Dead in civilization

Dead was lying on the infirmary bed. Marcia and Rarity were watching over her. Marcia was silently rocking back and forth on a chair and Rarity was sat on the large bed next to Dead. Marcia occasionally let off the odd puff of smoke that would be blown out the doorway. The room had a window in that let in a warming light.

"So Rarity, what do you do exactly?" Marcia asked, breaking the silence that lorded over the room. "I mean, I know you are an element but. What else?"

"Well, I make dresses." Rarity sighed nearly admitting defeat. "But they are nice dresses, if I may say so."

"Dresses huh? Why do ponies wear dresses. I mean, you all seem fine strutting around in the nude." Marcia argued to Rarity.

"Well ponies who are richer of higher class tend to wear them to show off wealth or social stature. Not may ponies in Ponyville wear them because it is hard to do work and keep an one hundred bit dress clean." Rarity said happily.

"Hm, I guess so. I mean we dragons sometimes wear clothes. Its harder for the larger dragons to wear stuff, but I can." Marcia stopped rocking. "Have you ever made a dress for a dragon?" Marcia coughed out quickly, Rarity almost didn't hear her.

"A dress? You want a dress Marcia?" Rarity double checked to make sure that she was hearing correctly. In the brief time that Rarity had known Marcia she had been some what of a tomboy.*

"Yes... The dragon tailors don't exactly... Make dresses, I have been on a treks into Equestria and the dresses always amazed me. I know a dragon would you stupid in a frilly dress..." Marcia sighed. "Just forget a mentioned it."

"Not at all Marcia, I would be more then happy to make you a dress!" Rarity cheered. "If you pop down to the shop I would be happy to take your measurements and get your ideas for the dress." Marcia looked up at Rarity and looked her dead in the eye.

"You mean in it? Really? I mean, I have some bits that I could pay you with. Well a lot of bits I can pay you with." Marcia said excitedly.

"Don't worry about paying, I would be happy to do it for a friend of mine." Rarity cheerily said.

"No no no, I insist. You can't go handing out free dresses that have to be custom made left right and center." Marcia insisted as she sprung out of her seat. "This is perfect, I'm not due back at the citadel for another month."

"The citadel?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, its a place where the elders meet up and talk about things. I will be giving my report on the containment of Legion. Its pretty boring" Marcia huffed. "I don't like doing it. The elder try to act wise and such, but they don't understand me..."

"I can't imagine it is easy doing that. All those huge dragons..." Rarity said, trying to comfort Marcia.

"Yeah, they are pretty intimidating. And they always rush me." Marcia puffed out a large smoke ring. "But anyway enough about me and my annoyances. Now tell me, how did you end up with Dead? Not like I don't know what happened. But I want to know more about you, what did you see in Dead that attracted you?" Marcia asked, placing her claw on her chin.

"Well Dead is... Odd to say the least, when I first met her she wasn't one for talking much." Rarity sighed.

"Yeah that sounds like Dead alright, she has always been a bit of an oddball, but her heart has always been in the right place." Marcia sighed happily as she sat down and leaned in her chair.

"Well anyway, when I first met her I didn't know what to think. She was abrasive, but after we spent a night at hers she really opened up. Just the basic interaction seemed to do a world of good for her. When she came to Ponyville she tried so hard to push herself more, she got out and talked to ponies and even offered a helping hoof to someponies. I came respect that, and then there was the party. She got drunk. I guess that when you could say I fell for her." Rarity gently ran her hoof through Dead's mane as she rested.

"Dead drunk? Ha! You must be pulling on my leg." Marcia joked. "I guess it went upward from there right?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Now tell me more about you Marcia. I get that you are time-locked. But besides that I know very little about you." Rarity asked.

"Not much to tell. Most dragons have some sort of magic in their blood. Mine just happened to be necromatic. The elders foresaw the decline in necromancers and froze me in place. That was ages ago." Marcia sighed.

"Not your past, you Marcia." Rarity insisted.

"About me? Nopony -or- thing has ever really cared to ask that." Marcia paused. "Well I like steak, that's for sure. I enjoy flying around, as long as it isn't for too long or too high. And well I guess beaches aren't so bad. It feels nice stepping on sand. Oh and swimming! I know its odd, but most dragons don't swim too much. But it is really fun."

"Oh I never would have guessed. You are full of surprises Marcia." Rarity chuckled happily. Just as silence started to fall over the room Dead stirred slightly. "I think she is so adorable when she is asleep..." Rarity murmured.

"Yeah, at a glance you wouldn't be able to tell that she is a necromancer." Marcia said as she got up. "I will  leave you alone for a bit. I got some spells to go over and then I will be heading out. I will see you around Rarity." Marcia waved goodbye to Rarity and left through the door.

