//------------------------------// // Ch.5: A Test of Faith // Story: Mark // by xCRAZYxFACEx //------------------------------// Mark Chapter 5: A Test of Faith Mark’s day had been progressing quite nicely. He had helped the Cakes sell numerous treats, had learned he could take of foals quite well, and had managed to temporarily break Pinkie Pie out of her deepening sense of dejection. Of course, now he was stuck in an absurdly cushy bed that was strangling him just as much as the pink pony towering over him. Coincidentally, she was also the owner of that bed. Some would say that the bed was attempting to aid its master in her task, but the truth was that Pinkie had chosen such a bed for its sheer comfort. And, as much as Mark was enjoying that bed earlier, it was now ruining his day by helping the pink mare strangle him. ---------- Pinkie let off for a moment, and Mark coughed gratingly, striving to regain his breath. He took several deep breaths, and before he knew it Pinkie was face to face with him. She whispered dangerously at him, her voice tinged with ice. “Why were you in my dream? Why are you doing this to me? I KNOW it’s you, don’t try to deny it! Well? Answer me!” Mark was sweating profusely. She’s going to kill me unless I do something! He gathered his breath, and began whispering back. “Pinkie, please, relax! I know that must have been weird, maybe even frightening! I’m your friend, just listen!” The pink mare lifted her hooves off of Mark’s chest. He drew in several breaths, and heard Pinkie mutter, “Fine. But if you don’t fully explain yourself in the next sixty seconds, I’m tossing your sorry ass off the balcony.” Mark grimaced. It was only ten feet down or so, but that would still hurt. Not to mention it would be the most humiliating way he had ever been tossed out of a building - not counting the incident he had with a particularly angry griffon ambassador. He looked straight at Pinkie, determined to give her a straight answer. He began to speak in a hushed tone. “Alright, alright. . . Pinkie, you know how I can more or less read another pony’s thoughts? Feel their emotions as they come?” Pinkie gave a terse nod. Mark gulped, and then continued. “Well, it expands over time. The more time I spend with somepony, the closer I am to them, the more pronounced the effect is. Eventually, I can almost predict what they will do, I can see when something in the immediate future will affect them, and, if I’m close enough, I can … well … enter their dreams while they sleep.” Pinkie raised an eyebrow at this. While her gaze didn’t soften completely, it did gain a measure of curiosity. “But you said it expands over time. I’ve known you for two days. Two! Does it normally set in that quickly, or are you just trying to mess with my head?” Her gaze became hostile again. Mark groaned inwardly. Please, just believe me, Pinkie... He cleared his throat, and moved his lips animatedly, his words coming out in a quiet blur. “I’m not messing with you! I swear! It normally takes weeks, if not months for this to happen! The only reason I can think of is your own mind reading, or text reading, or whatever the hell you want to call it! It’s causing a feedback loop, and you feel worse faster than any other pony, and feel the effects much sooner.” Pinkie furrowed her eyebrows at his last statement. “Wait, ‘feeling worse’? What aren’t you telling me Mark? You never told me anything about this!” She didn’t even wait for his response. She proceeded to pace around the room while angrily chewing him out in an undertone, her eyes never leaving his. “I’ve been feeling worse every hour I’ve been around you! I thought that maybe I had forgotten to take my medication, or that it was just a blue funk I would quickly pull out of. But no! It’s you! I took you in while every other pony here would have slammed the door in your face. And what do I get? I get a mind reader that’s sucking my emotions like some - some... some Celestia damned changeling! . . . wait . . .change-?. . .  .    .” Her voice trailed off while she stared at Mark dumbly, mouthing the word changeling over and over again. This sent Mark into a panic. No! I’m not a changeling! I’m just a really weird, messed up pony! Oh Celestia, Celestia, Celestia, this can’t be happening! Don’t panic, just let me explain!!! “Pinkie! I’m NOT a changeling! I don’t ‘feed’ off of emotions! And even if I WERE one, how would that explain the mindreading?” Pinkie Pie had lowered herself to the floor, her chest heaving as she struggled to control her breathing. She began to hyperventilate. Mark sprung off the bed and kneeled right in front of her. He was beginning to feel very concerned for his friend, and he could feel fear radiating from both of their bodies in waves.. The pink mare suddenly took notice of him standing in front of her. She jumped away slightly, her mouth agape in terror. She closed and opened it several times, managing to stutter out, “No. . . n,n-no! Changeling . . . you, it’s ...  Mark, I-” Mark brought up his hooves and held hers, providing support and comfort. He spoke normally again, wanting to make sure he got through to her, and not caring if he was overheard anymore. “Pinkie, I’m not a changeling. I’m just Mark. I’m your friend. Not a changeling. Pinkie seemed to be caught by his words. “N-not. . . a changeling? Not a changeling?” Mark shook his head. “No. Friend.” With that, he gave the most sincere smile he could manage under such stress. The pink mare started to cry. She leaned forward, latching onto Mark as she bawled into his chest. The red earth pony simply sat there, hugging Pinkie as she poured out all of her emotions in one fell swoop. Mark felt her fear, anxiety, stress, and anguish rush past him in a flood. He held her, and softly reassured her as she cried. “Hey, it’s alright... you’re fine... just let it all out...” Pinkie wailed into his hooves even louder, stuttering out only a few words as she started to hiccup loudly. “Mark, please, I -    I’m so sorry! I didn’t...    didn’t know! I was scared! Please, don’t   don’t. . . . leave. . . . me. . . . .“ Pinkie commenced to quiet down, sniffling into Mark’s front hooves, tears silently rolling down her face. He let her sit there, not willing to drive her away. Several minutes passed, in which time Mark considered his situation. He arrived at a bittersweet conclusion that he knew all too well. In that moment, he made a decision. “Pinkie, maybe... maybe it would be a good idea if I left. I’m only hurting you by staying, and I’ve had lots of experience with leaving town in a hurry. If anything else, I don’t want to see you suffer.” It pained him to say it, but the truth was he had far outstayed his welcome. He had gotten what he had come for, but he had found even more in a friend and a welcoming family - even if only for the briefest of moments. It’s for the best. Pinkie looked up at him, startled by what he said. “Wha- what? No! I just met you, and I’m not driving away a friend just because I feel down in the dumps! Besides, what about the party? It’s gonna be in an hour, I can’t disappoint the gals!” She stood up and paced around the room, deep in thought as her tears dried away. Mark pitied her, and admired her, because nobody else had ever wanted to stay in his company once they knew the true extent of his abilities. He opened his mouth, ready to interrupt her. “Pinkie, it’s-” She cut him off. “No! You’re staying in Ponyville, and that’s final! We just need to find you a new place to stay...” Her voice trailed off, leaving Mark to guess at her plans. After a moment, she looked back at him. “It’s a stretch... but maybe one of my friends could let you stay? I’d hate to impose on my best buddies, but I don’t see another way without buying you a house all your own.” She let out a small giggle. “And in case you haven’t noticed, bits don’t exactly roll in as a baker.” He returned with a soft smile, and nodded. She’s willing to do that for me? I’m touched... Pinkie Pie pulled him into a bear hug. “Of course I’m willing to ask, silly! I’d do anything for a friend!” Mark just chortled at her enthusiasm and kindness. He replied, “Alright Pinkie, we’ll do it your way. If your friends are just as nice as you, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” With that, Pinkie trotted out of the room, and called back, “Of course it will, now come on! We still have to set up the party, and we only have an hour!” Mark followed, feeling both apprehensive and excited about the coming night. