//------------------------------// // Episode 23: The Ties That Unbind Us // Story: My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season VI // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// EPISODE TWENTY-THREE Hardly any monsters had attacked United Equestria recently. Some assumed it was because they got the message, that they couldn’t beat Starfleet, while others were convinced it was just the calm before the big storm; by which a really big battle was to follow. It always happened. Still, everyone took advantage of the nice weather and enjoyed outdoor activity, even the Starfleet members enjoyed what little time off they ever got to spend with friends or each other. Pinkie Pie was very happy to see all the love and friendless going around. Everywhere she looked she saw not a sad face, and many getting along with one another. The Cakes’ were happily, and even romantically helping one another run the bakeshop and café, while Pumpkin and Pound played happily together, passing a ball back and forth. The Cutie mark Crusaders were also helping out a great deal. The mansion that pony Mykan Stevens had left them, had since been brought down from the mountain and set up as a wear-house to store goods and things for other business, which the crusaders agreed to as it meant they could now help out more than ever. Of course, being too young to get into serious business like that, the grown-ups of Starfleet would deal with all the serious profits and stuff, as well as the bills and land rent, but the girls were entitled to small shares of the profits… which was put away for college funds, or in DD’s case her funding to attend Starfleet Academy. Still, it was a very helpful and noble thing they were doing. Why even two friendly spiders making a web outside the shop were helping each other spin until it was whole. The two seemed to be very close, even romantic-like. “Aww… that’s so sweet.” cooed Pinkie. “Shesh! You think you never saw it before.” grumbled Rainbow Dash. Poor thing looked as bored as she sounded. “Uh, oh… someone woke up on the wrong side of the rainbow.” Pinkie teased “Come on, Dash. Turn that frown into happy-town.” she pulled on Rainbow’s mouth to make her smile, but it just flopped to boredom again. “Yeah, look, I love all this peace and quiet as much as the next person, but… COME ON!! When are we going to see some action around here?” Artie came along, taking a break from his duties and his artworks. “That’s what comes from being strictly a creature of action. We’ll see some action soon, but in the meantime, a little break never hurt anyone. Besides, look at all the happiness around, it’s like being a in a living painting.” Then he broke into a song that was once sung on Unicornicopia to contemplate the happiness… Artie began to sing, and Pinkie sang with him, eventually, Rainbow found the fun and joy and began to sing and dance with her friends, and everyone else who joined in the song. More of their friends joined in, practically half of New Ponyville joined in, but the only ones not present were Lightning, Starla and Krysta. They were in New Canterlot, catching up on some work and helping train new recruits. Their day was going quite smooth… until a horrible sight caught their eyes…! Grand Ruler Celesto… Queen Celestia… both of them walked down the same hallway, but both of them were scowling angrily, and not even looking at one another. Finally, they reached a junction, took one look at each other, and then scoffed before walked down opposite ways. “Um… oooo-kay…” said Krysta. “I’ve never seen them behave like that.” said Lightning. “They must’ve had one bad argument.” said Starla “Even they aren’t perfect. They’ve had disagreements before.” “Well, yeah, but they’ve still never behaved like this before.” said Lightning “Usually they just calmly and civilly talk things out and reach an agreement.” The friends decided to try and speak with their majesties; Lightning spoke with Grand Ruler, and Starla took the queen, but as it turned out, neither one of them was willing to discuss it. “These are strictly our private affairs, and I wish not to discuss it.” Grand Ruler said. “But your majesty…” Starla said to Celestia, “No buts!” Celestia said sharply. “Celesto is my husband, and that makes this our own issue, and I ask you not to meddle with our private affairs.” The girls agreed not to discuss it further, and Celestia walked off huffier than ever. “Well, that went well.” said Krysta, but really the both of them were deeply concerned. …Even more so when Lightning told them he hadn’t had any luck with Grand Ruler. “He just ordered us all to return to New Ponyville, and not mention this to anyone. He sounded rather threatening.” The trio reluctantly decided to head back. Meanwhile, the happiness seemed