Chapter 4
The Everfree Forest
As the others quickly glanced around, Applejack disappeared back inside the library. A moment later, she stuck her head outside. "Uh, Twi, can ya come here a minute?"
"What is it?" Twilight asked as she stepped back inside.
Instead of answering, Applejack pointed a hoof to the other side of the room, where Fluttershy lay huddled against a wall, ears drooping as she stared at the floor.
Worried, Twilight trotted hurriedly to her. "Fluttershy...what's wrong?" As she drew near, she glimpsed a tear roll down Fluttershy's snout and fall to the wooden floor. "Why are you crying, are you hurt?"
Covering her face with her hooves, Fluttershy took a deep, shaky breath, then leaped into the air. Hovering a foot off the ground, she gave them a cocky smile. "I'm not crying, I just had something in my eye. We ready to go then? Great, let's go."
As Fluttershy dashed toward the door, Twilight quickly grabbed her tail with her magic as she passed. Coming to an abrupt halt, the Pegasus hung upside down in mid-air. After a moment, Twilight released her, causing her to fall in an awkward pile on the floor.
"Sorry about that, Fluttershy," Twilight said with an apologetic tone. "But you need to tell us what's wrong. I can't even imagine how confused you must be, but you can't keep anything inside, you have to talk to us. Too much has happened today for you to try to handle it all by yourself."
Sitting up, Fluttershy looked from Twilight to Applejack, and then turned her gaze to the floor. "I remember everything."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
"I remember who I was, er, am...whatever," Fluttershy replied. "I remember that I'm scared of everything. Everything."
"Oh, come off it now. You're not scared of everythin'," Applejack assured her.
"I'm afraid of heights, and the dark, and loud noises. I'm afraid of being laughed at, of what others think of me, of standing up for myself. Once, my own shadow surprised me and I hid before I realized what it was. And most of all, I'm afraid of disappointing all of you, my friends." Lifting her head, her face a mask of shame, she concluded, "I think that pretty much covers everything."
Unsure of what to say, Twilight and Applejack remained silent as Fluttershy continued.
"Earlier, when I was doing those stunts, I loved the feel of the wind blowing through my mane, the adrenaline pumping through my veins, how could I have been so scared of flying? I think of the dragon migration, and it sounds totally awesome, I don't understand how it could have frightened me." Hanging her head miserably, Fluttershy added, "I don't know why you're all my friends, it must be a real pain in the rump to always deal with such a scaredy-pony."
"Oh, Fluttershy..." Twilight said quietly, wanting nothing more than to be able to ease her friend's sorrow.
"Now, sugar cube, that ain't right at all," Applejack stated.
"But, the way I was-"
"The way ya are is the way ya need to be for us to love ya," Applejack interrupted. "We don't need no fearless Fluttershy flyin' around. We need our timid, shy, wonderful Fluttershy, no other will ever do. We all love ya exactly for who ya are, and not a one of us has ever wished you were anypony else."
"Really?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded earnestly. "Really. I've always been honored to count you as my friend, and I truly treasure those moments when I was there to witness you overcome a fear. And like Applejack said, I love you dearly, for who you are."
Fluttershy sniffled. "Now look, I went and got all sappy."
Applejack smiling kindly. "And we won't tell a soul, will we Twilight?"
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Twilight agreed, reciting Pinkie Pie's sacred oath.
"Thanks." Fluttershy said, her ears perking back up as she smiled self-consciously. "Both of you."
Applejack headed for the door. "Now, let's get out there and make that no good tree put our friends back right."
"Is everything all right?" Rarity asked as they stepped back outside.
Nodding, Twilight glanced over at Fluttershy, who had just taken to the air. Knowing that she probably wanted to be alone, Twilight told her, "Meet us at your cottage. We'll be there shortly."
"Will do," Fluttershy called as she shot through the sky, narrowly missing Flitter and Cloudchaser, and causing them to spin-out.
As they recovered, Flitter asked, incredulously, "Was that Fluttershy?!"
Mouth hanging open in disbelief, Cloudchaser didn't answer as she watched Fluttershy rocket off into the distance.
Noticing Rarity's frown, Applejack quickly explained, "Fluttershy's never been able to fly like that before, it's a new and excitin' experience for her. I don't blame her for wanting to go off on her own and enjoy it while she can."
"Of course." Rarity smiled, obviously satisfied with Applejack's explanation.
