Granny Smith woke up groaning, rubbing a hoof over her head. She had a migraine from last night's drinking. The mare was a bit agitated, but it's been years since she drank that much. Still, before she turned sixty, she never had a hangover, no matter how hard she drank...she might have been called an alcoholic. Still, she never felt addicted to the drink. She seemed to have a strong natural ability to remain sober. She got up out of bed, trotted out of her room, and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The mare made some coffee and then mixed some herbs and raw eggs with some mashed apples. She gave the drink a whiff and made a "bleh" sound. "Ugh, I would say it's too soon to drink this again."
She then chugged down the mixture and chased it down with some coffee. Afterward, she started to make some pancakes and made some chilled apple cider. The mare spent a few hours cooking, trying to ignore her headache but chuckled, seeing Applejack coming down. Her granddaughter looked somewhat groggy and seemed to be stumbling about as she grumbled under her breath and rubbed her head. "Ugh, how much did I drink last night?"
"Not as much as me, that's for sure," Granny Smith teased as she handed her a mug of coffee and her homemade remedy, "Here, take this."
"Ugh, what is this!" Applejack reared her head at the glass as the disgusting scent wafted forth.
"Just plug your nose and drink it; you'll feel much better, trust me." Granny Smith explained.
Applejack did as Granny Smith asked as she clamped her nose with a hoof and drank down the strange mixture; she gagged but choked it down while drinking the coffee afterward. The farm mare groaned as she hugged her belly with her face turned green, "This better work."
"It will; just sit down and drink your coffee," The old mare snapped as she finished making the flapjacks. Big Mac and Apple Bloom eventually came down, and they sat down around the table as she served them their breakfasts. They all seemed to be rather in deep thought, smiling at her and whispering their thank-yous.
Granny Smith was happy to see her grandchildren at least seeing her as a motherly figure, but at the same time, it was a rather somber moment. She knew they still missed their parents dearly. Evidently, this brought up some sweet old memories, especially for Applejack and Big Mac. Apple Bloom was a bit confused. Granny Smith didn't want the filly to feel uncomfortable, so she came over and ruffled the filly's mane. "So ya want me to make you and your friends another apple pie?"
"Sure! That would be great!" The filly exclaimed.
Granny Smith snickered as she placed the saddlebag over the little filly. "I already baked ya one and placed it in your saddlebag; you have a fun day at school!"
"I will!" Apple Bloom cheered as Applejack came over. "Alright, are you gonna go see the results for that tonic?"
"Yeah, I am! Now stop naggin’ me!" Granny snapped; her granddaughter was still somewhat overprotective. She got up and left the house. It was a rather beautiful morning. Her family will most likely spend the day sorting apples and selling them while waiting for the next harvest with the apples bucked. She continued through the apple orchard and headed to the Everfree Forest; she still couldn't believe how good she felt. Her body was rejuvenated in ways she couldn't explain; the old aches and creaks in her joints were gone. She was satisfied with how her body just felt like a different pony. She eventually reached Zecora's hut, where she knocked on the door.
Zecora opened it and, with a hoof, waved her inside. "Hello, my dear, you came to lend me your ear?"
"Yes, of course, regarding that tonic I gave ya yesterday," Granny Smith added as she walked into the relatively clean hut.
The zebra, however, just took the bottle of tonic and poured the contents on the ground as she explained, "The stuff that is in this is as useful as horse piss."
Granny burst into laughter, seeing the "tonic" was indeed just nothing but snake oil. She had a feeling that it was indeed not real, but seeing that it was indeed nothing but a scam made her feel so much better. "I knew it! Those two good-for-nothing rascals were tryin' to pull one over me!"
Zecora leaned back on her table with her hooves crossed across her chest as she asked, "Yes, so now will you tell me the truth? And explain about the fountain of youth?".
Granny rolled her eyes, waved a hoof, and sighed, "Alright, well, come on, it's better if I show ya."
