“So far, so good—keep it up, Apple Bloom!”
I smiled at Twilight Sparkle’s praise; my growth potion for a Venus’ flytrap succeeded.
“Hey, Twilight, do you think I’ll ever get a Cutie Mark?”
The alicorn knew that my flank was still blank.
“Of course you will; it just takes time!”
“I can imagine it now—a flask for a Cutie Mark!”
“Ah—ah—ah—ah—ah-choo!”
Fluttershy was sick in bed; she had the feather flu.
“Fluttershy, are you home?”
The pegasus heard Twilight Sparkle calling to her through the cottage door.
“Yes, and—ah-choo!—you may come in.”
“Oh, dear—you must be sick!”
Spike admired all the potions that I had made.
“Wow, Apple Bloom—you have quite some talent!”
“Aw, shucks—thank you, Spike!”
Spike took a hearty drink of one of my potions.
“No—don’t drink that, Spike!”
“Needs more sugar.”
“I thought I’d bring you a Venus’ flytrap; Apple Bloom grew it.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Twilight, but…”
Twilight Sparkle’s face changed to one showing concern for Fluttershy.
“…I don’t think there are any flies around my cottage.”
“But this plant can eat—just like your animals!”
Twilight took the carnivorous plant back and left Fluttershy alone so that she could rest.
“Holy guacamole, Spike—you’re covered in green spines!”
“No!”
Spike had green spines all over his skin.
“Hurry, Apple Bloom—I need a mirror!”
“OK—OK—I’ll go find one, Spike!”
Spike was vain about his scales—but not as vain as Rarity was about her hair.
Speaking of Rarity, she and Sweetie Belle were sound asleep in the same bed; they were playing house, and now, they were in the nap phase of their game.
“I gotta be real quiet here…”
I tiphoofed around Rarity’s bedroom to look for the cheapest mirror that I could find.
“There’s one!”
I grasped the mirror with my teeth and tiphoofed out of the boutique.
I galloped all the way back to the library, still biting down on the mirror.
“Here’s a mirror, Spike!”
Spike grabbed the mirror straight away.
“I’ve grown spiny—HELP!”
I could see that he now had green scales all over his body, not just down his spine.
“Maybe I could get my Cutie Mark in dragon grooming instead.”
“Do something, Apple Bloom!”
I left the library to contact somepony who could help me with my problem.
“Howdy, li’l sis!”
My elder sister tipped her hat to me.
“Your little fly-trapping plant will work wonders on my farm!”
“But Applejack, something horrendous happened to Spike!”
“Like what?”
“What in tarnation happened to Spike?!”
“I told Spike not to drink any of my potions, but he disobeyed me!”
Applejack took a look at Spike.
“I’m sure that if you told the truth to Twilight, then she’d help you get rid of Spike’s overgrown scales.”
“But she’s going to be so angry!”
Tears started to form in my eyes.
“Oh, dear—my feather flu is getting worse!”
Angel, sympathetic to Fluttershy, hopped up to her bed.
“Shoo!”
Her bunny hopped out of her bedroom in fright.
“I’m sorry, Angel, but you need to stay away from me, or else you will get sick, just like me!”
“Knock-knock, Fluttershy!”