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Zala the Zebra

By cloudruler
Created: 2021-04-23 05:23:18
Expiry: Never
ocnsfwfillyzalazebrasroyal guards

  1. >You sit quietly on the outskirts of the great bonfire in the center of your village. The sun hangs low in the crimson sky, and stars are beginning to shine on the edges of silvery clouds.
  2. >It is the Summer Dance Celebration, where the whole community comes together to bring in the new season an entire night with dancing and feasting.
  3. >The youngest fillies and colts are playing and dancing, while the older mares and stallions are busy preparing their stores of preserved food for later tonight.
  4. >You are Zala, said to be the prettiest young mare in your entire tribe, and you are alone.
  5. >Not without choice, of course. Every colt and filly fawns over you, and especially after your flowering into an adolescent, you've had a hard time fending off the advances of courters from all over Zebrica.
  6. >Minor lords and wealthy travelling merchants alike have heard of your beauty and had come, one after another, offering marriage, positions in their harems, even loads of gold and jewels simply for a kiss.
  7. >But how could you kiss any of them after you'd known the kiss of an Equestrian pony?
  8. >Though it had only been the last year, it felt like centuries past. But this on this very day, an army had marched through Zebrica and came upon your village.
  9. >News does not travel fast in your country, but you heard something about Zebrica's new king of kings being crowned, and how he commanded for your nation's first grand army to be organized.
  10. >"Time to strike down the arrogant Equestrians" he said, "They have ignored us and exploited our kind for too long".
  11. >A few boys you knew went off to join, but that was the last you heard of it until that one day, when the largest collection of stallions you'd ever seen came marching up from the savannah.
  12. >You were helping your parents with the garden when you noticed the horizon begin to shimmer, like a great golden wave was travelling across it.
  13. >Some of their scouts arrived first to speak with the village elders.
  14.  
  15. >You ran to the ring of zebras who'd congregated around them as they spoke, eager to lay your eyes on these newcomers.
  16. >They were pegasi, flying ponies, and the most amazing thing you'd ever seen.
  17. >Each one was taller than the tallest stallion in your village, with thick limbs and muscular bodies. They wore these large golden plates on their backs and had gilded helmets to match. They carried long spears with cruelly sharp tips, and you noticed that even their hooves seemed to be made of gold.
  18. >You take a moment out of your reminiscing to feel the cool metal ring around your right hoof. This is the first gold you've ever been given, a gift from your parents to celebrate your birthday.
  19. >Nearly every zebra has at least one piece of gold jewelry, but you have never seen so much of it on one creature before.
  20. >But the most amazing thing you remembered about the pegasi, aside from their long, awesome wings, were their stripeless coats.
  21. >Especially one in particular. This one Pegasus scout had the cleanest, purest white body of all. You distinctly remember your jaw hanging wide open as you drank in his appearance. Oh, what a difference for a stallion not to have stripes!
  22. >Every curve and angle of his body seemed that much more pronounced, and with the way the impressive muscles in his flank idly flexed beneath his skin as he stood towering over the withered elders... It actually looked quite suggestive to a young filly.
  23. >His tail, though cropped, was startling as well; it was a deep blue like the ocean and swayed with the slightest breeze.
  24. >Zebra hair is so coarse, so thick, that it stands up straight on its own, and it takes great effort to manipulate it into anything other than its natural state.
  25. >But this stallion, his tail looked so soft and light that it might have been made of clouds.
  26. >And it very well could have been; he was a pegasus, after all.
  27. >You suppose you were staring a little too much, because he soon glanced right at you.
  28.  
  29. >When his blue eyes gazed into yours, you suddenly felt a jolt of fear.
  30. >His stare was cold, alert, scanning for something to kill, like a bird of prey.
  31. >Your skinny legs began to shake and your ears folded tight against your head. But he must have seen how he'd affected you and softened his expression.
  32. >He gave you a slight smile, and his eyes were suddenly warm and welcoming.
  33. >You could feel your cheeks heating up at his positive attention, you may have bit your lip as well.
  34. >Emboldened, the stallion's gaze drifted to the rest of you, slowly passing from your face, to your neck, legs, and finally your own plot, before returning to your eyes. Wherever he looked, you almost felt as if his eyes casted heat upon it.
  35. >Your tail twitched, and you suddenly felt very embarrassed.
  36. >Breaking away from the group, you went home to cool down. It is not the zebra way to teach the youth about what a stallion and a mare can do with one another, so you had no idea why you felt how you did. Your tail seemed to flick on its own, and your body was hot and restless.
  37. >In your innocence, you decided the best way to alleviate the heat was to splash yourself with water until it died down.
  38. >It worked to some degree, but when you returned outside to watch the columns of soldiers enter the village, it hit you once again.
  39. >Every one of them was tall, well-built, and clad in gold. Each pony must have been as heavy as a boulder, you thought, as you could hear the thunder of their hooves in the ground even as they were still far on the horizon.
  40. >They also came in so many varieties. There were the bird-like pegasi, of course, who hovered in formations and coasted on clouds, with their strong backs and wings.
  41. >Then there were the unicorns, who were somewhat taller and more luxurious in their nature than the others, with long manes and tails, and energy that seemed to flow freely through their golden suits.
  42.  
  43. >Then there were the earth ponies, closest in their nature to zebras, but heavens, were they huge!
  44. >Many of their rank wore armor bristling with spikes and blades, as if they were prepared to jump headlong into any mass of enemies and lash out in all directions. Others wore the same uniform as the rest, carrying spears along with hefty packs filled with supplies for their journey. As the soldiers passed and the porters began filing in, you noticed they were almost all earth ponies as well, dragging along carts packed with armor, weapons, food, medicines, and all manner of things you did not recognize without one of them seeming to struggle in the least.
  45. >The elders had apparently offered the pony army to join them for the Summer Dance Celebration, as it was custom for your kind to make the offer to anyone passing through. They graciously accepted, and even contributed a chunk of their rations to the event.
  46. >You spent that day helping however you could, preparing food, picking flowers, decorating, but all of it was mainly spent stealing glances at the Equestrians as they worked and milled about in their camp.
  47. >You wanted to go gather wood with them for the fire, but they just laughed and said that was not a job for a little filly. In fact, they declined help from anyone in the village - the soldiers were all itching to chop down some trees, or do anything other than march as they had been for days.
  48. >When the loggers returned, they were without armor, and coated in sweat that made them gleam in the heavy sun.
  49. >Once again, your body revolted against you. Your tail hiked and lowered excessively to the point you could do nothing but sit down on it.
  50. >So you sat, right next to their wood pile, red-faced, lip-biting, as each stallion effortlessly hauled in log after log for the fire.
  51. >You could not even manage to avert your eyes from their own, greedily drinking them in as they all watched you right back. They would chuckle, some patted your head as they passed.
  52.  
  53. >Then HE returned, your Pegasus from before!
  54. >Your lungs seemed to shrink when he dropped his load off and saw you.
  55. >He smiled and approached, entirely casual with you - whereas the zebra stallions often dared one another just to say hello.
  56. >In fact, he went beyond anything anyone's ever tried on you. He placed a hoof under your chin and raised your face, examining you.
  57. >"Hmm," he said, "You must be the prettiest little zebra I've yet seen in this country."
  58. >You wish you'd have said something, considering how short your time together was, but at that time your tongue was nowhere to be found. So you simply blushed harder.
  59. >"Are you going to be dancing at the festival tonight?"
  60. >Of course you would be dancing. Everyone says you're a wonderful dancer! But you cannot speak, so you simply nod.
  61. >To that, he grins wider and strokes your cheek.
  62. >"Then I'll see you tonight, miss...."
  63. >Miss? Miss what?
  64. >"...What is your name?"
  65. >Oh... What WAS your name?
  66. "Uh, uh...."
  67. >Think, THINK! Stupid zebra!
  68. >Just as his grin started to diminish, your tongue reappeared.
  69. "ZALA."
  70. >You blurted out, causing a couple more stallions to glance over. You drooped your head to the ground, dying of shame.
  71. "...zala... I-is my name."
  72. >After an excruciating few seconds, he finally responded.
  73. >"That's a very pretty name. You zebras all have such pretty names...."
  74. >That was enough to dig you out of your slef-loathing, causing you to raise your head once more to look at him.
  75. >"Well, miss Zala. My name is Lance, Long Lance. I'll be seeing you later."
  76. >With that, he patted your mane and trotted off. You watched him from behind, as his tail bobbed up and down with his gait; every second step, it briefly revealed his stallionhood.
  77. >You knew nothing of colts, but your instincts told you to crane your head and look harder.
  78. >Two bulbous orbs, darker than the rest of him, were hidden just beneath that tail. Somehow, you knew they were important, and your body grew hotter still.
  79.  
  80. >Later that day, while everyone still waited for the sun to lower, you chatted with your best fillyfriends about all the excitement.
  81. >You were not the only zebra to be struck by these ponies' handsomeness, it seemed, as many of you giggled and whispered about them.
  82. >the colts gathered together, too. But from what you heard, they were either pretending to ignore the ponies altogether, or were venomously railing against them.
  83. >Your little village was a secure world of a few little colts and a few little fillies, and now, a whole army came in and upset the balance. What zebra among them could say he was stronger, or more handsome, or even brighter now? The pony stallions were all tall, and strong, and carried items and knowledge of which your tribe knew nothing.
  84. >By the time evening came, you imagined that most of the boys wished they'd gone off to fight in the war.
  85. >That evening, you were getting prepared for the dance. Most zebra fillies will just apply some oils to their coats to shine in the fire's light, and maybe wear a few more beads than usual. But you knew you needed to look your best to see Lance again.
  86. >How long would they remain here for? They'd probably be leaving in the morning, or maybe even tonight if they were suddenly called off to fight.
  87. >But you wanted Lance to stay. He wouldn't, you knew, but maybe... Maybe if you were pretty enough, he'd fawn over you like the others did, and choose to leave this war.
  88. >Nonsense, if that was what the pony stallions looked like, then the MARES were probably great beauties, too. Lance might even have had a mare or even foals back in Equestria.
  89. >He walked right up to you and touched your face like you were his pet. He was unfazed by your looks, but he also said you were the prettiest zebra.
  90. >The prettiest in all the land... That's got to count for something.
  91. >You'd swiped your mother's mirror, a rare luxury in these parts, and styled yourself as well as you could.
  92.  
  93. >Your mane had been tamed into a mop of thick braids, each coated in various coloured beads.
  94. >Your tail was the same, with beads that would dance in the light.
  95. >You begged your mother to let you borrow some of her golden rings for tonight, just as that finishing touch that was sure to win any pony's heart. She relented and gave you one to put around your neck.
  96. >You stood back to better see yourself in the mirror. You'd liberally oiled yourself from hooves to head - every zebra family has their own garden for domestic potions, which includes plenty of oil-producing plants. So you had no shortage in that regard.
  97. >Your coat was made sleek, as if you were nothing but striped skin, and it felt wet and cool to the touch, but warmed up quickly.
  98. >But what you really enjoyed were the scents you applied. Spices and fragrances collected little by little, as caravans barely ever came to your home. You rubbed yourself up and down with herbs and perfumes until you thought you smelled absolutely divine.
  99. "Oh, Lance...."
  100. >You whispered to yourself, hugging your own body tight with your little hooves.
  101. >There was nothing you wanted more than to present yourself to him, and show him how pretty you'd made yourself just for his attention.
  102. >Finally, the celebration began. As it always did, everyone gathered for a light snack and drink to start.
  103. >The ponies mingled with the village zebras, though there were many more of them than of you. And you wandered around, trying to find Lance.
  104. >Though he seemed to be invisible, you did receive plenty of complements from the other stallions.
  105. >They all looked adoringly on you, and you tried your best not to become heated and flustered like before as you thanked each one courteously.
  106. >Though, there was one unicorn stallion who knelt and kissed your hoof that almost made you forget all about looking for Lance.
  107. >It's as if their entire race is nothing but the greatest stallions ever!
  108.  
  109. >By the time you untangled yourself from the masses of ponies, you were thoroughly smitten.
  110. >Most of the Equestrians had left their armor in their camp, while a few still remained on guard. Their officers were even wearing ceremonial clothes from their homeland.
  111. >Ties, bowties, little collars on their hooves... You didn't understand it, but it awed you all the same; clothing was only a thing of the higher classes in Zebra culture. The nobles wore robes and headdresses, but everyone else abided with their beads and rings.
  112. >The dancing began as the sun dipped lower.
  113. >First, the chief, along with the commander of the Equestrians, lit the great fire together.
  114. >Everyone cheered and the music picked up until it was blaring all around.
  115. >Drums and flutes and other things, all clamoring for dominance over the erratic beat that pounded everywhere.
  116. >Though you did not see Lance, you also couldn't contain yourself as you leapt into the crowd of dancing zebras to strut your stuff.
  117.  
  118. https://youtu.be/Kr1Z9jVPBz4
  119.  
  120. >Though there were only a small collection of Equestrians actually taking part in the dance, you were still tightly packed in by the masses of zebra and pony bodies all moving to the music.
  121. >As you maneuvered through the crowd, you still searched for Lance. He said he'd see you tonight! Surely, he must be somewhere in here!
  122. >Then you'd get to see him dance... You cannot help but smile wide at the image of that hefty stallion swaying back and forth in the light of the fire. Would he be oiled up, too, so that his every movement became so much more pronounced? Or would he be dressed up in a bowtie like some of the others?
