For the hundredth time since they had left Canterlot, Princess Twilight wondered why she had ever thought this was a good idea, as she looked around the clearing. "Are you sure about this, Pearl? I see nothing here, nor any sign there ever was anything here."
Pearl nodded with a huff as she looked around as well. "I know this is it This is where we came out. But where's the damn hole!? They just don't disappear like that. Even I know that."
Twilight nodded as she looked at the ground. There was no sign there had ever been an underground passage that came up here. In fact, it was flat all around them. In the distance, they could see Canterlot and the smoke that still rose from the city. The armada has since departed. Pushing out her earth pony magic, she felt nothing amiss. Only the strange magic that infused every part of the Everfree Forest.
Looking around again, Twilight frowned. This place was old. Very old. She could feel it in the air. They were deep in the Everfree now. Far deeper than she had ever gone before. She shook her head with a sigh. "Be that as it may, we cannot stay here, Pearl. No matter how beautiful it is."
Pearl sighed as her wings dipped. "I know. Maybe I am losing it. Going through all of that tends to do that to ponies. But, and I don't know why. I feel safe here. Like nothing could hurt me. Or if it did, it would be the last thing it ever did. But why? None of this makes any sense. And I can't blame Discord for it. Why the hay would anything in the Everfree care about me, except as a light snack maybe."
Twilight nodded, for she too could feel something in the air. It did not extend its protection to her, however. Whatever it was. "Perhaps. I will be much happier once we get to the edge of the forest, however. I do not like this. Something is very wrong here. In a way that I cannot explain."
Pearl nodded, as Twilight draped a wing over her, and they began to retrace their steps. "I just hope whatever was following us is long gone now. I really don't want to meet whatever it was."
Twilight sighed. From the moment they had entered the Everfree Forest, something had been following them. Occasionally, she would catch glimpses out of the corner of her eyes of something shadowing them, but when she turned to look, it had vanished. And even Pearl had seen the same things.
Yet to her, the shape had been more distinct. It was a nine-tailed fox. But that wasn't possible. No fox got that big, let alone have nine tails. She chalked it up to just seeing things, or she needed way more sleep than she had.
Before they had gone too far, however, a loud rustling noise behind them caused them to halt and turn to see what had caused it, for there was no wind. What they saw made their hearts clench in fear and awe.
A large nine-tailed fox stood watching them intently. Its body seemed to be made out of the forest itself, while its amber markings seemed to glow from some hidden source. It eyed them with the watchful patience of a predator.
Twilight heard Pearl gulp in fear and pulled the Pegasus close. "Do not make any sudden moves. We run, and I do not know what my magic can do against it."
The fox stretched with a purr before coming over to them and sniffing them. It seemed especially interested in Pearl. "You are a long way from home, Princess Twilight. And I mean you no harm."
Twilight blinked. For something so large and fierce-looking, its voice was surprisingly young. "How do I know that? Who are you? What are you? I have never seen anything like you before, and I have seen a lot in my life."
The fox smiled, exposing its fangs. "You would never have made it this into my forest if I wished either of you harm. I am the guardian of the Everfree. It is my universe. Nothing happens in here that I do not know about. Everything that lives here obeys my commands, whether spoken or not. Call me Forestsong if you must use a name. And you would not find my kind in any history or book. We prefer the solitude to mortal kind."
Pearl felt something in her heart tug at that name. How did she know it? And why did it feel like she knew him? Rather well in fact. She shook the thoughts away. "You were the one following us, weren't you? What makes us so special? Most ponies don't even come into the Everfree."
Forestsong nodded. "Indeed. And I prefer it that way. Most ponies take far more from the land than they ever give back. The Apple family is one exception, and I have always enjoyed their produce." He smiled widely. "Whether they know it or not. And one Pegasus some years ago who lived by the edge. I always loved her singing."
Twilight's breath hitched at the memory. "Fluttershy. She used to say that she sometimes felt like someone was watching her from the forest. But it never felt threatening. That was you wasn't it?"
He nodded. "Yes. I never showed myself for fear that might scare her away for good. I am glad she never once stopped helping animals until her very last breath. And now I must thank you, Princess Twilight. I know what was threatened to be unleashed, for I remember when the Great Necromancer created it."
Twilight frowned. "The Life Eater? Yes. I have made sure it will never be found. I question how they could have found as much as they did. I had thought most of it had been found. I was wrong apparently."
Pearl rolled her eyes. "Wait. How do you know about all of that?" Her eyes widened in shock after a moment as something clicked in her mind. "You. You were the one who lead me and my family out of Canterlot and down here."
Forestsong nodded. "That was me. The others escaped safely I assume? I did not pay much attention to them."
Pearl nodded, before poking him with an annoyed scowl. "But why me? What makes me stand out? I don't know you, and you have no reason to care about me. So why?"
Twilight face hooved with a groan, while Forestsong looked surprisingly nonplused about the reaction. Pearl didn't care. "You don't exactly strike me as someone who cares too much about ponies. And here you are, singling me out, and nopony else. None of the others saw the path. But my family and I did."
