Striped Scars

Chapters

Nightmares
Fluttershy's Kindness
Kindness And Comfort.
Beneath The Ashes
Suffering Of The Mind.

Nightmares

The sun stood high in the sky, burning down upon the dried out lands below. The homeland of the zebra's was a place of hardships and trials. Life was hard out in the blazing savannah. Zebra's tended to be reclusive beings, rarely conversing with the other races of Equestria.

A young zebra named Zecora sat on her haunches inside her hut, staring into the dancing bonfire that burned in the centre of the room. She closed her eyes, listening to the hypnotic sound of the crackling fire. She thought back at the day that her father, the chief of her tribe, left on his adventure. Zecora's father wasn't very loved among his tribe but he was their chief nonetheless, they needed him. He was a corrupt man, thinking only of power, spending most of his day studying his dark, shamanistic magic.

"But why are you leaving daddy?" the filly asked, standing next to her father who was rummaging through the chest that contained his belongings. He seemed to be in quite a rush to leave. The large, rough zebra turned to his daughter, smiling softly as he petted her on the head, playfully rustling his hoof through her mane. "When I return, you will be a goddess Zecora! Among all things! Zebra or otherwise!" he said in a zealous voice.

The large zebra finished packing his bags. He turned to his daughter, giving her a quick hug before he rushed out the door. His departure was the last thing the village needed at the time. However, their was a replacement for him. The next person in charge would be his wife, Zecora's mother.

Zecora's mother was a powerful shaman. Her mastery of the zebra magic made her a worthy foe and her leadership and kind personality made her an even worthier ally. She was loved among the people, ushering in a new time of glory for the tribe. And above all that, she still took the time to be around her playful daughter. Zecora meant everything to her. She supported the filly through everything she did in life, cheering her up when she was down.

The second zebra in Zecora's life was Jen. She had always been an odd, stubborn zebra, always ignoring the advice of others, always set on walking her own path. The members of the tribe would often just ignore her. The only person that paid any attention to her was Zecora, her best friend. Zecora and Jen shared a friendship that spanned for over 15 years. From back when they were just fillies to full grown mares. She shared all of her thoughts with Zecora, her hopes her dreams, her thoughts and her secrets. They always had a good time together but as the years went on Jen's behaviour turned from random to down right strange. The zebra would often stutter whenever she was around Zecora. She started to blush at the strangest of times. Another vision shot through Zecora's mind as she stared into the crackling fire.

Zecora stumbled through the dark savannah. The stars and the moon filled the sky with their light. She could barely stand with her friend resting on her back, weighing her down. She peered her eyes in the dark night. She could see what appeared to be her friend's home, standing far away.

"This is the second time I have to carry you home this week!" Zecora grunted at the mildly unconscious Zebra resting on her back. "You!" she panted. "Have got a drinking problem." she said, dragging her hooves over the dry, grassy plains.

"The only time that I've got a drinking problem is when I spill it.." she mumbled, putting a hoof to her bleeding leg to suppress the stinging pain.

"Just know that I wouldn't have carried you here if it wasn't for your leg." she snapped at the intoxicated Zebra. It was a lie and she knew it. She would do anything for her friend at any time. Even if she could be a hoof-full sometimes. She dropped to the floor, allowing Jen to roll off her back in front of the shelter's entrance. "Here we are.. Try not to get yourself hurt while I'm gone." she said as she helped her friend back on her hooves.

Jen quickly closed her eyes in pain as her wounded leg touched the floor. She turned her head to Zecora, still clearly drunk, and gave her a soft smile. "Thanks." she said as she , unthinkingly, pressed her muzzle against Zecora's, kissing her. Zecora's eyes shot open in surprise. A furious red blush crossed her face.

Jen broke the kiss and smiled at Zecora. "Sleep well." The zebra said as she closed the door, leaving a dumbfounded Zecora in the dark night. Her eyes still stood wide open, her cheeks burning with a bright red.

That night Zecora realized that she cared about her friend in a way that was deeper than friendship. Whether it was the alcohol that lead to Jen kissing her, or if her friend actually felt the same way about her, she did not know. All she knew was that she had a lot of thinking to do.

Zecora put a pot of tea over her fire. She smiled as the smell of herbs filled her hut. Knowing that she would have some time before the tea was done, she decided to take a steamy shower. She happily trotted over to the small bathroom that stood attached to her hut. The floor was paved with stone and the walls seemed to be made of bamboo branches.

She let the water run from the wooden shower. Smiling at herself as she stepped inside, allowing the warm water to run down her legs. She held her head underneath the streaming water causing her normally rugged mane to flow downwards, over her shoulders. Another vision came to her as she listened to the sound of the trickling water.

Zecora stood in her shower. Allowing the water to run down her body. It had been a stressful day, her friend Jen, who she had secretly been crushing on, had been acting so weird lately. It was starting to get annoying. She decided to let go of the thoughts that troubled her, and just stand there, enjoying the warm water.

Suddenly she could hear hoofsteps coming from her living room. "Who could that be?" she thought to herself. She heard the door to her bathroom open causing her ears to perk up. Suddenly, a familiar face entered the shower. It was her friend Jen, she looked like she had been crying for quite a while. "Jen!? What are you doing here?" she asked, giving her crying friend a curious look.

"Zecora.." the zebra mare whispered as she looked up into her friend's face with watery eyes. "I.. Just can't go on like this." she said as she shifted closer to her friend, allowing the water to run down her mane. "I can't tell you how I feel about you.. So I'll show you." she whispered as she pushed her muzzle against Zecora's.

Zecora's eyes shot open in surprise but slowly started to close as she felt the touch of the emotional kiss. Her mind was jumping all over the place. She always hoped that something like this would happen but she never dared to think that it actually would.

She pressed back into the kiss, forcing their heads to shift underneath the stream of water that ran from the shower. Water ran down their faces as they drew closer and closer to each other. They both broke the kiss, panting heavily. Zecora could feel Jen's heavy breathing on her muzzle. "I love you Zecora.." she whispered into the zebra's ear.

Suddenly, Zecora heard the sound of Zebra's screaming outside of her shower. Her eyes shot open. She jumped out of the shower and rushed through her living room, running towards the door. She gasped as she saw A large, robed Zebra standing in the centre of their village. Some of the members of the tribe lied on the floor, bleeding heavily.

