//------------------------------//
// [Chapter Ten: An Empty Welcome]  
// Story: Tale of the Shadow Pony 
// by AtomicShockwave 
//------------------------------//

I soon began to regain consciousness. As I opened my eyes the room was spinning around me. On top of that I had a splitting headache and a bit of nausea.

"What... The hell happened..?" I said to myself as an ice pack fell off my head.

"Cool... Literally." I said as I picked up the ice pack and held it against my head.

"Ugh... I feel horrible..." I said as I headed sluggishly down the hall I was in.

"Am I... still in the castle..." I said with a groan as I held the ice pack against my head.

"Oh... right... Luna saved me and then we had that cider..." I said as my stomach began to churn just thinking about it.

I gasped and had a sudden realization. I had to head back to Ponyville as soon as possible. I pushed through the horrid hangover and made my way out of the castle. 

I was at the home stretch. I was right at the doors when two guards stepped in front of me.

"Halt! Princess Luna requests to see you immediately!" Said the guard on the left as I went to push between the two.

"Tell her that I'm busy." I say as the two stop me and I sigh closing my eyes.

"I'll just give her the message myself..." I said as my eyes shot open and I grabbed one guard and slammed him into the ground. As with the other I bucked him. Kicking him square in the face as rushed out of the castle. As soon as I was outside I took off flying using my wings and headed in the direction of Ponyville. I took a glimpse back to see a couple more guards rushing out of the castle.

I managed to get back to Ponyville as my hangover began to finally fade away. Luckily nopony was in pursuit of me I swiftly landed in the center of Ponyville. The air was calm and stagnant. The area was silent and empty. There was nopony what so ever around. I was confused and I quickly made my way to Twilight's house. I knocked at the door and waited a moment. There was no answer. I let out a sigh and reached for my bag... but I didn't have it on me.

I peaked into the window of the house and nopony was in sight, but I did see my bag on Twilight's desk. And in it was the key to the house was in that bag.

"Well that's my luck..." I sighed and grinded my hoof into the ground a bit.

"Maybe Rarity knows where she is..." I said as I made my way over to Carousel Boutique.

I went to Rarity's shop and it had a big closed sign on it. I knocked anyway but I had no answer what-so-ever.

"Pinkie it is..." I said as I rolled my eyes and headed over to Sugarcube Corner.

I got to Sugarcube corner which had a huge closed sign on it. Along with that all the curtains we're closed but I figured I would try knocking anyway.

"Hello?" I said as I began to bang on the door.

"Any pony home?!" I said as I went to knock on the door once more, but the door opened and I stopped my hoof as somepony grabbed it and pulled me in. The door shutting quickly.

"Leon!!" I heard a familiar voice yell out as a bunch of ponies began to surround me and hug me. It was extremely dark and I looked right in front of me. I could barely make out Twilight's face.

"What the hell is going on?" I said as I struggled away from the group hug.

"Why do ya reek like funky cider?" Applejack said coming closer and sniffing a bit.

I turned my head away and sighed.

"I asked the question first." I said as I looked around. My eyesight adjusting to the darkness.

"There's some mysterious pony roaming around in a cloak." Twilight said as she motioned me over to the window. She gingerly moved the curtain as I peaked out of it. I noticed a pony in a cloak as she described a little bit down the way from Sugarcube Corner.

"So... About that cider..." Applejack said raising an eyebrow at me.

"This is nothing... We've taken on dragons and gods. Haven't we? I can take care of one mere pony." I said as I headed for the door. 

"Are you crazy!? You can't just go out there!" Rainbow Dash said. I ignored her and headed right out. Shutting the door behind me. I peaked over my shoulder to see everypony carefully peaking out of the curtain.

"Cowards..." I said as I approached the mysterious pony.

"Hey!" I said as I kept a reasonable distance from them.

The pony turned around and looked at me. The cloak showed most of their legs and on their front right one they had a set of bangles on them. As for the rest of them, they had noticeable stripes about them. They were undoubtedly a zebra. I kept myself ready and took a couple more steps forward.

"May I ask what you are doing in Ponyville?" I said looking at the pony as they then looked me in the eyes.

I could tell that it was a female as they put the hood to the cloak down.

"I came looking for a place to shop. But it seems so empty as if time had come to a stop." The mysterious zebra said to me. She had a thick tribal accent as she talked.

"That's it? You came to shop." I said looking over the zebra.

"That is all I needed to do. Now young one, what is the duty of you" The zebra said giving me a gentle smile.

"I was merely visiting some friends in town... So... Who exactly are you?" I said as she began to approach me.

"Some call me Shaman, others call me Zecora. Now what is yours pony with a dark aura." She said as I took a step back.

"What do you mean 'dark aura'?" I asked as I got into a stance.

"You have yet to answer me confused pony." Zecora said looking me in the eyes.

"Leon... I'm Leon. Now answer me." I said giving her a stern look back.

"If you can find me a place to shop, then at my hut we will surely make a stop" Zecora said giving me another smile.

