“Wow. What a gorgeous day.” Twilight said while carrying Spike. We were heading to lunch in Ponyville this afternoon.
“Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the could away.” Spike guessed. I nodded in agreement.
“I bet all of Ponyville is gonna be out enjoying the sunshine.” Twilight said, but we noticed nopony but us were outside.
“Where is everypony?” I asked no one in particular.
We looked around us and all we saw is company closing their house window, a tumbleweed, and a mare bulling her child inside.
“Is it some sort of pony holiday?” Spike asked.
“Not that I know of.” Twilight responded as we continue walking through town.
“Does my breath stink?” Spike asked before he blew fire and smelled it.
“I’m pretty sure your breath’s fine, Spike.” I responded.
“Is it… zombies?!” Spike asked, being scared.
“Uh, not very likely.” Twilight told him.
“Thank goodness for that.” I commented. I wonder why everypony was hiding.
“Not likely, but possible?” Spike said.
“Psst?” We heard somepony as we came up to Sugercube Corner. We turned toward the source of the voice and saw Pinkie Pie inside. “Twilight! Crest! Spike! Come here! Come here! Hurry! Before she gets you!” Pinkie whispered to us.
Who is she talking about. I thought for a moment before I realized who she was referring too.
Twilight, Spike and I quickly entered the bakery and all the lights were out. Pinkie Pie shined a flashlight at us. Twilight and I had to cover our eyes. Even with my sunglasses, if I stare at a single bright light in a pitch black room, it would hurt my eyes.
“Who? The zombie pony?” Spike asked as he hugged Twilight.
Pinkie Pie brought the flashlight to her face. “Z-Zombie pony?” She said in a horrified voice. This caused Spike to tighten his hug.
“Spike, there are no zombie ponies.” Twilight told him, causing him to get off. “Pinkie, what are you doing here alone in the dark?” She asked her.
I lifted up my sunglasses and saw my friends and Apple Bloom with us as well. “She’s not alone, Twilight.” I told her. Pinkie lifted the curtains up, allowing Twilight and Spike to see our friends. Twilight gasped in surprise.
“Okay, then, what are you all doing in the dark?” Twilight asked.
“We’re hiding from her.” Applejack said, pointing out the window. My friends and I gathered to the window and saw someone alone in the middle of town wearing a brown hooded cloak. The figure appeared to be digging for something with her hoof.The cloaked figure turned around and looked at us with green glowing eyes, causing most of my friends to become scare.
“Did you see her Twilight? Did you see… Zecora?” Apple Bloom asked Twilight.
“Apple Bloom, I told you never to say that name.” Applejack told her little sister.
“Well, I saw her glance this way.” Twilight answered.
“Glance e-e-evilly this way.” Pinkie Pie added.
“And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason.” Twilight told them.
“No good reason?!” Applejack exclaimed. “You call protecting your kin no good reason? Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora riding into town, she started shaking in her little horseshoes.” She said as she hugged Apple Bloom and started shaking her.
“Did not.” Apple Bloom said otherwise.
“So I swept her up and brought her here.” Applejack finished after she scooped her little sister on her back.
“I walked here myself.” Apple Bloom said.
“For safekeeping.” Applejack told her.
“Applejack, I’m not a little baby. I can take care of myself!” Apple Bloom told her.
“Not from that creepy Zecora.” Applejack responded.
“She’s mysterious…” Fluttershy said.
“Sinister…” Rainbow Dash added.
“And spooooky.” Pinkie Pie finished.
Twilight and I were annoyed by their accusations and looked back outside. Everypony else squished in behind us to look outside as well. Zecora pulled back her cloak’s hood and revealed her face. Her coat and mane were black and white in a strip pattern, and her mane was a mohawk. She wore golden earrings and several more gold rings around her neck. I think they’re a tribal fashion from where she’s from. My friends beside Twilight and Spike gasped at her appearance.
“Will you cut that out?” Twilight told them
“Just look at those stripes. So Garish.” Rarity exclaimed.
“She’s a zebra.” Twilight told her.
“A what?!” Our friends asked.
