//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Through the Eyes of Nightmare // by Mister E-Nonymous //------------------------------// Chapter 11 Sugarcube Corner... Ponyville... Equestria... July 15th... 10:30 AM... Twilight, Moonlight and Spike were walking down the streets of Ponyville. The three of them were looking around, seeing that it was a beautiful day. Moonlight then looked around town to see that nopony was around. "Mom? Where is everypony?" Moonlight asked. Twilight and Spike then looked around, but they didn't see anypony either. "You're right, Moonlight," Twilight said. "There aren't any ponies out here." She then sighed. "Somepony must be spreading rumors about you being Nightmare Moon, again." They heard the whispering voice of Pinkie Pie came to their attention. "Psst! Twilight! Spike! Moonlight!Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!" Twilight groaned and the three of them headed into Sugarcube Corner. When they headed in, they were yanked in and the door was slammed shut. When the three of them looked over at Pinkie, they saw that she was with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Apple Bloom. "Who are you talking about?" Moonlight asked. "Pinkie's talkin' 'bout her," Applejack said, pointing out the window. The group looked out the window and saw somepony in a cloak. Twilight, Spike and Moonlight were confused by the figure in the cloak. Then Apple Bloom climbed on Spike's back. "Did you see her Twilight?" Apple Bloom asked. "Did you see... Zecora?" "Apple Bloom! I told you never to say that name," Applejack scolded towards Apple Bloom. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Moonlight said. "What is up with you all?" "That pony is really mysterious," Fluttershy said. "Sinister," Rainbow Dash said. "And spoooooky!" Pinkie said. The group looked outside, and saw that the cloaked figure removed the hood, revealing a striped pony like creature. Applejack, Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gasped. "Will you cut that out?" Twilight asked, angrily. "Just look at those stripes! So garish!" Rarity said. "She's a zebra," Twilight and Moonlight said in unison. Then the two of them looked at each other. "You know what a zebra is?" Twilight asked. "What's a zebra?" Rainbow Dash asked. "A zebra, and her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with," Twilight said. She then looked at Moonlight. "How do you know what zebras are?" "We have zebras back in my world," Moonlight said. "They're from a completely different continent. They're completely harmless." "Harmless?!" Applejack asked. "You call creatures like that harmless?!" "Wow. Catchy," Twilight said, sarcastically. "It's a work in progress," Pinkie said. The grown ponies started saying different things when Twilight was trying to find out what was going on. The others were just coming up with crazy conspiracies. "This is getting ridiculous," Moonlight whispered towards Apple Bloom. "Ya ain't wrong, Moonlight," Apple Bloom said. She then looked outside and saw Zecora heading out of Ponyville. "How 'bout we go see how Zecora really is?" Moonlight nodded. Then the two of them headed on out, following Zecora, staying out of sight. Everfree Forest... Equestria... July 15th... 11:00 AM... Moonlight and Apple Bloom were following Zecora to the Everfree Forest. As soon as they came to a clearing, Moonlight stopped, held up a hoof straight to stop Apple Bloom. "Why'd ya stop me?" Apple Bloom asked. Moonlight was looking at the blue flowers that they were almost about to walk into. Moonlight then pulled the two of them away from the flowers. "I read about these flowers in a book called "Super Naturals"," Moonlight explained. "They're called Poison Joke. One touch from these, and a small, yet funny, change will happen to you." "Like what?" Apple Bloom asked. "I don't know," said Moonlight. "It's different every time." Then the two of them looked up to see Zecora, moving in a pattern, not touching the flowers. "See. She knows what they are. Let's get around this without touching them." Apple Bloom nodded. Then the two of them started going around the flowers, but were stopped when they heard voices. "Apple Bloom?" "Moonlight?" The two of them turned their heads and saw Twilight and her friends coming towards them. "You two get back here right now!" Applejack said, rushing towards the two fillies. "Wait, Applejack! Don't...!" Moonlight tried warning them, but she ran right through the flowers. She then picked Apple Bloom up and over her head, and Moonlight on her back. "Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" Zecora warned them, but five of the mares thought it was a threat. Twilight sighed. "Oh, brother," Twilight said after she sighed. "Beware! Beware!" Zecora said as she disappeared into the forest. Apple Bloom and Moonlight got scolded by the mares for going into the forest by themselves. Especially for following Zecora. