The Name's Shadow, Shadow Eternal...

by EternalShadow54

A Hospital Visit...

Time really had escaped the two, the sky pitch black with only the moon to light the sky, and what little it did in its half crescent state. Regardless, Shadow still had a sense of which way to go, though he was in unknown territory.

"East of camp and West of the unknown, which would be this place." He ponders the direction for a moment. "We go left."

Again she begins to follow blindly, still eager to get wherever it may be that they're going.

Shadow stops to look at the eager mare, her excitement obvious event through the night shroud. "Would you prefer we fly there?"

"YES!" she shouts, leaping into the air.

She was quickly accompanied by her stallion, zipping right past her upwards and now lofting beside her. "Heh, it's about... thirty miles. How about we race?"

"You're probably gonna win given wings size," she points out with a grin. "But why not?"

At the close of her reply, Moon bolts out in front of him.

Shadow, at first, is taken aback, but as soon as he knows at least her average speed, or so he thought, she dashes west, almost out of sight in an instant.

"Catch me if ya can!" she laughs.

Shadow quickly whizzes by Moon, almost spinning her in around in a circle. He looks back at the slightly stunned mare. "Next time, give me a challenge."

"Says the pony with the smaller wings,” she retorts, flapping as quickly as her large wings will allow.

Despite her efforts, Shadow is still able to maintain a decent lead, just out of her reach. Even with her best abilities to pass him, the stallion seemed to just be gliding along with ease.

"What's wrong? Can't keep up?"

"My strength lies in power, not speed weakling," she growls jokingly.

"Hardy har har..." Shadow says, lazing backwards and looking at the determined mare. "We'll be there in about another twenty minutes..."

She continues while flying past him, "Turtles and rabbits."

"Meh..." Shadow actually starts flapping his wings, one swoop putting him a few hooves in front of her.

"Whatever..."

"So tell me," she begins. "What is it that you like? Surely it isn't flying."

"What I like? What do you mean?" Shadow asks, a slight bit confused by the origin of the question.

"Well, I like cats, animals, ruins, flying, the night, that cave, drawing, and what not."

"Oh..." Shadow states, looking up to ponder a moment, yet never letting up on speed. "Open fields, normality, cake, sharp objects..."

"Normality?" she chuckles. "I suppose opposites attract huh?"

"More so than I would have ever thought." he chuckles.

---

Haze stirs under his covers. Her voice. Vexnis' s sweet voice. It continued to ring well within his mind. Charming. Alluring. He wanted... NO!

The young colt bolts upright. Why? Why couldn't he quit thinking about her? She had become a deity to him, but he didn't want that. So why?

Climbing out of bed, he jumps out the window and onto the grass outside, where he gazes up at the stars. An endless sparkling ocean into which one could drown, yet live. It was an eternal sea of glistening jewels that dazzled its on lookers. Simply beautiful. Ever moving in a sense. So unlike what you'd picture the Void to look like.

"Haze..." a soft voice whispers in the distance behind the colt. It was his sister, Shade. "What are you doing?"

"None of your business," he snorts.

"You're my brother Haze. Everything you do is my business." she replies. "Do you want to anger momma and daddy more? We should get back inside before Rain or Luna sees us."

"I don't give a buck who sees me!" he lashes.

"W-why are you yelling at me..." Shade shies away, slightly choking in her statement. "I-I didn't do nothing to you..."

"Because you're stupid," he growls turning and facing the other direction.

She sort of whimpers away, hanging her head low. "I-I'm sorry I'm stupid, but please don't be angry..."

The colt gnashed his teeth and turns around to face her, charging blindly and ramming her side, sending her flying.

The filly lands with a hard thud on the ground, the impact instantly bruising her side. Shade doesn't move, the impact taking a lot of strength out the young pony just by one hit. After a moment though, she is able to stand back up, forehooves wobbly and breaths shaky.

"Owww..." the filly moaned, holding her ribs.

Enraged, he rams her again.

Once more, the filly, his only sister, lands on the hard dirt, lightly patched by grass with another solid thud. This time however, she was coughing blood, and she didn't stand back up. The impacts had probably broken a rib or three, possibly puncturing something internally which had caused the blood. Shade was laying there in complete helplessness in front of her brother, still enraged.

