I woke as Spike called ‘’Breakfast is served!‘’
As I opened my eyes, I noticed that I wasn’t in the middle of the bed anymore and as I moved a bit, I felt a bit sore, but nothing hurt. So I stood up and threw my pillow on the floor and jumped down and called ‘’Coming!‘’ Using my hooves, I threw it back up on the bed and it worked, satisfied, I walked down to Twilight and Spike.
As I sat down, Twilight swallowed before she said ‘’Good morning little sis, how do you feel today?‘’
‘’Way better, but still a bit sore.‘’ I answered.
‘’Perfect, but remember to let me know if it gets worse, but as we have a few errands to run today, do you feel rested enough to join?‘’ Twilight asked.
I nodded as I said ‘’Sure.‘’ We then returned to our breakfast.
After breakfast Twilight took a saddlebag and went out and after being indoors almost all of yesterday I said ‘’Wow. What a gorgeous day.‘’
‘’Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away.‘’ Spike responded.
‘’Wait, what?‘’ I asked.
‘’Oh… Rainbow is in charge of clearing all the clouds over Ponyville.‘’ Twilight responded.
‘’Oh, okay…‘’ I responded
‘’Yep and I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine.‘’ Twilight commented, but as we looked around, I saw no one and I wasn’t the only one, as Twilight asked ‘’What? Where is everypony?‘’ As a window shut, I looked over and saw a small pony I didn’t recognize, I gave her a friendly smile before her mom or big sister got her back inside and slammed the door.
We walked further Spike as asked ‘’Is it some sort of pony holiday?‘’
‘’Not that I know of.‘’ Twilight responded.
’Should we head to Sugarcube Corner, maybe someone’s there?‘’ I asked.
‘’Great idea Star.‘’ Twilight responded.
‘’Does my breath stink?‘’ Spike asked before he belched.
‘’Not more than usual.‘’ Twilight responded.
But as I smelled the belch, I added ‘’But a breath mint could help.‘’ As I gave him a smile.
He gave me a smile before a thought struck him as he asked ‘’Is it… Zombies?!‘’
‘’Uh, not very likely.‘’ Twilight responded.
‘’Not likely, but possible?‘’ Spike asked.
As we arrived a few meters from Sugarcube Corner, I heard a loud ‘’Psst!‘’
‘’Did you hear that Twilight?‘’ I asked, she nodded
We looked around and as I looked, I saw in the corner of my vision, Sugarcube Corner as Pinkie’s head appeared, as she loudly whispered ‘’Twilight!‘’ But ducked away as we locked eyes, shortly after she came back out and again whispered ‘’Star! Spike! Come here!‘’ As she gestured with her hoof ‘’Come here!‘’ She continued before she got her head out and whispered louder ‘’Hurry! Before she gets you!‘’ Twilight then took me in her magic and jumped inside.
Inside the shop, I was placed down and it became completely dark, but before I turned on my light, Pinkie turned a flashlight on and blinded both Twilight and I, Twilight grunted as Spike grabbed her neck and asked fearful ‘’Who? The zombie pony?‘’
Pinkie pointed the flashlight at herself and creepily said ‘’Z-zombie pony?‘’ Which caused Spike to hold Twilight tighter in fear.
As Twilight had enough, she said ‘’Spike, there is no zombie ponies. Pinkie, what are you doing here all alone in the dark?‘’
‘’I’m not alone in the dark.‘’ Pinkie said and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw the rest of the ponies I’d met in Ponyville, Apple Bloom, AJ, Rainbow, Rarity and Fluttershy.
As Twilight still hadn’t got an answer, she asked ‘’Okay, then, what are you all doing here in the dark?‘’
Applejack finally responded while she pointed out the window ‘’We’re hiding from her.‘’ We then walked over to the window as she opened the curtain, I looked out and I saw a pony under a brown fabric as she dug at the ground. I looked for a while to get a better view, but as the pony turned and looked at us, all but Twilight and I gasped.