The zebra followed the former old mare through the forest and down a path into the middle of the woods. There even Zecora was surprised by the surrounding landscape; it was much different from the rest of the forest, with the area being vacant of trees. The hot springs themselves had an odd feel and glow over them with the bubbling water, and the steam itself seemed to give off a calming aura. Granny Smith stepped back behind Zecora; she didn't want to be turned any younger...she rather not go back to school...or diapers. She then held the hoof out and explained, "There it is, it ain't much, but this is where I turned back into my twenties."
Zecora took a moment to look over the landscape. She then put on some gloves and then carefully took out some vials and began to fill them up one by one with some of the magical water. Her eyes were aglow, somewhat astonished by the hot springs, and whispered, "I already can tell; This water has magical properties as well."
Granny was standing back, mulling things over now that it's confirmed that these hot springs caused her regression in age and that the tonic Flim and Flam were selling was snake oil. But that would mean the two knew that the tonic wasn't what caused her miraculous youthfulness. She then started to speak her thoughts out loud, "Yes, and I think that those good-for-nothing swindlers are gonna be tryin' to find out how I turned younger. If we try to confront them with this knowledge, they'll come back with askin' how I was transformed. Then they'll exploit this magical water for their purposes."
"I agree; we must keep this pool a secret to a degree," Zecora responded promptly as she sealed the vial with a cork. The zebra continued to collect samples for a bit, with Granny Smith trying to look at other things, the birds..trees...but her gaze would fall back on the zebra’s rump every time.
The zebra finally rose with her samples, then looked behind her and asked, “I hope you don’t mind if I ask. But we’re you just staring at my ass?”
“N...n...no! I wasn’t; let’s go back to the hut,” The farm mare stammered with her cheeks flushing pink. She then followed Zecora out of the forest and back to the hut..making sure to be walking right behind her.
The two then both went off to the hut, where Zecora placed the vials on her workbench. She started taking an eyedropper and poured some into little oval-shaped disks. Granny looked the zebra over in her work, reviewing books and verifying the spring water components. The former old mare couldn't help but ask, "So...why didn't you take a dip?"
Zecora couldn't help but chuckle, then explained, "I have spent many a year that it's wise to understand magic always has a price...and I would consider making you a cure out of the compounds of this water I can ensure."
The former old mare kicked her legs and gave her body a look, now patches in her coat; she didn't feel sick. Granny Smith had no use of a cure and replied, "No side effects so far; I'm the same age as Applejack...maybe just a bit older than her."
"Yes, but others will talk, and ponies will wonder how you gained your youth, and eventually, they will know the truth. I'm not just talking about Flim and Flam; if this waterfalls in the wrong pony's hand, it could spell disaster for all of us across the land." Zecora explained in a rather dark and sinister tone.
Granny nodded and agreed with Zecora; she trusted ponies most of the time...but the lure of eternal youth would make anypony go crazy. She tapped a hoof to her chin as she replied, "Yes...maybe I can make up some lie, Applejack may be the element of honesty, but I ain't. I can spin a tale or two if it means keeping important secrets. It ain't the first time I've done it."
Zecora turned to face the former old mare with a smile as she responded, "I've met many a pony or two, but most aren't so bold and reckless...I like that about you."
She trotted over and poked a hoof at Granny's chest to hone in on her warning. "But be warned, my dear, this isn't a matter to take lightly, I fear."
Granny had enough of being lectured and smacked Zecora's hoof, then snapped back, "I know that! The Everfree forest holds many secrets! Some ponies forget I've been here nearly my entire life and know a lot more about this forest than anypony else!"
Zecora looked over the rather sexy-looking farm mare with a smile. "Alright then, I see that there's no stopping you; now I must get to work; there's much to do."
Granny Smith sat down and watched as Zecora then started to do her tests, putting the water under various microscopes and putting multiple chemicals into the vials of water. As the zebra went about her work, she looked over and then asked, "I don't mean to be rude. But do you have anything else to do?"
"No, not really...Applejack is being a pain, Apple Bloom is at school, and Big Mac ain't much of a talker…" Granny rambled as she eyed Zecora's rump; she just watched it sway back and forth, admiring how plump it was.
The former old mare looked away, with her cheeks flushing pink as she couldn’t believe she was checking out the zebra. It’s been way too long since she had sex, especially with a mare...She looked up at the ceiling. "Ya know, there were some things back in my day that would be considered taboo..."
