The Wanderer

by Saturn104

2: Finding a Purpose

Soon we arrived at Zecora's house. It looked even cooler than it did in the show.

The house looked like Shrek's swamp house with an African twist. Moss and ivy grew in patches all around the tree, and the trees around it provided a nice cozy atmosphere to it. Bottles hung from branches, various masks were littered around, and large plants marked the boundaries of the clearing. The creatures of the forest created yet another magnificent piece to tie it all together.

So like any normal person would do, I walked right up to the door and knocked.

Oh hi Stupid! It's so nice of you to show up again!

"To whom do I owe the pleasure of speaking t-" Zecora began, and stopped upon catching sight of me.

"Uhh... Is this a bad time?" I asked the zebra, who seemed rather surprised at the sound of my voice.

"Umm... No, no! Come in, come in! But first I must-" She paused for a moment, staring at me with her mouth open so wide she could catch flies. "Prepare the den!" She practically yelled the last line as she slammed the door.

"What's her problem?" I pondered aloud, taking no thought into the fact that I was a six foot tall monster which had probably never seen before, and that there was a (rather terrifying) wooden bird placed upon my shoulder.

After some panicked sounds and bumps/crashes, the wood creaked open. Her face was riddled with obvious signs of panic, even her mohawk seemed disheveled. She wore a hesitant smile, as if hoping the creature she had seen had gone away. Luckily for her, I hadn't.

"Agk," Zecora squeaked, choking on her tongue. Her pupils were the size of pinpricks. "Come in, watch your he- ... head."

Myself, being the most graceful bit of sentience to walk this planet, smacked my face on the mask hanging above her door. Golem had taken off from my shoulder, perhaps seeing this coming. I soon found myself on the ground (again) wearing said mask.

"I shouldn't have gotten out bed," I groaned. Also unknowingly finishing the poetic zebra's rhyme. Thankfully, this lightened the mood. Zecora let out a light chuckle.

---

"This tea is amazing Zecora, what's in it?" I asked, finishing off the last bit of my drink.

"For that I use a special brew, the ingredients of which I cannot tell you." The zebra replied, much more relaxed than before.

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "But I have some questions,do you mind answering what you can?"

"I have some questions of my own, but I think that sounds like a plan." Zecora said, doing the same thing I did a few minutes ago. Only she knew what she was doing. I brushed it off as mockery.

"First, does everything really have an outline?"

"Ah, a common problem amongst pony-folk. Some like it and choose to keep it, while others don't," she walked over to a shelf that held plenty a plethora of potions. "A simple cure is what you need. I have it, but it will cause similar effects to that of mead." She grabbed a green bottle off the shelf, holding the neck of the bottle in her mouth. "Put it in a drink and let it steep. But be warned, it puts ponies to sleep." Zecora gave me the bottle, then returned to the cushion she was sitting on before.

"Thank you, I kind of miss small detail." I mumbled the last part. "It makes me wonder though, why does that happen?"

"Some creatures' eyes are not capable of seeing through the magical film that is placed upon their eyes when they enter this realm."

"Enter this realm?" I looked at her quizzically. "Did someone else find that portal?"

"You seem to misunderstand. Usually this potion is under popular demand of mothers of foals who were born with this filter that sets their childrens' world off-kilter." Zecora never once paused to think while saying this, leaving me in awe of her rhyming capability. She was like Dr. Suess mixed with some famous rapper.

"So I suppose I'm an exception?"

Zecora nodded.

"Alright, next question. I need to make some money, do you know where or how I could?" I wasn't going to let off any hints that I knew about this place. "From the fanfictions I've read, she will tell me to go to Ponyville and work for Applejack or something."

"Your pet is crafted from remains of a Timberwolf, yes?" She asked, looking at Golem, who was perched up on an empty shelf.

"I see him more as a friend that just so happened to create." I told the zebra, throwing her for a major loop.

"..." Zecora looked at me for a moment, then continued: "Pawning off those Timberwolf eyes would probably be in your best interest."

"I see how that could work. But Golem's eyes will remain his, isn't that right Golem?" I looked up at the bird, whom looked at me and cawed.

"Ah, I see. Make me look like a nutjob in front of the lady, I'll get you back." I thought to the bird, I knew he was listening. With a smug look on his face.

Zecora interrupted our mental 'old western stand-off' with the clearing of her throat.

"Oh, last question." I spat out, regained a comfortable sitting position, then continued: "Do you know or have anything that might be useful to me before I leave?"

"Then I simply must know, what do you want and where will you go?" She looked at me with honest wonder in her eyes, "never before have I seen a creature like you, so I must know: 'where do you belong?', here? or a Zoo?"

"I guess that's a problem I haven't quite solved yet... I love travel, I mean, like I'm an adventurer at heart, but I hate killing. Anything sentient I have trouble with. It's a big thing back in my world," I scratched my head and looked up in thought. "I could do so many things that might help you pe- ponies, like ridding the forest of Timberwolves or perhaps just subduing them. I might just go around looking for problems I can solve...

"Just kinda wander around and see what I can see before I die." I shrugged my shoulders, turning back to Zecora.

The zebra tapped her chin with a hoof, "I can provide you with a tools and lead you to Ponyville. But I ask of one thing of you before I do so, may I have a set of those eyes? One to keep and one to be used in your will?"

"What do you mean by 'in my will'?" I questioned her, then she motioned for me to give her the weapon I used fight the Timberwolves.

"Follow me and you shall see," she said, leading me into a room lined with bookshelves.

