My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season V

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 12: Part 1: Here comes the Pride

EPISODE TWELVE

One dark and full moonlit night, Black Dragon Knight stood on a clifftop. Her cape fluttered in the breeze, but all she could think about was…

“The time has come… the time for the ultimate battle for Dragon’s Honour.”

Her eyes glowed red with wickedness.

Days had gone by and there had been no activity from the Insectos, which was a big relief for everyone, but nothing to really relax about, for the Insectos would strike again.

In the meantime, Babs Seed was visiting New Sweet Apple Acres, while her parents went away on business.

Big Mac was still in a cast, but Applejack and Buddy Rose gave the crusaders some lenience in their punishment, only because Babs was visiting, but they still were required to do at least some of the work.

Babs offered to help, not minding at all.

“I can’t believe you guys actually tried to catch the Black Dragon Knight.”

The girls all sighed, they were tired of hearing about it, but no one would let them forget it.

“Didn’t do much good though.” said Applebloom “The whole plan went kablooey, and we still ain’t nowhere nearer getting’ our cutiemarks.”

“I see you still don’t have yours either.” said Scootaloo.

Babs looked down her own pants at her flank, which was still indeed blank, just like the front of her clothes. “Well, I’m still trying…” she said “I remember the Code of the Crusaders: no giving up.”

The girls then noticed Sweetie Belle had been awful quiet all day.

“Is everything okay?” DD asked.

“Huh? Oh, sure, everything’s fine. Yeah, nothing wrong at all.”

The girls gave her a look saying they were not convinced.

“I can’t tell you, and this time I made a promise I wouldn’t.”

“Is it something dangerous?” asked Scootaloo “You remember what Mr. Stevens told us…”

“I know, I know, but it’s not really dangerous… at least I don’t think it is.”

“What is?” said Buddy Rose.

“What are you girls up to now?” Applejack asked, with a rather cold expression “You got something else you’re not tellin’ us.”

Sweetie Belle refused to say a word. “I promised not to and I gave my word.” she huffed.

As much as Applejack and Buddy Rose respected other people’s secrecies, after what happened before, secrecy often meant trouble if the girls were involved, and the way Sweetie was acting meant it was huge.

“Okay, back up now…” said Granny Smith as she came along “Ol’ Granny Smith has a way of gettin’ the truth out.”

“Uh, oh…” said Applebloom “Here it comes.”

“She’s toast.” added Babs.

Scootaloo and DD were confused, and told them just to watch and see.

“Look into my eyes young filly…” said Granny.

“No!” snapped Sweetie “I won’t look, and I won’t tell.”

“Fine, I have other means of gettin’ to the core of the apple.” She then looked Sweetie from head to toe, which made Sweetie feel a bit awkward.

Granny continued to look carefully, and could catch a few nervous pulses in Sweetie’s veins, and the constant movement of her pupils.

Sweetie began to sweat, and finally “Okay, I’ll tell you, but if I get in trouble for this, you all owe me.”

She explained everything, and Applejack and Buddy Rose had to tell Lightning immediately and teleported straight to the New Crystal Empire.

“They’ve WHAT…?!” snapped Lightning after he was told.

“It’s true…” Sweetie Belle said “I heard it as much myself.”

Two nights ago, she was going downstairs for some milk to help her fall asleep, when she heard Spike and Rarity conversing in the living room in front of the fireplace.

“Spike, I really don’t want to do it.”

“I know, but I just can’t bare it any longer. So much is happening; I’m worried of the worst that could happen to you or me at all.”

“But Spike… I spent so long working on all the dresses, and perfecting every single plan. I really wanted it to be beautiful.”

“So did I and I still do, but…Rarity, listen to me… I love you, more than you’ll ever know, and if something happens to us, well… at least we can say we were married.”

There was a long silence, and Rarity did her best to fight back the guilty tears coming to her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Spike asked.

“Oh, Spike…” Rarity cried “I will never forgive myself for this, but… all right. We elope to New Las Pegasus and return as newlyweds.”

“But we can’t tell the others.” Spike said “They’ll put up a fuss, and Lightning, he’d never allow it…

…understand, Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie gasped and was shocked they both knew she heard everything, and so she promised not to tell.

“I can’t believe they’d do that.” said Starla “After all the planning Rarity did.”

