Cutie Mark Crusader Treasure Hunters, GO!

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle blinked up at Zecora, her eyes wide at the statement. "I'm feelin' fine!" the little blue filly assured Zecora, "But *thank* you for worrying about me!" She let go of the ring, blushing a little. "And I know they're yours," she said a bit sulkily, kicking at the dirt. "Ah wasn't gonna steal 'em..."

She let Zecora go start to collect the ingredients, and her eyes shone as she saw all those shiny, shiny bottles... nono, those bottles were needed to help Apple Bloom and Scootaloo! She mustn't! ... Well, except perhaps she didn't need *all* the bottles. That one shiny red bottle she'd passed by and hadn't collected, so ... into her pack it went! *clink!*

​

[Lux]

Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief that Zecora had a plan to change her back to something less... girly. On one hoof her condition although the most apparent was something she could work with. Her task now was to make sure that her friends weren't getting into trouble.

"Um... Apple Bloom," cringing at the sound of her now overly girly voice, "Zecora isn't green. I don't think any zebras are green. Although it would be cute to see a rainbow zebra with sparkles and bows and..."

She quickly put a hoof over her mouth as if to plug up the stream of cuteness that was pouring uncontrollably out. Oh if her other classmates heard about this she would be the laughing stock of the school! And there was no telling what Rainbow Dash would say or do if she saw Scootaloo as this weird version of her.

"So, about that bath," she said trying to erase what she said before.

Zecora wasted no time to start preparing the potion that she would eventually make into a bath. By her calculations, three of the five ponies present were affected by the Poison Joke, some more severely than others. Thankfully their ailments were not so debilitating that the ponies were disrupting things. They were mainly confused. As she poured a few herbs and liquids a thought came to mind.

"By the way, what brought you to the forest today? A Poison Joke flower cannot be found unless in the forest you were wandering around."

The Zebra then reached for a certain bottle, only to find that it was surprisingly missing. Zecora was always a well organized mare, putting things back where they belonged and having a certan semblance of order in her hut so that when she needed something it could be readily available.

"Has a certain red bottle by any of you been seen? I could have sworn I left it where it's always been. This potion I very much need, or else my potion will not succeed."

[Corsair]

Snips glared at Sunrise as the filly finally started to untie him. He was sorely tempted to make some kind of smart remark about his 'playing along,' but held himself back. When he thought about it, Sunrise's plan had worked; Applebloom had taken them straight to Zecora's hut. So instead, he just grumbled "No, its OK... I guess. I mean, we got here, right?" He used his newly freed hoof to rub the bottom of his chin. Snips heard a giggle, and looked over at Snails, who was still laughing at the situation. Snips shoved the taller colt in retaliation, throwing him off balance.

Snip moved to poke his head into the strange hut, followed by a still smirking Snails. He'd heard about Zecora's hut before, but he'd never actually been here. He didn't think many ponies had. The walls were lined with shelves, all filled with jars and bottles, interspersed with strange plants, and even stranger decorations. A huge cauldron occupied the center of the room, into which Zecora was already adding ingredients. When the zebra asked why they were in the forest, Snips froze for a second, thinking of Sunrise's warning. "We, were, um, doing a, ah, school project! Yeah! We had to try and find, um, I mean, draw the trees!"

​
Snails looked at his shorter friend, a confused look on his face. "But Snips," he began, "What about the treasu...."

Snips clamped his hooves around Snails' muzzle. "Yep! School project!" he insisted, avoiding looking the zebra mare in the eyes...

​

[brianblackberry]

Sunrise Beach gave a sigh of relief, the zebra, Zecora, was fully willing to help them, “like thanks Missss Zecora, like, that is totally tubular of you!” Not a moment too soon either, the trio were starting to get completely out of hoof, well except perhaps Scootaloo, who just looked and sounded a bit froo froo; The sooner the CMC was cured, the sooner they can get some treasure! At least Snips came up with a cover to why they had all been int he forst in the first place, even if it wasn’t the best sounding one, it fact it was almost facehoof worthy. There was no way Miss Cheerilee would send them to the Everfree to look at trees, but if Zecora believed him, that what was all that mattered, just in case though she had a backup excuse.

nips had also been a good sport about the whole “hypno pig” fiasco; what pony would want to have spent their time all tied up, let alone in the Everfree. “Like, yeah, we got here, and once like, uh.. Zecora here gets the others cured we can finally get that totally awesome, radical treasure, we just like, need to keep our secret!” Sunrise winked gave a bright smile the short colt’s way; she really wanted to show she appreciated him going along with the whole thing, he could have bailed on them on multiple occasions, or been upset enough to spill the beans to Zecora. “Thanks again!” She gave Snips a big affectionate hug, colts like hugs from fillies right?

