The power of Three

The sun was rising over Ponyville as Twilight and the rest of the girls arrived at Rarity's boutique. Twilight knocked as Rarity threw open the door to greet them. "Ohh girls, I'm so pleased you could make it! Have you had any luck in contacting Princess Luna?"
Twilight sighed. "I'm sorry Rarity, however the good news is we're still getting day and night so she must just be busy at her post. How are Mark and Sweetie Belle doing?"
Rarity looked around to see if either of them were behind her before turning back to the girls. "Well, Sweety's still a bit roughed up with some nasty cuts on her flank the poor thing...but Mark is something completely different altogether. He wakes up screaming, he rarely wakes yet speaks of a dream saying he must hurry to Zecora as he only has so many days before...before...you know...No more Mark!" Tears filling her eyes.

Twilight stepped forward "Hey, hey Rarity. We are not going to lose Mark okay. We're all here and we are all going to get to the bottom of this okay? That's why we need to stay strong and go now to Zecora." She hugged her friend. "So dry those tears and grab your bag Fashionista we've got quite the day ahead of us!"

Rarity snorted a cheerful smile through her tears. "Your absolutely right darling, we should leave at once."
She turned with her horn glowing and put her saddle bags on as she checked if it was on secure and the weight was right she called up the stairs to Sweety and Mark to come down. She had two more straps to check when Applebloom and Scootaloo dashed passed her.
"Don't worry Miss Rarity, we'll get them for you!"
Rarity stopped gawked "Girls no! They're...Ughh...Three, two, one"
Both girls screams wailed through the Carousel Boutique finding their best friend with Marks dick in her mouth. They shot out out the house as fast as they'd gone in.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "I was about to tell you girls they were having a moment besides such things seems to give Mark his vigour back so if he's 'Happy' then at least he won't be asleep as much on the journey...." She saddened once again. "I sure hope Zecora has an antidote."
Sweety and Mark came to the door the girls were taken aback on seeing Mark he was nearly as white as Sweety and Rarity put together. They'd only seen Mark in the dark room as they took their turn looking after him since the accident but this truly shocked them, now they knew that Rarity wasn't overselling it like she normally did.

Fluttershy stepped forward "Hey Mark, I know how poorly you are but I can say for all of us that we are all here for you. If you want or need anything or just need a certain pony's ear you just have to ask." The girls clopped the ground and nodded their heads in agreement. "Well said Fluttershy!" called Twilight.
Colour almost came to Marks cheeks as he felt a little overwhelmed by her kind words. "Thank you Fluttershy and thank you girls. I know you'll do everything you can for me and as always I really do appreciate it...but don't worry if you can't fix me this time. I'm a man out of place and out of time. I'm only alive today because of Dashy. If she hadn't have been practicing so hard for the Wonderbolts that day...well I wouldn't be standing here today and I am more grateful beyond any words that she did.
I have never taken a day for granted since the moment I left the hospital with Twilight and you know that I love you all because I've dated every filly here today and that is something that will never change. Despite this fork in the road I am at, whether I'm to stay or go I am the luckiest man in the world to be surrounded with so much love, kindness and above all friendship and all I can say to each of you is...Thank you."

The girls clopped their hooves on the ground their eyes misty and lips trembling at his kind words. He felt the weakness come over him again and made a quick bee line for AJ's cart. "Sure you gunna be able to pull me alright cowgirl?" He asked cheering her up. She smiled wiping a tear from her eye. "Sure as apples grow on trees Marksteroo! Yeehaaa!"
She buckarooed and they set off through the waking town of Ponyville towards Zecora's hut as Sweetie Belle and her Crusaders hopped in the back with him and snuggled in to catch up on much needed sleep.

Upon entering the Enchanted Forest Twilight and Rarity cast a spell over the cart as there was no need to bring back any bad memories for Mark and Sweety as they themselves stepped with caution through the Forest. Fluttershy hummed a heavenly tune keeping her eye open for various plants and flowers to pick for the various medicines and teas for her furry animals.
AJ glanced up watching Dashy flying so far ahead on lookout for them while Pinky hopped and hummed in her own little world behind the cart playing eye spy.

