S1 E9! Swarm of the Century up next!

Malibu and his close friends Twilight and Spike were venturing into town together; ready to have a good day together. He smiled at the clear blue sky.

"Wow! What a gorgeous day!" Twilight said happily. Malibu nodded, recalling that time they laid in the sun together. "For sure, we gotta take a sun soak soon again." Spike grinned. "Rainbow Dash must've gotten up early and cleared the clouds away!"

"Remind me to thank her later," Malibu said, heart fluttering when hearing her name as the two entered Ponyville.

"I bet everypony is going to be out enjoying the sunshine," Twilight complimented. But Malibu noted the lack of ponies though.

He scratched his head. "Uh, Twi? I'm not seeing ponies present." Twilight was puzzled. "What? Where is everypony?"

From their view; the entire town was completely empty. Doors and windows were shut tight. Malibu spotted one filly but she was pulled in by her mother. A frown appeared. This was odd. The three looked at each other, mystified.

"Is it some holiday?" Malibu questioned. Twilight shook her head. "Don't think so," she answered.

"Does my breath stink?" Spike asked, doing a burp, making Malibu wrinkle his nose. "Er, not more than usual…" he mumbled.

Then Spike had the most ridiculous question. "Is it… Zombies?!" Malibu rolled his eyes. He had heard of those on tv back in his old home but didn't think they could exist. "Not likely," Twilight said. Spike gripped Twilight's mane. "Not likely, but possible?" Malibu huffed. "You've been reading too many comics, Spike," he stated when they came near Sugarcube Corner.

Suddenly somepony said "Pssst!". The trio looked around for the speaker which was Pinkie Pie. "Twilight! Malibu! Spike! Come here!" She was hiding in the sweet shop. Malibu raised his brow, tilting his head. "Pink? What's wrong with you?"

Pinkie gestured with her hoof. "Come here! Hurry! Before she gets you!" She whispered/screamed. Having no other option, the friends ran indoors. Malibu's vision was met with darkness until a flashlight shined into his eyes, making him flinch.

"Who?! The Zombie-Pony?" Spike squeaked. Malibu saw Pinkie shine the light under her chin. "Z-zombie-pony?" She whimpered. Spike trembled, grasping Twilight tight. Twilight grunted. "Spike, seriously, there are no Zombie-Ponies," she said in annoyance. Malibu turned back to Pinkie. "But, uh, what are you doing here alone in the dark?"

Pinkie tilted her head. "I'm not alone in the dark!" That was when the light shone onto Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applebloom, making him and Twilight gasp.

"Ok… what are all of you doing here alone in the dark?" Twi asked. Malibu nodded. Applejack pointed to the outside. "We're hidin' from her!" She whimpered.

Malibu was confused. "Her who?" He asked, tilting his own head. He and Twilight went to the window where he saw a stranger pawing her hoof into the ground. Suddenly, she turned her head, covered in a hood, eyes glowing yellow. The other ponies besides Twilight and Malibu gasped in fright, hiding away.

The teal alicorn raised his brow in curiosity. Who are you? He asked himself as the new pony continued her strange business. Applebloom looked at the two of them, eyes round. "Did ya see her guys? Did ya see Zecora?"

"Uh, Zecora? Who's that?" Malibu questioned. Applejack glared at Applebloom. "Applebloom, I told ya to never mention that name!" She snapped. Twilight and Malibu glanced at each other. "Well, we saw her glance this way—." Twilight began. Pinkie interrupted. "Glanced evilly this way!"

Malibu gently pushed her away. "And then all of you just freaked," he said. Applejack was startled. "'No good reason?' Ya call protectin'y your kin no good reason?" She took Applebloom into her hooves, making her frown. "As soon as Applebloom saw Zecora ridin' into town she started shakin' in her little horseshoes!"

Applebloom was being shaken by Applejack, making Malibu roll his eyes but chuckle softly. "D-did n-not!" She stuttered before being let go suddenly. "So I swet her up and brought her here." Applejack said. This made her sister mad.

"I walked here myself!"

"For safe keepin'!"

"Applejack, I'm not a baby!" Applebloom stomped. "I can take care of myself!" Applejack shook her head. "No, not from that creepy Zecora!"

The teal alicorn glanced at her. "How do you mean by creepy?" Fluttershy lowered her head. "She's mysterious…"

Rainbow spoke up. "And sinister!"

"And Spoooky!" Pinkie finished. Frowning Malibu and Twilight (along with everypony else) gazed out the window at their new visitor again. Zecora pulled down her hood revealing the oddest mane which was nothing but black and white stripes. Malibu was startled at that. His friends minus Twilight gave over exaggerated gasps.

