Kori's Tales

by Kori Kitsune

Chapter 3

“Not even one night,” Kori muttered, as he looked out the window to see the moon still high in the sky. I guess that I could just drink till I pass out. If I had any money.

A movement at the head of the bed draws Kori’s eye as one of Fluttershy’s wings stretches out before folding back against her. Kori slides off the bed with the blanket, heading towards the stairs.

Uh, please tell me that I still have my smokes. Kori shook his tail once, waiting for something to fall out only to have nothing. Damnit. No drinks, no smokes, and no sleep. At least things can’t get much worse.

Kori walked over to the kitchen shiting slightly as he glanced around the room. As he entered the kitchen his eyes locked with a white bunny that sat on the counter, a carrot in its paws.

“Looks like someone else is up. I don’t suppose that you know where I could get some smokes?” Kori giggled as he watched as the bunny hop past him. Guess not. Well, I’ve got a few hours until day and nothing to do... great.

He walked over and opened the fridge, grabbing the jug of milk from it.

Now where do I get a cup? Kori set the jug on the counter before searching through the cupboards for a cup. Bowls, bowls, plates. Where are the cups? She’s gotta have some cups around here somewhere.

“Kori.”

“Hmm...? Meh,” Kori groaned, looking back up to the cupboards.

“Kori.”

He glances back, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as he saw a dark figure approach him. “Hello?”

“Kori!” it called out. Its fur a deep blue that shimmered beneath the dark guards it wore over it. The face was covered in a hood which revealed piercing eyes from beneath it as it stared at Kori. The very air around it seemed to blur by its mere presence, a shriek like metal on metal resonating from it as it walked. It walked with a feeling of pride as it eyed Kori. A drop of blood dropping from the rows of teeth hidden behind the hood.

“No,” Kori whimpered as the creature stepped forward. Stepping back from the creature as he tried to find an escape. “What are you doing here?!” Kori cried out as the beast lift its head to reveal the face beneath its hood. “You can’t be real!”

--------------氷狐--------------

Angel was laying on the pillow beside Fluttershy, looking towards the stairs for the image of the red creature.

“What are you doing here?!”

Angel’s head shot up as he heard the scream, waking Fluttershy as he did.

“Huh?” Fluttershy groaned. “What’s going-”

“You can’t be real!”

“Kori?!” She exclaimed as she noticed that the red figure wasn’t at the base of the bed. “Kori!”

Fluttershy leapt from the bed and rushed down the stairs to see the figure of Kori huddled in the corner of her kitchen. His paws over his head.

“Kori? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy exclaimed as she came to Kori’s side.

“It’s not real. It can’t be real,” Kori whimpered.

“Hey, what’s wrong Kori?” Fluttershy whispered, resting her hoof on his shoulder.
Kori’s entire form tensed at the touch, his claws digging into his head as he did. “It’s okay Kori.”

“Fluttershy?” He heaved, looking up to see the pegasus. Tears streaming down his face.

“What happen-” Fluttershy began before Kori pressed his head into her shoulder.

“I-I-I t-thought, I-I was g-going to-” Kori whimpered, his body convulsing with each word.

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy hummed, wrapping her arms around Kori. What could have scared him so badly? She wondered looking around the room to find that the door was closed along with the windows. “It’s okay. See? There’s nothing here,”

“It’s not real. It’s not real,” He whimpered, Fluttershy’s pink mane draped between her shoulder and him. “It can’t be. It just can’t be,”

“Hush now quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now quiet now, it’s time to go to bed,” Fluttershy sang, rocking back and forth as she did.

“It’s not real. It’s not-” Kori muttered as he drifted to sleep in Fluttershy’s arms.

She looked past Kori for a moment to see Angel glancing at the now sleeping fox.

Angel hopped over to Kori’s tail and began to pull it in the direction of the couch. His feet sliding on the floor as he did.

He doesn’t look like he could hurt anything. Fluttershy thought as Kori’s shifted in her arms, putting her hoof on one of his many bandages. The feeling of the cloth wrapped around him reminding her why he was there in the first place. Maybe he just needs some help. It’s not like he did this to himself.

