July 7, 2020 AD
Ponyville School
After a little over a month living in Ponyville, Jack was finally starting to feel at home in Equestria. He still held some hope that he may return home one day, but deep down, he was beginning to doubt that Celestia would figure out how to send him back. He hadn't had a nightmare since his talk with Pinkie, and he hadn't felt this good about himself since before Chase died.
Currently, he was bidding goodbye to Fluttershy as he walked into class. "See you when I get home, mother!"
"Good morning, Bloom," he said as he sat down next two the red-headed filly.
"Good mornin, Jack," Applebloom responded. "How are yah doin today?"
"I'm doing great!" he beamed.
"Ah'm glad to hear that," the filly giggled. "Yah seem… different lately. In a good way though."
"I guess I'm finally adjusting to life here in Ponyville," Jack said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Ah'm glad to hear that," Applebloom said.
Cheerilee walked into the class and opened up her copy of Ponyville Fables and Stables. "Good morning class. Today we will read chapter two of our book."
15 minutes later
Once Cheerilee finished with her reading, she began to question the class about the chapter, "So what do you believe the moral of the story is?"
Nopony answered.
"Anypony?" asked Cheerilee. "What about you, Jack?"
"Treat others in a way that you'd like them to treat you," Jack answered.
"Excellent!" said Cheerilee. "When we return on Monday, we will read chapter the last chapter. See you all next week!"
Outside of Sugarcube Corner
5 Minutes Later
"Where is everypony?" asked Applebloom
Jack scanned the empty streets, "I'm not sure. Weird, these streets are usually bustling this time of day." As he continued to scan the streets, he caught sight of a cloaked figure digging in the dirt. "Who's that?"
"Who are yah…" Applebloom started before noticing the cloaked figure. "We need to go."
"Why?" asked Jack.
"Applebloom, Jack! Hurry inside!" shouted Pinkie from the doorway of Sugarcube Corner.
"Again, Why?" Jack asked as he and Applebloom entered the bakery.
When they got inside, Pinkie quickly locked the door and peeked out the window with the rest of the Main Six (sans Twilight).
"What's going on, and why is it so dark in here?" Jack asked impatiently.
"Zecora's come tuh town," said Applejack.
"Who?" asked Jack.
"The mare outside in that ghastly cloak," Rarity explained.
"And why does her coming to town mean we have to come inside?" Jack enquired.
"Let me explain," said Pinkie before breaking into song. "She's an evil enchantress. She does evil dances. And if you look deep in her eyes. She'll put you in trances. Then what will she do? She'll mix up an evil brew. Then she'll gobble you up in a big tasty stew. Soooo... Watch out!"
"That's a lot of accusations. Got any evidence?" Jack asked.
"Well…" Pinkie started before glancing out the window again. "Oh my gosh, TWILIGHT!"
The pink pony opened the door. "Psst! Twilight! Spike! Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!"
Twilight leaped into the building with Spike on her back. Upon her entry, Pinkie switched on a flashlight, causing Twilight to groan and cover her eyes.
"Who?! The zombie pony?" Spike asked as he glanced around nervously.
"Z-Zombie pony?!" Pinkie shuddered as she shined the light on her face.
"Spike! There are no zombie ponies," Twilight said as the dragon clung to her. "Pinkie, Jack, what are you two doing here alone in the dark?" she asked as Spike got off her back.
"That's what I want to know," Jack said.
"But I already explained it to you, Jacky," Pinkie said.
"No, you really didn't," said Jack.
Ignoring Jack, the pink pony opened the blinds. "We're not alone, Twilight."
Twilight gasped upon noticing the other ponies, "Ok, then, what are you all doing here in the dark?"
"We're hidin from her!" Applejack said, pointing out the window.
Jack and the ponies looked out the window to see Zecora digging in the dirt before glancing in their direction, causing the ponies (except for Twilight) to gasp.
"Did yah see her Twilight? Did yah see... Zecora?" asked Applebloom.
"Apple Bloom! Ah told yah never to say that name," Applejack said strictly.
"Well, I saw her glance this way..." Twilight started.
"Glance evilly this way," Pinkie corrected.
