Renaming Starlight's Village

by Brass Polish

25. The Minion Of Zebrasska Part 1

Author's Note:

Zecora and Cranky Doodle Donkey show up in Starlight’s Village after the Crusaders make an alarming discovery.

By now, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were expecting their cutie marks to wake them up in the morning by glowing and vibrating, letting them know they had a mission. They certainly didn’t expect to be awoken at 7 in the morning by a piercing scream.

“That came from the Hostel!” exclaimed Apple Bloom.

The Crusaders fled Sugar Belle’s Cafe and dashed to the Village Inn. They entered to find Bow Hothoof, Windy Whistles, Day Star, and Sereta gathered around one of the chairs by the fireplace. Evensong Glisten was sitting in it; he was holding the side of her face with tears in her eyes.

“It’s alright, Crusaders,” said Day Star. “She just bit her cheek.”

He pointed to a peach muffin on a side table with a big bite taken out of it.

“You ought to be careful not to take such big mouthfuls,” Windy said to Evensong.

Bow nodded. “Our Rainbow Dash took a massive chunk out of the inside of her cheek stuffing her face with a pasta and potato sandwich. I’ll bet she’s still got the scar.”

Scootaloo had witnessed that. Bow and Windy had congratulated her on the size of the deep cut she’d made. Scootaloo could see that her two favourite parents were making progress.

*****

The Crusaders had not confided in Evensong what their plan to help Bow and Windy was; all they said was they needed her horn to remain incapacitated, and once the two had satisfied the Cutie Mark Grid, they would start to make inroads on Evensong herself. It didn’t look promising. Evensong was still giving the impression that she wanted nothing but the worst for everypony around her.

“It’ll be fine,” Sweetie Belle told her fellow Crusaders. “Lightning Dust twisted that bracelet on really tight. And when the time comes that we can finally take it off, her magic won’t be able to overcome mine until she’s cured. And by then, she won’t want to overcome my magic or anyone’s magic.”

*****

There were long periods of off-time for the Crusaders as a result of this arrangement. Scootaloo took to doing laps up and down the Road on her scooter. Old Lady Cooper had been known to appear in front of various cottages in her rocking chair at random times, but this time, she appeared right in front of Scootaloo as she circled the Cutie Mark Grid. Scootaloo swerved to avoid her, and ran right into Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as they were exiting the Clubhouse. Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle came running when they heard the commotion, and took the three teenage fillies to the Cafe to give them first aid. Bow and Windy came along as well. As they helped Scootaloo, who’d taken the worst of the collision, up on her hooves, she was surprised to hear them tell her to be more attentive to the traffic around her. Before they were even at the Cafe, Bow Hothoof’s and Windy Whistle’s cutie marks went off. They looked at the Grid. The horseshoe and the cloud found the center of the Maze, glowed and crackled like fireworks, and vanished.

*****

Having satisfied the Cutie Mark Grid, Bow and Windy took their leave after Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were bandaged up.

“I guess we can start helping Evensong tomorrow then,” said Sweetie Belle.

“If we don’t feel all sore in the morning,” remarked Apple Bloom, remembering what happened to Big Mac when he bruised both his forelegs.

At that moment, Mussel entered the Cafe. There were several spiders crawling on him.

“The mosquitoes are coming back,” he said, showing them a mosquito bite he’d gotten. “Thought I’d make sure you’ve got enough spiders in here to catch them.”

With a nod of approval from Sugar Belle and Big Mac, Mussel ambled through the Cafe, depositing spiders here and there in every room.

*****

If you were to see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo the following morning, you wouldn’t have thought Mussel had been in their bedroom at all. They were covered in mosquito bites. On top of that, their injuries were aching worse than yesterday, as Apple Bloom predicted.

“Where did all the spiders go?” asked Scootaloo, looking around the room while vigorously scratching herself. “I saw like twelve webs in here before we went to bed.”

They heard a tapping on the window. Outside their bedroom was Evensong Glisten and Lightning Dust; the latter had a lead and collar on the former.

“Is it time to start getting Evensong rehabilitated yet?” asked Lightning.