“Don’t they realize what a chance they’re taking?!” cried Lightning “When did they leave?”

“Just last night…” replied Sweetie Belle “They took the train to try and keep low, and hoping they wouldn’t attract attention from the Black Dragon Knight. The ceremony should start at midday today.”

Lightning couldn’t allow this “KRYSTA!!” he hollered.

She popped almost instantly “What’s happening?” she asked.

Lightning then tasked Starla of leading a mission. “Round up all the others, warp to Las Pegasus, and, Find Rarity and Spike and get them back to New Ponyville before the Black Dragon Knight tries to get to them.”

The others all agreed.

“Wait, aren’t you going too?” asked Scootaloo.

“I can’t…” Lightning regretted to say “As acting-regent of the New Crystal Empire, I’m duty-bound to stay here and look after things. I can’t just leave the empire unattended, but if anything serious happens beyond control, I’ll see if I can do anything about it.”

With that settled, the first thing the team did was warp the crusaders back to the farm.

“You girls behave yourselves, we shouldn’t be gone too long.” said Buddy Rose.

“And this time, we mean it.” added Applejack.

“Come, let’s go get the others.” cried Starla, and the girls watched as the gang disappeared as Krysta warped them all away.

All five of the girls felt pretty worried.

“Anybody else feel like I do?” asked Applebloom.

“Yeah, something pretty big is about to happen.” said Babs.

“And not a good thing…” added Sweetie.

Still, they were told to remain behind, and they had no way of getting to New Las Pegasus anyway, all they could pretty much do was get back to work on the farm chores.

Thanks to Krysta’s teleporting, the gang arrived in New Las Pegasus very swiftly.

Pinkie couldn’t help but bounce all giddy and excited at the all the sights and sounds. “New Las Pegasus is so fabulous!” she squealed.

“I’ve never seen so many colors at once.” said Artie “It’s like so many different paintings all jumbled together.”

“Unfortunately, we haven’t time for sightseeing.” said Dyno.

“Si, we’ve got to find Spike and Rarity.” added Myte.

“Well, where should we even start?” snapped Rainbow “There must hundreds of wedding chapels around here.”

“If I know Rarity, she’ll want to have picked the most eloquent chapel she and Spike could find.” said Applejack.

“Right…” said Starla “We’ll all split up and cover more ground, and then second any of you find them, send out a homing beam so we can all regroup.”

The team agreed and they split up in groups of two.

Fluttershy and Rhymey…

The twins by themselves…

Applejack and Buddy Rose…

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie…

And Artie stuck with Starla, but they had Krysta by their side too.

“How’s it feel to be in charge, Starla?” Artie had to ask.

“Well, I’m shaking, but that could be because I’m worried. Let’s go!”

A song began as the gang searched all over the bustling metropolis.

(Just the music)

[Starla]

Where are they?

[Artie]

Where did they get to?

[Krysta]

They’re around somewhere, I bet you.

[Pinkie]

Look at those cakes, and games to play.

[Rainbow] *Grabs her and drags he along*

We haven’t got time to goof all day

[Fluttershy]

I hope we find them, before it’s too late.

[Rhymey]

If only they had stayed and wait.

[Applejack]

We gotta find Spike and Rarity

[Buddy Rose]

But how…

[Dyno]

And where…

[Myte]

…it’s clear to see…

[ALL]

They’re somewhere in this big city!

The gang searched high, and low, and even asked other ponies in the street if they had seen their friends.

Pinkie Pie foolishly even looked in the garbage cans.

[Rainbow]

Pinkie… They won’t be in there.

[Pinkie]

…Ya never know.

[Krysta]

We gotta find ‘em, so don’t be slow.

[Artie]

If Black Dragon Knight finds them first…

[Starla]

I don’t want to think of the worst

[Buddy Rose and Applejack]

This really ain’t so easy.

[Twins]

We just looked there…

[Rhymey and Fluttershy]

…this isn’t fair.

[ALL]

They’re somewhere in this big city!

[The Guys]

So many chapels, but which one…

[The Girls]

…this isn’t fair.

[ALL]

They’re somewhere in this big city!

[Fluttershy]

This city is just so big

[Pinkie] *Takes a Bite out of a fig*

Mmm… here, try this fig

[Rainbow] *Freaking out*

If we don’t find them soon I’ll… FLIP… MY… WIG!!

