//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Royalties and Parties // Story: Turmoil Rising // by JFT //------------------------------// “Alright alright, I said I’ll fix it all, I told you already,” draconequus complained. Discord was led in front of the group by Fancy Pants, through the hallways, all the way to the front entrance of the castle. As they finally passed the threshold of the main entrance, a group of nobles already awaited them outside, showing some really angry faces. And for a good reason: the streets of Canterlot were littered with all manner of refuse from the Everfree Forest he had just turned upside-down multiple times, on top of wild animals running about after they got tossed as well. “Look, everypony, I know this looks bad, but don’t worry, I can fix it all in a snap,” he let them know. “We’ll believe that when we see it!” someone in the crowd yelled. He sighed, raising his hand and snapping his fingers. In a blink of an eye and a momentary flash, all of it disappeared; the streets were once again clean, with no noticeable lasting damage. The nobles looked around themselves, surprised at how quickly it went. “There,” he proclaimed, “everything’s again as it was… although if you ask me, a bit of chaos gave this bland place a bit more character.” “Excuse me, a bear flew in through my bathroom window!” one of the nobles exclaimed. “Yeah!” another one answered. “You cleaned the town, but what about our mental damages?!” More and more of them began to voice their displeasure. Twilight decided it was time to step in. She walked before the Lord of Chaos. “Everypony, please calm down! I understand you’re very unhappy with what happened here today, but I promise you, there were… circumstances in which this could not have been avoided.” She tried to give as diplomatic an answer as possible in order not to spill the beans on what’s going on and sending everybody into a full-on panic mode. Unfortunately, the satisfaction was not on her side, as some of the resumed. “Princess Twilight, how can you possibly say that this… monster using his power was in any way a good idea?!” As the crowd grew unrulier as more and more voices of anger rose. At this point, the princess felt she may not have any other choice but to tell them the truth if it meant they’ll be quieted down, but the aftereffects… Suddenly Fancy Pants walked to her side. “Now look here everypony, I completely share your displeasure after what happened here, but do have some trust in the princess, especially considering she had brought a guest with her.” He turned to the side, and Celestia emerged from behind the group as she slowly traipsed to the front. “Citizens of Canterlot!” The voice in which she spoke caused the angry crowd of nobles to go silent, replaced by murmurs as they all acknowledged her reveal. The former monarch resumed. “I understand you are personally hurt by what happened today, but I assure you things happened that could not have been avoided. You demand justice, but I ask you to trust in the words of my former pupil and the current princess, the same way you all trusted me, long before you were in positions you hold today.” Everybody went silent. There was a distinct sense of shame hanging in the air; it seemed that the nobles had been hit right in their pride by the words of the Mare of the Sun. The high noble unicorn decided to finally break the atmosphere. “Now, everypony, in honor of the former majesty returning for a brief visit, I’ve decided to personally organize a party.” He turned to the white alicorn, making a subtle bow. “Madame, I, and to that extent the rest of Canterlot’s high society, would be absolutely delighted if you could join us, even from the lack of royal regalia.” She giggled. “Oh, Fancy Pants, how could I possibly say no to such a request.” Cheers erupted from the crowd and in a matter of moments they all dispersed. “Well, that’s taken care of them.” The stallion smiled, then turned to the rest of the group. “And of course, Your Majesty, I would be remiss if I didn’t invite you and the rest of the council of all ponies.” “Wow, emmm, that’s mighty neighborly from you, Mister Fancy,” Applejack said in a rather awkward tone, “but that’s a bit on short notice, ain’t it? I mean we didn’t exactly come prepared for-” With a snapping sound, the whole group suddenly found itself all dressed up, each individual wearing a fitting fancy outfit for the ball, taking everybody aback before their gazes flew right at the Lord of Chaos, who himself was wearing a stylish suit. “Well, what are we waiting for?” He readjusted his bowtie. “We can’t have a party without “the life” of it.” “Discord,” a set of eyes belonging to the yellow pegasus were glaring in his