//------------------------------// // Chapter Drei // Story: Rough Edges // by NahB //------------------------------// Well, I wasn’t in any pain this time. As I regained consciousness, I figured out that I was moving somewhere. I was laying on my stomach with my limbs bound and my tail tethered to something. I tried to raise my head and found that my neck was partway blocked. Oh, and I was hungry. Great. “Good news,” I said, feeling the words form deep in my throat. “I’m still in Equestria.” I waited a few moments, and when nothing replied, I sighed. “Bad news,” I continued, opening my eyes. I found myself staring out at the road, and it was travelling away from me. Or, more likely, I was travelling backwards. There were walls on either side of me and a ceiling above me – I figured that the damn ponies had procured some sort of wagon while I was out. “A bunch of bucking assholes have captured me and are planning on selling me like a slave,” I yelled, extremely irate. “Shut that stupid drake up,” I heard. This was from that stupid mare that was in charge. Buck her. “Okay,” I heard Robin reply. What had they done to her? What was going on? “How long was I out?” I asked when her cream-colored body came into view. Dammit, stupid mind. Always asking questions in the wrong order. “The entire night. We’ve already left Crescentville.” “Are you okay?” I asked. There we go. Back in the correct order. “Yes. They told me as long as I don’t fight, they won’t harm either of us.” She looked guilty. I shook my head. “Glad they thought me of deserving that much trust.” Robin gave a grimace. I thought it was a grimace – I don’t really know pony expressions all that well, thank you. “Well, they might have, but when you knocked out that unicorn, they decided pretty quickly to restrain you.” Wow, I knocked him out? Awesome. “Cool,” I said, showing my teeth. “One tail knock put him out cold? Dragons are awesome,” I said. Robin just frowned at me. “We could be in serious trouble, and you’re making humor?” “Sorry, Robin, it’s who I am.” At this point, however, she did something weird. She widened her eyes and jerked her head to my right. I narrowed my eyes and opened my muzzle to speak, but she shook her head. “Maybe that’s not quite what we need right now, Zweilous.” She did her motioning thing again. I rolled my eyes over to the right, searching. I found nothing. I looked back to Robin, who took a chance. She stopped and ran her hooves down her face in long strips. I furrowed my brows, still confused. I looked again as she hurried to catch up with the wagon. I was about to look away when something flashed in my vision. “Well, it’s what you’ve got,” remembering to keep the conversation going. Upon closer inspection, I saw a little pony-sized blur in the forest. I focused, and nearly gasped. We were being followed by a Zebra! A zebra that obviously didn’t want to be seen. I looked back at Robin. “Ugh. Well, I hope we find one of the others soon. Sam or Chrissie. Maybe Geoff,” She said in an offhand manner. However, at Geoff’s name, she pointed her head again. Oooooohhhh! The zebra was Geoff! But what in the world was he going to do to get us out of here? After all, he was just one Zebra, and he’d only been a zebra for a day. If he didn’t do something fast, we were going to be sold to someone in the Hoof. Yeah, I’m calling it that. Sue me. Again. Well then. I was a dragon, Robin was a pony, and Geoff was a zebra. If we all followed the same pattern of being different species, what was left? D-Dogs and Griffins and… oh dear. Buffalo, or bison, or whatever you wanted to call them. Or cattle. Ooh, unpleasant thought. Unless you counted earth pony, unicorn and pegasus separate species. Then it might be okay. That made the odds of ending up as a cow far less likely. “Yeah, I’d totally want them in this situation. Captured by a bunch of insensitive FUCKS!” I yelled, forgetting about wanting to switch to “buck”. “Dammit Robin, if you don’t shut that bucking drake up we will tie you up with him and muzzle you both!” the orange bitch said. Again, buck her. “Shut me up yourself, bitch!” I called back to her, angry now. Seriously, I was PISSED. Here this idiot was, insulting me and threatening my friends. I looked at Robin, noting her extreme discomfort (one could call it nervousness, but we went over that), and not feeling any remorse. This was going to happen RIGHT NOW. “Stop the damn cart,” I heard her say, and a