//------------------------------// // How I met your Mother // Story: Memories of the Past // by Valtyrian //------------------------------// Kohaku sighed as he lay next to the statue of his old friend. His head resting on his front legs, eyes focused along a small river and a clearing. In his mind he watched as a young green three tail leaped about as small mice scattered everywhere. The same ol memories filled his mind Kohaku chuckled as he leaped and pounced on his prey. A plump mouse which tripped and skidded away. Kohaku didn’t care much about catching these little critters, he loved the hunt. The thrill of chasing after something elusive. And these wild mice were just perfect for him. Providing hours of entertainment. It wasn’t until his stomach growled at him, that all his prey scattered and vanished. “Aww man,” his childish moan half echoed as he folded his front legs across his chest. Letting out a sigh the young tod shook his head. “Oh well, time and fish wait for no one.” Turning on his paws he half skipped over to a near by river. Watching fish swim back and forth he spotted a large fat salmon. Licking his lips he already could taste the crispy flesh and juicy meat. Lowering himself down the young fox slowly shook his hips back and forth. Slightly parting his hind legs before putting all his strength into his limbs. Leaping out, Kohaku stretched out his front paws to clasp his future meal. Seconds before his claws clutched the fish, something hard slammed into his back sending him under the water to the bottom of the deep river. Slightly stunned, Kohaku shook his head and looked about. His eyes sharpened underwater quickly as he saw the faded outline of a pony as large as he was slowly sinking. With an internal groan he swam upwards and griped the pony with his front paws and with added waves from his tails, pulled the filly up to the shore. Coughing hard Kohaku spat out a small minnow and turned to look at the filly. Her alabaster white coat clung to her small thin frame. A flaming red mane stuck out everywhere, not unlike his own hair. Reaching out he poked her a few times only to hear her cough and spit up water. Taking a few steps back Kohaku sat there and waited. He watched the filly lift her head up only for the eyes to roll back and she passed out. “Kohaku! Lunch time! Did you catch yourself anything good?” A pleasant song like voice echoed through the valley. A large Midnight blue fox with markings identical to her son’s shimmered in the canopy light. “Oh my.” The nine tail vixen watched as her young son came out with a Pegasus on his back and a salmon between his teeth. Kohaku looked up at his mother, spat out the fish and smiled. “I caught a pony, can I keep her?” Kiyoko reached down and lifted the young mare's mane and felt her head. Chuckling she looked at her son lovingly. “Kohaku dear, they aren't pets.” “Oh… I can keep her?” The seven year old waved the one tail not supporting the filly. Earning a laugh from his mom. The sound of a cracking branch brought Kohaku’s head up. With a lazy gazed he saw a gazelle gallop out of the thicket and off into the distance. Sighing the worn out Kitsune rested his head back and and looked over at a small circle of stones, half covered over by vines. Another smile crossed his lips and the sound of a fire crackled in his ears. The small Pegasus pony slowly opened her eyes and looked up. Only to see a set of large amber eyes looking directly at her, and a large toothy grin on it’s face. An echoing shriek came from the young girls mouth as she pushed herself back and fell backwards into a large set of crossed front legs. Looking up she looked up into the brilliant silver eyes of a large canine creature she had never seen before. Still screaming she tried to spread her wings but found that they were bound to her sides by silk. After a few moments a paw finger covered her mouth. “Well, someone has a healthy pair of lungs.” a set of laughter came from Kiyoko’s mouth as well as four other near equally large vixens. The young girl shook and trembled. Her wings bound, her blood running cold, she felt her breathing and heart rate grow exponentially. “Please don’t eat me… I’m too young to die.” Looking about she turned her head up to the sky “Daddy!!!! HELP ME!!!!” she shouted out hard, trying to run but a large paw held her in place. It wasn’t until a nose touched hers that she blinked and found herself looking back into a set of amber eyes. “Your silly.” the voice of a young boy chuckled. Looking up Kohaku grinned. “Mom, can’t I keep her?” “Kohaku dear. You know ponies aren't pets.” Kiyoko laughed as she watched her son huff and cross his front legs and turn his head away. Looking down the motherly kitsune smiled at the filly in her arms. “Are you hungry dear?” Too confused to scream the young girl blinked. “Huh? Uh, are you fattening me up to eat me?” Again she was greeted by laughter. Looking around she saw every creature there had a very amused look on their face. In front of all of them she saw a bowl of steaming vegetables and rice. Feeling herself lifted, the girl was seated next to a large set of glistening stones. “No dear. We don’t eat ponies.” Placing a small bowl of rice down. Kiyoko watched as her son reached out an started to paw at the girls tail which flipped back and forth. “What’s your name my dear?” Looking behind her she saw the boy start to paw at her tail as it flipped back and forth. A low grumble escaped her lips as she turned back to the motherly creature. “Pearl. Pearl Rose.” “A pleasure to meet you young Pearl. I am Kiyoko.” Kiyoko touched herself with her large dark blue paw. “My daughters, Kazumi, Mitsuko, Kade, and Riko.” Pearl looked at each of the vixens in turn. Rubbing her eyes she finally shook the last of her shock out of her system and saw they were all in fact fox’s. Her father had taught her about the large creatures known as Kitsunes. Rulers and Teachers of all the sentient races on this continent. With her eye