Pearl just sat on Twilight’s throne, the pegasus girl watching as Forestsong rambled on as he paced back and forth for the last several hours. For five days in a row, she sat there, questioning why she was doing it. But the truth was she knew he was her friend even if she hadn’t admitted it yet to herself.
This annoying, irritating pain in the flank shook up her life. He had pulled her out of her sad boring routine and helped her achieve one of her heart's most desperate desires. He even gave her the keys to her greatest ambition before all she could do is look at the locks. Taught her that what she knew before was only the tip of the iceberg that was larger than Equis.
Looking up at the glass windows overhead, Pearl thought about Twilight. Five days ago she and her friends all set out to the Everfree Forest. Pearl looked at the scroll she had received from Starswirl. It had taken a lot of prodding and a reminder of all the favors she did for him to reveal what he did. For the hundredth time, she read the letter and sighed.
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The deeper you go into the Everfree Forest, it shall grow darker and more dangerous. Many ponies are driven mad by the shadows that prey on their fears.
To find the heart you must steel your own and let your fear guide you. If you feel safe, you're going the wrong way. Deny instinct you have to run away because if you do, you die. The magic in the forest will ensure that.
I’m giving you this knowledge as a favor Princess. But I advise against going. I refuse to have your blood on my conscience.
~Starswirl The Bearded
---
Tossing the scroll onto the floor Pearl almost jumped as the castle’s double doors burst open. In walked a shadowy form she could recognize in her sleep. Her heart let out a long drawn-out sigh of relief. She had come back alive.
Pearl watched as Twilight walked past Forestsong who stopped just long enough for Twilight to pass. The princess had turned her head back and watched the boy walk.
“He’s still at it?”
“He hasn’t stopped. Every day it’s the same thing. He starts pacing and rambling on, at night he follows me up to your bedchambers and lays at the foot of the bed staring at the fireplace. He doesn’t say anything but I can tell he’s still rambling in his head.” Pearl sighed, resting her body up against her marefriend. “Then every morning we come down here, have a light breakfast and then he starts up again. I’m doing my best to keep calm but this is driving me crazy.”
“Well, it’s not going to get any easier. Not after what I saw.”
Pearl’s eyes widened. “You actually found it?” Twilight nodded sadly.
“The place was a disaster. You could see the outline of a town but only the skeleton of buildings remained. And the largest tree in all of Equestria. The thing had to be several thousand hooves high.” Twilight sat on her throne next to Pearl and sighed. “Then I saw them, the shrines. Five of them lined up in a row, each of a different color. The last one was tipped over and broken clean in half.”
Pearl shivered noticeably at hearing that.
“I peered inside and saw the body. I have to say, even for a skeleton, he was very well dressed. A silk robe Rarity would go gaga over.”
“Was it his?” Pointing her wing at Forestsong she watched as Twilight nodded.
“Yes, the body had no skull. And was in perfect condition.” Bringing up her hoof to the bridge between her eyes, Twilight just shook her head. “I cast a reveal spell and found the traces of Chaos Magic.”
Pearl shook her head, She had known Discord was capable of doing something so cruel. But she had hoped that he at least would never have done it to someone who had once been his friend. Maybe his only friend until Fluttershy. “You have to tell him. You know you have to. If we’re lucky, maybe he’ll just take it out on Discord?”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t think it will be that simple. I am more afraid of what his family might do. The other shrines must belong to them. It would be why they were together as they are.”
Pearl gulped. “How bad could they be? I mean. My parents can be scary when they’re mad. But.”
Twilight chuckled. “That’s true. But we don’t know how this applies to kitsunes. Even just being near the other shrines, I could feel something from each of them. Something I do not wish to see on full display if I can help it.”
Pearl bit her lip. There was one thing that might possibly prevent it from becoming an apocalyptic scenario if Forestong’s family was anything like him. “There’s always-”
Twilight cut her off with a wing to the lips. “Pearl. I refuse to even think about that until there is literally no other option. No one comes out a winner in that if I invoke it.”