"Haze..." The sudden clarity of her voice at first surprised him, but he realized she was speaking telepathically. "Please calm down..." Her voice was so calm, so even that it was almost like SHE was sorry.

‘Pity? Heh heh heh. She wanted his pity?’

He lunges once more, the thrill of having power surging through his veins, but lands face first into a large leg.

The deranged colt looks up in shock.

"Rain?" he mutters distantly.

"Luna," the stallion engages his mate, who stands behind him. "Take her to the hospital as quickly as you can."

Haze watches wide-eyed as Luna carefully picks up the filly and flies off, leaving the two.

Rain glares at the colt and snatches him up, minding his fangs, and carries the shaking foal inside. He sets down the terrified child on the couch and stares him down.

"Explain. NOW!"

---

Moon freezes midflight.

"Shadow?"

The stallion almost didn't hear her. They were literally only a minute or two away from the fields. "Yes? What is it?"

"Something's wrong," she nearly whispers. The mare instantly turns a one-eighty degree spin and begins bolting home at a speed much faster than before.

The pegasus flashes in her path, halting her. "WHAO! Chill out Moon. What's the matter?"

She shoves him out of the way and continues faster this time.

Once mire, Shadow blots in her path. This time he staying just enough to the side to slow her down a bit, but to still allow continuation.

"You want to get where ever it is you're going faster? Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know," she growls. "But I NEED to get to my babies NOW!"

Shadow stops, the mare out of sight almost instantly. His nerves tense up once again.

"I just know I'm gonna regret heading back home now..." he sighs.

---

Shade looks up to the darker mare carrying her, a little bit of red liquid still coming from her mouth. "L-Luna?" she barely manages to mutter.

"Stay quiet, Shade," she whispers. "We're almost to the hospital."

"Where's Haze?" the filly questions. "He's not still angry... Is he?"

"Haze is fine, young one," she responds as they land before the hospital. "Don't worry about him."

"Sometimes... I just can't help it..." she whispers just low enough to where Luna doesn't hear.

---

Moon rushes through the door and barks at Rain, "What happened?"

Shadow slowly trots in behind her. "Please tell Moon nothing is wrong."

"Contrarily," Rain states calmly. "Something is, BUT you must not get too excited or make any move until I've explained."

Shadow suddenly gets serious. "What happened?"

"Haze attacked Shade, and injured her pretty badly," he informs. "Luna to--"

"SHADE!" Moon screams before she bolts out the door.

Haze cringes as he shrinks back on the couch at his mother's shriek.

The grey pegasus didn't move. He almost couldn't believe it.

"Rain. Tell Joyce I'll be at the hospital. More importantly, tell her to speak with Haze. She'll know what to say." Shadow sounded so calm as he stepped out that door. He figured Moon already there, but he wasn't in any rush to see his daughter bedbound.

"Joyce!" Rain calls.

The mare comes down from the stairs, hair a complete mess. "Well, I WAS sleeping." she growls. "What do you want Rain?"

"Shadow wants me to tell you that Haze almost killed Shade, but he didn't exactly give me the opportunity to explain," he snorts. It was just like him to go off on such things.

"Wow, you ponies really take everything with the upmost calmness huh?" she snickers. "Seems a lot like father like son. Kinda funny actually. The kid must want to grow up just like his dad. Making all the wrong choices and killing the ones he loves."

"Hardly," Rain retorts. "The child's genetic code is close to Voidling. He can't help but get agitated apart from the realm in which his Queen resides."

"Heh, good luck with telling Shadow that." she chuckles. "I'm heading back to bed. Try not to hurt anypony else, alright Haze? I'd hate to see Shadow bust another fuse like I heard he did." The mare goes back up the stairs, a loud slam heard by the two below.

---

"Where's my daughter?" Moon shouts in the royal Canterlot voice at the desk clerk.

"Uh," the nurse fidgets as she searches for the information helplessly.

Shadow slowly approaches from behind, calm as ever.

"WERE IS SHE!?"

"Uh, um. R-room 404"

Moon snatches up her slow poke husband ad dashes for the designated floor and room.

They finally reach the door to the room after a minute or two. Shadow stops before heading in. "Go on, just give me a few seconds."