Her face filled with fear as she saw Jen lying in front of the robed Zebra in a pool of blood as he laughed maniacally. Suddenly, her mother charged out of her hut, running towards the robed invader. The two clashed in battle of wits and power. Zecora rushed over to the lifeless body of her love. She dropped on her knees as she held Jen in her arms, crying heavily.

Suddenly, The world around her went black. Jen's body turned to black smoke as she sank through Zecora's arms. In the end, nothing remained but Zecora and the mysterious robed pony. He laughed evilly as he walked over to the crying Zebra. "Do you want to live forever?" he hissed.

Zecora shot up in her bed, her eyelids snapping open in fear. Her heart was violently pounding in her chest as beads of sweat ran down her body. Once she calmed down she noticed that she safely lay in her bed inside of her house, hidden away in the Everfree Forest that stood next to the rural town of Ponyville.

She wiped the sweat off of her forehead as she recalled her horrible nocturnal adventure. She tried to suppress the tears forming in her eyes but it was no use. So there she lay. In the same bed that she had been rudely awoken in so many times before. Her recent nightmares had caused the zebra to sink into a deep depression.

She had experienced the nightmares before but never before where they so.. vivid and frequent.

This is where our story begins..

Fluttershy's Kindness

Fluttershy heard the muffled sound of bubbling water in her ear. She slowly opened her eyes to see that she was surrounded by water from all sides. She felt the pressure on her body, the slight stinging pain in her eyes. She looked up and noticed that she lay several feet below the surface.

Suddenly, she noticed that she was beginning to run out of air. She desperately tried to swim, hastily flinging her arms through the water as bubbles of air escaped her muzzle, but it was no use. She could hear the muffled sound of a screaming filly above her. She looked up to see the faded image of a young pony, standing at the waterside looking down at her, screaming.

The filly lowered herself, reaching for Fluttershy with her hoof beneath the water. The terrified pegasus extended her reach upwards, nearly touching the filly´s hoof. She raised her shoulder towards the surface, extending her reach even further. She could nearly grasp the filly´s hoof.

Suddenly, Fluttershy felt something pull at her legs, dragging her down into the darkness. She could hear the filly´s screaming intensify as she descended into the depths. Her hair flowed upwards as the surface seemed to get farther and farther away. She could feel her last breath escape her muzzle. Her eyes slowly closed as her body went limp.

Fluttershy jumped forward into a sitting position as her eyes shot open, screaming at the top of her lungs, several beads of sweat flying through the air. She felt her heart racing in her chest as it rose and fell due to her frantic breathing.

Her scream echoed through the darkened wooden cabin, it could still faintly be heard in the forests that surrounded her home. She shivered as a cold wind crept up her spine. It wasn't the first time that Fluttershy had been roughly awakened like this but it used to be a rare occurrence.

The nightmares seemed to become more frequent with every passing night. They often involved Fluttershy, drowning in a deep pool of water. Sometimes she saw herself simply walking through the streets of Ponyville as she suddenly lost her ability to breath, gasping for air.

She felt her breathing calm down as she sat upright in her bed. She looked outside, rubbing her eyes with her hooves to sharpen her view. She sighed heavily as she noticed that it was once again dark outside. She hadn't experienced a good night's sleep in weeks.

This led to her being completely exhausted as she went about her daily business. Her friends had asked her about it, they clearly seemed worried. But Fluttershy didn't feel like telling them about her night-time terrors in fear of being ridiculed.

Her eyelids felt heavy, she had to struggle to keep them open. She wanted to sleep, she wanted to sleep so badly. But whenever she did the nightmares returned to her. Eventually her fear for the dreadful visions became bigger than her need for sleep.

Suddenly, a soft stamping sound could be heard at her door. She turned her head to examine the source. A young, white bunny stood in the portal of the door, thumping his foot on the wooden floor. He wore a dreary look on his face as she shuffled over to his owner.

Her screams had awakened him from his midnight slumber. He was about to complain when Fluttershy suddenly picked him off the floor and hugged him as tightly as possible. Angel noticed that his owner was crying softly causing him to look at her with a look of compassion as he allowed her to hold him tightly.

“Why won't it stop Angel?” She sobbed. “What do they even mean!?” She laid the bunny down on the sheets in front of her and looked at him with watery eyes. She refused to let her fatigue get the better of her so she tiredly kicked the sheets off of herself and made her way to the kitchen.

Several moments later she sat on her couch with a cup of coffee, staring into the crackling fireplace. The fire shone a dim light through the cabin's living room, it's glow filling Fluttershy's coat with a warm sensation.

She took small sips of the bitter, black brew she held in her hooves, staring down into the swirling foam. She didn't want to live like this, but what was she supposed to do? She was terrified, afraid of her own thoughts. The only way to hide was to stay awake.

“I can't go on like this..” she whispered. “I have to talk so somepony, but who? Twilight perhaps?” She thought until she remembered how the purple unicorn handled the whole Pinkie sense dilemma. “No, she'd probably want to study me.. I don't want that..”

She got off of the couch, making her way towards her small yet cosy bathroom. She walked over to the sink and splashed some water into her face to clear her thoughts. She looked up into the mirror, water dripping from her mane into the sink. "I have a problem.." She whispered.

Everyone she knew was already asleep at this time. She didn't want to bother any of them but she refused to sit through another lonely night in her cabin, staring at the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise. The night could get so lonely for the shy pegasus. Sure, she had friends but her home was always empty. The only pony that ever bothered to visit her was her friend Rainbow Dash. But even she was too busy with her flight training to spent time with Fluttershy these days. Of course, Fluttershy understood but it still saddened her.

She trotted over to the window, looking into the dark outer reaches of the Everfree Forest. A small source of light could be seen from beyond the trees. She wondered where it came from. She tilted her head in confusion as she looked at the flickering light. Suddenly, she realised that it could only come from the forest's only resident. Zecora.. Everfree's mysterious witch doctor.

Fluttershy didn't really know her all that well. She remembered her from the incident with the poison joke that had infected the six friends with strange diseases. Fluttershy had seen her roaming around Ponyville several times after that day but they never really talked much to one another. Fluttershy played with the idea of paying her a visit. She was awake after all, why else would she leave the lights on?

