The World of Quagga

Chapters

Ch 1 - Prelude to a Party
Ch 2 - Crecendo of the Gala
Ch 3 - Into the World of Quagga...
Ch 4 - Destiny Marks, Death, and Destiny Essence
5. Return of the Prince

Ch 1 - Prelude to a Party

Prelude to a Party

“ I never really realized just how much work goes into planning the Grand Galloping Gala,” Twilight Sparkle sighed as she looked over her checklist.

“ Yes,” Celestia chuckled. “ But I am certain that you can do it. Nobody is as good at organizing as you are.”

Luna walked along quietly as she left her sister’s side and began to inspect some of the decorations as they were put into place with unicorn magic. She seemed semi-attentive, yet also a bit lost in thought. She seemed to be that way a lot. But then, something caught her eye, “ Apple tassels?”

Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but chuckle at that. As fearsome as Nightmare Moon was, Luna was only a fraction of that. Her ignorance and childlike expressions made her feel very approachable…more so than Celestia. Perhaps that’s why Twilight Sparkle thought of her more as a friend than a mentor figure. “ Rarity’s sister, Sweetie Belle got the idea to make those with her friends. I was a little worried at first, but when Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo put their minds to something and work hard, they come up with some really interesting things.”

“ You have an amazing ability to connect with your subjects, Twilight,” Luna said almost longingly. To that, the new alicorn scrunched up her nose. This whole princess thing was still a lot to adjust to. Not too long ago, she was just another unicorn…and now here she stood with royalty…as royalty.

“ I don’t see them as my subjects, Luna. They are still my friends. Aside from a little gushing about the whole alicorn thing, everything has stayed pretty much the same. That is, with the exception of ponies trying to peek into the library windows. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.”

Luna hid her annoyance well. She didn’t really mean to be that way. She didn’t even want to be that way. She wondered where Twilight Sparkle would end up on the royal tree. Luna often felt like she was in limbo, herself. She wasn’t as revered as Celestia, she wasn’t as people friendly as Cadence, and she wasn’t as worldly as Twilight Sparkle. Heck, she didn’t even need to be there to have her job done. Did that make her pathetic? She often tried to think back, years and years ago, to figure out how she even ascended to this state. She had to have been uber important at one time, right?

She feigned a yawn to cover her sigh. Really, the only pony she could even voice these concerns to wasn’t even present. She sure as heck wasn’t going to open up to her sister, didn’t feel comfortable saying anything to Cadence, and didn’t feel Twilight Sparkle was in quite the position to understand.

“Will your friends be coming?” Celestia asked, pulling Luna from her thoughts. She turned an ear and then looked over her shoulder to the other two as they spoke.

“ I’m sure they will,” Twilight Sparkle smiled with a sure nod. “ They’re very supportive. This is the first time I’ve been in charge of the Gala. Besides, they all love this event. I hope you don’t mind, but I did invite the…” She motioned her front hooves almost as if they were quote marks, “ …Cutie Mark Crusaders. It seemed fair since they made…”

“ I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Celestia interjected. “ This should be a new and exciting thing for them.”

“ What will they do?” Luna suddenly asked, which acquired her some confused stares. “ I mean, I’m not opposed to it. There just aren’t any foals at the Gala. What will they do?” Luna was no stranger to the antics of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She liked them, but knew they could be a hoof-full. She’d get foal-sitting duties, wouldn’t she? Well, why not? She was ignored most of the time, anyway. At least the fillies would interact with her. Still, she wasn’t as free to just let go as somepony like…say…Cadence.”

“ I guess I didn’t think of that,” Twilight Sparkle finally admitted. “ I already invited them…so there has to be something that they can do.”

“ They will be fine,” Celestia assured in her special way. Luna had to look carefully. She knew something, didn’t she?

“ Well, I’m off to check up on some things,” Twilight Sparkle announced. A nod was the acknowledgement she needed and she galloped off with her list and quill floating swiftly after her.”

“ Where is her dragon?” Luna asked as Celestia approached her.

“ Spike is pretty busy elsewhere in the castle,” she replied. She then gave Luna a suspicious glance. “ Is everything alright, Sister? You seem…upset.”

Luna perked. Was she really that obvious? “ Just a lot on my mind, Sister. It’s nothing.” She almost wanted to tell her that she was lonely. Still, perhaps she could push herself into Twilight Sparkle’s circle of friends. However, she was still a bit unsure of how to handle them. She hadn’t had friends in such a long time. Those she did have were long gone and few in numbers. She missed them. She disliked not having the closure. While she liked the progress of Equestria, she also felt a bit embittered by the loss of the world she knew. “ Do not worry. I will not spoil this event. Twilight Sparkle has put a lot of hard work into it.”

“ I wish you would share what is on your mind,” Celestia coaxed sadly. “ You never come to me with your concerns. You can’t handle them all alone.”

To that, Luna hardened and lifted her chin, “ You would not understand, Sister. It’s not something I can, nor that I know how to tell you.” And that was all to be said as she flicked her tail and began to wander as Celestia was left behind to wonder without answers.

Though the trip had been made several times before, it was still a thrill to the residents of Ponyville to arrive to Canterlot first class. Perhaps the most thrill was had by Rarity. The strength of the pegasi guards that pulled the chariot almost made her want to swoon. Or, was it just the thrill of hobnobbing with the elite of Equestria again? It would be different this time. She was a personal friend of a princess now. Fluttershy remained quite the whole way, as per usual. She was lost in thought about the animals again. Would it be different? Applejack was on communication duty, allowing Rarity to gush with proper response, or perhaps not so proper. Rainbow Dash chose to fly rather than ride. After all, she felt faster than those guards and flew circles about them with her own excitement. The most dangerous of decisions was to allow Pinkie Pie to sit alone in a second chariot with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. They were beyond enthused and squealed in excitement at the thought of spending time in a castle. Pinkie Pie fed off this enthusiasm hungrily. Sadly, it led to Apple Bloom, who still held a lot of excitement, to be the most mature of the four. Needless to say the barrage of questions went unanswered as Pinkie Pie was far too intelligible to be of any use.
The chariots came to a smooth landing and the ponies filed out. It was only then that the third chariot was finally noticed and the panting stallions flopped once they reached the ground.

“ Uh…Rarity…what is that?” Applejack asked as she eyed the mountain of luggage in the third chariot.

“ You didn’t honestly think I’d be caught dead in Canterlot unprepared, did you, Applejack?” She huffed in her dramatic way. “ We aren’t just here for an evening. We were invited to spend a nice little vacation here with our dear Twilight. She needs us! So, I made sure I had an outfit for every occasion.”

“ Sometimes I think you’re more the princess than Twilight is, Sugar Cube…”

Rarity let out a gasp as her eyes grew three times their size, “ Do you really think so?! Oh, wouldn’t that be amazing?!”

“ Pfft, gimme a break!” Rainbow Dash finally chimed in as she loomed overhead. “ You’re head is higher up in the clouds than mine is! You are just not princess material.”

Before Rarity could state any sort of protest to such a statement, she became distracted by Sweetie Belle’s approach. “ Rarity, do we have dressed for the Gala too?”

“ I… Well, yes, actually,” she replied, as if she was never expecting such a question. “ I wasn’t sure what Twilight had planned, so I made you girls some dressed too. This is a formal affair, after all.” Stated with her typical whisk of her mane.

“ That’s right,” Applejack added. “ Formal. That means you girls have to be on your very best behavior. No Tom Foolery.”

“ Who?” Apple Bloom asked with confusion. Applejack sighed.

“ Just stay outta trouble, okay?”

“ So, where is Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked as she looked around. “ Wasn’t she going to meet us?”

“ Well, you know Twilight,” Applejack chuckled. “ She probably got caught up in her organizin’. Let’s just give her a few minutes.”

“ What if she forgot?!” Pinkie Pie suddenly gasped. “ We’ll be out here forever in the cold!”

“ It’s…not cold,” Fluttershy observed. She gasped with a start when Pinkie Pie was suddenly upon her in her hyper panic.

“ But, what if we are waiting forever and we are here when it snows?! We’ll become…Ice Ponies and have to stand like statues until the ice melts away! I better practice!” And she slung herself into a stiff statue-like position.

“ Well, it’s not like we can’t keep ourselves busy,” Applejack stated. “ We have each other and we have Zecora…” A long silence followed before the information seemed to finally process. All at once, they shouted, “ Zecora?!”

All heads spun around, and sure enough, there was the zebra casually stepping by. That was a strange sight. It was one thing to see Zecora leave the Everfree Forest to venture into Ponyville, but has the zebra really walked all this way to Canterlot? And if she did, why?! Before anyone could explore that question, the voice everyone had waited for called out for them.

“ Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Rarity! Applejack!” She paused as she stared at the still and silent Pinkie Pie. “ What happened to Pinkie Pie?”

“ She’s playing statue,” Scootaloo sighed. She didn’t really find the antics impressive or amusing at this point.

“ Did you know Zecora was going to be here? I didn’t know she had an invite,” Rarity said. She guided with her gaze for Twilight Sparkle to follow and sure enough the little alicorn gasped at the sight of Zecora. She even momentarily forgot about her friends as she trotted over, though with them in tow, and greeted the unlikely guest.

“ Zecora! I didn’t expect to see you here!” She greeted with perhaps too much enthusiasm. Zecora lifted her head and then smiled at the sight of her. She gave a gentle bow.

“ For sore eyes, you are a sight. It is a pleasure to see you again, Twilight,” she said in her rhythmic rhyming way.

“ So, you got an invitation to the Gala?”

“ I see this Gala has put you to the test, but I am a different sort of guest,” she replied.

“ So…no invitation?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Zecora peered up at the Pegasus and smiled. “ An invitation like yours, it’s not that sort. However, to Twilight, I do offer my support. I came here to Canterlot, you see, in order to meet my family.”

“ Family?!” Twilight Sparkle repeated. It was evident by all the gathered faces that such an idea was not expected in the least. “ You mean…there are more zebras here?”

“ In time, this shall be proved,” Zecora said with a nod. “ A distant cousin, twice removed. It puts me in a special mood to finally meet his wives and brood.”

“ I don’t understand,” Twilight Sparkle stated aloud, though more as a spoken thought. “ Celestia didn’t say anything about zebras coming. I didn’t think… I mean…” She lowered her head. Any way she said it, it wouldn’t come out right at all.

“ We didn’t think zebras did fancy parties.” Count on Rainbow Dash to be blunt and rude. Still, that was more or less the thought on everypony’s mind.

“ It’s too fancy for my taste, but I won’t let Twilight’s hard work go to waste.” She then jumped with a start as Rarity let out another of her dramatic squeals. The fashionista was upon her like a cat on a mouse.

“ Zecora, you are absolutely right! You cannot let this go to waste! You must look spectacular for your family and for this Gala! It is my responsibility to make sure you have a gown to wear!”

“ I appreciate the generosity,” Zecora replied warily. “ But that is not necessary, Rarity.”

“ Oh, nonsense! I insist!”

“ She won’t back down,” Sweetie Belle muttered to Zecora. “ Just smile, nod, and say thank you.” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom covered their mouths with their hooves as they hid their laughter.

“ Well,” she began, still warily, “ If that is what you want to do. Just don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

“ Excellent! Twilight, I need to get to work right away! The Gala is almost upon us!”

A moment of silence followed before Twilight Sparkle forced a smile, “ Well, in that case. Follow me and I’ll show you to your rooms. Then you can tell me about everything I missed in Ponyville while I’ve been here. And, Zecora, maybe we can find your family too.”

“ That sounds like pretty good advice. Your hospitality is very nice.” She said as the young alicorn led her friends into the castle to settle them…minus the still silent and statuesque Pinkie Pie. It was a good five minutes before she finally blinked and looked around.

“ Hello? Twilight? …Applejack? …Rarity?...Rainbow Dash? …Fluuuuuuttershy?” She then shrank herself down into a crouch. “ Girls? …” She then jumped up, “ Oh, no! We’ve been statues so long that it’s decades into the future and I’m the last one standing! Girls! I will never forget you! I will have fun at this Gala in your places!!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders wandered about the gardens of Canterlot Castle. The grass was a perfect texture. It was soft but not soggy. The flowers were all just about to reach that special moment when they would all bloom at once under the moon during the Gala. Fluttershy was already on one end of the garden sniffing the buds. It was only a few hours, but already it seemed everpony was busy. Twilight Sparkle was already back to her checklist, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were helping with some decorations, Fluttershy was attached to nature, Pinkie Pie was missing in action, and Rarity held Zecora hostage in order to work on that last minute dress. At least, finally, there was Spike.

The girls sat on the grass as Spike was horseshoed by them. “ So… Excited about the Gala?”

“ I’m kinda worried about it,” Scootaloo admitted. “ A lot of important people are supposed to be here.”

“ Maybe we can get our cutie marks in something social!” Apple Bloom declared. “ Maybe…manners or that snooty talk.”

“ Rarity calls it elite social banter,” Sweetie Belle added. “ Our special talents don’t seem to be interior design. Twilight said she used our apple tassels, but we still didn’t get our cutie marks.”

“ Maybe we’ll get it in boredom,” Scootaloo sighed. “ It would be nice to hang out with the older ponies, but why would they want to spend time with us?”

“ Maybe we can keep Zecora company,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “ She’s never been to the Grand Galloping Gala either! She’s always a lot of fun!”

“ But, she said that she had family coming,” Apple Bloom said. “ I know when I meet with family, it normally means I don’t have time for anythin’ else.”

“ That’s because you have half a million ponies in your family, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo teased. This got a well needed round of laughter. It certainly broke the tension and anxiety.

“ I wonder what her family is like,” Apple Bloom continued as she rubbed her chin with her hoof. “ I also wonder if they all talk like her or if that’s just a quirk of hers.”

“ I wonder if they have any foals,” Sweetie Belle chimed in as she too began to rub her chin with her hoof. “ She said brood. That means foals, right?”

“ Maybe…” Scootaloo said as she united the three in also rubbing her chin with her hoof. Spike felt a little awkward. He was present, yet slightly overlooked. He was surprised when Scootaloo finally turned on him. “ Have you seen them, Spike?”

“ Who?”

“ Zecora’s family,” Sweetie Belle insisted with her cute vocal inflection. “ They can’t be that hard to miss. I mean…they are zebras, right?”

Spike seemed to zone out a moment with a sense of confusion. “ There are zebras here? Zecora’s here? Nobody said anything to me and I haven’t seen any zebras in the castle.” The girls became deflated as they groaned. Spike waved his hands desperately, “ But, that doesn’t mean anything! The castle is a big place and there are going to be a lot of guests. I’ve also been really busy. Heck, I didn’t even know Zecora was here.”

This seemed to cheer the girls up momentarily. They were distracted by some rustling in the bushes. A quick glance was all the sound got, though. The garden was full of animals, after all. It could have been a squirrel or bird, but most likely anything they could see at any time in Ponyville. At least, that was the case unless it was something particularly special, like Celestia’s phoenix or…did Luna even have a pet? A sneeze is what finally alerted them that it wasn’t some little woodland creature. Though they all obviously turned to the bush, Scootaloo still felt the need to ask, “ Did you guys hear that?”

“ Is it a big animal, you think?” Apple Bloom asked.

“ Sounds like a pony sneeze,” Spike replied casually. He walked towards the bush and pushed the foliage aside to reveal a young foal… “ A zebra!”

“ A zebra?!” The girls repeated with shock and hope. They nearly tackled the baby dragon to get a glimpse of the young zebra, not much older than they. “ It is! It is!” Apple Bloom cheered. “ It’s a zebra!”

“ A zebra?” Came a new voice. The young zebra cowered in the bush, the girls perked their ears and spun around while Spike remained trampled beneath their hooves. Standing behind them was the night princess herself, Luna. She came closer and lowered her head. She gasped as quietly as possible as she noticed something strange about this zebra. Her heart skipped a beat and she wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad feeling just yet. “ A…horn…”

The girls seemed confused and vocally made it obvious with a united, “ Huh?” The little zebra foal carefully lifted her head to look at them. Large magenta eyes took them in. Another united sound came when they noticed that she did, indeed, have a horn on her head.

“ She’s a unicorn?” Sweetie Belle asked. “ Or…is she a zebra?”

“ Can a zebra be a unicorn?” Scootaloo asked. “ I never saw anything like that before.”

“ To be fair,” Apple Bloom chimed in, “ we never saw such a thing as a regular zebra either until we met Zecora.”

Luna saw the fear in the filly’s eyes and felt sad for her. “ Come out of hiding, little one,” she coaxed.
“ Who might you be? How did you get out here?”

“ My…name is Trinkets,” she replied shyly. “ My family came here. My sister was in the library and I got really bored waiting for her. I guess I got lost when I wandered off.”

“ You don’t have to be scared of us!” Apple Bloom announced. “ My name is Apple Bloom.” She then motioned her hoof to identify the other two. “ This is Sweetie Belle, and that’s Scootaloo…and we’re…” The three stood together to say, “ The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Scootaloo added, “ We are on a never-ending quest to find our cutie marks!”

Trinkets stepped out further and looked at her flank. Stripes, yes. Cutie mark? No. “ I’ve been trying to get mine too. Everyone in my family has theirs already. Some of my brothers and sisters aren’t that much older than I am and they have theirs already. Not me, though.”

“ Zebras get cutie marks too?” Scootaloo asked.

“ Well, duh, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom huffed with an annoyed expression. “ Didn’t you notice Zecora’s cutie mark?”

“ Are you…a pure zebra?” Luna asked. “ Or…do you have a pony parent?”

“ My dad is a regular zebra. My mommy is like me. One of my step-mommies is special too, but different.”

“ Who are your parents?” Luna asked almost with a sense of desperation.

“ My daddy name is Chief Zulu. My mommy’s name is Monochrome.”

Luna didn’t recognize those names. Perhaps, she was mistaken. But then again, it had been thousands of years, right? Descendants? Could it be?

“ You sound like you have a big family,” Apple Bloom said. “ I do too. The Apple family is huge.”

“ Our family is kinda big,” Trinkets admitted.

“ Hey!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “ She doesn’t speak in rhyme! I just noticed that!”

Trinkets sighed as she lowered her head. “ We do talk like that. At least, we do around my dad and my step-mommy, and sometimes my mommy. My dad is really strict about it. He says, since we can’t speak our ‘original’ tongue, we have to speak our ‘second tongue’ so people can understand. Of course, he said it in some rhyming way. But, when we are by ourselves, my brothers and sisters don’t normally talk that way.”

Luna mulled over her words and still tried to place that familiarity. Her ears perked when she heard Trinkets name being called across the garden. “ Is that your sister I hear?”

Trinkets perked her ears and nodded, “ Yes. I’m over here!”

“ Trinkets! You heard what Mom and Dad said about running off!” The older filly called as she galloped closer to the group. She stopped suddenly and eyed Luna with a sense of astounding. The Cutie Mark Crusaders all felt their mouths drop. “ Twilight?” Apple Bloom whispered. They were very different from each other, Twilight Sparkle and this zebra, but there seemed to be some things about them that felt familiar. This zebra seemed a little taller than Twilight Sparkle, but has some studious facial features. Her eyes were blue and she wore a brown jacket with a red shirt underneath as well as a red ascot. But, like the little zebra, this larger zebra also had a unicorn horn. On her flank was a cutie mark of a tribal mask. It was something they had never seen before.

She stayed in that odd position in Luna’s presence for what felt like forever. The alicorn shifted her eyes nervously as she waited for some sort of movement, but it didn’t come. “ Hello?” She finally ventured.

“ Princess Luna?” She breathed. After a nervous nod, she let out a squeak of excitement. “ I’m Antiquity. I’m am so honored to meet you.”

“ I… Thank you,” Luna replied with an unsure tone. “ Pleasure to meet you, Antiquity. Just…how many zebras are there here?”

Antiquity, though she had no fingers, lifted her head and bounced her hoof in the air as she counted in her head. “ Seven zebras in my family. My family is bigger than that though. But, only seven of us are actually zebras.”

“ Are there any more like you and your sister?”

“ My brother and mother have horns, my step mother has wings as does her son and daughter.”

“ Wings?!” Luna gasped.

“ It’s a special trait. Zebras normally don’t have horns and wings. There are small tribes that do, but they are pretty small and the gene is a special one for either of the traits. Zebras are neither unicorns nor pegasi, so classification is complicated.”

“ You seem to know your history well,” Luna remarked.