As the others started down the street, Twilight lingered a moment longer, staring up at the sky where she had last seen Fluttershy.
After a few moments, she hurried to catch up with her friends.
Feeling somewhat depressed, Twilight couldn't stop thinking about Fluttershy. The spell was taxing her far more than the other two. Rainbow Dash didn't really seem to mind the change, and at worst, Pinkie Pie was just having an awful day. However, Fluttershy was being forced to face all of her flaws and fears. Having the personality of a pony as proud and brave as Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy would undoubtedly beat herself up for all of her shortcomings. Twilight hoped that they could make the Sleeping Weeping Willow change her back before her suffering could get any worse.
"Do you really think the willow will change us back?" Pinkie Pie asked suddenly, causing Twilight to start. Seeing her jump, Pinkie Pie turned her eyes to the ground. "Oh, I scared you. I-I'm sorry."
"You're fine, I was just thinking," Twilight reassured her. "And, yes, I do think it will turn you back."
"That's good," Pinkie Pie said with a shy smile. "I really look forward to being myself again, and the sooner the better. I'm going to have to make an extra special party for poor Silver Spoon. She was so upset that I forgot her birthday, I feel so terrible."
"You'll make it up to her, and she'll be the happiest foal in Ponyville."
"I know that ordinarily, I would be excited about throwing this party," Pinkie Pie stated as her gaze rose to the sky. "But right now, all I feel is anxiety about all the preparations that I'm going to need."
"But by tomorrow, you'll be your old self, and preparing a party will be as easy as pie for you."
Pinkie Pie giggled softly. "Easy as pie, you're funny, Twilight."
What Twilight would never admit to Pinkie Pie was that she wasn't entirely sure the Sleeping Weeping Willow would help them. Honestly, she wondered, what would they do if it simply refused? They could threaten it, maybe start a fire nearby, but were they really willing to do something like that? Even if it was to help their friends, Twilight couldn't help but think that it would be wrong to threaten the tree.
As they left the town and headed west toward Fluttershy's cottage, they passed Daisy returning with a basketful of plants. Smiling pleasantly and greeting them as she passed, Daisy suddenly tripped over a rock and fell in a heap, her basket bouncing on the ground and spilling her precious plants.
Without hesitation, Pinkie Pie dashed forward and began picking up the plants and placing them neatly in the basket while Twilight helped Daisy back up. "Here you go," the Earth pony said in a cheerful voice as she gave Daisy the basket.
Daisy gave her an appreciative grin. "Thank you so much, Pinkie."
"Anything to bring a smile to one of my friends." Pinkie Pie smiled brightly.
Giggling, Daisy called, "You're the best Pinkie," as Pinkie Pie pranced away. Turning to Twilight, who was staring at Pinkie Pie with her mouth hung open, Daisy asked, "Are you okay?"
Instead of answering, Twilight rushed after Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie, you're back to normal! How did you do it!?"
Cringing at Twilight's loud voice, Pinkie Pie fell back. "Do what?"
Twilight felt her heart sink. "You were just your old self back there."
"I was?"
Didn't you notice?" When Pinkie Pie slowly shook her head, Twilight continued, "You helped Daisy pick up her plants."
"Yeah, I guess I did," Pinkie Pie agreed quietly.
"But, why?" Twilight insisted.
Eyes growing wide, Pinkie Pie hung her head as her ears drooped sadly. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I helped Daisy because I thought she needed it, but I didn't know it would upset you so much."
Appalled, Twilight shook her head. "No, I'm not mad Pinkie, it's good that you helped Daisy. I'm just asking because you were your true self back there, but now you're not."
"I'm sorry I can't help you," Pinkie Pie replied unhappily.
Although her heart ached for her friend, Twilight smiled warmly. "Don't be sorry, Pinkie, it isn't your fault. We'll figure this out soon enough."
"I hope so," Pinkie Pie said gloomily as she turned and followed the others down the dirt road.
What had just happened? Twilight went over the last couple of minutes again and again, but could not figure it out. For a moment, she had been the real Pinkie Pie, but now she was definitely Fluttershy again. How could her true personality have surfaced so suddenly? And why had it gone away again?
Lost in thoughts that were consumed with doubt and worry, Twilight wasn't even aware that they had arrived at their destination until she stepped onto the small bridge that spanned the stream in front of Fluttershy's cottage.