Apple Bloom got her front hooves on the top of Spike’s head, as she looked at Twilight and I, she asked ‘’Did you two see her? Did you see… Zecora?‘’
Applejack scolded as she said ‘’Apple Bloom, I told you never to say that name.‘’
But it only gave me an urge to say the name, but as I fought it back, Twilight said ‘’Well, I saw her glance this way.‘’
Pinkie interrupted and got close to Twilight’s face and said ‘’Glance e-e-evilly this way.‘’
Twilight got Pinkie a bit away before she continued ‘’And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason.‘’
‘’I didn’t.‘’ I responded as Twilight gave me a soft smile.
‘’No good reason?! You call protecting your own kin no good reason, why I never thought y’all would say something like that as a fellow big sister.‘’ Applejack said offended.
‘’I will protect Star too, but there is nothing to be scared about and therefore there is no need to protect her.‘’ She looked at me as she finished.
‘’Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora riding into town, she started shaking in her little horseshoes.‘’ AJ said as she shook her little sister.
‘’Did not.‘’ Apple Bloom said with a shaky voice.
‘’So I swept her up and brought her here.‘’ AJ said as she took Apple Bloom on her back.
‘’I walked here myself.‘’ Apple Bloom said and I believe Apple Bloom.
‘’For safekeeping.‘’ AJ said sternly.
‘’Applejack, I’m not a little foal anymore! I can take care of myself!‘’ Apple Bloom said as she jumped back down to the floor.
‘’Not from that creepy Zecora.‘’ AJ tried to correct her.
Fluttershy began as she said ‘’She’s mysterious…‘’
Rainbow added ‘’Sinister…‘’
As Pinkie ended ‘’And spo-o-o-oky.‘’ I looked out the window and gently felt Twilight doing the same before she let out a groan as the rest of the ponies hit her, as they looked out as well, from behind us.
As we looked out the window, the pony took her hood off and revealed stripes in her mane and coat, where all of them gasped and Twilight commented ‘’Will you cut that out?‘’
‘’Just look at those stripes. So garish.‘’ Rarity said.
‘’Isn’t she a zebra?‘’ I asked as I looked at Twilight.
Twilight clearly surprised said ‘’Um yeah, she is.‘’
‘’A what?!‘’ All the others asked.
‘’A zebra.‘’ Twilight responded ‘’And her stripes aren't a fashion choice, Rarity. They’re what she was born with.‘’Clearly too much for Rarity as she fainted, I tilted my head at her in confusion, but as I noticed no other pony did anything, I guessed it was normal.
‘’Born where?‘’ AJ asked fearful ‘’I never seen a pony like that in these parts, except… her.‘’
‘’Well, she’s probably not from here.‘’ Twilight said ‘’And she’s not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I’ve never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?‘’
‘’That’s just it.‘’ AJ responded ‘’She lives in… The Everfree Forest.‘’
A loud crash came from the kitchen and as I grabbed Twilight’s leg, she scolded ‘’Spike!‘’
‘’Uh, sorry!‘’ Spike called.
As I let go of Twilight’s leg, Applejack continued ‘’The Everfree Forest just ain’t natural.‘’
‘’What so unnatural about the Everfree Forest?‘’ I asked as I thought it must be awful, if these ponies were afraid of it.
Applejack looked at me and continued with fear in her voice ‘’The plants grow…‘’
I got confused, wasn’t that normal, Fluttershy looked at me and fearful added ‘’The animals care for themselves…‘’
I smiled as they must be joking, as it sounded very similar to my world, Rainbow floated down to the ground and with worry in her voice she added ‘’And the clouds move…‘’
A laugh wanted to get out of me, didn’t all clouds move? As all three of them then finished together ‘’All on their own!‘’ But I couldn’t hold it down anymore and I fell to the floor and belly laughed.
As I got up all the ponies either looked confused or like Fluttershy, ashamed. I stood up as I collected myself before I asked ‘’Wait, you’re serious?‘’ Maybe the Everfree Forest was my world.
Pinkie who then tried to move on from my belly laugh, said ‘’Um… And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there, doing her evil… Stuff! Why she’s so evil, I even wrote a song about her.‘’
As Rainbow commented ‘’Here we go.‘’
But before Pinkie began her song, Twilight whispered into my ear ‘’Star, I don’t ‘ever’ want you to go into that forest without my permission, understand?‘’
‘’I promise big sis.‘’ I answered, what was so wrong about that forest, but if Twilight said so, maybe there is a point?
