//------------------------------// // Tai Lung Vs. The Furious Five // Story: Kung-Fu Equestria // by Lady Umbra //------------------------------// The sun was just cresting the horizon when the Furious Five came upon a bridged chasm. Rainbow Dash halted, and the five mares glared across the empty space before them. The bottom of the chasm couldn’t even be seen; it was shrouded in ominous mist. "He'll have to come through here if he wants to get to Ponyville," Rainbow Dash realized. "This is the only path that leads between Tartarus and Ponyville!" Applejack grinned. “Tarnation,” she declared. “Well, then, let’s cut the bridge and be done with it.” She moved towards the bridge’s chasm. “’S not like he can fly ‘r anything, and we beat him here.” However, as she and the others went to cut the bridge, they failed to notice a blue eyed bird land on the archway above them. Fluttershy’s eyes widened under her blindfold; her ears twitched, picking up the sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the bridge. Fast and heavy; only one animal was capable of making those steps. “Hurry, Applejack!” Fluttershy whispered. “He’s here!" Yet her warning came too late. As the others looked up in shock, fear or disbelief, Tai Lung skidded into view. For a moment, the snow leopard glared down the cyan pegasus. Her rose-red eyes narrowed. Tai Lung then let out a brief roar, before charging across the bridge. "AJ! Do it now!” Rainbow Dash yelled, smashing one of the stones holding the bridge up. Applejack followed her lead, kicking the other and breaking the bridge from its tether on the cliff. "Hooray!" Pinkie cried. "We win!" But Pinkie chose to celebrate the moment too soon. Just as the ropes began to fall, a green magical aura covered them, holding them in place and allowing Tai Lung to charge across uninhibited. “What?!” Rairity exclaimed. "I... think I celebrated too soon," Pinkie squeaked in fear. But there was no time to find the source of the magic. Tai Lung was almost across! As the others tried to prepare themselves, Rainbow Dash went on the offensive, kicking the snow leopard back and planting herself on the bridge, wings flared and fists up. “Figure out what’s keeping this bridge up,” Rainbow yelled at the others. “I got this poser.” But Tai Lung merely grinned and leaned himself against the ropes, casual as if they were talking at a stadium rather than over a chasm. Rainbow Dash had to shift her weight to keep her balance, her stance refusing to falter. “You got me?” Tai Lung asked bemused. “Be serious; where’s the Celestia Warrior?” “How do you know you’re not looking at her?” Rainbow demanded. Tai Lung merely laughed. “You think I’m a fool?” he asked. “I know you’re not the Celestial Warrior.”He turned his gaze to the rest of the Furious Five, furiously looking for the source of the magic. “None of you are.” “Love to argue the point,” Pinkie said. “But we’re a little busy trying to drop you!” “Pinkie, focus, for land’s sake!” Applejack cried. Tai Lung chuckled, while Rainbow Dash growled at him. Her stance tensed as he walked towards her, but his walk was still too casual. Rainbow Dash's heart fluttered in her chest. He should not have felt this comfortable around a kung fu master like her. Could the legends be true? Could it be possible that he was... better than her?! “I heard the rumors about the Celestial Warrior,” Tai Lung explained over Rainbow Dash's thoughts. “I heard how she fell out of the sky on a ball of green dragon-fire; That she’s…a 'warrior' unlike anything the world has ever seen.” Fluttershy froze. “Twilight?” she whispered to the others. Her fearful voice only brightened the fire in Tai Lung’s eyes. “That’s her name?” Tai Lung mused. “Twilight.” He almost seemed to taste the name with his tone. “Finally, a worthy opponent.” He raised his fist into the air. “Our battle will be LEGENDARY!” “You’ve still got our battle to worry about!” Rainbow Dash insisted, before charging at him with a scream. But the snow leopard’s casual nature was not bravado or unearned arrogance; not a single one of Rainbow’s initial strikes hit him. Yet, as Tai Lung toyed with the pegasus, Fluttershy's ears twitched. It was faint, but she picked out a small giggle. Grabbing a stone from the ground, Fluttershy threw the stone at the source. With a pained squawk, the bird on the archway hit the ground, hitting the ground with a burst of green flames. The green flames revealed a familiar changeling, now dressed in a black sleeveless shirt under an open vest with fur trim, and a pair of pants cut off just below the knee. "That hurt,” Urtica whined, rubbing her forehead. "A Changeling?!" Applejack stammered. “I knew it!” Pinkie cried out. Immediately, Rarity noticed that the Changelings' horn was alight with the same magic aura as the one around the ropes. "She's