Ch. 13: In the Wilds
Twilight used her magic to poke a long stick into the fire, sending a spray of embers flying into the night sky. She looked across the flames at Oracle, who lay with her back pressed against Horizon's side. Zecora sat close to the fire, rotating a wooden spit of skewered wild turnips over the flames. Argent stood next to the pile of heavily laden saddle bags, removing the bedrolls that were tied to them. After a full day of travel by train to the farthest point south on the rail line, the party started to make their way cross country through the lightly forested southern borderlands of Equestria. The small platform they disembarked from lay several leagues behind them.
"I hope the rest of the trip is this pleasant," said Twilight as she watched the white smoke drift into the moonlit night. "Luna really outdid herself tonight."
Zecora lifted the spit from the two supports and probed the large root bulbs with her hoof. "The weather out here is far from stable," she said, "magical control is off the table." She removed several turnips, placed them into wooden bowls and passed them around the fire. "The wilds are called wild for a very good reason, thunderstorms are quite common during this season."
"We can handle it," said Oracle, "A little rain never hurt anypony, and either of us could erect a lightning proof dome against the worst of it." She bit into one of the vegetables Horizon held out for her. "What we should be more worried about is dealing with the zebras once we're well into Zebrica territory." The friends enjoyed the meal in relative silence. Their long day of travel had started hours before the sun rose and all were now feeling exhausted.
Twilight let loose a very un-princesslike burp while putting down her empty bowl. She blushed and accepted the cloth napkin from a smiling Argent. "You all keep talking about how hostile the Zebrica are going to be," she said while dabbing her muzzle, "but why would they keep us from collecting a simple bush?"
"It's Zecora's story to tell," said Horizon. "But suffice it to say, anything we go through traveling to the Marengeti pales in comparison to the dangers we'll face once we're there." He looked at the zebra as she uncomfortably removed the spit from the supports that straddled the fire.
"This seems the best time to let you both know, of the events of many years ago," said Zecora while settling herself against the large fallen log they had built the fire next to. "The Zebrica were once a tribe quite tame, until the deceiver and his minions came." She set her bowl aside and grabbed a handful of green powder from a pouch at her side and cast it into the fire. The ethereal visage of a stout zebra stallion in an elaborate headdress and a delicate mare draped in golden necklaces stood proudly above a cradle.
"Chief Zerasa was a ruler quite beloved," said Zecora, "our tribe prospered from his guidance above." She threw another hoof full of the powder into the flames and a much younger mare, easily recognizable as Zecora by her sun shaped cutie mark, walked to the cradle and smiled at the foal within. "Like my mother and hers before her, I bore the mark of the shaman on my fur. When the chief's mate bore him a colt strong and hale, I provided medicines so the foal's health would not fail."
Another toss of the dust stoked the fire into a bright green light. The chief and his mate stood weeping over the cradle while a skinny zebra stallion pointed at Zecora with a sneer. "The chief's younger brother blamed the foal's death on me, and the chief's grief was great, the truth he did not see. When the chief died, the tribe assumed it of a broken heart, but I saw the signs of the poisoner's art." She fanned out another clump of the powder over the fire. The skinny zebra stallion now wore the large ceremonial headdress and pointed at the young Zecora.
"The deceiver Zakan could not prove his lies," said Zecora bitterly, "but I was a foal killer in the many of the tribe's eyes." The young zebra above the fire pulled a small cart full of vials, totems, and masks away from the crowd of zebras and walked alone into the sunset. "I was exiled from the lands of my sires," she said somberly, "From a distance I saw the village surrounded by fires. The deceiver and his minions turned quickly to violence, any zebra who opposed him was threatened into silence. Those who fought back were exiled or worse, those who remain live as if under a curse."
"Zecora, I never imagined..." said Twilight as she held her hooves to her mouth. "Why didn't you ever ask for our help? You know we would do everything in our power to help you and your people."
Zecora shook her head from side to side. "My tribe has always been an insular sort, interference from ponies would be seen as a plot to thwart." She bit into a turnip and watched as the green light faded back into flickering orange flames. "I had hoped, given time, I would return and he would be gone," she said, "I would help restore my people and a new day would dawn. But news from travelers is dire, at best, the Zebrica are hostile to all who transgress."
"And this root we're after grows on a tall hill, in the middle of Zebrican territory?" asked Argent.
"My people call it the The Crown of the Plains," replied Zecora, "from atop its great heights the deceiver reigns."
Argent looked to Twilight and back at the zebra. "I really wish I'd known about this before we agreed to come," he said while levitating his shield to his side.
Oracle jerked in Horizon's embrace and looked at Argent from across the fire. "I've told you what's at stake," said the older alicorn, "how could you even consider not helping?" The look of disapproval on her face was evident to everypony around the fire.
"He didn't say anything of the sort," said Twilight defensively as she stood and walked to the stallion's side, "He's just surprised at the danger that he was unaware of." The stallion nodded his agreement and sat on his bedroll while spreading out his blanket. "I can't say that I'm entirely happy with our situation after hearing the whole story," said Twilight as she sat next to Argent. "Of course, it changes nothing: We're getting that bush no matter what." She unrolled her bedroll and placed it a few feet from her bodyguard's. "We have a long trip ahead of us," she said while unfolding her blanket and settling down, "there will be plenty of time to worry about plans, peril, and hordes of angry zebras later, after I've had a good nights sleep."
Applejack took a tentative step out of her bedroom door and into the hallway. The moonlight shone through the window, bathing the corridor in its silvery radiance. She carefully crept past the open door to her grandmother's room and held her breath as the sound of Big Mac stirring in his sleep echoed down the hallway. She exhaled quietly and descended the stairs one careful step at a time. A loud creak from a loose board caused her to freeze in panic. She looked up the stairs and waited for her granny or brother to exit their room and chastise her for being out of bed. When nopony emerged she smiled in triumph and began walking towards the front door while still looking over her shoulder. She ran right into the chest of the stallion who had been having a difficult time getting to sleep on the sofa in the living room.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked a stern faced Soarin.
"Just need to get some air," she said with a scrunched up muzzle.
"You're the worst liar I've ever met," said Soarin. "You were going to do some chores weren't you?"
