Tiny clip-clopped back into the main hall and her sight landed upon the closest soldier she saw. She was carrying a stack of small, empty bags towards the castle entrance. Tiny looked curious as to why she needed those but had to dismiss her curiosity as she had something important to take her of.
"Miss!" Tiny politely called out, trotting after the changeling. She didn't even turn her ear. Tiny mumbled a curse, why were all of these changelings so hard to get through to? "Wait up, I need your help!" Tiny asked insistently. The changeling didn't even show a sign of hearing her, Tiny thought she might need to get in front of her to grab her attention. Luckily the drone wasn't in a hurry.
With a short gallop, Tiny sharply cut the changeling off; this time she did look at her,
"Miss, please, I need help!" Tiny asked again.
The drone was giving her a confused stare,
"From me?" she innocently asked with her croaking voice.
"From anyone! I need water and a bucket, and a towel!" The changeling again stared at her in confusion. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you know where I can get some water?"
"Eh... Are you supposed to be here?"
Tiny wanted to cry out in frustration. The drone wasn't even thinking about helping her, the drone was just internally sorting through her instructions to figure out how to handle her. Tiny never, really, met other creatures that she actively didn't want to be around, so this had to be the first.
Tiny knew how to get a changeling to cooperate though,
"Look! I was sent by Queen's healer, she needs water in a bucket and a towel. She is healing Queen's personal maid. You don't want me to tell her that she isn't getting what she needs because you stood here asking stupid questions, do you?"
The changeling's attitude visibly changed: now, she looked down on Tiny with suspicion. Tiny was reasonably sure that her bluff would work because, to the changeling, the risk of not helping her was greater than deviating from her orders.
The changeling considered for a moment more,
"Follow me then," she eventually said and headed back the way she came. Tiny grinned wickedly to herself and followed suit.
They went back to what Tiny assumed would be a store, but actually, it was just a tent where everyone who couldn't find a safe space to sleep underground ended up. The changeling gave her the bucket in the corner; it was empty though, so Tiny had to wait for the drone to fill it with water from their rations slowly. The soldier then gave her a towel from a tiny box that Tiny assumed was personal items, either hers or one of her friends. Tiny was slightly shocked over how nonchalant the soldier was about giving up her own things. Tiny picked all items up with telekinesis and quickened back.
Zecora was still right where Tiny left her - next to Shadow, who was lying on the floor clutching her stomach,
"You are back just in time, what luck! I should have known there would be a need to tuck," zebra lamented, putting her foreleg to Shadow's head. "Her reaction is stronger than ever I won't lie, her fever has gone quite high." Zecora took the towel and soaked it in the bucket. The towel was somewhat large so she folded it several times. Zecora then put it over Shadow's eyes,
"Be still as you can and try to relax, soon your shell will be free of its cracks."
"What did you do to her?" Tiny asked with concern; Shadow was even less responsive than the other changelings she had seen and gave her endless amounts of boring busy work, but she was also very caring and Tiny didn't want her hurt all the same.
"It was a bone growth potion, hurting is part of its function," Zecora explained. "Her bones are outside her body, that might be why her suffering is total."
Tiny was liking this less and less with each passing moment. This zebra was starting to seem like a con-mare to her and she has seen quite a few. Why did Nightmare Moon allow her to experiment on someone she cared for so much? And why did Flurry say that this mare was going to show her what to do? None of this was making sense and Tiny was getting tired of feeling completely lost.
"How do you know Nightmare?" Tiny decided to ask straight, she didn't see why Zecora won't just tell her.
"Knowing her is something I could not pretend, not even through a distant friend," Zecora giggled to herself.
"Then... why are you here?"
"She invited me just as I was cooking my stew, it is safe to assume it is I that she knew."
Tiny wasn't surprised, Nightmare seemed to know everyone,
"So... she just told you to practice on Shadow?"
"I take no orders from lords or those who demand a task completed, to simply ask for help is all that is needed," Zecora said proudly.
"You don't?" Tiny tilted her head. "Everyone else seems to, the first question everyone asks us is what are we going to do."
"On that, I have no doubt. Her intentions were clear to me with an armed scout."
"So, do you like it? You seem like you'd like what Nightmare is doing."
"Be assured I do not, but sometimes it cannot be fought. Nightmare Moon is known for her clarity, I only hope that it extends to charity."
Tiny glanced at Shadow to see if she was alright, the changeling actually seemed to be asleep, at least her breathing was very even.
"Well, she doesn't seem like she wants to hurt anyone," Tiny suggested. "Nightmare always said that killing must have a purpose."
Zecora chuckled sadly at that,
"From what I've seen in my time, a purpose is what takes the most away in their prime."
"I always thought it's bad ponies who hurt other ponies, they don't need a reason, that's why we need soldiers who kill bad ponies."
"Anypony is a bad pony at the right time I fear. Three of my old friends would tell you the same if they were here. One was a wanderer that was skilled in performing; our Princess had to give her a stern warning. The second was a mare of a stormy hour, greatly fond of her firepower. The third one is the saddest tale, underhoved tactics that tended to fail."
Tiny just stared at Zecora, expecting her to perhaps explain but zebra said no more: only a sly grin on her muzzle. This was getting annoying. Apparently, Zecora's manner of speech also involved never answering the question directly. "So, you mean that your friends were bad ponies and deserved to die?" Tiny decided to get it over with.
"Varies from the opposite to not quite. Some of them still stubbornly live despite.."
"You mean they don't want to die?"
"That and much more you are likely not aware… what would you say to your hovel being cleared out by a mare?"
"I don't understand what you are saying," Tiny admitted.
"Allow an old zebra to have fun with her rhyme, you'll have your answer in your own line."
Tiny decided to drop the subject at that, Zecora would just talk in riddles either way.
"So, Nightmare just wants you for your potions? She could have any alchemist she wanted."
"Perhaps she knows I'll do no harm… and for my disarming charm?" Zecora chuckled twice.
"Can you teach me something about alchemy?"
"Alchemy, alchemy... But how can I teach alchemy if that is not what I do? If I were a pony I'd be a unicorn, as healing is zebra magic I tell you."
"I love studying magic!" Tiny perked up.
"Oh, I see no harm in trying, if you could help me with the supplying," Zecora suddenly looked past Tiny. "But that would be a later date, it seems someone else has something to state."
Tiny looked over her shoulder, Daybreaker could be very quiet sometimes...
"Tiny, Nightmare ruled for us to return back to Mount Aris," Daybreaker delivered matter-of-factly. Tiny deeply sighed. "She did allow me to have her spellbook, however," Daybreaker continued in the same manner, demonstrating the familiar folio. "If you behave, I will see what will be useful for you in there."
"Bye, Zecora," Tiny said, lightly disappointed.
"Goodbye, little one. Scurry along and don't forget to have fun," Zecora wished her with a wave.
Tiny followed Daybreaker back out and to the newly drawn teleportation circle in the main hall,
"Will it take long?" Tiny asked.
"Several days. Nightmare orders me to gather her old guard," Daybreaker dryly answered, starting to charge the channeling rods. Tiny hated this part, she always was dizzy afterward. They soon stood inside Twilight's library, Tiny's head was spinning. Didn't they leave through the one at the mountain foot?
"Come," Daybreaker said routinely. "It will be educational for you to witness a muster." Tiny sighed again, this will totally take awhile.