Ponyville isn't your typical pony town, is what I've learned over time. For one thing, most pony towns don't seem to be located next to a forest full of dangerous creatures and plants. Another thing, is that in most pony towns a zebra doesn't just randomly show up every once in a while and plan something or other. The strange thing is that none of the residents seem to know what a zebra is, and nopony ever talks to the zebra when she's outside.
I understand what she could be feeling from the residents, as I am a Changeling. I'm different, like she is, but I chose to conceal my differences, where as she doesn't seem to mind. I would have gladly talked to her, but I needed to blend in with the rest of Ponyville. So I did the same as the others: stay hidden in the nearest building when she comes by. I've always felt guilty about not trying to give her a chance, but I didn't risk standing out from the others.
So when I was outside (in pegasus forme) and Zecora (I honestly don't know how anypony got her name when nopony even goes near her) walked into town, I automatically went into the nearest building: Sugarcube Corner. Oddly enough, all of my friends (except for Twilight) also came in, as well as Applejack's little sister. Pinkie had already been inside, though, so many it wasn't that coincidental.
"Hey, guys," I said calmly, "What's up?"
"What's up is that she is here again!" said Rainbow, hovering in the air.
"What do you think she's up to?" asked Fluttershy nervously.
"Actually, it looks-" I started before I was interrupted by Pinkie Pie.
"Something evil!" she declared, "Because she's an evil enchantress!"
"Look!" said Rarity, "Twilight and Spike are outside!"
"She doesn't know 'bout Zecora, yet!" said Applejack.
"On it!" said Pinkie.
I rolled my eyes. Couldn't they see that Zecora was just planting something? And had they not figured out that she was a zebra? These ponies gave me a chance, even though they knew what I was. At least appearance wise...
"Psst!" hissed Pinkie from the door, "Twilight! Spike! Come here! Hurry! Before she gets you!"
Twilight lept inside to where we hiding in the dark and Pinkie pointed a flashlight at her.
"Who?!?" asked Spike, "The zombie pony?!?"
"Zombie pony?" asked Pinkie nervously.
"Spike!" said Twilight, "There are no zombie ponies! Pinkie, what are you doing here alone in the dark?"
"I'm not alone in the dark!" said Pinkie, turning on a small light.
Twilight gasped in shock when she saw us standing around her.
"Okay then," said Twilight, "What are are doing here in the dark?"
"We're hidin' from her!" said Applejack, pulling aside on of the curtains.
Zecora looked up from digging a hole as looked at (probably near) us. Automatically, everypony (except Twilight, Spike did, though) gasped in horror and hid from her vision. To be honest, I wasn't scared, but I was used to acting how the other ponies did when Zecora was around.
"Did you see her, Twilight?" asked Applejack's little sister, "Did you see... Zecora?"
"Apple Bloom!" revoked Applejack, "I told you to never say that name!"
"Well," said Twilight, "I saw her glance this way..."
"Glance evilly this way!" said Pinkie.
"And then you all flip out for some reason!" finished Twilight.
"No good reason?" asked Applejack in shock, "You call protectin' yer kin no good reason? Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora ridin' into town, she started shakin' in her lil' horseshoes!"
"Did not!" said Apple Bloom.
"So I swept her up and brought her here!"
"I walked here myself!"
"For safe keepin'."
"Applejack, I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!"
"Not from that creepy Zecora!"
"She's mysterious." said Fluttershy.
"Sinister!" said Rainbow.
"And spoooooky!" said Pinkie.
I felt inclined to facehoof, but resisted the urge. Twilight, however, just rolled her eyes and looked out the window again. Everypony but me crowded around the window, and gasped when Zecora pulled off her hood.
"Will you cut that out?" asked Twilight.
"Just look at those stripes!" said Rarity, appalled, "So garish!"
"She a zebra." I said blandly.
"A what?" asked everypony except for Twilight.
"A zebra," said Twilight, "And her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with."
Rarity fainted, and I again resisted the urge to facehoof.
