> Just One Day
>  by CardBearer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Friction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ponyville is the sort of town that one would expect to see on a postcard: calm, idyllic and scenic, the village is known to be an ideal spot for a pony to live. While it does not offer most of the installations that a bigger town might possess, the inhabitants of the town all know each other well and treat their neighbors as they would themselves, leading to a trusting, kind climate from which only small-scale conflicts can appear. As a result, Ponyville was one of the most peaceful towns in all of Equestria.

But all that changed when Discord came. With his fearsome power over the force of Chaos, he sent the houses of the peaceful ponies flying into the sky, corrupted their landscape and even their very mind, turning them into a husk of their former self. But we all know the rest of this story, don't we? Twilight Sparkle and her friends managed to shake off the monster's corruption and, with the help of the Elements of Harmony, imprisoned Discord in stone once again. And they all lived happily ever after.

But Discord's chaotic yet short-lived rule had a dire effect on some other ponies. This is the tale of one such pony.

Lion Heart was a simple earth pony, with an orange coat, short, flat black hair and a Cutie Mark representing a stylized head of a roaring beast. Although his family was simple, he had done everything in his power to bring them happiness and pride. He was a fairly strong pony, but he was also, as his name and Cutie Mark would suggest, a fairly courageous pony. He always looked for new ways to challenge himself, to push the limits of his body until their extreme. He enjoyed the adrenaline rush that danger gave him, and had often gotten himself in trouble, but all the ponies that knew him described him as a happy, simple, yet reckless person.

When Discord attacked his hometown, Lion Heart was cutting some trees on the edge of the Everfree Forest – a dangerous place to go, but the stallion believed that whatever attacked him, he could handle. But he certainly had not expected the sky to darken, and for the thunder to strike in the horizon – and under his feet, the ground was soon as soft as marshmallow, and it glittered as if made of glass. Before he could react, it also began to rain, but it was not the clear, refreshing rain that the pegasus ponies brought them – no, it was brown and...strangely sticky. Dumbfounded, the colt stuck out his tongue and tasted it.

"Chocolate milk?" he said out loud. "And the ground..." His pupils widened and his gaze snapped back to Ponyville as a realization hit him. "Oh no...Ponyville's in danger! Well, whoever did that, his face is going to meet my hooves!"

And so, he fearlessly rushed towards the small town, or at least ran as best as he could, considering the ground seemed unwilling to cooperate. It was bouncy and slippery, and Lion Heart could not get a good grasp on it, but trying to do something impossible had never stopped him before. Furthermore, his friends, his family, were potentially in danger – and Lion Heart valued his family above all else, even his own life. As he made his way towards the town, his teeth were gritted and he was filled with the determination to help his kin.

But, as he got closer and closer to the source of all this chaos, he noticed that something strange was happening. Stranger than the marshmallow ground or the chocolate milk rain, that is. No, he began to hear... voices. At first, they were mere whispers, and in his rage to defend his family, Lion Heart had ignored them completely. But as he got closer to Discord himself, the voices got louder and louder. Yet, they spoke not in the monster's voice, but rather in a soft, somewhat feminine tone.

"Lion Heart..." they called out.

The orange stallion stopped dead in his tracks, his ears standing straight up on his head. What was that? He had heard voices in the Everfree Forest before, but he had asked and those were from will-o-the-wisps and other strange spirits that lived within its boundaries. And those were never far off from the Forest, so how could he hear them now?

"Who's there?!" the earth pony yelled. "Are you the one that did this? I better warn you, I have a mean front buck, and it's about to land in your face! When I find it!"

A freezing wind started to blow, and Lion Heart felt the glacial air entering his lungs and forcing him to close his eyes against its sheer force. The young stallion noted that this was no normal wind, as it seemed to actively try to infiltrate his body – and when the voices spoke once more, the wind hurled all the stronger.

"Lion Heart, ah...such a brave, brave pony you are... and yet, poor you, stuck in boring old Ponyville. Nothing ever happens in that little village, now, does it? Hmm, how dreadful it must be, for you to be stuck here, where your only thrills come from wandering off into the Forest..."

The earth pony growled, and gritted his teeth even harder than before. This voice was trying to get him to stop! It was trying to get him away from his family! Well, he would never do that! His family was more important than his own life to him, and he would never let anyone hurt them.

And yet...a small part of his mind knew that the voices were right. Ponyville was quite a boring town...oh, sure, there had been the Nightmare Moon incident not too long ago, but they had sent the librarian to take care of it, even though Lion Heart was really itching for a fight at the time. Oh, and they occasionally had some monsters, like the Parasprite horde, but those events were far and few in between. Overall, he admitted that the village was boring...but his entire family lived there. He couldn't betray them. 

"Ah, yes," the voices sighed after a period of silence. "Your precious little family. Yes...yes, I can see why they're so important to you." Lion Heart tensed further at that, but the voices simply chuckled. "Touchy subject, I see. No matter. Do you really think that they would get hurt in your absence? You are quite young, quite courageous and quite strong, and yet here you are, wasting your life away in this empty town because you feel a duty to your family. Do you really think they'll notice if you're gone for just one day? What's the worst that could happen? One day, just one day, where you can do anything your heart truly desires, little Lion..."

