Chapter 11 - Sage of the Everfree
Tails of Innocence
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Chapter 11
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Sage of the Everfree
20 Years before Nightmare Moon’s Return
“You can’t be serious!” Sunset shouted in frustration, her horn flaring to life as her levitated teacup crashed into the checkered grey and white floor, shattering into pieces while leaving a stain. She stood up and kicked away her gold-red chair with both of her rear hooves, glaring up at the princess on the other side of the dining table.
Outside of stained-glass decorations, two orange doors decorated the spacious rooms, each equipped with red carpet. One door led to the hallway that servants used to deliver food from the kitchen, though the princess herself occasionally took the role of a cook herself.
“I am most serious, my dear student,” Celestia replied, maintaining her stoic posture as she ignored Sunset’s outburst, taking another sip of her tea. “After years of fruitless search, I may finally be able to reunite with my dearest Kyuubi.”
“Dearest Kyuubi? You mean that wolf in sheep...fox’s skin?” Sunset said as she walked around the table with firm steps, groaning. “If you have forgotten already, that beast bit my arm off, chewing on my foreleg while I experienced indescribable agony!”
“And she healed your injury immediately after,” Celestia replied, meeting her student’s glare with her own.
“She healed my injury, but do you think the scar of that horrible day is gone? Even to this day I still have nightmares.” The unicorn stomped before poking her own horn. “Furthermore, my raw power had become at least twenty percent weaker ever since that day. Kyuubi doesn’t just eat meat, it permanently steals magic.”
Celestia looked to the side and bit her bottom lip, recalling memories of an ancient foe. While she and her sister stopped Tirek before he could become a threat, she couldn’t help but find similarities. No, it was worse than that. Once Tirek was defeated, they managed to force him to return all the magic he had stolen before they locked him in Tartarus. With Kyuubi it was different. If the kitsune was capable of returning magic, she would no doubt immediately have given back what she took from Sunset, if only because of guilt. This meant that she couldn’t do that. Whether Celestia liked it or not, whenever Kyuubi would take a bite of a magical creature, she would steal part of its magic forever.
The unicorn stood on her rear hooves and poked the alicorn in the chest with the tip of her hoof. “Despite what happened, you ordered your guards to look for that monster, not to lock it in a cage, but to bring it back under your tutelage. They searched this city and nearby towns, often patrolling areas between them. You even ordered the spreading of missing posters and interrogated your subjects. Do you have any idea how much this frustrated me?”
Celestia spread her wings authoritatively, giving her student glare which forces her to back away. “I understand your anger, but I also understand how she feels. She always feared she would hurt somepony and I had to keep convincing her that she should trust in herself. I can only imagine the guilt she felt and that’s why she’s hiding from us. I want to make it right.”
“Make it right?” Sunset sat and crossed her arms. “It is right as it is! That magic-eating kitsune is living away from ponies and me being your only personal student is right.” She raised her head arrogantly. “You had been teaching and raising that monster for years, yet I surpassed her progress and raw power while being half her age. Each year my magic grew at a rate four times greater when compared to her, and my grades were also superior. You don’t need to waste your time on her and put your subjects at risk.”
Celestia mentally sighed, remembering the rivalry between her students that had evolved despite their earlier friendship. While she couldn’t deny that Sunset’s potential far exceeded Kyuubi’s, the purifying and healing abilities weren’t something the unicorn could replicate. Furthermore, while Kyuubi lacked in many areas where Sunset shone, she showed kindness, humility, patience, and had a good heart. Sunset on the other hoof was held back by her arrogance, believing herself superior to others. Her hot temper was also a problem.
“I can learn spells faster than Kyuubi and create my own, and unlike her, I am more all-rounded. I don’t need tails to specialize in only specific fields of magic. And most importantly,” she stomped with both of her hooves, “I’m not a predator that will try to eat others. Just forget about her and focus on my future instead!”
“Your future? I’m doing the best I can to guide you, but I refuse to give up on her.”
“Your best? Right…” Sunset said before turning her back to the princess. “You’re almost always busy with your duties. I mean, I understand, you’re a ruler after all, but most of your free time you’re wasting on searching for that stupid fox. I feel like I’m wasting my talents here.”
The alicorn narrowed her eyes. While she was a little neglectful when it came to her pupil’s studies, it was difficult for her to do otherwise while worried about Kyuubi. Sunset’s lack of respect for her authority and cold words towards the poor kitsune also abraded her patience. “I admit, I was a bit neglectful at teaching you, but once Kyuubi is found, I’ll make everything right.”
