//------------------------------// // Seeing Through the Eyes of a Toad // Story: Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Continuing his training to master the natural energy, Star was now trying to achieve a new objective. Now that he had master how to control and balance the natural energy with his own energy, Leaf Mane put him now trying to channel natural energy without the use of the toad oil. At the fountain, Star was over the head of one of the greatest toad statues with three clones, each other trying to accomplish this new challenge. While doing that, Leaf Mane was keeping watch, making sure that none of the Stars mutated into a toad, making her staff levitating among them. It was then that one of the Stars started to change into a toad, that rapidly recovered control and reverted to his pony form, but that was temporally, as he soon started to change. That made Leaf Mane react and hit him with the staff. It happened that was the original Star and his clones, that also started to change, disappeared. “You have to focus” Leaf Mane told him. “You’re still moving, even if it is just a little. Remember, don’t move.” “Doing this without the toad oil is a lot harder than I thought it would be” Star said, while rubbing the place Leaf Mane it him. “Well, of course it is” Leaf Mane replied. “What did you expect after stop using the short-cut?” It was then that Star started to think in a better way. “You know, I have an idea and I don’t if it can be done, but…” he started. “What is it?” Leaf Mane asked. “Why can’t I bring this oil to me and use it when I fight?” Star asked, pointing to the toad oil down there. “In that way, I didn’t have to learn how to get natural energy without the oil.” “It is a good idea, but it can’t be done.” “Why?” “Outside the Animarium’s climate this oil evaporates almost immediately” Leaf Mane replied. “What?!” Star asked. “Really?!” “I already told you that the oil is just a tool to help you grasp the concept” Leaf Mane said. “Yes, I understand” Star said. “It was just an idea. It seems I have to continue training to gather natural energy without the oil.” “Naturally, but the way you transform into a toad is so quick that make me realize your powers of concentration are still lacking for this. Try to do better.” “I’m trying, but concentrating in gathering while concentrating in not moving is very difficult.” Leaf Mane thought for a moment and then said: “I have an idea. Come with me.” And they got down from the stone toads and Leaf Mane led Star Knight to another part of Animarium, where there was a bunch of high spires. “What’s this place?” Star asked, looking around. “This is not I think it is, isn’t it?” “Yes, exactly” Leaf Mane replied. “This is where you’re going to be training next. Balance a stone slab at the top of the highest point and begin meditation. If your concentration wavers and you move even slightly, you’ll fall to the bottom. I mean, if you didn’t have wings of course, but you get the idea.” “So I have to go up there?” Star asked, starting to think things just got even harder. Leaf Mane looked around and then found a stone slab that she took with her magic. After inspecting it closely, she said: “This should do just fine. Follow me, Prince Star Knight.” Accessing her magic, Leaf Mane made herself levitate and she went up. Star took flight and followed her. After that, she handed the stone slab to Star who then placed it over the highest spire and then he placed himself over it, putting himself in a meditation position. Following Leaf Mane’s instructions, he started to try to draw the natural energy to himself, trying to concentrate in doing that and balance it with his own energy and, at the same time, tried to not move at all. However, that was a hard task to do as it took only one slight move to make Star starting to lose his balance. “Stay still” Leaf Mane said. “You must learn to stop your motion. If you don’t, you won’t be able to gather natural energy. You need to find your center of balance and motionless synchronize with the nature around you.” Star tried really hard to do what Leaf Mane was saying, but that was really difficult. Sensing that he was about to fall, his instinct made him open his wings and that made him lose balance completely. Flying to not fall, Star used his magic grab also the stone slab. “I know see that we must first focus in making you learn how to stay still” Leaf Mane. “Only after that you’ll be able to channel the natural energy.” And so they continued, with Star continuing to try to stay still on the stone slab. However, he continued to not be able to be completely still, as he repeatedly continue to fall from the stone slab. “Prince Star Knight, why don’t we make a break?” Leaf Mane asked. “No, I’m fine” Star said, while putting himself again over the stone slab. “I can continue to do this, don’t worry.” But it didn’t take long for him to fall again. Starting to get frustrated, Star realized that, if he continued like that, it would take him a lot of time, so he decided to speed up the pace. For that, he created two clones, so, in that way, he would need only a third of the time needed. Leaf Mane didn’t stop of being amazed by that