//------------------------------//
// Evasive Words 
// Story: Xenoblade: Another World 
// by IAmNotSmartest 
//------------------------------//

Zanza burned with furious indignation. A mere mortal had just thrown the door wide, literally knocking him off his feet with sheer force. He quickly rose to his full stature, and made to ready his Monado - and remembered he no longer possessed the sword. He would certainly make an example of this creature later, when he no longer needed any of them. This being so, he committed the ponio-esque creature to memory: a light violet coat, precisely cut shadowy-purple mane with two stripes of varying shades of pink, stopping at the level of it's stubby horn. Wings, larger than those of the other ponio-creatures. It was only mid-torso level to him, still a few inches taller than most of the others.

The pink ponio from earlier jumped behind her and whispered, "That's the monster...!"

Still fuming, but hiding it behind a calm gaze he was so adept at producing, Zanza replied. "I assure you, I am no monster."

Purple flinched slightly in brief shock, before cautiously inquiring, "If you aren't a monster, then why would everypony run from you? What did you do?"

Zanza laughed, a genuine sounding chuckle, before responding, "Yes, my resonating aura of resplendence can be quite intimidating upon first glance. I did nothing but walk into your town, as any traveler would. It is not my doing nor intention that they should fear me." 

'Yet.' he added in bitter silence.

The taller ponio-creature seemed slightly alleviated of her concerns, though she still held some degree of worry and confusion on her face. "Then I guess you came here for a reason, mister...?"

"Zanza," the god replied. "My name is Zanza."

'Hm... should I explain my true reasons for being here? What I actually seek?' He refrained from grinning. 'I will tell them the truth. But not all of it.

"As for the reason of my presence, I am seeking two... tools that I lost when I arrived here." the Soul of Bionis continued. "They are of great worth to me, for a number of reasons."

"Well, if you lost them when you came into town, I'm sure that they're nearby." 

"Not quite what I meant by 'arrived'. I mean in your... realm." Zanza evaded. 'Why have I not planned for- Ah, right. No future sight.'

"Our country? The continent?" she asked, confused.

"Again, that is not what I meant," The deity said, quickly growing annoyed, and almost... he could not. 'No, fear is unbecoming of a God.'

"I believe this would be better discussed without several dozen of your kind staring at me and quivering in terror."

The tall ponio looked behind her. At the end of the extensive hall, indeed three dozen or more multicolored ponios were crowded behind a throne, cowering in fear at the stranger. The pink one that had previously hidden directly behind her had fled and was hanging from a banner embossed with several stars at the end of the hall.

"Maybe you're right," She admitted. She turned, and addressed them as a whole, "Citizens of Ponyville, you can return to your activities now. This traveler is not a threat, he's only looking for some things he lost." No one moved. "He's not going to attack you, he won't curse you, he's not going to bother you, beyond asking a question or two."

This seemed to persuade them to exit, though Zanza was motioned to move away from the entrance by the purple ponio. 

'How laughable. It's as if she thinks she has authority over me.'

The last to exit was the pink one, who gave him a long stare before running so quickly away a cloud of dust in her shape was left behind. 'A strange one indeed. Was she not one of the first to induce this panic?'

Now alone with the strangely dressed stranger, the tall ponio gave a nervous laugh, and gestured for him to step inside. He complied, as the doors shut silently behind him. The purple ponio cleared her throat, and introduced herself as Twilight Sparkle. 'Such a strange name. Then, the creatures of my creation had been granted names strange to these beings.'

"So, er, Zanza," Twilight began. "What did you mean? Where are you from?"

A question he'd been hoping to avoid. He regretted not lying earlier about his origins, but there was nothing he could do about that now. 

"I am... of another place," He said evasively. "Your kind will not know of it, so there is little point in my telling you."

"But if you're from another unheard country, the princesses and I would love to start-"

"I will not speak of my own realm," Zanza said definitively. Bitterly, he continued, "It's peoples are a worthless collection of insects who deserved naught but destruction they brought upon themselves."

"O-oh... well, okay," Twilight said, nerves rising again. "But you're not like them, right?"

"Hm?" Zanza was shaken from his thoughts of anger. "No. No, they are far beneath one such as I. I was above them, in more ways than one. And no, I do not care to elaborate."

Twilight gave another half-hearted laugh, nervously tapping the floor with a hoof. "A-alright."

Zanza took notice of her actions. Quickly, so as to avoid unnecessary complications of widespread panic and fear, he added, "As I said, there is no need to fear me. I left them because I disagreed with their ways, and they disagreed with mine."

