One more step...
Just one...
One more step and it will be mine.
The fame. The acknowledgment. The acknowledgment that I was right. That there was something special here, that maybe this is why all those mysterious things happened.
Just. One. More. Step.
So why am I hesitating?
So many things don't add up. The small doorways, the pictograms of zebras and horses, or unicorns and Pegasi doing things like men. And then there's that uneasy feeling that I don't belong here, like I'm an intruder on sacred ground.
Not once did I notice a doorway my size or a drawing of a man. I practically had to crawl my way here. My friends had vanished in this area years ago and now as memories of them come back to me, and I realize why I'm hesitating.
I am afraid. I am terrified that I will end up like them. Like rose or jerry or even 'ski' (God how he hated that nickname) that I'll just vanish like all the others in the Bermuda Triangle. Just another mystery to be solved.
No.
"I will not be afraid."
I reach out my hand and take the journal lying on the dirt beside the throne.
Now I know what anyone seeing me would be thinking "Really a journal? That’s what all the fus is about?!" Probably followed by them face palming at my antics.
Still it's not everyday you find a ruin on an island in the middle of the bermuda triangle. Much less a journal in perfect condition after it had been left there for God knows how long.
Barely able to contain my excitement I crack open the journal.
Disappointment fills my mind at the sight of the tattered faded pages. Guess it only looked good on the outside.
Wait. There's a few pages at the back still legible.
April 4th 1946
It's been a week now since we crashed into the sea nearby. I can still hear the sound of John crashing into the beach after his ejection failed. First thing we did after making sure John was dead was head for the only shelter around, that damned temple like structure. This place is a graveyard. I've seen things I thought only existed in history book here. The broken Greek columns, the roman encampment, the list goes on. And yet, not a single body. It's starting to creep the men out and to be honest I'm a little scared. Where did they go? I have a bad feeling about this.
April 5th 1946
Johnson went missing today. We were exploring that temple building, looking for supplies when he vanished. No cries for help no warning, just vanished. We searched everywhere no sign he was ever here, just more of those odd pictures on the walls. We're moving the camp off to the old 'roman' camp. Stetson says that they're real but even I know history well enough to know that Rome never made it to america. Ninth legion my ass.
April 6th 1946
Just me and Jaskal now. It was certainly an unpleasant surprise when Stetson disappeared. He went all on about his missing legion never thought he would shut up about it honestly. Told him to take a walk and calm down. Jaskal told me Stetson never came back this morning. Spent the whole day searching the camp and temple still nothing. I'm scared. I thought the rescue planes would have been here by now. But after this morning I'm starting to believe that we're going to die here, Or worse, just vanish.
April 7th 1946
Just me.
Alone.
There watching me.
Waiting for me to go to sleep. I know it. I won't let them take me.
April 12th? 1946
I can't do it anymore. I fell asleep today and when I woke up I felt it.
The eyes on me felt closer. The temple, there coming from the temple. I won't go without a fight.
Good thing I sharpened that old sword.
And the journal ends, just ends.
I'm right! This is where all the the people over the years have vanished to! Now all I have to do is get show this to the right people and I'll be famous!
Making my way to the beach where me and my partner (if only she had said yes and became my wife) beached the boat, I think about all the wonderful things in store for us.
Huh. Where is Samarasan? I could have sworn she was here when I left. Did she follow me? No no if she did I would have seen her on the way out back or in the temple. She's probably just laying down inside the boat, I swear she takes more naps than a 3 year old.
Chuckling I climb in the boat and head below.
I feel my breath catch at the sight in front of me. The radio is smashed and a hole has been torn in the side of my boat.
"What the hell happened?!?"
Mind racing with what I'm going to tell Samarasan when she gets back, I can't help but notice the time. It's 11:59, we have been here one day. And my partner is missing.
No that can't be right 'she will be back later' I tell myself but deep down all I can think about is that journal. One day he said. One person a day.
"Come on! this is ridiculous I can't seriously be thinking that's true? Can I?"
