//------------------------------// // From On High // Story: Finest Gold and Silver // by Quicksear //------------------------------// What is your name? All around him, stretching off into deepening shadows, were unfamiliar trees. This wasn’t right. He lived in the city, with its tall buildings, busy streets, lights, cars and noise. A place where he could be lost while knowing exactly where he was. A place where no one knew his face unless he let them. This forest was not that place. What is your name?! “My name is M-Marc Warner.” In the second before he said the words, he knew they were wrong. And the moment the name slid bitterly off his tongue, it became him. Good. Now, where do you live? A slightly-less-than-shady loft downtown, at the top of a dreary building, a big empty space that cost almost nothing but was still more than he was willing to pay for such a worthless life. Not that he told his friends that. Partly because he had none. Oh, don’t be like that. Tell me, where do you live? A new picture, a brighter one: a long low turf-roofed hall on a low hill, snuggled between a forest and a town, a heartwarming image of a sunset lighting it all. And his was bent to it. His heart screamed against this new image, so wrong, even as his mind suddenly, avidly agreed. “Rosewood Waycottage, just outside P-Ponyville.” And who do you live with? Who do you know? His heart knew this: five other guys just as drunk and down as he was, living together for no more reason than having others to cover the rent. His heart tried to show him the images of a loft in a tall and dingy building. His heart tried to show him a city skyline. But the voice echoing in his mind easily quashed his will. “I live with Ditzy Doo, and she cares for me. I care for her, too. My friends are Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, who have helped me since I arrived. I owe them all my life.” Yes, yes...Well, one last question: Where are you? He looked out at the lofty trees around him, so alien, yet so welcoming. He felt the loam pressing against his bare feet, and the chill evening breeze brushing over his naked skin. He ran a hand over his face, familiarizing himself with it. He looked out through the trees, down a hill at a small clustered village, calmly going to bed for the night. His heart cried an answer, and his mind did as well. For the first time in what felt an age, the two agreed: “I am lost.” ***** Marc was having the strangest dream. He was a rock. Just another pebble nestled in the grass as the world ticked on by in the sunlit field. All about him he heard sounds, of errant breezes, of birds high above and the buzzing of friendly little insects all about him. He saw a pair of silvery moths flitter through the shade of a tree, a whole group of monarch butterflies glide slowly past him, and a few buzzing bees among the flowers. One of them sat next to him on a toadstool, sipping at a cup of tea while it watched the others at play, its shimmery-silver wings buzzing in the golden sunlight. It gave the unremarkable pebble that was Marc, and then, strangely, it smiled a beautiful smile with its golden eyes. That’s when Marc decided to wake up. To be fair, not that much was different. He was lying against smooth wood of the library’s exterior, surrounded by long, wavy grass, his sleepy eyes wandering over a pleasantly busy Ponyville Park. He could see all the way down to the park lake where three familiar mares were just setting up their picnic. In front of him, a group of older ponies were out enjoying the sunshine, while off to the left some fillies and colts were playing a hoofball match – Marc had always wondered how pegasi managed to keep the ball in the air as they flew – with an indulgent ruby mare keeping score. All in all, it was a gorgeously peaceful Ponyville day. “Oh! You’re awake.” That would be his favourite bee. Marc turned and smiled at Ditzy, still fumbling to catch her wayward teacup. Marc caught the (luckily) empty china as it slipped through Ditzy’s hooves. For half a second more Ditzy grasped for her saucer before catching the plate tightly to her chest. She slowly looked up to Marc, who sat holding her cup where he’d caught it, one curiously raised eyebrow and his hair full of grass. She blew an errant lock of straw-blond mane from her eyes, and smiled shyly, “So...have a nice nap?” Marc couldn’t help but chuckle as he took Ditzy’s saucer and placed the two pieces of china down on the blanket beside him. “Uh yeah, that was...calming. Just one question. I remember what you put in your bags, Ditz, and a tea set definitely wasn’t in there. Care to explain where you got some,” he took a moment to analyze the aroma still hovering in the