• Member Since 18th Sep, 2011
  • offline last seen Mar 30th, 2022

Ezn


Author of that writing guide and some stories too.

E

A communication scholar from Canterlot, a mailmare from Fillydelphia, and a zebra diplomat in training, brought together by a hunger for knowledge, embark on a journey of discovery to the mysterious homeland of the dragons.

Chapters (18)
Comments ( 164 )

5th Reader Get!

I'm looking forward to more of this.

Can't wait to read the next chapter!

Following, will read it soon :pinkiesmile:

Wow. A truly excellent story. But seriously, get a better summary! I've passed over this thing I don't know how many times now because you have a lame summary. Maybe mention the fact that it's an adventure or something.

Ezn

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far.

The next chapter is most likely going to be a fairly longish one, so it may take a bit of time, depending on various circumstances. I'll aim to get it out before the end of next week, but with any luck it'll be out much sooner than that.

Anon: You're right, it's not a very good summary. As much of a terrible cop-out and fanfic author cliche as it is, I have to admit that I'm no good at writing summaries. But I've rewritten the summary anyway, and I hope it's a little better now. Thoughts?

Uh oh Melvin is defying boss' orders. He must be put down :trixieshiftright:

Good as always Ezn :twilightsheepish:

Melvin may not be capable of slaughtering innocent ponies, but he is guilty of a far worse crime: Embezzlement!

In all seriousness though, another excellent chapter. You've got a very enjoyable story here.

Ezn

9416>>9600
He is not a very nice dragon

14020
This is true. Dragon nature may be crueler than we initially believed!

Glad everypony's enjoying the story!

Now there's a cliffhanger for the ages.

...Really? You have to end it there!? *sigh*
Oh well. A very good story. Masterfully written. I especially love the effort you've put into Sibwashie and Zecora's rhyming speech, very commendable.
Can't wait for the update!

Ezn

16777>>18104
Hehehe. Cliffhangers are probably more fun for the author than they are for the reader. But don't panic! As of the writing of this comment, Chapter Seven is basically done and is currently being edited and proofread. Depending on how I feel about the chapter's quality, I may post as early as Sunday or as late as Tuesday.

The rhyming speech was quite a daunting task at first, but it's become almost second nature to me now. It used to be that I spent ages rewording Sibwashie's dialogue and looking for rhymes with RhymeZone.com, but now I bust out some phat (or is it fly?) beats all gangsta and what-not.

Ooh new chapter!

Argh, now I'm thinking in rhyme,
But I'm sure this'll wear off with time.

Can't wait till chapter 8!!!

Ezn

20494
Don't worry, thinking in rhyme is actually pretty sweet
It'll make your next rap battle a pretty damn easy feat.

This story continues to hold my interest; loving the characters. Great work. : )

Little baby zebra!
D'aawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

great chap, 'ol chap. :pinkiecrazy:

Ezn

22145
I'm glad you're enjoying it!

44268
Yeah, there need to be more zebras in the show proper

This is such a good story! :pinkiehappy:

I can't wait until Melvin gets what's coming to him!

Wait, don't dragons start to grow when they get greedy? Uh oh.:derpyderp1:

Ezn

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Thank you, Studio B.

I'm really enjoying this. I thought the idea had a lot of potential when you started, and it hasn't disappointed.

They viewed the zebra population with bemusement, watching them live out their entire lives in the time it took a dragon to take a nap. [Chapter 1]

“For what it’s worth, they can’t be that harmful if this is the first we’ve heard of them,” Sky replied, cracking a bemused smile. [Chapter 2]

Everything was going swimmingly until Sibwashie lifted up a leaf of lettuce and found a worm crawling across its underside. A little shocked, Sibwashie put the leaf down on a sideplate and discretely pointed it out to White and Sky. The three companions shared bemused smiles. [Chapter 3]

:fluttercry: :fluttershbad: Man, you've got the definition of "bemuse" all wrong! Bemusement isn't amusement; bemusement is bewilderment!

“So you're sure you'll be fine to manage the shop on your own?” White Noise asked Turquoise the next day.
“Don't patronise me, boss,” she replied cattily. [Chapter 1]

Ahahaha! She said the word patronise to her boss about running a business! Brilliantly funny wordplay there! I am laughing so hard right now!

