowly walked down the decrepit halls, the crying getting a little louder. There was something familiar about the crying, he was certain he’d heard it before. But soon he came towards an archway, above it carved “Within this chamber lies Evening Star, may her memory always give comfort and inspire hope”. The crying was coming from inside!

He entered the chamber, finding it empty aside from the coffin in the center. Going over, he heard the crying and looked behind it to see…
Midnight?!
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