//------------------------------// // Aeon's Nightmares // Story: Eons of Change // by Treestump of the nlr //------------------------------// One night, in the long halls of Canterlot orphanage, one young Pegasus colt with his stark black coat, wings tipped deep purple, purple eyes and mane deep blue, paced slowly in the lonely room he was housed in the week before. Though he loved the night, he dreaded going to sleep for the nightmares seemed to only grow worse as time went on. He had been an orphan for as long as he could remember, and tomorrow would be his eleventh birthday. He was transferred for a reason, the fillydelphia orphanage had become overcrowded and with such a dark color scheme and being as short as he was, he didn’t exactly standout to potential adopters. His social worker was likely right in her decision, but, as always, that didn’t make it any easier for him. Aeon stopped pacing as he grew tired, and finally fell hard sleep. Allowing the nightmare creature to return yet again to the young colt’s mind. “Aeon…” a soft voice whispered in to Aeon’s ear, causing a sharp shiver to run down his back. “Aeon honey?” “Y-your back…” he winced “What do you want with me…” “Oh, my dear Aeon, all I want is to help you get what you want.” The voice alliterated “I don’t want this; they’ll die...” As he spoke there was a hint of doubt in his voice, all that the strange voice ever needed. “Oh Aeon, you know those ponies don’t care about you, there is a reason you have no mother or father, your far too weak, why in all Equestria would someone want a colt like you? I can change this all for you in an instant if you let me. Not even those foals Celesta and Luna could beat us.” “no. I don’t want this.” The foal could barely murmur in the presents of his tormentor “Little Aeon, your just so close, all you need to do is open the chest” It sighed impatiently. “I guess I’ll have to let the nightmare come.” It paused “Unless you change your mind, of course” Aeon hesitated; “I don’t want to hurt them…” Aeon’s vision flushed into a school setting, and heard a last soft whisper for the moment in his ear “You asked for it little Aeon.” A stallion teacher in a white suit walked up to Aeon. The foal could feel his legs grow limp. “Your late.” “For what?” Aeon had a feeling he knew the answer. “The class mother’s day party, you were supposed to be here an hour before school normally starts.” The teacher glared at the colt, before somehow gaining a horn, and using it to promptly pick up Aeon by the tip of his tail and drag him to a class room at the end of the hall. The hall had a striking resemblance to the one he had gotten used to in the Canterlot orphanage. Thunder cracked over the steel brimmed door as the teacher dragged him into the classroom and locked the door behind them The students sat as far away from Aeon as possible, whispering about all the things their mothers did for them. The glaring teacher shifted to a mare. “Students, to start our celebration, we’ll call you up one at a time, you need to give the class an example of a time your mother was there for you.” Aeon felt his heart drop to his stomach. “Aeon? Come up here. You’re first.” He gingerly walked up to the front of the classroom and hesitated for a bit, (Getting him some nasty looks from the teacher) “my mom’s never been there for me, she abandoned me in a back ally shortly after my birth…” The teacher laughed, before she, and the class glared dangerously at the little colt. “You must be worthless Aeon, for even your mom to through you away” The class roared in laughter, and Aeon began to feel much smaller than he already was. Aeon dashed towards the door just to remember it was locked. His breathing grew heavy. The door began to creak open to reveal a familiar face, with her gorgeous red and orange mane, brilliant pink eyes, and fur white as Aeon’s was black. It was Ivory. Aeon scored a large grin, and began to attempt to fix up the blue nest he called a mane, and called out, “Ivory! I can’t believe it’s you, Let’s get out of here!” His heart dropped yet again, this time to the very pits of his stomach, as Ivory’s face turned to a terrible glare as well. She gnarled her teeth, “I’m not like you anymore Aeon, I HAVE a father now, and he’s one of the most important ponies in all Equestria, I don’t have time for you anymore.” Aeon started to whimper, unable to keep himself from shedding a few tears, before his old friend grew, and he shrank to the size of a newborn mouse. Ivory put her right hoof forward, and continued on to crush her grieving friend, twisting his lifeless body in to the ground. Aeon’s vision flushed back to the dark area, he was still crying. “Aeon sweet heart, you forced my hand. Oh well, I’ll see you tomorrow I guess.” Aeon’s vision started to blur out. “Wait!” The little colt’s response called back the voice. “Hmm?” Aeon sighed nervously “I-I’ll do it. I’ll open the box” Aeon heard what sounded like a thousand voices snickering in unison. A dimly lit castle formed around them, and the voice took the form of a pony made from shadows. Directly in front of him was a red carpet leading up to a chest. “By Luna’s light, what am I doing?” he muttered, almost inaudibly. “All you need to do is open the chest, walk forward my little foal, and our power is yours” The shadow creature smiled. Following its directions, Aeon walked forward sluggishly, and paused at the box. “DO IT!” the many voices screamed. He held up his hoof, and- “STOP!” Aeon took back his hoof and quickly looked back to where the new voice came from to see a beautiful dark blue alicorn. “P-Princess?” Aeon collapsed on the floor. The princess began to shout, “Nightmare! How dare y...” Aeon blacked out.