Angel hopped up to his owner, his arms a blur as he gestured for her to put Kori outside.

“You must be tired.” Fluttershy yawned as she fluttered her wings to hover up the stairs. Kori still in her arms. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Fluttershy laid on the bed, keeping Kori in her arms to keep from waking him. She gently uses her wings to pull her blanket up over them as Kori lifts his head up onto her neck. Fluttershy rubbed her hoof down his back as his body relaxed.

He’s like a toddler. A fluffy toddler.

--------------氷狐--------------

“Morning already?” Fluttershy yawned as she felt the warmth of the sun on her back, gingerly lifting a wing to cover Kori’s face from the sun as it rose further. “Still a fluffy toddler.”

“M’n not a toddler,” Kori yawned, stretching his legs as he pushed back from Fluttershy.

“You’re still fluffy,” Fluttershy joked as she got off the bed and walked towards the window.

“Sure,” Kori muttered, pulling the sheet back up over him. “Not a toddler,”

“How old are you?” Fluttershy asked as she pulled the blinds up and let some chilly morning air in.

“Old enough,” Came the quiet response as Kori pressed his head back into the pillow.

“Come on Kori, you have to get up too,” Fluttershy giggled as she saw Kori who responded with a low groan. “Okay then. I’ll give you a bit longer to sleep,”

“M’kay,”

“But then you have to get up. You’re going into town today,” She added as she walked down the stairs with a towel.

“M’kay,” Wait?! I’m going into town? Kori grudgingly thought as his mind wondered how the ponies would react to him. If it’s anything like the last few than I might as well stay here. But I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here, so why not?

He rolled onto his back as he thought, unable to fall back to sleep.

There goes sleeping in. Might as well find something to do. He thought as his stomach let out a low growl of its own. Guess I know what I’m doing.

He kicked his legs as he tossed the blanket off of him. He walked down the stairs silently cursing the splints on his legs for rubbing his skin as he remembered the events of the last night.

Kori stopped where he was, lowering himself as he looked around the main room of the cottage. Windows are closed, door in one piece. Kori thought, listing off anything that he could think of in the cottage. No sign of entrance.

He took a few more steps down the stairs, reaching the bottom as he glanced around the rest of the cottage.

I guess I was just seeing things. He thought as he heard yet another growl from his stomach. Alright already. I’m going to-

“Hi there!” Came the ecstatic voice as he walked past the door to the house.

Kori lept forward at the voice, his hind legs lifting up and grabbing a hoof of the pony as he flung it onto the couch as he flipped over. The static blur of pink giggling as it landed.

“Woo! Let’s do it again!” it exclaimed, bouncing off the couch and over to Kori.
“Hi! My name’s Pinkie Pie!” She said, the smile she wore suppressing a giggle as
she saw Kori was still on his back.

“Pinkie Pie?” Kori muttered as he rolled back onto his stomach as the name ran through his head. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie giggled, hopping around Kori. “So, whatcha doin’?”

“Getting something to eat,” Kori said, watching the pink pony hop around him before it sat in the center of the room. “Can I help you?”

“No thanks, I’m good. I’ve already had breakfast,” Pinkie said. “Oh wait! I’m supposed to bring you into town today.”

“You’re the one bringing me into town?” Kori groaned as he glanced towards the door to see it still closed.

“Yup!” Pinkie answered, already bouncing towards the door.

“Can I get something to eat first?” Kori exclaimed, his stomach voicing its agreement.

“Sure,” Pinkie exclaimed, hopping into the kitchen.

How’d she get in? Kori pondered, looking about the room to see any kind of entry point. His train of thought was lost as a clang came from the kitchen.

“Kori? What was that?” came the quiet voice as Fluttershy walked out of a door, a towel around her mane.

“It wasn’t me!” Kori exclaimed, glancing into the kitchen at the pink pony. If this pony gets me in trouble!

“Hiya Fluttershy!” Pinkie giggled at seeing her friend.

“Hi, Pinkie,” Fluttershy replied as Pinkie hopped out of her kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

“Getting Kori,” Pinkie said, pointing a hoof at him.

Why am I the interest of everyone here?!