“Come on, Lightning. There’s no need for that,” groaned Sweetie Belle, pointing to the lead and collar.

Evensong just wore her usual dirty look. But Apple Bloom could swear she was trying not to smile; at their mosquito bite covered bodies, she expected.

“We’ll be out in front,” said Lightning.

And she floated away, taking an obedient Evensong with her.

*****

Mussel and his parents were taking breakfast at Sugar Belle’s Cafe that morning. Mussel was stunned when he saw his Crusader friends walk into the dining room.

“I don’t get it!” he exclaimed. “I saw five or six spiders in your room yesterday, and I must’ve left you eight more! They haven’t turned on each other, have they?”

“We didn’t see a big fat spider in the room,” replied Apple Bloom.

“But no small ones either,” put in Sweetie Belle.

Mussel said no more. He was quite puzzled. Apple Bloom looked out the front window and saw that Party Favour and Bend Twist had joined Lightning Dust and Evensong at their outside table.

*****

“We heard you three have been having a rough week,” Bend Twist said to the Crusaders as they stepped outside.

“Well on one hoof, we were able to help Bow and Windy with their cutie mark problem,” said Sweetie Belle. “On the other…”

She scratched her cheek.

“Maybe my brother can help cheer you up with some balloon art,” suggested Bend, nudging Party Favour in the ribs. “What about it?”

Party Favour grinned contently. “Just watch me.”

Before anyone could blink, Party Favour had blown up fifteen balloons and constructed a model of the Crystal Empire Castle. This and the balloon objects and animals following this did wonders to distract the Crusaders from their pain and itching. Bend Twist was enjoying the show too, and even Lightning Dust had a smile on her face. Evensong just watched Party Favour work his craft with no enthusiasm.

*****

Sweetie Belle, who was sitting next to Bend Twist, glanced over at Party Favour’s brother and chuckled.

“What are you laughing at, Sweetie? The shows over here,” said Apple Bloom, pointing to Party Favour’s balloon poison joke bouquet.

“Someone put a banana sticker on your forehead,” Sweetie said to Bend.

Bend Twist attempted to look at his own forehead. “Gee, I wonder who did that.”

“Wasn’t me,” insisted Party Favour.

Bend tried to pry the sticker off with his magic; it was proving tricky because he couldn’t see it.

“I got it,” said Sweetie Belle.

She ignited her horn, and peeled the banana sticker off of Bend Twist’s forehead with her magic. As soon as her magic touched Bend Twist’s head, he gave a violent twitch.

“Careful, Sweetie!” exclaimed Lightning.

“I was being gentle!” insisted Sweetie.

“You okay, Bend?” asked Party Favour.

Bend Twist blinked, and looked at Party Favour. He scowled.

“You took my life!” he roared.

*****

Party Favour was too shocked to say or do anything as Bend Twist bolted from the outdoor table and fled the Village. Lightning Dust started to give chase.

“Dust, the leash!” cried Apple Bloom.

Too late, Evensong was jerked out of her seat by her neck, and flopped onto the ground with a choke and a wheeze. Lightning turned around to help her up. The Crusaders got up to give chase instead. But Scootaloo found she couldn’t run without paining herself; her injuries were still aching.

“Where’s he going?” Lightning asked.

“I don’t know,” groaned Scootaloo, getting back into her seat. “Party Favour said they grew up in Tall Tale.”

They looked at Party Favour. He was still dumbfounded by his brother’s abrupt 180, and didn’t say anything. Evensong was massaging her neck and scowling at Lightning Dust, who apologised, but still didn’t take the lead and collar off of her.

*****

Scootaloo watched the hilltop beyond the Village. Bend Twist, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle had long since disappeared over the crest of it. She massaged her injuries and stood up slowly.

“You’re not gonna go after them, are you?” asked Lightning Dust.

