"Wow, what a gorgeous day!" Twilight said as they walk along on a beautiful sunny afternoon in the streets of Ponyville.

"Princess Celestia sure outdone herself this time." Zach complimented as he walks alongside Twilight.

"Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away." Spike assumed while riding on Twilight's back.

"Will that be a surprise." Zach said playfully.

"I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine." Twilight assumed but as they looked around the streets were quiet and deserted.

"What? Where is everypony?" Twilight asked in confusion. They looked around to see a couple ponies shutting their doors and windows in fear even a mother pulled her foal in from going outside.

"Is it some sort of pony holiday?" Spike asked.

"Not that I know of." Twilight said as they walk through the lonely streets.

"Does my breath stink?" Spike thought and belched so he could take a sniff.

"Not more than usual." Twilight admitted which Zach chuckled in the process.

"Is it... zombies?" Spike asked fearfully.

"Uh... not very likely." Twilight assured.

"Not likely... but possible?" Spike said and Zach sighed and rolled his eyes. The three then halted after hearing a 'psst'ing sound. They were near Sugarcube Corner and looked around.

"Zach, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie the appeared from behind her door in a whisper and ducked back down like she was hiding from something.

"Spike! Come here!" Pinkie gestured with her hoof and hid back down.

"Come, here! Hurry! Before she gets you!" Pinkie urged as she looked around. Zach and Twilight obey and jumped in and closed the door. Pinkie then turned a flashlight on so they can see in the dark. Zach and Twilight grunted and rubbed their eyes as they constricted trying to adjust to the new lighting.

"Who? The zombie pony?" Spike asked in fear.

"Z-Zombie pony?" Pinkie shooked in fear with Spike with the light shining on her.

"Spike! There are no zombie ponies. Pinkie, what are you doing here alone in the dark?" Twilight asked after calming Spike down.

"I'm not alone in the dark." Pinkie said and opened a window curtain a titch so the suns light can shine through. Zach and Twilight gasped in surprise to see their other friends surrounding them.

"Okay then, what are you all doing here in the dark?" Zach asked curiously.

"W-we're hidin' from h-her!" Applejack pointed out the window shakingly and the group looked outside. In the middle of the streets was a hooded figure who appeared to be an equine of some sort digging at the ground with it's hoof. She then without warning turns her head at them with glowing eyes piercing at them. The group except for Zach and Twilight gasped in unison and hid out of sight in fear.

"Oh brother." Zach sighed knowing where this is going.

-Main music plays-

"Did you see her Zach and Twilight? Did you see... Zecora?" Applebloom asked fearfully who was with the group.

"...Who?" Zach asked confusingly.

"Ze-" Applebloom was about to repeat the name but was interupted.

"Applebloom! I told you to never say that name." Applejack urged.

"Well, I saw her glance this way..." Twilight admitted.

"Glance evilly this way." Pinkie corrected with a spooky tone. Twilight shrugged her off and looked at Zach who both had confused looks.

"... And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason." Twilight finished.

"No good reason? 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." Applejack said as she shakes her little sister to emphasize her point.

"D-i-i-i-d n-o-o-o-t!" Applebloom said virbratingly.

"So I swept her up and brought her here." Applejack said and puts Applebloom on her back.

"I walked here myself!" Applebloom corrected.

"For safe keepin'." Applejack assured and Applebloom gets off her back.

"Applejack, I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!" Applebloom said slightly annoyed at her older sisters overprotectivness.

"Not from that creepy Zecora." Applejack said.

"She's mysterious." Fluttershy said.

"Sinister." Rainbow Dash added.

"And spoooooky!" Pinkie said extending the word and keeping her spooky tone. Zach and Twilight rolled their eyes and looked back outside with the group hurdling behind and crowded them. The mysterious hooded figure then moved it's hoof to it's hood and removed and reavealed a black and white striped mohawk mane as well as the rest of it's body. Everypony but Zach and Twilight again gasped overdramatically at the sight.

"Just look at those stripes! So garish!" Rarity said repulsively.

"She's a zebra." Zach and Twilight explained in unison.

"A what!" the group asked shockingly.

