Make your Mark - Chapter 4

This needs to be rewritten so if you want to spare yourself some boredom you can skip to chapter five with this information:

>Simple support for Anonymous relationship with Rarity.

>Anonymous' mark acting up.

>Celestia warning that Queen Chrysalis is planning things again, and her private warning to Anonymous, informing him that he's not ready for the trials ahead.

 

>Applejack had offered you another day of work today, and with a need for some extra bits you had accepted.

>The work was hard, and the pay a little lacking, but it was nice to spend the day helping out a friend.

>Your help was greatly needed with Big Mac out of commission, with his hurt leg there was no way they could get all the work done in time.

>You thought you had caught Applejack staring as you worked, but it could have been your imagination.

>The sun had begun to set and you had finished everything on your checklist for the day so you found Applejack under a tree, taking a short break from whatever she was doing.

"Hey, I finished my stuff," you sat down next to her in a crossed leg position, she didn't move.

>Her chest slowly rising and falling, a sprig of wheat hanging loosely from her mouth, her stetson covering her eyes.

>subtly a feeling of calm overtakes you, slowly at first.

>Without reason you feel relaxed and at peace, which seemed to elude you since Spike's outburst.

>You scribble out a quick note on your checklist, explaining you left, and you place it next to her.

>Normally you'd wake her up and tell her you were leaving, or to ask if there was more work, but today you had important stuff to do.

>That included another night out with Rarity.

>You pick her up from the boutique a little early, but she was read regardless, she seems pretty excited about being able to go out again.

>It was comforting knowing it wasn't just you that had a hard time during your little "break".

>"Have you seen Spike?" she asks as you walk to the restaurant  in Ponyville's square.

>You nod a no solemnly, you regret having that fight with him, and it would seem he had ran away, as no one has heard from him and it's been nearly a week now.

>She sighs almost inaudibly, as if she lost an opportunity.

>A flash of anger crosses your face for an instant, but you let it go.

>Very (Ha fuck you) violent thoughts blink across your mind, your forearm seems to heat up.

>Then, just as suddenly (Yeah this too) as it came, your mind was clear again, and your as you check your mark you find it's perfectly fine.

>You could have sworn you felt it burn, as if you were overusing your magic, but there was no redness around the eye.

>You think nothing of it, passing it off when Rarity asks.

>You get to the restaurant, the waiter giving you daggers as he finds you a table, you return with a smile and a nod.

>"So how's the magic practice coming, darling?" she asks after a long pause of silence.

>You adjust your position in the booth, fiddling with the fork on your napkin.

"It's actually going pretty well, I'm able to use it more often without taking breaks," you reply, meeting her eyes finally. "I've pretty much mastered levitation, and Twilight's going to start teaching me teleportation tomorrow. But besides that I'm getting used to using those more aggressive spells."

>She looks away from you when you mention the combat magic.

"what's the matter?"

>She scrunches up her muzzle as if she had a just licked a particularly sour lemon, "I couldn't bear to see you and Spike hurting each other, and I don't like thinking about it."

"Yeah, I didn't like what I had to do, but I had to do it. Just like my scuffle with Trixie, if I hadn't intervened Twilight would have been banished."

>"It doesn't make it anymore right."

"I suppose, but I will not lay down and be beaten because the alternative may get my enemy hurt."

>"You could always reason with them."

"Alright, say I attempted to reason with the infuriated Spike that tackled me, I may not be sitting here right now. The way he was hitting me, he wanted to do some serious damage."

>She refused to answer, remaining silent until the food came.

>The conversation picked up again when the main course came, a splendid salad like spread with delicious dressings and a delectable bread and cheese side.

>She gives you some tips on dinning "properly", tells you about her new summer line, and her plans for the fall.

>"I want to do a whole line on human clothing styles, it'll be all the rage in Canterlot, surely."

"Human and pony clothing is very similar, and I don't know much about fancy human clothing, there's not much to work with."

>"Oh, no," Rarity waves her hood dismissively, "I mean casual wear, I could make a whole fall line based around this "hoodie" thing you had me make."

