Deep within Lightning’s conscience, his poor mind looked as if it were surrounded by endless thick blanket of dark fog; A perfect befitting of the hopeless and despair he was trapped in.

“How could this happen?” he kept saying to himself as he kept replaying those images over and over. Now the baby was dead, before it even had a chance to begin!

And that was hardly the half of what was bothering him; “I failed Cadance. I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to her any the baby, but I let her down… and this time I really tried. I tried with all I had.

I let down someone who was important to me… again; first my family, then Twilight, and now this!”

All this sadness continued to strengthen his withdrawal. He couldn’t even reflect on all the good things he had done for so many.

Meanwhile, Stag was in his chambers drawing on long sheets of paper; copying things from manuals and anything he knew from his own experience.

Slick came in and took at a look at one of the prints. “These... these are photostats of the entire armada.”

Stag sniggered “Yes, marvelous aren’t they? I’m quite certain the ponies will appreciate them just as well.”

Slick’s blood turned cold. “The ponies…?! You intend to-- have you lost every bit of your senses?!”

“Will you be quiet!” snarled Stag “If the royal party hears of this, it will spoil everything.”

Slick understood now. “This is all part of your twisted plan to get rid of them.”

Stag admitted. “Why do them in when I can make others do it for me, but they’ll need this information to at least have a chance.”

Slick had finally reached. “You have gone much too far! I won’t stand for this!” he dashed off for the door, but Stag rushed up blocking his way, and pointing his sword threateningly at him and sneered “You’re not going to tattle on me now are you?!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” remarked Slick “It’s bad enough you plot this treachery, what if you doom us along with it?”

“You worry too much…” said Stag “Even if the ponies don’t manage to defeat the royal party, they’ll all be too wiped out to defend themselves. That’s when I… or rather we will march in and finish them for good.”

Slick wanted to refuse, but Stag then reminded him of what was on the line. “Look out there…!” he snarled “An entire armada that should rightfully be ours! Some of those ships will be yours, Slick, and we won’t have to take harshness from authority anymore! The galaxy can be ours, and one day the entire dimensional universe! Now, are you with me?!”

The two then continued to make up more plans of the armada to send to Starfleet, but they only included things the ponies would need to know. They didn’t want to give away absolutely everything.

A few days passed, and many ponies were starting to feel the sadness lifting from their hearts. They would never stop feeling upset for Cadance and the loss of her baby, but it was better that they learned to accept it, live with it, and move on with their own lives.

…They could not just spend their every waking moment wallowing in despair; that wouldn’t help anything, nor would it be right.

Sad to say, Lightning’s condition showed no sign of improvement, but at least it wasn’t worsening.

Grand Ruler and Celestia checked on him every day when they went to check on Cadance as well. They hated seeing him like this, and there still nothing really they could do.

“I really wish you were awake.” Grand Ruler said “We need your help more than ever now.”

Celestia nodded in agreement and added “Aside from all that, you’re a good pony, we all really miss you. Please come back to us soon.”

Just then, the court physician came in with a soft smile on his face. “Pardon me your majesties… Princess Cadance has awakened.”

The doctor nodded, and their majesties left to see their niece. She was very awake and very tired. She was sitting upright in bed with a disheartened look on her face as she clutched her stillborn child in her arms, which brought tears to her eyes.

“Cadance…” Celestia said softly as she and Grand Ruler sat on the bed near her.

She didn’t look up at them, she just couldn’t. Her tear-filled eyes were fixated on her child. “I just wanted to hold him… just once.” she spoke in a very sad tone “My poor little Amando!”

She and Shining Armor talked it over a lot over the months, not knowing if their child was a girl or a boy, but they did decide on names. Their child was a boy, and so they agreed on the name… Mio Figlio Amorevole, Amando.

The name Amando alone meant “Lovable” but his entire name really meant “My loving son, Amando”

“We wanted to carry on the family’s tradition; using Italian phrases for our names.” She began to quiver as more tears fell from her eyes “…All that time… spent on nothing!”