[Starla]

Look at the time…

[Artie]

…It’s almost noon.

[Krysta]

Our friends’ll be getting hitched real soon.

[Dyno]

We’ve covered the air and all the ground

[Myte]

But still no sign where our friends are bound.

[Fluttershy]

We better move quickly

[Rhymey]

We’ve come so far…

[Applejack]

Like a needle in a haystack

[Buddy Rose]

Even so, we’ve gotta get both our friends back

[ALL]

They’re somewhere in this big city!

[ALL]

They’re somewhere in this big city!

Starla’s group was growing tired from all the flying they did.

“We must’ve searched every single glamorous chapel in the city.” said Artie.

“I wish Lightning were here to help us.” said Krysta.

“Hey!” cried Starla “Look down there in the street.”

They all could see their friend, Abra Kadabra, and his right-hand assistant, the all-Powerful and Redeemed Trixie, performing a big magic show in the streets, and thought of asking them if they’d seen their friends.

Abra and Trixie were just finishing their show with a special trick of their own, more of a daredevil trick.

Abra was standing on top of a twenty foot tall diving platform, and jumped right off it, right into a pit of flames. The flames were very real, as Trixie demonstrated by burning a sheet of paper in them.

The crowd yelped in shock when Abra disappeared through the fire, and Trixie then used her actual magic to make the flames go out, and then then levitated Abra out of the pit, revealing he was perfectly fine.

The crowd thundered with applause and threw flowers and money at the duo as they took a bow.

After the crowds had ceased, Abra and Trixie decided to go out to lunch to celebrate another swell performance.

“Abra… Trixie…!” Starla called.

“Hey!” Trixie called.

“Why, hello, my dear friends.” Added Abra “How lovely to see you all again. To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Actually, we here on a task.” said Starla.

“Have either of you seen Rarity and Spike?” asked Artie.

“Yes, we have.” said Abra.

The gang’s eyes lit up with hope.

“We saw them as they passed down the street about half an hour ago.” said Trixie “They were headed into that casino over there.”

The gang looked and saw a rather second-class place called “Clyde’s Casino, Hotel and Chapel.” With a picture of the owner, a Clydesdale Earth Pony. “But we couldn’t stop and say high because we were in the middle of our show.”

“I really can’t tell why they’d want to go there.” said Abra “They never gamble, and Rarity would never approve of a place as that.”

“Sorry, no time to explain!” cried Krysta, and she and the others dashed for the place, leaving Abra and Trixie most confused.

“What’s gotten into them?” Trixie wondered.

Abra hadn’t the foggiest.

Once arriving at the doors of the building, Starla sent up a beam of light from her horn, knowing the others would see it and come by.

Then, they rushed right into the casino, but got halted by the front door greeter and the body guards. “Hold it! Are your name on the list?” she asked.

Starla and Artie pointed to their badges, and Starla held out the order with Lightning’s official seal on it. “Starfleet. We’re on official business here.”

The greeter heeded the order and let them pass.

“Where is your wedding chapel?” asked Artie.

“Go to the back of the casino, and then walk straight the hallway. You can’t miss it.”

The gang rushed off, hoping they weren’t too late.

“It’s no wonder we couldn’t find them before.” Artie said.

“Well, they did say they wanted to not raise suspicion and unwanted attention.” said Krysta.

Meanwhile, the wedding was very small, very simple, and defiantly not what Rarity had in mind at all.

Right now she would had been thinking of marvelous ways to beautify the place with curtains, carpets, frilly ribbons and stuff, but she really feeling downhearted.

Here she and Spike were, about to be quickly married, in a legal, yet ceremony. No guests, none of their friends were there, no reception. Rarity and Spike weren’t even wearing proper wedding attire, just their plain uniforms, although Rarity was wearing a simple white flower in her mane.

“I feel terrible.” she said softly.

“So do I.” said Spike.

The mister cleared his throat and asked softly “Are you two ready?”

Spike and Rarity nodded and joined hands as the ceremony began. It was short, and simple, and Spike ringed Rarity’s finger. He had saved up a lot from his Starfleet paychecks and bought her a golden ring with a miniature heart-shaped fire-ruby on top.

Rarity smiled very sadly, but she was very thrilled and enchanted to have it, and wiped a tear from her eye.

