The Element of Empathy

~Eleanor's POV~

"Wow, what a gorgeous day!" Twilight smiled, as she, Spike and I took a walk into town.

"Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away." Spike smiled, as he looked up to the sky. Not a cloud in sight.

Twilight nodded in agreement, "I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine." But once we got into town, no-one was outside. Twilight looked around in confusion, "What? Where is everypony?"

Twilight, Spike and I looked around and only caught a glimpse of some of the citizens locking their doors and closing their window shutters. We were able to catch Shoeshine closing her windows and Berry Punch dragging Berry Pinch inside and locking the door. Everything went deadly quiet.

"Is it some sort of Pony holiday?" Spike wondered, as we walked around town.

"Not that I know of." Twilight answered, shaking her head.

"Does my breath stink?" Spike asked. He let out a fire-breath belch then sniffed the air.

"Not more than usual." I answered with a humored smile.

"Is it... Zombies?!" Spike asked fearfully, taking hold of Twilight's hand.

"Uh... Not very likely." Twilight answered assuringly.

"Not likely..." Spike scooched closer to Twilight, "But possible?"

Suddenly, as we passed SugarCube Corner, Twilight, Spike and I heard a familiar voice, "Psst!"

Twilight and I looked around, until we saw Pinkie Pie pop out from the darkness within SugarCube Corner, "Twilight! Nellie! Spike!" She beckoned up inside, "Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!"

Twilight, Spike and I quickly entered the cafe, as Pinkie closed the door behind us. It was so dark that Twilight, Spike and I couldn't see a thing two feet in front of us. Pinkie turned on a flashlight into our eyes.

Spike jumped and hugged close to Twilight, "Who?! The zombie pony?"

Pinkie Pie moved the flashlight toward her face and trembled in fear, "Z-Zombie pony?!"

Spike hugged closer to Twilight and hugged tightly to her waist. Twilight turned to the baby dragon, "Spike! There are no zombie ponies."

I turned to Pinkie Pie, "What are you doing here alone in the dark, Pinkie?"

Pinkie shook her head, "I'm not alone in the dark."

Our eyes adjusted to the darkness of the café, that Twilight, Spike and saw Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack's younger sister, Apple Bloom, within the café, with us.

Twilight looked at me and gasped, "Ellie! I didn't know your eyes glow in the dark."

I tilted my head in slight confusion, "Okay..." Then I turned to everyone else, "What are you all doing here in the dark?"

"We're hidin' from her!" Applejack answered, pointing out the window.

Twilight and I looked outside to see, standing alone in the streets of Ponyville, was a tall and slender Pony wearing a hooded cloak, and was digging into the ground. She stopped for a moment, then glanced at SugarCube Corner. The others, except Twilight and myself, gasped and hid behind the curtain.

"Did you see her?" Apple Bloom asked, "Did you see... Zecora?"

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack scolded her younger sister, "I told you never to say that name."

"Well, I saw her glance this way..." Twilight started.

"Glance evilly this way." Pinkie corrected.

"And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason." Twilight finished, folding her arms.

"No good reason? You call protectin' yer kin no good reason?" Applejack asked, "Why, as soon as my sister saw Zecora ridin' into town, she started shakin' in her lil' horseshoes."

"Di-i-i-id no-o-o-ot!" Apple Bloom protested, as Applejack shook her shoulders.

"So I swept her up and brought her here." Applejack finished, hugging Apple Bloom closely.

Apple Bloom pried herself away from her older sister, "I walked here myself!"

"For safe keepin'." Applejack added.

Apple Bloom glared at her older sister, "Applejack, I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!"

Applejack stubbornly shook her head, "Not from that creepy Zecora."

"She's mysterious." Fluttershy spoke up.

"Sinister." Rainbow Dash added.

"And spoooooky!" Pinkie Pie finished.

I looked out the window again, to watch the pony, Zecora. Everypony gathered close to me and watched Zecora. Zecora stopped digging and stood upright. She reached for her hood and removed it from her head. We were able to see a bit of what she looked like.

Zecora was a female Zebra with a mohawk mane and large earrings in her ears. The Girls gasped and hid behind the curtain again.

"Will you cut that out?" Twilight sighed in annoyance.

"Just look at those stripes!" Rarity pointed out, "So garish!"

"She's a Zebra." I answered.

Everyone, but Twilight, looked at me with raised brows of confusion, "A what!?"