“You mean that rumor about the Sage of Everfree that the commoners of Ponyville started to spread? Even if this rumor is true, finding her there won’t be easy, not to mention it's dangerous for your guards.” Sunset glanced for a moment at her half-eaten cake before walking towards the closest door. “Kyuubi doesn’t belong here. She belongs in that dangerous forest. The faster you realize that, the better. Just leave her be,” she suggested, shutting the door behind her.
Celestia closed her wings and groaned in frustration. While she understood the trauma her student faced, Sunset’s worsening behavior kept getting on her nerves. She missed the times when she raised only Kyuubi, finding their time together meaningful and enjoyable. It didn’t matter that the kitsune had flaws and shortcomings, it didn’t matter that she was a predator and made slower progress, being with her made the princess happy. Guiding Sunset on the other side felt more like an unpleasant chore. It had even gotten to the point where Sunset’s behavior had ended the friendship between her, Rosey, and Nightbright.
The two had done everything they could to search for their friend while Sunset did nothing but tell them Kyuubi deserved to be exiled. It led to a fight, a nasty one if she heard right, that all but ended whatever friendship they once had. If Sunset was bothered by it, she didn’t show it.
She may be extremely talented, but I fear whom she may become with that attitude and lack of morals. The more I try to teach her the importance of humility and kindness, the more she’s resisting. Am I that bad of a teacher? She lowered her head and dropped her wings as she pushed away a plate with unfinished cake, not feeling hungry anymore. First, she failed Kyuubi, and now Sunset seemed to be going towards a darker path. Maybe she was unfit for the role of mentor after all.
“I didn’t think I would see your family again after all this time. I see the curse is doing you no favors,” said a unicorn pony in his late fifties with a grey mane and cobalt blue coat spoke up from behind the principal's desk. “Our best professors and most talented students studied that curse for months with little progress.” The principal lowered his head in shame, his tone apologetic. “I am deeply sorry, but removing such a powerful curse is beyond even our capabilities.”
He looked at the family ahead, a tall brown stallion, whose short mane and tail were striped with blue and yellow, his cutie mark a golden chalice. A damaged safari hat rested on his head. His skin was covered in wrinkles while his long beard grew from his face and chin. The earth pony looked at his wife, a sea-blue pegasus with silvery mane, her cutie mark golden coins flying atop clouds of wind while her appearance also showed signs of aging.
Both parents looked down in between them at a bandaged filly, her fur pink and mane lavender while a hedgehog decorated her flanks. She looked back at her parents with depressed eyes while enhanced hoof-cuffs restrained her legs. At least two runes shining with magic decorated each cuff, improving their durability.
“That’s not true, Principal Lightstar. We believe one of you students can,” said the stallion, giving the principal a determined glance.
“You mean…” Lightstar said, his eyes wide at the realization. “Miss Kyuubi! She may… or rather would have had the means to purify your curse.” He gritted his teeth and lowered his head shamefully before adding, “If only I had thought of that years ago before her disappearance.”
“Yes, if only you had,” the stallion said in a harsh tone before receiving a disapproving glare from his wife.
“Now’s not the time to shift the blame,” the mare said as she placed her right wing on her husband’s back. “Due to our attempts to… isolate ourselves, we heard about what Celestia’s newest pupil is capable of only a week ago, and rushed here immediately.” She looked ahead with a pleading look, her tone desperate, “You must allow us to meet her, she may be our last chance!”
“I wish it was that simple, but Kyuubi has been missing for years now. Haven’t you seen any of the missing posters on your way to Canterlot?”
The family shook their heads, though their daughter didn’t.
“You mean that picture of the cute foxy on the wall? I saw it.”
The mare gently stroked the filly’s side. “I know it’s too late for us, but Lily deserves a normal life. We’ll search for her if we must.”
The filly whimpered. “B-but… but I feel fine, mommy.” She tried to raise her hoof, struggling against her restraints. “I am a strong filly, I won’t break. I won’t hurt...”
“No, you’re not sweetie. I know you feel invincible, but you’re not,” the mother said in an elderly tone, nuzzling her daughter who whimpered in response. “Our powers come at great cost, and they may harm others when you least expect it.”
The filly’s ears drooped as she looked at her restraints in sadness.
The principal shook his head and sighed. “I understand your sentiment. Normally. I shouldn’t share this information, but I believe your family deserves it. Consider this my way of making amends for my mistake.”
Both parents raised their heads, looking at the principal with a mix of desperation and hope.
The principal stood from his chair and rounded his desk, now addressing the family from close. “There has been a rumor in Ponyville about a ‘Wise Guardian of the Everfree”. We suspect that it may be related to Kyuubi. Her Highness is already making preparations to search for her, but it will take time before she mobilizes the search party with a proper escort.” He looked down before gently patting the filly’s head. “The question is, ‘will she allow them to find her, or will she make it difficult?’ The forest alone is a dangerous place to explore.”
