//------------------------------// // Episode 22: Part 2: Decisive Actions // Story: My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season I // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// “Previously on Starfleet Magic” The evil Nightmare Moon teamed up with Titan’s minions and conquered Equestria with an iron fist. Try as they did, the ponies were easily overpowered and soon were forced into slavery and hard labour while the planet continues to get thrown about by more earthquakes. Meanwhile, Serpentari attacked Unicornicopia, revealing that she possessed the final star stone and intended to gather them all for herself, but not before doing away with Lightning and his friends for good! EPISODE TWENTY-TWO Twilight’s friends were still doing their menial chores around the fortress. Rarity was constantly whining about how ugly she looked dressed in rags, covered with soot and dust, and chained to an iron ball. “Eww, there’s dust in mane.” she cried for the umpteenth time. Applejack was very annoyed as she passed by with another heavy crate of apples “You got the easy bit!” she growled “I like cookin’ as much as the next, but this is worse than bittin’ an apple and findin’ half a worm in it.” “SILENCE!” shouted Nightmare. Her eyes glowed and Applejack and Rarity were being shocked by their chains and manacles with powerful magic. “When working their duties, slaves are to be seen AND NOT HEARD!” Nightmare shouted. “Now get back to work!” Then she summoned Pinkie Pie to sing for her, and Rainbow Dash to perform tricks for her as entertainment. Poor Pinkie was on the verge of tears and Rainbow felt her anger spiking, but there was nothing either of them could do while bound by the enchanted manacles. Spike and Fluttershy were busy washing the windows and whispered to one another how much they hated this. “I wish I knew if Twilight was okay.” Spike said. Fluttershy said nothing for fear of being disciplined, but secretly thought of Rhymey and Starfleet and wished they could hear their calls for help. While on Unicornicopia… Serpentari dashed forth, and the gang scattered out of her way. Starla and Rhymey tried their attacks for a test… “STAR SHOWER” “DRILL QUILL” …but even with the power of three star stones, it still hardly did a thing. Serpentari chuckled “My turn!” The star stone in her forehead glowed, “PLASMA VAPOUR!” she shouted and unleashed her power. Everyone dodged as the powerful energy zoomed right past them, leaving such a trail of burning destruction. The blast kept going and crashed right into a building that was shielded with a force field. The building didn’t get scratched, but the poor sheltered unicorns inside were shaken about and frightened. “Stay focussed!” shouted Lightning. “We’ve got to try harder!” The battle continued, and Dyno and Myte had an idea. They waited and watched as Serpentari’s mouth move as she roared and screeched. Then they fed her a taste of their, “BOOM-BOOM ROCKETS!” right through her mouth and into her stomach. The small explosions ruptured her insides, but she seemed to be more angry than damaged. “Fools, take this!” she shouted as she swung her huge tail hard knocking the twins up high into the air and away from each other. “Dyno…!!” “Myte… !!” Serpentari laughed maliciously, but the others charged forth like a stampede, and launched many attacks at once and managed to actually put a big scratch on her scaly face. She roared and screeched in pain for a brief moment. “We got her!” cried Starla, and others began to cheer, but then they noticed the star stone glowing again, and her wounds seemed to heal instantly. “Did you see-- It can’t be!” cried Rhymey. With her wounds healed, Serpentari was madder than ever and decided to even up the fight. The stone glowed again as she summoned out her “SERPENT SOLDIERS!” one for each gang member to deal with. Lightning almost immediately realized why Serpentari would summon her minions when she didn’t really need them, but before he could warn his friends, “Let’s get them!” shouted Buddy Rose, and the others began to charge at the monsters. “No wait…!” cried Lightning, but his friends were already fighting the serpents. Lightning also had a monster of his own to tend with, but rather than attack it, he just kept rolling, and dodging out of its way as it came at him, but the others were already using a lot of their powers and strength, much to Serpentari’s amusement and her plan-- to let them tire themselves out so they’d have nothing left to fight her-- but Lightning wasn’t about to let this happen, and he thought of something. “It’s risky but I’ve got to do it” he said to himself, and he summoned the rainbow rod, and told the others to quickly gather all the soldiers into one place. It wasn’t easy, but they managed to do it. “Do it, Lightning!” cried Artie! Lightning powered the Rainbow Rod, recited the chant, and unleashed the “SPECTRUCM STREAM!” Wiping out all the serpents at once, but after using that much power at once, he felt a little tired and fell to his knees. “Lightning!” Starla cried as she ran over to help him up “Are you okay?” “I’ll be fine.” panted Lightning as he stood. They dashed over to join the others, and Serpentari hissed, “My patience is wearing thin. I give you this last chance-- Hand over the star stones you possess!” “Never!” shouted Lightning “You should hand over the one you have and make it easier on yourself.” Serpentari roared angrily and began to charge again. “PLASMA VAPOUR!” and she launched another stream of power. The others scattered around, but poor Starla was barely able to get all the way aside as she felt her right leg getting hurt by the burning of being so close to the blast. “Ow! Uhn…!” she