Summer was Ponyville's favorite season. The animals roamed free and scurried around on the greenest grass in all of Equestria. The sun shined through every window, even if your blinds were closed the room still felt warm, as if the sunshine was burning right through the curtains. It was the perfect atmosphere for a long walk.
Zecora always thought this, and it seemed not that long ago that she was not able to walk through Ponyville without being avoided or even hated. However that had all changed thanks to a bright young mare named Twilight Sparkle. She had made it possible for Zecora to live a life outside of The Everfree Forest, yes it seemed like ever since Twilight arrived in Ponyville things only got better for everypony.
Usually Zecora liked to keep to herself and stay in her hut in The Everfree Forest, but she could never resist walking through Ponyville on days like these. Besides there were way to many trees in the forest, it blocked the sunshine that Zecora loved so much.
Today she was on her way to make cupcakes with Pinkie Pie. "I find this rather strange. That the bubbly pony requested me by name." Zecora was in fact invited to Sugarcube Corner by Pinkie Pie.
As Zecora opened the door Pinkie Pie was already waiting for her. "Oh good you showed up, quick help me make frosting. I need frosting on the double."
Zecora was somewhat confused. "Pinkie Pie why did you call for me, you are baking as fast as three ponies."
Pinkie Pie groaned. "Zecora trust me right now, you need to focus on making frosting. Preferably strawberry, with chocolate chips in it." Pinkie Pie started to drool after mentioning the chocolate chips.
Zecora was never much of a baker, but she was good at following a recipe out of a book. She was after all, a potion brewer. So using her skills Zecora managed to make so much frosting that it out numbered the amount of cupcakes Pinkie Pie made. Although Pinkie was happy to eat anything left out.
Pinkie Pie, who was still licking frosting off her face, told Zecora her next assignment. "Alright Zecora, now you need to go get streamers, lots and lots of streamers."
Zecora stomped her hoof on the ground. "You still need to tell me why, only then will I continue to try."
Pinkie Pie finally decided to spill her guts. "Alright Zecora I'll tell you. Tonight I'm throwing Twilight a Thank You for being a Smarty Pants Pony and Always Saving our Butts party. And I figured you would want to help because of the things she has done for you. Now would you please go buy enough streamers to fill this bag."
The bag was big enough for Princess Celestia to fit in but Zecora wasn't paying much attention to Pinkie Pie at that moment. Zecora had now been an active Ponyville community member for about six months.
"Six months without being feared, soon enough it will be a year. Without Twilight this would have never passed, I would still be alone like I was in the past. A party for Twilight is a grand plan, and to make it special, I will do all I can." Zecora was done thinking, now she was ready to help.
Pinkie Pie however disagreed. She ran up and stuck her face right into Zecora's. Pinkie started to closely study Zecora, as if she knew something. Then she spoke.
"Hey silly, you should have just told me you were tired." Pinkie started shooing Zecora out the door. "You know what, you need to get some rest. Look the party will be here at Sugarcube Corner, just come back at six o' clock."
Before Zecora could respond she found herself staring at the now locked door of Sugarcube Corner. "And If You See Twilight Don't Say Anything! It's A Suprise Party!"
It appeared Zecora's help was no longer needed, so she decided to move on.
Pinkie Pie was right though. Anyone who got a close enough look at Zecora could notice that she did look very tired. Her eyes looked like they had not even blinked once during the night. She had also lost some significant weight, and this made her neck rings somewhat loose, well loose enough so that they would clang like wind chimes whenever she moved slightly faster than walking speed.
Zecora however was not ready to go back home and sleep on a day like this. All this talk about Twilight made Zecora decide that she wanted to go see her old friend. So Zecora decided that this is were she would go next.
As Zecora continued to walk she couldn't stop thinking about what Pinkie Pie had said. It was true that the pink pony was a lot smarter than she let on, but the fact that she hit the nail right on the head suprised Zecora. "Is it really true what she had said, that my face can be easily read."
The library was how it usually was, with Twilight making a mess and Spike right behind her cleaning it up. Twilight was blazing through every word of her books so fast that she didn't have time to put them back on the shelf, guess who had to pick them up. "Twilight Zecora's here!"
Twilight quickly stopped her reading and peered over her shoulder, it was true, there stood the zebra smiling at her. "Hello Zecora, why are you here to see me today?"