Dream World

Mark found himself once again on the fields of Equestria he was a little more aware of himself this time around. He could smell the fields and the cool winds on his face. The long grass brushing against his hand it made him think of his favourite movie from back home. He thought of the the quote reciting it out loud with passion.
"If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun in your face, do not be troubled for you are in Elysium and your already dead!" As he smiled at the memory Luna once again appeared before him.

"Ohh hey Luna! Did you get Twilights message?"
Princess Luna stood on ceremony once again repeating her riddle.

"As the poison in your veins makes you weak, only by the power of three have less than one week, find your feet and Zecora you must seek. The days seem long so you must be strong go now if you want to stay where you belong....REMEMBER...."

"SWEETIE BELLE!!"
Mark cried out.

Sweety shushed him. "You're okay Mark I'm here we're safe and...we made it!"
He opened his eyes through blurred vision to find he wasn't in AJ's apple cart but in a strange bed similar to a military cot back home.

Zecora stepped forward chanting and waving incense around.
"As the poison in your veins makes you weak, only by the power of three have less than one week, find your feet and Zecora you must seek. The days seem long so you must be strong go now if to stay where you belong....REMEMBER...."

A shiver trickled down his spine at the words now being spoken out loud in the waking world.
"What the hell? How? Who told her those words?"
He looked to Sweety and Rarity. Sweety tried to settle him. "Mark, we've only just arrived we've only just told her you needed help and got you on the bed." Mark turned to Zoocora. "What have you done with Princess Luna?" He demanded.

Zecora laughed. "With Princess Luna I've done no such thing, I only made a tonic to take your sting."
She passed him a cup suggesting he drink from it. "Princess Luna is a busy pony, I merely piggybacked my riddle through her."

Mark settled himself and looked at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. "Okay, so I drink this and I'm cured?"
He took the cup and smelled the liquid. It was nauseating making his guts churn.

Zecora laughed, "I thought you were the man with the sack, so take a breath and knock it back."
Mark grimaced and held the cup to the girls. "To Equestria!" He took a breath and knocked it back wincing as he swallowed.
All of a sudden he hit the floor convulsing a green smoke eminiating from his body.

Zecora called for the ponies to stand back as she cast a barrier spell and Twilight and Rarity followed suit aiming their glowing horns in Mark's direction. The fillies looked on helplessly as Mark writhed around in the green smoke he went to all fours eyes glowing green with green smoke rising out his mouth as he cried out in pain.

After what seemed like for ever it stopped, Mark lay lifeless on the ground as the girls gathered themselves and made a move towards him to help him up but Zoocora stopped them abruptly. "Shh shh you must let him lie for the curse to die." She whispered.

The girls looked puzzled? "Is that a curse? But he was only poisoned by the vines in the Enchanted Forest Zecora." Twilight stated.
Zoocora chuckled. "Yes my little ponies that is true but he was also cursed by one of you"
The girls looked at each other in disbelief that some pony could ever do that to Mark.

Zecora stepped forward. "Which one of you is this fool in love with?"
They all looked aghast at Sweetie Belle.

Zecora became agitated. "You! The little filly whom stole from me last year so she could 'Have fingers' You the filly who promised never to do such a thing again have now stolen a curse for a man to love you??"
The ponies gasped and muttered between themselves at Sweetie Belle's behaviour.

Rarity cried out. "Sweetie Belle, how could you? W-when...w-why did you do it?"

Sweetie looked scared at her sister. "I-i-it was when he went on that two month recluse when he thought there was no special somepony for him, seeing him so down I felt sorry for him I could see his sadness through his smiles and well...I had to do something."

The zebra marched over to Sweetie Belle casting a shadow over her, she was so frightened by Zecora that she actually peed herself.
"I'm sorry Zoocora! Please don't hurt me! PLEEEEASE!!"
Zoocora was right on top of her now, with an angry face that slowly turned to laughter.

