//------------------------------// // Chapter 27: The Truth, and the Trident // Story: Marked // by Eisen //------------------------------// Twilight followed the cloaked stallion until they entered a nicely furnished library. It was fairly small, but each wall was lined entirely with shelves of polished wood, filled with countless books. The high ceiling caused Twilight to wonder just how much knowledge was stored in this room alone. Unlike the rest of the facility, this area was very well lit, a soft yellowish-white light pervading the room, reflecting softly off of the shelves. There were two doors, one they entered from, and one on the right wall from their entry, both wooden like the shelves. The cloaked pony sat down slowly upon one of two red cushioned chairs, the only furnishings in this room. Twilight sat on the opposite chair, and remained quiet, expecting him to speak first. He coughed briefly and took out an opaque vial, taking a swig from it, immediately stopping the coughs. As he put it away, he spoke in a raspy, yet somehow familiar voice... "For hours and days, he researched it more, From dawn till dusk he did read. Until, Finally, a location secured, He assuredly had what he'd need." Twilight was completely silent for a moment as she tried to understand the words. "I'm sorry... I don't understand," she stated slowly, unsure what to make of what he had just said. "It's a quote, from an old story. The Foal and the Fountain. Given your curiosity, I thought a line citing the Foal's ceaseless research would be fitting. Surely you've read it?" The voice was calm, yet almost surprised in tone. It still had that air of familiarity about it but something was off... "Oh! The Foal and the Fountain! Yes, I'm familiar with it... although, I've only read half of it..." she trailed off, looking down slowly. It was unlike her to leave a book unfinished, especially something as simple as a short old tale like that. The old stallion shifted about in the seat and spoke up again with a sigh. "Ah... I realize you have been busy on this journey of yours but... I was hoping that you would have gotten a chance to read the book I gave you." "Oh, I didn't mean to--" Twilight registered a little late exactly what he had said, and she quickly looked up with wide, curious eyes. "Wait, what do you mean, book you gave me?" The cloaked pony brought his hooves up slowly and pulled back his hood, revealing a head of thinning gray hair atop a wrinkled, smiling, brown face. Mark Maker beamed at her, his ears perked up. "Stamper?" Twilight asked in utter shock, shaking her head a bit. "This... this is... this can't be a coincidence!" she said, attempting to connect the dots she had and coming up with nothing. Maker laughed and spoke up in a decidedly less raspy tone. "Well, it's certainly not a coincidence!" Her responding look of intent listening opened the door for him to elaborate. "You see princess, my job here allows a certain degree of freedom that permitted me to roam elsewhere, and it gave me a chance to keep an eye out for people who were curious about Marks. People like you! I worked in libraries all over Equestria for years when I could. I rarely actually helped people along, but more recently... well, you heard what I said back in the Empire. I have seen the concequences of inaction for far too long," he explained. Twilight was quick to counter. "But to be working in the exact library that I went to? At the exact same time frame?" The stallion chuckled lightly before responding. "Twilight, you and I both know that the Crystal Imperial library has some of the oldest books in Equestria. When the Empire returned, I knew that any serious researcher would go there for answers," he concluded, leading to the princess merely nodding in understaning. It made sense. "I do have to fess up to a little fib. My name isn't really Stamper. It's Mark Maker, like I said out there. But, of course, I can't go around with a name like Mark Maker! Besides, the Trident knows almost nothing about me other than that name, thanks in part to this cloak!" he informed her, tugging a bit on the strong gray fabric for emphasis. "However, that is not why you are here. Princess Twilight, you have come far in your quest for answers, and I believe you deserve some after so long! I'll answer anything I can!" he offered her, eliciting something of a gleam from her eyes. Immediately she spoke up, more out of impulse than thought. "Why couldn't you tell me anything sooner?" she blurted out. Normally she was quite reserved, and the blush appearing on her face indicated her embarassment, but Mark Maker only laughed a bit, realizing she meant no harm by it. "Ah... yes, it may seem a bit unfair that I couldn't just tell you everything from the get go... but, of course, I couldn't just tell you at the beginning. That's how one gets in line for termination. Even when I knew your motives for certain, I couldn't flat-out tell you for safety reasons, partially because it gives me plausible deniability, partially because, if interrogated, it can't be traced back to me, and partially because anyone with the power to read your memories wouldn't see me as a link. I can point you the right way, indirectly hint, but never flat-out tell... and for that, I am truly sorry," he stated with a solumn nod, indicating his sincerety. "Alright... that... makes sense..." she muttered, eyes scanning the carpeted floor as if they contained the right questions. Surely she had many, but... to start with the earliest, or the newest? After a moment of