That just left the bottle Zecora was looking for so the cure could finally be made. Sunrise noticed that Sweetie Belle swiped the red colored flagon a moment ago in her obsession with all things supposedly shiny, although Sunrise never thought of a mere bottle as “shiny”. Yet again, maybe Sweetie would believe anything that had a gleam was worth having, or trading for. Sunrise pulled some of the candy canes she had in her saddle bag. “Hey Sweetie, like, I’ll trade you that grody old red bottle for like, three of these totally awesome shiny candy canes! Like, how about it?”

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as Zecora asked for a red bottle! Oh no, oh no! Apple Bloom and Scootaloo weren't going to get the help they need without that red bottle! She had to help find it! She started opening up cabinet doors and looking under little rugs. She lifted up bottles to see if it was hiding under the bottles.

Then Sunrise was trying to get her attention. "I'm looking for the red bottle! Oooo, but that is awfully shiny candy!" Her eyes sparkled eagerly, stepping forward. "I'm sure I can find the red bottle! I want to help - " She stopped ... "Wait ... wait ... that bottle?" It suddenly clicked. She had a red bottle! But it couldn't be THAT red bottle, could it? Zecora went past that red bottle, she didn't need it. Did she? Sweetie nosed around in her saddlebags, hesitantly pulled out that shiny bottle, her little head pulling back, the filly seeming to shrink in on herself. "You don't mean... this bottle, do you? I mean ... this bottle isn't important, it's just ... is it?"

The hesitantly reached it out, bit her lower lip ... let out a tiny little whimper, and put it on the table where she found it. Pulled her hoof back ... put it forward and nudged it closer to where it had been. Hung her head sadly...

​

[Lux]

Zecora heard the one colt speak up, saying that the group of foals were in the forest for a school project, although the other colt was about to speak up only to be silenced by the first. The Zebra could detect a lie very easily, and their attempts at concealing the truth was not the best. She hoped that the ponies would tell her the truth, and maybe there was a way to subtly get it out.

"You do know that the Everfree is not a very safe place to be. There are dangerous creatures that abound and even stranger things to be found. There are plenty of things to be found elsewhere, places that are less dangerous and cause less fear. But perhaps there is something else on you mind, say a certain royal castle you wish to find?"

While speaking to the colt, Zecora still searched for her elusive red bottle that seemed to magically disappear from its home. It was then that Sunrise presented some candy to Sweetie Belle, who in her strange desire to claim more shiny things reluctantly revealed the red bottle.

"Thank you Sweetie Belle, telling the truth will serve you well. When a pony decides to lie once before, it opens the door to make them lie more. But if one shows some honsety, then this brings the best in this pony."

The zebra then took the bottle and pulling off the cork poured the bad smelling liquid into the rest of the mixture, and began to stir it with a large wooden spoon. The concoction swirled and spit as it changed colors from a muddy brown to a pleasing green color. All the while Zecora hummed some melody of a song she heard as a filly back when she lived in Unyasi.

"The potion is done," Zecora said as she dipped a bucket into the brew and pointed towards an alcove in the hut where a tub sat, "but the bath tub I have can only fit one. Which of you three would like to first follow me?"

"I think either Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom should go first," Scootaloo said, "I mean their problems are way worse than mine, right?"

The now blue filly then looked over where a mirror was and saw her reflection. The more she stared the more she felt pretty, like she could look at her reflection forever...

She quickly shook her head and turned back to her friends with a worried look saying, "Please hurry."

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom stared into the infinity of her hooves for several more moments in time, the realization of what was happening around her hitting her like a ton of bricks. Her eyesight, even her hearing, totally and completely compromised on the scheming backs of the dirty little poison joke. She couldn't be sure of what she saw or heard, even though to an extent the seeming panic and confusion around her told her that her hearing was significantly less impacted than her sight. She didn't need anypony to tell her that- she could see it as even when she stared into her hoof she saw all sorts of technicolor madness in her hooves. All sorts of crazy things in tutus flying and diving and in general she couldn't piece it together, and it was all the more disconcerting because it was the least troubling thing. Snips as a hypno pig? She had tied the poor colt up! What the hay was going in with her friends? Sweetie? Scootaloo? It was all so confusing!

