Bad Moon

by Titian_Maple

Puzzle

Fluttershy put on her saddle bag and softly hummed as she put rope and some food items. There was knock on the door making the sweet pegasus jump and opened the door enough to see out of. Fluttershy looked out it to see Zecora and opened her door fully opened. “Hello there.” Fluttershy said in her quiet nature.

“Do not fear. It is only me here.” Zecora said and smiled. Fluttershy nodded and came out of the house. “Come now our manticore friend has been scared all last night. His face was sheet as white.”

“Oh my.” Fluttershy said. “We must find what is bothering him and him as well to make sure he not hurt.” Zecora nodded to Fluttershy’s statement and the two rushed to the Everfree Forest in search for the scared manticore.

~~~

“This is where I found our friend last night. He took flight in a great fright.” Zecora said and Fluttershy stayed behind Zecora. She looked to see nest for male manticore and no signs of female living there and meaning no babies were left behind or the female coming back to protect young.

“No young,” Fluttershy said and slowly walked to the nest but looked into the corner of her eye to see a pony by a pool of water. “Zecora…does any other pony live here in the Everfree with you?”

“My shy friend, no one lives this deep. Even I fear to make a beep.” Zecora said and walked to see what Fluttershy saw. “That is odd, I have never seen him here before. The wound on his leg looks sore.” Zecora lead the way to this mysterious pony looking into the pool of water and Fluttershy followed behind with trembling body. Both stopped and Zercoa wince as the pony smelt worse than anything she smelt or made. The pony looked at them and titled at his head or she as the mane and coat was longer not showing sign of gender.

“Hello there…” Fluttershy said and the pony just titled its head the other way. “Do you speak English?” The pony didn’t answer and Zecora rubbed her chin. Zecora started to speak different language that Fluttershy didn’t understand but it made the pony just moves its head to the other side. “I don’t think he understand us, Zecora.”

“I do agree there. This is quite rare.” Zecora said and went over to the wound on his hind leg. “It is not much of a wound but his wild hair hides much. This pony needs a doctor’s touch.”

“How are we going do that?” Fluttershy asked and Zecora pulled out the rope from Fluttershy’s saddle bag. Zecora made a loop and put it around the neck of the pony. “Oh…” Zecora made light tug and the pony stand up.

“You lead him and he will follow you. While I find our friend and stick to him like glue.” Zecora said and Fluttershy looked a scared but took the rope.

“Okay…” She said quietly and led this new pony to town.

~~~

Fluttershy was beat red as she enter the hospital because she was pulling a huge stallion by a rope and she stopped at desk. “Ummm…hello?” She said quietly and lowered her head.

“Ye-” The nurse stopped and stared and cover her nose. “Oh by Celestia’s bread, what is that smell.” A doctor passes by but stopped as he saw the wound.

“Nurse, tell Nurse Redheart that she has new patient.” The doctor said and the nurse picked up the phone.

“Nurse Redheart, you have new patient.” The nurse said and the doctor looked at Fluttershy making her lower head more.

“Dam it,” Nurse Redheart said and walked over to the doctor. Nurse Redheart coat was bright white and her tail and mane nice pink. Her eyes were a brilliant sapphire blue and bags under them. Her cutie mark was a red cross and in each corner was little red hearts. “It was going be my lunch break now.” The doctor just left and Nurse Redheart looked at the unknown pony than to Fluttershy. “I’ll take him, Fluttershy and you can go get breather.” Nurse Redheart took the rope and nodded to Fluttershy. Fluttershy nodded and walked out of the hospital to get some fresh air. Nurse Redheart gently led the unknown pony to an empty room and took the rope. “Do you have a name?” The pony didn’t answer and she grabbed some electric clippers. She turned them on and the pony didn’t show any interested in the buzzing from the clippers. She carefully cut away from the pony’s coat where the cut was and found it very dirty under the coat and the coat was dirty as well. “Oh Celestia.” Nurse Redheart took out the round tub, filled it hot water and soap. “Ummmm…Think…” She lightly tabbed on the tub making the pony come over to the tub and looked into the water. “Maybe…” She put her front hooves into the water and the pony did the same thing. “A little more.” The pony smiled to the warmth and enters its hind legs in making Nurse Redheart lightly patted its flank. The pony sat down and she grabbed a soaped up brush.

After lots of brushing and scrubbing Nurse Redheart found the pony had light gray coat and his mane and tail was dim lime green. From cleaning his body she found the pony was a he and he was quite thin build and he was missing his left ear. She could see his eyes but she was happier he was clean and she lightly tapped his flank again making him stand up and she stitched up the wound. She gently tugged on his neck and making him come out of the tub. She dried him off and herself from washing him than she grabbed the clippers. “Hold still.” She clip away at his coat but stopped as he completely cut his flank and eyes widen to see nothing on his flank. She shook her head and counties clipping at his coat. The coat cutting finally showed his body shape and he was thin and similar body shape of a male alicorn but no wings or horn. She grabbed the silver scissors and the pony back up and started to freak out. “Okay, calm down.” She noticed he was freaking out on the silver scissors and she put them back down making him calm down. She picked up the stainless steel scissors and he was calm as she walked over. “You don’t like silver…why is that.” She asked him as slowly cut away at his mane and stopped once finished. “There.” She smiled in seeing his golden brown eyes and chuckled. “There is handsome fellow.” The stallion smiled back and she walked around his body to see old scars that were fading away. Nurse Redheart looked at the clock, “Stay here.” She turned and went walking to the front desk.

