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// Chapter 19 -Rusted from the Rain 
// Story: Never Be The Same 
// by Kickback 
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My hold loosened and it's body fell limply to the floor, it's scrawny neck twisted and it's tongue hanging, disgustingly. The only sound there was anymore was the ragged breath that drifted from my lungs. I stared down at it, my shoulders heaved with each exhale, the pain of the fight was now rushing to me, I could feel the fresh wounds in my skin, staining my clothes and all but draining of me. I wanted to cry, to yell for help, to be rushed away for someone to tend to my injuries but I just didn't have the energy anymore. I closed my eyes and smiled. I staggered forward and I felt my legs give in but before I could fall to my knees, I felt something stop me. I felt something large and soft save me from crumbling to the ground, when I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see the same bear had somehow managed wrapped an arm around me and let me lean on it's shoulder. Bugger how the anatomy of bears on Earth works, I was just thankful for this bloody majestic bastard. I looked over and caught his black eye, it seemed to shine with something, a reflection of an emotion, almost. He let out a low growl. 

I just laughed...and so did Fluttershy? 

I turned around to face her, still in it's embrace and gave her a curious look. She didn't seem to notice me but I caught the faint, toothy smile on her face. I was about to ask but then I heard the squawking and tweeting of the birds. Slowly, I looked over and found that they had all come out of the corner and made there way over to the dead fox in the middle of the room. All of them gathered around the carcass, the collective expressions on their faces were unrealistically mournful. They were mournful nonetheless, however and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic. Never would you see dozens of different species crowd around a dead animal as if they were at a funeral but there they were. 

I watched in silent awe as the other foxes gently lifted it's remains with some help by the various birds. There was hardly anything left of it. Yet the critters of the wilderness just hoisted the carcass up and then began to move, I noticed they were moving towards the door. It was the most bizarre yet heartbreaking thing I had ever seen. 

Fluttershy walked past me, following the group of solemn wildlife. I would've called out to her, asked what she was doing but she beat me to it. She just turned around and looked right up at me. "Come on." She said. No stutter, no mumble. I felt compelled to obey. I gave a look to the bear just as he turned to face me. He seemed to understand and gently helped me across the room, no need for me to collapse from exhaustion at this point. 

Fluttershy pushed the door open, and gave a sad smile to a fox that looked up and twitched his nose at her. The carried on, still. She followed with the bear and I in tow, never falling too far behind. The group led us down the path, over the bridge and little ways away from the cottage. They stopped at a rather uninteresting location, there was no landmark or point worth noting. Just a simple patch of green in the field. The bear and I hung back a little and just watched Fluttershy and the animals around her. A collective group of moles swarmed from horde and rapidly began digging a shallow hole in the dirt. The yellow pegasus closed her eyes in respect, as if she were a part of it all, as if she were one of them. By the time they were done, a small round grave was dug into the earth. At this, each of the critters that had a grip on it lowered the dead fox into the hole, slowly and with the utmost care. A couple of the dogs stepped up to the grave and lazily covered over the hole in dirt with their back legs, burying the corpse of their fellow woodland citizen. 

Equestria, you never cease to amaze me. 

Fluttershy looked over at me from how far she was. Even at that distance, I could see the emotions burning in her eyes, amongst the questions and fear there was sorrow. A deep sympathy on behalf of the critters around her, she knew what they felt and she felt what they did; loss. She was certainly the element of kindness, alright. 

It wasn't long after that that we all started herding back to the cottage. Though, I can't say the sombre journey ended with the warm feeling of promised rest. The mangled corpse that once cursed my home still lay there, cold and unmoving on the floor and the excess blood of the fox, the bear, me and even it still stained the wooded ground. There'd be time for cleaning later. Fluttershy did her best to ignore it, I can't imagine what she must be feeling right now. Did she know on some level as to what had happened? All I know is that she's safe and right now, that's enough for me. Still, it needed to go. 

I stepped out of the bear's grip, when I turned, it gave me a bit of an unsure look, I just smiled at him. That smirk turned into a hard line as I walked up to the crumpled body. I feel bile coming up the back of my throat as I remember the details of it's broken corpse. Half-heartedly grabbing it by the wrist, I marched forward towards the back door. Every fibre of my being quaked and burned in protest of my muscles moving but this was to be dealt with. Without a care, I gave a swift kick to the door and it swung open. I gave a mighty heave and the creature went tumbling out of the cottage, landing with a dull thump in the grass. There'd be time to dispose of the body later. 

I made my way back inside and stopped just at the entry point to the room. Not a soul was at ease that night. Fluttershy stood resolutely off to the side, watching me with that single large, cerulean orb of hers. I stepped towards her, she didn't move a muscle, just stared at me. I fell to one knee right in front of her, it hurt like Hell but I needed this and knew she did aswell. There was barely a second that ticked by before she crumbled. Her eyes glazed over as she jumped me. I barely had time to open my arms before I felt her hooves wrap around my torso. She cried softy into my chest and I just sat there, holding her in her despair, she had been so brave, so resolute throughout the whole ordeal and now that it was over...I guess the dam bursting was inevitable. 

I kept her close and stroked her mane down to her back. She was so innocent. She didn't need this, she didn't need to be exposed to that kind of horror. No child should ever have to deal with that but she did and it was my fault. I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself. For everything that I've done to her, I shouldn't have the right to. 

"Shhhh, it's okay..." I whispered gently. 

She barely managed anything through her sobs. "I-it...i-it was...s-so sca-scary..."

