Chapter Four
A Dash, A Drop, A Boom, A Bop...
“So close, so close, carefully now, this brew is extremely volatile.” Zecora says to Spike as he carefully adds a beaker of liquid, drop by drop into her bubbling cauldron. “Take it slowly, one drop at a time, to balance this potion takes a hoof sublime.” She says as she watches him carefully add-
{CRASH!}, the sound of shattering glass startles the young dragon, causing him to accidentally release the beaker he is holding, dropping it into the pot.
“Rainbow Dash! My potion you’ve wrecked! I’ll yell at you shortly, but for now, hit the deck!” Zecora says as she pulls Spike to the floor and drags him with her under a nearby table.
“Wah? Sorry about crashing through your window Zecora,” Rainbow Dash says in a daze as she rises to her hooves. “But I really need your help right now. There’s this strange unicor-, um, why are you two underneath the table?” she has time to ask before a loud explosion erupts from the cauldron coating the entire room, including Rainbow Dash in hot smelly liquid. “ARGGGHHH! It burns!” Rainbow says as she quickly runs to the sink and begins splashing water on her coat. “Hot, hot, hot! Why is pain my friend today?!?”
Zecora and Spike rise from the floor and assess the damages.
“Um, I’m guessing it will be a few more days before Twilight’s potion is ready.” Spike says as he tries to find a clean place to stand.
“Your comment is no exaggeration, but I’m about to have a new assistant for the duration.” Zecora says trotting up behind Rainbow Dash and cuffing her on the back of her head. “Crazy mare, you’d best explain, why you busted through my window pane. When civilized ponies choose to knock, they won’t end up with explosive shocks. Now before your cleaning chores begin, tell me why you raised this din!”
“Ow, Zecora, I really didn’t need to be hit anymore today. I need your help, it’s an emergency! I’ve been chased and assaulted ever since I woke up this morning by this crazy unicorn. Please you have to help me!” Rainbow begs.
Unseen by Rainbow, Spike is covering a grin.
“Assaulted you say? Since the break of dawn? Well, this changes all, please do go on.” Zecora says as she pulls out a reasonably clean chair and sits down.
“Yeah,” Spike says, “tell us about this ‘crazy unicorn’.”
“Okay so it started when I woke up this morning. I yawn and roll over, and there he was! Right beside me in my bed!”
“Really?” Spike says, acting surprised. “A unicorn was in a cloud home, in bed with you?”
“I know how it sounds, But let me finish.” Rainbow says in frustration.
“So there he was, right next to me. His face and body were all white, he had black eyes and lips. And he wore a black hooded outfit. So without saying a word, he raises a hoof, and then hits me right between the eyes! With a spoon!”
“{Bwaahahaaaa!}” Spike laughs, unable to contain himself.
“It isn’t funny Spike. He chased me all the way to Ponyville, and every time I stop for like two minutes, he shows up and hits me with a spoon.” Rainbow says rubbing her temples. It was then that she has noticed Zecora is standing stiff, he muzzle open in shock, her eyes wide.
“Ponosaji,” she finally utters in a near whisper. “Oh Rainbow Dash what have you done? For from this curse you cannot run.”
“What do you mean? Wait, did you say curse?” Rainbow says in alarm.
“An ancient curse from times long past. Now leave my home, and make it fast!” Zecora says, pushing Rainbow towards the front door.
“Wait, please wait. At least tell me what I’m dealing with.” Rainbow says in desperation.
“The Ponosaji cannot be stopped, he cannot be harmed or slain, once raised he will forever track his prey, his interest will not wane. Some pony cursed you Rainbow Dash, and now it’s time you fled, for the Ponosaji will not rest, until he’s struck you dead!” Zecora says as she pushes Rainbow out of her hut.
“Dead!” Both Rainbow and Spike say in unison.
“Y-you mean it won’t stop until it kills Rainbow Dash? With a spoon?” Spike says in dawning horror.
“But all he does is taps me with it. For him to kill me like that... would... take... decades...” Rainbow’s voice trails off as she begins to realize the full horror of her situation. Then, as if compelled by some strange instinct, she turns her head and looks down the narrow dirt track that leads to Zecora’s home.
Both Zecora and Spike follow her gaze, and all three can clearly see a figure, hooded and dressed in black. His coat is the color of bleached bone, and his eyes and lips are night black. Slowly the figure lurches up the trail toward them, and all can see in his upraised hoof, the silvery gleam of a large shiny spoon.
“Quickly Spike, get inside, from it’s attention, we’d best hide.” Zecora says as she quickly pulls the young dragon inside and begins to close the door. “Rainbow there’s naught I can do, but perhaps there is one, that I can send you to.”
“Quick Zecora, anything, any pony!” Rainbow says in growing terror.
“I can’t say for sure he’ll break your curse, but at this point for you, things could not get worse. Fly to Fluttershy’s, no delay you can afford, and seek out the draconniques, known as Discord!” Zecora says, before slamming the door and bolting it from the inside.
Rainbow Dash turns back to see how far the Ponosaji is from the hut, desperate to learn more about it, only to find it is now somehow right before her muzzle.
{Tap!} “Oww! That was way harder than last time!” {Tap!} “Blast it! Leave me alone!” Rainbow says flapping her wings and streaking through the sky. “Oh sweet Celestia,” Rainbow mutters, “I can’t believe I’m going to ask Discord for help.”
Meanwhile back inside Zecora’s Spike has just finished writing a message for Twilight, and has sent it off via his dragonfire. “Oh Twilight, I hope you can fix this...” he says quietly.