//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: No Thanks! There are no rainbows in the forest! // Story: Minty Image // by mintgreenconspiracy //------------------------------// "Did someone hear hissing?" "AIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" ******** "Sweetie Belle! Oh Sweetie Belle!" Pinkie shouted, thinking her friend was either distracted, or busy. She understood though; if she invited everyone over then, she too, would be very busy! (She had nightmares about messing up parties because she had too many things to do!) "I suppose I'd better knock." She thought, with a smile, knocking once more. "I've been knocking, but no one is answering!" She asked, wondering where she had heard herself saying this before. No response. "Did something happen to sweetie Belle?" She thought. "I mean she wouldn't invite us unless she was planning to be home, right?" "Let me try!" Scootaloo volunteered. "I'm a good knocker!" She said, before tapping on the little unicorn's door. Once again to no response (and she was none too happy about stepping in it she'll have you know.) "Open up! Hello!!!" She shouted, knocking again. "Oh dear, maybe we should go in? She must be late with party prep, and we should help her!" Pinkie thought, just as the door opened on its own. Drawn open by a strange force (but sadly not unicorn magic, only a dunce would think unicorns could cast magic without wands.) Behind the door wasn't the inside of a gumball house, but instead the inside of a beehive.  The lighting looked different too, as if moving from a cartoon into reality (or maybe a black and white movie into a color one.) "Ok... that's strange!" Pinkie thought. "Why's Sweetie's house look like some stinky smelly cave?" She asked herself, as she felt drawn to the scene inside. "Oh, who is that pretty girl?" She asked herself, as she stepped in and looked at the tiny pink ball in front of here. "Wait? That's me!" She thought to herself, caught off guard. It looked like herself as a newborn cutie except, of course, for the tiny shriveled crooked horn, the tiny wings, the tiny muzzle, and the fangs (Pinkie bet that the cute little filly must have had a devil of a time finding a good dentist.) The poor thing was crying, something outside spooked her (hopefully it wasn't Sweetie Belle.) Why could she sense that something bad was about to happen? "Strange, why would Sweetie Belle invite us to her home if she isn't home?" StarSong asked, puzzled. Pinkie shook her head. "That was weird... Like... That one birthday... (Why does she have the impression the whole town got turned pink, including Minty?)" For a second, it was like everyone was talking, but she was having trouble processing it. Cheerilee, and StarSong were reading from a note, and then everyone rushed upstairs; but she really wasn't sure why. "That's right! Sweetie Belle left a note for us to help find her!" She said, her spirits returning. "What fun! I bet the next clue is in her bed room!" She started smiling, ear to ear. "Last one there is a rotten egg!" She said, giggling as she ran up the stairs. Was she back in the room she started in? Apparently so! There was that poor foal! Still sobbing away! Apparently she was missing her mama (Pinkie knew the feeling!) She reached over, instinctively to put her hoof around the foal, only to find that her hoof went straight through it. As she was pondering this, an elderly (and very ugly), bug pony came in and gave a not very pinkalishish smile to the young one! She began to pull out some kind of a crystal ball. Was she going to tell the foal's fortune? But why then was she smiling that way?  Pinkie could feel it, even in her dreams, like her very life was being pulled out of her. Like she was being prematurely aged. When suddenly. "Leave her alone!" A very large, and very angry bug pony came flying in at full speed, head butting the mean old witch. "I've had just about enough of this! Undo whatever you did!" The bug pony demanded, her rainbow mane wafting in the breeze. "Or you'll what, I sucked out most of her youth and life force now, she's basically an old mare!" The witch said, with a chuckle. "I could trap her in the realm of dreams if you wish? Or maybe fill her last few moments with nightmares!" "I suppose I shall have to fix this." The pony said. Wait... was this Mama Pie? Why did she think this? And why does she have deja-vu? "Let me guess, she had to be removed for hive unity!" The pony said, condescendingly. "Of course!" The witch smirked. "And because I'm growing old, and need life force, magic and youth to keep myself young, beautiful and powerful!" She continued, beckoning for the Rainbow bug pony to attack her. "Hurry! Mama Mama Pie! She's in deep trouble!" Pinkie screeched, only to find herself not being heard. "You have to do something!" She shouted, as she started galloping with all her might.... Arriving a moment later in Sweetie Belle's bedroom. "That's interesting? Why do I get the impression I was just in a spooky smelly cave?" She thought to herself, shaking her head. "Wow!" Pinkie thought, surprised Sweetie Belle's "Pony team" had already discovered two clues without her. She stood there, saddened for a minute, she always wanted to be in on fun. And she certainly wasn't having any this dream... "The next Clue can be found!" StarSong read. "On what goes down...." This, suddenly, seemed very familiar for Pinkie. She felt that she already knew where the clue was -- for some reason. "Hey guys, I think I know where the next clue is." Pinkie said, smiling and giggling, her inescapable mirth returning. "It's on the elevator!"  