  123. >You dance as you walk, unable to resist the emotions of the music. One of your fillyfriends finds you and you both lock forehooves and swing about, laughing wildly.
  124. >Zebra dancing has no rhyme or reason; it just is. It takes your whole body, and the more you think about it, the worse you are at it. So you let your hooves and your heart guide you.
  125.  
  126. >The two of you locked tails and hopped your way around, bobbing down and jolting up with the drumbeats.
  127. >Some zebra colts became entranced by your dancing and joined in, making sure to rub their owned oiled bodies against yours plenty of times.
  128. >You didn't mind; the boys always did this stuff every festival, especially the older adolescents. But this time, being an adolescent yourself, and having been introduced to the strange feelings given to you by the Equestrians, you now noticed other things about how they danced.
  129. >Every colt around you blushed, each one trying to hide their shy smiles and averting their eyes from yours when you looked at them.
  130. >You saw tails twitching and lip-biting. You saw many of your foalhood friends now nervously reacting to you the same way you'd reacted to the ponies.
  131. >Huh, you never really considered any of your fellow villagers in that way.
  132. >You continued to dance, one zebra had limbo'd underneath you as you pranced, and another leapt deftly over your head, both showcasing their fitness.
  133. >Interesting, but no one ever leaves your village. You could dance with them anytime!
  134. >The Equestrians might be gone in the blink of an eye.
  135. >You turned and saw your friend has been swallowed by the zebra horde, so you continue on alone.
  136. >The striped gnats still buzz around you, rubbing their backs and flanks against yours as you press on, until you glimpse some fluttering wings rising up and down ahead of you.
  137. >You excitedly bowl through several zebras, coming to a clearing where some ponies are dancing.
  138. >The pegasus - not Lance, was hovering above the crowd with a tiny, squeeling colt in his hooves.
  139. >A unicorn was hopping hoof to hoof and beaming bright lights from his horn.
  140. >An earth pony towered over all others; his coat was a deep red, and his bizzare golden hair stretched from between his ears down to the bottom of his chin, as if he had two manes on opposite sides of his head.
  141. >Amazed, you approached him.
  142.  
  143. >Before you could reach him, he swings his massive flank in your direction, almost slapping you right across the face. But you pull back just fast enough for it to merely catch your nose.
  144. >Still, he noticed and turned to look at you.
  145. >Your hoof reflexively covers your afflicted nose and your ears lower. Seeing this pathetic sight, the pony's face turned rueful.
  146. >"Sorry, love. Didn't see you there!"
  147. >He leaned in and shouted his apologies over the beat, but you were still interested in the hair.
  148. >"Are you okay, girl?"
  149. >Without thinking, your hoof left your face and lightly brushed the hairs protruding from the bottom of his chin.
  150. >He stares at you as you do it, but then breaks into a hearty laugh louder than the drums.
  151. >"Awe, you like my beard, sweetheart? C'mere!"
  152. >He grabs your hoof and lifts you onto your hind legs. Pulling you tight, he wrapped his other hoof around your back started an awkward jig with you.
  153. >Well, awkward on your end. It seemed like this stallion was a professional in this Equestrian dance, dipping you forward, pulling you back, he even picked you up by one hoof and twirled you about once or twice.
  154. >Then he plunged you lower than before, to the point that you thought you were falling, until his hoof on your back cradled you like a newborn. You looked up at his smiling face as he looked back down at you.
  155. >"That's called a tango where I'm from, love. You like it?"
  156. >Your smile crept back as you nodded. He laughed again and planted a wet kiss on your forehead.
  157. >Before you could even gasp, the stallion tugged you back upright and started twirling you around once again.
  158. >Somewhere, the sound of queer instruments joined into the familiar drums and flutes; it seemed the Equestrians were joining into the music as well.
  159. >Your partner calls up to the Pegasus above.
  160. >"Hey Night Fighter! Catch!"
  161. >He launched you high into the air as the Pegasus rushed to catch you.
  162. >"Whoa! I've got you, I've got you, girly!"
  163.  
  164. >He wrapped one hoof around you, as the other was still occupied by the little colt.
  165. >You looked frantically down and could see the faces of the zebras who'd been following you. The colts were all somewhere between worried and jealous.
  166. >Jealous of you or jealous of him?
  167. >You liked to think the former.
  168. >Your view turned outwards, beyond the dancers. A wide ring of ponies and zebras had formed all around the fire, watching the dancers and enjoying some drinks and food.
  169. >And there he was.
  170. >Lance was seated among several other pegasi nursing a bottle of dark liquid.
  171. >You gasped and asked the Pegasus to let you down. He nodded and placed you safely back into the crowd.
  172. >As you went to run in the direction of Lance, a hoof grabbed your shoulder.
  173. >You turned to see Izzi, one of your zebra colt friends. He smiled widely and beckoned for you to go further into the crowd.
  174. >"Zala! Come dance with us!"
  175. "What?"
  176. >Izzi did not have the booming voice of these Equestrians, a zebra's voice is gentle like a stream, while the ponies are strong as rivers.
  177. >He strained further, shouting into your ear.
  178. >"DANCE WITH US! WE'RE DANCING OVER THERE!"
  179. >He pointed to that group of colts from before who'd been writhing on you. Some of them smiled, while others suddenly seemed aloof, as if you owed it to them.
  180. >You shook your head.
  181. "Later! I have to go!"
  182. >Izzi watched you disappear through the crowd, headed for the edge.
  183. >When you finally did emerge, you were not just oily, but sweaty and panting.
  184. >Goodness, would Lance even want to see you like this? You reached up and patted your mane - it was all still miraculously in place; you glanced around before covertly sniffing yourself - yep, still smells good.
  185. >Then you spotted him once again, and he spotted you.
  186. >His eyes went wide for a moment as you grinned and galloped toward him.
  187. "Lance!"
  188. >"Huh?"
  189. >His friends looked at you suspiciously, and his face remained quizzical.
  190. "It's me! Zala!"
  191.  
  192. >Memory of you dawned in his eyes, and he became warm once more.
  193. >"Right, Zala. Forgive me, I did not even recognize you."
  194. >He held out a hoof and beckoned you closer.
  195. >"Celestia, do you look beautiful, tonight. Did you do all this just for me?"
  196. >Your face flushes and you smile wider, nodding.
  197. >"That was sweet of you. Give us a look."
  198. >You motioned for you to turn, so you made a short circle, allowing his gaze to wash over you.
  199. >"Good zebra, now come closer."
  200. >His hoof hanged in the air as you inched closer, now near enough that you were sure he could hear your heavy breathing.
  201. >He twitched his hoof a little. Did he want something from you?
  202. >oh...
  203. >Oh!
  204. >You hesitantly lift your own hoof and place it in his, then look at him for approval.
  205. >You receive none. His face became flat.
  206. >His friends were all watching with rapt attention now.
  207. >Does he want your golden ring? Well he can't have that; it's your mother's.
  208. >You lightly rub your hoof over the golden jewelry defensively. To which Lance simply shakes his head.
  209. >"Your cheek."
  210. >Your cheek?
  211. >You raise your eyebrow questioningly. But he nods to his hoof.
  212. >"Go on, sweetheart."
  213. >Well, okay....
  214. >You lower your head as much as you can, but still he's too far down.
  215. >So, you sat on your haunches and reach further, feeling his hoof meet your cheek.
  216. >"Cute...."
  217. >He smiled and stroked it affectionately, while his friends chuckled.
  218. >"Is that your catch for this village, Lance?"
  219. >He nodded.
  220. >"It certainly is."
  221. >Catch? But he wasn't trying to catch you. He didn't even recognize you when you found him.
  222. >"Though, I don't know if this even counts. Sweet thing reeled herself in."
  223. >That's right, you reeled yourself in!
  224. >But you're not a fish.
  225. >But enough Equestrian talk; you worked very hard to find your Lance, and now you wanted to see him dance.
  226. >You cleared your throat, drawing back all attention to yourself while you still craned your head onto his hoof.
  227. "Uhm…"
  228. "Uh,"
  229. "Uh...."
  230. >"Yes?"
  231. >What were you saying?
  232. "... Dance?"
  233.  
  234. >"Dance? Who, me?"
  235. "Yes!"
  236. >Yes you! Who else?
  237. "Dance! With me! over there!"
  238. >You point a hoof back to the crowd.
  239. >Lance seemed to weigh the idea before responding.
  240. >"Sorry, Zala. I've got to keep myself clean."
  241. >He pointed to the little bowtie under his chin.
  242. >"Officers have to set a good example, after all."
  243. >But... BUT....
  244. "Oh...."
  245. >You raise yourself back up, feeling your ears and face deflating.
  246. "...Ok...."
  247. >Some of Lance's own friends come to your defense.
  248. >"Come on, Lance. Look what you've done to the poor thing."
  249. >"Yeah, Lance. I wanna see you dance, too."
  250. >Lance grumbles and takes another swig of his drink before answering.
  251. >"Look, I cannot now, but after the dinner, we'll see. Is that okay?"
  252. >A little air returns to your body at that.
  253. "...Okay."
  254. >"Good, now run along, Zala. Don't keep your friends waiting."
  255. >He motioned toward the group of zebra colts who were now standing at the edge of the dancers, staring at you.
  256. "Awe, but-"
  257. >You want to tell him that you don't want to dance with Izzi and the others right now.
  258. >You want to say that you'd like to stay out here with him and his friends instead.
  259. "But...."
  260. >But his dismissive look gave you no room for negotiating.
  261. "...Okay."
  262. >You turn and run off, hearing his friends start to laugh behind you.
  263. >Every movement felt awkard and forced as both his group and Izzi's group stared at you trotting across the clearing.
  264. >Reluctantly, you let them guide you away from where the ponies were. You still dance, but only at about half energy - you'd hate to leave it all out right now and then be too tired to impress Lancer later tonight.
  265. >The boys, of course, are as overeager as ever, forcing their bodies to slide against you to the point it begins to hurt.
  266. >Later, the dancing was mercifully called to an end for dinner.
  267. >You rushed to your family and sat around the fire with a makeshift wooden table set before you.
  268. >The food and drinks were laid around the fire and a line formed to file through them.
  269.  
  270. >The Zebrican fare was the same as always, just in higher quantities than a normal meal.
  271. >Preserved fruits and berries, pickled this and that, magic herbs, savannah grass - good, but nothing special.
  272. >The real attraction was all the Equestrian food.
  273. >Not even Izzi and the colts could show disdain at the spread of pastries, breads, fresh vegetables, exotic fruits and spices, all gifted to the village freely by the ponies.
  274. >They had these apples that were almost as big as your head, and all kinds of strange drinks.
  275. >Most of the drinks were only for adults, making some of the zebras dizzy and tired, while some were for everyone, like the many juices and fizzy sodas they made sure to give to every filly and colt.
  276. >You honestly felt slightly embarrassed for your village cooks whose food went untouched until everything Equestrian had been eaten. But as you sank your face into another slice of cherry pie, and your body shuddered and you moaned involuntarily, you forgot all about it.
  277. >Though it greatly pained you, you still refrained from feasting too much. Lancer would dance with you - he had to.
  278. >And you would have to be in perfect form.
  279. >Maybe he'd stay.
  280. >Maybe you could go with them on adventures.
  281. >You could be a soldier, too. Then you'd never have to leave his side again.
  282. >Despite the growing darkness, a ball game had broken out among the ponies and zebras, stripes versus coats.
  283. >You watch idly, as many of the young zebras from before expertly maneuvered the ball around the larger ponies. But they lacked their stamina and size, so after a while, the game went back in the Equestrians' favor.
  284. >More than once, an argument over possession broke out among them, though the only ones starting it always seemed to be the zebras, while the ponies just let them have the ball before taking it right back.
  285. >Once all the feasting was done, the youngest zebras were put to bed, despite their protesting. When all the kiddies are asleep, THAT'S always when the real fun starts.
  286.  
  287. >"Zala, there you are. It's time for bed."
  288. >Your heart drops into the pit of your stomach.
  289. >You turn and see your mother standing over you.
  290. "BUT MOOOM!"
  291. >Startled by your immediate whining, she steps back.
  292. >"My sweet, tomorrow will be another busy day, and you are still a growing zebra. You need your rest."
  293. >You stand up straight, almost hopping in place.
  294. "But MOOM! I did my mane and everything for tonight! Can't I just stay up a little longer? Please?"
  295. >She fixes you with a cold stare, eyeing you up and down.
  296. >"Why do you want to stay up later, anyway? You're just sitting here, watching them play."
  297. "Yes, but I'm going to dance soon!"
  298. >"You've already danced."
  299. "Well, yeah, but I need to dance again!"
  300. >"No you don't; you'll be all tired and worn out tomorrow."
  301. "Nu-uh!"
  302. >"Zala, no more. You are going to bed."
  303. "But, but the ponies are gonna be gone tomorrow!"
  304. >"Yes? They will leave, what of it?"
  305. "But I wanna dance with them!"
  306. >At that remark, your mother's face went pale.
  307. >"...Is that so?"
  308. "Yes! Especially this one named Lance! He's the sweetest stallion ever, and he said he would dance with me."
  309. >She buries her face in her hoof and sighs.
  310. >"Is that what this is all about? You want to go fool around with those Equestrians?"
  311. >It wasn't fooling around; it was beautiful.
  312. >They were so strong, any one of them could have eaten you alive.
  313. >But they've all been so gentle with you, they liked you.
  314. >besides, why did it matter if you danced with zebras or ponies? You had fun with both - it's just that the ponies were different and they'd be gone forever if you didn't stop them.