endless in New Ponyville. Many were helping others, and sharing things too, unaware that they were being watched…! A pair of sinister eyes peeked through the shadows of the shrubs, gazing at two ponies having tea and chatting friendly with one-another. Then out from the shrubs, the creature held a long human-like arm, covered in fur, and extended long steel claws from her hand. “Sorry to cut this happiness short…” she hissed, and then right before her eyes she could see a long magical line, resembling the friendship and happiness the ponies felt towards one another. Her claws began to magically glow and she slashed at the line severing it…! At once, the ponies felt strange, but then as they gazed at one another they broke out into a heated fight. “I don’t know why I agreed to tea with you!” one of them snarled. “Why am I even talking to a blowhard like you anyway?!” growled the other. The two ponies scoffed at each other and walked away, while the creature in the shrubs snickered almost in a cat-like sound, and then she sprinted off to cause more trouble. Pinkie Pie came bouncing along with Rainbow fluttering alongside her while Artie preferred to walk. Suddenly, Pinkie froze and held her aching knee “Uh, oh… there goes my Pinkie Senses” she cried. “What’s wrong?” asked Artie. “You know, her Pinkie Senses.” replied Rainbow “Whenever Pinkie fells funny, strange things happen… literally, strange things!” Pinkie’s knee was aching, “That means something scary is about to happen!” she whimpered, and then her tail began to twitch!  “Twitcha Twitch! Twitcha Twitch!” she whimpered, “That’s means something’ going to fall too!” she bounced around in panic! Rainbow and Artie exchanged concerned looks, but as they looked around they could see nothing unusual anywhere. “You see anything?” asked Artie. “No, not even any clouds. What could possibly fall and be scary?” Rainbow wondered Those invisible lines connecting their friendship could only be seen by the cat-like creature hiding behind a tree as she extended her glowing claw and slashed at the lines. At once, Rainbow and Artie immediately turned hostile on one another. “What are you looking at Rainbow Crash?” “Just you, Bristle Brack!” “Oh, you wanna go?” “You bet I wanna go!” They growled at one another, and then scoffed and turned away, much to Pinkie’s confusion “Um, are you guys okay?” “Who needs her anyway?” Artie snubbed “As long as I have you, Pinkie Pie.” “Pft! Yeah right!” sneered Rainbow “Pinkie’s my friend!” and the two of them began to pull on her, even stretching her like an elastic. “She’s my friend!” growled Rainbow. “No, she’s mine!” protested Artie “She’s been a better friend than you ever have!” Now Pinkie was really scared, just like her senses predicted, and she wretched out of their grips. “Okay, as much as I like this-- Wait… no I don’t!” then she screamed and dashed away before the creature could slash her line as well. “Rats!” she hissed, again like a cat. “You won’t get away from me that easy.” As Pinkie flew along wondering what was going on with her friends, what she saw before her churned her blood! Ponies everywhere were no longer happy, but rather angry and hostile with one another, even some of her best friends were quarrelling or acting cold with one-another. Dyno and Myte were fighting over who got to use the shovel, and were arguing with each other in Spanish. Applejack was quarrelling with Buddy Rose. “People like my flowers way more than your silly apples!” snarled Buddy. “Too bad you’re the only one who thinks that!” snapped Applejack. Why even Rarity and Spike were arguing as they pulled on a piece of fabric covered in jewels they both seemed to want; Rarity wanted to make an outfit, while Spike wanted to eat the jewels. “Let go of this! You wretched beast!” snarled Rarity. “How about you let go, you old ugly mule!” Rarity’s head throbbed, and her face went red. She let out a thunderous roar! “I don’t know WHY in the universe I ever married you, Spike!!” Fluttershy and Rhymey were nowhere to be seen, as they had gone home to feed lunch to the animals, and it was all the better they weren’t present…! All the noise, all the arguments, Pinkie’s head was rattling like crazy, but her tail gave that twitch again, hinting it was all the love and friendship that was falling, and badly! “WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!!” cried Pinkie. The creature finally stepped out of hiding and hissed “…Conquering your planet; that’s what it means.” Pinkie turned round and saw the cat-like woman step out. She didn’t look like a creature from the prison. She was humanoid, and wore a dark blue leotard, but her arms and legs were furry. She had car like fangs and ears on her human head, and yes… she even had a tail. “Who or what are you?” Pinkie