wAuthor's Note: Other than what lines she has I will not write her in rhyme unless I can think of one for it.

And unlike Spike, Harry will get to keep Peewee. That's righ! Peewee's here to stay!

Chapter 32: Bridle Gossip

Summary: A mysterious local boogeypony now has a foal in her clutches! Can the Mane 6 cure their own predicaments while saving the unknown foal?

"Wow, what a gorgeous day." Twilight said as she trotted slowly. Spike riding on her back.

"Rainbow Dash must've gotten up early for once and cleared all the clouds away." Spike suggested as the duo made their way to town.

"I bet all of Ponyville is going to be out enjoying the sunshine." The lavender mare said with a smile before they got to the Town Square.

It was completely deserted save for a tumbleweed blowing the town, a filly who dared venture outside was snatchrd inside by her mother.

"Is it some kind of pony holiday?" Spike asked as they looked around.

"Not that I know of."

"Does my breath stink?" Spike belched and emerald flames came from his mouth.

"Not more than usual." Twilight said with a smirk.

"Is it...zombies?!"

"Spike you really need to cut back on "Walking Dead" Twilight told the baby dragon. "And not likely."

"But Sheriff Strongheart and his group just got to the prison." Spike whined. Then he registered what Twilight said after. "Not likely...but possible?" He asked nervously as they walked by Sugarcube Corner.

"Psst." Came from the open top part of the door.

Twilight looked over trying to figure out where the sound came from.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie called from the half open door. "Spike! Come here!" She waved them over with a leg.

"Why? Twilight asked.

"Hurry!" Pinkie poked her head out and checked around for HER. "Before she gets you!"

Twilight ran and humped through the open part of the door that Pinkie closed immediately after.

It was pitch dark, until Pinkie clicked on a flashlight.

"Who?! The Zombie Pony?!" Spike asked in panic.

Pinkie turned the flashlight onto heelr face. "Zzzzzoooommbbbiiieee Pony?" She asked shakily.

Spike grabbed Twilights neck with a yelp.

"Soike, there are no Zombie Ponies." She then turned to Pinkie and asked "What are you doing here alone in the dark?"

"I'm not alone here in the dark." Twilight gasped as she saw all her friends. "Okay, what are you all doing here in the dark?"

"We're hidin' from them!" Applejack said. Twilight looked out the window and saw two mysterious cloaked figures, an adult and foal,The adult diging at the ground. The two looked their way. Both had green eyes but the youngers where familiar somehow.

The ponies gasped and hid. "Did ya see her Twilight? Did ya see Zecora?"

"Applebloom!" Applejack snapped. "I told ya never to say that name!"

"Well I saw her glance this way-"

"Glance eeevily this way!" Pinkie interrupted Twilight.

"And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason." The lavender unicorn finished.

"No good reason?!" Applejack said in a stunned tone. "Ya call protecting yer kin folk no good reason?" She brought Applebloom close to her.

"Where's Harry?" Twilight pointed out. She was protective of her foal like a momma ursa major.

"Canterlot with the Princess." Applejack immediately replied. "When that mare comes ta town I send him to the Princess fer safekeeping. "She then got back on track. "Why, when Applebloom saw Zecora riding into town, she started shaking in her little horseshoes." Applejack shook Applebloom side to side as she said this.

"Ddddiiiiddd nnnnooottt." Applebloom said as she was shook.

"So I swept her up and brought her here."

"I walked here myself!" Applebloom reminded her big sister.

"For safety." Applejack pointed out.

"Applejack I'm not a baby!" Applebloom said in a disgusted tone. "I can take care of myself!" Annoyed by her sisters behavior.

"Not from that creepy Zecora." Applejack told her.

"She's mysterious." Fluttershy said.

"Sinister." Rainbow Dash added as she fluttered.

"And SPOOOKY." Pinkie finished.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "So whose the foal with her?" She asked.

"No one knows. Theres rumors he's a colt she swept off with a few months ago." Rainbow Dash said.

"Have any foals gone missing from town?" Twilight asked as she looked out the window.

"Well...like I said its just a rumor." Rainbow admitted.

The mares all got behind her to watch as Zecora pawed at the ground, then lowered her hood as the foal came up across from her.

The mares gasped in shock.

"Will you cut that out?" Twilight asked in exasperation.

"Just look at those stripes!" Rarity said in a disgusted tone. "Such garish!"

"She's a zebra." Twilight said in frustration.

"A what!?" Everypony except Twilight asked in shock.

"A zebra. And those stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with." Twilight explained to the fasionada.

Rarity fainted. such a crime to fashion!

"Born where?" Applejack asked. "I've never seen a pony like that around these parts, cept...her" The mother said nervously.

"Well she's probably not from here." Twilight guessed. "And she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville," Twilight said as she glanced outside, "where do they live?"

"That's just it, they live in...the Everfree Forest!"

