To Guide the Wicked

Chapters

Question and Answer
Awakening
Lost Sheep
Where Nightmares Ruled
Thunder and Wolves
Claiming a Zebra (Explicit)
Claiming a Zebra
Pretty Blue Flowers
Jokes and Yokes
Look Me in the Eyes
Proud and Annoyingly Loud
Loud Pays Off
Reconciliation
Treasure Hunt
Sleepy Time
Damage Control
A Garden-Variety Problem
Question and Answer #2 (Also, please don't panic.)
First Impressions
Of Mares and Males
A Minor Misunderstanding
One Rainy Night
Home Again
Question and Answer #3
Mud
If It's Not One Thing...
CHOOSE
... Did I miss something?
Domestic Troubles
Crocodile Rock
Pandora's Box (Some Potentially Naughty Description)
Question and Answer #4
Character Progress Tracker: EXTRA
Problems Addressed
Solution Found
Everfree Goddess
Flanking Manuever
CHOSEN

Question and Answer

Rape ALL the mares

Pyrus face-hoofed, breathing in deeply, and slowly letting out a plume of smoke from his nose, before gritting his razor sharp teeth, as sparks popped up from his wings, molten cracks once more running up his legs as he growled out from his throat.

“Yes. Thank you so very much for that suggestion! It's not like I'm trapped in a damn ice fortress! It's not like the only other pony here is my brother! It's not like we can't go out to satisfy our urgings without being found by a pair of immortal sisters who raise the sun and moon every bucking day! Really, thank you, I absolutely needed to be reminded that I haven't gotten any in ALMOST A THOUSAND YEARS!!!" Shouted Pyrus, pulling his hoof down from his face as his eyes glowed blood red and his wings set aflame, molten cracks of glowing fire running up his legs to his chest, iron armor once again boiling and molten on his fur.

Cryon brought his front-right hoof up to in front of his mouth and cleared his throat slightly, before putting it back down on the floor, looking to you with a calm expression.

“Your suggestion to us on negative action to increase the turbulence of this realm is noted, and due to the risk associated with it, discarded. Now are there any questions about the Star of Woe and our subject?”

• Give the chosen these items

Give the chosen armour that can only be pierced by the most powerful of attacks.

Give the chosen a sword imbued with an inraged and insane windigo so that the can unleash it in combat.

Give the chosen a third eye so that he can predict the immediate future.

Give the chosen four marks:

The mark of Khorne his will give him a magical resistance and unmatched bloodlust.

The mark of Tzeentch his will give the chosen an unholy barrier if the armour is pierced.

The mark on Nurgle his will make the chosen's body bloated with disease,pestilence and rot but will allow him to feel no pain.

The mark of Slaanesh his will give him speed and finesse unmatched in all things.

Give the chosen a steed of great power so that the chosen can ride it into battle.

Give the chosen a crown that will inbolden your allies and strike terror into the hearts of your enemies.

Six Treasures shall be his Mark. Forged from the Other World, six treasures shall he Possess.

Upon his head the Crown shall see all, and Open Eye will prove woe to mortal kind.

Then shall he ride unto the world. Here will be Two united unto One.

And five shall be the armies of Doom. Then will the world know that the Last War has begun.

With the coming of doom will march a lowly boy. Anger shall be his nourishment and blood his wine.

And from the land tamed will rise a champion. Disease shall be his downfall and savior divine.

A King's son shall be the Chosen. In power will he thrive and glory in his name.

And with the coming of the End of Times, the Old will fall by the Hand of the New.

“… what?” Spoke Pyrus, raising his right eyebrow in confusion, eyes no longer glowing and molten cracks receding, wings turning red and the flames dying down, sparks still jutting up from the feathers. Pyrus turned his confused gaze to Cryon, the frozen colt raising his right-front hoof up and coughing into it slightly, before responding in a calm manner.

“Your enthusiasm is appreciated, as is your religious zealotry servant of Chaos. Unfortunately we are unable to summon forces from other realms. If we could summon such forces we would do so, instead-"

"Instead of putting all our bits on an untried whelp who looks like an anorexic bum." Interjected Pyrus bluntly.

"Precisely." Stated Cryon simply, giving a slight nod.

"As for the question of artifacts to gift to aforementioned bum, the dark relics we were able to seed through the realm have been either locked up, or destroyed, by Celestia and her forces."

"Including the bucking Alicorn Amulet! Do you have any idea how close we came with that one!? That crazy mare imprisoned a whole town over a damn grudge match! An arrogant bitch with all that power and a superiority complex, she was right on her way to being a proper threat and-"

"Ahem." Spoke Cryon, interrupting his brother's rant with a pointed gaze, before looking back to you.

"As my brother states the loss of the Alicorn Amulet was a major blow, and the last legitimate artifact we had in circulation. I assure you however that the Star of Woe is more than capable of turning this "untried whelp" as my brother puts it, into a legitimate threat to all things emotionally positive. He will simply require proper guidance to it's wielding." Spoke Cryon, with a slight nod.

What is the limit on mutations, and what do you mean by mutations? Also, I'd like to see him go stir shit up in las pegasus.

"Finally a bucking question! Thank you otherworldly voice number three!" Spoke Pyrus, as he stepped forward, molten iron hoofguards causing the ice to melt into puddles beneath his hooves...

"I've got this one brother." He responded, Cryon giving a simple nod of ascent and stepping to the side, as Pyrus turned his gaze directly to you with a confident smirk.

"Mutations are physical changes to a pony. But not that cheap unicorn transformation spell bullshit. That feeds off of magic to keep up the change, and lasts about as long as a colt sitting on his bed, dick in hooves, clopping to a poster of Celestia. Or maybe Luna with all the popularity she's gotten... Treacherous bitch... ... Anyways, a mutation doesn't need magic to keep itself going beyond basic biological necessities, and is there FOREVER unless something actively removes it. For example, what I just did with my ears was a mutation." He spoke, wiggling them slightly before continuing.

"I altered their internal design to be able to pick up the quantum vibrations made through interdimensional boundaries when you creepy shits talk. A minor mutation tweaking a few core pieces. Now watch this." He spoke, closing his eyes for a moment, his horn glowing red... For a moment nothing happened... and then bones shot out of his wings, showering the ice with blood as they arched down and the sharp tips of the eight bone appendages struck into the ice. Black molten metal creeped up the bone, encasing the eight legs in iron as Pyrus's knees cracked, and then broke with a-

SNAP!

Each turning up at the knee, iron blades jutting out from them with a-

SCHLICK!

As the black metal surged out of the skin, and Pyrus's body was raised up on eight black metal legs, jutting from his back between the feathers of his wings, his hooves now flexing and bending every-which way with blades jutting out from them. Pyrus's jaw cracked, and grew wider, as he opened his mouth to show another row of razor-sharp teeth, and a long red tongue with a black metal spike at the end, jutting out, flicking up and down and to the sides as he looked up to you, grinning wide with his eyes glowing red... He chuckled with a warped hissing voice, before folding his tongue back into the recesses of his mouth, and speaking with glee.

"And THIS is a major mutation! Hahahahaha! And this nothing, NOTHING, compared to the true horrors I can unleash!!!" Shouted Pyrus, before giggling like a mad-mare, the black metal blades jutting back into his hooves as the legs let him down, jaw cracking back into place as blood pooled out of his mouth, second row of teeth retracting back in as the metal legs receded back into his back, wings reforming and stretching out, as he stood once more as an alicorn, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Mmmm. Haven't had reason to do that in a long time... Forgot how good it felt..." He spoke, chuckling softly before shaking his head, and looking back up to you with a glint in his eye, and flashing a razor-sharp grin.

"Anyways, mutations run the gamut. It can be as simple as puffing up your muscles or as complicated as eliminating your need to eat. But either way they alter a pony's biology, their most intimate and basic structure... And the Star of Woe will let you play with this little shit's genetics like a cat with a yarn ball." Stated Pyrus with a grin as he cocked his head back over his left shoulder towards the unconscious blank flank stallion.

"The Star forces advanced mutations in it's host. These mutations tend to be rapid in the initial stages, and can actually cause a lot of pain to the subject... heheheheh... Fun to watch. Biology will compensate to keep them from killing him though." Continued Pyrus, before snapping to you with a glare.

"Now listen up, this shit's important. The Star of Woe doesn't mutate on simple desires, like 'I wish I had a lizard tail' or, 'if I had a second penis that'd be awesome'. What it does is alter the host's body based on the PERCEPTION of his self and what he thinks is needed. What the host sees himself as, what the host thinks he needs to do to survive, and the path he pursues as his true calling, are all open doors to mutation. And the mutations that develop do so to serve these perceptions. So if he sees himself as a dragon, he'll start shedding fur and growing scales. If he wants more than anything else to burn down the Everfree, he might start breathing fire, and if he thinks he needs to eat pony flesh to survive, he'll probably develop a set of these babies!" Said Pyrus with a laugh, chomping his razor teeth together, showing them off with a glint in his eye, before glowering to you once more.

"Anyway, while there is no hard and fast limit to mutations it takes longer to develop new ones the more mutations he's already gone through. I can develop multiple mutations at once because I AM A BUCKING BOSS. He isn't. And if he stops thinking he needs something, or meets the qualifications of how he sees his true self, then the star will stop pursuing another mutation for him. By the way, it counts minor and major mutations as the same! It doesn't differentiate between beefing up his muscles or growing him a second head. So for the sake of all that is unholy and damned, make your initial mutations COUNT! Convince him that he needs to be scary! That he needs to be bad! That he needs to be evil! And DON'T convince him that he needs an extra couple inches on his dick just because! Got it?!" Shouted Pyrus, before turning and stomping away, muttering under his breath as Cryon moved back in front of you, giving a slight nod as he picked up where his brother left off.

"Indeed. And we would greatly enjoy watching him cause havoc in Las Pegasus. We hope to see him cause terror and misery in all of Equestria. However that is not where we will be sending him." Stated Cryon firmly, as he brought his front-left hoof up and motioned to the unconscious stallion.

"The initial stages of the Star of Woe's influence are very important, and rely on the subject being unstable and unsettled. While a change from Manehatten to Las Pegasus would do that to a degree, both cities belong to Celestia. Nopony will try to kill him in either. The environment change needs to contain extreme threats to the subject's health to induce proper pattern-breaking reactions, and increase influence of outside forces, namely yourselves. Things must be trying to kill him. And unfortunately, only one place remains where we have a 99% probability of a legitimate and active threat to the subject's survival. The Everfree Forest." Spoke Cryon, giving a calm nod of self-affirmation.

"The forest's violent environment will enable darker suggestions to take precedence over pre-formed social patterns. In addition, it will allow for defining mutations that may inhibit attempts at readapting into pony society, furthering alienation and disrupting potential reasons to end negative actions against Equestria. The forest will prepare the subject to cause harm. Once prepared, he may be guided to cause havoc and ruin all over Equestria. We wish you the best of luck in insuring this." Stated Cryon with a nod.

"I accept the assignment, Cryon and Pyrus. It will be in my own interests to help darken Equestria, and I sense you are kindred spirits to myself. It will be my utmost pleasure to aid you.

"However, I have a few clarifying questions to ask. First, I echo Total-Eclipse in wondering how precisely these mutations might work. Secondly, I would like to know if Celestia and Luna might be able to affect us if they notice us. If so, I will need to make... preparations. Finally, I would like some clarification on the technological advances in Equestria at the moment. I know you have coal-powered trains and rudimentary cinema technology at the very least, as the Homebranch of Equestria does. But is this one of those offshoot Equestrias with enhanced technology, and if so, to what extent? Comparable to Halo tech, perhaps? Or perhaps more along the lines of steampunk culture? This will be crucial to knowing how best to guide our young minion. Can't very well have him build a suit of power armor if there is no concept of such in this Equestria.

"In conclusion, I look forward to working with you and assure you that I will do my utmost to keep this young colt firmly within the dark side."

"Huh, a polite one." Spoke Pyrus, raising his eyes slightly with approval then looking over to Cryon.

"This one's all yours bro." He spoke, Cryon giving a slight nod in return then looking back up to you with a calm gaze, bringing his front-right hoof up over his chest and bowing forward slightly.

"Thank you for your acceptance and aid. We are deeply grateful for your assistance." Spoke Cryon calmly, before straightening up once more, bringing his right-hoof down to the ice and speaking.

"As for the problem of the Princesses, they are unlikely to notice your presence. Watchers have observed them and many other ponies over the millennia, and they have not responded to this observation. If somehow they do learn of you, there is very little they can do to you directly..." Stated Cryon before hesitating a moment, and continuing.

"There is however a possibility that they may cut the connection with the host... If that happens, it may be extremely difficult to reestablish. If the Star of Woe is expelled in that time, entirely impossible. While not a great risk, and highly unlikely, it is well within their power if they figure out how. Tread cautiously should the host encounter the Princesses."

"As for the technology level..." Continued Cryon, bringing his front-right hoof up to scratch his chin slightly.

"In my observations of outside realms I have noted that there are drastic differences between our technological progression and those of other realms. Ours lacks uniformity, so it is difficult to describe... Nopony has a television set or internet, messages are sent by mail. Complex computers and scientific equipment exist for research recording purposes, but cannot be used for simple calculations such as would be done with an abacus. Militarily the Equestrian army is medieval-styled with spears and hooves, with a heavy reliance on magic. There are the occasional surprises however as gunpowder based cannons, and more recently steam-powered tanks, can be called into use in extreme situations." Cryon sighed a bit and put his hoof back down onto the ice.

