Two days after the incident in the Undercroft, Matt found himself following Twilight Sparkle into the Everfree Forest. She had told him that they were going to meet a friend of hers, but he still didn't like the idea.
"I'm sorry, Twilight, but I'm just not comfortable walking around in here considering the last time I was nearly eaten alive." he said, keeping an eye out for any sort of danger.
Twilight chuckled. "Don't worry, Matt. I walk this path all the time; I haven't been attacked once."
"There's a first time for everything..." he said, trailing off. He let out a sigh. "Who exactly are we meeting, again?"
"My zebra friend, Zecora. She has this magnificent foreign tea that helps soothes aches and bruises." Twilight replied.
Matt hadn't forgotten about the injuries Twilight sustained during her ghostly possession. The day prior, she barely moved around at all and he thought her wounds were more serious than she insisted they were.
"I'm sorry..." he said, thinking out loud.
Twilight stopped walking to turn and face him. "Don't be! I'm fine, really. Just a little sore from the recoil is all. Besides, who knows what Clover would've done if he made it out in my body?" she said. "I know you didn't want to hurt me, but you did what you had to."
"Yeah..." he responded halfheartedly.
"Hey, cheer up. The thought of my magic being used to hurt anypony makes me shudder."
She smiled at him and he tried his best to return it. They began walking again, deeper into the woods. "We're almost there." she said.
Matt's mind was swimming with a myriad of thoughts about the past several days. Upon his return to Twilight and the library, he and Twilight decided to explore the possibilities of a relationship. The following day the only thing they had managed to do together is be possessed by the same ghost. While Twilight was recovering, Matt spent all his time by her side. Partially out of guilt, but another part was out of affection. This genuine affection was a new feeling to him. He wasn't entirely sure how to process and react to it. He smirked in silence as he thought of how much he had changed since he first arrived in Equestria. Caring so much about another person wasn't something he thought himself capable of before.
"We're here." said Twilight, slicing through Matt's thoughts. After snapping back to reality Matt noticed the small cottage they arrived at and the tribal decorations adorning it. Twilight Sparkle knocked on the door and before long it creaked open.
Out emerged a zebra, just like Twilight had said. Matt didn't really know what he expected her to look like, the only thing he knew was that ponies and zebras weren't the same thing despite the obvious resemblance.
"Twilight Sparkle!" Zecora exclaimed. "Seeing you is always good, what brings you to my neck of the woods?"
"It's good to see you too, Zecora!" Twilight replied. "I was in a small accident the other day and was wondering if you had anymore of that muscle relaxing tea?"
Zecora smiled. "Of course, of course, anything for you." she paused, seemingly just now noticing Matt standing a few feet behind Twilight. "... forgive me, but who are you?"
"Matthew Nabal, madam. It's a pleasure." he replied.
The zebra looked him up and down a few times, almost as if confirming something. "So formal and polite; though I did not expect you to be such a sight."
"You've heard of me?" Matt replied, puzzled as to why it seemed like she was expecting him at some point.
"How rude of me to presume, but I was told of you by dear Applebloom." Zecora responded before turning around and walking back into her hut. "Please come in, it is cold out there. The fire keeps my home warm, I swear."
Twilight Sparkle began following her inside before Matt leaned down to her ear level. "Does she always rhyme like that?" Twilight's response was merely a nod. Matt shrugged and followed them inside, making sure to duck the doorway. There was just enough room for him to stand within.
Zecora was already preparing the tea in what seemed like a cauldron in the center of the room. "Now, forgive my questions, I do not mean to pry. But how did you end up here, Matthew? And why?"
Before Matt could respond, Twilight took answered instead. "Actually, both of those are my doing. I was trying a spell to peek into other realities and, well..."
Matt smiled. "She botched it."
"Hey!" she replied with a laugh. "I didn't botch anything. I just cast the wrong spell. Besides, I think everything turned out for the best, don't you?" she added, locking eyes with the human.
Brown eyes stared into violet for what was just a moment, a reflection of the first time they had met. "I do." Matt replied softly.
"Ah, I see. Another realm is your origin. I imagine Equestria has made your head spin." Zecora said as the tea boiled.
