//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 - Twilight and the Kitsune // Story: Tails of Innocence // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Tails of Innocence - Chapter 16 - Twilight and the Kitsune 8 Years before Nightmare Moon’s Return Ever since she had heard the great news of Kyuubi’s recovery, Twilight couldn’t wait to finally meet this rare mythical being that no book spoke of or mentioned. And after what her mentor told her about the kitsune, her curiosity was substantially piqued. By the princess’s request, she was sitting on a pillow atop the alicorn’s bed with Spike by her side. Philomena slept in a nearby cage, not paying them any mind.  “Spike, what did I say about chewing eiderdown?” “N-no-do-it?” “That’s right,” the filly said, watching the young drake release a tip of the eiderdown, and then chew on his tail instead. Twilight rolled her eyes before examining the room. Why here? There’s no way the kitsune will fit through the door. She’ll take up around a third of the room at her current size. The door slowly opened. She blinked in surprise, staring at a five-tailed fox who was no bigger than Celestia. As both Kyuubi and the princess walked inside, she quickly compared the similarity of their snowy fur. The kitsune won in terms of fluffiness and puffiness as the battle seemed one-sided in every way. Spike released his tail from his mouth. “S-so fuffy, I wan rid h-her. C-can me?” Twilight ignored Spike’s pleading stare, too focused on examining the features of the multi-tailed creature. Kyuubi seemed identical to how she remembered her from the hospital, aside from a lack of bandages. Size-wise however...  “Princess.” “Yes, Twilight?” “I don’t want to be rude, but Miss Kyuubi seems way smaller than usual. Why’s she so small?” “She altered her appearance with an advanced version of an aging spell to make herself less intimidating,” Celestia explained. Yep. I’m also less dangerous and weaker at this size. Kyuubi nodded. “She did what!?” Twilight gasped, only for her eyes to sparkle in amazement. She stood on her rear hooves and danced in excitement before falling onto her back a moment later. “That’s amazing. I want to learn that spell!” “Once you’re older. It wouldn’t be of much use to you at your age anyway,” Celestia said before gesturing at the kitsune, her hooves, chest, and head equipped with golden regalia. “Twilight. Please, meet Kyuubi the Kitsune, my dear student. Kyuubi, meet Twilight Sparkle, my dear student.” She chuckled after finishing her sentence. H-hello. It is very n-nice to meet you. “The pleasure is all mine. I can’t believe I get to meet someone as unique and rare as you!” She jumped onto the floor and rushed towards the large fox. Despite her reduced size, the kitsune still towered over her. Of course, welcoming someone required a hoof-shake, so she did just that. The paw was heavier than she expected. “Me too!” Spike said from the edge of the bed. Twilight rounded Kyuubi’s paws, spotting a pink filly with a violet mane, but no horn was visible on her forehead. “My name’s Lily Longsock, nice to meet ya,” the filly said, quickly grabbing and shaking her hoof, or rather, shaking the whole unicorn. Twilight’s surroundings spun for a moment. She shook her head to rid herself of vertigo before she massaged her foreleg, which ached from the overpowering hoof-shake. “I’ll leave the rest in your capable paws. Best of luck,” the alicorn said before winking. Before Kyuubi could protest, she vanished in the bright light of teleportation. Hey, wait! Kyuubi turned around and stomped in annoyance, accidentally rubbing both fillies with her long tails. Lily nuzzled them in return. That’s not what we agreed!  She looked down at the filly unicorn and added with a whimper, Don’t leave me alone with a filly full of magical power. Twilight looked up, her tail shaking left and right as she observed the kitsune in anticipation.  The large fox smiled awkwardly, holding both forepaws curled close to her chest. Suddenly, a brightly colored red and orange blur flew at the large multi-tailed fox, shrieking grumpily. Despite this, the great kitsune reacted with a pleased smile. Oh, P-Philomena! It’s been ages! Kyuubi raised her foreleg to her face as Philomena leaped from her shoulder, landing on her elbow.  Celestia’s pet phoenix pointed with her wing while continuing her harsh chirping.  