“ So, if zebras don’t have horns or wings…how did your family get them if they are zebras?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“ It’s a long story, but a really neat one,” Antiquity replied.

“ I would like to hear it,” Luna said, much to Antiquity’s surprise.

“ You would?!”

“ It would be nice to hear these tales again…to see how well I remember them.”

“ Ooh, I think I’d like to hear them too,” Fluttershy boldly chimed in. She had admittedly been eavesdropping for quite some time since Antiquity entered the scene. The girls seemed enthralled with the idea of some new and exciting stories.

“ Will you tell us how you got your cutie mark too?” Apple Bloom asked. Antiquity couldn’t help but laugh. “ It wouldn’t be the first time I had to tell that story. Trinkets asked me the same thing not too long ago. But, the stories will have to wait. We have to get back in. Father wants us all to meet the new princess. Frankly, I’m happy to meet all the princesses, period.”

Luna smiled. It was the first time she had smiled in a while. Perhaps, this Grand Galloping Gala event wouldn’t be a total loss, after all. For the first time in a long time, she felt excited. She even craved the moment in time when she would be just like those fillies: all snuggled up with pillows in a room while Antiquity told historical tales. She could connect, once again, to a world she once knew and ponies she once knew. She could feel it. “ Come, then. Let me escort you back. I look forward to meeting your family.” She led the way with a train of zebras and ponies behind her. Spike was grateful. After all, he’d been caught under the hooves of the Cutie Mark Crusaders since Trinkets’ discovery. Now he could finally recover. “ Be…right…there,” he forced out, though they couldn’t hear. They were already parading through the garden and towards the castle, passing flora, passing fauna, passing a sun dial, a gazebo, and a pillar with Pinkie Pie posed atop of it with a bird perched on her nose.

It was rather exciting to see three princesses all in a row to meet the diplomats from so far away. Not only was it exciting for the court, but for Twilight Sparkle as well. She was nervous She hadn’t really done any of the political stuff yet. Normally, Celestia entertained diplomats. However, Celestia had mentioned that these guests were not here to make an audience with all the princesses for no reason. It was to greet the newest one, as it meant something special to their culture. Funny. Zecora had never mentioned anything about her princessdom being important to her culture in any way.

A generic fanfare played as the doors opened. A large zebra stallion marched forward as if he were a king. He had the Mohawk sort of mane that Zecora had. He was a bright white rather than a grey-tone with prominent black stripes and accusing brown eyes. On his rump, his cutie mark was a large Zebra Tribal Mask. About his neck, he wore some sort of choker with a stone, perhaps a mark of his authority. He didn’t smile. His face spoke volumes that this Zebra was not the friendliest or most humorous. He took himself too serious. It was too obvious.

Flanking the stallion on each side, was a Zebra mare. To his right was a very tall and slender white Zebra with a very oriental stare. She had pink eyes, and a dread style of mane and tail. Her cutie mark was a wasp, though her large black and white wings detracted from it. After all, who ever heard of Zebras with wings? To make the situation stranger, on the stallion’s left was a grey-tone Zebra mare, smaller, more pony-sized, like Zecora. Her eyes were light blue; bright-eyed sort, she was. She had a modern scraggily cut mane and a Zebra-style tail. Rather than a status choker, she wore an ascott. Her cutie mark was a telescope. Perhaps she was an astronomer? She also had…a horn? She had a horn!

Behind them came another procession of Zebras. To the left was a young Zebra colt, grey-toned with a horn. He wore glasses, though a mark on his face showed he normally wore goggles. He had an odd Zebra cut mane, though felt far more modern than the others. A gaming paddle cutie mark attested to that. Antiquity flanked the far right so that they could chorale the younger Zebra siblings: Trinkets,a young colt not much older than Trinkets with a rainbow confetti explosion cutie mark and a pair of black sneakers on his hind hooves and a pair of wings, and a “tween” filly with wings and a fan of cards for a cutie mark.

Twilight Sparkle had never seen so many Zebras before! Luna peered off to the side, noticing Zecora speaking to another tall and slender individual and keeping foals close by. Perhaps, that’s what Antiquity meant about “more of them.” That lot…they were not “pure” Zebras. Those before them now…they were Zebras through and through. Twilight Sparkle’s shock was evident and she nearly exploded with a visible urge to ask a ton of questions. Luna didn’t feel that surprise. After all, she’d seen this before. In fact, all the princesses had, save the new one. However, aside from Trinkets and Antiquity, Luna had no idea who these individuals were.

The Zebras bowed respectfully with the foals coaxed to do the same. Celestia smiled and gave Twilight Sparkle a nudge. The young princess was confused at first, and then stammered before she found her tongue. “ Welcome to Equestria! I am…Princess Twilight Sparkle! You…stand before me, the mighty Princess Celestia, and the…uhm…” She tapped her head with her hoof but felt an absence of words “ …Princess Luna.” Needless to say, that got an odd visual retort from the dark mare.

“It was the least we could do,” the mighty stallion spoke as he rose and locked eyes with Twilight Sparkle. It immediately intimidated her, “ …to come all this way in order to meet you. Congratulations we offer to thee, now let me introduce my family…”

“ Oh! Yes, please do!” She replied with enthusiasm.

“ I am the head of this family crew. I am the Mighty Chief Zulu,” he stated. He motioned his head to his left, “ I bring your attention to my left side, in order to meet my first bride. She is the first I brought home; this is Lady Monochrome.” He then switched sides. “ Now to another love of my life, let me introduce my second wife. Speed and grace is her thing. This is my dear Lady Zing Wing.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Twilight Sparkle beamed, but then raised her gaze, as if to quietly remind Zulu about that mass of offspring behind him. He noticed.

“ Behind me, from dams Monochrome and Zing Wing, I present to you my offspring. To the right is mighty stock. That is my eldest son, Static Shock. Beside him is the youngest of the boys. His name happens to be White Noise. Beside him, you should know, is my dear daughter, Tarot. Isn’t she a lovely sort? Tarot Promonition is her name, but we call her Tarot for short. The next one, smaller than my smallest son, is Trinkets, my youngest one. The last is the oldest one, you see. That is Lady Antiquity.”

Twilight Sparkle leaned into Celestia and muttered, “ They all talk like that?” Celestia merely giggled and it was Luna who pulled Twilight Sparkle close.

“ It’s called Second Tongue. They adopted it as a second language so that they could speak to ponies clearly.” She sat back, and the three princesses watched as the family bowed respectively.

“ Uhm…it is a pleasure to meet all of you!” Twilight Sparkle called to them. “ I hope you enjoy your stay here in Canterlot. Anything you need, feel free to ask, if it will make you comfortable! I hope you enjoy the Grand Galloping Gala! I would love for my good friends to meet you and make new friends.”

“ So it’s true,” Antiquity smiled. “ The Princess of the Magic of Friendship!” She gasped when her whole family looked to her. Zulu glared almost disapprovingly. “ Ah! Uhm… Sorry, I, uhm…let my Second Tongue slip.” She looked over to Static Shock who gave a nod. It was a pathetic save, but one nonetheless.

“ So, you’re a teacher?!” Twilight Sparkle squeed as she spoke to Monochrome.

“ We’re ‘royal wives:’ Me, Nightsong, and Zing Wing, so we don’t have to do a thing,” she sighed.
“ However, I tend to, myself, get very bored if I cannot go about my own accord.”

“ Do you teach general knowledge, or is it just astronomy?”

“ Observing stars is a passion of mine. I love to see them move and shine. I never could pinpoint why, but there is just something magical in the night sky.”

“ I’m glad you can appreciate it,” Luna joined in, startling Twilight Sparkle a little. She was so quiet.

“ Luna, Monochrome was telling me about her life where she is from. I love learning about new things!”

“ Your love of learning, I can see,” Monochrome laughed. “ You should therefore meet Antiquity. She has a love of history. I bet she’s itching to get back to the library.”

“ She sounds so cool!”

“ She is cool!” Rainbow Dash added, also joining the conversation as she hovered overhead.
“ I asked her about the record for the fastest flying Pegasus in history! I told her about my sonic rainboom and she agreed to test me! I could be in the Equestria Book of World Records!. That makes it 20% cooler! No! No! More!”

“ I hope you all enjoy the Gala. Do you have anything like it where you are from?” Applejack interjected. This group was starting to grow.

“ There is a lot worth jubilation,” Zecora answered. “ Zebras have lots of celebration. The meaning is as deep as it can go, for it is for things that happened long ago.”

“ With the oncoming winter soon,” Monochrome added, “ We’d be celebrating the Festival of the Moon.” To that, Luna gave a soft smile. She remembered a time when she had seen those festivals, even though it wasn’t an Equestria celebration. It was important to these Zebras…just as important as the sun to the Equestria ponies. Luna began to wonder if she should simply go with the Zebras back to their land. At least she’d be appreciated.

“ A moon festival?!” Rarity gasped, seeming to pop out of nowhere from behind Twilight Sparkle’s wing. “ Oh, the inspiration! The night sky could be a muse all on its own! How romantic!”

“ Is there music?!” Rainbow Dash asked.

“ Is there food?” From Applejack.

“ Are there…animals?” Came the ever timid Fluttershy.

“ Are their gems?!” Spike asked eagerly. However, the glares he got made him pout. “ Uh, I…mean.. I bet that is a gem of a story. Too bad…I…uhm…have other things to do…” and with that, he trudged himself away.

“ Yes, yes, every one of those things,” Monochrome nodded. “ We feast, dance, play music, and sing. Where we come from, it’s very hot. Then the moon came so it was not. The sun never went down all the way. It just would go to dusk and stay. It could bring down great defeat. Even Zebras can only take so much heat.”

Along the other side of the reception, Pinkie Pie examined the crowd, separate from her group, of which she had still yet to meet. Everyone seemed as she remembered. All these elite ponies…so stuffy and…fashionable. Yes! This is what Rarity liked! She remembered, now! She looked around! She had to have fun for Rarity’s sake! But, how would she…aha! She caught sight of Prince Blueblood and bounced towards him. This was the pony Rarity liked, right? Celestia’s nephew? Come to think of it…who was this brother or sister Celestia and Luna had that spawned this jerk?

“ Hi!” She greeted. “ You’re Prince Blueblood, right?” He looked at her and arched a brow. He curled a smile and replied with a simple Mmhmm, though kept his snoot to the air. “ Oh, well, I’m Pinkie Pie.”

“ Ah, yes,” he replied. “ You’re one of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s little friends.”

“ Wow, what a great memory! Or, was it a guess? Was it a guess?” She asked with a hyper tone. She perked and leaned her face in quickly, much to his surprise as she sniffed the rose in his lapel. “ Oooooh, that’s nice! I got one too! Look! Look!” She urged, pointed to a flower on her chest…from nowhere. Blueblood seemed highly confused by this strange mare, but…what could it hurt? He leaned down to smell the daisy only to get shot in the face with a stream of water.

“ What in Equestria…?!” He sputtered.

“ It’s the oldest trick in the book!” She laughed. “ Well, I’m not sure which book. I’ve read a lot of books. Even some old books too. But I never saw that in a book.”

“ How dare you…”

“ Dare? Oh, Truth or Dare now?! Wow, you’re fun! Uhm… okay, okay. Truth! Rarity was so wrong about you!”

“ Rarity?” Blueblood perked. That name sounded familiar. He scratched his chin with his hoof as he thought. Why was that familiar.

“ Oh, you remember, don’t you?” Came the voice of Fancy Pants who had been eavesdropping.
“ She’s the fashionista friend of the young princess. A unicorn, I think. Real darling mare. Fancy tastes, that one.”

Blueblood looked through the crowd and noticed Rarity among her friends talking with two of Zulu’s wives. “ Rarity…” he then gasped, “ Rarity! Yes, I remember now. The rude one!” He looked down at Pinky Pie and frowned. “ You’re one of Rarity’s friends?”

“ Yep! My turn! Truth or dare?!” She cheered. Blueblood sighed and tried to walk away, only to run straight into her nose. She was fast! If she were a unicorn, he’d attribute it to a blink, but Pinkie Pie was an earth pony. How in the world…?

“ Now, now, don’t be like that!” Fancy Pants encouraged as he rolled his hoof. It was enough to get the small band to play. A bump pushed the regal white unicorn onto Pinkie Pie, who took hold of him.

“ Ooooh! Dancing! Now you’re talking! Let’s boogie!” He didn’t have a chance to regain his footing before Pinkie Pie led in the most spastic dance she could muster. Dips and spins, Blueblood found the whole thing dizzying. After one particular spin, he slipped and crashed by a refreshment table.

“ He’s tripping the lights fantastic!” Fancy Pants laughed. “ Especially the tripping part!” To that, Pinkie Pie laughed and bounded over to the fallen prince.

“ Whattaya wanna do now, Prince Blueblood? Huh? Huh?”

“ Grrr, I want you to get lost!” He spat as he struggled to get himself up.

“ But I’ve been here a lot,” she argued. “ I can’t get lost! I know my way!”

“ Oh, you rotten, stupid, ditzy…”

“ Hey!” She gasped and shoved her face into his. “ Watch it, Buddy! Ditzy is not stupid! It’s mean to pick on ponies who aren’t even here to defend themselves! Especially if you’ve never met them!”

“ What?” He was confused. There was a pony named Ditzy? Who? What? And now the rabid pink pony was angry. “ Get away from me! None of you Ponyville commoners know how to behave around royalty!”

“ Actually, it’s the job of a gentlecolt to know how to address a lady,” came a stern voice. Blueblood looked aside and noticed the young Zebra colt glaring at him through his lenses. “ You don’t need to be rude.”

“ We know exactly how to act around royalty!” Pinkie Pie announced. “ Twilight is a princess! Geez, even Princess Celestia and Luna don’t act as high and mighty as you. Princess Cadence either!”

“ Oh, what a spoiled brat,” Static Shock teased. “ You’ve never had to work a day in your life, have you? Y’know, where I come from, the royal bloodlines aren’t enough. You gotta prove you’re worthy of the title.”

“ So you’re a prince too?” Pinkie Pie asked, suddenly no longer interested in Blueblood.

Static Shock frowned a moment and gave the table a kick with his hind hoof. A dessert landed on Blueblood, much to the unicorn’s shock. Before he could voice his outrage, the punch bowl was next, courtesy of Pinky Pie. “ Here’s something to wash it down!” While it caused a small scene, it seemed to go easily overlooked. Perhaps Blueblood had simply offended too many ponies that they felt this was his…just dessert.

Static Shock and Pinkie Pie decided to separate from the snootiness and walked out to the balcony.
“ I must say, that was one wild display.”

“ You’re not rhyming,” Pinkie Pie observed.

“ Ah, that’s something I only have to do around my parents,” he explained. “ There’s really no need for it these days. My dad though, he’s a stickler for traditions.”

“ So, are you a prince?” She asked again.

“ Sort of. Really, we don’t have kings and queens and such. We have chiefs, but they are like royalty. So, in some ways, we are like that, and in some ways not. Depends on how you look at it, I suppose.”

“ What was your name again?” She asked with a smile.

“ Static Shock.” He noticed her glancing at his cutie mark and smirked, “ Games…”

“ Pinkie Pie! Parties!” She announced.

“ So, why was somepony like you trying to hang out with a stuck up guy like that?”

“ I lost my friends,” she explained. “ We were waiting so long that we froze! And when I came to, everyone was gone! So, I swore to have fun at the Gala for all my poor friends!”

Static Shock was a bit confused at first, but remembered the small group with Twilight Sparkle about his family. He had to laugh a little, but recovered quickly. He didn’t want to be rude. “ That’s terrible,” he said, though with a smile. “ I hope you find your friends again. I bet they aren’t as far away as you think.”

“ They’re great! Rainbow Dash is a Pegasus and she’s going to be a Wonder Bolt! I have to do something really Rainbow Dashy. Fluttershy is a Pegasus too and she loved animals. I was out in the garden pretending to be a statue so the birds would sit on me! Applejack, she’s an apple farmer! She’s really dedicated. Hmmm, I should make something apple-y for the Gala in her honor! Yeah! Apple cupcakes!”

“ Well, you dumped the punch. Grapes are a big thing where I’m from. One of the many fruits. Why don’t we make an apple medley to drink at the Gala?” Static Shock suggested. “ Then, you can say you did it for your Applejack friend.”

“ Ooooh, good idea!” She cheered. “ You have such great ideas!” She rubbed her head. “ Twilight Sparkle is still around, so I don’t have to do anything for her. Rarity, she’s a dress maker in Ponyville! She’s the best! She’s rather fancy, and she’s always wanted to hob nob with the prince. It didn’t quite turn out last time, so I thought I’d try it for her. Didn’t work out this time either,” she sighed.

“ Bad taste in princes,” he joked. He listened as the music began to play again. The mess must have been cleaned up. He looked back and grinned. “ How about you hob nob with me for her? You seem like a lot of fun. Who need this uptight reception? Let’s go do something more exciting out in the garden.”

“ Like a game?!” She beamed.

“ Exactly. I can’t stay all proper and quiet any longer. I need to run and yell!”

“ Then, let’s go!” She announced.

Celestia looked up into the sky at the bright full moon. Luna came to land in front of her with a sigh. She was a bit concerned at first, but when she saw Celestia smiling, she assumed all was indeed well.

“ That is a beautiful moon,” she said. “ The Gala will be perfect. Get ready and come out to enjoy the evening.”

“ I’m not really in the mood,” Luna sighed. To that, Celestia frowned.

“ Why won’t you at least try and tell me what is wrong?”

“ I’m not entirely sure,” she admitted. “ I’ve just had some old memories is all. They will pass, I’m sure. It was just a deep pit in my stomach before, but seeing so many Zebras…t just brings it up even more.”

“ You are not sorry they are here, are you?” Celestia asked. “ They came to see Twilight. Now, they can see all the princesses of Equestria: You, me, Cadence, and now Twilight Sparkle. This is special to them. A new alicorn princess…”

“ I remember,” Luna almost snapped. “ That’s part of the problem. I just have this longing nostalgia that I can’t get rid of. They are here. We are here, Cadence is here, Twilight is here… but none of us are princesses of their land. We aren’t the reason they are here. You know very well what happens when a pony ascends into an alicorn and takes a throne. You do remember, don’t you, Sister?”

Celestia’s face softened after a moment of surprise. She spoke gently with a hint of understanding,
“ I see. You are waiting for that to happen again. You are waiting for him, aren’t you?”

“ Twilight needs to face him if she is going to retain her crown,” Luna stated. “ She ascended, but he needs to deem her worthy.”

“ I am not worried,” Celestia replied. “ She is worthy.”

“ She is so young.”

“ We were young too, Sister,” Celestia reminded. “ Cadence was young too. Ascension happens when it happens. Destiny decides when a pony is ready to ascend into alicornhood.” She tilted her head curiously to the side. “ You will not rest until he comes, will you? You should know he comes when he comes. No one expects him…and no one even remembers him…except those Zebras.”

“ They remember stories,” Luna insisted. “ Not like us. We saw him. I don’t even know when he left.”

Celestia thought a long moment, drowning out the celebration sounds. “ He left…before Nightmare Moon. He appeared once more afterwards…for Starswirl the Bearded. He was not worthy, and he did not ascend. So, he left that poor unicorn in a state no one need know. It never left the room that day, to preserve what remained of Starswirl’s dignity.”

Luna said nothing after that. She simply looked away. The thought ran through her mind. Twilight Sparkle was an alicorn and a princess by default per Celestia’s say so. In this world, all was right. But, it was the next world…that other world that had to recognize it as well. Twilight Sparkle was still vulnerable…completely as mortal as her unicorn self. Would he find her worthy? Would he deem her princess enough to take the reins of immortality as the alicorn rulers had done before her?

To Be Continued…

Ch 2 - Crecendo of the Gala

Luna curled herself in her bed. She left her window open in order to hear the celebration outside. One would this this would be a great time for her. After all, the Grand Galloping Gala took place at night. Everything in the garden was in full bloom under the full moonlight. Still, she took no pleasure in attending. Luna had always been the more…introverted of the two ruling alicorns. She felt overshadowed anyway and spending a thousand years on the moon only stunted her growth further. She was anxious and depressed, though she knew very well she didn’t have to be. Perhaps, it was indeed just the longing for those she knew so long ago.

Ascension seemed to be the easy part. She saw ponies come and go in her long life. Then, with an absence of all those years, she lacked the closure of mourning friends properly. She let out an annoyed huff. The thoughts brooding in her mind were annoying. They hurt and made her feel dizzy. Past…future…it was all coming to a head and she didn’t even know when. Then again, was she really worried for Twilight Sparkle, or was she just so terrified and anxious to see him again?