Poison Joke be darned, at least Zecora's mind was set on the task. She worked and with the help of the others the bath was all ready to go, or at least if Apple Bloom's ears could be believed. Could they? Probably. After all, why would the poison joke want itself to be cured? It probably wan't sentient and thus lacked motivation but she couldn't help but be worried that once again her perception would be off. Apple Bloom's hooves slowly fell from her eyes to reveal the scene in front of her in all of its insanity, including a cauldron where a large belch of flames lashed out and an alcove where the enchantress pointed at, which to Apple Bloom's eyes was just a big pile of writhing tentacles. Tub? It was a tub? It sure as hay didn't look like a tub. It looked like a writhing mass of slimy black tentacles thrashing around, but nopony else was reacting to it. So it wasn't doing that. It was just a tub, as normal as any other tub in existence. But gosh, she couldn't get herself to go over there.

"Ah-Ah'll go, uhh, Ah'll go after y'all...A-Ah'm jus' fine 'ere not gettin' eaten by slimy tentacles," she ended with a weak giggle as she shot her head back behind her hooves and let out a whimper.

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle scratched her head as both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at her to go. "Me?" she asked, confused. "But there's nothing wrong with me!" she protested, as a different, shiny blue bottle found its way into her saddlebags. "I mean, sure, my coat got a little stained but it didn't seem to have an effect, right?" She looked around at everypony. "... Right?"

She looked around again, and pointed at Scootaloo. "I mean, Scootaloo looks really lovely! And I'd really want to brush her mane! Mane brushing isn't a poison joke, I just like brushing manes! And Apple Bloom... just kinda went crazy, so of course she needs to!" And into the saddlebags went a particularly nice little necklace. "Not that you don't have a nice mane, too, Apple Bloom. I'd brush your mane, too." she wanted to reassure her friend.

​

[brianblackberry]

As Sunrise Beach watched Sweetie Belle hoof over the red bottle Zecora needed, she smiled approvingly. Finally they would be able to cure the three blank-flanks and the six of them would finally be able to get their hooves on treasure, and return to Ponyville as little heroes! Maybe princess Twilight would hold a parade in their honor! That would be so totally awesome, to the max!

First thing was first though, Sunrise had promised the little white unicorn some “shiny” candy canes for giving up the bottle. Fortunately Sunrise still had at least some of the very important candy provisions packed in her saddle bag. With a glow of her horn, Sunrise levitated several candy canes towards Sweetie Belle. It was still a real effort for the young filly to maintain the magical field as the striped candy haphazardly floated, suspended within a pinkish glow. Eventually they weaved and bobbed their way to Sweetie’s saddle bag and clumsily fell inside, "like, there you go Sweetie, a deal issa deal, some awesomely shiny candy canes for that dusty, dull, old bottle. You like, rock!” It never hurt to give extra encouragement; in fact in this case it actually seemed to be really helping, even if it was exaggerated.

The turquoise unicorn filly watched as Zecora mixed the cure; she didn’t understand zebra magic and even watching it now, it still remained just as mysterious. He mother, Martini Paradise, talked of certain unicorns who were “alchemists” that used all sorts of strange concoctions to produce magical elixirs, but until now, Sunrise never put much thought into it. Were all zebra alchemists, did they invent alchemy? Ponderous questions, but for now If this brew worked, that what was all that was important.

Applebloom and Scootaloo volunteered Sweetie to go first, but she was just as reluctant as the other two. Sunrise didn’t want to be at the zebra’s hut any longer then they had to, there was treasure that needed finding, and they needed to claim it before some other pony did. There was no time to lose! She’d have to use her powers of persuasion again to get Sweetie to go along being the first in the "bath". “Like Sweetie, you should totally get into the gnarly bath! It will be better than having shinnies, it will like, make you a shiny! Then like you can show how shiny you are to all your friends! Especially uhhh.. your horn like, it will be the shiniest horn in all of Equestria! It'll be like.. Princess Sweetie Belle of the Shiny Things! Your sister will be all 'Darrrrrrling! Your horn is like, exquisite and sooooooo fashionable! We will have to make like, uhh.. Fashions based on your shiny, shiny horn darrrrrrrling!' "

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle's mouth dropped open as Sunrise pointed out how very *shiny* she could be! Before Sunrise had even finished talking, Sweetie's little legs had started churning, sending her galloping across the room. "Shinyyyyyyyyy!" she cried as she leaped up into the air, forelegs spread to either side, going for a graceful dive into the cauldron. Her head popped up in a moment, she spit out a stream of water up into the air, where it arced back down into the cauldron, and then her eyes widened. "Oh no ... what did I *DO*?" She scrambled out, tumbled over the edge, and landed on her tail on the floor, dripping everywhere. "Oh, I'm *SO SORRY*!"