She trotted over to her door, throwing her scarf around her neck. She paused for a moment as she opened the door and stared off into the darkness. “She's probably asleep... Maybe I shouldn't bother her...” Fluttershy thought, looking down at the ground.

Suddenly she felt Angel push her outside. He had already caught on to Fluttershy's plan and he wasn't going to let her shy her way out of this one. He was sick and tired of seeing his caretaker like this. Fluttershy turned around and gave her little friend a determined nod before she ran off into the forest.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." she thought as she descended deeper into the dark and gloomy forest. She allowed her timid nature to get the better of her. Her mind started to play tricks on her eyes. Often enough, she would see something in the corner of her eye causing her to swiftly turn her head only to be greeted by a silent tree or a rustling bush.

She slowly shuffled through the shadowy paths of the thick forest, the tree tops stopped the moonlight from entering, creating an unnatural darkness within the deeper reaches of the forest. The only sounds that accompanied the frightful silence were the occasional owl and a faint crackling sound in the distance.

Fluttershy didn't really know why she was doing this. She didn't even know what she would say to her when she reached Zecora's hut. Now that she thought about it, if anyone could help her with her nightmares it was Zecora. She seemed to know a lot about the darker side of magic and the spirit world.

She began to reach her destination as the path underneath her hooves gave in for mud and leaves. Suddenly, several distressed animals ran past her, they seemed to be in utter terror of something. Fluttershy had seen scared critters before but they never seemed as distressed as these.

She turned her muzzle away from the air as a foul smell filled her nose. She knew that smell, the smell of smoke and burned wood. Her eyes shot open in fear as she realised what was going on. Suddenly, the forest didn't seem so dark any more. The fire that danced around the burning trees created a bright, orange light, illuminating the once dark forest.

She turned around and ran away as fast as her legs could take her. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, her hooves digging into the mud beneath her. "Zecora!" she thought. Quickly turning around, she stormed off into the sea of flame. She could be as courageous as any other pony when someone's life was at stake.

Burning branches fell all around her. Where ever she looked she saw fire, burning brightly, incinerating the trees and animal homes that stood in the forest. A mixture of fear and determination crossed her face as she ran with all her might. Zecora's hut came in sight, engulfed in a blanket of flames.

Fluttershy feared the worst. She ran over to the entrance and kicked it open with her hind legs. She quickly entered the room to see Zecora, lying unconscious on the floor of her home. Luckily, the flames hadn't reached her yet but the walls of her home were blazing amidst the chaos.

The pegasus ran over to the helpless zebra. She nudged her with her muzzle. "Come on Zecora! You have to wake up! Please wake up!" she yelled. Several flaming planks fell from the ceiling, nearly hitting the two. "No time!" Fluttershy thought as she attempted to lift the zebra up on her back.

Sadly, she was simply not strong enough to lift her. Without any other choice, she took the zebra's roughed up mane in her mouth and started dragging her towards the exit. She had to muster all of her power to slowly pull her unconscious friend across the floorboards, avoiding the rising flames.

Once outside she collapsed from exhaustion, falling to the floor. Wounds covered her body as she grabbed Zecora with her hooves, violently shaking the zebra in an attempt to wake her up. Realizing that Zecora had probably inhaled a dangerous amount of smoke. She turned her head in all directions, looking for help. They were all one.

She put her ear to Zecora's chest. Her eyes filled with fear as she realised that the Zebra was no longer breathing. Desperately, Fluttershy held both of her hooves to Zecora's heart and started to make quick, heavy pushes. The chaos started to press down on her fragile mind. There was simply too much going on. Her eyes filled with tears as she tilted the zebra's neck, pushing her head down to connect their muzzles together.

Zecora's chest started to rise and fall as Fluttershy breathed into her. Her tears dripped down her face, running through Zecora's coat. She wasn't going to let her die. Not as long as she could help it. Fluttershy knew that Zecora wasn't going to make it without medical attention. She had to bring her to the hospital, she simply had to.

She would have to go beyond her personal strength. Bracing herself for the weight, she positioned herself underneath the unconscious zebra and started to push up. Once she stumbled up on her hooves she started to slowly shuffle trough the burning forest. She could barely stand, let alone run but she knew that there was no other way. If only she had been a bit stronger.

Suddenly, a flaming tree toppled down in front of her, nearly crushing the both of them. She screamed in fear as the ground shook violently. She regained her composure, there was no backing down. She could not afford to break down, not now. She climbed over the ash-covered tree with all her might.

Zecora opened her eyes but she quickly forced them shut as a burning light flashed through them, inflicting stinging pains. After squinting into the light for a while she slowly opened her eyes. She noticed that she lay in a soft, white bed.

Her sight was still blurry, she could feel a burning pain in her skin as she shifted underneath the white, linen covers. She opened her mouth but as soon as she tried to speak a pain, worse than she had ever felt before, burned in her throat.

After closely listening to the sounds surrounding her with her ears perked she deduced that she was most likely lying in a hospital bed. “What happened to me..” she thought. Suddenly, she heard a voice at her bedside.

“Ah you're awake and your senses are still intact, good.” an older stallion said. “I'm afraid the same can't be said for your lungs..” The doctor sighed. “Look, you have inhaled a deadly amount of smoke in that house fire, nearly burned down half of the Everfree. Your throat and lungs have been damaged severely. There is no saying if your speech will ever return..”

Zecora's heart sank at the words. She wanted to ask the doctor what he was talking about but the burning pain returned to her airways. “That's going to take some getting used to..” she thought, trying to keep her mind from thinking about the main problem.

“You're lucky that your friend arrived when she did.” the stallion said as he trotted out of the room.

“My friend?” Zecora thought. Suddenly, her sight sharpened, she could see clearly now. She noticed a yellow blur in the corner of her eyes. She turned her head to see a pegasus with a long, pink mane. The pegasus smiled softly at her with her big, cyan eyes. Zecora felt her heart skip a beat at the sight. “It's the shy mare from Ponyville..”

“How are you feeling?” Fluttershy asked softly, moving closer to the bed. Zecora looked at her with watered eyes. “Oh! Of course, I'm sorry..” she whispered. An uncomfortable silence filled the air. After a while Zecora just sat back in her bed, looking up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Suddenly Zecora's eyes shot open in realization. She turned to Fluttershy, who was still standing next to her bed. It was clear to Fluttershy that Zecora wanted to ask her something. She reached in her pouch and pulled a piece of paper and a pencil out of it. She handed them to Zecora.

