To make his story more credible, the creatures have visited him once again on the night before the ship landed on Farasi. The only thing that different that he got to know the rest of the group as well as distinct who they are, which is the result of him listen to their conversation longer: Luster Dawn the unicorn, Butter Burger the earth pony, Yolinda the yak, Grisela the griffon, and Spring Garden the kirin.
“But don’t let you be fooled. They could be real demons…” Flash thought to himself “They could shape shift to anything they want.”
The nightmare also makes him stay up for the rest of the night, allowing him to experience the first time he is not floating when the Canterlot herself touches down on Farasi soil with a bump.
…
“Welcome to Zebrat, capital of Farasi!” Haystack said when they walked out of the base “First time ever going somewhere else other than Equestria?”
“Yes… I guess!”
When they first got out of the base, they were greeted by the hot sun and heated air around. Every creature around, as well as them, wears a headscarf to hide the heat.
Downtown Zebrat is a dynamic place and also an interesting location to explore around. Flash could see there are zebras, abadas and kelpies all around selling all sorts of stuff: fruits, vegetables, daily use objects,… Haystack himself also helps Flash distinct between those three creatures as well: zebras have stripes on their fur, abadas have fins instead of manes, and kelpies have are just like earth ponies but with shape shifting ability that is related to water.
He could tell that the creatures are having their best, normal life possible: a group of kelpies are chatting, some small zebra and abada are chasing each other through the street, a salezebra are shouting as she is marketing her products that she sells (“finest Farasi fruit”, as Flash heard). He once remembered that he had to ask some of them about the location of Zecora’s hut, but since he saw them just staring at a human walking around with a suspicious eye, Flash was hesitant to do what he wished.
Finally, the pal reaches a drinking stall where some kelpies are selling some of their delicious drinks. The stall was large enough to hold dozens of creatures sitting inside and enjoying what they call “a relief” after a long period of time cruising down the hot street of the Shakira Market, a Zebrat’s specialties.
“Two special Zebrat lemonade, please!” Haystack called “Some extra ice!”
“As you wish, Lieutenant!” a blue kelpies shout back.
Flash thinks back to when Yamina said that he can go out as long as he is on the Lieutenant side. He has asked Haystack about Zecora’s hut, but he refuses to let him get there.
“Creatures say that you can see the whole base when you stand there!” the Lieutenant said “Which means it was too far away. Remember that? No more than 5 kilometers.”
Flash looking around. The stalls are getting more crowded which he assumes it is because of the hot weather. The chairs and tables are large enough for both of them, even though Flash is still a human. A blue cloth cover was used as the stall’s roof, dotted with some little fans that help make the stall a bit cooler than the outside.
“Wait, I have two see some of my friends!” Haystack said after finishing his drinks “Stay here and don’t get anywhere!”
Haystack then comes to a group of ponies and starts chatting around.
After looking around for a while and seeing if he would be just fine asking them, he started to ask a kelpie that sat alone next to him.
“Sorry… Miss…” he started “Do you know where it is… Zecora’s hut?”
“Zecora’s hut?” she asked back “Of course I know! She’s my friend!”
“Yes... but can you point me where she is?”
“Not far from here. Let’s go!”
Flash looked back to the Lieutenant. The conversation is still going across the stall, which makes Flash think he could get away with him not noticing.
“Then… What's your name, human?” she asked.
“Brandon… Brandon Cultrich…”
“Ah! A human!” she opened her head scarf to reveal an icy-like mane and black eyes “You know what? I know some of us might don’t like creatures like you, but every time a human asks about something or someone that no other humans know, it's totally worth it!”
…
The kelpie that guides him announces her name as “Crystal”. The kelpie with the snowflake-shaped cutie mark started to ask him some questions while on the way.
“Let me guess, you are from that ship?” she pointed to the Canterlot.
“I…I was a mechanic on that ship…” Flash replied “We’re basically taking re supply…”
“You can thank Princess Twilight for that!”
“Princess Twilight?”
“You don’t know? She’s currently the ruler of Equestria! She got to the throne when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired about 30 moons ago, which is 25 years in human time, I guess…”
“How do you know?”
“Well… Your director Lyra Heartstring teaches us some human knowledge…”
Finally, the couple reaches where they want to go.
The orange hut sits comfortably on the top of a hill that is not quite far from the base. Flash could see his ship docking on Zebrat base tarmac. He made himself look around the city for another time. The sun is still shining all over with it’s bright light and hot solar flare.
“Typical Farasi’s weather. You’ll get familiar with it, in case you decide to stay here in a few months.” She commented when notice Flash just kept sweating.
