Author's Notes:

Sorry folks, I tried to do another double post but the next chapter needs more editing first. Next chapter he finally leaves for Shallow Shale...On a airship.

This one is necessary, happy reading.

****

Zebrica

Chrissy

Keeping my eye on Ayodele wasn’t difficult, she didn’t hide her intentions. In fact one could argue that the sun was more subtle. Really, all I needed to do was look on my stallion’s back to see her blatant disrespect.

My stallion…

That very, very bold mare had decided that was the perfect spot to be. At first I had assumed it was due to her injury, it had prevented her from walking, and I persevered to stay rational. But…She wasn’t injured anymore and the eight other mares that couldn’t walk, well, I didn’t see them perched on top of my stallion, riding him-

A small snort of hot air escaped my muzzle as I tensed at the thought of what she was doing. It was horrible, clearly a challenge, and though I begrudgingly admit it…The action was genius. Any pony that didn’t know better would think we were a herd, that she-

Calm, I am staying calm.

At least that is what I keep telling myself, life would get complicated if I allowed the other thoughts to take over. Not for the reasons you may think, I had no problem with kicking her flank. Injured? She didn’t know the meaning of pain with her little scratches on her barrel. Try having your wing snapped off. That was pain. No, my problem in following though with my thoughts lay not with any ethics. The conundrum lay in the fact that she was a very conniving zebra in the land of zebras.

I couldn’t logically kill her without throwing Ari’s plan to the sandworms and therefore our future as well.

Not to mention, physically we were both in bad shape, enough that neither one of us was ready to put our hoof down and start a proper mare challenge. Although I entertained the thought that I was in slightly better shape…But I still wasn’t willing to test my theory when I was with foal.

A foal that may not…No, deep breaths, you feel better. He or she is still there. See, follow the humming, that tiny channel is growing.

Right, with those reasons both Lyric and I were in a stalemate and Ayodele knew it. That zebra was taking every opportunity to wiggle her way into the herd. I was almost certain that she reveled in rubbing it in. Why else would she choose the one spot where she was able to lay her scent all over Ari, bond with my stallion, and remain safe from any repercussions from us? That interloper was certainly smarter than I had originally taken her for.

Whether Ari realized it or not, she had already wormed her way into his instinctive level of thinking. He wasn’t repulsed by her touch. And asking if she was alright when it was her fault for running into him? Not removing her from his back even when we left the office? On the most primal level he was okay with it.

That wouldn’t last for long though…

My herd mate and I were going to nip this filly's infatuation in the rump before it could progress to more; our stallion had made it clear that he didn’t want more mares. That was the thing, ‘were’ going to, it seemed she had figured out every angle to stay with my stallion. Somehow, she had even gotten the support of the mayor, in less than five bucking minutes.

Oh, don’t even get me started on that slime licking politician, he was enabling her to continue to do this…Actually they all were. As soon as we left the room back on the ship, those stallion stealing whorses had started plotting who would be first to try to woo him. No, I didn’t hear them, but it doesn’t take a Starswirl to figure out what they were talking about.

He had somehow gaining the amorous attentions of at least twenty mares in only a week.

But our combined efforts weren’t enough to dissuade that one bucking zebra; the nineteen other mares had seemed to back down, but not her. Not that I blamed her reasoning, it was hard to find a stallion in Zebrica, a single stallion that is. Even rarer than that, a stallion that herded outside of Saddle Arabia and one that was fertile enough to give foals…Ari really was sent by the gods.

Faust, please just send another for Ayodele, soon-

“Chrissy?” A warm puff of air washed over my muzzle, blinking I turned to see Ari and the mare in question looking at me. She was rubbing her muzzle in his dark mane like he was her new teddy bear, soft, silky, and hers.

Ari was my stallion.

“Yes?” I returned, not quite sure what we had been talking about before I got caught in my thoughts. Again, I might add, they were all one big circle, all leading back to getting rid of her.

My stallion chuckled at me, giving me the sweetest smile, he understood what had been on my mind. Lyric’s mind as well if her quiet huffing was from what I thought it was. “I asked how you are feeling lovewise, since I was going to dig in,” He glanced at the platters leaving the houses, “I wanted to make sure you were both getting enough to eat.”

