ZZ Top That
Three hours later, Rainbow Dash paced high above the throne room with flapping wings. She chewed on the edges of her lip, nervously, as her eyes darted across the dark-lit tapestries and frescoes of the ancient castle.
At long last, she heard a gasping voice from below. Alarmed, she flew down and stood behind Zecora. “Is he...?!”
“He will be find, nervous friend of mine.” Zecora bore a tired smile, wrapping the last of several bandages around Noir's chest and shoulders. “The damaged he's sustained I have been able to maintain. I've administered a brew that will make him good as new.”
“Whewwwwww...” Rainbow Dash exhaled, both her ears and wings drooping. “That's so... you're...” She looked up with a tired expression. “Awesome, Zecora. That's simply what you are, girl.”
“Hmmmm... so I've been told. Though little did I expect to fit your mold.”
“Mmmmnngh...” Noir grimaced, his clenched eyes twitching beneath his velvet lids. “That accent. It's Zebraharan...”
“Ah yes, a sarosian is a master of sound.” Zecora smirked. “For a night pony, you've certainly gotten around.”
“A shaman...” Noir hissed. “Did... did you heal me?”
“Indeed, I have done much to restore your health. But it was Rainbow Dash who brought you here all by herself.”
“Rainbow Dash...” Noir's muzzle curved. “So... it w-was you in Fillydelphia...”
“Totally, bro,” Rainbow Dash spoke up.
“Rainbow...” The sarosian's eyes squinted open, but immediately regretted it. As dim as it was inside, the barest hint of daylight was torturous to the stallion. “Guh... wh-where are we?”
“The Castle of the Royal Sisters.”
“You mean from before the Lunar Exile?” Noir writhed. “Guh... that's... that's in Everfree!”
“Well, I had to get you somewhere far away, dude,” Rainbow said. “Romulus turned on you. He was bound to track—”
“I know,” Noir grunted. “I only wish I had seen it coming. The griffon had... h-had help. Stallions—many of them. By their accent, I'd say Manehattanites...”
“I'm pretty sure I know who they are,” Rainbow muttered. “Thugs of Don Canter.”
“Don C-canter?!” Noir sputtered. “The Neigh York crime boss?”
“Hey, you know your modern history!”
“How in the name of Saros did they become entangled with Romulus?!” Noir wheezed. “Enough to stage a raid on the moon gate?!”
“I... uh...” Rainbow fidgeted where she stood. “I might know a thing or two about that.”
“You... y-you do?” Noir writhed and moaned.
“Noir...?!” Rainbow leaned forward.
A striped forelimb graced Rainbow's shoulder. “Rainbow, that is enough. His pains are healing, but still rough. I suggest we leave him to mend in bed, and carry on the coversation between you and me instead.”
“Errr... yeah...” Rainbow gulped as Zecora led her out of the chamber. “Right.” Nevertheless, she called back across the echoing throneroom. “Just hang tight, Noir! You're safe here! Zecora and I are gonna go... do some girl talk, 'kay?”
Noir lay by himself on a bundle of blankets. He curled up, breathing evenly. “Zecora...” His midnight brow furrowed. “...certainly...” A yawn. “...an exotic name...”
Zecora and Rainbow came out onto a balcony overlooking the golden sunset across the Everfree canopy.
“At the risk of sounding irascible, I do believe I deserve a mouthful,” Zecora said.
“Nnnngh...” Rainbow hovered above the zebra. “Look, Zecora, he owes his life to you. I-I can't even pretend to tell you just how much of a life-saver you've been today.”
“You can most certainly try.” Zecora's eyes narrowed. “My itinerary today is completely dry.”
“You see, Noir is...” Rainbow fidgeted. “Something of a business partner, and—”
“Rainbow, we are very close friends, yes?” Zecora frowned. “Being perfectly honest with me would be best. I have remained ignorant of your activities for quite some time. But, given the circumstances, the truth right now would be quite sublime.”
Rainbow Dash bit her lip.
Zecora took a deep breath. “Must secrecy continue to be your crutch? Tell me the truth; I think I deserve that much.”
At last, Rainbow sighed, her body hanging off her wings. “...Zecora, for some time now, I've been tasked with collecting a bunch of magical artifacts.”
Zecora cocked her head to the side. “Is that so? What kind of artifacts—do you know?”