"A Zebra." I repeated, then I turned to Rarity, "And her stripes aren't a fashion choice, Rarity. She was born with them."

Rarity gasped and fainted on to the ground.

"Born where?" Applejack asked, "I've never seen a Pony like that in these parts, 'cept... her!"

I folded my arms in thought, "Well, judging from what I've seen, she's definitely not from around here." I shook my head, "And she's not a Pony. Zebras are from the land of Farasi." I looked out the window for a second, "But I've never seen her in Ponyville." I turned to the others, "Where does she live?"

"That's just it, she lives in..." Applejack paused for a second, "The Everfree Forest!"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash in the café, startling everyone inside. I squeaked in fright and hugged close to Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight turned to the kitchen and scolded, "Spike!"

We turned to the kitchen to see Spike covered in fallen saucepans and frying pans. He smiled sheepishly, as I calmed, "Uh, sorry."

"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural." Applejack continued, "The plants grow..."

"Animals care for themselves..." Fluttershy added.

"And the clouds move..." Rainbow Dash included, as she, Fluttershy and Applejack finished in unison, "All on their own!"

Rarity shook her head and trembled, "What's than the Everfree Forest is the Deep One residents. Those aquatic Ponies give me the creeps..."

I lightly glared at the Fashionista Pony. For some reason, I felt offended by her words.

"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there, doing her evil... Stuff!" Pinkie explained, "She's so evil, I even wrote a song about her!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "Here we go..."

Pinkie Pie broke into song that was quick-tempo and danced,

Pinkie Pie froze in place, catching her breath.

Twilight raised a brow, "Wow. Catchy."

Pinkie Pie calmed and smiled, getting down from the table, "It's a work in progress."

I folded my arms and shook my head, "This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors."

Twilight nodded in agreement, "Ellie's right." Then she turned to the others, "Now, what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?"

Rainbow Dash was first to answer, "Well... Once a month, she comes into Ponyville."

I nodded, as Rarity added, "Then, she lurks by the stores."

"Okay." I folded my arms again. Then Fluttershy finished, "And then, she digs at the ground."

I sighed and shook my head, "I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?"

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement, "Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly."

Twilight nodded and pointed out, "And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?"

Apple Bloom nodded again, "Yeah! Everypony likes to shop. You know what I think?"

"Apple Bloom! Hush and let the big Ponies talk." Applejack told the young filly sternly.

Apple Bloom marched toward a quiet corner and muttered her breath, "I am a big Pony!"

"W-what about digging at the ground?" Rainbow Dash asked, "You've got to admit that's weird."

"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" Fluttershy asked.

I shook my head and assured the timid Pegasus, "I'm pretty sure she's not doing that, Fluttershy." I rubbed my chin, "Maybe she's softening the ground to plant something?"

"I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does." Twilight spoke up, as Pinkie Pie continued to sing, "And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth."

The other Ponies declined and Pinkie started sharing rumors about how 'evil' Zecora is. I looked around and noticed a young filly was missing from the café. I turned and noticed the door was open.

I snuck past the other Ponies, out of SugarCube Corner, and noticed Apple Bloom quietly following after Zecora. Before she went any closer, I grabbed Apple Bloom's hand and turned her to me, "Where do you think you're going, Little Missy?"

Apple Bloom turned to me and swallowed a lump in her throat. She looked at me and answered, "I'm gonna go talk to Zecora. I don't think she's as evil as they say she is."

I smiled, "Well, why didn't you just say so? I was gonna do the exact same thing." I took hold of her hand, "Come on, Zecora's gone this way."

Apple Bloom smiled and we followed Zecora down the path that lead outside of Ponyville and into the Everfree Forest. Just as we reached the entrance of the forest, Apple Bloom came to a stop. I looked at her, she looked frightened.

"Don't worry, Apple Bloom. I'm right here with you." I assured her.

Apple Bloom looked at me and gave me a smile. She took a deep breath and we entered the Everfree Forest. Apple Bloom and I followed Zecora deeper into the forest, until we entered a field of blue flowers. I recognized these plants and picked Apple Bloom over my shoulders, to avoid her from getting infected. My legs and feet brushed across the plants. Without a doubt I've already been infected....

Just as Apple Bloom were about to reach Zecora, a familiar voice shouted from behind us, "Apple Bloom?"

