173 long year, heh, to Tobi it felt like eternity. Asphodel the neutral grounds of the underworld where undecided souls are sent. Those infernal judges would feel the wrath of Tobi yet. He would get his vengeance, his retribution! But not today, not in the steel embrace of hell, but all wasn't correct. His warden was stolen and the door unlocked, his chance was here. Getting out of Hades was the easy part Thanatos wasn't there to ensure his stay in the drawl prison of darkness and gold.
~~~
"He is at the whim of his primal desires." The gold mask's of the three judges stood before him discussing his fate.
"Ah, but for good he used those desires. Have you forgot the monster intake of Tartarus increase ever since his presence at the camp?" The infernal being to the far right.
"I have not, however those men that died to him on the battlefield were innocent."
"If I could interject right there, they threatened my free will, I desired independence for America." The mortal interrupted receiving several angry glares from the mask's
"I think we have come to a conclusion, all in favor of Asphodel."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"That's not fair! I deserve Elysium or rebirth!" Tobi roared.
"We have come to agreement on Asphodel, enjoy a dim eternity."
"You will be judged fool! I will enjoy your fall from grace!" He screamed as he was escorted out by several gargoyles flanked on either side by nine foot tall hellhounds.
~~~
The memory was still fresh in his mind, 173 years and he can still remember them with picture perfect clarity. Tobi's fury welled inside at the recollection as he made his way for the gates the exit to this hell, tears rolled down his eyes as he marched. Cerberus, a familiar sight came into view, the hound stood at attention to the child of death.
"I am going out for a little Cerberus, Don't say a word to my father or Thanatos." The beast howled in approval. "I don't even know why I tell you to stay shut, you cant talk anyway."
Tobi smiled at Cerberus and Cerberus' heads tilted and smiled in approval. Ironic that Tobi's two friends in the Underworld were both canine, Buster his pet remained loyal to him even in death.
As he left the exit he was met with treeline, very ominous and extremely comforting, Tobi was in his element now. He trudged through the forest bag in tow and sword to his side, The son of death was glad he was wearing thick pants, the bramble in this forest was enough to drive anyone up a wall, He marched on anyway. His keen ears picked up rustling followed by a very low growl, he readied himself for his first adversary in almost two centuries.
A giant scorpion tail lunged at him from his side, to no avail for Tobi was too quick and he jerked himself out of the range of the tail, he could have severed it but he wanted this fight to be interesting.... A beast erupted from the brush knocking several of the tree's it would otherwise be unable to fit through aside and bellowed at the human. 'Oh this will be fun~!' Tobi thought excitedly, his expression was that of a kid with free reign of a candy shop and the manticore was puzzled by this. Its head tilted in question to Tobi's mood, shouldn't he be fearing for his life?
"I can see you are a bit smarter than most of those monsters I fight, let me tell you, I have been looking forward to this!" The champion spat savagely, biting every word and lunged for the manticore to be parried by one of its large paws. "Ohhh.... This will be very fun!"
The beast dived for Tobi only to be dodged in a dazzling display of acrobatics summersalting over its attack. The manticore dazed as he searched for his would-be quarry, after a few long moments the monster finally locked onto the human sitting against a tree picking at his teeth with his fingers, the manticore roared in anger and dived again. This time Tobi side stepped and slashed just below the beast's ribcage, It roared from the sudden pain while his attacker grinned maliciously. The manticore's tail whipped around and was split down the middle from Tobi's sword, it howled once more and hit the human square in the chest with its thick forearm.
Tobi was knocked back at an incredible rate eventually being stopped by a tree which cracked and fell over from the trauma. "That was a nice hit.... I think you may have actually broke a rib or two...." He said recovering from the blow, The manticore bellowed in response. The human rolled over and dashed at his target and while the manticore braced for his attack Tobi had a treacherous idea, instead of making a predictable attack he slid in between the beast's legs and stabbed his blade through the monsters upper back making in let out one more howl before slumping to the floor in a lifeless heap. Another soul and even more misery, Tobi smiled wickedly before setting off to find something or more specifically someone.
