One night, Starla was star-gazing through her telescope to help with her star-maps.

Lightning was away attending a service on another planet, the planet where Captain Magnus and his team had manned the Starfleet outpost there, and they were having a little service funeral for the loss of Lieutenant Sephy.

Starla didn’t go with him, because she was in no condition for space-flight, and she didn’t send her droid with him either as it was best to conserve its power only for battles and duty.

Krysta was keeping her company and helping look after her upon Lightning’s request.

Starla then spotted Sienna’s ship way out beyond the distance of the moon, and her features hardened. “Every time I look at that ship or even think of it, it really boils me.”

“I know how you feel.” said Krysta “It makes me wonder just how many horrible things those creeps have done to so many.”

Suddenly, the door the house opened and Lightning came in. “I’m home.” he called softly.

Lightning then tapped his energizer donning changing from his commander’s uniform to his casual wear. Then he kissed his wife tenderly. She looked up at him lovingly,

“It was quiet.” replied Lightning “Captain Magnus is pretty down about this. Personally, I can’t blame him. I offered him time off if he wanted, but he promised to be brave and continue his duties.“Sephy would want me to.”he told me.”

The girls felt that was brave and noble, but at the same time they felt really bad for Magnus. Krysta felt more livid at Sienna than ever. “I ought to blow up her ship and vaporize the remains!”

“Easy, Krysta…” said Starla “Much as many of us share your outrage; destroying Sienna won’t bring Sephy back.”

“Besides, it won’t be that easy anyway.” Lightning cut in, and he held out a file he brought home with him. “I went over reports from Magnus’ unit; that ship’s coating is composed of a highly unique alloy; unlike anything we’ve ever known before. Laser-fire and magic blasts just deflect right off of it. An exterior assault would be useless.

We’re going to do all we can to try to get at those creeps, but for now we need to be on-guard for any assaults that Sienna may throw at us.”

Onboard Sienna’s massive ship, Slash was complaining “Why don’t we just use the lasers and blast that planet to bits?”

“Use your head, Slash!” sneered Sienna “If we do that, we might destroy The Elements of Chaos.

Slash growled, and Omnisha felt more outraged than ever for now having her powers severely limited since losing her good crystal-ball and switching to her old one, “Even I can’t tell how we expect to find The Elements.” she grumbled “We have no map, no clues, and even that twat, Celestia doesn’t know where they rest.”

Sienna sat in her chair in the center of the bridge and looked mad enough to shoot down The Raiders, but Mako calmed her. “Take it easy, Sis. We’ll find them; we always find what we want.”

Sienna calmed herself and smiled at her brother, “You’re right, Mako. We will find them, and we will eliminate anyone that dares to get in our way.”

On a mountain in The New Frozen North, I was all bundled up in warm clothes and winter-wear, and climbing the side of a mountain with Professor Brain.

He was on one of his One-Day expeditions. Today he was looking for crystaling ice for one of his experiments, and I was invited to participate with him. I was eager to find a few ores and stuff myself to continue my own research and observations of United Equestria.

Thanks to my teleporter, we were able to set up out campsite easily, and the professor didn’t do half bad for a pony his age.

“Again, I can’t thank you enough for letting me come with you, Professor.” I said to him

“Oh, really, think nothing of it, Mykan.” replied Brain “I should have thought a chap of the scientific world like you would leap at the chance.”

“Well, you’re right about that.” I said “The more I study about this world it’ll make it all the better, so maybe one day humans from my world and ponies from this world can co-exist together.

“Oh, yes, of course.” said Brain. He checked the map and his list of notes, “Ah, satisfactory; most satisfactory. The, eh… formation I believe is somewhere near the mountaintop.”

With that settled, we flew off for the top of the mountain. The weather was cold, but rather clear without much of a snowfall, and on the way up the mountain I could see The New Crystal Empire in the distance.

I remembered there was some big event going on there, about Cadance and Shining Armor donating royal crown jewels to the museum…

At the Crystal Palace, Lightning and Starla’s Droid had been assigned to help Cadance and Shining Armor with their jewel moving, but also to give them a chance to visit with them and with Flurry Heart.