In the middle of the room there sat a black table, which appeared to be made from volcanic glass, and on the corners it was plated foggy blue diamonds. On top was a book that appeared to levitate, it turned toward whoever was closest to it and opened automatically. When it opened small runes flew from the bookshelves into the book. The room itself was square-shaped and was dimly lit by only a candle in a bottle hanging above.

"Pass me an eye of a Timberwolf please." Zecora's face was very serious, it was almost scary. Her brow was furrowed and it looked like that no matter what happened, she would not look away from that book.

So I did as the zebra said and passed her the gem.

Zecora held the gem (with no fingers might I add,) just inches above the book. She placed there for a second and read the pages, "bane of arthropods? No..." She mumbled under her breath. She picked the gem up and repeated the process six times before finally exclaiming: "That's it!" The emerald began to glow purple.

"A high level enchantment was placed upon this eye, give me your staff and raw power will be nigh." Ooh Zecora, bustin' out the Olde English!

She attached the gem to the top of my staff by carving out a small hole and placing tree sap inside. The emerald fit snuggly into said hole and began to glow a little bit brighter.

"Because this gem was enchanted so long ago, its power will never cease to glow." Zecora spoke rhythmically, passing it to me.

"Wow, so what does the enchantment do?" All my manners were forgotten, as I was more excited than a kid on Christmas. The zebra smiled.

"It is a will spell. Think of a command to ring this bell," she told me, producing a small bell from one of the countless shelves in the main room.

I pointed the newly-bedazzled end of my staff at the bell, "push." I had hoped the clapper would be pushed against the wall of the bell... I may have over shot it...

The bell shot out of Zecora's grasp, rocketed to the other side of the room and embedded itself into the wall. The look on her face was priceless.

"Umm... Much like a muscle this spell will need to be exercised, but too much use will leave it compromised."

"That's fucking awesome, thanks Zecora!" I jumped to hug her, making her eyes go rather wide. Once again, priceless. I dug through the pocket in my backpack and produced the odd numbered eye, leaving me with only two.

"Payment for the hospitality and services," I held out the gem. "Thanks again Zecora." I began to head towards the door, while also being hit in the face by bottled candles several times before actually ducking my head to keep what little bit of sense I had left.

Graceful. As. Fuck.

"Before you go I must show you the path to Ponyville. Take it as a gesture of goodwill."

---

"Bye Zecora," I shouted back to her, hands cupped to make it louder. "May we cross paths again soon!" She waved back with a legitimate smile on her face. Or at least from what I could see.

"Screwy-ass magical filter bullshit," I grumbled in my mind. Everything still had that cartoonish outline, but the thought that I would soon be able to get rid of it put me at ease.

The path she had directed me down was more of a dirt road than a path, and any thought of 'exploring' was shot down quickly by the pernicious plants placed particularly along the side of said path. The trees were tall and terribly terrifying, even in broad daylight. Poison Joke was dotted dodgingly and decoratively along the winding walkway. My wooden birdy buddy bolted through the breeze, reminding me of something that needed to be done delicately and devilishly. I smiled as I thought...

"Push!" I yelled internally, pointing the staff at Golem.

Golem was immediately launched several hundred feet up in the air, letting out a panicked screech as he did so. The bird soon reached the apex of his near-orbital flight and regained control. He was so high up in the air I could faintly hear him when he yelled.

"Asshat!"

Quickly, he made his descent in the form of a dive. Golem punched through the puffy clouds at a breakneck speed, getting closer and closer as he did so. I could've sworn I'd seen a cone forming around him, but right before the wooden winged harem of death hit me, he spread his wings fully. The wind hit me just as hard as he would've however, kicking up leaves and whatever had been loosely settled on the forest floor.

"You're developing quite the personality," I told him waving dust away from my face as I did so.

"I prefer to think of it as 'picking up traits from a friend,'" Golem said, puffing up his chest.

"Well friend, care join me on my walk to Ponyville?"

Golem smirked (much like I would) and landed upon my shoulder.

And I began to walk into my next adventure.

Author's Note:

Second chapter done! Hyped up on caffeine and full of energy so I gotta use it while I can!

Anyway, I will try to get chapters out as fast as possible not to keep you guys waiting, but I shall make no promises.

Also, I need an editor and an artist, as I am terrible at both. PM me if you are interested.

Finally I would like to add that things can only get better from here, I have big plans for this story. I have never really been good with intros to my stories and my detail is slightly lacking so it is nice to get some practice in. The positive feedback is also pretty awesome too guys, thanks!

~NCC

Comments

[Lunar Prose]

I am really enjoying your character developments so far, they have a refreshing feeling about them. I very much so look forward to your next update!

[omega-ze-wargod]

Sweeeeeeeeeet

[Saturn104]

4143304 Thanks, I was worried about having flat characters

[kotor511]

Wanderer lv .1 login
>Spawn Location Everfree Forest.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
!Main Quest Complete!
>|Find and Talk to Zecora|<
> Rewards:
> Items
Walking Pole (Slot Upgrade +1)
~Slot 1~: >Timberstone< //Effect: "Activates "Push" skill for usage on target."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bits : 0
_____________________________________________________________________________________
!New Main Quest added!
>|Leave the Everfree Forest and enter Ponyville|<
// See 'Quest details' to display location marker.

[Saturn104]

4161688 I'm beginning to love your comments

[megaspy14]

When is the next chapter going to come?

[Saturn104]

4218784 Soon my friend, soon.
I have been absent for some time, so I wrote a long chapter to make up for it.