//------------------------------// // 11- A chance to rest // Story: The Fox and the Filly // by FrostTheWolf //------------------------------// The Fox and the Filly- A chance to rest         It had been almost a week since their battle with Sangloupmon in the mountains and in that time, things began to slowly return back to normal. After defeating the demon wolf digimon, Rarity’s condition in the hospital improved rather quickly and she was able to return to the Carousel Boutique a few days later on the condition that she would take it easy so that way her injuries don’t open back up again. Sweetie Belle though, was both excited to see her sister again… and relieved to see that she was okay.         After the element of generosity had gotten herself situated back at the carousel boutique, which was now back to normal since Twilight helped cover the damages, Sweetie Belle and Rena told her everything that had transpired over the course of the time she was recovering in the hospital from training with Leona in the mountains to defeating Sangloupmon. The only thing that they did leave out though was the fact that Sangloupmon killed Pearl Belle because Sweetie Belle did not want to put her sister through the same kind of emotional pain that she went through while at Leona’s cabin. Rena personally thought that Rarity should know what happened… but decided to follow along.         Once she was caught up to speed on everything, the seamstress felt as if she was obligated to give something to Rena and Leona as a way of thanking them for their heroic actions and for keeping Sweetie Belle safe. Knowing that Leona really did not like being with her tamer Spike because of the fear of Twilight wanting to experiment on her (even though the possibility of such a thing happening here was beyond ridiculous), Rarity took a few moments of her time to clean out the guest room that was in Carousel Boutique to turn it into a room that the two of them could call their own. Letting them personalize it the way they want as long as it wasn’t anything that was rather extreme.         Now it was day after their first night… and as Rena finally woke up and opened up the windows to let in some fresh air, she found somepony else waiting for her as the digimon stepped out of her room. Somepony… that was not Sweetie Belle. “Why good morning, darling,” She heard Rarity spoke up in a lively manner. Drinking what looked to be like tea as Rena stepped out in what looked like a robe from feudal neighpon. “You look rather lovely in that robe of yours.”         “Why thank you…” She said, before looking around for a moment as one question appeared in her mind now. “Do you… happen to know where Sweetie Belle is?”         “She went to school already with her friends a couple of hours ago,” The unicorn replied as she looked back at the digimon and her horn glowed. Her magic levitating the teacup as she took a sip from it. “Meaning it’s just you, me and your little friend… Which reminds me, how do you like the room?”         For a moment, the renamon paused as she got up to get herself a bowl and some cereal. Processing the question in her head as she looked back at the seamstress. “Yeah, Leona and I like it a lot. We spent a lot of time yesterday making ourselves feel right at home.” Despite the answer though, what Rena heard next from the unicorn was something that she honestly did not expect.         “Why that’s great to hear! I went to check on you two last night because I was worried that you might’ve done something to the room,” Rarity replied, not even noticing the blush that was forming on Rena’s face right now. Which got even bigger with what the unicorn said next. “But then I saw you and Leona together and then my concerns just evaporated. You two looked so adorable like that to the point that I just decided to let you two have sweet dreams.”         “Oh god… don’t tell me she…” Rena thought it over for a moment, before realizing some of the details that the unicorn said as she let out a sigh of relief. Before looking back at Rarity as she asked the digimon a question.         “Is there… anything I could get for you this morning?” Rarity then asked her as Rena finished making her bowl of cereal and poured some milk in. “Coffee? Tea? Juice? What would you like this morning-?”         “Coffee, please.” Rena immediately replied back the moment she heard that. Her ears… or whatever was on her head that served as ears, perked up upon hearing that as she began to eat her breakfast. After some tiring ordeals the other day and since she couldn’t exactly go to her digivice to regain her energy since it was probably in Sweetie Belle’s school bag, Coffee was the best alternative for her to use right now.         As she was finishing her bowl of cereal, that was when Rarity brought out her mug of coffee for her and set it down for her. “I put some cream and sugar in there for you so it could have a bit of taste. I do hope you enjoy it. Aside from you, Twilight’s the only other pony I know of that drinks coffee… well, when it comes to my friends at least.”         