"SPIKE!" Shining Armor called as he entered the library. "I'm back. And back to normal I might add." Shining Armor grinned widely and gave himself a shake. It felt good to be himself again.
"Welcome back," Spike said as he came down the stairs. "Where's Twilight?"
"She went to register for school while we were at the spa," Shining answered, looking around. Spike had done an incredible job of cleaning the place up.
"The spa?" The dragon tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing at the spa?"
"Getting cured. Zecora couldn't get everything because the shops closed whenever she came into town, so she sent us. It took a lot of coaxing, but we convinced enough ponies to get what we needed."
"So everypony is back to normal?"
"Yes."
"And Zecora will probably be accepted by the town more?"
"I believe so, the spa ponies actually wanted the recipe for the bath. The said it was 'luxurious.'"
"And do your friends know the truth?"
Shining Armor stopped and turned to look at Spike. The stallion tilted his head and raised an eyebrow of his own.
"What do you mean?"
"I found this after you left." Spike held a book out for Shining Armor. The book had a green cover and the title Supernaturals across the front of the cover. "I also found the bookmark you put in it for a page about something called Poison Joke." He flipped it open. "According to this, it's a plant that grows in the Everfree Forest and has been known to change ponies in ways that are seen as funny." Spike shut the book and looked at Shining. "Sound familiar?"
"Oh." Shining grin and let out a chuckle. "So you found that. Actually... yeah. I did tell them."
****Flashback****
Shining Armor got out of the bath and walked over to the mirror. He let a grin spread across his face. He did a half turn, checking himself out, then turned back around the other direction.
"There's the Shining Armor I know," he said. "Good to see me again." He finished drying off and headed to the spa's lobby to wait for the others. It took the better part of half an hour for Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy to all join him after their own spa treatments.
"So everyone's back to normal?" he asked, looking at them.
"It would appear so," Rarity said.
'And I am more than glad," Applejack added.
"Me too," Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing slightly. "I'm glad I can talk again. I missed talking so-so much. All I could do was" she stuck her tongue out and started making spitting noises.
"That's good," Shining said. "And... I think it has been established that Zecora is not a witch that lives in the forest and curses ponies."
None of them said anything.
"Well, since we all learned a lesson..." Shining Armor took a step back and grinned at them, "I guess it's fair to let you know. I had already found the cure."
"What?" the other five shouted.
Rainbow Dash flew forward, pressing herself nose to nose with Shining Armor.
"You knew how to get us back to normal and you didn't tell us?"
Shining Armor's eyes were wide as he was suddenly face to face with the pegasus. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her, ears pinning back. He shifted to press forward, butting his head against hers.
"I tried to tell you!" he shouted. "But none of you would listen. In fact, you and Applejack both interrupted me when I tried to tell you so you could talk about going to get Zecora."
"Oh," Rainbow Dash said. She gave a sheepish grin as a small chuckle escaped her.
Shining Armor glared at the pegasus a moment, but really did not have it in him to keep mad. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.
"As I was saying," he said once he felt like he was in control, "I had been going through the books after I woke up as a mare, and found one that had Poison Joke in it. I tried to tell you all that I think Zecora was trying to warn us about the flowers we had run into. I had tried to tell you, but everypony was so mad and blaming Zecora, nopony would listen."
The others shifted, looking at each other and away. None of them were making eye contact.
"So I decided to have Zecora help." He let out a sigh. "I know it wasn't the nicest thing to do, but I couldn't think of another way to clear her name. So... I'm sorry I tricked you by keeping it secret, but I would do it again if it meant somepony like Zecora would be given a fair chance."
"Well..." Rarity said. "I suppose that we did kind of bring it on ourselves."
"I think we can understand," Fluttershy added. Rainbow Dash sighed and nodded, but said nothing. It was clear she was not happy about being chastised.
"Of course we forgive you," Pinkie Pie said as she gave Shining Armor a hug. "You're a friend, Shiny-hiney."
"Alright," Applejack said, moving forward. "I guess you have a point," she pointed a hoof at him, "but don't try somethin' like that again. If we're supposed to be friends, we should be able to trust each other."
"Cross my heart," Shining said, "and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye."
********
"So..." he shifted, "they're going to be a little mad at me for a while, but they seem to understand for the most part."
Spike looked at Shining Armor a moment, then gave a shrug.
"I guess," the young dragon responded, "but I would be careful if I were you."
"Why?" Shining Armor asked.
"Well Rainbow and Pinkie are quite the pranksters." He held out his arms. "I mean I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to cross them or they might do something as a way of getting me back."
Shining thought about this a moment.
"I guess I see you point," he said, "but they wouldn't do anything dangerous."
"No..." Spike agreed, "but they do know about the Poison Joke now."
That thought made all the blood drain from Shining Armor's face. How much trouble could those to cause with the Poison Joke? His mind could not even begin to figure out what they could do to Ponyville. What if they used it on the mayor? Pinkie Pie worked at Sugarcube Corner, she could probably put some in all the cupcakes. Rainbow Dash was on the weather team, she could possibly find a way to make the stuff rain on the entire town.
Before Shining Armor could slip into a total panic over the possibilities, the door opened. Twilight stomped into the library, ears back and head low. A scowl covered her face. She glared at the floor as she walked across it toward the kitchen.
"What's wrong Twiley?" Shining Armor asked, moving toward his sister.
"Nothing," Twilight huffed. "Just that I found out I won't be in the same class as Apple Bloom."
"You actually care about whose in your class?" Spike asked.
"Well now that I have friends, it would be nice," Twilight answered. She sat down and let out another sigh.
"Who's in your class?" Shining asked, moving to sit beside her. He placed a hoof around her, pulling her close.
"I don't know." She gave a shrug then leaned against him. "I only know Apple Bloom isn't because she told me her teacher was Miss Cheerilee."
"Well maybe you'll know someone else in your class," Shining told her. "And if not, well," he shrugged, "you'll just have to make some new friends."
"Yeah." Twilight nodded. "I guess so."
"Besides, you should probably be more worried about getting into trouble for going into The Everfree Forest."
"Oh," she said. She looked up at him, giving a nervous giggle. "You... you still remember that?"
"What could have made me forgotten something that happened this morning?"
"Well it has been a very busy day for you. I was hoping that between talking to ponies to help and no longer being a mare, you would have forgotten." Twilight grinned at him again.
"I didn't," Shining Armor replied.
"I think I'll... go be somewhere else," Spike said before running up the stairs.
"Would it change anything if I pointed out I went to Zecora to get help for you?" Twilight asked. She looked at her brother, making her eyes as big as possible.
"Yeah," Shining admitted. "You did." He rubbed his chin, thinking a moment. Several times he glanced as his sister, and each time she continued to stare at him with her big purple eyes.
"Okay," he said, "how about we call it a wash. You won't get rewarded for trying to help, but you won't get in trouble either."
"I'll take it!" Twilight shouted.
"Deal." He looked around. "You know... we never did finish getting those supplies. We should probably do that."
"SPIKE!" Twilight called out. "We're going shopping. Want to come with us?"
The two of them waited for Spike as he came back downstairs and joined them. The three of them head out once again.
"I just hope nothing else happens this time," Shining said as they left.