Twilight watched curiously as Philomena wordlessly scolded Kyuubi for her two-decade-long departure. The kitsune bowed her head in shame, folding her ears. I’m sorry, Philomena, but I was too dangerous to stay around ponies. You know that! Philomena shook her head and continued her grating screeching as she waved away Kyuubi’s excuses. I never meant to worry you, nor Celestia. I assumed you would be safer without me. Philomena pointed at the window and screeched again. Did you go to the Everfree Forest to visit me? Oh, I am so sorry. I was probably doing an errand for Zecora. Philomena rolled her eyes and zipped back over to her perch and pointedly faced away, apparently done talking. I’ll make it up to you both, I promise! Philomena screeched dismissively, waving her off with a wing. Kyuubi had her work cut out for her.  Twilight observed the exchange in silence. Kyuubi sighed dejectedly before returning her attention to Twilight. The two stared at each other awkwardly before Kyuubi broke the ice.  D-do you like reading b-books? “Do I?” Twilight shouted, following up with an enthusiastic jump. “I love reading!“ That’s g-great, Kyuubi said as her smile became warm and nostalgic. Her second tail then shone with silvery aura, causing a few books to levitate from nearby shelves.  Twilight observed the tail with her full attention. “So that’s what the princess meant. The second tail is responsible for telepathy and telekinesis. I need to look into it. And I have just the right scanning spell for the job.” She yelped, finding herself levitated in a silvery aura. She crossed her forelegs and frowned. “Rude.” The kitsune curled herself into a ball next to the fireplace before setting up a warm fire, her third tail now in action. Twilight’s annoyed mood shifted quickly the moment she felt her body sink into a fluffy, comfy fur. First her back, then her head and legs were perched on Kyuubi’s belly, a pleasant feeling surpassing even lying among feathers on her mentor’s wing. She saw four books levitate before them. Twilight felt the side of kitsune’s muzzle nuzzle her as if she was her cub, causing Twilight to blush. Kyuubi’s smile was almost as warm as the Princess’s. Comfortable? “Y-yes, very,” Twilight replied, wondering how much more comfortable she would be atop a full-sized kitsune. “Heaven made of soft fur” was but one way to describe her perfect accommodation for the coming reading session. It felt as if the fur was enhanced with magic, possessing powerful calming and pleasing properties. “History of Canterlot, Economics for Beginners, Basics of Defensive Magic, Chemistry for Novices?” Which one strikes your fancy? The filly rolled her eyes, slightly insulted. “Advanced Defensive Magic, please. I’m done with basics for over half a year by now.” Already? How old are you? “Thirteen years old, and around three years have passed since the princess took me as her student,” she replied with pride, puffing out her chest and showing a satisfied grin. A large pair of blue eyes widened in surprise. And you learned the basics this quickly by reading a lot? Twilight giggled in response.  Did you decide to read about Advanced Defensive Magic because of your brother? “Correct. Lessons about defensive magic, practices from time to time. You name it.”  “So you practice defensive magic, that’s so cool! We need to spar sometime,” Lily said before climbing up onto Kyuubi’s curled tails, sitting next to the unicorn. “Reading is nice and all, but I prefer physical activities way more. Besides, I wonder how well my magic will do against a gifted pony like you.” “Sure, I won’t mind. After the reading session that is,” Twilight said, smiling at the earth pony while picturing their duel in her mind She had already learned that magic assists ponies in many forms, from spellcasting for unicorns to improved physical features and plant-growing for earth ponies.  In terms of the general populace, earth ponies surpassed the unicorns in terms of raw power due to their diligent hard work. However, in individual cases, it was the other way around.  