Boom! Pow! Kabang! The ideas are ramming into your skull at lightning speed! Brilliant thought after brilliant thought cramming your noggin until you think your head just might explode! It is awesome! But a blown-up head would not be conducive to future performance. You need to organize your awesomeness into a non head-explody format.

To this end you stop your happy trot outside of the bedroom doorway, and furrow your brows in an expression of concentration beginning to organize your brain. You cut here, slice there, restructure over there, and then finally breathe in deep, close your eyes , and let the single most important thought rise to the top of your mental functions.

First though: FOOD.

First things first however. DINNER!

Alright, bullet dodged. Your priorities are as follows

1) Food.

FOOD!!! You are starving! Your stomach is making the rumblies that only food can satisfy! And who's the mare to go to for food? Well the same one you'd go to for nookie of course!

Thoughts prioritized, you nod happily to yourself before turning your gaze over to the cauldron and more importantly the mare standing next to it.

Zecora was standing on her hind legs in front of the cauldron, the tip of her right forehoof touching the edge, tracing it in a large arching circle. To get to the far side of the cauldron she had to lean forward over it, then lean back as her hoof completed the arch back to the part of the edge nearest to her. Forward then back, forward than back. And every single time she leaned forward her pretty little plot raised up into the air, sticking out and wiggling for your viewing pleasure...

Licking your lips, and contemplating the possibility of eating out, you trot up behind the mare and get up onto your hind legs. You wrap your forelegs around Zecora's body, and she tenses up a bit at first, looking back to you with surprise. But then she closes her eyes and relaxes, pausing her administrations on the cauldron to lean back into you. You rest your muzzle on her right shoulder as you hold her in your forelegs, and looking over her shoulder you actually notice that the cauldron, previously empty you're sure, looks to be about half full... Might have to ask Zecora about that hoof thing sometime.

In the meantime you nuzzle your muzzle into your zebra's neck and close your eyes, breathing in deep, filling your nostrils with her scent. The smell of herbs and spices dance together with medicinal concoctions and wild rarities, the delicious aroma of your herbalist filling your senses, moving up your olfactory passages, and wafting into the memory sections of your brain. Your mind fires up with thoughts of your zebra, the taste of her nether-regions, the warmth of her mouth around YOUR nether regions, the feeling of her soft walls gripping around your member, every little dirty moment of your lovemaking...

You blush a little, remind your best friend that it's not the time to come out and play, and then lean up to nibble on Zecora's right earlobe. The zebra closes her eyes at your playful biting, a soft blush appearing on her cheeks as she leans presses back into you, her warm body leaning against yours. You close your eyes and breathe in deep again, savoring the feel, the scent, the flavor of her... and then, softly, gently, you begin to whisper into your zebra's ear...

"Trixie would like peanut butter and crackers." You state playfully, before giving her earlobe a lick and giggling lightly. Zecora blinked, then coughed slightly, and shook her head, an amused smile on her face.

Spoke the Zebra, before looking back to you with a smirk, and bringing her forelegs up to gently move yours aside, ending the embrace.

[center "And now I must ask you to wait, for while it is far past time that we ate,

There's a half hour to dinner still, at least if you want it prepared with any skill."]Spoke the mare, causing your heart to drop a little and your stomach to groan at the prospect of waiting. You sigh a little, then smile and plant a kiss on the back of her neck, before backing off, somewhat reluctantly, and planting all four hooves on the ground.

"Got it. I'll be a good little colt and wait patiently." You state, with a light smile still, before turning and starting to move away.

Continued Zecora, causing you to stop and look back to her with your right eyebrow raised. Zecora, with a good-natured smirk on her face, brings her front-left foreleg up to point at you, or rather a little to the left of you. You blink, then turn your head to the side to see a dried blood stain on a cloak... and your face flushes slightly.

"Oh! Right." You say, grinning stupidly at your embarassement as you bring your hooves up and unfasten the cloak, before folding it up and draping it over your back.

"I'll, ah, just put it outside..." You say, then turn with cloak on back and move towards the door. Zecora in the meantime turns back to her cauldron to resume running her hoof along the edge.

You push open the door with your right hoof and step out onto the first step of Zecora's hut, sighing in aggravation as you reach back with your muzzle to take the cloak in your mouth. You frown a bit at the hitns of Everfree dirt and blood in the taste, then shrug it off and place it down to the left of the doorway. Manual labor complete, you look up into the Everfree for a few moments, letting your eyes rake across the dark and foreboding forest... It's actually kind of beautiful in the fading light... at least when you're not getting lost in it like an idiot foal. You close your eyes and take in the Everfree air, the scent of trees mixing with night and hints of moisture filling your nose, as the low rumble of a distant storm reached your ears...

You smile softly, at peace with the world surrounding you, at least for the moment, before you turn your head back to look into the hut and call out.

"Hey! I'm going to wait outside for just a bit. Let me know when the food's done please!" You cry out happily, before reaching back with your left hind-hoof to close the door behind you, and stepping down to the bottom step in front of Zecora's hut.