She rolled onto her back with another huff. The world didn’t look much better upside down either. Her stomach growled, hinting that it would be nice to eat a little something. Was it worth it? Did she really want to get up and taste those foods? Would she simply just make something for herself? Did she really have to get up?

“Heads up!” She heard the familiar cry of…who was that again? It was one of Twilight Sparkle’s friends… Oh yes, Pinkie Pie. Luna’s eyes shot back open and she hurried to the window to peer down into the courtyard. There she was, that crazy pink mare, with huge frosty glasses of juice. A squint made it clearer that it wasn’t the punch, but a sort of apple juice. An…apple medley? She saw that one colt, Static Shock setting up the fruits around the bowl before a moment of panic.

“ Wait! Wait! Miss Pinkie Pie! That isn’t nec…no!”

The young Zebra’s cries went unheard as Pinkie Pie pitched glasses to party-goers who had been waiting and wanted something fast. Luna wanted to cover her eyes as she made a panicked face yet…couldn’t take her eyes off of this train wreck in progress. It was a mess. The snooty elite was so unaccustomed to her ways that they didn’t know how to respond to her speed…and were therefore soaked. At least apple juice didn’t stain. However, one stallion went for a fast high pitch and managed to catch it with great enthusiasm.

“ Woohoo! Got it! That was an awesome pitch!” The Pegasus cheered. He guzzled his drink in mid air and licked his lips in satisfaction.

“ Soarin, get down here!” Spitfire called. Ah yes, figured the craziest responder would be a Wonder Bolt.

“ Yes!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “ I did something for Rainbow Dash!”

Luna sighed. That one…that one was just so random. No telling what went through her head. In fact, Pinkie Pie reminded her of somebody. However that somebody was a big more rude and aggressive, but the basic zest and zeal for life…that love of the party…

She took in the other sights. Could she find Twilight Sparkle’s other friends? Could she find the Zebras? Yes! There was Fluttershy in her green and pink dress looking into a bird’s nest. There was Rainbow Dash in her ensemble muscling her way to the Wonder Bolts clique. There was Applejack, the most rustic of the bunch, talking to a small group. Luna knew those ponies were businesponies. Many were light colors, as if to show a physical sign of their superiority. A green earth pony was the most vocal. He seemed intrigued by anything Applejack had to say. Luna couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Who else could she find. She smiled, realizing that this game was actually sort of fun. There was Rarity in her glimmering gown, talking with Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants. Good couple. They had the elite respect and status of most in Canterlot, yet had the down to earth approachability that was perfectly compatible with that of Rarity. They’d be a useful influence if she needed it.

Oh, and there was Twilight Sparkle practically salivating on the hooves of Monochrome and Antiquity. That pony loved knowledge. Luna couldn’t help but feel a little envy. What about the stories? She wanted to hear Antiquity tell the stories about the old days. She’d even sit through cutie mark anecdotes so long as she could hear those old accounts.

Ah, and there was Zecora in a glimmering white gown with gold hems. Rarity really went all out on her, didn’t she? Obviously it was a little more than Zecora would have expected. Zebras were much simpler and less…froofy. Zing Wing only wore some accessories and Nightsong looked sleek and sassy, rather than done up in a ball gown. Even Zulu was simple. Luna made a face, finding that one to be a bit…boring. He was just as stuffy as the elite, yet with the overbearing reminder that he had earned it. She didn’t like it. That just wasn’t the proper way for a Zebra to act… at least not in these modern times.

Who else could she find? Celestia…Cadence…Shining Armor…Dr. Whooves…Blueblood…a looming shadow… Wait, what?! Luna shot her head up to her glowing moon only to find that it was beginning to go dark! The entire Gala was starting to go dark and thunder rolled in the sky. “ What?! No! What is going on with my night?!”

She could hear the confusion below and she turned to gallop towards her doors, only to stop short and realize…oh right, she had wings! So back to the window she went and flew from her chambers to the grounds to inspect from this angle.

“ Luna, what is going on?” Cadence asked as she approached.

“ I didn’t do this!” Luna hissed. A bang sounded which gave way to screams. She turned to see a cloaked figure standing on the banquet table.

“ My juice!” Pinkie Pie cried as she brought her hooves dramatically to her face. Static Shock pulled her back and stood in front of her with a snort, as if to warn this strange, tall figure. He wasn’t the only one ready to fight. Guards began to close off the courtyard. The figure stood tall, lightening adding a dramatic effect to its presence.

“ Hey!” Twilight Sparkle shouted as she inched closer. “ Who are you?!”

“ And what do ya think you’re doin’?” Applejack chimed in as she flanked Twilight Sparkle’s left.

“ Are you looking for some sort of trouble?!” Rainbow Dash added on her right.

“ Stand down!” Zulu shouted, warning the guards. Honestly, who did that Zebra think he was giving orders to the Royal Guard? Still, Shining Armor acknowledged him, yet still put himself in front of his sister.

“ Don’t worry, Twilie. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he assured. This seemed to annoy the figure. Its eye looked over the guards, the prince, the young princess, her friends gathering to defend her. It grinned and let forth a stream of vermillion colored magic. It smoked about its hooves and reached like tentacles to the crowd. Suddenly, Shining Armor was lifted in a prickly whirlwind. He let out a grunt of protest as he was flung aside. A zap of electric power then knocked Rainbow Dash aside as she charged, as it did to Applejack when she tried as well. Soon, a wall of magic blocked off the guards, zapping any that came too near until it was just a ring of princesses.

“ Who are you?!” Twilight Sparkle demanded as she stomped down a front hoof. “ Show your face! How dare you attack my friends!”

The eyes seemed to glow under the hood as the figure studied Twilight Sparkle wordlessly. However, it came to a halt as it was suddenly knocked off the pedestal of buffet table.

“ Luna!” Came the cry of the other princesses. It was Luna, indeed, that had used her body as a battering ram to tackle the strange figure. She stood over her, holding down parts of the cloak with her hooves as she leaned her head down, her horn almost like a light saber glowing over the figure’s head.

“ Who are you?! What have you done to my moon?!”

“ Ah, Luna…as prickly as ever,” a female voice laughed. She was taken off-guard and it was enough for her to be lifted and tossed aside. As the figure got back up, the hood fell off, revealing a white unicorn head and a short purple mane, straight, longer on one side, almost covering the unicorn mare’s right eye. Her intense purple eyes stared accusingly at each princess.

“ It’s you!” Luna gasped. She grit her teeth and galloped towards her again.

“ Luna, wait! Stop!” Celestia called to no avail. Horns locked like swords as Luna glared angrily into the tall unicorn’s eyes. A smirk grew on her opponent’s face as she held the dark princess back. Then, without warning, she zipped out from beneath her, sending Luna toppling idiotically to the ground. The tall unicorn mare began to laugh, but good naturedly rather than maniacally.

“ You will never learn, will ya, Moon Runt?” She then loomed over Twilight Sparkle, who was unsure how she should react or feel at this point. “ State your name, Runt!”

Twilight Sparkle was a little offended, yet still not as full of herself as one would expect. She was herself before she was an alicorn, right? “ I… I’m Twilight Sparkle…”

“ What is the key to your ascension?” The tall figure asked as the wall of magic began to fall.

“ I…what?” She was getting nervous now. “ Who are you?”

“ I will ask the questions!” She said dramatically, as if overly rehearsed.

“ Mardi Gras!” Luna growled as she pushed herself to her hooves. “ Leave her alone!”

The strange mare glared over her shoulder, unamused at Luna. “ You are an absolute party pooper, Moon Runt.”

“ How is an unicorn able to subdue an alicorn?” Rarity asked from the sidelines.

“ A unicorn can’t,” Luna hissed. “ She’s an alicorn too.” That sparked a sea of gasps and questioning noises. Mardi Gras rolled her eyes and sighed. Luna has stolen her thunder and it was pointless. She tossed her cloak aside to show a slender white body with merlot swirls up her legs, 3 purple dots on her cheeks, large merlot and purple wings sprouting from a purple vest. While her mane was short and one color, her tail was wavy with stripes of purple and merlot. Her cutie mark was a feathered mask on a stick.

“ The magic of friendship,” Celestia suddenly said. It caught Mardi Gras attention.

“ What was that?”

“ I…” Twilight Sparkle suddenly snapped back into a logical state. That brought Mardi Gras’ attention back to her. “ My key to ascension was mastering the magic of friendship!”

“ Friendship…” Mardi Gras hissed. She narrowed her eyes and shoved her face into the young princess’. “ Friendship?! You are the princess of the magic of friendship?!”

Twilight Sparkle gulped a moment, intimidated by Mardi Gras’ assertiveness. “ Uhm…yes?”

Mardi Gras glared a moment longer, adding to the intensity before zipping back upright with a bright smile, “ Oh, awesome. That’s a new one.” This left Twilight Sparkle, and several onlookers a bit confused. “ Well, Magic Runt, welcome to the world of ascension. How’s the alicornhood treating ya so far?”

“ It’s… fine. Still getting used to the wings.”

“ A unicorn originally, right? I can tell,” Mardi Gras stated. “ I had to deal with a horn and the wings. I tell ya, if you’re not born a unicorn, having a horn suddenly appear can be a real pain….sometimes literally. A whole new lifestyle adaption if you’ve never had either family of magic before.”

“ So… you were an earth pony originally?” Twilight Sparkle guessed.

“ Sort of. I was a zorse. I can’t imagine not having all this now, though.” She reached out with her wing and yanked Twilight Sparkle closer as she began to walk with her. She ignored the strange stares.

“ You didn’t answer me!” Luna shouted. That one…she always knew just how to get under her skin. Celestia tried to calm her, but it was no use. “ What did you do to the moon?!”

“ Oh, geez!” Mardi Gras huffed. “ I was told to block it out. Don’t get your tail all in a knot, Moon Runt. It’s temporary. You’ll get your stupid moon back soon.” She then faced forward again. “ But, what about that thunder and lightning, eh, Magic Runt? Dramatic, right? Added a mysterious creepiness to it?”

“ Well, it certainly scared everyone. We weren’t sure if the changelings came back or something.” She then paused. “ I didn’t know there were other alicorns. I thought Luna, Celestia, Cadence, and I were the only ones.”

“ Yeah, well, you’re young and being young makes stupid to a degree…”

Twilight Sparkle bit her tongue. She wasn’t sure what this one was capable of, but boy she sure could be rude. Perhaps she didn’t realize it? Perhaps she was just from another culture entirely? However, she couldn’t stand the thought of anyone as her as stupid. “ Mardi Gras, I’m actually very well read. Granted there is a lot I don’t know, but I wouldn’t consider it being because I’m stupid.”

“ You’re not overly sensitive, are you?” Mardi Gras asked.

“ No. But, I think I deserve some level of respect. I mean I know respect is earned and you probably don’t see me as equal to you or anything, but…I’m still a pony with feelings. I deserve common courtesy.”

Mardi Gras stopped and considered the little alicorn pony. “ Well, since you were so polite about it, I suppose I’ll do my best.”

Luna’s eye twitched. She would be respectful to Twilight Sparkle, whom she only knew for five minutes, but not her whom she knew for years?! Celestia gave her a nudge, “ Don’t think too much about it, Sister. You knew this was coming.”

“ I didn’t know she would be coming. She didn’t show up when Cadence became a princess.”

“ Cadence didn’t utilize the Elements of Harmony,” Celestia reminded.

“ Right. You two were utilizing them at the time, remember?” Cadence added. “ Really, there’s no need to be so bitter, Luna. Nobody was hurt, except maybe your pride. I don’t think she’d a dangerous pony to have around.”

Mardi Gras seemed to love the change in mood. Everyone had gone back to their Gala personas and the party carried on as normal as possible. A lot of intrigue came about over the strange alicorn. She sat in a soft spot in the garden with Twilight Sparkle and her friends surrounding her. She had a lot of catching up to do with this world.

“ So, all of you are the Elements of Harmony,” she stated, hoping she understood right. Pinkie Pie dropped from a tree branch, having finally reunited with her friends as if they’d never been out of her sight.

“ Yep! Fancy that! We all ended being the Elements of Harmony and then >poof! We end up defeating Nightmare Moon! Oh, and we took down Discord too!”

“ It was so cool!” Rainbow Dash added. “ But then again, we are awesome, aren’t we?!” Her gaze turned to Fluttershy who responded quietly, “ Uhm…yes?”

Mardi Gras clapped her front hooves together with excitement. “ Well, how about that?! Ooh, ooh, lemme guess who is who!” She examined each of them, trying to take in as much information as possible. “ Hmmm,” she pointed with her hoof, “ You are Rainbow Dash, right? My guess would be…Loyalty.”

“ Wow! You got it on the first try!” Rainbow Dash declared happily.

“ And this here is…Flutterby?”

“ Fluttershy,” the timid one corrected.

“ I bet you are…” She rubbed her chin and looked at the others. She closed her eyes and seemed to listen to nothing before smiling again, “ Kindness. And you, Rarity, right? You’re Generosity. And you…you had a funny name. A tipsy one…Applejack! That would make you Honesty!”

“ Wow, it’s like she’s psychic!” Pinkie Pie cheered. To that, Mardi Gras seemed to go from a beaming smile to a thoughtful one as she watched the pink earth mare. “ Are you?!”

“ Not entirely,” she admitted. “ But, I would bet everything that you are Laughter.”

“ That’s right!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “ Now Twilight! Guess Twilight!”

Mardi Gras looked to the young alicorn and tilted her head this way and that before shaking her head. “ I’m afraid that one, I don’t know. You see, in my day, there was only five elements.”

“ Right,” Twilight Sparkle agreed, despite not knowing when Mardi Gras became a princess. However, there were only five when she went to find them. “ The element of magic was added to them when we faced Nightmare Moon.”

“ Nightmare Moon,” Mardi Gras repeated as she shook her head. “ Moon Runt has issues.”

“ Don’t you like Princess Luna?” Rarity asked.

“ She was pretty scary as Nightmare Moon, but she’s just the plum nicest princess you could meet,” Applejack chimed in.

“ I like her. She’s just so tense,” Mardi Gras admitted. “ I like teasing her.”

“ What was it like when you became a princess?” Fluttershy asked.

She stood and shook herself free of any grass before stepping over them and looking at the party. She saw the Zebras coming together. Well, some of them. She saw Zecora, Zulu, Zing Wing, Monochrome, Antiquity, and Static Shock. “ There is a lot to tell, as all of you ponies have forgotten where you come from. A lot of lost knowledge. They know. They know what’s coming. That’s why they are here.”

“ I don’t think that quite answered my question,” Fluttershy sighed. Applejack patted her back with her hoof.

“ The answers will come soon. Everything you want to know. Princesses must be educated in the old ways. So now too the Elements of Harmony.” Mardi Gras peered back at them a moment before she smiled and spread her wings. “ The finale will begin…and then the education process. He is coming.”

“ He?” Twilight Sparkle asked. “ He who?”

“ Another alicorn?” Rarity asked.

“ Wow, a real alicorn party!” Pinkie Pie cheered. The others stood and followed, Pinkie Pie the last in line. As they approached, the Zebras bowed their heads to Mardi Gras and seemed to know what was coming. Nearby, Shining Armor perked and noticed the strange behavior.

“ I think she’s up to something,” he stated. “ The Zebras are acting strange. Should I get the guards ready?”

“ If she were dangerous, Celestia and Luna would have expelled her, wouldn’t you?” She looked concerned upon the other two princesses. Celestia smiled and gave a gentle nod, but Luna was tense, almost frozen as she watched Mardi Gras speaking to the Zebras. “ Luna?”

Luna refused to answer but hurried to be a little bit closer, but not too close. After all, she didn’t want to interact with Mardi Gras any more than she had to. That gate crasher was now commanding the band. Percussion began to play as the Zebras started a chant in their first language. They stomped down their hooves on the ground as Mardi Gras lifted off the ground. Luna swallowed hard. She was nervous, waiting in anticipation. What was she up to? Even the animals of the garden began to act strangely, chirping and chattering in a tribal-like sound.

As the music played and the chants rose, so too did Mardi Gras, higher and higher into the sky. Something akin to fireworks began to his and spark about the darkness, triggered by her magic. It gave way here and there to strange shadows. The “firework” display of her magic took on ancient tribal shapes. Then lightning dashed through the clouds, showing what seemed like another figure ever so briefly. The guests of the Gala were intrigued and every eye was to that place. As this aerial display progressed, the sun soon began to glow once again until it was finally bright with the alicorn-like shadow before it.

“ Who is that?” Twilight Sparkle asked breathily, knowing somehow that nopony would answer. The strobe effect of the lightning flashed a few more times before the figure began to descend.

His hooves touched the ground in the circle made for him by the Zebras. He was taller than all the princesses, though only by maybe a couple hands. Twilight Sparkle found herself stepping backwards into her net of friends. “ He’s…a Zebra!”

That he was. He was slender and tall with a wavy striped mane and tail. He had a thin black mustache, large black and white wings and a long horn. He wore a twine about his neck with a rodent skull. On his head, he wore a large predator skull like a war helmet. Jagged teeth framed his face and his dark plum eyes stared from the eye holes. His cutie mark made him even more intimidating. Not only did he wear bones, but was defined by them in some way. The skull and crossbones graves each flank. Somehow, though, everypony doubted this alicorn was a pirate of any sort.

Mardi Gras landed and all went eerily silent. She bowed herself respectfully. It was then that Celestia and Cadence joined Luna by her side and the three of them also lowered their heads respectfully. His eyes looked to Twilight Sparkle, and in a fit of panic, she bowed so quickly that she slammed her nose into the grass. A cry of pain accompanied her swing of her head, back into the heads of her friends as she rubbed her nose and knocked them over to rub their noses in a strange domino effect.

He then looked about the Zebras. He offered them a smile and then came to inspect Twilight Sparkle closer. “ A unicorn.” He then took a side peek at her cutie mark. “ Magic.” He then lifted his head. “ It is a pleasure to meet you, Twilight Sparkle. I am Voodoo. I’ve come to see just what sort of alicorn you are.”

“ How…do you know who I am?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“ I know many things In time, you will know many things too,” he replied.

“ You…don’t speak like the other Zebras,” she noted.

He arched a brow before chuckling, “ Oh, that. Perhaps it would intensify meeting for the first time, I perhaps I spoke in rhyme?” Another chuckle. “ What I have to say can be said quicker without Second Tongue.” He stepped back and looked to see what was left of the buffet table. “ Ooh, chocolate…”

Twilight Sparkle blinked a few times as Voodoo helped himself to finger foods. She wanted to find comfort by Celestia’s side, by Shining Armor’s side, and Cadence’s and those of her friends. Luna, however, sucked up her courage and marched over to the snacking Zebra King. “ It’s been a long time, Voodoo.”

He licked his lips and swallowed some chocolate before looking to her. “ That it has, Little Luna. Glad to see you back with everypony again. What is your opinion on your new little addition?”

This surprised her. He was rather direct. “ I think she will do fine. She embodies the magic of friendship and I believe she has proven herself worthy of it.”

“ Well, winning you over is saying a lot,” he teased. “ I don’t recall Nightmare Moon needing any friends.”

“ It will not happen again,” Luna said in a pleading tone. “ I apologize. I really do.”

He took her face in his hooves and pulled on her cheeks, “ You are still such a filly. But, they say the moon never grows old.”

“ Who says that?” She asked.

“ …They,” he replied before clearing his throat and shifting his eyes about. “ Celestia!” Once he had the other sister’s attention he came closer and puffed out his chest. “ Prepare me a place! There is a lot to be said, and I’m sure I’ll have quite an audience. Make sure they have the three C’s.”

“Uhm…what…were the three C’s again?” Celestia asked with a hint of confusion.

“ Cupcakes, cookies, and cocoa!” He declared. “ I love chocolate. I especially love it during story time. Go, go, be off!” He looked over his shoulder at the on-looking Zebras. “ Ladies! The foals. Let the young not forget! Mardi Gras, I want strawberries!” He then looked to the group of friends. “ Meet me in the place set aside for us. You don’t know enough to appreciate what it is you are, Twilight Sparkle. You don’t understand why it is that the alicorn ascension is special. However, I will educate you bit by bit until you understand what sort of power you have been given.”

“ Well, that was rather boring,” Apple Bloom sighed as she sat on the floor. “ I really thought the Grand Galloping Gala was going to be…grand.”

