Living Mark of Courage

by Moowell

Ponies Who Care

"Wow. It's even bigger up close," Epona muttered as she stood next to the giant lock. She withdrew the Gem Key and slid it inside. The key turned on its own, wrenching itself from Epona's hoof as it quickly spun round. In a moment, the key stopped abruptly, and the lock fell away from the door. The door split in two and separated as if to invite her inside.

She accepted the invitation.

"Ivory! Where are ya?!" In the center of the room, a pitch black mare was on her side chained to the ground, her face away from Epona. She wasn't moving except for slow breathes.

"Ivory? Is that you?" The mare's ears perked a little bit. Then she began to move.

The chains chinked and clanked as she brought her hooves under her body. She leaned onto them and began to rise, and the chains groaned and creaked. Suddenly, with several loud *POPS* the chains snapped and broke away from her. They fell to the ground as little more than shards of metal. The black mare turned her head sideways and glanced backward at Epona.

Her eyes were green slits.

"I-Ivory?" Epona asked nervously.

"Ivory? That weak unicorn? No." The unicorn closed her eyes and tensed her body. Epona watched as her black coat misted, suddenly bursting away from her body and creating two great, leathery wings. "I am Ebony!"

Ebony flapped her wings and rose into the air. Epona quickly drew out her sword and shield and braced herself for attack. Ebony flew from side to side, testing the power of her wings. She paused and hovered, smiling darkly. "These are powerful wings. I wonder what else is stronger?" Ebony charged a dark green and purple ball of magic and flung directly for Epona. Compared to Cerberus, the ball was slow, so the filly easily had time to jump to the side and dodge.

But the ball followed. Epona cried out in pain as it struck her in the side and exploded, searing her fur and knocking her several feet through the air. When she returned to the ground, she rolled gracelessly on her flank.

"Hahaha! It's strong!" Ebony said victoriously as she charged another ball and fired. Epona stood up quickly and raised her wooden shield in defense. The ball exploded again, blasting the shield to pieces and sending her flying backward. "Very strong! How do you like it, Epona? How do you enjoy being the one to take damage? How does it feel to be on the receiving end, huh?!" Epona scrambled to her hooves and shot a glare into Ebony.

"What did ya do to Ivory?" she growled. "Where's mah friend?! Give her back!"

"Silly Earth Pony. Ivory is gone! She was weak. Pitiful. Unable to lift a hoof against mere bullies!" She flew high and spread her wings to their fullest, casting a dark shadow along the ground. "Now, I am everything she wanted to be: Strong. Majestic. Powerful enough to stand against anypony who tried to hurt her, just like you. Except now I'm stronger than you!" She began to charge another ball of magic. "I'm never going back to the way I used to be!" The ball flew toward Epona. Without a shield and unable to dodge, She did the only thing left: Fight back. She swung her sword at the ball as hard as she could. The magic met the metal...

And flew back toward Ebony.

"What?!" *Boom!* "Aaahh!" The ball exploded as it hit Ebony's chest, and she fell to the ground. Epona charged and struck down at the great black wings, hoping to cut away the mist she knew was controlling her friend. But the mist was like an armor and wouldn't be cut. It was then that she saw a glint. A slight gleam shining from Ebony's back.

It was a small vial.

A moment later, Ebony's horn glowed and Epona was tossed away from her. "How dare you..." she growled. "How dare you bring me to the ground!" Ebony flew back into the air and charged her magic again. "You were lucky that time, but do not expect mercy from me any longer!"

She fired. Epona struck the ball and sent it back toward Ebony. But then Ebony's horn flared and sent it back faster than before. She struck it again. Again Ebony returned it. Faster and faster the ball traveled, until finally- "Aaahh!" Epona charged at the collapsed Alicorn and slashed at the vial.

*ching*

A great roar emanated from Ebony's body. Epona jumped back as the Alicorn writhed and shook, rippling from the vial across Ebony's body. Sections of her coat began to mist and fog away. Seeing this, Ebony closed her eyes and flared up her horn. The mist was suddenly drawn back to her body, as though it had never left. She glared at Epona with her green, slitted eyes with a burning hatred. Yet there was something else. Could there also have been... fear?

"You... You're a monster." Epona halted at the words. "To repel my magic like that and knock me to the ground? Only a monster can do something like that."

"Ah'm not a monster..."

