//------------------------------// // Chapter 08 - Destiny's Mark (Part 1) // Story: A Pony Displaced: Homeward // by NoLongerSober //------------------------------// “Verdant, do you know where the eggs are?” Barrier frowned and backed away from the fridge a little bit. “We ran out earlier this morning. Gem took some of your bits and went on a grocery run about a half-hour ago,” the green stallion responded from his spot at the table where he was chewing on a piece of toast. “That figures,” The unicorn grumbled as he shut the refrigerator and grabbed a banana from the counter. With surprisingly fluid movements, given it was a unicorn using his hooves, Barrier peeled and smashed the banana into the mixing bowl then stirred, before taking several dollops of the mixture he’d prepared and dropping it into the large skillet on the stove. Once it was taken care of, the charcoal coated unicorn plopped down on a chair and rested his head on the table, across from Verdant. “Is Swift still doing her exercises in the backyard?” Iron Forge asked from his own chair, seemingly trying to drum up a conversation. “Yup,” Barrier responded with a yawn. “Every day for the last week.” The room went silent once more, that moment of noiseless calm interrupted only by the creak of Barriers chair as he moved to flip the pancakes. “Is it really necessary for Swiftsword to keep doing this?” Hat Trick asked from the kitchen entryway, having forgone a chair entirely. Fleetfeather soon joined the others in the kitchen, Wind Whistler hugging her side tiredly. “You forget, her clan put a great deal of pride in their abilities with a sword. With her desire to rebuild her house, she doubtlessly wants to be at her absolute peak.” “Besides that, we don’t know if we’ll ever have to face another threat like the griffins or another nation declaring war upon us,” Iron Forge piped in. “Better safe than sorry,” Barrier mumbled awkwardly around the plate of pancakes he carried to the table. “Best not to let it become your life though. It never hurts to be ready, but you’re all still young. Live a little. Faust knows you didn’t get to do much living when you were with me.” A knock came from the door, breaking the conversation. “That must be Winter Gem.” Hat Trick pressed off of the doorframe and moved towards the front door. Meanwhile, Barrier moved back to the stove and poured more batter into the skillet. “There’s a package out here addressed to you, Captain,” Hat Trick called out. Barrier frowned and turned to Verdant. “Watch the skillet for me.” He didn’t wait for an answer before he left the room and joined Hat Trick in their foyer. “That’s strange. I can’t imagine why I would have a package.” Even as he spoke, Barrier moved towards the large cardboard box. As he went to pry the top loose, the box shook violently before the top exploded outward, revealing three fillies gasping for air. The first filly, a small orange pegasus with a messy purple mane and tail threw herself from the box. “Dangit, Sweetie Belle, why’d you have to fart?!” The second pony, a familiar light-yellow filly with an apple-red mane and tail and a large ribbon scrambled out as well. “Ah’m never lettin’ yah eat a three-bean salad again!” The pegasus of the group gagged a little. “Blegh. I felt like I was gonna barf…” The last filly, also familiar, was a small white unicorn with a curly purple mane and tail, complete with light rose colored streaks. “Does your sister know you’re wearing jewelry, Sweetie Belle?” The first words out of Barrier’s mouth were not his finest. Three small gazes snapped to the towering pony and the filly in question smiled nervously. “I am not this “Sweetie Belle” you speak of.” She started out soft but seemed to pick up steam as she went. “I am… um…” she thought for a moment, fumbling over her thoughts. “Uh, Meanie Belle!” She thrust a hoof up triumphantly. “Yes, I am Meanie Belle. Sweetie Belle’s a naughty pony who was grounded for setting Dinky’s lawn on fire, even though it was a total accident, I swear!” The filly gazed around the room nervously, as if someone unseen were listening in. “Puh-lease.” Apple Bloom scoffed. “All yah’ll need’s a fake mustache fer the fakest disguise of the year award.” The disguise in question was… certainly something. The filly wore a black t-shirt with a blue frowny-face on it. Just noticeable beneath that was a purple fishnet undershirt, all topped off with a black, faux-leather jacket. Further up, she had several clip-on earrings of sorts; one on her left nostril, one on her horn, and two on her left ear. Around her neck was a collar with gold studs. On her forelegs were studded bands that matched the collar. Icing on the cake, she had on black eyeshadow, no doubt borrowed from her sister. “It would