She said with a smile. "Hey I wanted to say that!" Scootaloo said, frowning and scowling. A second later: "Fine..." She, said with a mischievous giggle, "I'll let Pinkie do it since she's missed out on so much!" Except the elevator didn't go down onto the ground floor... But instead... "Oh great... back to the beehive...." Pinkie sighed to herself, briefly. "At least I'll find out how this ends!" She thought, giggling to herself. The standoff continued, between "Mama Pie" (or so Pinkie wanted to call this strange bug pony), and the witch. They circled each other, until "Mama Pie" was in front of the young delicate pink foal, then she launched forward, kicking the witch in the face before she had time to think, let alone act. "And this is what happens when you hurt the princess, or my family! I certainly hope, you were paying close attention. They don't call me The Rainbow of Doom for nothing." The bug pony said, as her rainbow mane hung loose, almost hovering against an invisible breeze. Sadly, the old witch, only laughed. "So what! Your daughter is finished, and by the looks of things so is the so called 'princess'!" She smiled. "And I think my friends have arrived, and together, we shall as surely take down 'The Lady', as my name is Mandragora!" The old witch crowed to herself. She could feel the pain from here... Was she blacking out? Or was it the poor foal blacking out? "Mama Pie!" She cried, hoping that "Mama Pie" would hear. "Oh dear! stay with me!" The bug pony, cried out, bathing the two foals she was holding, wrapped in each wing, with a beam of green light. Was it just her, or was Mama Pie looking a lot older, and greyer? "Oh thank goodness, the two of you had me frightened!" The much older Mama pie exclaimed. "We need to get out of here. It isn't safe!" "Too bad you won't be leaving today!" said an older female bug pony, "I already have the party planned for you, and I would hate if you left now!" She said, with a smirk. "Wake up you must! In your friends health, I have no trust!" Said a voice in rhyme, as everything suddenly went to stars. ******** "Oh dear! That must have been some Party!" Pinkie exclaimed to herself. "How long was I asleep?" Pinkie asked herself, as the stars slowly started to clear. Before her was standing some kind of stripey pony. "Oh hello there! My name is Pinkie Pie!" She said with a quick giggle before a sharp pain in her side put an end to the laughter. "Ouch... That smarts..." She said to herself before continuing. "I don't believe we've met before: what is your name?"  "Pinkie Pie doesn't remember my name? I feel such shame!" The zebra said with a smile. "Don't you recall, Zecora, the evil enchantress? Who would cook you into a stew if you looked into her eyes for more than a moment or two!" The zebra said, her face darkening, ever so slightly, as it apparently became obvious to her she wasn't being recognized. "No sorry, should I?" Pinkie asked, her face dropping. The zebra stood there a second, baffled. "'She does evil dances', which are certainly not prances?" The zebra said, hoping for a flash of realization; one that never came. "Perhaps I should get Twilight. She might be able to shed some light." Nearby she could hear the sounds of a pony grunting in the next room. "Darlings, did someone catch that rainbow I was riding? I think the darling got away!" They said, sounding disoriented. Yup, that was definitely Rainbow Dash. "Oh it sounds like Rainbow Dash is awake, maybe I should check on her crash?" The zebra asked, with a smile. "We must also see to your friend, for I fear she is close to her end." "Oh dear, I don't think she had any time to answer my questions..." Pinkie thought. "MINTY!" She exclaimed, remembering what she was questing for. "I have to talk to that... Whoever that was... Maybe she can help us get to Canterlot." She said to herself, before trying to rise. Sadly nothing in the pony wanted to rise, and every bone and muscle in her body told her as such. But the pink pony was resilient, to a fault, when it came to her friends. "So you don't recall Zecora, even a little at all?" The stripey pony/wise shaman was talking to a dumbfounded looking Rainbow Dash. "Oh dear, it's like she's never been here." The zebra thought to herself. "Terribly sorry darling, I just don't seem to recognize you, darling... Zecora isn't it, darling?" Rainbow replied, pulling the name from the Zebra's sentences. The wise shaman, sighed inside. There was appearances to keep after all. And she preferred to keep her feelings well hidden. At that point, Pinkie stumbled in, wishing with every fiber of her being she did not. "You should not stand. Or the pain will reprimand!" Zecora replied, with pity. "I'm terribly sorry... Zecora... But I need to know how long I was out. My friend hurt herself really, really, really badly! And, if we don't get to Canterlot, and get feathers from an Ali-corn bird and heart's desire, to make Santa's potion, then she will...." Pinkie said, struggling to keep her smile -- She blamed herself, as much as Rainbow did. But it was important for her to be the voice of optimism, even when her friends were being less then reasonable (she was the only one that didn't want to go deeper into the "stinky smelly cave" back with the Promenade, but decided her friends Wysteria, and Zipzee needed her.) "A potion, you say? How much for it did you pay?" Zecora asked, hiding a bemused smile. "Pay? Oh no, Santa gave it to Kimono as a Christmas gift, when he learned that Minty hurt herself." Pinkie said, her smile starting to drop. "But we have to hurry, or tonight... she'll... she'll...." Pinkie said, starting to cry a little. "Those masks!" Rainbow Dash chimed in, holding her head in her hoof (she was having another one of her headaches.) "That one means 'hello: I know divination'. And this one 'welcome: I make healing potions!'" Rainbow said, looking at the masks that Zecora took in to be cleaned. After a moment of holding her head, trying to wait out the migraine she was experiencing; Rainbow Dash continued talking. "She's a Zecora! They are an ancient and powerful order of shamans!" "I hear what you are saying, Rainbow Dash, but she said her name is Zecora!" Pinkie replied, puzzled. What was Rainbow Dash talking about, and why didn't she say "darling", or "that's so dashing" even once? "No, Pinkie, she took the name because it comes with her title!" Rainbow Dash replied. "In the world, there are only four, and by the looks of the masks, and the number of rings around her neck, she's the most powerful, and influential, of the four... Or she, at least, should be..." Rainbow replied, holding her head a little longer as the migraine finally passed. "You ok Rainbow Dash? First the bad dreams, and now migraines?" Pinkie asked, fighting to restore her smile. "Yes, I think so, darling, but I really don't know what I was saying. I apologize, Zecora, darling." Rainbow said, to the shaman, apologetically. "No need to apologize, you speak like the wise! The words you say are true, there is sight beyond sight in you!" The Zecora said, with a bashful smile. "Oh great! You know potions?" Pinkie asked. "Maybe you can help us!" She continued. "You see we have this potion recipe..." She said, looking around for it... "Uh Oh!!!" "Uh Oh!? Darling?" Rainbow asked, with apprehension. "I forgot the potion ingredient's list! It's back in the balloon!" Pinkie said, with horror. "Oh dear Pinkie! Darling! That's a very Minty thing to do (Don't worry, I won't remind her