Sweety was so shocked she thought she'd peed again but already sitting in a warm puddle she couldn't tell.
"Now the power of three must go, find the the lake under the snow. Find the the river lilies to end Marks woe."
Twilight stepped forward okay so who are the other two to join me Zecora?"
Zecora chuckled softly.

"This task the mane six cannot fix. Only power of three can set things straight under the hanging tree if you wish to take Mark's agony."

Twilight grimaced "Ohh cheese and rice! The Cutie Mark Crusaders? Zecora, surely we can go in their stead. Mark's fate and life would be a lot safer in our hooves surely!" She almost begged the zebra.
Zecora smiled softly.
"Only the Cutie Mark Crusaders can unlock this mystery underneath the hanging tree"

Rarity held her hoof to her head "What in Faust does that mean anyway??" She cried out almost fainting.
Twilight begged the zebra. "Please Zecora, no more riddles these fillies aren't as clued up as we are, heck even I'm struggling with what you're saying and I'm princess Celestia's top student. Look Mark's life is really riding on this and he means too much to us to have him die at the hooves of three clueless fillies."

Zecora put a hoof on Twilights shoulder. "Princess when all seems lost you must learn to trust. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are a must."

Twilight gave a residing sigh. "Okay Zecora but please help us ready them for this perilous journey they're going to need a lot of help...a lot of help."
Zecora pointed to three saddlebags full of equipment, rations and water.
Twilight gawped. "Wow Zecora you really have all this thought all of this through."
She turned to see her friends calling their sisters over to ready them for their quest.

Rarity, AppleJack and Rainbow Dash each called their sisters over to get them ready for their quest.
AJ spent her time showing Applebloom some bucking and kicking moves, elsewhere Dashy was showing Scootaloo some crazy flying manoeuvres and then over the farside Rarity was having a heart to heart with Sweetie Belle before learning her spells for defence, attacking and healing.

Zecora got Mark to his feet he felt a little groggy however the poison wasn't killing him anymore but he just needed to be rid of this curse that was eating away at him. Mark slowly strolled around getting used to his legs again after been bed ridden for the last few days. He thanked her for all her help.

"I shall have princess Luna pass on my dream riddles so do not be afraid of her." Zecora assured him. "Also I have a pack for you too, can't let you go unprepared now and don't forget to take your healing potions."

Mark thanked her again and joined the crusaders each putting on their saddle bags.
Pinkie came bouncing over lightening the mood. "Don't worry I know it'll all turn out good in the end and I'm going to throw you the biggesssst paaAAARTY EVEEEERRR!!!!" She screamed.
She then put her face into Sweetie Belles face "Except for you, you're not going to be invited because you're the reason we're all here in the first place and if anything does happen to Mark I'll find you and I will cu......" Dashy snatched Pinky away kicking and screaming whilst covering her maw.

Fluttershy changed the mood by handing them each a small bottle. "Here take special care of this, it's a special elixir which helps heal anything from deep cuts to bone breaks and you must only take a drop...not two drops or a swig just one drop do you understand me?" The three fillies and Mark nodded. "Yes Fluttershy thank you we'll be extra careful with it" They said in unison. "Don't worry Fluttershy, I'll keep them right." Mark added.

They said their goodbyes hopefully not final ones.
Rarity took her sister quietly to the side. "You bring him back…alright?" Her voice breaking. "You bring him home! Or...or I…" She grabbed her little sister tight giving her a squeeze trying not to cry.

Mark stood smiling despite the physical and emotional pain inside himself looking at these beautiful ponies who he'd shared so much with over the past two years. "Remember what I told you all this morning girls, I am the luckiest man alive to have mare friends so loving and dedicated as you are."
They flocked around him hugging him as he stroked their manes and faces praying to Celestia that they'll see each other again.

The Mane Six could only stand back and watch as Mark and the Cutie Mark Crusaders set off on their perilous quest yet.

It was all up to Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle now to ensure Mark's safe return.