Krysta stayed at home to keep Starla herself company, and on Lightning’s request.

Cadance and Shining Armor had often let Lightning and Starla help watch over the eight-month old infant to help them prepare for the arrival of their own baby.

Flurry Heart still wore the anti-magic manacle around her horn so she couldn’t accidently cast any magic, and her wings still had the magic patch which blocked any lift so she wouldn’t be able to fly either. These were all careful precautions to help keep the child out of trouble or causing any.

Lightning had just helped change Flurry’s diaper, and he had gotten quite skilled at it by this point-- throwing out the used diaper, powdering and wiping the private spots with a cloth, and putting on the fresh diaper.”

“Aw, there ya go, wittle Flurry.” Lightning cooed at her, and the baby giggled and grabbed his finger playfully.

Cadance smiled, “Thank you, Lightning.” she said, pretending to be her daughter’s voice.

Starla and Shining Armor sighed heavenly at the happy sight. “You guys are going to be great parents.” said Shining Armor.

“Well, not for a few more weeks at least.” said Starla, “Even then I still won’t be able to get back into action.”

“Speaking of action…” said Cadance “How’s the research going into The Elements of Chaos?”

“Not very well.” replied Lightning “We’ve had all our best Equestrian Historians looking into the ancient histories, but they haven’t been able to find a thing. There’s no record of The Elements anywhere.”

Starla nodded and said, “We can’t even try scanning for their energies with our equipment. We don’t know what kind of energy to seek out or if it’s even detectible; a search would be useless.”

The friends all sighed. They all knew that the longer The Elements of Chaos could not be uncovered, the more it meant the planet would suffer from Sienna’s wrath.

Cadance and Shining Armor showed their friends the set of jewels they were going to donate to the village museum.

There were all kinds of jewels, scepters, necklaces, and even an old crown that belonged to Cadance when she was smaller, after she had just been coordinated as a princess, but the crown was too small for her head now, and definitely too big for Flurry’s little head.

“Hmm, I wonder…” Cadance said, and she took the crown and placed on the droid’s head. It was a perfect fit. Then she held up a small jewel-encrusted mirror. “What do you think, Starla?”

Starla really liked how the crowned looked, but she could only answer, “I think it would look much better on my actual head than my droid’s.”

The others all chuckled, but Lightning gawked at the droid lovingly saying, “I think it would look just as beautiful on you too.”

Cadance took the crown back, and Lightning spotted something unusual. A black jeweled pendant. “What’s this?”

“Ooh, careful with that one.” said Shining Armor “That’s an heirloom that’s been passed down in my family for many generations.

It’s handed down from mother to daughter, and Twilight was going to accept it too.” he stopped, and began to look a little sad, remembering his late sister. The others all felt the same, still missing Twilight dearly; a typical moment of sadness and remembrance they all had from time-to-time, to show how much they all really loved Twilight and remembered her well.

Flurry just casually sucked on her rattle, innocently not understanding a thing.

Once the moment of sadness passed for the adults, Cadance said, “We’re donating it to the museum as a memorial for Twilight.”

With all that settled, it was time to load up the crates and sacks and prepare for the small journey through town so that everyone who lived there could see the great event happening.

Little did any of them realize that they were being watched through Omnisha’s crystal-ball. The villains all seemed mesmerized by the sight of the black jewel.

“It is difficult to say.” replied Omnisha “I cannot detect any power surges from it, at least not from here.”

Mako was confused, “But I thought The Elements were supposed to be hidden on the planet.”

Sienna loved how her brother seemed so innocent when it came to seeking treasures. “It’s possible, Mako, that they could have resurfaced. A-thousand years is a long time.”

“Yes…” Sienna cut in, “Go down there and investigate this, and if Starfleet interferes, you know what to do.”

“Yes, Captain.” replied Slash and he walked off clutching his sword, “That jewel is as good as confiscated.”

The Professor and I were chopping away at the mountainside near the top. It was almost difficult to determine what was a precious stone or just chunks of ice, but nothing that could deceive us and our scientific reasoning-- ice broke easily and wasn’t as shiny.

