//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Brews and Stews // Story: Through Deceiving Eyes // by CowgirlVK //------------------------------// Weary guards slumpt against walls. For the most part the animals were still sedated, but one by one, with the guards becoming weaker, and weaker, the fluff’s power over the animals became stronger and stronger. Diamond Dust, a green and blue pegasus guard, grit his teeth as he fought against the effects. He shook his head in an attempt to clear the fog clouding his mind, but to no avail. It was at this point that the grinding noise he had thought to be in his head grew even more intense, now with a clear direction. Straight down. Before he could fully ponder the new revelation, the ground began to vibrate, then shake, until he was thrown clear of the grass patch he had been standing on. The once immaculately groomed lawn erupted in s shower of grass and soil, a …bear? pulling itself out of the hole. It’s claws worn down to nubs, and bloody scratches running the length of it’s arms and torso, the beast gave a final roar before toppling over. But what had started as one animal soon became more, as the entire menagerie of captured creatures flooded out into the light of day. Finally getting to his hooves, Diamond watched in horror as they lumbered, ran, and flew away. Knowing he had no chance to stem the tide here, he sprinted towards the dungeon entrance. When he reached the bottom of the entry stairwell, he found chaos that would make Discord proud. Guards and animals fought in an all out melee, walls and chunks of ceiling were missing, and the whole area stank of blood. Before Diamond could back out, another quake caused the stairwell roof to cave in, blocking his retreat, as he now faced a swarm of animals thundering towards him. He released a shrill, high pitched scream as he fumbled to draw his weapon. He felt nothing when he reached for the hilt, his hoof feeling his side where the sheath should have been. Diamond’s heart stopped. His pupils dilated as everything happened in slow motion. His fellow guards, weakened already by the infection, started falling by the droves. He didn’t even have a second. Suddenly the bear was on top of him again. “I love you Mom!” He screamed with his dying breath... and lay still, unmoving in his own blood, body mangled beyond recognition. ----------------------------------- Zecora’s consciousness floated someplace above her. She could see Doctor Stables working frantically within her hut to stop the bleeding, and save her life. Angel too was leaping with rolls of bandages and bottles of ointment doing everything in his power to save the lone zebra’s life. It didn’t feel real. In the ghost like existence, the self-alienated mare watched as her body was slowly patched up. She was in horrible shape after the beating she’d taken from the Timber Wolves. Her face had several long cuts, her bronze necklaces had been badly dented, her frame could have been the result for the old time, and cliche’ joke; What’s black and white and red all over. Zecora cringed taking in the sight. “We are loosing her!” Doctor Stables cried. “Fluttershy! HOLD THAT PRESSURE POINT! Twilight, get me the surgical glue. Applejack! Help me keep her warm! She’s going into shock!” Zecora watched as the pets moved into position, a relieved smile spread across her face. “I knew from the start, that the ponies and pets would take their part. Now it will be a matter of luck, if we will be able to destroy the beast, and get us unstuck.” “DON’T LEAVE ME!” Zecora saw Angel up near her ear. Yelling into the bloody appendage. “PLEASE ZECORA! WE NEED YOU! DON’T LEAVE US!” With a final burst of will, the hermit forced her consciousness back into her prone, and hurting body. It was agonizing! But Zecora opened her eyes and looked out. “‘et... mush-m.” She grit her teeth unable to deny the extreme state she was in. “ches..” She had no more energy, and with the last word still on her lips, her eyes floated closed and she lost all awareness of what was around her. In the distance, she could faintly hear her name. But to respond, would mean death. ---------------------------------------- Doctor Stables continued to work on Zecora. Her pulse was steady, but still weak. And her breathing was uneven. Using some of the supplies he had brought with him, he hooked up an IV to replace the sickening amount of blood she’d already lost. Doctor Stables kept glancing at his watch biting his lower lip. In her seconds awake, she’d said something, but none of them had been able to catch it. Applejack lay curled up beside Zecora using her own