Of Cutie Marks, Questions, and Legends
"Girls!" called Applejack, "Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are here ta take ya to—" she began hacking as dust swirled around her, courtesy of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' volatile arrival, "—Zecora's." Applejack coughed again before mumbling under her breath, "Poor zebra. Don't know what she's gettin' herself into."
"Ah haven't seen Zecora in ferever," Apple Bloom yelled, sprinting around an apple tree.
"I know, her hut is almost as cool as Dash's house," Scootaloo agreed, flapping her young wings in anticipation as she chased her friend.
"I can't wait to learn about all those potions." Sweetie Belle added as she jumped haphazardly over puddles.
Apple Bloom's pupils expanded along with her grin as she stopped, forcing Scootaloo to veer around her into a nearby bush. "Gosh, do ya think we'll get to make some potions?"
Scootaloo rolled her eyes before sticking her head back out of the brush and thinking out loud, "I wan'a make some cool masks."
"I wonder what kind of songs she could teach me?" added Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo jumped in place. "I bet I can practice flying by—"
The conversation became a cacophony of overlapping speech, shrieks, and squeaks as each filly attempted to share their own ideas and goals for the day in a new and relatively unexplored environment.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stood to the side for several moment; Dash letting the fillies burn of energy while Fluttershy tried to get a word in. "Oh, um, girls. Girls? We should really head out now."
The three crusaders stopped and in perfect unison screamed, "Cutie Mark Crusaders Party at Zecora's, yay!" and immediately charged Fluttershy.
Applejack stood shaking her head with a smile at the terrible trio as Rainbow Dash walked up next to her, "They’re almost as bad as we were at that age."
"What're ya talk'in 'bout, Dash?" Applejack said as she prodded Dash with a hoof to the ribs. "I seem ta remember a certain rainbow-striped pegasus accidentally covering the mayors house with a rainbow while practicing her 'weather control'" finished Applejack with air quotes.
They shared a deep laugh. "Oh. I forgot about that one. The look on the mayor's face, priceless. Thanks AJ."
"No sweat, Dash. Though you should probably round up those little troublemakers if you don't want them tuckered out." Applejack said as she looked back at the foals circling Fluttershy at near dangerous speed.
Dash looked back toward her charges, and Fluttershy. "Yeah, those squirts can really be a hoof-full." Fluttershy looked up from the frenzied friends, and smiled at her own.
Rainbow turned to face her challengers. "Yah hear that, squirts! If you want to go crusading at Zecora's, you need to calm—" the two ground-bound fillies crashed into Scootaloo as she suddenly halted. The momentum carrying all three head over hoof into an apple tree. "—down," Dash finished as all three adults grimaced.
Fortunately for the now filthy fillies, the apple trees had been bucked clean a few days prior.
"Sounds like a good idea," said Scootaloo, face hidden at the bottom of the pile.
"Okay!" barked Dash at the dazed foals. With a stomp from their escort, the crusaders bounded up in a perfect line and saluted. "Good. Now the flying arrangements today will be as follows."
Smiles had crept their way up the fillies’ faces.
"Sweetie Belle will be riding Fluttershy." The marshmallow filly squee'd and rushed to her butter-colored guardian.
"Apple Bloom will be with me." A single hop brought the previously at-attention filly to the mare's side with a smile. Scootaloo frowned.
"And Sergeant Scoots?"
"Yes, ma'am." The purple haired filly brightened.
"You’re going to grab onto my tail and practice gliding behind me." The orange filly jumped in the air and emitted a victory cry.
"And don't forget to flap during takeoff. Now, formation!"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo proceeded to tackle their ride in glee. Sweetie Belle politely latched onto one of Fluttershy's front legs and smiled up at her. The smile was returned, along with a hug.
They laughed.
Aside from Scootaloo trying to talk once, the flight to Zecora's was both uneventful and quick.
The two adults landed carefully, only to have their charges leap off and dash madly toward the front of the exotic hut where a familiar silhouette was framed by the doorway. "Good day fillies, how are you? Come and have some lily pad stew."
The three crusaders, who were in the middle of their glee-filled charge, skidded, in unison, to a halt in front of Zecora.
Fluttershy and Rainbow dash both stiffed a giggle.
"Lily pad stew?" asked Scootaloo with a poorly concealed grimace.
Sweetie Belle, frowning, quickly added, "Um, that sounds, interesting?"