few moments after our movement stopped, the orange pony stepped into view. “You really don’t want me to,” she said, glowering at me. “The buck do I care? You’re going to sell me! What’s your name, anyway?” I asked. That caught her off guard – why the hell would I want to know her name? “Why the hell do you want to know my name?” I just glowered at her. “Fine. My name is Orange Grove. Happy?” “Yep. Now I know the name of the nag that I’m going to hunt down once I get free of whomever she’s selling me to.” She stared at me a moment, stunned. “You… you just called me a… nag.” I looked at her and bared my teeth. I hoped I looked ferocious. “A. Bucking. Nag. That’s what you are. Useless as a living being.” She hit me. She hit me! Here we were, engaged in the sacred art of throwing shit at each other, and she broke the damn rules by hitting me! She then ran out of view. I think she was sobbing. Wow, now I almost felt bad. Maybe nag was a worse insult than I thought. Good. Well, not so good. I didn’t feel sorry for her because she was a total bitch, but when she came back she had chains on her back. That clinched it for me – the nag was going to chain my mouth shut. And sorry if I sound pretentious, but I kind of like being able to hear my voice when I want to. “Nope,” I said, and raised my head up straight into the air as far as I could. Robin giggled at that. When Orange looked at Robin, ready to ask why the other pony was laughing, I coughed a fireball at her face. When it collided with her, she was sent flying through the air, and slammed into a tree, hard. Roaring, I began shooting fire at the cart, trying to wreck the thing. Honestly, shooting fire was kind of weird – imagine trying to clear your throat, but instead of air and phlegm being the things used, it was kind of like a muscle, and really hot air. Anyway, the cart began to burn with my strange silvery fire, and Robin had run off into the forest. I heard yelling. As the flames got hotter and hotter (I could feel the heat, but it was actually pleasant, kind of like a hot shower in the morning, just without the water and morning parts), I pulled on the restraints that bound me. After a few moments, I was able to break through them because of the weakening wood on the wagon. That was step one. Step two began when one of the unicorns appeared in my view. That involved me coughing a fireball at that nag too. She met a tree next to Orange, and began sleeping with it. I looked at her and smiled, a pleasure-less showing of teeth. “My, miss unicorn mare, you were awfully quick to start sleeping with mister tree there. Must be a lustful sort,” I chuckled. After a short moment with no activity, I did my best to shuffle out of the cart. I didn’t have to try that hard – just moving was messing the thing up, and pieces of burning wood were falling all over. I looked around, but the only ponies I saw were the two I had assaulted. “Where is-“ I was cut off as a net flew through the air towards me. Instinctively, I shot a claw out, trying to snatch it out of the air. Instinctively, it worked. In practice, I’d been a dragon for a day, so I missed. The annoying thing whipped around my muzzle, snapping painfully tight. I attempted to open my mouth, but found that the thing was annoyingly strong. “Stop!” All of a sudden, zebras, everywhere. Immediately my illogical mind checked their flanks. Yep, they had their own cutie marks, like ponies. Instead of wondering what the flying buck was going on, I was happy to have solved that mystery. “Mmphfmmf. Nnkmmf. MMknnnttk.” That was supposed to be “I’m stopped. Look at me, I can’t talk,” but I obviously couldn’t talk. So, instead of telling them I was ready and willing to be harmless, I just laid down. That’s right, with hostile-looking zebras all ‘round me, I made myself a sitting duck. Dragon. Whatever. “What the hell?” One of the stallions to my front asked. “Why’s he just sitting there?” “Maybe because I’m right and he doesn’t want to fight?” Ohmygosh that was Geoff. I should have figured – he was the only one without jewelry. “Gmmf!” I exclaimed, looking at him. He smiled at me. “Jason,” he said. “Seriously, guys, stand down,” he looked around with an irate look on his face. To my surprised, they actually stopped converging on me. Geoff trotted up to me and put a hoof to the net. At his touch, it slid off as if it had never been stuck on my mouth in the first place. Of course, this was an opportunity