Walking out of the medical hut, Cloud found himself in a village surrounded by jungle. Light poured in from a small clearing above, but the surrounding nature landscape was shady. A cool breeze carried the smell of nature to his nose. The village was small, a third of the size of Ponyville and, save for Cloud and Maud, inhabited completely by Zebras.

Zebras, while roughly the same shape and size as Ponies, were far worse off physically. They lacked greatly in magic, though even the most inept Zebra could best an average Pony at herbalism and potion production. Like Horses, Zebras were generally more intelligent than Ponies, though this was more due to culture than any kind of physical difference.

Once again, Cloud’s ignorance had the better of him.

“Wow, all of these guys are stripey!” He thought aloud. “I shouldn’t drink the water around here.” Ignoring the dirty looks thrown his way, he took a look at the medical hut - the building he’d just left. It was a large and cone-shaped in structure, not unlike something Cloud read back in the Ponyville library about shelters for camping made from natural materials. This, however, was as large as a house.

“They didn’t use any stone,” a familiarly flat voice observed. “I’m offended.”

Cloud turned and smiled. “Hey, Maud.”

“Hello, person,” she nodded. “Most houses here use at least clay hidden by later added foliage, but some are just wood or huts like this.”

“My, uh, my name’s Cl-”

“A lot of Saddle Arabian buildings use sandstone and glass, most foraged and processed locally. That is far better than clay. Clay is the lazy person’s stone.”

“I’ve been unconscious most of the time but we’ve known each other for a few weeks now-”

“I miss Equestria-”

“I mister Cloud.”

“-the rich communities allowed for advanced construction and varied materials. While most used limestone as a base, so many buildings had extra elements built onto them,” Maud spoke with emotionless passion, and Cloud found himself too interested to interrupt like the asshole he was. “Canterlot is especially beautiful, at least from what my sister has told me. It used to be a mining town, you know. In respect for its history as well as it being the residence of the crown, gold is used to plate rooftops. That as well as its mining history is why I really want to visit there someday.”

“I’ve actually been there, you know,” said Cloud. “I... didn’t really have time to look around, but the little I did see really was beautiful.” Actually… “You said you were on your, uh… was it ‘rocktorate dissertation’?”

“Yes,” Maud nodded. “I’m a student of geology.”

“You’ve mentioned before.” As if I couldn’t tell from your whole monologue there… “Why didn’t you visit Canterlot? Actually, now that I think about it, where are you from? You speak Equestrian so fluently I hadn’t thought to ask.”

“I’m from Equestria, and the languages name is ‘Ponish’,” she reminded him again, earning a roll of eyes. “I had wanted to go to Canterlot, in fact I had planned a trip visiting most cities and rock related landmarks all over Equestria. I was especially interested in a cutie mark stealing monolith I had read about. However, my sister insisted-”

“More like in-sistered!”

Rather than slap him as most would at a pun so heinous, Maud couldn’t help but show the slightest sign of a smile. “Anyway,” she continued, “my sister insisted I go to Saddle Arabia instead. She has a…” her smile faded, “...sense for a lot of things. I know better than to not take her advice.” Ominous…

“Well, alright then.” Cloud smiled. “Thanks for getting me medical help, and stitching me up back in the cage.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of them stood there a few moments, neither good at conversation nor with any topics coming to mind.

“Well, I’m honestly not sure what I should do now,” Cloud admitted. “The last… Hell, I lost track of time an immediately previously mentioned undetermined amount of time ago.” That’s a really stupid saying. “The short version is; I need to get to Equestria for reasons I’m unsure of at best.”

“Sorry, but I can’t do anything to help you. I need to get back to my rocktorate dissertation.” She paused. “No offence, but you would only get in the way if you joined me.”

Cloud frowned slightly. “You know the point of saying ‘no offence’...” He shook his head and smiled. “Whatever. This place seems interesting and nobody’s trying to kill me, attack me, blackmail me or all of the above, which is a first, and the doctor who healed me didn’t just stabilize me for blackmailing or poison me for reasons I…” his smile faded, “...never found the truth behind. Anyway, point being I’m gonna stick around for a while.” He stuck his hoof out. “Thanks again, Maud. I hope we meet again under better conditions.”

