Dear Princess Celestia,
I wish I was writing this letter under happier circumstances. First of all, let me assure you that no harm has befallen me or any of my friends, but the situation is Both my friends and I are fine, but a certain situation has come to my attention, and I feel that I should inform you.
This morning, my friend Applejack asked me to help her with a prob an earth mare woke up with a dire problem. Golden Harvest, a local farmer found that her cutie mark had vanished. I know this sounds outlandish, but it is the truth.
While I initially took it upon myself to try and solve this issue, I’ve found dead end after dead end. I’ve done my best to find an explanation for this situation, but since my initial analysis didn’t turn up any results, I decided to ask for help my friend Applejack contacted the local hospital and they’re doing their best to find an answer.
Still, I thought it would be better if I should inform you about the current developments and anything new that we may
What do I do?
"This isn’t working," Twilight said with a sigh as she crumpled the piece of parchment with her magic and threw it in a nearby bin.
She had been writing non-stop since she arrived at the library, but she still couldn’t find the right words to convey all her worries and doubts. Her first priority was to inform the Princess about Golden Harvest’s situation, of course, and that measures had already been taken regarding that but... At the same time she couldn’t decide whether or not to share her suspicions about other possible afflicted ponies.
Ultimately, she decided to share only what she knew, since she didn't want her paranoia to exacerbate things. Besides, she wished this problem could be solved without taking more… extreme measures.
“You know,” said a voice that pulled Twilight from her trance, “I’m always willing to help you write to the Princess.”
Twilight turned away from her desk and saw Spike walking towards her with a small smile on his face. Stopping next to her, the small dragon rested a claw on her shoulder. “It’s kind of what I do,” he finished with a shrug.
The dragon’s words managed to put a faint smile on Twilight’s face. She drew a new piece of parchment before turning around to face her assistant.
“I know, Spike, I just needed to clear my mind.” Twilight looked at the bin full of discarded letters and sighed. “I’ve been trying to decide how to tell the Princess about what happened today but I don’t really know anything concrete beyond—” She stopped abruptly as the words died on her throat, she then gave a sigh and looked through the window.
“Golden Harvest losing her cutie mark?” ventured Spike.
“Yeah,” Twilight sighed and walked towards her balcony. “I still have a hard time believing what happened, much less even trying to understand how or even why it happened.”
“I just hope we can find a solution soon," she said, staring longingly at the sky.
The stillness of the night enveloped her as she stepped outside. She looked at the overcast sky in silence, the rain had stopped just a moment ago, and the clouds were now a pure white shade that barely let the last dying rays of sunlight pass through.
Quietly, Spike made his way to her side and stood fumbling with his thumbs. “Hey, Twi,” he said in a low voice.
“Yes, Spike?” she answered absentmindedly.
“You did all your magic scanning things, right?” the dragon asked.
“Yes, I did,” Twilight said with a sigh.
“And the doctor took samples to find out what happened to Golden, right?” he continued.
“Yes...” Twilight arched an eyebrow at her assistant. “You already know that, why are you asking?”
Spike gave a soft smile as he lifted a claw before speaking again, “And you are going to ask Zecora later about all of this, right?”
She glanced at the last dying beams of sunlight in the sky, thinking if it would be safe going into the forest at this time. “Maybe tomorrow. Once the morning comes, I’ll go to the hospital to see if there are any developments, and then I’ll go visit Zecora.”
“Ok, then. That means that you are doing your best to find a solution to this problem.” He grabbed Twilight by her shoulders, making her look at him and the earnest smile he could give. “I know that if there’s anypony who can solve this, it’s you, Twi, and the doctors at Ponyville Hospital are trying to solve this as well, and I’m sure Zecora has some insight into all of this, so don’t worry too much, ok?”
Twilight looked into the dragon's eyes in silence. Slowly, a smile began to tug at her lips. With all that had happened that day—the stress, helplessness, and the growing paranoia—it was easy to forget that there were still ponies, and dragons, who were always willing to stand by her side and support her.
And maybe that's all that she needed right now.
She then pulled the dragon closer to her, holding him tightly. “Thanks, Spike, I won’t.”
They stayed on the balcony, until the sun set behind the clouds and darkness enveloped them. Neither wanted to say anything, for there wasn’t anything to say, nor was there anything for them to do other than enjoy the company and support they could give themselves.
