Wonder was enjoying himself along with the three mares and the two Night Guards. The party wasn't anything too fancy, in fact, it was rather relaxed and gave everyone the opportunity to relax despite their presence in a strange land. It also allowed the mares to talk to all the guards, and even sneak a couple stories about 'Wes' and his early days as a Royal Guard and his initial training.
"I am telling you, I do have to respect that Earth Pony for stickin' through all the training, and still having the strength to do a very risky mission like this one. However, I still think he is a fool for not asking for help earlier..." Blade Noir ranted, not caring about who was listening. "Sometimes, you just have to admit you need help. Going on this quest was very stubborn!"
"Oh, lighten up a lil, Noir! He wanted to prove something to those Canterlot stuck-ups and he so far, has done a great job in my view!" Silhouette Shield added, having heard the last part of his rant. "Besides, his quest lead to him finding my in that little town, and without his help, you wouldn't have a partner like me with you?"
"I'll withhold any comments on that for now, but I suppose I am glad you are here." Noir answered, and flew out of the building before his partner could add anything to the conversation. Silhouette walked away from the window, when Fluttershy came up to her, and asked her a question.
"Is he always that rough? I mean, he seems nice and all to us, but he really seems down on Mr. Tone. I hope it is nothing bad, and Noir are just ranting or..."
"Nahh don't worry about him, he is very obsessed with following proper protocol with these sort of missions," Silhouette interrupted the Pegasus. "You see, truth be told, he should have never went on this quest alone. It's sort of a standing order that we get drilled in our heads during training, to always have someone at your back, in case you find yourself in a situation where you might need help. BUT, that said, if Wes had a partner, it wouldn't have changed him getting cursed at all I think."
"Oh ok...oh, I wanted to say, there was a strange creature I found outside of the hospital building before the party, and, um, if it is ok with you, I would like it if.."
"Oh, you want me to check it out? No problem let's go!" Silhouette jumped at the opportunity to do something different. She wasn't the type of pony to stay still in one place for long, so helping, even if it was something minor in the village, was something she was slightly known for by the three Elements.
When they got to the building, inside there was a creature laying on a bed, still sleeping, but showing no signs that it was hurt, at the very least. What was interesting though, was the creature was very much like a pony, but had stripes of its rear legs as well as a cutie mark of what looked like a lantern of some sort.
"What is that thing? I never saw a Pony or even a Zebra like this before...and it seems rather big too." Silhouette commented, unsure of what else she could do for the patient other than assist Fluttershy get to the bottom of where this thing came from.
"Well, I have been looking up some of the books of animals this place has, and at first I thought it was an Okapi, but as far as I recall, those only live amongst the Zebra in their lands, and not in Equestria. Besides, the Okapis I read about may not have cutie-marks, so I am not sure what he is." Flutttershy added.
"What can I do to help? I don't know anything about other species, and really don't know what I can.."
"Well, if you wouldn't mind, I actually only need help moving him to another bed. He's a bit on the heavy side...Oh, did I interrupt you?!? I am so sorry I won't do that again!' Fluttershy said. Silhouette didn't seem to be bothered and simply started on the task given, that is until the creature woke up...
The party was winding down and everypony was cleaning up after themselves, while Smokey came in and helped himself to a bit of the leftovers, and the request of Pinkie. He didn't like the party at all, as it was far too noisy for his ears, but the prospect of free mixed slop after was too much to pass up! He took his bit of leftover to eat somewhere else, when a loud shriek was heard outside.
It was Fluttershy, and she seemed both scared, and panicking at the same time. She motioned for the others to follow her, and, on instinct, Wonder grabbed his sword, and prepared himself if something was attacking the village.
"Sugarcube, please tell us what is going on? Is everything ok, and where is Ms. Silhouette?" Applejack tried to coax some words out of her shy friend, but nothing worked on her, but with that last question, something did work for their guardian.
Wonder burst the door to the hospital, and saw Silhouette on the ground knocked out by the looks of it, and a bed nearby was overturned, and left quite a mess around him, he motioned his sword closer to his body, to guard any attacks that were to come, as he checked his friend, and slowly moved her out of the room, and outside to the group. "Watch her...I'll take care of this." he said simply as he turned around.
