//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Naga 
// Story: Fires of Friendship and Ice of Hatred 
// by Super Ponyman 
//------------------------------//

(Twilight's Castle, The Lab Room)

Once Iron Steed had arrived and signed for Burning Star's release papers as he guardian, he was finally brought back to Twilight's castle. 

Shining Armor, Shadow Armor, and Prince Eclipsio had managed to convert the storage room in the basement into a research vault to analyze what was going on with Burning Star's body.

Their first test was an analysis of Burning Star's Fur and Mane to find out what chemicals made it ignite. 

Shadow Armor and Shining Armor stood over a metal table with a piece of Burning Star's fire red mane taped down, it was cut from his already long and shaggy mane, 

Shining Armor said to his copy, "Do you think he will notice the difference when he wakes up?"

Shadow Armor sighed, "That is, if he ever wakes up. C'mon, let's find out how his powers work. Maybe we won't need that stubborn Draft Pony around."

Shining Armor looked at Shady and saw a look of frustration on his face, he then asked, "What's wrong with him being around?"

Shadow Armor retorted almost instantly, "Nothing! Nothing is wrong with him. I can not figure him out, gah!"

Shining Armor put a hoof on Shadow Armor's shoulder, "Don't get all worked up, we have some research to do, right?"

Shadow Armor cleared his head and said, "Yes. Let's get to work!"

Shadow Armor first took a comb to straighten out the piece of Burning Star's mane, while his copy began mixing some potions together and shaking the bottle throughly.

Shining finally walked over to the Mane cutting and uncorked the potion.

Shadow Armor watched with true anxiety as Shining Armor poured one drop on the mane, it fizzled for a moment, before stopping.

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed, "What! That is it?! Just a little spark and-"

Hit words were cut off when the mane cutting exploded into a fireball that sent both of them flying into the wall. 

Shadow Armor gasped out, "I saw that coming... agh... from a mile away..."

Shining Armor coughed out some smoke, "How... did you know that?"

Shadow Armor picked up the flasks Shining Armor used, and showed it to the White Knight. "You mixed, gunpowder, Nitrogen and glycerol, and applied the heat from Burning Star's mane, thus causing an explosion... maybe we should leave the experiments to your sister... ok?"

Shining Armor dusted himself off and snorted, "No. Twilight is busy searching for these Masters of Nature, she does not need to help me. I am perfectly capable of solving how Burning Star's powers work."

Shadow Armor walked over to the bed that Burning Star was laying on, he was hooked up to various monitors that tracked his body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and most importantly, brain activity.

Shadow Armor said a thought out loud, "Hey Shining, did you ever read about the theory that ponies in comas are still responsive to outside influences and can even dream?"

Shining shook his head, "No. Why do you bring it up now of all times?"

Shadow Armor walked back over to Shining and poked his horn, "Because, if his mind is still active, we can cast a telepathy spell to see what's going on in there... what do you say?"

Shining Armor nodded and ignited his horn alongside Shadow Armors. They both pressed up against Burning Star's head and tried to contact his mind.

But the response they got was a wave of fire knocking them over. 

Shining Armor got up and said weakly, "Well, whatever or whoever is in there sure doesn't want anypony to intrude..."

(Trotland, The Great Drop)

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Luna hiked slowly up the side of the cliff, trying not to slip and fall into the raging sea below. 

When the trio arrived, it was a perfectly clear day. 

And then out of nowhere, a thunderstorm rolled in as soon as they began their trek along the side of the cliffs.

It was raining hard, really hard. Rain made everything muddy, wet, and slippery, and the wind wasn't helping Rainbow Dash at all.

The cyan Pegasus shouted over the violent wind, "HEY LUNA! ARENT YOU SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE SEA OR SOMETHING!? CAN YOU TELL THIS STORM TO STOP!?"

Luna shouted back, "The seas will not respond to the moons pull, something or somepony must be interfering with my magic."

Pinkie bounced up the cliff, singing a song.

"Oh I'm singing in the rain, I'm singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again!"

Luna snorted, "This is no time for music, Pinkie. We must reach the top of this cliff, and we may want to hurry, the storms picking up!"

Rainbow Dash looked out over the rough seas, it looked almost as some monster was causing this, judging by the waves looking like the undulations of a giant snake of some sort...

Her cerise eyes went wide as she saw a large wave, almost twice the size of the cliff itself head their way.

She shouted down, "Everypony! Brace yourselves!"

Luna created a shield around them and saw the wave crash Up against her barrier. 

What she saw next made her shake with fear...

From out of the water rose a gigantic snake-like life form, it was colored dark blue and gray, with razor sharp fins and arms tipped with long claws. It's maw was filled with four fangs, common amongst snakes, but this wasn't a ordinary sea serpent...

Rainbow Dash asked Luna in a panic, "Princess! What is that!"

Luna responded, true fear in her voice. 

"An Ancient beast from before we came to be, they were the first commanders of the waves... a Naga!"

The Naga roared, shaking the ground with its voice, "WHO DARES TO ATTEMPT TO SCALE THE GREAT DROP?"

