Remedy

“This is very problematic,” The doctor said.

“Just tell it to me straight, doc,” Synth said.

“You’re not gonna make it,” The doctor said shaking his head.

“Isn’t there any way?” Synth asked looking down.

“No, you’re out of options. It was a good life, but you just weren’t cut out for it,” The doctor said.

“Maybe next time you won’t get so many foals,” Pinkie said.

“And I thought I did so well…” Synth said.

The door opened and the trio turned towards the guest. Twilight looked at them on the floor with a confused expression. The three of them looked at each other before looking back at the board. Pinkie spoke up.

“We’re about to start another round, wanna play?” Pinkie asked.

“Um, play what?” Twilight asked.

“Life, it’s a board game,” Synth said putting the game pieces back in place.

“I’m okay with my life the way it is, thank you,” Twilight said.

“Are you sure you don’t want foals? You might get a lot of them like Synth here,” Pinkie said.

“That didn’t do much for me in the end, though,” Synth said.

“Cheer up, at least you didn’t break your legs,” The doctor said.

“Or both your arms,” Pinkie said.

“Yeah, sure I didn’t,” Synth said.

“I’m not sure I follow,” Twilight said.

“Never mind, I should really get going. The nurses get nervous without a doctor around,” The doctor said.

“Come back tomorrow, maybe we could play Candyland,” Pinkie said.

“Sure, I’ll do that,” The doctor said.

The doctor grabbed his bags and left through the door. Twilight walked further into the house, still full of questions. She took a seat next to Pinkie while Synth finished resetting the board.

“So, what was the doctor doing here?” Twilight asked.

“He came to check up on me,” Synth said.

“So, are you feeling any better?” Twilight asked.

“Nope, I can’t feel anything, really. But he says that it looks like I’ll be fine,” Synth said.

“How long did he say you’ll be like this?” Twilight asked.

“He doesn’t know, he says it’s probably something to do with me moving towns. I might have caught something when I moved here,” Synth said.

“Can we start, now? I want to get rich,” Pinkie said.

“You sure you don’t want to play? It’s more fun with more than two ponies,” Synth said to Twilight.

“Oh, all right. I can play for a minute or two,” Twilight said.

“Ok, pick your pony,” Synth said.

“I’ll be purple,” Twilight said levitating the purple chariot next to the other green and pink chariot.

“Great! Let the game begin!” Pinkie said.

Pinkie spun the spinner and the three of them watched as it went in circles.
------------

“Not a 6…” Pinkie said.

She spun the spinner faster than Synth had seen before. When it finally slowed, it went slowly towards the six. Pinkie’s smile lessened, but it was still larger than life. She handed over ten grand to Synth. He smiled and waited for Pinkie to move her chariot.

“You really made a good choice to buy that stock,” Twilight said.

“Well, I always land on six, so I thought I might as well,” Synth said.

“It’s that luck of yours. But I say that luck is just about to run out,” Pinkie said.

Synth spun the spinner and waited. It landed on yet another six. Synth moved the chariot to the spot, and he looked at the space he landed on. It was the marriage space. Synth added his spouse and spun again. He spun a four. He opted out of the space and waited.

“There’s no way I’m going to lose,” Synth said.

“You know, sometimes I wonder if you’re cheating,” Pinkie said.

“How would you cheat in this game?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know, but if you can cheat death, you can cheat at life,” Pinkie said.

“Can’t argue with that logic,” Synth said.

Twilight took her spin, and managed to catch up to Synth. She got married, and spun a two. Retirement was a few spins away and Synth was in the lead. He was better off in almost every way. Although he was down in money because he bought the stock, he was quickly gaining it back. Pinkie was leading in cash.

‘If only you were this good in real life,’ Shade said.

“I’ve got some things going for me,” Synth said.

‘Not enough if you ask me,’ Shade asked.

“No one asked,” Synth said.

“Um, what?” Twilight asked.

Synth looked up at the two staring at him.

“Uh, never mind, just talking to myself,” Synth said.

“Oh I get it, Twilight does that all the time,” Pinkie said.

“Only when I’m reading…” Twilight said.

“So, where were we?” Synth asked.

“It’s Pinkie’s turn,” Twilight said.

“Here I go, I’ll be retired before you know it,” Pinkie said.

Pinkie spun the spinner and it landed on a five. Synth was sad that he didn’t get paid. He was sure if they landed on a six again, he’d win for sure.

‘You’re getting really into this,’ Shade said.

‘I’m just trying to get my mind off things,’ Synth said.

‘Shouldn’t you be doing something more productive?’ Shade asked.

“I’m good,” Synth said.

“It’s not optional, you have to spin,” Twilight said.

“You’re so close to the end, why wouldn’t you want to spin?” Pinkie asked.

“Uh, I guess I will spin,” Synth said, rubbing his neck.

‘You shouldn’t talk to yourself…’ Shade said.

‘Right…’ Synth said.

Synth spun the spinner and landed on a ten. He passed by Pinkie and stopped two spaces in front of her. Retirement was only a few spaces ahead. Twilight spun next, and landed on a 7. Synth once again felt his hopes rise only to have them fall. He felt like the spinner was trolling him when it stalled over the six for a second.

‘Maybe Karma is trolling you,’ Shade said.

‘I wouldn’t doubt it, she’s had something against me since day one,’ Synth said.

Synth heard Shade chuckle, and he was surprised for a second. He didn’t think he’d be able to share a joke with him. It was like getting a baby to stop throwing a fit and start laughing. Synth was too busy being shocked; he didn’t hear the other two trying to get his attention. His mind went back into focus when Twilight tapped his forehead.

“Hello? It’s your turn,” Twilight said.

“Oh sorry, I was just thinking about something,” Synth said.

“Wow, Twilight does that too, are you sure you’re not her brother or something?” Pinkie asked.

“Um, I’m green, does that answer your question?” Synth said.

“Besides, my only brother lives in Canterlot, and I don’t think he acts like me at all,” Twilight said.

“Then let’s get back to the game,” Pinkie said.

Synth looked down at the board and noticed Pinkie had reached retirement. She had spun a ten and beat him to the end. Synth spun the spinner and waited. It slowly passed the seven, and lay to rest on the eight. Synth grinned, he had also retired.

“Well, that just leaves me,” Twilight said.

“You can do it, you’re only twelve spaces away,” Pinkie said.

Twilight spun the spinner and landed on another seven. Synth frowned, he was so close… Twilight bought a house and then spun the spinner again. It was going slowly around, and inched it’s way to the six. It stopped just short of it, and Twilight had to respin because it landed on the line. She spun it faster, and it went around and around. It started to slow down, and Synth’s hopes rose. It was passing by the same numbers again. It went over the five, and landed in the center of the six.

‘Checkmate,’ Synth said.

‘This isn’t chess,’ Shade said.

‘Shut up,’ Synth said.

“Oh, shoot. Well here you go Synth, don’t spend it all in one place,” Twilight said.

Synth added the ten grand to the rest of his pile, and waited while Twilight went into retirement. They added up their life cards and tallied the numbers in their heads. Pinkie pulled out a notepad and wrote her number down. Twilight and Synth exchanged numbers, and Synth was beating her by 50 thousand. Pinkie was beating Twilight by 45 thousand, so Synth won.

“Oh darn, I thought I had you beat there,” Pinkie said.

“That was a close match, maybe next time Pinkie,” Synth said.

“This was fun, but I have to go now,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, me too. Let’s play again later, Synth,” Pinkie said.

“Sure, I guess I could use some fresh air now,” Synth said picking up the board.

“I thought you were supposed to stay inside,” Twilight said.

“Doc said as long as I don’t do anything dumb, I should be okay walking around town,” Synth said.

“Remember, if you feel off-balance, get back home,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, yeah I know. But I can walk just fine. You’re starting to sound like Fluttershy,” Synth said.

“Okay then, I’ll get going. Spike wanted to show me something in the library,” Twilight said.

Pinkie and Twilight walked out of the house. Synth picked up his game board and placed on one of the empty shelves. It was another get well present from Pinkie. Synth was glad to use it today, he was going crazy with the amount of time he’d spent alone. Vera didn’t really count because she would usually go out and do her own things.