direction, “make sure we do not have a repeat of last time you came to a fancy ball.” “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my-” he responded with an X appearing on his chest, then flying up, materializing a cupcake, and just when he was about to perform the final move, a high-pitched scream Interrupted him. “Rarity, what’s wrong?” Starlight Glimmer asked as she saw her scream, flailing her hooves in front of herself as if she was desperately trying to make it go away. “What’s wrong?!” She gave her a look of horror, grabbing her by the head and dragging her to the front of herself. “Look at this and tell me WHAT’S NOT WRONG!” And everybody soon got what she was referring to. The only zebra in the group was dressed in a very kitschy frou-frou blue dress, and in a few moments, after realizing what she wore, she cringed. Looking at the dress, Applejack squinted. “Ya know… it looks familiar…” “It clashes with her complexion so badly I can hardly look at it! Discord, what were you thinking?!” the fashionista snapped at the draconequus. “Sorry, I was just working from my memory… and I realized that I’ve never seen Miss Rhymes-a-lot ever wearing a dress… actually I’ve never seen her wear anything else, I just went with what came to mind first.” Rarity used her magic and instantly tore the dress off, sparing Zecora anymore indignity. “You aren’t fit for the position, Discord. For a perfect dress, one needs to have a perfect feel for it. Luckily you have me here.” She began to traipse about, lifting the zebra’s limbs. “Come to think of it, I‘ve never attempted to make a dress for a zebra before…” She gasped, before turning to the rest of the group. “So many possibilities! Girls, you go on ahead without us. We’ll go to my boutique and fix things up so we’ll be fashionably late. Ooooh, this is so exciting!” Her enthusiasm was soon dashed away, however, as a hoof tapped her on her shoulder. “As flattered as I am, Rarity, I’m afraid duty will have me abstain from the festivity.” “Wait what?! But the ball, the dress-“ the fashionista’s tongue was twisting in response to her decline. “I appreciate your generosity, but not while we’re dealing with a monstrosity. Give yourselves a moment of reprieve and play, while I try to make sure to keep the shadow at bay.” “Awww, come on, Zecora, are you sure you can’t go with us for a change?” Applebloom begged. “Well you ain’t going to the ball anyway, Shugacube,” her older sibling answered. “What?!” the young mare exclaimed. “This is a council meeting day, remember? And you still have chores to deal with back at the farm.” She turned to the Lord of Chaos. “Discord?” Draconequus rolled his eyes, snapping his fingers, and the dress on the younger sibling disappeared. She pouted. “It’s not fair.” Her mentor reached around the young mare with her hoof. “We’ll walk together, our homes are close by the same heather.” “Are you sure we can’t convince you to stay for a change, Zecora?” Twilight asked. “We never see you participating at the parties.” “Trust me, Your Highness,” she said, “recover as best you can. I have a great many things to plan.” There was disappointment hanging in the air, but it was understandable. “Okay, we’ll check up on you tomorrow again, Zecora,” the princess said. The zebra nodded. “Alright, enough babble. I believe we have a party waiting on us,” Discord pushed them to move on. Zecora and Applebloom departed for Ponyville. And while the rest of the group were led by Fancy Pants to the place for festivities, Twilight got up close to Discord. “Discord, are you sure you cleaned up EVERYTHING? Including Ponyville?” she questioned him. “Well, mostly, but you need not worry about that part. Let’s just say some zebra’s in for a big shock when she gets home,” he snickered. The princes gave him a confused look. The two walked down the path all the way back to the little town. It was quiet for most of it, but the elder one noticed the younger one fuming. “Fret not, little Bloom, missing one party is no reason for gloom.” “It doesn’t make it any better,” she pouted. “Besides, you could’ve stayed. Even with what’s been happening, you could’ve joined my big sis and the rest. Why dodge it?” “‘They may have time to spare, but not I, for gathering ingredients for potions is a consummate affair. Now I’ll be able to experiment to my heart’s content, and I fear among glamorous steeds my presence is ill-spent,” she sighed. “But… you’re not bashful. Are you? You’ve participated in Nightmare Night, surely you’ve been to other parties before?” the young mare asked her. “In the tribe which I was born to we did not revere kings, instead we have those who bestow us with things. They are kind and care for us, it’s only natural to honor them by being festive and generous.” An elderly zebra and her little filly walked through the tall grassland savanna in the scorching sun. All they had on them was a pair of saddlebags, knitted from brown straw. “Mada,” the filly complained, “why do we have to do this? We’ve had the Conje… Conja… ermm, Can… the celebration before. Why do I have to help?” “It’s called the Conjugation, Zecora,” the elder zebra corrected her. “And yes, we’ve had it before, but this year it’s special. Residents from all over Farasi will visit this year, especially because the Three Kings will be honoring us with their presence. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so the whole village will be helping.” She pouted. “I’d rather be helping fada.” “You know full well your father cannot be disturbed when he’s performing his duties. Your sister’s already gone ahead of us to prepare the feast, and all must be ready before the twilight falls. That's when the guests will come.” “Yes, mada,” the child grumbled. They finally left the tall grasslands and entered a large clearing. Numerous zebras were going about, setting up tables full of festive food, yet the majority of the crowd was concentrated in the center of it all, where a giant pyre was being built, as pieces of dried wood were being stacked up. The elder zebra opened her saddlebags and tipped them over. A huge pile of blankets suddenly fell out, they did for a few moments, in fact; it would’ve been impossible to fit that many in a bag of that size were it not enchanted. The two went to work on setting up the sitting area around the pyre. As they did, however, Zecora noticed something else; around the fireplace, large wooden tubs were already set up, but she couldn’t understand what for. Were they expecting rain? And if so, why around the place where somebody could be sitting instead? Some time passed and the area was all set for festivities as the sun was slowly drifting towards the distant horizon. The whole village had already gathered, apart from the High Shaman; all they had to do now was wait for the visitors. “Look! To the east!” one of the villagers called out. Heads turned in the direction. A great cloud of dust could be seen on the horizon, yet it took some time before anyone could actually be seen as it approached slowly. The elder zebra stood at the front of the gathering crowd and her little filly soon joined her. She was unsure what to expect; what she heard of The Three Kings was from her father, but she had never actually seen anyone from outside of her village. By the time the cloud of dust reached them, it had already dissipated as it left the desert sands and the figures became more discernable. A great procession of zebras marched in their direction, all adorned in fabrics of vibrant colors. It would’ve been hard to tell whether they were all guards or simply participants of the feast, were it not for the noticeable gleaming metal gear that covered them. As they approached closer, it became clear that a handful of them was pulling a large golden chariot that was fashioned into a throne. Sitting on that very throne was a zebra that towered above all others, wearing no garments above the waist, other than a golden crown, which was designed to look like lightning bolts crossing each other, his mane bright and jagged like several thunderbolts. The little filly was awestruck, so much so that her jaw was agape; she’d never seen anything of the like. “Kid, you’re gonna make us look bad if you’re gonna be pulling that face,” a voice said. Zecora was roused by the voice just now; she knew to whom it belonged and she scowled in response. Another zebra, at least a head taller, joined her side. The front of her mane was tangled up in a braid that hung down the side of her face with golden rings keeping it clapped together. What irritated the younger one was the smug look on her face though. “Sanaa, what were you doing earlier than, when you were pulling that same face as well?” the elder zebra scolded her. “You’re in no position to preach.” “Yes, Mother,” the other zebra rolled her eyes. The procession finally stopped. The escort beside the chariot parted and stood still in a line, as the first king stepped off his golden throne and walked to the gathered locals. He approached and stopped within the reach of the High Shaman’s mate. “King Abraxas, welcome. You honor us with your presence here today,” the elder zebra spoke and bowed to him. The taller equine stood still for a moment, not saying a word, then turning his head to the side and regarding the two younger mares. Zecora felt a bit threatened; this zebra towered well over two heads above her mother. No normal zebra could be this tall. But she chose to act tough, so she