Remedies

by Marshal Twilight

Chapter 1

Twilight Sparkle raised a hoof to her mouth as she yawned, her heavy eyelids drooping as she briefly looked away from the dusty book that lay before her. She scowled slightly once the yawn had passed, irritated that it had broken her focus, even for a moment.

She glanced out the window, chewing on her lower lip as she took note of the position of the moon in the sky. It was at least midnight, and normally she would consider calling it a night, but this went beyond a simple study session. A few steps away from her, wrapped in the blankets on her bed lay her assistant, fast asleep.

Twilight sighed softly, wishing she could do more to help. A few days ago, Spike had started to come down with something she’d never seen before. It hadn’t seemed like much at first, just a few itchy spots here and there, but things had quickly taken a turn for the worst. He scratched at himself constantly, and before long, his scales were starting to fall off his body in alarming amounts.

That had been three days ago, and Spike had only gotten worse since then. At least a third of the scales on his body were gone, exposing the raw, vulnerable flesh underneath. Scratching only made it worse, but he couldn’t stop himself from doing it either. They had tried everything from a thorough spa treatment to various ointments, all without success. Eventually it had gotten so bad that Twilight had cast a sleeping spell on him to give him some measure of relief as she searched for a solution.

Unfortunately for them both, Spike was something of an anomaly in Equestria. Dragons usually kept to themselves, and as such even the best pony doctors were largely ignorant of their medical needs. Everypony she had visited was at a loss on how to treat Spike, and there weren’t a whole lot of dragons she was able to ask about it either.

Her next step had been to write a letter to Princess Celestia, quickly explaining the situation and having Spike send it off. She’d gotten a book sent back less than five minutes later, a tome from the Royal Archives more than fifty years old. It was the product of the most recent in-depth study on dragons by ponykind, and currently her best chance at finding some sort of treatment for Spike.

She’d been combing through it for hours already, flipping through entire sections about the dragon life cycle, culture, habitats, and all sorts of other interesting information. It had only been through great restraint that she managed to stop herself from reading every word, and instead skip to the portions of the book related to medicine. To her dismay, dragons had at least as many race-specific illnesses as ponies did, and she had to carefully read over every single one before she could safely eliminate it.

With a frustrated sigh, Twilight’s horn glowed faintly with magic and she turned the page a bit more roughly than she normally would have. Absently, she levitated the nearby oil lamp closer to her to provide better light as she leaned in to read.

Scale Rot. Twilight’s eyes widened at the words and she leaned in even closer, her nose barely an inch from the page. An insidious disease among dragonkind, Scale Rot is a condition that causes rapid, uncontrollable shedding of both strong and damaged scales, exposing the vulnerable skin underneath. This causes extreme irritation to the patient’s skin and hinders their ability to retain body heat. With time, the disease will also spread to the skin beneath the dragon's scales, causing necrosis. Without treatment, Scale Rot will usually result in death.

Twilight gasped out loud, the book falling from her magical field and landing with a soft sound on her cushion. DEATH?! she mentally shrieked. He could die from this?! She felt the beginnings of a panic, but she took a shaky breath to calm herself. “Okay, I can do this,” she said out loud as she picked the book up again. “Now, what about treatment…”

The prognosis for Scale Rot is difficult to ascertain, as it is a relatively uncommon illness among dragons and thus has rarely been observed, particularly by ponies. Additionally, as of the time of this writing, no spell has been created for treatment.

At that, Twilight’s shoulders sagged, and she leaned back. “No treatment?” she whispered. “And Spike could die?” She heard a low groan from the bed, and she quickly shut her mouth before she woke Spike from his magically induced slumber. The last thing he needed was to see her freaking out about his impending death.

She chewed her lower lip again, and levitated the book back over in front of her face. There was still more writing on the page, which gave her hope that perhaps there was still something she could do.

As pony magic offered no solution, I decided to search for a more unorthodox method. In my travels throughout Equestria and the world beyond, I have made a great many acquaintances. Knowing well their penchant for the obscure, and their skill with medicine, I set out to interview a zebra shaman that lived on the edge of Equestria.

To my pleasant surprise, he not only knew of the condition of which I spoke, but also how it could be treated. Evidently there is a potion, first crafted approximately four centuries ago by a zebra tribe as a peace offering of sorts to a problematic band of dragons.