Guilt came across his fur, stomach churning and thick with its mixture of sour and salty flavors. He still felt bad about taking that walk.

“Please stop feeling so guilty, you did not know that you had an assassin after you!” Said assassin shrunk, looking appropriately regretful. “How were you supposed to know to what was going to happen? I am just glad you are here.” I ended with a purr, giving him a kiss, and adding my tongue for good measure.

A new snort reached my ears.

Smiling into the kiss, we wrestled tongues for a few seconds more, Ari’s love and desire ridding him of guilt and sweetening our moment. Almost as sweet as the effect it was having on the zebra.

We broke the kiss, smiling lazily at each other.

“I take it you-,” my stallion never was able finish his comment as my herd mate took over. Moving his muzzle over to her with a hoof behind his head, forcing him bend his neck down slightly for her shorter stature, the sweetness and full flavor increasing with their time.

Releasing each other’s lips, they shared another content smile and I was okay with that, it wasn’t all mares I disliked giving him attention, just most.

The zebra wilted a little as I watched her, looking at their exchange with far away eyes.

Before long, the moment had passed, tantalizing aromas drifting to Ari’s nose, they nearly sent him into the blanketed tables with the speed he took off at.

All along the streets, lines of tables were braced in front of homes and storefronts alike. They were braced not from the platters and pots being loaded onto them but for the black hole that was devouring all dishes that were sacrificed to it. Never invite an Alicorn to a feast.

It was one of those moments where I looked to my own stomach with trepidation, knowing a form of that type of appetite was in there.

With the black hole came a new pink- No, never mind, the analogy doesn’t work with her. But Lyric was rivaling him with a new passion that made Ari’s decision to take the ship’s food make a lot more sense.

How would our foals be like? Winged, scaled, or furred? They would surely have a horn…

Shaking my head, I had to remind myself of an important fact. We still hadn’t kidnapped the princesses yet…Dear Faust, the food from that plan alone was going to be astronomical.

It was going to happen, then peace.

We traveled around the town, Ari and Lyric trying every dish they could, and I couldn’t help but smile at their antics. Despite the presence of Ayodele I still managed to enjoy my stallion’s presence, the warmth of his fur, and the sweet stream of love coming off him. Ari still managed to smooth my chitin, smiling despite the arcs of pain that I tasted now and then. He-

“There you are Ari!”

We turned as a unit, ignoring the crowds of striped equines as our new friends made their way over. Kapera and the Minotaurs stood above the sea of zebras with ease, thankfully still carrying the Thestral. Ari of course attempted to talk, the words coming out as pure nonsense with a full mouth, only sending mashed up bits of fried Tronana onto the street.

“I think he meant 'hello',” I filled the amused Mongofu in.

Her eyes took us in as Ari swallowed, he paused to nod to a passing group of zebra mares, clearly from the ships by their emaciated frames. “I see that.” Another brief chuckle before her eyes narrowed, jumping between the zebra and me. “But I was wondering if I could borrow your stallion for a little bit, got to discuss business…And save some of the food for the locals.”

She was surprisingly helpful for such an opinionated being.

“Of course, I trust you will return him in one piece?” Although I jested with her, I still flashed a toothy smile.

Kapera returned it just as quick, “Of course and no magical inhibitors attached this time.” We all shared a happy chuckle, even Ayodele, although hers was a tad strained. “Coming Ari,” the smith asked, turning and making her way to the beach.

Chuckling in good humor, our stallion looked to us briefly, satisfied with what he saw he levitated the zebra off of his back, “Be back soon!” He called, grabbing five pieces of chin-chin as he passed by, a braided pastry that he had fallen in love with.

“You and your food…” Kapera muttered, smiling all the while as the crowd parted for their procession.

We watched the group of beings move to the beach, Ari chatting animatedly with them as we were left alone. This fact was not lost on Ayodele, who splayed her ears as our gazes locked, looking smaller then in that moment.

“Let’s talk somewhere quieter.” Lyric motioned towards a gap in the crowd, a small path beyond the zebras, well worn and leading into the woods.

Perfect.

