Shard: Flim and Flam's Traveling Sideshow Spectacular

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Among the Imprisoned

After making their way around to the back, checking to be sure neither brother was around, and learning that Rarity had a talent for picking locks none of them had previously known about ("I have my reasons, dear"), they were at the door and ready to go in.

"Twilight, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said, "you two wait out here with Luna. That way you two can keep those brothers busy and Luna can come in to warn us."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Twilight asked. "I mean who knows what else they might have in there. Creatures they didn't show that are too dangerous, or weird old artifacts or something."

"Don't worry," Rainbow Dash stated. "Our first goal is to see if Zecora is in there. After that, we'll see about releasing anything in a cage. Hopefully we can be in and out before those stallions know what happened. But you three stay out here just in case."

"You can count on us," Applejack said, placing a hoof on Luna. The filly gave a stern salute.

Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy slipped inside. The four mares looked around as they made their way further into what looked to be the holding area. There were dozens of cages, each holding a different creature. There was the manticore and a timber wolf, both just sort of laying stretched out in their cages and looking unhappy. Gilda was stretched out in hers as well, untied and currently preening one of her wings. The minotaur leaned his back against the bars, glasses on his face as he looked at a book.

Further back, near the pacing changeling, sat a zebra. She sat on her hind legs, front hooves pressed together in front of her chest and eyes closed.

"ZECOR-" Pinkie Pie started, being cut off as Rainbow Dash shoved a hoof into her mouth.

It did no good. The shout had already gotten the attention of most of the creatures in the room. Zecora did not seem to notice, and it was not possible to tell what the windigo in the glass cage was doing.

"Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said, "go check on the other changeling." She figured it was what Pinkie wanted to do anyways, so may as well make it a part of the plan.

Pinkie Pie gave a nod and headed toward the changeling's cage.

"Rarity, see if you can pick the lock to Zecora's cage."

"I can certainly try."

"Fluttershy, see if you can find a key for us to use."

"Okay," Fluttershy agreed before taking off.

Rainbow Dash watched the others each head off to do what they were told. She then made her way straight to the cage that was holding the griffon in it.

"Hey Dash," Gilda said as her cage was approached. "What's up?"

"I was going to ask you that," Rainbow Dash responded. "How did you end up here."

Gilda's wings and tail gave a flick as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you know how it is. Stay in one place too long, and I get bored. Figured I'd drop by and see how you were doing. Heard these twerps were coming down this way and thought I'd make some bits on the way."

"Ha ha," Rainbow Dash fake laughed with an eye roll of her own. "Seriously though, what happened?'

On the other end of the room, Pinkie Pie hopped up to the changeling grinning. The changeling stepped back, moving away from Pinkie and pressing against the bars.

"It's okay," Pinkie Pie stated. "See?"

Her earth pony form vanished in a flash of light, revealing the pink tinged changeling that was her true form.

"I'm a changeling like you."

The caged changeling blinked a moment, taking in the sight before it. Slowly, it moved forward, bringing itself closer to the front of the cage and Pinkie Pie.

"That's right," Pinkie said gently as she changed back into her earth pony appearance.

"My name's Pinkie Pie. Do you have a name?"

The changeling said nothing. It moved closer to the bars still, nearly touching them with its snout. It's head tilted as it continued to stare at Pinkie Pie. As it watched, she pulled out a cupcake and offered it.

"Here." She pushed it through the bars. "It's a cupcake. It has some love in it, so it might make you feel better."

"Cup...ca..." the changeling mumbled as it took the treat.

"Pink...a..." It brought cupcake closer, sniffing.

"Cup..ca.." it repeated before taking a bite.

At the same time, Rarity made her way the cage that contained Zecora. Closing one eye and squinting the other, she peered into the keyhole for the cage's lock.

"My friends," Zecora stated, "your faces I am grateful to see. I hope you have come to help release me."

"As soon as I managed to undo this lock," Rarity replied, "or Fluttershy finds the key."

Her horn glowing with a pale blue aura of magic, she pulled out a hair pin and inserted it into the lock.

"What exactly happened anyway?" she asked as she started trying to pick the lock.

"In my hut, bottles did I work to fill," Zecora said, "to sell during my visit to Ponyville. Upon my door, a knock I did hear. So I went to see who was there. I found a stallion standing at my threshold. Across his back, another he did hold. The two were tracking a monster, he did claim, when the monster attacked and his brother it did maim. He was carrying his sibling through The Everfree, when my hut they did see. Fearing that they would not reach town before the brother was dead, he did decide to ask my help instead.

"A life I believed hung by a thread quite thin, so I did bid them to come in. While trying to clean the wounds, I did discover my mistake, for it was then that I discovered that the blood was fake. Capturing the timber wolf, they did come to try, but they also wanted to capture I.

"I managed to catch them off-guard as I fought back, but was overwhelmed by both and their magical attacks. Unfortunately, I did not last as long as I wished, or made it a dire cost. All the same, it was still I who lost. It is fortunate to discover that my life was not immediately at stake. Still I was unhappy when in this cage I did wake. I am relieved as I started to worry that nopony would come looking for me."

"You can thank Pinkie Pie for that," Rarity said as she pulled the cage open. "She was the one who told Rainbow Dash that you were late for your monthly visit."

"Then my gratitude to her I shall give," Zecora stated as she stepped out. "Provided that when we get out, we still live."

"Any luck finding that key?" Rainbow Dash called out.

Flutteshy came back, wings giving one last flick as she landed. She gave a shake of her head.

"Sorry. I've looked everywhere and couldn't find a key. They must have it on them or something." She shifted. "I..I did find something though. It looks like-"

"What are you doing in here?" a voice called out.

"...another door..." Fluttershy finished.

Author's Note:

Do not expect to see much of Zecora in future stories for any series or one-shots I write. As much potential as she has to explore and fill out as a character, I am not poetically inclined. It is a Discord sized pain trying to get her to say something specific in the way that she is supposed to speak. She will still appear in stories from time to time, but probably just for one or two scenes.

Comments

[AmethynniaTheDragon]

Yep, Zecora was caught, who woulda guessed