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity were trying to convince the three of them that Zecora was bad news. "Wow," Moonlight said. "There was something like this on my world." "Really?" Apple Bloom asked. "What was it?" "Something called... racism, I think?" Moonlight thought hard, trying to remember something she saw on TV. "Racism?" Twilight asked. "What's that?" "Certain appearances make certain people uncomfortable," Moonlight said. "People on my world don't hire certain people due to certain skin color. And it seems that the others are doing the same to Zecora." "Wow," said Twilight. "That's... actually a good example. You five mares aren't giving Zecora a chance to explain herself." "Twilight!" Pinkie said, getting in her face. "She's... an... evil... enchantress. Who does evil dances. And when you look into her eyes, she will put you in trances." "Stop that, Pinkie!" Twilight snapped. "Did any of you even ask what she does?" "She probably was cursing us when she was standing right there earlier," Rainbow Dash said. "No way a simple curse is going to bring us down." "Actually, it's..." Moonlight said before she was lifted into the air by Twilight's magic, and was placed on her back. "Alright, Moonlight," Twilight said, "I think you had enough excitement for today. We're going back home to the library." Then they headed on home to their homes. Golden Oaks Library... Ponyville... Equestria... July 16th... 7:00 AM... Twilight was having some weird dreams throughout the night, but when she woke up, she nuzzled Moonlight awake. Moonlight shrugged while she was waking up. She opened her eyes and smiled at Twilight, but got surprised when she saw Twilight's horn. "Uh... Mom?" Moonlight asked. "What is it, Moonlight?" Twilight asked. "Have you... seen your horn?" Moonlight asked, nervous to ask. "What? What do you..." Twilight asked before looking in a mirror. What she saw gave her a shock. Twilight then screamed. "MY HORN! MY HORN! What's happened to it?!" The screaming woke Spike up, making him rub his eye. "Could you keep it down, I'm trying to sleep." He then looked at Twilight's horn, and that woke him up all the way. "WHOA!!" "We have to find a way to get my horn back to normal!" Twilight said. She then rushed downstairs. Moonlight and Spike followed her and saw Twilight trying to use her magic to grab a book, but the book started vibrating and dropping on the floor. "No! I can't use my magic!" "Mom," Moonlight said, trying to get her attention. "I can't believe that my friends were right about Zecora," Twilight said, trying to pick up a book with her hoof. "This shouldn't be possible." "Mom," Moonlight said. "You should really..." "No no no no no!" Twilight said, throwing a bunch of books. "None of these books have a cure! Ugh! There has to be a real reason for this! An illness? An allergy?!" Spike opened up the book "Super Naturals". He then said, "A curse!" "I said a real reason," Twilight said. "Something that points to something real." "How about this?" Spike said, showing the book to Twilight. "'Supernaturals'?" Twilight asked, looking at the book. "Spike, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are as make-believe as curses. This book is just a bunch of hooey!" "Mom?" Moonlight asked. "Is there a space between the title. Because there's a difference between Supernaturals and Super... Natural. With a space in the middle." Twilight then looked at the book title. She then sighed and said, "I didn't even see the difference. Maybe this book does have a cure for this." "I already saw ahead and what was the cause of that," Moonlight said. "It wasn't Zecora. It was those blue flowers you and your friends stepped in yesterday." "WHAT?!" Twilight shouted. But then she was tackled by Pinkie Pie, who's tongue was swollen and covered in blue spots. "Ah pfurse!" Pinkie said, spitting all over Twilight. "A purse?" Spike asked. Just then, there was the sound of banging coming from outside. Then Rainbow Dash came flying in, flying uncontrollably. As she was flying without control, she was saying, "She's... trying to say-ow! Zecora-oh! she slapped us all with a-ow- curse!" "IT WASN'T ZECORA!" Moonlight shouted, sending out sonic waves. Moonlight then stopped and looked down at her muzzle. Then she quietly asked, "What... just... happened?" "That... would be... the Royal Canterlot Voice," Twilight said. "Only alicorns can do that." Then the others came in. Rarity's coat and mane were long and mop like as she said, "I'm afraid