Night Stalker

by dragovin08

Chapter 6: Final

Shoeshine woke up on a bed in the hospital, she looked around and saw Twilight, Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack in the room with her.

"She's awake," Fluttershy said letting the others know.

"where's Aeon?" She asked.

"He ummm, well," Fluttershy stuttered trying to answer her.

"Aeon's disappeared," Twilight answered.

"Disappeared! What do mean disappeared!?" She puzzled.

"Well he didn't exactly disappear, he ran into the forest."

"Then we need to find him."

"We are but we're starting to have second thoughts about looking for him."

"Why?"

"Because he turned into some kind of... monster."

"Monster?"

"Aeon thought you died out there and then he transformed into some kind of beast."

"I don't care," Shoeshine climbed out of the bed," I'm still going to find him."

"Why? He probably won't recognize you."

"It's worth a try... Aeon's the only thing I care for the most and he said he'll always be by my side no matter what and I know he'll keep that promise."

"You seem pretty confident there Shoeshine," Applejack said," How do know he will."

"I know he will."

Shoeshine was able to check herself out of the hospital and the six of them split up to go get somethings for a search party; a few minutes later they met up at Sugarcube Corner ready to go.

"What are those books for?" Shoeshine asked.

"They're spell books to see if we can change him back," Twilight responded.

"Oh."

"We best get goin," Applejack said," If we want to find him before it gets too dark."

They left Sugarcube Corner and headed to the forest, still they knew it wouldn't be easy to find Aeon since they could be there for days and find nothing. The sun started setting and as the search was going nowhere since they found not even a trace of Aeon.

"We should try splitting up so we can cover more ground," Applejack suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea just yell out if you find something," Twilight said.

So they split up going in different directions from each other, to see if they could find Aeon better this way.

Applejack was walking looking up in the trees, behind her, and on her sides," I don't like this, it's dark and it's hard to see anything," She told herself.

Then she heard a rustling sound in the trees above, she looked up seeing that leaves were falling down. A thump sound came from a tree behind her, she looked at it watching leaves just fall. Again another thump sound came from the right side and she looked up again to see only leaves falling.

Applejack's felt her heart racing as the sound was jumping around her. Then above her she saw a large figure jumping down landing in front of her, shaking the ground under her hooves. She looked and saw it was Aeon; his arms and his head were dangling towards the ground. He lifted his head up opening his white glowing eyes looking at Applejack. He lifted his arms up spreading them out, showing his long claws.

"Aeon it's me Apple..." She said.

Before she could finish what she was saying Aeon lunged at her, swinging his arms to slashed at her. Applejack moved making Aeon slash at a tree, breaking off a large chunk of it. She ran off to find the others and Aeon began chasing right after her; his speed easily out matched Applejack's making him catch up with her in a short distance. Showing his teeth he tried to bite her, but she turned making him slide increasing the distance between them only for a spit second. then she looked up and saw Aeon leap over her head landing right in front of her. Applejack knew that running would get her nowhere since Aeon is a lot faster than her. She began backing up slowly with Aeon following her, he was growling showing his sharp teeth with saliva running out of the sides of his mouth.

Aeon then couldn't move his legs as they felt like a thousand pound weights, he began squirming for freedom to get his prey. Applejack looked and saw Twilight was using her magic to hold Aeon down in place. Shoeshine came over seeing Aeon but seeing him she was almost certain that wasn't him.

"Is that... Aeon?" She asked.

"Yes," Twilight responded," It's him."

"It can't be," she looked at the roaring mindless grey monster in front of her.

She began walking closer to Aeon, with each step she took the more his attention was drawn to her. Shoeshine came close to Aeon to where she could touch his face.

"Aeon," She said softly reach her hoof up to touch his face.

He seemed calm now since he wasn't squirming anymore but Twilight kept held down in case if he did anything. Shoeshine's hoof touched his snout; immediately he snapped trying to bite her hoof. She jumped back from almost getting bit; there were tears in her eyes as she sees that Aeon is now just an empty shell of himself.

"Shoeshine are you okay?" Fluttershy asked just arriving.