  315. "Mom, the ponies are really nice. Can't I just see them this one time before they go away?"
  316. >"No."
  317. "Please?"
  318. >"..."
  319. "Please, mommy?"
  320. >"Don't say 'please' again."
  321. >You feel tears welling up in your eyes.
  322. "... Please?"
  323. >Your mother groaned.
  324. >"Listen to me. You can go dance with them for a little while, and then your father and I are coming to get you. And that will be it, understa-"
  325.  
  326. "YES!"
  327. >You leapt into the air, flipping and landing dextrously back on your hooves.
  328. "THANK YOU MOM!"
  329. >Before she can respond you've taken off, heading towards the regathering crowd, waiting for the music to start.
  330.  
  331. https://youtu.be/8ZImOA-igQs
  332.  
  333. >The music starts slow, barely heard over the chattering of zebras and ponies. This time, the numbers are more even, as more ponies have chosen to join in.
  334. >Lance must be in here, somewhere!
  335. >You weave through the numbers as the chanting builds, wishing good fortune to the coming season.
  336. "Lance? Lance?"
  337. >A strong hoof wraps tight around your neck before you can even shout.
  338. >"There you are. I thought I'd join you, this time."
  339. >You swallow hard, and he relents, letting you turn and face him.
  340. >Lance's bowtie is gone, leaving him more naked than you.
  341. "... Hello."
  342. >He smirked and took your hoof in his own.
  343. >"You still want to dance with me, right?"
  344. >Your heart flutters as he draws you closer.
  345. >His mane is short, like the other stallions, and kept tight to his head, probably from wearing his helmet all day.
  346. >But it looks every bit as soft as his tail did earlier today.
  347. >You must touch it.
  348. >But you stop yourself short of boldly reaching for it, like you did with that pony before. Lance is very sweet, and you need to be nice to him.
  349. "...May I please touch your mane?"
  350. >He nods.
  351. >"May I touch you?"
  352. >You nod back absentmindedly as you reach for his hair.
  353. "M-hmm...."
  354. >"Good...."
  355. >You press on his soft mane and watch as it gives before immediately bouncing back into place.
  356. "Wow...."
  357. >These stallions are truly amazing... So soft and yet so resilient.
  358. >The bodies are packing in tighter as the dancers return from eating and putting their children to bed. You find yourself pressed chest to chest with Lance, not like you would object.
  359. >Then you feel a hoof snake up your side, making little circles on your shoulder.
  360. >You glance down at it to see that it's Lance's hoof.
  361. >"My, you really oiled yourself up fierce, didn't you?"
  362.  
  363. >You didn't know how to respond, so you just nodded.
  364. >"I seem to have left my oils back in Equestria."
  365. >He leaned in close to your ear, whispering as the drums began to beat.
  366. >"Think you can share some of that?"
  367. >He wants you to share your oil?
  368. >You can do that. You used tons of oil!
  369. >You smile and nod affirmatively.
  370. "Okay!"
  371. >That just makes Lance's smile wider as the crowd begins to sway.
  372. >He grips you tightly and you melt into his chest, resting your head on his shoulder.
  373. >"You know, this is how we dance back in Equestria, usually. Nice and slow...."
  374. >You hear yourself cooing as he speaks into your ear. Every syllable sends shivers down your spine and makes you feel like you two are the only creatures in all of Zebrica.
  375. >"... And close.... Very close."
  376. >You melt even further into him and close your eyes, feeling lighter than air.
  377. >The drums pick up, along with the chanting.
  378. >despite how much you're loving his treatment right now, you couldn't help but sway a little quicker. And Lance even added a little bob to his movement to match the drums.
  379. >You feel his nose press into your mane and sniff.
  380. >"Mmm, you smell fantastic, darling. I could just eat you up."
  381. "Mmm...."
  382. >"Does the rest of you smell as good as your mane?"
  383. "M-hmm...."
  384. >"Really...."
  385. >You're not really alive at the moment. You're nothing but a heartbeat and pleasure. But Lance nudges you back to reality.
  386. >"Hey, the music is picking up."
  387. >You become aware of the increasingly rapid drums, and the many zebras and ponies around you who've since gotten lost in dance already.
  388. >Lance grins and presses you close once more, ear to his muzzle.
  389. >"Show me what this body can do, pet."
  390. >You immediately perk up.
  391. >Now THIS is something you're good at!
  392. "Yes! Dance with me!"
  393. >You step back a bit and get a handle on the beat, rocking back and forth until you're in sync. Lance simply stands back and nods his head along with it.
  394.  
  395. >Soon, you're putting some more attitude into your rocks, popping your shoulders left and right.
  396. >You close your eyes and feel the hoofbeats and chants and laughter of all the generations before you. Your parents, their parents, their parents' parents, on and on, to the first year this village was founded.
  397. >Dancing is in your blood and in your stripes, and you're going to share it entirely with Lance.
  398. >You've danced for others before, but this feels like the most special occasion yet.
  399. >You danced for your parents and the other elders when you first participated in the Summer Dance Festival.
  400. >You danced to celebrate when you received your glyphmark.
  401. >You even danced before all the hooting young colts on the day you officially became a teen, though you were not told why.
  402. >But this stallion, though he did not dismiss you, he also did not stress over you like the other boys. You would come to him, and now you would need to prove yourself to him.
  403. >It was invigorating, to be wanted, yet challenged.
  404. >You leap in time with the beat, spinning in the air, before coming down right in front of him.
  405. >Lance didn't step back, so you coiled up just under his chin, before springing up and wrapping your entire tail right around his head.
  406. >You heard the wet slap of your oiled tail on his skin over the music, and his nostrils flared wildly.
  407. >Ha! Now it's HIS turn to blush! You grinned and glided yourself along his side, working back to his flank.
  408. >You hopped backwards over him, sliding back to back, until you flipped and landed on this other side of him. He turned to look at you, but you deftly leapt right back over him to the other side, giggling as Lance had to shake his head back and forth to find you.
  409. >He laughed too and turned to grab you. But your slippery body evaded his grasp, and you hopped away.
  410.  
  411. >Getting into the spirit of the night, Lance trotted after you. You always stayed just a nose out of reach, bobbing your flank all around as the music became more and more frantic.
  412. >Over your shoulder, you even saw Lancer starting to jig a little, too. You stopped in place, stretching out a hind leg to stop him before he was on top of you.
  413. >Now that he was safely behind you, you began bobbing up and down in reverse, backing your flank into him, stopping just as your tail came under his chin.
  414. >Then you whipped it up as forcefully as possible, whacking the stallion right in the face with the beaded tip.
  415. >You looked back to see him staring back at you with undivided attention.
  416. >Giggling, you leap forward again and begin spinning your tail around as the beat picked up even faster.
  417. >Your eyes close as the rapping of the drums passes through you, and you whip your head up and down, flailing your heavy braids everywhere.
  418. >You turned your head back to Lance and lowered your whole body to the ground.
  419. >Then, eyes locked on his, you bucked your hind legs up in the air, whipping your tail right over on to your back.
  420. >You held this pose for a few seconds, more than any other zebra could manage, but it was natural for you. As natural as what you'd just done without any thought, flashing all the world with your sensitive parts.
  421. >You weren't even done yet; you then separated your hind legs - still balanced on your forehooves, until they were stretched almost entirely flat with the ground.
  422. >Your legs ached, so you cartwheeled back down, stopping just in front of Lance once again.
  423. >His smile was gone, his mouth now agape, with the slightest redness on his cheeks.
  424. >And he was not the only one; you looked around and saw how many other stallions and zebras had stopped to watch you.
  425. >What? Never seen a move like that before?
  426. >Well, they can watch all they want; Zala's not pulling any punches, tonight!
  427.  
  428. >Your attention returned to your stallion.
  429. >You could see how well-oiled he'd become from your dancing, but a few spots were still looking pretty dry.
  430. >You strut up to him and glide your cheek upwards across his, your body continues to rise until you're on your hind legs and your belly is pressing against his muzzle. Lance takes the opportunity to place a kiss right on your navel, sending tingles through your body.
  431. >You start to gyrate your tummy in his face, urging him to kiss you again.
  432. >And he does, laying kiss after kiss along your belly, up to your chest, until he's leaning back on his haunches and you're pressing against his body properly.
  433. >Even standing on your hind legs, your head only reaches his neck. So, you look up at him and press your back to his chest as you writhe, coating his underbelly in your oils.
  434. >Lance's forelegs come around your waist and slowly draw little circles around your belly button. It tickles just slightly, making you tense up every now and then while moving.
  435. >Then his hooves move lower, brushing you just above your privates.
  436. >You gasp at the sudden intrusion, looking down at them, only to see one hoof sliding back up along your body until it comes under your chin and forces you to face back up at Lancer.
  437. >His smile is wide and wolfish, and something predatory is in his eyes. Not like that cold, calculating gaze from when you first saw him, but now it was something like a hungry lion eyeing a...
  438. >Well... A zebra.
  439. >"You really are something else, filly...."
  440. >You opened your mouth to speak as his face closed on yours.
  441. "I-I'm something el-MMMNF!"
  442. >His lips folded over yours and his large tongue pressed past your teeth and wrestled with your own.
  443. >You heard yourself shouting into his mouth, but all else was gone.
  444. >The music, the other dancers, your pounding heart, it all disappeared in that moment.
  445. >He grunted into your mouth as his tongue pushed yours around; he was so much stronger, and obviously much more experienced.
  446.  
  447. >Your mouth relented to him while your body remained completely stiff.
  448. >When he broke the kiss, your jaw hung open. Your tongue lolled out, searching for his, while a last strand of saliva still connected the two of you for just a moment.
  449. >When it broke, you came back to reality.
  450. >Your face flushed and your hooves shot up to cover your face. Lance's smile remained, watching you digest what just happened.
  451. >"What, after presenting yourself to me, you're going be shy over a little kiss?"
  452. >W-What? You didn't-
  453. >Did you?
  454. >… What did he mean by presenting?
  455. >You scan around; the other dancers had long since returned to their own performances, not giving you any glances.
  456. "I-I... Uh..."
  457. >He smiled and kissed you right on the nose as you stuttered.
  458. >Your face stretched in a wide grin, even as your face still blushed hard.
  459. "Hah... Hehehehe…."
  460. >You couldn't help yourself, you started giggling uncontrollably. Soon, you were hopping from hoof to hoof, still clutching your cheeks.
  461. >You just got your first kiss. YOUR FIRST KISS.
  462. >AND IT WAS FROM A PONY!
  463. >"... You okay?"
  464. "THAT WAS GREAT!"
  465. >Lancer's ears pinned back at your shouting as you started to ramble.
  466. "I got a kiss! My first kiss! From a stallion!"
  467. >"You want another, Zala?"
  468. >Your face lit up.
  469. "Yes!"
  470. >"Good girl. come here, then...."
  471. >You close your eyes and hop up to meet his mouth halfway, lips puckered like how you see your parents sometimes kiss each other. You peck his lips, and feel them stretch to a smile.
  472. >"Not like that, sweetheart... Like before."
  473. >You open your eyes again, feeling a little less sure.
  474. >"Open your mouth."
  475. >You open wide with an 'aaah' and he presses his mouth back over yours.
  476. >This continued on for quite a while; his practiced tongue would roll over yours, and you'd eagerly open for him. You'd like to think you're a fast learner, and though you didn't have his strength or size, you soon were matching his aggressiveness.
  477.  
  478. >Whenever he reached in for a new kiss, you would catch him, hungrily pressing your little mouth against his.
  479. >That heat you'd been struggling with all day was still inside you, but you no longer fought or ignored it.
  480. >In fact, now that you were kissing on Lancer, it felt GOOD.
  481. >Every kiss pulsed through your veins, calling you to press yourself tighter to him. Your hips bucked on their own, forcing themselves against his stomach as his hooves explored you all over.
  482. >One hoof found itself grabbing a load of your tiny flank, causing you to yelp, which he only took as a chance to dive his tongue back into you.
  483. >You could not escape or withstand him; his hoof on your plot made you tingle relentlessly, and you instinctively felt the need to pull away from it. But his firm grip on you was too strong, so you had no choice but to stand there, wriggling, squealing into him, as he felt you.
  484. >Strangely enough, even though your body wanted to escape, whenever he stopped to breathe, or moved his hoof to your belly, you missed him.
  485. >You LIKED his hoof being on your butt, and you LOVED his tongue in your mouth.
  486. >This was GREAT. You felt captured, helpless, yet secure.
  487. >This Pegasus could have lifted off with you at any time, and you would be at his mercy, but you thought you'd be okay with that.
  488. >You were surprised when he clamped his legs around your body and actually did lift off with you.
  489. >In a split second, the ground, the dancing, the music, it all faded away as you zoomed higher and higher.
  490. >Once you'd properly realized your predicament, you started screaming.
  491. "LANCER! LANCER! THE GROUND! WE-WE'RE-"
  492. >"Yes! Yes, I know. We're flying. It's okay, Zala; you're with me. I'll keep you safe."
  493. >You cannot relax while this far off the ground.
  494. >You'd never seen a building taller than two stories before, and you'd never seen a hill taller than that building.
  495. >So THIS is far beyond your comfort zone.
  496. "W-w-w-where are we g-going?"
  497. >"You'll see."
  498.  
  499. *************************
  500.  
  501. >As he flew, you watched the flat, grassy savannahs of your life go hurdling by below, coloured dark and gloomy by the light of the moon and stars.