I could not possibly pass up. Best moment for a one-liner ever! “…Can I get up now without getting mauled?” Dammit. I get so few opportunities! “Slowly,” the stallion next to Geoff said. I slowly got to my feet (on all fours, but whatever, I like my phrases), and looked around. Seven zebras, three being mares. Each stripe pattern was slightly different, ignoring the cutie marks. I focused my attention on Geoff and smiled. At that, he backed away a few steps, and all the zebras looked a little more hostile. “Oops, sorry. Not used to smiling being intimidating,” I said, lowering my lips. At that, a couple more zebras appeared out of the woods, dragging some ponies along. Robin came behind them. “Robin, you’re okay!” I said, resisting the urge to bound over to her. She smiled at me. Well, that was three of us. Three of five. Chaos still hadn’t shown his stupid face here, either. I took stock. Thirteen zebras, including Geoff. 6 unconscious ponies, including the two I’d knocked out. Robin. Me. Well then, time to find out what was going on. “What in the wide world of sports is a-goin’ on here?” I asked sweeping my gaze around and flaring my wings out. I seriously wanted to be able to go an hour without getting knocked out without knowing what was going on. “These zebras are part of the Peace Corps,” Geoff told me. “They rove around in bands, looking to stop bounty hunters, thieves or other such groups form doing their… nefarious… deeds.” I looked around me again. “Well, thank you,” I said. They just looked at me harshly. “Um. Yeah. How-“ “If our business here is concluded, we are leaving,” the stallion said, pointing a hoof at the two ponies I had knocked out. Some zebras went over and secured them. “Thank you so much,” Geoff said to them, and the stallion who had spoken before nodded. With a wave of a hoof, they took off in the direction we had come, leaving just Geoff, Robin, and I to fend for ourselves. We stared after them for a moment, and I shook my head. “How’d you fall in with that bunch? And seriously, Peace Corps? They beat up those ponies!” He shook his head, mane flying. “It’s just a name. Yesterday, when I woke up as a zebra, besides being very, very confused, I was also in the middle of the path. They came upon me as I was trying to learn how to walk, and I explained myself to them. It was then that they mentioned your group here, and I put two and two together. I snuck into the hotel they were staying at last night to talk to Robin. Thanks for getting them to stop, by the way.” I shook my head in response, amused. “Unfortunately, we don’t know where Sam or Chrissie are,” Robin put in. “What do we do?” I looked around me again. What could we do? It would likely be a good idea to find the missing pair. But how to do that? We needed gear, we needed information, and most importantly, we needed some sort of map. “I think we should continue on to the Hoof. Anyone got any bits?” Geoff tugged on a little bag I’d missed before. “They gave me some bits for helping them figure out what to do. Why?” “We need a map, and some travelling gear.” I responded. We really did. “Why don’t we get going? Not sure how much farther it’ll be.” Both equines nodded, and we all turned to start. “Soo…” Robin started as we walked. I had to make my strides more drawn out so the others wouldn’t fall behind, me being taller and all that. “Zweilous? Really, a Pokémon?” “What about it?” Geoff asked, confused. I chuckled. Nice to have someone know where I got it from. “It’s what I’m calling myself now,” I chuckled, looking at Geoff as he took an “ooooohhhh!” expression. He tossed his head. “Better than Jason. Seriously a terrible name for a dragon.” “I know!” I said, glad to have someone else think so. “So how long do you guys think we’ll be here? I know, for one, that I’m not too terribly interested in returning to Earth.” They were silent a moment, and I was just about to look back at them when Robin spoke up. “I’m not really sure. And I’m not sure if I want to stay, either. I mean, Earth wasn’t great to me… but it wasn’t bad to me either.” “I’d have to say the same,” Geoff said. They were entitled to their own thoughts. Given a choice, I’d gladly stay here in Equestria. It was a lifestyle I had long pondered, and hoped that I would one day achieve, against all hope. Yet here I was. “I don’t have a lot tying me back home,” I said, looking up to the sky. “Honestly, everything I could want is here. A life to