After walking through Thicket for the rest of the day and camping for the night, Golden and Star finally arrived, early in the morning, to what should be their destination. It was a huge lake. It was so big that it gave the impression of being a sea if it weren't for the mountains that appeared in the distance.
"So what now?" Star asked to Golden. "We cross the lake?"
"Now, we wait" he replied. "Someone's coming to get us. I just hope they don't take too long."
"You don't have to worry about that, General" a voice said. "We're here."
Blackthorn appeared and, shortly after, a boat stopped nearby.
"Allow me to introduce myself" Blackthorn said. "My name is Blackthorn and I'm the captain of the Thicket royal guard. And of course I recognize you, Golden Paladin. The General Peace is quite well known in any side of the Enchanted Forest. And you're certainly Prince Star Knight. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"We too, Blackthorn" Star Knight said, turning then to Golden Paladin. "I didn't know we were going to be accompanied by deer of the Thicket royal guard."
"Well, where we are going to train is pretty special" Golden Paladin said. "It belongs both to Thicket and to Aeropolis, then it is located in the middle of the lake that defines the border between these two kingdoms."
"If you embark now, we can make our way immediately" Blackthorn said.
"That would be nice" Golden Paladin said. "Come on, young prince. This lake is bigger than it looks. We still have to sail a little bit until we reach our destination."
And all boarded the boat who started advancing smoothly. Golden was right about the lake being bigger than it seemed. However, it didn’t last until they finally reached their destination. It was an island, but, at first glance, there seemed to be nothing more but large stone spikes that gave it a very terrifying look.
“I didn’t expect this” Star confessed.
“I know the outsider is not very impressive, but wait until you met the inside” Blackthorn said to Star. “And since you don’t provoke them, the creatures that live here will leave you alone. Except…”
“Except what?” Golden Paladin asked.
“Well, it lives along the shore” Blackthor said.
It was at that moment that giant tentacles appeared and so, before them, a giant squid appeared.
“Oh no, it’s it!” Blackthorn exclaimed. “That’s the think I was trying to warn you about! Watch out!”
At that moment, with a quick tentacle movement, the squid grabbed Star and took him. Before that, Golden prepared to act. But when he was about to do something…
Hawthorn, in his Eight-Tails form, appeared and then punched the squid strongly, saying:
“Here you have, little squid, a present for your mischief.”
That punch made the tentacle that the squid was grabbing Star with go loose and Star opened his wings and landed safely on the boat.
“But what is that?” Star asked, referring to Hawthorn.
“That’s Lord Hawthorn” Blackthorn replied, with a smile.
“Wait, you mean Bramble’s uncle?” Star asked.
“Yes, that’s…” Golden Paladin started.
And, sitting on one of Eight-Tails’ tentacles, Hawthorn appeared, with Shark Skin, bound with bandages, on his back, sitting and saying:
“Yes, it’s me.”
After the squid returned to underwater, Eight-Tails’ body returned to Hawthorn’s body and then he landed on the boat.
“Thanks for saving me, Lord Hawthorn” Star thanked.
“You don’t have to thank me, kid” Hawthorn replied. “That squid is always causing problems and never learns.”
“Well, I think it is for the best if we get to the island and take our guesses to their rooms” Blackthorn said.
After they landed, Star, Golden Paladin and the deer started to walk to where they would stay. Blackthorn was right, as the island looked like a jungle in the inside.
“Well, this place is not like the rest of the Enchanted Forest” Star noted. “It doesn’t have the same… well, enchantment.”
“This island is noted as remaining in its wild form” Blackthorn said. “Not even the fairy dust is able to reach it. That’s why it is called the Wild Isle.”
“You also said that there are other animals in here” Golden Paladin said. “If the island itself is wild…”
“You don’t have to worry about that” Hawthorn said. “I stand at the top of this place.”
“As long as you stay here, this place will not represent any danger” Blackthorn continued. “Beyond that, all the deer that it’s here is very skilled in sensor spells. If any danger approaches, we will know.”