“Right,” Fluttershy whispered glancing at Kori who sat between the two of them, his fur twitching as one of the bandages rubbed against his fur. “Hey Kori.”

“Hmm?” He muttered, holding himself from ripping the bandage off of him.

“You’re cuts should be closed by now. You should be able to take off the bandages.”

Finally! If I would have had these itchy things on me for one more minute I would have lost it! Kori thought.

“The splints have to stay though,” She said quickly as Kori bit on the cloth wrapping them to him. “Your bones still have to set.”

“Fine,” Kori groaned as he took the rest of the wrappings off of him. Shaking himself to get his fur into a more natural fit. Much better.

“Alright silly billy, you ready?” Pinkie giggled, once again hopping towards the door.

Do I honestly have much choice?

--------------氷狐--------------

“So, Kori, do you like cake? Because I sure know I like cake, one time I ate so much cake that I actually thought I wouldn’t ever be able to eat cake again but then I thought about how silly that would be, I mean a baker who doesn’t eat cake is like a farmer that doesn’t grow stuff and Applejack grows lots of apples that make the best of pies even better than blueberry pies,” Pinkie exclaimed, trailing further and further off topic as she continued towards the group of buildings in the distance.

How does anyone talk so much? I can’t even understand what she’s saying anymore.

“And then I said ‘waffles? That’s silly.’”

I swear, if I have to deal with this all day! “Pinkie,” Kori muttered as Pinkie kept walking forward.

“I mean who else do you know that can read so fast?”

“Pinkie,” Kori repeated as he tried his best to stay calm.

“Who would have guessed that Rarity could do that?”

“Pinkie!”

“Yeah?”

“Can you just... Not talk so much?” Kori whimpered, noticing that he was at the edge of the town as a few ponies looked over at him.

“Okie dokie,” Pinkie giggled, unphased by the outburst. Kori on the other hand had put both of his paws on his tail to keep it from covering his face.

Just my luck. Now the first impression they get of me is telling Pinkie to stop talking. Kori thought as he followed Pinkie further into town. His stomach letting out a low growl as he walked.

“Sounds like you’re hungry,” Pinkie giggled, gesturing for Kori to turn up ahead. “I know just the place.”

Oh joy. What’s could it be with this pony? A candy house-

“Welcome to Sugarcube corner!” Pinkie exclaimed as she walked into the colorful building, leaving Kori to stare in wonder at the colorful outside.

I guess I did ask for it, Kori thought as he looked over the building that appeared to have been made completely out of sweets. I- I’m just gonna shut up.

Kori walked in and saw that the theme was the same inside and out as Pinkie hopped behind the counter.

“Come on silly,” Pinkie called out as she went into a different room behind the counter.

Oh yeah, there’s an idea. Let’s just go into the back room. What does she think I am? He thought, sitting down where he was as he watched the doorway. But there is food back there.

Kori walked to the door way and stuck his head through the doorway, looking around at the room behind. It was a large kitchen with a multitude of ovens and closed cupboards. Walking about the kitchen were three ponies: two of which Kori had never seen before. One was a tall but thin stallion with a bright yellow coat and a carrot mane. The other was a short blue mare, who was more on the round side, with a pink, swirled mane.

On second thought, I think I’ll-

“Come on in Kori. There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Pinkie called out, alerting the others to his presence.

He made no effort to stop his tail as it lifted over his face, covering his look of fear at the extra pairs of eyes looking at him. He slowly walked into the kitchen, dodging around the other ponies to Pinkie.

“Here you go,” Pinkie beamed as she put a plate with some warm pastry on it on the floor before him.

“What’s this?”

“It’s just a breakfast strudel,” She explained glancing towards the doorway.

Breakfast strudel? Kori’s mind repeated as he took a cautious bite. Oh man, ponies can make some great stuff.

“I guess he likes it.” Pinkie grinned as Kori took a large bite of the pastry. “I’ll keep some blueberry strudels around for you,” Pinkie glanced back to the door as something in the shop moved.

What’s she looking at? Kori thought, looking back at the door to see three ponies enter. The first was the familiar form of Rainbow Dash as she stood by the door, a deadset look on her face. The second was a new form with white fur and a purple mane curled artfully past a dull horn. She walked with a sway in her hips and her head held high.The final had an air of authority to her as lavender fur and a deep purple mane became visible. A pair of wings on her side along with a well managed horn on her head that supported a crown.