Completely distract by my ramblings, I didn't see the oil lying on the floor. One misstep and down I went. CRACK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The very first thing I think when I come to is wonder why I'm on the floor. I mean I have a bed don't I? So why the hell am I not sleeping in it? Then I remember yesterday. The ruins, the encampment, the temple, and finally the journal and my missing partner.
Surely she is back by now?
Looking around I can't find any sight of her
"Samarasan? Hello, Samarasan are you there?"
Silence.
"You can stop now, it's not funny!"
~Come.~
There is a whisper. Walking towards where I think the whisper is coming from I call out.
"You hiding over here?"
~Come.~
"Dam it Samarasan! This joke isn't amusing anymore!"
~Come.~
(Sigh) "Fine you win I'll play your little game. Where am I headed?"
~Come.~ this comes from the left of me.
'Why am I playing this game of hers?'
After a while filled with more 'comes' I find myself in front of the temple again.
"Really? You just wanted to show me the temple?"
~Inside.~
"No Samarasan I refuse to play your game any longer! Come out now!"
~INSIDE!~
The voice no longer sounds like Samarasan, not even close. Still despite my refusal I find myself on my hands and knees crawling inside.
"Wha!? I'm not moving! Stop it! "
Helplessly I am a passenger in my own body as I crawl towards the chamber where I found the journal yesterday. The journal that's clinched in my hands, the front pages getting more ragged with every inch I crawl. Well at least I know why the front was so torn inside, I think to myself bitterly and filled with panic.
~Close. So close.~
I'm here. The throne where I found the journal lies in front of me.
~SIT.~
The command rings outs out and once again I am helpless to stop myself I stand up and sit on the throne.
A blinding flash and a gust of wind blows through the empty chamber ruffling a journal on the floor.
~~~Canterlot~~~
“I am saying, sister, that this is a cause for concern! Can you not see THE signs? Do you not remember?”
“I can, and I do, Luna. I'll send a letter to Twilight informing her of the portal and of the possible implications, but I do not feel that this is reason to risk inciting public worry. The royal guard should not be needed for an event this small.”
“SMALL? MAY WE REMIND YOU OF THE LAST OCCURRENCE?” Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice.
“Luna, please, there is no reason for volume here.”
Luna looked up, apprehensively. “But what of the portal, sister? Last time the portal opened there was chaos as that 'legion' marched through!”
Celestia paused a moment, considering her choice of words. “Yes, that was a regrettable incident. However, there have been other times this has happened while you were gone, and none were that large, and never bad. Usually the poor things are terrified and need guidance and a friend. Many are quite intelligent, and bring knowledge of things that have improved life for ponies everywhere. That is why I will be sending Twilight to investigate.”
"But the destruction of the temple was supposed to destabilize the portal and stop this from happening sister."
"You now as well as I, that we only destroyed one link on our side."
An uneasy silence drifted over the balcony as the two alicorns mulled over the talk. Luna glanced over at her sister. While they were sisters, sometimes they really were as different as the day and night. Which was a fairly appropriate comparison, considering their sphere of influences.
After a few more uncomfortable moments passed Celestia sighed and relented “ I understand your concern, and I see that no amount of talk will still that, and I cannot stop you if I wished to. You may investigate but on three conditions sister: Be sure that your duties are accounted for, don't rally the army without me, and Luna?”
“Yes sister?”
“Don't judge without cause. Not all things different are evil.”
~~~Everfree Forest~~~
Warm, so very warm.
"Thump... Thump Thump."
Kinda soft also I didn't think that Sam liked soft things, wait... Is that a zebra print blanket? No this feels too real, almost like a real pelt, Sam would never use a real pelt as a blanket. Groggily I look up.
At a zebra.
'AGHH A ZEBRA WHA—'
Thump... Thump thump.
'AGHG A ZEBR—'
Thump... Thump Thump.
'A zeb—'
Thump... Thump Thump.
"Yawn" 'Sam's probably playing a joke on me. This can'—'
'Damn it why am I so sleepy? I've gotta get outa he—WHAA!'