Zecora took the pencil in her mouth and scribbled something unto the piece of paper. She handed it to Fluttershy. She flinched as she felt a burning pain in the skin of arm while she extended it, the burn wounds were worse than she expected them to be.

Fluttershy took the paper from her and read it. She sighed softly as she turned to the zebra. “I'm afraid your house has burned down..” she said sadly. Zecora broke down in tears. Her home, her refuge, was destroyed. She had nowhere to go. “Where will I stay!?” she thought.

Fluttershy couldn't stand to see Zecora cry. She wanted to do something about it, she just had to do something about it. The yellow pegasus walked over to Zecora and threw her arms around her, embracing her in a warm hug.

Zecora flinched. The touch burned at her skin at first but after a while the feeling of the mare brushing up against her calmed her down. She felt safe. Fluttershy stared into her eyes with a look that said “It's going to be ok..”

“You can stay at my cottage Zecora.. At least for now.” she whispered. The zebra tightened her hold over Fluttershy as she buried her face into the pegasus' shoulder, crying heavily as she did. Fluttershy smiled at her. That was the only answer she needed.

Author's note: Thanks for reading the first two chapters of Striped Scars. We hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a comment below telling us what you think. Any advice is always welcome!

Kindness And Comfort.

Zecora slowly ascended from her lying position, throwing the pure white hospital sheets off of herself. A throbbing headache appeared in her head the moment she sat up on the bed. She looked over to Fluttershy who gave her a reassuring nod. After a few moments of doubt Zecora lifted herself from the bed.

A splitting pain appeared in her legs as soon as her hooves hit the white, marble floor. She flinched as a cry of pain escaped her muzzle. Fluttershy quickly rushed to her side as Zecora fell to the floor, supporting the zebra to keep her from falling.

“I don't think you can walk yet.” the pegasus said in a concerned tone. “Come on, you can lean against me.” Fluttershy said as she wrapped her wing around the stumbling zebra to support her. Zecora nodded as a faint blush appeared on her face. The sudden touch took her by surprise. She could feel the pegasus' feathers rustle against her back, they felt so.. soft. Zecora nodded at the pegasus causing Fluttershy to slowly step towards the hospital's exit.

The trip to Fluttershy's cottage wasn't an easy one. Her wounds made it almost impossible for Zecora to walk. No words were spoken, Zecora couldn't reply anyway. The journey seemed to take ages, but Fluttershy was never one to rush. She had to be careful with her fragile friend.

The two stumbled through the snowy winter night. The stars remained hidden behind the gloomy clouds that filled the sky. The rural town of Ponyville, and it's lights, stood far behind them. They could see a dim glow on the horizon as they looked back at the town.

The sound of the trees rustling in the cold wind filled the air. As the snowflakes blew against their faces, making the journey that much harder. Fluttershy was quite surprised by the sudden snowstorm that seemed to have enveloped the lands surrounding Ponyville in a thick layer of snow overnight.

Their hooves disappeared in the blanket of white snow as they continued on their journey. A soft crushing sound could be heard every time their hooves burrowed through the snow. A cold shiver shot down the pegasus' spine.

Zecora wasn't doing any better. Her entire body felt stiff, cold, and numb. As they walked, Zecora started to wonder what Fluttershy's home was like. She was wondering what the yellow mare herself was like.

Zecora had noticed Fluttershy around Ponyville but she never really paid any attention to the shy mare until now. “Why is she being so kind to me?” Zecora thought as she looked at the yellow pegasus at her side, her pink mane flowing in the icy wind.

Suddenly, a small light appeared in the darkness. They could faintly see its glow through the fading snowstorm. “That must be it.” Zecora thought. A small blanket of snow laid on the roof of Fluttershy's wooden cottage. Zecora could see the faint glow of a fireplace through the frosted window. The snowstorm was still raging in their ears.

Fluttershy left the zebra's side to open the door. Zecora peered through the opening, the cottage seemed very cozy at first glance. Several framed pictures lined the wooden walls of the place. Zecora stumbled inside, the snowflakes blowing past her. The snowstorms cries were silenced the moment Fluttershy closed the door.

Fluttershy sighed contently as she felt the warmth of her home sweep over her. She walked over to her fireplace and threw a couple of logs on the fire, brightening the flame. Zecora stumbled awkwardly across the wooden floor. She felt exhausted.

A feeling of pity hit Fluttershy as she got a clear look at the wounded zebra. The burning chaos had more than roughed Zecora up. Fluttershy looked into the mare's eyes and noticed a deep cut on her face, running across her eye. Her coat was covered with burn wounds and scars. She hadn't realised how severe the zebra's injuries were until now.

Zecora noticed Fluttershy staring at the scar that ran across her face. She turned her head the other way to hide her wound as a tear escaped from her eye. A feeling of compassion came to Fluttershy. “I'm afraid I don't have a spare bed..” the pegasus said softly. “But you can sleep in mine..”

Zecora's ears perked. “I can't accept that.. She has already done so much for me..” she thought. She looked the shy mare in the eyes, shaking her head in disagreement before walking over to the stuffy couch that stood close to the fireplace.

Fluttershy quickly trotted over to the zebra, putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Zecora.. I insist." The zebra bowed her head in defeat. The pegasus led her wounded friend upstairs. As soon as Fluttershy opened the door to her bedroom, a white blur jumped through the opening.

Zecora noticed that it was a young little bunny with a coat as white as winter. He had the cutest beady eyes that the zebra had ever seen. He hugged his owner's leg to greet her. The pegasus had been gone for an entire day and he was starting to get worried.

Suddenly, angel noticed the second mare in the room. He tilted his head as he gave Zecora a curious look. "Hello Angel, this is Zecora, she will be staying with us for a while so be nice." the pegasus said sternly, knowing far too well how mischievous her furry little friend could be.

Fluttershy nudged Zecora's flank to help her up on the large, wooden bed, a couple of red, woollen sheets lied atop of it. The zebra crawled underneath the covers. She flinched in pain as the covers slid past her burn wounds. Fluttershy gave her a soft smile. "You just lay still while I make you a nice hot bath ok?" she asked in a caring tone. Zecora nodded meekly in response.