​

[Lux]

The three Crusaders infected by poison joke for a short time decided amongst each other who to go first into the tub. As Zecora watched Sweetie Belle was elected the first one to go, something that the zebra felt may have a been a good choice if nothing more than to stop things mysteriously disappearing and ending up into the white filly's bag. Granted Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were no better with their ailments and all three would be taking a bath, but still Zecora felt like breathing a sigh of relief.

At first Sweetie was reluctant but thanks to Sunrise coaxing her with promises of shiny things, the filly dove in without Zecoa's need to encourage her. As she emerged she realized what she did.

"You did nothing wrong Sweetie Belle, and now that you took that bath everything should be well. Now as you dry off with the towel then, Apple Bloom do you want to be the next to step in?"

Scootaloo is going to go last.

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom couldn't bare to see it unfold. Sweetie Belle, as shiny and obsessed with shinies as she was, seemed to be oblivious to it just as everypony else had been oblivious to their own follies, Apple Bloom perhaps most obviously. Nothing could get her to venture in and Apple Bloom was too shook up to help her friend, but thankfully Sunrise had her wits about her and tricked Sweetie Belle into running into the cauldron. Or was it a giant mess of tentacles? Apple Bloom didn't know. She couldn't be sure of anything at all. Maybe the tentacles were real and everything else was fake. Maybe she was Big Mac. Poison Joke was the worst thing ever made and she wasn't a fan of it, not one bit. She brought her hooves low for a second, just in time to see Sweetie Belle charging into it. Apple Bloom held her breath, but just as quickly as Sweetie had went in she came out none the worse for wear. Probably. Unless it was a giant mess of tentacles and she was actually being eaten. Why was this so confusing?!

Luckily nopony else seemed to have such a degree of difficulty with what they just saw, which told Apple Bloom that all was well. Zecora then suggested that Apple Bloom go next and that only doubled her resolve to not look like a total fool any longer. She stood up and eyed that giant mass of tentacles with slithered on the ground and across the roof from inside the cauldron, snatching whatever it came across. She gulped and took a pensive step backwards before she took a deep breath and stood straight.

"A-alright...Ah guess it ain't a giant mass of slithering, slimy, pony-eatin' tentacles afterall...CHHHHAAAAARRRRGGGGEEEEEE AAAAEEEEEEEEIIIIIEEEEE!" Apple Bloom screamed as she ran and leapt into the cauldron with her eyes closed so as not to see the giant freaky tentacles anymore

---------

A few seconds later, her head popped out of the cauldron in a mad panic as she spilled right on over and fell on the floor, back first, with a water flinging thud. She rolled on over and shook her head before pulling herself off and rubbing her head, eyes opening as she looked down at the ground.

"Geez louise, Ah'm sorry everypony. Poison Joke ain't no joke. Scootaloo, yo-" She started as she looked up, spotting the third Crusader and smiling. Why, she looked like the silliest thing ever! What the hay was she? Was she a pony or a horse or a monster or what? Heck if Apple Bloom knew. Might as well have been a space alien for all the sense it made.

"...your...hehe...tssshhhh...your turn, S-Scoota...tssshhhehehe, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said as she viciously fought back the giggles.

[Lux]

Moving the story along.

Zecora watched a Apple Bloom literally dove into the potion bath, yelling something about tentacle monsters . The zebra wondered what exactly the filly was seeing that clearly wasn't there, but she could imagine that the world was a dark and scary place for her. Getting her cured was top priority in making sure the nightmares ended. With a splash, the filly appeared and hopped out of the bath confused and sorry.

"Your nightmares are now over Apple Bloom. Here take this towel so you can be dry soon. I believe there is one more pony to bather in my brew, so feel free to climb in Scootaloo."

Scootaloo watched as both of her friends emerged from the bath, free of whatever they were seeing or doing.

"Don't feel bad Sweetie Belle. I'm sure you were just trying to make us look pretty with those shinies even though they were kind of just rocks and dirt and things."

Suddenly Apple Bloom turned towards Scootaloo and gave her the strangest look before breaking out in giggles. It was bad enough that Scootaloo's mind was split between feeling bad looking the way she did and strangely at times feeling that she was a pretty pony. Now that her friends had been cured of their poison joke problems they couldn't help her see how ridiculous she looked!