"A zebra, and her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with." Twilight explained. Then Rarity gasps and faints overdramatically.

"Born where? I've never seen a pony like that in these parts. Except...her!" Applejack said shakingly.

"Well, she's probably not from here. And she's not a pony. My book says that zebras come from a far away land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?" Twilight wondered as Spike sneaks himself in the kitchen. She then notices Zach's eyes were not brown but the whitish gray color he uses to see through minds. He blinked and returned to the normal brown color he keeps.

(look up Where the World Ends: Draft 4 at deviantart)

"Well, as I can see she's from a land called Zavros. Her country has many tribes with many different beliefs. Their technology isn't as advanced as ours, but I've heard that her kind can make amazing potions." Zach explained.

"You mean, evil potions." Pinkie corrected still in her spooky tone.

"[sigh] My gosh. Anyway, where does she live now?" Zach asked.

"That's just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!" Applejack said in fear. Then they were caught by surprise by loud thunder like noise.

"Spike!" Twilight shouted. Spike accidentally knocke over a couple of cooking pots and pans after getting bakery goods.

"Uh, sorry." Spike apologized sheepishly.

"If you're gonna help yourself to sweets, at least keep it down." Zach advised.

"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural. The plants grow..." Applejack mentioned.

"Animals care for themselves..." Fluttershy added.

"And the clouds move... all on their own!" Dash said with the last two joining in unison. Rarity did another gasp and faint the same way she did earlier.

"Would you stop that, and what's the big deal? This stuff happens all the time where I come from." Zach said.

"Yeah, in your world it maybe normal, but here, it's a whole diffent story." Dash said.

"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil...stuff! Why she's so evil I even wrote a song about her!" Pinkie and prepared herself for yet another song.

"Here we go-a[breath]..." Dash sighed.

"She's an evil enchantress,

She does evil dances,

And if you look deep in 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!" Pinkie finished with a striking like pose on a table and breathing heavily. Zach, Twilight, Dash, and Fluttershy stare at her with bewildered looks.

"Wow. Catchy." Twilight complimented.

"It's a work in progress." Pinkie said with a proud smile.

"This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors. Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?" Twilight asked.

"Well... Once a month, she comes into Ponyville." Dash said.

"Ooooooooo!" Twilight said in overdramatick sarcasm.

"Scary!" Zach joined.

"Then, she lurks by the stores." Rarity added.

"Oh, my." Twilight said with less drama this time.

"And then, she digs at the ground." Fluttershy said as she demonstrates her point.

"[dramatically] Good gracious! [normal tone] Okay, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit." Twilight thought.

"Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly." Applebloom supported.

"And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?" Twilight mentioned.

"But she can't shop, because all of the stores are locked and you think she's some evil witch or something. Instead of just jumping into conclusions just because of her appearance, dosen't mean she's bad. Maybe she just want's to try some new products." Zach added.

"Yeah! Everypony likes to shop. You know what I think?" Applebloom was about to give her opinion until Applejack got in the way.

"Applebloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk." Applejack order and gestures Applebloom to move out of the conversation.

"I am a big pony!" Applebloom whispered angrily.

"You're only 7 years old." Zach reminded.

"Still." Applebloom said as she walks away by the door.

"W..what about digging at the ground? You've got to admit that's weird." Dash mentioned.

"Wha- okay you're right, that is kind of strange. Wonder why she's doing that?" Zach pondered as he looks outside seeing Zecora continue digging at the ground.

"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" Fluttershy thought.

"Underground?" Zach asked confusingly and Fluttershy shrugged as an answer.

"I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth." Twilight said while Pinkie sings her song. Without hesitation Applebloom made up her decision.

"Well I'm brave enough; I'm gonna find out myself." Applebloom said to herself and walked out the door. As she hides behind a corner wathcing Zecora still digging the the ground she made a quick turn of her head and Applebloom gasped and hid herself in fear. She gulped in second thought thinking this wasn't a good idea. She pops her head out of the corner again to get a better look and sees Zecora move to a new location to dig. As she got closer to the hooded zebra Zecora decided to leave and make her way back to her home in the Everfree Forest while Applebloom follows secretly.

