"Yeah, yeah I understand,"
"Alright, with that, I'll take my leave,"
{:<->:}
...
"No, though- $&*(#,"
{:<->:}
"-una will want to talk with him,"
POV: Mark
Mark, did not want to move. His body was so sore he didn't know if he could. Just trying to relax, Mark didn't try to do anything.
He, for a few moments, tried to go back to sleep, only to realize it was one of those times where no matter hows hard as he tried, he would never be able to go back to sleep.
Knowing his efforts would be futile, he slowly opens his eyes. 'The first this I see when I wake up is the roof. Not some cliche situation with my friends/family have fallen asleep near me while I'm injured- nope there it is... Well kind of.'
Looking around, Mark saw Star on the other side of the room, in a bed big enough to hold three or five more of her. 'Oh yes... Everything is bigger... I forgot that.' Also in the room were guards. Both in the dark blue armor of some other Guards, he had seen.
It didn't take long for one to notice and grab the attention of the other. A few moments later, the Thestral came closer to Mark.
"Are you okay, Your Highness?"
Mark, didn't attempt to move, just happy the only light in the room was a few lanterns.
"I'm sore. I'm tired. I'm bored."
"Of course, your Highness," the thestral mare replied, "the doctor said that you'd be like that, considering all that's happened. I'll go inform Princess Luna for you."
While the thestral guard turned around Mark remember something he meant to tell Eclipse before falling asleep as well as forgot to tell the guards who protected him and Star while they hid in the cave.
"Oh, and can you drop the title? I don't even know why it was given to me nor why they thought it was a good idea."
The Guard stopped for a moment turning her head back. Seems like Mark had surprised the Guard causing an actual expression to grace the thestrals face. With a nod, she turns and walked away with a smile no one could see.
Going back to the other guard, a unicorn, the thestral said something and left the room.
Mark, decided to just relax as his body demanded. Now having time to think, Mark found himself in a fairly comfy bed, belly first which wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be thanks to the equine nature of his body.
Letting himself into a slightly more comfortable position than he already was in, Mark looked at Star. Thinking, Mark decided that if he could take a picture and post it on social media he would because it would go viral. 'Seriously why are ponies adorable'
Looking around, for the third time, Mark saw the same thing. 'Now what the heck am I supposed to do?? No phone, no book, no nothing including-'
With an attempt to use magic Mark couldn't even access his magic. Looking up as much as possible see to the tip of his horn, Mark saw a ring on it. 'Yep, No nothing including magic. If standard logic from a show or movie, that would be stopping my magic.' Looking again, Mark saw the tip of his horn was scorched. 'Or it's that burned part not letting me use magic.'
Done looking at his horn, Mark's mind shot blanks as there was nothing he could think of to do.
The Guard still in the room was a little creepy, but the less mark thought about it, the better. The looks the unicorn had with the dark blue armor made her seem like a lifeless warrior especially with that blank expression. The way the unicorn color pallet matched the- ' And now I'm thinking about it... Great job me...'
Luckily for Mark, he heard hoof steps coming near the door. 'Did I just say hoof steps in my mind? Just how badly is this world affecting my mental state?'
While Mark was in thought the door opened slightly and in came none other than Eclipse Rose, her face expressionless unlike when she came to bring Mark and Star to the ship.
Trying to get up, even with a sore body, Mark pulled off the blanket only to see numerous bandages wrapped around his body. Mostly around the places he got injured, like the large cut on his shoulder. Though his shoulder was wrapped he noticed that nearly the entire right side of his barrel was covered in bandages.
Ignoring the bandages Mark half-heartedly sat up to see Eclipse coming, only he noticed something off from when she came into the room. When he saw his eyes widen in horror. 'Her expression has changed from expressionless to a scowl. An angry scowl that promised pain.'
Mark didn't have much time before the pressure from Eclipses hoof found a particularly painful spot.
"Ow-ow-Oww-ok-ok-okay!" Mark said desperately trying to stop the pressure on his side.
Looking at Eclipse, Mark still saw the scowl and tried to return one of his own, only mixed with pain along with it.
"Oww, what was that for?!" Mark tried to yell without yelling. The silence around the room made him a little anxious.
"Are you really asking why?" harshly replied an angered Eclipse, "Think real hard Mark. I know you're capable of that at least even if injured."
Mark didn't even have to think to reply.
"Right, redundant question huh?"
Mark felt a pressure on his side again.
"Ow-ow-ow-OW!"
Mark only rubbed his side glaring at Eclipse expecting her to say something along the lines of you are an idiot but was surprised when he was wrapped in the embrace of hooves.
"You are an idiot you know."
Mark was surprised, with a pained face from the hug. ' Ah, there it is. The classic you idiot or you're an idiot line whenever the main character does something and ends up injured.' Doing his best, Mark soon had a plain calm face.
"Can't say I didn't expect that."
Mark would soon regret saying that as he found pressure on his side again.
"Oww-owh-Ow-okokay-Im-sorry!"
While Mark and Eclipse were busy, the door slowly creaked open, and in came a certain pony. A pony that was very important to the nation of Equestria.
"Ahem," the sound of her voice caught Mark and Eclipse's attention quickly, "While I too have strong words, I believe stunting the young one's healing would be... unwise."
