Manonymous Part 5: Anon VS Zecora

>Day 5 in Equestria (Everfree Forest, estimated 5:30am)
>Fucking Timberwolves!
>They came at first lured by the smell of roast cockatrice
>But when you fought back, they switched their target to you!
>Oh, not like they're particularly tough, one hit is enough to cause them to fall apart
>But afterwards, they just reform themselves from a strange green wisp within a minute! The nerve of them!
>This shit's just getting annoying, and every time they reform, they get closer to taking a chunk out of you
>You tried smashing the branches they were made of after kerploding them with a single punch, but then they just regenerate from new branches
>The only thing that's seemed to be slightly effective so far was taking a burning branch out of your fire and swinging it at them
>They backed off in fear of the flame and ran away, but now what?
>You have no idea how long until they'll be back, no idea how long they can keep this up for
>Can magical creatures run out of energy? You don't want this to drag on long enough to find out
>You can't keep that fire going forever, and besides, you want the satisfaction of smashing them apart for yourself
>Let's reassess what you've got in your backpack
>Knife, water, rope, whiskey--
>Waitaminute
>Rope and alcohol?
>Heheheheheh...
>You take the coil of rope and cut two pieces off of it, soaking them in some of the whiskey
>You briefly mourn the loss of your liquor, but it's going towards a good cause
>And you still have a little bit left over for a special occasion
>Then, you wrap and bind them over your sleeves around your wrists and hands
>You check your fire. Still smouldering away. Good. Keeping the food warm, and all you need for when the wolves come back now...
>Is a spark.
>Soon, you hear the tell-tale gutteral growls coming from the undergrowth again
>It's a strange noise: the creaking and scraping of wood-on-wood helping to augment their calls
>It only takes a few minutes for the three wolves to build up their courage again and try to come at you from out of the forest again
>You rise slowly from a crouch and take up your stance
>Two of them move in opposite directions as they start to circle around, trying to get at your back
>You speak softly while backing up towards the flames
"You really did catch me off guard at first with that regeneration trick. Such a shame: that was the only chance you would ever get to bring me down yourselves. I know your weakness now."
>With the fire at your back now, the two circling wolves stop. They don't want a barrier of flames between you
>There's one in front and two on either side with nothing but fire at your back
>Theoretically, a bad position to be in for you
>Realistically, you're gonna fuck these things up in a way they'd never see coming
"Especially now, since I'm not going to be fighting with the fist of a man anymore..."
>You spin and crouch down to the fire, turning your back on the wolves
>The one directly behind you now takes its chance, leaping forward with a snarl and jaws wide open
>You place your hands into the fire for a moment, the alcohol in the rope catching and starting to burn
>You continue your spinning motion, turning now with burning hands and moving to uppercut the leaping wolf
>It sees what you've done: its eyes widen with fear of what's coming, but it's too late to stop itself
>Fist rising to meet the wolf, you roar:
"I'M FIGHTING WITH THE FIST OF THE DEVIL!"
>The wolf explodes as you punch straight through it
>This time however is different form the previous defeats it's taken: the green wisp that was binding it together makes contact with the flames wrapped around your arm, and starts to burn itself
>With a horrible dog-like scream, the wisp starts trying to rebuild from the surrounding twigs and sticks, but it burns everything it comes into contact with
>It tries to go to one of the remaining intact wolves, but as the creature sees the fire surrounding its kindred spirit, it turns and runs out of fear
>The wisp finally burns itself out, leaving nothing behind but a smoking pile of ash and burnt wood
>Arms still wrapped in the rope set ablaze, you turn to the remaining wolf, and say quietly
"You should be running."
>The beast needs no more prodding after what it just witnessed. It turns tail and runs after its remaining kin
>You pat out the flames from the ropes, taking care not to burn yourself, before sitting down and having a quiet laugh
"Nobody's ever going to believe me about this."
>"If you wish to tell others of what you've done this day, perhaps a witness could give your words some sway."
>You whirl around at voice as it echoes in the woods. There's nothing you can see. You can't even feel any eyes on you
>Whoever's talking has made this forest their home completely, and experience has taught you such people should be treated with caution
>You shudder, remembering that chance encounter in the Daintree Rainforest
"Who are you? Show yourself: friend or enemy?"
>"I am whatever I choose to be: whether you are worth being a friend, we shall see."
>The creature, whatever it may be, speaks in rhyme: once again, the echoing nature of its voice makes location through sound impossible
>Better keep it talking for as long as possible, try and draw it out from its hiding place
>You watch the shadows carefully, leaning down to carefully grab a stone from the dirt. As you look around, slowly searching the woods for a sign of your unknown watcher, you speak
"What do you mean, worth being a friend? What are you playing at?"
>"No secret to my words, I mean exactly what I said: are you hard of hearing? You listen worse than the dead."
"Maybe you should just explain yourself a little clearer."
>A moments silence. The voice speaks up again, this time, you could swear it was coming from 5 o'clock your position...
>"A long time it has been, since a warrior like you I have seen. Maybe, perhaps you can defeat, a trial and claim a special treat?"
"You're challenging me to some kind of game with a prize if I succeed?"