"Ugh, will you cut that out?" Snapped Twilight, Malibu nodding in agreement. Rarity studied Zecora's mane which interested Malibu. "Just look at those stripes! So garish!"

Malibu looked at Twilight. "What kind of pony is she?" Twilight was somewhat startled he didn't know. "Well, she's a Zebra Mal," she replied. "A WHAT?!" The rest of them exclaimed. Twilight nodded. "A Zebra. And her stripes aren't a fashion choice, Rarity. There what she was born with." That caused the white unicorn to faint. Malibu saw Applejack looking nervous.

"But born where? I've never seen anypony like that in these parts, cept her!"

"Yeah, where did she come from, Twi?" Malibu asked.

"Well, she's probably not from here. And she's not a pony. My books say Zebras come from a far away land. But I've never seen her before in Ponyville. Where does she live?"

The teal alicorn gazed at Zecora some more while Applejack responded. "That's just it! She lives in… the Everfree Forest!" She squeaked, right as thunder crashed. This made Malibu jump before it was revealed to just be Spike messing around in the kitchen. "Spike! You scared us!" Malibu shouted, making Spike blush sheepishly. "Uh, sorry."

Sighing, Malibu shook his head. "But what's so bad about her living there?" He questioned. Applejack's ears flattened. "The Everfree Forest just ain't natural! The plants grow—."

"Animals care for themselves!" Fluttershy added.

"And the clouds move…" Rainbow started. "All on their own!" She and Applejack finished, making Malibu feel a bit annoyed. "Guys, where I came from that stuff happened all the time. I'm from Earth," he said. This shocked the ponies.

"For real? The clouds at your old home really moved by themselves?" She exclaimed. Malibu nodded. "Whoa…" Rainbow murmured in amazement.

Pinkie though started her own rant about Zecora. "Anyway, that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil… stuff! Oh, she's so evil, I even wrote a song about her!"

Malibu had a weirded face. "Uh, really?" He asked. Rainbow looked annoyed. "Ugh, here we go…"

Pinkie began to sing: "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!"

Everypony had mystified looks. "Wow, catchy," Twilight said. Pinkie looked proud of herself. "It's a work in progress!"

Malibu just couldn't buy this. "Guys, I seriously don't think she's evil," he said. Twilight nodded. "Yes, it's just a lot of gossip and rumors. What exactly have you seen Zecora do?"

"Well, once a month she comes into Ponyville…" Rainbow said. Twilight did an exaggerated ooh, making Malibu chuckle.

"Then, she lurks by the stores," Rarity said. "Oh my!" Twilight exclaimed.

"And then, she digs at the ground," Fluttershy finished. Twilight made her eyes cross eyed. "Good gracious!" Malibu nudged her. "Maybe a little too overboard, Twi," he said. Twilight flushed. "I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad?"

Malibu was about to speak more of his defense too when suddenly Applebloom beat him to it. "Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly!" He gave a smile at how boldly the small filly spoke up. "I agree, and she may not be lurking by the stores. She may be going to them, 'lurk free' for a bit of shopping perhaps," he suggested.

This caused Applebloom to speak up again. "Yeah! Everypony liked to shop! Ya know what I think—?"

Applejack interrupted. "Applebloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk!" She snapped. Malibu looked down at Applebloom in sympathy when she mumbled under her breath about it.

"But what about the ground? You've got to admit that's weird!" Rainbow said in a nervous voice. Fluttershy lowered her ears. "What if she is digging for innocent creatures?" She whispered. Malibu sighed when he heard Pinkie singing her song again; not even noticing Applebloom having left.

Twilight spoke up. "I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does. And if anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth!"

Malibu nodded. "So everypony shouldn't even come up with these wild excuses!"

"Well, I heard Zecora eats hay!" Pinkie randomly said. Twilight frowned. "Pinkie, I eat hay. You eat hay!"

"Yeah, but I heard it is the evil way she eats hay!"

But then Malibu noticed somepony missing. "Has anypony seen Applebloom?" He asked worriedly. This made them all gasp in fear at this. "She went outside?!" Applejack cried out, seeing the door open. Everypony went to the window. "And Zecora's still out there!"

This couldn't end well, Malibu thought, ears flattened, as Twilight instructed Spike to wait for any signs of Applebloom while the group raced out to catch up with her.

The 7 of them raced through the forest before suddenly seeing Applebloom there with the cloaked figure of Zecora in the background. Malibu gazed about at the blue flowers that they're standing in but didn't have time to wonder about it now, Applejack calling out to Applebloom. "Applebloom?" She yelled.

