"Twilight! Change me back!" I demanded as I gave her a stern look.
"I-It's not that easy! I don't even know anything about gender changing magic or anything even close! Not even the Princesses know anything like that!" Twilight said as she set the mirror down.
"There has to be something! I can't just be stuck like this!" I said as there was a knock at the door.
"We'll figure this out. Just relax..." Twilight said as she headed for the door. She turned the knob and before Twilight could pull the door open the rest of the mane six pushed through the door.
"Welcome home Le-" The five said in unison, pausing mid sentence as they saw the state I was in.
"Uhh... Either of ya care you explain?" Applejack said to try and break the ice.
"Well... We believe Zecora transformed Leon somehow... Into a mare..." Twilight said rubbing her head.
"Is Leon really a mare like us now? How neat!" Pinkie Pie said as I felt her grab my tail and begin to slowly raise it.
Out of 'instinct' I bucked a hoof back quickly and knocked her back.
"Oops..." I said as everypony was giving me a dirty look.
"Blame Applejack, she taught me that." I said as I began to whistle casually.
"Well I'm going to head back there and rip her limb by limb until she changes me back." I said as I went for the door.
"Leon! You can't go back there! There's no telling what else she'd do to you!" Twilight said stepping in front of me.
"Twilight is right. That's why we're going with you!" Rainbow Dash said with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, get us all cursed in the process why don't we." Applejack said giving Rainbow Dash a stern look.
"I'm not screwing around anymore. You want to come with me and watch me amputate somepony, be my guest. But without you or not I'm going back there." I said as I pushed past Twilight and started heading towards the start of the path into the Everfree.
"Here we go..." I said looking up at the towering trees.
"Wait!" Twilight said as she rushed up to me.
"We're going together..." Twilight said to me as the others smiled at me.
"Darling, we're all your friends and your friends will be by your side when you need them." Rarity said with a smile.
"Y-yeah! E-even if it means g-going into that big... s-scary... m-monster filled forest!" Fluttershy said with a small scream as she hid behind Rainbow Dash.
"Thanks Everypony." I said with a soft smile as I heard the mane six gasp.
"You... said thanks... And you smiled!" Twilight said as the others stared in amazement.
My smile quickly faded and I rolled my eyes.
"Don't get too teary-eyed. It just slipped out, must be part of the curse..." I said as I began to take my first steps into the Everfree. The mane six followed close behind.
We continued treading on the path. The mysterious sounds of the forest surrounded us. Some sounds not even sounding close to normal wildlife.
Besides the occasional fear filled scream from Fluttershy. Everything seemed calm, more or less. Everypony barely said anything to each other.
We arrived at Zecora's hut. It was lit inside and I knew she was still there.
I went and to the door and turned around, ready to buck it down.
"Leon!" Twilight said as she quickly stopped me.
"What?!" I said angered at Twilight as she then calmly knocked on the door.
Zecora opened up and smiled.
"So many ponies as a guest, there's enough of you to fill a nest!" Zecora said with a laugh.
I moved Twilight out of the way and looked at Zecora.
"Change me back or so help me I'm going to slice you piece by piece!" I said as I was ready to assault Zecora.
"No need to fret, you are still Leon I bet." Zecora said as I began stepping towards her.
"No shit sherlock! Not turn me back into a stallion!" I said gritting my teeth in anger. My mare voice still contained the strong tone of anger and hatred.
"Young pony, you must see that the one that has changed you wasn't me." Zecora said giving me a serious look.
"Then who the hell could it have been!?" I said as I got to the point in which I was backing her into her house. While everypony just watched calmly.
"It is not a who, but it is a what that changed you!" Zecora said as she turned around and headed towards a small bookshelf.
"Oh yeah! And what would that be!?" I said as the group of us entered Zecora's hut.
"I told you not to stare, you are lucky that you are here as a mare." Zecora said as she opened up an old book and began to search through it.
"Take a look, for the truth is in this book." Zecora said as she pointed to a spot on the page.
"Parlerigator, a spirit in the form of a elegantly dressed mare. She sings to lure in men, once close enough she changes them to take the appearance that of a mare. Before long the mare is captured and made into a slave to serve the spirit's will." I said aloud as nothing but questions filled my mind.
"If that's the case... Why am I here and not some little puppet right now?" I said looking back at Zecora.
"You did not listen for long, for transformation was the only effect of the song." Zecora said looking at me.
"How do we break the curse and change me back then." I asked giving Zecora a stern look.
"Wait till her voice is still, that is when you shall go for the kill. A stake made with an ancient wood will put her to an end for good." Zecora said as she went to a nearby cabinet.
Zecora pulled out a large wooden stake. It had to be at least half a meter long. She tossed to me and as I caught it I looked over it.
"This is really long.." I said as Rainbow Dash had a chuckle.
"Ahh it's been a while since I've said those words." Rarity said with an odd smile.
"Ok seriously, what the fuck?" Rainbow Dash said as everypony had disturbed looks on their faces.
"You ponies can stay here and have dick talk all you want but I'm going out to get mine back" I said as I headed for the door, Twilight putting a hoof on my back and smiling.
"Let's go get your normal form back." Twilight said as she patted me. I nodded and headed out of the door, leading the charge towards where I came across the mysterious singing.
"Here it is... It came from this way." I said as I went to get off the path and go blindly in the direction that I remembered.
"Leon wait! This forest is huge, we can easily get lost if we go off the trail too far." Twilight said trying to stop me.
"If that happens me and Rainbow can fly..." I said as I started heading blindly into the forest.
"Well so can Fluttershy dear don't you forget that." Rarity said as I looked over Fluttershy and up at the thick shroud of tree branches and leaves above.
