Ch. 16
Pearl looked up in surprise as Luster entered her room, a certain book floating in her magic. “What’s wrong? Not a fan?”
Luster shook her head. “I’m not sure yet. But that’s not the reason I’m here. Where did this come from? None of this is from Equus, or Equestria.”
Pearl shook her head. “No, they’re not. It’s not from any known or unknown part of the world. But…”
“But?” Luster prompted, confused at the pause.
Pearl sighed as she flopped onto her bed. “I don’t know if I should be telling you more about where they came from. Princess Twilight would have my head if I did.”
Luster blinked in surprise. That had been the first time she had ever heard Miss. Rose use the princess’s title like that. Usually, it was her first name or some variation of it. “Why? Is it bad?”
Pearl shook her head. “No. But I got in a lot of trouble reading the series. Not because the princess didn’t want me reading those kinds of stories. But because I wasn’t even supposed to know about them. Spike got in more trouble for showing it to me.”
Luster looked at the book with a critical eye. “Is that when you were still new to being her student? They talk about you at the School.”
Pearl nodded. “Yeah. Only a month in, and I was already ready to just quit entirely. I don’t know what they say about me at the school. But I was ready to go back.”
Luster bit her lip, wondering how much was too much. “You were expelled. The only student who has ever been expelled from the School. Mom says you were her roommate.”
Pearl nodded, smiling at the memory. “I was. Best roommate I ever had. And yeah, I was. For standing up for my friends. I don’t know what they say about what happened, but I saved Red from something I don’t even wanna think about, and Cloud was next. I made sure it never happened.”
Her smile grew as she looked at a picture of the three of them on her nightstand, taken not long after the incident. “I made two lifelong best friends that day. And I was expelled for it. Starlight had already called my parents to come get me and to clean out my dorm room.”
Luster’s ears fell. That wasn’t right. “Did you really talk back to the professors? Even Professor Fluttershy?”
Pearl snorted. “Yep. More than once. I called them out on a lot of the crap they did back then. Ask most ponies, and they’ll say I haven’t changed at all in that regard.”
Now that, Luster thought with a chuckle, was something she could believe. She’d been on the receiving end of some of it herself. She looked back at the book again. “But what about this?”
Pearl’s ears fell. “That’s outta my hooves, Luster. Princess Twilight can tell you more. But I haven’t seen her in days. She’s locked me out of her bedroom upstairs. Nopony goes in.”
Luster was worried. “Did you two have a fight?”
Pearl shook her head. “No. Least I don’t think we did. I know she wants to learn Kanji, but this is a bit much. I can’t ask Forestsong. He doesn’t know either.”
Luster rubbed her chin. “Isn’t Kanji the language of kitsunes? Can’t he help? It’s still wrong he’s stuck here as he is.”
Pearl nodded wearily. “He’s been teaching her as much as possible. But Twilight has to learn much of it herself. And that’s not including the Shrine Restoration spell. She has to prove she’s worthy of learning that kind of magic.”
“How bad can it be? The princess is too good,” Luster replied.
Pearl chuckled. “I know, and that’s what I said. But if something goes wrong. It’s not just Forestsong we lose. We lose Twilight as well. And if this is bungled that badly, then I fear what his family will do.”
Luster’s ears fell. “Then why kick us all out? Even if I don’t need to learn the language myself, it isn’t right that she does this by herself.”
Pearl sighed. “I know. I don’t need to know it either. But we can at least be her moral support. The sun and moon still move, so Twily’s fine enough for that. But this isn’t right.”
Luster nodded sadly, before noticing the bags beside Pearl’s bed. “Are you going somewhere?”
The Pegasus nodded happily. “Yeah. Going to the Dragon Lands for a week. Tiamat asked for me specifically. She rarely ever does that. So it has to be important.”
She shot a glare up through the roof of her room. “I was hoping to get a goodbye kiss or something. But I guess not.” Pearl giggled as she saw the hopeful look in Luster’s eyes. “And I’ll be sure to ask if you can come next time. With what Forestsong said, I say your chances have gone up.”
Luster wasn’t able to hold back a happy squee, earning an eye roll from Pearl. “What about the plants outside?”
Pearl rolled her eyes as she picked up her bags. “Unless Twily ever decides to come out of her room, it looks like you’ll have to handle them.”
Luster pouted. She’d been afraid of that.