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. ---------- An hour later, the two earth ponies were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the guests. The main lobby of Sugarcube Corner was completely transformed: streamers that were every color of the rainbow dangled from the rafters, innumerable sweets and pastries were laid out on a large table, a large punch bowl sat on the table situated in the middle of the room, and a large piñata hung from the ceiling that was an immaculate likeness of Discord. The first pony to walk through the door was a purple unicorn mare, with an indigo and violet striped mane. Mark thought she looked easy going enough, but he noticed her eyes were taking in every detail of the room, and were now peering over him. Her eyes were sharp, and seemed to dissect the minutest of details. I have to be careful with this one. She’s an observer above all else, and her mind seems as sharp as a tack. I get the feeling I should rather ask one of Pinkie’s other friends for a safe haven...  His thoughts were interrupted as his talent suddenly and firmly took control. Twilight Sparkle. Loves books, studying, performing magic and experiments. Runs the local library. Prone to stress and psychological problems resulting thereof. Personal protégée of Princess Celestia, and her brother is Captain of the Royal Guard AND husband of Princess Cadance. She is the Element of Magic. He drew in a deep breath as the magic released its hold. I have to be VERY careful with this one. His thought process was astonishingly quick, taking less than a second, but Twilight noticed his change in stance and dilated pupils. Mark felt himself growing more guarded with his actions every passing second in the company of this bright-eyed mare. In that moment, Pinkie loudly interrupted the two ponies that were staring and sizing each other up. “Hi Twilight! Right on time, as always! Anyways, this is Mark, that friend I told you about! He came into Ponyville yesterday and needed a place to stay, so I said, ‘come on in!’ Since then, he’s helped with running the cash register and caring for Pound and Pumpkin. Honestly, he’s a natural! Not to mention suuuuper nice!” Twilight shifted her gaze to Pinkie. Her demeanor made a rapid U-turn, and she giggled. “I’m glad to hear you’ve made a new friend!” She turned her attention back to Mark. “Sounds like you’re already fitting in. And any friend of Pinkie’s is a friend of mine. Welcome to Ponyville!” The violet mare held out her hoof. Mark grasped it and gave a firm shake. “Thanks, Twilight. I got here not two days ago, and it’s nice to meet so many friendly ponies.” As he let go, he noticed her eyes were still studying him carefully, but no longer had that cold, detached look from only a few seconds ago. She was warming up to him, no matter what reservations she still held. His thoughts were interrupted yet again by the entrance of another pony. He heard a loud, almost exaggerated gasp from across the room - Pinkie, of course - and spun around. Coming through the doorway this time was an orange, earth pony mare that looked like she had seen her fair share of rodeos. The Stetson hat sure completes the look. Pinkie was now hopping back and forth on her hind legs as she greeted her friend. “Ooh, Applejack! You came early! Did ya finish all your work on the farm?” The orange mare named Applejack merely chuckled at her friend’s exuberance. “Yeah, Pinkie. I got all my work done early so I could see ya’ll as quick as possible. Looks like I got here a tad too early, though.” Applejack turned her gaze to the other ponies in the room. She gave a small smile and nod to Twilight, and then shifted her attention to the burgundy stallion that was standing a few feet away from her. She raised an eyebrow, and then greeted him with all the hospitality of an Apple - by vigorously shaking his hoof up and down. “Well, howdy there! Name’s Applejack, if you hadn’t guessed already. I own the orchard just outside of town, got my own business and everythin’. If you ate an apple today, you can bet the clothes off your back that it came from my farm! Now, you seem like a nice enough fella - what’s your name?” Mark took a second to steady his shaking arm as she released her vice like grip, and then opened his mouth to reply. Instead, a slight wheeze came out instead. He had seen her cutie mark, and was being taken for a ride. Three apples? Applejack. Runs Sweet Apple Acres. Lives, breathes, and eats apples. Apples. Apples apples apples apples APPLES. Ugh - I think... Element of Honesty. Truthful to the point of bluntness. Very willful, very