by PseudoBob Delightus

Chapter 5 - The Forest

Zecora eyed the shelves of her hut, lined with new pottery and glassware. Her stocks were neat and orderly. Too orderly, she thought, as she nudged a jar out of alignment.

She was used to organized chaos. It hadn't been the same ever since that moro- no, that good friend of hers - had charged through. Zecora had cursed up a storm in that mare's wake, for all the trouble that spilling most of her ingredients had brought her, but ultimately it might have been a blessing in disguise, for it gave her an excuse to clean up. And no longer would she store potions in crystal-glass bottles, or spices in pouches of leaf-leather and bark. No, she'd put these agents in containers that could survive more than a slight breeze. That day of destruction had not been a slight breeze, but maybe it wouldn't have been such a headache if she'd done this years ago.

Absently, she noticed the windows brighten, and peered out to see the weather - but there was no weather. And in the direction of Ponyville, there was no forest, either. Just a great, blank expanse. Stepping outside, it became clear - the invisibility was spreading.

Well, she figured that might happen, so she had prepared the cure for it earlier. She took the old bottle out from its hanging-place, and held it up, and waited - just until the moss under her hooves turned to glass - and then dashed it onto the ground.

In effect, it reminded her of a charlatan's act - a sudden yank of a tablecloth without disturbing the glassware above it. The strange clarity of the ground and the surrounding forest receded just as suddenly, and things appeared back to normal. She could see distant landscapes come back into view - even that precarious palace upon the mountain, which she had somehow forgotten was there.

With that done, Zecora returned to her hut, and resumed her final task before she could be, in her estimation, back in order. A sizable board of bark was the canvas, bleached white by a simple acid, and black pitch-paint formed the letters. She knew the Equestrian script, but just hadn't had much practice writing in it lately, so it was slow-going - but eventually it was complete.

She hung the sign by the door, and found it fit to purpose. Meant for a particular friend of hers, it read:

"NO BLINDFOLDS"

Comments

[Shady Nail]

I loathe you for this.
Have a like for creativity.

[Starlight Glimmer1]

Why?

[Witchery]

Well that was fun.

[PseudoBob Delightus]

11544358
11544363
11544364

Thanks!

11544361
Hey, I consider it quite pleasant. (Hope you enjoyed it regardless.)[\opacity]

[Forcalor]

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢷⠀⠸⣿⡿⠁⠠⢾⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣖⣛⠛⠳⣤⠏⢀⣤⠏⢀⣿⠛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣷⣮⣳⡀⣇⢸⣾⣿⣿⠏⠀⠀⠀⣸⣅⣠⠖⢿⡿⡇⠀⠀⢀⣴⣯⡤⠚⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⡁⢡⣄⡙⠢⠀⠀⠠⠀⠠⠿⠛⠛⠛⠒⠲⠞⠓⣾⠃⠀⣀⡾⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⣠⡤⠤⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠹⣆⠈⢯⣿⠢⠤⠤⢤⡤⠤⠤⢞⡷⠆⠀⠀⠀⣰⠏⠀⠘⢧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⢠⡾⠉⠀⠀⠀⣏⠛⠲⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢧⣈⠻⣝⠒⠄⠀⠀⠀⣴⠞⠁⠀⠀⢠⡼⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⢳⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⡾⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣧⠀⠀⠉⠑⠲⢤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠶⣬⡙⠒⠒⠒⠊⠁⠀⣀⣤⠖⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣾⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⠲⢦⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡏⠉⠙⠓⠒⠒⠛⢻⡍⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣶⡶⠶⣺⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠘⢷⡀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠓⠦⣤⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡠⠽⠷⣤⠤⠤⢔⣃⡤⠞⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠈⠙⠲⠦⠤⠤⠤⢤⣀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡞⠉⠀⠀⠀⣸⠀⠙⠻⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⠟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢷⡇⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⢳⡀⠀⠀⢰⡏⠀⣸⠀⠀⠙⢼⠃⢸
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣷⠀⠀⢸⠁⠀⢻⡄⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠘⠧⠴⠃⠀⢀⠀⠁⠀⢸
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠻⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠻⡄⠀⠀⠀⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡟⠀⠀⠘⡄⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠸⡴⠚⠉⠒⢦⣀⠀⡟⠢⠄⠴⠃
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⡤⠤⠿⠶⠤⣄⣀⠀⠀⠹⢦⡀⢠⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣇⡤⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⡞⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠻⣄⣸⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣷⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡏⣁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣠⡤⠶⠚⠋⢡⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⢶⡋⠀⠀⠉⠓⠦⢤⣤⣤⠤⠖⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢧⣈⠙⠶⣀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡴⠖⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡞⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠀⠉⠳⢦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠲⠬⠥⠤⠞⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣰⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢦⡀⠀⣀⠤⠚⠋⠁⢀⡾⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠳⣮⣁⣀⣠⡤⠖⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[Real Solaris]

Take a like, you bastard genius

[Catpaw616]

i.pinimg.com/originals/6d/ab/94/6dab94ba49edfa27c3529122999112e9.jpg

[Vinylshadow]

That was the most interesting use of a kirin, griffon, and Starlight Glimmer's season five hairstyle I've ever read.