  502. >You'd never gone very far from your home, and even in this darkness, you could see the grasses running on in all directions until merging with the sky in one great black expanse.
  503. >Sometimes, you forgot there were other places out there. So little ever happened at home; so few visitors ever came, and they had no interest in entertaining little fillies, or filling their dreams with anything other than the old tales and songs that had been their entire existence.
  504. >The life of a village zebra had always been one of mundanity, after all.
  505. >And yet here you were, flying in the hooves of a pegasus who, just moments back, had been your first kiss.
  506. >After a few minutes of high-speed flying, Lancer begins to ease up, relying more on the breeze than his strength.
  507. >"How are you liking the view, sweetheart?"
  508. >His voice was gentle and calm, as if he had barely exerted himself at all. Your initial fear had somewhat worn off, though you could not suppress a shiver that went through you when you down at the ground.
  509. "I-it's... High."
  510. >He laughs.
  511. >"That it is, Zala, that it is. I bet you've never even been this far up before, have you?"
  512. "No...."
  513. >"Hey, look at that."
  514. >You notice that you're turning, ever so slightly, so that your can view the village.
  515. >Though it doesn't look like much of anything from this far away... A great red light still stands out against the blackness of the earth.
  516. >Another cold shiver quakes through your body. It was amazing just how alien everything could look with a simple change of perspective.
  517. >Everything you ever were was contained in that red light. Every face, every spoken word, every emotion... And now you were beyond it.
  518. >"Are you still frightened? Don't be frightened... There's nopony who can fly like me. I promise you, right now is the safest you've ever been."
  519.  
  520. >He slowly unwound his hind legs from your own, making your lower half dip down and causing a wave of terror to take hold of you. You pulled your hind hooves to your belly and screamed.
  521. "Uaah- AHH! I'M FALLING!"
  522. >"Ssh, just relax, you're fine."
  523. >He turned you around in his hooves, so that you faced each other, and then planted a quick kiss on your nose. Despite your fear, you feel a tingle of heat.
  524. >"I wouldn't let anything happen to my little filly... Not when we've got a whole night still ahead of us."
  525. >Swallowing hard, you let your hind legs hang freely. The wind immediately lifted them up, so that your hooves trailed carelessly behind you.
  526. >Lance looked into your eyes and smiled, and after a while, you couldn't help but smile back.
  527. >"Just keep looking at me, little Zala... I'm here."
  528. >Carefully, you unfurl your forelegs from between your chests and bring them outwards. He glances at both of your hooves as they come up to his shoulders and looks back at you curiously.
  529. >You don't feel so afraid anymore, but you want to hold him.
  530. >You wrap your hooves around the back of his thick neck and clench tightly, burying your face into the fuzzy tuft at his collar.
  531. >As you breathe him in, like he'd done to you before, you feel light-headed.
  532. >He smells of your oils and perfumes, herbs and spices... And much more. There is an underlying scent of rain and electricity in his coat, as if to remind you that he's a pegasus.
  533. >But under all that, you could smell his sweat, his musky maleness that seemed as potent as any natural element. It was like the hot Zebrican sun had baked his stallionic strength right into his skin. Nothing excited you more than that.
  534. >You clench your eyes shut and inhale deeper, intoxicated with him.
  535. "Mmmmmnnnh~"
  536. >Your heart beats wildly, both from the thrill of flight and that of his closeness, and you hear your own muffled mewling into his coat.
  537. >He laughs and hugs you closer, before rolling upside-down.
  538. >Suddenly, you're on top of him.
  539.  
  540. >You find yourself laying comfortably on his belly, while lance places his forehooves casually behind his head.
  541. >For a moment, you stay tightly wrapped to him.
  542. >You notice you're slowing down once again, still at a galloping pace if you were on the ground - but up in the sky, it was as if you were merely floating.
  543. >Lance nods to you, gently encouraging.
  544. >"Go on, sit up. If you fall, I'll catch you."
  545. >You hesitantly nod and slowly remove your hooves from his neck, one at a time. Carefully, you shift yourself until fully upright.
  546. >A gust of wind hits you just as you gain composure, making you yelp and flail your hooves at your sides.
  547. >Lance laughs below you, making his belly reverberate. After a while, you giggle and smile sheepishly.
  548. >"Don't be embarrassed, darling. You're a natural at this. Most of the fillies I've taken up here don't do nearly as well."
  549. >Other fillies? You recall the pegasus at the dance who'd been hovering around with the little colt in his hooves. Did Lance give rides to any other fillies before dancing with you?
  550. "Oh... Did you go up here with any of my friends?"
  551. >Lance just smiles and nods past your head.
  552. >"The stars are sure beautiful tonight."
  553. >You look up and see thousands of burning stars above. They were so bunch together that they almost resembled a great shining stripe across the sky.
  554. >Your tribe's legends told of the Day Zebra and the Night Zebra. They were a mare and a stallion, and the first creatures of all.
  555. >The Day Zebra loved all that was bright, while the Night Zebra loved all that was dark. Their relationship strained as they fought for possession over the many things that made up existence, but they finally concluded that they would slowly barter one another for parts of themselves, giving one all the black stripes and the other all the white ones.
  556. >Seeing this great sea of lights above, you wonder how the Day Zebra will ever have enough things to give the Night - though, perhaps Night will keep just this one stripe.
  557.  
  558. >The stars certainly WERE beautiful that night.
  559. "Wow..."
  560. >You'd seen them many nights as, without the great bonfire, there was little in the way of light when the sun set in your village. But from up here, it was as if they were close enough that you could hold up your hoof and trail through them like they were grains of sand.
  561. >You found your hoof rising to do just that, holding itself up to the open sky, but the illusive stars were just beyond you.
  562. >Lancer's hoof pats your belly, startling you.
  563. >"What are you doing, silly zebra?"
  564. >Your ears lower.
  565. "Oh, nothing... Just... It's really pretty up here is all."
  566. >His hoof slid up to your chest and back down again.
  567. >"I see something much prettier than the night sky right now...."
  568. >He leans up and bumps his nose against yours.
  569. >"And I think she deserves a reward for showing me such a good time, tonight."
  570. >His lips meet yours, and you waste no time in reciprocating.
  571. >Your tongues flick against each other, almost timidly at first, but then you feel his familiar hoof grip your flank, causing you to yelp.
  572. "Oh!-"
  573. >You scooch forward a little, reflexively evading the hoof, pressing yourself further into his kiss.
  574. >He moans as his tongue revolves around your own; you pull away to breathe, but he gently bites your lower lip, making you gasp.
  575. >Another hoof is placed on your back that slowly pushes you back to his waiting mouth.
  576. >You sigh and relent to him, allowing yourself to lean into his kiss and go completely limp.
  577. >He lowers you back down to a laying position as his hoof slowly rubs up and down your back reassuringly.
  578. >His other hoof, however, continues to grip your plot, making your tail flick with each squeeze.
  579. >After a while of this, Lance lays off and just holds you there, looking into your eyes.
  580. >"... Do you ever think about the future, Zala?"
  581. >he asks in a voice you've not heard from him. He was quieter, gentler... Almost uncertain.
  582. >You nod, nestling into his chest.
  583.  
  584. >"I sometimes think about what I'll be doing, and where I'll be going... There's a lot of uncertainty that comes with being a fighting stallion...."
  585. >You nod again. You think about your own life, and how certain everything had been for so long.
  586. >Every day, you knew what you would eat, what work must be done, what friends you would talk to... Lance must not have that; one day, he'll be here, with you, and the next, he might be far away, fighting some battle.
  587. >"There are some days, especially in these troubled times, when I don't even know if I'll wake up the next morning. But tonight, with you..."
  588. >His hoof rises from your plot to cup your face, and he gives you a tiny smile.
  589. >"I wish this night could just go on and on... I wish I never had to leave you again."
  590. >Wait, really?
  591. >REALLY!?
  592. >You jolt up on his chest, beaming.
  593. "You could stay here! You could move in with us! My mom and dad would love you!"
  594. >Lancer just lightly shakes his head.
  595. >"I cannot simply abandon my country when they need me... I swore an oath to serve Equestria."
  596. >Oh...
  597. >You close your eyes, deep in thought.
  598. >...Then it's settled. You open your eyes and give him a firm nod.
  599. "... Then I'm coming with you."
  600. >Lance scoffs.
  601. >"No, no. Zala, we don't take extra mouths with us. Besides, you know I'm not heading anywhere good."
  602. "But I could help! I know all sorts of plants, and I won't eat very much, and I'll stay really quiet!"
  603. >"Zala-"
  604. "And then I can go on adventures with you, and we can dance, and see Equestria, and..."
  605. >You blush and glance around timidly, forgetting that you're alone and in the sky.
  606. "...And we can... Kiss, and hug, and... Stuff."
  607. >You bite your lip as your words peter out. Lance's smile disappears and he brings his face close to yours.
  608. >"Can you do something for me, Zala? Just for tonight?"
  609. >Yes, anything! You eagerly nod.
  610. >Lance's ears fold back, and for a moment, he seems as young as you.
  611. >"Could you say you love me?"
  612.  
  613. >Your eyes water up, and you gently push your nose against his.
  614. "I love you..."
  615. >You say it breathlessly, and he smiles.
  616. >"Say it again?"
  617. >A little louder this time.
  618. "I love you!"
  619. >You press your little face into his and kiss him with all your might, feeling a tear streak down your cheek.
  620. >He sighs into your kiss as he returns it, running a hoof through your braids as he does.
  621. >You feel a warmth growing behind you, by your tail.
  622. >When he finally breaks the kiss, his wonderful smile is back again.
  623. >"Thank you, Zala. I've got something to show you."
  624. >He picks up speed, heading in the direction of the village's bonfire.
  625. >But before ever coming close, he dips down, just above the grass. His hooves come up and tightly hold you against his body before he flips back upright.
  626. >You feel your hind legs brush against a great, warm, meaty object as you fly. Curious, you try to feel it out with your hooves.
  627. >Lance grunts and dips a bit before recovering, patting your head.
  628. >"Hey, now. Save that for when we get there."
  629. >You try to look down at it, but are too tight against his chest to do so.
  630. "What is that?"
  631. >Lancer looks down at you and pecks your forehead.
  632. >"That's a surprise."
  633. >A tree rises up from the blackness of night, one which you'd seen many times in the day, and had even played on when you were younger.
  634. >It was some old twisted hunk of wood, too pathetic even for the guards to bother cutting down, and it lie next to a collection of heavy boulders that formed a sort of boundary for the villagers.
  635. >Lance slows to a hover right next to the boulders, using his hind legs to search out some item in the dark.
  636. >You hear his scratching end, and he suddenly lets you go.
  637. >You don't even have time to shout as you tumble down to earth, admittedly only a few hooves off the ground, but you were expecting to hit a boulder.
  638. >Instead, you land with a muted 'pomf' on some soft cushions.
  639. >You lay stunned for a moment, while Lance disappears into the darkness.
  640.  
  641. >The sound of metal striking rock ends when a bright flash erupts near to you.
  642. >Lance is there, leaning over a small campfire. In the light, you can see a basket containing two strange glasses and a large, dark bottle.
  643. >But you also see something else....
  644. >When Lance stands up, a heavy rod of meat protrudes from under him.
  645. >Your eyes go wide and you gasp, feeling blood rushing to your face.
  646. >He looks over at you and smiles.
  647. >"You can look, pet. That's just fine."
  648. >He turns away from you, facing his rump in your direction as he proceeds to open the bottle with a loud 'pop'.
  649. >His cropped tail raises and lowers slowly, and you can see the campfire light dancing off those two bulbous orbs between his legs.
  650. >Swallowing, you reach a hoof out.
  651. >You inch ever close to him as he pours the liquid into the two glasses, finally setting your hoof ever so gently on one of his orbs.
  652. >Lance tenses for a second and looks back at you. You shoot your hoof back and lower your ears.
  653. >But he just smiles and goes back to pouring.
  654. >Well, that's not a 'no'....
  655. >So you reach out again, slightly bolder, and place your hoof on it.
  656. >The skin is soft, hairless, but as you lightly press on the orb, you can feel firmness in it.
  657. "Ooh..."
  658. >"Having fun back there?"
  659. >Lance laughs and turns around holding out a glass for you.
  660. >You take it wordlessly and continue to watch him. Lance brings over his own glass and sits down on the cushion beside you.
  661. >That rod between his legs stands up against the light, looking almost like a weapon. You stare directly at it while Lance shuffles around something behind you.
  662. >You feel a heavy bolt of fabric land over your shoulders; Lance brought a large blanket a clothed you in it, before coming under it himself.
  663. >Only now do you realize how cold you've been. Your body is still damp from all the oils you'd applied, and the nighttime flying has severely cooled you down.
  664.  
  665. >You shudder and huddle yourself closer to Lance under the cover, and he puts a hoof around you possessively, drawing you closer still.
  666. >"This has been a wonderful night... I thought I'd put together something special for us."
  667. >Oh, is that why he wouldn't dance with you before?
  668. >Aaah, now it all makes sense!
  669. >You giggle to yourself, feeling comforted that he was never going to simply ignore you.
  670. >"Go on, try it."
  671. >You gaze into your reflection in the dark red potion. With a sniff, you sense berries, and strangely enough, wood and smoke, along with something you can't quite put your hoof on.
  672. >You raise it to your lips and sip.
  673. >The taste was nothing like berries, or smoke, or wood.
  674. >It was sickly, and barely sweet at all.
  675. >You coughed as you struggled to down that one sip, while Lance chuckles and empties his entire glass into his mouth.
