//------------------------------// // Nero // Story: Princess Luna’s Anthology of Final Wishes: Little Angels // by Drunk Luna //------------------------------// The stench of filth, cigarette smoke, urine, and rotten food caused Luna to gag as she teleported herself into the rundown house near Sweet Apple Acres. The floor was littered with soiled diapers, dog and cat urine and feces, dead roaches, cigarette butts, empty beer bottles and cans, and toys. Luna held her breath and tried not to vomit as she found the two-year-old gray Earth colt for whom she had been searching. He was lying in his own excrement, his ribcage was jutting out from his sides, and he was gasping with every breath he took. Luna shook her head and entered the dream realm. The colt stood motionless, crying and shivering in pain and fear. His spindly little legs shook as he tried to run into Luna’s outstretched hooves. Luna choked back a sob. Usually, the only ponies who ran to her were elderly, terminally ill, or had endured unimaginable suffering. The princess lifted the colt and gave him a tender nuzzle. “Well, hello there,” she said gently. “I’ve been looking for you, little one. You don’t feel very well, do you?” Luna stroked the foal’s head lovingly. “Mommy daddy not gib me food,” the colt explained, looking up at Luna with big green eyes. “Dey said I been bad, so my brudders and sissy get snack time, but I don’t. I hafta eat duh icky food.” Luna’s stomach lurched as she remembered all the rotten food that had been strewn all over the house. “Oh, dear little Nero,” she whispered, cuddling him close despite the caked feces that had built up in his matted coat, “you will never have to eat that yucky food again. Why don’t you tell me about three things you want more than anything else in the whole world? I’ll make sure you get them.” “A bubble baff!” Nero said. “Mommy and daddy never give me a baff, so I feel dirty and stinky awe duh time, and I no wike it. Aaaaand… a buncha toys! And cookies and candy!” The simplicity of the colt’s requests shattered Luna’s heart. These were basic necessities that all foals should be given. She blinked back tears, forced a smile, and nodded. “All right, then, little Nero. It’s bath time!” Luna declared, chuckling as she magically created a luxurious bathroom with a gigantic white bathtub. Smiling, she filled the tub and added an entire huge bottle of bubble bath to the lukewarm water, then conjured a large basket of bath toys. After she had washed the little colt, Luna sat on the edge of the tub so that she could splash and play with him. She felt incredibly relieved when she realized that there was so much water on her face that Nero didn’t notice the river of tears that streamed from her eyes. “Don’t be afraid to splish splash as much as you like, my little one. Go on! Play in those bubbles!” Luna told Nero, dousing him with water. Nero smirked and returned Luna’s assault. After they had played in the bath for about an hour, Luna wrapped Nero in a towel and dried him off, then she gave him a giant bowl of candy, which the foal devoured in less than five minutes. Finally, she filled the room with a literal sea of toys. Nero played with his new toys for nearly two hours, until the dream began to lapse. The colt looked up at Luna, his eyes filled with fear. Luna cuddled him under her wing, nuzzling his little head. “Shhhhh, shhhh,” she soothed him, humming a soft lullaby. “You are going to be all right, little one. Come, I will walk with you; you don’t have to be afraid.” Nero whimpered softly and pressed against the alicorn’s side. Luna lowered her head and took one step forward, then another. A familiar set of wrought iron gates appeared, opening slowly. Nero took off toward the beautiful light on the other side of the gates without hesitation, never once looking back. After the gates had closed, Luna hung her head and sobbed until she received the signal that told her she was needed again.