A Friend Lost to the Past

A Problem Left Unsolved

One Week Later...

Zecora awoke suddenly to the sound of breaking glass. In mere seconds she was out of bed and in the kitchen where Krooked was kneeling over remains of a plate.

"Are you alright Krooked? What happened?" Krooked jumped and looked up at her.

"Oh! um, I just dropped a plate while making breakfast. Everything's fine I think..." Krooked bent down and began picking up the larger pieces. Zecora slowly went to her knees and began to help.

"Why were you making breakfast? You could have asked me to cook something if you wanted." A small blush crept onto his cheeks.

"I figured I could surprise you with breakfast in bed, but I guess I'm a little too clumsy for that kind of stuff." Zecora giggled which made Krooked's blush grow.

Once the mess was cleaned Zecora walked over to the small stove to find a pan of half cooked eggs sitting on one of the small burners. Small wafts of smoke rose from the sides, telling her to flip them immediately.

Zecora began to prepare other small sides when a knock came from the door.

"I'll get it Zecora!" Krooked hurried to the front door while Zecora began cutting fruit into slices, letting the eggs cook on the range.

Feeling curious, Zecora moved to the table with two dishes in order to set the table while stealing a glance.

Shock can turn anypony into a clumsymess. Zecora was no different as she fumbled with the dishes until they came crashing down. Krooked stood in the doorway, blocking most of her view but Zecora knew who was behind him.

"M-mother?" The slightly aged mare looked deep into his eyes, the worn glasses on her face enhanced her happy yet tired expression.

"Krooked, it's been so long..."

"What are you doing here? Come inside, quickly!" Krooked shut the door behind her as they walked into the main room.

Zecora only stared as he helped with cleaning the pieces of plate shards.

Once the mess was cleaned the couple took a seat across from Krooked's mother. Zecora sat very close to Krooked, unsure of what was going to happen.

"Mother, you never said why you came here. I thought you didn't want to see me." The mare sighed and brushed a lock of her scarlet from her eyes, her bright blue coat seemed to have faded since Zecora last saw her.

"I know you must be confused... and I know the things I said when you left..."

One Year Ago...

"Fine then, go on back to your witch! I didn't need to look out for you anyways!" The door slammed behind her once Krooked had left her view. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she curled into a ball on the floor...

Present Day...

"I'm so sorry for everything I said. After you left things just weren't the same..." She looked down at her hooves that laid in her laps.

"...So I left to go and find you. I found your tour schedule but every time I reached the city you had already left. Eventually I finished here since I figured you wouldn't leave Ponyville."

Krooked stared at her for awhile before any reply even crossed his mind. Then, as if out of nowhere Krooked spoke in an even voice.

"But I'm not leaving Zecora." The said zebra instantly shift her focus to Krooked's mother. A worried worried feeling swept over her.

"I know that dear, I also wanted to apologize to Zecora..." The mare looked at Zecora through shame and sorrow filled eyes.

"... I'm sorry for everything I've done to you Zecora, I knew deep down that you were never a bad zebra. It's just when all the other ponies said those things about you I got so worried about my son. I never should have separated the two of you." Zecora swiftly stood up and moved so she was able to rest a hoof on her shoulder.

"All I wanted was to get to know you. If you're willing to do that I'd be more than happy to forget everything... Mother." Krooked's mother looked at Zecora while fighting back tears of relief.

They both wrapped their hooves around each other and pulled themselves into a soft hug. Zecora remembered this kind of hug from her own mother. Krooked coughed lightly to rouse their attention.

"So mother, what are you going to do? Are you going to return home?" His mother smiled and hugged him as well.

"Yes I am... To my true home in Ponyville." Krooked returned the hug once she had spoke.

"Thank you for coming mother. I love you..."

"I love you too son..."

Two Days Later...

"Wow, I can't believe Krooked's mom followed him all that time!" Cloud Chaser exclaimed from the bathroom across from her room. Zecora and Flitter nodded as they sat with two body pillows on the floor.

Flitter broke the silence soon afterwards.

"What was it like seeing her again for you Zecora?"

"Well, it was very strange when I first saw her in our home. I didn't know if she was trying to take Krooked away again... But she turned out to be a very nice mare. We've been talking with each other almost the entire time she's been back. Now we're practically mother-daughter!" Zecora's eyes sparkled at the thought of having a parent back in her life.

"I'm sure it must be nice then. What does she do for money now? If I remember correctly she used to help Twilight in the library."

"Well you're almost correct, Krooked's mother bought one of the stalls in town square so that she can open a bookststand. All she's doing now is waiting for the books to be delivered."

Just then Cloud Chaser entered the room and plopped down on Flitter's pillow. She rested her head on Flitter's lap which brought a blush to her cheeks.

"Enough talk about mommy stuff! Do you want to go hangout with us at Sugarcube Corner Zecora?"

"Oh, alright I guess. It's been awhile since I visited Pinkie Pie."

"You haven't missed much, that crazy mare is still as random and cheerful as she's
always been." Zecora giggled as the trio left the house and made their way for Sugarcube Corner...