using magic to hold the bridge!" the white mare cried. "We stop her and the bridge drops!" "But what about Rainbow?" Pinkie asked. "She has wings,” Applejack dismissed. "She’ll be just fine.” Yet, as Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity rushed the changeling, Pinkie gave a nervous look to the battle on the bridge. “Not entirely what I meant,” Pinkie noted with concern. For back on the bridge, Rainbow had just tried to throw Tai Lung over the edge. But the snow leopard caught the rope and spun the bridge, launching himself into the air. Blinded by the sun, Rainbow Dash only managed to avoid Tai Lung’s strike by flipping the bridge. Even then, the bridge served as a poor shield for Tai Lung’s fist. Dropping from the bridge, Rainbow Dash’s wings buzzed like a hummingbird, and she charged back into the fray. But Tai Lung was prepared for her charge, and redirected her into the boards, smashing her through the wood with an upward kick. Another kick sent Rainbow through the structure. Broken boards plummeted into the mist, followed by the snapped hand rails. With a twist of the ropes, Tai Lung caught Rainbow Dash by the neck, leaving the cyan master choking and struggling for breath. “That’s what I meant!” Pinkie yelped, turning to the others. “Fluttershy!” But Fluttershy’s ears had already picked up the sound of Rainbow Dash’s choking. Leaving the changeling to Rarity and Applejack, Fluttershy seized Pinkie by the hands and threw her for Tai Lung. Halfway into the lunge, Pinkie spun, producing her party cannon. “Surprise!” she cried happily, soaring over Tai Lung and blasting him in the face with a glop of cake batter. While the pink master sent the snow leopard reeling, his grip of the ropes faltered, and Rainbow Dash was left to plummet into the mist, Fluttershy diving right after her. With her friends apparently out of the action, Pinkie balanced precariously on the ropes, rolling her party cannon down the bridge as Tai Lung advanced on her. Shot after shot fired from her cannon, but Luna’s surrogate son had caught onto her tricks, and his iron claws deflected the strikes. “Uh, oh…” Pinkie muttered as he deflected her shots. “Oh, no!” Her mane started to deflate as Tai Lung got closer. “Rarity!” Pinkie screamed as Tai Lung reached her and slammed his fist into her cannon, clogging it and rendering it useless. Back with the changeling, Applejack and Rarity had just managed to corner Urtica. But at the sound of Pinkie’s scream, both of them turned to their friend. “Go!” Applejack yelled, jumping on Urtica before she could try to take advantage. “I got this.” With barely any time for a nod, Rarity shot across the ropes at full speed, drop-kicking the leopard seconds before he could throw Pinkie into the abyss. As the white and pink masters stood together, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy shot out of the mist, Rainbow Dash rejuvenated and back in the fight. “AJ!” Rainbow yelled. Urtica, who had just managed to dodge away from one of Applejack’s heavy kicks, spun and saw Rainbow Dash charging towards her. She readied herself for defense, only for Applejack to capitalize on her distraction. “Got it!” Applejack declared triumphantly, delivering a hard kick to the changelings’ back. The changeling was hurled into Tai Lung like a cannonball, throwing them both back onto the other side of the bridge as the ropes fell, no longer held up by Urtica’s magic. Rarity and Pinkie briefly look at each other in worry, before Fluttershy glided towards them, catching Rarity while Rainbow Dash snatched Pinkie out of the sky. Yet, as the two pegasi hovered with their precious cargo, they saw Tai Lung and Urtica glance at each other, before Urtica took Tai Lung’s arms, and began to heft him across the canyon, her beetle-like wings buzzing with exertion. “Oh, no you don’t!” Rainbow Dash snarled. Charging at him as one, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy threw Rarity and Pinkie at the changeling and snow-leopard. Though Urtica tried to dodge, Tai Lung weighed her down. And both of them were struck head on, stunned long enough for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to seize the falling ropes and entangle them both. Grabbing their friends before gravity could claim them, all four masters delivered four powerful kicks that left Tai Lung and Urtica plummeting, tangled up and defenseless, into the abyss below. Applejack looked on, her concerned look slowly turning to relief as her friends glided back over to her side. "Hooray!" Pinkie cheered, tossing confetti. "We win! For real this time!" "Looks like Master Luna didn't need poor Twilight after all," Applejack commented, setting her hat on her head and crossing her arms. Yet, as the other celebrated, Rainbow’s ear flicked, and she glanced back down