She nods as she enters to see her little filly asleep in the bed, Luna by her side.

"Is she okay?” Moon tries to keep her panicked voice low.

"Three broken ribs, plus several scrapes and bruises," replies the other.

"Shade?" Moon whispers, laying her head next to the sleeping foal. "Haze snapped. I'm sorry it had to be with you..."

---

Shadow was sitting outside the room Shade was staying in. He didn't want to enter and see her. To him, it'd only make matters worse. There he sat, the faint glow of morning barely breaking through the windows of the hospital. Moon hadn't exited to room since she entered, and the only one who did leave was Luna on occasion. The once great alicorn ruler trotted by him once more out of the room.

"Tired?" she questions more out of concern than out of plain meanness.

"More so than you'll ever know Luna." he remarks, sighing.

"I see," she huffs a little and sits beside him, checking the clock for the time. "Moon hasn't raised the sun yet?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure how all that fancy raising of the sun and moon works or how she does it. I'm guessing from your statement though that it must be about that time?"

"To tell the truth, it's not necessary," she laughs. "It was only to keep subjects loyal, except in my case. Nightmare was going to seal Equestria in the Void; in eternal night."

"Still," she gruffs. "You should go and pretend to do it anyway. It'll earn you some respect, since you are not, nor have you been an alicorn or unicorn."

“I don’t need their respect…”

"No, but it helps."

"Please, if you would, just leave me to my thoughts. I have too much on my mind to worry about such petty things. If it's important to you, knock yourself out."

"That is no longer my place," she says before returning inside.

Shadow sighs once more, placing his face into his hooves. "Heh, my own son is a psychopath, we still have Bloodfang to worry about, and this new Vexnis, or whatever her name is, is currently tormenting my child's mind." He looks up to the ceiling. "I wonder when it'll all be over and I can finally rest easy. Heh, maybe the day I die... Though it's still a day I don't look forward to..."

Moon walks out of the room with her head low, growling.

"Cheery as ever I see." Shadow jokes half-heartedly.

She sneers at him, "I need sleep and I need Vexnis DEAD!"

"Wonderful. Killing family members seems to be my specialty anyway." Shadow again jokes lightly. "How's Shade?"

"She wants you."

"Figures. I can only image what's going through her mind. She probably thinks I don't care about her since I didn't ever go in before."

"I don't think so," she replies with a slight smile. "Now's the time to talk."

"I said I'd talk to BOTH Haze and Shade. Not just one then the other, but I guess it can't be helped." He stands up, a little wobble legged from sitting there so long. "But what do I say?"

"What do you feel?"

"I feel sick to my stomach is what I feel Moon." Shadow states with a frown. "I don't want to see her in a crippled state."

"She'll heal," Moon attempts o lighten the mood. "She is part Voidling."

"I never doubted that. I just... I don't know." Shadow sits back down on the bench. "It just seems that no matter what I do, nothing turns out right." He turns to Moon. "Am I a bad pony?"

"No," she soothes. "No. You're just living with a herd of bad ponies. Everything will be fine when Bloodfang is a child, then Vexnis will have no alternative but to retreat within the Void. Her connection with this realm is what’s causing Haze to flip out."

She smiles sadly.

"I would've been the same had not Rain became abusive."

"As much as I want to believe that it will all be alright, I still can't help but doubt." Shadow was still sick to the very core of his gut. Strange it lingered so, but it must be because he was nervous. "You really think she doesn't think that bad of me for staying out here the whole time?"

"When she asked, I told her that you were still afraid she didn't love you anymore," Moon informs. "Now she wants to see you."

Shadow stands up once more, this time he was fighting the pain in his gut. "Alright, I guess you talked me into it." A sharp sting causes him to grab his side, causing the stallion to his knees. "Agh!"

"Shadow?!" Moon jumps.

"It's nothing. Just... a little stomach trouble is all..." He is hit with another wave of pain, head now propping his arched body and holding his gut. "Okay, it might be a bit more..."

"Doctor!" Moon shouts. "Somepony!"

"Never around when you need 'em eh?" he chokes out, now on his side. "What do ya- Agh!" he grunts. "What do ya suppose is happening? Aren't I supposed to heal and be immune!?"