With that, the voices giggled loudly, and the wind blew so hard that Lion Heart was starting to lose his footing. Even though his entire body felt so cold, his mind was set ablaze by the enchanting voices. After all, perhaps they were right. His family...they didn't need him there all the time, right? Just one day couldn't hurt...but he couldn't do that now! They were still in danger...probably! He couldn't leave them alone now.

"Can't...listen..." he muttered, as the voices erupted in laughter. "Have to...go..."

And at this moment, there was a bright flash of multicolored light in the horizon – and the rain stopped, the ground became solid again and, as suddenly as they had come, the voices did not speak any longer.

Just like that, it was all over. And Lion Heart was alone with his thoughts.


*****


After the incident with Discord was over and their rightful heroes were celebrated, life resumed normally in Ponyville. The town had sustained some damage, and the orange stallion gladly contributed to its reconstruction, putting all of his efforts into helping his fellow townsfolk, as well as replanting the trees for his family's business. Soon enough, everyone seemed to forget that the monster had ever appeared there, and they all lived happily once again.

All, except for Lion Heart.

Ever since that fateful encounter with the voices, the young pony had repeated their words in his head over and over again, until it had become a mantra. Just one day, where you can do anything your heart truly desires. Those words had been haunting him, for he knew that they spoke the truth. It was an uncomfortable truth, but it was the truth nonetheless – Lion Heart ached for adventure, for danger, for adrenaline. He wanted to risk his life, he wanted to go adventuring, to go see the world. But he was stuck in this Celestia-forsaken village, cutting down trees all day and occasionally paying a visit to the Everfree Forest when he couldn't take it anymore. Was this the life has was to live?

He felt shackled. Shackled to his duty to his family, shackled to Ponyville. 

But surely his family was more important, right? They needed him, as he needed them. And he...he owed them for what they had done. He couldn't just leave. That would be betraying not only them, but himself as well.

Lion Heart held onto this defense, as a pony holds onto a plank of flimsy wood when about lost at sea, but as time went, that plank became less relevant. After all, it was only for one day, right? What were the odds that they could get actually hurt in just one day? And surely, if they truly loved him, they would understand his need, as a  young, courageous stallion, to explore the world and seek the adventure his heart ached to have? Was it not the role of parents to encourage their children to pursue such things?

Eventually, Lion Heart became so obsessed, so attached of the idea of just one day for himself that he became sick. He could not sleep anymore, and often his throat was too dry to eat. It became so bad that he was sent to see Nurse Redheart but, to his great dismay, even she was unable to help him in this situation. The orange stallion was unable to think correctly during the day, which affected not only his work, but the relationship with his friends as well. He became irritable, angry, and unable to muster up proper motivation.

And one day, the plank which Lion Heart was holding onto crumbled away, and he succumbed.

It was a starry night, the kind that Ponyville often saw, what with its nearly perfect weather. The stallion was unable to sleep, as it had been for ...what, two weeks or so? And as usual when he wasn't able to sleep, he repeated the mantra inside his head, until the words had no meaning anymore. Just one day. Just one day. Just one day.

One day to do what your heart truly desires.

Lion Heart stood up from his bed, his mind yelling at him to stop, but his body obeying of its own accord. Just one day. It wouldn't be so bad. They would be safe. More importantly, he had to follow his heart, or he would die. He knew this. Yes...yes, it would be fine. Adventure awaits. The young stallion took a deep breath as he stepped outside his house and walked calmly into the fresh night. After having taken a couple of steps, he stopped, and turned his head back.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry," he whispered between his teeth.

And with that, he ran. He galloped like he had never done so before, galloped as if his life depended on it, for he believed that this was the case. He would be gone for one day – no more, no less, as it was all he needed. One day of adventure, one day of wonder, one day of acts of courage and bravery. Just one, and then he would be back to his regular, boring life. 

And so Lion Heart ran towards the Everfree Forest, where his journey for adventure would finally begin. It was there that he hoped to find a solution for the ill that plagued him so. 
> Chapter 2: Conflict
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After running for what had felt like hours, the young Lion Heart stopped, and fell over onto his side,  exhausted after his mad dash. He could barely feel his legs anymore, his hooves hurt as if they had been cut off, and his heart beats were so fast that he wondered whether it would jump out of his chest or not. And yet, he was satisfied, and a slight smile appeared on his face as he panted; the Everfree Forest! This was the beginning of his journey – nay, his adventure! Finally, he could do what he really wanted, and put his own skills to the test! Yes, this day would be the best day ever!

The orange stallion immediately stood up, the excitement now too strong for him to lie and rest, and he looked around himself. He wasn't too deep inside the forest, so the foliage was not thick and he could still see a part of Luna's beautiful night – good, he could use the moon to find his way around. Otherwise, the Everfree Forest was the same as ever – silent (aside from a few crickets and the soft wind), dark, and creepy. Lion Heart felt his mood improve significantly as he thought of the dangers within. Manticores, dragons, cockatrices, and more! Finally, a real chance to...

"Lion Heart."

The earth pony froze, his ears immediately perking up. "It's you again!" he yelled out, surprised but mostly angry. "You're the one that got me here in the first place!" He took on an aggressive stance and growled. "Come on, show me your ugly face!" 

But only the wind answered his boisterous call, and the young stallion blinked. Had he really heard that, or was it simply the Everfree Forest messing with his head? After all, there were some hallucinogenic plants in the forest, but he had made sure to avoid them. So, then, why had he heard them again?

