Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from MLP:FIM except my original character. Everyone else belongs to Lauren Faust.

~XOXOXO~

Chapter 1: The Snap

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both looked up at the stained glass window depicting Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. They both felt very concerned at the danger that was about to happen, and after a short dispute about who should handle the danger, it was decided that it would be Twilight Sparkle who would go to the Crystal Empire.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go as well?" Luna said.

"Yes. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are already there. The others will be joining them soon."

Luna felt in her heart that Twilight Sparkle was not suitable for the job. She knew someone who was better, someone whom she had taken under her wing to study Dark Magic. She had already talked to Celestia about sending this student instead of Twilight. Luna even suggested that both she and Celestia would go to the Crystal Empire themselves to stop King Sombra like they once did before, but Celestia wanted to send her student.

Luna thought it was a bit unfair to send Celestia's student who was still advancing in her studies and didn't know a thing about Dark Magic, but she was careful not to feel selfish about it.

Luna spoke again. "The Empire's magic is powerful. It cannot fall again, my sister."

Celestia noticed Luna's doubtful tone and attacked back with a voice that had just as much tension, but it mingled with hope and faith for Twilight Sparkle. "She will succeed at her task, and when she does, we'll know that she is that much closer to being ready."

"Ahem…"

Both princesses turned to the far end of the hallway. The big double doors were wide open and Twilight Sparkle stood there looking nervous.

"Trust me, little sister," Celestia said as Luna began walking away to give them private time to talk.

"You wanted to see me? To give me a test?" Twilight's voice echoed and bounced around the hall.

Luna passed by her and gave her no more than a sideways glance.

"I brought my own quills and plenty of paper to show my work."

Luna continued walking down the hall toward the doors. She didn't have to turn her head in order to hear or see Twilight dropping her things and apologizing to Princess Celestia.

"This is a different kind of test." Luna heard her sister say before completely leaving the great hall. "The Crystal Empire has returned."

Luna stopped by the edge of the doors, not within earshot or sight of the two ponies. She was met by another pony – a female unicorn to be exact – about Twilight's age who was hidden in the shadows. Luna noticed her and spread her wings as cover. She surveyed her surroundings before facing the pony in front of her.

"Midnight? What are you doing outside of your room? You should be studying." Luna said.

Midnight spoke. "I heard that the Crystal Empire is back, and that King Sombra is using Dark Magic to take over."

"How do you know that?"

"I can feel it," she said and used her horn's magic to bring out a black spell book. Blue aura surrounded the book, giving it a slight bluish tint. "I've been studying Dark Magic just like you said, and I think I've found a way to defeat King Sombra using his own spells. I can do this, Princess!" She opened the book and many pages were turned.

Luna used her magic to close the book and put it gently on the floor. "My sister has already summoned Twilight Sparkle here."

The blue unicorn frowned. "Twilight Sparkle? Princess Celestia's student? Why is she here?"

"My sister said that she wants Twilight Sparkle to go to the Crystal Empire and defeat King Sombra."

"But, I don't understand. I thought this was the reason why I've been studying Dark Magic. I thought the test was meant for me."

"Believe me, Midnight, I've tried to reason with my sister into sending you instead of Twilight Sparkle. I have my doubts about her and felt as if you were more suitable for the job."

"Why didn't she agree? Does Princess Celestia not like me just because I'm not her student?"

"I'm sure my sister has her reasons," Luna said and noticed Midnight's reaction. The unicorn slouched, sitting on her hind legs with her black tail wrapped around her. She looked at the floor, but Luna could tell that she wasn't disappointed, but angry.

She tried cheering her up. "There may be a much bigger and more difficult task waiting just for you."

Midnight looked up at Luna, a bit of hope gleaming in her hot pink eyes.

"But you have to study harder to get to it."

"But Twilight has been getting all these tests. I've never even gotten one. Do you really have something in store for me, Princess?"

"Of course, you are my student," Luna said while smiling.

Midnight stood up and smiled, feeling better. "Thank you, Princess." She paused when she heard voices coming from the hall.

Luna gently pushed Midnight away from the doors, following her. "Now go tend to your studies. I expect the best from you, and make sure to give me back the book when I need it."

Midnight used her magic to teleport the book back to her room. "I will."

"Now go, before they see you."

Midnight galloped away from Luna, and Luna went back to standing by the door just before Celestia and Twilight stepped out of the hall.

"I have every confidence you will succeed." She heard her sister say. "And when you do, I'll know you are ready to move on to the next level of your studies."

Twilight looked up at Princess Luna. Luna only glared back.

~XOXOXO~

As the doors of the hall closed after Celestia sent Twilight on her way, she noticed the look on Luna's face when they were alone in the hall. "You look tense, little sister. Everything will be fine. I know Twilight can do this."

"I just had a talk with Midnight Shimmer," Luna said.

Celestia looked at Luna with wide eyes. "Your student? What was she doing outside of her room?"

"She wanted to go in Twilight Sparkle's place instead. She said she may have found a way to defeat King Sombra."

Celestia looked back up at the stained glass window of Cadance and Shining Armor and squinted at it. "She may have found a way to defeat King Sombra, but she can't restore the Empire alone. That's why I'm sending Twilight and her friends to go. Besides, I'd like to see what Twilight can do."

"Midnight Shimmer seemed so upset," Luna said. "So, I sent her to her room and told her that I may have a bigger task for her if she continues to study."

