Expedition
Star Swirl and Stripes Forever
Chapter One: Expedition
Once again Star Swirl had to back away from the windows.
Flying in an airship was ... novel. As was turbulence. Something which did not occur in Equestria. And while she was grateful for her parents’ support, up to and including the charting of the airship, she was not eager to repeat the experience in the near future. But finally, they were coming in to land. Soon, she would have plenty more material for her book.
“Welcome,” the captain called out, “to The Cape of Good Hoof!”
She thought back to when she had first decided to make Zebrica the first place outside Equestria that she visited.
(/)
Star Swirl watched the zebra in front of her intently, making notes as she added various ingredients. “So, Zecora. I have to ask. Where did you learn all this?”
Zecora paused and slowly placed the jar in her mouth back onto the desk. “In my homeland, my parents taught me the basics, but all zebras use outside sources for their magic tricks.”
Star Swirl frowned and lowered her head. Then she scribbled a note in her diary and lifted her head up with a smile. “So all zebras do this?”
“Not all zebras are the same. Like ponies, we have talents which give us fame.”
“You have special talents?” asked Star Swirl with a raised eyebrow. “So that really is a cutie mark that you have on your flank?” She pointed to the symbol in question. “What does yours mean?”
“Our cutie marks may be of simple design, but they still work just fine. My talent is in mixing potions from plants, but there are others with talents in, for example, dance.”
“So that’s your talent! I’m really honoured to be learning from such a talented zebra! So, are you like the Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic of zebras?”
“Twilight’s talent is in magic itself. We zebras have more magic than just potions from the shelf.” Zecora smirked.
Star Swirl furrowed her brow and tapped her chin as she pondered Zecora’s words “Well, she is really amazing, so it’s fine if you’re not quite up to that standard. You’re still amazing in your own way. So, does this mean that magic is pretty important in zebra culture?”
“Yes, arcane knowledge is the King Zebra’s domain. It is something in which we must all train. Those whom had particular talent, on great journeys often went. They’d be sent beyond the kingdom’s edge, to acquire even greater knowledge.”
“So, you’re in Equestria because you’re on one of these journeys!? How long have you been here?” Star Swirl leaned forwards, grinning.
“Seven years, I have been here. I won’t leave soon, so do not fear.”
“I really like this idea of journeying to other lands to learn from their inhabitants. I’ve been thinking of doing something similar. It’s about time I started journeying outside Equestria so I can document more magic in my book!”
“Your approval makes me glad, just don’t treat it as a passing fad.”
“No! I’m completely serious about this! And I’d like to meet more zebras as well! Including your king! I should go there first!”
The jar Zecora was holding shattered on the floor. She turned slowly towards Star Swirl. “I don’t consider that a wise decision! I beg you, pick another mission!”
“Why?” Star Swirl raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen how much I can learn from zebras! I want to learn more!”
“South Zebrica is not safe for a pony! Choose another place for your journey!” Zecora leaned forward.
“I’m doing important magical research! These things need to be known! If it’s dangerous, all the more reason for me to be the one to discover it! I’m sorry Zecora, but that’s final! I have packing to do!” She got up and walked out the hut. “Goodbye, Zecora!”
Zecora ran to her door and leaned out as she raised a hoof to her mouth. “Please, Star Swirl! I beg of you! The danger I speak of is certainly true!”
Unfortunately, Star Swirl was already well on her way back to Ponyville.
(/)
The ship came to a rest and Star Swirl felt brave enough to look through the windows again. The earth ponies of The Cape of Good Hoof were waiting for them! Just as her research and communications had indicated. Clearly, Zecora had been worrying for nothing. There were already ponies here! How could being a pony make this place dangerous? Though, there was the matter of what most were wearing, which Star Swirl had originally assumed was some Zebrican fashion.