Pearl giggled as she wrapped a wing around the unicorn. “On the bright side, I haven’t had to listen to Forestsong complain about how we’re treating the plants around the castle. So we’re doing something right.”
Luster nodded as they headed for the door. “Well, he hasn’t come into my room in the middle of the night since that first night. I’ll never be a proper plant pony. It’s not my thing.”
Pearl chuckled as she closed the door behind them. “Join the club. My ficus is the most I’ve ever done outside doing the plants outside.”
“Oh come now, Pearl. You’re not that bad,” Princess Twilight said as she came up behind them with a smile.
Pearl, though, wasn’t smiling as she looked at the alicorn. “Well, look what the cat dragged out. Finally remembered there’s life down here?”
Twilight’s smile dropped somewhat. “Pearl. You know I’m trying to help Forestsong get home. I know you want the same.”
Pearl poked the alicorn with more force than maybe she’d intended, but she didn’t care. “Then what is so damn important that you cut all of us out? I tried asking him. He doesn’t know either. Don’t you trust us?”
Twilight’s eyes fell. “Of course I trust all of you, Pearl,” she said, reaching out a hoof. One that was smacked away by the Pegasus, earning a gasp from Luster.
Pearl pushed her snout against the alicorns. “Do you remember what today is? Or are you so caught up in that damn scroll you forgot?!”
Twilight looked down, her eyes widening at the saddlebags around Pearl’s midriff. “That was today?! Oh, Pearl. I’m so-”
The hope died in Pearl’s eyes, and the look of betrayal was a knife to Twilight’s heart, as the Pegasus turned away with a disgusted snort. “Save it, Sparkle. I don’t want to miss my train.”
Twilight watched her go with a sorrowful look, as she reached out. “Pearl, wai-”
Pearl slapped her tail across the alicorn’s face, earning a startled gasp from Twilight. While there was no pain, there was no denying what that slap meant, and her heart dropped in sorrow.
“Save it, princess. I don’t want to hear whatever excuses you’ve got,” Pearl growled as she stopped a moment. “I need to get away from Ponyville for a while. Away from you, before I do something not even you can forgive me for.”
Luster watched all of this in mounting horror. Nopony ever did that to the princess and got away with it. Yet Princess Twilight did nothing as Pearl walked away, giving one last disdainful look at the alicorn before turning a corner and was lost to sight.
Luster placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, earning a pain-filled look from the alicorn. “Are you alright, princess?”
Twilight sniffed, letting her tears fall now, “No, Luster. I’m not. Where did I go wrong? I just lost the pony I love. The pony I wanted to spend my life with. Possibly forever, and I don’t know what to do.”
Luster didn’t know what to say, and so could only hug her mentor, letting the alicorn let out her sorrow for however long she needed.
Twilight sighed as she walked into her office, the sting on her cheek still fresh.
Forestsong looked up from his place by the fire and watched as the princess hung her head low. “Problems? I thought you were going to see her off?”
“That you knew was today?” Twilight replied in his language. Forestsong nodded slowly.
“You didn’t?” Twilight shook her head. “And check your word placement.”
Twilight blinked and slapped her forehead with her hoof. “Sorry. Well, It seems in my desire to help you, I misplaced the date.”
“That happens when you stay awake for a few days straight. On the plus side, your skill with my language is growing.” Forestsong chuckled but watched as Twilight moved to the window and rested her head down on the sil. Rolling his eyes he got up and walked behind her.
Twilight sighed again, deeper than before. Her ears perked at hearing those soft paw pads move up behind her. Turning around she screeched and fell back onto her rump, back pressed up against the wall as she looked up into eyes almost as large as her head. Clutching her heart with her hoof she let out a deep breath. “Warn somepony when you change sizes. You have no idea how fierce you look like that.”
Forestsong just shook his head and rested on his belly. His front legs folded and his head and neck straight up. Looking quite imposing. “Sorry, I forget that a sudden change results in a mild heart attack.”
“So why the change?”
“Because you need a more adult conversation, and even I can’t hold a straight face in my child form.”
“I appreciate it.” Bowing her head down, Twilight looked at the floor. “Pearl hates right now.”
“She’ll get over it.” Forestsong looked out the window, even from here he could spot Pearl out of the crowd at the train station. “No relationship is without arguments. And she knows what you’re like when studying.”