"Why thank you dear Sweetie Belle. I'll tell you, it tastes quite swell. It's made to taste like chilies. In the pad it cooks and when the time is right, I add a spice most filling."
"Oh!" came the unanimous reply.
"I can help," volunteered Sweetie Belle with big round eyes.
"I wonder," pondered Apple Bloom aloud, "could you cook applesauce in a big apple fer extra flavor?"
"I like chilies," declared Scootaloo.
"Please, may I help?" asked Sweetie as she put on her poutiest face.
Apple Bloom stuck her face next to Sweetie's. "Can ya show me how to cook somethin' in an apple?"
"Do you have, um, Tabaco?" said Scootaloo with a smile as she stuck her face up against Apple Bloom's other cheek.
Three pairs of eyes stared up at the striped caretaker, the hope of a lifetime filling the space between them.
Zecora smiled. "Yes, no, yes. Tabasco is the best. But over open flame, apples are too thin to rest."
"Awww," said the ribboned filly with a pout.
"Well," said Dash as she shook her tail out, "I'm off to go do some practice. You coming Shy?"
"Oh, uh, no." Said the pink haired mare frowning as she looked down. "I think I'm going to stay around in case Zecora needs some help. These three can be a bit challenging to keep track of."
"Why these three Shy," said Zecora gesturing to the three fillies as they adopted a synchronized angelic formation complete with halos. "Why do you deny, you want to be here, with me, and share some lunch with these three." Zecora said with a wink.
Fluttershy blushed. "O-oh, well, if you have extra, I mean I don't want to be any trouble. But I would like to try your recipe. Though I did have a late breakfast..."
Zecora smiled. "It is settled then, you can eat with me and them."
The rainbow mare waved, "Bye, Shy. See ya, girls."
The Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all said their goodbyes.
"G'bye Dash."
"Bye."
"Bye Rainbow Dash, see ya in a couple hours."
Dash saluted before spreading her wings. "Yep, an hour before sundown."
The three fillies and two mares waved as Rainbow Dash flapped strongly, quickly rising above the ominous forest.
"Come, my friends, let us eat. And then, for you, I have a treat."
"Ye-haw!" Apple Bloom yelled as she pumped her hoof in the air.
"Weeee!" Sweetie Belle squee’d as she bounded toward the door.
"Hooray food, I'm starving!" Scootaloo said as she sprinted directly toward the door, the others quickly following her example.
"Thank you Zecora," said Fluttershy as the two grown equines walked into the already invaded house.
"Not a problem, Fluttershy. I might need another's eye."
Fluttershy giggled as they watched the tenacious scamps get stuck trying sit in the same seat.
"Yeh, earth ponies are the best!"
"Nu-uh, pegasi are better."
"Unicorns are—"
"Girls," Fluttershy said, stepping up before the conversation could escalate. The fillies turned to listen to their respected elder. "I think you are forgetting something very important."
"What?" came the synchronized reply.
The smiling pegasus simply stated "Alicorns."
The ponies giggled.
Zecora smiled happily, "Very nice miss Fluttershy. It’s is time to eat, and then to work we can apply."
"Work!" shouted the fillies in complaint.
The zebra smiled at the energy of the three fillies with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Crusading for cutie marks, aye."
The crusaders smiled back with a similar twinkle.
Potion making, one of the most anticipated activities, quickly diverted into impromptu firefighting practice after Sweetie Belle added manzanita bark to a teakettle before adding the water while making tea for Scootaloo's poison oak exposure. The potential rash was acquired when Scootaloo dived into some poison oak to retrieve a mask that was supposed to ask the spirits for forgiveness when Scootaloo had accidentally began to sing a zebra song of spirit banishing instead of a zebra song of spirit honoring. The forgiveness mask had been flung when Apple Bloom attempted to scare off a terrifying little bipedal fey—which Zecora latter identified as a harmless brownie—with her 'karate' moves.
The Brownie had likely been attracted to the broccoli that Scootaloo had tried to discreetly throw away when Zecora made some to replace her lily pad stew, which got knocked on the floor when Scootaloo began wrestling with Apple Bloom to determine who was the best pony, Rainbow Dash or Applejack.
The smoke from the fire had attracted a small swarm rare wasps. The wasps attempted to lay their eggs in both the burned hut and the accompanying ponies. Zecora had to bring out a special bug repellant which Fluttershy fanned at them.
