Bridle Gossip
Warrior returned to the Sanctuary after a big party at Sugarcube Corner to celebrate the saving of Canterlot, but not before the funeral for all the ponies who died during the Emperor’s attack. Cosmos was sitting on her throne and as Warrior looked on to her she smiled at Warrior.
"You saved Equestria, I am just as grateful for this as Celestia is." Cosmos explained. Warrior simply looked to the side and didn’t say anything. "How do you feel about this?" Cosmos asked.
"Like I saved all of Equestria, at least until Chaos strikes again." Warrior said. Cosmos frowned a little but still has most of her smile. "I used half of my potion to cure my wounds after a battle, and used the other half to cure one of the steeds who was suffering from an injury. She is going to be bounded in matrimony soon."
"Good, but how do you feel about the ponies of Equestria?" Cosmos asked. "Especially the six who you have not really considered to be your friends."
"I don’t plan on being there long, so I won’t become attached to that world." Warrior explained. "The Emperor spoke about Reports that speak about how Equestria is involved in this conflict." Cosmos immediately frowned. "Do these reports exist?" Cosmos closed her eyes and looked away from him, she nodded and Warrior grunted realizing that there’s a lot more to this conflict that he doesn’t understand. "Where are they?"
"I don’t know, you see the only ones in Equestria who know about the reports are Celestia and Luna, they also only know where the reports might be." Cosmos explained. "You have been through much, rest easy before returning to Equestria." Warrior crossed his legs and sat on the floor and began to breath slowly as if he’s going into a meditative state.
Meanwhile at the Sky Fortress Bahamut, Kain Highwind walked after defeating a small team of manikins.
"The manikin’s numbers are growing day by day." He thought to himself. "I need to hide the others away, rest will have to come later." He ran forward as began to think about the information he was given to by who someone he believed to be his enemy. "Golbez, I believe what you told me. I will trust your words." He began to think back to a event that occurred at the Lunar Subterranean.
"Soldiers who take our forms…What foul magic is this?" Kain thought.
"I see the manikins have begun to take their toll." Golbez said approaching.
"Golbez!" Kain gasped.
"Fear not, I have not come to fight you." Golbez said. "My purpose this day is merely one of observation. To see how you fare, against the endless horde you face."
"I trust you’ve seen." Kain said. "Who could have imagined I’d greet the end here, in this foreign world. Hmph. Tell me one thing, if Chaos triumphs, this place will be destroyed. I that what you truly seek to bring about?"
Golbez scoffed at what Kain didn't know. "What victory will bring about is the end of fighting. Not of the world itself". Kain looked at Golbez with a confused look." What purpose is there in explaining the truth to people doomed to disappear?" Kain furrowed his face to give Golbez a serious look.
"Disappear? You know something." Kain questioned.
"This war of the gods is endless. It has repeated itself countless times already." Golbez explained. "Let me be clear, the safety of this world is assured. It must go on-because the war will." Kain grunted and looked away from Golbez. "You do not believe me, do you?"
"Had you expected otherwise?" Kain countered.
"I suppose not. With no memories, it would seem absurd." Golbez concluded.
"Explain." Kain demanded.
"You were bested in battle and revived to fight anew." Golbez explained further. "The process of your revival required your memories to be purged. You’ve forgotten that the cycle repeats itself, and thus you mistrust my words. Look into your deeper memories, and you will see the proof of what I say. "
"What deeper memories?" Kain asked with a confused look.
"Those who are summoned to this world arrive with almost no recollection of their past." Golbez explained. "But you-you remember Cecil and I. You have memories of our homeworld. The more you fight, the more of those memories will return. Also it appears that there is more to this conflict, for a second world has came to be, it has shown to know things about this conflict, it may also appear to have a role to play in the conflict sometime later."
"Another world?" Kain said in shock.
"You see Chaos is trying to unlock the mystery to this world and once we figure it out, he wants to destroy that world."
"Why destroy it after figuring out the mystery?" Kain asked. "Why not just destroy it?"
"It appears that even Chaos has no memory of things, it seems that maybe if he unlocks the mystery it can help him recover some memories, and then he needs to destroy the world to prevent the secret from being used against him. You'd be surprised what lost memories can drive a person to do." Golbez said. "We already tried destroying it once before but the residents of the world stopped us."
"Just who resides in this world?" Kain asked.
"Horses, pegasi, and unicrons." Golbez admitted.
"Are trying to make jokes?" Asked Kain with a very confused look.
"Now now, you should know that not everything is as it first appears." Golbez said. "All I can say is if you wish to end the war, then keep their world intact. Beca-"
"Kain!" Another Warrior of Cosmos called rushing to Kain, the Paladin who wields the powers of the Dark Knight, Cecil Harvey.