Zecora turned and saw us. Apple Bloom gasped and we turned to see the others standing in the field of blue flowers.

"You get back here right now!" Applejack told Apple Bloom sternly.

I gasped, "Girls, what are you doing? Get out of there!"

"Beware! Beware, you Pony folk!" Zecora warned in a heavy African accent, as she backed into the upcoming mist behind her, "Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"

Applejack ran out of the field and pulled Apple Bloom away from me, and shouted at Zecora, "Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?"

Then the Girls started talking over each other, shouting insults at Zecora. I frowned and shook my head. Poor Zebra...

"Beware! Beware!" Zecora warned before disappearing into the mist.

"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora!" Rainbow Dash shouted back, "You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!"

Applejack turned to Apple Bloom, "And you! Why couldn't you just listen to yer big sister?"

Apple Bloom frowned and looked down, "I...I..."

"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?" Applejack finished.

"Just like in my song!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, then she started singing a shorter version of her song, "Evil enchantress! With the dances! And the trances!"

I folded my arms and marched over to Applejack, "That's not exactly fair, Applejack! Apple Bloom was trying to prove a point."

Applejack glared at me, "And you encouraged her? How do we know you're not under a curse?

"You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" Twilight Sparkle argued back.

Rainbow Dash flew over to Twilight and pointed to her horn, "Well, that's interesting to hear coming from Miss. Magic-Pants herself."

"My magic, real magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with." Twilight pointed out, "Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old Pony tale."

The other girls rolled their eyes and turned to return to Ponyville.

"Just you wait, Twilight. You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true." Applejack told Twilight, before she left with Apple Bloom close to her.

Twilight sighed and lowered her head.

"Uh... Twilight?" I started, but Twilight ignored me and walked back to Ponyville. I sighed and noticed I was still in the field of blue flowers. I walked across the field of flowers and returned to Ponyville.

*The Next Morning, In Golden Oak Library...*
~Twilight Sparkle's POV~

I woke up from the rooster's call and the morning sun peeking through my bedroom window, "Ugh... What a dream..." I sat up from my bed, "Curses, schmurses." I got out of bed and walked over to my vanity mirror. I looked at my reflection and saw my bangs were in a mess, "Whoa!" I giggled, "Maybe Zecora cursed my hair."

I chuckled, picked up my hairbrush and brushed my bangs neatly. Once they were nice and neat, I noticed in the mirror something was wrong. I looked at my forehead and gasped, "Or she cursed my horn!"

My horn had blue spots all over it and was limp over my forehead. That's not good!

Then I remembered something. Ellie was close to Zecora before any of this happened! What if she got infected too?! Only one way to find out.

I dashed over to Ellie's bed, that was across from my own. She was still asleep. I quietly leaned and gently poked her shoulder, "Ellie?"

Ellie woke up with a sharp gasped and wide open eyes pupils for a moment. She calmed down, sat up and rubbed her eyes, "Twilight? What's wrong?"

"Have you noticed anything off, lately?" I asked.

Ellie squinted her eyes at me, then she reached over for her glasses. She put her glasses over her eyes, blinked, then looked at me again.

She looked at my horn and looked like she was about to burst into laughter. But she took a breath and asked, "What happened to your horn?"

"I don't know. I think Zecora might have done something to it." I answered in a slight panic.

Ellie gave me a deadpan look, "Or it could've been something else."

I looked at her nodded, "Yeah. You maybe right. We better call everyone who was around Zecora, just in case."

Ellie smiled and nodded. She was about to get out of bed, until she lost her footing and fell on the floor.

"Ow..." She muttered in a deadpan tone, rubbing her head, then asked, "What was that all about?"

Ellie removed her blanket from her legs. To our surprise, her legs weren't humanoid anymore. They were pony-like with pale green fur that faded to a malachite green at the calves. Her hooves were dark green and her fetlocks were similar to a Clydesdale. Upon her hips were marks of three mint leaves circling in a breeze.

A Cutie Mark!

She even had a tail. Her tail was thick, ginger-red with rusty red streaks and ombre. But that's not the worse of it. Her forearms and hands were covered in the malachite green fur and her ears were equine.

She looked like a hybrid between a human and a Pony!

"Holy Luna!" Ellie gasped.

"D-D-Don't worry, Ellie. W-We-W-We'll fix this." I assured, "I'll call everypony and see-"

Ellie cut me off with laughter. She wasn't in pain or anything. She was laughing in humor.