"N-not if you're sick," she stammers, stepping back. "Once a sickness has been contracted, even a small one, it can be highly fatal to us."

"Oh great! More information I was never informed about!" He grunts out another groan of anguish. "Go find somepony NOW!"

Moon rushes about until she finds a doctor, whom she drags back to Shadow without explanation.

"FIX HIM!"

"Hun, GAH! I think it's a bit more complicated than that." Shadow remarks.

"Now where does it hurt?" the doctor asks.

"WHERE DOES IT LOOK LIKE!" Shadow roars back, clinching even harder. "DO SOMETHING!"

"OK! Just... be calm until I can figure out exactly what IS wrong with you."

"DO IT FASTER!"

"Moon was it? Go and find me a nurse or two. We are gonna need to get him into a room stat."

Moon obeys blindly, snatching up several ponies in the nurse uniform and carting the off after the doctor. Fear was swimming within her as she prayed that her husband would live. At this point, it would be dangerous for her to even get near Shadow, who seems to be in more pain than is normal. No. He can't leave her here. No. No. Then Vexnis would take Luna, and Nightrain would......

"You, I need you to run and fill out the paperwork and you, help me get him into a room." The two nurses did as they were commanded. "Now all I need is your consent to do whatever might be necessary Shadow." The grey pegasus brought a hoof up and grabs the doctors coat.

"DO WHATEVER YOU NEED OR I'LL HURT YOU!"

Moon trots in place from several yards away as she watches the scene.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!"

"MOON! TELL SHADE I CAME DOWN WITH A TUMMY ACHE! DON'T LET HER WORRY MORE THAN SHE HAS TO!" Shadow roars through his pain. "AGH! DOC! HURRY THE BUCK UP!"

Hesitantly, Moon takes a step away then looks back nervously before continuing. This pony had brought her back to her old self, how could she abandon him again? How could she sit back and let him die again? If he did pass on, there would be no bringing him back this time, no matter the payment offered.

"S-Shade," she manages with a half-hearted smile whilst entering the room. "Daddy got a tummy ache and had to go lie down. He'll be better in a few hours."

"Your mind tells me otherwise mommy." Shade remarks, the barely distinctable glow from her horn disappearing. "Daddy was screaming pretty loud. Is he alright?"

Moon had been a bit careless. She had forgotten her daughter's ability to connect to others minds, but more yet that she could do so discreetly.

"Somepony was taking too long in the stall and he really had to go," she tries.

Shade looks over to Luna and frowns. "It's not nice to lie mommy..."

"Just rest," she huffs impatiently. "Or I won't let daddy in to see you."

Again, Moon fails to notice the extremely faint glow of her horn. "He's sick." Shade cocks her head to the side a bit, a little confused. "If daddy is sick, then why are you in here? Shouldn't you be with daddy?"

"He wanted me to come tell you his tummy hurts."

That much wasn't a lie.

"Are you going to go see him now that you've told me?"

"The doctor's taking care of him right now. I'll see him when he's better."

"Shouldn't you go tell Mrs. Rain and Haze? Don't forget about Ms. Joyce either."

"Mrs. Rain?" she repeats. "Err, no. They're probably sleeping. Besides, there's no need to worry them over nothing."

"It's not nothing or you wouldn't have lied momma."

"You really should rest so you can get better, dear" Luna tries to help.

"Fine, I'll leave the matter be." Shade pouts, turning her head away to get comfortable enough to try and nap.

Sighing with some relief, Moon walks back out and plots herself down near Shadow's room. He wouldn't die. He couldn't. This wasn't the way it was supposed to end. Not like this.

"No," she whispers with a tear rolling down her cheek. "Shadow..."

A few more loud screams were heard from inside Shadow's room before the doctor came flying out, landing on his face.

Standing back up and brushing himself off, he mutters a few inaudible phrases before heading back in.

He was stopped by Moon.

"Is he okay?" she asks with concern.

"Define okay. I can't tell for myself because he keeps lashing out in pain and knocking us every which way. We can't hold him down long enough to even sedate him." the doctor explains. "Say... YOU might could hold him down."

Uncertain, Moon enters and stands next to her thrashing husband.

"Shadow?"

