//------------------------------// // V - Zebrabwe Royal // Story: Zebrabwe's Secret // by GMBlackjack //------------------------------// Zebrabwe was the pride of Zebrica, a massive city that stood as a testament to Zebra culture. Unlike the completely abandoned port town of Xor, this place bustled with Zebra life. Black and white stripes of all shapes and sizes ran through the dusty streets, laughing, playing, working, and doing things ponies might be thought to do. Granted, it all looked different: Zebras had an obsession with ornate earrings that hung down to their knees, the colors of the city were much more muted than a pony settlement, and every building was made out of the shiny brown stone.  That last part put Zecora on edge. How could they have replaced the entire city since she left? The city was still big back then and it was even bigger now!  A mystery she would hopefully get answers to soon.  The Crab marched through the main street of Zebrabwe alongside other, similar vehicles. No two of the machines looked the same, many with different numbers of legs and overall body shapes. The only unifying elements were the materials, the orange glowing runes, and the walking mechanism. There were no wheels, despite a few personal zebra carts clearly displayed in the street.  The Crab was one of the larger vehicles, but it was far from the scope of some of the gigantic monstrosities they could see. Zecora spied what she thought was a mobile hotel in the distance.  “This is painful,” Torque winced. “Regulate your parts, Zebras! It’s easier t’ build a hundred of the same thing, don’t build all yer machines different!”  “Zat would remove ze art to it,” Gustave said. “No doubt zese machines are like a fine dish…” “How’re they gonna get replacement parts?” Gustave shrugged.  Zecora pressed her face to the slit, trying to catch a glimpse of the palace. Unfortunately, she was in the very back of The Crab, without a forward-facing view. They would arrive at the palace before she could see it.  She wanted to see if they’d replaced it.  She feared what it meant if they had.  The Crab lurched—stopping. A moment later the back door opened. “All right, out! Let’s get this over with!”  Zecora jumped out of The Crab, turning as quickly as she could to the palace. She was neither relieved or horrified, merely confused. It had not been replaced, but every surface had been covered with the strange material. Every spire, zebra statue, and royal crest was a shining brown instead of the dusty sandstone color that had dominated it many years ago.  Modernization takes its toll… quicker than I ever could have imagined. Torque gasped in panic. “What is it? Have you been bit?” Zecora asked. Torque stared at the palace with a haunted look on her face “N-no… it’s… nothing…” “It sure seems like so—” Zecora was interrupted by the male Zebra lead. “Ahem! Yo, palace representative! I’ve got a Zebra here claiming to be a royal!” The Zebra standing in front of the castle cates raised one of her eyebrows. “You do not believe her to be loyal?” “She’s associating with a bird and a pony, that seems ridiculous!” The representative narrowed her eyes. “At least you’re being meticulous.”  “...Purple.” The representative scowled, refusing to respond.  “Just hurry up and resolve this so I can get my ship, then I can leave you and your dumb little speech pattern alone.” “Very well.” She turned to Zecora. “What name do you call your own?” “I am Sage Zecora Zo of Zebrabwe, a member of the royal family tree. Sent afar to learn of distant lands, wandering free, returning at last to tell of what stands beyond the dreary sands.” “You have been thought dead, great sage. We appreciate that you have adhered to the crown’s commands.” “Tell this galoot to keep his hooves off this mare’s ship, and let it be known that I protect these two to my last chip.” “It will be done before any can let out a pip.” Zecora nodded, turning back to the Zebra who’d tried to steal an airship. She raised an eyebrow.  He chuckled nervously. “All… water under the bridge, right?” “We made a hole in the back of your Crab. That is the cost of your forsaken jab.” “You hurt the CRAB!?” “Do you wish for further retribution or will you be wise and accept this constitution?”  He glared at her for a moment before running off, shouting expletives to the ground.  She turned back to the representative. “Who is king, my little ‘ling?” The representative coughed. “It is still the Old King Zo, though he nears the end of what all sing.” “He will wish to see me to tell of what I see.” She nodded, indicating they should follow her.  “...Shouldn't we get back to the airship?” Torque asked. “There is not time before nightfall. We shall sleep here to avoid the night traveler’s squall.” “Ah…” “After a meeting wiz a king, of course…” Gustave rubbed his talons together. “He will know ze true secrets…” Zecora shook her head. “Do not speak unless spoken to. He knows me but he does not know you. A non-Zebra will be highly unusual. We do not wish to trigger something cruel.” Gustave was suddenly quite terrified again. “A-ah…” ~~~ Old King Zo was definitely old. His stripes had turned gray and his beard ran all the way down to his hooves. His throne was made of precious gems glued together in a complex lattice, one of the few objects in the entire palace not covered or made out of the brown material. His crown, on the other hoof, was made out of it, though studded with gemstones of its own.  Zecora bowed her head as she and her companions entered. “I have returned, my king, to tell of the songs they sing.” “Speak, lost sage To a Zebra of age Ringing true Of the world that we drew.” Zecora lifted her head. His voice is just as melodious as always. “I have found great darkness and terror. Beasts like the Storm King plunder without seeing their error. Magic is abused in many o’ land, and there are creatures within the grip of the dark hand. I will give you more in my journals, though you may find it dull, as it lacks the rhyming channels.” “I will see Book resting on my knee The darkness, the mess Your wise words shall confess.” “One more thing I would like to say, of the worlds beyond the way. For all the darkness and strife, it was Equestria that brought me life. Our neighbor across the sea, there are no creatures happier to be. Friendship, harmony, and a land always sunny. Warm, but not dry, empathetic, but not wry. If I found one ally in the world, it is they who unfurled.” “Thank you sage more to say on this stage?” Zecora nodded. “The world is different from that which I knew, what happened to change our nation’s brew? They attempted to take our ship, the machines are unlike all I’ve seen, and the faces of Zebrakind are mean.” The king shrugged. Zecora was about to ask him to elaborate upon this when he changed up his meter. “There have never been laws protecting others aside from my decree I protect those with you because they have helped us see But when you were here much was the same, we were zebras better than all To ignore them is folly, so you answered the call As for the machines, they come from below, amazing discovery. Through the drought they facilitated recovery.” Zecora opened her mouth to ask for more details.  “I have spoken.” Zecora shut her mouth and bowed, turning around without another word. She dragged the other two out of the throne room. There, a guard was waiting, staring at them intently. “...What?” Gustave asked. Torque didn’t say anything—she was staring at the ceiling with wide eyes.  “I will show you to your rooms, just follow my strut.”  “Does he have to rhyme on me?” “Yes,” Zecora answered. “Don’t make him pressed, we should go rest.”