Zecora walked towards Twilight. She took time to look around the room, there were stacked books in one corner, and there was also a chemistry set with some strange blue liquid filling one of the test tubes.
There was a desk with a piece of paper on it in another corner. It appeared to be a checklist of tasks to accomplish for the day.
- Continue to study element spell. *can I craft things like water and fire out of thin air*
- Read book on Discord. *make sure that creep stays a statue*
- Give Owlowicious a bath. *very time consuming*
- Meet Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. *gave here a Pinkie Promise, most important task today*
- Make checklist for tomorrow
Twilight offered her a chair and told Zecora to make herself comfortable. "Something you want to talk about Zecora?"
Zecora looked at the floor before asking. "Twilight take a look at me, and tell me what it is you see."
Twilight got a confused look on her face. "You look like you always do, why is there some kind of problem I'm not seeing?"
Zecora paused for a brief moment. She looked like she was about to have a huge weight lifted off of her. Twilight could help her. She always makes things right.
"Twilight Sparkle my closest friend, I haven't slept well since who knows when. In my home in the forest, dark feelings keep me from rest. I am anxious in my own home, and with these strange feelings I'm alone. In my sleep dreams keep me awake, I think my safety is at stake. A foreboding shiver runs up my spine, whenever I enter that home of mine. In my nightmares I see an awful fate, but you can help me it is not too late. I do not believe this concerns just me, my fate may be shared by all ponies."
Twilight gave Zecora a frightened look. It was then that she saw the same tired frightened zebra that Pinkie Pie saw. "What fate, do you know whats going to happen?"
"Unfortunately I know nothing more, I don't know what evil has in store. Oh Twilight no brew can help me now, is it possible you can help me sleep somehow?" Zecora almost cried as she spoke, the terror in her tone matched that of a fillies who had just had a nightmare. Twilight knew only one way to help her friend, use a sleeping spell.
"All right Zecora I can help you get some sleep. We can do something about this fate later, but right now you need to get some rest. I can tell."
Zecora accepted Twilight's help, although she was still scared to go back to her home.
Twilight looked at Zecora and started to concentrate. "Just hold still Zecora and this will be over soon." Soon Twilight's horn was surrounded by a purple aura. The aura manifested itself into a ball and shot right into the middle of Zecora's forehead. Zecora's eyes turned a purple color before reverting back to their original blue hue. "All right Zecora, you're gonna need to go home right away. You only have an hour before the spell takes its effect."
Zecora's eyes were already feeling heavy by the time she thanked Twilight and took her leave.
Spike had just finally got all Twilight's books picked up and went over to talk to her. "Twilight are you sure a sleep spell was a good idea?"
Twilight replied in a confident tone. "Relax Spike I used to use them on you all the time when you were a baby. It's a beginners spell."
"But what about her nightmares Twilight, and this so called disasterous fate we all have."
"Look Spike until she knows what this fate is we can't do anything about it, and the sleep spell is supposed to enduce deep sleep. If she is in a deep sleep she's less likely to have a nightmare."
Spike still looked unsure, Twilight had seen this look before. It was usually followed by folded arms and the silent treatment. "I just don't know why you had to be so rude."
Twilight was stricken by Spike's words. "What are you talking about I wasn't rude."
"Look all I'm saying is maybe we should have invited her to stay here."
Twilight tried to deny it but she soon found herself slamming her hoof into her face and groaning, whenever Spike was right she always felt so ignorant. "You're right, you're exactly right. I need to go get her now!"
Twilight rushed out of the library and looked all around. "Zecora! Where did you go!" There was no answer. "Zecora come back!"
It was no use, she probably rushed home so she wouldn't pass out on the street. Twilight walked back in defeated.
Twilight saw Spike, his mood was unchanged. "It was a beginners spell. I thought nothing of it. She'll sleep the rest of the day away though. And tomorrow she'll be well rested and I'll invite her back and we will figure out what this fate is."
"Yeah but Twilight I real..."
Twilight cut Spike off, "you know what Spike, Zecora is an adult and she can take care of herself ok! Now please stop rubbing it in! "
"She's going to be fine." Twilight's tone was not a confident one.
And with that Twilight was done. She decided not to think anymore about the issue. Spike had also given up. Maybe Twilight had done the right thing anyway. She was after all the magic expert of the house.