"Cecil!" Kain called out.
"That reminds me, my brother Cecil, is the same as you." Golbez said. "When we are first called here, we do not even remember those closest to us." Cecil charged towards Golbez and put himself between the two in order to protect Kain. "See for yourself. The truth is there if you seek it". Cecil drew his Paladin sword and swung it at Golbez but he vanished before he made contact with him.
"Missed…Kain! Are you hurt?" Cecil asked.
"No I’m fine." Kain responded as Cecil approached him.
"Good. We should go It’s best we all stay together." Cecil suggested.
"Cecil, your memory. It still hasn’t returned, has it?" Kain asked.
"No. But I have begun remembering you…bit by bit, the more we fight." Cecil explained, Kain gasped at how Golbez was speaking the truth. "It’s the same for you right? The more you fight, the more pieces fit themselves together?" Kain nodded in agreement. "Don’t worry. As long as we keep fighting, our memories will come back eventually. We’ll be all right." Cecil ran ahead as Kain just looked on, figuring out that Golbez really is on their side despite being a Warrior of Chaos.
"As the fight wears on, our old memories return. A vague clue, but that much seems to be certain. More importantly, it is the sole proof we have as to this war’s unending nature. But this other world of horses, what does it hold, a secret to the end of the endless war? Or power to ensure us victory every time? As this mystery still eludes me, I must continue helping my comrade’s win in the next battle." Kain thought.
Back at the Sanctuary Warrior went out of his state and rose up. He walked out towards Equestria to see how the ponies were doing. Last he saw, they began rebuilding Canterlot. He walked through the gateway and reappeared in Ponyville, he looked around and saw that something very strange was going on, the whole town was deserted.
"This sure is strange, it has only been a day since the attack, is it seems that once one problem ends another immediately begins." He continued to march through the streets but there were no signs of any ponies, not even any manikins or Warriors of Chaos.
"Warrior!" Called Pinkie Pie from the windows at Sugarcube Corner. "Come in here! Before she gets you!" Warrior gave Pinkie Pie a puzzeled look but decided to go to Sugarcube Corner, once he entered it he found that the other five were there to, along with Spike and Applebloom.
"What exactly is the meaning of this?" Warrior questioned.
"Your guess is as good as mine!" Twilight said. "So what are you all doing here in the dark?"
"We’re hidin’ from her!" Applejack said pointing to a window. The group looked out the window and were staring at pony cloaked in a hood. It was pawing at the ground with one its hooves. The figure looked over at them and since its eyes were concealed, they only saw two glowing green pupils. Everyone but Twilight and Warrior flinched away from its sight.
"Did you see her Twilight? Warrior? Did you both see…Zecora?" Applebloom asked jumping up on Spike’s head.
"Applebloom! I told you to never say that name". Applejack ordered.
"Well, I saw her glance this way…" Twilight stated.
"Glance evilly this way!" Pinkie Pie said.
"I do not understand. Are all the residents afraid of this stranger?" Warrior asked
"It appears so, but for no good reason." Twilight said raising an eyebrow at them.
"No good reason? You call protectin’ yer kin no good reason?" Applejack argued pulling Applebloom to her side. "Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora ridin' into town, she started shakin' in her lil' horseshoes." Applejack started shaking Applebloom to prove how scared she supposedly was.
"Ddddddddddiiidddddd nnnnnnoooooooottttt." Applebloom said, her voice vibrating to Applejack shaking her.
"Zecora, so that’s what she’s called." Warrior said staring at her through the window.
"So I swept her up and brought her here." Applejack explained further and she placed Applebloom on her back.
"I walked here myself." Applebloom argued.
"For safe keepin." Applejack said not acknowledging what Applebloom said.
"Applejack, I’m not a baby!" Applebloom argued getting off her back. "I can take care of myself!"
"Not from that Creepy Zecora!" Applejack assured.
"She’s mysterious." Fluttershy said.
"Sinister!" Added Rainbow Dash
"And spoooooky!" Said Pinkie Pie shaking her head for effect. Twilight just rolled her eyes, and glanced out the window again. The others bunched together at the window and began to stare at Zecora. All but Twilight and Warrior gasped when she removed her hood. They noticed that she had black and white stripes with a mane that stands up.
"She's obiviously a foreigner." Warrior suggested.
"Just look at those stripes!" Rarity, scoffed. "So garish!"
"She’s a zebra." Twilight explained.
"A what!?" Everyone but Warrior shouted.
"A zebra, and her stripes aren’t a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with." Rairty couldn’t comprehend being born like that so she fainted.
"Born where?" Applejack asked. "I've never seen a pony like that in these parts, 'cept... her!" Applejack shuttered at the idea of such a foreign land.