Rena set down her cup for a moment as she looked back at the unicorn with a raised eyebrow. “Twilight drinks coffee?”         “What else do you think she drinks in order to handle the workload of a princess?” Rarity chuckled. “It’s not all glamour and glitter like at royal celebrations. Each one of the princesses, including Twilight herself, have responsibilities to take on.”         “Oh I get that… I just didn’t expect for coffee to be her remedy when it comes to workday stress,” The renamon replied back. “If anything, I thought reading books would be that.”         “Reading is a hobby of hers, not a snack she can consume darling,” Rarity chuckled as she looked back at her. “There are times where she might fall asleep while reading, so she has some coffee so she could keep herself awake at times.”         “Does she have it the same way that I do?” Rena then asked, honestly not believing that they were actually having this current conversation right now as she looked at the unicorn and watched her take a sip of tea.         “Why of course. I don’t see why anypony else would have coffee any other way…” Rarity said… which only made Rena curious as she looked back at the unicorn. Thinking of something in her head before looking back at the unicorn and beginning to speak.         “Well, back home, there are a lot of individuals who have different kinds of coffee that each have different flavors. Whether it’s the beans being a different flavor or if the cream is a different kind, they like to have different things and try different ones,” Rena told the unicorn in response. “Some even going as far as to put in whip cream and do different designs while others just drink black coffee-”         At that moment, the tone of the unicorn that Rena was talking to shifted almost immediately. “B-black coffee…? Some ponies back home… drink black coffee?!”         “Uh… Some would say it’s a health benefit-”         “It’s TASTELESS!!!” Rarity snapped. “Black coffee is an abomination to all the flavors of coffee that exist!! And some would argue that drinking black sour tasteless water is a health benefit?! THOSE ANIMALS!! That’s just as bad as drinking tap water! TAP WATER!!”         That had the Renamon look towards the door to their newfound room as she tried to tell something to the unicorn. “Um… Rarity, can you keep your voice down? You might wake up Leona-.”         “My voice is FINE, thank you!” She declared abruptly, leading to Rena facepalming herself with one of her paws as she was trying to contemplate what exactly she got into. Or more likely, how did she get into this. All she said was one small comment on how some humans back home drink black coffee and Rarity proceeded to go on a rant on how such a thing, in her eyes, was downright detestable. Even going as far as to call it ‘drinkable black sewage’ as Rena tried to have some grip on her sanity during this.         “Who ish yelling sho early in ze morning? I heard it even through the soundproofing…” Leona muttered, walking in half asleep with the bed sheet wrapped around her and trailing in her wake as she rubbed her eyes.         Which caused the renamon to groan as she looked back at Rarity. Interrupting part of her rant so she could tell her something. “Rarity, you woke up Leona with your ‘black coffee is an abomination’ speech.”         Upon realizing that, she looked to see Leona with the sheets, her eyes widening before looking at both of them. “Oh my. I’m so sorry! That was unladylike of me in order to wake up somepony while expressing my viewpoint. My apologies, Leona.” The seamstress told the coronamon as she tried to make it up to her. “Would you like for me to get you something to drink? Maybe some juice or coffee?”         Leona just waved, not quite hearing what Rarity said but having a pretty good idea and rejected it anyways, she had bigger priorities right now than prefast! And that was… crawling into Rena’s lap and going back to sleep like your average cat with strange sleeping habits.         And when Rarity happened to notice that, she just smiled at Rena and looked happy for them. “Aww… How cute! I think she wants to snuggle with you again.”         Leona’s ears twitched in response to the statement, but deciding she was too comfy and tired she chose to ignore it, snuggling in closer to Rena’s waist instead as her sheet slipped down one of her shoulders. Rena just used a paw to wrap it back over her, but realized that when she was moving it over, Leona sounded like she was… purring? “Oh my… Opal’s going to have some competition now for attention.”         “Great… as if that’s the last thing that I want right now.” Rena thought to herself as she continued to pet Leona. Not wanting to make her upset if she stopped part of the way as she rubbed her ears. Little did she know, as she did this, Leona started to get more into it... practically becoming addicted as one of her legs started twitching oddly and the rest of the muscles in her body simply went slack.         “Heh… That’s just too adorable. She’s like a kitten.” Rarity chuckled while looking at Rena. “Too bad Sweetie Belle’s not here to see it.”         The renamon now looked back at Rarity, a little surprised to hear that as she asked her a question. “Sweetie Belle likes cats?”         “Yeah, when I was a filly, our parents got her Opal as a birthday present. Both of us look after her and make sure that she doesn’t get herself in trouble while we’re working. She used to use the posts that held us some of my mannequins as scratching posts until we got her out of the habit,” Rarity explained, recalling old memories as she looked back to where Leona was at. “I’m sure though that Leona won’t try to give you as much trouble as Opal did. She’s too nice of a creature in order to do that.”         “That’s a big understatement…” Rena sighed, using her spare paw to drink the last of her coffee before looking back at the unicorn. “Thanks for the coffee. I really needed that.”         “Your welcome, darling,” Rarity replied back, taking the cup with her magic and washing it out in the sink. Not even touching the handle for the sink or anything with her hooves and just using magic. “So, should I assume that the two of you slept quite well the other night?”         After hearing that question, Rena was silent… but only briefly as she looked back at Rarity. “Yeah, we definitely slept well. Leona would say the same but… you know…”         “All tuckered out?” Rarity chuckled, which only lead to Rena nodding her head briefly as the unicorn smiled.         “You can say that,” She replied back, before picking up the Coronamon and taking the sheets with her. “Thanks for the coffee, Rarity. I really appreciate it.” As the unicorn nodded her head, the Renamon took Leona and placed her back on the bed. Putting the sheets over her so she could get the chance to rest a little bit longer.         Because right now, Rena was thinking about a few changes to the room that they did not have the chance to get to the other day. Sure, there were a couple of things that they did place in the room yesterday, but one of the more prominent features that the renamon thought Leona would appreciate would be a hidden door in the closet. That way, she could escape to her daughter’s hive whenever Twilight dropped by unannounced.         After examining it, that was when Rena began to think to herself about one… missing detail. “Hmm… everything could possibly work… but unless I know where the location of Lea’s hive is, then this will just randomly send whoever walks through it to some unknown corner of the universe…” The renamon thought to herself, before looking towards the open window. Before squinting her eyes a little as she moved closer. “Okay, who’s there? I can feel you hiding back there…”         Suddenly the smiling face of a certain yellow changeling queen seemed to materialize out of thin air as she dropped her invisibility spell. “Oh dear, seems mother in law found me out~” She then giggled.         “I can feel the life force of a being, even if they try to mask it,” Rena told her in response. “It’s one of the other things I know how to use…” Shortly after hearing that, the renamon then said something else. “Ironically though, I was thinking about you just a moment ago. Can you help me with something Lea?”         “Hmm? What might that be, mother in law~?” Lea asked in a teasing tone, a smile spread across her muzzle.         “Well, on the off chance that Twilight made an unannounced arrival, Leona thought it would be a good idea to have the back of the closet here be used as kind of an escape hatch over to where your hive is so she could lay low until she’s gone,” Rena explained. “It would be helpful because Rarity has actually allowed for us to make ourselves at home here, but I don’t want Leona to think it’s some kind of prison with no escape.”         Lea’s eyes widened before a understanding look overtook her face. “I see~ well in that case, would you like to come see my home? By the way, if its too hard for you to think of, don't worry about concerning yourself with whether my drones are your grandkids now or not~” She said with a chuckle as she then turned around and knelt for Renamon to get on her back.         “I… never really thought about anything like that-” Rena admitted, before looking back at Lea and realizing what she wanted for her to do as she got on. Before saying something to kind of playfully respond back to what Lea was saying earlier. “Lead the way… daughter in law.”         “Hehehe” Lea merely chuckled before lighting her horn, a seatbelt made of her magic then forming around her barel and Rena’s waist as she took a launching position. Startling the renamon as she was trying to understand what Lea was doing. “This is Lea airlines, preparing for takeoff. Please keep all hands away from the changeling’s head and wings at all times and do your nest to hold on! Launching in 3… 2… 1… !” She then said with her voice seeming to take on a buzzing sound while her wings began to flap fast enough to make miniature whirlwinds in the room… before she shot out the window like a torpedo with Rena being held firmly to her back.         