I have to agree with Rainbow Dash." She then blew some of her hair out of her sight. "I hate to say I told ya so, Twilight, but I told ya so!" came Applejack's voice, in a high pitched voice. But when Twilight, Moonlight and Spike looked at Applejack, she was very small, and was standing on Apple Bloom's back. "It's a curse, I tells ya!" Moonlight sighed, walked over to Apple Bloom and asked, "Couldn't convince them either, could ya?" "Ya'll have no idea," Apple Bloom said. "Ah've tried talkin' ta Applejack, but she kept on tryin' ta get me ta do what she says." "Apple Bloom, get me to that table!" Applejack said. Apple Bloom sighed and walked over to the table. Applejack then jumped off of Apple Bloom's back and looked over towards Twilight. "Okay, we're all affected," said Twilight, before she looked at Fluttershy. "But Fluttershy... seems just fine!" The group looked towards Fluttershy. They asked Fluttershy to speak, but she refused to speak. But then Applejack yelled at her to speak up. But then, Fluttershy said something in a deep man voice. Spike snorted, and then burst out laughing. He then said, "Look at all of you! We got: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy, and... uh..." Spike then stopped, trying to think of a clever nickname for Twilight. "I got nothin'... Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that." He then walked towards Moonlight and Apple Bloom. "You seriously can't come up with a clever name for Mom?" Moonlight asked. "Especially with her horn flopping around?" "Flopping?" Spike asked. Then he started thinking out loud. "Flopping... Flop... Flopple! Twilight Flopple!" He then started laughing. Moonlight and Apple Bloom looked away, shaking their heads. "This isn't funny, Spike!" Twilight shouted. "We need to find a cure for this..." "Pfurse!" Pinkie spatted out, spraying in Twilight's face, also cutting her off. Twilight pushed her back and shouted, "For the last time! IT'S NOT A CURSE!!" "Mom's actually right!" Moonlight said, getting their attention. She then used her magic to levitate the book "Super Naturals" over towards her. "Moonlight, I doubt that "Supernaturals" are going to help us," Twilight said. "It's just superstition." ""Super Naturals, Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That are Simply Super"," Moonlight read. "Did you read that part of the title?" Moonlight then levitated the book over to Twilight, who read it. Twilight's eyes then widened, and then she covered her face and groaned. Twilight then said, "I should have payed more attention to the text." She then sighed. "What do you think is responsible for this?" Moonlight then opened the book, and looked through the pages of the book and found the right page. She smiled and showed the page towards Twilight. "Poison Joke," Moonlight said. "A plant similar to poison oak, but the affects are like a joke. You might recognize it. After all, the six of you stepped in it yesterday." The six mares looked towards the book and saw the flower on that page. "That's what made us this way?!" Applejack shouted. "How do we know that Zecora wasn't the one who planted them?" Moonlight then groaned and shouted, "Would you stop blaming everything on Zecora?! You're not giving her a chance. You're all just racist, not willing to give different creatures a chance, even though they're smart as us." "Listen, Moonlight!" Applejack shouted. "You don't get to..." "APPLEJACK!" Twilight shouted, interrupting Applejack and getting her attention. "Moonlight is right. You never given Zecora a chance to explain her odd behaviors." The other ponies, minus Moonlight and Apple Bloom, looked at each other, thought about what Twilight and Moonlight said, and then looked at the ground, ashamed. "You know, they're right," Rarity said. "We've all been weirded out by her looks and strange behaviors, we didn't see who she was on the inside." "We were just too afraid to talk to her, thinking she was a wicked mare," Fluttershy said in her deep male voice. "Well, we should find out where she lives, and ask her if she has a cure for this," Twilight said. Twilight then lifted Rainbow Dash up from the mess she made. She then tied a strap around Rainbow's waist. "You might want to avoid flying until we get back to normal." "Good call," Rainbow said. Then the nine of them headed out of the library, and to the Everfree Forest. Zecora's Hut... Everfree Forest... Equestria... July 16th... 9:00 AM... It took them a while, but they all reached Zecora's hut in the Everfree Forest. It had some tribal masks outside. The group then walked towards the hut, and Moonlight knocked on the door. "Are you sure she'll be able to help us?" Twilight asked, looking down at Moonlight. "She