We had already gathered a large bag of solid rock obtained from deep digging. Brain felt most satisfied, “I believe that shall do…” he said “We should head back to our camp setup.”

Brain nodded and fluttered his wings, heading back to camp with the bag of stones we had excavated.

As I gathered up all the digging tools, one of the picks was lodged deep in the ice. I pulled and pulled groaning, “Come on… I got’cha!” Then in one swift yank, I pulled the pick free, unearthing several rocks of ice as well… and falling on my bottom as well. “Ohh…!” I groaned.

Then, I looked back at the spot where I pulled out the pick and saw something unusual buried deep within the ice.

I looked closer, and began to brush away the wall of snow that covered the icy wall revealing more and more of what was buried within the solid layers of ice.

I just stood there for a few moments gawking at what I had just discovered, and then I turned and shouted down the mountain, “PROFESSOR…!! GET UP HERE FAST!!”

The entire Crystal town was cheering and calling out as the royal carriage passed through town on its way to the nearby museum.

Cadance and Shining Armor rode in the carriage with Flurry Heart, while Lightning and Starla’s droid headed the guard escorts.

With so many eyes fixated on the coach, any petty attempts to try and rob it would be foolish.

Once they reached the museum, the royal couple were greeted by the museum curators and asked to please give a speech to the crowds before the jewels would be unloaded.

“This donation is out of the kindness of our hearts.” Cadance announced, “We hope that you will all enjoy the displays of the crown jewels, and especially this...” she held up a single see-through box showing the black jewel, which the crowds awed at.

“This jewel…” Shining Armor said “Has great sentimental value to my family, and I wish for all of you to have a chance to see and enjoy it as well.”

He didn’t announce the ties to Twilight about the jewel to the crowd, not wanting to make everyone feel sad at such a proud moment.

However, Slash was hiding nearby around the corner where no one could see him. Behind him stood a whole swarm of armed Raiders, “Get ready to move out.” he instructed to them. The Raiders all nodded in compliance.

“I need to distract the guards to lure them away from the jewels, and I have just the thing.” he reached down to his belt and pulled off a jema-ite capsule.

When the crowds started to cheer loudly as the jewels were being hauled into the museum… that was his chance…!

He threw the capsule unleashing the creature. It looked rather like a fiendish blue beast, with yellow gems like claws and fangs, and it growled fiercely. “Go!” commanded Slash.

The crates and sacks of jewels were nearly all loaded into the museum. Shining Armor and Cadance saved the black jewel for last as it was that special to them.

Shining Armor could barely contain himself, “If anything happens to that jewel, I could just… scream.”

That’s when other ponies in the crowd really did scream, and Lightning and Starla saw why. “A Jema-Nite!” cried Lightning.

“I’m scanning it now.” said Starla, and the readout from her droid’s visor showed that Barox wasn’t high on defense, but what it lacked there it made up for in speed, stealth and strength! Its claws were strong enough to slice through steel, and could launch its crystal-nails like missiles that could explode on impact.

“Right…!” Cadance agreed, and she dashed off holding the baby in her arms, leaving the jewel in its casing on the podium.

The monster was already running amuck, and Shining Armor ordered some of the guards to help get the civilians to safety.

Shining Armor decided to help out too and got out his insect-mask, “Mask of Saber!” clapping it onto his face and transforming into General Saber. “Let’s take this creep!” he snarled.

“Right… Go!” shouted Lightning, and he and his comrades leapt over to Barox.

“Rock and roll, baby…!” Starla said as she pounded on the remote-control, making her droid rush forth.

“Go get ‘em!” cheered Krysta. Much as she wanted to fly off and join the fight herself, she stayed with Starla as she was told to.

Lightning rushed forth to punch the evil creature, but Barox zipped off and then tried to come in by surprise to slash him from the side, but Lightning zipped off, landing behind him and kicked the monster hard in the back.

“Look out!” cried Starla, and the team all dodged just in time avoiding the explosions.

“I think it’s time we got serious.” said Saber, and he got out his sword and his sickle-and-chain.

While he and the others fought the monsters, the civilians were already escorted to safety by the guards, leaving the area empty and more wide open; exactly what Slash had been waiting for. “Go, Raiders!” he commanded.