asked. “The name is Kitty Snip. With my keen senses I can see the ties that bind people by affection, friendship and harmony. It sickens me so, so I use my enchanted silver claws and…” she slashed at a tree, cutting it down in one swipe “…Get it?” Pinkie’s features hardened worse than ever “I get it now… YOU did all this!” Kitty, typically, licked her hand while snickering, “Genius, isn’t it? It’s ironic… I can easily over-dominate this planet, and everyone else is too busy to care or even notice. They’re too busy arguing with each other.” Indeed, she was right. The fighting was getting worse and worse. Those whom were the best of friends were now like heated enemies. Romantic couples were thinking of breaking off, and married couples were thinking of divorce. Even little children were beginning to fight physically with one another, while all their parents did was fight with one another. Fortunately, unaffected ponies and officers saw all this and begun to deal with the fighting, but Pinkie realize this monster had to be contained before things could get back to normal. “Harmony Hour, Friendship Power!” Once transformed, Pinkie wasted no time and leapt right into action, but Kitty sidestepped out of the way causing her to crash. “Feel fortunate my snipping doesn’t work while you’re standing alone.” Kitty said “I’ll just have to crush you the old fashioned way.” She extended her claws and hissed violently while Pinkie snuffed like the horse she was and kicked back the dirt. “Bring it!” The two leapt at each other, biting and clawing, and punching and kicking. Unfortunately for Pinkie, Kitty was very swift and quick on her feet like the cat she was, and she slashed at Pinkie hard casing sparks to fly all over, and Pinkie’s armor was horribly scratched, much to her horror. Kitty licked her claws and remarked “You’ve got to sharp if you want to be swift.” Pinkie wasn’t hurt much, and got back on her feet, but what she wouldn’t give for her friends to come and help her, and suddenly, right then and there… they all dropped in, fully transformed, minus Lightning, Starla, Rhymey and Fluttershy. Even while under a spell, they still seemed willing to fight. “Leave this one to me…” said Spike as he held his dragon sword. “Hey, who said you get to go first?!” complained Rainbow. “I’ll take the first shot!” snapped Dyno. “Espera un minuto aquí! *Wait a minute here!*” growled Myte “You and I have to do it together, or our power is cut in half.” “Who said I needed you?” “Hey, you can’t talk to him like that!” snarled Applejack. “Look who’s talking!” jeered Rarity. All the friends were arguing more with each other than concentrating. Pinkie tried hopelessly to get them all to calm down, but Kitty was rather enjoying this. “This is more fun than watching a performance on stage.” Then she could see Pinkie Pie’s friendship tie, as she was near her friends, just ready for her to slash at it. She readied her claws for the slash, when suddenly... CLANG!! Her claws came into contact with Rhymey’s sword. He stood there grinning at her, and then Fluttershy touched down, and she looked awfully angry. “How dare you do this to our friends!” she sneered. “We shall break you from all ends!” rhymed Rhymey. “Ha!” snapped Kitty “The only thing breaking will be your friendship-ties.” she could see them both glowing and tried to slash at it, but Fluttershy leapt up high taking her chain with her, out of range. Pinkie thought that a cool move, “As long as we don’t come near each other, she can’t slash the ties.” Kitty growled, and then began to do battle with Rhymey, her claws against his sword, but again she proved to be swift and managed to hit him a few times. “Easy pickings!” hissed Kitty, and she dashed forth to claw at him again. “DRILL QUILL!” Rhymey unleashed his barrage of sharp quill feathers, which pelted at Kitty slowing her down just a little. “You think that’ll stop me? The cat always gets the bird!” Kitty snarled, and she furiously swiped her claws at all the feathers wiping her path clear… But as she came out of the barrage, Rhymey leapt up high, revealing Fluttershy right behind him and she gave Kitty a good fist to the face, sending her sailing towards Pinkie who gave her a good kick to the chest that sent her skidding across the ground. She got up rubbed her face and growling angrily. “That may be the first time anyone has successfully landed a blow on me.” The ponies, standing away from one another, knew this couldn’t go on like this, what with all the arguing ponies and all the village acting Fluttershy scanned Kitty with her visor, and determined the magical energy surrounding her claws, the same kind of energy that was emitting from all the others, whom were still bickering with one another. “We have to try and destroy her claws.” Fluttershy