The Legend of Zepplin Tales in Equestria

by Zeta Dragon

Chapter 5 Wonderstruck

Episode 5 Wonderstruck

Zepplin walked through the smoking remains of Ponyville. He looked around and saw buildings stripped of their brick and dust blowing like a lifeless cloud through the town. Twilight’s treehouse, once a verdant icon of friendship and knowledge, now was dead and bare. Piles of papers and torn out pages were flung about on the ground. Zepplin continued to walk through the deserted town all alone. None of his Pony friends were there. Even Hawk was nowhere to be seen. “Hello!” cried Zepplin. “Hello!” he cried again. He pressed onward, moving to the center of town. Zepplin looked upon the remains of Sugarcube corner, once filled with laughter and conversation. Now it was filled with silent screams. “Pinkie Pie! Are you in here?” Zepplin called out for the pink pony. Suddenly he heard a low growl behind him. Zepplin whipped around to see a pile of branches growling at him. The branches soon moved and he realized that he was staring at a timberwolf. The timberwolf barked ferociously as Zepplin galloped away. It was no good. The timberwolf was too fast. As the beast gained on him Zepplin spread his wings and took off. He looked back and saw the timberwolf as it issued a blood cringing howl. Zepplin kept flying as he crossed the ghost town of ponyville he saw Sweet Apple Acres, Applejacks home as the orchards burned as fire spread from tree to tree. “No… What’s happening?” Zepplin said as he continued to fly He looked up into the sky and saw a monsturous cloud swirling over the land. This cloud soon opened up in the center as Zepplin could look straight up into space and see a large black sphere orbiting Equestria. Zepplin, now petrified with fear, shook his head in denial. When his vision faded he saw two piercing red eyes staring at him in complete darkness. Zepplin felt the cold sweat run down his spine and up through his wings. He closed his eyes but it did nothing, he could see the two red eyes getting closer! All of a sudden total darkness enclosed him.

---

Zepplin gasped sitting up in his bed back at Ponyville. He looked around the room, which seemed normal enough. He then opened the curtains and looked out upon another peaceful summer day in Ponyville. The sunshine nearly blinded him as he saw fillies and colts playing and mares and stallions going about their routines. “Oh… it was only a dream.” Zepplin sighed. “It was only a dream haha.” He repeated to himself laughing a little. Zepplin ran a hoof through his mane and got out of bed. He opened the door and went downstairs where he found Hawk sitting on the sofa in the living room “Good morning Hawk.” Said Zepplin.

“Well you’re up early. Usually you don’t even think about waking up for another four hours.” Hawk responded “Well in any case you’re a free stallion now!” Hawk continued “Zepplin, you can do anything you want.”

“It feels great!” Zepplin said as he munched on some oats for breakfast.

“So when do you want me to make the next tour?”

“Don’t bother Hawk. I think I am in need of a little vacation.”

Hawk’s eyes widened as a smile broke out on his face.“OH HAPPY DAYS!!!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, so that it rattled the house. “No more looking out for you! No more having to manage the finances and all that collateral! No more cleaning up after the wild parties! No more Headaches and stress! No more…”

“Ok Hawk you made your point.” Zepplin deadpanned.

Hawk smiled “Oh Zepplin, before I forget. Rainbow Dash stopped by earlier and was asking for you.”

Zepplin looked up “What did she want?”

Hawk shrugged “Didn’t say. All she said was she wanted you to meet her above sugarcube corner when you got up.”

“Well then I guess that’s where I’ll head.” Zepplin said.

“Oh I forgot Twilight wanted to see you too you’d better head to her tree house.” Hawk added

“Ok, Twilight first then Rainbow. Looks like I got a busy day.” Zepplin said.

---

Twilight was dusting her books back in the tree house. She wanted to reorganize the Library and Spike was helping her. As they pulled books off the shelves Twilight heard a knock at the door. “Come in.” she said.

It was Zepplin. “Hey Twilight, how’s it going?”

“Oh, good. Thanks for asking. I’m just reorganizing the library.” Twilight responded.

“Need any help?” Asked Zepplin.

“Sure I can always use some help. Why don’t you start with those books over there.” She gestured with her head to a shelf.

