I slowly walked out of the shower, drying myself out, as I grabbed my robe and put it on tying it, I finished freshening myself up...I was going to...

I stared at the place where my gaming stuff is..

Was...

Where my gaming stuff was..

Someone stole it...

Someone stole it..

Fury boiling up inside of me, but I pushed it down, now was not the time to act rash, this was not a place I was familiar with, and I did not want to attract unwanted attention.

But I do know who did it, it was the only pony whom I put in my room just to make sure she was good, never doing that again.

I took a deep breath, "Stay calm James, stay calm." I slowly walked out of my room

Zecora looked around curiously, nothing in here was original, nothing in here was what she had seen, she slowly trotted to look around before as she slowly went to look at me just coming out of a corner's door. Her eyes widened,

"What is this I see? The art of beauty never before seen to me?"

I stared at her with a raised eyebrow, water dripping from my hair, "Well..that's a new one, "

"Welcome, how may I help you?"

"Perhaps a drink or too? It would be an honor to drink with someone as fine as you."

I chuckled slightly, "A Mare that got bars." I said with a smirk, "To me it goes far." I gestured her to join me with a hoof.

She looked at me curiously then trotted up to me, "You do not have a mare?" She noted concern, "Or is she busy with an affair."

"No, I do not have a mare." I said with a grin, "Not many girls like guys that still live with their mother....even when you're trying to make a living....they seem to turn them down, I don't blame them."

"fascinating." She mused, trotting up to face, me, "A stallion with such confidence, "Normally falters in the face of such questions."

I nodded, "So it would seem, " This is a different world, but until I see a stallion and make my judgements upon how they are treated I withhold any judgements until I see one. "So what are you, you remind me of the zebras back at home."

"I see, you are not from Equestria?" Zecora asked, "Where you are from you also have Zebra?"

"No...not like you, not so smart, intelligent and adorable." I said causing her to blush, thinking it was a compliment, it wasn't it was a fact. "So this area, I have yet to explore it..." I hesitated, and she understood my hesitation.

"Timberwolves....and wild beasts lurk here," Zecora answered me solemnly, "They kill to protect, out of fear but often misunderstood, by fear."

I nodded. "I see..." I said with a slight sigh, "So...beware of anything lurking in the forest got it."

"They can be lustful beasts to stallions. " She looked into my eyes, "Best to keep Distance."

, understand?"

"I get it....so female beasts crave stallions..." I said rolling my eyes, "Female beast, can't get any themselves so they got to use force."

"That is an intriguing way to put it..." Zecora raised an eyebrow in reply to my statement, "Caution is advised, do not do anything foolish."

"Got it... " I said a genuine smile on my face, making her heart skip a few beats, "Names James."

"James..." Zecora murmered, "The name that echoes pass the clouds of the skies, yet shines brighter than Princess celesita's light." she pointed a hoof to a beverage Apple cider...I nodded, as she handed me the bits, I gave her the beverage. Putting it in the register before closing it.

I smiled gently at her, "Take care."

She nodded and slowly trotted out the door, her hips swaying discreetly but almost rhythmically, it was something that I took notice of, but didn't bother responding to it.

Once the door closed behind me, I sighed tiredly....perhaps I should figure out how to use this magic stuff...maybe that should make it easier to defend myself in case something bad happens.

I slowly raised my eyebrow, at the next customer,

"Hello how may I help you..." it looked female, much like a pony but different...where did she look familiar."

"You're checking me out?" She asked raising an eyebrow, " sorry not into stallions dweeb."

She slowly grabbed a drink like she owned it and started to walk out, only for me to smack her upside the head, with Daring's empty bottle... she stared at me in complete shock.

"Did...did you just..."

"You got to pay for it." I said flatly, "You ain't stealing my shit...."

Her eyes went from me, to the bottle that was now rolling on the floor than back to me,

...
...
...I stared at her flatly.
...
..

After a moment of silence, a grin slowly formed on it's face.

"A stallion that got guts..." The thing said, I really don't know what it's supposed to be, but it sounds female, "I guess I can respect that, where is your mare?"

"I don't have one." I said flatly...

"Really?" She asked surprised, "You expect me to believe that?WIth how clingy those ponies are,"

I chuckled, "Yeah, no mare for me, names James."

"Gilda..." She said raising a claw, "Just....Gilda..."

"Ok Just Gilda." I said with a smirk, causing her to snort, hesitantly reaching out to grasp hers, it was a claw, "TImerwolf I guess?"

"What buck no," Gilda flinched back, "No, I'm Griffin, do I look like a Tarturus damned TImberwolf to you?"

I chuckled at her choice of swearing, "No...kinda not from here."

"Right..." Gilda said with a roll of her eyes, As she slowly turned to leave.

"You still got to pay for that shit Gilda." I said slightly amused at her attempt causing her to grumble as she threw the bits on my desk, "You're a flankhole."

I laughed, "First girl to insult me in this place. See ya around."

GIlda snorted once again, but a small smirk came around her muzzle "Maybe." She said as she walked out... "See ya dweeb."

I leaned back against my chair with a small grin on my face, finally, someone that ...

Actually...

Treated me normally...

well...as normally as it can be...

I hurriedly put my bits in the register...before I closed it, I am in an alien world....heh....no one back home will ever believe me...wait...will I ever get home?
...
...
It was a random thought....but it was that thought that halted everything, the wave of my distress that came crashing down on me...

The fact that I may never see my family again, overwhelming me.

The truth is,...I may not have the best life, but it was my life you know...I made the most of it with what I got.

The fact that I may never go back to that life, to my family...
it...

I admit...

I cried a little.

Author's Note

How did you feel about this chapter? I'd love to here your thoughts, take care.