Gossip Spreads Quick

Ruby gave a yawn as she ducked under a tree branch, careful to avoid the blue plants that Dinky had said was apparently responsible for playing jokes on the other adults that Dinky looked up to.

“Okay, so what are we looking for exactly?” Silver Spoon broke the silence and everypony gave her shrugs. “Seriously?”

“That one pony that lives here. The zebra I think I overheard Roseluck calling it?” Liza scrunched up her muzzle in thought. “According to mom, zebras are known to be sham-?”

“Shamans?” Button Mash suggested without looking from his hoof held video games, the screen lighting up his face various colors.

“Yeah, how did you know that?” Liza asked and tilted her head as Button waved his hoof held before returning to playing it again.

“It was in the video game I played last month. It’s called Stallion Ring. It’s about repairing this ring and becoming the elden lord. You get a customizable pony and everything in a big open world. The boss fights are insane and angered me a lot. But I did it!” Button exclaimed and his eye twitched for a second. “The sleepless nights, the painstaking fighting...”

“The times you got grounded for staying up past your bed time,” Ruby cut in with an eye roll as she flicked her tail against his side. She grabbed his video game with her magic and held it above his head. “You’re gonna walk into a tree if you keep playing and walking. I’m saving you from yourself. Talk to me instead.”

“Uhm about what?” Button asked in confusion as he pulled out another video game from his saddlebags.

“Oh my god. How many do you have?” Ruby shouted and flung her forelegs upwards to the sky.

“Dozens. Video games are my life,” Button Mash answered and jumped as that one too disappeared in a red glow and Ruby glared at him. “Oh sweet Celestia.”

“Do not play video games when a mare is talking to you. It’s rude,” Ruby flipped her mane and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll tell Noi.”

“Uhm what would that do?” Button gave her a confused look and shifted on his hooves.

“She’s scary and she wants us to be friends. You don’t wanna end up on her bad side,” Ruby grinned and Button froze in fear. Noi was terrifying. Especially when angered. The amount of times he had seen her fighting in the hallway was enough to make him afraid of getting on her bad side. It only made him made more grateful they were friends.

Liza watched sympathetically as she and Dinky stood next to Silver Spoon, the filly completely forgetting her hatred of the earth pony filly next to her.

They all froze at hoof steps next to them as a hooded pony stepped into the clearing and gave them confused looks.

“Well, we’re dead,” Button Mash muttered and nervously stood between her and Ruby.

Dinky and Liza sat around a steaming pot with the others as the hooded figure took of her hood, revealing her stripes and golden rings around her neck.

“Are you gonna eat us?” Silver Spoon asked finally and Liza elbowed her angrily as the mare laughed.

“Of course not little one. Zebras are not carnivores, after all. And besides, ruining your day wouldn’t be fun,” the mare shrugged. “My name is Zecora. What’s your names?”

Dinky was nudged slightly and she inhaled.

“I’m Dinky. That’s Liza, Ruby, Button Mash and Silver Spoon. We’re uhm looking for you actually. We overheard a pony in town talking about you that you might be able to help our mom and friends,” Dinkys eyes flicked to the wall that had various paintings on them. “Or well, sister in Silver Spoons case. They stepped into some weird blue plant.”

Zecora nodded slowly as she poured some powder into the cauldron and stirred slowly with a large stick.

“Ah yes. I know the ones you talk of. I warned them about the plant but they apparently didn’t know what I meant. This will help but I need one more ingredient. One that is hard to find,” Zecora sighed and shook her head. “This just puts me in a bind.”

“We can get you it,” Button Mash offered and stood up. “It’ll be like an adventure in one of my video games. We all can be the hero, make Zecora liked by the town and restore the elements of harmony. Then Equestria and the Crown will owe us a favor.”

“I hate to admit this, but he makes sense,” Silver Spoon broke the silence. “I won’t turn down the Princesses owning me a favor.”

“And more importantly, we will have helped her!” Button pointed at Zecora as the zebra smiled warmly at him.

“And he lost me.”

“You’re seriously so lame,” Liza scoffed and shot Silver Spoon a glare. “You claim you’re nothing like Diamond Tiara, yet the only reason you won’t help a pony is because there’s nothing in it for you. No wonder your parents are always busy out of town because they can’t stand your rude attitude.”

Everypony fell silent as Ruby shot Liza a stunned look. Silver Spoons ears flattened against her head and she looked away.

“That may have been a bit far,” Liza admitted and looked down at her hooves. “I’m sorry.”

“May have been is a understatement,” Ruby whispered to Dinky, who nodded her agreement. “No offense, but we don’t have time for this. Momma is gonna kill me once she founds out I’ve been in the forest alone. I don’t want to imagine what Sparkler will do once Miss Derpy goes home.”

“That’s a good point. Where is Sparkler?” Silver Spoon turned to the two and they both shrugged.

“Oh, she’s a bit tied up at work at the moment,” Ruby answered nonchalantly and Dinky nodded slowly.

Sparkler yawned and cracked her neck as she opened her eyes, waking up from her nap.

“Thank Celestia for the pony who invented naps,” Sparkler levitated the blankets off her and moved her legs. Or tried to was more accurate. She was loosely tied onto her bed and she gave a confused look. “Uhm, the hell?”

She yanked the ropes off with her magic and looked around warily. It was quiet inside the house. Too quiet.

“The house is quiet. Where’s Dinky?”

“Tied up at work, yep totally,” Ruby shrugged and shared a smirk with Dinky. “So what are we looking for, Zecora?”

Zecora paused for a moment before hoofing over a book. She was a bit wary of accepting help from kids, but if it got her the towns acceptance, then so be it.