“Are ya sure this is a good idea? I don’t think we’re supposed to be this close to the Everfree Forest.” Apple Bloom whispered to her friends as she looked to the forest.
“We aren’t even close, yet. Besides we might get our cuite marks in film, and what better place to find something to film than in the Everfree Forest?” Scootaloo remarked, moving closer to the wall of trees.
“What was that?” Sweetie Belle exclaimed looking in the direction of the noise.
“I hear it too. Is the camera rolling Apple Bloom?”
“It’s rolling. I wonder what it is.” Apple Bloom announced, holding the camera up and pointing it in the direction of the sound.
“Um. What do we do if it’s a Timberwolf?” Sweetie Belle asked and the others had a look of fear as they thought of the quick wolves.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I mean if that’s a Timberwolf than we could be in some serious trouble.” Apple Bloom whispered backing away from the noise as she did.
“Toki ishi sore owari?” Came the rasp from the woods as a red head came into view.
“Timberwolf!” The three screamed, dropping the camera and running off towards the town.
“Nani jigoku? Denakereba narimasen genkaku.” The figure moaned as he walked forward never turning.
Applejack looked back up at the customer she had just finished selling a basket of apples to. “Ya’ll come back soon.”
“Applejack, Timberwolf, forest, camera, help!” Came the call as the three fillies rushed towards Applejack.
“What now? Slow down a bit.” Applejack stated looking to the three fillies.
“We were by the Everfree Forest with a camera hoping to get our cutie marks in film but a timberwolf came out and we don’t know if it followed us.” The three exclaimed quickly.
“I don’t see a timberwolf.”
“But, we saw a timberwolf. There it is!” Scootaloo screamed as she saw the red figure limping towards them.
“That’s not a timberwolf. But whatever it is, it’s heading this way.” AppleJack exclaimed ushering the fillies into the closet building. “Y’all stay here.”
“Hey Fido! I’m talking to you!” Came the yell as Rainbow Dash flew alongside the creature.
“Any idea what it is?” AppleJack asked as she followed the new creature.
“No idea. It won’t answer me.”
“Go and get Fluttershy. I’ll make sure this doesn’t do anything it’ll regret.” AppleJack instructed.
“Got it!”
“Mizu.” The red figure muttered as it went past the town fountain taking a drink as it did.
AppleJack used this chance to look over the creature. Its fur was a deep red except for the ends of its arms which took on a brown color. It was in the shape of a large dog yet its tail was much larger than a normal tail, being almost as big as the creature itself. It was tenderly putting its weight on two of its legs the many lacerations on its body showing through the thick coat of fur as it drank.
“What are ya?”
“Oh my. What happened to you?” Came the sympathetic call as Fluttershy landed by the creature. “You really shouldn’t be walking.”
“I don’t think it can understand you.” AppleJack stated as she kept pace with the weak creature.
“It still shouldn’t be walking.” Fluttershy exclaimed standing in front of the creature. “Please stop.”
“Dono kurai nagaku?” The figure uttered as he bumped past Fluttershy, only to have her jump back in front of him.
“Now I know that you want to walk but you really should rest. How about you come back to my cottage and I’ll fix you up so you can walk all you want?” Fluttershy offered yet the creature just looked past her as he walked forward. “Please?”
“Honmonode wanai.”
“Oh, can you please stop? You’re gonna hurt yourself.” Fluttershy whispered as she walked along it. “I don’t want you to faint or anything.”
The red creature didn’t respond to this as it continued its walk in the direction of the town library. Not turning as it walked straight at the tree not even noticing it.
“Now you can’t go there. I don’t care how much you ignore us, you’re not going ta Twilight.” AppleJack uttered and gave the creature a shove to steer its path away from the tree only to have it fall over.
“Oh my.” Fluttershy exclaimed rushing to the side of the creature and looking at it not daring to touch it. “Its out cold.”
“Oops. Well now you don’t have to worry about it hurting itself.” AppleJack joked as Fluttershy picked the creature up showing it to be almost as large as her.