Looking up, she found Fluttershy lounging on a cloud, completely stretched out with her head hanging over the edge as she gazed down at them. Simply sliding off the cloud headfirst, Fluttershy allowed herself to fall. Spreading her wings, she swooped just before hitting the ground, causing all of them to duck as she passed overhead. With a small loop, she landed expertly beside Applejack.
Remembering Cheerilee, Twilight approached the cottage and knocked on the front door. Opening the door, Cheerilee smiled upon seeing them. "Oh, good. Looks like you found them."
"Yes, but thank you so much for your help," Twilight replied.
"Oh, no trouble at all, it was fun really." Indicating Angel, who was sitting on the floor surrounded by several paper bunnies, Cheerilee grinned. "Angel here was teaching me origami."
"Really? Huh...well, anyway, you can go on back to town now. And thanks again for everything."
Smiling happily, Cheerilee trotted away. Once she had crossed the bridge, she waved a hoof in the air and pleasantly called back, "You all have a wonderful day now."
Once she was out of sight, the six friends made their way to the edge of the Everfree Forest.
Trailing behind the others, Twilight watched as Pinkie Pie began to slow her pace, allowing the others to pull ahead of her. Trotting up beside her, Twilight said, "You've got to do this, Pinkie. We need your help to find the tree."
Standing in silence and visibly shaking, Pinkie Pie stared at the great expanse of trees that lay ahead. After a few moments, Twilight coaxed her on. "I understand that you're scared, Pinkie, but I know you can do this. If not for yourself, then do it for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash."
Suddenly standing tall, with ears perked up and head held high, Pinkie Pie stated, "You're right. My friends are counting on me to guide them to that tree. I can't let them down, no matter how afraid I am." With a look of determination, Pinkie Pie marched toward the forest, followed by a beaming Twilight.
"Oh, I despise nature," Rarity complained, stepping carefully around a mud puddle. "It's so grimy, and icky, and," she paused to watch a bug buzz past her face, "and naturey."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Don't be so prissy. We got enough to worry about without your complainin'."
"You know what nature is good for?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"What?" inquired Rarity.
"FUN!" shouted Rainbow Dash. Jumping up and grabbing a vine, she swung and slammed into the thick trunk of a tree. Landing on her back next to a large, hollow log, Rainbow Dash rolled onto her stomach, and gave Rarity a sly smile as she crawled inside. "I bet you can't find me!" she called, her voice echoing from inside the log.
With a snort of annoyance, Rarity started toward the log. "Don't be ridiculous, Rainbow Dash, I just saw you go in the..." She trailed off as she peered into the empty log.
"SURPRISE!" Rainbow Dash screamed gleefully, hanging upside down from a branch overhead, her face swinging inches away from Rarity's.
With a cry of surprise, Rarity stumbled backward and tripping on a root, fell back on her rump. "But I...how did...I saw..." Closing her eyes to gather her thoughts as Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground grinning broadly, Rarity asked, "How did you do that?"
Giggling, Rainbow Dash skipped away as the others laughed. After a short moment, Rarity joined in, despite her embarrassment.
As Pinkie Pie, still laughing, took the lead, Twilight stuck close to her friend's side. Although she could hear the Earth pony's heavy breathing, Pinkie Pie maintained the same determined expression she had entered the forest with.
Smiling, Twilight realized that this was precisely the kind of moment she had told Fluttershy about in the library. The fact that it was actually Pinkie Pie meant little to her, it was Fluttershy's meek and timid character that was overcoming her fear, and Twilight couldn't have felt more proud of her.
Dark and foreboding, the deep stillness of the forest was unsettling, and at times it felt as if the trees were closing in around them. All six ponies walked as closely together as they could without bumping into one another, all of their eyes scanning the forest around them nervously.
Although Twilight entered the Everfree Forest often to buy her favorite tea from Zecora, a Zebra sage who lived within the forest, it still unnerved her to be here.
This forest didn't work like the rest of Equestria, it seemed to have its own rules. From time to time, Twilight would be sure that she felt something, a sort of ancient, primal energy that perhaps was the governing force here, but it slipped away every time she tried to focus on it, like an untightened saddle on a galloping pony. As talented as she was in the uses of the magical arts, Twilight was unable to understand the strange magic that seemed to flitter through the air, surrounding her and yet, remaining unseen.