air, “raspberry mint tea, and more importantly,” he winked with a smile, “Why none for me?” There was one thing Marc had in common with Rarity: a very fine taste in tea. Any and all Equestrian brands, minus the hay-based types, Marc had, would and wished to taste. It was nothing more than an idle hobby, but he certainly had the time for those nowadays. In fact, he’d spent enough time discussing the topic with Rarity that he was fairly certain that this flavour wasn’t from the seamstress’ private stock. “Oh, Twilight brought it out when Rainbow Dash left. They’d talked, but Dash doesn’t really like tea,” Ditzy responded as she poured another cup, “So Twilight asked if we’d like any. Since I’ve had mine, would...would you like this one?” Marc nodded enthusiastically and accepted the still-steaming cup – no doubt an enchanted teapot – and drew in the sweet scent. However, being reminded of Twilight, his mind was cast back to...less settling subjects. Of all Twilight’s words, soothing as they were, had set Marc at various shades of ill ease, from excited as to the prospect of seeing another human, to taken aback over any ill-feeling from Equestria’s nobles, to confused about Ditzy’s connections with any of it. And few shades more confused about her besides. At least, one thing he could ask about without wasting the day. Ditzy had told him before about why she, as a Cloudsdale pegasus, ‘lived groundside’: Because her little sister Dinky was a unicorn – and a promising little one at that – her family, important Cloudsdalians in some capacity, had organized for their daughters to live in and care of the old building that was Rosewood Waycottage. But from what Twilight had said, this somehow was or would become problematic. And so, he asked, “So, Ditzy, what was Twilight talking to you about earlier?” If there was one thing about Ditzy, it was that she was adorably bad at lying. “O-oh, n-nothing much, j-just asking about...um, D-Dinky’s levitation practice!” she blurted, before looking at her hooves, already knowing Marc had seen through it, “Yeah...that. A-and stuff...” Marc sighed and smiled wryly at her awkward shuffling, before patting her shoulder. “Ditzy, I think...I think we need to talk about a few things. I’ve been here for a year now, and...well, I don’t know all that much about your history or...family...” “You know me.” She muttered, suddenly terse, “Isn’t that good enough?” It was such a sudden change he had nearly missed it. It was subtle; a slight tension in the way she held her wings, the set of her jaw, a twitch of her ear. This was the slight difference between the shy, sweet filly he cared for, and the intelligent, indomitable mare he respected. He stopped stroking her fur and rested a hand gently on her foreleg. “For me, Ditzy, I have everything I could ask for, but from what Twilight told me, some ponies might think I have too much.” He selected his words with care. “So what I’m asking you, Ditz, is…. what is it that I’ve really got?” He could feel the tight muscle taught beneath her skin, a single line of corded sinew just enough to remind him just how strong ponies could be. He also felt it relax as Ditzy lowered head and sighed. “Marc...my family, in Cloudsdale? My mother and my f-father. They’re...my father is, uh, important. I think he’s the Governor’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs...and my mother helps...well, she’s in charge of Preparatory Education...she runs the Flight Camps.” She trailed off a little, looking up, all the way up into the sky. “She’s the only reason I didn’t drop out for breaking everything.” Her driest chuckle still managed to sound bitter. “Twilight got a letter from Celestia, they’re...they’re asking, along with a bunch of nobles, to move you from Ponyville to...well, out of Equestria.” “What?” Marc blinked dumbly, his hand dropping to the ground. Ditzy glanced at it, avoiding looking up to his eyes. “What? Wait...what?!” Marc tried to think how he may have angered Ditzy’s parents, or anypony, other than existing here in the first place. When nothing came to mind, a small knot of anger made itself known. “So, they just don’t like me? Think I’m dangerous? I guess hearing their daughter is harbouring an alien couldn’t have gone down well...” “They don’t know.” Ditzy muttered. Marc was not having the best of days, his blank stare attested to that. “...What?” Ditzy compulsively grabbed her saddlebags and began rifling aimlessly through them as she babbled, “I-I was g-going to write them a letter...I did, actually, after Canterlot, after you came...home. But...after that day on the hilltop...I didn’t know what it meant, I didn’t want to send them a letter while things were so confused, and