//------------------------------//
// Sparring Partners 
// Story: Zecora's Redemption 
// by The Mountaineer Brony 
//------------------------------//

Zecora arrived back at Sundiata's village a bit later that morning, just as the stallion himself was gathering some things to leave. 

"<Zecora? Where were you last night? Everypony wondered what had become of you.>"

"<Oh, curses. I'm sorry, Sundiata. I, ah... I spent the night exploring, per se. Reminiscing. It's been a long time since I've been... well... home… I guess this is still home... and I wanted some time on my own to be reacquainted with it.>"

Sundiata held up a hoof, smiling and nodding. "<I understand.>"

He shifted his saddlebags into a more comfortable position on his back as he walked slowly past Zecora.

"<If you're not too tired, then, there's something I'd like to show you. I think I know how you can help Zanzebrar prepare for war.>"

Her curiosity piqued, Zecora fell into a trot alongside Sundiata. She followed him through one of the city's great gates, through the lines of cream-colored adobe buildings and along red brick walkways warmed by the morning sun, until finally reaching a small, fenced-in area in the rear of the city, dominated by what appeared to be sleeping quarters. As it turned out, this was the city barracks. Sundiata checked himself in with garrison command and handed over his saddlebags before leading Zecora out into the fenced area. Out of a small shed, apparently an armory of sorts, he grabbed two quarterstaffs, holding them in the crook of his foreleg, and led Zecora to a small postern gate in the city wall. Each of them leaned their weight into a wooden slab, swinging the doors open wide.

Once Zecora's eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she was astounded by what she saw. It was a massive circular area, enclosed by tall, sturdy palisades, supporting yet more small buildings, with the inner part of the circle being mostly dry grass and dirt. Within the central area, countless zebra soldiers were sparring with each other, using everything from staffs, clubs, and bare hooves to swords, spears, and shields. Other zebras were walking to and from the various buildings, watching the practice bouts from the sidelines, or off to the side lined with targets, firing upon them with bows and slings.

"<And here I thought I'd seen all of this city.>" Zecora said in awe.

"<It's an ikanda. A place where soldiers train.>" Sundiata added proudly, walking into the central area where sparring matches took place. He turned with a smile on his face, tossing his hair back out of the way.

"<I figured, why not teach you the warrior's way...>" He tossed a quarterstaff to Zecora, who caught it in her forehooves unsurely "<And in return, you can teach me the art of the mage? I've always wanted to improve my magic beyond storytelling, but I've never had the chance. But now-->"

"<But now,>" Zecora interrupted him with a smirk "<you've got one of the most infamous Zebrican sorceresses sharing your hut?>"

He shrugged, his forelegs open wide. "<Can you blame me?>"

Zecora stepped forward slowly to meet his challenge, a mischievous smile upon her face. 

"<Very well.>" She began. "<If you can turn me into a warrior, I can turn you into a mage.>" 

Zecora twirled the staff nimbly on the tips of her hooves. She wasn't completely clueless as to how to use one, but had never received anything like combat training.

Sundiata angled his staff diagonally towards the ground, digging one tip into the soil; he leaned his upper body upon it, a standard resting stance for a quadruped using a staff. 

"<Don't worry, Zecora,>" He playfully chided her "<there have been plenty of strong female warriors.>"

"<I know six of them.>" She jabbed back, taking up a similar position "<And there have been plenty of males who couldn't defeat a mosquito.>" 

Sundiata chuckled wryly. The two combatants stared each other down, waiting for one or the other to charge. 

"<Don't go easy on me just because I'm handsome.>" He laughed and gave a manure-eating smile.

"<Don't go easy on me because I'm a beginner. Or a girl.>" Zecora replied.

"<I just want to make sure I won't be hurting you too bad. I mean, you know what they say-->"

He was cut off yet again by Zecora, who was now feet from him with her staff locked against his.

"<Oh, I'm sorry. Mares, who give birth, can't tolerate pain?>" She quipped with impish bravado "<If I recall correctly, there is one rather vulnerable place I can strike you, just barely, and you'll hit the dirt crying.>"

He smirked. This was what he'd been trying to bring out; he knew that if he could awaken Zecora's competitive side, it would make her training much easier. 

Without a word, Sundiata swung the opposite end of his staff forward; Zecora ducked her head out of the way. With both of them now balanced on their hindlegs, he followed up with several swift strikes, which Zecora either avoided or blocked. Now on the defensive, she had to think fast. As Sundiata came in for another tight swing with the low end of his staff, Zecora blocked it with the same end of her weapon, repositioned herself with a sidestep, and brought the rest of her staff forward towards his head. The stallion had to swing his head back awkwardly to avoid being struck, then quickly stepped out to a safer range.

