"Don't you ever see where you're going?! Wah wah poor me!"
No, I'm sorry....I didn't mean.....
ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!!!
No..No! What is wrong with me?!
"You're such a flip flop! One minute you're cool, next minute you're lame! You call me when you're cool again!"
NO! Dash! Dash? Dash.......
" You're nothing but a disgrace!"
"The only way Father can always haunt you is that. Your temper"
Your temper.....your temper.......your temper........your temper.......
"Agh!...Huh?Wha?Where am I?"
I looked around the room and saw some strange...artifacts. This is a little...unnerving. I kept looking around but no one was in sight. How did I get here? When did I get here? Where is "here" anyway? Was I kidnapped? Did someone-
"Augh, my head."
"Ah you are awake. Thank goodness that its only your head that aches."
I looked behind me to see a.... a zebra? In the Everfree Forest? And still alive?
"Wha-?W-who are you?"
"I am as confused as you,all the same.So I'll ask you instead,what is your name?"
"I asked you first, though."
"Though you asked first, I saved you when you were hurt." So that's how I got in here."So, in my gain, you tell me your name. If you are kind and do abide, I shall tell you mine."
"So you're the poetic type, huh?" I started to glare at the zebra with annoyance in my eyes.
"Your name would be nice, rather than that look made of ice."
She's starting to bug me. But she is right. Had it not been for her, I probably would have been a manticore's midnight snack. Or dinner. Breakfast? Come to think of it..
"What time is it?"
"Name first please, then information I shall release."
Deep breaths, Gilda. I took one glance at her eyes. It looked strained and impatient but, understanding.
".....Gilda..." I...kinda..mumbled.
"Hm?"
"My name is Gilda."
"See? Was there any shame? I suppose it's only fair now. Zecora is my name."
"Thanks for, you know, saving me back there, uh, Zecora."
"You are welcome, my griffon friend. Whenever somepony is in trouble, a hoof is what I am willing to lend."
"Say Zecora, what time is it?"
"Well, you were out for a few hours, not very long. Midnight it must be, says the crickets' song."
"I'm guessing there isn't a chance in Tartarus that you're just gonna let me leave out in the forest at this hour."
She shook her head then. Yep figured. I don't blame her for keeping me here. I wouldn't want anybody going out there on the account that they're probably still suffering from head trauma. I just sighed and gazed into the sky. The clouds started to clear up, so I got a clear view of the stars. Strange for the nature of Everfree clouds but I guessed I didn't mind.
This takes me back to when I was a hatchling. Mom and Grydous went stargazing with me because I was being picked on by my other brothers and the villagers. Grydous would point out the different constellations and teach me about them. And mom? She just smiled and snuggled us closer to her heart. I really felt her love then. Hearing Grydous teaching me about the constellations while listening to moms heartbeat put me at ease.
"Which one is that one?"
"That's Orion's Saddle."
"And that one! The one with the sparkliest star at the end?"
"That would be the Little Dipper. And the star at the end is Polaris."
Then, mom leaned into us and spoke barely above a whisper.
"You know, there once was a story behind this star." she said.
"Really?" I piped up.
"Can you tell us?" Grydous chimed in.
"I'd love to, but its past your bedtime." she would say. We would go 'aww' and she'd still walk us to our resting section in our nest. I remembered, right before I went to bed, I would whisper to the star right then and there.
Someday...Polaris...
"You seem low. Is something troubling you so?"
"Huh?"
"Your face. It shimmers with uncertainty. Something must've happened to have caused that look purposely."
She could read my face too. A poetic and psychic type....I hear a fandom screaming.......Still, there was a question eating away at me. I needed to get it out.
"Zecora?"
"Hm?"
"Why did you save me?"
She gazed up into the stars and sighed heavily. A small smile formed on her lips and she glanced at me. Then back to the stars.
"I saved you so you could see another day. I did it because you wanted it that way."
"That....made no sense what so ever."
"The way you flew, you wanted to survive. You wanted to make it, wanted to stay alive. I watched you. You could barely stand. I then took command. "
"Still don't get it." Seriously she was losing me the entire time.
"Did you wanted to be gobbled by a dragon,or be pulled in a zebra wagon?"
"Oh that's easy. I wanted to be saved."
"Mm. You were mumbling about something before. Something that if suppressed could hurt you more. Tell me, what is on your mind? Maybe I could get you out of this bind."
Should I really trust her? I mean, sure she saved me and all, but it's not her place to know all my problems. Still, it is good to get this off of my chest. And she does seem caring enough to actually help me.Still....
"Why should I tell you?" I growled.
"Because we all need a release. If it's all bottled up, we may never be at peace."
She's right. That's one of the biggest reasons why I'm on my way back to Ponyville. Maybe she might understand what I'm going through.
"...You're not gonna knock me down a size if I tell you?"
She shook her head. Alright, here it goes...
I told her everything. From when I was a hatchling to when she found me. The only time she laughed was when I told her about the time I insulted my father. I didn't judge her for it. Heck, I found it funny too. But when I got to the mystical stuff, y'know, the gunk about dragons seeing things and the "prophecy" the village elder told me? When I got to that stuff, she was highly interested. She wanted me to go into detail about those encounters. Then again she is a psychic type......still hear a fandom screaming......
"I didn't really understand none of my elder's babbling nonsense, but, from the look on your face, I'm guessing you do."
"Hmm. Maybe he is right. You must confront your father about all of his spite."
"Easier said than done. As far as my father is concerned, I''m scum. I'm beneath the lowest level of griffons in his eyes."
