Chapter 10- Mark of Honor
At the castle, for a time I was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place. The style of décor, the ponies scurrying about, the stained-glass windows, the loose rug on the marble floor that I found which sent me skidding into a wall, giving my head and horn a serious bonk…
I woke up in a well-appointed room, in a comfortable bed, the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window spreading color onto my bed, the clear piece of glass that sent a sunbeam right into my face, and the scream of pain from my abused eyes that just HAD to have been heard in Ponyville!
I could hear a door banging open and some hoofbeats on the floor before I heard Twilight’s voice. “Tristan! Calm down! I’m right here. Let me help!” I heard, her voice cutting through my pain.
I finally ran out of breath from the pained scream and just breathed for about half a minute. “Okay, Twilight. Go do the hoo doo that you do so well!” I managed to say about the same way Harvey Korman did in ‘Blazing Saddles’. It was only a few seconds later that the pain in my eyes faded to a dull ache, but the pain in my head was still there, right at the base of my horn.
“Thank you, Twilight.” I said as sanity returned to me. “Just two questions, if I may. One, who left the curtains open and two, got any aspirin?” I asked plaintively. “I have such a headache…”
Another voice made its presence known. “I left the curtains open, so I could see enough to treat your injuries when you were brought in,” said a deep voice with more than a little superciliousness in it. “As for your headache, give me a moment.”
I felt the tingle of a spell go over my head, and the kettle drum banging at the base of my horn changed quickly into a tambourine with a slow beat. “Thank you, whoever you are. Is it safe to open my eyes now?”
I heard some hooves go and shut the curtains, the heat on my face fading. “It is now, Tristan,” I heard Rarity say. I opened my eyes to see Twilight by the side of the bed, next to her was another unicorn, a large white one with a red striped mane and a white and green horn. “I’m Doctor Makeswell, the lead physician of the castle staff. Feeling better, Mister Tristan?”
“Much better, Doctor, for which I give you my deepest thanks. Now, where are my dark glasses?” I said as I sat up.
Twilight levitated my backup pair from my saddlebags. “You broke the good pair when your head hit the wall,” she explained. “Ready to wake up? It’s almost time for our audience.”
“Almost time? How much time do we have?” I asked with a little alarm. Okay, near-panic would be a better descriptor.
“An hour. Time enough to get cleaned up and dressed before heading to the throne room,” Twilight told me, backing up so I could get out of bed.
“Good. I want a shower before getting dressed. Doctor Makeswell, may me meet again socially, not professionally. Thank you for your help,” I said as I got up.
“You are welcome, Mister Tristan. Do be careful in the castle, the floors are slippery,” he told me as I walked by him.
“I shall do so, Doctor. Once is twice too often,” I said before getting to the bathroom door. I opened it in a hurry and went in, only to find that it was not the bathroom, it was a closet. Carefully, I used my glow to open the door up and backed out with as much dignity as I could muster, Twilight, Rarity and Rainbow Dash trying not to laugh. Dash did manage to keep quiet, but the little loops she was doing told me she was laughing hard. I moved four feet to my left and opened that door. Fortunately, it WAS the bathroom that time.
I emerged twenty minutes later to find my number-two clothes laid out on the bed, which showed no trace of having been occupied by me earlier. I dressed and made my way through the third door in the room, which led to a living room like place where the ladies were waiting, along with Princess Luna. They were chatting amongst each other like they were old friends, which they were. I stopped short and let out a short gasp of surprise, which got everypony’s attention.
“Feeling better, Tristan?” Luna asked me, looking genuinely concerned. “Your scream would have woken me up, had I not already been awake.”
I carefully lowered myself to the carpeted floor in a full prostration. “I am, Your Highness, thanks to the efforts of Princess Twilight and Doctor Makeswell,” I said, nose uplifted from the carpet, but only about half an inch.
“Please rise, Tristan. Such actions are only necessary during formal appearances, not behind closed doors,” Luna said gently.
“I was not certain of that, Your Highness. Besides, I felt it right to get some practice in,” I said as I struggled to my hooves, the carpet having a deep pile and my legs had gone into uncomfortable positions.
“Also, in private, it is allowable to simply address me as ‘Luna’. After all, we have met twice already, even if just in your dreams,” she said with a small teasing smile.
“Okay, Luna. Just don’t moon me, and we can become good friends,” I said in a breezy tone, settling my hat back in place, which brought a wider smile to Luna’s face.
“But, it’s my position to moon everypony in Equestria,” she riposted quickly.
