|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 16, 2011 22:36:30 GMT -5
The path stretched endlessly through the woods, occasionally twisting and turning around large areas of foliage. The ground was still rough; despite somepony blazing a trail through these parts, it appeared like it was seldom used. Even in the morning, the forest had an ominous presence about it. The only thing more unnerving than the foreign calls of the forest creatures was the unnatural silence that followed.
However, the Everfree did little to spook one zebra, who had taken to calling the dark woods her home. Zecora was a short distance from her hut, carefully plucking the red speckled flowers off a gnarly vine. One by one, she placed them into a worn satchel at her side, all while chanting a hushed lullaby in an unfamiliar language. Zecora was so absorbed in her work that she took little notice to the charcoal pegasus on the forest path.
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 18, 2011 11:19:52 GMT -5
Horizon had blazed through the forest with haste; twice he had thought he had lost his way, but then again found himself on a small path rarely tread. The Pegasus felt imprisoned under the heavy canopy - if danger would present itself, his first and most basic route of escape was virtually blocked. For a Pegasus who was uneasy when confined to indoors for a prolonged amount of time, walking under the shadows of Everfree's ancient trees was near nightmarish.
Flare almost thought of turning around and returning back to Ponyville to look for some other way to treat his condition, but ultimately he saw a small hut ahead - foreboding and.. well, creepy was the word the black-coated stallion thought of first. He grinned eagerly and set forth, both curious and hopeful; Whoever lives here has some serious witch doctor vibes going on. This Zebra must really know her stuff
The stallion spread his wings, stretched them out and stroke the air softly a few times. He glared around cautiously until his eyes caught Zecora gathering herbs. He began to approach the Zebra, now very enthusiastic to meet with her - he had met Zebras before, though only a few. He wanted to visit their homeland someday, but never really got around it.
"Hey-ho, Stripes! Ya Zecora?" He sang and immediately groaned at the thought of introducing himself with a lame song. Not again..
So here's what I've been told;
In Everfree there's a Zebra
She knows tricks an' spells of old
Potions and brews and such, dooon't you knooo-oow?
Before Zecora could do as much as react, Flare had already stepped up the tempo and rose to air, spread his enormous wings and hovered just above ground, lingered for a while, before he spun around and landed next to the Zebra.
Yes, I know, I'm a rogue
Yet I got this thing
You must cure this plague
Else I'm bound to siiiiiiing!
Ya got potions and brews an' masks,
Al kinds of creepy and lots of fright
Some things I don't even wanna ask
So work your mojo an' set me alright!
The Pegasus was now within inches of the Zebra, staring at her with widened, almost frenzied, eyes. A brief moment passed, before the Pegasus leaned back and coughed. "So, can ye fix me, eh?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 18, 2011 15:16:24 GMT -5
Upon hearing the pegasus call out to her, Zecora stored the last flower and turned to greet the stranger. Not many ponies were ever seen in the Everfree and even fewer came out as far as her hut, so an unexpected visitor was a very pleasant surprise. Before she could answer him, however, the stallion broke out into song. After he finished, the zebra remained quiet, mouth agape as she stood in brief awe of what had just occurred.
Recomposing herself, Zecora milled over his words for a bit, ignoring the reference to her place as “creepy”. She was not sure whether to take the song as some form of flattery or mockery, until she saw the telltale signs of a familiar condition.
“Indeed, I am the zebra of which you have been told.
My name is Zecora and what is yours, if I may be bold?
Has this plague of which you spoke
come from a patch of Poison Joke?
Those blue plants cause effects seen as averse
and could explain the origins of your curse.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 18, 2011 15:26:38 GMT -5
The stallion hang his head low and kicked dirt around with hi front hoof, incredibly ashamed by his uncontrolled bursts of song. He simply hated those stupid lyrical blights that the plant made him sang - nopony would take him seriously, and everypony would remember him as the crazy Pegasus who sang terrible songs and.. well, no use pondering that now, he thought and sighed.
"Aye, Stripes. Guilty as charged, got a dose o' the Joke on the day afore when me was flyin' o'er the Everfree. Me name's Horizon Flare. I gotta be gettin' this venom outta me system, an' sharpish. If ya can be aidin', me be doin' whatever ya be askin' o' me. An' me's a promise ye cannae be sunderin' once forged, savvy?" The stallion grinned devilishly and took a few steps back to allow the Zebra some personal space.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 19, 2011 1:41:27 GMT -5
The pegasus’ singsong delivery appeared to come up at random, as it stopped as abruptly as it had begun. Zecora answered Horizon’s plea with a nod,
“A cure to the poison I can provide,
all you must do is follow me inside.”
She picked her satchel back up and led the black stallion to the entrance of her hut.