"Oh, absolutely. I never imagined a place like this could exist." Matt chuckled thinking about just how strange everything around him truly was in retrospect.
Zecora calmed the fire and filled three cups she had nearby and served the hot tea. "Here you are, pony and man. This is the most soothing tea in the land."
They all began to drink after a small toast and Twilight let out a lengthy sigh. "Ah, I believe you. If I knew it was this good, I would've flew!" she said enthusiastically.
"Indeed." Matt began. "It's simply divine. I'd do whatever I could to make it mine."
After another sip, the pair seemed to realize something. They shared a glance before Twilight spoke again. "Then again, I still feel a bit funny. Maybe I could add just a smidgen more honey?"
"Yes, I agree. Perhaps another cube of sugar or three." Matt replied.
The couple shared another glance before Zecora began to laugh. "Oh my, the tea I did select... it has a few potential side effects."
"This didn't happen last time!" Twilight exclaimed. "At least, I don't think I began to rhyme."
The zebra collected herself before continuing. "It doesn't happen every time, in fact this is the first. I've never seen someone suffer from the tea's 'curse'."
Matt sighed and brought a palm to his face, "You knew the whole time and didn't warn us? I mean... I guess if it's that rare you didn't want to cause a fuss."
Zecora nodded. "Do not worry; it lasts for less than an hour. It is part of the tea plant's secret power. Poets tried to use it for inspiration long ago. If you ask me, it's more like cheating though."
Matt shrugged and finished his cup as Twilight did the same. Twilight stretched her body about, finding the the tea's curative properties still worked. "Well, rhyming or not I can feel it flowing. Thank you so much, Zecora, but we must be going. We're traveling to Canterlot in a few days so we need go pack. When our business is over, I swear we'll come back."
Matt had forgotten about that with everything clouding his mind that day. After the discovery of the Undercroft Twilight wanted to consult Princess Celestia about it. Coincidentally, the princess requested her and her friends presence for something unrelated, so the whole group was going to Canterlot in a few days time. Twilight had mentioned wanting to introduce Matt to her parents, so they had hoped to stay there for a few days.
As they left, Matt waved back to Zecora to avoid saying any more rhymes. She didn't seem to mind, waving back and smiling as they walked back to Ponyville. They stayed in silence for the most part, and Matt's thoughts drifted back to what he was thinking about on the way there. Suddenly, a thought struck him as they cleared the forest.
"Twilight?" he called out, relieved he could say one word sentences without being forced into a rhyme. She looked his way and he continued. "Although this rhyming thing isn't too great, what would you say... if I asked you out on a date?" he asked, somewhat hesitantly. He knew they had something to prepare for, but he figured the wouldn't lose too much time.
Twilight was shocked from the sudden offer. It was true they hadn't done any of the typical couple things at this point and Twilight was surprised it was his suggestion, not hers. "O-of course, I would love to! What would you like to do?"
"It's getting a bit late, so I say what get some food. I hope the suggestion doesn't come across as crude." he replied.
"No, not all, food would be excellent. There's someplace I've wanted to try after Rarity told me she had went."
"Then by all means, lead the way." he said, gesturing her to lead on. "And as you do, I would like to say-" They began walking and talking through Ponyville. "At first I hated this rhyming curse, but now I'm thinking it like writing a verse. Like songs, or poetry. I bet all artists wish rhyming was always this free."
"Well Zecora did mention they tried to use the tea for ease. But maybe they wanted to come up with their own work instead of rhyming whenever they please?" she responded.
They shortly arrived at their destination and the place was packed. Twilight went inside to ask about getting a table as Matt waited outside, as to not take up too much room in the doorway. He stood there, looking out over the snow covered town he had grown to call home. He had now memorized the layout of most of the town, so getting lost was a thing of the past.
As he waited there, reminiscing on his early days in Ponyville, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of a blue blur in front of him. "There you are!" said a female voice. After his eyes caught up, he found that it was Rainbow Dash. "Where have you been? You can't just save a girl and disappear like that."
Matt had forgotten the last time the saw each other was during the Caladrius event which was a few days ago for him, but two weeks ago for Dash.