She had learned early on in their relationship that Soarin could somehow tell whenever she was bending the truth. Even when she kept her pregnancy from him, he constantly insisted that she was keeping something from him. "Gotta figure out how he does that," she thought to herself. Knowing she was caught red hoofed, she sighed and told the truth. "Just some of the lighter haulin' and waterin' so Mac wouldn't have to worry about it tomorrow," she replied.
"You know what the doctor ordered, angel," said the stallion as he escorted her out the front door and into the porch swing. "No strenuous labor and no stress. Nothing that gets your heart rate up."
"I can't sit around doing nothing," said Applejack as she eased herself into the padded bench, "There's too much to do around here for Mac alone." She waved her hoof across the orchard before them. "And I can do half of my usual work without breaking a sweat."
Soarin rolled his eyes and wrapped a wing around his fiance. "You're awfully sure of yourself," he said while stroking her back, "but are you sure enough to risk this?" He grabbed her hoof with his and ran it over her stomach.
Applejack looked at his hoof on hers and hesitated. The doctor had been very clear on the matter, and she didn't want to repeat her episode on the train, when the stress of revealing her condition to her friends and family left her gasping for air. "I guess not," she said abashedly. "It's not worth risk. But how can I watch while Mac struggles with the chores all by himself?" She sighed and leaned into Soarin's side. "Maybe Fluttershy can help out," she said, knowing the pegasus mare would jump at the chance, but that she would also be ill-suited to the hard labor required. "She would brighten up his days at the very least."
"I was thinking about that," said Soarin as he held the mare. "We earn a lot of leave time with the Wonderbolts, a lot more than the average guardspony, and I haven't used any in the years since I made the squad." He used his rear legs to gently swing them back and forth. "I could write to the Cap and ask her for a few months off here and there. I could even stay here and help when the squad is back on station in Canterlot. It's not that far a trip, especially if I just fly it."
"I can't let you do that sugar cube," said Applejack, "The Wonderbolts mean everything to you. "
"Do I really have to say something so cliche?" he asked with a smile. Before she could respond, he tightly hugged her to his chest. "You two mean everything to me now."
"Sugar cube, I thought the doctor said no making my heart race," said Applejack. She gently kissed him on the lips and melted into his embrace. "I'd still feel guilty if ya left yer dreams behind for me."
Soarin smiled as he kept the chair swaying with his rear legs. "Angel, I lived that dream already," he said, "and it was amazing." He tickled her nose with a wing, causing the mare to giggle. "But the great thing about dreams is that you get to have as many as you want."
"Well, Celestia forbid I keep you from your newest dream," said Applejack, "I reckon we can find room for a wayward pegasus." She let go of Soarin and stood from the porch swing. "C'mon sugarcube," she said as she pulled him back inside the farmhouse, "you've got a long day tomorrow, and I aim to see that yer rested up for it." Soarin turned back towards the living room and the lumpy old couch he had been struggling with, but was pulled by the mare up the stairs.
"Do you think this is such a good idea, angel?" asked the stallion as Applejack led him into her room and onto her bed, "I get the distinct impression that your Granny preferred I stay on the couch." He didn't mention the daggers her brother had been staring him down with for most of the last two days.
"I'll just tell 'em I was stressed out without you nearby," she said slyly with a wink. "Doctor's orders don't ya know." She slid under the comforter, and next to her stallion. "I might as well get something outta this bum deal."
Soarin pulled her to him and wrapped his forelegs around her midsection. "I don't know," he said while yawning, "I think we're both getting something pretty amazing out of all of this."
"Step aside," said Argent, "We have no quarrel with you or your kind, but we will defend ourselves, and you won't like the outcome."
The shaggy grey wolf barked a laugh as he and his pack slowly circled the quintet of equines. "You hear that fellas?" said the largest grizzled predator, "our lunch thinks we're afraid of it!" The pack howled in laughter as they closed in on the prey they had been tracking for the last few hours. "You're a long way from home, meat," said a wolf in front of Zecora. "It's a good thing we enjoy exotic foods."
Twilight sighed and flared her magic. "We tried to warn you," she said sadly, "Why didn't you listen?" She concentrated her magic on the ground beneath the largest wolf's paws. The ground erupted from beneath it and sent the alpha flying behind a dense thicket of shrubs. The other wolves leapt at the group of ponies.
Zecora reached into her saddlebags and tossed a pouch at the rushing fanged forms. It exploded in front of three of the wild canines in a cloud of blue dust. They emerged from the blue smoke screen in a much different state than when the entered. The front legs of the first had shrunk to a quarter of their original size, causing the beast to plow into the dirt as it tried to run. The second came to a stop and started a rapid fire series of sneezes. The last's fur coat suddenly underwent a massive growth spurt, obscuring the wolf's vision and leaving it an easy target for Zecora's rear hooves.
Argent stepped in front of Twilight and casually waited for the two charging wolves to come within a few ponylengths of him. He hurled his dented shield at the lead attacker, catching it square in the face. The second jumped over its still tumbling packmate and gnashed its teeth together as it closed on the unarmed equine. Argent took a step to his side and revealed an angry looking lavender alicorn wielding a flanged mace crafted from pure magical energy. A great arcing upwards swing caught the beast in the chest and sent it into the air, its trajectory bringing it right to the waiting hooves of Argent, who gave it a mighty kick into the bushes.
The pack had concentrated its numbers on the two older ponies in the group, assuming them to be the easier prey. They didn't expect the older stallion to charge at them. Horizon barreled into the first two, swinging his shield into the side of one while planting his forehooves between the eyes of the other. He paid no heed to the four others that charged at his sides. Oracle aimed her horn at the stallion and fired a thin ray of energy that surrounded the stallion from muzzle to tail in a shimmering aura. Sensing victory, the wolves all howled as they snapped their jaws on the stallion. The cries of exultation soon became painful howls of misery as their teeth cracked on some unseen shell of magical armor. Horizon hopped back from the writhing pile of wolves pawing at their shattered mouths and levitated his heavy shield high above them and released it. Oracle fired a second ray as it began to fall towards the wolves, enveloping the round shield in an aura that caused it to expand to nearly ten times its size. With a sickening *crunch* the sturdy bulwark crashed down on the heads of the wild predators. The aura faded and the shield returned to its normal size. Horizon levitated it back to his back and rejoined the others in the middle of the well worn path.