"Technologically speaking, I would suppose that the best way to describe it is that things were developed as needed. Stallions didn't want to pull trains so they created steam engines. Pegasus messengers could deliver letters quickly enough so rapid communication was never required. Ponies are social and productive animals who find their life's objective quickly, so inactive social entertainment such as the T.V. was never required, basic projectors meeting cinema entertainment needs. Medical treatment is very advanced however, and there are surprisingly sophisticated machines that appear from time to time, almost out of place. That is unfortunately the best I am currently able to do in conveying the technological setting. My apologies." Stated Cryon, with a slight nod of his head, before a-

"Uuugggghhhh..." Came from the unconscious stallion, causing both alicorns to turn their gazes to the moaning blank flank shivering on the ground...

"... We need to wrap this up." Stated Pyrus, looking to Cryon with an urgent glare as Cryon turned his unflinching gaze to you as well.

"Quite. We will have to apply the Star before he awakes. Ask any more necessary questions now."

"And make them bucking count! The first twenty-four hours of occupation are vital so you'd better know what you're doing when you get in his noggin!" Snapped Pyrus, leveling a glare at you as he and his brother waited for any last questions.

Author's Note

(Next chapter is where you start playing with the life of the kidnapped pony not important enough for the bad guys to learn his name! And hopefully turn him into a weapon to be wielded against all of Equestria! Good luck... Celestia's been winning every round so far...)

Awakening

Hmm a new challenge,I am already making my plans.Now as a suggestion i think you should send him somwhere along the borders of Equestria try to make it look like Griffins did it that will cause some mischief.

the ever present,

God of the Dragons

"Hey!" Shouted Pyrus, splaying his wings out, the feathers red and sparking as he growled, eyes glowing red.

"I'm the only god the Dragons need around here! You try to muscle in and I'll break you in half!" Shouted Pyrus, razor-teeth clenched together as the ice hissed into steam at his hooves. Cryon sighed, bringing his front-right hoof up cover his face.

"Pyrus, he dwells in a different dimension and cannot physically approach this one. He is not a threat to your quasi-religious significance to the dragons." Spoke Cryon, plainly as Pyrus lowered his wings slightly and turned his head, hmphf-ing out a plume of black smoke with a snort.

"And he'd better remember it..." Muttered the alicorn, the feathers of his wings turning black as they stopped sparking, the ice ceasing to melt around his hooves. Cryon sighed lightly once more, before lowering his hoof from his face and continuing.

"As for location, the thoughts on manipulation of tensions are useful ones. Border conflicts and disagreements have often led to war in times past, wars that cause great amounts of misery and woe in populations. However the griffon-equestrian border is well-patrolled, and the subject is more likely to be taken in and cared for than have his life threatened. Without a life threatening experience the Star of Woe has difficulty rooting into the subject's consciousness. The Everfree Forest is the only place we can send him that will almost certainly result in his life being in danger. Where he goes from there will be the product of Watcher influence." Spoke Cryon, giving another slight nod.

I must admit, I relish the challenge of changing a weakling into a titan of chaos. The Everfree Forest is certainly the right place for this task. I would recommend the Timberwolves as his first challenge. It will lead his body to increase it's speed and endurance, one of the oldest sayings often quotes one who fights but runs away...If the pack is persistent, which it will be, he runs a decent chance of developing fire based abilities to drive them back. One thing that cannot be allowed to happen, he must NOT be driven towards Zecora, she is much to close to Twilight and the others...although it would provide opportunity to steal the Alicorn Amulet back...she still has the thing...I think she is using it as a replacement for the doorstop she loaned Twilight as the fake amulet.

With Respect,

Magus Neon, Equestrian Nomad

Pyrus raised his right eyebrow in confusion as Cryon furrowed his brows. Cryon's eyes began to glow a bright blue as Pyrus responded.

"Zecora? So that was the name of that herbalist zebra bitch who helped the Bearer of Magic trick the amulet's wearer? I remember that, but why would her meet her in-" He started, as a gust of wind rippled over his fur. He blinked, before turning a confused gaze to Cryon watching as the alicorn colt started to shake. Cryon gritted his teeth, his horn and body glowing white as his fur rippled with wind, lashes of cold air spiraling out from around his body, crystalline ice droplets forming in the winds and shattering against the pillars and floor of the room as they gusted about. Pyrus's eyes went wide.

"Oh shit!" He exclaimed, and turned to leap over the still unconscious blank flank stallion, the alicorn covering his body and shielding the unconscious host with his wing's, stallion buried beneath alicorn as Cryon let out a-

"RRRRRRRAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!"

And a blast of freezing cold erupted outward from his body. In an instant the pillars were covered with permafrost, the floor with sharpened ice shards, jutting upward, and the ceiling and chandelier with thick icicles, pointing down... The walls were frozen solid with a thick sheet of ice over them, as were the steel doors into the throne room... Once again, only the steel throne itself with the diamond embedded near it's top remained safe from the outpour of cold.

Pyrus stood up from the covered stallion, who shivered slightly but was otherwise unharmed. Pyrus gritted his teeth, his body covered in a lair of white permafrost, icicles hanging from his black wings... His eyes glowed red, and in a moment the frost and ice had melted, leaving him his normal hot self as he turned to look towards his brother.

"DAMNIT CRYON BE CAREFUL! You coulda killed this fuck with shit like that and we're not going to find another blank flank stallion!" Shouted Pyrus, as Cryon stood breathing heavily on his little legs, before bringing his front-right hoof up over his mouth, coughing into it slightly, then lowering it back down to the ground, hanging his head as he continued to breathe heavily.

"Of course. I apologize for my outburst brother." Stated Cryon, as Pyrus trotted over, smashing an ice shard aside with his front-right hoof on the way, before making his way to his brother's side, closing his eyes, and breathing out slowly... Black smoke poured from his nostrils and rose up into the air, heating things slightly as his coat went black, and his razor-teeth shrunk down to blunt chompers. He opened his eyes and looked down to his brother with some sympathy, before laying himself down on the ice, his right wing stretching out over Cryon's body and wrapping around him, pulling him close, as Pyrus looked down to his sibling.

"Come on Brother... what is it? It takes a lot to piss you off..." Asked Pyrus softly, as Cryon squirmed a bit in the cuddle, a bit self-conscious about the affection...

"We have an audience brother..." He muttered.

"Buck them." Stated Pyrus bluntly, before continuing.

"Now come on. What's the problem?" Asked Pyrus, pulling his squirming sibling a little closer with his wing. Cryon sighed slightly, before letting himself be coddled.

"... The zebra herbalist who aided the Elements has taken up residence in the Everfree Forest." He stated simply, closing his eyes, hiding his orbs as he continued.

"That is where the Bearer of Magic found her. The last bastion of darkness now has a haven of light within it. The taming of the Everfree has already began, with her." Spoke Cryon, before opening his eyes again.

Pyrus was quiet... the alicorn stallion looked down at his brother for a few moments, before pulling him closer in his wing... and looking up to you with a fire in his eyes.

"Kill her." He stated, blunt and succinct, fire in the depths of his reptilian slits.

"No." Responded Cryon simply looking up to you as his brother's gaze snapped to him.

"I thank you for bringing her presence to my attention. It changes very little however. The Everfree is still the only place remaining where the host may be sufficiently challenged. You are completely correct to fear this Zecora's presence. She is a herbal healer with power and intelligence. If she is allowed to examine the host she may well discover the Star of Woe in it's early stages, and has the skill to drive it out. Avoid contact if possible, do not let her examine him if contact is unavoidable." Stated Cryon calmly, giving you a slight nod.

"Buck that." Stated Pyrus, causing Cryon to look to him with a slight eyebrow raised, as Pyrus turned a glare to you.

"This Zecora bitch is a threat but you don't learn shit from running away from threats. Force him to face the Everfree, then have him go after the zebra. If she's living there then she's probably one of the baddest bitches in the forest. Make him face her and take her down! Then take the bucking amulet as a prize!" He spoke, growling low, his coat turning red and his wings starting to spark again, his teeth going razor-sharp once more...

Cryon narrowed his eyes looking up to his brother... Then wiggled out from beneath the wing, Pyrus moving his gaze to meet his brother's, the two alicorns staring at each other for a few moments... Before Cryon spoke.

"My brother and I are in disagreement." He stated simply, before turning his gaze back to you.

"Avoidance or confrontation, the choice will be yours to make. As for the Timberwolves, they are indeed persistent and numerous within the Everfree. While there are many other threats, there is a rather high chance that the host will encounter them, and be forced to adapt." Spoke Cryon simply, giving a nod. As Pyrus got to his feet and stretched his wings, the feathers going black and misting soft shadows up from the feathers.

"Yeah, the main thing to remember though is that how you get him to solve problems in the Everfree is probably how he's going to solve problems later. While fire is BUCKING BOSS, and I would LOVE to see him go crazy pyromaniac and torch anything and everything that comes his way, if all he's got is a hammer then every bucking thing he sees will be a nail. If he winds up a one-trick pony then surprise surprise, he's only going to do one thing, and if it ever lets him down he's screwed. Make sure to think about that when you're playing with his mind, soul, and body." Spoke Pyrus, before turning his gaze back to Cryon.

"Now let's get this show on the road before sleeping ugly here comes to." Stated Pyrus, jerking his head towards the sleeping blank-flank, shivering on the ice floor.

Cryon nodded his ascent as his brother stood and walked over towards the unconscious stallion, then turned his gaze back to you.

"We will deposit him in the center of the Everfree, guide him as you are able. We will bind your vision to the Star of Woe, and your sight will be centered within him. You will be privy to the innermost workings of his mind, his thoughts and feelings. When you attempt to guide him, it will be like his own thoughts manifesting from the back of his mind. He may refuse them though, unbidden that they are. Amount and consistency of such thoughts may overpower reservations. Bear in mind that discordant voices and disagreement may result in indecisiveness, returning to default thought processes, or even mental fracturing. Be wary. We will attempt to convey the results of your actions, however our contact will be occasional at best. Think deeply on what you do with this host." Stated Cryon, simply, before turning and walking over to stand over the unconscious stallion, on the opposite side of his brother, both looking to each other, and giving a slight nod, before closing their eyes...

When the alicorns opened their eyes again their orbs glowed, Pyrus's red and Cryon's white. Both their horns lit up, and threw beams of magic forward, up, until they met above the stallion. The beams struck one another, and then mixed and intertwined, sparking and grating against one another, light mixing as the colors fought for dominance in a swirling ball... and Cryon began to speak.

"By the freezing ice and winter storms, I summon evil uncaring and cruel. Unbiased and absolute. May it take root in his mind, and fill it with the wickedness of the world." Spoke Cryon, as three black crystalline shards materialized in the sphere of light. Smooth as liquid, with what looked like a freezing blizzard, reflected across it's surface... As the crystals materialized and Cryon finished speaking, Pyrus piped up, continuing where his brother left off.

"By the burning fires and volcanic pits, I summon evil raging and vengeful. Malicious and vehement. May it take root in his heart, and fill it with the wickedness of the self." Spoke Pyrus, and three more black crystalline shards appeared, floating separate from the others, each one black and smooth like the ones before, but seeming to reflect the light from fires and flames across their surfaces as they hovered in the sphere...

Both brothers breathed in, then began speaking as one, voice calm.

"By evil bidden, and evil unending, we summon the Star of Woe. May it take root in his body, and turn it into a vessel for wickedness unending." As they finished both sets of three crystals shot towards one another, and melted into each-other, the fires and ice crashing into a ball in the center of the sphere. The ball took form and shape, reshaping itself into a six-pronged star, the surface hardening, becoming thick and solid, the fires and ice disappearing in the solidifying shape.

"And by the fel powers, who breed corruption and destruction, and give unto every world a curse to bear, we commend those of the shifting eye to guide the mind, heart, and body of the Host. May they guide him towards darkness." Spoke the brothers, and another beam of light, grating white and red shot out from the sphere straight towards you. Your vision flashed, and you were pulled into the swirl in a mix and mash of colors, then centering in on the black, looking deeper and deeper into it, a pitch void filling your sight as you drifted deeper into the crystal... And then your sight snuffed out altogether.

Cold... that's the first thing you notice, above all else. Cold throughout your body, through your legs and your heart, forcing you to shake and shiver from the chill as goosebumps cover the skin beneath your fur... You reach out to pull your raggedy covers over your body but your hooves find nothing but air. And that's when the smell hits you. Absent is the stink of the alleyway that you've become so accustomed to, the smell of piss and blood and booze, mixed in with rot and dirt, absolutely unpleasant but very familiar to you. This smell is not familiar. This smell is that of grass, sweet and heavy in your nostrils.

You open your eyes and you see dim, you see night, and tree canopies hiding the night sky from your gaze. There is enough light from the stars and moon however to see the grass... to see the trunks of the trees with jagged, poking branches, and soft grey mists, curling lowly over the ground... As you see the mist you feel the droplets of moisture in your fur, and the smell of wet mixing in with the grasses... You slowly get to your feet, blinking, wondering if you're having a lucid dream of some kind, as your heart starts to beat a little faster in your chest...

