Cherry awoke to a gasp from someone in front of him. He opened his eyes (The bright lights of the room hurt and he squinted, everything seeming like a colorful blob at first) and saw the vet standing in front of the cage door. She had a horrified look on her face.
“Jesus! Who did this to you?!” The vet exclaimed. Cherry cracked open one swollen eye and responded.
“M-Meanie wed fwuffy do dis to Chewwy. Wed fwuffy huwt babbeh too. P-Pwease… Hewp babbeh!” Cherry sniffled. He could taste blood.
“Shit-” The vet scooped both Cherry and Sprinkles out of the cage, which awakened the rusty red earthie. The earthie began to snarl after them, hurling insults.
“Dats wight, yoo get out! Babbeh am wucky dummeh unicown was dewe to sabe yoo!”
The vet whirled on the red fluffy. “Shut the FUCK up! You’re lucky I don’t euthanize you right now!” She yelled.
The red fluffy flinched and backed up, smartly falling silent. The vet took Cherry to the examination table and set him down. Cherry shivered at the cold metal and held the foal up off of it, setting her on his back. Sprinkles cooed and fell back asleep, snoring softly. Cherry felt his heart melt. He wanted to raise foals. He wanted a special friend.
But… He didn’t want a mare for some reason? He thought of Switchy and his heart thumped in his chest. His head was clouded by thoughts of the large alicorn as the vet examined him.
“Heartbeat’s a bit fast, but other than the external injuries and that horn, you should be okay. No lasting effects besides, uh…” The vet leaned down, petting Cherry’s mane. “Buddy, I need you to know something. In order for you to get better, your horn needs to be taken away.”
Cherry jolted, his dreamy thoughts shattered by the news. “B-But Chewwy nee’ hown! Fow make magic fow famiwy!” Cherry choked. His eyes once again teared up. He’d been crying a lot the last few days. The salty water dripped down his cheeks as he softly sobbed.
“I know buddy… I know.”
After a few hours Sprinkles had been taken home by her owner, and Cherry’s horn had been shaved down in surgery to a stub that was barely there. He’d unluckily broken it off nearly at the base. Cherry whimpered. What was Switchy going to think of him now? Was he going to reject him like his birth mother had?
He sat in the waiting room on a chair, hanging his head when the bell over the entryway door jingled.
“Hi, I’m here to pick up Cherry?” He heard a familiar and beloved voice ask. His owner! He leapt down from the chair, his hooves slipping on the tile floor as he sped to his father figure.
“BWIAN! CHEWWY AM HEWE! MISSED YOO SU MUCH!” He practically slammed into Brian’s leg, and Brian scooped him up.
“Oh geez buddy, what happened? You’re a little more beat up than I remember you being.”
“Ah, he had a really unfortunate run-in with an aggressive fluffy in the kennels; We treated him for those wounds already, free of charge.” The person at the front desk said.
“Ah. Thank you.” Brian gazed down at his fluffy. “Did you start the fight, Cherry?” Brian asked, raising a brow.
“Nu! Meanie fwuffy was huwtin babbeh, su Chewwy protect babbeh!”
Brian’s eyes lit up. “You protected a foal? Good boy!” He ruffled Cherry’s mane and winced at the pained yelp that flew from Cherry’s lips. “Sorry buddy, I’m not used to you having that injury; I forgot.”
“Is otay, Bwian! Chewwy wuv yoo!”
Brian grinned happily and hugged the alicorn tight. “I love you too, buddy. Now let’s get out of here."
(Sorry for the short chapter! Life’s been hectic and writer’s block has been a bitch. The series finale is on the way!)
Next chapter: Cherry and Brian, Chapter 13: Reprociated Feelings and Petrified Premonitions