stubborn. Strong as a bull. Brother is Big Macintosh, sister is Applebloom, and grandmother is Granny Smith. Her parents . . . oh. Applejack was still looking at him expectantly. Mark coughed. He coughed a few more times, like he needed to clear his throat before talking. He turned his attention back to the mare in front of him. “Ahem - Sorry about that. Name’s Mark. Pleasure to meet you, Applejack.” “Well it’s sure as hay nice meeting you! You oughta drop by the farm some time and-” Applejack’s smooth drawl was interrupted as the door was thrown wide open. There was a bright light, and something that radiated pure radicalness stepped through the entryway. There was no way it was real. It was.... a rainbow? Mark blinked. He blinked again. Nope, it was definitely a cyan blue mare with a mane colored like a rainbow. She’d stand out in a crowd like a mule visiting Cloudesdale. As if to prove the stallion right, the mare was drawing the attention of every pony in the room by talking loudly. “Hey, everypony! Watcha up to? I heard there was a new hombre in town, am I right Pinks?” Twilight beat Pinkie to the punch, commenting, “Uh, Rainbow? What is it with the sunglasses? You’re inside, so, uh... not necessary?” Rainbow gave Twilight a blank look. Not missing a beat, the pink party pony of Ponyville nodded her head energetically. “Yup! Our new buddy is right here!” The cyan pegasus swooped over to where Mark was standing, bumping Applejack out of the way. Applejack, for her part, looked equal parts annoyed and amused, and decided to just let Rainbow have her fun for the moment by walking over to Twilight. Rainbow brought her hoof up to her chin and considered Mark with a careful eye, almost like she was sizing him up to see if he was cool enough to be her friend. Understandably, Mark felt a little unnerved at her scrutinization. Should I . . . I dunno, introduce my self? He did just that. “Uh... hi. My name’s - HRK!” Oh, so that’s what a blue hoof tastes like. The brazen pegasus swiftly removed her hoof from Mark’s mouth and hovered over the floor of the bakery. “So, my name’s Rainbow Dash! Fastest pony in Ponyville, and future Wonderbolt to boot! Not sure you could keep up with me in a race, what with you being an earth pony and all, but there’s something about you I just like. Welcome to the club!” Internally, Mark rolled his eyes. Don’t normally have a problem with the loudmouths, but this mare’s something else. Outwardly, he showed no reaction. “Sure... Glad to hear it.” Applejack took advantage of the brief silence that followed by berating Rainbow. “Now Rainbow, I’m not sure what manners they taught you up in Cloudsdale, but knocking another pony to the ground just to shove your hooves into the mouth of the pony she was talking to, could be considered rude in most of civilized Equestria.” Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash, waiting for a response. Rainbow, for her part, had the decency to look bashful as she replied. “Uh, right. Sorry about that, Applejack. Got excited and all - you know how it is.” Applejack decided she wasn’t sorry enough. “Darnit, Rainbow! You can’t go around knocking ponies silly just ‘cus you can’t control yourself! How many times have you crashed into Twilight's house? How many times have I had to knock you off one of my apple trees because you thought it would be a good napping spot? How many -” “Hey!” Rainbow yelled right back, cutting across what her friend had said. “Everypony makes mistakes when they practice, so you can’t blame me for hitting one of the tallest buildings in Ponyville! And since when does sleeping in a tree hurt it? Never!” Twilight, Mark, and Pinkie looked on dumbly as the two mares came closer and closer to trading blows. They didn’t want their friends to fight, but neither did they want to risk their wrath. At that moment, a soft, demure voice spoke up. It couldn’t have possibly overpowered the voices of the two fighting mares, but it cut through clear as crystal. “Um, girls? Could you calm down, maybe? It’s just really loud and... well, frightening...” Every pony in the bakery turned at the new voice. What they saw were two mares: one was a white unicorn with a styled mane and shadowed eyes, the other a yellow pegasus that was looking a bit flustered all of a sudden. Pinkie ran over to them. “Ooh, Rarity! Fluttershy! You finally made it! That