Scootaloo didn’t answer. She just limped towards the Cutie Mark Grid. She was sure it would call her, and her fellow Crusaders and Bend Twist back to the Village. And it seemed she was right. When she was halfway there, her cutie mark went off. She looked at the Village entrance. There was a shape hovering in the sky towards the Grid, but it wasn’t a cutie mark; it was two. Puzzled, Scootaloo watched the shapes as they drifted over her head towards the Maze. One wasn’t formed; just a dark blue blur. The other she recognised as Zecora’s mark. She turned to see Zecora entering the Village, accompanied by Cranky Doodle Donkey.

*****

“Hi, Zecora. Hi, Cranky,” Scootaloo smiled as they approached.

“You look like you’ve been through the ringer,” remarked Cranky.

“Had a bit of a scooter accident,” grimaced Scootaloo.

“We saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle at the station halt,” said Zecora. “They were chasing a stallion who was shouting ‘It’s all his fault!”

“One of the villagers is having some family issues,” explained Scootaloo. “But obviously this Grid wants us to help you two with an issue. But I don’t know if we should wait for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. I mean, this Grid’s never called just one of us for a cutie mark mission.”

She, Zecora, and Cranky Doodle looked at the Maze and the cutie marks criss-crossing it.

*****

“Stay where I can see you!” they heard Lightning Dust shout. “Don’t make me give you another yank!”

Scootaloo, Zecora, and Cranky turned to see Evensong had sauntered towards them,

“I’m just curious,” she insisted. “I didn’t think donkeys could get cutie marks.”

As expected, Cranky looked annoyed. Scootaloo expected Zecora to look no better, and sure enough, the zebra was scowling at Evensong.

“So this is the malicious unicorn filly,” she growled, “who scorpioned and nearly suffocated me.”

“Don’t worry. She can’t cast any spells with that Changeling Throne Bracelet around her horn,” said Scootaloo.

Cranky looked at the Grid and realised that Evensong’s mark was also in the Maze.

“Do you Crusaders already have a mission?” he asked Scootaloo. “To deal with her?”

“Yeah, but we already helped two other ponies while trying to deal with her,” said Scootaloo. “I’m sure when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle get back, we can keep that up.”

“I dunno,” said Lightning Dust. “You really should try to get somewhere with this little troublemaker. She’s been mumbling in her sleep at night. All this pent up energy can’t be good for her. Or anypony else.”

Cranky looked at Evensong again; she was still eyeing him curiously. Cranky glanced at Zecora; she was no longer looking resentfully at Evensong, but guiltily at Cranky.

“I suppose our problem stems from the country we came from,” she said weakly. “For generations… my kind treated his kind like scum.”

*****

An enticing thought abruptly occurred to Scootaloo. She shot up into the Clubhouse and returned seconds later with her scooter.

“I’m gonna see if Sweetie and Apple Bloom are still at the halt!” she burst out.

All pain seemingly forgotten, she zoomed out of the Village. She rocketed over the hill, across the bridge, and arrived at the station halt. There was no sign of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Bend Twist, or a train. Keen to put her out-of-nowhere idea into action, Scootaloo waited for the next train… without bothering to inform Zecora, Cranky, and Lightning Dust.

*****

The train journey to Tall Tale was unpleasant. At first, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle couldn’t locate Bend Twist as they walked briskly up and down the coach corridors. At last, Apple Bloom spotted a ball of hair up in a luggage rack. She and Sweetie Belle attempted to talk to him, but he immediately shouted at them to leave him alone. The Guard came up to tell them off for making a lot of noise. So the Crusaders decided to wait until they got to Tall Tale to try and get through to Bend Twist. Bend made it difficult for them. He tried to give them the slip when the train stopped at Canterlot Base Station. He slipped away and transferred to another train headed west. To his anger, the Crusaders had spotted him and boarded the same train. Bend Twist tried transferring trains again at Unicorn Range Junction. This time, the Crusaders didn’t see him, but by this point, they were near enough to Tall Tale that it didn’t matter. When Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle arrived in Bend Twist’s hometown, they waited around, trying not to be seen as the next train pulled in. Sure enough, Bend Twist detrained and marched away from the station. Apple Bloom and Sweetie followed at a distance. Bend Twist looked over his shoulder a few times as he made his way across town, but he didn’t see the two fillies. He walked all the way to the other side of town before the two Crusaders saw him enter a house at the foot of a long steep hill.

