//------------------------------// // ~In Another Time, In Another Place~ (Makaht uv Zecora) // Story: The Poisoned Barb's Tale // by ManlyDerp //------------------------------// Standing before the precipice of the rest of her life, a young mare found herself... frozen. A fueled ship, a paid sea captain, a loaded pair of saddlebags; these were the tools she needed to begin her quest for magic. These were the tools she had long since acquired… ... … But a beloved hometown, a lifetime’s worth of friendships, a secure and stable existence… these were the sacrifices that fueled her dream. These were the luxuries she couldn't afford to keep. "..." Upon a rickety pier under the cover of night, faced with a decision unlike any other; Zecora remained despondently conflicted. “Lady, move along,” a sea stallion commanded tactlessly from aboard his ship; the SS Antonia Graza. Uncaring for the destiny-changing decision that plagued his sole patron of the eve, he continued on just as bluntly. “If ya drag yar hooves any longer we’re gonna miss the tailwind towards Equestria... Hmph... The waters will be far too dangerous to navigate beyond that point.” “A-apologies for the delay, my good bloke,” Zecora stammered, returning her troubled mind to the present. “Deliberation was needed, lest I choke.” "Bah," the older zebra of the pair grumbled in reply. "What’s there to even think about, lassy? Ya paid up for the trip, ya got saddlebags all nice and packed… Looks to me like yer ready to go." "And go I will, that is not up for discuss; b-but this isn't something that can be so easily rushed." "... Oh sweet Abraxas she's rhyming on purpose. Thought it was a fluke… Yar not getting yer bits back if ya get cold hooves, girly,” the sea captain snarled at the younger mare. “This ain’t a pleasure cruise! I’m risking mah neck here sailing across the ocean blue in a fishing vessel, the least ya can do is see this through to the end! No refunds!” “...” … Zecora grew quiet thanks to this. The bits were of no issue to her, for she did not need them to be happy... but she knew that gaining the sea captain’s ire would likely prove troublesome in the long run.  Not many were brave enough to sail across the ocean in the current year, and the ones that were rarely made a business of it. Since the Kingdom of Farasi had cut ties with Equestria during the Moon Scarring Incident of many generations past, opportunities for one to cross over into its plentiful lands had become practically nonexistent. Whether through legality or social stigma, it simply wasn't proper for one to cross the sea without at least a royal blessing; a blessing that hadn't been bestowed in over half a century. It was for this reason that Zecora knew that angering one of the few willing to make the (highly illegal) journey would undoubtedly nix any further attempts she made in the foreseeable future, if not forever… … yet her mind remained plagued with doubts. The village in the distance, Zebrat, had been the young mare’s home her whole life, while magic had been her dream for what felt like longer. Equestria certainly contained everything she needed to further hone her craft, but she was aware that it would undoubtedly be a lonely existence; perhaps even a dangerous one if the rumors of ponykind's intolerance were to be believed. Zecora’s mind told her to stay. Zecora’s heart told her to go. “... Hmmm...” … Suddenly, an idea took root. “Captain of this vessel, please humor me,” she began, shaping the idea into an actual plan. “To this conundrum, I believe I have found the key.” “Whatever it is I’m giving you five seconds to spit it out before I leave ya on this dock,” the stallion snorted rudely, growing impatient. “I’ve got customers across the sea waiting on me, girly. Time is money.” “And money is what I wish to discuss!” Zecora insisted, speaking quickly. “I promise I will not make any further fuss!” “I promise I will not make any further fuss~” the sea captain echoed the mare's words mockingly. "Bah! I already told ya a thousand times that there are NO, REFUNDS!” “I don’t want a stinking refund!” the lass angrily snapped, slipping from her rhyming cadence. “I just need to borrow one bit for flipping, that’s all!” “For flipping?” “Yes!” she again barked, before taking a deep breath to calm herself. “I-I mean, ahem… Though I possess plenty of drive, motivation, and spunk; for this final leap, I wish to consult Lady Luck.” “... Huh?” “Heads and I’ll go, forever