"Well, she's probably not from here, and she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a far away land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville." Twilight explained, no one seemed to notice Spike sneaking away to the kitchen. "Where does she live?"
"That's just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!" Said Applejack frightened. Lightening crashed when she said that and all the ponies jumped in fear at it.
"You unicorns don’t know how to use the Thunder spell do you?" Warrior asked Rarity and Twilight, they shook their heads, Twilight looked into the kitchen and noticed Spike created the thunder by crashing a bunch of pots and pans against the floor.
"Spike!" Twilight called stearnly.
"Sorry!" Spike responded.
"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural. The plants grow..." Applejack explained.
"Animals care for themselves..." Fluttershy whimpered. Rairty regained herself and rose back to her hooves.
"And the clouds move..." Rainbow Dash added, then she, Fluttershy, and Applejack, all said in unison. "All on their own!" Rarity couldn’t comprehend that so she fainted again.
"That’s strange to you?" Warrior said utterly confused.
"Yes it is!" The ponies shouted.
"Isn’t it for you?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"No, that’s how it works in me and my comrade’s worlds." Warrior explained. The ponies looked at each other in shock.
"Looks like you came here just in time!" Rainbow Dash noted. "Because that’s messed up."
"That wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil...stuff! She's so evil I even wrote a song about her!" Pinkie Pie said.
"Here we go!" Rainbow Dash sighed.
"She’s going to sing again?" Warrior said scratching his head and Pinkie Pie burst out in song and dashed around to her lyrics.
"She's an evil enchantress
She does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She'll put you in trances
Then what will she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Soooo... Watch out!"
She stood tall on a table and started breathing heavily.
"Wow, catchy." Rainbow Dash commented.
"It’s a work in progress." Pinkie Pie smiled.
"This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors. Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?" Twilight asked.
"No need fear someone who hasn’t done anything wrong." Warrior explained.
"Well..." Rainbow Dash responded trying to think of an answer. "Once a month, she comes into Ponyville."
"Ooooooh." Twilight said in a mocking dramatic tone, Rarity got back up on her hooves.
"Then she lurks by the stores." Rarity said.
"Oh my." Twilight in that same mocking dramatic tone.
"And then, she digs at the ground." Fluttershy added making pawing motions with her hoof.
"Good gracious!" Twilight said in that same tone. But then switched to normal. "Okay, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?" Warrior and Applebloom nodded in agreement.
"Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly." Applebloom added.
"As I said, there’s no need to act this way when they haven’t done anything wrong." Warrior said.
"And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?" Twilight added.
"Yeah! Everypony likes to shop. You know what I think?" Applebloom tried to say.
"Applebloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk." Applejack ordered.
"I am a big pony!" Applebloom said under her breath, she walked away angrily.
"W-what about digging at the ground?" Rainbow Dash argued. "You’ve got to admit that’s weird."
"What if she’s digging for innocent creatures?" Fluttershy whimpered. Then Pinkie Pie started singing her Evil Enchantress song again.
"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." Applebloom got an idea.
"Well I’m brave enough, I gonna find out myself." Applebloom said to herself. She walked over to the front door and opened it, she left the place without anyone noticing. She stood behind a bush and stared at Zecora pawing at the ground she turned away from her and gasped in fear. She began zooming between bushes and buildings and got close to Zecora. Zecora began walking out of Town and Applebloom was trying to catch up with her.
"You ponies are being ridiculous!" Twilight shouted.
"Well, I heard that Zecora eats hay." Pinkie Pie suggested.
"Pinkie, I eat hay, you eat hay!" Twilight said rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, but I hard it’s the evil way she eats hay." Pinkie Pie added.
"Warrior doesn’t eat hay at all, does that make him strange?" Twilight suggested.
"Welllllll." Pinkie Pie pondered.
"Never mind." Twilight sighed rolling her eyes.
"Hey, where’s Applebloom?" Applejack asked.
"The door’s open." Fluttershy said, the whole group began to worry for her.
"She went outside!" Rarity called.
"And Zecora’s still out there!" Rainbow Dash cried.
"That silly lil’ filly! I told her to stay put." Applejack said.
"You’ll make that mean old Zecora go away won’t you?" Rarity asked Warrior.
"Only if she does something wrong." Warrior stated. The group ran out the door to find Applebloom.
"Spike, you stay here is case Applebloom comes back." Twilight ordered Spike.
"Will do!" Spike said saluting Twilight.
Meanwhile Zecora was continuing on her way back into the Everfree forest with Applebloom still fallowing her.
The group moved past some strange blue flowers when the group managed to catch up to Applebloom.