Great, now your more... expressive side is being shown, we have to work on some "people skills." Having great evil power comes with many evil minions after all! Start to play chess, you have always been good at it, it was good for passing the time. Learn how to manipulate ponies, you did horribly with Zecora, you almost failed.

You are going to need a new cloak. Your rods will cause quite a large attraction. Unwanted attraction. Zecora's cloak was good, but one made out of the Yknewa tree's sacred sightly silk? If you can find it that is. Legend has it that it moves around.

And with that link Zecora has to the Elements.... Hmm... I suppose that the elements are a good target for later, start your training of your golden tongue with Zecora and make some new friends. You have two pawns... we still need to get you your 2 bishops, knights, and rooks. And if your lucky, all that bad luck has to turn around at some point, we might get a queen on our side, my leige. Still, we do need to move our pawns forward and use them and their connections... The young filly... resist your little friends talk of seducing a filly, we do NOT need an angry element, but we can use her. A third pawn. With a link to a fourth and fifth.

The Chessmaster

Sitting outside on the bottom step of Zecora's hut you look up into the gloom and sigh lightly... When you're not in the middle of it, scared, lost, and nearly dying, several times over, this forest is really kind of peaceful. Beautiful even. You never saw anything like this in Manehatten... the closest was the central park where you occasionally slept on the benches in winter, so that the Royal Guards would arrest you. Sacrificing a little freedom was worth it to spend winter nights in cells instead of in the alleyways... you'd learned that early on. Though admittedly the plan sometimes had mixed results. Anyways, the park paled in comparison to the Everfree in all it's brooding, gloomy glory. And here, sitting outside, relaxing, you can take a deep breathe, be calm and at peace with the world around you, listen to the gentle rumbles of the coming storm, and go back into your thought priorities to think on important things...

... Wow you nearly bucked EVERYTHING up. Sad that that's the next priority thought on your list. Sad but true. You stole shit, ran away and shit, nearly got killed and shit, and then made your zebra jealous. And shit. And to top it all off you brought home a prissy unicorn mare with an attitude problem and a superiority complex. All in all, not a good day. That really went poorly.

It's fairly apparent that you need to get better at dealing with ponies though... You lucked out with Zecora, and Trixie is obviously going to tax what social skills you possess... You need to figure out a way to be more charismatic. More charming. More socially awesome.

You sit forward on the step, bringing your right forehoof up to rest beneath your chin as you bring your left foreleg to rest on your knee. You rub your chin thoughtfully, then look down to all the tic-tac-toe games you played with yourself, still etched out in the dirt with tracks from you and Zecora running through the center. You smirk lightly. You always did like games... Your eyes light up with dazzling brilliance.

Aha! You shall turn your relationship into game! A chess-game! You'll take the Pegasus (Knight) and throw them across the board to hit the Unicorn! (Bishop) Before proceeding to move your Guards (Pawns) in a flanking maneuver to surround the enemy Earthshakers (Rooks) before sending your Dragon (Queen) straight at the enemy Princess! (King).

... After some review of this strategy you realize that not only do you not really know how to apply chess to your personal life, you don't actually know how to play chess.

You have tried it before of course. Back when you were a foal and you were trying absolutely EVERYTHING you could get your hooves on to finally find your Cutie-Mark. And like everything else in your life it didn't work out too well. You think you got a Dragon lodged up your nose and had to get surgery, something like that. Anyways you didn't interact with anything chess-related again until you found a catalogue in somepony's trash not too long back. It was a catalogue for 'Chessboards and Lawn Mowers!' some kind of weird shop that thought it was a good idea to sell two completely different items that had no relationship whatsoever to each other. While you pretty much ignored the lawn-mower bits the chessboard part was actually pretty interesting, and you reread it several times through the lonely nights. Learned quite a bit about chessboards.

The most traditional boards were, of course, the Celestial war. The Sun Princess versus the Moon Princess, with the Moon side always going first. The boards were based off the old legends that everypony assumed were just legends until Princess Luna returned and then everypony learned that they were actually history lessons... Not sure what was more surprising, that the legends were true, or none of the bucking historians actually figured out that the legends were true... Kinda embarrassing on their part.

Back to boards, there were other options of course. The second most popular choice for a long time were Griffin pieces. And oddly enough ponies capitalized on the Changeling invasion to make Changeling pieces for the boards! Apparently offering the most tangible threat for Equestria as game-pieces was a smart business move, because they were quite popular for some reason. And also crystal chess boards were on the rise! With the designs being made out of crystal instead of wood or gems started coming from the Crystal Empire. It even had some exotic Saddle Arabian boards, with strange and fascinating pieces, from the nation that introduced Chess to Equestria. Very nice stuff to look at, and want, and not be able to have.

And all this thinking on chess is distracting you from thinking on how to not fail at relationships again... Bad brain. You sigh, lower your head, and then on a whim look up and to your left to the folded cloak beside the door... It looks terrible. And you feel terrible. Zecora has only the one cloak, and that'll probably take major scrubbing to get it clean again... You're going to have to get your own cloak, no more borrowing. You're definitely going to have to get SOMETHING to cover you up! You look freaky! Ooooh! Maybe instead of a cloak you could get a trench-coat! Be all fancy and shit! Yeah you should get a trench coat. You can ask Zecora about it for when she goes into town.

