//------------------------------// // Episode 2: Rom-Antics // Story: My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season III // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// EPISODE TWO Citizens were made aware that the planet was once again cloaked under the cape of war, while some were shaking in fear, the rest were all confident that Starfleet and Friendship would prevail like they always did. Once again, the laws of war were put into effect, and Starfleet patrols carried on all day. All officers continued to train hard to keep their strengths in check, especially Lightning and Twilight. Lightning was learning to master the uniforce in so many ways. He even managed to use it many times in row without feeling tired, and was learning to be able to cast it in small projectiles, like firing energy-bolts like his friends could with their normal magic. Twilight continued to train too. Princess or not, she never let that go to her head. Lightning was an admiral and she was only a captain. Lightning would always be the commander of the units, and Twilight could never hope to beat him in strength or with magic. She knew this and respected it, just as Lightning respected her as his friend and classmate, as well as a decent fighter and kind-hearted soul. Of course, there were others important to Lightning; among them was his beloved Starla Shine, and it was no secret to anyone how they truly felt about each other. They had gone on many dates and helped each other both in and out of battle. Lightning even saved Starla on many occasions just as she saved him. Both of them had common interests: Fighting to save the universe. Studying, training, and when they were off duty they both loved dancing, singing, and, whenever they managed to find the time; they enjoyed having fun just kicking back and enjoying the comfort or excitements of life. In the end they really loved each other, more and more every day. Lightning had been thinking it over, and made up his mind. He came into the accessories shop one day. The clerk seemed overjoyed to see him. “Well, well. Admiral Lightning Dawn. What brings you here?” Lightning felt a little embarrassed to be saying so. “I’m here to buy a ring.” he said. The clerk blinked once and asked “Uh… any particular kind?” Lightning looked around to make sure no one else could hear him, and leaned forward and whispered “…An engagement ring.” The clerk didn’t look surprised, and whispered to Lightning to meet him at the shop after closing.  By nightfall, when Lightning had returned the shop was closed, and no one else was there, but the clerk, and he let Lightning in to show him something really extra special he had been saving just for him, knowing the day would be coming when he’d propose to Captain Starla and thought that they both only deserved the best! With no one watching, he pulled out a locked box from a secret compartment under the floor boards. Inside was a small box, and inside of it had to be the most beautiful diamond ring Lightning had ever seen in the universe. It looked identical in almost every detail to Queen Celestia’s wedding ring.  Lightning thought he was wasting a fortune just staring at it, but the clerk was letting him have it totally free. He knew that Lightning was very special for helping save the world, many lives, not to mention his own countless times. “But if anyone asks, you didn’t get it here.” the clerk said. Lightning promised not to tell a soul. Lightning returned home, and kept the ring hidden out of sight. He went to bed planning to propose to Starla in the morning, but deep down he was starting to feel very nervous about it. Meanwhile, Sombra’s minions were already making their plans to search United Equestria for the fragments of the crystal heart. “But what if we run into those little freaks again?” Frost-Eye asked. “You know our orders…” Harkin said “Our main concern is finding the fragments, and if Starfleet should interfere, we have been told what to do.” “So, who’s going first?” asked Phaedra. “Melantha.” replied Harkin “She’s with his majesty now.” In Sombra’s chamber, the wicked king had used his vile magic to cast spells in walnut sized dark crystals that when shattered would unleash a swarm of shadowbolts. However, he had cast a wickeder spell on a larger dark crystal, the size of a large egg and gave it to Melantha. “I trust you to find me a fragment.” his evil voice hissed “And if our enemies should show to interfere this shall help distract them.” Melantha accepted the crystal, and bowed to her king. “A-thousand times, thank you my lord. I shall not disappoint you.” Sombra’s wicked eyes narrowed as he snickered sinisterly. The next morning, Lightning got up and kept eyeing himself in the mirror hoping he looked okay, even going as much as to wax his golden horn three times to make it shiny and shimmering. Krysta appeared so suddenly and made him jump, and she jumped too. “Oh, Krysta…! Sorry, I was miles away.” “I see that. You’re still nervous aren’t you?”  