Ayodele’s eyes darted around the crowd and finding no help from them looked to her cousin. Ayomide was looking at the floor but still sticking close to her, supporting but not very helpful.

Finally she responded, “O-okay.”

Placing myself behind the zebras, I let them lead the way, looking to any being that didn’t know better like they were taking us for a tour…Of the woods. My lips remained upturned, cordial as I followed the mare through the town, weaving at their slow pace through the crowd.

Until we reached the edge of the jungle, her hoof hovered over the path, eyes glancing fearfully at me then the shadowed trail. Lyric nudged the frozen zebras in the rump, sending them stumbling down the path.

Small bushes brushed by our legs, birds chattered and called in the afternoon heat and the path grew darker beneath the canopy. Further we went into the Zebrican jungle. Their tails twitched and swished with a nervous rhythm, back, forth, and back again as the route winded through the towering trees.

A clearing opened up ahead of us, perfectly situated far away from the village.

The mare seemed to know what this meant, “Sooooo…” She elongated the word in her awkward fashion, turning to face us as her nervous voice trailed off.

Birds ceased their songs and gossiping as the air grew heavy.

At least this sunk through to her. My ears were flattened, teeth bared, and wing buzzing with an anger that I think she wasn’t expecting.

My stallion…

Beside me Lyric was a picture of cooler anger, a rigid mask concealing what her heart felt, containing the burning sting of her emotion.

Our Stallion…

“She just-,” Ayomide weakly started only to cut herself off as my herd mate turned her mask of a face on her. Even if you weren’t a changeling the subdued anger was clear.

Taking a deep breath I listened to the calming breeze, the parchment like fluttering of leaves filling the humid air. I just had to be blunt, tell her the truth; no mare wants to waste her time on a stallion that doesn’t want them.

A snort broke the silence, shuffling of hooves.

“I think what you meant to say was that you keep both of your hooves away from our stallion. Wasn’t that right?” Better to not beat around the bush, seeing as the other signals were blatantly disrespected. However Ayodele didn’t seem to hear me.

“Ari isn’t yours-,” pink magic grabbed Ayodele by the neck as soon as she started, cutting off her blasphemous words.

Lyric’s gaze was on me.

Do not kill the zebra; you cannot kill her…Yet.

A curt nod to my narrowed gaze, the zebra gasped as the hold lessened.

Hot air rushed from my nose, joining the humid air as I stared into the eyes of her, “You are right,” her eyes widened as she panted. “He is ours.” I gestured a hoof to Lyric, her mask now broken with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth. “And despite what pitiful connection you may feel towards him it is pointless to pursue it.” She went to protest but I kept on over her stuttered beginnings, “You are bucking the wrong tree. Ari isn’t interested.”

Green eyes blinked. Her cousin looked off into the bush. With a cocked head we looked at each other.

“Ari wanted to help you not become your stallionfriend, he was very upset when he learned what your-,” I felt my anger rise and ears fold back again, “-actions meant. Back off.”

The final push, the simple fact was he didn’t want any more mares. Why hadn’t she seen that he wasn’t responding like an interested stallion would? He wasn’t smiling her way, blushing at her attempts show off her skeleton like figure, or taking in her scent.

Lyric set her down, sadness mixing into the anger beneath her scowl.

“B-but…” The mare stuttered out, not making any move to get up from the ground. The former assassin looked at her; ears folding back as she helped her cousin up.

“So you see that while we appreciate the help you offered to give we need you to understand that he isn’t agreeing to take you as a mare. Ari just wants to live, wants every being to live.”

“But he herds!” Her eyes were tearing up as she watched us intently.

I shook my head at that, “Quite frankly I had to convince him to take on Lyric.” Giving a brief nuzzle to Lyric’s head before I continued, trying to make the zebra understand. “Our stallion only started herding recently, rather reluctantly,” I chuckled as I thought back to that.

My mother would laugh, noling had never thought of me as the type of mare to share a stallion.

“W-why,” Ayodele finally got out, looking crushed as she leaned against her cousin. Small rivulets of tears sneaking down her muzzle as small squawks started up again from the canopy.