About an hour later it was time for Owlowicious' bath. Of course it took a while to find the clever owl, somehow he always knew when it was bathtime.
Finding him was not always the issue though, the actual bath was the difficult part. After being scratched for about the twentieth time Twilight really wished she had asked for Fluttershy's help.
"Come on Owlowicious, I have to be at Sugarcube Corner in a half hour. You are not making this easier for any of us." The owl however had already decided to fight for every second he was in the water.
Somehow through all the shrieking and water splashing Twilight heard a familiar sound.
*THUD*
Twilight knew it was the kind of thud that only a crashing pegasus could make. "I recognize that thud. Spike finish here I have to go check it out."
The dragon did not see this as a fair plan however. "Wait Twilight Don't Leave Me Alone With Him!" But it was too late, in about five seconds time Twilight could hear the familiar sounds of Owlicious' shrieks along with Spike's frenzied cries attempting to regain control. "No Don't Claw Those I Need Them To See, OW!"
Twilight opened the front door to find the source of the thud. It was just who she expected it to be.
"Hello Twilight, Derpy Hooves here, Mailmare for Ponyville."
Twilight always enjoyed Derpy's enthusiastic attitude. It seemed like there was never a time where she was unhappy. "I know who you are Derpy you don't have to be so formal around me, we're friends."
Derpy smiled even wider. "Well okey dokey then Twilight, here's your mail. Sorry it took longer than expected but Pinkie Pie asked for a favor. You understand don't you?"
Twilight had recieved three letters from Derpy, and indeed there was one from Pinkie. Twilight started to talk in a sly tone, "yeah Derpy, I'll forgive you if you answer something for me. Have you seen Zecora today?"
Derpy was always happy to help, whenever she knew she could succesfully help someone her smile would grow. "Yeah Twilight I saw her going into the forest today. She looked tired, she was probably going home to get some rest."
Twilight sighed in relief, "looks like she made it home."
"Well if thats all you need Twilight then I better get going, I'll see you tomorrow." Twilight watched the gray pegasus take off, she flew every which way but straight.
Twilight put away the two bills and focused her attention on the pink letter. She opened it and read what it said.
Hey!
Stop Reading Your Books and Come to Sugarcube Corner!!
Your Friend.
Pinkamena "Pinkie" Diane Pie
Twilight laughed to herself. "Pinkie uses her formal name, but she puts a period instead of a comma after Your Friend. Just another mystery about Pinkie Pie that I will never be able to solve."
The mare's thoughts were suddenly interrupted, "Twilight Anytime You Want To Help!"
Twilight ran back up the stairs to see Spike in the bathtub and Owlowicious perched on top of his head. "Don't ask how it happened, because even I'm not exactly sure how it happened."
Twilight snickered a little before finally speaking. "Come on Spike, we'll get Fluttershy to give him a bath tomorrow. So dry yourself off, we have to go to Sugarcube Corner."
Usually in summertime the night doesn't show it's face until maybe eight o' clock, but tonight it was six o' clock and the sun was already setting.
As Twilight approached Sugarcube Corner she noticed that all the lights that were previously on were being turned off. "I wonder just what Pinkie has planned. I mean, I know it's a party. But whats the occasion?"
Spike started running towards the door. "I'm ready to find out."
Once inside Twilight saw just how dark Sugarcube Corner really was. Absolutely no lights were on, and no light came in through any of the windows. Twilight began playing along.
"Helloooooooo? Pinkie Pie are you here? I got your letter. Hello?"
"SUPRISE!!!" All of the lights turned on at once, and Twilight saw that what looked like everypony in Ponyville gathered up inside Sugarcube Corner. Thats when DJ P0N-3 started up a beat and the party officialy started.
"So this is a party for me. Just because?"
"Hard to believe ain't it sugarcube." Said Applejack. "But ever since you came to Ponyville things have only gotten better, so we just decided to throw ya' a party celebratin' it. All the folks in Ponyville showed up too."
"Well they were supposed to anyway." Twilight wondered when Pinkie Pie was going to say something. "Almost everypony showed up, only Zecora and The Mayor are missing I mean whats up with The Mayor she said she would be here, and I told Zecora to show up at six o' clock and she isn't here either."
