The Black Eyes of the Nightmare

It's another bright and sunny day in Equestria. The air is hot and humid, as a the hum of the fan blows on the face of a snoring colt, having a light brown coat and a long, black, spiky mane. The blanket is scattered, only covering one hind leg, until the alarm scares the live out of him. He bounces out of bed and hits his head on the floor, only to be welcomed by the screeching sound of a heavy metal song.

Note to self: Use Boston music next time he thinks, grumbling through the pain. He trots over to his MP3 player and turns it off. It's hooked up to his alarm clock so it plays the music in it. The young colt starts stretching, especially his wings. As he does, he only keeps thinking about going back to bed, but that's one mistake he'll never do again. He shudders at the memory of his father drenching him with a bucket of ice water. Dad, you crazy...

"Storm?" asks a quiet voice. It's coming from the door. The colt heads for it and turns the knob with his hoof. His mother waits for him in the hall, a yellow pegasus, gazing at her son with her teal eyes. She smiles at him and kisses him on the cheek. "Good morning," says Fluttershy.

"Morning, Mom," says Storm, yawning.

It's been eight years since Victor's death. Ever since then, things went very well for his mourning friends. In the first year, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna declared colonization in Vremena. The ponies who were willing to undertake this new challenger were kindly welcomed by the species of that planet, and they coexisted peacefully. Equestria adopted their technological advances, which scales from labor-saving devices to flat-out futuristic tech.

Victor's closest friends, Adam and Nick, lived on with their lives. The Moon Fox dropped them off at their home and said goodbye to them, but it's not forever. They told Victor's family the truth, and as expected, they were devastated, especially his mother. They held a funeral for him, and he was mourned. Adam and Nick hung their gear because returning to their normal life did not require their powers. They still have them, but no dark empire or evil overlord is popping out of nowhere for them to handle. So the two continued with their lives, but once in a while, they'd go visit either Vremena or Equestria, where they can share the happiness with their friends.

Two years after Victor's death, Equestria joined Earth's United Nations, along with some nations in Vremena. The princesses have been questioned of their monarchy, considering how they ruled for millenia, and prompting how they should have a democracy, but Celestia refused. If harmony was maintained so long, then she has no reason to retire the throne. The beings of Vremena, including humans, started to colonize in Equestria. The ponies gave them a warm welcome. mainly for treating their colonists nicely a year ago. Also, the Earth and Equestria started sharing and adopting from each other's cultures.

During that time, Fluttershy met a special somepony. When a certain elegant stallion came to Ponyville, he fell in love with Fluttershy the moment he saw her. The stallion was a unicorn named Arc, having an orange coat and a smooth, semi-short mane. Fluttershy felt the same way about him later, and they got married a year later. It was one of the happiest moments in her life. She had one son, and Arc named him Storm. Fluttershy's husband died two years later from a heart attack, leaving Fluttershy with her beloved son. The rest of the Mane Six also found their special someponies later, but no one expected Fluttershy to be the first.

"So what's for breakfast?" asks Storm.

"Oh, but don't you want to be a surprise?" responds Fluttershy.

"Kay, Mom." Storm trots back to his room. He has his mother's eyes, and the length of her mane. He picks up his saddlebag, collecting the books and papers he has scattered on his deck. He looks out the window when almost done, admiring the beauty of his mother's cottage.

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All the colts and fillies take their seats in the classroom. Class just started. Storm is sitting in the front row, with a belly full of waffles and daffodils. Colts and fillies? Not entirely true. Some of Storm's classmates are Vremenian species. There's been an experimental exchange program running for half a year now. Storm finds it interesting interacting with non-ponies. The stories they could tell, the experiences they had, but yet, they're so young like him.

Cherilee enters the class and smiles at the students. "Good morning, everyone!"

"Good morning, Miss Cherilee," says the class in unison.

Everyone. Why not everypony? Because that would rule out the few non-ponies in this class. Storm looks at them at best to not be noticed. There's a Vremenian human, an elf, and a being known as a Ramfernal. Head of a ram, and has yellow markings on his face. The rest of him is red, but since it's only a kid, he's cute instead of vicious.

