//------------------------------//
// Marks of the Past 
// Story: Sol Point 
// by CoffeeBean 
//------------------------------//

"Aaaaand... perfect."

Chef Tea Leaf stood back, admiring how perfectly she had garnished the stack of French toast with fresh berries, powdered sugar, and syrup. Chef Pan Sear now came in, her deep orange magical aurora gently placing a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in the top corner of the tray that held Celestia's breakfast.

"Got the egg!" chirped Flip, a cast-iron pan held in her light blue magic being held above the plate on the tray, a shiny, stainless steel spatula being used to scoop up the perfectly cooked sunny-side up egg and place it right beside the French toast.

"I wonder, how do you think Discord likes his eggs?" Tea asked, looking left to right at her comrades.

"Scrambled; it's chaotic." Pan Sear returned.

"Yeah," Flip nodded, "it'd have to be scrambled."

The three shared a little chuckle, Tea looking down to the tray of breakfast before humming thoughtfully. "So, who's taking it up to her?"

Instantly, the tray was encompassed within a light blue aurora, Flip trotting off with it. "That'd be me."

"Well," began Tea as she stepped off to the side, going for the tea kettle that sat in the serving window, "there's that problem solved."

Pan simply hummed as she went about tidying up the little mess made by preparing Celestia's breakfast. With the tea kettle in-hoof, Tea went to the sink, opening the hinged lid on the chrome vessel and began filling it with water. From within the vessel echoed a scream, the startled Tea jumping and dropping the vessel into the sink. A bright flash of magic lit up the kitchen, causing her to flip around to find a totally drenched Discord standing behind her, the sleeping cap on his head hanging over his face.

"There are nicer ways to wake someone, you know?" he grumbled, taking his cap off and wringing it out.

"W-Why were you in the kettle?!" Tea exclaimed.

"I was sleeping, is that so strange?"

"It is when you're doing it in a tea kettle!"

Discord scoffed, waving a paw. "Whatever. Now, if you'll excuse me," he snapped his fingers, materializing a towel, "I've got to go dry off, thanks to you."

Another strobe flashed in the kitchen, Discord disappearing out onto the porch as he began drying himself. Still stunned, Tea watched the Draconequus through the kitchen window before looking to Pan Sear, who threw a cleaning rag to her. Their eyes locked for a second before Tea looked down at the puddle caused by Discord's wetness.

"You got him wet," shrugged Pan with a grin.

Tea grumbled under her breath as she dropped the cloth to the puddle, beginning to mop up the water with her hoof.





Before Celestia’s grand bedroom door, stood Flip. It was a daunting door, one of great height, yet nothing more. It was a simple wood-panel door just as all the others in the hall were. It carried no grand designs, etchings, or markings to suggest its occupant was the Princess Celestia. Despite that, Flip always found herself a little anxious when before the door; it seemed as if she needed to state her reason for being before it. Tossing her anxieties to the side, she brought up a hoof, giving a quick rap that rang through the quiet morning.

"Celestia?"

Curious, she held her ear to the door, listening to the silence within. She tried once more, bringing more force to her knock.

"I brought you breakfast..." 

Again, nothing.

Flip sighed, gaining the courage twist the brass handle with a spell. She watched as the door slowly swung inward to reveal the Alicorn's bedroom, the place holding a comforting orange glow thanks to the morning sun. Sprawled out on her back in an unflattering manner in bed lay Celestia; her hind legs dangling loosely in the air, her wings spread against the sheets, and her mane and tail a total mess. She looked like she was more in a coma than asleep. Now, as if standing before a new door, Flip stood rigidly with the Monarch’s breakfast in her magic. Stepping closer, she came to the bedside, her eyes wandering along Celestia's sprawled figure as she pondered whether she should wake her or not.

She looked so horribly comfy, it would be almost a crime to wake her. Disturbing somepony in such a sound sleep seemed wrong. But, maybe she was hungry. She always had a big appetite, especially in the morning. Taking a deep breath, Flip leaned forward, nuzzling her cheek into Celestia's side to try and wake her. She craned her head back as Celestia mumbled, her left wing giving a little flutter.

"Celestia?"