“The kind of things that—when all gathered together—could mean some really bad juju in the hooves of the wrong pony.” Rainbow gulped. “As a matter of fact, even broken apart and shattered, these shards can prove dangerous to the world at large! Why, just a few weeks ago, when I raided the Diamond Dog slave camp—”
“Wait...” Zecora's pupils shrank as her muzzle fell agape. “Do you refer to the pack of canine knaves who were beaten and robbed of all their slaves?!”
“Uhm... you h-heard about it?”
“Rainbow, exactly where have you been?!” Zecora exclaimed. “Even an outsider such as myself has caught up with the latest news trend!” The zebra pointed in the vague direction of Ponyville. “Every mare and stallion in town has much concerning that tale to expound! The ultimate tragedy of that tale, of course, is that the hero of those slaves was lost with great remorse!”
Rainbow avoided Zecora's gaze with a bashful smirk.
Zecora fell back on her haunches, stammering, “It was you?! Can this be true?”
“And it was me in Manehattan at Photo Finish's studio,” Rainbow said. “And also me waaaaaay back in Granite Mountain—though that really doesn't count, now that I think about it.”
“Rainbow Dash, you crazy mare! About your well-being, do you simply not care?!”
“Look, I don't want this to get around—”
“Why not?! All this danger you've wrought—”
“You're right! I'm in it deep! Deep and dangerous!” Rainbow exclaimed. “But, the truth is, I don't want to get anypony involved! Not the girls! Not the citizens of Ponyville!” She gulped. “And certainly not you. I... uh... I-I brought you and Noir here in this super secret place because I knew that you'd be able to patch him up without anypony noticing. But otherwise, you'd never have gotten involved. Ya feel me?”
“Rainbow Dash, is there really such a need for this insanity?” Zecora squinted. “Don't you have the aid of the Elements of Harmony?”
“I don't think Harmony would help much in this case,” Rainbow said. “These artifacts—these shards I'm collecting.” She gulped. “They're... uh... chaotic in nature.”
“Chaos, so you say?” Zecora rubbed her chin in thought. “I can certainly understand your dismay. That is certainly a very ancient force. Even still, I suspect harmony would throw it off course.”
“I'm not trying to throw it off course,” Rainbow said. “I'm trying to find the shards, not lose them!”
“What for?”
“So I can harness the chaos for something good instead of—y'know—super bad.”
“Rainbow...” Zecora frowned. “Chaos is nothing to laugh about! I fear you are traversing a disastorous route!”
“Oh yeah?” Rainbow folded her forelimbs with a proud smirk. “How do you think I got so many slaves freed from the diamond dogs?! How do you think I was able to heal Photo Finish from her sickness overnight?!”
“These... I'm afraid that th-these details are mostly lost to me.” Zecora leaned forward. “Are you're saying that chaos can be used in a way other than malevolently?”
“Better believe it, girl,” Rainbow said. “And before you ask—no—it hasn't been easy to track these artifacts down and grab them before other ponies. I've run into a lot of nasty-nasties along the way. Nothing I can't handle... well...” She flexed a forelimb for emphasis, smiling. “Thanks to you...”
“All this time...” Zecora gulped. “You've been using my brew to tackle that which other ponies would be t-too afraid to?!”
“And doing my deliveries and cloud-kicking and giving Scootaloo flight lessons!” Rainbow shrugged with a smile. “Y'see, Zecora?! I'm still your friendly neighborhood Rainbow Dash! I just... k-kinda sorta got this secret adventure shtick on the side.”
“But, whatever for?”
“Think about it...” Rainbow smirked. “Who else would be totally into this sort of a thing?” She gulped. “Much less throw herself into it without complaining.”
Zecora sighed heavily. “I still fail to see the need for secrecy. You should utilize your allies in harmony.”
“If it comes to that, I just might,” Rainbow said. “Just like I've... y'know... utilized you.” She held her hooves together. “Thank you, by the way. For real, Zecora. Noir owes his life to your medical skills.”
Zecora motioned into the castle with her head. “Exactly how does the night stallion fit into this situation?” the zebra asked. “Sarosians very rarely allow public or private visitations.”
“When it comes to chaos, Noir's the guy,” Rainbow said. “He's part of a league of ponies who follow the 'Lunar Code.'”