of the time she forgot tea for the World's Largest Tea Party) We need that recipe... Maybe Zecora has it?" Rainbow said, hiding a slight agitation. "Sorry the balloon was lost, and everything that was left, had to be tossed." Zecora said, lowering her head in shame. "Hmm..." Pinkie said, sitting on her plot, in her usual thinking pose, frowning slightly. She thought, and she thought, and she thought, till her thinker was sore! (Maybe, just maybe Christmas was a little bit more! -- oh wait... sorry, wrong story.) "Oh of course!!! A squink!!!" Pinkie said, with glee. "That's how we'll discover the missing ingredients list!" She said, with glee. "But it'll take a lot of magic! You should join in too!" She said, to Rainbow Dash, and Zecora. "A squink? What magic is this, that an earth pony can cast without being tragic?" The zebra asked, with a curious expression. "Why darling, it's how Pinkie thinks! First the darling squishes... Then the darling winks... Then, the darling thinks..." ******** Twilight quirked an eyebrow. What she was hearing from her wise shaman friend didn't make any sense. "How could another Pinkie and Rainbow Dash just show up?" She asked, in surprise. "Did you give one of them a potion to make sure they aren't a changing?" "Yes, a potion for the Pinkie one, the green one is too sick, and the rainbow one won't eat or drink, not even a tick." The wise shaman replied. "And she didn't turn back?" Twilight asked, what was she dealing with here? The Zecora just shook her head. All the failsafe potion, that she and the Princess of Friendship came up with, appeared to do was darken her coat a little. "And this potion they came up with. You said, it was definitely zebric, in origin?" Twilight asked. "From Zebran the wise it came, for them to know it is a shame!" The zebra replied. "But how did they get it?" Twilight asked, shaking her head. None of this made any sense. Who were these strange ponies, and why did they suddenly show up? And how did they know forbidden Zebra magic. Twilight, and the wise shaman stood there for a few minutes. Finally Twilight chimed in. "Let me go ahead and take a look at them!" The moment she walked in, she could see three ponies; all three looked like they were in various states of injury. Till the moment she saw Pinkie and Rainbow Dash's faces... "Gadzukes! Rainbow Dash did a horribly dangerous  and unorthodox stunt! And she sheared off her wings, and caused her muzzle to swell up to ten or twenty times its normal size! And..." She screamed to all three ponies in the room, who all looked at her with puzzled expressions. Then she remembered something. "Oh that's right... These aren't my Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie." She replied, blushing in embarrassment. "Excuse me! Darling! I don't do dangerous, or unorthodox!" Rainbow said, with indignation. "Except, of course, for the occasional sledge race, darlings! But that's only because I sometimes get competitive!" Twilight fought hard to hold off laughter. It was weird hearing Rainbow Dash talk like Rarity (well kind of like Rarity anyway.) "So 'Rainbow Dash', Zecora tells me you need one of my feathers for a potion for your friend. Please, do tell me more." Twilight asked, in her most regal tones. "Well... The thing is, Minty here broke the Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane! And so without it, Santa couldn't find his way to Ponyville!" Pinkie started, before Rainbow Dash could speak. "Santa? Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane?" Twilight thought to herself, her eye brow quirking. "Ponyville, but I live in Ponyville!" She said to herself, under her breath. Were these ponies lying? Pinkie cocked her head to the side, was she not being understood? She continued though, only when Twilight beckoned her to do so. "And so I recommended she fetch Santa, but I meant the two of us together." Pinkie continued. "But she decided to go out on her own! And..." "Sorry about that Pinkie!" Could be heard from a rasping green pony in the corner. The potion would  wear off soon, and they knew that it would be bad when it fully wore off. "I didn't mean to break the Candy Cane! Or ruin Christmas." "Sorry about that Minty! It wasn't you, it was me..." She said with a frown. "I should have said things differently, and I shouldn't have gotten so mad over the Candy Cane!" She apologized (possibly for the hundredth time.) "Don't worry about it, either of you. I need to hear the rest of the story." Twilight asked, commandingly. "Ok, so Minty decided to fetch Santa, all on her own -- and we all know how bad of a flyer she is!" She said to the princess standing before her, with a giggle. "Except I don't know how bad a flier she is!" Twilight protested to herself, only to be interrupted by rest of the story from the pink pony. "And well, she fell into a ravine, and broke herself really bad. But Santa dropped off some kind of magic potion that he said would help her get better. But Kimono only had enough potion for two days, and needed ingredients to make more!" Twilight stood there dumbfounded. What was this pony talking about? Maybe she wasn't a changeling spy after all? Because, if she was, then she was the worst spy ever! "It fills me with fear, that even you cannot make their rantings clear." Zecora replied. "It's ok...." Twilight said to the Zecora. "Alright Pinkie, I shall help, but promise me you won't use these feathers for evil!" Twilight said, knowing full well this was a pointless gesture -- if the pony before her was, indeed, evil (I mean obviously she didn't see new born cuties, because then... oh wait sorry....) "Oh great! You have an ali-corn bird handy?" Pinkie asked, her smile returning full force, and growing rapidly! Twilight looked at her funny: she thought an alicorn was a bird? "Yes, I do; because, I am an alicorn! And a princess of Equestria!" Twilight responded. Pinkie stood there confused for a minute. "You're a princess too? Oh wow! Spike and princess Wysteria crowned Rainbow Dash, Sunny Daze, Minty, and I all princesses at the Princess Promenade!" Twilight looked at her cross eyed: Spike crowned her a princess? What is she talking about? "Oh, wow!" She said, thinking, for a second, about the second part. "Alicorns must be another name for really real for real pegasus ponies! Wow, Rainbow Dash, did you hear that we could have saved this whole trip!" Pinkie said with a wall to wall smile. "Oh wait, do you mind if we borrow some of your feathers miss...?" She asked innocently. "Twilight Sparkle... And you may. But