"This is hilarious! I'm a satyr." She was able to speak between laughs.

"This isn't funny, Ellie! Focus!" I shouted, getting her out of her laughing fit.

Ellie smiled at me, "Come on, Twilight. Grow a funny bone. This is hilarious."

I growled in frustration and made my way down the stairs to the library. I called everyone to come over and started looking through my books on a cure for this predicament.

*Later That Morning...*
~Eleanor's POV~

"No no no no no! None of these books have a cure! Ugh! There has to be a real reason for this!" Twilight exclaimed, as she searched through her books, and touched her limp horn, "An illness? An allergy?!"

"A joke?" I guessed with a shrug.

"A curse!" Spike guessed, as he was reading the 'Supernaturals' book.

"I said a real reason." Twilight folded her arms, "Something that points to something real."

"How about this one?" Spike asked, showing her the book.

Twilight took a look at the book, "'Supernaturals'?" She frowned, "Spike, the word 'supernatural' refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which are as make-believe as curses." She pushed the book back, "This book is just a bunch of hooey!"

I folded my arms and frowned, "Twilight Bellatrix Sparkle, you're doing it again!"

Twilight looked at me, "What are you talking about?"

"Judging a book by its cover." I pointed out, "Isn't that what you're doing to Zecora, at this very moment?"

"I'm not judging a book by its cover." Twilight quickly defended, "Zecora is responsible for this, and that book is just a bunch of nonsense."

Spike looked at the book, then back at Twilight, "But what if you're wrong, Twilight? What if this really is a-"

"Ah pfurse!" Pinkie exclaimed, but couldn't get the words out, because her tongue was swollen to the point it was hanging out of her mouth and had blue spots, much like Twilight's horn.

"A purse? How could it be a purse?" Spike asked.

I giggled to hold back a burst of laughter, "She said 'curse', Spike."

Twilight Sparkle turned to the Pink Pony, "Pinkie? What happened?"

"Pee pah Zthecora!" Pinkie answered angrily, "Sthe put a cursthe on me!"

"Hey, say it, don't spray it, Pinkie!" Spike told her, slightly soaked in her spit.

Suddenly, there was a thud on the window. We all turned to find Rainbow Dash trying to fly into the library, "Ow!" She flew into the window again, "Oh! She's-" And again, "Trying to say- Ow!- Zecora-" She hit the wall close to the door, "Oh!" Then she crashed through the door and flew past us, "She slapped us all with a-" And she crashed into a bookshelf, and got tangled in the ladder, "Ow- Curse!"

Now that I got a good look, Rainbow Dash's ailment involved her wings turned up-side down. Now that's ironically funny.

"I'm afraid I have to agree." Rarity spoke up, as she walked inside, and blew her hair out of her face.

Rarity's ailment has made her fur, mane and tail all scruffy and tangled. Kind of like a dog that hasn't been groomed for a long time. I put my hand over my mouth to hold back laughter.

Twilight and Spike gasped, then a tiny, but familiar voice spoke from the door, "I hate to say I told ya so, Twilight, but I told ya so!"

Twilight, Spike and I turned to the doorway and found Apple Bloom with a four-inch-tall Applejack riding on her shoulder.

"It's a curse, I tells ya!" Applejack exclaimed.

Twilight and Spike gasped again, then Twilight turned to Fluttershy, who has been quiet the entire time, "But Fluttershy... Seems just fine!"

Rarity nodded in agreement, "Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her." Then turned to me, "Or Ellie for that matter."

I folded my arms and glared at the Fashionista Pony, "I'm wearing a dress and gloves for a reason, Rarity."

It's true... As much as I hate it, I'm wearing one of Twilight's sundress and formal gloves under my favorite hoodie, to hide my ailment. I really don't like dresses, but Twilight insisted, until we find a cure for our ailments.

"Zecora's curse turned Ellie into a satyr." Twilight explained.

"It's not a curse!" I shouted, then I turned to Fluttershy, "Flutters, are you okay?" Fluttershy shook her head and looked away, "Is there something wrong with you?" I asked. Fluttershy nodded and looked away again, "Would you like to tell us?" I asked in concern. Fluttershy closed her eyes and shook her head. I lightly smiled, "That's okay, if you don't want to."

Fluttershy smiled at me, but Applejack lost her patience, "Good gravy, girl! What's wrong with you?!"