"Born where?" asked Applejack, "I've never seen a pony like that in these parts, 'cept... her!"
Don't facehoof, I thought, my eye starting to twitch, Don't facehoof...
"Well, she's probably not from here," said Twilight, "And she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?"
"That's just it," said Applejack ominously, "She lives in... the Everfree Forest!"
There was a loud clatter from pots and pans falling.
"Spike!" said Twilight.
"Sorry!" called Spike from the kitchen.
"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural!" said Applejack, "The plants grow..."
"Animals care for themselves..." said Fluttershy.
"And the cloud move..." said Rainbow Dash.
"All on their own!" said the three simultaneously.
Rarity fainted again.
Resist urge to facehoof...
"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil... stuff!" said Pinkie, "She's so evil, I even wrote a song about her!"
"Here we go..." said Rainbow in minor irritation.
"She's an evil enchantress
And she does evil dances
And if you look deep into her eyes
She'll put you in trances
Then what will she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Soooo... Watch out!"
Resist urge to double facehoof...
"Wow. Catchy." said Twilight.
"It's a work in progress." said Pinkie proudly.
"Well, this is all a lot of gossip and rumors. Now tell me; what exactly have you seen Zecora do?"
"Well..." said Rainbow, "Once a month, she comes into Ponyville."
"Oooooh!" said Twilight sarcastically.
"Then," said Rarity, "She lurks by the stores."
"Oh, my!"
"And then," said Fluttershy, "She digs at the ground."
"Good gracious!" Twilight switched back to talking normally, "Okay, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?"
"Yeah!" said Apple Bloom, "Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly."
"And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?"
"Yeah!" I said, "Everypony likes to shop!"
"You know what I think?" asked Apple Bloom, "I-"
"Apple Bloom!" revoked Applejack, "Hush and let the big ponies talk."
"I am a big pony!" said Apple Bloom under her breath.
"W-what about digging at the ground?" asked Rainbow, "You've got to admit that's weird."
"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" asked Fluttershy.
Resist urge to double facehoof...
Pinkie started to sing "Evil Enchantress", again.
"I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does!" said Twilight, "And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth!"
"Well, I'm brave enough," said Apple Bloom quietly, slipping away "I'm gonna find out myself."
I quickly slipped over to Apple Bloom and tapped her lightly. She looked at me in surprise, and I gave her a smile and nodded. The two of us walked outside while the others argued, and hid from Zecora's vision. She started to walk away, and we snuck after her, ninja-style. Zecora walked towards the Everfree Forest, and Apple Bloom I nodded as we followed her without being seen.
I felt a bit guilty for letting Apple Bloom sneak away, especially since I had just encouraged it, but Twilight was right. Somepony needed to be brave enough to understand who Zecora was, and who better than a misunderstood creature? Although, Applejack was going to kill me for letting Apple Bloom come with me.
Apple Bloom hesitated as we entered the Everfree, but I urged her onward. We dashed into the forest, as to not lose Zecora, and saw her walking past a patch of blue flowers.
"Apple Bloom!" called Applejack.
Zecora turned around to look at us, and Apple Bloom panicked.
"You get back here right now!" said Applejack from behind us. She was standing in the blue flowers with the others.
"Beware! Beware you ponyfolk!" said Zecora as it became misty, "Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"
"What does that even mean? I thought as Applejack ran over and picked up Apple Bloom.
"Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?" called Applejack angrily.
The other ponies (besides Twilight and Fluttershy) called out in agreement, with Pinkie singing part of her song.
"Oh brother..." said Twilight.
"No kidding..." I muttered.
"Beware! Beware!" said Zecora as she vanished into the mist.
"Yeah!" said Rainbow, "Back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curses are the ones who better beware!"
"And you!" said Applejack to Apple Bloom angrily, "Why couldn't you listen to your big sister?"
"I- I-" stuttered Apple Bloom.
"Applejack, don't get mad at Apple Bloom!" I said, "It was my fault. I encouraged her to come with me and follow Zecora!"