"That's the second time you said that rhyme...." Leon said as Zecora giggled a bit.

"What...? Oh dammit!" Leon said as he realized what just happened.

"Fine... Follow me." I said heading back to Sugarcube Corner. I knocked at the door and there was no answer.

"She's all fine there's nothing to be scared of. Now if you don't open up you'll have to deal with something much much scarier." I said as I began banging on the door harder.

The door slowly creaked open and out peaked Twilight.

"She's looking for a place to shop and all you paranoid fucks closed every thing around." I said giving Twilight a stern look.

"Oh.. right.." Twilight said with a nervous giggle.

"So is she evil?" I heard Pinkie Pie ask from inside.

"No... Now can you all tell everypony that everything is fine and she's just a simple pony looking to shop?" I asked Twilight as I stomped my hoof.

"Yeah... alright. Rainbow Dash, can you fly around Ponyville and tell everypony that everything is fine?" Twilight asked looking back into Sugarcube Corner.

"Fine... I guess." Rainbow Dash said as she flew out of Sugarcube Corner, giving Zecora an odd look as she began to go around Ponyville.

"Alright, Follow me. I'll lead you to the market." I told Zecora, leading her to the market area that was near by.

With worried looks several ponies were returning to their shops. Focusing on myself and Zecora.

"So... What do you need?" I asked Zecora as she headed over to one of the more odd shops. It displayed seemingly pointless herbs and other plants.

"Fascinating." I said sarcastically as I watched her pick a couple out and purchase them.

"Now you shall follow me. For my hut is the place we need to be." Zecora said as she began to walk off. I walked by her side and looked at her. For some reason there was a part of me that knew this pony was harmless.

She led me out of Ponyville and to a nearby eerie looking forest.

"This is the Everfree... Correct?" I said looking up at the towering tree.

"That is right, deep within this forest my hut is hidden from the light." Zecora said as she went onto a small trail and began to lead me to her hut. As we entered about 500 meters it was already extremely dark. Mysterious noises surrounded me and I began to feel as if something bad was going to happen. I stayed walking by Zecora as we soon came upon a small hut in the middle of the forest.

Zecora slowly opened the door and motioned me to enter. I entered and there was a large cauldron in the dead center on the room. Many mysterious plants were on a counter against the right wall. While on the back wall there were several masks displayed about.

"Please take a seat as I prepare the cauldron's heat." Zecora said as she began to heat the cauldron. I took a seat and began to observe the room more. There was a small table in front of me with another chair at it. Along with a small cot in the corner of the room.

Zecora went over to the counter and began to prepare something for the cauldron. She started grinding some plants using a mortar and pestle. She then had a bowl of grinded herbs and plants. She tossed these into the cauldron and begin to mix them.

"So... what exactly are you...?" I asked looking at the young zebra.

"I am a zebra as you can see. What do you suspect me to be?" Zecora said without making eye contact.

"No like... What do you do. What's with the plants and such." I asked as Zecora finished mixing the contents of the cauldron. She began to recite a mysterious chant. I couldn't understand a single thing she was saying.

"Herbalist... Apothecary... The names of my occupation vary." Zecora said as she scooped up a small bowl of the cauldrons contents.

"Now forgive me for this, and please sit still so I do not miss." Zecora said as she approached me with the bowl.

"Excuse me...?" I said before I could even react. Zecora had splashed me with the water. It was burning hot... But not from the heated cauldron. Whatever the liquid was it was giving me a strange burning sensation.

"Look at yourself pony, for the source of the dark aura you can see" Zecora said as I looked where she had hit me with the liquid. It seemed that the smoky dark aura from before was evaporating off of me. Soon the horrible burning sensation began to dissipate. 

"That dose will contain the darkness for a bit but that does not mean it shall quit." Zecora said as she went over to her counter.

"I will soon bring you home, for the forest is a dangerous place to roam." Zecora said as she began to concoct something else using the plants.

"I can handle myself..." I said as I got up and headed for the door.

"Please wait patiently for a bit. I will be finished shortly, just go and sit." Zecora said as I headed out the door with no further hesitation.

I began to make my way back home to Ponyville. As I was walking there were mysterious sounds from all directions, but at one point I seemed to heard a mare singing...

I looked to my right, the direction of the singing, and saw a strange light.

"Beware! Stallions who stare will soon join the mare!" I heard Zecora's voice yell in the distance. I rolled my eyes and began to make my way home. Soon I felt as if my face was morphed and I got a sudden headache. I held my head in pain as I felt a sudden burning sensation inside of me. I felt a bit off at this point and I quickly made my way home.

I made it to Twilight's house and knocked on the door. She opened the door and looked at me as her jaw dropped.

"L-Leon... Is that you?" Twilight asked as I entered the house.

"Of course it-" I gasped as I heard a voice that was not my own exit my mouth.

"Leon... You need to see this..." Twilight said as she brought a small portable mirror over to me.

"This can't be happening..." I said as I looked in the mirror and saw a mare version of myself.

[End Of Chapter]