//------------------------------// // Episode 8: Pinkie and the Brain Bug // Story: My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season V // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// EPISODE EIGHT “Where is he?!” thundered Pinsar “If he doesn’t show up here in the next few moments, Stag and Slick, I shall hold the two of you responsible.” Stag and Slick shuddered softly. “A-thousand pardons, your highness…” Slick said “Captain D-Bug said he would be along once has finished preparing the control-device.” Pinsar sighed irritably “Well he better make sure it works. This new plot of mine must not be blundered.” “But of course, sire…” said Stag “That is why we are only to obliged to be going along on this daring mission as well.” Just then, the throne room doors opened wide, and in marched an insect with machine parts built into him; a regular cyborg insect. Reason being, he used to be a whole Insecto, but got serious injured in a battle a long time ago, and had cybernetics built into him, which made him stronger. To which he did not object to. He bowed to his king and queen “You majesties, I am happy to report that my device is complete. Ready to try it when you are.” “Excellent…” hissed Pinsar “I needn’t remind you the vital importance of this mission. It may be our only chance to finally gain the upper-hand in this war.” He tapped his staff twice on the floor, and the computer monitors switched on revealing plans to send the device to Lightning Dawn’s brain. “It’s ingenious, my love.” said Ladybird “To think, all of Starfleet’s most valuable points of information will be ours for the taking.” “Indeed so, my sweet…” said Pinsar “We will soon know more about our enemy than they know of themselves, including the secrets of how to disarm the barrier around the planet.” “But sire… if you will permit me…” said Slick “Why not simply go for someone of greater intelligence, like Queen Celestia, or even Grand Ruler Celesto himself.” “An excellent suggestion, but easier said than done.” replied Pinsar. He tapped his staff again producing tested simulations of the possibilities “You see, if we attempted to take of the brains of either their majesties, their supreme alicorn magic and strength of resistance would reject the infection and lodge it out. Therefore, Lightning Dawn is a more suitable option. For he has no natural magic with which to resist, but he still has valuable information we desire.” He tapped his staff again, and the images fades. “Now, go out there, and do not fail me this time.” The three bugs bowed and walked off with a squad of Stingars, leaving Pinsar and Ladybird to laugh wickedly at the thought of their triumph. Lightning and Starla were nearing the end of their patrol rounds, flying here and there, and all around everywhere. They then turned to look at the big clock in town and it chimed twelve. “That’s it…” Lightning said “Patrol’s over.” “But the beginning of our lunch-date…” his wife said flirtingly. They both soared down to the Cake’s café, and took their seats at a table they had reserved, which Pinkie was just finished setting. “Wow, talk about bang on time.” Lightning and Starla giggled, and then placed their orders, but Lightning made a special request with his lunch-- an apple, orange, blueberry smoothie. One of his favorite beverages, and very healthy too. “Okie Dokey Lokie.” said Pinkie “Back before ya know it.” then she scuttled off. However, not one of them nor did anyone else notice, D-Bug and his party were in the back. “Okay, do your thing.” said Stag “And this had better work.” “I assure you, General, it will.” said D-Bug, and he pulled out a small remote control. First pointing it at himself, and then at the generals and the Stingars. In a flash, they all shrunk down to a size smaller than a raisin. “Quite impressive.” said Slick. “Phase one, complete.” said D-Bug “Now, for phase two. Come!” The gang followed him through the air-vent which lead into the kitchen where Mr. Cake was finishing preparing Lightning’s smoothie, blending all the fruits together, and pouring it into the cup, and putting the straw in. That’s when the bugs, unseen by all due to their tiny sizes, slipped into the straw near the top. “Okay, Pinkie. It’s all set.” said Mr. Cake. Pinkie bounced into the