Both old ponies looked at each other and nodded. “Just leave it to us.”
“Our curse may be dangerous to others, but it will help us overcome whatever danger awaits us,” father said.
“We’ll find her,” the mother said.
“Adventure, yay!” the filly shouted, trying to jump in excitement. Her cuffs stopped her though, causing her to land on her chin and groan in annoyance.
“I wish you both best of luck. If this rumor turns out to be true, many ponies will become happier for it.”
He watched the excited family make their way to the exit, only to raise a protective bubble over himself. An attempt to open the door in haste resulted in the wall of his room crumbling and dust covering the entire room. The old stallion looked back with an awkward smile while mare already opened her purse, picking up bits for damage-repairs.
A merchant pony covered by grey fur and with a short yellow mane walked backward, his trembling body decorated by claw-marks and sweating intensely.
In front of him approached the king of local beasts. It had the appearance of some sort of giant cat, but with wings, a red mane covering its chest and neck, and a huge stinger that it was just pulling up out of the ground. It snarled at him, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and lurched forward again with long, slow strides. More saliva kept falling from the beast’s mouth as it licked its lips. Its claws were covered in blood.
The terrified pony grabbed and threw his turban at the monster, which turned into confetti from a double slash of sharp claws. He ran to the left, but the beast jumped, landing in his way with a loud thud. The earth trembled, almost knocking him off balance as nearby trees and thorny bushes blocked his means of escape.
His attention shifted towards another monster, this one almost as big while four fluffy tails were standing from its back.
“No, no, no! Please, don’t eat me!” He kept looking between two predators as if wondering which one will charge at him first.
His fears were replaced by shock as he spotted a pony peeking from behind the monster's neck. His son, it was unmistakably him. The very reason he entered this cursed place was to find his foolish foal who decided to explore and play here against his warnings and prohibitions. While seeing him alive lightened the weight on his heart, one question remained: Why was his son riding that vulpine beast?
What he saw next only increased his confusion. The large fox tore away her arm, feeding it to the manticore before another foreleg grew in its place. His face became pale at the view of blood and the fox’s short-lived agony. Luckily, his son was spared that experience as its long tails conveniently covered his son’s head.
You’re safe, there’s nothing to fear, spoke a motherly voice inside his mind. Not a moment later the manticore walked away, satisfied with a large foreleg between its teeth.
“She… she tore off her leg to feed that monster in exchange for your life?” the mare asked, blinking and in shock.
“Did it hurt?” asked Lily from her father’s back, her limbs still restrained by enhanced metallic cuffs.
The cursed family stood at the entrance to the Everfree, guided by the merchant with a cart filled with porcelain, attached to his sides.
“I thought the same thing. When I asked her, she just told me that she disabled some of her pain receptors with an inner spell. She didn’t deny that it hurt a ton though.” He gestured at himself, his fur clean and presentable. “She healed herself and me very quickly, and saved not just me but also my son. She truly deserves her title of the Everfree’s Sage.”
Both parents smiled with joy, feeling growing hope for the first time in years. “How can we find her?” they asked in unison.
The merchant shrugged. “Beats me. She seems to appear only whenever somepony is in trouble but withdraws immediately after. She must be very shy if you ask me.”
“That’s… not much to go on. I’m not sure if it is worth it to put ourselves in danger. What if she is far away and does not hear our calls for help?”
“Then, you’ll die.”
The mare glanced at his husband and suggested, “We don’t need to be in real danger. We just need her to think that we are.”
Both parents glanced at their daughter and nodded. This was a risky move, but with the curse controlling their lives, they didn’t have much to lose.
“Let your magic flow, guide it with what you know,” Zecora guided as she stood on a single hoof, her eyes closed in deep concentration. “It’s not enough to cast a spell. You must feel yourself as well.”
Kyuubi felt her nose twitching as she lay on a bed of leaves next to a large tree, one with space inside. Do we have to do these training sessions in between work?
“Training one’s body, training one’s mind, both are essential to raise your spirit in kind.”
I know, I know, but I was in the middle of turning a tree into your new shelter, and we still need to come up with a camouflaged shelter for me that would be closer than the ruined castle. Can’t we train afterward?
“Diligence is important to focus on, no work can go above and beyond.”
Kyuubi’s nose twitched again as she resisted the urge to sneeze. She opened one eye, looking at her younger mentor. You know it would be a lot easier to concentrate on my training if you weren’t meditating atop my muzzle. It tickles.
