Chapter 10: Not For Everfree

A new day has started and Ash and Pikachu returned to Sugarcube Corner where two foals came to the two and stopped. One was a yellowish-gray Pegasus pony with a slick brown main, the wings so tiny that they could hide in the diaper. The other was a light yellow unicorn with an orange mane and soft horn. Like the Pegasus, the unicorn wore a diaper. "Whoa, who are they?" gasped Ash. Pikachu hopped down which the unicorn cautiously approached him.

"Pound?" sounded Pinkie. "Pumpkin!" She came to the lobby where she spotted the two foals with Ash and Pikachu. The Pegasus climbed onto Ash's back while the unicorn continued to examine the Mouse Pokémon. "Ash! Hey!" She came to lift the unicorn.

"Are these kids from the Cakes?" Seeing how

"Yup! Seems Pound Cake's liking you already." Pound giggled to being on Ash's head as he turned to the unicorn headbutting a ball to Pikachu.

"And you said Pumpkin as well. Is that who Pikachu's playing with?"

"Yup, that's Pumpkin Cake! I was getting the store ready and these two got up early and began to play around!" Pumkin came to Ash and nuzzled cheeks. Ash giggled to it.

"Just like Mom did to me when I was so little."

"I bet, and probably much easier with hands than hooves." The older ponies shared a laugh. "Anyway, I bet I know why you came by. Unfortunately, the cake's not ready."

"That's alright! Pikachu and I got a different treat in seeing these two." Pumpkin laughed to Ash's remark.

"It'll be ready tonight. Scootaloo can't wait, huh?"

"None of the Crusaders can." Another hour later, Ash and Pikachu left Sugarcube Corner with Pikachu snacking on a doughnut. Before he took another bite, he spotted Applejack. She looked around, frantic. This made Pikachu hop off and run to the Earth Pony.

("Applejack!") he called out. Applejack turned to Pikachu with Ash trailing.

"Pikachu?" she noticed before looking up to Ash.

"Something wrong, Applejack?" he wondered. Applejack's head turned to the side.

"It's mah sister!" she claimed. "She hadn't returned from Zecora's cottage in there Everfree Forest!" Ash and Pikachu blinked.

"Zecora?" The guess couldn't make Applejack calm down.

"Ah don't know what's takin' her so long, but mah apples doesn't like this feelin' ah have! Ah'd go an' look mahself but ah don't want Big Mac or Granny ta risk their health!" Ash rested a hoof on Applejack's side.

"Relax, Applejack. I'll go and look for Apple Bloom. I'll make sure she gets back, I promise. There's a piece of cake waiting for her, anyway." Faith promised, Applejack nodded to Ash.

"Ah trust you. Everfree Forest is that way." Destination determined, Ash and Pikachu braced for the forest.

"Gotcha. We'll be back." When Ash took a step, Applejack remembered something.

"Just be careful in them woods." This prompted Ash to stop and turn. "First-timers get the willies enterin' Everfree."

"I'll keep that in mind." Resetting, Ash trotted to the forest. Applejack looked on, sensing his strength.

"Ash, ah don't care what anypony says. Human or pony, ya're braver than ah'll be." In the Everfree Forest, Ash and Pikachu searched around while some noises made Pikachu uncomfortable.

"Hey, this is nothing compared to when we were loaned that Hoothoot," Ash assured.

("That one had no sense of direction,") Pikachu grumbled. That's when they heard crying. It sounded familiar.

"You hear that?" Leaping down, Pikachu tuned his ears and listened for more crying.

("Got it!") Locating the sound, Pikachu raced after the crying as Ash quickly followed. Finally, they reached Apple Bloom in pain. She couldn't move her back hooves.

"Apple Bloom!" he called out. Apple Bloom looked to Ash and Pikachu, tears streaking down her face.

"Ash!?" she realized. "Pikachu?" Ash rested a hoof on Apple Bloom's head as Pikachu saw her back hooves swollen. There was a bag of greens by her.