She bowed her head and clutched her little Amando close, softly letting out her emotion.

Her aunt and uncle said nothing, but held her close, both on the verge of tears themselves.

Things didn’t go better as the doctors decided, the best thing to do now was to take the child and…

“No, not yet, not this way.” cried Cadance. “There’s something that needs to be done. I want my child baptized before anything happens, and I at least want Shining Armor to be here, home again.”

Her aunt and uncle agreed. Nothing would be done with Amando’s until Shining Armor was returned at least, and that would not be easy.

Their majesties talked it over a lot in their royal master bedroom, but so far, the only hope they had of getting Shining Armor back would be to take the battle to the Insecto mothership, but at the moment, though Starfleet gathered much valuable information from the Insectos that were captured, it was nowhere near enough to tell them all the needed to know.

…They still didn’t even know how to even get aboard the massive ship; dimensional pathways only connected to other planets and moons, not vehicles. Even then, as was remembered, the ship itself was two miles wide, and the royal palace stop it was wider than the Royal New Canterlot palace.

“It’s no good…” Grand Ruler said “To send the team up there now without proper information would mean suicide.”

Celestia sighed in dismay “Well, I guess that means we just keep going until we’ve gotten enough information, but that could take a very long time.”

Grand Ruler was growing frustrated, and he wanted nothing that to find a way to blast that armada out of the sky, after Shining Armor was saved of course.

“I shall appeal to the gods for their advice.” he said, and he was about to begin concentrating, when suddenly, the warning alert sounded, and Captain Shaina announced from one of the castle turrets. “Alert! Alert! Unidentified object launched from alien mothership. Man all battle-stations!”

Their majesties raced to the window and could see the object; a bright glowing ball, that seemed to be heading straight towards the palace.

Just as the guards were readying the cannons, Shaina received a report from the tracking-station, and announced “Object verified. It is not a weapon. Repeat: not a weapon.”

The object flew straight into the palace courtyard, where added harmlessly, and in a flash, all that was there, was a simple wooden crate.

The guards examined it closely, and the crate showed no signs or scans of danger at all. Inside, was nothing more than long rolls of paper, blue-prints and other things as well.

…it did not say who it was from, despite the knowledge it was launched from the Insecto mothership.

Meanwhile, Queen Ladybird was furious! “Who gave the order to launch anything from this ship!” she thundered “Well… I’m waiting!”

“It is a most puzzling mystery, my queen.” said Stag, though he was just pretending to be concerned. “Perhaps we should go down and investigate just what the object was.”

Phoebe scoffed, but then said “For once you may have actually suggested something smart.”

“Princess, my number-one priority is to the safety of this armada, and the protection of the royal family.”

Jetar thought Stag sounded a little too smooth with his words, but Ladybird already ordered the investigation. “Stag, Slick… the both of you will go down, with Saber leading.”

The two generals winced softly, but Saber bowed thankfully “It will be honor, your majesty. I promise not to let you down this time.”

Ladybird nodded “But just for extra strength and search powers, you’ll have a fourth member joining you; Termitor!”

In marched a Termite-like Insecto, wearing greenish armor, and big muscles too. He wore a thick pair of shades. He had a very serious expression on his face.

He spoke in a deep Austrian accent “Take a picture, it lasts longer. Let’s get this part started!”

He marched forth and shoved both Stag and Slick aside. Then he stopped at the door, gazed at everyone and said “…I’ll be back!”

Saber had a bad feeling about this as he left. “Those two better not foul things up again.”

Jetar felt embarrassed, trying to juggle his romantic interest “I apologize… your highness.” Then he went off.

Ladybird sniggered softly “My dear, even a blind man with a cane can see it.”

Phoebe was finally starting to get the impression “Jetar…? He can’t… he doesn’t. Does he?” she then brushed it off. She had no real feelings for him; he was just one of her underlings now.

…at least, that’s how she wanted to feel, but she could feel her cheeks turning pink. Still, she did her best to deny.