“So I take it you’re Kori?” The lavender pony called out as she entered. The feeling of authority prominent in her voice, yet there was a sense of curiosity hidden behind it.

“Yes? What’s it to you?” He replied, snapping his tail back behind him.

“I am here on the part of the princess herself. I’d like to ask you a few things,” She explained, opening a bag she had on her side.

“What kind of questions?” He snapped, his form tensed up as something floated out of the bag.

“Just some simple questions the princess gave me,” She said as she calmly held a scroll before her. “Let’s start with your name.”

“Kori. Kori Kitsune.” He replied. “What about you?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is Rarity and you’ve already met Rainbow Dash,” Twilight answered, gesturing to the two ponies in turn. “Kori Kitsune? Does that mean anything?”

“It does,” Kori said, waiting for Twilight to ask her next question.

“And what would that be?”

“Why do you care?” Kori snapped, the two unnamed ponies in the room jumping at the sound.

“Well I would like to know what it means. I think it could be important,” She answered, something scribbled down on the scroll as she did.

“It’s not important,” Came the sharp response as his entire figure visually tensed.

“Alright,” Twilight said, doing her best to remain calm as she scribbled something on the scroll. “I understand you said that you have no family. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to them?”

“Who?”

“Your parents. What happened to them?” Twilight explained, the sides of her mouth turned downwards as she seemed to be thinking of ways to comfort the new creature.

“I don’t know,” He muttered, his figure holding no change at the words.

“You mean you don’t know what happened to them?” Twilight asked as she scribbled down on the scroll. Kori watching with great interest as she wrote.

“Never knew them. Doesn’t bother me though, those cowards probably just left me,” Kori muttered, his eyes following the hovering quill. Ignoring the looks of shock the ponies wore. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” Twilight stumered. The quill halting its movements.

“The floating thing,” He said, gesturing to the floating items before Twilight. Bringing his paw up and grasping the scroll.

“Magic?” She asked as Kori pulled the scroll out of her aura. “How’d you? You shouldn’t be able to do that.”

“Why would you risk using magic for this?” Kori exclaimed, looking over the scroll before giving it back to Twilight.

“Risk?” Twilight asked as she snatched the scroll back into her magic. “What risk?”

“The risk of burning,” Kori replied. The others were confused by his response. “If you use too much magic you run a risk of bursting into flames.”

“I wasn’t aware that magic was so dangerous!” Rarity exclaimed, thinking through anything that supported Kori’s statement.

“Yet you look like you have nothing to fear of it.” Kori muttered, looking up at the horns the two ponies donned.

“So you know how to use magic?” Twilight began as she continued to scribble on the scroll.

“I do.”

“Could you show us? It doesn’t have to be anything major,” Twilight asked, her eyes wide at the opportunity to see this new creature use magic.

Kori lifted his paw up to his mouth as he blew into the air. The air chilled around them as a thin sheet of ice covered Kori’s paw. “Is that enough for you?”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak but the sound of somepony entering the store stopped her.

“Rainbow!” A dark pegasus entered the room, a thundercloud on his flank. “There you are.”

“Hey, Thunderlane. What’s going on? And why aren’t you helping with the clouds?” Rainbow asked.

“We’ve got an issue. There’s a pink, fluffy unicorn dancing on a rainbow,” Thunderlane explained.

“Really? Just get it down from there. The first blizzard is tomorrow,” Rainbow said, looking back to the entrance as the store’s door once again opened. “Hey Vinyl! Ready for winter?”

“You know I am,” Came the familiar voice as Kori saw a white unicorn with blue mane walk to the counter. Her shades still covering her eyes. “Just came by to pick up some bread for tomorrow. Hey, Kori! Whatcha doing here?”

“Hey.... Vinyl, right?”

“Yeah. Vinyl Scratch is my name, and music is my game,” Vinyl said as Kori saw the music note on her leg.

“Hey. You’re the one from the bar. Thanks for the drink,” Kori said, unaware of the fact that everypony in the room was watching him.

