Pearl's Beloved Forestsong

by Valtyrian

Chapter 3 - Realization

Kohaku leaned up against the massive apple tree, a piece of straw hanging from his lips. It was the biggest and oldest tree in the entire orchard. Only his oniisan was strong enough to harvest from it. And even then it took multiple hits to do so. Kohaku, clenching his fist, slammed it hard into the old tree. A strike that brought down a pawful of apples, which landed in the baskets.

Kohaku loved helping his Oniisan. The two of them had been working around the farm together. Even after Mac and Fluttershy had gone their separate ways. Kohaku kept his brotherly relationship. It’s something he needed then, and even more now.

“Upset much little apple?” Big Mac used the nickname he gave Kohaku when he much younger, as he kicked his side of the tree. Forcing more of the apples down into the large circle of baskets.

“Does it show?” Kohaku pressed his head against the warm old tree. He could feel the water flowing inside of it moving up from the roots. The slow breathing of the leaves. The tree was old, but it thrived with as much vigor as the younger ones. Placing his paw where he struck he ignited his foxfire and healed the mark he made.

“Eeyup.” Was Mac’s constant reply to just about everything. Looking off to the side, the stallion took a deep breath and moved closer to his ‘little brother’. “Somthin’s bothering you. And i’m guessin’ it’s filly troubles, right?”

Kohaku nodded slowly.

“A new one or an old one?” Mac picked up a piece of straw and munched on it the same as Kohaku. Pressing his back into the old tree.

“She’s not exactly new or old. She’s just a friend.”

“Pearl?” Mac looked out across the acres of trees. All grown by generation after generation of Apples. Mac understood just how deep Kohaku’s feelings went for the alabaster pegasus. So much so Mac ear twitched at the bitterness in Kohaku's voice as he said ‘friend’.

“She was hurt, Oniisan. She was hurt real bad and she won’t talk to me about it.” Moving over, Kohaku sat himself up against Mac’s body and rested his head on his big brother’s shoulder. A move that was welcomed by Mac wrapping a front leg around Kohaku’s shoulder.

“I know how that feels.” Playfully ruffling Kohaku’s hair with his other hoof. Mac smiled. “My advice is don’t force it. When she’s ready, she’ll talk to ya. And even if she don’t, the best thing you can do is be there for her.”

Sighing, Kohaku nodded slowly and kept his head down. “I can handle her silence, it’s the pain she suffered that I can’t deal with.” With a low growl Kohaku felt his oniisan’s grip around his shoulders tighten. “I want nothing more right now than to hunt down those who hurt her, and repay all that pain ten fold.”

“Now that there is biggest thing you and I share little apple, our tempers.'' The pair looked at each other and nodded in unison. “And those tempers can get us in a lot of trouble. And that’s not somethin I want for you.”

Taking a long deep breath, Kohaku looked up and watched a small flock of birds over the eastern orchard. Getting up Kohaku slipped from his brother's grip, grabbed his basket of apples and pushed it into the cart. Looking over his shoulders Kohaku smiled. “I’m gonna take off if you don’t mind. I need to do something.”

“Your not thinkin of doing anything stupid are you?”

“Oh common Oniisan, you know me.” Kohaku smiled wider.

“Eeyup, I know you. Now answer the question.” Mac smirked and nodded.

“I’m just going to do some hunting,” Kohaku’s eyes met Mac’s. “Since last night I’ve had this overwhelming urge to kill something. Perhaps taking my frustrations out on a jackrabbit or two might help.”

Mac narrowed his eyes and looked deep into Kohaku’s. Sighing deeply he just nodded and moved back to the large tree. “Alright, take care of what you need to do.” turning his back to Kohaku and watched the large apple tree as he heard Kohaku dash away.

“I feel sorry for anypony in his path right now.” Mac sighed deeply as he shook his head.

---

Pearl moaned pleasurably as she munched on one of Pinkie Pie’s newest cupcakes. She didn’t think that chocolate and cotton candy would ever go together. But somehow the hyperactive baker made it work.

“We should have a few of these packed up for Kohaku.” Twilight smiled as she daybed her lips with a napkin. “You know he’ll be disappointed we came here without him.