The Raiders began to flood out from around the bend, and began to move towards the museum steps where the jewel was.

Cadance had just finished securing Flurry in the royal carriage and instructed the last of the guards to watch over her, when she turned round and saw the evil creatures. “Raiders!” she cried out.

“My family’s jewel…!” Saber cried, but in his distraction, Barox slashed at him hard making sparks fly.

“Saber!” cried Lightning, and he angrily turned to face the monster just as it came at him swinging its claws, which Lightning caught in his arms, engaging in a huge struggle.

The Raiders were moving closer towards the jewel, and there were hardly any guards left to take them on.

“STARLIGHT ARROW”shouted Starla, and she fired her arrows at the Raiders, striking a few of them hard, but many more of them were left.

Starla nodded and rushed forth, sheathing her bow. “Alright, you big brutes…!” she thundered as furiously began to punch, kick and flip the creeps about.

Cadance decided to help out too and got out her Ninja Medalion pendant. “Go, Go Ninja!” and in a bright flash of light, she became The Silent Ninja, and leapt in to help Starla take out the Raiders.

“Thanks a bunch.” Starla called to her, and Cadance, unable to answer vocally, simply gave her a high-thumb.

As the ladies continued to battle with the Raiders, Slash leapt out from the shadows, laughing wickedly as he sprinted over to the jewel.

Slash held the case in his hand and prepared to slash it with his sword to break it open.

“Get him!” shouted Lightning, but he and Saber were held back by the monster, which fired his missiles at them again, striking them hard and knocking them over.

While Starla and Cadance managed to knock out the last of the Raiders, and charged at Slash, he simply fired beams from his sword, knocking them both back hard and they crashed along the ground.

“So much for them!” he jeered, and then he slashed the casing open to inspect the jewel more closely. He was excited at first, but as he looked at it more closely, he was able to angrily deduce, “Hey! This isn’t an Element of Chaos, it’s just a jewel!” his outrage suddenly faded, “No matter, I’m certain Sienna wouldn’t mind my taking it anyway.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” snarled Saber, and he and Cadance lunged at him hard, forcing him to dodge their strikes with the jewel still in his hand, but he was still able to wield his sword in his other hand…!

He and Saber clashed weapons, swiftly, and Cadance punched and kicked at him, while Saber was still able to dodge them easily, and he slashed at Cadance hard, knocking her away.

“Cadance!” cried her husband, and then he was slashed hard too and sent skidding.

Starla and Lightning were both cornered by Barox and couldn’t get through it to get at Slash.

Slash could only laugh cockily as he held up the jewel, “Too bad, runts…!” but suddenly, someone swopped in by surprise and snatched the jewel from him, Mykan Stevens…!

I floated up high thanks to my magic cape and taunted the nasty villain, “Tough luck, and pal!”

Slash was furious, “Why you impudent little…!” he leapt to hack at me, but suspecting he would, I already activated my teleporter, warp off just in time and causing Slash to miss and land back on the ground.

Slash growled and would have jumped for me again when the fighters came rushing in!

“PULSAR LASER”shouted Starla, and Cadance thrust her glowing fists forth creating her Ninja Shockwave.

KAPOW!! A big explosion, and while it missed Slash by several feet, the force of the blasts knocked him over. “I’m outta here!” he shouted, and he teleported back to Sienna’s ship.

Lightning nodded up and me, and then he turned to face Barox, “Now to put this creep on dust!”

“STAR SHOWER”Starla hollered, unleashing her rai on stars all over the creature.

Barox roared and growled angrily, and then fired his gem missiles, but Saber dropped in and whirled his sickle swiftly in circles like a shield, blocking every blast.

Cadance and Lightning then rushed Barox from behind, and the creatures turned and tried to counter attack; slashing his claws from above, only for the two ponies to swerve and causing the creature to sink his huge claws into the ground, trapping him in place.

“Right!” her husband agreed, and he charged up as much of his power as he could,“UNIFORCE!!”and Saber helped him,"STRIDENT SHOCKWAVE"

He blasted the monster hard, blowing it into crystalized dust, and its crystal capsule fell to the ground and shattered away.

