Luna lay tucked in her bed with a damp cloth covering her forehead. She took rapid shallow breaths and grasped at her bed’s covers. Twilight and Fluttershy stood by her while their friends watched nervously.
“Princess, just keep breathing,” said Twilight as her horn lit up. “I”m going to try and reduce your temperature a little.” She glanced up at Fluttershy. “Monitor her, okay? If anything goes wrong, I’ll stop the spell immediately.”
“O-okay,” Fluttershy shook. “T-twilight, I’m worried. I only do this for animals, not ponies. I’m not sure I can—”
“You can!” Twilight asserted. “Fluttershy, we just need to keep her breathing until Princess Celestia finds a cure. I know you can do this!”
“I... I...” Fluttershy stammered.
“I have found the cause!” Celestia exclaimed as she entered the room with Luffy still bound by her fire.
“Princess! What are you doing to him?!” Fluttershy nearly shrieked.
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s the cause of this!” Celestia retorted. She loosened her magic and let Luffy fall to the ground.
“Hot! Hot!” Luffy blew on his smoking legs and then looked up. “What’s going on?”
“Princess Luna... she’s sick,” Twilight explained.
“More like poisoned,” huffed Celestia.
“Hey, wait a minute!” Pinkie yelled. “That’s jumping to conclusions! I told you that was bad!”
“Not now Pinkie Pie,” Celestia said through gritted teeth. “My sister is mortal danger.” She glared at Luffy. “Now tell me how to cure her.”
“Um... why would I know?” Luffy asked.
“Because you’re the reason she’s like this!” Celestia replied. “She has been acting odd ever since you barged into her room two nights ago. She complained of sickness last night, but when I came to check on her this morning she was barely breathing. I’ve done all the spells I can think of to remove toxins from her, but to no avail. My faithful student, you’ve been with her all morning, you know I speak the truth.”
Twilight avoided direct eye contact with her mentor. “I haven’t found anything either... but I don’t think Luffy caused this.” She looked at Luffy with stoic eyes. “No offense, but I don’t believe he could or would want to harm Princess Luna without us noticing. Besides, he has no motive.”
“He’s a pirate!” Celestia yelled. “That’s enough reason right there!”
“It’s not,” came a voice from the bed. Luna pushed herself up and blearily looked at her sister. “It is not.”
“Sister!” Celestia gasped. “Lay back down! You need rest!”
“No,” Luna replied while taking labored breaths. She focused her attention on Luffy. “Straw Hat, can you come over here?”
“Um, I guess,” Luffy replied and trotted over to Luna’s bed.
“Thank you,” Luna weekly replied. “What you said yesterday, was it true?”
Luffy corked his head. “About what?”
“About...” Luna paused and whimpered for a second. She slowly raised her hooves and placed them around the small piece of cloth that wrapped around her neck and undid the knot that held it in place. Celestia withdrew her breath, Twilight and her friends drew closer to see what Luna had revealed, and Luffy just corked hsi head again. “This,” Luna quivered.
Emblazoned on Luna’s chest was a large circle with three triangular points above it and one point below it. “Huh.” Luffy moved in to look a little closer. “What is it?”
Luna drew back and pulled the covers over her chest. “Y-you don’t know? B-but I thought you and the Celestial Dragons and...”
“Oh, those guys,” Luffy grimaced. “Yeah, they were jerks, so I beat them up.” A few tears fell down Luna’s cheeks. “Whoa whoa!” Luffy said as he flailed his front hooves. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Luna cried. “You... you are the bravest creature I know!” She lurched forward and gave him a hug. “Thank you! Thank you!” she sobbed.
“Uh...” Luffy awkwardly turned to the other ponies in the room, all of whom’s mouths were touching the ground.
Celestia left her stupor first and marched over to Luna and Luffy. “Sister, what are you doing? He’s the reason you’re like this.”
“No,” Luna replied as she kept her hold on Luffy. “Sister, he’s done nothing wrong. I’m sure this is just some bad heartburn or bad food.”
“Hey, don’t blame meat,” said Luffy.
“Sister,” Celestia replied with a stern glare, “you are not just a little sick. You nearly died this morning! Furthermore I—” Her eyes went wide. “Did you say heartburn?”
“Yes, it’s just been hurting a little.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think I have a heart condition do you?”
“No, but I think you have a poison condition!” She glared at Luffy. “I knew this was your fault!”
“I told you! I didn’t do anything!” Luffy yelled back at Celestia.
“Yes you did!” Celestia turned and started marching back and forth. “I should have known. The fever, the odd behavior, the heart condition.” She pointed a hoof at Luna. “You’ve been smitten by him!”
“What?!” cried everypony save for Luffy.
“You slime!” Celestia yelled. “How dare you seduce my sister!” Her mane caught fire and her eyes glowed bright.
“Sister, stop this!” Luna yelled back. “You are being just like me when I... I...” Luna’s eyes filled with fear. “S-sister, have you come into contact with Discord?”
“Of course I have!” Celestia glared down at Luffy again.”I did battle with him to defend Equestria after this monster freed him!”
“Sister,” Luna quivered, “you need to just calm down. This will not go well.”
“I know that!” Celestia roared. “It has not gone well since this pirate— this fiend— showed up! Banishment is not enough! He’s a toxin to this land and everypony in it. He. Should. Burn!” Celestia’s eyes went from glowing write to burning red. Her whole body spasmed and she screamed.
“Everypony!” Luna yelled. “Get down! She’s going to—” Her words were cut off by a wall of fire that sent everypony flying into the walls and took out a good chunk of the castle.
In the smoking remains, everypony laid unconscious. In the center of the mess stood a single figure. Her coat was as white as burning coals, her mane was a dark flame with flecks of blue spouting out at some spots, and her eyes were the deep red of a dying sun. Sharp and horrible golden armor covered her.
She looked around at the bodies of the ponies before her. She snorted and said in a voice that dripped with vengeance, “This kingdom has gone soft with princesses. It is time for a proper queen to rule it. I will purge everything and cauterize the earth’s wounds. I shall be known for the service I do. I am the blaze that will cleanse this land.”