A crushing hug engulfed me as the zebra pull me closer and snuggled me closer to her chest? What is it called on a- no no time for that brain! Gotta get outa here now! "Gack!" Wriggling to get out is only causing her to pull me closer! 'How am I goi—'
Thump... ThumpThump.
'How am I goi—'
Thump... Thump Thump..
Discomfort practically oozes away as the zebra's simple-yet-continuous heartbeat starts to calm me down, and it’s not long before I’m snuggling deeper into the hug with each little beat. I know my Dignity will be smarting after all this is done, but... this isn’t so bad. pretty soon i find myself not caring. anymore
Thump...Thump Thump.
'Hmmm so...so warm.'
Yawning, I snuggled in closer. Trying to get warmer.
"Hmmmm what a strange dream." Looking up at the bewildered but now awake looking zebra, if only slightly awake, I see that it has woken up and is talking!
Zebras can't talk...
AHH—
Thump...Thump Thump.
Ahh so warm here. 'If I get closer can I get warmer?' Despite myself, I found myself snuggling into a more comfortable position closer to the zebra's chest.
The zebra's eyes whipped down to me still snuggled up in her hug. It eyes widened.
"..."
"AHHHHHHH!!"
And that how I found myself flying like a football across the clearing. A short ,but highly squeaky, “AHH!” brought to an abrupt end as I made touchdown. "WHUMP." SHE SHOOTS! SHE SCORES! And the crowd goes wild. Whoooo!
Trying to stand up, I shakily stand for an instant before I face plant again. That's when I see them.
Hooves.
Breathe in, breathe out. Calm calm happy thoughts! HOW CAN I BE CALM!? I have HOOVES! Nonononononono! This can't be happening! What did I do to deserve this?? Tears start to well up as my breathing sped up almost painfully, and I try to hold it all in.
I tried, really I did, honest!
I failed.
And the floodgates opened up.
"Whaaaa!"
'What is wrong with me! I mean sure I was a creature with hooves but I never cried, at least not for a few years. Why am I so miserable!' Turns out huddling up in a ball and crying doesn't help all that much.
I had never felt so low.
I cried, and cried, and cried. Alone. abandoned. Was it permanent? Where was I? A squeal slips out of me, echoing off the ruins at the edge of the clearing as I jump and go rigid, thoughts completely interrupted by a hoof rubbing me calmingly in between the shoulder blades. The surprised reaction nets a low, giggle from my ‘captor’ while she slowly rock me from side to side between her hooves.She looks terrified, but she is cooing at me, telling me it's ok. She sounds familiar some how.
Thump...Thump Thump
Instantly I felt better. Slowly my breathing calmed down and I got my mental dam closed again as my tears stopped.
How long I stayed there pressed up against her chest listening to her heartbeat, I have no idea. She just kept telling me that it was going to be alright, and I believed her.
And then It clicked. Why that voice sounded familiar, where I had heard it before. I knew.
It was Sam.
"S-Sam? Is that you?"
Personally I'd never seen eyes get that big before, but there's a first time for everything i guess.
H-how do you know m-my name?" She stuttered out after a few minutes of holding me up, and staring at me like I'd grown an extra head.
"It's me Jack."
"WHUMP!"
'Ah my good friend,dirt, nice to see you again! How are you doing? I'm doing well just thought I'd "drop" in, and see how you’re doing.'
"Jack?" What happened to you? You're a pony... And a girl."
"WHAT?!"
Time for a check! Legs? Check! Manhood? That's a negative captain! And further back...NOPE! nope nope! Not happening! This is just a sick joke! It has to be! 'Snap outta it Jack! Calm the hell down!'
I feel hollow inside as my world comes crashing down around me once again.
What had happened to me? Why am I so small? Am I zebra also? No I don't have stripes. But I am a white color, and I'm pretty sure I saw black when I looked... back.
Hmmm... Looking back again, I saw I had a tail. A black tail.
Suddenly I feel Sam trying to withdraw. Faster then I realized what I was doing, I was wrapped around one of her legs, begging her not go.
Shaking her leg she dropped me off...on her back.
