Chapter 1: The Zebra and the Fireplace
In some cultures around the world who believe in spirits, it is said that ghosts often attach themselves to objects they cherished in life. In reality, such notions are technically impossible, however, the idea behind it is an understandable one. Regardless of what creature you are or what practices you may have, some objects hold a significant value in the memories that we put in them. Subjectively, for example, a teddy bear for many is just a stuffed toy, nothing more. But to a child that latched onto that, the toy becomes something worth constructing memories from as it could be a playmate, friend, gradian, protector even.
This idea extends to everyday objects such as paintings, chairs, mirrors, books, etc… But the point is that to some, such things could be considered junk to be thrown away. Yet, to others, the same things could have some significant meaning behind them.
Now, why do I bring this up?
Ever since I moved to Ponyville for the sake of gaining a new job as Vice-Headmare at the School of Friendship, one of the requirements was to pick up teaching. Normally I would be more than happy to discuss history all day long, but I tend to find that I work best when I have objects to teach with. Artifacts of certain periods help make the past connect to students in the present, to help them describe what this or that object was not only used for, but the meaning behind said object. Besides, Ponyville is pretty much the antique capital of Equestria so I have no shortage of that.
Not to mention that once I bought a house where I collected antiques to make my new home more comfortable. A Classical Pegasi vase with the depiction of the ancient gods here, a group of hoof-crafted chairs from a hundred years ago there, an early Tiffany-glass lamp in the living room, and a Mareval tapestry in the hallway. That, and rows of books shelves of nearly every shape and size to help accommodate my library that I had to move from the Crystal Empire.
“So, what else needs to be done now?” This was the question that Starlight had asked me. By the time this story started, she was helping me move the furniture in, especially when most of it was bought from the local antique shop. We had moved the final heavy piece which was a dresser into my bedroom.
I brushed the sweat from my forehead. “I’m pretty sure that’s everything now. Thanks again for helping me out with this.”
“Hey, I would do the same for any of my friends any day. After all, I know that this is still a lot for you to move from the Crystal Empire.”
“Well like I said, Flurry is growing up and my duties as a Crystaler are now more for special occasions now. At least this helps me give me something to do.”
“Glad to hear that.” Starlight said as we walked out of my bedroom, and down the stairs where before she left asked, “Out of curiosity, there is something I wanted to ask you about.”
“What’s that?”
“Out of all the houses in Ponyville you could have chosen to live in, why this one? I mean, the school is nearly on the other side of town, and you kinda have chosen a rather boring neighborhood to be in.”
“Well, yes, that is true. But with me, I’m a simple guy that has simple needs. I mean, I don’t exactly need to live in a palace or anything. However, I think it’s a cozy little place and this house has something that the others didn’t have.”
She tilted her head. “Yeah? And what’s that?”
I pointed to her towards the mantel. Of course, she was rather confused at first, "This. Out of everything in this house, that fireplace might predate it by several generations."
“What makes you say that?” She asked when she looked at it.
“Apart from the fact that the wood is different compared to the house, the craftsmanship is very detailed. It's too detailed if I say so myself. I believe it's Prench Rococo by the looks of the amount of decoration. Also, if you look carefully, there are some signs that it used to have a thin layer of gold leaf on it once. Not only that, but the inlay tile inside is without question a style that predates Ponyville itself.”
My new boss blinked. “Translation?”
“I think, this fireplace wasn’t built-in along with the house, but it came from someplace else. I don’t think it’s even from Equestria either.”
Starlight hummed. “Okay, so if that’s the case, where did it come from?”
“No idea, but I think I may know a way to answer that question.” She asked me what I meant. “Remember a while back that you invented an illusion spell where it makes it look like you’ve stepped into the past?”
“Oh!” It clicked in her. “I see what you’re doing. You want to tweak it to where you can see where the fireplace came from.”
I shrugged, “Call it a poor mare's time travel, but I think that spell might be of some great use to look into the past through the objects themselves. If you still have a copy of the spell, I might arrange it so that it could happen.”
“No need,” Starlight told me as she suddenly took out a piece of parchment and a pen, and scribbled on it for a moment before hoofing it over to me. “Here you go.”
‘Huh… that was convenient.’ I thought as I looked over through it. “You know, I tend to keep forgetting how much of a genius you are when it comes to these things.”
“What can I say? I was taught by the best.” She shrugged. “We could try it out now if you like.”
Now that caught my attention. More than anything, I do want to satisfy my curiosity about my home’s oddity. Where it came from, who owned it, and how far back would it allow us to see? Without hesitation, I gladly agreed for her to show me a demonstration of the spell in action.
