Shadow Mare

by Bro Dash

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Dark
Length: 1098

Goin ta dead side...

Legion is back, and in more forms than one. The old shape-shifter which tried to take over the realm of Dead Side is back again, this time, hunting in Equestrian, as an Equestrian. Zecora, a descendant of a long line of the guardians of Dead Side, and one of the few remaining zebras that practice voodoo, leaps into action to save on pony, Twilight Sparkle. As done in the realm of the living (human world), Zecora weaves the Mask of Shadows into Twilight's chest.

Saved from death, and on her hooves again, Twilight is given an ancient history lesson and destiny to try and save Equestria, and all of the realm of the living, from Legion.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-02-02 06:13:32 UTC

Live Side

Zecora burst through her shack door, and slammed it behind her, engaging the old voodoo binds from the masks on her walls to keep it sealed and protected, already getting to work fixing up a new brew. She threw entire bottles in, - cork, glass, and contents - plants, herbs, even the poison joke she had, ignoring the danger it would soon cause her. Once she was done, the potion exploded, turning purple and leaving a cloud of smoke to accumulate over the pot.

"Yes...Good...", she half-smiled.

The contents of the brew began to swirl, draining not only the glass and remnants of shatter bottles into the center, but the brew itself began swirlign down into nothing until nothing but a swirling ghastly vortex remained. The door slammed open behind her and several zombie-esque ponies ran in, after her. With a single gasp, she jumped into the pot and disappeared with the vortex, leaving behind a powerful concoction that soon did it's job, leveling a good quarter mile all around with a blast of powerful voodoo magic. Her shack, her years of work, her loved items, all gone, but she, safe. For now...

In another dimension...

Twilight had jsut finished her daily chores, er, rather shopping in Manehatten. Best place in Equestria to go shopping. Even her friends were with her. Applejack, Rarity, and the rest, each babbling on about what they bought, what they'll get next time...

"Hey girls!", Twilight caught their attention, "I still have enough to make a trip to one mroe store, what about you girls?"

"Ah've not got much left but enough to get back to ponyville, sorry Twilight. Plus, ah've gotta get ta mah folks. they wanted to see me ehre in manehatten whenever ah visit, so ah guess today would be perfect for a surprise visit."

"Ooh, sounds wonderful, darling. Mind if I join?", Rairty asked.

"Ah don't see why not. Mah folks'd love ya!", Applejack replied.

"What about you, Pinkie Pie? rainbow Dash? And what happened to Fluttershy?"

"Oh, she's behind us. She has to have bought the most out of us all! And most expensive! She bought that gold threaded collar for herself. A bit odd, but hey, I don't see why not, it's gold!", Rainbow Dash answered.

"Yeah!", Pinkie Pie cotninued on, "Plus, I don't think I could fit anymore of those super duper rare sweets ingredients in these saddle bags!"

"Well, I guess everypony is going back ot the hotel in about...mmm an hour and a half to two horus from now? Sound good?"

"Yeah!", they all repleid.

"Alrgith, it's settled. I'm going to make one last trip through the market, check out the deeper part of the magics section, and meet you girls at the hotel in about half an hour!"

"Alright! See ya sugarcube!", Appeljack parted, Rarity in follow.

"Well, I'm gonna go get fluttershy from the pet's section. She's probably overencumbered with everything she has.", Rainbow Dash replied.

"Oooh! I'm going with you!", Pinkie Pie bounced on with the cyan pegasus.

Twilight let otu a soft sigh and turned back towards the market, aiming down the aisle she was in towards a shaded area. Moving to it by magic, she startled a few shop keepers, who then grunted and went back to what they were doing. Though, Twilight didn't stop. In fact, she kept on at a trot, passing through the many arches that were there.

The whoel place was covered in tarps, blankets, and some kind of cloth that could be used to cover the stall and walkways. There were no mroe aisles, just winding walkways that had dirt under hoof. Barely even any light made it through.

"Psst! Hey!"

Twilight stopped and looked to where she heard the noise from and spotted a cliche shady stallion lurking in the darker shadows and looking around suspiciously, as if trying not to get caught.

"Yeah, you with the bags. If you intend on moving through here, beware of any scrawny, bony, or even dead looking ponies. If you see any at all, make a break for it, teleport out, tear through the tarps to shed some light on yourself, just make sure to get into the safety of the sun onc emore."

Twilight raised an eyebrow and turned to th stallion.

"Excuse me?"

"Too late!"

the stallion turned and ran off through the winding stalls, as if scared. twilight looked around, but saww nopony there. Spotting one stallion walking away down the long aisle (the longest she has seen in this whole small network of stalls), she set down her bags, and cast her magic, teleporting to him.

"Hey!"

The stallion stopped walking, and turned around, showing his soulless eyes and ridgid body. He didn't speak, and instead, walked towards Twilight.

"Uh, are you alright?", she began to walk backwards.

The stallion opened his mouth, but instead of words, all the came out was a horrible gurgle.

"Eh! Uhm, sir, please back away!"

Twilight turned away and began running. Hearing the hooves behind her get louder, she looked back and saw that stallion chasing after her at the same speed she was running. She picked up her bags and continued on, winding through the stalls at a break neck pace. Once ht estallion disappeared, she slowed down and took a moment to catch her breath.

Just as she set the bags down gently, a hoof grabebd her shoulder and she turned by reflex, coming face to face with a green stallion with lbood spread freshly down his chin, from his mouth.

"Oh my Celestia! Are you alright?!"

In a flash, Twiligth was knocked off the ground, and backwards, landing painfully. Her chest ached upong impact, and it flt like she had a full breath in her lungs isntantly. Upon trying to stand, she discovered, to ehr horrors, that her chest had been ripped open, and she was already losing a lot of blood. Panic beginning to rise, she could only muster a small noise as the green stallion approached with a sword.

She tried to speak, but with blood everywhere it shouldn't be, all she could do was gurgle.

He rose the blade above her high, ready to strike, and she clsoed her eyes, thinking it the end. Simple reaction forced her eyes open again to see a black and white flash tackle the stallion, then stand over her, drawing strands of light in teh air. The last thing she remembered before passing out was her breath returning to her, and the pain ebbing away to nothing. After that, nothing.