Deception of the Zekahn

"YAME!!" The master's voice rang out through the entire dojo. It made the wooden slide doors shake and the snow slide off the roof. Snowflakes floated to the ground in a giant snow storm. Not even the sharp concentration of a monk could cut through the snowy winds and freezing temperatures.

Inside, two students, both dressed in ancient Equestrian practice armor, known as raiku armor, stepped up to the master. The master looked over his two students with a careful eye, making sure neither one of their set ups were forgotten, missed, or changed. Seeing no flaw, the master nodded. The two students nodded back and stepped to the middle of the dojo, marked by two white markers. The two students faced each other, awaiting the master's go. The master stood and raised his left hoof. The two students bows at each other in respect, then both pulled out their wooden swords, carved out of the finest trees of the Kaiju Mori (Everfree Forest). Their wooden swords faced the opposer. Neither student nudged.

The master swung his hoof down, signaling the initiation of the match. Both students stepped up, swords still pointing at the opposer. Both students stomped their hoof on the ground, imitating a step forward in an attempt to make the opposer flinch and give them the opportunity they need to strike. Finally, one of the students flinched as the hoof slammed the wooden floor. Behind the mask, the other student smirked and rushed forward, never letting his sword point anywhere but at the opposing student. The other student raised his sword up and attempted to hit the flinched student on the top of the head, missing by inches as the student stepped back, the sword only hitting the grip of the other student's sword.

Realizing its mistake, the student stepped back as well to prevent the other student to take advantage of it. Successful, the two students were in another standoff, neither one of them moving for minutes. Finally sick of waiting, the other student charged forward, attempting to hit the student's head. The student simply moved to the side and slammed the sword down on the other student's wrist, making it drop its weapon, both shaming the other student and earning the point. The rest of the students, sitting off to the side, clapped in congratulations. Both students stood straight and bowed. They then sat with the other students, both receiving compliments and congratulations. One of the students removed the helmet, letting her curly white and blue mane pop out and wiped her horn and under her forehead, both of which were covered in sweat.

The master walked up to both students, showing disappointment in the eyes when speaking to the opposing student, but praised her confidence and determination nevertheless. He then walked up to the blue-maned mare, now with a look of happiness and pride instead of disappointment. The mare smiled back at the master, who stood in the middle of the room and praised every single student's work for the day and dismissed them to dinner and sleep. Early morning, the beginning of more training. The everyday cycle of every young zekahn, or warrior, in training. All students yelled "Arigato, sensei!", thanking the master for his wisdom. All students picked up their armor and training weapon and left the dojo. But, before the blue-maned student could leave, the master stopped her.

"Trixie," said the master in a ever-soothing voice. "You have studied long and hard, and it shows. That was the performance of a true zekahn. I am proud of you." That compliment made Trixie smile greatly. The kind master returned her smile. "Keep practicing, and keep studying, and you shall become the zhen of the zekahn."

That was greatest compliment Trixie has ever received. Being the zhen of the zekahn is almost like being the lord of Equestria. Trixie could not do anything other than to smile once more and bow before him.

"Arigato, sensei." She said, and she left, leaving the master in the dojo to meditate. Despite the massive amount of praise from her masters in the dojo, Trixie was a rather lonely unicorn. She used up most of her time studying the ancient art of the zekahn art of war and whatever time she wasn't using studying the art, she was practicing it. As explained, she never had much time to socialize or find friends. But she did not regret it either. She cherished every paragraph, every sentence, every word written in the ancient scrolls as her own child.

Trixie ate alone at the feeding hall, in the east wing of the large dojo. But it was not uncommon to her. Like stated, she never had any friends. And as a result, she got used to it. She preferred it that way. It kept her from distractions. Just her and her books. Just the way she liked it. As she ate her daisies and tulips, she heard a creak coming from the floor, as if somepony was stepping on it. Trixie turned around and was face to face with Nakayama, a student in Master Hiyorusa's class, which reached about what is known as the drum warfare of kintai. The name is misleading, however. It is not a instrument. It is a offensive class teaching zekahns about offensive warfare. They are supposed to be the toughest by strength.

Trixie sighs heavily, folding the page that she is on so she does not lose it and closes the book. "What do you want, Nakayama? Can't you see I am busy?" She points to the book on the table beside her meal. Nakayama just laughs and picks up the book.

"What are you doing? Reading?" He laughs mockingly at Trixie, but she's heard it enough times for it to be a greeting for her.

"Put it down, Nakayama. You probably cannot read it to begin with, so you have no use of it." Trixie joked, her false sense of humor landing her in trouble once again. And that is one of the few things Trixie always regrets. Nakayama was furious.

"How dare you! I come from a long line of warriors! You are from nothing! You have no family! You have no say in the matter!" He yelled, trying to make a comeback at Trixie's remark. Other students began to gather around the two. Trixie never had a family. She was found, filthy and alone in a small village of Ponbilla. She was attacked by peasant thieves after stealing food from them during the winter. She was able to hold her own for a while, but she was eventually knocked down. But before the thieves could kill her, her master entered the scene and chased the thieves away. He cleaned off filly Trixie, fed her, and took her in as his daughter. She has no clue of her past, nor does she herself want to know.

Trixie was not about to lose a verbal battle against Nakayama of all ponies. "Well, if I did, I am sure they would not be complete brutes like you and your family are." Snapped Trixie. Nakayama lost it. He ran up and tried to grab Trixie's kimono by the collar. Trixie smirked and just pushed down his hooves as they were stretched forward and tripped him, making him land face-first in her food. Luckily, she was quick enough to levitate the book up before the crash landing. Nakayama stood up and faced Trixie, his face covered in daisies and tulips from her dinner. He was so enraged, he could have cooked the plants on his face. Trixie just laughed at his face. Nakayama threw a careless punch at her, which was caught by Trixie. She twirled his arm around, making it go behind him and was unable to move it.

"L-Let go of me, bruha!" Yelled Nakayama, struggling to get free. Bruha is a offensive word, used to describe only the lowest, filthiest ponies in the population. In other words, nothing.  Trixie just scoffed and held her grip. Then, over all the voices of the students, one rang and drowned out the others. "NANIO YATTERU?!" All eyes were directed towards the eastern wing entrance, where Master Ryo and Hiyorusa, both with disappointed faces, were walking towards the crowd. All the surrounding students backed off, allowing the two masters to pass and walk up to the fighting ponies.

"Trixie… Nanio yatteru…?" he asked, with more of a sad tone then a angry one. Trixie's ears flattened and she looked down slightly, knowing she had failed Ryo.

"M-Master Ryo… I… I am sorry… I have failed you…" she apologized, trying her hardest to mentally hurt herself. Ryo just shook his head slowly.

"Daijyobu, Trixie-chan… Demo doshite?" he asked, asking why she did what she was doing. Trixie looked at Nakayama, who was getting yelled at by Hiyorusa. Trixie, having a kind heart, did not tell the truth for Nakayama's sake.

"I-It was my fault, master. Forgive me…" She begged, then bowed shamefully. Ryo and Hiyorusa then talked for a few moments, giving Trixie and Nakayama a chance to look at each other in hate.

"You're going to get it, bruha…" Growled Nakayama under his breath. Trixie just rolled her eyes away from him and kept looking at Ryo and Hiyorusa, still talking. After a while, the two masters walked up to the two ponies. Nakayama was forbidden from eating at the same time as Trixie and Trixie was forbidden from training zekahn for a week. Week, might as well be a month, or a year. Trixie already felt light headed, but she stood strong and just bowed at the respect of her masters decisions. Nakayama did the same, but any pony could tell it was not out of respect.