When Apple Bloom headed out to visit Zecora, she saw more than a few signs of change on the way. It was now the late summer in Equestria, edging on towards autumn. And soon the entire community would burst into the type of festive activity that would last through to the rest of the year, with celebrations like Nightmare Night and Hearth’s Warming Eve. A chill hung in the air, and before Apple Bloom left the house Granny Smith had slipped a hoof-knitted scarf around her neck. It was too long and dragged a little, but that didn’t bother her.
Nope, Apple Bloom actually felt sort of light that afternoon. A pony might say she felt free as a breezie, and even more so than usual at this time of the year. Only the week before, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had entered a new chapter in their lives. They had resolved to try a bunch of new things both together and separately, which might help to prepare them to better help ponies with cutie mark problems in the future. And although Applebloom had worried doing things apart might signal an end to their friendship, she had soon realized that wasn’t the case at all. Joining the ballet school run by Hoofer Steps had been more than fun than she'd thought it would, and her new friend Tender Taps was slowly teaching her how to dance without knocking every pony down.
There was only one problem.
Apple Bloom couldn’t think of a single thing to try besides ballet lessons. Dancing held her interest, and she was getting better, but it had taken what seemed ages even to find that. It had been easier to jump into a wider variety of things, even when they didn’t engage her as much, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo there. Also, they had tried so many things that Applebloom had trouble coming up with something they hadn't crossed off the list of ways to get their cutie marks.
Mountaineering, skydiving, undersea exploring . . . at one point they had grabbed an edition of the Equestria Occupational Directory from the Golden Oak Library and tried the first position that sounded like a good idea. This had involved becoming dog-walkers—and they’d come home the same evening with plenty of scrapes and bruises.
In some ways, finding another thing to try individually was harder than finding another thing to try as a group.
Then she’d finally thought of Zecora, who was one of the wisest ponies Apple Bloom had ever known—or, more accurately, the wisest zebras. Even if, to be honest, Zecora was the only zebra she had met.
Zecora lived deep in the Everfree Forest, at the end of a shadowed path Apple Bloom had traveled on countless occasions. They’d been friends for almost three years to the date. Like many of the ponies in Ponyville, Apple Bloom had used to be afraid to come into the woods, where nature took care of itself without pony intervention. But nowadays she actually kind of enjoyed the walk. The Everfree Forest was like a completely different land: peaceful and still, save for the birds chirping in the trees and the frogs croaking from some pond lost to view. Summer still seemed in full swing here as if it would never end, but eventually the leaves would turn colors and their leaves would fall on their own.
What would Equestria be like, Apple Bloom wondered, if ponies didn’t have to guide the seasons throughout the year?
Apple Bloom mused on that idea for a few minutes until she noticed a tendril of smoke, and coming up a short slope she saw Zecora’s hut. Even from this distance, she could smell the various herbs and other fragrances her friend used, and they almost always were soothing to the nose. Wooden wind chimes hung at the window, making soft plinking and whistling sounds amid the slightest breeze.
Then Zecora came from around the back of her home, carrying baskets of herbs most likely collected for her garden out back. She held one cradled in a hoof, and another balanced on her back. It looked like quite a load.
“Hi, Zecora,” Apple Bloom called, running to pull open the door. “Want some help?”
“Hello and thank you, sweet Apple Bloom,” Zecora answered, with her usual soft smile. “What brings you here this afternoon?”
“Well, you see—”
Half an hour later found the pair seated around a low wooden table, with two steaming cups of chamomile tea set before them. Apple Bloom sipped hers—sweet and warm—in-between bursts of telling Zecora about her experiences during the past week, and her current problem. Meanwhile, Zecora sat drinking her tea in silence. Her eyes were closed, yet Apple Bloom could tell she was listening. She’d once mentioned to Apple Bloom that this was the best way for her to enjoy a story.
“Sometimes if you listen without your eyes, how much you can see may come as a surprise,” Zecora had explained.
