Lyra had final done it, shed made enough money to go to Zebrica and find her obsession, Humans. With her own money shed bout a boat and all the digging tools to excavate the ancient rocks of the ancient land.
Lyra sat down in her home with a small spear head in her magical grasp, as a child her father had given it to her, he said it had belonged to a ice age carnivore, only in Zebrica had descriptions of the creature and a name were given.
In modern science the stone tools came from early earth ponies. But they didn`t try and explain the small ape bones that towered over the ponies ancestors.
She was going on a mission with all her friends to help her out... hopefully?
All Lyra knew for defiant was she wasnt going to be in Equestria for a month. Hopefully one of her friends would defiantly be in Zecora the Zebra, shed told Lyra about the legends of the 'Human', persuading Bon Bon would be easy, new flavour for her sweets.
So those to had already agreed to Lyra plan of going to Zebrica, but other than that Lyra needed more help, someone who knew the techniques of echo-mapping landscape, using sound to map a area.
Maybe Vinyl could help?
What else navigation, Lyra only knew one pegasus good enough at navigating to help her, Derpy. Final someone to date and examine the fossils.
Time Turner could date fossils and he did have a doctorate in anatomy.
Lyra could assemble the perfect team for finding the allusive remains of the humans.
Lyra placed the spear head down, and picked up a quill and piece of paper.
Lyra, Bon Bon and Zecora all stood at the station waiting for the other to arrive.
The first to arrive was Derpy with her daughter Dinky, Lyra had said that they were going on her own boat, and the pair of them needed a vacation. Derpy was busy with work most of the year and Dinky was head placed firmly in a book most of the year.
The summer was the perfect time for both of them to spend on a vacation and they often did, so this trip would be bonding for all of them.
"Hey Derpy over here!" yelled Lyra, waving a hoof. Both Derpy and Dinky galloped over, as the sight of Time Turner came round the corner.
Covered from head to hoof in bags, panting hard he trundled after them.
"Hey Lyra, Bon Bon. Zecora nice to see you again" greeted Derpy, only to have Time Turner to collapse next to her.
"It would seem Time Turner. Is in a fit of bother." said Zecora, a groan echoed from the stallion.
"I`m starting to regret taking your bags Derpy" he mumbled. He removed all the bags, from his back and standing up.
"Nice to see all of you again through, so who are we waiting for?" asked the trottish stallion.
"Just Vinyl and if she`s bought anypony else, I hear she may be bringing Octavia but, I highly doubt it" replied Lyra.
Bon Bon groaned "Please explain to why Vinyl is coming again?"
"Echo-mapping" replied the mint coloured unicorn. Dinky seem to jump up and down in excitement.
"I`m so excited, going to Zebrica! Then trying to find undiscovered species, this is going to be amazing!" stated the small filly, Dinky was a smart kid, she liked spending time with Time Turner due to the fact he knew more than a library, with a little knowledge in every subject.
"Echo-mapping? Oh I assume you`ve been saving for this trip for a long time" asked Time Turner, Lyra only nodded.
Bon Bon rolled her eyes "If you only knew, last year she said 'I only need 1,500 more bits to get the echo-mapping machine'" grumbled the cream earth-pony.
Vinyl arrived a few minute later, with a small cart full of bags, with some room for the other bags as well. With Octavia in tow.
The last to came about 5 seconds before the train, everpony rushed to get on, all of the friends got onto the carriage, all seating together, they`d have to stay on until the final stop.
"So why exactly are we going to Zebrica anyways?" asked the DJ, sunglasses placed over her forehead.
"To discover new spiece of animals long dead over in Zebrica, no paleontological studies in the area where headed to" stated the mint unicorn.
"And were are we headed exactly?"
"The great rift valley, were Zecora from" stated the unicorn, pointing to the Zebra which nodded.
"So what your saying is that you want to explore the largest untouched valley in the whole world, in a month?"
"No that silly! I`ve narrowed down the search, to a small part of the valley, near the river Nile out flows, based on a small savannah area, hopefully away from any predatory animals" stated the cross eyed mare.
"Well it seems that everything has been prepared, so the only question remains, what kind of animals are we looking for?" asked Octavia
"Hopefully something new" said Lyra
Non of them had noticed Zecora was drawing a figure on a scrap of paper, Dinky looked at the strange figure whispering to the zebra "What that?"
Zecora whispered back "A Human. That is part ape"
The image was detailed with a flat face, it stood on to legs with 5 fingers on each hand, with it legs having long palms and stubby fingers, with no clear thumb, with a layer of shaggy fur, with intelligent eyes placed firmly under the large eyebrows of the face.
Dinky looked up at the Zebra questionably "Did those really exist?"
Yes. In legends old. that weren`t often miss told. You will find. They are one of a kind" said the Zebra explaining the creature in the painting.
Lyra didn`t notice the picture she was too busy thinking about what they might find, and her spear head in her magic, concentrating deep on the small rock tool. With a sharp cutting edge dulled with use. Non of the other noticed the small tool.
'I will find out who made you'
Octavia
Derpy Hooves
Zecora
Lyra Heartstrings
Vinyl Scratch
Bon Bon
Dinky Doo
Author's Note
This story was spawned from my love of prehistory and humans ancestors, also Equestria geological past? So assuming they had everything the same until the last extinction 14,000 years ago, humans would have evolved alongside the ponies ancestors so Lyra`s obsession is based in fact not fiction.
And because I`ve never seen any Ape Man in Equestria or any explanation of the mythical beasts in Equestria, so hopefully I do my idea of Lyra proving humans existed in Zebrica not a story of humans in Equestria.