Twilight smiled. "Pinkie Pie Relax I like the party just the way it is, besides I'm sure The Mayor is much to busy to come to a party anyway."
Twilight did like the party. There were streamers everywhere, everywhere. The cake was so tall Twilight was sure that it may have touched the ceiling at some point before she took a piece. Everypony was either dancing or playing a game. Everypony was enjoying themselves, Twilight liked this the best. The party would continue for two hours before everything changed.
As Twilight approached one of the many snack tables in the room something happened, something that everypony would remember for a long time.
The lights in Sugarcube Corner went out once again. After enough time passed the room grew quiet, confusion was only expected. The party was over.
In the doorway stood The Mayor. Her mane looked slightly messy, she was covered in sweat. Her eyes spoke before she even opened her mouth, and her countenance suggested that she was the only sane pony in the room.
"EVERYPONY OUTSIDE NOW!!!!"
The sun had set a while ago, yet the sky glowed with a red hue. The flickering in the air suggested a fire, the embers floating through the air proved it.
As the ponies ran closer to the red hue they realized what had caused everything, the mayors frenzied look and the sky color change was caused by a fire in The Everfree Forest.
The flames were reaching so high it looked like it could burn the moon, and to anypony on the ground it looked like the front of the forest was wearing a mask of flames.
Cries came from everywhere. "What Do We Do?" "How Did This Happen?" "Somepony Do Something?" "Don't Let It Reach Ponyville!"
Once again The Mayor's scream broke through. "Listen Everypony! We Have A Fire In The Everfree Forest! It Could Reach Ponyville If We Don't Start To Extinguish It Right Away! We Need To Act Now!!"
"All pegasi are on cloud detail. If you can find any clouds that will produce rain, you will move them to The Everfree Forest immediately. Everypony else, I want you to gather as much water as you can. If it takes us all night, We Will Put Out This Fire."
There were very few clouds, and the water the earthponies and unicorns were gathering was not making any significant progress.
As the flames grew Twilight and Applejack stared at the them. "What an awful end to a great night huh Twilight."
Applejack heard no response. She looked over to see that Twilight's face was full of tears and she was biting her lower lip. Her body was trembling as bad as Fluttershy's always does when she was scared, but Twilight looked more scared than Fluttershy had ever been. Twilight looked like a cornered mare in a hungry bear den.
"A..A..AApplejack."
Applejack looked at her friend, she gave her a calming look but it didn't help. Twilight was staring at the flames in front of her, she wouldn't take her eyes off of them.
"A...Applejack, Zecora, Applejack, Zecora."
"Twilight don't worry about Zecora, I'm sure she left in time."
"No, Applejack.... Z..Zecora was sleeping. It's my fault." Twilight buried her face in Applejack's shoulder.
"I... I killed Zecora Applejack. It's my fault!"
Between muffled sobs and deep breaths Twilight continued to repeat the same phrase, over and over. "It's my fault! It's my fault!"
Where they were standing it was only Applejack and Twilight. How could Applejack live with herself if she did not do something right this second.
"Twilight if I don't come back, don't blame yourself."
Twilight managed to scream out a "No!" before she saw her friend jump through the wall of flames. Applejack had left her hat by Twilight's left hoof.
As Twilight stared at the flames she looked desperately for any signs of Applejack returning. After Twilight waited for ten minutes, she was sure that Applejack had died.
Her current thoughts did not help her either. Now matter how hard Twilight tried she could only remember two things Applejack had said to her. The first was Applejack telling Twilight not to blame herself, and the second was earlier today at the party when Applejack had told Twilight, "ever since you came to Ponyville things have only gotten better."
Then when things were looking their worst, a tear of Twilight's dripped down off her face and it hit her hoof. The feeling of the small droplet of water touching her skin brought something to Twilight's mind.
"All I did this morning was practice that element spell." A sudden pang of hope soon entered the otherwise distraught unicorn.
She closed her eyes and focused. As her concentration intensified Twilight could feel all of her energy going straight to her horn. Every fiber of her being was pouring into this one spell, it almost felt like Twilight may lose control just like she did when she took her entrance exam as a filly. It was true that in both instances Twilight was under extreme emotional stress, but this time Twilight could not stop, she would not let herself stop now.