“It doesn’t weigh very much. Oh I hope that I can help it.” Fluttershy exclaimed as she walked to her cottage.
“Alright y’all can come out now. Its gone.” AppleJack called out to all the houses as she saw that nopony was outside.
--------------氷狐--------------
“Oh my. He’s really hurt. Let’s see, I need some bandages, a splint, some alcohol, some thread, needle and a comfy blanket so he’s comfortable. That should be everything, right Angel?” Fluttershy muttered as she rushed around her house grabbing everything she could think of to help the creature.
“Fluttershy? Are you okay? I heard that you took something home and I was wondering if you could use some help.” Twilight called out as she entered the cottage.
“Twilight! Oh thank goodness. I need all the help I can get. He’s in such a bad condition that I don’t know if I’ve even found all the wounds yet.”
“Okay... So how can I help?”
“Do you have a spell that can find wounds?”
“I think. Do you think its a good idea using magic on it though?”
“it’s a him, not an it. And why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”
“Some creatures don’t go well with magic. I don’t know what ‘he’ is and I don’t know if ‘he’ will go well with magic. I’ll try it, but if something goes wrong I’m gonna stop.” Twilight muttered as her horn was filled with strength and a glow enveloped the creature.
It didn’t stir as the spell ran over it not noticing some of the obvious wounds on it as it lit up only a couple of deep cuts. It went down the figure until it reached the tips of its tail and nose before the purple glow faded away.
“What? I don’t understand, it didn’t notice anything that we didn’t already. Is there another way I could help?” Twilight Exclaimed.
“Umm... Yeah. Can you help me fix his arm? It’s broken and I have to... rebreak it so it’s in the right spot when I set it.” Fluttershy asked setting her hooves on the arm in question causing the creature to flinch at the touch.
“Sure. What exactly do you need me to do?”
“I need you to set your hoof here so I can... break it properly.” Fluttershy instructed gesturing at a spot on the arm for Twilight. “Ready Twi?”
“Ready.” Twilight confirmed and set her hoof down as Fluttershy put the arm back into place. The creature did not take kindly to the sudden action as it leapt up and swiped at the ponies, its claws missing by a mere inch as it fell to the ground once more whimpering.
“Oh I’m so sorry! Let me get a pill to help with the pain!” Fluttershy exclaimed rushing off into her kitchen to find the bottle of painkillers she kept.
“Sheiko!? Sono kizu!” It screamed grasping its arm in agony. “Naze?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t understand you. What was that?” Twilight asked as the creature looked up at her.
“Why?” It muttered the pain forcing it on its back.
“Got it.” Fluttershy whimpered as she rushed back out of the kitchen a small pill bottle in her mouth from which she took a few red pills. “I need you to take one of these.”
“No!” It yelped scooting back from them.
“Please? It’ll help you feel better.” Fluttershy whispered.
“You just hurt me and now you offer pill? What it do?” He whimpered not letting the two out of his sight as he backed into a corner.
“It’ll help you sleep so we can fix you up.”
“No. I’ll stay awake. Anything but sleep.”
“Oh my. You don’t want to be awake for this. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Used to it.” He muttered leaning back as his body began to give on him. “No.... sleep.”
“If the pills don’t put you out then you’ll just pass out. I promise that the pills will keep you from feeling any pain. Okay?” Fluttershy whispered in the way she would with a frightened animal.
“No.... shuripu...... Shinaide........ hitsuyo.” He muttered as he slowly loses consciousness.
“Please take the pill.” Fluttershy whispered holding out the pills for him which he took quickly. “Thanks.”
“Please don’t lie about this.” It muttered as it waited for the pills to take effect. “Will I dream?”
“Do you want to dream?”
“No.”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh no. Please, don’t let me sleep. I don’t want...... the........ dreams.”
--------------氷狐--------------
“Is he still asleep?” Twilight asked as she and the others walked in to the cottage, wary of all the animals inside.
“Yes. He must’ve been really tired.” Fluttershy answered gesturing to the red creature on her couch. She had put a light blanket over him as he slept to hide the body mostly covered in bandages.