But his train of thought was interrupted as he heard another voice in the distance. This one was much different; it was completely panicked, and it sounded like it belonged to a young filly. 

"Help us! Please help us!" she cried out. "We're being attacked!"

Now that was more like it! Lion Heart, brave pony that he was, immediately forgot about the mysterious voices and focused on those in need. He briefly wondered what a filly was doing so far in the Everfree Forest, but his sense of adventure soon preceded everything else. He thrust his chest out, and declared proudly :

"Don't worry, little filly! I, Lion Heart, will save you!"

And with that, he galloped towards the direction of the voice, just to his right. After busting through bushes in the most heroic fashion he could muster, he quickly assessed the situation; directly in front of him were two small foals, a colt and a filly. The colt had an orange coat, the same as he, but no hair. The filly was apparently a little older than him, and had a dazzling blue coat, with a long black mane. Both of their flanks were blank, and they were absolutely terrified of something a few meters away from them, to the right. Lion Heart quickly jumped in front of the children, and saw them.

"Timberwolves!" he growled, taking a defensive position and tapping the ground with his hoof. 

There were three of them, an unusual amount for an animal that usually traveled in packs. They were just a bit taller than Lion Heart, and their entire bodies were made of the bark of the strongest trees, and their teeth were made of the sharpest wood, and they shone like the blade of a sword. The monsters growled at the stallion, showing their teeth menacingly as they slowly edged towards the ponies. In response, Lion Heart took a step forward as well.

"Don't worry!" he yelled to the foals, keeping his eyes on his enemies. "They won't harm you, because Lion Heart is here to protect you!"

And with that, he charged forward, determined to save the children from those monsters and to prove himself as a hero. The Timberwolves surged forward as well, barking at the pony in order to intimidate him. But Lion Heart was not a coward, and he knew how to fight. When he come into contact with the monsters, he head butted the first straight in the chest, sending him flying away and yelping, having his breath cut short by the force of the blow. Reacting quickly, the stallion turned around, and bucked powerfully, hitting the second wolf straight in the jaw; the brave pony smiled at the satisfying crack his attack produced.

But the third was not caught off guard, and he bit the pony in the right front leg, his teeth digging deep into Lion Heart's flesh. He recoiled at the pain, but he didn't scream. Instead, he flailed around, bucking and jumping, trying to make the Timberwolf let go of him. But the monster's jaw was too strong, and its teeth only sinked deeper and deeper, threatening to cut the leg off entirely. To make matters worse, the first monster, who had received the headbutt, recovered from the shock and was now lunging at Lion Heart as well, aiming for his neck. 

But the stallion was not about to let his story end so quickly. He took a step backwards and fell over intentionally, causing the Timberwolf's lunge to miss and instead strike his kin, sharp teeth scratching into hard bark. The monster yelped and let go of his leg, and the pony laughed. With both of his enemies distracted, he was free to buck them both with his front legs, hitting the first in the chest and sending him tumbling away, and the second on in the head, causing him to stagger backwards and yelp in pain.

The Timberwolves stood back up with difficulty, growled at Lion Heart and disappeared back into the eery Everfree Forest, leaving no trace behind but the ghosts of their howls in the air. Apparently, the monsters realized they were over their head with this, or perhaps they realized that their prey was not worth all this pain and that they could find something easier to catch – but in any case, the foals were safe.

Satisfied at his victory and at his first heroic act, the stallion checked the damage on himself. His front leg was numb and bleeding profusely, but he had sustained no other injury; all in all, he had done well considering he had fought three of the scariest monsters the Everfree Forest had to offer. Perhaps had he done too well, but the young pony chalked it up to chance before turning back to the foals. 

"Hey, are you..." the stallion began. But his words were left hanging in the air, as the foals had disappeared.

Lion Heart blinked several times, and frowned. He hadn't imagined them, had he? No, he couldn't have – there was a depression in the grass, right where they were standing before. Had they ran away? But there were no traces of that, either...

"You saved us," said a filly's voice coming from behind him.

Startled, the stallion turned around immediately, and the two foals were standing there. But they seemed...different, somehow. Not physically so, but the way they stared straight into the eyes of Lion Heart, as if they could see his very thoughts, made the pony uneasy. Not scared – Lion Heart was never scared.

"You saved us," the filly repeated, in a calm, composed manner, her voice barely above a whisper yet audible in the silence of the Everfree Forest. "What a shame that you could not save everyone," the colt added, in the same tone as the other child.

The stallion narrowed his eyes, now thoroughly confused at the situation. "What?" he muttered.

Both of the foals smiled, and even that act seemed unnatural in Lion Heart's eyes. It was as if someone had grafted that smile on their faces. "When Nightmare Moon attacked, where were you? Not with your family. Not with your friends," the filly whispered. "When Discord attacked, were you off on one of your adventures? What of your family? They weren't harmed, but that was pure luck. What if it had happened otherwise?" the colt continued.

Lion Heart felt a chill down his spine, and shivered as he continued to stare at the foals. They were right, and he had thought about the matter before. What, indeed, would he have done if his family had been harmed because he hadn't been there for them?

"I can't be there for them every time," the stallion answered, repeating the excuse he had found for himself. "They took care of their own just fine! I don't need to dwell on that!"