~~~
It had been hours of walking before the human had found anything of interest but before him was a odd looking hut, it was partially hidden by the fact it was somewhat dug into the ground and had a legitimate tree for a roof, the only reason he could spot it was because the odd tiki-masks adorning the tree itself. Tobi approached the hut weary of any 'beings' that could impose any sort of a threat, there was obviously someone home, he could smell the aroma of something being cooked, or brewed, it was sweet almost. Smelled of lavender mixed with mmm.... What was it? Juniper? Tobi couldn't tell, instead he gently knocked on the door still vigilant to a trap.
The door had opened revealing a. Is that a zebra? The humans eyes were wide. "Am I on drugs?"
"I don't know, have you partaken in any of the forest's fungal growth? Ah, for those abominations I loath." Tobi's jaw was agape, it was a zebra and it was apparently speaking in rhymes.
"I don't fully comprehend whats going on. You are a zebra, zebra's do not talk especially in rhymes."
"And what would be wrong with me, a zebra to talk in rhyme? No one has complained thus far and I do it all the time." The zebra snorted.
"Umm....." The champion scratched his chin.
"And what of you bipedal creature? That gleaming blade is not a comforting feature." Tobi thought it was a her, and she had a very..... exotic voice.
"Me? I am new to 'here', I recently got into a snag with a manticore and was hoping for something to eat and a place to rest, maybe even some directions to civilization." He explained to the zebra.
"Ah, so you and the manticore got into a fight, lucky for you I have all the solutions to your plight." She said walking back into the hut gesturing him to come in.
"Lovely... hut you have here, its a bit tribal but pretty cozy with a voodoo witchdoctor feel." He said looking at the assortment of bottles and herbs adorning the inside and she snorted in response slightly offended. "Oh, I beg your pardon, I have been away from most other sentient being's for a conseiderable amount of time and my social skills have diminished since." The zebra looked back at him and smiled.
"It is alright strange one, my brew is almost done." She replied adding more ingredients into the cauldron.
"Do you have a name small talking zebra?" He asked observing her work.
"Zecora."
"Well, my name is Tobi, anything you need or want to know just ask, I wouldn't want to intrude on your hospitality." Zecora nodded and went back to tending to the gurgling cauldron.
The human looked about the shack and noticed one peculiar thing, there was no bed. The zebra had no where to sleep! All he saw was shelves and alchemy ingredients. "Uhhh.... Zecora, there is no where to sleep here, I mean unless you sleep on the floor."
Zecora smirked and nudged a door on the furthest wall of the tree open revealing a room with a cozy looking bed. Was that her room? He couldn't kick her out of her own bed that would be rude. "Is that your bed?"
"I sleep atop a pole, the bed is comfortable you will sleep like a foal." She said while demonstrating her method of rest by balancing in a rather awkward position on top of a bamboo shaft.
"How do you not get a stiff neck?" Zecora lept off the pole in a rather surprisingly well bit of acrobatics (Especially for an equine) and shrugged.
Deciding not to bother his hostess' with more trivial questions and retire to the isolated room. A bed, a sight Tobi had not seen in a very long time and with a bit is eagerness he plopped himself on the bed, he was met with a soft pain from several integers along his rib cage... The manticore.. Right. "Uhh.. I hate to bother you, but I think I may have a few broken ribs.." Tobi could hear the clanging of bottles in the next room and soon after the door to his temporary home was open and the zebra stepped inside with a bottle.
"Drink this and you will see, the pain will be nothing but memory." Her voice stated, never failing to rhyme, was it a culture thing? Tobi would ask later. "Beware the pain you feel will be like no other, so if you cant take it don't bother."
The human raised an eyebrow, he took that as a challenge, besides Acheron dwarfed most pain in comparison. Tobi took the bottle and uncorked the top. "The whole bottle?" Zecora nodded. He then began to guzzle down the whole thing. It didn't have a flavor and was transparent, but soon after he felt a sensation.. it was pain but not very intense. He could feel the affected area's correcting themselves but it was no where near how Zecora had described it. The zebra blinked at him.
"What?" He asked noticing her incredulous expression.
"Most ponies who consume that concoction are wracked with pain, I wonder if the potion did not work was my effort in vain?"