>You're fairly certain of where the voice is coming from now, but you don't dare turn around to look in case it moves
>"A good test for a fighter like you at his peak: my hut in the middle of the forest you must seek."
>It's definitely behind you: you prepare to turn and hurl your stone at the spot. 3... 2... 1...
>"Now I shall be on my way: I cannot talk with you all day--"
>NOW!
>You spin on the spot, and launch your rock straight in the spot where the voice was coming from
>But there's no satisfying sound of stone striking flesh: merely breaking branches and rustling leaves.
>A mocking laugh comes from all around
>"Not bad for the first of your bets: maybe you will get to me yet!"
>The laughter and voice fades, and soon you're left alone with nothing but your enemy's burning remains and your meal growing colder
>You curse under your breath. So, you want to play a game, eh, mysterious stranger? You'll play this game. And when you win, you're going to take what's rightfully yours: a face-to-face fight with your would-be tormentor!
>You always did hate being treated like a child

>The time is now 7am
>The sun has risen: Twilight should be finding your note soon
>So far, you've been wandering further and further into the forest, looking carefully for any sign of your detractor
>There's nothing: just the occasional pair of glowing red eyes, that were always quick to vanish with a swift stone throw though
>Then, you feel it: a shift in the feel of the ground as you take a step, a strange tension as you try and put your foot down, and then the sound of something snapping
>A creaking from the side: you dive backwards on instinct just in time to see an arrow fly where your leg was a moment ago
>The arrow shatters against a tree. So that's the kind of trial they're throwing at you...
>Thank God for Earth Pony magic: enhanced reflexes are awesome
>You glance around, trying to remain more aware. You'll have to be even more careful now: if they're throwing traps at you, there's no knowing what might be ahead
>Upon examining the arrow, it appears its head was some kind of blunt instrument instead of the sharp arrowhead your were expecting
>At least they're not trying to kill you
>Or so you thought at first
>As you ventured further and further into the forest, the traps became more and more deadly
>A trap that dropped boulders down on your head from the treetops
>Fake paths that led to who-knows-where
>A wire trap linked to an alarm right outside some kind of nest (you didn't get too close to it to find out what it was meant to wake up)
>A jar filled with some kind of poisonous gas triggered to drop when you pushed past a certain branch
>Another wire trap hidden directly much more cleverly behind another more obvious wire trap: triggering one of them would send a spiked log swinging up from under a pile of leaves
>A pit trap with spikes slanted downwards in it, like a fish hook: easy to get in a foot into, impossible to get out without tearing your leg apart
>A campfire surrounded by a disguised spiked pit trap, and the spikes were evn coated with some kind of poison
>All of these and more, nothing but seeking out, occasionally tripping, and avoiding traps for hours on end while chewing on some cockatrice
>It's an exercise in physical and mental endurance
>Keeping your mind sharp enough to keep spotting the traps and remaining alert enough to disarm what you can safely would have completely wiped you out back home
>Hell, you probably would've died a few times by now on Earth
>In Equestria, it's just a good, deadly way to make sure you stretch your muscles
>Whoever built these knows their stuff, that's for sure
>By your estimate, it must be around lunch by the time you finally reach your goal: a hut in the center of the forest
>Made entirely out of wood and straw, it looks extremely... Tribal. Hardly out of place with the wild forest surrounding it
>What type of creature could possibly live here, and guard itself with such insane traps?
>You approach the door carefully, looking around for anything else that may spring out
>You grasp the doorknob with the tips of your fingers and turn slowly: a needle springs out from a hole in the center as you twist
>If you had just grabbed the knob and twisted, it would have gone straight into your palm
>This one is coated with poison too
>Right up until the very end, these things just don't stop...
>Can't wait to see the crazy creature responsible for everything so far in this forest
>Open the door
>Get on the floor
>Because there's a goddamn spear being thrown at your head
>You drop down low as the offending missile flies past with a whistle, before propping yourself back to your feet, and giving a good glare in the direction it came from
>It appears to be a pony, but there are some subtle differences. The head shape isn't quite the same, and it has a black and white striped coat rather than a single solid colour
>A zebra then? It also sports a mohawk with the same pattern as its coat
>Balanced with one hoof on a staff planted in the ground... And it threw a spear like that?
>Fascinating
"Nice way to welcome a guest into your house..."
>"Guests to others usually knock before coming in. And in this forest you must beware the beasts that lurk within."
>Rhyming in with within. Neat
"And the poison spike out of the door knob?"
>"One final trick to see if you would let down your guard, I am pleased to see caution you did not discard."
"And the point of all this? These... traps, this gauntlet of yours?"
>She is silent for a moment.
>"A long time since a warrior arose before my eyes. I wished to see if you were capable of claiming my prize. Incredibly peaceful are these pony folk, but when evil comes calling... It is never a joke."
"Yeah, you mentioned that prize earlier. So, you come from a less peaceful place than the people around here?"
>She laughs at this and shrugs.
>"Have you seen how much they fear this forest? Yet you and I walk in it at our calmest. Fellow creatures of strife and battle, you and I... Though my methods may differ from yours, even if not by a far cry."