The moment was finally interrupted by the sound of Twilight’s stomach growling. They both stared at each other, before Twilight turned her head away in embarrassment.
“Twi, don’t tell me you haven’t eaten anything today,” Spike scolded her.
“Well,” Twilight smiled a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her head, “We had that coffee earlier and I ate a couple of apples back at the farm, so…” she trailed off and let a giggle escape her.
Spike just sighed and walked back inside the room, motioning Twilight with a claw to make her follow him. “Come on, Twi. Let’s give you something to eat before your intestines implode.”
“I’m going, Spike,” Twilight said as she followed her assistant into the library. She paused for a second and shot a look in the direction of the forest. She lingered there for a second before shaking her head and entering the room, closing the doors behind her.
“It took me the whole night, but it’s done!” Scootaloo said with a huge grin plastered on her face. “My water cycle model is done!” The small pegasus beamed with happiness as she held the scale model on her desk.
“It looks amazing, Scootaloo. How did you fix it?” Sweetie Belle said with a smile of her own as she gently pressed her hoof against the painted pegasi on the clear tube.
“Tape! Lots and lots of tape, my parents said I'm too young to use a welding torch.” She looked at the model with pride. “It’d take a lot to make it leak again. What do you think, ‘Bloom?”
Apple Bloom was resting her head on top of her desk. She hadn’t said a word since she arrived at the schoolhouse that morning, and even then she had barely acknowledged her friends.
“That’s… cool, Scoots,” she said, dragging her words out.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other in confusion before Scootaloo asked with concern, “Hey, ‘Bloom. Are you ok?”
“Yeah… I am,” Apple Bloom answered in a monotone.
The other two shared a worried glance and walked closer to their friend.
“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “Discord said that he wants to teach me magic, I begin next Wednesday.”
“That’s… cool, Sweetie Belle,” the earth filly said.
Scootaloo hit her face with her hoof in frustration and jumped on top of Apple Bloom’s desk. “Ok, that’s it,” she said as she took her friend’s face between her hooves. “Equestria to Apple Bloom!” she yelled, snapping the yellow filly back to reality.
“Gah!” Apple Bloom exclaimed in surprise. “Scoots!”
“You were gone! Like a zombie,” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah, are you feeling alright?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom sighed; the memories of yesterday’s discovery were still fresh in her mind. She had slept throughout the night, and had woken up with barely enough time to make it to school.
Even then, Scootaloo was right, she had spent the whole day in a trance, barely paying attention to what happened around her. Her sister’s words still rang inside of her mind, “There has to be an explanation for Golden Harvest’s cutie mark bein'… well, gone.” Those words had haunted her all night before she could fall asleep. She may or may not have woken up several times in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and shivering, she couldn’t be sure, everything was a haze to her.
“Yeah, I’m alright…” she said half-heartedly. “I’m just tired, that’s all.” She gave a fake yawn to emphasize her point, opening one eye to look at her friends. “Y’know, farm work and all of that.”
“But I thought the storm was—” Sweetie Belle started but was interrupted by a voice coming from behind them.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to know that you were on those muddy fields all day,” Diamond Tiara said, closely followed by Silver Spoon.
Apple Bloom was about to tell the duo to mind their own business, but she stopped when she saw the look on their faces. Instead of the usual smug smirks they usually sported when teasing them, Diamond Tiara had a serious look on her face, almost a scowl, while Silver Spoon was frowning and was visibly uncomfortable.
“Uh, are you girls alright?” Apple Bloom asked as she arched an eyebrow.
“We’re fine, don’t ask,” Diamond Tiara spat.
“Uh… Okay, then,” Apple Bloom said. Diamond Tiara had come off a little strong, but she was far too tired and worried to pay attention to her.
“Do you need anything?” Sweetie Belle asked tentatively.
“Hmm…” Diamond mused as she twisted her mouth. “What would we need with a bunch of dumb blank flanks like you?”
“Diamond…” Silver Spoon whispered while looking at her friend with soft eyes, but the pink filly ignored her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?,” Sweetie Belle asked, but Diamond Tiara just looked at her and kept talking, though Apple Bloom could have sworn that the bully’s lips trembled for a moment.
“Like you care,” she huffed.
“What’s wrong with you, Diamond Tiara?” asked an annoyed and confused Scootaloo. “This isn’t like you.” She crossed her eyes before speaking again, “well, it is kind of like you, but this is nastier than usual.”