Once more Twilight's expression softened. "If you say so, Zanza. But another thing..."

"I suppose you are wondering what I am, then?" Zanza said, struggling valiantly to avoid eye rolling. "You would not know of my original kind. They have long since vanished from the realm I come from. However, I suppose, in my current state, you may refer to me as," he shuddered internally with anger. "a Homs."

"'A Homs?'" Twilight echoed. 

'Those foul creations of mine. Mortals, all of them, they are but the abhorrent results of a mistaken whim, one I only sought to correct. How dare they banish me from my own realm...!'

"Zanza? Why are you scowling?"

Zanza broke from the momentary stupor. "My apologies. Unfortunate memories. Think naught of them, they are no longer relevant." Zanza returned his face to that of it's usual serene gaze. "However, there is still the matter of my tools."

"Oh, right. What kind of tools are they? Hammers, wrenches-?"

Zanza laughed softly. 'Such is a limited mortal's vision.' "No not such simple items. One takes the form of a crimson sword, etched with blue lines of light, a glass circle at it's handle's base. It totals perhaps five feet, from end to end. The second, with any luck, has maintained the form of a dual-edged blade of equal length, coarsely serrated on the outside, a triangular crosspiece with a long hilt."

"Swords? How can a sword be a tool?" Twilight demanded. "It's a weapon! If you don't intend harm, why would you need weapons?"

'Do not overstep your bounds, mortal.' A storm crossed Zanza's eyes, just for an instant. "They are no weapons. They are tools of creation, transferring matter from one form to another under my guidance. Only those such as myself are capable of controlling such abilities."

"You're weapons can really transform matter?" she questioned skeptically. "Magic that only second-to-highest-level unicorns can preform?

"Among other things," Zanza said. "But such abilities are not important. Once I have reclaimed my, ah, tool, perhaps I will demonstrate it's capabilities."

'You would make a fine target for the Buster.'

Twilight seemed rather uplifted at this statement. "Well, I can't say I've seen anything like that around Ponyville, but I could ask around. Maybe one of my friends has seen it. And I could ask the Princesses about it, if they've seen it."

Zanza held back a chuckle. 'Monarchy? Even the mortals of Bionis and Mechonis knew what little benefit such a system provided. They, at one time, knew not to worship a mortal as their ruler. If only it had remained that way.'

"I take it these 'Princesses' are your superiors?" 

"Well, equals, actually. I'm a princess as well."

Out of a strange curiosity, though more to build affinity with her, Zanza ventured, "What granted you right to this title? Bloodline? Achievement?"

"Well, I actually finished my studies as Princess Celestia's student, and before that, I was a Bearer of an Element of Harmony." Twilight continued enthusiastically. "My friends and I saved the town and Equestria multiple times."

"That sounds rather impressive, Princess. More than many amounted to in my realm, if the last is as you say." 'For a mortal. Though even that blasted Shulk and his companions amounted to more, as much as it pains me to admit it.'

"Heh, thank you." Twilight blushed a bit, then cleared her throat, striking up a serious expression. "You... do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Zanza shook his head, but quickly added, "Do not worry. I need not a place to rest."

"You... you don't sleep, or anything?"

"No," Zanza replied. Then, realizing that nearly all mortals mortals do slumber, he continued, "That is to say, I have rested quite recently, and shall not require such a place for some time. In the moment, however, I shall endeavor to reclaim my tools of creation."

"Are you sure? I mean," Twilight began. "I'd still like to learn more about you. You still haven't told me anything about your 'abilities' you mentioned, or about the 'Homs', or-"

"Nor will you hear about them any time in the near future," Zanza said with an air of finality. "Not, at least, until I obtain at least one of the aforementioned tools. Until then, your highness." He struggled to keep the venom from his voice in those final words.

'Royals. They think they actually influence the world - none act outside the Margins of Fate. Only one of my Position and Power should have that influence, to change fate. Not even Meyneth was fit for the task, when it came down to our final confrontation.'

"But Zanza!" Twilight called. "What if my friends and I find one?"

"Do not worry, I will know. Besides, if you really must find me, do you truly doubt finding a being of my appearance to be of much difficulty in this place? From what I've observed, my kind are not common here."

'If any living being comes in contact with the first, I will feel it. And then? Its return would be assured, as would my power.'

Twilight found it difficult to argue, that point. Before she could say another word, however, Zanza had left, the door closing behind him seemingly under it's own power.