Season Z, Episodes V-X: Playtime?

Chapters

Playtime? (Part 1)
Playtime? (Part 2)
Playtime? (Part 3)

Playtime? (Part 1)

Season: Z

Episode: V

Playtime? (Part 1)

(By: Flame Runner)

Young fillies and colts stole glances out of the Ponyville Schoolhouse. Brightly colored leaves littered the ground and the weather was cool. Birds flew happily through the sky, free and not in school.

“Now class, I want to remind you all that there will be no school this Friday,” Miss Cheerilee, the teacher, stated happily.

This elicited grateful cheers from her class.

“This Friday is Ponyville’s Taste of Fall and I expect to see you all there.”

“I love the Taste of Fall!” whispered Scootaloo, a young pegasus filly, to her friend, Apple Bloom.

“Me too!” the earth filly Apple Bloom, replied quietly. “Me and my sis have been harvestin’ plenty of apples jus’ for it!”

“Does that mean that there’ll be apple cider?” Sweetie Belle, a unicorn filly, asked.

“Plenty of apple cider!” Apple Bloom said a little too loudly.

“Apple Bloom,” Miss Cheerilee pried upon hearing the young filly, “is there something that you’d like to say to all the class?”

“Only that there’ll be plenty of cider at the Taste of Fall!”

Another cheer erupted from the classroom.

“I’m glad that you’re all getting into the spirit of the season,” Cheerilee continued, “The Taste of Fall is one of my favorite events. All Ponyville gathers together to celebrate everything that makes Fall such a wonderful season. In fact, Sweetie Belle isn’t your sister presenting a new Fall fashion line this year?”

“Yes she is. And it looks amazing!”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Cheerilee was thoroughly derailed from any previous topic. “In fact, many local craftsponies will be displaying their wares at the Taste of Fall.”

“And don’t forget all the games!” Snails, a unicorn colt, blurted out.

“Yeah! The games are the best part!” Snips, another colt, agreed.

Just then a thunderous noise split the sky and shook the school. Every head turned to look out the windows. What once before was a cheery autumn scene had now turned dark as black clouds hovered ominously above the nearby Everfree Forest.

(Insert Theme Music Here)

* * * * * * * * *

“W-What is that?!” screeched Diamond Tiara, a snobbish filly, as she pointed shakily at the dark clouds.

“Uh, class,” Cheerilee said with uncertainty, “perhaps it would be best to move away from the windows. Just to be safe.”

The class did as told and the ponies soon found themselves squeezed together at the opposite side of the room, all except for three young fillies.

“We’re not scared of the Everfree Forest,” declared Scootaloo defiantly.

“Um…actually I’m afraid of the Forest,” stated the white unicorn, Sweetie Belle, as she hid behind Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“No you’re not.” Scootaloo turned to face her friend.

“Am too!”

“Are not!”

“Am too!”

“Are not!”

“Girls!” Cheerilee interrupted their heated debate. “It really doesn’t matter if you’re afraid of the Forest or not, but I would recommend that everypony stay far away from the Everfree. It is a strange and magical forest after all.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

“You won’t have time to explore the Forest at any rate,” Cheerilee gave one of ‘those looks’ to Scootaloo, “Don’t forget that you all have homework due before the Taste of Fall.”

Disappointed groans now came from the young ponies.

“Oh! It looks like class is over for today. Good bye my little ponies! And stay safe!” Cheerilee dismissed her class.

The young students bolted out of the school and walked into the oddly bleak fall day. The ominous clouds almost seemed to cling to the branches of the mysterious Everfree.

* * * * * * * * *

“I can’t believe that Miss Cheerilee gave us this much homework!” complained Scootaloo, the orange pegasus to her friends.

All three of the friends were gathered in their tree house which also functioned as their club house. The three tended to go by their club name, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were hard at work scribbling on paper and being generally annoyed.

“I know,” Apple Bloom agreed. “Jus’ because we don’t have school on Friday doesn’t mean we should get extra homework.”

“Tell me about it,” mumbled Sweetie Belle as she scratched an answer onto her page with a pencil held precariously between her teeth.

“Hey girls!” a loud southern accented call echoed from the ground outside the tree house.

The three Crusaders peeked their heads out of their club house. Down below stood a strong orange mare with a cowboy hat on.

“Howdy Applejack!” Apple Bloom called cheerfully, thankful to have a break from her work.

“Howdy sis!” the orange mare called back. “Why don’t y’all come down? The mayor has called an urgent meeting and everypony is supposed to be there.”

“We’ll be right down!” Apple Bloom called back.

“What do you think the meeting is about?” Sweetie Belle asked privately to her friends.

“I don’t know, but I’m positive that it has something to do with the Everfree Forest,” Scootaloo replied with confidence.

Soon the three fillies had crawled out of their tree house and were on their way with Applejack to the urgent meeting.

* * * * * * * * *

“Citizens of Ponyville!” declared the mayor in her commanding voice.

The mayor was standing on a small stage built close to Town Hall. The residents of Ponyville stood around and listened intently.

“I am sure that you have all noticed the recent clouds above the Everfree Forest. The Forest does some strange things from time to time and we have never had any issues here in Ponyville before. Still, for everypony’s safety I would recommend that nopony go near the Forest. I understand that this shouldn’t be an issue, but with the Taste of Fall coming up so soon I want to make sure that nothing goes wrong.”

“Mayor! Mayor!” cried a voice that seemed out of breath.

All heads turned to find an earth mare scrambling into the assembly. She was a light yellow in color with two-toned pink and blue hair. She also had a cutie mark of three wrapped candies.

“It’s Lyra!” bemoaned the mare. “She’s missing and I think she might have gone into the Forest!”

“What?!” shrieked Mayor Mare and her mayoral glasses became skewed on her face. “Has anypony seen Lyra Heartstrings?” the mayor quickly quizzed the audience.

Many discomforting whispers passed around, but there was no sign of Lyra.

“This is not good,” the mayor stated. “In light of this current situation, I would again ask that nopony go near the Everfree. Please keep a watch for Lyra Heartstrings and if she is not found to be anywhere in Ponyville, then and only then, will we will organize a group to go looking for her in the Forest. Once again, do not, under any circumstances go near the Everfree Forest as of the time being.”

The mayor stepped down from her podium amid many vigorously hushed conversations. Amongst these many whispers broke out the voice of three young fillies.

“What was Lyra thinking?” Sweetie Belle asked her friends.

“I thought that she was workin’ on some harp music for the Taste of Fall,” Apple Bloom replied in confusion.

“It doesn’t matter what she was working on,” Scootaloo blurted. “If she’s gone into the Forest then somepony needs to rescue her! And why shouldn’t it be us?”

“I-I don’t know if that’s such a great idea,” Sweetie Belle responded nervously. “Didn’t you hear what the mayor said?”

“Yeah, but think about our Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo dismissed Sweetie’s concerns. “If we saved Lyra then we’d be sure to get them!”

“Well…I…suppose.” Sweetie Belle looked down at her hooves.

“Plus it’ll give us a good excuse to not do homework,” continued Scootaloo.

“I’m up for no homework,” Apple Bloom agreed with a small jump.

“What are we waiting for then? Let’s go!” Scootaloo raced off.

“Wait up Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom called as she ran after her pegasus friend.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” mumbled Sweetie Belle as she too joined her friends.

As the crowd was slowly dissipating, an orange pony with a brown Stetson turned her head and watched as the three little fillies took off toward the Everfree Forest.

“And jus’ where do they think they’re goin’?” Applejack asked herself.

The orange farm pony silently raced after the galloping trio of troublemakers.

* * * * * * * * *

The Everfree Forest was normally dark as a result of towering trees, but this day it was somehow darker still. The eerie black clouds hung low above the forest and seemed to be steadily spreading. The fillies now stood at the outer edge of the Forest and gazed into the mystical woods.

“It looks even creepier than usual,” Scootaloo said with excitement in her trembling voice.

“I can hardly see the path,” Apple Bloom commented.

“M-Maybe we should just get our homework done instead,” Sweetie Belle pleaded.

“Are you crazy?” Scootaloo said. “Who would actually want to do homework? Come on! This is so much cooler!”

With that the little pegasus took a step into the strange Forest. Apple Bloom also stepped onto the darkened path.

“Come on Sweetie Belle! There’s nothin’ to be scared of. We’ve been in the Everfree Forest plenty of times,” Apple Bloom encouraged.

The two in the Forest pranced around the outskirts of the path to show that there was nothing to fear. Finally Sweetie Belle took a hesitant step into the Everfree. Soon one step lead to another and in no time all three were well into the Everfree Forest. As they traveled through the dark, a sound of gleeful laughter echoed through the Everfree.

“That sounded like Lyra!” Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.

“I can already see our Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo said.

All three fillies raced toward the sound, ever further into the gloomy woods. Little did they realize that behind them Applejack was following close behind. She was now standing at the edge of the Forest herself.

“Girls! Git out of there right now!” shouted the concerned mare. “Girls! Apple Bloom!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders didn’t respond.

“Alright, if I have to go in and get ‘em I will.”

Applejack then charged forward with amazing speed. Suddenly, a puff of bright blue smoke flared up at the entrance to the Everfree. Applejack ground to a sideways halt. Three gigantic trees with bizarre purple leaves now stood blocking her path.