"I know." I kept my gaze to the ceiling. "But it's over now...you were so brave." She only answered me with tear stains. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy..." I felt her head shift and her eyes look up at me. "...I'm so sorry." My voice strained as I fought back the my own tears. "It's okay...it won't be able to hurt you now." Fluttershy closed her eyes and nuzzled her head into my chest at that and just kept her cheek pressed up against me. She must've been exhausted.

I would've thought she'd fallen asleep right then if her eyelids didn't open a few moments later. There was a concerned glint in that look of hers. Her gaze locked onto my arm, the worse one off. Her nose crinkled as she saw the bloodied stains in the white fabric. She lifted a hoof to prod at it. I winced. "You're hurt." She stated, obviously. 

"Yeah." I said, kind of wishing she had some common sense about her. "Reckon I'll bandage this up in the morn'." I barely got the last word in before she took my other sleeve in her teeth and began to drag me along. "Uhhh, Flutters-"

"Come on, then."

Seriously, is this the same pony?

Fluttershy managed to drag me up the stairs, much to my chagrin and because the door was open, she had no trouble finding the bathroom. She pulled me inside, I knew she was trying to be mindful of my injuries but she could've eased up a little. She sat me on the edge of the bath tub and scampered over to the medicine cabinet. Of course, she was too short but she was able to climb the sink in order to reach it. She pulled open the small door and let out a faint gasp, a smile etching on her face as she went to grab something inside. When her face met mine again, she had a small binding of gauze-wrap in her hoof. I shot up a little as I stared at it for a short while. I just chuckled after a while. Fluttershy made her way back to me and gave me a stern look, holding the roll of bandaging high in her grip. I took it from her and nodded a thanks. She gave me an unsure look at that. 

Next came the tedious task of unveiling my wounds. Both my arms felt as if they were on fire now that I could see them after I had rolled both sleeves up to my biceps. Massive bite marks dug deeply into my flesh. The blood had scabbed over mostly but the noise of the dripping red liquid onto the bathroom tiles suddenly became very cringe-worthy. 

I looked at the roll of white fabric in my palm for a short moment before carefully unfurling it from the end. I placed it at the base of my wrist and slowly coiled the wrapping up and around my forearm. Already, the blood was beginning to stain the whiteness of the fabric. I'll admit, I'm no battle-medic and am shotty at best when it comes to bandaging wounds but...Goddamnit, it looks worse than it did before. I undid the wrapping and was about to give it another shot but was stopped by a small yellow hoof. 

"Let me do it." 

Fluttershy took the roll in her hoof and started up the same process. I was about to protest, lest she be dirtied by the act and besides, I was surely capable enough...but I watched her, I found myself grow silent. Her hooves moved in patterns, rhythmically lapping around my forearm and I have to say, she was much better at this than I was. She just gave a nod at her work when she was finished with my right arm and immediately went over to do my left. Though, despite her best intentions, it wasn't like I kept an entire hospital at my house. There was barely enough to cover the wounds in my left arm. She frowned at that but the tears in my right arm were what hurt the most, sure my shoulder hurt like a bitch and there was a ache in my chest but hey, work with what you got. 

I stood up and rolled my sleeves back down. Fluttershy had kept the wrap in place with a small knot tide at the end of my wrist. It felt clumsy and somewhat loose but I digress. I looked down at her, she was smiling up at me. I returned it. 

"Thanks, 'Shy." 





We came back downstairs and found that the group of animals were slowly starting to collectively lull back into sleep. All except the few nocturnal rodents and owls that kept quiet watch over the calming critters that run about during the day. Fluttershy followed close behind me as I made my way back to the couch. I stopped when I saw the bear. He was watching me. His little black eyes never shying away from me as I walked up to him. He was low to the ground on all fours and he had to tilt his head up to face me when I stood little under a ruler's length away. There was a long pause between us, just man and beast, two completely different races. There was a deep, primal companionship there, that night. I reached a hand and laid it gently against the crook of it's neck, rolls of fur and flesh bundled up there in a soft crevice of hair. It let out a low grunt.

"Thank you." 

His lips parted in somewhat of a grin before he growled. 

"She says; 'You're welcome'." Fluttershy suddenly spoke up. "And she thanks you too." 

Okay, that's twice now. I turned to face her, she just smiled broadly at me. Odd, considering the absolute confusion etched across my face. "How did you...You can speak bear now?" 

Fluttershy's eyes widened a little at that. "I...I guess so, I-I mean, I think that's what she said..." 

I turned back to the bear. "Huh. Alright...Wait, she?"

The bear growled and I could have sworn that it was the bear-equivalent of 'Duh, idiot'.





The bear's head lingered momentarily on the tips of my fingers as I scratched at it's neck. I sat there, at the edge of the couch, my hand lazily draped over the armrest as I petted her. She slowly pulled away and once she was out of reach, she sauntered over to the other side of the room and plopped herself down, curling up and close her eyes to rest. I pulled my head back and stared up at the ceiling. I was so tired. I felt something prod at my side and when I looked down, bless my heart to see the tiny pegasus filly there, a bashful look on her face as she stared at me. I reached an arm around her and pulled her close, she let out an 'eep' but didn't protest and once I made sure she was nice and comfortable tucked away in my grip, a small smile played across her muzzle. 

"Go to sleep, Fluttershy." 

She stared up at me for a long moment. I stared back for a little before throwing my head back, took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt her gaze on me linger a little before she too fell to her exhaustion. I cracked an eyelid to find her nuzzling into my chest,  a sleepy look on her face as she slowly drifted. My hand stroked along her mane, unconsciously. 

It didn't take long for the light snoring to begin. 

As I closed my eyes again, a few stray, repeating thoughts rang in my mind and a faint smile all but displayed itself upon my face as I fell asleep. 

She was here. 

She was safe. 

And it.

Was over.