“That is simple. He cared too much about how I felt to act on the attraction he felt to Lyric, it was a combination of her heat and our growing friendship that spurred the sudden move to becoming a herd.” I paused and watched her, her muzzle scrunching now as her ears splayed in a new confusion, eyes unfocused on the ground. “I don’t know what there is to be confused about, Ari isn’t from here, and he didn’t know half of signals you were giving him. If he gave any he didn’t mean them.”

She looked at me then, serious in expression, her confusion gone as her ears went forward.

“Yes?”

“Well, I don’t see him complaining about them now and I take from your words that he does know what I’m doing now.” She paused, searching my face for something. All I could feel was dread coming as her confidence was growing. “The way I see it, you don’t like me and are trying to dissuade him from following his attraction.”

Denial, she has bucking denial.

“Really?” Words clearly weren’t convincing, time to show her the truth. “Then watch his reaction when we return. That should show you the truth.”

****

Ari

Kapera was a genius, not just with enchanting, but by letting my mares go off and handle Ayodele. That was actually the best route. Seeing as how they could speak to her without sending the wrong signals, I was more liable to either send signs of interest or confuse her by doing something contradicts what I’m saying. Personally, I didn’t want to hurt her, she had already been through who knows what horrors aboard the ship...But, it had to be done. Right now I wasn’t even giving her any signs that I liked her that way and she still persisted. My mares had been literally trying to scare her off but…Sometimes words are the only way to go.

This land was crazy.

Kapera carried on with her explanation on runes, oblivious to my turmoil.

In all past relationships this situation had never occurred, no man or woman was ever this ignorant or dismissive of my lack of interest. These weren’t humans though, they, I, we were equines with polygamous tendencies…That was a whole different type of relationship experience.

The lack of chattering drew me back.

We locked eyes and her tail twitched, I hadn’t a clue how to respond. What had she said before? “You sure know how to attract the interesting ones,” Kapera said, ‘interesting’ sounding closer to the word crazy when she said it.

I nodded blushing at her head shake, “The craziest part is I don’t even know what I did to get her attention.”

She just laughed at that, drawing some odd looks from some zebras. “Ari, you are an Alicorn stallion you don’t need to do much to get a mare’s attention.” My flat look didn’t slow her down. “Not only that but you have two pregnant-,” Moonlit Echo gave me a look then. It was mix between ‘I want to vomit’ and betrayal, what I would have betrayed I have no clue, but he didn’t look like a happy pony. His look was so obvious that Kapera stopped and rolled her eyes at him.

We waited for the inevitable comment, slur, or physical reaction.

Nothing…

Could this be progress?

His eyes grew dull as tufted ears went back. But he didn’t call me out at all. Sharing a confused look with the rest of the group I turned my attention back to the smith. She was looking at the sand as we continued our stroll along the harbor, silent as well. We passed the boats, still being unloaded of their bales and barrels, and beyond the couple of raised docking stations that sat empty.

“As I was saying Ari, you have two pregnant mares, you herd, and are basically as magically strong as a stallion can get.” She squinted at me, my mane really, “Or at least you will be, you still aren’t discharging magic through your mane yet. But to a mare from the little continent of Zebrica you are a catch.”

“She doesn’t even know me.” I grumbled out, feeling my ears slide back as my thoughts swam around again.

Gennady surprised us all and chortled a little.

“Yes, Gen did you have something to add?” Kapera asked, ears swiveling at something in the tree line. Gennady shook his head, looking a little mystified at the lack of movement from his armless side for a second.

I nuzzled his side for a second, guilt creeping in again as I looked at the stump. Could you mine with only one arm?

Like she knew what line of thought I was thinking, or perhaps I was just too transparent with my emotions, but either way the smith waved a paw at my look. “Stop beating yourself up Ari,” a grin formed as she increased the pace, sending grit flying from her paws. “I needed a clerk anyway.” She continued, not looking back at our incredulous expressions. “I hate hobnobbing with those pretentious speciest, Gen is perfect at socializing. He doesn’t know when to shut up actually.”

We all shared a laugh, relief from Gennady and his sister, and a mix of everything else from Kapera and me.

Moonlit Echo stayed silent.