“Pffft…” she said dismissively. “Whatever, you dumb featherbra—”
“Diamond Tiara, that’s enough!” yelled an angry and thoroughly shocked Miss Cheerilee from the schoolhouse doorway. “I’m surprised by your behaviour,” the teacher said as she walked towards the group of fillies.
Diamond Tiara simply snorted and averted her gaze, looking at no particular point on the floor. Silver Spoon stood next to her, but didn’t know how to react; her eyes kept wandering from the pink filly to the teacher, not knowing what to say.
“I’ll be having a word with you after class, young filly,” Miss Cheerilee said as she looked down at Diamond Tiara. “The rest of you go back to your seats, class will begin soon.”
Diamond Tiara huffed and walked towards her desk without sparing the Crusaders another look. Silver Spoon, meanwhile, lingered on her spot for a brief moment before giving the trio a confused look, almost as if there was something she wanted to tell them, before turning around and following her friend.
The three friends shared a confused look and went to their seats without saying another word, and whether it was due to the events of the last day, her restless night, Diamond Tiara’s outburst, or a combination of all those factors, Apple Bloom didn’t notice the two students missing from class.
“The next patient can come in,” said the voice from inside the consulting room.
“Good morning, Doctor Horse,” Twilight said, opening the door to the doctor's office. After waking up, She had gone straight to the hospital, despite Spike’s protests of eating breakfast first. That could wait; right now she had other things in mind. Things she deemed more urgent.
“Ah, Miss Twilight,” the doctor greeted her and motioned towards a chair in front of his desk. “Please take a seat.”
Twilight noticed the doctor's eagerness in his speech, emotion which was absent from his initial greetings. Yesterday's events must have been circling his head as well, it seemed. Pushing the thoughts aside she walked to the chair, levitating a piece of paper on top of the doctor’s desk. “I had to take a number to get here.”
Doctor Horse raised an eyebrow at that. “Why?” His eyes suddenly widening at the sight of Twilight’s saddlebags. “You don’t mean to say that you—”
“No, no. It’s not that,” Twilight was quick to interrupt the doctor. “I just didn’t know if you had told anypony else. With how delicate this situation is, I hope you'll understand if I’d rather not tell anypony else than strictly necessary. For the time being, at least.”
“I do. I’ve only told my lab assistant, since she was going to run the tests on the samples I took from Miss Harvest yesterday.” He twisted his mouth into a grimace. “She promised to keep a tight lid on the information. She took the news rather well, even if she was pretty shaken by them, to say the least.”
“Aren't we all...” Twilight started as she sat down on the chair. “Speaking of which, I don’t think there has been any development with those samples, has there?”
“I am sorry to say there hasn't,” the stallion answered while reclining on his chair. With a sigh, he continued, “these tests take time, I wish I could speed things up, but we are just going to have to wait."
“It’s only been a day, after all. It's not as if I had any real expectations, it's just that...” Twilight said as she slumped on her chair, “I still felt the need to check because I don't think there's much else I can do right now.”
It was something that had been irking Twilight since she came back home yesterday. Sure, she had been shocked initially, but even then, she managed to keep it together and help Golden Harvest. However, she was aware that the issue was far from resolved, and she couldn't help but wonder how to start unraveling this puzzle.
“Don't feel discouraged, Miss Sparkle. This isn't the kind of problem that can be solved in a day. Speaking of which, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you,” the doctor said as he leaned forward. “Ponyville’s Hospital doesn’t exactly have the best equipment, so I’ve been thinking about contacting some colleagues of mine from the Manehattan Institute of Medicine who may be willing to help us solve this if it turns out we... well, if we can’t.”
As Twilight reflected on the doctor’s words, many thoughts crossed her mind. Whether or not it was okay to ask for outside help and risk causing panic if word of it came out, to try and find the answer to this problem on their own…
And to make sure the Princess was informed as soon as possible.
“If I send them a letter today, I may get a reply before the weekend.” Doctor Horse eyed the file in front of him before continuing. “I believe this is our best course of action.”
“If you feel that's our best shot, go ahead,” she said as she stepped from the chair, “I’ll be going to the Everfree.”
“You’ll be visiting your zebra friend, right?” asked doctor Horse.