“Those who cast spells need concentration, those who control inner magic need meditation. No outside influence can distract, you must master that little fact,” Zecora guided.
Kyuubi cast quick scanning spells, paying close attention to the flow of magic inside Zecora’s body, an example she used for her own training. In the past, her magical sessions focused on concentrating magic into spells, to control a force that would affect her surroundings. Training with Zecora was vastly different: focusing on controlling the magic inside her to affect her own body, and by extension how to use it to more effectively affect other creatures. As if changing studies from giving first-aid to more advanced surgery.
Nullifying one’s pain, dispelling poison from one’s body, improving resistances, and strengthening one’s durability. Zebra’s arts seemed like a mix between a unicorn and an earth pony. When unicorns controlled magic with their minds, the magic inside earth ponies aided them in every day’s tasks without the pony’s influence. The way Zecora taught her allowed her to control her inner magic to aid her own body as if becoming an earth pony herself but controlling what kind of boost this magic would give her.
She was still a novice though, and controlling her inner magic in the middle of a crisis was no easier than casting regular spells, and it certainly wasn’t easy with that annoying zebra standing atop her muzzle.
Kyuubi grinned, cutting a little bit of her fur with her magic before levitating it towards the zebra’s nose, tickling it.
Zecora sneezed a few seconds later, losing balance while falling unceremoniously on her chin, then looked her in the eyes from her flattened position.
The kitsune giggled. Not so easy to focus with a twitching nose, isn’t it? So much for you being a master yourself.
Zebra stood up, then sat, crossing her forearms in annoyance. “I’ve much to learn, so I have found, but I’m trying my best with the distractions around. Teaching you I happen to enjoy, some respect I expect but instead, you’re coy.”
I know that you do and I truly appreciate your teachings, but I can’t help but find your methods quite out of ordinary, same with your hard-to-understand way of speech. She raised one forepaw, gently stroking the zebra’s side while sending forth magic in the form of pleasant heat. Also, you need to relax. It’s no fun being serious all the time. Maybe a friendly game or something?
“To be lectured by a friendly beast, I expected such not in the least.” Zecora chuckled before patting Kyuubi on the spot between her big innocent eyes. “I respected you as worthy of my trust, and you’ve proven to be both kind and just.” She smiled warmly. “Now I respect your size and might and see you as a friend, yet I believe you may be too innocent and too kind in the end.”
Thank you, though I don’t think I deserve so much trust. Her ears drooped. I think I preferred when you approached me with caution. The last friend who trusted me too much ended up betrayed by me.
Zecora looked back at her in pity as she continued to stroke her fur.
Kyuubi’s ears twitched upon hearing a loud cry for help echo through the forest. She quickly turned her head towards the source of the voice, accidentally throwing the zebra onto the ground. S-sorry! She hastily picked the zebra back to her hooves with simple levitation, giving her a panicked glance. Someone is in trouble. We can train later.
Without hesitation, she stood up and started to run, taking several seconds to get her long paws moving at full speed. Whatever her zebra friend was yelling at her became inaudible as she passed trees and bushes, her stamina and speed now improved when compared to her past weaker self.
When hearing cries for help, she rushed forward without hesitation, ready to negotiate with the residents of the forest and protect whoever was in danger. Needless to say, when she got there she found no beasts or danger, but three ponies who looked at her in awe. Kyuubi felt somewhat backstabbed after learning of the ponies’ trickery. Was she truly too naive for her own good?
Her look of betrayal slowly shifted into a curious stare, which was returned by stares as if she was a walking miracle. Who… are you. Why did you trick me like that? Kyuubi asked, wondering ’what could be so important as to risk venturing into this dangerous place?’
The stallion raised his forepaw to his chest as he stood next to a moss-covered boulder. “My name is Topaz Longsock.”
The mare standing next to the stallion raised forehoof to her chest. “My name is Jewel Longsock.” She lowered her head, nuzzling the filly. “And my daughter’s name is Lily Longsock.”
Longsock? I have a hard time picturing what your special talent can be by your name, and I didn’t have that problem before, Kyuubi said, tilting her head to the side. Now that she thought about it, ponies seemed to be quite literal with their names, and apparently, they changed their names often after the discovery of their special talents.
“I suppose a name fitting a pony’s talent is a cultural thing, but we never bothered with it,” Topaz said, chuckling. “As for why we tricked you, well…” He looked down, rubbing his forehoof nervously. “We need your help.”
Help?
Jewel spread her wings and flew up, trying to look Kyuubi eye to eye from the same height. “Our family has been cursed for generations, and we believe you may be the only one who can save us.”
