//------------------------------// // The Seed is Planted // Story: A Good Sun Day // by Waxworks //------------------------------// The wind whistled across the rock-strewn farmland. It carried with it the smell of dust, ash, and the sterile scent of sun-baked stone. Marble felt the warm wind blow through her mane and stared across the farm at the rising plume of smoke. The fire wasn’t large, but Pa and Limestone had been fighting it alongside the neighbors since early morning, and it was taking an unexpectedly long time to stop it. To help in the efforts, Marble had been left with her Ma, Cloudy Quartz, at the farmhouse to prepare supplies and deliver them as needed. Things like food, water, and sandbags to assist in stopping the spreading blaze. The brushland around the rock farm wasn’t used for anything, but the fire spread smoke and ash, and it drove wild animals into their living space. After one fire a few years ago, a wild cat made its home in the quarry and they had to drive it out. Since then they decided it would be best to smother fires as quickly as possible. Today’s fire was of middling ferocity. They had caught it early and already had it cut off from further sources of fuel. All that was left was to watch it burn itself out and snuff the embers. Marble was waiting for Ma to finish making some sandwiches, then she would deliver the food to everypony stuck out watching the fire. It wasn’t glamorous, but she wasn’t as brave in the face of danger as Limestone. “Marble! Come here, please,” Ma called from the house. Marble turned away from the rising smoke and went inside. Ma had finished the sandwiches and had them all packed up in saddlebags for the trip. Marble turned and let her mother cinch them on her back. Ma patted her on the withers and gave a smile. “Do not keep them waiting, dear child. It’s been a very busy day for everypony,” Ma said. Marble nodded and stepped outside, then broke into a trot toward the smoke. The fire was quite a distance away from the farmhouse. Their house wasn’t in any real danger, but the fear of floating sparks or other flaming material had Ma staying at the house just in case. While she walked, Marble looked at the floating detritus coming down around her, and if she hadn’t known it was ash from a fire, it would have been strangely beautiful. A few small glowing bits fluttered down. They settled in the dirt and faded to grey as the rocky earth sapped their heat. Marble could see the edge of the fire just ahead, and more of the glowing bits fell around her as she approached. Her Pa–Igneous Rock–was waiting and waved a hoof when he saw her. He was covered in ash and soot, but he was still as solemn as he always looked. As though putting out a fire were no different from quarrying. “Good noon to ye, child. I trust it is our meal which you bring with ye?” He’d sometimes sprinkle fancy speech into conversations like that, though nopony else in the family did. It was usually when he was around ponies other than family. Marble didn’t say anything, but she nodded and smiled. She might not be the best at fighting fires, but she could cook and clean to help around the house. She was good at carving rocks as well, but that was no use here. She opened her saddlebags and pulled out sandwiches and a canteen for her Pa. He took them graciously and motioned for her to continue down the line to the rest of the group. To prevent the fire from spreading, they had set out a perimeter of dirt and stone, and trimmed any flammable plants or other objects that might catch fire. There were quite a few ponies out to help, but most of them had families of their own providing food. Ma had prepared extras just in case, though. Marble continued along the edge of the fire, meeting her sister, Limestone, who accepted the food with grudging politeness. Then she went further to ensure everypony had something to eat and drink. Once she was sure everypony was taken care of, she returned back along the line to her Pa. “Thank you for your efforts today, Marble. All appears well. We shall see thee and thy mother upon the setting of the sun.” Marble nodded, her head low so her mane drooped in front of an eye, and headed for home. The fire, which was now far less threatening than it had been this morning, became a muted glow behind her as she walked. Now that she wasn’t facing the fire, she stopped and looked up at the smoke and ash falling around her. Without the flames ahead of her, it truly was like a softly glowing snowfall. She smiled slightly and then lowered her head and continued home. The rest of the evening was spent helping her Ma clean and cook. If the fire didn’t die out as quickly as they hoped, they would have to stay out all night tending to it. As it was, somepony would have to stay out to survey the remains and make sure they didn’t blaze up again. Knowing her Pa, he would volunteer, which meant Marble and Limestone would have to take turns going out to check on him. With the setting sun, Marble and her Ma sat on the front porch, waiting for Limestone and Pa to come back. The glow of the distant fire had dimmed significantly, but as Marble had expected, it was a lone Limestone who came stumbling back without their Pa. “Pa is going to stay and keep an eye on the remains,” Limestone said. Ma nodded solemnly, as if she knew it would end up like this. They all did. She ushered Limestone into the house and to a warm bath, getting her comfortable after such a long day. Once Limestone was cleaned up and in bed, Ma prepared another batch of food, along with some strong coffee for Pa. She packed it all into Marble’s saddlebags and sent her off into the night. Marble grabbed a lantern, lit it, and held it in her teeth as she trotted out into the smoky darkness. The darkness wasn’t a hindrance to her. For her, the rock farm was an old friend, one that she knew from all sides. Every boulder and ditch was a place she’d played and worked in her younger years. In addition, finding her destination wasn’t going to be difficult, as warm embers still glowed. This trip, because she knew it