Also, you'll need Zecora to help you deal with ponies. You've never really been good at it. Too much shame, too much anger, too much... well, being unimportant. And you're going to have do SOMETHING about all this sexing up you're! Really you never felt anywhere NEAR this much sexual drive when you were in Manehatten! Maybe it's because you've actually had sex or something, but whatever the reason you need to keep your libido under control. The worst thing you could do right now is confirm Zecora's jealousy by rutting with Trixie, which you totally want to do which is part of the problem! And after all this aggravation, sexy-time might not be smart thing to do with Zecora, at least until she's had some time to cool down.

As you're thinking on how to deal with a stallion's best friend and his increasingly frequent desires to make an appearance, you're interrupted by Zecora opening the door behind you. You look up over your left shoulder to the zebra as she looks to you with a smile.

She states, and the news is music to your ears. You jump up on the bottom step, grinning ear to ear as you merrily chip out.

"Okey-dokey!" As you trot up to Zecora. She seems to pause at your words, but shakes her head with a smile, before moving back inside as you follow, ready for the gurglies in your tummy to be stopped with nommy zebra stew!

3) Address the need to cover your changes with Zecora, get trench coat.

Well, everything turned out alright in the...

"Cure"

Cure? CURE! Ok, freak or not, remember what you were like before. Dieing of starvation in a Manehattan gutter. No, the Everyfree, that castle, hell even the "curse" itself has treated you quite well comparatively. Why in the everybucking name of Luna would you cure this.

Understand it? Sure, no harm in knowing what's going on and its limits. But cure? Hay no.

2) Training your abilities with Zecora.

2a) Be sure to suggest to Zecora that this might be a blessing instead of a curse.

Uh, you're tired, but there's still so many things to worry about. Like what other critters the Everfree houses. Let's see, timberwolves, lizard-chicken-whatchamacallits, Diamond Dogs... what next, changelings? You did sorta think of changelings earlier today. Weren't they scattered all across Equestria after Princess Cadance's wedding? Heh, maybe there's a few hiding out right next to Zecora's hut, wouldn't that be something? Changelings... they've got some weird mind control love magic, don't they... kinda like that evil mojo Zecora hinted at when you asked her about herds earlier today... uh oh...

Now you really need to ask Zecora about this stuff. Both if it! How do you counter weird mind magic? Other weird mind magic, probably. Knowing how those Zebra magics work might help defend against any changelings you encounter. Maybe take one of them out if push comes to shove. You almost got petrified because you didn't know what you were facing, you're going to be better prepared from now on! Also, catching a changeling does sound like something a superpony might do. Princess Celestia might rewards you herself for handing her over to her! And if not her, then Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor for sure! You can see it now: Fame, glory, a huge bounty for a live capture, Shining Armor himself shaking your hoof, Cadance giving you kiss on the cheek... Zecora and Armor not murdering you...

Now you almost wish there was a changeling nearby. Not before you've got your weapons in order though! So go, ask Zecora, let her teach you! Hop to it!

I've noticed something quite important...you get injured FAR to often. Regardless of the fact that your marefriend is a skilled healer, you need to either get faster or gain some defences, like armor. You were already turned part of the way to stone...maybe your new superpony powers can remember how it works. You already sprout a crystal sword from your hoof and have metal bars on your back, you shouldn't have much trouble getting some stone armor to form to make you less of an injury magnet. Maybe whatever is in the box that Zecora hid can help you fix yourself up some more.

Nomad

You sit at the table, on the side you sliced up because that's only fair, as Zecora finishes stirring her cauldron. She dips a small wooden spoon into the mix with her right forehoof, then brings it up to her lips, and sips it slowly... Before nodding with a smile.

She stated pleasantly, before laying the spoon on the table nearby, and reaching for her wooden ladle. One by one, she began to fill up her wooden bowls with a bright-orange concoction, little bits of white potatoe stuck in it. You watched with anticipation, tongue practically hanging out of your mouth as you salivated, watching Zecora finish filling the bowls. When she finished filling the third bowl she took it in her right forehoof, and turned to move towards the bedroom, speaking calmly as she went.

She stated plainly as she moved to the door. You sighed, told your tummy that it could wait a few more moments, then turned back to the table, tapping your hooves against the surface inpatiently.

Muffled words, light noises, a haughty voice, and Zecora comes back bowl-less, her left eye twitching slightly. She quickly shook it off though and gave you a slightly forced smile, before moving over to the table to get the bowls for you and her. Part of you wants to ask what Trixie said, but your growling stomach interrupts that potential conflict, and so you stay seated as Zecora picks up both bowls with her forelegs, and turns, walking on her hindlegs back to the table...

Zecora sets your bowl down in front of you first and you dig right in. Probably not the best table manners but you're starving so buck it. It is, of course, delicious. Zecora can cook! And by the time that your zebra snuggle-bug has sat down to start her own bowl you've almost finished your own.