“So I guess that is a good thing then…The slavers gone, you get to stay off the counter, and I get an airship…” I trailed off, my mares and Ayodele coming to mind again. “From what you said earlier, I take it stallions are in short demand everywhere.” I chuckled as my nerves crept up on me again, “Either that or mares are very forward here.”

“Mares don’t go for stallions they like on earth? Are they all foal brained or something?” Even the minotaurs were raising their eyebrows at me.

Giving her a head shake I thought of how to word it. “Well, you see-,”

“I don’t.”

Snorting I continued over her, “You see, on earth we don’t have a population problem of the same nature as Equis,” Heads cocked, even the Thestral perking up. “We have too many individuals, at almost an even split between the genders stuff like what is going on in Equestria is unheard of…As to females being forward, well, some are. But most still wait for the male to make a move. So I have never had such forward advances before.”

“Oh,” she stated simply, filling the one article with many different emotions, in fact the entire group seemed to take a moment to process that information.

“I take it that since mares are more common here that they are the ones to usually initiate the…Courting process here?” She nodded distractedly, rubbing her chin as she muttered something to herself. “And I take it that there was no ‘business’ we had to discuss?” Another distracted nod followed. I cocked my head at the absence of a witty comeback or insult for the stupid question.

Great, I broke her.

Bushes rustled, breezes carried the scent of salt and fruit, and we slowed our pace. It was a nice silence, not uncomfortable despite being long, and not quite silent, still filled with the sounds of Zebrica’s coastal jungle.

We started to turn around soon enough, I wasn’t sure who changed our course, but as a group we went with it. Comfortable as the sun continued to beat down, warming the sand beneath my sore hooves. Despite the pain that hung in the backdrop of my mind I couldn’t help but look at the exotic trees slowly crawling by during our walk. They were foreign like all things were and yet strangely familiar to my eyes, large leaves reminiscent of trees you see on a postcard. This quiet area was a perfect place to raise foals. Foals, babies, they were my all too soon future, approaching faster than I would have ever guessed. I-

I blinked.

Moonlit Echo knew.

And with that thought my heart skipped a beat, out of tune with the ebbing waves. He knew where I planned on living, my plan, and of my herd’s coming foals. That meant it was all but done, telling the princesses that is.

Hiding, that’s a joke!

“Hey, Echo.” Large tufted ears perked up, flicking to me as a frown started to grow on his muzzle. “How are you feeling?”

His eye twitched.

“Right, a stupid question…Listen, I know you probably don’t believe me completely about the weather but…They probably won’t believe me either and I want you to know really don’t want to have to kidnap the princesses.”

No response from him, the waves just lazily came back in once more as a flock of blue parrot-like birds took up from the tree line. A strong breeze ran along my fur as I racked my brain trying to think of something I could say to get a reaction out of him.

The harbor was getting closer.

“Perhaps you could help me learn how to not insult them twenty ways to Sunday.” His eyebrow rose as he turned his muzzle to me. “As you probably have witnessed by now I’m pretty inept at body language here,” I chuckled at that as his lips twitched. “On earth I didn’t talk to officials or any being quite so fancy.” I had his complete attention now.

“Really,” Moonlit asked, doubt lacing his query.

A sense of relief came over me and a smile went to my face, “Yup, I sold books in quaint little bookstore by day and foalsat by night.”

More silence, broken by a thoughtful hum from the Thestral. “If I show you how to interact with royalty…Will the princesses still be harmed?” My eyes bugged out a little, as did the others I’m sure. When had it been said that I would harm them?

“You mean ponynap them.”

Raised eyebrow met raised eyebrow as the boats bobbed in the water.

“No, I meant harm them. How else were you planning to get them to stay still during the trip? You haven’t met the princesses Ari.” A dismissive snort, “They have fought way worse than one Alicorn.” He must not have liked what he saw as his tone turned stern, almost like a drill sergeant, “I will show you how to converse politely if you can guarantee,” It faltered there, losing the power. “No, promise me that you won’t kidnap them.”

Waves continued to wash the shore.

“I can’t promise that Echo,” I said, letting my own voice grow hard. “Thinking of the rest of the planet I have to do whatever it takes to convince them.” Our eyes locked, “And that may include kidnapping them if talking fails to garner the change that we need.”