myself, the ability to live how I want, ability to fly…” I trailed off, making my point. I really did like it here – even though I’d already been attacked by violent ponies – “Robin, what happened to the other ponies? Weren’t there more yesterday?” “They stopped at Crescentville, disagreeing with the bounty hunters’ thoughts on selling us.” I smiled. Good to know that there were, in fact, good ponies. Two sides to every coin. When you really thought about it, a world like the Equestria portrayed in the show couldn’t really sustain itself. Hell, Ponyville had no idea what a Zebra was, an intelligent creature like them. You had meat eaters, Griffins, Dragons and D-Dogs, and the plant-eaters, the ponies and the zebras. There was bound to be conflict. Then something occurred to me. “Cases like us,” I mused. “Does that mean that there have been others like us?” “I don’t know,” Geoff replied. “I talked to the zebras, they said that the notice had been sent out just two years ago – any travelers from worlds NOT Equestria were to be brought to the royal embassy for a reward.” “Probably had something to do with Chaos showing the place to other worlds,” Robin suggested. I huffed, thinking about it. It sounded right. After a little while of small talk, buildings started to break over the horizon. We began to encounter ponies on the road who quickly moved as far away as possible on the road when they spotted me. This was bound to be annoying. Finally, we made it to where the buildings began to pick up off the ground. We saw a few (the writing was English, at least, or perhaps we’d learned to read Equestrian when Chaos sent us here), but not the kind of shop we were searching for. “What’re you freaks doing here?” That caught my attention. The entire place was filled with ponies – we had to be the creatures in question. I whirled to face the idiots who thought it’d be a good idea to threaten a dragon. I came face-to-face with an angry-looking pegasus with ugly-looking shoes on his hooves, likely Equestria’s version of brass knuckles. Behind him were seven other pegasi, all equally dirt bag-looking. “Minding our own business, like a certain chicken should.” “You calling me a chicken, lizard?” Shit. I really need to reign in (hah!) on the insults if I was going to get along here. But I’d already thrown it out there – I’d need to back myself up or I’d look weak and we’d make a bigger scene than was already being made. “Yes, I am, stupid turkey. You really think it’s wise to call a dragon half again your size a ‘lizard’ and a ‘freak’?” To make my point, I coughed out a quick gout of flame onto the ground next to him. He stared at me a moment, then backed away in a manner that didn’t look like retreating. I gotta give it to him – that probably took a lot of practice. “Stupid flying lizard. You watch your back.” With that, the doofus and his seven lackeys flew off in the direction of the larger buildings, greater Hoofington. I shook my head and looked at Geoff and Robin. “Keep your eyes open. Lemme know if you see any scummy-looking pegasi so I won’t be taken by surprise. Oh, look, here’s our place.” I was glad I’d decided to look up at the store in front of me – a sign with “Travelling gear, Camping gear, pranking gear” listed on it was painted in a garish orange on a black sign. I had to stoop to do so, but I entered the store. “Welcome to Woods Goods, how-ow-ow-ow-drake-ow may I help you?” A stallion stuttered upon seeing me. Geoff entered behind me, followed by Robin. “Just some gear,” Geoff said, giving me a look. Fine, I’d let him speak. “I’ll just go wait outside,” I said, frowning. I backed out of the store and looked around, both annoyed and amused at the nervous looks I got. From the reactions, I took it that while dragons were rare in the Hoof, it wasn’t unheard of for one to come to the city. “What brings you to Hoofington?” A voice from my left asked in a tone that I could have recognized in my sleep. I looked to my left to have it confirmed – yep, right next to me inquiring about my presence was none other than a white unicorn mare with a well-cared-for violet mane. Rarity man. Bucking Rarity. Of course, I couldn’t let on that I knew her – I didn’t want to risk another encounter with bounty hunters. “Just some shopping, Madame,” I replied, ever the gentleman (or was it gentledrake now?). “Ah! It’s rare to see a dragon in Hoofington, and even rarer to see one with manners like yours.” She