//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Pain Within a Storm // Story: Pearl's Beloved Forestsong // by Valtyrian //------------------------------// Pearl ran as hard as she could through the streets of Ponyville. Tears streamed down her face, making her eyesight blurry, hiding where she was going. Not that she cared anymore. She just wanted to desperately get away from the sight she had witnessed. A once beautiful asian gown was in tatters about her body. Thankfully the night was so black. Luna’s moon was hidden by thick storm clouds. Keeping to the shadows she didn’t want anypony to see her. Never once in all her sixteen years, had Pearl been treated so horribly by anypony. She felt sick, humiliated, and worst of all heartbroken. As she ran, thunder roared overhead only seconds before a heavy downpour drenched the teenager. Within seconds a heavy wind struck at the young Pegasus, throwing her against a tree. Grunting heavily, Pearl stood up and looked around. The sudden blow caused her to take note of her surroundings. A loud thunder clap caused her to kneel down quickly and raise a wing to protect herself. Peeking her head out from her wing she tried to get her bearings. A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the outline of a cottage with a massive tree growing off the side of it. Shivering she leaned against the tree as the rain started to get colder. Her adrenaline fueled escape ran to a close. She had traversed the entire length of Ponyville and now found herself near the Everfree Forest. A familiar part of it that she visited frequently. With a low groan Pearl spread her wings out in front of her. With the wind buffering against them Pearl made her way to the cabin. He was one of the last individuals she wanted to see that night. But also the one who could help her the most. Kohaku laid there on his back in his room. He loved the room more than any other part of the small cozy cabin. Partly because he grew it himself, with a small help from his mentor Twilight. The tree itself was almost as large as the Golden Oaks. In short he had used that old place as the blueprint for his private room. From the outside everypony only saw a tree with a domed canopy set one story above the cabin. But from the inside it was a two story room. Below was your basic room. Various bookshelves were built into the curved walls, as well as a desk he could actually lay out on. Small hidden windows were set an equal distance apart from each other, just below the second floor. Set on the desk were scrolls and books he needed for the various assignments his mentor gives him on a daily basis. Starting from the door to the cabin was a staircase that followed the curve of the tree to the second floor. The second floor was a crowning achievement. From floor to the dome top the walls looked to have been made of leaves and small branches. A small crystal shimmered at the very center of the domed ceiling. During the day anyone in here would see leaves with a central three hundred and sixty window. But at night the entire top half of the domed room vanished to give the appearance of sleeping outside. Wind and rain were the same inside as out, but without the damaging or annoying effects. Kohaku felt the cool rain against his fur without so much as getting wet. The young fox watched in wonder at the storm above him. He could cancel the illusion at a word but he loved feeling that he was outside. He had to give his old Oniisan credit, it was the best sixteenth birthday present Kohaku had received. The illusion itself never reached past the halfway point on the walls, leaving his various tables untouched. Tables covered with a few books and other nicknacks as a reminder of his old family. The only other furnishing on the second floor was a large circular bed that took up half the room. Pillows piled in the middle gave him support regardless where he wanted to lay. A heavy knocking coming from the main house brought Kohaku out of his skygazing. Moving to his window he saw a familiar Pegasus shape pounding on the front door. Dashing from his room he quickly made it to the front door, every small nocturnal animal in his path quickly moving aside. Throwing the entryway open revealed his closest friend. “Well don’t just stand there get in here. Before you catch a cold,” Kohaku said, helping Pearl into the dark house. A few critters poked their heads out of their homes to see what the commotion was. Reaching out with a tender paw he brushed aside her wet hair. “You look like something the cat hawked up.” “Very funny,” Pearl sarcastically grunted before coughing hard. “I’m in no mood for your jokes Kohaku.” Closing her eyes she roughly batted his paw away from her face, her hoof making full contact with his wrist. “I’ve just had the worst night of my life.” Nodding a little Kohaku rubbed his wrist a little. His friend certainly knew where to hit and how hard. With a soft sigh he sat in front of his friend, back turned to her. Before she could utter a word of protest, he wrapped all three tails around Pearl’s waist and pulled her in close before standing up on all fours. Leaving the teenage filly on his back. “What the…” Was all she could get out before a tail around her mussel silenced her. She hated when he did this. “Well, let's get you out of those clothes and cleaned up before you get sick. Then you can tell me all about your night.” Kohaku’s tail slowly slipped from Pearl’s mussel. Opening and closing her mouth a few times to loosen the muscles Pearl looked at the back of her friend's head. “You're not going to be joining me again are you?” “What and being denied the pleasure of helping you recover?” As the pair reached Fluttershy's bathroom he looked over his shoulders. “Parrish the thought my dear. It’s the duty of every shining knight to care for the fair maiden.” His paw lightly touched his chest