pondering, she looked up slowly and, with a sigh, made her next request. "Far Reach told me about the Trident, but I don't feel I can trust him. So, what is the Trident, really?" Mark Maker nodded and spoke up. "Ah. Reach probably only told you part of the story. He does rather love explaining things, but he leaves out many details if they don't directly suit his interests. Given that he was recruiting you based on your research, to give the whole truth may have left you uninterested. Let me tell you the full story, as best I can..." Twilight's eyes lit up, and she leaned forward a bit, listening intently. "Well over two thousand years ago, Equestria was founded by the three Equestrian races: the Earth Ponies, the Pegasi, and the Unicorns. The original founders were each brought along with their leaders, in the Hearth's Warming tale that everyone is told. There were three founders, as you well know. One was Smart Cookie, the secretary of the Earth Pony chancellor. Another was Private Pansy, subordinate to the Pegasus commander. And finally, there was Clover the Clever, advisor to the princess of the Unicorns. These three helped inspire initial cooperation among the three tribes, and got the leaders to work together in harmony... for a short while. That is where the Hearth's Warming tale ends, and the truth begins. He continued speaking to a very intrigued princess. "You see, in those days, ponies did not actually have Cutie Marks. Not everyone truly knew or even really had a special talent, and many a lost pony gave in to violence and... less than encouragable behaviors. We were flawed, we were aimless, and the forcing of the three tribes together created the perfect powder keg under the guise of a new utopia." Twilight's jaw was left somewhat slack in wonder as she listened, drinking in the information. "The three founders knew that the peace would not and could not last. The peace had caused a golden age, and prosperity, but when that all ran out, they would tear themselves apart. A slight chill had already been noticed after a year or so. The founders needed a way to keep the population peacful without destroying free will. A police state would incite riots just as much as leaving it alone would lead to anarchy. They needed an option C, a way out. A new idea. And they found it... in me." At this, she finally spoke up. "What do you mean in you? You may be... many years my senior, but, that was nearly two and a half millinea ago!" the curious princess exclaimed. "That's all thanks to this, princess," he stated, pulling out the opaque flask from under his cloak. "This is a regeneration serum created by some of the greatest alchemists of the age, along with Starswirl the Bearded and I working countless months on it," he told her. "I... I'm finding this all very hard to believe..." she said, rubbing her temples in thought. "You've jumped into the fountain, princess! Oh... yes... you've yet to finish the book," he mentioned, correcting himself. "It'll all make more sense in a bit, should I be allowed to continue," he said calmly. He knew she needed a moment. "Yes, yes please," the princess urged with a shake of her head. It was difficult to imagine... but she needed the full story. He nodded, and began again with the history. "Anyway, Smart Cookie specifically knew me personally to be an effective problem solver. I had helped many a farm through the droughts with advanved irrigation when I was just a kid, and you could say I left my mark on the landscape because of it. Hence the name. But I digress, all you need to know is, I was a problem solver, and so the secretary approached me, and asked for a solution," he elaborated. "So you came up with Cutie Marks?" she proposed. He nodded in response and continued on with the story. "Well... I created the precursor the the Mark. I proposed a Brand, a label of sorts that would add drive to a pony's personal passions and desires, so long as they be nonviolent, and as a result dissuade violent tendencies. The three founders discussed my idea, and I was well aware the Unicorns had such a power of manipulation, and I drew up specifications and designs that would utilize that ability to do exactly what I had proposed. I had proved my concept, but to permenantly make a change in multiple ponies would require research on a large scale... or impressive expertise. We had the second of these through connections of the founders. Clover the Clever was able to convince her mentor Starswirl of the importance of the event. He, along with Clover and a trusted number of Starswirl's many wizard connections, were able to sucessfully create the first ever Brand... mine." He stood up and displayed his flank, which bore what appeared to be a circular blank stone slate, surrounded in an energy aura with many tools, some for writing, others for building. "What does it mean?" she asked reasonably, trying do decypher it. "I didn't want anyone else hurt in case something went wrong, so I asked to be Branded before anyone else. This Brand enhanced my desire, drive, and skill to design and create complicated devices. I'm not one to brag, but I had always been something of a wonder as a kid when it came to making things that worked well, and worked efficiently. My Brand multiplied my natural ability significanlty, and thus I was able to answer their next question much better than I could have before: how do we Brand all of Equestria?" Twilight was processing as much information as she could, still unsure what it had to do with the Trident, but she had a feeling he