“ It’s just a bunch of grown up ponies doing grown up things,” Sweetie Belle added. “ This event was not made for little ponies.”

“ That’s what my daddy says too,” Trinkets stated, catching the attention of the three blank flanks.

“ Trinkets!” Scootaloo cheered. “ We thought you’d be out there.”

“ No. Only Antiquity and Static Shock get to go out there. The rest of us were left in here with that dragon.”

“ Spike?” Apple Bloom asked, peeking behind her to see poor Spike being dragged about by a turquoise earth pony and, who was that other colt? White Noise? In fact, there were quite a few foals in this place, and more than the ones presented to the princesses. “ Are those all your brothers and sisters?”

“ Yeah,” she sighed.

“ Oh, there are other foals here,” Tarot observed as she approached. “ Who are your little friends, Trinkets?”

“ Uhm…Apple Bloom… Sweetie Belle… and Scootaloo.”

“ We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom declared.

“ We’re on a never ending quest to find our cutie marks!” Scootaloo added.

“ We’re…still looking, Sweetie Belle stated.

“ Then Trinkets is in good company. She’s the only one of us without her cutie mark. Those brats over there always give her a hard time about it.” She turned around, “ I’ll introduce you. Hey! Leave that dragon alone and get over here!”

Spike dropped in heap when the two colts galloped away. He was grateful to finally get a break from being the playmate. Those two played so rough. Two other fillies approached as well. White Noise stretched his wings and looked the new girls over. “ Hey, they cover all the bases. One from each tribe.”

“ White Noise, stop being an idiot,” Tarot sighed with a roll of her eyes. She took a deep inhale through her nose before motioning to the earth pony. He was dark turquoise with pale yellow markings on his face, rump, and legs. He had a dumbbell cutie mark, suggesting he was a lot stronger than he looked “ This is Hodge Podge. He’s the oldest of the Nightsong stock.” Trinkets and White Noise couldn’t hold back a few snickers.

“ You’re just jealous that we get to do more than you,” Hodge Podge remarked before shaking hooves with the new girls.

Next was a dark indigo Pegasus filly with powder blue spots. Her mane and tail were a swirl of pink and midnight blue. Her cutie mark was a quill. She had narrow eyes and a smile that almost made her seem superior in attitude. “ This is Nightwish,” Tarot introduced. Then on to a small filly, yellow in color with black stripes. She reminded the CMC of a big bee, even with the striped feathered wings. Her mane and tail were full and slightly curly with orange and black stripes. Her cutie mark was a bee hive with a bee. “ Honey Bee,” Tarot said. “ Talk about hitting the nail on the head with a name, eh?”

“ Wow, so you all know what you’re going to do?” Apple Bloom asked.

“ I give readings,” Tarot explained. “ My parents insisted I learn a traditional trade. Luckily, I love doing it.” She nudged against Hodge Podge. “ This is our mule,” she teased. “ He always has to help carry the heavy stuff. White Noise…he just…gets in the way.”

“ Hey! I do not!” He defended.

“ Honey Bee is a bee keeper,” Trinkets explained. “ And…Nightwish writes poetry.”
“ Poetry?” Scootaloo repeated with a face as Nightwish tried to bask in the glory. “ Well, I guess everypony likes different things.” That seemed to surprise the blue Pegasus and she turned up her nose with a huff.

“ So, Trinket, why don’t you join the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Sweetie Belle asked. “ While we’re all together, maybe we can finally find our cutie marks.”

“ She won’t find it,” White Noise laughed. “ She doesn’t have any talents.”

“ You don’t have any talents,” Tarot sighed with a roll of her eyes.

“ I do so! I just can’t do it inside! Otherwise, I’d show ya!”

“ Hey, I have an idea!” Scootaloo announced. “ Tarot, you said you can read the future, right? Why don’t you tell us what our cutie marks will be. Then we can do it.”

“ It doesn’t quite work like that,” Trinkets frowned. “ I already tried it. The cards never say exactly what to do, but just assures that there is a talent and that the cutie mark will show up when the time is right.”

“ Oh, that’s what everypony says!” Apple Bloom whined.

“ It’s just how it is, I suppose,” Tarot replied with a shrug. “ I got lucky. I tried doing it too. It wouldn’t give me a direct answer either, but that’s also when I got my cutie mark. Talk about convenient.”

“ Maybe we should try the things that they do,” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“ I have my cards,” Tarot offered. “ I think it’s really the only thing you can do in here…if you don’t like poetry.”

“ Hmph!” Was all Nightwish could muster for that.

Tarot sat down and began to shuffle the cards. “ I’ll show you how first. Then you can try.” They agreed and she set down three cards. “ It says that a treat is around the corner. It says that there is going to be a time of rediscovery.”

“ Neat! My turn!” Scootaloo declared, taking the deck and shuffling it. She set down three cards and looked at them confused. “ Uhm…it says that…we’ll get…swords and drinks from a fool.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom weren’t much better. Perhaps it was for the best. It was more fun to experience it than learn it. “ I think we’ll just leave the card reading to you,” Sweetie Belle sighed as Tarot put them away.

“ Wait! Do one for me,” Spike asked as he raised his hand. “ I want to know if somepony likes me.”

“ You want to know if my sister likes you,” Sweetie Belle teased. He blushed.

“ No! I… It can be anypony…or…dragon or… I…”

The foals giggled at Spike’s embarrassment as the doors opened. In the doorway stood all three of Zulu’s wives. Nightsong’s non-zebra brood rushed to her and huggled her legs.

“ Do not act very slow,” Zing Wing said. “ We all have someplace to go.”

“ Does this have something to do with that treat of yours, Tarot?” Apple Bloom asked.

“ Only one way to find out, isn’t there?” She giggled in response.

“ He’s here! He’s here!” Antiquity gushed as she galloped up and down the halls. “ There’s no need to fear; His Majesty is here!!!!!”

The Ponyville girls looked to one another in confusion. The Zebras and…one would suppose, zorses seemed very enthused about something. His Majesty? Since when was there a patriarchal ruling body? Did they mean Blueblood? Shining Armor? Was it Zulu? Those were the only male leaders that they could even think of.

“ You, we will not exclude,” Monochrome added as she eyes the girls, “ for you are to be invited too.”

“ Us too?” Sweetie Belle perked. This seemed to excite the fillies and they were quick to join the small herd of foals about the hooves of the adults. “ What’s going on?”

“ A curious trio, these little three,” Zing Wing laughed. “ Patience, little ones, and you will see.”

Celestia had been “displaced” from her throne. This would normally never occur, so confusion at her passive behavior was evident in the Ponyville herd. The throne room had been redecorated crudely, but with a lot of comfort. It was like a big slumber party with pillows to sit on and the grand treats. The party had ended and despite a long and tiring day, Voodoo and Mardi Gras kept the excited audience awake. It didn’t seem too hard.

Voodoo sat himself comfortably on Celestia’s throne with Mardi Gras sitting beside the throne like a loyal dog. A whole audience then settled before them, including all the royalty: Celestia, Luna, Zulu, Blueblood, Shining Armor, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle. All of the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony were present. The Zebras, the foals, and Nightsong were present. At one moment, Twilight Sparkle and Antiquity were practically in Voodoo’s lap, much to his surprise. Mardi Gras simply laughed, but Voodoo hadn’t met such eagerness in a while. He couldn’t help but smile, which grew into a laugh as he watched Applejack take hold of Twilight Sparkle’s tail and pull her back silently as the alicorn gushed. Antiquity was no better, and Static Shock had to pull her back in the same manner before settling himself between Rarity and Pinkie Pie, intruding among the gaggle of girls happily. They sure didn’t seem to mind. The foals were set up front, allowing them the best view and best hearing.

“ Hey!” Scootaloo gasped. “ It’s a Zebra!”

“ I’ve never heard of a Zebra alicorn,” Sweetie Belle chimed in. She looked to Trinkets, “ Did you know that?”

“ Yes. My parents talk a lot about him.”

“ That’s King Voodoo,” Tarot whispered to them. “ He’s the most important Zebra in our history. He’s really, really old. Even older than your princesses!”

“ Wow,” Apple Bloom said breathily.

“ So, he’s practically seen everything,” Spike finally chimed in. He let out a cry as Antiquity nearly glomped him.

“ Everything and anything!” She squealed. “ He has lost knowledge! Stuff that even the books don’t have written in them!”

“ Whoa, Twilight, calm down!” Spike urged and then paused, “ Uhm, sorry. I’m used to Twilight doing that…”

“ I’m so excited!” Twilight Sparkle added, causing Antiquity to turn and get rather giddy and unintelligible with the alicorn like itty bitty school fillies. Pinkie Pie tackled the both of them, unable to hold back the chance to feed on their joy.

“ Pull in them reigns, Sugar Cubes,” Applejack smiled. “ I think he’s waitin’ for us to get quiet.”

“ Quiet is nice,” Fluttershy said softly.

And quiet it eventually came. Voodoo cleared his throat and looked over the group. Nice size. He could see Zulu urging his foals to pay attention before scooting back to give them ample space. He cleared his throat again and took a deep breath, “ It’s been a long time before I’ve placed a hoof in this world. Equestria has grown, and the very beginnings of outreach are upon us. Old, forgotten worlds will soon be discovered, as will a lot of your roots. My congratulations to you, Twilight Sparkle, for reaching a state of ascension. It is not something to be taken lightly.” This caused her to blush a little. “ Many will live their whole lives and never reach even a fraction of the state. Some come so close…and just never make that final reach. Ascension is not something that can be striven for. One does not decide it for themselves. So, when it occurs, it is indeed a very joyous thing. You are a step closer to connecting with the ancients. Your journey is not over. In fact, if anything, it has reset, and a new destiny is before you. Ponies that reach ascension normally experience a purpose that contributes to this world. You will come to understand this in time.” To that, Mardi Gras nodded, as if to emphasize his point. “ But, will you appreciate it? Ascension has been attained, but are you worthy to join the ranks of the eternal ruling bodies? Destiny chose you, but can you live up to your fate?”

Now, Twilight Sparkle was a little nervous. He made it sound really…scary, in a way. “ I think,…with the help of my friends, I can accomplish anything. Friendship is a strong magic.” She gave a firm nod, to punctuate her statement.

“ Confidence…not cockiness. Good,” he chuckled.

“ Are you going to tell us about the history?!” Antiquity squealed. She then cleared her throat when she realized just how much attention she got. “ Uhm… I mean…uhm. I…can’t…think of a Second Tongue phrase.”

Voodoo chuckled as she scrunched herself back onto her pillow with a sense of embarrassment. “ I like to see that sort of enthusiasm. Forgetting history is the reason so much knowledge has been lost. Now, everyone get comfortable. I am sure you are all wondering who I am and where I came from…how I know things. I’ll tell you. Equestria wasn’t even a thought. Everything that you take for granted hadn’t even come into existence yet. Here’s how it began…”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Heads up! The next chapter will take place in ancient times!

Ch 3 - Into the World of Quagga...

The entirety of the world was called Quagga (1). It was a hot place with a constant sunshine. The sun would only set so far, yet still peeked over the arid horizons to beat down heat on the creatures of the world. There were a lot of animals specially designed for the heat. There were equines too. Large horses roamed in tight and strict bands, or herds. They kept to themselves, for the most part, and that suited them just fine. There were also Zebras. They were descendants of a long line of primitive civilizations. In fact, Quagga was a word that stood for Zebra.

The tribes were spread over the dry land. The waters would be dry soon if the rainy season didn’t start on time. Out from a hut came a large male Zebra. He wore a necklace made of bones, specifically crocodile teeth and a bird’s skull. On his face, he has a little black mustache which seemed to simply blend in with his dark stripes. On his flank was an intricate scar (2), a mark left from the carving of the bat symbol placed there by his elders before him. It denoted his status and job within the tribe. He was Houngan (3).

He sniffed at the fresh morning air. Other Zebras in the tribe were already at work with their daily duties. Some were making or repairing huts. Some were going to get firewood. Some were hunting for roots and berries and other such things for the herd to eat. There was a small farm not far from this main square which grew vegetables. There were even a few fruit trees to provide juicy fruits like mangos, papayas, and bananas. This tribe was very well attuned to the ways of surviving in this arid place.

From the hut came the stallion’s wife, a stocky yet feminine mare with a cauldron in her teeth. She was decorated in colorful flowers and on her flank was a carved scar of a decorative pot, a symbol of her ability with mixing elixirs. She was Mambo (4).

Both Mambo and Houngan served as leaders, a pair of shaman magicians with the knowledge of herbs and ancient magics. They were good leaders, wise, caring, and good parents. As Mambo hung the cauldron over the fire pit, out galloped her foal, a young blank flanked zebra who was to follow in their hoofsteps. He rushed to his mother’s side and began to hum along with her tune. She looked at him a moment before finally giving a laugh.

“Why are you sticking so close, Voodoo? It’s a beautiful day. Go play.”

“Can I help you? I can dig really good! Look!” He began to smack his hoof on the hard ground, chipping away the dry mud.

“No, you go play. Just be sure to stay out of everyone’s way.” And with that, she began to walk off in the direction of the watering hole with a pot on her head. She would need water in the cauldron if she was going to heat up a nice stock for her brew.

Voodoo huffed a bit and trotted off to find something to do. Everyone seemed too busy. Even the other foals were busy in their games. However, these were games Voodoo was not all too interested in playing. They were either too rough from stocky colts or too gentle from young foals or prissy fillies. Soon, it just felt like the looking was too much work. It wasn’t that Voodoo was against work, but the heat of the day was starting to increase. To escape, he chose to go to the edge of the village and seek out the shade of the great palms where the fruit trees grew. There was a small oasis there and he could get a cool drink.

Once he arrived, he brightened as he reached the edge of the forest bordered by fruit trees. The banana trees were the outermost fruits with papaya bushes just a little further in at the base. Zebras were climbing the trees with the different tools of invention. Some used a pully system, some used special climbing straps. Some were just that good. Another method were the pingers. These Zebras had a special talent for the slingshot. It was a common tool among all ages, but only a certain few could truly use it as a deadly weapon or as an effective harvesting tool. The other such talent were the zingers, or harvesters with boomerangs. Voodoo knew to be careful among the pingers and zingers, though he found a particularly favorite face. It was a ragged Zebra with a patch over his left eye. His coat was yellowed, like aged paper. His mane was a bit tattered and he grunted a deep and raspy voice. He was actually much younger than he sounded or appeared. On his flank was a carved scar of a peeled banana in a slingshot. As Voodoo approached, he took aim with his tool and aimed at the base of a banana bunch.

“Banana Razz!” Voodoo shouted. The stallion was taken by surprise and shot prematurely, sending the stone pinging off a trunk, past another harvester, barely able to dodge it, through a coconut, which fell and landed onto the head of a spotter at the bottom of the same tree. Voodoo skidded to a stop and sucked in a breath through his teeth. That looked like a mess.

“ Voodoo?” Banana Razz asked as he noticed the foal. “ What are you doing, kid?”

“ Mom sent me to find something to do. I can’t find anything.”

“ So, you come and startle the dickens outta me,” he sighed as he looked up at the banana bunch again. “ If you’re not careful, you’ll get an eye shot out. After all, who knows better than me, eh?” With that, Banana Razz lifted his eye patch to show the scarred up place his eye had once been. Voodoo grit his teeth and squeaked before slamming his head into the sand.

“ That’s so gross,” came his muffled whine. Banana Razz simple covered his eye and laughed a good hardy laugh. After a moment, Voodoo plucked his head back out of the sand and shook his face to avoid getting any in his eyes. “ I want to go to the glen. It’s too hot to be out here in the sun.”

Banana Razz continued to chuckle. He sat up on his haunches and waves his front hooves about in a spooky manner, “ You might want to watch out, little prince. I hear there be spooks in them there jungles.”

“ Spooks?” Voodoo repeated with an arch of his brow. “ What are you talking about? It’s just the jungle oasis. The worst things in there are probably just regular old leopards.”

“ Well,” Banana Razz pulled Voodoo closer and then nudged him with his elbow, “ on the far side that jungle is a tribe of Arabians (5).”

“ So?”

“ Well, I heard tell of those Arabians making their bi-yearly migrations through the desert, and they stopped nearby, as per usual. While the mares went to gather water at the watering hole, they came among the Arabians and their bands. The leader of the band, his family, and his closest guards came to the village and they told the tale of how their scouts had come among shadows in the desert and in the jungle.”

“ Shadows…” Voodoo grumbled, finding little amusement in this silly tale.

“ Sentient shadows!”

“ Banana Razz, quit trying to scare me. It’s not working,” the little zebra sighed, getting back on his hooves.

“ It’s all true, kid!” Banana Razz insisted. “ The Arabians aren’t very superstitious folk. They ain’t the only ones, either. The Griffons have told tales of strange creatures too! Flying shadows! Don’t believe me? You go ask your papa!”

“ Don’t think I won’t,” Voodoo called over his shoulder. “ He’ll give you a one-four for fibbing to me.” He turned up his nose in a superior manner. “ I don’t believe it and you’re not scaring me a bit. I’ve gone to the glen countless times. There is nothing in that jungle to fear but leopards.”

“ Don’t you fear leopards?” Banana Razz asked. “ They’d make a good feast of that carcass of yours.”

“ Ho-humph!” The foal enunciated. “ Leopards rarely come this close to the village. What are you on so much about? You really are a trouble-maker. Why do I try to hang out with you?”

“ Because I’m so awesome,” he teased. He pulled his slingshot back and took a shot, severing a banana bunch from the base and sending it falling into a cart. This startled one of the other nearby stallions who had not expected it. “ Papaya Fuze, quit being so paranoid! Pay attention, will ya?!”

Voodoo simply let out a sigh and continued for the jungle. He gave his little head a shake. That Banana Razz…he was such a pain. He couldn’t trust hardly a word he said. Pfft, shadow creatures…what nonsense.

Deeper he went into the jungle until he found the nice cool glen with the soft carpet of moss. He lowered himself and drank from the cool pool until he was satisfied. The shade was very satisfactory here. He could hear the frogs and macaws, as well as other birds and bugs. The jungle area was rich with life. Even here it was warm, but nowhere near as hot as the exposed grounds about the village. Still, it provided little by way of entertainment. After a while, Voodoo ended up on his back on a warm rock, peering upside down into the pool to examine his reflection. His eyes felt heavy and soon, all he could see was dark.

His eyes shot open at the feeling of something slapping his face. His eyes stared right into the buggy buds of a frog which croaked at him. He shot forward, slinging the frog into a tree. It was unhurt. Voodoo rubbed his face and looked around. It was beginning to get a bit cooler. How long had he been out? He hadn’t even realized he had taken a nap. He looked at the frog again and flung himself onto all fours, leaning down like a lion about to pounce. He wiggled his rear and leapt at the frog, missing. He hadn’t really intended to catch it, but this game of chase seemed to prove far more entertaining than doing nothing. Of course, the frog would likely argue otherwise. It finally made the escape into the pool just before Voodoo came down to catch it.

“ Aw,” he whined. A rustling then caught his attention. His ear flicked and he looked about to find the source. Perhaps it was a bird or other jungle animal. It was likely nothing to fear, but it never hurt to be prepared. After all, it may have been rare for leopards to come close to the village, but not impossible. “ Hello?” The rustling continued, but no verbal answer came. “ Hel-lo? Banana Razz, is that you?! You don’t scare me! This isn’t funny! I’m gonna tell my dad! He’s gonna get mad at you again! You’ll be on compost duty for a month!”

He fell silent to listen. It was quiet a moment, but the rustling soon continued again. Voodoo stood tall and approached cautiously. He spoke a little quieter now, “ Banana Razz, if that’s you, I’ll buck you in the shins.” A brief pause. “ Papaya Fuze? Pina Colada? Split End? Wing Ding? Is that any of you?” He hesitated before bushing the leaves aside. “ Please don’t be claws. Please don’t be claws. No spots. No spots. No spots,” he chanted, hoping that he wouldn’t see those leopard paws. A griffon perhaps? No! Hooves. Oh, whew. Well, hooves were good. Though, Voodoo realized there was something very odd about these hooves. They weren’t Zebra hooves. These didn’t look like the slender hooves of Arabians either. The coat was a strange color and the hooves were covered with…some…sort of….well…covering. He peered up and saw a glimmer from a pair of glowing eyes and the shadow of a long and flowing mane. He let out a cry and quickly turned tail to run for the safety of his village.