Vera probably knew more of the town than Synth did. Synth wasn’t surprised though, he could barely get around town without getting lost, and remembering faces wasn’t easy either. Sometimes he wondered if he saw the same face more than once at a time. Synth was ready to go out and enjoy some more fresh air. The last time he’d gone outside, was when Fluttershy came over. That was days ago, and it was raining.

‘Let’s go, I almost fell asleep watching you play another board game,’ Shade said.

‘And here I thought you liked board games,’ Synth said.

‘Not all of them, I have my preferences,’ Shade said.

‘I know a game; a trip to the Everfree Forest,’ Synth asked.

‘I don’t think even you’d be dumb enough to think of that as a game. Much less a board game,’ Shade said.

‘Yeah well, It’s better than thinking of it as a suicide run. I haven’t talked to Steven in a while, and I told him I’d see him again. Now’s a good a time as any,’ Synth said.

‘Okay, if we die, it’s not my fault... Lead the way,’ Shade said.

‘I don’t plan on dying today,’ Synth said.
-------------

“Was the path always this color?” Synth asked.

‘You just noticed the path changed colors? Gee I wonder what that could mean,’ Shade said.

“This is a path, isn’t it?” Synth asked.

‘Sure it is, continue leading,’ Shade said.

Synth brushed away leaves from his face while he continued walking. He walked another few feet before a bug made it into his mouth. After some coughing, he managed to get the bug out. The blue and black bug crawled onto a tree and disappeared. Synth became more cautious around the trees. Synth knew which plants were poisonous, but the bugs all looked the same to him. Synth felt something crawl onto his spine, and stood as still as a statue.

The bug’s six legs made their ways onto Synth’s head, and Synth held his breath. The beetle crawled down the side of his neck, and down his legs. It was about the size of his nose, and was the color of half the rainbow. The beetle skittered into the underbrush and Synth breathed out the air he was holding. Synth continued his trek a little faster than before.

‘Scared of bugs, are we?’ Shade asked.

“Not all of them… just the more colorful ones, you know that,” Synth said.

‘I know, but it’s still good to hear you admit it,’ Shade said.

“You like to see me suffer, don’t you?” Synth asked.

‘Pretty much, there’s not much else for me to do,’ Shade said.

“Do you want to walk? My legs are burning up here,” Synth said.

‘Pass, I’m feeling great in here,’ Shade said.

“You’re useless, you know that?” Synth asked.

‘Yeah, yeah…. Just keep walking,’ Shade said.

Synth ducked under a low branch and poked his head into a clearing. The trees surrounding the clearing were now stumps. The vines were gone and there was a stream on the edge with a mist hovering above. The grass was lighter near the center, but the air was also clean and fresh. Synth forgot the smells and sounds of the forest as he walked into the center of the clearing. He looked up to find the few clouds in the sky were moving slowly towards the sun.

Synth heard a splash in the river, and turned towards it. The mist above the river was gone. The sounds of the forest came back to him, and he heard birds chirping. Synth looked down towards a few crickets that were jumping away. Synth followed a blur move from one bush to the other. It stopped and jumped out to get a good look at him. It was a brown rabbit that sniffed the air in his direction.

Synth was going to react to this change in the forest, until he heard the splashing sound in the river again. Synth turned towards it, and the mist was back. It was thick now, and almost covered the entire river. Synth realized there was a silhouette of a figure standing in the middle of the mist. The figure was slowly making its way towards him, and Synth could make out the outline of a pony shape with a horn.

Synth felt the air around him get more humid. His eyesight was slightly blurred, but it was due mostly to the mist around him. The figure stopped at the edge of the thick mist. He was looking straight at Synth. Synth decided to communicate with whoever was this deep into the forest.

“Um, hello?” Synth asked.

“Synth, is that you?” The voice asked coming out of the mist. Synth could now see more familiar features in the shape of the pony.

“Nova?” Synth asked, recognizing the voice as well.

“Yeah, it’s good to see you,” Nova said getting closer to Synth.

Synth saw Nova’s face and the way he held himself. He couldn’t believe he’d see Nova so soon. It wasn’t that long ago that they said goodbye.

“What are you doing here? This forest doesn’t have the best reputation,” Synth said.

“I was looking around Ponyville, when I stumbled onto the forest. I decided that I wanted to settle down here. The city life isn’t for me anymore,” Nova said.

“It’s an odd place to pick, but okay. As long as you remember that this place isn’t very safe,” Synth said.

“It doesn’t look very dangerous, and besides, I can handle myself,” Nova said.

“I’m sure you can,” Synth said.

“But what are you doing here? You just said this place isn’t very safe….” Nova said.

“I was coming to visit a friend,” Synth said.

“Oh, you know Zecora? Funny, she said I was the first one who would talk with her,” Nova said.

“Zecora? No, I was visiting Steven,” Synth said.

“Really? Well what does he look like? I’d like to know my neighbors,” Nova said.

“He’s a Sea Serpent, but he’s a nice guy. He should live along this river somewhere,” Synth said.

“Cool, I’ll go say hi. First though, I was going to ask Zecora something, want to come?” Nova asked.

“Sure, but remember, I’m not that good with meeting new people, so you should do all the talking,” Synth said.

“I’m alright with that, she’s just down this road,” Nova said.

Synth looked to where Nova was pointing. There was path in the trees he didn’t see before. The dirt on the road was peeking out from the grass that spread over it. Synth and Nova started walking towards the path. It was just large enough for Synth to get by without ducking. Nova led the way, and Synth took the opportunity to pay more attention to everything around him. Synth realized it was a lot easier to think when you’re not lost.

“Oh, there’s something I wanted to give you,” Nova said.

“Really, what is it?” Synth asked.

“You’ll see. I wanted to give it to you in town, but I couldn’t find you… Ah here it is,” Nova said.

Nova pulled out an envelope with Synth’s name on it. It had a red lining on the edges, and it smelled like apples. Synth took the envelope and stopped to look it over. It was a little strange, and it was smaller than most envelopes. Synth started opening it, Nova walked behind him to look over his shoulder.

“Getting lost isn’t a good trait to have, but no one is perfect,” Synth heard Nova say from behind him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Synth asked.

Synth opened one side of the envelope and took out the contents. Inside were two strips of paper. One looked like it was torn from another piece and the other looked like it was clean cut. The torn piece was faded, but he could make out most of the words. Synth guessed what the first word was, but the rest read:
Konlont Remedy
Cheyenne Power
Chillroot Petal x3
Salt 5g
Cold Water
Phoenix Feather
(Ingest)

Synth raised an eyebrow and read the other paper:
Get Well Soon

“What are these supposed to mean?” Synth asked.

Synth turned around to face Nova. Synth was staring at a tree. The path that he’d been following was gone. Nova was nowhere to be seen. Synth blinked a few times before doing another 180. He was looking at the outside of a hut. Synth continued to look around, but there was no sight of Nova or the path he took to get there. Synth felt his head doing circles. He finally stopped his turning and looked at the hut in front of him.

‘I’m as confused as you are…’ Shade said.

‘What the fuck just happened?’ Synth asked, his composure still not under control.

‘I don’t know… and I don’t think I want to know,’ Shade said.

‘Well, this isn’t exactly where I wanted to be, but oh well,’ Synth said.

Synth made sure the path was still gone before walking up to the hut. He knocked three times and waited. Inside, he heard some mumbling and rummaging. The door opened a few seconds later, and Synth looked at the black and white striped figure in front of him.

“Isn’t this a surprise, a pony before my eyes,” Zecora said.

“Uh, hey. I was walking by and a friend told me to come see you,” Synth said.

“And what friend do you mean? Ponies do not like me being seen,” Zecora said.

“Well… I thought it was my friend. He kind of… disappeared a few moments ago,” Synth said.

“Ah, tis the forest’s façade, to move the path aside. When you’re lost in the grove, that’s when the predators make their move,” Zecora said.

“Well the forest kind of led me here…” Synth said.