And when Apple Bloom reached the end of her narration, silence prevailed for several moments as Zecora appeared to ponder what she’d heard.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Apple Bloom added. “I’m happy for all of us, and I really do think the Cutie Mark Crusaders are better than ever before. Dancing is fun, and it’s fun to share what I’ve learned with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. But I’m kind of at a loss as to what I ought to do next, if that makes any sense.”
At last Zecora opened her eyes, which shone a clear radiant blue. Much like an undisturbed pond.
“Yes, Apple Bloom, you are making perfect sense,” Zecora answered. “It is natural for worries over change to make you tense. Even though you have found your cutie mark, your life is only at the start. You still have much more to learn, and it is normal to feel lost in turn.”
“You’re right, and I guess I am still kind of nervous about all the things that have changed lately,” Apple Bloom said. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders used to do everything together. It’s just that now that we’re each trying to pursue different things, I can’t seem to decide what I would like to do. I just don’t know.” She flopped her head down on the table.
“Then why not use skills you already know,” Zecora suggested quietly, “to do things you have never done before?”
Huh.
“Like what?” Apple Bloom asked, head lifting.
But before Zecora could explain further, a series of rapid knocks hammered on the door. In the next moment the door flew open, and there on the threshold stood Daisy, one of the flower ponies from Ponyville. Her green mane was in disarray, and she looked frantic.
“Oh, Zecora, Thank Celestia you’re here!” Daisy said, skipping from side to side. “You need to help me. It’s an emergency!”
“Please calm down, Miss Daisy,” Zecora replied, rising. “And tell me why you are uneasy.”
“I ordered a special rainbow rose for my friend Rose’s birthday, and it was one of the most beautiful flower s I’d ever seen in the catalog. But it came to me like this!” Daisy held out a small ceramic pot, out of which a thin, gray plant stuck out. There was a single gray petal attached to it. Otherwise, it would have been hard to tell the thing was a flower at all. “If I can’t give my gift to Rose for her birthday, she’ll think of a terrible friend. And it’ll be awful! Do you—do you think it’s too far gone? Is there any way you might save it?”
Zecora gazed at the rose for a breath. Then she reached a verdict.
“Your rose can once again bloom, if—” Here Zecora stepped aside, “you entrust it to Apple Bloom.”
“What?” Daisy explained, swaying as if she might faint right then and there. “Rose’s gift is a flower.”
“What?” Apple Bloom stepped back a pace. “You think I could bring the flower back to life? I mean, I’ve learned a bit about potion-making just to grow plants during my lessons with Twilight, and also from you—”
“Why should you doubt your potion-making abilities?” Zecora said, lifting Apple Bloom’s chin with one hoof. Her expression was calm yet serious. “You show more talent than any other fillies. Just think through what needs to be done, and the rose’s life may yet be won.”
When Zecora put it that way, Apple Bloom calmed down from her initial shock. And she quickly ran through the lessons she had learned during Twilight Time, and the answers Zecora had given her to many questions she’d asked about what she’d come across in her studies. Apple Bloom shot a glance at the shelves that held the various ingredients Zecora had assembled for her potions.
Yes, Zecora was right. Apple Bloom did know what she needed to do, and she just might manage to pull off something incredible.
“Use the skills I already know,” Apple Bloom murmured to herself. She caught Zecora’s smile deepening out of the corner of one eye. Then she turned to Daisy and reached for the pot. “I’ll save your rose, for sure.”
Daisy reluctantly passed Apple Bloom the wilted flower, which she set upon a counter.
“Please do not fret so much about your gift for Miss Rose,” Zecora said. “Apple Bloom has more knowledge than you may suppose. Give her a chance to show you some potion magic, and I can assure you the results won’t be tragic.” Then she winked at Apple Bloom, which caused a swell of pride inside her—and a fierce desire to prove her right.
With that said, Apple Bloom wasted no more time in zipping off to the numerous shelves. And as she browsed the ingredients, Apple Bloom realized she knew many of them by heart now, after so many visits to her friend’s hut. From there it was like puzzle pieces began to fall into place. Here she’d been at a loss for an activity to try, when she was already studying something that really did interest her. She just hadn’t gone far enough into the subject—which itself was complex and had a lot of parts to it. Many of the ingredients consisted of gathered herbs, and for the situation at hoof Apple Bloom grabbed ones such as Heart’s Desire and Baby’s Breath. Others were more exotic, like the purified essence of a rainbow (another necessity at the moment) or swamp algae (which she definitely avoided).