Zecora backed into the fog. "Beware! Beware you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"

Malibu shivered slightly but kept up his brave face. Applejack snatched up her sister, glaring. "Y-ya keep your creepy mumbo jumbo to yerself, ya hear?" She snapped, the others excepting Malibu and Twilight saying their own mean words.

"Beware! Beware…!" Zecora said, now fading in with the fog until she disappeared from view. Malibu now felt something off about Zecora but still didn't want to jump to conclusions. Rainbow kicked some flowers. "Yeah! Right back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curses are the ones who'd better beware!"

Applejack looked coldly at Applebloom. "And you! Why couldn't you have listened to your big sister?" She snipped. Applebloom's face was saddened. "I-I-!"

"Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could've just put on you!" Applejack continued. Pinkie nodded. "Just like in my song!" She said while singing a quick version. Malibu hoof palmed. "Please, guys! Zecora hadn't even harmed Applebloom! You shouldn't say anything mean about her yet still!"

Twilight agreed. "And there's no such things as curses!" She added. Rainbow smirked. "Well that's interesting to hear; coming from miss magic pants herself!" She said, pointing at her horn. "My magic, real magic comes from within. It's a skill you're born with." Malibu looked at her. "But what about me?" He asked.

"Well, you were a special case. But that doesn't mean you're a curse," she assured Malibu who breathed a bit in relief. "Besides, curses have no real power; they're just an old pony tale."

The other ponies began their walk back to Ponyville. "Just ya wait, Twilight. You'll soon learn that some pony tales really are true…" Applejack forewarned. Malibu's skin tingled again, but Twilight put an assuring hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Don't believe them, Mal. A good night's rest should do the trick," she said. Malibu nodded. "Yeah, sure…" he said softly while heading home.

That evening in his bed at Sweet Apple Acres Malibu couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, hearing his friend's voices in his head.

"She's anEvil Enchantress, she does evil dances!"

"Beware! Beware!"

"If you look deep in her eyes she'll put you in trances!"

"Was that supposed to scare us?"

"Wicked zebra!"

"A curse!"

"Just you wait; you'll learn some pony tales really are true!"

"She'll gobble you up in a big tasty stew! So… watch out!"

Zecora's face appeared in his dream, her yellow eyes flashing as she cackled. Malibu covered his head with his pillow, unaware of what would happen to him the next morning. The rooster crowed then. Malibu blinked his eyes open wearily, yawning sleepily.

"Uh… not such a good night's sleep, and I feel weird…" Malibu slurred, slowly getting up, and going to check the mirror. What he saw scared him greatly.

He was looking at his old gargoyle form once again, but covered in blue polka dots! A loud scream escaped his beak in bafflement and fear, staggering back onto the floor. How could this be?!

Suddenly a chipmunk voice came. "Ya alrigh', Sugarcube? 'Cause I think a curse made me shrink!" It was Applejack. Gulping Malibu walked out, to see a tiny Applejack on Applebloom's back. Oh boy.

"D-dunno what happened. Yesterday I was a pony but now I'm a gargoyle again!" Malibu said in fear, tugging his wings, feeling his own beak, hair and such. Applebloom's ears fell. She never saw him in this form before, which scared her a little. Malibu noticed. "It's still me, AB. Malibu. This was the form I was before becoming a pony." Applebloom was stunned before her face perked. So this was the real Malibu! She thought to herself in awe.

"Wow! Aside from the blue polkadots your gargoyle form looks cool!" She exclaimed. Malibu flushed but then shook himself. "Come on, we have to get to Twilight, she could probably fix us," he said, beginning to run out of the house and to the Golden Oaks library, Applebloom on his heels.

But as it turned out, Twilight was in the same predicament; her horn having gone floppy and all. She had opened the door and gave a small yelp when seeing Malibu as a gargoyle again and tiny Applejack. Pinkie was there, too, her tongue permanently hanging out of her mouth and making raspberry noises. Rainbow Dash kept on crashing and wasn't as graceful anymore. Rarity's mane and fur had gone all fluffed up and blocked her vision.

"I hate to say I told ya so, guys. But I told ya so! It's a curse I tell ya!" Applejack shouted. Malibu glanced at Fluttershy who hadn't spoken but didn't show signs of any afflictions. "But, Fluttershy seems fine," he said.

Rarity nodded. "Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her!" She muttered, looking jealous. But Fluttershy kept her mouth closed. Twilight tilted her head. "Fluttershy? Are you ok?" A nod.