“What in tarnation?!”

There was no possible way around the strange trees but Applejack manged to squeeze her head through the foliage. She barely managed to catch one final glimpse of the fillies as they walked ever further into the darkness.

“Somethin’ strange is goin’ on and it looks like I’m gonna need some help to get those three out.”

Applejack popped her head out of the tangle of branches. With determination etched in her hard set eyes she galloped away from the forest, back into Ponyville.

* * * * * * * * *

The woods were dark, but as the Cutie Mark Crusaders ventured further in they found that it became easier to see. Soon the dark clouds above didn’t quite seem so bleak and the strange forest almost seemed welcoming.

“Hey! Isn’t this the way to Zecora’s house?” Scootaloo blurted out with sudden excitement.

“Eeup! This path’ll take us straight to Zecora,” Apple Bloom replied cheerily.

“I like Zecora!” Sweetie Belle said. “She’s the best zebra I know.”

“She’s the only zebra you know,” deadpanned Scootaloo.

The three continued their walk until Apple Bloom ground to a halt and looked around with confusion.

“I don’t see Zecora’s house.”

Plenty of strange trees, bushes, and flowers littered the forest floor, but there was no sign of Zecora’s house.

“It should be here!” Apple Bloom cried. “I’ve been to her house plenty of times.”

“Ok. Where is her house normally?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Right…there. Where that clump of trees is.” Apple Bloom pointed to a dense patch of twisted trees with purple leaves.

Without warning a bright flash of green light exploded from the trees Apple Bloom was pointing at. The three screamed and ran jumped behind a fallen log, barely daring to take a peek or two at the strange trees. But the flash died down just as soon as it had come and the Everfree Forest became the same comforting dark hue as usual.

“W-What do you think that was?” Scootaloo stuttered.

“I-I don’t know,” Sweetie Belle murmured back.

Then joyful laughter filled the air again. The Crusaders turned their heads down the path the noise had come from. The silhouette of a pony prancing happily could be seen for a brief instant before the image was lost from sight.

“That must be Lyra!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders rescue mission go!” commanded Scootaloo with the pump of her front hoof.

The three fillies charged passed the odd tangle of trees and deeper into the forest, after the pony. Behind the fillies a yellow explosion filled the skies, but the Crusaders paid it no heed as they were busy chasing down the elusive Lyra Heartstrings.

* * * * * * * * *

Applejack rushed into Ponyville with one place in mind, the Carousel Boutique. Normally the down-to-earth work horse wouldn’t consider the dress shop as her number one destination, but today was an exception. Today Applejack needed the white unicorn and dress maker, Rarity, to help get the fillies back. Applejack slammed the front door of the shop wide open with her powerful back legs.

“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!” cooed the voice of the elegant Rarity.

“Rarity!” cried Applejack with passion.

“Applejack? Is something wrong?” The unicorn asked with concern.

“It’s Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo!”

“Yes, what about them?”

Applejack ran up and grabbed Rarity’s head as she practically shouted at the prissy unicorn.

“They’ve gone into the Everfree Forest!”

“They’ve what!?” shrieked Rarity.

The unicorn took a step back and over dramatized taking a deep breath.

“Why would they even think of doing something like that?” continued Rarity.

“I have no idea. But your sister is in there and so is mine. We have to get ‘em out before anythin’ happens to ‘em.”

“Very well. Let’s away this instant. There’s not a second to lose.”

Rarity marched toward the front door, but then turned back around.

“Right after I grab something to wear. That forest is always a bit nippy.”

“Rarity, we don’t have time for that!” said Applejack. “Our sisters are stuck in the Everfree Forest and the entrance is bein’ blocked by some sort of magic.”

“Magic?” Rarity lifted an eyebrow. “Hmm…then perhaps we shall need Twilight to help as well.”

“Fine, but let’s get a move on. I don’t want my sis in there for any longer than need be.”

“Agreed.”

Applejack took off at a fast gallop toward the Ponyville library where Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn scholar, lived. Rarity followed suit, but not before she snagged a scarf from the counter.

* * * * * * * * *

The joyful laughter grew louder with each step the fillies made until finally they found themselves in a large open grove. Here the Everfree had a small open meadow. Majestic pink flowers glowed softly. One of the Crusaders stepped on one and fluffy seeds spewed into the air, each with their own soft glow until they hit the ground and the light went out. Trees also twisted around with both horror and elegance. Large green nuts of some sort tugged down on the braches on some while others bore nothing. The grass beneath their hooves seemed to sigh contentedly whenever it was brushed aside. It was also here that the dark clouds above seemed to be darkest and yet somehow most beautiful. But all of this way soon overlooked when they noticed, dancing in the center of the meadow, was a mare.

The dancing pony had a sea foam green coat with duo toned white and sea foam green hair. She was a unicorn and had perfect amber eyes, although for some reason they seemed to be a bit clouded. Adorning her flank was the cutie mark of a harp.

“Lyra!” shouted Apple Bloom happily.

The laughing Lyra turned her head curiously toward the noise and began to giggle until she finally fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. As this occurred, the fillies walked carefully, but quickly, up to Lyra’s side.

“Lyra? Are you ok?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Never better!” Lyra managed to giggle out.

“Great! Then let’s get you out of here,” Scootaloo stated.

Lyra stopped laughing.

“But I don’t want to go. I’m having too much fun!”

“What?!” shrieked Sweetie Belle. “In the Everfree Forest?”

“Sure, why not?” Lyra replied with a smile.

“But you’ve already been in here for a few hours!” Apple Bloom protested.

“Really? Huh. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun!”

“Having fun doing what?” Scootaloo asked with a look of total befuddlement.

“Playing with my new friend of course!”

“Friend? What friend?” asked Sweetie Belle.

A small cloud of blue mist began to around the four ponies just as Sweetie Belle finished asking her question. The fog started to contract until it became a bright blue speck. Finally, the dot exploded with a flash of light but no noise. When the light faded a strange creature greeted the Crusaders’ eyes.

The creature was small, not quite as large as a filly. It was a translucent blue and most certainly not a pony. The creature never touched the earth, but always remained floating above the ground. Its eyes were a bright light blue that pierced through the darkness of the Forest. Its hair flowed from the top of its head, which was a round shape, in only a few large flowing strands. It had four appendages, two legs and two arms, but these were not properly attached to its body. Instead they floated off to the side of its body with open air between the spaces where they would normally be connected. Strangest of all, however, were its arms. For at the very end they ended in fingers, like a monkey would have.

“Girls, meet Phillis. She has hands,” Lyra introduced.

* * * * * * * * *

A large oak tree stood before Applejack and Rarity. This hollowed tree was the town library. The mares knocked on the front door. A few moments later it opened and the two were greeted by a young dragon.

“Hi Applejack!” the purple dragon said. “Hi…” he gulped and his eyes went wide as he began to blush ever so slightly, “Rarity.”

“Howdy Spike!” the farm pony greeted as she entered the tree.

“And how’s my little Spikey-wikey today?” Rarity leaned in close as she spoke to the dragon.

“F-Fine,” he stammered, “I-I mean, g-great!”

Spike dragged his foot around the floor sheepishly and he looked down at it.

“Wonderful!” Rarity smiled. “Is Twilight around?”

“Coming!” a call came from the top of the tree library.

Down from the upper loft walked a purple unicorn. Her straight hair was three toned with hues of deep blues and purples.

“Twilight,” stated Applejack bluntly just as the unicorn reached the main level, “we’ve got a problem.”

Twilight looked over both Applejack and Rarity. Spike ran up to Twilight’s side.

“Did Rarity try to make you stop wearing your hat again?” Twilight asked.

“Most certainly not!” defended Rarity. “Although she does need a new one,” the white unicorn mused.

“No. Now listen Twilight,” Applejack replied without missing a beat. “Our sisters and Scootaloo jus’ walked into the Everfree Forest.”

“What? Didn’t they hear what the mayor said?” Spike blurted out.

“But It gets worse,” Applejack continued. “Some strange magic kept me from chasin’ in after ‘em.”

“We need your help Twilight,” Rarity added.

“Strange magic, the Everfree Forest, and those fillies?” Twilight thought aloud. “That’s a recipe for disaster. You can count me in. Let’s get them out of there.”

“Great! And I’ll grab some snacks!” Spike cheered happily and ran off to grab something to eat.

“No Spike. I need you to stay here and watch the library,” Twilight commanded. “Besides the Forest is acting really strange. The fewer of us go in it, the better.”

“Fine,” moped Spike. “But you’d better bring me back some of Zecora’s best tea.”

Twilight chuckled. “Deal.”

“Now, we don’t have any time to waste. Applejack, lead the way,” the librarian stated.

“Right,” Applejack said as she turned out the door.

The three mares followed after their orange companion as Spike stayed behind and sighed.

“Guess I’ll organize the library…again.”

* * * * * * * * *

Phillis smiled a sweet and welcoming smile. The creature seemed pleasant and quite friendly.

“Hello,” Phillis opened in a soft voice. She sounded like a young, sweet girl.

“Whoa,” each and every Cutie Mark Crusader gasped at the exact same time.

Their eyes went wide as they looked over the creature. Phillis giggled.

“Would you like to play with us?” the translucent creature asked as she began to float around the heads of the fillies.

“Well, er…um…ya’ see we’re actually here to get Lyra,” Apple Bloom stammered out.