“A zebra.” I continued for Twilight. “Zebras are born with stripes, Rarity. And honestly, I don’t see what’s bad about them.” I told them. Rarity fainted at the thought of born with stripes.
“Born where? I never seen a pony like that in these parts, except… her?” Applejack asked.
“My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I’ve never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?” Twilight asked.
“That’s just it. She lives in… The Everfree Forest.” Applejack answered. Suddenly, there was a large crash in the kitchen.
“Spike!” Twilight yelled. I looked at the kitchen and saw Spike with a candy cane and a cupcake in his claws with a couple of frying pan around him.
“Uh, sorry.” Spike apologized.
“The Everfree Forest just ain’t natural. The plant grow… animals care for themselves…and the clouds move… all on their own.” Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash said. Rarity fainted again at the thought of living in the Everfree Forest.
“And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there, doing her evil…stuff! Why, she’s so evil, I even wrote a song about her.” Pinkie Pie said before she began singing.
“Here we go.” Rainbow Dash groaned.
“Wow. Catchy.” Twilight gave her opinion of the song.
“It’s a work in progress.” Pinkie said happily.
“This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors.” Twilight said.
“Yeah, it’s not like anypony actually saw her doing things evilly.” I backed up Twilight’s claim.
“Yeah, well…once a month, she comes into Ponyville.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Ooh!” Twilight sarcastically said.
“Then…she lurks by the stores.” Rarity said.
“Oh, my.” Twilight sarcastically continued.
“And then she digs at the ground.” Fluttershy said.
“Good gracious!” Twilight said sarcastically again. At least I’m not the only one who thinks this is ridiculous. “Okay, I’m sorry, but how is any of this bad? Maybe she come to town to visit.” She said.
“Yeah. Maybe she’s just trying to be neighborly.” Apple Bloom said.
“And maybe she’s not lurking by the stores. Maybe she’s going to them, lurk-free, to do some shopping.” Twilight said.
“Yeah. everypony like to shop. You know what ” Apple Bloom asked.
“Apple Bloom, hush and let the big ponies talk.” Applejack told her.
“Even though she’s being more mature than her big sister.” I muttered.
“What?” Applejack asked.
I sighed. “ I said all of you are jumping to conclusions.”
“What about digging at the ground? You’ve got to admit that’s weird.” Rainbow Dash said.
“What if she’s digging for innocent creatures?” Fluttershy added worried.
“I am sure there’s an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth.” Twilight told them.
“I actually tried to talk to her once, but some ponies stopped me.” I told Twilight, while eyeing my friends.
“You ponies are being ridiculous!” Twilight continued.
“Well, I heard that Zecora eats hay.” Pinkie Pie said. Seriously Pinkie, your arguing with that.
“Pinkie, I eat hay. You eat hay.” Twilight pointed at her.
“Yeah, but I heard it’s the e-e-vile way she eats hay.” Pinkie countered.
“Hey! Where’s Apple Bloom?” Applejack exclaimed. We looked around the room and Apple Bloom was no where in sight. Did she go in the kitchen?
“The door’s open.” I heard Fluttershy point out.
“She went outside!” Rarity cried out.
“And Zecora’s still out there.” Rainbow Dash assed in fear.
“That silly little filly. I told her to stay put.” Applejack said before we started ran out the door.
“Spike, you stay here in case Apple Bloom comes back.” I heard Twilight say behind me.
“Will do!” Spike saluted.
We galloped to the Everfree Forest. Knowing Apple Bloom, she probably followed Zecora. While I don’t know wether Zecora would harm Apple Bloom or not, I’m certain that the predators of the Everfree Forest will. When we arrived at the forest, we found Apple Bloom following Zecora through a patch of blue flowers.
“Apple Bloom?!” Applejack called out. Apple Bloom stopped and turned her head around. “You get back here right now!” She shouted.
“Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!” Zecora exclaimed!
“Y-you keep your mumbo jumbo yourself, you hear!” Applejack yelled as she scooped up Apple Bloom on her back. Everypony beside Twilight and I agreed with Applejack.