“Your ailment, you seem so quick to dispel,
though personally I thought you sung quite well,” Zecora teased before opening the door and trotting inside.
Colorful masks adorned the walls of the interior, while simple, wooden-carved shelves were lined against them. Collections of books, pots, urns and figurines were strewn across them. Zecora grabbed a particular blue jar from the top shelf and moved to the firepit in the middle of the room where a large, black cauldron lied. A pool of water already rested inside of it, into which she poured the contents of the jar. The zebra fanned the flames beneath it, smiling at her handiwork before turning back to Horizon.
The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume.
“An herbal bath is the treatment for your malady.
Come cleanse yourself if its results you wish to see.”
Zecora beckoned the pony to come forward to the cauldron, its waters shimmering from whatever had been added to it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 20, 2011 11:36:30 GMT -5
The Pegasus left out a sigh of relief when the Zebra agreed to help him out, and followed her inside. The indoors of her hut was just as theme-parkish as the outside, the stallion thought briefly as he looked around at all the outlandish and strange things, the masks, the figurines. It was like straight from an adventure story where the heroes go into a faraway land and meet with a native pony tribe's shaman.
"Ah, well, me's still rather not bein' a bloody walkin' musical. 'Specially when 'em rhymes me be givin' out ain't really under me control, an' me might be sayin' somethin' me shouldn't, savvy?" Horizon watched as Zecora prepared the herbal mix. He had been in this situation once before, and knew a bath would be the cure, just not what went in it. He had been just a small foal when he was hit by the Joke for the first time.
"So, huh, me just be gettin' in the stew, then?" He walked next to the huge cauldron, peered inside, and then gave Zecora an inquisitive look. He grinned as he thought of horror stories about cannibal ponies who cooked their captives in cauldrons just like this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 20, 2011 22:08:42 GMT -5
Zecora’s curiosity was peaked at the pegasus’ concern for saying something he shouldn’t. Of course, everypony had private thoughts that they wished to keep to themselves, though clinging to those thoughts for too long was often unhealthy.
“Some secrets are best not to keep locked inside;
matters that must come out that we would rather hide.
Hidden emotions and ideas sometimes need a voice,
though whether they are shrouded or shared is all your choice.”
Her serious tone didn’t last for long, however, for seeing Horizon’s speculation brought an amused smile the to zebra’s face.
“Although its preparation may look like it is for dinner,
my intentions are not those of a sinner.
A simple dip will rid you of your dilemma,
along with all its accompanying stigma.”
Testing the temperature of the water once again, she began to douse the fire now that the bath was ready.
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 23, 2011 14:34:15 GMT -5
The Pegasus took a deep breath and shrugged. "Well, if this be workin' me be tryin'", he sang and climbed into the cauldron when Zecora had the fire put out. The bath was searing hot, at first, but Flare clenched his teeth and soon it was merely warm, comfortable, even. "So, how long me be needin' to stew here afore the curse's gone?"
He looked around the hut while he waited for the herbal concoction to take effect and fully cleanse the poison, examining all the strange things the humble dwelling held within. "So", he asked the Zebra, "who ya really be an' where ya really be comin' from, then, Stripes? Ain't seen many o' ye Zebras 'round here.. If ya don't mind me inquiring."
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 26, 2011 0:05:37 GMT -5
“In just a few minutes, your condition should be removed.
No troubles have I encountered before have had this disproved,” Zecora replied flatly.
She strode back to one of the shelves, placing the now empty jar back onto it.
“It is no huge surprise that you do not see more of my kind.
As only in a distant land others of my kin, you will find.”
A vacant look briefly overcame the zebra. Distant…yes, she was far from home. It was not as simple as turning around to go back now, like her first few stops would have been. A sudden realization washed over Zecora; the appreciable distance from her homeland hadn’t come to mind for some time. Before she lingered on it for long, however, she snapped her attention back to the black pegasus. A smile replaced her solemn expression as she continued.
“I garnered my understanding of flora from the people of my clan,
where my interest, though their stories, in the outer lands began.
I decided to explore the world for myself and traveled for years;
on my journey, encountering all sorts of new and unique frontiers.
Eventually my voyage brought me to the Everfree,
where I made my home now, as you can clearly see.”
She looked proudly around at the simple accommodations of her hut, particularly fond of the trinkets she had brought from her homeland, as well as from the other regions she had traveled to.
“Now what do you have to tell of yourself? I’m sure you have your own story,
Whether it be from humble origins or one destined for glory.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 29, 2011 14:25:16 GMT -5
The stallion shrugged. "Been here an' there an' everywhere, to tell the truth. Nothin' much o' interest 'bout me backgrounds", he avoided the question, not really wanting to tell the Zebra he was a criminal and a rogue of some renown in the underbelly of Equestria.