“I still should have known, I’m sure I can meet her at the train station, it doesn’t leave till sunset.” Twilight got up only to be pushed down by a large paw. “Hey!”
“I’m doing this for you, she needs time to cool off.”
“She won’t forgive me for this. I know it.”
“You ponies, such short lives. And you jump to such conclusions for the most of it.” Twilight looked up at Forestsong’s face. Which was almost as impassive as a grown oak. “In a week or two, she’ll be back. And you two will be back to semi-normal.”
Pushing the large paw from her back she looked out the window toward the station. “You seem sure of yourself.”
“Having spent the last few months with you both. And the longest she’s ever given me the silent treatment was two weeks. As if that counts as the silent treatment.” A deep chuckle escaped his lips.
“I take it your beloved mate did that to you?” Twilight smirked and tilted her head.
“You forgot a single unimportant day. I, on the other hand, forgot the anniversary of the day I planted the first amber orchid on the banks of my Summer’s river on the eve of our engagement.” His chuckle continued and rubbed the side of his face with his large paw.
“Was she upset?” Twilight blinked.
“Upset? She flooded her river, half the valley, and sank a quarter of my forest into a vast lake. Which is still there today.” He grimaced. “On top of that, she gave me the silent treatment and wouldn’t let me touch her until I earned her forgiveness.”
“How long did that take?”
“Seventy-five years.”
Twilight felt her brain explode. Her eyes widened and felt as if she had ‘out to lunch’ hanging from them. “Seventy-five years?” Forestsong just nodded.
“And that was her being understanding. I was after all helping my sister with a problem with her mountains. She didn’t care for how my forests were growing on them and wanted to change the layout.” Placing his paw gently on Twilight’s shoulder he smiled at her. “And never once did I ever doubt her love for me during that time. She just wanted to remind me not to forget her while I go about other duties.”
“Couldn’t she have just said that?” Twilight bit down on her lip and looked away.
“Yes, but would it have ever taught me anything?” Twilight looked back up at him. “Will you take any lesson away from this?”
“Yeah, keep better track of important dates. You’d think I would have learned this as a filly.”
“Sometimes we need to re-learn such lessons. No matter how old we are. We’re just lucky enough to have the loved ones who do that. My Summer, and your Pearl.”
“How did you get this wise?”
Shrugging his shoulder he popped as his large form dissipated in leaves before landing on all fours in his smaller form. “When you’ve been alive as long as I have, then you can answer that question yourself.” Looking out the window he flicked his tail up against it, shooting it open.
“Go to her if you like. Or take my advice and just let her fiery blood the time it needs to cool off. I’ve said what I wanted to say.” Moving to the fireplace he laid back down. “And now back to space robots with lil apes in them,” he chuckled, picking up the second issue of Gundam OO.
Twilight chuckled before looking back toward the station. A part of her wanted to drop everything and rush over and pick up Pearl in her wings and tell her how sorry she was, and beg for forgiveness.
But she didn’t. Twilight knew Pearl’s blood was hot right now. So hot that she would more than likely lash out at her in a way that could destroy everything they had and everything they wanted to be. Pearl’s blood could run as red hot as her mane, hot enough to rival the Broken Lands around the Altar of Khaine on the Blighted Isle.
So Twilight would give her all the space she needed, as her head settled on the window sill with a sigh. Hopefully, when she got back, she could make this up to the Pegasus.
Pearl growled as she sat down on her seat, ponies and other creatures giving her space, which was fine with her. She wasn’t in the mood at the moment to talk to anyone.
“I don’t care if this isn’t as important as some dates. Would it kill her to get her head out of that damn scroll once and a while?” She grumbled. “Does she care more about him than she does me?! What does he have that I don’t?!”
Pearl punched her seat in anger, not caring who saw her. “He can have her then. They’re made for each other.”
Maybe she was being ridiculous, as the train began to pull away, but she didn’t care as she sniffed. “If she can’t remember when I come back? Then this whole thing was a mistake and she can spend eternity by herself. I don’t care.”
Pearl knew that she was being ridiculous. But as the train passed by the Rose River, she couldn’t help but feel that this was the beginning of the end.
“I swear you ponies are ever so temperamental,” a childlike voice from beside Pearl caught her attention. “Always jumping to the worst possible conclusion.”