at where Tai Lung and his accomplice had fallen. Her eyes widened. One of the ropes was… moving. Suddenly, the rope snapped upward. Something shot out of the mist. But when Rainbow looked up into the sky… she saw nothing. The others sensed her panic. But before they could join her at the edge… something slammed into the ground behind them. All five mares whirled around, gasps of shock and disbelief escaping them as Tai Lung rose from the ground, Urtica safely nestled under his arm. “Mother… taught you well,” Tai Lung admitted. Then he tossed Urtica into the air. As the ponies followed the changeling’s movements, Tai Lung struck, faster than a cobra. Rarity was the first to fall. Pinkie screamed as Rarity hit the ground, a pained grimace across her face, and her body frozen like ice. “But she didn’t teach you everything,” Tai Lung whispered, before striking again. Pinkie’s next scream was cut hauntingly short, as she joined Rarity on the ground. “Pinkie!” Applejack cried. But when she went to kick at the snow leopard, Urtica slammed down on her leg, almost breaking it. “Nice try,” Urtica mocked, before Tai Lung lunged over her with another of his paralyzing strikes. A second later, Applejack was on the ground. “Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash cried, barely avoiding Tai Lung’s next strike. “D-Do it!” Fluttershy desperately grabbed her blindfold, while Urtica swept Rainbow Dash’s legs out from under her. Rainbow tried to flare her wings, but Tai Lung smashed her to the ground, his claws finding the necessary nerve points to ensure that Rainbow wouldn’t rise again, unless someone unlocked her body. As Tai Lung and Urtica turned to Fluttershy, the yellow master yanked her blindfold off and opened her eyes, azure blue and sparkling with a fierce fire. Instantly, Urtica fell back on her haunches, her eyes widening as she was caught in Fluttershy’s gaze. Even Tai Lung grimaced and held a hand over his eyes. But as he forced a step forward, and then another step, and then another step, Fluttershy’s gaze started to falter. It dissolved into absolute fear as the snow leopard seized the mare by the neck. “Gorgon’s Gaze,” Tai Lung mused. “So, that’s why you wear the blindfold.” He huffed a chuckle. “I’m impressed. That gift hasn’t been seen since Master Somnambula.” Fluttershy kicked at his chest, but he responded with a punch to her stomach. The pegasus gagged, the air knocked out of her lungs and ceasing her pointless attack. “That was for getting in my way,” Tai Lung growled. He glanced over at Urtica, who was rubbing her eyes, slowly recovering from Fluttershy’s Gorgon Gaze. “Had you actually hurt Urtica, I would have cut those eyes from your skull.” Fluttershy whimpered, shutting her eyes and allowing tears to trace down her face. But she did not feel Tai Lung’s claws on her face. Rather, the pressure on her neck released, and she flopped to the ground before him. Fluttershy looked up at the snow leopard, unable to cease her quivering. “Fly back there with your friends,” Tai Lung instructed. “Remind them that the real Celestial Warrior is coming home.” His eyes narrowed. “And pray we never cross paths again.” Her nod almost hidden by her terrified shivering, Fluttershy gathered her beaten friends up by the tails, and launched into the air, flapping her way back to the Celestial Palace. Meanwhile, unknowing of the battle that occurred, Twilight and Luna stood across from each other, a burning fire between them. Twilight stood ready with her fists by her side and her eyes narrowed in determination. "When you focus on Kung-Fu,” Luna said. “When you concentrate…” she smirked at Twilight’s hopeful grin. “You stink.” Twilight’s smile faded into disappointment. At first, she started to wonder if Luna was just going into another tirade about how bad she was. But then, she noticed the light in Luna’s eyes was truly different. “But that is my fault,” Luna admitted, causing Twilight’s eyes to widen. “I cannot train you as I have trained the Five. I now see the way to get through to you…” Luna pulled out three scrolls emblazoned with wax seals depicting Celestia’s sigil. “Is with these.” Twilight gasped, covering her mouth. “Scrolls?” she whispered. “From Celestia’s private collection?” Luna nodded and held them out for her. Twilight inched forward, her fingers itching for the scrolls… only for her grin to turn to horror as Luna dumped them into the fire. “NO!!!” Twilight screamed, leaping through the blazing fire and rescuing the precious scrolls. Yet, as she held them to her chest, she noticed something was off. As a librarian, Twilight was used to not only the smell of paper, but the scent of ink as well. A scent these scrolls were lacking. Unrolling the scrolls, she deflated even further as she realized they were blank parchments. Luna