//------------------------------// // Beginnings // Story: Marjoram // by Nekiyha //------------------------------// Princess Celestia stared around her private bedroom, trying to stretch out the kink in her neck that had developed over several hours of reading with her newest apprentice: Twilight Sparkle. The little filly still had her nose buried in the book she had been reading since the lesson began. At first, Celestia had assumed the young filly would be like others that applied to her school: outgoing, and willing to skive off classes in order to do fun things with children in her age group. Oh, how Celestia had been proven wrong. In the weeks since Twilight had hatched Spike's egg, the little filly had made it very clear that she had no friends beyond her older brother and parents. The unicorn just wasn't interested in other ponies, instead focusing on whatever tomes Celestia decided would help sate the young filly's curiosity. So far, Twilight had proven herself to be a genius. The only thing she was missing out on was her social education. Twilight was shy, and began fumbling with her massive vocabulary among others in her age group. Twilight found it extremely difficult to make meaningful connections with other ponies, as most couldn't keep up with her intellect and magical abilities. With every day that passed, Celestia became more and more grateful that fate had allowed her to meet and tutor Twilight. Celestia could tell that Twilight was meant for great things, and that it was Celestia's job to help shape Twilight into a force of good. "C-Celestia?" Twilight's voice startled the princess in question. Twilight wasn't used to dropping Celestia's official title yet, and Celestia believed it would be a while before the purple unicorn became truly comfortable with it. Celestia looked down on her pupil, "Yes, dear?" "I have a question." Celestia smiled, "Of course. What's troubling you?" Twilight pointed to the thick book she was reading, "About the Second Pony War. Did Canterlot really get bombed? Why isn't there any signs of that now?" Celestia nodded, "It's true. Lots of the city's districts got flattened or burned from the incendiary bombs. There aren't any traces of the bombs any more, because the citizen of Equestria wanted to move past what had happened. There are some statues, and lots of other types of memorials. However, ponies didn't want to keep a destroyed building around when we needed the space to hold living ponies." Twilight nodded, then stretched, "That makes sense." Celestia looked over at her clock, "It's time for lunch. Then we can have our practical lesson on magic." A look of sadness crossed Twilight's features. She sighed, and marked her page with a bookmark, "Alright." "Don't look so sad, Twilight. We're having pizza for lunch, your favourite." Twilight brightened a little, and followed Celestia into the dining hall. There was already half a dozen servants and scholars that lived in the palace. It was Celesia's request that the ponies that lived in the palace could eat with Celestia if they so desired. They were welcome to eat in their quarters with their families, or on their own, but many decided to eat with the princess at least once a week. It was a good time for the princess to talk with her subjects, and talk scholastic matters with ponies who could actually hold a conversation with her. Twilight had met many adults, and some children, at mealtimes. Usually, she was very quiet, but was polite. Celestia thought it was sad that Twilight wasn't letting herself make friends. However, it seemed that Twilight tended to get along better with adults than with children. So, when Celestia noticed that Marjoram was present, already loading his plate with food. Celestia smiled, "Sit on my left today, Twilight," that was beside Marjoram. Twilight looked nervous, but she nodded, and slipped into the chair. She looked at Marjoram out of the corner of her eye, and Celestia noticed the shine in Twilight's eyes that had become the sign that told Celestia she had picked the right book for her new student. However, this time it seemed Twilight was interested in another living pony. Marjoram, for his part, ignored Twilight. His gold coat, an odd shade amongst pony kind, had caught Twilight's interest, and Celestia hoped that would pave the way for a friendship between the two loners. Celestia, using her magic, served herself. She offered the platter to Twilight, whose own magic enveloped the platter. As the little filly served herself, Celestia turned to Marjoram, “How has your work been going?” Marjoram looked up from his lunch, his golden eyes rimmed by dark circles, “It has been progressing well, Princess. I might be on the verge of a breakthrough.” “What do you do?” Twilight asked, around her piece of pizza. Marjoram’s gaze shifted to Twilight, “A great deal of things. I experiment with plants and animals, and I also examine the bodies of willing volunteers.” Celestia glared over her tea at Marjoram’s bruntness. Twilight almost choked on her juice, but looked up at the taller unicorn, “So, you look at their bodies?” “Yes,” Marjoram replied steadily, “And if somepony is near death, I will use any discoveries I've made to see if they work.” Twilight nodded once again, looking a little apprehensive, “Is that it?” “No. I'm