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1 - Seeing Spots1,364 words
2 - An Unexpected Meeting1,155 words
3 - First Encounter1,526 words
4 - Exit: Stage Left654 words
5 - Homeward Bound1,021 words
6 - No Place Like Home1,077 words
7 - Endgame1,053 words

5 - Homeward Bound

Although Zecora had been trying to make a clean and sneaky exit, the trio of mares behind here weren't having it. Pinkie, Twilight and Rarity took the shortcut through the zebra's hut in order to follow her out the back door and catch up with her, afraid that their friend might be making an impulsive mistake.

"Zecora, listen to us!" Twilight insisted. "I understand it must be hard for you, since Mzungu is from your homeland and all, he's just a giraffe. A giraffe who showed up out of nowhere, and asked you to uproot everything to go thousands of miles away to a place you haven't seen in ten years. Doesn't that strike you as a little bit crazy? And believe me, I know crazy. I've done it."

The zebra sighed. "I am not trying to abandon you, it just feels like something I have to do." She gave them a knowing but firm look, as if her mind had been completely made up already.

"But it's just so out of nowhere," Rarity added. "I know you want to see your home, but moving back to Zebrabwe just like that?"

Zecora held up a hoof. "I never said anything about moving there," she protested. Her rhyming, however temporarily, had taken a backseat. It made long conversations easier, especially when she wanted to explain herself without sounding forced. "I just want to see it for a few weeks. Twilight sees her home in Canterlot all the time, am I not allowed the same luxury?"

Twilight shifted her gaze to the ground at this. Zecora had a point, although Canterlot was much closer than Zebrabwe was. But by that logic, Twilight saw her home so frequently that she had never really built up any feeling of homesickness. Canterlot was just there, free to be visited whenever she wanted. "I suppose," she said. "But still, you don't even know this giraffe. You've met him before, sure, but it's not like you guys ever went out." A lame argument, for sure, but the only one she could come up with.

Zecora just gave one of her mysterious grins. If she was insulted by Twilight's attempt, she certainly didn't show it. Quite the opposite, she seemed amused by it.

Pinkie gasped. "Oh. My. Gosh. You totally went out with him!" she exclaimed.

Zecora shrugged. "For a little while. It was never serious. Now please," she said. "Will you let me see my home again? I will return after a few weeks, I promise you that. I could never leave here forever. Not when I have so many friends here."

"Just a moment!" Rarity said. "You can't just drop juicy information like that and then not elaborate on it!"

"I can, because there's nothing to elaborate on. Now is not the time or the place. Besides, as I said, I will come back."

"Well, alright," Twilight said. "If you promise." She was still uncomfortable with it, but was also mature enough to understand that it was Zecora's decision.

Zecora gave a wink. "I Pinkie promise, if that's what it takes. I'll come back, no matter the stakes."

"Well that settles it, then!" Pinkie chirped. "She has to come back now."

Zecora continued onwards towards the town square, while the trio of mares just stood watching her go until she was lost to sight. Shortly afterwards, the three closed the zebra's door, as it was still hanging open, then began to make their own journey back to town. None of them were in particularly high spirits, but they all felt better knowing that Zecora wasn't trying to leave them.

Back in Ponyville proper, Mzungu had returned to the Town Hall building, ducked inside, and laid down for a nap in one of the empty guest rooms primarily reserved for visiting ambassadors or dignitaries. He'd checked with Mayor Mare first, of course, and she was happy to allow him to stay there for a few days. Of course, she pointed out, if a higher ranking official happened to make an unannounced visit, he'd need to move.

He had napped for only a couple hours when Zecora found him, the zebra standing patiently in the doorway as the giraffe raised his head.

"I hoped you'd come back.

Have you made a decision?

You would be welcome."

Zecora nodded.

"I will come with you.

To see my homeland again.

It's been a long time." She grinned at him.

Mzungu looked absolutely delighted.

"Wonderful! That's great.

I can return us there now,

If you'd like to see."

Now, Zecora had expected a great variety of strange things, and seen an even greater variety of stranger things, but this she had not been expecting. If Mzungu had such power the whole time, why had he been wandering all the time that he had? More importantly, why had he not returned home in the first place?

Mzungu seemed to sense at least some degree of her confusion by the look on her face, and broke into laughter.

"As I expected.

You wonder why I travel

When I can go home?"

Speechless, Zecora just nodded.

Mzungu laughed again, and rummaged through his belongings. He pulled out a drawstring pouch, sprinkling blue dust in a perfect circle around the pair of ungulates. Zecora watched him with timid fascination while he worked, being reminded of seeing his apothecaric talent for the first time all those years prior. The giraffe threw down the skull of a small animal in the center of the circle, and both of them were suddenly consumed by a huge tornado of bright red smoke.

When the smoke cleared, the room was empty except for a lingering scent of pepper.

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