Dear Diary,

I don’t know what to do.

Ever since I started dating Derring over a week ago, everything had changed. I actually have a roof over my head, there’s a reliable source of food, I don’t have to worry about money or company, and I sleep on a soft mattress. It sounds like a far cry from my previous life on the lam, and therein lies the problem.

It feels like I have no control over my life anymore. I had to fight for my right to live out in the jungle, asserting dominance over weak minded fools who dared cross me. Living like this makes me feel like some weak, milk-drinking animal… a pet if you will.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Derring, but I also loved the times when we battled for some valuable relic. The thrill of the chase, planning my every move, and the need to be on guard all the time. Here in his home, there’s no need for that. I don’t need to sneak around or watch for traps. It’s just so… dull.

I need to do something. I have to feel that thrill once more. I am a predator for gods’ sake! I just need to make sure Derring doesn’t find out. I’m afraid of what he might think of me.

Your bored friend,

Ahuizota

*****

Dear Diary,

I figured it out! One night during dinner at the restaurant, I had gone to the bathroom and bumped into another mare there. She left before she noticed she left her bracelet near the sink. I thought about returning it, but even a tiny thrill of stealing such valuables again was irresistable. I’m sure she won’t know it’s missing until it’s too late.

Just walking back home with the bracelet gave me a jolt of adrenaline as I hid it within my dress. I stowed it away in a jewelry drawer. What better place to hide it than in plain sight? Since that night, I’ve gone on little raids when and where I could so long as I knew I wouldn’t get caught. My stash grew from trinkets and baubles to some priceless necklaces and gems. I had to bury some of it in the back yard because my drawer was getting crowded. There were a few times I was almost caught, but that’s what makes this all worth it.

I have to go now. There’s a noble passing through town soon. He’s sure to have something he won’t notice.

Criminal at heart,

Ahuizota

*****

The door creaked open quietly, wide enough to allow a lithe form through, then closed with the same volume. Taking care to not make a noise, Ahuizota tip toed through the house, avoiding all the creaky floorboards and preventing her loot from jingling. Halfway through the living room, the light clicked on, causing her to freeze in her tracks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the large chairs swivel around to show Derring staring at her stoically.

“Have fun, Ahuizota?” he asked in a flat tone.

Ahuizota winced and turned to face him, hiding the loot behind her, “Derring, I thought you were asleep.” She said with a nervous grin.

Derring slid out of the chair and shuffled over to Ahuizota. With each step he took, she took one backwards all up until her back was to the wall. Ahuizota tried to look for some sort of emotion in his face but found none, and it worried her greatly. She wanted him to scream, to shout, or anything except this blasted silence.

When he was arm’s length away, his façade cracked and his whole body slumped in sadness, “Why?” he asked, almost too quiet to hear, “Why?” It was only one word, but it was filled with such disappointment and heartbreak. “You know, over the past week I felt like you had actually turned over a new leaf. When I found your stash, I didn’t want to believe you had gone back to thievery, and yet something told me you would.” He snorted, “What a fool I’ve been to think you would change.” On that note, he pushed past her and climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

Before he was gone, each word had slammed into Ahuizota like a sack of bricks. The one stallion who had genuinely cared about her and she just alienated him for a few thrills. She would have called herself a puppy-kicking asshole, but that was being way too kind. The jewels on her tail fell off with a clatter when it dropped limply to the floor. She didn’t care if they scratched the floor as they were worthless to her now. She cradled her head in her hands as she curled up, muttering, “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” over and over again.

Not nearly satisfied with the name calling, she gathered up every last jewel and marched outside, throwing them all as far away as she could. It still wasn’t enough. Ahuizota went back inside, grabbed a pillow off the couch and just screamed into it. The screams devolved into sobs and then into sniffles, until she was taking deep breaths to calm herself.

Feeling drained from the emotional breakdown, Ahuizota turned and curled up on the couch to sleep. A glint of light caught her eye and she looked for the source. There. It was the moonlight reflecting off a picture frame. Ahuizota grabbed it with her tail and brought it up to her face. When she saw the contents of the picture, she almost cried again. It was the photo they took a few days after the Sun Temple. It felt like it wasn’t that long ago.

She and Derring were cuddling on the steps of the Temple. He was trying to hold her so he could tickle her with his feathers, but she resisted just as playfully. They were happy. They were in love. ‘And I almost threw it away for what? Gold and gems?!’ Ahuizota thought ruefully, ‘I’m such an idiot. There’s no way I could deserve a nice stallion like him. In the morning, I’ll talk to him about it. Maybe he’ll listen. He’s always been good at that. Yeah. In the morning…’ it was her last thought before sleep took her, clutching the picture to her chest.