Voodoo ran without stopping and without looking back. He had learned early on to never look back in the face of danger. However, in his fright, he toppled into the body of one of the stallions, rolling like a tumbleweed with him until he was on his back with the foal on his belly. “ Papaya Fuze!”

“ Voodoo? Geez, are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” He picked up Voodoo with his hooves and set him down as he sat up. “ Is it a leopard?”

“ Forget the leopards!” Voodoo cried out. “ There’s some…some…thing in there by the glen!” He flung his forelegs over his head, “ It was huge! It was all shadowy and it had glowing eyes! It was going to eat me!”

Papaya Fuze shot to his feet and looked about in a state of panic. It was safe to say that he wasn’t the most courageous of stallions. In fact, he was an absolute coward. Harvesting fruit was a fine job, but being so close to the scary jungle always had him on edge. “ D-did it follow you?!”

Voodoo looked around from the direction he had come, “I…don’t think so.”

“ Are you sure it wasn’t a Griffon or Arabian?”

“ I know what a Griffon looks like!” Voodoo shouted, almost offended by the absurdity. “ I also know what an Arabian looks like! Griffons don’t have hooves like this,” he held up his front hooves to use as a visual aid only briefly, “ and Arabians aren’t blue black!”

“ No hooved creature is blue black that I know of,” Papaya Fuze mused as he brought a hoof to his chin in thought. “ That doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard of before.”

“ What isn’t?” Came the teasing laugh from a mare. She was the one nearly hit by Banana Razz’s pebble earlier in the day. She had a wild mane and a carved coconut on her flank. “ Don’t tell me…something scary happened, right? Honestly, Papaya, I don’t know how you get any work done with that paranoia of yours on constant overload.”

“ I didn’t say anything!” Papaya Fuze insisted. “ Voodoo says he saw something in the jungle!”

“ Oh?” She looked down to Voodoo curiously. “ What did you see? A leopard?”

“ Would you forget the leopard!” Both Voodoo and Papaya Fuze insisted. Voodoo hoof-palmed and let out a growl of frustration. “ I don’t know what I saw, Pina Colada. I just know it wasn’t a Zebra, it wasn’t a leopard, it wasn’t a Griffon, and it wasn’t an Arabian.”

“ So, what are you suggesting it could be?”

“ I…” Voodoo shook his head. “ Never mind… Forget it. Maybe it’s just Banana Razz’s story getting to me. He was trying to spook me before I went into the jungle.”

“ Oh, for Houngan’s sake… Banana Razz? Seriously?!” Pina Colada huffed. She marched off with an air of annoyance as Voodoo and Papaya watched.

“ Ooooh,” the cowardly stallion remarked. “ This isn’t going to turn out well.”

“ I’m not even worried for Banana Razz,” Voodoo stated. “ I’m more concerned that he’ll think he actually was able to scare me…and then never let me live it down.”

Voodoo peered out the window of his hut, watching the bats in the sky as they flittered about and caught the bugs in the evening air. It was significantly cooler, though still the deep red of dusk. The sun would go down no further as it peeked over the horizon. He let out a sigh as he unrolled the thatched blind and tied it down to prevent the sun from glaring into the dwelling. The front entrance had the curtain pulled aside and that offered a softer blaze of light. The breeze blew the air of the fire outside about with a kiss of cooler breeze behind it.

Voodoo let out a heavy sigh as he flopped onto the ground. Houngan noticed and approached his son with a hint of concern. “ Are you okay?”

“ Yeah,” he huffed. “ I’m just bored.”

“ Fatigued any?”

“ A little,” he replied. He peered up to see his father with a knowing smile. “ What? What is it? I tell you I’m tired and you get happy?

“ The rains are coming,” Houngan stated. “ It makes one feel heavy and fatigued. It can bring about a wave of gloom. It’ll pass, my son.”

Voodoo took a sniff of the air. “ I smell peppers (6).”

“ You should. We’re having a pepper stew,” Houngan laughed. “ But, it will have to prepare a little longer. Come along out and join with the village. You will lead them, one day.”

“ Somehow, I doubt they’d take me seriously,” Voodoo said as he sat up.

“ In time, they will, my son. You’re young, so they make great play with you. This is how they choose to bond with you. It’s tradition, I suppose.”

To that, the colt perked and gained an interest. “ You mean…you were joked with too?”

“ Oh yes,” he replied. “ No one ever meant any malice by it. It was just a way for us all to have fun.” He got behind Voodoo and gave him a nudge with his muzzle to force him out. “ Go out, now. We must get ready.”

“ Ready?” Voodoo repeated. He was shoved over the threshold and received nothing more than a nod before Houngan vanished back into the hut and joined shortly by Mambo. Voodoo let out a hmph over the idea of being removed. He scowled as he took a seat in the gathering place. He felt a presence and noticed Banana Razz watching him. “…What?”

“ Hey,” the stallion sat beside him and studied his little features with his one good eye. “ Y’know, I didn’t mean ta give you nightmares or nothing.”

“ You wanted to scare me. You got your way,” he stated simply and coldly.

“ Oh heck, spook ya, sure. I didn’t think you’d panic. I’d expect that more from Papaya Fuze. You’re normally a pretty stubborn lad.”

It took a moment, but Voodoo finally sighed and loosened up. He turned to Banana Razz, “ I saw something. I’m not sure what it is. It was like some…equine shadow with glowing eyes. It was blue black. It had the longest mane I’ve ever seen. At least, I think it was a mane. I didn’t see much else of it.” He waited a long moment. Nothing was said. This confused him and he studied the older zebra’s face. Wasn’t this the part where Banana Razz was supposed to admit he had made the whole thing up? Wasn’t this where he should make fun of Voodoo for seeing things? It never came. “ Banana Razz?”

“ It wasn’t anything you’ve ever seen before?” He suddenly asked, as if to verify he heard it right.

“ Right…”

Banana Razz went quiet for a long time again. This began to confuse Voodoo greatly.

“ Are you absolutely sure?” He asked.

“ I’m pretty sure,” he nodded.

“ Did you notice anything else?”

“ No. I was too freaked out to stay and investigate. Do you know something I don’t?”

To that, Banana Razz forced a smile onto his face and faked a more pleasing mood. “ Oh, don’t you worry your wee little head about it, little prince. It’s nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Well, he got to hear the words he would have expected. Still, Voodoo was no idiot. He knew there was something Banana Razz was keeping from him. However, he chose to let the matter go…for now. More of the other Zebras of the village were beginning to find comfortable spots about the fire in the gathering place. There was plenty of space between them and the fire. Several of the villagers were not yet present…even by the time most everyone had finally gathered. It couldn’t be due to work, though there were a few sentries performing the graveyard shift.

The drums soon began to play. Voodoo glanced towards them, seeing the heavyset Rumpapum leading the other stallion drummers. Then came Rattatat and her group of tambourine players. Bone flutes and other instruments began to create a tribal orchestra. The atmosphere had been set. From the closest huts came the missing zebras. They were decorated so ornately. Saddle-like costumes adorned their bodies, with such amazing feathers. They were such bright colors: red, blue, even browns and whites. Feathers from all sorts of birds, and even Griffons had been used. Some of the feathers had been dyed strange colors that were not natural of the animals of this area. Large plumes similarly sprouted from headdresses and wooden masks places over their heads. Wide ribbons trailed behind some of the costume as if to fly behind them as they danced. The masks were smooth and covered most of the face and head, leaving the lower jaw area exposed. Some had colors and designs on them, aside from the plumage. Strange coloring went about the eyes and the top part of the mask, as if a sort of helmet were being worn. A spike had been carved and attached to the forehead, laced in leaves of gold. Some costumes glittered with small diamonds like stars and some feathers were woven with transparent lace like water.

The space between the zebras and the fire was where these costumed characters were to perform an intricate dance. And an intricate dance it was. Houngan and Mambo faced one another and touched their golden horns and placed a front hoof forward in a majestic manner. The others bowed before them in a well-placed manner. Once the music changed tempo, the dance had begun and each member of this play moved in well-rehearsed choreography, telling a wordless story that Voodoo could not understand, but enjoyed nonetheless. They swayed and dipped and twirled about one another. The firelight almost made the movements psychedelic and hypnotic. Those bright peacock feathers only seemed to further the spell. The music grew to a grand crescendo, and then…all at once…they stopped, halting the dancers in a perfect position.

“ Wow!” Voodoo cheered. In reality, he had seen such displays before, but they never ceased to please him. He clapped his hooves together as the performers removed the ceremonial costumes and rejoined the rest of the village to portion out the meal that had been cooking all day.

“ Mom! Dad! That was fantastic! I wish I could do something like that!”

“ In time,” Mambo laughed in her motherly way. “ One day you will be leading the village in these ceremonial dances.”

“ Why do we do them?” Voodoo asked. Mambo seemed a bit surprised. Didn’t he know? Then again, did they ever explain it to him? She seemed almost sad but amused at the same time. “ Oh, my poor baby. Where has the time gone?”

“ Eh…what?” He asked with confusion.

“ You were just a little thing it seems like only yesterday. Now you are getting more and more grown and we haven’t even taught you the basics. How negligent of us.”

“ What’s wrong, now?” Houngan asked as he came close.

“ We never educated Voodoo properly about why we do our ceremonies,” Mambo sighed.

“ Aha!” The stallion chief laughed. “ That is easily fixed, my dear. I shall take him to the caves tomorrow, bright and early”

“ Caves?” Voodoo perked. “ What’s so special about caves?”

“ Ah, you’ll see, little button head.” Oh, how Voodoo hated that nickname. Still, Houngan continued, “Do not underestimate the value of anything. You will pass this knowledge down to your future generations and our legacies will continue long after our names are forgotten.”

Voodoo seemed very unamused. “ That’s all so…mystical and all. I…”

“ Tut, tut!” He interjected. “ No more backtalk. You must rest. Tomorrow, you will see just how lucky you are to be a Zebra. You will see just how much of an honor it is to be part of this family.” He then became dramatic, “ No…you go! You go and chase after dreamland creatures like a grand warrior! You go!”

“ Houngan…” Mambo said with a warning tone. It caused the stallion to blush and chuckle a little sheepishly. He then cleared his throat and puffed out his chest, “ Ahem! Bedtime now.”

The sun was still low in the sky, allowing for a cool and even chilly air. Voodoo let out a yawn, an exhale that came out as steam as he walked in such a tired trudge behind Houngan. The older zebra walked with a high step, proud and very awake. On top of it, he wore saddlebags over his back, containing some provisions. He hummed a happy little tune as well. Voodoo just wasn’t feeling it. He wasn’t exactly the morning sort.

Of course, they weren’t alone, alone. Four warriors from the village came along for precaution. It would do no good for something to befall the chief and his son. Two went ahead and two trailed behind, encircling a perimeter of safety about the pair. If Voodoo fell too far behind, one of the trailing warriors, Split End or Psychedelic Fury would nudge him firmly forward. Normally, it would result in him falling forward and plating his face in the dirt before waking him enough to trot back to his father’s side.

“ How much further is it?” He finally whined.

“ Suck in the air, Voodoo!” Houngan cheered. “ It’s glorious!”

Voodoo looked over his shoulder at Split End and Psychedelic Fury. They weren’t smiling at all. “ I don’t think those two find it so glorious.”

“ Well, that’s because you’re dawdling,” Houngan explained. “ I bet Hawk Eye and Mercy are smiling!”

The two leading soldiers stop and looked back at Houngan and then to each other. They hadn’t been smiling per se, but more focused on keeping watch. However, not wanting to displease the chief, they forced big, goofy smiles onto their face and turned to face forward and march again.

In due time, they reached a large rock face with caves. It was massive and looked rather old. “ What is this place?”

“ This whole area once was a seabed and then a shore. That was long, long, long, long ago. It became a great place to gather away from the heat and elements when we came here.”

“ Weren’t we always here?” Voodoo asked.

“ No,” he replied, leading Voodoo closer to the creepy caves. “ We were farther east, in a once luscious place in the center of Quagga, in the once glorious countries of Neigh-Robi, Tan-Zebra-Neigh-Ah, Meh-Zebra-Tania (7).”

With a bit of effort, Houngan led Voodoo to the mouth of a cave and then looked to Mercy. The warrior quickly went through his tools and began to set up a lamp they had brought. Once it was lit and placed on the specialized pole, the three ventured into the caves, leaving the other three warriors to stand guard outside.

“ So, Zebras used to live in caves?” Voodoo asked, feeling a chill. He couldn’t help but shiver. The stones kept it so cool, and with the chill the morning had brought, it was freezing. That was a sensation Voodoo, or any Zebra these days, would almost never feel. They went back, back, back. Voodoo could already see evidence of past residency. Old pottery and some abandoned tools still remained.

“ Pina Colada told be about you and Banana Razz,” Houngan said, disregarding Voodoo’s question. “I think that is a sign that you are indeed ready to know of our heritage.” He stopped and looked towards the colt as Mercy came alongside his chief to light the wall better. Voodoo couldn’t help but gasp.

On the walls of the cave were paintings and carvings. There were strange marks that were writings. Voodoo had never really seen writings like this before. Sure, something similar on papyrus, but this was so intricate and…amazing. Scenes were drawn like pictures in a story. He suddenly gasped and pointed to a strange image. It seemed like a giant Arabian, but it was purple with a long flowing mane and glowing eyes. Great wings were sprouting from its back and a golden spear was on its head.

“ That was it! Different color, but that looks like what I saw in the jungle! What it is?!”

Houngan observed the image and, despite trying to seem unphased, was obviously surprised and glanced down at Voodoo. “ You…saw one of these?”

“ Yes! It was a different color, but that’s the mane! Those are the eyes!” Voodoo insisted.

“ That is…impossible,” Houngan chuckled nervously.

“ But, obviously they were seen before, weren’t they?” Voodoo asked. “ Look at the drawings! There are so many of them. What are they, Dad? Please, tell me!”

Houngan looked to Mercy. The warrior seemed worried. He was not entirely as educated in the legacy as Houngan, but he knew enough to know such creatures could not have been seen. The chief took a deep breath and sighed. “ Very well. Come with me to the furthest back wall of the cave, son. It is there that our ancestors tried to preserve some of our oldest history once our kind was driven into dwelling in these caves.”

Voodoo followed obediently with Mercy lighting the way. Few bats chirped overhead. That would explain the strange smell. It was guano. He stopped and noticed the etchings in the stone. They began with very primitive looking images, though he recognized the lifestyle. It was similar to the village, only…something was different about it.

“ No one knows just when we came into existence,” Houngan explained. “ But, in the beginning of our sentient intellectual consciousness, we lived a very hard life. Even back then, the lands were overall arid with vast deserts between great oases. The rains were even scarcer than they are now. Our folk were always hungry, always thirsty, and always on the move. Here, we only have to worry about leopards most of the time. Back in the ancient days, we had to fear other great beasts that fed upon our hides. We even had to fear the Griffons overhead. Our kind was not on good terms with them at the time and they would just as much enjoy feasting upon us.”

“ Whoa!” Voodoo gasped. “ I knew they looked creepy, but I didn’t think they’d actually eat us!”

“ Oh yes,” Houngan nodded as he ran his hoof from one set of images to the next, leading Voodoo along the story. “ We had to always follow the food and water, and competition was fierce. We used to have to huddle so close together. Our stripes used to confuse the predators. But, one evening, the Zebras saw a big explosion in the sky and a star fell onto the earth. The Star Being was beautiful…” He pointed to the image of the winged horse. “ She had fallen from the stars and was weak. Our ancestors sacrificed what little they had to care for her. She was called Destiny Essence. She got better at the expense of the band that had cared for her.

“ Once she was well enough, she began to help the band. She taught them to thatch leaves together to make parasols and taught them to dig for water. She even taught them to build basic shelters. Destiny Essence was a heavenly blessing. Taking pity on the suffering of the Zebras, she manipulated the winds to cool them, and once in a while manipulated the rains to quench their thirst. She was even able to sprout a bean from the ground where nothing would grow. She was revered as a goddess and led the Zebras well.

“ One day, more Star Beings flew to the earth in search of her. They led the Zebras to a place deep in the center of Quagga where they were taught agriculture. They taught Zebras to make mud bricks and build huts and make wells. For the first time, we didn’t have to move around. We had control of our world. Well, some control, anyway.”

He moved to the next sets of images, “ The Star Beings used their powers to protect the Zebras from predators and from the Griffons overhead. Those Griffons, they got so angry that they amassed an army and attacked the little village. It was a disaster. The Star Beings used their magic to lift heavy stones to create shelters, safe from the dropping dangers. The Star Beings battled the Griffons in the air and brought them down. Their magical skill was enough to humble the Griffons and force them to retreat.”

“ Then what?” Voodoo asked, intrigued.

“ The ancestors were so grateful that they wanted to build a palace for the Star Being to live and rule over them. One palace went up with the favor of Star Beings. They used their magic to help move the heavy stones and taught the Zebras technologies to help move them along without magic. Another palace went up. More Star Beings began to come to the growing village. It soon became a city…then several cities with grand palaces for the growing number of Star Beings to rule over the Zebras! They were adorned with paints and pottery and fabrics and precious gems and gold. All of it was taught to the Zebras. Great rituals and events were centered about celebrating these great beings, and in some cases, to appease them when they were angry. The world was happier with them. Rains came regularly, the sun would cool.

“ Then, one day…they just all…left. Not a one of them knew where or why. They just vanished one day. Zebras mourned the loss and thought for sure the Star Beings would return. They kept the palaces clean and furnished and cared for. These places became temples and the keepers became priests and priestesses. The chief’s role became that of a king and kingdoms sprouted, gleaming with riches. It is this bloodline that you and I have come, Voodoo.”

“ We…did?”

“ Yes. The first great king, appointed by the Star Beings, was King Lwa (8). He was a great warrior,” Houngan explained proudly. “ He was fearless! He was so well loved that even the other budding kingdoms bowed to him. He even managed to win the respect of the Griffons, and a treaty was formed. It is this king that sired the seeds that would become many of the great kings and tribal leaders.”

“ But, that begs the question…if we had these great stone and gold cities…why do we live in villages? Why did we move to caves?”

Houngan had to think on that a moment. He moved to another part of the cave with a heavy sigh. “ The Star Beings were not entirely benevolent. Some were neutral in their personalities and some were aggressive. As I said before, a lot was done to appease the Star Beings to stay in their favor. Without their blessings, failure was much more likely in our endeavors.” He paused a moment. “ When the Star Beings left, the Zebras were left to rule over themselves for thousands of years. There were ups and downs, like any civilization, but overall, Zebras were the supreme beings of the world. Perhaps that warranted the pride…but pride comes at a price.

“ It is said that the Star Beings, though no longer in this world, could see from the heavens the happenings of the Zebras. They grew displeased for one reason or another. Some say that it was a group of evil Star Beings. Some say that Zebras had grown too proud. Some have even suggested that the rulers of the Star Beings was unhappy about the interaction in the first place and wanted to erase the interference they had caused by teaching us. Whatever the reason, the skies grew dark and cold and it became a massive storm. The entire civilization was brought down in utter chaos and blaze. The Zebras fled the once powerful cities to save their own lives. Each king taking his own folk into hiding, driven out into the wilderness.”

“ So that’s how we ended up here?” Voodoo asked.

“ Yes. When our ancestors came here, there was a beach not far from this place. During the great storms, our ancestors hid in these caves. Eventually, we moved out of them to begin creating villages again. We wanted to appease the angry Star Beings, so the rituals continued, and remnants of agriculture were put into use.”

Voodoo wasn’t sure what to think. He mulled over the story. So, the feathers were to symbolize the wings of the Star Beings. “ No one has seen them since?”

“ Oh, it’s all likely folderol,” Houngan chuckled. “ The Star Beings are not physically real. They are ethereal…an idea that motivates Zebras to do the right thing and give them strength when they are in need. We still try to appease the ethereal force, but we no longer believe in such a silly looking creature.”

“ What if they weren’t… fall…der…all?” He asked, unable to say the word his father had said.

“ Such a creature cannot exist,” Houngan said matter of fact. “ It is illogical and impossible for something like this to even function. Equines do not come in these colors, they do not have the horns like rhinos or stags or gazelles. They especially do not have feathers or wings. Can you imagine? A flying equine? How silly.” He let out a laugh.

“ Well, what about the Griffons?” Voodoo mentioned. “ Isn’t it odd for such a creature to exist? Not a bird and not a lion… It nurses and it lays eggs…”

“ Such creatures are strange but not impossible,” Houngan smiled. “ Ever hear of a platypus?”