She brought each one to a counter along one wall of the hut, where bamboo cylinders and tubes—among other tools—were all set up to help Applebloom mix everything.
The trick in getting the magical ingredients to blend was to gradually introduce one to the other, until they blended into a new substance. That fact always stuck in her mind. And of course, there was a lot more to it than that. But the results that came from bringing two seemingly different things together was one of her favorite parts of the process. They were like ponies making friends, combining their talents to make harmony.
Like her sister Applejack and her friends.
Or—most importantly—like Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, and herself.
Among her friends, Apple Bloom was the one who understood potion-making—and who had an active interest in it. She’d only scratched the surface of the subject, but if Apple Bloom kept learning she would be able to do more and more incredible things with her potions.
That was an exciting thought.
Finally, Apple Bloom had filled a vial with a golden potion and proceeded to carefully tip the contents out onto the frail rose.
Everywhere the liquid touched, color and life erupted like paint against a gray canvas. The thin stem filled out, lightening to a healthy green within seconds. Its leaves lifted and stretched out. Then the petals came, popping out in various hues. They came in such rapid succession they seemed to swirl about, drawing inwards before they spread apart into one great blossom.
Apple Bloom gasped, as did Daisy and even Zecora.
Daisy had been right. The rainbow rose was downright pretty. So bright and lively. Looking at it reminded Apple Bloom a bit of the Zap Apple Jam her family made every year. It smelled just as sweet.
“It’s—” Apple Bloom started, only to get cut off by Daisy’s own happy whinny.
“A miracle!” In a moment Daisy had Apple Bloom in a tight hug, twirling her about. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” You have no idea how much this means to me, Apple Bloom.”
“Always glad to help,” Applebloom said, getting dizzy as well as a bit nauseous.
At least, until Daisy realized what she was doing.
“Oops, sorry about that,” Daisy released Apple Bloom. “I’m just so relieved. I had no idea you were that good with flowers. Honestly, I assumed you only specialized in apples.”
“I’ve been learning about potions for plants from Zecora and Princess Twilight, but potions can do a lot of other things too.” Apple Bloom glanced over at Zecora, who nodded in confirmation. “I guess I just hadn’t thought about it that way.”
“Well, in any case, I’m grateful.” Daisy cradled the flower in the nook of her foreleg. “If there’s anything I can help you with, Apple Bloom, feel free to stop by.” Then she waved a farewell to Zecora and left, happy as Pinkie Pie with cupcakes.
The door creaked shut behind her.
“I am very proud of you, Apple Bloom,” Zecora said. “I knew you could make that flower bloom.”
“When I started grabbing the potions, and thinking about the things I’d learned so far, it came so naturally,” Apple Bloom returned. “It was like I’d discovered what I wanted to do all over again.”
“For every interest there is a lot to learn, only through deeper study are greater things earned. And you were right about potion-making, how you could learn more than plant-reviving. You only need to study the many ways it can do good, and you will understand how to help others you could.”
“Even ponies and other creatures,” Apple Bloom added. “Like you do all the time.” Then it was her turn to look into Zecora with a serious expression, though she couldn’t completely erase the eager anticipation behind it. “Zecora, do you think you’d mind teaching me about potions? I mean more than you already have. If you want to, that is.”
It was the strangest thing. For the first time that Apple Bloom could remember, she saw Zecora’s gaze get misted over. The waters of those clear blue eyes rippled, though in clear happiness.
“I could use an apprentice to pass on my knowledge,” Zecora said. “Some pony whose reliability and trustworthiness is in no shortage. Knowledge gained can too easily disappear, unless it gets passed along to another who will listen or hear.”
From then on, Apple Bloom began on a new path. And when she met up with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, she was able to share with the first of many tales that none of them would soon forget.
It would be the best autumn yet.