Now Golden Paladin understood the reason why that island was chosen by King Aspen to hold Hawthorn and Star.
“If you excuse me, I have to say hello to my friends” Hawthorn said. “See ya.”
And he moved away.
“I never imagined that Bramble’s uncle was so different from him and King Aspen” Star said.
“Well, of course he’s different” Blackthorn replied. “After all, he is one of our greatest heroes. Not only he was able to tame the beasts of this island, but he also has Eight-Tails under perfect control.”
“What?” Star asked. “Does that means…?”
“Yes, he is a Jinchuriki, just like you” Blackthorn confirmed. “He has inside of him the Eight-Tails.”
“He’s… the Eight-Tails’… Jinchuriki?” Star said, without believing, turning then to Golden Paladin. “Golden, you knew about this?”
“Well, of course I knew. And so does Bramble. After that day when you saved him from that chimaera, he realized you were also a Jinchuriki, just like his uncle.”
“That’s why he knew so much about Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki” Star realized. “But why didn’t he tell me that?”
“Don’t blame him for not telling you, young prince” Golden Paladin said. “I was the one to ask him to not to tell. I knew that if you get to know about Lord Hawthorn, you would try to make him train you when you were not ready yet.”
“I see…” Star said. “Well, but I’m ready now.”
“Well, then you lucky, because this island is also the place where he trains to control the Eight-Tails” Blackthorn said.
After Hawthorn returned, they advanced and arrived to a building carved in a mountain with the representation of the Eight-Tails’ head over the entrance. Once inside, Star went to his room, where, lying on the bed, started thinking about Hawthorn and what he heard about him being able to control his Tailed Beast completely. He was the first Jinchuriki he knew to be able to do that. Not even Chief Strongpaw was able to control One-Tail, having to use a seal so strong that even prevented him from sleeping.
Having come to a decision, Star got up and got out of his room, heading to the one that belonged to Hawthorn. Arriving there, he knocked the door and waited. The door then opened and Hawthorn appeared.
“Well, if it isn’t the little prince” he said. “What do you want?”
“I want you to train me” Star said.
“You want me to what?”
“I’m like you. I’m a Jinchuriki too. But I can’t control the Nine-Tails inside of me yet. So, please, I need you to teach me how to control my Tailed Beast.
There was a pause, where the two jinchuriki looked to each other and then Hawthorn said:
“No way. I came here because my brother, King Aspen, ordered me to take a vacation. Why would I give up my free time for the likes of you, kid. Even if you’re my nephew’s friend, I don’t think I can do that.”
“Because you’re a jinchuriki just like me!” Star exclaimed. “I don’t understand why won’t you help me.”
“Well, what a determination” Hawthorn commented. “Maybe you can make me change my mind.”
He then extended his hoof and said:
“First, let’s see if you can greet me as it must be and the only way to do that is with fist bump.”
Star then lifted his hoof and bumped with Hawthorn’s. There was a pause and then the prince deer smiled a little and said:
“Well, it was nice to meet you, boy, but I have other things to do.”
“What, wait…” Star started.
But before the young alicorn could say anything else, Hawthorn closed the door.
“Hey, but what’s your deal?!”
After a few failure attempts to make him open the door again, Star went to Blackthorn’s room and, after knocking, the captain answered, opening the door.
“What is it, Prince Star Knight?”
“I want you to tell what kind of training Lord Hawthorn uses to control his Tailed Beast” the young prince said. “He trained in this island, didn’t he?”
“Oh, that’s what you want” Blackthorn said.
“Yeah, but he doesn’t what to use his time to train me, so I decided to come to you instead” Star replied.
“To me?”
“I don’t care if he is a great hero. He is mean and stubborn and he seems to not care for things. I thought he would be more understandable about my situation.”
“Now you listen to me very careful, little prince” Blackthorn said in an irritated and scolding way. “You don’t know anything about Lord Hawthorn. I advise to not say anything you can regret later.”
Star was speechless before Blackthorn’s reaction. He could see through his eyes the great amount of respect he had for Hawthorn.
