Twilight, followed by Flash and Solar, started walking on the trail on the edge of the Everfree forest.
Flash shuddered, remembering the rumors and myths he had heard about the animals that lived in the foiliage, hidden.
Solar was not nervous at all, he had traveled through the forest many times and knew how the animals acted. He could sense if they were near or farther away. That skill took some time to hone and he had the scars to prove it.
Twilight turned her head to the two stallions, "Before you meet Zecora, I must warn you that she talks in rhyme, so it's sometimes hard to talk to her.
Solar smiled, " I guess it's a good thing that I'm good at riddles."
"I'm alright, I guess. I can sometimes figure out Discords riddles," Flash said as a small hut became visible.
Twilight knocked on the door and it was opened by a young zebra. Twilight looked confused.
"Umm. Do you know where Zecora is?"
The young zebra mare nodded and waved them inside. The inside looked like an museum filled with items that suited Zecoras culture.
Solar was busy looking around that he didn't realize a different zebra mare until they collided.
"I'm sorry wasn't looking where I was going," said Solar as he picked himself off the ground.
He turned to help the pony he hit when he stopped, his eyes widening.
Another zebra mare had joined them and Solar could see that she was a few years older than the other. She was black and white (duh) and had gold rings around her neck and legs. She also had a cutie mark that resembled the sun, but it was swirled, showing her talent was brewing. She might of not been the first zebra he met, but she was drop-dead gorgeous.
He helped her up, all while slightly blushing, but everypony took that as embarrassment.
Twilight walked up to the older mare and hugged her, "Hi Zecora. Who is this friend of yours?"
"This is my younger sister from my land,she is come to visit with certain plans. " Zecora said with a air of firmness directed to the younger zebra.
"You must excuse my older sister. She means well but she is overprotective," said the unnamed mare," My name is Lisera, my special talent is magic."
Twilight looked at the mare, puzzled, "How can you do magic? You don't have a horn that I can see".
Lisera smiled, "Zebras magic comes from our eyes. They glow when we use magic. Zecora has magic since her talent is potions and brewing. She just is very picky when she uses it."
Twilights eyes widened, "So that's how you knew so much about magic. I was wondering the whole time you were training me against Trixie."
Zecora nodded, "It is true that have magic, but when I use it during brewing, the result is quite tragic."
"Not to be rude or anything," said Flash to Zecora, "But why do you speak in ryhme while your sister doesn't?"
Twilight aimed a hoove at the back of Flash's head but Zecoras answer stopped her.
Zecora sighed, "The story of why I speak in ryhme is the worst, it was done to me by an ancient curse."
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Zebrican Country 10 years in past
The small village was quiet, all that could be heard is the Everfree Forest surrounding it.
The village was made up of many huts. It had fires crackling surrounded by zebra stallions talking quietly.
A young zebra mare in a cloak was going around the outside of the village, hoping to not be seen by the village guard. When she made it to the edge of the forest she ran the rest of the way to not be seen.
Zecora decided after a while to stop and catch her breath. She sat down and took a drink of water from her saddle bag. She looked around and saw that she was going the right way.
She was only about 11 years of age, she had already gotten her cutie mark that said she was supposed to be the next shaman in the village. but that had changed when another filly in the village had gotten a shaman cutie mark. The village decided that the spirits knew what would happen and that they would sort it out.
Zecora was determined to be the next shaman so she decided when the opportunity showed up she would take it to prove to others she was the rightful mare to take the role.
The opportunity came soon as the tribe leader’s wife became sick, they had tried everything to make her better but nothing worked. Everypony knew of a cure, but were scared to get it.
A couple miles out of the village there sat an old house where an evil sorceress lived. She was said to have a plant that she created that could heal any ailment and illness. But the price was more than anyone would choose. It was directed to their worst nightmare.
Zecora was determined to steal some of the plant and plant it in the village to prove that she was a worthy mare.