Spike could only smile at her with love as his own eyes filled with tears.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” the minister said “It is done.”

Rarity and Spike slowly moved in closer to kiss, when suddenly Spike stopped and sniffed the air.

“What is it?” asked Rarity.

Spike sniffed some more “We’ve gotta get out of here!”

Rarity’s eyes widened, and just as they were about to run, the lights went out, and the windows shattered, and she appeared before them.

Rarity gasped, and the minister fainted.

The big doors to the chapel burst wide open as the gang busted through.

“Spike, Rarity…!” cried Starla.

Black Dragon Knight quickly spun round and threw a small capsule at all the friends, only Krysta managed to fly free before it blew, but all the ponies passed.

“Guys!” cried Spike.

“Oh, my!!” added Rarity, and before she and Spike knew it, they too had been knocked out cold.

Black Dragon Knight laughed wickedly and magically scooped the unconscious gang up. Krysta saw everything, and she knew she was helpless on her own. “I’ve got to get Lightning!” she cried, and she teleported off.

She arrived in the New Crystal Empire almost at once, and you can bet that when Lightning heard, he was shocked and very angry, but not at Krysta. “I knew this would happen! Where did she take them?”

“Oh… Um… Well…”

“You didn’t follow her?!”

“I was in a panic, I had to go for help quickly, I wasn’t thinking.”

“U’RGH!!” Lightning slumped in his seat.

“I’m so sorry, Lightning.” cried Krysta.

“Never mind…” Lightning said calmly “We’ll just have to try and find them the old fashioned way. Gather as many of your fairies as you can.”

Krysta nodded and teleported off, and Lightning got busy calling every available guard, every available wonderbolt, flyer, tracker, until he had a vast army to search every millimeter of the planet.

“Starla… please, let you and the others be okay!”

Many ponies begun to fly off in all directions as the search began, and the Crusaders could see it and knew about the search as well.

Big Mac wheeled by in his wheelchair “Don’t you girls be gettin’ any ideas now. This ain’t no picnic for you.”

“He’s right…” said Granny Smith “Wait, we’re havin’ a picnic?”

“We’re not going, don’t worry.” said Sweetie Belle.

“We’re staying right here.” added Scootaloo.

The other three nodded, but Granny Smith and Big Mac promised they’d been keeping sharp eyes on the girls.

“If you girls so much as even think of steppin’ one foot outta’ here; you think you got it rough now, just you wait.” said Big Mac.

The girls scowled.

“Boy, he really read us out.” said Babs.

“I’m worried though…” added Applebloom “The others ain’t come back yet.”

“I hope they’re all right.” said DD.

Spike was starting to come too, and it felt a little warm. That’s when he realized he was in what looked like a lava world, filled with volcanos, pools of lava, jagged rocks, and other mountainy landscapes, but Spike knew United Equestria well, and could tell they were obviously no longer there.

“Where am I? What is this place?”

“Welcome.” Black Dragon Knight said.

Spike turned and saw her standing right behind him.

“…Welcome to the last place you’ll ever see. You are now being held in a dimensional warp that I created to serve as my hideout, and just the right place for what is about to occur. You and I are going to settle our score once and for all!”

Spike was already more than enraged. “Where are the others?!” he snarled.

Black Dragon Knight snickered and snapped her fingers. That’s when the others all appeared, bound by firey-like manacles at the base of a volcano.

“Spike!” shouted Artie.

“You let them go!” demanded Spike.

“Certainly... But only on the condition that you agree to face me… to the death!”

Spike gasped, and the others as well.

“Spike, don’t do it!” cried Rarity.

“I don’t understand…” Spike said “Why… why would you go to all this trouble?! Why fight me just because I choose to live differently? Who are you?!”

Black Dragon Knight snickered and she felt the time was perfect, and she lifted off her helmet, and Spike and the others could not believe what they saw…

She had the same purplish scales like Spike, and even the same spines, only hers were red, but her eyes… they were the same greenish color as his.

“My name is Scaley, and yes… it’s true… we are blood related. I am your big sister.”

“AH…!!”

The others all gasped in the same tone of shock.

“Spike has a… a sister!” cried Fluttershy.

“They look just like one another.” said Dyno.

“They must be blood related!” added Myte.

“But how can this be?
A family member be an enemy!” said Rhymey.