Meanwhile, the gang and their majesties were in the briefing room of the royal palace, and had gone over the many photostats and blueprints that were found in the crate. Professor Brain was with them analyzing the prints as well.

“Oh, I say, I’ve only dreamed of seeing such designs before.” he said “This is fascinating, most fascinating.”

Buddy Rose sniffed the air in an acting matter “This has the definite scent of a trick. What else could explain it?”

Artie examined every single drawing and, with his expertise, he confirmed that it was all made and drawn up by hand, as in not the original prints. “But still, the details are so fine, right down to the last bit.”

Pinkie looked hard at the pictures until she felt something straining in her eyes. “Sorry, I just don’t see it.”

The others still had no clue to believing that these were legitimate, and it would take time to fully understand.

“Maybe…” said Myte “And if so, this can really let us bust the armada wide open, and really let them have it.”

“I’m afraid we dare not try anything yet.” Grand Ruler said. Celestia agreed and said “We’ll need to gain proof of whether or not these documents are legitimate, and until then, we shall carry on normally.”

Everyone else agreed, but Rhymey was distracted by a note he had found, and it was actually written in rhyme. He read it out loud to everyone…

“If you want save your friend from the magic that was cast,
Simply combine the power of love with images from his past.
But this alone will not be enough to set him fully free.
The source of the magic must be destroyed to release him entirely.”

The others felt convinced, but still. “It could just be another trick.” said Spike “They know how desperate we are to get him back.

“You are quite right, Spike.” said Rarity “As much as I’d like to believe in this ray of hope, we cannot go further without any proof.”

Applejack grumbled softly to herself “Well duh, that’s what we’ve just been agreein’ to.”

Krysta then noticed that Starla was looking a bit down again, and acting very quiet, obviously thinking and worrying about Lightning “Don’t worry, Starla. Lightning will be okay.”

She looked up and smiled sadly “I know he will. It’s just I wish he were here right now. I miss him, and we do need his help.”

“He’ll be okay.” Krysta said “Trust me, I’ve known him a lot long than you, or any of the others have, and he and I have been in all sorts of tough spots, and we always managed to pull out of it… well, except that one time on Brogan.”

“Ah, yes… I remember that well.” Grand Ruler said “As I keep saying; the past may be gone, but the memories remain, and nothing said or done will truly make them disappear. All of you must remember this so you can all learn from your pasts. Never ignore what happened, where you came from, and how you got to where you are.”

The team out from their seats and dashed out the windows. The second they were gone, their majesties raised the shields.

Cadance was resting when the alarms woke her and the shields went up, and could see through the window near her bed…

The team, all transformed, rushed through the field near the front of the palace and could already see Stag, Slick and Saber.

Saber scoffed “Well, well, we expected you here sooner. You’re starting to lose your touch.”

“Now, now, no need for such temperament.” said Stag “We just came to have a look around your palace for something launched from our ship.”

“Let’s get ‘em!” shouted Starla, and just as they all began to rush forth, the ground before them burst in a huge cloud of dust.

The dust settled, and there stood Termitor, and he looked deathly raring to go for a brawl. “Who wants to go first?” he sneered while flexing his muscles, and snapping his pincers.

The team could tell just by looking at him, he was very strong and they would have to be cautious.

The three generals snickered. “While you deal with them, we’ll gain entry into the palace. I remember the emergency shut-down code.”

“Go!” shouted Starla, and they all charged forth, and jumped on the huge termite, punching and kicking hard, but he just stood there taking every blow, hardly even flinching. He even yawned in boredom.

Termitor grabbed her by the tail, and then whirled her round and around like a ball-and-chain, smashing her into the others knocking them all away, and then softly placing the very dizzy Pinkie on the feet.

Poor Pinkie was so dizzy, she had stars around her head making tweeting sounds, and she could barely keep her balancing. “Gee… what pretty colors.” she groaned, and then she collapsed.