"Let's leave before they decide to try again," said Twilight. She stepped over an unconscious wolf and began a slow trot away as the dust began to settle.
"That's the third pack in as many days," said Argent as he trotted alongside the younger alicorn. "You'd think they would put the word out to avoid us."
"It's not in their nature," said Oracle, "The Wolfpacks keep to themselves and answer only to their alphas." She moved to Horizon's side and helped him buckle his shield to his back. "We'll not have to deal with them much longer," she said, "they'll avoid the swamps ahead."
Oracle's prediction proved to be accurate as the howls of the wolfpacks that had hounded them for the last three days finally trailed off. The light forests soon gave way to a expansive marsh. Standing pools of brackish water dotted the landscape as far as the eyes could see, leaving a permanent smell of decay festering in the air. A cacophony of frog calls accompanied the ponies as they made their way further south through the lowlands. As the sun fell behind the large cypress trees that dominated the swamp, Zecora led the group to a slightly drier hilltop.
Argent unzipped his jacket and used his shield to fan his face. "Can we go back to the wolves?" he asked with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, "this humidity is unbearable." His tail flicked against yet another mosquito that decided to extract its lunch from his flank.
"The Marshes of Misery is what my tribe calls this land," said Zecora as she poked her nose into her panniers, "upon this ground no zebra would willingly stand." She pulled out a large glass bottle with an atomizer on the top, and a vivid purple liquid sloshing around inside. She walked up to the stallion and watched in amusement as he struggled to get himself out of the lightly armored purple coat. Twilight giggled at his flailing and pulled the jacket from his forearms as he held them above his head. Zecora held up the bottle in front of the two ponies and squeezed the atomizer bulb with her teeth.
Twilight shut her eyes as the cloud of vaporized liquid passed over her and the stallion she stood over. The smell of lavender blossoms replaced the fetid stench of the swamp, and she breathed deeply for the first time in hours. "That's just...heavenly, Zecora," said Twilight. "you really can do almost anything with your potions can't you?"
The zebra looked back at the young mare after spritzing Horizon and Oracle. "Of all the lessons I've learned, of this I am most sure," she said, "all things are possible with a little help from nature." She turned the bottle on herself and squeezed a liberal amount of the concoction onto her coat. "Lavender flower and Oil of Neem," she said while placing the bottle back in her pack, "quite useful for keeping bugs away it would seem."
Argent looked around and saw that the cloud of mosquitoes that had been snacking on him all afternoon had finally gone off in search of a new buffet. "How are you not the richest mare in all of Equestria?" he asked Zecora.
The zebra chuckled while the others prepared their camp for the night. "Bits are all well and good," she said, "but their appeal I have never understood." She walked to the feeble looking fire that Horizon was fussing over. The soggy wood he had found refused to cooperate. With a few flicks of her tail into her panniers, a trio of pebbles were thrown into the feeble flames. A sharp pop and crackle caused the older stallion to jump back as the intense heat began to dry out the tinder and ignite the previously sodden wood.
"Oracle," said Twilight once everypony had settled themselves around the comforting light of the fire, "Have you had any visions about what we might be walking into?" She used her magic to levitate the metal kettle Argent had filled over the fire. "No blood thirsty bird creatures? No undead abominations trying to steal anypony's soul?"
"I see the skinny zebra chief... sorry Zecora, the deceiver," replied Oracle. "I see him responding to any overtures from us with violence." She looked at Zecora and hesitated. "I see another zebra," she said while Horizon massaged her uncovered wings. "He's going to help us at great peril to himself. I see us retrieving the plant we seek with his help."
Zecora flashed a quizzical frown at the older alicorn. "This zebra stallion you see, does his hide bear a scar," she said while stretching her hooves, "and is his main braided out about yea far?" Oracle nodded somberly. Zecora sat on her haunches and stared into the fire. The kettle over the flames began whistling.
Twilight looked to Argent who shrugged. "I assume this zebra means something to you Zecora?" she asked while lowering a tea bag into the boiling water.
"Zephyr had been my best friend since I was but a child," she said sadly, "I forbade him from following me after I was exiled." She accepted the metal cup of tea Twilight floated her way and took a sip before continuing. "That he would help us, I am not surprised," she said, "but for him to put himself in danger is quite unwise. His health has always been suspect; any injury would be critical i expect."
"He was well when we last saw him," said Twilight in Zebrese. "Well enough to help us oust Zakan."
"He would jump off a mountain if honor demanded it of him," replied Zecora in her mother tongue. "Still, I would very much like to see him again."
"You can speak Zebra?" asked Twilight incredulously, "I've never even seen a simple phrasebook, even in the royal library."
"Zebrese," corrected Oracle. "I learned from a good friend many years ago. It's nice to see I haven't forgotten it all."
"Could you teach us some?" asked Twilight excitedly, "I'm sure a few phrases would be useful!"
While the three mares began a lesson of "Zebrese for Dummies," Argent and Horizon set out the bedrolls and blankets. "You want the first watch?" asked the older stallion, "they should be at it pretty late."
"Sure" said Argent, "Get some rest."
The older stallion nodded and slipped under his blanket. As the night wore on Oracle and Zecora eventually gave into exhaustion and found their way to their makeshift beds and quickly fell to slumber while Twilight continued trying to commit the phrases she had learned to memory. Argent, glad for the company, smiled at her as she sat next to him on his bedroll.
They listened to the symphony of frog calls and nocturnal bird cries while tending the fire and watching the occasional ember float into the sky. "Thanks for coming with us," said Twilight, "and don't say 'It's my job.' We both know you could have told the princess, or my brother."
Argent shrugged and threw another stick into the fire. "This needs to be done," he said, "and who am I to tell Twilight Sparkle where she can and can't go?"
She laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder. "You're a good friend," she said warmly, "and helping me with this is something Applejack will never forget. I know I won't." She yawned and laid her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe she's getting married," said Twilight, "not to mention that she's having a foal."
Argent remained still and tried to keep his breathing steady. "You've never thought about..." he stumbled over the words, "you know..."