That little stir had been nothing more than that; a little stir. Her peaceful motionlessness returned, prompting Flip to lean in and nuzzle her once more, this time being a little more persistent. Grumbling a few noises that were meant to be words, Celestia rolled onto her side to face Flip, her wings furling back to her sides as her eyes finally fluttered open.

"You awake now?"

Celestia's only reply was a groggy nod, her eyes closing again as she stretched, a loud, prolonged yawn leaving her wide-open maw as her legs spread out before her. 

"I brought breakfast..."

Moaning and finishing her stretch, Celestia blinked a few times as she finally met Flip's gaze, her eyes bloodshot.

"Thank you, Flip," she croaked in a raspy, tired voice. 

"You feeling okay?"

Again, she responded with a slow nod as she lazily rolled onto her back, "Yes, I feel okay. Not great, but okay."

"Do you... need anything?" 

Before Celestia could make her reply, the crackle of magic broke the air as Discord teleported into the doorway, a damp towel hung around his neck.

"Oh, good! You're awake!" 

Craning her head up for only a moment to see him, Celestia nodded, "barely."

Flip raised a brow at the Draconequus as he stepped inside. "What's with the towel? Go for a morning swim?"

"An unplanned swim, yes. There I was, snoozing away in the tea kettle when your," he looked to Celestia, who currently had her head laid back on her pillows, "chef so inconsiderately poured a bunch of water inside," he took the towel off his shoulders, snapping his fingers to de-materialize it, "I was having flashbacks of last night in that Celestia-forsaken storm."

"I wish I wasn't an adjective..." Celestia mumbled. 

"You were... sleeping in the tea kettle?" Flip inquired.

"Well, of course. You should try it some time."

Taking a moment to look from Discord to Celestia, who, again, still had her eyes shut and head laid back into her pillows, Flip gave a little hum of confusion masked as understanding, "I'll... get right on that." 

"Is she even awake anymore?" Discord asked in annoyance, aiming an open palm at the motionless Alicorn.

Celestia mumbled something.

"Yeah, she's awake. Uh, Celestia, where do you want me to put your breakfast?" 

Celestia's reply was to take the tray from Flip's magic and hover it closer to herself.

"Oh. Okay," standing idly for a moment, Flip turned for the door, stepping past Discord as she made her departure, "have a good breakfast, Celly!"

Discord watched after her as she left, his gaze remaining with the open door for a moment before he looked to Celestia.

"So, how're you feeling?" he cooed in a sweet tone, coming to the side of the bed. 

Beginning to sit up, Celestia groaned as she went into the upright, "Oh, not too horrible. I'm still a bit dizzy, but nothing that'll stop me from eating every last bite of this."

Chuckling, Discord looked on as she took the standard pony sitting position; her front hooves between her haunches, though, unlike any other time, her posture was horribly slouched and her wings were hung loosely from her sides as opposed to being firmly kept down or fully unfurled.

"Goodness me, you look like an old dog."

Clicking his tongue and shaking his head, Discord leaned forward and, to Celestia's surprise, pulled her mane off as if it here a loosely held on wig, leaving her head totally smooth. Materializing a brush in the other hand, Discord gave the disheveled, disembodied mane a few tidying strokes, ironing down any frayed hairs and gingerly placing the mane perfectly back upon Celestia's head. Leaning back, he met Celestia's gaze, who now looked at him with an oddly neutral look rather than the surprise he had expected. 

"Want me to do your tail next?" he asked with a hopeful grin, holding up his brush. 

Celestia's tail quickly curled around her side, her hoof coming over and holding it against her. "My tail's fine, thank you." 

"Suit yourself, you'd look a lot better."

"I just woke up."

"Ah, yes, speaking of you just waking up, how'd you raise the sun in your sleep?"

Celestia took a sip of her orange juice. "Pardon?"

"The sun woke up, but you didn't."

"Yes, I did. I got up at 6 just as I do every morning and brought up my sun," the light clink of metal on porcelain temporarily broke her speech as she stabbed down a strawberry, "only difference is I immediately went back to sleep."

"Your sun, hm?" 

Celestia held her tongue for a moment as she ate a big bite of fruits she had gathered on her fork. Upon swallowing, she stayed quiet for a little while longer.

"I say my sun, but it's quite the inverse. I am the sun's pony."

Clearly taken aback, Discord's head went back as he raised a brow, "Do elaborate."