Twilight smiled giddily as the relief washed over her. She felt like she wanted to laugh. But then, the smile slowly slipped off her face as she realized something. “Why wasn’t this easier to find?” she muttered.

Unfortunately, there is significant risk involved. The potion requires multiple herbs which can only be found within the hostile confines of the Everfree Forest, a region permanently scarred by the magical residue released by the engagement between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon nearly one thousand years ago. It is largely inhospitable to pony life, and is home to a great many strange and dangerous creatures. My friend warned me against attempting to seek the ingredients, as only the most clever and brave of zebras could safely venture into the forest. However, for the sake of completeness, I have included how to produce the potion and the ingredients required here.

Twilight felt a shiver roll down her spine, and she sat back again, a look of quiet worry on her face. “The Everfree…?” she whispered. That was not good. Twilight had never discussed it with her friends out of shame, but ever since the incident where she had been turned to stone by that cockatrice, she had held a deep-rooted fear of the forest, even more so than regular ponies. Even though she had willingly entered the forest since then, she had always had her friends with her, and even then she had been very nervous.

But this time she would be on her own. It was late at night, and she wasn’t feeling very eager to go and drag all her friends out of bed for a trip into the Everfree. But Spike’s condition was getting worse, and she wasn't sure if he could afford for her to wait. He was quite young, and already running a high fever. He needed that cure as soon as possible.

Twilight scanned the page again and levitated some parchment and a quill over to her so she could start scribbling down the ingredients. Let’s see… Hoofmaiden’s Folly, Manticore’s Tongue… She blinked. I hope that last one isn’t literal. She shook her head and continued. Fire Root, and Mist Moss. She sat back, satisfied, but the feeling quickly left her when she realized that she was already at a loss on what to do next. She cast a nervous glance out her window, where she could see the edge of the forest in the distance. She felt her heart start beating faster at the sight, and she had to look away and take a deep breath.

However, a thought occurred to her then. The book had mentioned a zebra stallion. She suddenly grinned in delight as she realized that there was another solution. Zecora only lived a short distance inside the forest, and the path to her house was fairly well-traveled, so it would be a lot safer than just poking around by herself. With any luck, she might even have the ingredients on hoof already.

Twilight hummed to herself as she considered that. She still didn’t like it, but at least it was better than wandering around in the forest looking for a bunch of plants she barely knew anything about. Her mind made up, Twilight stood from her cushion and quietly stepped over to Spike. She gently pulled the blanket back a few inches, and her heart almost broke at the sight that awaited her. Half the scales on Spike’s head had been shed already, the inflamed membrane underneath obviously causing him discomfort. There were deep marks all over him where he’d been scratching himself with his sharp claws. He was utterly miserable, even while asleep. If there was any doubt left in her, it was gone after that.

She bent down and gently kissed him on the forehead. He stirred a bit, but settled down afterwards, a small smile on his face. Twilight smiled fondly at the dragon she regarded as a brother. For good measure, she renewed the sleeping spell on him to ensure he would stay asleep until she was back with the cure. With one final glance, Twilight bowed her head and left the bedroom.

It had been hours since she’d last eaten, as engrossed in her research as she’d been, so she made herself a quick sandwich before setting off. She then scribbled a quick note to tack on her front door explaining her absence, in case any of her friends tried to visit while she was out. After running through a mental checklist to ensure she hadn’t missed anything, Twilight quietly slipped out of the house into the warm summer night, shutting the door behind her.

Ponyville seemed to be completely asleep, not that Twilight had expected otherwise. She didn’t see a single lit window from where she was standing. It might have been even later than she’d thought. With a sigh, Twilight turned and started walking along the well-trodden road that passed through the center of the town.

As she passed the edge of town, she lost the lighting provided by the street lamps. She nervously looked around and quickly illuminated her horn, bathing the area around her with a bright, white light. Feeling a bit better now, Twilight kept going.

As she walked, she slowly found herself becoming more and more at ease. The summer night was anything but quiet, the sounds of hooting owls and chirping crickets in the background a constant reassurance that she wasn’t completely alone. She saw fireflies darting around in the distance, an interesting spectacle that kept her mind off the unpleasant circumstances for a short while.