“Oh, but I don’t want to leave yet,” Lyra replied.

“Besides, do you have anything better to do?” pried Phillis.

“Just homework,” grumped Scootaloo.

“Yuck,” Sweetie Belle stuck her tongue out.

“You sure you’d rather do homework? Come on, play with us. Lyra’s been having a great time,” Phillis pleaded.

“It’s true!” Lyra defended.

The three fillies looked at each other. Stares of questioning and uncertainty flitted across each face. Finally, Scootaloo broke the silence.

“Alright sure, but Lyra’s got to come back with us when we’re done.”

“Deal,” Phillis agreed with another giggle.

Suddenly, the creature’s hands lit up like a blue fire and there grew from the ground a rubber ball, perfect for playing games with.

“Let’s play!” Lyra shouted.

* * * * * * * * *

Three mares soon found themselves standing at the edge of the Everfree Forest. The large trees still guarded the path. Twilight was walking around them and poking at them with her hooves. Rarity poked her head through the foliage to see inside the Forest and Applejack tried bucking the monstrous trees with no luck.

“It sure is dark in there,” Rarity commented.

In an instant the black clouds above the Everfree expanded in all directions and encroached upon the boarder of Ponyville. At the same time, the mysterious apple trees disappeared in the same puff of blue smoke that had brought them forth. Rarity found herself not holding onto anything and tumbling onto the dirt. She jumped up from the ground screaming.

“Ah! My scarf! My beautiful scarf! Now it’s all dirty.”

Twilight poked around at the open air.

“They’re gone,” stated the purple mare in disbelief.

“Then let’s not wait for ‘em to come back,” Applejack declared.

The brash farm pony brazenly marched onto the path.

“Y’all comin’?”

Twilight walked up to Applejack’s side. “Let’s just be cautious. I don’t like this.”

Rarity also walked into the Forest, fussing with her accessory.

“My perfectly good scarf.”

The trio walked carefully deeper into the Everfree Forest, ever alert for any signs of trouble.

* * * * * * * * *

“Batter up!” called Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom stepped up to a small patch of flowers that had been formed into the shape of a base. Throughout the meadow were three more of these “bases”. Also, a patch of dirt had been scratched into the center of the makeshift diamond where the pitcher would roll the rubber ball from.

The young farm pony put on her game face as she stared down Scootaloo. Scootaloo met the gaze evenly and then rolled the ball through the grass. Apple Bloom punted it with all the force she could muster. The ball sailed through the sky and Sweetie Belle scrambled after the flying sphere crying, “I got it! I got it!”

Apple Bloom sprinted up toward the first base and dove for it, but the effort was in vain. Sweetie Belle caught had caught the ball.

“Out!” umpire Lyra shouted. “Switch sides everypony!”

“Kickball is so much more fun than homework!” Scootaloo said as the teams switched positions.

“You said it!” Apple Bloom agreed.

“Oh, excuse me for a moment,” Phillis stated from the outfield. “There are some new guests that I must go and greet.”

The floating creature then puffed up in a cloud of blue smoke and disappeared.

“What do you think she meant?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Who cares? It’s my turn to kick and I’m getting a homerun,” Scootaloo replied.

“In your dreams!” Apple Bloom called back from the pitcher’s mound.

“Play ball!” shouted Lyra.

Each pony began to laugh uncontrollably when Scootaloo missed her kick.

* * * * * * * * *

The three mares had arrived at Zecora’s house, or where it should have been.

“That’s odd,” commented Twilight.

“Where’s Zecora’s house?” asked Rarity.

“Zecora!” called Applejack. “Zecora! Ya’ here?”

A bright flash of blue light exploded from the thick grove of trees in reply. The mares all jumped at the sudden explosion.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” the orange mare commented.

“But that’s where Zecora’s house should be,” Twilight stated. “She might be in trouble.”

Then the sound of laughter floated along the air.

“That’s Sweetie Belle!” Rarity cried excitedly.

“And Apple Bloom!” Applejack added.

“You two go and find them,” Twilight said, “I’m going to figure out what that explosion was.”

“Right,” Applejack nodded in agreement.

The farm pony and dress maker took off toward the sound of their sisters, but Twilight remained behind. The bookworm started poking around the thick clump of trees where the green explosion had come from. She couldn’t seem to fit her head through the tangle of limbs and leaves.

“Zecora? Are you in there?” she called.

“Hello!” a cheery voice greeted Twilight from behind, but it wasn’t Zecora.

Twilight spun around to find herself staring into the face of a blue creature.

“I’m Phillis! Want to play a game?”

“Wait. What?”

“Let’s play tag!”

“What are you?” Twilight poked at the strange semi-transparent being and her hoof went through it, like pushing against water.

“I’m it!” cried Phillis happily.

The creature then poked Twilight back.

“Now you’re it! Catch me if you can!”

Phillis sped off through the dark Everfree sky. Twilight just sat there, dumbfounded. Soon the creature returned. A look of annoyance was in her eyes.

“You’re supposed to chase me!”

“What?” Twilight didn’t know what was happening.

Phillis sighed. “You’re boring.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh! I know how to make this more fun!” Phillis smiled and then her hands ignited with a blue flame.

Beneath Twilight’s feet a strange blue vapor came from the ground and gripped her hooves. Through the smoke a tangle of vines grew up instantly and trapped the unicorn’s hooves in place.

“Ah!” screamed Twilight.

The unicorn tugged at the magical vines and even tried to pry them off with magic, but they stuck to her like some kind of gluey rubber.

“Now try to catch me!” giggled Phillis.

“How am I supposed to catch you if I can’t move?!” Twilight shouted with some fear in her voice.

“Duh. You’re a unicorn silly. Use your magic!” Phillis giggled once again before spinning around Twilight’s head quickly.

Twilight’s eyes couldn’t keep up with the creature and the mare finally had to close her eyes and shake her head. When the unicorn’s vision had cleared, Phillis’ face was directly in her line of sight wearing a big smile.

“Catch me!” commanded the strange creature.

“Urgh!” grumped Twilight in frustration.

The purple unicorn lit her horn and a magical aura surrounded Phillis’s body. Twilight yanked on the blue nuisance, but Phillis slipped out of the magical pull.

“Huh?”

Phillis laughed even harder.

“Come here you!” the unicorn grumped.

Twilight’s magic gripped Phillis even harder, but still the blue pest squeezed out of the unicorn’s pull. It was like trying to pin pudding to the wall.

“This is still boring,” Phillis stated. “Oh! I’ll put a timer on this game!”

“Timer? What do you mean?” Twilight was getting seriously scared of this small creature.

“You’ll see,” Phillis giggled as more blue smoke appeared around Twilight and slowly climbed up the unicorn’s body, starting at the tip of her tail. Twilight ignited her horn once again and put every effort into capturing the elusive Phillis. The blue creature struggled out of the embrace but was slowly being drawn to the determined unicorn. At the last moment, however, Phillis slipped through Twilight’s grasp. The creature began laughing again. Twilight turned around to find her tail slowly being replaced by twigs and leaves as the mist continued to climb up her legs.

“Stand still!” roared Twilight.

Magic lashed at Phillis once more.

“What fun is that?” the creature giggled as she zipped around the magic field Twilight had created.

“Urgh!” grumbled the unicorn.

“Twilight Sparkle, do not play her game!” a faint voice cried from within the tangle of impenetrable trees. “If you do, yourself you will maim!”

But Twilight could not hear the warning; she was too focused on catching the bizarre creature in front of her. As she tried to capture Phillis, Twilight’s eyes slowly began to fog over and she even started giggling. The mist quickly engulfed the laughing Twilight until naught was left but the tip of her horn. Soon the last of her unicorn magic sputtered out as Twilight’s transformation was complete from unicorn to garden sculpture.

“Ooo. This will look nice in my garden!” Phillis mused at her prize.

Both Twilight, the garden bush, and Phillis puffed away in a cloud of blue smoke. Just as the two vanished, a flash of red light blazed forth from the cluster of thick purple trees. The odd trees soon melted into a fog of blue steam. Through the fog stepped a zebra, and she was not happy.

Playtime? (Part 2)

(Part 1 has been updated. If you've read part 1 before parts 2-3 were posted, it may be useful to re-read part 1. However, it is NOT NECESSARY to re-read part 1. Enjoy the rest of the story!)

Season: Z

Episode: W

Playtime? (Part 2)

(By: Flame Runner)

Zecora stepped onto an open path. An unnatural blue mist slowly faded away behind the zebra. Her brows were furrowed and her eyes intense. In her front hoof she held a vial half full of some kind of red liquid. She glanced quickly around her, but saw nothing except the thick foliage of the dark Everfree Forest. A swirling vortex of black clouds was ever expanding over her head. She stomped at the ground and called out, “Twilight Sparkle where did you go? Could it be that I was too slow?”

She sighed angrily and then took in a deep calming breath. She turned around. The mist was now totally gone. Where once purple foliage had grown, a large tree with tribal decoration adorning its branches and which held a door stood in plain sight. Zecora walked toward this hollow tree. Soon the sounds of bubbling liquid and the sight of rising steam came out of the house. A feint red glow began to light the atmosphere from within the zebra’s ornate home.