She doubted Lily would be a match for her. Then again, no one my age ever is, she thought smugly. One question; is Shining Armor careful with his magic when he practices with you? Did he ever hurt you by accident? "What? He would never hurt me." Twilight was taken aback by this question, but before she responded, she remembered what her brother did to this poor kitsune. "I know you two started off on the wrong hoof, but pleeaase, give him a chance. He's really very nice once you get to know him." She sighed. "We don't even practice real combat, but rather just play with each other." "Play?" Lily asked, tilting her head to the side. Twilight nodded. "Of course. Sometimes we even roleplay where a brave knight defeats an evil dragon and saves the princess." She raised forehoof to her mouth and chuckled. "And I must say, Shining is terrible at being the princess. Even some glue with wooden wings and my mom's makeup didn't help much." Kyuubi raised her head and looked at Twilight with a wide grin. She looked away, resisting the urge to laugh. I'm so not going to let him live that one down anytime soon. I may have forgiven him, but he still deserves a bit of payback teasing. "Less talking, more reading!" Lily said with a firm tone as she pointed at the levitating book. "I want this reading session over quickly. I hate being in one place for too long." Philomena peeked at the earth pony in pity and shook her head, giving a 'you'll be disappointed' glance. Twilight supported herself with one hoof, trying to look over her shoulder at the large kitsune. "Didn't you practice defensive spells as well? When did you learn the basics? How fast was your progress in this field of magic?" She could see a large blush of embarrassment on that giant white-furred fluffy face. “Kyuubi told me about her past,” Lily said, getting Twilight’s attention while the kitsune bit her bottom lip. “I think she was three when the princess took her in, and she’s forty-five now. She was stuck on basics for years. She even admitted how Sunset Shimmer surpassed her in no time at all despite being half her age.” Rub it in, why don’t you? Kyuubi said, whimpering sadly. Let’s focus on reading, alright? Twilight nodded, feeling a little disappointed deep inside. If kitsunes developed a lot slower than unicorns, she needed to look into it at some point with good old research. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Unicorn's magic was in its prime at a young age and developed slower overtime. What if the kitsune didn't have this limitation? She smiled upon seeing a book filled with advanced knowledge levitate before her in the silver aura. Twilight called out, "Kyuubi." Yes? "Can you regain your full size? Will you do it for me?" I can, but why? It is safer for you if I stay like this. Twilight looked away from the book and rushed into action. She climbed the kitsune's neck, then perched herself on Kyuubi’s muzzle, before looking into her large sky blue eyes with a pleading stare. "I don't care about safety. I want more of your soft fur! Let there be more!" B-but...safety... Kyuubi responded. Twilight whimpered, her ears dropped, pout formed on her lips. "Pleeeaaase." Kyuubi felt sweat falling down her cheek, resisting those adorable little pupils staring at her the best she could during this mental warfare. The tall alicorn walked through the hallway with a cheerful smile on her face, bypassing one pillar after another. Her guards saluted, though a few looked less than presentable.  An earth pony with such strength while so young, even capable of using holy magic and so much more. I need to ask Kyuubi about her, she thought to herself, noticing dents on some guard’s armors, as well as bruises here and there, something they hadn’t got the chance to fix yet. Or maybe they felt too embarrassed to visit the doctors after being beaten up by a filly. To think she would take a student of her own. And an earth pony! Such a unique choice. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the earth pony standing side by side with Twilight, Sunset, Shining Armor, all grown up and radiating with powerful magic. She giggled, adding everypony a pair of wings on her mental picture for the fun of it. Shining stood out in more ways than one. “Auntie Celestia, wake up!” She opened her eyes, finding herself captured in blue aura while a few centimeters away from crashing into a pillar. “Daydreaming with a smile and no marks under your eyes? It has been a while since I saw you in such a good mood.” “Cadence?” Celestia turned to the smaller alicorn, no longer restrained by magic. “Were you on the way to foalsiting Twilight?” "I was," Cadence said before pointing at her, "until I noticed a certain daydreaming alicorn on a collision. You can thank me later for saving the pillar." Celestia nodded, displaying a grateful smile. "To be honest, I would have helped you sooner if you had just asked me." "Please trust me when I tell you that I