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// Chapter Five 
// Story: The Little Filly Who Could 
// by Boopy Doopy 
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Bright Side flipped through papers with an annoyed frown on his face as he looked through records of ponies in Ponyville and neighboring cities. In spite of his efforts, he couldn’t find any information on the filly or her parents Wil Lee and Min Dee. He couldn’t even find information on the place she said she was from, Cansess. He didn’t want to say the filly was misleading him, but with as secretive as she’d been and as carefully as she spoke, he wouldn’t be completely surprised if it was the case. It would further corroborate the theory that she was a runaway like he wrote in his notes.
A runaway foal, except there were no missing foal reports filed anywhere that matched her description, at least nowhere between Canterlot and Fillydelphia. He didn’t want to believe the filly really was kicked out, but it was actually seeming like a bit of a possibility. Not only that, but he couldn’t even find evidence that she was in Ponyville before tonight like she claimed she was. There was definitely something going on, but what it was, Bright Side had no idea at all. There was absolutely nothing to go on except what she told him, and what she told him amounted to nothing.
To make matters worse, he couldn’t find any available ponies in Ponyville to work as a potential foster family for her in the meantime. It seemed everypony who would’ve normally been on his message list was unavailable at the moment, and those who were available were either tied up with foals of their own or had on their list that they wouldn’t be interested in fostering a filly as old as she was. It made for a tight situation, one that might call for a couple from outside of Ponyville or staying in the currently empty group home.
And I still need to get into contact with Ivory Spark, and get somepony to get a health exam done on Ama Lee, and find out where she’s going to be staying for the night… Celestia, there’s so much to do.
But that’s what Bright Side was in it for. He was in it to help ponies, even if it ended up being more difficult than he would’ve desired. He’d make sure everything was sorted out and that Ama Lee would get the best possible outcome he could find.
First would be the letter to Doctor Ivory Spark. The sooner that was delivered, the sooner she would be there. He grabbed the typewriter and typed out his request.

From The Ministry of Foals and Families Ponyville Office,
I’m requesting you come out to interview a filly, Ama Lee, who’s separated from her parents. She’s shown a generally positive disposition, but has signs of ADHD, as well as other curious tendencies. The potential for abuse exists in this case, so please proceed carefully with that knowledge. The sooner your visit can be, the better. I’ll be at the office all day tomorrow, and up through the weekend. Just give me advance notice before you stop by.
-Bright Side

After that, he wrote out a request to Ponyville General, explaining that he’d bring her there in a few minutes for a physical examination. As he did, as though she was sitting in her office waiting to hear from him, Ivory Spark wrote back that she’d be able to head to Ponyville by tomorrow evening. It was much sooner than the stallion expected, but he certainly wouldn’t be complaining. Things were getting done, and that was a good thing. Now he just needed to find her guardians.
Which is going to take a lot of work just from the way it’s shaping up… Might as well get that doctor’s visit out of the way, the stallion decided as he got up to grab the filly.
“Ama Lee?” Bright Side called softly from beside the bed the filly slept on. “It’s time to get up. We need to get you some lunch, sweetie.”
She opened up her eyes groggily and stretched her limbs, taking a look around the room and then at herself. “Wow, I’m still here,” she muttered to herself. Then she smiled and giggled, “And I’m still a filly.”
“You absolutely are, sweetie,” Bright Side agreed, hiding the confusion he had about the statement. “Ready for some lunch?” he asked. “I heard you wanted some macaroni and peas, so I’m having somepony cook up a big bowl, just for you. How does that sound?”
“Ooo! That sounds good! Oh, do you think there’s any tuna you could add to it? Tuna would make it perfect! And salt, too!”
“We do have some salt, but I think we’re a bit too far away from the ocean to find tuna.” He tried not to make a face at the thought of eating meat, knowing plenty of pegasi who enjoyed fish as he continued, “While that’s cooking though, what do you say we take a trip back on down to the doctor’s office first and get you looked at? We wanna make doubly sure you’re healthy and not gonna have issues with heart burn anymore. How does that sound?”
“That sounds good. But just so you know, macaroni makes my dysphagia worse. So if I look like I’m in pain, it just means I’m having problems swallowing.”
He hated hearing that, and would have to make sure he watched her carefully while she ate. He didn’t comment on it though, instead starting forward with her, heading back down the road to the building they were at just that morning. The receptionist greeted them, and led the two of them back to a private room, Bright Side following along with her.
“Now sweetheart,” he started, “when the nurse looks at you, she’s going to examine your whole body, even some places that might seem uncomfortable. If you’re feeling scared or if you’d like me to leave and let you be alone with her, you can tell me, okay?”