“Princess Celestia sent me here on an important mission for Equestria!” Twilight announced proudly. “I have been tasked with studying the magic of friendship!”
White stifled a snicker, earning another glare from Twilight. [Chapter 4]

Heheh. The guy with the Communications degree is laughing at her.

The two brothers chatted amiacably in their own language, but many of the words they used where unfamiliar to White, so he didn’t try to translate them for Sky. [Chapter 8]

The proper term here would be amiably or amicably; the two are synonyms. Amiacably is not a word.

“My daddy says you make all the plants on our farm grow really really big!” a young filly had told her. “He says you do it with the moon!”
“THIS IS CORRECT, YOUNG ONE,” Luna had responded proudly. “It is indeed with the MAGIC OF MY MOON that your LAND’S HARVEST is the most BOUNTIFUL IN ALL THE WORLD!”
The filly had been so excited by Luna’s reply that she had run off to tell all her friends about her short audience with the princess. She’d been too excited to even say goodbye to Luna, but the Princess understood. [Chapter 8]

:twilightsmile: I found that extremely cute. Luna's good with kids.

Melvin looked at his stash of bits and suddenly got a very strange idea. With a flourish, he knocked the bits out from under the counter. They clattered to the floor, spreading out across its length. Melvin’s eyelids drooped, and he sank to his knees.
A clawed hand reached up to place a pair of round glasses on the counter, and then Melvin was out. He slept soundly on his bed of shiny bits, dreaming of all the bits that were to join them. [Chapter 9]

:twilightsmile: I found that extremely cute, too! :pinkiehappy: (You meant to make that cute, right?)

Ezn

90582
Thank-you! I hope that my story continues to entertain.

96307
I really appreciate comments like this. Thanks for your fixes - I have to apply them in a bunch of different places now, but I'm glad I learnt something today.

I like writing cute scenes. :twilightsheepish:

0_0

What is... I don't even...

:derpyderp2:

Wow, definitely an interesting sequence of events this chapter. I'm so glad I watched this. :pinkiehappy:

Ezn

137315
Uh, is that a good "I don't even"? :twilightsheepish:

This chapter is certainly a departure from previous chapters, because we're somewhere around the halfway point of this story. Things are heating up...

I'm not sure I like this turn of events. Mysteriously overpowered characters rarely bode well for a story.

Will we see Difter again? He's awesome!

137650
Halfway point? Cool. Plot and departure and heating up and things are good.

I think that the plural form of talisman is talismans instead of talismen.

And wouldn't he be the Drier (with a lowercase the), not The Drier?

Ezn

138042
I understand and appreciate your concern. I realise that I'm treading on dangerous ground here, but I'm going to try my best not to screw this up.

Demetrius (my Ponychan editor) will probably crucify me before I unleash any power-fantasy fic-derails on you guys.

139466
Unknown. =P

139988
Yeah, dunno why I thought it was "talismen". Will fix that now.

Since they call him "The Drier" (and "The" is part of his nickname) I think I'mma keep it capitalised. According to Wikipedia I'm allowed to do that (I think). I'd give a link/quote, but SOPA.

Ah, the requisite land of annoying characters.

Hopefully this arc will be done and over with quickly.

Working that booth must be the most mind-numbingly dull job of all time.

Ezn

308384
Well, um, it will be a short arc, yes.

309293
But the dental plan is amazing! :derpytongue2:

Hurray!!! An update! Now I got a feeling that something is going to go down next chapter. But keep it up!

That unspeakable cad! :flutterrage:

"We wish to have words with thou"? Yeesh. :twilightoops: "Thee" is the object pronoun and "thou" the subject pronoun. So it's "We wish to have words with thee" and "Thou wishest to have words with us."

