//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: The Change // Story: Wolf Child // by Pixel Berry //------------------------------// After Rainbow made sure that Yemei was safe and was comfortable in her bed, the blue pegasi made her way out the open window, closing it behind her and flying over to the town to find the other and tell the news that Yemei was found. It took some time, but once she told Twilight, she sent a small signal to the others that were somewhere else to meet at the library. Once the other three were at the building, Rainbow told them the news and what happened. The results were as expected. Pinkie, in which her color got a bit dull and her mane drooping a little, inflated back to it crazy curly style and her color brightened as if somepony put a spotlight on her. Rarity was ecstatic, but fainted when she heard how Rainbow even found the small wolf pup. Applejack let out a happy holler at the news, and even with the added bad news, she still had a small smile on her muzzle. “Where is Yemei anyways?” Twilight asked the question that was on everypony's mind. “Oh, well I brought her to Fluttershy's cottage and she fell asleep before I even got there.” She explained. “Well, at least she's back where she belongs.” Rarity spoke as she woke up from her little dramatic faint. “And was Fluttershy awake when you brought her home?” Twilight asked. “I didn’t really check if she was. I just dropped Yemei off and left. She might be still asleep after being up that whole time.” Rainbow answered. “We should go check on the two then.” Pinkie said. “Not so fast.” Twilight said before Pinkie was halfway out the door. “We should let the two rest and be by themselves since Fluttershy was the most worried. We have to give them some space.” “I agree with Twilight. Why don’t we celebrate with a little treat?” Rarity asked. “A sweet treat.” Pinkie smiled as she pulled out a tray of cookies out of nowhere. “How did she..?” Twilight was about to ask. “Don’t question about it. It’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.” Rainbow said as she took two cookies from the tray and started eating one. The other’s followed as Twilight was still thinking on how Pinkie is Pinkie and she took a cookie as well. ~ Fluttershy was moving in her bed as she slept soundly. She was having a rather fine dream before she felt a tapping on her flank. She hummed as she turned to her other side. After another minute, she felt the tap again. She moved her hind hooves to stop whatever was tapping her. A few minutes passed and she was soon greeted with a slap right on her cutie mark. She yelped in surprise and whatever slapped her fell off the bed with a “thump”. The shy mare sat up as she looked around while also rubbing one of her eyes to get a clearer view on what was going on. She rubbed the spot where she was slapped and looked on the side of the bed to see a familiar white bunny on the floor. “A-Angel? Was that you?” She asked as the bunny hopped onto the bed. He made small hops as he pointed out the door into the hallway. “Hmm? What is it? You want to show me something?” The bunny nodded as he quickly hopped off the bed and out the bedroom. The yellow pegasus followed slowly as she was still tired from being woken up so suddenly. As Fluttershy walked through the hallway, she heard a small yawn before a familiar voice. “Oh, hey Angel. Whatcha up to?” Fluttershy didn’t waste a second more as she looked in her daughter’s room as she saw her precious girl on the bed, safe and sound. She quickly went over to her to give her a big hug. Yemei squeaked in surprise and blushed at how close she was to her mother before she started hugging her back. After a moment of silence and hugging, the two broke the warm embrace, but Fluttershy had her hooves atop of Yemei’s hands. “I was so worried Yemei. I thought I’d lost you. What happened? Where did you even go?” Fluttershy spoke in a calm tone, but to Yemei, it felt like she was hiding her rage and anger within her voice. “I-I’m sorry momma. I went to play with Apple Bloom. We were playing tag, but I went too far and ended up in a creepy forest. I tried to get back, but I fell an-” She couldn’t finish as her mother started searching her for any injuries. “Y-you fell? Are you okay? Where does it hurt?” Fluttershy asked frantically as she did that, “It’s okay Mommy. My arm is just sore, before it hurt a bit more, but I think I got better while I was sleeping.” She said as her mother finally stopped poking and prodding her arm for any reaction by the human. “O-oh. Okay. I’m sorry sweetie.” She put her hooves down as she sat on the floor in front of Yemei. “P-please go on. I want to know everything.” “A-are you sure? I don’t wanna make you worried about me.” She said as she twiddled her thumbs. “Of course I'm sure. Just, please continue. I-if that's not too much to ask.” The shy mare said. So Yemei continued her brief explanation on how her first time in the Everfree Forest wasn't that great. Throughout her explanation on her time in the forest, Fluttershy wanted to hug her for comfort or scold her for going off like that. But instead, she just stayed silent as she listened. When the small story was finished, Fluttershy gently hugged the human girl again. “I'm so sorry sweetie. I should've taken you with me to clean Twilight’s house so you won't be bored and alone. I promise that this won't happen again.” She hugged a bit tighter before she released her embrace from her daughter. "N-no momma. This is my fault. I shouldn't have gone out without your permission." Yemei said as she looked down. "I'll accept any punishment that you give me." "P-punishment? No, no, no, no. I would never punish you for something you wouldn't see coming." Fluttershy said as she placed a hoof on Yemei's cheek. "With how much you've gone though in the Everfree, I think that should be punishment enough." She rubbed her daughter's cheeks a little before she put her hoof down to her lap. "I'm just happy that your back home, with me." She smiled as she nuzzled Yemei that caused the small human to smile at the affection she was getting from her mother. The moment of sweetness was soon halted to a stop when Yemei's stomach lightly growled. She blushed pink before she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Fluttershy smiled. "Is somepony hungry?" She said in a sweet teasing tone as she playfully poked Yemei's belly. Yemei squeaked in surprise. "M-maybe?" She blushed more as she heard her mother giggle a little. Fluttershy then got up and stood beside Yemei who was still sitting on the side of the bed. "Well, why don't we see when I make some PB&J for your little tummy." She smiled as she watched her daughter climb onto her back. Once Yemei said she was ready, Fluttershy made her way downstairs with Yemei on her back and Angel on her head. No other animal was in the hut as they were outside or back in their own home to give the shy mare some space. Fluttershy placed Yemei on the couch as she wanted her to relax while she was making the sandwich for them. Angel decided to give the small human some company while his owner was busy. While Fluttershy was making the sandwiches, she couldn't help but rethink on what her daughter told her. More specifically, the blue bear that she told her. She tried to put her hoof on what would be the bear that was blue and see through. Once she couldn't figure out what type of creature it would be, she finished the last of the sandwiches and placed them on the plates. She grabbed the plate with her teeth and made her way back to the living room and placed the plate on the table. She couldn't help but smile as she saw the small human take a sandwich with her small hands and start eating it. After awhile of eating in silence, Yemei was satisfied with the meal and thanked her mother, in which she only gave a warm smile. She then remembered something. "Oh my. I don't think the others know that your back home." Fluttershy said as she placed a hoof on her chest. "I think Dashie would have told the others already." Yemei said. "But I still want to see them after what happened." She added. "Oh, okay. Then I guess we should go to Twilight's home and see if the others are already there." Fluttershy said as she took the plate and put it in the sink. While she did that, Yemei shifted to a wolf…or that's what she thought. When Fluttershy returned from the kitchen, she saw something that got her by surprise. So surprised that she screamed in fright. ~Meanwhile~ After some time of the other element bearers either enjoying the treats of Pinkie Pie's and talking about their own lives, Twilight decided that it was time to see Fluttershy and Yemei and see how the two were doing. At this moment in time, the five of them were taking their time walking to Fluttershy's cottage. They were on the trail to the small bridge in front of the yellow pegasus' home until they heard the fearful scream of the pony and they didn't waste a second to burst the door open to see what got the shy mare to scream. All five of them were shocked to see what they saw in front of them.