wouldn’t take her much longer, she took a hike through a short ditch. It had rocks in it that formed a natural lip she could hike over, or walk under if she wanted. It was like crawling through a small tunnel without the danger of it collapsing. When she was inside her miniature canyon, she could look up and see the stars, and it felt like she was much further below them than she was. It was a nice feeling. As she walked, she saw a glowing ember flittering down toward her. It was tossed this way and that by the evening breeze, but it passed through the rocks above and settled on the rocky soil in front of her. This one, unlike the ones that had instantly cooled upon landing, didn’t lose its warm glow. It pulsed faintly as it sat, innocent and unassuming. Marble approached and looked down at the glowing ember. When she got closer, she noticed it was shaped oddly. It looked like a kidney bean, smooth on all sides, with a crack on one end that was glowing hotter than the rest. Curious, she watched as it pulsed with a regular rhythm, as though a tiny heart beat inside it. Marble set down her lantern and leaned in closer. Her breath passed over the tiny ember-like thing, and it shuddered. She pulled back in surprise, but it didn’t do anything else. She leaned in again and breathed on it, and it shook slightly. She inhaled and blew on it, and it shivered harder. She blew on it again, and the crack on one end grew wider, and a tiny glowing appendage sprung out of the hole. “A seed?” Marble looked closer, squinting to get a better look, and sure enough, the thing that had come out the end of it looked like a tiny sprout. Marble didn’t know what to think about it. It looked like it was on fire. Was that just a trick of the light? She stuck out her hoof and gently prodded the glowing bean. It was hot, so she was right about that, but a growing seed shouldn’t be made of fire or embers. Marble shook her head, and remembered that her father would be waiting for her. She shouldn’t be dawdling like she was. She blew on the bean once more, and the shoot growing out of it stretched out again. She smiled at it, then picked up her lantern and stepped over it. There was nothing flammable around it, so she didn’t have to worry. She’d come check on it tomorrow after all this fire nonsense was done with and if it was still here she could ask Pa about it. Marble made her way through her little crevasse to the edge of the fire, where Pa was awaiting her delivery. “Good evn’ to ye, daughter. I thank you for the food and drink. Be sure to deliver mine regards to thy mother upon your return.” He took a long swig of the coffee and motioned to the dying flames. “It was a long and tiring day, but we have triumphed over the flames. A good community works well together, with everypony playing their part.” Marble just nodded without a word. He knew he was trying to send her a message. She was quiet, and shy, and didn’t talk to many other ponies. Limestone was loud, and outgoing. She was very business-oriented, and was going to be the one to take over the rock farm after Pa was done. Pinkie had already moved out and starting baking and organizing parties, so the only pony left in the family without a direction was herself. He hadn’t yet told her, but she knew he was looking to marry her off. She’d overheard Ma and him talking about it, and this off-hoof comment of his about everypony playing their part in the community was him getting her to agree that she needed to find her place. Then he’d bring up a marriage, and she’d be forced to agree. Marble fidgeted, waiting for him to say something else. When he didn’t immediately speak, she started to turn back toward home. He cleared his throat and she stopped with a flinch. “Rest well, Marble. We shall speak on the morrow when I have had time to rest,” he said. Marble lowered her head as she walked back home. Her mane and tail drooped as she dreaded the inevitable chat about what she was going to do to help out the ‘community’ as Pa kept saying. “Marriage. I don’t want to get married,” Marble muttered to herself. “Just because I can cook and clean and other household things doesn’t mean I want to be some stay-at-home mare. What about my art?” Marble grumbled all the way home, and silently helped Ma prepare the next package of food for Pa. They waited up, keeping each other quiet company by playing chess to pass the time. Marble had carved all the pieces out of stones found around the farm. It had been one of her first big projects, and she was very proud of it. Ma said she should make more to sell. Ma won the chess game, as usual. Marble was good at making the pieces, but not so good at knowing where to move them. She packed it all up after the game and went to wake up Limestone. Marble crept into her sister’s room and patted her on the shoulder. She didn’t wake up at the first touch, so she gripped her and shook her gently. Limestone growled and shifted to look up at the offending hoof. “Grng. What’s… ‘zit time already?” Marble nodded. “Mmhmm.” “Ugh. You ‘n Ma got the saddlebags ready?” “Mmhmm.” Limestone rolled out of bed and flopped onto the hardwood floor. She staggered slightly and blinked furiously. She slapped herself in the face with her hoof, then shook her head. “Okay. Load me up and I’ll get this done. Pa’s gonna need his coffee if I’m feeling this tired.” Marble led the way downstairs and helped Limestone put on the saddlebags. She double-checked the contents to make sure everything was in there; water, coffee, and food. Then, with a small smile and a hug, Limestone went galloping out into the darkness. Ma had already gone to bed, which left Marble all alone. She was tired after a day of running back and forth, so she retired to bed herself. She lay awake until she heard Limestone return from her delivery. She heard the slam of the door downstairs, then the rattle of the saddlebags being dropped, then the rough hoofsteps of her sister stomping to her room. Once she was satisfied her sister had returned safely, then and only then did Marble allow herself to fall asleep.