//------------------------------//
// New Surroundings 
// Story: My Little Pony and the Thievius Raccoonus 
// by RaijingtheClockworkPony 
//------------------------------//

	Sly's mind was slowly becoming aware once more. The first thing he noticed was the warm softness that surrounded his body and beneath his head. He slowly moved his limbs to test them. His legs and arms were sore, his back ached, and his chest gave a dull throb when he exhaled. Sly slowly moved his head from side to side as he moved his neck. Much to his surprise it was the only part of his body that didn't feel bad when it moved. He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. 

He was greeted by the sight of a dark colored wood. Sly shifted his head a little and followed the wood to the edge of a four poster bed. The edge held brass colored rings holding up a deep blue cloth that had small patterns of what looked small birds. Sly sat up, with no small protest from his ribs and stomach, and shifted in the bed and noticed that it was a relatively small bed. I must be in the home of a... wait, how did I get here to begin with? Sly felt the blanket slip off of his body and felt his toes on the cool sheets underneath as he moved to the side of the bed. 

Where are my clothes? Better question; Where am I?

Sly opened the curtain and was momentarily blinded by the light pouring in from the window across the room. As Sly's eyes adjusted he stood up from the bed and nearly collapsed as his legs buckled. Sly grabbed onto the small nightstand of the same dark wood color to keep himself from falling to the ground. 

"Okay... that's not going to work."

Sly sat back down on the edge of the bed and stretched out his toes on the soft carpet of a deep shade of red. "This is a really nice way to welcome someone that just died."

A gentle voice came from his left. "Then I guess you'll be glad to hear that you not dead then."

Sly turned quickly, which was a major mistake, and spotted the slightly pink pony walking towards him. As his body began a new protest he stared at the slender creature in complete astonishment. Three things registered in his mind. First was that she was white with a slightly pink tinge and had a horn on her head of the same color. The second was that she had no hands and was walking on all four limbs. The third and final was that she was completely naked and so was he.

Sly looked up at the ceiling in respect of this fact and cleared his throat. "You're naked and I'm indecent as well."

The pink mare stopped walking for a moment and looked at him confused. "Why would I be wearing clothes? There is no special event I must attend. Why would this... oooh..."

She walked out of Sly's sight for a moment and passed him a small bundle of blue cloth. "Your clothes were really badly burned so we hired a friend of ours to make you a new set. Here you are."

She placed the small bundle down on the bed and move back out of sight, giving Sly some privacy. Sly quickly picked up the bundle and undid the small knot of string holding it together. He put the outfit on and was amazed by the quality of the work and cloth that had been used. It was obvious that this wasn't cheap.

He started putting the clothes on and looked at the shadow of the pony near the foot of the bed. "Thank you. May I ask you a few questions?"

The mare nodded. "Yes, but only if I may do the same."

Sly chuckled a little. "Fair enough. I guess since I'm the guest I'll let you have the first question."

The mare used her magic to pull a chair over to herself and sat down. "What's your name?"

Sly fastened the belt and reached for the pair of gloves. "Sly Cooper."

The mare was still out of sight to the raccoon but he could she her shadow move a little. "That's a nice name. I'm Fleur de Lis. I'm a unicorn in case you wanted to ask that."

Sly finished getting dressed by placing the replica mask in the pocket if the new coat. "Well that's helpful. Where am I?"

Sly got up slowly as Fleur spoke. "You are in the home of my husband Fancy Pants. We found you in the park after you crashed into a tree." She paused for a moment then spoke again. "Canterlot is the name of the city you are in and you are in the peaceful nation of Equestria."

Sly slowly took a few steps forward and stood still for a moment. Fleur got up from her chair and walked around to see him standing. 

"My next question; what are you exactly?"

Sly slowly flexed his arms and tested his motion ranges, only stopping when he felt strong pain. "Fair... enough. I guess the question is mutual at this point. I'm a raccoon from Paris. Not much else to say."

Fleur watched him stretch and move for a moment before she answered him. "I'm not familiar with Paris. Is that in Prance?"

Sly shook his head. "My turn to ask a question. Why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Fleur started circling him, looking him up and down before she stopped in front of him. Sly made a point not to look down at her and instead focused on the window. 

Fleur watched his motions for a few moments then shrugged. "I suppose it’s a difference in society and culture. Ponies don't wear clothes unless it’s for a special event. Otherwise we go about in just our given fur. I would like it if you would do me the kind respect of looking at me while we talk."

Sly noticed the irritated tone in her voice and glanced down at her. For the first time since she spoke he got a chance to look at her and study her form. He couldn't deny that she was a lovely lady and that she had a certain grace about her. The thing that made him both embarrassed and fascinated was the shape of her body. It was completely alien to him but was undeniably feminine. 