When Rena originally thought that they were heading to Lea’s hive, she had thought that the changeling was going to teleport them over there. However… she did not expect anything like this at all. -one high speed flight over Ponyville and through the Everfree later-         “Thank you for flying with Lea airlines, hope you had a safe trip and have a nice day~” Lea said in her buzzing voice before releasing her magic that was holding Rena onto her back. By the time the Renamon got off, the fur on her tail was standing up all over the place and looked more like a duster as she looked back at her and tried to catch her breath.         “Could you… at least warn me… before doing that next time?” Rena panted, feeling like the wind got yanked out of her on the trip over.         “Well what were you expecting? Teleportation?” Lea asked incredulously. “Were insectoid half-digimon, not unicorns.”         “Yes… I was…” Rena replied back. “Yet, changelings can use magic as well, right? Or am I mistaken?”         “Do you know of any insectoid digimon capable of magic? It's a wonder we can even use basic equestrian magic given our physical makeup.” Lea explained with a raised eyebrow as she slowly began to trot towards a small cave entrance.         Rena blinked for a moment, before looking back at her as she followed Lea towards the cave. “Well, I guess I learn something new everyday now. I knew that you were part digimon and part changeling, but I didn’t know to what extent that was.”         “Well, you're not the first. After all mom didn't even know till I became old enough to mode change, and up until then she was barely able to raise me right given she knows nothing about equestrian biology or magic.” She then chuckled as she remembered something with a blissful smile. “Ahem… anyway, you wished to see my hive?” she then cleared her throat before asking and trying to hide her embarrassed blush.         “Yeah… I was thinking that I would need to figure out the location of the hive so I can input it into the escape door. Can you show me around please?” Rena asked, noticing the blush that was on the changeling’s face, but deciding not to comment on it right now.         “Right, right~ then follow me!” Lea said returning to her usual chipper self as she walked into the cave entrance… and vanished. Rena followed the changeling through the entrance, unsure as to what she would find inside as she continued to move forward. However… what was waiting for her inside was something even she did not realize was actually possible.         Because once she reached the opening of the tunnel, she did not find herself in the real world anymore… but in the digital world instead. Everything around her was part of the digital world’s replication of the Everfree Forest, but the workers were using the tree’s and their surroundings in order to build out homes and important facilities they needed. Miniature farms that grew food were also present too as Rena was trying to take in everything. Even going as far as to almost get distracted when Lea was still wandering around the entire hive.         “T-this is incredible, Lea,” Rena told her, sounding awestruck. “I… never thought such a place like this was actually possible until now…”         “Pft~ you look like you just saw a mountain made of pure gold digizoid or something hahaha!” Lea replied in amusement when she looked back at Rena when she was spoken to. “And this is indeed possible, just took a few years to set up, and were nowhere near finished either…” she then added on while signing towards the end.         “Aside from a couple of trips to the Digital world, the only things that I have seen were barren landscapes and urban deserts,” The renamon replied. “And for you to do something in that much time? Leona must be really proud of you for that. Heck, I’m proud that you were able to do this!”         “Really? It seemed pretty simple to us. Just chase off a couple monochromons and rework the biome of the local area till it was hospitable, before preparing agricultural foundations and rudimentary homes. That was all we really did so far. We haven't even begun work on the main hive since we need to find a source of digizoid to properly reinforce the structure from attackers.” Lea said, sounding like this was just an average walk in the park to her.         “Again, I’ve only been to the Digital world a couple of times so this is all new to me,” She explained to her, before thinking of something. “Now… if Leona were to escape here, what do you think would be the most ideal place to have her land? I rather not have her accidentally set anything on fire like she did once with the Ponyville flea market.”         “Heh, I heard it was hilarious.” Lea seemed to chuckle before leading Rena into a hollowed out tree. “First floor please.” She then said to a changeling next to a control panel before they then began to descend into the ground.         “Hilarious to you… not so much to the pony who was trying to sell cabbages that day.” Rena told her.         “When you see how often that happens in ponyville's across the multiverse, you eventually grow amused with the irony of it all. It's as if the universe has a grudge against cabbages.” Lea explained with a joke her point of view before the elevator stopped revealing a sprawling underground city that was currently made of stone. “Feel free to look around, I need to handle a few things real quick. If you need me just ask any drone to take you to my office.” she then said before flying away.         Taking a moment to look around, Rena thought that Lea’s office would be the best place to have Leona pop up everytime she came here. But before she could say anything, Lea was already gone. Leaving her to have to think out the details herself as she got to work. Later that day         When Leona eventually rose up from her bed, she found herself looking in a completely empty room with no one else there. Not even Rena was home as she tried to have some sort of understanding as to what exactly happened… and more importantly, what time was it?         Turning to the nightstand, she had a look at the alarm clock that took on the form of a Clockmon as she realized what time it was. Twelve-thirty. When she woke up earlier, it was only a few minutes after eight o’clock. What exactly happened between then and now that would have Rena not be here?         Of course, her train of thought immediately ran off the tracks once she heard Rarity from outside her room. “Oh, why hello Twilight. I really wasn’t expecting any guests over today,” Immediately, the train of thought that she had earlier was replaced with a burning set of rail cars in her mind that was labeled ‘NOPE!’ as she jumped out of the bed. “What brings you to my humble abode this afternoon?”         Leona’s immediate answer to that was to try and bolt through the nearest window. But in trying to do that, all that caused was for her to faceplant into the window as what looked like a purple text box emerged with the words ‘IMMORTAL OBJECT’ emblazoned across the center of it in a bold typeface.         “What the void?” Leona grumbled, rubbing her face and looking at the sign… and then reading the text with a stupefied expression as she also noticed some fine print.         If you can read this, you either have good vision, came across this on accident or threw your face into it. This here sign is a reminder that this window has been enhanced to where it would not break so easily. Meaning it can either keep anypony out or anything in. WARNING, failure to read the fine print will result in head injury… and making you feel like an idiot for not looking at this sooner.         Also, P.S… Your little cuddle foxy is with your daughter right now. I just put this warning on here to mess with you.         Sincerely,         Your friendly neighborhood spirit of chaos.         “...” Leona then gave the sign and its message a stare so blank that she turned into a grey scale bald person in a hero suit for a split second. “Looks like I’m having roast draconequus for dinner again.” She then commented before going with Plan B and opening the window as she launched herself outside. Going on a one mon mission to hunt down the spirit of chaos.         Yet, finding the draconequus was not exactly easy. In fact, her hunt for Discord became more of a hide and seek game. One where she would hear Discord’s voice tell her if she was either getting warmer when she was close to something or colder when she was farther from him. And just that alone made her really annoyed.         “You know what Discord, I think it's time I told you a little secret~” Leona said, her voice sounding erily high pitched as she twitched in a way that would make one think she was having a mental breakdown.         “Hmm… I don’t know… Secrets have put a lot of ponies in trouble nowadays… secret deeds, secret payments, secret meeting with a lawyer from Stalliongrad, you get the gist… Though, I just thought I would try to say hello and help out. Colt Scout’s motto is ‘Do a good turn daily’ so why did you think I helped with the sign?” She heard back, his words leaving her a small bit puzzled. “Also, you don’t seem to be kind of the one for games, so why don’t you come by for a visit? I’m having tea with a dear friend of mine and I think she would be more than open for letting you join us… as long as you don’t make her think you need to be in asylum.”         “So you’re at Fluttershy’s place, and here I thought I would have to break into your house again~” Leona said with a dark chuckle as she then vanished from where she was.         “Discord, what was that all about?” Fluttershy said as she sat down her tea cup with one of her wings while looking back at the Spirit of Chaos. Who had just finished what he called a ‘phonecall’ as he took his paw away from his ear and stretched out his fingers. Straightening up what looked like a tan trench coat and a matching fedora as he looked at Fluttershy.         “Oh this? That was just me getting in touch with a possible new friend. I found out about her after Twilight asked me to help fix up the damage and I thought I would do my good deed for the week by cleaning up a spare room for her,” He replied back. “Though, you might want to help calm her down… It sounds like she has a bit of a fiery attitude.”         As if to accentuate his point, the nearest window to him proceeded to explode into a fiery portal to some netherworld as a dark shadow with glowing eyes and a flame coming from its forehead, wrists and tail tip seemed to materialize amongst the flames. “Oh DiScOrD~!”         “Yeah, let’s not go overboard with the special effects budget. The writers are already having trouble as it is,” Discord told her, snapping his paw as the fiery flames, portal and everything else disappeared, leaving Leona looking back at both her and Fluttershy as her standard rookie form. “Pleasure to meet you too, Leona. I’m Discord and this is-”         Before Discord could finish his sentence, Fluttershy immediately wrapped her forelegs around Leona in a tight hug as the Coronamon tried to squirm out of there like a startled cat. “Oh my gosh, she looks so adorable!!”         “Nya!? Put me down! I am a goddess! You do not cuddle goddesses!” Leona blurted randomly in panic. “Only my fiance can…” she then whispered as if it was a afterthought.         “Try telling that to Cae Cae and Lulu,” Discord replied as he got up and stepped outside the door. “Speaking of which, I needed to go see them. Thank you for the tea, Fluttershy-”         “YoU aRe GoInG nOwHeRe~!” Leona growled, having managed to grab hold of Discord’s tail… in a way that somehow prevented him from pulling free of her iron grip.         And yet, after her yanking it hard enough… Discord’s tail actually came off. Causing the draconequus to sigh as he facepawed himself. “Great… now I have to wait a few weeks for that to grow back… Aw crap…”         It had been only a few moments after Rena got back, finishing what she was working on at Lea’s hive as she came back to the guest room that was their room. However, she found that Leona wasn’t here… and a few moments later, she began to realize what exactly happened.         “Darling… Why is Leona chasing Discord throughout Ponyville?”         Rena, at first, could not believe what she heard… but then after watching the self proclaimed Spirit of Chaos getting chased by a burning Leona, wielding what could only have been at one point in time discord’s tail which was now a flaming club as she left a trail of fire in her wake. And all that did was make her groan. “Dammit Leona… You had one job… and you still couldn’t do that right.”         “Why did I leave my helicopter hat at home!?!” The spirit of chaos spoke up, just as Rena decided it was time to intervene as she threw two crystals to knock the tail out of Leona’s hand.         “Leona, that’s enough!” Rena snapped, causing the coronamon to stop in her tracks as she saw Rena standing in the doorway to Carousel Boutique. Not looking rather happy.         At that moment the flames seemed to sputter out as a dazed expression seemed to come over leona as she glanced between her no longer flaming club, Rena, and Discord. Many conflicting emotions seeming to fly across it as she tried to process the sudden change in situation.         All before Rena looked back at Leona and sighed. “And just when I thought that you had more self control… Yet, I find you wasting your time chasing a draconequus that helped fix Rarity’s house in the first place.”         “Wait, you knew about me?” Discord asked, puzzled. “How-?”         “Aside from the fact that I took some time to read in the archives of Lea’s hive about you, Rarity told me…” Rena replied back, before looking back at Leona with stern eyes and motioning her paw in a manner that meant that Leona needed to get over to her right now.         Much to everyone’s shock, Leona did, and in a manner that made her seem like she had turned into Fluttershy to boot! “Y-yes Rena~?” Leona asked as she nervously glanced up at Rena with an embarrassed blush as if she was a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.         “Come with me… I think we’ve had enough trouble for one day,” Rena sighed, having Leona follow her inside before the door to the boutique closed. Around then, Discord then just snapped his talons, putting on what looked like a firefighter outfit with a hose as he looked back at the burning embers that were left over.         “Well, guess it’s time to do another public service!”         “Um… Sweetie Belle?” Spike spoke up as he was walking to Twilight’s castle with Sweetie Belle and her friends. “Why does my digivice say that Leona has an ‘angry fire demon’ mode and that her stamina’s almost out?”         “I don’t know… maybe she was training with Rena?”         Spike thought it over for a moment… before shrugging his shoulders and answering with a simple reply. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” End Chapter 11