“Her name is Zecora,” Twilight said, looking at the doctor over her shoulder, “she’s a shaman who has a lot of knowledge about magical diseases, hopefully she’ll have some idea of what’s going on.”
“Goodbye, Miss Twilight,” he said, “and please tell the next patient to come in.”
Twilight said her goodbyes before leaving his office. She knew it was a long shot, but she just needed to be sure. Besides, she had to talk with somebody who knew what was going on. Regardless, she knew what she had to do now: Visit Zecora and ask her if she could tell her anything about this whole situation.
But first, she had to tell the next patient to come into the office. She walked towards the waiting room before bumping into a brown stallion wearing a long, heavy coat.
“Oh, sorry,” Twilight replied with a sheepish smile, “I didn’t see where I was going.”
The stallion cleared his throat and looked at the wall behind Twilight before answering in a low voice. “It’s… It’s no problem.” He then grabbed the collar of his coat and squeezed it with his hoof.
Twilight smiled sheepishly again, realising that the stallion was probably in a hurry to see the doctor. “Doctor Horse will see you now,” she said, giving a soft chuckle as she stepped aside and let the stallion pass.
“Thanks,” the stallion whispered as he hurriedly made his way to the doctor’s office.
Twilight looked at the closing door and stood there for a couple of seconds before turning around and heading towards the Hospital’s door. “Seems like somepony stayed too long under the rain yesterday” she said, not realising that if it hadn’t been for the eager patient, she would have walked into the waiting room to see an unusually large amount of ponies wearing far too many clothes for a warm summer day.
The sun hung brightly in the sky, in direct contrast with yesterday's gloomy weather. In a similar contrast were the ponies going about their day, far more than the ones who ventured out of their homes the day before.
Not that Twilight cared about any of that.
She walked into Ponyvillle’s market with decisiveness. While she was on her way to the Everfree, she figured she should ask Applejack about Golden Harvest’s state, seeing she already took a detour to check on Doctor Horse's progress.
The ground had already dried from yesterday’s downpour; but when Twilight pressed her hooves on the soil, it still felt mushy at times. Musing about gravel and proposals, she made her way through the light crowd of ponies until she found a familiar face, a familiar freckled face.
“Good morning, Applejack,” Twilight said.
“Mornin’, sugarcube,” the farmer said with a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“How are you today?” the unicorn asked absentmindedly as she eyed the apples on the stand.
“Calmer, that’s for sure,” Applejack replied while giving a careful look at the ponies closer to her stand. “And so is our guest, if you were wonderin',” she added in a low voice.
Twilight gave an inner sigh of relief, she was glad to know that the situation hadn’t taken a turn for the worse. Taking a couple of apples, she asked another question.
“Won’t anyone ask why she isn’t here?”
“Big Mac’s tendin' her stand,” Applejack said with a nod towards the other end of the market, where Twilight could recognise a large red stallion next to a wooden stand with a carrot sign on top of it, “he’ll know how to handle any curious ponies.”
Twilight smiled, giving her friend a couple of bits for the apples. “That’s good to know.”
“Did you visit Zecora yet?” Applejack asked.
“I’m on my way to do so,” Twilight said as she stored the apples in her saddlebags, “it was too late to go into the Everfree yesterday, besides the rain would have made it even harder to go through it.”
“I see,” Applejack whispered. “Did you…” she trailed off.
“Yes?” Twilight asked.
Applejack’s eyes scanned the entire market, and once she was sure nopony was near enough to listen to them, she whispered, “Did you write that letter to Princess Celestia?”
“No... I tried, but I kept sounding paranoid.” She sighed. “I went to the hospital earlier and they still don’t have any information.”
Applejack just nodded as she looked down.
“If Zecora doesn’t have any information, though, I’ll write to her immediately,” Twilight said in a reassuring tone, directed more towards herself than to her farmer friend. “Goodbye, Applejack.”
“G'bye, Twilight,” she said as the unicorn walked down the road to the Everfree forest.
Applejack looked around the market, stopping at the empty spaces where several stands would normally be. “Celestia, I hope you were wrong, girl,” she whispered to herself.
“Ok, just one more test and I’ll be ready for the presentation,” Scootaloo said with a mix of pride and eagerness.
The Crusaders were huddled together under the school's veranda. Recess would soon come to an end, and Scootaloo decided to perform one last test on her model just before class resumed.