The others all got back onto their feet, but were amazed by how much stronger Termitor was than they thought.

Rarity simply shot magical pulses from her horn, Krysta fired blasts from her want, and all the others, being pegasi, gathered a whole bunch of thunder-clouds that struck lightning at him.

Not a single shot missed. There was enough power to have blown a huge chunk out of the neighborhood had the barriers not been up, and yet… when the smoke cleared.

Termitor stood where he was, still hardly even scratched from all that power. “You call that power?” he scoffed “My mother hit me harder just to discipline me.”

Termitor jumped forth, aiming his fists and his pincers at everyone. They barely managed to dodge him causing him to punch huge craters in the ground, and his pincers grounded rocks, trees, even solid metal into tiny pieces.

“No!” shouted Spike, and he charged forth with his blade at the ready. “Put her down!” and he began to slam, whack and drive hiss sword right at Termitor. Sparks, flew everywhere, but all he felt was annoyed, and dropped Rarity and began to chase after Spike furiously, and cornered him.

He lunged forth and opened his pincers wide, but Spike leapt up and right over him just in time, causing him to bit into the solid rock of the wall.

Spike landed safely on the other side, and then watched with the others as Termitor easily broke the wall to bits, freeing himself.

“Hey, let’s try our Valkyrie forms.” said Rainbow “Then we can drain him of his energy until he’s weak enough to capture.”

“Yah… think again!” growled Termitor “ACID GUSH!” out from his head he spewed a long trail of green gooey acid that splattered on everyone, and in just a few seconds, the acid began to burn away at them.

Sparks and small explosions blew right all over them, and knocked them all over, much to Termitors delight. He laughed wickedly as he saw the gang squirming on the ground, burned and charred as they struggled to try and find their strengths.

“Come on, guys…!” groaned Starla “We can’t… let him… beat us like this!”

The others knew she was right, but they could all barely find the strength to get up.

Meanwhile, the generals made it to the barrier around the palace without any trouble. The fighters just ignored them all completely, and Saber found the emergency remote-box.

“This was too easy.” said Slick “Why would they not even try to come after us?”

“Who cares?” sneered Stag, but he spoke softly to him so not to be overheard “And once we’re inside, you don’t let a word out of what we did.”

Slick was growing fed up with all this silence, but as he was equally as guilty for helping Stag and not coming forth with the truth to begin with, he didn’t want to begin to think of the consequence that would befall him. So he agreed to say nothing.

However, Saber was growing furious; when he tried the code that he remembered, nothing worked. “The code…! It’s been changed!”

“We can’t break the barrier down.” cried Slick “Somehow we’ve got to get in.”

Cadance could see the generals down below, but kept her eyes fixated on Saber, knowing he was really Shining Armor. She really wanted to go down there and try to make him remember, but then again her friends were in danger too and needed serious help.

Of course, now that she was no longer pregnant, and had rested well over the past few days, despite her overwhelming with anguish of Amando, her magic was working fully well again.

She turned and saw him and her Aunt Celestia standing at the door; both their horns were glowing as they maintained the barriers around the palace and the entire sector.

She gazed at them both with extreme determination in their eyes, and they could both see she was raring to go.

“You’ll need this…” Celestia said as she handed her niece a simple small chest, and inside was Cadance’s magic Ninja medallion.

The fighters just managed to get back onto their feet, but they still felt badly weakened, and Termitor was stomping his way towards them and prepared to finish them off for good.

Suddenly, just as the acid spewed out, a large barrier formed round the gang, shielding them from the blast.

Everyone looked up and saw Celestia landing near the barrier, having conjured it with some of her magic; careful not to overexert herself so she could maintain the bigger barriers.

“I think that’s enough of your attitude for one day.” she sneered, and as her barrier around the gang disappeared, it actually healed and reenergized them back to full power.

The three generals were not amused “Hey, you can’t butt in!” snarled Stag.

“Let’s get them!” growled Saber, but just as he and the others dashed forth, several shots bombarded all around them.