"Harsh to say for one that is young. Especially since that young one life has barely begun."
"Exactly. So how can I confront a guy like that?"
"You may need to attack his weakest side. For him, that may be his-"
"His pride?" She nodded and glanced at me. I'm guessing she knew the question that was coming next.
"But how can I do that? He's got his pride under protection. Even if you put him in a dress , shockingly, he will still have his pride!"
"Didn't you break down his pride before? Something that involved blood and gore?"
"I didn't break down his pride, Zecora. I just beat him to some sort of pulp. How did that-"
I think I just caught on to what she was getting at. My father prides himself through his sons and their strengths. His pride also comes from him being the best of the best in the village. Even in...battle.
"So you're saying because I kicked my dad's flank, I hit his pride?"
"Quite possibly. You made him look small and weak."
"Yeah but that was out of anger. I'm sure of that much. But I don't have the strength nor the guts to challenge him. At least, when when I'm not angry. Or after all these years."
"You'll find it one way or another. Perhaps through that Grydous fellow, or your mother."
My mom. She was one of the main reasons I got out of the village to live on my own. And yet, here I am with no trace of her and just dwelling on the past. I laid my head on the window sill and let a tear escape from my eye. I left the village and accomplished barely anything that involved me finding mom.
"Thinking about the one you've lost?" Zecora asked. I gave her a solemn nod. Then, I blinked and another tear left my eye. I only blinked because there was no rhyme in that sentence.
"Your original plan was to find the one you've lost. Despite the pain it might have cost."
"I thought that...maybe if i found her, life would be a bit easier."
"...You know, when I had my troubles and life would get hard, I would just smile and look up into the stars."
Now she got me.
"What good do stars do?"
"They make us smile. They help us believe. And,judging from you, they bring back memories."
I thought about it. Once again, she's right. The stars do bring back memories. Most of them, about mom. Before I knew it, a small smile crept onto my face. I saw her looking at me. Turns out, she had a smile on her face too. Then a small yawn escaped her lips.
"Well it is late. Keep my bed. Just for tonight, its for you to take." she said taking off to another room. I swear, this came out of nowhere...
"Hey,um,Zecora?"
"Hm?" she whipped her head around to look at me.
"You don't mind....sharing the bed with me?" WHAT?" Nothing will happen,I swear of it!"
She did a double take once I asked that. Heck I would too! a complete stranger asking you to share a bed with them? Surely not a plot for rape.
"Normally, I wouldn't be THAT kind...." she started to say. Then, she lifted the blankets and moved me over so she could get comfortable."But, I guess I could if it helps ease your mind." She must not get a lot of visitors. But nonetheless, I started to relax with her next to me.
"Thanks, Zecora."
"It's alright. Oh and one more thing," she started to say as she blew out the candle. Wait, the candle was on? "Good night."
I blinked twice, yawned, and shifted my feathers.
"Good night." I barely mumbled. Then I fell asleep.
You ever had those dreams where you were in some sort of void and couldn't get out? That kinda happened. When I woke up, I felt my face get really hot. The sun was softly glistening onto the both of us. I opened one of my eyes to see my arm. On top of Zecora. Which was holding her close. In a snuggling position. Without her having a problem with it. As a matter of fact, I sat up and looked down at her. She was smiling. My face was burning up then. Well, maybe I could just lay back down and enjoy this small little incident for a couple more minutes. I mean, its just snuggling.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Somebody's in trouble! I quickly slid my arm off of Zecora and threw the blanket off of me.
"Huh? Wha?" She barely sputtered out as she woke up.
"I'll be right back! Someone's in trouble!" I yelled as I ran out the front door.Hang on, whoever you are, I'm on my way.
I started fumbling through some branches and tripping on some brambles. Nonetheless, I kept charging through to save that pony. When I finally made it to the source of the screams, it turns out it was three little fillies being attacked by a manticore. The manticore took one roar and brought its paw back in a striking motion. Then everything went slow motion. I leapt into the air towards the manticore and sank my teeth into his arm. He let out a roar and tried to swat me off of his arm but it didn't work. Then I started to claw my way from his arm to his face. I started leaving gashes all over the thing. He used his paw, claws extended,snatched me off, flung me towards the three fillies, and fled back into the forest. I landed,on all fours this time, in front of the fillies, still glaring in the direction the manticore fled off to.
"Wow! That was awesome!" one of them piped up.
"Yeah! Ya'll saved our flanks there!" another chimed in.
"Thanks a bunch miss!" the third one said happily relived.
"What in the hay were you three doing in The Everfree forest by yourselves messing with a manticore!?" I practically yelled at them.
"We were trying to get our cutie marks as manticore whisperers!" the orange pegasus said.
"As whabuhhuh?"I stammered. That seriously caught me off guard.
"Manticore whisperers!" the white unicorn said proudly
"But Ah guess you've seen how that turned out,huh?" the yellow pony said blushing.
"Uh huh." I said glaring at the three of them. They must have been insane to think that THAT idea would've worked.
"Oh my gosh! we should get you some help!" the unicorn said.
"What? But why-" I was cut off when I glanced at myself. I was beat up. Pretty badly. I started feeling someone tugging on me to move forward. I looked down to see the pegasus pulling me away.
"What the hay are you doing?!"
"Taking you our clubhouse! We can help you with these wounds easy peasy!" the pegasus replied enthusiastically.
"It's th' least we can do fer ya fer savin' our flanks!" the pony chimed in again
"Just take it as a token of our appreciation!" the unicorn said.
I don't think I'm gonna like how this is gonna turn out.