wanted to ask for your help sooner. Unfortunately, I was unable to find you," Celestia remarked calmly, thinking back to the aftermath of the biting incident. While Sunset was a bit arrogant and demanding, something she had often experienced from nobility, with Sunset it turned out far worse than usual. Often she wondered if her student would have stayed if Cadence had been there to guide her. After all, her lack of time to teach magic was something Sunset had complained about very often, with some justification. "Yes, about that... I am sorry," Cadence said, rubbing her foreleg nervously. "Traveling from one side of Equestria to another. Using magical disguises. I suppose it does make me hard to find." She lowered her head. "To be honest, I was unaware of your situation for far too long." Celestia smiled apologetically. "I don't blame you for anything. You have your own life and problems, and worrying you was the last thing I wanted." She sighed. "I just wonder if your aid could have salvaged my relationship with Sunset Shimmer. Lack of attention was always something that she complained about." "We can't change our past, nor erase our mistakes, we both know that better than anypony," Cadence said while looking away. "What we can do is learn from our mistakes and use them to shape a better future." She gestured at the doors further in the hallway. "I won't let Twilight feel neglected. I’ll be a better example for her. We won't let her end up like Sunset. Even her parents visit her often." Celestia frowned. "I wish Sunset had parents like that." Her ears dropped. "And I wish Kyuubi wasn't an orphan. She always carries on with a smile and thinks about others, and she's the one who suffered the most." "If only her mother didn't pass away. If only Kyuubi had never attacked, Sunset's life would have been different. She would have grown into a much better pony." Cadence narrowed her eyes. "But things do not always go our way." She placed a bare hoof on Celestia's shoulder. "But you have nothing to fear. Twilight isn't spoiled. She may be a bit anti-social, but I am working on it." The two exchanged final pleasantries before Cadence took her leave. She walked by the taller alicorn, the top of her head reaching the older princess’s chin. Celestia watched the pink alicorn walk away. Wait, Kyuubi is with Twilight. Should I…? She shrugged. No. Cadence hasn’t met her yet, let's leave that as a surprise. “Twilight! It’s me, Cadence, your favorite foalsitter,” she spoke, gently knocking at the door. “Twilight, are you there?” Seconds turned into a minute of silence as no one responded to her calls. With a flexible movement of her wing, she opened the door, walking inside. She yelped, almost tripping over something fluffy. She blinked, her eyes now focused on a cloud of white fur. It occupied no less than a third of the bedchamber, and had tendrils spread all over the room. “Twilight?” In the middle, she spotted a familiar tail and mane standing out from the rich fur. “Kyuubi? Are you in there?” she asked, looking at the muzzle which touched the kitsune’s rear legs. Aside from Twilight, she spotted Philomena relaxing against the fox’s cheek. A few books and a pink filly also seemed perched among the fluff. A little dragon tail was standing out from the white jungle as well. Even the two guards who usually stood guard at the entrance were now inside, perched between two large tails while stroking them. They quickly left the room, both blushing, once they realized she was staring at them.  Flames from the fireplace barely found a way to light the room, though luckily not setting the kitsune’s tails on fire. “When Auntie Celestia said her student had a sizable presence, I didn’t think this is what she meant,” Cadence murmured as she walked over the scattered tails. She took a moment to stare at the unfamiliar filly, spotting a hedgehog cutie-mark. This filly had her forelegs wrapped partly around one of Kyuubi’s rear legs, sleeping on her side. Cadence felt her muscles turn into jelly at the sight of curled fillies sinking among the white fur. “Dawww,” escaped her mouth. Part of her wanted to join in. Why not? Trying not to wake up the gentle kitsune, she carefully climbed atop the giant fluffy soft mass, settling down next to Twilight. Lying on her side while covering the fillies with her wings, she quickly found herself drifting off thanks to the heavenly sensation surrounding her. Truly the mightiest sleepover of her life.