Chapter 4.
The Lavender Lotus.

"What kind of flower?" Fluttershy said as she grabbed the teacup she was handed. She knew the zebra alchemist needed all sorts of flowers and plants to create her brews, herbs, potions, and the likes. She also knew Zecora worked hard on her creations. So why was she asking HER for this task instead of finding it herself?

Zecora poured some tea from the pot in her hooves into the cup as she answered. "A flower of an old forgotten tale. One of great mystery and a powerful spell," Zecora put down the pot and pointed towards the ceiling, "Deep within this forest lies, a flower greater than any prize."

She brought her hoof down as she got up from her seat and walked over to a bookshelf. Fluttershy watched her search the shelf for the book she was looking for, thinking around the zebra's words. What did she mean by, "a powerful spell"?

Zecora found the book she was looking for a walked back to the table. She flipped through the pages of the old, dusty tome, in search for the one she needed. She stopped when her hoof landed on the page in question.

"Listen here and be very focused. This flower is called the Lavender Lotus," she said, gesturing to the flower on the page.

Fluttershy looked over at the flower in question and gaped in awe. She'd seen a lotus before, many times in fact, but this looked far different from any other flower she had in her garden, "Something seems different about this lotus from the others I've seen."

Zecora gave her a knowing smile, "Very wise for you to take notice, for this flower is no ordinary lotus," a haunted look plagued Zecoras face as she looked away from the book, "This flower holds many a mystery, for years it has brought ponies misery," she looked back at the confused pegasus as she continued, "I'll tell you a story and hope it sticks, have you ever heard of the Lunar Eclipse?"

Fluttershy nodded her head, "I've heard of it before," she said, look down at the table in front of her, "My parents told me that story when I was young."

"You may have heard of its demise, but there is more to this story than meets the eyes," Zecora walked back over to the shelf and grabbed a new book. This one was a bit newer and had a picture of a ship on its cover, "The story you hear is quite tragic, but the reason she sank was due to magic."

Fluttershy looked to Zecora in shock and confusion, "What?! But the ship hit an iceberg. Even the Princess herself concluded it was an accident," she remembered hearing that after the sinking, the E.B.T. (Equestrian Board of Trade) had dubbed the sinking an accident after survivor accounts explained what happened.

Zecora only frowned and looked away, "That is the story they tell little foals, but it was the flower that stole their souls," she then looked up to meet Fluttershy's gaze, "The flower has a powerful curse, and the torture it brings will only get worse. Whoever shall own the flower then, no pony ever hears from them again."

Fluttershy was stunned at the zebras' conclusion, but something was still nagged at her from the back of her mind, "But Zecora. You said you needed this flower. Can I ask why? If you don't mind me asking, that is," she crouched back a little in her timid posture. Even knowing Zecora for as long as she did, she still didn't like asking questions.

Zecora smiled understandingly, "I did say the flower I need, rest assured it's not for greed. This flower has taken many a life, shown no barrier between pony and knife. Now it is time for its reign to cease, only then can ponies truly be at peace," she grew a triumphant smile as she pointed to the ceiling once again, "I wish to end this horrid flower, and dispose of its evil power!"

"And you want me to get it?" Fluttershy asked as she crouched even lower.

Zecora looked back to the pegasus in question and explained, "The flower was planted here long ago, over time it continues to grow. Its magic has cursed the forest wood. If I couldn't retrieve it, no pony could," she pointed to a map on the wall to their right, "This is a map of the path you'll take, but the decision to do so is yours to make. If you should not, I do understand. But if you do, you could save this land."

Fluttershy looked between Zecora, the map, and herself. She hated the forest, even on the path leading to Zecora's made her skin crawl. Taking this new path through a cursed forest, at night, completely and entirely alone, "I don't know Zecora. Why are you asking ME of all ponies to do this?"

"This forest is much like a zoo, and I can't think of any better pony than you. Your way with creatures is quite the show, every pony in Ponyville knows," Zecora put her hooves together in the saddest excuse for a beg.

With a heavy sigh, Fluttershy conceited, "Oh ok. I'll do it."

Zecora relaxed at her answer, "That's great to hear. I have complete faith in you dear," she got up from her chair and walked over to the map on the wall. She folded the paper and handed it over to Fluttershy, "Take this to help on your quest, of luck I wish you the very best."

Fluttershy took the map in her hooves and turned to leave. That is until she remembered what she came for in the first place, "Um, Zecora. What about the herbs for my animals?"

Zecora blinked, and then it clicked, "I think my brain is getting old, I completely forgot about the animals cold," she walked back to the far wall and retrieved a box, "This will hinder your trip, for I can see, perhaps it should wait for you here with me?"

"Oh, ok. I'll be back with the flower soon," she said as she turned to walk.

"Keep to the ground and do not fly. I wish you luck dear Fluttershy," Zecora said as she closed the door.

"Wait, what?" but the zebra was gone. And so she began her journey through the forest. Sighing again, she looked down at the map. It showed she first needed to go right. With a turn to the south, she started her trot.

As she walked, she thought over everything she'd learned through the zebra alchemists words. She knew she was looking for an enchanted lotus and that it was somewhere in this forest.

The cursed lotus, it seems, is actually why the forest is the way it is. She would have to ask Zecora more about it when she returned.

It was twilight when she arrived at Zecora's. But the sun was gone, and all she had was the light of the moon on her side. It was dark. So very dark.

The tree swayed in the cold autumn breeze, creaking as they moved. The leaves rustled as the wind hit them. She could hear the sound of timberwolves howling in the distance. It was like the forest was telling her to turn away. To leave and never come back.

"Come on Fluttershy. You can do this. Just one hoof at a time," if she was trudging through the forest before, she was amazed at the speed she was making now. If it wasn't for her current progress, she could have sworn she had never moved.

She looked at her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. Well, for a forest that is. Nothing moved in her limited vision, except the occasional branch or two. The quiet sounds were deafening. It was like she could hear everything and nothing all at the same time.

A shiver ran down her spine. She hated this forest. She hated it with all of her life. When she was little, she had heard the stories of ponies getting lost in these woods, never to be heard from again. She wondered if the flower was the cause of that too. From what Zecora had told her about it, it did seem plausible. There might be more to this flower then Zecora had initially let on.

She sighed, knowing she'd get her answers in due time, and moved along through the eerie forest.

After some time, she finally made it to her destination. Just in front of her was a small, partially hidden temple entrance with a staircase leading down into some dark and foreboding unknown. She would have missed it if there wasn't a faint light emitting from the torches near the doorway.

"Ok, almost there," she concluded as she started her walk down the staircase. The further down she went, the darker it became. She could have sworn the shadows had shadows for themselves.

After a minute of walking, she saw a light when she came to the bottom of the stairs. In front of her was a large, no, humongous cavern. She was entirely astonished at the sight that she almost forgot why she was there in the first place. Looking around, she took in her surroundings. That's when she saw them.

"Oh, my."

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I've been really busy this past month and writers block didn't help ( neither did Zecora's rhyming). I hope you all enjoy the chapter none the less. Tally-ho.

Fluttershy's walk through the forest.

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