"Zecora wants a favor from me?"

It was early morning in Ponyville when Zephyr got that message from Fluttershy. "Apparently, she wants a Pegasus to accompany her on a journey to find a rare flower for one of her potions. I don't know the specifics, but both Rainbow Dash and I are too busy with other things to help. When she asked if you could help, I told her I'd check."

Zephyr thought about it. "I do still owe her for the last time she helped me. It was thanks to her my band's latest album was able to be released without any delays." Zephyr realized something and grimaced. "Ack, but... Rainbow Dash--"

"She already knows and wanted me to tell you to be careful. Also, she knows you're doing your best not to look at other mares in 'that' way."

"I really am paper thin..." That got a giggle from Fluttershy. "Alright, if I'm gone for an extended period of time, you know what to do."

"Yup, take in Scootaloo until you're back. J-just... please be careful!"

Zephyr pats his sister on the head reassuringly before going home, packing up, and flying off. As he got closer to the Everfree, he noted an errant hot air balloon descending into it without a passenger. Growing curious and silently apologizing to Zecora, he goes off to investigate.

Before he caught up to it, he heard someone familiar screaming for his life. "Spike?!" Spying the Dragon fleeing from some wolves that look wooden, he swoops in and snags his friend out of reach of the predators.

"Wha-- Zephyr?! Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Considering the company you were keeping just now, I'd imagine so. To think, the reason I even came out this far is because I spied a hot air balloon."

That got a nervous laugh out of Spike. "Ahaha... Yeah I was curious about it too."

"Spiiike."

"How can you tell I'm lying? You're like a knowing older brother or... oh right." Spike faceclaws as Zephyr chuckles. "Well since you found me out, could we grab that balloon? It, uh, kind-of belongs to somepony."

"Just make sure you apologize for losing it, okay?"

Once the balloon was returned, Spike apologized to Cherry Berry who, while upset, told him to be careful next time. Zephyr, thinking the whole thing was wrapped up, had a wing tugged by the Dragon before he could take off. "Out of curiosity, what are you up to?"

"I was on my way to Zecora's because she needed my help with something... well, I say MY help but she just needed a Pegasus and I happened to be available."

Spike smiles at that. "Great! Maybe I can help you with that! You did just save me and--"

Spike's sudden insistence weirded the Falconite out. "Spike, just because I helped you doesn't mean you NEED to repay me. I saved you because we're friends, not out of some desire to wring a favor out of you. Trust me when I say that was a lesson I needed to learn myself."

"I know, but due to my own personal code, I MUST serve a life debt to you, now!" To emphasize his statement, he belches out a business card with that same "code" written on it.

"Hmm... a LIFE debt is going too far, but how about you help me with this and we'll call it square. I respect the fact you have a code you want to adhere to, but please exercise moderation when it comes to stuff like that. Also, you need to tell Twilight you're helping me with this since I don't know how long it'll take."

"No can do with only helping you once, though... I guess I need to clear it with Twilight first since I live with her and we've been together for a long time. Where do you want to meet up?"

Zephyr let out a sigh as he recognized Spike was going to be stubborn about his code. "I'll wait by the entrance to the Everfree. I should tell Zecora about bringing you along and why I was late, so while you get Twilight's permission I'll do that."

Spike salutes to that and runs back to town while Zephyr flies to Zecora's. Knocking at her door, the Zebra answers and smiles. "Ah, hello to Zephyr with a yelp, I am grateful you can help!"

"Apologies if I'm late. Had to save a certain young Dragon from some wooden wolves and he insisted on repaying me by coming with us on our trip. It might be a bit longer since he has to secure permission to come, but would you be fine with that?"

"Spike coming would be fine, an extra companion so benign. He can help with another harvest, flowers from an area most darkest." Zecora went over to one of her books and flipped through a few pages before nodding and smiling.

Zephyr didn't know what to think of by making Spike help harvest flowers from a dark place, but figured it would be a good lesson for him to not overexert himself with trying to repay debts. "Alright, next time I come back we should be good to go, Dragon or no Dragon." With that, he leave's Zecora's hut and flies back to the entrance.

Not long after, Spike came to the entrance. "She said it was okay, so--"

Zephyr noted the hurt in Spike's voice. "Spike... Twilight really said yes to you serving me instead? You sound hurt..."

"... Yeah. While I do wish to repay my debt to you... Twilight's the one who I've been with the longest and... I guess she doesn't need me anymore..." Spike sounded close to tears.

"Tell you what. After this trip, we go back to Twilight and set the record straight, alright?" Spike nods and climbs on when Zephyr kneels down for him. "Alright, we're all packed up. Let's see what Zecora wants, because there's something she'll need your help with as well."

