Alpha's Sojourn

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. The furious thuds pounded the door to the ramshackle hut Alpha belived to be the domicile of the zebra. "Zebra are you in there," no response, "zebra?" KNOCK KNOC KNOCK. Still nothing. "I shall assume that you are in danger and will break the door down if you dont answer in the next two seconds."

"Careful now you lumbering oaf, for I am trying to bake a thank you loaf. Now I will open the door, slowly as I am quite sore." After a a few heavy thumps the doorknob creaked, and the door slid opened. Bowing his head so as not to hit the doorway and into the inviting home of the zebra, Alpha was assaulted by a plethora of tantalizing aromas most noticeably a loaf of banana bread still in the oven. Before he could take another step inside his wrists jerked back, the two boulders chained to his forearms stuck just outside the doorway.

" I  do belive that I'll stay here for the time being," he said with an akward chuckle. "You have a lovely home miss ... uh I'm sorry I didnt seem to catch your name."

"You are not mistaken I never gave my name, in this matter I am to blame.  In this town i am called Zecora, I collect various flora."

"Well Zecora thank you for having me in your home but why were you draining sap from that wooden golem," he said while glancing around the room. "I didn't think that their sap was good for anything?"

"This 'golem' you call it has sap of many uses, one of wich includes panaceas."

"Neat. May I ask where you learned your apothecary skills," Alpha asked his eyes still scaning the intricately carved masks, and totems while only one painting held his attention.

"In my land of Zebrica I earned my skills with a pot, as for the painting you've been eying I picked that up in Canterlot."

"Canterlot you say. By any chance was this painting from the royal castle."

"No this painting is a reproduction, though it was in the place you mention."

"Hmmm so it is in the castle," Alpha said attempting to stroke his chin only to be stopped by the chains adorning his wrists.

" I may know of a way to get your rocks off-"

"Whoa. Slow down there we only just met, at leas let me buy you a drink first."

"A way to ease your predicament, your idea is not what I meant."

"Remove the boulders how?" The excitement in his voice nearly palpable.

"An easy thing it would be to use, the sap which thanks to you I didnt lose."

"Wait didn't you need that sap for a pancake or some thing I couldn't, wouldn't take something someone else needed."

"Panacea, and there is more sap than enough sap for what I need," a sly smile spread across the zebras' face, "for I am not completly free  of the sin of greed."

"So you're telling me that you're willing to give me sap that coud be used for a cure all simply to remove a burden from my shoulders." He stated, a grimace slowly spreading across his face. " I couldn't it would go against my nature to allow such a thing to happen, no matter how easy it might make things for me but thank you for the offer."

"My offer will not stop for it shall only take a single drop. For to remove the boulders you see I need only a drop out of necessity. The panacea will be made, a few missing drop it will not dissuade."

"If thats the case then I only have one question? Do I get to keep the banana bread too."

"Of course my friend, I would have it no other way in the end."

With that final consent Zecora set off mixing fragant herbs and bubbling potions sitting in clear crystal vials. Alpha watched the zebra work her craft and remembered of his own skills , having been honed after centuries of persistence, wondered if they had stood the test of time as well as his body had. An audible crack was heard when Alpha arched his now stiff back and chuckled hoping that his skills had endured the test of time.

Following hours of intense flight Chitin was finally able to resume his changeling form being far enough from civilization no-one would dare even glance this far into the forest. Unfortunately for him the toll on his body didn't lighten the strain he was feeling. Muscles ached , lungs burned and a heart that threatened to rip its way out of his chest all added up to a barely conscious changeling, but before his eyelids could slip him I to the sweet, sweet state of unconsciousness his eyes caught sight of the changeling palace. The magnificent pitch-black towers erupted from the valley floor as a brilliant green sheen caught on the afternoon sun. Finally he thought, tongue hanging halfway out of his mouth.

Just before he reached the palace gates he touched down, and took a moment to catch his breath. Unfortunately for him his legs decided that it was time for him to become reaquainted with the ground wich at that time looked exceedingly comfortable. He was out before he hit the ground, leaving a pair of guards wondering why this changeling had deciced to take a nap on the sidewalk.

Twilight and Fluttershy barreled down the streets, Twilight yelling at random ponies to keep away from the Everfree. While most ponies gave them a wide berth a certain grey coated, blond maned, wall-eyed pegasus mare, currently sporting a mail mare cap and a pair of saddlebags filled with the day's mail ready to be delivered, decided to see what all the frackus was about.

"Hey girls what's up?"

"STAY AWAY FROM THE EVERFREE FOREST," replied Twilight eliciting a recoil from the now terrified grey mare.