“I can hear you two,” Forestsong said as he walked over, giving Twilight a look over. “I assume that since you have returned that you found it?”
Twilight nodded. “Yes. After seeing and enduring things that I will not speak of, we found your home. Or what’s left of it.”
He chuckled. “Then you’re some of the very few who have ever made it that far. Most don’t make it halfway before they fail.”
Twilight smiled slightly. She could well believe it. “We found the shrines. Four remained intact, and we avoided getting too close to them. One had an aura that doing so would be the last thing we ever did.”
Forestong chuckled. “My sister, Stormbringer. She always had that effect on others. And that was when she was in a good mood. She was downright terrifying when she was angry. I feared her anger more than I did anything else.”
Twilight chuckled. If the aura was anything to go by, she could well believe it. Her ears fell as she bowed her head. “But the fifth shrine… I am so sorry, Forestsong. It was tipped over and broken clean in half. It was yours. There were traces of Chaos magic all over it.”
Forestsong didn’t reply for a moment, but Pearl could feel the anger in him, rising by the second. “You are sure?” He finally asked in a dangerous tone.
Twilight nodded, backing up as far she could. “I am. Whatever the two of you once were, Discord desecrated your shrine, and he knew very well what he was doing and what it meant when he did so. And didn’t care.”
However brave Twilight and Pearl were, they felt the rage building in Forestsong. Like this humid air filling the room. They watched as his wooden claws scraped at the floor, splintering and cracking. The two mares slowly backed up as the cracks spread up through the timberwolf body. Bright emerald flames spread outward from those cracks engulfing Forestsong in pure fire.
Pearl shivered as she felt cold air leave her breath. The flames burned so hotly that everything around felt as if it was below freezing. The mares lifted their wings and shielded their eyes as they heard the wooden form burst apart at the seams. When the heat finally began to die down they finally lowered their wings.
Looking over the feathers of their wings both Pearl and Twilight felt their hearts skip a beat. Gone was the timberwolf cub. And what stood there wasn't even the pony-sized kitsune Pearl had gotten to know.
Standing twelve hooves high, was the largest fox either of them had ever seen. His body, while thin, was brimmed with muscle. Pearl was certain he could flatten anything given the size of his paws. Thick silk-like fur circled his shoulders and down his back. Flames flickering from the tips of the semi-waving fur. His nine tails fanned out behind him, each one sporting a sphere of pure emerald fire above them.
Twilight’s eyes widened, all throughout this kitsune's body, the markings glowed bright amber. Not even the sun itself burned that brightly. But what got her shaking was Forestsong’s eyes. No longer wide and innocent. They were sharper, angled. And burned with amber light.
Oh sweet Celestia what have I done? Twilight thought as she tried to get her body to stop trembling. She looked over and felt her heart sink. The stark look of fear on Pearl’s face said everything.
Pearl shook hard. She didn’t understand why she was so afraid. She stood before Tiamat herself without fear. She even felt the waves of anger the dragon queen could emit. However the waves she felt now made Tiamat look like a ripple compared to the tidal wave before her. But despite it all, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his. She watched as he looked down at her, his eyes blazing and half bowed herself to the ground.
With a loud pain-filled cry, Forestsong slammed his front paw on the ground. The crystal tree that held Twilight’s castle shook with his fury. Pillars tumbled and cracked as thick vines spread out from under him and climbed the walls. The crystal tree hummed painfully, loud enough for even ponies to hear as Forestsong gripped the tree harder.
The sky from outside slowly turned black as night before a sound breaking crack of thunder split the sky. Heavy rains poured down around the castle as tears fell from Forestsong’s eyes. With another cry, a lightning bolt struck the ground by the tree shaking it.
“Please tell me you have it ready to invoke at a moment's notice?” Pearl whispered as she came up to Twilight’s side.