Also, thou wert capitalizing RANDOM words during Luna's speech, wast thou not? We found it most off-putting, as it lackst both rhyme and reason. :facehoof:

Interesting narrative, though. Props for a lot of originality and generally sound writing. I'll definitely keep reading this one. :twilightsmile:

Please feel free to include every requisite scientific nuance of the upcoming Royal Audience. The better thought-out stories are, the more fascinating they become! And, of course, it's world-building stuff, and I like world-building. :twistnerd:

I feel like, for a travel-based story, you've kept things remarkably coherent and grounded. You care enough to give a real flavor for most of the places our friends have passed through.

One annoyance, however. If receiving Payment is such an anathema concept to dragons, why does nopony know about it? And is this what is altering Melvin? I have a feeling that Luna will have to deal with him soon, perhaps on election day, when he allofasudden grows huge like Spike did. Perhaps money and gems alter a dragon's psyche, and categorical refusal is the only way to avoid it? What, then, do dragons use for currency? "Feet" of what? Stature? shed skin? weary travellers? :trollestia:

Ezn

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=D

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Thanks for the running commentary! I do enjoy getting these on my stories!

"Thee" is the object pronoun and "thou" the subject pronoun.

Yeah, I knew I would mess this up. Thanks for the hint, I'll fix stuff up accordingly and try to keep it in mind in future.

Also, thou wert capitalizing RANDOM words during Luna's speech, wast thou not?

I figured it was a slightly less annoying way to show the CANTERLOCK VOICE than putting everything in caps. I considered bold, but it didn't seem quite right, for reasons I'll explain in about two chapters' time (a weird thing to say, I know, but bear with me).

One annoyance, however. If receiving Payment is such an anathema concept to dragons, why does nopony know about it?

Dragons are very mysterious to ponykind, according to what Word of Faust I've heard. The only dragon that we've seen ponies really deal with on a day-to-day basis is Spike, and he likely knows very little about his own kind. Ponies don't generally visit dragon country, and dragons who were born and raised among other dragons (ie, not Spike or any of White's employees) pretty much keep to themselves.

At least, this is what I've extrapolated from what we've seen so far. I'm kinda dreading how much this week's episode is going to wreck this fic.

Please feel free to include every requisite scientific nuance of the upcoming Royal Audience. The better thought-out stories are, the more fascinating they become! And, of course, it's world-building stuff, and I like world-building.

The better thought-out stories are, the more fascinating they become!

I absolutely agree. In the next two chapters, we're going to come to some extrapolations on canon and interpretations of dragon culture that I'm pretty excited about showing to everypony. I hope it satisfies.

Interesting narrative, though. Props for a lot of originality and generally sound writing. I'll definitely keep reading this one.

I feel like, for a travel-based story, you've kept things remarkably coherent and grounded. You care enough to give a real flavor for most of the places our friends have passed through.

Thank you! It's good to know that I've been doing something right.

Well, there's my greatest question answered. And in most dramatic and spectacular fashion, too! :ajsmug:

But here's a further question: How has the Dragon King kept his sanity when he's nothing more than a larger, more sedentary Scrooge McDuck? I mean, I can't help but notice his personal hoard is an order of magnitude larger than the "Royal Treasury." And if he's always rolling in that wealth, with that magnificently coruscating crown adorning his crown, why has he not gone 'round the bend himself? He has the temerity to recommend Venkra seek counseling! Which... I guess... he wouldn't do if he needed it himself? So then, what makes him different?

Ezn

321813
And that question will be answered in the next chapter, which is coming out in a day or two.

321822 I assumed as much. I guess my rhetorical-ocity didn't come out in my comment. I can't wait!

Seriously. "Rhetorical" is already an adjective. How would you construct the word meaning "having to do with the state of being rhetorical"? :applejackconfused:

Jesus Harelipped Christ, this story is underrated. 44 Votes? Only 44? Fucking seriously?

:raritydespair:
What is wrong with this place...

321840

Rhetorocity? Probably rhetoricalness...

322056

Agreed.


Very nice chapter brony, I spotted a couple of things that made me wonder about some elements of the plot that we haven't seen for a couple of chapters, and it's got me quite excited :pinkiesmile:
Also, I hope we get some more of White's magic. Unethical or not, it seems pretty cool.
Also also, dat King.

Not really 100% related, but this is where my mind went:
images.wikia.com/lotr/images/4/42/Smaug.jpg

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