//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip // Story: Twilight’s Little Comet // by GoebelTron //------------------------------// Twilight, Comet and Spike were walking down the streets of Ponyville. The three of them were looking around, seeing that it was a beautiful day. Comet then looked around town to see that nopony was around. “Mom? Where is everypony?” Comet asked. Twilight and Spike then looked around, but they didn’t see anypony either. “You’re right, Comet,” Twilight said. “There aren’t any ponies out here.” She then sighed. “Somepony must be spreading rumors about you being a cult serving Nightmare Moon, again.” They heard the whispering voice of Pinkie Pie came to their attention. “Psst! Twilight! Spike! Comet! 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?” Comet 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 Comet 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,” Comet said. “What is up with you all?” As it only gave Comet an urge to say the name, but until he 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.‘’ Comet responded as Twilight gave him 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 or lovin’ mother.‘’ Applejack said offended. ‘’I will protect Comet too, but there is nothing to be scared about and therefore there is no need to protect him.‘’ She looked at her colt as she finished, before giving her son a kiss on the muzzle. ‘’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. “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 gray 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 Comet said in unison. Then the two of them looked at each other. “You know what a zebra is?” Twilight asked, as Comet nodded. “A WHAT?!” the mares asked. “A zebra, and her stripes aren’t a fashion choice, Rarity, they’re what she was born with,” Twilight said, until Rarity then fainted. “Born where? I’ve never seen a pony like that in these parts, ‘cept... her!” Applejack said. “Well, she’s probably not from here, and she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land,” Twilight said, until she then looked at Comet. “How do you know what zebras are?” “We have zebras back in my world,” Comet said. “They’re from a completely different continent. They’re completely harmless.” “Harmless?!” Applejack asked. “You call creatures like that harmless?!” “But I’ve never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?” Twilight asked, while comforting Comet as he felt startled by Applejack’s yelling. “That’s just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!” Applejack said. A loud crash that sounded like a thunderclap suddenly came from the kitchen, until Comet started clinging onto Twilight’s hind leg and pressing his face on her flank, until she scolded, “Spike!” “Uh, sorry,” Spike said, until Comet let go of his mother’s leg. “Sorry, Mommy,” Comet said. “Shhhhhh… It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m right here,” Twilight said, comforting her son with a hug. Applejack then continued, “The Everfree Forest just ain’t natural.” “What’s so unnatural about the Everfree Forest?” Comet asked as he thought that it must be awful, if the ponies were afraid of it still. Applejack looked at Comet and continued with fear in her voice, “The plants grow...” Fluttershy then said, “Animals care for themselves...” Rainbow Dash floated down to the ground with worry in her voice and added, “And the clouds move...” All three of them then finished together ‘’All on their own!” Rarity fainted once more, until Comet gulped, before Twilight hugged her colt again. Pinkie Pie, who then appeared out of nowhere once more, said, “And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil... stuff! She’s so evil I even wrote a song about her!” Rainbow Dash then commented, “Here we go...” “Wow. Catchy,” Twilight said, sarcastically. “It’s a work in progress,” Pinkie said. As Twilight and Comet still haven’t bought it, Twilight then said, “This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors. Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?” “Well...” Rainbow Dash commented. “Once a month, she comes into Ponyville.” Full of dramatic shock, Twilight replied, “Oooooh.” ‘’Then…‘’ Rarity added, ‘’She lurks by the stores.‘’ Twilight once again with sarcasm said, ‘’Oh, my.‘’ Fluttershy then tried ‘’And then she digs at the ground.‘’ As Twilight, sarcastically called ‘’Good gracious!‘’ She then spoke in a normal tone while still unamused, “Okay, I’m sorry. But 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 she muttered under her breath to herself, not realizing that Comet overheard ‘’I am a big pony.