//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Of Dresses and Potions // Story: A Baby Zebra's Apple Turnover // by Foal Star //------------------------------// The next afternoon, Applejack was at Carousel Boutique behind a dressing room, as Rarity waited outside, anxiously trotting back and forth as she commented in a nervous tone, “So Applejack darling I have to ask: I don’t mind making the order you gave me, but I have to admit that it was quite odd. I did my best in making it as...um…’motherly as possible’, I believe you said?” Applejack grumbled from behind the curtain. “Yeah. Thanks, Rarity, this is definitely what I asked for.” Rarity gave a giggle as she added, “In that case, yes, I'm sure that that what you ordered will work with what you have in mind. But I must say, I think you’re maybe taking things too far.” Applejack grunted as she tugged on something and mumbled, “Maybe, but if I'm goin’ to be carin’ for that little zebra, I gotta show everypony that it would be better if I do it myself.” Rarity rolled her eyes at the statement. “Yes, Applejack, you told me that many times already.” Applejack gave a deep sigh as she proclaimed, “Okay, I'm ready.” Rarity turned to the barrier and smiled as she giggled, “Okay then, Applejack, show us your new outfit.” Applejack stepped out of the dressing room with an unamused look. Rarity giggled upon seeing her wearing a cute, green colored mares’ bonnet around her face, with a matching green dress with little apples lining the fabric, and a white apron tied around her. Applejack grumbled as she walked up to Rarity with the dress flowing around her, the frills bouncing with every step as she grumbled,  “This has to be the most embarrassin’ thing I've ever worn in my life.” Rarity just waved a hoof as she cooed, “Oh you look splendid, Applejack,” She walked around, inspecting the farm pony mare as she added, “But I have to ask, I thought you were trying to prove you’re not a typical mom?” Applejack sighed as she looked up and explained. “Look. the idea is that ponies are gonna treat me like a mom no matter what. So I’ll act annoyin’ and be obnoxious, and make everypony at the party like my normal personality better. Then they’ll all leave me alone!” Rarity smirked as she commented, “Well, I hope that works. Maybe I should give you some tips and tricks about acting?” Applejack smiled as she asked. “You know how to act?” Rarity scoffed. “Oh of course I do. Now first off, what are you trying for?” Applejack pondered for but a second before she replied, “Well, like I said, a typical mom, but annoyin’ and overprotective. I want to be so annoyin’ that ponies’ll beg for the old Applejack to come back.” Rarity blinked as she asked with great concern, “Darling, you sure you know what you’re doing? Because you might be doing the opposite, and make ponies think you’ll need more help with Zecora.” Applejack shook her head and replied, “No, I think if I pull this off, ponies are goin’ to want the real me back.” Rarity sighed and continued, “Well if you say so. I guess, since there’s no stopping you, I might as well teach you some things to help you give a hopefully ‘convincing’ performance.” Applejack blushed. “Okay and thanks for everythin’, Rarity.” Rarity waved a hoof again, “No need, darling. Now come on, let's go somewhere with a little more space to practice your act.” Applejack nodded, and followed Rarity towards the back of the boutique. Later that day, Apple Bloom was skipping through the Everfree Forest with Zecora. Zecora was hugging the farm filly’s mane tight in fear, as she looked around the dark wood and whimpered, “I didn’ weawise this befowe, but ta Evewfwee Fowest is scawy.” Apple Bloom cooed, looking down at Zecora. ”Oh, don’t worry, we won’t go too deep.” The two eventually came upon the hut, and Zecora gasped at it and squealed in realization! “Tat’s my owd hut!” Apple Bloom nodded and chirped, “Yeah it is, now come on, my friends are waitin’ inside.” They bounced into the hut where Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were waiting, and both shouted. “Hello Zecora!” Zecora giggled in surprise and babbled, “Hi ya two,” She didn’t quite know their names even though she’d heard Apple Bloom mention them a few times. “We hewe to hewp.” she offered. The fillies giggled, as Apple Bloom settled Zecora on the ground, letting her gaze in awe at her old hut. The black cauldron sitting in the middle with all of her potions, books and decorations still standing as they were when she left. The little Zebra babbled, “Wow, tis pwace wooks gweat!”     Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle blushed as Apple Bloom explained, “Well, I told ya, we wanted to fix this place up before you came. We did what we could to make it how you had it before y turned into a foal. Ya like?” Zecora turned back to Apple Bloom and whispered, “Is gweat! Ya thwee did a good job, tank you!” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom beamed in pride as Scootaloo suggested, “Well, how about we celebrate by making Zecora an official Cutie Mark Crusader?!” Zecora squealed and shouted in delight! “Weawwy?!” She asked. The fillies all giggled, as Sweetie Belle nodded and replied, “Yep, we all agree that even though you're still a baby, you can still try to find your cutie mark again. I mean, zebras can get cutie marks, right?” “I tink so,” Zecora commented, and the baby zebra looked at her padded flank, “Weww, I betta get potty twained befowe I get my cutie mawk, I dun quite tink I weady yet, ta potty’s stiww too big fow me, and I stiww dun usuawwy know when I have to go. Bu I’ww twy my best to get my cutie mark again.” Sweetie Belle chuckled, “That’s great, and I’m sure that’ll motivate you to be potty trained as fast as possible,” She then asked Zecora. “So, do you want to be a Crusader?” Zecora bounced on her diaper in excitement as she babbled, “Yeah, I’ww be a Cutie Mawk Cwuasda, the fwist evew zebwa one!” Apple Bloom brought a small red cape over to Zecora, and carefully tied it around her neck. The little zebra squealed in joy and ran around the hut, her cape flapping and her diaper crinkling! The three fillies couldn’t help but daww at the adorable sight. When Zecora finally stopped, she waddled over to Apple Bloom and hugged her leg and babbled, “Tank ya, Abbwe Boom, tis is amazing!” Apple Bloom cuddled the foal and cooed, “No problem, cutie. Welcome to the club.” Zecora then broke the embrace and asked, “So, since ta pwace is cwean, can we stawt twying to make a cuwe?” Apple Bloom gave a nod and chirped, “Yep, that’s the main reason why I brought ya here. We’ve got a few hours before sundown, so let’s get crackin’, Crusaders!” While all that was going on, Rarity was with Applejack in the back room of Carousel Boutique. Said room was filled with old ponyquins and worn out sewing machines that sat there, gathering dust. Rarity wasn’t bothered by this though, as she with Applejack, instructing the farm pony on how to act like an overbearing mother. “Alright now, let's go through this one more time,” She instructed. “Show me how you’ll walk.” Applejack sighed as she brought her legs together, and walked slowly and timidly across the floor. She then slowly sat down, brushing her dress. Rarity giggled as she playfully asked, “Hello, Applejack, how are you doing?’ Applejack looked up with a blush and exclaimed, “Oh, hi Rarity, I'm doin’ great! Just put Zecora down for a nap and she’s sleepin’ like a log!” Rarity gave a nod and continued, “That’s wonderful, dear, and how is the little darling doing?” Applejack waved a hoof and cooed, “Oh she’s wonderful but she can be such a hooful. She makes such big messes in her diaper and can cry like there’s no tomorrow.” Rarity giggled (though she wondered how true that statement might actually be, she could remember from her own experiences with her little sister that foals were very smelly and fussy) and continued. “Wow, she really does sound like a hooful! Do you need any help?” Applejack blushed, “Oh ...well…I wouldn’t mind the assistance. But I want to be with her to change her diapers and keep her out of trouble. She’s such a big pooper you know, and she just never wants to stay still!” Rarity giggled as she took an empty tea cup and dropped it lightly on the floor, “Oops.” Applejack immediately came over, picked the cup up, and placed it in Rarity’s hooves as she cooed, “Be careful, deary, we don’t want you getting any booboos,” Rarity couldn't help it and burst into laughter as Applejack gave Rarity a glare and grumbled, “Well, from the looks of it, I’d say I'm ready for that party.” Rarity got up, gasping for breath. “Yes, you most certainly are,” She then added. “I must admit, that was quite the performance, Applejack. It almost seemed like you weren’t acting at all.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but I'm only doin’ this at the party, and only until they realize it’s better that I raise Zecora on my own.” Rarity was still giggling even as she replied, “Oh of course, darling. Now let’s get that dress packed up.” Applejack followed her dress making friend and chuckled as she expressed her desire. “Hopefully, after the party I’ll never have to wear this fru-fru dress again.” Rarity looked back at the dress and cooed, “That’s too bad, it fits you perfectly if you ask me.” Applejack blushed and mumbled, “Stop that, Rarity! Ya know I ain’t into these fancy dresses.” Rarity smirked and lead her friend back to the main room. Applejack went behind the changing barrier