“I know. It’s fine,” she shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me at all. Oh! Do you think it’s gonna be Nurse Redheart?”
“I’m not sure who it’s gonna be, but maybe,” he said, making a mental note to ask about how she knew the mare later. “But she should be here in a few minutes. Let somepony know if you’re feeling nervous, okay?”
“Okie dokie!”
Just like Bright said, it was only a few minutes before the nurse was stepping into the room, a large, kind smile on her face.
“Yes! It is Nurse Redheart!” Emily cheered. “The best nurse in the whole world!”
“Hehe, I’m glad you think so,” she smiled, “but I don’t think I remember you, dear. Do you think you could remind me of when I saw you?”
“Oh, you didn’t see me, but everypony everywhere always says you're the best, which means you are!”
Another piece of information. Apparently the ponies Emily talked to were close enough to Ponyville to see Nurse Redheart. Perhaps she came out here to visit one of the ponies she said was her friends? That would make sense.
“Oh, I’m sure there are lots of good nurses out there who are better than I am,” she said modestly. “But since I’m here, why don’t we get you looked over. Bright Side here says you need a physical exam?”
“Mhm, and also I have acid reflux, and also dysphagia,” Emily told her. “But I came in last night and Doctor Horse helped me with those things.”
“I see, and I heard that, too. I also heard that you were a wonderful little filly for them,” the nurse said, tapping her on the nose and making her giggle as she said it. “Now why don’t you sit on up for me so we can take a listen to your heart and lungs?”
The foal did as the mare requested, Bright Side sitting patiently and watching as Nurse Redheart scanned Emily for bruises and cuts and injuries as she worked. She checked her heart rate and reflexes and eyes and ears, and tried to make small talk as she had the filly lay down so she could check for signs of sexual trauma. It was only fifteen minutes of examining her, if that, before she was done.
“That’s it!” the mare declared once Emily sat back up. “All done! You’re one healthy little filly, I can say that much! You did so good!”
“Hehe, I’m just that great, aren’t I?” the filly giggled. “Do you think I can have a piece of candy since I’m so amazing?”
“Absolutely, sweetie! How does chocolate sound? If you head just down the hall to Nurse Tenderheart’s desk and ask for a piece, I’m sure she’ll give you some.”
“Okay!” She didn’t even hesitate, trotting out of the room just a second later, leaving Bright Side and Redheart alone to talk.”
“There’s no signs of physical or sexual abuse that I can see,” the nurse told him. “No scars, no bruises, no previously broken bones or anything like that. There aren’t any signs of sexual abuse, and I don’t see any other signs of potential physical abuse.”
“Oh, that’s certainly good to hear,” Bright Side sighed in relief. “Thank you.” He knew it didn’t rule out foal abuse, but no sign was always a good sign.
“No trouble,” the mare replied, pausing for a moment before asking, “You said she was seven years old, right?”
“Mhm, yes. That’s how old she said she was. Why?”
“She seems like she’s closer to ten or eleven years old just based on how developed she is physically, or maybe even older than that,” the nurse told him. “Of course we both know that every foal develops at a different rate, but I can’t imagine her still being so young. She seems old enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if she began going into heat next spring if she hasn't already had it.”
That… made sense, and made more things fit together in Bright’s estimation. It would clear up why she seemed to act so mature for her age at times, along with other things he’d need to get back to Emily on.
“That knowledge helps tremendously,” Bright Side told her. “Thank you. Was there anything else you noticed that you might have been able to tell me?”
“If she does have dysphagia and acid reflux like she says, we would want to schedule a procedure to verify that. We’d also want to talk to her guardians about what kind of diet she should be on and what to watch for while she eats, and teaching her to chew her food carefully. Who are her parents again?”
“We don’t have a record of them, but she says they’re named Min Dee and Wil Lee, although we don’t know how accurate that is. We’re in the process of finding that information. In the meantime though, do you think you could send any diet instructions my way?”
“Yes, I’ll make up a list and get it over to you.” 
There wasn’t anything else to go over after that, and Bright Side left to grab Emily, who was eating a piece of dark chocolate as she stood in front of Tenderheart.
“Ponyville is so cool,” she said happily, “and everyone’s so nice! I’m glad I’m here and get to see it all. This is amazing!”
“Oh yeah? What do you like about it?”
“I finally get to be a girl! And a pony! And meet everyone and see things and just be happy! It’s amazing!”
That made him smile, even if it was bittersweet to hear. He was glad she could be happy, but it made him sad to hear that she felt like she couldn’t be happy wherever she was before. What happened to make her feel that way? He hoped to figure it out.