“Don’t mention it. Your back feeling better?”

“If by ‘better’ you mean it doesn’t feel broken, then it’s getting there,” He replied, glancing at Twilight who was watching with great interest.

“Great to hear. So what are you doing here anyways?” Vinyl asked as one of the ponies in the kitchen brought her some bread.

“I was seeing the town.” Or at least I was before Twilight here decided to play twenty questions.

“Actually, do you think that you could show Kori around town?” Twilight said, taking note on Kori’s actions as she did.

“Sure. I’ve got a few errands to run around town anyways.”

“Okay. Just bring Kori by my place when you’re done.”

Alright. Looks like I’ll get to look around town after all.

“Sounds like a plan,” Vinyl said as she led Kori out of the store.

“Do you really think that it’s a good idea to have Vinyl show him around town?” Rarity stammered, her hoof resting on her necklace as she did. “One of us should go with, just in case.”

“He trusts Vinyl. It would be easier to have her show him around than for one of us to,” Twilight said, walking out the back of the store, the quill still scribbling across the scroll.

--------------氷狐--------------

“So Kori,” Vinyl began as she walked past the joke shop. “You have a lover?”

“W-what?!” Kori stammered shocked by the sudden question. “No.”

“Never found a girl good enough?” Vinyl asked, before an idea came to her. “Or guy?”

“Maybe I never did,” Kori said, glancing into the shop. The multitude of gizmos and toys inside intriguing him.

“Wait. Girl or guy?”

“Maybe.”

“Which one?” Vinyl giggled thoroughly confused at this point.

“Meh,” Kori muttered, looking over at a pony with a box in its hooves that was watching him. “Hi-”

The pony lifted the box up to its eyes and a flash of light sent Kori reeling backwards.

“What the heck!” Kori exclaimed, covering his eyes as the light flashed a few more times.

“Let me introduce myself. My names Shot and I’d like an interview,” The tan pegasus announced, setting the box back down and pulling an notepad out of his pack.

“Interview?”

“Yes. I’m always the first one to get an interview on news and you sir are big news.”

“What are you talking about?” Kori muttered rubbing the stars from his eyes. “And who are you trying to blind me?!”

“Blind ya? I was just getting a few pictures. And of course you’re big news! A new species is discovered when one of them walks into the middle of town and passes out. His body in such terrible condition that most would be dead,” Shot announced as though there was some unseen audience before him. “I’d just like to ask you a few questions and I’ll be off.”

More questions! Honestly unless this guy has something to eat I’m not talking.

“Hold on now.” Vinyl exclaimed stepping between the two. “What’s in it for him?”

“And he’s friends with the DJ Pon-3! This just gets better and better,” Shot exclaimed, grabbing a pen in his teeth and jotting down on the notepad. “Well ,of course, I am fine offering to take you both to lunch. That is if you two are hungry?”

Of course he offers food. Kori moans, his stomach already voicing its answer. “Fine.”

“Great! So what are you two hungry for?” Shot exclaimed, notepad in one wing with a pen in the other.

“There’s a nice place right over there. How about we go there?” Vinyl said, gesturing to a building that wasn’t as spectacular as Sugarcube Corner but about as big. A few tables shaped like mushrooms outside.

“Sounds good to me,” If it’s anything like the other stuff ponies have I’d be missing out.

“Great! So what’s your name?”

“Kori. Kori Kitsune.”

“Nice to meet you Kori,” Shot beamed as he sat down at a table, Vinyl and Kori following suit. “So what brings you here?”

“I didn’t like where I was, so I left. Finding this place was a complete accident,” Kori muttered as he glanced at the menu. Now I’m going to look like an idiot that can’t read. I guess it’s ask for help now or look dumb later.

“Hey Kori.” Vinyl said, glancing at her own menu. “They got something here called the ‘Daniel’s sandwich’. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Or she could make everything easier and suggest something. That works too.

“So you left everything behind?” Shot inquired, setting his menu down.

“Didn’t have anything to leave behind.” Daniel’s Sandwich? Was it Applejack Daniels that I had at the bar? I wonder if that has anything to do with this.