first I must ask, do you have any other questions?" "About anything?" Pinkie asked, with a smile. "Of course. I'm well read in many subjects!" Twilight said with pride. "You look and sound like you are out of sorts, and maybe I can help you out!" Pinkie, sat there for a second, she had so many questions to ask. But first, she hoped to help this ali-corn princess, like she was offering to help them. "Well first of all, can I help repay you by getting you something for that nasty bump on your head? Some ice maybe?" "First of all, that isn't a bump on my head... It's a horn!" Twilight responded, with confusion, had these ponies never seen a unicorn before? "A horn, darling? Ponies with horns... Really!" Rainbow Dash said, with indignation. Feeling like she was being pranked. "An alicorn is a really real for real pegasus pony with a horn?" Pinkie asked, innocently. "Actually the horn represents unicorns, because I now represent all three tribes." The princess said, starting to trip in a lecturing mode. "But actually, I was originally a unicorn, before I ascended." "What's a unicorn?" Pinkie asked... "Three tribes, darling?" Rainbow asked, surprised. "You mean pegasus, pony, and breezie?" Twilight stood there, dumbfounded her mouth gaping so wide open a train could pass through it. "You don't know what a unicorn is? And you haven't heard of alicorns either?" Pinkie just shook her head. Twilight was about to explode into flames of anger when the wise zebra put a hoof on her shoulder. "After the potion they drink, rest will do well for them, I think." "Ok fine... Choose some of these, I believe they needed to be removed anyway." Twilight said, with a sigh. ******** Meanwhile, elsewhere in Equestria.... ******** "What in the hay are you doing Pinkie?" Rainbow asked, a combination of pity, and aggravation. "Well you see. I got a droopy tail, twitchy eye, itchy hoof combo (in that order)! And that means somepony is going to have a birthday! And then immediately after I got a itchy hoof, twitchy eye, droopy tail combo (in that order)! And that means somepony new is coming to town! And by the feel of it, they are going to arrive in five days, thirteen hours, twenty six minutes, and .... thirteen, twelve, eleven... Dang it! I keep getting the second wrong!" Pinkie responded. "Ok whatever!" Rainbow said, putting her hoof in the pink party ponies mouth to hush her. "But why do you need to build this humongous... whatever this thing is?" "It's because I haven't celebrated...", Pinkie stopped for a second, as if listening to an invisible voice from somewhere in her body... "Thirteen of her birthdays, give or take 20 or 22, and I have to make up for lost time!" Pinkie responded, surprisingly nonchalantly. "That and she's used to big parties! And so I needed to make this one, birth-iversary big!" "Whatever you say Pinkie. Say what's that new doctor doing? Looks like he's headed into the Everfree." "Wow!!! The new pony must be at Zecora's place. I can do some subtle surveillance and find out what I need to make the perfect party!" Pinkie responded with a smile, rushing off in what looked like some kind of silly spy outfit. "Unseen and unheard!" She yelled, at the top of her lungs. "Yeah... That'll work..." Rainbow said to herself, rolling in midair in laughter.  "Unseen... And unheard..." She said, barely able to breathe. ******** Sadly, it's hard when you're sore, and have nothing to do, and Pinkie was experiencing both, in spades. So she decided to sit on the floor and look out the window, hoping to see something interesting. And after a short while she did. A strange pony wearing some kind of ninja outfit hung from seemingly nowhere, looking at her with some strange binoculars. "Oh! excuse me!" Pinkie said, looking at the small window. "Zecora, a ninja seems to be here to see you! Shall I let her in?" "Dang it! I've been discovered! Abort! Abort! Abort!" The pink pony in the ninja outfit responded. As she raised her self back up on an the wire hanging her from somewhere or another. "Well  then... Let her in, darling!" Rainbow Dash responded. "Maybe the darling, has brought something nice. And besides, darling, ninja's have good fashion sense! After all black is the new black, darling! It's simply rainbows! (Yes the potion Zecora gave them for their pain seemed to have fried Rainbow Dash's brain slightly! -- But don't worry, she'll be as good as new shortly.) "Oh dear! They seem to have left... Sorry for bugging you Zecora!" Pinkie said, with an embarrassed blush. "Oh no worries, it's probably just Pinkie Pie,  trying to be subtle and sly. She's most likely just passing by." The wise Zebra responded. "The potions is done, she should drink some." "There's another Pinkie Pie? Wow! The world really is a small place!" Pinkie said to Rainbow Dash, giggling at the absurdity of the statement. ******** After a few minutes, a slow clopping could be heard outside, and then a knock on the door. "Ahh, the doctor finally arrived." Twilight said with a smile. "He can take a look at all three of you!" She said, looking at the three otherworldly ponies, in various states of brokenness. "And give us an idea what needs to be done to make you feel better!" She said, with a gleeful smile. As promised, Twilight opened the door to a very surly looking older stallion. The first words out of his mouth were less then kind. "Tell me again, who you need me to see this far out in the Celestia forsaken Everfree Forest?" He said, with a scowl, as he limped in. "For you hours ago I requested, as Twilight here has attested!" Zecora said, her anger showing. "Actually that was the other doctors! I was busy, fixing my fellow doctor's incompetence. I still can't believe they couldn't diagnose Sunny Morning's Disorder!" The doctor said, scowling. "Wow! Sunny Morning's Disorder? I heard of that one while looking for the Cutie Pocks! Doesn't it occur though in one out of every three hundred million or so ponies?" She asked. "Yes, and so it should have been obvious! And, as for the Cutie Pocks, I bet they wouldn't be able to diagnose them either... Now what is it that you need me to see? And why couldn't you take them to me! I'm a busy stallion!" He replied with a scowl. "No wonder they sent him here for a few months. He probably drove the other doctors in Manehattan crazy!" Twilight exclaimed silently to the zebra, who smiled ever so subtly. "I heard that!!! You are lucky I could be drawn away at all! I've been very busy, and frankly no one believed her... " He griped, pointing at Zecora. "Silly story that she had three wounded ponies out here..." "Careful!" Twilight cautioned, as calmly as she could. "You are talking to a close friend, and a hero of Equestria." "Well excuuuuuussssseeee me Princess!" The doctor replied. "Fine, let me take a look at them. But tell me first how and where you found them?" "On my hovel they crashed, and they and their balloon they trashed!" The zebra replied to the grump of a doctor. "Heh..." He said, guffawing at some snappy joke in her internal monologue. "Well let me take a look at all three of them." He said, warming up his horn. ******** "Ok, you wanted to hear the results princess?" He said, with a somber face. "Here it is: the pink one will be fine, only a few scrapes, bruises, and possibly a bruised rib, she's lucky for someone who fell from that height."  "The blue one has a broken rib, a few sprains, and a bunch of scrapes and bruises, but she should be fine if she takes it easy a few weeks. I've already given her basic treatment. Just make sure she doesn't do any strenuous work until that rib has had a chance to mend some!" "And keep those wounds clean on both of them!" He cautioned. "And the green one?" Twilight asked. "Not good, apparently she's took a terrible fall at terminal velocity a couple of days ago. She's lucky that she isn't two dimensional, let alone having survived even this long. Perhaps if we could have gotten her to the hospital, but even then..." He said, looking away. "I'm sorry, but it's better if she stayed here. Perhaps if these ponies were using real medicine instead of witch craftery..." "Witch craftery? You dare make a mockery?" Zecora said, with a frown. "I'll show you a thing or two, I'll make her as good as new! A new potion I have, a hope from my native land!" "Heh." The doctor replied, smirking. "If you succeed then I should quit my job!" "How about for their treatment you pay? On the final day?" Zecora said with a smirk, as if catching the old loudmouth in a trap. "Heh. Sure thing. I'll pay for their treatment out of pocket." He said with a smirk, certain of himself. ******** "Discord, you have been found willfully violating the terms of your parole!" Shouted, the new captain of the guard -- eager to demonstrate that he was, in every way, as much a stallion as his predecessor. "Are you willing to come back with me to Canterlot for judgment!?" The amber pegasus demanded, in question form. "Say what sonny? I'm kind of hard of hearing!" Said 'Granny Discord', as 'she' looked pathetically at the angry stallion, holding a very, very, large horn to 'her' ear. "You'll have to speak louder! I'm hard of hearing." The stallion grunted angrily, and approached the former god of chaos, and promptly yelled into the horn: "Discord! YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND WILLFULLY..." Before being interrupted by his muzzle suddenly being taped shut. "I can hear you just fine, thanks!" Said a peeved Discord, returning to his regular form. "You can tell the princesses that I intend to cause no further chaos!" He said, grabbing a glass of chocolate, drinking the glass, and then throwing the milk away, causing an explosion. "Ok... Other than that!" He said, with a chuckle. "That's a classic!" "No you have no option! Celestia has demanded your return to Canterlot! And I won't rest until you are brought to justice." "Because I took a couple of days vacation away from Ponyville? Sheesh Brad! Are you feeling inadequate?" Discord said, with a sly smile. "Don't call me Brad! My name is Flash Sentry!" He said, growling. "Relax Brad? When did you go from debonair to being 'Equestria's Policepony'? You upset because you upstaged yourself? You stole Twilight's heart from you?" He said, smirking from ear to ear. "Or maybe you are just tired of hearing how much better old Shiny was?" He asked, his face suddenly resembling Shining Armor's. "You shut up! Your mind magic won't work here! And..."  He said, trying (unsuccessfully) to walk on his back legs like a monkey. "And I think it is..." Discord said, snapping his fingers, breaking the spell, and causing the Captain of the Guard to fall down with a crash. "And tell Tia that I can't go back!" "Even for me?" Asked a yellow pegasus slowly approaching him. "I got really upset when you left... And I was worried that you no longer wanted to be my friend." She said starting to cry. Discord, looked away trying to avoid eye contact. "I can't go back! Especially not for you!" He said, trying to keep from looking in any way upset. "Why Discord do you hate us now?" She asked, crying again. "No, it's just that... Well I... Can't say." He said, opening a rift in the form of a padded door. "Now... It's better if I leave." "Did I do something?" Fluttershy asked, grabbing his hoof. "Why won't you talk to me?" "And, my dear, what if it wasn't you, but I that did something? And how would you feel if you didn't like what I had to say?" He asked. "What if, I had indeed, committed a deed that was really bad?" "In that case we'll deal with it together!" She said, with a smile. The old god of chaos, blushed slightly. "Very well, I shall return, but promise me that you won't be mad at me when you find out..." He said to himself, with a false sinister chuckle. ******** "So you're saying this nasty smelling potion is going to help Minty feel better?" Pinkie asked, cringing a little at the look and smell of Zecora's potion. "Yes, it's like the potion I used for chipped teeth, but I'm hoping these alterations will cure what lies beneath." "Oh wow! You must be really good at potions Zecora!" Pinkie replied with a smile. "Will it hurt at all?" "Sadly for this great gain, she will have to experience, deep pain..." The wise Zecora said, looking away sadly. This was not really what she wanted to tell the eager pink pony. "Don't worry, darling!" Rainbow said, this time being the one to exude the confidence. "If Zecora feels she needs that potion, then I think she should take it. Minty's strong, Pinkie, the darling can take it! Believe me darling! I know these things!" Rainbow said with a smile, as if trying to reassure a child. Zecora slowly walked towards the green pony. Now, having given her Kimono's potion earlier, it was time to give the mint pony her own. "Drink it all quick, this potion should do the trick." "Ok!" Ponyville's green machine said, before chugging the strange brew. "Yuck, it takes like Sunny Daze gym socks!!! (Yes, Sunny does indeed have a pair, somewhere, and I'm sure Minty gave them to her as a gift!)" She said, before the potion began to take effect. Sadly the effect was probably