As sunset approached, with fires out and fillies fed, brownies chased and forgiveness plead, all five equines collapsed upon the floor, freshly cleaned of both tree sap and sweat.
Fluttershy turned to Zecora with a blush, partially hidden by her hair. “Zecora, that shampoo you used to get rid of the tree sap worked quite well. I am very impressed. Um, do you think you could make some that I could give to Applejack and Rarity for, um, next time?" The words were soft-spoken so only Zecora could hear.
With a friendly whisper Zecora replied. "Why yes dear Fluttershy, I can make a nice supply."
"Thank you."
Zecora turned around with a smile to face the fillies. "Well my little fillies, it appears we are all tired. How about I read to you while we snuggle by the fire?"
"Sounds good to me, I'm so beat my wings might fall off." Scootaloo said as she snuggled up next to her fellow crusaders as Zecora brought out a few book choices from one of her many shelves.
"Zecora? I, um, think I'll make some tea for everypony, if that's alright?"
"Why thank you dear Fluttershy. Why don’t you give the mint a try?"
"Oh, I do love a good mint tea. Is that okay with you girls?"
Sweetie Belle smiled as she accepted the offer. Apple Bloom nodded. Scootaloo shrugged
"Okay my charges, let us pick. We still have an hour to kick." The three fillies nodded.
Zecora singled out a particularly well-used tome, worn from generations of use, and turned to the first chapter. "We have Shango of Oye, the sky father. In this legend he is the spirit of thunder."
Apple Bloom shrugged, Sweetie Belle pulled back with a frown, and Scootaloo smiled as she sat up and nodded vigorously.
Zecora turned to a different legend. "The Queen of Ethiopia who, with her malformed not-hoof, married great Solomon, though it ended aloof."
Applebloom just looked at her friends, Sweetie Belle's ears perked up as she nodded, Scootaloo sat back down, rolling her eyes.
Another page turned. "The goddess that is earth. In charge of fire, wind, flesh, and milk for birth and kin."
Applebloom looked back toward Zecora and cocked her head, Sweetie Belle giggled, and Scootaloo’s face scrunched in confusion. "Zebra's think milk comes from the earth?"
"No my child, we do not. But for my ancestors, they did not know a lot." Zecora turned another page, and smiled.
"How about to you I portray the story of everlasting day?"
The three fillies all sat up attentively. "You mean like reverse Nightmare Moon?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"Reverse Night—Oh excuse me, did you say you had a story about Luna Zecora?" asked Fluttershy as she set down cups for tea with her wings.
"That, I would not say. Her name I did not know until last May."
Scootaloo piped up excitedly. "Well then, what did you call her?"
"We called her Mawu, the goddess blue. She had a sister Liza, I believe you call her Celestia."
"Wow," said a wide eyed Apple Bloom.
"Neat," Sweetie Belle said leaning in.
"Freaky cool." Scootaloo added as she flared her wings in anticipation.
Fluttershy leaned in to catch a glimpse of the book. "Oh my, that does seem like a coincidence. I mean, with Zebrambabwe so far away. Did your people know Celestia and Luna?"
"We did not dear Fluttershy, but to their whim we did comply. Mawu, the moon, could make lover's hearts swoon. She was the goddess to mothers, and brought coolness to others. She was our relief from a harsh day. And to her we did primarily pray."
Apple Bloom interrupted, frowning, "Harsh days?"
"Yeah!" added Scootaloo scrunching her face in thought. "What's so harsh about the day?"
"It must be really hot in Zebram-ba-way?" said Sweetie Belle with her chest out proudly; a scrunched look upon her face.
Zecora nodded in response. "It is more so there my friends, then the hottest day here can comprehend. The legends tell of Mawu and Liza, creating the world with the serpent Da. So to them, we have respect, in the end."
"Da?" came the unanimous reply from the four ponies.
"Da-Da-Da... Discord?" Fluttershy squeeked, wide eyed.
"Da-Da-Da-Discord!" echoed the fillies as they shifted closer together.
Zecora smiled calmingly. "Though it was ages ago, I do believe so."
"Bu-bu-bu-but, are you saying," Fluttershy gulped as she hid behind her hair, "Discord helped create the world, and that he worked with Celestia and Luna?"
Zecora nodded.
Sweetie Belle piped in. "But how does this zebra Legends explain Nightmare Moon?"