took in a deep breath and raised herself to her full height. After a brief moment, the king smiled and turned his gaze back to the elder one. “You’ve raised a pair of beautiful and strong daughters, tribal matron.” “Thank you, sire,” she finally raised her head again. “Your seat of honor awaits.” He nodded. King Abraxas then looked back and motioned to his company. At a moment’s notice, they all followed him to the sitting area and made themselves comfortable. “So far so good,” Sanaa said before turning her head to her younger sibling and noticing she was starting to go blue in the face. “Kid, do you wanna choke before they all get here?” The filly finally exhaled, gasping for air. Then she noticed that the wind started to pick up. Was a storm coming? There was not a cloud in the sky. That’s when she noticed something on the horizon again. “Look! South-east!” another villager cried out. A cloud of dust appeared on the horizon again, but something wasn’t right; it approached at a great speed and it didn’t seem to be stopping. Fear washed over Zecora and she hid behind her mother. “Kid, are you really gonna start cowering now?” the older sibling said. The filly gave her an angry look. “Oh yeah? Then why are your legs shaking?" She gave her a look of insult, but before the fight could escalate, their mother got their attention. “Stop making such fuss and get in line, you two. The second guest is coming.” The two mares steeled themselves. Just before the cloud of dust reached them, it suddenly stopped, brushing ever so gently past them, and as it cleared away, figures finally revealed themselves. They were covered in cloaks and shawls varying from blue, white, and grey, but the one at the head of them was the only wearing red. He swung his head back to remove the cowl, as did the rest. Zecora never saw anything alike. They resembled equines yet were completely different: Their coats were mostly earthly colors, they had scrawny legs compared to zebras, yet they were still able to support their weight, their faces were considerably longer, and above their noses grew a pair of horns. As for their leader, who much like the one who came before him, was taller than the rest of his kin, and on his head, he wore a headdress made of numerous feathers. He walked towards the organizers and stopped at the family. “King Amun of Abadas, welcome. You honor us with your presence here today,” the elder zebra spoke and bowed to him. Zecora expected the same reaction as with the previous monarch, but then he smiled. “Greetings, tribal matron. It’s a delight to participate in tonight’s event.” The filly couldn’t understand. There was this glow of positivity radiating from him when the previous one felt as if thunder was about to strike anyone who stepped out of line. The elder zebra raised her head. “Thank you. Your seat of honor awaits next to the other guests.” “Wait… other guests?” as the abada spoke it felt as if the wind suddenly shifted. Zecora noticed as well that his attitude suddenly changed, as he nodded to his entourage to follow him. She followed through the crowd, escaping the gaze of her family, sneaking off to where the sitting area was. King Abraxas and his followers already made themselves comfortable. Then Amun with his escort arrived at the scene and the two leader’s eyes met. There was a sudden tension in the air. Was it animosity? Spite? Whatever it was, things didn’t seem like they were about to go in a positive direction. The king of abadas came into the leg reach of the zebra king. “You cheated!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the zebra said in an unamused tone. “You went off early!” abada explained. “You went several hours ahead and got here a few moments before me! If you started when I did, your followers wouldn’t be here with you now!” “We weren’t competing anyway, Amun,” he dismissed him. “Besides, we both know if we did, I would always beat you in terms of speed.” “THE HAY YOU WOULD!” This was a downright childish display on sight. The other participants agreed with Zecora's thoughts as they simply took their seats, ignoring the quarrel between the two monarchs. Suddenly she felt a tug at her tail, as she got dragged out of the crowd and back to the front by a rather angry mother. “Zecora, stay still,” she scolded her, “we still have to wait for the last participant to arrive and she’ll soon be here.” The child looked to the horizon around her, yet she saw nothing out of the ordinary. ”Mada, I don’t see anything.” She felt a tremor. And another one. Suddenly the ground began to quake. A hill started to grow nearby, a huge mound of earth rising until it finally burst open and a water spout shot out. A huge mass of water erupted and washed over