It always seems that the moments when you just want some peace and quiet are the moments when you can't get any. That was certainly Twilight Sparkle's train of thought right now. All she wanted was to read the libraries newest book titled Beasts of the Outer Continents. It detailed a good portion of fauna not seen in Equestria, and as Twilight had been a somewhat of a biology kick lately this book was perfect. Of course, that's what Twilight wanted to do. What she was doing was brushing away distraction after distraction which kept her from her studies.
First, Spike had made the grave announcement that they were all out of ice cream and decreed that more must be acquired immediately. Then Rainbow Dash had come by asking for Pinkie Pie; Twilight hadn't seen her. Next Lyra stopped in the library looking for a book on creatures not found in Equestria, giving Twilight the awkward job of informing her that yes, they had the perfect book, but Twilight herself was using it at for the day. Only moments after Lyra had been successfully repelled, Rarity arrived asking for Twilight to help her model for some dresses, and the request was promptly but politely declined. A few minutes later, Rainbow Dash showed up again asking for Pinkie Pie, and when Twilight said she still hadn't seen her, Dash subjected her to five minutes of interrogation on all the places she might be. Right after that, lo and behold, Spike announced they were out of ice cream once more.
Twilight had just come back from the store and situated herself back in study position when a pounding at the door came for the seemingly hundredth time that day. “Rainbow Dash I swear if that's you out there I'm going to-”
Twilight swung open the door to find that the door's assailant was not in fact Rainbow Dash, which she had assumed based on the volume and frequency of knocks. Instead she found three bright eyed fillies at the door, and while their smiles would appear innocent to the untrained eye, Twilight knew behind them laid unchecked potential for destruction, and more importantly, distraction. Yes indeed, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had arrived on the scene.
“Hey Twilight!” Scootaloo chirped. Without another word or request, all three fillies made their way past Twilight and into the library.
“Hey you three,” Twilight deadpanned, unwilling to feign enthusiasm at this point in her day. “What destructive talent are you crusading for today?”
“Oh we're not crusadin' today!” replied Apple Bloom. “We're learnin'!”
Twilight's eyes lit up at the prospect. Could it be true? Could the Cutie Mark Crusaders have put aside their annihilative ways, even temporarily, in favor of a quest for knowledge? This almost sounded too good to be true. “Well what sorts of things were you trying to learn?” asked Twilight, struggling to contain her excitement.
“We wanted to know where Zecora comes from,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Zecora?” In truth, it was a question Twilight had asked herself before. Of course she knew where Zecora probably came from, but why she was here in Ponyville had always been somewhat of a mystery. “Well that's a good question, but why ask me? Isn't that more a question for Zecora herself?”
“Well sure, but she lives in the Everfree Forest and uh...” Apple Bloom trailed off and looked down at her hooves.
“Their sisters said they're not allowed to go into the Everfree Forest alone anymore,” Scootaloo explained. Twilight had thought when she discovered the Cutie Mark Crusaders were trying to learn something that probably didn't entail a cutie mark, it would the biggest surprise of the day. Now however they were listening to rules too? Who were these fillies and what did they do with the Cutie Mark Crusaders?
“Well did you ask your sisters?”
“Yes, they said we could go if we had an adult with us, but everypony else we asked is busy today,” said Sweetie Belle.
“And what makes you think I'm not busy?”
“You don't look busy to me!” Scootaloo blurt out. Twilight glared in reply.
“What he means is we don't know if yer busy, but if you ain't then we'd like yer help,” Apple Bloom quickly added in.
“Well actually I was...” Twilight sadly looked over to her still barely opened book. “You know what? The universe has made it abundantly clear that it doesn't want me reading that book today. Sure, let's go find Zecora.”
A loud cheer filled the library, and a few minutes later Twilight was out the door with all three crusaders in tow.
The walk to Zecora's hut in the Everfree Forest was in relative quiet. Relative quiet when the Cutie Mark Crusaders are around of course meant a constant stream of idle chatter, but all things considered it could be much worse. When at last they arrived, they were greeted warmly by their zebra acquaintance.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders as well as Twilight. To what do I owe this great delight?”
“These three wanted to ask you some questions, and they needed an adult to take them through the forest,” Twilight explained.
“What sort of things do they wish to know? On you what wisdom shall I bestow?”
“Zecora,” Sweetie Belle began. “Where did you come from? I hadn't even ever heard of zebras before you showed up. Why did you come to Ponyville?”
Zecora smiled. “It's quite the tale, but do you have time? It is long and of course must rhyme.”
“We didn't come all the way out here for nothing!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “Let's here it!”
Zecora nodded and motioned for all four of her visitors to sit. A moment later the story began.