Zecora's rough mane brushed against the soft pillow as she looked up at the ceiling. It was dark outside but the lamp standing on Fluttershy's night stand enveloped the room in a dim light. The sound of running water could be heard coming from the bathroom as the hot steam flowed through the air.

Fluttershy's bed felt surprisingly comfortable to Zecora. She was used to sleeping on the pile of hay that laid in her home. A heavy feeling of sadness hit her mind. "My home.." she thought. "It may not have been much but it was still my home.." Where would she go? She couldn't rely on Fluttershy's kindness forever.

She heard the pegasus hum a cheery tune from the bathroom. A small smile appeared on the zebra's face as she listened intently. "She has such a sweet voice.." she thought to herself as she wiggled further underneath the warm covers. The enticing smell of cherry blossom filled her nose. It was the smell of the beds original owner. For a few moments, Zecora felt truly happy.

Zecora lowered herself into the steaming water. She smiled as the smell of herbs filled her nose. The tension in her muscles slowly started to fade away as the warmth enveloped her entire body. A let out a content sigh before she dipped her head underwater.

She emerged from the water with a sway of her head causing her normally roughly styled mane to flow down her head. A faint blush appeared on Fluttershy's face as she looked at the sight. Zecora almost looked like a different person with her hair down. She could barely recognize her.

She allowed the warmth of the water and the smell of the herbs to dull her mind. After a good twenty minutes of bathing, Zecora crawled out of the tub. Fluttershy walked over to the zebra and started to softly dry her with the towels. Zecora was still felt weakened by her wounds, she could barely stand.

Fluttershy gave the zebra a soft smile when she finished drying her off. “You should wear your mane like this more often. You look beautiful.” she said softly, immediately smiting herself mentally for making such a bold statement.

A furious blush crept across Zecora's muzzle. She opened her mouth to thank Fluttershy but ended up coughing heavily. She flinched from the pain in her throat. Zecora was starting to get frustrated. She was never much of a talker but never before had she lost her ability to talk. Fluttershy put a comforting hoof on the zebra's shoulders as she handed her a glass of water.

Fluttershy slowly crept underneath the blankets, making sure that she left enough room for Zecora. The little bunny hopped onto the bed, taking has place at his owner's foot end. Fluttershy turned to the zebra. "Sleep well Zecora.." she smiled before closing her eyes. They where both worn out.

Fluttershy felt surprisingly comfortable in her bed for a change. She wasn't so afraid of the nightmares when Zecora lay beside her for some reason. Maybe it was just the feeling of not being alone for once. She looked over at the zebra lying next to her. Her black and white mane was still flowing over her shoulders. She allowed her eyes to wander over the mare's curves, closely admiring the zebra's body. She quickly averted her gaze as she realised what she was doing.

"Are you insane!?" she asked herself. "This poor mare comes to you in her time of need and all you can do is droll all over her. Besides, there's no way that she's like you. She's got enough on her mind without you taking advantage of her like this." Fluttershy had always been pretty good at hiding her feeling. The only pony who knew was her long time friend Rainbow Dash.

Zecora looked over at the sleeping pegasus lying next to her. She smiled to herself as she listened to the adorable sound of Fluttershy's snoozing. She crawled underneath the covers, resting her head on the soft pillow. She looked out of the window and noticed that the snowstorm was still raging outside. "If it wasn't for this pegas.. for Fluttershy. I would be out there in the cold right now.." A tear escaped her eyes as she shifted closer to the slumbering pegasus. A single thought appeared in her mind as she stared at the ceiling.

"Is this friendship?"

(Thanks again to Vozzle and lunadashscratch for all their help on this one.)

Beneath The Ashes

A blissful sleep came to an abrupt ending as the softest of morning light shone through the blinds of Zecora’s room, creating a dim sparkle in its way. She screwed her eyes shut in response to the sudden light invading her mind, shifting comfortably underneath the covers. She smiled contently once she realized that morning had come for her once again, just like it had done so many times before since the zebra had taken shelter within Fluttershy’s home. The Pegasus’ unending kindness and generosity were something that she had not come to expect from the ponies of Ponyville.

The life she had before had become nothing more than a memory, lingering in the back of her mind. Her scars faded with her memories, growing better everyday. She smiled contently as she thought back at the days she had spent in Fluttershy’s cozy cabin.

Zecora’s smile intensified as she heard the subtle clopping of hoofs on the other side of the door. She quickly threw the covers over her head, resting her head on the pillow once more in an attempt to fool the Pegasus’ into thinking that she was still asleep. The door slowly creaked open, causing the zebra’s smile to turn into a blissful grin. “Good morning Zecora.” Fluttershy said ever so gently, walking over to the side of the bed.

“Good morning, Fluttershy.” Zecora replied. Her voice had recovered well over the past two weeks. She yawned loudly, raising her hooves above her head. She raised her head from the pillow, her normally styled mane flopping messily over her face, eliciting a innocent giggle from Fluttershy.

Zecora smiled slyly as she climbed out of bed, stumbling slightly upon her hooves for a second before falling to the ground, only to be caught by a gasping Fluttershy. “You’re still injured Zecora.. you should really watch yourself.” The timid mare said softly, sending her friend a smile. Leaning up against Fluttershy, Zecora slowly made her way towards the door, stumbling clumsily over her own hooves.

Standing in the doorway, Zecora shuddered slightly as her hooves hit the frigid snow that lay on the once grassy hills surrounding Fluttershy’s home. She raised her gaze to the sky, watching the snowflakes dance as they fell gently the ground. It may have been winter, but the sun’s light shone brighter than ever that morning.

Zecora took a bit of the snow in her hoof and stared intently at it, narrowing her eyes. “Is everything alright Zecora?” Fluttershy asked, standing up to her hooves in the white powder, her signature smile on her face. Zecora shook her head timidly, dropping the snow into the ground below before stepping outside.

“Fluttershy, I would like to be told, why are we walking into the freezing cold.” She managed to ask, still having trouble speaking due to her injuries.

“Cheer up Zecora, it’s beautiful outside!” Fluttershy smiled. “Besides, you need to get your legs back into shape eventually.” Zecora looked down awkwardly into the snow, tapping it softly with her hoof, granting her another smile from the timid pegasus.