But as she crossed the bridge just outside of town, she was confronted with her real problem. The Everfree loomed ahead of her, about a minute’s trot away. A dense, seemingly permanent layer of fog hung low over the ground, ever present regardless of the weather or the time of year. The forest itself also managed to be even darker than its surroundings, despite the full moon high in the sky above. If she squinted, she could see the gap between the trees that was the start of the path to Zecora’s house.

“Okay, Twilight,” she mumbled softly. “It’s just a ten minute walk, nice and easy. Nothing’s going to happen." Nervously, she took a few steps forward, only to freeze when she heard a mournful howl in the distance. Easily several miles away, but still an uncomfortable reminder of what dangers awaited her in the forest.

She shivered and scrunched her eyes closed, pumping more magic into her illumination spell and doubling its radius. She bowed her head, shoulders slumped. “Oh, who am I kidding,” she quietly told herself. “I can’t do this by myself.”

Idly, she glanced off to the side, only to do a double take when she saw a light flickering in the distance, in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. That meant she was probably still awake. Twilight was surprised at first, then felt a bit giddy when she realized something. Maybe she’ll be able to come with me, Twilight thought hopefully. It’s just a short trip, after all.

With another wary look at the forest, Twilight turned and started trotting toward Fluttershy’s house instead. Interestingly, the fireflies seemed to congregate around it, almost as if they instinctively knew it was a place of safety for them. Twilight smiled softly at the thought. She experienced that feeling at Fluttershy’s cottage too, come to think of it.

She looked around as she crossed the bridge that put her at the edge of Fluttershy’s yard. There were no animals in sight, presumably asleep along with the rest of the town. She made her way up the winding path to the cottage and tapped on the door a few times, killing her light spell so she didn’t blind Fluttershy when she answered.

The next minute passed in silence, and Twilight found herself wondering if Fluttershy had actually been asleep after all. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, the door creaked open and a deep blue eye peeked out at her from around the edge.

A moment later the door opened completely, revealing Fluttershy standing there and rubbing her eyes tiredly. “Twilight?” she asked, a bit confused. “Why are you here so late?”

“Oh, um,” Twilight stammered. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“Well, no,” Fluttershy said slowly. “I was just getting ready for bed, actually.”

“Ah…” Twilight said awkwardly, but with noticeable disappointment. “Okay, well, I’m sorry I bothered you… I guess I’ll just go home and figure something out...” She turned and made to walk away.

“No, no,” Fluttershy said quickly, sounding a bit alarmed. “I didn’t mean it like that!” Twilight paused and turned back to face her. “Um, is something wrong?” she asked.

Twilight frowned. “Well, yes, actually. You remember when I said that Spike has been sick the past few days?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, the poor dear. Is he doing any better?”

Twilight’s ears folded back and she looked away. “No,” she said quietly. “He’s getting worse. A lot worse.”

Fluttershy’s expression became rueful and she stepped forward to place a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Oh, you must be so worried,” she said sympathetically. “I wish I could help, but I just don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

“Actually, I just found out,” Twilight said, a bit excitedly. “It’s called Scale Rot. It’s somewhat rare, but there’s a zebra potion that should be able to help him.”

“Really? That’s great!” Fluttershy said, smiling widely. Seeing her friend happy was a very pleasant feeling for Twilight. But then the smile slipped from her face, replaced by an expression of confusion. “But why do you need me?”

“Well…” Twilight said slowly. Already she was regretting her decision to try dragging Fluttershy along. She was terrified of the forest, so why had she picked her of all ponies?

“Go on,” Fluttershy urged.

“I need to visit Zecora,” Twilight said. “And… I’mkindofafraidtogobymyself.”

Fluttershy blinked. “Beg your pardon?”

Twilight took a breath. “I don’t want to go into the forest alone. That… didn’t go so well last time, and you’re the only one who’s awake right now.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said. “Well, okay. You want to go right now?”

Twilight gave her a surprised look. “Really? That easily?”

Fluttershy smiled softly. “Of course. I’m always ready to help a friend.”

Twilight felt warmth blooming inside her at the words. She lunged forward and wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy, drawing a surprised ‘eep’ from her. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” she said in a rush.