"You ponies are being ridiculous!" Twilight argued.

"Well, I heard that Zecora eats hay." Pinkie said.

"Pinkie, I eat hay; you eat hay!" Twilight reminded.

"We all eat hay! Which is strange for me since I'm also a human, but I still somehow like the taste." Zach said.

"Yeah, but I heard it's the evil way she eats hay." Pinkie said with the spooky tone again.

"Oh, for crying out loud. When are all ever gonna-" Zach was getting irritated.

"Hey! Where's Apple Bloom?" Applejack looked around worriedly.

"The door's open." Fluttershy pointed at the opened door.

"She went outside!" Rarity assumed in fear.

"And Zecora's still out there." Dash mentioned.

"That silly lil' filly! I told her to stay put!" Applejack said fearfully and ran out to get her little sister with the others.

"Spike, you stay here in case Applebloom comes back." Twilight ordered.

"Will do!" Spike obeyed and saluted with a pot on his head and a frying pan in his other claw. Applebloom followed Zecora to the edge of the Everfree Forest and watched her dissapear in the mists of the forest. As Applebloom was about to enter she stopped inches away and gulped. But she stood tall and continued. She then finds Zecora and sees her avoid some certain blue plants and thought it would be wise to do the same. Fortuneateley for Applebloom her small pitter patter hoof steps are light for Zecora to hear so she comes up closer to her.

"Applebloom?" a familiar voice called. Zecora heard as well and turned to see Applebloom following her along with someone else. Applebloom gasped in fear and turned to see her caller.

"You git back here right now!" Applejack ordered along with the other ponies who stand yards away in the same blue plant field.

"Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" Zecora warned as she backs away in the fog.

"Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yerself, ya hear?" Applejack warned as she picks up Applebloom. The rest of the group but Zach and Twilight encouraged along with Applejack as they taunt her.

"[sighs] Oh brother." Twilight sighed.

"Tell me about it." Zach muttered.

"Beware! Beware!" Zecora gave one last warning and dissapeared in the fog.

"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your... lame curse are the ones who better beware!" Dash countered.

"And you! Why couldn't you just listen to yer big sister?" Applejack turned her attention to Applebloom with a dissapointing tone.

"I...I..." Applebloom stuttered shamefully.

"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?" Applejack asked.

"Just like in my song! Evil enchantress! With the dances! With the trances!" Pinkie sunged parts of the song.

"You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" Twilight shouted in irritation.

"Well, that's interesting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself." Dash said tapping Twilight's horn from the air.

"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." Twilight assured.

"Not to mention, myth." Zach added but he and Twilight widened their eyes in realization to see the others walking away already.

"Just you wait, Zach and Twilight. You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true." Applejack assured and went to catch up with the others. Later that night ironically both Zach and Twilight have the same nightmare as they hear Pinkies song, Zecora's warnings, the taunting, and even Applejack's warining. The nightmare ends after hearing Zecora laughed wickedly. The two grumbled as they sleep and rolled around in their beds. The next morning they wake up groggily.

"Morning." Zach greeted.

"Good morning." Twilight responed and got up.

"Ugh... what a dream..." Twilight uttered tiredly.

"You too?" Zach asked.

"Yes. Curses, schmurses. Whoa! [chuckle] Maybe Zecora cursed my hair." Twilight joked after seeing her messy hair from her dresser mirror. She was ready to summon her hairbrush but strangely nothing is happening. She grunts effortlessly as she tries again but still nothing.

"What's wrong." Zach asked curiously.

"I... I don't know. For some reason, my magic won't work." Twilight said as she keeps trying to concentrate.

"Here, let me help." Zach offered and approached her while summoning his unicorn horn and used his magic to brush Twilight's mane. In his mind he never thought he had to do this with the pony he secretly loves. He actually enjoys straightening her hair.

"Maybe Zecora cursed your magic." Zach joked as he goes along brushing. Twilight giggled at the joke while enjoying the sensation of being brushed with her eyes closed. Zach then came to the front and base of her mane and finishes.