“Hey Zecora! Some creature one to see ya!” she shouted into the hut.
“I thought this was Sunday!” the zebra that called Zecora shouted back.
“So you don’t want to talk with some human?”
“What do you mean, Crystal?”, the middle aged zebra walked out. She nearly wanted to speak up something, but then had to stop when she saw Flash standing with her.
…
“You humans are always bringing trouble, huh?” Zecora started the conversation by pouring some water to all “What’s his name, then?”
“Brandon Cultrich!” Crystal introduces him to Zecora “Ensign! He’s from the Canterlot!”
“Ah… I see!” Zecora exclaimed. “Don’t worry, we’re friends with S.M.I.L.E! We know a thing or two about what you are currently doing!”
Zecora poured some more water to Flash before asking some more “So what’s bringing you here?”
“Well… I have some terrible… nightmares, recently…” Flash replied while taking a sip “There are a bunch of... what should I say…”
“Ghost?”
“Ghost, I suppose!”, Flash continued “Having them keep coming into my sleep as nightmares is sort of something no one would like. They keep demanding me to release them…”
Then, he starts telling them what he has experienced, ever since he started to work on the Canterlot. He told them about what they have done to him, how each of them behave, and how often their “visit” was. When he started to talk about the names of the creatures that “visit him”, Zecora cut him short:
“It could be just nightmares, simple as that!” she said “Wait a few nights until Lady Rainbow Dash and her dream team visit you…”
“But… it was linked to the Alicorn, and I haven’t told you about those creatures…”
“Maybe you just stressed out, don’t you?” Marini commented “I’ve heard from some Canterlot’s crew member is that S.M.I.L.E have to give extra guarding on the them, especially if you are one of the pilots.”
“But… about the Alicorn…”
“Your brain might just have made that up, my friend!” Zecora said “Anyway, do you have to overwork these days?”
He is thinking again. Zecora and Marini might have a clue, because beside some night shifts he has to do, even without catching up on sleep, he also has some unhappy memories that he has to face and back when he serves in Londo Bell, he even has nightmares about them occasionally.
“Yeah… I think you do have a point there…”
“And you are lucky to come all the way here my friend!'' She said “Creatures in Ponyville know me quite well. They still can recognize me when I come back there occasionally, even when I have ended speaking rhymes for many moons now… Oh, sorry! I’ll give you some sleeping pill, as well as some anti-depression potion…”
“Thanks, doctor!”
When Zecora is still preparing the medicine, Haystack and one another zebra come into the hut.
“There you are, bastard! I thought I'd told you to stay where you are!”
When he looked to who Flash is talking to, his angry attitude suddenly gone away.,
“Oh! Hello Ms Zecora… And you too, Miss Crystal…”
“Hello there, Mayor!” Zecora and Marini said “What’s up?”
“Well… I help him find this guy, and I honestly don’t expect to see him right in your hut!” , the zebra with half pink, half black mane said “Oh… Nice to meet ya! My name is Marini!”
“What are you doing here?” Haystack whispered with a grumpy voice “You know this place is beyond the 5 kilometers radius?”
“No creature has enough mind to measure that accurately, Lieutenant…” Crystal said “But… why does he have to be like that?”
“Well… military protocol, Miss!”
“By the way, we are looking for some… doctors to join the Canterlot!” Marini said “I saw him talking to some pony. I offered him some help when he mentioned that.”
“Uh… Sorry for disturbing your day, Mayor…”
“No problem! You are fighting Black Wine, right? If S.M.I.L.E doesn't run fast he might declare war!”
“Wait… How?” Flash asked.
“I’ve heard creatures said that Black Wine and his cabinet changes the laws so he has total control over Equestria’s military. And, hopefully I’m wrong, he even plots to overtake Princess Twilight herself!” Marini replied “Any idea, Zecora?”
“Well… I think I can help with this…” Zecora raised her hoof “Can I have a hoof in this?”
“Miss Zecora, I think you can leave this for us…” Haystack replied “We can find some other doctor, you don’t need to come to the front line like this!”
“I hate when creatures underestimate my skill, Lieutenant!” she replied casually “Not many creatures know apart from being a doctor, a potion maker, I can be a mental health therapist, too!”
“Uh… I think you should accept her offer, Lieutenant!” Marini said “You don’t know how much she want to join S.M.I.L.E, especially in stuff like this!”
“Uh… Uh…” the Lieutenant muttering “Thank you then… Miss Zecora!”
“And you can just tell me Zecora, we’re friends now.” the wise zebra then nodded to Flash “So do you, Ensign!”