And here you stand. In the middle of a dark forest, with dim lighting, cold and wary and uncertain... and you must decide what to do.

Lost Sheep

You're dreaming. That's the only explanation. After all you've heard about lucid dreams before, that ponies occasionally had dreams that looked and felt exactly like real life. So that's got to be it, because there are no forests around Manehatten and you definitely don't remember leaving Manehatten, so this is a dream right? Right. This is a lucid dream, so now there's just the matter of waking up.

You nod your head in affirmation as you close your eyes, take a deep breathe, bring your forehooves up to the sides of your head, and then speak the oldest awakening mantra known to you.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" You peep with your right eye open to see the forest still there, and then close your eye once more to add a-

"Please?" To the end of your mantra... When you open your eyes you find that that didn't work. You're still asleep dreaming about being in a big forest. You sigh slightly, lowering your head as you bring your hooves back down to the ground... before getting a steely glint in your eye, and thumping the ground with your front-right hoof. Well fine, if you're head's going to make things difficult then you're just going to have to get serious!

You squeeze your eyes shut once more, and suck in a deep breathe in anticipation as you lift your right hoof up high above your head and then bring it down with a-

BONK!

"Ow!" You rub your head, letting out a low moan as you rub the poor hurt spot on your noggin, before opening your eyes again with a hopeful slightly pleading expression on your face... Nope. Still dreaming. And still cold... and it's still night, in a scary forest and oh buck this is real isn't it?!

"Gaaaah!" You let out a shout, and then start pacing around quickly in a circle, eyes open wide as your hear starts beating faster in your chest.

Okay, okay, don't panic, no need to panic, HOW DID YOU END UP IN A FOREST!?!? Okay no, no, no panicking, now isn't the time to panic, not now!

Blood lust and rage nothing but blood lust and rage. To kill, to slaughter to sacrifice to Kharneth our glorious and great blood god, and remember he does not care from where the blood flow only that it flows.

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE

Calm yourself friend. Bloodshed and murder are all well and good, but we must build our wards strength before any rampages can occur.

No now is the time to get angry! What the buck is a forest doing here!? When you wake up you expect to do so in an alley! With your raggedy blanket! And an old worn teddy bear thrown out by the mare who lives on thirty-second street! Not in a Tartarus damned forest! You'll rip this place apart for ruining your world expectations!

You seethe, and stamp your hooves into the dirt, growling as you glare angrily at the stupid forest grass for being there! ... And then you close your eyes, and take a deep breathe, bringing your front-right hoof up to rub your temple... No, no, that won't help at all... Now's not the time for anger, but for careful thought and consideration... after all, if you're in a forest, really in a forest then that means you are a long ways away from Manehatten. How you got here you can't even begin to fathom, but since you are here, you need to deal with it... Which only leaves the question as to how?

Food. That needs to be your first priority. This is a forest, I'm sure there's something you can eat safely. And if you happen to find some fool wandering around the forest... well, taking their food by force should suffice to teach them a lesson about wandering around strange forests alone.

GRRRROOOOOWWWWLLLL...

Your stomach is nice enough to outline your priorities for you. You grimace as you bring your forehooves to cross over your sunken stomach, sitting back on your haunches and wincing slightly as the pain echoes through your body... It's a rare day that you get enough to eat, and your stomach never fails to remind you of your failure to provide for it.

You sigh, hanging your head as the pain subsides, at least until the next growl, then open your eyes... and blink as you stare at the forest floor... There are a few things ponies tend to forget, and one of them is that there is something very abundant and widespread that they can eat. Grass. And forests have lots and lots of grass.

You uncurl your hooves from over your stomach and get down flat-bellied on the forest floor, cocking your head to the right slightly as you examine the dark green grass pensively with a wary eye... While some grasses like alfalfa were proven to be good and delicious, others were seriously unhealthy, like junk food. And even moving past that, grass eaten right off the ground was often considered... unsanitary. But after considering that you ask yourself a question. Should either of those things matter to a pony whose expectations of a day were to wake up in an alley, stand in Pegasus-scheduled storm showers to bathe, and wind up with one meal if he was lucky?

... ... ...

CHOMP!

MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH

You chew on the grass with an almost blissful look to your face, taking mouthful after mouthful of grass, ripping into the most food you've had in you don't even remember how long. A few minutes later you lay on your back in a cleanly picked dirt patch with a satisfied groan patting your stomach with your hooves... You'll probably wind up feeling that tomorrow... No telling what so much food at once will do to your digestion, and grass right off the ground no less... Still, the food problem is has been solved, and for the first time in forever your stomach is content with it's meal. And that just leaves the question of where to go from here?

Bidden as we were, we answer the brother's plea.

Their latest weapon shall be ours, our vessel, our instrument of change. Our conduit to Equestria... we claim him as our own.

Now, little colt- you're no stranger to hardships- surely there's a way out of this forest, and to safety. You only need to find it; find some hint at other, possibly friendly equines nearby. Surely they can help you. And perhaps you could even repay them somehow once they did. You'll think of something when it comes to that. Off you go...

Pony, you have been chosen to be a champion of chaos and hate. I am known as a Watcher. There is a zebra living in these woods, Even she has a cutie mark. You must use your anger and spite to put an end to her. You have developed a disease called the Star of Woe, making you able to develop mutations to help you in something small as finding food, or something big, such as combat. The zebra has a powerful artifact that I believe could more than triple your power. She also has food. Think about it, you can release all of your anger and frustration on her, increase your power, and find food in one fell swoop. But I leave the choice to you.

You lay on your back looking up at a hole in the forest canopy, showing black clouds drifting across the night sky, letting the light from the stars touch down onto you on occasion as they twinkled up in the dark... You've never really noticed the stars before, but now you think that they're kind of important... You're not especially sure why, but they do provide nice light in the night. But you can't just lay here. You're cold in a strange forest at night. There are very few situations where that can end well. So now that you're fed, you've got to think, and you furrow your brows as you do just that.

You may not be sure quite how you got here, but if you could get here then other ponies could to. That means that there's probably a town or a railroad nearby. There may even be ponies in the forest itself. Or zebras. Though you're not sure why zebras would be in an Equestrian forest... You've seen a couple of them down at the Manehatten docks, from a great distance of course, trading goods with important business ponies. You always thought that they looked rather... well, imposing. But a lot of ponies more important than you do, so that wasn't too unusual. Still, they tended to leave after they concluded their business, back to their home, so it was really unlikely that you'd find a zebra living in the forest. Not even sure why you had the thought really.

You shake your head clear of the now rambling lines of thought, then bring your forehooves up and pound your right front-hoof onto your left. Right! First business is first. Get out of the forest, find civilization!

You nod to yourself and roll onto your hooves, standing up and shaking dirt off of your coat. Of course you've got no BUCKING IDEA how to get out of this forest. Hence being lost. The best you can do is keep moving in one direction, to hopefully arrive at the forest edge. Hopefully you'll meet somepony while walking, so that you can rob them.

You blink... ... Ask them for directions... ask them for directions is what you meant. You've never robbed anypony, even at your worst... You don't know why that thought crossed your mind.

Shaking your head, you sigh... Maybe it's the grass. Before looking up and nodding resolutely to yourself, and start walking off in one direction, still shivering slightly from the cold air, looking for a way out...

Listen well my friend. You are in the Everfree Forest, a place of danger, but you must not leave it yet. You have been given a gift known as the Star of Woe. It shall grant you power, but you must work for it. Seek the ruined castle of the Two Pony Sisters, there you will find the last whisps of Nightmare Moon. Call to them, absorb them into your being, and become endowed with the vapor form of the Mare in the Moon.

Listen for my Voice, You may call me Nomad.

We Shall speak again.

Perhaps a journey to the ruined castle first, read my previous post. It would be good to be untouchable when the time comes to confront the Zebra witch.

Ah, yes, what was I thinking? Nomad is right, Pony. To increase your power you must have something to increase first. I even forgot to introduce myself. I am Eclipse. Remember me, for I will be with this journey till the end, lest something urgent arise.

YOU HATE THIS BUCKING FOREST!!!

It's been maybe half an hour and you're already sure that you got turned around at some point! Or got turned east, or west, or north, or south, who can even bucking tell!? Every Tartarus damned tree looks the same, and the fur is standing up on the back of your neck because you're getting the uncomfortable feeling that something is watching you out in the trees! The winds are cold and you can almost swear that there are howls on the winds, or the occasional low growl. It's creeping you out! Goosebumps are forming beneath your fur, and you're getting scratches from the damned sharp branches from the damned scary trees! If that wasn't enough the mist seems to be getting thicker, and you've seen the makings of a storm! Lightning's lit up in front of you and thunder's sounded in your ears. You've tried getting the attention of the pegasi making the storm but you can't seem to find them and there's no response when you shout. Can they not hear you!? It's not like there's anyplace that has storms without pegas-

You stop dead in your tracks. Your eyes go wide and your heart starts pounding your chest again as you suddenly find yourself on the verge of panic. You gulp, and then lick your lips, before grinning an anxious smile and laughing nervously, all alone.

"Ha! Haha! That's, that's ridiculous, right?" You say to yourself, eyes darting about, peaking through the mist at the undergrowth, looking over trees that suddenly seemed much more sinister than before.

"I mean there's no way! No way at all! I mean this can't be the... the..."

Everfree.

BOOOOOOOM!!!

"AAAUUUGGHH!!!" You take off like a shot, your blood pumping, your heart racing, the thunderclap shattering your already frayed nerves. Your hooves pound against the dirt as glowing yellow eyes stare at you from every turn, howling wind fills your ears, and your legs creak out and ache with the stress of your running as you panic. Outright panic! Absolutely panic! You squeeze your eyes shut and start talking to yourself, desperately willing yourself to get a grip and stop running like a madmare.

"No no no, you need to stay calm, calm down, calm down, calm-Ooof!" Your mantra is interrupted by your front-right hoof striking a rock, throwing the rest of your hooves out of synch as you trip, tumbling forward head over rump, rolling across the grass, until you come to a stop, face-first, with your eyes closed and your body aching.

"Ugggghhh..." You moan, then slowly open your eyes... to the sight of a bottomless pit stretching out in front of you.

"Agh!" You shout, quickly scrambling back from the ledge onto your haunches, heart rate skyrocketing once again, breathing quickly as you look, eyes wide, at the yawning chasm in front of you, unfathomably deep...

"H-huh... t-that was... lucky... heheh..." You say with a very soft nervous laugh, glad that you didn't have a full bladder because if you had it would have been emptied by now. As you regain your senses, the near-death experience doing wonders for your focus, you raise your eyes and look to the opposite ledge of the chasm, the mist clearing.

You blink, then squint your eyes as slowly. Was that a... castle? ... No. The ruins of one. Numerous and ancient, stretching up in the dark... They look rather imposing. But then again, this whole forest looks imposing...

BOOOOOOOM!!!

Another thunderclap... and then a pitter-patter of wet droplets against your fur... and then the rain. Full, drenching, pouring, rain, coming right down on top of you, wetting your fur down and chilling you to the bone, which doesn't have much fat on it to protect it from said chill.

You grit your teeth and turn your gaze upward, glaring at the black storm-choked sky.

"Yeah, buck you to forest. BUCK YOU TO!!!" You shout, and then cross your forelegs over your body, shivering as the rain hits you all over, striking your body with freezing droplets... This isn't the first time you've been caught out in the rain, but with these winds, at night... Even if something doesn't rend you limb from limb, you could get very sick caught out like this without shelter. Shelter...

You look at the castle again. It's creepy and dark and scary, but that describes the whole bucking forest and at least that part has walls for the winds and hopefully a roof for the rain! Of course being on the other side of the chasm makes it a bit hard to get to. If you can't find a way across...

You let out a low growl of aggravation, then scan your eyes along the chasm, searching for some way across... And as you look a break in the mist reveals a long rope bridge, stretching between the ledges.

"Huh... well that's convenient." You mutter, before shaking yourself off and getting to your hooves with a huff. You trot over to the bridge, shivering and shaking, and the closer you get the more you realize that you spoke too soon. The bridge looks old, worn, and soaked. There are clearly boards missing from it at some parts. It's almost more frightening than the forest, you wouldn't dare trust your life to this thing.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

Then again...

You close your eyes and take a deep breathe in, then breathe out slowly as you stretch your front-right hoof forward, and peek as you tentatively place it against the first board of the bridge, testing it's weight. The board creaks beneath your hoof.

"Oh Celestia protect me..." You mutter, then gulp, and slowly bring your front-left leg forward, and place it on the next board... then move your hooves forward again, stepping onto the bridge, bringing your full body weight onto the rickety wooden deathtrap and just waiting for a moment, to see if you fall to your doom. ... When that doesn't happen, you start to walk across.

The journey seems to last for an eternity,. Every step the boards creek, every moment your heart is pounding and as you hear a-

CRACK!

Beneath your hooves, it seems to stop in your chest. But you take a deep breathe, and keep stepping forward, and somehow the bridge manages to hold you as you traverse the entire chasm, all the way across to the opposite ledge... and quickly leap from the bridge onto the earth, getting on your stomach and kissing it multiple times over, finding a sudden appreciation for sweet sweet ground, thanking Celestia that you're still alive!