room and took the trays and was back outside in an instant, rushing right past Mrs. Cake. On the way, Pinkie couldn’t help but gaze at the strangeness of Lightning’s drink. It looked pretty gross with all that mashed fruit-juice in it, but it did smell nice. “Should I?” she said softly to herself. “No! No! That wouldn’t be right or fair to Lightning.” …and she took a small sip through the straw anyway. The bugs, unaware of this, got sucked through the air, and using their wings, they battled their way through the air current, avoiding getting pulled into the stomach and made their way up through the face, heading for the top of the head. It was a wild and twisting ride, but at least there was air they could breathe since the body constantly carried oxygen all over, but it was pitch black inside due to lack of light. So the bugs all wore special visors that made everything seem normal to them as being in the light. Finally, the party arrived at their destination… the brain! “Wow!” cried Slick. “Incredible!” added Slick “Magnificent!” said D-Bug. What they saw, almost resembled that of a mountain landscape, but the veins and nerves connections gave it an almost nightmarish look. The brain itself was rather soft and squidgy for them to step of, but just about right for what they needed to do. “There…!” said D-Bug pointing to a small area near the top. “That’s the spot. The central nerves system that controls the body and where thoughts come through.” They all set down. Slick and Stag used their special communicators to contact Pinsar. “We have landed safely, Sire.” said Slick “We have begun setting up preparations for the takeover.” “Excellent…” said Pinsar “Just make certain you know what you are doing.” “Fear not, your majesty.” said D-Bug “My calculations are never wrong.” After Pinsar signed off, D-Bug ordered the Stingars to help set up his equipment, but the Stingars began to bumble and stumble around. Even getting mad with one another and giving each there a shove, right into the veins, and squashing directly into the nerves of the brain. At the same time, Lightning and Starla had just finished their lunch, and were ready to pay the bill. “Give our regards to the Cake’s, Pinkie.” said Starla. “Okie Dokie Locust.” said Pinkie. Lightning blinked once in confusion “Uh… don’t you mean “Lokie?” Pinkie felt confused now “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what-- She sells Sea-shells by the Seashore.” she quickly covered her mouth in shock. Lightning and Starla’s eyes were bulging. “Pinkie, are you feeling alright?” asked Lightning. Before Pinkie could answer, she felt a small twitching in her head, and not like her Pinkie sense, she kicked the table over on its side, then leapt up high onto another couple’s table and bounced around like some crazed break dancer. “Pinkie!” cried Lightning “Pinkie, cut it out!” “I… I can’t…!” cried Pinkie, and she continued to frolic about, scaring all the other customers away. “Pinkie, joke’s over!” snapped Starla. “I mean it…” cried Pinke “I’m… not… doing this… help me… sto-o-o-o-op!” She began to whirl round and and around on her foot like some cartoon character doing a tornado spin, knocking over many tables, scaring more customers away... then finally... she came to a total stop, and fell right onto the ground. “You okay, Pinkie?” asked Lightning. “What happened?” added Starla. Pinkie shook her head “I don’t know… it was like I lost complete control of myself. It was actually kind of fun. Hee-Hee…!” The others were worried and could already tell this was not normal Pinkie Pie behaviour. “Come on…” said Lightning “We better get her to the hospital and have Penny look at her.” Inside, Stag and Slick managed to get the Stingars under control, threatening to blast them to bits if they didn’t fly right. “We don’t want to arouse suspicion!” snapped Stag. “Calmness…” said D-Bug “Even if they become aware of our little intrusion, by then it will be too late. We’ll already have gotten what we desire before they can react.” Later on, Penny was just finishing up Pinkie’s physical. “And again…” she said. Pinkie took in a huge breath and let it out slowly. “Hmm…” “Well, what’s the word, Penny?” “Well, her heartbeat’s a little faster, but then that’s to be expected when you’re so