It was halfway through the afternoon and the clouds were clear, though the sky was never that visible in the Everfree Forest. Pacing around her house, Zecora, her zebra pattern attire tightly hugged her darkened skin and curved body. Her attention was then drawn to the mirror. There she made sure everything looked ready, from the white face paint lines, to her golden hoop ear rings, to her black and white short mohawk. Suddenly, a small clear crystal ball on the nearby table began vibrating slightly. Walking over to the crystal ball, Zecora waked her hand gently over the ball. The inside became cloudy, then a shape slowly began to form in the center. Slowly the shape of Rune's head appeared in the ball.
"Hey Zecora." Rune smiled, his short brown hair was a mess and his glasses were crooked; a sign he's been deep in his work.
"Hello Rune, I am glad to see you." Zecora smiled in a loving manner. "I was hoping to see you soon."
"Well about that..." Rune rubbed the back of his head, his tone became apologetic and nervous. "Because I'm still in Canterlot...I won't be able to make it back to Ponyville in time for tonight. I well...I lost track of what day it was until it was too late. I'm sorry!"
"How could you make such a blunder!?" Zecora shouted at the crystal ball. "You promised me a night of wonder!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Rune kept apologizing. "I promise I'll make it up to-"
Before Rune could finish, Zecora took the crystal ball and threw it against the wall, ending the conversation. Zecora was very livid at Rune for this. Only a week ago, he promised to give her the best Hearts and Hooves Day she ever had. And now he's gone and bailed on her, over the work he's doing in Canterlot. The first thing Zecora did was practically tear off her earrings and washed the make up off.
"How can he do this? Can he even think!?" Zecora then grabbed the bottle of wine she was saving for tonight. "Nothing to do now, but to drink."
Contemplating using a glass, Zecora practically rips the cork off the bottle and begins her depressing binge drinking. The wine was aged to perfection, saved for only the most special of occasions. Now it is being used to ease Zecora's anger and sorrow with her boyfriend not being there for her. After a few heavy gulps, her head was getting numb and her thoughts began to wonder.
"I love Rune with all my heart!" Zecora's speech was becoming slurred as she kept drinking. "But his job in Canterlot is driving us apart!"
Her mind then started to wander about to what was planned for the night. Now wasted, but the thought was worth it. Rune would come home, his orange shirt and dark blue trench coat, as well as his black pants would be dirty from all the hard work he does, and would need to be removed. His naked body would stink of his sweat and musk; the smell would be almost intoxicating to the eager Zecora. As Rune's mouth would focus on his lover's mouth, her hands would be exploring her man's lower parts. Gently touching the soft shaft, slowly getting bigger and bigger. The subtle throbbing feeling would be felt in Zecora's hand and she would start to stroke it, just as a tease.
The tease would work, Rune's hands would move from Zecora's back and tear away her clothes; her well endowed dark breasts would bounce in front of Rune, tantalizing him. His hands would grab at them, playing with the soft love bags. Zecora would let out a soft moan and grabbing hold of Rune's cock, would guide him to the bedroom, where the fun would begin. But then, amidst Zecora's fantasy of what could've been, a few tears fell down her cheeks. It didn't matter how much she would drink, or how much she wished, Rune wasn't gonna be there. This was one Hearts and Hooves Day that would break her heart. So she continued her drinking.
___________Three Hours Later___________
Another bottle was thrown against the hut, cracking but not shattering against the wall. After a few hours of drinking, Zecora was in a state of a drunken depression. The floor of the hut was almost covered in bottles. Zecora was laying on her bed, the blankets halfway over her body and one of Rune's shirts was loosely worn on her body. Tears kept falling down her face and she hugged the shirt closely. It wasn't long until the sorrow and alcohol did its toll and Zecora cried herself to sleep.
The world around Zecora was a vivid mix of color and shape. Looking around, Zecora could seen endless colors and nothing she recognized.
"Even in my dreams I'm alone." Zecora sighed. "Why couldn't he have come home?!"
"I told you I was sorry." Rune's voice echoed around her.
Surprised, Zecora looked around for the source of Rune's voice. If she found him, she was going to give him her mind and her back hand. As if the pause button was hit, the world, which was in a constant steady motion, the world stopped. And slowly, the colors and shapes faded and became a mass of white and blank as far as the eye could see. Stepping out of what could be nothing, was Rune. He was dressed in a dark blue long sleeve shirt and he was in his usual black pants.
"Hey Zecora." Rune smiled, trying to diffuse the tension.
"What is this?! Some for of trick?" Zecora demanded. "Or did all that drink make me sick?"
"You were drinking?" Rune's expression became remorseful. "I'm sorry I drove you to that. But I found a way to somewhat make it up to you." Rune then waved his hand and the world around him and Zecora changed.
Instead of a mass of blank white everywhere, Rune and Zecora were now on a cloud high above Canterlot. Rune's attire was now a black tailcoat, just like the one he wore to the Galloping Gala. Zecora's outfit was now a beautiful full body dress that held her favorite zebra patten.
"This is what I've been researching in Canterlot." Rune explained, sitting Zecora in the cloud seat and sitting across the table. "I've been looking into Princess Luna's ability to enter the realm of dreams at will and can influence the dreams of others. What I found out was anyone can connect their dreams to another. The problem is I can't do this on my own, I had to ask Luna to put me in this dream state to allow control over our dream. This way, I can be with you on Hearts and Hooves Day, even if I'm still in Canterlot. I know this isn't the best apology, but will it still work for today?"
