Living Mark of Courage

by Moowell

Almost There

Epona led the two fillies back to the entrance of the ruins, and to an extent, she was glad to be rid of them. She didn't much like being interrogated with question after question to which she had no real answers. Where did she learn to fight like that? She didn't know. What else did she have hidden away? She didn't know. There were pockets that she couldn't open for some reason. Where was all that stuff hidden? In her mind? Impossible. Making something imaginary turn real would require seriously powerful magic, and she was an Earth Pony, so it couldn't be magic... Or could it?

When the group reached the entrance, the exasperated Epona all but threw Juniper and Twinkle onto the elevator and mashed the 'up' button.

She made her way back to the large room. The way to the left was now accessible. Pulling the lever had dropped not only the cage with Juniper and Twinkle, but also the elevator hanging above that door. Epona walked across and went through.

It was dark. Except for the soft glow around Epona's lantern and a small blue crystal above her head, everything was black.

Ah wonder if Ah can shake that thing loose... she thought to herself as she drew out her boomerang. After all, what's explorin' without treasure huntin'? She threw. *Ting* Suddenly the room was ablaze with light.

She stood in a small box above a massive arena. An odd sense of nostalgia swept over her as she stared into the expanse.

Cerberus! Cerberus!

She looked around the room. Had she been here before?

Cerberus! Cerberus!

This room... There were voices coming from this room, chanting from something. Then there was cheering. Did she dream about this place? Epona looked down into the arena. The three dogs from earlier were standing there, watching her as she watched them. The leader was holding something in his paw: a giant golden key.

"Dogs know Pony is looking for Pony's friend!" he yelled with his raspy voice. Then he lifted the key above his head. "If Pony wants key to friend's cage, Pony must come down!"

Epona jumped out of the room and floated down with her leaf. As she approached, the leader turned toward a jagged hole in the wall, where a giant treasure chest sat open. The dog placed the key inside the chest, then pulled something else out and closed it. He turned and revealed a vial in his paw.

"Dogs remember Pony," he said as he walked slowly back to his companions. "Pony like you came to Dogs' home long time ago. Pony with boomerang and knife." The dog uncorked the vial.

"Pony with claws. Pony with green shirt and hat." A black, wispy mist began to rise out of the vial and surround him.

"Pony like you fought us 100 years ago. Pony like you beat us." The mist spread to his companions and lifted them into the air.

"Now you come to Dogs' home!" He shouted angrily. The black mist swirled violently around the trio.

"Now you come with knife and boomerang!" His companions were completely enveloped in the swirl, and only his head remained visible.

"Now you come with claws and green clothes!" An explosion of darkness burst from the group, blasting Epona off her feet and sending her flying backward. She quickly opened her leaf, barely allowing her to slow down before she crashed into the wall. She looked up to see an enormous three-headed dog, not grey like the three had been, but pitch black.

"Cerberus will not be beaten by Pony again!" the three heads growled furiously. The beast reared up and charged. Instinctively, Epona summoned the digging mitts and burrowed into the ground just before getting mauled by the great beasts teeth. The beast slammed into the wall, causing everything to shake from the force. Then it slumped to the ground.

Epona dug her way out and looked at him. He just lay there, motionless. Satisfied her work was done, she went over to the large chest.

*SCHICK* A set of metal bars suddenly shot out of the ceiling, blocking her path. A moment later, the ground shook and a roar emanated from behind her. She whirled to see the great dog rising to its feet. It growled angrily.

"Cerberus had forgotten pony could do that," the three heads rumbled in unison. It turned back to face her. "But Cerberus learn from mistakes!" The ground shook as he dug down into the earth. Epona ran to the center of the arena. If that dog popped up, she didn't want to be trapped by the wall! Moments later, the ground shook again and began to bulge underneath her. It erupted, and she flew into the air as the heads of Cerberus gnashed their teeth at her. Then she began to fall.

Epona opened her leaf, slowing her descent, but still falling directly into one of Cerberus' jaws. He laughed and held his mouths open wide enough to swallow her whole. Epona could see far enough into each of his mouths to see little fleshy protrusions dangling at the bottom.

"Ya wanna eat somethin'? Eat this!" She held both ends of the leaf in one hoof, then drew out her boomerang and launched it into the back of the right head's throat, striking his uvula. The boomerang flew out just before the head coughed and clamped its jaw shut. Epona put the leaf away and fell on top of the head, raised her blade in her hooves, and *splitch*

Cerberus roared in pain, throwing Epona away. The head thrashed violently from side to side, spewing ichor from its wounded eye. The thrashing slowly stopped, then the head slumped to the ground. A large section of black mist wisped away, and the largest of the three dogs appeared where the head used to be. He fell to the earth in an unmoving heap.

"Fido!" the remaining heads howled. The great beast dug its way back to the surface, followed closely by a jet of warm air. Both heads whimpered at the form, but it wouldn't respond. No motion. No breathing.

Already his nose was becoming dry.

The black mist began to rise off of Cerberus, evaporating even as Epona stood and watched. Soon it was completely gone.

"Fido..." the lead dog whimpered. Then he turned his head slightly toward Epona. "Pony... take key. Take key, take pony friend and get out..."

The bars lifted from the cave holding the great treasure chest. Epona trotted over to the chest and opened it.

Epona got the Gem Key! Use it to unlock the large door in the Diamond Dog's Lair!

When she looked back, the three dogs were already gone.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ivory slowly opened her eyes and stretched her tired muscles. *clink clink* "What the hey?" She lifted her head and found she was chained to the ground. Frightened, she struggled to get free but it was no use. She just lay on her side and set her head back down.

"Hello? Is anypony there?" No answer. "Juniper? Twinkle?" Still nothing. "HELLOOOO??" Helloooo... ellooo... ello... lo... Suddenly the dirt behind her erupted. "What was that?!" She tried to look but it was too far for her head to turn.

"Pony is coming for you," a voice rasped. "Strong pony. Stronger than Dogs." Ivory's heart leapt for joy, as her body could not.

"Hah! You're going to get it! I'm gonna get rescued, and you're going to prison!" she yelled triumphantly.

"No, pony. Dogs not go to prison," the rasp said sadly. "Dogs go to funeral."

"Huh?"

"And pony will help Dogs escape!" Ivory heard a cork popping, followed by a slight hiss.

"What are you doing? What's going on?!" she cried frantically as a blackness crept over her.

"Pony is coming for you, but Pony can't save you!" There was a shuffling of dirt, and Ivory knew the dogs were gone. She fought with everything she had to get the black away. Her horn flashed brightly, as though it would stop the relentless movement around her body. She flashed over and over again, until the darkness overtook her horn.

"Somepony help meeeeee!!--" The black mist swallowed her cry as it enveloped her completely.

Comments

[GMZ_Casper]

...Oh crap, that is not good, not good at all. The Final Boss will be a corrupted Ivory...gee, this will end in sorrow...! Poor Ivory...and poor Juniper and Twinkle by extension. Here hoping for a miracle...

C&C:
...and she was an earth pony...
> Capitalize ‘earth pony’.

[Moowell]

2549932
Thanks for the catch

[Starcat5]

2550627
...I'm going to be hitting my head on my desk over the "Earth Ponies don't have magic" lines quite a bit before I'm caught up, aren't I?