Bridle Gossip

Pony's Log Number 109: It is one thing to judge a book by its critics, but it is another issue entirely when it gets blamed for things that go wrong...

One morning Twilight, Spike, and Mario were heading into town after a nice walk in the park.

"Wow, what a gorgeous day!" said Twilight happily and Mario nodded in agreement as they walked side by side.

"Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away," Spike pondered aloud as he looked into the sky.

"I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine," Twilight replied. But when they looked about the town, they found all the streets completely empty. Some ponies were shutting their windows and a little filly was quickly whisked back into their house by a nearly parent.

"What? Where is everypony?" Twilight asked.

"Good question," said Mario, not sure what to think of the empty streets either.

"Is it some sort of pony holiday?" Spike asked as they walked about the town.

"Not that I know of," said Twilight.

"Pinkie had me memorize every one of them," Mario added, "including all the birthday's, but I'll check my notes anyway." He pulled out a marked up calendar book and filpped through the pages to today's date using his magic, "Hmm...other than the half birthday of somepony named Silver Spoon...nothing today."

"Half birthday?" Twilight asked.

"That's Pinkie Pie for you," Mario replied as he made his book disappear, "She'll find any reason to schedule a party."

"Umm," Spike asked sheepishly as they passed by a shop where the windows were dark, "Does my breath stink?" He gave out a loud belch.

"Not more than usual," Twilight remarked.

"Yeah, I didn't need to give Twilight one of my revival mushrooms today," Mario added. The two chuckled as Spike just gave them both a glare. Then he grew fearful as another thought entered his head while they walked behind a water fountain.

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

"Uh...not very likely," said Twilight.

"Not likely...but possible?" Spike wondered.

"Psst!" The three froze when they heard the sound and look around just outside of Sugarcube corner. That was when a pink hoof appeared out of the upper opened door and gestured for them to follow it.

"Twilight! Spike! Mario!" said a voice. The three turned to see Pinkie whispering to them, "Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!" While they didn't know what the deal was about, they quickly jumped over the lower half of the door and got inside. Things seemed rather quiet until a bright light flashed in their faces, making Mario and Twilight groan.

"Who?! The zombie pony?" Spike called out.

"Z-zombie pony?!" Pinkie answered since she was the one flashing the light at them.

"Spike! There are no zombie ponies," said Twilight.

"Pinkie, what are you doing here alone in the dark?" Mario asked.

"I'm not alone in the dark," Pinkie replied. Instantly, the dark room lightened up a bit and Mario and Twilight gasped as they found themselves surrounded by their friends and Apple Bloom. Mario had spoken to the young filly a few times, but he never gotten the time to get to know her just yet.

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

"Is there some sort of danger in town or something?" Mario asked.

"We're hidin' from her!" Applejack pointed out as the gestured a hoof at the window. There before them was a cloaked figure walking outside. They came to a stop in the middle of the road and began to dig some sort of hole into the ground. Twilight and Mario went to take a look, but were then bombarded by the rest of the girls from behind. Poor Mario was pushed so hard that his face smashed into the window. He glared discreetly before pulling his face off the glass and took a look. The cloaked figure turned and gave them a very mysterious glare. The ponies all gasped.

(theme song)

Mario and Twilight were taken aback a little by the stranger as Apple Bloom rushed over to them.

"Did you see her Twilight and Mario?" the young filly asked with a country accent like her sister's, "Did you see...Zecora?"

"Apple Bloom! I told you never to say that name," Applejack scolded.

"Why? Is it a new taboo word or something?" Mario asked, not liking to see the young filly being scolded for what he deemed an innocent question.

"Well, Mario and I saw her glance this way..." Twilight replied, answering Apple Bloom's question.

"Glance evilly this way," Pinkie retorted.

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

"True," Mario added, "I mean...other than her cloak. I'm not seeing any reason to duck and cover."

"No good reason?" Applejack retorted as she pulled Apple Bloom close to her, "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 shook poor Apple Bloom about to make her point, leaving the little filly very dizzy.

"D-d-did n-n-not!" Apple Bloom protested, feeling all shook up.

"So I swept her up and brought her here," Applejack continued, tossing the filly into her back.

"I walked here myself!" Apple Bloom remarked.

"For safe keepin'," Applejack finished, ignoring Apple Bloom's comments the entire time.

"Applejack, I'm not a baby!" Apple Bloom replied as she climbed off of her big sister, "I can take care of myself!"

"Not from that creepy Zecora," Applejack shot back sternly. Mario was just shaking his head.

"Overprotective much?" he remarked. He felt sorry for Apple Bloom.

"She's mysterious," said Fluttershy, talking about Zecora.

"Sinister," Rainbow Dash added.

"And spooooky!" Pinkie said, adding an ominous tone to her voice. Mario and Twilight just groaned when they saw Zecora removed her cloak to reveal her face. The rest of the ponies gasped loudly.

"Will you cut that out?" said Twilight.

"What's the big deal if we see her face?" Mario added.