But the pelting rain quickly sees you get over this grateful phase, and with a quick trot, you move towards the castle, rushing through it's stone door archway, and peering about inside... It's dark. Like the rest of the forest, occasionally lit up by a lightning flash, revealing the old ruins, once grand now little more than fallen stone... There are numerous holes in the roof, letting water and rain through, but there are still places to be covered from the rain, and the walls block most of the cold winds, save for around where ancient stained glass windows had once stood, now broken.

All in all, it looks very interesting, and while not the best shelter you've had worse. But there's still the small matter of you being wet, freezing, in a dark forest, with no sense of direction and no evidence of anypony else being here to help you. So the question becomes, as you sit in a dark dry patch, shivering and shaking, looking around the ancient and terrifying dilapidated ruin, of what the buck are you going to do now?

Author's Note

(To clarify, he hears the words and messages like they're thoughts from his own noggin, he doesn't know he's being guided. But now that you've guided him here, what are you going to do with him?)

Where Nightmares Ruled

Well done. You have found the castle and thus, shelter. When you have rested, seek the throne room. There, you will sense a lingering presence, it will feel like static on your fur. Go to the spot in the room where it feels Strongest and get Angery. Curse Celestia and the sun, call on the night to prtect you...you will not be dissappointed.

Er, ahem. As an alternate viewpoint, you might try cursing the night instead. Ponies don't tend to look kindly on denizens of darkness, but as a lord of light? Who could possibly want you dead as a harbinger of the light? It would be far safer.

Buck. Shit. Buck. Damn. Buck. Shit. Buck.

These words form a mantra in your head as you move through the dark ruins, bumping into walls, slipping on wet stones, and falling over pieces of rubble strewn on the floor. You're covered with bruises you're sure though luckily your coat will probably hide them. Not that you could check, even if you had a mirror, because you CAN'T SEE A BUCKING THING!!! All light from the moon and stars has faded leaving the night pitch black, thanks to the storm clouds no doubt. The only thing you're left with are the flashes of lightning, which are especially aggravating as they hurt your eyes, light up the world for only a split second, and prevent your eyes from properly developing to the dark. Thank you Everfree weather! Really bucking considerate!

Part of this is your fault though, you guess... You could have just waited in the room you walked into and avoided the pain and aggravation of stumbling around ancient dilapidated ruins in pitch black lighting. But you got a sudden urge to look around. Considering that the room you took shelter in was fairly open to the elements itself, you figured that you might as well follow your urges and look for a better spot to hole up in.

You hit a stone corner with your right shoulder as you walk forward, gritting your teeth and stepping back, bringing your front-left hoof up to the shoulder as you wince and suck in air through your teeth. You rub it slowly as you let out your breath slowly, then sigh, as you practically feel the new bruise forming. Well... it's not like you haven't been cold, wet, bruised, and alone before... Could be much worse. So it's probably going to get much worse. If life's taught you anything, it's that things are never satisfied with how bad you've got it... there's always one more bucking thing around the corner to make your life just a little bit worse.

You sigh and continue forward, your hoofsteps sounding loud against the stone, the wailing of the rain onto the walls and roofs around you nearly drowning them out, the low rumbles of the storm sounding in the distance... You stop for some reason though, and furrow your brows. You're not sure why, but... suddenly you feel as though you're in someplace that's... important. Someplace special. You can't shake the feeling that you need to be here... wherever here is.

A flash of lightning helps illuminate that question for you. In a brief moment you see crumbling stone columns, clinging moss and ivy, long-broken windows, and a set of steps leading to a raised platform. That's pretty much all you can see in the brief moments that the lightning shows you the room, and you blink a bit, shaking your head, clearing your eyes, before biting your lip nervously.

This place feels... safer than the rest. Better. More important. You can't put your hoof on it, but there's something definitely... special here. And it has a good roof, with relatively few holes in it, and the open windows aren't bringing in THAT much rain... You shrug slightly with a sigh. You're probably not going to find anyplace better than this to hunker down. You lower your aching body down onto the stone, still cold and still damp, crossing your hooves in front of you with a sigh. You close your eyes and lay your head down on your forelegs, closing your eyes as the storm pours itself out all around the castle you take a few moments to just breathe in, and rest.

Once you claim the power offered to you by the night, your worst memories will flash before your eyes. Every betrayal, every lie ever spoken to you. You will recall the cruelty of the ponies in your life and see thier greed flash before your eyes. Finally you will understand TRUE anger, how dare other ponies experience joy when you have so little! Then, as you realize that "Harmony" is an illusion, you will see shards of stone from around the room fly to you. They will merge into a dagger of black crystal before your eyes. This weapon is the Blade of Despair, and it shall grow in power, and size, as you do. This will be your weapon, and your tool.

Use it well.

Nomad

Listen to Nomad he means well.The nightmare shall help on your path.Let it be known that you shall crush these INFERIOR PONIES.You will crush their skulls beneath your hooves.You shall rain supreme with your alicorn brothers.I am Insanity hear my voice like the howling wind on a winter night.

Much as I hate it, I have nothing new to add. Nomad is right in saying you must embrace the night. Insanity is correct in saying harmony will fall. But, Zecora must FUCKING DIE. Unquestionable. You need that Amulet.

A thought occours to me, Zecora is mortal and thus, corrutable. The Blade of Despair can bring out the inner darkness in a pony...or zebra. She was shunned and scorned, treated as an outcast for years. That resentment and anger is still there. Infect her with the Blade of Despair, and you will gain an ally with an expertise in potion brewing, as well as a base of opperations in the Everfree...that dosen't have hole in the walls/ceiling.

And think... About this forest, about this storm, about your life, and about how little has actually changed for you besides the geography. You're cold, wet, bruised, and tired. There's been many a night in Manehatten where you got all four of those and hungry tacked on. Aside from the break in routine, and the fact that you're in the single most dangerous forest in Equestria, it's actually... an improvement.

There are no ponies here after all... ponies who pretend to give a buck about you. Sure, you get plenty of sympathetic looks, but you get just as many whispers, and giggles behind your back from the Manehattenites. After all you never fit in with them. Your lack of a magical butt-tattoo guaranteed that you'd always be an outcast. Ponies were supposed to find their life's work, their true calling, and have it appear on their flank with the moment of realization. After that they'd throw themselves into it with strength, with gusto, with passion, pursuing their life's work and fulfilling their place in pony society. But a blank-flank had no place in pony society, not when they were groan... A blank flank had nothing to strive for, nothing to master, nothing to add. A blank flank was... useless.

You were reduced to begging of course, groveling at their hooves for spare bits. After all, employment was fulfilled by those who were passionate, those who knew their life's calling. If a mule or a griffon didn't have a Cutie-Mark and wanted to pursue a career then that was fine. They had figured out their calling a different way. But if a blank-flank, who never understood, never found his talent, never became worthwhile tried to pursue a career... Well, a great number of ponies thought you were mentally handicapped anyways. And you played that up sometimes. Trying to garner sympathy... sometimes they tossed a few bits your way, helping out the poor, stupid blank-flank... But most didn't. And you could always hear the derision, the mocking, the off-hoof comments about your smell, your looks, your... condition. Whenever they thought you weren't listening... or sometimes even if they knew you were.

You tried everything of course. Everything. Hoofball, dancing, algebra, crate-packing, cooking, mining, scuba-diving, farming, painting, writing, piano, bowling, croquette, saddle-making, gardening, sky-diving, and everything else... Those were in your younger days. As more and more time passed, and nothing worked you stopped trying, and started resenting ponies more and more... You started to want to take them down a peg from their high and mighty positions. Make THEM feel what it was like to not have anything to strive for! To be unfulfilled, useless, and unloved. You wanted to be better than them! You wanted the greatest Cutie-Mark ever so that you could make them all kiss up to your damn flank! ... But more than that, you just wanted to be good at something... anything... to finally be useful for once.

So you prayed to Celestia, asked her for guidance, hoping that her light would shine upon you and help show you the way to happiness. But all it ever did was show off your damned flank so everypony could see how useless you were. You prayed to Luna, asked her night to comfort and shroud you, to hide and protect you. But all it gave you were freezing winds to chill you as you slept. So what reverence should you have for the Princesses? Why should you give a buck about either of them!? They left you all alone, them, and everypony else, pushed you away and left you by yourself, with nothing but your own damn flank to keep you company... Your own uselessness emblazoned on your side, a constant reminder that you were nothing but a failure...

You don't even realize that you're crying until the hot tears streak down your cheeks. You open your eyes in surprise, and then start to blink them away, bringing your left foreleg up to wipe at your face. You smirk slightly as you rub the tears from your eyes, chuckling softly.

"Heheheh... Huh... haven't cried since I was a colt... that's odd..." You mutter as you finish rubbing away the tears and lower your hoof... and then blink again, this time for a reason that has nothing to do with tears. There, in the dark, about near the top of the pedestal you glimpsed earlier is a soft blue glow of some kind... You're fairly certain it wasn't there before. You lean forward a bit more, eyes focused on the small blue blip in the dark. Getting up to your hooves shakily, wincing from your still bruised and tired legs, you furrow your brows as you stare at the light, wondering when it arrived and what the buck it was doing there.

Trying to examine it from this far away doesn't do you much good. You can't really tell much about it, aside from the fact that it's glowing and small, and has some kind of dark blue mist curling around it, twinkling slightly as though seeded with tiny stars. Come to think of it the outline of the small bright blip looks kind of like a star. It's even casting a pale blue light though not strong enough to reach you, just illuminating the small raised platform and walls around it. You start to step forward to get closer to the strange light when a distinct-

Grrrrrooooowwwwwllll

Fills the room. You blink, and look down to your stomach. Surely you're not hungry again already are you?

Grrrrrrrrr...

No... no you're not.

You turn your head slowly, looking over your right shoulder, searching for the origin of the sound, your eyes moving across the dark towards around the entrance you came in. And as you look to it you are met with the sight of three sets of glowing green eyes watching you from the dark.

Your blood runs cold... your fur stands up on the back of your neck and your heart starts pounding faster in your chest. Something primal, something basic in you knows already what's behind those green eyes. But the Everfree is kind enough to give you another flash of lightning, allowing you to confirm your fears.

The brilliant light illuminates them for a split second, and that's all the time you need to make out their shapes. Low, canine, crouching, and built like wolves or wolf-like things at the least. You saw the expected fang-filled mouths and razor-sharp claws, but also leaves and twigs. You're not sure what to make of that, but you are fairly certain of one thing. These creatures are the ones with the rumbling stomachs... and you're their dinner.

You turn around to face them, looking at the set of green dots in the dark, and slowly start to back up, towards the blue star and the light it's casting. You have no plan, no great idea, just the instinct to start moving as far away from those eyes mixed with fear. The fear makes your legs shake, your movements slow, and your step unsteady. Your unsteady step touches a wet stone.

CRACK!

Your vision swims as pain erupts from the back of your skull, and traces all along your back. More tears roll down your cheeks as you gasp for breathe and grit your teeth, suppressing your yelps of pain as you try to focus. You blink again and again, trying to clear your vision, even as the pain starts to subside and you feel something warm dribbling down the back of your neck. You blink again to get your vision back, and then you see eyes... a brilliant set of green eyes, a foot or two away from you. A low growl and a snarl, a flash of lightning, and you can see your death, leaping through the air with a mouth full of fangs, coming right at you...

Time slowed down. Every leaf, stick of wood, and thorn-tooth in the thing's body was suddenly highlighted for you. Your left foreleg moved forward, of it's own volition, in a desperate attempt to stave off what you know is coming. And why? You don't have any meat on your bones. And they're made out of wood, why would they need to eat meat? You can't help but wonder if this is some kind of revenge for the grass you ate, if they were related. These thoughts pass through your mind in a fraction of a moment, before you realize quite plainly that you're going to die. And then a set of thoughts so fast that they're nearly unintelligible pass through your skull.

It's coming, it's coming, it's coming, you're about to die, it's going to kill you, you're going to die, you're going to die! There's nothing that can save you! You have split-seconds before it gets you, before it eats you, and all you can think of are crystals, black and beautiful crystals, stabbing, cutting, slicing, dicing, crystals! Crystals cut cut CUT!!!

What happens next defies your understanding. Something churns inside of you, mixing and twisting inside of your body, and a shadowy black tendril of mist curls out from the fur of your left foreleg, appearing distinct against the dark. The misty tendril snakes across the room over to the source of the pale blue light, and engulfs it mist and all. It envelopes the star-shaped light it in a pitch black sphere, and then jerks back into your foreleg, carrying it's prey with it, absorbing it in through your skin...

Your hoof feels cold... your entire leg, numb, as blue lightning crackles along the fur. The surface of your hoof is covered in dark blue mist, with twinkling lights. And a foot long black crystal sword is jutting from your hoof.

SCHLICK!!!

The wolf-thing can't stop mid-leap. The sword goes through it's open mouth and out the back of it's head, sending thorn-teeth and splinters flying. Green sap covers the strange weapon jutting from your hoof and drips down the edges, landing in a puddle between your hind-legs on the stone... or at least you think that's sap.