Pinkie Pie exited the shield and said, "I'm Pinkie Pie!" The pink earth pony pointed her hoof towards Dashie and Luna "And this is my friends Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna. What's your name?"

The Naga roared in her face, "I AM THE TROTLAND NAGA! THE GUARDIAN OF THESE SACRED GROUNDS. WHY DO YOU COME HERE? SMALL, PINK PONY?!"

Pinkie Pie answered the giant sea snakes question, "We are here to find somepony called Sea Breeze, do you know that pony?"

Luna dropped her shield and rushed over to Pinkie, saying "Are you Mad?! Naga are deadly beasts of legend. This is no time for conversation!"

The Naga lifted its massive body and slithered onto land, before smacking Luna away with its giant tail, "SILENCE, MOON PRINCESS! DO NOT INSULT MY GREATNESS!"

Rainbow Dash flew up to the Naga's large red eyes and said, "HEY! Leave Luna alone, you giant sea worm!" 

The Naga roared and sent a mighty gust from its mouth, blowing Rainbow Dash away. It continued to speak to Pinkie, "YOUR FRIENDS ARE VERY RUDE, SMALL PINK EQUINE! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COMMAND ME, I AM A NAGA! RULER OF THE SEAS!" I... AM... LORD TSUNAMI."

The Naga opened its massive maw, "PERHAPS YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL MAKE A NICE MEAL FOR ME!"

Suddenly, The Naga's head was yanked backwards by a Pegasus, Pinkie saw it and cheered.

"Yay! You finally showed up!"

The Pegasus shouted down to Pinkie, "Get back! I got this!"

With a flap of the Pegasus's large wings, the ocean seemed to rise up and drag the Naga back into the water, where it submerged with a massive roar.

Luna and Rainbow Dash flew back and saw Pinkie talking to a large Pegasus stallion. 

He was about half a head smaller than Luna, his mane and tail was Sea green and ocean blue and flowed like water, his fur was a cobalt blue color that seemed almost reflective. He bore a cutie Mark of a swirling whirlpool that seemed to almost be moving, whenever he flapped his wings, the storm seemed to swirl around him.

The Pegasus approached Luna and said in a light Trottish accent, "So, the pink lass over there tells me that my friend Burning Star's about to go kaboom. Is that right yer majesty?"

Luna told him, "That is correct, uh... do you mind clearing up this weather?"

The Pegasus nodded, "Oh right. My bad, I thought you three were those nasty frosty fellas, ever since they passed through my home the sea's been going bonkers."

Rainbow Dash watched in awe as the Pegasus flew Up into the air and began to violently flap his wings, and his eye glowed a bright blue. Within seconds, the clouds began to part and disappear. 

The Pegasus landed and bowed, "Ta-dah! Storm is officially history. My name be Sea Breeze, but I'm also called Water Wings by my mates."

Rainbow Dash flew up to Sea Breeze and asked him, "H-how did you do that?"

Sea Breeze chuckled a little, "You see, little blue lass, I am the Master of Water, one of the Elements of Nature. I believe you must be Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, judging by yer multicolored mane on your noggin."

Luna grabbed Sea Breeze's face and said, "We have no time for friendly banter, we have to get you back to Ponyville to help figure out how to stop Burning Star from burning our world to ashes."

Sea Breeze raised an eyebrow, "Yer right, Moon Princess. Let's get moving then, come on! We be in a hurry right?"

Luna used her magic to open up a wormhole back to Ponyville, and the quartet stepped through.

(Ponyville, Twilight's Lab)

When the four exited the wormhole, Sea Breeze saw Iron Steed and rushed into a hug with him.

"Ah Iron Steed! My hard-headed friend! How's the desert treating ya?"

Iron Steed returned the hug, saying "Its hot, isolated, and full of Monsters. What's Trotland like? Still living there?"

Luna motioned the pair over to Burning Star, and Sea Breeze looked on with a solem gaze.

The water Pegasus walked over and pressed his hoof onto Burning Star's chest, yanking it away in pain. He said, "Bloody Hell! Burning Star's hotter than the hot springs back home! What happened to im?"

Sunset Shimmer walked over from a lab table and said, "He got into a fight with the Windigos... he's been heating up ever since."

Sea Breeze sighed, before saying. "Well judging from my personal observations, sunshine... Burning Star be overheatin from somethin in his head bugging him. It ain't a matter of magic, something nasty is goin on in his noggin."

Sea Breeze created a ice water pack and put in on Burning Star's head, and his temperature began to fall.

"His mind is fighting somethin dangerous. And I think these Windigo nut jobs have somethin to do with it. Yer approaching this all wrong, start scanning his brain for anything weird. Well... weirder than usual."

With that, Sea Breeze walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of hard cider, "I need a drink, my head is hurting from dealing with that snake beastie."

The group decided to all join in on Sea Breezes idea and began to drink some cider to calm their nerves.

Sunset walked over to a clipboard and ticked off Sea Breezes name.

"Two down, let's hope these other Element Masters are not this... out of the norm."