Lightning nodded, but he knew he had to do this. He reached behind him and pulled out the box and made sure the ring was still in it, and then he and Krysta headed off to meet with Starla for their breakfast date. On their way into town they passed by Carousel Boutique where Twilight and Spike were dropping off Twilight’s royal garbs to be mended after being damaged in the last battle. Rarity was only too obliged to help. “It is not every day that one has the privilege of helping royalty.” Twilight felt flattered, but wished everyone would stop giving her all this special treatment, or addressing her so formally by title; Princess. She wasn’t even wearing her crown and merely wore her casual uniform. “I’m still you’re friend no matter what.” she would keep telling everyone. The three friends decided to head out and get something to eat together, when they saw Lightning and Krysta. “Morning, guys.” Twilight said with a smile, but Lightning hardly acknowledged her as he was lost in his mind again. “Lightning…?” He stirred. “Oh! Twilight, Spike.” “Are you feeling okay?” asked Spike. Lightning didn’t bother to lie and admitted he was feeling nervous, and he showed them the ring. “Whoa!” remarked Twilight. Rarity’s eyes gleamed like the sun, and Spike was drooling practically a waterfall from his mouth and could hardly control himself. Of all the gems he had ever known, he had never seen anything so lovely. What he would give just to have one tiny lick of it, but of course Lightning wouldn’t let him. “So, today’s the day, huh?” Twilight teased. “Oh, darling, she will love it.” cried Rarity “I always dreamed a day when that one special creature would propose to me with the biggest and most beautiful diamond for the most beautiful pony of his dreams.” She fell happily to the ground in a blurry daze. Spike gave her a small poke and she didn’t even flinch. “Yep, she’s out of it again.” The others could only sigh “…Typical Rarity.” Rarity came to, and they all proceeded to the café where Starla waved at them. Sadly, she and Lightning preferred to eat alone, and the others didn’t mind, but they intended to watch the whole thing from a few tables down. Lightning sat down next to his mare-friend and tenderly kissed her hand. “You look prettier every day.” She smiled at him. “So do you.” While they sat and ate their breakfast together, the others kept peeking every now and then. They were starting to grow anxious just waiting for the big moment. “Are you ready to order yet?” the waiter asked impatiently. “Oh, how rude!” groaned Rarity. They all quickly just ordered the first thing that came to their minds and sent the waiter off, but still Lightning wasn’t making any moves yet. Soon, Starla noticed Lightning acting a little strangely. “Is everything okay?” she asked. Her colt-friend nervously gazed down and twiddled his fingers. “Um, well… actually… I…” The others gazed with extreme anxiety and excitement. “Come on, Lightning. You can do it.” Krysta muttered under her breath, but ultimately Lightning asked to be excused a moment and went off, much to Starla’s confusion. The others sighed in dismayed. “…Like I didn’t see that coming.” Spike said to himself. “Come on you guys.” Twilight said. They all got up and followed Lightning behind the café where they found him standing dead still with his head dropped forward and rubbing his hand through his mane. He felt like such a fool that he couldn’t get over his nerves. “Look at yourself!” Rarity said “How could you let yourself be overcome like that?” Lightning’s feature’s hardened. “May I remind you, Lieutenant Rarity, how to speak to your superior officer, even when off duty!” he said sharply. “With all due respect… sir…” Twilight said “This is for your own good. You came out here to propose to Starla, and when have you ever gone back on promises you make to yourself?” Lightning realized they were right, but he was just so nervous, the others couldn’t blame him. “Lightning, trust me.” Spike said “Just go back out there, and pop the question to Starla. You’ll be just fine.” Lightning stood tall and proud and pulled himself together. “Okay. Let’s try again.” and he went back to his table. “Are you alright?” Starla asked. Lightning gazed at her tenderly. “Starla, I… I want to… ask you something.” Starla’s cheeks turned pink, as she felt she knew what was coming. “Yes, what is it…?” Lightning felt his heart racing. “Well… Starla… I…” The others watched again with anxiety. “Come on! Do it!” they silently said in their minds. “Starla… how much do you love me?” Lightning finally asked. Starla felt a little taken back by that question. “What do you mean? I love you with all my heart. So why ask?” “Just