Zecora turned a corner and saw the house. She ducked and moved slowly towards the back, where it was known to have the sorceress’s garden. When Zecora got their she saw a variety of weird plants but saw one that looked like the plant described by the townsfolk. It was a purple flower that glowed gold and had blue spots. Zecora went closer to the plant mesmerized by its beauty.
She started to put her hoove towards it when she heard a great bang.
“WHO DARES STEAL FROM THE GREAT SORCERESS?!?!?"
Zecora froze and backed into a plant that grabbed her hooves and held her tight as she struggled. She stopped struggling when she heard hooves walking across the hard uneven ground.
"So we have a thief trying to steal my precious herbs," said a scratchy female voice,"so tell me thief, why?"
A mare was now visible and she was a zebra as well but with changes. She had a long scar on the side and she wore a robe of emerald cloth that glittered when she moved.
Zecora was so scared at first she didn't say anything. The witch got impatient and slammed her hoove down creating sparks. Zecora quickly told of her village chiefs wife and how she was trying to help and she was only going to take enough to prove her worth to the village.
The witch listened quietly and intently at Zecoras story. When Zecora was done the witch nodded and waved her hoove at the plants, causing them to retreat.
"I see no lies here. Your intentions were pure but your way of getting ingredients was not. Yes. I will give you the ingredient you desire but a curse will plague you till you complete a task."
Zecora nodded, "Thank you, but what of the curse?"
"Once you return to your village, you must brew your potion and save the mare. When that is done you must leave your village and when you leave you will be forced to talk in rhyme."
Zecora was horrified, leaving the village? Being forced not to talk normally? There must be some way to break this.
"Is there a way to break the curse?" Zecora asked the sorceress.
"Yes, but it includes your greatest fear," Zecoras eyes widened, she knew what that was.
"Please don't take that away, it's what I have dreamed of."
"I won't take it away, it will only happen when you meet them and try to talk normally. When you do, then you'll know what to do."
"Thank you," said Zecora, "you are wise and you have your reasons."
"Now make your leave and don't return unless you come to me friendly and ask for herbs instead of taking them," said the sorceress as she disappeared.
Zecora looked around and saw no sign of the witch except a small basket that had the ingredients she desired.
She ran back to her village and made the brew. She saved the chief's wife and proved herself. But she had a promise to fulfill. She left her village, never to return unless the curse was broken.
She traveled many weeks to find her new home. At one point she found a tree. It was old and hollowed out, but she knew a spell to make it healthy and strong. She cast her spell as her eyes glowed and the tree mended and corrected itself.
When she was done, Zecora left a space for her door and went inside. It was a new start for her. She knew of a town named Ponyville not far from her new home. She would go there tomorrow. She laid down on a simple mat of grass and slept.
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"You know how the rest goes, the town would flee every time I tried to get a stove," said Zecora with a small bit of sarcasm.
"Well we are glad to be your friends now," said Twilight, " I'm sorry but we must be going. The day has gone so fast and it's already dinner time. Would you like to join us Zecora?"
Zecora shook her head, "No I have matters to deal with here, just make sure he is back when the sun is clear."
"Ok, let's go guys," Twilight said to the stallions.
They got up and Lisera showed them out, "Have a good day," she said to Twilight. She then looked back to Flash and said, "You can come back any time you want".
Flash blushed and Twilight's eyes shone wth anger, Lisera saw this and sighed.
"Ah, he is spoken for. My luck, well have a good day to you all".
Solar just looked at the two as they walked backed to Ponyville.
"What just happened? Did she say I could train with her and what was Lisera talking about?"
"Uhhh she did say that you could work with her after the rain storms stop tomorrow, and I don't know what Lisera meant" said Twilight, " let's get to town before the rain starts".
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Zecora excused herself for the night and thought about the stallion she saw. She would have to teach him many things, but that wasn't the case going through her head.
She was actually thinking about him. He could be the one to break her curse. He could be the one she dreamed of. She swore she would never try again but the temptation was to strong.
She took a deep breath and tried to speak,"I am looking for someone I love, and I need to break the curse".
Zecoras eyes shot open and teared up. He was the one.