Even though Zecora lived relatively close to the edge of the Everfree Forest, the trek there was still dangerous to venture into alone.  Many horrifying beast reside in the forest, though most tend to be nocturnal.  Luckily for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, it was a little past noon; most of the more considerable creatures are hidden deeper in the forest, sleeping and awaiting the night.  However, the thick canopy of the forest created a sort of roof over on the tree tops, causing little light to penetrate it.  To one who did not know what the time was, they would assume it to be twilight.

Although Scootaloo has ventured into the forest before, it still, though she will never admit it, scared her.  Whilst spending the night with her fellow Crusaders at Fluttershy's cottage, one of the chickens  wandered off into the forest.  Seeing it as their responsibility, and possible scheme for attempted cutie mark acquisition, the trio of destructive adorableness entered the forest and hunted down the lost chicken.  On their journey, they encountered a horror that will not leave a sane pony unscathed.  Twilight Sparkle was lying limp on her side, petrified, by a creature known as a Cockatrice.

Ever since then, Scootaloo held her fear for the magical forest and its inhabitants.  As the orange filly trotted as close as possible to Dash without making her feel uncomfortable, she felt her fear diminish.  She remembered that night at camp when Dash admitted she, too, was once scared of the very stories she told to Applejack, Rarity, and their sisters.  'I learned pretty quick that if there was such thing as a headless horse, I can totally take it on.'

Even with the minimal distance between the two, Scootaloo stilled shook and her wings still fluttered spasmodically.  Her eyes wandered in every direction, scoping out the area and making sure nothing dangerous pops out of nowhere and scares the fur off her skin.  Instinctively, considering the thought made Scootaloo shudder, the filly shuffled even closer to Dash, now almost underneath the mare.  

Dash inwardly chuckled.  For some reason, Dash found it adorable how Scootaloo clung to her for protection.  It gave her a sense of guardianship, as if it was her duty to protect Scootaloo through the forest.  Dash always had the sense of being the 'protector' no matter what position she was in.  She would always, no matter what, throw herself in harms way if it means the safety of her friends, or family.  

"H-hey Dash?"  Scootaloo said with a shaky voice.  

Dash stifled a giggle.  "Yeah Scoots?"

"Why couldn't we just f-fly to Zecora's?"

Dash looked up, not able to see the sky over the forest canopy.  "Because it's easier to find Zecora's hut on hoof.  If we flew, it would be almost impossible to find it."  Dash smiled.  "Why?  Scared of a little walk in the woods?"

Scootaloo instantly disengaged herself from Dash's side.  "Nope!  Not at all!  Nothing scary about the Everfree Forest...hehe...Nothing...at...at all.  Just a bunch of...plants and twigs and bugs, right?"  An audible gulp soon followed.

"Right!  Except for, of course, manticores."

Scootaloo froze solid.  "M-m-m-manticores?"

"Yeah, and rocs, chimeras, hydras, wyverns, oh and dragons too."

It took all of the willpower known to ponykind for Scootaloo to not zip off back to town screaming her head off.  As an alternative, she whimpered, returned to her position underneath Dash, and curled her tail around her body in both an adorable and adorable way to make her feel safer.  

Dash chuckled and ruffled her companions mane.  Her chest swelled with pride as she held Scootaloo close while they walked through the forest.  Dash had a sense of guardianship wash over her during the most of the trip.  She felt as if it was her duty to protect Scootaloo, just as she would her other friends.  Dash always liked being the role of the 'defender' between her friends.  No matter what scenario they find themselves in, Dash will always throw her own life on the lines if it means saving the life of her friend or family.  

Ten minutes of content silence passed.  With every passing second, Scootaloo felt more and more at ease, lowering her tail from her body, but keeping close to Dash.  Zecora's hut finally came into view, just beyond a few bushes and a small hill.  Scootaloo vented a loud sigh of relief and rushed to the door.  She lifted her hoof to give the door a soft rapping, and seconds later, the Zebra came out.

"Hello there, dear Scootaloo.  Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"Hi, Zecora!  Me and Dash were just coming down here to get some stuff for a cool potion!"

Zecora raised a brow as the rainbow pegasus came into view.  "A potion eh?  Is it for a noteworthy cause?  Or do I suspect foul play?"  She asked, smirking at Scootaloo.  She knew well enough about the pranks Rainbow Dash plays on her unsuspecting friends, as well as the mischief* Scootaloo and her Crusaders do from time to time.