called to the others “Maybe that’ll break the spell.” Rhymey scanned the claws, and tried to detect what kind of metal they were and how strong they were. “That’s easier said than done, They’re made of a solid metal, and a strong one.” Kitty snickered “That’s the least of your worries!” and she leapt up high. The others tried to spot her, but it was as if she had vanished into thin air. “Where did she go?” asked Fluttershy. “I don’t know.” rhymed Rhymey. Pinkie remained silent and still, except for moving her eyes round. Suddenly, her tail gave that same twitch. “Heads up!” she shouted, and right then did Kitty leap down to swipe at her. Pinkie zipped out of the way, and Fluttershy dashed up to attack, but got kicked hard in the chest. Furious, about his wife being struck, Rhymey attacked, but Kitty swiftly knocked his sword away, and swung round bashing him with her tail and sent him crashed into the girls. The trio now sat close to each other and Kitty saw this perfect chance to snip their lines. “A cat always lands on her feet, a pity you’re about to land like your friends did-- against one another, and I’ll be one step closer to conquering this world with ease!” She lunged up to slash at the friendship-lines and possibly the friends too, when Lightning came soaring in and kicked her hard and sent her crashing onto a bench, breaking it to pieces. As she got up Starla came soaring in, “STAR SHOWER!” and pelted her with her stars to keep her distracted. “You guys okay?” she then called to the others. “We’re okay, but that was sure close.” said Fluttershy. “We just got into town when we heard of trouble…” said Lightning, and then he could see for himself what the trouble was; all the friends were still squabbling with one another. Pinkie explained the situation and pointed at Kitty, “And SHE’S responsible for this!” Kitty snickered and said, “And I’m about to be responsible for your destruction!” She held out her claws, which Lightning and Starla scanned and realized what the others had been trying to do. “I think I have an idea…” Lightning whispered to the others, preferably at Pinkie and Fluttershy. The girls and their cutie marks on their armor. “Oh, of course!” said Fluttershy. “Why didn’t we think of that before?” added Pinkie. “We will distract her as best we can do, The rest will be up to the two of you.” said Rhymey. Everyone called “BREAK!!” and the space ponies leapt back into action. As Kitty stared the three ponies down, she rubbed her claws together, “Time for me to but the snip on your friendship lines.” She lunged at them, and they scattered. “STARLIGHT ARROW!” Starla launched a single arrow at Kitty, and she evaded it, but Starla’s horn glowed as did her arrow and she began to guide it around like a homing missile with her finger. This forced Kitty to swerve and dodge the arrow more and more, until finally she slashed at it with her claws. Then Rhymey leapt in and battled her in a fencing fight; his sword against her claws. He managed to strike her once, but then she struck him twice, forcing Lightning and Starla to leap in do combat battle. While Kitty was distracted, Fluttershy and Pinkie concentrated hard until their cutie marks began to shine, and they shouted… “VALKYRIA!!” and donned their Valkyrie of Harmony forms. “Do you think this will really work?” asked Pinkie. “I hope so.” said Fluttershy. They then joined their swords together and concentrated hard on their elements-- Laughter and Kindness—and fired a magical blast at their bickering friends. The magic was good enough to mend their ties and break the spell, snapping them back to their senses. “What were we doing?!” Artie cried in shame. “Acting like complete and total idiots.” said Rainbow. The friends all apologized; Spike hugged Rarity warmly. “I love you, Rarity.” “I love you, Spikey-Wikey.” Fluttershy and Pinkie smiled wat one another with delight. “Okay y’all, we can all makeup later…” said Applejack “We got a baddie to bag!” The others all agreed. Kitty swung hard with her claws and hit the three space ponies hard, and sent them rolling along the ground. “…Looks like slow-and-steady doesn’t win the battle after all!” Kitty sneered “I think I’ve wasted enough time with you vermin. The cat always catches her mice!” The three space ponies looked up, but were grinning cheekily. “There’s just one problem…” Lightning said, and he motioned to all the others whom stood glaring at her, “…It looks like your way outnumbered now.” Kitty couldn’t believe her eyes, “No! This can’t be. My spell is irreversible!” “Ha! I guess you underestimated the power of friendship.” snapped Pinkie. Fluttershy nodded, “When it comes to friendship, even when it’s broken, there’s still a chance it can be repaired and made-up.” The others all stood together in a huge