"Applebloom!" Applejack called. Applebloom jumped in surprise and looked back to her, the call also caught the attention of Zecora, she also looked back to the group. "You get back here right now!" Zecora noticed the group standing awfully close to the blue flowers.
"Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" Zecora spoke.
"Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?" Applejack shouted. The others except Applebloom, Warrior and Twilight, began shouting threats and accusations at Zecora.
"Oh brother." Twilight sighed.
"Beware! Beware!" Zecora spoke again as she faded into a fog thus disappearing.
"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the one who better beware!" Rainbow Dash threatened.
"And you! Why couldn't you just listen to yer big sister?" Applejack scolded Applebloom. Applebloom hung her head in shame.
"I…I…." Applebloom stammered not looking Applejack in the eyes.
"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?" Applejack scolded.
"Just like in my song!" Pinkie Pie shouted, then she started singing her Evil Enchantress song again. Warrior began to ponder what Zecora might be speaking about, he knew all about curses, that didn’t sound like any curse he ever heard of. He looked down at the ground and noticed the ponies were standing in blue flowers, Applebloom wasn't because she’s on Applejack’s back. He knelt in front of the bed of flowers and took out his sword and sliced one of the flowers and held it in his hand and started to examin it.
"What are you doing?" Rarity asked, Warrior didn’t answer, he was too focused on the flower.
"You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" Twilight argued.
"Well, that's interesting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself." Rainbow Dash said mockingly flying above Twilight and tapping on her horn.
"I admit until we met Warrior, I didn’t believe that Magick existed. But hey I have not seen an curses, they’re just an old pony’s tale!" Twilight argued.
"Just you wait, Twilight. You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true." Applejack warned. All the ponies except Twilight, all turned around and went home but Warrior stayed behind and continued to examine the flower. Twilight walked out of the flower bed and joined Warrior.
"That’s a pretty flower." Twilight said, Warrior still didn’t respond. "Any reason why you’re staring at it?"
"Zecora said something strange, I think she might be referring to this plant." Warrior responded.
"So you don’t think she’s evil?" Twilight said.
"I will not harm anyone who hasn’t done anything wrong or who does not intend to do anything wrong." Warrior explained.
"How nice that [iyou] believe me." Twilight smiled.
"I guess this will have to wait." Warrior said putting the flower down." I need to return to Cosmos." Warrior and Twilight left the forest.
Back with Kain, he left a gateway and went forward.
"The manikins have invaded this area as well… Hold on for a little longer, my comrades." He walked along the fields to search for his allies. He noticed one of his allies, the young man who dreams of a world of roses, a skinny man wearing a bandanna with a few bushes of white hair sticking out from underneath the bandanna. He had many different types of weapons with him, Kain’s ally, Firion.
"Kain! What a relief to see you. Have you been fighting alone as well?" Firion asked, happy to see his ally. "I’ve been having trouble with the manikins. I wanted to unlock the gateways here, but-"
"I see, I was thinking the same thing. This is a chance. Let’s go, Firion." Kain said.
"Really? Thank you, Kain. I was just getting tired of fighting alone." Firion sighed in relief.
"I’m sorry, but I only need you for a little while, then….I’m sorry." Kain thought. They approached a gateway and entered it.
A day has passed in Equestria,Warrior returned and decided to see Twilight and find a book that will tell him about the flower. Everypony smiled and waved to Warrior and were even saying 'Hello' to him Warrior said hello back, it made him feel good that the ponies no longer wished for him to leave. He took time to notice the small damages done unto Ponyville by the Emperor’s cyclone were repaired. He made it over to Twilight’s home but noticed that the window and the door were broken down. Warrior just walked right inside
"Good morning, I’m sorry for intruding." Warrior called out. "Twilight, I need….What’s going on here?" Warrior noticed that something really strange was going on, Twilight’s horn was droopy and covered in spots, while Pinkie Pie’s tongue is sticking out, because it was swollen up to where she can’t talk. Rarity’s mane appears to be in long shreds, he couldn't see her face under all the hair. Applebloom was back, with Applejack standing on her back, because she shrunk to the size of a small cherry. Rainbow Dash didn’t look affected but she was covered in fallen books and debris even Twilights ladder was wrapped around her neck, Warrior figured that maybe she lost her flight control.
"It’s Zecora!" Applejack said in a very high pitched voice. "She’s placed a curse on us!"
"Pfft siifftt tsssst!" Pinkie Pie tried to say, but Warrior couldn’t understand her.
"Will you take her down now!?" Rarity said, Warrior couldn’t tell if she was looking at him or not so he didn't respond.
"Fluttershy seems ok." Twilight pointed out. Warrior did notice that and thought that it was odd for her to appear normal despite what’s going on.
"Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her." Rarity pointed out, Fluttershy looked away as if she's hiding something.