“Oh, brother.” Twilight sighed.
“Beware! Beware!” Zecora warned us before she disappeared into the mist.
“Yeah! Back at you, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the ones who’d better beware!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
“And you!” Applejack why couldn’t you just listen to your big sister?” Applejack asked Apple Bloom.
“I-I…” Apple Bloom tried to say something.
“Who knows what kind of Nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?” Applejack said. I don’t know Applejack, that sounded more like a warning to me.
“Just like in my song.” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before singing her song again.
“You guys, there’s no such thing as curses.” Twilight told them.
“Well, that’s interesting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew to Twilight through the blue flowers.
“My magic, real magic, comes from within. It’s a skill you’re born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It’s conjured with portions and incantations, all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power. They’re just an old pony tale.
“Just you wait, Twilight. You’re gonna learn that some pony tales really are true.” Applejack said as everyone else was leaving.
“Okay, that’s it!” I yelled in frustration, gaining everypony’s attention. “Ever since Zecora started coming into town, you all have been treating Zecora like she was the plague.” I told them.
“Crest, how could you defend Zecora?” Rarity asked.
“Because I know what’s it like to be feared by others. Because I’m a THESTRAL!” I yelled at them in anger. My friends went wide eye from my outburst. “One of the reasons I stayed in Ponyville at all was because you all weren’t afraid of thestrals to begin with.” I said, but most of my friends looked at each other in guilt. “Um…right?” I asked in concern.
“Well Crest, you see…” Rainbow Dash tried to say something.
“We heard some scary legends about the thestrals from other ponies. So we assumed all of them were bad. But that was before you save ma when we were fillies.” Applejack explained.
I couldn’t believe most of my best friends were afraid of thestrals. As much of it hurts, I guess I could understand from their perspective. Though that didn’t help with me feeling depressed.
“Alright.” I simply said, before walking past my friends.
“Crest, where are you going?” Fluttershy asked me.
“Home.” I responded as I walked away from them.
I walked ahead of everypony else and went back to the library. Everypony in Ponyville eventually came back outside after Zecora left. I went to my room in the library and laid down on my bed.
The next morning, I woke up feeling I should apologize for my behavior yesterday to my friends. I noticed for some reason everything was out of color, almost blurry. I rubbed my eyes with my paw…
…
…
Paw?
I looked at my leg and saw that my hoof was turned into a dog’s paw. I quickly started to panic and ran for my mirror. My mouth dropped in shock at my reflection. All of my hoofs became dog paws, my fur became a bit longer, my ears became slightly pointier, my eyes were no longer sharp but round. and my mane became shaggier. It’s almost as if I turned into some sort of pony dog.
“What in Equestria?!” I yelled at my reflection I ran out of my room and found Twilight in the main floor of the library. She was changed as well, only her horn was limp and covered with spots.
“Twilight, what happened?” I asked. Twilight and Spike turned around and were shock at my appearance.
“I…I don’t know. This morning, I was brushing my mane and I found my horn like this. I was looking through the books, but none of them have a cure.” Twilight told me, before she groaned. “There has to be a real reason for this! An illness? An allergy?” Twilight guessed.
“A curse!” Spike told her while holding a book in his claws.
“I said a real reason. Something that points to something real.” Twilight said.
“How about this one.” Spike said, showing her the book.
“Supernaturals?” Twilight read the title. “Spike, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are as make-believe as curses. This book is just a bunch of hooey.” She said, pointing at the book.
“But what if you’re wrong, Twilight? What if this really is a…” Spike didn’t finished as Pinkie came in. What ever happened to us, happened to her as well. Pinkie’s tongue was severely swelled and covered with blue spots as well.
“A purse!” Pinkie said. All that swelling prevented her from speaking clearly.
“A purse? How could it be a purse?” Spike asked.
“Pinkie! What happened?” Twilight asked her.
“Pee pah pah pfurse pah! Pee pah pah pfurse pah pah!” Pinkie Pie tried to say as she was spiting. Spike was standing in the spits path.