"How could Pinks tell it was evil?" wondered Jack. "Zecora was all the way on the other side of the street."
"And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason," the purple unicorn finished.
"No good reason?" Applejack asked as she wrapped a hoof around Applebloom. "Yah call protectin yer kin no good reason? It's a good thing Jack brought Applebloom here. She was shakin in her lil horseshoes from fear."
"Was not!" Applebloom said. "Ah'm not a baby, Applejack, Ah can take care of mahself."
"Not from that creepy Zecora," Applejack retorted.
"She's mysterious," said Fluttershy.
"So?" wondered Jack.
"Sinister," added Rainbow Dash.
"In what way?" Jack scratched his head.
"And spoooooky!" exclaimed Pinkie.
Twilight looked out the window again, and the others rushed to look with her. Looking outside, they watched as Zecora pulled down her hood to reveal her striped face. The sight caused the ponies to gasp.
"Will you cut that out?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah, she just took her hood off. What's the big deal?" Jack asked.
"Just look at those stripes! So garish!" said Rarity.
"Wait a minute…" thought Jack as he began to put two and two together.
"She's a zebra," Twilight explained.
"Oh, God!" Jack cringed.
"A what!?" Spike and the other ponies asked.
"Fucking karens!" Jack facepalmed.
"A zebra and her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with," Twilight explained, causing Rarity to faint dramatically.
"Seriously?" Jack asked. "You guys are scared because she looks different?"
"Why wouldn't we be?" asked Applejack. "Ah've never seen a pony like that in these parts, cept... her!" Applejack shivered.
"Well, she's probably not from here, and she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville," Twilight explained as Spike snuck into the kitchen. "Where does she live?"
"That's just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!" said Applejack.
Just then, there was a crash from the kitchen.
"Spike!" yelled Twilight.
"Sorry," the dragon said.
"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural," said Applejack. "The plants grow..."
"Animals care for themselves..." added Fluttershy.
"And the clouds move..." added Rainbow Dash.
"All on their own!" they all exclaimed at once, causing Rarity to faint again.
"So what?" Jack asked. "That's exactly how things work where I'm from."
"Yeah, but you're different, Jacky. That wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil... stuff!" said Pinkie. "Do you need to hear the song again?"
"So, I'm one of the good ones then," Jack rolled his eyes.
"Here we go," sighed Rainbow Dash as Pinkie began her song again.
As Pinkie sang her song Twilight looked on in confusion, Jack watched in visible annoyance and Applejack shivered as Applebloom brushed her hoof off her back.
"Wow. Catchy," Twilight said once Pinkie finished her song.
"It's a work in progress," Pinkie said.
"This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors," said Twilight. "Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?"
"Finally, a voice of reason!" said Jack.
"Well..." Rainbow Dash said. "Once a month, she comes into Ponyville."
"Oooooh," Twilight said sarcastically.
"She moves freely like a normal person. The horror!" Jack added as he rolled his eyes again.
"Then, she lurks by the stores," Rarity said.
"Oh my," Twilight mocked.
"And then, she digs at the ground," said Fluttershy, scraping the floor for emphasis.
"Good gracious!" Twilight exclaimed sarcastically. "Ok, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?"
"Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin tuh be neighborly," said Applebloom.
"And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?" said Twilight.
"But she's unable to shop because everyone runs away when she shows up," Jack said in frustration.
"Yeah! Everypony likes tuh shop," added Applebloom. "Yah know what Ah think?"
"Apple Bloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk," Applejack interrupted.
"Iam a big pony," Applebloom muttered as she walked away.
"W-what about digging at the ground? You've got to admit that's weird," said Rainbow Dash.
"What if she's digging for innocent creatures?" asked Fluttershy.
"Well, maybe she's just bored," Jack said as Pinkie began singing her song in the background.
"Exactly, I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually braveenough to approach her, she would find out the truth," Twilight said.
"Well, Ah'm brave enough; Ah'm gonna find out myself," said Applebloom before sneaking outside.
Unlike the other ponies, who were busy arguing, Jack noticed Applebloom leaving and followed her. After leaving Sugarcube corner, Jack saw Applebloom hiding behind a lamppost and ran up behind her.