“Nothing? No family or friends?” Shot drilled, eager to get anything he could from Kori.

“Nope. Hey, Vinyl, what was it that I drank at the bar?” Kori asked, his own curiosity taking hold.

“Applejack Daniels. Says the sandwich is lathered in some sauce made of that,” Vinyl replied, nudging her shades back onto her muzzle.

Oh that sounds good. Let’s just hope that ponies don’t eat stuff that I can’t.

“Lettuce, daisies, special sauce. Makes me hungry just thinking about it,” Vinyl remarked, shifting her shades around a bit more as she did.

“That does sound good,” Oh man, I’m drooling just thinking about it. Daisies? Can I eat daisies?

“What do your kind eat anyways?” Shot quizzed, pen at the ready.

“Well I wasn’t very picky about what I ate. If you mean plants or meat, then we can eat both,” Kori replied, watching as Shot scribbled it down quickly.

“So what are your kind called anyways? Just for records.”

“We’re called Foxes,” Oh man I hope the waiter comes soon. I can’t wait.

“So Kori, what do you think of the stuffed leaves? Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?” Shot asked, grabbing the pen back from his wing as he jotted down Kori’s reaction.

“Stuffed leaves?” Kori muttered, glancing at the menu. Any of these could be that. “I don’t see that.”

“Middle page, the third one up.”

He’s testing if I can read. How would I know this language?

“Trouble finding it?”

“I still don’t see it.”

“Or maybe you can’t read it?” Shot exclaimed, jotting a few lines on his notepad before Vinyl took the pen and pad in her magic.

“Now what’s that have to do with Kori?” Vinyl muttered, scribbling across the last few lines with the pen. “Did you expect him to know how to read our language?”

“I guess not. It should still be in the paper!”

“And I don’t think it should,” She bit, as she skimmed through the notes, scratching out a few lines as she did. “This interview is over.”

“What? This interview isn’t about you! You can’t just jump in because you feel like it!” Shot exclaimed as Vinyl tossed the notepad back to him.

“True. But I don’t think it’s very nice to be saying those kind of things about Kori here,” Vinyl stated, calmly lifting her glasses onto her horn, “now if you wouldn’t mind. I’d like to enjoy my lunch,” Vinyl snapped as she glared her red eyes at Shot.

“S-sure,” Shot stammered, flying off from the threatening mare.

“What was that about?” Kori asked, his body tense from the threatening glare.

“Gotta be careful around the paparazzi. They don’t really care what they say about you,” Vinyl glared the direction the pegasus had fled. “As long as they get paid,” Vinyl explained, gesturing for a waiter as she did.

“Okay. Why was he afraid of you?”

“I hurt him one time when he took my shades off. Hit him right on the nose,” She said, a giggle forming in her throat. “He had a bandage on his nose for a month afterwards.”

Nice. “So he’s afraid of you when you have your shades off?”

“It was more to remind him that I broke his nose.” Vinyl grinned as she looked up, the memory in the front of her mind. “It worked.”

Huh. That actually explains that. Oh thank goodness the waiters here.

“Two Daniel’s Sandwiches with two cream sodas,” Vinyl stated, giving the menus to the waiter.

Ah crap! I can’t pay. I felt fine with the paparaz guy paying but this is twice now that Vinyl is paying for me.

“Yo, Kori.” Vinyl exclaimed, bumping Kori’s shoulder with her hoof. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve trashed so much stuff during my gigs that one meal seems like nothing.”

“Gigs? Oh yeah, you said music is your ‘game’. What kind of music?”

“House, Drum and bass, dubstep. You know, techno.”

“Techno?” Techno, techno? Oh! “You’re a DJ!”

“Yup. I’m the D to the J to the P-O-N-3, and ain't no other pony drop the bass like me,” Vinyl exclaimed, giggling at the outburst as Kori held in his own laugh. “I said that in front of my marefriend once. She was laughing for an hour.”

“I can guess why.” Kori giggled, holding a paw to his muzzle to keep himself from laughing.

“What was that?”

“I can guess why,” Kori reclaimed, making sure to be in the ponies language.

“How do you know pony anyways?” Vinyl asked, giggling a bit more as Kori’s tail twitched up to his face.