It was Grand Ruler, and next to him was Cadance, in her Ninja form, for the first time in a long time. Grand Ruler allowed her to deal with Saber alone, while he would deal with the others. “Be very careful.”

Unable to speak as long as she wore her suit, Cadance nodded in agreement, and they jumped into action.

Saber took a good look at Cadance, and his mind was beginning to go crazy again, feeling he had seen this creature somewhere before.

While on the mothership, Ladybird could already sense that he was starting to slip. “Oh, no you don’t!” she sneered, and poured on the spell from her necklace.

Her powers worked, and Saber roared furiously “I will destroy you!” and he lunged forth, throwing his shuriken blades, which she countered by throwing her own blades.

Saber swing his sword at her, but she skillfully and swiftly dodged his every blow, but she made no attempt to strike him back, hoping to wear him down enough for her real plan.

As for her uncle, he stood before Stag and Slick, and the recognized him instantly.

Grand Ruler clenched his fists, still feeling a bit guilty for the way he behaved during that battle. “I did what I had to so I could defend my world and my people, despite my character flaws and overbearing actions, and I’ll deeply regret those.”

Slick clenched all his fists furiously “You… will PAY FOR IT!!” he shouted, and he and all the generals charged at him together, but Grand Ruler, zipped out of the way in the nick of time and came in from many directions , punching Slick and Stag furiously.

In almost no time, the two generals were badly roughed up, while he hardly even got scratched. “You two are ridiculous as you were a-thousand years ago.” he jeered at them “Such is to be expected when you work for evil, invade wholesome worlds, and destroy innocent beings just for your own cruel pleasure! You make me sick!”

He began to glow as furiously as he did when he beat Pinsar, much to the generals’ fears, but then he calmed down again. He made the mistake of letting his emotions run wild before, and didn’t intend to do it again.

He blasted them both with his horns and imprisoned them into spheres, but when he picked them up, the data being captured made him realize something was off. He gazed deeply into the spheres, and used his own magic removing the puppet blocks, which destroyed the two figures inside “Puppets! It wasn’t them!”

As for Termitor, he angrily glared the ponies down and looked ready for more. “Let’s rock this house!” he thundered.

Celestia and the Equestrian ponies all stood together, and nodded at one another. They concentrated until their cutiemarks glowed and they shouted “VALKYRIA!!”

…and all of them joined in declaring their names “...THE VALKYRIES OF HARMONY!!”

Termitor was not impressed and laughed mockingly “Ha, ha, ha! You think that some silly costumes and puny weapons can stop me? Well, they can’t…!” and he charged forth.

“Ladies…” said Celestia as she pointed her sword out in front, and the others pointed theirs right by hers, and they all unleashed their magical binds of light that grabbed Termitor from all ends, holding him still.

“…Now!” shouted Celestia, and she and the Valkyries poured on much magic into their beams which began to drain his energy making him get weaker by the second.

Celestia turned to face the Starfleet ponies and Spike “Now’s your chance.”

All those powerful attacks struck and bombarded Termitor like a hurricane. He roared and growled ferociously as the power engulfed him, and when the light faded… he was still standing!

Termitor was standing, but he felt really beat. “You… cannot… beat me!” he growled as he tried to lurch forth and continue the fight, but his body began to spark and flare, and he fell over backwards groaning “…Maybe… you can!”

Cadance was still struggling with Saber, dodging all his attacks, but still made no attempts to hit him back.

The others all dashed over in attempt to help her, but Grand Ruler appeared before telling them all to stop. “Let Cadance handle this.”

“Take this!” shouted Saber as he threw his sickle and chain at Cadance, but she, using her ninja skills, vanished into the ground, causing the chain to swerved and wrap around Saber instead.

Cadance burst through the ground right before him, and she finally removed her mask, revealing her face and allowing her to speak.

Saber broke free from his chain and snarled “Don’t try this again on me, you… you…!” but he couldn’t find his words, just gazing at her face brought on his memories again, stronger than ever.