Sly gave her a roguish smile. "Of course. Might I say you have very lovely eyes."

Fleur smirked at him and rolled her eyes. "I have heard that one to many times to fall for it from a stranger. Only one stallion can flirt with me and get something in return."

Sly grin grew wider and he chuckled as he moved back to the bed. "Fair enough." Sly let out a long sigh and started rubbing his neck. "Thank you for helping me. How exactly did I get here? To Equestria and this city I mean."

Fleur moved to the bedside and up onto the bed. "Lift your arms please I need to check you bandages." Sly did as she said and while she worked she spoke to him in a slightly concerned tone. "I have no idea how you arrived here. You fell out of the sky and crashed into a tree into in the Canterlot Park. My husband and I brought you here and called a doctor to heal you. I was hoping to ask you that question."

Sly winced as the light pink mare checked the bandages on his chest. "I haven't a clue. Last thing I remember was..." 

Sly stood up suddenly, which startled the mare attending to him. Fleur moved off the bed as Sly walked towards the door of the room. 

"What's the matter?"

Sly stumbled for a moment and grabbed the edge of the bed to steady himself. "Where’s my stuff? My cane and all the pouches that were on me?"

Fleur motioned to foot of the bed. "In the chest there with your older clothes. We didn't know if you wanted to keep them or not. You're not thinking of leaving in such a terrible state are you?"

Sly moved to the chest Fleur pointed to and opened it. He began to pull out his equipment and rummaged through the pockets of his singed clothes pulling out everything and placing them in his own. He attached the pouches and reached for the cane. He barely noticed that it was polished to a keen shine as he used it as support to stand back up. 

"Carmelita was in that room when it went up. If I'm here then she has to be here as well and if she is then I need to find her."

Fleur used her magic to close the door that Sly was hobbling towards. "I can't let you leave in such a state. If you leave the work of myself and the doctor Blue Cross will have been a waste. Please just calm down and stay here."

Sly turned to argue with her but stopped once he saw the concerned look on her face. She motioned to the bed. "Please. If she has come to Equestria like you have then somepony will have found her. When you are well we can search for her but for now, please, relax so you can heal as quickly as possible."

Sly stood there for a moment leaning heavily on his cane. He fought a war within his mind. On one hand he knew she was right, he was in no condition to be moving around more than he needs to. However on the other hand he knew that if he was this beaten up the Carmelita couldn't be in much better shape. 

He let out a heavy sigh and moved back to the bed. "Fine, but only if you promise to keep an ear out for news of a fox that looks sorta like me. She has to be somewhere in... Equestria."

With that Sly slumped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. Fleur moved off the bed so he could lie down. "If you need anything just ring the bell on the drawers and my servants will get you what you need. I will try my hardest to find your friend as quickly as possible."

Sly stared up at the ceiling of the four poster bed as Fleur left. She's more than a friend.
                                                                                                                                                                                       

Far across Equestria a very angry and hurt Carmelita Fox walked through a forest while fixing a bandage to her arm and adjusting the sling she had made from her jacket. Her arm was mostly likely broken if she judged the amount of pain correctly. She drew her pistol as she edged toward the gap in the trees. She had been walking for hours after waking up at the base of a large tree in a crater.  

How could he? What was his game anyways? Using me like that, the nerve of that raccoon. Probably using his cover as a member of Interpol so he could steal around the world without having me try to hunt him down. We spent so much time together; he was so kind to me. We even... 

She forced the thought from her mind as she moved under a low branch, a scowl on her face. "He always was a smooth talker. Never should have believed him."

She stopped walking for a moment and her expression softened. The last two months had been the happiest of her life. Sly had helped her solve plenty of cases and they had fallen deeply in love. A small smile came to her lips as she recalled a brilliant night they had shared in Paris. Sly had join Interpol as a consultant, with a little help from Carmelita behind the scenes, and they had celebrated the achievement with dinner in city.

The fox continued to move as a pang of pain shot up her arm. She needed to find a doctor to set her arm, and quickly, before shock set in. She moved as swiftly as she could with her ankle stinging at every step. She moved through the trees and spotted a edge to the forest. She moved to the edge and saw a large meadow that had a pond and a large tree sitting in the distance. 

"That's a start. Maybe there's a village nearby... if I find you Ringtail..."

She let dark thoughts of revenge fill her mind as she made her way to the pond. She sat at the edge of the pond and reached out to the water but her hand stopped as her head began to spin. She shook her head and tried to keep a clear mind but her vision began to swim. 

Carmelita heard a distant voice before she fell forward into the pond. The last thing she felt was a strong set of hands pull her from the water before her vision went black.