"GAH! WHAT!" Shadow screams, still throwing his hooves in every direction. "ACK!" A nurse came up from behind and tried to hold him back, but failed miserably as she was thrown across the room.

"Shadow! If you would just calm down for a second, we could give you a sedative and you'd feel A LOT better." the doctor tries to say in a last attempt to calm him down before having to ask Moon to restrain him. It failed.

"Moon, please control your husband so we can do our job."

"Shadow, lie still so they can help you!" she flares, a blue aura surrounding the stallion, pinning him down.

The stallion struggles against the aura with all his might, but to no avail. He literally couldn't move a muscle. The pain wasn't gone however, and with every second he laid stretched and pinned, the hurt intensified.

"LET- GAH! ME GO! ACK! MOON! AGH! THE PAIN'S KILLING ME!" he bellows, the rest of the faculty shocked and stunned with fear to move near him.

"You! Get that sedative in him quickly!" the doctor orders, taking the little window of chance he got.

Moon strains to hold her aura until the nurse injects the needle, allowing the large mare release.

"AH! THAT... That... that hurt..." BAM. Shadow was out cold in seconds.

"Nurse, how much did you give him?" the doctor asks.

"Just enough to make him numb to ALL physical forms of pain. You could literally throw him out the window and he wouldn't wake up."

"Hmmm... quite." The medical expert walked over to the large mare. "You can stay if you want. We'll be back periodically to check on him."

Moon sits in a chair by the window. Desperately did she long to sit by her stallion's side, but doing so would be foolish. Still, to not seemed so wrong. Why? Why did things have to turn like this?

A few hours passed before Shadow awoke, vision blurry and a faint throbbing in his side. "Owwww... my head...and my stomach..."

"Shadow?"

Moon blinks into the consciousness from which she had drifted.

"Shadow?" she repeats. "You okay, honey? I had this awful dream tha---"

Frantically, she snaps her gaze around.

"Shadow!?"

"Third times the charm eh?" he chuckles softly. "As for being okay? Well, I'm about as good as I look so... Yea..."

"I mean, are you any better," she aims for a snort, but comes off weak sounding.

"I wouldn't be able to tell if you were poking me with a red hot iron at the moment. I can barely move my hooves, much less feel. I'm guessing not so much as I can still feel a faint throbbing in my side. Guess I have something to look forward to in an hour or so." Shadow was staring at the ceiling the whole time. "Heh, I'm pathetic."

"No, you're sick," she retorts. "I'm by far, worse than you."

"No, you're caring. I'm pathetic. I've always been pathetic. There's no denying it Moon." Shadow jokes. If anything, he had to keep her spirits up. He didn't know even if this was fatal or not, but her constant worrying didn't help the matter.

"Ponies like you," she points out. "I come across as a tightwad."

"Who knew you'd like wads as tight as me eh?" Shadow smirks. The pulsating pain in his side slightly grew. "Hnnng... maybe I need to settle down."

"Yeah," she mutters.

"I'm guessing everypony else had better things to do than come visit me? Not that I care all that much. I mean, at least you're here."

"Rain isn't gonna let Haze outta the house, that'd be risky. As for Luna, she's helping out with Shade."

The pain grew to where Shadow was holding his side again. Applying pressure helped, but only to such an extent. "Heh, if the sickness itself doesn't kill me, the pain will." he scoffs humorously to himself. "I gotta say, whatever it is I have, I don't know where I got it from."

"Don't say that!" she snarls violently at the mention of his demise.

"Say what? That I'm possibly dying? We both know that's what is probably happening to me as we speak." Shadow just snickers a bit. "Heh. If the worst does come to happen, I'll be sure to tell your mom hi for ya." he says with a smile.

Failing to hold back her tears, Moon rushes out of the room and down to hall. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she figured she'd collapse somewhere anyway.

"At least now she won't have to see me in agony." Shadow chuckles still clutching his side. "GAH! I doubt I die, but this fight seems a tad bit one-sided to me. I won't give up, not yet at least." Again, the pain seared through him. "ACK! NURSE!"

Quickly, a nurse bashes through the door hollering, "I need more pain killer! He's awake!"

"DAMN RIGHT I'M AWAKE!" he roars. "GAAAAH!"

