Mark
Chapter 6: Bloody Dawn
The sun rose over Equestria, signaling the dawn of a new day. Ponies all over the town stirred as the sun shined through their windows, gently nudging them into the land of the living. It was another early, bright start to a day in Ponyville, but for seven ponies and one dragon, the call of the sun proved too weak to rouse them from their slumber. Onward they slept, not rising until the late morning.
The newest member of that group found it tempting to lay in bed for the entire day, but years of rising with the sun forced him awake. He compromised, not raising his body from the comfortable mattress and warm sheets that covered him. He had full access to his mental faculties, but he relaxed and contented himself with staring up at the ceiling above him.
Breathe in.... breathe out....
He spent what felt like hours there. Too soon for him, though, he heard something else: the faint breath of another creature. He sighed, not wanting to move and let in the cold air.
It was inevitable. You can’t let yourself wither away under a pillow, however much you want to.
He shifted his body, pulling it back and up so he could look around him.
“Mreeoorrww!”
He didn’t have a chance to look as he heard the half-purr, half-growl. He tilted his head down, now aware of something on his lower body. He saw a large, white, fluffy cat lying on top of him. It looked at him with an annoyed face, seemingly blaming him for disrupting its sleep. Probably because I did, he thought wryly.
Mark stopped moving, leaving the cat in peace. At the same time, he raised his left hoof from the warm embrace of the bed and moved to pet the cat that had called his belly home.
The cat glared at him from under its silky eyebrows, but made no move to escape or to stop him. It closed its eyes once he started to pet it, seemingly indifferent to the attention. The only clue he received that it was appreciated was the gentle purring in its throat.
He spent several more minutes just lying there, enjoying the company of the cat while he scratched its ears. It was then that he heard hoof steps outside of his door, going up and down the hall tirelessly. He also heard two faint but distinct voices, one of them likely Rarity. The other one he didn’t recognize, but it sounded higher in pitch.
Rarity’s sister, perhaps?
His internal question was answered ten seconds later. Rarity knocked on the door and spoke up so he could hear her. “Excuse me Mark, are you awake?”
“Yeah, I’m awake. You can come in, Rarity,” he replied.
The door opened, revealing Rarity and a much younger pony. She was a unicorn, just like Rarity, and had a white coat. Her mane was more poofy, though, and it was a lighter purple streaked with pink. Rarity spoke up again, drawing his attention away from her younger sister.
“Good morning. I trust you slept well? Wait, is that -?”
She looked at the cat in mild surprise. She raised a hoof and pointed at it, a questioning look on her face. Mark shrugged.
The cat heard its master, and rapidly jumped off of him to walk to her. It purred as it walked around Rarity’s legs, affectionately rubbing its face on her limbs. Rarity giggled as the cat ambled around her hooves, caught off guard by the display.
“Oh my, Opal seems very happy today! I’m surprised she let you touch her at all; she normally scratches any pony she doesn’t know,” she said distractedly.
Mark quirked his mouth and furrowed his eyebrows. “I’m glad that she didn’t, then. Starting the day with a bloody face would have been a bit of a downer, you know?”
Rarity winced, smiling awkwardly. “I’m sorry, dear, I should have warned you. But, all is well, and Opalescence is happier than I’ve ever seen her! What did you do to make her so happy?”
Mark shifted in the bed so his upper body was resting on the backboard of the bed. So that’s what the cat’s name is. Odd choice.
“Not much. I just patted her a bit behind the ears, and she started purring.”
It was Rarity’s turn to harrumph. “Hmmph. I do that all the time, as well as make my house as comfortable as possible. Are you sure your talent isn’t caretaking, dear?” Rarity said with a laugh. “Because you might want to reconsider setting up here in Ponyville - Fluttershy would love to have your talents nearby!”
Mark shrunk back under the sheets, laughing with much less enthusiasm. “Yeah, right... like I said the night before, I’m a handyman. I can do a lot of things pretty easily. Like caring for animals. I think.”
Any hesitation on his part was lost on Rarity.
“Oh, I think you can do a fair bit more than that! Really, later this afternoon, I simply must take you to meet her! I think it would b-”
Rarity was interrupted by the young filly standing patiently next to her.
“Um, Rarity? Weren’t we here looking for Opal? Cuz, you know, we found her.”
The white mare bit her lower lip in mild consternation.
“Of course, darling. Mark, this here is Sweetie Belle, my little sister. We were looking for Opal ever since we woke up; she normally waits for one of us to wake up and make her breakfast. I was a bit surprised to see her in this room.”
Rarity grabbed Opalescence with her magic and held her close. “I suppose it’s not important now. The bathroom is down the stairs. Take a shower and get ready; breakfast will be ready shortly, and after that we will dive straight into the boutique. I hope to see you ready soon.”
Rarity turned and walked out from underneath the doorway, Opal still floating in the air and hissing, while Sweetie Belle flashed Mark a quick, friendly grin before following her sister.