When the duo reached the hut again, Zecora was exiting with her own saddle bags in tow. "Good to see you're all packed up, would be a shame to to interrupt. A few flowers I need for some brews, which we get first I'll let you choose."

When Zephyr looked at Spike, who shrugged, he decided. "Let's go after the one you need Spike for. Just to make sure, both flowers are roughly in the same direction, right?"

"Indeed it is not a detour, but a day's travel for sure. Let us not waste anymore time, keeping you two would be a crime."

And so the trip began. Zephyr quickly learned that the wooden wolves are called "Timberwolves" when they had a run-in with the pack that was chasing Spike earlier. The Falconite quickly reminded the Dragon that he could breath fire, which deterred the wooden creatures from further pursuit.

They passed a ruined castle in the middle of the forest, which piqued Zephyr's curiosity. Zecora mentioned that, according to what she's heard, it used to be where the two Princesses of Equestria resided before something drove them out and to Canterlot. Spike mentioned that Twilight told him that was where she and her friends found the Elements of Harmony when Nightmare Moon was released.

Eventually, Zecora lead them into a dark cave in the Rambling Rock Ridge that stifled even regular torchlight. Zephyr got Spike to breath green fire into a wind ball just to give the group more vision on what's going on, with the wind magic surprising Zecora. "Stay frosty, this darkness isn't normal if we need magic Dragon fire just to see."

"Now you see why I needed a Dragon here, for this darkness is nigh impossible to clear. For now let us have a look, we might need to search every cranny and nook." The Zebra gives Zephyr a questioning look. "A Pegasus using magic like this is unseen, I only wonder what it can mean..."

"Ah, sorry. I'm technically a Falconite, but I'm basically a Pegasus subspecies--"

"A Falconite?!" Zecora was so shocked she couldn't even rhyme. "An ancient Pegasus that should've stayed in legend!"

"Z-Zecora?"

She realized that she was getting too worked up and cleared her throat. "Forgive me Zephyr, I meant you no personal ire. It's just that... your presence makes me fear the future fire..."

"So Farasi has legends or prophecies on Falconites?" A feeling of dread started welling in Zephyr's stomach as Spike started rubbing his back.

"There are but all are unclear, for time as been unkind to the past I fear. But what can be gleaned speaks of something dark, with scholars hoping it will be off the mark." Zecora grimaced, wondering just what this sign means.

Spike, wanting to distract from the now dour mood, spotted something. "Look! a bunch of budding flowers! How can anything grow in this darkness?"

It was the distraction needed for Zecora to climb out of her dark thoughts. "Ah, Darkbloom Flowers have come to bud and none are growing in the mud. Only in purest of darkness can these flowers grow, making this place one of the few you can sow."

Zephyr noted something. "Are these better used as buds or as blossoms? If the latter, we might have come too soon."

"Worry not for these flowers are soon to bloom, even if we take them from the room. Only some I need for my brew, I dare not take too many or I'll reduce them to a few."

Deciding to leave it to the expert herbologist, Zephyr and Spike stayed close as Zecora harvested the flowers she needed, putting them in pots so they could continue to blossom. Just as she finished up, a threatening sound came from deeper in the cave, causing Spike to shudder. "W-what is that noise?!"

Zecora knew that sound all too well. "A Basilisk, dare not look in its eyes! A single glance will send you to your demise!"

"... Can we go back to the Timberwolves? At least they'll let you have a fighting chance." Spike, out of everyone present, said that.

"let's move, we've got no time to waste if we want to put distance between us and that." Zephyr redirected the light he was holding back the way the trio came. Thanks to Zecora making sure to mark their way before, they managed to get out before the Basilisk ever showed up.

Spike suddenly gasped. "I forgot to breath!"

"Please don't suffocate yourself."

Zecora shook her head as she brought her book out to review it. "The next flower isn't far, nor is it guarded by anything as we thank our lucky star."

Doubling back a bit to the abandoned ruins, the group decides to camp out for the night due to it being late. While they set up inside the walls, they chose to not go into the ruins proper since they felt it would be disrespectful to the prior inhabitants.

As Zecora monitored both her harvested Darkbloom Flowers and their surroundings, Zephyr noted Spike with a sad look and sat next to the Dragon. "Still thinking of Twilight?"

"Yeah... she let me go so easily it... makes me wonder if everything we've been through meant nothing to her..."

Zephyr thought about it. "Was Twilight distracted with anything when you asked?"

"Er... yeah, she had her nose deep in a book. Apparently Princess Celestia assigned her 12 books to read over the weekend and she intended read them all within that time-frame."

"Remind me to write a stern letter to Princess Celestia not to do crap like that... also, I'm pretty sure the answer you got this morning wasn't a proper one." Zephyr shakes his head. "She's basically your big sister, so I have words for her if she really meant what she said."