"Good," Celesta looked back at her sister. "We've already talked about this. You and I both know very well that Midnight Shimmer cannot leave this castle by any means."

~XOXOXO~

On the night when Twilight Sparkle was crowned a Princess, Luna stepped out onto the balcony where Celestia was watching over ponies using her telescope. "Rest, my sister, for I will watch the night."

Celestia yawned and stepped away for Luna to take over. "Goodnight, little sister." She yawned again. "You have it so easy. It's always tiring to do work and watch the ponies during the day while you get to watch everypony while they're asleep."

Luna smiled. She wasn't envious of Celestia anymore, but she still made a good point. "It is what I do. Now, rest."

As Celestia made her way inside she passed by Midnight. She was too tired to ask her what she was doing outside of her room, but it was more appropriate for her to be out at night than during the day so that she could learn more about the night from Luna. "Goodnight, Midnight Shimmer."

"Goodnight, Princess Celestia. Sleep well."

When she got onto the balcony and stood beside Princess Luna she looked down and surveyed the roofs of Canterlot. "Are you going out on one of your night raids again? Going into pony's dreams?"

"I always do, but not tonight," she said as her horn glowed, and one by one, stars began to pepper the night sky.

"Why not?"

The night princess looked down at Midnight. "Because you are here with me." She smiled then went back to the stars.

Midnight didn't say anything for a while as she was thinking about what to say to her mentor. She'd been practicing all day on how she should say it. She inhaled and decided to force herself into asking her question.

"Why can't I leave the castle?"

Luna's horn stopped glowing although she wasn't done decorating the night with stars. She looked at Midnight again with a grave face. "My sister says you cannot."

"Your sister this, your sister that, I'm not her student, I'm yours," she complained in a voice that was slightly higher than her own, and Luna could tell that she was getting angry again. "It's not fair! I'm a student who studies under a princess too! I'm always locked away in my room. I probably study more than Twilight."

"Twilight works just as hard as you do."

"I don't see that. She wastes her time playing with her friends and picking apples while I stay in my room and study. You out of all ponies should know what it feels like to be trapped."

Luna fully turned to Midnight. "I know how you feel. I do want what is best for you. I want you to go out and learn more out there, which is why you must stay here and continue to study."

"Why won't you or Celestia tell me why I can't go outside?" Before Luna could speak Midnight stomped her hooves on the pavement. "It's not fair!" she quickly galloped off into her room with Luna calling after her.

Midnight reached her room and used her magic to shut the door and lock it. Her room was big with a window of its own. She had a bookshelf filled with spell books about Dark Magic and her floor was covered with stacks of paper that reached the ceiling. In her spare time, she wrote novels and poetry and separated her edited copies from her unedited ones. She walked up to a full sized mirror while passing her pet bat who was hanging upside down from the ceiling. She gazed at herself and saw a lonely pony with a periwinkle coat. She had a mane and tail as black as midnight with streaks of cyan running through them; the streaks resembled comets shooting through a night sky. Her eyes were hot pink like the hot rage that ran through her veins for Twilight Sparkle, and her cutie mark was a black heart with shimmering transparent mist surrounding the bottom half of the heart.

She was disgusted at herself, but more so at her rival Twilight Sparkle. Her pet bat, which was all black with red eyes and vertical black slits in them, flew to her and perched on her back.

Midnight saw him from the mirror and swished her tail. "Oh, Ebon, you're my only friend. It's only me and Twilight Sparkle. Princess Cadance is too busy with a husband to have her own student. Heh, she might even be a mom one day." Her face softened and she looked down before looking back up at herself.

"Well, no more, Twilight Sparkle."

She walked away from the mirror to her desk as Ebon flew back to where he was before. "I can tolerate her stopping Nightmare Moon; otherwise I wouldn't have such a great teacher. I can tolerate her stopping Discord, I can tolerate her defeating Queen Chrysalis, and I can tolerate her restoring the Crystal Empire, but I cannot tolerate her becoming an alicorn with all of her friends!" She stomped and bucked her bookcase and some of her spell books fell to the floor. "Even Luna was at the coronation and I…I couldn't even leave my room…well nay, I say! I'm putting my hoof down!" She galloped back to the mirror and snickered at her reflection. "I will prove to everypony in Equestria that it is I, Midnight Shimmer, who is the better student!"

~XOXOXO~

After Luna put all the stars in the sky and before she went out into other pony's dreams, she went to Celestia's room. "Sister, wake up."

Celestia yawned and looked up at Luna. "What is it, little sister? Is there trouble?"

"Midnight Shimmer wanted to talk with me again. She asked why she can't leave the castle."

Celestia got up, fully awake. "Did you tell her why?"

"No."

"Good." Celestia walked to the balcony and Luna followed. They both looked up at the night sky, Luna's artwork. "We are the rulers of Equestria. In order to keep Equestria as well as Midnight Shimmer's own life safe, she must stay in the castle at all times."

"I understand, sister," said Luna. "She just seems so lonely." Luna turned her face away. Not only did she remember what it was like on the moon, but it also pained her to see her student like this. It reminded her of herself too much.

Celestia wrapped her wings around Luna and sympathized. "I know, Luna…I know."

~XOXOXO~

Fop626: This is my first MLP fanfic. I would appreciate helpful feedback instead of flames, please. I haven't written a fanfic in years! O_O