It was a bright and beautiful day in Ponyville, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders up to more boredom. That is -- until Apple Bloom noticed a new pony wondering alone throughout the busy streets. What did the Crusaders decided to do? Make friends with the new pony!
The three fillies trotted up to the young pony. Wait a second! This pony is a zebra!
In the words of Twilight Sparkle, "All the ponies in this town are crazy!"
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Each of the three Fillies put their hooves up to their chests, ready to carry out a sequence of greetings.
"Howdy, I'm Apple Bloom, and you are just gonna love it here in Ponyville!"
"Hi, I'm Sweetie Belle, and I can't wait to add you to my friends list!"
"And I'm a chicken."
Everypony glanced at Scootaloo, then after a brief period the three friends focused their attention back to the new pony.
Sweetie Belle spoke up.
"Eh, so what's your name?"
The zebra was still feeling some aftershock of the 'new pony' pressure, but since he had made some friends already, he decided to speak up.
"My name’s Keebar."
...
... *silence*
...
After a weird moment of silence, Scootaloo spoke up.
"So... that's all that you're gonna say?"
Keebar gained a confused expression. "Well, you only asked me for my name."
...
... *silence*
...
Apple Bloom became quite confused as well.
"Aren't you gonna say a rhyme? I thought zebras were supposed to say rhymes; right, guys?"
The other two Cutie Mark Crusaders agreed.
Keebar dead-panned. "Actually, only enchantresses (or enchanters) use rhymes as their normal lingo."
"Oh."
Scootaloo chimed in, being reassuring.
"We wouldn't know much about zebras, anyway. Zecora's the only zebr--"
"You know Zecora!?" The young colt became very, very happy within ten seconds flat, and started to prance around. "Oh, can you take me to her!? I've came a long way, and I wanna tell her how much I've missed her!"
By now the zebra was dancing circles around the fillies.
"Um," Apple Bloom started, "So I guess you came to Ponyville for Zecora?"
The energetic pony came to a stop, head still bobbing up and down. "Yes, yes I did! I've also brought this for her."
The zebra took the woven satchel off of his back and immediately flipped it open, revealing a sparkling blue-and-green object.
The Crusaders were stunned by the object's beauty, except for Sweetie Belle (which you can guess why).
"Woooow..."
"I've never seen anything like it..."
"Keep it away from Rarity."
The zebra was confused by Sweetie Belles remark, but agreed. "Okay."
"So... what is that thing, Keebo?"
"--It's Keebar, and this--" Keebar held the object up to the sun. "This is a Sparkle fruit!"
"Well that's a creative name for it."
"I haven't seen a fruit THAT colorful since we've had those zap apples!" Apple Bloom's mouth began to water uncontrollably.
Keebar was becoming more and more confused. "Okay, yeah..."
"Wait, hold up." Scootaloo put on her doubtful face. "That thing is edible?"
Keebar beamed. "Why, yes, and I have to deliver this to Zecora right away!"
Sweetie Belle stepped forward. "Oh, so you're like a... delivery zebra?"
The young colt became slightly amused. "Me, no... I just wanted to be the one to deliver this sparkle fruit to Zecora-- she trusts me more than anypony, you know."
"Oh, so you're Zecora’s personal deliverypony?"
Keebar was still amused. "No, why I'm just Zecora's brother!" The pony started to laugh.
It all made sense to the three little ponies now.
"Oh... wait a second." Apple Bloom was bewildered. "Zecora has a little brother?"
"Well, you're lookin' at him! Hasn't she ever told you guys?"
"Actually... we don't talk to her that often..."
"Why not?" Keebar became slightly worried now.
"Well, you see," Apple Bloom took a deep breath. (Skip this part) "When Zecora used to come to our town the ponies used to think she was an evil enchantress so they were all scared until I decided to go find out who she really was so I followed her back to her scary hideout but it actually wasn't scary but before we figured that much Twilight Pinkie Pie Rarity Rainbow Dash Fluttershy and my sister Applejack were all funny-fied by this poison joke that was near Zecora’s house so they thought she really was an evil enchantress but I didn't so I went n' helped her make a treatment so the ponies could get back to normal but--"
"Woah!" Keebar broke Apple Bloom's tangent. "So that's why you don't talk to my sister that much?"