"There you go, all- [gasp]" Zach gasped in total shock and drops the brush as it makes a wood to wood sound. Twilight opens her eyes swiftly and turns her head to Zach.

"What? What's wrong?" Twilight asked worriedly. Zach slowly pointed at her forehead with a shocked expression on his face. Twilight looked up confusingly and turned to look at the mirror to find a very shocking image. She gasped in fear as she sees her horn completely ruined as it was not the stiff straight spire but a dangling blue spotted horn wobbling like rubber.

"Or she cursed my horn!" Twilight squealed in pure horror. Later after getting Spike up and explaining what's going on without panicking they frantically search the whole library for a cure book. So far though their search hasn't had much success.

"No no no no no! None of these books have a cure! Ugh! There has to be a real reason for this! An illness? An allergy?" Twilight pointed out the possibilities as she pokes her soft wiggley horn.

"A curse!" Spike mentioned.

"I said a real reason. Something that points to something real." Twilight said.

"Not mythy mumbo jumbo." Zach added to support the point.

"How about this one?" Spike suggested with a green book in his claws with a plant picture on the cover.

"'Supernaturals'? Spike, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are as make-believe as curses. This book is just a bunch of hooey!" Twilight said getting slightly annoyed.

"And we simply do not want to bring up this curse nonsense again." Zach assured.

"But what if you're wrong, guys? What if this really is a-" Spike was about to finished until he was interupted by another surprise.

"Ah pfurse!" A slightly familiar voice said. It was Pinkie with her tongue sticking out with blue spots similar to Twilight's horn on it.

"A purse? How could it be a purse?" Spike asked confusingly.

"Pinkie? What happened?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"Pee pah Zthecora! Sthe put a cursthe on me!" Pinkie spat unable to say the words correctly and getting Spike wet from her saliva.

"Hey, say it, don't spray it, Pinkie!" Spike said in annoyance as wipes himself off. Then in surprise they heard a thud and looked outside. It was Dash crashing at the window for some reason.

"[thud] Ow! [thud] Oh! She's [thud] trying to say-ow!- Zecora [thud]-oh!-[crash] she slapped us all with a-ow- curse!" Dash said as she finally flys through the door uncontrollably and crashes into the bookshelves and getting herself stuck in the ladder gaps.

"Oh my- this again?" Zach said as he slapped his hoof on his face getting very annoyed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree." Rarity came in with a unrecognizable appearance. Her hair from head to toe was completely outgrown. She blew out the hair from her face so she could see. Zach, Twilight, and Spike gasped in shock.

"I hate to say I told ya so, Zach and Twilight, but I told ya so!" a high pitched yet another familiar voice said. It was Applejack not in her regular grown size but shrunken on Applebloom's back in the size of a paperclip. The three gasped again at the sight.

"It's a curse, I tells ya!" Applejack said.

"But Fluttershy... seems just fine!" Twilight noticed as Fluttershy comes in.

"Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her." Rarity agreed.

"Fluttershy? Are you okay?" Twilight asked concernly but Fluttershy just looked away without responding.

"Is there something wrong with you?" Twilight asked again. Fluttershy just nodded without speaking.

"Would you care to tell us?" Twilight asked confusingly and got another unspoken answer.

"So... you're not gonna to tell us?" Twilight assumed and Fluttershy affirmed by another nod.

"Yes you're not, or yes you will?" Twilight asked again and Fluttershy shooked her head no.

"Good gravy, girl! What's wrong with you?" Applejack asked urgently with a stomp of her hoof but what's coming was probably the biggest surprise yet.

"I don't want to talk about it." Fluttershy said not in her sweet comforting shy voice but in a deep male like voice. Everypony widened their eyes with their mouths agaped in complete surprise. Spike started snorting and bursted out laughing unable to contain his laughter.

"This is hilarious! [Laughs] Look at all of you! We got: Hair-ity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple-tini, Flutterguy, and... uh... I got nothin'... Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that." Spike said rudley with his arms crossed. Zach was a little dissapointed at Spike's unmature name calling especially to Twilight and Fluttershy.