Twilight blushed, but stayed propped against his side. "Not seriously," she said sheepishly, "I bet most ponies assume I'll marry a book." She sighed and watched a firefly float past her face. "I guess I always assumed that Rarity would be the first of us to take that step. She's always been so confident around stallions, and she's had her wedding planned since she was a filly."
Argent laughed awkwardly as he remembered how confident Rarity was. They chatted for a few more minutes until Twilight's yawns reached a critical mass. "Let's get you to bed," said the stallion as she laid back into her bedroll. He unfolded her blanket and laid it over the half awake mare. "I'll see you in the morning princess," he said while returning to his bedding to continue the night's watch.
She watched him through half lidded eyes and smiled. "Can't wait," she said while drifting off to sleep.
"It ain't hard," said Big Macintosh. He moved the stalk of wheat to the other side of his muzzle and walked up to the struggling pegasus. "Just flip the barrel up with yer leg and catch it on yer back." The massive red stallion effortlessly tossed the barrel of apples onto his back and walked it up the steps that led into the cellar.
Soarin sighed and stretched his aching muscles. Years of strenuous physical training with the Wonderbolts had completely failed to prepare him for a single morning of work under the tutelage of Big Macintosh. Morning, of course, was a subjective term to the Apples, a fact he learned early on when Applejack dragged him out of her bed. They were halfway through hauling bushel baskets to the east fields when the sun first peeked over the horizon. Hours later, his body felt like one giant muscle strain.
He crouched down on all fours and used a wing to nudge a heavy cask onto his back. Each carefully placed step was a minor victory for the stallion as he continued to try to prove to his mate and her family that he was worthy of being an Apple.
"Alright, that's enough for market," said Macintosh as he lifted the final barrel off of Soarin's back and into the back of the wagon. "I'm minding the stall today on account of Applejack needing to rest, so I reckon you can take a breather." The mountain of a stallion hitched himself to the wagon and set off on a brisk trot towards Ponyville. Soarin let his hooves slip to his sides and fell to his stomach. His wings lay limply to the side as he simply enjoyed the feeling of not doing anything at all.
"It's a crime against awesomeness," said Rainbow Dash from the small cloud she had parked over Sweet Apple Acres. She pulled the binoculars away from her eyes and blinked as her vision refocused. "How can Applejack just sit there and let this happen?" She pointed towards her earth pony friend who was just standing from the porch swing of the nearby farmhouse. "Hey Fluttershy," said Rainbow, "You wanna go say hi? Maybe we can talk Applejack into ending this nonsense."
"Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow Dash when the pegasus she had brought with her didn't answer. She turned to see that Fluttershy had turned the other direction on the cloud and was aiming her binoculars at the road that led away from Sweet Apple Acres. She had a blush burned into her cheeks as she softly hummed to herself. "Fluttershy!" barked Dash. The yellow pegasus squeaked and fumbled for the binoculars she had nearly lost over the side of the cloud.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and pulled her friend off of the cloud. They banked into a circling descent, with Fluttershy following Rainbow's lead. They landed next to the cellar in time to see Applejack place a large pitcher of water next to the still splayed out pegasus stallion.
"Howdy gals," said Applejack as she sat next to her exhausted fiance. "Enjoy the show?"
"No!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"Oh yes," said Fluttershy. Rainbow turned an annoyed glare at the doe eyed mare. "I mean, no, it was just awful."
"How can you let your brother push around Soarin like this?" she said pointing at the pile of aching muscles and sweat matted coat that was once one of Equestria's most celebrated pegasi. "He's a Wonderbolt for Celestia's sake!"
"Dash," said the stallion from the ground.
"You can't just run him into the ground," she ranted, "His body is a precisely tuned flying machine. One pulled muscle and the Wonderbolts are down a pair of wings!"
"Dash!" said Soarin a bit louder.
"Pegasus colts and fillies look up to him," she said as the stallion dunked his muzzle into the pitcher. "Are you gonna look into their teary eyed faces and tell them why their hero can't fly? You have to stop this right-"
"DASH!" shouted Soarin as he dumped the remaining water over his head. "I volunteered." He groaned as he rose to his hooves, every muscle protesting its mistreatment. "and the Bolts aren't a bunch of glass pegasi. A little hard work won't break me."
"Now yer talkin' like an Apple!" said Applejack as she slapped his back with her hoof, "Rainbow's just intimidated by your sheer power. Why, I haven't seen her so agitated since I whooped her at hoof wrasslin' a few weeks ago. Lookit, she's blushing she's so embarrassed."
"C'mon Fluttershy," said Rainbow Dash in a terse tone, "let's let Soarin the apple farmer get back to work." When she received no reply, the pegasus mare looked around and saw the shy mare galloping down the road leading to Ponyville. "Am I the only sane mare left?" she asked herself in exasperation.
"I dunno pardner," said Applejack. She fixed an amused grin on her friend. "Ya ain't exactly known for yer calm demeanor." She trotted to the mare's side and hung a foreleg around her shoulder. "Come on RD," she said, "I reckon Soarin earned himself some cider and pie. Why don't you join us for lunch?"
The mention of Sweet Apple Acres Cider erased any thoughts of walking away in a huff. "Well, I am pretty hungry," she said. "Fine, but I want some juicy gossip about the Wonderbolts!"
Soarin chuckled at the sudden mood change. "Sure," he said jovially, "but nothing too salacious. I don't want to burn every bridge with the squad."
"What do you think Zecora?" whispered Argent, "Friendlies?"
The Zebra looked through the collapsible spyglass at the small settlement of zebras that occupied this higher, and relatively drier, portion of the marshes. She watched as several of the emaciated zebras hauled very lightly filled baskets of swamp oak acorns and cattails. Several small shelters built from driftwood and covered with woven reeds lined the small hilltop. She focused intently on the nearest zebra.
"I have been away too long, the stripes I cannot read," she said while collapsing the miniature telescope, "there was a time when it was second nature to me."
Twilight brought the spyglass to her eye and peered over the large fallen log they had hidden themselves behind. "But who are they?" she asked. "A swamp is no place for a pony...or zebra. They look... unwell."
"Well enough to move without sound," said a voice from behind them, "and catch a few pony spies who wander around."