Curse? Kyuubi asked as her ears perked up, so did her tails, her interest at its peak. Dealing with curses was her duty as blessed by God. After all this time she could finally put her purifying abilities to use. Also, why was the filly covered in bandages and have cuffs on her forelegs? Was this related somehow? Please elaborate.
The elderly mare flew to the side, stretching her foreleg before punching the nearby tree. Wood shattered, scattering around while a big hole was formed on the lower part of the tree, which ended up torn from its roots, flying a few meters away before falling to the ground with a loud thud while crushing nearby bushes.
Kyuubi and the ponies started shaking from the sudden quake, doing their best to maintain balance. She blinked, swearing she saw some sort of a dark aura around the pegasus mare for a second.
“To be as detailed as possible, we come from a line of adventures. Long ago, our ancestors once found a lamp of sorts, a home to a powerful Ifrid, one they mistook for a wish-granting spirit.” The stallion stomped, his hoof sinking to the ground as cracks spread around it from the impact. Another quake followed as Lily lost her balance. “They wished to become the most powerful and most unstoppable adventures in Equestria. What they got was a blessing and a curse that spread over their entire family and carried on for generations.” He bit his lip, helping his daughter stand.
Kyuubi lowered herself, lying on the dirt in front of the family while listening with full attention. A lamp with Ifrid that granted cursed wishes? Certainly something worth memorizing.
Jewel landed in front of Fox's muzzle, adding in a depressed tone, “I heard that they were indeed gifted. Their earth pony magic became much stronger, and they gained some sort of magic that would increase their durability and physical strength. They could survive any trap and force their way through any wall or obstacle, becoming quite famous for their achievements.”
Topaz lowered his head. “But they soon learned that it came at a price. Whenever they called upon their new power, their lifespan was shortened, so in other words, they aged very quickly.”
The filly remained silent, clearly bothered by something.
Jewel continued, “This curse has been carried for every new generation, and it can even spread. I didn’t care about Topaz’s curse and married him anyway, only for this curse to affect me not long after. What’s weird was that Topaz became a little younger while I became older, as if this curse wanted for us to suffer equally.” She frowned, shooting her husband an annoyed glare who just lowered his head in shame. “And it’s not like we can refuse to use those powers. This curse makes it so those powers activate on their own. It takes only a little bit of stress or mere activity requiring a bit of strength, and we suddenly cause a lot of damage.”
Topaz added, “I’m not even sure how much accidental destruction our ancestors caused, or how many ponies they injured with their uncontrollable strength. We searched all over Equestria for a cure, and when this failed, we chose to live a secluded life, away from civilization in order not to hurt anypony. We had accepted the fact that our death will take this curse to the grave… but...”
“Our daughter doesn’t deserve it, and we have no one who will care for her once we pass away,” Jewel said, wrapping the filly in a tight embrace, adding wings to the mix. “If you can save us, or at least save her from this cruel fate, we’ll be forever grateful.”
Kyuubi stood up, overflowing with determination as she charged magic into her tails. You can count on me!
Topaz, Jewel and Lily looked up at her, hope in their eyes.
By the way, if this curse increases your age whenever you use your powers, how old are you exactly?
“Thirty-two,” said stallion, his features resembling double the mentioned age in Kyuubi’s eyes.
“Twenty-nine,” said the mare, looking no younger than her husband.
“I’m… I’m three,” said the filly, causing the kitsune’s eyes to widen. A filly that looked as if she was already ten years old was only three!
Kyuubi grit her teeth as a shining white wave of magic spread through the ground from under her forepaws, heading towards the family. After several seconds a holy rune formed on the ground, causing the ponies to glance at it in confusion before covering their eyes from the bright light.
Slowly but steadily, holy magic made its way up from the ground, enveloping the ponies hooves, then bellies, reaching to the top of their heads. A burst of red-orange magic emerged, as if made of hot flames flared to life, and started wrestling against the holy magic as both forces tried to extinguish each other.
Kyuubi dropped to one knee, sweat covering her head as she felt a growing pain in her tails and muscles. Some strong force resisted her purification, and she could feel it. The more magic she put into the process, the more pain she was receiving in return.
You dare to interfere with my gift. Learn your place mortal, she heard a powerful commanding voice in her head before the pain she felt increased in strength. She tried to counter by controlling her inner magic as Zecora taught her, as if a mix of meditation and the painkiller spell, yet nothing changed. This was a pain she couldn’t weaken.
Your magic can put up a fight against mine. How… amusing. It has been millennia since someone could resist me.
Kyuubi whimpered, then screeched in pain. She broke her connection to the purifying rune, breathing rapidly before coughing up blood from her lungs.
The ponies looked at the puddle of blood in shock as Topaz and Jewel covered their daughter’s eyes.
