Marble by the Roadside

by Glen Gorewood

The Travelers Stone

Prologue

Somewhere between Ponyville and Manehatten lies a stretch of road, bordered by endless plains of wild grasses and trees. Far and few between along this stretch are waysides and small towns, refusing to lay down and disappear into the wild ether. The vast emptiness is but one turn off from the main highway, easy to miss impossible to forget. Those who travel this stretch of road will swear their travel time halved, yet it is on no map, a secret bypass for the lucky or slightly less than sane.
Whispers in the barely living towns bordering the road speak of things, of why things are this way. They tell of legendary beasts, areas where everything shifts to one of old, and even of things that haunt the land itself.

But one tale is not whispered, for fear it will return to the bypass and byway of the lucky and mad. The few who know of it are tight lipped, refusing to indulge passerby and travelers with any possible hint that could cause curiosity to overtake logic. Those who encounter it are rare, those who continue on far fewer. To these alone will the story be hinted, and a warning given to those who are able to heed it.

"Beware the sheer of stone, the roadside bones, if you see the store walk away, time here holds no sway."

For one family of unicorns this warning they would heed, travelers of the road by chance. From youth to parents, and to youth again, a cycle repeated by accident or fate none know. But it is in youth that mistakes are made, curiosity cursed, and the stone always remembers even as foals fight to forget.

Rarity's Story

The chartered carriage moved swiftly along the main highway to Manehatten, gilded silver on a dark oak frame forming intricate patterns and shapes from the craftsman's mind. Wheels crafted for rougher paths glide smoothly along the well groomed road, well shod hooves clipping and clacking on the well set cobblestones mixed with newer patches of an invention known as cement. To one side of the highway stretches a view of majestic vistas and rivers, forests intertwining with plains that continue on the other side in a seemingly endless parade across the landscape.

The silver maned grey dappled earth pony pulling the cart was outfitted in light chain mail under a well worn gilded harness and blanket, matching the carriage she moved effortlessly over the cemented cobblestones. The company who she worked for required it, on the off chance that some miscreant pony would try to harm the passengers within. In this day and age such a thing was almost unheard of but the tradition itself refused to die.

Within the carriage proper a well maintained pair of plush seats with silver and deep burgundy silk covers sat opposite one another. The interior matched the outside though with silver inlays covered in clear resin instead of gilding. One of the seats held an occupant, an off white unicorn with dark purple mane and tail perfectly styled in a glamorous fashion. Her cutie mark was three diamonds, and in her light blue aura she held not a book but a small marble statue. The books on fashion and style lay to the side, atop a large fashionable portfolio with her cutie mark embossed into the cover. The statue in her magical grip was of a small infant seapony, no larger than a book it was carved so intricately it seemed to border between the real and unreal.

Half hidden in a clam shell the statue had an expressive smile with a mouth open in song, an object fitting for an artist. Rarity smiled as she brought the statue to her hooves and gently rubbed the clam shell for luck. This little figure had been her good luck charm since her childhood, when her parents had given it to her as a gift. One of her earliest designs had been an outfit for "Pearl Song", and though it had not earned her the cutie mark adorning her flank, it had set her on the path that would lead to it.

With a soft sigh she gently placed the figure back into it's protective box that sat to her right side. Enchanted to protect whatever was within, and to be easy to locate in case of theft it was the perfect place for her old friend. Her new friends may find her fondness of Pearl Song odd, but then that is why she had kept her a secret. It felt wrong to let others beyond her family know of one of her oldest friends, especially since they would probably find her as odd as Pinkie on a sugar rush. Glancing once more at Pearl Song she used her magic to careful close and lock the ornate box where her friend could rest toll they returned home.

Turning her attention to the design catalogues on her left she sighed, it seemed that this might be her biggest break in a long time. The cover of the top one advertised the upcoming Fall Fashion Trot designer auditions, the reason for her trip to Manehatten. It was true in Ponyville and to a degree Canterlot her name was known on the lips of many in the upper echelons of society, but to be known in Manehatten would make her known around the world. Her name on the lips of not just ponies but zebras, giraffe's, yaks, llamas, and more even the beaks of griffons. It would be a dream come true, and the only thing standing between her and that dream was the audition and one long carriage ride. It was a good thing she had decided to leave a few days early, with the train line from ponyville down her only choice was to by carriage. Of course a fabulous stylish carriage with a vintage charm, from the esteemed Regal Silvermane company, would impress just as well as arriving by train. It might give her an edge as well, after all old was vintage now. She must remember to thank Fancy Pants later for the suggestion of using them.