Star Swirl knew exactly two things about fashion. The first was that Rarity Belle was a fashion designer and that clothes she made were obviously superior to ordinary clothes for having come into existence in her presence. The second was that Fluttershy Posey was a former fashion model and while she had not liked it, she was obviously awesome at it because what else could she be? She did not even know the reason that Star Swirl the Bearded wore bells, though she had read several hypotheses, from the belief that he started to add a bell to his outfit for each spell he invented until he ran out of space, to the belief that he liked to use his bells to announce his presence to his allies and enemies, to the belief that he thought that they would protect him from invisible creatures which wanted to tunnel through his ears and eat his brain, to the belief that the bells were actually draconequus testicles that he had sewn into his outfit before cutting them off and he was too hardcore for the draconequi to do anything about it. Star Swirl had to admit that as much as the latter hypothesis had a certain appeal, its likelihood was ... remote.
However, she now realised that this “fashion” was actually barding. In her defence, she was used to the uniformity of the Royal Guard. And she could not even remember seeing earth ponies in the Guard. Whereas here, each pony looked completely different and the barding was not shiny, golden and standardised, but cracked, warped, battered mish-mashes made of patches of steel, stone and wood, which had been caked in dirt and old blood and had holes worn through them.
As she watched, a large, green stallion with a harness for a cutie mark stepped forward. He dug his hooves into the ground and a series of shrubs sprouted, lifting a set of boards to create a flight of stairs.
Star Swirl’s jaw dropped.
The door opened and she slowly descended the steps.
“Welcome, Miss Swirl,” said the stallion. “We were told to expect you.”
Star Swirl raised a hoof. “You may call me Star Swirl the Hundred and Forty Seventh.” She paused and sheepishly lowered her head and hoof. “Or Miss Swirl, if that’s what you’d prefer. What would you like me to call you?”
“My name is Safety Net,” replied the stallion. “Though most here call me Mayor.”
Star Swirl’s eyes flickered. “Well, Mayor Safety Net ... You don’t mind me calling you that, right?”
“Call me what you want, as long as you remember who’s in charge.”
Star Swirl bit her lip. “Right. Well, Mayor Safety Net, I just wanted to say that the way you grew those stairs was very impressive.”
Safety paused and tilted his head towards Star Swirl, cocking an eyebrow. “This is your first time outside Equestria, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Is it that easy to tell?”
“Yes. You’re soft. You’ve grown reliant on your unicorn and pegasus neighbours. You do not know war, or even what it means to have other tribes as your enemies. This isn’t Celestia’s realm. This is Zebrica! Land of tens of tribes and hundreds of threats, any of which is ready to kill you.”
Star Swirl scowled. “Hey! Equestria has threats too, you know! It’s not like we live in some idealistic utopia where nothing can hurt us! I’ll have you know that I was almost eaten by a timber wolf! And that’s excluding the large scale threats of Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra and Conformity!”
“Yes, I heard about those threats,” said Safety. “And I’m grateful they were contained. Though I wonder, who rescued you from the timber wolf?”
“Fluttershy Posey, Bearer of the Element of Kindness.”
“I see. And I’m guessing that she’s a pegasus?”
“One of the greatest pegasi in the world!”
“Well, while we could certainly use some pegasus warriors down here, a real earth pony wouldn’t need rescuing from a mere timber wolf.”
Star Swirl gasped. “Are you accusing me of not being a real earth pony!? What do you think I am then?! A crystal pony!?”
“I don’t call anypony who’s spent her whole life in a dead zone like Equestria to be real earth pony. You even dress like a unicorn. And one with a very out-of-date sense of style, I might add.”
Star Swirl’s mouth stretched open, her eye twitched, she gradually lifted a hoof and pointed it accusingly at Safety, struggling to hold it steady as her mouth slowly opened and closed. “Th-this is a duplicate of the hat of Star Swirl the Bearded! My great and noble ancestor! I wear it in honour of his brilliance! Do you know nothing about honouring your ancestors! The ponies of South Zebrica are descended from Equestrian ponies! I read about that! Are you daring to accuse them of not being real earth ponies!? Or any of the great earth ponies I know back in Equestria!?”
“You’re right. Our ancestors left Equestria when they realised that a princess having a temper tantrum could ruin our crops. And they came here, where Zaida, the King Zebra, granted us land. Living land which made us strong and where we wouldn’t be affected by the whims of unicorns or royalty.” He then turned away and muttered, “Not that that worked out so well for us.”