The crowds were approaching again, ponies crowding the shore, but still our gazes remained locked. Our eyes watching each other for any falsity or insincerity, my wings flexed slightly as I saw none in his face.

I was surprised that he actually appeared to be satisfied, “Fine, but I can’t teach you when I’m tied up.”

“So you are taking the deal then?”

He nodded after a second, looking rather reluctant, but honest in his eyes.

“Excellent, the deal begins once I get my airship. Then you will-.” I cut myself off as we reached the town, my mares trotting over to me, Chrissy standing tall above the crowd. A shot of excitement traveled through me. “We will discuss this later.”

With that I started out at a light trot, ignoring the background noises of rustling bushes, clips of conversations, and sizzling food. My beautiful changeling was practically glowing as the sun reflected off her chitin and my siren’s scales shimmered in the rays, looking for atheistic purposes like plated gold.

They looked happy and that can only mean…

Nickers escaped me as we reached one another, soft and muted in the crowd, and although I felt nervous I gave their noses a playful lick. They both gave light snorts in response and I felt that they were more amused than annoyed. Looking between the two of them I gave them a quick nuzzle each, just in case I was reading them wrong. A happy look passed between them as they glued themselves to my side.

That revealed a certain zebra that had been behind them, and she looked at me expectantly.

Okay, friendly, friendly…

“Hi Ayodele, did you mares enjoy the food?” Smooth as sandpaper.

Just as her mouth opened Rufaro burst between us, creating a small cloud of dust as she skidded forward, looking back at the closing gap in the crowd with a small scowl.

Thank you!

And just like that we ended up following the winded mare, Ayodele staying a few paces back than usual. The crowd parting easily for our group, causing a bit of harshly toned Zebrican mutterings from the assistant, although I could have sworn that I heard some from Ayodele as well.

She was backing off…Why did I feel so off?

Before long I was back in the office staring at a pile of parchment. The hieroglyphic like symbols lost under my illiterate gaze.

“Chrissy can you read this over for me,” I got odd looks from the Thestral and Zebras then but I ignored them, instead sliding the small stack over to her side. Unfortunately Ayodele had made her onto my back again…But was subdued, starting to groom me only to pause before trying another spot. Making me question how effective their talk had been. It was hard to tell with the way she was acting; my mares weren’t helping me form an answer as they had looked just as confused when she had jumped onto my back.

Perking up, my mare scanned down the page, flipping through each consecutive scroll with a careful look on her muzzle.

The others waited, listening to the rustle of parchment and the occasional flittering of her wing.

Until Moonlit Echo could not contain his curiosity any longer, “Why are you having her read it? It is just a simple sale agreement.” He watched me intensely then and I realized that I would have to tell him. He would probably find out anyway, secrets and me don’t end well.

“I am from another world, culture.” He still didn’t get it, cocking his head as he searched for the answer in my face. “Although by some cosmic blessing my English language happens to translate as Equus here, the written language does not translate, in a moment you all see how my language looks like.” He blinks his slitted eyes at me, stunned I would say.

Yup, his jaw was trying to work the air.

I was getting better at this.

Kisses started on my neck, although I felt like they weren’t meant to be intimate, but comforting. Especially if Wekasi’s look from across the desk means sadness like I thought it did, ears splayed as my situation sunk in for him.

With a last flip through the stack my mare slid it back, nodding to the quill and inkpot in front of me. “It is airtight. You are trading ten used trading ships, armed, and needing some reconstructive work for one Freeway model airship.” I raised an eyebrow at the name, immediately picturing a sea of honking, road rage fueled vehicles.

“It is modestly sized,” Wekasi piped up, looking nervous as his ears twitched, watching my face carefully. “Three levels below deck, two cabins on the deck, and all the food from the ships will be loaded into the hull when it arrives.”

“Arrives?” I question feeling like I missed something…Right the Airship stations were empty.

He rubs a hoof on a spare quill, giving me a small smile, “You see I didn’t just want you to enjoy the festivities I needed to send out the order for it, inform the other leaders of today’s events.” He concluded.

That explained the empty lobby; he must have been very busy. Remind me to never get into politics.