*****

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked slowly and quietly towards Bend Twist’s house. They intended on taking a bold approach. They were determined to find out why he had such an abrupt change of heart. But as they neared the front door, Bend Twist burst out spluttering.

“Why are there peach pits in my trash?!” he cried. “I’m allergic!”

The Crusaders gasped. Bend Twist had broken out in hives. He had as many red welts on his body as the Crusaders had mosquito bites.

“I’ll go find a doctor!” exclaimed Apple Bloom, rushing off.

Sweetie Belle stayed there. Bend Twist didn’t object as she eased him into a sitting position on the roadside.

“Someone’s been squatting in my house!” he growled, trying not to scratch his hives. “Why did I leave?! Why?! What demon from the depths of Tartarus compelled me to leave my home and acknowledge the disease who took my mark?!”

*****

Soon, Sweetie Belle saw Apple Bloom running towards her with a doctor. Then she looked along the other end of the road. There was Scootaloo on her scooter. She was going so fast, Sweetie Belle was sure she was going to hit Bend Twist’s backyard fence. She started to use her magic to slow Scootaloo to a halt, but stopped because at that moment, her cutie mark started glowing and vibrating. Apple Bloom and the Doctor reached the house, and the Doctor promptly examined Bend Twist’s red and bumpy coat. Sweetie Belle could see that Apple Bloom’s mark was going off also, but Bend Twist’s was not.

“Will he be alright?” asked Apple Bloom.

“I’ll escort him to the clinic,” said the Doctor. “It’s best he avoids his house for a little while if there are allergens in it.”

“We’ll make sure there are no peaches or peach pits in there,” said Apple Bloom.

“Thanks,” said Bend Twist feebly.

The Doctor led him away.

“Let’s make this quick,” said Sweetie Belle. “We’ve got another mission. Scootaloo came to fetch us. Our next clients must already be in the Village.”

Apple Bloom looked at her flank and nodded. Then she looked around.

“Where is Scootaloo? Where’d she go?”

*****

Unnoticed by Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo had beat her wings, hoisted herself and her scooter over the fence, and began climbing the hill beyond Bend Twist’s house at a rate of speed she’d never reached before. But as the top of the hill came into sight, Scootaloo slowed.

“Wait… this is a stupid idea,” she said to herself.

She ground to a halt and looked back.

“What came over me?” she wondered.

She looked towards the top of the hill again. The crest of the hill was long and wide. Scootaloo could make out short stone structures dotted along it. They looked like turrets.

“Why did I want to go to Zecora’s and Cranky’s home country?” she asked herself. “I never even knew where it was before now. Zecora never mentioned where--”

She spotted figures in the distance walking along the top of the hill between turrets. They stopped walking and turned their heads. Scootaloo suspected they’d spotted her. She was just about to turn tail and run down the hill, when the ground opened up beneath her and swallowed her and her scooter up.

*****

After several seconds sliding, swaying, and yelling along a chute, Scootaloo tumbled into a ball pit. She stood up, gave her head a shake, and looked around. The ball pit was in a stone room. There were no windows, but several flaming torches lit the room so well, there might have been sunlight illuminating it. There was a badminton net - or something like that - stretched across half of the room, separating the ball pit from the door. Scootaloo’s scooter tumbled out of the chute and into the ball pit. Scootaloo flapped her wings, but too late. The chute door slammed shut. Scootaloo turned, quickly located a door, and made towards it. A head popped up in front of her. She looked like a yellow filly with black stripes.

“Yay! My new playmate is here!” she squeaked.

She leapt up in the air in delight, and stayed there for several seconds; she had wings.

“A pegasus zebra!” exclaimed Scootaloo in surprise.

*****

“Come get me!” called the striped pegasus.

And before Scootaloo could speak, the filly had dived into the ball pit. Scootaloo looked around. Seconds later, the filly resurfaced.

“Just wait a minute!” Scootaloo called. “Where am I?”

“This is the Royal Burromingham Castle,” smiled the zebra filly.

She disappeared into the ball pit again. Scootaloo froze.