Shoeshine said nothing, she only turned and started walking back to Ponyville seeing that there was no purpose to try and save him.

"Shoeshine where ya going?" Applejack asked.

"Home," She answered.

"Why?"

"Because that's not Aeon."

"It is him."

"No it's not him, that's a monster."

"Just because he attacked you, you're just going to give up," Twilight said.

Shoeshine nodded as tears filled her eyes," I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but an empty shell, just a shadow."

"Don't worry we're going to turn him back no matter what."

Aeon noticed that Twilight's guard was down and that meant the restraints would be weakened. Easily he broke the restraints without the others noticing what he had done. He jumped towards Twilight with his claws extended at her to deliver a punishing blow. Aeon tackled her down to the ground holding her by the neck, raising his other hand into the air to kill her. Twilight had to think quickly of a spell that would get him off of her, then she thought of it as her horn glowed. She blasted Aeon throwing him into the air, he flew until he hit a nearby tree. Aeon landed on many branches before finally landing on the ground, he wasn't moving or trying to get back up.

"Let's get him up," Rainbow Dash said.

They got Aeon to sit up on the tree; he was barely conscious from the hit. Aeon barely had one eye opened but they noticed it was lime green. His grey skin was turning back orange with the barbs on his tail shrunk back into his tail.

"We did it! We turned him back to normal!" Pinkie Pie yelled in celebration.

Aeon opened his eyes and saw them in front of him," Hey," He looked around," How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" Twilight asked and Aeon only nodding in response," Then what do you recall?"

"Only fighting the Night Stalker... Di-did I win?"

"I think so."

Aeon sighed," Well I guess that's a relief," He glanced around," Where's Shoeshine?"

"she's right here."

He looked," Shoeshine you're okay."

She walked up to him," Yeah, I am now that you're back Aeon."

Aeon gave her a slight smile as he got to his feet," Then I guess we should head back now."

They all started heading back to Ponyville as the sun began to rise from behind the mountains. Everything went smoothly on the way back, then standing out of the edge of the forest were guards from Canterlot.

"Are you Aeon?" One of the guards asked.

"Yes," He answered.

"Then come with us the princess would like to see you."

Aeon and the others followed the guards to Canterlot; as they entered the castle Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne with a displeased look.

" You've got some explaining to do," She asserted

Aeon stopped walking just standing a few feet away from the princess and the others were standing behind him," The events of the last few days aren't of my doing."

"True I know that, but many ponies have said that you're the cause of it though."

"Believe what you want but I know I did nothing."

The princess was silent for a moment before speaking again," Were you able to defeat it?"

"I'm not sure, to tell you the truth," He confessed.

"What do you mean you're not sure? It's just a yes or no question, so did defeat it or not?" She asked assertively again.

"I'm not sure! It's a fucking demon I don't know if it's dead!" He bellowed.

"I see... I have also heard that you murdered one of my guards after you supposedly defeated it," She addressed.

Aeon lowered his head," I'm not sure... I blacked out during the fight, so I don't remember," He confessed.

"If you blacked out, then how were you able to still fight?"

"I-I..." Aeon paused trying to think raising his head up looking at the princess"...I let my instincts take over me."

"And when you let that happen do you still have any kind of control over yourself."

"No."

"So you would hurt both friend and foe alike?"

"Yes."

"With what you've just told me you seem more like a liability than an asset to us."

"What do you mean?"

"That if you let it happen again, there's going to be a lot of collateral damage before we can stop you and we know how fast and strong you are."

"... I see."

"With that and how little we know about you makes it hard for me to see you as a great asset."

"I understand."

"I know you protected us from those gargoyles but a year has passed and we still know almost nothing about you since you tell us that makes it hard to trust you."

"Then what are you trying to do make me leave?"

"No, I'm just saying that right now you're a liability but if you have things you still need to settle then you can."

Aeon exhaled from his nose and said," I did have things to settle but why should I settle them now?"

"Aeon, I'm only doing what's best for my little ponies and I can tell that you keep something hidden from us, something that makes you distant."

"I'm not trying to risk any ponies safety, I'm just trying not to bring my experiences into your land Princess... I'm just trying to forget things that I've done to others."

