//------------------------------// // Awaken! The Night Age And The Forbidden Spell! // Story: My Little Pirates: Luffy's Adventures in Equestria // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// Canterlot A Short Time After Celestia’s Return from the War Six futon-like squares and one wheeled bed were arranged in a circle. Above them, the deep red haze of dusk poured in through a massive glass onto the ponies gathered in the room. All of them had full cups of tea in front of them, but nopony took a sip. Six pairs of eyes looked to Celestia as she raised her cup off its saucer and took a sip. It clanged when she set it down and echoed throughout the room. “What I am about to tell is possibly the most sensitive information in Equestria,” she said. “The Night Age,” Twilight muttered. “Three centuries with barely a paper left of documentation.” “Two hundred years of history lost when the Everfree overtook the old castle. At least, that’s what everypony believes.” Celestia looked over the ponies around her, settling on Twilight. “The other two hundred years a collection of well-devised folklore, iconic figures, and the occasional battle.” “And all of it’s false?” Pinkie gasped. “Even Cherry Berry?!” Celestia shook her head. “No, he and many others from the true Night Age were given spot in the annuls of history… just not in proper chronological order. I’d have a monuments for the generations that lived through the century following Luna’s banishment for all they went though, but a memory wipe was the kindest thing I could offer them.” Fluttershy shivered. “I-it was really that bad?” “Worse than anypony of this age could possibly imagine.” Celestia features darkened a bit. “Discord’s reign was miserable, but life was able to function… Tirek was a different story.” “But Discord turned all of Equestria upside down,” said Applejack, a thin sheen of sweat now covering her forehead. “What could this Tirek have done?” “Turn everything he saw to ash.” Celestia’s left foreleg shivered a little and she placed her other leg over it to keep it still. “I should have realized it sooner, but when Luna and I faced Discord, there should have been a third party working against us.” Twilight grimaced. “Tirek waited until all three of you were weak or imprisoned to strike?” “In a sense, but at the time, the third force was one much older than either myself or Discord,” Celestia continued as a chill went down everypony’s spines. “Discord’s rule created untold misery, but there should have been unbridled hatred as well. It should have been a buffet for the Windigos, but they instead stayed far away from Equestria, giving Discord free rule over the land.” Twilight look to her friends, all of their faces showing signs of confusion. She looked back to Celestia. “What did Discord do?” “He created an even greater monster,” Celestia said, her eyes glued to the floor. “A creature born of such malice that even Windigos would be overwhelmed. At first, it was just bundle of accumulated hatred, something to keep the Windigos at bay, but that changed when Discord was defeated. It became a walking plague that corrupted all it didn’t devour. I’d been too distracted with ‘nationalizing’ pirates to notice the threat until it was far too late. Towns vanished overnight and Tirek’s army grew with each day. It was Discord all over again, but now we had a death toll on our hooves.” Fluttershy shuddered and a few tears fell down her cheeks. Rarity slid off her seat and moved closer to Fluttershy, wrapping a hoof around her. Celestia paused for a moment while Fluttershy wiped away her tears. Everypony else’s faces had gone grim but they were bent forward, listening for Celestia’s next words. “Tirek’s anger was also his downfall though. He was enamored with destruction and thought little of the future. When I finally managed to gather a strong enough force to challenge him and push him into a corner, he flew into a rage that I can only compare to a natural disaster. An entire piece of Equestria was forever scarred by the battle, but where Tirek wasted his power on destroying all in his path, I kept my magic concentrated and reserved. He had already halfway defeated himself by the time I unleashed the Elements on him.” “Ha! Shows what happens when you mess with Equestria!” Dash flashed everypony a grin, but it quickly faded when nopony else smiled. “I only wish I could have shared in your joy, Rainbow Dash.” Celestia shook her head. “But Equestria had suffered far too much for me to take any pride in my victory. My old castle was in ruins, untold numbers of ponies were homeless, and, as I came to realize, a single pony was not