have worked if you two went with Operation Apple Gloom and Stalkerloo!” The mini-marshmallow angrily retorted. “You… know these three, Captain?” Hat Trick cocked an eyebrow and looked at the trio a little uncertainly. Barrier sighed out an affirmative. “Well, I know two of them at least. Go tell Verdant to put more pancakes on.” Hat Trick nodded and moved back towards the kitchen. “I don’t believe we’ve met yet.” Barrier gazed at the tiny pegasus. “I’m Scootaloo!” She bounced energetically. “I’m Apple Bloom and Meanie Belle’s friend,” Scootaloo stopped to gigglesnort at Sweetie Belle’s chosen disguise. “I’m the best scooter-rider in Ponyville and a white-belt in the Niwatori-Style Martial Arts.” “Right.” Barrier facehooved. “A pleasure.” He cleared his throat loudly, breaking Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom from an argument about disguises. “Girls.” The three of them glanced up at him, eyes wide. “What, for the love of Faust, are you doing here?” Apple Bloom started to answer. “We’re…” “The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” They all shouted together. “And we heard from mah sister about how you were a bunch o’ soldier ponies from ah thousand years ago, so ah figured yah’ll’d probably have really great cutie mark stories!” Scootaloo then picked up the thread. “So we came here to hear your stories, so that maybe we’ll figure out how to get our cutie marks super fast!” “Yeah,” Sweetie Belle added in between her attempts to wipe off her eyeshadow. “Rarity said that ponies from your time had to grow up fast in her Flame Crest books, so that means we’ll get our cutie marks fast too!” “So,” Barrier spoke slowly, “you decided your best chance at getting to hear our stories, and getting your cutie marks was to… mail yourself to somepony you barely know on the west coast of Equestria?” The three answered with a chorus of yesses, drawing a tired groan from the unicorn. “Your families are going to skin you.” “Pfft, nah.” Sweetie Belle smiled. “Well, Rarity wouldn’t anyways. She hated the idea of skinning stuff ever since she saw that movie about some crazy lady making puppies into a coat. I’m not sure what Applejack or Scootaloo’s aunts will do though.” “Well,” Barrier motioned towards the kitchen. “You three might as well come in and grab a bite to eat. I’ll go see if Professor Yearling has any of her ribbons laying around so I can send a letter to the princess and have her inform your sisters of your whereabouts.” Apple Bloom winced. “Can yah… not tell’em, maybe?” Barrier sighed. It wasn’t even noon and he was exhausted. *** Barrier carefully rolled the parchment into a tight bundle before dropping the quill from his mouth and tying off a golden-silk ribbon which he sent away in a flash of smoke. A grand total of two weeks had passed since the party that left him with a hangover that made him feel like Nightmare Moon had used his skull as a speedbag. After the party, Barrier had hoped to spend a month or two relaxing, but instead he was forced into hosting three foals far from home. The trio stuffed their faces almost as fast as Barrier was able to pull them off of the stove. “So,” Barrier turned off the stove and sat the empty frying pan in the sink to cool. “You looked at the return address on the letters Winter Gem was sending Applejack, snuck onto the train, and then hid in the luggage compartment to be shipped here in a cardboard box…” The unicorn took a deep breath to try and stave off the impending headache. “That is perhaps one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard.” “Well, it worked, didn’t it?” Apple Bloom nosed her plate away, finally stuffed. “Anywho, since it’ll be a heckuva long time until our families pick us up, how ‘bout yah’ll tell us how yah got yer cutie marks?” Barrier gave the filly a flat stare. “Please?” Apple Bloom gave Barrier the most heartbreaking puppy-dog eyes she could manage until a hiccup and burp escaped her, completely ruining the effect. “Faust above, I’m glad I never had children.” Barrier plopped down at the table tiredly. “Very well, I suppose we can tell you, since you went to such great lengths to get here. Verdant.” Barrier drew the green earth pony’s attention from where he sat at the foot of the table. “Can you go get Swiftsword? Also, Hat Trick, you’ll have baby-sitting duty.” Verdant saluted before smiling sheepishly at Barrier’s groan and nodding, moving to carry out the request. Hat Trick, like the others present, decided to focus on his breakfast. “I’m afraid you’ll likely be disappointed though. I’m fairly certain most of our stories are rather mundane. While we wait, I’ll go ahead and get mine out of the way.” “Alright!” Scootaloo cheered in her seat. “A pony with a sword and shield cutie