"I see... So whereas I'm a lover of melee combat, you're a master of the trap and guerilla combat? Hmph. Guess that means there's no point in challenging you to make up for the irritation you put me through today. You'd just run away and take pot shots at me with poisoned weapons. Annoying. No thanks."
>She chuckles at your obvious distaste for her little trial.
>"Traps are a mere portion of my talent, my potions and brew bring awe to even the most gallant. Since you understand me, I can say you're no dullard. My name is Zecora, will you give me yours, unknown ward?"
"... Anonymous. You can call me Anon."

>You spend a while talking with Zecora. She tells you about the zebra tribes from her homeland, far out east from Equestria and how she heralded from a tribe that only survived through trickery and tactics.
>Hmmmm. Not quite in step with your philosophy of attack, attack, attack.
>But not like her way of thinking is wrong. Survival is an alright goal.
>She leaves out the reason why she came to Equestria, but when pressed, simply says she was coming to research rare and magical reagents for her potions that couldn't be found back home
>It's a pretty clear lie. But hey, you have some things about yourself you wouldn't wanna tell somebody that you just met that day
>When you ask about the traps and what she would do if a pony were to stumble upon one of them, she laughs at you and says
>"I know of everything that passes through these woods, and those traps were set up so you only would recieve their goods."
"What do you mean?"
>"They were not sitting around for months waiting to be used, I set them up mere hours ago so only you would be the abused."
"Well, thank you for the consideration... Wait, you did all those traps just today? While I was wandering through the forest, you were just ahead of me setting them up?"
>"I told you that I was adept, in my territory I always lead by a step." Zecora smiles wryly, as you give a small shudder. If that was what she could do with just a few hours of perparation, what could she do if you really pissed her off?
>Something tells you that you don't want to find out.
>You tell her of how you came to Equestria and of what you did in your first few days
>Zecora finds your story hilarious, somehow managing to slap herself of the knee while chortling without coming down from her staff
>"To pick a fight with the strongest on your first day, and the Elements next along your way! Truly a madman I have met, perhaps I should have never made our bet!"
"Oh yeah! You promised a prize if I managed to make it through your trap gauntlet. What did you mean?"
>She gives a sly smile as she produces a small pouch from behind her back and tosses it to you.
>"I think these will suffice as pay, for a fighter they would come in handy some day."
>Opening the sack reveals some kind of crystals. Dull blue with no shine to them, and perfectly spherical.
"Is this... Medicine?"
>"Doping for a warrior to go at his most powerful, but beware the crash; the consequences can be an armful."
>You count out the spheres. 8 in total.
"Y'know, back home, doping before a fight is enough to get you disqualified and banned for life in the professional ring."
>"There are no disqualifications in a life-or-death battle, something tells me you'll need these when you hear the Reaper's bones rattle."
>She has a point.
>Zecora explains the exact details of the medicine to you: for 5 minutes, you'll be able to fight at a level beyond what you are normally capable of.
>But after that 5 minutes is up, no more. Your body will be completely destroyed, and it will take a full day of bed rest to get back to normal.
>Taking one during the recovery period is asking for trouble: if you don't die, you'll at the least be laid up in a coma for a month or two.
>And trying to take two at once is suicide: might as well down a shot of cobra venom.
>Part of you wants to take one right now, test them out for yourself... But you still have the hours drudge through the forest back to Ponyville.
>And considering how long it took to get you here...
>Besides, you promised you'd be back in time for dinner.
"Well, thank you for these Zecora, I'm sure they'll come in handy in the future. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
>You stand and dust yourself off.
"I need to get back to Ponyville. My 'handler' is probably going to be rather upset with my disappearance."
>Zecora smiles sympathetically. "If you are in a hurry to return, I know of a shortcut should you yearn..."
>Of course there's a shortcut and you took the long way to get here. Of fucking course.
>Well, at least you got your meat out of the adventure.
>And you completely annhilated a magical creature of the forest by lighting your hands on fire and punching it.
>"I'm fighting with the fist of the devil!" Heh, that was a good one.
>And then, these bits of medicine...
>Well, let's just save that as a last resort kinda thing shall we.
>Zecora leads you along the beaten path back to civilization. As you re-enter Ponyville, you're getting a lot more stares.
>Guess it's all the mud and crap you got on you during your adventure. You're attracting even more attention than usual.
>Finally, back at the library, you kick off your mud-laden shoes and enter.
"Twilight? I'm back--"
>Oh man she is pissed.
>Sitting at her table, tapping her hooves and glaring at you.
>Spike's looking fidgety and a little guilty as well.
>Doesn't take much to put together what happened here.
"Spike?"
>"Yeah, big bro?"
"She didn't buy the letter, did she."
>"Nope."
"She knows I was hunting for meat, doesn't she."
>"Yep."
"Welp."
>"Yeah..."
>What follows is a lecture on asking for permission before going wandering into incredibly well-known dangerous forests fueled by the fires of a thousand suns that lasts for hours before she lets up
>Only one other being in all of existence has given you a bollocking like this before
>Never would thought the girl would have had it in her
>Today was an average day