My Little Pony: The Life and Times of Forestsong

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes and looked up at the creature who was now over her body. Taking a long look at him, she saw that the creature was male, definitely a male. And taking note of how he was standing over her the way he was, while she laid under him, her blush turned as red as an apple. Her thoughts were all jumbled together. She didn’t know what to think. With her heavy breathing she gulped and without warning, passed out completely. The last thought in her head, that whispered out of her quivering lips was, “Oh please let this just be a nightmare. Luna.. help..” Then darkness.

Kohaku blinked several times. The young mare had just passed out under him. This was certainly a first for him. Sighing softly, he sat down and just looked at her. He did catch some what she said, but from what he gathered she didn’t speak in ponish, or at least the ponish he knew. The only word he understood was “Luna”. And that was a word he was familiar with. Looking up at the moon, he let out a soft sigh.

“Oh, mother moon, what am I to do?” Kohaku whispered to himself as he looked up at the moon he revered so deeply. He couldn’t understand her, and if that was the case, she probably didn’t understand him. Looking back over his shoulder at the campsite, he shook his head. He could take her back, but given her reaction, they might have a similar one. And he certainly couldn’t just leave her here in the open chilled air.

Looking up into the sky, he still saw the dark shaded clouds overhead that were repeatedly covering and uncovering the moon, and the sound of thunder in the distance. It was going to rain. Now he certainly couldn’t leave her outside. His mind made up, laying down, the young kitsune wrapped his three tails around her body and with a few huffs rolled her onto his back. Standing up, he felt his legs quiver under the added weight.

“She’s beautiful, but certainly not light.” Sniffing the air he gave a light purr, feeling himself get slightly aroused. “Oh wow, she smells amazing, no no no,” Kohaku said shaking his head quickly as raindrops started to fall onto his head. “Don’t think about that, gotta get her inside.”

Struggling, he tried to keep his prepubescent mind on task as he walked around the lake and past the waterfall side into the hidden cave were his room was. Reaching it just as the heavy rains started to fall.

Sweetie Belle slowly opened her eyes, unsure of how long she had been out cold. She was pleasantly surprised to find that she was still alive. As her vision came back to her and everything cleared up, the first sight she saw was wooden beams and what looked like a ceiling covered with a set of paper lanterns hanging over head. A soft colored light shining around them, she felt the warmth of a plush blanket over her body.

She realized that she was inside, but it didn’t look like her tent, unless Rarity had done a sudden far eastern decoration while she had been asleep. And knowing her sister that might have just have happened. Closing her eyes she came to the decision that it was all just a dream. No way could she have met a creature like that, perhaps that story of Rainbow Dash scared her more than she thought. She was just glad that the nightmare was now over.

Laying back more she felt her head up against something fuzzy, warm, and apparently purring. Since she knew of no pillow that purred, and Opal wasn’t with them, she became rather startled. Opening her eyes, she looked down. Her blanket wasn’t this thick, or furry. She was covered in what appeared to be in tails, three of them. A fearful shiver came over her body. Gulping, she felt her heartbeat and breathing quicken.

Turning her head, she saw the creature, and apparently where she was. She was in bed, but it wasn’t hers, and this bed was huge. Larger than even her sister’s bed. He was laid out on his belly, his paws folded over each other and his nose practically buried in a book, paying more attention to it then her. While she was laid up against his side with his tails over her body like a blanket.

Panic struck the young mare as she kicked and rolled, practically screaming at the top of her lungs as she rolled over and tripped and fell off the bed. Dashing into the next room, she looked around when she heard something from behind her. Turning around, she saw the unknown creature looking at her softly. His amber eyes shimmered in the light of the lanterns.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Kohaku said softly, keeping his voice low and gentle. “You scared me out there, passing out like that.”

Sweetie Belle blinked lightly. He was talking, of that she was certain. He wasn’t speaking in ponish, but it did sound familiar to her. “Um.. huh?” was all that she could say. Her breathing still rather quick but as her head cleared, she looked around a little.

Kohaku just watched her look around, taking in her new surroundings as he closed his book, keeping his paws folded on top of it.

“I’m not sure if you can understand me, but please don’t panic.” Keeping himself on that bed, he let her have free reign over his room. “This is my room, I'm not going to hurt you.”

Her breathing was now a lot easier, as she heard him talking. He was talking in a language unfamiliar to her, but she swore she had heard it before. But where could she have?

Looking around she saw a large set of windows and moved over to them. From those windows, she saw the campsite, the three tents, the lake, everything. And it was raining heavily. Looking back toward the bed, she blinked.

Did he bring me here out of the rain? Had she been caught in it, she could have been hurt, or caught an illness. Or even slid down into the lake and… no, she didn’t want to think about that.