"Just look at those stripes! So garish!" Rarity called out.

"She's a zebra," Mario and Twilight said together firmly..

"A what?!" The rest of the ponies asked in surprise.

"A zebra," Twilight explained, "and her stripes aren't a fashion choice, Rarity, they're what she was born with." Rarity just groaned wearily and fainted.

"Born where?" Applejack asked, "I've never seen a pony like that in these parts, 'cept her."

"Well, she's probably not from here," Twilight answered, "and she's not a pony. Zebras come from a faraway land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?"

"That's just it, she lives in...the Everfree Forest!" said Applejack ominously.

THUNDER CLASH!

Everyone jumped. Apparently, Spike had climbed off of Twilight's back and sneaked into the Sugarcube Kitchen to help himself. He had knocked down a metal tray to the floor when he grabbed some snacks.

"Spike!" Mario and Twilight scolded.

"Uh, sorry," Spike called out from the kitchen.

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

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

"And the cloud move..." Rainbow added.

"All on their own!" Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow said together slowly. Rarity fainted once more.

"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil...stuff!" Pinkie added, "She's so evil I even wrote a song about her!"

"Oh please no!" Mario protested loudly.

"Here we go..." said Rainbow apathetically. Apparently, there was no stopping Pinkie from singing it.

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 stood on a table on her hind legs with her fore-hooves high into the air, her chest rising and falling as she panted heavily before them.

"Wow. Catchy," said Mario and Twilight, not feeling that unimpressed.

"It's a work in progress," Pinkie replied, not noticing the sarcasm in their voices.

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

"Well..." Rainbow pondered, "Once a month, she comes into Ponyville."

"Oooooh," Twilight replied in a dramatic, but sarcastic tone.

"So eeeevil!" Mario added in the same tone.

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

"Oh my," Twilight replied, keeping her tone.

"That fiend!" Mario added.

"And then, she digs at the ground," finished Fluttershy.

"Good gracious!" said Twilight.

"Oh what a world!" Mario added, pretending to mimic Steven Magnet, before they gave the others an indignant look. Apple Bloom was also standing between Twilight and Mario with the same face.

"Okay, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad?" Twilight asked, now talking normally, "Maybe she comes to town to visit?"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom replied in agreement, "Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly."

"Or make some new friends," Mario added.

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

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom agreed, "Everypony likes to shop. You know what I think?"

"Apple Bloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk," Applejack scolded. Apple Bloom took offense.

"I am a big pony!" Apple Bloom muttered bitterly, under her breath.

"Aside from Twilight, you're the only one," Mario whispered to her, helping the filly feel a little better that at least one pony was on her side. The other ponies seemed to be unconvinced to Twilight's logic and continued to argue.

"W-what about digging at the ground?" Rainbow pointed out, "You've got to admit that's weird."

"You poke the sprinkles on your cupcake, Rainbow," Mario retorted, "that's weird and yet none of us think you're evil!"

"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" Fluttershy proposed and Pinkie started singing her song in the background. Mario looked rather annoyed.

"Anybody got a pillow?" he asked rhetorically.

"To block out the nonsense?" Apple Bloom proposed.

"No, to stuff into Pinkie's mouth, that song is driving me crazy!" Mario answered and only got an eye roll from Apple Bloom.

"I'm sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does," Twilight answered to Rainbow and Fluttershy's accusations, "And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth." Apple Bloom was near the door when she heard that.

"Well, I'm brave enough," Apple Bloom retorted, "I'm gonna find out myself." Apple Bloom turned to leave when she felt someone tapped her back.

"I know what you're gonna do," said Mario sternly when Apple Bloom groaned. Mario then smiled.

"Count me in," Mario replied, lighting the filly's spirits, "These ponies need proof and together we can get it. Now come on before they see us." With that the two ponies left the shop, they had barely made it towards an abandoned cart when Zecora turned in their direction. Apple Bloom gasped as they hid behind the cart as quietly as they could. Apple Bloom wait until she heard the footsteps recede before peeking out.

"In order to follow her, we need to be as stealthy as possible," Mario whispered to her, "and light in our feet. How about you track her and I'll get us from one spot the next?"

"Think you can move fast enough?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Think you can handle the speed?"

"Yeah...?"

"Then climb on and don't let go," said Mario as he placed her on his back and they zipped from house to house made as they followed the Zebra out of town. Back at Sugarcube corner, the other ponies were still arguing.

"You ponies are being ridiculous!" Twilight snapped.

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

"Pinkie, I eat hay, you eat hay!" Twilight retorted indignantly. Pinkie just glared.

"Yeah, but I heard it's the evil way she eats hay," Pinkie retorted back, unwilling to admit she was wrong.

"Hey! Where's Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked.

"The door's open," Fluttershy pointed out.

"She went outside!" Rarity exclaimed.

"And Zecora's still out there," said Rainbow.

"That silly lil' filly," Applejack sighed, "I told her to say put! W-wait just a dog-gone second! Where's Mario?"