the welcoming committee. Zecora coughed. What was happening? She’s never seen a water spring this close to the village. All of a sudden, she heard her sister’s scream of panic. “Mom, my mane’s ruined!” “Just bear it, Sanaa. This was bound to happen,” the mother said, remaining adamant. A loud thud followed. A giant figure just flew out of the watering hole and landed in front of them. If the previous two visitors were tall, this one was absolutely huge; it barely looked like an equine at all: It had a long deep blue body, almost resembling a serpent, with a tail fin at the bottom end, two pairs of webbed fins on each side serving as limbs, only her head looked somewhat equine, with her dorsal fin extending from the top of her forehead and all the way down her spine to look like a mane. Zecora was downright terrified. What in the world was this monster and what is it doing here? “My apologies,” the creature said, “but navigating the underground of the desert is a complicated matter.” Acting as if nothing had happened despite being drenched, the elder zebra approached and made a bow. “Queen Watami of Kelpies, welcome. You honor us with your presence here today.” “Please matron, no need for decorum,” she urged her, “we’re both equals.” She stopped and then started looking about. “I sense the tension in the air… as if a storm is brewing… are the other two here already?” The zebra nodded in response. The kelpie queen sighed. “Of course they are.” “Your sitting areas are all prepared for you and your following,” the elder explained. The kelpie nodded, then turned to the hole from which the water was flowing. “Come on girls, take your seats!” One after another, figures started jumping out. Creatures, roughly resembling their queen appeared, yet they were much smaller than her. Blobs of water suddenly became animated, lifting them and carrying them over to the pyre where the wooden tubs were set up, and placing them inside. As the kelpie queen joined them, she spotted Abraxas and Amun closely glaring at each other. “So, who did it this time?” she asked as she slouched in her own tub. “He cheated!” the abada exclaimed. “Did not!” the zebra responded. “Well, I’m calling you full of hot air, and trust me: I can tell!” The kelpie just giggled at their childish behavior. “We’re all set now,” her mother stated as her daughters watched the scene in progress. “Now we just wait for your father to join us. Take a seat, girls.” The two siblings sat at the very front along with the elder zebra. Of course, the youngest one’s curiosity got the better of her. “Why are they called the THREE KINGS, when one of them is a queen?” The elder sibling groaned. “Because it sounds better. Or do you think saying “Two Kings and a Queen” all the time is better?” Time passed and the sun was slowly sinking over the horizon, and the High Shaman was yet to appear. Among the crowd talking, Zecora’s gaze drifted over to the three leaders who were still doing the same shtick as before. Three creatures, completely different in appearance and personalities, it simply baffled her how they could be friends when they acted as if they were about to break out fighting. Suddenly, the crowd went silent and the sound of hooves could be heard from the distance, coming from one noticeable figure. Zecora’s father approached, dressed in his usual ceremonial garb. As he stepped before the pyre that had not been lit yet, he pulled out his staff and knocked it against the ground a few times. At that precise moment, the sun disappeared over the horizon, entering the twilight hour. Finally, the shaman spoke. “Kings of Farasi, honored guests, and friends! We gather now, as twilight descends, to honor the land and those, upon whom our good fortune depends! Lightning, whose flash announces the season.” As those words were uttered, King Abraxas clapped his hoof against the floor, and thunder roared in the sky above. “Wind, which gives cool when heat threatens our reason.” King Amun struck his hoof and a cool breeze began to blow. “Water, the source of life and rejuvenation.” Queen Watami rose and spread her fins, and suddenly gentle rain began to spray. “Earth, without it there’d be starvation,” at the words of their High Shaman, the tribe began to bash their hooves against the ground, Zecora promptly joining them. “And Fire, scorcher of ills and preventer of chills.” With those words, he bashed the bottom of his staff against the ground and lightning came down from the sky, striking the pyre, and setting it ablaze. There was a momentary gasp from the crowd, namely Zecora herself, as she only experienced it once before. “Let us no longer delay, let the Conjugation give way!” And then it happened: As the High Shaman began to