"[Sarcastic laughter] This is no joke, Spike. Now start looking for more books so I can find a cure!" Twilight ordered while Spike looks at Twilight's flopping horn and tries not to laugh at the sight. After hearing that though he complainingly groaned and started his search. Dash was then able to ger herself out of the ladder and laid on the floor dizzyingly.

"Wait, what about Zach? I don't see or hear a problem from him." Dash pointed out and everypony shifted their eyes at Zach.

"Yes, that's true. How come Zecora didn't cursed him?" Rarity asked.

"Heh, maybe because this isn't a curse?" Zach assumed with an annoyed smile signing how irritated he's getting.

"Or maybe because she knows what yer capable of and didn't want to anger you." Applejack guessed.

"[frustrated groan] Whatever you say." Zach said frustratedly as Dash struggles to keep her flight balance.

"I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" Dash said.

"It's not a curse!" Twilight repeated herself again as Dash crashes at the wall again.

"I agree with Dash! We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove this hex!" Applejack agreed.

"It's not a hex either!" Twilight argued frustratedly and the whole room except for Applebloom started arguing about if the curse is real or not.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened. I just gotta fix this." Applebloom said with determination and made her way out the library. Applejack however did not lose her sight on her literally bigger sister this time.

"Now where does she think she's goin' this time?" Applejack said hopped her way into Applebloom's tail and hid in their just before they went out the door to find out what she's up to.

"You are all so stubborn to actually believe that a phony made up rumor of Zecora casting curses is trully unbelievable!" Zach snorted irritatedly.

"I don't care what you say, Zach and Twilight; it's time to pony up and confront Zecora. Come on, girls; are you with me?" Dash said with a commanding tone.

"Ah am-pft!" Pinkie meaning to say 'I'm in'.

"And I as well." agreed Rarity.

" Uh, I don't know. Seems awfully dangerous." Fluttershy said in her deep voice. Spike couldn't help but release a giggle only to get slapped in the back in the head by Zach which produced a shout in pain.

"How about you, Applejack?" Dash asked but didn't get an answer.

"Applejack?" Dash called again and looked at the table she was at.

"Pf-she's gone-pft!" Pinkie through her tounge spitting.

"Aah! Or somepony stepped on her!" Rarity fearly theorized and everyone around the room started looking under their hooves.

"... or sat on her?" Twilight made another thought and looked at her rump along with everyone else.

"Did any of us even sat down?" Zach questioned. Then another thought appeared in Dash's head.

"Rarity's hair!" Dash said and Pinkie started searching through Rarity's overgrown forest of hair.

"Oh! OH! Pinkie, what are you doing? Ah, really. Aah! You ever hear of personal space?" Rarity said uncomfortably.

"Nopthe." Pinkie said as she shook her head.

"Applebloom is gone too!" Twilight noticed.

"I bet they went after Zecora." Dash assumed.

"Well we better go find them. Come on girls, let's go." Zach ordered and they made their way out to find the two as Dash landed on the ground uncontrolably.

"Oh dear. This is so unseemly." Rarity complained unable to move. Pinkie then noticed she was standing on one of Rarity's overgrown hairs and quickly removed it making Rarity almost fall.

"Hey, a little help here?" Dash said as she drags upside down on the ground.

"Oopsie! Sorry." Fluttershy apologized and came over to help Dash up along with Pinkie. As they got her up Dash tried another flight attempt but crashes again just above the doorway making a yell in pain. As she gets off the wall she leaves an imprint of the upside down crash position she was in with her tongue sticking out and made a sheepish smile as she was able to get herself out.

"Uh... Spike? Are you coming?" Fluttershy asked.

"Nope! Uh... gotta stay her and look for a cure." Spike excused as he looks through each book again with the two leaving.

"[gasp] Twilight Flopple!" Spike said as he finally came up with a name to Twilight. Applebloom was rushing back into the forest to meet with Zecora so she could find something to put an end to this.

"Stop right there!" Applebloom heard a familiar high pitched voice and halted. She then feels something moving on top of her head. Applejack pops out of her mane.

"Turn around right now, missy!" Applejack ordered. Applebloom smirked and took her tiny big sisters size to her advantage.