"You don't think..." Pinkie wondered before Applejack snorted through her nostrils.

"Wait til I git my hooves on him!" said Applejack angrily before they made their way out of the shop to go find the two ponies.

"Spike, you stay here in case Apple Bloom comes back," Twilight instructed.

"Will do!" said Spike before Twilight went to catch up with the group.

It was a few minutes later that Zecora made her way into the Everfree forest. Mario and Apple Bloom had managed to successfully tail her from behind. They looked about as they saw the entrance into the forest. Apple Bloom felt very nervous.

"Don't worry, you'll be okay," said Mario to give the young filly some peace of mind, "I'll protect you." Apple Bloom looked down the path and stood tall as she and Mario bravely entered the forest. Despite Mario being next to her, Apple Bloom gulped nervously as they tailed Zecora a few yards away. They had come to stop after Mario had helped them get over a certain patch of blue flowers when they heard a familiar voice.

"Apple Bloom? Mario?" said the voice. Apple Bloom gasped as she and Mario froze.

"Oh, I'm so busted," said Mario before turning around to see Applejack and the rest of the ponies right behind them, standing in the middle of the blue flowers.

"You two get back here right now!" Applejack ordered.

"We're fine," Mario retorted, "I was looking out for her!" That was when Zecora turned around.

"Beware! Beware, you pony folk!" she warned, "Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" The others minus Twilight just looked indignant.

"Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?" Applejack shouted as she scooped up Apple Bloom into her back. The others, minus Twilight, Mario, and Apple Bloom, began to speak over each other to tell Zecora off.

"Oh brother," Twilight remarked with a sigh.

"Beware! Beware!" Zecora chanted before disappearing.

"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora!" said Rainbow as she flew next to Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Mario, "You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware." Apple Bloom and Mario glared.

"And you!" Applejack snapped at her little sister, "Why couldn't you just listen to yer big sister?"

"I...I..." Apple Bloom stuttered losing her courage as Applejack stared her down.

"Because you're being overprotective, unreasonable, and you don't listen to a word she..." Mario began to answer.

"As fer you!" Applejack snapped, cutting him off, "just who do ya think you are puttin' my little sister in danger like that? Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have put on the both of you?"

"Just like in my song!" Pinkie pointed out and began to sing again. Mario rolled his eyes.

"You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" Twilight pointed.

"Besides Applejack, do you really think I would have brought Apple Bloom out here if there really was any danger?" Mario retorted in his defense, "Maybe we just wanted to get to the bottom of all this nonsense!" Applejack said nothing as she made her way through the blue flowers. Rainbow flew just above the flowers towards Twilight, but made eye contact with Mario as well, who was still standing outside the flower patch.

"Well, that's interesting to hear coming from Mister and Miss Magic Pants themselves!" Rainbow remarked, pointing at Twilight's unicorn horn.

"Our magic, real magic, comes from within," Twilight explains, "It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial 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." As Twilight spoke, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy just looked blankly at her. Rainbow flew behind the three ponies and started mock talking Twilight's words. In the end, they didn't even let Twilight finish before they all walked away.

"Just you wait, Twilight and Mario," Applejack warned, "You're gonna learn that some pony tales are true."

"Hey, I'm all for believing in the impossible and the unexplained," Mario replied, "but I'm not sensing any threat here. I think you're wrong!"

"Just stay away from my sister or else!" Applejack shouted before she left with the rest of the ponies. Mario just shook his head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, pitiful," Mario remarked once they were out of hearing range, "It's like they say: Fear of something you don't understand can cloud rational judgment and common sense."

"You can say that again," said Twilight, "Let's just get back the Library."

"Sure," said Mario as he made a large leap over the blue flowers. His jump was a tad short and he started kicking all fours of his legs. The momentum allowed him to hover for a few seconds to clear the flower patch and land safely on the other side.

"What kind of jump was that?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Flutter jumping," Mario replied, "A new technique I've been working on, could be useful."

"Okay, but why would you use that now?" Twilight asked as she exited the flower patch.

"Those flowers make me really nervous for some reason," said Mario. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Now whose being irrational?" Twilight asked.

"Very funny," Mario remarked as they made their way back to the Library.

Later that night, Twilight was trying to sleep in her bed, but everything that had been going on made sleeping for the poor unicorn rather difficult. In her dreams, the words she had heard from both Zecora and her friends haunted her mind.

"She's an evil enchantress, she does evil dances!" Pinkie chanted.

"Beware! Beware!" said Zecora.

"If you look deep into her eyes, she will put you in trances!" Pinkie continued.

"Yeah, was that supposed to scare us?!" said Rainbow.

"Wicked, wicked zebra!" said Rarity.

"...it's a curse!" Fluttershy remarked fearfully.

"Then what will she do?" Pinkie asked.

"Just you wait, Twilight and Mario," Applejack's words repeated once again," some pony tales really are true."

"Then she'll gobble you up in a big tasty stew! So...watch out!" said Pinkie (Geez so much Pinkie...this really is a nightmare.)