Spike made a loud noise that sounded like thunder after he snuck into the kitchen.

"Spike!

"Sorry!" Spike called out in apology.

"The Everfree Forest just ain't Natural." Applejack said in fear. "The plants grow..."

"Animals care for themselves."

"And the clouds move!" Rainbow Dash spoke up.

"All on their own!" All three finished. Rarity fainted.

And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there!" Pinkie said. "I even wrote a song about her!"

"Here we go." Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes while she fluttered.

"She's an evil enchantress, she does evil dances!" Pinkie sang with a dance routine to match. "And if you look deep in her eyes she'll put you in trances!" She got into Twilight's face as Applejack visibly shook with fear. Applebloom pushed her away disgustedly.

"Wow, catchy." Twilight said after Pinkie Pie finished.

"Its a work in progress." Pinkie said with a shrug. Twlight looked out the window to watch the zebra mare. The older mares creeped up behind her to watch.

Outside

"Are you ready to reveal yourself little one?" Zecora asked her student.

The mares watched the foal shake its head.

"What are they doing?" Applejack hissed quietly.

"Just talking." Twilight said in annoyance. She saw the colt give Zecora a bag of seeds with his muzzle. She smiled as she took a seed from the pouch and plant it.

After more arguing in which Twilight pointed out no one knew Zecora or the foal because they where too afraid to approach them.

"I'm not too scared." Applebloom muttered to herself and snuck out the door while the older mares argued. "I'm gonna find out myself. She tippyhooved following Zecora and the foal, then gasped and hid as the two looked her way.

"You ponies are being ridiculous!" Twilight said in frustration.

"Well I heard Zecora eats hay." Pinkie said mysteriously.

"Pinkie I eat hay; you eat hay!"

"Yeah, but I heard its the eeevil wayvshe eats hay

"Wait, where's Applebloom!?" Applejack panicked.

"The door's open." Fluttershy said timidly

"And Zecora's still out there

The mares gasped as they saw the open door. "She went OUTSIDE?" Rarity panicked.

"Oh, that silly little filly! I told her to stay put!"

"Wait!" Rainbow Dash said before the mares could leave. She grabbed an empty, large flour sac. "We can save Applebloom and the foal!"

"Poor thing must be terrified." Rarity said as the mares left.

"Please don't do anything drastic!" Twilight called after them. She turned to Spike. "Spike, wait here in case Applebloom comes back."

"Will do." Spike saluted with a pan on his head.

Apllebloom followed the two. Past the entrance into Everfree where she hesitated slightly.

"Don't worry Master Zecora, they'll all come around." She heard the foal say as he followed Zecora.

"Applebloom!"

Applebloom and the foal gasped and turned to see Applejack and the other mares. "Get back here right now little missy!

"Beware, beware you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" Zecora shouted as fog rolled in making the two almost vanish.

"Not so fast!" Rainbow Dash shouted as Applejack threw her lasso and hogtied the struggling foal.

"Master Zecora!" The foal panicked. Zecora tried to save the colt but he was dragged away

Rainbow Dash stuffed the protesting foal in the large former flour sac and the group ignored Twilight's protests as they ran off.

"Omygoshomygoshomygosh." Twilight panicked in the library. "We're guilty of foalnapping!"

"Zecora's the foal napper Twi. " Applejack "We just saved the poor colt."

"Yeah, she's just lucky we couldn't get the Royal Guard down here.

"Get me out!" Came a familiar voice who growled in frustration.

"Harry?!" The mares and Applebloom gasped. Rainbow Dash unceremoniously dumped the cloaked foal out.

"Thanks for being gentle!" Harry shook his head as he sat up on his flank and shook his hood off. Peewee flew in from the window and nestled in his mane. Chrring happily. "At least your happy Peewee." Harry said to the baby phoenix.

"What in Celestia's name are ya doin' with that wicked Zecora?!" Applejack yelled at him making Harry flinch. His momma didn't yell at him often. He just layed there hogtied as Applebloom looked on shocked at her big sister as Applejack continued yelling at the foal. "And haven't I told ya a thousand times NEVER GO INTO THE EVERFREE FOREST?!"

"Applejack darling-"

"WHEN I GET YOU HOME YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SIT ON YOUR FLANK FOR A MONTH!"

"Applejack hang on a sec-"

"I THOUGHT I RAISED YOU RIGHT! PRINCESS CELESTIA'LL BE SO ASHAMED OF YOU!"

"Applejack!" Applebloom said trying to get her tirade to stop knowing she'd gone into dark territory. If she went any further...

""Applejack stop!" Twilight said, also trying

to stop Applejack seeing the colt's eyes of fear and sadness. She knew he hated disappointing Applejack.

"WHAT WOULD PRINCESS LILLIANA SAY IF SHE KNEW HER FOAL DISOBEYED HIS MOTHER?!"

The mares and Applebloom gasped.

