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.”
Redheart opened her eyes and sat up to see Puzzle missing. “Puzzle?” She slides out of the bed and movement in the house. “Puzzle?” she walked out of the bedroom and turned the corner into the kitchen to see Puzzle eating one of apples in a basket that was on the counter. “Oh Puzzle…” Puzzle looked at her and smiled.
“Redheart.” He said and he said her name without trouble. His stomach growled and returned to eat the apples in the basket. She smiled and opened the fridge to pull out the salad last night which she made him. He stopped eating the apple and went to the bowel than lightly sniffed the salad. Redheart didn’t understand why he was sniffing the food but after sniffing he ate the salad happily and she smiled.
“You quite hungry fellow.” Redheart said and petted his mane. “But you are full grown stallion.” He finished the salad and returned to eating the apples. She took one of the apples and held it to him to get his attention. “Apple.” He titled his head and she pointed to the apple. “Apple.”
“A-A…” He stuttered and she mouth ‘apple’. “A-A-Apppppp…” She nodded and mouthed it once more. “Appppple.” She nodded and mouthed it once more. “Apple.” She smiled and nodded making him eat the apple out of her hoof. She smiled and he shook his head than his whole body. He trotted away and she followed him into the bedroom where he lay on the bed asleep. “While you sleep I’ll shower.” She went to the bathroom and started up the shower. She put her hoof in first founding it too cold and changed it warmer than got it in. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the water pouring down her but the water slowed down. She opened her eyes and turned completely red as right beside her was Puzzle. “P-PUZZLE!” She yelled but Puzzle was focus on the water and she could hear low rumbling sound from his throat. “Puzzle?”
“Ature'snay earstay.” Puzzle said and Redheart froze. Puzzle shook his head than his body and Redheart shook her head.
“What did you say?” Redheart said and he stepped out of the shower. “Hey wait!” She didn’t go far to see Puzzle drinking out of the toilet. “NO!” She grabbed his tail and pulled on it making him stop. He looked at her and she filled with the sink with water. He went to it and started to drink out of the sink. “Geez…you’re more like a dog…” She grabbed a towel and started to dry him off. Once done drying him off she dried herself off and saw he finished drinking out of the sink. He licked his lips and wagged his tail happily. “A very big gently dog…Come on let’s go out to stretch those legs of yours.” She tied her hair up in a bun and when finished Puzzle pulled out the hair elastic out. “Hey!” She used different elastic to put her hair in a bun and once again Puzzle pulled out the hair elastic. She looked at Puzzle and she made forward movement causing Puzzle to run. She chased after him and he opened the door without knowledge or that he watched her open from yesterday. “Get back here!” She called out and ran after him and he turned around a corner. She followed around the corner he turned but stopped as she didn’t see him, “What?” She walked down the street slowly and wondering how she lost fully grown stallion in the wide open street with little places to hide.
“Hey!” Redheart heard Spike’s voice and went over to see Puzzle eating some roses that Spike was holding. “Those are for Rarity!” Redheart walked over and tugged hard on Puzzle’s tail and he stopped eating the roses but it was too late. “Redheart you know this guy?”
“Yes, he the stallion Fluttershy and Zecora found yesterday.” Redheart said and looked at Puzzle who was chewing.
“Oh right, Fluttershy was telling Twilight something like that.” Spike said. “I think Twilight was looking up memory finder spell or something.” Redheart’s ear flickered and looked at Puzzle. “She may have found it by now. By the way you look good with your mane down.”
“Thank you spike.” She said and smiled. She tugged on Puzzle’s tail and he followed her as she walked to the Twilight’s home. Redheart knocked on the door and opened the door to see Twilight at her desk with tons of books out. “Twilight?”
“Huh?” Twilight looked up and saw Redheart and Puzzle. “What luck I was looking for memory recover spell.” Twilight stretched her wings and smiled. “So this is the stallion Fluttershy spoke of?”
“Ye-” Redheart was interrupted as Puzzle walked to Twilight with confused look and circled around her. Puzzle touched her wings and sniffing Twilight’s wings. “Puzzle!”
“It’s alright, I bet this is new to him, seeing an alicorn.” Twilight said and Puzzle moved to her horn.
“Twilight, can you have a spell to see how much memories he has before using the restoring memory spell?” Redheart asked. “We think he has no memories because he doesn’t speak English or zebra.”
“True…Alright,” Twilight said and her horn glowed making Puzzle flinch. Her horn touched his forehead and in few seconds a mysterious force sent Twilight into the wall.
“Twilight?!” Redheart panicked and rushed over to Twilight as she was covered up in books that fell off the shelves when she hit the wall. “Are you okay?” Twilight groaned and pushed the books off her.
“Aystay outway ofway ymay indmay!” Puzzle said and Redheart looked over to Puzzle seeing his eyes were glowing a bright yellow.
“Ummm…Puzzle?” Redheart asked and he closed his eyes than opened them showing they were back to their golden yellow. He walked to Redheart and nuzzled her. “Really? Going try to cover that speaking with cute nuzzling?” His ear flickered and he looked to the kitchen. “What?”
“Apple.” He said and walked into the kitchen. Twilight moved from the pile of books on her and using her magic put them away.
“Redheart close your eyes.” Twilight said and Redheart closed her eyes as Twilight requested. Redheart felt Twilight’s horn on her forehead and in the darkness of her close eyes a picture started to form. The picture was blurry at first but slowly cleared up and Redheart noticed the picture noticed it was not a picture but film moving very slowly.