As you eat and enjoy the scrumptious meal your brain begins to go into the other important bits and bobs, pieces and sections that are floating around in your noggin. One of which is TRENCHCOAT!!! Heehee! Partially explored outside, complete exploration now, you need a trench-coat! A trench-coat for hiding your body from other ponies so that they don't point, and laugh, and stare, and scream, and get torches and pitchforks, and be generally mean to you, all of that!

Hm, that was pretty straightforward actually. Next topic!

Let's see... injury. You need to find a way to stop getting injured. Even with all that Zecora healing and your own regeneration you need to stop being hurt because you seem to get into trouble a LOT. Maybe armor? Like the royal guard ponies wear? No you've already settled on Trench Coat. And even if you hadn't armor is pretty conspicuous, you don't exactly just pass by an armored pony on the street without giving a second look. Ummmmm... Armor underneath? Well that's possible, but then that just covers your chest so... Gah! You'll think on it.

And then there are other things to defend yourself from as well... Changelings... changelings could be anywhere. They could be here! They could have come from here! And the rumors were that they had some kind of strange, mind-manipulation magic behind them, something weird, something venomous! You don't like the idea of that, not at all. You need something to counter it! Something to let you resist their wily ways... And then you could go and find them! Beat them! Capture their Queen and turn her in for a reward! Crystal Empire would be best for that, after all it was Princess Mi Amore Cadenza that she replaced, the beautiful Princess of Love... Mmmmmm... You can just see her rewarding you publicly with a shake off the hoof, a medal of service, and a kiss on the cheek... then rewarding you privately in ways you couldn't talk about in polite conversation... heheheheheheh...

MARRIED! MARRIED MARE! Dear Celestia what is WRONG with you!? Ugh... ... Ahem.

In any event all of that brings you back to one thing... You. Your powers. To be a superpony you kind of need powers. It's practically a rule! And Zecora... Well she's worried, understandable, but what's been happening to you... is it really a curse? Does it really need to be cured? After all it did save your life...

You lick your lips, bowl finished, looking up to Zecora as she calmly sips at hers, half-way done where you're completely finished. You bite your bottom lip, have a brief debate in your mind, side A wins, and then you lick your lips again for extra luck, and speak.

"Um, Zecora?"

She asked in response, as she set her bowl back down on the table, licking her lips of the delectable substance inside.

"I've been thinking... I don't really want to be cured."

Zecora's head shot up at that blunt confession, eyes wide as she jumped up onto her hind legs and slammed her hooves down onto the table causing both bowls to rattle and the table to shake.

She almost screeched at you, as you quickly winced, leaned back, and brought your forehooves up to wave in front of you in a warding motion.

"No! No not that at all. It's just that I'm not sure they are going to insure my demise! Hear me out." You spoke, moving your forehooves back down and licking your lips before continuing.

"I was going to die in that castle. I'm sure of it. That Timberwolf had me dead to rights, and if I hadn't just sprouted a blade out of my hoof and impaled it on chance then it would have ripped out my throat. Then when I was dogfighting... heh, ahem, dogfighting with them, I grew rods out of my back that let me see in the dark, and shoot lighting." You speak, as Zecora slowly seats herself once more on her side, looking at you intently.

"Then later on, in the Everfree, I fell. Badly. I mean, I should have died where I fell. But instead, I healed up. I healed up enough so that I could walk! My forelegs were broken, I mean you can see that! Plus I feel smarter than I was before, better... I'm not saying that I don't want to know what's going on. I do, badly. It's just... I've never felt so... capable as I do now! Never felt so able to accomplish things, able to really take control of my life! This has saved me several times so... unless it shows itself to be something really bad I'd like to think of it as less of an ailment and more of a... gift. If that's okay." You speak, muttering at the last part and lowering your head.

Zecora was quiet for a few moments, staring at you intently, hooves sitting on the table... Before she closed her eyes for a few moments, thinking... And then spoke.

She stated. Before her eyes snapped open and fixed with a stern look.

She stated, the ferocity in her voice causing you to gulp a bit, a little intimidated. But you breathe in, close your eyes, and nod, before looking up to her with a grateful smile.

"I understand. Thank you Zecora, that's all I can ask for."

You speak, and Zecora lets her stern gaze drop as she smiles back at you. Then she closes her eyes and take a deep calming breath in, then slowly lets it out... Before bringing her hooves back down to her bowl and opening her eyes.

She stated simply, starting to lift the bowl up to her muzzle.

"Ummmm..." You interject, causing Zecora to pause and look back up to you with a raised right eyebrow as you grin sheepishly.

"Seconds?"

Yes, continue murmuring your sweet desires into Zecora's ear. It's quite clear that she has yet to achieve the level of devotion we desire from her, especially when it comes to the romantic scene. Likewise Trixie must be cowed to our will, but by a different method.

I think you've set a nice precedent so far already. Obviously, Trixie has a serious attitude problem; she's unwilling to level with you and grant you what you deserve. You need to break her of this mind-set, easy at first. Your little show of scaring her should set the basics, be consistent. All you want from her is some common respect and decency, after all. If she can't give you that, well, you might just be have to cow her into submission, just make sure Zecora doesn't notice. That's pretty important.