Kyuubi closed her eyes, meditating as her third tail flared to life. She directed her healing magic inside her body, recovering whatever inner injury was caused a moment ago. Detecting hostile magic, as if a curse of a sort in her body, she purified it. After the healing was done, she opened her eyes, quickly met with worried looks of the pony family who now stared at her from up close.
“What happened?” asked Topaz.
“Did it work?” asked Jewel.
“Is the big foxie hurt?” asked Lily.
Kyuubi waited for her breathing and heartbeat to stabilize as she scanned her body, not detecting any curse. She scanned the ponies ahead before shaking her head, detecting the curse in the ponies. I’m sorry. I… I tried, I truly did, but something interfered. But… but I’ll try again. I’m not giving up. She stood up immediately, only to drop to one knee as the weakness didn’t leave her just yet.
“Please don’t strain yourself,” Topaz said.
“No, ignore him. Just try again,” Jewel said.
The stallion shot his wife a disapproving glare. “But she’s completely exhausted. We shouldn’t…”
“I don’t care if she’s tired. She was closer to healing us than any scholar before her, I could feel it. She needs to keep trying!” Jewel shouted, causing her daughter to cover her ears.
Kyuubi looked ahead at the arguing duo as their stomping caused an earthquake.
C-calm down… Kyuubi pleaded, quickly levitating away Lily before she could fall into one of spreading cracks between the arguing couple. As her plea didn’t work, she shouted, I said calm down! You’re scaring Lily.
Both ponies stopped in an instant, looking between their daughter and cracks on the ground before lowering their heads in shame.
Kyuubi looked at restrained filly as an idea was born in her mind. I think I made a mistake trying to heal you all at once. Your daughter’s curse seems to be the weakest. Maybe if I can’t heal you all, I can at least try to heal you one at a time.
“Foxie can heal me? No mean curse my mommy and daddy speak about?”
I... I’ll try my best. She lowered the filly in front of her forepaws, now lying in front of Lily while focusing her magic. The process repeated, though the sight of resisting flaming magic was much smaller than before.
Topaz and Jewel looked at the auras of magic around Lily, wishing with all their hearts for the process to succeed as their breathing increased in speed, their eyes wide.
Kyuubi felt the familiar pain again, this time weaker than before. Your suffering is truly a treat, so much more filling, and I finally get the chance to face someone who can put up a fight. By all means, I welcome you to try as many times as you like. This challenge is most interesting.
The kitsune doubled her efforts, wrestling against the curse as the filly started showing discomfort on her face, following up with a pained whimper.
Kyuubi stopped the purifying process, deciding not to prolong her and the filly’s pain. She wiped the sweat from her forehead before scanning the filly. The curse was still there but seemed a bit weaker as if she made a bit of progress in removing it.
“And? Did it work?” Topaz asked.
“Is our daughter safe from the curse?” Jewel asked, both staring as if expecting salvation from their crumbling world.
Kyuubi showed a weak smile. Not yet, but I made a bit of progress.
“A bit of progress?” Topaz asked.
“What does that mean? Jewel asked.
The large fox gently picked the filly, now holding her on the sole of her forepaw as there was enough space for the little pony to sit on. The curse in your daughter has weakened a little bit. While I am too weak to heal you, I think I should be able to save your daughter. It won’t happen tomorrow or maybe for a week, but I should be able to remove every bit of the curse from her eventually.
Both parents smiled brightly, jumping in joy while causing another quake upon landing.
Kyuubi added another paw, keeping the filly from falling, who in return nuzzled her paws, an act of affection and thankfulness that filled her heart with joy. All the pain she’ll need to endure for the coming weeks, worth it.
“And… what about us. Is healing us impossible?” asked Jewel, stopping her cheerful dance with her husband.
Kyuubi bit her bottom lip, taking a moment to answer. Well… I may be too weak to help you now, but my magic grows stronger with age. Maybe one day I may become strong enough to help you, but for now, I can only help your daughter.
Topaz embraced his wife and looked at the kitsune with a grateful smile. “That’s good enough for us. Our daughter will be saved and we have hope. We’re most grateful.”
Jewel nodded, pushing herself free from her husband’s embrace before flying upward, picking up her daughter from Kyuubi’s paw. “We have some bits with us that should last for months. We’ll move to Ponyville and bring you our daughter every day so you can help her. Is this acceptable?”
Kyuubi nodded energetically, making a mental note to tell Zecora about what happened. She doubted alchemy would do better than her purifying magic, but it was worth a try. Wait… Zecora is very experienced in controlling one’s inner magic. Maybe she can teach you how to keep those cursed powers in check. It would certainly help, she thought to herself before her attention focused on the bandages covering the filly.