Zecora smiled as Fluttershy settled in and set down the tea to cool.
A day like any other. The zebra's rose from their cots and their beds, their hammocks, or the floor. They slept however they felt most comfortable. Some alone, and some as a family. In the arms of their loves, or cuddled around their foals.
They rose with the sun, bid Mawu a good sleep, and thanked Liza for the light while asking for a moderate day's heat.
The farmers prayed to Mbaba Mwana Waresa before going to tend their crops. The variety was small, simple amaranth and leaf cabbage, eggplant and palava. But the crops were healthy and as well-maintained as any earth pony farm, despite the heat.
The fishers trod to the nearby river to catch black ratfish. They would trap them in nets and feed them the bugs that were collected in the fields. The black ratfish were honorable and, after being fed and kept safe in the nets, would go collect shells and weeds and the fruits that fell into the river. The black ratfish had been fair to trade with as far back as the zebra could remember. Legend told of a great fire that trapped the black rats. Ymoja, river goddess and ruler of women and children saw the rats and their doom. She saved them with a grand wave that swept the fire aside and then receded to let the rats escape. As thanks, the rats gave themselves to the river where they now spend the rest of eternity keeping it clean so their savior can rest just a little bit easier.
As the sun rose to its midday peak, gatherers returned from foraging, and farmers stepped into the welcoming shade to share the midday meal with their community. The midday meal was the favorite part of the day for most of the villagers. Besides getting out of the sun, it provided a time and a place for meeting friends and family, and relief during the hottest part of the day. The variety of food was great; soups and salads, fruits and roots, bread and vegetables all served to the hard workers and hard-playing foals. The occasional palm wine appeared with some of the older or scruffier equines. But that was accepted. They had all been up since dawn or earlier, and most wouldn’t go to sleep until after it was dark.
Normally, after an hour and a half to eat and rest, the farmers would go back to the farms, the gatherers would go back to their woods and shrubberies, the foals would go back to playing, and the cooks would begin to prepare for the evening meal. As soon as the sun was far enough into the horizon, everyone would pitch in again.
But the sun did not head toward the horizon.
The shadows did not come to play.
The temperature did not go down.
The workers, already sweaty from their morning exertions, looked about with confusion and worry. The foals stayed in the shade, talking in hushed tones lest an adult overhear them and dismiss their fears.
One hour had passed expectantly.
A second hour passed in confusion.
The third passed in fear.
By the fourth, the adults had organized. The mob rested in the shade and talked.
They talked about gods. They talked about demons.
They talk of foals and families and fruits, and finally, they talked to their shamans.
Their shamans always lived away from the villages, away from the foals, the fearful, the cautious, and the callous. But the shamans welcomed all to their dwellings. Greeting masks to welcome kind spirits greeted the zebra, as always. Only a few zebra had been sent because only a few zebra could be accommodated into any of the small shamanistic huts. And nozebra wanted to be left in the sun that day.
They sent their oldest who was wisest, their fittest who was fearless, and one young adventurous foal who would not be turned away by even the most grizzled of warriors.
Three shamans greeted them: The elder, the practitioner and the apprentice.
The six shared a cup of tea. It was the two eldest who spoke first.
They spoke of gods, the jealous Liza who had likely rebelled against her favored sister whom the Zebra and others worshiped for bringing relief to the savanna.
They spoke of Mawu and how the creator of all made water from the dreams of day creatures while they slept.
Liza, with her light so bright, prevented the sleep, prevented the dreams, and prevented the water. She would doom them all.
Something had to be done, but to defy a goddess was to curse the tribe.
So a plan was devised. The elders, too old to travel in such oppressive heat, would pray and plead and bargain with Liza, then Mawu, and then the other gods.
The adult Zebra would travel across the lands to try and find the home of the gods and goddesses. They would then explain their situation and either beg for forgiveness and help, or try to bargain within the meager means of the tribe. The young zebra would collect as much water as they could and store it in the coolest place they could find. They would do their best to preserve themselves along with a few adults who would remain to teach them, should they alone survive.
The elders prayed and begged and worshiped. They blistered in the sun.
The shamans used all of their magic to try and lessen the torment. Those that stayed home due to age managed to make small clouds to help protect against the sun and heat. But they could not make it rain, and the clouds would soon dissipate. They created creams to rub on skin to protect against the sun, and poultices to help with the burns that still occurred. Where the poultices overlapped became the white stripes of the zebra. Everything else blackened in the fiery gaze of the solar eye.