"What?!?" asked Applejack in shock, "Who know's what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have put on you?"
"Just like in my song!" said Pinkie, starting to sing again.
Twilight, on the other hoof, was looking at the others as if they were completely ridiculous.
"You guys!" she said, "There's no such thing as curses!"
"Well, that interesting hear coming from Miss Magicpants herself!" said Rainbow, flying through the flowers.
"My magic, real magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale."
"Just you wait, Twilight," said Applejack as the others started to exit the forest, "You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true."
Twilight looked confused for a moment, and then walked out of the forest after the others. I glanced back to where Zecora had been before flying out of the forest after the others. What had Zecora meant?
The next day, I decided to see what Twilight was doing, so I walked towards the library in Earth pony forme. I had to duck as Rainbow Dash when flying above me like crazy, and I wondered what trick she'd been trying to do. I also noticed Pinkie bouncing towards the library quickly, with Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, and who I think was Rarity, but couldn't tell because she was a mess.
I made it to the library after the others, as I had been walking at a casual pace. As soon as I walked in, my mouth dropped open in shock. Pinkie's tongue was sticking out, and was covered in blue dots. Twilight's horn was flopping around, and was covered in blue dots. Rarity's hair was an utter mess. Applejack was tiny. Rainbow Dash was flying around uncontrollably and upside down. But the weirdest thing of all was Fluttershy: she was talking in a deep voice!
"Crypthal!" spat Pinkie, how appeared to be unable to speak properly, "Phlid pthat enchpnatress splet plou?"
"What?" I asked, unable to understand what Pinkie was trying to say.
"What Pinkie was askin'," said Applejack in a high pitched voice, "Is if Zecora cursed you, too?"
"If Zecora what?"
"I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" said Rainbow, crashing into something else.
"It's not a curse!" said Twilight.
"I agree with Dash!" said Applejack, reverting her attention from me, "We'll go to Zecora and force her to remove this hex!"
"It's not a hex either!" said Twilight angrily.
"But did Zecora get you?" asked Rarity to me.
"Well, nothing;s felt different of looked different about me today..." I said, wondering if it really was Zecora who had done this to my friends. Wouldn't she have curses Apple Bloom and I, too?
The others started to argue about whether Zecora had cursed them or not, with Twilight saying that curses still weren't real.
"This is all my fault..." said Apple Bloom quietly, "If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened..."
"Apple Bloom," I said to her softly, "It's not your fault. It's my fault. And you know what? Zecora seemed to know what was up, so maybe she can find a cure for the other's 'curses'."
"Are ya sayin' we should try going to Zecora, again?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Yes," I said confidentially, "We should definitely go to Zecora's."
As the others continued to argue, Apple Bloom and I snuck outside again (do my friends not have good peripheral vision?). As we headed towards the Everfree, Apple Bloom asked me something.
"Uh, Crystal?" she asked, "Why'd ya let me go out to follow Zecora earlier? Don't ya think she's evil, too? Like Applejack and the others?"
"I don't think she's evil," I said honestly, "It's just that the other ponies in Ponyville think that she is, so I've always pretended."
"But why would you pretend? Why not just say your opinion on the matter?"
"Because..." I trailed off, trying to ind a way to put it, "Because I guess I haven't been brave enough. I'm different from the other ponies. If fact, I'm not even a pony! But I've never wanted others to know that I'm different. My kind... aren't the nicest creatures. But my friends don't mind that I'm different, so I need to have courage and be myself. Thanks for asking, Apple Bloom."
Apple Bloom gave me a smile as we walked into the Everfree. As we walked a bit deeper, it turned out that Applejack had also come along. Guess it was a good thing that she became tiny...
"Stop right there!" said Applejack angrily, "Turn around right now, missy!"
"No." said Apple Bloom
"No?!?" asked Applejack in shock, "You can't ignore a direct order from your big sister!"
"Hehehe. Sorry, Applejack, but I'm the big sister now!" Apple Bloom placed Applejack on a branch and started to walk back towards me.
