The Dead Trot

The group stopped outside a small hut surrounded by murky swamp water. The air was thick with the scent of mud and moist vegetation. From inside the hut, a lone voice could be heard softly humming to nopony in particular.

"Ew. Couldn't we have at least gotten some boots or something? This mud is getting all over my hooves," Rarity complained.

"Rarity, if we wanted you to whine, we would've asked you for some cheese first," Tail Spin remarked, cracking up at his own joke.

The fashonista gave him a swift smack to the back of his head, causing him to stop laughing.

"Ow! I didn't mean it!"

Rarity huffed in agitation, not believing what the pegasus had told her.

"Enough you two! This is serious business," Twilight said.

Tail Spin and Rarity glared at each other before turning to face the door to the hut again. Twilight walked towards the door and gave it a few taps with her hoof. Whoever was humming inside had ceased to do so. A second later the door opened and a   teal-eyed zebra came into view.

"Why hello everypony. What brings you to my home at this hour?" the zebra asked.

Twilight's expression changed from one of urgency to one of bewilderment, "Um, Zecora? Why didn't you rhyme just now?"

"Yeah...about that..." said the zebra, a sheepish smile plastered on her muzzle, "The whole "rhyming" business was caused by extended exposure to those Poison Joke plants. I'm sure you remember them." The sheepish smile was replaced with a sly one. Twilight blushed as she remembered her "encounter" with the Poison Joke. She shuddered at the thought.

"Anyway, how can I help you?"

Twilight regained her composure and spoke. "We need a safe place to stay for a while. My brother is exhausted and our friend here is badly injured." She motioned towards the blacksmith pony standing nearby.

The zebra rubbed her chin as she silently pondered a solution. "Were you followed by any of those monsters?"

"I don't think so," Fletcher replied, blinking away the pain that was sweeping over him.

"Come in."

As the team entered the small-but-sizable hut, they noticed multiple vials and flasks lining numerous shelves upon the wall; the contents of the containers varied in an abundance of colors and hues. Tribal masks lay below the shelves, greeting the ponies as they took a small tour of their temporary abode.

"I believe I have a brew somewhere that can help both your brother and your coltfriend, Twilight," Zecora said.

Twilight's face flushed bright red as she snapped back at the zebra. "He's not my coltfriend! Why does everypony think that?!"

"Touchy today, aren't we?" Zecora remarked, snickering at Twilight Sparkle while she rummaged through her various potions and elixirs, searching for the correct one.

Zecora selected two vials, one filled with a blue liquid, and the other filled with a brownish concoction. She handed the blue liquid to Twilight. "Give this to your brother. His strength with return and he'll be back to normal in no time."

Fletcher and Applejack set Shining Armor on the floor of the hut, taking an excruciatingly heavy load off both of their backs. Zecora handed the vial of brown liquid to Fletcher. "This shall ease the pain and heal you right up."

Fletcher shakily brought the vial to his mouth and downed the solution in one gulp. It tasted horrid, but Fletcher noticed an immediate improvement in his muscles and joints; the pain was completely gone. He felt like a million bits!

At the same time, Twilight tipped the vial filled with the blue concoction down her brother's throat. When the substance was gone, the unicorn stallion opened his eyes, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"Ugh. Twiley? Where am I?" he groaned.

"We're at a friend's house. Everything is going to be fine." She softly petted her brother's mane to calm his senses.

"Thanks, Twiley," said Shining Armor, grinning at his sister.

After Shining Armor got back onto his hooves, Twilight filled him in on everything that had happened and who everypony had hadn't seen before was. The group continued to chatter softly as Zecora brewed tea for them in the kitchen.

"So you were the one who supplied Canterlot with all of it's arms and armaments?" Shining Armor asked.

"Yeah, that was me," Fletcher responded.

"Well, I can honestly say that you are one gifted blacksmith, Fletcher," the unicorn complimented.

"It's a gift," said Fletcher, shrugging.

Zecora interrupted the conversation to set down a platter of tea cups accompanied by a tea pot filled to the brim with the warm, steamy goodness. The zebra yawned and stretched; this whole ordeal must have taken it's toll on everypony, including the witch doctor, herself.

"I'm heading for bed, everypony. Stay up as late as you wish. If you get tired, there are spare bedrooms on the second floor," she announced, trotting into her bedroom and shutting the door behind her. The other ponies continued their conversation.

"Gizmo, from what I hear, it sounds like you have a knack for machines," Shining Armor said turning to the other unicorn stallion.

"Yes, sir. I had created some astounding new tools, but when the princess captured us, she took all of our weapons away."

"Don't worry. We'll get them back," Shining Armor added, trying to reassure the other unicorn.

Tail Spin was muzzle deep in his tea cup by this point, slurping down cup after cup of tea while the others sat there gawking.