"Fluttershy? Are you okay?" Twilight asked, Fluttershy looked away. "Is there something wrong with you?" Fluttershy nodded in response. "Would you care to tell us?" Fluttershy just squinted. "So… you’re not going to tell us?" Fluttershy nodded and everyone was starting to get annoyed by her silent treatment. "Yess you’re not, or yes you will?" Fluttershy shook her head as Applejack jumped off Applebloom and landed on Twilight’s table and galloped over to Fluttershy.
"Good gravy, girl! What's wrong with you?!" Applejack shouted trying to get Fluttershy to spit it out.
"I don’t wanna talk about it." Fluttershy said in a deep masculine voice. Everyone jumped in shock at how Fluttershy’s curse is more internal than external.
"You seem normal also!" Spike pointed to Warrior.
"Not exactly." Warrior said. "Cosmos and I found out about this earlier today." He drew his sword and it dropped down limp, as if the blade was made of rubber. "I fear I can’t fight well without my sword. I need to find away to reverse this before I have another battle."
Spike broke out, laughing uncontrollably. "This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy." Spike turned his attention to Twilight. He decided to not make up a name for Warrior, because Warrior himself wasn’t cursed. "Uh…I got nothin’…Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that."
"Hahahaha." Twilight laughed sarcastically. "This is not a joke Spike." Spike kept his eyes on Twilight’s horn and how it was flailing about. "Now start looking for more books so I can find a cure!" Spike groaned as he left to find another book. Rainbow Dash was struggling to get free of the ladder, after a couple minuets she finally did.
"I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" Rainbow Dash said. Warrior was taking noticed of Rainbow Dash’s problem as she was up in the air but was struggling to fly strait.
"It’s not a curse!" Twilight argued as Rainbow Dash accidentally launched herself backwards at one of her bookshelves.
"I agree with Dash! We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove this hex!" Applejack said.
"It’s not a hex either!" Twilight shouted.
"I fear that maybe they are correct in this." Warrior said. "Weather Zecora is behind this or not, she may know what’s going on and how to remove this." Then the group began to talk and argue with each other.
"This is all my fault. If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened. I just gotta fix this." Applebloom said to herself, feeling guilty. She turned and walked towards the door, only Applejack seems to notice her.
:Now where does she think she's goin' this time?" Applejack wondered, so she leaped from the table and landed on Applebloom’s tail the Applebloom walked out of Twilight’s without any knowledge of Applejack on her 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 said.
"Ah, mmpft!" Pinkie Pie responded.
"And I as well." Rarity said.
"Uh, I don't know. Seems awfully dangerous." Fluttershy said, Spike giggled at how funny this all was.
"How about you, Applejack?" Rainbow Dash asked but got no answer." Applejack?"
"Shssss gone!" Pinkie Pie cried.
"Aah! Or somepony stepped on her!" Rarity cried, as everyone began checking their hooves and feet.
"Or sat on her?" Twilight cried as the ponies checked their flanks and Warrior felt his behind to check for smashed Applejack.
"Rarity’s hair!" Rainbow Dash called. Pinkie Pie dashed to Rarity’s bushy mane and checked it to find Applejack.
"Oh! OH! Pinkie, what are you doing? Ah, really. Aah! You ever hear of personal space?" Rarity complained.
"Nofe!" Pinkie Pie said shaking her head.
"Applebloom is gone too!" Twilight noticed.
"I bet they went after Zecora". Rainbow Dash suggested.
"Well we better go find them. Come on girls, let's go." Twilight said as the group began marching out the door. Rainbow Dash flung herself at the floor and Pinkie Pie was standing on a strain of Rarity’s mane preventing her from moving forward.
"Oh dear." Rairty said struggling to get out from under Pinkie Pie’s hooves. "Oh, this is so unseemly." Pinkie Pie lifted her hoof and began to walk out the door. As a result Rarity flung herself out the door. "Auuuaah!"
"Hey, a little help here?" Rainbow Dash called, she upside-down attempting to get back up in the air by flapping her wings and kicking her legs, but it’s just simply pushing her across the floor.
"Oopsie sorry." Fluttershy said as both she and Pinkie Pie turned her around and lifted her back up. Rainbow Dash attempted to rise and fly again but she just uncontrollably zipped forward and crashed again.
"Uh... Spike? Are you coming?" Fluttershy asked. Spike was messing with a quill and flipping through the pages of a book.
"Nope! Uh... gotta stay here and look for a cure." Spike said nervously hiding why he’s really staying behind. "Twilight Flopple!"
The team was moving quickly through the Everfree forest to meet Zecora.