"Apple Bloom, you come back here right this instant!" yelled Applejack, "I'm gonna tell Big Macintosh on you! Crystal, you're settin' a bad example for my sister!" her voice became too quiet for us to hear.
"You know she's going to punish you, right?" I asked Apple Bloom as we walked.
"Yeah, but it was so worth it!" said Apple Bloom.
We both laughed and I noticed a strange looking tree coming up. It looked like it had been converted into a building, like the library, but with a much different vibe. It was more exotic and carefree, it made me feel... odd. I knew it had to be Zecora's place, who else would live in the Everfree?
"What do we do now?" whispered Apple Bloom nervously.
"We're going to be brave," I said, "We're just going to knock on her door, and ask her a few things."
"Are ya sure?"
"Definitely."
I walked right up to the door and paused. After a few moments, Apple Bloom walked up beside me and I knocked on the door. The door swung open to reveal Zecora, and I saw Apple Bloom tense up out of the corner of my eye.
"Er, you're Zecora, right?" I asked nervously.
"I am called Zecora, correct you see. Now, who are you, and who is she?" she asked, lightly gesturing towards me and Apple Bloom in that order.
"My name's Crystal and this is Apple Bloom. We just wanted to ask you a few things related to our friends."
"Ah yes, I remember the two of you. You followed me into the forest, though why I cannot assume. You said something about your friends? Is it about the jokes they must comprehend?"
"Jokes?" asked Apple Bloom, more nervously than I had been.
"Oh, so it was the blue flowers that did... stuff to them! That explains your warning!" I said in realization, "Yes, we're here to ask if you can make a cure for them!"
"A cure for poison joke I can create. But there are some ingredients I need to locate." said Zecora, sounding somewhat happy.
"We can help find the ingredients!" said Apple Bloom.
"Yeah!" I said in agreement, "What do you need?"
"Is this it?" asked Apple Bloom examining a plant.
"Well," I said, remembering how Zecora had described it, "Zecora said that this plant has 'leaves of four, no less no more' and that it was 'purple like the sky, deep as can be, though lovely as a butterfly, with the smell of an apple tree'. Does it smell like an apple tree?"
Apple Bloom leaned down towards the purple plant we were investigating and sniffed.
"Smells like the trees on the farm!" declared Apple Bloom, putting the plant into her bag, "Is that everythin'?"
"Yup! Let's get back to Zecora's so she can finish up that herbal mixture."
We walked back towards Zecora's place, making sure that we avoided all suspicious-looking plants.
"Huh, that's odd..." I said as we approached Zecora's house.
"What?" asked Apple Bloom.
"I just felt like something ridiculous was about to happen, I have no idea why, though!"
We walked into Zecora's place and I announced, "Zecora! I think we got everything you asked for!"
"What in Ponyville is goin' on here?" asked Apple Bloom.
Zecora's place was a wreck. The rest of my friends were all glaring at Zecora, and I assumed that they had caused all the damaged.
Applejack gasped, "Apple Bloom! Crystal! You're okay!"
"Why wouldn't we be?" I asked.
"Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!" said Twilight accusingly.
Zecora, Apple Bloom, and I all started laughing at this. Did Twilight really believe the other's nonsense about Zecora?
"Oh, Twilight," said Apple Bloom, "Did those silly fillies get in yer head? You know there's no such thing as a curse!"
"Apple Bloom, sweetie," said Twilight, "You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse."
"Well," I said, walking past everypony to Zecora, "This isn't a curse."
"If you remember back," said Zecora, "The words I spoke were quite exact: Beware, beware you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"
"It was a warning," I said, "About that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke."
"That plant is much like poison oak, but its results are like a joke."
"What in the hay does that mean?" asked Applejack.
"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead, this plant just wants a laugh."
"Will somepony please talk normal?" asked Applejack, rather confused.
"I think," said Twilight, "what's she's saying is that when we ran in to 'save' Apple Bloom and Crystal, we all ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes it played on us!"