“Sure thing!” Zepplin said as he went pulling books off the shelf with his magic. “Oops!” He grabbed at the book he dropped as six golden pieces of jewelry spilled out on the floor. Twilight looked over and gasped. Zepplin studied the pieces. Twilight looked at Zepplin. “Wow” Zepplin said. “ha ha… The elements of Harmony. Applejack’s, PinkiePie’s, Rainbow Dash’s, Rarity’s, Fluttershy’s and yours.” He picked up the crown with his magic and handed it to Twilight. “Im sorry Twilight I should have been more careful.”

“Think nothing of it Zepplin. It was an accident. …Actually I wanted to ask you something. When I first mentioned the elements you gave me a weird look, like you were thinking of something.” Zepplin sighed. He then told her what he had told Applejack back on the train. “I see, you think… But Zepplin you make…” Twilight began.

“Ponies Happy I know. I just wish there was more I could do. This world’s been good to me and I may not have been very good to it.”

“We all make mistakes Zepplin. Part of friendship is learning from them.” Twilight spoke as she flew up to the second floor.

“Thanks Twilight. I wish I could help more but Rainbow Dash is waiting for me.” Zepplin said.

“Oh yes go ahead. I can finish up here.” Twilight responded. Zepplin trotted out the door before flying away. “Well spike let’s put the elements away and get back to work.”

Spike looked up at her. “Hey Twilight, I think the book might be broken. Look.” Spike picked up the book revealing the six hollow pockets that the elements fit in and then he turned the page revealing another seventh pocket that was empty.

Twilight stared at the book puzzled. “But that doesn’t make any sense, that book was given to me by Princess Celestia. Why would she put a seventh compartment if there are only six elements… unless…” Twilight thought hard her eyes darted back and forth between the mysterious compartment and out into space. “SPIKE TAKE A LETTER!” she yelled.

---

Zepplin was cruising through the skies over the center of town. As he approached Sugarcube corner a light blue entity raced by him leaving a multi-chromal trail. Zepplin grinned and picked up his speed as he caught up with Dashie. “I didn’t think you’d show.” Rainbow dash said.

“You know me. I’m always awesomely late.” Zepplin said as he did a barrel roll. “So why’d you ask me here?”

“I thought we could have ourselves another race.” Rainbow said “Oh yeah. How was the hooficure?” Zepplin said laughing.

“Shut up!” Dash replied. “I was going easy on you last time. Now it’s time to really kick it up a notch.” She boasted.

“What’d you have in mind?” Zepplin questioned.

“A race through the gorge. First one to the end wins. Whoever loses has to do whatever the other says for a whole day.”
Zepplin laughed. “You really thought this out didn’t you Dashie?”

Dash glared at him. “Deal?” she asked.

Zepplin thought about this for a moment as Rainbow extended her hoof. “Deal!” he said.

The two lined up at the bottom of one end of the gorge. Rainbow was flexing her wings as Zepplin landed and brushed his long, dark, unkempt, mane back. He cracked his neck a couple of times and readied himself for flight. “This gonna be as easy as the last time?” He asked.

“Ha you’re gonna wish you’d never agreed to this!” Rainbow counted down “3…2…” Suddenly she shot off.

“HEY! NO FAIR!” Zepplin yelled as he took off after her creating a loud boom in the process. He instantly caught up with Rainbow dash as they swerved to avoid the low hanging rocks of the gorge.

“Not gonna be that easy!” Rainbow said as she once again shot ahead. Zepplin zigged and zagged to avoid the eels bursting out of the rock. Rainbow was now laughing as she picked up more speed. “He’s not gonna beat me this time!” she said to herself. As she looked back and saw Zepplin far behind she chuckled. Suddenly she heard a loud ping. A flash of light burst from Zepplin. She watched as he flew right at her like a bullet. Zepplin, nearly gold instead of blue, caught eyes with Dashie. As she saw him grin a little he rocketed past the light blue Pegasus. Rainbow now strained to keep up but the force from Zepplin’s Celestial trail created shockwaves throughout the gorge. As he slid into the finish line, a trail of fire blazed on the ground behind him. Rainbow dash soon landed panting out of exhaustion.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How do I KEEP LOOSING” Rainbow Dash yelled as Zepplin approached her with a boasting grin. She sighed. “What do you want me to do Zepplin?”

