Hours later, Pearl yawned as her head slumped on Twilight’s writing desk. “This is crazy. I never thought I’d lose interest in reading about dragons. But this is like looking for a needle in a field of haystacks.”
Twilight rubbed her eyes, trying to stay awake. “I understand how you feel, dear. Keisuki and Katsuko were very thorough in their research. I’m just disappointed I’ll never be able to meet them.”
Pearl rolled her eyes. If they were anything like Forestsong, then she was fine with not meeting them. One Kitsune pain in her flank was enough. “So have you had any luck? I’ve got nothing that might help us. I just hope this isn’t a wild goose chase.”
Twilight nodded. “I don’t see why he would lead us wrong. If there is something in here that will help us in some way, then we just need to keep looking.”
Pearl rolled her eyes. “Guess it was asking for too much to ask for a table of contents for this thing? Would save us a lot of time and effort.”
“But not nearly as much fun.” A voice came from the double doors before they opened. Walking in Forestsong closed them behind him before flopping down in front of the fireplace. “Besides, having a table of contents wasn’t really my grandfather or great grandfather’s style. We just had to look at the symbols and we knew what the content was.”
“And what are you doing here?” Pearl huffed as she watched him.
“I got lonely, happens on occasion,” Forestsong smirked but kept his eyes closed, his nine tails lightly rising and falling with his breathing. “And you two have been a barrel of laughs. Don’t worry I won’t get in your way. I just want the company.” Opening one eye he glanced at the scroll Twilight had in front of her. “You may want to skip ahead a bit. By a few hundred scrolls. Try starting from scroll five thousand.”
Twilight blinked and looked at Foressong, then looked at all the scrolls in front of her. “Five thousand? I only see up to two thousand.”
“Wave your paw… hoof, down in a swift motion.”
Twilight looked skeptical but did as she was told, the scrolls instantly started to flip downward at great speed. The ones she had in front of her vanished into the floor while new ones came down from the tall ceiling. “Oh wow. How… I have to learn this.”
Looking up at Pearl, Forestsong smirked. “I guess you didn’t tell her?”
“Nope,” Pearl smirked back as Twilight looked confused looking between them.
“Tell me what?”
“He knows how the Journal is made. But won’t teach you.” Pearl picked up a new scroll in the mid-five thousands and started to read through it. Keeping her gaze from Twilight.
Moving over to stand in front of Forestsong, the princess looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. “And why not?”
“Because I don’t want to contribute to your inevitable destruction if and when you ever make a mistake casting it.”
“I don’t get it, what could go wrong if I make a mistake?”
Pearl bit down on her lower lip. “Best case scenario, you lose all interest in books and reading.”
“And worst case?” Twilight watched a shadow fall over Pearl’s face.
“You become trapped in a book for all eternity, possibly losing your life in the process.” Pearl sighed out. “He told me what happened to the last alicorn who tried. He almost lost his daughter and it took two kitsune a week to pull her out again.”
That stopped Twilight in her tracks. Getting stuck in a book didn’t sound too bad. But neither of those scenarios were things she wanted. And if it took two kitsunes to pull somepony back out, then she was trapped since she only knew of one.
“And I’m nowhere near as talented as my father or grandfather as a magus. Never had the skill for it. My power lies in druidic talents,” Forestsong half purred out as the warmth from the fire spread through his wooden body.
Twilight sighed. “Fine. Maybe I can get something from the human world. They have things that can store so much information as this journal can.”
“I thought they were still living in caves worshiping fire.” Forestsong chuckled.
Twilight snorted. “Hardly. Time flows differently between our worlds. But humans haven’t been like that in thousands of years. They evolved differently from ponies in so many different ways aside from the obvious. Equestria is far behind in so many ways that it would take centuries to catch up.”
Pearl paid little mind to what the two were talking about as she read from where Forestsong suggested. It was interesting, to say the least. As she continued, though, something began to take shape in her mind, and she didn’t like what it could mean.
Twilight caught sight of the look in her marefriend’s eyes and grew concerned. “Pearl. What is it?”
Pearl looked at her, her ears drooping. “I think I found something that might explain what’s going on. But Goddess above, I hope I’m wrong.”
Twilight walked over and looked at where Pearl was pointing at. The section was on grave shrines and why they were there. Pearl lowered her hoof down to the section on ruined shrines, particularly on those that were desecrated.
Twilight’s ears fell as she read. “Oh, no. Who would do that? Why would they do that?”
Forestsong’s ears perked up. “Hmm. What is it?”
Twilight bit her lip, but she knew she couldn’t hide this. “Forestsong. Would your grave have a shrine placed over it?”
He nodded. “Yes. All of my kind would. It’s traditional, and a very great sin to desecrate it in some way.”
Pearl gulped back her fear. She didn’t think this would end well. “Then someone did something to yours. It might explain why you can’t leave Ponyville.”
Forestsong growled. “Someone did what?”
Twilight gulped as well, backing up as she did. “Whoever took your skull didn’t just take it. They desecrated your shrine in some way.”
Pearl nodded, backing up as well. “And since no one but your clan or someone in it knows where the grave is, it was someone you know. Probably someone who knew what they were doing and what it meant. And didn’t care about the consequences.”
Forestsong sat up and slowly walked to a window, looking out toward the Everfree. “There were only two outsiders, two individuals who knew and cared about my clan. And who might be able to do what you say. One was Starswirl, a bumbling rambling hopeless case of a pony who was very beloved by my eldest sister. He would never, ever hurt us. He was as much a part of our clan as any Kitsune.” His head slowly lowered the timberwolf body he was in shivering.
“NO, I refuse to believe it. They wouldn’t. Starswirl was family, and he was my best and closest friend.” Forestsong’s claws slowly dug into the windowsill. “There has to be some other option. He’s been aiding me all this time, giving you two the flowers. Delivering the journal so you’d find it.” His voice slowly went silent and bowed his head.
Pearl came closer. “Who was he? If there were only two outsiders, then we’re kinda limited on who it might have been. Fluttershy would never do it and then lie about finding your skull someplace else. She’s not that kind of pony.”
Turning his head, an amber tear streamed down his cheek. “Fluttershy found my skull. Not you two?”
Twilight nodded. “She said it was on a path she uses quite a lot when she helps the animals. Like someone had left it there on purpose knowing she would find it.”
Keeping silent, Forestsong just looked at the two of them. His whispers slowly moved into mindless ramblings. “No, he was my friend. He never shuts up about her. Always Fluttershy this, and Fluttershy that. I always wanted to meet her. She seemed like a pony I would enjoy being around. But… no, he knows not to do that. He knows what would happen.”
“Forestsong. Who are you talking about?” Twilight spoke firmly. She already knew in her heart. There was only one creature he could have been talking about, but she hoped against all hope that she was wrong.
Forestsong's eyes looked deep into hers.
“Discord…”
Twilight’s eyes began twitching uncontrollably.