Evergreen Heart

Chapter 5
Stories and Meditations

I spent the next two weeks staying at Zecora's place. She turned out to be quite the conversationalist, when she wasn't speaking in rhyme. I asked her about the reason for the rhymes once, she told me that rhyming takes a great deal of skill and she did it as a form of mental discipline. Over time it became a habit to the point where she began to speak in rhyme almost full time. And as she mentioned before, she enjoyed how it gave her an air of mystery. We spoke about a great many things during those weeks. I asked her about her life and experiences, and she in turn asked about mine, a little tit for tat if you will.

I was standing outside one evening during the first week, soaking up the last of the evening sun whilst Zecora was busy inside her home with a new brew. The forest around her house is a lot more open than shown in the show. Where it always seemed a tad gloomy.

“What was it that brought you to Equestria Zecora?” I asked her through the window of her home.

She briefly looked up from her work to reply.

“The answer to that is a bit of a tale to tell, so come on in and sit a spell.”

With he sun almost gone I figured I might as well, So I shrunk myself down in size to fit through her door and took up a spot against the wall so as to not be in her way while she worked.

“It all began back home in Zebrica. Our tribe was large and prosperous, living on the great Savannah. At the time, I lived in a small hut with my parents and my little sister. My father was a craftsman, and my mother a seamstress. We did not have much, but we were happy.”

She paused to add a hoof full of berries to the cauldron before resuming her tale.

“When I was old enough, my father decided that he wanted more for his daughter than the simple life of a crafts zebra. I didn't know what I wished to do with my life, and since zebra do not earn a cutie mark as ponies do it was up to me to discover where my passion lay. My father wished me to become a Shaman, to earn prestige and standing. Not wishing to disappoint him I agreed to seek apprenticeship.”

More herbs were added to the cauldron and she stirred them with a wooden ladle she held in her mouth.

“What happened then?” I asked from my spot by the wall.

“I met with the village Shaman and made my request. She was a kind old mare, learned and wise, and she agreed to take me on as her apprentice. Over the next few months she taught me a great many things. She helped train my spiritual and magical senses, what my people call the minds eye, so I could feel the magic and the spirits of the land. She taught me to interpret various mystical signs and portents. And though we are not as magically gifted as the Unicorns of Equestria, we Zebras have our own brand of magic. She taught me several useful cantrips.”

That explained a few things. Zecora was capable of several minor magical feats. She could light the fire under her cauldron with a gesture for example.

“She took me out into the wilderness and taught me the arts of herbalism. Which plants had what effect and how and where to find and harvest them while leaving behind enough so that they may regrow in time. And most importantly, she taught me how to prepare these and brew precious healing salves, potions and elixirs. That is when I discovered my passion for medicine and the healing arts.”

The cauldron came to a low boil and a gentle waft of purple steam rose from its depths. A Para Sprite flew in through the open window next to me. Probably attracted by the smell rising from the cauldron. One of my fly traps shot out and snatched the little skittle from the air before it could start snacking on Zecora's ingredients. I had discovered that consuming nutrients, be it from a source of water or by eating things such as Para Sprites, would bolster my energy reserves to the point where I was no longer required to sleep or hibernate or whatever you want to call it. I could function on sunlight alone for a time, but it could not sustain me indefinitely. Zecora didn't mind me eating the occasional Para Sprite. They were a pest species anyway and this way her ingredients would be safe. I turned my attention back to her as she resumed her tale.

“After I discovered my passion for medicine I began to devote more and more time to that part of my study, until I had learned all I could from my teacher. I then had to make a hard decision. Stay and become a full shaman, or go and pursue my new dream. I chose the latter. I went to my teacher and told her of my desire to travel and learn all I could about medicine both at home and abroad. She was sad to see me go, but she told me that if such was my dream I should grasp it with both hooves and follow my heart. She even gave me a parting gift.”

She pointed to a little mask hanging over the doorway.

“It means, Safe Journey.” She said with a smile, but it soon faltered. “I wish my father had taken the news so well.”

I felt a slight pang of sadness at her words.

“I take it he did not agree?” She shook her head.

“He was furious. He did not wish for his eldest daughter to become a traveling vagabond with no real place to call her own. He actually forbade me to leave. I was furious, who was he to stand in the way of my dreams? I left the next day after saying farewell to my mother and sister. My father did not show up to say goodbye. I have not spoken to any of them since. That was many a moon ago, I traveled far and wide and learned many things. Eventually my journey led me here to the Everfree, and I have taken root so to say, if you will pardon the expression.”

“Maybe one day you should visit them, perhaps reconcile with your father. He is family after all.”