After a moment, Fluttershy awkwardly patted her on the back. “Um, it’s nothing. Really,” she said lamely.

With an embarrassed chuckle, Twilight stepped back and looked away, a slight blush on her face. “Sorry, it’s just… I sort of expected you to say no.”

Fluttershy smiled at her. “It shouldn't take too long. Do you have the list of ingredients?”

Twilight nodded and Fluttershy stepped out, pulling the door closed behind her. Twilight cast her light spell again and the two of them trotted off in a companionable silence. They went around to the back of the cottage, then turned and walked along the edge of the forest as they searched for the path that would take them to Zecora’s hut. Twilight tensed up again from being so near the forest, but she drew comfort from Fluttershy’s presence and managed to keep her breathing steady.

The two reached the start of the path a bit sooner than Twilight would have preferred and she came to a stop just before it, her eyes trying to pierce the blackness ahead of her. For some reason, no matter how much magic she put into her light spell, it didn’t seem to illuminate anything beyond about ten hoofsteps or so, as if the darkness somehow absorbed all light beyond a certain radius.

Fluttershy noticed when Twilight fell behind and turned back to face her. “Is something wrong?” she asked, concern on her face.

Twilight studied her for a moment, considering whether to confide in her or not. Eventually, she shook her head. Fluttershy would have enough to worry about without knowing that her companion was absolutely terrified. “No,” she said, forcing a smile. “Let’s keep going.”

Fluttershy nodded and the two of them both stepped into the forest. As they steadily walked down the path, Twilight was becoming increasingly afraid. Unlike everywhere else, there were no chirping crickets here, or even any fireflies. In fact, it was completely, frightfully silent, except for their steady hoofbeats and breathing.

Despite Twilight’s best efforts to remain calm, she started to hyperventilate after a few minutes, and kept looking around with jerky motions of her head, worried that some creature would pounce on them without warning. However, Fluttershy suddenly moved closer, her side just barely an inch from Twilight’s. At her questioning look, the pegasus gave her a knowing smile and matched her pace. Twilight tried to focus on that instead and, before long, was breathing normally again.

Fortunately, Twilight’s fears were unfounded and the pair reached Zecora’s hut without incident. Twilight was dismayed, although not surprised, to see that the windows were dark, meaning that Zecora was asleep. Twilight was reluctant to disturb her, but the thought of Spike lying miserably in the bed back home was enough to urge her on.

She stepped forward and knocked firmly on the wooden door. Hopefully Zecora wasn’t an overly heavy sleeper. After a few moments, a dim light appeared inside and the door creaked open, a tired and grumpy-looking zebra standing there to meet them.

Her irritated expression faded when she saw them, replaced by one of confusion. “Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy at my door, here for a visit, or something more?”

Twilight smiled sheepishly. “Sorry for waking you up, Zecora, but we need your help. It’s about Spike.”

Zecora hummed. “Ah yes, your little assistant. I understand his illness has been most persistent.”

Twilight grimaced. “To say the least. But I know what he has now at least. It’s something called ‘Scale Rot’. I was hoping you had a cure.”

Zecora frowned. “Ah, yes, I am familiar. A disease most peculiar.”

“Um, can you help?” Fluttershy spoke for the first time.

Zecora gave her a nod. “A remedy I can create, but not with any haste.” She stepped aside and beckoned the two ponies inside.

“Yeah, so I’ve read,” Twilight said sullenly, closing the door behind them. She produced the list she had made before she left and levitated it over to Zecora, who looked at it curiously. “Herbs that only grow in this forest.”

Zecora took a moment to look over the list. “An accurate list, for a potion like this. An impressive feat, even though it is incomplete.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in alarm. “Incomplete? What do you mean?”

“Nothing dire," Zecora said hastily. "But we will need a dragon’s fire."

Twilight relaxed. “Oh, well, that should be easy then,” she said. “We can just get Spike to do that part.”

Zecora smiled and nodded, but then frowned again. “But alas I cannot abide, as I do not have these herbs set aside.”

Twilight sagged, and Fluttershy gave her a worried look. “Oh no,” she said softly. “What are we going to do?”