"Hey, Bloom!" he said.
"Ahh!" The red-headed filly squealed as she kicked back instinctively.
"Oof!" Jack exclaimed as Applebloom's hoof made contact with his gut.
"Oh mah gosh. Ah'm so sorry!" Applebloom said when she realized what she'd done.
"It's fine, I shouldn't have sneaked up on you," Jack said as he clinched his stomach. "Why'd you run off like that?"
"Twilight said that we just weren't brave enough to find out about Zecora. So, Ah wanted tuh go see fer mahself," said Applebloom.
"Awesome! But we better hurry she's leaving," Jack said as he pointed to Zecora, who was walking in the direction of the forest.
Edge of the Everfree Forrest
14 minutes later
As Jack and Applebloom walked into the forest after Zecora, the young filly began asking him questions, "Why aren't yah scared of Zecora?"
"Because I have no reason to be. All I've heard about her are the rumors spread by Pinks and the others, and I have no reason to believe those are true," Jack explained. "Why do you ask?"
"Yah seemed a little mad in there, tuh be honest," Applebloom said.
"Back home, my people would claim that all men are created equal," Jack explained. "But a lot of them didn't exactly act like it. Some humans will assume others guilt in a crime based on the color of their skin. Some will refuse to hire someone because they have a name associated with a skin color. Some believe we should refuse citizenship to people based on skin color. Others will even flat out say they believe their skin color makes them superior and will kill because of it. I find that way of thinking to be repugnant. There's no good reason to treat people differently based on appearance. My white skin doesn't make me better than someone with black skin; an Earth pony's strength doesn't make them superior to other ponies; neither does a unicorns magic or a pegasus's wings. What about Zecora makes her worthy of fear? Her Stripes? Her clothes? Either way, it's a load of crud!"
Unknown to Jack and Applebloom, they had been in earshot of Zecora for a while.
"I think your words are quite wise. There's more to me than meets the eyes," the Zebra said, causing Jack and Applebloom to jump.
"Forgive me speaking out of the blue. I did not mean to frighten you," Zecora apologized.
"It's fine. I just didn't know you could hear us," Jack said.
Before Zecora could respond, she was interrupted.
"Apple Bloom?"
"Jack?"
Turning behind himself, Jack noticed the main six standing in a bed of blue flowers.
"Yah get back here right now!" shouted Applejack.
"Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" warned Zecora as she backed into the mist.
"Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?" said Applejack as she grabbed Applebloom.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity began yelling at Zecora as Twilight sighed, and Fluttershy rushed to Jack.
She didn't hurt you, did she?" asked the yellow pegasus.
"I'm fine, mother," Jack responded.
"Beware! Beware!" shouted Zecora as she faded into the mist.
"Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"And you!" Applejack said to Applebloom. "Why couldn't yah just listen to yer big sister?"
"Ah…Ah…" Applebloom pouted.
"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on you?" Applejack lectured.
"Just like in my song!" Pinkie said before starting to sing again.
"You guys, there's no such thing as curses!" said Twilight.
"Well, that'sinteresting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself," Rainbow Dash said, flying to Twilight and poking her horn.
"My magic, real magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power; they're just an old pony tale," said Twilight as Rainbow Dash ran her mouth mockingly.
"Just you wait, Twilight. Yer gonna learn that some pony tales really are true," said Applejack as she walked away.
Fluttershy's Cottage
7 hours later
"I just don't understand why you think it's ok to treat Zecora like some kind of witch, without any evidence," Jack said.
"She's just not like us, Jack," said Fluttershy.
"I'm less like you than she is," Jack pointed out.
"Well, I…" Fluttershy started.
"I'm going to bed, Fluttershy," Jack sighed. "You really shouldn't make judgments about Zecora without getting to know her first."
As Jack took off his clothes he pulled a blue flower out of his pocket, "At least I managed to get this cool looking flower out of this trip."
July 8, 2020
Jack's Room
Jack was awakened by a loud masculine scream from across the hall. Realizing it was coming from Fluttershy's room, he grabbed his gun and without even putting on his pants, ran to confront what he believed to be an intruder. However, when he arrived, he only found Fluttershy sitting in her room, looking embarrassed while Angel pointed and laughed.
