//------------------------------// // Chapter Twelve: Spirits and Spells // Story: Magic Song // by TwiLanes //------------------------------// CHAPTER TWELVE: Spirits and Spells Twilight was starting to get a little sore from running all night, but she was determined to press on. The Samarea Desert was one of the largest deserts in the world – that much she knew for certain – and she’d calculated that, galloping at full speed, it would take about ten to twelve hours to cross the thinnest portion. Luckily, the zebra tribes’ traditional summer campsites were across that thinnest portion, in the exotic savannah. “How…much…farther?” Kin panted beside her. Twilight felt bad that Grojband had to test their strength this much, and so quickly. They’d barely been ponies for three days, and the exertion was getting to them faster than it was to any of the Equestrians. “I think just a couple of miles before we reach the plains,” Twilight called back, the words faint through her face cover and over the wind. “Hang on. We can rest when we get out of the desert.” Rainbow Dash dove from overhead, checking in with Twilight again. “Nothing ahead yet,” she yelled. “Not a single light. Twi, seriously, please let me fly farther ahead than Zecora and Applejack! I know I could see it if I just went a little faster –” “We have to stay together, Rainbow,” Twilight said. “If you can’t fly farther ahead, why not just fly farther up?” Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment. Then, muttering “Why didn’t I think of that?” she swooped into the starlit sky, presumably to get a Pegasus-eye view of the surrounding country. Twilight hoped she wouldn’t decide that it was a good time for a nap while she was up there. After a few more minutes, Rainbow Dash came back down and landed, running, next to the unicorn. “There was something in the distance,” she said, “but I couldn’t get a good look at it from that height. I’m gonna go back up in a couple of miles.” “Great! Go and tell Zecora, will you?” Twilight replied. “She’ll want to know.” As Rainbow Dash zipped off again, Twilight’s mind turned to the zebra encampment. Zecora had only made fleeting mentions of her homeland, even on the train, where they’d had two days to come up with a plan. Therefore, Twilight had very little idea of what the savannah, or even the zebras living there, would be like. Would it be small? Large? Quiet or bustling? I wonder if they all speak in rhymes, like Zecora does, she thought absently. I should have asked her before. She was also worried about how a large number of foreign ponies would be accepted in the zebra community. Sure, they were accompanied by a zebra, but Zecora had lived in Equestria for years. Would they just welcome an estranged member of their tribe back at the drop of a hat, one accompanied by strangers from a distant land? Twilight was shaken out of her thoughts by another sudden appearance from Rainbow Dash. “She says that we should stop and regroup outside the desert, before we get there,” Rainbow reported, slowing down. “She has something to tell us, about a custom or something.” “She said that?” “No, she said something much more rhymey. I paraphrased.” Twilight grinned and rolled her eyes. “Thanks. Try and pass it along,” she said. The scarves she was wearing were also making it harder to breathe, but at least they kept out sand that she could choke on. As Rainbow Dash disappeared for the third time, Twilight gave the news to Kin, who seemed extremely grateful. With the thought of stopping for a break in her mind, the rest of the dash across the desert seemed miraculously short. Gritty sand gave way to thin, soft grass, and Twilight’s strides shortened until she was trotting, then walking, then standing by Zecora’s intricate wooden cart. Kin collapsed on the ground, murmuring something to himself that sounded like “I will never run long distances again.” Applejack was talking a long gulp of cider from one of her remaining bottles, and the remaining ponies were running in from behind them while Rainbow Dash flew overhead, offering unnecessarily angry encouragement. Eventually, everypony had made it to the grassland, and was seated or lying down for a short rest. “How’s everypony doing?” Twilight asked, measuring out her breaths to calm her body down. “I’m fine. Got another hundred miles left in me,” Rainbow boasted. “Can’t say the same for Grojband.” “Well, cut us some slack. We don’t run that far or that often back home in Peaceville,” Laney snapped back. “Why? Don’t you ever want to exercise?” Rainbow said teasingly, flapping up a couple of feet into the air, just out of the tiny unicorn’s reach. “Calm down already!” Corey said, yanking on Laney’s tail to keep her from leaping up and strangling Rainbow. “We’ve got bigger problems. Where’s Zecora?” “I am right here, so have no fear.” The zebra emerged from behind her wagon, an old-looking scroll between her teeth, and Twilight had to repress the urge to snatch it and study it for science. Zecora set in on the grass in the middle of the group and unrolled the paper, exposing ancient ink to the open air. “The grounds we seek are west of here,” she said, pointing with a forehoof. “But worry not, we are quite near.” “Good! How much longer will we have to run?” Kon asked. “Not much farther, my little friend. The camp lies at the river’s end.” Zecora drew a circle around a thin blue line on the map. “We