1 week later

Spike yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He sat up, stretching his arms before looking down at the sleeping form next to him. Thorax shifted in his sleep, a look of sadness on his face. Spike sighed. Ever since that night at the party, Thorax had been plagued by memories and nightmares in his sleep. The only thing that helped in the slightest was being near his beloved. Spike wished he could do something else to help, but he knew he couldn’t. Sighing again, he leaned down and kissed Thorax on the cheek before getting ready for work.

As Spike exited the library, he noticed something. The town was… empty. As if everypony had just gotten up in the middle of the night and left. Every once in a while, he’s notice a pony peaking out of their window, but that’s about it. What was going on? Deciding that it wouldn’t matter if he was a little late to work, he decided to walk there and see what else is going on throughout the town. As he continued to walk, he continued to get more confused. There was still food on tables, and bits on store counters. It was as if everypony had just decided whatever they were doing was less important than hiding. But from what? Why were they so afraid?

Eventually Spike made it to the market, where things were much the same. Except for one thing: a lone, cloaked pony was walking around. Glad to finally find someone, he walked up to them.
”Excuse me?”
The cloaked pony seemed startled, and turned towards him. Finally getting a good look at their face, he discovered that he had never seen them before. In fact, he had never seen any pony like them before.
”Ah, a living soul in this town. Could you please tell me why there is no pony around?”
Spike shook his head, just as confused as they were.
”I was gonna ask you the same thing. Names Spike, pleasure to meet ya.”
”The pleasure is mine, my feathered friend. My name is Zecora, and your help I need you to lend.”
”Sure, what’s wrong?”

”I need to purchase some herbs, but this absence has left me perturbed. I have bits to spend, but the prices, I cannot comprehend. Do you know how much I must pay, so I may be on my way?”
”Of course. I come here all the time for spices and such, so I know there prices well. Which ones are you buying.”
The zebra points to four herbs, before putting their hand down.
”So lemongrass, lavender, geranium and wormwood? A bit strange to most ponies, but they do add some nice flavors. How much do you want?”
She collects the amount she needs, before setting it down on the counter.
”Ok, so that’s gonna be about 30 bits for all that. Just leave it on the counter, I’ll see if I can find the flower trio and let them know, before somepony steals them.”
The strange pony chuckled, before smiling to him.
”My thanks to you, creature of flame. Your assistance has made this jounrey far less lame.”
”No problem! It’s been a pleasure meeting you!”
Spike smiled and waved as she walked away, when he suddenly realized something: she called him a creature of flame. She knew? How did she know?

Spike had eventually made it to work, just in time. After spending the day ensuring clouds and their payloads were delivered safely, he got off of work and headed home. As he shut the door behind him, he heard Twilight in her study, and he noticed Thorax reading a book. He quietly walked up to his fiancé, before putting his hands on his shoulders.
”Watcha readin?”
Thorax jumped stiffened, before turning around. When he realized it was Spike, he loosened up.
”Oh, it’s just you Spike. I’m just reading this book on different cultures.”
”Oooh, interesting. What’s got you researching this?”
”Apparently a zebra came to town. The others are afraid of her, but Twilight wants to prove that’s she’s harmless.”
”Oh yeah, I was wondering why the town was so empty earlier. Anyways, I met the zebra myself, and she seemed quite nice. A shame that the town’s scared of her.”
Thorax sighed, and looked to his beloved.
”Yeah, a real shame. Kinda wish that they didn’t see things different from them as scary. It’s like they thinks she’s an evil enchantress, planning to curse them!”

That night, Spike had trouble sleeping. Something told him that tomorrow, something big was about to happen. And if he was right, then Zecora was in danger. Eventually he sighed, before getting up and grabbing a glass of water from the bathroom. Quickly filling it up, he also opened the mirror, and grabbed some sleeping pills. As he took the pills with water, he let out a small yawn, before heading back to bed. Crawling back into bed, he worked his way back next to Thorax, before laying his arm over him. As he began to drift off to the land of slumber, he could swear he heard something. Something that sounded like magic.

As the sun began to rise in Ponyville, Spike and Thorax were awoken by a scream. Shooting up in bed, the two jumped out and quickly ran to Twilights room. As they got there, however, they became confused. Twilights horn was… floppy? And covered in blue spots?! What?!!
”What the actual fu-“
”Oh Spike, it’s horrible! I was wrong! I thought she could have been nice, and she cursed me! Oh what a world!”
”CALM DOWN TWI!”
Twilight stopped her rant, and began to breathe.
”You’re right, you’re right. I should take a step back and look at this logically. I didn’t do anything to her. Why would she curse me! I mean, if my friends are messed up as well, then I could see it as her cursing us. After all, they were antagonizing her. But that’s not gonna happen.”
But as she said this, they heard the door flew open, and four mares, and one filly, sporting wildly different looks ran up the stairs.
”Me and my big mouth.”

Just by taking one look at their friends, they could tell something was wrong. Rainbows wings were upside down, and Rarity’s hair was matted and overgrown. Pinkie’s tongue was swollen and covered in blue spots, and Applejack was no where to be found, her little sister Applebloom in her place. The only one that looked alright was Fluttershy, but she seemed a bit more shy than usual.
”See Twi? Told ya she was evil!”
”Look dash, let’s not get into this yet. AppleJack still isn’t here.”
Suddenly, a small sounding voice came out of Applebloom’s hair, as a small, stetsoned head popped up.
”Ahm right here sugarcube!”
Applejack, for some reason, was small. Great.