and started taking off the dress, and as Rarity waited she asked, “So, Applejack, are you really going to be Zecora’s main caretaker?” Applejack grunted as she tugged the bonnet off. “I don’t really know,” She admitted. “But Twilight and Celestia haven't found a cure yet, so I guess I’ll be carin’ for her until they do. Apple Bloom’s got school to worry about, Granny Smith ain’t as quick as she used to be, and Big Mac’s gotta focus on pickin’ up the slack for me on the chores.” Rarity swooned and cooed, “Oh, how very noble of you, Applejack. Zecora’s in good hooves with you, and I’m sure you’ll make a fine motherly figure.” Applejack stepped out with the dress draped over her back as she shrugged and replied, “I don’t really see it like that, Rarity. I just don’t back down from helpin’ a friend, that’s all.” Rarity took the dress and bonnet with in her magic and slowly placed it in a shopping bag. “Well, Applejack, if you do need anything at all, just let me know, got it?” Applejack took the bag in her teeth and grunted, even as she mouthed the reply. “Sure thing, Rarity, and thanks again.” “Of course, darling, anytime.” Rarity replied, waving a hoof. Back at Zecora’s hut, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were busy putting ingredients together in the black cauldron, with the liquid inside bubbling quite noticeable. Zecora was busy taking some roots in a bag, as she waddled over to Apple Bloom and tugged at her back hoof and squeaked, “Hey, I got ta woots fow ya!” Apple Bloom looked down at the zebra with a smile and cooed, “Oh, thanks, Zecora.” The farm filly then picked the roots and threw them into the bubbling liquid. Meanwhile, Zecora came over, stood on her hind legs, put her forelegs over the rim, and looked into the brewing liquid Sweetie Belle lifted the filly, and placed her on the floor while she scolded, “No, Zecora, you stay away from the cauldron. We don't want you falling in, something bad could happen.” Zecora kicked about in frustration as she whined, “But I wanna hewp! What if makin potions get me my cutie mawk and age back?!” Apple Bloom came over and said sweetly to Zecora, “Ya did help, cutie butt. But now we have to cook everythin’ and don’t want you gettin’ hurt,” She took out some toys and a baby bottle, and placed them near Zecora as she asked, “How about ya play until the potion is done, okay? Zecora pouted, crossing her forelegs as the three fillies went back to the cauldron, stirring the liquid with long sticks. The baby zebra watched carefully and babbled, “I dun tink tey got it wight,” She turned to her ursa minor plushie and asked, ”How about we make owa own potion, Beawy?” She waddled over to some ingredients on the ground, unscrewed the top of her bottle, and moaned. “Oh, I fowgots what these awe, shouwd’ve wawbed tem when I had the chance,” She paused, suckling her hoof until she took some grass roots and babbled, “Weww, I tink tat tis might wowk,” And she put some in with her formula. She then picked up some leaves and placed them into the bottle as well, cooing, “Ya can't go wong with weaves, tey natuawaw. And tey make gweat toiwet patew,” She then picked up berries and babbled. “Yes, bewies! Tey tasty, so tey gots to hewp with ta potion,” And she plopped them into the formula with everything else and cooed to her plushie, “Wook, Beawy, I makin potions again!” The baby zebra finished by screwing the top on, and shook it until the liquid turned a dark green in color, a rather ominous shade at that. She eyed the concoction as she babbled, “Weww, aww of ta stuff I put in my baba is natuaw, it can’t huwt takin a sippy. Besides, I kind of hungwy,” She then put the bottle up to her lips and took a few sips. Her face turned a sickely shade of green and she spat out the only slightly darker colored sludge. “Bleh, tat gwoss!” She then groaned as the piton went right through her. She held her tummy and moaned, realizing what was gonna happen. “Uh oh.” Was all she had time to say, as she grunted and filled her diaper. Unaware of Zecora’s experiment, The Cutie Mark Crusaders continued stirring the potion in the big cauldron. But the smell of the dirty diaper soon hit their noses, as Scootaloo was the first to gag, “Oh Celestia, what’s that?! It smells horrible!” Sweetie Belle held her nose as she groaned. “Apple Bloom, I think Zecora made a stinky. A really big one too.” Apple Bloom blushed and turned to the baby zebra, her diaper now stained with brown and green, as Apple Bloom turned to the bottle on the ground with the green sludge. She gasped and asked with shock! “Zecora, what happened?! What did you do?!” Zecora looked up and whimpered as she held her diaper, as the smell of her dirty deed lingered in the air. “I...I was twyin to make a potion, but