Voodoo’s eyes went wide. There was just so much he didn’t know or understand. He looked to Mercy who simply shrugged back at the little prince. Houngan began to wander back towards the front of the cave. Voodoo and Mercy hurried after him. The colt had to squint his eyes once the light filtered in. He scurried to his father’s side. “ Do you think we know all there is to know?”

“ Certainly not,” Houngan replied. “ There are things we have forgotten. However, we shall not forget anymore. That is why we pass down what we do know through the generations.” He sat himself down. “ This is a comfortable place. It isn’t too hot or too cold. What do you say we have a little bite to eat before we head back?”

It was then that Voodoo’s tummy rumbled. He hadn’t realized how hungry he had become. Perhaps the smell inside the cave had suppressed his appetite, but now that he was within reach of fresh air, it had come full force. He gave a sheepish nod before coming to sit beside him. “ I think that would be great…”

Life had returned to normal. It had been months and not another shadow had been seen. Voodoo began to believe the whole thing was nothing more than just a dream. Yes, a dream spurred on by Banana Razz’s crazy tale.

A ball bounced off of his head, pulling him from his thoughts. He let out a hiss of pain and rubbed his head as the ball rolled to a stop. He frowned at it and looked around for a source. Two other colts seemed to be the cause. One was sepia toned with dark brown stripes and one was gray-toned with charcoal stripes. “ Sorry, Prince Voodoo,” the gray-toned one apologized. “ It got away from us.”

Voodoo continued to rub his head, “ What is that ball made of? Ow…”

The sepia colored colt was around the same age as Voodoo. His name was Dust Devil. He looked the part. Due to his color, he always looked like he was covered in dust, mud and dirt. The older colt was Tumbleweed. He was a cousin of Dust Devil, and had already received his Destiny Mark. The scar was still raw. He hadn’t gotten it too long ago. It was healing, but slowly. A salve glimmered from the wound. That would certainly explain the bit of a limp from him.

“ When did you get that?” Voodoo asked, eyeing the mark. “ What…exactly is it?”

Tumbleweed looked to his swollen and sore flank. “ A briar patch,” he sighed. “ It looks awful…feels awful. Your dad carved it fourteen days ago. He said when the swelling finally went down all the way and it healed, the thorns would be more visible.”

“ So, what’s the job? I can’t exactly imagine you working a briar patch.”

“ I’m supposed to train to be one of the warriors,” he sighed. “ I didn’t think that’s where I’d end up. I thought for sure I’d be making bricks and building huts.”

“ Really? I want to do that too!” Dust Devil declared. “ But…I’m not looking forward to getting my Destiny Mark. It looks painful.”

“ It is painful,” Tumbleweed grumbled. He glared at Voodoo. “ Trust me, you’ll know what it feels like. Your job was chosen from birth. Just that fact that you are Chief Houngan and Lady Mambo’s son is enough. I’m surprised you don’t have yours already. I can almost promise you’ll get yours before Dust Devil gets his.”

Voodoo gulped. His family normally did get them early. It was for that very reason that Tumbleweed mentioned. He was the son of the chief, therefore he was his heir and would likely receive a mark sooner than other foals his age. The chance for infections was really high, so perhaps that’s why they waited this long. He’d need a strong immune system and a sturdy rump.

“ Tumbleweed!” Came the voice of one of the warriors. It was Split End. “ Hurry up! No time to dawdle!”

“ Aw,” he whined. “ Guess I’ll go and start this boring apprenticeship.”

“ Good luck, Tumbleweed,” Voodoo grinned. He only got a scowl in response. Dust Devil came closer to Voodoo and frowned.

“ Do you think the Destiny Mark could be wrong? Chief Houngan goes through a lot of divination to determine what our purposes in the village should be. Just, …sometimes, they seem to make some of the villagers so unhappy.”

“ You noticed it too, eh?” Voodoo asked. “ I’d picture Papaya Fuze as more of a potter than a harvester. He’s too skittish for that job. Banana Razz, I’d picture him as more of the warrior type. He always seems so tough. And he’s the best pinger in the village.”

“ Do you think he’ll be okay? Tumbleweed, I mean.”

“ I don’t think he has much choice, Dust Devil,” Voodoo shrugged. “ Remember what happened to Xylophone Jingles? He spent his whole life learning to play music like his parents. Then he was set on the path of a beekeeper. He stunk so bad. Rather than give him a new job, he was exiled from the village.”

“ I remember hearing about that,” Dust Devil frowned. “ You don’t get to question your destiny. Who ever heard of a blind beekeeper?”

“ Apparently, that was what the divination told my dad Xylophone Jingles was meant to do.”

“ When you become chief, will you be like that?”

Voodoo thought a long time on that. He had wanted to be like his father in most cases. When he heard complaints like this, it made him second guess just how eager he was to learn the trade of leader. “ I can’t honestly say one way or the other. I’ve not learned divination yet, so I don’t know how to translate this…destiny that is supposed to mark us for our lives.”

Dust Devil retrieved the ball and stood erect, kicking the ball between his hooves. “ Hey, want to kick the ball around, Prince Voodoo?”

To that, he nodded. He ran ahead as Dust Devil gave it a good kick. Now that he was expecting it, the ball wouldn’t cause him any discomfort. He gave it a good head butt, bouncing it on his noggin a few times and then balancing it just to show off a little. Another bounce and it was brought to his knees and bounced back to Dust Devil. They played in this way, chasing the ball and laughing as they wandered further and further from the village. They didn’t even seem to notice. It wasn’t until they finally grew exhausted and stopped that they realized the huts were much further away than they had thought.

“ Whew, how’d we get way out here?” Dust Devil panted. “ I’m thirsty.”

“ Me too.” Voodoo replied as he looked around. “ I think we’re close to one of the watering hole. C’mon.” He got back to his feet and led Dust Devil along, further from the village. He closed his eyes and put his nose in the air, smelling. The air smelled dusty but a high level of dank as well. The rains would be coming soon and the watering hole would stretch far beyond its tiny puddle of an oasis. There’d be a huge lake soon enough.

Soon enough, they reached the edge of the watering hole and hurried to get a drink. That was risky in and of itself, as they’d both forgotten to check for crocodiles. A gazelle was there too. It lifted its head and saw the two little zebras.

“ I’ll be, don’t normally see the little ones out this far. Normally just the water mares. They left hours ago.”

“ We wandered a bit too far,” Voodoo explained. He didn’t feel strange at all about talking to the gazelle. Granted, he had never done it before and they didn’t normally interact with the village. Still, he knew the gazelle wouldn’t be a problem for him or Dust Devil, even without the adults present. If anything, he was glad there was someone else there. A light rumble rolled overhead and Voodoo peered up. The clouds were starting to form and get grey. That seemed like a good sign.

“ The rains are comin’,” the gazelle stated. “ Thank goodness. This water is getting stale. It tastes fishy.” As if to emphasize the point, a mud puppy lurched and smacked a muddy tail across the little nose. “Ugh! Nasty little beast!”

“ Where’s your herd? Don’t gazelles normally stay together?” Dust Devil asked nervously.

“ Oh they are trying to graze on what is left a ways over there.” He then perked and his ears went erect. He could hear the rapid hoof beats. He swallowed hard, trying to find the source of panic. Voodoo and Dust Devil found themselves looking around too and gasped, back to back as a shadow loomed over them. The great wingspan made them nervous.

“ It’s a rogue!” Voodoo shouted, looking up to see that a large charcoal colored Griffon circled high above them. “ We have to get to cover!” He noticed the small patch of wooded area and began to gallop towards it. Dust Devil hesitated, almost unaware he’d been left, but then hurried once he noticed to follow after his prince. He tripped and toppled a few times. Voodoo turned and tried to help the sepia zebra to his feet. “ Hurry up, Dust Devil! It’s coming!”

The beast landed. He was shaggy with what looked like part of a mane that went down to his elbows. “Don’t much get to see little Zebras ‘round this watering hole,” he laughed. His black beak gleamed in the sun. Dust Devil cowered into the dirt. Voodoo stood defiantly over him, locking eyes with the rogue. It actually surprised him that this little Zebra had such guts. The huffing and stomping of his hoof was a nice touch. “ Oh, you aren’t honestly going to try and fight me, are you? My talons could slice you to pie- AH!” The rogue let out a squawk as he was suddenly bowled over by a great head butt from the gazelle.

“ Get to the ferns!” He shouted before turning and starting to run. He had to rejoin his herd. It was risky enough to have made that sort of move. The two zebras began to run, Dust Devil lagging behind as he began to cry.

“ Hurry up!” Voodoo called back to him, without actually turning back. Dust Devil, on the other hoof, looked behind him and tripped on a stone and toppled again as the rogue pounced on him.

“ Gotcha!” He shouted as the foal screamed. He tried to kick at him, but it only delayed the matter. Voodoo had made it to the patch of bush and peered out. He gasped. He couldn’t just leave Dust Devil out there, but what could he do?! He wasn’t much bigger and he would be in just much danger! Griffons and Zebras just did not mix. They had already used up the blessing of interference when the gazelle had struck the monster. Oh, if only there was some way to frighten off that Griffon!

…Wait! Maybe there was! He looked around and saw the vines and great ferns. He saw the large briar thorns. The sun was placed just right in the sky! It was his only chance! He hurried and shimmied up the briar, using the thorns as a ladder, breaking one off on his way up. He galloped along a branch, through a tangle of vines which snapped and ripped some ferns from their plants. This had to work! It just had to!

The rogue lifted a talon menacingly. “ Say your prayers, little foal!” He then stopped short as Dust Devil covered his eyes with his hooves as a strange sound echoed overhead. It sounded like a zebra. Oh, what was that little pest up to… The rogue gasped and fell backwards. Hovering above the canopy was a looming shadow! The spike cut the sun like a pie and the great feathered wings spread out threateningly. Just as a breeze came by, a swarm of some sort of magic whisked close. The Griffon cried out and covered his eyes.

“ My eyes! My eyes! The shadow beast has taken my sight!” He scrambled before taking to the air where he would be less likely to run into anything. Flying blind wasn’t wise, but it beat incurring the wrath of the shadow creature. Dust Devil took the opportunity to finally dart for the underbrush and deep into a rose bush. He was small enough to get through the thorny stems. He panted in panic and then looked around.

“ Prince Voodoo!” Oh, he couldn’t go back without the prince! He’s be exiled for sure! He poked out his head from the rose bush and heard the laughter overhead. He peered up and saw Voodoo trotting town the bent trunk of the tree and then down to the ground. He was wrapped about the torso with the vines which held the giant fern leaves. The sap held the thorn onto his head. “ Voodoo!” the sepia foal shouted, tackling him and glomping him to the ground. “ What in Quagga did you do?!”

“ I remember my dad telling me that the Star Beings used to fight the Griffons. So I threw this together on the fly and climbed up to those branches up there over the canopy. The sun was in just the right place to cast me as a shadow. That ol’ rogue thought I was a Star Being!” He let out a wild laugh. “I can’t believe it worked!”

“ What about the magic?” Dust Devil asked. “ How did you make the rogue go blind?”

“ Pfft, oh he’s not blind. I just used some sand and sent it on the breeze. Eventually, he’ll be able to see again, but he may very well think a Star Being is still around here. Either way, we should get back. The others will be worried if we don’t show up soon.”

“ I’m totally with that idea,” Dust Devil whined. “ I want to get as far away from this experience as possible…”

Author's Note

By the way, the reason the Zebras are not speaking in rhyme (as I've established they do) its because they are speaking in their native language. They don't rhyme when speaking whatever African language they speak. They don't start speaking "Second Tongue" until later on.

Quagga – pronounced “Kwa-Ha” is the sound a zebra makes and also translates to Zebra. The quagga is a breed of plains zebra that is now extinct. Quagga, as the story is concerned, is the continent on which the Zebras and Arabians live. It’s known for its deserts, jungles, and the birth of civilizations.
The story takes place before the ability to sport a cutie mark. This is why the Saddle Arabians don’t have them. Zebras are considered to be the first equines to sport “Destiny Marks.” Which are chosen FOR them. The jobs chosen for them are their destiny, and when they come of age, they are put through a painful ritual of carving a mark into their flanks as to leave a scar image to denote their purpose in the village. Sadly, because this is chosen for them by the elders, they weren’t always right, leading to very complex social issues in some individuals. (A good example being Papaya Fuze).
Houngan - In the Voodoo religion, a houngan is the high priest and leader of a congregation.
Mambo – In the Voodoo religion, a mambo is the high priestess and leader of a congregation.
Arabians – Not to be confused so much with the human race “Arabs.” Arabian is a breed of horse, obviously referring to the special guests from Saddle Arabia. These horses are very large, as they were even taller than Celestia, and they do not (nor will they ever) sport cutie marks.
Peppers...in the Voodoo religion, several lwa are partial to hot peppers and are known to eat, drink, adorn, and bathe with them.
More play-on names: Neigh-Robi = Nairobi; Tan-Zebra-Neigh-Ah = Tanzania; Meh-Zebra-Tania = Mesopotamia. Yeah it’s corny, but it worked.
Lwa – pronounced Low-ah. A lwa is a Voodoo spirit that practitioners work with, for, and appease. They are sometimes compared to good, bad, and neutral angels.

Ch 4 - Destiny Marks, Death, and Destiny Essence

Houngan glared down at Voodoo with disapproval. The little zebra foal cowered a bit. He hated it when his father was angry with him. “ Voodoo, don’t you realize the danger you have put yourself in? Worst of all, you put Dust Devil in danger as well.”

Voodoo flattened his ears, “ Papa, I…”

“ You took responsibility,” Houngan finished. “ You did your duty as a prince and protected your tribe. You have proven you are ready.”

“ Ready?” Voodoo asked as he perked his ears erect. He sat up and cocked his head a little to the side.
“ Forgive me, Papa, but what is it I am ready for?”

“ To display your destiny for everyone to see!” He declared with a big smile. “ You have proven yourself worthy of receiving your Destiny Mark!”

“ My…Destiny Mark?” Voodoo squeaked, somewhere between shock and terror. Wait…when?!”

“ Tonight, my boy! This is a proud day! Your flank shall be bare no more and you will be seen as a colt to be taken seriously! You have utilized the power of the Star Beings to ward off an enemy! Didn’t I tell you?! The Star Beings are just an entity within ourselves!”

Voodoo took a few steps back, “ W-well, I may not be entirely ready, Papa. I mean, I could stand to learn a lot more. Let’s not…rush into things!”

“ Nonsense, my son!” His father insisted. “ Your destiny was always apparent. We just waited for the perfect time to visibly display it. Now is that time.”

“ Papa, I’m scared!” He suddenly squeaked. “ It looks so painful!”

Houngan looked absolutely shocked. “ Voodoo, you faced a rogue griffon…and it’s your rite of passage into maturity that you fear?! The few weeks of tenderness is worth it for a lifetime of visible pride in your identity and what your destiny holds for you! You are one step closer to becoming a stallion!”

Voodoo felt himself pale. He swallowed hard and gasped when he backed into his mother. Mambo looked down thoughtfully to him. She could understand his fears, for sure. Any Zebra with a Destiny Mark could understand the fear a foal had when receiving one. But, that was part of the battle into adulthood. That mark would signify in one glance what his role in the tribe would be, and he’d be received by others in the proper fashion. “ Do not fret, my son. The Zebras have been given Destiny Marks for as long as anyone can remember.”

The stone knives rested over a perch on the fire. They were being warmed to not only cut but to cauterize. The amount of slicing to be done to Voodoo’s flank would be intricate and it would be important to cut off the bleeding to fight against infections and excessive blood loss. Luckily, despite the tight knit culture of the tribe, the Destiny Mark cuts were a private affair of the closest of family. Perhaps this was made so long ago to prevent the teasing later on. Voodoo could totally see it. A prince screaming and crying in an absolute state of pain and panic…and being ridiculed for it later. This…ridicule was often saved for much later in life when all parties could tease one another with good nature, as everyone had their own horror story.

Voodoo began to wish more and more that the Destiny Mark tradition died out with other traditions exclusive to the golden age of Zebra society. This was barbaric. He gasped when he felt a touch to his rump. He looked back to see Mambo spreading on a salve with her hoof. “ What is that?”

“ This is made from a special mixture. It will help to numb the area.”

“ Will it make the pain go away?” He asked.

“ Well, it will help,” Mambo replied. “ You just have to be brave and stubborn, Voodoo.”

Voodoo couldn’t help himself. He ended up taking deep broken breaths and wiped some tears from his face. He was terrified, despite how hard he tried to fight it. “ You are probably disappointed in me…”

“ Not at all, my little prince,” she smiled. “ Your fear is very natural. My grandmother had to hold me the entire time I got my Destiny Mark. You father, he screamed and hid.” She covered her mouth with her hoof and chuckled. “ It took hours to find him and they dragged him back by his hind legs. He clawed at the dirt with his hooves as if his life depended on it. The receiving of one’s Destiny Mark can be very frightening, Voodoo. However, we all must go through it if we are to be accepted into the next milestone of our lives.”

“Can we just skip to the next milestone?” Voodoo whined.

“ I think you’re a little young for your first bride, my son,” she laughed. To that, Voodoo huffed and grumbled at the ground. He had to agree. He had no use for a mare right now. He heard the ramblings of his father as he called upon whatever higher power he could reach and he looked down at the bones before him. He was consulting divinity.

“ I thought he knew what I was going to get…”

“ Well, he knows it’ll be related to your position in the tribe,” Mambo explained. “ But, the what is something he is seeking. He is looking for a vision so that he may know what it is you shall have placed upon your flanks.” She lowered her head and began to push him forward. He slid against her, but was no match for her adult strength and he was soon next to Houngan.

“ I got it!” The tribal king declared and set the bones aside. He gave Voodoo a confident nod and picked him up to stretch over his lap. Voodoo gulped, feeling the weight of Houngan’s body pinching him into place between his torso and those strong forelegs. Mambo stood nearby to take hold of his front hooves
“ Do not flail, my son. Try to keep still. Find a center to focus on. Take deep breaths.”

Voodoo nibbled on his lower lip. He was unable to look back towards his flank. That made it worse, perhaps, for he didn’t know what was going on back there. He heard the clicking of the stone knife being plucked from the hot perch and he felt the warmth radiate on his skin when it came close to his back end. In the next instant, he let out a cry and but down on his lip, slamming his eyes shut as he felt the hot sharpness slide over his flank. It cut so smoothly, like his flank had been made of butter. Blood still leaked from the cuts, but the stone also fused off veins as it burned through little Zebra flesh. Blood also trickled from Voodoo’s lip as did the tears from his eyes. His sobs were quiet. He couldn’t even make a sound. The best he could offer was a squeak here and there. He felt like he was on fire…being burned alive. He was then taken by surprise when he was lifted up and spun around on Houngan’s lap to expose the other flank.

The ease began to fall over him. It still hurt. It still burned. But, the pain from his first flank kept his attention. He was able to breathe with an open mouth instead of huffing through his nose. His muscles were so tight. How much longer would this torture take?!

It felt like an eternity before he heard the clack of the stone knife back onto the perch. He felt a cool, wet cloth rest against his flank and then the other. He was then placed over Mambo’s back, unable to move. All he could feel was the hot throb. He couldn’t even feel his limbs anymore. He just hung there in a limp heap and simply allowed himself to be moved from Mambo’s back to his own bed. There, Mambo continued to cool his rump with the wet clothes. When she felt the initial wave of danger was over, she began to rub a new salve onto the fresh carving to serve as a painkiller and a sort of Neosporin to encourage a swift healing. After that was finished, she began to wrap linens about his lower half to avoid any debris to enter the wounds. They would have to heal a little more before they could be exposed once again beyond the changing of the wraps.

“ You did very well, Voodoo,” she said softly. His vision was blurred, not that it mattered. He didn’t have the energy to turn his head towards her anyway. He closed his eyes as she hummed a little tune. His eyes were so heavy. His body was so heavy. His spirit was so heavy. Soon, even thought became too heavy and he fell asleep, unable to muster the strength to do anything else.

There was no border between what was real and what was a clouded dream. It was all a blur. Voodoo slept and awoke several times, unaware of the time that had passed. He felt hot. He wanted to get up, but he could not move his hind legs. He could feel them, so he wasn’t paralyzed. However, he just could not muster the strength to move them. His hips were sore, not just from his scars but from having slept in that uncomfortable straddle for whoever knows how long. He could hear voices, but they were muffled and it was hard to tell if the conversation was connected to the dreams or actual discussions.

