A special request

by chaos2012

Chapter 6: First Rest

The two zebras continued to trot through the tall grass in the fading light. Applejack no longer had to help Zecora walk anymore, since the pain in her leg had began to subside after time. She did, however, try to keep her weight off it as she walked.

Neither of the two had spoken much since they had evaded capture from the griffons an hour before. Coming so close to becoming prisoners had given both of them a chilling feeling. For Applejack, she was scared for what she thought could have happened. Zecora was scared because she knew what would have happened.

Zecora had seen many of her friends captured and put into the slave market in the past. Some ended up being bought by diamond dogs, forcing them to work the many mines they controlled. Her one good friend was sold to ponies, who had much darker intentions planned for her.

Shaking her head clear from the past, Zecora glanced up, seeing the sun had completely set, giving room for the moon, "Perhaps it is time we stopped to rest. Getting a long sleep would best."

Applejack noticed how dark it was as well, "that's a good idea. Ah'm tuckered out."

After a few moments, both of them heard a small stream running through the field. Seeing it as a good place to stop, they both dropped their bags onto the damp grass. Applejack opened up her bag and pulled out a large blanket, spreading it across the ground. "Come on, Zecora. Why don't ya lay down."

Zecora didn't hesitate to take the offer. She immediately walked over and dropped to the soft cloth beneath her. Stretching out her legs, she smiled up to the mare above her, "Thank you, my dear friend. Your kindness has no end."

"Ah'm just doin' what's right. Y'all had it pretty tuff back there." she looked back to the scratches down Zecora's back. Since they wanted to get as far away from the griffons as possible, they never stopped to treat the wounds, "Let me get those fixed up."

Grabbing several rags from her own satchel, Applejack trotted over to the small stream. The slow moving water glistened in the moonlight, giving off a beautiful light blue glow. After dipping the rags into the cool water, she flipped them onto her back and prepared to head back to the temporary camp, until her reflection caught her eye.

Applejack lifted off her hat and set it on the ground next to her. Leaning in closer, she took the time to really look at herself. When in Zecora's hut, the sheer shock of what happened didn't allow her to really inspect her new look. She now noticed how she had many of the features of a zebra, including the narrow mohawk on the top of her head, the black and white coloring across her face and the tribal markings for her cutie mark.

Looking over herself, she had to agree with Zecora how here green eyes did blend well with the coloring. Applejack couldn't help but give a small chuckle, "Ah guess ah do look good as a zebra."

After admiring herself for a moment, she slipped her hat back on and carried the damp rags back to the blanket. She saw Zecora had put together a small fire with a bundle of branches from a nearby shrub. Zecora turned and smiled up at the returning figure, "Ah, there you are Applejack. I prepared a fire for when you got back."

Applejack gave a smile in return, "Thanks. Here, ah brought some rags for ya." Slipping the rags off her back, she grabbed one with her hoof and began to wipe the dried blood off of Zecora's back, who winced as the rag rubbed over a tender spot. AJ pulled back after seeing the reaction, "Ah'm sorry. Ah will try to be more careful."

"No need to worry, it is quite alright. I can handle much more than I received from that fight."

Applejack smiled, and continued to wash her injured companion. Her eyes then shifted over to Zecora's bag, catching a glimpse of one of her jars of powder. Her mind then jumped back to when se saw Zecora toss that strange stuff into the griffons eyes, and how she had managed to teleport.

Her curiosity finally took the best of her, prompting her to ask, "Hey Zecora, how did ya do that earlier? Y'all were on the ground, ya just appeared behind the griffon."

Zecora turned her head to look up into Applejacks face, "What you saw was a mixture of a strong degree. It comes from sorcery and roots from a rare tree." reaching over to her bag, she pulled out a small wrapping, empty of its contents, "I had hoped not to use it so fast, but in a rush I acted and used it in a cast. It mimics the way you friend twilight can jump with a flash, allowing me to move in a dash."

Applejack stared curiously at her; she was shocked how zebras could preform feats that unicorns were possible of.

Zecora put the wrap back inside of her bag, "If you are curious on my tricks, let me know. Don't ask me to demonstrate them with a show."

Applejack gave a small chuckle at Zecora's sarcasm. She continued to listen to the sorceress explain as she grabbed another clean rag.

Zecora went on with her lecture on sorcery, "Zebras use items that cause tricks to the target. We have potions and mixtures not found on the market." she then pointed to the jar which she used on the griffon's eyes, "that mix there causes blindness to the eye, one which is useful to ones that won't comply. The affects are not one to stay, for sight will return after a day."

Applejack glanced down at her own body, "What about what ya did ta me? How did ya do that?"

Zecora chuckled, seeing how concerned Applejack was about her current look, "That is one of my personal tricks on you, for it causes physical change to whatever it sticks to. To give you the form of the animal desired , hair from the species you want is required."

"So, ya used yer own hair in that bowl to make me look like a zebra? So if I had put mah hair in there and thrown it on ya, y'all would turn into a pony?"

"yes, I would have become one like you. I have to admit, I'd probably be an ugly one, too."

Both of them started laughing after that statement. After a few more minutes, the wounds on Zecora's back had been covered up in several bandages. Applejack stood up and walked to her bag and pulled out her personal sleeping bag, rolling it out on the grass, "Well, ah guess we had better get some shut eye."

"Yes, we should get some rest. Today was only the first part of the quest." Zecora said. She knew they still had quite a way to go before they reached her homeland.

Both zebras laid there heads down onto the ground, closing their tired eyes as their minds began pondering what to expect on the next day of their trip

Comments

[PinkPearl]

[chaos2012]

1433747 thanks. Decided to give a nice calm chapter after the last one

[Listener]

Nice update and Rhymes

Seriously though, nice update!

[Jonathan Jack ONeill]

So awesome

[chaos2012]

1434116 still giving me trouble having to rhyme. It's gets me every time. haha thanks.

1434184 aw, love the support

[Violet Runner]

I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said, so I'll just put abunch of emoticons instead.

[RaptorCalloftheShadows]

Nonsense, Zecora, I'm sure Ponycora would be adorable. :P

[EchotheWolf]

Well, rather few mistakes, considering you're on an iPhone.

[WindyDayz]

Is Applejack thinking of a pony Z? And this story is loved by me.