Juno was still confused. Sure, he was part animal, and he could talk, but this was too much. Not only was this Zebra talking (and rhyming), but she also lived in a tree that resembled a house. And she was making potions! Was this some kind of witchdoctor that had an experiment gone wrong?
Juno and Tia were given tea by this Zebra. Tia was taking a leisure sip, finding the taste quite pleasant. “I thank you for bringing us out of the wild. Might I ask for your name...um...nice...zebra lady?”
The zebra smiled as she put some herbs into her cooking pot. “Zecora is my given name. Might I ask you for yours to proclaim?”
Tia smiled back. “My name is Tia, a wild mage.”
Juno was still dumbfounded by the fact that he was watching a rhyming zebra make something in the cauldron, but introductions were still introductions. “I’m Juno. I’m a fighter.”
Tia looked over at Juno. “I think you’re forgetting to mention the fact that you’re a bloody lycanthrope!”
Juno was taken out of his daze, looking at Tia. “Well, excuse me for trying to be nice. I don’t think the first thing people want to hear is ‘I’m really a bear’!”
Zecora lifted an eyebrow, a bit confused. “You, a bear? You do not have nearly enough hair.”
“He’s a shape-shifter. He hides the fact he is one.” Tia looked angry at Juno.
Juno growled. “Look, I don’t have time to waste drinking tea and listen to you accuse me of going to eat you in your sleep! I have to find my friends and kill that demon! If I knew you were going to be this bitchy, I would have just lopped your head off, instead of saving you!”
Tia was taken aback by Juno’s words. Saving her? What did he mean?
Zecora cleared her throat. “What you mean is you are not friends? Then what you should do now is make amends.” Zecora took a flower off of one of her shelves and put it into the pot. “Maybe you should tell us of your quest. It might help this one, but her the best.”
Juno, calming himself down, took a deep breath. “There’s this demon, see? He must have been summoned by accident by Tia’s magic. It took her over, and tried taking the small town Felton. We took the demon on, but miss wild magic here took us for a joy ride, and next thing I know, I’m hanging upside-down with those things trying to bite my head off.”
Tia looked at Juno. “You...you’re saying that I...?”
“You had a collar around your neck. I tore it off, thinking you’d be still under control of that demon.” Juno took another deep breath. “Being born as a lycanthrope, I was discovered and taken as a slave. I know what it’s like to not have your own will.” Juno took a swig of the tea, but it was too hot for his tongue. “Ah! Hot!”
Zecora had a cup of water ready, and let his mouth cool down. “This demon that plagued your town is trouble, but something tells me that your troubles are double.”
The two looked at Zecora. “What do you mean?” The two asked at the same time.
“This town of Felton is nowhere to be heard. And something tells me that this isn’t the last of your trouble curd.” Zecora took a ladle and poured the potion into a cup. “The forms that you two own are not the one you will see. The race of the citizens of Equestria is the pony.”
Tia’s eyes widened at the moment Zecora said that.
Juno blinked twice, not registering what was just said. “...What?”
Tia looked at Juno. “We’re no where near the town of Felton. If what Zecora said is true, then we’re not even in the same world.”
“Wait...like on how Newtolm was sent to the land of Limbo with that hall of wish-thing?” Juno looked outside. “But it looks so much like our world.”
Tia got up, poking at Juno’s shoulder, then pointing at Zecora. “You probably thought that Zecora was a person that had an experiment gone wrong, right? Well, push that thought out. She was born a zebra, and this world has many horse-like creatures instead of humanoids.”
Juno blinked. “...Again...what? You’re saying...” Juno finally got the message. “...Oh...I’ve got to find my friends...” Juno got up. “Zecora, please. Where is the closest town? That would help me find my friends.”
Zecora took a couple of bottles out and poured the potion into them. Then she put them into a saddle bag. “You will follow me through the brush, where there are some dangerous plants. These potions will help from their sickness, but you might be protected by your pants.” Zecora walked out the door, and with a smile she headed towards Ponyville. Tia gathered her bag, as Juno equipped his weapons.