energetic. Other than that she’s perfectly fine. All her signs are normal.” This really confused everyone. They were sure something was wrong. “Pinkie, did you feel anything funny before you started frolicking about?” asked Penny. “Well, my head ached a little, and it twitched, but, I’ve never felt it do that before, not even with my Pinkie Sense.” Penny acted strange and silently said “I wonder…” She led everyone to a special examining room and told Pinkie to lay down on the table, and then she aimed a powerful object at her head. “This electronic microscope will let me look inside more closely than an X-ray will. It’s perfectly painless.” “And that’ll show you what’s wrong?” asked Starla. “Maybe, but right now I’m just guessing.” She fired up the machine and told Pinkie to hold perfectly still. A small green beam of soft light fired at Pinkie’s head, and she could see right inside. Inside, the bugs could see the light. The Stingars panicked softly. “What’s happening?” cried Slick. “No, we’ve been detected!” growled Slick. Penny gasped softly, and didn’t bother to look around much more. “Well, what is it?” asked Lightning “What did you see?” Penny fearfully shook her head with concern saying “Stag and Slick are inside Pinkie’s head!” Everyone’s mouths dropped open, and their eyes widened in shock. “Stag and Slick…?!” snapped Lightning. “…In Pinkie’s head?!” added Starla. Penny nodded “Yes, and they’re not alone. They’ve got a whole squad of Stingars, and they seem to be in the process of controlling Pinkie’s brain from the inside, but don’t ask me why. I don't even know how they got in there to begin with.” Pinkie Pie began to quiver and chatter with fear. “Bugs in my brain?!” she cried “But I… I…” she began to whine and cry like a frightened child “Help me… please… get them out!” “Pinkie, Pinkie, calm down.” said Starla. “Calm down?! How can I calm down? I have bugs in my brain! BUGS!!” The others hated seeing her in such a panic, and couldn’t blame her. “How do we get them out?” asked Lightning. “Well, I dare not try surgery…” said Penny “I don’t want to risk doing any more damage that those guys already have… but I think there may still be a way.” She explained how she and her group of medical scientists were in the process of developing a special shrink-ray, which they intended to use to test a theory. If ordinary medicines could not cure deadly germs fast enough, it was likely feasible in theory to shrink a team of ponies down to size, send them into the body and battle the infection themselves, guaranteed for a faster recovery. “It’s only experimental, and we still have a few bugs to work on, but it may be our best option.” A brief moment of silence followed, and Lightning stepped forth “I’ll go in.” Starla looked at him with concern. “I have to…” Lightning said “I don’t see what else will get those guys out.” “I’ll go in with you.” said Starla, but Lightning disapproved “You better stay out here with Pinkie, if what I fear may happen will happen…” He whispered into her ear, not wanting Pinkie to hear for fear of frightening her, and he whispered to Penny the same thing. Pinkie picked at her ear and tried desperately to listen to what was being said. Starla agreed to stay with Pinkie, and was instructed not to let her outside of the room. “Come, we better hurry.” said Penny. Starla gave Lightning a huge passionate kiss for luck, and hoped things wouldn’t get even worse. Inside, the Stingars had finished setting up the station for D-Bug. It was just a simple arch way made from metal poles and wires that connected into the brain-cells. “At last, we’re all set.” Said D-Bug, and he stepped in, under the arch, and connected wires form his own circuitry into the machine and began to harness data and seize control. “I will contact the king at once, and make sure that he is ready on his end.” said Stag. On the mothership Pinsar was growing rather impatient when the call came in. “Report, General Stag. I’m losing patience.” “Begging your majesty’s pardon, but we have seized control of the brain. At your signal, all the data you desire and more shall be yours.” Pinsar snickered. “It’s finally happened, Ladybird. Finally, our armada will virtually have a free hand in this battle.” “Oh, Pinsar… it makes my pheromones twitch with