It has been almost a month since the incident involving the ursa minor attacking Ponyville and Trixie leaving to start over. During that time, Silver and his friends have been busy with tasks that came to them when they weren't busy with their own lives. One week, they left for the mountains and try to reason with a dragon that was sleeping there to move to another place since its smoke would do harm to Equestria's environment, ending with Fluttershy conquering her fears and standing up to the dragon after it attacked her friends in retaliation when Rainbow Dash kicked it in the nose.
It was here that the girls learned that the dragon recalled seeing Silver, when he was still smaller, having entered into the Dragon Lands requesting to spar with one of the younger drakes. Most of them didn't seem to take him seriously, since how often does an adolescent colt just march into the land of dragons and ask to do battle with him as a means of training? It was when one younger dragon, a small blue dragoness, obliged to his request and the two went at it. Considering that it was the first time Silver was going against a dragon and was at a disadvantage, having only been training solo for the first month in the Badlands, he lost the match. Despite this, he acknowledged the strength of the female drake and said it was rather fun to spar that way and asked to do it again when they got stronger, to which she agreed.
The fact a young pony was able to hold his own against a dragon, who even as runts are still as strong as a fully grown earth pony, was more impressive. Silver made it a thing to visit the place often and spar against the dragoness, whom introduced herself as Ember, and both had their fair share of winning and losing. About a year in, Ember forged the blade Silver now possesses as a sign of trust and proof of his own strength as a fighter. Twilight was mostly intrigued over the fact that dragons were as good of smithing as griffons were, and possibly being even better as dragons had access to more resources around the volcanic landscape and find metals that are otherwise rare in Equestria and outside.
Upon returning to Ponyville, Twilight reported to Princess Celestia via letter that the mission was a success and learned another lesson in friendship...
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am happy to report that the dragon has departed our fair country, and that it was my good friend, Fluttershy, who convinced him to go. This adventure has taught me to never lose faith in your friends. They can be an amazing source of strength, and can help you overcome even your greatest fears.
Always your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
The following week, a large storm was scheduled for Ponyville one day and Applejack and Rarity were helping clean up a bit of the park before the storm began. Most of the time, the two ended up arguing with Rarity not wanting to get dirty and leaving more of a mess when Applejack asked to get some branches moved. Needless to say, the rain came and the two needed to seek shelter, and end up with Twilight at the library. Mentioning that Spike was away in Canterlot for royal business, she was home alone for the evening and then suggested they have a slumber party, as she never experienced one before. Not wanting to spend the whole night with each other and unable to leave as the storm worsened, Applejack and Rarity were left with little choice but to stay.
The slumber party was nearly ruined as the two wouldn't stop bickering, but it all changed when a large tree crashed into the Twilight's bedroom window from the strong winds. The two decided to put aside their differences and help Twilight get the tree out by working together. Apologizing to each other and setting their differences aside, the three mares decide to make the most of it and had fun with the slumber party as the next day came, bringing a sunny day with it.
Twilight wrote to Celestia the night after Applejack and Rarity made up, reflecting what she learned from this experience.
It's hard to believe that two ponies who seem to have so little in common could ever get along. But I found out that if you embrace each other's differences, you just might be surprised to discover a way to be friends after all.
Another problem was resolved when everyone in Ponyville hid in fear from a zebra named Zecora, who often came to town, thinking she was an evil enchantress as she resided in the Everfree Forest. It all came down to Applejack's younger sister, Apple Bloom, following the zebra to the Everfree and wanting to meet and see if she was at all bad. Unfortunately, the girls noticed she was missing and realized she was going after Zecora and quickly went after her. Stopping in a small grove of blue flowers, Zecora warns them about what they were doing while speaking in an odd speech pattern, but the ponies tell her off, ignoring her warnings and leave the forest afterwards with Apple Bloom in tow.
The next day the group, safe for Apple Bloom, all looked as though they were cursed: Applejack was now tiny, Pinkie Pie was unable to speak as her tongue appeared to be stuck out of her mouth and had blue dots all over them, Rarity's mane, coat, and tail all looked shaggy, Rainbow Dash's wings were upside down and was unable to fly properly, crashing into every thing when she did fly, Fluttershy seemed normal at first, until she started talking and her voice sounded like a deep stallion's voice, and Twilight's horn was floppy and unable to use magic.