"The sun chose me to be its conduit, I did not choose to be the sun's conduit. She reached out to me, and I accepted." 

"She?"

Sipping at her juice, she nodded, "She. She has a voice, and it's most certainly a she."

Discord silently stared as she continued on with her meal and paid him no further heed.

"The sun has a voice, and it's most certainly a she," he spoke more to himself than Celestia.

"Everything has a voice if you listen."

"And I thought your sister was weird."

"Get to know me better and I'm sure you'll find we're just about equal."

Discord took in a sharp breath as she nodded. "Yeah, I'm slowly seeing that."

Giggling, Celestia brought a healthy forkful of French Toast and egg to her waiting maw. 

"So," Discord began as he hovered up and over the bed, going to the opposite side, "how's that cut of yours?"

"See for yourself."

Reluctantly accepting, he reached out and parted her mane where he remembered her wound being, and after a time of searching, he drew a blank.

"Well, you were right. It totally healed," leaning back, he put his hands on his hips, "didn't even leave a scar."

"It did leave a scar, I just covered it up."

He raised a brow. "Covered it up?"

"Indeed. A little spell my sister and I devised many years ago to totally cover up scars," again, she took a forkful of food to her mouth, "keeps me looking pretty," she explained past her food. 

"You have so many that they need to be covered up?"

She nodded, swallowing and readying another bite.

"Does this spell come undone?" 

Her fork paused just before her mouth, her gaze meeting his and remaining for quite some time before she spoke up, "You'd like to see my scars?"

Nervously, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it'd be interesting..."

Taking that bite from her fork, Celestia placed the utensil back to the tray and hovered it off to the side, her posture straightening and eyes closing as the aurora around her horn became brighter. Randomly across her entire body began to shine little pillars of yellow light, and after a few seconds, the points of contrast faded, leaving Celestia covered in a long life-time's worth of old, healed up wounds. Awestruck, Discord began pacing his way around the bed, his eyes darting from wound to wound. Each of her legs had a healthy collection of slices and tears, her underbelly too having several wounds he could only identify as stab wounds. Her flanks, particularly right upon her Cutie marks, were a number of lacerations that clouded the once clear image of the sun on her flanks. Along with wounds from weapons were magical scars, scars left by high-powered spells. Right beneath her left wing was the most notable of them; a hoof-sized blast that spidered out as the roots of a plant would. 

Her chest too held many marks, though the collection of slices, stabs, and blasts were nothing compared to the three gashes that ran diagonally across the length of her breast, three gashes that had clearly been made by some horrid beast eons ago. Out of everything, however; Discord found himself entirely enamored with a single wound that he had just now noticed. Silent and still, he stood and stared at a single, long cut along her throat, just below her chin. He could understand her being able to survive the many other wounds he saw across her figure, but that cut seemed impossible.

"No, I will not tell you about my throat." she commented suddenly, her firm, almost brooding voice breaking his trance. 

"I... won't ask, then."

She held her peace as he continued investigating, his attention now moving to the blast mark under her left wing, "What about this one? That... that looks like it hurt."

"The physical pain I felt was nothing compared to the emotional," Celestia took a sharp breath, her head drooping a little, "that mark was my sister."

Her voice suddenly had a quiver to it. 

"Look, Celestia... if this is bothering you..."

"No, no. I'm fine. It's good for me to see these things, and to talk about them. I've had that spell cast for so long that even I've forgotten about these marks."

Not quite knowing how to reply, Discord remained quiet as she took a step back, angling his head to the side as she looked to the three gashes across her chest.

"I'm going to guess those were made by a Manticore, or something?" 

Celestia looked down at her chest, staring for a moment before looking up, confusion clear in her expression. "You're going to guess a Manticore did that?"

Now confused as well, Discord blinked a few times. "Yes... was I right?"

"Are you joking like you normally do?"

Entirely confused, he quickly shook his head, blinking rapidly. "Wha- no, I'm asking what caused those!" 

"Do you not remember, or something?"

Exclaiming in frustration, Discord threw his hands up, "No, of course I don't remember when you got attacked by a Manticore!" 

Placing a hoof over the three cuts, she leaned forward, looking into his eyes with a look of what he could only decipher as shock, "Discord, you did this."

Those four words echoed in Discord's mind as if they were a racket ball. Totally frozen, his mind worked to make sense of what he had just heard.