Star Swirl raised an eyebrow at that statement.
“Still,” he continued with added confidence and conviction, “having living ground has its perks. We may not be the only ones capable of growing plants here, but we can truly push them in ways we would never be capable of in Equestria.”
Star Swirl blinked. She had to admit that the ground did feel different. though it was ridiculous to call somepony weak for lacking a resource advantage. She concentrated on her connection to the earth.
The flow of magic felt completely different. Every plant was hers to command!
“Wow! This is amazing!” she gasped. “You can all control plants this easily!? Fascinating. This must be a wondrous place to live!”
Safety snorted. “It has its drawbacks as well. Not that you’d have noticed yet. You were lucky. You probably barely got turbulence on your way here.”
Star Swirl frowned. “We had turbulence.”
Safety rolled his eyes. “Foal’s stuff. You didn’t have to fly through a wild storm. Be grateful the springboks were apparently feeling generous.”
Star Swirl’s frown deepened and she raised an eyebrow. “A wild storm!? What is a wild storm!?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. A storm that happens by itself, with no one controlling it. I hear you get similar things in the Everfree Forest. But this isn’t Celestia’s land. It’s not a dead zone. Wild storms are completely normal here and we don’t have pegasi to protect us from them.”
Star Swirl’s eyes flung open and she slowly backed away, breathing heavily. Sure, she had been in the Everfree Forest before, but only during the day! And she had nearly been eaten there once! And who hadn’t heard horror stories about it? For goodness sake, it was near Tartarus and most ponies considered it scarier! She slowly started to ease her breathing. This explained why Zecora was so comfortable there. And she was a researcher! Pushing the boundaries of Science! Living on the edge! A little bad weather would not be so bad, right?
“Um, you said something about the springboks?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Safety. “As I said, we don’t have pegasi here, so they perform all the weather control that does happen. They’re a little hindered by their lack of wings, but like some unicorns, they’re still capable of doing it.”
“That’s fascinating!” squealed Star Swirl. “And exactly the kind of thing I need to find out about for my book! I cannot wait to meet the springboks. When may I?”
Safety scrunched up his brow and slowly tapped his chin. “Well, they’re not exactly hostile, so I suppose that it shouldn’t be too hard to convince them to at least talk to you.”
Star Swirl blinked twice. “... Why does that sentence sound less than reassuring?”
Safety slowly opened his mouth.
But it was not his voice to next sound out. “ZEEEEEEBRAAAAAAASSSSS!”came a panicked cry.
Safety spun round. “Battle stations!” he called out.
There was a sudden flurry of activity as some adult ponies ushered the foals away from the voice while others rushed toward it. They were carrying weapons in their mouths and many seemed to pop out of nowhere.
Safety slammed his hooves down and a small tree grew in front of him. He ripped off a branch with his teeth to form a club and charged towards the voice.
Star Swirl panted as she followed him, barely managing to keep him in her sight before he reached a wall of thorns.
The wall had a ditch along its inside and was too thick to see through.
The ponies at the wall had grown trees to lift themselves high enough to see over the wall.
That was easy enough to copy. Star Swirl had learned to grow plants from the great Honesty Bearer Applejack Apple. If it really was easier here, she should not have had a problem.
She was startled by suddenly being lifted from the ground and nearly fell off her new plant. She slowed down the growth and let it slowly lift her until she too could see over the wall. She was really impressed with how thoroughly these ponies covered their town with seeds.
She peered over the wall and saw a cloud of dust in the distance. As it approached, the air filled with the sound of thunder and the ground began to shake. It stopped before the wall and the cloud dissipated in an instant, being replaced by a multitude of zebras of various colours, patterns and sizes. Rather than barding, they simply wore straps to hold their weapons, masks, gourds, calabashes, jars, vials, talismans, rocks and other odds and ends. Star Swirl recognised some things from her time with Zecora, but most was new.
A muscular, scarred stallion, almost as large as Celestia, stepped forward and lifted his mask. He was khaki with brown stripes and one of the less colourful present. “Hi and hello, magnificent Mayor Safety, sir!” he called out as he lifted a hoof to his mouth.