Eyes wide and breathe quick, you jerk your hoof back, practically ripping the sword out from the wolf-thing's head. The head breaks apart into little pieces, scattering wooden bits and sap everywhere, splattering your face and coat with the gooey green substance. You watch, mouth agape, as green ethereal mist pours out of the place where the wooden wolf's head used to be, illuminating it's decapitated body and the chunks of wood around it, as it twists through the air, up to the crystal blade and then funnels into it's surface, pouring itself into the black and then vanishing, dissipating completely...

You blink, and ignore the urge to clonk yourself a second time to make sure that you're not dreaming. You shake your head slightly, and turn your gaze to the weapon jutting out of your hoof, watching the green sap drip down it's edges, and looking past the sap coating and splinters now stuck in it to it's proper body...

It's composed entirely of a pitch-black crystal, reflective and flawless, shaped like a blade with jagged edges, sharp and glinting, ending in a sharp piercing tip at the end. You'd think that it would weigh a great deal, but it doesn't. You can barely tell that it's even jutting from your hoof at all by the weight, it's so light... it reminds you of glass with how it looks and feels... Very sharp lethal black crystalline glass... At it's base, pooling around the surface of your hoof near where the sword juts out is a dark-blue mist, with little twinkling silvery lights inside of it, like stars, curling and shifting around the base of the blade...

You turn your weapon this way, and you turn it that way, staring at the crystal, trying to come to terms with the fact that it not only exists, but that you just used it to slice through a wooden wolf's head.

Grrrroooowwwwlll...

And you are forced to do that very quickly. You look up from the enchanting blade to see two sets of green eyes, still shining in the dark. They've separated, low to the ground and a lightning flash shows them moving several feet away towards opposite sides of you, encircling you to attack from two points at once, cautious from the death of their comrade...

Your heart starts beating quickly again, adrenaline not yet done coursing through your system, and you turn your gaze back to the blade coming out of your hoof... And you gulp. Then you furrow your brows and nod, before springing up to your hooves, careful with your front-left, lifting the blade up high and turning your gaze from one wolf, to the other, panting as you watch the wolves encircling you, waiting... thinking...

MUTATION GAINED: OBSIDIAN BLADE: This is a Legacy Mutation, inspired and accessed by interaction with Nightmare Moon's remnant presence. The Obsidian Blade is a powerful mystic weapon, composed of solid magic, and able to be dissipated, or solidified, at the wielders whim. The blade fuels magical energy by stealing it from deceased foes, and the Star of Woe has repurposed it into increased Mutation recovery time. As a Legacy Mutation, when the Obsidian Blade mutates and improves, aesthetic mutations may accompany it, in memory of Nightmare Moon.

Author's Note

(Took me FOREVER to figure out how to write this. The chapter just didn't want to come together. I'm hoping that it came out alright, and if you have complaints let me know politely please so I can look out for it in the future. Now is a chance to develop further techniques for dealing with enemies, or strengthen already existing ones. I hope you enjoy, however a couple of things I've noticed that I think need to be addressed below.)

1: I tried to tell and separate as best I'm able, however from now on if there's anything you DON'T want to influence the Host, then please use parenthesis or brackets to separate it from normal conversation. Otherwise I'll include it as part of what's effecting him, unless, and here's part two-

2: Please try to keep your advice and influence to one or two posts. Three I can kind of manage though it causes me some trouble. Four and up I'm not going to bother with. This is partly a balance thing and partly a timing thing.

Thunder and Wolves

Best get your back up against a wall. You're outnumbered, so let's at least limit the directions they can come at you. Then wait for them to lunge before you strike. It worked before, it should work again.

You back up quickly, shoving your rump back into the rough stone wall as you pant, eyes darting to either side, watching the wolf-things eyes, glowing in the dark. The occasional flash of lightning illuminates their bodies, crouching low and several feet away, one moving to each side, thorn-claws scraping across the stone, as they walked, growls emitting from their unnatural throats as they stalked you...

You stand with your rump pressed against the wall, panting quickly, holding your blade up, and swinging it from your left to your right, in an effort to discourage your hunters... but you know that that won't last long, and you don't know what else to do. You'd love for them to just go away. Or run at you and impale themselves on your blade again. But the first time was just a fluke. Nopony, yourself included, could have guessed that a freaking sword could have spouted out of your hoof! And by mid-leap the thing couldn't stop itself from the self-impalement. But it's clear that these things aren't stupid, they're circling you, hunting you, not just charging... They're plotting how to take you down, and even with your back cut off to attack, it's only a matter of them being too many for you to handle, moving at once... and you don't know how to counter them.

Your new weapon yearns for battle. Observe the pack, made of wood or not, they are still wolves. Find their Alpha, the one they look to for orders. Challenge him and kill him. Once you slay him, you will gain your first minions in the remnents of the pack. If they won't follow you...kill them. Be sure to save some of their sap, there should be a flask behind the throne. Timberwolf sap/blood is quite toxic when ingested and it's always a good idea to carry a poison with you.

Nomad

You glance to your sword, the pale blue glow of the mist at it's base illuminating it enough for you to see it, at least the bottom half of it, and the green sap oozing down it's jagged blade... You're pretty sure that stuff's toxic. You might want to keep it later to use against other monsters. But that's not what's important right now! No what's important is this freaky blade that popped out of your damn hoof! What the buck!?

Low growls and pair of green eyes in the black reminds you that that's not what's important either. They are. You lower your blade a little and look from one, then to the other, turning your head from left, to right, watching them watch you. They're pack animals, you're sure of that. Like the foals that used to bully you after school, they're relying on each other, working as a group, scared to work alone. That means that they've got some kind of alpha, some big important head honcho goading them on. If they'd cowed or retreated you'd think it was the one that secured it's place in history as the first crystal-impaled wolf-kebab. But they're still working together, still hunting you... Which meant that their leader is probably somewhere else, and still demanding tribute. Buck it.

You breathe in deeply then out again, wincing slightly as you feel a throbbing at the back of your head... The fall from earlier probably hadn't run it's course yet, pain dulled by adrenaline, might have a concussion, but can't worry about that now. You've got a pair of wolves looking at you like your meat, so you've got to watch them and-

As another wolf lunges at you, lightning shall launch from the obsidian blade, shocking the wolf, and unlocking a new power.

With lightning the blade emerged, lightning is still within the blade. Use it as you will.

FLASH!

AWWWOOOO!!!

"SHIT!"

You didn't even see them coming but now they're right bucking there! Illuminated by the lightning, leaping through the air with their mouths open and thorn-fangs glistening, flash-frozen in the moment of your realization! Catch one and the other's left to gnaw on your insides! Unfortunately there's only one thing you can do, and you don't like it because it involves leaping forward then whirling around quickly, and desperately hoping that you do it before they bite into your flank. You really wish you had a better plan than that.

You leap clumsily on your tired bruised limbs, and land in a heap on the stone floor as the wooden paws of the wolves clamber onto the stone behind you. A satisfying-

THUNK

Sound fills the air, followed by growls of pain. You smirk, a wild hope entering your heart. Sounds like they knocked heads together, you might just have a chance! You scramble back up to your legs quickly with that thought in mind, but reality comes back to bite you in the flank. Literally.

"AAAHHH!!!" You shout as your flank lights up with a burning pain, screaming into your brain as something hot and warm runs down your right hind-leg. You whirl around clumsily, throwing your left hoof in an arch and you feel a-

CHIK!

As the tip of your blade catches on something, and then rips through it. A howl and a darting pair of green eyes in the dark gives you a small sense of righteous vindication, and a flash of lightning shows you the pair of wolves together, standing where you'd just been, teeth-bared and growling. The left one has a cut along it's muzzle, green sap leaking out, along with a mouth full of blood red thorn-teeth flesh and fur sticking out from between the fangs, your blood dripping down it's jaw and onto the stone...

You grit your teeth, chemicals in your body working to help you ignore the pain in your head, and your flank, and your limbs. You are getting really, REALLY pissed. That damn wolf just literally bit you in the ass! HE BIT YOU IN THE ASS!!! You couldn't even see it because it's so bucking dark and the only time you can see is when the damned lightning flashes! You need to be able to see the damn wolf-thing so you need the lightning to flash! You need the damn lightning! LIGHTNING DO WHAT YOU WANT!

FLASH!

BOOOOOOM!!!

Once again pain grips your body as a lightning bolt soars through a wide empty window to the left of the wolf-pair, striking your body and knocking you across the room, and into one of the ruined stone pillars, which you then proceed to crumple down in front of.

"Ugggghhh..." You groan as your fur stands on end, little sparks crackling between the hairs, the smell of burnt flesh emanating from you as wisps of black smoke rise from your form. As you shakily push yourself back up to your hooves, scraping the blade across the stone, head spinning, eyes groggy... Then your eyes shoot wide as a sudden pain seizes in your spine, and you arch your back upwards, planting your hooves on the ground and sticking your blade into the stone as you grit your teeth and squeeze your eyes shut, opening your mouth to let out an-

"Auuuggghh!!!" Screaming once again as a wet-

SPLAT!

Sound fills the air, wet red splattering down onto the stone all around you, and onto your hooves and fur that... that you can see... ... You blink, then slowly turn your head up and to the left, over your shoulder, looking to your back... ... And you are completely unable to comprehend exactly what it is you see sticking out of it.

Two steel-grey rods, slender and thin, jutting up out of your back near where Pegasus wings might have stuck from. They stick up high into the air, a foot and six inches to two feet maybe, and at the ends they're curved, like hooks though with dull rounded ends, arching back. But that's not the end of it. Archs of electricity are jumping between them, back and forth, sometimes running up and down a rod all the way to the hook at the end, and then zapping back over to the other side. The electricity is coursing along the two metal poles in your back and as it courses it's lighting up the room in flickering bright light, at least for a few feet around you, letting you see in the dark.

Letting you see the bucking wolf things as they crouch low, startled and surprised, growling at you, watching you with their bright green eyes. You blink, then you narrow your eyes at them, then you growl yourself, and something comes over you inside... You feel along the insides of your back, and find a new muscle, one that feels... right. You give it a twitch, and then push it up in your spine, and a loud-

BUUUUUUZZZZZZ

Comes from the rods on your back, as each of them pulls the electrical energy down the lengths of their rods up to the ends of the hooks, and keeps the energy there. Small balls of lightning caught on the ends, buzzing and humming and lighting up the room steadily as you feel pressure building up in that new muscle, as you feel a strain... Gritting your teeth, you focus your attention on the wolf you struck, the one that bit your flank, and let that strain free.

ZAP!

The twin balls of lightning arch a band of electricity together, before shooting out a bolt from in-between the hooks of the rods, launching through the dark towards your targeted wolf. The bright flash of arching energy curls through the air and hits it square on, throwing it back and into the wall as the energy ignites it's wooden body. The creature bursts into flames even as it shatters against the wall, green sap and wooden pieces splattering everywhere.

You breathe heavily, the rods no longer buzzing, energy no longer coursing up and down the poles... Then you furrow your brows as you see green mist start to rise from the sap and touch to it's wooden pieces, starting to pull them together... You growl, and swing your left-hoof forward again, ripping your blade from it's stone sheathe, scattering rubble as you point it towards the mist. The mist jerks, and stops, and then lets the wooden pieces clatter onto the stonework, twirling through the air towards your black Obsidian Blade, and spiraling into the surface, disappearing and eaten as it feeds the sword...

It is dark again. There is only one pair of green eyes in the dark, watching you. The energy from your rods is expended, and all that is left is the dark and the wolf... and your blade.

BOOOOM!

An arch of lightning crashes through the window once more, weaving through the air and into your steel rods, zapping them, causing your body to shake slightly as the energy courses through you, but it doesn't hurt this time, this time it feels right, it feels good! The room lights up and the wolf runs forward, thorn-claws clattering against the stone as it dashes at you. You twitch the muscle again, let it build up, and let it go. Time slows as your bolt flies through the air in a brilliant flash, striking the stone where the wooden wolf had been running, now illuminating it's flight through the air as it leaps at you, jaws open wide. Just how you like it.

You swing your blade up as it comes at you, and the black jagged edge catches it in the side of the neck. That doesn't stop the wolf's momentum. Even as your blade digs into the wood, and green sap pools out, it's right claw outstretched, and strikes your face. You feel the tearing along the side, feel the digging in of the thorns, and the red, more red from your body, pouring down. But you don't care. You're smiling anyway. Because you know what happens next.

You use your lodged blade to bring the wolf down to the ground, it's legs kicking, it's mouth open and howling as you keep it down. You jerk and twist the blade, biting through the wood, digging it deeper into the thing's neck. Then you bring your front-right hoof down and push it against the top of the wolf's muzzle, holding it's head down as you pull out your blade quickly, turn your hoof, and thrust it back in!

CRACK!

The wolf shudders as the protective roots in it's neck are snapped. You grin with a mad glint in your eye twist your blade sideways, getting it ready, and then-

POP!

You twist your blade down and up, popping off the wolf's head like a cork. Green sap gushes out, covering your blade, and green mist seeps into the black crystalline surface, not having even a chance to try and pull the Wolf back together. And you laugh. You laugh as you look down at the broken frail thing, and chuckle, and chortle, and shake your head as tears roll down your cheeks because your flank is burning up, your cheek is cut, your head is throbbing, and now you have a pair of rods sticking out of your aching back.

Now within your heart young mortal is despair can you feel it there good now let it fester and let it rot and as your heart and soul rot so will your body. Your body will bloat and fester with worm and fly with rot and disease but their is an upside you will no longer become sick and no longer will you feel any pain. Do so and become closer to your destiny as the bringer of the end time.