"WAIT!!! He's scared, he didn't mean to, I mean, he may have, but she did hit him first, and...just, don't hurt him Mr. Tone! I know he's just confused." Fluttershy said at speeds that rivaled one of Pinkie's rants. He paused a bit, and nodded his head, and she went to care for the scratches and other injuries.
He scooped the room out before proceeding to the next one, the great thing about his scaly body was it made sneaking a bit easy by reducing the noise each step took, far more than even a careful hoof-fall could do. He used this, and his few training tips on the subjects of tracking to his advantage and soon, was mere feet away from the striped creature, who was kneeling in a corner. He brought his sword up, and was ready to strike, although he somewhat hesitated as he would inevitably have to explain to Miss Fluttershy any consequence of said attack when he stopped himself when he heard two simple phrases:
"I give up, dear sea pony, I am finished and tired. I am sorry for attacking and know that now, I am soon to be expired," it said, rhyming the two last words. In a very Zebra-like way.
Wonder sheathed his sword, and pulled the cowering creature out of the corner, and gave it a lite punch to the creature, and said, "you know, rhyming was never your strong side, Zed.."
Outside, the mares were treating Silhouette for her last scratch they found, when Noir came down and saw who they were treating. "What happened?" was all he asked.
He got filled in on what happened, and just then Wonder came out, with a cowering, and very shy looking Pony-like creature, with stripes or his rear legs, and that lantern cutie-mark. "Come on, I want you to apologize to Miss Fluttershy, and to the others before Sillie gets up. You owe them that much Zed.."
"WHAT??? YOU KNOW THIS CROSSBRED ABOMINATION!" Noir yelled out, with a certain level of both hatred and anger in his voice. The other mares were taken aback at this reaction, and Pinkie tried to calm him down with a cupcake she pulled from nowhere, but it proved of little use.
"Tell me, young bat-winged Pegasus, why my genes and my parents backgrounds should prove... Relevance? Or Revelvant rather." The creature said to defend himself.
Wonder added his own two-bits to the converstaion as well. "Of all things I have heard, from a creature some in Canterlot look down on, of all things, do YOU get to condemn my friend here? Yes, Zorses are not very common, but they work and live in Equestria just like we all do, and he never asked for his unique look, although it is now excuse for that very bad rhyme there!"
The girls gasped, but Fluttershy was very interested in asking a bit more about this new Pony, or Zorse as she now knew it was called. "Wait, how do you know him, and why are you yelling at him so much, Noir?
Noir was given the attention at the moment, and of all things that had been said that night, the following should not have been said. "Because, he is tainting my partner! Both the crossbred abomination, and ESPECIALLY that cursed DIRT PONY that dares call himself a Guard! I ought to kill both of them right.." he was interrupted when out of nowhere, Pinkie struck the ranting Night Guard silent, and he too was knocked out.
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It must be noted, there are certain phrases for ponies that can be seen as either hurtful, or some would even say 'racist' if heard or said out loud. One of the phrases was dirt pony, often used by elitist Unicorns or some Pegasus dating as far back as before the uniting of three Pony Races. In fact, some have said that ponies were imprisoned or even banished for using the phrase by the Princesses, if ever heard about in their courts. Earth Ponies knew the history of the word, and it was something that had reactions even amongst the most calm Earth Pony.
Truth be told, both Applejack and Pinkie Pie were offended at the use of that word, but it was Pinkie who acted the fastest, and with the most uncharacteristic reaction. All present were shocked, and even Pinkie was full of regret on what was done, but most saw it as justified and agreed none of them would ever say anything if asked.
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Wonder stood there, next to his Zorse friend, and was truly hurt at what Noir had told him. Rather than attacking him, he took it personally, and leapt into the water below the bridge and swam towards the ocean, not stopping for any voice or reason. He had heard that word several times during his training, and each time, despite it being a forbidden word by law in Canterlot, none of his fellow trainees were punished, To Wonder, Noir represented everyone of those who called him not-good-enough, or even worse, just-an-Earth-Pony.