excitement.” his wife said. Her husband nodded, “And now, the secrets of Starfleet are mine!” he tapped his staff to activate the transmission, but much to his surprise when the data came through on the voice and audio print, it sounded like… “Okay fuzzy-wuzzies, remember, it goes: Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye.” “Fuzzy-Wuzzies?” said Pinsar in confusion. “Stick a cupcake in my eye…?” added Ladybird “Darling, that can’t be right.” Pinsar shook his head saying “What is this? That voice… it sounds female.” In the hospital room, Pinkie kept spouting more and more random sentences against her control. “Responsibility is my middle name: Pinkie Responsibility Pie… I love you more. No I love you more! I LOVE YOU MORE!!” Starla was really getting worried “It’s happened, they’re seizing control of her brain from within. Hurry, Lightning!” In another room in the hospital, Penny had fired up the shrink-ray and was prepared to shrink Lightning down. He was already transformed. “I’m ready.” he said. Penny nodded “Now remember, the effects are only temporary. We haven’t worked out all the bugs yet. You have to get out within thirty minutes, or you’ll re-expand inside Pinkie.” Lightning shuddered at such a thought “Don’t worry, I’ll go as fast as I can.” “Okay, here we go.” said Penny. The ray was fully charged, and she fired the beam at Lightning shrinking him down. She quickly rushed over and could see him waving his arms at her. She then held out a simple tiny turkey baster, that she and her fellow doctors used for ear conditions, and Lightning flew right into the tip. Pinkie twirled around a few times, and began to flap like a chicken, humming and tapping to the chicken dance singing… “Look at me, I’m a chicken. Not a bird or a duck See me flap and see me cluck Bawk-Bawk-Bawk-Bawk” She barely snapped herself out of it. “Okay, this is getting tiresome.” she groaned. That’s when Penny quickly dashed into the room, and pointed the baster inside Pinkie ear and gave it a simple squeeze. “Good luck, Lightning!” Pinsar was growing frustrated. “What is going on here?!” he thundered “This isn’t the data I desired.” “I don’t understand.” said D-Bug “All of my machinery is working perfectly.” Pinsar gripped his staff tightly. “Quickly, run the recorded voice through the audio-tapes, and try to find its match.” The Stingars nodded, and got straight to work, and in almost no time, the results were in and the screens displayed the picture. “Pinkie Pie...?!” cried Ladybird. Pinsar growled furiously “YOU MISERABLE INSECTS!! YOU’RE IN THE WRONG BODY!!” The generals, and D-Bug were equally as outraged, and confused as to how this mess happened. “Pinkie Pie doesn’t have the information we require, other than what we already know.” cried Slick. “Perfect! Another well-laden plan down the drain.” sneered Stag. D-Bug suddenly had an idea “Wait… perhaps we can still use this to our advantage. I am still able to control the girl’s every thought and every move.” Pinsar heard this, and he began to see the advantage “Yes, we can destroy them using their own tactics. ...Engage the new plan at once.” “Yes, my lord.” Ladybird seemed very pleased “Well, well, darling. It seems this is not such a disaster after all.” The two shared an evil snicker. Pinkie began to jiggle and quiver again. “Pinkie, are you okay?” asked Starla, but her answer was a huge punch in the face, which sent her crashing through the wall. “Pinkie!” cried Penny, but then she got shoved hard. Starla got up, and was surprised Pinkie was able to hit her that hard. Pinkie then leapt over to Starla, grabbing her, and Starla struggled to break free. “Pinkie!” “Ugh… Uhn… Sorry, Starla… I can’t control myself!” Pinkie groaned, and she punched Starla even harder sending her crash through three more walls and out into the main lobby, much to all the staff and other patients fight. It became obvious that the Insectos were not only in full control of Pinkie, but using her brain nerves to dramatically increase her strength. After all, strength was said to be a thing of the mind. “Get back, all of you!” she cried, and everyone began to run just as Pinkie burst through the hole in the wall, and snarled at Starla like an evil creature. “Prepare to be destroyed little pony.” she growled. “I have