FoE: Snippet Story

by Windrunner

Legend Redux

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The wise old zebra would not be telling the expected continuation of her story today. They would hear something necessary to their understanding of the rest, first. She rose in front of the old stewing pot which served for near as long as she told the stories.

"You come to hear of Whiskey The Queen, ears pricked, intent and keen. The sheen on your faces I must alas smear, so it may seem mean. Much as most of you now in places you've not been, long ago I met another unseen. In a little cabaret from the times which came after and not before, my intent to kill ponies was ever so sure." She paused a moment to stir and tend the bubbling communal cauldron before her, letting those words sink in, to a hushed murmur from the gathered crowd. As expected. The soup smelled delicious. Very few of this small ragtag clan experienced the world of then. It was still a harsh reality today, but they enjoyed a relative peace with those who wandered by now and had enough to live, love, and trade with. Almost free of the enmity of times past. Almost.

Few of them knew the myriad horrors laid rest from those times. Terrors near unspeakable did exist here and now, but they were not kin to the great and vile disturbances of the past. Some almost forgotten entirely. As expected.

"In far off lands stands a tower, rife with power. I watched them both there as ante up one did declare, and lay her cards upon the table in despair. Goals unclear, to a terrible cheer, which rose from ghastly hosts soon to appear." She continued stirring the pot at a slow, almost hypnotizing pace. Graceful, measured. It was all part of this act.

"Nearabouts all our kind once felt a terrible chill, some electric thrill pushing us to make ill. War and suffering were brought, all nearly for naught, and left all the world you see to be caught. In maelstrom and devilry there, it all lay ruined and good still to be sought." There was a sad shimmer to her voice with these words, all present could perceive it. As expected. A tenseness of raw memory few ever saw upon her face. A tear rolled.

"Forgive me my moment, there are many things behind, soon to be spoken of in kind. Like a springed clock we wind, moments themselves can be snapped you might find. You all know what misery we sometimes face, what terrible cards may be given like so many shards of painted glass fallen from grace. A bringer of light and darkness back then I faced, to find myself utterly disgraced." The crowd looked to each other in recognition as she knew they would. Just as expected.

They'd never heard these particular stories despite how many she told through the years. Knowing not the miserable time spent in the wrong of things. Like all others they knew the basics all know, the emotions all feel. This was not the same. Memories of struggles so long past even she herself barely recalled them all, but they were held in her memory because of their sheer importance. The weight of memories such as those do not leave us, it came to her mind. They were far too weighty to really forget.

"One day long ago, in far away lands when we made our last stands at a time most abhorrent, two doors sprung open near at the same moment as if some kindly mistake made for the sole amusement of torments. A third, another about all near pink, a story for another time I think. Through unreasoned choices I sought to kill one with a compact horn, not knowing it would prove a painful thorn. Her record stands as undefeated, you've heard of her I should say, to have not there is simply no way." She smiled at them knowingly, eyes glinting as the entirety of the intently listening zebras gathered here began to comprehend and fully realize what she was speaking of in sheer surprise. It could not have been otherwise.

As expected, many of them began to ask excitedly as she raised a hoof to urge their silence.

"Steep prices we all paid, to have our oblivion stayed." She was quiet a moment and tested the soup. Almost ready. She gazed out over the crowd. So different from then, even some visiting trade ponies were among them. Friendly faces now. So different.

"In times past for awful moments we played, that terrible game for which there is no aid. Near tragic a mistake in the shade, though neither ever obeyed any of the silly rules I thought I made. As they were then alas due to age, be forgiving as I make my exit from upon the stage." Just like the last time, the crowd was disappointed by the sudden end to these as yet untold stories. As expected, but the soup was ready to be served.

"Return to sip of this fine vintage a day and half hither, do not let your curiosity wither." She stepped away from the slightly raised platform behind the old cauldron after giving them that little prod, not that any of them needed it. Others would mete out the tasty creation amongst the little clan as she walked back to her humble abode. Not a drop would be wasted, the old storytellers cooking was as much a draw as the stories themselves and rivaled only her storytelling in craft. The clan would not realize for some time yet, there was even more meaning backing her words this time. As expected, but it was not quite time yet. The telling of this was a reward to herself, something she'd held in reserve for all these years.

A treat for their ears and her own. There would be just enough time to enjoy it fully, savoring every reaction. This was a good day. As expected. Once again she gazed at a treasured worn photograph well taken care of. For her it was a prize beyond measure as it represented a moment of truth and joy unparalleled at any other time of her life. She would share this treasure at a later date. A moment captured in time by what was once a common contraption using little more than light, shadow and paper. There was an oddly large amount of it still laying around long after the war ended. What did they use all that paper for?

There was still so much out there in fact that there would be no need to find out how to make more for a very long time to come. When it was taken she wondered at the odd marvel it popped out of. She'd been told the old empire was known for impressive technological prowess before the war, did they make it or was it the culmination of some unicorn experiment? Ah well. It might never be known. She settled in to rest, thinking of old memories long untold. Everything was going as expected.

- - -

Bet you were expecting to me to say "As expected." Oh..wait.