Dash revealed the tome on unicorn anatomy and scanned the pages, finding the recipe for the brew they needed.  "You wouldn't happen to have any...Lion's Blood, Dust of Fey, Hydra Tears, or Emerald Leafs laying around wouldya?"

Zecora scanned her mind, recognizing the reagents and categorizing their uses for various mixtures.  "You want a brew to cause Arcane Block, I suspect?  A simple mixture, and for a certain lavender unicorn, correct?"

"Oooooooh yeahhhhh."   Dash replied.

Zecora beckoned them inside.  Scootaloo instantly rushed between her legs, relieved that she was out of the forest.  Once inside, Zecora began rummaging through various herbs, vials, reagents and the like on her shelves to look for the specific ones.  "I have all the ingredients that you require.  However, getting them all easily would make me a liar.  These reagents are expensive and rare, so for exchange of these goods, a bit of your bits you must share."

Dash sighed.  "Fine I'll pay.  How much?"

Zecora began mixing the reagents into a large pot.  "Twenty bits should cover the fee.  Enough for me to travel to distant lands and gather some more, you see.  Besides, I need to go back to my homeland soon, for I have not seen my family in many a moon."  With a quiet incantation, the witch doctor waved her hoof over the pot.  It then began to bubble and shake, and in an instant, a cloud of smoke erupted from the pot.  The smoke encircled the room, causing the two pegasi to cough.  Another flick of her hoof, and Zecora dispersed the smoke almost as quickly as it came.  Only a clear, reddish liquid was left in the pot.

Zecora reached for a nearby vial, cautiously filling it with the liquid.  "It is done."  She stated before giving the vial to Dash.  "Have fun."  She smiled.

Dash dropped a small bag of bits on a table and grabbed the vial.  "Thanks Zecora!  Ohohoho Twilight's gonna be in for a big surprise!"

Scootaloo, who this whole time has been pacing around the hut nervously, piped up at Dash's words.  "Well what're we waiting for then?  Let's go!"  She stood at the door, hopping from one hoof to the other like a dog waiting to go outside.

"Not just yet Scoots.  I, uh, wanted to talk to Zecora alone for a sec."

Scootaloo's eyes widened.  If Dash wanted to talk to Zecora alone, that meant that she had to go outside...in the forest...alone.

Dash quickly caught the signs.  A soft wing soon found itself around Scootaloo, embracing her tightly.  "Don't worry about it, Scootaloo.  It'll only be for a few seconds.  If you see anything come your way, just yell and I'll beat the crap out of it."

Scootaloo nodded and gulped.  She didn't want to leave the comfort of Dash's wing anytime soon, but the longer she stayed, the longer they were in the forest in general.  The filly simply gulped, opened the door, and lay on her belly with her tail wrapped around her like a blanket.  Between her tail and mane, her eyes popped out to observe the surroundings.  To any distant creature, she looked like a purple fuzzball with eyes.

Dash turned to Zecora.  "Alright.  I just wanted to ask if you had any, uh, potions or something for uh, help with sleeping and stuff."

Zecora raised a brow.  "You're going to have to be more specific than that.  I have many brews that could put your mind at bat."

Dash sighed.  "Ok look, I've been having some weird dreams and I just want them to stop.  Have anything to do that?"

A smile appeared on the zebra.  "Ahh yes, I have just what you need, but it is nay from a potion, brew, herb, or even a seed.  It is something my people use when they have restless nights.  It keeps them from waking up with a fright.  Here, take this and you will see.  The Dream Catcher will let your mind be at free."  Zecora held a small item before Dash.  It was a circle woven out of straw with a decorative spiral pattern inside it.  Feathers and beads hung from the circle from leather straps.

"Place it by your bed tonight."  Zecora continued.  "And you won't have a single fright."

"Sweet Celestia, thanks Zecora!"  With that, she was out the door.  Scootaloo bolted upright at the sound of the door opening and clung to Dash's back.  With a weak chuckle, she got off of her and kept a close proximity until they were clear of the forest.

(\/);,;(\/)

"Alright, here we go." Rainbow Dash said as she placed the glass of 'juice' on the kitchen counter in Twilight's home.  Dash and Scootaloo had spoken with Spike, explaining the prank to him and striking a deal.  When Twilight ask him for a drink, he grabbed the glass and passed it as 'grapefruit juice' to the unsuspecting unicorn.  In a manner of minutes after consuming the brew, Twilight's magic would be blocked.  