looked away and did that thing with her eyebrows I always found hilarious. I needed to be careful, though. “It’s rare to see someone as cultured as you in a place like the Hoof as well, my lady. May I inquire as to your name?” You want fancy-talk? I GIVE YOU FANCY-TALK. She looked surprised at my inquiry. Or my manner. I didn’t know. “Why, I am Rarity. I’m in town for a couple of weeks for some shows highlighting my clothing. Normally, I hail from the Canterlot area.” Hah. I guess Ponyville technically was from the ‘Canterlot Area’. Or maybe she’d moved there. I dunno. “I’m called Zweilous. Pleasure to meet you, Rarity. I’m just in the Hoof to get some travelling gear with my companions before heading out again.” “Companions? Might I ask with whom you are travelling?” “I am roving around with a zebra stallion and an earth pony mare, both inside this shop here. I didn’t think my presence in such a small building would be prudent,” I responded, being as truthful as possible. Normally, I really don’t speak like I’m highfalutin’, but hey, it’s really fun if you actually get to occasionally without looking like a total ass. “Ah! I often envy travelers like yourself, living the life of adventure. Well, I have a schedule to keep, but it was a pleasure to meet you!” And just like that, she sauntered away into the crowds back towards downtown. A few moments after her departure, I let out a *squee* sound, which caused some passing ponies to look at me like I was out of my gorram mind. I probably was. I heard a door open, and Robin and Geoff exited the store behind me. They were both garbed in coats with tons of pockets, and were carrying bags of… well, I don’t know, the bags were closed. Sue me. “Ready?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. They nodded, their mouths full. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the bags from them and tossed them around my neck. The things were quite lightweight. They both smiled thankfully, and we started leaving. “Oh, by the way, I just met Rarity.” “What!?” They both exclaimed, stopping and staring at me. I chuckled at their responses. “Yeah, she just said hello to me. We made some small talk, and she went downtown.” “Yeah, haha. Nice one,” Geoff said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Robin just smiled and turned forward again However, just as we hit open road, Geoff was hit from behind by a blur. He tumbled past us, and I recognized one of the pegasi from before. “Nopony insults our gang and gets away with it!” I heard, just before a hoof smacked me in the side, doing no harm whatsoever. I would have laughed, but instead got angry as they started teaming up on Robin and Geoff, both doing their best to flail around and hit their aggressors. I was really tired of violence. I’m normally a very passive person who hates violence in all its forms, but FUCKING HELL, these ponies just wouldn’t stop. “GOOD THING I’M NOT A PONY!” I thundered, swiping a pair of pegasi out of the air with my muscular tail. I quickly lunged to Robin and punched her attackers in the head, putting them out of the fight. I turned towards Geoff as two of his attackers lunged at me. I caught both and cracked their heads together, as if I was in some stupid cartoon. Wait, buck, I was. Seeing his entire troupe go down, the leader suddenly grabbed something flashy from his coat and held it to Geoff’s throat. “Come any closer, and the zebra’s lifeblood meets dirt,” he said while holding the knife there with a hoof. I glared at him. No, I didn’t glare at him. I GLARED at him. I could feel my rage building inside me. It’s happened before, where I just get so mad that I have to fight to keep it in me. I’ve only let it out once before, and the asshole on the receiving end of my punch had a bruise for two weeks. This time, I was a dragon, and this… this shitter was holding a knife to one of my friends’ throats. I felt something growing in me, something other than anger, as my breathing quickened. The pegasus’ eyes widened as he stared at me, and began to shake. All of a sudden, Geoff bit his lip and a drop of red appeared on the knife. “GET. OFF. OF. THAT. ZEBRA.” I thundered. What happened was not at all what I expected – I felt this whoosh from within me, and the pegasus that had been holding the knife to Geoff’s neck was suddenly blasted away from his position by an unseen force. The pony slammed into a tree behind him and fell to the ground, unconscious.