Do gather around and listen well
Prepare for this tale I'm about to tell
My story is one oft untold
But truly a story to behold
I was born in Zebrica where conditions are poor
It is a land scorched and torn by war
Unlike Equestria it is not one nation
But rather where Warlords battle out their frustration
My parents were healers, quite like me
Their potions in high demand during war you see
And while their work did thrive under these conditions
They were sad, since they were no physicians
A healer can only do so much for a wound
And all too often their patients are doomed
Modern medicine is often required
But in Zebrica, it cannot be easily hired
So their lives were filled with despair and pain
And even with money there was little to gain
But however depressing, they could not have left
For if they moved there would only be more death
But when they had a daughter they instantly knew
That there was something they could do
Their own lives they could not save from this place
But for their daughter this was not the case
They sent me away when I was not one year old
Why I was leaving I was not then told
I was delivered to an orphanage somehow
How I arrived I do not know even now
The orphanage was a place also quite sad
But in retrospect it really wasn't so bad
They clothed, fed, and cared for the young
In truth its matrons are heroes unsung
I was too small to remember my original land
The orphanage is the youngest memory I understand
And while there I was often the target of teasing
To the others I was different, and making fun was pleasing
You see, this orphanage never had a zebra before
I was the first to arrive at their door
They catered to ponies for the most part
But taking care of me they found in their heart
Adoption from this place was very rare
So our hopes were never up high in the air
Most grew up still stuck in that spot
Any dreams we had were often for naught
When I was of age, I left on my own
I was determined even though I was quite alone
The orphanage was in a sleepy small township
But I could reach a city in a brief trip
In not too long I arrived in Baltimare
In this metropolis I knew not how I'd fare
But believe it or not, it's here I finally discovered
A part of my heritage I thought would never be recovered
Baltimare is a city of refugee haven
It is a place for creatures even those most craven
I was amazed to find here zebras like me
They had forged out an entire community
Many years I lived there and my culture I did learn
I was trained in healing and my mark I did earn
"Wait wait wait," Scootaloo interrupted. "Zecora, you have a cutie mark?"
"Yes I do, right here on my flank, though I do not blame you for thinking it blank." Zecora turned to the side, showing the sun like symbol on her flank to the three little ponies.
"Ah always just thought that it was something all zebras have when they're born," said Apple Bloom. "What does yours mean?"
"If you had been listening closely you would know, the answer is that healing is what my sun mark does show."
"But you make all kinds of mixtures, not just healing ones," Scootaloo pointed out.
"Of course I have skills in all sorts of brew, but healing is the one in which I am a master true."
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both opened their mouths to ask another question, but it was Sweetie Belle who spoke first and loudest. "Girls! Let's just listen to the rest of the story!"
Both of her friends nodded sheepishly and silenced themselves, allowing Zecora to continue.
Many years I lived there and of my culture I did learn
I was trained in healing and my mark I did earn
I was shown art and craftsmanship and fashion of my race
And never there did my appearance cause me disgrace
On Zebrica my fellows never spoke a lot
A great land they said, did not deserve what it got
They told me of how war was constant there
Of how it was a land filled with despair
I then understood my parents past action
They wanted me to escape, not their own satisfaction
I felt sad, for until that moment I had thought
My parents gave me away for love me they did not
It was not long after I had made up my mind
I would travel to Zebrica and my parents I would find
But I had little money to fund such an expedition
And I knew not I could complete my mission
For years and years I saved up my earnings
So that one day I could satisfy my yearnings
At times I nearly lost hope I would ever have enough
But resilient I was, I had to stay tough
At last one year I had the means to leave
And though now I know I was quite naive
I was filled with hope that my quest would be a cinch
I thought I would find my parents without a hitch
At last one year I had the means to leave
And though now I know I was quite naive
I was filled with hope that my quest would be a cinch
I thought I would find my parents in just a pinch
The orphanage was my journey's first stop
But what I found almost made me drop
My childhood home was all but gone
The sight of the rundown building made me wan
It had been closed down years in the past
What became of the children I never asked
I sought out a matron of the home that was mine
But the state I found her in was less than fine
I consoled her till she could speak
Though her words were still rather weak
I asked the mare for any knowledge she might posses
Of my parents whereabouts but she had nothing to confess
I just showed up on the door one day
No note nor letter or anyway way
To find out what my origins may be
I had no clues, just my wits about me
My first major setback I had hit
But I certainly would not just quit
I had no leads but I proceeded nevertheless
My future destination was only my best guess
To reach Zebrica one must travel over the ocean
I made my way aboard a ship which soon was in motion
My arrival on the continent was the start of an adventure grand
The ones I met and actions I took sent me across the land
That as they say is a story for another time
Suffice to say it's effects on me were both incredible and sublime
In the end I eventually succeeded in my quest
What I found however was far from the best
Much had changed since I'd been here last
My mother explained to me the recent past
Our families' fortune had been undone
When our home nation was overrun
The area became a lawless land
Even the strongest of zebras could hardly withstand
Raiders and crooks went to every village
And each place they arrived they were sure to pillage
When my parents home was ransacked
My parents could not run while they attacked
My father stood up to them which was not wise
For he was killed before my mother's eyes
Zecora took pause at this point in the story.
"Zecora," said Twilight. "If this is too painful for you-"
"Do not worry Twilight, it is okay," Zecora assured. "It has been many years since that fateful day."
"You're sure?"
"Telling this part is never so easy, but skipping it over would be almost sleazy." Zecora took a deep breath and then continued with her tale.
I was devastated to be quite sure
On that day I did greatly mature
My quest was impossible from the start
And I felt a great pain in my heart
But it was not a total loss you see
If you look round my home in Everfree
The treasures which do adorn the wall
Are family heirlooms one and all
From one to another, passed down these were
And from my mother to I was the last transfer
She also told me all about my past
And answered every question I asked.
Explained she did the reasons why
To Zebrica I should say goodbye
There was little I could do to aid the land
To stay goes against what my parents had planned
They only wanted for me a more peaceful life
Away from conflict and away from strife
Where I could help those who had a future at all