“Osirisway, atwhay areway ouyay oingday illysay allionstay?” A voice asked that sound familiar and it was the film talking. It became clear as it showed earth mare with dark blue coat and light blue mane and tail. Her eyes sparkled like stars and they were bluer then the sea. She turned to another voice and making her cutie mark clear as crest moon with black blocky background. Redheart gasped and back up from Twilight.
“That…but…Luna…what?” Redheart asked and completely confused in how Princess Luna as earth pony be in Puzzle’s memory. “Ho-” A loud crash came from the kitchen and out of instincts Redheart rushed to the kitchen. She stopped and her mouth dropped as she saw the mess he caused in few seconds. There was flower throw around the room, all the food in the fridge on the floor or eaten and crushed gems on the floor. Pans were on the ground and Puzzle’s head was covered in flower. “Oh…my…”
“Oh…wow…” Twilight said and Puzzle wagged his tail. “He was hungry…and…I think I’ll report about his memory to Princess Celestia…I’ll get Spike to clean this up…”
“I’m sorry…” Redheart said and walked over to Puzzle. She gave him mother angry face and he lowered his head as well his ear. She light tugged on his tail and led him out of the kitchen. “Twilight do you have any children teaching books?”
“Yes, going try teach him how to speak english?” Twilight asked and Redheart nodded. Twilight used her magic and teleport books despaired. “I just teleport them to your home, I thought that be easier being you didn’t bring saddle bags.”
“Thank you, Twilight.” Redheart bowed lightly and led Puzzle to her home to get him cleaned up. She opened the door to her home and this time he ducked for the door frame. “Fast learner, good.” She enters the house and closed the door behind her. Redheart led him to bathroom and turned on the shower. Without question he enter the shower and enjoyed the warm water hitting his body and before entering to help him there was knock on the door. “Stay here.” She went to the front door and opened the door to see three stallions.
The one in the middle was a unicorn with doctor’s lap coat and he had clipboard with him. His coat was gray and his mane and tail was brown. His eyes were green and his cutie mark was clipboard. The other two were in white male nurse outfits and strong build. “We are here for that stallion one of the mane six found yesterday.” The doctor said. “I’m Doctor Mindscrew, from the Psychiatric hospital of Canterlot.”
“Come back when you have paper w-” One of the male nurses held the door open to prevent Redheart closing the door. Dr. Mindscrew used his magic to showing paper work and Redheart turned pale.
“Move now.” Dr. Mindscrew said and the other stallion pushed Redheart causing her to fall over. The fall knocked the air out of her and she had hard time to breath as she heard them taking Puzzle and him fighting with them. Redheart finally caught her breath and got up to find they were already gone. Tears started to flow down her cheeks and the sun slowly setting and the full moon rising up. She knew she wouldn’t be able to catch them or even take Puzzle away as they had the paper work to take him. She closed the door and slowly went to her bed. She slides under her bed covers and he keep crying until she fell asleep.
~~~
Redheart opened her eyes and they were red from crying in her sleep. She sat up and her eyes widen as she saw at the foot of her bed was Puzzle asleep. “Puzzle?” Redheart yelled and Puzzle panic wake up causing to fail and fall off the bed. “Oh no…” She got out of the bed and Puzzle looked at her. He stood up and nuzzled her making her smiled. “Wait how did you get ba-” There was loud thump sound from the front door and she knew it was the paper but Puzzle walked over to the door. Redheart followed and opened the top part of the door allowing him to look outside. She looked outside and grabbed the paper while she did. There was loud rumbling sound come from Puzzle and she looked at him as he looked at her.
“Apple?” He asked and smiled. She led him to the table and put the paper on the table.
“Sit down.” She tapped on the ground and he sat down where she tapped. He titled his head and she went to the kitchen. After few minutes she brought back one plate full of apples, another full of grass and the last one with scrambled eggs. He didn’t wait and started to eat the apples messy. She sat down and opened the paper and first thing that catches her eyes was ‘Beast Escapes Psychiatric hospital of Canterlot’. She scrolled down and started to read what the article was talking about.
Night security guards and Dr. Mindscrew have calmed a patient turned into a big beast and it escape the hospital after midnight. The patient was omitted to the hospital last night and nurses say he was very violent with staff and spatting out random words. After being put away in his cell the night security guards said he was calm bit too long and so Dr. Mindscrew went to check up on the patient. Quote from Dr. Mindscrew, ‘I opened the door to see blinding green light and thrown throat a window to land on rose bush’ and after that he saw something jump out the broken window and landed running away from the hospital.
The night security guards rushed to the door flying off the cell door to find something on the fallen door. They described it the shape of big earth pony with shape of male alicorn but it had dog like paws. Its coat was blacker then the darkest night, eyes glowed brighter than the moon, and claws and teeth larger than six inches. It had long tail bushy and he let out blood curdling howling before it jumped out of the window…’
Redheart looked up from the paper and looked to Puzzle who wasn’t there. “Puzzle?” She said and heard light snoring from the bed. She walked to the bedroom to see him asleep on the bed and she smiled. “Sleep you puzzling stallion.” She heard knocking at the door and walked to the door. She opened up the door a bit enough to see outside and her eyes widen to see the Princess of the night.
“Nurse Redheart, we need to talk.” Prince Luna said.
Author's Note
Doing some fine tuning and going different direction instead of going grim reaper.