Moonshadow eventually comes to a halt at the edge of town. He didn't care. He only made jokes. How could he not see the seriousness of the situation? She collapses on the spot, her own will to live slowly fading. If Shadow were to go on, so would she.

Joyce was making her visit into town that day, but something caught her eye. It was Moon, lying on the ground and crying. She steps over to the larger mare.

"Hey Moon, what's wrong? Was what happened to Shade much more serious than we thought?"

"S-Shadow," she hiccups. "Might.... die..."

"Jeez, I didn't think the visit to his daughter would be THAT traumatising." Joyce groans. "He'll come around, I'm sure."

Rain flies up, carrying the three foals on his back.

"Moon?"

"Shadow's d-dying."

Showing some concern, he darts for the hospiutal, minding the three kids. Setting them down in Shade's room, he scurries to where Shadow is being kept.

The door flings open, Shadow again so drugged up he could hardly move. "Oh, hey Rain. How's it been going for ya?" Shadow asks, unable to turn his head.

"What happened?" he asks, trotting over and lightly placing a hoof on the stallions forhead. "You sick?"

"Nope, I just love hospital beds my friend." he chuckles before grabbing, or attempting to grap, his side. "AGH! Say, is Moon alright? I didn't want her to see me like this prolonged, so I kinda had to get her to leave my way."

"She crying in the street," he restrains a snarl. "Looked pretty depressed."

"I wish she wouldn't worry so much about me. I mean, I'll be alright... Right Rain?"

"Moon's concerned, so...."

"I know she's concerned. That's not what I asked though." The pain suddenly halted, it vanished from his gut. "Wait... hold on a second..." Next thing he knew, he head almost exploded with sheer anguish. It was like a grenade just exploded in his mind.

"AH! BUCK!" It was so intense that he was moving frantically while still drugged.

"They've been giving you medication haven't they?" he sighs while baracadig the door.

Though his head felt like it was splitting open, he was able to manage calmness, or so what it seemed to him. "Yes... t-they have..."

Rain's eyes narrow.

"Think hard, I'll only give you one chance," he warns. "Do you want to live?"

"What kind of question is that!" Shadow inquired rudely, though that really didn't assist towards getting help himself.

"One that you must answer," he states flatly. "The death of immortals is dealt with in this manner in the presence of an immortal of my kind. Choose your fate: life or death?"

Shadow even surprised himself when he stopped to think about his answer, though the headache didn't make it easy. On one hoof, he could live on and try to sort everything out, try to get things to normal again, as far as that goes. On the other, it could all finally be over. Regardless of where he'd end up, he'd have no recollection of his life here. No memory of all the painful moments in his life and all HIS problems would be over.

He began to rub his temples. "Rain... Fetch Moon and the rest..." He had made his decision.

Rain calmly goes and brings everypony back, including Shade. Moon was no longer crying, but wore the look of apathy she had upon their first encounter.

Shadow had his right hoof laid upon his forehead, still surpressing the pain. He turned to look at everypony, but the one Moon gave almost sunk his heart.

"I'll be quick everypony." Shadow beckons his children first. The two foals were sitting on the bed's edge. "First one I have things I need to say is Haze." He turned to the colt.

"Listen son. You can't... you can't go off hating without reason. Even with so, it gets you nowhere. Take it from one who knows." Shadow quickly looked over to Shade. "And you, don't ever abuse your powers. Understood?" The filly barely nods her head, holding back a few emotions. He turned back to Haze. "And you?"

Haze only sneers at his father.

"Fair enough. I didn't expect your opinion to change." Sighing, he let the two go off. Next was Joyce.

"It's about time you got your due Shadow." she chuckles. "And from the looks in this room, you won't be missed."

"Irony is a word that can't describe what's happening." Shadow responds, waving her off. The main pony he was getting around to was Moon, and it was finally her turn, though her expression hadn't changed.

She stares at him in wait.

"Heh, What a way to see a loved one off huh? Silence." He rolled his neck upward and stared. "You're the last I am going to speak to, say this be our last meeting. I won't give you a large speech, nor a sappy excuse to my decision. I only need to know one thing Moon, and this question is the most important I've ever asked at this time in this moment." Shadow turns back to face her.