murmur, lightning struck from the sky on its own in front of him, turning into an animated figure, rocks began to rise in a clump until they resembled a body, a spark of flames jumped out of the pyre and began to wildly dance in front of them, a gust of wind picked up the dust and blades of grass, twisting and turning until it resembled a moving form, and lastly a string of water jumped out of one of the kelpie tubs and slithered like a serpent to the front. With all the elements present, they began to dance around and slowly levitate, until their bodies began to fall apart, fusing together with one another in a twister until they finally conjugated into a single form of five elements. There was a flickering flash and then an explosion happened, sending a powerful shockwave of magical energy across the land. There was a lingering silence for a moment, one that the shaman soon broke. “It is done, help yourselves to a drink and a bun.” And cheer erupted. It turned into an actual party now. Food was shared and drink flowed all around between the residences of kingdoms. Zecora still couldn’t quite comprehend what she had just seen; the elements, nature's forces came to life. She didn’t think it possible; so strong was the magic. But then she looked at the rest of the gathering. Where there was a noticeable tension in the air between the rulers before, it was all gone now, the looks on their faces, any form of burden and wrath dissipated. The little zebra began to realize something: the zebras, the abadas, and the kelpies; regardless of their differences, they shared a strong bond with this land, and as such, the bond between each other, even if they may not always see eye to eye. What was it though? What was this power of unity called? “Wow…” Applebloom gasped in amazement. “I wish I could’ve seen it.” “Indeed, little Bloom, it was a marvel to behold, but I can tell you such feats one does not easily get ahold. And as I learned it first hand, without proper respect, things will easily go ba-“ Zecora went silent, not even able to finish the sentence as her jaw was agape. “Zecora? What’s wrong?” her apprentice questioned her yet she got no response, and when she looked in the direction she was, she quickly understood what paused her. The long talk from Canterlot got them back to Ponyville by this point, and while the streets were cleared of the mess that had landed in the same manner as it did back in the city, it appeared that the Lord of Chaos had left a little parting gift, namely for her. As they walked down the main street in direction of Twilight’s old castle, the zebra spotted a familiar structure laying in the way and blocking its front entrance. They galloped off and eventually stopped at the uprooted treehouse that was flung from the Everfree Forest. “The nerve of Discord…” she whispered, then raised her voice, “to thrash my home with the force of a horde! What’s worse, with the castle’s door blocked my workstation’s as good as locked!” “Well, can’t you work anywhere else?” Applebloom questioned her. “I need a secluded space to keep noise and other elements out of place,” she explained. “Well… what about in there?” She pointed to the treehouse. “I mean, it’s a closed-off space and you can work in it until Starlight, Sunburst, and Trixie return.” The zebra was about to deflect the notion, but after a moment of thought, she realized the young mare had a point. They’re dealing with urgency and she can’t really slack off and wait for the school’s faculty to return. She’ll just have to make due. She smiled. “Who’d have thought I’d work again in the home I fled after it was turned on its head.” She climbed up the roots and the trunk, opening the shut door of her home, and looked inside. One honestly couldn’t have noticed the difference; the mess left behind looked the same as when Queen Chrysalis thrashed it. “I can help you clean up, Zecora,“ the country pony offered assistance. “‘I thank you for the offer, Applebloom, but you’d best finish what you started with a broom,” she declined. “Oh… okay,” she said in a dejected tone, before perking up again and preparing to leave. “But I wanna hear more of that party you participated in next time. I wanna see it one day myself, Zecora. Goodbye!” The young mare dashed off to her home, her mentor waving her. “‘I’ll pique your curiosity more…” Yet as the apprentice was a considerable distance away, the tone of her voice lost its flare. ”But I fear the latter would leave me cold and sore...” She dropped into the treehouse. The whole mess would have to be cleared away before she proceeded with her work. She took off her saddlebags and began to sweep the floor with her tail. Some time passed and what little was done would have to do for