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// Love Potion Predicament 
// Story: Anim's Adventures in Equestria 
// by Animatorsnake 
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	Well… I never thought we would be doing this again but… we are. Hello my name is Applebloom, my friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had an idea to put my big brother Big Mac and our teacher, Cheerilee together for Hearts & Hooves Day last year. Now we learned our lesson but… we had our reasons, a friend well a member of ours by the name of Animatorsnake was a pony who was awesome, smart, cool, athletic… everything, but he didn’t had any plans for Hearts & Hooves Day. How did we hear this… well we sort of… eavesdropped a little, but when we heard we knew we needed to find Anim somepony to be with, but ever since Anim became known in town after the recent events he caused before, many ponies… like him but… not like “like” him. That’s when Sweetie had the idea to… use “it” again, we promised to never to it again, but this time we won’t make the same mistake… I hope.

One day before Hearts & Hooves Day begins… Ponyville, near the Everfree Forest, 11:00am

“Sweetie Belle, what are we doing here?!” said Applebloom, nearly shouting.

Sweetie shushes Applebloom with her hoof, then removing it from her muzzle. “Quiet Applebloom, we can’t let anypony to see us enter the Everfree,” said Sweetie.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this, not only that but following you to do this,” said Scootaloo.

“I know we weren’t going to use it again but, I saw something when we visited Zecora’s last time,” said Sweetie.

I think you can tell what we were trying to get, that’s correct… the love potion, or to be correct love poison. When we returned the bottle, Sweetie noticed a book on making potions and other stuff, she said that maybe we could make a love potion that wouldn’t cause Anim to go… bonkers.

“But what if we can’t make a love potion,” said Scootaloo.

“Trust me, there has to be a recipe on making a love potion, now come on we have to go,” said Sweetie, trotting forward.

“Hold on Sweetie!” said Applebloom, catching up.

“Oh… I’m sorry Anim,” whispered Scootaloo, following behind.

Continuing down the path, they head deeper into the Everfree Forest, beyond the path is Zecora’s hut. The three fillies plan to acquire a recipe, in creating a love potion, but in order to do that… they have to borrow one of Zecora’s recipe books.

“Are we there yet?” asked Scootaloo.

“Almost there Scoots,” said Applebloom. “Hey Sweetie Belle, how are we supposed to get the book from Zecora anyway?”

“I’ll figure it out when we reach there,” said Sweetie.

Ahead the path, they see Zecora’s hut, approaching the door they knock on the door a few times. Nopony answered the door, after knocking on the door a few more times, it swings open ominously.

“Uh… Zecora, you home?” said Applebloom, walking inside.

Inside the, they find potions and odd trinkets placed everywhere… but no Zecora. It may seem Zecora wasn’t home, making this a perfect opportunity.

“Come on girls, we got to find that book,” said Sweetie, searching a box of potions.

Joining their friend, Scootaloo and Applebloom explore every inch of the room for what their looking for. They try their best not to cause too much of a mess, but some potions and other items begin tumbling and rolling on the floor. Looking deeper throughout the room, Scootaloo finds an old and dusty book.

“Hey, I think I found it,” said Scootaloo, pulling the book with her teeth.

Opening it, inside they flip through page by page, and inside they find the page they’re looking for… the love potion recipe. Taking the book, they head off… that’s when they hear a loud cough from behind.

“What brings the three of you to my abode?” asked Zecora, trotting up to the three.

“Well… we, I, um…” said Sweetie, unable to think of anything.

“Is that one of my books you have?” asked Zecora, taking a better look.

Taking the book, Zecora looks at the three fillies sternly, waiting for a lecture from Zecora they sat there waiting. Instead, Zecora nudges them a little; looking up Zecora continues to speak.

“I know what you fillies are planning, the same little idea from before… but who is it that you plan to use it on this time?” said Zecora.
Looking at each other, they answered in a synchronized answer. “Our friend Animatorsnake,” said the three.

Zecora stood there… thinking? Unsure what to do, the fillies continue to sit there, and then Zecora moved her hoof away from her muzzle. “Since the damaged has not been dealt, I will let the three of you to go on your way,” said Zecora, opening the door. “But promise to not ever do it again.”

Happy, the three fillies hug Zecora for being forgiving to them. They leave, but have no way to make a love potion… is what they think.

Ponyville, Town Square, 11:30am

“Now how are we supposed to make a love potion now?” said Sweetie.

“I knew this would happen!” said Scootaloo.

“Then how come you didn’t tell us?!” shouted Sweetie.