“If this is a raid, Zaka, I’ll do what I must to protect my ponies!” snarled Safety.
Zaka raised an eyebrow. “Yes, you say so. I simply see that thickening your young wall which you yearn to totally, potently protect you all yonder was wishfully done determinedly specifically since lately and last we went and brutally burned it. Tell to me methodically and daringly...” He brushed a hoof against a gourd and then struck it against a rock. It burst into flame. “... do you yonder really, rightfully think that will waver us?” He lifted his burning hoof to his mouth and blew, producing a jet of fire. He then waved the hoof and the flame went out.
“What are you doing here, Zaka?” Safety growled. “What do you want? We aren’t scheduled for another offering yet.”
“Yes, you’re resplendently right!” said Zaka with a smile as he began doodling in the sand. “You yonder aren’t scheduled! So definitely don’t wearily worry. This thing isn’t a righteous raid. We wonderfully, happily have no knowledgeable, righteous reason to terribly, potently punish you yonder. This thing is an ... inspection. We wondrously, happily heard you yonder were waiting for an airship, and fortuitously, it arrived! The thoughtful law, laboriously implemented is absolute. All imports require a righteous offering of a proper portion as tribute to Zaida, Zebra King. Continue to traipse on his honourable, lovely land, he humbly allows you yonder and in return, rightfully you yonder obey his holy, levees and laws and graciously give offerings and tallied tributes. As his humble, generous General, I accept total tribute and tally this there import. Bring it out briskly.”
Safety narrowed his eyes and bit his lip. “This import contained nothing useful. Zaida will be wasting his time with it. And there was very little that was brought. This is why we didn’t feel the need to inform him. There is no reason for him to take it.”
“I think that I’d rather, rightfully, humbly have that evaluation thoughtfully done and demonstrated by bountiful Zaida’s zebras,” replied Zaka.
Safety shifted his legs awkwardly. “You only have your army here. Not the best for evaluation. Why don’t you take an extra bag of sorghum in compensation. Perhaps we can discuss further details another time?”
Zaka raised his eyes, tilted his head and slowly nodded. “A sensible suggestion,” he conceded. He then added three more lines to the drawing he had been making. “However, I also humbly, wondrously want a splendid spear.” He pointed at a mare who was holding a spear in her teeth.
Her eyes widened and she backed away.
Zaka tapped the drawing twice and the spear ripped out of her mouth and embedded itself in the sandy drawing. “I think that I’ll also take it tenaciously.” He flashed a smile.
Safety nodded. “Right. Sorghum!”
A mare cantered up to the wall, carrying a sack on her back. The thorns parted before her and she walked out of the city until she was in front of the army. She quickly dropped the sack and galloped back into the city, shivering as the walls closed behind her.
An orange and green zebra walked up to the sack and threw it over his back.
“Thanks,” said Zaka. “Then we will be back again, seemingly soon.”
The zebras turned around and galloped off.
Safety lowered his head, closed his eyes and exhaled. The tree lowered him back to the ground.
Around him, the other ponies slowly returned to their earlier positions, some seeming to melt into the air.
Star Swirl rushed over to Safety with a frown on her brow. “What,” she said, “was that about!?”
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Couldn't Zecora or ANYONE of told her that 'political instability' and Zebrica go hoof in hoof and is one of the reasons Zecora LEFT in the first place?
She might have come up with a better rhyme, but Star Swirl did not give her time.
Oh boy, one of those people.
As for Zaka, anyone who uses that many adverbs can't be up to anything good.
2767215 You're very close, but the situation is a bit more complicated than that. Very few in Equestria know what things are like in Zebrica at the moment. Zecora doesn't really want to draw attention to the fact that she's more of a refugee than a visitor, especially seeing as though she's legally only a visitor. She'd have made that sacrifice, but by that time, Star was already in Canterlot (her parents still live there after all). The Princesses know about Zebrica, but while Star Swirl knows them, she doesn't exactly just pop in to chat with them.
