Living Mark of Courage

by Moowell

Hero's Mark

Apple Bloom sat down on her bed, too scared to fall asleep. Scared of her dream. Afraid of the monster with the pitchfork.

You don't have to be afraid.

Applejack jumped at the sound of the voice. Nopony was around, yet it sounded like it was right there in the room with. "Wh-who's there?"

I understand that you are scared. Fear of the unknown is natural. But you have to accept that you're going to be afraid, then go through the fear and become a better person for it.

"What do ya mean? I can't go through that dream again! The monster'll kill me!" Apple Bloom began to cry.

There there. Don't cry. Let me help you through your fear.

Apple Bloom's eyes grew weary and threatened to close. "Who are you?" she asked as she fell into her pillow.

I am Courage.

...

"I suppose I should thank you," the monster said.

"No! Wake up, Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom pinched her cheeks and shook her head, but the dream continued.

"Without you, I would never have collected the Triforce."

"Stop! Just stop!!" She found herself staring down the tip of the wicked blade once more, knowing what was coming next. She was going to die all over again, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The pig-beast raised its arm back and grinned maliciously. Apple Bloom closed her eyes and looked away, unable to bear the sight. The pig thrust forward...

Apple Bloom waited, but the blow never came. She opened her eyes to see the monster just standing there, frozon in place. Then she noticed a golden light in the shape of a triangle shining brightly from her hoof. It resonated within her soul, driving away the fear that gripped her heart.

"What's going on?" she said quietly.

Dodge the blow, filly! She looked back and saw the pig start to move again. She leapt to her hooves and jumped, landing with a thump a short distance away. She didn't move very far, but the blade missed her. Then she realized: The blade just missed her!

"I'm alive! I survived!"

Turn and grab the blade! The battle isn't over! She looked to her side and saw the sword that had been knocked from the small creature's grip earlier. She grabbed the sword. In an instant, a surge of energy flowed through her and cleansed her of all the fear of helplessness which had stolen her heart. Now she could fight back!

From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a small yet powerful glow. A golden triangle appeared and shone brightly from her forehoof, and from it she felt a power unlike anything in Ponyville. She whirled on the beast with newfound courage and determination.

"What is this?! You should be cowering!" The pig charged and brandished its weapon furiously. Apple Bloom clashed blades with the monster, and to the surprise of both of them, the monster's blade was sent flying away this time. The glow on her hoof shone more brightly than ever.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore! This time, I will win!" The beast roared and swung a great paw down to bear on top of her. She jumped backward to dodge, then leapt on the paw. Startled by the sudden change in character, the beast pulled back its arm, sending Apple Bloom flying into the air. She gripped the sword tightly as she fell back toward the earth, directly on top of the beast. She pointed the tip toward its head and thrust down...

*SCHICK*

...

Apple Bloom woke to a beautiful morning. The sun shined, and birds sang. The smell of an apple pie reached her nose. Granny Smith's tooth whistling pierced trough the door. Applejack was out in the orchard, tending the trees. Big Mac was wheeling a cart full of apples to Ponyville.

And for the first time in two nights, Apple Bloom had slept well.

"Thank ya, Courage..." she mumbled to no one in particular. A small shimmer of gold flashed across her eyes. Probably the sun reflecting from somewhere in the room before it moved.

~~~~~~~~~~

Darkness. In darkness, everything is hidden. Deeds. Words. Everything. It is the perfect place to conduct those things which must remain out of sight. Out of mind. Away from those who would seek to ruin plans. Plans which require utmost secrecy. Plots which must never reach the light of day until they are already complete.

A single light shines in the center of this darkness. It covers a round table and reveals an unknown number of chairs, where unknown ponies sit and discuss their secrets. One such pony enters from the darkness and sits in the light which doesn't reach said pony's face. Shortly after, another pony arrives. And another. Soon, the table which seats an unknown number of ponies is full, save one chair. The clop of hooves is heard. Slowly entering from an echoing expanse, the noise steadily grows until it reaches the table.

The seat is taken.

"What is the reason for calling us here? There is business to attend on the surface," spoke a raspy voice.

"Yes," agreed a smooth, sultry tone. "There is work to be done, and I don't have time to waste--"

"There have been some developments," said the pony who claimed the final chair, silencing the banter. "Developments that may have finally tipped the scales in our favor against." Murmurs flooded the darkness for several moments until the leader tapped a hoof on the table, restoring silence.

"What sort of... 'developments'?" a fourth asked.

"First, I have been contacted by Queen Chrysalis. She and her changelings have offered their services to our cause," the lead pony replied.

"This is ridiculous," one of the others grumbled. "Queen Chrysalis brought an army with her and she still couldn't defeat them. How can we rely--"

"Chrysalis isn't the only one who has offered to join us," the leader interrupted. "Discord has allied with us as well. As long as the Elements of Harmony are together, he is restricted and he doesn't like it. At the very least, he is bored of order."

"Discord is less reliable than Chrysalis!"

"We can trust him to do what he wants, and he wants to get rid of the Elements of Harmony. To that end, he has agreed to work with us. And not only Chrysalis and Discord, but the Diamond Dogs, the Dragons, the Griffin Empire, and even the Zebra Kingdom have all sworn to fight for us. And with our plans to resurrect Sombra in the final stages of their completion, our forces are nearly ready."

Silence claimed the room. Nopony dared even to breath at the list of allies gained by their leader. Powerhouses of magic and strength, cunning and stealth were all at their disposal. All that remained for the conspiracy to be complete was opportune timing. Timing which everypony in the room knew would soon be upon them. Finally, the lead pony spoke again.

"The time is almost upon us. It won't be long before our reign begins."