(Insert Theme Music Here)

* * * * * * * * *

“Rarity,” Applejack looked over to her white companion as they both walked along. “I think we jus’ might be lost.”

The dark forest did not make it easy to travel in, especially with the dark clouds overhead.

“I have never been lost in my life,” declared Rarity.

“Then what do you call what we’re doin’ right now?”

“We are simply taking the scenic route.”

After stating this, Rarity tripped on a thick root and landed face first into a pile of leaves. She squealed as she unexpectedly fell.

“That’s one way to get a closer look at the ‘scenic route’,” Applejack chuckled.

Rarity lunged to her feet and began to quickly brush herself off.

“Ew! Ew! Ew! Those leaves are all muddy! Get off my mane you icky mud!”

Rarity flipped her hair and scarf around to send the mud splattering in Applejack’s face. The orange pony wiped it off only to find Rarity staring peculiarly at the ground. The farm pony began to look as well.

“What’cha lookin’ at?”

“Can’t you see it? It’s right there and it’s glowing.”

Rarity pointed at a small pebble. It was a slightly luminous purple and barely lit the area, but it was beautiful to look at as it shimmered its light around the dim forest.

“I know just what to do with it too! I can put it on my latest dress to add to the flair! Never have I seen a stone like this before.”

But instead of reaching out for the pebble, Rarity simply kept staring.

“Uh Rarity, I’m not sure that now is the best time to be thinkin’ of your dresses. Our sisters are still in here somewhere and we’ve got to keep movin’ or we’ll never find ‘em.”

“Uh huh, sure.” Rarity replied dreamily. She never took her eyes off the enchanting stone.

“Rarity!” stated Applejack sharply.

The unicorn shook her head and blinked.

“What?” shrieked the white mare.

“We’ve got to find our sisters. Come on!”

Applejack walked deeper into the woods.

“Yes, quite right,” Rarity agreed but glanced back at the small stone as she followed after Applejack.

When the mares had walked out of sight, the stone disappeared in a cloud of blue mist.

* * * * * * * * *

“Ha ha!” laughed Scootaloo as she raced over the home plate. “That’s 12 points!”

“Is not! It’s only 11!” Apple Bloom shouted back from the pitcher’s mound.

“Who cares? You only have 2 points anyway,” Scootaloo called back flippantly.

“My turn to kick!” cried Sweetie Belle happily.

The small unicorn trotted jovially up to home base. Apple Bloom ran off to retrieve the rubber ball they had been using and then stepped up to the pitcher’s mound. The young farmer grunted and then rolled the sphere along the grass.

“There they are!” a call echoed from the far end of the meadow the Cutie Mark Crusaders were playing in.

All heads turned toward the sound and the ball bounced off of Sweetie Belle. An orange earth pony and a white unicorn mare stood where the noise had come from.

“Rarity! You made me miss my kick!” Sweetie Belle whined.

The two mares quickly ran over to those in the open field.

“Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo! I’m sure glad that we found y’all!” Applejack grabbed her sister in a tight embrace.

Something seemed a little off about her sister’s eyes though. They looked somewhat dull and cloudy.

“What are you two doing here?” Apple Bloom managed to squeak out through the hug.

“You all walked right into the Everfree Forest and you’ve been in here for hours! We didn’t want anything bad to happen so we came to get you ourselves,” Rarity responded.

“But they’ve been with me and we’ve only been here a few minutes,” the sea foam green unicorn, Lyra, replied. Her eyes were also foggy and had lost some of their color.

“Ya’ found Lyra!” Applejack said happily but she was somewhat unnerved at Lyra’s discolored eyes. “Come on! We’ve really got to get out of here now.”

“Could we finish our game first? Like Lyra said, we’ve only been here a few minutes,” Scootaloo asked.

Rarity noticed that Scootaloo’s eyes had also lost their color.

“Well, I’m sure that you can play your games when we’re out of the Everfree Forest and no, you’ve been here for a few hours,” Rarity stated curtly.

“No, we’ve only been here a few minutes and we’re going to finish our game,” Lyra announced snootily.

“Yay!” shouted the Cutie Mark Crusaders as they ran off to resume their field positions.

“Now remember, Scootaloo you just scored your fifth point and Sweetie Belle is up to kick,” Lyra reviewed.

Applejack and Rarity looked at each other, awestruck and worried.

“No!” Rarity stomped her hoof into the ground. “Girls, you are coming with us right now.”

A loud chorus of groans came from the fillies.

“Do we have to?” Sweetie Belle whined.

“Yes,” stated Applejack. “We’re not stayin’ in this forest a second longer. Now come on let’s get a move on.”

The orange mare motioned for all of the others to follow after her and Rarity. With heads down and shoulders slumped, the three fillies followed. The fillies constantly tried to run off or start some other game, but the two older mares persisted in their efforts and kept the young ones moving forward. Suddenly, however, Applejack had an epiphany.

“Lyra’s missin’!”

“What?” cried Rarity.

The orange pony moaned.

“She must’ve gone back to that meadow. I don’t like what’s gotten into everypony. And have you seen their eyes? It’s not natural. I’m gonna go back and get her. Rarity, you get these three out.”

“Right,” the unicorn nodded as Applejack took off, back toward the meadow.

“I’d rather be playing with Lyra,” wished Sweetie Belle dreamily.

“Yeah, me too,” agreed Scootaloo.

Rarity’s eyebrows raised in caution as she watched over the young fillies, yet they continued to move along at a steady pace. The group had made it a good distance through the Forest when a new mystery appeared before them. In the distance they saw a small red dot.

“What’s that?” Apple Bloom pointed as she squinted her cloudy eyes.

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo replied as she raised her hoof over her own colorless eyes and peered into the distance.

As the group came closer they soon found the source of the glowing.

“It’s Zecora’s house!” shouted Sweetie Belle happily.

The fillies surged forward and left Rarity to chase after them shouting, “Slow down!”

The young friends burst through the door.

“Zecora!” they shouted cheerfully.

The zebra looked startled as she yanked her head away from her bubbling cauldron toward the invaders. Soon however, she began to beam brightly as the fillies gathered around.

“Greetings to you and welcome to my home. But tell me why are you in this forest alone?”

Suddenly Rarity burst through the gaping entrance.

“Don’t run off like that!” the unicorn scolded her young charges. “This forest is dangerous!”

“Rarity! A fine welcome to you. But this sight is something quite new. When dark clouds billow over the Everfree, the Forest is not a place any should be.”

Zecora walked calmly up to Rarity and patted her gently on the shoulder to calm the fussy unicorn down. Then she closed her door shut with the slightest of creaks. When she had turned back around, Zecora found the fillies bouncing around her home and giggling.

“Ooo, something’s bubbling in here!”

“These bottles make a funny clinking noise when you smack them together!”

“Whoa! Look at all of these different potions! I wonder what this one does?”

“No! Be careful with those! If you drink them, they will cause many woes!”

Both of the older mares rushed off to stop the three rambunctious fillies. They held down two, but one still remained to energetically run around and generally cause chaos.

“Zecora! I don’t know what’s gotten into them all. Ever since Applejack and I found them they’ve been acting strangely. Even more so than usual. And there’s something wrong with their eyes,” Rarity bemoaned while struggling to hold down her own sister.

“How long have they been here? Could it be as long as I fear?”

“They’ve only been in the Forest for a few hours. Do you think they ran into some strange plant?”

“A plant from the Forest, this would not do. But if their eyes are changed, an unfortunate answer I have for you.”

“Unfortunate?” asked Rarity who had also somehow managed to snag Apple Bloom and pinned her down along with Sweetie Belle.

“It was the sign I did fear. But do not worry for a cure is near.”

Zecora released Scootaloo, whom she had been holding, and the pegasus dashed off instantly to poke at a case full of mysterious plants from the Everfree. The zebra did not waste a second, but snatched an empty vial from one of her various shelves and swiped it through the bubbling liquid in her cauldron. In a burst of speed, she spun Scootaloo around and shoved the vial into the pegasus’ face. The red liquid slowly drained down Scootaloo’s throat.

Almost instantly the pegasus’ eyes cleared up and regained their color. Scootaloo also shook her head and grimaced.

“YUCK! EW! NASTY!”

Zecora then rushed at the two struggling Crusaders held by Rarity and poured the last drops of the liquid into their mouths. This was met with a very similar reaction.

Rarity let up her hold on the two fillies as they had finally stopped bouncing around. They were instead trying to brush the awful taste off their tongues.

“What WAS that?” moaned Scootaloo. “And where are we?”

“You are in Zecora’s house,” Rarity sighed gladly. “And she just cured you of…What did you cure them of?”

“A powerful creature had you in her trap. This potion cleared away her magic and gave you clear thought back.”

“Wait…what? The last thing I remember is finding Lyra in that meadow,” Sweetie Belle said.

“But what about that other thing?” Apple Bloom asked Sweetie.

“You mean Phillis?” Scootaloo replied.

“Yeah! That’s her!” the little farm pony agreed.

“So that is the name of this creature of blue. She locked me in my house with her trees of purple hue.”

“You mean you were here the whole time?” Rarity asked.

“Were those flashes we saw you?” Sweetie Belle also questioned.

“Yes. This is all true. I tried many potions until I broke through.”

“I am sorry to ask, but just who is Phillis?” Rarity asked.