“Here, I’ll help you.” she said in a caring tone as she walked over to the zebra’s side, allowing Zecora to rest against her. Fluttershy rested her wing on the zebra’s back, shielding her from the cold snow. The sudden warmth took her by surprise, Fluttershy’s wing gave her a certain sense of safety. With newfound warmth and courage, the two made their way into the snowy hills that lay before them. Suddenly, a white bunny stepped outside with a bemused look on his face, obviously woken up by the sound the two mares were making. He blinked dully into the morning light, before charging after her owner.

The three of them made their way across the wintry hills surrounding the Everfree forest.
Angel hopped contentedly beside Fluttershy. “You must care for your little friend.” Zecora said, causing Fluttershy to smile softly at the white bunny. Zecora turned her gaze to the frozen trees that dotted the edge of the forest, peering into the dreadful darkness that they concealed, the darkness that she had once called her home. The forest seemed even gloomier this time of year.

“How are you holding up Zecora?” Fluttershy asked in a cheery tone. Zecora turned to the pegasus but before she could answer her, Angel suddenly scampered off into the forest. Fluttershy’s eyes shot open in surprise. “No Angel, Come back!” she exclaimed, lifting her wing from the zebra’s back before running after her deviant critter. Zecora, suddenly robbed of her support, nearly lost her balance. She looked as Fluttershy ran into the darkened woods, beyond which no light may be seen. With a lot of effort and determination, Zecora managed to follow Fluttershy’s hoof-prints in the snow.

The moment Zecora entered the forest, a gloomy shadow rolled over her head. The forest’s thick trees and foliage obscured the area of any light. Zecora had wandered through the forest many times in her life, but never before did it seem so... dark. The sound of the leaves cracking underneath her hoof was the only sound she could hear, no Angel, no Fluttershy. Her adobe was nothing like she remembered it to be, perhaps it was the cold grasp of winter that had changed it so.

She stumbled through the darkened corridors of the forest, shivering every time her hooves hit a patch of the frigid snow. Suddenly, she tripped over a frozen, rogue root, sticking out of the earth. She fell over, hitting the ground. Once she opened her eyes, she saw that she had landed in a rather familiar clearing, “I have seen these trees, and I have walked these floors, I am sure that I have been here before.” she whispered silently to herself.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy continued to follow that rapid bunny through the forest. He turned a sharp right, disappearing behind a frozen tree. Following Angel around the corner, she suddenly found herself in a large, dim-lighted clearing. The area didn’t seem to be affected by winter’s grasp. A thick layer of tall grass covered the forest floor. The tree-tops created a natural ceiling of leaves above the pegasus’ head, the light shining through it’s cracks, creating small beams of light that shot towards the ground with a dim sparkle. In the middle stood a small pond, angel sitting at its edge, looking down into the water.

“Angel? Why did you run here?” Fluttershy said softly as she trotted over to her little friend. Angel merely looked up at her in response, the faintest of sparkles in his waiting eyes. Fluttershy examined her surroundings, every tree, every bush, it all seemed so... familiar to her. Suddenly, it started to rain above the forest, causing lonesome drops of rain to trickle through the crack in the leaves and down the trees. A single raindrop fell into the pond, causing its surface to ripple in response. Fluttershy walked over to the edge, looking down at her own reflection in the water. She saw herself, but younger. She was looking at a filly version of herself, looking up at her from the pond below. Suddenly, an image flashed through her mind.

A young Fluttershy skipped through the reaches of the Everfree forest. She hadn’t lived at the reaches of the woods for a very long time so she didn’t really know the way around the forest, neither did anypony else. Everypony that had lived in Ponyville for a good amount of time knew to stay clear from the place. The young pegasus was out to collect herbs to bring back to her humble home and the forest seemed like her best choice.

A choice that she would soon come to regret as the shadows of the place swept over her. Needless to say, Fluttershy wasn’t the most courageous of fillies. She shuddered in the dark as she carefully made her way through the thick foliage that marked the woods. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning shot through the sky, creating a thunderous echo that rumbled through the forest, shaking the trees.

Fluttershy squeaked in fear as she lowered herself to the ground, covering her head with her hooves. Suddenly, rain started to drizzle down on her head, gracing the leaves of the forest. It wasn’t long however, before the drizzle turned into a vicious downpour, assaulting the poor filly’s frail being.
She had seldom been so afraid before. She huddled up against a nearby tree in an attempt to shield herself from the dreadful weather, but it was of no use. Soon, powerful gusts of wind started to blow through the trees, causing the filly’s pink mane to dance in in the air. She lowered her face into the ground, shielding her head with her hooves, her wings standing upright to stop the rain from hitting her face, a regrettable decision. Suddenly, a powerful current of wind swept past Fluttershy. Sadly, her wings caught the gust, sending her flying through the sky. She yelled for help, but her cries were muffled by the raging storm.

*Splash*

Fluttershy appeared to have landed in a small pond, she sat up to her waist in the cold tide, drops of water dripping down her mane into the pond below, sending ripples through it’s surface. With a great deal of effort, Fluttershy managed to raise herself from the pond, crawling unto the tall grass that stood in the clearing.

The sound of the rain bouncing off the forest floor filled her ears with an arsenal of loud trickling. She simply lied there, in the tall, wet grass, shivering in the cold, nowhere to hide from the rain that continued to taunt her. “Is anypony out there?” Fluttershy whispered in a hurt tone, unable to fly due to the injuries that her sudden flight had left on her wings, but the sound of her voice got drowned out by the heavy downpour and flashes of thunder that shot through the sky.

Suddenly, A small white figure appeared in the corner of her eye, it kept coming closer and closer. Once her vision cleared she saw a small, young bunny, sitting in the grass in front of her, looking at her with worry in his eyes. The bunny was half the size of the young filly. The long leaves of grass danced violently in the wind. Unable to speak due to her fearful state, Fluttershy merely looked up at the critter with tears in her eyes.

Wasting no time, the little creature grabbed her by the mane and started dragging her through the grass, she could feel the raindrops gracing her coat as the grass rustled past her body. She soon found herself shielded from the dreadful rain, as a cover of trees appeared above her. The young filly coughed softly as the rain dripped from her mane, into the ground below.