“I’m where Zecora and Cranky came from,” she breathed. “I’m in Zebrasska. Just like I wanted to be… for some reason.”

The foal shot out of the ball pit again.

“And what’s your name?” asked Scootaloo.

“You can call me ZigZag,” answered the zebra filly. “But most of the zebras and donkeys in this castle call me Princess. I’m the heir to the royal throne.”

Again, she disappeared into the ball pit.

*****

A minute went by, and ZigZag didn’t reemerge. Scootaloo sighed and dived into the ball pit herself. She eventually spotted ZigZag in the sea of blue, green, red, and yellow.

“I’m Scootaloo,” she said.

“I know,” smiled ZigZag.

She swam - if you can call it that - away from a very puzzled Scootaloo. Then Scootaloo spotted her scooter lying at the bottom of the pit.

“Maybe she’s like Mancy. She knows about that nominative determinism stuff,” she muttered.

She heard ZigZag giggling to her left, and gave chase.

*****

Scootaloo began to enjoy herself as she chased the playful pegasus zebra around and through the ball pit. After fifteen minutes, as Scootaloo was swimming below the surface of the pit, she heard what sounded like clarinet music. She swam up to the surface and found herself face to face with another zebra. This was a stallion. He was white with maroon stripes. He was wearing a crown and a cape. He was standing just outside of the ball pit near the door to the room.

“I am King Zorran,” he said. “And your name is?”

“Scootaloo, your Highness,” said Scootaloo politely.

Zorran’s horn lit up. He drew a sword. Scootaloo flinched.

“Then I dub you,” he said, “Scootaloo the Royal Playmate.”

Scootaloo stood there in disbelief as she was knighted by the ruler of Zebrasska.

*****

She was still in a state of incredulity as she was invited to the zebra king’s table for dinner.

“The Queen and Prince of the donkeys have conjured a lovely meal for the five of us,” Zorran told her, turning to leave the room.

ZigZag shot out of the ball pit and followed her father. Scootaloo stepped out of the pit and left the room. The corridor outside did have windows, but only on one side. The hallway was very long; Scootaloo couldn’t see the end of either side. There were no guards escorting the three of them to the dining room. Zorran did not look around as he led the way. Scootaloo glanced around as she followed Zorran and ZigZag. There were torch brackets along the wall with no windows. Along either side of the corridor were floral arrangements in tall thin vases that roughly came up to Scootaloo’s shoulders. A zebra in a long red cloak nodded to the King as they passed the door he was guarding. Because of the cloak, Scootaloo couldn’t see her legs or her tail, but she had long wings that protruded from a wing hole on either side.

That must be guard, thought Scootaloo.

Another red cloaked zebra came running from the other side of the corridor. He didn’t stop to address the King; he just kept running. He was going so fast, Scootaloo thought for a second he had two unicorn horns. Zorran made no comment.

*****

They reached the dining room. It was another windowless room, and was not much bigger than the ball pit room. Scootaloo tried not to convey her surprise at the sight of two donkeys unlike any she’d seen before. One was a mare with wings; a pegasus donkey. The other was a colt; older than ZigZag, but younger than Scootaloo. He was a unicorn donkey.

“Queen Hamper, Prince Martyr, this is Scootaloo the Royal Playmate,” said Zorran.

Hamper smiled broadly. “Wonderful. An Equestrian Royal Playmate.”

Scootaloo gave a bow. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“And the same to you,” smiled Hamper. “Please take a seat. My son and I have made catfish goujons and succotash.”

*****

Despite the warm welcome she received, Scootaloo found dinner with Zebrasskan royalty to be a little intimidating. Conversation was a little stilted, but Scootaloo was cautiously optimistic.

“Do any of you,” she asked, “know a zebra named Zecora, or a donkey named Cranky Doodle?”

All four of the Zebrasskan royals looked thoughtful.

“Can’t say that I do,” answered Zorran.

“Neither can I. Do they live in Equestria?” asked Hamper.

Scootaloo nodded.