chuckled behind her. “When you have been trained,” Luna said, dangling another scroll before Twilight’s eyes. “You may read.” Twilight regarded the scroll with suspicion, but this one had the scent of ink on it. Could it be one of Celestia’s scrolls? Or another trick? Either way, Luna wasn’t about to let Twilight find out, walking away with the scroll trailing behind her like a treat for a hungry dog. “Let’s begin,” Luna declared. And begin they did. Starting with basic exercise, Twilight soon found herself dangling upside down with her legs around the branch of a tree. Luna sat above her with the scroll and a box of matches. Every time Twilight slowed down, Luna lit a match and brought it close to the scroll in her hands, smiling as the incentive got Twilight to push harder. Unfortunately, she pushed too hard. Pulled down by Twilight’s rampant sit ups, the branch began to creak and crack. Sensing danger, Luna leaped onto a nearby rock formation, Twilight following suit as the branch gave way. The scroll had flown into the air in the leap to safety, but Twilight grabbed the tree branch stump with one hand and caught the scroll with the other. "Safe and sound," Twilight declared happily. But before she could open it… another crack cut her off. “Oh…” She whimpered before the last of the branch snapped off, and she plummeted into the pond below, Luna snatching the scroll from her grip. Once Twilight dragged herself from the water below and dried off, Luna brought her deeper into the surrounding forest. Handing her a bound and locked book, the alicorn then drew a bo staff. Twilight soon found herself fleeing through the forest, desperately trying to unlock the book as Luna whacked her upside the head and down side the legs. Twilight valiantly tried to run, block and unlock all at the same time, but it was merely the beginning of her training. As the days wore on, Luna found more and more ways for books and scrolls to motivate Twilight. Playing keep-away with a scroll that she transitioned from hand to hand, Twilight’s grabbing motions starting to resemble kung-fu strikes. Allowing her to read, but only when she did push ups over hot coals. Balancing several books on her head, arms and even a knee as she teetered on a sharp rock at the top of a mountain. But, slowly and surely, the training paid off. As Twilight’s body accustomed to the physical training, she began matching Luna in push-ups. She began matching Luna’s speed and strength. And the forms of kung-fu she had read about but failed to properly emulate began as easy to copy for her as breathing. Finally, the day came when Luna did not have another challenge waiting for Twilight. Instead, she saw before an entire table full of books and scrolls. A fire did sit nearby, but it merely cooked soup for lunch. Luna motioned towards the pile of literature. “After you, pony,” she invited. But the long hours of training had made Twilight more than suspicious. Luna had never allowed Twilight near her precious books like this. “That’s it?” she asked suspiciously. “Not sit-ups? No… ten mile hike?” Luna’s smile was disarming. “I vowed to train you, and you have been trained,” she replied, picking up a book for herself. “You are free to read.” Twilight’s glare didn’t fade, even as she sat down. Or when she pulled one of the scrolls to her side. “Enjoy,” Luna replied, already – apparently – invested in her own book. Slowly, Twilight unrolled her scroll, the wonderful scent of ink and paper almost intoxicating to her mind. She centered her eyes on the first paragraph. The reign before Celestia was… But she didn’t get to read any further. With a flash of midnight blue, Twilight wailed in despair as the scroll plunked into the soup, soaked and ruined within seconds. Whirling on Master Luna, Twilight found her… still invested in her book. Luna glanced up with confusion, like Twilight had shouted for nothing. “You are free to read,” Luna invited again, nudging a book towards her. “Try The Reign of Discord. As I recall, you were particularly invested in that particular adventure.” Tensing at the memory of Luna finding her imitating the passages from that book, Twilight pulled the book to her side. Suddenly, the table bounced. Twilight’s book flung out of her hands, and with another midnight blue flash, the book sailed over the horizon, down the mountain and out of sight. Twilight gagged in utter disbelief, before whirling on Luna. Her eyes lifted from her own book, sparkling with mischief… and a bit of challenging ferocity. “You are free to read,” Luna practically growled. “Am I?!” Twilight demanded back. “Are you?!” Luna demanded, throwing her book away and striking a kung-fu pose. Growling, Twilight formed her own stance, before making a lung for the books. Luna, however, was faster, kicking the books and table into