Capper looked at the various bottles lined up in front of him, each of them filled with some unknown liquid or powder or fruit he didn’t know the name of. “Now, which one did you want me to grab again?”

“The red one from the shelf up top. Do not spill a single drop,” Zecora instructed, not looking up from her cauldron.

Capper was in the middle of reaching for the bottle when the ominous warning made him hesitate. “...Why? Is it gonna explode or something if it does?”

“No explosion or any pain, but a spill would leave a nasty stain.”

“Ah, fair enough. Would hate for that to happen.” Capper gingerly grabbed the bottle and walked it over to the zebra.

Zecora added a couple drops into the cauldron, the liquid inside turning pink. “Thank you for helping me when I was in need. It’s easier to brew with hooves more freed.”

“Well, I suppose there are worse ways to spend my vacation than assisting such a lovely zebra such as yourself,” Capper shrugged with a sly grin on his face, leaning over the bubbling brew. “Now, uh, remind me what you’re making again?”

“A friend has a nasty crick in his spine, this is to make sure his back will be fine,” Zecora explained, sprinkling in some powder.

Capper clicked his tongue. “That’s an awful lot of back medicine you’re making, that friend of yours has gotta drink all of this?”

“The potion won’t work overnight. Repeated doses will make things right.” Zecora added a few more chopped logs to the fireplace, making the cauldron burn hotter. “Though this potion will help for sure, it’s time and patience that will be the cure.”

“So it’s a gigantic painkiller,” Capper mused. “Well, better than spending a month or two in agony, I guess. What’s next?”

“Sunfruit juice, it’s in a flask. You’ll find it by the orange mask.” Zecora pointed to another one of her shelves as she continued stirring.

Capper easily found what Zecora asked for, but took some time to stand in front of the mask, amused. “Heh, I’m surprised you have something like this in your house, what with your whole rhyming shtick and all.”

“I admit it complicates things a touch, I just don’t describe its colors as much,” Zecora gave a sheepish blush.

“Ahh, fair enough." Capper grabbed the juice, handing it over to Zecora. “So, what’s a pretty gal like you doing living all the way in some dangerous forest?”

As she added a few drops to the mix, Zecora chuckled. “The wildlife might be intimidating, but I’ve found no better place for potion creating.”

Capper turned to look out the window, unconvinced. “You sure? I guess the view is nice, but...what, are there important ingredients out here that you just gotta be closer to? I know that cute little yellow pegasus doesn’t live that far from here...”

“While ingredients here are faster and cheaper, my reasons for staying here are far more deeper.” Zecora scooped out a spoonful of the brew, examining it for a bit before dropping it back into the cauldron to stir some more. “All the tonic and potion-making is not an easy undertaking. The ingredients on my shelves and table have a tendency to be unstable. One mistake can fill the room with a devastating BOOM!” she stretched out her hooves in a dramatic fashion.

“Ah, so it’s for the safety of everyone else that you do all the dangerous stuff out here.”

“You can imagine the kind of nightmare if I settled in town square,” Zecora nodded.

“So you’re like this town’s own little miracle worker, aren’t you?” Capper smirked. “A reclusive star…”

“Miracles? Of that I doubt. I simply try my best to help out.”

“You sure?” Capper’s long and fluffy tail began wrapping itself around Zecora’s hind leg. “Cause from what I’m seeing, you’ve pretty much got a potion for everything. I figure you’d have the whole town under your exotic charms.”

“My time in Ponyville has been a fair share,” Zecora responded by flicking her tail against Capper’s outer thigh. “It’s you, my friend with the exotic flair!”

Capper flinched, caught off-guard by Zecora’s reciprocation. “Well, I admit that I’m quite the interesting specimen, but you’re the girl with a sultry voice and a magic touch, so-”

“Surely you must realize that you’re also considered quite a prize! A dashing cat wandering the streets, wanting to woo everyone he meets.” Zecora tapped her hoof on his chest. “I’ve seen you flirting from the start, trying to win a tender heart.”

“Well, I’ve yet to meet a mare that didn’t deserve to be called beautiful.”

Zecora chuckled, taking a step closer towards him. “You’ll soon be surrounded by mares in heat. I hope that tongue does more than talking sweet.”

Capper found himself backing up the more Zecora advanced, feeling excitement in both his chest and his loins.

“Of course, temptation would be a shame. I’d hate for you to lose this game. You’ve gotten this far without breaking a sweat, but you’re not quite out of the woods just yet.” Zecora’s tail brushed against Capper’s inner thigh.

All of Capper’s fur started standing on end. He had nowhere left to back up, and Zecora continued to advance onto him. “Woah now, are you asking for a demonstration?”

Zecora stood on her hind legs, leaning forward onto his chest to better make eye contact. “I’m sure you’ve had your share of thrills, I’d love nothing more than to test your skills…”

Capper could feel the zebra’s hot breath on his chest, her tail constantly teasing his thighs. He looked deep into Zecora’s fluttering eyes as he found himself getting closer and closer to her face.

Just as quickly as it started, Zecora’s seductive grin turned into a silly smile. “But all of that will have to wait, we’ve yet to reach the proper date,” she giggled, giving Capper a very unsexy boop on the nose before turning back around towards the cauldron.

Capper stood with his back against the wall for a good few seconds before he finally straightened himself up and cleared his throat. “You certainly are full of surprises, I like that! If things are always this exciting around here, I might stick around to help you out for more than just today…”

Zecora looked over at a few of the half-filled bottles on the table as she went back to stirring. “My gratitude you’ve more than earned! I promise the favor will be returned.”

Author's Note

I love Zecora but I hate writing for her.