//------------------------------// // Ignorance was Bliss // Story: Change in Perspective // by Quicksear //------------------------------// Twilight staggered back into her library, swaying slightly under the weight of fatigue. She had spent most of the day in Ponyville town square, convincing the ponies that the ‘alien’ they were being rallied to find was in no way a danger. It had been difficult and arduous, but in the end, victory was hers. Mostly. Certain members of the community were still trying to find him, to end the spell that he had allegedly cast over Twilight herself, no matter how ludicrous that claim was. Trying to explain that Marc had been flown out for his safety by Rainbow Dash had been a stumbling block, thanks to the now widespread assumption that the tall human had killed Rainbow and stolen her wings. It was as if the whole town had given up logic and decided on following chaos. The violet mare who had led the mob earlier was now nowhere to be found. Nor did anypony remember where she had come from, actually, but her claims alone, which had been along the lines of Celestia’s last letter, had been enough to incite the less accepting ponies into fear. Ponies are herd creatures after all: The actions of a few could easily agitate the rest. But, thanks to Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Ditzy, it hadn’t. Few by few, they had cornered and convinced the majority of the population that they were in no danger of being eaten, attacked, robbed or poisoned. Marc’s own explanation had been reborn so many times that it barely held onto its roots, but the message was the same. Now Twilight had raised her sights: Celestia had clearly been misinformed, or the letter had been dictated to a particularly otherwise writer, or some pages were missing...Anything to explain away the Princess purposefully sentencing Marc to death. But if she had meant to...if Twilight could send a good enough argument to the Princess and convince her that drastic action was not at all necessary, then maybe Marc could return to the brief peace he had been shown. Such a letter was far too important to be dictated, but Twilight called for Spike anyway; he had always tried to steady her in her worst moments, and by the moon this felt like one. With Spike ever attentive, Twilight wrote her beseechment with all the care of a thesis, before finally turning to Spike as the moon rose through the library window, shining on the shards of broken glass. “I think if anything should do it, this letter will, Twilight...” Spike said softly, reading the long letter over. Twilight responded by collapsing against the table and droning, “I sure hope so, Spike: otherwise I don’t know what to do...Applejack went over to the Cottage earlier with food and supplies, Rarity made a new set of clothes to replace the torn ones Marc has...We did what we could in town; if the Princess disagrees, we could be in a lot of trouble. I just hope we can change her mind. “Now, send it. There’s no point in waiting” She finished, hoisting herself up as she began hobbling to the stairs. A clinking sound of falling glass accompanied a panting shadow framed in the broken window over the stairs. A pair of golden eyes reflected the candlelight of the room at different angles. “Twilight? D-did you s-send the letter yet?” Twilight did not pause as she walked up to the tired Pegasus. “Spike is sending it as we speak,” A small puff of flame and smoke streaked past them into the night sky, “And I did my best. We all did, Ditzy. Marc is safe at the cottage for a while. All we can do is wait.” “W-well...” Ditzy stammered as she turned wearily, “I’m g-going to check on him. M-make sure Marc is okay.” Her wings spread weakly as she prepared for takeoff. Her leap was arrested, however, by a soft violet glow pulling her into the library. “You’re in no condition to fly after what you’ve done today. Just sleep; we’ll go over tomorrow. For now, we all need some rest. Oh, and Ditzy?” Twilight looked at the Pegasus now somewhat awkwardly hanging in the air next to her as she continued up the steps, “That Unicorn in town today, the traveller who stayed with you? Was what he said about the other night...About you and Marc?” Ditzy immediately flapped her wings in a vain effort to escape, but soon relented. “N-no...nothing happened…I j-just...He was so nice and...I j-just wanted to-“ “Its okay, Ditzy, I understand,” Twilight said slowly, “I really do. All I’m saying is, be careful. We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days.” Twilight lowered Ditzy to the floor of her bedroom landing, and guided the sleepy mare to the spare bed as she muttered, “N-nothing happened…just…warm...and happy. Y-your letter b-better work, Twilight…” Her final soft whispers were muffled as she collapsed into the folds of the bed. Twilight watched the sleeping mare for a minute before tuning and gazing out of the window. “I hope so too, Ditzy, I hope so too…” ***** The letter wove its way through the vaultless skies of Luna’s night speeding comet-like across the silent night sky, the faint hiss of its passing alerting none but the keenest ears. It scribed a path almost directly for the vast labyrinth in the sky that was the Castle of Canterlot, not pausing in its urgency to reach the eyes of the Princess destined to read it. The small smokey fog left only its own tail in its wake, and did not vary in its purpose. Until a heavy paw batted it from the starry sky. “Haha, oh, you nearly got past me this time!” Destiny cannot resist Chaos. As the smoke reformed, and claw grabbed it by its tail and shook it until it formed a letter once more, already tattered by