Zhou sat on a small hill shaded by a tree in the Ponyville park. He was sitting cross-legged with the back of his hands resting on his knees laid out flat. That’s right, he was meditating. The park seemed like an appropriate place to do so. During the day when all the colt and fillies were at school, it was a tranquil place to be. With apple bucking season now finished, he had a lot more time on his hands. Ever since Nightmare Night, his new abilities have been on his mind quite a bit. So he has been coming here and meditating, trying to get deep within this gift that was left to him when he helped that spirit. However, his meditation was soon broken after he felt something poke at his cheek. He opens his eyes and shifts them over to the direction to see a white furred hand in his peripheral vision. He then looks up to see Rarity gazing down at him with a curious gaze.

“Hm? Hey there Rarity. What’s up?”

“My goodness, I had no idea you were into the art of meditation. How very...zen.”

He leans back against the tree he was sitting under and stretches his legs out. He lets out a light yawn and nods to ehr.

“Mhm, as a warrior, meditation helps out quite a bit. Then again, it can help anypony really. You just have to have the patience for it in order to have it work properly.”

Rarity smiles and lowers herself next to him, sitting on her hooves. She fidgets with her hands a bit as she tries to find the courage to ask something of him once more. As she knows her usual way of getting favors out of males doesn’t work on him. The poor mare is a hot mess after what he did for her last time.He doesn’t even look her way when he speaks.

“What’s on your mind, Rarity? You should know you can talk to me about anything, I will listen.”

She closes her eyes and and lets out a small whimper. She then turns to face him, leaning forward and placing her hands on his legs.

“Oh Zhou, it’s so hard to ask you of this, but I need another favor you! Please…?”

He puts his hands up in front of him for a second then lightly places them on her shoulders, a bit surprised by her behavior.

“Alright..calm down. What do you need, Rarity?”

“I have a very important event I have to go to tonight. It’s to show off my new winter line I had just created. The thing is I do not have a date to go with me! So…”

She lets out an adorable little whine as she pushes against him

“...Will you go with me?! Please?!”

Zhou blinked a few times in great surprise. Out of all the stallions in Ponyville, even in Canterlot, she is asking him? This is certainly something the human did not expect.

“But why me Rarity? You have your reputation to think about. The rest of those uppity ponies are sure to scoff at you for bringing someone such as myself with you. I am sure there are many eager stallions wanting to go with you.”

She leans in closer, mere inches away from his face.

“But I don’t want any of them to go with me! I want you to!”

Zhou leans back a bit. He gazed into those sapphire blue eyes and could tell that she really had her heart set on him going with her. He sighs and lowers his head a bit, then looks back to ehr.

“I don’t have anything fancy to wear, I can’t show up to such an event like this. Though, knowing you I am sure you have planned ahead?”

She lets out a gasp of delight and bounces lightly.

“So..you are saying..?”

“Yes, Rarity. I will go with you. I don’t want you to show up there alone because I said no. I...wouldn’t want you to be sad at an event that could possibly be a great venture in your business.”

He said as he looked away from her with a slight blush on his face. She quickly jumps on him and wraps her arms around him tightly, nuzzling into him.

“Oooh thank you, thank you, Zhou! And yes, I do have something prepared for you. We will leave later tonight, come by later just before sunset and I will help you get ready! Thank you so, so much again!”

She said as she quickly got to her hooves and ran off before Zhou could say anything else. He simply shakes his head and rests back against the tree, looking up before closes his eyes.

“What does she even see in me anyways?”

--Late Afternoon--

Zhou knocked at the door of Rarity’s home, awaiting for her to come and open it. He hear what sounded like to be tripping sounds and a lot of noise going on. This worrying him slightly so he knocked again.

“Rarity? Are you alright in there?”

He heard her scream out, then he heard a male voice as well.

“Hold still you little bitch!”

Zhou’s eyes widen as he tries to open the door, it’s locked. He didn’t want to do this, but she sounded like she was in trouble. So he stood back and and formed a rock gauntlet from the earth and hit the door with all his strength, the door shattering into pieces as he runs in and looks at the male who was leaning over Rarity, her current outfit was ripped apart and he continued to try and remove it further. Zhou was beyond angry at this point. This was supposed to be a good night for her, and it had to start like this. Zhou drew his swords and approached the stallion, who had pulled out a knife and placed it to Rarity’s neck, grinning at Zhou with an evil gaze.

“No a step closer Or I spill her blood on her beautiful neck.”

Zhou sheaths his blades and nods.

“Zhou..please help me…”

She said in a shaky scared voice, tears falling from her eyes, as she watched him. Zhou smiled to her.

“Don’t worry Rarity, he has already made the mistake of even touching you. He will pay for it with a few broken bones.

The stallion laughs as he presses the knife to her throat a bit harder.