“It is hard to understand the forest’s intent, the forest has a way of being consistent?” Zecora said.

“I don’t know, but my “Friend” did tell me to talk to you,” Synth said.

“Come inside if you like, you must have had quite the hike,” Zecora said.

“Yeah, I have. My name’s Synth, nice to meet you,” Synth asked.

“The feeling is mutual, as you do not react like many a fool,” Zecora said.

Synth entered the hut and followed Zecora to the sofa. He sat down, and his burning and itching legs were grateful. Synth scratched them and the burning went down more. He looked up to Zecora studying him.

“Um, is there something wrong?” Synth asked.

“Why are you scratching?, is there something you might be catching?” Zecora asked.

“It’s just something that’s been wrong with me. The Doctor couldn’t figure it out, but I’ve learned to deal with it,” Synth said.

“That may be true, but perhaps I could cure you,” Zecora said.

“Really? Well, I guess you can give it a try; if there are any questions about symptoms you want me to answer, I can give it my best to describe them,” Synth said.

“What else do you feel with this illness? Is there any pain or weakness?” Zecora asked.

“It burns too, but everything else is too numb to feel anything,” Synth said.

“For how long has this been occurring, the itching and the burning?” Zecora asked.

“Almost two weeks now, it’s only been getting worse,” Synth said.

“How so? How far does the illness go?” Zecora asked.

“It was only on my hooves at first, but then it spread to the rest of my body. Now I can’t feel anything under my neck,” Synth said.

“Your color must be a sign of your predicament, the illness seems to change your pigment,” Zecora said.

“That doesn’t really worry me, I just don’t know what’s making me like this,” Synth said.

“I may have something for your burning, but do not itch, no matter the yearning,” Zecora said.

“You sound like you know how to deal with this, why is that?” Synth asked.

“This illness has effects not unlike my home country’s medicine. It may be farfetched, but you have been introduced to Karilent,” Zecora said.

“Karilent, what’s that?” Synth asked.

“It is a medicine in my village. It is used for poisons and old age,” Zecora said.

“How is this- Wait, old age?” Synth asked raising an eyebrow.

“It is an anesthetic, with a strong kick,” Zecora said.

“Anesthetic, I thought those were supposed to help you.” Synth asked.

“Only when used correctly, otherwise it damages your body directly,” Zecora said.

“So, am I sick or not?” Synth asked.

“You should not be standing, for the effects to already be branding,” Zecora said.

“Is there a way to get rid of the effects?” Synth asked.

“I’m afraid I cannot assist you there, the answer will not be found here. The cure I possess, yet in my homeland it rests,” Zecora said.

Synth lowered his head slightly. His eyes landed on the letter that had fallen out of his bag. He picked it up and opened it again. Synth slid the torn paper out and read the contents. He read the first word again. Suddenly he knew what the first word said.

“Wait, is this the cure you were looking for?” Synth asked, hopefully.

Synth handed over the note, and Zecora looked it over. She quickly smiled before handing it back.

“Yes, the cure is correct. But why would you have knowledge on the subject,” Zecora asked.

“My “Friend” gave it to me,” Synth said.

“Well has your friend given you a feather too? That is all that lacks for this brew,” Zecora said.

“No, sorry. Should I go out and get a feather? It wouldn’t take too long,” Synth said.

“That would be certainly be most excellent, In the meantime I have something to help you in your predicament,” Zecora said.

Zecora slid a bottle off the shelf. It was a light blue bottle with a string attached. Zecora added the bottle and a heat pack into Synth’s bag. She looked over him again before letting him get up.

“What’s with the heat pack?” Synth asked.

“It is to comfort your body. The potion will act as a temporary remedy. It will not last long, and your body will freeze because the potion is also strong. Use the heat pack on your neck after you drink, so that the pain will shrink,” Zecora said.

“Oh, so how long does it last?” Synth asked.

“A few minutes at most, do not drink it unless you are about to roast,” Zecora said.

“Okay, I got it, last resort. So how big does the feather have to be?” Synth asked.

“It is the feather of a phoenix; any size will do the trick. Although for your sake, the largest you should take,” Zecora said.

“Alright, I’ll see you after I find a phoenix and convince it to give me its feather,” Synth said standing up.

“I shall leave you to your quest, my own duties involve a long rest,” Zecora said.

Synth opened the door and stepped out. The forest invited him back into the darkness. Synth shut the door behind him and looked in every direction. Where the hell was he going to find a phoenix? Synth chose a direction that looked like the way he came from, and started walking.

‘She acted a little weird, don’t you think?’ Shade asked.

‘I don’t think you’re one to talk,’ Synth said.

‘No, she acted like there was something she wanted to tell you. It was weird,’ Shade said.

‘You’re just being paranoid, now help me find a phoenix before it gets dark,’ Synth said.

‘You always have to do everything by yourself, why didn’t you ask her to come help?’ Shade asked.

‘I think she’s done enough already for me. Give her a break, she’s offering to help without anything in return,’ Synth said.

‘I don’t trust her, she seems dangerous,’ Shade said.

‘Yeah, yeah… keep your eyes out for a phoenix,’ Synth said.

Synth walked between two trees and had to duck underneath the branches. He looked up at two more trees that looked like the ones he just passed. Synth ducked again and looked up to find the same trees again. Synth turned around, and instead of the trees he just passed, there was a large tree there. Synth looked past the tree at the rocks that were surrounding it.

Synth turned left and weaved his way through the trees. It wasn’t as dense as before, but he couldn’t see very far ahead. There were trees as far as he could see. Synth continued walking; the vines hanging off a few of the trees scraped his face. Synth rubbed his eyes, and looked back up. He was looking at a river that appeared out of nowhere.

Synth saw movement at the edge of the river. Synth looked down to what looked like a pink featherless bird. It was walking along the edge and passed by Synth without stopping to acknowledge him. The bird walked into a bush and Synth lost sight of it.

‘Well that was weird,’ Shade said.

‘Today just get weirder and weirder,’ Synth said.

Synth looked up to the rushing river. Its current pulled fish and plants further into the forest. The water was clear enough for Synth to see that the bottom was covered in sharp rocks. The trees above shaded Synth from the sun, but Synth could see well enough. The other side of the river was another road. Synth took a step closer and moved his hoof over the river.

‘What are you doing?’ Shade asked.

‘I’m going to cross the river,’ Synth said.

‘You don’t even know if there’s a phoenix on the other side. Let’s look on this side,’ Shade said.

‘I have no idea where I could find a phoenix, but my gut is telling me it’s on the other side,’ Shade said.

‘Let’s go back and ask for some tips, I don’t want to be out here all day,’ Shade said.

Synth turned around towards where he came from. The trees that were there previously were gone. Instead, Synth was look at the giant tree from earlier. Synth looked in every direction, but nothing looked familiar other than the tree. Synth turned towards the river, and was glad it was still there. He sighed and gave the river another look.

‘What are you waiting for? Let’s go back,’ Shade said.

‘Something tells me this forest doesn’t want me going back,’ Synth said.

‘Then how are we supposed to find a phoenix?’ Shade asked.

‘I’m feeling lucky,’ Synth said.

Synth jumped into the river. The current immediately sent him under the water. Synth lifted his head up enough so that he could breathe properly. His body was being pushed by the current. Synth tried to take steps, but the rocks at the bottom gave him caution. Synth pushed himself forward once. The water immediately pushed him further down the river. The other side of the river was getting closer, and so was a waterfall he could see further down the river.

Synth tried to push himself more, but his hooves couldn’t get a good position to stand in. The rocks were cutting into his flesh. The larger ones were stopping his legs. Synth looked back to the waterfall. It was getting closer, and Synth didn’t have much time. He looked near the waterfall, and found a tree limb sticking above the water.

Synth concentrated, and let his magic out. The branch grew in size and Synth managed to latch his teeth onto it. Synth swung himself over to the edge and landed with his legs half into the water. Synth dragged himself all the way onto shore and laid down to rest.

‘So much for lucky,’ Shade said.

‘Hey, I made it across, didn’t I?’ Synth said.

