Line #19 FanFic/MemoriesOfDaysLongPast


1	The history of Equestria is shrouded in myth and mystery. However, Twilight Sparkle uncovers a spell that lets the caster witness it firsthand through the eyes of their ancestors. Eager to learn more, she recruits her friends and casts the spell for all of them. But what she hoped would be an educational experience quickly goes awry, for the past is [[DarkerAndEdgier far darker]] than any of the little ponies have ever imagined...
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3	''[[http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/03/story-memories-of-days-long-past.html Memories of Days Long Past]]'' is a DarkFic for ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. Taking heavy cues from ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', it follows the heroines as they discover uncomfortable truths about the time before Celestia and Luna's reign. They learn this through the lives of their ancestors -- Midnight Star, Skyline, Cinnamon Apple, Amethyst, Pastel, and Lily, all of whom seem quite similar to their present-day counterparts...
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5	Has been undergoing a rewrite by the original author over on Fimfiction under the title [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/123242/midnight-reverie Midnight Reverie]].
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8	!!This ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' FanFic contains examples of:
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10	* [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer All Of The Other Ponies]]: Midnight Star gets this treatment after [[spoiler: she's blamed for The Collection visiting Ponyville]].
11	* AsYouKnow: Played with; even though she has access to her ancestor's memories, she's frustrated to discover that while Midnight Star knows what things like the Goddess and the Quota are, she doesn't think about them enough for ''Twilight'' to find out. [[spoiler: This is significant later.]]
12	* AwfulTruth: Several have been revealed, such as the nature of The Collection and The Quota, and several more have been {{Foreshadowed}}, like [[spoiler: the real reason everypony is expected to pray to the Goddess]].
13	* ButThouMust: Or rather, But Thou ''Can't'', as [[spoiler:Applejack discovers when she keeps trying to help her siblings only to keep desyncing and get kicked back to the start of the sequence]].
14	* CrapsackWorld: The past is not a happy place. There's The Collection and The Quota to worry about, for starters.
15	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler: Fritter, no...]]
16	* DarkFic
17	* DarkerAndEdgier
18	* DeadFic: Sadly, this looks to be the case. The most recent update was in September of 2011, and the author has not been heard from since. Subverted when Nukeiffum popped up on Fimfiction, and began doing [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/123242/midnight-reverie a rewrite]]. And sadly, dead once again when the rewrite stalled out after three chapters and Nukeiffum disappeared again.
19	* DeathByChildbirth: Vega, Midnight Star's mother.
20	* DiplomaticImpunity: In theory, the treaty with the wolves ultimately protects the ponies so long as The Collection stands. In practice, the wolves gleefully abuse its terms, openly trying to provoke them into reacting so that they can claim the ''ponies'' violated the treaty.
21	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even ''the Wolves'' were disturbed by [[spoiler: Vega's parents]] abandoning her and her brother to the Collection.
22	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Twilight can't glean information about subjects she doesn't understand, like the Collection and the Quota, from Midnight's mind, and has to piece information together as she goes. [[spoiler: This is because praying to the Goddess numbs one's memories of painful things.]]
23	* FourIsDeath: In Session 4, we learn what The Collection is, [[spoiler: Sundae is abducted, and Fritter made an example of]].
24	* GenerationXerox: Not only are the ancestors of the mane cast quite similar to their present-day counterparts, but Cinnamon has a big brother and little sister who map to Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom.
25	** This appears to extend to friends as well in some instances; Skyline has a griffon friend called Revy.
26	* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: As a fervant believer in the Goddess, Midnight staunchly asserts that everyone ''must'' pray to Her, or else [[spoiler: the Day of Ascension may not succeed]]. [[spoiler: It's implied that isn't the real reason.]]
27	* HappilyAdopted: Midnight Star was adopted by King Thermis and Queen Ambrosia and has been raised as Celestia and Luna's foster sister and future advisor.
28	* HeroicBSOD: All the girls go through this to varying degrees after their first session ends with [[spoiler: The Collection]].
29	** Cinnamon goes through a series of these after the above, progressively getting worse and worse.
