The Black Marks

Outside of the Everfree Forest, in a time before Ponyville.  There was a mine, a certain evil was found inside, unleashed. It changed the miners into cold, heartless monsters. The princesses, Luna and Celestia, discovered this and were quick to react, an offensive was mounted and had failed. Luna had been affected by the evil, and by the suggestion of Star Swirl the Bearded, banished.  Once again, with the advice of Star Swirl the Bearded, a more strategic offense was made, not to eliminate the evil, but to bury it.

Star Swirl the Bearded turned towards Princess Celestia his face grim and declared "It has been done. This solution is not permanent but it will buy us time to find a such answer."

The Princess sighed and replied "Time will suffice, surely we will find a away to truly deal with this evil. We trust we can count on your continued support on this?"

Star Swirl the Bearded's answer was quick "Of course, I will continue to help fight this corruption. I will continue to do so, until the very day I die."

The Princess smiled "Thank You, Star Swirl. Your help is always welcomed, and with you working with us this corruption is sure to be easily erased. Until then we keep IT buried here, and the infected will have to be... dealt with."

"Keep the ones who can be subdued for future testing... but yes the majority who can not be, will have to be as you say... dealt with. Keeping too many of them alive will only be asking for more trouble." Star Swirl the Bearded Replied. "Princess, there is one thing more you must be sure to do."

The Princess who was ready to do whatever it took to save her kingdom asked" What is it Star Swirl?"

Star Swirl the Bearded answered only after a pause for thought "You must be sure to keep this out of the records. Only the most secret of records and only the most trustful can know about this. Who knows what ponies would do if they knew such things existed."

The Princess agreed "Your right. If this kingdom is to thrive we must not only bury the threat, but also the mere idea of it existing."

Star Swirl the Bearded nodded.

Fast forward to one Ponyville, Twilight and her Friends have just returned from their adventure in the a mysterious village of equal marks.

Outside of the Everfree forest, a certain pegasus is chasing a small white rabbit into the outskirts of said forest.

"Angel, please! I know you don't like it, but the medicine is only going to help you!" Fluttershy tried to reason with the rabbit.

But the rabbit just shook his head in response, and with that he took off into the forest.

"Angel, its dangerous in there! Please come back!" Fluttershy yelled into the forest, awaiting the rabbit's return.

When he did not return, Fluttershy quickly became worried for his safety.

Fluttershy stared into the darkness of the Everfree, deciding carefully on her next move.

She didn't know whether or not to go receive help in looking for her rabbit friend, she had come to a decision quickly, if she could find him quick enough, she would not have to stay in the forest.

Fluttershy quickly trotted into the forest, calling her friend, hoping that he would hear her and return at once.

After a time of searching and coming up with nothing, her worry reached a new high, she feared the worst had happened, she had began to leave in search of help, only to catch a glimpse of a white fluffy tail.

"Angel!" Fluttershy called following him into an opening in the forest, a spot rare in the Everfree, where one could see the sun or moon from under the tree's oppressive limbs.

There Angel stood in front of a blue bubble, which was covering a dark tunnel. Fluttershy quickly approached Angel willing to make amends, and leave this place as fast as possible, "Angel, i'm sorry, you don't have to take the medicine but can we please leave"

Angel nodded quickly, but pointed at the bubble, he seemed to be curious as to what it Contained.

Fluttershy spared only a glance at it, too scared to pay proper attention to it, she only wanted to leave, but when she looked back at Angel his pointing had gotten frantic.

Fluttershy even more scared then before, turn fast to see what he was pointing at, it was the bubble... no it was something inside the bubble, a shape moving closer to the insides edge. Fluttershy stared on in horror waiting for some hideous monster spring forth from it.

What actually came, was like nothing she had expected... A white unicorn stood on the other side, staring at her.

And then it spoke.

"Hello"

Fluttershy unsure of what to say stammered out her own greeting "H-h-hello?" she was shaking beyond her own control.

The white unicorn continued to stare, from her to the rabbit, from the rabbit to her.

The unicorn spoke again "What are you two doing here?"

"I-I-I was looking for my R-r-rabbit!" Fluttershy beyond scared could not even control her voice.

The unicorn smiled, its horn glowed,  and Fluttershy's  shaking stopped. Fluttershy couldn't explain it, one second her mind was racing, fear gripped her heart, the next it was gone.

"What did you do?" was her question.

The unicorn held its smile, a warm supportive smile similar to Fluttershy's own.

"I calmed you down, with my magic, you seemed so scared." It replied.

Fluttershy no longer fearing, this unicorn came closer to the bubble.

"Can I ask, what you are doing in there? If you don't mind that is." Fluttershy asked.

The unicorn's smile faltered for a second, but the unicorn continued to hold it, as it replied.

"Well, you see i'm kinda stuck here"

Fluttershy gave a quiet oh no and asked "Is there anyway I can help?"

The unicorn smile grew larger, as it replied "If you could please poke this bubble..."

Fluttershy tentatively walked forward and pressed her hoof against the bubble, in this moment she quickly saw more details of this unicorn that were hidden, the poor thing seemed to be unhealthily thin, so thin it looked as if she could break from a simple step, the next thing Fluttershy had noticed was the unicorns Cutie mark... it was abnormal to say the least, Fluttershy had never seen something like it, the unicorns cutie mark was a black splotch, but the weirdest bit was it glowed with a faint purple hue.

Fluttershy poked the bubble... nothing happened.

The unicorns smile fell.

"Again?" it asked.

Fluttershy poked the bubble... still nothing.

"AGain?" it asked.

Fluttershy poked the bubble... Nothing.

"AGAIN!" It demanded.

Fluttershy poked the bubble.

The unicorn held a face of anger, a scowl as it spoke to itself in a hushed tone, Fluttershy could make out a few words...

"No... magic still strong... can't escape... only option"

The unicorn's grimace grew, then vanished, replaced but the smile she earlier.

The unicorn spoke once more in a cheery tone, "Oh, well that leaves one more thing, could you please place your hoof on the bubble where my hand is?" the unicorn asked.

Fluttershy still eager to help did as asked, she held her hoof on the bubble, the unicorn did the same, the bubble was the only thing holding them apart.

The unicorn grunted, and then fell.

Fluttershy surprised by this gave a "Eep!" and jumped back.

She waited for the unicorn to move, but it didn't.

"Hello?" she called, but the unicorn didn't move... Fluttershy's heart, raced, her mind danced over the question she didn't want to ask herself,

is this pony dead?

Angel who had remained still the entire time, sprang to life, jumping onto her back, causing Fluttershy to quickly turn her attention to Angel.

"Eep!" she calmed down at the sight and turned back to the unicorn.

But the unicorn was gone...

Fluttershy called once more.

"Hello?"

no reply.

"H-Hello?"

still nothing.

After more attempts she had given up, something had happened and she needed to help, but when it came to magic there was nothing she could do.

Then the idea came to her, Twilight knows magic she can help.

"I'll go get help, so please be okay." She called, before turning away and sprinting towards Ponyville.

Unaware to her was the slight purple hue that her own cutie mark now had.