‘And you’ll have to go back when you find a phoenix,’ Shade said.

Synth stood up and knew something was off. He turned around and his eyes widened.

‘I wouldn’t worry about that,’ Synth said.

The river was gone. The only thing that remained was the tree limb that he’d grown. Any sort of path that Synth might have wanted was gone. The trees covered everything. Synth could see well enough to continue further into the forest. Synth passed by young and old trees. He could hear things, and he tried to ignore them. There were moans and creaks, but it was always faint.

Synth stopped when he heard a muffled scream. He turned towards the tree closest to him. It was young, and the bark was still thin. Synth heard something behind him and turned around. It was another young tree. Synth walked a little faster, and the sounds only got more frequent.

“Wait,” A voice said behind Synth.

Synth turned around slowly. His eyes widened when he saw the large tree. In the branches of the tree was the pink bird. Its featherless body was wet, and its eyes were looking at Synth.

“Hello?” Synth asked.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Synth heard.

The pink bird on top jumped off the rock and landed on the floor. He looked at Synth. His eyes looked into Synth’s and its body started to shake. Synth reached over to make sure he was okay, but the bird backed away.

‘What is that thing?’ Shade asked.

‘It looks familiar, but I can’t tell. He looks like he’s in pain right now,’ Synth said.

The bird looked at Synth, his eyes pleading something. Synth watched as his gaze landed onto the bags in Synth’s possession. Synth took off the bags and opened them for the bird to see. Synth watched as the bird walked up and pulled two of the Chillroot petals from his bag. The bird looked back up to Synth.

“You want a fire?” Synth asked, confused.

The Bird slowly nodded. Synth grabbed some branches from the ground and made sure they were dry. He brought them back and placed them atop each other for a campfire. Synth rubbed the petals fast enough for them to ignite. He threw them into the branches and watched as the small flame caught on the sticks.

Synth saw the bird get closer as the flames increased. Synth tried to warn the bird, but he wasn’t fast enough. The bird jumped into the fire and was engulfed instantly. Synth threw some dirt onto the fire, but it was too late. The sticks were half charred and the dirt covered the ashes of the fire. Synth didn’t know if he should walk away, or make a grave for the guy. His decision was made when the ashes started to move.

‘Zombie!’ Shade said.

The ashes rose and separated themselves from the dirt. The ashes formed themselves in the air and rose high above Synth. Synth watched as the ashes grew brighter and the sun landed on them. The ashes turned into a flash of light that made Synth cover his eyes. When he opened them, the figure of the bird returned. Synth’s vision became clearer. He could see what kind of bird it was now. It’s red and orange wings flapped as the bird lowered itself onto the ground. It raised his beak and looked at Synth.

‘Zombie Phoenix! Oh, wait…’ Shade said.

‘It’s just a phoenix,’ Synth said.

“If you don’t mind, could I have a feather?” Synth asked, hoping not have to use force.

The bird nodded poked his head into his wings. He pulled back a long orange feather that he handed to Synth. Synth tried to levitate it towards him, but nothing happened. Synth couldn’t feel anything in his horn, and he started to feel drowsy. Synth grabbed the feather with his mouth and placed it into his bag. He managed to get his bags back on without magic, although his nose scraped the ground. He spit dirt out of his mouth and then looked back at the bird. The bird cawed a few times and Synth stared at him.

“He says thank you,” Synth heard the tree say.

“For what?” Synth asked.

“His reincarnation,” The tree said.

“Well thanks for the feather, I guess we’re even,” Synth said to the phoenix.

The phoenix nodded before flapping his wings and flying away. Synth watched the fiery streak as the Phoenix left. Synth looked back at the tree. His mouth dropped when he saw the leaves falling. The bark of the tree was grey and it was starting to decay. The leaves were falling off exponentially. Synth watched as the tree limped and decayed.

“I thank you as well,” The tree said before Synth heard creaking.

“You’re welcome,” Synth said.

Synth’s eyes lowered as the tree bent over and fell atop empty space. The stump left behind was filled with rings. Synth walked over and tried to guess the age. He couldn’t keep track of the amounts of rings, and gave up. Instead, he walked back in the direction he came from. The forest suddenly seemed a lot darker.
------------

‘Are we there yet?’ Synth asked.

‘For the hundredth time, no. Stop asking,’ Shade said.

‘Are you lost?’ Synth asked.

‘No, this forest is just… random!’ Shade said.

‘Admit it, you’re lost,’ Synth said.

‘Well I wouldn’t be, if you didn’t take us in circles before I took over,’ Synth said.

‘Yeah well, you should have known I wouldn’t be able to get out. You’re always blaming me for getting lost, how do you like it?’ Synth asked.

‘Shut up, I’m trying to… focus,’ Shade said.

Shade tried to walk around a tree, and he scraped his side on the bark. There wasn’t any blood, but the cut looked deep.

‘Careful, if you couldn’t tell, you’re being really clumsy,’ Synth said.

‘Well sorry if the tree moved in my way. It’s his fault, not mine,’ Shade said.

‘What?’ Synth asked.

Shade stopped moving and his head swayed. Synth heard a crack as his body hit a tree. Synth felt himself getting back in control. He tried to stand up, but his legs were caught in the tree roots. Synth pulled it out without ripping off his leg. He stood up again, and he didn’t feel anything wrong.

‘Hey, you okay?’ Synth asked.

There wasn’t a response. Synth asked again but he heard nothing but the forest sounds. The silence was unbearable. The trees looked like they were watching him, and they were. The animal sounds he heard were distant, but they still made his skin crawl. The whistling of wind on the branches only added to his fear.

‘Well I guess I’m leading again,’ Synth said.

Synth took a step forward and tripped over the tree roots. His body slid forward and he hit his horn into a tree. The bark slid apart and Synth pulled his horn out. Synth picked himself up and made sure there wasn’t anything in front of his hooves. He shook off the fall and tried again.

Synth hadn’t gone far before he heard a howl closer than before. Synth walked a little faster and paid more attention to the tree around him. There was only a dark green and muddy brown everywhere he looked. The grass matched the leaves and the mud matched the barks of the trees.

‘Mud?’ Synth asked.

Synth looked around the mud he saw and followed a trail of it to a river. The light was shining off the water and brightening the forest. Synth felt his eyes adjust to the normal light and he walked over to drink. Walking did make you thirsty. Synth peered into the calm water and closed his eyes as he leaned in to drink. He felt the warm rocky sand as it entered his mouth.

‘Sand?’ Synth asked.

Synth opened his eyes and looked at the dirt he was eating. He spit out most of it, but grains of sand were still in his mouth. Synth waited for his eyes to adjust before looking around. There was no river, and the light level was low. Synth felt like an idiot for imagining it. Synth turned and continued ahead. Now the promise of water made him thirsty.

‘I forgot to bring water… darn,’ Synth said.

Synth heard the splash of liquid near him. He looked to his bag, and remembered the potion he brought. He could already feel his lips wet. Synth tried to take those thoughts away. It was for emergencies.

Synth felt his legs burn even more. Now that he was in control again, he remembered how much that had been bothering him. Synth looked back to the potion, his head thinking of reasons to drink it.

‘She did say to drink it if it was burning… close enough,’ Synth said.

Synth grabbed the bottle out of the bag and set it down on the floor. He used his hooves to keep the bottle steady as he took the cap off. He spit it out of his mouth and grabbed the bottle with his hooves. Synth felt the first few drops as it hit his tongue. The ice cold sensation mixed with the feeling of a liquid caused him to shiver.

Synth felt something. In his hooves, he felt a tingling. Synth put the bottle back in his bag and licked his lips. He suddenly had an itching feeling that he forgot something. He brushed it off, whatever it was, it couldn’t have been that important. Synth took a few steps forward as he started to feel his legs. The tingling sensation moved towards his torso, and then up to his neck. Synth felt like his body was really heavy all of a sudden.

It felt weird now that he wasn’t feeling numb anymore, but at the same time it made him feel new. He felt refreshed and ready to take on the forest. Synth took a step forward and he heard a sound. Synth turned around to find Timberwolves staring at him from the trees. Synth felt an icy chill run up his spine.