Pearl blinked as sitting next to her was River Run. An ivory file in one hoof while she examined the other which was highly polished. “Fancy meeting you here.” Pearl blinked as the conductor came by.
“Tickets,” he said in an emotionalist tone. Pearl flashed her ticket as it was punched and looked between River and the conductor as he just walked on to the next few seats. Pearl just looked back at River with her mouth open.
“No dear, he couldn’t see me. Ponies only see what they want to see. And some are so blind to the reality of the world around them. They can’t see what’s directly in front of them.” Flipping the file up it vanished like mist in sunlight. “How are you doing Pearl. You seem like you need a friend to talk to.”
“H… How?”
“Check your saddlebag.”
Pearl quickly opened her bag and looked around. There certainly wasn’t anything unusual in it. A few mangas, a book, a picture of Twilight, and a soft silky dragon scale that shimmered despite no sunlight hitting it. “Y.. you’re.”
“Finally catching on huh. I learned this little trick from my Haku, only he does it with flowers.” River grinned and giggled. “It does come in handy from time to time. Of course, I rarely do it myself. And I'm not as annoying as he is with it.”
“You sure about that?” Pearl closed her bag and looked around. She found she was alone in the car. Where every other pony had gone was a mystery. Shaking her head, Pearl sat back and looked up at the ceiling. “Why do all these spirits come to me? Of all the ponies in the world, why ME.”
“Well, I can’t say for other spirits. But ever since you first made contact with Haku I’ve been wanting to meet you. But being bound to my river I couldn’t come to you without a medium.” With a drawn-out sigh, River leaned back and looked at Pearl. “Which is why I was so glad when he directed you towards my river. Later than I wanted but he did it. Best thing about being the spirit of a river, you have an eternity of patience. Even if he pushes me to its limit.”
Pearl couldn’t help but giggle at that.
“Now that is a pleasant sound. Scowling doesn’t suit you at all. So, what’s gotten your feathers in a ruffle? She forgot your birthday or something?”
“She forgot that today was the day I go to the Dragon Lands. She’s had her nose so far up that scroll and been spending so much time with Forestsong I’m surprised she even remembered I exist.” Huffing hard, Pearl crossed her front legs.
“That’s what’s gotten you so out of sorts. Sheesh and here I thought it was something serious.” Pulling out her file again, River took hold of one of Pearl's front legs and pulled it closer. After a soft examination, started to file it slowly. “Besides, even if she wanted him, Haku wouldn’t go to anyone else. If nothing else my foxie is quite loyal.”
Pearl frowned. “I don’t know any fox with that name. Neither does Twilight. If Forestsong ever had a proper name, he hasn’t told us. Something about it not being important anymore.”
“I forget sometimes names don’t really have many meanings for us. My Haku and your Forestsong are the same fox. I’ve been calling him Haku for centuries. Kind of a derivative of his actual name. But ponies ever knew him as Forestsong. Ponies only ever knew me as Summer Rose, River Run is just something I made up on the spot. I didn’t want to fright you away so quickly. But feel free to call me anything you like.” Leaning in she blew the dust from Pearl’s hoof and with a twist of her wrist turned the file to a buffer and started to brush it across the hoof with the smoothness of water across stone. “I have to say, you definitely have some nice hooves. You should take better care of them. I mean seriously, when was the last time you buffed and polished?”
Pearl blushed. “I. Um. Don’t remember. I’ve been so busy helping Twilight with the scroll that I haven’t been to the spa in months.”
“You mean you two don’t do each other’s hooves at night before bed? That’s something so basic that can bring a couple closer together.” River humphed. “No wonder she forgot. No matter how hard or difficult our days were. Some of my best nights were when my Haku filed and polished each one of my claws. Then I would neatly sharpen and polish his. If we did it right, it usually led to hours of tender kisses and caressing.” Rose watched as Pearl practically gagged. “And we’ve had some of our best conversations while we groomed each other. So why haven’t you ever offered to do her hooves, or even file her horn? Brush her tail and mane? I mean there are so many intimate options? Or have you two not moved to that stage of the relationship?”
Pearl nodded. “I’ve tried. But you try to get alicorn hair to do what you want. And my hair just seems to be naturally messy no matter what. She won’t let me near her horn, though. I think someone did it too rough once, and she won’t go through that again and does it herself.”