"Just because it worked out fine those times, does not mean it always will,"the blue filly said. "Your parents are old by now, and they need you. What about your little adventure right now? Do you think they'll be safe? Do you really, honestly think nothing can happen to them in just one day?" the orange colt mocked.

Lion Heart knew they were right. His heart told him that they were right, but he could never accept it. No, his parents would be safe. It was just twenty four hours! He deserved a break! He deserved to do what HE wanted, just this once!

"You're wrong!" he yelled, taking a step backwards. "Shut up!"

Both of the foals laughed, and their laughs echoed against the trees, and they grew louder and louder until Lion Heart could hear nothing else. He was forced to bow his head and close his eyes before the two foals, harassed by their mocking laughter as it invaded his mind fully. And then, a violent wind started to rise – and the laughs were gone, replaced by the air whipping itself against his face.

The stallion stood back up, breathing heavily, and opened his eyes. The two foals were gone, and there were no traces of them, nor of his fight with the Timberwolves, except for his bloody leg. Now there was only the wind, and it had become so violent that even the trees of the Everfree Forest seemed to bend against it. The young stallion was not only confused, but also quite troubled because of the words that the foals had spoken. Was he truly risking the lives of his family? No, no, it would be fine. It had to be. No need to be scared.

Suddenly, the light faded from the Everfree Forest, even though the moon had still been shining just a second before that. The stallion jumped up to his feet, ignoring the wind, and looked up; the astral object was still in the sky, but there were no stars anymore, and even though he could see the moon, it seemed as if its light had been snuffed out, and it was now merely there. 

"Is this the work of the Everfree Forest?" the stallion commented out loud.

This was dangerous, and not in a good way, either; without light, he couldn't find his way around the place, nor see the monsters coming for him. But then...he was already so far gone, he couldn't stop now. If he did, he would've taken all those risks for nothing. So he pressed on, taking a few steps forward, at a calm pace, making sure to use his hooves to scan the path in front of him so he did not hit a tree. The wind continued to hurl, but he ignored it – it was just air. But he did not go far before being interrupted.

"Lion Heart,"  the voices called out once more, and the stallion stopped.

"What do you want from me already?!" he shouted angrily to nothing in particular.

"You believe your family is safe, but what if your courage had hurt them? Like it has in the past, hasn't it, Lion Heart?"

The stallion froze in shock, and did not answer. Memories of that day crept up on him, menacing to come out and... but he repressed them just in time, and shook his head. He was quite furious now; he did not know what that voice was, but nobody talked about that day with him and got away with it!

"Shut up!" he yelled, his voice now barely audible over the force of the wind.

"Is that your only retort?", the voices chuckled. "Is that the only thing you have to answer? You would rather do what your heart wishes than what is best for your family. You didn't even check on them before leaving, did you? Not even a little warning, not even a goodbye. And all that for what? So that you can get what YOU want? You're not brave. You're selfish, and most of all, you are a coward."

Lion Heart opened his mouth to yell, but he was stopped. It was this strange feeling again...were the voices right? Was he...was he really that much of a coward for leaving his family behind? No...no, impossible. He was Lion Heart! An earth pony that could take one any challenge imposed to him! He was courageous and brave! Reckless, perhaps, but no one doubted his courage! He was not a coward!

"Ah," they sighed. "So you still will not admit your own failings? Very well. Perhaps a demonstration is in order. Why don't you look up?"

The wind stopped, and the voices with it. Lion Heart was still unable to see, but the stars slowly came back up in the sky, and the moon began to shine once again, but the pony was shaken and did not realize it.

But he was aware that something was nearby. He could hear the breath of it upon his neck. And he realized that he was within its shadow, that extended for what seemed like miles. And that he felt its presence, right in front of him. And that suddenly the Everfree Forest was not silent anymore, but that he could hear it growling, and that the ground shook with every single groan that the thing let out.

Whatever it was, it was really, really big. 

> Chapter 3: Strife
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lion Heart slowly looked up at the creature, and was forced to take a few steps back due to how massive it was. In fact, the monster did not have any distinguishing features; it was as if he were made of shadows, a humongous silhouette that blotted out the light of the moon yet whose form could not be clearly seen. Only the thing's eyes shone through the darkness, and they were orange and burned like a bonfire. The young pony had never seen anything like it, but he was far from intimidated – in fact, after the voice's taunts, he was itching to prove himself once again.

The monster raised its hand – paw, claw? Impossible to say – and then struck down, trying to crush Lion Heart beneath it. The force of the blow was so immense that the trees of the Everfree Forest bent with its movement. But, as could be expected of something so big, the shadow was slow, and the stallion easily avoided it by running to the side. However, the shockwave produced from the blow sent him sliding on the ground for a long distance, stopping just before the trees. Luckily, he did not hit them, and was able to stay on his hooves. That blow was strong, but with speed like this, the earth pony knew he would be able to win. He grinned as he realized this.

"No problem!" he said, galloping back towards the monster. "We'll see who's a coward when I defeat this thing!"

The monster's hand was still on the ground, like the shadow of a large animal. Decided to end this quickly, Lion Heart tried to jump onto the monster's paw, with the idea that he could climb it... but he fell through, hitting his chin on the ground. He immediately jumped to his feet, and grumbled. So the monster's body was not solid? Yet the trees bent when he moved, and the shockwave was very real. But he could not strike the monster with his hooves? Was this another trick of the Everfree Forest? And how would he defeat something he couldn't even touch?