“It’s a he, right? Well, he doesn’t look too good.” Rarity stated, resting the length of her arm on its head to move some of the long hair aside only to feel the heat radiating from it. “He’s burning up!”
“Oh my. I don’t know if he can handle a fever right now. I don’t even know if I have stuff to treat a fever right now!” Fluttershy exclaimed rushing to look for something to help with the fever.
“What can we do to help?” Rainbow exclaimed her wings at the ready.
“I need to cool him down. Oh, I’m out of some medicine as well, I-If you don’t mind helping that is.”
“What medicine do you need?” Twilight exclaimed already rushing towards the door.
“I need some antibiotics and an ice pack. Can the rest of you help me find my-”
“Thermometer?” Pinkie exclaimed holding the the fragile tool out for her friend who eagerly took it.
“Thanks. I can hardly believe that he’s still alive. By all rights he shouldn’t have been able to walk yet here he is.” Fluttershy muttered as she put the thermometer in its mouth. “One hundred and seven. Oh I hope I cleaned his wounds good enough.”
“I’m sure you did just fine sugarcube. All we can do is make sure it is comfortable and give it some medicine and hope it lives. Whatever it is.” AppleJack stated looking over the sick figure.
--------------氷狐--------------
“Where am I?” The creature muttered as it awoke. “Ugh man I need something to drink.”
The creature silently slid from the couch, taking note at the sleeping butter pegasus in the chair and heading to the kitchen. It cringed at each step as the broken bones and cuts made themselves known. The splint on its arm causing each step on the leg to be awkward for it.
“How did I end up in the one place with nothing to drink? Never mind that. How did I end up here at all?” He whispered walking out of the building intent on going to the town bar.
He moved quickly through the night town leaping across streets and moving out of sight from the few ponies he saw. The building stood out in the night as the lights and laughs from within combined with the smell gave it the atmosphere of the town bar.
“Easy enough to find. Now lets see if I can get anything good without them noticing.” He whispered as he slipped behind the counter and grabbing a bottle of ‘AppleJack Daniels’.
“So Berry Punch. Got anything special to drink tonight?” Came the startling call as a white unicorn walked in.
“Not much. Just some of the usual stuff. I got an extra shipment of AppleJack Daniels if you want some of that.” Came the reply as a purple pony walked behind the bar, forcing the creature beneath the bar.
“Sounds great. I’ll take a bottle.” Came the reply along with a sudden pain to the head as the bartender through the creature onto the bar and held him there.
“What the?! What is this thing doing stealing my alcohol?” The pony exclaimed as it saw the bottle still in its mouth.
“I don’t think it’s stealing.” The second pony stated, causing the creature to look up and see that she had some large tinted glasses on and a ragged blue mane. “It looks like it was bringing me my drink. I wonder if it would like to join me for a drink?”
“Are you drunk?”
“Not yet. That’s the point of buying a drink right?”
“Great, a drunk pony.” The creature muttered trying to wiggle out from under the hoof that held him down.
“So are you gonna have a drink or are you gonna sit around for the cops?” The white pony joked as she sat at the bar.
“Drink. What is a ‘cop’ anyways?” He muttered as he sat on the seat by her.
“You try that again and you’re gonna get in trouble. Don’t think that I’ll bail you out of anything after this.”
“You don’t even know me.” He muttered grasping at the glass the bartender had put out for him as the new pony poured him a drink.
“You’re point? I’m Vinyl by the way.” She said offering him a hoof as she poured her own drink. “What’s your name?”
“Why you care?” Came the remark at it downed the glass and poured itself another.
“Well I just kept you out of jail and paid for the drink to share with you. I’d like to know your name.” She joked holding the bottle back as it downed its second shot.
“I am Kori Kitsune.”
“I didn’t catch any of that. Sorry I don’t speak, whatever language you just used.” Vinyl joked pouring the creature another drink.
“My name Kori. Kori Kitsune.”
“Well Kori.” Vinyl began downing her own shot as she did. “Nother question. What are you?”
“Fox. Just red fox.” Kori muttered lifting his tail up to cover the bottom of his face as he felt the eyes of half the bar fall on him. “Why you buy drink?”