River quirked an eyebrow. Her hooves stopped polishing as she looked at Pearl. “And you just accepted that answer? A girl with your fiery personality. From everything I've seen you haven't taken no for an answer out of anyone. Why accept it from her?” Sighing, she went back to polishing Pearl’s hooves. “When I first started doing Haku’s paws. He protested with language that would make his fire born sister proud. And just bopped his nose and told him to shut up and did it anyway. And asked that he let me know if I was doing it wrong.” Sitting back she made a soft gesture as Pearl’s hooves were now like polished stones. “He made sure I filled the right areas and not go too deep.”
Reaching out she placed a hoof on Pearl’s shoulder. “It’s also a practice in good communication and trust. Two things that are necessary in a successful relationship. Something I guess you and her could really use. Or am I wrong?”
Pearl’s ears wilted. “No. You’re right. I trust Twilight. Maybe more than I do anypony else, and I know she does the same for me. But when she gets something stuck in her head, it’s like talking to a brick wall. Maybe I can’t do as much as she can. But I can be her moral support. Why cut me out of that? Why not tell me at least why she is?”
Leaning back, River supported herself on her front legs and crossed her lower ones. “You want to be her support? Why are you waiting for her to ask you for that? Why not just do it. You see how busy she is. Make her meals, or better yet. Buy her meals. I’ve seen the results of your cooking, I’m still not sure that maid has recovered from your soup. Well, make sure she has something to eat. Enough to drink. Clean her office while she works. Find something that will lessen the pressure on her shoulders.” River let out a soft sigh. “I lost count of how many times Haku passed out while studying under his father's tutelage. There were days he forgot to eat. So I chose that every day he would have a meal on the desk. His drinks never emptied. And if he was getting overworked. I physically dragged his multi-tailed ass to bed.”
Looking back down at Pearl, River smiled. “You're upset at Twilight for being who she is. She forgot one little day that really had no meaning. My Haku once forgot a special anniversary of ours. I was so upset. I refused to talk or touch him, for seventy-five years. But he was being who he was, and when he forgot he was aiding his sister. Yes, I was angry, but I couldn’t fault him for being himself.”
Pearl sighed. “Then you have more patience than I do. Maybe it comes with being a spirit, and I know Twilight doesn’t mean anything. It’s part of why I love her. But it’s just so damn hard some days. You’ve always had that kind of time, and Twilight’s grown used to what it means to be immortal. Me? I still remember what it’s like being mortal, knowing I’ll die long before she does. I still will. Maybe a part of me hates her for that. I don’t know.”
Tiamat you timeless bitch, putting this little girl through this. River raged in her thoughts at the mother of dragons. “Well, I pity her. Mortality is a treasure far greater than you realize. And not something to ever give up on a whim. Just remember that. If you ever get the chance for immortality, think about what it means. And I do remember what it means to be mortal. Both Haku and I do. Would someone offer it to us again, we would take it. You give up so much for living so long.” Shaking her head, River slapped both sides of her cheeks. “But back to the subject. You don’t hate her. If you did, you wouldn’t be so angry with her.”
Watching out the window, River watched as the evening sun glittered along the tops of the trees. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I won’t be able to hold myself here much longer. But before I go. Take some advice from a girl who had to spend two thousand years away from the one she loved. Forgive her, whatever wrong she does. Whatever she forgets. Forgive her. Just don’t make it easy on her. Try and be her support before she needs one. And don’t invite jealousy into your heart. Because it's one houseguest that refuses to leave.”
“Easy for you to say.” Pearl sighed and turned to the window. As the was setting on the horizon she saw the vibrant purples and pinks that made up her Princess’s mane. In the reflection of the mirror, she saw a large furred body had filled the cabin she was in. An almost wolf-like face lined with small iridescent scales along the nose smiled at her. Spinning around she found that she was alone save for a few pony couples that she had noticed prior to River’s visit.
She shook her head with a sigh and settled back down. “Show off. She’s definitely his mate.” But she was thankful. River had given her a lot to think about. And one thing in particular.
Why was the spirit so interested in her? Pearl had a feeling there was far more to it than just her connection to Forestsong. Way more. But what?
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Nice update.
Wow... Somepony's relationship is in danger...
Of course, everything will be OK later.
11074144
Yep. The tail slap is strike one. A flat-out slap with her hoof is the final strike. At least that's the idea I have for lover's spats in Equestria. For ponies anyway.