humor me.” Starla explained that Lightning was not like any other creature she had known, even from the day they met back on Unicornicopia, she knew there was something special about him. She saw that he was kind and gentle, and at other times he proved to be brave and bold just like any officer on the force. He never gave up, even against unthinkable odds and helped to encourage everyone to believe in themselves and not lose hope. They both shared many interests, and even understood each other’s pain from their past lives and hardships and always comforted one another. Of course there were times when they would get into an argument or so, and Lightning would sometimes be a little stubborn, but they were quick to make up because she saw with proof that Lightning truly cared for the safety universe, his friends, and was always willing to put himself at risk to help. “Ever since I first met you, I wanted to become a better alicorn, and do things I couldn’t before. I wanted to better myself and become more like you. Lightning, I love you, and I honestly can’t picture myself without you. You may be my superior, but you’re so much more. You are my heart and soul.” They shared a soft kiss, and the others gazed in happiness. Rarity wiped a tear form her eye. Upon hearing those words, Lightning’s fear disappeared almost completely and he made up his mind. “Why do you ask?” Starla asked. He gazed deeply into her azure eyes. “Starla, there’s something else I want to ask you.” “Yes…?” “Starla… I… I want to ask… if you’d--” before he could say another thing, there was a small tremor. Birds flew out of trees and off the rooftops in panic followed by the warning alarms sounding and all the other ponies and other civilians running for the nearest shelters before the force fields energized. Lightning felt upset that he got interrupted jus when he was about to pop the question. So were Twilight and the others. Nevertheless, they all had to check out what was happening. They could immediately see where the trouble was happening, just up ahead where trees were falling and dark magic could be seen. The friends all nodded at one another and transformed. “Starfleet Magic!!” “Harmony Hour, Friendship Power!!” “Let’s go!” said Lightning and they headed off towards the danger-zone, and along the way, the ponies felt a little funny as if they were homing in on another magical force. It had to have been a crystal heart fragment, somewhere in the area, and no surprises when they found Melantha tearing the area up searching for the fragment, cutting down the trees, blasting lampposts, mailboxes and benches. “Freeze!” shouted Lightning. Melantha turned and saw the fighters. “You again!” she hissed “I don’t have time to deal with you. I know there’s a heart fragment around here and I’m going to get it!” “Not if we find it first.” said Twilight. “But first we’ll deal with you!” growled Starla, and they all stood ready for battle, but Melantha could only laugh. “You don’t really think I came here alone...” she said as she smashed small dark crystals at ground, creating a swarm of shadowbolts to aid her. “…Did you?” “Even if you had a thousand of them, they wouldn’t keep us from you.” said Lightning. Melantha snickered and signaled her shadowbolts to fight and keep the team distracted while she could search for the fragment. “Go!” shouted Lightning and he and the others, and Krysta jumped into battle, while once again poor Spike was had no option but to stay out of the way, hiding behind a tree stump. He really hated not being able to be old enough, big or strong enough to actually help the others fight. The team just couldn’t let the shadowbolts continue to roam, knowing they would cause more damage, and had to fight them. They weren’t too difficult to beat. Especially not for Lightning, with his strength higher than the others; all the shadowbolts that ran up to him were knocked out easily, and whichever ones he missed, Krysta got them-- flying straight through them like a tiny comet and blowing them into smoke. Even Rarity found it simple. One of them grabbed her and lifted her up off of her feet. “Let go of me at once you! HI-YA!” and she back kicked the creature in his gut and sent him crashing into a lamppost, and he vanished in a puff of black smoke. Rarity merely flicked her mane and huffed. Twilight punched, chopped and kicked her way through all the shadowbolts coming after her; threw them all into one big pile and zapped them with a magical beam blowing them up. “Wow! I’m getting good at this fighter stuff.” A whole row of shadowbolts came after Starla, but she just stood there with her arms folded and fired her “PULSAR LASER” from her horn and blasted through all of them at once. The shadowbolts fell like trees. “Like beating a dead horse.” she scoffed. Melantha could see that she was going to require an