"Little jokes?!?" exclaimed Applejack, "Very funny!"
"Okay, fine!" said Rainbow, agreeing that Zecora hadn't cursed them, "But what about the cauldron?"
"And the chanting?" added on Fluttershy.
"And the creepy décor?" added on Rarity.
"Treasures of my native land where I from," said Zecora calmly, "This one speaks 'hello'," she gestured to one of the mask-thing, "And this 'welcome'." she gestured to another one.
"Not welcoming at all, if if you ask me..." mutter Rarity.
"The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme."
"But the cauldron..." said Twilight, "The Apple Bloom and Crystal soup?"
"Lookie here, Twilight!" said Apple Bloom, showing Twilight the contents of the now knocked-over pot, "That pot of water wasn't for us, it was for all these herbal ingredients! The cure for poison joke is a simple, old-natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!"
"But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn't find anything!" Twilight was very surprised, "What book has this natural remedy?"
Zecora showed Twilight the book she had been using and said, "Here is the book, you see? Sad that you lack it in your library."
"Actually, I do have this book," admitted Twilight, "But I didn't look inside because the title was so... weird!" Twilight flipped the book open to see a small description, "Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super I...I... I'm so sorry Zecora. I had the answer the whole time, if only I had bothered to look inside."
Zecora gave a small chuckle, "Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book."
Apple Bloom and I laughed a little bit, we couldn't help ourselves.
"Zecora?" asked Twilight, "Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?"
"Mix it up I certainly will." said Zecora, "Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville."
"But whenever Zecora comes to town," I said, "All the shops are 'mysteriously' closed!"
"Oh, well!" said Twilight, "I think we can help with that, now can't we, girls?"
"Look Rose!" cried out Daisy as we walked through town with Zecora, "How awful!"
"The wicked enchantress has cursed them all!" shouted Rose.
"The horror, the horror!" yelled Lily.
Ponies all around us were running to hide in a panic.
"Run, ponies!" yelled Daisy, "Run!"
Twilight walked right up to the flower shop and knocked on the door. Daisy opened the door a crack, and looked out nervously.
"Daisy, we need to talk."
Twilight ended up sending Princess Celestia a letter while Zecora finished mixing up a new batch of the herbal bath. She then brought it to the spa, and she, Apple Bloom, and I all added it into the hot tub.
"Miss Zecora," said Lotus Blossom, "I would love to get the recipe for this bath! It's simply luxurious!"
"Applejack!" cried out Apple Bloom suddenly, "Hey, where's Applejack?!?"
Everypony started to panic, and we all checked our hooves to make sure we hadn't crushed her.
"I'm right her, little sis!" called Applejack from a small tub of water that had placed on the ground for her to use, "I ain't tiny no more!"
"Oh!" said Rarity, examining her freshly restored look, "I have never felt so lovely in all my life!"
"Oh my gosh!" cried out Pinkie, "I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk. I mean, I love talking so much, and when I couldn't talk anymore, my tongue was all 'ehhhh'! It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy paused for a moment before responding in her normal voice, "Yes."
We all laughed a bit, and finished removing the effects of the poison joke. Zecora packed up her things real quick, and started heading back to her house as we dispersed back to our houses.
"From what I can tell you are not a pony," said Zecora just before I left, "But are neither a faker or a phony."
"Well..." I said anxiously, "I'm, uh, a Changeling..."
"I could tell when you were a pegasus then a unicorn, there is a clear difference between having wings and a horn."
"Actually, I usually stay as an Earth pony."
"Why? Do have reason to hide?"
"It's just that other ponies don't really see bug-ponies, and it might scare them. And... I've been too afraid."
"Courage is your greatest power, you followed me and showed a shower!"
"Really?"
"You did what other ponies feared to do, whether or not you were scared, too."
"Courage?..." I asked myself as Zecora walked into the Everfree, "I showed Courage..."
I walked towards my house with a small smile, before I tripped over a rock and ended up doing a double facehoof (with wings!) on the ground.