The Shaman that traveled with the other adults did much the same as the shamans that stayed. Small clouds followed the weary travelers and provided shade as they made their way across the earth goddess’ shell. As they traveled, the waters dried up, the supplies ran low, and the predators became more desperate.
After three days of blistering heat and blinding light. All hope seemed lost in the savanna. But then on the horizon, a mighty white and grey cloud appeared. Angered by the torment of the innocent, Shango, god of Thunder, Storm, War, and Magick, raced to the aid of the remaining zebra youth. The curtain was violently pulled across the land, burying all light as raw lightning, all sound into the thunder, and all the heat into warm water that poured from the skies like one would poor a bucket of water.
Beneath the wind that alone could put out the worst brush fire, the zebra's cowered in their soggy straw-covered mud huts.
The sound of celestial war raged as gods fought above the cover of the clouds. Sounds greater than the mightiest thunder echoed across the land. Giant rocks of great variety fell from the sky in cascades of shattered stone. Only the torrent of rain kept the dust clouds from choking the land. The earth itself was rent apart and to this day has not healed. The war raged for three hours, one for each day of torment. And in the end, amidst the wetness and the wind, the darkness deepened. The zebras huddled in that darkness.
After another day in the dark, the sky brightened ever so slightly. And eventually the clouds cleared.
The zebra knew of what one calls a flash flood. And it was to prevent losses from such a disaster that the zebra built their homes upon the few hills and away from the rivers. It was this measure that saved their homes, for what awaited the zebra in the waning twilight was a mass of water so great that only the hills and the huts that stood atop them were not covered.
The great sea that flooded the land took weeks to fully evaporate and run off. In the meantime, the zebra drank themselves silly with the once-precious liquid. Beneath the much beloved moonlight, the now-striped children of the savanna played in the wet and drank of its life-giving essence.
They danced with the song birds and swam with the ratfish. They played with the hippo and shared land with the elephants.
And through that night, the tribe gave thanks to the mysterious mare in the moon.
They vowed to one day return the favor and release whatever being took over the duties of Mawu and saved the zebra people. It was only fair.
And so, since that day, zebra have spread across the four corners of the world in hopes of finding more on how to free their mysterious savior deity.
“I,” said Zecora with a content smile, “was one of those Zebra.”
Silence reigned around the room. Even Rainbow Dash, who arrived halfway through the tale, was speechless.
Zecora smiled.
Scootaloo finally spoke up. "So let me get this straight, the zebra wanted to free Nightmare Moon?"
"Well, it kinda makes sense," replied Sweetie Belle. "I mean, if they were on the other side of the world, then instead of eternal night they would have had eternal day. They wouldn't have known what really happened or whose fault it was."
"Correct little fillies, and I might add, to your Princesses’ disrespect was not meant to be had."
Applebloom spoke up, questioningly. "But if y'all released the one you thought saved you, then wouldn'tcha all suffer again an' die?"
"Yes my dear, but we did not fear. Without our savior, we would have been dead. As such we forged ahead."
"I can respect that," said the Rainbow Dash. "I mean, if she saved you, you kind of owed it to her to return the favor."
Zecora nodded, accepting what she saw as praise.
Surprise dawned on Scootaloo's face. "Rainbow Dash, when did you get here?"
"Oh, around when Zecora was talking about the shaman meeting with the other zebra."
"Wait!" said Apple Bloom with a pout, "Does that mean we got'ta go home now."
"Yup."
"Awww." echoed all three fillies.
Rainbow Dash and Zecora shared a look. "Well, maybe one more story."
A scream of "Yay!" quickly filled the ears of the adults as Rainbow Dash was pulled down to the floor beneath the three fillies.
AU Notes: The African legends and names I used are real, as are their domains. I did borrow from several cultures, so there is some overlap that makes little or no sense in real world lore, should one look into it. I also use my own interpretations of said deities, and created my own interpretation of how the "African" people saw them and I had little reference, but please know I mean no disrespect. If anything I hope this encourages people to explore different cultures.
Mawu, Liza, and Da can be found here.
The other African legends can be found here and at wikipedia.
Ymoja and Mbaba Mwana Waresa , and a list of other gods, can be found here
Yes, sequels are a definite possibility.
I own no rights to any aspect of MLP, and claim none of the characters presented as my own.