“I didn’t think… who could have known. Is this what they were?” Twilight muttered softly. Catching sight of Pearl Twilight put up her strongest shield just as a piece of her second-floor came crashing down around them. “This, yes I have it ready. But this aura, it’s even larger than Stormbringer’s at the gravesite. Celestia once cautioned me about nature spirits. How strong their power was. I was certain however strong it was, it would be something manageable. If Discord was anything to go by.”
“Are you saying?” Twilight nodded slowly.
“Yes Pearl, and I feel this is merely the tip of the iceberg. Nature at its worst. Unbridled, unchained.” Twilight turned her gaze to Pearl and hugged her close. “Unstoppable.”
“DISCORD!!!” Forestsong’s voice roared like thunder as he stood tall, his body poised to strike at any moment.
“Yes? Did someone call for me?” a pointed laugh echoed as the draconiquis popped into the room. As his eyes met Forestsong’s all color drained from the spirit’s body. “Oh, buck…” a massive paw swiftly gripped discord in a grip like iron.
Swinging around, Forestsong slammed his paw up against the side of the tree and bared his fangs. “You… how could you!” pulling his paw back he slammed discord into the tree again.
“Please just… Ko…” Discord felt the grip tighten about his body. The razor-sharp claws digging into his body. Black blood dripped down onto the floor as thick amber-streaked vines slowly climbed around Forestsong’s limb. Their pointed tips slowly pushed into Discord’s frame, for the first time in pony history, making him scream in true pain.
“I am going to rend you apart at the seams.” Forestsong’s breathing came heavy as he guided the vines deeper into Discord's body.
“P.. please... I..” Discord weakly muttered as black blood trickled down the sides of his mouth. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the hall of the palace.
“You should feel lucky, it’s me.” Looking deep into the terror-filled eyes, Forestsong grinned. “No, I'm not going to kill you. If I did I wouldn’t feel half as satisfied. Although I’m sure my sisters would love to get their claws into you.” Throwing Discord over the Map of Harmony Forestsong quickly formed nine symbols with his paws. Slamming his paws down on the ground chains of amber light grabbed Discord by his limbs.
“This world has been plagued by your chaos too long, Father was right. We should have dealt with you long ago. It was only out of friendship, your friendship with me that stayed their paws.” Forestsong growled and walked closer and closer to Discord who struggled effortlessly. “That friendship no longer exists to save you.” Looking down at the map Forstsong muttered several chants in quick succession. As he did so he reached out and slashed at Discord’s throat, silencing him as he tried to speak.
The Map of Harmony glowed in response as a circle of emerald flame lifted from it. “Your voice always did give you power, no longer. You want to know what I'm going to do. I can’t destroy chaos, but I can scatter it to the four winds. Spread you so thin it will take eons for you to reform yourself.”
Discord’s eyes widened as Forestsong sat there cross legend and pushed his two front paws together.
“Rin, Pyo, Toh, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen.” pushing his two front paws out, nine spears split through Discord like knives through butter. Slamming his two front paws down. Discord fell through the flames and vanished without a trace.
Falling forward Forestsong screamed and roared as the storm around the castle grew larger and larger. Tears falling heavily from his eyes. The Front door to the palace burst open as heavy winds blew Rainbow Dash and an armored guard into the room
“Princess. This storm. It’s spreading through Ponyville!” The guard cried out as he tried to push Rainbow off of him.
Twilight bit her lip. She knew she had to stop this somehow, but there was every chance that Forestsong would turn on them as well in his anger and grief.
There was… one thing that could stop this. But Goddess above, she had never thought she would ever have to think about it, let alone possibly invoke it. She gulped as she approached the heartbroken kitsune. “Forestsong, please. I can’t imagine what you are feeling right now. But it's over. Don’t take it out on your friends.”