Synth felt the chill run through his legs and his throat. His vision turned blurry and he couldn’t hear the sounds of the Timberwolves growling. His legs collapsed and he couldn’t move his head. He fell onto the ground looking up. Synth couldn’t think of anything as his body once again went numb. Before his vision turned black, he saw the figure of Nova appear above him.
------------

Synth could hear something softly. It was a mumbling in his ear that he couldn’t make out. Synth tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were closed tight. He opened his mouth to speak and felt something liquid enter his mouth. It was warm and thick. The liquid went down his throat slowly. Synth almost choked from the lack of air. He tried to get up, move around, even cough, but nothing was working.

Synth licked his lips and tried to talk. The only thing that came out was a grunt. Synth could hear better now, as well as his eyelids starting to part. Synth heard the voice return, this time more clear than before.

“Ah, you are awake, I take?” Zecora asked.

“Yes,” Synth said feeling something tickle his throat.

“That is good news, you have had quite the snooze,” Zecora said.

“How long was I out?” Synth asked.

“You were sleeping soundly like a cat, but only for an hour and a half,” Zecora said.

“Wait… where did you find me?” Synth asked, his mind starting to catch up to itself.

“Why where else but the couch, you came inside as such a grouch,” Zecora said.

“But I passed out in the forest…” Synth said.

“You were inside the forest for minutes at most, then you returned with nothing, expecting a good host,” Zecora said.

Synth’s eyes widened and he looked to his bags. The image of the feather returned to him and he tried to bring the bag closer to him. Nothing happened, and Synth instinctively reached to his horn. He didn’t feel anything anywhere in his body. He suddenly felt light and his head shivered. Synth tried to reach his bags but they were leaning on the other side of the couch. It was too far out of reach.

“You seem different than earlier, by chance are you better?” Zecora asked.

“I found the feather you told me to get, it’s in my bag,” Synth said when he gave up reaching for the bag.

Zecora raised an eyebrow before reaching for the bag. She opened it and looked inside. She pulled out the feather Synth remembered. Synth was grateful it wasn’t actually all a dream. Zecora placed the feather into a pestle and mortar before turning back to Synth.

“I did not expect you to find a feather so quickly, perhaps I misjudged your personality,” Zecora said.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Synth asked curiously.

“You seemed too calm and accepting of me, most would question my appearance and then flee,” Zecora said.

“Well I’ve seen lots of zebras before, I don’t mind them,” Synth said.

“That would explain the acceptance, but why the calm trance?” Zecora asked.

“That’s news to me; I’m usually feeling stressed all the time. Like right now, I’m full of questions, and I’m confused,” Synth said.

“You have a special way of hiding those feelings. But may I ask what is it that you’re reminiscing?” Zecora asked.

“Well it felt like I was in the forest longer than what you said. I crossed rivers and went through trees, and you tell me I just came back and went to sleep? I remember passing out in the forest, and then the next thing I know I wake up here,” Synth said.

“Those are some troubling thoughts, indeed. I do not have the answers that you need,” Zecora said.

“I didn’t think you would… maybe I should sleep on it while you get the cure made,” Synth said.

“That is alright. I was going to head into town before night,” Zecora said.

“Why would you go into town?” Synth asked.

“There is something for your potion I need to search for. It only grows on the dirt floor.” Zecora said.

“Well why don’t you dig around here?” Synth asked.

“The area around here is tainted so the flower will not grow. But in town the dirt is fresh and fertile,” Zecora said.

“I see… do you know how to get to town from here?” Synth asked.

“Yes, this is a direct route, it leads you to the way out,” Zecora said.

“You sure know a lot about this forest,” Synth said.

“I will return before the rise of the moon. Rest for now, you will be cured soon,” Zecora said.

Zecora walked away and put a hood over herself. The brown didn’t go with her coat, but it did make Synth feel like he wasn’t the only one using hooded clothing. Synth was about to ask about the hood, but something stopped him. His head no longer felt light. It felt solid and heavy. He lowered his head and looked up to the ceiling. His eyelids slowly closed on themselves. His breathing was no longer forced, and his head was calm.

Synth let his head roll to the side as a chill crawled over him. It wasn’t a freezing chill, but it was inviting. The chill went to his entire body and ended at his throat. He felt a warm feeling in his body, except for his neck. The two temperatures caused Synth to stay awake. He couldn’t fully wake up, and he couldn’t go to sleep.

Synth felt time slowly tick by. His mind was clouded and he didn’t know what to think. His body was freezing and hot, and now he was bored. Or at least, he couldn’t tell if he was bored or not. He didn’t know what was what. Consciousness never left him and the seconds felt like hours. The hours felt like minutes and the minutes weren’t passing by fast enough.

It wasn’t until Synth heard the door slam that he had a thought. Why would she slam her door? And how long has it been since she left? Synth tried to open his eyes, but once again, he couldn’t. It was like he was too tired to do anything now. Synth could hear something, but he couldn’t make it out. He moved his head so he could hear it better. The voice was familiar, but the tone was anger.

Synth heard something hit the floor and something break. A book was being turned somewhere and a liquid was being spilled. A fire was being made, and the glow was showing through Synth’s eyelids. Synth moved his mouth and prepared a question.

“What’s going on?” Synth asked.

“I am preparing the brew, I am sure it will work its magic on you,” Zecora said.

“Okay, so how’d your trip go? Did the others get to know you?” Synth asked.

“No, it did not go as planned. Things got out of hand,” Zecora said.

“Did you see anyone that stood out than the others? Maybe it’s not the town I thought it was,” Synth said.

“On my return there were seven. Through the Poison Joke they ran in,” Zecora said.

“How did they look like? I might know them,” Synth said, grateful for the escape from boredom.

“There was a lavender and a yellow tan, as well as a orange and cyan. The others are a blur, but there were seven I’m sure,” Zecora said.

“Oh… them. I know them,” Synth said.

“Threaten me they’ll do, do they not tolerate zebras too?” Zecora asked, her voice growing softer.

“I’ve traveled a lot, they probably never met a zebra before. I’m sure if the town got to know you, you’d fit right in,” Synth said.

“Thank you for those words of cheer, but they are still driven by fear,” Zecora said.

“Once I’m all better, I’ll put in a good word for you,” Synth said.

“I will await their reaction, but until then I will work on this concoction,” Zecora said.

Synth heard even more metal sounds and beakers hitting each other. His thoughts drifted to the others. He didn’t know too much about them, but they wouldn’t threaten Zecora, would they? It wasn’t in their personalities to judge early, except for maybe Applejack or Rainbow Dash. But even they know when to ask questions first.

Synth heard the puff of smoke and a smell that itched his nose. Synth opened his eyes when the scent registered. It smelled like rotting flesh. Synth would have gagged, but he was sure he didn’t have anything to throw up. Instead, Synth watched as the vial full of the awful smelling substance came close to his mouth.

Synth reluctantly opened his mouth and let the liquid pour in. As soon as it rolled into his throat, Synth felt the effects. His head started to clear up and his taste buds worked full force. The liquid got stronger, but so did the effects. Synth felt the energy return to him. His ears twitched and his torso shivered.

“These effects are permanent, you will be fully cured in a moment,” Zecora said.

Synth didn’t respond as the potion reached his hooves. Synth rubbed them against each other and was glad for the feeling. He sat up on the couch and rested his head back. He breathed in the air again and his nose twitched. He felt something different. It was like he wasn’t done getting back his feeling. He felt a sharp pain in his hoof. He looked up to Zecora with a confused look.

“What is the problem? Do you not have feeling again?” Zecora asked.

“No, I have feeling alright… it’s just-,” Synth blacked out as his body leaned forward.
-----------

Zecora laid Synth back down on the couch, but she couldn’t help feeling worried about his condition. He was twitching and his mouth was mumbling words. The fever he had was at a steady 120 degrees Fahrenheit. She would be surprised if he survived. But what had her confused was that he hadn’t passed out normally.