Argent and Horizon spun around, each pulling their shield from their back. A dozen zebras bearing wood shafted spears had managed to surround the five equines while they observed the settlement. "Get us out of here," muttered Horizon to the mare behind him.
"Wait, do not flee, we mean you no harm," said one of the zebras, "Ignore Zeret, he is not known for his charm." The named zebra scowled at the speaker. "Our apologies Shaman Zecora," said the zebra that stepped forward, "We did not expect to find one of our own with pony intruders. Especially not one who was exiled on pain of death."
"I truly have been gone long if the Zebrica now claim these lands," replied Zecora in her native tongue, "But if you wish to exact punishment, I assure you these ponies will not allow it." She gently pushed her way between Argent and Horizon, and waved off their concerned protests. "I know not what these zebra intend, but this one I assure you is a friend." She stepped forward and draped her neck over the the stallions. "It's nice to see you again Zephyr."
The troop of zebras slipped their spears into the leather straps they wore around their waist and the two unicorn stallions lowered their shields. "Come my friend, we have much to discuss," said Zephyr, "Your ponies may come, if they have your trust." He led the way around the stagnant pools of murky water, navigating some hidden path that the uninitiated would have never found in hours of careful searching.
"When Zakan usurped the mantle of power, many of us were only able to cower." Zephyr crossed a wooden bridge that spanned a twenty foot moat surrounding the settlement. "The zebras he brought from tribes most distant," he said while helping the newcomers onto the large hill, "Their threats and violent acts were quite persistent. Many of us who resisted fled from the plains, this place became our refuge from the tyrant's chains."
As they made their way to the center of the village, the zebras began peeling away and joining their families and friends in the small huts. By the time they reached the summit of the hill and the rings of logs that surrounded a large fire pit, only Zephyr and Zeret remained. "I do not wish your friends to hear my rudeness, Zecora," said Zephyr in zebrese, "but how could you bring outsiders to the lands of the Zebrica? And don't tell me that you were just visiting the marshes: None of us want to be here."
Before Zecora could answer, Oracle spoke. "I'm sorry Zephyr, she said the older alicorn, "but we asked Zecora to come."
"You have given the ponies our speech?!" shouted Zeret angrily, "Such an act is an affront to all zebras!"
"That zebra has not taught me your language," said Oracle, while pointing to Zecora, "and even if she did, it would only be for the best of reasons."
"I apologize for our rudeness ponies with spikes," said Zephyr when he saw the confusion on Twilight and Argent's faces, "we will try to speak the common tongue if you like."
"Thank you," said Twilight, "but please call me Twilight Sparkle." She flared her wings and bowed. The confused look on the zebra leader was easily understood. "I'm an Alicorn," she explained patiently, "I have wings and a horn. This is Argent. He's a Unicorn."
"She is royalty among her kind," said Zecora, "surely you remember the tales of the immortal Goddess's of the north?"
Had the zebra stallion had color besides black and white on his face, they would have drained away. "What have you brought down upon us Zecora?" he asked fearfully before prostrating himself before a confused Twilight.
"No, no, no, no, no, no," said Twilight while backing away, "Please no bowing. I'm a guest in your lands. Please just hear us out, that's all I ask."
Zephyr rose to his hooves slowly. "Forgive me any perceived denigration ," he said, "but your kind only exists in imagination. I will listen to your story and hear any plea, I pray that you have patience with me."
Twilight sat and motioned the others to settle themselves. She explained what they were seeking, and the reason it was needed. "You see," she said after her story, "we don't wish any harm upon your people or your lands. All we need is one of these bushes and we can help our friend."
"Zecora has no doubt told you of the tragedy that has occured," said Zephyr, "The Crown of the Plains is a place that is not easily disturbed. For your own safety I would say turn around, Zakan's cruelty knows no bounds." The zebra stallion turned to walk away.
"Please Zephyr," said Zecora as she trotted after him, "We're going to do this, with or without your aid. Please help us."
"Now you want my help?" he asked while hanging his head, "You have no idea how bad things have become, 'Cora. Zebra who leave the swamp to find food disappear without a trace. Those who remain at the Crown are either Zakan's thugs, or are so terrified that they ignore everything he has done." He walked into a small hut and leaned his spear against the wall. "If he discovers that you have returned, he may come looking for us. I can't take that chance."
"Can't or won't?" asked Zecora.
"Zecora, you know where I have always stood," said Zephyr, "I made that clear when you left. But to ask me to do this, to put us all in danger for the sake of a pony I have never met, and will likely never meet; it's too much."
"Please, Zephyr," said Zecora pleadingly. She reached out and grabbed his hoof with hers. "It could save a foal."
Zephyr raised his head to see a look of utter emotional agony on his oldest friend's face. "That wasn't your fault 'Cora," he said.
"No it wasn't," she said while fighting back tears, "but the spirits have given me a chance to make amends. I will not let this opportunity pass me by."
Zephyr sighed and rose to his hooves. "I can't bring many with me," he said, "a few of my best scouts at most."
Zecora's ears perked up as he grabbed his spear. "You'll help us?" she asked hopefully.
"Having a goddess owe you a favor might be useful," he shrugged as he led the way back to the center of the village. Zeret stood a few paces away from the cluster of ponies, his frown of suspicion locked on the outsiders. Zephyr approached him and and spoke in a low voice. "Gather our four best scouts," he said, "and tell no one. I still think we have a spy among us."
"We have four spies sitting right over there," he growled angrily. "You know I'm with you Zephyr, but not even Zakan would lead outsiders to the Crown of the Plains."
Zephyr wearily raised a hoof to his forehead. "Zeret, just do it. It's just a couple of bushes, we'll be in and out in no time."
"Fine," said the angry stallion, "but I'm going to scout ahead. I'll meet you by the old umbrella tree in the gully north of the Crown." He left and shouted into several huts on his way towards the bridge out of the settlement.
"We'll find your plant, but we must wait for the night," he said to the ponies, "If we are to be successful we must stay out of sight."
Twilight nodded excitedly. "Thank you so much Zephyr," she said, "I promise that we'll make it up to you somehow."
"Thank me when we all return safely," said Zephyr, "congratulations now would be hasty."
"Here," whispered Twilight. She handed the canteen to Argent who unscrewed the top and took a drink of the stale water. He handed the container back to Twilight and returned to covering his shield with mud from the gully they had hidden themselves in for the last hour.