She concentrated, asking the ponies telepathically. I understand that those cuffs are there to keep your daughter from hurting herself and the others as she may not have control of her increased strength, but what about those bandages? Is Lily injured?
The mare nodded. “Y-yes. Our daughter is still young, yet she was born with an unhealthy desire to challenge herself and adventure. From her second year on she was always looking for something to lift, or trouble she could get into. She fractured her bones and hurt a few ponies as a result.”
Topaz rubbed the ground with a hoof, not looking the kitsune in the eyes. “We had to restrain her for her own good. She may look like a normal filly, but she’s still too young to understand how dangerous her strength is. She even got her cutie mark by nearly breaking a mail-pony’s foreleg by hugging it.
Oh, I see… Kyuubi said before focusing some of her magic, which seemed to be a bit low as the ponies ahead started looking tasty. She touched the filly with the tip of her forepaw, sending her magic into the filly for several seconds. And done. I healed whatever inner injuries she accumulated. It wasn’t even all that hard.
Lily looked at herself, blinking in confusion. “Foxie… healed me?”
The mare untied the bandages from the filly, not noticing any marks of self-inflicted damage. “She… did.”
Kyuubi blushed upon feeling a family hug on her neck, waving at the leaving ponies with a warm smile on her face a moment later. Once she was left alone, she looked at the branches blocking the sky, thinking. It seems that there are powers and dark forces my purifying is still too weak to heal. What… what if I’ll be too weak to save Luna from her curse?
She stood up and walked on her tired paws, going to her hideout, the ruined Castle Of The Two Sisters. While she separated herself from the princess and ponies, she didn’t forget about Celestia’s plea for her to save her sister, and if the princess’s theory was right, Luna would come back as Nightmare Moon to the spot where she was banished by the Elements. Her plan was simple. Live in the old castle and be ready to purity Nightmare Moon the moment she would return.
What… what if I’ll be too weak? What if I fail in the most critical moment? I may still have time to grow stronger, but alicorn’s magic is really powerful. She gulped, suddenly feeling fear of failure, but she refused to panic. Maybe if she couldn’t rely on her purifying powers, she should rely on God’s guidance. During today’s prayers, she needed to give her plea, a plea for guidance on how to save Luna, and for the well-being of the cursed family.
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This is too emotional.
I’m literally crying.
Chapter was a treat. We can see Sunset is approaching the time of her running away to say the least. Poor Celestia; I imagine we'll be seeing Twilight soon.
4 years have gone by. Kyuubi's been camping out at the Castle of the Two Sisters? Smart and reassuring. Of course, in 20 years I suspect she won't be small enough to fit for long.
Good news, Celestia should have witnesses that sweet Kyuubi is indeed in the Everfree. There shouldn't be anything stopping her from reuniting with our beloved kitsune.
But dude, Kyuubi tearing off her own limb...? Even in defense of someone else, morbid doesn't begin to cover that. That's self-harm to the point where Nica's Training from Hell looks positively harmless. I can only guess it's merely penance for eating Sunset's leg and now it's paid in full. If she starts handing out limbs, predators may grow a taste for her. PLEASE tell me that won't come up again.
Thank you. Nice too see that this chapter moved someone in emotional way.
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Nah, her growth isn't that rapid. The reason why she grew so much recently was due to Sunset's foreleg having an immense ammount of magic. Her normal growth isn't that fast. Not to mention that there's quite a lot of space inside ruined castle. I think only hallway with armors is a tight spot Kyuubi would need to sqeeze herself through. Other locations are fairly spacious.
True, but the question is, will Kyuubi allow this reunion?
That bad? Didn't think it would be such a big deal.
In a sense it is. After bitting Sunset's foreleg, she wouldn't mind doing it to herself in order to help someone. Also, considering that Kyuubi can heal her injuries and even regrow her limbs, she's kind of used to this kind of stuff (kind of like Perfect Cell or Picollo are used to regenerating their limbs and stuff).
I mean... it still hurts a lot, but I suppose a cicle of getting hurt and healing herself made her used to such pain. After all, thanks to her healing she can make pain from any injury last for only several seconds, so the only thing she needs is to endure those several seconds. As long as she can handle that, she's good.
To be fair, she kind of created an odd relationship with other predators. They know that if they mess up with her, it will cost them a lot, but if they play along, she can even feed them. (You don't bite hand that feeds you... or in this case you only bite the hands that she feeds you with). I think other predators would rather jump to Kyuubi's defense since she's a self-regenerating food-source.
"Self-regenerating food-source"....? I don't even...
