//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Rhymes and Remedies // Story: Lighting Can Strike Twice // by Lightning_Colt //------------------------------// The smell of paper and lavender hung around the library, enhancing the serenity that was associated with it, well mostly. This library however was in chaos, books were strewn everywhere, some in attempted piles others laying open on random pages. A wooden bust stood on a small round table in the centre of the room. Over near the window was a desk that was covered in parchments quills were frayed and scattered on the desk and surrounding floor. "I thought this was a library" I commented, looking at Rainbow who had the same look of confusion. "Err hello?" Rainbows voice echoed around the room "Twilight? Spike?" "Yeah, yeah I'm here" replied a voice from behind me. A scaly purple creature with green spines pushed between us carrying a large pile of books… wait, spines? Scales? The only thing that has those are… DRAGON!! As this realisation struck me, I leapt up from fear, and flattened myself against the ceiling, shaking like crazy. The dragon and Rainbow looked up at me confused. "Err is he okay?" The dragon asked Rainbow pointing a claw at me. "It's like he's never seen a dragon before" he chuckled as he carried the pile of books to other piles in the corner. Rainbow failed to hold back a laugh as I unstuck myself from the ceiling and crashed in a heap next to her. "When you said Spike, I thought she meant like a dog or something, I wasn't expecting to Spike to be a dragon" I mumbled Grumpily. "Hey Spike, Is Twilight in?" Rainbow asked still giggling. "No she's not, after reading pretty much every book in the library she then rushed out, talking about lightning being late or something. I mean how can lightning be late? It's not like lightning has a schedule." Spike ranted. He stopped when he spotted the bandages on my wings. "Hey Rainbow, is your friend okay?" "Oh yeah, he just sprained his wings". She improvised. Spike rubbed his chin with a claw, playing the great thinker. "Zecora might have a special brew to help with that" he commented before his eyes widened in realisation, "hey! Twilight gets some special tea from Zecora, maybe she's there!". "Uh yeah sure" said Rainbow looking at me weirdly "Let’s go Light". I followed her out the door and wondered why she made that face as we trotted in silence towards the edge of town. "Where's this Zecorum live?" I asked, trying to break through the stonewall the Rainbow had placed. "Zecora lives in the Everfree forest but she still freaks me out" "Why does she freak you out?" I asked but she didn't reply, she just continued walking towards a large forest in silence. Inside the Everfree Forest wasn't easy on the eyes, not that much was visible, the canopy of leaves overhead blocked out all sunlight leaving a dark mist everywhere. Without the sunlight, the cold forest air held the humidity. "Just stay on the path, most of the monsters stay away from it" Rainbow instructed. I nodded and looked down to see a gravel path winding in-between the trees. The crunches of hooves on gravel echoed throughout the forest. There were not sounds of birds chirping, or creatures rustling in the undergrowth "R…Rainbow?" I asked. She sighed as she turned her head to look at me. I was stood stock still, my eyes darting around to take in my surroundings quietly mouthing 'we're being watched'. She nodded in agreement as we continued along the bendy path. We reached a small wooden hut on the left of the path and Rainbow made her way towards the door. I only just noticed that the both of us were dripping wet from the humidity, it hadn't seemed to have bothered Rainbow Dash. I looked back at the forest, giving me chills thinking about what could have been watching us. Rainbow knocked hard on the wooden door and I heard a heavily accented voice speak inside "Who could that be, Twilight my dear?" The door swung open to reveal a black and white striped… pony? It looked like a pony but not quite. She wore a large gold ring in her right ear, she also had gold rings around her neck, as though they were extending it. And she also wore gold rings on her left foreleg. It was quite stunning to see but I was even more surprised by how she spoke. "Why Rainbow Dash, What're you doing here?" "Was wondering if Twilight's here," she replied walking into the hut, I followed but was immediately stopped as Zecora caught me in a deadly stare "Who is this? A thief?" "Speak now I will be brief." "If you try to take something of mine," "I will buck you back into line!" I backed away