"Today, we have a special guest, so give him a warm welcome," says the teacher. Storm groans quietly. His wings twitch a little. He reminisces about the other guests Miss Cherilee brought in to her classes. They always would have boring stories and lecturies accompanying them. If only I could sleep with my eyes open, he thinks.

A yellow foot passes the doorway, tipped with white claws. Step by step, Edward, the dragon from Vremena, enters the room. The students are shocked by his appearance. Some are amazed, some are curious, but Edward's appearance is a setback for when he's not intending to provoke fear. He doesn't a day older, considering his immortality. The dragon is wearing a black suit and tie, instead of the baggy pants he usually wears. He smiles with his fangs at the classroom.

"How are you all doing?" he asks as he rubs his head, messing with his spiky, white hair. He keeps on smiling.

"A dragon!" shouts a white filly.

Edward laughs. "Yes, I'm a dragon, but I like to be called Edward. There's lost of dragons out there, missy."

"Class," says Cherilee, "Edward is a Vremenian dragon."

"That's right. I came to Equestria to study the dragons here, considering that noPONY has the guts to come to such creatures up close. But don't let those brutes fool you. I'm a nice, gentle guy once you get past the claws and fangs."

"Edward, would you to tell the class about your little adventure? It's legendary."

Edward smiles at Cherilee. "I'd love to." He clears his throat and grabs a seat. "So I've been told about this land of ponies eight years ago from my friend Twig. I got to meet Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and all I was thinking, 'ponies? are you kidding me?' It was pretty funny, actually, because in my world, ponies were not considered a threat or a strong force. I was so wrong. Equestria has power, and I saw with with my own eyes. You guys heard of The Forbidden One, right?"

The class nods simultaneously, and appear as if the happiness got sucked out of them.

"I know that feel, children." Edward holds a fireball on one hand and presents it to the classroom. "In Vremena, we use energy as a weapon. I know the unicorns here do something similar, but The Forbidden One could turn something this small, a little fireball, into an endless disaster." The fireball burns out, and the dragon sheds manly tears. "All of you could've had a terrible life if he were still around, but thanks to Victor, we're all safe."

Edward gets off his seat and looks out the window. In the distance, he spots a statue of his fallen friend, placed in the center of town square. Whoever sculpted it decided to follow the design of Victor's beastly transformation, since he died in that state. The statue watches the town without resting, keeping the peace.

"Children, Victor was my friend," says Edward. "He contributed with the princesses and the Moon Fox to create the link between the worlds. "Sure, the princesses are busy with royalty stuff, but the Moon Fox likes to move around a lot. Maybe you'll catch her as ask her to tell the story. Her version is the best."

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Edward changed the definition of a dragon. Him being one, he was able to study them up close, comparing and contrasting with the ones in Vremena. He published his studies, making him a huge success. He lives in Canterlot, where he continues his research.

Jin and Corvus decided to move to Equestria as well. Corvus liked the idea of being in a world so fantastic and joyous, rather than one scarred by warfare. Jin basically lived the brony dream, settling in Ponyville with Corvus. Even though they were friends, the ponies expected them to be something more. Anyway, Corvus opened a music store, while Jin shared his adventures in Vremena and Earth for the Equestrians to hear. He also helps Corvus with her store.

Twig and the Moon Fox haven't accomplished much in this time. Yes, they shared their sides of the stories, but the two kept wandering around aimlessly. Sometimes they would pay a visit to Adam and Nick on Earth, or the rest of the Settlers in Vremena, or their friends in Equestria. The two were beings who just came and went.

Celestia and Luna continued their goal of expanding Equestria's harmony, aiding newfound ally nations with reconstruction of the war in Vremena, and sometimes fixing the dying Earth. It was hard, but they still haven't given up. Vremenian humans  have settled in Equestria, but Earth humans haven't, because of their natural fear of the unknown. The Earth still remains exclusive to the humans, but Celestia does not intend on keeping it that way.