Fluttershy lowered her head and frowned, "I don't want to talk about it."

Fluttershy's ailment made her voice deepen into a male voice. I covered my mouth again to keep in my laughter.

Spike snort for a moment, then burst into laugher, "This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Eleanor Satyr, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy, and..." He stopped laughing and drew a blank, "Uh... I got nothin'..." He turned to me, "Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that."

I smiled and nodded in agreement.

Twilight let out a sarcastic laugh and glared at Spike, "This is no joke, Spike. Now start looking for more books, so I can find a cure!"

Spike groaned and walked over to another bookshelf. Rainbow Dash managed to un-tangle herself from the ladder and suggested, "I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!"

"It's not a curse!" I told her.

Applejack nodded in agreement, "I agree with Dash! We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove this hex!"

"It's not a hex either!" I exclaimed in frustration.

Then the Girls started arguing among each other on what to do and if this is a curse or not. I growled in frustration and decided to take actions into my own hands. I'm gonna go to Zecora, solve this debacle and find a cure for these ailments. This is my fault this has happened, so I'm gonna fix it. To Hell with the consequences!

With a bit of a struggle, walking on hooves, I managed to enter the Everfree Forest and find Zecora's home. Zecora's home was hard to miss. A hollowed out tree, like Golden Oak, with the smell of flowers, herbs and tea. Feels like a good place within this misunderstood place.

I swallowed a lump of anxiety in my throat and walked over to the door. I hesitated for a second, but gathered up my courage and knocked on the door. The door opened and I got a good look at Zecora.

She was a beautiful female Zebra with golden earrings, and bands around her neck and left forearm. She wore a white tank top under a black leather jacket, and a purple skirt with black leggings underneath.

Zecora looked at me and gave me a friendly smile, "Why, hello, my dear. What events have brought you here?"

I smiled back and extended my gloved hand, "Zecora, I presume? My name is Eleanor. I was asking if you can make a remedy for me and my friends."

Zecora shook my hand and stepped aside, "I invite you inside, so we can see what I can provide."

I smiled, "Thank you." And I walked inside. The inside of Zecora's home was very pleasant and looked like the true home of an alchemist. Hanging herbs and flowers. A cauldron in the center. Shelves of jars and pots of multiple things. This girl really knows what she's doing.

Zecora closed the door and looked at me, "Now, what can I do for you?"

I turned to the Zebra and looked at my hand, "Well, yesterday, we fell victim to the Poison Joke plant." I removed my hood and removed my gloves to show her my ailment, "I was wondering if you had a cure for the Poison Joke ailments?"

Zecora looked at my ears and forearms. She smiled and looked at me, "Ah, you are not what you appear to be. The true you, I can see." I raised a brow in confusion, then Zecora nodded, "Mix up a cure, I will. However I am missing some herbs from Ponyville."

I smiled, "Oh, I can get you the herbs you need. All I need is a list, and I'll get them for you."

Zecora nodded and looked over her book. I recognized the green cover of the book, Supernaturals! HA! I knew this wasn't a curse, and Twilight had the answer all along!! That silly Unicorn! What am I going to do with her? Zecora read the book and wrote down a list of the herbs she needed.

"The ingredients for this herbal bath, this forest and Ponyville does hath." Zecora explained, handing me the list, "Return with what I need, and let your friends take heed."

I took the list and looked it over. Knowing my herbs and botany, I knew where these plants grew and where to find them easily. I nodded with a smile and exit Zecora's home to find the herbs she needed.

During my search for the other herbs, I saw a familiar, yellow filly with a pink bow, searching through the mushroom patch. I smiled and walked over to the young filly.

"Now, what brings you to this neck of the forest, Apple Bloom?" I asked, making my presence known behind her.

Apple Bloom squeaked in startle and turned to me. She let out a sigh in relief and smiled, "Hey, Ellie. I heard you were helping Zecora gather these plants to help our friends. So I thought I can help out."

I smiled, "That's very sweet of you, Apple Bloom. I'm glad somepony else can listen to some sense."

Apple Bloom nodded and asked me, "So... What's next on the list?"

I thought for a moment, and grabbed the list from my basket, "Well... We got all the herbs from the forest. The rest we can find in Ponyville."

Apple Bloom smiled, "That's great. I can get the herbs from Ponyville, while you can help Zecora with the bath."