“In honor of Princess, if I am to guess?”
“Yes. The Luna Brigade, basically.” Rainbow nodded. “Bunch of secret fuzzy night ponies with secret fuzzy ears doing secret fuzzy things for a fuzzy world.”
“And he has aided you?”
“Zecora, he trusts me.” Rainbow grinned. “Just like you do.” She leaned forward. “Riiiiight?”
“Nnnngh...” Zecora rubbed her brow with her hoof. “Rainbow, I swear, you will be the death of me. A situation like this can only end in catastrophe.”
“Now, that's not the optimistic zebra that I know and love!” Rainbow swooped down and wrapped a forelimb around her shoulder. “For realsies—in all of your days of being a shaman, have you not taken risks to make sure the world was safer from ailments and baddies?”
Zecora gulped. “Well, most assuredly I have, but—”
“Well, I'm doing the same thing here!” Rainbow chirped. “Even if I'm sometimes going backwards about it. Either way—believe me—the rest of my friends are better off not getting involved. Heck, even you don't have to get involved. We can pretend that this is a one-time thing and let it go, r-right?”
“Rainbow Dash, I most certainly cannot let this go,” Zecora said with a glaring expression. “I have a great responsibility now that I know.”
“I have no intention of yanking you any deeper into my mess,” Rainbow said. “You've saved Noir's life, and that's totally cool. But the last thing I wanna do is bring stupid craziness to your doorstep. That's why I brought the both of you here to the ancient castle—”
“Rainbow, I am to assume that your chaotic quest has an ultimate goal?” Zecora squinted. “Then you'll need all you can get to tackle your challenges as a whole. If you had gotten Twilight or Fluttershy involved—or a pony of any other name name, wouldn't it not be the absolute same?”
Rainbow Dash sighed. She smiled tiredly. “You're right. Jee, Zecora, I'm sorry—”
“Please, Rainbow, don't be,” the zebra insisted. “This is matter of importance, obviously. If you continued to struggle on your lonesome, who knows what fate you'd suffer most gruesome.”
“I-I've got it covered... m-mostly.”
“Would Noir agree with your security?” Zecora smirked. “Hmmm?”
Rainbow bowed her head, groaning inwardly.
“I am not one to downplay your bravery,” Zecora said, touching Rainbow's shoulder. “But it need not depend purely on insanity. I'm honored that you chose me to intervene, but to abandon you now would be unbelievably mean. Face it, Rainbow Dash, in one way or another we are part of this infernal quest together.”
“Yeah, well...” Rainbow glared up at her. “You can do your part from your hut. I'm totally not stringing you along on some wild chase.”
“Quite frankly, nor would I wish to risk my skin,” Zecora said with a chuckle. “But I'll still assist you in whatever pursuit you're in.”
“Yeah... yeah, okay.”
“While we're on the subject, just what is the next leg of your gambit?”
Rainbow stared up at the hazy sky, her muzzle scrunched. “Y'know... that's a darn good question..."
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5046143
I sense love triangle
5046294
Not exactly. Zecora likes Big Mac, but he's taken. Noir may be interested in Zecora... she just needs to know that Mac is taken.
Either that's a typo, or Zecora's channelling Floydien.
5046143
So it wasn't just me!
5046380
Are you kidding? That was almost blatant!
Not one of the better rhymes. Not that JE isn't doing a great job writing Zecora. Most who attempt it are nowhere near as good at the rhyming.
And I'm finally caught up.
All aboard the good ship Zechnoira!
Toot Toot mofos.
Welp, I was wrong again...sorta.
I mean, she is leaving a few things out, but she told most of it to Zecora.
5046143
SAME
Zecora Has Joined The Party!
Also, Zecora totally needs to get together with Noir. That thing with Big Mac is going nowhere. And I assume that Noir will need a place to lay low and recuperate.
Besides, something tells me bat ponies are wild in the sack. Remember Flutterbat's tongue?
5046301
Yeah but just because she finds out he's taken doesnt she is going to get over him right away it's gonna take a while like if applejack rejected rainbow, she wouldn't just get over he automatically
But I could be wrong
5046389
Well, in my defence, there wasn't anything too obvious, and I was worried my shipping senses were being overactive.
5049136 I saw it too *waves from miles behind everyone else*
Well, that's one way to resolve the love triangle.