to get her out of here!” cried Starla, and she dashed out the door. Pinkie followed her outside in the open, and Starla quickly sounded the alarm to warn others to stay away from the hospital. “It is useless.” Pinkie hissed “You wouldn’t want to hurt your friend now, would you?” Starla really didn’t want to, but both she and even Pinkie knew there was no other way. “Pinkie, I’m very sorry about this, but I can't let you hurt others.” and she punched her hard, sending her skidding along the ground. She felt more hurt than Pinkie did after doing that. “It’s okay, Starla.” Pinkie said for real, but then her voice suddenly changed. “You’ll pay for that!!” Pinkie lunged at her, and Starla flew way up high into the air, and Pinkie followed her, and the two engaged in a big brawl in the skies. Pinkie threw many punches and kicks while Starla did her best to block. Finally, she missed and got kicked hard in the gut and was sent soaring backwards. “STAR SHOWER!” All her shots blasted at Pinkie hard and the two fell to the ground, just barely being able to land on their feet. “What’s, holding back?” sneered Pinkie. “Lightning, please hurry!” cried Starla. Inside, D-Bug was really enjoying himself making Pinkie do such horrible things. Stag and Slick were equally as amused. “You serve us well, D-Bug.” said Stag “Now is an appropriate time to destroy our opponent.” “And then, we proceed to conquer the rest of the planet.” added Slick. “Yes, generals. It will be a pleasure.” said D-Bug, but just as he was about engage the controls, making Pinkie fight more fiercely than ever. “Yes!” Stag and Slick hissed, when suddenly they were blasted at from behind. With a fearsome battle cry, Lightning leapt over their heads and landed before them. “Lightning Dawn?!” cried Stag. “Impossible!” cried Slick. Lightning sneered at the evil insects “You bugs picked the wrong brain to mess with!” Confused and furious at how he was here, the generals angrily ordered the Stingars to attack. Lightning knew he had to fight carefully so as not to accidently cause more damage to Pinkie’s brain. He managed to successfully knocked out all the Stingars, causing them all to harmlessly vanish, and then proceeded to attack the generals, but they were a lot tougher than any of the monsters had faced. Slick, living up to his name, evaded Lightning’s attacks, and with his four arms he punched and bashed him hard towards Stag, who slashed at him multiple times with his sword. Sparks flew everywhere and Lightning rolled along the surface of the brain. That’s when he could see D-Bug and his machine, controlling Pinkie’s brainwaves. “So, that’s how you’re doing it.” He got up to rush him. “Come no closer!” shouted D-Bug “Just as I control your friend, I can cause massive harm to her body from here. Attack me, and your friend dies.” “Pinkie is a member of Starfleet.” said Lightning “She’s prepared to give her life if she has to.” “But the question is, are you willing to sacrifice her, Commander?” said Stag. “And let’s not forget your wife.” added Slick “How much longer do you think she can endure all this?” “Starla!” Lightning muttered. Outside, Starla was doing her best to keep Pinkie at bay, but all this fighting her friend was really not doing her any good. She threw a punch, but missed, allowing Pinkie to catch it and flip her over, and then kick her rolling along the ground. “Any last words?” Pinkie hissed. “Pinkie Pie… please… I know you’re still in there.” cried Starla “Try and fight it.” “Enough of your bleating!” snarled Pinkie, and she looked ready for the kill as she grabbed Starla by the neck “Say goodbye…” Suddenly, she began to moan and groan. “What’s happening?!” cried Stag. “What are you waiting for? Destroy her now!” spat Slick. “I’m trying…!” cried D-Bug. Pinkie let Starla go and collapsed to the ground, clutching her head in pain. “No! This can’t be happening!” shouted D-Bug. “Come, Pinkie! Fight it!” cried Lightning. As Pinkie continued to struggle, she remembered all the wonderful things about her friends, and all the times they shared, and how she really loved them all, no matter how crazy she sometimes acted, and they loved her just the same. “Get… out… of… my… HEAD!!” All that power sent strong signals to her brain, which began to overload D-Bug’s