as he closed his eyes with a smile. “Shining Knight? You're more like a pestering peasant,” Pearl chuckled along with Kohaku. He always knew how to make her smile. And silently cursed him for it. She didn’t want to smile. She didn’t want a shower, she just wanted to hide away in the deepest darkest corner of the world. However one look into those warm amber eyes and knew in a heartbeat she had been routed and disarmed. “Fine, let's just get this over with.” Pearl sat there with her shoulders hunched, Kohaku currently humming to one of his favorite songs playing on the shower speakers, while currently and carefully washing along her back. She closed her eyes and slowly raised her face into the hot water flowing over her, her sore muscles feeling a little more relaxed. “I have to say your rather tense Pearl. More than usual,” Kohaku continued to wash down from shoulders to waist. “I dare say a massage might be in order.” “Don’t even think about it.” Was Pearl’s reply with a low grumble. She knew his pension for massages. She even enjoyed them occasionally, his paws did wonders with tight muscles. But, while she didn’t mind a shower tonight, Pearl was in no mood for a massage. Kohaku chuckled and half rolled his eyes. Shrugging a bit he just continued by taking a short, wide bamboo bucket in paw. Then dumped a large amount of hot water over his friend's body. He couldn’t help but notice the hoof prints on her back. And the tender spots where she was likely struck. “So I'm guessing your date didn’t go so well.” “I don’t want to talk about it.” Pearl’s voice tightened as she tensed up a bit more, trying to shrink herself. “Common, you can tell me.” Kohaku placed his paw on her shoulder only to be suddenly knocked to the ground and held down by Pearl’s front hooves. He saw her narrowed eyes and was about to burst into tears. “I said I don’t want to talk about it! Now drop it!” She shouted and finished her talk off with a swift slam of her hoof into his midsection before walking off into the corner and bursting into tears. Kohaku didn’t even make the attempt to look or feel hurt by his friend’s actions. Rolling onto his belly he just looked at her. Something had happened, something bad. And while he was used to being her go to punching bag, that look in her eyes showed him she wanted to punch somepony else. With a sigh he got up and moved in closer and just wrapped his forelimbs around her shoulder. Turning Pearl around he looked into her eyes and held her to his chest. Letting her cry hard as he caressed her mane softly. “It’s okay Pearl. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” After a few moments he pushed her to leg’s length and held a paw under her chin. “Why don’t you head up to my room, slip into one of my night shirts and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be up in a bit with something that will help.” Pearl bit down on her lower lip. She wanted to leave, to get away, do anything but look into those amber eyes of his. But rather than run like she had before, she just nodded as he walked her to the door. As he watched Pearl enter his room Kohaku’s friendly demeanor changed so quickly somepony could have gotten whiplash. Something had happened to his friend. Something bad. The torn dress. The markings on her body were made by hooves, she had been fighting. Not so unusual as his friend was a spitfire of a filly. Putting away his sandsoaps with his bamboo rinse bucket he shut off the water. And stood there with a paw against the slate lined wall. There was also a familiar smell, it was always around stallions when mares were in estrus. A sign of their lustful intent. Somehow a stallion was involved with this. The scent wasn't too strong so he was certain she hadn't been touched by one. But it still lingered on her coat. As she pushed him down, he saw the markings on her hooves. His friend was skilled enough to fight back. And she had the defensive wounds to prove it. Taking a few long deep breaths, Kohaku left the bathroom to calm his nerves and get something for his friend. Pearl sat on her friend's bed. Dressed in a large oversized night shirt made of blue silk with pink cherry blossoms on it. Her hind legs were pulled up to her chest with her front legs around them. She heard the storm all around her as she thought about the night. A night she had planed out for weeks. Even went as far to get everything ready by the week her parents were out of town. How could Lotus do that to her? Seeing her by the lake in the arms of a large stallion was like a dagger to her heart. At first she thought something bad was happening but as she heard their voices. Her wounded heart shattered. “I thought you weren’t into this?” the stallion had said after the long passionate kiss had ended. “Aren't you dating that lil filly Pearl?” “Ha, that little skank. Hardly,” Lotus said as she caressed the stallion’s chest with her hoof. “She was just a bit of entertainment I wanted. As if I would ever really hook up with that fox whore. Can you imagine. Interspecies sex, I wonder if she gives it out to dragons too,” Lotus laughed aloud. “You that sure their having sex? They seem like just friends,” the stallion questioned as he nibbled on Lotus’s ear. “Oh please, that lowbrow fox is constantly entering and leaving that girls’ bedroom window,” Lotus cooed out. “I’m not blind nor am I stupid. I’ve even seen her going into HIS room at night by window. There’s no doubt in my mind they’re having sex.” Pearl couldn’t take it. She screamed as loud as she could and charged at Lotus. The pain of her betrayal was boiling in her blood. Running out she slammed her hoof across her former girlfriend’s face. After that her night became a blur. Harsh words and hooves flying about. Their clothing quickly becoming rags hanging from their bodies. Pearl moaned to herself as she continued to recall the words spoken. Each