means the party can finally start!” The unicorn, the one Pinkie had called Rarity, answered her. “Why of course, dear! Fluttershy and I  just arrived from the spa. We wanted to look our best, after all!” At the same time, the pegasus named Fluttershy walked over to the farmer and the racer. “Girls, is it so hard to not fight at a party? We’re supposed to be having fun and enjoying the night, not bickering and arguing.” Applejack averted Fluttershy’s gaze, and rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. “Sorry, ‘Shy. Rainbow and I were just having an argument for no good reason, and … well, it sort got out of hoof. Thanks for settin’ it straight.”  The cyan mare added in her own bashful apologies. “Yeah, sorry for yelling, Fluttershy. It, uh, couldn’t be helped.” Throughout the entire exchange, Mark had taken note of the two new arrivals, as well as Rainbow Dash, seeing as he had never gotten the chance to fully think about her. Rarity. Runs Carousel Boutique. Custom makes dresses and sells them to make a living. Has two parents and a sister named Sweetie Belle. Very refined, but has a tendency to act like a drama queen. Otherwise, very generous, and caring for others to the point where it’s almost a fault. Element of Generosity. He turned his attention to the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy. Lives on the outskirts of Ponyville, tending to the myriad of animals out there, big or small. Acts as the town veterinarian, but refuses payment beyond her stipend from Ponyville. Very kind hearted, and extremely shy, even to her friends. To strangers, she clams up, either going catatonic or lowering her voice so it’s impossible to hear. Kinda cute, too. And... Element of Kindness. He continued on to Rainbow, sparing no second thoughts. Rainbow Dash. Possibly fastest known pegasus alive, only pony to have ever broken the sound barrier. Lives to race, and hopes to become a Wonderbolt some day. Will do anything for her friends, even if it means swallowing all of her pride - and that’s saying something. Works as cloud manager in Cloudsdale. Element of Loyalty. It was a few seconds before Mark realized that every pony in the room was now looking at him. He blushed, not sure what was going on. Oh, horsefeathers. Did I just miss something? He jumped as Pinkie suddenly appeared right beside him. “So girls, this is Mark! He’s a traveler who came into Ponyville not two days ago, and he’s been helping around the bakery ever since I found him!” Fluttershy and Rarity smiled good-naturedly, not having anything to say. Twilight brought a hoof up to her chin, deep in thought. Applejack was the first to speak. “Well that’s mighty kind of ya, Pinkie. So, you been helping around Sugarcube Corner, partner?” The second part of her statement was directed at Mark. Mark shuffled a bit on his feet, nervous and unsure as to how to respond. “Well, yeah, I have. Helped a bunch of customers by selling them goods from the counter. I also took care of Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s children, helped them fall asleep and everything.” Twilight gave him a hard look before saying, “Pinkie, are you sure it’s a good idea to have a stallion you met two days ago taking care of foals?” “Of course it was a good idea, Twilight! I know he’s a good guy, and I trust him! Besides, the Cakes didn’t have any problem with it. And you should have seen how quickly he got them to calm down, it was like he had a cutie mark for foal-sitting!” Mark backed up ever so slightly, trying to give Pinkie’s friends less of an angle to see what his cutie mark was. Thankfully for him, none of them made a move to actually look at it. However, Rainbow was curious enough to ask. “So, is that your cutie mark? What do you normally do if you’re just a traveller?” Mark thought up an easy and mostly painless lie on the spot. “I’m a handyman, really. I can do lots of things pretty well, but I don’t excel at anything.” Not exactly a lie; I have done lots of things. Rainbow Dash shrugged, content with the answer. She took to the air, hovering above the floor. Rarity was the next one to ask a question. “So, dear, if you travel and do odd jobs for ponies, what do intend to do in Ponyville for the next few days?” Mark hesitated with that one. “Well, uh, normally I’d be leaving in one or two more days, keep going. But, er, I think I’ll, well, for the