Let’s get down to business!
 
And defeat…the [insert enemy here]

Really Cool

Such great motion!

From the source:
 
While Prophecy began her journey to Canterlot to face justice >>2056850 (semi-grimdark) another pony was beginning her own journey of discovery and growth in my Equestria dreamscape.
 
Note. The art style will appear a bit different from my current work because these sketches were down a few years ago right after I had the dream. Also I did them very quickly before I forgot certain details.
 
Applebloom smiled as she trotted down the forest path on her way to Zecora’s place. It was a bright sunny day but the forest canopy was so dense that in spots that in place the forest floor was swathed in a perpetual twilight. Occasionally a shaft of golden sunlight penetrated through the heavy canopy and interrupted the constant gloom.
 
The Everfree Forest could be dangerous place but Applebloom had learned that if you stayed to forest paths and traveled during the day it was much less threatening. Besides she had official business to conduct at Zecora’s place, so in spite of AJ’s complaining she’d finished her chores and headed off to her meeting.
 
Her marching orders had arrived two days ago in a courier’s panniers in the form of a letter from the Royal Palace that bore Luna’s great seal upon it, and its presence was a great talisman against the protests of her big sis. The contents of the letter were easy for all to understand.
 
 
My dear student Applebloom. In light of your recent progress I feel it is time that we begin further expansion of your training. Success in the dream realm often requires you learning how to control yourself when you’re awake. Therefore I have enlisted the aid of Zecora who is wise in such matters. I wish for you to meet with her at her cottage this Saturday at 1pm to begin your training. I will not be there but Zecora is aware of what instructions I desire taught to you, if you are absolutely unable to make this date then please inform me as soon as possible. Take care dear Applebloom.
 
 
Sincerely, Luna
 
At the appointed time the filly came trotting into the little clearing that surrounded the alchemist’s home. Like the Ponyville library Zecora’s home resided in the trunk of great tree. The trunk of the tree was festooned with art pieces and mementos from her homeland, and from the branches hung various alchemic projects in different stages of completion. For Applebloom this was a familiar sight but as she entered the clearing she stopped and stare in wonder at what she beheld.
 
Under the shade of the tree Zecora was standing on her front hoofs in a headstand. On either side of her were two wooden posts with buckets of tinned metal sitting on them. As the filly watched the zebra slowly did the splits with her hind legs, slowly lowering them until she could slip a hoof around each of the bucket handles. Then with equal care she slowly lifted her hind legs with the buckets now suspended from them. By the obvious exertion Applebloom knew the buckets had to be to be at least partially filled with water.
 
Zecora held this position for about thirty seconds then with great care she lifted her left front hoof off the ground, all the while keeping the two buckets suspended in the air. After several seconds she lowered her left front hoof and then repeated the process with her right hoof. Then she lowered the buckets back down on to the posts and then in slow motion she lowered body down until she had all four hoofs on the ground again. Applebloom trotted over to her.
 
“Wow Zecora! That was amazing! I’ve never seen a pony do anything like that in real life, how did ya learn that?” The zebra mare smiled at the filly.
 
“It is a exercise from my homeland Little Bloom. I learned when I was studying to join the order. It is an exercise that demands discipline and strengthens the body and mind.”
 
“Bet it takes a long time ta learn that!” Exclaimed the filly. Zecora smiled back.
 
“Yes, but in time you’ll hopefully be able to do the same thing to. After all it is why Princess Luna has enlisted my aid in your instruction.”
 
Applebloom looked rather uncertain at the zebra’s declaration. “Uh, do ya really think I can learn ta that?”
 
“Why not Little Bloom, many things we think are impossible are only because we can not believe ourselves doing them. If when I first met you I had told you that you’d be Princess Luna personal student would you have believed me?”
 
