ACT NINE
On the space station, Kendal was alright after getting her helmet off and breathing into an air mask.
“We have to go get Celesto!” she cried.
“It’s too late.” said Jenkins.
“He’s going to die out there! We can’t just leave him in space!”
“Kendal!” shouted Jenkins then he spoke softly. “It’s no good. We can’t find him. He’s gone!”
Tears began to form in Kendal’s eyes as she looked out the window into space.
Celesto continued to drift into space like a leaf on a breeze. He could still see Earth, which was getting smaller as he slipped further away. His jetpack got damaged in the explosion so he couldn’t try to get back.
He tried helplessly to contact the station; it was just no good.
“One hour of oxygen left.” he said sadly to himself “There’s no hope for me this time. I warned them I didn’t want to take this job!”
What bothered him the most was where that fireball had come from; there was no mistake that it had come from Mystic Island, which only meant danger like what happened two years ago.
“Celestia…”
The fighters were as livid and as heartbroken as ever as they watched the smoke from the explosion.
Rarity burst into tears and hugged Spike in woe.
Spike felt really hurt, as did Starla.
Fluttershy was so devastated she couldn’t even cry, while everyone else felt frozen in shock at the loss of their friends.
The demons all laughed maliciously.
“Oh, dear…! What a tragic waste.” Slick mocked. Then he laughed.
“That’s what you get for playing with the likes of us.” said Boomer.
“You sick creeps!” snarled Applejack “They were just innocent bein’s!”
“Have you no mercy?!” shouted Dyno.
“Have you no heart?!” added Myte.
“Why no, we don’t.” said Tempest.
“Thissss is what we exisssst for-- What we desire mosssst!” hissed Scales “Death… dessssstruction, and total chaosss beyond imagination!”
“You have just witnessed what happens to those who dare get in our way.” sneered Blaze “Soon, you and the rest of your world will be just like your friends; reduced to ashes on the wind.”
Suddenly, from within the smoke, a strong voice called out to them “Their friends have not perished, thanks to me.”
The demons gazed over in shock and confusion, and Lightning perked his head up “That voice…!”
All the fighters gazed over at the smoke as it cleared. The stables were totally demolished, but there stood Celestia, Luna, and Krysta sitting on Luna’s shoulder. All three of them were perfectly fine, an out of the binding spell of the Sirens…
Thanks to the creature that stood with them.
“Is that…?” cried Buddy.
“Could it be…?” added Rainbow.
It was, Prince Flash Sentry, in his newly revived Crystallite form, holding his diamond sword tightly.
Just before Blaze had attacked the stabled, Flash broke in and used his sword to pierce through the magic the Sirens had cast-- as pitiful Equestrian magic, even the darkest, was no match for his power-- He freed the captives, and then shielded them with his own magic as the stables exploded.
Pinkie felt her smile returning, she just had to let out a good cry that they were okay.
Lightning and the others, however were speechless.
“How can this be?” snarled Blaze “He’s regained his powers, yet he saved them?!”
Flash tightened his grip on his sword, and looked regretful “I may have regained my powers, as well as my memories, but what I do now is my choice. I am no longer the evil creature I once was. I only wish to fight for what is right… my home, my friends!”
“I don’t believe it…” Lightning thought silently to himself “In the two years he’s been here, he’s actually reformed.”
Flash then gazed over at Lightning “Commander! I know we have had our issues in the past, but believe me, I speak the truth. I will fight alongside you, and together… we will destroy these creatures of darkness… for Twilight!”
Lightning stood up and nodded bravely at him “…For Twilight!”
All the others agreed too.
“That’s so sweet, I’m getting cavities!” snarled Blaze “This battle ends now!”
The fighters all stood together and lunged into battle, while Krysta escorted the sisters to safety.
“I can’t believe what has happened!” cried Luna.
“Oh, it’s happening alright.” said Krysta
Celestia said nothing; she had never been so frightened in her life, and she really despised those demons for what nearly happened to her, her sister, as well as the destruction of the camp and more!
She really wished there was something she could do to help put an end to this insanity for good.
The fight waged on, everyone still going after their respected demons and team.
Now with their new determination, the fighters were able to fight stronger than ever.
“I will show you who is stronger!” Boomer shouted.
“Not if we show you first!” said Dyno, and he and his brother charged towards Boomer.
“STRIKING SPIKES”
More spikes flew at the boys.
“Not this time!” snapped Myte.