"Sorry Ditzy, it's just that there's been some activity from over the Everfree and we want to make sure that everypony steers clear for the time being," replied Fluttershy clearly mortified by the outburst given by Twilight.

"It's alright no need to worry, but while on the subject of the forest I wanted to know if you two would be willing to deliver a package to Zecora given recent events, I'm not sure im up to the task anymore," she said with a half hearted chuckle.

"We'd be happy to, and sorry about scaring you earlier we just didnt want anypony getting hurt from what could be lurking in the Everfree," said the now sheepish Twilight taking the package from Ditzy, a furious blush having long since bloomed.

"Alright thanks you guy's now I gotta be off before my boss yells at me again," with a flap  she was off and the grey blur streaked off torwards the unfortunate residential section of Ponyville.

Soon after their little distraction the duo were off to Zecoras' to both deliver the package and warn her of the possible danger.

The minutes ticked away unnoticed as Alpha sat enthralled by every miniscule detail of the portrait hanging on the wall, while Zecora prepared the rock removal remedy. The monotonous grinding of the mortar and pestle along with the thick scent of the various herbs hanging in the air began to dredge up long forgotten memories from deep within the minotaurs' mind. For an instant Alphas mind drifted into the far past.

A valley spread out before him, fields of wildflowers waved at his back. A single step forward, and he was off to the windswept vale below. The scent of wildflowers carried on the soft breeze as he approached his destination, the small changeling village nestled next to a river lying deep within the heart of the valley. The hours blinked like seconds as he traversed the winding trail leading to the changeling hamlet. Soft hands passed through his short mane, trying in vain to ease the mounting nervousness in his chest, soon however the changeling town came into view and smoke was seen emanating from several rooftops. Eventually he reached the village proper "THE HIVE" it read.

"Enjoying our little town there city boy," came a feminine voice as smoothe as silk.

"Now whoever said I was a city boy and 'THE HIVE' sounds like a pretty big name for such a puny place," Alpha retorted with a snap.

"It's only looks small because it just starting out soon though it will grow into a magnificent kingdom grander than you could ever imagine," came a flustered response.

"Anyways," snapped Alpha turning to his counterpart in this debate, "could I haAAve your name please."

"What never seen a changeling before," the blush visibly rising in her cheeks.

"W-what of course I've seen changelings before, hundreds in fact," Alphas' own cheeks begining to turn scarlet.

"Really because this is the only changeling colony in all of equestria. And the name's Chrysalis by the way," a certain cockieness gaining ground in her voice.

"Well 'Chrysalis' I have been sent with a gift for your leader to harbor peace between the changeling and the minotaur races, so now lead on," he stated his mission being the sole focus of his attentions now.

"Alright now follow me, and try to keep up," a smirk creeping across her lips while she broke into a full gallop. Alpha being no slouch fell into step directly behind her.

CRASH. Was all Alpha heard when he was snapped out of his day dreaming. Below him he saw the remains of what was once a ceramic plate and a peeved Zecora staring at him.

"Were you contemplating some past sin," she paused for a moment expecting a reply after receiving none she continued, " if not then let us begin."

"Alright lets get this over with, but first lets get some place a bit further away so as not to ruin your lovely front garden(too late for that)."

"Now let us get further away, and remove those mounds of clay."

With that they left Zecoras' home and headed a bit further into the woods. A short walk later they had reached a small clearing with Alphas boulders in tow. Once there Zecora pulled two small glass jars both filled about halfway with a grey-ish paste. Without hesitating the zebra trotted torwards the boulders and smashed the jars against the rocks where the stone and chain met. Alpha sat there dumbfounded as the rock began to sizzle, smoke, and dissolve the rock before his very eyes. Time slowed to a crawl aw he saw all but the metal pegs that were pounded into the rock before his very eyes all those centuries ago dissolve into nothing.

"Thank you," muttered Alpha as tears of joy streamed down his cheeks, "but there are two more things that pain me to ask of you. First I must ask that you forget all about me, I don't know if I am being followed but for your sake forget I ever existed. Secondly I have to...to hurt you," the pain in his voice becoming apparent, "to make sure that even if I am being followed and we were seen it'll look as though you were only being used and will divert any attention you recive because of me."

"I agree, but before you run off and leave me lame would you kindly give me your name."

Before she could recive a response one of Alphas massive fists slammed into her abdomen knocking the wind out of her and slamming her against a tree. Just as the zebra lay on the edge of consciousness the minotaur leaned in close and let out a barely audible whisper, "Alpha."