The sun was fully risen and Ponyville was safe for the moment. Shoeshine ran to the hospital where Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were waiting for her.
"I came here as soon as I could," Shoeshine panted," What happened to him?" She was worried and they all noticed it.
"We got attacked by something and he ended up fending it off but it gave him a good beating," Twilight answered.
"Where is he? I just need to see that he's okay," She panicked worried about Aeon.
A doctor came into the waiting room," Are you the ones who are waiting for a Mr. Aeon was it?"
"Yes," Twilight said.
"Okay, well he is awake but he's barely in a stable condition."
"What about Rarity?" Spike asked full of concern.
"With her there was a lot of trauma put on her body and it has set her into a coma."
"Oh, then we'll go and see Aeon then."
"Right this way."
The doctor lead them down the hallway to a door that was at a corner, He opened the door and there laid Aeon in a bed.
"Here he is, now he's very fatigued from the lack of blood so it's a struggle for him to stay awake for long periods of time," The doctor explained to them.
"Okay," Twilight responded.
"You're lucky you brought him in when you did, any time later and he would have died," The doctor said," But he'll make it."
They were quite relieved to know that Aeon was going to be fine, even though he didn't look it, his eyes were barely open, his broken arm was hanging from a strap from the ceiling and the iv stand had multiple blood bags hanging on it.
"If it's not too much to ask, can I go see Rarity?" Spike asked the doctor.
"Course you can right this way," The doctor took Spike escorting him to Rarity's room.
Shoeshine walked up next to Aeon," Aeon," She said.
He slowly turn his head and looked at her," Shoeshine," He softly said.
"I'm just glad that you're still alive," She rejoiced putting her hoof under Aeon's right hand.
He looked at the others.
"Where's Rarity?" He asked.
"She took in quite a bit of trauma and the doctor said she maybe in a coma for a week maybe a little longer," Twilight explained to him.
"Damn it," He said trying not to yell since it would hurt," I'm going to find away to stop that Night Stalker."
"But right now is not the time Aeon you need to recover from your wounds," Twilight addressed," And you know that thing is too strong and if you fight it again, it'll probably put you in worst shape or even worse... die."
Aeon didn't say anything and moved his head back sighing," I know," He responded.
"We should go see Rarity," Applejack said.
"Yeah lets go," Twilight responded.
Twilight and the others left the room to go to Rarity's, Shoeshine stayed with Aeon. She laid her head on his chest.
"Huuuu, oh what am I going to do about you?" She said in a relieved tone.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You're just so reckless, but can you promise me one thing... Aeon," She said softly.
"What is it?" He asked.
"That you won't try and fight that thing."
" I don't know if I can completely promise you that," He avowed.
***
A week has passed and Aeon was able to get checked out since he was in a more stable condition. His wounds still hurt and the stab wound was almost completely sealed up, though his broken arm won't be fully healed for awhile. He walked out of the hospital with Shoeshine heading back to her place.
While at Shoeshine's he wasn't able to do much because she wouldn't let him. So he mostly walked around the shop doing little things.
"I'm going to head out Aeon, you think you'll be fine by yourself?" She asked him.
"Yeeesss," He answered.
"Okay," She closed the door, heading out into town.
Aeon just walked around looking at the shelves fixing the horseshoes. A few minutes passed by and Cranky Doodle walked in.
"What are you here to do chew me out?" He snarled," Cause I get enough of that from everyone else."
"No, I'm here here to talk," He responded.
"And about what!" He bellowed," If you've got something to say, then say it you jackass."
"Fine it's just many of the ponies in Ponyville think that you're a big part of these recent events."
"No, that's what you think because ever since I've made my place here you've been trying to take me out," He hissed.
"Look I'm trying not to get you angry, but with these weird events going on has every pony scared to death."
"And yet you jump to jump to conclusions! That oh, if we banish the big ugly lizard all our troubles will go away," He mocked Cranky Doodle..
"And how can you prove that because when you came here those vile gargoyles came with you! " Cranky accused Aeon.
"Get out my sight," Aeon threatened, walking up in arms reach of Cranky Doodle.
"Why did you even come to Equestria in the first place? you know don't belong here and yet you stay."
"I said get out of my sight," He threatened again, looking at Cranky Doodle with eyes enthralled with rage.
"I know you're hiding something and I think whatever is killing those ponies has something to do with what you're hiding."
"It has to do nothing with that."
"Are you sure lizard? Because when I look in your eyes I see a killer and monster," He accused Aeon.
