//------------------------------//
// Star Knight Marches to the War 
// Story: Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox 
// by Rakoon1 
//------------------------------//

In the room at the Tailed Beast Temple, Star was lying on the floor, involved by Nine-Tails’ energy, exhausted from using a lot of energy to do the Tailed Beast Spiraling Sphere.

“You’re not getting it” Hawthorn told him. “Perhaps is lack of concentration.”

Star sat up and then he said, while returning to his normal mode:

“Sorry, but something has been bugging me out for a while and I can’t get it out of my mind.”

“What is it?” Hawthorn asked.

“Well, a while ago, I thought that I sensed Nine-Tails’ energy, but it doesn’t make sense that anypony else but me have the Nine-Tails’ energy, right?” Star told. “So I don’t know what it was.”

“You must have imagined it” Hawthorn replied. “Inside this room, the energy is cut out, both from the inside as the outside, besides that Nine-Tails is only inside of you.”

“Star is starting to figure out everything” Eight-Tails told to Hawthorn inside his mind. “The Gold and Silver Brothers also possess the Nine-Tails’ energy. That only means that the General of Death’s Reincarnation Curse brought them back. However, Star possess the power to sense energy more intensively in this room. You can’t fool him for much longer. What will you do, Hawthorn? You have to do something.”

“Like what?” Hawthorn asked.

“What do you mean by that?” Eight-Tails asked back. “Didn’t you have been attentive? You can’t let Star get out of this space.”

“But that’s why you’re here for, my friend.”

“What? Ah, you’re always the same.”

Star was sitting quiet, immerged in his thoughts, and then he took a decision. He got up and asked:

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“It’s the first room on the way outside” Hawthorn replied. “You can’t miss it.”

“Your idiot!” Eight-Tails exclaimed. “He can’t get out this base! Go with him!”

Star then run and got out of the room, before Hawthorn could do anything. Outside, a pair hidden deer saw Star running towards the waterfall.

“Don’t tell me that he…” one started.

“Don’t panic” the other replied. “Contact HQ.”

And that was made and Aspen didn’t react very well.

“What?!” he asked to the deer that came to give him the message. “The Nine-Tails is trying to escape?! And what’s Hawthorn doing about that?”

“Well, you know, sir, Lord Hawthorn wasn’t paying too much attention when… you know” the deer replied, a little uneasy due to being a little intimidated by Aspen. “But there are other measures, if Princess Celestia gives the orders.”

“Twilight should be the one to give it, but, as she is out battling, I don’t have any option” Celestia replied. “Proceed.”

Arriving to the waterfall, Star found it guarded by his father’s second-in-command, along with two pairs of pegasi guards and two griffons.

“Stop right there, Prince Star Knight” the light unicorn said.

Looking to the guards, Star wondered what was the reason for them to be there. That only confirmed his theory that something was happening.

“I’m sorry, my prince, but I can’t let you pass by” the light unicorn replied. “Please, cooperate and go back to that room.”

“I don’t understand what’s going on” Star said. “Why are you here, Warding Gauntlet? And why are you all watching me?”

“Just go inside” Warding Gauntlet said. “We’ll talk there.

“No, I won’t” Star replied. “I don’t see why you can’t tell me out here.”

There was a pause and then a voice said:

“Warding, let me talk to him.”

And Night Light, Twilight’s father and Star’s grandfather, appeared.

“Grampa Night Light?” Star said, surprised to see him. “But what are you doing in this island?”

Night Light didn’t respond right away, but then he smiled and said:

“Well, I was sent by your mother to see how you were. You know how she can worry too much. And because of her duties, she couldn’t come herself.”

“What about Golden Paladin?” Star asked. “He could do that. Actually, he was doing that.”

“Golden… had something to do” Night Light replied.

“And that’s why you came all the way from Canterlot to the Enchanted Forest?” Star asked.

That question really caught Night Light by surprise, but he remained still and replied:

“Yes, I was on a day-off and I always wanted to meet the Enchanted Forest. Your mother decided it was a good idea to have me watch over you. That’s why…”

“You know, grampa, I sensed the Nine-Tails’ energy” Star said. “Does mom or any of the other Generals told you something about having some of his energy that’s not in me?”

That statement surprised Warding Gauntlet, as Star was able to sense Gavin’s energy even from another realm, even in a place blocked from any outside energy. In that case, they couldn’t let him get out of that temple, or else it would be too dangerous for their mission to keep Star out of the war. He just hoped that Night Light would be able to convince him.