Zecora continued to laugh menacingly.

Twilight tossed and turned all through the night. Then morning finally arrived and the rooster crowed. Twilight felt exhausted and even her mane was messy.

"Ugh...what a dream..." Twilight said sleepily as she got out of her bed, "Curses, schmurses." She then noticed her messy mane as she looked into her vanity mirror.

"Whoa! Maybe Zecora cursed my hair," Twilight chuckled and laughed nervously as she brushed her mane back into place. Then she gasped in shock. Her unicorn horn was now limp and covered in blue polka dots.

"Or she cursed my horn!" Twilight squeaked fearfully. She spent the rest of the morning trying to find a reason for the sudden change to her horn as well as the remedy. Mario was there as well to help her as books went flying off the shelves.

"No-no-no-no-no!" Twilight panicked, "None of these books have a cure! Ugh! There has to be a real reason for this! An illness? An allergy?!"

"A curse!" Spike called out.

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

"How about this one?" said Spike as he held out the book for Twilight to read the cover.

"Supernaturals?" Twilight real aloud, "Spike, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are make-believe curses. This book is just a bunch of hooey!" Mario looked indignant.

"What ever happened to not judging a book by its cover?" Mario asked her. Twilight just glared.

"I'm not in the mood right now, Mario," Twilight replied, "There has to be a logical explanation!"

"But what if you're wrong, Twilight?" said Spike, "What if this really is a-"

"Ah pfurse!" said a voice with a very strong lisp on their tone behind them.

"A purse?" said Spike in confusion, "How could it be a purse?" There before them was Pinkie, her tongue swollen and covered in blue polka dots.

"Pinkie? What happened?" Twilight asked worried.

"Pee pah Zthecora!" Pinkie answered, spitting as she spoke, "Sthe put a cursthe on me!" Mario used a front magic shield to block the spit, but poor Spike got drenched.

"Hey, say it, don't spray it, Pinkie!" Spike retorted. Then they heard the sound of someone thumping outside Twilight's window. It was Rainbow.

THUD

"Ow...Oh! She's..."

THUD

"...trying to say-ow..."

THUD

"...Zecora..."

THUD

"Oh!" Rainbow stumbled before breaking her way through the door and crashing into a pile of books on the ground.

"She slapped us all with a-ow-curse!" Rainbow finished as she got herself stuck in Twilight's ladder.

"Isn't this how you fly normally?" Mario asked innocently, getting death glares from both ponies. Mario just smiled apologetically and looked away.

"I'm afraid I have to agree," said Rarity as she came inside and blew some of her now shaggy and draped mane and fur hairs out of her face. Spike, Twilight, and Mario yelped in surprise.

"I hate to say I told ya so, Twilight and Mario," said a voice that sounded like someone who inhaled a little too much helium. If only that was the case since the voice belonged to Applejack, who was now no bigger than an standard sized apple. She had to ride Apple Bloom's back in order to even get the the library in one piece. The three gasped once again.

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

"But Fluttershy...seems just fine!" said Twilight as she gestured a fore-hoof towards the yellow Pegasus. Who just sat quietly to herself.

"Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her," Rarity added, but Fluttershy looked insecure, even more than usual.

"Fluttershy? Are you okay?" Twilight asked, but Fluttershy just looked away.

"Is there something wrong with you?" Twilight asked again, and Fluttershy nodded.

"Would you care to tell us?" Fluttershy said nothing or made any gesture.

"So...you're not going to tell us?" Fluttershy nodded again.

"Twilight, what if...whatever caused this...made her lose her voice?" Mario suggested. Fluttershy shook her head again.

"So...you didn't lose your voice?" Mario asked and Fluttershy shook her head again.

"Then...can you tell us what happened?" Fluttershy nodded once more.

"Yes, you're not, or yes you will?" Twilight asked, feeling like she wasn't getting anywhere with Fluttershy.

"Good gravy, girl!" Applejack snapped, "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," said Fluttershy in a deep male voice as she looked away.

"GAH!" Mario screamed, taken aback by the sudden change in Fluttershy's voice and jumped into Spike's arms. The little dragon wobbled a bit before letting Mario hit the floor on his back.

"UGH!" Despite his annoyance over Mario, Spike snorted and burst out laughing.

"This is hilarious," Spike laughed, "Look at all of you! We got: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy..." Each person was pointed out, Spike earned an unnoticed annoyed or irritated glare, "...and...uh..." He looked at Twilight's limp horn and sighed, "...I got nothin'...Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that."

"Polka-light Sparkle?" Mario proposed. Spike just looked at him blankly and Twilight was more annoyed.

"That's just sad," Spike remarked.

"It was the best I could do!" Mario protested. Twilight just laughed at them both sarcastically.

"This is no joke you two," Twilight protested, "Now start looking through more books so I can find a cure!" Spike just groaned as he walked away. Mario did the same.

"I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place," said Rainbow as she stood on the ladder to pull her head out.

"It's not a curse!" Twilight snapped.