also one of the local experts on the Pony Wars, especially the new types of warfare waged in the second.” Twilight's eyes lit up, “I was reading about them today!” It was Marjoram’s turn to look surprised. He glanced at Celestia, “Isn't she...a little young?” “I researched it before! My dad and my brother like to talk about it at home!” Marjoram eyes narrowed, but nodded slowly, “Yes, your brother wishes to join the guard. It would be good to know of our past failures.” “That's what Dad said,” Twilight replied. Celestia ate, but wasn't impervious to the shock that she, and the others at the table, were feeling. This was the most anyone had heard Twilight or Marjoram say at once. Celestia smiled to herself, and continued to eat her meal. (LINE BREAK) Twilight hurried into the bowels of the castle, her purple magic holding the lit lantern so she could see. Celestia had asked for Twilight to receive some lessons from Marjoram, the unicorn she'd met at lunch the day before. Marjoram was...odd looking, Twilight surmised. He was quite tall for a unicorn, towering over most of the population, but was still quite shorter than Celestia. His height seemed to highlight his unnatural thinness, something Twilight couldn't find an explanation for. After all, the mage had access to food almost all the time. Marjoram had a coat that was the same shade as a gold bar, with a long, unkempt mane and tail the shade of freshly fallen snow. His eyes were several shades lighter than his coat, and seemed to reflect all they looked on, showing very little of what Marjoram was thinking. Twilight was going to Marjoram’s lab, where he would be teaching her something Celestia wasn't comfortable teaching herself. This in and of itself made Twilight a little apprehensive, but she had to do as Celestia told her. Goodness knows what would happen if she didn't. Twilight shuddered at the prospect as she knocked on the door. Maybe Celestia would send her home, or worse- The door was enveloped in a golden light, wrenching open, “Come in!” Twilight carefully stepped through, jumping when the door slammed shut behind her, almost catching her tail in its haste. “Extinguish your lantern, and come here.” Twilight blew out the flame, looking around the room to see where 'here' was. The room was brightly lit, with both candles and electric lights lighting up the space. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, with a long counter along one side of the room, covered in various tools, jars, and three large sinks. A smell that was sharp and clean, similar to a hospital, but sickly sweet in a way hospitals weren't, was also present. Twilight shook herself, setting the lantern down, and following Marjoram’s voice. She went to the opposite side of the room, to find a mostly shut door. Twilight carefully opened the door to see Marjoram, using his magic and a hose, to spray off a shining, metal table. Marjoram had a lab coat on, covering the majority of a pair of scrubs, with his mane pulled into a sloppy bun low on his neck, trying to keep the long strands of white hair out of his way. He had a hospital mask on, and his fore-hooves had protective latex gloves on them. “I'm almost done, Twilight. Go sit over there, beside the desk, on the tall stool.” Twilight nodded, rushing to the stool, and climbing onto it with some difficulty. From her heightened position, Twilight was horrified to realize that the front of Marjoram’s shirt and the table, were stained red with blood. Marjoram rinsed away the last of the blood from the table, the mess spiralling down to a drain right underneath the table itself. Marjoram then, took off the mask and lab coat. He disappeared from sight, going around a corner, and when he came trotting out, he was free from his lab clothes. “I apologize, Miss. Sparkle. I'd hoped to be done before you arrived,” Marjoram said dryly, “I hope you're not too frightened.” “What were you doing?” “I was performing an autopsy on a stallion. Do you know what an autopsy is?” Twilight shook her head, “No.” “It's a way to determine how a pony died. I examine the pony's remains, and I determine if the death was an accident, illness, or because of some other reason.” Twilight nodded, “So, in a way, you're helping the pony?” “And their family, generally speaking.” “Am I going to have to?-” Twilight felt a little bit of panic rising in her chest. “Not until you're much older and you want to. Most ponies can't handle my line of work,” Marjoram smiled a sickly smile, “however, it still needs to be done.” Twilight nodded. She clacked her front hooves nervously, “So...my lesson?” “Ah! Of course,” Marjoram sprung back to his hooves, trotting over to the opposite counter, where several books lay open, and a plant was growing in a pot. Using his magic, Marjoram brought the items over.” “I know plants aren't really something you're interested in right now, but this is a very simple concept that requires practise and discipline to use in everyday. You are going to keep this plant a plant, but change its properties in some way without killing the plant outright.” Twilight's brows furrowed, “How do I?