It was another day in Ponyville. Applejack was running the apple stand, Pinkie Pie was baking at Sugarcube Corner, Rarity was working on a new line of outfits, Rainbow Dash was practicing for the Wonderbolts, Fluttershy was caring for the animals, and Twilight Sparkle was doing some reading. Not studying type reading, this time she was just reading a collection of stories. Spike was taking a walk through Ponyville. By the time he got back, Twilight was halfway done with the book.

"How's the new book Twilight?" Spike asked.

"A lot of fun, this mare tells stories to her husband each night and each story is more adventurous than the last." Twilight smiled, looking up. "There was this one story about a young colt who uses a genie to win the heart of a princess, and then another story about a sailor who survives many dangers that are beyond what you could imagine."

"Really? Like what?"

"Like a giant bird called a Roc that's big enough to carry away an elephant! You know, those large gray animals that come from the same land Zecora is from."

"Whoa, awesome!" Spike was very interested. "Uh, but they don't exist, right?"

"No, thankfully they don't exist..."

Suddenly, Spike burped and a scroll appeared out of his flame.

"Huh, I wonder what Princess Celestia wants." Twilight got up and bookmarked her book.

Spike unrolled the scroll, looked at it, and instantly looked shocked.

"It's not from Princess Celestia it's from Princess Luna!" He said.

"Really? It's been a long time since we've heard from her, but since she is the princess of the night it's understandable." Twilight used her magic to put her book away. "So, what does she say?"

"She says that Princess Celestia is ill!" Spike sounded worried.

Twilight was so startled that she lost her concentration and dropped the book.

"What?" She gasped.

It wasn't long until word of Celestia's illness spread throughout Ponyville. A meeting was called at town hall, with Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike near the podium. The other ponies talked worriedly amongst themselves as Mayor approached the podium.

"Quiet, quiet everypony!" Mayor raised her hooves. "Now, we have all heard of Princess Celestia's illness but haven't heard the full story. So, Twilight Sparkle is going to read the letter Princess Luna sent her before we decide what to do."

Mayor stepped down and let Twilight approach the podium. Twilight read the letter:

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I have grave news, my dear sister Princess Celestia has fallen terribly ill. She was visiting a foreign land and I believe caught some rare disease while she was there. As you and your five friends were the ones who saved me from my sickness of jealousy and evil I ask you to please find a cure for my sister. I will send a chariot as soon as I receive your response.

Princess Luna

Twilight then stepped aside and let Mayor approach the podium again.

"That settles it, Twilight Sparkle and her friends will go to the palace and find a way to cure our eldest princess." Mayor declared.

"Right, I'm writing a response right now." Spike agreed, quickly finishing up a note on a blank scroll.

"Hold on, Spike before you send that note I want to add a few words of my own." Twilight used her magic to take the quill from Spike and write something on the scroll. "I believe we'll need Zecora's help since she knows more about foreign lands than the rest of us. Applejack, you go get Zecora since you're the fastest land pony."

"I'm on it!" Applejack saluted before dashing off.

"Great idea, she was marvelous with her cure for our Poison Joke problem." Rarity agreed.

Twilight finished writing and Spike sent the note to Princess Luna.

Meanwhile, Applejack made it to Zecora's house in no time.

"Zecora!" Applejack called from outside.

There was a crash heard from inside the house. Zecora then appeared at the door with some colored liquid on her head.

"That was quite a shock." She said. "Don't you ponies know how to knock?"

"Sorry Zecora but Princess Celestia caught some foreign disease and we need your help."

"A foreign disease? That is not good. Helping you, of course I would."

Of course Zecora really meant 'I will', but when rhyming is a way of life sometimes grammar is skipped.

"Great, Princess Luna is sending a chariot to Ponyville so we should get there lickety-split." Applejack started to run off.

"Speed will be of no help, neither will be a yelp." Zecora said going back inside; Applejack stopped and followed her. "Unless we have knowledge of this disease." Zecora grabbed a few books and bottles and put them in a sack. "And ingredients in bounties."

"Right, let me help." Applejack grabbed another sack and let Zecora put in more bottles and books into it.

"Thank you, this is kind." Zecora smiled as they went through the woods back to Ponyville. "No wonder you are loved by all ponykind."

"Aw shucks, it's nothing." Applejack said humbly.

They made it to Ponyville a few seconds later than the chariot did. Twilight, her friends, and Zecora hopped in.

"Hey wait for me!" Spike hopped in too.

"Spike?" Twilight turned around. "What are you doing?"

"I want to help. Besides, I care about Princess Celestia as much as you do."

Twilight just smiled.

"Okay, you can come."

The chariot continued on until they reached the front entrance of the palace. Princess Luna instantly came outside to greet them.

"Oh thank goodness you've come so soon." She said; she then turned to Twilight. "Twilight, my hero, I am so glad you're here."

Twilight blushed a little. Luna then turned to Zecora.

"So this is the Zecora I've heard so much about." She smiled. "Welcome, I am Princess Luna, Princess Celestia's younger sister."

"I have heard of the princess of the night." Zecora nodded as they started to go inside. "You used to be jealous of your sister, am I right?"

"You weren't kidding about the rhyming." Luna said to Twilight before turning back to Zecora. "Yes, I'm ashamed to say that I let my jealous take control and change me into somepony evil. If it wasn't for Twilight and her friends and the magic of their friendship I'd hate to think what would have happened."

"Well that's all in the past, after all you're not a cranky jealous-pants anymore." Pinkie Pie said.

At this point they reached to door to Celestia's bedroom. Luna introduced Zecora to the guards and they opened the doors.

"It is now time to learn the identity of this disease." Zecora said. "Applejack, my other bag please."

"Here you go." Applejack took the bag off and gave it to her.

Zecora bowed her thanks and then entered the bedroom. A couple minutes passed and then she returned.

"I know of this disease, it is common in my homeland." She said. "Most ingredients for the cure I can get here with ease, but one exists in the dragons' land."

"'The dragons' land?'" Rainbow Dash repeated, confused.

"Drakeria, the kingdom of dragons." Twilight explained. "I've read a little about that place, but not everything about it."

"D-dragons?" Fluttershy said nervously; even though she bravely told off a dragon before she was still a little scared of them.

"Don't worry Fluttershy, the dragons there aren't like the one we dealt with." Twilight said. "That dragon was a wild dragon, the ones in Drakeria are more like Spike: tame. Besides, as I recall the rulers of Drakeria are old friends of Princess Celestia."

"This is true, they were also my friends over a thousand years ago. I'm not sure how they feel about me now though..." Luna added.

"Oh considering we forgave you I'm sure they did too." Rarity said.

"Indeed, now as for the ingredient we need." Zecora said. "The plant in question is dragonsnap, to find it requires a map."

"Okay, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, you're with me." Twilight said. "We're going to Drakeria to get the dragonsnap. Zecora and Spike will stay here and gather the other ingredients."

"Uh, actually Twilight I want to come too." Spike said.

"But..." Twilgiht started to protest.

"Don't worry about me being alone, I'm used to making potions on my own." Zecora smiled.

"Right, and besides...I want to find my parents." Spike admitted.

Everyone looked at him, surprised. Then they realized that they never even thought about Spike's parents before. Twilight then looked at him sympathetically, even though she had been caring for him all these years she knew she could never be a mother to him. She had always been more like his big sister.

"Okay, Spike can come with us." Twilight decided.

"Yeah, let's go!" Rainbow Dash flew off.

"Hey Rainbow Dash wait up!" Applejack ran after her.

And they all went back to Ponyville to get supplies.