"What are you laughing at? Is there something on my face? I hope not. I want to be the prettiest pony in all of Equestria! And i'm not going to get into some stinky icky smelly bath that will ruin my prettiness!"

Scootaloo, or the creature that once was her, sat down on the floor next to the tub, unwilling to move an inch as her mind was fixated on her new pretty self.

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle couldn't believe that Apple Bloom was laughing at Scootaloo! OK, Scootaloo being all pretty was kinda funny, but she *was* so pretty! Still sopping wet, the little filly came over to give Scootaloo a big hug, slopping water all over the pretty blue pony. "Apple Bloom! That's not very nice, Scootaloo is so stylish now! I love her mane! It's too bad she has to lose it when she goes into the tub, and we never even got a chance to do her hair or try on a nice dress!" Drip drip drip.

​

[Corsair]

As both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom came out of the pool, both seemed very apologetic, and Snips was having a hard time staying mad at them. Now that things were calming down, he also started to see that some of the stuff the poison joke had done to the Crusaders was kinda funny. The effects of the weird Everfree plant were often funny to everypony but the one who was affected. Scootaloo's predicament in particular was hard not to laugh at. Yes, she'd become like Rainbow Dash, but she was like some kind of Bizzaro Dash with the personality of Sweetie Belle's sister. He was holding in the giggles, until Sweetie mentioned putting Scootaloo in a dress. He couldn't help himself...

"Hey if you fillies want to have a fashion show or something, me and Snails can come back later..." he said, a grin widening on his face.

​
Snails stared at his friend for a moment, before catching on. "Uh, yeah! You could, like, put on dresses and stuff," the taller colt added, smirking. "Maybe we could get Rainbow Dash to come back and see..."

At that point the two colts couldn't hold it in any longer, and broke down in laughter. They were probably going to pay for this, but they couldn't help it!

​

[Lux]

At least somepony was sympathetic to the now blue filly's plight of prettiness! Sweetie Belle wasted no time after taking her bath to hug Scootaloo in her usual warm squishy embrace, splashing water on her.

"Oh I'd love for you to do my mane! Can you make it in a pigtails? Or maybe curls! Oh and wearing a dress would be great too. You don't have one with you to try on, do you?"

As she spoke she could hear a pair of ponies nearby snickering. Turning her head the pony spotted Snips and Snails laughing at something she said.

"Hey, what's so funny about me wanting to be pretty? You wouldn't understand being boys I guess."

The more she was hugged the more the water infused with the anti-Poison Joke potion seeped into the Pegasus. Although it did little to change her appearance with such a small amount, the brew started to work it's magic on the filly's mind until...

"Wha... wait... Sweetie Belle? We're at Zecora's? That means..."

She looked down at her still blue forelegs and let out a gasp.

"Oh no! I'm still that thing that looks like Rainbow Dash but is totally not as cool as her. Sweetie Belle, you have to let me go. i need to be... well... me again."

"The potion is working on you," Zecora said, "There is only one thing you need to do. You must jump in and take a bath Scootaloo. But before you do there is something to know, Sweetie Belle, you must let Scootaloo go."

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle blinked up at Scootaloo and Zecora, easily letting go. "Of course!" she said, giving a little pout. "I was just trying to be encouraging!" She stepped back, and made a few aborted gestures to wipe off all this water, her pink and purple mane and tail straight and dangling from wetness. "Zecora? Do you happen to have some towels or something that we can use? I think I'm getting puddles all over your floor!"

She waited for everypony's attention to leave her, fidgeting nervously at being near the center of everypony's attention. As they Scootaloo moved away, she stepped back a bit so she wasn't in the middle anymore. She found herself near a workbench full of powders and bottles and a little mixing bowl.

She glanced around quick, then got a big grin on her face as she got distracted from her friend's big cure - she wasn't sure why everypony was so worried about Scootaloo liking fashion, after all. Who doesn't like fashion? But this looked fun. She took a mixing spoon and stood on her hind hooves next to the workbench, stirring the empty bowl like it was a cauldron. Very quietly, she started to sing to herself in as low a tone as her little filly voice could manage, "I'm an evil enchantress, and I do evil dances..." She narrowed her eyes and focused, and her horn glowed a soft yellow as she lifted up a bottle, then a second, upturning them over the mixing bowl as if she was pouring them in. She didn't take the caps off, of course! She wasn't foalish! But it was fun pretending to be all smart and potion-y for a moment.