"C'mon girls. We've got to get to Zecora's. Hurry!" Twilight called. Rarity, moving with the others accidentally tripped over one of the strands in her mane and slid several feet across the ground causing many clumps of dirt and leaves to get caught in her mane.
"Ooh... Ahaha. Easier said than done." Rarity whined.
"Hey, wait for me!" Rainbow Dash called, trying hard to steady her flying. "Ohh aaa!" She crashed through a bush and smashed through many trees.
"Where’s Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. Warrior looked behind him and saw her flailing about in the trees.
"We must keep going, she’ll catch up!" Warrior advised, the others were doing just that.
They made it to a home built out of a hallowed out tree, carved into a shaped that resembled a tribal mask. With the nose being the door and windows being the eyes. Surrounding the home are wood carved idols of a foreign land.
"Oh. I look horrible!" Rarity whined seeing her mane covered in mud and leaves.
"Plis place looks horrple!" Pinkie Pie said lifting up the strains in front of Rarity’s face so she could see the home.
"Oh my. That place really does look horrible." Rarity gasped, the group stepped towards one for the windows on the back of the home, with Warrior in front. The group peered into the window to look inside. "Nice decorations, if you like creepy!" The interior contained many shelves containing books and bottles of with bottles of potions. The decorations were many tribal mask hanging on the walls. Zecora walked through the front door with a yellow jar in her mouth. The group gasped and ducked down to hide. They continued to look through the window and noticed Zecora was moving to a bubbling cauldron and she paured the contents of the jar into the cauldron, which were small pink beads. She started speaking in a foreign language.
"Is that a spell Warrior?" Rarity asked.
"That’s no form of Magick I’ve heard of, either that’s normal talking in another language, or that’s a a form of magick I have not seen yet." Warrior responded.
"See toll meh song! She toll mmph!" Pinkie Pie accused. The group turned away from the window.
"She stole your song?" Rarity asked.
"Oh Pinkie. Doesn't sound anything like your song." Twilight sighed. Pinkie wanted to sing her song again but with she couldn’t with a swollen tongue. She crawled over to Fluttershy and whimpered at her hooves. Fluttershy sighed and put on an annoyed face as she began to sing Evil Enchantress song. As Fluttershy sang, Pinkie Pie began to dance out the actions used in the song.
"She's an evil enchantress
And she does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She will put you in trances
Then what would she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Soooo... Watch out."
"You saw those terrible things. Now do you believe us Twilight?" Rairty shouted.
"Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great big bubbling cauldron?" Twilight sighed in defeat. "Everything is pointing to Zecora being... bad." Twilight quickly perked back up. "Or... what if Zecora is just making soup?"
"Mmm! The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now, where is that little Applebloom?" Zecora said tasting the cauldron’s contents.
"What if she's making Applebloom soup?" Twilight panicked, the rest of the ponies began screaming in fear. A spike of pain hit Warrior in his head. He reacted quickly by placing his hand to his forehead.
"Are you ok Warrior?" Twililight said concerned for Warrior.
"Yes, just a headache." Warrior said shaking it off.
"AAAHHH!" The voice of Rainbow Dash screamed. The team looked up and noticed Rainbow Dash flying uncontrollably and had reigns on her face made of twigs and leaves and as it turned out Applejack was riding on her.
"I’m comin’ for ya, Applebloom!" Applejack called out. They both crashed through Zecora’s front door and Zecora shouted something in her native language. They both kept crashing into things inside the home. "Whoa there. Easy, Rainbow Crash." Zecora started yelling at them in her native language. The others broke the door open and stared Zecora down.
"What have you done with Applebloom?" Twilight demanded.
"No! No!" Zecora shouted, continuing to shout in her native language. Applejack got a piece of string and tied it into a lasso she swung it and caught Zecora’s left ear. She leaped from Rainbow Dash and onto Zecora and started wrestling with her ear. Zecora couldn’t feel anything, in fact she decided to ignore it and shout at Rainbow Dash who was still crashing into things around her home.
Zecora turned her attention to the group. "Ponies! What is this you..." Rainbow Dash suddenly crashed into Zecora’s cauldron, knocking it over and spilled its contents all over the floor. Zecora boiled up in anger. "No! You know not what you do! You've gone and spilled my precious brew!"
"We're onto you Zecora. I didn't want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!" Twilight accused.
"You made me look ridiculous!" Rarity shouted.
"You made me sound ridiculous!" Fluttershy shouted.
"Blep blep bep!" Pinkie Pie tried to say.
"You ruined my horn!" Twilight shouted.
"I may not be able to say it was you, but as Twilight said, the evidence is overwhelming." Warrior said staring Zecora down. He pulled out his sword and it drooped down. "My means of attack has been disabled!"