‘’ Rainbow Dash then nervously asked, “W-what about digging at the ground? You’ve got to admit that’s weird.” Fluttershy then gasped, and shuddered, “What if she’s digging for innocent creatures?” “I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth,” Twilight commented. 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. As he knew Apple Bloom was a bit down and Twilight didn’t look to have any progress, Comet 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. “I know,” Comet said, until he heard the mares continue to argue with conspiracies. “This is getting ridiculous,” Comet whispered towards Apple Bloom. “Ya ain’t wrong, Comet,” Apple Bloom said. She then looked outside and saw Zecora heading out of Ponyville. “How ‘bout we go see how Zecora really is?” Comet nodded. Then the two of them headed on out, following Zecora, staying out of sight. Comet and Apple Bloom were following Zecora to the Everfree Forest. As soon as they came to a clearing, Comet stopped, held up a hoof straight to stop Apple Bloom. “Why’d ya stop me?” Apple Bloom asked. Comet was looking at the blue flowers that they were almost about to walk into. Comet then pulled both of themselves away from the pile of flowers. “I read about these flowers in a book called “Super Naturals”,” Comet 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 Comet. “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?!” “Comet?!” The two of them turned their heads and saw Twilight and her friends coming towards them from a distance. “You two get back here right now!” Applejack exclaimed. “Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!” Zecora warned them. Comet suddenly saw Applejack running towards them. “Wait, Applejack! Don’t...!” Comet tried warning them, but she ran right through the flowers. She then picked Apple Bloom up and over her head, and Comet on her back. “Y-you keep your creepy mumbo jumbo to yourself, you hear!” The other ponies agreed as they repeated “Yeah!” over and over. “Ha, was that supposed to scare us?!” Rainbow mocked while Pinkie sang her song from earlier. "Oh, brother," Twilight said after she sighed. “Beware! Beware!” Zecora said as she disappeared into the forest. “Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!” Rainbow Dash said. Applejack then looked at her sister, “And you! Why couldn’t you just listen to yer big sister?” Apple Bloom felt guilty, until Applejack continued, “Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?” “You guys, there’s no such thing as curses!” Twilight said. Rainbow Dash then flew over to Twilight and said, “Well, that’s interesting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself.” Twilight then said, “My magic, real magic, comes from within. It’s a skill you’re born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It’s conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they’re just an old pony tale.” “Just you wait, Twilight. You’re gonna learn that some pony tales really aretrue,” Applejack said. “Wow,” Comet said. “There was something like this on my world.” “Really?” Apple Bloom asked. “What was it?” “Something called... racism, I think?” Comet thought hard, trying to remember something he saw on TV. “Racism?” Twilight asked. “What’s that?” “Certain appearances make certain people uncomfortable,” Comet said. “People on my world don’t hire certain people due to certain skin color or what country they originally came from. And it seems that the others are doing the same to Zecora.” “Wow,” Twilight said. “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…” Comet said before he was lifted into the air by Twilight’s magic, and was placed on her back. “Alright, Comet,” Twilight said, “I think you had enough curiosity and excitement for today. We’re going back home to the library.” Then they headed on home to their homes. “Mommy, I’m sorry for going out there. I just wanted to see if Zecora wasn’t who you thought she was,” Comet said. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’m not mad. I was afraid I would lose you, but for now, I’m just glad that you’re safe. But you’re still in trouble for going out there, but I forgive you,” Twilight said, kissing her son’s muzzle. “But if you try to do something like that again, ask me next time, okay?” Comet nodded and then as he hugged his mother’s neck and nuzzled with her mane. Twilight smiled warmly and patted his hoof with hers. Twilight was having some weird dreams throughout the night, “Curses, schmurses,” she said, but when she fully woke up, she smiled at Comet snuggled up against her soft and warm fur chest and holding his Kugo plushie. Twilight then kissed his forehead and nuzzled him awake. Comet shrugged while he was waking up. He opened his eyes and smiled at Twilight, but got surprised when he saw Twilight’s mane. “Uh... Mommy?” Comet asked. “What is it, Comet?” Twilight asked. “Have you... seen your mane?” Comet asked, nervous to ask, as he noticed something else underneath her mane. “What? What do you...” Twilight asked before looking in a mirror. “Whoa!” she then chuckled. “Maybe Zecora cursed my mane,” she said, laughing nervously while brushing her mane to its normal state, until she gasped, as what she saw next gave her a sudden 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. Comet 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,” Comet 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,” Comet 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?” Comet asked, but before he could say anything else, Twilight was tackled by Pinkie Pie, whose 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!” 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, Comet and Spike looked at Applejack, she was very small, and was standing on Apple Bloom’s back. “It’s a curse, I tells ya!” Comet sighed, walked over to Apple Bloom and asked, “Couldn’t convince them either, could ya?” “Y’all 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. Comet then noticed Fluttershy was here as well and said, “Fluttershy seems to be just fine.” The group looked towards Fluttershy. “Yes” Rarity said in agreement. “There doesn’t seem to be a thing wrong with her.” Twilight came over to Fluttershy as she asked “Fluttershy? Are you okay?” But she didn’t answer and turned her head away, so Twilight tried again “Is there something wrong with you?” Fluttershy nodded but still didn’t say anything and as nothing looked to be wrong, Comet then asked softly “Fluttershy? Is it your voice?” She nodded and Comet continued “Please tell us. We’re your friends.” “So... you're not going to tell us? Yes you're not, or yes you will?” Twilight asked. “Good gravy, girl! What's wrong with you?!” Applejack snapped. 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 Comet and Apple Bloom. “Really? You seriously can’t come up with a clever name for Mom?” Comet asked. “Especially with her horn flopping around like a spaghetti noodle?” “Flopping?” Spike asked. Then he started thinking out loud. “Flopping... Flop... Flopple! Twilight Flopple!” He then started laughing. Comet and Apple Bloom looked away, shaking their heads. Comet suddenly slammed his hoof on Spike’s head. “Ow!” he said. “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 said, “It’s not a curse!” Rainbow Dash groaned, “I think we’ll find a cure to this curse at Zecora’s place!” Twilight Sparkle then shouted while covering Comet’s ears with her magic, “For the last time! IT’S NOT A CURSE!!” Applejack then said, “I agree with Dash! We’ll go to Zecora’s and force her to remove this hex!” “It’s not a hex either!” Twilight said. Everypony but Apple Bloom and Comet kept shouting at once. “This is all my fault. If you and I hadn’t followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened,” Apple Bloom said. “This is my fault too, but I’m not gonna let whatever happened to them affect Zecora. I’m going over there, find Zecora and then I’m gonna fix this,” Comet said. “I’m with ya, pal!” Apple Bloom said, as the two young ponies left the library. However, their attempt to leave did not go unnoticed. “Now where do those two think they’re goin’ this time?” Applejack said quietly. She quickly ran across the table and jumped into Apple Bloom’s red tail. “I don’t care what you say, Twilight. It’s time to pony up and confront Zecora. Come on, girls! Are you with me?” Rainbow Dash asked confidently. Pinkie Pie said, “Ah am-pft!” “And I as well,” Rarity said. Fluttershy, in her deep male voice said, “Uh, I don’t know. Seems awfully dangerous.” “How about you, Applejack? Applejack?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Pf-she’s gone-pft!