group, but Kitty was not impressed! “You’re all slicker than I thought, but I am slicker still!!” She charged forth to cut everyone’s lines again and put them all back under the spell, but the fighters all scattered about so she missed, and one-by-one hey attacked her mercilessly to weaken her. Poor Kitty, she tried her hardest to evade all the attacks, but as she was outnumbered, there were fewer places for her to escape to. Then, as she swerved round a bend, she saw Lightning with the uniforce charged up. “Take this…!” he shouted and fired a small wave of power. Kitty put up her claws to try and defend herself, but her claws were brutally shattered under the mighty force. “No!!” she shouted. “Now, guys…!” Lightning shouted, and everyone blasted her with their finishers, and Kitty exploded-- shrunk down to size and imprisoned in a sphere. Of course, with her claws destroyed and Kitty herself imprisoned, her spell had broken and all the citizens in New Ponyville snapped back to their senses. All of them realized what they had been doing and how badly they were acting. Apologies and make-ups were immediately carried out. The team was very happy to see this happening, though, Lightning and Starla still seemed a little bummed, and they told their friends about Grand Ruler Celesto and Queen Celestia. “Really…?” Pinkie asked in disbelief. “Whoa!” exclaimed Spike. “That is simply dreadful!” cried Rarity. “They won’t say why they’re so mad?” asked Fluttershy. Lightning shook his head. “They also told us not to interfere with their personal affairs. I’m really worried about them.” “Well, maybe Kitty got to them too…” suggested Rainbow “Maybe she slashed at their friendship ties and they were bickering over nothing.” But Lightning and Starla completely disagreed, “They are Deity Alicorns…” said Starla “Their ties are much too strong to be broken by such simple tricks.” “Besides…” Artie cut in “…Kitty was here in New Ponyville, and I dubt even with her speed she could get to New Canterlot and back that easily.” A long moment of silence befell on everyone. This meant that their majesties really did have a fight, and really were steamed with one another. “Well, who knows…” said Rainbow “Maybe it’ll all just blow over, and they’ll make up for it and things will be okay?” Everyone else wanted to try and believe that until Krysta showed up, and she looked pretty downhearted and worried. “Krysta, what’s wrong?” Lightning asked. Krysta wasn’t sure how to word it, so she just was blunt and said that, after she dropped Lightning and Starla off, she wanted to check back up on their majesties, and she found really struck her hard. “They were yelling at each other. It was a really heated argument, but I have no idea of what started it all or what it was even about… and then…” she paused and tears were forming in her eyes, almost like a frightened child, “…Grand Ruler… he… he… struck the queen across her face!” Everyone gasped really hard and loudly… …and Rarity fainted into Spike’s arms. “I… I…I can’t believe it!” cried Buddy Rose. The twins were equally as shocked, “I didn’t think he ever could!” said Dyno. “Do you think… they may… get a divorce?” asked Myte, but saying that only made everyone’s stomach’s turn very badly, especially Lightning’s. “No!” he said firmly “I don’t believe that will happen! It can’t! It won’t!” …but for the first time in a long time, the more and more he tried to deny all this, the more he found it harder to face. Only time would tell just how far things would go... …but back at the palace, things were not improved as Celestia lay flat on her bed in tears and weeping very miserably. The left side of her face was red and bruised form where her husband had hit her. Princess Luna came in when she heard, and sat next to her sobbing sister, trying to comfort her… …while Grand Ruler, feeling extremely remorseful for striking his wife, was all alone on the highest terrace of the palace feeling ashamed and wondering how things came to this. He gripped the rulings tightly with his head hanging low… and his own tears splashed against the floor. He honestly didn’t know how things could ever be made up for, and he didn’t even want to begin to think how the public would react to this! Hopefully, the news would not leak out! (Promo) In our next episode: Their majesties squabble not only seems to have reached the public’s attention, but escalates into a one-on-one manhunt as the Queen and Grand Ruler try to eliminate one another, and Lightning is caught alone in the middle between the two warring ones trying to bring some sense of peace to the couple. Will Lightning be able to quell the anger and hostilities of their majesties? Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!” (Next Episode: “A Royal Duel to the Death: Part 1”)