“Nice shadow.” The nurse behind the desk said and Nurse Redheart raised her eyebrow. “Behind you.” She pointed behind Nurse Redheart and she looked behind her to see the stallion.

“I said stay.” She groaned and took him back to the room. “Stay here.” She pointed and turned around to the door. She walked out of the hospital and walked down the road that leads to her home.

“Redheart!” A voice asked and she looked to see Roseluck waving her over. Redheart walked over and smiled at her.

“Hello, sister.” Redheart said and smiled. “How are you and your flower business?” Roseluck smiled at her sister and her eyes shifted behind Redheart.

“I’m fine and I’m not doing as good as you with the stallions.” Roseluck pointed to behind her sister and Redheart looked back to see the stallion right behind here.

“Oh no.” Redheart said and turned around to look at the stallion. “I told you to stay there…What am I doing?” She groaned and the stallion turned his head as she spoke.

“Something wrong sis?” Roseluck said and the stallion looked at her. “Ummm…who is this guy?” Redheart looked back at her sister and sighed.

“Fluttershy brought him into the hospital with a wound and that is all I know and that he doesn’t understand English.”

“E-Excuse me…” Fluttershy said quietly and both looked at the shy pegasus. “Sorry to interrupt b-but…”

“Fluttershy, can you tell me more about this stallion you found.” Redheart said and Fluttershy nodded but keep her head low.

“W-Well Zecora and I w-went into t-the forest t-to find scared m-manticore.” Fluttershy said. “W-We found him looking into a pool of w-water and Zecora tried to speak different language but he…well…you know.”

“Yes…” Redheart said and looked around to see no sign of the stallion. “Where is he?” She looked panicked and kept looking.

“Ummm…that what I was trying to tell you…” Fluttershy said and Redheart looked at Fluttershy making her wince. “Sweetie Bell, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo took him away.”

“Oh no.” Redheart said and rushed off the Apple family farm knowing the girls were there or close to the farm. She rushed onto the farm and looked around, “How hard is it to find fully grown stallion with no cutie mark and body shape like a prince.”

“Hey who is yo' an' stop eatin' them apples?!” Applejack’s voice yelled and Redheart rushed over to Applejack. Redheart saw the stallion eating apples out of the bucket and Applejack looked at Redheart. “Someone yo' knows Redheart?”

“He’s my patient.” She said and she walked over to the stallion. “Hello?” the stallion stopped and looked at her with apple juice on his muzzle. “I’m sorry Applejack he doesn’t know better.”

“What in tarnation do yo' mean, Redheart?” Applejack asked and Redheart cleaned off the stallion’s muzzle.

“Fluttershy and Zecora found him in the forest.” Redheart said. “No understanding of English or zebra and he childlike…or is a child.” She pointed to his flank and Applejack looked to see it was blank.

“Oh wow...wait that means...APPLE BLOOM!” Applejack yelled and it spooked the stallion making him run. Redheart groaned and she ran after him which was hard due to his long legs. The stallion stopped running and stopped at carrot patch.

“NO!” Redheart yelled and lightly pulled on his tail as he able to pull a carrot. “They aren’t yours.” The stallion let go into the carrot and looked at her with puppy eyes. “No, come on…since you won’t stop following me your coming home with me.” She walked and looked back to see him following her. She smiled at him and he smiled back. ‘Think him as a child.’ She thought and stopped at her house. She opened the door and walked into the house but heard a thump sound making her look back at him. He had hit his head on the top of the door frame and she couldn’t blame him for being tall. “Come here.” She said with motherly and sat down with hands up. He sat down in front of her and lowered his head allowing her to look. “Your fine.” She stopped looking at his head and looked into his eyes. “…You need a name…A fitting name for mysterious stallion…hmmmmm…this is just puzzling…” The light bulb went off in her head. “Puzzle!” The stallion jumped but with Redheart holding his head he sat there. “Say Puzzle.” The stallion blinked and was confused. “Puzzle.”

“P-P-P.” The stallion stuttered and Redheart mouth ‘Puzzle’ again. “Puzzzz…” Redheart mouthed it slowly and made sure he watched her mouth it. “Puzzzzle…Puzzle.” She smiled and nodded. She took his hoof and pointed to him and he looked.

“Puzzle,” She said and pointed to her chest. “Redheart.” She smiled and put his hoof back on his chest. “Puzzle.”

“Redheart.” He said and touched her chest making her smile. “Puzzle.” He smiled and shook her head.

“No.” She said and he lowered his ear. She moved his hoof on his chest. “Puzzle.” She put his hoof on her chest. “Redheart.” He put his ear up and she saw spark in his eyes.

“Redheart.” He said with his hoof her chest and he moved his hoof on his chest. “Puzzle.” She nodded and he smiled. “Puzzle.” He pointed to his chest again and smiled.

“I bet you’re still hungry.” She closed the door quietly just to make sure the sound didn’t scare him. “Explore the house.” She lightly pushed his flank and making him explore around the house she owned. She walked to the kitchen and made some grass salad with apples as he liked them at the farm. “Puzzle?” She walked around the house to find Puzzle on the foot of her bed asleep and laying on his side like a dog. “…Must been long time you had good sleep…” She grabbed an extra blanket and put on him. “Sleep you puzzling stallion.”

Comments

[Vic Viper]

I like this story, its really good! However i suggest you find an editor...the dialogue is a bit jarring, but nothing a good editor cant fix, regardless well done.