Should I speak in Rhyme?

[Zee]

(January 6th. Open to Zecora and Zee only.)

Zee had wandered into the ever free forrest on purpose this time. This time she wasn't saving little fillies from danger. No this time she had a purpose and aimed to fulfill it. She gulped lowering her head to the floor as she slunk across the forrest ground, trying to find the person she was looking for. Femme had heard of another Zebra from the townsfolk, a zebra named Zecora. She had magic and was powerful. Zee wondered if maybe she could help her out. Help her discover what it meant to be a zebra and in turn maybe receive a cutie mark.

Femme wandered past the poison joke, not daring to touch it. She knew from her parents teachings that it wasn't something to mess with. Ears flicked upward as she heard a sound, some rustling in the bushes.

"Who...who's there?" She asked nervously.

[Zecora]

The rustling wasn't just some savage animal, or odd beast that didn't resemble a pony whatsoever. It was another striped equine, this one with more natural and dull colors. Her front leg was decorated with gold braces, neck the same way. The zebra's face was hidden away with a hood, but not for long. She shook her head, revealing her face as the hood fell. She'd been looking through the bushes to see if there was any plant that she had needed in particular.

However, another striped equine female caught her attention. Turquoise eyes wandered over to the zebra. At first, she was ecstatic to see Zee. But it faded once she heard her speak. This couldn't be a zebra, or she was part zebra. Her mane and tail seemed to say she wasn't a zebra. "You do not appear to be ponyfolk, yet it is their speech you spoke. The name is Zecora, too. What the better question is who are you?" the zebra replied, cautiously stepping towards the other zebra.

[Zee]

Zee turned to see her fellow zebra. Her ears flicked back and she smiled. Staring at the zebra who's hood had been removed. She was looking very cool, cooler than Zee herself. She trotted forward towards the other femme, lowering her head towards Zecora. "Hi," she said, "I'm...ponies call me Zee but my real name is Zephyra. That's what my parents call me." She smiled softly at Zecora. "I came looking for you," she said, "You...you're a zebra too."

She winced at Zecora talking about her speech. "Oh, I...I was raised in Manehatten. Born with zebras, raised with ponies. That's why I don't speak the way you do...I think." She stared at Zecora, hoping the other equine would accept her as a fellow zebra. Not a zebra, not a pony...she didn't want that to happen.

[Zecora]

Zephyra. Pretty name. Hearing Zee's explanation of her speech seemed plausible. Living where everypony didn't speak in rhyme would be difficult to keep in touch with your culture's language. Zecora decided to switch the subject.

"The one who calls herself Zee, you said you had come to see me? A favor to ask, a horrendous task?" the zebra asked. Perhaps the comfort of seeing another zebra was all Zee had wanted. And the striped equine couldn't blame her. If she was labelled as outcast, then Zee must have been labelled outcast too.

[Zee]

"Its not really a favor per se," Zee mused, tilting her head to the side slightly, "I just...wanted to hang out you know? I'm a zebra, your a zebra. Maybe you could teach me some about the culture that I...lost by growing up in Manehatten." Her ears dropped slightly. "I'm not a pony, but I'm not a zebra either. I can't get a cutie mark and I don't speak Zebra tongue. I'm just...Zee..." She sighed.

"Maybe you could teach me some magic? Or something...I just wanna fit in..." She said lowering her head to the ground.

[Zecora]

Zecora had a cutie mark. Now that the zebra mentioned it, she did have a blank flank. Her turquoise eyes fluttered to see that it was true before looking back at the zebra's face. Huh. It seemed like everypony lacking a cutie mark came into the forest. Even those with cutie marks came into the forest! Apple Bloom, the rest of the crusaders, the Elements of Harmony, and now another zebra, nearly all had come to see her. The zebra stopped and thought a moment, thinking of what to say to the zebra.

"But you see, you are not a pony to me. You are a zebra in my eyes, not just a pony in a striped disguise. You may follow me to my home. The forest isn't exactly the safest place to roam." Using her head to signal the violet striped zebra to follow her, Zecora then began to walk towards the path of her hut, expecting Zee to follow along the more natural colored zebra.

[Zee]

Zee smiled brightly. Zecora wasn't going to shoo her away. Zecora would understand and know what to do. She followed the darker striped zebra, head lowered as she tried to avoid the branches and things that were growing and hanging out in the forest. She stayed silent for a while, walking behind Zecora. She blinked big violet eyes as she opened her mouth to speak but then closed it quickly. Then she opened it again and finally spoke.

"You don't think I'm a pony...but I don't speak like you either..." She titled her head to the side. "My parents speak like you but...I just never caught on." It was strange, her parents spoke in rhyme. But she remembered as a filly getting teased when she spoke in rhyme. When she spoke at all actually.