“Hey, say it, don’t spray it, Pinkie!” He said.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud from the window. We looked towards and we saw Rainbow Dash trying to get in.
“She’s…trying to say…ow! Zecora…oh. She slapped us all with a…ow. Curse!” Rainbow Dash said as she was trying to fly in. She crashed through the door and got stuck in the ladder. Her wings were on her belly instead of on her back.
“I’m afraid I have to agree.” We heard Rarity. We turned around and saw Rarity’s mane and fur were all frizzled up and soggy.
“I hate to say I told joy so, Twilight, but I told you so!” We heard Applejack in a squeaky voice. We turned to the source of the voice. We found Applejack was reduced to the size of our hooves and was on the back of her little sister. I couldn’t help but think that’s a little ironic, bad pun attended. “It’s a curse, I tells ya!” She said.
“But Fluttershy seems just fine.” Twilight exclaimed. She’s right, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with Fluttershy.
“Yes. There doesn’t seem to be a thing wrong with her.” Rarity added.
“Fluttershy? Are you okay?” Twilight asked her.
Fluttershy frowned and looked away.
“Is there something wrong with you?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy nodded again while looking worried. “Would you care to tell us?” Twilight asked, a little irritated. Fluttershy looked away again. “So…you’re not gonna tell us?” Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, you’re not, or yes, you will?”
Applejack ran over to Fluttershy on the table. “Good gravy, girl! what’s wrong with you?!” She asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Fluttershy said in a deep male voice. We gasped beyond belief.
Spike snorted before bursting out laughing. “This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got hair-ity , Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple-tini, flutterguy, doggy shield, and… uh…I got nothing. Twilight Sparkle. I mean, seriously, I can’t even work with that.” Spike complained.
“Ah-ha-ha-ha.” Twilight said sarcastically. “This is no joke, Spike. Now, start looking for more books so I can find a cure.” She told him. Spike was holding his laughter as Twilight’s horn was wobbling.
Spike groaned as Rainbow Dash was trying the pull herself out of a ladder. I walked over to help. I held the ladder down as Rainbow Dash squeezed out of it.
“I think we’ll find a cure to this curse at Zecora’s place!” Rainbow Dash said while flying unbalanced.
“It’s not a curse!” Twilight told her before Rainbow Dash flew into the shelf.
“I agree with Dash. We’ll go to Zakora’s and force her to remove this hex.” Applejack proclaimed.
“It’s not a hex either!” Twilight yelled.
Everyone started arguing whether Zecora cursed us or not. If she did curse us, it would have been when we went into the Everfree Forest. Wait a minute, why hasn’t Apple Bloom changed as well? She was with us when we encountered Zecora.
“It’s time to pony up and confront Zecora. Come on, everypony; are you with me?” Rainbow Dash asked us.
“Wait a second.” I said. “Why didn’t Apple Bloom change like us? She was with us yesterday.” I asked them. They looked at each other and realized it a well.
“Well, maybe that’s because Apple Bloom was on Applejack’s back. What do you think, Applejack? Applejack” Rainbow Dash asked, but Applejack was nowhere to be seen.
“Pf she’s gone pft!” Pinkie Pie spat.
“Aah! Somepony stepped on her!” Rarity exclaimed as she checked her back hoof. All of us checked our hoofs as well. Well, I checked my paw.
“Or sat on her.” Twilight added. We checked there as well.
“Rarity’s hair!” Rainbow Dash suggested.
Pinkie Pie began searching through Rarity’s hair. “Oh! Oh! Pinkie, what are you doing?” Rarity gasped. “Really, ow! Ever hear of personal space?!”
“Nope.” Pinkie Pie replied, shaking her head.
“Apple Bloom is gone too!” Twilight exclaimed.
“I bet they went after Zecora.” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“Well, we’d better go find them.” Twilight said as she began walking out. “Come on everypony. Let’s go.”
Rarity tried to move, but was stopped because Pinkie Pie was stepping on her hair. “Oh, dear. Oh, this is so unseemly. Aah!” Rarity broke free before running out.