bidding farewell to my home,” she explained carefully, justifying the decision to both her host and herself. “Tails and I’ll flee, leaving the bits to thee.” “...” “...” “... Bleh… Look, lady,” the captain began slowly, growing exasperated. “The ‘no refund’ bit is just for show. Truth is, despite how much I want to, I can’t just take yer bits and scram; I have to give you something of equal value in return. If I don’t then I’ll have to explain to my tax accountant where the extra cash came from, and then my wife, and putting the idea that I'm hoarding unrecorded income into her head would just… bleh… Long story short; cheating them from ya is more trouble than it’s worth,” he finished, stomping a hoof against his ship’s railing… Clink clink … before tossing a single bit into Zecora’s unprepared hooves. “If it comes up tails, I’m going to use the rest of yer stash to give the next creature I meet a free ride,” the stallion growled, making an effort to be civil. “Does that sound agreeable to ya, girly?” Rather than reply, the young mare simply nodded her head a determined ‘yes.’ “Well then… flip it already!” Realizing that the captain’s patience was now razor-thin, Zecora turned her attention to the single coin in her grasp. Though the Kingdoms of Farasi and Equestria were no longer on speaking terms, the bit still held similar value on the eastern side of the Great Sea as it did on the west. Bearing Princess Celestia’s likeness on its face and her cutie mark on its back the golden sliver of metal possessed an equal disbursement of weight on both sides of its surface, meaning it could be utilized as a decider quite readily. One motion was all it would take to end this discussion once and for all. One motion was all it would take to seal Zecora’s fate forever. … … “... Inhale… Exhale…” Fling~ Rattle rattle Rattle rattle Rattle… … Flop “...” “...” “... It… would appear that it is time for us to depart,” Zecora signed tiredly, though part of her was relieved. “The answer is heads; the one I always knew in my heart.” “Great, wonderful, whooho,” the sea captain hissed humorlessly. “Now get yer flank up here lady and please, please stop rhyming.” “I can not make that promise, good sir,” the now resolute mare answered back snarkily, as a great emotional weight was off of her haunches. “but if it’ll help I will gladly speak only in whisper~” “... I should have charged more bits,” the stallion whined grumpily to himself. “Sweet Prince Abraxas on high I should have charged more bits.” A few minutes later, with anchor weighed and headwind avoided, Zecora’s vessel departed from Port Casabronco and headed westwards towards the Kingdom of Equestria. The young zebra didn’t know what she was bound to learn in the enchanted country of equines, but she was resolute in finding out.  It was from this day forth that the Legend of Zecora truly began! Upon a lone pier at the edge of Horseshoe Bay, a roughened fishing vessel anchored itself tightly into place.  ...Clipclopclipclop Having miraculously survived the voyage from the Princess ruled Farasi to the Prince led Equestria, the ship's captain was the first to jump shoreside and the first to inspect the damages. “... Bleh,” the old zebra mare growled to herself, upset with what she saw. “Great, the protective coating wore off. This is going to cost a flipping fortune to fix. If I hadn’t stuck around while that damn stallion was busy flipping coins maybe we could have avoided the heavier waves and… and... Bleh! I'm so stupid! Should have just taken the bits and ran!” Clip clop clip clop Unconcerned with the sea equine's woes, another zebra pony stepped forth from the ruined boat's remains. Halting only briefly to stretch and to stash an elaborate travel staff underneath their cloak, they began to head purposefully towards the distant buildings of Balitmare. “Oh yer welcome, by the way!” the salty mare yelled heatedly towards the departing ex-passenger. “Ya could, oh I don’t know, thank me for the free ride or something! Or offer me a helping hoof?! But no, leave, that’s fine; not like I need assitance with this or anything! Not like my husband is going to kill me for damaging our boat or anything!” Still unconcerned, the former patron continued to trot away towards the airship dock that lied in the sleepy town's center. “... Bleh!” the ignored zebra returned to inspecting her ship, and continued to groan aloud. “Stupid haiku spouting freak! “I hope I never see her again!"