"Zecora!" Applebloom exclaimed, bursting through the door to the zebra's hut. It was littered with all manner of potions and brews, most made with the exotic ingredients the Zebra kept well stocked in her hut. "Zecora, you in here?! It's an emergency!" Slowing down to a careful trot, she began exploring the hut to look for Ponyville's resident witch doctor.
"Yes, Little Bloom, I am here!" A voice yelled from the Alchemy Room. "And if what you say is true, then it's a good thing you were near!" Trotting forward, Applebloom chittered in a panic, barely making any sense.
"Settle now Little Bloom!" She petted the sniveling filly in an attempt to calm her down, clutching her tight. "What caused this need for haste and gloom?"
"T-there's a pony n-not t-too f-far,from h-here and he's d-d-dying!" She wailed, digging her muzzle into Zecora's neck and staining her coat with fresh tears. "H-he said he n-needed medicine for a d-disease he had!" She mumbled between sobs.
Now it got serious. If there's a dying pony, let alone one with a disease, it's best to help before more ponies discover it and try to help without proper knowledge. That's part of the reason why ponies visit her hut; many of them were skeptical when she first moved here those few years ago, but since then a lot more have been trusting and no longer shut their doors in fear of her "witchery" an ex Ponyville resident put bluntly.
"Applebloom, you were brave to help this stranger, now tell me-" she began, gathering her herbal satchel, and also regrettably (as well as secretly), her euthanizing toxins and witch doctor's mask. "Does his disease pose any danger?"
Meanwhile, Arthur was struggling to keep himself alive until help came. Though it was true that improvised tonic eased his pain, it didn't last long at all and he knew it. Gasping for breath, he stumbled towards his bag, hoping that at least his journal was there. Thankfully it was, but looking down at his new body just made him toss it back in. Well Arthur, you done did it again; you got yourself stuck in yet another mess, except it ain't your fault.
He sighed. "I hope..." Suddenly, he heard some rustling nearby as well as some torchlight. "That you, kid?" He coughed out. "I could use some help from your zebra friend!" Brushing away some shrubbery, Zecora emerged followed by Applebloom still sniffling. Well at least the kids around these parts don't see a whole lotta death. Means I'm safer, and this messed up world's surprisingly more pure, heh!
"Oh my, this is worse than we thought!" The zebra exclaimed, opening a strange bag strapped to her side. "It's a good thing it was my help you sought."
Battling another round of coughs, Arthur leaned forward a bit. "You must be that zebra fella she was talking about." He spoke. "Well doc, I ain't got time for formalities, truth is-" he motioned for her to lean forward so the little one would be out of earshot. "I got a case of Tuberculosis. *Coughs, then spits blood* It finally got a hold of me, as you can plainly see."
"My my, a troublesome disease indeed..." Zecora said. "But worrying for Little Bloom?" She smiled, pulling out a mortar and pestle as well as various ingredients from her Witch Doctor's bag. "You have no need!"
"Y-you mean to say you can...cure me?" The zebra nodded to dissuade any doubts he had. He was at a loss for words. It was as if this place actually was a fresh start! "Why you must be some guardian angel!" He chuckled.
"Or your devil on the shoulder!" She giggled in response. "Now hush, and let my potion smoulder." Finishing up grinding the last of the ingredients, Zecora motioned for Arthur's percolator and placed the pasty yellow substance inside, setting it back on the fire to boil.
"I can't believe it!" He coughed out a small chuckle. "And to think, all it took was a little dyin' and waking up in a different world, heh!" Neither of the ponies thought anything about this statement, and passed it off as delirium from the Tuberculosis.
"Are you gonna be better now, mister?" Applebloom sniffled.
"Oh, I'll be right as rain, kid! Just gotta wait for this stuff to boil a bit and I'll be fine! Now come here so this old, uh, horse can give ya a hug!" Taking the hint, the filly rushed forward and tackled Arthur, squeezing the remaining life out of him with a strong hug. "Heh, easy now! I ain't done healing yet!"
"Sorry, mister! I'm just so happy you're gonna stay livin'!" She wiped more tears from her eyes. Suddenly, she looked at the night sky. She completely forgot! "Oh no, big sis is gonna kill me! Sorry mister, I gotta go!" She said, grabbing her bags still sitting by the campfire. Not leaving much time to say her goodbyes, she gave one last small hug then galloped off towards the East. At least Arthur assumed it was east, but anything goes on a world you know little about.
Zecora opted to stay with Arthur, seeing to it her Zebra medicine did its magic and healed him. Though that did not mean she wasn't curious about this mystery stallion, however. "Now that Little Bloom isn't near," she began, checking the potion to see if it brewed properly. "Maybe you can tell me how you came across your ailment here."
Well the cat's outta the bag, Arthur. Might as well be honest to the Witch Doctor that's saving ya... He sighed, reaching for the percolator and, getting the OK from Zecora, shakily poured himself a cup. "Getting used to hooves is gonna take a spell..." Downing the contents, the stallion nearly gagged. "Christ, that stuff tastes awful!" Coughing a bit more, though less intensely he noticed, he continued. "I didn't get it from here, per say."
"Now it sounds to me, and I don't mean to assume; but you are not from this world, I presume?"
"Ya got me, Doc. And to be honest with ya I wasn't exactly on the side of the law if you get my drift." He sighed, fiddling with his trademark hat, wistfully tracing the scuffs and chips with the tip of his fetlock. "See, my story started when I was just a kid. I got into all sorts of trouble and fought as hard as a mule; That is, until a man named Dutch Van der Linde showed up knocking on my door..."