Maud shook his hoof and nodded. “Oh, and here’s that scrap of cloth and three surviving papers.” She pulled out a tiny sack out of somewhere Cloud didn’t see and handed it over. Taking a closer look, he could see that Maud had tied the cloth in such a way that it made the sack and held the papers inside. This is nicely made. That reminds me...

“How are you so strong, by the way?” He asked. “Do your rock studies include intense training?”

Maud shook her head. “No. I’m just a mare who studies rocks for fun.”

“That doesn’t answer my question but okay then.”

Cloud watched as Maud walked away, and gave a final wave before she rounded a corner and he lost sight of her.

“Well,” Cloud thought aloud, “I have no money, nowhere to stay, and no plan.” He thought to himself not-aloud for a moment before placing the sack on his back. “Guess I’ll go talk to the village leader.”

Presuming the village leader would be compensating for something, Cloud headed to the largest building he could see, at the edge of the town.

The building was tall, about as tall as the Ponyville library. Its main body was like a clocktower; a tall cuboid of clay bricks - complete with a clock - with two smaller cuboids either side. Beside its large double doors were pillars, only the pillars were made of the trunks of tall trees. All across the building was a varying amount of flora and foliage. It almost blended in with the surrounding jungle, if it weren’t for the fact it was very clearly a building. Maybe it’s more convincing from the back.

Cloud strolled up to the doors and gave them a push. They opened easily, though slowly, revealing to him a lobby. The room was about the size of the upstairs library in Twilight’s tower in Canterlot. In the centre of the room was a rounded receptionist desk, complete with a Zebra receptionist reading a book. Cloud approached the desk, and the receptionist looked up from her book. She gave him the smile of someone in customer service.

“{Good afternoon,}” she greeted in Zebrican, “{my name is Storun, how may I help you today?}”

“Ah, crap… Um, do you speak Eq- uh, Ponish?” Cloud asked.

“{Fuck me, this is even better.}” Storun smiled as she spoke, hiding her extreme discontent.

“That’s a no. Uh…” Cloud scratched his chin as he tried to think of some way to communicate. Well, this place is relatively close to Saddle Arabia… I still don’t understand what this is or how it works, but… Cloud closed his eyes and focused specifically on the intent behind his words. Aiming on what he wanted to get across rather than what he was saying, he opened his eyes and tried to speak in Saddline. “[I don’t understand you. Do you speak Saddline?]”

Storun’s very forced smile faltered for a moment. “[Uh... Yes, I does,]” she now spoke in Saddline, though a little slowly due to a lack of practice and general ability, “[how may I helps you now?]” Yes!

“[Is this the town hall?]” Cloud asked. “[I’d like to speak to whoever’s in charge around here.]”

“{Yeah, waltz in here and expect you can just see Núl whenever you want!}” Storun’s smiled remained, years of dealing with people keeping it strong no matter how much hate burned inside her. “[Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not best at Saddline. What I mean to say is Mr Nvoid is busy now. Soonest appointment is in month.]”

“[That’s… bad.]” Cloud sighed sadly. “[You’re sure there’s no way I can speak to him sooner? I just need to ask about a few things.]”

There was a short pause as Storun translated his words in her mind, but she eventually shook her head.

“[No way to,]” she replied, “[only way to see is with appointment. Need to wait month.]”

“[Well…]” Better in a month than not at all. Besides, I can probably find some other way to talk to the guy. “[Okay then. Can I schedule that appointment?]”

“{Damn you and your stupid bony head!}” Storun smiled. “[Yes, may I have name?]”

“Cloud Calculation.”

There was a pause as Storun tried to decipher what he’d said. After about a minute, she scribbled down a notice of appointment for Núl Nvoid on a thick piece of brown paper, then offered the paper to Cloud.