In terms of planning ahead, that town, Ponyville, it would be a good idea to explore it sometime, establish a bearing, but not yet. Now you need to rest, get home affairs in order, recover your strength, gain knowledge, consolidate the loyalty or obedience, as 'twere, of these two mares.

Putting Trixie in her place really makes one hungry, eh? And the look on her face, priceless! Like some unruly pet that was finally brought to heel. She does seem like an angry puppy at times, doesn't she? Immature, barking at everypony, cowering as soon as somepony stands up to her. She's obviously crying out for discipline. Maybe that's why that Diamond Dog wanted to make her his bitch. Maybe she would've liked it even, in some sick way.

Well, he didn't get her! Zecora and you are taking care of her now, and If she craves to be treated like that, you'll oblige. Tough love and all that. Carrot and stick. If she's nice she gets nice things, like that innocent little kiss. When she's bad, well... you still kind of want to take that stick to her rump.

4) Brainwash/train Trixie into a loyal slave/servant/pet

By the time that dinner's over night has fallen... And a storm has come to pass over the hut. The low rumble of thunder sounds from the distance as rain patters across the roof and you can't help but shiver a bit... remembering your first night in the Everfree.

Zecora took your bowls and piled them up on a table next to the cauldron and then walked into Trixie's bedroom to get hers. You suppress a yawn, exhaustion overtaking your body... It has been a LONG day... And previous night. You are ready to sleep... You smile a bit at the idea, when your ears twitch, as uncharacteristically harsh noises start to come from the bedroom. You turn your gaze towards the bedroom doorway, brows furrowed when a loud-

"BUCK YOU!!!"

Sounds, coming from a voice that is very familiar to a certain showmare's, and a wooden bowl comes hurting out from the doorway. The bowl hit the wall and fell to the floor, landing on it's edge and rolling in a circular loop before falling onto it's top and rocking back and forth, quivering and rattling and then just stopping still as the kinetic force finally died down. Your on your hooves in an instant. You start to move towards the bedroom doorway when Zecora steps out. She looks calm. Solemn, somber, not especially happy, but calm. With a sigh she bends down, and picks up the bowl in her teeth, before turning to look up at you. She meets your eyes, then leans around and places the bowl on her back, before walking calmly forward, balancing the bowl perfectly as you go to meet her.

"What the buck was that!?" You ask, very clear agitation and anger in your voice. Zecora, on the other hand, responds with perfect calmness.

"She has no right to speak to you like that! She-" Zecora stopped your tirade by placing her front-right hoof up over your lips, halting your angry outburst and giving you a slight, resigned smile.

She spoke, before removing her hoof, leaning up, and giving you a gentle kiss on the lips. You blink, and just keep on blinking as Zecora leans back and turns to walk over to the cauldron table, having disarmed you effectively with a simple peck.

She calmly moved the bowl from her back over to stack with the other two, before turning and walking over to the chests lined up against the wall.

As she does so you break out of your kiss-hypnosis, shake your head, and then glare at the doorway into the bedroom. That little prissy cunt... how dare she talk to Zecora like that! She needs a serious lesson in manners, and more than a little bit of you wants to go in and teach her to respect her betters...

You can see it now... you standing over her, her legs tied with sheets to the four corners of the bed, her flank up in the air, rags stuffed in her mouth to keep that bucking trap of hers shut. And you standing over her, tapping Zecora's bamboo stick against your foreleg, a smirk of victory on your face. You lift up the stick and start wailing on her pretty blue plot, lines of red crisscrossing over her posterior, your stick hitting her again and again until you can see the red glow of her bright buttocks beneath her fur... And smell the glistening moistness of her slit.

You can picture her getting off to it, she's practically begging for it now with her attitude right? You can easily see Trixie moaning like a bitch in heat from being beaten, shaking her plot and begging for that discipline she so richly deserves... Through the gag because you don't really give a buck what she has to say. And then, your best friend comes out to play, and you shove her face down into the pillows as you start to lower yourself over her and-

No, no, no, no! LESS sexual frustration remember? Besides, it wouldn't be to give her pleasure, it would be to punish her for being an arrogant cunt! And when she wasn't one, but was nice, polite, and did as she was told, you'd reward her. And as much as you'd like to punish the bucking bitch you know that Zecora wouldn't approve. She would in fact heartily disapprove. Trixie's still healing up and she's very defensive of her patient it seems. And while the thought of sneaking in some punishing out of sight comes to mind there's really nothing you can do without Zecora noticing, judging by how sound vibrates from the bedroom. Even your hissing and angry tones with Trixie was a pretty big risk.

Wait, what?

You break away from your thoughts to turn and look at Zecora, only to see her with her head in one of her chests, a dull brown rectangular square shoved up against the wall, lid open. Zecora pulled her head back out from the chest, and when she did you saw that she had a large folded up brown blanket gripped in her teeth. Almost effortlessly, she flipped it up onto her back, still folded neatly before she leaned back in. After a moment she pulled out another blanket, thinner and a lighter shade of brown, holding it in her mouth as she brought her hooves up to the lid of the trunk and shut it firmly. She turned to walk back across the hut and you furrowed your brows, watching as she walked by you with the blankets.