("What's in here?") he asked before opening it. Ash saw the rear hooves, concerned for Apple Bloom's health.

"What happened?" he wondered.

"Ah was walking ta see Zecora when a bunch of branches from trees fell near mah head," she whimpered. "Ah ran and then ah tripped an' hurt mah hooves." Pikachu dragged the bag to Ash who he and Apple Bloom looked to. "Them's herbs ah was deliverin' to Zecora when ah got hurt." To Ash, panic caused Apple Bloom to get hurt. He began to think about what to do before lowering his body.

"Pikachu, let's make the delivery," he decided before he brought out another Pokéball. "Bayleef, I choose you!" Bayleef emerged before seeing Apple Bloom in pain. "Bayleef, do you want to carry the bag or Apple Bloom? She needs treatment for her injuries." Bayleef saw the bag and lifted that to her. Undeterred, Ash offered his back to Apple Bloom. "Come on…" Using what strength she had and Pikachu's help, Apple Bloom was on Ash's back. "Alright, which way do we go?" Apple Bloom pointed a hoof down a path.

"That way," she answered. Pikachu boarded Bayleef as they trotted down the path. Watching Bayleef becoming a little nervous and looking around, Apple Bloom seemed astonished to Ash's unflinching bravery. "Have ya been in Everfree Forest before?" The Pokémon shook their heads.

"This isn't as bad as a couple of forests back home." That made Apple Bloom awe Ash's courage. Soon, they arrived at a hut within the forest. A zebra emerged from the hut as it looked around and found the group coming. It had a massive mohawk for its mane and gold ring stacks around its neck and front left hoof.

"Apple Bloom, you made it," the zebra, a filly, gasped. "I began to worry so much, that I could not sit!" Apple Bloom looked to the zebra.

"Ah'm sorry, Zecora," Apple Bloom apologized. "Ah got hurt bringin' the herbs." Zecora became more worried.

"Come into my cabin," she instructed. "I can establish Apple Bloom's situation." Listening, Ash obeyed and brought Apple Bloom into the hut.

("Is she a poet?") believed Bayleef.

("And I thought those Pokémon Poachers were good,") Pikachu compared. Inside, Zecora escorted Ash to a bed before dismounting Apple Bloom.

"I cannot thank you enough for finding Apple Bloom in her time of need," she praised. "It would mean much to repay your deed." Then, she examined the herbs brought forth. "I can only picture where you've been, as the herbs you've gathered can make better medicine."

("Okay, that pony… scares me,") Pikachu shuttered. Bayleef saw wooden tribal mask hung on walls.

("Not as bad as those,") she pointed out. Pikachu looked to the tribal masks and wincing.

("I see your point,") he squeaked. Zecora rolled Apple Bloom's hooves to which she winced in pain. Ash came to Zecora's side and to see her work.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Her hooves have twisted but no break," Zecora determined. "That is good news for Apple Bloom to take."

"That's good," Apple Bloom moaned.

"But you must relax your hooves for at least a day. I can give you medicine and you friend can carry you on your way." Apple Bloom nodded.

"Much appreciated, Zecora." The good news made Ash and the Pokémon sigh in relief.

"Thought, I must say that this is a first to see creatures like this," Zecora noticed as she approached Pikachu and Bayleef. "A mouse to admire and a young dinosaur with a smell to feel bliss? Young colt, these must be yours, right? Are you a friend of Princess Twilight?" Ash and the Pokémon giggled to Zecora's poetry.

"They are," Ash replied. "These are two of my Pokémon." He came to Bayleef while Pikachu got to Apple Bloom who hugged him. "This is Bayleef. Pikachu's with Apple Bloom." Zecora noticed Bayleef's behavior about the masks.

"You've taken notice of the relics from my homeland," she mentioned. "My tribe followed a lot like a marching band."

("You don't say,") the Herb Pokémon awed.

"I could explain more," Zecora continued. "But it would be better to relieve Apple Bloom's sore. There's a cart you can take. Take it to bring Apple Bloom back for her sake." Ash nodded to the idea.