​

[brianblackberry]

Sunrise Beach just sighed anxiously; she wanted Scootaloo to get into her bath so they could get the hay out of there. There was treasure to be found and it didn't look like the zebra mare was entirely convinced of their cover story either. With Applebloom and Sweetie Belle cured, there was more of a chance somepony might accidentally reveal their real purpose to Zecora, who like any adult, wouldn't understand and very likely escort them home. Thus it was time to encourage Scootaloo along, "like, I know you want to look as gnarly as Dash but you don't like, want to look just like her, she'll be happier if like, you are totally you!" That was encouraging, right? Truth was Sunrise didn't know Dash, but she does remember those self-esteem lessons from school, "just believe in yourself" and "you are special" and all that junk. Maybe those repeating those lame lessons would actually work here; and if they didn't there was always plan 'B', use her horn to lift the pegasus and dunk her in the caudron! Not an easy task, but Sunrise was willing to try if it meant getting to the treasure before some adult found it!

Of course those two colts wern't helping the situation, laughing as they did at Scootaloo's predicament. Ugh! Why couldn't they behave like mature stallions! Like Soarin'! Now there's totally a real stallion! Not like these two knuckleheads! "Ugggh, like could you two eggheads grow up? You are so totally little foals, like I should get some poison joke and like dump them on your grody heads, see what happens to you!" Sunrise caused her horn to glow pink in order to bring the point home; she didn't have to touch the poison joke in order to carry out her "threat". Not that she really would do it, as that just make them have to stay at the hut longer, but the pair didn't know that!

Having enough of Snips and Snails while waiting, Sunrise trotted over to where Sweetie Belle was to see what she was up to, which looked like as if the unicorn filly was playing pretend. Kinda foalish, but maybe Sweetie was bored; besides her voice was simply soothing. "Like, totally tubular Sweetie! Even when you like, just sing a little diddy, you have like, such a seriously zlint* voice! Like, I bet that'll be your special talent, singing!" How didn't she have a cutie mark for this already?

*zlint is a rare valley girl word, shortened for "excellent"

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom just couldn't help it. They were in Zecora's hut- no doubt whatever Scootaloo tried to do Zecora could stop her. Would stop her. No real threat or worry present which made the admonishment by Sweetie Belle just a bit more funny. Scootaloo looked like some colored monster running amok with a strange way of speaking and a stranger way of appearing. It seemed as though that whatever madness had been gifted her slighted her ability to think properly and here she was acting like she was happy about this series of events. That wasn't as funny though and caused Apple Bloom to stuffle her continuing giggles going further than she had wanted to initially- until Sweetie hugged the fashion-obsessed Scootaloo. The potion dripped onto the Scoots from another dimension and it snapped her out of the trance that she was under. That was good: the potion could bring her back from the brink.

Not that it stopped it from being funny, something that she had to agree with the colts on.

"Heeey, don't- hhehehehe- don't laugh! It is-isn't...isn't-hehehehehehehe- f-fu- bwahhahahahahaha!" Apple Bloom broke out in laughter again before wiping away a tear, "now now, Apple Bloom, k-keep it- keep it- together!" Apple Bloom bit her lip and closed her eyes, breathing in deep and heavy. Scootaloo looked like the silliest thing ever but she was also scared and confused and that wasn't any good. It was funny but she shouldn't laugh, as hard an impossible as it seemed. Sweetie's singing helped calm her down a bit too, her soothing angelic voice softening the raging tides of laughter that rocked her like the worst possible storm. Sweetie had more talent as a singer than most ponies had talent their whole lives in anything they did- it was shocking that she didn't have a cutie mark for singing!

"And if Ah look deep in yer eyes you'll put me in trances..." Apple Bloom sung softly with her friend, more of a whisper than anything else to get her voice moving and away from the giggle storm inside. After a few more deep breaths she opened her eyes and found Zecora.

"If Scootaloo doesn't get in there, Ah'll push'r in," she turned to Scootaloo, face set in stone- she had to stop herself from laughing so hard!

"Hear me, Scoots? Ah'll give ya ta tha count of five and if you aren't in tha potion Ah'll tackle ya in!"

[Lux]

"Yes Sweetie Belle, it is true, I do have some towels for all of you."

As she went to find some towels in little linen closet built into the tree, she smiled seeing that Sweetie Belle did indeed agree to let Sweetie Belle go. Now it was up to Scootaloo to decide whether or not to accept the bath or not. The zebra could have just lifted the filly and tossed her in, but that would be taking away her free choice. The one thing that Zecora never wanted to do was take away one's free choice.

"like, I know you want to look as gnarly as Dash but you don't like, want to look just like her, she'll be happier if like, you are totally you!"