"How dare you! You destroy my home, destroy my work. Then rudely accuse me of being a jerk?" Zecora yelled. Warrior clutched his head again as he received another headache.
"You put this curse on us, now you're gonna uncurse us." Rainbow Dash ordered.
"It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode!" Zecora warned.
"Where is Applebloom!?" Twilight demanded.
"Zecora! I think I found all the things ya asked for." Applebloom called walking through the door and noticing that her home is wrecked. "What in Ponyville is goin' on here?"
"Applebloom! You're okay!" Applejack gasped.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Applebloom giggled.
"Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!" Twilight accused. Applebloom and Zecora stared at each other and started to laugh.
"Oh Twilight. Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head? You know there's no such thing as a curse." Applebloom laughed.
"Not as far I’m concerned." Warrior grunted, still clutching his head.
"Applebloom, sweetie. You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse". Twilight said pointing to the others.
"This isn't a curse." Applebloom pointed out.
"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact." Zecora spoke, the others remembered what she said about leaves of blue.
"It was a warnin'. About that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke". Applebloom explained.
"That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke." Zecora explained further.
"Of course! That’s why my sword is droopy. It was the only part of me that made significant contact with the Poison Joke!" Warrior explained.
"What in the hay does that mean?" Applejack asked.
"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead this plant just wants a laugh." Zecora explained.
"Will somepony please talk normal?" Applejack yelled.
"I think what she's saying is that when we ran in to save Applebloom, we ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes that played on us." Twilight explained.
"LITTLE JOKES?! Very funny." Applejack shouted unamused.
"Ok, fine. 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." Zecora explained. She pointed to two identical tribal mask one was painted blue. "This one speaks ‘hello’ and this ‘welcome." The other mask was painted green.
"Not welcoming at all, if you ask me". Rarity scoffed.
"The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme." Zecora explained further. Warrior clutched his head again.
"Warrior what’s wrong?" Fluttershy asked walking next to him.
"I don’t know." He said, he quickly shook his head and stood up strait.
"But the cauldron... The Applebloom soup?" Twilight asked.
"Lookie here Twilight. That pot of water wasn't for me, it was for all these herbal ingredients. The cure for poison joke is a simple old-natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!" Applebloom explained. Twilight walked over to an open book that explained the cure. Applebloom scooped up Applejack from Zecora’s head.
"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 closed the book and Twilight’s eyes bugged out.
"Here is the book you see. Sad that you lack it in your library." Zecora sighed. Twilight lowered herself in shame.
"Actually, I do have this book, but I didn't look inside because the title was so... Weird. 'Supernaturals: Natural remedies and cure-alls that are simply super.' I...I... I'm so sorry Zecora. I had the answer the whole time, if only I had bothered to look inside." Zecora laughed at the irony.
"Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book." Zecora suggested. Warrior clutched his head and dropped to his knees. "Young knight, a problem ails you, tell us. For your friends want to help you." Zecoa said to Warrior. Warrior looked at the others and was noticing the looks of great concern on their faces.
"Something is going through my memories, I can’t say what but after meeting you Zecora. I feel as if I met someone who speaks the same way as you do." Warrior explained.
"Maybe it can help you remember your name!" Rarity said happily.
"I don’t think so, this just tells me about someone I’ve met before." Warrior explained.
"Signs of the past make the future clearer, the answers you seek are defiantly nearer." Zecora added.
"Zecora? Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?" Twilight asked.
"Mix it up I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville." Zecora said.
"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed." Applebloom added.
"Oh, well... I think we can help you with that." Twilight smiled.
"Do not worry." Warrior said. "I will try to convince the citizens of Ponyville about your innocents." Warrior said. The group left with Zecora and Applebloom and returned to Ponyville.
At Memoria, Kain decided to strike now.
"Firion, go on ahead without me." Kain said to Firion.
"What’s the matter Kain?" Firion looking at him with concern.
"I feel an enemy’s presence behind us. We’ll be in poor shape if we’re surrounded." Kain explained.
"Understood. Leave the front to me." Firion said readying his weapons.
"Very well. I’m counting on you." Kain said. "Please forgive me." He thought. He jumped up in the air and to Firion’s surprise, Kain landed on Firion striking him in the head with his lance, putting him down and out.
"Kain, but-why?" Firion said weakly.
"Forgive me." Kain said. "Our hope must live on, for the next battle."
"You fell your friends, and yet you refuse to sell yourself to their enemies." Said an evil voice. The a few feet away the evil being, who’s been fused with a tree. The evil lord Exdeath appeared. He stood really tall with blue armor with a helmet that blackened his face. He carried a gold blade that he tends to use as a cane to stand on.
"You again." Kain said disgusted.
"Tell me now…Where do you mean to take that warrior?" Exdeath asked.