"It's no wonder those colts stood no chance when you attacked them, you monster," Ebony continued. "After all, how could mere foals challenge a monster that fights on par with Alicorns?" She flew high above Epona's head. Her horn's glow steadily grew brighter, until a beam lanced the ground next to Epona. A smoldering, pony-sized hole and a short jet of hot air were the results. "Monsters like you can't be allowed to live. I'm going to erase you!"

"Wah!" She jumped away just as another bolt came down right where she was standing. Epona raced around, avoiding the lances carefully as they tracked her across the floor.

"Stop moving, monster! It's hard to hit you when you don't stand still!"

"Ah'm not a monster!" A lance struck directly in front of her. Unable to stop in time, she fell into the hole created by the beam of pure magic. Then she erupted out as the air jet forced her ten feet upward. She could hear Ebony chuckling as she flailed through the air. She managed to get out her leaf in time to slow her fall, allowing her to safely land.

Ebony resumed her lances, leaving more holes and jets as she followed Epona around. The filly just wouldn't quit running! All around the floor, as far away as possible, directly underneath-- Right in front of her?! Epona flew over Ebony's head, leaf in hoof, carried by a blast of air that threatened to throw Ebony's wings off balance. Then the leaf disappeared, and Epona fell on top of her.

The Alicorn tried to stay in the air, but the sudden force sent her plummeting to the ground with the filly on top. The filly jumped off her back at the last second, letting Ebony crash into the floor while she floated harmlessly above. She released her leaf and pounced on Ebony, then drew her sword quickly and struck the vial again.

*ching*

Epona jumped back and watched as the darkness around Ebony shook violently, threatening to completely unravel. It racked the Alicorn's body with tremors, and she screamed in pain and fury as her wings evaporated. Her horn flared brilliantly and shot out a slew of tendrils that grabbed the mist and forcibly pulled it back to her.

Once Ebony regained her composure, she turned her emerald eyes back to Epona. The hatred was still there, but the sense of urgency and fear that had only been a minor prickling was now swallowing all other emotions.

She glanced back at the vial which gave her her power. It was all but shattered. Cracks ran down from one tip to base, and she was certain the only thing holding it together was magic at this point. One more strike, and it would be all over.

"Why are you doing this, Epona?" she asked. "What makes you think I want to go back to being weak and pathetic?"

"The Ivory Ah know ain't weak or pathetic. She's nice, an' gentle, an' she don't like to hurt nopony. She's strong in heart an' mind." Epona dropped her guard and began to walk toward Ebony. "But right now, ya ain't none o'that stuff. Yer violent an' mean an' hateful."

"Who cares?! I've never been as strong as I am now, even in my dreams! But you want me to be weak again, you monster. That's it! You're just a monster that's not on top anymore, and you're afraid!"

"Ivory-"

"I'm NOT Ivory! I'm Ebony!" she screamed as her eyes pinched shut.

"Ivory," Epona continued, taking several more steps. "You're right. Ah'm a monster. Like ya said earlier, nopony but a monster could fight with Alicorns an' keep her ground. Compared to the other fillies at school, Ah'm the strongest one there is, an' everypony knows it. But ya know what else Ah am?"

Ebony opened her eyes and glanced at Epona with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

"Ah'm alone. Ah got no real family. Sure, Ah live with ya an' yer sisters, but Obsidian's always watchin' me like Ah'm gonna do somethin' awful, an' Canvas hardly notices Ah'm there." Epona slowly closed the gap between them. "An' at school, Ah got no friends 'cause everypony's afraid Ah'll do somethin' to'em like what Ah did to the Scrubs. "

"..."

"Ya've got ponies who care 'bout ya. Ya've got good friends back home. Ya've got two great sisters who love ya fer who ya are an' care fer ya more'n anythin' in the world." She reached out and touched Ebony's black shoulder with her hoof. The Alicorn looked down into her eyes. "Ya can't just let all that go. Don't trade'em fer anythin', 'specially not fer a little extra magic. Don't push'em away."

"I... I just want to be able to stand on my own hooves without being afraid. I just want to be strong like you..."

"Ah know ya think everythin's gonna be all better now that ya got a little more magic in yer horn." She glanced over Ebony's shoulder at her wings. "Okay, a lot more magic in yer horn, but bein' stronger than everypony around ya ain't like that. What good is strength if ya push everypony that loves ya away? What good is magic if ya ain't got no friends?"