  676. >"Ah, give it a couple more years, and you'll be dreaming of this stuff..."
  677. >He takes your glass and sets it down near the fire, and you lean your head against his shoulder.
  678. >As his hoof slides up and down your side, a comfortable silence passes between you both.
  679. >Even under the blanket, his rod pushes upwards, twitching against the fabric overtop of it.
  680. >He sees you looking, and smiles.
  681. >"I know you want to touch it, sweetheart... Go ahead."
  682. >Encouraged, you feel about with your hoof under the blanket, going from his powerful leg, down his thigh, to his belly, until you meet the base of it.
  683. >Your breathing instinctively picks up, and you feel your hoof trembling as you bring your hoof along it's length, stopping as you see your hoof poking against the fabric at its tip.
  684. "...Uhm."
  685. >"Yes?"
  686. "...Does it... Hurt?"
  687. >You'd seen penises before, as you'd been along with your family and friends to the area downriver where many preferred to relieve themselves... But why was it so hard?
  688. >When you pressed on it, Lance's breathing would hitch, and it would tense up even more. So you moved your hoof away.
  689.  
  690. >"No, no... Keep going, it pleases me."
  691. >He lifts up your face and kisses your lips.
  692. >"And there is nothing better that you can do for a stallion... Than please him."
  693. >You smile at that.
  694. >You've been doing GREAT, then!
  695. >You have been very pleasant with all the ponies you've met, and especially with your Lance.
  696. "Well I'll always be pleasant with you-mmmf!"
  697. >He cuts you off with his tongue in your mouth, and his hooves come around you and begin lowering you down onto the cushion.
  698. >Your gasping dies down, and you submit once more to his expert abilities, letting yourself be laid down.
  699. >Lance positions himself above you, and you feel his heavy cock pressing against your belly.
  700. >Its tip rests on your chest, with a faint wetness on it. You sniff, and your head is instantly swimming with his musky scent.
  701. >You let out a pant when he slides it back and forth, and your tail slaps on the earth behind both of you. He moans as your hooves come up to play with it.
  702. >His own hooves come around your head, tussling with your braided mane.
  703. >"Atta girl, just be gentle it, now...."
  704. >You slowly move your oiled hooves over it, feeling the pulsing veins and the little ring at its base, and he starts to pump it back and forth along your body.
  705. >Following his example, you start sliding your hooves up and down along the length of it, and Lance lets out a soft moan.
  706. >"Aah... That's it, girl... Just like that...."
  707. >You find yourself panting as you go, and seeing Lance becoming as heated as you've been all day only makes you more focused on your task.
  708. >Then he brings his shaft much lower, sliding it down at an angle so that it rubs along your own neglected privates.
  709. >As the ring of his cock meets you, a flash of warmth goes through your body.
  710. "Aah! Nnngh!~"
  711. >You bite down hard on one of the cushions. Or at least you tried to, grabbing a mouthful of his leg, instead.
  712. >Lance pauses as your legs tremble from the sudden sensation.
  713. >"...Ouch."
  714.  
  715. >You realize what you've done and release his leg. But he only chuckles.
  716. >"Awe, is my filly all pent up? I bet you've restless all day, haven't you?"
  717. >You nod shamelessly, panting aloud.
  718. >Well, you HAD BEEN! Ever since you'd laid eyes on him in the morning, your body had yearned for attention. Just the sight of those ponies made your body hot and your tail flick, and now that he's on top of you, it's more than you can bear.
  719. >"Well, then. I can't have that... But first, I want you to call me 'daddy'..."
  720. >Huh?
  721. >But he's not-
  722. "-Oh!"
  723. >Lance grinds himself against your fillyhood again, sending new bolts of lightning up to your hooves.
  724. >You lay for a second to get your bearings.
  725. "...Daddy?"
  726. >"Say I'm you're daddy, Zala...."
  727. >With another slow pump of his hips, your hind legs shake in the air.
  728. "Aaah... Da- you're my daddy...."
  729. >"What am I?"
  730. "My daddy! You're my daddy!"
  731. >Your ears pin against your head as you utter the words, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
  732. >"That's right, Zala... And who's my good little filly?"
  733. "I-"
  734. >Wait, are you?
  735. "Uh... Am I a good filly?"
  736. >He nods in approval and pumps his hips against you with more vigor. Meanwhile, both his forehooves cup your face and keep you from moving an inch as he grinds pure pleasure against your flower.
  737. >"There we go,"
  738. >He pants into your ear.
  739. >"Let it all out, cutie, just lay back and enjoy it...."
  740. >You gasp and moan with each pump of his cock against your tummy. Unable to even squirm, you can do nothing but vocalize these new emotions washing over you.
  741. "Ah, ah, ah! AAH! DADDY! DADDY!!"
  742. >You almost scream at the top of your lungs as a shockwave of heat and happiness erupts inside you.
  743. "OOOOAH-MMMMmmmm~"
  744. >You don't even register his dominant mouth slipping once more over your own, and you offer no resistance to his tongue as he plays around inside of you.
  745. >It feels as if you're a vessel filled with sweet pleasure, as it seems to crash against your brain and then flow down to your hind legs, and back again.
  746.  
  747. >"That's my zebra... Did you like that?"
  748. >You are nothing but a mess of pleasure... Completely limp, aside from the odd twitch of your hooves.
  749. "...Y-yes...."
  750. >Lance stands up above you; his hard rod is as erect as ever, though now it seems entirely covered in fluids.
  751. >"It certainly looks like you did, quite the mess...But now it's my turn."
  752. >You look up questioningly at him.
  753. >"I gave you that pleasure, Zala... It's only right that you give in return."
  754. "Oh, okay..."
  755. >You struggle to stand up; your legs are like jelly as you rise, and wetness runs freely down your thighs.
  756. >"Good girl, now turn around."
  757. >You shakily turn yourself so that your rump faces him. He slaps a hoof against your little plot, making you gasp and waking you up some.
  758. >"Now, tail up."
  759. >You quickly obey, flipping your tail up onto your back. As you see his forelegs come to your sides, you feel the tip of his member line up with your own privates.
  760. >One hoof turns your head back to look at him, and he nuzzles his face into yours.
  761. >"You're going to give me foals, Zala. Aren't you?"
  762. "Huh?"
  763. >"Say it, say you'll give me foals...."
  764. >But you can't have foals! You have to be married first to have foals.
  765. "I-I don't know if-"
  766. >"Just say it, sweetheart, say it once...."
  767. >Well, he IS a wonderful stallion... And if you are going to be a mom, you definitely want Lance to be the dad.
  768. "...I-I'm going to-"
  769. >A blinding light shines down on both you, and a voice calls out from somewhere above.
  770. >"YOU! STOP THIS INSTANT! AND STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"
  771. >You shiver and try your best to huddle under Lance's frame as he stands still.
  772. "What... What's happening!?"
  773. >The light lowers to the ground, revealing itself to be a pair of pegasi attached to a small, gilded chariot. The light dims further to reveal a tall unicorn riding in the back. He hops out of the chariot and the pegasi unhook themselves from it to follow. None of them look happy.
  774. >Lance sighs, sounding more annoyed than startled.
  775. >"Celestia damn it...."
  776.  
  777. **********
  778.  
  779. >The unicorn marches toward both of you, along with his two escorts. As they pass into the light of the campfire, you feel Lance's girth recede behind you.
  780. >"Just WHAT in Luna's name do you think you're doing, Lieutenant?"
  781. >The unicorn's voice is crisp and officious, echoing of an aristocratic authority you'd vaguely heard in the voice of the royal herald that came to your village announce the war so long ago.
  782. >While not as stacked with muscle as Lancer, his tall frame was still delightfully well-built. He was white like many of the others, but also had a great amber mane which poured down from beneath his helmet, all the way to his shoulders. His armor seemed different, as well. While it was obviously golden like the others, it also included two pauldrons at his sides bearing strange depictions of the sun and moon, respectively. Under his long white horn, his golden helmet was inlaid with swirls of gleaming silver. And his plume atop his helm, unlike other stallions, did not stand up straight - but rather flopped over one side like an extension of his mane.
  783. >Lancer stepped over you and struck a lazy salute to the unicorn. Now vulnerable, you hunker down further into the ground.
  784. >"I was just familarizing myself with the locals, sir."
  785. >The unicorn eyed his shrinking cock and scowled further.
  786. >"You depraved cretin... I ought to have you castrated for all the trouble you've been."
  787. >That sounds bad. You force yourself to raise your hoof.
  788. >All four of the Equestrians turned their eyes to you, making your heart stop momentarily. But you forced your lungs to squeak out in protest.
  789. "Uhm... Please don't be mad at Lance... He's a really nice pony."
  790. >They stare at you in silence until the unicorn scoffs aloud and turns back to Lance, who has a small smile on his lips.
  791. >"How old is this filly?"
  792. >"I never asked."
  793. >"You sick creature, why can't you at least content yourself with the grown mares? Do they have too much fight in them for your tastes?"
  794.  
  795. >Lance shrugs.
  796. >"The zeebs breed young, why can't I?"
  797. >A gilded hoof flies up and strikes Lance hard on his cheek, causing him to grunt and stagger back.
  798. "NO!"
  799. >You jump up and run between the two of them; the two pegasi at the unicorn's sides step forth and lower their spears at you.
  800. >For a split second, the edge of one of the weapons grazes your face, and you feel the sharpness of its tip,
  801. >"Enough! She's a girl, I protect myself."
  802. >The unicorn waves off his two protectors, who raise their spears back up. You take another step towards him.
  803. "Please, PLEASE don't hurt him!"
  804. >He raises an eyebrow at you, so you continue.
  805. "Lance told me I'm the prettiest zebra, and... And he danced with me, and... And I love him!"
  806. >The unicorn snorts.
  807. >"Hmph, you're too young to even know what love is, girl."
  808. >You arch your back defensively.
  809. "I DO love him! He even KISSED ME! And we-"
  810. >"Zala..."
  811. >You look back at Lance behind you, who's shaking his head. But his unicorn superior shimes in.
  812. >"No, no. Please do continue; I want to hear what else he did."
  813. >You smile at him. All you'll need to do is explain yourself, and you'll all be okay.
  814. "Well, he kissed me, and then we went up in the sky, and he asked me to say I loved him, and I did, and..."
  815. >You pause to take a deep breath.
  816. "...And then we came down here, and I touched his ball-things, and I drank red stuff, and he said I could touch his... Uh...."
  817. >With every word, the unicorn's face seemed to twist further and further.
  818. "...And I called him 'daddy', and... He said I'm a good filly, and he made me feel really good... And that's about it."
  819. >Your last words are a mumble as your head lowers down. The look he was giving you was not one of understanding.
  820. "...So please don't be mad."
  821. >The air was quiet, aside from the sound of the fire crackling, and the unicorn's heavy breathing.
  822. >He suddenly stepped toward Lance once again, but looked again at you and stopped.
  823. >Lance did nothing; his face was flat and expressionless.
  824.  
  825. >"You filth... You slime... If only our princesses would allow capital punishment, I'd have you tossed into that bonfire!"
  826. >You gasp and cautiously place a hoof against his chest; tears well in your eyes. When he looks at you, his fury seems to reign itself in just slightly.
  827. "No... Lance... Lance is good. Please be nice to him."
  828. >He sighs and raises his head upwards. A beam of golden light shoots up into the sky with a whistle. He does it several times in quick succession, and soon you're hit by several other flying lights coming down to your position.
  829. >The chariots land next to his own, filled with armored ponies. He turns and announces to them.
  830. >"Take this thing into custody. I will bring the filly back, and apologize to her family personally."
  831. >You feel your legs weaken.
  832. >Oh no, you forgot all about your parents! They must have gone looking for you.
  833. "Actually... I'll just... Go home myself..."
  834. >The unicorn shakes his head, and you feel a warm tingling surround your body. A golden hue covers your body that glitters and jingles with magic energy.
  835. >The ground leaves you and you're hovering along with him as he turns and trots away.
  836. >This must be the power of the unicorns, to make others fly, as the pegasi can make themselves fly.
  837. >You flail your legs around until you turn slightly, letting you wave to Lance.
  838. "Goodnight, Lance! I hoped you had lots of fun!"
  839. >He turns his head away from you. Soon, you're let down into the chariot, with the unicorn sitting beside you.
  840. >"Your parents are very worried about you, child. They ran around our camp, bursting into tent after tent, until I was alerted to them."
  841. >You sulk in your seat. Of course mom and dad would ruin the best night of your life. Just when you'd met a wonderful stallion, they snatch him away from you.
  842. "I'm sorry...."
  843. >The pegasi from before attach themselves back on to the vehicle and tug it forward, almost making you fall on your back.
  844.  
  845. >"Why would you run off into the night with him? Did your parents not teach you to be wary of strangers?"
  846. >Why? Because he was handsome, and kind, and different in a world that had been so excruciatingly similar.
  847. >Because he wasn't nervous around you like the village colts always were.
  848. >Because he asked you to dance for him, and told you that you were the prettiest zebra he's ever seen.
  849. >Because, over the course of one day, you'd felt more love with him than you'd ever felt in all your life.
  850. >The pegasi beat their wings, and you lift off seamlessly into the air.
  851. "...He's not a stranger... I love him...."
  852. >You sniffle, and warm tears run down your face.
  853. >The unicorn stays silent, only glancing at you from time to time, as your crying intensifies.
  854. >Why doesn't anyone understand?