"No, I think it worked, I could feel my bones moving err... Mending."
"The food is finished, come you look diminished." She said pulling him into the main room of the tree, how Tobi was being pulled by hooves was beyond him but he decided against questioning it, instead he just followed her lead. Zecora sat him down at a table and brought a wooden bowl and spoon, She poured the sweet smelling froth into his dish, it had the hue of greek fire a dark greenish sludge infact if it wasn't for the fact that greek fire reacted directly with oxygen and the smell he would have denied it due to the fact he has had some issues with the unstable substance in the past. He peered into the bowl taking in the scent appearance of the goo closely studying it. After a few moments of observing his would-be lunch he decided to try a spoon full. Green apples, it tasted like green apples turned into a sludge, it was fairly pleasant and was decently satisfying. Tobi thanked Zecora for the meal and decided to retire to the guest room, but alas he was restless and fidgety, he couldn't stand still, The champion decided it would be polite to return the zebra the many favors she had done for him, a stranger.
"Hey Zecora." He poked his head out of the rooms door.
"Hmmm..?" She was atop the bamboo shaft in her odd nightly ritual.
"I would like to return your kindness."
"Oh? And how would you go about repaying me? I have nothing for you to do you see?"
"Well, if I cant repay you with labor then I can at least be of good company."
"Well then stanger, tell me about you, and maybe I will share about me too."
"Ughhhh.... Thats a subject I do not like getting into in all honesty." Tobi said scratching the back of his head.
"Oh?"
"Eh..... I will tell you only because you are rather hospitable."
"Well go on then, I am listening my friend." Tobi began telling of his life or actually in this case his afterlife. After several hours they finished conversing, Zecora had a simple life and deep down he envied that but he would never give up his life, no matter how short it was especially since he couldn't slay if he was 'normal' although a comfortable life in the twenty-first century would have been ideal for him, he absolutely loved his technology.
It was late but Tobi didn't wish to sleep yet and he has had a long time without teasing another being, would Zecora be a good sport or kick him out in the cold? He was willing to risk it, how could he not? Its apart of his sadistic nature to cause pain and humiliation.
"So... All alone in this ominous forest, it must get lonely." The champion said smirking. Zecora sighed a very deep and longing sigh. Tobi had a very mischievous thought crawl into his mind.
"Maybe but for a night I could help remedy that loneliness..." He whispered to her, practically biting her ear.
"I-I..." The zebra was at a loss for words and Tobi marked it off as a small victory making her fail to rhyme. "You would do that for me?"
"Mmmhmmmm..." He lied, fighting very hard not to burst into laughter when an alternative idea crept through his mind. Tobi was in control right now, it could happen, he glanced at Zecora taking in her form. 'Not bad for a zebra.' He thought as he mentally stroked his chin.
"I... I don't know what to do.. This would be my first time." His eyes were the size of dinner plates. 'She's a virgin? Could I tease her in such a mean way?' Of course he could, he's evil, although this could land him a nice warm spot in the bramble outside.
"Don't worry, I know what to do." He grinned suggestively trying his damnedest to be convincing. 'Her reaction will be worth whatever the consequences are even if she decides to poison my food later.'
Tobi picked up her small equine form and gently placed her on the table looking deeply into her eyes and smiled a soft smile. She was shivering with excitement.. he kissed her nose gently and whispered. "I'm not having sex with you." Before dashing to his room at a breakneck speed, he glanced over his shoulder to Zecora who had a dumbfounded expression which soon after contorted into rage.
"You fu-" The champion of death closed the door before she finished her sentence and he could hear the stamping of hooves and the sound of bottles rattling in their place.
"So worth it." He said to himself before jumping into the bed, sleep this night would find him very quickly.
Authors note:Sorry I put in something so suggestive so early and for some of those who would have liked to read a clop of ZecoraxTobi thats too bad, I don't plan on writing it anytime soon or actually as a matter of fact at all, but hey! I lie a good bit anyway, I hope you liked it please leave a comment of your opinion in the comments along with any criticism constructive or not, but if you have something rude to say it is easily ignored. :3
-Kobe out.