“So our deal is still on?” He quickly replied with a yes, nodding with an excited energy as a big smile coming over his muzzle. That was good, but there was that one matter. “The citizenship papers for my herd?”

“That will take me a couple days to get. I am waiting for the twenty four odd signatures from the other leaders, which can take awhile. But by the time you return I should have them ready.” Clapping his hooves excitedly he added, “How many more should I expect to make?” His eyes followed mine.

Lyric looked ready to burst into tears when I glanced over, but with a quivering lip she whispered, “Four.”

The stallion deflated slightly. He didn’t seem to know what to say to my mare and neither did I, maybe there wasn’t anything to say…I did still need to find out where in the castle the mirror was kept. So I settled with draping a wing over her, she gave a sniff before her head tucked into the dark cocoon it made.

Shaking his head, he adopted a more controlled expression, looking at the quill then me.

I still had to sign that form.

With my mare calming herself I turned back to the parchment, gripping the quill in my magic with barely a thought now, I went to sign the first blank line only to pause. The pressure…Every being was leaning towards the paper. The wall huggers even took a couple steps closer. Clearing my throat, I dipped the tip of the quill in the inkpot.

They leaned in further. Even Ayodele paused from her latest experiment with my mane.

Dull chattering reached my ears from the streets.

A quick tap on the rim of the small brown pot cleared the dark drop from the quill tip.

It scratched ever so quietly in the room as the ink formed the letters of my male name, ‘A-R-I’. I stuck to plain print, not wanting to have to explain handwriting to them, and not having a new signature planned.

“Oh,” Chrissy said, squinting at the letters, looking from my name to the clearly different set of squiggles surrounding it.

“Yup, you can see why the others make no sense to me.” She nodded, as did the other occupants. Although Moonlit Echo looked like I had given him a riddle, eyes whipping left and right at nothing particular, lost in his own world.

With that over with I went to the next roll, signing away those ten ships with every scratch on the off white form and dip to wet the quill. It was a almost calming set of motions that soon passed, getting me one step closer being able to live this new life I was…Forcefully given.

“Excellent Ari!” the eager stallion exclaimed, ‘discreetly’ looking to his assistants to me and back again. They looked plum tuckered out; withers slouched as they rested by the bookcases. “Wake up, wake up!” Punctuating each phrase with a stomp on his desk, they snapped to attention. “Show our honored guests to their rooms.” As they made for the door he briefly turned back to me, “I hope you enjoy our hospitality, your ship should arrive mid morning at the latest.”

After that he seemed to have dismissed us, pulling out a fresh piece of parchment to continue with whatever paperwork storm I had thrust him into.

I almost felt bad, almost; this would change this country for the better I’m sure.

The rooms were on the same floor so we didn’t have far to go, however only two rooms had been prepared. One for my herd and one for every other being…They weren’t going to be too jammed in, and really they were nice rooms.

Especially when my room was free of zebras for a change, my mares looked to be on cloud nine when I removed Ayodele from my back.

But I couldn’t look her in the eye, a niggling feeling of guilt at the back of my mind.

Anyway, the room was essentially a large square with a small stand tucked into the back left and right corners, and of course the bed. It was the only indicator that this was a first rate room. As wide as it was long, it easily a king size bed. Although it looked strangely dipped, almost like a giant cushion. The sheets were a crisp white, pulled up to a veritable mountain of cream throw pillows.

In celebration of the peace and quiet, and perhaps just to re-establish their scents after having Ayo on my back, we groomed each other. I was the one who suggested it, the ‘each other’ part. Chrissy was practically hopping in place to straighten out my feathers, which were and I quote ‘a laughable and pitiful state’.

They weren’t that bad…

But we still all got reacquainted, happily grooming each other as the moon rose.

Soon enough though the sun rose, it was the morning, and I was buzzing with energy at the thought of our airship. But, seeing as I was the first to wake, I had to contend with waiting.

I started by counting my feathers. They were in perfect alignment now, shiny with a fresh coat of whatever natural oil my pores produced. Moving on, I inspected the ceiling, it was flawless, no cracks to count or tiles to play dot to dot on. Sighing, I looked around the room for something to hold my attention. It didn’t hold much, not even a calendar or clock.

