> Zecora's OTHER Big Surprise > by Autum Breeze > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zecora’s OTHER Big Surprise Chapter 1 ___________________________________________________________ Twilight nodded to herself as she checked the last lines in her letter to the princess. She had wanted to inform her about how she and her friends had decided to start a journal like she and Luna had in their old castle, also apologizing for reading it, on the offhoof chance it wasn’t what Celestia had sent her there for. Satisfied with her writing, she went downstairs, where Spike was finishing up some last minute cleaning before bed. “Spike?” she called as she came down, looking around and spotting him by one of the shelves. “Yeah, Twilight?” he asked, looking up from his dusting to see her walking towards him, a scroll floating in her magic. “Letter for the princess?” She nodded, levitating it over to him, letting him catch it in a claw. “I decided to tell her about the adventure we all had last night in the castle and about how we’re going to be keeping a journal from now on, like she and Luna did.” The drake nodded, before taking a deep breath and blow out. The green fire caught the paper, igniting it and sending the letter off towards Canterlot as a puff of magical smoke. “Almost done?” she asked him after the letter was sent, referring to his cleaning. He nodded, returning to his task. Just a few more shelves and it’ll be spick and span. Twilight chuckled, nodded and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water before bed. Normally, she’d be staying up reading all the books they’d brought over from the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters, in the hopes of finding something that might explain the box that had grown out of the Tree of Harmony after they’d given it the Elements back it Discord’s Plunder Plants had been destroyed. But she was too tired tonight. Once she’d finished her drink, she’d go upstairs and go to bed, knowing Spike would be up shortly after. Once she’d finished her water, Twilight put the glass in the sink and moved out the kitchen and towards the stairs, intent on heading for bed, when a sudden knock on the library’s front door gave her reason to pause and frown slightly. Who in Equestria would be visiting this late at night? Walking over to the door, Twilight opened it with her magic, intending to tell whomever had decided to come at such a late hour to go home and come back tomorrow. She was stopped, however, when she saw the figure draped in a black hooded cloak, a hooded cloak she knew well. “Zecora?” the Alicorn asked, very surprised. The figure lowered the hood of their cloak, revealing the named zebra’s face to her. “Good evening, Twilight. I hope my coming so late has not given you a fright.” Twilight shook her head, smiling. “No, no. I was just surprised. I didn’t expect a visit this late at night. Would you like to come in?” Zecora’s expression firmed and she held up a hoof. “First, Twilight, I must ask of you a task.” Twilight blinked, then nodded slowly. “Okay.” Zecora nodded. “If you would be so kind as to incline, if it is alright that I do not rhyme?” Twilight blinked again for a moment, cocking her head to the side. “Well, I guess if you wish to speak without rhyme that would be okay. I just assumed it was something zebra’s did all the time.” Zecora gave a warm smile. “Thank you, Twilight. That is what I was hoping you would say, for I have now been freed this day. I am forever grateful to you.” Twilight stood there, waiting for Zecora to finish. Even Spike stopped his dusting, turning his head in preparation for the rhyme that had yet to come from that last sentence. When it didn’t, Twilight became very confused. “Zecora, why aren’t you rhyming?” The zebra smiled. “Let me come in and I’ll explain.” A few minutes later, despite the late hour, Twilight, Spike and Zecora were seated at by the couch, each holding a mug of hot chocolate. “So, what’s up, Zecora?” Spike asked, looking at her from over the rim of his mug. “How come you stopped rhyming after Twi said she didn’t have a problem with it?” Zecora gave an amused smile. “With Twilight’s single verse, she saved me from a terrible curse.” When they looked at her with confusion, she chuckled. “When I was still within my mother, a witch cast a curse upon me, ensuring I could not ever speak freely. Every sentence I would have to speak in rhyme, from birth, to death, til the end of time. However, my speech would return to me, if the sire of my foal did lift from me that heavy tole.” Spike frowned. “So, you’re saying, whichever stallion knocked you up could lift the curse... just by saying you didn’t have to speak in rhyme?” Zecora nodded. Twilight’s eyes widened and wore a wide grin “Wait. So, Zecora, does that mean you’re pregnant?” The zebra nodded again, placing a hoof to her stomach, wearing a warm smile. “Indeed, I am with child, thanks to a night that was quite wild.” Twilight squealed, bouncing like a filly on Hearth’s Warming Day. “Oh, congratulations, Zecora! I’m so happy for you! Oh, Pinkie is going to be so happy to hear another new foal’s on the way. Should I ask her to arrange the foal shower?” Zecora smiled at her. “That would be lovely, Twilight. I was hoping, indeed, to get Pinkie Pie’s help in that... is something wrong Spike?” The zebra’s question to the baby drake turned Twilight’s attention to him and caused her happy expression to turn into an uncertain frown. Spike was looking at Zecora, rubbing his chin, his expression a frown of confusion. “What is it, Spike?” the Alicorn asked, wondering what was puzzling the little drake so. Spike looked to her, then cocked his head, before returning his gaze to Zecora. “DIdn’t you say only the stallion that got your pregnant, could break the curse and allow you to talk without rhyming?” Zecora nodded. “Yes. That is the way the curse worked. Only the one who sired my foal is the only one who could break the curse.” Spike pointed his thumb at Twilight. “But you just said Twilight broke the curse and she’s not a stallion. So how could Twilight be the one who could break the curse? She couldn’t have sired your foal, she’s a mare.” Twilight blinked, her eyes narrowing when she realized what Spike had just said. She turned to the zebra, cocking her head. “Spike’s right. How could I have gotten you pregnant when I’m a mare? I don’t even have the parts.” Zecora gave a wry smile. “I never said it had to be a stallion and, I do believe, Twilight, you did, as you say, have the parts not too long ago one night, back when you were a unicorn.” Twilight blinked for a few moments, before her eyes went wide at the memory of that night when Spike had been away in Canterlot. She began shaking, her voice quivering as she lifted a hoof to point at the Zecora. “Y-you mean that night I-I-I got y-you...?” Zecora nodded, her smile warming as she looked at the Alicorn mare. “That night when you rode me, you filled my womb, Twilight. I was in my cycle early, hence why I was doing what I was when you arrived.” “And... if you were in your cycle... because I came inside...” Twilight’s eyes were widening more with every second, her face growing paler and paler. Zecora nodded. “You got me pregnant. You sired my foal, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight was suddenly able to start getting that sleep she’d been unable to due to Zecora’s sudden visit, due to her dropping to the floor, unconscious.