Synth’s body hit the ground with no force at all. When Zecora tried to help him up, he stood up on his own. He shook his head and looked around like he was confused. Instead of getting back on the couch, he ran to the door. He didn’t get far before he fell and clutched his hooves. He rolled in pain before letting his head roll to the side. Only the faint breathing told her that he was still alive.

Zecora had waited a few seconds before inspecting him. She took his temperature and his pulse. Other than the high Temperature, he was perfectly normal. SO she put him on the couch and wet a towel. She placed the towel on his forehead and made some tea. She drank it sip by sip until the moon rose. Then she went into her bed and hoped that Synth would wake up in the morning.
------------

Feelings. Synth had them. He knew exactly what he was feeling. For the first time in a long time he wished he didn’t. All he could feel was pain. In every joint and every tendon there was pain. All he could imagine was that his body was being cut bit by bit. But it was also inside of his body. He couldn’t sleep. His eyes were open, but he was sure they were bloodshot. The dark room he was in was Zecora’s. Synth couldn’t scream from the pain, he couldn’t even breathe without feeling pain.

Synth could hear his breathing raspy and painful. Moving his mouth was out of the question, and he was getting thirsty. He didn’t know how long he was staring at the ceiling, and he just didn’t care. Morning would eventually come, and Zecora would give him something to ease the pain. Hopefully, that is.

Synth tried keeping his body still, but he could still feeling the stabbing and searing pain that was all over his body. When he first woke up, the pain was only in his lower torso and his legs. Now it reached his entire head. Synth could see something change in the room. He couldn’t tell what it was until it hit him. Literally. A white paw scraped his face.

Synth felt the wind was knocked out of him in that soft hit. The pain escalated further to the point Synth went blind for a second. When he felt the pain die down, he noticed the white figure on the side of his vision. Synth tried to turn to look at it, and as a result his neck was on fire.

‘Maybe you shouldn’t move…’ Shade said moving more into the center of Synth’s vision.

‘What’s going on?’ Synth was surprised that talking in his mind wasn’t using any kind of muscle at all, although his brain was throbbing erratically.

‘It’s probably a side-effect of something you drank. I told you not to trust her…’ Shade said.

‘It was the best chance I had. Besides, she probably didn’t know this would happen. It might not even be her fault,’ Synth said.

‘Sure it isn’t, and I’m not a talking bunny,’ Shade said.

‘About that… why?’ Synth asked.

‘Why what? Why am I a rabbit right now?’ Shade asked.

‘Yeah, care to explain?’ Synth asked.

‘Well You kept blacking out, and whenever you did I had to come out. So instead of switching back and forth…’ Shade said.

‘You let me take the pain… I hate you,’ Synth said.

‘Hey that kind of pain isn’t for a little rabbit,’ Shade said.

‘I’ll make sure to tell Zecora we’ll be having rabbit soup soon,’ Synth said.

‘Do I taste good? I guess I’ll be asking myself that for a while…’ Shade said.

‘Never mind that, how long will this go on?’ Synth asked.

‘If I remember right, it should end at sunrise,’ Shade said.

‘And when is that?’ Synth asked.

‘You’re asking me? I can’t even reach the window…’ Shade said.

‘You’re useless…’ Synth said.

The silence right after could have gone on for minutes, or hours. Synth had no way of knowing and nothing happened. Sometime during the silence, he felt a change. He could feel that his hooves were on something soft now. He could feel the couch cushions underneath them. Synth could slowly feel a wave of heat form over his lower body.

Synth moved his legs, and sure enough, he no longer felt the pain. He could feel the couch material underneath him. When he tried to move his head though, pain went through his neck. He used his forehooves to gauge how far up he could feel pain. After many failed attempts, he found it had stopped at about half way up his torso.

Synth waited again, and this time he was awarded by another sight. The sun had made its way through the window. The rays of light hit the rabbit in front of him. Shade looked down and awaited Synth’s movement. Synth wanted to stand up, but he could still feel the pain. He inwardly sighed and continued waiting.

Synth could hear somewhere in the room was a clock. It ticked away the seconds and left him impatient. Not only that, but the seconds didn’t feel like they were in intervals. He could hear a tick come a long time before another, and once he thought he heard two ticks repeatedly. He tried to get the sound out of his head, but it was all he could hear. Not even Shade’s breathing distracted him from the clock.

Synth was saved from his madness when he heard hoof steps nearby. The quiet receded and Synth was sure someone else was in the room. He heard Shade jump off the couch and something in the room cling with something else. Synth could hear mumbling and whispers coming from a place out of his vision. He tried to turn his head, and found that it budged without causing too much pain.

Synth rested his vision on Zecora who was looking down at Shade. She had an eyebrow raised, but that changed when she noticed Synth was watching. Her grim look turned into a smile and she rushed over to the couch.

“You have made it through the night, might I ask are you alright?” Zecora asked.

Synth opened his mouth to answer and realized his pain was gone. He didn’t notice as a wave of warmth went over him. He smiled when he moved his body and wasn’t in pain. He stood up and looked at his hooves, his smile getting smaller.

“Your smile tells a story, but your emotions make it blurry,” Zecora said.

“Oh, I’m alright. It’s just that… my hooves don’t look like it,” Synth said.

Synth showed her his hooves. Zecora nodded, and her smile disappeared.

“The night must have brought much suffering, but at least you are living,” Zecora said.

“Wait… you knew what I was going through at night? Why didn’t you help?” Synth asked, confused.

“Nothing I could do, except wait for morning too,” Zecora said.

“How did you know what would happen?” Synth asked.

“The potion I mixed up last night, it tries to make things right,” Zecora said.

“Wait… make things right? What does that mean?” Synth asked, confused on her choice of words.

“The anesthetic Karilent takes away, but an overdose lasts for many a day. When you are cured of this ailment, what it wants is past payment,” Zecora said.

“Let me get this straight… how much do I owe you?” Synth asked.

“No, you have yet to understand, come with me I have a book on the land,” Zecora said.

Synth followed Zecora into a separate room and waited while she looked for a book. When she pulled it out, Synth didn’t know what he was looking at. It was an old and dusty book with ancient scribbles and symbols on it. The words on the front were faded, but he managed to pick out Zebra in the middle of it.

“This book on my countries’ herbs, different from this countries’ I’m sure,” Zecora said.

“This looks really old, how long have you had it?” Synth asked, turning the cover over.

“It is a keepsake from my journey. How long, is a forgotten memory,” Zecora said.

“Well, where do I begin?” Synth asked.

“You should start here, the information is quite clear,” Zecora said.

Almost magically, Zecora turned the book to the right pages in one try. Synth’s jaw dropped when he saw the small text that covered the page. Pictures and notes were on the sides of the pages, as well as an alphabetical organization on the sides. Synth looked through the names, and found a handful of plants he remembered, while many others were a mystery. His eyes landed on Karilent halfway down the page.
Karilent

“ Yeah, that’s pretty clear. I bet you could read that since you were a filly. But ponies are a different story…” Synth said.

“These symbols are not hard to understand, here let me give you a hand,” Zecora said.

“No, that’s okay. Just give me a second. My old teacher taught me how to read these foreign languages… I’m just not that great at it,” Synth said.

While Synth wrote his translation on a sheet of paper beside the book, Zecora observed.

“Is your talent in foreign affairs? Because of this language, most are unaware,” Zecora said.

“No, that’s not it. It’s just helpful when I go to separate countries. I used to go with my colleagues and teacher to look for special plants. Now I’m all alone, although I’ll have to continue searching,” Synth said.

“Ah, then you are like me. I have crossed through the land and gone over the sea,” Zecora said.

“Well what where you after? You couldn’t have just decided to go one day,” Synth said.

“I was in search of a better place. My home was in a battle between its own race,” Zecora said.

“Oh, a Civil War? That’s harsh, did you all make it out okay,” Synth asked.

“We fared no better in the tough terrain, and our kind was not allowed onto any train,” Zecora said.

“That’s sounds pretty rough, how long has it been since then? Wouldn’t you want to get back to your family?” Synth asked.

“My family and I have long since parted, they moved back to the town where reconstruction has started,” Zecora said.