“This is lookin' pretty cool, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said, sounding more cheerful than she had all morning.
“Hopefully it’ll be just as cool once I turn it on,” the pegasus said as she carefully inspected every nook and cranny of the model, looking for any dent or imperfection her project may have. Once she was satisfied, she laid it on the ground and stepped back after pressing the big red button on it.
The inner mechanisms whirred, its cogs coming to life and starting their work. The fan started moving and the sound of water running through the small pipes could be heard by the three fillies. Scootaloo bit her lip in nervousness and excitement as she saw her weeks-long project come to life.
After a few seconds of silence, the clear pipe with small pegasi painted all over it began twisting, slowly at first but picking up speed as it went. As this happened, the fan sped up, and the water rose through the plastic tube, reaching the top of the model, where the cardboard version of Cloudsdale’s Rain Factory opened up to let a wad of cotton pop out.
Scootaloo beamed and her wings gave soft flaps that barely raised her body. Her excitement was contagious, and soon her friends were cheering her on for a job well done.
“That's pretty cool, Scoots,” Apple Bloom congratulated her.
“Well done, Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Thanks, girls! I hope every—” Scootaloo was suddenly interrupted by an all too familiar voice coming from the playground.
“What did I tell you?” a lone Diamond Tiara said as she walked towards the Crusaders, “It’s pretty disappointing considering how highly you’ve been talking about it.”
“Oh... It’s you again,” Scootaloo muttered with disdain.
“You’re already in trouble with Miss Cheerilee, Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom said, “why don’t you just go back to the classroom?”
“You won’t tell me what to do!” Diamond Tiara cried out. The Crusaders flinched, taken aback by her outburst.
“Diamond, you’re starting to creep us out, and not in the usual way,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Hmph… What do you know?” Diamond Tiara said as she walked towards them.
At this point, several of the other foals had stopped playing and were gathering around the four fillies with curious eyes.
Diamond's behaviour worried Apple Bloom. To a certain degree, she was used to the way Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon treated her friends and her; but there was something weird about the bully today. She was going out of her way to antagonize the group, which was a lot different from her usual teasing and name-calling.
“Diamond Tiara, just leave us alone,” Scootaloo said as she flapped her wings furiously. At this point several of the other fillies and colts were starting to form a circle around them, but neither the pegasus nor the earth filly seemed to notice their murmuring audience.
“Or what?” Diamond Tiara asked in defiance.
Scootaloo frowned, appearing to be on the verge of yelling at the pink filly before sighing. “Or nothing,” she said before turning around and pressing the red button on her model to make it stop. “Just leave us alone, class is about to start anyway.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave a sigh of relief and went to follow their friend into the classroom, but Diamond Tiara acted faster.
“Don’t you dare turn your back on me!” she cried as she jumped on Scootaloo.
It all happened in an instant.
The scale model of the water cycle fell out of its owner’s hooves. Scootaloo’s eyes widened in fear and her hooves shot up trying to catch it, but it was too late. The result of weeks of work hit the wooden floor of the schoolhouse’s porch. The clear pipe cracked at the base, shooting a stream of water that hit Diamond Tiara on the side.
After a few seconds of silence, the students gathered around them gasped in unison.
“My model!” Scootaloo cried in horror. Her lips started to tremble, but before her friends could try to reassure her, the little pegasus turned around and faced Diamond Tiara with a look that showed the hurt and anger boiling inside of her. “What is wrong with—”
Her words died in her throat, as did the rage and resentment, and the face that until just a split second ago was contorted into a grimace was now frozen in shock. Scootaloo was staring at the now wet Diamond Tiara, who was struggling to dry herself.
“Now look at what you’ve done!” The pink filly shook and rubbed the side of her body, trying to get rid of the water, oblivious to the stares of her classmates. Diamond Tiara looked up at the small crowd that was surrounding her, and she saw how they were slowly backing up. “What are you all looking at?”
“Diamond…” Apple Bloom said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Everyone stood silent, immobile, as they watched Diamond Tiara trying to dry herself, “Everyone just leave me…” She seized up once she saw the source of their consternation.
The water stream had hit her square on her side, and had wet part of her shoulder and her flank, which in turn caused her cutie mark to smudge, leaving a trail of paint running down her leg.