“As a jinchuriki, you must know how it is like to live with that burden” Blackthorn continued. “Mainly with you two belonging to a royal family. Tell me, isn’t that true?”
“Yes, I do know all about it” Star replied. “And he should know how it was like to me too. So I don’t understand why he won’t help me out. I just…”
But Star couldn’t finish. Blackthorn then noticed the suffering that Star must have suffered during his foalhood and that he did really understand what Hawthorn passed through. In a calmer voice, he said:
“Don’t worry, Lord Hawthorn has been watching over you. I’m sure there is a reason why he did this. Listen, did you exchange greetings?
Before that question, Star remembered the hoof bump he shared with Hawthorn.
“Well, we did share a hoof bump” he said.
That answer made Blackthorn smile and say:
“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. Very well, Prince Star Knight follow me.”
“Why?” Star asked.
“I’ll take you to Lord Hawthorn’s training grounds” Blackthorn replied.
“Cool!” Star replied, all enthusiastic.
“Then, I’ll tag along” Golden Paladin’s voice said.
And he approached, saying.
“As the General of Peace and the caster of Prince Star Knight’s seal, it is my duty to look out for Prince Star Knight.”
“I see… It is not a problem, General” Blackthorn said. “Let’s go then.”
And Blackthorn took Star and Golden Paladin to a waterfall that formed a little lake with a round stone in the middle.
“Is this it?” Star asked.
“Yes, this place is called the Waterfall of Truth” Blackthorn said.
“The Waterfall of Truth?” Golden Paladin asked. “He learns to control the Tailed Beast here?”
“Not quite” Blackthorn replied. “It is just the first step. Prince Star Knight, sit down on that rock and close your eyes. You’ll see your true self.”
“See my true self?” Star asked.
“That’s right” Blackthorn replied.
Wondering about what Blackthorn was talking about, Star took flight and landed on the rock, sitting then. He then closed his eyes and concentrated, while Golden Paladin and Blackthorn watched him.
For a few seconds, Star remained sit and with his eyes closed and then a voice asked:
“Why?”
Star opened his eyes and saw a figure coming from the inside of the waterfall, while saying:
“Why didn’t you give them your autograph back in the Light Kingdom?”
“What the…” Star started.
“I can’t blame you” the voice said. “I mean, after all, they suddenly got nice and tried to get friendly with you.”
And the figure get out of the waterfall and Star was shocked to see himself. He was really just like Star, except for the eyes, who were red with black sclera, and a much eviler look.
“They were completely disgusting, weren’t they?” the other Star asked.
Star couldn’t believe that his eyes were seeing another Star.
“Don’t you remember?” the other Star asked. “Even with our mother being their beloved princess and ruler, they treated us like outcasts and then, from one moment to the other, they forget all about that?”
Star understood he was talking about all those light ponies who asked for his autograph before Heartbeat appear.
“Who the hell are you?” Star asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” the other Star asked. “Come on, I’m you.”
“What? That can’t be. I don’t even made a clone.”
“I’m no clone. I’m the real you. The one that exists inside your heart. I am you.”
Star got up and exclaimed:
“What are you talking about?! I have no idea who you are! You’re not like me!”
All this was happened inside Star’s mind, as, in the real world, he was still sitting with his eyes closed and with Golden Paladin and Blackthorn observing.
“What is happening to him?” Golden Paladin asked. “I can sense something around Prince Star Knight.”
“Don’t worry about that” Blackthorn answered.
Inside Star’s mind, the other Star said:
“So, they call this place the Waterfall of Truth? I never thought I would be able to immerge completely like this. I like this place. Anyway, I’m the truth you’re supposed to face. I’m the real you, your true self inside.”
“The real me?” Star asked. “But…”
“Yes, I’m the hatred that’s inside you” the other Star completed. “I’m the dark part of you.”
That shocked Star. He always knew that there was darkness in every being, but he really didn’t expected to face his own dark self.
