//------------------------------// // Chapter 50 Did she die? // Story: Spike the Knight // by vadram //------------------------------// Did she die? With only a couple minutes till the first of the suns rays peeked over the mountains to the east Imamu exited the cave Spike sitting on his shoulder holding onto his golden hair. “Wow” He said after looking at the view in front of him. The spell circle that had been used to separate Zecora’s consciousness from Apple Bloom’s body, was gone, washed away by the rain that fell some time while Spike was healing in the changeling pod. In it’s place stood a thick carpet of fresh grass, most of it less than one or two inches tall, although from the height Spike was he could only see that the clearing was green. The clearing was surrounded by the thick vegetation of the Everfree. There was no transition from one to another, no sapling or dead trees, no brushed or shrubberies, nothing. It was like a piece of the Everfree was cut out and replaced with a flat lawn, and the forest itself did not dare retake the vacant land. Spike looked pan around. Trees surrounded the clearing, most of them were big enough that giant creatures could be hidden underneath their branches. He continued to pan until he noticed something, a path or a hole in the treeline. The once mighty trees that once stood there were either uprooted and knocked to the sides or broken like some giant beast ran through them. “Oh...” He thought when he realised what, or to be more accurate, who caused all that destruction. “Say Imamu, there is something I was meaning to ask you...” “All in good time,” Imamu interrupted. “Have you given it any thought?” “Huh?” “The fifth.” “The fifth?” “Strength and magic, discipline and luck, but there is one more.” “I’m still thinking.” “Do not worry, there is still time. So what did you want to ask me?” “I don’t know how to put it...” “Just ask the question however you can,” Imamu said with a smile on his face, and a gentle look in his eyes. “Okay, then.” Spike took a deep breath. “Did Zecora die?” Imamu’s smile faded and he turned his face towards the horizon. “Hmm,” he said stroking his hairy chin with his hand. “That depends.” “It depends? On what?” “It depends on what you think is more important. For me the Zecora that will soon arrive and the Zecora that was affected by the... spell, are one and the same. Even if her body was turned to ashes.” “I do not understand.” “It’s not that complicated kid. The way I see it there are three parts that make up a being. The body, the thing we see, is only the container that hold the other two. The mind is the sum of our memories, thoughts and experiences. And the spark which is the thing that bind the two together.” “I get the body and mind thing, but...” “But the spark more tricky. It is different from the other two. It is a stubborn and delicate thing. But it also is more than glue, it is emotion and feelings, it is what make us who we are...” Spike was staring downward, deep in thought. “... it is life...” Imamu went on, “it is... for lack of a better word, it is our soul.” “And that was what was trapped inside Apple Bloom?” “No. It is hard to do anything to the spark. No, only Zecora’s mind was inside Apple Bloom.” “So this Zecora is just a soulless body and a mind?” “OF COURSE NOT!” Imamu yelled angrily. “I WOULD NEVER DO THAT... especially not to her.” He took a minute to calm down. “She...” He took a deep breath. “The ritual was done create a new body for her, but also so we could... call... her soul back.” “So the soul and mind are her own and just the body is not.” Imamu laughed. “Have you shed yet?” Spike was flushed and turned around. “I guess you have. There is no need to be embarrassed by it. We all do it. Insect shed their exoskeleton, reptiles their scales, birds their feathers even mammals shed their hair and skin.” Spike stared at him, his eyes wide and face red. Shedding was a very private, and somewhat embarrassing subject for the dragon, and here the giant simian talked so openly about it. “Kid, I am about to tell you a secret. We all change our bodies from time to time.” Spike’s eyes tried to become even bigger, but unfortunately they could not. “Even if it takes a long time. For us, actually for Kirabo it takes about ten years for his body to be entirely new, for me it takes a little longer. It’s no different for ponies, or zebras. Just think as the body as a bucket filled with balls.” “Balls?” “Yes balls. When you are born all the balls are white. From time to time you take a white ball out of the bucket and replace it with a yellow ball, until no white balls remain. After that you take out a yellow ball and replace it with a red ball, and so on until the bucket you run out of balls.” “Then you die?” “Then you die. But, in Zecora’s case, instead of taking one ball out someone took all the balls out at once.” “Apple Bloom.” “It does not matter who. What we did was fill the bucket again with balls.” “I see. So as long as she has her mind and her soul, the body does not really matter.” “True, but...” “So that means one could become immortal like that.” “More or less. The ritual is not perfect. And as I said the spark is a stubborn and delicate thing. And the ritual kind of forces the thing to return and bind the mind and body together.” “So there are consequences.” “Big and scary ones.” “Like the black blob?” “Yes like...” Imamu paused. “Oh you actually saw it? Hmm interesting.” “What? Why shouldn’t I see it.” “It... Hmm... How to put it... It takes a certain... experience for one to see it.” “But Kirabo saw it! And he cut a piece of it of with his sword.” “He did?” He smiled. “Well then, I guess I should have eaten a bigger breakfast.” “What does breakfast have to do with...” “Shush.” It is almost time. Again Imamu took a deep breath, held it in for a while before releasing it causing waves of wind to be seen rolling through the grass. “I love the smell of nature in the morning.” “Really?” Spike asked as he also took a deep breath before coughing it out and waving his hand in front of his nose. “Smells like AJ’s outhouse.” “I think it smells like victory.” Kirabo said from Imamu’s other shoulder. “Finally decided to join us?” The giant simian said looking at him with the corner of his eye.