Applebloom fidgeted for a seconds. “Well, um, uh, nah! I wouldn’t believed ya, so whatcha ya going ta be teaching me? “
 
“Let us begin with some tea.” Said the zebra mare. “Tea makes lessons more enjoyable little one!”
 
Zecora then led the filly into her cottage and proceeded to put a kettle on the fire, with that task completed she directed her guest to have a seat on one of the many cushions that littered the floor of her cottage. She then gathered a teapot and cups and brought them over to where Applebloom was now sitting. Zecora’s made a second trip to the cupboards and came back with a tin of candied walnuts and dried fruit and small pot of honey. Soon the kettle was cheerfully whistling away, Zecora filled a tea ball with a mixture of her own making and then poured the boiling water into it. The cottage filled with the scent of cinnamon, clove, orange peel, cardamom, and ginger.
 
Zecora sat down alongside Applebloom and poured her some tea, she then filled her own cup. With hostess duties completed she looked down at the filly.
 
“Applebloom, Princess Luna has requested my assistance in expanding your training so that you can develop better control of your mind and body. These instructions will also benefit you in your Dream Realm training. Do you understand?”
 
Applebloom nodded her head. “Okay, but hope ya don’t expect me ta be a picking up buckets like ya were doing anytime a soon?” Zecora laughed.
 
“Oh no, no, that exercise you observed is an advanced move that I only learned in the final years of my instruction at the enclave! The goals I will give you at first much more simpler in nature. In the beginning we will focus primarily on your ability to breathe.”
 
Applebloom looked slightly offended. “I know my sister still thinks I’m a little filly and I’ve got a lot ta learn, but I know how ta breathe.”
 
The filly then proceeded to inhale and exhale several times as if to proof her point. Zecora laughed at her little demonstration.
 
“Oh ho! I never doubted that you could breathe, but being able to know when and how to breathe is very important. Breathing correctly is the foundation of most forms of mediation. There is saying my teacher use to say:
 
“Control your body, and you control your mind.”
 
Zecora paused and took a sip from her cup. “Breathing is something we can have some control over and yet it is one of the most basic things we do to survive. So if we start there we can build upon it. If you can breathe correctly even when under great stress you can better control body. The better you can control your body the better you can focus your thoughts and emotions.”
 
Applebloom didn’t look terribly enthused at the idea of just sitting around breathing. The zebra alchemist smiled and with a front hoof tousled the butter cream filly’s mane.
 
Fear not little one! I’ll teach more exciting things than just how breathe if you follow my instructions. So why don’t we start first lesson right now!”
 
The filly still didn’t look happy. Zecora nonchalantly scuffed a front hoof on the rug. “If you work hard enough at it you might even get your cutie mark out it.”
 
That got the filly’s attention.
 
What followed was my subconscious showing me a montage of events over the next few weeks as Applebloom began her regular studies under Zecora. Lessons were twice a week and they were either conducted at Zecora’s cottage or at Sweet Apple Acres.
 
True to her word Zecora initially had Applebloom focus on just breathing while letting no other thoughts enter her mind. To the filly’s surprise this proved to be much more difficult than she imagined. Applebloom also discovered that daydreaming didn’t count as mediation and her teacher was very good at detecting it.
 
Along with her supervised lessons Applebloom also was instructed by Luna to use the Zecora’s exercises every night before going to sleep. The filly soon found she was falling asleep much faster and was able to manipulate her dream fabric much easier. As Applebloom showed growth Zecora began to introduce stretching exercises and the basic moves of a fighting art from her homeland called Shik-ka-lim, The Swirling Wind, to the filly’s drills.
 
At first Applebloom thought she was going to get a bruise for her cutie mark since all she seemed to be doing was being a sack of flour that Zecora could punch, kick, and throw around. However as the weeks went by she started to grasp some of the basics that her teacher was trying to impart. Then it started to get fun.
 
 
To be continued.

if it’s dreams you wish to mold, you must learn the… bucket hold?

Loving the display of flexibility!

Horse splits