”Look, there is no proof that she did this to us. For all we know, we caught something being out in the forest!”
” Wll yh, xpt fr th fct tht w tlkd t hr lst!”
”Im sorry, what?”
”She said, well yeah, except for the fact that we talked with her last!”
Spike and Twilight both sighed.
”That’s a stupid reason. I talked to her yesterday, and I’m perfectly normal!”
”Well, your not exactly normal to begin with darling.”
As Rarity said this, the others all looked at her.
”And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Rarity, realizing what she said, flushed with embarrassment.
”Im sorry darling, that came out wrong. What I meant was that you’re a dragon, darling, and we’re ponies. You probably have some natural immunity to her magic.”
”I guess… but i still don’t believe it. When I met her, she seemed perfectly fine. And hell, I’ll prove it.I’ll go find her, and ask her what happened.”
”Wait, we’ll come with you!”
”You probably shouldn’t, since it’s so dangerous.”
”Well I don’t care. You’re my little brother, and I’m not letting you go alone. Besides, we know at least roughly where she lives.”
Spike sighed, before giving up.
”Fine, you guys can come. Just stick close to me. You wanna come to Thorax?”
”I still don’t feel the best in that forest, but I’m interested. I’ll come.”
”Great! We’ll head out now.”

As they walked through the forest, the girls continued to argue over of the zebra was evil or not.
”Look, she lives in the everfree forest. That should be more than enough proof that she’s evil.”
”Or, maybe she’s researching the unique flora and fauna that live within?”
”What about the way she talks? It’s as if she casts a spell every time.”
”Thats actually a zebra custom. They spend their entire life speaking in rhyme, and only stop when they are talking to someone really close to them. Like family, or a lover.”
”How do ya know that mister Thor?”
”Well, Applebloom, after you guys came back yesterday, Twilight asked me to do some research on their culture.”
”That’s purty neat mister Thor!”
”w shld bk hr pls ncrs s ck!”
”What?!”
” Ah think she said somthin bout a please uncurse us cake.”
”Oh. First off, thank you applejack, and second off, curses are not like this. They’re more painful. This is more like a hex. Harmless, yet malevolent.”
”Hey guys, I think we’re here!”
”What makes you say that.”
”The giant tree house in front of us.”
And they finally stop arguing, they realize that, in fact, they were at a giant tree house.
”Oh.”

Spike quickly walks up to the door, and gently knocks on it. As he’s about to step back, however, the door flys open.
”Ah, good, you’re finally here. As long as you took, I was starting to fear.”
”Oh, hey Zecora. You were expecting us?”
”Yes I was, after yesterdays meeting. Hurry on in, for time is fleeting.”
Spike looked back to the group, who looked concerned, and shrugged his shoulders before heading in. Shortly thereafter, the rest follow, with Twilight and Thorax in the lead. As they were all inside, Zecora looked to them, a smile on her face.
”Its good that you came, for otherwise, I would feel great shame.”
”What’s that supposed to mean? And why did you curse us?!”
”Dash!”
”Im sorry your fear me but I mean you no harm, for yesterday, I had just tried to warn. But listen you didn’t, causing you pain. But now you are here, so I can explain.”

”For you see, yesterday you made a mistake. For you heeded not my warning, and a misstep you did take. I warned you of the blue petals, and their corrupting evil, and yet you went into them still. The flowers named poison joke messed with you so, and now to find a cure, you had one place to go. And here you are, seeking relief. And now I shall do so, so let me be brief. In order to stave off poison jokes wrath, you must take… a bubble bath!”
Silence fills the room, as Zecora stops speaking and begins to walk away.
”Well that was anticlimactic.”
”No kidding.”
After a moment, decors comes back, pulling a large tub with her.
”The six of you shall rest within, and let this magical bath complete its cleanse. The males and little one shall head out, to give you privacy, no doubt.”
”Thank you Miss Zecora. I knew that their suspicions were unfounded, but thank you for helping them anyways.”
Zecora just smiles, as the boys and Applebloom step outside.

After some time, the girls step outside, looking good as new.
”Ahm real sorry about judgin ya Miss Zecora. Thank’s again der helpin us.”
”Think nothing of it, young mare. All is forgiven, so please do not despair.”
”Yeah, we know better than to judge someone before meeting them again.”
”You girls are done? Good, let’s get outa here, it’s getting dark. Good to see you again Zecora. Don’t be a stranger.”
As the party leaves, Zecora waves and sees them off. But after they leave, she heads inside, a look of sadness on her face. As she closes the door, she drops her cloak, revealing The green, leafy clothing underneath.
”To think, my sister’s mission is finished. But with it, her life is diminished. Let us hope that the drake is enough, or else our world shall have it tough.”

Author's Note

Boom! Zecora is this worlds dryad!Bet you didn’t see that coming. Anyways, if I made any mistakes, such as spelling errors, please let me know. Hope you enjoyed!