colt’s determination. He had never seen somepony like him before, not even in her previous students. It was impressive how he continued, even after failing time after time until he get it right. However, even with the clones, his focus wasn’t still the best. A day had passed and another came. By the end of that day, he and his clones continued their training. Tough Skin, who had come to see how Star was doing with his training, observed him trying to become completely still. When he saw him and the clones starting to lose balance again, he thought they would fell again, but it was then that they recovered the balance and remained so, before the toad’s amazement. Leaf Mane created a tree there where she could sit while overseeing Star’s training without being always levitating. She smiled slightly, seeing how Star was starting to get better in becoming completely still. It was then she noticed some dark clouds forming in the sky and see that it was about to rain. That would be the perfect way to test Prince Star Knight’s ability to remain still. Eventually, it started to rain, but even with the cold water drops falling on them, Star and his clones remained still. The rain stopped minutes later to have a bright sun, but the alicorn prince still remained unnerved. Leaf Mane’s smile became more and more visible, as he was finally getting it. At one point, he was so focus that he, without realizing it, dismissed the multiplication spell, making the clones to disappear. She could see now that he was starting to gather the natural energy to himself. Indeed, Star, while concentrating to remain still, ignoring the instinct of stretching his legs or scratching any itch, between other things, he was able to start to feeling the natural energy around him and starting to attract it to himself. Leaf Mane could see how the natural energy started to get in him. It was really impressive for her how far he went without using the oil. After Star gathered the natural energy into him and balanced it with his own energy, he started to open his eyes and, when he did it, they were different. Beyond the orange pigmentation, his eyes turned into yellow with horizontal black pupil. However, those were different than the ones he had while using the oil. They were more focused and were not very different than the normal pony eyes, except in the color. Beyond that, he also didn’t had any toad features, what meant he had achieve a perfect control over natural energy. That meant he would be able to use more power than when he used the oil. “Well, how do you feel?” Leaf Mane asked him. “I think I’m finally getting it now” Star said. “I know what you mean becoming one with nature.” At that moment, a little bird came by and landed on Star’s shoulder, what made the perfect balance he had achieved to be undone and Star fell. However, he didn’t bother in opening his wings to fly, as he now knew he could land without risking himself to get hurt and Leaf Mane observed him falling. Indeed, when he crushed, he could see the land hardly hurt him. “Wow, it really didn’t hurt.” Leaf Mane teleported herself to the ground and said: “That’s right. You achieved what is called the sage mode, the final phase of controlling the natural energy. You’re body is now activated in an all new way.” “Wow, it’s amazing!” he exclaimed. “So it’s called sage mode.” “And now that you mastered it and the natural energy, there is one final step” Leaf Mane. “There is still one final step?” Star asked. “We’re not done yet?” “There is a form of physical battle perfect by the toads who achieved the perfect sage mode” Leaf Mane said. “It is called Frog Kata.” “You’re gonna to teach me that, Leaf Mane?” Star asked. “Oh no, not me” he said. “Me” a voice said. Star turned and saw Tough Skin arriving. “Tough Skin?” Star asked. “Well, just look at you” Tough Skin. “I don’t know why but those eyes suit you better.” “Tough Skin is the most gifted between the young toads of Animarium and, since you two are already friends, I thought he could give some basis about the Frog Kata. After all, who better a toad to teach it to you?” “I see…” Star said, turning then to Tough Skin. “Well, Tough, I’m ready when you are.” “Well, it’s better you prepare yourself” Tough Skin said. “I’ll not make it easy for you.” “That’s what I wanted to hear” Star replied. “And be warned that you’ll not be able to use your wings” Tough Skin said. “After all, in the Frog Kata, you must act as a frog.” “I also didn’t intend to use them anyway” Star replied. And so they started. Their quarrel lasted for some time, at least until the sun started to set down. By that time, both Star and Tough Skin were both gasping from tiredness. It was then that Star advanced against Tough Skin, preparing to give him a punch, and he did the same. Both were able to give the blow, but Tough Skin’s was stronger and threw Star against one of the spires. “Well, I have to admit” Tough Skin said, smiling. “For a pony, you really are a fast-learning, even with the Frog Kata. What if you called it a day.” Recovering from Tough Skin’s blow, Star said: “No, no yet.” “Well, maybe you not, but I’m started to get hungry and thirsty” Tough Skin said. “Furthermore, you