"No." Applebloom simply denied.

"NO? You can't ignore a direct order from yer big sister!" Applejack said in disbelief. Applebloom flicked her head upwards and caught Applejack with her mouth and placed her on a tree branch.

"Hehehe. Sorry Applejack, but I'm the big sister now." Applebloom said with a sly smile and left.

"Applebloom, you come back here right this instant! I'M GONNA TELL BIG MACINTOSH ON YOU!" Applejack warned but didn't see her come back and she was left alone.

"Oh pony feathers." Applejack muttered. The others made it to the entrance of the Everfree Forest and made their search for their runaway farmers.

"C'mon girls. We've got to get to Zecora's. Hurry!" Twilight urged as they galloped through the forest. Rarity then accidentaly tripped on one of her hairs and got herself dirty.

"Easier said than done." Rarity noted and rushed to catch up with the others.

"Hey, wait for me!" Dash called out as she uncontrolably flys in different directions and eventually crashes into a tree. After grumbling in pain she feels something moving in her mouth and comes out Applejack.

"Rainbow! Thank Celestia! There's no time to lose! I need to get to Zecora's pronto! Giddyup pony!" Applejack urged as she puts a tree made harness on Dash's mouth and lays on her stomach.

"Ex-CUSE me?" Dash asked offendedly.

"YEEE-HAW!" Applejack cheered and kicked Dash on the side and somehow made Dash fly.

"What the..." Dash said confusingly unable to understand how she is able to do this. Dash then started flying the opposite direction.

"No Rainbow Dash. Other way." Applejack corrected and turned Dash the other way. Meanwhile with the ponies on the ground they come across a tree hut with ritual masks and bottles around it.

"Oh. I look horrible!" Rarity complained.

"Plis place plooks horrible!" Pinkie spat after lifting the hair in front of Rarity's face so she could see better.

"Oh my. That place really does look horrible." Rarity agreed and the gang slowly approaches the hut.

"Hey, where's Dash?" Zach whispered looking around.

"I don't know. She was with us moments ago." Rarity said and started worrying a little.

"We'll find her later, for now, let's see what's inside." Twilight said and everypony looked inside the glassless window. There were masks everywhere with potion viles on multiple shelves and candles lit for light.

"Nice decorations, if you like creepy!" Rarity noted at the scary decor. Then the back door suddenly opens to reveal the uncloaked zebra with a vase in her mouth. She has teal colored eyes, wears rings on her ears, left front leg, and multiple rings that outstretch her neck. She also has a cutie mark that shows a swirly circle with triangles on the outside of it. The group gasped and ducked out of sight. Zecora comes up to a bubbling cauldron and pours out some sort of potion product out of it. The group slowly peeked to see what she is doing. Zecora started chanting in some tribal language probably from where she came from.

"Sthe sthtole my sthong! Shthe shtole mm mm!" Pinkie spat angrily.

"She stole your song?" Rarity helped Pinkie.

"Oh Pinkie. Doesn't sound anything like your song." Twilight said. Pinkie then pondered on how to sing it. She then came up to Fluttershy on her knees. Pinkie gave out begging dog eyes to help her out. Fluttershy gave out and sighed knowing what she's begging for and gave herself to sing the song in a jazzy tune.

"She's an evil enchantress

She does evil dances

And if you look deep in 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!" Fluttershy finished with boredom.

"You saw those terrible things. Now you believe us Zach and Twilight?" Rarity asked.

"Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great big bubbling cauldron? [sigh] Everything is pointing to Zecora being... bad. Or... What if Zecora is just making soup?" Twilight thought. They looked to see Zecora taste a sample of her brew.

"Mmm! The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now, where is that little Applebloom?" Zecora asked herself in rhyme.

"Or... What if she's making Apple Bloom soup?" Twilight finally giving herself up to the rumors along with Zach. Everypony looked at each other in fear and started screaming. Dash appeared in the sky screaming as well out of control while Applejack drives her.

"I'm comin' for ya, Applebloom!" Applejack yelled and the two barged in the back door. Zecora then started chanting in confusion as Dash makes a mess of the hut.