He had become one of the unlucky ones. He would not eat, unable to chew. His meals became pulverized fruits…force fed to him. Water was forced on him as well and about him as he was constantly monitored and cooled. He did not cool. He was never dry, for even without the water, he kept sweating. The Destiny Mark had become infected and he suffered a horrible fever. He hallucinated, not that anyone would notice his delirious state. He almost appeared dead or catatonic.

Houngan was an expert in his field, but even with the most skilled hooves on the job, the risk was always there. Not every foal could handle the mutilation of their flanks. It was a horrible blow, however, to find the young prince was among the weak. He could hear the music as the vigils and ceremonial prayers were chanted outside. I’m…going to die, he thought as he let out a long, hot breath. A tear fell down his cheek as he listened to the desperate music. He didn’t know what death felt like per se, but he could feel the strength of his life becoming heavier and heavier to bare. It was just…too heavy. Too…too heavy…

Muffled sounds garbled about. The air was hot. Funeral songs… it was funeral songs that flowed through. Voodoo could feel an irritation on his flank. The bandages must have been removed and it was an itchy sheet that rested over it now…as well as his whole body. He could smell the dirt. He couldn’t open his eyes. His breathing was shallow. He was only vaguely aware of what was happening. He was confused. Was he dead? Was he alive? He couldn’t even tell. He had to be dead if they were going to bury him, right? But, he didn’t feel dead. Then again, he didn’t know what being dead felt like.

Wait! He could hear the screams and cries of his tribe and he could no longer feel the ground beneath him. It…felt like he was flying…and a coolness pushed against the sheet as it wrapped tightly about him. He could hear the cries growing farther and farther away until they were silent. Then, he heard a cry overhead and felt a jolt. Then it felt as if he was falling, then another jolt as the falling feeling stopped and the flying feeling returned. However, he soon felt the ground again, but it was cool and dank. Did he just venture into the world beyond? Now what?

He felt the coolness reach his skin as the sheet was pulled back and voices began to register again. “ Ah! Yuck! Look at that!” A voice called out. “ Who would do that to thyself?!”

Voodoo could feel the vibrations of hoofsteps nearby and he felt the presence of a head over him; he could hear the sniffing. “ He’s still alive. Where did he come from?”

“ We bumped into a griffon up there and he dropped it.”

Griffon? Voodoo fought so hard to make some sort of movement. He couldn’t communicate. He…was alive?!

~Do not fear, little one~ he heard in his head. It frightened him. How was this voice speaking to him inside of his head?! It was a beautiful voice…female.

“ He shouldn’t be here,” a male voice stated. “This is not good.”

“ Well, what doth thou want us to do? Just toss him into the desert?”

Arabians? Was he among…Arabians? But, then how did he get free from a griffon if he was caught by Arabians.

“ Silence!” Came the female voice he had heard in his head. “ We cannot hear if thou are all going to fuss! Make thyselves useful and prepare a place!”

The amount of time that had passed was indefinite. However, Voodoo soon began to realize he was indeed alive. He was finally able to open his eyes and breathe deeply again. His flank was still sore, but the heaviness that had kept him so still was gone. He was disoriented, but finally able to experience some form of life. He sat up, a blanket falling from his form. He forced himself to his feet. His legs were weak from the infection and atrophy. Still, he fought to carry himself and pulled himself towards a pond where he examined his reflection. Finally, he could lay eyes on that stupid Destiny Mark.

Ugh, how sickeningly befitting. Upon his flank was a scar of a skull and cross bones. He scowled at its reflection with a sense of disdain and bitterness. He hated it. He hated it so much. It wasn’t that it was ugly. It was indeed well carved. It was the simple presence itself that sickened Voodoo and angered him so much. He knew that he was away from his tribe. He knew that they thought he was dead. At this point, he had no idea who his caregivers were or where he had ended up. Everything was different and he was frightened…and furious. If it weren’t for this stupid tradition, everything would have still been as it was…and everyone would have still been happy.

“ Thou art awake…” A voice stated. Voodoo spun around, nearly losing his balance. He saw a young colt that stood well over him on long and slender legs. His frame was delicate. He was blue black in color with those coverings over his hooves. He wore ornaments about his neck, like a breast plate and some sort of jewelry about his head, exposing a moderate sized horn of the same color. Feathered wings were pressed against his body. His mane flowed despite no wind reaching this place. His tail trailed like a cloud. His mane and tail glittered with an ethereal essence. His eyes were a golden yellow. He almost didn’t seem real.

“ You… I…have seen you before,” Voodoo said breathily. “ I saw you…” he looked about to see the grand trees and canopy, “…in the jungle…”

“ Yes, we think we remember thou, little one,” the Star Being colt replied. “ You screamest rather loudly.”

“ Ugh…” Voodoo lowered his head bashfully. He then stood tall and took in the sight of this creature.
“ You are a Star Being…”

“ Star Being?” He repeated. “ We are Astral Nova, prince of the Alicorns.”

“ I’m…Voodoo, prince of…uhm…well…a tribe of Zebras… I’m the son of Chief Houngan and Lady Mambo.” He cocked his head to the side. “ What…is an Alicorn?”

“ Us,” Astral Nova replied simply. “ That is the best way to explain it. We are the son of Queen Destiny Essence and King Dreamscapes.”

Voodoo gasped, “ Did you say…Destiny Essence?”

“ Yes,” he nodded. “ It is how we knowest how to speakest with folk of thy sort. Our mother has dealt with thine kind before…long ago.” He stared at Voodoo’s flank curiously. To that, Voodoo followed his gaze ad blushed.

“ That’s…my Destiny Mark…”

“ Destiny Mark? What be-ist the purpose of this…Destiny Mark? Why hast thou and thy kind taken to mutilating thy flanks in this manner? Is this not a painful experience?”

“ It is,” Voodoo sighed. “ Papa says it’s a tradition our kind has had since before the Start Beings came… er…Alicorns. It dictates what it is we do within our society. Divination is performed to determine the destiny of each individual…and the mark is cut into the flanks for all to see.”

“ Dost this not cometh with mistaken identity?” Astral Nova asked. “ What be-ist thy destiny, Voodoo, that thou may don the sign of poison upon thy flanks?”

“ I suppose that was the sign my father saw for me. We are shamans by trade…spiritual leaders. But, it can be a bit confusing. I don’t think a lot of Zebras are happy with their Destiny Marks.”

“ It is a barbaric tradition, we thinketh of this practice,” Astral Nova huffed.

“ Why…do you talk like that?” Voodoo finally asked, arching a brow at the alicorn. “ There is only one of you…and you talk by making funny words.”

“ We thinketh thine Zebra kind speaketh funny. I am speaking in thy tongue, but that doth not mean I sacrifice mine own sophisticated tongue. Doth though haveth troubles understanding us? Shall we simplify further?”

“ Uhm…no, I think I get it,” Voodoo sighed. “ Where am I? What happened? I thought I was dead for sure.”

“ Dead? That would explaineth thy funeral linens when thou arrived,” Astral Nova said as he rubbed the side of his head with his hoof. “ Perhaps that wouldeth be the reason for the griffon to have taken thee from thine grave. In that case, we are glad to have bumped into said griffon, for we have saved thy life. Now you are within the Alicorn camp…or one of which. It would have been cruel to have simply left thee be. So, we nursed thou back to health so thou could live.”

“ Can I return to my family?” Voodoo asked.

“ In due time. Thou is not completely recovered yet. We remember where thou village was located. Now, if-eth thou feels well enough to walk, come and join us. Thou must be famished.”

Voodoo looked to his tummy as he heard the grumble. “ Yes, I suppose I am.” He did his best to trot towards the towering colt. “ So, tell me about yourself.”

Astral Nova walked with a high gait and held his head high. It appeared rather snobby, though he meant nothing of the sort. “ We were born upon a cloud during the rainy season. Mine own kind cometh often unto this place to do a special kind of work. Mine own kind also worketh hard in the Celestial Layer within the Star World.”

Voodoo suddenly choked on his own gasp when he saw some of the other Alicorns. They were huge! Astral Nova towered over him. These giant Star Beings were like giants on long spindly legs. They all held the air of a powerful presence. He could tell the king and queen easily, as they wore crowns upon their heads. The mare was a strange lavender gray with a flowing light purple and pink mane and tail. Her eyes seemed to be a foggy white. Voodoo had heard of this expression before. It was how his tribe described Xylophone Jingles. Did that mean…Destiny Essence was…blind?

Oh the grand stallion was enough to bring a chill down Voodoo’s spine. He could induce nightmares with the right element behind him. He had to be Dreamscapes. He was dark plum with a glittering coat and indigo hooves under feathering hairs. The feathers on his wings alternated color by row…plum, indigo, plum, indigo. His mane and tail were midnight blue with swirls of indigo. They also glittered so magically. His eyes were mauve and soft in their expression…currently.

“ The Zebra foal hath awaken?” He observed. “ I see thy strength is returning to thee. Thou hath cometh a long way from thy near death state.”

Voodoo bowed respectfully before Dreamscapes. “ I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I feel really blessed to be among Star Beings.”

“ We have not mingled with Zebras for a very long time,” Dreamscapes stated simply. “Thou hast persevered beyond thy past catastrophes. Thou hast held on strong as a folk and as an individual. We are impressed at thy strength and might.”

“ I have a question, Majesty Dreamscapes,” Voodoo began nervously. “ Why did the Star Beings leave the great cities of the Zebras? Why…did they come back only to destroy them?”

“ It was not our idea,” Destiny Essence began, “ to have the grand cities destroyed. The alicorns… we are not all allied to one another. There be-ist many factions. With our guidance, the Zebras grew. We left because we were not needed. The other factions…they were not happy with this alliance and they waged war over the cities. It took a long time before the war was won. Now, we can create a peaceful existence for the work we are doing.”

“ What work?”

“ In due time, the work shall be revealed,” Dreamscapes replied. “ It is too soon to reveal that now. In the meantime, we would like to share some of our knowledge with thee to taketh back to thy folk. We are still here but our role shall change drastically. What they know…shall change drastically.”

“ Father once told the Zebras that it was possible to ascend into alicornhood,” Astral Nova chuckled.
“ Then, they went and began to mummify their dead in hopes they would come alive again in an ascended state. They did not understand what that meant.”

“ Ascend?” Voodoo perked.

“ Many of us were born this way,” Destiny Essence explained. “ However, our most ancient ancestors were regular ponies. Through the most highest of discovery and enlightenment, those ancestors ascended into the next plain of existence…the alicorn. As this ability becameth more easy to obtain, more alicorns were created. Soon, it becameth so regular that alicorns bred alicorns. However, now that alicorns are born naturally, the special trait that created them is no longer relevant. Alicorns are not made through ascension any longer, and this means that the undesirable traits are not filtered out. Alicorns are not exclusively benevolent as was true countless generations ago. This cannot go on. The state of being an alicorn must be earned and can no longer be so flippantly given through mitosis.”

“ My what?”

“ Mating,” Astral Nova whispered with a hoof cupped alongside one side of his face. He cleared his throat, “ What she means is that we can’t controleth who becomes an alicorn because they are born, not made. This means the value of ascension is non-existent. No one has reached ascension in eons.”

“ Our race is too dangerous to exist in our current scale,” Dreamscapes stated.

“ Are you suggesting…some…mass suicide?!” Voodoo gasped.

“ The time for that has not yet cometh upon us,” Dreamscape assured.

“ Does this mean that Star Beings are therefore not immortal gods?”

Destiny Essence began to laugh, “ Oh, certainly not. We liveth a very long time. We possess great power. However, immortality would thereby be how an alicorn ascends. None hath reached that level of ascension. We feel it is thereby only a myth to give thine kind hope that there is more to be found. We do not know what would trigger that level of ascension. In our current state of division, however, it might be best to never find out. If that level of ascension shall reacheth the wrong hooves…there is no telling the amount of danger the world could be in.”

Voodoo plopped himself into a sitting position. He hissed at the pain in his flanks. It passed overall with a slight burn to remain. It was far more tolerable than it had been when he first received the stupid Destiny Mark. “ It depresses me to hear about it. I feel like I should do something but…what can a little Zebra like me do compared to you grand Star Beings?”

“ Do not fret, little Zebra,” Destiny Essence sighed. “ If thou are to take part in thy lifetime in such stakes, thy will naturally become prepared. However, thou shalt really focus on returning to thy tribe and repairing thy lost knowledge. Thou art a leader…and thy shall lead well with our guidance.”

“ I’m being blessed with that kind of guidance?” Voodoo gasped. “ I won’t let you down! I promise!”

Voodoo had to admit, he really enjoyed being with the alicorns. They taught him a great many things. He even got to become a regular part of the play groups. Astral Nova was not the only foal in the group. There were others. A blue and black filly named Nocturne was a regular playmate. A white alicorn filly with a gold and silvery transparent mane and tail called Nebula Blaze was another. There were some other colts among them and a few more fillies. Voodoo was the odd one out and not simply because he was a prince. However, even being the strange one, he was very well accepted. He just couldn’t use the fancy magic they possessed or fly. He learned from their games. There was a lot to know about maneuvers on and off the ground. They play-fought, strengthening their long legs and building muscle. Voodoo also learned about political diplomacy and how to determine when war was necessary and when it was better to compromise or sacrifice. He learned new magic and new medicines, even some new science.

Time seemed to just go so fast. Days became weeks and weeks became months. Months became a couple years. He had long since recovered, but continued to thirst for the wisdom the alicorns offered him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to return. It was understood all around that he would not be able to stay among the Star Beings. He knew he’d miss this alicorn family, but he also knew he’d be more than prepared to become a confident leader among his own tribe.

He looked rather different now. He had grown a little, and his traditional mane and tail had been teased over the years by the fillies who had taken a liking to it. They had been trained to flow in a wave. He accessorized now with a thick twine about his neck and the skull of a primate as the charm. He was prepared in a special fashion for his return. He wore a body of armor made from the scales and spikes of a dragon. Even his helmet was made of dragon, the hard upper skull framing Voodoo’s face. These features were laden with gold and spikes stuck out from the forehead. Mostly it was one large one, similar to the horns of the alicorns, and a few smaller ones along the length of the nose…more like nubs. His hooves were adorned with the shoes. That was that they called these coverings.

He was now ready. He looked over to his companions. “ Won’t you come with me?”

“ We cannot be seen yet,” Astral Nova stated. “ However, we shall meeteth again one day.”

“ We shall go!” Nocturne cheered. She was then pushed aside by Nebula Blaze.

“ Thou cannot go, Nocturne. Such a union is not proper.”

“ Union?!” Voodoo gasped, looking at the two fillies. “ I’m not married! Besides, I don’t think the world is ready for that sort of thing. Zebras normally frown on relationships with outsiders. Granted, it might be better for the other party to be a Star Being, but it’s still something awkward. I would think it would be harder on you, since I don’t think us Zebras would be worthy of deities.”

“ But we aren’t deities,” Nocturne remarked. She sighed, “ We get it, though. Until next we meet, Voodoo…”

Nebula Blaze put the saddlebags across Voodoo’s back. “ Thou shalt go north west. There thy shalt find thy kind. It is two days travel to the glen of which thy hath spoken. We wisheth thy luck on thy travels.”

“ Now thy must be off,” Astral Nebula finally concluded. “ The sooner thou reacheth thy village, the sooner thou can rejoin thy family. We promise that our paths shall crosseth again. Prince to Prince, of this we vow.”

Voodoo nodded, “ Farewell, my friends. I look forward to meeting again.” He reared and let out a quagga before giving into a gallop into the northwestern horizon. He was on his way home. He was on his way to displaying his defiance of death and the blessing of Star Being wisdom.

Author's Note

I know this one is a little short and a little rushed. There just wasn't enough planned for this part. I also didn't want to drag the story out TOO long. So, in the next chapter, Voodoo will return to his village and...well you'll just have to find out.

5. Return of the Prince

Had it really been so long? As Voodoo came closer to his village, he felt a wave of nostalgia running over him. He passed the rocks that had once been the ancient beach. He came close to the cave. It had a mildew sort of smell. The rains had come to these parts. There would be a great plenty. That was good news. At least when he showed up, the tribe would not be put out and straining to accommodate him simply because of his status.

“Oh, why me? Why me? Why me?” Came a familiar whine. Voodoo’s ears went erect and he then turned his head towards the sands. He couldn’t help but smile. That cowering form could be no other than Papaya Fuze. That smile was also accompanied by confusion. As fearful as Papaya Fuze was, why was he all by himself way out here? A second glance corrected the assumption. He wasn’t all alone. He was with a stranger. He looked like a zebra yet he seemed rather different. He was tall, slender, but very muscular. He had golden rings about his neck, a band around his head with a leather piece in the front holding teeth or claws. He almost looked like a cross between the Star Beings and a rhinoceros, a sort of adabba, though his “horns” were not real. He had the Zebra Mohawk, shaggy near the bottom until it met a slender rat-tail braid. He was a very light sepia, almost white though his stripes were extremely thick and brown, like red clay. The base of his tail was wrapped by colorful leather that matched his band. On his flank was the Destiny Mark of a hieroglyphic falcon.

Voodoo tried placing this individual. He was older than he was, but it was obvious the stranger was still an adolescent by his lank frame. He watched as Papaya Fuze seemed to search around in the sand. The stranger looked a little, but mostly just glanced while Papaya Fuze dug around like a frantic jackal. “ You will never find anything that way,” he stated in an almost condescending tone.

“ I’m trying! I’m trying!” Papaya Fuze cried out. “ I don’t think there are any here!” He scuttled about, digging some more. He finally felt the pressure get to him and he let out a cry and scrambled about before tripping on one of the rocks. He peered up and gasped when he noticed the figure of an armored Voodoo. “ Oh my! It’s a ghost!”

“ Ghost?” Voodoo repeated. He stepped forward and looked down at his tribe-mate. “ Papaya, it’s me, Voodoo…in the flesh.”

His mouth was agape as he tried to find words. Eventually they whispered out, “ Oh my. Have…you ascended?”

“ Ascended? What are you talking about?”

“ You were dead, my prince…and now you have grown and you stand before me! You’ve transcended death.”

Voodoo rolled his eyes. “ I was never dead, Papaya…”

It was then that the stranger game with a high gait to Papaya Fuze’s side and glared up at Voodoo. He narrowed his eyes at this figure. “ Who is this that stands before me? Identify yourself.”

Voodoo narrowed his eyes in return. “ I should be asking that of you, stranger. I am Voodoo, Prince of these lands. Yours is a face I’ve not seen before.”

A smirk grew on the strangers face and a small scoff made its way from his throat. “ I am Sandstorm, and I am the prince of these lands. This tribe had no Lwa Line when I arrived. Therefore I took it into mine.”

“ That cannot be so!” Voodoo growled. “ Chief Houngan is of the Lwa Line, as am I!” He stomped down his hoof to emphasize his displeasure in this…Sandstorm character.”

“ My prince,” Papaya Fuze whined, “ I’m afraid we were indeed without leadership. Chief Houngan passed not long after you were taken from us. It fell on your dear mother, Lady Mambo to keep things together. But soon, she too passed of a broken heart. Banana Razz and the soldiers tried to keep us running along, but with no chief, we were fading fast. Sandstorm’s herd came from the desert.”

“ With no Lwa Line in place, it was only right that the tribal throne would be mine,” Sandstorm chuckled.
“ How do I know you truly are who you say you are? You could be some imposter trying to fool this poor tribe.”

“ I have returned from a haven of Star Beings!” Voodoo announced. “ If my father before me is dead then I shall take command of this tribe in his stead. It would do you well to give me what is mine.”

Sandstorm scowled, “ I will not give up my tribal throne so easily. If you want it, you had better prove yourself and your worth to me! You could just as easily be one of the heathens from the south who live as wild beasts with no Lwa Line to keep them in check. I will not let some parasite Zebra take charge of this tribe!”

Voodoo was angry. A part of him had to admire Sandstorm though. He had guts and he certainly took his role as a leader very seriously. The logical part of him wanted to like him. If it were the other way around, and in some twisted way, it was, he’d be the same. Of course, the personal sting made it hard to focus on those grand qualities. Sandstorm turned and marched off towards the village. Voodoo knew it was the silent command to follow. While he disliked the notion of obeying this colt, he knew there really was no other option. That was the direction he had intended to go anyway. So, he came alongside the cringing Papaya Fuze and walked with him back to the village he once called home.

