Zebra Kona Berry [FINAL]

[Kona]

Roleplay Type: World of Equestria RP

Name: Kona Berry

Sex: Male

Age: Stallion

Species: Zebra

Eye Color: Chartreuse

Coat Color: His coloring is slick as french roast.

Mane/Tail/Markings Color & Style: His markings remind some of a Vienna: two shots of espresso infused with free-poured whipped cream. As effortless as that sounds, he's very polished. He wears a tight golden band on his tail and a loose bangle on his leg but not much else. Both were gifts he received on one of his trips to Saddle Arabia.

Physique: Very average for a pony but rather large for a zebra. Long, devoted travels through the night have made him lean and hardy.

Cutie Mark/Tribal Mark: Three coffee seeds.

There comes a time in every harem or herd when the young leave home. Each year, at the beginning of the fire season, the zebra disperse, most in search of water; some for themselves. The pilgrimage is unique to each colt and filly and doesn't necessarily lead back home. Kona, like many before him, found his way far from the familiar plains of Unyasi. Days and nights passed before he saw the horizon of Mti cha uzima, the Tree of Life. It was many more 'til he no longer saw its shadow. Still, he felt compelled to walk. He was old enough to know where the ground held water--where the dirt led to grass. His guide was the essence of life, and like a vine, he followed the sun. Many more days and many more nights passed and dirt gave way to sand drier than the northern variety. It wasn't much longer 'til he found himself on the outskirts of Saddle Arabia.

The sea of sand was bone dry but was the only lively thing he could see surrounding the island capital. Everything about the settlement screamed for him to come to his senses and come in. Still, he could feel the vines of uchawi in the dunes like little trails of ants, crawling away from the city.

Every once in a while he'd look to his left towards the dusk. Between the cliffs he spied intricate carvings. Between the frames of mountainside there were pillars and doors etched into their wind swept sides. Towers spiraled upwards above the precipice of the city boundaries tied together by finely woven bridges. And like so many ants, he saw lithe pony figurines swaddled in robes and glittering masks, making sounds not unlike the happy brays of his kind.

The calling he followed for many months was blinding, and he was sure the answer lay within the walls of this massive structure. He could also see the diminishing hoof prints of somepony marching the length of the uchawi path. So, he turned his ears away from the siren call of the glittering, shimmering city in the sands and turned his hooves back onto the perimeter, joining his steps with the prints in the dunes.

Once he'd turned his flank on the city, he felt more at ease. The call of the uchawi whispered to him, pawing at his hooves as he continued following its dance.

His first discovery along the way was a mirage, but the Punda Milia are familiar with the magic of illusions and truth. It courses through their veins. He passed by the seeming paradise where no life glowed. He passed on drinking from the crystalline pond and soon he found a true oasis. It was not verdant like the forests of the mythic north. It was perfect.

The uchawi shed a soft glow not unlike an emerald in the growing dawn. He gathered himself, taking rest beneath the shade of a date palm. The brilliant red and purple berries flickered like candles in the pools of collected uchawi. Miles if not months of a mere feeling had finally ended at the hooves of these berries.

This was his destiny?

He would soon find that the berries and the magic within them would give him the fire necessary to speed back home with his treasure. He would soon find that his flank was adorned with an emblem of the very same seeds. The seeds that began his adventure.

Origin/Residence:

Kona was born in Unyasi but does not have a home according to conventional pony standards. His heart will always be with the harem of his parents, but he hardly stays in one place for long. The only constant is that he travels through the same places every year and back: from the sands of Saddle Arabia, beyond the volatile cliffs of Northern Unyasi, to the harbor of Hoofington and through the Whitetail Woods and finally to Stalliongrad.

He follows a meandering path of uchawi that changes over the seasons. He knows the safest trails, and in the turbulent silence he's found invaluable pools of tranquility, perfect for his life-bearing berries. The one curious thing is the shape of his paths veer in much the same way as the etching of Mti cha uzima's roots.

He's learned that the Tree of Life has many names. To the Saddle Arabians, it's also called the Sidrat al-Muntaha or the end of heaven. No creation can pass its boundaries. Once a young Arabian pony told him of their famed tuba tree, "It is a great tree, one that can be traversed only after four hundred seasons have passed." The young stallion also explained that "any fruit you see in the world will be on that tree. But you can only see its roots seeking sustenance from the stars. Its eves hang downward. The light of life it casts floods every tent and palace, every lane and stall. Its fruits are crowns, thrones, jewels, even steeds and ponies. The fibers of its blossoms are used to cloak the denizens of paradise. Most precious of all are its golden leaves and clearest of crystals, containing wine most pure beyond compare. Only in the Sidrat al-Muntaha can everyone receive their share."