body heat to help keep the injured mare alive. Stables kept frowning as the normally strong, unwavering earth pony kept wincing each time she moved. “You doing alright Miss Apple?” he inquired his eyes still on Zecora. “Ah’m fine Doc.” Applejack responded without missing a beat, but her voice was still weak. Doctor Stables didn’t say anything, but his mouth turned down in an ever-deepening frown. Silence hung in the air of the small hut for several minutes, even Pinkie Pie was just sitting there watching Zecora sleep. Most of the cuts had been bandaged, but the blood was still seeping through blotching the fabric in long streaks of crimson. Fluttershy hopped up from where she had been searching the shelves to sit beside Zecora’s pillow. A sad look came into her eye as she looked between her friends. “Are we stuck?” Stables nodded. “I was hoping she’d have answers...” “How long has it been since we got here?” Fluttershy asked, Stables being the only one with a clock. “Two-hours,” he replied without looking away from Zecora. Again silence fell on the room like a blanket. For what felt like an eternity nopony said anything. Then the doctor stood up. “Fluttershy! Get me the syringe with the blue marker.” Fluttershy moved as quick as she could, but Pinkie had already gotten the requested item and was standing beside him, nopony had even seen her move. Without hesitation, Doctor Stables snatched it away, and pressed the contents home into Zecora’s shoulder. None of the others knew what he was watching for, but slowly the zebra’s eyelids fluttered. A low moan was heard coming from the lips of their old, and dear friend. “Zecora!” Twilight cried in joy. As they gazed on with mixed emotions of joy, wonder, and concern, Zecora’s eyes opened, then immediately closed, clenching tight as a hiss of pain was let out from the locked jaw. “Take it easy, your body is in bad shape. That’s right, lay there and breath,” the doctor instructed laying a hoof gently on her hoof in a friendly, comforting manner. Despite her pain, Zecora didn’t take long in pulling herself back together. She fixed her eyes on Stables with a dogged determination. “Fluffs!” Zecora forced out, her body becoming stiff instantly as she groaned in pain. “You know!?” Rainbow Dash began, but the others finished as the tortoise spoke slowly enunciating each syllable. Zecora tried to nod, but ended up only crying out a little. “Please, don’t move unless you have to.” Stables instructed her. “The pain indeed is sharp, but I have to bear to play my part. The fluffs are out to steal our land, to destroy our lives is their plan.” She paused, her voice very faint so only Applejack who had her ear tuned to Zecora’s lips could hear it. “We know that Zecora.” Applejack replied, “We are lookin’ for the cure...” “This plant is what I went to seek, it grows in forest dark...” her eyes closed. As she breathed a bit more heavily. “You can skip the where it grows part. Do you have some here?” Zecora opened her eyes and trained them on the doctor. He could read in them a definite yes. Zecora then looked over to a large chest beside her front door. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash immediately took off towards the chest. When they lifted the lid, Pinkie was inside. “Wha’- no, I’m not going to ask.” Dash said from the other side of the room. “Pinkie is Pinkie.” The chest itself was full of the mushrooms they’d seen in the sketch. They were a small, toadstool type. The luminous, blue color reminded one and all of the well known bane of the everfree that was better known as Poison Joke. Each one of the pony turned pets recoiled in horror, fresh memories of their shared ordeal surfacing. “It is safe to touch?” Twilight asked, her voice quivering slightly. Zecora’s eyes drifted shut, but with a marked effort, she nodded. “Of the joke I know you think, but to that effect you will not sink.” “I’d... Zecora madam, please keep your responses short, you are not in the best of health.” the lone stallion pressed her. Satisfied with the answer, Twilight reached in, and plucked a sample out with her beak, flying it over to the doctor. “What now?” The Zebra breathed deeply, “Mushrooms dried are what we need to make them burn and smoke healthily.” The six looked at each other. “Don’t look at me!” Rainbow said slowly. “DON’T LOOK AT ME EITHER!” Pinkie screamed still zooming about the room... but only moving when nopony else was looking directly at her. Applejack tried to stand, her hind leg suddenly cramping up and her falling back down to the bed. All eyes turned to her. “Miss Apple,” Stables again pressed. “Ah’m fine!” she