Even with Piccolo and Cell as examples, neither of them actively went about LOOKING to lose limbs that would need to be regenerated. When they actually did take hits like them, it wasn't exactly fun for them. Buu maybe. Those two however had Hit Points to consider, and it took up stamina, among other things.
If you're gonna keep going down this road, can you at least add some warning message or the like, for viewer discretion? It isn't vomit-inducing, exactly, I don't mind limb-tearing or gore in stories, but for such a purpose as BEING a food source...I can't imagine any of the Main 6 or well ANYONE being okay with that.
I'm sorry but I'm just telling you as it is; YES, it is that bad. I know I'm some fimfic newbie, but I want this fic to succeed and have a sequel, but I do NOT like the image of Kyuubi tearing off limbs for....I'm sorry but just...please, no.
Everything else in this chapter was great, though!
Oh... This chapter is truly amazing...
This chapter, as always, is amazingly done. Though after this chapter, it felt like there was something to be desired but I can't put my hand on it. With each chapter, we're getting closer to NMM's return and I don't really know what to think of it. I mean we know what the plans are for her return stories wise but, the story hasn't given to much to expect really. Besides the possibility of Kyuubi not being able to heal her, there isn't too much to expect.
If Kyuubi does fail to help Luna, then the elements are right there.
Well, there is the possibility of Celestia finding her, but then again, what would even happen should Celestia find her? makes me wonder how you decide where this story will go because personally if I were making this story, I would be lost not knowing how to develop the story further.
This chapter doesn't quite have the excitement the previous one did, but it still was amazing well done and I quite enjoyed it. Still, I can't wait to see what the next chapter brings
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I suppose since Kyuubi bit off Sunset's foreleg, sacreficing her own to safe someone's life would be a fitting way to repent for that. I didn't realize it would be this gross. I will try to avoid this kind of stuff in the future.
10375272
To be fair, reading is a bit of a pass-time/learning experience. She's not obsesed with them. I don't think her turning into Twilight is something to worry about.
I planned for that so don't worry. Besides, if you read "Ponyville's Tiny Librarian" or "The Everchanging Moon" you should be aware that my aproach to Nightmare Moon is never obvious or predictable. I never write her as a simple boss for the heroes to easily overcome.
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10375686
I’m inclined to agree, but for a different reason. Up until this point, Kyuubi seemed extremely fragile and innocent. So it’s extremely jarring to suddenly have her just nonchalantly rip off her own foreleg. I mean, how would she even do that? I get that she’s been getting lessons on “inner magic” but that doesn’t explain how she was able to not only rip bones, flesh and skin off her body but do so with seeming no outward reaction at all. I don’t care how much you dull the pain, the body does not like being torn apart. For good reason.
Kyuubi’s character combined with the general theme of the story made such a gory scene (even if there wasn’t any detail) come out as a smack to the face. I would’ve much preferred that she ward the Manticore off some other way.
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Thank you.
As to Nightmare Moon, it didn't help when Time Travel episode to depict her having banished Celestia to the moon and enslaved Equestria. Rather cliché, and while I'm a stickler for following plot closely, I'm also game for anyone who wishes to avoid that.
10375827
4 years living in Everfree Forest no doubt affected her innocence, while training with Zecora, even learning how to weaken her own pain and boost her durability hardened her a little. Also, mix into it her guilt over what she did to Sunset, and this kind of action is possible.
Also, her teeth has proven to be quite dangerous to magical creatures, and her own body isn't all that durable. I suppose I overdid this scene, but I wanted to show what her guilt pushed her too.
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The thing about Kyuubi is that she would prefer to satisfy all sides.
Let's say she droved the Manticore away? She would safe the pony, sure, but what most readers and watches often forget is that predator needs to hunt for food, so chasing away the predator means that it either starve or simply hunt someone else.
By feeding the Manticore, she saved the pony and filled predator's belly at the same time.
I suppose it is kind of hardcore, even after 4 years living in the wild, but I picture Kyuubi as someone who would understand fellow predator and wanted best for predator and prey.
I mean... Ponies were saved, Manticore's belly was full, and all she had to do was endure enormous pain for several seconds. I think it is a fair trade in her mind.
Hey, that’s the same filly with that over-powered strength, but wait I’m confused, is she an earth pony or a pegasus in this story, because in the show I remember she is an earth pony?
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She's an earth pony, obviously. I mean, I don't think I mentioned her having wings or something like that.
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That's correct. Zecora in the show always came to me as old and experienced, so it makes sense that she would be 40-50 years old in the show.
10385184
Yeah I was confused because the parents appeared to be Pegasi or one of them was flying I think, I’ll reread to confirm but yeah that’s where the confusion came from