now. Since she was basically standing on the wall she would have to take percussions that the whole tree doesn’t go up in flames, so she used the rocks that surrounded her original fire pit as isolation, however, it also meant she would have to work with a much smaller cauldron as well. The experimentation could now start. She reached inside her saddlebag and pulled out a small jar filled with dark powder that she made from the mysterious nut that she crushed. There was a potion she had in mind that could be of use: a long time ago, when Twilight Sparkle had just become a princess, the Everfree Forest suddenly came to life and from one of the invasive roots she managed to create a vision potion, yet she was unable to finish it before the dark force expelled her from her home, forcing her to ask the new alicorn to finish the job herself. Now she had plenty of time to work on it in peace. She began to pour the reagents into the cauldron, most of it went easily, as she already knew the recipe from her head, it would be the final and main ingredient that would decide whether or not she would be successful. She took a small speck of black powder from the jar and dropped it into the cauldron. In a few seconds, the entire concoction turned pitch black, overflowing from the cauldron, and then exploded with a shrieking cry, forcing the zebra to press against the wall, or rather the ceiling, in this case, to avoid the eruption. This was an incredibly volatile substance, even though she used the amount she would normally use for all her potions. She had to tread carefully now. She would have to go through the process of preventing the volatile reaction from recurring while making sure the potion didn’t lose its purpose. Hours passed. No matter how often she tried, the end result would be the same; the cauldron would overflow and explode in a violent cry, and each time she would have to start from scratch, weighing which ingredient to reduce, but it seemed that even though she kept reducing the amount of black powder, the reaction would still happen, that is, until she managed to isolate a single grain and dropped it inside. The concoction inside the cauldron still turned pitch black, but this time, when she anticipated the volatile reaction, it didn’t happen. Long calm rested on the moment before she finally approached the cauldron. Did she finally succeed? Suddenly there was a tremor. No, not from the brew; the whole house was shaking. It turned, shifting the interior to its proper position, yet as result, the whole mess that was swept aside went flying, the temporary fire pit along with the completed brew got tossed across the room, as well as her owner. “Hey, did you hear that?” a voice came from outside. Somebody was definitely outside her house. And there was no way anyone could’ve just flipped the tree if they didn’t have a great amount of magic power. Which meant that the faculty members have finally returned. Before she could go out and give them a piece of their mind, she felt something; intense heat rising and the smell of burning. She turned her head and at the moment’s notice ran for the door. The burning kindling from her firepit set the tip of her tail on fire, and in her panic, she rushed out the door and made a quick dash for the pond that stood at the entrance of Twilight’s School of Friendship, and made an immediate leap, diving into it. Sunburst, Trixie, and Starlight Glimmer stood in front of the castle, with the latter levitating Zecora’s treehouse away from the front entrance, hearing the zebra’s scream and dash for the body of water. “Starlight, I think you made a mistake…” the blue unicorn said. “How was I supposed to know she was inside?!” she yelled. “Well, I mean, she did say she was going home and the fact that the tree was blocking the entry into the castle,” the stallion pieced it together, only to be cut off. “Sunburst, can you please not?” she told him, planting the tree into the ground and rushing away, with her two companions following her. They came to the edge of the pond in front of the school just when the zebra finally came to the surface, gasping for air. The moment she saw them, the angry look on her face came up. “Zecora, we’re so sorry!” the principal pleaded. “We had no idea you were inside!” “Again, you’re the one who thought about moving the tree, not us,” the school counselor corrected her. “Trixie, you’re not helping,” the pink mare said between gritted teeth. “‘Whether your fault or not, I’m forced to restart, thanks to you lot!” the zebra yelled at them. She got picked up by Starlight’s teal aura and levitated out of water. As she was completely drenched from head to hoof, her mane spread in half, hanging on the side of her face. “Hold