A War for Friendship

Epilogue

The day has begun. The sun is progressing with its normal schedual, picking up the time where the moon has left. It's been eleven days since that day, which feel like an eternity to the six mares and dragon that witnessed the true identity of Ignis' used body. Ponies all over have forgotten about the invasion of Lord Ignis, as if he never been around. Even the mares are having doubts whether it was real, or just some crazy realistic dream. But deep down, they will never forget the adventure against the Harbringer of Hatred.

Even though Twilight and the others don’t ponder too much about Brush, knowing that they can't change the past, they still think what must be going through his head sometimes. Sometimes they think he's still angry. Other times they can understand that he should be full of sorrow and regret. And sometimes, on rare moments, they wonder if he may be happy. Happy that it's over. Even Rainbow Dash, the mare who only had a hateful confrontation with him, feels sorry for him. She can have a hot temper, just like him, sometimes. But the one that must be burdened the most, is probably Twilight Sparkle. She is the only one that heard about the stallion's life: A story that tells what mental tragedies Spectrum Brush has been through, just to find a friend.

'I'll be right back, Spike,' she shouts to the floor upstairs of the library. 'I need a little breather.'

'Sure thing, Twilight,' the dragon shouts back, busy with gathering some books from the floor, which the his friend keeps forgetting to pick up and put away nicely.

The purple mare goes out of the library for a moment to get some fresh air, having trouble to catch enough sleep every night. It keeps feeling like something is presing on her mind, preventing her from calming down. But feeling the sun rays on her face make her feel much better, as if it cleanses her from any type of burden, even if just for a moment. Maybe she simply studies too much lately, keeping her thoughts in the endless lines of text.

'Miss Sparkle?' a voice suddenly speaks from behind her. 'Twilight Sparkle?'

When she looks behind her, she sees who was asking for her attention: A mare with several stripes on her skin, along with an interesting Cutie Mark on her flank. She wears alot of rings around her neck and leg, along with a wide brown cloak. Aside from the large square item she carries on her back, the mare is easy to be recognized by her friend.

'Zecora!' Twilight sounds surprised, recognizing the mare even when she wears her hood over her head, even though she hasn't seen her for a while.

The zebra throws her hood behind her head. Her grey and white mohawk is what would take most attention at first, being so rare to see in Ponyville.

'What have you been up to these last days?' Twilight asks curious.

Zecora looks rather serious for just a friendly talk, giving the purple mare no smile. 'I ask you to not judge me and despise... Allow me to apologize,' she suddenly tells her.

'Apologize?' Twilight wonders, having no clue of what her friend may be talking about.

'I was asked to stay quiet, the past days. Until my "guest" was saved from his inner blaze,' she rhymes, telling the unicorn that she seems to have been hiding somepony that Twilight may know.

Twilight raises an eyebrow, still not having the slightest clue about what Zecora may be talking about. ''Who?' she asks.

'He never told his name. But when I found him, he was nearly insane. He begged me to rid him from the darkness that shrouded inside. It was I who chose to be his guide,' she rhymes further. 'His appearance was drastically different than normal and he didn't know his name. He has a red skin, an talent for art, and a long unbrushed dark mane.'

Twilight’s eyes widen of surprise, recognizing the description as if she saw that stallion yesterday. The same one who was supposed to have left Ponyville more than a week ago!

'It can’t be… Brush?' she whispers to herself.

Zecora continues doesn't stop, though she does notice that she got Twilight Sparkle's full attention now. 'It took me three days to find a way to save him from the "dark one." After that, he stayed for eight days more to recover in the light of the sun,' she tells her the final details in a rhyme, sounding like the "Dark One" was the remnants of Lord Ignis' magic, which kept Spectrum Brush transformed even after he wasn't possessed anymore.

Zecora's ears hang. The zebra mare feels bad for having to share the bad news with her friend. 'His emotions have suffered terribly. He is different than he may have been in the past,' she mumbles, loud enough for the unicorn to hear it. 'but he still asked me to keep you uninformed about his location as long as he'd last.'

Twilight doesn't blame him, though she should think that Brush is an idot for not letting her help him. She feels stupid herself, about how Brush was at Zecora for eleven days: Time enough for Twilight to consider to pay a visit to Zecora and see if she was ok too. If she did, she would've found him. but now she has missed her chance.

'So… he’s better now?' Twilight asks with her hopes up.

Her friend nods. 'Aye. I have come to deliver the package he left for you, along with this letter too,' she surprises her with the news and starts to search in her robe for a scroll.

When Zecora hands the letter over, Twilight unwraps the parchment in order to read it. Her curiosity is causing her to rush, accidently tearing the letter on several parts as she hastily shreds the ribbon off of it.

'He also asked me to tell you to not look for him, because he will be gone soon... He has things to do in a faraway place, having left during the previous moon,' she warns the worried mare as she drops the package from her back, gently on the ground. Then she turns around to walk away again, understanding that there is no time for a friendly chat now, guessing that Twilight need some time on her own today.

Twilight doesn't even realize that Zecora has already left, being too busy with opening the scroll to read it. When she finaly rolls it open with her unicorn magic, she begins to read it.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Allow me to give you a little explaination through this letter. If you're reading this, it means that I've already left Ponyville by now.

I know I left in a haste and kept quiet about my stay at your friend, Zecora, eleven days ago.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t bear to see any familiar faces right now. I now understand that you and your friends MAY not have a grudge for me. But still: I know that your faces would just be filled with grief and disappointment by the mere sight of me.

Let me assure you: The day I met you, I could hardly believe that you wanted to know me. The actual me. You're honestly the first pony that treated me like a friend.

It gave me the hope that when things look at its grimmest, the tides can still turn completely.

When I have the courage to face you all again, I will be back. This I vow. And I always keep my promises.

But before that happens, I have something important to do by myself.

While I was recovering, I created the thing that you can find in the package. It was the thing that’s been burning in my mind ever since the day I got here in Ponyville. I want you to have it: A little gift from a foolish artist.

Thanks to you and your friends, I was able to make a realization of it.

I won’t return to Ponyville any time soon.

That's why I want to ask you a favor, though I have absolutely no right to ask you this: But could you keep an eye out to my home while I’m gone? It’s all I got left now.

Give my regards to everypony else, and farewell for now.

Your faithful friend,

Spectrum Brush

The purple mare reads the letter several time, taking time to process the letter. It's tough to get a letter from somepony, who has vanished without a trace like this. The reason that he cares so deeply for their friendship makes it only more emotional. Twilight looks at the package on the ground in front of her, which Zecora left for her. She starts to unwrap the strings and tears the safety paper from it. the contents reveal a large painting. A painting of her and all her friends, standing in a group, with Ponyville in the background. She recognizes Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and herself, standing in the sunlight. It shows what Spectrum Brush' sight is on their friendship, making it seem so perfect in every perspective.

The painting couldn’t be perfected any further to picture the meaning of the word “Friendship.” And yet, Twilight can sense a lingering emotion from the creator: Envy.

'…Well, Brush. This is now your best creation ever…,' Twilight sighs as she continues to stare at the artwork. 'Because this is the most honest, kind, smile-bringing, generous, loyal and magical creation somepony could make straight from his heart...'

***

Outside Ponyville, at the hills that provide a view over Ponyville, a cloaked pony is looking down, taking his time before leaving in the sunset. He sighs for a moment and turns around, heading to the north.

His final thoughts, before leaving Ponyville out of his sight: 'I will set this right. It’s what a friend would do…'