"She wouldn't last." I said as Fluttershy gulped. The others looking at me confused as I continued forward.
We trotted on for a bit and eventually we came across a young mare wearing a white dress. She had elegantly braided black hair and a warm smile. She began to approach me.
"You have such wonderful eyes~" She said with a soft smile as she put a hoof on my shoulder.
I gave her a smile and drove the stake into her.
"L-Leon!!" Twilight said as she went to stop me.
"Stay back!!" I said as the mare groan out and soon a ghostly howl came from her voice.
She shattered like glass and seemed to disappear within seconds. After that I soon felt a burning sensation within me and I felt my head being morphed like before. Along with the splitting headache to go with it.
"It worked! You're back to normal!" Twilight said with a cheer as everypony hugged me.
"No... Too close... let go." I said sternly as everypony backed off a bit.
"Leon... How did ya know it was her?" Applejack said looking at me.
"Who the hell roams around this place with a smile on their face and in a dress?" I said looking at the others.
"Good point darling... I have no clue who would waste a beautiful dress walking around this scum of a forest." Rarity said as the others nodded in agreement.
"Now let's head back, I'm tired of this place." I said heading back in the direction of the path.
I continued walking a bit but something felt off. It was like the feeling of being watched. Except the complete opposite... It felt as if I was completely alone. I turned around quickly to see all six of the girls gone without be noticing where they went, it was as if they had disappeared into thin air.
"Twilight...? Rainbow Dash?? Hello!?" I yelled out in the forest as I quickly ran back in the direction I came from.
"Hello!? Anypony!? If this is some joke you're all dead meat! I swear on it!" I yelled out as I continued moving, eventually running back from where we came.
"There you all are... What the hell happened?" I asked as the six had their backs facing me, not turning around.
"Hello...?" I said as all six of them turned around at once. They we're all turned into stallions.
"Oh you have to be shitting me..." I said as a stallion stepped into view and smirked at me.
"That was my wife you know... Granted she could've been a bitch at times... But well... so is karma..." The stallion said as it raised it's hoof.
Rainbow Dash charged at me first and took a swing. I move to the right as she barely missed my face.
"Sorry bout this Dashie..." I said as I flipped the stake in my hand and swung hard at Rainbow Dash, hitting her in the back leg with brute force. Causing her to fall down. Before I could react Twilight teleported to me and picked me up with her magic. Soon slamming me into the ground hard.
Fluttershy did a loud whistle. Soon causing a large bear like creature to emerge from the woods.
"Sorry... I'm in a bit of a rush... So let's cut to the chase..." I said as I quickly got up. I pushed my way past Twilight and for the main stallion. I went for a quick stab but he moved out of the way, not hesitating a second to strike me down as well.
"So pathetic... You know... You're supposed to be their protector and now they serve as my protectors..." The stallion said with a maniacal laugh as I grit my teeth.
"Not a chance!" I said as I charged for the stallion, right before I was inches within him I stepped back as he swung. Missing me and giving me the most open opportunity. I lunged forward quickly, impaling the stake into the stallion. He screamed in pain and shattered into pieces just like his partner did. I sat there panting for a bit as the six began to slowly turn back to normal. They looked over at me and screamed.
"Leon! Watch out!" They all said in unison as I turned around to see the large bear like creature that Fluttershy had summoned.
Before I could react the large creature swung at me, sending me flying. I hit a tree, back first, really hard and had the wind knocked out of me. I dropped the stake and fell to the ground. I was struggling for air as Twilight tried holding it off with her magic, but it seemed unaffected.
"R-Rainbow..." I groaned out as I managed to pick up the stake and toss it to her.
"Rainbow Dash! Y-You can't kill it!" Fluttershy yelled out.
"What am I supposed to do!? Let it kill us!?" Rainbow said, beginning to argue with Rainbow Dash.
As the two were arguing the bear charged at Twilight. The bear swung once and Twilight dodged, but with it's second swing she wasn't so fortunate. As it struck her down.
"R-RAINBOW!" I yelled out as I forced myself up.
I saw the bear ready to smash down onto Twilight before she could get up. I quickly rushed over to her and grabbed it's paw before it hit her. As I was resisting against the force of the strong creature I looked down at Twilight trying to get up.
"Applej-jack! H-help!" I said groaning as she quickly pulled Twilight away and helped her up.
As I felt my legs about to give out I heard Fluttershy cry out as Rainbow Dash flew at the beast, stabbing it with the stake. It roared out in pain and flailed around for a bit before falling over.
I limped over to it and ripped the stake out and began to pant.
"Let's get the fuck out of here now... Please..." I said as I looked at the others.
"I can agree with that. Let's head out." Twilight said as she leaned some of her weight onto Applejack.
"I'm pretty sure I may have torn something or possibly broke something..." I said with a groan as we continued forward.
"Don't ya worry, Me and Dash will fix ya both up in no time!" Applejack said with a smile.
"Right... Well I'll hold onto this stake for now..." I said looking at the thing, half of it covered in blood.
I looked over to see Fluttershy with her head down, I rolled my eyes and looked at the others.
"At least we're all back to normal... More or less..." I said as Applejack and a few of the others laughed.
We soon managed to get back onto the path and head towards Ponyville. In no time at all, we finally emerged from the hellish forest and it seemed we all took a deep breath.
"Ahh It's great to be back!" Rainbow Dash said stretching her legs and wings.
"I need to check up on Spike... Hopefully he's not overloaded with the pets." Twilight said with a slight laugh.
"I'll bring him back to your house..." Fluttershy said with a sad tone as she flew off.
"Do you think she's...?"
"She'll live, thanks to us that is. Just look at it like that." I said before Rarity could finish her sentence.
[End Of Chapter]