"I agree with Dash!" said Applejack, now standing on the table, "We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove his hex!"

"It's not a hex either!" Twilight yelled and soon everyone minus Spike, Apple Bloom, and Mario were arguing about what to do. Mario just stood next to Apple Bloom.

"This is just sad," said Mario, "The solution is probably in front of their faces and they're missing it." Apple Bloom just looked rather sad.

"This is all my fault," said Apple Bloom sadly, "If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"No Apple Bloom. It's my fault," said Mario, "I'm the one that let you go after her, but I still don't think Zecora is to blame. Something in the Everfree forest caused this and I think I might know what. Maybe they're right..."

"About the curse?" Apple Bloom asked.

"No," said Mario, " About Zecora having the cure!"

"We've just gotta fix this," said Apple Bloom with determination.

"Then let's go!" Mario answered.

"But what about..."

"I'll deal with Applejack myself," said Mario, "Don't worry about her. Just know this is the right thing to do." Apple Bloom then nodded as Mario collected his saddle bag and the two headed out of the library. However, their attempt to leave was not unnoticed.

"Now where do those two think their goin' this time?" Applejack said quietly as she quickly dashed across the table and jumped into Apple Bloom's red tail. Neither the young filly or Mario saw her as they left the Library and headed towards the Everfree forest. The rest of the group was still arguing.

"I don't care what you say, Twilight," said Rainbow, having trouble keeping herself airborne in a stationary position, "It's time to pony up and take this fight to Zecora. Come on girls. Are you with me?"

"Ah am-pft!" said Pinkie.

"And I as well," said Rarity.

"Uh, I don't know," Fluttershy replied wearily, "Seems awfully dangerous." Spike giggled to himself, not able to keep a straight face due to Fluttershy's "new voice".

"How about you Applejack? Applejack?" They then noticed that Applejack wasn't there.

"Pf-she's gone-pft!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Aah! Or somepony stepped on her!" Rarity said fearfully as they all checked their hooves.

"...or sat on her?" Twilight added fearfully as they checked their back ends.

"Rarity's hair!" Rainbow proposed as Pinkie began to search about, much to Rarity's discomfort.

"Oh! OH! Pinkie, what are you doing?" Rarity exclaimed, "Ah, really. Aah! You ever hear of personal space?" Pinkie finished her search and came up empty handed.

"Nopthe," Pinkie answered. Then Twilight noticed something else.

"Apple Bloom is gone too!" said Twilight and added with irritation, "and so is Mario..."

"I bet they went after Zecora," said Rainbow.

"Well we better go find them. Come on girls," said Twilight. The girls soon tried to leave, but there were difficulties.

"Oh dear," said Rarity as she grunted over the hair over her face, "Oh, this is so unseemly. Auuaah!" Apparently Pinkie was standing on one of her hair strands preventing Rarity from moving. Pinkie stepped off so Rarity could move again.

"Hey, a little help here?" said Rainbow, who was hovering upside down and couldn't flip over.

"Oopsie! Sorry!" said Fluttershy as she and Pinkie got her back upright...only for Rainbow to zoom ahead and crash into another wall.

"OW!"

Fluttershy was about to follow the group when she saw Spike reading a book. The same book Twilight had brush off earlier.

"Uh...Spike? Are you coming?" Fluttershy asked. Spike's eyes widened as he chuckled nervously.

"Uh...gotta stay here and look for a cure," he answered as he read the book when an idea hit him, "Twilight Flopple!" But no one was there to hear it.

Meanwhile, Mario and Apple Bloom were now entering the darker areas of the Everfree forest in search of Zecora. They had stopped to look about when they heard a squeaky but authoritative voice.

"Stop right there!" While they both froze, they still looked about but couldn't see anypony. That was until Applejack popped out of Apple Bloom's mane.

"Turn around right now, the both of you!" Applejack ordered. Mario was ready to retort when he gave Apple Bloom a sly smile and wink.

"Did I hear something...a squeak maybe?" Mario asked. Apple Bloom bit her lip to avoid laughing.

"Mario, I thought I told you to stay away from my sister!" Applejack protested.

"Let's get this message loud and clear," said Mario, "I don't care how strong you are Applejack, but nopony bosses me around. Just because you're older than Apple Bloom doesn't mean you can act like what she says don't matter!"

"Mmm-hmm," Apple Bloom hummed in agreement.

"I said both of you turn around at once," said Applejack angrily. Mario snorted but just smiled.

"It seems she still doesn't wanna listen to us," said Mario casually to Apple Bloom, "should we turn around Apple Bloom?" Applejack was agape and now furious.

"That wasn't a suggestion! Now turn around right now, missy!" Applejack ordered again. Apple Bloom just smiled.

"No" Apple Bloom replied simply, direct and to the point.

"No?!" Applejack spluttered, "You can't ignore a direct order from your big sister! Mario is clearly having a bad influence on you!"

"Hehehe," Apple Bloom giggle as she titled her head to Applejack was sent airborne. The young filly caught her older sister in her mouth and set her on a nearby tree branch that had no means of escape.