the most painful thing she had ever experienced. "Oh, darling, it's hurting her! You simply have to do something, darling!" Rainbow said, with dismay. "Sadly, there is little I can do. The potion's effects must follow through!" Zecora said, with a somber expression. "Please darling! Be ok!" Rainbow pleaded. "Hmm... that's odd. Did both of their eyes just go green?" Pinkie asked, with curiosity. "Guess I'm just seeing things?" She thought to herself, unsure of what she was seeing. Almost immediately the green pony stopped shaking, and started to breath normally. "Oh wow! I guess the potion only hurts for a minute!" Pinkie thought with a smile. "Zecora is really, really good at this! I really, really, really should congratulate her!" "That's interesting the pain went away, shorter than I expected it to stay!" Zecora said, with a smile. "Now all three of you to bed! Tomorrow, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, you will get ingredients for me in my stead! You friend, however, in bed must stay!" ******** "What a day!" pinkie said, yawning fully. "I hope Minty get's better soon. Then I'll have to plan a makeup Christmas or something..." She said, drifting off, into what would hopefully be a pleasant sleep. ******** "I remember the day I first met Scootaloo." She said to herself, wistfully -- chuckling only a little. "The sun was shining, and the day was perfect (well most days in Ponyville were perfect, but I won't tell her otherwise, if you don't.) It all started with tea... well a tea party anyway..." She said to herself, travelling back into the past. Wait, didn't she meet Scootaloo later on? Yes, wasn't it that scooter party with Breezie, and Flitterflutter? "I should get the tea set out for Sir. Cuddles, Mr. Quackerton, and myself. It's a wonderfully pinkalishish day for tea!" She said to herself, setting the faux tea set on her little table. Complete with a (luckily) empty tea pot. "There, now for the guests of honor!" She said, placing a stuffed bear, and a rubber duck on the table 'above their seats'. Before sitting down herself. "Even back then I had a certain amount of skill making parties completely utterly perfect!" She thought to herself, as her voice boomed over the scene. She pretended to take a sip of tea, and looked over to the toy duck. "It certainly is a pinkalishish tea party, don't you think so Mr. Quackerton?" She listened closely to the toy duck -- which of course, sat there and did nothing. "Quite right! I couldn't agree more!" She said to herself, enamored with her own imaginary praise. "What do you think Mr. Cuddles?" She asked the bear, hoping for some more 'praise'. Strange, what did she play with as a newborn cutie, she was sure it didn't have a goofy name like Mr. Quakerton, or Sir Cuddles! After a second Mr. Cuddles responded (ok, he didn't really. He's just a bear guys!) "Quite right. I couldn't have said that better!" She said to herself. "Not to worry, my friend Cheerilee will be here shortly." She said, boastfully. After a short time, the doorbell rang (the one that Mrs. Pie probably installed to go with the rest of the play house -- she probably believed in either permissive parenting, or smothering with stuff.) After a short crawl over, she found that her mother had already opened the door. "Pinkie Pie, your friend is here to see you." She said, with a soft voice, and a loving smile. However, instead of Cheerilee behind the door, there was some kind of bee hive. "Mama Pie? Where'd you go?" Pinkie asked, suddenly becoming nervous. "I suppose she has to be there in the spooky beehive..." She said, gulping. "Too bad you won't be leaving today! I already have the party planned for you, and I would hate if you left now!" Said an older bug pony, wearing some kind of wheeled contraption strapped to her barrel. Followed closely behind, by a strangely feline bug pony, and another pitch black bug pony with a pitch black mane. "Mistress, Dulcamara, leave this to me! I've got the three of them handled just fine!" Said an angry Mandragora. "Just look at the pink one! Doesn't she look older and more frail then even you?" "Oh, of course, dear Mandragora, I fully trust in your ability to finish these three, but I just want to make sure the job is completed successfully: you know how sly Lady Rainbow can be..." "Ok... I think it's time to go!" The bug pony with the rainbow mane exclaimed, quickly grabbing the small pink pony in her other wing. "You know what?" Pinkie asked herself. "This seems familiar, have I had this dream before?" Her thoughts were quickly interrupted as all four bug ponies quickly began to circle 'Mama Pie'. "Oh Cheerilee brought her little sister with her, Pinkie, isn't that wonderful!" Said, a smiling Mama Pie. All of a sudden she was back in her play house. And standing before her was a baby Cheerilee and Scootaloo. "Yay! Yay! Wonderful!" Said the tiny foal Scootaloo, seemingly mocking Mama Pie. "Wonderful..." Said Cheerilee, with a deadpan voice, obviously less then enthused about the interloaper. "My mom made me promise to take her along. I hope you don't mind." Cheerilee said, upset about having this interloper in on their tea party. "Of course not! The more the merrier!" Pinkie responded with a chuckle. "So you gunna introduce me?" "Sure." Cheerilee responded. "Pinkie Pie, this is Scootaloo. Scootaloo, this is Pinkie Pie." "A pleasure to meet you. Would you like to join our pinkalishish tea party?" Pinkie asked with a smile. "It'll be a lot of fun!" "Party?" Scootaloo asked, before launching into the air, before a crash resounded throughout the air. "I guess we should see if she's ok." Pinkie asked, giggling. "Maybe a tea party isn't the best idea right now!" She started walking over, but didn't make it far, before... "You know... I had hoped to make this job appear like a double starvation, and an unfortunate stroke. But it looks like you're unwillingness to face facts has forced me to take measures into my own hands, Lady Rainbow." "Ok... If I attack one, the rest will join in, and I can't take all four of them. And further, the only way out would be through the door...  Unless..." Lady Rainbow schemed to herself. "When I give the word, each of us will attack in order, with the others providing support. Sadly we'll have to evaporate whatever remains...." The old bug pony said to herself, with a morbid smile. "Now Lady! I'll be merciful -- seeing as you are a hero of the hive -- I'll use a powerful unicorn spell to finish things quickly: I may be old and frail, but my magic is as powerful as anypony's." She said, standing against the wall that the old rainbow bug pony wanted to egress through. "Oh... As is mine, worry not." Lady Rainbow said, with a smile. "You are bluffing, I can see it in your smile. I suspect most of your magic has been used..." She said, her form suddenly changing to that of an older unicorn (except for the wheeled contraption).  "To keep those brats alive! You've gone weak and senile in your old age Lady..." Lady Rainbow didn't waste any time in showing just why she was given so many titles (Rainbow of Doom, Rainbow of Darkness, The Dark Rainbow, Lady Colorington -- oh wait... That was someone else!) Sending a beam of solid magical energy through the wall (and sending a rabidly cussing Dulcamara out said hole in the wall -- not to be confused with the show by the same name!) "Quick, little ones, we must leave!!!" The rainbow manes bug pony said, with urgency. Was she moving with the bug pony? Was she flying further away? As they were flying away, a blond maned blue eyed bug pony stallion walked in. "What are you waiting for! Squash her!!! What do I pay you for!!!?" Why did he make her legs all wobbly? "Watch out Mama Pie!" Pinkie said, as a large needle caused a small knick in the plot of 'Mama Pie', which had become solid rock for a second. "Horse apples... That was probably poisoned..." She said, starting to wobble a little in flight. "Please Mama Pie be ok, the children are sick!!! They need you!!! I need you!!! I miss you!!!" Pinkie screamed, awaking with tears in her eyes. By the sound of things in the other room, Rainbow was having another one of her nightmares. "I guess this must be the nightmare season." Said Pinkie to herself, with a smile. Before drifting quickly back to sleep. ******** "You look half asleep, did you manage to sleep without a peep?" The wise zebra asked Pinkie with a smile. "Not so well, I've kind of been borrowing Rainbow Dash's nightmares the last two nights." Pinkie said with a frown. "But I always go straight back to sleep, because I always remember that no matter how bad the dream, my friends will always be there in the end!" She said, recovering her smile. "That's a sweet sentiment, use it to your betterment." The zebra said with a smile. "So, wake Rainbow Dash you should, and get these ingredients; if you would!" "Oh wow!" Pinkie said, with a large smile and boundless enthusiasm. "A puzzle hunt! I love a puzzle hunt. Too bad Puzzlemint's not here right now! She's love to join in." "That's a good way to think, grab the ingredients on the list, and bring them back to me for a twist!" She said, laughing slightly. "Sure thing! Did you hear that Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said, enthusiastically. "You get to join me on a puzzle hunt! We just need to get all the ingredients on the list, and bring them back!" "Of course, darling." Rainbow said, yawning a little. "We'll fetch them right after we eat." "You ok Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asked, with trepidation. "Are you still having nightmares." "Unfortunately, darling, but not to worry, I'm sure as Minty gets better, they should go away." "Maybe a brew, to help bring good sleep to you?" Zecora asked. "But I'll need a few things more, that cannot be bought from a store." "Ok, darling." Rainbow Dash said, as she started to leave. "This should be easy, and Minty will be better in no time!" Zecora's face darkened. "Remember, you pony folks, stay on the path, the woods are not a joke!" She warned, as harshly as she was able. ******** "So how do you feel my green friend? Does your pain continue without end?" Zecora asked of the mint green pony, carefully laid out on a guest bed she had borrowed from Twilight. "Also you look sad, do you still think your friends are mad?" She continued, looking at the green pony, now carefully casted up all over to make sure none of her broken bones moved out of place. "Well, gee Zecora, it's like I keep messing everything up. I didn't mean to mess up Christmas, I just wanted to make everything perfect." "And it upsets you that you put your friends to such trouble? Perhaps you should think double?" Zecora sat down with a smile. "Your friends are happy to help, with or without a yelp. But since you are stuck here with me, and I have no ingredients, you see. Maybe a story from my past?" "Oh wow!" Ponyville's green machine responded, starting to sing a song. "Come on everybody, lend your little ears!" "Of what are you singing my green friend? It certainly, causes my ears much ringing!" Asked the wise shaman, surprised in the odd song coming out of her guest's mouth. "It's the song we always sing for story club, right before Storybelle's symbol rotates, and she tells us a super fun story!" She responded, with a huge smile, before continuing to sing. "Gather round, gather round! I promise you my dears." Zecora just looked bemused, these strange ponies were, indeed, unique. They reminded her of innocent children, much as she had once been. "It's the most amazing story! We're ever going to hear!" Minty finished singing (somewhere a windmill symbol on somepony's flank started to rotate, for some reason.) "I tell a tale of old, of a place far away, where this story is told." She said, putting a special log onto the fire, throwing up smoke. "In the village of my birth there was much mirth, for wiser than the chief's son, there was almost none. So to become a Zecora he would learn, and this duty he would never spurn." She said, as the smoke took the shape of a young zebra. "Wow, is that you?" Minty asked, with an innocent smile. Zecora blushed a little, embarrassed for the, naive young pony. "He was not me, but we were very close, you see!" She reared up onto two legs, and waved her arms a little. The smoke began to take on a distinctly feminine form. "But there was also a slave girl, alchemy to her did unfurl. Even without a coach, her skills were above reproach." As the zebra in the smoke began to throw objects into a caldron, which brought forth a brightly colored smoke. "However, her skill with the arcane, soon was to become her bane!" The smoke showed a scene of a kind mother, trying to stop the child, who refused to do so. "Her knowledge of magic, had made her life tragic. The village was alarmed, certain that she intended them harm." The mother, and a stallion male were taken away by an angry crowd. "She did not share her family's grave, for the chief's son intended, her to save!" Zecora continued, before clearing her throat, and speaking in a stallion's voice. "An enchantress I do not see, instead