Looking down I sighed again, not really wanting to leave the sense of comfort that came from being snuggled in, but also wanting to race down to the harbor and see if the ship was here yet.

Whether it was the sighs or the sun shining down doing it, my mares were slowly waking up. Giving the cutest little sighs as their legs extended, shaking as they stretched then in the still quiet air, and smacking their lips as they assimilated to reality again.

A white flicker caught my attention by the window.

Outside there didn’t seem to be anything to flicker or flutter by the building. We were above the statue, the birds stuck to the trees, and no being could fly- no, that’s not true, two of the four remaining pegasi could fly.

Hold that thought, it didn’t flicker or flutter but it was white.

The airship was lowering down by the beach.

Excitement filled me. Overflowed really, I stood up; wings give little flutters as I watched the window. The large vessel was moving down to the docking stations, flawless white balloon with its silver metal cage reflecting the sunlight. Even the hull of the ship attached beneath it was painted a shiny white. It was magnificent.

I wasn’t being subtle, with a crick of their backs my mares also rose from the plush bed, both turning to look out the window as well. My reaction wasn’t too over the top as both Chrissy and Lyric imitated fish as they gazed at the vessel, our ship.

“Thank you.” Chrissy managed to get out, Lyric nodding her agreement as her eyes shimmered. Nothing more was needed, it was perfect.

Our excitement was soon forced aside as both Lyric and I were met with demands from our stomachs. Horrible, loud grumbles demanding we leave the sanctity of the bedroom and venture forth into the waking world.

And so I cracked the door open, not a being was in sight. Opening it all the way, we turned right and made our way to Wekasi’s office. The door was open, showing a mess of papers, more so than usual. Almost like he had literally created a storm in his office, there was ink spilled on his desk, smudged and soaked up by some papers that were sure to be important. The floorboards half hidden in parchment.

Wow, just wow.

Snorting and angry Zebrican voices caught our ears, swiveling as we turned to look at the approaching group of stallions.

Wekasi spotted us from his place among them, “Ari!” He called as he trotted up to me, they quieted, muttering amongst themselves. “I was just getting the warriors on this-,” a hoof pointed to the wrecked room, “-mess that some mchoraji made of my office.”

I felt my mares tense up beside me, after they were blanketed under my wings I looked back to him, “When did this happen?”

“That’s just the thing, I stayed late last night working on the papers…By the time I left the moon had been up for awhile." Slumping his withers, he continued, "I came in around seven this morning and found it like this.” He shook his head at his office before taking a deep breath. “By some luck nothing appears to be taken but I still have to look through everything.” He gestured to his stallions to continue and we let them pass by. Another tired sigh filled the hallway, rubbing his face with a hoof, “I take it you heard nothing?”

Chrissy answered for us, “I know I heard nothing last night or this morning.” I shook my head at her curious look, “Ari didn’t either, but mind you, he can sleep through a stick being jabbed up his nose.”

What?

I wiggled my nose, suddenly feeling a nonexistent itch there. Looking between every being, “When did this occur? I feel like that would wake me up…”

As she was about to answer the other bedroom door opened and the rest of our group exited.

Pleasantries were exchanged, hellos, friendly grumbles, and silence from the thestral before every being fell silent, all of them also stumped by the chaos that had happened overnight. Echo narrowed his eyes at it, large ears twitching. Meanwhile Ayodele seemed to have gained a second wind, a literal hop to her step, and like a begrudging puppy dog her cousin followed, although at a more sedate pace.

“Minotaria, the first night when we slept in that field,” She paused as I processed it. “Before you woke I was woken by the snorts of a couple of curious calves poking you up the nose.” My mouth moved up and down as a laugh was shared at my expense.

They won’t be laughing when they need me awake. It was a serious problem; I have literally slept through a fire alarm!

She saw my frown, “Don’t worry-,” a quick kiss, “-I think they ended up more scared of my smile than focused on your species.” Immaculate canines flashed the group as their laughter slowed down.

Behind us the crew was rummaging through the room, whispering observations to each other in Zebrican.

Wekasi composed himself with a loud clearing of his throat, “Well, while my crew get that,” a small snort escaped him as his eye twitched, “Let me show you your new ship, there is a lot to get through before you leave.”