"Whoa there. Heel, Rainbow Crash." Applejack said trying to calm down continues to chant in her native language probably trying to say 'stop'. Then the others took action and barged in the front door.

"What have you done with Applebloom?" Twilight asked forcefully as they watched Dash trash the place.

"No! No!" Zecora shouted trying to tell Dash to stop. Applejack brought out her string sized lasso and threw at Zecora's ear and got on it struggling to fight her from up there but it appears to not have any effect as Zecora looks at her in confusion.

"Ponies! What is this you-" Zecora was about to ask until Dash flys in front of her and knocks over the cauldron and spills the liquid substance.

"No! You know not what you've do! You've gone and spilled my precious brew!" Zecora said in ryhme and fear.

"We're onto you Zecora. I didn't want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!" Twilight said angrily.

"You made me look ridiculous." Rarity pointed out.

"You made me sound ridiculous!" Fluttershy emphasized. Pinkie spat trying to say 'you made me speak ridiculous!'.

"You ruined my horn!" Twilight said showing her dangling horn.

"How dare you! You destroy my home, destroy my work. Then rudely accuse me of being a jerk?" Zecora said furiously.

"You put this curse on us, now you're gonna uncurse us." Dash threatened.

"It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode!" Zecora said angrily in her ryhming as everyone gasped in fear.

"Where is Apple Bloom?" Zach asked in a threatening tone and charged locking heads with her making eye contact with anger in each of them.

"Zecora! I think I found all the things ya asked for." Applebloom comes in with a saddle bag of things and noticed the mess with everyone in it.

"What in Ponyville is goin' on here?" Applebloom asked in confusion.

"[gasp] Applebloom! You're okay!" Applejack gasped in relief while still on Zecora's ear.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Applebloom asked curiously.

"Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!" Twilight said quickly while sliding in front of Applebloom in a protective position. Zecora and Applebloom looked at eachother bewilderedly and smiled and laughed. The others were now in a state of confusion.

"Oh Twilight. Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head? You know there's no such thing as a curse." Applebloom said playfully.

"Applebloom, sweetie. You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse." Twilight said gesturing her hoof to the others.

"This isn't a curse." Applebloom assured as she walks next to Zecora.

"Bu- but if this isn't a curse, then what is this, and how come there's nothing wrong with me?" Zach asked in total confusion.

"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact. 'Beware, beware you pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke.'" Zecora recalls the warning back at the blue plant field after finding Applebloom.

"It was a warnin'. About that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke." Applebloom explained.

"That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke." Zecora said with a smile.

"What in the hay does that mean?" Applejack asked while on Zecora's head.

"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead this plant just wants a laugh." Zecora explained again still leaving Applejack clueless.

"...Will somepony please talk normal?" Applejack asked one of the others in annoyance.

"I think what she's saying is that when we ran in to save Apple Bloom, we ran into the poison joke. All our problems are just little jokes that played on us." Twilight said in understandment.

"LITTLE JOKES? Very funny." Applejak said thinking about her puny size.

"Ok, fine. But what about the cauldron?" Dash pointed out.

"And the chanting?" Fluttershy added.

"And the creepy decor?" Rarity also stepping in.

"Treasures of the native land where I am from. This one speaks 'hello', and this 'welcome'." Zecora answering Rarity's question as she points at two masks.

"Not welcoming at all, if you ask me." Rarity quoted as she looks at another mask with long vines on it almost representing her.

"The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme." Zecora explains Fluttershy's question.

"But the cauldron... The Applebloom soup?" Twilight reminded.

"Lookie here Twilight. That pot of water wasn't for me, it was for all these herbal ingredients. The cure for poison joke is a simple all-natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!" Applebloom pointed at a book on a wooden stump as Twilight looks over at the ingredients.

"But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn't find anything. What book has this natural remedy?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Here is the book you see. Sad that you lack it in your library." Zecora closes the book to reveal a familiar sight. It was the same exact book Spike mentioned back at the library that Zach and Twilight refused to read.

"Actually, I do have this book, but I didn't look inside because the title was so... Weird. 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." Twilight said lowering her head in shame.