"Ah, yes, how futile," the voices laughed, causing the stallion to grit his teeth. "You cannot defeat this monster, can you, Lion Heart? At least, not without the way you usually do things; with you, it's always violence and action, isn't it? How futile. Just like that event, so many years ago. So futile...all the pain you caused to her..."

"Shut up!" Lion Heart yelled, not wanting to reminisce on something so awful. The monster raised its hand once again, and the stallion braced himself. This time, he would run to the -

"Oh? Perhaps you've forgotten? Ah...no, I see. You do not WANT to remember. Is it too painful, Lion Heart? Is it too painful to look at the suffering you cause? Is it impossible for you to admit your own weakness, your own mistakes?"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" the earth pony shouted. But he was distracted by the voices, haunted by their taunting, and so he was unable to avoid the monster's next blow, sidestepping only at the last moment. This time, the shock sent hurling through the air, and he hit his head on the trees. He did not scream, but his vision became red from the blow, and he felt his consciousness slip away. No...if he got knocked out now, the monster would kill him...he couldn't...

"Perhaps a reminder is in order."

Even though the young pony struggled, Lion Heart soon fell into a deep slumber. Yet it was not a normal one, as he began to see things that would have been better left buried deep inside his mind.


***


It was a long time ago. Many years had passed since that fateful event, and yet its consequences could be felt to this day.

Lion Heart was just a colt back then. Even at that time, he was a reckless foal, always putting himself into improbable danger for the thrill of it. His parents tried to protect him as best as they could, but an energetic child can find a way to do whatever he wants, and their precautions were sometimes not good enough. Due to one of his dares, he had no mane. 

But luckily for him, he had a sister. Her name was Gentle Heart, and she was just a year older than the colt. She had a dazzling blue coat, and she had a long, beautiful black mane. She was very much unlike her brother; she was soft and kind, and preferred to help her parents in any way she could. She often did not see eye to eye with her brother, but none the less, the colt and the filly were brothers and sisters, and loved each others as siblings do.

Just one day, however, was all it took for that situation to change completely.


***


Lion Heart's eyes shot open. The memories were coming back to him now, along with all the feelings he had kept away for all of those years. But he refused to think about Gentle Heart anymore! There was nothing he could have done, and thinking about the past would only hold him back!

"STOP IT!" the stallion yelled. "Don't you dare bring this up again! DON'T YOU DARE!"

Then, the monster slowly picked him up with his huge hand. The earth pony struggled against it and tried to bite him, but to no avail – he still could not strike the shadow. All around him, he heard the laughter of the voices, as they echoed against the trees of the Everfree Forest, and inside his mind.

"Afraid to face the truth, Lion Heart? But we were just getting to the good part!" 


***


Lion Heart was playing near the borders of the trees of the Everfree Forest, where his family cut some of their wood. At the time, he was imagining that he was on a grand adventure, with pony pirates and pony magicians and all other kind of crazy stuff! Gentle Heart, on the other hand, was actually working, holding her axe in her mouth and swinging it against a particularly resistant tree. It was a hot day, and she was sweating heavily, but she set down her tool for a second as she watched her little brother making a mess, as usual.

"Lion, what are you doing?" she asked with a sigh, swiping the sweat off her forehead.

The colt was climbing up a tree, his small hooves barely enough to grasp onto the branches.  "I'm an adventurer!" he answered. "Yarr! You won't get me, evil siren!"

The filly shook her head and giggled. "What did you call me?!" she yelled back, and chased after the young colt, climbing the tree after him, giggling all the while.


***


"NO!" Lion Heart yelled, as the monster slowly raised him up to eye level. 

The stallion had not stopped struggling, doing everything in his power to try and escape the memories. He would never accept it! He had managed to keep those memories under control for so long, he had managed to forget, to keep it away... it was the only way he could live his life normally. But now...it was all coming back to him.

"Please, stop!" he pleaded. "Please! It was... it wasn't my fault! I couldn't have done anything! Please!"

"Oh?" the voices answered, in a sing-song tone. "So you admit that you cannot face what is inside yourself? You admit, then, that you are not as brave as you pretend you are?"

Lion Heart stayed completely silent at that. Was he...really that much of a coward? Perhaps what happened that day had made him this way? Had this really been his fault? Held high up by the shadow monster, and haunted by those mysterious voices that he could not escape, the stallion was completely confused, but he soon realized that he was also feeling an emotion that he had repressed for years; one he had thought he had mastered.

Fear.

But he was Lion Heart! Bravest pony in Ponyville! He could not feel fear, right? Right?!

"Perhaps you need to see the end of the story again, just to make your mind up..."


***


"Can't catch me, Gentle!" the colt laughed, as he settled on a big branch, high up on the tree. 

"Get down there, Lion!" his sister said, still climbing after him, but now a bit worried. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

"No!" the young Lion Heart answered, jumping up and down on the branch, which wobbled each time he bounced. "If you want me to stop, come up there then!"

But even a foal can be heavy, and every time he bounced on the branch, it cracked a little. 

"Come on, Gentle!" the colt called out. "Come o...whoa!"

At that moment, the branch broke, and Lion Heart fell onto the ground. As he fell, he heard a sickening cracking sound, followed, soon after, by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Luckily for the colt, however, he fell on his behind, and was simply stunned for a few seconds.