“Great, I’ve almost gotten it translated, anything else you want to tell me about yourself?” Synth asked.

“I have not much to tell, my life has been repetitive and well,” Zecora said.

“What about any friends, do they live around here?” Synth asked.

“Sadly that is something I lack, ponies would ignore me and turn their back,” Zecora said.

“That’s not very true, I’m here aren’t I?” Synth asked.

“It is as they say, a debt is paid in more than one way,” Zecora said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Synth asked.

“Your life has been saved, so your friendship you gave,” Zecora said, slightly less complicated.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have even known you lived in these woods if I didn’t need to be cured. So I guess you have a point. Don’t worry, I’m sure if the town gets to know you, you’ll find a friend somewhere,” Synth said.

“I hope you are right, for I fear that I might cause a fight,” Zecora said.

“It can’t be that bad,” Synth said.

There was a loud thump as the door almost collapsed on itself. The both of them looked up and waited. There wasn’t another sound, so Zecora stood up to check it out. She went to the door, and curiosity got the better of Synth. He watched as the door opened to reveal a lump of yellow and red. Zecora dragged in the lump by its tail and shut the door.

Zecora looked to Synth in confusion, and Synth looked back. They waited until the lump moved and uncurled its body. The head poked out and Zecora examined the red marks and bruises. She took the slow moving body of the young filly and placed her on the couch. Synth finished his translation and stood up to see what was wrong.

“Is everything okay?” Synth asked.

“This young pony is scraped and bruised, but she will recover soon,” Zecora said.

“Who is she? I haven’t seen her before,” Synth said.

“I have something to help her heal, and it will give her less pain to feel,” Zecora said.

Synth watched as Zecora gave the young filly a liquid. Zecora let it slip down the young filly’s throat, and she reflexively swallowed. Synth waited for a few seconds as the young filly began to stir. Synth noticed that she couldn’t have been any older than Vera. And the bow in her hair looked good on her.

“Perhaps when she awakes, it is better if she sees a friendly face,” Zecora said.

Synth was going to object, but Zecora stepped out of the way as the filly’s eyelids opened. The filly was rubbing her head and mumbling but she hadn’t noticed him yet. Synth opened his mouth to speak and she was wide awake.

“Oh hello mister! Where am I?” She asked, looking around. Zecora must have left the room, because even Synth didn’t see her.

“You’re in good hands. Zecora found you outside so she helped you get better. You looked pretty bad, but your better now, right Zecora?” Synth asked, hoping she’d step out of wherever she was hiding.

“Did you say Zecora? You know Zecora?” She asked.

“Yeah, I just met her, and she’s pretty nice. My name’s Synth by the way,” Synth said.

“You’re Synth!? My sister told me all about you!” the filly said.

“Really, Who’s your sister?” Synth asked, oblivious to the accent.

“Why, it’s Applejack of course, she told me how you’re sick and that until you get better I should stay away. My name’s Applebloom and I’ve been waiting to meet you,” Applebloom said.

“I didn’t know Applejack had a sister, but I can see the resemblance. It’s okay, I’m not sick anymore. Zecora fixed me up,” Synth said.

“So where is Zecora? Ah want to meet her so I can figure out why every pony’s so afraid a her,” Applebloom said.

“She’s around here somewhere, she’ll come out eventually. Until then, why don’t you tell me why everypony’s afraid of Zecora?” Synth asked.

“They say she’s evil and does all this curse stuff. Pinkie made a song about it, want to hear it?” Applebloom said.

“I’m good, I’ll probably hear it when we go explain the problem to them,” Synth said.

“What problem? You mean about what happened to my sister and her friends?” Applebloom asked.

“No that’s…wait what problem?” Synth asked.

“I don’t know, you’re the one that was gonna do the explaining,” Applebloom said.

“Um… nevermind, let’s just go tell the others that Zecora doesn’t use curses and that she’s not evil,” Synth said.

“If it’s not a curse, then why do my sister’s friends look all silly?” Applebloom asked.

“What is this I hear? Do repeat that, dear,” Zecora said.

“Look who decided to show up,” Synth said turning to Zecora.

“I was going to remain quiet and await your departure, but those words fuel my curiosity you capture,” Zecora said.

“Zecora!” Applebloom jumped, and inched away.

“Do not be afraid, my dear. I mean no harm, is that clear?” Zecora asked.

Applebloom nodded her head, and Synth waited for what will happen next.

“Could you please explain the events of today, start with your friends and then coming this way,” Zecora said.

“Well, when I woke up, my sister was jumping on my head. She was so small, I almost didn’t see her. Then I took her to Twilight’s house and I saw the others. The all looked silly and Fluttershy had this weird voice,” Applebloom said.

“What do you mean by weird?” Synth asked.

“It was deep, and it sounded like a guy’s voice,” Applebloom said.

‘I’d love to see that,’ Shade said.

“Okay, continue,” Synth said.

‘Me too, I should get back fast,’ Synth said.

“Well, when they were arguing about why all the weird stuff was happening, I snuck away. Applejack tried to follow me, but I left her on a branch. You should a seen her face. She was redder than the ripest apple on harvest day,” Applebloom said.

“You left her… on a branch… in the Everfree Forest?” Synth asked.

“Yeah, I guess it wasn’t the best thing to do, but she kept telling me to turn back. I just had to see if Zecora could help them,” Applebloom said.

“If this curse is truly what I believe, I will need to shortly leave,” Zecora said.

“Just a sec, finish your story,” Synth said, finding today’s events hilarious.

“Okay, well when I left Applejack, I kept running, and then it went dark. I just kept running cause it felt like something was following me. Then the last thing I remembered, I hit something,” Applebloom said.

“You hit the door?” Synth asked.

“I guess so. I didn’t know where I was going, so I think I had my eyes closed,” Applebloom said.

‘Well today couldn’t get any better…’ Shade said.

“I believe I know the cause of your friends condition. I will need to mix a brew to help their situation,” Zecora said.

“Great, you work on that, and I’ll get back to my translation,” Synth said, starting to walk.

“No, I can not create the brew, if the ingredients aren’t collected soon,” Zecora said.

“And that means…” Synth asked.

“You will need to find the cure for the Poison Joke, or the full effects of the plants they’ll invoke,” Zecora said.

“Well, I’ll be back… eventually,” Synth said taking the piece of paper and walking towards the door.

“Oh, can I come? I promise I won’t be scared,” Applebloom said.

“Wouldn’t you rather stay here with Zecora? She’d make better company, and you’d be safer here,” Synth said.

“ But I want to prove I’m brave. My sister treats me like I’m little, and I want to show her I’m big now,” Applebloom said.

Synth sighed, he was probably going to regret his decision. “Alright you can come, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Synth said.

“Very well, if all is said and done, I will let you both have your fun,” Zecora said walking into a different room.

“Let’s get going, then. I’ll help you look too. I’m good at finding things, what are we looking for?” Applebloom asked.

“Most of this stuff is common, but keep an eye out for any orange plants,” Synth said.

“If there’s two of us looking, it won’t take us too long,” Applebloom said.
------------
(One hour later)

“What’s this?” Applebloom asked sniffing the tree bark.

“Moss,” Synth said.

“Then why’s it green?” Applebloom asked.

“Moss is usually green,” Synth said.

“Do we need moss?” Applebloom asked.

“No,” Synth said.

“What about these leaves?” Applebloom asked.

“Are they orange?” Synth asked.

“No, they’re green, are they made of moss?” Applebloom asked.

“No, they’re just tree leaves. Look for orange,” Synth said.

Synth stopped at a tree he was sure he’d seen before. At this point, he might as well admit they were lost. They had found nearly all the ingredients in the first few minutes. Synth should have turned around and went back, but he wanted the last ingredient. It was rare to find in a forest, and it was common in a lot of rocky areas.

Synth didn’t want to stay in the forest, so he tried to backtrack, but ended up going in circles. He kept his eyes on alert for any color. Other than green, he could only see the darkness around him. It wasn’t that he wasn’t afraid of the forest, but he could defend himself well enough to handle anything the forest threw at him.