"Urghhhh...." Dead groaned. "I feel like I headbutted a brick wall..." Dead mumbled as she rolled over into Rarity. "Huh? Who's that?"

"Its just me Dead, Rarity." Rarity said calmly as Dead sprung up in bed. "Marcia was her a moment ago, but she had to go do something."

"Oh! You two talked? Did she open up?" Dead asked.

"Yes she did, she is..." Rarity stuttered, looking for words. "Like a rock. Or a boulder. She may have a rocky outcrop but inside she hides gems."

"Yeah, that is a nice way of putting it." Dead looked around. "She is really nice once you get to know her."

"She wanted me to make her a dress. Do you have any ideas for what she might like?" Rarity asked Dead.

"Marcia probably would want something fierce, but also elegant. Also try avoid making it too frilly, she may want it like that but other dragons will not be so nice." Dead sighed. "Yeah, I learnt the hard way that teenage dragons can be jerks."

"Oh?" Rarity exclaimed. "What happened."

"I was the grouchy Old Lady Bones! If I caught any young dragons in my yard I would try and capture them and make them into mindless slaves." Dead laughed.

"Oh so I guess it wasn't all bad then!" Rarity said as she joined in. After the pair stopped laughing a silence fell over the room. Dead shuffled around awkwardly in the bed trying to prompt conversation.

"So Rarity," Dead began. "Do you want to do something when we get back to Ponyville? Maybe you, me and Ditzy can go have a date? I mean, if you want to." Dead stuttered out.

"That sounds wonderful Dead. I will be look forward to it." Rarity said happily. "How much long do you think we will be here?" Rarity asked. Dead paused for a moment.

"Not much longer Rarity, this place can maintain itself so we should be leaving within a few days." Dead sighed. "I wish we could speed this up, but from previous experiences..." Dead suddenly panicked and tried to get out of the bed. "I need to go help them clean up!"

"The others are cleaning up and making sure Legion is secure. Don't worry Dead, Cadance is helping them out." Rarity reassured Dead. "It is scary how good Cadance is at necromancy."

"The Princess of love... And dead things. Sounds funny doesn't it." Dead chuckled happily.

"Yes I never would have thought in a million years that Cadance would try and learn a forbidden magic. Lets hope this has no knock on effects..." Rarity said happily. "I can't imagine Celestia or Shining would be too happy with Cadance being all evilly."

"No, I can't see them being too happy with it." Dead chuckled. "Well if it doesn't work out, tell Cadance to come visit me. I can help her develop her skill... To a safe level."

"A safe level?" Rarity questioned. "What does that mean?"

"Well Rarity, necromancy can have some side effects. Its nothing to big but... It could corrupt her similar as it did to me."

"I see, and how can we avoid this?" Rarity asked.

"Well, I would have her drop down at least once a month. I can keep a track of her progress and monitor her power." Dead assured Rarity. Just as Rarity was about to start speaking Cadance burst into the room.

"Hey Dead, just decided to say hi and check up on you!" Cadance cheerily said. "You did quite a thing back there."

"I did?" Dead said sounding puzzled.

"You took down Legion's shield. That took a lot of energy, and power." Cadance explained. "Legion had a powerful shield that you destroyed."

"I did that? Wow, I had no idea." Dead exclaimed.

"You are a lot stronger then you think Dead, if you really set your mind to it you could easily overthrow everything." Cadance chuckled happily. "That is if we don't stop you."

Dead didn't take the bait. "Don't worry, I have two beautiful mares with me. I'm not changing sides unless they do." Dead pointed at Rarity. "Its your call Rarity, do I go evil or not?"

"No, no! I like you the way you are Dead." Rarity happily sang. "Please don't change."

"Don't worry Rarity, I won't." Dead happily responded moving closer to Rarity. "At least not until I have you on the evil side..." Dead whispered into her ear.

"Dead!" Rarity exclaimed. "Well you have already half corrupted Cadance, so just say when." Rarity whispered back to Dead. The pair then chuckled evilly.

"What are two doing?" Cadance asked looking puzzled.

"You should know Cadance, weren't you once in love?" Rarity said in a mocking tone.

"I still am, marriage doesn't mean the love goes. Despite what some ponies say." Cadance said happily as Dead and Rarity laughed. "The others are thinking about heading back in a bit. Nazz has already left and I think Grim was about to. We kind of need somepony who knows where we are going to lead us back to civilization... Will you Dead?"

"Yeah I guess I can lead you back to your homes. Or not!" Dead laughed evilly. "But no really, I can help you get back. How much longer are you willing to stay?"

"Well thanks to Twilight and her magic we were able to contain any residue magic left from Legion. So we are good to go when you are."  Cadance happily announced.

"Alright then, once I'm ready we will head back home!" Dead cheered.