“Just for that, I won’t call you ‘Crater-Butt’, then!” I fired back with. Fluttershy looked shocked, Applejack looked startled, Rarity was looking away, Rainbow Dash was doing tight loops in the air, Twilight was smiling, Luna looked pleased, and Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be seen. Starlight had left us when we got to the castle, saying she had something that needed doing.
“I’m glad you are not intimidated by me, Tristan. Many ponies are,” Luna said, approaching me with a wing out for a hug.
I hugged back with warmth. She felt just like her dream self did. “You, I’m not intimidated about, thanks to our night time conferences. Now, your sister, on the other hoof…” I said, trailing off.
“Yes, do not take such liberties with her until she grants permission, and use decorum. I know you know what the rules will be.”
“Yes, I do, Luna. Now, shall we get going? I don’t want to be late for my own funer… AUDIENCE!” I quickly amended.
Twilight and most of the others laughed. “Don’t worry, Tristan. It won’t hurt at all,” she told me.
“Yeah, and neither does brain surgery. Between the two, I think I would rather have the surgery,” I quipped back.
“Let us be off, then, before Tristan has a nervous breakdown,” Luna said. She took the lead, guiding us out of the suite and down, my apprehension increasing with every step I took. I mean, I was going to meet with the top Princess of the land, she who has reigned for over a thousand years. I wasn’t this nervous when I shook the hand of a United States Senator who was touring the base a few years back. No, this was like being called to a White House conference with the President without being told why he wants to see you.
We stopped at a double wide door, flanked by armed guards. I was not a medieval recreationist, but I am a passionate gamer as well as being a fan of Forged in Fire, so I easily recognized the weapons the guards had at the ready, if not in particular, at least in general. I could also tell the edges and points were very sharp. These guards meant business.
Luna excused herself, saying that she needed to be inside before we entered. Twilight arranged us in a wedge-like formation, with me behind her, and the other five surrounding the two of us. The doors slowly opened, and Twilight led us into the throne room.
At the end of the room, Celestia sat on her throne, her white fur shining in the light. I was glad for my dark glasses. We approached the throne, stopping about ten feet away. I knew there were nobles and such around the room, Luna sitting beside her sister, but slightly below and behind Celestia. I could not care less about the nobles, I just didn’t want to make a mistake.
“Princess Celestia, allow me to present to you a new arrival to Equestria, Tristan. He comes from a distant place, brought here by some unknown reason,” Twilight announced.
“So he does. Tristan do step forward,” Celestia said pleasantly. I did so, getting a bit ahead of Twilight before going into a full bow.
Why is it just then that silly things happen? My hooves slid on the slick polished marble of the floor, the carpet stopping about where I had stopped earlier, and I fell flat, my nose and lower jaw bouncing quite painfully off the floor. I’m certain I saw a flock of brightly colored birds circling my head.
“It appears you have a lot to learn, Tristan. Walking and standing should take precedence,” Celestia said in tones that did not constitute a rebuke.
“Walking and standing I can do, Your Highness. Slippery marble floors are something I have not encountered yet. No practice time,” I managed to say as I unsteadily stood back up, still with those damn birds circling. I tried to banish them to Fluttershy, but they persisted in tormenting me.
“Princess Twilight, I invite you and your friends, both old and new, to a private dinner in twenty minutes, in the dining room,” Celestia said as she stood up. “This session of Day Court has concluded! Night Court will be in session in two hours!” she announced before leaving the… whatever you call the raised floor thrones sit on.
“Tristan? Are you all right?” Twilight asked once Celestia had turned away from the crowd.
“I don’t know. I feel like I should be practicing bird calls, but I don’t know any birds,” I mumbled, definitely feeling woozy. Getting kayoed twice in one day is a record not worth setting.
Twilight cast a healing spell on me, making the pain and confusion fade. “I’ve done more healing in the past week and a half than I have done in a year. Are you normally this clumsy or do you practice it?” she asked once the spell was cast and I could think straight.
“It’s an acquired talent, Princess Twilight. One of the few skills I have not mastered is skating, on wheels or blades. I need to figure out how to walk and stand on slick surfaces,” I said.
“You don’t have any problems at Friendship Castle, and they have smooth floors!” Twilight objected.
“I’m comfortable there, not here!” I snapped back. Apparently, that satisfied Twilight and the others, because they remained quiet as Twilight led the way to the dining room.
