If only Rainbow Dash had known just how right she was.
It took Twilight another two weeks to explain to Marc everything she considered necessary for him to know. Of course, what Twilight considered as ‘necessary’ involved a vast amount of obscure and vague information that often went completely over Marc's head. Luckily for him, every now and again, Applejack would come around with food and news for the pair, since Twilight had more or less moved into Marc’s holding cottage so as to dedicate herself to Marc's education. They both still needed nourishment, mental and physical, to distract them from Twilight’s ‘comprehensive’ syllabus.
After a while, though, Marc could certainly have done with something other than the constant stream of apples and apple products. Too much pie...Too many fritters and fries...
In this, he received help from the most unexpected source. That evening, while Twilight was dozing in amongst her notes on the Equestrian language and sub-dialects, Marc heard a knock on the barred window of his room: He still had not earned the right to stay in the second room without supervision.
He got off the edge of his bed where he had been putting on the spare pair of baggy pants and a loose shirt that had somehow appeared in a bundle with his belongings, literally the clothes off his back, one day ('Compliments of Rarity', another unicorn, apparently), and walked over to see what it was. He was surprised to see the slats being removed from the outside.
Then he saw, through the growing gaps, a snatch of rainbow-coloured mane.
Marc groaned. Not her. She was probably going to challenge him to another 'hoof wrestle'. The first time, Rainbow Dash had been surprised at how difficult Marc had been to beat; He was surprised that he had been beaten at all, considering her lighter build. But he didn't want a rematch, so he moaned out at her, "Rainbow, please..."
"Shut up, will you, I gotta get these things off." Marc held his tongue as she removed the last of the slats. Then he found himself staring at the large magenta eyes, or, more importantly, the bag she held in her mouth, with its incredible aroma.
"Is...Is that...roast fish?"
Rainbow dropped the package on the small table under the window an answered, "Uh, yeah, a friend of mine, Thunderlane, had a cloud party and there were some leftovers. I figured you'd be tired of apples and Fluttershy said you probably ate fish too, so...I just wanted to apologize for being mean to you the last while."
She was obviously embarrassed. Marc was a little taken aback at this: Rainbow Dash did not seem the type to apologize, no matter how abrupt.
She noticed him pause, and said in a hurt tone, "Well I just was trying to do something nice. I guess I have breakfast after all." She leant back through the window and grabbed the package.
She was about to take off when Marc finally realized what had just happened, and shouted after her, "Rainbow Dash! Please, wait!"
She turned reluctantly to face him, already hovering with the package in her mouth.
Marc sighed in relief, then said, "You just gave me a shock, please, you have absolutely no idea how welcome some fish would be right now. Come on in, if you care to."
She came back to earth and put the fish down. Then she slowly worked her through the window, watching Marc the whole time. When she was in the room, she nudged package of food across to Marc.
Marc smiled at the silent Pegasus, but he had a serious question. "Rainbow Dash, how many ponies eat fish? I had no idea; all I've eaten so far is-"
"Apples, right?" Rainbow interjected.
Marc smiled his agreement
"Well," Rainbow began, "Only pegasi eat fish. Fluttershy says it's cause we need more energy to fly, but nowadays it's only common to eat fish in Cloudsdale and a few other cloud-towns, since we get some energy from magic too. Twilight should explain this, but really, it’s better if you don't mention this to her..." she said.
She was quite uneasy, but Marc felt nothing but gratitude. "This is greatly appreciated, thank you." Marc opened the package and began to eat the very well prepared fish. It even had a slice of lemon on it.
One thing he'd forgotten about in his ecstasy was his tutor in the next room.
Twilight had gone to the locked door when she heard Marc shout, but listened first before entering. Now, she pulled open the door to see a very awkward but mildly pleased Rainbow Dash watching Marc pick at the fish she'd brought him.
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted out. Before anything else could be said, Rainbow took off and pushed Twilight into the front room, slamming the door closed behind her somehow.
Marc sat dead still for a second, before scooting over to the door, the fish forgotten as he tried to hear what was going on. He could hear little through the door until the shouting began.
"You should have asked me before you gave him anything!" Twilight was very mad.
"You wouldn't have let me give it to him! I was just trying to be friendly, you'd understand if you weren’t trying to shove all that history down his throat! He didn't even know that pegasi eat fish!" Rainbow defended herself.
"The Princess put me in charge of him! I can’t have you sneaking in through the window...THE WINDOW!"
Both mares came tumbling back into the room, looking around wildly, and fell in a tangle on the floor. Marc, having heard the commotion, had stepped out of the way just in time. Now, he leaned down to the pair. He touched Twilight on the shoulder. She froze and looked up at him, waiting for him to act.
He said quietly, "Would you like some help?"
Twilight tentatively offered a hoof. Marc took it and pulled her to her hooves, before turning and putting a similarly stricken Rainbow Dash in a seated position.
"I hope you two are okay. Thanks for the fish, Rainbow. Good night."
Then he went to bed.