Trying to take advantage of Star just said, Night Light said:

“Probably. In fact, that is the reason why Golden is not here. He has a lot of experience dealing with Nine-Tails’ energy. He was sent to investigate. Meanwhile, we need you to stay here, so that the thing with Nine-Tails’ energy doesn’t respond to yours and comes after you. So, why don’t we go inside?”

But Star didn’t reply, preferring to meditate about the situation. He remembered what Blackthorn about the animals that lived in that island, that Hawthorn had tamed every single one. If that was so, and how he was under Hawthorn’s tutelage, no animal would hurt him.

“I can deal with any animal in this island that tries to mess with me” Star replied, releasing the natural energy he had accumulated and getting into the Sage Mode. “Let me out so I can see what’s going on.”

But they didn’t move, so Star opened his wing and flapped them to take flight and advance. The two griffons did the same to stop him, but, due to the extra strength that the natural energy gave him, he was stronger than them and was able to push them through the waterfall. After he did that, while the griffons fell into the water, Star landed at the other side, but he was caught by an immobilization spell casted by Warding Gauntlet. He turned and saw everypony out, with the pegasi flying and Warding and Night Light at the platform at the center of the water.

“I got him” Warding Gauntlet said.

But that immobilization spell didn’t stop Star from getting to know what was happening. In the Sage Mode, he was able to sense all his surroundings. He could feel his parents and uncle fighting the reincarnated swordsponies, all the wounded fighting to survive while being treated, not to mention all the ones that were losing their lives while fighting the enemy. He could even feel the pain caused to the Generals of Order because of the disease casted on him by the General of Chaos.

“What’s happening?” he asked, not wanting to believe what he was sensing. “What was that?”
Night Light realized that Star was able to sense everything in the Sage Mode.

“What’s going on?!” Star asked. “Why is this happening?”

As it was useless to hide everything from him any longer, Night Light said:

“The war has started. We’re right now fighting the General of Chaos and all the other villains.”
Star Knight become shocked when he heard that.

“Lord Night Light, don’t…” Warding Gauntlet said.

“It’s useless to continue the charade” Night Light said. “Furthermore, I think that my grandson can handle it. He needs to know the truth so he can make his own decision.”

“But why have you been hiding this from me?!” Star asked. “Both my family and friends are out there dealing with a lot of suffering without me!”

“Because part of this war is to make sure that you remain protected from the General of Chaos” Night Light said. “He is serving the Lord of Chaos’ will and so he wants to capture you and Lord Hawthorn and get the Eight and Nine-Tails from inside you. If he extracts both Tailed Beasts, he will be able to cast his curse and end the world as we know it. So, by protecting you, we will be protecting the future and not only the Pony World and the Enchanted Forest, but all the other realms. Everyone is putting their lives on the line to keep you safe. For that reason, you’ll have to stay here.”

Star remained silent, remembering all the training he had, all the battles he faced, all the suffering he had… He had made a promise to himself that he would end all that, that he would stop the Lord of Chaos’ evil plan.

“No, let’s go back” Night Light said, extending his hoof to his grandson.

But Star said:

“I can stop this. I know that I can, grampa. You have to let me. I’ll take all the hatred and pain, because that’s what I have to do.”

“But haven’t you been listening?!” Night Light exclaimed. “You have the Nine-Tails inside you! This isn’t just about you, Star.”

“You always let mom and uncle Shining Armor do what they had to do to save Equestria and the Pony World, regarding the risks it could represent for them” Star said. “And you know that I have already dealt with a lot because I have Nine-Tails inside me. I may be fifteen, but I have already done so much. You have to have faith in me, just like you have with them.”

“Don’t act like a spoiled brat!” Night Light exclaimed. “Your my grandson and you mean a lot to me! I love you very much and I don’t want anything to happen to you, to your sister or to your cousins.”

There was a pause, where the Sage Mode faded away, and then Night Light continued:

“The greatest villain to serve the Lord of Chaos is targeting you with everything he had. How can I stand here and let that happen. Let you face such danger. If I did that, I wouldn’t be able to face your mother or even my own reflection. You don’t have to carry that burden alone.”

“I’m not just a little kid anymore” Star said. “I’m strong now and I have passed every single trial that was put on me.”

It was then that Night Light used a spell that allowed him to walk over water, heading toward Star. Arriving to his grandson’s side, he gave him one of his gentle smiles. For a moment, Star thought he had been able to convince him, but then the smile went down and Night Light said:

“I can’t let you go.”