She turned her gaze to the little white critter that say beside her, tilting his head in confusion. Suddenly, Fluttershy darted at him, embracing him in a tight hug as tears escaped from her eyes. “Oh thank you little bunny!” she sobbed.

So there they sat underneath the broken trees for an entire night, listening to the calming, rhythmic sound of the rain hitting the forest’s floor. The young filly held the little bunny in her arms all the while, humming consoling tunes from her childhood to him. They had both found a friend that night..

As Zecora trotted through the darkened, snowed-down clearing, the feeling that she had been here before become more and more apparent. She could hear the snow cracking underneath her hooves, see the subtle snow that danced down into the ground. Her eyes grew wider as she noticed some sort of structure standing in the snow ahead. Slowly, but surely she made her way through the grass and snow.

Several black, broken walls stood in the snow before her. A broken doorway still stood tall in the snow. As she drew closer, the grass beneath her hooves disappeared, giving in to snow and ash. Her ears drooped down into her neck as she walked through the shattered doorway. She could see what appeared to be the burned remnants of her old home, the snow still dancing past her head.

The emotions in her mind becoming too much to bear, Zecora allowed her legs to give in to the stress, dropping down into the snow and ashes below. As her body hit the floor, she could hear glass crack from underneath the snow. Her ears perked up in curiosity as she raised herself from the floor. She started digging in the cold ashes with her hoof, staring attentively at the ground.

Suddenly, a tiny wooden frame emerged from the ashes. Zecora took it in her hooves, picking it up as the shards of glass fell into the snow. She held it in front of her face, and within, she saw a picture. A picture of the past, of a love long since forgotten, of a memory that only a lonely zebra could still dwell on. Zecora’s lip quivered slightly as she looked at the picture in her hooves, a tear forming in her eye. She was confronted with the face of the very person that she tried to forget. “I miss you my love.. everyday.. I..” she bit her lip as the tear rolled down her check, leaving it’s trail along her face.

Suddenly, she could hear somepony running through the woods, and out of nowhere, Fluttershy entered the lonesome clearing that Zecora once called her home. She gasped as she saw the zebra standing in the ashes of her memories. She sighed softly as her expression softened, walking over to the lonely mare sitting in the snow. “Zecora?” she said softly. Zecora turned her head to face Fluttershy, the pegasus could see the tears rolling from her bloodshot eyes, A layer of snow laid atop her roughed up mane.

Fluttershy walked over to Zecora’s side, letting her haunches drop in the snow below. She put her protective wing over the zebra’s back, Zecora reacting with a slight shiver as the sudden warmth of Fluttershy’s feathers overwhelmed her, a slight blush forming on her face. The pegasus slowly put her head to Zecora’s shoulder as she closed her eyes, sending a pulse of energy through her friend’s shoulder, the snowflakes dancing all around them in the dim light that enveloped the clearing.

Zecora was speechless. The warmth of Fluttershy, sitting beside her, resting on her shoulder, was simply too much to bear. She could feel her face flush red with a sudden warmth. Suddenly, Fluttershy opened her eyes, looking at the broken frame in Zecora’s hoof. “Who’s that? She’s pretty.” Fluttershy said softly.

A joyful smile grew across Zecora’s face. If she was ever to experience a perfect moment, this was it. All of her troubles and hurts, wounds and regrets, seemed petty as she looked into those cyan eyes, Sparkling with the dimmest of lights. She felt something that she didn’t think she would ever feel again.. A connection.

She had forgotten what it felt like to be.. loved. Years of lonesome solitude had weight heavily upon her weary shoulders. She just didn’t want this moment to end, this one perfect moment in a life of regrets and mistakes. Doubt filled her mind, she wasn’t sure why she felt this way, but it just felt.. right, somehow. Yet it felt.. selfish to think of Fluttershy this way, but she simply couldn’t help it, the feeling was unexplainable. She somehow felt like she didn’t deserve it. “Is something wrong Zecora?” Fluttershy asked softly, raising her head from the zebra’s shoulder.

Zecora stifled a cry. “It’s just... I’ve seen so many things go wrong, Fluttershy..” she said, not caring about the pain forming in her throat. “The life I had before Ponyville, My house burning down..” she turned to Fluttershy once more, a single tear forming in her eye. “I want something to go right. Just once. Just...” Suddenly, Zecora felt Fluttershy’s lips grace hers, her eyes shooting open in surprise. For what seemed like an eternity, Zecora looked down into the pegasus’ dimly closed eyes, until finally, their lips parted. Both mares lowered their head, just barely touching as they panted into the evening air, the snowflakes falling around them.

“Shhh” Fluttershy cooed. “It’s going to be alright..” Zecora felt her mental walls crumble around her as she heard Fluttershy say those words. She darted forward, holding the pegasus in a tight embrace, she crying into her friend’s shoulder, staining her coat with tears.

“I’m here for you..”

Suffering Of The Mind.

Dim starlight shone through the blinds that covered Fluttershy’s windows, slightly illuminating the darkened bedroom in which the two were slumbering that night. Every being that lived in the forest was vast asleep by now, except for one troubled zebra. Zecora simply couldn’t sleep, the pain of the silken sheets running past her wounds was too much for her to bear.

She lay with her back pressed into the bed below, gazing up towards the wooden ceiling. She had counted the planks for Celestia knows how many times already that night. She just wanted to go to sleep, and start anew the next morning. Her mind did what it would so often do when she got bored, contemplate. She thought about the fire, her home, and how she nearly died that night, it was.. unnerving to say the least.

She could hear Fluttershy’s soft snoozing, coming from the other side of the large bed. She shifted underneath the covers, her face pointing towards that of the slumbering pegasus, the pegasus who had saved her life, it was all still sinking in. She owed this pony so much, yet she had nothing to offer in return. She kept wondering what the morning would have in store for her. Where would she go? How would she go on without a home to call her own.

Zecora grabbed the blanket that covered her with her hoof, throwing it over her head as she turned in the bed, in an attempt to escape from the thoughts that haunted her, but to no avail. She let out an annoyed sigh as she felt her eyes get heavier with each passing moment. She peered into the darkened room from beneath the warmth of the blanket, looking through the window, into the raging snowstorm that blew outside.