The two watched as Twilight's quill scribbled on a parchment.  They locked their eyes on the purple glow, waiting for it to abruptly go out.  Seconds went by, and the aura stayed.  It should only be another minutes or so before...bingo.  The aura faded and the quill fell flat on the desk.  

Twilight turned to the quill, raising a brow.  She charged her horn to pick it up, but nothing happened.  She tried harder, forcing the magic into her horn.  Still, nothing.  She planted her front hooves firmly on the desk and aimed her horn towards the quill, trying with all her might.  Not a single arcane fragment came.

Twilight started to sweat.  What was going on?  Why can't she use magic?  How did it happen?  All of a sudden her magic just stopped!  It was working fine a minute ago!  Twilight shook her head.  There was a report she was previously working on laying on her desk.  This report was top priority; she can figure out why her horn is not working later.

Twilight glared at the quill.  It has been a long time since she used her mouth to write.  With a frown and a sigh, she gripped the quill in her teeth and slowly continued her report.  The quill felt foreign in her mouth.  Her strokes were uneven and wavering.  Every word looked like a four year old's writing.

When she was finished with one sentence, she viewed her work.  Twilight's ears flattened against her head.  This was terrible!  She can barely read it herself!  Twilight groaned.  She can't turn this in to Princess Celestia!  It's a train wreck!  She'll probably think Twilight can't write without magic, and reprimand her for not adapting to those kinds of scenarios!  Twilight panicked.  What if this happens again?  What if she needs to do something important for the princess and can't use magic?

Outside, Dash and Scootaloo were hysterically laughing.  They watched Twilight attempt to do average every day stuff without the aid of magic.  She would stumble over trying to pick up books with her teeth, and fail at trying to re-shelve books that require the ladder to use.  

"S-Scoots!"  Dash choked out while laughing.  "T-this is, hahaha, too much!  Oh wait!"  An idea formulated.  "Oh this is gonna be good!"  She then revealed herself from her hiding position and entered the library.  Right as the door chime rang, Twilight yelped from surprise and fell off the ladder she was on, resulting in Dash trying as hard as she could to not fall on the floor laughing, and a very agitated and blushing Twilight.

"Can I help you Rainbow Dash?"  Twilight said, oozing sarcasm.

Dash held a hoof to her mouth, trying to calm her snickering.  "Y-yeah."  She cleared her throat.  "I need the next Daring Do book.  Couldya get it for me?"

Twilight's eyes went wide.  

"Oh uh..."  She started.  "You see, I'm a little busy right now.  I mean, this is a public library!  You can go ahead and help yourself."  She smiled a bit too widely.

"But,"  Dash started, feigning ignorance.  "I don't know where it is."

Twilight sighed.  "Dash, these books are assorted in alphabetical order in accordance to the Dewy Decimal system.  It's not that hard to find."

"The Dew-what?"

"Dash...Alphabetical order  It's not hard, really."

Dash shrugged.  "Ok."  She then walked to a shelf with all the fictional books.  "Daring Do...d,d,d,d..."

Twilight's head swiveled around.  "No, Dash.  Alphabetical order from the last name of the author."

"Oh..."

"..."

"Who wrote it again?"

"...George Hoofcas..."

"Right...how do you spell that?"

Twilight lost it.  "Alright fine!  I'll get it!"  She marched over to the fictional section and glared at the offending book.  It was just out of her reach.  Curses, she would need the ladder again.  Sighing she rolled the ladder in to position and paused to catch a breath.  

The trek up the ladder could be described as hiking up Mt. Canter.  It was a dangerous, death defying journey to the fifth shelf.  No sane Twilight Sparkle has ever done such a feet without the aid of magic.  It has been rumored that Spike has achieved trekking up the ladder numerous times without injury, but Twilight found that very hard to believe.  

"C'mon Twi!"  Dash said, agitated.  "What's taking so long?  Just magic it down or somtin!"  

Twilight gave her a glare.  One that said 'shut your mouth before I throw you into a volcano.'  Taking another glance back at the ladder, she readied herself, and lifted a rear leg.  Her hoof contacted the first step on the ladder.  Success!  Now only a few more to go.  Her other leg lifted off the ground, contacting the second step.  Excellent, she's making progress!  