still for a moment,” the principal commanded. A burst of magic shot out of her horn and into Zecora, creating a burst of wind. By the time it passed, the shaman was dry, yet her mane and tail stuck out like hardened spikes. “Better?” Starlight asked, hoping she may have gotten off the hook. The zebra still glared at her, running her frontal hooves from the back of her head to the front of her forehead to fix it. She then angrily stomped away back into her house and out again, carrying her saddlebags, before entering the castle. The three unicorns rushed in after her and caught a glimpse of her as she was moving to the room she spent last night in. “Zecora, come on! Starlight said she was sorry,” Sunburst pleaded. “At least let us help you.” She stopped before entering. “If you wish to help, then listen! Return after the sun has risen!” She slammed to door behind. It frustrated her. She was done and now she’ll have to work again to make the batch perfect. She began rummaging through the saddlebag, pulling out the reagents, when she suddenly stopped. She just realized something… “Wow… that’s one zebra that can hold a grudge…” Trixie said. Starlight sighed in defeat and walked away. “She has every right to be upset. I was being careless.” Then the door of zebra’s room opened, garnering their attention, as her head poked out. “On second thought, there’s something I need brought.” The unicorn group gathered at the door, awaiting command. The shaman raised her hoof at them, revealing a pair of small rocks, one light, and the other black. “Rocks?” Trixie questioned. “What are we supposed to do with rocks?” “These are what rained today when the Lord of Chaos was sent to play,” she explained. “I’ve lived in Everfree Forest longer than most, but still! The stone I found eludes my comprehension, so why not bring this matter to your attention?” Sunburst levitated the two pieces of light and black rock to his face, adjusting his glasses as he looked. “I wish I could help, but I fear my knowledge is also limited without diving into it. If we had more samples I could perform some tests to try and decipher what they are, but as it is, to tell from only this, we’d need a rock specialist.” “But Maud’s at Crystal Empire right now, and we can’t just waste a whole day going there just to ask her what these things are,” Starlight pointed out. “Then we just need a good reason to go there for a longer period of time,” Trixie stated. The childhood friends looked at her, the mare being the first to respond. “Trixie, what do have in mind?” “How about we have the ending field trip with the students earlier?” the blue mare asked. “Wait, early? As in tomorrow?” the stallion questioned. “Look, I know it’s kind of out of the blue, but try to look at it this way. The students have been depressed for a while now, especially after what’s happened yesterday. We need to give them something else to think about, get them away from this place, and if by some chance things get worse with whatever’s happening in Everfree Forest, they won’t be affected by it. In the meantime, we can use this chance to hang out with Maud and Mudbriar and get them to fill us in on what we’re dealing with.” The headmare thought for a moment. “I mean, it’s a solid idea, but to just spring it on students like this?” “Don’t worry, you got me to deal with this,” the school counselor winked and ran out the front door. “Aaaaaand she’s gone…” Starlight sighed. “And what about that second thing, Zecora?” Sunburst asked. “With my progress undone, and tools now gone, I fear the race will not be won,“ the zebra explained her predicament. The yellow unicorn stroke his beard for a moment. “I may have a solution to that. Back in a jiffy.” The stallion ran upstairs. There was a sound of rummaging and things falling to the floor and moments later he returned running downstairs holding a suitcase. “I hope this will help in some manner,” he said as she opened it, revealing multiple compartments with flasks, beakers, a heating source, a stand, and all other manners of things. “It’s my old alchemy set. I’ve not used it in a while, but I hope it will suffice, even if the production will be minimal at best.” The zebra looked through it and a smile appeared on her face. “It is more than enough. I hope my words before didn't strike you too rough.” Starlight smiled. “It’s alright, Zecora. No harm done.” “Now if you excuse me, I must depart, so I can finally get my work to restart.” “We understand,” Sunburst answered. “We’ll see you in the morning.” And with that, the zebra grabbed the suitcase with her teeth and dragged it in. The two unicorns lingered outside her door for a moment. “So, how do you think the students will take Trixie’s idea, Sunburst?”