Your laughter dies down until you're just smiling, and staring blankly out into the dark place in front of you, lighting dim and gone.

"... I really am a freak." You whisper simply, remembering all those years of suffering at the hands of school-fillies as they called you that, tormented you for being a blank flank and now... now you know that they were right. You blink a few more tears from your eyes, rolling down your cheek, mixing in with your blood as you stare at the body for a few more moments... then turn your gaze towards the blade jutting from the end of your hoof, covered with green sap.

You pull it up, close to your face, examining it, the glistening green and the jagged sharp crystal. And for a moment, just for a moment, you consider putting it to your neck... a bit of pressure and a sharp tug, and suddenly there would be nothing left of you... freak gone, all the hurt, the pain, everything, just gone...

But you don't do that. Instead you turn your eyes to the green goop, the sap covering your blade... Poison... Blinking more tears from your eyes, smile still on your face, you lean forward and put your tongue to the base of your blade, on the flat side, and then run it up all the way to the tip, poking your tongue on it as you taste the green sap.

It's horrible. Blood and sap mix in your mouth and you swallow it down, gulping it as you keep on smiling, tears covering your cheeks. And then you collapse. Onto your side, sweat starting to form on your skin and in your coat as your vision goes blurry and you start to shake, cold and hot washing over your body, your mind scrambling, disoriented and unfocused. The lightning flashes, and you think you see a figure, standing a few feet away from you, four hooves on the ground... before you black out.

MUTATION GAINED: Lightning Rod: The Host is now able to process electrical energy and absorb it without damage. Electricity is actively attracted thin steel rods on his back when they are upright. The rods preserve the electrical current for a brief period, though the charge steadily drains from the rods and will eventually dissipate if unused. Otherwise the energy is expended violently in the form of a lightning bolt, cast from the rods. The electrical charge casts a steady light while running through the rods.

"HAHAHAHA!!! That was bucking awesome! Oh did you see his face!?

""Are you not worried brother?"

"Hm? Oh nah. The Star of Woe just needed a catalyst for the next mutation. It's being rushed but it's not about to let him die from his wounds, not this early in the game. Timberwolf blood may be a poison to most living things, but it's also got some major regenerative magic in it. Should be interesting to see what the Star does with that kind of mix..."

"I was referring to his current location brother."

"Hmmm? ... Oh...Hahahaha! That's even better!"

"I fear you and I disagree on this point my dear brother... I hope that our endeavor does not end before it has begun... Hm?"

"Something the matter?"

"I'm not sure I... Ah, I see. The Watchers have been temporarily displaced by the Star. It's altering the host's mind to prevent dreaming and doesn't want interference."

"Why's it doing that? Usually it likes playing with dreams."

"Self-preservation. Taking Nightmare Moon's remnant power did indeed grant the host power, with great development potential. However if the host dreams now, Princess Luna will notice the return of Nightmare Moon's presence, and cure him of it in his sleep, thereby discovering the Star of Woe and the Watchers influence. So it is simply removing that aspect of the Host's life... the Watchers will merely have to content themselves with altering his waking hours."

"Hmph! Those bitches ruin everything... Can you send them back? Don't want them bugging us all night."

"They were displaced, not severed, so the connection is still there. Let's see, it's finished the alteration, so it should accept them back. A bit of quantum manipulation and..."

MUTATION GAINED: Everfree Blood: Absorbed from the Timberwolves, the blood in the Host's body has been altered into a diluted form of the Timberwolf sap. The blood pumps through the internal body and reduces chances of poison or toxin damage in the Host's body. In addition, it aids in regeneration and healing, though comparatively minorly. The Host's blood now acts as a minor poison, when taken orally it can induce internal pain and possible hallucinations. A side-effect of the sap's properties is that the Host cannot move as quickly as before, suffering a minor decrease to body movement and reflexes. Part of the Everfree Forest Legacy.

MUTATION GAINED: Dreamless Sleep: To prevent detection from Princess Luna, the Star of Woe has removed the Host's ability to dream while asleep. Part of the Nightmare Moon Legacy.

You awaken slowly, opening your eyes blearily as you slowly come back into the world of the awake and living. And the first thing you notice is that your bed is SOFT. Like really soft, way better than the alley mattress. Which is good because your body hurts like a mother-bucker, all over, so some comfort is appreciated. You sniff a bit, and notice that there's a strange smell in the air. A mixture of herbs, spices, and plants that you're not familiar with. You're also covered in bandages, which are surprisingly comfortable compared to your usual attire. You start to sit up slowly, wincing through the pain and grunting slightly, as you turn your gaze to take a look around at whatever new place you've found yourself in, and decide what to do about it...

Claiming a Zebra (Explicit)

Very good pony. You are on your way to winning this mares heart. DO NOT BUCK THIS UP!!! Zecora is a true catch. Charming and intelligent, skilled in healing arts which, lets face it, you won't last long without. Now, hold her tight through the night. When you wake, act the gentlecolt and apologize for the uninvited embrace, though I doubt she will mind. Go through the day, a touch of tail to side hear, a congradulation nuzzle there, and kind words and compliments scattered throughout. She will be yours. Remember, once you mate her, you have an Amulet to claim and a Dragon to fight. The corrupting influence of the Alicorn Amulet will aid you in truly claiming Zecora as yours...do not fail us.

While holding her tight, take your time and lick her ear. Just slightly, just once. Make sure she does not wake.

Then, whisper to her how much you like her- but more importantly, whisper to her how much she likes you. How she wants to be yours. Why else did she tell you about her people's "herds"? She wants to be yours at least as much as you want her to be yours, maybe even more! So quietly whisper to her sleeping form how fulfilling her life would be under you, as your... well, that depends on how she conducts herself, eh? Perhaps as your mate, but if she turns out to be truly subservient, slavish even, you need to call her something else, of course.

And do not worry that you're doing anything to her besides holding her and whispering. Princess Luna is the only one who can change ponies in their dreams; you are merely voicing your thoughts. Harmless.

You shift and squirm on the bed, turning this way, turning that way, gritting your teeth, and stopping just shy of letting out grunts of frustration so as to not wake your sleeping bed buddy. What the buck is wrong with you!? You're here in THE most awesome bed you have EVER been in and you can't get a wink of sleep! Is it because you've spent so many nights cold and uncomfortable? Did the abuse of sleeping on hard and dirty mattresses in dank and stinking alleys permanently ruin the wonder of a warm soft bed?! You pray not, not even Celestia would be that cruel! ... Or would she? She certainly never helped you any of the times you called out to her for aid and guidance... bitch.

You shake your head and stifle a frustrated groan before turning over with a quiet sigh, and looking across the bed towards the sleeping zebra. Pale moonlight shines down onto Zecora's still form, her body outlined against the covers, the faint red of the bottle falling just short of her on the blanket. She breathes in and out slowly, steadily, her chest rising and falling softly with each breathe, faint movement from the sheets and blankets in time with her breath.

You smile gently as you look at the zebra's sleeping body. She looks so beautiful with the moonlight on her coat, so... enticing. You watch her for a moment, then furrow your brows a bit in worry. Maybe this is what's keeping you up. Not the comfort which you would have KILLED for if you knew how good it was, but having a partner in bed, sleeping next to you. You've never been in that kind of a situation before, never had anypony to share a bed with. You're not entirely sure what to do with a mare sleeping so close to you... so close...

You bite your lower-lip slightly, and turn your head to look up to the ceiling, almost to make sure nopony is watching, before looking back down to her. You really, really want to hold her... Nothing wrong or weird! You just want to hold her close to you and feel her warmth with you. Hold her tight... Maybe it'll help you get to sleep! There's nothing wrong with that, right!? Nothing wrong with that at all...

You lick your lips nervously, then slowly begin inching your way towards the sleeping mare. It's a short distance from one side of the bed to the other, but between your slow approach and your stopping every time she shifts out of fear of waking her, it takes you what feels like forever to reach her. But finally you do. Her sleeping form is right in front of your eyes, your heart thumping so loud in your chest that you're sure she'll awake. It suddenly seems very hot beneath the covers as sweat starts to form in droplets on your coat, and you have to take a moment to breathe deeply and calm down. However soon, you work up the nerve, and tentatively stretch out your hooves to encircle Zecora's sleeping form...

You stop short as Zecora shift's slightly, right forehoof dug in slightly underneath her body, holding your breathe as you wait for your luck to change and Zecora to wake up and screech at you for daring to touch her nubile form. But she doesn't. Instead, she settles down again, and after a few moments of calming your nerves, you go ahead and push your right forehoof all the way underneath her body and up the other side. You bring your left forehoof around to encircle her, and slowly push yourself up against her, pressing your body to hers even as you hold her in your hooves.

Her body is warm. Her fur is soft. You can feel her breaths echoing through her body into yours as her chest gently rises and falls. Her whole form is pressed up against you and you're pressed up against her and it feels wonderful. Relaxing. You can't remember the last time you've actually held somepony... it feels so good just to hold her. You pull her a little closer, and nuzzle your face into her neck softly, pressing your nose against her fur and breathing in her scent.

It's strong. The smell of her is powerful, filled with whiffs of herbs and spices, a touch of plant and greenery, and a hint of the sweat from the day's toil. It's intoxicating, faintly arousing, and it makes your mouth water. You begin to think of what she was doing to get this unique mixture of smell. Standing over her cauldron, tossing in bags and potions and emitting chants as she cared her cures. Traveling through the Everfree, cloaked and shrouded, plucking plants from the ground and leaves from the trees to make her concoctions. Laying on her back against a wall, hind-legs spread wide, biting her lip and keeping herself quiet as she rubbed herself wet with her hooves, working up a sweat in her coat, thinking of you on top of her...

You bite your bottom lip as a flush comes to your cheeks, and a feeling stirs in your groin. You push it back down, thankful both for the bandages covering your abdomen and the hidden nature of equine penises. The last thing Zecora needs to wake up to is your little friend poking her in the rump. Besides, you know she wasn't really clopping to you... Though why shouldn't she? You're, well, you mean... She took you in didn't she? Treated you? Bathed you? Why would she do any of that if she didn't feel some kind of attraction to you? She wouldn't, she has to like you at least a little bit, right?

You look down at her in your hooves, and lick your lips lightly. She's so enticing, so delicious looking, so beautiful when she's asleep. You want to know her, you want her to know you, and you want to taste her... You bet she taste's delicious. You hesitate for a moment, and then slowly lean down towards her ear. You pause for a moment, as she shifts in your hooves, and then wait for a few moments. As she settles, you slowly stick the tip of your tongue onto the lobe of her ear, and run it up along the edge... She tastes so tangy, so sharp and strong, with a flavor so very foreign to everything you've ever known.

She shifts a bit against your body, grunting softly at the sudden wet sensation, and you stop, withdrawing your ear as she shifts. You wait for her to settle down, smiling softly as she snuggles back into you in her sleep, and slowly run your left forehoof down her belly, rubbing gently, helping her calm down as she sleeps in your embrace... You bite your lip, looking down at her, wanting her to know you and want you and love you... You lick your lips again, lean close to her ear, and with a gentle voice, whisper sweetly into her dreams.

"You're wonderful Zecora... You've been so kind to me, so very sweet and loving. I think you care greatly for me Zecora. I think there's a part of you that knows you're meant to be with me. Why else would you have brought me here, given me a bath, fed me, and treated my wounds? You don't do these things for just anypony, you do them for somepony you love... I think that in your heart, you want me to be happy. I think that you want me, and I know that I want you... I think that you want to be with me and live with me and keep me company and cook me meals and take care of me and, and... I think that you love me Zecora... And I want you to know, that I love you to..." You plant a gentle kiss on her cheek, and are rewarded with a soft curl to the sleeping mare's lips, bringing a gentle smile to her graceful features... You smile softly at the sight, and lean down to whisper gently once more.

"Goodnight Zecora... dream of me tonight. I'll certainly be dreaming of you." You speak gently, and lay your head down on her neck, closing your eyes as you breathe in Zecora's scent again holding her close, letting the warmth of her body wash off onto you. You listen with your eyes closed and your body snuggled up against hers, hearing her every breathe and the steady thump of her heart, playing gently into your ear. You sigh out gently, contentedly, and lay there with Zecora held close, listening to her heartbeat and breathing, letting her warmth fill you, letting her smell entice you, and letting her presence pull you from the waking realm, and send you drifting off to sleep...

(To Pyrus)

(I am guiding the pawn towards the dragon that makes his home in the Everfree. The dragons hoard will aid him in acquiring useful materials, and by/during the killing of the dragon I recommend gaining the ability to consume flame to heal as well as fire breath. :See Dragon Slayer Magic: Since you are the De-facto Deity of the dragons of this realm, I thought you deserved a heads up.)

"Gah. He should be ripping her throat out, not whispering sweet nothings! Makes me want ta bucking puke! All this sappy romance can't be good for the Star!"

"Emotional manipulation is a tried and true form of gaining servants my brother, and the Star would not have increased the Host's manipulative abilities if this was harmful to it. Calm down, the Watchers have surpassed our expectations thus far. Things are going as well as we can hope. Hm, interesting. Brother, there's a message for you."

"Message? What the buck do you mean a message?"