Harry sniffled loudley. hicced a few times, and started bawling loudly. His horn lit up and the mares ducked. He and Peewee vanished in a crimson black flash.

"He teleported." Twilight said in shock.

"Uh oh." Applejack said in worry. What have I done?

Princess Luna awoke to the sound of a crying foal. She opened her eyes to see her young nephew bawling and tied up.

"Nephew! Cease these works of water. Thou are safe now." She leapt majestically off of her dark blue beddings and trotted over to Harry and began to bite through the ropes. I never was good at unbinding by magic. The Night Princess thought as her nephew continued crying.

Only one pony I know can tie bindings this well. Luna thought as she chewed. "NEPHEW! GET A HOLD OF THINESELF! THOU ARE SAFE NOW!" Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Harry hicced and sniffled as Peewee tried to help his owner calm down."Auntie Luna?" He asked in condusion. "How did you get to Sugar Cube Corner?"

"Nephew we are at the palace in Canterlot." Luna informed him. "Why where thou tied up and bawling like an inept re-enactment of thine babyhood?"

Harry hugged Peewee close as Luna magically took off his cloak and levitated the alicorn foal to the bed. "Well, it all started 3 months ago..."

He told Luna about how his grandmother was curious to know why Applejack kept sending him to visit one extra time a month. Not that she minded mind you, she was just curious. Harry told her about the mysterious Witch of Everfree. She had laughed.

"Oh My Little Prince, she is no witch. Zecora is an old friend of mine."

Turns out that Zecora supplied Princess Celestia with exotic bath supplies regularly. She took Harry on a flight to Everfree Forest.

"Pretty flowers." Harry said as he sniffed a patch of baby blue colored plants.

"Harry. Stay by my side." Celestia reminded Harry and the alicorn Prince ran to catch up with his grandma.

He remembered waking up the next morning in his room at the palace and freaking out. His coat and mane had been changed to black with crimson trim.

"I thought you said she wasn't a witch." Harry sniffled against Celestia. "She cursed me!"

Celestia merely laughed. "My Little Prince there's no such thing as curses."

Harry lit up his horn, his magic aura now a black with midnight blue trim.

"Grandma this isn't natural!" He panicked. "My coat, mane and magic's colors are all switched around!"

Celestia giggled. Then explained to Harry the properties of Poison Joke.

Harry had been awed at the power of a simple bubble bath mix. Celestia had asked if he would like to learn more about potion making.

"And thats when I started going over to Master Zecora's three times a week. I'm brewing my first potion now!" He said excitedly.

"But why do the pony's of Ponyville fear Zecora when she's done none harm? Luna asked.

"Pony's fear things that are different I guess." Harry shrugged. "Master Zecora is very nice and a patient teacher even if her rhymes are strange at first."

"You know that Applejack was only concerned for your safety don't you?" Luna asked the foal as they lay side by side on her bed.

"What momma did wasn't out of concern." Harry said mysteriously. Not wanting his aunt to know that Applejack shamed him using his mother and grandmother both.

Later that evening, Luna and Harry approached Celestia on the throne. "Leave us." Luna told the guards. "This is a Royal Family matter. The guards saluted and obeyed.

"Harry, what are you doing in Canterlot?" Celestia asked in concern.

"Sister, we have a problem in Ponyville..."

It was dark and the mares where now regrouping at the library.

Spike belxhed and a letter came from his flames. "From the desk of- Twilight!" Spike ran into the room. "The Princess sent a letter!"

Twilight nervously unrolled the letter. Then sighed in relief. "Harry's fine, his magic reacted to a stressful situation and teleported himself to the castle." She muttered "Wow." and continued on. "The Princess is keeping him for a few days..."

"Where he should have been in the first place." Applejack said with a haughty tone. The other mares glared. She hadn't panicked at all when Harry disappeared. "He'll be back when he's hungry." She had said.

"Applejack has a lot to think about." Twilight finished.

"What? But he disobeyed me! I'm his momma! Ah have the right to discipline him!"

"Yeah but you had no right to shame him using his dead mother." Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"Shameful display."

"A bit cruel too."

Was I really that far out of line? Applejack thought later that night as she tossed and turned in bed. She saw the picture of Harry after taking his first steps. She'd been so proud of her foal that day.

"It was mah right ta discipline him." Applejack said firmly. Still believing she was in the right.

Twilight had a fitful sleep. After they found out Harry was okay the ponies started worrying about Zecora's alleged Curse.

"Just you wait Twi, you'll find out some pony tales really are true. Applejack said as she left last.

The next morning..all the mares screamed...

"Ugh, what a dream." Twilight said as she got of bed. "Curses schmurses. Woah, maybe Zecora cursed my hair. Then gasped as she saw her floppy horn."Or she cursed my horn!"

To Be Continued...

Will Harry and Applejack's relationship survive? What happened to the other mares?! Stay tuned.

I wanted a bit of Aunt/Nephew screen time for Harry and Luna.

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