My thoughts briefly turned to my own family. I would likely never see them again. I banished the thought from my mind before it could crush me with despair and turned my attention back to Zecora.
She sighed deeply.

“Perhaps one day. The journey is far and, I must admit I am... afraid. Not of the journey, but of what he will say. I do not know if I can face him” she said dejectedly.

“Well, maybe one day, when you are ready to make that journey, perhaps I'll come with you.” I said whilst warping the features of my mask like face into a crude semblance of a smile. It came out more like a grimace. Perhaps someday I would master my form to the point where I could effortlessly recreate the finer details of facial expressions, but for now that was beyond my skill level.

“Now that would make the journey interesting for sure.”

“Any challenge becomes easier when you face it with a friend.” I said.

We sat together in comfortable silence for a while until Zecora looked at her cauldron.

“This brew is getting a bit thick, some water from the river should do the trick. Swift will be my return, please watch the potion and see it does not burn.” She then took a large clay jug, balanced on her back and trotted out the door.

It still surprised me how she, and ponies in general managed to balance things so effortlessly on their back. Still it would take her several minutes to make her way to the river, and longer still to make her way back with a full jug of water. So I stood by the cauldron and watched it diligently, giving the content the occasional stir so it wouldn't burn. But as I watch the bright green potion boil and bubble I was getting slightly bored, and a childish impulse came over me. A memory from years ago surfaced, and I grinned mentally as I began to chant.

“By the powers hale and hearty, of an earthquake on a roll. Prove these parts be part and party, of the one and only scroll. Formula of deepest night, if its you then show your might. Join what once was rent asunder, to the sound of flames and thunder. Ready, set, Wunschpunsch.” I even waved me arms about in mock magical gestures.

“I know my formulas quite well, yet I have never heard such a spell.”

I cringed, having been caught in my silly act. Zecora was standing in the doorway, the full jug balanced on her back and an amused grin on her face. If I could blush I would have resembled a tomato.

“Erhm....Its not a real spell, its from a children's book that later got turned into a play.” I said play because It would take way to long to explain television and cartoons to her.

“Don't be embarrassed, it was quite amusing to watch you.” she chuckled.

I swear I miss having facial expressions because I would totally be pouting right now. Zecora emptied the jug of water into the brew and stoked the fire to bring it back to a boil. The brew now had a nice milky consistency. All the while she worked she kept glancing my way wearing that little smirk. I swear that Zebra has a mischievous streak she keeps well hidden.

******

Over the course of the next few days I performed several meditative exercises to try and clear my mind and get a grasp on my innate magic. Slowly I was beginning to get results. Zecora taught me to think of my magic as a bright liquid and visualize that image in my mind. Next she told me to hold that image and focus on my core, where the magic is stored and imagine it like a bottle or bowl. It took me the better part of a day but eventually through trial and error I finally connected to my innate magical reserve. Now that I could sense it I had to push it to where I wanted it to go. It all boils down to visualizing the path you want to the magic to take and then push it in that direction. It sounds easy, but for a being from a world where magic only exists in movies and books it was rather hard. But after a while I had my first success.

With a concentrated effort I was able to shed the dead wood I had absorbed and replace it with living wood I grew myself by magically stimulating the living plants I had absorbed. It took a lot more energy to do so than it took grabbing dead wood from the surrounding forest, but the living wood was a lot stronger and way more durable.

I next focused my efforts on my fly trap buds. So far these had responded purely on instinct whenever a suitable food source came within reach. It was for that reason I mainly focused on Para Sprites and kept away from squirrels and other woodland critters. Gods forbid I accidentally ate one of Fluttershy's critter friends. I shudder to think what she would do to me. Best not dwell on that thought. That way lies madness.

Anyways, by focusing my magic on the fly traps I soon gained conscious control over their movements and actions. I could make them grow or shrink, change their colors, and even got them to spit their digestive juices like a squirt gun. Let me tell you those things produce some frighteningly potent acid. I could even detach them from myself and have them act autonomously for a time. Until the magic reserves I infused them with ran out and they simply withered and died unless I reattached them before that happened. Whats more, while detached I could still sense what they sensed. It was like having a spy camera I could place at will. Now if only I could make them mobile. Perhaps in due time.

*****

I was trying something new today. Zecora had expressed a desire to visit Ponyville sometime in the next couple of days. I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to finally introduce myself to the ponies. But in order to reduce the chance of me scaring them off I decided I needed a form that would be less intimidating to them. To that end I was trying to grow myself a new body, an equine body.