Recalling her last experience with this presence, Twilight startled herself when she stepped on a twig that snapped in two. The others gasped in fright as well, but Pinkie Pie who had already been tense, gave a small shriek and dropped to the ground, covering her eyes with her hooves.
"Oh, come off of it!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "It was just a twig!"
"She was just startled," Twilight said in Pinkie Pie's defense. "We all were."
"I wasn't," Fluttershy grumbled as she took to the air and flew ahead.
Helping Pinkie Pie stand up, Rarity gave Twilight a puzzled look. "What was that about?"
"Probably just her nerves," Twilight lied. In truth, she believed that Fluttershy was trying to be overly brave in order to feel better about her insecurities, but Twilight was reluctant to share this with Rarity, as she feared it would break the promise she had made in the library.
Watching Fluttershy land several yards away and dig at the dirt with her hoof irritably, Pinkie Pie hung her head and continued forward.
"Don't you let Fluttershy bother ya none," Applejack said as she trotted alongside Pinkie Pie and matched her pace. "She doesn't mean it, not really. Neither one of ya ain't feelin' like your normal selves, and if the two of ya can't get along, it ain't either of your fault. Anyway, y'all will be put back right soon enough, once we find that tree."
"You're right," Pinkie Pie said with a small smile. "Thanks, Applejack."
Although she stood a little straighter, and held her head a little higher, Pinkie Pie avoided Fluttershy's gaze as they caught up with the agitated mare. Looking as though she regretted how she had acted, Fluttershy stepped aside to allow Pinkie Pie to pass, then quietly followed behind her.
Continuing deeper into the Everfree Forest, the six ponies traveled in complete silence.
Having awoken shortly after day break in order to get an early start on her morning chores, and then rushing off to help Cheerilee at the school, it wasn't long before Twilight began feeling the effects of fatigue. She also realized that she was starving, as her only meal had been the breakfast she had eaten before beginning her chores. Miserably, she trotted on, wanting nothing more than to find the Sleeping Weeping Willow and put an end to all of this before it got too late.
Before long, the ground to their left began to slope downward until it became a steep hill, and rounding a bend, they found a large mud puddle laying across their path. Without hesitation, Pinkie Pie trotted straight through, followed closely by the others.
Once across, Twilight turned to check on Rarity, who she knew usually avoided mud at all costs, and found her still standing on the other side of the puddle.
"Come on, Rarity," Twilight coaxed. "I know you hate getting your hooves messy, but it won't be for long. Before you know it, we'll be back in Ponyville and you'll be able to clean them."
Rarity stared at the mud with a deep frown. "Absolutely not. I, like any other sophisticated lady, do not muck around in...well...muck."
"You can do it," Rainbow Dash urged, hopping into the center of the mud puddle, and prancing around in a small circle. "You see, it isn't that bad."
Retreating from the splatters of mud that Rainbow Dash was creating, Rarity turned her head away from them, and closing her eyes, replied, "I will not trudge around in this filth like some common mule."
"Please, Rarity," Pinkie Pie pleaded softly. "Will you do it for your friends? For...me?"
Upon hearing Pinkie Pie's gentle, sweet tone, one of Rarity's eyes popped open and studied her for a moment. Lowering her head, she stepped to the edge of the mud puddle. "Oh, of course I would do it for you, darling," Rarity said affectionately. "After all, it is only some mud."
As Pinkie Pie grinned with pleasure, Rarity took a hesitant step into the mud, grimacing as her hoof sank into the cold muck. Once she had all four hooves in, she paused and shuddered visibly. Trotting through the puddle, she held her head straight up with her nose fully extended into the air, as if she were at risk of drowning.
Moving in this way, Rarity was unable to see that she was approaching the steep slope until the others shouted to her in warning. Spotting the slope before her, Rarity tried to stop too abruptly, and slipping in the mud, went over the edge and slid down on her rump. Just as she opened her mouth to cry out, a spider's web slapped her in the face, causing her to sputter and brush at it frantically as she slid onto a patch of sand, and immediately began sinking.
Up to her forelegs in quicksand, Rarity looked at her friends above. "Oh, now this is just simply dreadful! Can you imagine how matted down and tangled this sand is going to make my coat? Not to mention-"
"Hold on, Rarity, I'm a comin'!" Applejack yelled, sliding expertly down the slope. Coming to a halt beside the quicksand, Applejack quickly jumped up and catching a branch in her mouth, snapped it off with a powerful twist of her neck. "Grab hold, and I'll pull ya to safety."
