//------------------------------//
// The Shaman of Everfree 
// Story: The Epic of Twilight 
// by AlicornPriest 
//------------------------------//

This story starts with sunlight. Twilight sought
to find her friends and share with them the day,
but found none of them. All of Ponyville 
was empty; not a pony moved or stirred
beyond their solid gates. This Twilight saw
but understood not, having only moved
to Ponyville but recently. As she
walked by the bakery where Pinkie toiled,
the baker pounced upon her, drew her in,
and hid her in the shadows off the streets,
away from the enchantress just outside.
The ghostly zebra passed among the streets,
her eyes like lightning, burning with revenge
'gainst those who sought to cross her. Those who did
were never seen again. Zecora she
was called, a name born from her tongue
for her own kind. And all were locked in fear
whenever she came to the town. Not one
gave solace to her, nor did they give leave
to buy from them. And so she walked alone
among the roads deserted, leaving hence
she knew no store would take her. Twilight, though
most studious of students, knew that those
who wore the stripes of zebradom were not
all evil. She considered talking to
Zecora, but none would allow her to.
Brave Applebloom, the sister to AJ
pursued Zecora. Was her courage found
in good intentions, or did she still think
that Zecora was an evil shaman, thus
instead confronting her as some strange rite?
It matters not. The little filly went
and followed, telling not her closest kin
and neighbors. They, afraid that she had been
abducted by the wicked zebra mare,
swift followed chase, until they came upon
a field of blueish flowers, where she stood,
Zecora, and gave mention to their plight:

– Beware the leaves of blue –
– The flowers where you tread –
– For what shall come to you –
– Be it on your own head –

The six did not comply with what she said,
but boldly trod through all the sapphire leaves.
They “rescued” Applebloom and took her home.
But as they slept that night, most hid'ous dreams
came to them: dreams of darkness and of fear,
with mad Zecora laughing as they ran,
and all the warnings 'bout her they'd forgot.
When they awoke, the terror they beheld!
Sage Twilight's horn was floppy and uncouth,
and Rarity had turned her precious hair
into a mess. Blithe Pinkie lost her speech:
her tongue was swollen far beyond the pale.
Now Applejack was shrunk to meager size,
and Rainbow Dash's wings were upside down.
But Fluttershy, the kind and silent mare,
was worst of of them all. Her charming voice
was deepened, as if Hades spoke instead.
The six of them decided with much haste
to march upon Zecora's hideaway
located deep within the Everfree.
The path was tough: fair Applejack was lost
one time, and Rarity found sticks and stones
embedded in her mane. Poor Rainbow Dash
could not help crashing into every tree
she flew by. But, in time, they found the hut
where they assumed Zecora lay in wait.
Before this, Twilight had maintained her doubts
about how bad Zecora might have been.
But at the hut, they heard Zecora chant
and make a brew intended to consume
poor Applebloom. She asked the other five:
“Could this be true? Zecora eats up foals?”
Miss Rarity reminded her of back
in Sugar Cube, when Pinkie's tongue was whole
she'd sung a song which named Zecora's ills.
But she knew not the words. They turned to Fluttershy,
who, with a stolid sigh, began to sing:
She's evil, she's nasty, she's not very good
She doesn't act how like a good pony should
She dances, she prances, her eyes hypnotize,
She finds pony flesh a most delicate prize.
She'll gobble you up just like how she eats hay
(granted, we eat hay too, but it's all in the way).
So if you see her you should run for your soul
You had better watch out, or she'll eat you up whole!
At last Twilight believed. She led the charge
against Zecora, smashing up her goods
until she shook with anger, claiming thus:

– How dare you come this way –
– To break my precious work –
– I try to save the day –
– But now I can't, you jerks! –

Here Twilight asked, “What could you mean by that?
'To save the day?' Are you not currently
attempting to consume our little friend,
our Applebloom?” At this, Zecora laughed,
for Applebloom was helping with her work
to help the ponies who had been accursed
by Poison Joke, the leaves of sapphire blue.
So Twilight and her friends were taught to see
the truth behind the covers, yet unseen.
Zecora quick recovered with the help
of Twilight's friends, who bargained with the stores
to gain the herbs Zecora could not find
but here, among the bigots and afraid.
All six were cured without a second thought.
And so the story ends. Not always are
the heroes so heroic, though they try.
Perhaps another time they will be right.