>You didn't say anything but you nodded approval and kept eating.

>She went on talking, and you listened diligently, asking questions when you didn't understand something.

>It was nice just listening to her speak.

>How she rolled her eyes and made hoof gestures to elaborate things brought a smile to your face, but the night comes to an end and you part ways.

>You leave her at her doorstep, Sweetie Bell giving you a icy stare.

>Sleep doesn't come easy when you retire to your room in Twilight's library.

>And when it does, nightmares of a dark cave filled with unknown horrors haunts you.

>Despite the clammy hands dragging you into the darkness of a nightmare you do wake up to another sunny day.

>You were preparing your own breakfast when Twilight had rushed down the stairs, ramming straight into you, and propping herself on you with her forelegs.

>"Do you know what today is?"

>You nod a no and gently push her off.

>"Celestia is visiting Ponyville today!"

"Okay? That's happened before."

>"But we didn't prepare a reception, she's just going to show up."

"Why didn't you set one up?"

>"Because I was just informed!"

>With Spike gone she must be getting her mail in an alternative way, you imagine Derpy crashing into her bedroom in the early morning spewing letters all over.

>You didn't see the problem, Princess Celestia really didn't mind whether or not there was a reception for her arrival.

>But there was no arguing with Twilight when she was freaking out.

"You know what? I don't care, and neither should you, it's going to alright if you just don't-"

>"BUT SHE'S COMING AND THERE'S NO PARTY!"

>You flinched, partly because of her sudden shouting and partly because you expected Pinkie to burst in through the front door.

>The rest of that morning was spent with Twilight rushing around doing nothing productive.

>Celestia did come, and she brought with her the other five of Twilight's friends.

>Usually you left when Celestia had to tell them something important, but this time the princess had stopped you.

>She claimed this was something you should hear.

>She had you gather round in a ragged semicircle around her.

>"I'll be brief as I must visit the Crystal Empire as soon as possible. Beyond the Froud Valley Chrysalis and her changelings are stirring again, and I think they may be planning something disastrous. I've heard that they've had trouble finding a 'food' source."

"That would make them pretty desperate," Celestia gives you a cold stare, "sorry."

>"Yes, it would, and I think she may try something soon, so be cautious until I can be sure Chrysalis isn't going to try anything. Now, may I speak with you alone?"

>She pointed a hoof at you.

>Rarity, who was leaning on you, removed her warm body from your side and slid away from you a little.

>You stand up quickly, slipping a little as you follow her into the next room, you think you hear Pinkie make a snort of laughter.

>She closes the door behind you.

>Although no one had every said anything about it, you got the feeling Celestia didn't like you very much, and that vibe was really strong right now.

>"I've heard of your magical exploits."

>You hoped she wasn't referring to your fights with Spike and Trixie, who both crawled away badly battered.

"Um, I did what I had too."

>"I'm sure you did. But I don't believe you're strong enough for the trials you're going to face, and I beg to take precaution when the time comes."

"What time?"

>She says nothing, pushing past you.

>You remain in the room for a second, worry making your hand tremble a little.

>"Goodbye my little ponies, I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer."

>By the time you emerge from the drawing room she's gone, and the ponies were talking amongst themselves.

>Twilight reviews who Queen chrysalis is and all she knows about the queens Changelings for you, and your worry increases.

>Not only do you have something terrible coming, it will almost surely have to do with shape shifting insects.

>"I need a drink," Dash said, skulking toward the door.

>"You need a party," Pinkie whips out a kazoo and starts blowing into it, you've never experienced a more irritating noise.

>The lot of them decided to go and get drinks somewhere in town, but you couldn't bring yourself to join, so you stayed at the library.

>It was strange how none of them even asked what Celestia had told you.

>After several hours, some of which you spent sleeping, the night finally came.

>And with the darkness came the pounding of drunken hooves on the door.

>Without rushing you walk to the door, it sounded like all six of them were out there but you really couldn't tell.

>You unlatch the door and Dash flies straight into you, knocking you over.

>"THEY TOOK HER!" she yells.