have less than ten miles of ground to cross. We must move on before more time is lost.” “Are we ready to keep goin’?” Applejack asked, standing back up and flexing a leg. “’Cause Ah think Ah can run fer a little longer -” "Wait." Zecora's gaze alone stopped the farmpony from dropping into a running crouch on the grass. "I have one more thing to say. Formality is the zebra way. If you are courteous and fair, expect help to be offered there, but please be warned - if you are not, they may just leave you here to rot." There was an uncomfortable pause. Twilight felt a shiver snake down her spine. "Well, that was cheerful," said Kin. "Mind your p's and q's or die!" "Anypony else feel just a little bit insulted by that?" Rainbow Dash muttered. "It was a fair warning, Zecora," Twilight broke in, sending a pointed glance at Rainbow herself. "Being polite is important anyway, but we just need to be extra gracious to our hosts if we want them to help us. That should be easy enough to remember." The sky-blue Pegasus huffed. "Fine, I'll be on my best behavior." "Pinkie Promise?" Rainbow groaned louder, but reluctantly performed the motions: "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." "That's the spirit!" Pinkie squealed, hoof-bumping Kon. "Well, if'n we're ready to move on now..." Applejack's eyes were greener than usual in the darkness. "Ah'm pretty sure Ah can see th' campfire light over that way. We'd better giddy-on-up." “Hold on!” Corey had been staring at Laney all through the conversation, but something seemed to have finally occurred to him. He looked around, worried. “Lanes, where’s your hair clip?” The green unicorn looked up at the curtain of reddish hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. “Oh! Heh, I didn’t even notice. I guess I’ll just have to go without –” “No, wait!” Corey said, concentrating. “You had it just a minute ago, when we were running. It has to be nearby.” “Whatever are you doing, darling?” Rarity asked, but Corey didn’t even acknowledge her. He took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut, though Twilight could sense them moving behind his eyelids. The earth shifted beneath the orange unicorn, and, suddenly, his horn lit up. Everyone went quiet in the wake of Corey's magical aura. It cast a blue glow over the smooth grass, and a snakelike tendril curled out from his horn's tip, roving over the ground and back into the desert. After a second of searching, the tendril stopped, wrapped around something in the sand, and arced back cross the night sky, coming to rest at Corey’s hooves. There was no sound until the blue tendril had completely disappeared. “Whoa.” Laney’s mouth gaped as Corey opened his eyes, picked the hair clip up in his teeth, and trotted over to her. He swiftly and gently clicked the clip into place and sat back on his haunches, admiring his accomplishment. Then, turning to a certain cyan Pegasus, Corey smiled a cocky smile and said, “Not bad for an alien, huh, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow was speechless. Twilight herself was extremely impressed - she hadn't expected Corey or Laney to pick up on magic at all in the short time they'd been in Equestria, and even though his technique was unusual, it was still something. Not that they had time to focus on it right away. To break the awkwardness of it all, Twilight stood and clapped her forehooves together. “Okay, we’d better get to the river. It’s close to midnight, and at this rate, we’ll never get to the zebras on time. Come on, everypony!” Zecora rolled her map up and placed it back into the cart. “Twilight has a point, my friends. We must get to the camp before the night ends.” As the ponies got up and repacked their saddlebags, a few gathered around Corey, congratulating him. “That was spectacular, darling!” Rarity marveled, her eyes fixed on Corey’s horn. “And with not a single bit of practice, either! I am impressed.” Corey blushed, tugging his blue and green scarf from his face. “It was nothing, really.” “It was actually very nice,” Fluttershy said, smiling. “I’m so jealous,” Kin said. “I wish I’d gotten a horn.” “I’ll be glad to teach you and Laney some more basic spells,” Twilight told the stallion approvingly, “but we’d better get to the zebra camp first, and find out what they can do to help us.” “Thanks, Twi!” Corey said, adjusting his orange cap. “Hey, I'd like..." He hesitated. “Um, can we break out of our buddies now? Rarity is being kind of…clingy.” Twilight pushed him toward his friends. “Go ahead,” she said. “You four deserve some time alone.” As Corey, relieved, trotted off toward the rest of Grojband, Pinkie Pie appeared at Twilight’s shoulder. “Oh, I so ship them,” she sighed. The unicorn blinked. “What?” “Oh, nothing,” Pinkie said. “You wanna run with me?” It took about ten minutes to get to the river, and at least a half hour after that to get to the zebra camp. Twilight’s hooves were throbbing more than ever. Sure she was a born Equestrian, but unicorns were not made as sturdily as Pegasi or Earth ponies. At least she was quiet about it. “Oh, I am positively achy,” Rarity moaned. “I think I have a stitch in my side.” “Quit whining, will ya?” Rainbow Dash grumbled. She was still a little sore about Corey's teasing, although she definitely wasn’t sore physically. The Pegasus still flew overhead, occasionally moving higher above to check on the groups’ progress. “We