"You don't remember?"

Discord looked down as he brought up his avian-like hand, his eyes darting over his talons, "I didn't do that... I-I don't remember... at all."

"How do you not remember?"

He looked up, the look in his eyes being one of pure horror and sorrow, "I-I don't know... when did this happen?"

"Long ago. Very long ago. It happened the day you took Equestria from myself and Luna."

Still holding a look of terror, Discord sat down on the foot of the bed, his hand on the side of his head. "I don't remember doing that to you..."

"Maybe it be best that it remains a mystery..."

"No," he darted his gaze to her, "I want to know... I need to know."

Taking a deep breath, Celestia looked down at the cuts, tracing along the very bottom-most one with the tip of her hoof. "You did this right as you threw my sister and I through a portal to Tartarus. I was standing, facing you, on the very edge of the portal, and you whipped your hand across my chest, then pushed me in."

She looked up, and for a split second was able to see the morning's sun glimmer off a single tear as it rolled down his cheek. Silently, they maintained eye contact, Celestia feeling a pit in her gut she hadn't felt in 26 years. The look in his eye was the same look Luna had given her so, so many times the night of her return. Her memory had failed her for most of her actions, and the look of terror plastered over her young face was identical in every way to the look Discord offered. 

"I-I'm... I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Discord. It's in the past."

"Does it haunt you?" 

His voice was broken, his lip quivering and eyes misty. It was taking every ounce of his being to suppress his tears.

"What.. do you mean?"

"D-Does it haunt you? When you look at me, does that moment come up?"

Celestia drew in a sharp breath, straightening her posture. "Sometimes..."

That look of horror remained as he drew his gaze from hers, staring off into a corner of the room. 

"I'm sorry..."

"You've more than made up for it, Discord. You don't need to apologize."

Snapping his fingers to bring forth a handkerchief, he dried his eyes and blew his nose, remaining silent after the fact as he de-spawned the little cloth. 

"I... I don't understand how I forgot something like that."

"Are you sure you wanted to know about this?" she offered a little smile, hoping to lighten the mood, "I can always erase your memory again."

He looked back to her, "If you're haunted by it, then so should I be."

She sighed, "I can understand wanting to know for the sake of knowing, but don't do what my sister did for months after she returned. Don't punish yourself for things you did in the past," again, she smiled, "follow your own rules; don't dwell on the dark past."

Taking a deep breath, Discord gave a little nod. "Right... don't dwell on a dark past."

Scooting forward, she placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder, gently chuckling, "Come on, lighten up a little. I'm not upset with you over this, and there's no reason you should be, either."

Meeting her gaze, he gave a weak smile, "You're right. Besides, you're the one talking about these things, you should be the one getting upset."

"That's what I thought! I was surprised at how shaken you were by this whole thing."

Awkwardly shrugging, he laughed along, "Well, it's not every day you find out that you've seriously scarred somepony you care for."

Her smile slowly fading to a look of understanding, Celestia looked off to the side as she slowly nodded. "No, it's not. Trust me, I understand the feeling all too well."

The conversation went quiet, both Discord and Celestia holding their silence and keeping their eyes on random places in the room. For a little while, totally silent, they sat, her hoof still on his shoulder. For a little while, they went into their own minds, and stayed for a time. After what had felt like whole minute, Celestia finally gave him a few pats before moving back to where she previously sat.

"Alright, get out of here before you make us both sad again. I didn't order a side of melancholy with my breakfast," she joked with a smile, the tray holding her breakfast floating back before her from where it had been held off to the side. 

Chuckling, Discord stood up from the edge of the bed, "Yes, and I didn't want a sadness sundae for dessert."

Laughing together, they shared a smile as Discord went for the door, "I'll be down once I finish my breakfast and after I've had a shower."

Pausing in the doorway, he cocked a brow, "You're not going to stay in bed and get some rest?"

She scoffed, "Rest. I'm nearly fully recovered. Besides, you and I have a fishing trip to finish."

Perking up, Discord beamed a bright smile. "Oh! That... that, we do! I'll get us another ship ready," holding up his hand and prepping his fingers for a snap, he grinned to her, "don't forget to cover those scars back up. You're far prettier without them."

Staying for a mere second just to hear her giggle, he snapped his fingers and disappeared from the doorway.