machine. “No!!” he cried as the whole thing shorted out and was ejected, which also damaged him badly in the process. “All right, Pinkie!” Lightning cheered. “This is impossible!” shouted Stag. “How could she have broken free?” asked Slick. Lightning stood and glared at them both. “You were only in control of her mind and body, but Pinkie’s heart and soul are a lot stronger than anything you could understand.” The generals growled furiously, and D-Bug struggled to get back onto his feet. “CAPTURE BLASTER!” shouted Lightning, and he grabbed his weapon tightly. “Time to bust your brain! FIRE!” He aimed carefully and shot D-Bug high up, up, where he exploded softly without causing damage to the brain, and he was imprisoned in the data-sphere. He was soon destroyed by Pinsar’s magic, and with that, the remains of his broken device vanished too. In the force of the explosion, the shrink-remote was thrown into Slick’s grasp, but it was badly damaged and only had just enough to restore the generals to normal size. They had no choice now but to retreat. “We’ll get you for this, Commander!” shouted Slick. “Count on it!” thundered Stag, and they both vanished and we’re gone. Lightning snuffed at their cowardice, but suddenly he began to feel a little funny; his body was almost ready to start expanding to its normal size again. “Galloping Galxies! I gotta get outta here!” There was only one way that was the fastest to get out, but it was rather gross too, but he had no choice. He followed the passage ways of the veins and the nerves down Pinkie’s head and into her face. Flapping his wings faster than ever he soared swiftly along… the nasal passages. He was literally up Pinkie’s nose, but he had no time to worry about the sickness most would feel! He could feel his body starting to grow. “Come on… Come on!!” Pinkie’s nose began to tiwtch, and she let out a great big… “AH… AH… AAAAAAH… CHOOOOOO…!!!” sneezing Lightning right out just as he fully expanded to normal size and landed on the ground, and all covered in… …that stuff! “…Gesundheit.” he groaned wearily. Starla dashed over to him and almost wanted to jump on him and hug him to pieces, except what he was covered in “Oh, Lightning…” she groaned feeling grossed out by the mess he was in. Lightning could only plop to the ground in relief and disgust, but Pinkie was ultimately cured. Pinsar was furious when Stag and slick returned. “An extraordinary performance, Generals.” he sneered deeply “First: you enter the wrong body, and then just when it seems victory is in our grasp, YOU LET IT SLIP AWAY AGAIN!!” The two generals shuddered in fear. “Forgiveness, majesty…” cried Slick “We will secure you victory yet.” Pinsar roared in outrage and stomped off in a huff. Ladybird shook her head in disappointment. “You two had better start showing better results, I’d hate to think of what shall happen to you if this continues!” then she walked off to catch up with her husband. Stag gripped his sword angrily and muttered “I’ll show you both results… very soon.” Slick was now fully convinced… …Stag was plotting treachery to their majesties! Lightning had a good long shower, and he donated a good sum of his money to pay for the minor damages to the hospital. Pinkie, however, she just couldn’t stop apologizing for all the trouble she caused. “Pinkie, it wasn’t you’re fault.” Starla said “You were being controlled and doing things against your will. Besides, I’m only sorry that I had to fight you.” Pinkie understood why she had to. She would’ve done the same, under orders. “Just come here…” she said, and gave her a huge hug. Starla hugged her back. Lightning smiled proudly, and Penny blew her nose with a hankie and wiped her eyes. It really was a beautiful sight to see such happy friends. (Promo) In our next episode: It is actually during the same day, where the Cutiemark Crusaders are losing confidence in themselves, and things don’t improve when Diamond Tiara seems to embarrass them all in class by seemingly stealing their census report. It is then, that Mykan Stevens tells them all a story of how he was once troubled and nearly lost confidence as well, but will it be enough to help the girls regain their spark? Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!” (Next episode: “Crusading Confidence”)