So you wussed out, and told her you smoked devil weed, huh? The voice in my head chimes in…

I then hear Zecora talking, “So, you must understand that if you are to use substances like this, you must follow certain rules to avoid the abyss!”

I blink and snap to attention, “Oh? Well, gee! What are those rules?” and to the voice in my head, I mentally say, I thought I was smoking poison joke, remember? Gee, you don’t pick up on things very fast, huh?

She smiles and nods, “Well, you must remember to go slowly and not use too much! Your grip is what must be maintained, as such!”

“Grip?” I raise an eyebrow.

It doesn’t matter what you try! I’ll eventually get through again! I’ve done it before! I hear the voice say…

She nods, “Yes, little one! Let me fire this one up and show you! As I said, one must go slow!” before taking a freshly rolled joint in her right hoof, and bringing it to her lips, to clamp… “Lighting too, is a skill that must be learned! Then, the best lights can be earned!” before taking the lighter in her other hoof, and striking it to fire up right in front of her face…

I note how she moves her snout forward and visibly inhales, so the flame gently moves towards the cigarette, and barely licks the end, to ignite it in a small glow…

Almost like she’s trying to teach me? I think to myself, as I watch this zebra inhale…

We don’t have to fight, you know? The voice in my head says…

I see her stomach contract as she exhales an impressive stream of smoke from her snout, and turns to stare at me, “Tradition dictates that each pony gets two hits before they pass to the left!” *

I watch the zebra bring the joint to her lips for another pull, as the voice in my head says, Ophelia? Are you still there?

I ignore the voice as Zecora passes the burning joint to me with her left hoof…

I take it, and bring it to my snout for my first drag…

Maybe this will shut you up? I think to myself, as I feel the warm smoke entering my throat, and traveling down into my lungs…

Zecora says, “Inhaling should be gradual and slow! The lungs must not be overwhelmed, so you know!”

I take note of this while inhaling, and loosen my diaphragm, so the smoke begins to seep slower and more gradually into my lungs… **

Zecora smiles and nods, “You are learning child! I want to teach you to be responsible! Only then, is growing up truly possible! Now hold the hit in your lungs and count to three! After that, exhale and let the smoke free!”

I smile and mentally count to 3, as I feel the weed begin to take hold in my brain, and body…

This feels really nice! Wait, am I alone again? I exhale a cloud of smoke, and I notice, that now, I only hear silence in my mind…

Zecora nods, “Now, take your time! Get ready, and take another hit, when you feel sublime!”

I nod and say to her, “Thanks, Zecora!”

Zecora keeps a grin on her face, “You’re very welcome, little one! Go on! Take a hit! It’s fun!”

I nod, and bring the joint to my lips for another drag…

I feel the heat in my gut, as Zecora says, “Excellent, now give me the smoke! It’s time for my turn to toke!”

I calmly extend my right forehoof to her, as I exhale a big puff of smoke…

I notice the distant fuzzy feeling in my head, as she grasps the joint from me.

I finally finish exhaling a cloud of smoke, as I see the zebra bringing the joint to her snout. I turn to stare at her, “Why are you smoking drugs with a filly?”

She visibly grins with the cigarette in her lips, before taking it out and exhaling, before staring back at me, “Because little filly, you are conflicted, no? I find with a little herb, things become simple enough to show! We shall now smoke together, and I’ll watch you well! If you have any adverse reactions, I could tell!”

I see her taking another hit as I say to her, “You think I’m gonna smoke again, huh?”

She nods as she takes the joint out of her mouth, and extends her hoof to me, before exhaling a moment later, “Yes, I do Ophelia! And this is a habit you have, you say, I will teach you how to do it right, so at least you’ll be okay!”

I get the joint from her grasp, “Golly, you really do care for me, huh?”

I bring the joint to my lips, while she says, “I’d like to think I’ve proven that already? Is there anything you need, or are you quite steady?” and smiles at me, while I inhale…

Why is that irritating? I think to myself, while mentally counting to 3…

“How do you feel, foal? I know you’ve taken a few hits, so now I have to know?”