have just a mile or so to go before we get to the campsite. You’re fine.” “I will complain all I want, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said haughtily. “I have not gotten my beauty sleep, and that is a problem you all will have to deal with tomorrow morning.” THUD. Rarity ran face-first into Zecora’s cart, which had stopped only seconds before. “Ouch!” the unicorn cried, rubbing her muzzle with a forehoof. “That was unexpected.” “Ssh,” Zecora whispered, looking around the side of the cart and placing her own forehoof to her lips. “We must be very wary. When armed, the zebras can be scary.” She unwrapped her headscarf and tossed it gently into the back of the wagon, then disappeared in front of it again. Corey, Laney, Kin, and Kon ran up, followed by Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Um…why are we stopping so soon?” the butter-yellow Pegasus whispered. “We’re here,” Twilight breathed, smiling at her shy friend. “Look.” In front of them, down a softly sloping hill, was a large array of tents and huts spread in a circular pattern around a central campfire. Torches sputtered at regular intervals. There were small figures moving around the fire, casting huge shadows over the camp, and Twilight had to shudder; the dance was halfway between beautiful and frightening, accompanied by vocals and haunting drumbeats. Zecora started down the hill, her wagon rumbling softly behind her on the smooth ground. Twilight followed, aware of her duty to be close to the front, since she was technically in charge of the Equestrian ponies. She was excited, but still nervous. The zebras could choose to be extremely hostile, especially because they were intruding on a ceremony that was most likely one of the tribes’ most sacred. It took a lot to keep the Twilight moving forward, but she had to - for Grojband. She just had to. The closer they got to the edge of the camp, the faster Twilight’s heart beat, until she was sure it was going to push its way out of her mouth. The zebras’ drums pounded in her hooves and vibrated in the ground. She looked back at Laney, who was wide-eyed, and Corey, who was flicking his tail in time with the music. They don’t seem so nervous, Twilight chided herself. Try to act more like them. As the group neared the village center, Zecora at its head, the drums gained volume and emotion, threatening to drown out the newcomers. The fire flickered more brightly, and the humming of the earth beneath them seemed to expand into the air. With every hoofstep, Twilight could feel the tension building and the number of eyes that rested on them growing. Then, without warning, the dancing and drumming stopped. A tall zebra that stood near the fire stepped forward and flicked his hood from his head. He had thick, dark-grey stripes and gold rings hanging about his neck and ears. A bone clasp held his cloak together. His eyes were a severe shade of brown, and they looked judgingly on Zecora as she stood before him. “Little shaman, long since dead, what makes you return to the life you once led?” What do you know? At least this one rhymes. And speaks Equestrian, Twilight thought. Zecora, to her credit, didn’t look away. “I come bringing friends who seek your aid. A threat against their safety was made.” The zebra gestured at the four ponies who called themselves Grojband. “Please do not turn them away. They have traveled far through night and day.” The elderly zebra bowed his head. “Why should we help friends of yours? When you wronged us, we closed our doors.” “Zahan, this is not the time to wait. We must act before it’s too late.” “Please.” Twilight could hardly believe it, but she had stepped forward, and was kneeling before the elderly zebra, head bent in deference. “This is really important to us. We have friends from another world who need a way home.” Keeping her eyes closed, the unicorn let out a breath. What am I doing? I should be letting Zecora do the talking. Stupid, stupid Twilight… She started when the zebra's hoof reached under the chin, lifting her head so their eyes met. “You are brave, young mare. We will assist. But ancient scores must not be missed.” Zahan let go of Twilight and turned back to Zecora, sighing deeply. “Your zebra friend has left behind our ways. For this, she must be fined. Take her,” he said, calling two zebra warriors over to Zecora’s side. “Search her cart, and then she must be purified again.” The warriors closed in on Zecora, spears held high, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash had latched onto the back of our cart. “What’re you doin’?” the Earth pony grunted, hooves digging into the soft soil. “You can’t take Zecora away!” Rainbow Dash yelled. A murmur rippled through the crowd of zebras. Twilight blinked in surprise, fear once again replacing Zahan's reassurances, and she shouldered her way back to the cart. Zecora must have had more reason to leave her tribe than I'd previously thought. “Zecora?” Another voice shouted in accented Equestrian from near the first row of huts. A male zebra was hurrying forward, a filly on his back, frantically pushing through the crowd. “Zecora? Is that really you?” “Zamale, yes, I am the one,” Zecora called to him, then wrenched herself out of the cart’s harness. “Ponies, let go – this must be done.” Applejack gripped the edge of the cart more tightly. “Zecora, no! Wait - Hey, Twi, what're -” Twilight smacked