  855. >You mother was upset when you talked about Lance, and she even had to go snooping around the ponies' camp when she couldn't find you. Your father would be no better, and even this unicorn seems angered by you, when all you've only told the truth.
  856. >You see the village's fire coming closer, and lay down on the floor of the chariot, resigned to your fate.
  857. >A hoof comes down and gently tussles your braids.
  858. >"Now, now, dear... Don't cry anymore. You may not understand why I'm doing this now, but you will one day. And you'll thank me for it."
  859. >You look up at him, wet with tears. He puts on a kind smile.
  860. >"My, you're a pretty young mare. I'm sure you'll have no trouble catching the eye of any colt."
  861. >His hoof comes under your chin and moves your head back and forth, examining you; a familiar warmth meets your cheeks.
  862. >"Sit up, now. It is uncouth for a young lady to flop about on the floor like that."
  863. >You obediently rise up, driven by his commanding, yet gentle demeanor. He pulls you in with a leg around your shoulders, while his other hoof reaches into a pouch at his side.
  864.  
  865. >You can smell him; while Lance was a mixture of your own scents and his, this stallion emanated with exotic fragrances you've never experienced.
  866. >Visions of glowing magic flowers, and towering ancient trees, misty pools of water spring into your mind. Sights you've never seen, but could very well cover the land from which he came.
  867. >Equestria, he smelled of Equestria.
  868. >His stallion nature was almost undetectable. But beneath the flowers, his brute strength still permeated.
  869. >"Here, look at this...."
  870. >He held out a golden disc on the end of a swinging, golden chain. Its golden surface is marked with scratches of symbols you do not understand.
  871. >Your eyes follow it as the object sways with the motions of the chariot. It turns in the air, until you see its front. Colours burst off of a portrait of two flying, horned ponies circling one another on a bright blue background.
  872. >One is a deep blue, while the other is pure white. And while one has an ocean of stars for a mane, the other has a glorious rainbow.
  873. >Between them, a sun and moon stand as well, much like his pauldrons.
  874. >"This watch was a parting gift from my aunt. She was worried sick about me when I declared my intent to join the war effort."
  875. >He flips open the cover, revealing another portrait on the inside. It depicts a great mass of stones and spires rising from the side of a mountain. Underneath it is another inscription.
  876. "What is that?"
  877. >He smiles.
  878. >"That is Canterlot, my home. I lived in that castle for much of my life, before coming out here."
  879. >He lived in a mountain? This stallion must be an incredible climber.
  880. "...And what's this?"
  881. >You point out the symbols beneath the structure.
  882. >"Oh, that just says 'Canterlot". That is how we spell it. I suppose you do not know our letters?"
  883. >You watch the little arrows of the watch turning around, clicking as they point to notches against the white surface.
  884. >"It's a bit garish for my tastes, but my aunt wished for me to take it along. Here."
  885.  
  886. >He closes the lid and holds in in front of your face.
  887. >"You can have it. I carry a great number of pocket watches, anyway. I'm certain that this kind of technology would be... A boon to your village."
  888. "How?"
  889. >He stutters before finding his words.
  890. >"W-well, you can tell the time with much greater accuracy with this. Rather than use a sundial, or stare at the sky, this item will can tell you exactly what hour and minute of the day it is."
  891. "How?"
  892. >He raises one of your hooves and presses the watch into it.
  893. >"Take it. It's yours."
  894. >You carefully cradle the watch in your hooves and bring it to your ear, hearing its ticks like they were little heartbeats.
  895. "Wow... This thing is so pretty...."
  896. >He squeezes you fondly in his grip.
  897. >"Hmm, not prettier than you though, dear. Now do not trouble yourself with thoughts of that lieutenant any longer; a sweet filly like you could do so much better...."
  898. >You blush at his compliment and look up at him.
  899. >His confident smile and brilliant blue eyes make you melt, and you feel your tail lazily lift and flop back down.
  900. >Does he... Like you too?
  901. >You lower your ears and lean against him, raising your face closer to his.
  902. >He moves his head back slightly, and his smile lessens.
  903. >"Er, no no-Mmmf!"
  904. >You press your lips against his, drowning out his protests. You push your tongue against his mouth, but his lips do not open like Lance's.
  905. >After a while, you lower yourself down, feeling flushed once again, and you look hopefully up at him.
  906. >The unicorn too blushes heavily, and his nostrils flex from heavy breathing.
  907. >"Oh my... You are an interesting zebra."
  908. >Was THAT why he was mad? Was he angry that Lance took you away for himself? You don't mind sharing at all!
  909. "Thank you for the gift...."
  910. >You whisper, before pressing your nose into his neck. You breathe in and return to a land of wonder, of fragrant flowers and strong stallions, and a shudder runs down your back.
  911. >He pats your back once or twice, and you nuzzle further into him.
  912.  
  913. ********************************************
  914. >>32591205
  915. >And that was the last happy moment of that night.
  916. >As soon as the chariot touched down at the edge of the village, you saw your parents waiting. Though they'd always been gentle with you, your legs still shook as you stepped onto the ground.
  917. >You cowered behind the unicorn as the two of you approached them, and their angry faces came into view.
  918. >"We found her out by that old tree..."
  919. >He glanced back at you before continuing.
  920. >"...Apparently one of my men had taken it upon himself to sneak her a bottle of wine."
  921. >You look at him. Is he not going to mention all the other stuff you did?
  922. >Your father stepped toward him, growling.
  923. >"You think we cannot SMELL her? What else happened with that guard?"
  924. >He shook his head.
  925. >"I cannot speak for his intentions, but I assure you that nothing was allowed to happen. We came upon them rather quickly."
  926. >Unsatisfied, your mother spoke up.
  927. >"It's that 'Lance' pony, isn't it? She was telling me all about him earlier."
  928. >She eyed you accusingly.
  929. >"What did I say? You could dance for a little and then go to bed. And what do you do as soon as I've got my eyes off you!? YOU RUN OFF WITH SOME FILTHY PONY!"
  930. >You cowered behind the unicorn guard, too timid to even voice your apologies.
  931. >What was worse was that you were not sorry. What did you do that was so wrong? Lance never meant you any harm; in fact, he'd taken you to such heights - in more ways than one, that you'd never before experienced.
  932. >And this other stallion, he's only been sweet to you in the brief time you've spent together - in fact, not one pony had been rude or aggressive to you or any other zebra that you could see.
  933. >This was just a typical mother and father wanting to keep you in your safe little shell of a village. They wanted their daughter to know what they know, and feel what they feel, and nothing else.
  934. >As your parents closed in on you, the unicorn stepped out of their way.
  935.  
  936. >You looked at him pleadingly, hoping in the back of your mind that he would miraculously grab you back up in his magic and take you away.
  937. >You would have joined up with his army right then and there, and spent all your days marching along with them. You could dance for them, and learn to cook, and clean his watches, and help him take off in his armor.
  938. >Then he and Lance could hold you close at night, and take turns kissing you and telling you how much they loved you. They could pump themselves against your belly the way Lance did, and make those waves of pleasure crash over you once again.
  939. >But he did little, other than stare back into your eyes with a hint of sympathy, before lowering his gaze to the dirt.
  940. >Then you felt your father's teeth clench around the back of your mane and tug you roughly forward.
  941. "Aah!"
  942. >You yelped both in pain and surprise as he hauled you along, with your mother following swiftly behind.
  943. >"It's disgusting how my OWN DAUGHTER would run off with these things...."
  944. >The watch he'd given you was kept tight in your left hoof as you hobbled along, trying to match your father's gait.
  945. >"Why did you trust them? I thought we raised you to be a smart young filly, and you run off the second some outsider comes along!"
  946. >Dad kicks open the rickety door to your small home and drags you inside.
  947. >He lets go of your hair and you flop onto the floor, clutching your watch close, before starting into you just like your mother.
  948. >"I swear I won't ever let you out of my sight again. How could you do something so stupid, Zala?"
  949. >It wasn't like you to be angry, or to raise your voice, but you were tired of all this judgment.
  950. >You were in love, and that cannot possibly be wrong. You rose up to your hooves and yelled back at them in your shrill voice.
  951. "I'M NOT STUPID! I LOVE LANCE, AND I'M GONNA MARRY HIM AND HAVE FOALS!"
  952. >"YOU LITTLE-"
  953.  
  954. >Your father lurches toward you and you sprint to the other side of the tiny wooden table that is the centerpiece of your family's modest earthen house.
  955. >He'd never raised a hoof to you like other dads have done to their foals. But you'd never yelled at him like that, either. Even though he was nothing like the ponies, he was still a large zebra. You'd never been more frightened.
  956. >But the moment passed, and your father seemed to realize what he was doing. He stepped back and stared long and hard at you, before quickly retreating out the door.
  957. >You were left alone for some time, though you were afraid to move. So you sat at the table, flipping the watch cover open and closed.
  958. >"Canterlot', it says. The house on a mountain, and home of the unicorn. He must be a very important pony to have such a beautiful house. Not to mention how rude he was to Lance; even though you forgave him, you still could not believe he hit Lance and got away with it.
  959. >As you sat there, pondering over the two stallions of your night, you briefly forgot how everything had so abruptly ended. You lounged against the table and studied the watch as the sound of drums banged outside.
  960. >But then you heard your parents' voices returning, and your dread came back in force.
  961. >"...Slimy unicorn thinks he can just apologize his way out this! I want compensation, and I want that stallion's head on a STICK!"
  962. >"I know, I know. But he says he'll handle the stallion. Let's just worry about our daughter right now, kay?"
  963. >The voices came right to the open door, still furious as ever. Your mother returned first.
  964. >"Where is she? Zala? ZALA?"
  965. >You gasped and huddled low to the floor as her eyes found you.
  966. >She marched right around the table, and you scampered back to the other side.
  967. >But your father entered the room as well, and they both had you cornered. You balled yourself up in the corner and tucked your tail tightly around yourself, certain they would lay some physical retribution on you.
  968.  
  969. >They both stood imposingly, questioning over how best to torture you. In response, you tuck your head into your hooves and shut your eyes, as hot tears fill the little pocket of air between your face and the ground.
  970. >"This never would have happened if we properly disciplined her."
  971. "Nngh..."
  972. >"All the other parents spank their kids; maybe we should start."
  973. "Nngh!"
  974. >You pull your tail closer at that comment.
  975. >"Oh, that's never going to work. They all spank their kids and then they go and break the rules again, anyway!"
  976. >Your mother gasps and you hear her clip-clop away, before returning just as fast.
  977. >"What in Zebrica is THIS?"
  978. >You hear the metallic jingle of a tiny chain unravelling, and you snap your head up in horror.
  979. >THE WATCH!
  980. >Your mother was turning it over in her hooves and flipping the cover open and closed. She even held it to her ear like you had, hearing the little ticks coming from deep inside of the magic item.
  981. >You wanted to scream, but you kept your voice faint as you pleaded for her to return it.
  982. "Mom, mommy, can I please have that back, pleease?"
  983. >She glanced at you, then back to the watch, before waving her hoof dismissively.
  984. >"You are not keeping this, Zala."
  985. "WHAAT? BUT MOOM!!"
  986. >"QUIET!"
  987. >She barked back at you, forcing your head to lower back to the floor.
  988. >"This Equestrian junk has no place in our house. It's... What even is this!?"
  989. >You look up at her again.
  990. "It's a watch! The nice unicorn gave it to me-"
  991. >Her face contorted at the very mention of that unicorn.
  992. "-And he says it can tell the time better than the sun! He said it would be... A boon?"
  993. >Your mother sighs and places the watch back on the table.
  994. >"Well you certainly have no use for such a thing. I'll give it to the shaman to use-"
  995. "NO!"
  996. >You find the courage to stand up.
  997. "That's mine! He said I could keep it!"
  998. >Your father leers down at you.
  999. >"And what did he expect in return from you, huh?"
  1000. >You face him defiantly.
  1001.  
  1002. "Nothing! He just gave it to me! He did even let me put my tongue in his mouth!"
  1003. >Both your parents' faces were suddenly in yours.
  1004. >"WHAT!?"
  1005. >You continue, being much less sure now.
  1006. "He... When I kissed him, he never let me use my tongue like Lance did...."
  1007. >They stayed staring at you for a moment, before your father spun on his hooves and headed to the door.
  1008. >"I'll KILL HIM!"
  1009. >Both you and your mother ran after him, shouting.
  1010. >"No! They'll run you through if you go in that camp again!"
  1011. "Daddy, it's not his fault! I only kissed him ONCE!"
  1012. >Dad stopped just shy of the door and glared at you again.
  1013. >"I won't ever let one of those ponies come close to you EVER AGAIN. Those vultures aren't coming near this house again, near this village again, or near this TRIBE AGAIN!"
  1014. >Your mouth hung wide open as he ranted, with each addition to his curse causing it to gape further.
  1015. "But... But!"
  1016. >"No more! And YOU! Don't think we're even CLOSE to being finished with you, young zebra!"
  1017. "BUT!-"
  1018. >"GO TO YOUR ROOM!"
  1019. >You skitter away, first grabbing the watch off the table, then heading to your room.
  1020. >The two of them argued further into the night. Though the revelling still continued on outside, the celebration was dead and gone in your home.
  1021. >You laid on your tiny grass mattress with your tiny rough blanket pulled over yourself, and you listened to the sounds of the watch for some time.
  1022. >Until you heard hooves stomping up to the curtain that covered the entrance to your room.
  1023. >It was violently tossed aside, revealing your mother with a fresh face of anger.