“Phillis is a… She’s sort of… Kind a like a…. What exactly is Phillis?” stammered Apple Bloom.

“Phillis, as you call her so, is a creature who will cause great woe,” answered Zecora. “She is a Siphon, creature of great power, she will your joyful play devour. They draw you in and take your mind with a playful spell that they do wind. For it is in play that a Siphon grows, and through you their playful power flows. If she is not stopped very soon, I fear that Ponyville is certainly doomed.”

All the eyes in the room grew to the size of dinner plates as they listened to Zecora.

“And Applejack is out in the Forest alone with THAT thing?!” shrieked Rarity. “Girls, stay here. I need to find Applejack!”

The prissy mare threw caution to the wind as she charged back out into the bleak Everfree Forest. The door slammed shut behind, leaving the three fillies with Zecora and a bubbling pot of red liquid.

“Rarity! Wait up!” cried Sweetie Belle as she turned into the slamming door.

The little filly pulled her face off of the sturdy wood.

“Didn’t you hear her?” asked Scootaloo indignantly. “She said to stay put. Phillis is nothing but bad news.”

“I know! But now my sister is out there with that Phillis…thing!”

“Not a Phillis thing, but a Siphon sibling,” corrected Zecora as she began to reposition a glass bottle, with a curious red dot floating in it, on her shelf.

“A Siphon sibling?” asked Sweetie Belle. “What exactly is a Siphon?”

Zecora walked over to her bubbling pot and motioned for the fillies to join her. Soon they were all looking into the red liquid. The zebra found a powdery substance and threw it in. As she spoke, the new mixture played out what Zecora said before the eyes of the three fillies.

“The Siphons are sisters four: green, yellow, red, blue. They slowly take your mind ‘til play is all you can do. When you neglect your work and play all day long, their power grows into something unimaginably strong. Creatures of magic and born of the earth, they gain their strength from your playful mirth. And now we face this Siphon child who has chosen the Everfree as her domain for a while. The clouds above tell of her might, if they reach Ponyville, then the future will not be bright.”

A silhouette of a creature like Phillis appeared in the cauldron, floating above a group of frolicking ponies. But as the ponies continued to jump and dance, the creature grew larger and larger until the entire cauldron was filled with the dark silhouette. Then the mixture began to bubble and turn back to its original hue. The fillies slowly trotted away from the frightening scene. Nopony spoke for a while.

“That’s what Phillis will do?” Apple Bloom finally squeaked out.

Zecora nodded slowly but resolutely.

“So what can we do?” Scootaloo asked brazenly.

“For now we wait as Rarity said, for Phillis must not be fed,” replied Zecora. “If the Siphon has no ponies to control, her power will cease to grow.”

“Right!” shouted Apple Bloom merrily.

The fillies instantly sat down on the floor like little angels and watched as Zecora continued to move around her home, pouring more and more ingredients into her cauldron.

* * * * * * * * *

Rarity moved slowly through the dark woods. Overhead the dark clouds continued to roil restlessly.

“Applejack! Applejack!” called Rarity as she spun her head from side to side, trying to peer through the bleak forest.

A twig snapped beneath her hooves and she jumped backwards with a shriek.

“SIPHON!”

Then she saw the broken twig and began to chuckle nervously to herself.

“Heh. Heh heh. J-Just a little stick. Get a hold of yourself Rarity. You’ll be fine. Find Applejack and Lyra and leave. It’s simple really. Just navigate through the Everfree Forest with a mind-controlling monster in it. N-Nothing to worry about.”

But she screamed yet again as she felt herself suddenly falling and then slamming into the ground. She turned her head to find that a large root had tripped her.

“You rotten root!” she yelled at the inanimate object as she leaped to her feet. “Don’t you know better than toooo…”

The unicorn’s chastising speech slurred off as she found herself staring a small, glowing pebble.

“That’s the stone! The one from before! I shall take you back home with me. Thank you root.”

She slowly reached out a hoof to take the purple glowing rock, but at the last moment it jumped away with a puff of blue smoke trailing it.

“Huh? Come here!” demanded the prissy unicorn.

Rarity ran over to the pebble’s new location and reached for it again, but it once more evaded her grasp with another leap, this time onto the untrodden surface of the Everfree. Rarity still chased after the purple stone as it hopped further and further away from any recognizable path. Behind the white mare a small, child-like voice giggled softly.

As Rarity chased further into the deep recesses of the Forest, the color in her eyes began to fade and slowly fog over. After a lengthy chase, the mare finally dove at the stone and held it firmly between her hooves. She began to cackle with happiness.

“Ha! Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Got you! I finally got you!”

She held the precious glittering stone up before her face. Suddenly, the pebble was shrouded in a blue mist and floated into the air. Rarity followed the stone with her colorless eyes until it came to rest in the hands of a strange blue creature, floating behind the mare.

“Let’s play a game!” stated the creature joyfully and with a smile.

“Give that back!” cried Rarity as she leaped at the blue fiend.

But she dove straight through the being, like diving through water, to find the being floating just behind her.

“Here’s the game! It’s called catch the pebble.”

The purple rock floated right in front of Rarity’s face and then whizzed quickly away.

“My precious!” shrieked Rarity.

The white mare rushed after the stone and her eyes began to lose even more color, looking more and more like glass. Rarity began to chuckle uncontrollably.

“Good luck!” the creature shouted and waved as Rarity ran away.

Then the being disappeared in a cloud of blue mist as the mare chased aimlessly after the purple stone.

* * * * * * * * *

“Lyra! I’m not gonna tell ya’ a second time! Get over here!” called out the angry voice of Applejack.

“Ha ha! Hee hee! Come and make me!” giggled the sea foam green pony as she jumped and danced around the meadow.

Applejack charged the playful pony, but Lyra jumped out the way just in time to let Applejack slam her head into a tree. Lyra kept laughing. The musically gifted unicorn’s eyes had fully glazed over. They were now dull and shiny; a pony could see their own reflection in them clearly as if looking at the glass eyes of a doll. Suddenly, a blue puff erupted at the far end of the dark meadow.

“Hi Phillis!” called Lyra joyfully.

With a skip and hop the mind-washed mare bounced over to the side of her captor.

“Gah! What is that thin’?” screamed Applejack as she took her first look at the small, blue, floating creature.

“I’m Phillis. And you’re silly,” the creature giggled at the work horse.

Phillis’ hands began to glow a bright blue and mist enshrouded Applejack’s well worn hat. Phillis floated the Stetson onto her own head and adjusted it.

“Hey! Give that back!”

Applejack rushed at Phillis, but the Siphon floated just out of reach and laughed at the mare’s futile attempts.

“Well, yall it looks like we’ve got a real lively one right here,” Phillis said in a poor southern accent.

Applejack grunted and leaped high into the air, narrowly grabbing the hat off the Siphon’s head.

“Aw…” whined Phillis. “You meany. All I wanted to do was play.”

“Well sorry, whatever you are, but I don’t have time to play. Now come on Lyra. We’re leavin’.”

The farm horse grabbed Lyra and started to yank her away from the meadow, but the musical pony fought back, desperately trying to get back to Phillis. Applejack was too strong to resist though, until Phillis intervened.

“Leaving so soon? But I just thought of a fun game!”

“Yay! Let’s play! Let’s play!” begged Lyra.

“No! We ain’t got time for no games!” Applejack grunted against Lyra’s weight.

“You’ll play my game or else you won’t leave,” pouted Phillis.

“Sorry missy, but we’re still goin’.”

“Fine! Be that way!” screamed Phillis.

The Siphon’s eyes blazed with an angry blue fire and a choking smog filled the entire meadow. Applejack began to hack and wheeze and was forced to let Lyra go free. Suddenly, a large hedge maze grew up quickly from the ground. Odd purple leaves clung to the magical hedges and large, shimmering blue flowers grew from the bizarre foliage. The mist slowly faded away but left Applejack standing in the maze, but at the far edge. She turned around and around until she found an exit which lead to the end of the meadow.

“I told ya’, I’m not playin’ your game!” Applejack roared into the sky as she stomped toward the exit.

“Tag! You’re it!” shouted Lyra.

The playful mare tapped Applejack on the shoulder and then ran off into the maze.

“What? Lyra! Get back here!”

The farm pony grunted and then ran in after Lyra with brows furrowed and a disgruntled huff. At the first turn, Applejack lost sight of her charge. Even so, Lyra’s taunting laughter filled the bizarre maze. Applejack managed to catch a glimpse, but she heard the laughing from behind. Every turn she made only got her more and more tangled in the purple hedge maze. The exit was no longer in sight and Applejack’s eyes soon began to lose their color as they slowly hazed over. The orange mare began to chuckle joyfully as she ran. Phillis giggled as she floated over the entire maze, watching the foolish ponies play her twisted game.

Playtime? (Part 3)

Season: Z

Episode: X

Playtime? (Part 3)

(By: Flame Runner)

“I’m bored!” sighed Scootaloo wearily as she sat on the floor of Zecora’s hut.

Apple Bloom was scrawling circles with her hoof on the dirt floor and Sweetie Belle yawned. Zecora was still busy mixing something in her cauldron, every now and then sticking her own hoof into the mixture and taste testing it.

“Have some patience and soon you will see your friends returning, and then you may leave,” said the zebra kindly.