Forestsong slowly turned his head toward Twilight and Pearl. The amber light that ran through his body flickered. “Friends…”
Pearl bit her lip and stood up, stepping over an unconscious Rainbow Dash she spread her wings and flew up to him. “Yes Forestsong, Please. You lost one friend, it hurts, I know. But you have us. I’ve called you a pain. But I wouldn’t trade these last few days for anything else. You're my friend Forestsong.”
Twilight flew up and joined Pearl.
“She’s right, we’re both your friends. You're not alone Forestsong. So please. Stop your power. Don't let it destroy our home.” Twilight reached out and touched Forestsong’s paw with Pearls. The pair watched as his eyes shimmered, the rage in them dissipating.
Before either Pearl or Twilight could catch their breath. A large gust of wind from around Forestsong blew toward Pearl. Causing her to backward somersault. Twilight having caught herself quickly enough by pushing against the wall with her hooves.
“Pearl!” Twilight called out spreading her wings. As she was about to launch herself to the other side of the room. However, she stopped when Pearl bounced off something small and green that rolled about in the mini gusts of wind in the castle. The two of them tumbling to the ground.
Pearl groaned as she looked up and saw the small body of a young fox. Feeling the wind in the castle she flung herself over the boy and looked about. While the storm outside raged on, Forestsong was gone. The massive kitsune vanished as easily as shadows in daylight. “Where?”
“Uh, Pearl.” Blinking herself she stared in disbelief at the small boy. The wind around everypony swirling rapidly before taking a shape the same size as Twilight. Twilight couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A walking lightning storm with nine tails. One look from the creature's eyes brought Twilight to her knees in awe.
Pearl blinked and looked at the storm walking towards her. She watched as it tilted its head and almost smiled. With a flick of its paws, Pearl rolled backward.
Foolish little brother. Why do I always have to clean up after you? A thundering voice echoed in the minds of all those present. The storm leaned down and kissed the cheek of the small boy Pearl had flung herself over. Afterward, the storm looked at Pearl and grinned. He’s your problem now. Treat him well. Or you’ll see me again.
The storm stamped its paw and its form blew away. Through the upper windows, the two mares and the guard saw the clouds clear.
Pearl looked down at the semi-transparent form of a kitsune. Sleeping as if he didn‘t have a care in the world, all nine tails twitching.
“Hard to believe that only seconds ago, he was all rage and fury.” Pearl slumped down on one side of the small version of Forestsong.
Twilight sighed. “Agreed. But it appears we have dodged a disaster. That was the same aura I felt at the gravesite. If that was Stormbringer in a benign mood, I fear what she is like when she’s in a foul one.”
Pearl nodded and looked at Forestsong then back to Twilight. “She didn’t even touch me and with one flick of her paw, sent me flying backward. I never want to face that vixen again.” A quick shiver ran down Pearl’s back.
Twilight nodded. She smirked as a thought came to her. “So, Pearl. What will you do now? You seem rather attached to Forestsong there. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you have a crush on him.”
Pearl shot her a glare. “What?! Me. Like him like that? You’re out of your mind, Twilight.”
Twilight giggled. “I don’t know. You protected him rather well up until his big sister came along. And she said ‘Treat him well’ to you, not to me.”
Pearl just groaned as Twilight giggled some more. “So what. But what about you? It’s not like I didn’t catch you eyeing those muscles of his.” Pearl smirked as Twilight stepped back and blushed.
“I… I..” Twilight stammered and chuckled. “Well, you did too.”
“Hehe.” Getting up Pearl wrapped her forelegs around Twilight’s shoulder. “Mmm. Oh, don’t worry. It’s not like finding an exotic creature like that attractive means anything right?”
Wrapping her wings around Pearl, Twilight moved in closer. “Right. He’s our friend, nothing more.” Leaning in Twilight kissed Pearl lovingly on the lips.
Both girls leaned back and smiled before blinking as they felt something between them. Looking down they saw that the younger Forestsong was looking up at them. By his expression he had no recollection of what he had recently done, his nine tails swishing side to side.
“Is there anything to eat around here nee-chan?” He said with a yawn. Much to their confusion.