Epona drew her in and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please... Don't give up yer friends an' turn into a monster like me..."

"I..." Ebony's eyes began to revert to Ivory's normal brown instead of their current slitted green. The black mist began to fall back away from her face, revealing Ivory's pale, off-white coat. "Epona, help me please! I don't want to be a monster!" she wailed.

"Don't ya worry, Ivory. Ah'll get ya outta this black mist in no time!" Epona raised her sword.

*ching*

The vial shattered. Suddenly, the black mist exploded from Ivory's body, launching Epona away from her. When she returned to her hooves, Epona saw the mist swirling around and stopping abruptly, as though it were searching for something. Ivory was unconscious on her side in the center of the whirling maelstrom. Epona jumped forward in a rush to get Ivory away from the mist just as it turned inward and paused.

"Oh no, ya don't! Yer not gettin' Ivory again!" The world seemed to slow down as Epona urged her legs to carry her faster. The mist darted downward toward the unconscious filly. Epona grabbed Ivory and threw her out of the cloud, then everything went black.

*****

"...Apple Bloom..." Epona found herself floating in a sea of black. "Can you hear me... Apple Bloom?" She turned her head toward where she thought the sound came from, but there was only nothingness.

"Hello? Is somepony there?"

A soft, yellow glow lit up beside her. She looked into the glow. There was a figure there. A strange, yet familiar figure. It stood on two legs, like the dogs, but it had longer legs and smaller arms. The figure stepped forward out of the light. She noticed it wore the same clothes she was wearing. Were they connected somehow?

"Hello again, Apple Bloom," the figure said. Epona started to speak, but the figure cut her off. "We don't have much time. You are unconscious, but you'll wake up soon."

"Ah'm asleep?"

The figure nodded. "It would seem so. I would wake you up myself, but unfortunately I still can't join you in Reality. I can, however, grant you access to a little more of my power from here." The figure reached into Epona and drew out a small pouch. Then a symbol on the end of his left paw glowed in the shape of a triangle. He reached inside the pouch and touched a pocket. After a moment, he pulled back and returned the pouch.

"Choosing to rescue that filly, despite knowing your chances were low, took a lot of courage. Thanks to the power of that courage, I was able to give you a few more items. Use them wisely." The blackness began to crack and splinter. "Ah, it looks like our time is up. Remember, Apple Bloom! You have to rescue the--

*****

"Epona! Epona, wake up!" Epona felt herself being shaken wildly. "Epona!!"

"Ah'm up, Ah'm up..." Suddenly the weight of a filly flopped on top of her, causing her breath to be lost and her eyes to be bulged. "Ooph!"

"Thank the Empress, you're alright! I woke up when you threw me, then you got hit by that black stuff! When it disappeared, you stopped moving and fell over. I thought you were dead!" Ivory hopped off and let Epona breath again. "But you aren't dead! And you look like you're okay. Are you okay?"

"Well, nothing hurts, so Ah guess Ah'm a'right..." What exactly happened? Epona could faintly remember something about... What was it? There was a... Nope. The memory's gone.

"Anyways, let's go back home. Thank you for saving me, Epona." Epona looked over at Ivory. She was smiling with as big a grin as she had ever put on. For some reason, Epona couldn't help but be happy at the sight.

"Yer welcome, Ivory." The two had just turned toward the large door when a wash of light flared up behind them. They turned to find a massive treasure chest just sitting there.

"No... Way..." The two looked at each other and squee'd. "We found treasure in the ruins!" Ivory cried. The pair of fillies were at the chest in two thirds of an instant, itching to see what was inside, yet not wanting to ruin the suspense.

"Go on, Ivory. Open it." Ivory giggled madly as she reached her hoof toward the giant box. But then she stopped.

"No, Epona. You open it," she said as she pulled back.

"Me?" Epona replied in shock. "Ain't this what ya were lookin' for?"

"Yea, but you're the one who earned it. You can have the treasure."

"Are ya sure?"

"Just open it already! I'm dying to see what's inside!" Epona shrugged and obeyed. The inside glowed as she cracked it open. Slowly the chest's lid rose on its hinges as Epona inched it upward.

Then it suddenly flew out of Epona's hooves and she fell to the ground.

"What the hay?" she said as she picked herself back up.

"Sorry. You were going so slow, and I kinda got impatient, so I kicked it." Ivory grinned innocently. Epona rolled her eyes then looked inside and found...