"The Watchers have sent you a message, well one of them is sending and will have sent, their time structure is somewhat confusing."

"Well tell them to piss off! They should be guiding the damn host not socializing!"

"The host is asleep at the moment, why the Star is sparing the time to get this message through. The Host cannot dream so their guidance is completely unnecessary during his sleeping hours and it can spare their presence. In any case it concerns you so it would be intelligent to examine it."

"Buck that I'm busy!"

"Doing what?"

"... Fine! I'll answer the damn question! Bucking social sons of mules..."

"Very good. Now just a moment and..."

Pyrus stood with a grey stone wall covered in a thick sheet of ice behind him, glaring straight at you, with a red coat, black sparking feathers, and what looked like a molten iron helmet on the top of his head with a vicious curved blade sticking out of it. His eyes were a blood red with burning fire behind them, with what looked like black veins stretching out from underneath them and into his cheeks, his teeth sharp and vicious. He looked tired, grumpy, and angry. Bad combination by most accounts.

"What!?" He hissed, and then closed his eyes listening for a moment, before sighing out slowly, a plume of black smoke escaping from his lips, before he looked up to you with a half-lidded gaze.

"Well I can't fault your manners. Listen up Nomad, and you to other Watchers, I know you all see the same thing. First off I don't give a flying feather about the dragon in the Everfree. The reason for this is two-fold. One, Dragons thrive on strength, and tests to their strength are not only expected but necessary! The weak are eradicated and the strong get to make everypony weaker their bitches! That's how things go and that's how Dragons work to. BUT, not that one." Spoke Pyrus, leveling a glare further before he continued.

"THAT dragon is an infantile! One that never matured. Dragons are born with an advanced internal mutation related to the accumulation of wealth and the pace thereof. Why they're all so bucking treasure obsessed. This internal mutation goes into activation near the early stage of their development, before they hit puberty even, while they're still technically infants. Now most of the time, this gets cut off early. Why? Because other Dragons protect their hordes and teach the younger a lesson about nabbing what you can't keep. A harsh bucking lesson. And the youngers start growing the natural way and engage in constant contests with each other until they can fly off and get their own horde. Then, they bring it back to the Migration, and the biggest and baddest Dragon of the bunch gets most of it while they get to keep a significant amount." Spoke Pyrus, before leaning forward slightly and raising his front-left hoof, pointing out of sight, while at the same time revealing it to be covered in black molten iron up to the knees, with black veins running up from the metal underneath Pyrus's fur, along the leg all the way up to the torso.

"THAT THING was born outside of a Migration! So it never got it's greed curbed! The thing sprouted up with the mind of a child and is as selfish and stupid as a newborn mule! There are a few like it around, big dumb brutes with the size, claws, and fire, but none of the predatory cunning. So in short, that thing is a DISGRACE to proper dragons, and I'll be happy to see it's miserable existence snuffed out! " Spoke Pyrus, lowering his left forehoof and leveling another resentful glare towards you.

"Ya know, like how I'd be happy to see a certain Zebra's existence snuffed out, instead of-"

"Brother. Let the Watchers do their job. We shall do ours." Pyrus sighed and brought his left hoof back up to rub his temple slightly as his brother gave his slight admonishment from elsewhere.

"Yeah yeah fine..." He muttered, before looking up to you again, a serious glint in his eyes.

"Listen up though. Peabrain or not that thing has still got the body of a full-grown dragon, complete with flame-breathe and steel-shredding claws. It is NOT to be taken lightly. Right now the host is nowhere near ready for it. SO HOLD OFF ON IT!!! Get the bucker stronger before you throw him into a dragon's maws! I mean for bucks sake look at him! He barely survived a fight with the damn Timberwolves! There are a lot of nasty things in the Everfree but the only thing nastier than that Dragon is the Ursa Major, maybe Minor. So get him stronger! The dragon's a damn good test and I want to see it die, but he ain't ready. Give him time."

"Brother, did you choose not hear what I just said? Not even a minute ago?"

"Aw come on! He was practically asking for my advice on it!" A soft sigh came from elsewhere, before the vision blurred away from Pyrus, and centered on, Cryon tilted down, showing the small colt sitting on his haunches on the ice-sheet floor, looking up with his unblinking blue gaze.

"In any event, thank you Watchers for your continued efforts. This has started very well with sound tactical decisions. Please keep up the good work, and know that you can question us during the Host's sleeping hours. But only his sleeping hours. That you would be able to question or continue to communicate with us at all is an unexpected boon."

"More like a damn annoyance if you ask me."

"In any case-" continued on Cryon despite his brother's interruption.

"The Host is in an excellent starting position. There is some risk to letting him get too comfortable however. Remember that the Star performs mutations quickly with catalysts, such as the Legacies, and panic situations, such as the Timberwolf attack. Steady focus suggestion and use of a particular sense will lead to mutation, but not as quickly. Also, advancements of current mutations are easier to achieve through such means than entirely new mutations. Now farewell, I will return you to your work." Spoke Cryon, lifting up his front-right hoof and waving it at you in a little circle as his eyes glowed a bright blue, and then the vision of him snuffed out of existence.

Sweet. You got her in the same bed. Now, when you wake up, you will notice that your sense of smell has amped up quite a bit. After messing around with the ability a bit, you will find that you can control it. Two scents are clear throughout all others. Brimstone, and the smell of nature itself, pulling you somewhere. Follow the brimstone, and gain the breath and treasures of a dragon (Part of the Dragon Legacy). Follow the pull of nature, and gain the ability to control nature itself, in ways you had never imagined (Part if the Everfree Legacy).

Following further along the Everfree Legacy will slow reaction times and make you an easy target for, say, the Elements of Harmony. Seek the brimstone scent that promises treasure and flame, but only after that zebra you tame. Make her yours, and you shall see, you shall thrive in the Everfree.

You open your eyes slowly, the smell of cooking and spices hitting your nostrils and the absence of warm zebra body clear to your senses. You blink when you realize that you're once again alone in the bed, and feel just a bit worried, but judging by how she let you sleep Zecora probably wasn't too mad about it. You smile at the memory of the contact, then sniff the air again and lick your lips. Whatever she's making it smells delicious. A growl in your stomach agrees with you, and you push back the covers as you move off the bed and bring your hooves down to the floor. For some reason you still feel a bit sluggish, but you shake it off and trot out of the bedroom.

Inside the main room of Zecora's hut you see the cauldron, bubbling once again, and the attractive zebra mare shaking her flanks as she happily hums over said cauldron, standing on her hind legs and stirring with her left front-hoof, the tip just barely touching the liquid. You still wonder how she can't find that too hot, but shake it off and just watch her for a couple of moments, watching her tail swish and flanks move for a few moments of gratuitous pleasure. You lick your lips slowly, thinking of a taste that has nothing to do with the dinner being prepared, before you finally clear your throat and speak in a cheerful tone, attracting the mare's attention.

"Good morning Zecora! Sleep well?"You ask cheerfully, before trotting over to the weird tree table thing as Zecora turns from the cauldron and smiles brightly at you. A glimmer in her eyes and a dance to her grin.

"Oh my rest was just as it seems! Filled with numerous happy dreams!"

Spoke the zebra before giving you a smirk and cocking her right eyebrow.

"Perhaps this was due to guest, who thought that night cuddles would be best."

Stated the mare, bringing a blush to your cheek as you chuckle, a little awkwardly and bring your right forehoof up to the back of your head, rubbing it sheepishly.

"Heh, sorry, I got kind of... clingy in the night."You speak, then grin apologetically as the zebra chuckles.

"I could tell, but it is just as well.

Your company through the night has helped this morning to seem so bright!"

She spoke, before looking back to her cauldron.

"Now sit my friend and do not fret, breakfast shall be ready in a few minutes yet."

Stated Zecora happily, stirring the pot lightly as you plant your flank in front of the table with a relieved sigh. Not in trouble. After a few moments you lift your nose, sniffing slightly. You furrow your brows a bit at the scent in the air. It's... you're not sure why but you think it might be... no, that's impossible right, you don't even know what they smell like! But, well can't hurt to ask can it? ... You lick your lips, and clear your throat before speaking.

"Um, Zecora?" You say, the Zebra letting out a-

"Hm?"

As she continues to stir the brew.

"Um, this may sound strange but is that by any chance... er, dragon stew?" The sharpness at which Zecora snaps her head towards you makes you jerk back, your own eyes wide as you see shock in her eyes, equaled only by the expression of hurt on her face.

"No! Such chagrin! There is no dragon there within!

What hast filled your mind with such lies, that this stew holds dragon you should surmise!?"

She shouts as you quickly bring your forehooves up waving them back and forth quickly in surrender, hoping it will dissipate the strong emotion.

"Nothing! Nothing I just, I was thinking of dragons and I couldn't recognize the spices and- I didn't mean anything by it!" You say, as Zecora looks at you for a few more moments her face becoming unreadable, then turns abruptly and looks to the brew.

The silence that follows can be cut with a knife. Or a fork. Frankly any physical object would due because it's bucking thick and disconcerting. You are FAR more worried right now than you were when you snuggled up to her in the night, and as she finishes stirring and starts to pour the stew, your heart pounds in your chest, worry eating at your gut.

Zecora brings the bowls over after a moment, walking on her hind legs and placing one bowl in front of you then one on her end, and sits down at her end without a word. She just stares down at the bowl for a few moments, expression still a mystery as you look across at her, and bite your lip. What do you do!? You've pissed her off or something! You didn't mean to! Shit! How do you salvage this? ... Ummm... Tell her it smells good? No, shit, that's what started this in the first place! Compliment her mane!? Come on think, think!

Just as you were about to start on how shiny her coat looks today, Zecora broke the silence, speaking in a steady, empty tone.

"Near to the Everfree is a place called Ponyville, where I thought to find ponies to heal.

When in this place I first arrived, the locals found me to be despised.

Rumors and accusations untrue, false lies and whispers were my due.

I became an outcast in exile, and that was how it was for a while.

I was recently accepted and for that I am grateful, but sometimes I think on times past and begin to feel hateful.

I banish these thoughts, with others of a friend, the one who helped my exile end.

Then others who followed, and have become quite dear, from whom spite and hatred I need no longer fear.

But in those old times this rumor was held to be true, that I cook up ponies and serve them in stew.

One of my friends goes by the name Spike, a baby dragon who I rather like.

When you made your query I thought of those times, when all thought I was a witch that committed great crimes.

And if someone had heard that question asked, it would have gone back to times past.

They would have thought of Spike in the pot, and left me alone here to rot.

Alone again, just the very thought, and all my good works would count for naught.

Nopony to care for me... all alone here in the Everfree..."

She stays quiet after that, just sitting with her face looking down towards the stew. A knife twists in your stomach, and you look at her for a few moments... Before speaking gently.

"Everypony told me to go away to... left me all alone..." You whisper, and she looks up into your eyes. Your eyes meet, your pulse quickens, and you see the hint of a blush moving onto her cheeks as one colors yours as well... You both look down awkwardly, biting your lips and staring at your thus far untouched stew. You close your eyes, breathe in deep, then move around the table, over to Zecora to her left.

She tenses up slightly as you move next to her but doesn't move as you bring your left forehoof up, and wrap it around her shoulders, just holding her with your foreleg. Several seconds pass before her body relaxes, and she lowers her head with a soft sigh, to press against your chest. You pull her closer, and lower your head to nuzzle her gently, her mane bending out of the way and tickling your face as you press your cheek to hers and rub gently.

Well-done. She trusts you, she likes you, and you have become far more persuasive. Now, force nothing on her, but should she decide to make a move of any sort on you, embrace it. Or should I say, embrace her? Heh.

Once she's had intercourse with you, she'll fall under your spell. She won't be able to refuse your commands, and you can do as you please with her. Now, the more sex you have with her, the harder it will be for her to break free, so I heartily recommend bucking her a few times to ensure her compliance. And don't worry, she'll retain her conversational abilities; it is more of a redirection of her moral compass. Instead of believing in the abstract concepts of "good" and "evil", she'll believe that whatever you desire is right and whatever would hinder you is wrong. A refreshing change from those who scorned you and felt that all you did was wrong, no? You're simply soliciting reparation for these injustices.

Make your move in the morning, then she shall be yours.

You stay like that for a few moments, and then she pulls her head back and looks up into your eyes. She's been shedding tears. Her eyes sparkle with water, wet trails lining down the fur of her cheeks, and it isn't until you see her eyes that you realize your coat is wet, so soft and quiet were her sobs. But in her tear-filled orbs you see something you're intimately familiar with. Longing. A longing for company, a longing not to be alone in the world, to be needed. And a hint of blush is on her cheeks as she stares up at you. Your breathe stops. Your heart pounds looking down into her eyes, and you watch as she closes them, leaning up slowly towards your face, to plant a soft kiss on your lips...

It's like a fire's spreading through your body. A rush, a tingle, an electric impulse shooting through every nerve and tendon, tracing a line up your spine to your brain, and then plummeting down to your groin. Your best friend shoots up in a salute in hopes of the first action you might have that doesn't involve clopping, and eagerly badgers you to get on with it. Every fiber of your being is screaming at you to rut Zecora. But first thing's first... this sad mare needs more than pure hormones. She needs to know you're there for her.