"How much do you love me?"

"I went through Hell for you," she responds. "I chose you over Rain. I bore your children. I lost my utter immortality for you."

She approaches his bedside, tone and facial expression unchanged save for the tears in her eyes, "And if you wish for death, then I love you enough to let you go."

"Dear Moon... You should know me better than that." Shadow whispers. "I'm happy when you're happy, and I'm glad when you're glad. I'm angry when you're angry, and sad when you're sad." The pegasus turned to Rain. "Which is why I can't let you cry those tears over me."

Rain signals the others to leave before he pounces on the pony and tears open Shadow's chest. As the agonized immortal is paralyzed from the pain, he places a hoof on the pulsing heart within, causing a bright white glow around the smaller stallion.

---

The flash went away. At first, he couldn't feel nor see anything, but after a few moments, he noticed the large body of Rain on top on him, unconscious. He pushed the stallion off. Still, he couldn't see.

He was somewhat scared now. What exactly was going on? Suddenly, to his left, another flash appeared. When the light vanished, there stood two ponies, one a stallion and one a mare. He didn't quite recognize them. The mare was a pale grey, just like him and the stallion's mane was of white and black, also like him.

"Shadow?" the mare spoke. "It's me. Your mother." Shadow's eyes widened. She looked nothing like his 'mom'.

"Y-you're not mom. Who are you?"

"Honey, I'm your REAL mother..."

"We've come to guide you home," the stallion states with a smile.

"H-home?" Shadow questions, stammering a bit. "W-what do you mean by home?"

"To Heaven," he laughs lightly. "To a place of peace and harmony. So unlike that world from which you depart."

"But... I... I wasn't ready to die. I thought I made that point clear to Rain with what I said to Moon..."

"Rain," he hisses while stalking backwards into a sort of concealment.

"Don't speak of his name child, now come with us." the mare who said she was his mother spoke, grabbing his forehoof and tugging towards the shadow his 'father' resided.

The pegasus yanks his hoof away. "Why shouldn't I?"

"He is the one who cheats death," growls the stallion. "The one who does not not allow the dead to come home."

"But that isn't my home! My home is here in Equestria with Moon and my children." Shadow remarks, stepping back from the two.

"Come on dear. We don't want to have to force you." the mare said with a frown. "We've been waiting a long time to see our little colt again."

"Yes, son," a cackle arises as darkness begins to envelope them. "CoME hOmE wiTH uS."

"W-what is this? Y-you're... you're not from Heaven..." Shadow cringes, backing up even more.

"CoMe NoW sOn, CoMe WiTh YoUr PaReNtS..." the mare says behind the dark cloud. "We LoVe YoU..."

"N-no, stay back!" Shadow screams. "Keep away from me you... you monsters!"

The shade of Shadow's 'father' lurches forth with fangs like knives, ready to clamp on and drag him into the dark hole.

Just as the stallion reaches he pegasus, Nightrain appears and forces the creature back.

"Your time is limited, Shadow," he warns. "Make your decision now."

As those last for words pass his lips, the hornless alicorn holds out his glowing yellow hoof to Shadow.

"For the love of everything holy, get me the buck out of here Rain!" Shadow screeches, grasping tightly to the larger hoof.

Smirking, he envelopes himself and the younger in his wing, bringing them back into their unharmed bodies.

Shadow bolted from his bed, Rain off on the side of him and unconscious. "W-where am I!?" The door into the room slightly creeks open.

Moon walks in looking slightly more concerned than before, and then changes into an overjoyed state.

"Shadow!" she blurts out and practically tackles him on the bed. "You're alive!"

"I- I am, aren't I!?" Shadow remarks, almost as happy if not more than her.

Both foals come in next, Shade with a gleeful expression, and Haze with a scornful one.

"Daddy!" Shade exclaims, crashing into her father. "Please don't scare me like that again..."

"Don't worry, I won't."

Haze growls and sits next to the bed facing away.

Shadow set shade down and stepped towards Haze, sitting beside the colt. "Hey, do you have a problem with me?"

He doesn't answer, only turns his back.

Moon ushers everypony out of the room, struggling to carry the unconscious Rain on her back.

