Hi! Hyena King here! This chapter is pretty self explanatory, so I won't bore you with the details. So, without further ado, here's chapter 3!
Zecora was leaving town and heading back to Everfree, failing to notice the little filly that was following her. Apple Bloom followed close behind, resolving to talk to the zebra and prove that she was a big pony. They were both at the fringe of the forest when the sounds of voices calling Apple Bloom's name sounded and drew both of their attentions. The mane six were standing behind them in a field of blue flowers, while Thunder and Lightning were in the air, ready to act at any moment.
"You get back here right now!" Applejack said, clearly angry at her sister's rashness. Lightning quickly flew down to Apple Bloom and threw her on his back, then look Zecora straight in the eye. "And just what were you planning to do with Apple Bloom, huh?" he asked, having drawn the conclusion that Zecora was up to no good.
"Beware, beware you ponyfolk!" the zebra replied, "Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" "Yeah...well...what?" Lightning said, not sure how to respond to that. What he wasn't aware of was her words were directed at the mane six, not him. Applejack quickly joined Lightning, taking Apple Bloom on her own back.
"You keep your creepy mumbo jumbo to yourself ya hear?!" Applejack cried. The rest of the mane six shouted in agreement, with the exception of Twilight. "oh brother." was her only response. Thunder flew down and joined Lightning and Applejack, eying Zecora carefully. "Beware, Beware!" Zecora repeated, then disappeared in the growing fog.
"Yeah, right back at ya Zecora!" Rainbow cried, "You and your lame curse are the ones who should beware!" Apple Bloom gave Rainbow a look of anger, but then was faced with her sister. "And you! Why couldn't you listen to your big sister?" Applejack scolded. "I..." Apple Bloom couldn't find the right thing to say at the moment. "Who knows what kind of curse She could have just given you!" Applejack continued, not giving Apple Bloom time to respond.
"Just like my song!" Pinkie suddenly cried. She was about to start singing again when Lightning threw a cupcake he procured out of nowhere into her mouth. "Guys, there's no such thing as curses!" Twilight said, once again getting annoyed at her friends antics.
"Well, that's interesting coming from miss magic-pants herself!" Rainbow pointed out, poking Twilight's horn to empathize. "My magic, real magic, comes from within." Twilight corrected, "It's a skill your born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's all conjured with potions and incantations, all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale." After her long explanation, Twilight was greeted with the sight of the rest of the ponies leaving.
"Just you wait Twilight." Applejack warned, "Some pony tales really are true." With that, everypony was gone instead of Twilight, Thunder and Lightning. "I'll head home now." Twilight said with a sigh of resignation. "OK, see you tomorrow." Thunder replied. Soon only Thunder and Lightning remained in the fringe.
"So what do you think Zecora was trying to do to Apple Bloom?" Lightning asked Thunder.
"Oh, don't tell me you're believing all this nonsense too." Thunder replied.
"Not necessarily the curse part, but you can't ignore the fact that she was up to something. How're we supposed to protect those mares like Princess Celestia asked us to if we ignore threats like that?
"We won't do it by jumping to conclusions either."
They were both silent for a moment, then Lightning said, "I,m hungry. Let's get something to eat." With that, the brother flew up and went back to Ponyville, never once having touched the blue flowers in the field. In the now empty clearing, a shadowy figure suddenly came out of the tree line, chuckling in a strange, unearthly voice.
"Oh, my little elements. After two thousand years of searching, you're finally within my grasp." He said. "Soon we will be reunited and all of Equestria shall fall before me. Once I've ripped you out of the insignificant mares bodies that is!" with that, the strange figure began to laugh uproariously while the blue flowers suddenly began bursting into flame, which were put out to reveal nothing but ash and no other evidence that the figure had been there.
The next morning, Twilight awoke from a nightmare involving curses, Zecora, and Pinkie dancing. She walked over to the mirror and found her mane in a mess from tossing and turning last night. "Whoa, maybe Zecora cursed my hair." Twilight said, laughing a bit at her own wit. As she brushed her mane, she stopped and noticed something. To her ever increasing horror, it was her horn. Only it was now wiggling and limp and covered in polka dots.
"Or she cursed my horn!" Twilight cried, her voice filled with shock.
There you have it. Don't worry, the strange figure you just read about as nothing to do with the rest of the story. He's just a spoiler for an upcoming original story that will take place after this and at least one more non-canon story. Hope your interest has been peeked! R&R please!