In the dining room, I was especially glad for my shades, because the room was lit up bright. Celestia sat at one end of the table, Luna at the other. I was bid to sit at Celestia’s right hoof. Trying to hide my apprehension, I did as I was bid.
“There is no need to worry, Tristan. I want to hear what you think about Equestria,” she said to me as I looked at my plate. Not glumly, I was trying to figure out just what was ON the plate.
“Princess, I have to say this much about Equestria. If I had known how to get here two decades ago, I would have. Now, I’m glad I’m here, and I hope to become a valuable, productive member of Ponyville society. These ladies have shown me nothing but kindness. I want to return it,” I told the Princess. A glance at Applejack showed her nodding at my words. Heck, it was all true.
“What job did you do in your previous world, Tristan?”
“I was a lead supply clerk, essentially coordinating all supply center activity for the base. It was an interesting job, but all the challenge had left it after twenty-four years at the same place. I keep my mind occupied by looking into anything that caught my interest.”
“What does catch your interest?”
“Now, learning about Equestria, learning magic, and learning how to thank my friends. They helped me, I should return the kindness with kindness,” I said with all sincerity.
Celestia smiled warmly at me, then looked around the table, at my friends. “They are a very diverse group of ponies, Tristan. How could you ever keep up with them?” Celestia asked.
I thought for a moment before replying. “Princess, when I was seven years old, I read a book my older brother left lying around. I saw a line in that book that struck a chord in me. I memorized it and have never forgotten it.
“It reads, ‘A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.’
“I’m about three-quarters through the list. When I came here, I was pondering the last item on the list. My death would not have been gallant, I can assure you of that.
“As diverse as they are, I’m sure I have a chance of keeping up, given time,” I concluded, taking a drink of whatever was there to be had.
“What’s left to be done?” Celestia asked. “Other than die gallantly, of course.”
“Okay, planning an invasion is not anything I have been called on to do. Same with butcher a hog. I’ve never gone from squeal to table, all my butchering was after the fact, in the kitchen. I’ve steered a ship, but not command. Designing a building I MIGHT be able to do, if I keep it simple. Writing a sonnet, fuhgeddaboudit!” I concluded in my best Bronx honk, causing a ripple of laughter around the table, Celestia and Luna included.
When I joined the laughter, I felt a warmth on my flanks, and a flash of light suffused the room. When the flare faded, I noticed everypony in the room staring at me. “What you all looking at?” I asked.
Rarity was sitting on my right and was looking at my flank openly. “My little pony, you have just gained your cutie mark,” Celestia said.
I got up and turned, so I could look at what had appeared there. Moving the tail of my cream-colored jacket aside, I beheld a grayish-silver mark where before there was only dark blue fur. I stared at it as well, trying to figure out what it was. Pinkie Pie was the first to figure it out.
She bounded up to me and engulfed me in a big enthusiastic hug. “It’s a JACK, silly! Like in the game!” she squealed as she damn near hugged the breath out of me as her party cannon fired, showering the table (and everypony) with confetti.
“As in ‘jack of all trades’, Tristan,” Twilight said. “It fits you.”
“Huh- I’d like to see him fly!” Rainbow Dash snorted.
“Is that a challenge, Dash? I can fly, but not like you. I need to build something first, but with it, I can fly.” I told the blue pegasus, looking right at her.
“You do that, and that would be so awesome!” Dash cheered.
“It is. I hope I can build the wing right,” I said, still looking at my mark.
“I have no doubt that you can, once you set your mind to it, Tristan,” Twilight said from her place at the table.
“Nor do I have any doubts,” Celestia added. “Shall we finish dinner? There is still the noble’s reception tonight, and I will need to fortify myself before. So should the rest of you.”
“Good idea, Princess,” I added, lending my support for the idea as I sat back down at the table and dug in with a new enthusiasm. I’m still not quite sure just what it was I was eating, but it tasted a lot better now than it did ten minutes before!
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I don't know if you actually don't know it, or if it's just the character, but the word you want here is "dais".
And the worst thing is that our current society seems bent on insecthood. Should anything jerk it out from under us the "I don't know how to do that." line would kill more people than the event.
9180910
Oh, I knew it, but Tristan's brains just took a whack off the floor. I doubt he would remember his own name after that.
I recognized the Heinlein quote within a few words, and I haven't even read that book in ages!
9182959
I had to look it up to quote it properly, to be honest. It fits, so I used it. It does stand out, yes?
9180942 It's actually sad and I honestly can't multitask to save a life. Especially since it's important in culinary arts!