[Squishtopher]

11544373
Cute

[Lurks-no-More]

The best thing about this is that it's an actual story, and not just the gimmick.

[stag the story teller]

Wondefull story, pinkie is a true menace but even she pales compared to Twilight when twiliting

[Yoshifan30]

[AustisticVeganPussy]

dude your fic made me think my browser corrupted

it scared me man

thank you for giving me a slight head ache.

[horses are fuckin weird]

ㅤ
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

　　　　　　　　　again?

[Reviewfilly]

Here's a review.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Fascinating both as intended and when fully seen. Thank you for a delightful little tale.

11544361
Alternatively, download the story as a .txt file.

[Shakespearicles]

This was a foolish thing to do today.

[skurg10]

great just looked at todays date. thought my system was hacked and just lost files debuging and reboting it.

[RenegadeAlias]

Had to copy/paste this into notepad to read it.

[Axelmos2356]

I know what the stroy was about but the blank chapters elude me.
Idk how to read them

[Skyshy]

I love what you did but I feel the need to mention that this website actually has the option to have the website read the story to you, I'm not sure if this is common knowledge the only reason I think not is the amount of people that put dashes in their story as page breakers which fun fact that is red by the website so all of a sudden I mean in the story and then suddenly here - - - - -

[Serendras]

I have no idea how to read this on phone, I was barely able to get here. But this looks like it exists so have a like!

[Kevin Lee]

11544617
Easiest way to read is to download the story/chapters as .txt files. Or you can try some of those supplements sold on TV to boost the hell out of your visual acuity.
Props for PseudoBod to come up with playing with an html tag for an April Fool Gag.

[jothki]

11544626
Does your browser have a reader mode? It shows up normally there for me.

[That One Strange Fellow]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Didn't figure out what was going on until the end of chapter 3. Awesome story!

EDIT: How do you do it where you can't just highlight it?!

EDIT EDIT: Figured it out! Neat!

[6-D Pegasus]

W-wha

[Too Sheep And Less White]

YOO this is actually really creative. Although at first when this popped up I thought my browser was glitching out because you used some otherworldly font or something that wasn't available on my OS. Then I went into chapters and saw that there were some nearly visible texts besides the obviously visible ones. So I had to copy and paste the whole chapter onto MSWord just so I could read it lol. Kudos to you for coming up with this idea, an incredibly creative method of writing from a ghost's perspective.

[Orderly Disassembly]

11544644
You probably can’t. The text is just matching the background in color.

[demondude123]

For anyone that's wondering, the following text is what the description says;

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Pinkie Pie is invisible. What shall she do?

(Have fun reading this!)

An April Fool's story, and an entry in OPERATION: CRACKFIC-STORM - 2023 ( post | entries ).

Featured 2023-04-01 - woo! I wonder if this would have happened on a normal day?

[Frustration in Excelsis]

Neat! This was very clever. I like it when stories do weird medium stuff like this, and it was a very interesting way to represent things turning disjointed and imperceptible.

[Miskr]

I have no idea what's going on.

[The Archivist]

11544878
If the SCP foundation doesn't know we are all screwed.

[Miskr]

11544888
Oh, we don't know what's going on all the time. But by pretending we do, we actually solve the problem lot of the time. Even if we don't know the full extent of said problem.

[Aschtb]

i get it for the most part, but man this is an annoying way to go about it.

[Miskr]

11544720
How did you do it, please tell me, I want to know so badly.

[GrimWolf]

I can't complain about this story. I didn't see anything wrong with it. Also I didn't see any unintentional typos.

[BlueYoshi]

(Sees a bunch of invisible texts)

Me: derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/5/23/902543.jpg

[Hey its that Pony]

Good April fools' fic. Very creative.

[Gavier]

I guess I'll never be able to trust a blank page again

[Anotherrandom]

I feel dumb now because it took me waaaay too long before I figured out what was going on. Should have checked my calendar more. Good read too once I did figure it out.

[Dracone-Twi]

11544932

[TheAbsoluteRadiance]

Test1 | [color=#000000]Test1[/color]
[color=#0000008c]Test2 | [color=#0000008c]Test2[/color]
<p style=”opacity=0.1”>Test3</p> | [opacity=0.1]test4[/opacity]
test4 | [opacity=0.5]test4[/opacity]

Figured it out :D

11544929
Here’s how it is done, like how you made the text bold or italic [b][/b] [i][/i] You can change the text opacity like so Text here [opacity=0.1]Text here[/opacity] the opacity can be from 1.0 (visible) to 0.0 (invisible).

[Dracone-Twi]

11544929
it is very easy

[PseudoBob Delightus]

11544985
Is it now? I can still see your text if I highlight it. That's far too convenient!

Here's a hint: Right click on my comment text -> Inspect -> Check the "style" of the paragraphs.

[PseudoBob Delightus]

11544977
Nooooo! My secrets!

[Miskr]

11544977
Thx

[Stonerusher65]

This gives off serious house of leaves vibes

[Breathtaking Carnality]