“Why not? You looked like you could use a drink. Doesn’t help that you didn’t let that bottle out of your mouth even after Berry here put you on the bar.”
“Help with pain. Most of time.” Kori muttered his paw instinctively going to his back.
“What kind of pain?”
“All pain. Bones break. Memories scar. Skin rips.” Kori whimpered grasping his back.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. Still healing.”
“You shouldn’t be out here if you are hurt. lets take you to Fluttershy so she can help you.” Vinyl exclaimed standing hoping for Kori to follow. “Are you alright?”
“Pills. Not good.” Kori muttered as he lost control of his body and fell.
“Crap! What is it Kori? Are you sick?”
“No. I just need to fix my back.” Kori muttered leaning against the bar and bending backwards resulting in a sick pop. “There.”
“That didn’t sound good. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine. Just need, drink.” Kori muttered grabbing the bottle and pouring it into his mouth.
“Hey come on. Save some for me at least. Drink like that and you’re going to hate it in the morning.”
“That not problem.” Kori moaned grasping his gut. “Everything hurts.”
“What happened to you anyways?”
“Royal hit me with metal pipe. I got him back, still hurt.”
“A royal?”
“Foxes with three tail and blue fur. Think they are great. They not so great.” Kori muttered looking over himself at the multiple wounds and splints. “They didn’t have reason. Didn’t need one.”
“You gotta go back to Fluttershy okay. You are in no shape to be out and about.” Vinyl stated lifting the fox in her blue arua.
“Put me down! You’re not taking me anywhere!” Kori exclaimed wiggling from the magic grasp. “You will not take me anywhere.”
“Its pretty obvious that you’re hurt and I’m not sure that the vet would know what to do. I don’t think you have much else choice.”
“Just let heal. Don’t need help.”
“You’re kidding right? I don’t know how things run where you come from but around here we help each other. So that this keeps going.” Vinyl uttered setting hoof on his chest feeling the beat of his heart through the thin figure.
Kori’s entire figure froze at the touch as he felt his own heart beat vibrate off the hoof. There was no rush to it, no need to get blood running through him. The usual haste of his heart was gone, all he felt was a calm thump of his heart.
“Off!” Kori exclaimed pushing the hoof from him. “How you do that?”
“Do what? All I did was put my hoof on your chest.” Vinyl remarked thinking of how she could get the fox to Fluttershy.
“You slow it. How you slow down heart?”
“I didn’t do anything. Why do you think that I’d try to slow your heart?”
“It never slow. Why slow? Slow can’t be good. Can it?” Kori muttered his paw on his chest listening to his heart.
“Maybe it just means you are relaxed? From the looks of it you could use some relaxing.” Vinyl joked pouring the fox another drink.
“Relaxed? How am I relaxed when I should be scared? I’m in a place I’ve never been, stuck in this place with you, my arms and back are broken. How am I relaxed?!” Kori muttered not noticing him use his own language.
“Are you okay? I can’t understand you.” Vinyl asked stepping back a bit from the fox. “You’re crying.”
“What?” Kori whimpered raising his paw to his face to find a tear on his paw. “I don’t understand.”
“Careful!” Vinyl bellowed as the fox fell to its side sucumbing to the pain. “Ugh man. Now I gotta carry you to Fluttershy... After one more drink.”
--------------氷狐--------------
Fluttershy was laying on the chair when she awoke to see Angel was the one who woke her.
“Well hello there Angel Bunny. What’s the matter?” Fluttershy whispered following her pets gestures to the empty couch. “Where’d he go?!?”
Fluttershy leapt from her chair to hover over the spot she had left the creature. The blanket had fallen in the direction of the kitchen yet the creature wasn’t there either.
“Oh no. He shouldn’t be awake, let alone out and about. Maybe he just went to the bathroom?” Fluttershy pondered looking to Angel who only gave her a disappointed glare and pointed to the door. “Why would he go outside!?”
Fluttershy rushed to her door eager to find the creature yet when she opened it she saw something she never expected to see. There was Vinyl with her signature shades on and her mane in its usual mess with the creature on her back.