“Yeah, but it’s nice to just have a girls day.” Pearl pushed aside her empty plate and sat back in the booth. “We have to do this more often.”

“I agree. So are you feeling better?” Pearl nodded happily as she looked up in her mentor’s eyes. “I’m glad, now we can talk about what you're going through.”

“Do I have too?” Groaning Pearl slumped down a bit. Trying to make herself smaller.

“It will help. I know from personal experience.” Twilight rested her hooves on the table as Pinkie hopped over and took the plates away. “I’ve had my heart broken many times, so I can understand what you feel.”

Pearl nodded and groaned. With another sigh she looked up at her mentor. “Can we talk about it at the spa?”

Twilight's eyes widened with a slight grin. “The Spa? You want to go voluntarily to the ponyville spa.” Pearl just nodded. “You and Rainbow fight me like cats and dogs when I mention going there. Saying it’s too ‘girly’ for you.”

“I just feel like I want to be pampered.” Pearl blushed and bowed her head.

“Sure, let's continue our girls' day at the spa.”

It was true that Pearl openly disliked going to the spa. But like Rainbow, deep down she really enjoyed it. As her and twilight entered the spa, she was bouncing up and down on the inside. As she changed into the plush robe and slippers she felt a bit more relaxed. The soothing music and rich smell of incense filled her head.

As Aloe and Lotus escorted the pair to the massage tables. Pearl happily laid out on her belly as Aloe started to massage over the young girls lower back.

“Mmmm this feels good.” Pearl happily moaned as she closed her eyes.

“It certainly does.” Twilight chuckled as Lotus worked over the princess. “I’m surprised Kohaku didn’t massage you. You tend to enjoy his paws working out your tense muscles.”

“He offered, but I was still so disgusted that Bloom cheated on me with a stallion of all creatures. I just didn’t care for it.” Pearl huffed and hugged the table. Giving a quick grunt as Aloe pressed into a rather tight spot between her wings. “Can you even believe that she thought me and Kohaku were having sex. How could anypony think that?”

“Pearl, I had my suspicions you might not know.” Twilight cooed as her wing muscles were being worked on.

“Know what?” Pearl turned her head to her mentor and quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, there’s been a rumor going around Ponyville for the last two years that you and Kohaku have been… sexualy active.” Twilight sighed out.

“WHAT!” Pearl shot up so quickly that Aloe jumped back. “Wh.. why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I thought you knew. And I didn’t find out myself till a few weeks ago when I caught my guards whispering about it when you and he were hugging.”

As Aloe pushed Pearl back down and asked the young girl to remain that way. Pearl groaned. “Oh great. That’s just what I need. What more can happen to me.”

“Pearl, you know your friends don’t believe such rumors. Right?” Twilight watched as Pearl just nodded.

“How could such a rumor even start?”

“Well it’s not too far-fetched. Not when you two enter each other's rooms at night through the window. And stay until morning.” Twilight chuckled.

“So we like each other's company, big deal.” Sighing Pearl folded her front legs and rested her head on them. Staring at the corner plant with a small repeating waterfall fountain. “He shows up when I need a shoulder to cry on. Or help with a school project that I forget about. And I go to him when I have an argument with my parents.”

“I know all that Pearl. I’m glad you two are so close.” Sitting up she waved her hoof and asked for the mud baths to be prepared. “You two support each other in ways nopony else can.”

Pearl couldn’t help but nod as she got up from the table and moved to the door. “Yeah.” Pearl remained silent as she and Twilight got into the thick mud baths. The intense heat flooded her body, making her whimper a little. “Just great. My best relationship is with my best friend. I had such dreams when I was with Lotus.”

Twilight kept silent and listened to her young friend. A hot towel covering her eyes.

“I loved her. I could feel her loving legs around me at night. So much that I wanted to feel them all the time. I even decided to give her my virginity. Take our relationship to the next level. Was I wrong in wanting that? To feel loved that way? To be loved that way?” Pearl rested her head back as Aloe placed a steaming towel over her eyes. “But no. She didn’t care about me at all. Stringing me along, believing a rumor that wasn’t true. How am I ever going to get over this?”

“You will, it won’t be easy. But with the support of all your true friends. You will.”