its rough treatment. The paw joined the claw in holding the parchment up before a pair of glowing red, yellow-rimmed eyes. “Hm…this is unexpected. Twilight is full of surprises these days…But this doesn’t change a thing. My little helper should have ensured that alien’s demise.” A cold chuckle filled the air, raising into harsh laughter as a serpentine shape separated itself from the inky blackness between the stars and flew towards the still distant mountain. “Celestia is none the wiser, and my game is still very much in play! And what a game!” From the castle’s tallest tower, a pair of ice-blue eyes watched approaching shape, suspicion forming behind them. ***** The morning sun rose belligerently above the horizon, casting a new day upon the residents of Equestria, whether they wanted it or not. Marc rolled away from the window and out of the light being cast across his blanched features. A night of restless tossing and turning had reduced him staring in turns either out of the window or across at the quietly sleeping – “Snarghh…sniffle…” – restfully sleeping Rainbow Dash on the bed. She had done way more than she had right to have done for him, and he knew it. There were few even back home who would have fought so hard to protect him, but she, and all of her friends eventually, had risked themselves facing the town. Against the ruler of their world. It was not a risk he could let them take again. Marc sighed. Celestia was mad to think that such soft-hearted creatures could have followed her command. Perhaps that was her intent to begin with? Perhaps she was unhappy with the current elements and wished them replaced? Marc was unfamiliar with the politics and structure of this society, and after yesterday, not much would surprise him. That said, it was time to leave. Marc stood stiffly and made for the door. He stripped off the clean new white clothes Rarity had put together for him, rather donning the now-ragged set he had first been given on his arrival in this world. As Marc opened the door, the entirety of what he had experienced seemed the crash in on him. A month had he spent here, if only, what, eighteen days awake? Eighteen days spent mostly within the confines of this very building, and only four out of it. Those four days had been emotional, and painful in many ways, but Marc would never trade them back. For a brief period, he had had choice, and he had squandered it on supplication and ingratiation, only to have it whiplash at his highest moment. Well, this was his choice to make, now. He stepped over the threshold, looking the direction he knew the town of Ponyville. But, in his mind’s eye, he looked past it, over to that other hill near just outside the hill and the cosy hall perched upon it, and the unbiased kindness he had been shown there. With a sigh, Marc turned away and walked in the opposite direction. The forest may be dark and foreboding, but it held greater promise than a life of shackles, or more likely none at all. I took Marc ten minutes to reach the edge of the wood, where he paused. He considered going deep into the forest, but that was likely too dangerous: better to stick to the edges where magic may still have a calming effect on the beasts within. Marc decided to walk just along the treeline away from the mountains that housed Canterlot. Just as he took the first step, a voice barely cut the air behind him; “Marc, where are you g-going?” Marc shut has eyes tightly for a second before slowly turning to face Ditzy. She sat limply in the grass that verged the wood, string pleadingly at Marc, her eyes betraying hurt that, despite Marc’s wishes, had become all too familiar to her. If there was one thing that Marc could not deal with, it was this. “Ditzy,” He said, voice dry, “Ditzy, please. I gotta go...I can’t keep seeing this up and down, and all the trouble I’ve caused-” “I know.” Marc nearly choked when he heard her say that. “You think you can’t s-stay, I know...but Twilight s-sent a letter to the Princess, and we calmed the other ponies. You could come b-back, we fixed it!” Her hopeful yet wan smile made it clear that even she knew this was too long a shot. Marc sighed as he tried to begin again. “Ditzy, I know this is hard to understand, but I can’t...” He was cut off by Ditzy’s sharply thrumming wings. She didn’t take off, but walked resolutely up to, and into Marc, her head butting him forcefully in the chest. There she stayed for a brief moment before pulling back and smiling a bright false smile. “I understand. Y-you don’t want to be p-picked on in town, or by the P-princess. You d-don’t want to hurt any of us, because you’re a nice po- human. And I c-can’t stop you from doing what you think is r-right.” Marc stared down into her big glowing eyes, barely able to comprehend her reaction. She chuckled at him, averting her gaze. Marc stepped back, away from her. “Don’t follow me.” He said simply, swallowing hard. Ditzy nodded. “I w-won’t.” Marc smiled sadly, before turning and disappearing into the foliage at the edge of the vast forest. Ditzy turned and fluttered over to the cottage, her head hanging low. She may not have been clever like Twilight, but she knew that she couldn't have stopped Marc from leaving. This is why Rainbow Dash woke up to a very sharp rap in the ribs. She leapt away from the offending hoof shouting out, "Hey! What's the big idea!" Instead of the human figure she had been expecting, she came up close to the red-rimmed golden eyes of a very agitated pegasus. "You let Marc run away, R-Rainbow Dash," She hissed too calmly, "So maybe you should go and f-follow him." With a gulp and not a word said, Rainbow Dash made for the door.