“Well, that could be why,” grinned Hamper. “I’ve heard of earth donkeys emigrating to Equestria, but I’m surprised to hear a zebra has done so. Martyr, fetch the dessert, will you?”

Martyr promptly stood up and made for the kitchen.

*****

Scootaloo remembered what Zecora had said before getting that sudden and inexplicable desire to visit the land she hailed from, and decided not to push her luck further.

If it’s true that donkeys are oppressed by zebras here, she wondered, why is one a queen and one a prince?

Martyr returned swiftly, levitating a tray of five sundaes onto the table.

“Yay! Ice cream sundaes!” squeaked ZigZag.

She trotted along the dining table towards the tray.

“ZigZag!” barked Zorran. “No walking on the dinner table!”

ZigZag backtracked to her seat at once. “Sorry, Dad.”

“Martyr,” snapped Hamper.

Martyr promptly used his magic to whisk one of the sundaes away. Then he passed them around the table. Scootaloo didn't get one. She didn’t complain. She figured the Royal Playmate wasn’t entitled to desert, and that Martyr had miscounted.

*****

“Now then, ZigZag,” said Zorran when he’d finished his sundae, “you are to study for your final two school tests before summer break. Scootaloo, you shall help her study.”

“Yes, sir,” nodded Scootaloo, not surprised that being a royal playmate entailed more than play. “Thanks for dinner, Queen Hamper and Prince Martyr.”

“You may call us Hamper and Martyr,” smiled the pegasus donkey mare.

Scootaloo nodded. “So what test will we be studying for?”

“Tomorrow is ZigZag’s maths exam,” said Hamper, her smile weining. “You will find ZigZag of average intelligence. It should give you no great headache to help her study.”

*****

This turned out to be apt. Hamper showed Scootaloo to ZigZag's bedroom; another windowless room, the same size as the ball pit room. There were bunk cubicles in recesses in the stone walls. By the more-than-adequate torchlight, Scootaloo took ZigZag’s research material and skimmed over it.

“Okay ZigZag,” she said. “You have three objects. The second is 10% lighter than the first, and the third is 17% lighter than the second. So how do you calculate the percentage object 3 is lighter than object 1?”

ZigZag took a blank sheet of paper and began drawing labeled diagrams. The first shape she drew was labeled Object 1 - 68 tons. Object 2 - 10% lighter than Object 1. Object 3 - 17% lighter than Object 2. Then she wrote out the calculation to find what 90% of 68 tons was, followed by the calculation to find what 83% of that was. It took a long time, but eventually, ZigZag worked out that Object 3 was 25% lighter than Object 1.

*****

Scootaloo was halfway through reciting ZigZag’s next math problem when Martyr entered the room.

“Hi, Marty!” squeaked ZigZag. “What do you got there?”

“I found this in the ball pit,” Martyr said softly. “Is it yours, Scootaloo?”

He was levitating Scootaloo’s scooter.

“Yeah, that’s mine. Thanks,” said Scootaloo, standing up and taking it.

“Mom asked- er, the Queen asked that I let you know that every hour of study, ZigZag gets a half-hour break,” said Martyr, avoiding eye contact with Scootaloo. “I noticed your scooter has an adjustable handle. Maybe you could teach ZigZag to ride it.”

“Ooh! Can you, Scootaloo?!” asked ZigZag.

“Yeah, no problem,” said Scootaloo. “Come on.”

*****

The three youngsters left the bedroom. Martyr walked away down the corridor. Scootaloo made no remark as he left. A voice in her head told her it wasn’t safe to make waves. She shortened the handle of her scooter so ZigZag could mount it with ease. A mosquito buzzed past her face.

“Oh, no! Not mosquitoes,” she groaned.

“Don’t worry,” said ZigZag. “We’ve got mosquito nets around our beds.”

She eyed Scootaloo up and down.

“You don’t have mosquito nets in Equestria, do you?” she asked.

“No,” answered Scootaloo. “In the Village I live in, we have a colt about your age who collects spiders, and leaves them in ponies’ rooms so they can make webs and catch the mosquitoes.”