“My kind heard a bunch of Zebras talking like this so they learned it and it spread.”

“So foxes are friends with the Zebras?”

Kori froze as he thought over the question. The joy he had shown seconds before disappearing from him. “Far from it. My kind live by them. Let’s just say it’s a, very, bloody relationship,” Kori whimpered, his tail dropping back down to the floor.

“Oh. Better tell you that there is a Zebra living nearby. She comes by town every here and there. Just so you know.”

Great just one more thing for me to worry about. Kori groaned as the waiter returned and set a plate before him. No use complaining on an empty stomach.

--------------氷狐--------------

“What’s taking them so long?” Rarity asked as she grabbed a book from its shelf. “Maybe we should go and find them.”

“They’ll come. If we go and get him that would just make us look like we don’t trust him.” Twilight replied, glancing at the book Rarity had grabbed before jotting it down on the list of out books. Fashion, the Works of the Greatest. “All we know about him is what Celestia told me. This could be a chance to gain an interesting friend.”

“Or a dangerous enemy,” Rainbow muttered, a new copy of Daring Doo laying on the floor in front of her. She turned back to her friend, the necklace she wore glowing at the feeling of loyalty coming from its bearer. “We should have taken him to Celestia while we had the chance.”

“We don’t have any reason to fear him.” But I can’t deny that Celestia has to see him. Twilight muttered as the door to the library opened.

“Twilight?” came the call as Kori poked into the room, freezing as he saw the three ponies in it. “I’m here.”

“Hello Kori. How’d it go?” Twilight said, her magic enveloping her crown as Kori walked in.

“Good... So, what’s this about?”

“I was just thinking,” Twilight began, looking towards her friends before returning her gaze to Kori. “You seem to be healing faster than we expected.”

“You could say that,” Kori said, internally cursing the splints he still had. A tall dark figure walking into the room with what appeared to be a ball of pink fuzz with a tongue on its back.

“Look what we have here. A fox,” it called out, a feeling of lust in her voice. “What would one of your kind want here?”

“I don’t have anything that you could feed on!”

“I know that. Your kind are so blunt sometimes. Leaves a bitter taste afterwards.”

“What are you two talking about? I didn’t know that changelings knew of foxes,” Twilight exclaimed, glaring at the two in turn.

“Of course we do. My kind have tried to feed on foxes for the longest time now. We deemed it too dangerous and gave up after a while. We can’t hide from them and we certainly can’t fight them.”

“Okay Chrysalis, let me get this right. You’ve known about this species for how long now?” Twilight quizzed, pulling the quill and scroll back out of her bags.

“As long as I’ve been alive. Why would I mention such a vile species to such a peaceful ‘ally’?”

“Me? Vile? Have you looked in the mirror recently?”

“If it wasn’t for the fact that Twilight was right here I would hang your fur on the wall!” Chrysalis snapped, her horn shining a bitter green as she did.

“And how would you do that? Magic doesn’t work on my kind and I doubt that you would dare fight me,” he whispered, leaning towards Chrysalis as he did. Suddenly aware of something patting at his tail.

Kori looked back to see the pink ball of fuzz was batting at his tail with what looked like a hoof, blowing a raspberry the entire time.

“Twilight, what’s this?”

“That’s Fluffle Puff. The only thing I can think of with fur thicker than yours,” Twilight responded, watching with great interest as Fluffle Puff continued to bat at Kori’s tail.

Kori turned his body around, bringing himself face to face with the fuzzy pony. It glanced down at Kori showing no notion of its intents before it raised one hoof and bumped Kori on the nose with it, blowing another raspberry at him as it did.

“Really?” He muttered, sticking his own tongue out at Fluffle. “Pft.”

“Ppppppfffffffffffffttttttttttttttt,” Fluffle retaliated.

“Pft, pft, pft. Pffft.”

Fluffle took a long breath in, bellowing her chest as she sucked in some air. “Ppppppppppppppfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt! Pft!”

“I’m done,” Kori stated ah he turned back to Twilight. “Why did you want to see me?”

