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by lunabrony

7 - Endgame

Zecora had been back for several days now, following the miniature adventure with Mzungu. He would likely keep in touch with her in some fashion, at least she hoped he would, but thus far there had been no scrolls or postcards of any kind. She had become more withdrawn than usual and hardly left her hut at all.

After exactly one week of this, during which time Rarity, Twilight and Pinkie had become increasingly worried about their zebra friend, they had hatched an elaborate plan. Construction of said plan had taken place over the last few days, during which time they doubted if Zecora ever left her house even once.

Zecora was not typically one to wallow in self pity (do zebras wallow? she wondered), but had been struck unusually hard by both the urbanization of her home and the sudden departure of Mzungu. As such, it took several minutes of pounding on her door before she was willing to open it, and she was not at all surprised to see Pinkie standing on the other side. Pinkie was, after all, the most expected unexpected visitor.

"I thank you for your visit, but I'm not quite in the mood. Perhaps come call another time, when I shall appear less rude?" Zecora asked.

"Nonsense! You're coming with me!" Pinkie said, taking the zebra by the foreleg and hauling her forward. It was a surprisingly aggressive mood for the party planner, and Zecora once more had the idea that Pinkie would absolutely not take no for an answer, and would not be satisfied until the zebra agreed with her demands. Celestia help them all if Pinkie ever became a military negotiator.

Zecora blinked several times, the energy of her refusal draining out of her before she could even manage to fully voice it. There was no point.

"I really don't feel like-"

"Yes you do! Come on! Don't make me start juggling!"

Not sure what that had to do with anything, Zecora sighed. She knew Pinkie well enough to know that she wasn't ever going to give up, and reluctantly relented. Might as well get this over with, then she could return home. She followed the pink horse around the corner of the forest, where Pinkie suddenly stopped her and held up a blindfold.

"You have to wear this now," Pinkie said, and slipped it over Zecora's eyes. "Come on!"

Zecora's frown deepened, but she followed the voice of the party pony, much slower and more gingerly now, as she couldn't see where she was going. She followed Pinkie for what felt like hours, but was really more like ten minutes.

"I do not like not knowing where I am or where I'm going," Zecora said disapprovingly.

"That's okay, we're here!" Pinkie said. "You can take it off now!"

Sweeping the blindfold off, Zecora blinked in the sudden burst of light. "What are you-" she began. Then stopped. Standing a few feet in front of her, off to the side, were Pinkie and Twilight. But her attention was diverted entirely by what they were standing next to.

Enormous amounts of sand had been dumped in a large area, approximately ten feet by ten feet. Thin, reedy plants poked up out of the drifts. The area which had been erected was fenced off by black cloth, and contained two extremely tall trees that seemed to grow straight up before branching out into an unusually wide canopy. An enormous sunset was painted across the horizon of an expansive backdrop, which stretched the entire length of the secluded area.

Zecora stared at it, an impressively passable replica of her own childhood memories. She took a few steps forward, and was immediately hit by unbearable heat, which confused her for only a moment until she looked up and saw heat lamps hidden in the brush of the trees. She had only taken a few steps when a loud voice blasted out across the replica savannah, scaring her so badly she jumped almost a foot in the air.

"NAAAAAAAAAAAANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHA BABA"

The zebra yelped, heart racing, head snapping upwards just in time to see Sweetie Belle with a megaphone vanish once more into the thick canopy of the trees. Off to the side, Scootaloo stood wearing a fabric, frilly lion's mane and looking as if she'd absolutely be anywhere else. The amount of Nope on the young filly's face was off the charts.

"How..." Zecora began.

"You were so sad you couldn't see your home, we brought your home to you!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Rarity did all the painting, Twilight researched local plants and had them imported, and I used my sand collection!"

"They're Mareula Trees," Twilight said proudly. "I pulled some strings with Celestia and had them imported. They're authentic!"

"You have a sand collection?" Zecora raised an eyebrow, turning her attention back to Pinkie.

"Uh-huh! For sand emergencies and beach parties. I wanted to use my zebra costumes too, but Twilight said that was too much."

Zecora cracked a smile at the thought of Pinkie in a zebra costume. She couldn't even be mad at that. "Yes, perhaps," she said. Rarity and Apple Bloom were coming around from the back of the sunset backdrop where they'd presumably been hiding, both splattered with orange paint from the magnificent sunset.

The zebra looked concerned. "Your coat..." She knew how Rarity was. Especially since orange wasn't in season until Trotober.

"It'll wash out," Rarity said, sounding unconcerned. "A trivial annoyance is nothing when it's for the good of a friend."

"You didn't have to do all this..." Zecora said slowly. "But... I'm overwhelmed that you did. Thank you." She looked over the replica, feeling the ache in her heart slowly lifting. Zebrabwe was far away, yes, and perhaps it wasn't anywhere close to how she remembered it. But that didn't matter.

Her friends...

Her home...

Was here.

Comments

[lunabrony]

5678072 Perhaps it's one of several meanings? I found multiple sources referencing its translation as 'Wanderer' and I really did try to make sure that was accurate

[keam]

Awww, such a sweet conclusion to this cute story! Thank you, dear author, and feel proud because in front of both of us is a job well done!

[Neko Majin C]

...but had been struck unusually hard by both the urbanization of her home and the sudden departure of Mzungu.

Extra space.

I wanted to use my zebra costumes too, but Twilight said that was too much.

I suppose that would be kind of like wearing blackface. Only full-bodied.

That was a sweet end,
it really warmed my heart. I
like happy endings.

Zecora is a
complex character to write,
rhyming is real hard.

Making the rhyming
non-compulsory was a
brave and bold choice, mate.

One that one could have
called bollocks on from word one.
You made it work, though.

However, there is
something canon you should know
about the zebras.

The Journal of the
Two Sisters revealed that all
zebras speak in rhyme.

Also, their land is
somewhere on the other side
of the Everfree.

Which is a little
vague, since the castle is in
the middle of it.

~KBO.

[lunabrony]

5678177 I haven't read that book yet. Shush.

[starship55]

I often go to the internet to see images of places I've been to long ago, to see how they've changed. it saddens me to see things I remember, gone, replaced by new, more modern structures. the only thing I have now is memories of the places I've been, and the things I've seen. then, there are the wonderful people I knew, many of which are no longer here. but despite my nostalgia for the past, I still long for new adventures, to new places, and new people. I guess I will always be a wanderer, like zecoras' giraffe friend. I do hope they will meet again someday.

[Blobskin]

When I first started this, I wasn't sure how I was expecting you to do it, but I felt a little disappointed by the first few chapters. The logic was...shaky. "Hey, you two came from the same continent? I bet you'll make the best of friends!" Uhh, yeah that felt like bit of a leap. Then you turned it around when Zecora went home only to find she didn't like what it had become. I was nodding along, totally seeing where you were going. I'm glad I read it to the end and didn't just abandon it at the start.

[lunabrony]

5736412 That is why you must have patience, young grasshopper.

[loopsorspool]

Here I am, I have read a masterpiece that legitimately made me shed a tear, and all I can think about saying is a joke about how... Deep and how hard it hit me. Thank you. I feel almost as though this story has made my world a bit straighter, as if it was a degree or two off before this story.

[Honeypelt945]

A wonderful conclusion to a wonderful story!