then I got caught up in helping you, and talking to Twilight, and it was all so exciting! I just forgot, and I didn’t know what to say! I didn’t know what it all meant, what we meant...” Then, in a quiet whisper that he had to strain to hear, “What I meant to you.” And with that, he was speechless. Ditzy stopped fidgeting with her bag as she realized what she had said. In utter silence, she stood and slowly turned to Marc, still leaning mutely against the tree. A breath climbed down his throat then, one breath for a single word: “...Ditzy...” “It’s okay,” She smiled, slowly spreading her wings, “I know it’s silly. But...A mare can dream right? I’m...I’m sorry for saying anything...I’ll just...go write that letter.” Marc felt helpless as he watched her turn and take off into the afternoon sky. Neither Marc nor Ditzy had noticed a pair of magenta eyes in the boughs above their picnic spot, watching Marc as he stuttered to himself among the remnants of his peace. A flash of cyan and Marc twitched at the sound of familiar wings beating the air. “Wow. Rough, dude.” Marc finally let himself blink. “Though to be honest, you really should have seen it coming. She’s had her eye on you for months,” Rainbow Dash said airily. “Both, when she could manage.” “Not helping, Dash.” Marc growled. Rainbow sighed. “Yeah, I know. But really, you were seriously clueless. I mean, I’m as thick as ten logs and I noticed clear as day. The question is, what are you gonna do about it?” Marc shifted his seat and ran a hand down his face. He felt a chill crawling down his spine and setting in the pit of his stomach. “I don’t know.” Rainbow Dash let out a low whistle and reclined next to her friend. “Hmm...well, as a single mare myself, I don’t think there’s much I can say...I’m not even sure how that would work, but hey, this is modern Equestria we’re talking about , I’m sure nopony would-” “Her parents don’t know, remember?” Rainbow stopped whistling. “...Yeah, you’re pretty much screwed.” She stood and shook out her wings, “But, you can save this...somehow. It all comes down to one question: Ditzy’s got it for ya. Do you have it for her? You either say yes or no. Trust me, she’ll be at your side either way. Just don’t string her along.” “I don’t plan to,” Marc growled. “But...it’s a bit much, Dash. I mean, I’m barely sure of my memories at this point. Now with Ditzy’s, uh, parental situation, I think...I’d rather not cause more trouble for her than I already have.” “Hah!” Rainbow snorted, “You don’t know how much Ditzy might like to stick it to her folks! But I get it, I know what you mean. Really? Talk to Ditzy about it. She’s a lot tougher than any of us ever took her for, something I’ve begun to notice recently,” she said, her face paling slightly. “I never want to see her angry face again.” Marc sucked in a breath, before exhaling loudly. “Yes, of course. I owe her that much.” “Great!” Dash crowed. “I’ve done my good deed for the day! I’m gonna go and trick Thunderlane into electrocuting himself again to make up for being such an awesome friend. You good?” Marc smiled and picked up the tea set, “Yeah, I think I am. I’ll just take this back to Twi and then...yeah.” “Okay then! See ya in a bit!” And with that, in usual Rainbow Dash flair, she was gone. Marc was feeling remarkably more confused than usual, so he focused on the most immediate event. Teacups to Twilight, then...well, he’d take it from there. Suddenly, the bright verdant park seemed to be a lot less bright than it had when Ditzy was beside him. He took a deep breath and shrugged it all off, for at least a little while. The park still glittered with a spectrum of ponies enjoying their free hours. He took comfort in that, somehow. So, no matter how uncertain he felt about almost everything, he forced a smile and turned back to Twilight’s treehouse to- “So the talk didn’t go too well, then?” “Gah!” Marc nearly dropped the tea set as he jumped. Leaning against a tree in Ponyville was dangerous; you never knew who might be in it. Though really Marc should not have been surprised to see Twilight staring curiously out of her own kitchen window. “Yeah, I heard as much.” she smiled thinly. Marc’s eyes hardened at her openly curious gaze. “Was there anypony not eavesdropping on us? That was really private you, you know!” He dropped the tea set on the windowsill angrily, muttering, “Don’t you guys have your own problems to deal with...?” Twilight had the decency to look contrite, if only a little. “We were just trying to look out for you. And really, your issues are much more interesting than ours.” “Nice to know you’re getting some entertainment out of this,” Marc snarked. He didn’t want to have to put up with this. There