“Was it too much to ask, to be held close by someone I loved. To feel those strong legs around my barrel. To feel a pair of soft lips against my own. To feel a pair of gentle and tender paws against my body and know that they will never hurt me.” Twilight lifted her towel and quirked an eyebrow at her student but remained silent as she talked. “That they will keep me warm and safe in his grip. To love that one creature so much that I will be taken to the heights of ecstasy I've dreamed about.”

“His paws?” Twilight smirked as she replaced the hot towel on her eyes.

“Huh? What about paws?”

“You said you wanted to feel a set of tender paws against your body. And safe with in his grip”

“No, I said tender hooves. And HER grip.” Pearl scoffed.

“Pearl. I’m many things but I’m not deaf.” Twilight sank a little deeper into the mud bath till it came up to her neck. “Something tells me you are repressing something about a certain little fox friend of ours.”

Pearl just laughed and shook her head. “Oh please. Kohaku and I are just friends. Best friends. I don’t have any romantic feelings for him. I’m gay, how could I. it’s not like his hot tight little rump gets me all flustered. How watching him work on the farm makes my wings puff up.” Pearl chuckled before going into a dead silence. Sitting up she felt the hot towel fall into the mud bath. Her eyes wide, her mouth hung open.

Twilight removed her own hot towel and watched her student. That mouth gaping open and closed several times. She knew Pearl’s mind had just crashed and was trying to reboot. Chuckling herself she recalled the many times she had seen Pearl stair at Kohaku’s haunches as he walked away. And even popping a wing boner as the boy pulled a plow across the fields with his big brother. Even she had to admit her student looked rather attractive that way.

“No… no no no.. that can’t be true. Can it?” Pearl whimpered as she breathed heavily.

“Only you can answer that, Pearl. Remember our trip to the Dragon Queen?. You and Kohaku were snuggled up together most of the way on the train. I have never seen you smile so much.”

“So I find him comforting. Big deal. That doesn't mean I’m in love with him.”

“Pearl. I’ve seen you two together. How often do you let any of your other friends shower with you? You don’t do that even for your female friends. I’ve seen you shiver at the sight of a naked stallion, but you don’t once do that with him. Or am I mistaken?”

Pearl’s mouth only hung open as she looked at her mentor. “I… I let him preen me.”

“That there is a very intimate action. Only done by someone you trust completely. Which is why only parents and couples do that.”

“But I’m gay! How… I don’t understand.” Pearl shivered as she started to cry a little. Her mind spinning around.

“Pearl. Would it shock you to know that i’m NOT gay.” Pearl swung her head toward Twilight and stared at her.

“But, you're married to Rainbow Dash. You're both mares.”

“We are, and I find her very sexy. She turns me on in ways no stallion ever could. But, I don’t see her as just a female. I see her as Rainbow Dash. That’s who I’m attracted to.” Looking at her student she gazed into those disbelieving eyes. “True love doesn't have a gender Pearl. The heart will always want what it wants. And mine wanted Rainbow. Yours. Well, only you can answer that.”

“Okay… let's say for the sake of argument you're right. And I love Kohaku more than I ever loved Lotus. It’s not like he loves me the same way.” Pearl flopped back against the edge of the tub. “He told me that himself.”

“Yes, when you were both a LOT younger and didn’t really understand your own feelings.” Twilight smiled. “Remember, back then you scoffed at the very Idea of love.”

“But what if he still feels that way.”

“He doesn’t.”

“How could you know?”

“Because I’ve seen how he looks at you.” Twilight stretched and pulled herself from the mud bath. “He looks at you, the way Rainbow looks at me. I’m going to hit the showers and head on to the cabana. I’ll let you just think about all this.”

Pearl watched as her friend and mentor left the room leaving her alone. Pulling her hind legs up to her chest she hugged them tight. Finding a ficus plant in the corner, she just stared at it. Mulling over her own freudian slip.

Comments

[23 KM To Nerdiness]

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[Valtyrian]

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thanks

[Mystic Sunrise]

As added notes for the story. What happened to Pearl is way toned down from what originally happened to her and the others.

Seriously. It wasn't pretty. To the point I was seriously questioning why I was letting her be used by someone else. Even if Lotus and the others totally deserved what they got in early drafts.