"What? You don't think I'm worthy of being called your father or something? Come on son. How can I fix the problem if you don't tell me what it is?"

"You can't fix it unless you can make me a normal pony," he spits.

"Normal? Son, I'm afriad that can't happen. As much as you and I BOTH would like for things to be that way, it just isn't. You're just going to have to accept that like I did many years ago."

"Did you have HER in your head?!" he whirls around into a defensive stance. "Did she call to you like she does me? Do you have a body that regenerates lost limbs with this black ooze? Can she force hatred to take control of you? CAN SHE?!"

Shadow jumps off the bed, his face now a glare. "Can you not control yourself!? Can you not break away from her grasp!?" He was advancing a little step every time, cornering his colt. "Do you wish to be a servant unto one you hate!? The way I'm seeing it Haze, you're the spitting image of me and my younger self! Arrogant, self-pitied, and selfish of your own problems!" He was basically looking down over Haze.

"If I remember correctly, you DON'T want to be like me! If this be true, THEN GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!"

Wide-eyed he stares up at his father. He wanted to cry, but that wasn't what colts do. No, stallions. They didn't take nothin from no pony.

"You have a hold of yourself," he shakily barks back.

"If I could get a hold of myself, I wouldn't be yelling at my only son!" Shadow retorts back. "Normal? Not gonna happen! Sanity? Not gonna happen! Your continued rebellious attitude? NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Get that through your head!"

He shrinks back onto the floor.

"I just want her out," he whimpers with his head burrowed down in his hooves.

Shadow's head hangs toward the floor. "Really sounds like something Rain or Moon could help you with if you'd just ask son."

"I asked," he sniffs, trying to suppress his emotion. "Rain said that once he had Bloodfang, she would leave. But I still wouldn't have a leader. Mama has Rain, and the Voidlings has Grandma."

"So what you're telling me is that it's absolutely required that somepony lead you?"

"We of the Void need somepony to fill the spot of king or queen whether or not they command us."

"Sounds like all you need is somepony to look up to." Shadow states. "Tell me, ever considered this stallion right here talking to ya?" He chuckles lightly to himself. "I mean, I might not be the best, BUT it's something if anything, or until you find somepony else better."

He peeks through his onyx mane at his father.

"But I'm bound to her until she closes the Void from Equestria," he states. "Besides, I thought you didn't care about this disgrace of a son."

"If anything, I'm a disgrace Haze. Why do you think I try to teach you these things I do? Or tell you the things I tell you? I'm trying to tell you how to NOT make the same mistakes I made."

Haze stands up and burrows his face into Shadow's leg.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"It's alright Haze. You're a colt, and don't think less of yourself as such. If I could go back and be a kid again..." The door creaks open a bit.

"C'mon guys," Moon calls as she sticks her head in. "Time to head back home."

"We'll be right out..." Shadow replies. "Here, I'll carry you." The stallion sets the colt on his back and steps out the door among the group.

Moon has Shade upon her own back, while Luna and Rain carry their own as well. As the eight of them begin to depart, Moon gazes back at Joyce.

"You know, this could be your life now too?"

Joyce just giggles, gaze referring back to Shadow as he trots. "No, I think Shadow has enough to worry about without a constant reminder of his past living with him." The stallion heard the statement, but continues as though he didn't. "Besides, if I ever decide to forgive him, I know where to look."

"Strange how the two of you view things," Moon sighs. "But I will not judge."

At that, she trots off after her husband.

Joyce looks up to the ceiling. "Huh... guess I better start looking for work then. I wonder if the old farm is still there..."

Comments

[KartalTheWriter]

Oh wow! I really like that picture!

[EternalShadow54]

1348899 I find it hilarious how you don't even comment on the story, but rather the cover image. When will you read the monster of a story? Imma update again tomorrow.

[EternalShadow54]

1365439 YAY~! You finally commented!

Those errors, I'll find at a later time. Promise.

I love shadow's reactions as well. Eventually he... Well, you'll find out.

Shadow: I think you'll be the first of part two.

[KartalTheWriter]

When Moon scream "FIX HIM" I smiled. That amused me quite a bit.

OH MY GOSH I READ THIS. Let me continue...I want to finish this this weekend. Think I can do it?