"Is something wrong?" Malibu asked. She shook her head. Twilight frowned. "Would you care to tell us?" Shake of head. "So… you're not gonna tell us." Nod. "Yes you're not or yes you will?"

Applejack had enough. "Good gravy, girl?! What's wrong with you?" Fluttershy cringed before speaking. "I don't wanna talk about it…" she mumbled, her voice somehow having deepened, sounding like Goliath to Malibu. Malibu's jaw dropped at that. Spike began laughing.

"Ha ha! This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got Harity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Appleteeny, Flutterguy, and…" he halted, while Malibu and Twilight both gave him looks. "Uh, I got nothin'. Twilight Sparkle and Malibu, I mean seriously. I can't even work with that!"

Malibu twitched his tail in irritation. "Enough games, Spike. You need to look though something to fix us!" He snapped. Rainbow tried to fly again. "I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!" She exclaimed before falling down again. "It's not a curse!" Twilight argued.

Applejack agreed. "I agree with Dash. We'll go to Zecora's and force her to remove this hex!"

"It's not a hex either!" Shouted Twilight, making them argue. Malibu folded his arms, shaking his head before this time seeing Applebloom looking upset. "You ok?" He asked. She shook her own head. "It's all mah fault, Malibu. If I hadn't followed Zecora in the first place none of this would've happened! I just gotta fix this! Will ya go with me?"

Malibu didn't feel like separating from the others but this could be a chance to get to know Zecora better and figure this out. He nodded. "Sure, for our friends," he said, following Applebloom. Applejack spotted them. "Now where does she think she's goin' this time with Mal?" She asked, jumping into Applebloom's tail.

Applebloom and Malibu had traveled far into the Everfree when suddenly a voice sounded. "Hold it right there! You two turn around right now!" It was Applejack in Applebloom's tail. Malibu's ears flattened.

"We didn't mean to sneak away, me and Applebloom have been trying to find the real reason!" He said, while Applebloom smirked. "No!" She said smugly. "No?! You can't ignore a direct order from yer big sister!" Applebloom then took Applejack off her back, putting her on a tree branch.

"Sorry, Applejack, but I'm the big sister now!" She said, grinning. Malibu couldn't help but admire Applebloom's boldness. And he felt too that they couldn't have her sister tagging along, especially with her being overprotective. "I'll watch her, I promise," he said softly to Applejack before turning to leave, guilt for doing it rising but he quenched it away.

The two of them reached Zecora's home a while later; which was another tree home. Malibu gazed in wonder at it. Applebloom looked nervously at the door. "So… should we knock?" She asked. Malibu shrugged. "I suppose," he said, going to knock. The door opened.

"And what is it do I find? Visitors?" The zebra said, gazing at the duo. Malibu gulped again. "W-we're sorry to bother you, Zecora. B-but me and Applebloom wish to fix our friends and myself. We woke up all funny this morning. I was supposed to be a pony but I'm a gargoyle again."

Zecora giggled. "You pony folk ran into Poison Joke. But ingredients you can find, or else the healing takes time," she said in rhyme. Malibu smiled a bit from Zecora's friendliness. "Can you tell us where?" She nodded. "Ingredients not hard to find, but take care on time."

She gave them a book that had a recipe for the Poison Joke cure after they introduced themselves, Zecora interested in Malibu being a gargoyle. Then the two went to do it while Zecora set up the cooking pot during the time the other friends came along.

By the time Applebloom and Malibu returned, chaos greeted them. Zecora's home was a mess; her pot tipped over and spilling the brew, and the rest of her home demolished. Malibu's beak fell open. "What? What happened?" He asked in surprise, seeing his friends looking angry at Zecora.

"Yeah, what in Ponyville's name is goin' on here?" Applebloom asked. AJ gasped. "Applebloom! Yer ok!" She smiled. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Twilight moved to protect them. "Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was going to cook you two up into soup!" Malibu, Applebloom and Zecora all began to laugh. "Seriously Twilight? When did somepony like you began believing in curses? It's all fine, really. Zecora's not so bad." Applebloom nodded. "Yeah!" But Twilight wasn't convinced.

"Applebloom, sweetie, you two can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse!" She said, gesturing to her friends and to Malibu. Applebloom shook her head. "This isn't a curse!"

Zecora gave a knowing smile. "If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact. Beware, beware you pony folk. Those leaves of blue are not a joke."

Malibu looked at their confused friends. "She had been trying to warn us about those blue flowers, called Poison Joke," he said. Zecora nodded to him. "That plant is much like Poison Oak. But its results are like a joke."

Applejack was confused. "What the hay does that mean?" Zecora continued. "It means this plant does not breed wrath, instead this plant just wants a laugh."