mark’s got to have an awesome story!” Tapping his right hind leg on the floor, Barrier began. “I was probably a few years younger than you three when I received my mark. In those days, the oldest son or daughter of any noble house served at least five years in the Equestrian Army, usually much longer, so my father put me through my paces at a fairly young age…” *** Barrier grit his teeth as he narrowly dodged the thin wooden club his father swung at him and tried to push forward only to cry out in pain as the club rounded in mid-air and smacked him in the back of his head, sending him face-first into the dirt. “Simply because thou hast dodged it does not mean the weapon goes away!” Magus Stone called harshly before lifting his much smaller son up in his magic and setting him back on his hooves. “Thou attempted to push forward. Good, but thou can not allow your defense to falter when thou does so. Now, try again.” Barrier bit his cheek so hard that he tasted blood, but dutifully flared his horn and took hold of his wooden sword and shield, his own weapons of choice. Without warning, Magus Stone dashed forward, club swinging in his magic for his son’s head. Like before, Barrier dodged the first swing and pushed forward, meeting his father’s chest. The club moved to repeat the earlier maneuver only for Barrier’s sword, glowing a faint blue in his magic, to meet it halfway. Pressing hard against Barrier’s own magic, Magus drew one of his forelegs back and thrust it out in a hard jab at his son, only to have his hoof rebound off of the wooden shield. “Come now, child!” Magus drew his hoof back again and bashed the shield once more, all too aware of Barrier’s form trembling behind it, exhausted. “A pony in the service of Equestria must not back down and cower behind a shield! Thou must be able to wipe out her enemies!” Barrier’s foreleg had gone numb, having been bracing the wooden shield along with his magic. “Go on the offensive!” Magus urged, slamming into the wall of wood once more, cracking its center and weakening its resolve. Speaketh for thine self, father… Barrier inwardly swore, his head utterly pounding from trying to match his father’s magic and hold off the club whilst trying to physically withstand his assault. “At this rate, thou shalt be little more than griffin bait, unworthy of the Sparkle name!” Magus continued. “Strike me, coward!” The stallion struck the wooden shield with both hooves, widening the crack and splitting the prop down the center. Barrier wasn’t sure why, but all of a sudden the shield felt much lighter than it had before, even with his father nearly on top of it. With a roar of his own, the unicorn colt pushed his magic to its absolute limit and shoved the shield -- now replaced with a blue, magical construct -- upwards, forcing his father onto his hind legs. The moment the stallion stumbled, his hold on his club faltered and Barrier took advantage, batting the club away with his sword and simultaneously throwing his father backwards with the shield and nailing him just behind the ear with the wooden sword, driving the taller pony to the ground. It was all Barrier could do to keep his balance as his father pulled himself upright and stumbled a bit as his head righted itself. A silence held for fifteen long seconds before Magus finally smiled. “Well done, my son. Thou hast proved thyself truly worthy of the Sparkle name.” The unicorn motioned from the family courtyard into the interior of the house. “Come. To celebrate your victory and earning your mark, you will have your first wine.” Mark? Barrier hadn't realized his cutie mark had materialized on either side of his flank until turning his head to see it, a single longsword set behind a heater shield with the family crest, a familiar purple, six-pointed arcane star in the center surrounded by six smaller, five-pointed stars a slightly lighter shade of blue. A wide grin split Barrier’s face as he staggered after his father, utterly exhausted but the happiest he’d ever been. *** “That’s how I attained my mark.” Barrier finished just as Verdant led a somewhat sweaty Swiftsword into the kitchen. Almost as soon as she had seated herself, the familiar click of the front door alerted them all to the last member of their family. “I’m home! Could somepony please lend me a hoof or two?” Winter Gem called out, signalling everyone to gather in the kitchen to help stow away the two-weeks worth of groceries she’d returned with. “Alright!” Apple Bloom cheered. “Now we get tah hear about an Apple who didn’t get their cutie mark from apple farmin’!” As she spoke, she rushed out of the kitchen towards the voice. The group heard Winter Gem’s hooves stop as the filly bounded into her view. “Oh, Faust dammit!” Apple Bloom swore loudly.