"Thanks, Zecora," he accepted. He raced out and found a cart as Bayleef grew vines from her neck and lifted Apple Bloom to the cart. Zecora seemed in awe. Loaded to a cart, Pikachu stayed with Apple Bloom while Bayleef readied the cart. "It'll be evening by the time we return to Ponyville. I can bring the cart back tomorrow."

"That would be perfect for me and you," Zecora started. "I would like to know more of Bayleef and Pikachu."

"There ya go, Ash," Apple Bloom giggled. "You get to know her more and she gets to know about you." Ash nodded. They said their goodbyes and Ash and Bayleef dragged the cart back. When they returned, Applejack and Twilight were the first to greet them.

"Ash!" cheered Twilight.

"Apple Bloom!" cried Applejack. "Are ya okay!?" She looked inside to see Apple Bloom's back hooves bandaged up.

"Her back hooves got twisted, but Zecora said they'll be fine with some rest," Ash reported. Twilight and Applejack realized that Apple Bloom would be okay.

"Thank Celestia…" sighed Twilight. Applejack tackled Ash in glee.

"Ash, thank ya kindly fer returning mah sista!" she cheered before kissing Ash's face repeatedly. "Ah knew ah could trust you fer getting Apple Bloom back!" Then, she planted one hard kiss on Ash's snout, flatening him to the dirt. He seemed out for a little while as Twilight and Apple Bloom chuckled to the kissing barrage. Spike brought the cake to Sweet Apple Acres and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo came over to see their fellow Crusader.

"I'm not sure if Ash's courage is better than Scootaloo's ability to fly," Sweetie Belle joked.

"Hey, I wasn't able to fly before," Scootaloo proclaimed. "And besides, Ash helped all of us."

"Darn tootin'!" agreed Apple Bloom with Pikachu joining her in bed. "And… how's the snout, Ash?" The trainer scoffed but smiled.

"It wasn't easy to breathe for a while," Ash admitted. "But at least I know this place is bigger than I thought." Twilight, Applejack and Rarity overheard Ash and entered from another room.

"But of course, Equestria's big!" proclaimed Rarity. "After all, you've got ponies like us and some that aren't a… different type like Zecora." That made Ash and Pikachu blink.

"What do you mean?" questioned Ash. "Aren't a lot of you ponies? Is Zecora not one?"

"Well, she is," Twilight confirmed. "She's a zebra. Have you… come across a zebra back home?" Ash quickly shook his head.

"Ponyta and Rapidash were the only ponies I know before coming here," he referred. "I'm sorry if that didn't help."

"Hey, don'tcha let a little thing like that get ya down!" promised Applejack. "Besides, heard yer gonna go back with the cart."

"I am, and Zecora will want to know about the Pokémon as well," Ash remembered as he was by Apple Bloom's bed. She took the opportunity and kissed Ash's snout which still has Applejack's smooch imprinted.

"Oh, no…" sneered Sweetie Belle. "You're not getting out of it that easily." She and Scootaloo pounced, threw Ash onto Apple Bloom's bed and started kissing away. Ash laughed, being tickled with the kisses while night fell. Meanwhile, a pile of glowing rocks laid before a silhouette.

"So, these are the pieces of the emperor…" he muttered as he held an amulet. It had a diamond-shape ruby in the middle below a carving of a unicorn pony's head with black and red wings to the side. "And with this Ailcorn Amulet, I'll restore power to the plans for dominating Equestria!" When the amulet was dressed, the silhouette began to transform. It became bigger and seemed to empower it. Finally, he looked huge. That's when the curved and crooked horns focused on the pile of rocks. A blast of magic made the rocks spin around, the white glow shining all around. Monkeys watched from the trees as the rocks began to mold themselves together. "Once he is reborn, those who wield the Elements of Harmony will sing their last song!" The rocks soon stopped and formed into a statue… but then, the eyes began to glow cyan.

"Who dares bring me to life?" he growled. Who did the silhouette bring back to life?

TO BE CONTINUED…