The world seemed to be frozen in time as everypony stared at Diamond Tiara. “I…” The earth filly gave everyone a fearful look as she slowly backed away, trying to hide her paint smeared blank flank. “I…” Her head darted around the group of fillies surrounding her.
Apple Bloom saw Silver Spoon making her way to the front of the group and run next to her friend, she saw Scootaloo back away, taking her broken model with her, she even saw Miss Cheerilee through the window of the schoolhouse trying to see what was causing the commotion outside.
She probably didn’t see who'd been the first pony who screamed.
Everything came crashing down after that. The screams multiplied and soon everypony ran away from Diamond Tiara, either into the classroom, or back to Ponyville.
“Kids? What is happening?” Asked a worried Miss Cheerilee as she stepped out of the schoolhouse, only to be besieged by several scared fillies and colts.
Silver Spoon pulled Diamond Tiara and took the shocked filly with her as they ran towards the high-class neighbourhood. Apple Bloom stood on the porch, taking in what just happened.
“What... what happened to Diamond Tiara?” asked Sweetie Belle, with utter fear and confusion in her voice.
“I don’t know,” Apple Bloom said, “but I know who might do.”
And after that, without a word of parting to her friends, she ran towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Twilight walked down the road leading to Zecora’s hut. The uneven consistency of the ground made it hard to trot, and she didn’t want to risk a teleportation in the middle of the forest, so she walked.
She had to pay attention to the rough terrain, as well as the odd rock in the way or the overgrown tree root. In a way, she was thankful for that; the lack of uniformity of the trail forced her to focus on every step she took rather than on the reason she was coming into the Everfree.
Of course, the distraction was only momentary.
During the silent trek to Zecora’s house, Twilight had time to think over—or, perhaps overthink—the events of the last day: Golden Harvest waking up without her cutie mark, the storm, the ponies missing from the market, the apparent lack of magical intervention, and the doctor’s words.
Twilight shot a small spell to dissipate the light fog that covered the trail towards her friend’s house. The warm atmosphere of Ponyville didn't go as far as the Everfree, Twilight realised, as a chill made its way down her spine.
Doctor Horse would do his best with the resources he had, but he wanted to ask for help from those he knew could help him, and wasn’t Twilight doing the same by consulting Zecora?
Twilight shook her head and kept walking down the road, looking for Zecora’s tree. She found it odd that she still hadn’t arrived.
Except she had.
As if the events of the past day hadn't been enough to spark a feeling of unease deep inside of Twilight's mind that told her things were objectively wrong in a way she couldn't quite comprehend, seeing the current state of Zecora's once-ornate home turned that voice into overdrive. The tribal masks she had on her entrance were nowhere to be seen, and the colored bottles filled with diverse liquids had been removed as well; as Twilight walked towards the tree, she noticed that the small, round windows had been closed and locked, which only caused the knot in her throat to tighten.
“Zecora?” Twilight asked as she knocked the door. “Are… are you there?”
“Go back home, pony mare,” Zecora’s muffled voice came from inside, “I have no business with your affairs.”
Twilight did a double take at the zebra’s words and pressed her ear on the door. “Zecora, it’s me, Twilight.”
Silence followed her words and the unicorn thought that maybe Zecora didn’t hear her. She waited fruitlessly for any sign of acknowledgement from her friend, but after hearing none, she spoke again with a hint of worry creeping in her voice, “I just needed to... I mean, I just wanted to talk to you, is everything alright?”
Twilight thought she heard movement inside of the tree, but it quieted down almost immediately. After a few seconds, however, the door opened.
“You may come in, Twilight,” Zecora's voice was heard from deep inside the house, “I didn’t mean to be impolite.”
The irksome feeling of wrongness she felt only increased as she stepped into the dark room of Zecora's house. The closed windows and unlit candles made it almost impossible to see; her surroundings were shrouded in shadows which were barely dispelled by the faint, green-tinted glow coming from Zecora’s cauldron.
Slowly, almost as if she had to ask her hooves for permission to move, Twilight walked towards the zebra, who was sitting behind the boiling concoction, patiently stirring it and throwing in the contents of a bottle. “I sense in you a disturbed spirit,” the shamaness said as she looked up at the unicorn. “Twilight Sparkle, to what do I owe your visit?”
