With a heavy headache above her right eye she awoke again from her unconscious state. She smelt a strange scent in her location. Where.. am I? She thought, lifting her head just enough to take in her surroundings. But when she did she was horrified to find she was in someones house that looked like they were very much into witchcraft. Oh no... dad will NOT be pleased. She was raised in the type of household where they didn't believe in that sort of stuff but still, Sapphire was very open minded and wasn't attached to one particular belief.
"Ah good the young mare is awake. Here drink this, it will make you feel better." She looked around as she sat up slowly to see who was talking to her. Then she came face to face with a zebra pony!
"Um hello? Who's pony is this?" She looked around feeling dazed with confusion. Suddenly the pony cleared her throat,
"Ahem! Sorry to frighten you young mare, but it is only I who lives here."
"Ahh!" She stumbled back on the bed she realised she was resting on. The zebra briefly blocked her ears at the screech. Sapphire stared at the zebra pony who had a large mohawk styled grey and black striped mane and she even wore bulky gold hoop earrings and 5 gold hoop choker necklaces around her long neck. She had a strange spiral design that had mini triangle points dotted around it that made it look like a dark grey sun tattooed on her flank.
"Wh-who are you? How are you talking?! Where am I?" Sapphire had so many questions buzzing around her head she didn't know what to ask or do first. Everything was happening so fast ever since she fell into the cave and found that strange unicorn statue.
"Hahaha... I know you must have many questions for me, but for now you must rest; regain your energy." The mare laughed but in a kind way. She had a friendly look in her eyes that made Sapphire feel safe around her. So she reluctantly nodded.
"I... I guess that's a better idea right now... s-sorry for panicking." Sapphire felt rather ashamed of her actions to the situation but then really, who could blame her?
"Not a problem new one, before you rest, what is your name young one?" The zebra asked in a kind tone so the girl felt comfortable enough to trust her with her name.
"Oh... uh, it's Sapphire. Sapphire Stone." She reached out her hand but then saw the hoof instead. "Wait, that really happened?! What happened to me? Where's a mirror?" She looked around frantically when the zebra sighed and grabbed one from shelf next to her. "Ahh! I'm... I-I'm A PONY?!" The zebra mare rolled her eyes, not again... she thought. But surprisingly the young mare didn't squeal her lungs off like before.
"Oops... hehe... s-sorry for yelling. It's just... a pony! But how?" Just as she asked the question she realised it must've been the sapphire stone from the staff. "Wait... the staff..." She put a hoof up to her muzzle and thought for a moment recalling that event.
"Excuse me Ms Sapphire Stone but the staff? What does she mean by the staff?" the zebra gave a questioning look. So Sapphire decided to explain how she got there. The zebra pony listened intently to each detail of the event that brought this girl to their world. "Oh my goodness Sapphire, the staff you speak of is very rare. The Ancient Sapphire Staff I believe you found, the gem has powerful magic that can cross realms and worlds in a single bound. I thought it had been lost to Equestria 1000 years ago. This could be bad I fear... oh no..."
Why does she talk in rhyme all the time? Kinda cool and annoying at the same time... oh well. Sapphire thought as she listened. "The Ancient Sapphire Staff? I remember dad talking about an Ancient Sapphire Temple that held such items for years untouched by 'man' er... 'pony'."
"Wait... Equestria? I've never heard of that country."
The zebra chuckled, "Country? I do not know what this 'country' is... but Sapphire, Equestria is my home, it is where we stand." Sapphire was shocked. Her theory was right, she'd been teleported to a completely different world!
"Wait dad! Oh no! He's going to be worried sick! How do I get back to the Sahara Desert... uh...?" She trailed off the question not remembering the pony's name.
"Zecora. And I will do some research on the staff to find out how it works. In the mean time, you should make yourself at home in my tree house. Tomorrow I will need to go to town for food, you could come with?"
Sapphire hesitated but thought that if she wasn't going to get home any time soon, she might as well get familiar with this world at least some of it. "Alright... why not. It's not like I've got much else to do now. I'm stuck here for now.... sorry dad." She sighed and whispered the last part. 'Well... let's see.... I started my first dig and found nothing until I fell into a cave and found the statue that turned out to have a magical staff that I was stupid enough to touch that it brought me to this world of what was it? Equestria? What a weird day.'
Sapphire sat in silence as she drank from the cup that Zecora had given her to help with the headaches. She decided to look out the circular window cut out of the hollow tree. She must've changed in size to be able to fit in the same size bed and door way as the zebra. All she could see outside was a dense forrest with vines dangling in different places with strange blue flowers off in the distance that looked like blue Lilies but with lighter blue spots on them. A bush shook not too far from the tree but she sighed a breath of relief when a frog jumped out.
"You know... even if I'm stuck here for a bit, at least it's kinda pretty." She yawned and placed her cup on the windowsill next to her right side. She stretched a little and lay back on the bed and rested until her eyes became so heavy she couldn't stay awake any longer and dozed into a peaceful sleep.
The next day she woke up and got down from the bed. "Oh good morning Sapphire, I have some breakfast ready if you wish to eat?" it was Zecora standing next to a large black round pot sitting on an open fire pit built into the stone floor.
"Um ok... I guess I am a little hungry after yesterday. I still can't believe I'm a pony." She suddenly realised something that only then just hit her. "Oh no! How am I going to walk?! I have four feet! Er... hooves/legs... y-you know what I mean!" She stuttered as she discovered that she'd have to change her wording if she was to blend into this new world. Zecora stared at the mare as she got up from the bed and tried standing on all fours for the firs time. She wobbled a bit stepped forward but stumbled. But when she was about to fall she stopped herself by placing another hoof to the side to balance herself. "Ahh. This is NOT easy! How do you do it?"
Zecora couldn't help it but laugh at the new mare. "I'm so sorry... But this is a first for me! Seeing another creature get use to the way we walk everyday. It's just too amusing to watch. Try one hoof in front of the other and your back hooves will follow naturally." Sapphire tried to take her advice but took a while before she finally could walk properly as if she was born a pony.
"FINALLY! That wasn't embarrassing!" she gave a sigh of defeat. "You ponies make it look so easy. But now that I can walk lets see if I can trot."
"Uh first I think you should continue practicing outside my friend! It's a little tight for that in here." She pointed to the front door.
Sapphire looked at the door and laughed nervously, "Hehe... right... sorry Zecora. Hey do you have an apple I could have before going out? I don't think I'm ready to try other pony food just yet." Zecora nodded with a smile. She went to her kitchen around the corner and lifted down a fruit bowl from the shelf above the sink. At least Zecora seems nice enough... she thought quietly as she watched her return with a shiny green apple. "Granny Smith Apple! Yum. Thank you Zecora." the zebra was confused at the name she gave the apple but shrugged it off.
"Oh Sapphire, I'll be heading to Ponyville Market in an hour so maybe don't go too far. It is new for you after all."
Sapphire smiled, grateful for her caring nature towards a stranger. "Don't worry, I won't. I don't want to get lost anyway." and with that she managed to open the door only 3 tries before being able to even go outside to see what she can do as a pony.