As night fell and they emerged onto the rolling planes of the Marengeti, fortune seemed to favor the group of ponies and zebras as a thick layer of clouds blanketed the sky. The ponies had all donned brown cloaks to hide their brightly colored coats while the zebras depended on the tall grass and their vertical stripes to camouflage themselves. They made quick progress after crossing the small river that marked the northern border of the Marengeti grasslands. Hills topped with piles of rock and the occasional wide canopied tree rose in all directions, causing the group to lose time as they wound around each obstacle.
When Zephyr led them up the small trickling stream of mostly mud, the glow of torches and fire pits enveloped the largest hill in the Marengeti in an orange radiance. Several paths, long worn to dirt by generations of zebra hooves, wound their way up the hilltop and through a large wooden wall. The roofs of large longhouses peaked over the top of the wall, wisps of smoke emerging from holes on top of the structures.
At the summit of the hill stood the largest tree the ponies had ever seen. The trunk of the enormous Baobab dominated the hilltop and was wide enough to encompass several of the longhouses. It reached hundreds of feet into the air, and the long branches covered the upper parts of the hilltop city in a protective dome of foliage. The majestic tree was not without its scars, however. Jagged stumps were the only remnants of the lowest branches.
"He dares to cut from the Mother tree," she whispered angrily, "How could any of the Zebrica let this be?"
"Zakan rules with fear and attrition," said Zephyr, "they fear for theirs lives more than for tradition." He peaked up over the bank of the stream and looked out over the short distance between the group and the base of the Crown of the Plains. "Come on Zeret," he said to himself, "where are you?"
"I don't think your friend is coming," said Oracle. "We haven't seen movement from the gates since we arrived. We should move now."
"Follow me and keep yourselves low," he said, "from here on out the danger will grow." He hunched his shoulders low and stalked through the high grass. The others followed him single file, doing their best to imitate his stealthy approach. The four scouts that had accompanied them fanned out and watched their flanks. Zephyr came to a stop before the tall grass began to thin out near the wall.
"This isn't right," whispered Horizon, "We should have at least seen a lookout by now."
"It matters not, we can't stay still," said Zecora, "The panacea bushes grow further up the hill."
Zephyr nodded and led them around the wall to a seemingly inconspicuous pile of stones stacked against it. He waved over the two stallions and began removing the heavy rocks one at a time, revealing a small hole, large enough for them to fit through one at a time. On the other side they squeezed into the small space between the wall and the back of a longhouse. The zebra leader led them around the building and looked out across the empty path that led up the hill. They quickly darted from building to building, trying their best to keep out of the open. A soft breeze rustling the grass and the clopping of their hooves were the only sounds as they ascended the Crown of the Plains.
They approached the last of the long buildings, staying hidden behind it while looking up the hill towards the monolithic trunk of the Mother Tree. Zecora grabbed Zephyr by the shoulder and pointed across the open field at the orderly rows of fruit trees that thrived under the canopy of the massive Baobab. At the base of each tree grew several flowering shrubs. He nodded to her and and cautiously left cover to dash up the hillside. He covered the distance quickly and waved for the others to proceed.
One by one, Zecora and the ponies made the sprint across the open field to join Zephyr. "We are in luck, it would appear," she whispered while examining a knee high bush, "These are the Panacea plants which we stand near." Argent and Horizon opened the saddle bags they wore and held them open while Twilight and Oracle lowered their horns. Magenta auras enveloped their horns and the earth around the shrubs began vibrating.
"Spirits among us," whispered Zephyr in awe, "I never imagined..."
"Amazing aren't they," said Zecora, "We do ourselves a disservice by keeping ourselves isolated from Ponykind."
Before he could answer, the large root bulb of the plants pulled from the ground, fully intact. Each alicorn floated the shrubs into the waiting panniers. Horizon and Argent waited while the two mares repeated the process with two more plants. As they were being lowered into the other side of the saddle bags, a loud whistle rang out over the hillside. The heads of the four ponies and two zebras raised and looked for the source.
"Get us out of here Oracle," said Horizon. Before she could respond or act, a large pouch landed between the ponies and burst into a cloud of choking dust. They stumbled out of the veil of yellow smoke, coughing in fits.
Oracle reached for her magic to blow away the cloud and raise a barrier, but nothing happened. "My magic," she said in a panic, "I can't use my magic!" The gasps of the other alicorn and unicorns confirmed that their mystical abilities had been rendered inert.
"Run," said Horizon as he reached around his back and began strapping his shield to one of his forehooves. The group began to back away from the advancing line of zebras that had appeared from the top of the Crown. As they turned to flee back down the hill the way the had come, more zebras stepped from behind the buildings. The forms of the four scouts they had arrived with lay motionless on the ground.
"This way," shouted Zephyr, forgetting any pretense of linguistic tradition. He grabbed Zecora's hoof and pulled her to the east, parallel to the two lines of advancing zebra. The ponies followed close behind with Twilight and Argent in the rear. When a another group of zebra cut off their escape to the east, Zephyr led them back in between the rows of long dwellings.
"Come on," muttered Oracle as they ran, "what have they done to us?" She clenched her jaw and concentrated. A feeble series of magenta sparks sputtered from her horn and fell harmlessly to the ground.
"Worry about your magic later," said Zecora, "focus on the danger which is greater." She flung a pouch of poison joke extract at a group of zebras that tried to intercept them. Zephyr turned them down another alleyway, making sure to keep their path headed downhill. Curses in zebrese followed their desperate flight to freedom.
"There's the gate!" shouted Twilight. They reached the inside of the wall and turned towards the large gate, knowing that they'd never be able to squeeze through the small crawlspace they entered through. "We're home free once we get through-" shouted Twilight before she ran into Oracle who had skidded to a halt.
A few paces outside the gate stood Zeret and a host of zebra armed with spears and blowguns. "It's over Zephyr. Don't make this hard on yourselves."
Zephyr snorted in anger. "How could you betray your own people, Zeret?" he growled. "What did that monster offer you for your soul?"
"You betrayed us!" shouted the grizzled zebra. "You consort with ponies. You bring their witches among us. These lands belong to us, and I see now that Zakan is the only one who can keep it that way!"