~~~~~~~~~~

Apple Bloom grinned with happy taste buds as she ate her lunch with her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The three were enjoying their meal under the sun in the park. At least, until Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up.

"Hey, blank flanks. What are you doing in our park?" Diamond Tiara sneered.

"It's not your park! Anypony can come here and have a picnic," Scootaloo replied.

"Oooo, a picnic. What are you, three years old? Too young and immature to eat properly with silverware?" said Silver Spoon.

"Knock it off," said Apple Bloom. "We ain't done nothin' to ya."

"Knock what off? Oh, you mean your food?" Tiara swiped Apple Bloom's plate and sent her pie flying into the grass. "There you go! Hahaha!"

An orange blur crashed into the bully, causing her to roll in a heap. In Diamond Tiara's place, Scootaloo stood with wings unfurled ready to fight. "Leave my friends alone!" She began to rise into the air, but her wings weren't moving. Suddenly, she crashed hard on the ground. Silver Spoon's horn glowed as she picked Scootaloo back up and threw her away from the group.

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle's magic reached out and battled Silver Spoon's, locking them both. Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara was furious. She charged Apple Bloom and rammed her in the shoulder, knocking her backward. Apple Bloom found herself being pummeled underneath the angry bully. She threw her forelegs in front of her to defend against the repeated strikes. Diamond Tiara's face was contorted in rage, much like the pig's in her dream. The only difference was Diamond Tiara couldn't kill her, had no weapon, wasn't as strong as the pig, and was much smaller. Trying to compare the two...

Apple Bloom snickered and started to laugh. Everypony paused, completely stunned by the outburst.

"What's so funny?!" Tiara yelled.

"Oh, nothing. Ah've just fought stronger monsters than ya in mah sleep, is all." Tiara fumed and struck down again, but this time Apple Bloom was ready for her. She moved her head to the side and punched Tiara in the nose, using all the strength her chores around Sweet Apple Acres had given her. Diamond Tiara yelped in pain and jumped off of Apple Bloom. "Leave me and my friends alone," Apple Bloom ordered. In response, Tiara picked up a nearby stick and lunged at her, swinging it madly like a make-shift sword. Apple Bloom quickly swung her own sword and knocked the stick out of Tiara's hooves. The bully stared at her completely dumbfounded, her eyes becoming pinpricks.

"H-how... where did tha--" Her words cut off as Silver Spoon crashed into her. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood huffing and puffing, but victorious in their struggle against the unicorn. The bullies climbed back to their feet.

"L-let's get out of here, Diamond Tiara!" The bullies fled. Diamond Tiara looked back at Apple Bloom with a look torn between terror and confusion, then sped off with her friend.

"That's right! Don't mess with us anymore, got it?!" Scootaloo yelled after them as she and Sweetie Belle trotted by Apple Bloom's side. Then she turned to Apple Bloom. "That was crazy! She was all 'RAUGHR!' and then you just laughed in her face and punched her right in the muzzle! And where did that come from, anyways?"

Apple Bloom looked at the object Scootaloo was pointing at: the wooden sword between her hooves. "Ah uh... Ah must've picked it up when Diamond Tiara picked up her stick. Yea, that's what happened," she said, but when she thought back on the fight, she couldn't remember grabbing it. Where had it come from anyway?

"No, not that. That." Scootaloo grabbed Apple Bloom's hoof and turned it over, revealing a stack of three triangles. Two of them were just outlines, but the third was glowing a bright gold. "What is it, Apple Bloom?" The three of them stared in awe as the image faded from view.

Comments

[FicusCat]

So far the story make little sense for me.

Twilight using a child for guinea pig with an unknow spell ? o_O
Am I the only one to find this disturbing ?

Then we have a HUGE elipse of TWO weeks, Applejack doesn't seems to have talked to Twilight for any explanation and goes directly to Celestia ? o_O
You don't even point if AJ tried to talk to Applebloom about her worries, why not ?
Why starting the chapter with an angry AJ going to talk to Celestia when ( as most of the show morale tell ) she can ask Twilight or Applebloom what the problem is ?

[5000Leperchauns]

Pretty good. My only problem is that Silver Spoon is an earth pony not a unicorn.

[Moowell]

2435959 All valid points. I guess I'm really dropping the ball on the story so far (gotta find some pre-readers for stuff like this ) I can provide an explanation here, or if you'd like I'll put together an intermediate chapter.

2436388 This would also be a valid point, if her mane weren't poofy enough to cover her horn. And if that half-baked theory doesn't work, I shamelessly pull the AU card

[5000Leperchauns]

2436863
That works haha

[Telly Vision]

2436863

Applebloom has reached level 2

Applebloom has learned the hamerspace ability.