“Yo, Fluttershy. What are you up to?” Vinyl exclaimed before Fluttershy took the creature off her back and put it back on the couch.
“Oh thank you. W-Where did you find him?” Fluttershy whispered looking over the creature to see if it was hurt.
“Kori here was down at the bar trying to steal a drink. He looked like he could use one so I bought what he was trying to steal and split it with him.”
“Did anything happen to him while he was there?” Came the question as Fluttershy ran her hoof down Kori’s back and felt the area where he had bent it.
“He said something about him fixing his back. Oh and he said something about some foxes with more tails and special fur attacked him. He could have been drunk though.”
“Well, thanks Vinyl. I can handle it from here.”
“Alright.” Vinyl muttered as she walked out the door and Fluttershy closed it behind her.
“Kori? I guess that’s your name. So Kori the fox, what did you do to your back?” Fluttershy began putting her hoof back on Kori’s back to find the spot. “You’re so skinny, I can feel every bone. I’ve gotta find out what you can eat before I forget. There it is.”
His back had one part where the entire spine became out of place and it felt as though Kori had attempted to set it back into place many times. Fluttershy cringed as she set her hoof on the point and prepared to push it back into place. She knew that Kori was going to feel it no matter how many pain pills he had in him and that she might not get a better chance to set it back.
“Sorry.” Came the mutter as she pushed down resulting in a sickening pop as the bones went back into place.
“What in the hell!?! Whoever did that is gonna be in a whole new world of hurt when I’m done!” Kori bellowed trying to look at the pony above him only to have her keep him down. “Who!?”
“Relax. You’re okay. I had to fix your back.” Fluttershy whispered soothingly still holding the writhing fox down. “What happened to your back Kori?”
“How you know name?” Kori moaned trying to escape the grasp with putting more strain on his back.
“Vinyl called you Kori. That is your name right?”
“Yes.”
“So how’d you do this to your back?”
“I didn’t. Royal did. Took pipe and surprised me. Royal was not so tough. Broke his neck.” Kori explained slowing his attempts to escape. “He deserved worse.”
“Who are you to say that he deserved worse? Maybe he was just scared?”
“Scared? A scared one run. A monster kill. He didn’t care about others. Just himself.” Kori began only to have his stomach rumble mid sentence.
“You must be really hungry.”
“No.” Kori stated but his stomach rumbled in disapproval. “Yes.”
“Can I see your teeth?”
“Why?”
“So I know what you eat.” Fluttershy answered looking at Kori’s mouth which slowly opened. “Omnivore.”
“What?”
“You can eat plants and meat?”
“Yes.”
“That’s what Omnivore means. Now you just stay right there and I’ll get you something to eat.”
--------------氷狐--------------
“Fluttershy? Are you home?” Twilight called out as she entered the cottage seeing the creature still on the couch.
“Hi Twilight. Do you need something?” Fluttershy replied coming down from her room on the second floor.
“I was just coming over to tell you that the princesses, me included, would like to have ‘him’ come to Canterlot so we can see if he’s safe to have in Equestria.”
“I don’t think Kori is in any condition to be going anywhere, let alone all the way to Canterlot.” Fluttershy whispered looking over at the fox who had turned to look away from them in his sleep.
“Well, do you have any idea when he might be ready to come to Canterlot and talk?”
“Kori might be able to go in a week. That would also give him some time to get used to our language.”
“Kori?”
“That’s his name. At least that’s what he calls himself.”
“So, ‘Kori’ should be good in a week? Celestia is pretty interested in this new species.” Twilight asked looking at Kori her mind racing at the idea of what he could be.
“He won’t be running about but I’m sure he would be able to take the train and walk in a week. He can already walk but we don’t want him being like this the whole time.”
“Not much good in a hurt bridge. Alright then. I’ll tell Celestia a week and two days.” Twilight stated starting towards the door to leave.
“Why the two days?”
“So he can learn a bit about ponies in the meantime. And maybe we can learn a bit about him as well.”
“He’ll be ready.”