Spike said nothing and was still gawking at Scaley. “You wanted answers to who you are…” she said “It’s time you knew, and for starters I think you may ought to know this, but the original dragon knight who created your powers was also in our family… he was our father!”

Spike gasped again. He was feeling so incredibly shocked it was making his headache, but he could hardly speak.

Scaley continued with her story.

*Scaley’s POV*

As I had once said; we dragons are known for our ferocity, and make our life out of scaring, stealing goods, and living without much a care in the world.

Unfortunately, our father was among the few who chose to avoid this sort of lifestyle, and preferred nobility, it was almost as if he were born with a piece of his brain missing. So he created the Dragon Knight Powers in an effort to battle evil and injustice.

I had already reached maturity, but you were still just an egg, so you knew nothing of this. Perhaps you would have been as disgusted and disgraced as I was.

I enjoyed the feel of power, and the will to frighten others, and so, I ran away from home and joined a band of evil dragons, carrying out a dragon’s true honor.

We scared many of the ponies, and robbed them of their goods, and in time, I even stole a few spell books and learned a thing or two about the magic they possessed, enough to develop a few powers of my own.

This was so wonderful, that I even sang about it…

My destiny was clear now. I would rise among the ranks of all, and become queen of the dragon race; the most powerful being on this entire planet… if our father had not objected to this and challenged me into combat.

Our battle was fierce, and a great war of dragons had erupted; the Nobility against the Proud!”

With so very few noble dragons, it was no difficult task for those of pride to vanquish their enemies. Even our own mother was foolish to try and reason with us all, and she meet with her eternal reward… when I destroyed her!

*POV Pauses*

The ponies all gasped…

“You killed your own mother!” cried Starla.

“That is the sickest thing I’ve ever heard!” snarled Rainbow Dash.

“How could you do such a thing…?!” growled Buddy Rose.

“Ahem…!” snapped Scaley “To continue…”

*POV Resumes*

Now all that remained was to ensure that my father was out of the way, but your egg was lost. I had knowing of where you had gotten to.

Our father fought against me, in what had to have been the fiercest battle in the war, I managed to injure him, and corner him many times, but ultimately he defeated me, and used his pure power as well as the help from a few magical unicorns to seal me away in a powerful seal, and buried me deep underground.

For centuries I just remained in complete solitude and boredom, being stuck in the same place year after year, not being able to move an inch.

When Equestria was destroyed in The Great War, even then my seal did not break, but it was beginning to weaken. Finally, when the Insecto Armada arrived and began to bombard the planet, the lasers hitting the ground fully disrupted my seal, allowing me to escape.

*POV Ends*

Scaley stared her brother down “I must admit, I was surprised to learn that you were born into this age, but seeing what you became, what you fight for-- the nobility, the pureness-- you were just like our father, and owned his power, and not only are you in love with one of those ridiculous ponies, you married her just now!! Of all the disgraceful dragons I have ever seen, you are the worst of them all.”

Spike, overwhelmed by shock, confusion, and near disbelief, fell to his knees with a downhearted expression. “All this time… I’ve been wondering who I am, wondering where I came from and who my family was… only to find they were betrayed, by our own flesh and blood; my own sister!”

Scaley snickered wickedly “Poor pitiful, you. If only you had hatched and were in my care, I would have trained you to act properly. I gave you a chance to spare yourself, but now… I’m afraid it is time we separated the right from the ridiculous!”

Spike clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth as he stood with blazing eyes. “Family or not… you are my enemy, and for what you’ve done to me, to my friends, and all others before us… I will never forgive you!

…DRAGON POWER!!”

He transformed and drew his sword.

The ponies could only watch in horror.

“I guess this is it…” said Pinkie.

“The ultimate battle of the dragon knights.” added Artie.

“Spike…! Be careful, darling!” Rarity muttered as a tear of worry rolled down her cheek.

…To Be Continued!

(Promo)

In our next episode: The battle of the two dragons begins, and truly heats things up, especially with the ponies’ lives on the line.

Meanwhile, Lightning’s search is having little to no luck at all in finding the location of the Dimensional Warp, but the Cutiemark Crusaders do, and when no one will listen; they end up marching straight for the danger zone again!

What the results of this fearsome fight be?

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

(Next Episode: Part 2: Duel of the Dragons”)