"I'm okay!" he said after he had recovered, before laughing. "That was cool! Wasn't it, Gentle?"

No answer. The colt turned his head left and right, before spotting his sister, laying on the ground just a few feet away from him. She was not moving. Lion Heart stood up, and slowly approached the filly, the realization of what had happened not fully dawning on him yet.

"Gentle Heart...?"


***


Lion Heart stopped to struggle. He stayed perfectly still in the monster's hand, even as the thing opened a gigantic maw – which had seemed to appear out of nowhere – and slowly carried the pony towards it. And yet he stayed completely immobile, his face buried in his hooves. All of the feelings he had kept locked up for so long...they were surfacing back, stronger than ever before.

"Well, well, well," the voices taunted. "So the TRUE nature of the brave Lion Heart is finally revealed, isn't it? This is why you feel so obligated to your parents, isn't it? Because of you, your sister broke her spine. It was your fault, Lion Heart, you saw it with your own eyes; there's no use denying it." The voices laughed. "Oh, the irony! It is because of your own desire for danger that your loved one was hurt! Because she didn't die, did she, Lion Heart? Now she waits in a hospital bed, probably for the rest of her life, as the doctors try to find a way to heal her and allow her to walk once again! But you know, deep within your heart, that it is futile, don't you?"

Lion Heart did not bother to yell back. In fact, he did not bother to do anything at all, as his will had been completely destroyed. Yes...the voices were right. He had tried to suppress it, he had tried to deny it for so long, but they were right. Because of him, his sister would never walk again. Gentle Heart, the kindest and most hard-working pony he had ever known, was virtually dead, condemned to a shell of a life, confined within a wheelchair at best, laying down in an hospital bed at worst. And it was because of him.

If only he hadn't acted like a little idiot, this would've never happened. He had tried to justify it; he was merely a young child, he did not know what he was doing. And it was the truth, but it was no excuse. He had not been punished for it, because even his parents believed in that lie, believed that he had no part in that. But it wasn't the truth, as the voice had said. It was because of him...and ever since that day, he tried to make it up to his parents. He tried to fill the hole left by his sister, but it was an impossible task, and he hid his fears, his tears, with his mask of courage and joy. But he had never forgiven himself – not really.

"So you finally admit it," the voices whispered. "You coward, Lion Heart. Nothing can make up for what you did for your sister. You shall never be forgiven. And your punishment has not yet come. But you shall see..."

Lion Heart was held by the neck over the monster's gaping mouth. 

"...what you have caused with your acts."

The monster let go of the stallion.

The earth pony fell for what felt like hours and hours, and in the meanwhile, he could do nothing but wallow, thinking about his mistake again and again. Because of him, his sister could never lead a normal life. Never. It was his fault. Entirely his fault. He was not brave. He was a coward. And he needed to be punished for his actions, punished for the mistake for which there was no redeeming. Perhaps the voices were his benefactor after all, if they could bring that to him? Perhaps he could finally face his fears? Was this the chance that had been given to him? 

When he finally landed, it was on a hard, wooden ground. Lion Heart laid there for a while, pondering whether this nightmare would continue if he never opened his eyes. But he finally did, and slowly stood up, looking around. His mouth slowly opened as he recognized the place that he had been sent to. 

Why was he back in his parents' house?
> Chapter 4: War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was perfectly quiet in the house. There was no wind anymore, no monster, nothing. It was so silent that Lion Heart could hear the beat of his own heart – which wasn't very hard, considering it was pounding quickly. The young stallion looked around, and tried to spot anything out of the ordinary, still trying to pretend this was an adventure. But his will had been sapped, and he could only think about the demise of his poor sister, about the terrible things he had done. He did not want to go on anymore – he just wanted the nightmare to end.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of foals laughing, somewhere not too far in the distance. The stallion perked up slightly, and trotted towards the sound of the laughter. He found himself in the living room soon enough; warm, cozy and simple, just the way it had always been. And yet, in the middle of it all, two foals were playing – and Lion Heart was horrified to see his younger self and Gentle Heart, playing together, as if she had never suffered the accident. Both of them were laughing heartily, and did not seem to notice the orange stallion, who simply stood, petrified at this sight.

"A memory from happier times," the voices murmured; this time, the stallion did not react, still watching the two foals playing. "It was all so normal, wasn't it, Lion Heart? But when the accident took place..."

The sound of shattering glass echoed through his mind, and suddenly the ghosts of his childhood faded away, replaced be pure darkness. He could not see where he was anymore, and the floor felt cold and lifeless beneath his hooves.

"...then everything changed," they berated. "You took away her happiness, you took away your parents', and you took yours away."

Then the voices were silent once more, and Lion Heart was left alone, to think about his terrible actions on that day. He laid down on the ground, and closed his eyes. He felt the tears well up behind his eyelids, but he refused to let them come out; perhaps it was the last part of his bravery that refused to show weakness such as this.

If he hadn't been there, if he had never been born, then what? His sister would've been happy. He couldn't have hurt her, and she would've lived a perfectly healthy life, without a little brother, and she could've kept on using her legs like a normal filly. His parents wouldn't have had to deal with the fate of their daughter, and they, too, would've been happier for it. He would never forgive himself for this – how could he? He had been too afraid to face the truth before, but now, it was as clear as crystal in his mind. He was guilty of this, and there was no redemption, no going back to simpler times this time. There was only darkness ahead, and the pretense of false courage; the lie he had lived ever since that day.