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Storm's saddlebag is heavy. It's a lot of books for a little colt like him. And also, Fluttershy's cottage is so distant compared to the rest of Ponyville. This is what he undertakes every school day as a walk home. He can't wait to start flying. On the way home, he always passes town square, and that statue looks at him every time he passes. Even if made of stone, those black eyes watched over the colt every day, growing up.

Tired and hungry, he makes it home. The first thing the young colt does is burst through the door, tosses his saddlebag aside and heads for the kitchen for a nice, afternoon snack. When he snags a couple of bananas, Fluttershy enters her home. She smiles at her son.

"Hey, Mom," says Storm, with a mouthful of mushy banana.

"Oh, goodness. How was your day?" asks Fluttershy.

"Boring. Oh, except for this special guest."

"Who was it?"

"That old friend of yours Edward."

Fluttershy takes a seat next to Storm. She leans her head on an elbow, feeling happier. "I love his work. Someone finally did something with those mean old dragons."

"What about Spike? He's taller than you." Storm finishes his first banana.

"Y-yes, but Spike was raised to be gentle and kind. Edward, on the other hand, lived through hardships."

"Isn't the dude like a thousand years old?"

Fluttershy nods. "Would you like me to cook you something nice? In case, the bananas aren't enough..."

Storm looks at his second banana. Fruit doesn't tend to make you painfully full. "No thanks."

Fluttershy leans closer to her son. "Aw, are you sure? I just finished feeding all the animals."

"Yeah, Mom. I'm sure..." Storm looks back at the countless times he saw the statue of Victor. Then he looks back to an earlier time when he first met the Moon Fox at a party, reuniting all of the adventurers to do what they couldn't do before: just have fun without worrying about someone or something tampering peace. He was scared of her at first, but he asked her about Victor. He knows how the boy works, with the magic and the transforming. They would call him a Storm Mage, having control over weather like a pegasus, but at a deadlier potential.

Storm turns to his loving mother. "Mom, what happens when somepony dies?"

The happiness in Fluttershy vanishes. She shifts her eyes and says to her son, "Well, you have your whole life ahead of you. That should be the least of your worries."

"I wanna know."

Fluttershy sighs. "Storm, is this about your dad? Yes, we all miss him."

"No, it's not about him. It's about Victor..." Storm finishes his second banana. "Didn't he die?"

Fluttershy wraps an arm around Storm, looking sad. "Yes, he did, but it was an act of pure kindness. When somepony feels as if they can no longer live, feeling too weary or weak to continue, the spirit splits from the body and builds a new one to replace it. It's called reincarnation."

"So, does that mean I'm a reincarnation?"

"We all are, which means we had past lives. It could have been anyone, anything."

Storm turns to a framed drawing. It's old, but it still shows the rough sketch of a familiar, yellow pegasus on a tree. "Mom?" he says, "I always wondered. Who drew that?"

Fluttershy turns to the drawing, and can't help but shed a single tear. "Victor."

"He was an artist?"

"Oh, yes. He even drew the first sketches of Vremena and Earth. It was the first time Celestia knew how the worlds looked."

Storm smiles at her. "That's cool."

"Hmm, come to think of it, I wonder who Victor got reincarnated into."

Storm laughs, then gives Fluttershy a hug. "Could be anyone, right?" he says. "That sounds kinda silly, the reincarnation stuff, but Victor could've been anyone. From strangers to family."

Fluttershy gazed at her son's chocolate eyes. The young pegasus gets off his seat to grab his sketchbook from his saddlebag, along with a pencil. He rejoins Fluttershy at the counter and examines her, paying extra attention to detail.

"Y'know," says Storm, "maybe we could frame another drawing, to go with that old one."

Fluttershy shifts views between Storm and the drawing, then gives her son another warming hug, stroking his spiky, black mane. It flows by her hoof, and she bever felt so happy before in her life again.

THE END