would be getting to that soon. "I designed something that would take care of that, automatically do what they needed... but it would take a lot of effort, more than just a handful of wizards and hopefuls. So the founders formed a council. A council of three to organize and practically solve how to control the populace with this new method of branding. Clover took the head of the three, acting as organizer, manager, etc. She and I picked this mountain as a good operations center, and she commissioned Smart Cookie to gather workers to build it. Pansy, now with more authority due to helping save the Pegasi's leader, had a few divisions under her command, which she ordered to find a location in the mountain, and transport the Earthen workers up to build. The wizards still with us helped as well, and after a short while, the Council had a first home, the people could be Branded, and we had a dedicated staff of workers, now re-directed to other tasks that better suited our new position as leaders." "The ponies just accepted these Brands, no questions asked?" Twilight asked skeptically. He was quick to reply. "No, no, of course not, but in the beginning the Council told the truth. After all of us had been Branded, the pegasi under Pansy went to ensure that the settlements did not destroy themselves in panic, and they explained the situation. The transition wasn't perfect, but considering the circumstances, it was pretty smooth. By the 2nd generation, Brands were fairly well accepted, and clover made the decision that all publications that mention the origin of Brands be kept brief. It was at this time that the serum I mentioned earlier was developed, to ensure longevity of key members of the organization. Our lifespans now assured, the Council decided to be silent about our operations. The people knew we existed still, but with no news of operations, the public eye began to turn away..." "By the 5th generation, every major settlement had a base under control of the Council, and most ponies thought that Brands were natural, due to the lack of info. Some knew that they weren't, but the Council finally had enough influence to quietly phase the truth out of textbooks and teachings. The Council, aging and believing their time had long passed, refused to any longer take the serum. They stayed alive long enough to become a secret, then all went off and faded peacefully, passing on the reigns of power to new Councilors. The first true 'Trident.'" Twilight had to step back. This was... a lot of information, almost too much at once. Maybe she wasn't ready for the whole truth, the whole history... No. I am ready. Weeks of paranoia, twists, turns, disguises, secrets... I deserve the whole truth, she resolved, newly determined. "You alright princess? You looked a little pale there for a moment!" he noted, but her newly renewed expresion of focus looked back to him. "Absolutely. Please, finish the history," she requested, nodding to indicate she was fine. Mark Maker nodded, taking a deep breath and sighing raspily before he spoke again. "Over the years, the word 'Brand' had picked up a bad connotation. It implied ownership, lack of control. We needed a new name, something lighthearted, friendlier, much like our newly peaceful populus. Something Cute. A Cutie Mark. It was placed in new publications and at first quite scoffed at, but by the 8th generation of Equestrians, nopony even questioned it. Then came the Discordian era, this newly flourishing culture brought near to ruin by a chaotic being, and since Starswirl had disappeared long ago, nobody could stop him... except the two princesses. You know the tale, they saved us and became our rulers, and after all that confusion and chaos, Not a shred of myth was left about the true origin of Cutie Marks. They just appear when someone discovers their special talent. The Trident had done it. They had made peace, disappeared, and maintained peace for all of Equestria." His brow furrowed as he began his conclusion. "However... over time, the Trident has gotten... colder. Still they keep the peace, supposatively, but through much more manipulaion than before and much... darker methods that I have seen. Anyone who mentions any of these dark things is labled a crazy conspiracy theorist, and anyone who learns more than they should... well, let's just say you're lucky you are both smart and royalty," he stated in a cautionary tone. Twilight was very shocked at the sheer lore, but finally, FINALLY, things were adding up. My notes on the founders, on the word Branded in the history book, it fits! But after all of that, and after all she had been through, it was finally time to ask the simple question. "Thank you Mark Maker, but I have another question, one that's been on my mind from the start. You said the unicorns and you made the FIRST brand, and that you found a way to effect everyone constantly. Now, I have to know..." She sighed as she asked the big question. "Where do Cutie Marks come from?" The old stallion smiled and stood up, trotting to the door on the right wall. "Come with me, Twilight. It's time you finally saw the Brander." She shakily stood up and began to follow him, but was stopped by a leather-bound book held before her. "It's a fairly long walk, and you read quickly. Maybe you can finally read it through!" he said with a smirk and a wink, walking on. She looked at the book cover. "The Foal and the Fountain." With a blush, she muttered "Right...!" and opened the cover to start at the beginning, as she slowly followed Maker into the hall...