extra bit of help and remembered the other crystal she had. “Melantha!” shouted Lightning as he leapt down before her, with Krysta by his side. “Give yourself up and make it easier.” The little fairy said, but Melantha looked to her side and spotted a large anthill with ants all around it. “You want easier? Well, how about this…?” and she tossed the crystal right at the anthill. The crystal vanished right inside the hill, and the hill and the ants around it began glowing in dark energy and swirling in a tornado of smoke. The others joined Lightning by his side after crushing the rest of the shadowbolts. “What’s going on?” asked Twilight, but she could see for herself that the smoke was clearing and there stood a twenty foot tall mutated ant-like monster with sharp pincers, claws, angry red eyes, and it roared. Rarity screamed in terror. “I DESPISE INSECTS!” she shouted. Melantha laughed and ordered King-Mantis to deal with the team while she searched for the fragment. “Oh, no you don’t.” snarled Rarity as she chased after her. “Rarity…!” Twilight called. “Leave her!” Lightning said “We’ll take care of this monster, she can find the fragment.” Spike saw everything and didn’t like Rarity going after Melantha on her own and silently followed them leaving the others to face King-Mantis. Just as they had scanned with their visors, the Mantis was pretty tough. It swung its huge pincers and claws at the team, which they did their best to evade. Lightning leapt up high and punched the big brute hard. The Mantis roared angrily and fired a stream of power from its mouth hitting Lightning hard. “Hey! No one does that to my colt-friend!” shouted Starla as she dashed forth leaping on the monsters’ backside and booting it hard in the back. “Don’t forget me!” Twilight said as she head-bashed the beast hard in its massive chest. The monster angrily swung its claws and attacked the girls hard throwing Starla away and slamming Twilight hard to the ground. “Ooh…! That hurt!” she groaned. The Manits crawled over to her and prepared to smash her, when Lightning swopped down and got her out of the way, and Krysta gave the monster a big zap in the face with her queen scepter. While they fought, Melantha could sense the force of the magic getting stronger. She lifted up a small boulder and there it was. “Mine! All mine…!” she cried as she reached down to take it, when she got hit from behind by Rarity’s magic pulse. “Taking something that something that does not belong to you? How rude…!” Melantha growled and unleashed her “POISON PETALS” Rarity dodged them and fired another pulse. Melantha dodged it and the two went hard at it with Spike watching from behind a garbage can and he saw the heart fragment and figured while the girls were distracted that he’d try and get it. Rarity got punched and kicked a few times which really angered her “Do you have any idea how long it takes to beautify my face?” she snarled. “Spare me.” Melantha sneered and summoned for her standard weapon “DOOM TRIDENT” Rarity winced softly, but despite having no weapons herself, she shook off her fear and stood her ground. Melantha swung and jabbed and thrust the trident at her, but Rarity kept back-flipping out of the way. She even leapt up onto the trident and managed to kick Melantha in the face hard, only to leave herself with open to get bashed like a ball with the trident and sent flying into a garbage can. Rarity’s outfit and visor were coated in slime, and a banana peel sat atop her head. “Ah… I… This…!” she then let out a huge long SCREAM of disgust. The others heard her, and realized that had to get rid of the mantis now, but they couldn’t just destroy it as it was just being controlled and formed by the black crystal inside of it, and Sombra’s magic made it immune to capture, but Starfleet was trained for this as well! Once the monster was weakened enough from battling out for so long, Starla Lightning and Twilight agreed it was time. “Stand back!” Lightning said as his golden began to glow along with his entire body. “This is what I trained for.” The King Mantis charged and fired another energy stream. “Oh, no you don’t!” growled Twilight as she countered it with her own magical blast. “STAR SHOWER” shouted Starla as she kept on bombarding the beast to keep him distracted so Lightning to charge his attack properly. He had been training hard and discovered a way to aim the uniforce carefully so it would only vanquish all the evil within the monster. “Well, here goes… something. UNIFORCE!!” and he fired his blast right at the monster blasting all the evil away. When the bright lights faded, the ant hill appeared on the ground and all the ants, like it were unharmed. The dark crystal magically popped out from the hill and shattered. “Yeah…! All right, it works!” Lightning cheered. The girls were happy too. Now, there was yet