"So, uh, Tail Spin. How exactly did you and Fletcher become acquainted?" asked Shining Armor, sounding a little unsure of whether he should be fearful of the pegasus' disgusting manners.

"Huh?" Tail Spin asked with a mouthful of tea. He quickly swallowed and replied, "Oh yeah! Me and him go way back! It all started a about ten years ago when I moved to Ponyville from Las Pegasus. Since I was just a foal, I didn't see the point in moving from a huge city to a small town. I missed my friends back in Sin City, and I wanted to go back."

The pegasus continued after another gulp of tea ran down his gullet. "I was always picked on because I was always thought of as the "new foal" in town. One day, when I was being bullied by a few snobby-rich ponies, this pony stood up for me," he motioned towards Fletcher, then continued his tale, "After that, we were best friends. After I was accepted into the Wonderbolts, though, I never saw him much. I still lived in Ponyville, but I was hardly ever around."

The pegasus took another gulp of tea before finally setting down his cup. "I haven't been a really good friend."

"It's fine. We're all together now, aren't we?" Fletcher added.

"True."

The room fell into an awkward silence for a few moments. Shining Armor broke the silence, "So. What's the plan?"

"We stay here and rest up for the night. Tomorrow, we take down the princess," Twilight informed him.

"It would be a lot easier if I had my sword," Fletcher added.

"Don't you worry about swords, Fletcher. I still have my captain's sword in my chambers in the castle," Shining Armor told the blacksmith pony.

"You mean THE captain's sword?!" Fletcher asked in excitement, "That was the finest blade I ever crafted! You still have it?"

"Of course. It was made for the captain of the Royal Guard."

This pleased Fletcher, but after a few moments of happiness came a grim realization," Wait. How are we going to get it? Celestia will be on us like a hawk."

"The rest of us will distract her while you and my brother retrieve the sword. Once you have it, find us. Together, we can take this bitch down!" Twilight declared.

The other ponies raised their hooves in agreement.

"HOORAH!"

A few hours later, everypony was asleep. Whether it be on the floor, on the couch, or in guest bedrooms, everypony was out cold except for Fletcher and Twilight. The two of them were exchanging bouts of small talk and life stories. With a loud yawn, Twilight Sparkle began to trot towards the stairs proceeding to the second floor.

"Well, goodnight Fletcher. See you in the morning," the unicorn said as she continued to drowsily travel up the stairway. Suddenly, Fletcher stood p and trotted to the base of the stairway just as Twilight was nearing the top.

"Will you marry me? When this whole thing is over?" he asked.

This question caught Twilight completely off-guard. Marriage? Her?

Fletcher continued, "I'd make a...good husband."

Hesitantly, Twilight turned around to meet the eyes of her suitor, "I know you would, Fletcher. I know you would."

"But...you won't...marry me," Fletcher added.

"You wouldn't want to marry me, Fletch. Not after all that I've done."

Fletcher continued, his voice serious, "I may not be a smart stallion, but I know what love is." With this, he turned around and stomped into a guest bedroom on the ground floor, closing the door behind him.

On the outside, Twilight remained calm, on the inside, however, a full fledged war had broken out. How could you say that to him?! He loves you!

Twilight continued this internal conflict until she had reached her destination: a bedroom on the second floor. She flopped onto the bed with a huff. You idiot! Talk to him! Do something!

After a minute or two of pondering solutions to the situation, Twilight had an idea.

Fletcher lay in bed, gazing at the ceiling in an attempt to drive away his thoughts of embarrassment and rage. Dammit! I knew this would happen, he thought to himself. His door creaked open as Twilight Sparkle stepped into the room. She had a sympathetic look on her face as she climbed onto the bed. She maneuvered herself until she was looming over the Earth pony settled beneath her.

"Fletch, I do love you." Twilight proceeded to lean in and lock Fletcher in a deep, passionate kiss. The blacksmith pony hesitated for a moment, but soon did the same. What negative feelings between the two of them remained were washed away as a night to remember blossomed in the pale moonlight.

"Is everything ready?" Twilight Sparkle asked. It was the following morning, and everypony was awake and alert. Everypony knew the battle plan, and everypony was ready.

"Ready, sis," Shining Armor declared.

"Alright then. Open the portal!"

A violet aura began to emanate from Shining Armor's horn as he began to cast his spell. As the portal began to take form, everypony said their thanks and goodbyes to Zecora.

"Good luck, everypony," the zebra said, fighting back tears, "May the spirits be with you!"

The city of Canterlot--or what remained of it, began to appear in the aura of the now-completed portal.

"Ready?" Shining Armor shouted as the raging winds howled from the portal's entrance. Twilight glanced at Fletcher. Applejack glanced at Gizmo. Rarity glanced at Tail Spin.

"Ready!" they all said in unison.

"Then let's go!"

The posse of ponies jumped through the portal to Canterlot, the violent winds licking at their manes as they traveled through space and time to their final destination.