"Then will you tell us everything?"

"No, I won't," He said in a blunt tone.

"Then I'm afraid you have no choice but to leave Equestria."

Aeon said nothing to the princess and turned away from her facing the entrance," Even though I'll leave, I know that demon won't."

The others were shocked to see that Aeon didn't even resist against the princess's decision. Yet Aeon knew if they could not trust him then he has no reason to stay. Aeon walked passed them saying nothing, only having a serious look on his face. As they left Canterlot to head back to Ponyville they couldn't think of anything to say to Aeon all they did was just look at him seeing that he's not the zenthain they met a year ago.

You're so different from when we met you, what is it that you're hiding? Twilight thought.

Arriving at Ponyville everyone went their separate ways home. Shoeshine and Aeon were heading back home; even though Aeon was right next to her he felt as if he was a thousand miles away from her. The only sound that could be heard was a slight breeze in the air and their footsteps. Shoeshine opened the door and they both went inside; Aeon went into the room next to the lobby and sat down on a chair, Shoeshine just went upstairs into her room and closed the door.

It was now night, the moon was full and its light was bright. Shoeshine finally came down stairs, she walked towards Aeon content to find put what he's been hiding. Aeon was standing at the window holding a small clock in his hand; his back was turned towards her.

"If you have something to say, then just say it," he announced.

"Why- why didn't you try and convince the princess so you could stay?" She asked.

"If she can't trust me, then why should I even stay," he answered.

"But what is it that you hide Aeon, just what is it?"

"That's nothing you need to know Shoeshine."

"But why! Is it something that haunts you, something that scars you?"

"It's none of your business, Shoeshine!" He raised his voice," I don't have to tell them anything about me and if they don't like what I've told them, then I have no reason to be here."

"But you have me, you have your friends doesn't that matter to you," tears began to fill Shoeshine's eyes," Can't you just tell them everything so you don't have to leave."

"I can't..."

"Why?"

"Because it's something that would truly banish me and make me seen as something dangerous."

"What is it?!"

"I don't have to tell you."

"Then tell just tell some pony."

"I don't need to tell anyone."

"But why Aeon?"

"You want to know why!" He turned around throwing the clock across the room, it flew above Shoeshine. It hit the wall breaking into pieces of broken glass and wood," Because it's something that I've done, that I keep away from others and there is no reason why I need to tell you or anyone else... I'm not going to sit there and say, ' oh here you go I'm an open book,' that's not me, my pages are closed and they stay closed!" Aeon bellowed out in anger.

Tears were streaming down Shoeshine's face," Who are you?... you're not the zenthain I met a year ago."

"You're right, I'm not."

"Just get out," She said under her breath.

Aeon looked confused at her.

"Get out!... Get out! Get out! Get out!" She screamed.

Aeon walked towards the door grabbing his satchel.

"I never want to see you again!"

Aeon opened the door," Fine by me," he grumbled walking and out closing the door behind him.

She was struck to hear those words out of his mouth, it seems as if he didn't care about her. She leaned against the front door sobbing uncontrollably from what she just witnessed out of Aeon.

As he was walking toward his boat he felt heavy from all he said venting out his anger at Shoeshine. Aeon didn't know what came over him it just happened, but it doesn't matter to him now, he was forced to leave and he'll do just that. Aeon came up to his old boat still surprised it was still in one piece, he came up to the boat and patted its edge.

"Well old friend... you ready for another round of the open sea?" He said to the boat setting his satchel in it.

He pushed the boat out to the water until it began floating then he jumped in it. Aeon grabbed an ore rowing the boat out farther from the shore. Out on the water he felt a calm wind thinking it was a good sign that maybe one day he'll come back and everything can be put in the past. He turned his head and looked back at Equestria slightly smiling.

One day I'll be back, one day all my scars will fade into forgotten memories.

Comments

[dragovin08]

1581171Actually I don't want to write a prologue cause I tend to get side tracked when recapping things and even in the first story I purposely didn't dive into Aeon's back story very much

[dragovin08]

1644292 I'll try and fix it when I have the time to