Turning back to the windows, she thought back to her fear of him out there by the lake. Her hoof bumped into something under the windows and looked down. There in front of her was a set of four plush creatures that looked vaguely similar to him. But each had a different set of tails and were worn out from play and hugs. Turning her head back to the bed she walked around the room. It was certainly more exotic than other rooms she’s been in.

“Those are mine, they look like my sisters,” he said tenderly. Not wanting to startle her more, he remained on the bed, despite his hind legs starting to cramp up.

Turning back to the male on the bed, she heard him speak again, catching a word that sounded similar to “sisters”. Looking at him, Sweetie Belle moved closer. He WAS speaking ponish, just not the ponish she spoke. Then the young mare realized she had heard that language before. It was old ponish, the word for sisters hadn't changed much between the two languages. She had learned a bit of it during her magic lessons with Twilight Sparkle, but couldn’t speak it.

“I’m sorry, I.. I can’t understand you, ” she muttered softly and looked down.

Kohaku smiled, he saw that sparkle of recognition in her eyes. Slowly moving from the bed he moved in closer as he saw her head bow down.

Okay, she heard me. It’s a start, but how to go from here? Her words mean as much to me as mine do to her, he thought to himself. They couldn’t talk to each other but he hoped they could communicate somehow. Stopping once he got as close as he could, his paws now directly under her field of vision, he purred a little to get her attention.

Sweetie Belle saw those amber paws appear and then looked up. The sound of the purring she had heard earlier caught her attention and she saw now that it came from him. She looked nervously into those bright amber eyes. Gulping loudly, she sat down. Despite having been unconscious earlier, she was tired. This night was certainly taking a lot out of her young body. Looking at the creature she just smiled as she heard him speak again, only now with gestures.

“I know you can’t understand, but my name is Kohaku.” he said and put a paw on his chest then taped his chest and repeated his name again “Kohaku”

While didn’t understand the words she did understand his gestures. He was introducing himself. Moving in, she put a hoof over his paw and muttered questioningly, “Kohaku?” And was pleased to see him nod with a smile. That was his name. Thinking back to what had gone on earlier that night, hearing that name in her head she realized that he had been just trying to introduce himself to her. He wasn’t trying to hurt her, or scare her, or even devour her. That was just the figment of her imagination fueled by that scary story Rainbow Dash had told them earlier that evening.

Oh, how could I have been so scared of him? Sweetie bell thought looking at Kohaku.

Sweetie Belle felt ashamed of herself as she let out a soft sigh. That one little realization had purged her of her fears. Taking a deep breath, she looked up and smiled at Kohaku. While she didn’t know what he was, she now knew who he was. Taking his paw with her hoof she put it on her chest and looked into his eyes “Sweetie Belle” She said slowly, hoping he would understand as she did now.

“Sweetie Belle” Kohaku repeated and was glad to see her smile. Now that I know her name, time to explain a few things. She still has to be confused, particularly about how long she’s been here. Oh! I know, where did I put that journal? Thinking to himself, he looked about and moved over to his bookshelf. His eyes scanned over it casually. Reaching out with his paw he pulled out a worn journal. Gripping it in his teeth he walked back over to the mare. Dropping it to the ground, he grabbed an ink bottle off the desk in the corner and put it next to the journal.

Sweetie Belle smiled. They were communicating. Simply, but still communication. She watched as he walked over to a rather impressive bookshelf. Sitting there, she began thinking to herself.

He must be looking for something, a book on communication perhaps? - a soft giggle escaped her lips - It’s certainly something Twilight Sparkle would do, when it doubt, consult a book. He must be the same. But her thought quickly went south when he dropped a journal in front of her and it flopped open to an empty page. Then he sat an ink bottle down and watched him uncover one of his claws, which was as dark brown as oak bark. Now what is he going to do? While she wasn’t scared of him, she was a little nervous about that claw.

Kohaku dipped his claw, into the ink and began to draw upside down slowly, first he drew a picture of a sleeping pony, then two clock faces, one at 10 and the other at midnight. He pointed to her, then to the pony drawing.

Sweetie Belle watched him draw on that journal page. His artwork was very unique. She had seen far eastern drawings before, but had never seen anyone draw one in front of her. Blinking, she watched his paw point to her and then the picture of the sleeping pony he had drawn. She looked to the side at the clock faces and blinked.

“Two hours? I have only been here two hours?” she asked as she pointed to the clock and then herself, and watched as his head nodded in acknowledgement. Having been gone for such a short time she was certain nobody would know she was missing, as everyone would still be asleep. Letting out a soft sigh, she turned around and walked the length of the room several times before moving to the windows and looking outside of them. She wondered where this place could be because she could hear the waterfall just past the closed door near by, but could also see it clearly in the window as if looking at it from a different angle.

