A special request

by chaos2012

Chapter 7: End of the Grassland

The morning sun casted a warm glow over the slightly chilled ground, causing a misty glow from the evaporating dew. The small campsite by the river had been cleared out before the sun even rose over the horizon, leaving a patch of flattened grass in its place.

Applejack and Zecora had chosen to get an early start to the day, since they had been slowed down by the distraction the previous evening. Both of them trotted at a steady pace through the grass, which had started to become more spotted by large rocks across the ground. Both of them had decided to wear their cloaks to block the incoming sun rays, and to hide their highly visible stripes.

Applejack looked over to Zecora, seeing how she didn't seem bothered by the wounds on her back. Still, she felt concerened for her well being, "How are ya feeling Zecora? Those scratches bothering ya?"

Zecora lifted her eyebrow to Applejack, then glanced to her covered flank. After a moment, she grinned up to the former pony, "The wounds on my back? Of course not, Miss Jack. Those pesky birds may have been ruff, but I showed them that I am tuff."

Applejack chuckled at the sorceress, "Ah think that bird would have hung ya up if y'all didn't do that little trick in the end."

Zecora rolled her eyes at the little dig, "I had two to fight while you had one. I was still fighting while you were done. I think my trick was needed to make it fair, since you beat yours without a care."

"Haha. Aw, ah'm just messin with ya, Zecora." Applejack bumped Zecora a friendly shove with her hoof, causing her friend to stumble over. After a second, both chuckled and continued to trot. Applejack then had a thought on her mind that was bothering her for a while, "Zecora, can ah ask ya something?"

Zecora looked over at the sudden mood change, "What is it, my friend?"

"Well, since we are going to yer land, should ah be practicing mah rhymin'?

Zecora stopped her trot hearing that question, "By what do you mean by that? I think your head is hot from that hat."

"What? No! Ah don't wanna go to that land and not talk like y'all." glancing over, she saw her companions face had not changed, "Don't of ya zebras talk with rhymes?"

Zecora's lips began to pull back into a large grin. Then, a loud laugh came up from her stomach, causing her stumble over. Applejack had no idea what was so funny, "Did ah say something wrong?"

Zecora wiped the tear away from her eye, then went back to trotting alongside her companion, "Applejack my dear, talking is nothing you should fear. While I have a rhyme to my voice, it is something I do by choice."

"Zebras do not always talk with rhyme?"

"most talk with the same tone from your land . I have learned from the ways of not being bland. By talking in a flow making words blend, it gives me a feeling of making my meaning extend."

"Rhyme by choice? Well, ah don't understand that."

"You talk with an accent different from mine. Whatever tone you choose for yourself is personally devine."

"Devine?"

Your accent itself is unique, yet you never think about your tone with critique. You see your voice as part of your soul, and that will always live long and make yourself whole."

Applejack couldn't help but grin at herself after hearing that speech from Zecora. In all of her years of living, she never thought about her country accent than more than just a simple twang to her speech. She now realized that her way of speaking represented who she was at heart. She wasn't just a farming pony; she was an Apple, and nothing was going to change that.

------------
After thirty minutes of walking, Zecora looked around, recognizing the boulders as they passed, "Our pace is moving quite fast. I can tell by the boulders that we passed."

Applejack looked over to her traveling partner, "By the boulders?"

"The rocks in the field are a symbol in the field. They show a point for many to yield."

"Wait... Yield? Is it dangerous?" Applejack suddenly became cautious on where they were going.

Zecora looked over to AJ, giving an emotionless look to the farmer, "The coming path is a dangerous way. When you walk on this road, do not let your mind stray. If you slip on this road and fall to the ground, you will not be able to come around."

Applejacks eyes went wide hearing the danger from Zecora, "What in the hay are we walkin' there for!? Ah ain't goin through a place where ah'm probably gonna die! Why didn't ya tell me earlier!?"

"This is the only way to my land. Either this or the long walk through the sand."

"Sand?"

"The great desert on the border to the west. To cross it alive is an impossible test. The way to my land it would take five days, and we would not be able to survive the bright rays. I tried to cross it once in the past, but one day in the heat was all I could last."

Applejack walked in a trance now, listening to her other option that she had. She could not believe how Zecora had been able to do this journey multiple times before alone after hearing how dangerous this pathway was. Deep down, she was feeling a new respect growing to how brave this Zebra was for ever even attempting this journey in her younger years in life.

Zecora stopped in her tracks as the grassland came to a sudden end. The ground was now a single hard stone bedding, devoid of any soil. The road ahead of them went right to the edge of a cliff. She knew exactly where she was now. Looking back to Applejack, she sternly looked her in the eye, "Be prepared my dear for the next spot. You must focus with all that you got."

Applejack felt the sweat beading down the side of her head, afraid to even walk forward to see what it was Zecora was looking down to. Inside of her heart, however, she knew that she couldn't quit now. Despite her trembling legs, she walked forward next to Zecora, who was staring down into the enormous canyon at their feet.

Zecora never looked to Applejack as she spoke, "This is what we must get by. The valley you see is the Dragon's Eye."

Comments

[Avenging-Hobbits]

Dragon's Eye?

SHIT JUST GOT REAL

[chaos2012]

1459853

titaniumteddybear.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/spongebob-shit-just-got-real.jpg

Oh yeah

[PinkPearl]

[not-so-anonymous]

Something tells me that it's not just a name...

[Cobra 1]

I read, like, Shattner for, some reason. Dragon's eye eh? interresting.

[Listener]

Rhyme for all the zebras? MAKE AN ESCAPE!
Done. :P

Nice job, as always.

[chaos2012]

1467993 rhyme for every zebra? That would be insane! haha. Thanks though, I had to come up with some idea about that

[Violet Runner]

Things are getting intoresting by the looks of it. When the dragons see them they'll have a fit.

[thesinnamonroll]

Just to let you know, this is an awesome story. I do have one teeny tiny problem with the story.
Tuff isn't spelled like that. It is tough. Just thought I should point that out.
Anyways, awesome story so far!

[JakeFourLeaf]

I can see why Zecora would chose to rhyme by choice. For one its creative and it keeps her mind on its toes so to speak. So ultimately it could help her focus and think at a much higher level of thought. Theoretically that is...

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Zecora, can ah ask ya something?"

Zecora looked over at the sudden mood change, "What is it, my friend?"

"Well, since we are going to yer land, should ah be practicing mah rhymin'?

Zecora stopped her trot hearing that question, "By what do you mean by that? I think your head is hot from that hat."

"What? No! Ah don't wanna go to that land and not talk like y'all." glancing over, she saw her companions face had not changed, "Don't of ya zebras talk with rhymes?"

Zecora's lips began to pull back into a large grin. Then, a loud laugh came up from her stomach, causing her stumble over. Applejack had no idea what was so funny, "Did ah say something wrong?"

Zecora wiped the tear away from her eye, then went back to trotting alongside her companion, "Applejack my dear, talking is nothing you should fear. While I have a rhyme to my voice, it is something I do by choice."

"Zebras do not always talk with rhyme?"

"most talk with the same tone from your land . I have learned from the ways of not being bland. By talking in a flow making words blend, it gives me a feeling of making my meaning extend."

"Rhyme by choice? Well, ah don't understand that."

"You talk with an accent different from mine. Whatever tone you choose for yourself is personally divine."

"Divine?"

Your accent itself is unique, yet you never think about your tone with critique. You see your voice as part of your soul, and that will always live long and make yourself whole."

And after you practice that habit for a while.... well, it becomes hard to stop yourself, i imagine.