Twilight approached the cauldron, eyeing its contents as she walked and, for a moment, she found herself mesmerised by the rising fumes. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she focused on her friend and spoke again, “A… worrying situation came up over in Ponyville.”
Zecora drew a hoofful of green powder from somewhere Twilight couldn’t see, and threw it into the cauldron. She kept stirring the mix and nodded for the unicorn to continue.
“Golden Harvest, a local farmer, woke up yesterday and, well…” Twilight took a deep breath and spoke again, “her cutie mark was gone.”
Zecora stopped stirring her brew for a brief moment, but quickly continued moving the large wooden spoon as though nothing had happened. After another second of silence, she lifted her gaze to meet Twilight’s. Her blue eyes betrayed no emotion as she nodded at her, asking her to keep going.
“I did some magical tests, and the doctors from Ponyville agreed to help, but…” Twilight trailed off.
Twilight looked at the zebra, but her blank look didn’t tell the unicorn anything. The silence stretched for almost a full minute in which both mares remained silent, and the only sound that could be heard was the bubbling of the liquid inside of the cauldron.
“My insight you expect,” Zecora said, “in this am I correct?”
Twilight silently mouthed a few muddy thoughts before nodding once.
“A loss of cutie mark you say? I'm sorry, Twilight Sparkle, I am afraid to disillusion.” The zebra slowed her stirring until the bubbling liquid stopped moving, she then walked towards her bookshelf, and eyed its contents as she spoke again, “I know not what could cause cutie marks to go stray. This matter too, brings me much confusion."
Twilight’s eyes darted back and forth, not knowing what to say. “I… Well…” She muttered before sighing in defeat at the prospect of another avenue to a solution being summarily closed.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help,” Zecora spoke again, “but this perplexes me, as well.”
“Don’t worry, Zecora, it's not your fault,” Twilight said in the most reassuring tone she could muster. “We’re already trying to come up with an explanation for this back at the town.”
“Hmmm… Do tell. My sour mood you may quell.”
“I know that this isn’t caused by a spell or a curse,” Twilight said as she recounted yesterday’s tests. “And I talked with one of the doctors at the—” Her words died in her throat. What did Zecora just say? It was probably nothing, but the way she spoke... Something about the tone and word choice bothered Twilight.
“What do you mean ‘sour mood’, Zecora?”
Zecora didn’t answer. Instead, she kept looking through her shelves and finally turned around, returning to the cauldron with a large candle in her mouth.
“Zecora?” Twilight asked again.
The zebra didn’t give any sign of acknowledging Twilight. She bent down and lit up the candle with the fire under the cauldron. Twilight took a deep breath as her friend stood up. Zecora had placed the candle on the floor and now a dim orange light bathed the room.
“I hope that you can see,” the zebra said, “not all is as it should be.”
Twilight scanned the mare, eyeing the striped, deep grey pattern that repeated over her coat... and down her flank.
Twilight let out a loud gasp as realisation hit her. She shot backwards in shock, stumbling back and knocking over one of the bottles from its shelf on the wall.
“Ze-zecora…” she stammered. “You too?”
Zecora gave no reply other than a somber nod.
“B-but how could—I mean... I mean, that doesn’t make… that can't be! How would you—” Twilight found herself stuttering uncontrollably and running on her own sentences at the sight of Zecora’s mark-less flank.
This couldn't be happening. She had thought Golden Harvest was the only pony afflicted, and while she had some suspicions, she now knew for sure she was right.
“How long?” She managed to say.
“Since the Ponyville storm, the day before. I woke up to see my mark was no more," Zecora said.
“Since before the storm?” Twilight asked, flabbergasted. “But then, that means…” she trailed off, as she went over the events of the last thirty hours on her mind, reassessing her theories about what was happening... and growing convinced on what she had to do.
Zecora cocked her head, but otherwise remained glued to her spot next to the cauldron, staring at her as she took deep breaths in an attempt to put an end to the myriads of doom-heralding thoughts that assailed her.
“I have to go,” Twilight said, abruptly breaking the silence that had dawned upon them. “I promise I’ll be back with help, Zecora, but there’s something I have to do and I can't put it off any longer.”
With one final look that asked for forgiveness and understanding, Twilight stepped out of the hut, stumbling as she tried to walk straight. She looked at the sky and focused on a long-distance teleportation spell.
There was no more time for thinking, no more time for wondering, and no more time for stalling.
She had a letter to write.