You push your head forward and kiss her back, deepening the kiss as you close your eyes, letting your lips meet and lock. You move your tongue forward to push into her lips and gently lick over her teeth. She pushes back and opens her mouth, moaning into the kiss and letting her tongue move up to meet yours. Your tongues touch and run over one another, dancing in each other's mouths as you swap saliva, you clumsily pushing your lips against her more experienced pair, though she doesn't seem to care about your inexperience. As you make out with Zecora, swapping spit and playing with tongues, you decide a few things about kissing. It's wet, messy, kind of gross, pretty sloppy, and BUCKING AWESOME.

You keep up the kissing for longer than you can count, before finally pulling back for air. You're panting heavily, your heart beating quick in your chest, the noise pounding into your ears as you feel the heat of your flushed face. You look with a dazed wonder at the wet sticky strand of saliva, running from your tongue to Zecora's. Your eyes move up to her face to see that she's panting, her face flushed, and in her eyes is a heated desire, one that you've never seen in the eyes of any mare looking at you. Ever. How much of a turn on that is just to see that look of need, that look of want, and know that it's meant for you...You would've killed ponies for that look. And now here she was, giving it to you for free... You'd make sure she didn't regret it.

You squirm a bit, and look down from her face to your abdomen. Your best friend has made an appearance, coming out of his sheathe to stretch against the bandages wrapped around your abdomen. You gulp and pull away from Zecora, sitting back onto your haunches and turning your body to face the zebra, giving her a nervous smile, before looking down to the bandages, your stallionhood making a clear and present bulge. You move your hooves down to the restrictive bandages, starting to pull at them as you bite your lip, then growl as you start tugging at them, impatient for them to be off. Zecora's hooves move to yours, stopping you, and you blink and look up to see her with a soft smile and a gentle blush upon her face.

"Let me undo, them for you."

She spoke, making the simple sentence into a rhyme as she lightly pushed your hooves away, and then began to expertly unwrap the bandages from your body. You breathe heavily, face red and sweat collecting on your coat as you watch the bandages fall one by one, biting your lips as she undoes the restraints around your stallionhood. Seconds feel like hours as one after another the bandages fall, until finally your long-neglected friend is revealed. He stands erect in the suddenly cold air, out of his sheathe with his two suppliers hanging in fleshy sacks beneath him, the sacks swinging slightly as he waits hard and ready to rut.

You're actually a bit smaller than average you're pretty sure. Malnutrition likely stunted growth, and since you're a virgin you're pretty sure that it won't take you very long at all to pop. Still, none of that exactly seems to matter as Zecora brings her mouth to the head of your cock and gives you a lick.

Electricity slams up into you and through your spine as the sensation of Zecora's tongue on your cock brings an instant lance of pleasure slamming through your body. You shiver as you feel her hot breathe on your stallionhood, and then let out a choked-

"Grk!" of excitement as Zecora wraps her lips around the head of your cock. At the back of your mind you can't help but think that if it wasn't obvious to her before that you were a virgin it's pretty bucking obvious now. But that also plummets into unimportance as Zecora plays her tongue over your head, holding it in her hot wet mouth, flicking her tongue over the tip and causing you to shudder with delight. Before taking you in another inch and completely shattering your mind.

"Gaah!" You say as you feel her tongue moving along your length, saliva coating your rod as precum drips from your tip onto her tongue, and you feel yourself building up more and more, the pleasure mounting and you know what's going to happen if she doesn't stop. You bring your forehooves forward to her head, taking it at either side, and push back, removing her mouth from your cock with a wet-

POP.

You breathe heavily, panting deeply as Zecora looks up to you with a confused look.

"I-I won't last if you keep working me like that. I want you to feel good to..." You say, to which Zecora blinks, and then smiles softly, blushing a bit more from the sentiment. You take another deep breathe, calming yourself down, then breathe out slowly, and look into Zecora's eyes with a light smile.

"Lay down, and spread your legs." You say, with an authority that surprises you. But Zecora nods, moving away, still facing you, before laying down and rolling onto her back. She spreads her hind-legs wide, and raises her forehooves, showing off her belly, her stomach-titties, and most importantly her slit. Her cunt is moist with arousal, but not yet dripping. You intend to rectify that. With a heated blush still on your face you get down onto your legs and lean forward, bringing your muzzle up to her most intimate of places...

The smell hits you hard as you move between her legs. Her musk powerful, the raging hormones filling your nostrils as you look to her wet slit, slick with desire. You lick your lips once more, nervously wetting them a bit, then tentatively stick out your tongue and run it up along her slit. The taste of her is wetness is strong, juicy, and tangy. Tasty. You run your tongue along her wet hole again, closing your eyes as you taste her succulent flesh.

You've not exactly down this before so you're a bit timid, a bit clumsy. But a soft grunt of pleasure from the zebra suggests that you're doing something right. You swirl your tongue over her slit, before flicking it up to her clit. A gasp and a wiggle of her hindquarters gives you an obvious hint of where she likes to be licked, so you begin to focus your tongue's efforts around her clit. You roll your tongue over it, up and down, side to side, then go back down the length of her slit before bringing your tongue back up to flick her clit again. Her sighs and soft moans of pleasure egg you on and you press your muzzle against her wetness, continuing to work with your tongue, closing your eyes as the smell and taste of her fill your senses, the strength of her pleasure overpowering everything else.

A hoof on your head stops your tonguing, and you lean back to look at Zecora, sitting up and panting with a flushed face, looking to you with droplets of sweat on her coat and desire in her eyes.

"T-that I think is enough of the tease. 'Gasp' Can we get to the r-rutting please?"

She asked, almost whining, as she scooted back and righted herself, before turning her body and lowering herself down to the ground. She then lifted her rump up into the air, her tail flicking up to reveal her dripping slit. You watch as she shakes her rump back and forth, giving the universally understood request of 'Please rut me like I'm a bitch in heat' with her flanks. You feel an icy fear clench your heart as you realize that there's no more stalling, that it's time, that it's time to rut her like there's no tomorrow...

GULP.

You move forward hesitantly walking your forehooves forward down either side of the mare, moving to position your body over hers. You suspend yourself over her, then lean down slowly, lowering your head to lay on her neck, while your hind legs inch forward and press the head of your cock against her wet folds. And then, with one more lick of your lips, and a prayer to whatever's deity covers first time virgin rutting, you thrust into her.

The pleasure is... you... it's hot, wet, and warm, and all-encompassing, you don't know how to describe it it's just good and it's eating you as you dig yourself so deep into her and oh buck you don't know how you can last in there! You don't know how you lasted out of there! It's all you can do to think of starting to move your hips forward, your breathing heavy, sweat and cunt still in your nostrils as you start pounding into the mare. Your mare! You're awkward and clumsy and have no finesse but damn it you're going to mark this female as yours with your cock! You can't think of anything but rutting her! And neither can your hips but that seems to be working out great cause she's neighing and whinnying underneath you, shifting and groaning and moaning and shuddering and drenching your cock with her wetness.

For some reason she actually cums before you. You feel her body shake and shudder, and her cunt juices squirt all over your cock and balls, drowning your malehood inside of her. You're not sure why she came first. It's definitely not your technique. Perhaps it's because it's been a very long time since she got any. But you're not feeling too philosophical about it because one wet slamming later you lose control of your virgin cock and pump her full of your cum. Your dick spasming and sputtering and filling her cunt with your hot seed.

You collapse on top of her, thoroughly spent, panting heavily, your tongue lolling out of your mouth. She's laying beneath you with her legs splayed out, stomach to the floor, breathing heavily. Both of you are stinking, covered with sweat and shared juices. Your meal sits on the tables untouched, the cauldron's still boiling, whatever's left in there is probably burnt, you were awkward and clumsy, the rutting probably lasted less than a minute, and none of that matters because you just lost your virginity!

You grin, and chuckle softly, and then just start laughing out loud, chuckling and guffawing with your lungs already deprived of air. After all these years you finally got laid! Finally lost your virginity! Finally know what the inside of a mare's pussy feels like! Zecora starts chuckling with you, letting your happy laughter infect her as you shakily pull out of her, and collapse down beside her.

She turns to you and wraps her hooves around you pulling you close as you move your forehooves around her, and then still chuckling kiss her deeply. She returns the kiss, your tongues meeting in each other's mouths, sharing the intimate tastes of the others private regions, before your mutual chuckling causes the kiss to break up. Your tongues go back in your mouth as you both keep on laughing for what feels like several minutes, chuckling until tears roll down your cheeks, lying in each other's hooves... Eventually you let your laughter die down to soft chuckles and open your eyes to look to the mare across from you.

You look into Zecora's eyes and she looks into yours, and in her eyes you see a kind of joy and contentment that... well, that you imagine you're echoing right at this moment. You smile, and lean forward, nuzzling your nose against hers, before grinning and speaking in a soft, happy voice.

"Thank you..." You say, then plant a gentle kiss on her nose, and nuzzle her again. She nuzzles back, eyes closed, and you close your eyes as well as you cuddle up to her, holding her body close, feeling her warmth against you, her breathing, her heartbeat, feeling her whole being... And knowing that it's yours.

In many ways, Zecora and the Everfree Forest are one. You want her... maybe you want it as well? It is your home for the time being. Why not learn about it, about its wonders and dangers?

Think about it: nopony besides Zecora lives here, and nopony knows much about it. What if... what if you were the first to truly explore it? You could finally be somepony! No homeless bum anymore, but an esteemed explorer, greater even than Daring Do! You would be famous, rich, loved!

So use your new sense of smell to learn Zecora's craft as well as to understand the Everfree. Remember, you'll be somepony- you'll finally be somepony...

Who knows, maybe you'll even eventually manage a feat as awesome as defeating a full-fledged dragon!

The dragon can wait, seek the power the Everfree whispers of.

Well that was the single most awesome that has ever happened in your life. No question about it. Definitely have to do that again.

After you and Zecora finally let go of each other and actually got up, you and Zecora took a bath. You used the cauldron for this, emptying it of the stew and filling it with water, which took an hour even with Zecora using some strange hoof motion to fill it. Pretty sure that was magical. You bathed together, you cuddled, you occasionally got splashed by water and splashed in return, and you both set to laughing inside of the cauldron. You did of course wisely decline to mention how bathing in a cauldron could help the rumors of cannibalism. Then you got out, dried off, took the rest of the bandages off, and finally got your stew.

Right now you're sitting outside on your haunches in front of Zecora's hut. Though really it's more of a kind of a tree thing, with creepy masks and some bottles and stuff hanging from it... Kinda freaky come to think of it. At the moment you're holding a wooden bowl of the rather tasty stew that Zecora had prepared in your lap, and a fairly sleepy zebra is laying her head against your shoulder, sitting next to you with her own stew in her lap. You're sitting there with Zecora snuggling against you with her eyes closed, a soft smile on her face, and a bowl of cold but good green stew in your lap, looking out into the Everfree, listening to it, examining it, and thinking on it.

This forest has tried to kill you. This forest did freaky shit to you involving metal rods sprouting from your back. This forest also fed you and just got you laid. Suffice to say you've got really mixed feelings about the Everfree right now, this forest is as dangerous as it is enticing... You feel as though you could do great things here. Great things indeed.

You reach your forehooves down to the bowl and bring it up to your lips, sipping gently thoughtfully as you look out into the dark and ominous woods. You've spent most of your life as a nopony, less than dirt little more than a stain on the street as ponies passed by. Now, you have a beautiful Zebra lover from a far away land practically sleeping on your shoulder, a roof over your head, and a couple of battle scars marking your body.

Zecora had remarked that while your wounds had healed and scars had faded, there was still a strange infection where they'd been. She didn't understand it, it wasn't like the normal Timberwolf poison. She was actually quite worried. Probably part of why she's leaning on you even now. Still, there was no reason for the bandages anymore, and she's promised to keep on trying to treat it, to take care of you... And there's nothing you'd rather more than stay in her care. But that still leaves an urge, an inkling that you have to explore, an unfulfilled desire in your heart of hearts that just begs to be explored.

Overall this forest, despite it's best efforts, has been good to you... here you've become more than you ever were before. In Manehatten you were nothing but here, here you've done things, accomplished things. Beaten back opponents and found a lover. Maybe there's still more to discover here, more to accomplish. You could ask Zecora about it! Investigate about the secrets of the Everfree, what she's learned. You could also learn a great deal from her! She's intelligent, strong, and obviously has mystical knowledge that goes beyond just knowing what plants to put where. You're sure there's a great deal she could teach you.

There's a world of opportunity here... A dark and frightening forest with powers untold, a zebra lover with numerous skills, strange weapons in your body, a weird chest that you still feel a draw towards every time you look at it, and a town on the outskirts that you have yet to explore. You feel as though you can take all of this on and more, rise and thrive in the dark! You just have to venture out and conquer it... So all of that brings to mind a single question... what do you do now?

Author's Note

So this is my first time writing Clop. Ever. Erotic literature sometimes but not exactly for widespread viewing, and this is the first pony-porn I have ever done. So if it doesn't quite meet up to your expectations then I am sorry. And he'd probably pop from the blowjob. But this is fiction, and he needed some slack anyways.

In any case, please put comments for the Host in the non-explicit chapter, for my ease of use and out of fairness to the ones who don't want to read clop. Thank you. Also all I have to say about this chapter that doesn't involve sex I'll say there.

Claiming a Zebra