To his kind, the Mti cha uzima was also known as the baobab: the upside-down tree. If somepony placed their ears on its chest, they would hear the river coursing in its trunk. If somepony were to commit the unspeakable, they could bore into its well to taste the delightful citrus water. The fruits adorning its roots can be made into anything but are popularly consumed in their purest form. The Punda Milia have known this and regarded it as a sacred and delicate gift, never harvesting from Mti cha uzima but waiting until it graciously rained its bounty.

It was much later in the winter of Stalliongrad where he learned of Yggdrasil. The expanse of its length crossed nine worlds. There, the sun, moon and stars assemble. While its branches reached the end of creation, its roots touched the heavens and the wells of life. One is said to touch Tartarus; the other presumably is Mti cha uzima, where he was born.

No, Kona does not have a home according to conventional pony standards. His heart is with his family. But like so many other ponies, his soul is nestled in the far reaching branches of life, a home to everypony.

Occupation:

He doesn't think of himself as having an occupation. Rather, he trades his harvest for experiences: a stay for dinner, a bed to sleep in, a drink for a drink. Habits die hard, and much like the tribes of Unyasi, he roams.

Motivation:

One of Kona's favorite things is stories. He may not be as well read as other ponies, but he may be more cultured. He remembers fondly on earning his cutie mark. It was merely a seed in his heart that yearned for self discovery. It was merely a seed which he found. That spark is universal, and everypony he's ever met has brought color to even his darkest days. This is why even if a draught of coffee cannot lift his spirits up at sunrise, he'll smile when he brings somepony a taste of something new.

He feels compelled to learn everything of this world. It was the path of uchawi that led him to himself. It was the stream of life that brought him to the young Arabian pony in Saddle Arabia and the precocious mare in Stalliongrad.

From time to time he looks to the south, struck by the nostalgia of Mti cha uzima's presence. It is a wondrous tree that sprouts like a fountain from the spring of uchawi every fire season.

Likes: Stories, dusk, coffee, deserts, recipes, small gatherings and silence.

Dislikes: Excessive noise, heights, humidity, jungles, and mosquitos.

Character Summary:

If you could sum Kona up in one word, it would be nomadic. Nomads travel for adventure but mostly because of limited resources. The next stop on the way depends on bartering opportunities, food and available shelter. This lifestyle demands an acceptance of the inevitable instability of life.

Call it romantic, but there are many factors as to why Kona travels. He has learned to live this way. He has a predisposition to look for satisfaction and happiness anywhere but where he currently stands. Of course, one might assume he's chronically unhappy with the present. This isn't true, however. Many find him inspiring. He can see the big picture, has a wild imagination, and stays positive while touching the lives of many ponies. While creative and magnetic to other ponies, many find his liability for non sequitur to be more difficult to explore than his thick accent. He approaches any question with nonchalance and he has many. In fact, most conversations end and start with a husky "Why?"

Again, he is used to change and expects very little in the way of constancy from other ponies. This developed into a contextually flaky personality. Many ponies find it hard to pin him down for any measurable amount of time. This has led to disappointment for those looking for reliability in their friends. But for those ponies who are patient and willing to wait till Kona comes around, he brings many gifts, tales and laughter.

Many Zebra handle their paths in similar ways. But those who travel alone are usually aided with a skill that ensures their survival. It is no mystery that the tribes of Unyasi have an innate relation to magic. It was this trait that allowed him to eventually travel alone into the sands of Saddle Arabia. It was this skill that allowed his return.

Since their bloodline is linked closely to Uchawi (the life systems of plants and the aetheric ocean), many of the Punda Milia develop slight, if intricate, gifts because of it.

He can sense magic. More specifically, he can see where the sources of magic and life intersect: water, rich soil, and trails that lead to food. In rare occurences, he can feel when magic is being cast by Unicorns before it happens; however, theirs is a different form of magic, and it depends largely on the spell cast by the Unicorn. Needless to say, this hardly happens.

He cannot manipulate or use Uchawi to craft draughts or potions. He can, however, see the true essence of nature, thereby avoiding poisons, dangerous or dark areas and even certain spells--illusions especially.

It may be nothing compared to the might of Unicorn magic, but something is more than nothing.

Of course, none of this started out of nothing. Like so many other foals, his story began where all stories began.

Kona was born during a particularly trying Msimu wa moto to two very proud parents. Kona's mother Harar came from the eastern highlands of Unyasi, and every zebra agreed that he was born with her chartreuse eyes. However, his coat was dark, in contrast to her skin. He obviously took after his father, who hailed from the deep south close to Mti cha uzima. The romance and merriment of the Festival of Life cast its spell on his parents. Exactly two seasons later, he was born under the eves of the great tree along with a few other bright eyed fillies and colts.