“Hey don’t shout at me, and how is me telling you this happening going to help!?” Scootaloo shouted back at Sweetie.

The two fillies began to argue now, while Applebloom had a small grin on her. Noticing it, they ask her why she’s grinning for.

“What’s so funny Applebloom?” asked Scootaloo, slightly irritated.

“Well… when Zecora came inside, I sort of… took a piece of the recipe,” said Applebloom.

“YOU DID WHAT?!” shouted the two.

Opening a satchel that Applebloom was carrying, inside she pulls out a piece of paper which had a part of the love potion recipe. “I took it when Zecora was busy watching us, some of its smudged but we can figure it out later,” said Applebloom.

Happy, the two fillies hug their friend for the successful mission. Having what they need, they read the page and look for the ingredients they need. First off they need a pot of some sort to mix the ingredients in of hot water.

“Okay, I’ll get the pot from the farm,” said Applebloom. “Scootaloo, you get the ingredients we need and Sweetie…”

“What do I do?” asked Sweetie, ecstatic.

“You read the page’s instructions on how to make the potion, okay,” said Applebloom.

Sweetie gave a sour look, as her friends left to get what they needed, after a few hours of collecting, reading, and pot carrying; they’re ready for step two. Now they need to, placed the ingredients in the right order, after carefully placing them into the pot, and mixing properly, they need only on last ingredient.

“We’re almost done, now all we need is…” said Sweetie, finishing the rest of the paper. “Two cups of… sugar?”

“That’s an odd ingredient… oh well,” said Scootaloo, dropping two cups of sugar.

After mixing it carefully, suddenly the pot began to bubble as they liquid started changing color. Then voila, instant love potion… but something was different from the love potion they used, this one had a purple color to it and oddly looked slightly… gross.

“Don’t tell me we screwed up,” said Scootaloo.

“No, this should be it, maybe now all love potions look the same,” said Applebloom.

“Yeah that must be it. Now come on, let’s get Anim to drink this,” said Sweetie, filling a bottle with the liquid.

“What about the rest of it?” asked Scootaloo.

“Don’t worry, the page said that it will evaporate soon, if not bottled so don’t worry,” said Applebloom.

Heading off into town, they search for Anim. Looking everywhere for him, they find him with Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, and Twilight near an open field, discussing about something.

“So I was thinking, maybe we could try out that spell I made?” asked Anim.

“That spell, you sure about that, because the last time you used it we sort of… caused Pinkie to go super crazy,” said Twilight.

“But that’s to be expected, the spell causes the pony’s abilities to be upgraded. Basically the spell causes anypony to either become super quick, strong, smart, or even more depending on the pony’s race and abilities,” said Anim.

“So Anim, your saying that if you use that spell on me or Rainbow, I’d be able to buck more stronger and Rainbow can go even more quicker than before?” asked Applejack.

“Exactly, it’ll even make Rainbow… 40% cooler,” said Anim, making a joke.

“Oh come on Anim, that’s wasn’t funny,” said Rainbow, crossing her hooves.

“Sorry, had to do it,” said Anim.

“Hey Anim, what you doing,” said Scoots coming up to the group.

“Anim’s been doing some neat experiments. He used one spell on me, and I went super quick and bounced everywhere!” said Pinkie.

“Cool, say could we borrow Anim for a second,” said Applebloom.

“What for girls?” asked Twilight.

“We need Anim to do a small favor for us, that’s all,” said Applebloom.

“Sure thing, I’ll do this favor,” said Anim. “I’ll be right back everypony.”

Anim followed the CMC from a far distance from everypony else. After a few minutes later, they stop by near some trees; Anim asks what they need from him.

“So, what’s this favor you need me to do?” asked Anim.

“We need you to drink this bottle we made, some simple testing is all,” said Applebloom.

“I guess so, can’t do new things without trying them out first,” said Anim. Using his magic, Anim levitates the bottle to his mouth and takes a few sips from it.

“How’s it taste, anything weird about it?” asked Sweetie.

“Nothing yet… what did you use to make—”

Suddenly Anim dropped the bottle on the ground as his eyes become dazed. The fillies stare awe shocked from Anim’s reaction, unsure whether the potion worked or not, they realized to do one more thing… the blindfold.

“Quick Scootaloo, the blindfold,” said Applebloom.

As Scootaloo quickly wraps the blindfold on Anim, something strange happens with Anim. An odd smoke comes out of his mouth, ears, and nose, the smoke is a slight darkish pink. Not sure what to do, but Anim is slightly drowsy from drinking the bottle.