A loud roar echoed through the entire Everfree Forest as the black clouds overhead began to expand and stretch to the outer edges of an unsuspecting Ponyville. The three Crusaders leaped to their feet.

“What was that?” squealed Sweetie Belle.

“Hmm…” Zecora mused as she walked over to a window.

The zebra’s eyes grew wide with fright and she began to work double time on her concoction.

“Zecora, what’s goin’ on?” pleaded Apple Bloom as the other two fillies rushed over to the now vacant window to look outside.

“I fear for the safety of your family and friends, the Siphon has grown stronger and it may be you alone that her magic can cleanse.”

“My sister’s in trouble?” gasped Sweetie Belle.

“Zecora, we’ve got to do somethin’!” shouted Apple Bloom

Zecora tossed one final ingredient into her bubbling cauldron and then placed her hoof into the mixture and tasted the red liquid. She grimaced, but grimaced happily, and grabbed three empty vials from her shelf which she filled to the brim with the red substance.

“Take these potions and do not delay for they can break Phillis’ magic straight away. For magic of earth wields Phillis the blue and these potions are made of a natural brew. For nature and earth are but one and the same and this potion will her great power tame.”

Zecora handed each of the fillies a vial full of the potion.

“Now go, find your sisters and follow their trail. Your diligence alone can hope to prevail.”

“So what, we just pour this on Phillis or something?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“It doesn’t matter! Come on! We’ve got to save Ponyville!” Scootaloo cried as she charged out the front door.

The other two Crusaders followed closely behind. Zecora waved them farewell and then began to fill up more empty vials with the potent liquid. However, as she did so, she kept looking up at one specific jar with a red glowing dot in it.

(Insert Theme Music Here)

* * * * * * * * *

“I’ve got’cha now Lyra!” shouted Applejack.

The orange mare dove forward and tackled Lyra Heartstrings to the grassy earth below.

“Tag! You’re it!” stated Applejack as she jumped up and ran away.

Her eyes had already become less colorful and more murky. She let loose a powerful fit of laughter as a glassy eyed Lyra also laughed and chased Applejack through the maze. As the two ran around and around, through the various passageways and dead-ends, they happened to come to the center. A large square opening welcomed the two mares gladly. In the center of this opening stood a single grass sculpture, a sculpture of a unicorn giggling while performing her magic. The laughing mares paid no head to this lone statue but chased merrily around and around until Lyra finally planted a hoof on her orange counter-part and the chase began anew through the purple hedges.

“Come here!” chuckled a new voice off in the distance.

Lyra and Applejack stopped for only a moment as a small glowing stone whizzed through the hedge maze, followed closely by a maniacally laughing Rarity. The purple pebble came to rest on Lyra’s back and Rarity dove at the sea foam green pony. Lyra giggled and jumped away. The stone plopped to the ground and Applejack trotted over and picked it up.

“G-Give me t-that!” demanded Rarity between fits of giggles, her eyes were fading fast.

“New game!” declared Applejack joyfully. “Monkey in the middle!”

Applejack tossed the stone high over Rarity’s head to Lyra. The white unicorn leaped into the sky but couldn’t reach it. Lyra caught the pebble with ease and then tossed it back. After a few tosses, Rarity managed to grab the stone out of the air. She laughed at her good fortune and then stopped, a dreary look crossed her face and then she began to laugh once again.

“Now Applejack is the Monkey in the middle!” the prissy unicorn said gleefully.

The two swapped places and Rarity tossed her precious stone over Applejack’s head to Lyra. The dark clouds seemed to grow thicker and darker with each bout of cackling laughter from the three mares. A blue essence giggled with delight from inside the dark storm clouds.

* * * * * * * * *

A small group of fillies surged across the ever darkening paths of the Everfree Forest.

“Why exactly are we goin’ back to the meadow?” Apple Bloom asked as they ran.

“Because that’s where we first met Phillis!” Scootaloo replied.

The foliage became thinner and thinner as the fillies came ever closer to their destination. A bout of loud laughter flitted through the air.

“Hold on sis! We’re coming!” screamed Sweetie Belle.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders somehow managed to pick up their pace as they neared the edges of Phillis’ meadow. Suddenly Scootaloo, who was in the lead, came to a halt so quickly that first Apple Bloom and then Sweetie Belle slammed into their friend and bowled each other over.

“Oof!” squealed Sweetie Belle.

“Why’d we stop?” Apple Bloom groaned as she picked herself up off of her orange friend.

“Look,” was all Scootaloo could breathe out as she pointed toward what once was an open meadow.

Now, a tall purple hedge maze loomed over the heads of the three young fillies. A round of ecstatic laughter echoed from inside the bizarre maze.

“Our sisters are in THERE?!” Sweetie Belle panicked.

All three Crusaders gulped, but bravely stepped into the twisted maze.

“A-Applejack!”

“R-Rarity!”

“L-Lyra!”

They shakily called out the names of their friends and family. More unsettling laughter glided through the dark sky. It seemed to be coming from everywhere in the unnatural maze. A puff of blue flashed before the faces of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and there appeared inside the flash, Phillis.

“Welcome back!” greeted the Siphon cheerily.

“There she is!” cried Apple Bloom.

“Get her!” shouted Scootaloo.

The three dove at Phillis, but whizzed though the floating creature, leaving only a small trail of blue smoke behind them.

“Hee hee! That tickles!”

“Quick the potion!” declared Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom uncorked her bottle and flung some of the red liquid at Phillis. The Siphon zipped to the side, dodging the attack. But the potion landed on one of the purple hedges which began to smoke and dissolve into a blue mist which soon evaporated.

“Hey! That’s not very nice! All I wanted to do was play!”

“Yeah? Well we don’t have time to play! We’re on a mission and we’ve got a responsibility to get our friends back,” Scootaloo shot back.

“But what fun is responsibility?” Phillis began to float around the little fillies and mess with their hair as she spoke. The Crusaders would try to brush her off, but found their efforts to be futile as the Siphon would only poof away to appear by a different one. “Your friends are having so much fun here. Why don’t you join them? Why not give up your responsibility? Isn’t it more fun to just play? It’s only for a little while. It’ll only be a few minutes. Come on. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“…Yeah…it does sound nice…” Apple Bloom slurred as her eyes started to lose their color and a loopy smile cracked onto her face.

But the young farm pony shook her head and the color in her eyes returned.

“No! No! We can’t stay and play! We have to find our sisters and leave! Now git!”

Apple Bloom flung more of her vial’s contents at Phillis. This time a few drops managed to splash against the Siphon’s skin. Phillis released a blood curdling scream as she began to smoke and sizzle.

“You’ll regret that!” roared the small creature as she vanished in another puff of smoke.

Instantly the walls of the maze began to grow taller and taller until they passed through the dark cloud layer above. The odd blue flowers on the hedges also began to change. They seemed to shimmer and giggle and whisper. When the Crusaders looked at the blue petals, the flower would appear to be different objects. To Scootaloo one looked like her favorite scooter. To Apple Bloom another looked like a rubber ball. To Sweetie Belle another still appeared to be Equestria’s greatest coloring book.

Each of the Cutie Mark Crusader’s eyes lost focus as they were drawn toward the fun playthings. The fillies began to chuckle to themselves as they slowly neared their hearts’ playful desires. More laughter echoed through the skies from unseen mares, who themselves were playing deep within the purple maze. Sweetie Belle heard the unnatural cackle of her beloved sister even through the Siphon’s trickery.

“NO!!!” screamed the young unicorn.

Sweetie closed her eyes and turned from the mirage. She uncorked her own vial and flung some of the potent liquid at the blue flower. It shriveled and dissolved into a sickly blue smog. She then flung more at the other blue flowers.

“Gah!” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shouted as the shook their heads clear of Phillis’ mind trap. The color in their eyes came back instantly.

“Thanks Sweetie Belle,” gasped Scootaloo.

“Y-Yeah, n-no problem.”

The sound of joyful laughter coming from deep within the dark and dangerous maze sent chills down the backs of the three fillies.

“Ya’ know what? I’ve had enough of this!” declared Apple Bloom.

The orange filly furrowed her brows and charged at the purple hedges. She slid between the branches and disappeared beneath the unnatural leaves. But a few seconds later she came out grunting against the press of living branches which flung her to the ground by her friends.

“Um…what exactly was that?” Scootaloo asked.

“I thought it would be easier to jus’ slip through the maze and get to my sis.”

“Slip through the maze, huh?” the pegasus put her hoof to her chin as she thought. “I’ve got it!”

She uncorked her own bottle and tossed a few drops of its contents onto the purple foliage. The branches and leaves melted creating a small opening filled with blue haze.

“Come on!” Scootaloo waved for her friends to follow her through the hole.

The three charged through and found themselves on the other side of the hedges. Behind them, the plant wall was regrowing itself and filling the opening.

“Great idea Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle said with a beaming smile. “Now we can go anywhere in this maze easily!”

The white unicorn flicked a few drops of her own vial on the hedges and another opening sizzled open before the fillies. The three friends charged through, deeper and deeper into the maze. They constantly bombarded the hedges as they plowed through Phillis’ trap. Behind them many small openings were slowly regrowing themselves, but the fillies didn’t care. Each open passage brought them ever closer to the bizarre laughter of their families and friends.