Mark nodded genially as he was left alone in the room. He surveyed the room around him, taking a proper inspection of the room Rarity had bequeathed him. After a moment’s consideration, he came to an easy conclusion.
This is the best room I have ever stayed in.
From the pliable woolen rugs and the crisp wooden flooring, to the comfy sheets and extravagant bedding, the room simply exuded perfection. Mark gazed in wonder, truly appreciating what Rarity had given him so off-handedly.
There’s no way this isn’t her room. How else would it be so nice? I mean, I know ponies normally have plenty of bits, but this is just... wow.
Mark resolved to ask Rarity if that was her room, or at the very least thank her for her hospitality. Standing up from the bed and its alluring warmth, Mark made his way down the stairs and hanged a right, remembering the directions Rarity had given the night before.
The bathroom and shower was just as luxurious as his room, and Mark indulged in every second he spent in that small room. Walking out feeling almost absurdly clean, the stallion made his way to the opposite side of the hallway, the sound of breakfast luring him closer.
The scene in the kitchen was peaceful, but Mark would describe it as subdued. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were calmly eating their breakfast, Rarity with a couple slices of toast and orange juice, and Sweetie Belle eating a bowl of oats and milk. Opalescence was eating as well, her food in a small tray near the base of the sink. However, no one talked, absorbed in eating their morning meal.
Mark grabbed a bowl of oats, toast, and a glass of orange juice for himself, knowing how much he would need to make it through the day.
“Hello,” he said, sitting down at the table with his food.
Sweetie Belle said something that was unintelligible, the oats in her mouth obstructing her voice.
“Sweetie, what did I say about talking with your mouth full?” Rarity admonished her little sister. Sweetie Belle gulped her food down and grinned sheepishly at Rarity before facing Mark again.
“Hi mister Mark! How are you doing?”
Mark didn’t answer immediately; he took a small bite of his toast and chewed as he mulled over his answer.
“I’m doing fine. This is a great town here. I’m just sorry I didn’t find it sooner.”
“Okay... well, that’s nice. Hey, sis, can I go now? Scootaloo said she had another idea for earning our cutie marks, and I don’t want to be late!”
Rarity peered over to her bowl and, seeing that it had been cleared, nodded.
“Alright, go and run off with your friends. Just be careful. Scootaloo’s ideas are normally more... exciting.” Rarity winced at her poor word choice.
“I know, right? I can’t wait to see what she’s got in mind! See ya!”
Taking off like a lightning bolt, Sweetie Belle rushed out the door and into the late morning sun. Mark kept a watchful eye on all of this, saying nothing as he calmly took another bite of toast.
Rarity coughed awkwardly. “Yes... ahem... I’m sorry about that. I try to teach her to be more lady-like, but she’s just...”
Mark waved a hoof and shook his head. “It’s fine. Children will be children. Better she get to explore now and have her fun while she can.”
The white mare sitting across from him nodded after a second’s pause.
“Right. Anyways, you must be curious as to what we will be doing here. I trust you saw the mannequins and cloth in the main room?”
“Yeah. I’m guessing you’re a seamstress?”
“You would be correct. I need your help with restocking and fetching supplies for me. You won’t have to do any actual dressmaking; that’s my specialty, after all. But with an extra pair of hooves, I can spend more time making my dresses instead of preparing what I will need.” Rarity put down her glass and clipped her hooves together above the table. She propped her head on her limbs, looking at Mark expectantly. He nodded, finishing his bowl of oats.
“Alright. I have no problem with that, seeing as you’re the one housing me at the moment-” Rarity nodded graciously, “-but don’t you think that would be a job better suited for your sister? Or one of your friends? I imagine they know the building far better than I do.”
Rarity smiled wanly. “My sister has butter hooves, I’m afraid. The last time she tried to help, all of my orders were set back a week. As for my friends, they all have their own jobs and duties they must attend to. I simply couldn’t ask them for help when they already have so much on their plates. And I’m not worried about how you will do. Give it a few days, dear, and I believe you will pick up on it quick enough.”
“Okay. So when do we start?”
Rarity grinned, a sparkle in her eye.
“Now.”
----------
“Mark, could you be a dear and grab the golden cloth in the storage closet?”
“Uh...”
“It’s the third door from the left.”
“Gotcha. Wait... is that it, all the way up there?”
“Yes, I believe so. Careful, I remember putting my old-”
“OW!!”
“-sewing machine up there. I’m so terribly sorry, I should have told you sooner! You can grab some ice from the refrigerator if you want-”
“No, no, it’s fine. Ow. I have the cloth.”
“Thank you. Hmm... ooh, I know what this needs!”
“Hmm?”
“Gems! I have a small store of them downstairs. Mark, could you-”
“On it. Anything down there I should know about?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“...”
“Any luck?”