groaned as the trail sped past her and blew up a set of trees. Poor Starla fell to the ground shaking in pain, “My… my leg!” she cried softly, and she did look hurt. Her boot had been completely burned off, and her leg look badly burnt and bruised. Lightning felt his anger beginning to spike. “Starla!” he roared, and then he roared angrily and charged at Serpentari feeling the burning rushing through him, “Easy pickings.” hissed Serpentari and she swung her tail and bashed him really, really hard! “LIGHTNING!!” the others shouted. Lightning felt as if the moon had fallen on him. His mane and tail were all ruffled and tangled, and his armor never had a bigger dent in it. Serpentari just laughed, and then gazed at the others. “Now, isn’t this a shame. The almighty Starfleet has always triumphed over many kinds of evil, only to be brought down now after all this time.” The others were so upset and worried that they didn’t know what to do as if for the first time. Not a single one of their attacks worked, and even they did manage to damage her, the star stone in her head would heal her. All seemed pretty much hopeless! Serpentari then prepared herself for the kill. “Oh, how I’m going to enjoy this.” She was ready to blast Starla and Lightning to dust. “NO!!” the others cried, but suddenly, Serpentari began to feel strange as if she couldn’t move. “What… what is this!” she growled “My powers… they are getting… weak!” The star stone in her head began pulsating like crazy, and then it popped right out. “No! NO!!” Everyone watched as the stone began to float through the air and join with the other four around, “Grand Ruler!” cried Lightning. His master smiled and nodded. Then he said “Sometimes, even the best of warriors need help, but even so evil will never triumph over good.” He then used the magic of his horns to charge the four star stones which made them give a powerful glow and shot rays of light straight at Lightning, Starla, and all their friends! All of them felt very strange. “What is this?” asked Buddy Rose. “I’ve never felt so strong before.” said Artie. Rhymey clenched his fists and flexed his muscles. “This is so neat. Now we won’t be beat!” Dyno and Myte felt like they could blow up a mountain themselves, and not with any explosives but just using their brute strengths. Starla and Lightning both stood up, with their injuries fully healed, and Starla had her boot back. Grand Ruler explained that, just as he had promised, “You all found the star stones. You overcame many hardships and battled countless foes and all because you never gave up hope and continued to believe. Now as promised, their great power will bring you victory. Use it well.” “No!” growled Serpentari “The power is mine! I must have it!” Even with her powers severely weakened, she still was not willing to let what she had come so close to obtaining slip away now. “I WILL CRUSH YOU ALL!!” She charged forward ready to crush them all like insects. “Not if we can help it!” snarled Lightning “Ready, guys?” His friends all nodded, and they all charged forth, punching and kicking and bashing the evil demon many times, damaging her hard. “You will pay! You will all pay!” she shouted. “Oh yeah, how about this?” snarled Buddy Rose, and gripping his whip tightly, he unleashed his biggest and deadliest finisher attack ever. “WHIPLASH STRIKE” Serpentari was thrashed at so hard, the scales on her skin got split! “Our turn.” said Artie as he held his staff. “Now she shall learn!” rhymed Rhymey holding his sword up high. “SUPER STAFF-SPIN” “THRASH SLASH” They both leapt forth and slashed and bashed at the evil demon, harming her further. Then Starla and the Twins “GALACTIC PROJECTILE” “BOOM-BOOM FLARE” The evil demon looked badly beaten and charred. Then everyone gazed at Lightning. “She’s all yours amigo.” said Dyno. “Do it for your family.” added Myte. Lightning smiled bravely and thankfully at his friends, and then stepped forth towards the cringing demon. His golden horn and the rainbow rod both began glowing wildly and ready for the final blow. He no longer required as much concentration as before and in fact was ready to try something he never had before. Serpentari growled angrily “If I go down, at least you will go with me!” and she began to charge forth to crush him, but she suddenly was halted in her tracks as Grand Ruler used his magic to hold her in place. Lightning gazed at him, and his mentor smiled proudly and nodded for him to go ahead. Lightning smiled and then turned to face his enemy. “Serpentari, you killed my parents...” he blasted her once! “You’ve destroyed countless worlds for your own wicked desires…” he blasted her again “And you have demonstrated nothing but pure evil!” he blasted her a third time. Serpentari was shrouded in powerful shocking waves of magic that were harming her severely. Lightning then leapt up high enveloped in glowing light. “…And now, may all the innocence you have destroyed be avenged!” shouted Lightning His horn and the rainbow rod both glowed and sparkled like crazy. “No! You can’t do this to me!” shouted Serpentari. “I can and I will!” shouted Lightning as he charged rainbow force with the uniforce together, at the same time without even shouting out their names or reciting the chants. The two forces collided into Serpentari. The beast roared and screeched endlessly as her body began to vaporize into complete and total nothingness. The light was almost too blinding for everyone to look at and they shielded their eyes. Then, she was gone! Completely, totally gone! Lightning just stood there, feeling pretty tired, but not too exhausted, also amazed from what he had just done. “Mom… Dad… Grandfather… and all