In no time, the three had made it to the last wall separating themselves from the voices of the laughing mares. Apple Bloom dipped a few drops of the red potion on the final hedge and they moved through the opening to arrive in the square shaped center of the purple maze. Playing the same “Monkey in the middle” game, like no time had passed whatsoever, were the three mares. Both Applejack’s and Rarity’s eyes were now just as glassy as those of Lyra.

“Rarity!”

“Applejack!”

“Lyra!”

Shouted the fillies happily as each dashed over to a different one. Each mare stopped playing at the same time.

“Hi girls,” they all said in unison. “Would you like to play with us?”

“Quick! The potions!” shouted Scootaloo.

The Crusaders pulled out their vials, but didn’t get the chance to use them.

“Ooo!” said the mares as they snatched the vials out of the fillies’ outstretched hooves. “Monkey in the middle!” each of the mares said at the same time.

“Wait! Don’t throw ‘em!” screamed Apple Bloom.

But it was too late. They threw the potions through the air, over the outstretched hooves of the Crusaders. The vials spun through the sky and what remained of the potent liquid was emptied as it spiraled out.

“NO!!!” Sweetie Belle screamed as the red drops fell harmlessly to the ground.

But some of the liquid landed on the unicorn statue. The statue began to sizzle as blue smoke filled the sky. The statue began to cough and shudder until the entire leafy texture turned into the skin of a purple unicorn. Twilight Sparkle fell to the ground with a grunt as the last of the mist dissolved overhead.

“Twilight!?” yelled Scootaloo.

The purple librarian picked herself up and with a groan rubbed her head.

“Ohhh…what? Where?” she mumbled.

“Welcome Twililght,” the three mares said creepily. “Would you like to play a game?”

Each of the mares stepped together toward the unicorn. Their faces were beaming with disturbingly happy grins. The Cutie Mark Crusaders quickly ran to Twilight’s side and helped the purple unicorn to her feet. The cheerful looking ponies stepped ever closer. The Crusaders stepped backward with Twilight Sparkle until they bumped into the wall of the hedge maze.

“Come play with us…”

“Twilight do somethin’!” urged Apple Bloom.

Twilight grunted and her horn lit up. A magical barrier soon surrounded the fillies and Twilight, while leaving the others outside. But the other mares didn’t seem to notice and walked straight into the shield.

“Play! Play!” the muffled pleas echoed even through the barrier.

“Girls, what’s going on?” Twilight asked the fillies.

“Our sisters are bein’ mind-controlled!” Apple Bloom replied.

“Mind controlled? By who?”

At that very moment Phillis decided to make her entrance as she poofed directly inside the barrier with a blue flash.

“Hi ya’!”

The Crusaders screamed and jumped away from the Siphon, but Twilight stood her ground. With furrowed brow she faced the blue menace.

“You!” Twilight huffed as she pawed angrily at the ground.

“Me!” giggled Phillis.

“You must be behind all this!”

“I can’t help it if your friends like to play. It IS a lot of fun you know. Why don’t you just relax Miss grumpy? Besides we never finished our game from before.”

“That does it!” roared Twilight.

Refocusing her power onto the Siphon, Twilight gripped the creature in a magical embrace. Phillis easily slipped away, just like before, but this time Twilight was ready for it. As soon as Phillis slipped out, Twilight sent a powerful jolt of purple magic at the Siphon. It struck home and sent the blue creature spiraling out of control. But instead of being upset, Phillis began to laugh.

“Hee hee! That was fun! Do it again!”

“Grrrr…” growled Twilight as she prepared to launch another attack at the pest.

But all of the unicorn’s efforts on Phillis meant that her shield was becoming weaker and fading fast. Soon, the smiling mares would be upon the young fillies and Twilight. The purple unicorn shot another bolt at Phillis, who dodged the attempt easily.

“Twilight! Don’t play with her! That only makes her stronger!” Apple Bloom warned.

“I’m…not playing…I’m…attacking!” Twilight grunted out between shots.

Twilight’s eyes were already beginning to fog and gloss over.

“Then stop attacking it!” Scootaloo pleaded.

The shield was almost totally faded. Twilight didn’t respond for a few seconds. Then, she slowly moved her head to speak to the young pegasus.

“But I’m not attacking…I’m just playing.”

Twilight started to chuckle with each bolt she fired. The shield totally disintegrated while Phillis laughed and laughed. The playful mares started to close in on the three fillies.

“Play. Play. Play.”

“Aahhh!!!” panicked Sweetie Belle.

The Crusaders were now totally pushed against the leafy walls of the hedge maze and the magical branches made sure the young ponies couldn’t slip through. The three cowered in fear as their older siblings and friends moved in on them, smiling all the while. Then, they stopped moving while Phillis teleported down before the three.

“Don’t worry,” she said calmly. “This isn’t game over. The game is just starting.”

Then Phillis laughed as the mares, now including a glassy eyed Twilight, stepped in on the fillies. Just as all hope seemed lost, an explosion echoed from behind all those gathered in the maze. The mares, Phillis, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all turned their heads to see what had happened. A large cloud of red mist now hung lightly in the dark skies of the Everfree.

Another explosion ripped through the air and yet another, each one leaving a cloud of red smoke. Along with the red smoke came another bizarre sight, blue fog also rose from the ground of the Everfree. With only a few more explosions it soon became apparent what the blue vapor was, the maze was disintegrating.

“WHAT?!” shrieked Phillis.

Suddenly the walls in front of the Crusaders dissolved in a burst of red and Zecora, the zebra, stepped out from the mixed red and blue haze.

“Zecora!” shouted all three fillies with glee.

The young ponies zipped over to the side of the zebra, who was laden with a saddlebag full of red potions. All around, the blue and red steam was dispersing. After the colorful fumes lifted, very little of the maze remained standing.

“A fine welcome to you, Phillis the blue. I suggest you leave now if you know what’s good for you.”

“You!” shouted Phillis angrily.

The Siphon floated right up to Zecora’s face.

“You’re that annoying zebra from earlier! You wouldn’t play, so I locked you in your house.”

Zecora brushed the Siphon off with a flip of her hoof. Phillis growled.

“Girls, take some potions for you to use. Give them to your friends and end the Siphon’s ruse.”

The fillies did as told and each snagged a vial from Zecora’s saddlebag.

“Get them!” Phillis yelled and she pointed toward the zebra and fillies.

The mares started to bounce forward with happy smiles on their faces.

“Play! Play! Play!”

But the four stood resolute and confident with their arsenal of potions. Apple Bloom jumped on Applejack’s back and uncorked her vial. The young filly then slung the potent liquid into her sister’s open mouth as the older sibling yelled, “Play!”

Sweetie Belle ran up to her sister and did the only thing she could think to do.

“Sorry sis,” Sweetie apologized as she pulled on Rarity’s swirled purple mane.

“Pl- Oh! My hair!” Rarity, even in her present state, began to fix her mane as Sweetie Belle flung the remedy into the white mare’s mouth.

Scootaloo slid over to Twilight and easily managed to get the unicorn to take a swig of the red liquid.

“Yuck! Eww! Ick!” the mares coughed and yelled. Their eyes cleared up as they shook their heads and tried to brush the nasty potion off their tongues. The black clouds above the Everfree began to waver and contract. Soon the black cover had shrunk away from Ponyville and now barely managed to cover the Forest itself. The fillies all looked up at the shrinking clouds and grinned victoriously.

“Fine! You win!” Phillis shouted from above the ponies. “Just leave!”

Then Phillis, herself, disappeared in a cloud of blue. The cured mares were finally starting to come back to their senses.

“Ugh…I jus’ had the worst dream,” Applejack mumbled.

Soon the orange farm pony found Apple Bloom hugging her passionately.

“It’s good to have ya’ back sis!”

Sweetie Belle was doing something very similar with Rarity. Scootaloo glanced over at Twilight and Twilight glanced awkwardly back at Scootaloo. Scootaloo gave the librarian a shoulder bump.

“Uh…glad to have you back.”

“Yep,” replied Twilight.

“Wait, where’s Lyra?” asked Rarity.

“Lyra?” Scootaloo repeated and her eyes went wide.

The entire group looked around frantically, but the musical unicorn was no where to be seen.

“We’ve got to find her!” Sweetie Belle said.

“With this statement I agree, but I will find her and you must flee,” Zecora placed a comforting hoof on the little unicorn.

“I’m with Zecora,” Twilight stated with a nod of her head. “You three need to get out of here. I’ll help Zecora look for Lyra. Applejack? Rarity? Can you get these three to safety?”

“Consider it done,” Rarity replied.

“Aww...” whined the Crusaders.

Still, the group set off while Zecora and Twilight headed further into the woods in search the elusive Lyra Heartstrings.

“Sis,” Applejack said with a smile as the group walked back. “Ya’ did good. Thanks.”

“No problem!” Apple Bloom replied. “You’re my sister and I have a responsibility to look after ya’, you know?”

Applejack laughed. The group passed quickly through the Everfree and soon in the distance could be seen a dot of bright light announcing the Forest’s edge.

“There it is!” Scootaloo shouted excitedly. “Last one to Ponyville is a chicken!”

The fillies took off toward the light, leaving the two mares a short distance behind. But then, a loud noise came from behind the Crusaders. They ground to a halt and turned around to see what had happened. A thick clump of purple trees cut the fillies off from Applejack and Rarity. More noise echoed all around and within no time the three were surrounded by a circle of the purple trees.