“My dad doesn’t like spiders. But he rolls around in his bed in his sleep, and he always pulls down his mosquito net,” giggled ZigZag. “If he didn’t have his crown on, you’d see a huge mosquito bite on his bald spot.”

Scootaloo laughed, and proceeded to teach ZigZag how to ride her scooter.

*****

The study sessions and break times continued into the evening, and then Hamper announced that it was time for bed. Scootaloo found that she was to share the bedroom with ZigZag. Her mind was still processing everything that was happening. She was still nervous to ask more questions than she already had, but she was bursting to find out more about Zebrasskan culture, and to make inroads into helping Zecora and Cranky with the problem the Cutie Mark Grid had called them to Starlight’s Village for.

I wonder what Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are up to. I don’t think they know I’m even here. ...Why did I want to come here? What was going through my mind? she wondered.

*****

The next morning, for the second time that week, Scootaloo was awoken by a blood-curdling scream. She burst out of ZigZag’s bedroom and out into the corridor. Pinkish-gold sunlight was pouring in through the windows.

“There’s a spider in my ear! There’s a spider in my ear!” Scootaloo heard Zorran scream.

The King’s bedroom was two doors away from ZigZag’s. Zorran’s bedroom door opened. A small brown object sailed out of the room, across the corridor, smashed through a window, and out of sight.

“Yikes!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “That was a huge spider.”

She heard several hoofsteps, but when she turned to see who was coming, there was just one cloaked guard; an earth donkey. Scootaloo supposed it must’ve been an echo. Zorran stomped out of his bedroom as the guard arrived on the scene.

“ZigZag!” the King roared.

Scootaloo stared with fright at the enraged King of Zebrasska, and then glanced at ZigZag’s open bedroom door. No one stirred for a few moments. Then Zorran’s horn lit up, and ZigZag appeared in the middle of the hall. She was wide-eyed and shaking from head to hoof.

*****

“Why was there a spider in my bedroom?” Zorran growled at his daughter.

Now it was Scootaloo who was trembling, as ZigZag told Zorran about Mussel and the spiders he collected to deal with mosquitoes.

“I’ve told you again and again, you silly little filly! You must ask before you do anything to or in my private quarters or anyone else’s private quarters!” barked Zorran, without so much as a glance at Scootaloo.

Hamper came walking up. When she saw that ZigZag was being admonished by her father, she seemed to slow her pace. Or was it Scootaloo’s imagination? Zorran ranted at ZigZag for several uncomfortable minutes. Then he turned to Hamper.

“ZigZag planted a spider in my bedroom,” he said.

“So I and the rest of the castle have heard,” said Hamper with her usual content grin. “You know, it’s nearly time for ZigZag’s maths exam. She’ll be late if she doesn’t hurry, and that will mean more punishment.”

ZigZag gulped and looked at Scootaloo.

“Maybe you should take my scooter,” said Scootaloo hastily. “Then you’ll make it to your exam on time.”

*****

While Scootaloo hastily grabbed her scooter from ZigZag’s bedroom, she heard Zorran bark some instructions to the guard who had come to see what all the shouting was about. When she zipped out of the room with the scooter, the guard was marching away. ZigZag quickly mounted the scooter and scooted off down the corridor after the guard. Scootaloo was still trembling as she turned to the King and Queen.

“I don’t blame you, Scootaloo,” said Zorran with a smile. “You didn’t tell her to put a spider in my room. I’ve had to tell her many times not to do everything she hears about. I only hope she can learn from her mistake.”

And he retired to his bedroom, leaving Scootaloo to breathe a sigh of relief, and to contemplate pressing one of the many subjects she was bursting to bring up the next time they met.

*****

“Follow me, Scootaloo,” said Hamper. “Martyr is studying for his own test today, so you can help me prepare brunch.”

She turned, kicked off from the floor, and flew down the corridor. Scootaloo beat her wings and followed. She wasn’t sore from her scooter accident anymore. They soon reached a stairwell and flew up it to the next corridor up. A short flight later, they were at a cupboard. Hamper took out two pairs of panniers.

“These have potatoes in them. We’ll chop them up and make home fries,” she said, passing one pair to Scootaloo. “You take one and I’ll take one.”