don’t have to be so hasty. Like I said, you’re starting to get the hang of it.” “Well, if you say so…” Star said. Later that night, Star was sleeping at Tough Skin’s place, as Leaf Mane needed to go do her General of Nature work. After making sure his toad friend was fast asleep, Star slinked and went to a place where he could do what he had in mind without being noticed. After sometime, Star showed some tiredness, exhibiting also the eyes of the sage mode. “I did it…” he said. “I pull it off. He was referring to a certain spell that had just cut off one of the rock formations nearby. Then, his eyes returned to normal, meaning he had used all the natural energy he had stored. That made him say: “Even though it’s still far from perfect. I have to try it in sage mode and I have to make sure that no one catches me.” After that, he returned to Tough Skin’s so he could get some sleep. At the next day, Star and Tough Skin continued to train the Frog Kata. While sparing, Tough Skin said: “You’ve made great progress.” The two shocked and then retreated, continuing to do so, giving high jumps in the air. “Impressive jumping ability” Tough Skin said, with him jumping higher. “Nice one, Star. Your Frog Kata is very well too.” “Yeah, but that’s not all I can do” he replied. And so he created a clone that he used to give him a boost to reach Tough Skin. He become surprised by that. “I’m not done!” he exclaimed. “I’m just getting started!” “Then come to me with all that you have!” Tough Skin said. And so they continued their training. In a forest near Baltimare, a mare was running, terrified. In her face, the fear was the only thing that it was possible to observe. Despite the fatigue she was accumulating quickly from all the running, she struggled not to stop because she was running for her life. But her escape would eventually end as she tripped on a rock that made her fall to the ground. She looked to where she had been running from and became terrified, trying to retreat as much as possible. The General of Chaos appeared, approaching her. "Please don't..." she said. "Don't be afraid" the General of Chaos said in a calming way. "I just want to show you a better way. What's the point of walking the path of light when you can choose the dark path one. I'm here to show you how much darkness can be comforting." "No, I don't want to..." the mare kept saying. '' I understand what you're feeling" the General of Chaos. "I used to be just like you. Thinking that the light and the order were the better way, but I opened my eyes from that reality and it's time for you to open them as well." Opening his wings, the General of Chaos accessed his magic, which adopted the dark color of dark magic. He fired a beam against the mare who groaned in pain when she was hit by it. It was then that she became motionless and the flower where a star seed rests appeared and opened, revealing hers, translucent with a slight white light inside. The star seed emitted its light for a few moments until it lost it and became completely black. It was then dark lighting left the star seed and black roots arose and covered the mare and her star seed and then, when they disappeared, she emerged, now a dark pony. "You see?" the General of Chaos asked. "I said I would show a better way." He then felt a presence and asked: "What is it?" "I'm sorry, sir, but I have some news" a voice said. That voice belonged to Dark Night, the pony that had once hosted Princess Aurora’s tribe in his castle in order to convince them to stay, as the Lord of Chaos had requested after turning him and his servants into dark ponies. He remained as such in order to serve Chaos. "I hope it's good news" the General of Chaos said, turning to him. "I received a message from your spies in the Enchanted Forest and they say that Prince Star Knight is not at the academy" Dark Night answered. "In fact, he hasn't been there for some days." "I see..." the General of Chaos said. “This means that Princess Twilight must have placed her dear son in a place where he can be safe from us. Of course there's only one place where he can be: the Light Kingdom." "And what if he's not there, sir?" Dark Night asked. “We cannot be certain that he is. For sure the Light Kingdom is not the only place where they can hide the Jinchuriki from us.” "Then we will find out where he is" the General of Chaos replied. "And meanwhile, we will bring darkness to the brightest kingdom of them all in the Pony Reality and show everyone the wonderful power of Chaos and that our lord must rule everything." "But... the Light Kingdom is protected from any evil force" Dark Night said. "Not even the Lord of Chaos is able to get in there. How will we be able to invade it if we can't get even through the borders?" "That’s a very good question" the General of Chaos agreed. "A question for which I may have the solution. No defense is perfect, not even the one of the Light Kingdom. Go send a message to the spies telling them to continue to watch the academy, just in case our little prince appears there. And while that is done, we will gather the rest of our little friends. It's time for a little trip to the Light Kingdom and try to capture a Jinchuriki…"