Are these magic windows, maybe? Letting out another sigh she just sat down and looked out them. It’s still way too dangerous to go out there, I could slip and fall, or lose my way with how little light there is. I’m going to have to stay here with him, at least until it’s safe to get back to camp. But for how long? Sis wakes not too long after sunrise and she’ll definitely notice me missing.

Looking off to the side when she saw Kohaku move in closer but slip on the journal, apparently looking more at her then where he was walking. A giggle escaped her lips. He’s a klutz, a cute one too. Hmmm, what’s this? A small green ball, the size of a baseball, popped off the bandanna around his neck and rolled over toward her, bumping into her hoof.

Putting her hoof down so it wouldn’t roll away, she looked up and smiled at him. She thought she might see gratitude in his eyes, but all she saw was fear. She knew that look, it was the same look she had given him the moment they first met. As quick as a flash he got up and slid down in front of her, his two front paws on either side of the small bright green ball. It did shock her, but nothing more so than what happened next.

“Give it back. Please. Oh, please give it back. I’ll do anything. Please!” He said, panicking and silently cursing himself for being such a klutz, he should have been watching where he had been going rather then the beautiful mare in front of him.

Sweetie Belle blinked and sat up straighter. What shocked her wasn’t so much what he said, but the fact that she could understand it, every word.

“I… I can hear you. What you just said, I understood you,” Sweetie Belle said, keeping her hoof on the small green ball and against his two paws.

“Please, just….” Blinking, Kohaku looked up as his mouth slightly opened. He understood what she had said. How was that possible? She certainly didn’t speak the same ponish he did. Looking down he saw that her hoof was just barely touching the green sphere he was trying to retrieve. “You can understand what I'm saying now?” Blinking rapidly, he momentarily forgot about the sphere

“Yes, and I'm not going to keep your ball, I like dolls more,” she said softly. “I just didn’t want it to roll away. I guess it’s important to you? A special keepsake?” the young mare said as she just sat there smiling.

“Sorta..” Kohaku said as he sat up. Looking at the ball then up to her, he kept one paw on it, touching her hoof and the sphere at the same time. Then slapped his head with his free front paw and muttered “Baka!” Idiot in his natural language. How could he have been so absent minded, so stupid? His sisters had taught him this. Just touching the sphere could let any race understand him, and in turn, he would understand them. “Yeah. I'm sorry, it’s very important. I’ve had it since I was born. A gift from my parents,” Kohaku said softly, as he looked at her

“Oh, I'm sorry again, here” she said, rolling the ball back to him. “But, why can I understand you now?” The young mare was confused, as she felt the ball being pushed back under her hoof, by his paw. If he had been so adamant about getting it back, why was he now putting it back under her hoof?

“It’s okay, and this is what’s allowing us to talk. I speak in my language and you in yours. Think of it like a magical translator,” Kohaku said calmly. It was a small lie about what it really was, but it served his purpose. Sense his paw was now on it more firmly he didn’t mind her touching it. “I should have thought of it earlier, it’s something my sisters taught me if I ever meet someone I can’t talk to. But I was rather distracted, I didn’t think you couldn’t speak the same ponish I do.”

“No worries, Kohaku, that particular language hasn’t been spoken in several thousand years. How did you learn it?” Sweetie Belle giggled as she looked at him.

Blinking, he looked rather shocked. Several thousand years. Here it was, confirmation that he really had been asleep for that long. His breathing got heavier. Taking his paw off of the sphere, he walked back and forth, his face in a state of panic, before heading to the bed, muttering to himself in his own language all the while.

“W- why, no no it…” Crawling onto his bed he just laid there. His heart had dropped deeper than he thought it ever would. He had held out some hope that he could still see someone he knew, and remembered. It would also explain why his ‘big brother’ Starswirl wasn’t there for him, he had to have been long dead by now. Burying his head into his blankets, he wished he could cry, but no matter how much he wanted it, the tears wouldn’t come. Why, what was holding them back?

It was then he felt his green ball drop between his legs and a warm body press itself up against his.

Sweetie Belle had seen the shock and disbelief in his face. But it wasn’t the panic of someone who was scared, it was the look of someone who had just realized he had lost everyone he had ever known. She felt his paw leave the ball he had been so worried about getting back, as he turned away and muttered to himself. She couldn’t understand him now, but she could very well guess what he was saying, having seen this behavior in others, and her heart felt for him.

The young mare looked about the room. Everything was very old fashioned, and she had thought it a fashion statement but now she realized that to him, this was modern. He hadn’t just learnt old ponish, he had been alive when it had been spoken naturally. But how? He couldn't have been any older than she was, unless some kind of spell had been placed on him. Using her magic, she levitated the ball and softly walked behind him as he crawled into bed and buried his face into the blankets and pillows.