"So Trixie curses at you, throws a bowl at you, and still gets to sleep in the bed?"

You ask, your tone making it fairly obvious how fair you think this is. You can't imagine what that's teaching the showmare. Zecora finishes fluffing out the thinner blanket onto the floor, off-center towards the door, tugging at the corners. She lifts her head up from the made blanket, and licks her lips before responding.

Stated the zebra, before reaching back with her head to take the other blanket and unfurling it over the bottom, creating a sheet and cover for the floor. Temporary sleeping space made, she trotted over to the bottomof the blanket set and pulled up the outer blanket, slipping her head in and wiggling her body through the blanket until her head popped out the other side. Then she turned, beneath the blanket, looked up to you with a tired smile.

She spoke, smiling gently at you as you looked down to her. You blinked... then lowered your head, the anger and fight going out of you as you sighed.

"... Can we cuddle?"

You ask, almost pitifully, as Zecora giggles a little, then nods.

You smiled a bit at that, cast one more glance over to the bedroom doorway... And then walked over to the makeshift bed, slipping in under the top cover set, on top of the smaller covers, pulling and adjusting the blanket with your forehooves as you went. When you were snug as a bug inside of a blanket-made rug, you turned and snuggled up to Zecora, wrapping your forehooves around her as you closed your eyes, breathed in deep, and then out slowly, just snuggling with your zebra as she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep in your hooves...

Nicely done. You dodged quite the bullet there.

You almost lost Zecora because she was jealous. She also said you wouldn't have to worry about her abandoning you anymore. Things are fine now, right? Well, maybe not. You do want to trust her, really you do, but... she was so, very, jealous. Jealous of Trixie, of all ponies! Absolutely ridiculous! And when Zecora finally did find you, she acted all cold and betrayed towards you. Despite believing Trixie put you up to stealing from her, she acted all nice to her, but not to you.

Zecora didn't trust you. What's to say she won't jump to conclusions again the next time a cute mare crosses you path? What can you do? You don't want to lose your Zebra! You're devoted to her, and she thought you were just using her, it's not fair!

Maybe - maybe next time she sleeps, you'll talk to her again. You sort of planned on doing that anyway, back when you were lost, didn't you? It helped calm your nerves last time. Tell her how devoted she should be to you. She's yours, now and forever... at least that's what you'd like. You keep bucking up, you will probably buck up even more in the future. You want to change that, but you need more time, so tell her to be more lenient. You don't want to fight, and neither does she.

Part of why she was so jealous was her preference for monogamy, right? Your Zebra is basically saying she doesn't want to share you, and that quite flattering! But it got you in trouble hard - plus she said there isn't anything wrong with herds - so maybe, you could plant the herd idea in her head as well? Just so that she doesn't lose her mind next time you talk with a hot mare. It's not like you actually want to fool around with any other girls while you're with Zecora. Well, maybe a little - and you wouldn't mind watching Zecora make out with another mare, as long as both are yours. Er, your friends. Wait, Trixie isn't a friend - you don't even know what Trixie is. Gah, this is confusing! Just tell Zecora she wants to be your herdmare and make out with girls if you tell her to. Something like that.

The lightning flashes... the rain strikes down onto the top of the hut's roof, and Zecora just keeps sleeping. You can't. It's not the noise... You've slept through storms before. And it's nothing like water-drops falling on your muzzle or anything. You're kind of surprised at this but Zecora's tree-hut is really well built. No drafts, no water-droplets leaking through the roof, even the floor's surprisingly soft for a wooden floor. The whole thing's pretty comfy! But for some reason you just... can't seem to get to sleep. Even snuggled up against your darling zebra, every time you close your eyes you just keep having thoughts, moving through your skull... It's bucking annoying! Probably because that damn unicorn got the bed or something! Ugh! Buck her to Tartarus and back!

You sigh, aggravation getting you nowhere and not in the mood to fantasize, and open your eyes in the dark. Your zebra is sleeping peacefully, facing away from you with your forelegs wrapped around her, and your body pressed up to hers. Her form is occasionally lit up by lightning flashes, and you can't help but smile a bit looking at her... And then bite your bottom lip. You had quite a scare today. You nearly lost her. Out of jealousy! Of Trixie! That arrogant snobbish showmare cunt! What would happen if some mare of real value crossed your path... what would she think then?

You gulp. You... you need to know she's with you... that she won't leave you, just because some other mare comes into contact with you... You need to know...

MUTATION ADVANCEMENT: Somniloquy: Your continuous night-talking to Zecora has increased the effectiveness of suggestions and thoughts planted during a listener's sleeping hours. Effect is not an absolute mental override or to the same level of hypnosis, but gives an air of validity to the suggestions during waking hours, and may manifest in the subject's mind as thoughts that they believe they had on their own. There is now a slight twinkling blue star-filled mist around the tongue when talking to Somepony that is asleep.

Your mouth feels a little weird for a moment, but you smack your lips a bit and lick around them, moistening them up, before snuggling up closer to Zecora. You press your muzzle into the back of her neck, before breathing in her scent deeply once more, and then leaning up to her ear. You give it a gentle lick, tracing around the edge, before whispering softly.