"Sorry, Applejack, Mario is right. You're acting like a little sister right now," Apple Bloom replied, "I'm the big sister now!"

"We'll come back for you once your time out is over," Mario added, "maybe you'll learn some sense. Bye-bye." With that, Mario and Apple Bloom walked away, leaving Applejack behind.

"Apple Bloom, Mario, you come back here right this instant!" Applejack shouted before adding angrily, "I'm gonna tell Big Macintosh on you!" Applejack didn't need long to realize just how petty that last remark was...or the fact she was now alone and ignored.

"Aw horse feathers," Applejack muttered.

Meanwhile the rest of the girls were now charging into the Everfree forest.

"C'mon girls," said Twilight as she led the charge, "We've got to get to Zecora's. Hurry!" It was then Rarity tripped on one of her hair strands and tumbled into some mud and loose leaves.

"Ooh...Ahaha," She groaned before getting back to her feet, "Easier said than done."

"Hey, wait for me!" Rainbow called out. She was still trying to fly properly but all she could was scream and yell "ow" as she bashed, smashed, and crashed about the trees until she was left dazed on top of some bushes. Rainbow then felt something shuffle inside her mouth until...Applejack popped out. Apparently Rainbow had crashed into the branch Mario and Apple Bloom had left her on.

"Rainbow! Thank Celestia!" said Applejack, "There's no time to lose! I need to get to Zecora pronto!" Applejack then grabbed a collection of twigs and vines to make a horse tack, clipped into Rainbow's mouth and sat down on the girl's stomach.

"Giddy-up pony!" Applejack commended.

"Ex-CUSE me?" Rainbow asked indignantly.

"YEEE-HAW!" Applejack cried out as she kicked Rainbow's stomach sending her into the air and putting her body at Applejack's command.

"What the..." Then they took off...in the opposite direction.

"No, Rainbow Dash. Other way!" Applejack cried, but even her commanding nature couldn't control a Pegasus with a distorted navigational system. The rest of the ponies had finally made their way towards the location of Zecora's hut. She apparently lived in a modest little tree house in the heart of the forest. Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity were just outside.

"Oh. I look horrible!" Rarity complained.

"Plis place plooks horrible!" Pinkie replied as she lifted a hair strand for Rarity to see.

"Oh my. That place really does look horrible," said Rarity, "Nice decorations, if you like creepy." The ponies than looked inside and saw Zecora working around a cauldron that was filled with some sort of green substance. The ponies gasped as Zecora began to speak into it using her native language.

"Sthe sthole my sthong! Shthe shtole mm mm!" Pinkie complained.

"She stole your song?" Rarity asked, surprised she had understood the pink pony.

"Oh Pinkie," said Twilight, "Doesn't sound anything like your song." Pinkie glared and then noticed Fluttershy nearby.

"Ah. Hmm...Pbth!" Pinkie whimpered and gave her a puppy dog plead. Fluttershy just sighed. She began to sing the song for Pinkie as the pink pony did the gestures. With her altered voice, Fluttershy sounded like a toy who was speaking on the final juices of its battery.

She's an evil enchantress
And she does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She will put you in trances
Then what would she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
Then she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
Soooo...Watch out.

It wasn't much longer before Twilight began to feel more and more uneasy.

"You saw those terrible things," Rarity pointed out, "Now do you believe us, Twilight?"

"Scary looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great, big bubbly cauldron," said Twilight as she looked at all the items she spoke about with a sigh, "Everything is pointing to Zecora being...bad. Or...what if Zecora is just making soup?" Then they heard the zebra saying something inside as she took a sip of what was inside her cauldron.

"Mmm! The perfect temperature for ponies, I presume. Now where is little Apple Bloom?" Zecora asked out of the blue.

"Or...what if she's making Apple Bloom soup?" Twilight wondered.

"What if she's making Apple Bloom soup?" Twilight repeated again since the other ponies were too shocked to answer.

"Wait...what about..." Twilight then saw a lonely saddle bag near the back wall. It had Mario's cutie mark on it.

"What a tasty treat of sort, was that strong young colt," Zecora remarked. The zebra had just implied she had already eaten Mario.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the other ponies screamed. That was when Rainbow arrived with Applejack in control of her...sort of.

"I'm comin' for ya, Apple Bloom!" The mini orange pony cried out as Rainbow bashed through Zecora's door.

"Aaah!" Rainbow screamed as she swirled and crashed about inside of Zecora's hut. Zecora spoke at the Pegasus in her native language.

"Whoa there, easy, Rainbow Crash," Applejack retorted, trying to gain control of Rainbow, but to no avail.

"Oh," said Zecora, but the rest was in her native language. Rainbow just screamed as she zipped and crashed about, smashing some hanging objects as Zecora kept speaking in her native language.

"What have you done with Apple Bloom?" Twilight demanded as the rest of the girls stood outside her door.