A sudden bump and slowing of the carriage lightly jostles Rarity out of her thoughts. Reacting on instinct she uses her magic to stabilize her belongings on the seats, especially the box that holds her friend. As the great and ornate carriage slows to a stop the fashionista peers out the right window, still holding her belongings with her blue hued magic. The surrounding region has changed to one of endless grasses taller than a small pony on the right side, shimmering in the late morning sun. A large series of boulders borders the edges carved into which are distances and names of towns, with one section seemingly crumbled to nothing over time. The grasses give way far in the distance to mountains as of dark blues and pinks, and some reddish tints if her eyes did not deceive her. And in between she saw more boulders and stones tightly clustered together. If not for her need to get to Manehatten on a deadline, she would love for nothing more than to sit bu the carriage and design dresses inspired by the sight. In a calm voice befitting a lady she calls out to the carriage pony.
"Silver Trails dear, why are we stopping? Manehatten must still be over half a days journey from here."

The earth pony Silver Trails glanced back at her passenger, neck muscles well defined against her coat. This unicorn must be in a hurry, the thought had been on her mind for most of this trip for she knew how to recognize the type. The silver maned earth pony also knew that Manehatten was far more than half a days trip from this point by the main road now. Her years of traveling all across Equestria for Regal Silvermane Carriages meant she knew most roads by heart, as well as most byroads. The company had given her the time table for this client, and there was no way to make it as things were now. She took a deep breath through her muzzle before responding in a voice that sounded more suited for a noble than high end cart pony. With deeper tones hinting through she said "Miss Rarity, I beg you to look forward instead of sideways. It seems the Wanderers of the Roads are not on our side today." Gesturing forward with her muzzle towards what lay before the carriage Silver Trails sighed internally.

Rarity turned her head to the direction indicated and gasped in shock. Before them was not well maintained cobblestone or a mix of any type of road material. The road had washed out, leaving nothing but muddy dirt and rocks for a fair way in the distance. In some areas the road was so far gone that you could not tell it was a road at all.
"Oh no, dear whatever shall we do?" the white coated mare swooned "There is no way we can make it through this in style, or grace, and it looks dreadfully dirty."

Silver Trails simply nodded "Not to mention the danger of the road itself falling from under us miss." As the unicorn swooned again the well traveled earth pony sighed, may as well get the worst news out.
"Miss Rarity, to my knowledge there are no byroads in this region of Equestria." Gesturing at the sign with her head she continued "all byroads not on maps are indicated by the markings on travelers stones like these. And not a one shows any other way but forward for a mile beyond where we stand now. We can't make it in time." Expecting a reprimand by a rather annoyed mare she instead heard the carriage door open and a set of manicured hooves set down on the cobblestone one after another. Glancing behind her Silver Trails saw the passenger, Rarity, approach the Travelers Stone beside them.

A great boulder carved with words and images, directions and distances. Some trails marked were nothing more but ancient paths by now covered in brush, but all marked the stone from top to bottom. A great chunk of marble it was, and as she got closer Rarity's trained eyes were again drawn to the section that seemed to have crumbled over time. A closer look indicated it had not crumbled but broken, curious for marble was a rather sturdy stone. Brushing her coifed hair aside she activated her seeking spell, focusing on the section of the Travelers Stone that had broken off. The attempt would probably be futile, but she had to try if only for the chance of finding a way around the washed out road to Manehatten.

Her blue magical aura lit up around her horn and somewhere in the tall grass something resonated with it. Walking closer to the edge of the road she used her aura to shift the grasses aside to reveal the broken section partially fused into the earthen ground right by the roads edge. Excitement lit up her eyes as Rarity barely contained her desire to jump for joy in a manner not befitting a lady. The broken fragment of marble was not blank, but had directions carved into it and images that indicated a side road right where the carriage stood. A pair of hooves in the shape of an arrow indicated the way. An odd icon made of two circles fused at the side with two lines by them were noted by the directional arrows. Using her levitation and a spell for fixing flawed stones she lifted the fragment of marble up and fused it with the travelers stone. Where her spell had touched one could not tell it had ever been removed, save for the muck and dirt lines on the fragment. Smiling and feeling a bit weary she turned to the carriage pony Silver Trails and in a happy yet slightly tired voice said. "Dear there is a way to Manehatten, it seems that a ruffian must have damaged the Travelers Stone by mistake causing it to be misplaced."

Taking a few hoof steps back so the earth pony mare could see, she felt a feeling of relief rush through her body. They would make it on time after all, she would be on time to the auditions. She could see it now, the words Rarity of Carousal Boutique in lights in the Fall Fashion Trot. Rarity's heart leaps at the prospect of her name alongside greats such as Crown Glory, Marecrombie and Stitch, Trota, and the most recent upcoming designer Rave Ribbons. It was so close to being lost but now her chance is back, shining brighter than the best cut sapphire.