“Um, Zecora? Can I see that list?” Fluttershy asked timidly. Wordlessly, the zebra passed it to her Fluttershy took it and started reading silently. A few moments later, she brightened and looked up at them. “Oh, I recognize these!” she said happily. “I know where to find them!”

Twilight looked at her in surprise. “You do?”

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. “I brew a lot of different potions to treat some of my animals when they get sick. I know about most of the herbs around here so I can just collect the ingredients myself.”

“Fluttershy, that’s amazing,” Twilight said, expression awed. “I had no idea you knew about that sort of thing, or that you were willing to go into the forest by yourself, for that matter.”

She blushed and looked away, scuffing her hoof on the floor. “It’s not that special,” she said modestly. “The Everfree isn’t so dangerous during the day, and I do have the stare.”

'Not that special.' Twilight thought sullenly. Wish I could see it that way… She shook her head. “But this is great! We can just go out and get them, then Zecora can make the potion!” She glanced at the zebra. “Right?”

“Well…” Fluttershy said slowly, drawing Twilight’s gaze back to her. “These plants don’t really grow near each other. It’ll take a while to find them all.” She considered that. “At least a day, I think.”

Twilight frowned. “And we need them as soon as possible…” Which means poking around in the forest at night by ourselves… She shivered at the thought. "What about Spike?" she asked, almost hoping for an excuse not to go. "We can't just leave him alone for that long."

"Um, hasn't Rarity been helping you take care of him?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight hummed. "Good point. She's been looking after him while I've been researching, and I did leave a note saying I was going to be off looking for the cure." She gave a thin smile. "I guess it's a good thing I didn't say how long I'd be gone." She then looked at Zecora. “Are you able to come with us?” she asked, almost pleadingly. “You know the forest well enough to get us through without any trouble.”

Zecora looked regretful and shook her head. “I am afraid not, my friend, for I have an injury that will take time to mend.” She nodded towards one of her hind legs, which Twilight just now noticed that she seemed to be favoring. “A sprained leg, you see, as I attempted to flee.”

Twilight squirmed. “Flee from what?”

“I am not sure, but it was a skillful lure. An herb I admired, and wished to acquire.” She grimaced. “It was far from unguarded, and I tripped as I darted. Luckily for me, the creature let me be.”

“Well, I’m sure we won’t run into anything like that when we go out,” Fluttershy said softly, casting a glance at Twilight. Her friend looked very stiff, and seemed to be breathing a bit faster than was healthy. It was beginning to concern her.

Zecora looked back at Fluttershy. “If you know the forest as well as you claim, your confidence cannot be blamed.”

Fluttershy swallowed. “I certainly hope so,” she said nervously.

Twilight looked at the pegasus. “So… You’re really willing to help me with this?” she asked, sounding like she didn’t quite believe it. “To go out… there in the middle of the night to look for these plants?”

Fluttershy chewed her lower lip. “Well, I am a little scared,” she admitted. She gave Twilight a soft smile. “But I’m willing to help a good friend like you.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “You know… I wouldn’t be able to do this without you, Fluttershy,” she said quietly.

Zecora cleared her throat. “I am uncertain of the peril you must best, but I can at least prepare you for your quest.” She stood up and walked over to the far wall and started opening cabinets. As Twilight and Fluttershy watched, she gathered up a modest amount of food and other provisions and filled two sets of saddlebags with them. She walked over to Twilight and Fluttershy and passed the supplies over to them.

“Thank you, Zecora,” Twilight said gratefully as she shrugged her saddlebags on. “We weren’t expecting to have to go out like this, so we appreciate you doing what you can.”

Zecora waved her off. “Think nothing of it, as I am trusting you with it. Return these bags, and I’ll know you’ve had no snags.” She gestured at the door. “Now be on your way, before your time slips away.”

Twilight nodded and she and Fluttershy both made their way to the door. They paused before exchanging an uneasy glance. “Um… are you nervous, Fluttershy?” she asked with no small amount of apprehension.

“Well, um… maybe a little,” Fluttershy said meekly.

“Don’t worry. I am too,” Twilight said softly, causing the pegasus to give her a small smile. “You ready for this?”

Fluttershy considered that for a moment. “No, not really.” She took a breath. “But let’s do it anyway.” The two exchanged another mutually reassuring glance before they opened the door and stepped out into the pitch-black forest.

