//------------------------------//
// Unexpected Encounter pt. 1 
// Story: Double Twilight Love 
// by Mystic Sunrise 
//------------------------------//

Twilight sighed as she looked up from her current read, watching as the Rose River flowed by serenely. Normally, this was her favorite reading spot, outside of her castle. But today, too much was on her mind.

What she had seen in the Pearl would not leave her alone, and again it came back around to the river before her. For as long as anypony could remember, it had been called the Rose River. Nopony knew why though, for nopony had named it. Certainly not the Apple family.

"Could one be here?" She thought aloud. "We know they are tied to nature, as kitsunes are. Why else would the river be named as it is? No record of it exists, even in Canterlot."

"Could one, what, princess?"  A new voice asked, startling the alicorn as she turned to see who had spoken. A Pegasus mare with a grey coat and pink mane sat on a rock watching the alicorn with a smirk. A rock that had not been there a moment before. Her green eyes sparkled. "Oh, I'm sorry. You just looked so calm, I didn't want to interrupt."

Twilight shook her head, smiling. "No. I was just thinking aloud. And you are? I don't think we've met before."

The mare giggled. "The name's River Run," she replied, holding out a hoof, one that was polished smooth like river rocks. "And what were you thinking about? I'm not sure why you would be interested in those overstuffed fleabags."

Twilight was taken aback by the venom in River's voice but decided not to push it. "I'm not. Not really. I was just wondering if there might be an eastern dragon here in the river. I know both can be tied to nature."

River smiled widely. "Wow. I never thought I'd meet anypony who knew anything about them. No one's seen one. Most just think they're nothing but a myth."

Twilight giggled. "I know for a fact that they are indeed real, as are kitsunes." Her smile dropped, as did her ears. "If not for their war, we might know more. Or even be able to meet them."

For a split second, River's eyes flashed dangerously. "What war?"

Twilight shook her head with a sigh. "A stupid, senseless war. Started on a lie. Even after the truth came out, neither side would back down. It took a higher power to finally end it, and she made sure neither side won. In the worst way possible."

If one listened closely, one could almost hear River grinding her teeth. But at what, Twilight could not tell. Why had she said all of that anyway? Very few knew the full truth of what the Pearl had shown her and Twi. So why had she blabbed all of this to a complete stranger?

After a moment, River shook her head and smiled. "Well. I wish I could help, Princess Twilight. But I don't think there are any dragons around here. Unless you count your little brother Spike. But I'll leave you to it."

Before Twilight could say anything, River spread her wings and took off toward the Everfree Forest with surprising speed. "Well that was weird," she muttered as she turned around once more, and her mouth dropped.

The boulder was gone, and with no sign there had ever been one there, to begin with. How? In the grass, a scale twenty times larger than any a local fish sat where the boulder had lain. Where the boulder had been in fact. Picking it up, Twilight's nose scrunched. Only one creature she could think of could have this. But how?

Unless... Naw, she giggled as she turned back to her back. There was no way River could be one. That was absurd.





From further down the river, River watched for a time, before the princess packed up her things and returned to Ponyville. "How? How can she know our history? Ponies should not know this," she growled, before diving back into the Rose River.