30	* HeroicSacrifice: Twice in Session 11.
31	* IAmWho: Occurs in Session 11 after [[spoiler: Midnight Star takes what looks to be a fatal wound]].
32	* LargeHam: Rarity.
33	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler: Praying to the Goddess gives ponies the strength to deal with the horrors of everyday life by numbing their memories of tragic events.]]
34	* LightIsNotGood[=/=]GoodIsNotNice
35	* LonelyRichKid: Past-Luna, to the point of a deep seated fear of being left behind/alone. This happens around Celestia as well, whom Luna believes treats her like a child, [[SelfFulfillingProphecy which just leads her to act more childish in response.]][[spoiler: Her belief that [[ConsummateLiar Celestia hiding Midnight's impending death from her]] ended up triggering her corruption into Nightmare Moon.]] She does cheer up nicely when allowed to be around others in a situation not involving her position.
36	* ModestRoyalty: Luna
37	* MoodDissonance: In Session 8.5, Twilight acknowledges and discusses this with Rainbow Dash, wondering how they could be joking about fillyfooling so soon after [[spoiler: Sundae's abduction and Fritter's death]].
38	* NearDeathExperience: This is required for [[spoiler: obtaining a Destiny Mark]].
39	* NoInfantileAmnesia: The first thing Twilight witnesses in the past is the first moments of Midnight Star's life, including her mother's DeathByChildbirth.
40	* OCStandIn: King Thermis and Queen Ambrosia serve as Celestia and Luna's parents.
41	* OrphansOrdeal: Pastel Lollypop, Skyline & Lily Blossom and [[spoiler: Vega, Midnight's mother]].
42	* OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions: The ponies' faith in their Goddess and the Day of Ascension is roundly mocked by Fang and his pack.
43	* [[spoiler: {{Reincarnation}}]]: Part of why GenerationXerox is in effect.
44	* SadisticChoice: Fang loves these. First with The Collection, then when he tells them [[spoiler: they can only trade Midnight for ''two'' of their three captives]].
45	* SenselessSacrifice: As touching as [[spoiler: Revy's brave sacrifice]] was, it didn't actually ''fix'' anything.
46	* ShootTheDog: To protect Skyline, Revy [[spoiler: abducts Midnight so they can't attempt their trading plan]].
47	* ShoutOut: Pinkie provides most of these; in the prologue, upon hearing the setup, she directly references ''Film/{{Inception}}'', then asks if [[Franchise/AssassinsCreed their ancestors were assassins]].
48	** Skyline's griffon friend is named [[Manga/BlackLagoon Revy]].
49	** [[{{FanFic/Progress}} Luna has an Abacus named Abacus.]]
50	** [[spoiler: One of the Summer Triangle ponies is named [[Franchise/AssassinsCreed Altair]].]]
51	** [[spoiler: Vega talks to midnight in [[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry the golden land]].]]
52	* [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids Silly Pony, Idealism Is For Fillies!]]: Midnight is repeatedly called sheltered and overly idealistic, such as when Revy forces her to face how poorly thought-out [[spoiler: their plan to rescue Sundae is]].
53	* StepfordSmiler: Many of the ponies of the past come off as this, as they go about their lives trying to ignore matters like The Collection and The Quota.
54	* StepfordSuburbia
55	* TragicKeepsake: In Session 12, [[spoiler: Skyline takes Revy's red scarf with her]].
56	* UnsoundEffect: [[TearJerker DESYNCHRO]][[WhamEpisode NIZATION]]
57	* VillainousBreakdown: Fang suffers a brief one after [[spoiler: Midnight's near death and the chaos immediately following]].
58	* WellIntentionedExtremist: As Session 12 reveals, [[spoiler: King Thermis let Cinnamon and Skyline attempt their plan in hopes that Midnight would unlock her Destiny Mark, and was going to throw them in jail afterwards]].
59	* WhamEpisode: Session 4.
60	* YouCantFightFate: As in ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', the present-day ponies can observe the past and minorly influence their ancestors, but can't force them too far out of character without desyncing.

Context FanFic / MemoriesOfDaysLongPast