“So why do we need these ingredients again?” Applebloom asked, looking at her pouch where they were keeping the ingredients.

“It’s to cure the Poison Jokes,” Synth said.

“What’s Poison Joke?” Applebloom said.

“It’s a bad plant to touch. If I remember right, it makes you the opposite of what you are. The cure is pretty simple though, you have to bathe in the ingredients,” Synth said.

“Is it really that bad? My sister blamed all those weird things on Zecora, not some plant,” Applebloom said.

“Zecora is a little misunderstood, but she’s got a kind heart,” Synth said.

Synth saw a flash of yellow, and stopped. He backed up and squinted his eyes in the direction. Far away, there was a light. Synth picked a route through the trees and weaved his way over. Applebloom following and humming a tune. Synth couldn’t believe how much she could talk. It didn’t help that the rest of the forest was deathly silent. Predators would hear them a mile away.

Synth pushed the leaves back and saw where the light came from. They made it back to Zecora’s house. The light came from her window, and doorway that was open. Synth wasn’t sure if they had shut it on their way out, but Zecora wouldn’t leave it open for no reason.

“Look, we’re back. Why don’t we give Zecora what we got, and see if that’s enough,” Applebloom said.

Synth spotted something in the corner of his eye. Hidden by the light in the window, there was a orange flower growing at the foot of a tree. He walked towards it, while Applebloom moved towards the door.

“Go on, I’ll catch up. I think I found the flower we were missing,” Synth said.

“Alright, see you inside,” Applebloom said.

Synth walked up to the orange flower. The roots were connecting to the tree, obviously taking some of its nutrients. He gathered the flower and the roots, and then spread some of the tiny seeds over the floor. He hoped it would encourage more plants to grow there.

‘You have to see this, I didn’t think this would happen,’ Shade said.

‘See what? And why have you been quiet for so long?’ Synth asked.

‘I hid in her house, but that’s not important. Zecora’s in a fight,’ Shade said.

‘With what?’ Synth asked, unable to picture the zebra in combat.

‘That’s the best part, its Twilight,’ Shade said.

‘What?’ Synth asked. He had started to move to help, but he stopped in his tracks.

‘Yup, you’re missing all the fun,’ Shade said.

Synth shook his head and raced to the door. He turned the corner and entered, just as Twilight jumped in front of them. He stopped himself, before he took out Applebloom.

The ponies in the room looked up to the ceiling, and Synth walked around the room to a good vantage spot. They didn’t notice him enter. He looked at the others, while they thought back to a past memory. Other than the stick in her mouth, Rainbow Dash didn’t look that different. And if Synth didn’t know any better, Fluttershy was the same as ever.

“It was a warning, about that blue plant. It’s called Poison Joke,” Applebloom said, looking to Synth to make sure she said that right. Synth nodded and Zecora nodded as well.

“That plant is like Poison Oak, but its results are like a joke,” Zecora said.

“What in the hay does that mean?” Applejack asked from atop Zecora’s head.

Synth didn’t know where the voice was coming from, until Zecora’s eyes looked up to the tiny cowgirl on her head.

“It means this plant does not breed wrath, instead this plant just wants a laugh,” Zecora said.

“Will somepony please talk normal…?” Applejack said.

Synth opened his mouth to speak, but Twilight already started.

“I think what she’s saying is when we ran in to save Applebloom, we ran into the Poison Joke. All our problems are just little jokes it played on us,” Twilight said.

“Little jokes? Very funny,” Applejack said.

“Okay, fine. But what about the cauldron?” Rainbow asked.

“And the Chanting?” Fluttershy added, to which Synth missed the next few statements. He had to admit it, he wasn’t expecting anything like that. He almost burst out laughing from her voice. Although, he made no sound out loud, inside he was howling.

“The cure for Poison Joke is a simple old natural remedy, you just got to take a bubble bath,” Applebloom said.

“But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn’t find anything, what book has this natural remedy?” Twilight asked.

“Here is the book you see, sad that you lack it in your library,” Zecora said.

“Actually, I do have this book. I didn’t look inside because the title was so weird,” Twilight said.

Zecora opened the book and showed Twilight the contents. Synth decided he’d had enough, and began a slow departure to the other room. Surprisingly, no one noticed as he slipped away and into the other room. Synth shut the door softly, and tried to make as little sound as possible. He heard muffled voices on the other side, but concentrated on the last few words of the translation.

Synth finally finished and read what he translated.
Karilent- Anesthetic that creates a numb feeling, if used properly. Overuse can cause motor loss and burning pain. If treated immediately, it will not cause too much damage. Although any pain endured while numb will be dealt back stronger than before. Not to be taken lightly, as the ingredients can only be found in the northern plains and rocky hillsides of the Saddle Arabia Mountain Ranges.

Synth nodded his understanding. A lot of work to find out what payment meant. At least now he could get back home, and do other things. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to go through this again. Synth put the translation in his bag as a momento, and slipped the book back where it was.

Synth was about to leave, but there was something he felt he was forgetting. He looked into the corner of the room and found a white rabbit giving him the eye.

‘Why’d you leave so early? I wanted to see what would happen,’ Shade said.

‘Too late now, by now everyone’s packing up and leaving. Let’s just go home and enjoy the rest of the day,’ Synth said.

‘I’m staying out here, I haven’t been like this in a while,’ Shade said.

‘Whatever, let’s just go,’ Synth said.

Synth opened the door, and heard the squeak that came out. Most of the room was empty, although Twilight was talking with Zecora while the others were outside the door. Twilight and Zecora turned to look at him when he entered.

“Synth? How long have you been here?” Twilight asked.

“He came before the problem arose, and he’s a factor that led the problem to a close,” Zecora said.

“What she said,” Synth replied.

“Wait, you saw all that?” Twilight asked.

“Not all of it, but I got the gist of it,” Synth said.

“So how long have you known Zecora wasn’t evil?” Twilight asked.

“I never did, but apparently you did?” Synth asked.

“Well yeah, after what happened to us, I think you would have thought the same,” Twilight said.

“Maybe, but I had my own problems to get through,” Synth said.

“What problems?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll tell you later, where are you all headed?” Synth asked.

“To town, to get the last ingredient Zecora needed,” Twilight said.

“You mean this one?” Synth asked. He pulled out the orange flower he’d taken.

“That plant is not the one I seek, its twin is not unique,” Zecora said.

“So, this isn’t the right one?” Synth asked.

“No the proper flower may not be in this forest. I suggest we ask the town’s florist,” Zecora said.

“Okay… so you send me out to find a flower that’s probably not there… why do I feel a little déjà vu again?” Synth asked.

“How about you both explain the rest of the story on the way back?” Twilight asked.

“Might as well, it’s a long walk back,” Synth said.

“Not really, a few minutes at most,” Twilight said.

“Oh, maybe I should use the path next time…” Synth said, remembering when he got there.

“You… didn’t use the path?” Twilight asked.

“Nope…” Synth said, walking out of the room to follow the others before they got too far ahead.
------------
(Days later)

“It’s amazing. You’re feeling better now?” The Doctor asked Synth.

“Yeah, Zecora healed me up. You should go see if she can’t teach you what she knows,” Synth said.

“I’m sure she’s very skilled, and I might have to do just that. But could you answer me one question?” The Doctor asked.

“Sure, ask away,” Synth said.

“Why don’t you let me treat you in the hospital? It’s not professional for me to come over every time,” The doctor said.

“I’ll tell you about it while we play,” Synth said.

“Play what?” The doctor asked.

“Pinkie’s coming over. She asked if you’re still up for Candyland,” Synth said.

Author's Notes:

Sorry that took longer than I expected. I’ve been working on a little side project that I’ll post soon. It’ll give you a better idea that I can’t do any kind of serious story without adding some bad comedy. It’s not going to update very often, but it gives me an excuse for late posted chapters.
I’ll blame my editor for other things now, like bad rhymes or inconsistency in the chapters themselves.
I should really get back to my reading... But my drawing skills are improving... sorta.
Next Time: Swarm of the Century, how is Synth going to spend his time now? Is Vera ever going to get the spotlight again? Find out next time!