Promised
Cover Art
Today was the day, the day that I had been waiting for since the Lunar Republic was established. Today, I was getting my Promised Mark. A Promised Mark was a symbol that was tattooed on the the back of your neck, making it known the the world that you were Promised to the Lunar Republic...or Celestial Union. Princess Luna and Celestia had started this tradition in order to tell which ponies belonged to the Republic and which ones belonged to the Union. But to the ponies receiving the Promised Mark it is much more then just a tag, it is a everlasting bond of loyalty. We say this because every Promised Mark in the Republic is laced with liquid night, yes the night is actually getting embedded in our skin.
For me, a Promised Mark was a lot more than just an everlasting bond or branding mark...it is my life. Getting a Promised Mark was a serious thing, something that you had to earn. For the past five years of my life have been spent training and studying just to qualify for getting a Promised Mark. Today I was going to find out if I was worthy of staying in the Republic and what job I would get. Taking a deep breath, I watch some of as my classmates get called up. First is was Rose, then Cherry, then Shady Daze. The list kept going and going till finally two names caught my attention. My head moved slightly as a orange mare with a messy purple mane proudly walked over to the tattooist podium. She went around behind it and stretched her neck so it was perfectly centered on the podium. Her eyes grazed the audience until they found mine, she smiled. That was Scootaloo for you, always wearing a smile and seeming to make a joke out of everything.
Scootaloo and I met in Basic Flying School when we were just young fillies, she joined the Republic because she trusted the Princess Luna would talk reason into Celestia. Ever since then we were as close as a parasprite and food. We worked our way up through school and here we were. Her eyes grew a little big as the needle went into her hide, I could she that it only pricked but she was experiencing something called the Mental Eclipse. The Mental Eclipse was when the liquid night went into your bloodstream and is said to show you your destiny; but no pony is allowed to tell another soul...besides their crew. By her eyes and Scoots factual expression I could tell that is was magical. A sharp intake of breath comes from my right, I look out of the corner of my eye and see a familiar windblown, dark and light gray mane. I shift over to the right a little bit and stretch out my wing towards Rumble. My feathers brushed against his side and he gave me a grateful smile.
Rumble and Scootaloo have been dating since he had joined our little group. From the look in his eyes I could tell that he was worried, giving him a barely noticeable nod I turn back to Scootaloo and see that the tattooist is putting a bandage over the Promised Mark. Scootaloo shakily gets up and trots back over to Rumble's right. The tattooist looks at Rumble and waves him over, he looks at me with big eyes and sets his jaw in a stern line and stiffly walked up to the podium. He repeated the same movements that Scootaloo had and the tattooist seemed to do the same thing. But Rumble's expression wasn't dreamy like Scootaloo's but it was startled. I give him a smile and stand a little straighter. After Rumble I would be the last in line, but that doesn't mean that I was getting a Mark. There was ten ponies here in the line, and only eight of them have gotten Marks. The one who's name wasn't called would be given a backpack of essential supplies and sent into the wild, never to return. A shiver goes through my body, if I wasn't called I would be titled a Rogue Pony.
Looking back at Rumble, I saw that he was standing up with the cotton bandage on the back of his neck. The tattooist looked down at his sheet and began to open his mouth. My muscles tensed...then the Lunar Trumpets went off. I do a sharp turn towards the door just in time for two bat ponies to burst through. In all of her glory, Princess Luna walked in. The whole room stopped and nodded their heads as she passed. Luna walked up to the tattooist and gave him a smile.
"Ink, it is great to see you." she says, Ink nods his respect training his face so that he his expressionless.
"Princess Luna, always a pleasure to be in your presence. May I inquire why you have come to the Promised Ceremony?" Ink asks, Luna gives a chuckle and her horn starts to glow. The needle with the night infused ink begins to float in midair with a dark blue ring around it. She scans the crowd and her gaze seems the linger on me.
"I have come to give a Mark personally." she says, everyone except the trainees and Ink did a collective gasp. Princess Luna never gave Marks, never. Steel Sword, the other pony who's name wasn't called, eyes widen with hope. I give a mental sigh and my ears go down, of course she would give it to Steel he was an amazing asset. The crowd begins to chatter at little and Luna has a sly smile. She stomps her hooves on the ground. "Everypony out. Scootaloo, Rumble, and Blue Moon stay here." she shouts. Immediately every pony begins to hustle out of the room. Scootaloo and Rumble look at me with wide eyes but I can only stare at Luna. She is standing next to the podium looking at me expectantly. Giving Scootaloo and Rumble a weak smile I walk over to the podium and put my head on to the podium. Luna moves my dark blue mane away from my neck so it wouldn't get in her way.
"Why are you give Blue Moon her Mark personally?" ask Scootaloo with an anxious voice. I can hear Luna giving a chuckle and messing around with the needle.
"Blue Moon. Such a pretty name...unfortunately that is not you're birth name is it?" asks Luna, I gasp and bite my bottom lip. How did she figure it out?
"No." I whisper, Luna smiles and the needle presses into my neck.
Darkness creeps across my vision till I am floating in a black hurricane. A light shines in the distance and grows larger and larger. An image appears in front of me; it was Rumble, Scootaloo, and I in Lunar Republic armor fighting against the Celestia Union. Then is shifted me with metal cuffs covering all of my hooves, scratches and gashes all over my body. Next, it was a dusty book with dark red blood on the cover. Finally, the six Elements of Harmony crowded my vision. All of it disappears and an old unicorn wearing a hat and star robes stood before me.
"Nightshade, I have been expecting you." says the unicorn. I begin walking towards him and can feel myself shimmering. Looking down at my hooves I can see my once plain light blue coat was now crystal. Craning my neck I see that I was wearing formal Crystal Pony Attire as well and my tail was neat and in braids. "Ah, the only half Crystal Pony, half Alicorn pony ever to exist." he comments, I shiver and look at him.
"I am just part Crystal Pony, but how do you know my birth name?" I ask, the unicorn laughs and pushes his hat up. The pony had a beard and sparkling eyes that seemed to understand everything.
"Young filly, I have seen what most ponies never will see. Every spell was an idea of mine, I was the only regular pony to see the Great Alicorn Books. I understand how the world works...but you my dear Nightshade I do not understand. You were born in a time of darkness; yet you survived healthy and strong." he says curiously, he walks around me and seems to inspect me.
"Who are you?" I ask, the unicorn laughs and strokes his beard.
"Curious as well, no wonder your mother is proud. My name is Star Swirl." he says formally, I give a laugh turn around to face him.
"Star Swirl, as in Star Swirl the Bearded?" I ask, he smiles and nods. I roll my eyes and sit down. "Why am I here?"
"Why do you think Luna gave you your Mark personally? Because she didn't just put liquid night into your bloodstream...she put in something else. Something that would allow me to contact you, even though she doesn't know that part." he chuckles like he made a joke. "You are here to see your fate Nightshade. I am here to guide you."
"What! You aren'y just a figment of my imagination?" I ask, he shakes his head and looks at my dress.
"No, I am here just to tell you to be prepared." he says, I shoot up and my wings unfurl.
"To be prepared for what!?! Why are you so interested in me?" I scream, he looks at me curiously and seems to make a mental note.
"You should go now, I will see you later." he says, I want to demand answers but everything seems to fade.
And I wake up on the ground, twitching.