"What's wrong, Flutters?" he asked.
The shy pegasus simply looked in the other direction.
"Come on, what happened and who was shouting?"
"I-I think Zecora put a curse on me," Fluttershy said in a deep male voice.
"Are you sure about that?" Jack asked, holding back a laugh.
Fluttershy nodded.
"I still think that's a ridiculous assumption to make," Jack muttered as Angel began tapping him.
"What do you want?" Jack asked.
The bunny began pointing at his groin and snickering.
"What are you..." Jack said as he felt the area the bunny was pointing to and realized something was missing (something very important.) "WHAT THE FUCK!" she screamed.
"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.
"WE NEED TO GO TO TWILIGHT"S RIGHT NOW!" Jack shouted.
Golden Oak Library
Jack and Fluttershy arrived at the Library to find that Fluttershy wasn't the only pony having problems. Twilight's horn had become soft and floppy, Rainbow Dash could no longer fly without crashing, Rarity's hair had grown out of control, and Pinkie Pies tongue had swollen up to the point she couldn't talk.
"It's a curse, I tells ya!" said Applejack who was now the size of an action figure.
"But Fluttershy and Jack... seem just fine!" said Twilight upon noticing the two of them.
"Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with them," said Rarity.
"Fluttershy? Are you ok?" asked Twilight as the shy pegasus looked away. "Is there something wrong with you?" she asked, prompting a nod from Fluttershy. "Would you care to tell us?" Twilight asked, causing Fluttershy to shake her head. "So... you're not going to tell us?" the unicorn asked, invoking a nod from the pegasus. "Yes, you're not, or yes, you will?" Twilight asked only for Fluttershy to shake her head again.
"For the love of God, just tell them!" said Jack. "Maybe if I get her to confess they won't think to ask me."
"What's wrong with yah?" asked Applejack.
"I don't want to talk about it," Fluttershy said in her masculine voice.
"It's just terrible isn't it?" said Jack. "Let's focus on finding a cure."
"What are you hiden?" asked Applejack, with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" asked Jack. "Shit, I forgot she had that whole Toph lie detector power.
"Yer hiden somethin, what is it?" Applejack pressed.
"I..." Jack started. "There's no way out of this, is there?"
"Well?" asked Applejack.
"My err, parts have changed," Jack admitted as he pointed to his groin.
Spike burst out laughing. "This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got: Jacklin, Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy. And..." he paused upon pointing at Twilight. "uh... I got nothin... Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that."
Twilight laughed sarcastically. "This is no joke, Spike. Now start looking for more books so I can find a cure!"
"Yeah, we need to fix this NOW!" Jack yelled
Rainbow Dash pulled her head out of the latter she had crashed into, "I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" she said before crashing again.
While most of the ponies argued, Jack noticed Applebloom walking out the door.
After following her out the door, he ran up beside her. "Where are you going, Bloom?"
As they ran toward the forest Applebloom explained her motives. "This is all mah fault, if ah hadn't followed Zecora, none of this would have happened."
"It's not your fault, I followed her too," said Jack. "And now I'm a trans woman. Or a trans man? Dear God, I'm having an identity crisis!"
"Trans what now?" Applebloom asked.
"Never mind that, let's just find Zecora!" Jack said.
"Stop right there!" Applejack shouted as she popped out of her sister's mane. "Turn around right now, both of yah!"
"She must have hid in Bloom's mane before we left," Jack realized.
Realizing she had the advantage, Applebloom refused, "No!"
"No?! You can't ignore a direct order from your big sister!" Applejack argued.
Applebloom responded by knocking her sister off her head and placing her on a lamppost, "Hehehe. Sorry, Applejack, but I'm the big sister now."
With Applejack out of the way, Jack and Applebloom continued to Zecora's as Applejack angrily called after them.
"You bring mah sister back here this instant, Jack!" she shouted.
Zecora's Hut
"Are yah sure this is a good idea?" Applebloom asked as they walked up to the hut.
"We'll be fine, Bloom," said Jack as he knocked. "I'm not sure this was the best decision. Sure, all the accusations Pinks and them have thrown at her are probably bunk, but Zecora is still a stranger," he looked at his groin. "Still, if there's any chance she might now how to fix this, I have to take it!"