“Hey, a little help here?” Rainbow Dash asked flying upside down on the floor.
“Oopsie. Sorry.” Fluttershy said. She and I went over to her and helped her up. Which only caused her to crash again. I was going to suggest she stops flying, but she already flew out the door.
“Uh, S-Spike? A-are you coming?” Fluttershy asked.
“Nope. Uh… Got to stay here and look for a cure.” Spike said before he gasped. “Twilight Flopple!”
I shook my head and ran ran to the others. When I went outside, I stopped and realized I didn’t have my sunglasses on. I admit, I’m a bit happy I was looking outside on a bright day, even though it’s from a dog’s eyes perspective.
“pest, eeme em!” I heard Pinkie Pie. I shook my head and ran to catch up with the others.
We galloped into the forest as quick as possible.
“Come on, everypony. We’ve got to get to Zecora’s.” Twilight announced.
Unfortunately, Rarity tripped on her loose strands of hair. “Easier said than done.” She said, after she got some leafs and dirt in her hair.
“Hey! Wait for me!” Rainbow Dash reeled before she crashed into a bush. She lost control and landed on a thick bush.
“Rainbow Dash!” I yelled as I ran over to her. Suddenly, Applejack popped her mouth.
“Applejack?! I said in shock.
“Crest! Rainbow! Thank Celestia! There’s no time to lose!” Applejack said as she got out of Rainbow Dash’s mouth.
Applejack made a make shift halter from a stick and vine, and placed it on Rainbow Dash’s muzzle. “I need to get to Zecora’s pronto! Giddy up pony!” She said as she got onto Rainbow Dash.
“Excuse me?!” Rainbow Dash said irritated.
“Yee haw!” Applejack yelled before she kicked Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash instantly started flying after that. “What the…” I heard Rainbow Dash, before she flew away.
“No, Rainbow Dash! Other Way!” I heard Applejack yell before Rainbow Dash changed course.
I ran behind them and we caught up with the rest of the group. We stopped when we found multiple paths.
“Does anypony know which way to Zecora’s?” Twilight asked us. All of us shook our heads.
Surprisingly, I started smelling the scent of apples on one path. My eye’s opened in realization and I looked at everypony else.
“Girls, I think I smell Apple Bloom.” I told them.
“What? How?” Twilight asked.
“I think me being a dog pony enhanced my sense of smell. I can smell apples heading that way.” I told them, pointing my paw at the left path.
“Great! Lead the way, Crest.” Applejack said. I nodded and ran ahead of the group. The smell of apples were getting stronger as we ran. We eventually found Zecora’s hut. The hut was built inside a tree that was surrounded by masks. The smell of apples led to the door, but it was then leading away from it.
“Girls, I think Apple Bloom was here, but the smell is leading away from the hut.” I told them.
“We should at least check what is inside and see what Zecora’s doing.” Twilight suggested. I nodded in agreement. Maybe we can find something that proves Zecora didn’t curse us.
“Oh! I look horrible!” Rarity exclaimed, having leaves, twigs, and mud in her hair.
Pinkie Pie lifted Rarity’s hair to see Zecora’s hut. “Plis place plooks horrible!”
“Oh, my. That place really does look horrible.” Rarity said.
We snuck to the window and looked inside. There were many tribal masks and bowl in the room.
“Nice decorations; if you like creepy!” Rarity said, looking at the decorations.
Zecora walked in, carrying a bowl. We hid our head back so Zecora wouldn’t see us. She purred what looked like purple beads in a cauldron and started chanting in her native language.
“Pfhe whole my psung! She split mm mm!” Pinkie Pie spat angrily.
“She stole your song?” Rarity asked.
“Oh, Pinkie. It doesn’t sound anything like your song.” Twilight responded.
Pinkie Pie nodded in anger at her before looking over at Fluttershy. She ran over to Fluttershy and begged her. Even going so far as using the puppy dog eyes on her.
Fluttershy sighed in annoyance and began to sing.
I have to say, I kinda liked the song in Fluttershy’s guy voice.
“You saw those terrible things. Now do you believe us, Crest, Twilight?” Rarity asked us.
“Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great, big bubbling cauldron?” Twilight sighed. “Oh everything is pointing to zecora being… bad. Or…What is Zecora just making soup.” Twilight suggested.
I didn’t want to assume Zecora was evil, so I started think of another explanation of our changes beside a curse. The last time we saw Zecora was when we headed into the Everfree Forest for Apple Bloom. Then she started rhyming about the blue plants. Wait a minute, all of us touched those plants beside Apple Bloom, because she was on Applejack’s back.
“The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now, where is that little Apple Bloom?” I heard Zecora asked herself.
“Or…what if she’s making Apple Bloom soup?” Twilight exclaimed, causing everypony to scream.
Suddenly, I saw Rainbow Dash fly through Zecora’s front door. Rainbow Dash was crashing into almost everything. Zecora was speaking The girls and I quickly barged in.
“What have you done with Apple Bloom?!” Twilight demanded.
I saw Applejack with her tiny lasso and threw it a Zecora’s ear. She jumped on her head and wrestled her ear. Zecora just looked at her in confusion. I pounced Rainbow Dash to stop her crashing into things. We ended up crashing into the large pot, causing it to spill over.
“Ow.” I said, feeling the bruise on my back.
“No! You know not what you do! You’ve gone and spilled my precious brew!” Zecora exclaimed.
“We’re onto you, Zacora. I didn’t want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming.” Twilight told her. I got up and tried to get some of the green liquid off me.
“You made me look ridiculous.” Rarity accused.
“You made me sound ridiculous!” Fluttershy accused.
“Pee pfuh pfuh found put plug psi plus!” Pinkie accused.
“You ruined my horn!” Twilight accused.
“How dare you! You destroy my home, destroy my work, then rudely accuse me of being a jerk?!” Zecora defended in anger.
“You put this curse on us, now you’re gonna un-curse us!” Rainbow Dash demanded.
“Zecora didn’t do any of those thing, girls.” I told them, defending Zecora. The girls looked at me surprised.
“What! Crest, how could you say that? After everything we’ve seen.” Twilight asked.
“Because I figured out what made us ridiculous.” I told them. Before I could explain however, I started smiling the scent of apples from the front door.
“Zecora, I think I found all the things You asked for.” We heard Apple Bloom as she came in the front door and noticed the situation. “What in Ponyville is going on here?” She asked.
Applejack gasped. “Apple Bloom! You’re okay!” She exclaimed, still holding onto Zecora’s ear.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Apple Bloom asked smiling.
“Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup.” Twilight said after she jumped in front of Apple Bloom.
Zecora and Apple Bloom started laughing at Twilight’s accusation.
“Oh, Twilight. Did those silly fillies get in your head? You know there’s no such thing as a curse.” Apple Bloom said.
“Apple Bloom, sweetie. You can’t just stand there and tell me this isn’t a curse.” Twilight said, gesturing to our changes.
“This isn’t a curse.” Apple Bloom walked by and saying it.
“Girls, remember when Zecora was rhyming about the blue plant. She wasn’t cursing us, she was warning us about it.” I explained to them.
“That plant is called poison joke.” Apple Bloom told us.
“That plant is much like poison oak, but its result are like a joke.” Zecora added.
“What in the hay does that mean?” Applejack asked, still standing on Zecora’s head.
“It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead, this plant just wants a laugh.” Zecora tried to explained.
Applejack paused for a moment, trying to understand what Zecora just said. “Will somepony please talk normal?” She said.
“I think what she’s saying is that when we ran in to save Apple Bloom, we ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes it played on us.” Twilight responded.
“Little joke?! Very funny.” Applejack said sarcastically.
“Okay. Fine. But what about the cauldron?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“And the Chanting?” Fluttershy asked.
“And the creepy decor?” Rarity asked.
“Treasures of the native land where I am from.” Zecora said as she looked over at a couple of masks leaning against the wall. “This one speaks hello, and this welcome.”
“Not welcome at all, if you ask me.” Rarity said, looking a another tribal mask.
“The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme.” Zecora explained.