"[chuckle] Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book." Zecora joked as everyone lowered their heads in self dissapointement.

"And I also have the power to read minds, and yet I didn't take the responsibility to read your memories and thoughts. Some responsible pony I am." Zach said shamefully and lowered his head as well. Zecora came over and lifted his head with her hoof to make eye contact.

"Hey, do not fret. For I am not upset. I forgive all of you. For this is the start of a great friendship too." Zecora said kindly and everyone made warm smiles at her. Applebloom couldn't help but chuckle at what has happened.

"Wait, it still dosen't explain why there's nothing wrong with me." Zach mentioned. Zecora examined him and then notices his cutie mark and seems to recognize it.

"Ah, you're Zachary Lanson, the Element of Life, right? With such powers, your energy cells gives some sicknesses a good fight." Zecora explained and Zach smiled.

"But be warned, there are some sicknesses your energy can't withstand. Do not worry though, for if you do get such things, come to me as fast as you can." Zecora said and Zach turned his worry look into a thankful smile.

"What was it you said about 'pony tales being true'? You know, all that stuff." Zach asked with a sly smile at Applejack.

"[chuckles nervously] We can be wrong on several occasions." Applejack defended nervously.

"Zecora? Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?" Twilight asked politely.

"Mix it up I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville." Zecora said.

"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed." Applebloom mentioned.

"Oh, well... I think we can help you with that." Twilight happily offered.

"I'm also curious to know who would make up such a rumor in the first place." Zach pointed out.

"I know!" Rarity raised her hoof. The group made their way to Ponyville which was springing with life. As they walked through the streets of town some of the folks see the group approached along with Zecora.

"Look Rose! How awful!" a pink pony with a green mane and tail named Daisy pointed in horror.

"The wicked enchantress has cursed them all." a vanilla colored pony with red hair said who happens to be named Rose.

"The horror, the horror!" another pony said in fear and everyone in town started running for their homes and shops thus locking them up. Zach and Twilight approached the floral shop which Daisy ran into and knocked. Daisy cracks open the door to see.

"Daisy, we need to talk." Twilight said.

"We heard that you were the one that spreaded the Zecora curse rumor." Zach suggested. After a talk with Daisy who apologized to Zecora sincerely and vowed not to make up horrible gossip again and assured everyone in town that Zecora is good the infected girls went to the spa with the ingredients they got and mixed them up in a bath. Zach and Twilight also prepared another note for the princess.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

my friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your "cover" is; It's the "contents" of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever." Twilight wrote.

"I've learned in life that you shouldn't make up gossip and rumors because that could be ruining others reputations, even if their appearance makes it look like it proceeds them. We also learned that you shouldn't believe such things because it also makes you look crazy too. Me and Twilight learned that the hard way. As Zecora, 'the Evil Enchantress' once said, 'You shouldn't cause trouble, for this makes other lives crumble'. Yeah, she speaks in ryhme.

Your faithful students,

Zachary Lanson and Twilight Sparkle." Zach finished. Soon the mare were returning to normal. Twilight's horn was back to it's prime state, Rarity's hair was back to normal length, Dash was able to fly gracefully and controllably, and Pinkie was able to speak clearly again.

"Miss Zecora. I would love to get the recipe for this bath. It's simply luxurious!" one of the spa caretakers said. Zecora was about to say how honor she feels about the comment.

"Applejack! Hey. Where's Applejack?" Applebloom said in worry. Then the others started looking in the water in fear.

"I'm right here lil' sis. I ain't tiny no more!" Applejack called out not in her high pitched voice but back to her normal voice and size as well but her rump was stuck in a bucket.

"Yeah, but you're stuck." Zach said playfully.

"Ooh. I have never felt so lovely in all my life!" Rarity sighed delightfully.

"Oh my gosh! I've 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 'cause my tongue was all 'ehhhh'. It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?" Pinkie asked while Dash plugged her ears in mid sentence to cut off the annoying pink pony's blabbering.

"...Yes." Fluttershy simply answered not in her deep male voice but back in her sweet female voice. Everypony laughed in joy knowing everything turned out all right in the end.