the air and leaping among them, scattering them all over the mountain with kicks, punches and swipes. Desperately, Twilight leaped up to try and save at least one scroll. Only to wail again in despair as Luna snatched the scroll away from her hand. Both fighters landed, Luna before the fire with the scroll positioned over the bubbling soup, and Twilight on her stomach. However, before Luna could drop the scroll into the bubbling pot, Twilight regained her feet and caught Luna by the wrist. Luna laughed in glee as the two began struggling over the scroll. Wrists clashed against wrists, arms tangled like noodles in ramen. However, Luna broke free first. As Twilight stood between her and the pot, Luna began transferring the scroll from hand to hand, foot to foot. At one point she even balanced it on her tongue. But Twilight’s eyes turned into a blur following the scroll’s movements. And when she lashed out with her hand… she caught the scroll! Back the two went to their grappling and struggling. Though Luna was bigger and stronger, Twilight was faster and nimbler. When Luna tried to sweep her legs out from under her, Twilight leaped and spun. Her spin knocked the scroll out of their hands. But Luna leaped over Twilight and kicked the scroll into the tree. Twilight tried to go for the tree, only for Luna to block her path. The two sparred back and forth, but Twilight’s body had been honed from the training. And where Luna would have soundly trounced the purple mare before, now Twilight was able to keep up with the blue alicorn. But experience was still a large factor, and it wasn’t long before Luna got in a hit that knocked Twilight into the tree… and jarred the scroll from the branch. Sensing the scroll falling, Twilight leaped up to grab it, only for Luna to yank her back down. But just as she reached up for the scroll, Twilight swept her legs out from under her. Adapting, Luna kicked the scroll, sending it flying down the hill. But not at nearly the same speed as the other books. And as the scroll arced into the air, Twilight leaped over Luna and gave chase. Smiling at the ferocity in Twilight’s fighting, Luna raced after her, seizing her bo staff along the way. And so, the fight continued down the hill, the scroll bouncing off the two fighters as Twilight parried, blocked and reflected Luna’s attacks. All the while, her eyes never left the scroll for more than a second. But when Luna tried to take advantage of Twilight’s apparent distraction, the purple mare managed to redirect Luna’s staff into the ground, flip over her master and… Luna’s smile widened as Twilight hit the ground, the scroll safely in her hand. Panting, but smiling in triumph, Twilight looked to Luna, awaiting her next move. Luna simply nodded and motioned for Twilight to enjoy her reading. Twilight gazed at the scroll for a moment… before tossing it back to Luna’s hand. Luna’s eyes shot open, staring at Twilight in shock. Twilight just gave her a small grin. “I don’t need to read,” she replied. Luna smirked, and tossed the scroll aside as Twilight placed her fist into her palm and bowed. “Master,” she added quietly, as the two fighters bowed to each other. The first-time Twilight had entered the grounds of the Celestial Palace, she had been unsure. Nervous. Terrified even. But now, as she and Luna returned to the Celestial Palace, she felt stronger. Powerful. More… sure of herself. “You have done well, pony,” Luna declared, another far cry to the first time they had met. “I hope…” Twilight cleared her throat. “I mean… I did awesome!” She glanced at Luna with a light slug on her shoulder, hopeful that her spurt of confidence had been well-received. Which made it disappointing when Luna gave her a stern look. “The mark of a true warrior is humility,” Luna reminded her. “But yes,” she added before Twilight could sink into another hunched posture. “You have done…” she punched Twilight hard on her shoulder. “Awesome.” Twilight winced from the pain, but giggled as Luna shared a genuine smile with her. However, their smiles faded as they picked up the sound of wings flapping. Turning around, their gazes turned to horror at what they saw. Fluttershy, beaten, broken and quivering, struggling to lift the eerily still bodies of the other members of the Furious Five. Twilight gasped in horror as Fluttershy landed with a rough THUD, the martial arts masters scattered before them like corpses on a battlefield. "Girls?" Twilight stammered, racing to their side. “Girls! Are they dead?” Before anyone could answer, she felt Pinkie’s chest and exhaled in relief. “No, she’s still breathing. But… are they asleep?” She checked her eyes. “No, her eyes are still open.” She paused. “Wait… does Pinkie sleep with her eyes open? She’s hyper enough…” “Nerve attack,” Fluttershy gasped out, putting an end to