In just a few days he'd trot after his mother and father into the lowlands. Days and nights passed before they'd pass the trunk of Mti cha uzima. It was many more 'til he no longer saw its shadow. Still, he followed their pace. They were old enough to know where to find water and where the path led to food. Their guide was the essence of life, and they followed the sun. Many suns and moons passed, dirt giving way to sand drier than the northern variety. It wasn't much longer 'til he found himself on the outskirts of foalhood.

They'd walk by a flickering oasis only to find shelter at the next one. They'd take a rest beneath the shade of a date palm and eat quietly of the berries at their hooves.

This was his destiny.

Little did he know that this was the tale that he'd start alone in later years. A tale filled with reeds and grassland, a chapter of life, a story with deserts, a fable containing the seeds of life and a myth about himself.

Every adventure has a beginning. As is custom, this was the beginning of the end.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

How is this Application coming along?

[Kona]

How is this Application coming along?

I'm sorry its taking me so long. I have a couple pages that I'm sorting through to pick my favorite parts. I've also been really busy with job applications so I've not put the time in for it. Believe me! I shall finish!

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Any progress on this Application?

[Kona]

Yes! I believe I shall be finished tonight!!

[Kona]

YAY!

[Armony]

Hi there! This is looking like an interesting character, but there's a few things I'd like to touch on. First, much of what is written under the cutie mark and origin/residence sections should actually be integrated into the character summary. The cutie mark section should only have the physical description of his mark (the story of how he got it goes in Character Summary) and origin/residence only needs to have where he was born, and where he is now (the first paragraph will suffice, the rest can be integrated as part of his history in your summary).

In addition to this, the character summary should have some information on his personality; what's it like to interact with him? How does he treat others? What are his flaws? Answering these things will really help bring life to your character.

I'd also recommend you look up what harem means, because I don't think it means what you think it means.

[Kona]

Hi there! This is looking like an interesting character, but there's a few things I'd like to touch on. First, much of what is written under the cutie mark and origin/residence sections should actually be integrated into the character summary. The cutie mark section should only have the physical description of his mark (the story of how he got it goes in Character Summary) and origin/residence only needs to have where he was born, and where he is now (the first paragraph will suffice, the rest can be integrated as part of his history in your summary).

In addition to this, the character summary should have some information on his personality; what's it like to interact with him? How does he treat others? What are his flaws? Answering these things will really help bring life to your character.

I'd also recommend you look up what harem means, because I don't think it means what you think it means.

Thank you for responding! The one quick thing I can respond to is that 'harem' is the term for a a small family group of zebra. As for the rest, I can work on that real quick =]

[Armony]

Thank you for responding! The one quick thing I can respond to is that 'harem' is the term for a a small family group of zebra. As for the rest, I can work on that real quick =]

I did not know that... learn something new every day

As well as feeling silly in the process. Just post when the edits are made, and I'll take another look over this.

[Kona]

I did not know that... learn something new every day

As well as feeling silly in the process. Just post when the edits are made, and I'll take another look over this.

Don't feel silly at all! I just learned that fact after I read up on zebra's as I wrote this bio. I loved how exotic that term is and how mundane it truly was in this context!

Anyway I added a little bit more for personality. I do hope its enough. To help...

....

This lifestyle demands an acceptance of the inevitable instability of life.

Call it romantic, but there are many factors as to why Kona travels. He has learned to live this way. He has a predisposition to look for satisfaction and happiness anywhere but where he currently stands. Of course, one might assume he's chronically unhappy with the present. This isn't true, however. Many find him inspiring. He can see the big picture, has a wild imagination, and stays positive while touching the lives of many ponies. While creative and magnetic to other ponies, many find his liability for non sequitur to be more difficult to explore than his thick accent. He approaches any question with nonchalance and he has many. In fact, most conversations end and start with a husky "Why?"

Again, he is used to change and expects very little in the way of constancy from other ponies. This developed into a contextually flaky personality. Many ponies find it hard to pin him down for any measurable amount of time. This has led to disappointment for those looking for reliability in their friends. But for those ponies who are patient and willing to wait till Kona comes around, he brings many gifts, tales and laughter.

Many Zebra handle their paths in similar ways......

To further aid in the readability of the wall o' text, I went ahead and placed the background stories of origin/residence and cutie mark in spoilers. I felt that they didn't need to be added to the final character summary but were nice additions for detail.

[brianblackberry]

Wow, this is very well done.

For Great Justice!

[Dio]