2774475 People's reactions to Safety have been fun to watch.
As for Zaka, I though his speech would be easier than Zecora's. I WAS SO WRONG!
Using excessive adverbs was just the easiest way to match his speech quirk (alliteration is HARD).
Of course the real fun begins with Zaida's Haiku talk.
2775167
Haiku talk? I have a feeling that you're gonna regret that decision.
Okay, normally prefer getting into a story when it's done, but while it's writing has bonuses too. Plus, I have several avenues to bug you to get it finished.
Ohhh airship travel. but.. Cape of Good Hoof?
Okay like the starting with her arriving, then flashing back to why she's there, it does work well. but.. that flashback. You're told it's not safe, and just say "even more reason to go"? Without even finding out WHY it's dangerous? Same for Zecora, if your vague hen yeah, ponies will have issues believing you, give specifics, WHY is it dangerous.... granted she didn't have much time, but still, Starswirl.. no.. bad pony.
okay.. that entire fashion paragraph.. I'm.. I can barely see straight to type.. with all the laughing... that.. that was EPICALLY hilarious...I... I need a moment to.. calm down after that...
Okay.. better, though still hilarious. Really liked it, first her clear fan-fillying over the Mane 6 is still evident. her "knowledge" of fashion is also great, and, and, the entire bell gag.. just, every entry gets better, and better, and then, that ending.. okay, I, I think maybe I should stop reading now, you, you can't top that, that was freaking BRILLIANT!
Being greeted by armed guards, in battered, obviously used armor.... Nope,no ill boding here.
Yeah, I'm not liking this mayor. Really he's making me think of Stable 101 before Redeye took over. No, not liking him at all. (Asa pony, not as a character.)
And yeah agreeing with her, calling Equestrian ponies "weak" because they don't have access to something that is a natural part of where you are and not anything you actually created... yeah calling bullshit on that.
Not liking the 'dead zone' appellation, I know it'll get explained but, yeah really not liking the implications here is it's more then just him being a stuck up asshole.
Oh look, hostilities between the ponies and Zebra's. damnit it Starswirl this is why you RESEARCH places before going to them, ASK Zecora what the fuck she meant..
Also, that Zebra's speaking is really annoying. I can mostly get what he's saying but, really really hard to parse and just, yeah annoying...
Orange and green!? Wut?
Well then, Yeah, this is your own fault for not freaking listening to Zecora dumbass.
Well overall, looking like a good start. This being me, I'd still say could slow down the pacing, spread things out a bit more, take more time for buildup, scene setting, little details but.. that's just case I prefer slower paced stories overall. Outside that, yeah much MUCH better at the pacing, really no issues I could feel, just, well personal preference. Plenty of set up, plenty of getting us interested in the story and wondering what's going on, while given little clues and hints of possibilities. Great start, now make sure you finish it.
3086210
You're reading uncompleted stories again and you choose one of MINE!
That's a real honour.
Plus, one step closer to getting you to try Harmony Theory (At LEAST try The Archer and the Smith. It's finished at least.)
Of course, there's that too.
Can't all be winners.
Star Swirl's stubbornness is meant to rival Applejack's. And she's not that into this "caution" thing either.
Zecora is a bit relutant to go into details, but she would have if she had the chance.
Thank you. I tried it out at the fanfic thread asking if it was too crude. They replied that it was too funny for them to care.
I'm enjoying reactions to Safety and how they develop. I'll say that he's better than the Overmare of Stable 101 though.
Honestly, it's less that they don't have ACCESS to it and more that they've never USED it and therefore never felt how powerful they truly can be. A small distinction, but one he'd consider important.
I actually explain this in my group. "Dead zone" just means "place that requires magic for life". In the case of Equestria, their water cycle doesn't work and plants don't grow. At all. Ever. They need magic for such things.
Actually, if you recall, she DID research it. The problem is that her research is more than ten years out of date.
Sorry. I underestimated how hard that would be to work with.
Hopefully other quirks will be less grating.
I suppose they do clash a bit, Darling.
Still, I SAID that these zebras had multitudes of colours.
Glad that my pacing is improving.
And hopefully you won't have too long to wait for the rest.