Once Rarity got a tight grip on the branch, Applejack pulled her from the quicksand and helped her up.
"Ugh, what revolting glop," Rarity complained as she shook a clump of sand and mud from her hoof. Glancing up at Applejack, she added, "Oh, uh, thanks, Applejack."
Applejack sighed. "C'mon, let's get ya back up this hill."
Staying directly behind her, Applejack helped Rarity up the slope. As they neared the top, Twilight and Rainbow Dash gripped Rarity's hooves and together pulled her back up.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie lunged forward and embraced Rarity. "Oh Rarity!" she cried. "I was so worried!"
Freeing herself from Pinkie Pie's grip, Rarity moaned. "Yes, but, would you look at me? I have twigs and leaves in my mane, I'll have to style it all over again, and I'll have to wash my tail! Do you know how long it takes to get these tight little curls just right? And my hooves-"
"Land sakes!" Applejack exclaimed to Twilight with a grimace. "What with all of her apparent sufferin' and all, it might have been more kindly for us to have let her sink."
Unable to help herself, Twilight giggled at Applejack's remark, but was soon startled by a scream. Turning, Twilight saw a spider dangling from Rarity's mane, swinging back and forth in front of her sapphire eyes.
"Get it off me, get it off me!" Rarity cried, trotting in place anxiously.
Horn glowing magenta, Twilight plucked the spider from Rarity's mane by its legs and sat it gently on the ground, where it quickly scurried away.
"Yuck," Rarity shivered. "It still feels like it's crawling around on me, are you sure there was just one?"
"Seriously, Rarity," Fluttershy snapped, obviously fed up with the Unicorn's fussing. "Enough already! What's a bug gonna do to you anyway?"
Turning to Fluttershy and sticking her nose into the air, Rarity said, "No bug has any business being in the mane of anypony that is as well-groomed and fabulous as I. Besides, its unsanitary, who knows what the little heathen was doing in there?"
"Oh, that's all?" Fluttershy cocked an eyebrow. "You weren't scared?"
Flipping her mane, Rarity replied, "Scared? Of course not. I was...concerned that it might get lost in my mane. Could you imagine my shame if I were talking to somepony in town and a spider just popped out of my mane? Why, something like that could ruin my reputation as a sophisticated lady, or even my career."
"I don't believe you. I think you were scared," Fluttershy stated with a smirk. "Scared. Of a tiny, harmless bug."
Glaring at the Pegasus, Rarity retorted, "I don't care what you think. You may be my friend, but that doesn't mean that I need to impress you with my bravery or any such nonsense. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Rarity strutted past Fluttershy, head held high and refusing to meet her gaze.
Studying Fluttershy as she angrily kicked a rock, Twilight wondered what was happening to her friend. Pinkie Pie was acting just as Fluttershy would, and Rainbow Dash was acting just as Pinkie Pie would, but Fluttershy wasn't acting like her old self or Rainbow Dash. It was as if she were becoming somepony else altogether, somepony that Twilight already wasn't very fond of.
The six friends pressed on, but after only a couple of minutes, Pinkie Pie came to a slow halt. Pointing with a hoof, she told them, "That's the log that Fluttershy jumped over right before she crashed into me." Turning to the steep slope to their left, she continued, "And that's where we fell."
While Rarity and Pinkie Pie began to descend the slope with the help of Twilight and Applejack, Fluttershy swooped down to the bottom and sat, watching them impatiently. Near the bottom, Rarity slipped and slid the remainder of the way, and once Applejack had helped her to her hooves, they all turned and looked up at Rainbow Dash expectantly. Seeing that the slope was clear, Rainbow Dash dove onto the hill and slid down on her back, giggling the entire way down.
Standing up and grinning broadly, she exclaimed, "That was fun!"
Turning to Pinkie Pie, Twilight found her sitting on the ground, trembling with her ears laid flat and her eyes wide, staring into the brush ahead of them. As Twilight moved to stand beside her, Pinkie Pie said, "The tree is right through those bushes, but...do I have to go?"
"Yes Pinkie, we all do," Twilight answered gently. She then addressed the others. "All right, girls, the Sleeping Weeping Willow is on the other side of these bushes. Now, everypony remember to avoid looking at its eyes at all costs." Once the other five had all nodded their understanding, she concluded, "Let's go."