Everyone, except for Apple Bloom, argue about the fact Zecora did curse them, while Twilight disagrees saying that curses weren't real and that there is likely a rational explanation for this. But not listening, the girls figured they go and confront Zecora personally and force her to fix them, while Apple Bloom decides to go and see if she can make things right, as she felt it was all her fault for them being like this. She leaves, but Applejack sneaks into her tail as she leaves, knowing well she is likely going back to the forest.
In the end, it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding, especially since they confused the cauldron that Zecora was using to eat Apple Bloom, was in fact the cure to fix the aliment the six ponies were suffering and the fact Apple Bloom came into Zecora's hut with the other ingredients she was sent to grab for the cure. What's more, Silver wandered in unexpectedly and just looks at the mess the girls made and asked what happened while he was out. He then explained that he knew Zecora for awhile as he ran into her while training in the Everfree alone, much to the surprise and horror of the girls. He often went to deeper parts of the Everfree Zecora did not venture to as they were more hostile.
After learning what happened to the girls and why exactly they tried to stop Zecora from doing what she was doing, him, Apple Bloom, and Zecora laughed it up. Silver then explains the reason they are like this is because it wasn't a curse, it was because they were suffering the side-effects of poison joke, a blue flower that when in contact would play a small joke the victim. When they thought she was cursing them with her language, it was just Zecora talking in the speech of olden times of her home land, which was basically speaking in rhymes.
Feeling ashamed for accusing her of being evil, the girls decide to help by trying to make another batch of the remedy, which Zecora agreed to do and forgives them for their actions, but Apple Bloom explains that when she goes to Ponyville to get the herbs she needs, the shops all close mysteriously. By returning to Ponyville together, ponies freak out when they see the group with Zecora, thinking she cursed them, but Twilight goes and explains what is going on.
Soon after, at the Ponyville Spa, Zecora uses the large hot tub as a means for the girls to use and be cured of the poison joke, as well feel refreshed from the experience.
Twilight learns that it is best not to judge a book by its cover, as described in her letter to Celestia.
My friends and I all 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.
One would think that it would get peaceful in Ponyville, but ever since Twilight and her friends became the next chosen bearers of the Elements of Harmony, crazy things just seem to hit the small town like a hurricane. In the end though, the problem gets resolved one way or another.
Fluttershy brought home a bunch of creatures from the Everfree Forest known as parasprites. While harmless, and rather adorable looking, they had a vicious appetite and would eat every bit of food they can find, and eventually rapidly multiple. The girls tried many attempts to get the little pest back to the forest as Princess Celestia was on her way to visit the town, but all seemed to become fruitless: Applejack used her lasso and tied them all down and the group proceeded to roll the large ball of sprites back to the forest, only to find that Fluttershy kept one in her cottage, which proceeded to multiple rapidly and burst out of her front door. She claimed it was because she couldn't help herself, finding the creatures too cute.
Rainbow Dash tried to use a tornado to round them up and suck them in, only for a pair of cymbals that Pinkie had got caught in the tornado and messed up Dash's concentration, freeing the parasprites. The girls ignored Pinkie's reasoning why she was gathering instruments since they thought she was being random, and Twilight decided to cast a spell that removed the parasprites instinct from eating anything that was food. Instead, they ate anything that wasn't food: streetlamps, signs, parts of houses, Rarity's dresses, everything.
Just when Twilight was going to make a second, fake Ponyville to trick Celestia as she nearly approaches, Pinkie starts acting as a one-pony band and attracts the parasprites with the music she played with all the instruments at once, leading them out of the town and back to the Everfree. Celestia touches down and sees how the creatures hopped along with Pinkie's music and assumed they were holding a small parade in her honor. She breaks the news that she has to skip her visit of Ponyville as there has been an infestation of 'incredibly bothersome creatures' in Fillydephia and has to go resolve it.
Before she left, Twilight shared her friendship lesson with the monarch, saying that sometimes the solution to ones' problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives... Even when they don't always seem to make sense.
Proud of her student's answer, she takes off to Fillydephia. The girls ponder what she meant when there was an infestation, until it was clear the town was also having problems with parasprites. Pinkie opted to go help, but Twilight denied her and said the princess could handle it. They all apologized to Pinkie for not listening to her and her reasoning behind gather the instruments and were glad everything turned out alright in the end... Aside from the fact Ponyville was in ruins and half eaten.