Silver Trails ignored the Unicorn lost on her reverie and focused on the newly discovered road directions. It was directly to the right of where they were by the indications on the great marble stone, though what the two fused circles indicated she hadn't the slightest idea. Turning her head and focusing on the area indicated she indeed saw under the grasses what looked like an old cobblestone road. So old that dirt had covered most of the stones themselves, but still it was there a side road she hadn't known existed. It bothered her a little, that such a thing could occur after all her company kept meticulous maps going back hundreds of years. Why wasn't this road on any of them?
Shaking her head causing her silver mane to shift and shimmer in the light, she turned to her passenger still lost in her waking dreams.

"Miss Rarity" she said, breaking the mare out of her day dreams of lights and designs. "It seems we have a way, now if you wish to be in Manehatten before tomorrow afternoon I suggest you get back in the carriage. It is still a long way to go, and on a unknown road I don't know how long that will be." Shifting in place, her hooves and mind more than ready to move on Silver Trails glances at the road before her. The old cobblestone is surrounded by prairie grasses and far in the distance trees. Further on she can make out shapes like oddly formed boulders clustered by the edges of the cobblestone way. It is the oddest thing though, for all the dirt on the back road itself the grass seems to be well maintained and kept well off from it. There are even margins visible where prairie moss can be seen, for an abandoned road it seems out of place. But who is she to kick a gift from the Wanderers of the Roads in the muzzle. It was her job and duty to finish this journey with her passenger safe and secure, and the old Wanderers and seen fit to give them a way. It would be best to follow it.

Rarity adjusts her mane, turning she gets back in the carriage and settles onto her plush silk seat for the remainder of the journey. Checking to make sure everything is still in place, she latches the door and lifts up the box which holds her precious friend. As the carriage moves towards the new road she discovered she smiles holding the box close. Which is just as well considering the bumpy transition from the new road to the old causes her to be jostled around in her seat a bit. As the carriage's wheels transition from the new road to the old they dig tracts into the dirt covering the cobblestone, masking the almost worn away tracks beneath them completely. Tracks of another cart, another set of hooves, and more hooves following.

As the carriage pulled by the dapple grey earth pony holding and carrying Rarity move forward along this sideroad the grasses grow thicker. As birdsong and insect voices fill the air a voice on the wind whispers "Byroads and sideriads, shortcuts and ways, time has no meaning for travelers and strays." Focused on the road and the box holding a friend respectively, neither seem to notice a light shimmering glow in the grasses behind them. A sheen of silver shifting in the breeze, swaying with the prairie grass itself as if singing to those who no longer hear. It moves behind the carriage, gliding through the grass an amorphous form of silvery grey mist. Following as they travel further down the old cobblestone road, down a byway shown by the great marble Travelers Stone.

Author's Note:

This chapter is in three parts, and inspired from a memory of my childhood. Rarity is in for a shock, after all it isn't like somebody would break off that section of the Travelers Stone for no reason right?

Terms I created for this story, if you want to use them please reference me:

Travelers Stone : A stone marker used to indicate trails, roads, distances, and hazards. As well as back roads, shortcuts and byways. Often icons and imagery is used to indicate different things, much of this language is known to only the most experienced travelers or those who study it. Parts of it though have long since been lost to time.

Wanderers of the Roads: Carriage and Cart ponies as well as frequent travelers believe in a type of spirit or being that wanders the paths and roads in wilder areas. These beings are to be respected and can bring disaster or fortune depending on their moods or how they are treated. Many city and urban ponies scoff at this belief and consider it a holdover superstition with little merit.

Regal Silvermane Carriage Company: A well renowned and ancient cross country travel company who specializes in custom carriages, and renting out rides to those who wish to travel a long way in style and comfort. At one point they rented to those who preferred a basic carriage, but have since turned that branch of their company into a franchise. This has allowed them to focus on the one of a kind regal and secure carriages that are their namesake, each is decorated in silver indicating the companies ownership. Every pony who pulls such a carriage is required to have a silver or silver grey mane, and be capable of speaking in some sort of posh or noble manner. On top of the requirements that are hold overs from the days of old, that in rare cases have been needed in modern times.

Fall Fashion Trot : A premiere fashion and design event held yearly in Manehatten, it is often the place where new designers get their big break into the fashion world.

Rave Ribbons: Last years breakout fashion designer, specializing in punk and rave style fashions with ribbons as accents. Her bright and bold color combinations are considered to be setting the tone for haute coutre fashion right now.

Pearl Song: A small marble statuette of a baby seapony singing in a clam shell, Rarity's childhood "friend" and inspiration for her early designs. Rarity considers her a good luck charm, and a work of art. Due to how she was carved she almost seems alive.

Comments

[Chaosreverent]

This is shaping up to be a treat.