The two boys leapt up, and swiftly kicked the spikes back towards Boomer, loading them in his rock body. “What?!” shouted Boomer, and before he could do anything else, he got struck hard by the magic lightning. Despite being a rock, his own magic really damaged him.
“BOOM-BOOM FIREBALLS”
The boys bombarded him with flames all around, though Boomer was still far from beaten.
Pinkie grabbed Slick by his narrow tail and began to whirl him round, and around like a skilled gymnast. “Hey! Stop that, I’m getting dizzy!” he cried.
“What’s that? You wanna go faster, Okay!” and she began to whirl him around even faster than ever, and slammed him down on the ground splatting him all over in large mounds of green goo.
“Take that!”
Of course, Slick still reformed himself, and he was pretty angry “Now you take this! STICKY SLUDGE”
He flung a load of really stinky gunk at Pinkie, which really gummed her up. “I’m stuck!” she groaned “I can’t move!”
Slick chuckled “Well then, let me help you!” and he rushed forth to run her through, when suddenly he was sliced in half by Flash and his sword.
Then Flash proceeded to cut Pinkie loose with one slice.
“Wow! Thanks a lot.” said Pinkie.
Flash smiled at her and said “Anything… for a friend in need.”
Pinkie smiled at him, but then Slick reformed and struck them both hard.
“Oh, you are so dead! Both of you…!”
The brawl continued.
Tempest was still having his air battle with Rhymey Artie and Fluttershy.
“EAGLE EYE”
He caused another veil of brightness, causing the others to have to shut their eyes behind their visors.
“What’s wrong, can’t find your way?” Tempest hollered as he heads straight for Fluttershy, only she kicked him hard in the gut.
“D’ugh!”
Rhymey and Artie could hear him groaning, and Fluttershy yell “He’s right here! Get him!”
“PAINT BOMBS”
“DRILL QUILL”
The projectiles struck the demon head on, leaving Fluttershy untouched.
“No fair! How could can you even tell where I am?!” whined Tempest.
“We couldn’t see, true.
But we could still hear you.” said Rhymey.
Tempest dispelled the light and growled fiercely. “You’re a sneaky bunch… but I’m sneakier!”
“WING BLADE” Flapping his wings fiercely, he unleashed a swarm of glowing gusts, sharp like blades.
The fighters swerved and dodged as best as they could, but Artie was having a hard time concentrating, and he got struck a few times and fell to the ground.
“Artie!” cried Fluttershy as she and Rhymey flew down to help him.
“Are you alright?”
“Can you still fight?” rhymed Rhymey.
Artie got up and was panting furiously, which instantly told the others he was worried about Sunset.
“Go to her…” said Fluttershy.
“Huh? But I can’t just leave you guys here like this.”
“Artie…!” Lightning called out to him “We can handle things for a while here. Go now while you can! Try and help her!”
One-by-one all the others agreed with him, and Artie agreed himself and flew off.
Celestia saw this, and she had a little idea of her own. She raced for one of the horses.
“Sister, what are you doing?!” shouted Luna, but her sister was already galloping, bareback and no tack, down the road after Artie.
“Let’s follow her!” said Krysta.
Luna agreed, and mounted another horse, then rode off.
“Oh, no you don’t!” hissed Scales, and he lunged his tentacles at the ladies as the rode away, only for them to get lassoed together by Applejack’s rope and Buddy Rose’s Vine Whip. “Oh, yes they do!” Buddy sneered.
“Get him, R.D!” shouted Applejack.
“With pleasure…” Rainbow called as she zoomed down from above “SONIC RAINBOOM!”
Scales looked up and screamed as he saw Rainbow zoom at him…!
KABOOM!! A bright and colorful explosion…!
The three fighters stood side-by-side, and as the smoke cleared, they saw Scales body was in pieces. “Yeah!” cried Rainbow “You’re outta here!”
“Not for long!” snarled Blaze and he and the others let out that same demonic shriek, and Scales was revived, stronger than ever.
“No way!” cried Rainbow.
The twins combined their powers together. “BOOM-BOOM FLARE!” and roasted Boomer to a crisp, but his comrades shrieked again, reviving him.
Lightning was outraged!
“Fools…!” Blaze thundered “Haven’t you realized by now how hopeless it is? Every time you destroy one of us, we’ll just keep coming back again, and again, stronger than ever!”
Lightning clenched his fists and scoffed “Ha! If that’s the case, there’s only one other option, and that’s to defeat you all at once!”
