Pearl's Beloved Forestsong

by Valtyrian

Chapter 9 - Epilogue

Kohaku purred contently under the shade of the grand willow tree. A fresh bowl of his favorite snack food resting beside him. The soft whisper between the trees told him they were prepping for fall. Which meant school would start up soon. He questioned if he should go to the school at his age. But he enjoyed spending time around others his own age. It would also give him more time to snuggle up against Pearl during breaks.

Kohaku had a laugh when Fluttershy told him how Buttercup had interrupted her and AJ only hours before they showed up at the cabin, accidentally doing the same to Pearl and himself. His oneechan had repeatedly apologized for interrupting him and Pearl that night.

Kohaku wouldn’t have minded if they just walked in and did what they wanted. But he had to remind himself he was amongst ponies and not his own people. Despite what she had walked in on, she was happy he loved Pearl enough to do something so intimate together. Even if AJ thought they should have been married or at least engaged.

The soft steps of hooves on grass perked his ears up. He smelled the sweet flavor that hovered in the air. A loud grunt emitted from his girl’s mouth as Pearl had kicked a fallen branch. “Upset?”

“No. I just got back from telling my parents about, us.” Pearl sighed and flopped down on top of Kohaku. She had to smile at hearing that sudden oof from him. Seconds before the warmth of his front limbs around her shoulders.

“How did they take the news?”

“Oh usual, they were happy that we finally announced that we’re a couple.” Pearl rested her head under his and nibbled against his neck. “Have we always given off the vibe that we’re a couple?”

“Beats me. I was just going with the flow. But I wouldn’t have doubted it.” His paws caressing over Pearl’s shoulders as he felt her mane up against his nose. The floral scent of her shampoo filling him. “How did they take it when you told them what we’ve done?”

“Mom was okay with it. As long as we were playing it ‘safe’.”

“And your dad?”

“He said and I quote, If that fox gets you pregnant before marriage I’ll tear him apart.” Shaking her head, Pearl closed her eyes. “I told them they have nothing to worry about. But you know pony parents.”

“Hmm” Kohaku nodded.

“So how long before your next…” Pearl’s voice slowly went to a whisper.

“Not for another week, it will not be easy for me now.” Pearl nodded.

“Well, I’ll find something to occupy my time. Twilight and Sunset have been telling me about this discovery they found in the Canterlot restricted section. Some kind of doorway mirror.” Pearl’s hoof lightly circling against Kohaku’s chest tuft.

“Well, I’m sure with your help, they’ll figure it out.” Kohaku purred deeper. “So want to do anything special?”

“No, just hold me.” Pearl whispered as she felt his front legs gripping her tighter.

“Well, I have a present for you. I wanted to get this to you earlier, but you know.” Kohaku chuckled as he pulled a brown paper-wrapped package with one of his tails.

Like a foal on Heartwarming, Pearl tore into it only to find an old beaten up soft leather-bound book. “OH wow. An old journal.” Pearl smirked as she opened it, finding each page filled with tiny letters she learned were Kanji. All alined in a thin vertical line from top to bottom of each page. “And it’s all filled out, too. How special.” Tilting her head, she looked at Kohaku and smirked. “Some gift.”

“It belonged to my father, passed down from his father. Who got it from his father.” Kohaku lightly licked her lips. “It’s a generational journal. Containing the knowledge of three generations of my forefathers are written in there. It was past to me when my father…” Kohaku closed his eyes and turned his head away.

“Then you shouldn’t give it to me. Not if it’s so special.” Pearl pushed the book into his chest with her hooves.

“Well, I thought this book would help you with your greatest ambition.”

Pearl blinked. It was no secret that she desired to become the world’s greatest dragon scholar. “And just how is this book going to help me with that?”

“Because it’s filled with the knowledge pertaining to one subject in particular.” Kohaku sighed. “It’s a subject I care little for, but you love almost as much as me.”