The orange earth pony shook her head. "Could somepony please talk normal?" She mumbled. Twilight translated. "I think; when we ran in to save Applebloom, we ran into the Poison Joke. All our little problems are just little jokes it played on us!"

Malibu stared down at his taloned hand. "But how could that flower know what I was before becoming a pony?" He questioned in confusion.

"The plant is mysterious in many ways," Zecora said. Applejack rolled her eyes. "Little jokes? Very funny!"

"Ok, fine! But what about the cauldron?" Rainbow asked.

"And the chanting?" Flutter said, her voice still deep and making Malibu chuckle a little.

"And the creepy decor?" Rarity added. Zecora gazed at her masks. "Treasures of the native land where I am from. This one speaks hello. And this welcome." Malibu studied them. They seemed somewhat creepy. "Not welcoming at all, if you ask me," Rarity huffed.

"The words I chanted were from olden times; what you would call a Nursery Rhyme." Zecora revealed too, Malibu grinning a little from that.

Twilight was still disbelieving. "But… the cauldron? The Applebloom soup?"

Applebloom shook her head. "Lookie here, Twilight. That pot of water wasn't for me; it was for all these herbal ingredients."

Malibu nodded. "Yeah, and the cure is simple: just take a bubble bath," he said, pretty anxious now to take this cure. Twilight was mystified. "I tried to look for a cure and couldn't find anything. Which book has this natural remedy?"

Zecora pulled out a book with a green cover. "This is the book, you see? Sad that you lack it at your library." Twilight's ears lowered. "Actually, I do have this book. But I didn't look inside it because the title was so… weird," she said before Zecora revealed the cover. Malibu read it silently. "Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super." She cringed while Malibu gave her a disapproving gaze that she still had the judge a book by its cover thing inside her head.

"I'm- I'm sorry Zecora. I had the answer the whole time if I only bothered to look inside," she apologized. Malibu put a hand on her shoulder. "I thought you had learned this a long time ago with me when you saw my real form, Twi," he said. Twilight couldn't answer him, guilty.

Zecora chuckled softly. "Next time, maybe you'll keep taking a closer look and not judge the cover of the book."

Twilight then had a request. "Zecora? Will you mix up another batch of the herbal bath?" The zebra nodded. "Mix it up I certainly will. But I am missing an herb from Ponyville."

Applebloom though looked concerned. "But whenever Zecora comes into town the shops are mysteriously closed!" Malibu rolled his eyes at this.

Twilight smiled. "I think we can help with that."

….

The group ventured back to town with Zecora then, bringing the other ingredients with them. The flower ponies saw them coming and freaked.

"Look, Rose! How awful!" Cried out Daisy exclaimed in fear. Rose covered her eyes. "The wicked enchantress had cursed them all!"

"The horror! The horror!" Lily shrieked; everypony panicking then, running into their homes as the friends expected. Unfazed Twilight and Malibu approached Daisy's front door, knocking. She peeked out.

"Daisy, we need to talk," Twilight said as she and Malibu both explained about Zecora not being evil at all, eventually mixing the herbal ingredients together and bringing them to the spa to pour into the big pool there for everypony to bathe in. Malibu seriously was looking forward to doing it as he went ahead into the bath once it was ready; feeling his form changing back. When coming back up, he was once more a pony, a smile on his face.

The others followed in after him, all their issues fixed, too. Though they put Applejack into a smaller tub. Twilight had written a letter too before then using her mouth:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your "cover" is; it's the "contents" of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle"

Malibu was still hanging in the bath with his friends, sighing happily when one of the spa owners, Lotus Blossom came forward to Zecora. "Miss Zecora, I would love to get the recipe for this bath! It's simply luxurious!" Zecora nodded at her when Applebloom suddenly didn't see Applejack. "Applejack! Hey, where's Applejack?!

Even Malibu himself had forgotten hence being lost in his own enjoyment, all the ponies frantically looking until they heard her voice back to normal.

"I'm right here little sis. I ain't tiny no more!" AJ said, grinning. Rarity flipped her mane. "Oh, I never felt so lovely in all my life!"

Malibu felt his mane and horn, flapping the feathered wings. "It is hard to believe how much I missed being a pony again," he said with a grin.

Pinkie popped up from the surface, splashing him. "Oh, my gosh! I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk. I mean, I love talking so much, and when I couldn't talk anymore, my tongue was all 'ehhhh'! It was the worst! Don't you agree, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy waited before replying in her normal voice. "Yes." All of them just then began laughing off this very weird day indeed.

Will be at our cabin again this summer but hope to pre write a lot of chapters during that time!