"Hey Zecora... You know that I care about you, that I'm devoted to you... You took me in and gave me food and I'm grateful. And you're devoted to me to, so why should it matter if there are other mares in my life?" You speak gently, thinking you see a little bit of blue for a moment but chalking it up to dim lighting. You nibble softly Zecora's ear, before continuing in a gentle voice.

"I mean you love me don't you? I make you feel so good and warm inside, you want to help me and serve me and care for me... So what the buck do other mares have to do with it? I mean, if they're around, what does it matter? Do the herds have any less love for anypony just because there are several of them around? I don't think they do... I think that as long as you're with me, it's fine..." You speak, before licking your lips again, and continuing on in your quiet whisper.

"In fact, don't you think that it's unfair to me for you to be so jealous? I mean, if I'm happy, oh, playing around with another mare, then doesn't that help you to? Doesn't that make you happy to see me happy? The mare's not really important... you know that I'll always be yours. Other mares or not. And if you mess around with other mares, well then I'm fine with that... In fact, I might want to watch that. That would make me happy! And you want to make me happy, don't you? As long as I'm happy, you're happy... As long as you stay with me, I'll stay with you... no matter what..." You mutter, then nuzzle up closer to her, laying your head on her neck with a sigh, eyes closed, a soft smile touching your lips... That was relieving to say... you don't know if any of it will mean anything but... it definitely made you feel better... Maybe you can get to sleep now, now that that's off your chest...

5) Check what is in that box on the shelf. AFTER Zecora falls asleep.

The order past number two is subject to change as situations shift.

Nomad

You still can't sleep. If anything it's worse. You had to separate yourself from Zecora because you started just feeling REALLY fidgety and you didn't want to wake her.

You toss and turn beneath the blanket. You grit your teeth, turn again, and suppress a growl in your throat. You... should... be... BUSY!!! If you can't sleep then you should be doing things! GAAAAH! Being unable to choose between drifting off to lala land and getting up is so UNPRODUCTIVE!!! Your brain is racing around nine-hundred miles per hour and you're obligated to rest your body because if you don't you're going to be exhausted but the storm is pounding and the rain is sounding and you can't fall asleep anyways and-

Hey what does Zecora keep in that box of hers?

You stop at that thought, and furrow your brows. The chest, the small chest with the lock. She had it on the shelf originally and it drew your eyes to it as soon as you saw it. Then when you came back it was moved, gone, no longer within the purview of your sight. It must have been important, must have been what she thought that you and Trixie had come to steal, so she hid it... Interesting... And something to do! You couldn't very well search for it while Zecora was awake could you? Nope, certainly not, and now that she's asleep...

Productive use of your time found, you grin, and turn back to your zebra cuddle-bug. You plant a soft kiss on the back of her neck, gentle and tender, before turning in the blanket and slowly squirming your way out, careful not to disturb the zebra. You get up to your hooves, and carefully walk move through the dark, towards the center of the hut. Now normally you wouldn't be able to see shit, which would prompt your return to the blankets and another attempt, likely fruitless, to enter into dreamland. However lucky you, the lightning flashes are coming frequent enough to illuminate the hut through what windows it has... Just enough to make a general search feasible.

Now it's fairly apparent that Zecora hid the box. Why? She thought that Trixie and you were planning on stealing it. So when she brought Trixie into her home she would have moved it. When? After you came back. Zecora thought you had been attacked and ran after your aggressor up until she saw Trixie and the blade on the end of your hoof. When she saw that she began to suspect an intricate plot and love affair, allowing her jealousy to run rampant. Hopefully you've helped curb that suspicious tendency of hers with sleepy-time whispers, though you're pretty sure that if it was THAT easy everypony would try it. Back to the matter at hoof though, she came back into the hut with Trixie on her back leaving you outside. She was inside for thirty minutes and did not exit during that time-span. In that time she would have had to have hidden the box, likely after she finished bathing Trixie, patched her up, and put her in bed.

Where? In the hut almost certainly. She didn't come out of the hut through the door until she took you down to bathe at the river. The only other exit that she would have been able to take would involve breaking the stick-bars over the window. And she wouldn't have hidden it down at the river, right in front of you. After all she thought you were in on the nonexistent plot, it would have been stupid to hide it where you could possibly see her hiding it... Unless she was going for a double-play or hid it with something else but... No, unlikely, possible but unlikely, and if that was the case then this entire venture would be for naught anyways. It's still most probable that she hid it inside of the hut, somewhere in this room. She put Trixie to bed in her bed, she wouldn't hide it in the same room where Trixie could find it by her lonesome or see her hiding it again... Unless it was another double-play and- BAH! It's probably here next question!

How? Now that was the part where figuring it out would lead to the where and the prize! How would she have hidden the box? With desire to keep it hidden from Trixie, but with the quick span of one who hadn't planned on having to hide it. Thirty minutes, even less than that to bathe Trixie, treat her wounds, and take her out of the main room of the hut. Much less than that, that would have been the majority of the thirty minutes. So in the last ten or five she would have figured out where to hide the box... To do that she would have likely gone over to the box and taken it from the shelf, with the knowledge that it needed to be hidden. Would she have known where to hide it though? Had a special place to put it away for a rainy day? Or would she have just known that it needed to be hidden, and had to figure out where? Either way, it might be smart to look at things from her point of view...