"Forgive me, but I've been busy with a few things. Have you healed up? How are your wings?" he asked, recalling she wasn't in the best shape during the storm.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Nothing can keep me grounded for too long!" she said proudly.
"I'm happy. I wanted to make sure before we left, but the Doctor said you'd be fine, and it'd be snappy."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow, noticing the strange way Matt was structuring his speech. "Thanks... Have you been back to the library yet? I know Twilight threw you out, I can try to find you somewhere else to stay if you want."
"A lot has happened since that day in the storm. Rest assured, I'm sleeping safe and warm."
"Okay, are you rhyming on purpose?"
Matt was getting so used to everything he was saying came out as rhymes that he had forgotten somehow. "No, it's not me. On a visit to Zecora she served me some weird tea."
Rainbow Dash seemed to understand immediately. "Oh, I see. I knew it was something like that." then she had an idea. "Hey, why don't you get me up to speed with what happened after that storm?" she asked, grinning.
"Of course." Matt said, clearing his throat. "After we dropped you off we took a small trip. But things got complicated real quick, rail travel was always romanticized but a murder made those poor ponies bloody traumatized. A pony named Stardust had committed the deed, you see; a crime of passion born out of jealousy. Justice was served but those types of wounds hurt forever. I didn't get to meet her, but my heart weeps for Merriweather."
When he started his tale, Rainbow Dash had started beat-boxing to accompany Matt's rhymes, seemingly having planned this all along.
Matt paused, taking another breath. "We did what we could, the culprit was apprehended. I just wish there was another way it could've ended. We got out of there after all was said and done, and Vinyl suggested that we go somewhere more fun. So we dropped in on a concert from the nineties, in time we, saw why she, fell in love with music in the first place, the first taste. She got to see the show from backstage and in the stands, not to mention that the rest of us replaced the band."
Matt was getting more and more into making sure his words were on beat, something he wasn't even aware he was doing. Rainbow continued the beat, so Matt continued his tale.
"Our last stop was on this god-forsaken rock, where we crashed and scattered, then unconscious i was knocked. I landed next to Lyra, who seemed to have lost herself. Her memory misplaced, but at least we still had our health. Overnight the place changed from green to rotted. We knew we had to go, to a temple we had spotted. Lyra and I got somewhat stuck and burst through the ceiling and upon seeing Bon-bon, her memory started healing. We escaped back to Ponyville relieved to be home, from places unknown, I had a heart-to-heart with Bon-bon in a heartfelt tone, then realized that I didn't want to be alone. "
Rainbow had raised an eyebrow again, not quite understanding what he was talking about. With another breath, Matt began what would be the final stretch.
"I bumped into Twilight, you could say she bumped into me. We had a long talk and after I presented my plea; I apologized, she apologized, now everything was back to the normal... Until we found a secret passage that led to a pitch-black hole. A maze deep underground, Twilight got lost within. Pinkie, Spike and I set out, hoping no more walls would spin. We found her alone, possessed by some ancient apparition. Then he went for me, too bad I never gave permission. The villain's plans I did foil, somewhat accidentally. Twilight was hit by the recoil, nobody was to blame but me. As she recovered I doted on her like no other. Of course I felt guilty for injuring my-"
Matt quickly stopped himself. He had nearly forgotten that he and Twilight had decided to keep their relationship a secret while they sorted things out.
Rainbow seemed disappointed. "Your what? You went for so long! Did it wear off?"
"N-no, I-" Matt said as the door to the eatery opened up and Twilight Sparkle emerged.
"Matt!" the princess called. "They have a table ready for us..." she trailed off, noticing Rainbow Dash's presence.
Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she put two and two together. "I see what's going on here. You disappear for two weeks and when you get back I don't even get a chance."
Matt was slightly confused. "A chance for what?" he asked, not noticing that the rhyming curse had indeed worn off.
Rainbow was taken aback. "You... you didn't even notice?"
Matt had the feeling he was stepping on somepony's hooves accidentally again. "Dash, I..." he began, but she had already taken off back into the skies.
He watched the direction she flew until she vanished from sight. He turned to Twilight, genuinely not understanding what had happened. "Did I miss something?"