Comments

[Biker_Dash]

An outstanding first chapter! I shall be looking forward to more of this one.

[PatRoison]

A great chapter. It's great to see Twilight and Fluttershy going on an adventure. I look forward to the next chapter.

I really like how you mentioned Twilight being uncomfortable entering the Everfree Forest after the incident with the cockatrice. It makes sense that the incident where, for all intents and purposes, she died would have long lasting effects on her mind. I can only imagine what trials they'll have to go through to get each herb, and I don't doubt the trapper that almost got Zecora will notice these two. Perhaps an herb or two will be trapped, and will the trapper be someone we already know?

I'll find out as soon as that chapter appears.

[Wrangle Wolfe]

Aw, no comments? Oh well, looks like I'm first. Great job on making Twilight the scared one and Fluttershy the brave one. I hardly ever see that in stories. Very, VERY few errors, well written, very interesting. Just eye candy!

[FlutterLight]

Fantastico! Un nuovo preferito!

I really like it so far. Nice characterization and few, if any, errors. Overall outstanding. 11/10 would read more.

[Luminous Grace]

This story is off to quite a good start. I don't have anything to complain about really. Making Twilight the one who is afraid is a wonderful idea that makes sense as well, there were little if any mistakes or errors, the pacing seems fine, and everything else is just plain good.

[Marshal Twilight]

4402176

Yep, there's plenty of crap they're going to have to go through before it's over. And I definitely agree about Twilight's fear of the forest; when you essentially die, or have the equivalent to a near-death experience, I figure you'd be more than a little shaken by that.

4402244

Word to the wise. Always refresh the page before saying anything about being the first comment

In any case, thanks for the comment, and I did indeed think that would be an interesting twist to make this story stand out a bit. Don't get me wrong though, they're both scared, but Fluttershy is unaware of just how deep Twilight's fears go.

4402301

Oh stop it you. I do hope you find the story to your liking, since there is a shameful shortage of TwiShy on this site. I'm hoping to help fix that.

4402325

I was especially worried about pacing, since I was wondering if I was rushing things a bit. At the same time, I also didn't want to drag it out too much. Glad to hear that I seemed to have gotten it nailed down reasonably well.

[FlutterLight]

4402649 If you want me to stop, you'll have to come and stop me!

Buona fortuna con quello però!

[randomsurprise]

ok, besides spike not feelin very well n' twi headin into t everfree (which said place freaks her t buck out ) at nite . Yet, at least she has flutters' help findin t stuff to mak t cure to a certain drake's illness . Just hopefully twi's fear doesn't come back to bite them in t flank later

[NobleValor]

Interesting start looking forward to more. Although you might want to work on Zecora's rhymes a bit. They sounded kinda flimsy to me.

[Wrangle Wolfe]

4402649 Yea... ehehehhh... erm, right of course! Refresh page ... (Mental checklist: Stop embarrassing yourself because you're to lazy to click one simple button...)

But, erm, anyways, good job, and I can't wait for more!

[Neko Majin C]

An interesting beginning. A mysterious illness affecting the tertiary hero. A laundry list of items needed to cure the illness. A dangerous mission to collect the items. A ticking clock to add tension. A creepy dungeon forest. A dungeon forest master taken out of the equation by an injury. A primary hero crippled by fear. A cowardly secondary hero having to step up and become the brave primary hero. A budding romance, apparently, between the primary and secondary heroes. An epic quest lies ahead for them both. What will become of them? Will they get back to the tertiary hero in time? Will the primary and secondary heroes confess their (apparent) love for one another?

There is only one way to find out. Read the rest of the story.

...When there is a rest of the story, that is. The best way to do that is to favorite this story.

KBO.

[Marshal Twilight]

4403858

Easily the most frustrating part about writing Zecora. There are a few that I'm definitely not happy with, but I ended up having to compromise to get past them.

4405198

You trying to write a new summary for this? 'Cause it actually isn't half bad.

Thank you for the like and fave, good sir.

[Lily Gingertail]

So far so good.
Adventure fics is difficult to pull of but so far you have done a most excellent job.
Also kudos for the writing on Zecora, rhyming isn't easy and i respect the people that can pull it off relatively well.
~Tobben