“[Sign, please.]”

“[Could I have a quill?]” Cloud asked.

Storun frowned, not appearing to recognise the word ‘quill’.

“[Nevermind…]” What if I…? Cloud took the paper in a hoof, charged his horn a little and, with incredible focus and great care, let off a tiny version of his red electrical beam. He aimed it at the paper and crudely wrote out his name. He ended the beam as soon as he was done, not wanting to risk a magical overload. Good to know I can adjust the aim slightly without moving my head.

While her smile remained, the rest of Storun’s face was twisted with worry and fear. “{Pony freak…} [Thank you, this will be process soon.]”

“[I, uh, I’ll go then,]” said Cloud, after a moment of standing around dumbly.

“[Have a nice day!]” Storun waved. “{Eat shit!}”

“{E.. Eat shit!}” Cloud repeated, thinking he was saying goodbye.

As he left the building, Storun’s smile finally dropped and her face molded into a frown. “{Asshole.}” She took a slightly worried glance at the signed piece of paper before shrugging and tossing it into the trash.

“[Ba de ya~! Dancin’ in September~!]”

“[Would you shut up?]” Barked Mawr. “[I’ve had my fill of singing on this damn mission.]”

“[Alright, alright,]” replied Kufn. He, Mawr and half a dozen other mercenaries were aboard a ship headed across the Crimson Sea, “[You really need to pick up some hobbies, Ms Murder.]”

“[No, what I need is my pay tripled.]” She sighed. “[How much longer until we can get off this thing?]”

“[Not a fan of boats, huh?]” Kufn asked. “[I suppose it’s very different from flying or poofing with magic.]”

“[It’s funny, you open your mouth, but nothing useful comes out.]”

“[You should really loosen up,]” he yawned, a smile on his lips. “[We’ve got another couple of days before we reach port.]” He tapped a rear hoof to the beat of the song playing in his mind. This did not go unnoticed by Mawr, who frowned deeper. “[So what’s with your whole ‘intense badass’ theme you’ve got going?]” He laughed. His laugh was hearty and full, coming straight from his lungs. “[If you were any more intense, your eyes would be red to go with your black body!]”

Laugh at this, you annoying, unmagical mud Pony... In a split second, Mawr transformed her front right hoof into a Gryphon’s talons and took a slash at Kufn’s face. Only…

In such a short amount of time that Mawr couldn’t even register movement, Kufn had drawn his sword with his right hoof, blocked her talons, slid it further under her chin, and rested it by her eye. Mawr was frozen in place as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. Kufn’s back hoof continued to tap, a casual smile still on his face, and a hint of a hum to the upbeat song in his head.

“[A positive attitude says nothing about my work ethic, Ms Dethen Pain,]” he spoke casually, as if discussing a hobby with a friend. “[I like what I do, I really do, and I take it as seriously as I can. I have no issues with you as a person, but…]” he turned his head to look her in the eye, making a dark chill run down Mawr’s spine, “[try to attack me, show me up or anything of the sort again, and I’ll give you plenty of red to go with your black.]”

After a moment, Mawr took a breath. “[Cute trick, but your little bluff just cost you-]”

“[Oh, I don’t bluff, I can assure you of that,]” he blinked slowly, and tilted his head to see his scimitar pressing against her throat, how it curved up to her eye. “[Don’t think your chitin would save you, either. Riptide here’s torn through Dragon scales like cardboard.]” As if to prove his point, he gently pressed his blade further, and Mawr felt it slide through her chitin like a knife through butter on a hot summer’s day. After a tense moment, he retracted his sword and slid it back into its sheath. “[Something to think about!]” He grinned before walking away, shaking his rump to his mental tune. “[Ba de ya~! Never was a cloudy day~!”]

As he left, Mawr’s talons rushed to her throat. The sword had left razor thin slice through her chitin.

Author's Notes:

Oh, Kufn, what a silly and fun guy!

---

Who knows if I’ll switch these rules up later, but [] indicates Saddline and {} indicates Zebrican.