Spike thought about it before chuckling. "If she really is nose-deep in a book, good luck getting her attention. It's like her REAL special talent is to block everything out once she's in a book she finds interesting."

"Where there's a will, there's a way, Spike." Zephyr shifts so that he's warming his legs under his body. "I will say, this foray has been an interesting experience. I've always stayed in one location for long periods of time, seldom moving unless I'm required or asked to."

"And I've never gone far without staying at Twilight's side... guess this is an experience for the both of us." The two guys chuckle at that. "How are the Darkbloom Flowers, Zecora?"

Zecora smiles at the plants. "All of them are happy and healthy, owing to the fact that we were stealthy. I thank you both for your assistance, what we have traveled is no small distance."

"I've heard how much you do right by Ponyville, so it's only fair we do right by you. Though I guess part of it is me paying my own due." There was a moment of silence before Zephyr's face went neutral. "Now I'm rhyming." That got a laugh from the other two.

At the crack of dawn, the trio packed up camp and started scaling down the ravine in front of the entrance of the ruin. While no dangerous creatures were present, the precariousness of the decent down was more than enough to keep everyone on edge. Zephyr did try to fly down to scout but the mist made it too difficult to see and his wind magic didn't help much. This forced him to take the cliff-side route with Zecora, though he kept flying as to not overcrowd the ledge.

After much scaling and many frayed nerves, they got into the cave Zecora wanted. There, in the middle, were a bunch of grey flower buds with sunlight getting filtered down through some sort of crystal tunnel. "Ah, the Magic Nature Bloom still thrives, not many ponies get to see these in their lives. It blooms reflecting the magic of those who touch, though in the past they were used too much."

Zecora gave her book to Zephyr, allowing him and Spike read the entry regarding the Magic Nature Bloom. There were three documented 'forms' the flower had:

One with a brown, earthy-looking flower that represents Earth Pony magic.

One with an ethereal purple flower representing Unicorn magic.

And lastly, a white, cloud-like flower representing Pegasus magic.

Zephyr looks up from the book. "Let me guess, you need the Pegasus form for something?"

"It is as you say, that is why I wanted one sent my way. But with you being a falconite, I'm uncertain if the flower will be right."

"Sorry... if this turns out to be a bust, feel free to--"

"Not at all, your help is still most appreciated. Having the both of you made this journey much more alleviated." Zecora smiles at Zephyr, showing him that no matter what she won't blame him if it doesn't work.

Zephyr breaths a bit before nodding and approached one of the grey buds before touching it. After a delay, the flower started blooming with light-green petals shaped like pinwheel blades. Not long after, the petals begin spinning with a slight wind effect around them.

Zecora looks through her book before giving the flower an astonished look. "This form has never been seen, even by explorers most keen. Your Falconite magic gave me more than I wanted, maybe new potions can be plotted!"

Spike grins. "And you were worried the result would have been disappointing!"

"Well, considering Falconites haven't been around for untold eons, you never know. Still, wind seems to be the theme of my life..." Zephyr touches another one at Zecora's insistence and the result was the same.

"I see it as being consistent. Nothing wrong with that." Spike got curious and touched another Magic Nature Bloom with a claw. Everyone was surprised when it bloomed as it turned black with green fire cracks.

"My my, such a young Dragon with much magic. To leave such a rare form behind would indeed be tragic!" Zecora transplanted Spike's flower into a pot as well, joining the ones Zephyr touched. "Though the one I wanted I did not get, these will help me brew more potions yet!"

Since Zecora's business was done in the cave, she took the flight back up offered by Zephyr to prevent slipping mishaps while climbing back up. After another run-in with more Timberwolves, this time getting blown away by an annoyed Zephyr, they made it back to Zecora's hut.

After sorting all the potted plants she managed to obtain, she gives one of the Falconite Nature Blooms to Zephyr. "I only need one for my experiments, I can always propagate more with the same elements."

Zephyr takes the pot with a smile. "Thank you, Zecora. I got to get this Dragon back home and figure something out regarding his situation. Good luck with your potions!"

With a wave goodbye, the two males depart for Ponyville with a quick pit-stop to put Zephyr's plant in his home. After that, they headed into the library, where Twilight was nose-deep in another book. "Twilight, I uh.. am here!"

"Mm-hmm..."

Zephyr gave the Unicorn a flat look. "Did you know Spike pledged his servitude to me? You want to let him move in with my family?"

"Mm-hmm..."

"... Maybe I'll move him to Manehattan so you'll never see him again."

"Go ahead."

At this point Spike could hear high-pressure steam starting to come out of Zephyr's head. "Told you she's like this."

Zephyr levels a flat glare at Twilight. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

With those words, he flips a book off its shelf and it fell right next to Twilight, earning a surprised yelp. "What the-- Zephyr what was that for?!"

"Do I have your undivided attention now?"