Her thoughts threatened to get dominion over her head once again. Zecora kicked the sheets off of herself in a fit of anger, allowing the frigid winds that flowed through the slightly opened window to get a hold of her body. “I have to get some air..” she thought to herself as she slowly climbed out of bed, making sure not to disturb the snoozing pegasus. She could hear the floorboards creak in protest as her hooves hit the floor. She flinched as she quickly turned her gaze towards Fluttershy, hoping that she hadn’t disturbed the mare from her sleep. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw the pegasus, snoozing happily in her sleep. The zebra moved into the hallway, closing the door behind herself.

Suddenly, she noticed that she was beginning to run out of air. She desperately tried to swim, hastily flinging her forelegs through the water as bubbles of air escaped her muzzle, but it was no use. She could hear the muffled sound of a screaming filly above her. She looked up to see the faded image of a young pony, standing at the waterside looking down at her, screaming.

Suddenly, Fluttershy felt something pull at her legs, dragging her down into the darkness. She could hear the filly´s screaming intensify as she descended into the depths. Her mane flowed upwards as the surface seemed to get farther and farther away. She could feel her last breath escape her muzzle. Her eyes slowly closed as her body went limp.

Zecora could hear the snow crack beneath her hooves as she continued her lonesome march through the snowy fields that surrounded Fluttershy’s cabin. She could feel the snow hitting her face as the wind raged into her ears, but she couldn’t care less, anything was better then having to suffer the torture of her own mind. It gave her mind some rest at least.

The lonesome zebra reached the top of a small, snowy hill that stood on the edge of a very wintry version of the Everfree forest. She simply allowed fatigue to take over her body as she collapsed into the frigid snow. Zecora hadn’t had a moment alone since the faithful night that her home burned down. The night that she had almost lost everything.

She shivered as the cold winds blew past her head, rustling through her mane. It all started to sink in. “My home is gone..” she whispered in the cold. “Everything is gone..” everything that she worked so hard for, gone. Free from judging eyes, she could finally let her guard down. She buried her pale face into the white snow as tears started to escape from her eyes.

Fluttershy’s eyes shot open in fear, darting out of her lying position. She suddenly became aware of the sound of her own frantic breathing, filling the darkened room. She sat upright in her bed, her forelegs pressed into the mattress below, beads of sweat ran down her face.

She looked to her side, and the first thing she noticed was the absence of a certain zebra. The sheets were a mess, and the storm, beating against her window was the only sound that accompanied her heavy breathing. Wondering where Zecora had gone, she tiredly climbed out of bed, causing the sheets to shift.

Weary eyed, and with a dry throat, Fluttershy moved towards her window, peering into the snowed down forest. She could vaguely see something on the hill that lay at the edge of her vision. “Is..” she though to herself as she took a closer look at the trembling figure. “Is somepony outside.. in the storm!?” her eyes shot open in realization. “Zecora!?” Nearly falling over her own hooves, Fluttershy scrambled out of her room. She galloped down the stairs, thinking what could have possibly come over Zecora to do something so careless.

Zecora’s body was starting to feel numb as the icy currents pierced her coat. It was getting harder to keep her eyes open due to the fatigue and the snow hitting her face. She sluggishly kicked her legs about in the snow as she fell to her side, her head hitting the freezing ground. She knew that she wasn’t going to last long out here, but the feeling in her legs had long since disappeared. Sheer willpower can only keep one awake for so long. The raging snowstorm blowing in her ear was the only thing she heard as her eyelids closed ever so slowly. A small heap of snow lay on her back and legs, chilling her to the bone.

“Zecora!?” Fluttershy yelled, trying to make herself audible through the savage storm.

The zebra’s eyes blinked dully at the sudden sound invading her mind. She dimly opened her eyes, seeing only snow, floating in the night. Suddenly, she felt somepony’s muzzle in her side, pushing her on to her back, revealing the world to her eyes. Fluttershy stood above her, her long pink mane dancing in the wind. Zecora could see a deep look of worry in Fluttershy’s eyes, the rest of the world being nothing but a blur to her weary eyes. She nearly got lost in her cyan eyes.

Fluttershy moved out of Zecora’s gaze, causing the zebra to snap out of the dreamy state she was in. She wished nothing more but to look into those eyes for just a few more seconds. The last thing she felt was Fluttershy grabbing her by the legs and dragging her through the frigid snow, before her world went black.

The soft sound of crackling wood lingered in the zebra’s mind as a new-found warmth enveloped every inch of her cold body. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking dully for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room. She felt the hard, wooden floor lying beneath her as consciousness crept back into her mind. Zecora saw a burning fireplace, standing in the wall, just a few feet away from her. Suddenly, her body was shrouded in a warm blanket, causing her to turn her gaze to the pony standing beside her.

She was unprepared however, for the same gorgeous eyes, looking down at her. Fluttershy stood above her, wearing a caring smile on her face. Fluttershy’s eyes opened wide at the zebra’s sudden movement. “You’re awake!” she exclaimed, enveloping Zecora in another fuzzy cover.

For the first time, Zecora was thankful that she could not speak, for she was speechless at the sight that stood beside her. It stirred something inside of her that she had long since forgotten. Visions flooded her mind, visions of past regrets, of a love long forgotten. “she looks just like..” this thought became too much for Zecora to handle. She let out a stifled cry as a single tear streamed down her cheek.

Fluttershy noticed the Zecora’s sudden change in demeanor, she couldn’t stand to see the zebra cry. She lowered herself unto her knees, lying next to the sniffling mare. “Shh..” she cooed to her friend. “It’s going to be ok..” she tried to comfort her, but to no avail. The zebra buried her face into Fluttershy’s shoulder, her tears staining the pegasus’ coat.

Words could not describe the amount of compassion that Fluttershy felt for her friend that night. She simply took her hoof and brushed it through Zecora’s mane. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.” she assured her, but the zebra seemed inconsolable. Fluttershy didn’t know what thoughts plagued Zecora’s mind, but it didn’t matter right now, all she cared about was making her friend feel better.

Without thinking, Fluttershy buried her muzzle into the zebra’s neck, nuzzling it lovingly. Suddenly, Zecora’s crying came to a halt as a furious blush crept across her face. “Fluttershy?” she rasped, trying to conceal her crimson flush.

“Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness..” she whispered to Zecora as their tails intertwined.