I was about to argue back, but I looked at my hands and realized Apple Bloom had a good point. I smiled at the young filly and nodded. She can be really responsible for a filly her age. I gave Apple Bloom the rest of the list and she followed the path out of the forest, toward Ponyville.

I turned and returned to Zecora's hut. Zecora turned to me and smiled, "Ah, welcome back my friend. Did your search come to an end?"

I smiled and handed the basket full of herbs, "I got the herbs from the forest, but Apple Bloom volunteered to get the herbs from Ponyville."

Zecora nodded, "Great faith in your friends, I see. With this bath, will you help me?"

I nodded, "Of course, Zecora."

With that, Zecora and I began mixing the herbs into the cauldron of water. Zecora smiled and started speaking in her native tongue. I smiled and stirred the herbal bath until it was in its right consistency.

Zecora dipped a small spoon into the bath and took a sip. She smiled in approval, "The perfect temperature, for Ponies, I presume." Then she looked at the door, "Now, where is that little Apple Bloom?"

I smiled, "I'm pretty sure she will be back soon. Finding the right herbs can be a bit challenging in Ponyville."

Suddenly, there was screaming from outside of the hut and Rainbow Dash came flying into the hut. Zecora and I gasped in shock. Zecora muttered in her native tongue, as Rainbow Dash flew around the hut and crashed into multiple things.

"What the hell!?" I exclaimed.

"Whoa there!" Applejack's tiny voice shouted from on Rainbow Dash's neck, "Easy, Rainbow Crash!"

Zecora shouted in her native tongue, but Rainbow Dash continued to fly across the room. Then Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Fluttershy charged in through the door.

"What have you done with Apple Bloom!?" Twilight asked in a demanding tone.

Zecora continued to shout in her native tongue, as Rainbow Dash crashed across the room again. Applejack grabbed her lasso and threw it around Zecora's ear. Applejack leaped off Rainbow Dash and started wrestling with Zecora's ear.

"Applejack? Girls, what are you-" I was about to ask, but Rainbow Dash crashed again, "For crying out loud, Rainbow Dash! You have legs!!"

Zecora turned to Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Fluttershy, "Ponies! What is this you-" But Rainbow Dash crashed into the cauldron and knocked the herbal bath all over the ground. Zecora gasped, "No! You know not of what you do! You have gone and spilled my precious brew!"

"Are you girls happy now?!" I asked the Ponies with furrowed brows of anger, "That brew was to help us!"

"We're onto you, Zecora." Twilight told Zecora, completely ignoring me, "I didn't want to believe that you've cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!"

"What evidence?" I exclaimed, "If you girls stopped and listened to me, none of this would have happened."

"There's plenty of evidence, Eleanor." Rarity argued, "Zecora made me look ridiculous!"

"Zecora made me sound ridiculous." Fluttershy added.

"She made me speak ridiculous." Pinkie Pie finished incoherently, but I could understand her.

"She ruined my horn and turned you into a satyr, Ellie." Twilight pointed out, "What other evidence is there?"

"How dare you!" Zecora shouted angrily, "You destroyed my home, destroyed my work. Then rudely accuse me of being a jerk!?"

"You put this curse on us!" Rainbow Dash shouted, "Now you're gonna un-curse us!"

Zecora stomped her hoof, "It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode!"

"Where is Apple Bloom?" Twilight demanded, getting into a test of strength with Zecora.

Then Apple Bloom arrived to the scene, "Zecora! I think I found all the things ya asked for." She looked around the area and gasped, "What in Ponyville is goin' on here?"

At the sound of the filly's voice, Applejack stopped wrestling with Zecora's ear and looked at her younger sister, "Apple Bloom! You're okay!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Apple Bloom asked.

Twilight stood in between Zecora and Apple Bloom in a protective manner, "Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!"

Finally realizing what all this madness was all about, Zecora and Apple Bloom laughed at Twilight's accusation.

"Oh, Twilight. Did those silly fillies finally get in yer head?" Apple Bloom asked, "You know there's no such thing as a curse."

Twilight turned to the yellow filly, "Apple Bloom, sweetie. You can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse."

"This isn't a curse." Apple Bloom and I answered in unison, as the young filly entered the hut.

"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact." Zecora reminded the Girls.

I nodded in agreement and recited Zecora's words, "Beware, beware you Pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke."

"It was a warnin'." Apple Bloom explained, "About that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke."

Zecora nodded, "That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke."