Twilight’s theorizing. She looked to Luna with shame. “I’m sorry Master. We were… no match for his nerve attacks.” Luna shook her head, kneeling before Applejack. She spread her hand over Applejack’s chest, feeling the nerves wracked by Tai Lung’s claws. “He’s grown stronger,” she whispered in horror. Yet, when she tapped on the damaged nerves, a sigh of relief escaped her as Applejack gasped, freed from paralysis. “Wait…” Twilight stammered as Luna crossed over to Pinkie. “Stronger?!” she leaned over, watching as Luna worked her ‘magic,’ so to speak, on Pinkie. Unfortunately, Pinkie’s hyperactivity caused her to lash out the minute she could move. Her fist slammed into Twilight’s chin, knocking her out. “NO FAIR; THAT WAS TOO FAST!” Pinkie yelped, before noticing Twilight. “Oh, gosh! Sorry, Twilight…!” As Pinkie stammered her apology, Luna unlocked Rainbow Dash’s body, allowing her to take a great gasp of air. “I thought we could take him,” she whispered, not even looking to her master. “He could have killed you,” Luna chastised, crossing over to Rarity. “Why… didn’t he?” Applejack groaned, an additional moan escaping her when she realized her hat had been lost in the battle. “So you could come back,” Luna lectured, punctuating each sentence with an unlocking jab into Rarity’s body. “And strike fear into our hearts. But it… won’t… work!” With a final jab, Rarity popped out of her locked state, taking a massive breath. “Sorry, Master Luna,” Twilight admitted, shivering as she took in the living proof of Tai Lung's power. “But it’s working on me.” “You can beat him,” Luna insisted. “But…” Twilight looked at the beaten state of her friends. “They couldn’t. And they’re five masters.” “But,” Luna countered with a grin. “They did not have what you will have.” Twilight and the Furious Five’s eyes widened. And only widened further when they were brought into the Hall of Warriors. No one had to speak as Luna led them to the back of the Hall of Warriors. To the pool just underneath… “The Celestial Scroll?” Twilight asked, turning to Luna. “You really think I’m ready?” “You are… Twilight,” Twilight said with a smile. Twilight put a hand to her heart. Her mouth moved, wanting to speak, but unable to form the words. As the others watched in awe, Luna crossed over to a small shrine depicting Celestia. At the center of it, framed by candles, was her staff. Taking it as if she was carrying Celestia herself, Luna carried the staff over to the reflecting pool. Twilight backed up to the others as Luna began a series of complicated kung-fu maneuvers. The wind kicked up from her techniques stirred a series of peach blossoms from the reflecting pool. As the wind spun faster and faster, the peach blossoms flew higher and higher, swirling around the depiction of the dragon holding the Celestial Scroll. Finally, after what could’ve been either an eternity or eight seconds, one of the petals rested softly on the scroll… and tipped it off its pedestal. Flipping the staff, Luna jabbed forward like she was hurling a spear. Her timing was impeccable, and the staff caught the scroll, the staff lightly tapping the water and sending a single, calming ripple through the water. Handling the scroll like it was solid gold, Luna lifted it from the staff. “Behold,” she declared. “The Celestial Scroll.” She turned to Twilight and the others. At first, Twilight didn’t approach. But when Rainbow Dash nudged her forward, Twilight crept up as Luna held the scroll out to her. “It is yours,” Luna confirmed. Twilight reached out, fingers itching for the scroll. Yet… whether it was her training or fear, something stayed her hand. “What will happen if I read it?” she asked. “No one knows,” she admitted. “But Legend says you will be able to hear a butterfly’s wing beat.” Twilight blinked. “Really?” “And see light in the deepest cave,” Luna continued. “You will feel the universe in motion around you!” “Oh, my gosh,” Twilight squeaked. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.” She almost went into a squeaking fan-girl mode, before Luna’s voice broke her out of her state. "Focus" Luna said breaking Twilight out of her fangirl state "Right sorry" Apologized Twilight “Read it, Twilight, and fulfill your destiny,” Luna insisted. “Read it! And become… the Celestial Warrior.” Breathing slowly to contain her excitement, Twilight lifted the scroll from Luna’s hands. With a small look at the Furious Five – Pinkie giving her two thumbs up, Rarity clapping in glee, Fluttershy giving her a soft smile, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash giving nods of approval – Twilight pulled the scroll from its tube, and unfurled the scroll, golden light bathing her face. Everyone held their breath, watching as Twilight stared at the scroll, her eyes going wide… and then deflating. “It’s blank."