You obtained the Element of Honesty! This is one of the five ancient Elements of Harmony! There is rumored to be a sixth, but nopony knows what it is...

"WOW!!" Ivory exclaimed with large brown starry eyes. "That's really pretty!"

"Do ya want it?" Epona asked. Ivory's eyes would've widened even further if it were possible. Didn't keep them from trying, though.

"Do you really mean that?" Ivory asked.

"Sure. Ah don't really need it." Ivory stared at the tiara for a long moment before finally shaking her head.

"No. Something tells me you need it more than you think."

"Huh? Whaddaya mean?"

"Hey look." Ivory ignored Epona's last question. "There's something else in here!" Ivory pulled out a large gemstone. It was red with a white outline, carved in the shape of a heart. "This is also really pretty... Can I take this?"

"Sure. Ah don't need gems an' such."

"Thanks! Here you go, Epona!" she said cheerfully, holding out the jewel.

"What?" Epona asked, confused. "Didn't ya say ya wanted it?"

"I already claimed it! And now I'm giving it to you."

"Why?"

"Oh, because..." Ivory fidgeted.

"Uh, ya'lright? Yer face is real red. Ya got a fever or somethin'?" Ivory's blush deepened.

"No! I'm fine!" she said quickly with a nervous smile. Epona stared hard at her for a few moments. Beads of sweat practically poured down the back of her neck under the pressure. Finally, she was released.

"Yer weird, Ivory." Epona took the heart and placed it in her imaginary pouch with the rest of her belongings. Strangely enough, there was already one just like it sitting inside the pouch where she chose to place it.

Suddenly, the chest began to glow. It grew brighter and brighter until it flashed into hundreds of little sparks, fading out one by one.

"Ivory! Ivory, where are you?" a voice called from the room beyond the large doors.

"IVORY-chan! Doko ni imasu ka?!" called a second, much less serious voice.

"Canvas..." growled the first.

"Sorry..."

"Hey, that's my sisters!" Ivory said happily. Then she suddenly realized her words. "Wait, that's my sisters. I'm not exactly supposed to be down here..."

"Ivo-- There you are!" Obsidian appeared at the large door. Then she teleported directly in front of the pair of fillies. "Epona. I see you are here too." She looked at Ivory. "Did she put you up to this?" Ivory hung her head.

"No... I came--"

"Yes, Miss Obsidian, Ah did," Epona said quickly. Ivory shot her a surprised look. "Ivory didn't wanna come, but Ah kinda pressured her into it. Ah hoped that she could help me find some treasure or somethin' with her magic, but there wasn't anythin' here."

"Is this true, Ivory?" Ivory looked at Epona, who looked back. A glance of thanks passed from Ivory to Epona, which was responded to by a slight, almost imperceptible nod.

"Yes, it's true. I'm sorry I came down here, Obsidian." Obsidian nodded and patted her on the head.

"Canvas? Take Ivory back up to the surface. Oh, and let the townsponies know that we found them and that they are safe."

"Most certainly, venerable sister!" Canvas bowed low, then took Ivory up on her back and trotted out.

"As for you, Epona..." The filly gulped.

Comments

[martyrex]

bee a utiful

[GMZ_Casper]

...And, there's that miracle. Kinda worry that Ivory would ended up like poor Link's dragon companion, Volvagia (in the Ocarina of Time manga). Personally, I never read it myself (would like to, but oh well). But, now she has to deal with Obsidian...

C&Cs:
Compared to Cerberus the ball was slow, so the filly easily had time to jump to the side and dodge.
> Comma after ‘Cerberus’.
Silly earth pony.
> Capitalize ‘earth pony’.
Ya cain't just let all that go.
> Correction: “can’t”, even when considering the accent.
I'm dieing to see what's inside!
> Correction: ‘dying’.
*kick whomp!* "Wah!!"
> RP-script format is usually frown-upon inside stories (as well as serious role-plays), so I would advise against it. Also, use only one exclamation mark in this case.

[Moowell]

2557204
Thanks I'm glad you liked it.

2560412
Fixed most of it. "Cain't" has been used throughout the story, though. Do you suggest I go back and fix everywhere else, as well?

[GMZ_Casper]

2561707
You don't necessary have to, but it'll help in the long run. Best tool to use for this would be the Ctrl-F command.