As Twilight opened her eyes she saw what exactly her labors had created, there in front of her stood a gigantic wave of water. The wave was at least as big as the wall of flames in front of her. It looked like it touched the sky, and it was also significantly wide. Twilight knew that this was as big as it would get, and with one final strain she pushed the wave forward.
Twilight watched as the wave in front of her pushed it's way forward. It was actually moving quite slow, but the effects were grand. Any flame the wave touched was immediately extinguished, and the wave traveled far enough for Twilight to lose sight of it.
It was just all to much. Twilight felt her strength slowly drain away, she swayed a bit before falling to her left. She felt her body lie on Applejack's hat. Her eyes were still open and she looked at where the wave had traveled. Even though the flames were extinguished all of the trees were still burnt. It created a big black stripe. At that moment The Everfree Forest looked a lot like the body of a bumblebee. The yellow surrounding the black stripe respresented the flames.
Twilight saw something incredible on that stripe though. As she looked down the stripe she saw someone jump out from the side. It looked like a pony jumping out of the flaming gates of hell. Whoever it was they were pretty far down the stripe, far enough for Twilight to only be able to make out two bodies.
It looked like it was one pony carrying another. Yes this is what it was for sure. As they got closer Twilight saw that it was indeed Applejack, she had Zecora on her back.
Applejack actually looked like she had not suffered any injuries, but Zecora's legs were badly burned explaining why Applejack had to carry her.
Twilight passed out on the ground. What she saw last was Zecora being placed on the ground, her eyes were wide open and she was thrashing around uncontrollably, she was still asleep, her eyes were wide open, but she was still asleep. Zecora wanted desperately to wake up, but the sleep spell prevented it.
She also saw Applejack, who was busy trying to catch her breath.
The fire was completely extinguished by the time morning had arrived. Many ponies say that if it wasn't for Twilights wave the flames would have reached Ponyville.
Twilight woke up with a shiver. If there is one thing a hospital room should never be, it was cold. It only makes things more uncomfortable.
The hospital room was similar to the one Rainbow Dash stayed in. It had two beds, and there was a curtain between them. Twilight could see that she had a roomate, but she couldn't tell who it was. One can only make out so much, even when the curtain is thin.
After about two minutes the doctor walked in, once he saw that Twilight was awake he began to smile. "So you finally decided to wake up eh sleepyhead." The docor walked over and looked at the clock on the small desk next to Twilight. "Well you were out for a pretty long time, I would say about two days. Still though I saw that wave, it was huge. To be honest I thought you would be out longer."
The doctor was an earth pony. He looked exactly like Big Macintosh except he was much smaller, his cutie mark was a scalpel. "I think we'll keep you here for about two more days, then you can go. Is there anything you need Ms. Sparkle?"
Twilight simply looked at him with a confused countenance. The doctor gave her a slight chuckle, "how about I just come back in five minutes. I'll leave you some time to think."
As soon as he closed the door Twilight started to think a million different thoughts all at once. "Was I really out for two days? What happened to the forest? Why does my doctor look exactly like Big Macintosh?"
Twilight looked at the small desk next to her. Besides a clock there were about eight get well soon cards, there was a box of chocolates with some of them eaten, and last but not least there were two books. Spike must have brought them because they were two of Twilight's favorite books.
A Brief Look at a Thousand Years of Life by Princess Celestia
and
The Trial by Mane Kafka
It did not take long for the doctor to return. He had the perfect doctors voice, it was a voice that always sounded calm and sympathetic. "Hello Twilight Sparkle, how are you feeling now?"
Twilight was still a little dazed, it took her about seven seconds to respond. "Oh, um, hello, I'm doing ok doctor."
The doctor again smiled. "You can call me Dr. Neubam. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier."
Twilight nodded, the nod said everything for her.
"Well alright Ms. Sparkle I have some visitors here to see you. I'll leave you alone with them."
Twilight watched as the kind doctor held open the door, all five of her best friends entered. They all said hello as they walked in. Applejack was the last to enter and she had a look of bewilderment on her face as soon as she saw the doctor.
"Hey, Is it just me or did that doctor look a lot like my brother."
Rarity sighed. "Oh I know darling isn't he just dreamy."
This caught the eye of everypony in the room, Rarity quickly tried to correct herself. "Oh, um, no I did not mean it like that I meant the doctor. Not that your brother isn't handsome Applejack it's just that I, um, nevermind."