“Yeah, there’s a bunch of rubies and sapphires. Do you want all of them?”
“No, just the rubies.”
“Okay, let’s see... is that - <cough> oh, Luna, what is that...”
“What is it?”
“...Does your cat come down here a lot?”
“Occasionally. She normally finds it too dusty for her liking.”
“Well, I don’t think your friend Fluttershy is going to be too happy with what she did to this rat...”
----------
It was late in the afternoon. The Royal Court had let out for an hour break, leaving Celestia some time to recoup her thoughts. She walked among the castle’s gardens, drifting from flower to flower as her fancy took her. Her guards, normally following at a discreet distance away, were nowhere to be found - at her orders.
This is my time. No pony can take this away from me.
“Sister? Do you have a moment?”
Celestia audibly sighed.
“Er... I’m sorry if this is an inopportune time, Tia. But, we don’t normally have a chance to talk after we perform our celestial duties... we haven’t talked much at all, of late...”
Celestia grimaced. ...She’s right. Things really haven’t been the same since she returned.
Celestia raised her head up, from where it had been looking at the ground in thought.
“Actually, Luna, I would like to talk. Just the two of us, like it used to be.”
Luna smiled, then waved her head to signal Celestia to follow her. The pair was soon roaming through the grounds of the gardens, in an amicable silence.
“Tia?” The silence was broken.
“Yes?”
“...Do you remember when we were young? When mother, father... when our friends and family were still here?”
“All too well. Those … were some of our best days. And then Discord...”
“Yes. I wish we had stopped him sooner. It could have been avoided, those years of anarchy were-”
“You don’t need to remind me.”
There was a brief pause before Celestia spoke again.
“...I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t mean to snap at you. But after Discord came...” Celestia breathed in slowly, and released it with a steady control she had mastered over centuries. “Surely you wanted to do more than merely reminisce over our memories? It does us no good to dwell on them.”
Luna stopped. She locked her gaze with Celestia’s, then grimly pointed off to the left.
The maze.
Celestia nodded; the two alicorns walked to the giant wall of greenery, with no sense of hurry. Luna was the first to break the silence again, and there was a sharpness in her tongue that had not been present before.
“I do not wish to dwell on the past. I am asking about your plans for the future. You seem to have taken a specific interest in Twilight Sparkle. You have taught apprentices before, but you seem to be taking a special interest in her. Why?”
Celestia sighed before answering Luna. “Because, like it or not, Discord brought utter chaos to this land. He did more than kill our friends and family - he scattered their dust to the wind. It was sheer luck that we overthrew him, Luna, and we have only held on by the barest of threads since then. We need support, we need allies. ”
They stopped in front of the entrance to the maze. The statue of a misshapen creature stood before them, its arms raised in a futile attempt to shield itself. Luna glanced at her sister.
“I have a feeling about what you might be planning. Does this have anything to do with your ‘experiment’ with Cadance?”
“I’d prefer that you not refer to her as such. But, yes. II... I needed to make sure the spell would work.”
“...I miss Amora. She was always so bubbly, so full of life...”
“I know. I’d give anything to have her back. To have them all back. But we can’t, and we need their power.”
“Is that what you have in store for Twilight? To ascend her?”
“Yes.”
“And I assume you haven’t told her yet?”
Celestia stared up at the statue balefully. Luna stomped on the ground and snorted. “Well?” she asked again. There was a long pause before she replied.
“...No. I don’t intend to.”
Luna glared at Celestia. “Tia, this plan is beyond foolhardy! Equestria is at peace, and even though our power has declined after the Scourging, many of the problems from before have been eliminated. We can’t bring back the dead, and reintroducing the alicorns will only reopen old wounds. Please, I beg of you, do not do this to Equestria.”
Celestia was silent. The solar princess walked over to one of benches outside the entrance of the maze and sat down. Luna, frowning but willing to listen, quietly sat next to her sister and waited.
“...Lulu? Equestria is one disaster away from collapse. We have been extraordinarily fortunate the past three years. The Elements of Harmony have been able to banish the Nightmare and reseal Discord, but they were unable to react in time to Chrysalis. Only Shining Armor and Cadance’s love saved us. And if the eight of them had not immediately went north with the reappearance of the Crystal Empire, there would be a hostile nation right on Equestria’s border.”
Celestia smiled painfully at Luna, bringing a hoof to her sister’s cheek. “I know this plan seems brash, but we need to consolidate our power so that we cannot be caught off guard again. I have a feeling another plan to upset the balance is underway.... Please, for the sake of our subjects, reconsider your position.”
Luna opened her mouth to speak, but Celestia cut her off. “I do not expect an answer immediately, Lulu. Just think it over tonight. We can discuss it tomorrow - we are in no great rush.”
The solar princess nodded once before spreading her wings and leaving for the castle proper. Luna was left sitting on the bench, her thoughts like a maelstrom as she considered what her sister had said.