Her horn lit up, and I watched as she shot at the mantle where her aura encompassed it before shooting above our heads, letting the spell commence. Starlight’s aura swirled around us like the wind, turning and twisting our perception for the illusion to work. Within a moment, I awed over at what we saw. My newly furnished home had given way to a large room, one with wooden panels, gold leaf ceilings in complex designs, high windows with towering curtains, and lit candles everywhere. Spinning around, it took me a moment to realize that I was in a Prench-style Salón. However, I was confused when I looked out the window to find palm trees swaying in the evening sky as stars were starting to come out.
“Where do you come from?”
I think this caught both of us off guard as I nor Starlight had said that. If anything, we spun towards the direction of the fireplace to find a colt, a small Zebra colt that had a white shirt, and brown breeches, and his mane pulled back into a ponytail. The colt was playing as he had his toys of tin soldiers laid about. However, what startled us (Starlight especially) wasn’t that the colt was there. Rather, he was looking right at us.
“Uh…” I looked over to Starlight, who was taken aback by this. “Is this supposed to happen?”
“How did you two get here?” The colt asked again. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
By now, I noticed that the colt’s accent was off. What I mean is that it didn’t sound like the kind that someone like Zecora would talk, rather, it was noticeably Prench in tone.
“We’re uh…” I had to think of something. “We’re just here to uh… check on the fireplace. Yes, we’re here to make sure that everything is working fine.” I went over to the fireplace which, I could see that this spell had made it look as if it was restored to its former glory being shiny and covered in gold.
“Who are you two?” The colt insisted on asking. “Where do you come from?”
“Uh…” Starlight cleared her throat. “I am Starlight and this is my friend Sunburst. And what do you mean, where do we come from? This is Ponyville, isn’t it?”
He tilted his head in confusion. “Where is that?”
By now, it clicked. “Excuse me uh… what’s your name again?”
“Boulogne,” he answered. “Jozèf Boulogne.”
‘Odd name,’ I thought. “So uh, Jozèf, where do you think we are?”
He blinked. “The Salón. My home.”
“Okay, and where is your home?”
This question must have been so absurd to him that he laughed. “On the island of Gulloploupe, of course!”
“As in, the Carrotbean?” Starlight questioned but was still confused.
“Yes Madame,” he nodded.
“And uh…” I asked the colt a question that, the more I think about is pretty weird and quickly tried to find a way to make it sound normal: “What’s today’s date?”
“The twenty-second of September?”
“No, I mean… what year do you think this is?”
He tilted his head. “Seven-hundred-and-fifty-two. Why?”
Before I could try to come up with a response, there was a sudden call of, “Jozèf? Are you in here? It’s time for bed.” Within a moment, a Zebra mare entered. Starlight and I could tell right away what we were looking at, from the clothing that was significantly poorer compared to the colt that she was a slave. Suddenly, many things clicked into place: the year, the location, and the fireplace were linking us to the past. In particular, to a Prench colony during a time before slavery was abolished.
“Mama,” the colt got up and approached her, “is Papa expecting anypony coming tonight?”
“What are you talking about?” she asked, putting him up on her back, “it’s too late for your papa to see visitors.”
He blinked, looking at us he pointed a hoof. “Mama, don’t you see them?”
“See who?” The mother looked around. “The only thing in this room are your toys. We should pick them up unless someone steps on them.”
“But Mama, can’t you see them? There are two unicorns here?”
The mare, as she walked over to the toys, her eyes went wide with realization. “Ah, I see, you have imaginary friends.” She smiled warmly. “Do they have names?”
“Uh-huh. That one is Starlight,” he pointed a hoof at her before doing the same towards me, “and that one with the cape is Sunburst.”
“Ah,” she said, giving each of us a bow as she was playing along, “Good evening Madame. Good evening Monsieur. I appreciate you keeping him company, but now, it is his bedtime.”
As she turned away, I think Starlight lit up her magic as the room swirled around for a moment until the illusion faded away back into my living room. Blinking, I looked over to Starlight, and her eyes widened. “Judging by your face, something tells me that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“That was a first.” She told me. “The spell… it was supposed to let us look into the past, not interact with it. But… that colt did talk to us, right?”
“But his mother didn’t. So… could he only see us?”
“It must be the only explanation we have. But who was that?”
“I don’t know…” I stroke my goatee. “Something was off about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw what that colt was wearing, right?”
Starlight tilted her head in confusion. “What does that got to do with anything.”
“A lot. You see, in Prench society, especially for that time, the clothing you wore reflected what status you had. His mother was wearing what a maid would have on – especially one in slavery. But the colt… he had on something that only aristocrats wore. And that’s where it doesn’t make sense, because at the time, Zebras in that corner of the world had no rights whatsoever. Just… who was that?”
“At least you got a name,” Starlight said, “if you want to look into this mystery in your off time, you can. But for now, I’d got to get back to the school.”
After we exchanged our goodbyes, I was left alone, staring at the fireplace and holding the copy of the spell in my hoof. I had read many mysteries before, and while most of them were fictional, this one is real. All centered around one question:
Who was Jozèf Boulogne?