“The only difference between us… is that Nine-Tails is taking a really serious liking to me” the other Star said with a wicked smile.
“Then you…” Star started.
He remembered what Golden Paladin said at the time he gave him the key of the seal, that the Nine-Tails needed hate to create his own energy. So that other Star was the reason why Nine-Tails was always able to subdue him to his will.
“Yeah, you got that right” the other Star said, as if he knew what Star was thinking about. “Just face it, I’m the real one here. And I’m not let you kick me out, your fake.”
“So that’s how it is, uh?” Star said.
And the other Star took flight and started flying in Star’s direction, ready to attack. He tried to punch, but Star blocked the attack and tried to counter-strike, only to be blocked by the other Star as well. The latter was always smiling, a smile that really pissed Star off.
“You’re the fake one” Star said to him. “And I’m going to prove it!”
At the other side of the island, Hawthorn was with giant bears. He was inside a circle, ready to battle one of the bears.
“Come on, anytime now” Hawthorn said to the bear.
And it advanced to attack Hawthorn, but he made tentacles of Eight-Tails appear and used them to fight a battle of strength with the bear. Eventually, Hawthorn was able to throw him out of the rink, retracting the tentacles after that.
“Well, I won” Hawthorn said, approaching the bear. “You still have to train a little more, friend.”
The bear replied with a slight roar.
Inside Hawthorn’s mind, he was sitting on Eight-Tails’ muzzle and the Tailed Beast told him:
“Hey, Hawthorn, if you have time to play around, you could have look to that Nine-Tails’ kid, you know. After all, Jinchuriki have to stick together, right? I don’t really care for the Nine-Tails, but that kid got potential. I was crazy and wild too once, but we met and look at me now. Plus, he reminds me of you…”
“Hey, we don’t have to rush into things” Hawthorn said. “That kid may have potential, but he still have a lot to learn. I could see in his eyes. He is still not ready.”
Inside Star’s mind, he and his true self have been fighting for a while, but that only left the two of them tired and lying on the lake. Star started to get up while saying:
“Damn it…”
How would Star defeat his true self if they had the same strength? That would probably never end.
As if reading his mind again, the other Star said, turning to him, still smiling:
“Exactly, there’s no way you can beat me. Not ever.”
Star got up and then said:
“Then I will overwhelm you with numbers!”
And, with a multiplication spell, he created some clones. But the other Star also used the multiplication spell to create the exact same number of clones than Star’s.
“Damn, I can’t believe this!” Star exclaimed. “We even make the same amount of clones.”
“Hey, you’re pretty sharp figuring that out” the other Star said with a mocking voice.
“That’s it!” Star exclaimed, turning then to his clones. “Go!”
“Go!” the other Star exclaimed.
And the two types of clones went against each other, starting fighting.
Outside, Golden Paladin asked to Blackthorn:
“Can you explain me what’s going on?”
“When one sits before the waterfall, when you focus and enter in your mental sphere, the waterfall becomes a mirror and reflects your true self. It is truly a mystical place. So, right now, Prince Star Knight is fighting against himself.”
Inside Star’s mind, the clones were fighting and disappearing at the same time. Then, the last clone of each Star helped their respective summoners creating a Spiraling Sphere and they went against each other, hitting the two spheres, what created, what created a great explosion.
Star then woke up, feeling then the pain of that battle.
“Prince Star Knight” Golden Paladin called, teleporting to his side. “Are you all right? What happened?”
“It’s this guy…” Star said. “He looks just like me. And he…”
“What?” Golden Paladin asked.
“I think he was my dark half” Star said.
Now Golden Paladin understood what Blackthorn said about Star being battling his true self. Star was battling his own darkness, the one thing that allowed Nine-Tails control him.
“We’re both the same” Star said. “We have the same strength, we use the same spells, the same fighting style, the same tricks… Everything is identical with us. We could fight forever.”
“I see…” Golden Paladin said.
“You must defeat him or else you won’t be able to handle the Tailed Beast’s power” Blackthorn said. “I told you, the Waterfall of True is merely the first step.”