He swam and swam, and once he reached the beach and cleared out the area of crab enemies and creatures, he made camp, and thought only one thing: I'll show them what just an Earth Pony can do by finishing this Sea Dragon once and for all!
The mares had their new arrival take Noir to the tower, and user a door with a bar the lock him in there. None of the mares wanted to say anything to him, even Fluttershy seemed rather shocked at what had happened. She still treat a couple small cuts he received, and being the kind-hearted person she was, she couldn't see him suffer needlessly.
Zed stood beside her, and as she finished, he asked her a simple question: "Do you think I am an abomination too?" He looked down at the ground, and hid his face as best as he could. For someone nearly the size of Big Mac, it certainly was odd to see.
"Oh, why would you ever listen to such bad things? We don't think you are like that at all! In fact, I would so like to learn more about you, as I only know one Zebra, Zecora from Ponyville!" Fluttershy responded.
Out of nowhere Pinkie popped between the two and started to let her opion be heard. "Besides, that meanie bat-Pegasus will get what is coming to him, so don't be sad...but, OH! I need to make you a party too! What do Zorses like, or should I do a theme like Zecora's party too, or.."
"Girls, I must thank you very much for your words, but you mentioned Zecora, is that what I had just heard?" Zed asked, being a bit careful on his rhyming, and smiling at the attention of two mares.
"Yes, she lives in a hut in the Everfree Forest, she often sells her wares and potions in town. Do you know her?" Fluttershy asked.
"I should, I suppose truth be told, she is my aunt, sister of my mother not of old." Zed winced..he didn't mean to say what he said, but until he could relax, and get to know everyone, he didn't want to reveal he didn't always speak in rhymes.
"Oh wow! That is so cool, you should come and visit, and then I could throw a DOUBLE-ZEBRA PARTY, It's STRIPES ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SKY, What does it mean?? Tell me what does it mean?" Pinkie rambled.
Zed looked at Fluttershy, she simply giggle and they all walked back to the Inn, where Smokey was snoring loudly, covered in food, and Appljack was sweeping the last of the mess.
"Well, howdy there Mr. Zed, how are you doing? I imagine you are tired, so we cleaned up the room we had for Wes in the back, if you'd like to go in there.
"I would very much like that, and If I may, can I speak to the mare I struck? I do owe her an apology." He said without rhyme, although it didn't seem that the mares cared one way or the other if he did that or not.
"Sure thing there partner, but I must warn you, she is a little grumpy. Whatever you did to her got her more worked up then than a pig at feeding time!"
"I heard the pony! *snort ZZZ* Smokey commented.
Zed made his way inside, part of him regretted not just trotting after his friend to the beach, but that wouldn't have solved anything as he was unsure if the creature Wonder had to fight was underwater or not, and either Pony or Zebra, underwater was not the best place to be without air.
Silhouette rose up, and looked over to the visitor at the door, and didn't seem mad, but rather smiled at the stallion in front of her. "You know, besides Wonder..or Wes, for the sake of the mares here, no other stallion has beaten me at fighting, and I must congratulate you for that. That said, I must apologize for hitting you....there...when you woke up"
Zed shuttered, one thing he was glad that no one, beside the two in the room, and Miss Fluttershy knew was why he reacted the way he did. Although, after the events that followed, he would have taken that embarrassment over the violence he witnessed. "It's...no problem Miss Shadow, I should, yes, I should go!"
Silhouette grabbed the panicking Zorse and held him close in a hug, that suddenly turned into a kiss, and whispered, "I like it when guys are tough! Although, maybe not as rough as you were. Soooo....I know he told you about me, and I am curious if he told you anything else," she added...sort of hiding why she was questioning him.
They stood together in the room silently, Zed was rather awkward at what had just happened to him, and Silhouette just waited for answer, Zed tried to answer, but nothing came out as he tried to choose his words carefully. Before anything else happened Pinkie popped up and said "Oh for goodness sake, you already kissed, she wants to be your special somepony! SHE LIKES YOU!"
He heard was what said, and while being rejected by one bat-pegasus was one thing, getting amorous attention from another was a very different feeling. Plus the party mare showing up didn't help his feelings of confusion. He answered the only way he knew how...by fainting.