snapped and then growled before once again trying. “Miss Apple you look quite pale, did the change you take without the spell?” Zecora looked Applejack over in concern. Applejack’s ears flopped down, and she tried to skirt around the issue. “We need ta’ keep goin! Nopony can... we need to... ZECORA PONIES ARE DYIN!” Stables paused and laid a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, lifted her up in his magic and laid her down on the bed beside Zecora. “I think you’d serve us better for now right here. Just monitor her lifesigns for me, and if anything changes let me know. I’m going to go help the others.” Applejack frowned. “Doc ah’.” “Miss Apple, none of you are functioning at 100%, only I seem to not be feeling it yet. Please, please just do as I say.” Applejack watched sadly as Doctor Stables rose, and crossed the room to where the others were looking the mushrooms over in the chest. “We need to dry them out?” He asked. Zecora nodded, then hissed. “Smoke them... over... the fire.” She said in a weak whisper. Doctor Stables nodded. “Alright, how shall we do that?” “Steamer basket...” Stables nodded, “Got it.” “Doc...” Zecora forced herself back awake, looking the doctor in the eye. “Your family is Stable?” He nodded. “The first time... the scientist who discovered the cure... he was your grandfather. You are immune.” ------------------------------------------ Work went steadily. Applejack continued to lie there miffed at herself for being so dumb, but as were her orders, and since the doctor was correct in saying that no matter what, somepony needed to be monitoring Zecora, the farm mare consented to staying put. She watched the work around her as she herself was laid up. Between Doctor Stables and the group of the pets, they’d managed to lay out the mushrooms that weren’t already dried, and get them over the smoke as it rose off the fire. “How much of this do we need?” Twilight asked as she landed beside the bed. Applejack frowned as she felt Zecora wince. “What we have,” the invalid said carefully, “Is but a third, we’ll need more to cure the whole herd. A tall mountain you must climb, and then burn them all while there is still time. Only branches of Spooky Oak, the rest the cure will be choked.” “And I thought I told you to keep it simple.” Doctor Stables frowned as he listened in. “Spooky Oak?” “It frowns.” Zecora responded weakly panting for breath. “OH!” Pinkie giggle suddenly hanging by her tail from the rafter above. “The ghostly trees we saw the first time we came in here!” Doctor Stables nodded. “That’s what I’d assume.” They all looked back to Zecora for confirmation, but she once more had her eyes closed. “Come on everypony, there isn’t much time, we’ve already wasted so much of it just getting here.” He added as he motioned for the work to continue, picking up the last of the mushrooms, he added them to the drying basket that stood over the fire. “Doc, can’t ah please join you guys for... getting the, ya’ know, lumber. Ah’m a dog after-” Applejack winced as a major muscle spasm racked her body. “Really darling, I think Stables is right,” Rarity cooed from her place at the fire. “But ah can help!” “You are helping darling!” Rarity encouraged. Flutter Bunny nodded her head. “Applejack, I know you don’t like staying put-” “That’s puttin’ it lightly! Shoot! Mah family’s dyin! And here ah am-” Doctor Stables laid a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Please Miss Apple, I know this is hard, but how long will you be able to resist the effects of the Fluffs anyways?” “Right now ah don’t see a one of um.” “The mushrooms.” Zecora responded, her eyes still closed, but both pony, and dog were able to pick up the words. “Could explain it.” Doctor Stables said, laying a hoof on Zecora’s arm. “Miss Zecora, do you have any potions that could... help Applejack?” Applejack’s ears perked forward. Zecora’s eyes flitted open, she glanced between the doctor, and the farm dog several times before her eyes closed once more. “Yes.” “Where?” everypony responded as one. --------------------- With Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all minding the hut; Doctor Stables, Twilight, and Pinkie, with Applejack sniffing ahead as fast as her body would go, the party set off with a much smaller cart to gather wood, and other supplies. Pinkie and Twilight  were on a mission to gather more of the mushroom, and hopefully not jinx it by falling into any poison joke. Meanwhile, Stables and Applejack were on a mission to ‘get the stick.’ “Stick!” Applejack practically pounced as she came upon the desired branch. She grabbed it in her mouth, dragging it over to the cart where Stables would add it to his already collected bundle. Stables himself was watching carefully, and upon figuring out which type of wood was the Spooky Oak, he would gather huge bundles of it in his magic and dump it into the cart. “Another stick! A big stick!” Applejack again muttered, grabbing yet another branch in her mouth and dragging it over to the wagon. Once more Doctor Stables picked it up and placed it in the cart. Absentmindedly, Stables patted Applejack on the head before she once more dashed off to get the stick. He shook his head smiling as he watched her. Her body was still very stiff, but like the good ol’ farm girl she was, she was pressing on through it. Zecora’s potion had been found on one of the shelves and had been labeled. “Anti Achy Spell” Upon giving it to her, it’d taken several moments before Applejack started to feel the effects. The doctor watched her with pity as in his mind’s eye he saw the moments of suspense as the potion worked it’s way through her body. Thankfully, it’d only burned for a few minuets before Applejack felt good enough to help. Even then, He’d made her ride in the wagon until the two parties split up. Pinkie had declared that she had a way to carry the mushrooms. Pinkie being Pinkie, nopony questioned it. She’d then disappeared in a burst of light when they weren’t looking. “Here ya’ go doc!” Applejack wagged her tail grinning from ear to ear with her tongue lolling out. “How much more do ya’ think we need?” Doctor Stables shook himself as he brought his thoughts back into the present. “Probably about this much more.” He responded. Applejack frowned, glancing at the stick, then picking up one paw, wincing slightly. “If you need to rest, do so Miss Apple.” Applejack shook her head, then sat down and scratched her ear. “Sorry, the fluffs are really thick through here, it’s... kinda annoyin’.” “If you go ballistic, don’t worry, I’ll keep you from hurting anypony.” Doctor Stables said. “Thanks.” she sounded hurt as she glared up at him. “Ah’ve got it.” She trotted off, pouncing upon the next stick she found. He plucked up the branch she’d just brought over, and collected fifteen more in his magic and lowered them into the cart, before picking up another load, and another, and another. At one point, she sat down and pointed her nose to the sky, letting loose the most pitiful howl he’d ever heard, before covering her ears once more with both paws. With a sigh, he let himself loose from the cart and trotted over, putting her in a stasis bubble. “Better?” “No!” she groaned. “The Fluffs are everywhere, and getting thicker each step we take.” Doctor Stables frowned. “I think then we should probably head back, The wood is pretty high, hopefully it’ll be enough to make enough smoke to cover Equestria.” Applejack said nothing, as her face contorted in pain. “Come on.” His heart melted, he picked her up gently, and placed the sniffing puppy on his back. “Hang in there cowgirl, we’ll get through this.” ------------------------------------ “LET ME GO! I MUST GET THE STICK!” Applejack wailed as they neared the cottage. Twilight was riding on the doctor’s back beside the canine, while Pinkie was... well, actually nopony knew where Pinkie was. “Hang in there AJ.” Twilight soothed, laying a wing over Applejack’s back. The fluffs were EVERYWHERE. Twilight herself had to fight back the urges that the tiny creatures were screaming in her ears. It was obvious to them that the parasites were fully aware of what they were up to, and they were fighting with every ounce of their strength to put a stop to it. “Almost inside,” Doctor Stables said as he pulled up next to the hut and let loose the harness. Once inside Twilight and Applejack just lay on the floor panting, both of them continuing to struggle with the few fluffs that just held onto life despite the fumes of the mushrooms slowly eating away at their bodies. Suddenly, they went from fighting the fluffs, to screaming in pure agony. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all three dropped what they were doing. “TWILIGHT?” Rarity exclaimed as the owl thrashed uncontrollably. Fluttershy and Dash were both working together to hold Applejack’s already aching body still as the dying fluffs continued to wreak havoc. Just as suddenly as it started, the two suddenly flopped down unmoving. “Out of the way!” Doctor Stables lifted the other animals up to examine the two lying motionless on the floor. “Looks like... girls... getting rid of the fluffs won’t be easy... they are alive, but just barely. For a weaker pony, I’m certain that would have just killed them.