Step after step, hoof after hoof.  Withing seconds, the journey was halfway through.  The book came into view.  Just sitting there, mocking Twilight's inability to levitate it down.  Twilight would have none of it, she snatched the spine in her teeth and proceeded to move downward.

"Heya Twilight, watchya doing?"

The lavender librarian yelped in shock.  Arms flailing in the air as she tried to regain her balance on the ladder.  The book helplessly fell to the floor, as well as a couple others.  Seeing as it was either fall to the cold floor or jump and land on the top of the shelf for safety, Twilight chose the latter.  With a leap of faith, she landed on the top, with the ladder falling limp on the floor.

Below her, Dash was barely surviving from a gruesome laughter attack.

"Oh ha ha very funny!"  Twilight said.  She crossed her hooves and rested her head on them, clearly annoyed.

"It totally is, hahahaha!  I mean look at you, hahaha, all, haha, on the shelf!"

"Dash, I don't have time for this!  Could you please put the ladder back up so I can get down?"

"What ever happened to your fancy teleporting!"

Twilight blushed.  "Just pick up the ladder!"

"I don't know Twi, you look pretty comfy up there."

"DASH!"

The pegasus put her hooves up.  "Alright alright!"  She then picked up the ladder and leaned it against the shelf.  "There, happy?"

"Very."  Twilight smiled smugly, making sure to take extra precaution when stepping back on the ladder.  However, when Twilight took her first step on the ladder, Dash 'accidentaly' bumped into it and rattled it.  Twilight screamed and fell over, landing in Dash's outstretched arms.  

"C'mon Twi, where's that good ol' teleport?"  

If Twilight's magic was working, the world would be consumed in flames.  Since it is not working, she settled for a simple pimp slap in the back of Dash's head.  

"Ow...that hurt.  Not physically, but emotionally.  I don't think I can go on anymore, Twi.  One of my best friends abused me.  I'm probably going to be scarred for life now.  I might end up being a social recluse, reminiscing on the past when my friends all used to be there for me.  I'll probably go insane, and turn into a murderer, and you'll probably be the first on my killing spree."

Twilight's brow formed a thin line.  "Yeah ok."

Dash smiled.  "Well I'll just go ahead and get out of your mane."  She turned to leave, but before stepping out of the door, she glanced at Twilight with a smug grin.  "Oh and by the way, that 'juice' you drank was actually a potion that gave you Arcane Block."  Before Twilight could even register what Dash said, she zipped out the door at the speed of sound, making sure to grab Scootaloo before the library exploded.

(\/);,,;(\/)

Near the end of this part in the story, Dash started tearing up again.  Her words broke apart, and she soon lost control.  A river flowed out of her eyes and down her cheeks, pooling on her lap.  Twilight was immediately at her side again, holding her friend closely like a mother would do to her foal.  Dash did not hesitate to bury her muzzle into Twilight's fur, seeking protection from the pain.

That whole time, Twilight was silent.  She knew Dash was suffering, and every time the loose dam holding back her tears would shatter, Twilight was there to patch it back up.  She would wait for her soothing displays of affection to calm down the troubled pegasus before getting a response.  

Minutes of muffled sobbing soon ceased.  Dash removed herself from Twilight's embrace.  A second more of silence ensued as Dash collected her thoughts before uttering in a faint whisper, "I'm sorry."

The phrase felt foreign on her tongue.  Dash usually never apologizes for a prank.  She sees them as mere jokes that never really mean any harm.  So why should she apologize?  But this time was different.  Not only is Dash an emotional wreck, Twilight was also mad at her because of the prank.  Even though Twilight said once already that it was no big deal, Dash can still feel it in her.

Twilight re-engaged a hug, holding much tighter than before.  "It's alright, Dash.  I told you I'm not mad anymore.  I was just agitated because that prank put me a little bit behind schedule, and I haven't had any sleep for almost 22 hours now.  But that doesn't matter anymore, we have a more important issue to deal with right now, and I, as a good friend, will help you get though it every step of the way."

For the first time that night, Dash actually smiled.  The fear of burdening her friends with an age old issue no longer haunted her.  She knew then that no matter how small or large a problem is, her friends would never abandon her, nor will she.  With a steady breath, she continued her story.