The Path Ahead
Yejide sat in a small meadow near Janss Steps; a human sat in a hammock tied between two trees. Physiology books lay on the grass as she thought of her past life as she doodled designs in a notebook. It was a dear gift. She pulled down her right ear to look at the betrothal ring again. Gold inlaid with a piece of cork etched with the ancient Zebrican word or “GIFT”. At one point that cork had helped hold something found at the edge of the field of poison joke and had been filled with a white fluorescent liquid with black specs. It was the concoction she had helped Zecora brew. A cure for poison joke infused into a memory spell. It kept the memory of the desert from fading forever back into the black abyss..
She looked down at the verdant grass, felt the cool breeze through her mane as the sun warmed her fur. Cranes flew ahead, while others moved around the crystal clear pond. Further away stood a waterfall of jade and in the middle of it all a copper column, this was Mt. Kunlun, it was perfection. The zebra stared at the bland wooden door set into the copper pillar.
“You know that if you leave all you will find is pain.” The Queen Mother of the West spoke.
And Yejide knew it with all her soul, and knew this was a place she could never return to. There were others here of all different makes, all getting along, and if she left and saw many of these species again they would try to kill her. She still had sixth months left of her journey though and had found such wonderful materials like Wyrm’s Root to deliver back home. Pain filled her chest as she looked at the Queen in all her heraldry and gowns, wings folded at her side.
“I can’t.” Yejide looked back to the door, it felt impossible, picking one or the other.
The Queen Mother of the West bowed her head. “I understand.” With a wave of a hoof, the door opened, inside was pitch black. “Safe travels young one.”
“And peace be with you.” Yejide made a long formal bow until her chin lay along the ground. She turned and stepped for the door; the instant she did that though she woke back up in a desert. Just as she had appeared back in the desert instantly, as did her memories of Mt. Kunlun faded.
She found herself in the desert, far from any civilization. The dawn light showed blood caked sand at her hooves.
Yejide twisted her head to get a good look at the drawing. It was a winged staff with two snakes winding their way up its length. The Caduceus, human symbol for medicine. She had finally been accepted to John’s Hopkin’s School of Medicine, she was finally on her true path which meant a pilgrimage back home to get her chosen mark emblazoned on her flank by Mganga, or if he had passed, the new shaman. Whether or not the tribe would accept her again, they would not hinder her journey. Her flank would no longer be blank.
It was a hard life, filled with pain and struggle and the zebra wouldn’t have it any other way. For it had its own unique beauty and mystique for without the hardship the joys meant nothing. Nopony could know everything and fighting against death was futile. But, she was never that wise of a zebra.
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Enjoyed this - many thanks!
As to futures - so many options!
ER - with added ponies.
Horse MD.
Magical maladies coming to earth - the most junior doctor may be the most senior.
Or more wackily - a vet in the horseracing scene, ...
Who is she betrothed to?
6662252 good question. ideas?
6663020
The human in the hammock?
6663602 Perceptive. Right species wrong one though.
6663789
Well there wasn't a lot to go on.
I would guess that the guy she rescued from the forest is too old, but I don't think that his age was ever made clear. I also don't remember anything about her appearance in the other story, so I will just have to wait and see.
6664534 Sorry, for cryptic responses, not intentional. And not sure when I will ever get back to her again, a friend is supposed to write that bit. And Tanner wasn't that old
6683050
Ah, then he is a definite possibility.
Well I enjoyed it over all! That little bit with Celestia still rubs me the wrong way and the speedy recovering afterward was a little too jarring but I've learned not to let smaller details get too in the way of the rest of a story (even if I still end up griping about them
).
So yes, would like to see more of Yejide from time to time, be it minor, cameo or brief but significant. I can certainly see her being of help to one character elsewhere in particular...
Unfortunately doing a brief look into Mount Kunlun was only confusing to me. Honestly it simply sounded like one of many mythical paradises, fascinating in it's uniqueness and the stories surrounding it more so no doubt but I think I've missed something if it changes the context of anything here significantly.
Pre-post Edit: Wait... Mount Kunlun maybe not but Xi Wangmu seems to fit a certain sandy encounter rather well, the insinuations there of certainly do change things for the more interesting.
6859193 yep, and its only a paradise for the dead. Depending on which version you go with. Was in a class on mortuary practices, and don't remember exactly where from.
Yeah, my view of Celestia varies pretty far from what most think.
Wait, what character would she be of use to?
6860490 A whole journey into semi-exile where she had to find a whole knew way in the world and she wouldn't have a few good words of advice for you're other ongoing story about a pony trying to find a whole new way in the world, whether he entirely realises it or not yet?
6860490
Has it changed much since Encounters and Politics? I never really got the "god horse" feel from those.
This view was actually pretty common before the second season(and all the beatings...and Lauren Faust Dispelling the notion) came out, it was most prominently(and infamously) displayed in the Conversion Bureau stories...which explains why I unintentionally cringe whenever I see it. Not that that has any impact on how I feel about the story, which was pretty good.
6905528 Probably because my view of a god is quite different than most. Culturally it would just be an incredibly powerful being but still able to make mistakes. That comes from studying a lot of polytheistic societies where gods would fight but also from what would a powerful deity that wants to help really do. She couldn't sit in the back and do nothing, but also couldn't do everything. Kinda inspired by a conversation with Treya in KOTOR 2.
6909944
That reminds me of a quote by the god entity from Futurama: "Bender, being God isn't easy. If you do too much, people get dependent on you. And if you do nothing, they lose hope. You have to use a light touch, like a safecracker or a pickpocket."
Funny, but that seems to embody the idea of helping out without going too far.
I don't mind the idea itself, but Celestia really doesn't seem to be an ideal choice for this characterization for a few reasons:
1. She might be a teacher to her students, but she's a leader and protector to her country. She's taken up the mantel of princess and as such has taken the responsibility of making sure her subjects are as safe and happy as possible. She's put herself in a position where her obligations should conflict with her morality.
2. For over a thousand years now she's kept her subjects safe and happy... no war, no poverty and no starvation. She's gone so close to making a perfect society already that choosing not to save a few people for whatever reason makes her seem like she doesn't have her priorities in of order and her distinctions appear arbitrary. Order has been maintained through her direct rulership and it would take some serious suspension of disbelief or compartmentalization of thought to ignore or justify that. It's like a father allowing his child to eat one large sundae everyday, but never the cherry on top for fear that it'll ruin his diet.
3. Celestia won't save one foreigner(with many others like him implied to not have been so lucky) in her own country for the sake of teaching one zebra a lesson, but she'll save thousands in Japan for positive pr(or seemingly arbitrary standards). Kind of seems petty of her.
Damn, I hope this doesn't come across as whiny and denigrating.
6914744 it actually doesn't. It it calm and well reasoned. Wish more complaints were like this and it is some very valid points I will have to think about and expand upon.