"Hmm, I see. Do you wish to have sex with me?" Zecora asked rather bluntly.
"Wow, straight to the point, ain't ya!" Granny laughed, being somewhat surprised that the Zebra was so brash in coming onto her advances like that.
Zecora slowly walked forward to Granny Smith, giving her bedroom eyes, and added, "As I said, these tests will take some time to do...and I would be lying if I didn't say I was attracted to you."
"So...have you ever done a mare before?" The former old mare asked with a smirk on her face looking over the Zebra. The zebra in question was built for a mare; her stocky legs, thick luscious rump, and her short mane and body were, without a doubt, turning her on.
Zecora got up close right into Granny's face and replied, "I had fun with many a mare in the old village. I swear, I will have those experiences to compare."
The former old mare rolled her eyes; back in her day, she didn't care about taboos and (in secret) had sex with many mares. It was about time she showed her that she had experience too. She then planted her mouth over Zecora's lips, and the two kissed and held each other close, locked in an embrace; then the former old mare whispered, "Of course I have! Now stop that rhymin', and let's have some fun!"
The two mares were quite exhausted and sweat-drenched after hours of hard sex. The hut itself was a disaster looking like a tornado came through, with books, vials, random potions, and even the giant cauldron knocked over and strewn about. Zecora slowly got up on all fours as she threw her mane back, and laughed, "That was amazing! I haven't had sex like that in ages!"
"I know the feeling! A...and you didn't rhyme that time..." Granny wheezed as she got up and rubbed her mane whipping the sweat and dirt from it.
The zebra's cheeks flushed pink as she struggled to catch her breath. "It... it's just a habit of mine; when I'm tired, it's harder to rhyme."
"Yeah, it's already sort of coming back…." Granny grumbled; she wasn't a fan of the constant rhyming, but she ain't one to tell another pony what to do.
Zecora went through the disaster that was her hut picking up a vial and then drinking it down. "Well, it seems you were quite the beast; I think we got that out of our systems, at least."
Looking across the hut, Granny couldn't help but chuckle under her breath, having many memories of wrecking bars after a long night of sex and booze. The former old mare rubbed a hoof on the back of her mane and apologized, "Yeah, sorry about your place; next time, I'll be more cautious."
"It is fine; the best part about living in this forest is the plenty of time that is mine," Zecora replied gently, seeming to be relatively relaxed and rejuvenated. She then went about picking things up, including the vials of the magic spring water.
Granny Smith went about helping her new "friend" pick things up around the hut. As they were tidying up, Granny had a thought go through her mind as she snickered, "Hey, the best part about having sex with a mare is there's no need to worry about having a foal afterward."
Zecora burst into more laughter, "That is so true! I was thinking about that too!"
They both burst into another round of laughter once more. Then suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and a filly shouting, "Hey, is that you, Granny? Whatcha doin' in there!?"
The two mares squeaked, and Zecora went straight to look back over the water at her work table while Granny ran to the door straightening her mane, and squeaked, "J...just hold on a minute!"
She opened the door to see Apple Bloom standing outside, looking rather angry with a cute pout on her lips as she demanded. "Hey! Ya didn't answer my question; what ya doing here!?"
"I... I'm just helping Zecora figure out how I..um...w..was turned younger!?" Granny Smith stammered awkwardly. Apple Bloom eyed her granny, not buying the half-truth as she trotted inside and gasped, seeing Zecora's hut's disastrous state, and cried out, "How are ya Helpin'! Look at this place; it's a mess!"
"Y...yes, it is! We had an explosion, you see! Would you be so kind as to clean up for me!?" Zecora asked.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and grumbled under her breath, "Ugh, fine..but...seriously, something is fishy going on here…."
She walked over and started picking things up as Zecora looked over at Granny Smith. "T...the tests are almost finished, but I'm going to leave the tubes overnight...when the sun sets, I suggest coming back so I can give you the results. Is that alright?"
"Of course, it is, and I will look forward to it…." Granny whispered in a rather seductive tone. She then walked off through the Everfree Forest, looking forward to her next meet-up with the mysterious Zebra.