Pinkie then sang ‘’She’s an evil enchantress - She does evil dances - And if you look into her eyes - She’ll put you in trances - Then what will she do? - She’ll mix you up in an evil brew - Then she’ll gobble you up in a big tasty stew - So watch out!‘’ She ended on a table as she took in deep breaths.
‘’Wow, catchy.‘’ Twilight said.
‘’It’s a work in progress.‘’ Pinkie said now relaxed.
As Twilight and I still haven’t bought it, Twilight said ‘’This is all just gossip and rumors. Now, tell me, what have you actually seen Zecora do?‘’
‘’Well…‘’ Rainbow started ‘’Once a month, she comes into Ponyville.‘’
Full on sarcasm Twilight said ‘’Ooh!‘’ I smiled as she definitely mocked their exaggerations.
‘’Then…‘’ Rarity added ‘’She lurks by the stores.‘’
Twilight once again with sarcasm said ‘’Oh, my.‘’ Causing a giggle out of me.
Fluttershy then tried ‘’And then she digs at the ground.‘’
As Twilight, sarcastically called ‘’Good gracious!‘’
I sat on the ground and used my hooves to cover my mouth, so my laugh wouldn't be heard, before I said ‘’I don’t get it, why is that so bad.‘’
Twilight saw I was amused and said ‘’Thank you Star. Girls, how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit. ‘’
‘’Yeah.‘’ Apple Bloom added ‘’Maybe she’s just trying to be neighborly.‘’
‘’And maybe she’s not lurking by the stores.‘’ Twilight continued ‘’Maybe she’s going to them, lurk-free, to do some shopping.‘’
‘’Yeah. Everypony like to shop.‘’ Apple Bloom agreed ‘’You know what I think?‘’
But before she continued, AJ interrupted her as she scolded ‘’Apple Bloom, hush and let the big ponies talk.‘’
Apple Bloom walked off as said to herself, not realized that I overheard ‘’I am a big pony.‘’
As I knew Apple Bloom was a bit down and Twilight didn’t look to have any progress, I walked over to Apple Bloom and asked ‘’Hey Apple Bloom, you okay?‘’
‘’Yeah… Thanks, I just wish they would listen to what I have to say.‘’ Apple Bloom said.
Even though it went against my better judgment I asked ‘’Hey, let’s go talk to this Zecora.‘’
‘’I don’t know Star…‘’ She answered.
We then overheard Twilight as she said ‘’And if anypony here was actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth‘’
I gave Apple Bloom a smile and she got a determinant look on and as we looked back at the big ponies, they still argued and I whispered ‘’Let’s go.‘’ Before we snug out the back door.
Once outside we walked around to find Zecora. After a few minutes we finally found her, but as I was about to walk over to her Apple Bloom pulled me behind a wall and hid from her sight before she said ‘’Star, wait, if the stories are true and she’s evil, maybe we should approach her a bit slower.‘’
‘’Fine, but staying here is not going to help.‘’ I responded with a deadpan tone.
Apple Bloom nodded in agreement and said ‘’Let’s go to the other side of that house.‘’ I looked and nodded, she ran around the house, as Zecora looked the other way, I ran straight towards the house and the bush next to it.
As Apple Bloom came from the other end of the house, I waved at her and after she came to me she asked ‘’What, how?‘’
I pointed to where we stood before and said ‘’It was faster to run straight and she didn’t see me.‘’
Apple Bloom then looked over the bush and said ‘’She’s moving.‘’ I looked up and Apple Bloom pointed at a house close to Zecora and said ‘’Let’s run to that house, that’s straight and we’ll be out of sight.‘’ I nodded in agreement and with Zecora out of sight, we ran.
We continued to do that same thing until we reached the outer city limits and on the verge of a dark forest, I stopped, the same as Apple Bloom as she announced ‘’That’s the Everfree Forest.‘’ As I remembered what Twilight had said about that forest and that I shouldn’t go in there, but what the other ponies feared about it wasn’t bad, but Apple Bloom had already taken her first step into the forest and whispered loudly ‘’Come on Star, she’s getting away.‘’ As I believed it to be the best if I went with her instead of letting her go alone, I followed Apple Bloom into the Everfree Forest.