one tearing at her. She cared for Lotus, loved her to the point of giving the unicorn her virginity. She wasn’t sure when she was pulled away but she felt horrible as she was tossed in a mud pile. Looking up she noticed Red Light and Cloud Dancer. The look on their faces told Pearl she just didn’t loose a girlfriend, she lost three friends. The quartet just looked at the mud stained girl and just laughed at her. Despite the shower she just had, Pearl felt as if she would never again feel clean. Looking over she saw Kohaku’s prized tanto. A gift Kohaku had gotten from his father on his tenth birthday. Getting up she walked over to it and took the handle in her hooves. Slowly pulling the shiny blade from it’s dark sheith she stared at it. Staring at the silver blade she imagined it sliding across her foreleg. It wasn’t until a soft paw touched her shaking hooves that she looked up. “Yeah let's leave that alone Pearl.” Pulling the tanto from her hooves, Kohaku replaced it on his shelves and produced a bowl of fruit and a cup of tea. “I’m not hungry.” “I don’t care. Eat up. I doubt you had your dinner and I'm not letting you go to bed hungry.” Kohaku set the tray down and then laid out on his bed Shooting him an angry look Pearl couldn’t help but be touched by his caring actions. At the sight of her favorite fruits and tea, her hunger from earlier that night returned. Pearl just ate as quickly as she could and joined her friend on the bed. Pearl soon felt Kohaku wrap his front legs around her and pull her in close. His head nuzzled warmly atop her own. He didn’t say anything or even ask any more questions. Kohaku just held her close. It wasn’t long till he felt her tears again on his chest tuft. Each tear drop brought him to a new level of rage for the ones who did this to her. And he would make them suffer for each and every tear she had shed. As he felt her fall asleep, Kohaku kissed the top of her head and followed suit. Twilight could just scream as she stood there in her nightgown. Lowering her gaze, she looked over at the line of star guards in front of her. At the center was her captain. The one who barged into her living quarters. “Captain Kirouac, What is so important that you barge into my private living chambers. And go about Interrupting quality time with my family. You best have a very good reason for it or your going to be back on hoof patrol!” Twilight slammed her hoof down on the large desk. “When you took over for Book I thought you were a bit more qualified. Maybe I was wrong.” Despite being half dragon, Kirouac gulped. He hated infuriating his princess. “I’m truly sorry princess. But there was an assault report that came across my desk. We have three witness’s that place your student Pearl Rose assaulted Lotus Bloom tonight. But we also have another witness, a gardener at the rose park that states Pearl was provoked. Twilight’s eyes widened as she fell backward into her chair. Her brain trying to process the information. Her student and Lotus had been dating for the last few months. So why would they be hoof fighting each other. “Is she okay? Have the girls been taken to the hospital?” “That’s the thing Princess. Miss Bloom is in Ponyville general but as for your student Pearl. Well, we can’t find her,” Kirouac gulped. “There have been some reports that says she was running in the direction of the Everfree Forest. Unfortunately it was just as the wild storm was reaching the outskirts of Ponyville.” Closing her eyes, Twilight felt her heartbeat increase. She knew just how dangerous those storms were. Even adult pegasi wouldn’t dare fly in one at least not with out a barrier spell. Looking up she stared at Kirouac. “Work with the Unicorn recovery unit. Get barrier spells and search the areas. I want my student found NOW!” “Ma’am, we can’t search it this late at night. Even for a dragon those wild storms are lethal to be out in. But first thing in the morning when the storm passes. We will be able to search.” Rubbing her temples with her wing tips, Twilight looked out of her window at the storm that almost circled around Ponyville. Even from her castle she saw the flashes of light and heard the loud clashes of thunder. With such high winds and heavy rains, it was inconceivable that her student would be foolish enough to be out there. But she couldn’t take any chances. And she agreed with Kirouac. It was far too dangerous to send anypony else into that. ‘I wonder. If she did go that way, was she running to him?’ Twilight pondered looking at the far wall at the map of ponyville. The only ponies who lived out in that direction were Zecora and Fluttershy. She knew Fluttershy was out for the next few weeks, but her darling little brother was keeping watch. A smile crossed her lips as she looked at the picture of the small cottage. turning to her captain of the guard Twilight nodded. “Alright, I think I know where she’s going, but search everywhere you can just in case.” “We shall Princess. The unicorn weather predictors say it should pass by morning. And we will waste no time.” Nodding Twilight turned away. “I’ll be joining you. I have an Idea where she might have gone. So while I check that out, I want you to comb the area just in case. Now if you don’t mind get out.” Nodding “of course Princess.” Within moments Twilight was left alone in her office. Taking a picture from her desk she gave a light chuckle. Pearl and herself were eating ice cream at Sugar Cube corner. They were both laughing at Kohaku who had taken part in the frozen treat eating contest. Her young student had chocolate ice cream running down his face and a banana hanging from the side his nose. Which he was trying to get with his tongue. “Be safe Pearl, take good care of her Kohaku.” Setting the picture down she walked out of her office to rejoin her family knowing Rainbow would be bombarding her with countless questions.