another whole way to stop evil creatures without harming innocent ones if they couldn’t be captured. However, they had completely forgotten about the heart fragment, which at that moment was in Spike’s grip, but as he tried to run with it safety, Melantha stepped right out in front of him. Spike gazed up nervously at the beautiful but wicked demon as she bent down and picked him up by his tail holding him upside-down. “I’ll take that.” she hissed as she took the fragment. “Hey! That’s mine!” growled Spike as he playfully fussed about and actually blew a tiny breath of fire at her, which really didn’t do much. So she just dropped him and let him plop on the ground. “You!” shouted Lightning. Melantha looked up and saw all the others coming at her. “Drop that fragment!” demanded Starla, but Melantha had got what she came for and didn’t have to stay any longer. “Bye-Bye!” and she vanished causing the gang to miss her. “She got away with the fragment!” cried Twilight. “There’s nothing we can do about it now.” said Starla  Spike felt horrible. “It’s all my fault.” he said sadly trying to hide his tears of shame. “Ah, don’t beat yourself up, Spike.” said Krysta. “You couldn’t help what happened.” The others agreed, even Twilight thought it was brave that he tried to help. Spike felt a little better, but still wished he could done more… like a real fighter. “At least the kingdom is safe.” Lightning said “And we did learn a lot about what to expect here on out. I suggest we report this to the Grand Ruler and the Queen at once. They must know of this.” The others agreed, but suddenly turned when Rarity cleared her throat trying to get their attention. “If it would not be so much trouble, would someone mind helping to CLEAN ME UP?!” The others couldn’t help but chuckle softly at how funny she looked covered in all that garbage. Rarity’s face turned beet red in outrage. Still, she got cleaned up, and then everyone decided to head home to make out their routine reports. After Lightning had written his report and sent it on its way to New Canterlot Palace, only then did he remember “Starla!” He pulled the ring out of his pack, and realized he had completely forgotten to propose to her. “Ugh…!” he groaned as he slumped in his chair. “Oh, don’t feel bad.” Krysta said “I forgot about it too. The others probably did too. We had a lot on our minds then.” “I guess so.” Lightning said, but he still felt a little bummed for missing his chance, and now was not a good time to go find Starla. She would need some time to rest up after the battle, and so did he. Also, it looked as if it was getting ready to rain outside after a beautiful sunny morning. “Well, there’s always next time.” he said. The one thing that comforted him was hearing her profess how much she loved him. So at least he didn’t have to worry too much about being nervous anymore. All he wanted now was the right place and the right time to pop the question to her. Meanwhile, their majesties were in the palace nursery watching over their three-month old foals, Castor and Leilani, and taking time to read the Starfleet and Friendship reports they had received that day. Even though the fragment was taken, Grand Ruler was proud to have the results to Lightning’s discovery and to hear that his new skill would prove useful in battle. Meanwhile, his wife was enjoying reading all the wonderful friendship reports from young ponies and other creatures, but it was hard to concentrate as she would always take a gander at her children in their playpen. “Aren’t they adorable?” she playfully asked. Her husband agreed as he gazed at the foals.  Celestia managed to read all the reports and made it to the last one, but this one seemed strange for a friendship report. It was a black parchment with a skull seal on it. In big red letters it read… Dear Queen Celestia… I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!! She gasped in shock. “What?!” snapped Grand Ruler as he examined the note. A big flash of lightning and a booming of thunder roared outside as the rain came pouring down, while someone out there, a mysterious stranger was writing red ink on another letter on black parchment which said. DIE,  CELESTIA,  DIE! She snickered sinisterly as she wrapped the letter up. (Promo) In our next episode, Cadance is struggling and lamenting over the death of her brother, whom she destroyed some time ago. Meanwhile, the teams are being briefed at New Canterlot Palace, and presented with upgraded weapons to assist them in the battles ahead. They also discover one of Brain’s newest creations; a creation that Celestia’s mystery assassin plans to use to her advantage. Will Cadance be able to ever put her lament to rest, and what will become of Celestia against Brain’s new creation? Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic” (Next Episode: “Renegade Robot!”)