Scootaloo grunted. The panniers were heavy. And when she put them on, they covered her wings. Hamper’s panniers did the same to her. So they had to walk along the corridor and to another flight of stairs.

“Every floor has a kitchen and dining room,” Hamper said. “This is the top floor, where the dungeon is. And it’s nearly time for the King to visit some prisoners. After he's done that, we’ll have brunch.”

Up they climbed. This corridor had a high ceiling. The first thing Scootaloo saw when they reached this hallway was a large, long object suspended by two chains. It looked like a giant clarinet.

“This is what we use to make royal announcements,” Hamper told Scootaloo. “Why don’t you do the honours of blowing Zorran a herald? Just a few notes will do.”

Scootaloo nodded, and walked over to the giant clarinet. There was a set of horseshoes embedded in the floor in front of the mouthpiece. Scootaloo placed a forehoof on each horseshoe, and put her lips to the mouthpiece.

*****

The mouthpiece was metallic and ice cold. Scootaloo’s lips instantly stuck to the mouthpiece. As she frantically tried to pull her mouth free, Hamper side-stepped over to the side of the hallway and pressed a stone in the wall. There was a clacking sound. One of the chains holding the giant clarinet was being hoisted up. When the funnel end was sticking straight up and Scootaloo’s neck was forced into a bent-back position, the second set of chains was winched up too. Scootaloo was lifted from the floor by her lips. The horseshoes stuck to her hooves and went up with her. They were heavy, and stopped her from reaching up with her forelegs. The weight of the panniers strapped to her also caused her body to sag. She tried to look down at Hamper, but tears were welling up in her eyes and she couldn’t see the Queen properly. For the next two hours, Hamper didn’t move.

*****

Scootaloo was trying to keep still, but she kept shuddering as the minutes snailed by. Her lips twitched, trying to free themselves from the ice-cold metal mouthpiece. Her wings vibrated, trying to dislodge the panniers. Her forelegs trembled, unable to shake off the horseshoes. She tried her best not to move and cause herself more pain. Eventually, she heard the sound of her scooter’s wheels spinning. She looked down and could make out ZigZag zooming along the corridor towards her and Hamper.

“What’s going on?!” cried ZigZag.

“You knew his Highness is terrified of spiders, and you put one in his room, you foolish foal,” croaked Hamper. “And on top of that, it seems you took two hours to write your maths exam.”

“There’s no time limit!” ZigZag spluttered. “And I got there on time!”

Hamper unzipped her own panniers. Scootaloo saw no potatoes in them. Instead, there was a large corked jug in each pack. Hamper took the two jugs and flew up to the funnel end of the giant clarinet.

“W-what’s in those?!” squeaked ZigZag fretfully.

“A special mixture,” said Hamper, “of eggnog, bacon grease, and buccalokia.”

Scootaloo whimpered into the mouthpiece as Hamper uncorked the jugs.

*****

Queen Hamper poured the mixtures into the giant clarinet funnel. Twenty liters of spicy greasy custard surged down Scootaloo’s throat. She felt her tongue burn and her belly stretch and bulge. Her lips stretched as her limp body sagged further. But in the midst of her pain, she could swear ZigZag was crying more than she was.

“I’m sorry, Scootaloo!” wailed the little zebra pegasus. “I’m sorry I’m a bad filly!”

“I’m happy to hear that,” came Zorran’s voice.

Scootaloo could barely make out the shape of the King as he entered the corridor.

“Perhaps you can demonstrate how sorry you are to our new friend by getting a start on studying for your history exam in two days,” he said.

“Yes! Yes I will!” squealed ZigZag. “I’ll work hard and I’ll write my next test in a timely manner!”

She raced out of the corridor on Scootaloo’s scooter. Hamper flew down to the floor, and she and Zorran exited the corridor, leaving a conspicuously rotund Scootaloo to dangle by her lips from the giant ice-cold clarinet.

I’m a whipping foal, she thought miserably.

Comments

[silverMEGAlicorn]

Have to say this little side story is kinda outta nowhere. Not really the best idea in world building