those of Harmonious.” He said deeply in thought “It’s over. I’ve won your revenge. You spirits can be at peace now.” Grand Ruler approached him and smiled proudly at his student. “You have begun mastered the uniforce, much sooner than I ever had myself. You have done us all proud today Lightning Dawn.” Lightning smiled and bowed to his teacher, and Grand Ruler commended everyone for their efforts. They truly were now some of the best fighters on all of Starfleet. “But really, Master…” Lightning said “If you hadn’t shown up with the star stones then who knows what would’ve happened?” His mentor was aware of that, but he could only repeat what he said about event he greatest of warriors need help sometimes. “I myself have needed help many times before, just like you and your friends, but helping each other and working together is what makes Starfleet a team, and very powerful and formidable force to be reckoned with.” The team agreed and bowed to him, but the moment was suddenly interrupted when a small portal appeared and out came Krysta and her husband King Topaz crying. “Lightning, thank goodness you’re here.” Krysta said in near panic. “What’s wrong?” asked Lightning. King Topaz explained “Only moments ago we had just received word from one of our messengers of extreme danger occurring on Equestria.” “Equestria…?!” Grand Ruler gasped. Rhymey felt uneasy too when he heard the world “Danger” and he worried about Fluttershy. “Tell us now! How bad is it-- How…?” Krysta could only explain that it was far worse than just bad. Equestria was rocked by another savage earthquake, spoiling all the hard work the slaves had done, forcing Nightmare Moon to angrily force them back to work once more. From their prison in the caverns Twilight, Celestia and Luna could hear all the chaos and agonizing cries of the poor creatures being tormented. Luna felt ever so depressed. “I fear this is all my doing. I originally created Nightmare Moon. The fault is mine.” “No, Princess-- Don’t think that.” said Twilight. “We all were just as surprised by her appearance, and had no way of knowing, and now you’re in just as much danger as the rest of us.” added Celestia. Luna couldn’t understand how her sister and her student could act so calm at a time like this. Celestia hated to admit it, but she was deathly afraid, and for the first time in a very, very long time too. Twilight was just as frightened. They were powerless to escape from their prison, they were worried sick about all their friends, and most of all they didn’t like all the constant tremors began to fear for their planet. Celestia closed her eyes tightly and prayed for a miracle. Her prayers were almost immediately answered when the guards were watching them suddenly vanished through small portals that appeared, that’s when a small fairy, Krysta, and several others came in through a second portal. “Who are you?” Twilight asked. “No time to explain.” said Krysta, and she and her warping fairies used their warping spells to weaken the bubble prisons holding the three ponies just enough so they could slip out. “How can we ever repay you?” asked Celestia. The fairies gazed at one another and explained of what they wanted them all to do. Nightmare was finally merciful enough to give Twilight’s friends a rest period, but not a very long one, and threw them into another dungeon within the fortress. The single cell was cold and dank, and there was hardly any place to sleep, but Twilight’s friends were so sore and tired from all their chores, they almost didn’t care to just collapse in any place. Spike was still very worried about Twilight, so much that a little tear escaped from his eye. “Are you okay, Spike?” asked Fluttershy. “Of course he’s not okay.” said Rainbow “Do you think any of us are?” Everyone was worried about the kingdom, the princesses, and Twilight, and they began to fear as if they were never going to know peace and harmony again with the way things were going. Then, suddenly, they all heard a little sound going “Pssst” they all looked up and saw a fairy, Krysta, at the cell window. She explained, in a very soft tone so she would not be overheard, that the princesses and Twilight were fine and safe with them now and that they would be away for a short while, but she promised they would see them again soon. “Don’t worry, everything will be all right soon.” Then she vanished out of sight. The ponies felt so relieved, and Spike wiped the tears from his eyes. Twilight was safe now, at least that was over, but he and the others hoped that fairy meant what she said about everything being fine soon. For now, all they could do was try to keep strong, and play it cool. While out in the void of dimensional space, that sinister voice behind the glowing red eyes hissed. “The time has come. Are you ready my friend?” The shadowy image of whatever Discord was now extended his large wings and claws. “…I am, master.” he said deeply. “The space ponies will be destroyed as per your wishes.” He and his master, whoever he was, shared a sinister laugh while gazing at Unicornicopia off in the vast distance. To Be Continued…! (Promo) In our next episode, it’s happy reunion for Celestia and Grand Ruler as the three ponies come to Unicornicopia for safety, but it is also discovered that Equestria is on the verge of destruction, and in order to save everyone on it, Nightmare Moon must be overthrown. Titan’s minions also decide to return for one last stab at their enemies with their special gifts from Nightmare Moon. What will our heroes decide to do, and what will the Equestrian’s think of Unicornicopia? Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!” (Next Episode: “Part 3: Reunions and Unions”)