“And what are you doing to do from way over there, monkey? You don’t even possess mag-”

He was cut off by the sounds of chains flying through the air, they quickly wrap around his throat and tighten, immediately cutting off his air supply. The knife falls to the floor next to Rarity and the stallion is dragged across the ground as Zhou pulls him away from her with force. That’s right, he has been practicing his metalbending, and has always kept this chain hidden under his sleeve wrapped around his arm ever since. Zhou drags him over all the way to him. He stomps on his chest and pulls tighter at the chain

“Well now, looks like I didn’t need to step closer…”

The stallion kicked his legs and continued to try and pull at the chain that was around his neck. However, Zhou wasn’t letting go.

“Now tell me. What even gave you the stupid idea to even come here tonight? Did she turn you down when you asked if you could go with her? And she shot you down?”

Zhou spoke calmly, hiding his brutal intent behind his eyes as he stomped on the stallion’s chest, digging his heel into his flesh.

“Gah! She shouldn’t be acting like she is hot shit! She sweeps every stallion she comes up to away. She flaunts her looks and her successful life style!”

“And that gave you incentive to try and rape her? Ooooh they are going to love you in the prison block.”

He removes his foot from the stallion’s chest and stand next to his head.

“Sweet Meats, that’s what they will be calling you as they reach through the bars…”

He said before delivering a swift stomp to the stallion’s face, knocking him out cold. Luckily the city guard were actually doing their job for once and heard the commotion. They came in and took the stallion away, but not before listening to a request from Zhou.

“Make sure you put him in the cell with the largest on. A bit of ‘prison justice’ will do him some good.”

With that he return to the still shaking mare who was covering herself as best as she could with her arms. Zhou grabs a blanket and places it over her back and around her shoulders.

“He..didn’t hurt you too badly did he, Rarity?”

He asked with genuine concern, lightly rubbing her upper arm gently as he tried to comfort her. She turned to look at him with tear filled eyes. She wraps his arms around him tightly and begins to sob into his chest, the mare was shaking from her horrible experience.

“Zhou..he was going to...he was going to…”

He brings his arms around her in a protective embrace. He lightly stroked her mane with one hand and run the other up and down her back soothingly. Closing his eyes as he holds the mare closely.

“I know Rarity. But it’s over. He is gone.”

He said as he continued to comfort her as best as he could. She wasn’t going to let go for a while. Zhou knew that this experience was going to leave slight mental scarring, but had he been later, it could have been extremely more worse than that.

“Are you going to be alright for tonight?”

She wanted to say yes, she needed this to get her business out there further, but at the same time, she was mentally and physically exhausted from the ordeal. She shook her head and buried her face into his chest again. He perfectly understood her decision. He carefully lifts her into his arms and carries her upstairs to her room.

“Where is your sister?”

“S-she’s at a friend’s house for the night, thank Celestia she wasn’t here for this…”

She grabs hold of his clothing over his chest, squeezing tightly.

“He...came in claiming he wanted to buy something...and then when I was busy taking inventory, he came up behind me and...started touching me in such lewd ways. I struggled to fight with him but he overpowered me. And then he pulled out a knife. I thought he was going to…”

“He continues to cradle her in his arms closely. Once he gets her into his room, he places her on her bedt gently. He pulls the covers over heri and runs his fingers through her mane again.

“He didn’t. And he never will. Not as long as I am here to make sure you are safe.”

He kneels down ar her bedside and sits on his heels. Continuing to lightly stroke her mane. This was extremely comforting to Rarity. He was strong, very built. But at the same time, his touch was so warm and protective. She had a feeling that he’d come to help her. Even when he was close to having his way with her, Zhou came. When he was most needed. She could not be happier that the human she had secret feelings for came to her aid when she needed it the most.

“Zhou..you saved me twice now. I cannot tell you just how grateful I am to have you as such a close friend. You are brave in the face of danger, and you are clever in situations that seem like they are impossible to get around. You truly are like the knights I read in my books when I was a filly…”

Zhou shook his head with a soft smile as she called him a knight.

“No, I am no knight. In fact, I am just an earthbender who was looking for a chance to test out his new toy. But at the same time, I am glad I was able to get to you before he did. Had he done what he set out to do,. He’d most likely be dead. Because then a pony that I care about would have to live with that haunting memory forever.”

Rarity takes hold of his wrist and gently squeezes it.

“Will you stay with me tonight, Zhou? Please?”

“Like I said, I am not going anywhere. Whatever you need.”

“Then, will you sleep with me? I felt so safe in your arms. It would help me sleep better if..”

He nodded and stood up, removing his armor from his arms and legs and the extra layers he wore in his usual outfit. He didn’t want to strip down nearly naked because...yeah. He crawled into her bed beside her. She immediately pressed herself into him to get as close as she could. She wrapped her arms around him.

“Zhou...hold me. Please?”

He does so, wrapping her into another protective embrace and lightly runs his fingers through her mane once more.

“I got you. And I won’t let go.”

“Thank you, darling. For being here when I needed you the most.”

She falls asleep in his arms, happy that she was in them.

Author's Note

Here ya go everyone. Looks like he is going to get two mares sometime very soon. ;3

Also, if there are any errors in the story I am sorry. My program hasn't been doing it's job as of late x.x

May the darkness grant you peace.