next few days, at least, be - oh, not to say -” His rambling stutters were cut off by Pinkie Pie. “He wanted to stay in town for as long as possible. I was offering him a room here.” Mark looked at Pinkie in surprise as she interrupted and made a swift recovery for him. He nodded in agreement. “Yeah. The town seems nice enough, and I’d like to stay here longer. It’s just...” How do I say I’m hurting Pinkie and need to stay at one of their houses without freaking them out? Pinkie Pie answered for him again. “When I talked to the Cakes, they wouldn’t agree to take him on as another employee. He doesn’t have an actual home and neither of us have enough bits to afford him a house here, so....” she gulped as she contemplated what she was about to ask, “would one of you mind housing Mark? He’s really handy, and he can do lots of stuff to help!” The room was silent for several seconds. It was one of the most uncomfortable moments Mark had ever felt. Fortunately, the silence was broken soon enough. “I could use another hoof to help make dresses. If he’s willing, I’d be glad to have him, darling.” Rarity had spoke up, offering him her home. Just like the Element of Generosity to be the first to offer something of herself. Pinkie grinned like mad. “Ooh, thank you Rarity! Believe me, you won’t regret it!” She ran up to the white unicorn and pulled her into a bear hug. Rarity used a spell to levitate Pinkie off of her, trying to retain a modicum of decency. “Of course, dear. Think nothing of it.” Pinkie Pie bounded around, excited beyond belief. “Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to paaarrrrr-tay!” She ran to the back room and ran right back out, now holding a large boom-box. She flipped on the switch, turning on the music. “Come on, let’s get this shindig started!” Pinkie Pie stole a quick glance at Mark, winking as the other mares in the room moved to enjoy the food, drinks, and music. Mark chuckled lightly, glad that his situation had been worked out. Thank you, Pinkie. You’re a good friend. ---------- It was after the party and late at night. There were only a few hours left before the sunrise when the group of friends decided it was time to go to bed. Six equine figures left Sugarcube Corner, leaving a seventh waving at the door. Pinkie called out to them. “See you all later! Good night!” Various replies of “Yup,” and “See ya, Pinkie!” were heard as they all made their farewell. Mark turned around waved goodbye, though he didn’t say anything. Rarity led the way to the boutique, Mark in tow as he followed her. They passed numerous houses that were darkened, the inhabitants fast asleep. It was quiet outside, the moon a healthy crescent in the sky. There was only barely enough light to navigate by, but Rarity knew the path to her house well enough that she strolled confidently down the streets. Ten minutes passed before they reached the front door. The white unicorn unlocked the door and led the way in, flicking on the light with a bit of magic. She turned to face her burgundy guest. “This is the Carousel Boutique, darling. I live and work here, making dresses for a living. We’ll get into the particulars tomorrow. For now, the kitchen is down that hall,” she pointed to her left, “the bathroom and living room is down there,” she now pointed to her right, “and the bedrooms are upstairs.” She made no motion, the stairs evidently behind her. “Follow me, please.” Mark did as he was asked, following Rarity up the stairs. Once they had reached the landing, he saw two hallways that went to the right and left. There were three doors down both halves of the hallway, leaving six total rooms. Rarity motioned to her right. “My parents, sister, and I all have our rooms here.”  She walked to the left, opening the first door. “And this will be your room. Good night.” She left Mark standing there, eager to rest on her own bed. He shrugged, not particularly caring that she had left him there so quickly. It’s late, and she’s probably tired. And I now have another bed to call my own, which is simply amazing. I should have come here years ago. He set his bag on the floor next to the bed and hung up his coat on a stand that had been provided. He then proceeded to open the sheets that were covering the bed and laid down, enjoying the exquisite comfort they offered. He sighed, relaxing his muscles, and was fast asleep in minutes.