fit to wield all the Elements.” Some sweat ran down Twilight’s face. “Meaning?” “Meaning three things. One was that I could not seal Tirek in the same manner as Discord, only severely weaken him and then physically chain him to the lowest pits of Tartarus, even deeper than Impel Down.” Celestia glared down at her teacup. “The second was that I could only cleanse a number of ponies. Those left corrupted fled to Equestria’s darkest corners and became the monsters that haunt us to this day.” Celestia bowed her head. “The third effect you have already seen: a complete severance between the Elements and their wielder with the Elements going completely inert until new wielders could be found.” Celestia turned her eyes up to the glass dome, watching the last bit of light fade from the sky. “The physical toll kept me bedridden for the next decade,” she continued. “A nearly perpetual winter, days barely long enough to allow plants to grow, and a nation without its sovereign. Those ten years took ninety to recover, and it still feels as if we have never gotten back to the peace that existed before Discord.” Celestia floated her teacup to her lips and took a sip. Everypony else shared looks with each other, frowns and shadows framing their faces. “Um…” Fluttershy raised up a hoof. “W-won’t we know if T-tirek’s coming this time though?” Celestia sighed deeply, her muscles loosening up a bit. “Yes, surprise will be on our side this time. Tirek is unaware that the Elements are active again and the Guard will be on high alert at all the borders.” “There’s more though, isn’t there?” Twilight asked. “I fear Tirek will not be alone.” A golden globe appeared in the middle of the ponies, but quickly grew limbs and head while keeping a rotund shape. A man with a scraggly beard and disportionate features glared out at the ponies. A mist-like substance rose up off of his right hand while he left glowed bright as if he were channeling magic. “He has allied himself with a man called Blackbeard,” Celestia said. “He is the one who perpetrated the war, all so that he could steal Whitebeard’s abilities. His power over darkness alone was fearsome, but now he can sink entire islands into the sea with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. If he were to come to Equestria now, we would have no hope of defeating him.” Everypony was about to gasp when Celestia raised up a hoof, silencing them. Rising from her seat, she marched into the middle of the arrangement, dispersing Blackbeard’s visage into the air. She eyed all of them with a fiery look in her eyes. “That is why you will begin training. We must be ready to fight when the time of battle arrives.” Celestia lowered her head a little. “I am sorry to ask this of you.” Twilight got up a reached out, hesitating for a moment before putting a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder. “We can do it, Princess. Right, girls?” Applejack tilted her hat back. “Eeyup!” “Bring it,” Dash said with a smirk. “We have surprise!” Pinkie had somehow produced her party cannon and sent out a spray of confetti with it. “I love having surprise!” “Well…” Rarity got up and curled a hoof around her mane. “I’d rather not get into this whole fray business.” She stomped her hoof down on the ground. “But I’m not letting anypony or thing hurt Equestria. Even if I have to get dirty!” All eyes now turned to Fluttershy. She had remained seated and was shaking a little with her mane covering up her eyes. Applejack moved over to her and knelt down, laying a hoof on her shoulder. “Sugarcube,” she said softly, “I know this is gonna be tough for you, but we’ll help you through it.” “I…” Fluttershy murmured. Applejack blinked and leaned an ear a littler closer to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, I’m worried about all this too, but we’ve faces some pretty scary stuff before.” “No,” Fluttershy replied, keeping her voice low. “I’ll…” Rarity came over and put a hoof around Fluttershy as well. “Really, dear, it’ll be okay. It might get a little messy, bu—” “I said I’ll do it!” Fluttershy yelled, rising up from her seat with a determined glare. It quickly faded away and she hid her face behind her mane again. “I mean… I just don’t want Tirek or this Blackbeard person to hurt anypony even if I have to…” She gulped. “Fight.” “It seems we’ll need to work on that one’s spirit a bit.” All heads turned to the room’s doors. Luna stood by them with a stern look on her face. She moved across the room, hooves echoing against the stone floor. Advancing on Fluttershy, she reached out a hoof to keep her from shying away. Her body trembled a bit under Luna’s touch. “You fear what is to come yet have faced dragons?” Luna tilted her head to the others. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “It’ll be hard for some of you, but you will learn.” Dash raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to be teaching us?” Celestia moved over to Luna’s side. “Luna is well versed in haki training from her interactions with people.” “Maybe a bit too well,” Luna said under her breath. Celestia’s ears perked up, but she decided to ignore Luna’s mutterings. “I leave the five of them to you, sister.” “Wait.” Rarity waved a hoof at Celestia. “You said five? Who’s not going then?” Celestia lifted her eyes over to Twilight. “You’ve always been my student, and it is now time for one more lesson.” “I understand,” Twilight said with a nod. She then turned to her friends. “I know you all can do it as well. Good luck!” “Well, then, you had all best rest now and enjoy the comforts of the castle.” Luna looked over her new disciples with a grin that sent a shiver down their spines. “My training will make basic necessities seems like luxuries.” “Um…” A few beads of sweat slid down Rarity’s face. “Will we be traveling?” “Indeed.” Luna furrowed her brow. “And you will be learning to listen to the wild, so you’ll need to immerse yourself in nature. That means no luggage.” “B-but my beautification regim—” A quick slap on the back silenced Rarity. With a twitching eye, she turned to glare at Applejack. “Aw, don’t be getting all upset. I’ve been camping enough in the woods with my family to know my way around.” “So, some training camp in the woods, eh?” Dash smirked at Luna. “Bet I can handle it even from this dumb bed.” Fluttershy showed the tiniest of smiles. “A-and I know where animals are and what plants are safe eat.” “Training Camp Party!” Pinkie exclaimed. “It is good to see your enthusiasm.” Luna’s grin widened a little. You’ll need all that energy if you hope to survive. The five ponies then made their way to the door, with Pinkie and Applejack helping push Dash out. Fluttershy trailled behind them, but a blue aura tugged on her tail, holding her back. Luna went over to her side and started down at her. Fluttershy shivered again. “W-was there something else, P-princess?” “Yes.” Luna’s horn lit up. “You’re starting early.” “Wait, where are w—” Fluttershy vanished along with Luna. It was just Twilight and Celestia in the room now. However, they too instantly teleported away in a flash and reappeared in a familiar hall. Stained glass lined the upper halves of the walls, depicting the various trials Equestria had gone through in its history. At the head of the room was a door with a massive lock in its center. There were scorch marks and bits of rubble still left over from the previous fight here and there. “Good idea, Princess,” said Twilight. “Luna must’ve forgotten, but having the Elements on us at all times is a smart precaution.” “No, Twilight, that’s not why we’re here.” Celestia took a deep breath and lit up her horn. A thick tome suddenly popped up in front of her face, its aged scent strong enough for Twilight to smell it. A collection of frayed and faded silk stars rested above a whirlpool-like illustration on the cover. Twilight’s eyes widened at the sight of the book. “Princess is that…” “Starswirl’s personal spellbook.” Celestia kept the book floating beside her head as she walked up the steps to the vault. Her magic inserted itself into the lock and the thick door opened up. “I’d hoped to give it to you in a year or two when you were more settled in and its effects would be less dangerous, but now you must learn all there is in this book and master the Elements.” Twilight stared up jeweled box that sat atop a lone stone pedestal. “You always told me stories about the book, how it held some of the most powerful spells in all of Equestria, some as strong as the Elements themselves.” “But I never told you of the one that combined both.” The chest’s lid opened up and the Element of magic flew up and over to Twilight. At the same time, Celestia floated the book over to Twilight, flipping it open to one of the last page. Twilight’s eyes grew wider as she scanned over the notes, her breathing speeding up as well. “Twilight, now is a pressing time for all of us, and it is with you that I entrust this grave task, but you must rise to meet it. I couldn’t tell your friends the risk I’m putting them in with this, but I know if anypony can do it, it is you.” “B-but, Princess… I can’t just…” “You can.” Celestia grasped one of Twilight’s legs with a force that made her wince a little. “Twilight, you will master this spell and gain a power the dwarfs even my own!”