Applejack tilted her head and raised a brow, "What the hell does that mean?"

"Language, Applejack." I told the tiny farmer.

"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead this plant just wants a laugh." Zecora explained.

Applejack shook her head and asked the rest of us, "Will somepony please talk normal?"

I let out a relieved giggle, "It's what I've been trying to tell you girls. Poison Joke is a plant, which pollen will turn what you take pride in most into practical jokes. That's why our ailments are different." I folded my arms, "If this was a curse, the ailments would be the same on all of us."

Applejack looked at me with a deadpan expression, "Very funny."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and nodded, "Ok, fine." Then asked, "But what about the cauldron?"

"And the chanting?" Fluttershy added.

"And the creepy decor?" Rarity finished.

Zecora looked at the masks on the ground, "Treasures of the native land where I am from." She gestured to a green and blue one, "This one speaks 'hello'..." Then to one looking like a baboon mask, "And this 'welcome'."

"Not welcoming at all, if you ask me." Rarity commented, looking at a light mask with messy hair.

"The words I chanted were from olden times. Something you call a nursery rhyme." Zecora explained the chanting.

"The language she was chanting is Zulu." I explained, "A foreign language in my world, but the native tongue to Zebras."

"But the cauldron... The Apple Bloom soup?" Twilight asked.

Apple Bloom smiled, "Lookie here, Twilight. That pot of water wasn't for me, it was for all these herbal ingredients." She gestured to the Supernaturals book on the podium, "The cure for Poison Joke is a simple old-natural remedy. You just gotta take a bubble bath!"

Twilight took a look at the book and shook her head, "But I tried to find a cure in all my books and couldn't find anything. What book has this natural remedy?"

Zecora closed the book for Twilight to see the cover, "Here is the book you see. Sad that you lack it in your library."

I shook my head, "Actually, Zecora, Twilight and I do have this book." I glanced at Twilight, "But somepony thought it meant something completely different."

Twilight looked at me, then at the book. She lowered her head in shame, "I...I... I'm so sorry Zecora. I had the answer the whole time, if only I had bothered to look inside."

Zecora let out a lighthearted chuckle and turned to the others, "Maybe next time you will take a second look, and not judge the cover of the book."

Apple Bloom and I gave a lighthearted laugh.

"Zecora? Would you be kind enough to mix up another batch of the herbal bath?" Twilight asked Zecora.

Zecora nodded in agreement, "Mix it up I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville."

"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed." Apple Bloom explained.

Twilight smiled, "Oh, well... I think we can help you with that."

*A Little Later, In Ponyville...*

With Zecora, the Girls, Apple Bloom and I entered Ponyville and made our way to the flower shop. However, everyone saw our ailments and accused the worst and ran into their homes and shops.

Twilight walked toward the shop and knocked on the door, "Daisy, we need to talk."

*Later That Day, In The Spa...*

With everything sorted out and everyone finally accepting and understanding Zecora, the Girls and I took a nice herbal bath within the spa. Our ailments were fixed and everything is back to normal. Alongside, we made a new friend as well. Now, maybe Twilight will not judge a book by its cover again. Fingers crossed...

"Miss Zecora." Lotus Blossom called Zecora, "I would love to get the recipe for this bath. It's simply luxurious!"

Zecora was about to answer, but Apple Bloom gasped in horror, "Applejack! Hey, where's Applejack?!"

The Girls gasped and exclaimed in shock and fright, as they started frantically searching the water for Applejack.

But Applejack's voice spoke up, "I'm right here, little sis." We turned to a small cup of water and Applejack was back to her normal size, "I ain't tiny no more!"

Rarity smiled with a relaxed sigh, "Ooh. I have never felt so lovely in all my life!"

I nodded in agreement, "I'll admit, it does feel good having normal feet again. You Ponies make walking on hooves look so easy." Then I shrugged, "I'm gonna miss the tail, though. Oh well."

Zecora smiled at me, "You still have much to know, young Child of Calypso."

I raised a brow and was about to ask, but Pinkie Pie emerged from the water and blurt, "Oh my gosh! I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk. I mean I love talking so much and when I couldn't talk 'cause my tongue was all 'ehhhh'. It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy smiled and nodded in agreement, "Yes."

The Girls, Zecora and Apple Bloom shared a laugh. I looked at Zecora with a raised brow. Does she know something that I don't? I guess only time will tell...