Crawling up onto the bed she saw him shudder as if he was going to cry, but he didn’t. Maybe he couldn’t, and the thought of that broke her young heart, as tears started to fall from her eyes. Dropping the ball between his legs she nuzzled herself up against him, moved his paw onto the sphere as she rested her hoof on it, next to his.

Looking up Kohaku saw that she was crying, and looking at him in a way nobody ever had before. She was crying because he couldn’t, he felt her hoof over his paw over the sphere. She wanted to be able to communicate with him, even if it didn’t involve talking. Biting down on his lower lip he leaned forward and buried his face into her neck as she wrapped her free front leg around his shoulder.

He was unsure how long he laid there like that with her. Moments, hours, an eternity, at that moment they were all the same. Her head nuzzled warmly on top of his head with her tears dropping down on it. When his heartbeat finally calmed down again, he took a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. They looked deeply back into his. He had been with girls in this kind of situation before. His sisters had often teased him whenever he had brought a vixen over to the temple. It always made him blush, they had been so good at it. While those vixen had always been pleasant company, he had never felt anything with them like he was feeling right now. He recalled something he had heard his big sister Kazumi say to him when he had brought home his first vixen.

“Just be careful little brother, don’t rush into anything. You’re still a young kit,” He could hear her musical voice, that motherly tone he always heard with her. She had been a mother to him for as long as he could remember. “One day you’re going to lay with a sweet vixen, someone who will hold your heart in her paws. It’ll be something special. And when she holds it, you’ll find it’ll want to be held there all the time. Only then should you give it to her. And you’ll find it’ll be the perfect moment for your first kiss.”

His breathing slightly quickened. Here she was, a pony he still barely knew. And already she held his heart tighter than anyone before her. She didn’t know him that much and yet here she was, crying for him. She touched his sphere and he no longer felt panicked, her hoof over his paw. Never had he thought he would feel this way about a pony, but why not? Kazumi certainly had. Leaning up, hesitating for only a moment, Kohaku did what he felt was natural. He leaned in and kissed Sweetie Belle lovingly on the lips, his whole heart being poured into it.

If he had suddenly vanished into thin air, she could not have been more surprised. He had kissed her, and was still kissing her. She saw his eyes and while they weren’t talking, she understood what was going on behind them. He had lost everything, everyone he ever knew. And here she was, crying for him, caring for him, caring about him. And she did care about him, and why not? He had cared for her, after all. Pulling her out of the rain when she had been unconscious. Keeping her warm and comfortable until she had woken up. He had even been patient with her when they couldn’t talk to each other, talking soothingly to her until she realized he wasn't going to hurt her.

She had always had colts wanting to kiss her, to claim her as theirs. But she didn’t want them because they only saw one thing, her body. She was as beautiful as her sister was. She didn’t want anyone who only wanted her because of how she looked. So she never thought about her first kiss with them. Only here it was, her first kiss. And it was with some creature that didn’t just look at her body, but into who she was. She had noticed that when Kohaku saw her, he didn’t see just a beautiful pony, he saw somepony worth knowing, somepony he felt was special enough to give a kiss to. And by his slight hesitation earlier, it was his first kiss as well.

If that was the case, she was going to make it a kiss worth remembering. Pushing into him she felt him roll onto his back with her on top of him. Her lips pressed tightly against his as her body rested onto his. She felt his forelegs wrap around her body as hers did the same. She was unsure of how long they stayed that like. Wrapped up in each other's limbs sharing a first that both would remember no matter how long they lived.

Neither one knew who ended the kiss, nor did they care. They just laid there together looking deeply in each others eyes a smile on their faces. Rolling onto their sides she felt him wrap two of his tails around her body like a blanket as the third dropped the green sphere between their bodies, touching them both.

As the night waned on they talked together. Each shared memories and stories about their lives. As the hours passed as Sweetie Belle started to feel her exhaustion hit her, but she wanted to stay awake. She wanted to learn more about him. Resting her head under his, she yawned wide.

“Get some sleep, Sweetie Belle, it’s only a few hours till sunrise. I’ll watch over you.” Kohaku whispered into her ears as he caressed her back.

“Will you wake me early? I want to make sure I'm in my sister’s tent before she wakes up.” The young pony whispered back.

“I promise, you’ll be back with your family before they wake. Now get some sleep. I’ll be here,” he finished and kissed her forehead just under her horn.

Sweetie Belle felt that kiss and smiled. She felt comfortable, safe and content, and wanting that night to last as long as possible. The last thing she remembered hearing before finally falling asleep was his purr resonating in her ears.