"No! No!" Zecora cried out as she continued to speak in her native language, ignoring Twilight's demands and trying to get the wild Pegasus to stable herself. Applejack just grunted from all the crashing and Rainbow screamed once more. Applejack lassoed one of Zecora's ears and tried to hoof wrestle her, which was of little effect as Zecora just looked at her with confusion. Then Zecora noticed the four ponies standing nearby.

"Ponies! What is this you..." Before Zecora could demand an explanation. Rainbow Dash screamed once more, knocking over the cauldron and making a crash landing.

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

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

"You made me look ridiculous!" Rarity accused.

"You made me sound ridiculous!" Fluttershy said in her deep voice.

"You made me speak ridiculous!" Pinkie added in an incoherent tone.

"You ruined my horn!" said Twilight.

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

"You put this curse on us, now you're gonna uncurse us," Rainbow demanded.

"It is unwise to venture down this road," Zecora replied, trying to stay calm, but was still stern, "Your actions will make my anger explode."

"Where is Apple Bloom? And where's Mario?" Twilight demanded angrily as she and Zecora literally budded heads. They probably would have engaged in a fight until two familiar ponies appeared outside the front door.

"Zecora, I think we found all the things ya asked for," said Apple Bloom when they saw everyone and the mess, "What in Ponyville is goin' on here?"

"Looks like the Flying Accident was here," Mario muttered as Apple Bloom stifled a giggle. Applejack gasped.

"Apple Bloom! You're okay!" she exclaimed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Apple Bloom asked curiously, "Mario's been protecting me the whole time."

"You're alive!" Twilight exclaimed. Then Pinkie slammed into Mario.

"Pthy Ptheet Pthaathoo!" Pinkie exclaimed as she held him tightly. Mario tilted away from her spit.

"I am not your sweet babboo! Get off me!" Mario retorted then turned to Twilight as he tried to pry Pinkie off, "Now why would you think we wouldn't be okay? Or alive for that matter?"

"Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook up Apple Bloom into soup!" Twilight exclaimed. Apple Bloom, Mario (who finally got Pinkie off of him), and Zecora stared and then laughed loudly.

"Oh Twilight," Apple Bloom chuckled, "Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head?"

"You know there's no such thing as a curse," Mario added.

"Apple Bloom, sweetie, Mario...uh...Mario," Twilight said, nervousness and tension in her tone, "You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse." Twilight gestured towards the other ponies.

"This isn't a curse," said Apple Bloom as she walked over to Zecora.

"No curse at all," Mario added as a matter of fact as he stood on the other side of the zebra.

"If you remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact," said Zecora.

Flashback

Beware, Beware you pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke.

End Flashback

"It was a warnin'," said Apple Bloom, "About that blue plant. It's called poison joke."

"I thought I recognized it from my studies in unusual plants a few years ago," Mario added, "that was why I said the plant made me uneasy and why I was jumping over them instead of going through. Of course I wasn't taken seriously when I told you about it." Twilight just looked a bit blank, still trying to process what was going on.

"That plant is much like a poison oak," said Zecora, "but its results are like a joke."

"What in the hay does that mean?" Applejack asked, not understanding anything that was going on as she hung into Zecora's ear.

"It means this plant does not breed wrath," Zecora answered, "Instead this plant just wants a laugh." Applejack just glared.

"Will somepony please talk normal?" Applejack asked irritably.

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

"Little jokes?! Very funny," Applejack retorted, having enough "small" humor for one day.

"Okay, fine," said Rainbow, "But what about the cauldron?"

"And the chanting?" Fluttershy asked.

"And the creepy decor?" Rarity added.

"Treasures of the native land where I am from," Zecora answered as she pointed to two masked nearby, "This one say's "hello", and this "welcome"."

"Not welcoming at all, if you ask me," Rarity remarked.

"The words I chanted were from olden times," Zecora continued, "Something you call a nursery rhyme."

"But the cauldron...The Apple Bloom soup?" Twilight asked frantically, "Mario being tasty?"

"I meant not tasty to eat, but the fact fillies find Mario attractive is quite a feat," Zecora answered. Mario blushed bashfully until he saw Pinkie batting her eyes at him, making him roll his eyes. The other girls chuckled or snickered at him.

"Lookie here Twilight," Apple Bloom pointed out, "That pot of water wasn't for me, it was for all those herbal ingredients. The cure for poison joke is a simple old-natural remedy..." Apple Bloom picked up Applejack into her hoof, "...You just gotta take a bubble bath."

"Here is the book, you see?" Zecora added, showing Twilight the book, "Sad that you lack it in your library." Twilight then saw the cover and remembered brushing it off when Mario and Spike had proposed to look inside of it.

"Actually, I do have this book," Twilight admitted, feeling silly and ashamed, "but I didn't look inside it 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, even Mario said I should look at this book and I ignored his advice. If only I had bothered to look inside." Zecora chuckled.

"Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book," Zecora replied, her words having a double meaning.

"Hahaha," Apple Bloom and Mario laughed before sharing a hoof bump in agreement.

