//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Adventures of Leon Nexus // by Leonexus //------------------------------// It had started out like any other night, Celestia lowered the sun as Luna raised the moon, and began traveling the dreamscape to ensure that their subjects could sleep peacefully through the night. However, tonight would be anything but peaceful. As Luna wandered a scream suddenly pierced the silence. Luna's ears twitched locating the direction of the scream. She took off through a hall of doors as another scream sounded in the distance. She stopped in front of a door as another scream sounded from within, and just as Luna was about to open the door, it vanished, signaling that the dreamer had awoken. "If only we had been faster, we would've made it on time." She muttered to herself," Very well then, we shall try again tomorrow night." The next night Luna was ready, her senses on high gear to get to the door as soon as possible. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Luna bolted towards scream as fast as possible, scanning the doors she ran by to make sure she didn't pass the one she was looking for. As the second scream sounded off, she turned to face the door and quickly opened it, she was prepared for a young foal's nightmare, she was not prepared for the scene in front of her. The room was dark, lit with only a dim lantern in the center of the room, showing a young foal with a tan coat and messy brown mane, crying with what looked like blood on his hooves, and the bodies of two older ponies. Those must've been his parents., Luna thought, but before she could move towards the young colt to comfort him, a figure came out of the shadows in front of her. All Luna could could make out were the figures light blue eyes, with cat-like pupils, and nothing, but blackness surrounding the irises, before a wave of light-blue energy threw her out of the room. Luna quickly and ran back to the door, only for it to slam on her face. She quickly placed a hoof on the door and concentrated, only for the door to disappear once again. Luna merely stood where the door had once been, deep in thought. Even though the door had disappeared, she had managed to find out where the dreamer was, and that's what was troubling her. "What would anypony be doing in the Everfree Forest?" She wondered aloud. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, in the Everfree Forest, a young unicorn named Leon had just awoken from a terrible nightmare. He shook his head. "Not nightmare, a memory." He corrected himself, "Why do you keep showing me that same memory each night." Oh, it's so fun to watch you squirm, when I show you what we did. A voice answered from inside his head. "No, not we, YOU did that, not me...you took control...you killed them, not me..." He replied anger rising in his voice, all the tears had been shed years ago. Leon looked around his small clearing his gaze stopping at the small fire pit in the middle. He sighed, noticing the flames had almost died, he got up to collect some more firewood. As he searched in the bushes he heard a soft thump come from behind. "Whoever you are, I suggest you leave, the Everfree isn't exactly the safest place, especially at night." He said without turning to face the newcomer. "We are well aware of the dangers here." She replied. "If you know the dangers then why are you here?" He turned around and went still at the sight of the princess before him. "Princess Luna!? What are you doing here?" He questioned "We were about to ask thee that very question." She replied. "I'm camping. Now what's your excuse, your old castle is at least two or three miles away from here." The lunar princess merely looked at him, "We are here, because of thine nightmare." "Little late then aren't you? I'm already awake." "Indeed, but we can tell it still troubles thee, and wish to help." "If you want to help somepony, then help someone that deserves it. That nightmare is my punishment for my past sins, something I'm sure you're familiar with, Nightmare Moon." Luna flinched at the mention of the monster she had become so many years ago, it was a memory that still haunted her, and still would years later. Leon noticed her flinch, and turned to continue collecting wood for the fire. "If we have an understanding, then I'd like you to please leave me alone." He turned back carrying a few sticks in a field of magic, but as he passed by Luna she stopped him with wing. He sighed, "Look princess, I get that you're trying to help, but-" He was cut of as Luna suddenly embraced him in a hug, dropping the sticks in the process, he blushed as she pulled him close. "Thy is correct, we do still suffer the pains from our past, but we have learned that it doesn't have to be a burden carried alone." She released him, "Now, tell us your troubles, so that we may help ease your pain, as our sister has done for us." "Fine." Leon picked up the sticks, quickly throwing them in the fire to keep it burning. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he tried to think of how to begin. Luna sat beside him, waiting patiently for him to begin. Leon looked into the flames as he spoke, looking back into his memories. "It happened about...nine years ago. I lived in a small village, just on the outskirts of Equestria. It was a pleasant place, everypony knew everypony else. I lived there with my parents, but it wasn't just the three of us in that home. He had been around ever since I can remember, always trying to take control, and cause trouble. And one day, He succeeded." Tears started to run down his cheeks, he thought he had done enough of that, he wiped the tears away and continued. "My parents and I had gotten into a fight, I was angry, and He took advantage of that. He took control, and he...killed them!" Leon was truly crying now, but continued on screaming out in frustration and sadness,"HE KILLED THE ONLY PONIES I LOVED, AND JUST TO MAKE IT WORSE, HE LIT THE HOUSE ON FIRE JUST SO THAT I WOULD HAVE NOWHERE TO RETURN TO!" Leon slowly calmed a bit before continuing. "The others in the village had noticed of course...so I ran away. I ended up here in the Everfree, just the place a monster like me deserves to be." His story finished he looked up at Luna, tears still in his eyes, "Now you know why I stay here, to keep Him from ever being able to hurt anypony ever again. So I'll ask you again, will you please leave...it's dangerous here." Luna firmly shook her head, "No, we shall not leave thee here another night." She said firmly. Leon looked at her in shock, "Weren't you listening! I'm dangerous! I could hurt somepony if I leave here!" Luna stood up and looked down at him, "That is why thine will stay with us at the castle, so that we may help you to maintain control, and still be under supervision in case something does happen." Leon's eyes seemed to shine with a hope he thought was long gone," Can...can you really help me?" Luna smiled, "We shall." She spread her wings wide as she prepared to fly, "Are you ready?" "Um...ready for wha-" He was cut off as Luna began to levitate him. "Whoa" Luna's smile grew as she took off in to the night sky Leon floating alongside her. Suddenly a thought struck her mind. "It occurs to us that we did not even ask thy name." Luna said With a grin on his face and hope in his heart he answered, "My name is Leon, Leon Nexus." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That was four years ago, Leon , now 19, stood at the edge of a small town called Ponyville. Luna had told him it was time for his final test, he was here to study with Twilight about possible ways to get rid of Him, and also to make friends, for he knew he would not be able to do this alone. So he took a deep breath, and took his first step into the next chapter of his life.