"It's okay Jack, I’m not leaving you behind"
I cling to her neck sobbing as she starts to leave the clearing and crumbled ruins, a little shaky but I'm not going to going to fall off no matter what.
'Surely nothing else can compare to the horrors of today.' I thought curling up on Sam's back as I watch the forest pass by.
~~~later~~~
Ugh it's so boring!!! Just trees, trees and, you guess it, MORE TREES. I'm getting so bored I'm counting all the oak trees as a game.'Seventy-four'...'seventy-five'...'seventy-si—no more!'
"Are we there yet?"
"..."
"No."
"How about now?"
"No."
"What about now?"
"Nnnooo..."
"Annnnd... How about now?"
"Look Jack I’m sorry but we are not there yet, I don't even know where there is! Much less how to get there!"
"Oh that's easy, just follow the smoke."
"Smoke?"
Glancing up, she caught sight of a thin trail of smoke curling through the branches.
'Oh that smoke." She said sheepishly.
for a while we followed the twisting trail of smoke in silence, that is until my stomach decided that, it wanted food, now.
"Sam, I'm hungry.
"Hmm that could be a problem, still you are a pony now so I guess you can eat grass? Possibly a few flowers?" Reaching down, she grabbed a few blue flowers from the side of the path we were following and placed them on her back for me.
Sighing, I hide my disgust at her using her mouth, but really I guess we don't have much of a choice at this point. Taking a bite out of one of the flowers I was assaulted by the most wonderful flavor I have ever tasted! In a instantly I shoved my muzzle into the small pile of blue flowers. "ITS LIKE THE AMBROSIA OF THE GODS!" I squeaked out, and with that I lost all control. Petals flew everywhere.
"Hehe you’re pretty cute like this Jack."
Gasping and sputtering I could only gasp out the most daring and amazing of denials ever concocted by man. "I am not! Take that back!" I squeaked out indignantly while I gave Sam my best death glare. Unfortunately based on her reaction I come across as more cute then intimidating based on the "D'awww" I got in response. Forgetting that I stood on her back I promptly backed off into the air. "Whump" 'Ah, hello ground. Nice to see you once more. If I dropped in anymore, it might as well be a date.'
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Dignity aside no. I'm a talking pony for crying loud! "Y-yes Sam I’m fine"
"Hmm, if you say so."
"Ohh never mind! That hurts!" I cry out as my stomach cramps up, and a horrible itching covered my body.
Grabbing me by the neck and tossing me on her back she takes off toward the source of the smoke.
The forest trees passed by in a blur as the smell of smoke got stronger. Not that I saw much of anything with the tears streaming from my eyes. For a second there, I thought I saw my muzzle turning black.
We burst into a clearing where another zebra sat surrounded by strange tribal looking masks and stirring a large black pot.
"Help! Please she's in pain!" inwardly i was glaring at her referring to me as a girl, but hey i guess i was one at this point.
"Pray tell what is wrong, what has been done?" The strange zebra ask, in a rhyme.
"I don't know! She ate some flowers and she started crying in pain!"
"What color of shoot? She ate of what root?"
"Some blue flowers"
"Ah if that is true, I know what to do." Turning, she heads into the strange tree-house. A few minutes later she she came back out with a packet of some sort.
"Put in a bath and let your daughter soak."
"MY DAUGHTER?!" Sam cried out in shock.
"Is she not of your folk? She has her mother's coat?"
Looking back at me, Sam's jaw drops as she see a small zebra filly shrimped up on her back groaning.
"Jack! Are you alright!"
"I'm fine" I grumbled as the pain finally receded. Looking up, the first thing I spot is a mask not six inches from my, now black, muzzle and with an ear shattering "eek!" I toppled off her back and into the dirt... again.
What a day.
Author's Note
Sorry for the cringe fest that was zecora. I'm terrible with rhymes. To the Luna fans we will be seeing more of her in the next chapter. (if only a little) Needless to say had a lot of fun with this chapter . Hope you enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it.
Special thanks to databyte for the temporary editing help.