"We belong to the land you fool," shouted Zecora. "If Zakan has taken that truth away from the Zebrica, then we truly are lost."
"Take them," said Zeret in the common tongue, pointing at the two zebras. "Eliminate the ponies. Bring Zakan their horns."
The line of zebras raised their blowguns to their lips. In unison, the two unicorn stallions jumped in front of the two alicorns and raised their shields. A hail of darts thumped into the shields, those that didn't impale themselves into the wood fell to ground. Without any such protection, however, Zephyr and Zecora were each struck by several darts.
"Bull Rush Maneuver, you go left, I go right," said Horizon. Argent didn't question and just nodded. "Follow us," he said to the alicorns behind them. The zebras with spears began to advance while those with blow darts reached into bandoleers around their necks for more darts. "Go!" shouted Horizon. At once he and Argent galloped side by side directly at the advancing zebras. Spears broke upon shields as the two stallions trampled the two center attackers and immediately turned left and right respectively to engage the next in line. A small hole opened in the line of zebra through which the two alicorns galloped.
Twilight turned to see Zecora and Zephyr stumble drunkenly as an unseen toxin sapped their strength. Before she could come to a stop and turn to help, Oracle reached back with a hoof and pulled her head back forwards. "Worry about them later," she shouted, gasping for breath from the exertion.
Behind them the two stallions began a backwards retreat down the hill, covering the two alicorns escape. The zebras who had herded them down the hill joined those the stallions had just pushed past and began pouring from the gate in greater and greater numbers. Argent bashed a charging zebra with his shield and felt a dart ricochet off one of the thin metal plates of his jacket. "Time to be gone," he yelled to Horizon. The older stallion nodded and they both turned tail and sprinted down the hill towards their charges.
At the base of the hill, the two stallions caught up with the mares and moved to each side of them. The shouts and cries of the horde of zebras spurred them on as they sprinted into the darkness. Torches had been ignited by the zebras and the glowing circles of light behind them fanned out across the plains.
Argent stumbled and fell face first into the tall grass. He rose awkwardly to his hooves and tried to keep up, but found running in a straight line to be a harder task than it had been just moments before. Twilight looked to her left and came to a full stop when she didn't see the stallion next to her. "Argent," she yelled at the faltering stallion.
"Go," he said as loud as he could, which was pitifully soft. His legs felt like wet noodles as he tried to get back into a gallop. Twilight, turned and sprinted back towards Argent and the dangerously close mob of angry zebras. She immediately saw the two darts that had struck him in the rear hip and ripped them from his body. She grabbed him by the hoof and pulled him into a fast trot. Oracle and Horizon had continued galloping into the night and were well out of sight.
Twilight looked desperately for some means of escape. She could make out a small rocky hill bulging out of the flat plain and pulled the stallion behind her. They passed around the hill and out of view of the pinpoints of light that searched the path they had taken. Twilight was near total despair before seeing it: A small hole, barely large enough to fit a pony through, that was dug into the side of the the hill. As she pulled Argent towards it, his hoof fell from hers. She turned to see him breathing heavily on his side.
"Come on Argent," she said in terror, "we have to hide." He didn't respond. Twilight grabbed his hooves and pulled him towards the small burrow. She peered into the hole, but with no light, and no magic to create a light, she unbuckled the stallion's shield and threw it into the hole. She backed into the entrance and reached back out to grab Argent's forehooves. With all the strength in her, Twilight pulled him into the hole until they were both completely inside. She could hear the shouts of their pursuers and looked for some way to hide herself further. She saw the Panacea bushes in Argent's saddle bags and carefully placed them at the entrance to their hiding place.
The thundering sound of stampeding Zebra passed the hill. Twilight held her hooves to her muzzle as the zebras stopped and the light of a torch threatened to push past her impromptu camouflage. A barely audible moan behind her nearly caused her to shout out. Argent's pained moans threatened to give them away, so Twilight did the only thing she could think of. She wrapped his head in her forehooves and held his muzzle tightly to her chest.
Twilight heard the sound of orders being barked in Zebrese as she tried to remain as still as possible. She slowly and methodically pulled the hood of her cloak up and draped the brown garment over both her and Argent. A few tense moments passed as the zebras loitered around the small hill. An argument between their tired sounding pursuers erupted. Twilight tried to remember some of the phrases Zecora and Oracle had taught her earlier, but she could only understand a few words. "Home," and "sleep," were repeated several times. Eventually the light of the torch disappeared and the voices faded into the distance.
She exhaled and gently pulled the stallion from her chest. He was shivering from some unseen chill. His teeth chattered and his breaths came quick and ragged. With no magic and no supplies other than the cloaks and a canteen, Twilight pulled Argent close to her, pressed his stomach to hers, and tried to warm him with her body. The unsteady beat of his heart and the soft moans of pain terrified her as she softly whispered into his ear.
"You're going to be okay," she said resolutely, "I will not lose you, not now, not ever." She stretched her wings around him and squeezed as tightly as she could.
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Some ponies will go to any length to cuddle a Princess
Well, things certainly didn't go according to plan. I imagine things worked out differently in 'Oracle's' timeline ... though perhaps that's not surprising, considering they undertook this journey a few years earlier, so many things are likely different. I imagine they didn't run in to those zebra exiles and get ratted on the last time, else Twi would have known about it.
I did find it somewhat odd though that the zebras would have that anti-magic powder on hand though - where and why would they get the stuff? The way you have presented the zebras (on that note, I enjoy the exposition to their culture and civilization - world building is always something I appreciate), they are fiercely secular and shun contact with other civilizations while sticking to their own lands. Twi (both of them) using their magic to get the herbs pretty much left Zephyr slack-jawed; the impression we get is that the Zebras barely know the first thing about ponies. I would expect magic to be an almost out-of-concept problem for them.
And yet, they have anti-magic powder, or whatever that stuff was. And not just simple stuff - fiercely effective stuff that disrupts even Alicorn magic without fail, with effects that linger for notable time even after they step out of the immediately affected area. Considering Zebras don't have magic of their own, and contact with ponies seems nigh-nonexistent (to the point where Zephyr reacts as if he is watching a miracle at the sight of simple telekinesis), what reason would have Zebras for developing the stuff? More than that - how would they have the ability to, given the distinct lack of anything magical (especially unicorns) to test it against to ensure it works? And then have it at hand, ready to be dropped on the gang? Well, I imagine the last part can be chalked up to the stooge, but still - the very existence of the stuff, and the potency of it, seems mighty convenient considering it doesn't seem like something the zebras should have at all.