This got a laugh from everypony in the room, except for Applejack who was busy casting suspicious looks at Rarity. As if she wasn't embarrased enough already.
Rainbow Dash changed the subject. "So, Twilight, did you meet your roomate yet?"
Twilight looked over at the curtains, she had forgotten about her unknown roomate. "No not yet."
"Well Twilight I don't really think I need to introduce ya' to her, cause you know each other." And with that Applejack pulled away the curtain to reveal a sleeping Zecora. Her legs were covered with thick bandages.
Twilight suddenly felt guilty again. She looked over at Applejack and noticed that she had a bandage wrapped around her right shoulder. The same one Twilight cried into two days ago.
"She's still sleepin' lets keep it that way." Just as soon as she opened them Applejack again closed the curtains. Twilight was glad, she didn't want to see what she had caused.
Five minutes passed by and the topic of the fire came up in conversation. "Do they know what caused it?" Said an eager Twilight Sparkle.
Rarity spoke. "Actually they don't. Nopony can find any clues as to what caused it."
Twilight wasn't very suprised, you don't exactly get top quality evidence when all of your evidence is burned up.
After an hour it was time for the friends to depart. "We'll come back tomorrow, see ya."
"All right bye Rainbow Dash. Bye everypony."
After about fifteen minutes however Twilight was bored, she was wishing for it to be tomorrow.
"Why are you in this hospital Twilight, did something happen to you on that night?"
Twilight's jaw dropped as she looked over to the left and saw that indeed Zecora was awake. She had pulled the curtain back and was now smiling at Twilight.
Twilight snapped out of it. "Um, well. I did this spell that created a huge wave. And I guess it was too much for me to handle, because right after I did it I passed out. I don't know, I still feel pretty tired I guess."
"I was just moved here this morning, and when I entered I saw you snoring."
Twilight blushed after hearing this, she thought that she had stopped snoring years ago.
Twilight and Zecora spent the next five hours conversing. They shared stories with one another. played games, and talked about their similar interests in things like magic and mythology.
Twilight was however in the hospital for physical exhaustion, and after five hours she could not keep her eyes open any longer. Zecora laughed, "It looks like you could use a sleeping spell now, is there a way you think you could do that somehow."
Twilight laughed. "Don't worry I don't need one. I'll see you later Zecora, goodnight."
Twilight woke up several hours later. It was nightime, probably midnight. The entire room was dark except for a small light on Zecora's side. She was reading a book, but Twilight couldn't see the title.
"Zecora."
Zecora stopped reading and looked at Twilight. Her face had not changed since the last time she saw it. Was it possible that Zecora was still not sleeping well?
"Do your legs hurt so much that you can't sleep?"
Zecora looked down at the two casts on her legs. She then looked back at Twilight and nodded her head. "Yes Twilight I'm afraid this is so, if I ask for the sleeping spell will you say no?"
Twilight gave Zecora a sad look. "But what about your nightmares?"
Zecora smiled, "I no longer think it's the nightmares I will fear, as long as I am with a friend in here."
Twilight decided to do it, but it would take almost every ounce of energy she had left to craft this spell. "Come on Twilight, you can do it, just one more time."
And then Twilight saw it. She saw the little aura ball propped on top of her horn again. And she watched it fly off her horn and land inside Zecora's head.
Before passing out on the pillow Zecora spoke to Twilight one last time.
"Now please get some sleep my dear friend, the sooner you do the sooner this hospital stay will end."
Twilight awoke in the morning to find that Zecora was no longer in the bed next to her. There was a note on Twilight's desk, it was from Dr. Neubam.
Twilight,
Zecora had to go into surgery today. We have to keep treating those legs while we still can. I left this note becasue your friend Spike came by today. He told me that you would worry if you woke up and saw that Zecora was not there. It is possible that you will not see her again for the rest of your stay.
Sincerely,
Dr. Neubam
Twilight wondered about Zecora. She was glad that her and the zebra had created a close bond pratically overnight.
She wondered if Zecora had any nightmares last night. She wondered if the fire was the evil fate that Zecora was talking about. She wondered if Zecora would have ghastly scars all over her legs for the rest of her life.
"I'll get some rest." She thought. "I'll get some rest so I can get out of this hospital. Then I will help make things better for everypony. But first I need to sleep."