I exhale smoke and say, “Your rhyming gets a little bit sloppier when you’re high!” before bringing the joint to my mouth…

Why did I say that? Think to myself, as heat goes into my throat and I see a certain zebra shaman beginning to giggle…

“One is imprecise when stoned, and so, it makes sense to take it slow!” I feel smoke in my lungs again…

I hoof her the joint while holding the hit in my lungs and thinking about what I’m going to say?

She takes the joint and says, “Go ahead and finish this when I am done! I’ll be back to check on you, after some time in the sun!”

I exhale at this preposterous notion, before turning to her, “How do you know I won’t burn down the house?” I ask her, before wondering why?

She nods, “I have faith in you, one who is young! I think leaving you by yourself shall serve as a gauge for the not too soon! Just be mindful, young filly, of the herb and its effect; so do not swoon! Keep your breathing steady, with zero heft, and your grip shall remain deft."

She has faith in me! I think before putting the roach out in the glass ashtray on the table, and then smiling at her, “Uh, that’s okay Zecora! You go take your walk, and I’ll just uh, stay here! Yeah!”

“I want you to tell me about what you thought about, just for clarification! You must be able to be alone, and I need more information!” Before getting off the chair and trotting towards me…

I see this hug coming from miles away, so I get to my hooves, from my own beanbag chair, and she soon wraps her forehooves around me…

“I love you, Zecora!” I say to her, while returning the hug.

“I love you too, young foal! I’ll be back with berries, so don’t get too full!”

“You expect me to raid your fridge, don’t you?”

She giggles, “Well, not all strains will give you the munchies, just so you’re aware! But some definitely will, so beware!”

I bury my head in her floof… It’s weird, but now that I’ve smoked, I just don’t want this hug to end!

<*****>

But eventually, it does… Zecora leaves, and I’m once again alone, with my thoughts…

Suddenly, I hear a voice in my mind, Ophelia? I’m back! Um, I want to talk!

I don’t miss a beat, and grab the roach from the holder in the glass ashtray on her little table, before putting it in my snout…

Ophelia? Please! Can we just talk?

I bring the neon purple hoof lighter to my snout, and strike it to ignite the flame, and bring my snout to it, to inhale, and light the joint in my mouth…

I taste warm weed on my tongue as the voice says, Okay, look! I uh, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, okay? Please talk to me again, Ophelia!

I exhale a cloud, before saying, “I don’t know who you are!” to the air, and bringing the joint to my mouth…

W-what? We’ve been chatting this whole time! What are you saying, Ophelia?

I think back, I’m saying that you’re a pain in the flanks, and I’m going to get rid of you!

I exhale while the voice is silent again…

Suddenly, it says, Okay, now you’re just making me mad!

I smile and giggles, “So?” before bringing the partial joint to my mouth for another pull…

I feel heat enter my snout, as silence overtakes my mind…

I hold the hit in my lungs…

I exhale another cloud of smoke…

Finally, the voice says, Could you please talk to me again, Ophelia? Um, i-it’s really lonely, and if I’m gonna be honest, this kinda hurts my feelings!

I suddenly laugh! “Feelings? Since when do you have feelings?” Before I bring the cigarette to my snout once more…

There’s only silence in my mind, as I feel the heat in my lungs…

I eventually exhale another stream of smoke…

I hesitate to take the next drag…

Eventually, I hear the voice again, Please Ophelia? I just want my friend back! Or well, any friend really! I uh, I don’t think I know who you are? You aren’t the same as before…

I bring the roach to my lips for another pull, You’re a nuisance!

I only register muteness while my lungs are full of smoke…

I exhale a cloud of smoke, and decide to put the roach out after that…

I stare at it and think that there’s maybe a couple more hits left?

What will I tell Zecora when she returns? She doesn’t know about the demon! Or uh, I don’t think she does?

And why does smoking make it go away?

It thinks it’s clever, trying to get me to feel sorry for it…I grin widely… But I know better than to trust anypony!

(To be continued… )

Author's Note

*Tradition dictates that each smoker gets two hits, before passing to the left. I know not the origins of this, only that that’s how it’s done.

**Fun fact, as a trained yogi, I know a LOT about breathing.