  1024. >"Did you take it?"
  1025. >She asked coldly, scowling at you.
  1026. >The watch? The one that was right next to your head?
  1027. "...No?"
  1028. >She growled over to you and you tucked the watch under the cover.
  1029. >"Zala, give it here, right now."
  1030. >You held it tighter, lowering your ears.
  1031. "Mom... It's mine. Can I please keep it?"
  1032. >"Zala."
  1033. "Please? I won't ever be bad again, I promise...."
  1034. >She held out her hoof in front of your face.
  1035.  
  1036. >"Zala, I want that thing in my hoof right now."
  1037. "Mommy, he said it was mine..."
  1038. >"last chance."
  1039. >You run a hoof across your nose and look up at her as pathetically as you can. You were ready to do every chore, every monotonous task she could give you for the rest of your life, if she'd just let you hold on to that one little piece of Equestria.
  1040. "Mommy... Please, please, please, PLEASE let me keep it? I swear I'll do whatever you want! I'm sorry! I won't do anything ever again!"
  1041. >But your mother did not care. Her daughter had found something that did not mesh with tribe life, and so it had to be destroyed.
  1042. >She ripped the blanket right off you and wrestled for the watch.
  1043. "NOO! MOOM, STOP!"
  1044. >You screamed, and kicked, and grabbed at anything you could get your hooves on. But she was bigger than you, and so she pried your hooves away and took it.
  1045. >When she stood back up, she was breathing heavily, and giving you a look that made you want to wither up and die.
  1046. >"You little brat... I should slap you across your lip for that."
  1047. >You whimper, laying defeated on the mattress in your sweat and tears.
  1048. >"And this..."
  1049. >She pulled you upright onto your haunches and grasped the golden ring around your neck.
  1050. >"This does not belong on such a foolish little filly."
  1051. >She took it off and held it in front of your nose.
  1052. >"I won't ever let you touch another piece of my gold, Zala. Not for as long as you live."
  1053. >To drive the message home, she prodded the ring against your nose. In your weakened state, that little nudge was enough to topple you over. You fell backwards and hit your head against the wall behind you.
  1054. >That was it... There was nothing left in you.
  1055. >She marched back out of the room and pulled the curtain back tight, just as your whimpers turned into moans.
  1056. >At some point deeper into the night, you'd allowed yourself to slump into a more comfortable position, and you continued to cry into your blanket.
  1057.  
  1058. >And when sleep finally did begin to pull you in, you refused to sleep on your own mattress.
  1059. >You don't really know why... You suppose you just were not done suffering at that point.
  1060. >So you dragged your blanket into the corner of your small room and curled up underneath it, falling into a fitful sleep.
  1061. >Morning had come too soon, the next day. You woke to the distant sounds of construction - or rather, deconstruction. No doubt, those were the sounds of the ponies packing up their supplies to move on. You rubbed your aching, dry eyes and forced yourself up.
  1062. >Sleeping on the ground may have been a mistake, as it left your body stiff and sore, but remembering what happened just the day before, you feel like it fits the mood.
  1063. >You sprang up to the small window in your room and peered out, but you couldn't see any of them from it. Your window faced nothing but another boring mud house, and it was too small to climb through as well.
  1064. >You carefully stepped to your curtain and shifted it slightly aside, just to peek an eye through.
  1065. >Of course, your father was sat at the table just outside, watching your room sternly.
  1066. >He saw your eye and you retreated back inside.
  1067. >"Don't even think about it, Zala. You're staying in that room all day."
  1068. >You slumped onto your mattress and felt a new round of tears forming in your eyes, and you were forced to listen to the love of your life pack up and leave.
  1069. >many hours later, as you lay huddle once again under your blanket, your mother's voice startled you.
  1070. >"Zala? Are you awake?"
  1071. >It was not the vengeful hiss that she used all last night, but the gentle flowing lullaby that you'd always known.
  1072. >You were determined not to look at her, or anyone else for a long time, so you dug deeper into your blanket.
  1073. >A hoof lightly traced along your covered back and you shuddered.
  1074. >"My little girl... My flower... Wake up, Zala."
  1075. >Your mother used to wake you up every morning like that when you were really young.
  1076.  
  1077. >She would caress you, and nudge you until you open your eyes. And then she'd whisk you off to the table to eat breakfast, before the morning's chores began.
  1078. >Yesterday had been the first time she or your father had ever yelled at you.
  1079. >You were a good filly. And the second you stepped out of line, they tore into you like two lions.
  1080. >"Here, look at me, Zala."
  1081. >She lifted the blanket from your face and cupped your cheeks in her hooves.
  1082. >Your pink, itching eyes could not hold their stare, and you found yourself glancing anywhere but into her face.
  1083. >"Oh, my love... My sweet little filly. You look terrible...."
  1084. >You sniffled, and pulled away from her grasp.
  1085. >"Hush now, Zala. I wanted to say... I'm very sorry for how I treated you last night. It was not your fault that those stallions tried to steal you away... They were grown men, and should have known better."
  1086. >Your heart sinks deeper inside of you.
  1087. >"And your father and I were both wrong to shout at you like we did... I want you to know that we will never, ever hurt you... Okay, Zala?"
  1088. >They DID hurt you, more than they could ever know.
  1089. >"But you also need to be more careful from now on, okay? It is dangerous outside of our home, and those ponies are the most dangerous thing of all. I want you to promise me you won't let yourself be alone with any ponies again, alright?"
  1090. >You said nothing. Every word she spoke was dripping with this motherly syrup that made you want to scream and kick until she left you alone. You couldn't believe anything she said, not after all the ponies had been so good to you, and your own parents had been so cruel.
  1091. >"Hmm?"
  1092. >She gave you a soft shake with her hoof, trying to nudge the proper answer out of you. But again, you gave her nothing.
  1093. >You instead curled into a ball too tight for her to break, and pretended she wasn't there.
  1094. >She stayed for some time, stroking your back, playing with your ear, even humming a song or two from your childhood, but you did not come out.
  1095.  
  1096. >She did finally leave at some point, but you were so far inside your own head that you never noticed.
  1097. >You swore to yourself that you'd be mad at them forever, and never forgive them until they told you they were happy with you marrying Lance.
  1098. >But you had to eat at some point, and relieve yourself as well. So you grudgingly left your room much later in the day, and tried to keep out of their attention as much as possible.
  1099. >The following days were easier, as you returned to the rhythm of village life. Your parents had you back to doing chores and helping with their work, and you felt the anger in your chest lessening as you absorbed yourself into your duties.
  1100. >They followed you everywhere you went for some time, though the threat of the ponies had long passed. And after they stopped and allowed you room to breath again, you were only pestered by another nuisance.
  1101. >The fillies and colts of your home buzzed around you wherever you went, as they always had. Though it seemed to bother you like it never did before.
  1102. >Your filly friends all shared hushed rumors about the happenings of that night, and boasted about how they danced with this pony or that, but you said nothing of your experience, and merely nodded along with their stories.
  1103. >The colts were much worse; the fight your parents had with the unicorn and their yelling match with you was heard by many, and the rumors about what happened with you that night abounded.
  1104. >Half of the colts were still nice to you, though somewhat more distant, while the other half seemed to take your love of a pony to be a challenge.
  1105. >They constantly bombarded you with conversation, offerings, and praises.
  1106. >"So, how about this weather, Zala?"
  1107. >"Hey Zal-Zal, wanna go swimming?"
  1108. >"Zala, you look so pretty, today!"
  1109. >You ignored them at first, then you lashed out at them, but eventually you started to engage with them.
  1110. >As weeks turned to months, you began to feel like your old self, again.
  1111.  
  1112. >You started dancing again; it was just something you could not help, and you couldn't pretend you did not miss it. Your neighbor had unexpectedly become pregnant and everyone asked you to dance for her maternal ceremony.
  1113. >Izzi came around often, more often than he used to, and you found yourself liking his company more and more.
  1114. >Not in any way like you did with Lance, but as one of your closest friends. You could see he liked you, but you never felt your tail twitch, or your body heat up when you laid eyes on him.
  1115. >Winter came and went, and spring followed.
  1116. >You were playing around with some friends in the tall grass, near where the old tree used to be before it was mysteriously cut down many months ago.
  1117. >When up in the sky, you saw a glimmer of light.
  1118. >You bounded on top of the of the old boulders and watched as the faraway object twinkled in the sunlight against the blue sky. It was coming closer and closer, about to pass right over your village.
  1119. >As it approached, it came clearly into view. It was a chariot - not anything like the one you'd ridden in so long ago, but one that was significantly larger.
  1120. >It was pulled along by four pegasi, and at least six ponies were seated in the back, scanning the land below.
  1121. >Your heart had not thumped this quick in quite some time as you raced along the rough dirt path leading away from your home.
  1122. >You tried to keep pace with the flying object, but it was in vain. So you shouted at the top of your lungs at them as they passed.
  1123. "HEEY! HEEEY! POOONIES!"
  1124. >The viewers in the chariot all fixed eyes on you as you raced under them.
  1125. "POOONIES! WAAIT!"
  1126. >Two of them smiled and waved at you, and they kept on flying.
  1127. >You still chased them, hopeful that they'd stop somewhere near and you could see them. But you tripped while keeping your eyes on them, and tumbled into the dirt.
  1128. >Your friends came and found you, both puzzled and concerned, assuming the tears in your eyes were from your fall.
  1129.  
  1130. >Ever since that day, your old heartache returned.
  1131. >It was not as strong as it once was, but it was always there.
  1132. >You wondered at night how Lance was faring. Was he still out there, fighting? Would he come marching back the way he came?
  1133. >If he did, you swore you'd escape your family right then and there.
  1134. >As Summer approached, however, you received news from the rest of Zebrica.
  1135. >The war was over. In fact, it had been over for many months.
  1136. >The details of it went over your head, but you understood that Zebrica had lost. A great portion of land to the East had been ceded to Equestria, and ponies were also now occupying several cities.
  1137. >This both lifted and crushed you. Lance was never going to come by, now... But at least the fighting is done. Maybe he's standing guard in some city on the coast, or maybe he's back in Equestria, flying without a care in the world.
  1138. >Though you still kind of hope he'd think of you some times. He probably does... You loved him, and he loved you. Maybe he was forbidden from coming back, just as you were kept from seeing him off that morning.
  1139. >That news came with other tidings as well. As trade lines had opened up again, word spread of the pretty young filly who was nearing her eligible age for marriage, among other things.
  1140. >It only even occurred to you that the news was about YOU when an older stallion you'd known all your life came by and made an offer of goods to your parents for your hoof in marriage.
  1141. >They turned him down politely, and you remained unconcerned with the matter, since your heart was already taken.
  1142. >But apparently word spread all over of the wondrous young mare who'd driven even the pony invaders wild with her beauty.
  1143. >You don't know exactly how such a legend got out, but you do know that whatever you did - or didn't do, with Lance was discussed all over the village.
  1144. >Soon enough, visitors became common at your village for the first time ever.
  1145.  
  1146. >Merchants were the first to come in droves; though you were forced by your parents to spend a little bit of time with each, you did find some of them to have a charming wit and humor. But they were small zebras, and did not excite you in ways you thought a husband should.
  1147. >Thankfully, your parents seemed to guard you as jealously from other zebras as they did from the ponies.
  1148. >They would let each suitor have his time, then guide them out. But then came harder choices to turn down.
  1149. >Great warriors came from the big cities to see you next, and they brought gifts of weapons, riches, and even slaves.
  1150. >They would boast of their accomplishments, and tell stories from the war with Equestria, and point to their many scars, but that only twisted your belly. What if Lance had fallen victim to one of these zebras? He was doubtless the larger warrior, and could fly, but perhaps these warriors had snuck up on him.
  1151. >Perhaps he was weakened by thoughts of you, and these fighters took advantage of it.
  1152. >By the time your imagination was done, each one of these grizzled zebras may as well had been belching in your face for how little you desired them.
  1153. >Your parents disliked them, too, for they brought an unease to the village with their crude behaviors and slave caravans. Each zebra slave was a new mouth to feed, and a new threat, as they each had come from a tribe that sorely wanted them back - and were willing to enslave any who'd get in their way in turn.
  1154. >But then came the nobles, and your parents could only protect you for so long.
  1155. >There were many varieties in their ranks. The wealthiest were often old and soft, and covered themselves head to hoof in robes, seemingly to hide their shameful bodies. While some among the lower nobles were young, tall, and quite comely.
  1156. >While the lesser nobles came with a touch of foreign elegance you'd not seen since the Equestrians, the greater nobles made your skin crawl.
  1157.  
  1158. >They would touch you, and give you slimy smiles, and have their harem mares wait on them even as they spoke with you and your parents.
  1159. >Some of them were not even offering marriage; they were only offering a spot in their harems, so that you could have the glory of laying in their bed, and feeding fruits into their mouths as they lounged in their manses.
  1160. >But it was what they brought as offerings that terrified you most. They did not only offer great riches, but also power, prestige to your family, and vast swathes of land.
  1161. >Even as your parents still reluctantly honored your decisions not to give in to any of them, they could only do this for so long. In the end, it would be their decision, and with your birthday coming up, you would be in your prime age for marriage.
  1162. >Some of the nobles even made generous offerings to your family just for a kiss. And your parents saw no reason not to accept them.
  1163. >It usually was not so bad, as the nobles would be tactful enough to lean in and let your parents force your face into theirs, giving them the lightest peck on the lips. It was a small price to pay, you suppose, for all the riches they heaped onto your parents for the favor.