-” “Do you see these pages I have open? I want you to read the first three paragraphs from each book, no more than that mind. Call me when you're finished, and I'll give you a demonstration before you try for yourself.” “I'm not supposed to read the entire book?!” Twilight exclaimed. “Eventually you will, but not today.” Twilight nodded sheepishly, pulling the nearest book close, her eyes quickly beginning to scan the page. Marjoram left the young filly, putting away his shining instruments. Marjoram wasn't surprised that it only took Twilight a few minutes before she finished: Celestia had warned him as such. Marjoram came back to Twilight, who's eyes were lit with interest. Marjoram gestured to the books, “Done?” Twilight nodded, “Yes sir. Can you show me, please?” Marjoram nodded. His horn lit with golden magic, and the plant began to glow as well. Under Twilight's watchful gaze, the plant's dark green colour changed into a magnificent silver. Marjoram's horn stopped glowing, and the plant stopped as well. The silver remained, however, and Twilight was captivated, “That was so cool!” Marjoram nodded, his horn lit briefly, and the plant became green again, “Your turn. Focus on the property you'd like to change, and channel your specific desire into the plant slowly. Too fast, and you'll kill it.” Twilight bit her lip. She hunched over, squinting at the plant. Her horn lit up, the purple/pink aura flickering for a moment before solidifying. The plant soon glowed too, and Marjoram was pleased to see that the opaqueness of the plant was soon changing; turning from completely opaque to see through in a matter of minutes. Marjoram was impressed. Twilight showed an incredible amount of magic and control. It was impressive for one so young- Twilight's horn flared, and the plant withered and blackened. Twilight stopped, eyes wide and fearful. Marjoram laughed, his own magic taking the dead plant and putting it back on the counter. “It's alright. You're young, and flare-ups of magic are common. With practise and time, they'll stop unless you lose control of your magic all-together. Mistakes like this are completely normal, and part of growing up. You did amazingly well for your first time.” “Thanks,” Twilight still looked disappointed. Marjoram sighed through his nostrils. He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, sighing internally, “The first time I tried this, I burnt down my house.” Twilight started, “W-what?” “I tried to do what you did with no instruction whatsoever. I went in blind, so to speak. My mother realized what was about to happen, and got us all out of the house. We lost almost everything.” Twilight's eyes were wide, “Really?” Marjoram nodded, “Yes. That's how Celestia was informed of my powerful magic, and how I came here to Canterlot to study.” “Wow! Does your family live here now?” Marjoram's eyes narrowed, his mouth twitching into a frown. Twilight sat back on the stool, and cleared her throat, “Sorry.” Marjoram shook his head, “You've done well today. I've got work to do, much of which is not for you to observe for a long time. You take the books up to Celestia's rooms, and I expect you to be finished by next week.” Twilight grabbed the books, nodding enthusiastically, “Yes, sir,” she scrambled off the stool, her little legs moving quickly to the other room. “Don't forget your lantern!” Marjoram called after her. He heard the scrape of the lantern being picked up, and the door opening and closing. Marjoram sighed, breathing out a sigh of relief. Marjoram glared up at the ceiling, “I hope you're happy. I don't teach, I don't deal with others,” he grumbled, he went back into his office, slipping on a clean pair of scrubs, putting on his lab coat once more, he went into the morgue, using his magic to get the next corpse he was supposed to autopsy. Marjoram examined the tag attached to the hoof, “So, Mr. Richly, let's see if your illness was really just an illness, shall we?” (LINE BREAK) Twilight hurried to Celestia's rooms, feeling a potent mixture of embarrassment, disappointment, and fear. Who in the whole wide world of Equestria was that unicorn? Why did he willingly perform experiments on other ponies, or examine their remains? Marjoram was gruff, barely made eye contact, and was clearly uncomfortable around others, but he had tried, hadn't he? Twilight's young mind swirled with questions, observations, and fears. Why had Celestia deemed it important that Twilight spend at least one lesson a week with Marjorum? That number could increase, and Twilight didn't feel ready to sit in that creepy room- “Ah! Twilight! You're back later than I'd thought, how did the lesson go?” Celestia set down a scroll she's been reading, her smile was soothing. Twilight set down the books and lantern, “I killed a plant. Marjoram said it was a flare in magic.” Celestia's gaze softened, “It's alright Twilight, this is normal for a unicorn your age.” “That's what he said,” Twilight replied quietly. “What's bothering you, Twilight?” “He told me about au-autopsy.” Celestia's eyes widened, “Why?” “I came a little earlier than he thought. He was still cleaning the blood, I asked. Please don't get him in trouble.” Celestia shook her head, “I won't. Do you think he'll be a good teacher?” Twilight shrugged, “I don't know.” “Will you continue to study under him, at least for a while? I think the both of you can learn a lot from each other.” “Really, like what?” Celestia smiled, “You'll see.” Internally, Celestia replied friendship.