//------------------------------// // Arc XIX Episode III: Blackened // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// Meanwhile in that underground bunker below CHS… By this point, Celestia and Luna had started to fling insult after insult at each other. It was a full-blown argument--the kind that people would often back away from as soon as they stepped into the room it was taking place in. Unfortunately for Aidon, he had a front-row seat for it. The problem wasn’t even a matter of whether or not he could escape. It was about timing his escape so that he could make sure that the sisters wouldn’t end up killing each other from their rage. “You’re just upset because dad paid more attention to me than you!” Celestia screamed, “But who’s fault is that? You never tried to express yourself and always stayed hidden away in your room!” “GAGH! It’s because you were always stealing his attention!” Luna sobbed hysterically, “Ever since mother was hospitalized, you always tried to monopolize his time because you couldn’t learn how to manage your own feelings! Always overeating until you nearly fell into obesity!” “...” SLAP! Celestia delivered a heavy-handed slap to her sister, leaving a red handprint on her blue cheek. “...You have no right to speak of that. You weren’t around to support me during that time so don’t you dare let another word of it leave your lips.” Taken aback by the strike, Luna’s eyes suddenly grew a shade of dark blue as she ran forward and tackled her sister. “That’s because you kept pushing me away when I tried to help!” Celestia’s eyes became solid red as the two began to tussle, actively wrestling on the floor. “You lie! All you do is lie!” That’s when Aidon had had enough. “That’s it.” Almost instantly, he broke free of his restraints, forcing the two sisters to stop on a dime. Their clothes were disheveled and ripped apart with scratch marks all over their bodies. They stared up at the black, smoky miasma of a man that slowly trudged towards them. “Unlike their Equestrian counterparts…nobody is giving them the time of day. The desire to jump out and help an elder is much less common here than it is in the human world. Well not on my watch.” Before they could react, both Celestia and Luna were held in the air by their necks--one of Aidon’s hands around each. He took care not to squeeze or make things too uncomfortable for them, but it would be just enough to restrain the two and keep them from fighting any further. “Listen. I don’t know the fullest extent at which your problems run, but I’m not going to allow you to attack each other any further over this. You’re both being manipulated--conned into believing that the other has it out for you. When that isn’t the case at all. Don’t let this foolishness overtake you. You love each other more than some awful spell would have you believe.” “Oh please!” Even when cornered, Celestia responded with scorn in her voice, “You don’t know us at all. Stay in your lane, mister.” “Don’t speak to him that way!” Luna hissed at her sister, “You’re the one who’s always starting--” Aidon was quick to shut them down. “Enough. As a blackened being with a black heart and a black soul, I can feel the darkness within you both. You’re both tainted beyond belief from this magic due to your hidden feelings towards each other. You’re a few paces away from becoming wraiths.” Before they could say another word, the spell slowly but surely, pulled out of Celestia and Luna by force. A smoky, pink aura left their bodies and was transmitted into Aidon through the air. Once then, he let go of both women, dropping them on the floor as he stumbled and grabbed his head. “Argh…just get rid of it…” Aidon muttered to himself as his miasma went to work--actively fusing the magic into his own body and promptly destroying it--eating away at his own cells in the process. Such a sensation caused his entire body to tremble as he stood there, writing in agony. “HEEEEAUGH!” Luna opened her eyes…and realized what was happening around her. She had finally come to her senses and watched as a demonic figure with dozens of rows of teeth stood over Aidon, absorbing the magic that he wanted to get rid of. All she could do was watch in horror with her jaw open as she muttered his name, “...Aidon…” Celestia’s eyes opened seconds after and she hung her head in shame, not wanting to witness the eldritch magic that was active in front of her. “...I failed yet again…” Soon enough, the toothy beast disappeared, allowing Aidon to move freely. He started walking up the stairs to the upper level of the school with his miasmatic black aura returning. “That’s better...you two should stay down here so you don’t get affected by the spell again. I’ll delete it myself.” With that, he left the bunker, and traveled back upstairs… And thankfully, not a single zombified member of the female student body was attracted to him, allowing him to move throughout the school with no conflict whatsoever. Soon enough, he’d approach the front doors and see some familiar faces. “...What are the boys doing here?”