"You really think I can be pleased with some second hand romance?" Zecora raised her eyebrow, looking at the table, which had her favorite food and drink in front of her. Looking at Rune's face, he was sincere and truly sorry for the pain he caused her. Taking a deep sigh and lifting her glass to have a sip of the wine, to her surprise was exactly like the special wine she was saving, Zecora looked Rune in the eye. "I guess I can give you a chance."
"I may not be home to cuddle with you physically." Rune almost boasted his success. "But I will still make this a night you will never forget."
For what felt like a few hours, Rune and Zecora enjoyed a dinner of exceptional complexity. Zecora's meal consisted of her favorite garden salad with the most lush vegetables, as well as the sweetest fruits. Rune's meal was his favorite meat in a large, yet neat, chunk; and of course it was extra rare and extra bloody.
"I will never understand why you like the taste of the meat's blood." Zecora chuckled, almost like a giggle. "It appears that on the floor, you're making a flood."
"What can I say, I like the taste of meat and blood." Rune laughed, Zecora shared in the laugh.
After finishing their meal, Rune stood up. With a wave of his have, the scenery changed. From the finest restaurant in Canterlot, Rune and Zecora were now high atop a high mountain. The star filled night sky extended for eternity, and the Full Moon was massive and gorgeous. Even though there was snow everywhere yet Zecora didn't feel cold.
"You like that?" Rune chuckled. "Because of my control over this dream, I can take us anywhere we want."
"it is impressive I will admit." Zecora praised. "But I assume there is more to this trick."
"Well of course." Rune smiled. "With this, we can go anywhere, any conditions, and do anything we want."
"Anywhere you say." Zecora pondered. "There is one place we can get away."
"Name it and we'll go there." Rune challenged.
"How about this place where we can roam." Zecora challenged. "How about we travel to my home."
"You mean our hut back in Ponyville?" Rune asked.
"No, something more grand." Zecora said. "I wish to see my old home land."
"Oh there." Rune thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Let's see what happens."
Extending his arms outward, then together, shifting his hands as if he was holding a large ball. Rune rotated this imaginary ball like spinning a globe. And like spinning a globe, the environment around the two shifted, as if they were traveling at an unimaginably fast speed. When they slowed and finally stopped, to Zecora's amazement, she and Rune were in her native land. The vast, open planes of the serengeti stretched for miles and miles.
"This is amazing! Remarkable!" Zecora almost was brought to tears of joy. "I never thought it was possible."
"And look at what you're wearing." Rune pointed at his lover.
Zecora saw that she was wearing:
"This is.." Zecora couldn't believe her eyes.
"The outfit you wore here." Rune finished. "It's a nice outfit. Well it's to be expected. You were the daughter of the tribe's shaman."
"How did.." Zecora had to know.
"I read your mind." Rune said tapping Zecora's forehead. "Remember, I can read minds. And I found that outfit good and sexy."
Zecora let out a bit of a cute pout then laughed a bit. "It is still nice to be here, but what are you wearing."
Rune was wearing nothing but a short loincloth, some feathers wrapped around his upper arms and upper thighs, golden cuffs on his ankles and wrists, and finally a large mask made of wood and feather, in the shape of a zebra head.
"You're looking at me like I'm doing something stupid and you want to laugh." Rune chuckled.
"Normally I would take offense." Zecora chuckled. "But I do enjoy the lack of pants."
"Well thank you." Rune chuckled, taking off the mask and using to block his crotch. "I was hoping you would enjoy the show. But then again it is getting cold."
Rune snapped his fingers and his attire was changed. This time is was a zebra stripped baggy shorts, and a sleeveless dark blue shirt.
"Much better." Rune said. "Now let's have some fun."
Rune and Zecora spend what felt like a eternity frolicking, and running among the tall grasses and short trees. It wasn't the date she had in mind, but Zecora was happy she could be with Rune. Though there was no way they could have sex, and still being a little angry with him, Zecora was still happy Rune was trying to make it up to her. Eventually the star filled sky and large Moon began flashing, as if giving a signal.
"Oh damn." Rune said with a slightly worrisome look on his face. "Times up."
"What do you mean?" Zecora asked. "What message do those stars and Moon bring?"
"It Luna signalling that the night's almost over." Rune said, holding Zecora close in a loving embrace. "It means we have to go."
"But.." Zecora didn't want the dream to end yet.
"Don't worry." Rune smiled, moving himself closer to Zecora. "We'll see each other soon."
As the world around Rune and Zecora appeared to be breaking down into the white emptiness, Rune took this moment to give the most romantic kiss he could. Zecora could only let out a small line of tears, but she was happy. She was going to see Rune soon enough. The last thing she saw was the world around them finish breaking apart.
The next morning, Zecora awoken from her drunken stupor. She drank enough to drown a fish, but she wasn't hung over. Must have been luck. Despite not being able to be with Rune on Hearts and Hooves Day, Zecora was still happy she had that dream. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Throwing some simple robe on, Zecora went to the door. Upon opening it, there was Rune, who practically flew into her arms.
"Sorry I couldn't be here yesterday." Rune said, holding his lover tightly. "But I hope you enjoyed that dream."
As much as Zecora wanted to smack him for not being there, she couldn't get made at that smile of his. She held him close in her arms.
"At least we were together thanks to that power." Zecora leaned in kissing Rune. In a sly and flirtatious smile, Zecora looked back in Rune's eyes. "But now perhaps we can share a shower."
Rune let out his own sly grin, and after walking into the hut, slowly closed the door behind him.