“ Is he a good prince?” Voodoo asked quietly as the village came into view. Papaya Fuze’s ears perked as he began to stand more confidently.

“ I suppose he is,” he replied. “ It could be worse. The Griffons have started to be a bit more active over the last few years. They seem agitated. Even with our military forces, we just seem to fall short of the par level we needed to keep them from picking us off one by one. We still can’t keep them away, but Sandstorm and his tribe of warriors have certainly helped to make our tribe feel a little safer.” He flattened his ears nervously as he boldly continued, “ What could we do, my prince? We had no one.”

“ You did what you had to do to survive,” Voodoo responded. “ I do not fault any of you.” He perked when he heard a cheerful cry. Ahead, he saw a sepia and charcoal filly rushing to Sandstorm. She was rather lovely. Her mane was the traditional Zebra cut though in the front, it hung forward in the front like the lure of an angler fish. She dressed in brilliant colors: flowers, woven wraps, and trinkets. A quick glance at her Destiny Mark showed the scar of a hieroglyphic style lotus.

“ Did you find anything?!” The filly asked Sandstorm with excitement. “ Did you?”

“ No,” he replied flatly. “ Do not worry, my sister. We shall look again. However, we must first attend to a situation.” He perked as he heard the gasps of the other tribe members. It seemed rather unanimous then, didn’t it? This tribe recognized Voodoo as their missing prince. Like Papaya Fuze, many mistook the Zebra with the strange wavy mane and tale as either a ghost or ascended being. After all, they had believed him long since dead. He was a mere foal then, and now he came to them pushing adolescence: a frame similar to their stand-in prince though a tad smaller do to the slight age difference.

“ Can it be?” Banana Razz gasped as he walked past Sandstorm. “ Have I gone blind in my other eye or is that…”

“ Voodoo?” Sandstorm asked. “ So he claims. “ I assure you…that you see no ghost. I intend to prove such a phantom bleeds the same blood as you and I.”

“ Is he dangerous?” The filly asked.

“ That’s overdoing it,” Banana Razz grumbled. “ We lost him once. I don’t think the tribe would stand to lose him again.”

“ Your tribe needs my tribe, Banana Razz. A few mismatched soldiers among a tribe of harvesters are no match for the enemies that come. If destiny sees it fit for him to resume his ownership over you, he will be victorious. Should fate decide that he is not…I shall crush him.”

“ Sandstorm, that’s harsh,” the filly frowned. “ What a horrible welcome.” She reared and rushed past her brother as he called in vain after her. She rushed right up to Voodoo who cowered back a moment, surprised by her direct nature. He stood tall again but kept his ears lowered slightly. She was just…so pretty.

“ G-good day, Miss,” he greeted.

“ Voodoo, right?” She asked. “ I’m Herbal Extract. You must be so tired from your long journey from wherever that may be, but it must be far away because I’ve never seen you, and it’s been many years, and if you were close, you’d have probably come home, and you probably would have corrected the situation long ago, and you didn’t, so that must mean you were either a coward or far away, but you don’t seem like a coward because you’re back now and you’re willing to face my brother and…” She sucked in a breath only to have Voodoo gently press a hoof to her mouth. She went cross-eyed to look at it and smiled when she understood his wordless request for silence.

“ It is a pleasure to meet you, Herbal Extract,” he said as he pulled his hoof away. “ I wish it could have been under better circumstances.”

“ Come along, I’ll get you settled in!” She invited, coming alongside him and almost herding him with her body towards the inner village. “ You can rest and freshen up. You can tell us about where you’ve been and the marvelous things you’ve seen!”

“ I doubt anyone would believe me,” he chuckled. “ If I hadn’t have been there, I don’t think even I would believe it.”

As they walked along, he noticed many new faces. Many of them were a variation of sepia tones. He knew most of his own tribe, though some new additions had come along in the last few years. Some faces were gone and some had grown, and some still remained the same. Tumbleweed was among Psychedelic Fury and a new sepia soldier. He had grown to look like quite a mature colt. Indeed, the now long healed scar did resemble a briar patch. He could see the thorns now. Dust Devil had received his Destiny Mark. It was a brick pyramid. Herbal Extract explained that she was the one to give it to him and she felt the destiny was to build the fortresses. Voodoo actually felt pleased. Dust Devil had wanted to work on the bricks, and that’s what he got to do. Papaya Fuze, Pina Colada and Banana Razz were still around, though Banana Razz seemed to have become a jack of all trades sort of Zebra. He was still one of the best pingers, earning him respect from the soldiers. He was still the best harvest pinger in the tribe. He also was one of the most loyal voices of reason and thus became a sort of advisor to Sandstorm in Voodoo’s absence. He also knew this area better than anyone, which would have proved invaluable to a newcomer tribe.

He saw a sepia Zebra working on the loom, creating fascinating blankets and wraps of brilliant colors. Forget giant banana leaves, this tribe knew how to make pants and dyes. Indeed, compared to Voodoo’s village, Sandstorm’s tribe seemed quite advanced in both military and industrial skill. He suddenly felt a pit in his stomach. Did he really stand a chance against such advancements? Structures were being built from stone and bricks…rather than just foundations. It was starting to look like a more permanent fixture in the landscape, this growing village. He heard two sepia architects discussing a wall with towers to surround the village mainland, creating a fortress of sorts. Sandstorm seemed to be planting the seeds of a settlement kingdom rather than a simple wandering tribe or simple farming community. He had to admire the broad scope of what that new prince brought with him. He wouldn’t have thought of all this, would he?

Herbal Extract sang many praises to her own tribe. Her grandfather had apparently domesticated livestock in his reign, providing the tribe with wooly goats for milk, skin, bone tools, and wool. Due to that, they had far more delicious delicacies such as butter, cheese, much richer cakes, and much of the like. Voodoo’s tribe used only what they scavenged from the savannah. The supplies were always mediocre. Then again, it seemed Sandstorm’s tribe had little qualms with killing other creatures themselves. As Herbal Extract told it, they would have grand hunts and bring home skins, bones to be made into tools and jewelry, fats to be rendered into frying lard or into soaps. It seemed they had become talented in the arts of soaps, lotions, and shampoos. As tribes went, this had to be the most potentially decadent, and all without a settlement. Now that they had planted their roots here, would it continue to grow?

That evening, at the end of twilight, that darkest part of the day when nighttime darkness did not come, Voodoo wandered about the village, filled with sleeping Zebras, save the soldiers that kept guard…a tighter one than he remembered. He looked up to the stars as he wandered towards the watering hole. The guards didn’t seem too worried about stopping him, as the watering hole and its trail were still considered part of the territory. The few stars that were visible brought a sense of longing in the displaced prince. He missed Astral Nova and the other Star Beings. He felt comfortable there. At least in his inferiority, he was still satisfied, for they were naturally the sorts in which to bow his head. This…Sandstorm…only a few years his senior…over his own tribe, it felt wrong. Yet, it seemed the best choice. His tribe…didn’t need him. So, now what? Now what should he do? He had ingenuity, yes, but not that sort of ingenuity. At least, he didn’t have it in such magnitude.

“ Is that the purpose of this destiny?” He sighed as he came along to the water’s edge. He stared at his reflection with a frown. “ I come home only to realize how inadequate I am as a chief? Do I go back? Do I just…go? He’s got everything he needs: a grand army, all those advancements, the skill and foresight. What do I have?”

“ What do you have?” Came an almost wistful voice with a thick and heavy accent. It was a deep voice, full of authority, despite the low volume it used. Voodoo looked around, trying to find the source and could find none. He became anxious and tense. A rustling caught his attention and he prepared to face whatever foe would come his way. It was a shadowy figure. Well, it was black, but not a shadow. Another stranger but not like the Sepia tribe. He was quite a stallion, this new stranger. His coat was as black as black could be. His stripes were gold. Not yellow, but glimmering gold. He had gold loop earrings, the neck ringlets, and was adorned with bracelets, a golden tail-base wrap. His eyes seemed to glow a pale yellow light. Voodoo couldn’t make out pupils or irises. The fur on his legs feathered at the bottom to reveal golden hooves. On the head of this figure was a long golden horn. Beneath it, a much smaller golden horn, like a crocodile tooth beneath the first. Who was he? Who was he?

Voodoo took him in. Even his Destiny Mark was gold. He couldn’t help but grow wide-eyed and gasp. That was a tradition LONG since abandoned! Only royalty who had completed coronation in the ancient glory days were given such a treatment. Voodoo had heard about it. New kings would have their Destiny Marks picked and reopened so they could be fused and inlaid with gold and special treatments to give it color. He even had the mark of a king, a crook and flail crossed over one another. Who was this Zebra to dare sport such extravagance?

“ Who are you?!” Voodoo spat. “ Are you one of the Sepias?”

“ Sepias,” the dark Zebra chuckled. “ How primitive. I serve none of your silly little tribes. The question is…who are you?”

“ I am Voodoo! I am…” he softened and saddened, “ …was prince of these lands…”

“ Ah yes, you’re Houngan’s foal,” the dark one huffed before lowering his head to drink from the watering hole.”

“ You knew my father?”

The stranger licked his lips as he raised his head and glared at Voodoo with an expression that was superior, but otherwise hard to read. “If you served no more purpose in the grand scheme of things, you would have been destroyed by now. Fate can toy with one for a long time, but how that one handles it…determines the outcome. So, after all this, you want to walk away? Not even try? What sort of prince are you? You speak like a Heathen. Godless and lawless creatures they are without a civilized bloodline to keep them from being more than wild beasts.”

“ I am no Heathen!” Voodoo declared angrily. “ I am a prince of the Lwa Line!”

“ And, so is this Sandstorm,” the stranger stated as he flicked his tail and began to circle about Voodoo almost menacingly with a twisted grin. “ There is a great difference between he and you at this time.”

“ I see it,” Voodoo replied with annoyance. “ He is a military leader and an architectural genius. He has brought so much to my tribe that I couldn’t bring.”

“ You know that how?” The stranger asked. “ Do you not think you have things he does not. He did not have harvesters, so his tribe was nomadic, bringing his herds to pasture after pasture. Your tribe brought him a permanent place.”

“ But I wasn’t the one to do that.”

“ You…who walked with Star Beings…have nothing to offer?”

“ How did you know that?!” Voodoo gasped.

“ Amazing creatures, aren’t they?” The stranger chuckled. “ I have walked with them too. They don’t walk with just anyone, you know. They may grace a presence here and there, but how many can boast they have walked among the Star Beings as part of their collectiveness?”

“Apparently, just you and I,” Voodoo replied. “ I know of no others, if what you say is true.”

“ Lying would be so pathetic at this point,” the stranger sighed. “ I find the truth far more dramatic and entertaining. And the truth is that you need to imagine a bigger picture than your pathetic turf war and pride.”

Voodoo’s ears perked and he raised his head. He had to stop following the stranger. He was getting dizzy. As intimidating as he was, Voodoo had a feeling if he had intended to be a threat; he’d have been more direct about it. “ Bigger picture…”

“ You are a new piece to this puzzle, Voodoo. So, you think Sandstorm is so great. That ought to be flattering for him. He’s a very good leader. Are you not a good leader? You’ve not even tried to test your hooves at the mightiness you have in your bloodline. You have no trophies to bestow to the eyes of your tribe. You have no victories under your pelt, save what, frightening a Griffon as a child?”

“ You sure seem to know an awful lot about me,” Voodoo stated suspiciously.

“ Your brazen got you your Destiny Mark. Surely the Star Beings have not sapped this from you. Is this really the end of your journey?”

“ Enough!” Voodoo shouted. “ If you are so wise, then tell me what I must do!”

“ A good king does not get all of his answers from others. Some, yes. It pays to listen to others. But, what makes a leader is the ability for him to think on his own four hooves and provide answers. That’s why he is a leader. When you face future leaders, you too will understand when you must provide answers and when you must stand back, for better or worse, to let those future leaders provide for their own and interfere not in their endeavors.”

Voodoo felt his heart sink and his head and ears went with it. He felt so confused and defeated, yet this stranger’s words flicked something inside of him like a flint. “ There are dangers out there besides leopards? Besides Griffons?”

“ Can you handle that?” The stranger asked. “ Are you willing to rise to whatever you come to face with the heart of a leader? With the heart of the Lwa Line? Even if you are afraid?”

Thunder rolled gently overhead and Voodoo looked as some purple clouds began to slink through the red sky. He looked about to address the stranger but found that he was gone. Gone! Just…vanished into thin air, it seemed! Voodoo was talking to someone, wasn’t he?! A lukewarm breeze blew through his wavy mane and the leaves of the palms sighed as they moved with it. Voodoo looked at his reflection again, “ Have I slipped into the brink of insanity?”

He reflection looked back and then bubbled. This confused him at first but then he snapped his head back just as a crocodile sprung forth, snapping his jaws just a mere inch from Voodoo’s face. He let out a cry of shock and fell back onto his plot as the giant reptile snarled and pulled back slightly, preparing for another attack. “ By the great grace of Lwa!” He shouted. He then watched the crocodile and scooted away. The more he backed away, the more the beast advanced. Oh, this was just his luck! Griffons, fevers, nearly being buried alive, ending up in some strange jungle, coming home to find his tribe completely changed and his parents dead, a prince who wants to battle him, and now this stupid crocodile! He was always at the mercy of everything around him! Chance; Luck! Chance; Luck! Chance; Luck!

He felt his features tighten and he slammed his front hooves on the ground, “ Enough is enough! You messed with the wrong Zebra on the wrong day…”

As the sun began to ascend into the dawn state, a chill came through the air. It had been noted that Voodoo was nowhere in the village and the evening soldiers had not seen him return from his walk to the water hole. The idea he had run away seemed hard for anyone to believe that knew him, and was proven to not be the case anyway as three fuzzy little balls of fur rolled from the swollen water hole to Sandstorm and began to stumble verbally over one another as they pointed to where the goats had been taken to drink.
“ Slow down!” Sandstorm urged. “ What are you three blabbing about! Speak clearly!”

“ There’s a scary sight! The new guy is at the watering hole! Big monster!”

“ Very big!” Came another furry ball

“ Scary monster!” From the third.

Sandstorm couldn’t help but flatten his ears. Bushwoolies…if they weren’t so invaluable in a place like this…he’d buck them over the moon one by one. He swung his head aside, “ Psychedelic Fury! Tumbleweed! Come along with me. It seems we have an issue with some trespassing beast.”

Tumbleweed gulped and looked to Psychedelic Fury. He may have learned a lot from the soldiers, but Tumbleweed still felt that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach when his services were called out above the others, or even with them. Why not Split End? Why not Hawkeye? Why not one of the Sepia Tribe soldiers? Wouldn’t Sandstorm want to be protected by his own? Still, he wasn’t going to argue, and he forced the confident façade as he walked with Psychedelic Fury to flank the prince on either side and walk with him towards the swollen water hole.

The mares huffed and scraped their hooves in the dirt in annoyance. If there was a beast out there, they’d be quarantined within the village, unable to collect fresh water until the situation had been handled. As Sandstorm and the soldiers approached, Tumbleweed gasped. Psychedelic Fury was equally stunned, though he kept silent and only let his eyes show his true feelings. Sandstorm was admittedly surprised at the sight before him as well. There was Voodoo, sitting in a pathetic manner, a bit disheveled, and staring down at the dead crocodile. However, he wasn’t looking at it, but off into some trance-state. The reptilian body was a mess. Obviously, Voodoo had trampled on it, which explained the slight hoof-prints, but there were gashes and other abrasions and lesions which left the three of them unsure of what Voodoo had done or used. The ultimate result was that mess of a beast before him.

“ Voodoo!” Sandstorm called. This seemed to pull the young colt out of his trance as he perked his ears and slowly looked over his shoulder. “ What in the name of Lwa did you do?!”

“ I…I’m not sure,” he replied, almost lost. He stood up and wobbled a bit on his legs. “ I just…I dunno.”

Sandstorm came close and looked the beast over. “ That’s some mess of a kill, Voodoo. You’re not much a hunter, are you?”

“ I have never hunted before,” he admitted.

“ This is one beautiful beast. I’ve never killed a crocodile before. I don’t think any of us have. You did this by yourself?”

“ Yes,” he replied.

Sandstorm almost seemed to do a little dance, unable to hold in a sense of excitement, “ Crocodile skin would be an amazing thing to use! The teeth would be very useful! You are amazing! Boys, use some vines and take this prize home!” Needless to say, Tumbleweed and Psychedelic Fury were not…pleased with this job. Sandstorm placed an arm about Voodoo’s shoulder and grinned with a hint of respect, “ I may have underestimated you. You’ve got some guts to take on a beast like that all by yourself…and win. So, how about we make a little wager?”

Voodoo perked his ears and looked to the Sepia prince in confusion, “ Wager? What kind of wager?”

“ I think I like you,” Sandstorm said. “ I think it would be a good idea to keep you around. The question is: in what capacity?”

“ Yyyyyeeeesssss?” Voodoo dragged, still confused.

“ Let’s have the stand-off. We’re both Lwa Line. We both have rightful claim to rule over the tribe. So, we face off. Good friendly competition. If I win, you bow out to me. I become king of the tribe and you gracefully respect that.”

“ And if I win?”

“ I will do the same. In good faith, I will even offer to you my sister, Herbal Extract as a bride to unite our tribes officially as one.”

A deep blush grew across Voodoo’s face and it became hot. It wasn’t the notion of a spar that bothered him. It was the whole bride thing. He was barely old enough to think about stuff like that. Plus, he had only met Herbal Extract the day before. Granted, she seemed rather taken with him. She would also fall into the traditional role of a first bride. She knew her potions and elixirs and such. She…would indeed make a good wife, but still! “ Um…”

“ You do like my sister, don’t you?” Sandstorm chided. This only made Voodoo a bit more nervous.

“ She…seems really nice. This is…just a bit more sudden than I would have expected.”

“ Be a stallion, Voodoo! Come along, let us take this prize back to the village and we will prepare a place for the spar!”

Voodoo stood up and began to walk with him, conveniently ignoring the girly cries from Tumbleweed behind them. He really wasn’t cut out for this soldier thing. “ Sandstorm, can I ask you something?”

“ I don’t see why not,” he replied, also ignoring the childish reaction behind them.

“ Do you have…a black Zebra?”

“ Black?” Sandstorm perked. “ No. Only the king is allowed to wear black warpaint. I’ve not even gotten to wear it, yet. Why?”

Voodoo looked away, “ Nothing. I just…maybe it was too much sun.”

“ During coronations, at least in the war tribes, it’s customary for the new king to be painted up in black and his stripes painted with gold. He then gets to wear the Lwa Crown. Doesn’t your tribe do that?”

“ I don’t know. I’ve never actually seen a coronation before. My father was still king when I was taken away.” He cleared his throat. “ Do you think some of us have…special abilities? I don’t mean like Destiny Mark sort of thing. I mean…something beyond the physical?”

“ Something that sets us apart from everyone else?” Sandstorm asked.

“ Exactly.”

“ Hmmm,” he thought. “ I suppose. My grandfather could feel no pain. Though I think that backfired on him eventually. He eventually died in battle, unable to realize he needed wounds treated.”

“ Have you…ever seen a Star Being?”

“ Pfft, no,” Sandstorm laughed. “ I believe something once ruled over Zebra-kind. After all, we learned our military expertise from somewhere. We still do ceremonies for war-gods.”

“ But they do not show themselves?”

“ No.”

Voodoo sighed. Sandstorm seemed a bit confused. Whatever Voodoo had been trying to say, he failed miserably. He didn’t look as if he’d be explaining it, either. Why did that guy have to be so mysterious? It honestly gave Sandstorm the chills, like walking in a battleground graveyard. Yes, that was what the chill reminded him of: Death. Something about Voodoo reminded him of death. He couldn’t quite put his hoof on it. He took a side glance only to get that chill again up his back. It made his withers spasm and his mane twitch on his neck.

“ I just don’t get you, Voodoo,” he finally admitted. “ Every time I think I can figure something out, it ends up not coming together just right.”

“ If you ever do figure it out,” he replied. “ Be sure to tell me what you find. For I cannot figure me out either…”

To that, Sandstorm gave a chuckle, soon drowned by the cheers of the other Zebras at the sight of the beast being dragged in and the feeling of pride and safety from the mares now able to get the water.

Author's Note

Sorry it's short. The flow wouldn't have been right if I didn't cut it off. Next chapter: the fight!