twitching she felt a set of teeth on her tail. Turning around she shouted. “Quit it!!” her eyes narrowed as all the vixens around them laughed louder. “Okay that’s enough.” Kiyoko spoke sternly. Her son quickly dropping the tail and moved up next to Pearl with a grin. “And this little troublemaker. Is my son, Kohaku.” The sound of snapping leaves and twigs brought Kohaku’s attention up. Watching he saw the shadow of a mare walking toward him. With a deep sigh he nodded and felt himself grow a little weaker. “Its it time now? Can I finally join you?” a tear streaming down his cheek as the mare came into view. “Hello daddy.” A familiar voice perkes his ears up. With a sigh he nodded. It wasn’t his time, or the visitor he sought, but a welcome one anyway. “Hello Autumn dear.” Kohaku felt as his goddaughter moved up and rested beside him. Her head nuzzled on his shoulder. Instinctively, Kohaku brought his tails up and rested them across her body. A smile brought to his lips as he heard another set of hooves stomping down the path. “Damit all Kohaku, who or what gave you the right!!” Pearl shouted as she stomped down the path to the one location in all the land only the two of them knew. The rest of his family not withstanding. Her chest heaving up and down as her eyes flamed almost as much as her hair. But stoped as she watched Kohaku softly rock the young newly born alicorn baby in his front arms. The little one's head resting on his chest as he hummed tenderly looking down at the white baby. “Shhh, she just fell asleep.” Looking up at his friend, Kohaku smiled. “With everything wrong she should still be in the healing temple.” Looking at her friend, Pearl heard the annoying chuckle she had grown accustom to. She hated that he looked the same now as he did when he was a teenager. The pair having long grown to adult hood. While she was growing older, time seemed to avoid him like he had the plague. “Pearl, there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s perfect.” Kohaku rocked the young girl back and forth slowly. “Shouldn’t you still be in the healing temple, you only just gave birth yesterday. And you know how Riko is.” Opening her mouth she quickly shut it and sucked in her breath. Blushing she turned her head. “I snuck out. After what you and that dragoness of yours did to my daughter.” her eyes narrowed. “You think after two thousand years you’d start listening to me, but no. You just have to do things with out so much as consulting me.” wincing a bit, Pearl felt a pain shoot up and down her legs. Her adrenaline fulled rage subsiding. Pearl watched as Kohaku patted the ground next to him and she just sighed. Kohaku felt his best friend nuzzle up next to him. Her legs finally giving out as she rested her head on his shoulder. Kohaku softly rested his nine tails across Pearl’s body, Leaning in he kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t have the time to talk to you about this. And I…” his voice choked up in his throat. “Couldn’t let my daughter die.” Pearl sighed finishing his sentence as she closed her eyes. “I know, but how will this affect her?” Reaching out she lightly brushed her hoof across the newborn form of her daughter. Already she could see the amber shimmer across the tiny horn, and a cutie mark of a sleeping fox with sea-green flames. “Does it really matter? No matter the change she’ll be just as loved.” “I know. You really didn’t do this just to get out of buying a present did you? Or just to annoy me?” Smirking up at him she watched Kohaku look down at her. “Oh shoot. My grand master plan has finally be revealed. How ever shall I recover from this.” his front paw loosely hanging against his chest as he looked up with both eyes closed. It wasn’t until he felt a wing slap up against his head that the two quickly lost themselves in laughter. “I’ll never be able to pay you back for what you just did for me.” Pearl wiped the laughter tears from her eyes. When she felt a paw under her cheeks lifting her gaze up to his. “And you will never have too.” leaning in Kohaku kissed her for head as the baby griped her mommy’s nose with both hooves. “Daddy?” Autumn touched Kohaku’s shoulder as she looked at him as if he would fade from the world. “I’m fine,” Kohaku sighed and looked over at the young Alicorn. No matter how old she was, how tall she got. All he ever saw was a young newborn Alicorn he held so tenderly that day. “Your home early. Did you get into trouble again?” “Look who’s talking. Where do you think I got this from.” Autumn chuckled with her godfather. Together they sighed and looked up at the statue. “I saw her. She’s back again.” “No let me guess, your mouth ran faster than your brain.” Autumn just nodded. “And I kinda popped in front of Twilight.” “Perhaps it’s time you talk to her. She does deserve that you know.” Kohaku rested a paw across his goddaughters body. “And she’s finally old enough to understand it. And perhaps come to terms with it.” Nodding slowly, Autumn bit down on her lower lip. She knew she had to talk to Twilight. Their connection was too strong to not do so. But was now really the best time? “I heard a whisper about what ol Alex wants to do. What do you suppose will happen?” “I have my suspicions. I’m not entirely sure I’m ready for it. But in a few days we’ll see.” Resting his head back down, Kohaku sighed deeper. “Personally I want…” his voice cut off by a pair of hooves. “I know what you want. But think of mother. Or all my siblings, how would they feel. And what if it is true, what that pesky Life Bringer wants to do.” Autumn felt her hooves moved by her daddy’s large paw. She saw him smile. “Don’t worry dear. Your ol dad still has some life in him yet. I just feel like butter, spread over too much bread.” “Do you want me to leave you to your memories?” Autumn shifted a little only to feel those warm tails that comforted her even as a baby. Smiling she nodded and rested next to him. The pair sharing thoughts about the one mare they both loved.