Hm ... on the other hand, I imagine you might be building up to something here. "Oracle" was genuinely surprised when the stuff got used against them and it having the effect it did, so it's safe to assume this thing was not used against her in the original timeline. So the question becomes - why would the zebras of this timeline have something that they didn't have in the one Twi came from? A change spurred by her very presence, yet another difference resulting from the ripples of change she and Argent are causing in this timeline? Hm, doesn't sound likely for this particular case, I don't think they have been in the past long enough (it has been what, a few months?) for the effect of their presence to reach Zebrica and lead to the hasty development of this extremely potent anti-magic stuff. *scratches head*
Hm, on that note, what about 'Oracle's' and 'Horizon's' disguise magic? The dust cloud having the effect it did, wouldn't it have effect on the ongoing illusion spell that keeps the two disguised?
Anyways, it will be interesting to see where things go from here - with Twi cut off from 'Oracle' and 'Horizon' and with Argent knocked out, it's safe to say she has landed herself in pretty unfamiliar territory. I wonder what she will come up with, now that she is left on her own. Well, waiting out the effect of the powder and then teleporting away with Argent seems like the best bet, but that's only half the solution - the rebel zebra village is likely overrun by now, and unless Argent's condition improves, dragging him around the swamp is probably not the best idea. Indeed, it will be interesting to see how she reacts, cut off from the more experienced members of her party as she is.
On another note, I appreciate the little snippets of events taking place in Poinyville through all this - it's nice to get more 'backstory' (though I guess now it's present-story, heh) on Twi's past (and that of her friends) and how it developed. I imagine the focus on AJ will soon lead to the discover of the illness, and I'm looking towards that little piece of drama as well.
Well dang that escalated quickly. 0_o
That slimy snake, I knew he would betray them
I guess the zebra must be very creative with their names, with all of them starting with "Z"
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Perhaps the zebra use the yellow powder for something else and its anti-magic properties are only a side effect?
And once again, let me offer you my humble proofreading services
something is missing here
you don't need a period after an exclamation mark
sheer
3029484
One zebra changed his name to John, but he just likes to be first on lists.
Many thanks again for the corrections.
3029484
That's the thing though - if that is the case, how would they know it has anti-magic effects? Zebras don't naturally have any contact with magic (none among their own kind), and as a culture they seem to keep to themselves to the point they barely know anything about Ponies at all (Celestia is a myth to them, and seeing something as simple as telekinesis was a WTF moment for Zephyr).
Ponies having anti-magic items/devices? I can easily see that - magic is everyday part of their culture after all, and they would need a way to restrain wayward Unicorns, I imagine. They would have both reason and more importantly - the exposure and working knowledge in the field to dabble with it, and plenty of opportunity to test it.
By contrast, Zebras would lack a real reason to delve in such research, would lack a knowledge base on where to start, and no real way of actually testing the stuff - because there is no magic around their lands and no outside contact to test it against. They would seem to lack both a reason to even develop something like this in the first place, and little to no ability to verify the effects of what they have come up with and thus to refine the substance.
And yet the powder is frighteningly effective and the Zebras knew exactly what to expect of it - and on its own, that doesn't seem very plausible given what we can observe of the Zebra culture. Which is why I'm suspecting something more at work here, something that, for whatever reason, wasn't present in the original timeline. Twilight was not expecting the powder, implying she never encountered it before.
Making it something unique to this timeline ... which, in turn, makes me guess at something more being behind the Zebra tyrant this time around. Someone much more intimately familiar with ponies that Zebras are, and who had a reason to believe they would be facing off against Unicorns for whatever reason. Who, how and why ... well, I can't make any guesses towards that just yet, but that does seem (at least to me) much more likely than Zebras simply having supremely potent anti-magic powder lying around.
3033047
Aye, and it's a crying shame. There are a number of fics that deserve way more attention than they get, and this is definitely among them. I'm immensely happy I stumbled upon it.
Epic! How will Twilight and Co get out of this mess?
Will Rainbow Dash be the only mare left without a boyfriend?
Tune in next time!
3034754
Better yet: Is AJ the only one who will come out of this a mother in the end? Twi and Argent have been going at it for a while now with great enthusiasm
Wow this chapter rubbed me a bit wrong. The main thing being the yellow anti magic powder. I won't post a long text about it since skydrake has already posted my exact thoughts about it.
I'm really wondering if there is a new mastermind or something behind Zakan and who can that be if there was no yellow powder at all in the future.
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I feel a bit silly for replying to you after almost six days, but I simply forgot that I hadn't posted the reply that I typed down
I can only speculate at this point, but I highly doubt that ponies and zebras haven't conducted any meaningful relations in the past. Perhaps it was a past long gone, but still.
The discovery of the yellow powder's magic restricting properties could have been merely a coincidence, but I don't think that the zebra would simply forget about it over the years; after all, this knowledge could be very helpful in a potential conflict.
As for their lacking knowledge of magic... Perhaps the zebra's recent (and that could as well mean a dozen or so decades) contacts with ponykind grew stale for some reason--maybe it was caused by the wolves, or whatnot, roaming in the borderlands between the kingdoms, or that the two races stopped to see anything of interest in eachother's lands--and therefore, the knowledge of the faraway culture of magic-wielding ponies was also forgotten. But still, I don't think that people from some backwater village in the swamps would be an accurate representation of the zebra populace.
The ones in power--like Zakan--most likely know more about the world than the common folk (and they should!). So when Zeret informed him of a bunch of spikeheads roaming on his land, then he should know what countermeasures to take.
In the previous chapter Twilight mentions to Zecora that "In our time, your homecoming... precipitated a change in leadership." I think that during that time the zebra factions were too occupied by fighting with eachother for control to bother with two horned ponies--and that's why Twilight hadn't seen the yellow powder in action.
Well, that's my take on it. Let's hope our doubts will be resolved in the future chapters