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Aah! Or some pony stepped on her!” Rarity cried out. They all each checked both their hooves, but not a single trace of Applejack was there. “… or sat on her?” Twilight added fearfully. They checked their rumps… still nothing. “Rarity’s mane!” Rainbow proposed. Pinkie began to search about, much to Rarity’s discomfort. “Oh! OH! Pinkie, what are you doing?” Rarity exclaimed. “Ah, really. Aah! You ever hear of personal space?” Pinkie had just finished her search, only to come up empty-hoofed. “Nopthe!” Pinkie answered. “Apple Bloom and Comet are gone too!” Twilight said. “I bet they went after Zecora,” Rainbow assumed. “Well, we better go find them, and probably find out where Zecora lives. Come on girls, let’s go,” Twilight said, as they were about to head out, but had some difficulties. “Oh dear,” Rarity grunted, the hair over her face. “Oh, this is so unseemly. Auuaah!” Apparently, Pinkie stood on one of her shaggy hair strands, preventing Rarity from moving. Pinkie stepped off so Rarity could move again. As for Rainbow, she had been hovering upside down and couldn’t flip over. “Hey, a little help here?” Rainbow called out. “Oopsie! Sorry!” Fluttershy apologized. She and Pinkie managed to get Rainbow Dash upright… only for the Pegasus to zoom ahead and crash into another wall. “OW!” Fluttershy was about to follow the group when she saw Spike reading the same book Twilight brushed off earlier. “Uh… Spike? Are you coming?” Spike’s eyes widened as he chuckled nervously. “Uh… gotta stay here and look for a cure,” He answered, reading the book. Meanwhile, Comet and Apple Bloom entered the darker areas of the Everfree Forest in search of Zecora. They had stopped to scan the area when they heard a squeaky yet authoritative voice. “Stop right there!” Though they froze, they still looked about but couldn’t see any pony. That was until Applejack popped right out of Apple Bloom’s mane. “Turn around right now, the both of you!” Applejack ordered. Apple Bloom just smiled and what she said next was direct and to the point. “No!” Apple Bloom replied simply. “No?!” Applejack spluttered. “You can’t ignore a direct order from your big sister!” “You're in no position to boss us around, Applejack,” Comet replied. Apple Bloom reached into her mane and grabbed Applejack, then placed her on a tree branch. “Hehehe. Sorry, Applejack, but I’m the big sister now,” Apple Bloom said. “Good one, Apple Bloom,” Comet added as he laughed. Comet and Apple Bloom walked away, leaving Applejack stranded. “Apple Bloom! Comet! You come back here right this instant!” Applejack shouted. “I’m gonna tell Big McIntosh on you!” But it didn’t take long for Applejack to realize how petty that last remark was… or the fact she had been ignored and sat on that branch all alone. “Aw pony feathers!” Applejack muttered. The mares were running into the Everfree Forest. “C’mon girls. We’ve got to get to Zecora’s. Hurry!” Twilight said. Rarity suddenly slipped and got herself covered in dirt, leaves and twigs. “Ooh... Ahaha. Easier said than done,” Rarity said, as she continued running. “Hey, wait for me!” Rainbow Dash said, as she accidentally crashed into a tree, before she spat out Applejack from her mouth. “Sorry about that,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s fine. Now, could ya give me a lift? I need to save my sister,” Applejack asked, holding a rein made of vines and a stick. Rainbow Dash groaned, “Okay, but only until we find a way to turn back to normal.” She then flew on ahead, but still couldn’t stay in control. The girls then arrived at Zecora’s hut, until Rarity commented, “Oh. I look horrible!” Pinkie Pie turned Rarity’s view over to the hut, “Plis place plooks horrible!” Rarity was suddenly offended by the way Zecora’s hut looked, “Oh my. That place really does look horrible.” The mares peeked through the window, and looked at the masks and candles everywhere. “Nice decorations, if you like creepy!” Rarity said, until they saw Zecora without her cape enter the hut and then poured some contents into a boiling cauldron, until she began talking in her native language. “Sthe sthtole my sthong! Shthe shtole mm mm!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed while lisping with her swollen tongue. “She stole your song?” Rarity asked. “Uhh, Pinkie. It doesn’t sound anything like your song,” Twilight commented. “Ah. Hmm... Pbth!” Pinkie Pie whimpered towards, but got cut off. “GIVE IT A REST ALREADY!” Twilight and Rarity exclaimed, before Fluttershy sighed in relief. “You saw those terrible things. Now do you believe us Twilight?“ Rarity asked. Twilight pondered for a moment, “Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great big bubbling cauldron?” She then sighed, “Everything is pointing to Zecora being... bad.” She suddenly smiled about something she saw, “Or... what if Zecora is just making soup?” Zecora then made sure that the brew was just right, “Mmm! The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now, where is that little Apple Bloom, and that… Comet Moonstone?” Twilight then gasped, Or... what if she’s making Apple Bloom and Comet Moonstone soup?!” Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy screamed altogether. As Rainbow Dash and Applejack heard their screaming, Applejack pulled the reins forward, “I’m comin’ for ya, Apple Bloom!” Rainbow Dash flew inside the hut and wrecked everything like a heat seeking missile. Zecora exclaimed in her Native language. “Whoa there. Easy, Rainbow Crash,” Applejack said, as she kept wrecking the place. Zecora kept chanting in her Native language in concern as Rainbow Dash crashed into something else, before Zecora shouted angrily in her Native language. Twilight and her friends suddenly rammed through the door, “What have you done with Comet and Apple Bloom?” They saw Rainbow Dash flying around crashing into Zecora’s furniture. “No! No!” Zecora exclaimed and once again spoke in her Native language, before Applejack landed onto the zebra’s ear and tugged onto it by wrestling, and Rainbow Dash crashed into another corner. “Ponies! What is this you...” Before Zecora could finish, Rainbow Dash crashed into Zecora’s cauldron, spilling her brew. “No! You know not what you do! You’ve gone and spilled my precious brew!” Zecora exclaimed in rhyme. “We’re onto you Zecora. I didn’t want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!” Twilight scolded the zebra. “You made me look ridiculous,” Rarity said. “You made me sound ridiculous!” Fluttershy said in her male voice. Pinkie Pie incoherently spoke through her swollen tongue, “You made me speak ridiculous!” “You ruined my horn!” Twilight exclaimed. Zecora scolded the ponies, “How dare you! You destroy my home, destroy my work, then rudely accuse meof being a jerk?” “You put this curse on us, now you’re gonna uncurse us,” Rainbow Dash said. “It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode!” Zecora scolded. “Where are my son and Apple Bloom!?” Twilight exclaimed angrily, until she and her friends glared at Zecora. Suddenly, Apple Bloom and Comet returned with their findings, “Zecora! I think Comet and I found all the things ya asked for. What in Ponyville is goin’ on here?” Applejack gasped, “Apple Bloom! You’re both okay!” “Why wouldn’t we be?” Apple Bloom asked. “Mom?” Comet asked. Twilight gasped, “Comet Moonstone Sparkle! What could you have possibly been thinking?! I told you not to go in the forest without asking permission! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!” “Mom, no! You don’t understand!” Comet exclaimed. Twilight cut him off, “Oh, I understand alright! Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you both up into soup!” Zecora, Comet and Apple Bloom then started laughing. “Oh Twilight. Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head?” Apple Bloom asked. “Yeah. You know there’s no such thing as a curse,” Comet said. “Comet, Apple Bloom, sweetie. You can’t just stand there and tell me that this isn’t a curse,” Twilight said. “It isn’t a curse,” Comet said. Zecora then explained, in rhythm for some reason “If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact.” *flashback* “Beware, beware you pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke.” “It was a warnin’,” Apple Bloom said. “But what about the cauldron?” Rainbow Dash asked. “And the chanting?” Fluttershy asked. “And the creepy décor?” Rarity asked. “Treasures of the native land where I am from. This one speaks ‘hello’, and this ‘welcome’,” Zecora explained. “Not welcoming at all, if you ask me,” Rarity commented. “The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme,” Zecora said. “But the cauldron... The Apple Bloom and Comet Moonstone soup?” Twilight asked. Apple Bloom then explained, “That pot of water wasn’t for us, it was for all these herbal ingredients me and Comet got. The cure for poison joke is a simple old-natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!” “But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn’t find anything. What book has this natural remedy?” Twilight asked. Zecora then motioned Comet with the book she was looking for, “Here is the book, you see? Sad that you lack it in your library.” “”Super Naturals, Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That are Simply Super”,” Comet read. “Did you read that part of the title?” Comet 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?” Comet then opened the book, and looked through the pages of the book and found the right page. He smiled and showed the page towards Twilight. “Like we were trying to tell you: that blue plant right there. It’s called Poison Joke,” Comet said. Zecora then explained in rhyme, “That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke.” Applejack asked, “What in the hay does that mean?” “It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead this plant just wants a laugh,” Zecora rhymed again. “Will somepony please talk normal?” Applejack asked. “I think what she’s saying is that when we ran in to save Apple Bloom and Comet, we ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes it played on us,” Twilight said. 