Back at Fluttershy's cottage Zecora had the ingredients she needed and, with permission, she used Fluttershy's kitchen to make her potion. While she was busy, Applejack still had some work to do convincing Fluttershy to help. They had come up with a few tentative plans, all of which were centered on Fluttershy. If the dragons could be reasoned with then it was Fluttershy who would do the reasoning. If not, her remarkable stare might get the job done.
"How do I even know if the stare works? I'm in your body; I'm only used to mine." Fluttershy said softly.
"Why don't we test it out?" Applejack asked.
"On one of my critters? Oh I couldn't possibly do that to them!" Fluttershy gasped.
"I know it might be tough but I don't see another option." Applejack said sympathetically. "Maybe one of your critters would volunteer to help?"
Fluttershy's animals were all gathered around and nodded in agreement. All except Angel bunny, who was sitting in his favorite spot on the couch munching on a few carrots.
"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked, to which her animals repeated their gestures of approval. She sighed and closed her eyes, when she opened them again she gave them her famous stare. Much to her surprise it worked, and her animals watched her in frozen awe. Fluttershy only held the stare for a moment before returning back to normal. Applejack was smiling and Fluttershy returned the smile with a soft one of her own.
"That was mighty strange watching you make that look on my face. I don't know how you do it Fluttershy!" Applejack complimented. "If all goes well we won't need it, but we've got to be prepared for anything."
Fluttershy nodded solemnly, she was still torn up about facing dragons, but she didn't want to let her friends down. When Applejack saw she was getting frightened again, she attempted to distract her.
"What's this here potion gonna do for us, Zecora?" Applejack asked. She and Fluttershy joined their Zebra friend and watched as she worked her mojo over a boiling pot of a strange green liquid.
"This potion will dispel with a resonating boom, a thick green cloud of a precarious fume. When the dragons inhale its strange earthy smell, they will be under a confusion spell." Zecora answered.
"What if we inhale it?" Fluttershy asked timidly.
"I have a spell that will protect us from harm, it is not a potion it is more of a charm. We wear it so that we will be immune, but we must move with haste for it will wear off soon." Zecora said, adding another ingredient to her potion and stirring it slowly.
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to all that. I think Fluttershy can talk some sense into these creatures." Applejack said.
Fluttershy whimpered and fought back the urge to cry. No amount of reassurance would make her fear go away. Some part of her regretted letting Twilight and the others leave without her.