To that end I had taken an acorn from a large oak tree growing at the edge of the everfree, and planted it in the ground near Zecora's hut. I was currently pouring my magic into it in order to mold and accelerate it growth. It would become the base for the equine body I was attempting to create. If you are wondering why I did not simply reshape my existing body its because I figured it would make a good exercise for my magic.

It took me the better part of the morning to grow a sturdy frame of living oak and shape it into the form of a pony. I had based it roughly on Zecora in order to get the size right. But its overall dimensions were definitely those of a stallion. It was a bit thicker in the barrel and chest and it had a broader muzzle. Satisfied with its overall shape I took a short break to stand in the sun and recover my magic. It still surprised me somewhat how something as simple as sunlight could revitalize this form so quickly.

As I looked over the new body I had grown it struck me how incomplete it looked. It was basically a big wooden dress form or marionette at this point. It needed something more. An idea struck me and I proceeded to scrape some fine moss of my body and placed it atop the new one. I then poured my magic into the moss and commanded it to grow. Within the hour the entire mannequin, or should I say ponyquin, was covered in a layer of moss. Now it looked almost as if it had green fur, excellent. Next I would give this body a mane and tail. For this I used a mixture of willow vine and reed grass. The results were a nice thick bushy mane and a long tail. But I did not like the colors to much so I used my magic to change the yellowish grass and the green willow vine to a deep purplish red color, like the leaves of the snapdragon plant. There was only one final touch needed to finish it off.

“Zecora.” I called to her.

She stuck her head out the window and answered my call. “Yes Aeron? Was there something you need?”

“Actually yes, do you have two gemstones I may borrow? Preferably the same size and shape if at all possible.”

“Hmmm, I do keep a supply of amethyst for mixing in with potions. Will that do?”

“That would do just fine.” I said as I walked inside to see what she had available.

After looking through her supply and finding two fist sized pieces of amethyst I took them outside to my mannequin and placed the two gemstones into the empty shallows where its eyes should be. Now when I inhabited this body its eyes would not look like simply two eerie glowing holes like my current ones. The gemstones would not obstruct my vision so it was no problem.

I stood back and looked over my work. Not too shabby for a first try if I do say so myself. It wouldn't stand up to scrutiny up close, but from a distance it certainly looked like a regular earth pony. Well, time to take this thing for a spin.

I focused my magic on the mannequin and opened up its chest. I had left a hollow pocket inside when I directed its growth. Next I opened my own chest to transfer my core. I knelt down so I would be roughly at the same height and several vines shot out to connect to the mannequins open chest. I detached from my humanoid body and was overcome by a sense of weightlessness. One moment I had limbs that felt heavy, and the next I felt as if I was but a shapeless blob, floating in a void. It was a little unsettling, and for a moment my core just hung there. Dangling from the mannequins chest by a couple of vines. It took me a minute to regain my focus and haul myself into the new body. As soon as I was inside I sent out roots and vines to connect me. As soon as these made contact with the body I felt whole again.

My humanoid body, now nothing more but a husk, fell over sideways and came apart. I stared at it for a moment before I gathered my wits about me. Time to take this body for a walk. I took a step and promptly fell flat on my face. What the? I tried getting back on my feet, or hooves as the case now was but all I ended up doing was flail about drunkenly. For a moment I wondered if I had screwed up during the creation. And that this body was somehow defective. But no the situation was a lot simpler. The reason I failed so miserably to walk was because I simply wasn't used to moving around as a quadruped. It takes a whole different set of motions than moving about as a humanoid. Not to mention my sense of balance was completely thrown off.

As I scrambled about trying to get up the sound of laughter drifted over to me, and I looked up to find Zecora standing there doing her best to smother her laughter as she watched me flail about like I had drank half a brewery.

“Stop snickering and lend me a hoof you ninnie.” I said with a frustrated snort. She only laughed harder.

“Having some trouble with your new form there Aeron?”

“Gee whatever gave you that idea. Was it the graceful way I face planted, or me flopping about like a beached fish?”

My only answer was a renewed outburst of snickering.

*******

Eventually with Zecora's help I managed to get to my hooves and walk around without repeatedly introducing my face tot he floor. And after an hour or so I had managed to partially master a normal four beat gait and even move up to a light trot. It still felt strange, almost alien to walk on all fours, but at least I managed it without falling over.

“If you feel confident enough in your skill, perhaps you will accompany me to Ponyville?”

I'll admit, now that the moment was here I suddenly felt pretty nervous. But, I had made this form specifically for this purpose, so no sense in quitting now.

“Sure, I could use the walking practice.”

“Then I shall retrieve my saddlebag from inside, and off to Ponyville we'll stride.