"Yeah, you're right Sunrise," Scootaloo said, "I mean I really want to be as cool and awesome as Rainbow Dash, but not like this."

As she still debated her situation, Sweetie Belle began to sing, something that both Sunrise and Scootaloo noticed.

"Like, I bet that'll be your special talent, singing!"

Despite the three trying to earn their cutie marks together, there was a part of Scootaloo's mind that wondered if Sweetie Belle did indeed have that as her talent. She was a great singer, probably the best she heard in Ponyville! But still if that was to be her talent, why didn't she have a cutie mark after all the singing she had done?

Meanwhile Zecora noticed the singing too. Sweetie Belle did indeed have a nice voice, but that wasn't the true reason that she took notice. It was what she was singing as she pretended to mix potions into a bowl, thankfully not actually mixing them. Zecora knew full well what happened when the three tried a love potion from Twilight's library and the near disaster it almost caused. But the words reminded her of a time when the zebra wasn't widely accepted into life as Ponyville, her difference being something that caused isolation. She knew that Sweetie Belle must have heard it from others and meant nothing by it, but still it made the zebra shake her head.

As Apple Bloom giggled, Scootaloo shot her a look, knowing that she was the one being laughed at. She didn't look that bad, kind of like Rainbow Dash, right? Then Apple Bloom joined in the singing, something that grated upon Zecora as she got the towels.

"You two do sing very well, and this reminds me of a story to tell. When I was like you as a filly living in Unyasi, my parents used to sing to me. They would sing when I was sad and when I was glad. Then when I grew I tried singing too. Even today I like to sing the day away."

With that the zebra broke out into a Unyasian tune, something that the fillies may not understand but was pretty enough.

Watching the scene around her, Scootaloo for the moment had forgot about her need to rid herself of the effects of the poison joke. That was until Apple Bloom gave her an ultimatum: go in on her own or get tossed in!

"Sheesh, ok ok I'm going hold your horses."

She paused realizing the irony of what she said before pulling herself up to the edge of the bath. If she was going in it would be in style like Rainbow Dash!

"Cannonball.....woahhhhh," she said about to jump for a cannonball when she hoof slipped and she fell face first into the tub with a splash.

[Corsair]

Snips and Snails continued to snicker at Scootaloo. When the little pegasus realized the stuff she was saying, she'd probably kill them for laughing, but 'fashionista' Scoots didn't seem to notice. Snips did take notice that just a bit of the herbal cure was enough to snap Scootaloo out of her weird personality. Huh, that could come in handy, if, like a horde of poison joke zombies attacked or something. They'd just need water balloons fill with the cure! He briefly entertained a fantasy of him and Snails saving the town with water-balloon weaponry..

However, he was broken out of his thoughts by the threat from Sunrise. The colts' laughter broke off, as they backed away from the unicorn. "C-come on..." Snips stuttered as he back pedaled. "You... you wouldn't really do that... right?"

The moment of tension broke as Applebloom's suppressed laughter rang through the hut. Snips and Snails took one look at the earth filly's face, and lost it again. With a snort, Snips broke into laughter again. Snails was laughing so hard he was banging a hoof on the ground.

The colts completely missed the rest of the conversation in their throes of giggles. Snips did vaguely hear Scootaloo shout 'cannonball' before a wave of herbal-scented water splashed out of the tub and hit them both in the face. Coughing and spluttering, Snips looked up to see that Scootaloo had finally gotten into the bath. Despite the laughter, he felt a wave of relief. With the Cutie Mark Crusaders cured, maybe they could get out of here without Zecora asking too many questions...

​

[Bramble Rose]

Sweetie Belle squeaked in surprise she was suddenly joined in singing by Apple Bloom, dropping her tenuous hold on the bottles. Desperately she bobbled the bottles in her little hooves, thankfully catching them all in her forelegs before they could fall and break. And even worse, Sunrise had heard her, too! Oh no! She said that Sweetie was 'zlint!' She didn't even know what that meant! No one was supposed to be paying attention to her, they were all supposed to be paying attention to Scootaloo!

She put the bottles carefully back down on the workbench and blushed, her little white face turning scarlet, her little head hunching into her shoulders. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to, um... look! Scootaloo's all right again! YAY! Now we can go back to the map!" She went to her saddlebags and opened it up to look inside, then blinked at all the stones and shiny stuff in there. "Um... oh. Right." She squirmed in embarrassment. "Thanks for taking care of my stuff for me, Sunrise! You're really nice!" She quick emptied her saddlebags out the window, except for a few little things she kept. "And thank you so much, Miss Zecora, for helping us! You're always so nice and smart!"