"<Good, good, but wild swings are rarely the best tactic.>" Sundiata said. "<You should always rely on the jab, keep it tight and punctual.>"

With a wide sweeping motion, Sundiata brought his weapon's point within inches of Zecora's snout; she backed away quickly, holding her staff like a spear and pushing his tip away with hers. Her back and thighs ached from this bipedalism, but she merely gritted her teeth through the discomfort. She would need to strengthen herself if she were going to fight.

When Sundiata tried to push her staff away, Zecora instinctively pushed back, drawing a small circle in the air in front of her, putting her staff on top. Her competitor drew his staff away and came in for a stab at her upper body. She quickly sidestepped to the right and, with a shuffle forward, put the end of her staff at her opponent's throat. 

They locked eyes for a moment, Sundiata's mind racing to find a way out of range. Zecora chuckled. She had him.

She swung the opposite end of her staff rapidly in the direction of his groin. Instinctively jumping back with a shout to protect himself, Zecora instead caught one of his hindlegs by the cannon bone, unbalancing him and putting him on the ground. 

Some of the other trainees standing nearby began laughing. 

"<I'm not glad that happened to you, Sundiata, I'm just glad that happened.>" One of them remarked. 

The few female soldiers in the ikanda cheered at Zecora's triumph. The mohawked mare put out a hoof to help her sparring partner to his.

"<Okay, so you beat me once.>" Sundiata conceded. "<You've a good eye for exploiting gaps in a foe's defenses, but you've still got more to learn if you plan on entering the battlefield.>"

And so, the two trained for the rest of the day, only stopping once the sun was beginning to set. By that time, they were tied for number of matches won. Zecora was definitely improving with the basics of combat, using staff and bare hooves, but the next day, Sundiata would begin training her in the more delicate art of swordsponyship.

That night, Zecora sat down in the hut with Twilight to teach her to read the local writing system, but as soon as the purple mare had cloistered herself away behind a book to study, Zecora made for her old village and her mother's graveside; there was more yet to remember.





Zecora and Luna stood unseen to one side as they watched a memory play out in front of them.

The little zebra filly couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old. A gaggle of rambunctious colts were trotting away from her laughing, having knocked her rubber ball up into a tree. They mocked her for her small stature and blank flank as they faded from sight. 

"<Aw, come on, guys...>" The young Zecora said, looking up into the branches with dismay. She tried her best to jump up and reach her toy, or to buck the tree and knock it down, but there simply wasn't enough strength in her compact, juvenile body. Just as she sat upon the ground, her head held low in defeat, she heard something quite unexpected.

"<Here, let me help you with that!>"

Zecora looked up to see another filly, slightly larger though still about her age, standing next to her. She wasn't still for long before her hooves flew into action. She scrambled up the tree trunk, her simple cloak flapping behind her like bird wings; having ascended to the offending branch, she knocked the ball out of its clutches with a swift strike from her hoof. Zecora smiled as it bounced back down to her; she caught it on her snout, balancing it playfully as her new friend made her way back down the tree. 

"<Gee, thank you so much!>" Zecora said, now holding the ball under a forehoof. "<Boys can be mean sometimes.>" The other filly rolled her eyes and nodded, clearly understanding where Zecora came from.

"<My name's Zecora, what's yours?>"

"<I'm Marwe.>" The larger filly replied. "<And hey, it's okay. Everyone's a blank flank once in their life. In fact,>" she chuckled "<I only got my Cutie Mark a few days ago. See?>" Marwe pulled back her cloak, revealing a thigh now emblazoned with three grey circles laid within one another, an ancient symbol of greatness, charisma, and leadership.

"<Ooh! Nice!>" Zecora said, observing the mark.

"<My mom's here on some important business or something.>" Marwe continued. "<She told me to go play until she was done.>"

"<We can kick this thing around!>" Zecora said eagerly, bouncing her ball up and down.

"<Sure!>"

The two new friends ran helter-skelter through the village, kicking the ball and bouncing it off their heads and flanks, all the while laughing and enjoying themselves. Indeed, they frolicked about all day until, the sky lit by a setting sun, Marwe's mother called her home. 

"<Will I get to see you again? You're a lot of fun, Marwe!>" Zecora squeaked excitedly.

"<Well, my mom doesn't usually bring me this far away from Zanzebrar, but I think I might be able to sneak away from the palace now and again.>" The young princess said with a wink.

"<Marwe! We're waiting on you to head back!>"

"<Oops! That's my mom. Gotta go! See you later, Zecora!>"

As the little royal galloped off, Zecora finally processed what had been said. This whole time, she'd been making friends with a princess.

"I had no idea you were so close to the princess!" Luna told the adult Zecora with surprise. "What on earth happened?"

Zecora wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. 

"Indeed, we were." she said, feeling little need to rhyme in her dreams "But as for what happened... I'll try to ready myself to face the music, but... I'm not there just yet."

The sun hit her eyes, and Zecora awoke.