Mark was grateful for Eclipse to finally stop. After Eclipse had finally stopped, with one last small jab to the side, probably out of spite, the large alicorn came closer.'This must be Princess Luna. Wow, they didn't exaggerate calling her the Princess of the Night'
"Allow me to introduce myself," once Princess Luna had gotten closer she stopped with a hoof to her chest, " I am Princess Luna Angelus. I have more titles, but you may call me Luna."
Still stunned at her appearance stunned, it took Mark a few moments to replied.
"Oh, I'm Mark Tempus, others just call me Mark, but I don't really care."
"I see," Luna tilted her head at the odd pony before her, "well, I'm sure you have many questions as do I, but that can wait till morning as your still injured. For now, how are you doing? We, unfortunately, didn't have a doctor, but it so happens one of the griffins we captured was a doctor willing to help... with some maybe not so helpful encouragement of course."
Thinking, it took Mark some time to decide that he just wanted some fresh air. It would also give him a chance to ask questions.
"I think, for now, I could just use some fresh air. Though I don't see myself walking out of here anytime I wanted soon."
Mark looked at his bandages coving himself.
"I can see how that would be a problem, very well I shall take you out."
With a sudden application of magic, a startled Mark was lifted and placed on Luna's back. Mark didn't like this because of one, he didn't like how high he was from the ground, two, being kinda introverted Mark wasn't usually riding on people's backs, and last, of all, it was embarrassing. At least to him, because it made him feel like he's a little kid again and the smiles of other ponies thinking it was cute didn't help at all. At least with Eclipse, it was just her and Star, but on a ship, there were probably others.
Hiding a small blush, Mark just relaxed.
"Ready?"
At Luna's question, Mark nodded at Luna, and soon the three walked out to the hallway. The turned and started walking down. There were some guards sparingly placed around, but not too many.
Going through the hallways, Mark saw some small repairs from small holes in the wall. 'Probably damage from cannons' Some just covered up while others more major holes were properly repaired. Soon, Mark found an entire wall missing covered by a cloth.
"So... What happened to that wall?"
The reactions to Marks surprised weren't what he expected as Luna's head lowered a bit with a grumble while Eclipse ears folded while she looked like she didn't want to answer with a bit of an embarrassed grin.
"Well, that would require knowing some of what happened with the pirates," looking at Luna, Eclipse got a nod to go ahead, "that is if you want to know what happened."
...
Silence was left. Mark was thinking back and realized something that horrified him. He already knew but was hiding it even if he didn't know. Inside he was tearing himself apart. As Mark thought more, the more horrified he became, though he was had a carefully made neutral face on the outside. Make was about to change the subject when his mouth just started moving.
"Eclipse...," Mark looked her dead in the eyes while the moment passed, "tell me that I was justified ending so many lives..."
Eclipse's eyes widen and Luna could feel Mark shaking as he finished the sentence. Mark himself, didn't even know where that came from. It just came out.
The reactions of the two was a shocked silence. Luna's ears folded while she placed a comforting wing over Mark. Eclipse didn't know what to say... She couldn't say or think of anything, but even so, she powered on trying to say something.
"I-I..." Eclipse hesitated, trying to find the words was more complicated than she thought, "you did what you thought was best and nopony can blame you for that. I can't justify that for you, it's something you must do for yourself..."
Mark only looked away a bit, snuggling into the feathers of Luna's soft wings. 'Sounds like a typical response from some movie or something.'
It wasn't long before they started going up some stairs and out of a door. Looking around, Mark saw they were one of two ships. Both seem like they were hastily repaired before they set out. He doesn't know how long he was out, but there was one thing Mark was sure of. The night sky in all its wonder is still shining brightly down on them. As they slowed down near the front of the ship, Mark continued to watch the stars and took a deep breath.
"Luna?"
"Hmm?" Luna looked at Mark with a curious face that was carefully measured.
"You're the princess of the night and dreams right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Well, then I say this night is done quite beautifully."
Luna was a bit shocked, in all her time she's never gotten a compliment on her night before or at least didn't remember. Slightly blushing Luna watched as Mark watched the sky.
"Well," Luna hesitated, "I wish I could take full credit, but in all the time I've ruled I've never been able to move the stars. Just the moon."
Mark thought for a bit then playfully snorted.
"Well, I guess it makes sense that you wouldn't be able to," while Eclipse was a bit shocked in the manner Mark is speaking to the princess, Luna herself was just curious, "your sister would probably be a better fit for that. Even so, the night is beautiful."
"How so...?"
Mark looked at Luna for a moment before looking back up.
"The stars at night seem like small shining objects in the sky," Mark began to explain, " when they are really just suns. They are so far away in the depths of space, they seem so small."
Luna was curious but didn't have much to say.
"I'm not really up on modern astronomy, but perhaps I should ask my sister about that."
"Maybe so," said Mark, "One thing I love about the night, it shows infinite possibilities of life. I wonder if there is life, sentient life, what they go through in their everyday life compared to us. While we have problems, tens of thousands of problems, there are others on this planet or not, who have the same problems."
Luna was shocked. She'd never expected that from such a young foal. She quickly looked only to see him still watching the stars.
As the three watched the sky, the winds gently carried them across the sea.