​

[Lux]

I can see that we want to continue the adventure, so I'll wrap up the time in Zecora's hut shortly. Thanks to all who are liking my playing Scootaloo and Zecora. This was epic playing both at one thread!

Zecora could only chuckle as Scootaloo did the botched cannonball, taking the moment to wipe away the potion bath fron her face that was splashed on her. She saw Sweetie Belle suddenly drop the bottles and then upon picking them up juggled them in her hooves. In reality there was little that Zecora treasured in terms of material things, except for a few items that related to her home in Unyasi. Things could be replaced or repaired. What mattered was to make sure that Sweetie Belle or any other pony in her hut wasn't hurt or sad.

"I am glad Sweetie Belle you like to play, mixing potions like I do each day. You know if you want to learn to make potions the safe, then perhaps I can teach all of you one day."

The splashing sound from the bath made Zecora turn as she saw Scootaloo emerge from the brew, now back to her normal form.

"Did it work? Am I normal again?"

She looked down at her now orange forelegs and let out a squee of delight.

"Oh my gosh! I'm me again! Thanks Zecora!"

"And thank you too Scootaloo. While I don't expect and prize, your compliments bring joy to my eyes. Now i see you three are cured it's true. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

[brianblackberry]

Sunrise Bech gave a huge sign of impatient relief, "about tiiiiime!!" Now all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were finally cured of the poison joke, they could continue on their great adventure for Equestria's most radically awesome treasure! They just need to get back to the hunt, but they couldn't discuss it or even look at the map while still in Zecora's hut, in case the zebra mare asks too many questions, or worse, made them go back home!

The turquoise filly's eyes widen in momentarily panic when Sweetie Belle mentioned the map. After all, the official story, as Snips told it, was that they were out in the woods trying to identify certain species of trees. One didn't usually need a map for that. Worse, it sounded ridiculously implausible, after all why not look for trees in the safe areas of Equestria around town? Besides Miss Cheerilee would never send students into the Everfree, but perhaps Zecora didn't know that, being so at home in the wild herself.

Sunrise quickly stuffed the map back into Sweetie Belle's saddlebag with an all to big, nervous smile, "eh heh heh, oh like, sure thing Sweetie Belle, wouldn't like, want you to lose anything needed for our radical tree hunt, heh! Welp we should like, really get going now!!" She began pushing the other unicorn with her head towards the door before turning around one last time to express thanks for the zebra's help, "like that was all radical and junk with the bath Miss Zecora, kaythxbye!" She quickly opened the door and motioned to the rest of the foals, "like c'mon guys, we like, gotta collect tree leaves and junk!"

The sooner they could continue their adventure, the sooner they could all be rich and famous!

[SteelEagle]

With a mighty cannonball splash, Scootaloo entered the mixture and sent bits of the decisive substance shooting everywhere. It took a few seconds for Apple Bloom to clear her vision but when she did, there was Scootaloo standing brave and tall back to her normal non-weirdo looking self and speaking in a none-weirdo sound way. Now there was a Scootaloo worth her Crusaders! Apple Bloom trotted up to her sopping wet friend and gave her a very squishy hug as the dulcet tones of the song faded into obscurity, either by meaning like Sweetie or by action. In the end, none of it mattered except getting Scootaloo and the rest of the Treasure Team up and heading towards their destination. She'd been a pretty terrible member of the team up iuntil now and she had no desire to continue going down the path of hardship like she had. Smooth sailing to victory, that was the ticket!

"Now that looks like tha Scoots Ah know'n love! You looked sillier than a goose in a desert. Hehe, at least once Ah got cured. Ah thought Snips was a Hypno Pig, couldn't ya believe it?" Apple Bloom laughed at the absurdity of it all. It had turned into a mighty cluster of problems, hadnt it? Luckily they were all prepped and ready to go, Sunrise pushing Sweetie out the door and beckoning for the others to follow. Apple Bloom nodded, but she had to at least give her regards to her number one zebra friend of all time before she jettisoned out!

"Hey Zecora, Ah'll catch you for those potion makin' lessons! Usual time!" She said before bounding out the door. Good thing about all this was that the map markers were a bit clearer now. They had seen several signs during all the ruckus, or at least she thought they did, and that was enough. She nodded towards Sweetie and Sunrise before looking back at the colts.

"Snips n'Snails, y'all ready to adventure? Ah bet y'all are as fit as a fiddle not bein' hit by the poison joke!"