After a few seconds, the door opened, and Zecora walked out. "It seems you've gone a while to roam. What brings you to my home?"
"That's an odd way to ask why we're here," Jack thought.
"Mah sister and her friends have been cursed! They think yer responsible. " said Applebloom.
"They should be careful who they accuse, for what they say just is not true," said Zecora. "I duly warned you pony folk, those leaves of blue were not a joke."
"The flowers!" Jack realized.
"I'm glad to see that came to mind, although it's to be expected from humankind," Zecora said, beckoning them inside.
"Does everything she says have to rhyme?" wondered Jack. "Wait a minute, did she just say, human?"
"Is there a cure?" asked Applebloom.
"Yeah, please tell me you can fix this!" Jack said urgently
"A cure is something I have found, but for the ingredients, you must look around," explained Zecora.
"Huh?" Jack asked.
"What I've said it seems you've missed. Just bring me what's on this list," Zecora said as she handed him a sheet of paper.
"Oh, thank God," Jack sighed. "I was seriously getting worried I might end up a man trapped in a woman's body for the rest of my life.
10 Minutes Later
Having collected all the things Zecora had asked for, Jack and Applebloom walked back to the hut when they heard several loud crashes from inside. Stepping inside, they found the Main Six confronting Zecora inside the destroyed room.
"What happened here?" asked Jack.
"Jack, you're ok?" asked Fluttershy.
"I'm fine, mother," Jack answered.
"Where's Applebloom," asked Applejack.
"Ah'm right here," Applebloom said as she walked in.
"Thank goodness yer ok, Applebloom, Ah was worried sick!" Applejack said.
"Why wouldn't Ah be?" asked Applebloom.
"Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!" said Twilight as she jumped in between them and Zecora.
Jack, Applebloom, and Zecora began to laugh.
"Don't tell me they actually got to you, Twilight. I thought you valued evidence." Jack said.
"Come on, Jack, you can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse," Twilight said as she pointed at the other ponies.
"This isn't a curse," Applebloom said as she and Jack walked past with the ingredients.
"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact," Zecora said.
"The blue flowers you guys were wallowing in are what caused our… problems," Jack explained.
"It's called Poison Joke," added Applebloom.
"That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke." Zecora explained.
"What in the hay does that mean?" asked Applejack asked from on top of Zecora's head.
"It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead, this plant just wants a laugh," the Zebra elaborated.
"Will somepony, please talk normally?" asked Applejack.
"She's saying that the blue flowers you stepped in affected your body in the same manner of poison oak, except instead of making you itch, it played littlepranks on you," Jack said.
"But you didn't step in the flowers," Twilight pointed out. "How did you get effected?"
"I saw the flowers and thought they looked pretty so..." Jack blushed.
"Are you telling me you picked up a strange plant and brought it home with you?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah, I did," Jack admitted.
After that, Zecora began to explain how she was attempting to brew a cure for them and handed Twilight a book with the recipe. Realizing her mistake, Twilight asked Zecora to whip up another batch.
"Mix it up, I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville." Zecora agreed.
"But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed," Applebloom added.
So, the Main Six agreed to bring Zecora to town. Although the citizens were not happy to see Zecora initially, they began to warm up to her after Twilight explained what had happened. Within a few hours, the remedy was ready, and the Main Six and Jack were soaking in it at the spa.
Feeling his groin, the human let out a sigh of relief. As he got out of the tub he noticed Zecora at the other side of the room. Slipping on his clothes he walked over to her. "So what do you know about humans?"
"Tales of your kind exist in all nations. Most have been passed for generations," said Zecora before giving a serious look. "It's best you leave this location; if he finds you, there'll be devastation."
"What do you mean?" asked Jack as Zecora left the room.
"Judging based on history, I'd say you'll find out quite shortly," the Zebra said.
Author's Note:
Surprisingly writing for Zecora wasn't as hard as I initially expected.
Next time: A dark force discusses some unusual Magic signatures coming from Ponyville which they believe may be the results of an experiment they had initially believed to have failed.