//------------------------------// // Episode 4 // Story: Vulpine Diplomats from the Far East // by Lord Shadow Eclipse //------------------------------// At the School of Friendship - Two Weeks Later The entire student body of the School of Friendship was gathered in the main lecture hall. They had been asked to gather there without being given any indication as to why the assembly was called, so everyone there was eager to find out what was going on. Sandbar was sitting with his friends waiting for Headmistress Twilight to come out. "What do you thin this is going to be about guys?" Sandbar asked. "Maybe it's another lecture about how friendship can turn villains good," Gallus replied. "I'd like to learn more about how trust develops, honestly," Smolder said. Before they could deliberate further, Twilight came out and stepped up to the podium to address her students. "Everyone, I am happy to tell you all that we're going to be doing a foreign-exchange program with Equestria's latest ally, Kihon!" Twilight said. That got everyone in the room talking. They tried to think about this country that Twilight named, only to realize that they had never heard of Kihon before. And they were doing a foreign-exchange program with them, too. Yona raised her hoof into the air to ask a question. "Headmistress Twilight! What are these Kihon folks like?" Yona asked. "I'm glad you asked that, Yona, because there's a representative from Kihon here with us today," Twilight replied pointing to the side. "May I introduce the Emperor of Kihon himself, Sato Minamoto!" Emperor Sato and his armed escort stepped out onto the stage beside Twilight. Every one of the students was in awe of the fox monarch with the gorgeous golden fur and cute features. A lot of the female students blushed at seeing Sato as well as the other students staring at the armor and weapons wielded by his guards. "It is a true pleasure to meet you all. I am Emperor Sato Minamoto, emperor of Kihon," Sato said. "As Princess Twilight said, our goal for this is to establish greater relations for our nations, hence the purpose behind this exchange. I will be sending a couple of students from Kihon to this very school and some of you will get the opportunity to study abroad in Kihon." This news was incredible to the gathered students. Some of them would get to travel to another land and meet these other foxes. The very idea sounded attractive to them. Ocellus raised her hoof. "Miss Twilight! How exactly are you going to choose which students are going to be going to Kihon?" she asked. Twilight looked to Sato with a smile. She then turned back to answer Ocellus's question. "Actually, Ocellus, we were thinking you and your friends would be the one to go to Kihon," Twilight said. Ocellus and the rest of her friends all stared at the Princess in shock. Sato stepped forward with a smile. "Twilight-hime here has told me so many wonderful things about you, including the fact that you've accepted each other regardless of the fact that your races were former enemies," Sato said. "That makes you more than worthy of going to Kihon." "So... when do we leave?" Sandbar asked. "You depart with Emperor Sato for Kihon in three days," one of the fox guards said. "That should give you plenty of time to get yourselves ready." "And I hope that you all will treat the upcoming arrivals with respect and friendship," Twilight said. "Of course we will, Ma'am!" the other students shouted. And with that, Twilight and Sato took their leave while the selected students made sure to get themselves ready to travel to Kihon. They all headed straight to their dorms and set to packing immediately. "Can you believe it?!" Sandbar asked. "We're going to another country!" "I can hardly believe it, myself. We really must be special if we were selected to go to Kihon for this semester," Gallus said. "I can't wait to get going already! I'd love to add to our group of friends!" Silverstream said. "Yona would like to see new place and make new friends!" Yona said. "Did anyone else notice how soft the Emperor's fur looked?" Smolder asked with a blush. "Yeah, and his ears make me want to stroke them," Ocellus said. "Why does he have so many tails, though?" Gallus asked. "I'm not sure and I don't care. I just want to know how his fur feels," Smolder said. The group managed to get themselves packed pretty quickly. All they had to do now was wait for the day they got to go. It would be good for them to broaden their horizons and add to their companion compendium. ... With Twilight and Emperor Sato - Castle of Friendship The two leaders were eager to see the new students coming from Kihon. The other Elements and the Pillars were all gathered to greet them along with Twilight and Sato. Twilight in particular was looking forward to seeing the kind of magic the Kitsune possessed. Emperor Sato pulled a small paper talisman from his sleeve with a picture of a torii gate and a kanji character above it and threw it on the floor. "Gate open!" Sato called. Before the very eyes of all gathered, a large red torii gate emerged from the talisman in a flurry of pink cherry blossoms. A portal formed inside the gate and out stepped two figures. The first figure was a short red Kitsune with a single tail wearing a plain brown and white kimono with a blue ribbon tying her hair back in a ponytail as well as wooden sandals on her paws. The second figure was not a fox, but a silver-colored wolf. He wore a black gi with a red belt and leather sandals. Both of the new students bowed before the emperor. "Konnichiwa, Sato-sama," they greeted. "Welcome to the land of Equestria, dear students," Sato said. "Please introduce yourselves to your new teachers." The red Kitsune bowed to Twilight. "My name is Chizuru Sakomoto, and it's a pleasure to learning with you." Next was the wolf. "My name is Saito Miyamura of the Okami Clan, and I'm looking forward to be learning with you." "The Okami Clan?" Twilight asked. "The Okami Clan is a clan of wolves that live alongside us Kitsune," Sato said. "The Okami and Kitsune used to be enemies until my father finally united our races in friendship. That was well over four thousand years ago." "Wait, four thousand years ago? How old are you, exactly?" Applejack asked. "I'll be turning exactly one thousand years old next month," Sato replied. "I'd like to have you all come to the palace to celebrate along with me." "We'd love to!" Pinkie said. "I'd like to go as well," Twilight said. "Getting back on track, we welcome you to Equestria and hope you two have a wonderful time here," Fluttershy said. "Thank you for having us," Saito said. "We're looking forward to learning more of this land and its people," Chizuru said. "Well then, follow me to the School of Friendship and we'll get you settled in the dorms," Twilight said. To Be Continued...