"What is it to you?" Kain countered, Then he looked at Firion. "You wish to deliver the felling stroke for me? I have no intention of revealing my allies’ location. Fallow me as you will. You’ll learn nothing." Kain readied his lance for battle and Exdeath readied his blade to fight Kain.
Back in Equestria the group agreed to meet at the Spa later to receive the treatment. Warrior decided to break away and head over to Mayor Mare’s at city hall. He knocked on the door and was answered by an Earth Pony attendant who guided Warrior to Mayor Mare’s office. She sat at her desk filling out forms. She perked her head up when Warrior came through the door.
"Oh hello Warrior, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Mayor Mare asked.
"I’m here to reassure the citizens of Ponyville that the visitor known as Zecora means no harm and we should welcome her into Ponyville." Warrior explained.
"Finally." Mayor Mare sighed happily. "I always wanted to find a way to prove that she’s harmless, but I was also afraid of her and thanks to you, I guess I can release a conference to let everyone know about Zecora."
"Twilight Sparkle and her friends are the ones who figured this out, don’t give me too much credit." Warrior explained.
"Well, thank you all for this anyway." Mayor Mare nodded."I will make an address and welcome Zecora." Warrior nodded and turned around and walked out of city hall and he began walking to the Spa to rejoin the others. Along the way he began to think about the person that Zecora reminded him of.
"This person also speaks in rhyme, who is it? A person of my mysterious life? A lost Comrade in arms?" Warrior thought. He came out of his thoughts when he walked up to the front door of the ‘Ponyville Day Spa.’ He walked through the door and heard the calming muzak playing in the background. The lobby was wide and lightly colored. A long reception desk, with a long stream of chairs some with ponies waiting their turn to use the facilities or waiting to make an appointment.
"Hello Warrior." A Pink colored pony with foreign accent said. She had a blue mane tied by a white band, she also had slanted blue eyes and had a white lotus blossom for a cutie mark. She was accessorized with a white band around her neck with a pink dot in the center.
"This is my first time here. I’m looking for a group of steeds led by Twilight Sparkle." Warrior explained.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Aloe." The pink pony said. "Your friends are inside the bathing room with my friend Lotus Blossom, we run this Spa together. This way please!" Aloe led Warrior down a corridor with a steam cloud flowing out of it. He could hear the voices of the others carrying on conversations.
He passed through the door to the room and noticed the others are sitting in a tub of warm water. Twilight’s horn was back to normal as well as Rarity’s mane. "Hello Warrior!" Twilight called.
"AAAAH! Rarity cried, dunking deep in the water. She lifted her head out and glared at Warrior. "Get out at once! We’re bathing!" The others started glaring at her.
"Nice to see your hair and horn are back to normal". Warrior noted.
"Don’t mind her." Pinkie Pie said looking at Rarity. Her mouth was also back to normal.
"Excuse me." Warrior said drawing his sword and walking towards the bath. The others back away as Warror dipped his sword into the water. He pulled it back out again and the sword is strait, sharp, and hard once again. Warrior took a leaf out of his pocket and held it above the blade and let it go. The leaf fell onto the blade and sliced in half. Warrior seethed his weapon.
"Miss Zecora. I would love to get the recipe for this bath. It's simply luxurious!" An earth pony asked. She looked almost identical to Aloe, even has the same cutie mark, accessories, accent, and eye color. However her mane was blue and her hair was pink. Warrior didn’t have to guess in order to know that this was Lotus Blossom.
"Applejack! Hey, where's Applejack?!" Applebloom cried. The others gasped and started splashing in the water in order to find her.
"I'm right here little sis. I ain't tiny no more!" Applejack called, sticking out of a bucket with the bath in it.
"I have never felt so lovely in all my life!" Rarity cooed relaxing in the bath.
"Oh my gosh! 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 'cause my tongue was all 'ehhhh'." Pinkie Pie rambled sticking out her tongue. "It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?"
"Yes." Fluttershy replied in her normal voice. The others, except Warrior began to laugh at what a day they had.
At the Old Chaos Shrine The Emperor, Ultimecia, and Garland were having a meeting.
"So, were those horses too much for you?" Ultimecia asked.
"Don’t mock me!" The Emperor snapped.
"It seems maybe we were right before, when we made the mistake of underestimating their power." Garland suggested.
"They still have the reports. We get them, we get our answers." The Emperor said.
"Chaos is furious about your defeat at Equestria." Garland said to the Emperor. "However he understands that these horses really do have power, and we need to not underestimate it!"
"Don’t worry, I will see to that we will get our answers without the reports." Ultimecia stated. But first, we still have to contend with the Warriors of Cosmos, it appears that they are trying to stop the manikins."