“Well, I gave you a week so you would have time to heal. Seeing as you’re mostly healed and winter is coming, I feel it would be best to move the meeting to the day after tomorrow,” Twilight explained, glancing out the window at Celestia’s falling sun.

“O-oh, o-okay. Y-yeah,” Kori stammered

“You should get back before it’s dark. Don’t want to scare anypony, do we?” That went better than expected.

“Yeah,” he whimpered as he walked back out of the Library. His tail rubbing along across the ground as he did.

“That solves that. Now we just have to get him to Canterlot,” Rainbow muttered as she hovered towards the door. “I have to go and make sure that the weather team is ready for the first blizzard. I’ll see you two later.”

“Good bye,” Rarity called out, busy jotting something on a sheet of paper. “I should have taken measurements.”

“For what?” Twilight pondered, glancing at the sheet to see a rough pen sketch of Kori’s form.

“Well I thought that he should have something to wear when he sees the princesses. I was thinking something like a robe, maybe in a green to contrast his fur?” Rarity said, sketching a few pencil lines over the sketch. “Did Celestia tell you anything about what a fox might wear?”

“No. Wait, why green?”

“Green is the contrast to red. Although I should add some red details in so it’s not overwhelming. Perhaps some blue to compliment the red,” Rarity remarked, sketching in a some patterns off to the side. “And perhaps I could do something involving ice. He did freeze his paw afteral.”

“True.” Note to self remember to ask him how he froze air.

--------------氷狐--------------

Two days. They couldn’t just keep the original date? Kori thought as he walked into the cottage, Fluttershy lying on the floor with a book. I guess that means I won’t have to wait as long. Though I’d rather wait forever then have to go sooner.

“Hey, Kori,” Fluttershy beamed as she noticed Kori. “How was it?”

“Good,” He moaned, laying on the couch expecting a certain squirrel to lay ontop of him. What he got was a silent cottage without an animal in sight. “Where are the animals?”

“They’re either sleeping or they went south for the winter. Is something wrong?”

“No. I’m fine as always,” Kori muttered turning away from her as he tried to drift to sleep.

“Are you sure?” she said, walking over to stand by the couch. “As always?”

“I’m fine,” Nothing that she should be concerned with. I’m only going to be here another day anyways.

“Okay,” she whispered, glancing out the window to see the sun reaching the horizon. “Good night.”

“Yeah,” Kori whispered in response, closing his eyes as he felt his mind wander. Atleast I’m safe here. Last night wasn’t real. I was tired and saw something when there was nothing.

Whether it was a few minutes or a few hours he didn’t know. All he knew was that he had been laying awake unable to sleep as the shadows covered him.

I just want to sleep. Is that to much to ask for? Kori moaned as he rolled off the couch and started towards the stairs. Grabbing a blanket off the chair as he did.

“Fluttershy?” he whispered as he reached the top of the stairs.

“Hm? What is it Kori?” Fluttershy yawned as she half consciously glanced at Kori.

“Can I sleep up here?”

“Sure,” she mumbled, scooting to a side of the bed as she did.

“Thanks,” Kori muttered as he slipped up under the sheets and laid with his head pressed into Fluttershy’s shoulder. Fluttershy lifting one of her hooves as Kori slid into her embrace. Her pink mane covering his face as he drifted to sleep.

“Still a fluffy toddler.”

“M’n nt a tdlr.”

Author's Note:

It's done! I'm having trouble think of a name for this so if anyone has a suggestion let me know.

Comments

[The Number Pie]

THE REFERENCES
Love the chapter like how I always do :p
I was going to add a video where a guy exclaims
"ITS BEAUTIFUL" but curse this infernal mobile
So have a moustache instead

[ShatterCore]

And a new update....
Perfect.
Had to read the initial encounter with Chrysalis twice.
Purely because I didn't realize who it was until her name was said.
Because of my suggestion, I am not sure whether or not the other fox was real or not.
I had been wondering about Kori's magic, now I know.

Bleh, can't find a good meme.

I await updates

[Kori Kitsune]

3449952
All shall be revealed in due time.
3448815
I should make a game of identifying references... Meh, maybe next time.

[Kori Kitsune]

3485096
Where do sick animals go other than Fluttershy's place?