Trampling through the brush, Twilight immediately saw the enormous tree and the unmistakable face on its trunk, just as her book had described.
Twilight marveled at the amount of space under its drooping branches. If the Golden Oaks Library were under its spanning reach, and she were standing at the observation balcony at its top, she wouldn't even reach halfway up the tree. Heck, the entire Town Square, complete with the Town Hall, could easily fit under here.
After a moment in which the ponies studied the massive tree with wonder, Twilight approached the face on its trunk uncertainly. "Um, excuse me. We would like to speak with you for a moment." When the eyes remained closed, she continued, "Hello, could you wake up? We really need your help."
"Leave this to me," Fluttershy said, then she shot into the air and dove straight for the trunk. Just before colliding with the tree, Fluttershy quickly flipped and kicked the trunk solidly with both rear legs.
As Fluttershy landed next to Twilight, the Sleeping Weeping Willow's eyes suddenly popped open, causing all six friends to gasp and quickly look elsewhere.
"Sorry to have woken you so rudely," Twilight apologized, staring at her hooves. "But we really need to talk to you. You see-"
"Oh, why must everything that comes by here wake me up?" the Sleeping Weeping Willow asked in a surprisingly high pitched voice. "All I want to do is sleep. Is that really too much to ask?"
"No, of course not," Twilight hastily replied. "But, you see, my friends were here earlier and they accidently woke you up, and you cast a spell on them that changed them."
"Ah, I get it. You think the big nasty tree purposefully hurt your friends, is that it?" the willow asked in the voice that belied its massive size.
"Well, uh..." Twilight hesitated, unsure what to say. "We were just hoping that you could remove the spell, or at least tell us what the spell is so I can come up with a counter spell."
With a huge sigh that blew her mane away from her face, the tree exclaimed, "It's always the same! Every time somepony comes by and gets hypnotized by my beautiful eyes they come here blaming me!" Suddenly, Twilight realized why the willow's voice was so high pitched despite its size. It was whining. "It's just not fair! I don't mean for these things to happen, it's just the effect I have on other creatures! It's not my fault!"
Twilight and Applejack exchanged worried glances. If the tree was telling the truth, then it couldn't help them break the spell.
"What the hay do you mean it isn't your fault?!" Fluttershy demanded, eyes turned up to the branches above. "You did this to us, why can't you fix us?!"
"You think I want this to happen?" the Sleeping Weeping Willow whined. "You think I intentionally do this to ponies so that they can come back here and keep me awake by accusing me of things?"
Standing perfectly still with her eyes squeezed shut, Rarity was not paying much attention to the conversation. Recalling what Pinkie Pie had said about the tree's eyes, she longed for a look at them. She had made them sound so enticing! Having a deep love and appreciation of all things that were beautiful, Rarity could rarely resist temptation. Honestly, she thought to herself, what harm could come from just one quick glance?
Slowly opening one eye, Rarity was immediately lost in the deep pools of amber, and before she knew what had happened, she was asleep on the soft grass.
"Rarity!" Applejack cried, rushing over to her fallen friend. "Are you okay?" After spending a moment patting Rarity's cheek and gently shaking her, Applejack rounded on the tree. As soon as she caught sight of its amber gaze, she quickly closed her eyes and shouted, "What did you do to her?!"
"Oh, it's happened again!" the Sleeping Weeping Willow wailed. Feeling something splashing against her hooves, Twilight realized that the tree was crying. "It's just not fair! Now you'll never stop bothering me, and all I want to do is sleep! O, woe is me! O, woe is me!"
Looking extremely annoyed, Applejack said, "C'mon y'all, let's get outta here. This whining willow isn't gonna help us. It's more of a drama queen than Rarity."
Disheartened, the friends turned from the sobbing tree, and along with a floating Rarity that glowed with a magenta light, returned through the brush and climbed back up the slope.
Gently setting the Unicorn on the ground, Twilight sat down heavily as a worried Pinkie Pie lay her head on Rarity's chest while Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy all sat together on the log. All of them watched Rarity with a defeated silence, wondering how long it would take her to awaken.
Surprisingly, after only a few minutes, Rarity stirred and reached up to touch her mane. "All right, which one of you all did up my mane all fancy like while I was sleeping?" Glancing back at her tail, she added, "My tail too? How long did it take you all to get those curls just so?"
"Celestia's mane," Applejack said with horror. "She's got my personality now, don't she?"