Applejack’s hoof away from the cart. “We’d do best to abide by their rules if we want any help,” she hissed. Then she whipped her head around to look at Rainbow Dash. “And that goes for you too.” Reluctantly, Applejack released the cart, and Rainbow followed suit. Twilight realized with a pang that Zecora had known all along that this would happen, from the moment she had suggested bringing the ponies to her homeland. If she came expecting this...wow. She was willing to save ponies she only just met for this. “Equestrians, I welcome you to our land. You seem to be a merry band. But our ceremony we need to end. You may sit and watch as friends.” Zahan extended a forehoof, pointing at the zebra who had rushed forward so carelessly before. “My son will welcome you tonight; you may stay at his home until it’s light.” The younger zebra bowed his head to the older one. “As you wish, my father.” As the younger zebra started to lead the Equestrians away, Twilight mentally dissected what had just happened. We’ve been welcomed as guests into the zebra tribe, the opposite of what I thought might happen, she thought. But Zecora’s definitely had trouble here in the past, and she chose to bring us here despite that. Oh, Celestia, I hope she's all right. The zebra filly that sat atop their guide’s back turned to stare at the visitors with wide eyes, angled like Zecora’s. “Baba,” she said, tugging on her father’s spiky mane. “Who are they?” “We shall soon see,” replied the male zebra, pushing aside a worn curtain and ushering the Equestrians into a large hut. “Inside, a moment, please.” Fluttershy ducked inside, followed by Rarity and Applejack, then Kin and Kon. Pinkie Pie was chewing on something as she bounced inside (Twilight thought it would be better not to ask). Corey and Laney went in together and Rainbow Dash went after them, glancing suspiciously at their backs. “Rainbow!” Twilight hissed, yanking at her friend’s tail. “Are you seriously still worried about the band? They’ve proved themselves trustworthy so far, don’t you think?” “That’s how they do it, though,” Rainbow Dash said, leaning in to Twilight. “They get you super comfortable with them that you trust them completely, and then, when you’re not scared anymore…” “Please come inside,” the zebra said, coughing lightly. “We’ll talk later,” Twilight said, then slipped inside. The hut was cozy and dark, its walls draped in patterned cloth and decorative masks like the ones in Zecora's hut. With only a little squeezing, everypony fit inside comfortably around a small wood stove. Twilight stood extra close to Rainbow Dash, just in case. “I humbly welcome you to the summer camp of the Umawe tribe. I am Zamale, son to our shaman Zahan and brother to Zecora Ngela.” The zebra lifted down the little filly and set her on the floor. “This is my daughter Zuri. We are honored to have you staying with us.” “You’re Zecora’s brother?” Corey asked, sharing a look with Laney. “Yes, that is right. I thought I would never see my sister again. I thank you for bringing her back to me; you must be very close friends to have convinced her to return here.” Zamale curled his tail around his little daughter. “Do not get too comfortable. Just drop your things here for now. We must return to the Spirit Dance before it begins again.” He hesitated, cocking his head at Twilight. “Unless you are not interested in our ceremony.” “Oh, don’t worry, I am!” Twilight said, springing up excitedly. She'd been so preoccupied that it really hadn't registered with her that they'd be allowed to watch the dance, even when Zahan had invited them. “I’ve always been curious about other cultures!” “Then those who wish to see the Spirit Dance may come with me and Zuri.” Zamale brushed through the doorway, smiling at them all, and the filly was close at his heels. Twilight turned to Applejack and practically squeed. “Can you imagine? Seeing something like this? Probably very few outsiders to the tribe have been able to watch the zebras perform the Spirit Dance!” Applejack blinked at her friend, confused. “Twi, they just took Zecora away and now they're tellin' us we're honored guests. Are ya sure you're okay with all this?” "I..." Twilight took a deep breath, then released it, just like Cadance had taught her. Everypony was listening, and she didn't want to look insensitive, even though it was hard to hide her brimming excitement. "Okay, I think it's a little weird that they were so forceful with her. But if they were going to hurt her, she wouldn't have gone with them, would she? Besides, I think she knew this would happen. She never talked much about this place. I think she was trying to accept that she wouldn't be fully welcomed. So...I'm going to trust her for now. And I'm going to watch the ceremony." The cookstove crackled, and Applejack nodded. "All right, suit yerself. Ah'm gonna stay here and take a nap." "Me too," Corey yawned. "Well, I'll join you, Twilight, if you don't mind," Rarity said, though she frowned at Corey's statement. "Maybe I can get some new ideas for a fashion line." "And I want to listen to the music!" Kin said. Laney smiled smugly at Rarity. "I'll stay with Corey." “Well, anypony else who wants to come, the Friendship Express is leaving now! Let's go experience something new!" Twilight exclaimed, diving through the curtain and trotting after the pair of zebras like a schoolfilly on the first day of summer.