And he activated his magic and created a barrier around them.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t just let you leave this place.”

Despite what happened, Star couldn’t get mad at his grandpa, as he understood his position. But he wouldn’t let himself be stopped just like that.

“Grandpa, didn’t I tell you?” he asked. “You can’t keep me here.”

And he involved himself with Nine-Tails’ energy, catching Night Light by surprise. That energy released him from the immobilization spell.

“He broke free!” Warding Gauntlet exclaimed, acting with a new immobilization spell.

But this time Star was able to defect it and then he took flight, breaking through the barrier and moving fast.

“Go tell the ones responsible for the barrier that Prince Star is moving!” Warding Gauntlet exclaimed to one of his guards. “The rest come with me!”

And they also left, with Night Light remaining where he was. He then heard someone getting out of the waterfall and landing at the plataform. It was Hawthorn who said:

“So the kid is already going, hein? He really like to rush into things.”

Night Light made a little smile and then said:

“He inherited his mother’s smartness, but he inherited both his parents’ impulsivity.”

He turned to Hawthorn and said to him:

“You must be Lord Hawthorn. If I may, I want to ask you something. Please, take care of my grandson, Your Highness.”

Hawthorn jumped to the other side and then he said, raising his hoof:

“I don’t like words very much. What I like is to know the feelings. Why don’t you bump your hoof with me?”

That caused Night Light to frown and then he raised his hoof, asking:

“Like this?”

And they bumped and then Hawthorn smiled and then said:

“You can rest assure. I will take care of him.”

“Are you sure of that promise, Hawthorn?” Eight-Tails asked. “Star really did get out during your watch, after all.”

“Hey, we both know how that little fool is persistence” Hawthorn replied to him. “I doubt that anyone would be able to convince him otherwise.”

Hawthorn advanced, while saying to Night Light:

“Well, I better go or I won’t be able to catch up with him.”

And, with that, he started to run at the same direction that Star went. While running, Eight-Tails asked him:

“Are you really going to chase Star outside the barrier?”

“But of course” he replied to the tailed beast. “After all, I’m still training him.”

“You know that you’ll have to face your brother’s rage for this, right?” Eight-Tails asked.

“It is a fact that the battlefield can teach more than training” Hawthorn replied, speaking from his body. “It’s a shortcut that the kid need at this moment.”

At HQ, after getting to know what happened, Aspen stomped with his hoof on the table with anger and exclaimed:

“I can’t believe that a simple colt was able to pass through experienced guards!”

“Star Knight is not a regular colt” Celestia said, calmly.

“That’s for sure” Ingrid added. “After all the villains he already faced, all the training that both Golden Paladin and Lord Hawthorn gave them, I would be surprised if the opposite happened.”

“If you still want to keep him out of the war, King Aspen, then the only thing we have to do is using brute force” Celestia said, turning then to the deer who gave the message. “Is the barrier core ready?”

“We have a thirty-six-layer self-regenerating barrier around the island” the deer explained. “Even a jinchuriki couldn’t get through that. So, please, don’t worry.”

Star arrived to the spikes around the island, but his presence was detected by the core team that was getting the barrier ready. When he was close, a Tailed Beast Bomb in the sphere form passed by him and then hit something in midair, cracking.

“What is this?” Star asked, turning to Hawthorn that had turned into Eight-Tails.

“There is barrier around this island that we’re going to wreck” he replied.

That made Star to smile and then he exclaimed:

“All right!”

And so the cracks started to regenerate around the Tailed Beast Bomb. And so Hawthorn retreated to the second phase, while saying:

“I’m going to provide you the first punch and then you push that Tailed Beast Bomb thought the barrier.”

“Yes!” Star exclaimed, with the Nine-Tails’ energy around him.

And the two of them advanced, with Star pushing the Tailed Beast and breaking the first layer of the barrier. After that, they started to pass through the barrier, with Hawthorn giving the first blow, cracking the layer, and Star pushing the Tailed Beast Bomb to destroy it. The barrier core was doing its best, but it couldn’t repair the barrier fast enough. 

The two jinchuriki destroyed all the layers until they arrived to the last one. After that, Star throw away the Tailed Beast Bomb that simply disappeared. They landed on land on their normal forms.

“Wait, I thought we were on an island” Star said. “But this looks like land to me.”

“I don’t think it’s time to worry about that now” Hawthorn said. “Let’s go!”

And the two of them started to advance, with Star flying and Hawthorn running, being able to accompany the young alicorn thanks to his deer and jinchuriki skills.