slowly at the striped pony's threat. But Twilight had zipped in-between us and put a foreleg over each of our shoulders. "Oh Lightning, there you are, I've been wondering where you've been all morning!" she smiled tentatively "Zecora this is a friend who has just moved to Ponyville" "Err yeah I was wondering if you could help me?" I ask, trying to win her over. "I need some help with my wings." "Yes, Zecora, we were wondering of you had anything that could re-grow feathers" Twilight piled on. "Oh, well if that is what you seek, At your wings, I'll need to take a peek." Zecora rhymed as she made her way to a small table off to the left. I sighed and plonked myself on the other side with my back to Zecora. "Twilight, could you take my bandages off me please?" The unicorn nodded as her horn glowed with a purple aura and I could feel the bandages unravel themselves and folded themselves into a neat pile on the table. Both Rainbow Dash and Zecora gasped at what they saw and I could feel my cheeks start to burn crimson. "Oh my, how did this happen to you? Did this happen, last time you flew?" "Err no this was… self inflicted" I uttered out shamefully. "Why?" Rainbow asked. I turned my head to look at her and I could see she was staring at my wings in shock horror. "I was angry, at what happened with my parents, that I couldn't help them and for what I said to you. So because I thought my little flying session was the reason they died I kinda went a bit nutty on my wings and ripped my feathers out." I looked around, all three of them were standing there blankly staring, trying to grasp onto my logic as I slowly drowned in embarrassment. "Anyway my dear" said Zecora nervously. "I have a remedy, have no fear!" she smiled as she went to a table on the left wall and began rifling through the many bottles, boxes, crates and drawers of different ingredients to make the remedy. "Add a little bit of iron for strength and some cloud for weight," "Then we need a feather for the bate." She turned and plucked one of the very few feathers that were left on my wings and dropped it into the brew. Sparks erupted out of the bottle in a huge fountain, illuminating the entire hut. "Well that's quite new," "That has never happened before you." Zecora rhymed, looking puzzled. "Anyway, drink a bit of this a day for a week," "And your feathers will grow back, strong and sleek." She finished as she corked the small bottle and placed it on the table. I picked it up and looked at the Cobalt blue liquid swilling around the bottle before taking a quick swig. The liquid felt hot as it ran down my throat, it stung a little, causing me to cough slightly. I reinserted the cork and tucked the bottle into my saddlebag. "Thanks Zecora" I said, giving her a hug, taking in a strong scent of herbs and spices. "Do not worry my dear new friend" "On me, you can always depend" she smiled as she walked us to the door. Rainbow, Twilight and I walked along the path in silence as we walked back towards town. My clean bandages that Zecora gave were uncomfortable and itchy, compared to my previous ones which were from the royal infirmary. "So Lightning, What happened to you last night? I was getting worried when you didn't come to the library." Twilight asked as we cleared the trees. "Oh, well after I had finished with Rarity at the spa I-" "Wait, wait, wait, you? Went to the Spa? With Rarity?" Rainbow grinned. "Yeah, when spending three months living on the streets of Canterlot, there weren't really a lot of chances to bathe" I snapped back. Rainbow stopped smiling and huffed at me grumpily. "Anyway…" I continued "After the spa I bumped into the Cutie Mark Crusaders, we talked about earning cutie marks and then I left to try to get to the library but I had no Idea where I was so I stayed in the Apple family Orchard over night. When I woke up I met Rainbow and she showed me the way back to the library, but you weren't there, just Spike the grumpy dragon." "Yeah, sorry about Spike, he can get a little annoyed when I do a crazy amount of research, I tend not to tidy up after myself" she said, looking off to the distance before she stopped in her tracks. "That reminds me! I spoke to Applejack yesterday, I asked her if she needed any help on the farm, especially seeing as it's nearly Zap Apple season and apparently she really needs the extra help this year." She smiled, "You'd better go and see her, she'll probably need to fill you in on what you need to do" Twilight added. "Okie Dokie" I answered as I waved the girls goodbye and turned left on the track towards the large orchards outside Ponyville.