“You won’t!” shouted Blaze.
“WE will!” snarled Starla.
Blaze roared loudly, and his fiery body flared up in powerful flames.
“Lightning!” cried Spike “I don’t like the looks of this.”
The other demons began to power up as well.
“Let’s see you take us on now, puny mortals!” shouted Blaze “BEHOLD THE TRUE, ULTIMATE POWER OF THE DEMONITES!!”
“Everyone, attack…!” Lightning shouted, and everyone launched the strongest magic attacks they could summon, even Flash used his strongest pulse of energy, but the demons hardly got scratched.
“Now it’s our turn!” growled Blaze.
“Look out!” squealed Fluttershy.
The demons unleashed their fury in a series of attacks, so massive; it blew everyone across the field like stones in a rockslide.
The fighters’ injuries were starting to show. Their armor suits were dented and charred and the white spandex underneath were starting to tear.
All their powers were starting to run low after such a lengthy fight, while the demons’ powers just continued to grow.
“There has to be something we can do!” cried Rarity.
Lightning clenched his fist in frustration. He couldn’t change into an Enticorn with his energy too low, and Spike couldn’t unleash the Majestic Dragon likewise.
“We need the Valkyries of Harmony!” cried Spike.
“But we need the Elements of Harmony, and they’re infused with our friends in United Equestria!” said Lightning.
The demons glared down at the helpless fighters and continued to laugh at them!
The evil Sirens had taken Sunset to the ball field behind Canterlot High. Sunset was still bound by their magic spell and couldn’t move at all.
After all this time, they were still trying to decide on a fitting punishment to inflict on her.
“I say we send her straight into the Sun.” said Sonata.
“Lame!” said Aria “I suggest we tear her apart, slowly and painfully, limb-from-limb.”
Sunset gulped hard at the very thought of those ideas.
Aria and Sonata began to argue over their ideas.
“I’d be easier to throw her in the sun.”
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as cool watching her suffer if we break her apart alive.”
“I have a better idea…” said Adagio “Both of you will shut up… and we’ll start by just playing target practice with her, for starters that is.”
Sunset felt her insides churning.
“Good idea…” hissed Sonata.
“I call dibs on her face.” said Aria.
The girls moved in closer, and Sunset was still helpless to get out.
The girls were about to take their first shots at her when they got zapped all around by magical blasts from behind.
“Hey!” shouted Adagio, then she and others looked round, and Sunset could see for herself…
“Artie…!”
He stood their holding his staff at the ready “Fun time’s over, ladies. Now, let her go!”
The girls snarled angrily at him.
“You want her back-- You’re going to have to get past us.” said Adagio.
“Don’t test me!” growled Artie.
He stared them down, and they stared him down. Back and forth, their gazes were piercing directly into each other’s souls.
Suddenly, the girls zapped him, and contained him in barrier like Sunset.
“No!” cried Sunset.
The girls snickered and began to creep towards Artie as he stood where he was.
“How lucky can we get?” said Adagio.
“Instead of one, now we get to wipe out two meddlesome creatures.” said Aria.
Sonata just snickered cheekily.
“Artie!” cried Sunset.
“Three seconds. That’s how long you have to live…” said Adagio.
Just as the girls readied themselves to strike, Artie broke the shield they had cast on him and…
“One!” he punched Adagio in the face.
“Two!” he kicked Sonata in the stomach.
“Three!” he clunked Aria in the head with his staff.
The girls groaned and growled as they struggled back to their feet, and Artie gloated at them “Three seconds… I’m still here. Don’t you girls know that Starfleet Magic is more powerful than Equestrian Magic?”
“Get him!” shouted Adagio.
Their black gems glowed brightly, shrouding them all with dark magic. The girls dashed into battle, three on one, and all Sunset could do was watch helplessly as Artie took them all on, but despite being outnumbered, he fought exceedingly well.
He dodged all their magic projectiles, blocked their every punch and kick, and attacked them hard.
Sparks and small explosions flew everywhere as the girls fell over, rolling along the ground.
As Adagio looked round the corner, she could see the statue out in front of the school, and how it was glowing with a soft light. “That must be the portal back to Equestria!” she said softly to herself.
Artie held his staff behind his back and scoffed “You girls are not only bad singers, you’re terrible fighters.”
“What did you say?!” shouted Adagio.
The others felt just as outraged, and decided to combine their powers into one massive attack!
“Look out!” cried Sunset.