"Finally, you understand," the voices said, and this time they were softer, soothing. "Your terrible acts have cost more than just your own happiness. But you are wrong in one thing, Lion Heart: there IS a way to redeem yourself. And I will guide you through this ordeal, so that you may finally know peace. You only need to accept my deal, and you will never have to deal with this sort of pain again. What do you say, little stallion?"

Lion Heart remained still on the ground for a long time, pondering about the offer. Why should he trust those voices? They had worked against him since the beginning of this nightmare, why should he trust them now? But then again, he had no other choice. He wanted to redeem himself, and he didn't know how. In his current state of mind, he would've done anything to make it up for his actions.
Anything.

"Yes," the young pony said as he stood up, legs firm now with determination. "Please...help me make up for what I've done."

"Good!", the voices giggled. "Here's what you're going to do, then..."


***


Lion Heart emerged from the Everfree Forest, looking haughtily at the town of Ponyville. Night had fallen once again, as a day had almost passed since he had gone into the Forest by himself. And yet, in less than a day, so much had changed about him. His hair was much messier than before, and he was covered with dirt and old leaves. Furthermore, although his leg wound has since then closed, dried blood was still staining his right front leg.

Furthermore, he was holding up a knife in his mouth.

The hospital of Ponyville was not very far from his position...Lion Heart silently walked through the night, making as little noise as he possibly could, until he reached the establishment. He examined it; on the side of the building, there was an open window, and it was on the first floor. The stallion smiled at his own luck, bit on the knife strongly so that it wouldn't fall, and then proceeded to climb, as best as he could, until he reached the window. He jumped through, and immediately against the side of a cupboard, examining any approaching guard.

A doctor was just patrolling the corridor of the hospital, just in front of him, but he soon disappeared in an adjacent one, having failed to notice Lion Heart. He quickly took advantage of this, and walked down the hallway, looking for a specific room number. He had to work fast, but not too fast, or he would get caught. One hundred and seventeen... one hundred and nineteen... There. One hundred and twenty one. The young stallion could hear his heart beat admist the silence, but he ignored his terror and slowly, quietly opened the door.

It was a simple hospital room, without a single window, and just one bed on the inside.  There was a wheelchair in the corner, and a table covered with flowers and various well-wishes. But the most important part of the room was the pony that was sleeping peacefully under the covers of the bed. She had a dazzling blue coat, and a long, black mane. Her head was resting on one side, her mouth half open, and even asleep she had a sweet, kind air about her.

Steeling his resolve, Lion Heart approached the bed of her sister, the knife firmly held between his teeth. He looked at her, and it took all the courage he had left not to start crying. She was so beautiful, so kind, and yet she was condemned to never use her legs again. Because of him.

"Good, Lion Heart," the voices whispered. "Now you have a chance to finally bring peace to your sister. Go on, then...do it."

The young pony gulped. Was this really the right way to redemption? Would he be able to recover his happiness, to make amends with himself and his family if he did this? He was starting to have doubts, but then he remembered that there was nothing else. He moved forward, silently staring at his sister. He stood over her, and readied his strike.

But then, the filly stirred in her sleep, and slowly opened her eyes. She groggily looked at her brother, her eyes half open, apparently failing to notice the weapon. Still, she smiled faintly.

"Little brother, it's you," she said softly. "What are you doing here?"

The young pony froze. He had no expected her to wake up, and suddenly his doubts came back full force as he heard her voice.

"What are you waiting for?" the voices beckoned, losing their sweetness.

"It's so late at night," Gentle Heart said, scrubbing her eyes with her hooves, a slight smile on her face."Mom and dad were worried; they said they didn't see you all day! Glad to see you're safe, Lion."

The orange stallion did not move an inch, simply staring straight at her sister. She was not angry at him. She was not bitter. She was as loving and kind as she had ever been. In fact, her attitude had never changed, even right after the accident. His parents' attitude never changed, either. Had he forgotten about this? They never seemed to hold his mistake against him...

"They are concealing their true feelings," the voice said, seething with anger. "Have you forgotten about your responsibility already, Lion Heart? DO IT!"

Gentle Heart finally took a good look at her brother, and gasped. "Brother, what happened to you? Why are you so dirty? Why do you have a knife? Are...are you okay?"

Lion Heart took a step backwards, completely terrified. He had made a terrible mistake...this was not the way he would reach redemption for his actions! This wasn't the right way! The voices had lied to him!

"FINE!" they screamed inside his head, muting all other thoughts. "It seems like you're going to run away again! In that case, you'll suffer the price!"

Suddenly, it was as if he was not in control of his body any longer; bucking against the air, fighting against the invisible force that was trying to take him over and manipulate him. He grunted and fought against it, yet his mouth seemed to move towards his own chest, the knife pointing straight at his heart. The voices were screaming inside his head, filling it with pure noise, preventing him from thinking about anything else, preventing him from stopping his own demise...

Gentle Heart screamed.

In what seemed like mere seconds, three guards and a doctor entered the room. They took a moment to assess the situation, then the doctor yelled, pointing at Lion Heart: "Seize him!"