I leapt on the roof all giddy with joy cheering, “Yeah! Alright! Woo-hoo…!”

When Slash got back to Sienna, she wasn’t exactly too mad with him, but she was frustrated “So that wasn’t an Element of Chaos?”

“No, Captain, it was just an ordinary treasure.” replied Slash “I tried to bring it back to you, and--”

“Spare me the details.” snapped Sienna “We’re going to keep looking for those elements-- clear?”

After Slash had excused himself, Mako walked up to his sister, almost nervously. He hated it when she was upset like this, and often got scared when she acted low and hissing like that, but when Sienna looked down at him, her scowl faded into a slight and loving grin and she scooted over in her seat letting him climb up alongside her and snuggled into her arms, and she embraced him warmly…

“Oh, brother…!” she groaned softly. It was such an insult to her to see a big bad treasure hunter like Sienna getting all cuddly like that, but she knew that Sienna cared for Mako deeply, and wouldn’t dare protest.

I handed Shining Armor the jewel back, and he was ever so grateful I saved it for him. “Mykan, I don’t know how to thank you enough.” he said to me.

I just smiled and shook my head, “Forget it. You guys already got Slash off my back. I couldn’t have done that myself.”

“How come you’re here anyway?” asked Lightning “We’re you supposed to be with Professor Brain in the mountains?”

Cadance and Shining Armor stayed to take care of Flurry Heart, as well as load the last of their jewels into the museum.

With that, Lightning and Starla stood close to me, and then I teleported us all back to the mountaintop where Professor Brain had spent the entire time examining the body.

It was the body of a normal four-legged pony; a greyish middle-aged unicorn with a white mustache, mane and tail. He wasn’t elderly. He was dressed in an old ancient knight’s garb and armor. His cutie mark was that of sword embedded in a castle like tower. He even carried a small sack on his back, which seemed to be bulging, indicating contents.

Lightning was more fascinated by his head, “He’s got a rare golden horn!” he exclaimed softly. All of us gazed in awe at that.

Brain and I were inclined to agree, and as we examined the body through the ice Professor Brain deduced, “Judging by his ancient-styled, and the… er… design of this clothing, I would estimate he had been frozen some over one-thousand years ago.”

“A thousand years?” Lightning pondered. He didn’t think he could believe it, ever since The Great War five years go, and when Equestria was destroyed and United Equestria was formed.

How the ice and the body remained in tack or was restored was a real mystery, but nothing really to think about now.

A long moment of silence followed, and Starla scanned through the ice at the body with her visor.

Starla continued to scan, “…I don’t believe it!” she murmured “I’m getting vital signs; extremely weak, but… they’re there.”

Everyone agreed, and with that, Lightning began to use the uniforce in very small streams to heat and melt the ice away.

“Steady on there, Lightning.” said Brain “His bones may be extremely fragile from being encased for so long.”

Keeping this in mind, Lightning merely cut through the ice so that the body could be removed safely from the mountainside.

Once there, the lab ponies went positively ballistic with astonishment, and even their royal majesties were astounded.

The rest of the ice was melted away, and the body was placed in a tube of green liquid, which would help restore all vitals and hopefully revive the pony back to life again.

There was nothing much they could all do now but wait and hope for him to awaken.

Celestia observed the pony’s knight clothes, “There’s no mistaking it. He is an ancient Equestrian Guard. I recognize these garbs and armor anywhere from our ancient history books.”

Luna agreed, and added “Perhaps… he was a guard in the service of our mother?”

Everyone felt incredibly astonished, and Celestia… she felt a little strange inside.

Still, whatever or whoever all this was or meant, it would all have to wait for another time… at least until the pony woke up.

(Promo)

In our next episode: The Batlings strike again, turning more innocent ponies into bat like hybrids, and when Fluttershy tries to appeal to the bat’s gentleness, she, too gets infected, forcing her friends and Rhymey to battle her.

How can will the ponies be able to deal with the Batlings, and will Fluttershy be doomed to remain as their slave?

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

(Next Episode: “Flutterbat Alter-Nate”)

My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season VII

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 4: Northern Fights