//------------------------------// // Unresolved Threads: Zecora // Story: The Mask of Despair and the Face of Hope // by Wings of Black Glass //------------------------------// Sable went to speak with all my friends to let them know he was back, Pinkie Pie tried to throw a party to celebrate his return, but Sable talked her down to just a cake. Despite me encouraging him to go back, he avoided returning to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, perhaps his experience with them had convinced him he was initially right that they weren’t experienced enough to help him yet. The next few days, and then weeks, passed without incident. Today I found Sable in the library again, reading, several open books before him on a variety of topics from geology to homeopathic medicine. A loose scroll parchment nearby was covered in a long series of magical equations I couldn’t see well enough to read correctly, at least a few revolved around flight magic. Maybe he was working on improvements to his wing spell? “So what are you up to in here?” “Did you know cast iron has a melting point between eleven hundred fifty and twelve hundred degrees Celsius?” He didn’t take his eyes off the open book. “Not off the top of my head. Is that important?” “No. It just happened to be the last thing I read before you walked in.” He closed the book, on metallurgy, and set it on the table with the others. “Do you require my assistance?” “Not today. I wanted to tell you I think you need to go talk to Zecora.” “Zecora?” His eyes flickered quickly back and forth as if reading a page, searching for her name in his mind. “The Zebra alchemist?” “Yeah. In all the chaos when Despair showed up, I never got the chance to tell you I talked to her, and she volunteered to make you a potion that might be able to restore your memory.” “I would be remiss if I did not remind you about the last time we messed with my past.” He spoke flatly, despite referring to his misadventure in Pinewood. “Then you should go see her and tell her you aren’t interested; it’s still your choice.” I had another flash of inspiration. “Remember Wave Dasher and Ruby Song? How many others have you affected throughout your life that you don’t remember now?” He stalked to the window, suddenly unwilling to look at me. “How many have I disappointed, damaged, or hurt?” Neon blue eyes in the window turned towards me, I met the reflection. “I was thinking of how many friends you made, how many couples you introduced to each other, how many you’ve helped in one way or another.” With a huff he closed the curtains, cutting off our reflection. “That number is at least one. Are you really so sure there aren’t more?” Then I recalled something he said to me when we spoke at his hovel. “I think there are others, probably more than one.” His ears swiveled towards me, but he did not look back. “You told me I was the fourth to say I could help you. Even assuming one of those was Sereina.” He flinched at her name, wings clinking. “And Wave Dasher another, that still leaves at least one more who said they were willing to try and help. They didn’t abandon you, do you want to abandon them?” A moment passed before he spoke again. “You don’t give up, do you?” For an instant, we were standing atop the hill in the park with the stars glimmering above. “Never.” “One of these days I’ll finally best you in these conversations of ours.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “But not today.” Now he turned back towards me. “If you would, then, please tell me where I can meet Zecora?” “I can do better than that.” I gestured for him to follow. “I can take you there. Come on.” He followed without complaint. Unlike when we went to meet the Crusaders we did not meet any pony from Sable’s past. When we entered the Everfree Forest, I asked him about something that had confused me for a while now. “So, out of pure curiosity, where did you get that potion you used to heal the willow?” “Not from Zecora if that’s what you mean.” The thought had crossed my mind. “I found the recipe in some book and brewed it myself.” “It turned out really good.” “Yeah, on my fifth try.” He huffed in irritation. “If you go into the Forest out behind my old hovel and look around a bit you will find some rather… let us call them less successful attempts.” I giggled. A while later we arrived at Zecora’s home. I was about to knock when Sable gently stopped me and did so himself. When I shot him a confused glance, he explained. “I can’t let you do everything for me.” He must have been referring to his hesitation dealing with new ponies. A moment later and the Zebra opened the door. “Twilight Sparkle, ah hello. And a pony I do not know.” Sable’s ears flicked, and he tilted his head. When he did not introduce himself, I took the initiative. “Hello Zecora, this is Sable Stardust.” I gestured to the Unicorn next to me with a wingtip. “Welcome, Stardust.” The zebra nodded. “Come for aid, I trust?” His ears flicked again. “Yes… I believe Twilight Sparkle told you of my condition.” Sable tapped the side of his head. “The pony with the lost past? Come to see me at long last.” Zecora nodded and invited us in, stepping away from the door. As he passed, he gave me a curious glance, for a moment I spotted a sly smirk. “Many indeed are my trials.” He quickly glanced around the room. “A solution found, perhaps, in your vials.” I blinked, was that intentional? “I told your friend of the challenge involved.” Zecora pointed to me. “My message from then may have evolved. A potion can be made it’s true. But not without much risk to you.” “You think there will be pain? Enough to warrant what I might gain?” That one had to be on purpose. “That I cannot say for sure. Peace of mind I cannot ensure.” Zecora’s voice dropped lower, to impart the seriousness of her next words. “It is of a greater risk I speak. More damage to your mind it could wreak.” “More danger I do not dread.” He paused, searching for words, and then tapped his head again. “Already a tapestry undone by pulled thread.” I stifled a giggle, despite the tone of the conversation I found it amusing Sable was trying to match Zecora in rhyming. The Zebra nodded sagely and went to examine her supplies. “I will gather the materials I need. Time I require to ensure that I succeed. Two days and a night. To assure I get it right.” “Will you require my aid? How is my debt to be paid?” “On a task of this challenge, I will work alone. I do not wish an injury for which I would have to atone.” “This I understand. I will not force your hand.” He turned his attention to me. “Maybe now my story can come full circle.” He paused again, longer than before, searching for a further response. “Yeah, I’ve got nothing for that.” The zebra laughed, and at last, I could let my own free. “You do not need to always rhyme.” Zecora smirked. “Mastery in the skill takes time.” “From such an interesting challenge I will not run. Or else, where would be the fun?” Sable gave her an exaggerated bow using his wings, flaring them out wide and low. “When you are ready, I will return.” Despite room for another rhyme he turned and left, his smile still on his face. I held back to speak for a minute longer with the Zebra. “Thank you again, Zecora. This may really help him.” “Don’t thank me yet, Twilight. Everything has yet to turn out alright.” The Zebra walked over to the window and looked out at the Unicorn, now waiting for me to join him outside. “I am not sure Stardust truly understands what may happen should we fail. If the worst were to occur it would leave him nothing more than a shade quite pale.” “I appreciate the concern, really I do. But Sable has faced this kind of risk before. He overcame it before, and he can again if he has to.” Zecora frowned for a moment and then shrugged. “Of your friend, there is little I know. Your faith is all I need, so off you go.” “So how did that go, with the potion?” “Unfortunately, we’ll never know. My story ends before she finished it. Besides, he got all his memories back in… another way.” “Spoilers much?” “Oh, we all knew that was going to happen one way or another.” “But… how does he get them back? What happened then?”