*****

Derring didn’t sleep at all last night. He had laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling until the sun rose. He felt like a tangled ball of emotions. On one hoof, he had gotten to know Ahuizota for who she was, and he liked her, daresay loved her for it. With each passing day together, their old conflicts seemed like a lifetime ago. But on the other hoof, she went behind his back to go lighten some rich pony’s pockets. He only found out because he was looking through the drawers for some missing clothes. The age old adage ‘A tiger doesn’t change his stripes’ echoed throughout his mind but his heart refused to believe it. However, last night confirmed his worst fears.

The alarm clock on the nightstand broke Derring out of his melancholy. He turned it off and then slipped out of bed, trudging down the stairs. Halfway down, he stopped as the smell of something burning filled his nose. At that moment, the fire alarm went off and a yell came from the kitchen. Derring rushed in to see an odd sight.

Ahuizota was wearing an apron and oven mitts, rushing all over the place. The counter was covered in spilled ingredients and open cookbooks. On the stove were a few pans with what looked like hay bacon and eggs, most of which were smoking. She didn’t notice him standing in the doorway, “Oh no! No, no, no, no, don’t burn now! Aahhh! Water! I need water!” She yelped in surprise when a spray of cold foam came out of nowhere and covered the burning pans. She turned to see Derring standing next to her with a red can and hose in his hooves.

Derring set the fire extinguisher down and gave Ahuizota a bemused look, “What’s going on?”

She blushed and looked away, nervously rubbing her hands, “I-I was trying to make breakfast so you wouldn’t be mad while we talked. Please don’t be mad about the mess. I didn’t think cooking would be this hard. I-I’ll even clean it up afterwards…” She trailed off, leaving ‘before I leave’ hanging in the air unspoken.

‘Celestia dammit, I can’t stay mad at that face. Stupid, sexy Ahuizota.’ Derring sighed, “Alright then. You went through this effort to talk, so I’ll listen.” He said as he sat down on the kitchen floor.

Ahuizota breathed a sigh of relief, then sat down as well, “I suppose a good start would be to say, I’m sorry.” She rubbed her neck apprehensively, her ears pressed down against her head, “I’m not used to living like this. I had to lie, cheat, and steal to survive for such a long time that I didn’t know how else to live. With everything that happened, I needed something to hold onto, to feel like myself again.

“It’s not that I’m not grateful for what you’ve done, but I can’t help but feel like I’m some sort of house pet you need to take care of.” She glanced up to see Derring’s reaction, and saw him looking ashamed for some reason. “I’m a predator, so the thrill of the hunt is irresistible to me, be it food or valuables. I’ll understand if you want nothing else to do with me. Just say the word, and I’ll be on my way-hey?!” She stopped talking as Derring moved forward to hug her tightly.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.” he said, half muffled by her fur, “I just wanted you to be happy, and I suppose I got too caught up into it to notice how you felt about it. I just wish you had told me earlier so I could have done something about it.”

Ahuizota smiled, “That’s one of the things I love about you. Always ready to help, no matter what.” She hugged back just as tightly, “I guess I was just afraid of what you might have thought. If you still wanted me after doing it.”

Derring wrapped his wings around her, “You are the best thing that happened to me. It’ll take a lot more than petty theft to get rid of me.”

“Thanks. It means a lot to me.” Ahuizota drank in the warmth of the hug.

“Oh, and one more thing.” Derring added, “Next time you get the urge to steal, tell me. I’ll see if I can find some illegal collectors we can liberate some relics from.”

Ahuizota laughed, “Deal.” She looked around the kitchen, “I guess we should probably clean up now?”

She could feel the sly grin form on his face, “I don’t know. I rather like the apron look on you.” Ahuizota felt him grow against her stomach, “I’m pretty sure we have some whipped cream in the fridge.”

“I could go for breakfast in bed as well.” Ahuizota said as her tail hand trailed along Derring’s flanks, “Honey, or Jelly?”

*****

Dear Diary,

I don’t have much time before Derring is ready to go again, so I’ll make it brief.

After my little crime spree, Derring and I donated the stuff I acquired to charity organizations, though we kept a few as a nest egg for the baby. It’s pretty funny because one of the gems is shaped like an egg, and just as big too.

As it turns out, there’s more than enough ponies, dogs, minotaurs, and griffons holding priceless objects illegally. I only knew a handful of them from my days of crime, which made the look on their faces much more priceless when we cleaned them out. Now I know how Derring felt when he tried to stop me.

Ever since we made up, we’ve been much closer to the point of almost unable to keep our hands/hooves off each other. By the way, the make-up sex was absolutely amazing. I need to stop now. Little Derring (or should I say Big Derring) is poking me again.

Your little vigilante,

Ahuizota

Author's Note

Please note: This is set before the last diary entry on the previous chapter.

If you didn't read the recent blog post, then let me tell you I had another chapter ready to publish for a few days, but my editor pointed out how Ahuizota's morals changed so much and why it needed some story to supplement it. I had to agree and so I made this little tidbit.

I'm sorry if its a bit sad, but things will get much more lighthearted in the next bonus chapter, which will be posted either tomorrow or Sunday.

Please comment your thoughts below.