While this was all going on, Silver was at home blissfully unaware of what happened in town as he wanted to stay in and mediate, considering all that was going on in town the past few weeks and just wanted a break from it. Though he did ponder if he was hearing some sort of parade going on in town, but shrugged it off. Funny how none of the girls even questioned where Silver was the whole time, but considering that they had their hooves full trying to get rid of the pests from the forest, it flew over their heads.
With only a month until fall, ponies were eager to begin transition for the season. Apple Bloom was learning about cutie marks and how it reflects a ponies' special talent. She of course thinks about the fact she still hasn't earn her's yet while most of the colts and fillies in her class have. It gets worse when Diamond Tiara and her friend Silver Spoon, end up making fun of Apple Bloom, and another pony named Twist, for not having their cutie marks and dubbing them as 'blank flanks' while also announcing that she is going to be thrown her cutie-ceañera, a party that celebrates a young filly or colt's receiving their cutie marks, that weekend at Sugar-Cube Corner and even invited Apple Bloom to her party, at the expense of continuing to rub it in her face.
Apple Bloom tries to find ways to earn her cutie mark quickly, while most ponies namely Applejack and Twilight say that she has to give it time before she earns her cutie mark with the latter trying to use magic to make a cutie mark appear, but fails as it only appeared for a fraction of a second, with Twilight proving that not even magic can make a cutie mark appear by force. With little choice, she attends the party and ends up get picked on again by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but gets told off when two other fillies come out and show they also didn't have a cutie mark as well and sided with Apple Bloom, saying that they didn't need a cutie mark and that fact Apple Bloom is full of potential and could become anything.
The two fillies introduce themselves as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, who was the younger sister of Rarity. The three sit together and decided to form a secret club dedicated to the sole purpose of trying to find their special talent and ultimately get their cutie marks, agreeing on calling it 'The Cutie Mark Crusaders', and becoming best friends. Twilight watches and admires the three fillies, seeing they are very lucky for those who have yet to discover who they are, and sends her friendship report to Celestia on what she learned from witnessing this experience, which makes her reflect on the day she and Luna earned their cutie marks.
I am happy to report that one of your youngest subjects has learned a valuable lesson about friendship. Sometimes, the thing you think will cause you to lose friends and feel left out can actually be the thing that helps you make your closest friends and realize how special you are.
Following month, Rainbow Dash and Applejack decided to throw an Iron Pony competition to see which one of them were the most athletic pony in Ponyville. Both mares beat each other in one event to the other, where they draw before the final event, which was the annual Running of the Leaves, a tradition in Ponyville where ponies ran through the Whitewood Forest, and cleared the leaves from the trees by vibrating the earth with their hooves as they ran. Twilight and Silver both decided to join, alongside several other ponies who were there for the fun, as was Twilight and Silver. Both Applejack and Dash humor Twilight, considering she only learned about this from books and Dash nicknaming her an 'egghead'.
As the running commenced, Applejack and Dash did all they could to try to outdo one another in the race, often tripping on a rock or a tree stump, often blaming one another for tripping them, with Twilight explaining that they should instead pay attention and not blame the other for their own recklessness. It ends with Applejack and Dash both tying for last place as the former tried to prevent the latter from flying for the finish and tackling her down before she got far. Both were shocked when they realized Twilight was able to beat them both for fifth place, all by going at her own pace since the two were just horsing about. Because of this, Applejack admits that Twilight was right and that their behavior was terrible.
Celestia, having overseen the entire event and surprising both Applejack and Rainbow, comes over to the group explaining that they learned a very important lesson, as well as saying fall is her favorite season and wished to come see the Running of the Leaves.
The solar monarch says that anyone could be be swept up by the excitement of competition, with Twilight reminding them that friendship was always more important than competition.
Celestia also explains because of the two tricking each other during their race, many trees still had leaves in them. Taking the hint, Applejack and Rainbow decide to go for another run as friends and help take care of the other trees that were missed together.
After they darted off, Silver came over as they watched the two ponies go and smirked, asking if they should know who actually won first place. Twilight just laughs it off, saying that it would probably be for the best if they just learn about it later. Silver just smiled, as he turns around, showing he had a first place medal around his neck, hidden under his cloak.
As quickly as fall passed, winter came by just as quickly. Hearth's Warming Eve had come and gone and a new year has begun. And the story continues as the day came for Ponyville's biggest tradition since the founding of the small town: Winter Wrap Up.