For a moment, he didn't respond, and Twilight feared that her student had overdone it once more. But she too was curious as to why Forestsong had done this. This seemed far outside of something that he would do.
"You remind me of a very good friend of mine from long ago," Forestsong finally replied. He smiled at some long-ago memory. "I would almost say the two of you are twins, you are so alike. She passed from this world many centuries ago."
Pearl's hooves went to her mouth, and even Twilight's ears fell. "I'm so sorry," Twilight whispered.
He shook his head. "Don't be. She lived a full and happy life, and we remained friends until she drew her final breath. My family believed I wasted my time on one pony, but I do not regret it in the slightest."
Pearl blinked. She hadn't expected all of that to be honest. "Okay. So I look like someone you used to know. Sure, why not. Not like my life can get any weirder. But why now of all times?"
Forestsong glared towards Canterlot, and the two backed up as he growled. "I have little love for most ponies. Perhaps it was nostalgia for a friend I can never have again, or Sumie got to me more than I thought."
"Sumie?" Pearl asked, scratching her head
He smiled widely. "My mate, Tsunami Rose. The spirit of the river that runs through my forest."
Twilight's eyes widened in shock. "An eastern dragon lives here in Equestria? And I didn't know about it?!"
Forestsong gave her a look. "And what would you know of it, princess?"
Twilight stood her ground, however. "We have had intermittent contact with several eastern dragon clans, but nothing ever came of them beyond several gifts sent in friendship." Her eyes narrowed as she suddenly remembered something. "Now that I think of it, there have been reports for centuries of ponies getting lost in the Everfree, and being led to safety by a very large shadow fox, or an amber willow-o-the-wisp, No one believed them when they said so, however."
Forestsong smiled widely. "Oh yes. Despite what I may think of most ponies, those who enter my forest and mean it no harm have nothing to fear. I lead them back out again in time. Those who come to harm it, however, never leave. Or in one piece at least."
Twilight growled. This explained so much. Many ponies had tried to get her to raise the forest entirely, but she had always refused. Some of those same ponies had then decided to do it themselves. Very few of them had ever returned, and those who did were broken and insane beyond any ability to cure.
Pearl rolled her eyes. Nerds. "So what. Just because I look like an old friend of yours, it's supposed to mean something to me?" Her ears fell as he slunk back. "Look. I'm grateful you protected me and my family. I really am. But I am not her. No matter what I might look like. I won't be your friend for something I'm not."
Her heart dropped as Forestsong's tails drooped. Damn it all. "But maybe I can be your friend being myself." She smirked. "You look like you need a friend as it is. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to learn more about you and everything around here."
Twilight smiled at her student, proud of her, and even Forestsong seemed energized at the idea. "I like that. It gets lonely after a while, and onee-chan always said I needed more friends my age."
Pearl rolled her eyes. "Aren't you millennia old or something? You don't need someone my age as a friend I would think."
Forestsong just smirked. "I grew older. Growing up was optional. Don't tell me you don't act the same way sometimes?"
Pearl puffed her cheeks in indignation, while Twilight burst into laughter. Ooh. He was finding a way to get under her skin something fierce. "Laugh it up, princess. See if I come on time for my lessons from now on."
Twilight wiped her tears with a wing after a moment. "I am sorry, Pearl. But he is right." She turned and bowed. "I am sorry for the intrusion, Forestsong. Pearl was rather insistent on coming out here today. I am glad she was, however. But now we must take our leave. I'm just not sure how we'll get out."
Forestsong nodded, as the forest parted behind the pair. "Follow this path. It will lead you to the edge of my forest. Do not go off of it. I can guarantee your safety to the edge. Step off, and you deserve whatever might happen."
Twilight and Pearl gulped but nodded. Putting a wing on her student, Twilight began to lead them out of the Everfree and towards civilization. Once, Pearl looked back, but Forestsong had been swallowed up by the trees, and she could no longer see the clearing.
But she could feel him all around them, keeping them safe from the creatures that would not hesitate to attack them otherwise. And as annoying as he had been, she was glad for it.
Forestsong watched as Pearl and Twilight finally reached the forest's edge, greeted by Celestia and Luna. What was said, he did not listen to, but after a time, the group vanished in a flash of teleportation.
Right before they did, however, Pearl looked right at him, even though she couldn't see him, and smiled. It brought a smile to his face as well. This day had been perfect. The princess being here had been a surprise. But he also should have expected it. This was her student after all, and no teacher would let her student do something this dangerous alone. In the end, though, it had been worth it. And maybe, just maybe. The cycle could continue.
For all they had once been long ago, Kohaku Forestsong hoped so.
Author's Note
First I need to thank Valtyrian for letting me continue to use his character. A lot of this was inspired by a PM we've been going on. I won't say too much now. But there is more to Pearl's resemblance to Kohaku's old friend than she knows.