You walk over to stand in front of the shelf that had contained the box, now marked by the absence of such. You then turn and look out across the hut, eyes narrowed. It is, of course, bucking difficult to see anything because it's night in the middle of the Everfree. Fortunately for you though the lightning flashes are coming frequently enough that you're able to see the rest of the hut well enough... With that said you really hope she hid it someplace obvious because if you have to deal with secret doors or shit like that then you're screwed.

Now let's see... She would have examined each item of merit. Granted she would have done so in the sunlight but this is the closest you can get right now. So cauldron? No, in addition to having to revealing it every time she cooked a meal it would be easy to just look in and notice it. Chest or box? Possible but too obvious, first thing that Trixie would check, Zecora would have to trust it to hiding amongst the clutter, and the way it drew the eye that wouldn't go too well. Plus if it was locked Trixie would just pick the lock with her unicorn magic or something. Useful shit magic. Bookshelves? No the chest was fair-sized, it'd be hard to fit in or behind books unless Zecora had a secret container. And that, while possible, is also a game ender for you, so ignoring that possibility.

She wouldn't keep it among the bottles or shelves or knick-knacks, same reason as the boxes too easy for the eye to fall to it. Under a rug? What rug? Beneath the table? Of course not! In a damn bottle? What bottle is that big!? In a secret floorboard compartment? GAME ENDER!!! Buck it where else is there!?

You fight the urge to stomp your hoof in frustration as lightning flashes across the sky again, illuminating the hut. And in that moment of illumination your eyes catch something that makes you stop and think... Zecora has quite a lot of... masks on her walls. Some of them very big... ... Possible? ...

You furrow your brows and wait for the next lightning flash...

KRAK!

FLASH!

Your eyes scan over the masks as the lightning illuminates and by the instant that the flash has faded you've made your guess. Across from this position is the first mask that your eyes fall on, large, big, the sort of thing that somepony'd look at and think to use if they had to hide something quickly, without the time to go out and do it thoroughly... Or at least you hope so. It's on the wall so the question is is there something under it to hold the box or something? Anyways it's hard to tell when you're seeing by lightning, but you think the mask was a dull red, with green triangles running along it's sides pointing inwards, and some green swirling to give it a nose on the front, no mouth though, with slanted eyes looking down at you.

So that little snippet of possibility acknowledged you move forward, walking carefully across the floor, almost directly across from the shelf, over to the large mask. It feels like forever since you're taking your time... don't want to blow your chances at this stage by tripping and knocking into the cauldron or something, but soon enough you reach the mask... You look at it, and it looks at you, and you're pretty sure that it would win in a staring contest. Also, you're not sure what kind of pony would wear this, because it's almost as big as you! But that's beside the point, the point is that it's possible, just POSSIBLE that something could be hidden behind this mask. So you're going to have a looksie.

You stand up, slowly onto your hind legs, and reach with your forehooves to take it from the wall. You just barely stop yourself from stumbling back when you lift it off of whatever was holding it. Buck this thing's heavier than it looks! But it isn't so heavy that you can't right yourself, and turn to slowly lay it down on the floor next to you, before turning back and looking where the mask had hung.

Jackpot. Behind the mask is a groove, grown in the wood in a roughly square shape, with the box inside... Looks like Zecora did have a secret hiding place. And it WASN'T a game ender, go you! You reach with your forehooves, licking your lips as you take the box into your hooves and pull it out, bringing it to your chest, feeling excited, like you just found a new treat at the candy store. Lightning flashes in the sky as you stare down at the box, the brilliant flash outlining your form as your front-right hoof moves down to the lid, and thunder sounding loud as you pull... And can't open it. It's locked.

... Well this is a hollow victory. Of course it was going to be locked! Duh, you even initially noted the lock! So here you are, with your grand hunt complete, box taken in the night, and it's bucking locked!!! ... ... Which leaves the kind of awkward question of what now? Locked box, middle of the night, sleeping zebra... what the buck do you do now?

Author's Notes:

Thank you all for your kind words and support. Your appreciation feeds me with energy! I am glad to know that you are finding value in the story, and hope that it continues to entertain and impress as time goes on!

And also, I am sleepy. I am going to have a bad day at school today probably. Oh, and here's two cool things that I want to share with you, completely unrelated to any ponies. One is my favorite villain, and the situation described actually kind of reminds me of the situation described at the start of the RP. The other I only saw recently, however he is one of the scariest dudes I have ever seen... You'll know which one.

Joker Declares War

Angel of Death

Hope you gain some enjoyment from these. I was worried about influencing ideas a bit, however considering that everyone already has favorite villain stylings, that they take place in completely different non-pony universes, and that I'm actually writing this thing, I figure I can risk it.

Final note, this chapter doesn't end with the character sleeping, however the sleep-question comment will be recorded and pulled over for use during his next point of rest. Time fluctuations and what have you.