was trying to warn you all to avoid the Poison Joke," Moonlight said. "I'm sure she'll be able to help us." The door then opened and saw the group waiting outside. "My warning must've not gotten to you all," Zecora said. "To the Poison Joke, you all fall." "Technically, we didn't fall," Twilight said. "Listen, we're all sorry for not getting to know you. Ponies around here were afraid of you because of your appearance." "My appearance and odd behavior may be strange," Zecora said. "But it is no reason for ponies to be long-range." "Is it common for zebras to talk in rhyme?" Moonlight asked. Zecora looked down at Moonlight and smiled, "I am the only one who speaks in rhyme. But it seems that I'm not the only one who's appearance is different this time." Moonlight bit her lip, knowing what Zecora was talking about. Twilight then said, "She wasn't always like this. She was once a completely different species of the opposite gender. She came here looking like this due to some old Equestrian artifact that can transport some creature from where they are to the castle of the Two Sisters. But something went wrong and..." "I know what you are talking about, Twilight," said Zecora. "You refer to the cursed diamond, the Eye of the Night." "You know about that?!" Twilight asked, shocked. "I've studied all artifacts and things attracted," said Zecora. "But the diamond's curse cannot be extracted." She then looked over at the group and smiled. "For now, let's get you all fixed. We wouldn't want anypony think there's something wrong with the heroes six. Some ingredients I need for a special brew for the Poison Joke to be extracted from you." The group smiled, knowing that Zecora would be able to help them. Spa... Ponyville... Equestria... July 16th... 1:00 PM... The Mane 6 were in the Jacuzzi, finally cured of the Poison Joke. Well, at least five of them were. One of the spa ponies was astounded by the mix that Zecora had made. "Miss Zecora, I would love to get the recipe for this bath," one of the spa ponies, Lotus Blossom, said. "It's simply luxurious!" Zecora smiled. Standing next to her was Apple Bloom and Moonlight. Apple Bloom then looked around and asked, "Applejack! Hey, where's Applejack?!" Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked all over the Jacuzzi they were in, hoping that they weren't sitting on Applejack. "Ah'm right here, little sis," came Applejack's voice. They all looked towards the voice and saw Applejack back in her normal size, with her butt stuck in a small tub. "Ah ain't tiny no more!" "Oh! I have never felt so lovely in all my life!" Rarity said, relieved that she was back to normal. "Oh, my gosh!" Pinkie Pie said, and continued ranting, very quickly. "I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk. I mean, I love talking so much, and when I couldn't talk anymore, my tongue was all 'ehhhh'! It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash was annoyed hearing Pinkie's speech, trying to cover her ears. "Yes," Fluttershy said in her normal voice. Then the group laughed, and are happy that everything was going to be fine for the rest of the day. Golden Oaks Library... Ponyville... Equestria... July 16th... 9:30 PM... "Alright, Moonlight," Twilight said. "Time for bed." Twilight escorted Moonlight to her bed. Twilight then levitated her into her bed and pulled the covers over her. "I'm actually very proud of you." "You are?" Moonlight asked. "You helped the ponies get to know Zecora and see her for who she really is," Twilight said. "Just like when we got the town of Ponyville to see you for who you really are on the inside." Moonlight smiled, which didn't last long. "What's wrong?" Twilight asked. "I was hoping that Zecora would know of a way if I can ever be in my normal body," Moonlight said. She then sighed. "Guess even she couldn't find anything." "I know," Twilight said, nuzzling the filly's left cheek. "We're just gonna have to be patient. Now, you get some sleep." "Okay," Moonlight said. She then yawned, and turned to her right. Twilight then looked out the window. "Moonlight sure is a special foal." Twilight thought. She then sighed. "She deserves something really special. Something that will help her out of her sad phase." She then saw a young stallion walking a dog. She them smiled. "That's it!" She then looked over at Moonlight, smiling. "Nothing helps a sad foal cheer up than a dog. Of course I need to get Fluttershy to help choose a dog that will be good for Moonlight. And I need somepony to keep Moonlight occupied." She then saw the wings on Moonlight. "Well, I guess I could get Rainbow Dash to teach Moonlight how to fly. I'll get things sorted out tomorrow." She then got into bed, and then fell asleep.