"Actually, we don't talk to her that much because Zecora lives in the Everfree Forest." Scootaloo decided to get back to the point.
"Where's the Everfree Forest?"
"Over there," the fillies sang in unison while they pointed towards a large forest that could be seen near a cottage in the distance.
"Well," Keebar threw the brown satchel over his back. "Let's get goin'! I can't wait to see Zecora!"
The fillies and their new friend started to trot off towards the forest.
"WAIT!!!"
The four ponies jumped, and turned to see where the yell came from. And standing there was a pink pony with large blue eyes.
"New pony new pony new pony new pony new pony *gasp* hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, and you are gonna love it here in Ponyville! And what's your name?"
The small zebra was still stunned, but tried to answer anyway. "I - I'm Keeba--"
"Wait a second..." Pinkie Pie leaned in towards the pony, inspecting him. "You're a zebra! Do you know Zecora? I bet you'll know Zecora!"
Another voice came from the sky, not too far from behind Pinkie Pie.
"Woah, woah, chill, Pinkie Pie. Why are you getting so hyper?"
Rainbow Dash was lying on a cloud, floating over towards the group.
Scootaloo fainted.
"New pony new zebra new pony new..." Pinkie was whispering excitedly.
"Oh, cool!" RD fluttered her blue wings to get her cloud close enough to the new pony, and then flew down to the ground. "What's your name, little guy?"
"Keebar."
...
... *silence*
...
"He doesn't talk in rhymes."
"Oh. Well hi, Keebar! Welcome to Ponyville, home of the most awesomest, most bestest flying pegasus EVER!" Dash took off to do a few quick mid-air loops, and then levitated back down to the ground. "The one and only Rainbow Dash!"
"Wow! That's some great flying, Rainbow Dash!" Keebar was clearly entertained.
Scootaloo was dead.
"Well ANYWAY..." Apple Bloom decided to bring the mission back up." Aren't we supposed to be gettin' this package to Zecora? I thought you wanted to see her."
"Oh, yeah," Keebar was brought back to the task at hand.
RD butted in. "You know Zecora?"
"Well yeah; I'm her brother!"
Confetti exploded out of Pinkie's hair and Rainbow Dash lit up.
"Well, nice meeting you guys!" Keebar started off toward the Everfree forest (again).
Sweetie Belle grabbed Scootaloo.
RD waved her hoof. "See ya zebra!"
Pinkie Pie wasn't going to let her new friend go yet. "WAIT!!!"
The four ponies turned around.
"What is it now?" Apple Bloom was becoming rather frustrated.
"You little ponies can't just go into the Everfree forest alone," Pinkie Pie skipped up to Keebar and held something out in her hoof. "Take this!"
Keebar stared at the miniature Pinkie Pie sculpture that she placed in his hoof.
"Pinkie, you don't need to come along." Apple Bloom was backing up. "Really, Zecora's house is right near the forest's entrance," she finished the sentence with a smile.
Pinkie Pie put on a puppy-dog face. "Aww but can I go please please please please please I wanted to see if Zecora had a potion that could make my cupcakes multiply by themselves."
Keebar dead-panned again. "Trust me, she doesn't."
Pinkie Pie frowned. "Oh, well can I go anyway? I really, really wanted to borrow one of her funny-looking masks!"
"Sure, Pinkie. You can go." Apple Bloom agreed, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Pinkie was spinning around.
"Well, I guess that means I have to go with you guys, too," Rainbow Dash sighed while flying over to the ponies.
Scootaloo died twice.
"Mrs. Cake wanted me to keep an eye out for Pinkie since she's had a 'crazy overdose' on sugar today."
"Cool! So let's go," Sweetie Belle chimed in.
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders -- and Keebar and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash -- are off!"
Rainbow Dash groaned. "Are you guys still doing that thing?"
"Eeyup!"
"Whatever. Let's just get to Zecora’s already; I was supposed to go to a Wonderbolt's shirt-and-hat signing convention today."
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Chapter Two coming soon!