I just made my tummy ache and messed mysewf.” Apple Bloom gasped, as she rushed over to Zecora and the empty bottle (its contents had long since spilled out onto the floor), “Zecora, why would you do that?! You could’ve drank somethin’ dangerous!” Zecora whimpered. “I sowie, I was just twyin to make potions again,” And she began bawling. Apple Bloom sighed, picking her up and cooing. “Hey, it’s okay, Zecora. Luckily, I had the foresight to bring your diaper bag with me.” She put the zebra down and took out the diaper bag. Apple Bloom soon set to work, she slowly untaped the soiled diaper, and when she did the stench hit her square in the muzzle, making her gag as Zecora started tearing up again. Apple Bloom hushed her a bit, while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both moved towards the door, prompting the farm filly to ask, “Hey, what are you two doin’?!” Scootaloo replied with a sheepish smile, “Um, Sweetie Belle and I will...um, wait outside until you're finished!” Sweetie Belle blushed and nodded as they both rushed outside for fresh air! Apple Bloom sighed and went back to changing the foal. She eventually started to wipe away the mess and grumbled. “Zecora, I told ya just to play with your toys.” The baby zebra looked up at Apple Bloom with puppy dog eyes and whimpered again, “I sowwie Abbwe Bwoom, I didn’ mean ta wuin evewyting.” Apple Bloom sighed and groaned, “Zecora, I’m not mad at ya. It’s just that you did somethin’ really naughty and dangerous! I hope you don’t do somethin’ like this again.” The baby zebra whimpered and nodded as she babbled, “I wun. It’s just... it was fun makin potions.” As Apple Bloom finished balling up Zecora’s diaper and started powdering the foal’s rump, she commented. “Well, I think maybe it’s best, I don’t bring you here anymore.” Zecora sighed and nodded as she agreed, “Yeah, I tink ya wight. I have a wot of dangewous stuff hewe.” Apple Bloom nodded and teased, “Yeah, luckily for both of us. that potion you made only gave ya a tummy ache and a stinky diaper.” She then strapped new the diaper around the baby zebra’s rump and patted it, making little cloud of powder poof through the leg holes. Zecora smiled. “Yeah, good ting it didn’ make me any younga.” Apple Bloom laughed, tossing the dirty diaper out a nearby window. “Alright, I think we better get going,” And after washing her hooves with a bottle of hoof sanitizer, she took Zecora and trotted out of the hut, where she found Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle with hooffuls of flowers in their mouths. Apple Bloom blushed as she told them, “Hey ya two, I’m goin’ to take Zecora home, can you two finish the potion? Don’t worry ‘bout the diaper, I just tossed it out a window, it’ll just ‘fertilize the soil’ like Granny Smith claims she used to do with me and my siblings when we were foals.” Both fillies gave a nod and briefly replied, “Uh huh.” as the farm filly gave them a smile, “Thanks, you two are the best.” And with that, Apple Bloom ran through the Everfree Forest, back to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was the first to come home, and found Granny Smith sleeping on her rocking chair. “Good old Granny,” Applejack chuckled to herself. She then went upstairs and looked around asking.“Apple Bloom? Big Mac? Ya here?” Hearing nothing, she smirked as she remembered. “Oh yeah, Apple Bloom took Zecora to play with her friends,” She then went to her room, placed the shopping bag on her bed and thought, “Well, I’d better get back to the Apple Buckin’. Big Mac’s been doin’ it all by himself for almost a day now.” She was going to leave, when she turned to a mirror, looking at herself in nothing but her simple brown stetson hat, and blushed as she looked around, peeking through the door. She slowly closed the door, went to the bag, and pulled out the dress as she smirked, “Alright, Applejack, but just for a little bit,” She slowly draped it over herself and blushed seeing how well it looked as she whispered. “Without the apron and bonnet, it don’t look half bad.” Apple Bloom suddenly burst into the room and blushed as she replied with a sheepish smile, “Oh, Applejack, I just uh came back before sundown with Zecora and...uh...wanted to let ya know.” Applejack jumped and blushed, crossing her forelegs as she stammered, “Oh, hey Apple Bloom, just uh... tryin’ on a dress that Rarity made for me.” Apple Bloom giggled nervously. “Yeah, okay Applejack. I changed Zecora’s diaper and um she’s fine, so...I’ll go play with her downstairs.” Applejack, still blushing, nodded as Apple Bloom giggled and slowly closed the door. Applejack groaned and threw the dress off her as she grumbled, “I wonder if this is going to be worth it.” Before she slowly went down the stairs.