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

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

"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed," Apple Bloom added.

"Probably due to the reasons you're all here in the first place," Mario added.

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

"Before we do," said Applejack and then in an overly sweet tone, "Oh Mario!"

"What?...ACK!" Mario was taken by surprised when a flower hit his face and splattered its pollen all over it. He looked and noticed that...Applejack had thrown a poison joke flower at his face and it was still on his nose.

"OH...NO!" he groaned with dread, "AJ what have you-"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Unlike the other ponies who had gotten infected, the effect of the poison joke took effect immediately and Mario's entire body inflated so he literally looked like a pony sized balloon. Applejack laughed.

"I pick that up while I was riding Rainbow Dash, "she chortled, "Serve ya right for defyin' me n leavin' me in that branch!" Soon the others were laughing as well, even Zecora. Mario just looked indignant as he floated just a few feet in the air, but was somewhat grateful he didn't just float up, up, and away.

"I was only defending Apple Bloom!" Mario protested over the laughter. He looked towards the little filly, who was on her back laughing. Mario just groaned to himself with a long frown on his face.

It wasn't much longer before they all headed back into town. Since Mario couldn't move on his own, Applejack used her lasso to tie a rope to his tail so he could be pulled along. Mario was grateful that Apple Bloom held the rope despite Pinkie's protests that she wanted to instead. As they approached some ponies in the town, they gasped in horror.

"Look Rose!" said Daisy as she saw the other ponies, "How awful!"

"The wicked enchantress has cursed them all," Rose exclaimed.

"The horror, the horror!" Lilly Valley added. Then the ponies began to scream in panic as they ran back inside of their houses. Twilight headed towards the house where one of the ponies lived and lightly knocked on the door. The pony peeked out from the side of her door fearfully.

"Daisy, we need to talk," said Twilight. It wasn't much longer before things were cleared and Zecora was given the herbs she needed to complete the remedy. The ponies were now at the Ponyville spa where a large tub was constructed so all the infected girls could take a bath. Rarity and Fluttershy were already reclining in the water as Twilight dived under to cleanse her infected horn. That was when Pinkie cannon balled into the water, crashing into all three, but curing her swollen tongue in the process as they all laughed. Rainbow had already taken a dip and was helping Zecora and Apple Bloom deposit the remaining remedy to the bubble bath before Rainbow joined the other girls and relaxed.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight wrote later that day,

"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 really 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.

Your faithful students,
Twilight Sparkle and Mario Star

"Miss Zecora, I would love to get the recipe for this bath," said one of the proprietors of the spa named Lotus Blossom, "It's simply luxurious." Zecora smiled when Apple Bloom realized something.

"Applejack! Hey, where's Applejack?!" she asked worriedly. The other ponies gasped and exclaimed frantically as they splashed about trying to find her.

"I'm right here, little sister," said Applejack. Her voice and size had returned to normal. Since she had taken her bath inside a bucket, her back end was now stuck inside of it, "I ain't tiny no more!" The others laughed.

"Oh! I have never felt so lovely in all my life!" Rarity exclaimed.

"Oh, my gosh!" Pinkie exclaimed as she surfaced from under the water, "I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk. I mean I love to talking so much, and when I couldn't talk anymore, my tongue was all "ehhhh"! It was the worst! Don't you agree Fluttershy?" Rainbow gritted her teeth and covered her ears as Pinkie babbled, but then they all turned to face Fluttershy who just smiled.

"...yes..." she replied softly, her sweet and lovable voice had returned. The ponies all laughed until they heard a loud knocking outside the room.

"HEY! HELLO!" Mario bellowed as he was stuck floating outside the door, "WHEN DO I GET MY BATH! COME ON GIRLS THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

"Did you hear something?" Rainbow asked out of the blue.

"I didn't hear nothin'," Applejack replied with a smirk.

"All I did was defend Apple Bloom for crying out loud!" Mario shouted from behind the door, "I only wanted Applejack to listen to her more because she smart and is very capable of being useful if you give her the chance!" Applejack just sighed.

"Okay, okay, point taken, sugarcube!" Applejack replied, "I guess Mario's been punished enough. Zecora does a shower work just as well as a bubble bath?" Zecora nodded as Applejack grabbed a squirt bottle and filled it up with the bath water. Applejack left the room (once she got the bucket off her back end) and the other ponies listened from inside the room.

SQUIRT!

"(blub)(blub-blub) Applejack! (blub-blub) What in the name of Celestia are you..."

POP!

"WAH!"

CRASH!

Mario's landing shook the ground as the other ponies flinched. Applejack casually came back into the room with the now empty squirt bottle with a smile on her face.

"He's back to normal," she reported.

"Back to normal she says," said Mario woozily as he lay on his stomach in the hallway. He had to admit he learned something else that day.

He hated balloons. And...

when a pony like him tries to 1up a girl, especially Applejack...

You can't win.

Don't worry, Mario will recover by next episode.

Peace Pony Fans