Ladybird could feel the force clashing with her spell “No! I won’t let you!” she snarled as she poured on more power.

Saber’s eyes glowed red as the magic started to get to him. “Must… destroy you!” he growled.

Cadance could see this would call for everything she had, and so she looked deeply within herself and channelled all the power into her love magic, and fired at him.

He roared and bellowed as the magical force engulfed him “No! Stop! Let me go!!”

“Please, let this work!” Cadance said to herself as she continued to pour on more magic.

As Saber continued to fight against the force, more and more memories began to flow through his mind, and they were all as clear as day!

…still, the only true memories he could see the best were that of all his friends, and his beloved wife, and the mother of his child.

Finally, in a bright flash of light, the Insecto mask slipped off his face falling to the ground, and he transformed into Shining Armor.

Everyone gawked in shock and worry, but surely enough it looked as if it had worked.

Cadance smiled in relief, but then, right before her eyes, Shining Armor and his mask were enveloped in a dark light, and they disappeared.

Grand Ruler hung his head low. “…It’s Queen Ladybird! She’s taken him back to the mothership to brainwash him again!”

Cadance fell to her knees and angrily punched the ground. Her tears began to fill her eyes “I was close… so close!”

Shining Armor, still unconscious form the ordeal, was once again placed on that table, and the brainwashing spell was set in motion again.

“Now all those blasted memories will have to be erased from his mind again.” grumbled Ladybird “Those wretched ponies!”

Phoebe angrily clutched her scepter, and turned round furiously to zap the real Stag and Slick, draining them of a little energy. “You miserable pests!” she snarled “You sent puppets of yourselves down there without informing us!”

Her mother was equally as furious “Give me one good reason why I should not vanquish the two you for disregarding orders!”

“It’s true…” added Stag “We did not expect interference from their majesties, and had we not sent those puppets down, it would have been us that would have been defeated in battle, and much information would had been lost!”

As much as Ladybird was infuriated, she stopped her daughter “They are right, Phoebe.”

“…But be warned; the next time either of you disregard regulations and the call to duty, you’ll spend the next century crawling through soils on a barren asteroid! Now get out of our sights!”

The generals bowed and scuttled off, and as they walked down the corridors, Slick was in a near panic.

“Be still!” snarled Stag “Everything went exactly as I planned, including that little… scare in there. The wheels have been set in motion, and now it won’t be long before the final act begins, and we take the scene, and they take their final curtain.”

The two continued to walk off… unaware that someone had been hiding in the shadows and heard their every word… Jetar… and he were not a bit pleased with what he had heard!

He muttered softly to himself “Plotting mutiny against the queen and the one I love… I think not!”

Princess Luna had returned, now that Cadance was fully recovered, at least physically, and she was willing to resume her royal duties.

Still, the events of the battle that day left her with even more distraught feelings deep down.

Her aunts and uncle were deeply sympathetic with her. “We’re so sorry, Cadance.” Celestia said.

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault.” she said “I’m not going to give up anyway. I will get my husband back, and make those horrid creatures pay for what they’ve done to him… to me… and to all of us!”

Everyone agreed to all this, and Grand Ruler spoke on everyone’s behalf. “We will be brave, we will be strong, and we will win. Evil can never hope to achieve true victory, no matter what tricks they pull. The good and righteous will always triumph.”

Everyone nodded bravely, and Starla thought deeply to herself as she thought of her husband, lying in bed. “We’ll all be brave, especially for you, Lightning.”

In our next episode: While trying to decipher the blueprints, the team discovers a map to two planets that could provide the answering to their mysteries, which means the team will have to divide into two groups and venture forth, but upon arrival, they realize that they’ve run into the middle of crisis, that may sour any chances they may have of getting answers.

What sort of surprises and adventures will our heroes find?

Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!”

(Next Episode: “Intrusion, Illusion, and Confusion: Part 1”)

My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season V

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 19: Return of the Ninja