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?” Comet then groaned and shouted, "Would you stop blaming everything on Zecora?! You’re not giving her a chance. You’re all just racist jerks, not willing to give different creatures a chance, even though they’re smart as us. Shame on you!” “Listen, Comet!” Applejack shouted. “You don’t get to...” “APPLEJACK!” Twilight shouted, interrupting Applejack and getting her attention. “Comet is right. You all never have given Zecora a chance to explain her odd behaviors.” The other ponies, minus Comet and Apple Bloom, looked at each other, thought about what Twilight and Comet 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. Zecora chuckled, “Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book.” “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 and your oddly strange behaviors.” “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?” Comet asked. Zecora looked down at Comet and smiled, “I am the only one who speaks in rhyme. But it seems that I’m not the only one whose appearance is different this time.” Comet bit his lip, knowing what Zecora was talking about. Twilight then said, “He wasn’t always like this. He was once a completely different species. He came here looking like this due to some old Equestrian artifact that can transport some creature’s soul from where they are into another creature, either by voodoo pregnancy or just teleport them to the Castle of the Two Sisters.” “I know what you are talking about, Twilight,” said Zecora. “You refer to the cursed diamond, the Crystal Eye of Nightmare, powered by the magic of the mare of the moonlight.” “You know about that?!” Twilight asked, shocked. “I’ve studied all artifacts and things attracted,” Zecora said. “But the diamond’s curse cannot be extracted.” While comforting her colt, Twilight looked at the zebra, “Zecora? Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?” Zecora looked up at the group and smiled, “Mix it up I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville.” “But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed,” Apple Bloom said. “Oh, well... I think we can help you with that,” Twilight said, thinking of an idea. After convincing the ponies of Ponyville about Zecora, The Mane 6 were in the Jacuzzi at the spa, finally cured of the Poison Joke. Well, at least five of them were. ”Dear Princess Celestia, My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don’t care what your “cover” is; it’s the “contents” of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle” 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 were Apple Bloom and Comet. 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, feeling 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. “Alright, Comet,” Twilight said. “Time for bed.” Twilight escorted Comet to his bedroom by carrying him on her back. Twilight then levitated him into his bed and pulled the covers over her son. “Comet? I’m actually very proud of you, sweetheart.” “You are?” Comet 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 meet you and get to know you.” Comet smiled, which didn’t last long. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” Twilight asked, stroking his mane. “I was hoping that Zecora would know of a way, that if I can ever be in my normal body again for once,” Comet said. He then sighed. “Guess she couldn’t even find anything.” “Oh, sweetie, I know,” Twilight said, nuzzling the colt’s left cheek as she brought him over for a hug against her chest. “We’re just gonna have to be patient. Now, you get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” “Okay,” Comet said. He then yawned, and snuggled into his pillows and blankets, before he finally fell asleep. Twilight then kissed her son on the forehead, before she looked out the window while stroking her son’s mane. “Comet sure is a special foal.” Twilight thought. She then gave her son one more kiss on the cheek, left his bedroom with the door closed, and got into her bed, until she fell asleep.