Still fighting and bucking against something invisible, Lion Heart rushed through the charging guards and the doctor, knocking them away from him as he ran down the corridor once again.

"Running away again!" the voices roared. "Shame on you, Lion Heart! Shame! Shame! Shame!"

"I won't let you do what you want," the young pony struggled to say, trying to fight against the vile thoughts that had manipulated him. "Stop! It is my fault, but I cannot do that to my sister!"

"Coward! Weakling! Coward!"

The guards and the doctor chased after him, trying to prevent a further catastrophe...but by the time they caught up to him, it was too late. Lion Heart had ran all the way down the corridor, only to launch himself out of the window. 

The fall seemed to last forever, as the voices made him relive the accident, again and again and again, and Lion Heart fought against it, remembering that his parents, his sister still loved him, and arguing that he would find another solution, he had to...

"Now suffer the consequences of your actions! Suffer what your cowardice has brought onto you! Suffer your failure! Lion Heart!"

Crack.
> Epilogue: Peace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gentle Heart moved around the hospital, her wheelchair making a soft mechanical sound as she did so. Her eyes were red, and she was looking at the number on the rooms. One hundred and thirty three – that was the one. She softly knocked on the door, then pushed the handle down and entered, staying completely quiet as she looked, devastated and confused, at the occupant of the bed. 

Lion Heart was silently staring up at the ceiling. His eyes, generally so full of energy, were now gazing as if they saw nothing. There was no light in them anymore, no laughter, no joy – nothing. The parents of the two ponies were right there by his side, their eyes red as well, from both fatigue and sadness. When the wheelchair-bound filly entered, they rushed to meet her and hugged her tightly; and she hugged them back, holding the sobs back before they returned.

"What did the doctors say?" Gentle Heart asked, her voice hoarse and dry. She had not drank water since the... "visit" of her brother, the previous night.

Her parents looked at her grimly, the temporary joy at seeing their daughter soon fading. "They have no idea what happened to him," her father answered. "When he landed on the ground, none of his bones broke, but he hit his head on the ground. They say the blow was powerful, but that he shouldn't be reacting..." he choked up, motioning to his son, "this."

The blue filly nodded grimly, and approached Lion Heart as her parents watched closely. She put her hoof on his own, and looked at him. They had bothered to clean him up since last time, and his orange coat was back to the way it usually was, but his eyes...she had to look away from them, or she would've started to cry again.

"I just don't understand," she said, more to herself than her parents. "Why did he have a knife? Why was he...talking to himself? And where had he gone to?"

Her throat became dry as she realized that she might never hear the answer to those questions. But she shook her head, refusing to let despair take the best of her; Lion Heart wouldn't have wanted that. Her mother piped up:

"The knife was not found next to him, dear. We...we believe you, and the doctors and the guards saw it too, but they were unable to find it. They're still looking for it, but..."

Gentle Heart briefly wondered what could've happened to it, but she soon found herself thinking about her brother once more. Had he intended to hurt her? No, that couldn't possibly have been it. Her little brother had never hurt her before; this was completely unthinkable of him. Although, the whole thing caused her to reminisce about the accident that cost her the use of her legs...


***

"Can't catch me, Gentle!" the colt laughed, as he settled on a big branch, high up on the tree. 

"Get down there, Lion!" his sister said, still climbing after him, but now a bit worried. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

"No!" the young Lion Heart answered, jumping up and down on the branch, which wobbled each time he bounced. "If you want me to stop, come up there then!"

But even a foal can be heavy, and every time he bounced on the branch, it cracked a little. 

"Come on, Gentle!" the colt called out. "Come o...whoa!"

At that moment, the branch broke off, and the colt fell to the ground. The branch was broken off, and fell directly towards the blue filly, but the foal managed to narrowly avoid it, as the branch luckily fell vertically and did not hurt her. She was about to yell back at her brother, raising a fist to do so...but she lost her balance, and fell directly onto a branch, her neck hitting it and making sickening cracking sound.

She was in unimaginable pain, and even though she wanted to scream, she couldn't. Her consciousness slowly faded away, but the last thing she heard before fainting was:

"Gentle Heart...?"


***


The blue pony sighed. She had considered this in the past often. She had dodged the branch and then acted foolishly, which caused her current condition. This was entirely her fault, and she had never blamed her little brother for it in the past. How could she? He was just a colt back then, and in the end, her own mistake cost her the use of her legs. But she had come to terms with that mistake – after a long, long time, and the help of her brother who tried so hard to cheer her up.

And now...well, she looked at him once again, and this time, she could not hold her tears back. She loved her little brother like a sibling does, and she could not imagine losing him forever. Of course he would wake up one day, right? He had to. If he didn't, then she would've lost her legs, her brother, and her happiness for the rest of her life. 

She leaned her head against his hoof, and briefly wondered, as she sobbed quietly, what exactly was going through his head at that moment...


***


"foolcowardlionheartfailureyouhavefailedfailurefailurecowardfearresponsibilityfearrunningawayagain"

"you shall never leave here, lion heart"

"you will stay here. this is your punishment. stay. stay. stay"

"forever"


***


The young filly closer her eyes as her parents embraced her closely. She felt fatigue overtake her, as she had not slept the entire night, and surrendered into it. But before falling asleep, Gentle Heart wondered what would've had happened if she had gotten just one day.

Just one day to tell her brother that she loved him.