“But the cauldron, the Apple Bloom soup?” Twilight questioned.
“Looky here, Twilight, that pot of water wasn’t for me. It was for all of these herbal ingredients. The cure for poison joke is a simple old natural remedy.” Apple Bloom explained as Twilight walked over to the book Apple Bloom gestured to. “You just got to take a bubble bath.” Apple Bloom finished as she picked Applejack up with her hoof.
“But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn’t find anything. What book has this natural remedy?” Twilight asked.
Zecora walked over to the book. “Here is the book. You see? Sad that you lack it in your library.” Zecora said as she showed Twilight the cover of the book. It was the same book Twilight thought was hocus.
Twilight realized this and looked disappointed. “Actually, I do have this book. But I didn’t look inside because the title was so…weird.” Zecora opened the book again, showing Twilight a page. “Supernaturals: Natural remedies and cure-alls that are simply super.” Twilight read out loud. “I…I… I’m so sorry, Zecora. I had the answer the whole time, if only I’d bothered to look inside.” Twilight admitted.
Zecora laughed. “Maybe next time you will take a second look and not judge the cover of the book.” Zecora told them, making them feel disappointed for their behavior.
I nodded in agreement.
Applebloom laughed.
“Zecora, would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?” Twilight requested.
“Mix it up, I certainly will. Yes I am missing an herb from Ponyville.” Zecora said.
“But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed.” Apple Bloom explained.
“Oh, well, I think we can help you with that.” Twilight said.
“We walked back to Ponyville. It wasn’t a surprise everypony started running away in fear when they saw our change. Everypony ran for their houses and shops to hide. Twilight walked up to the flower shop and knocked on the door. The door opened up slightly showing Daisy, one of the owners.
“Daisy, we need to talk.” Twilight said.
She explained the situation and how everypony misjudged Zecora. The shop ponies sold us the ingredients and we made our way to the spa. The spa ponies let Zecora make a bubble bath after we explained what happened.
Zecora and Apple Bloom made the bubble bath and we jumped in there. As we were relaxing in the water, I started to change back into my old self. Unfortunately, that also meant my eyes went back to normal.
“Ow.” I said. My eyes started hurting from the light in the room.
“Crest? are you alright?” Twilight asked me.
“Yeah, I forgot I left my sunglasses at home. I may need your help when we head back, Twilight.” I asked.
“Okay.” Twilight responded before pausing for a moment. “Dear Princess Celestia, my friends and I learned an important lesson this week. ‘never judge a book by its cover’. Someone may look unusual or funny or scary, but you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. real friends don’t care what your cover is. It’s the contents of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” She wrote out out loud.
“Miss Zecora, I would love to get the recipe for this bath. It’s simply luxurious.” I heard one of the spa ponies say.
“Applejack! Hey! Where’s Applejack?!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
We gasped and screamed as we searched for Applejack in the bath. Without my eyesight, I wasn’t much help.
“I’m right here, little sis. I ain’t tiny no more.” Applejack announced. I slightly open my eyes to see her laying backward on a large cup.
“Oh! I have never felt so lovely in all my life.” Rarity said.
Pinkie Pie suddenly came out of the water next to Rarity. “Oh, my gosh! I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk! I mean, I love talking so much, and when I couldn’t talk anymore, my tongue was all…aaaah” She exclaimed sticking her tongue out. “It was the worst! Don’t you agree, Fluttershy?” She asked her.
For a moment, there was a pause. “Yes.” Fluttershy answered in her sweet voice.
All of us laughed.
“Crest, we owe you apology.” Rarity said, making me raise an eyebrow. “We should have known better than to judge others different than us. Especially when we first met you.” Rarity explained. My friends apologized to me.
“Don’t worry about it girls. Sometimes we need a reminder of the lesson’s we’ve learned. Also, I want to apologize how I behaved when I found out you all were afraid of thestrals, but all of you used be afraid of thestrals, not anymore. So it’s alright.” I told them with my eye’s slightly opened.
My friends smiled at me and we enjoyed our time in the bubble bath.