greatness in her, I forsee!" "Her master feared for his life, and of her intentions, he jeered! For, to him, a murderer she appeared!" Zecora said, in her voice again, before switching back to a male voice. "Let us be coy! for us she intends to destroy! She thinks, she has been wronged, and that in the grave we belong! Why else, of alchemy would she learn? Except that for our end, she yearn!" But the young chief's son was not impressed. "You speak as one who deceives, for our ancestors harm from your family received! I speak of our families jinn that stole the shadows from our kinn! And of our lives he shook, as our strength he took!" "Why does it you amuse? Of me, treason to accuse? My ancestors you all should trust! Perhaps, your history, you should adjust!" "Silence I demand! For violence I cannot stand!" Said an old stallion, walking up from behind the crowd. "I will determine her will, whether she wishes good or ill!" Everyone immediately stopped, for this was the Zecora of the East, the protector of all the zebric tribes. "So, what did he decide?" Minty asked, eagerly. "Both under him would learn, so that one the Zecora of the east would return!" Zecora said, blushing a little. "We became great friends, sadly over the title it would end!" She said, looking away sadly. "But now you look tired! Of the rest of the story, later you may be inquired!" "So did you know either of these two person's? And what does it have to do with me?" Minty asked, curiously. "This is the earring of a slave, on this my story is engraved!" The zebra said, to a vacant expression from the earth pony. Ok she would have to spell it out. "Don't like your ears fail, for what you have heard, was my tale!" "Wow! But that means, that you lost your family to..." Minty said, going from happy to sad, in a flash. "Are we so different? Sometimes meaning well is not sufficient. But your outlook is not so bleak. There is a reason your Cutie Mark is unique! If you don't give up, and find your way. I'm sure you will be happy on your final day." ******** "Wow! Rainbow Dash, we already have almost all of the ingredients! This puzzle hunt has been super fun!" Pinkie said, with a smile; if there was one thing, besides doing something she hadn't done before -- and parties -- that she loved, it was puzzle hunts. "So all we need is this thingy..." "Ahh yes... Zecora called that Timberwolf's bane, darling! But it appears that we can't get it without going off the path. And you remember, darling, what Zecora said about that." Rainbow said, in a warning fashion. "Yeah, you're right. Except, it's just over there. I think I can get some and be back superfast, and then I'll have won the puzzle hunt!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "Now I'll just start over there." She said, trotting towards the flowers. A low growling could be heard. "Oh... I almost forgot to put on my gloves. 'Make sure to wrap it well, if improperly prepared, a poison if touched'." Pinkie said, putting a pair of improvised rubber gloves over her hoofs. "That's odd... Why does the air smell like stinky eggs?" She asked herself. "Darling, get out of there!" Rainbow screeched, as a pack of strange wood creatures approached her friend. "Oh dear... Nice doggy!" Pinkie said, with a nervous chuckle. grabbing the flower in the glove, and wrapping it carefully in the paper Zecora gave them. "Let me put this in the bag... then we can play." She said, putting the flower in the bag, and slowly backing away. "I'm on my way, darling!" Rainbow shouted, galloping as fast as she could, feeling the pain in her damaged ribs the whole way. "Nice doggy..." Pinkie said again, reaching out to pet the creature; only to barely avoid her hoof being bitten off. "Ok... maybe we'll play later, once you're feeling less grumpy..." She said with a nervous chuckle, backing away, only to find she was now surrounded by the creatures. "Darling! Hold on! I'm coming!" Rainbow started screeching, absolutely panic stricken. "I've got to do something, the darling needs my help." She told herself, as her migraine began to flare up again. What happened next, was like auto pilot. She leaped right into the center of the circle along with Pinkie, and just started staring at the strange golems. Their eyes glowed a strange green light. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, I'm pretty sure they don't care... But thank you for trying." Pinkie said, gulping. "I think we might be in trouble!" Rainbow couldn't hear her friend, she was acting entirely on instinct. "YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!!!!" She shouted; as the golems, strangely started to obey, whimpering and whining in fear, as they fled deeper and deeper into the forest. "Wow Rainbow Dash, how did you do that!?" Pinkie asked, surprised. "I don't really know, darling..." Rainbow responded, her migraine returning. ******** A burping could be heard all through the golden oaks, as a certain dragon belched out a letter. The parchment was sealed with a royal seal, meaning this was an official letter. "Twilight! It's a letter to you... From the princess!" Spike said, perplexed. "Aren't you doing that whole journal thing now?" He asked. "Oh goody, maybe she's found something out about the phenomenon from a few nights ago." Twilight said, with stars in her eyes. "Alright." She said, reading the letter, word by word carefully, scanning up and down the pages for a few minutes, followed by a disconcerted expression on her face. "Changeling scouts have been reported moving outside of Los Pegasus, and the army is on the move headed due north of Canterlot." "North of Canterlot? Isn't the capital Canterlot" Spike asked, surprised. "Are they trying to attack the capital from behind?" "No, They apparently skipped the capital entirely. Apparently they are headed north of Canterlot..." She said, with a puzzled expression. "They have to be planning to attack the Crystal empire. But what would they want in the Crystal... My Brother!!!" Twilight said, getting agitated, and dropping the letter. "We should get everyone together and..." "Celestia says, 'You and your friends are ordered to remain in Ponyville.' " Spike replied. "Remain in Ponyville? Why?" "I don't know... But it's right here in black and white..."  Spike said, cowering from what he was sure would be another Alicorn explosion. "Why would she want us to remain here when my brother is in danger?" Twilight asked. "Unless... does she think we are in danger as well? Or is it possible that the cause of that aurora is here in Ponyville?"