  1164. >Sometimes, it was very bad. Even the handsome younger stallions become grotesque when you remembered your first kiss with Lance.
  1165. >He'd jammed his tongue into your little mouth and wrestled you into submission. And you LIKED it.
  1166. >After a whole day of longing for him, he'd given you the briefest taste of himself, and you could not dream of desiring anything else.
  1167. >But these zebras, with their healthy black stripes and charming cheekbones were still nothing close to Lance's glorious masculinity.
  1168. >The boldest would hold the kiss a little too long, or place a hoof under your chin as you leaned in, or even give your hoof a parting kiss as you pulled away.
  1169.  
  1170. >The worst of them all was this one stinking old bag of dust, who'd had the nerve to push his tongue through your lips as you leaned into him.
  1171. >His slick eel could not penetrate your teeth, however, so he instead explored under your lips, slipping over your gums and seeming to leave a sick film of slime wherever his tongue went.
  1172. >You puked all over him, causing him and his servants to gasp and shout, and your parents to laugh.
  1173. >When you were not being forced to sit through the courting of the stallions, you were being hounded by the village colts.
  1174. >Izzi and his group still hung around you, though an air of desperation followed them wherever they went.
  1175. >They made their own cute little offerings, giving you gifts of family drums, old balls, shells and rocks.
  1176. >They danced for you, and praised the ground you walked on, and bored you to death.
  1177. >Izzi was the only one who still talked to you like an old friend, though you could feel the tension in him as well.
  1178. >Maybe he wanted you, or maybe he just didn't want to see his friend get taken away by some noble.
  1179. >Your birthday came, and you felt like yourself for once in a while. The many courters actually stepped back for a change and let you dance and laugh with your friends like old times. They gave many gifts, of course, but these were generally handled by your parents.
  1180. >They were the ones that gave you the best gift of all: the cool metal ring that has been around your right hoof ever since that night, signifying your position as an older filly in the tribe.
  1181. >After that night, the courting intensified, with every stallion frenzied by your new age.
  1182. >You grew to resent each and every one of them. They cared nothing for you, as you heard the detachment in their voices as they spoke.
  1183. >How could it be that you felt more love in one night with a pony you'd just met, than with all these stallions who'd been chasing you for weeks?
  1184.  
  1185. >Your poor village had been overrun by them, with a city of tents having been erected all around it to house the nobility and their servants.
  1186. >It was as if a festival was occurring every day, and the many stallions seemed more interested in each other than in you or your tribe.
  1187. >They feasted and drank and watched their servants dance until the sun came up. The very sound of drums and flutes tired you greatly now.
  1188. >When the Summer Dance Festival was upon you, you dreaded it.
  1189. >Not only because it dragged up the memories of last year, but because you would be expected to dance, and they would all be on you.
  1190. >You danced only a few times this year, like when your neighbor birthed her foals.
  1191. >Though you enjoyed the dance, the rest of the village only half-heartedly celebrated.
  1192. >Plain as day, her foals were not pure zebra. Your neighbor had somehow gotten foals with pony blood, so their coats had lighter stripes, and their white was tinged with a hue of red. Their manes were tipped with gold, and their eyes seemed... More expressive to you, than your fellow zebras' eyes.
  1193. >Her husband had left, joining up with a caravan and leaving the village for good, and she survived off donations from everyone else. But you still felt the slightest hint of jealousy for her. Those babies are adorable, and if Lance had only been allowed to stay, you could have been married and with foals by now.
  1194. >Other than that, you danced for some lesser celebrations. Though you still tried to enjoy yourself, you did have to deal with being suffocated by your many courters pressing against you as you tried to dance with them.
  1195. >This coming holiday would be no different - in fact, the only difference would be that this was the largest dance of the whole year.
  1196. >As was tradition, all creatures were invited, including every single slave, servant, and harem mare.
  1197. >The fire had to be many sizes larger, and the feast much greater.
  1198. >...And you, Zala, would be the main attraction.
  1199.  
  1200. >And now, here you are, sat alone watching the other zebras dance and eat and play.
  1201. >You didn't realize how long you'd been here for, just reminiscing. Your flank was quite sore and your legs tingled from sitting for so long.
  1202. >The fire danced off the oiled bodies of the zebras as they lunged and ducked and twirled in its light. Their stripes all melded together, until it was like one big animal, undulating to the beat of a dozen instruments.
  1203.  
  1204. https://youtu.be/Ag6y6jz7bQQ
  1205.  
  1206. >Around you, zebras ate and chatted amongst each other. Somewhere, a ball game was being played.
  1207. >One colt emerged from the pile of dancers, having noticed you.
  1208. >Izzi stood smiling before you; he looked very pleasing with his shining coat and gold ring on his neck.
  1209. >"Zala, why don't you come dance?"
  1210. >You looked back at the massive crowd, then to him.
  1211. "I... I just don't want to get stuck in there. I haven't even eaten yet."
  1212. >He sat down next to you, cocking his head to one side.
  1213. >"What's the matter? If all those nobles are the problem, then I'll be sure to keep them off you."
  1214. >He nudged your shoulder. You had not even coated yourself in oils this year. Since then, you chose to keep your mane braided, since Lance seemed to really like that, but you did not want to participate in any way with this reminder of his departure.
  1215. >You shrugged.
  1216. "I'm just tired, Izzi. I think I'll go to bed early, this year. But you should go and have fun."
  1217. >He smiled at you even wider and crossed his hooves.
  1218. >"How can I enjoy myself while you're sitting over here all bummed out? I'll keep you company."
  1219. >Just then, another voice came from behind both of you.
  1220. >"Run along, Izzi. If my filly wants a little time to herself before her betrothal, then she deserves it."
  1221. >Both of you turn to see your father, carrying a plate of food in one hoof.
  1222. >Izzi looks at you before sighing and trudging back toward the dance pile.
  1223. >Your father takes his spot next to you and places the food down at your hooves.
  1224.  
  1225. >"You should eat, my flower. I know all this courting nonsense has been giving you grief, but the best thing about it is that once it's over, you won't ever have to deal with it again."
  1226. >He wrapped a hoof around your shoulders and gave you a squeeze, and you poked at the food with a hoof.
  1227. >Traditional Zebrican fare. Not even the goods brought in by the many nobles seemed to come from Equestria. You recognized every dish as merely an improved version of something you'd already seen.
  1228. "Thanks, dad...."
  1229. >A pause hovered between both of you, before he asked the inevitable question.
  1230. >"...Is this about last year?"
  1231. >You said nothing, but gave him a slight nod.
  1232. >"...Zala, listen to me. When a choice is made for your betrothal, your mother and I will be sure it's with a zebra you want, and not just one who could give us lots of things. You are my daughter, my only child, and I want only the best for you."
  1233. >He points to the dancers.
  1234. >"And somewhere in there, I believe the best is waiting."
  1235. >You stare glumly into them.
  1236. "...What if it's not?"
  1237. >"Well... I think the best things are things we make for ourselves, my sweet. Sometimes, the greatest gifts in life are hidden under what we think are great misfortunes. Love, happiness, things like that are... Are sometimes just under the surface, and we need to scratch around for them until we find them."
  1238. >He kissed the side of your head and squeezed you tightly.
  1239. >"But when we find them, they are stronger than anything that came before. Because we worked for them, and they are built on something solid."
  1240. >Sometimes they come to you, and are gone just as quick.
  1241. >Sometimes they almost make you wish they'd never come at all.
  1242. >Sometimes, they're far away, beyond the boundaries of your little life.
  1243. >Sometimes, they have wings, and other times, they have horns.
  1244. >Sometimes, they....
  1245. >Sometimes they are given large swathes of land to the East, where they will be living in the hundreds, if not THOUSANDS!
  1246. >Sometimes you need to be bad.
  1247.  
  1248. "Dad?"
  1249. >"Hmm?"
  1250. "...Whatever happened to that watch mom took?"
  1251. >"Oh, that? I think she did end up giving it to the shaman, why do you ask?"
  1252. >You felt a smile stretch on your lips for the first time tonight.
  1253. "Do you think if I asked to see it, he'd let me?"
  1254. >Dad thought on it for a moment before answering.
  1255. >"He might, or he might have sold it to a trader. I suppose you could ask him, and maybe he'd let you see it for a bit."
  1256. >A bit would be more than enough time.
  1257. >You stood up and beamed at him.
  1258. "Okay! I'll go see him right now!"
  1259. >Your father raised an eyebrow at you.
  1260. >"Now? The old skeleton's probably fast asleep. Why not in the morning?"
  1261. "Please? Can I please just see if he's still up first?"
  1262. >You father looked like he was trying to push out one answer, but his heart fought for another. He had not seen you smile so brightly in quite a while, either.
  1263. >"Err, fine... But I want you to come right back and finish your food if he's no-"
  1264. "YES!"
  1265. >You leapt into the air, flipping and landing dextrously back on your hooves.
  1266. "THANK YOU DAD!"
  1267. >You ran off, even as he shouted a response.
  1268. >"AND I'M TELLING YOUR MOTHER WHERE YOU ARE!"
  1269. >You raced through the village, staying out of the crowds, where you would certainly be spotted and held up by stallions.
  1270. >The wise old tree home of the shaman came into view, kept on the outskirts of the village, where even the nobles would not place their tents.
  1271. >You crept up to the open entrance, covered only by a ragged old cloth and listened. Only the sound of deep snoring emanated from inside.
  1272. >The old shaman was the keeper of your village's tribal stories and traditions, as well as the most talented potion-maker and herbal expert. He supposedly could tell all kinds of omens of the future by reading the stars, and casting charms and trinkets on the ground and seeing how they landed.
  1273. >He spoke only in rhymes, and half of every sentence was in an ancient language only the shamans really remembered.
  1274.  
  1275. >Foals always loved him and laughed at his alien ways, but tonight, you were just hoping he never received any omens of your plan.
  1276. >You quietly stepped inside and surveyed the many hanging jars and masks of his strange abode.
  1277. >And thankfully, you saw your watch hanging along with many other knick-knacks, seemingly untouched a year later.
  1278. >You slowly reached up for it, listening to the pattern of his breathing.
  1279. >Without issue, you grabbed it and lifted the chain up off the hook that held it.
  1280. >You got it off, but the chain clinked as it fell down from the hook.
  1281. >The snoring stops, and you hear the old shaman rustling in his bed.
  1282. >"...Mheh? Who in their right mind would be keeping me awake? You should allow an old zebra to catch a break..."
  1283. >You see his wrinkled head come up and immediately spot you holding the watch in your hooves.
  1284. >His voice is dry and sleepy, but you can still hear his anger.
  1285. >"Hey, is that the pretty young Zala I see? You had best hoof that amulet over to me!"
  1286. >No time for subtlety. You leap down and bolt out the door and the ancient zebra struggles out of bed, shouting after you.
  1287. >You race as fast as you can back to the center of the village with the watch in your jaws.
  1288. >Losing yourself in the crowds of servants and slaves who'd chosen food over dancing, you weave in and out of their numbers.
  1289. >Once you've reached the edge of the festivities, you slip away and head home.
  1290. >You take little, just a sturdy wicker basket, some food, your blanket, and a bladder of water. Once you've secured the items on your back, you bolt back out the door.
  1291. >Over the noises of the festival, you cannot hear any shouting or calling of your name, so you probably still have some time.
  1292. >You stop just on the outskirts of the village, right at the boulders where you'd cuddled with your Pegasus at this time last year, and look back at the great fire.
  1293.  
  1294. >Everything you'd ever known was just over there, and everything you'd ever wanted was somewhere in that darkness to the East.
  1295. >Still, though, the realization of what you're about to do is still enough to force a shiver down your spine.
  1296. >Would you ever see them again? Would you ever know another comfortable night with your family, or another dance with your friends?
  1297. >They all loved you, no the courters, but THEM, those zebras you'd known forever.
  1298. >Your eyes watered, but you held them back.
  1299. >You never wanted to be a runaway... But what else is there to do? Just like your father said, sometimes the greatest gifts are hidden within misfortunes.
  1300. >If this is not a misfortune, you don't know what is.
  1301. >So you take a deep breath and enjoy the view one last time.
  1302. >...You wish you could at least leave behind some kind of note, just so they know you weren't dragged off by some courter, or eaten by an alligator, or something. But if you say anything, they will be upon you in no time....
  1303. >Well, not like they'll be starved for ideas as to where you might go.
  1304. >You take out your bladder and empty a small amount onto the dirt by one of the boulders.
  1305. >With your hoof, you dip into the mud and begin to scrawl a picture onto the rock surface.
  1306. >It takes perhaps too long, but you're a fast runner. You'll follow the river when the road cannot be trusted, and you'll always sleep in the tallest grass.
  1307. >When you're done, you take a step back and admire your work.
  1308. "...Canterlot."
  1309. >CANTERLOT, it says, done as close to the original as you could do it.
  1310. >Would that be too much of a hint? Well... It's too late for you to wipe it off.
  1311. >So you give your past life one last look, feeling an odd wave of confidence overtake you.
  1312. "I'll be back one day, and you'll be so proud of me, mom and dad!"
  1313. >You'll get what's best for you, one way or another. You'll work for it, the way you had to work for Lance.
  1314. >And one day, you'll return and show them you were not foolish for loving a pony.
  1315.  
  1316. FIN.

Zala the Zebra

by cloudruler

Change of Ownership

by cloudruler

Shorts because fuck you pastebin.

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Dust Up

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Fair and Square

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