“Great, now we have an unconscious pony, who’s blindfolded and made him drink an ominous drink, what’s going to happen next?!” said Scootaloo.

“I hate to stop your speech but, we got company,” said Sweetie.

From a distance, Twilight and company start heading to their direction. Panicking them, hurry to hide somewhere but forget to hide Anim too.

“What about Anim?” asked Sweetie.

“No time, we need to get out of sight, especially after this fiasco,” said Applebloom. The fillies jump straight to a big bush to hide behind, watching carefully from a safe distance.

“What’s taking Anim so long?” said Rainbow, flying behind Twilight.

“I hope his not in another one of the girls shenanigans again,” said Twilight.

“I think you might be too late with that,” said Applejack, pointing ahead.

Curious, Twilight looks ahead to see Anim sitting down, with a blindfold on him… and looking slightly… drunk. Confused (and extremely worried) Twilight and her friends immediately move to their friend’s aid.

“ANIM!” shouted Twilight.

“The heck happened to him, was he mugged?!” said Applejack.

“Who gives a damn about that, and who would mug somepony in the middle of nowhere?!” said Rainbow, flailing her hooves. “However did this is going to pay!”

The CMC panic in their hiding spot, afraid to leave after hearing what Rainbow had said. “Hey doesn’t he look a lot when he drank at the New Year’s Eve party?” said Pinkie.

“Please, don’t remind me,” said Twilight, a sweat flowing from her forehead.

After a few minutes, Anim slowly began to open his eyes, causing the fillies to panic even further. Taking action they jump straight on top of Anim, not making sure he doesn’t stare at anypony.

“Girls, what are you doing?!” said Applejack.

“Oops, sorry,” said Applebloom, who let Sweetie spoke next. “We were playing hide and go seek with Anim, and told him to put on a blindfold so he didn’t take a peak, right Scootaloo.” “Yeah, that’s what the blindfold was all about, heh.”

“Oh, was that all. Well don’t do it again, I thought Anim was being kidnapped or something,” said Rainbow.

“But where did you girls get a blindfold from?” asked Twilight.

“Uh we…” said the three fillies in sync, unable to answer.

“Not to be rude but… can I stand up now?” said Anim, who had his face in the ground.

“What do we do? If Anim moves his gaze to anypony, the potion’s effects will take effect!” Applebloom thought. “But maybe unless… there’s no other choice.”

Moving close to her friends, Applebloom whispers her new plan to them. “Girls, I have an idea… but you’re not going to like it,” Applebloom whispered. Telling them her plan, they have a wide-eyed expression and start complaining but, give a second thought and nod in agreement that this is the only option.

Readying their plan, they each jump straight at the Twilight and her friends. Sweetie jumps at Twilight, Scootaloo rams right into Pinkie with Applebloom surprising her sister by blocking her sight. Dazed a little they completed their task… except they forgot the fourth pony, Rainbow Dash. Unable to prevent the inevitable, Rainbow lands in front of Anim and helps him to his hooves and removes the blindfold slowly.

“NOOOOO!” shouted the three, feeling everything becoming into slow motion.

“Hey Anim you okay?” asked Rainbow, helping her friend up.

“Yeah I’m fine, thanks Rain—” said Anim, staring into her.

Anim kept silent for the last few seconds, the two ponies kept still for who knows how long. Shaking his head, he continues his sentence as if nothing happened.

“Thanks Rainbow, I’ll be fine, so let’s continue with everything on a later date. I’m sort of tired from today’s events,” said Anim, who hurried to leave the group.

Having no idea what happened, an awkward silence fell upon them on. After a few minutes later, the CMC went back home as well the other ponies too, Rainbow asked Twilight if Anim was fine, and why he acted odd.

“I have no idea Rainbow, whatever the girls were doing with him, it must have been something… over the top,” said Twilight.

“But isn’t he also over the top too, like almost… twenty four seven?” said Rainbow.

Twilight thought of this, and realized Anim can be excessive sometimes, but for the first time… Anim wasn’t very talkative or curious, as if he were… embarrassed.

Elsewhere in Ponyville, Golden Oak Library, 2:00pm

Anim sits on his bed, thinking what had happened back with Rainbow. Why did he stare like that at her? “Am I… am I falling in love,” said Anim. “Dammit, I can’t, not again… not with a friend… if this actually happens then… then… it’ll happen like last time.”

Anim kept himself locked up in his room that day, but not realizing it that the CMC’s potion hadn’t just worked… but was a success. However Anim seems to not be affected by it, for what reason why? But soon he will be envelope by the potion’s abilities, and when that day comes… not even fate can stop what’s to come next.