“Phillis!” Sweetie Belle cried in horror.

A shadowy figure slipped through the tree line and the Crusaders screamed.

“Shh…It’s ok girls,” came a familiar voice. It was Lyra! And she sounded normal.

“L-Lyra? Is that you?” Scootaloo called out.

The sea foam green mare stepped forward. She was smiling.

“Hi girls,” Lyra said, but the mare’s mouth never moved.

Lyra moved even closer. Her actions were clunky and strained but something looked even more disconcerting about the unicorn. Her eyes were just as glassy as ever but now her skin looked like a shiny plastic. She never stopped smiling and her mouth never moved, almost as if it had been painted on.

“Let’s play a game,” Lyra’s voice said without the unicorn moving her mouth.

Then Phillis chose to make herself known. The Siphon appeared behind Lyra, but she was no longer the small, innocent looking creature they had first met. Now the blue creature was massive and with gigantic hands reached down to grab Lyra Heartstrings. Phillis moved Lyra forward, just like one would move a plastic toy. The fillies looked to their hooves, but they no longer held any potions. It was just them, Lyra, and the Siphon.

“Games are fun, right?” the noise sounded like Lyra, but it was Phillis’ mouth that moved. “Why don’t you want to play?”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were totally horrified. Their mouths hung open and Sweetie Belle began to whimper at the sight of Lyra and the Siphon. But Scootaloo managed to swallow her fear and replied even as she moved backward.

“Uh…w-well…games a-are fun and all…b-but…um…” Scootaloo stopped talking when she bumped into the ring of magical trees.

“There’s no need to be afraid,” Lyra’s plastic movements brought her ever closer to the trio even as her voice came from Phillis. “I know why you came in here in the first place. You didn’t want to do your homework. You wanted to be heroes. You wanted to just get away. You keep talking about your responsibility to your family, but you don’t really mean it. All you really want to do is play.”

“T-That’s not true!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

Lyra stopped moving and then dropped to the ground like a rag doll and Phillis shrank back down to her previous size and teleported right up to the young unicorn.

“Oh, isn’t it?” Phillis said.

The Siphon then floated over to Scootaloo.

“You. You want to perform stunts on that scooter of yours. You could care less about homework.”

The Siphon’s hands began to glow brightly as the trees surrounding the Crusaders morphed into a ring of half-pipes and a beautiful, brand new scooter appeared before Scootaloo.

“Why don’t you take it for a spin or two? Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Scootaloo glanced around her new surroundings and looked over at the amazing scooter. Her eyes started to glass over as she began to reach out for it, but then pulled her hoof back. Phillis didn’t seem to notice as she had already moved on to Apple Bloom.

“And you. You don’t like school work either. You pretend to have fun doing your chores, but they’re still a bore aren’t they? You’d much rather be doing something more creative wouldn’t you?”

Phillis’ hands glowed again and the ground below became a giant white canvas. A myriad of paints and brushes fell all around the young farmer. Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide at the amazing sight, but she quickly closed her eyes and turned away. Soon Phillis moved on and spoke with Sweetie Belle.

“And what could a young unicorn want to do? Certainly not boring chores or homework. No, you would rather make music with your sister and friends wouldn’t you?”

Phillis’ hands glowed once more and instruments of all variety began to grow, plant-like, from the earth. Sweetie Belle looked all around at the incredible sight. Half-pipes, paints, and musical instruments littered the floor. It was all too much for the young filly. Her friends were already succumbing to the allure of play. Scootaloo kept reaching back out for the scooter and pulling her hoof back. Apple Bloom had a bucket of paint in her hooves and was trying not to throw it all over the ground, and thereby let the Siphon win. Sweetie Belle herself soon began to glance longingly at a piano grown just for her enjoyment. But before Phillis’ trap could take effect, the young unicorn noticed something bizarre; Lyra was beginning to twitch and her coat was starting to regain its normal appearance. Sweetie Belle noticed what the mare was looking at, a harp. Then the filly got an idea.

“STOP!!!” roared the little unicorn.

Her friends instantly froze and their temptations were dropped. Even Phillis was startled by the sudden outburst. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sweetie Belle trotted over to the harp and began to pluck on the strings. Majestic notes filled the air with each twang of the strings.

“Phillis,” stated the unicorn filly, “you’re right. There are many times I don’t want to do my work. There are times I would rather play than to accept my responsibility to my school, my friends, and my family.”

The notes sang into the air and Lyra’s head and eyes began to twitch with each pluck on the harp. Her skin was clearing up as were her eyes.

“But Phillis, there’s something you’re forgetting,” continued Sweetie Belle. “Just because I don’t like responsibility doesn’t mean I don’t do it. Take Lyra for instance.”

All heads turned to the twitching mare. Phillis’ eyes went wide as the Siphon realized what was happening.

“Lyra had a responsibility to play music at the Taste of Fall, but I’m sure that she didn’t always want to practice. So you drew her in here, where she wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes then went wide as she figured out what was going on. The earth pony then moved over to a piano and began to pound out one note at a time as she too began to speak.

“Yeah! Responsibility is never all that fun and I would much rather be playin’ any day, but that doesn’t change the fact that I still need to get my work done. If Applejack and I didn’t do our chores on the farm then there wouldn’t be any food at the Taste of Fall.”

Lyra’s skin had now changed back to its original color and her eyes were almost totally normal again. The musical mare was also now standing of her own accord. Scootaloo finally got in on the act and marched right up to a large cello.

“They’re right Phillis! We don’t always like our work but it’s our work that makes all the good things we have possible. In fact without Lyra’s music, Twilight’s organizing, Rarity’s decorating, Applejack’s baking, and the work of many others there would be no Taste of Fall! It sounds odd, but I guess that sometimes responsibility can actually lead to fun.”

“You tell her Scootaloo!” the fillies looked around to find Lyra standing, in her right mind, and with a friendly grin on her face. “Phillis, playing is a lot of fun but when ponies neglect their responsibilities in order to play they only end up hurting themselves and others in the long run. Now I need to do something I should have been doing all along.”

Lyra walked over to Sweetie Belle. The filly moved out of the way as Lyra stood at the harp and began to pour forth a beautiful melody into the skies.

“NO! NO! NOOO!!!” screeched the Siphon, but it was too late.

Phillis’ power instantly began to dissolve. The clouds above shrunk and the half-pipes, scooter, canvas, and art supplies all disappeared. Even the instruments slowly sunk back into the earth, making the music stop. The Siphon’s reign was at an end.

“No! It’s not over yet! You haven’t seen the last of-AHH!!!!”

Phillis shrieked as a red liquid came pouring down on top of her. All eyes turned toward a zebra dumping the potent potion over the Siphon. Phillis sizzled and dissolved into a mist of blue steam until all that remained of the creature was a tiny blue dot of light. Zecora scooped up the little dot in the now empty vial and corked the top.

“Oh creature of such great playful power, who would have thought that glass would make you cower?”

“Lyra!” Twilight shouted in shock.

“Hi Twilight! Hi Applejack! Hi Rarity!” Lyra waved toward the others.

“You ok, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Thanks to these three I am.” Lyra motioned toward the fillies.

“Good work girls,” Rarity congratulated. “But how about we get out of this dreadful forest?”

They all exited the Everfree Forest and finally made it to the light of sunshine at the edge of Ponyville, but Zecora headed back to her house with the powerless Siphon trapped in the glass vial.

* * * * * * * * *

The Taste of Fall was almost over. It had been a huge success. All around ponies laughed and spoke with each other. Some played games while others were still busy stuffing food into their mouths. Cheerful music glided through the skies while three certain fillies were busy chatting it up with a young dragon.

“Whoa! That’s some story!” Spike said. “You think the Princess wants to know about it?”

“I don’t see why not,” Scootaloo replied. “So what did we learn?”

Spike pulled out some paper and a quill from seemingly nowhere while Pinkie Pie winked at him and nodded her head approvingly.

“We learned that even though responsibility isn’t always fun, it’s still something that needs to be done,” Sweetie Belle stated.

“Yeah. You’ll never regret getting’ your job done but you jus’ might regret playin’ instead.”

“And in the end responsibility can actually lead to way more fun, especially if you’re doing your work with friends,” Scootaloo wrapped up.

“Aannddd…got it!” Spike said happily.

The dragon sucked in air to send the message away, but Scootaloo stopped him.

“Wait! Can I see that?” she pointed at the parchment.

Spike shrugged and handed the paper and quill to the pegasus.

“PS: You can thank us for saving Ponyville later.”

Then she handed the scroll back to Spike, who breathed out a pale green flame and sent the message off.

“And now we’ve got a job to do,” Scootaloo told her friends.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MONSTER HUNTERS! YAY!”

The three charged back off toward the Everfree Forest. Rarity and Applejack turned their heads toward the loud scream and their eyes went wide.

“Girls? Girls!!!” Rarity shouted.

The two mares chased after the rambunctious trio.

* * * * * * * * *

In the Everfree Forest, in a hollow and twisted tree, Zecora placed the vial with the tiny blue dot on her shelf directly beside the jar containing a floating red dot. The zebra nodded her head grimly and then began to mix up yet another brew in her cauldron. A familiar smoke rose from her house in the ever surprising Everfree Forest.