Twilight sighed as she puts the book back. "I suppose that's one way to get somepony's attention, but please refrain from making a mess doing so."

"Right, how long have you been at this whole... reading business?" Twilight's stomach suddenly growled. "Somepony skipped her meals, huh?"

"Ahahaha, maybe it WAS high-time I took a break. Anything good on the menu today, Spike?"

The Dragon laughs nervously. "About that... you kind of released me to allow me to serve my life debt to Zephyr for saving my life according to my Dragon Code so..."

"Wait... what?" Twilight looked confused now.

Zephyr decided to push the envelope a bit more. "On top of that, you agreed to let me take Spike home to Manehattan. We leave in about 30 minutes from now."

"WHAT?! I never agreed to that!"

The two males exchange looks. "Uh... you actually did, Twilight. Zephyr said, and I quote, "maybe I'll move him to Manehattan so you'll never see him again" and you said "go ahead"."

Twilight was horrified by how callous she was being while distracted by her reading. Zephyr shook his head. "You would do well to learn more situational awareness while you're reading. Regardless, what are you going to do now?"

"I... I can't really say anything because of how much a Dragon's Code means to a Dragon. The only way he'll consider it fulfilled is if he does something equivalent to what you did... in this case, saving your life."

"Huh? He already did that!" Seeing Spike's confused look, Zephyr decided to lie by omission. "Zecora and I were going to travel into that pitch-black cave with or without you for the Darkbloom Flowers. However, as you saw, regular fire doesn't work as well as Dragon fire does in there. You basically saved us from stumbling around too much and potentially having to deal with a Basilisk of all things."

"I... never thought of it that way..." Spike put a claw to his face for a bit before nodding. "We got out of that cave fast because Zecora could see well enough to mark our way out. If so, I suppose that could count! Alright, I'll consider my Code fulfilled!"

Zephyr smiled at the Dragon. "Now... will a certain Unicorn take back her number 1 assistant?"

"I'm so sorry for not paying attention to you, Spike. I was so focused on my duty that I ignored everything... and everyone else around me. Even after I learned of your greatest fear in the Crystal Empire... I still did that..." Twilight gives Spike a sad look. "Will you.. come back to me?"

"Twilight, you know I'm happiest when I'm with you!" Spike hugs his big sister-figure and she returns the gesture with a smile. "Now, let me get you something to eat, I doubt you want to be both tired AND starving!"

As Spike went downstairs, Zephyr gives Twilight a knowing look. "Glad everything worked out in the end. I hope you remember this lesson when you have foals in the future."

"Yeah... I highly doubt that."

"Careful. I said the same thing in the past and look at me now. You never know when a special somepony might swoop in and steal your heart."

That got a giggle out of Twilight. "You know, I've known you long enough to realize that you seem to have a deep loyalty to family. Whenever it comes to matters like this, you're always there pushing ponies in the right direction."

"Probably because, for most of my life, family was all I had. However... I recognize that I got lucky in that regard. Some ponies don't have the happiest family life..." Zephyr drifted off, thinking of some ponies who's family is more fractured.

Twilight pats Zephyr on the shoulder. "One step at a time. While we might not be able to save everypony, we can certainly try. For now, I'm going to go eat. you should let your sisters know you're back and safe."

Zephyr waves Twilight off before heading to Fluttershy's cottage, though he decided to take his new house plant with to show them. When he arrived, Applejack was there as well. "Welcome back, Zephyr!"

"Big bro, you're back!" Scootaloo gives Zephyr a hug, which he returns with a chuckle. "How was your trip with Zecora?"

"It was interesting. In fact, this flower was something even she never seen before. You know of the Magic Nature Blooms, right?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Ah' have, but that looks nothing like-- wait, are ya' saying that's what the Falconite one looks like?"

Zephyr nods as Scootaloo smells it. "Smells like a fresh spring breeze!"

"Oh, I was wondering about something." Fluttershy looks at her brother curiously. "Did you find and recover a hot air balloon yesterday? Applejack was just telling me about it."

"Yeah, that little number was Spike's doing. Ended up saving him from some Timberwolves, which made him want to repay me by joining the trip." Zephyr decided to omit the fact that Twilight was being accidentally insensitive to Spike's feelings.

"Ah' probably would've helped him if ya' didn't, but thanks fer' that! Also, thanks fer' yer' help setting up the Apple Family Reunion the other day! That gentle breeze you set for us was refreshing!"

Zephyr salutes with a smile. "My pleasure. Now, I should get this plant back home and learn how to take care of it. Hopefully the care instructions for this form is the same for the Pegasus one."

Author's Note

I really didn't like how incompetent the original episode made Spike, so while he doesn't do as much here I wanted to give him more dignity. Plus, I wanted to give Zecora more time in the limelight as well.