Horizon climbed out of the cauldron and took a few deep breaths. It seemed that the Zebra's peculiar herbal mix had worked after all, since the pony didn't feel an irresistible urge to burst into song anymore! He chuckled triumphantly and pushed a few runaway strands of his mane behind his ear. "Thank ye mightily, Stripes. Without ya, I'd be doomed! DOOMED!" He laughed cheerfully. "Ya really got ye flowers right. Ain't got no finer herbalist in all o' 'Questria if ya be questionin' me. Tho' me be wonderin', why ye be dwellin' here at the 'Free 'stead of the 'Ville?" He inquired the Zebra. He glanced around himself, looking around the hut again. There was bound to be something valuable he could snatch now he was back to his old self - the things the Zebra had to be rare and exotic enough to fetch a good price on the market.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Oct 29, 2011 16:12:46 GMT -5
“You’re modest, Horizon, everyone has their own tale.
Everywhere there is intrigue; it does not matter from where you hail,”
Zecora replied. She decided not to pry any further, however.
The zebra returned a wide smirk to his compliments.
“Thank you, I take my craft rather seriously.
The appreciation is always felt wholly.”
The black Pegasus was just full of questions, wasn’t he? It was alright, though, for she liked a pony with curiosity, and liked to sate it even more so.
“While many seem to fear this dark wood,
I feel, rather, that it is misunderstood.
It is a place of wonder, with mysteries stretching as far as one can see for.
I made my home here to be close to the life in this forest that I have never seen before.
The Everfree is vast and provides other treasures as well…”
Before finishing her thought, Zecora grabbed a black strip of bundled cloth from a nearby shelf. Unwrapping it, she revealed a jagged piece of unworked amber.
“As long as one uses caution, their worries, they can dispel.”
Upon ending her rhyme, she wrapped up the stone and placed it back to its resting place.
Peering out one of the window’s of her hut, a thought came to mind.
“Darkness will surely fall on your journey home.
Let me give you something to light where you roam.”
With that, the zebra turned about and began to search through a small cabinet in the corner of the simple abode.
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Oct 29, 2011 20:14:22 GMT -5
"Nah, ain't me. Just an ordinary performer o' aerial maneuvers", he assured the Zebra, walking around her hut a bit. He looked at some of her masks with interest. Horizon had always been keen to learn about new things, but never having been taught how to read properly, he couldn't just go an find the information he wanted from books or anything. "Aye, Stripes. Me be owin' ye", he said and turned around after having taken a glance at the shelf opposite the entrance to the hut.
"Treasures?" The word sparked his attention, and the Zebra's rhymes were lost on the Pegasus; he watched the amber be placed back where it was taken, and a grin appeared on his features when the Zebra turned her back. "Me be most grateful, Zecora. Ye been done so much fer me already, I cannae be properly thankin' ye", he said and quietly moved to where the Zebra had stood moments before, winging the cloth-wrapped amber. Hidden in the folds of his wings, he was certain Zecora wouldn't notice it missing.
The Pegasus moved away, and approached the Zebra. "Whatcha looking' fer?" He asked innocetly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zecora on Nov 4, 2011 15:11:33 GMT -5
After poking through the assortment of papers, pots, and plants, Zecora reemerged with a long, stalky white herb grasped in her mouth. Offering it to Horizon, she explained,
“This ashen plant here will help illuminate your way.
A simple break in the stem will hold the darkness at bay.”
Stepping back, she gave the black Pegasus an inquisitive look. Something felt odd about him, but the zebra couldn’t quite place it. He seemed like a friendly and chipper fellow, though he was hiding something. Then again, whoever wasn’t? Zecora silently chastised herself; she should’ve known better than to judge somepony so unjustly upon their first meeting!
“I am glad that your problem was one I could manage.
I hope that your journey home will be one of safe passage.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Horizon Flare on Nov 5, 2011 11:05:46 GMT -5
The black Pegasus took the odd stalk and looked at it curiously for a while. The Zebra seemed to have all sorts of strange things within a hoof's reach for all sorts of problems, and the Pegasus could respect such preparedness. "Cheers, Stripes. Won't be losin' me way on the way to 'Ville, at least", he thanked the Zebra, conjuring a fake smile on his features.
The stallion headed for the door and glanced over his shoulder before exiting the hut, nodding at Zecora. "'Til next time, Stripes. Been a pleasure makin' o acquaintance", he said his farewells and stepped outside. The Pegasus crushed the herb between his hooves and took the stalk in his mouth that now radiated a phosphorous light around him. He headed down the path back to Ponyville, the stolen amber comfortably resting in the feathers of his wings. He wondered if the gem had some powers, or if it was just for show.. well, he could always get a better price by making up some hoodoo magic the stone possessed.
|
|