Zepplin looked at her with his golden eyes. “Nothing!” he said.

“Nothing?” Rainbow repeated.

“Nothing. Why don’t we go grab something to eat, my treat.”

“Sure!” Rainbow said happily.

---

Rainbow and Zepplin went to Sugarcube Corner where Zepplin ordered up a batch of cupcakes to be split between them. “So you’ve been flying for a long time?” Zepplin asked.

“A long time? Only like forever. Since I went to flight school all I have ever wanted to do is fly!” Rainbow Dash responded. “What about you Zepplin, I mean I know you’re a rock star and all. But clearly you have tons of flying experience.”

Zepplin nodded. “Thanks. haha I suppose it started when I was saved by a passing Wonderbolt. He found me on the edge of the Everfree forest and took me up to Cloudsdale.” Zepplin said.

“You were saved by a WONDERBOLT!? I’ve been training to get in with them ever since I graduated flightshcool! I was so mad when that one colt got in. The wonderbolts came right up to him and asked him to join when he was just a colt! I remember everypony called him Wondercolt for that… but it should have been me!” Rainbow said.

Zepplin put his head down and sighed. Holding back tears he told Rainbow “I’m sure you’ll make it someday.”

Rainbow looked at him and thought real hard. “…Wait…Zepplin…are you …wondercolt?”

Zepplin looked up at her and began to explain. “It was amazing. The Wonderbolts asked me to join their order. I was just a young colt. They took me back to their command center far from Cloudsdale. I went through some of the most vigorous training in my life; nothing like flight school, this was serious. I was the youngest there was. I raced with the best of them. One day I broke Lightning Strike’s speed record of 9000 wingpower, but it came at a cost. My mentors, noticed that I was having trouble keeping balance while in flight. They took me into the Wonderbolts doctor, who said that the sheer speed I was doing deformed my still developing wing. Over time my left wing grew slower than my right. The Wonderbolts said I might be a danger in flight. They revoked all my privileges and banned me from the team. I went back to the Cloudsdale orphanage and that night I ran away. haha I cried for days, my dream was in the cleft of my hoof and then bam… gone just like that. That same night I made a promise, a promise that I would keep flying no matter what they said. I flew faster than I ever had before. I learned to compensate for my wing and I kept flying. The light you see, I don’t know where it comes from. It came to me that night too. I felt it take me over and I felt like I could fly forever. The next thing I knew I was up past the clouds then up past the sky. I looked down on Equestria as the entire planet presented itself before me. I’ll never forget that sight. There I was flying out in total darkness with millions of tiny lights watching me. I looked down on Equestria and then I got this.” Zepplin turned to show his flank. There was a mark of a steely orb unfurling golden wings wrapped in a pink aura

Rainbow Dash stared at the mark. “I-I had no idea. I’m sorry Zepplin. All I’ve told you is how bad I wanted to be a Wonderbolt. How I want your broken dream.”

Zepplin smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Just because that dream didn’t come true for me doesn’t mean it can’t come true for you. I know someday you’ll be the best Wonderbolt ever, better than I could have ever been.”
Rainbow dash started to tear up. “Thanks Zepplin.”

Zepplin’s warm smile turned into a wide grin. “And when that day comes and you become a Wonderbolt, you can tell ‘em Zepplin sent ya!”

Author's Note:

Dear God I am so Sorry, I had this whole thing written a long time ago before I even knew what a forum or fanfic site was. I didn't know about the concept of OP characters. I apologize for the "unique qualities" that Zepplin has (ahahaha over 9000 as if that hasn't been overused) sorry, this was my first attempt at writing a fic and I know it's not great but I thank all of you who read it you guys make me happy and I hope I can make you happy. I am working on a bunch of new projects but I don't know when I'll get those out, so I hope you enjoyed. Might get a new story out on Halloween!

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[Zeta Dragon]

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What can I say guys thank you all sooo much for the views I hope you guys are enjoying it, and all I can say is WOW!!! I wish you all the best and I hope to have more stories releasing soon but until then Thank you all you guys ROCK!!! HAVE SOME MUSTACHES