But as the girls prepared to unleash the magic…
“CHARGE…!!” Krysta shouted as she and the sisters came charging in.
The girls lost their concentration, causing the magic to blow up in their faces, and flinging their gems off their neck, allowing Krysta and the sisters to catch one each.
“It’s all over for you, ladies. You’re washed up!” said Celestia.
“Surrender now while you still have a chance.” added Luna.
The girls knew they were totally licked, but Adagio gave the others her signal to run for the gateway while it was still open.
One-by-one, the evil girls jumped into the portal, planning return to Equestria and reclaim all the Equestrian magic they could ever hope for… still unaware of the actualities of the world they were heading into.
“They’ve gotten away.” said Luna.
“They went right through the portal, as planned.” added Celestia.
“That’s right…” said Krysta “…Just as WE planned.”
Lightning had suspected the girls would try and make a break for the portal, which was why he deliberately opened it, by activating his insignia, and sent a message back via Sunset’s message book to warn his friends back home of the plan.
As the Sirens traveled through the mystic warp, their resumed their natural demonic forms, however, they were unaware and completely unprepared for what was about to happen.
They appeared on Lightning’s platform, the royal palace lab in New Canterlot, and were suddenly surrounded by the royal guards, pointing their lanced at them, Lightning’s friends were all there, and there was Celestia, and a second pony with three golden horns walked up to them and said “Sirens! You are under arrest.”
The three demons were shocked, and then tried to play it cool.
“Um… pardon me…” said Adagio “…But who are you?”
“Grand Ruler Celesto: Commander-in-Chief of Starfleet and co-ruler of United Equestria.” He then motioned to Celestia “My wife… whom I believe you remember well.”
“It’s been a long time, you three.” Celestia said “And it’s going to be an even longer one for you all from here on out.”
Still trying to play it cool, Sontata playfully asked “But what did we do? What’s the charge?”
“Don’t play the fool with us.” said Celestia “I haven’t overlooked your crimes in Equestria from centuries ago. We’re also well aware of all the horrible things you three have been up to in the human world.”
Aria snuffed “You’re just making wild accusations.”
“No. We have proof, straight from your mouths.” Grand Ruler said “Starfleet has ways of obtaining the truth, rather sneakier than your own ways.” He then held up a magic book, which was identical to the one Lightning had taken with him. “A miniature bugging device was slipped onto Aria’s hairclip when it got snatched from her, and it recorded everything you ladies ever said, transferring it into text to Lightning’s book, and to this book here.”
Aria held her head in shock, and the others were furious with her.
“Aria!” snarled Sonata.
“You idiot!” growled Sonata.
Celestia took the book and flipped through the pages “This is a section I particularly appreciate.” And she opened the book, and text magically read itself exactly as Adagio had spoken the words…
"Whether they have it or not, you heard the guys. I doubt whether that stupid mule, Celestia herself could stop us even if she were here."
The Sirens said nothing, and with absolutely no magic, they were really beaten.
Grand Ruler then motioned to the guards “…Take them away.” Then he scoffed at the girls, “…Bunch of amateurs.”
As the guards marched the demons away, Celestia couldn’t help but tease them.
“Bye-Bye, ladies; see you at your next performance, in about… three-hundred years.”
The ponies held in silent chuckles, but Starla and Rarity didn’t feel like laughing much. Both of them were still worried about Lightning, Spike… not to mention Krysta too.
“Don’t worry, girls.” Buddy Rose said “I’m sure they’re fine.”
The girls wanted to believe that, and in many senses they did, but they just like everyone else, even their majesties still preferred the trio to come home, safe and sound.
With the Sirens gone, Sunset was freed from her force field. She felt really stiff form being stuck for so long and almost fell over.
Artie caught her and helped her up. “You okay?”
She looked up into his eyes. “You… you came for me.”
Artie began to feel embarrassed “Well… yeah… of course I did.” he hesitated a moment “Well, I… I mean I have strong feelings for you. Let’s face it, you’re pretty, and you’ve changed a lot, and you’ve proven you have a caring heart and… well… I guess I’m a little shy but…”
She rolled her eyes and put her finger to his lips “…Bottom line, is we both feel the same.” She said softly, and then placed her lips over his.
Krysta and the sisters smiled happily.
Then suddenly, sunset and Artie began to glow. “Huh? What’s happening?”
Artie backed away from her as she glowed brighter, but he had a feeling he knew what it was.