was a little cottage at the edge of the Everfree with his name on it. Only, when he turned around, he found himself staring into the same eyes, along with the dissipating flash of a spell. Marc sighed, “What is it, Twi?” Twilight just shook her head and smiled wanly. “Marc, you know we’re trying to help, right?” “Yes,” Marc muttered. For Twilight, this was enough, and Marc was surprised to have her begin, rather roughly, jabbing him with her horn. “Hey, hey! What are you-“ Twilight failed to answer, preferring to jostle him a little unceremoniously into the library. “Twilight, seriously, this is not – uh...” “Hiya Marcy!” His world was Pink. “C’mon, Pinks, give him breathing room!” Rainbow Dash hauled Pinkie Pie up out of the way, and Marc suddenly found his mouth dry. “Why so shocked, darling?” Rarity cooed as she trotted up to them, leaving Fluttershy quite happily hiding next the library’s centrepiece, right up until Applejack nudged her forward to the circle. Last time Marc stood in the library surrounded by these six...yeah, things hadn’t ended too well. His tension, compounded as it was, could be forgiven. Rarity chuckled at his slack features. “Don’t worry dear, we’ve gathered here with nothing but the best intentions.” “Well, you know what they say about good intentions…” “Oh!” Pinkie cannoned into the air, “Can I tell him the plan? Can I, Twi? Pleeaase?!” Marc steadied himself with a trembling hand on a bookshelf. His deer-in-headlights reaction was barely contained as he stuttered, “What plan? What are you talking about?” “Now don’t you worry,” Applejack soothed, “When the six of us come up with a plan t’gether, it won’t fail ya.” “Is that before or after you nearly get killed by ancient demon tyrants?” Marc muttered. Marc decided this was all Twilight’s fault. It was an informed decision, and he carried it out as best he could. With a sharp growl, he stated,“Twilight Sparkle, answers, before I run screaming into oblivion.” “Well...” Twilight shuffled around the irate human for a moment before snatching up something that glimmered in the afternoon light. “You’ll need this, either way.” She held it up in a hoof, her horn curiously inert, displaying a sky-blue gem set into a slim silver chain. Oh, right. Because jewelry solves everything. Marc found himself rather less concerned with what the necklace was for and more with getting out of there as quickly as possible before he broke something. “Okay, listen, whatever you girls have cooked up, just forget it, okay? I can live my own-” A sudden flash streaked down from the ceiling as Rainbow Dash grabbed the small piece of shiny jewelry from her friend and waggled it excitedly in front of Marc’s nose. “Never seen a Cloudwalking gem before, Marc?” Silence. Until Pinkie started laughing. ***** Ditzy had always liked this branch. The rough bark hanging from the branch, the heavy boughs above hanging verdant green leaves encasing her, shutting off the whole world save a sliver of light in the evenings, letting in the golden sunlight before her, shimmering over the rooftops of Ponyville. It was calming. A little happy. Not to say she was upset, really, Ditzy actually found herself with a little fatalistic acceptance. She’d wondered when..well, it didn’t matter now. Whatever would be, would be. Ditzy hadn’t really thought much on the ‘big picture’; nothing past her, her sister and Marc had entered her consideration for quite some time, not in any major way. Great decisions weren’t hers to make. She decided what was for supper, which flowers to pick for Dinky’s school project, where Marc and she would be going for a picnic...and even these she happily let slide if it made somepony else happy. And so, she was more than willing to wait. She didn’t have to wait all that long, considering. “Ditzy?” She barely even flinched, not recognizing the voice at first, but she registered Marc standing beneath her after a lazy blink. She smiled uncertainly to herself before rolling across the branch and hanging over to look down at Marc standing among the roots. He was holding something, but she barely paid it any attention; she just looked at his eyes. “Hi.” “Your, uh, your tree is looking great. Especially...green today. Almost like an emerald colour, quite striking-” “Marc,” she whispered. His tone, nervous, but maybe, just maybe, a little excited too? Ditzy leaned down just that much further. Marc shuffled a bit awkwardly, then seemed to remember what he had brought. Ditzy looked on curiously as Marc fumbled with the glittering chain and held up, a few feet from her nose, a Cloudwalking gem. Marc stuttered slightly as he said, “So Ditzy, would you like to go on a trip with me? I was thinking...Cloudsdale?”