"What did you say to me!" He roared grabbing Cranky Doodle by the neck, lifting him up and slamming him into a wall.
"You see you're no different from a monster," Choking under his breath.
"I'll kill you right here, right now," He growled.
"Go on then do it or are you just talk?" He sneered.
"You're just talk and you're in my way!" His pupils began to constrict as he was looking at Cranky Doodle, his breathing heavy and his teeth closed on each other.
"You don't think I know what you've done," A lie he told with Aeon's grasp becoming tighter crushing his throat.
"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" He growled wanting to crush Cranky Doodle's throat. The color in his eyes began fading into a darker color.
Kill him, A voice began echoing through Aeon's ears, Make him suffer, The voice was haunting and controlling, grasping Aeon tightly, Paint the walls with his blood.
Aeon dropped Cranky Doodle to the floor, grabbing his head with his still moving arm.
Cranky Doodle got up and stormed towards the door, but before leaving he said," I will find a way to get you out of Ponyville, even if it causes my own death I will find away to get you out of here lizard, because you don't belong here."
Aeon said nothing and just stood there grabbing his head, for it hurt to even think right now. His eyes were back to normal and full of fear and confusion wondering what that voice was in his head.
Shoeshine waltzed in back from where she was still as care free as ever. Aeon had let go of his head making it look like he was fine.
"Did Cranky Doodle come in? Cause I just saw him passing by," She asked.
"Yes," He grumbled.
"For what?"
"To talk."
She turned to Aeon seeing that he was angry about something, she moved herself away from her desk and towards Aeon," What's wrong Aeon?"
"Nothing."
"You're a bad liar, I can see something's got you irritated, just talk to me don't try and push me away."
"Well it seems that the great and wise Cranky Doodle likes to stick his ass in places where it doesn't need to be, thinking that I am the cause for these recent events," He ranted.
"Why?"
"I don't know to be honest with you Shoeshine," He said rubbing his eyes.
"Aeon you've done nothing wrong and I know you're not the cause of these events."
"How do you know Shoeshine? You don't know nor do I because maybe it was I that caused this."
"Now don't start talking like that you know as well as I do you've had nothing to do with these events."
Aeon sighed turning his head opposite of her direction," What if that thing was something I've been trying to forget, something I've been trying to let go but haunts me till this very day?"
"And if it is than all you can do is live with it or face it," She smiled at him and he turned. She went to work and Aeon walked up stairs to the bedroom and laid down for a while.
It was the middle of the night and Aeon woke up, lifting himself up like a dead man rising from the grave. He walked down stairs, walking light on his feet so Shoeshine wouldn't wake up. He left the house headed towards Twilight's place.
After a few minutes of walking he made it to Twilight's house, looking up he saw the lights were off in the windows. He knocked on the door waiting for her to come open it. After a couple minutes she opened it still half asleep.
"Uuhhh, who is it? It's late you know," She even sounded half asleep answering the door.
"Twilight I need to ask you a favor," Aeon said.
"Can't we do it in the morning?"
"No, I wish I could but I need it done now."
"Well what is it?"
"Can you heal my arm?"
Twilight became fully awake when he said that," What! Why?"
"Just because."
"Because isn't a clear answer."
Aeon exhaled from his nose," Because I want to put an end to that monstrosity."
"When I heard it talk to you it said something about sins of the past, do you think it has to do something with you?" She asked
"I don't know," He uttered.
"Are you sure? Because it said the same as you."
"I don't know."
"And it looked a lot like you an..."
"God damn it! I said I don't know!" He bellowed out in frustration and anger.
Twilight gasped, jumping from his roaring voice.
"I just don't know Twilight, I swear."
"I'm sorry but I can't help you because your intentions are too dangerous Aeon."
He exhaled," Fine."
He walked away from Twilight heated. Heading back to Shoeshine's house, he stopped at a window looking at his reflection. He looked at his broken left arm taking the sling and cast off, Staring at it he saw his arm was bent backwards at the joint. He backed up to the wall of the building behind him and sat down, grabbing his wrist he quickly snapped his arm folding it back.
A loud crack came from his arm as he moved the dislocated bones back into place. Aeon screamed loudly in pain feeling the unbearable serge from the snap. Panting he looked at his left hand watching his fingers move; the pain quickly faded away and Aeon could almost bend his arm fully but not with out it still hurting.
Astonished that it worked he went home and constructed two war axes to battle the Night Stalker the next night.