Kohaku watched as Pearl’s eyes widened and started to sparkle. Her hooves trembling as she held the journal and looked down at it. “You mean to tell me. That this journal…”

“Holds over five hundred thousand years of collected knowledge about dragons. Everything you could ever want to know is in this journal. From diets to mating habits. Things ponies could never know on their own. Secrets dragons will never reveal about themselves. Both eastern and western dragons.”

Pearl felt lightheaded. Looking down at the journal that, to her mind, was the most valuable book in existence. She had researched for weeks just to find books that held only a fraction of the knowledge ponies knew about dragons. And now she was handed the key to her dreams in one small book.

“How, how can so much knowledge be in something so small.” Pearl opened it to the first page and stared at it. “I can’t even read this.”

“I can help you there.” Reaching down, he pulled a long, thin piece of crystal. Holding the gemstone over the first line of Kanji, he whispered. “Say the following. Hon’yaku.”

“Hon’yaku?” Pearl said and quirked an eyebrow. Her next question lost as the gemstone glowed. Suddenly around her were thousands upon thousands of large scrolls. Each one swirling about. Pearl watched as Kohaku reached out and flicked his wrist to the side. As he did so, the scrolls moved up, down, side to side. Where his paw moved, so did the scroll wall.

She watched as he took a large scroll in his paw and placed it down on the ground. Opening it, Pearl found that it was in perfect ponish. “How?”

“Thank my great-grandfather, Katsuko. He designed the spell that made reading this book possible. He believed that all knowledge should be shared equally. So the crystal he created can translate into any known language. So long as that race speaks the words I told you.”

“OH Kohaku. Thank you so much.” Pearl dropped the book and crystal. As the book closed, the scrolls all vanished. Leaning in she gave her beloved fox a kiss for the ages. “Tonight, you better hang onto your tails. Because you earned yourself something really special tonight.” With a wink, Pearl had to stifle a giggle at the smile Kohaku had.

---

Twilight sighed as she sat in her favorite reading chair. A glass of hard liquor hovering nearby and an open copy of Daring Do across her lap. Every time she closed her eyes recently, she saw that fish winking at her. Her scientific mind was finally broken. Fish could wink and could wink at her.

It had been several days now. And already Twilight had all but emptied her liquor cabinet. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo could only blink at each other as they saw what had happened to Twilight. Rainbow did her part and hid the key away, while Scootaloo did her best to help her mom come to terms with whatever it was she was going through.

Comments

[rikithemonk]

I just finished this one, and I have to say that It's very well done. I want to take a moment to talk about this because a lot of Authors have been doing this stuff very wrong recently.

Ive come across several Japanese based stories recently and Ive noticed that these stories are parodies of Japan. Rather than using the source material and using the Japanese to influence the stories, those Authors drown the stories in it, to the point where it's ridiculous. One great example of this done wrong is a story I read last week where I realized that I had been scribbling a list, to keep track of the characters names and other terms, so I could keep track of what the hell the Author was talking about. Think about that. The reader needed a list, to follow the plot of the story. Too many bizarre names, too many bizarre terms, most of which aren't needed to tell the story or move the plot. Trying so hard to be an Anime that it lost itself.

In this story, Valtyrian used the concepts, and the culture as a flavoring, to hi-light and frame the story. It became a fun accent that the story use to enhance the plot and make the story interesting and unique. No where while reading this well done and fun story, did I ever feel the Author was beating me over the head with Japan.

I think a lot of Authors here need to step back and reevaluate if they are taking their representations way too far.

To Valtyrian, a very well earned thumbs up.

The Monk
“What else to do? How did people survive boredom in olden times? ... Oh yeah, lots of stabbing." -RushyFiction

[Valtyrian]

11183289

I appreciate the kind words and good review.

I've read those stories were others just try to put that culture in the story just for the sake of having it in there. much like most of the characters they create. Writing stories were a human turn into a kitsune. that's the most anime cliche I've seen, and it's been done to death. if you're going to make a kitsune, just make a kitsune. include the culture just don't draw attention to it.

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling that.