My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic (Season IX)

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 2: Once Upon a Nightmare

Late one night, Starla looked incredibly beat as she sat at her desk while she looking over reports and approving of schedules, sessions, requests; like a General should.

No sooner did she complete one large stack of papers, then did she had two more even larger stacks, which had only come in that day and added to others that came pouring over the weeks, to read and mark.

Lightning looked over his own pile of reports and documents, and he didn’t seem as tired as his wife, mostly because he had been Commander for a long time and was used to all the work.

“Take a pep-pill, honey. That’ll help you keep awake.” he suggested.

His wife yawned, but complied and a few minutes later after taking the pill she felt a little better.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all this. I may not even have time to do any of my stargazing again.”

“Don’t worry, you will… get used to it at least, but it’s a lot of work. I had to give up my old job as a community helper when I was promoted.”

Starla felt really bad and looked over at one of her telescopes by the window, which had been left unused for some time since her promotion.

Still, she knew now was not the time to worry about a silly hobby, or a job that was less important than now.

One especially important thing both they and all their friends were waiting for was information regarding their new enemies: The Devils.

Grand Ruler Celesto believed he had some clues and answers and was researching even now as they all worked, and told everyone to standby to await a briefing.

“Two days, and so far nothing.” grumbled Starla.

Lightning felt the same, and he was especially concerned about the last battle, and how everyone facing the monster and Dearka all together only seemed to make the enemies stronger.

“Whatever happens, I just hope we can be ready for it.”

Starla agreed.

Then they both heard Shining Light beginning to cry from his crib upstairs.

Lightning got up, but Starla insisted, “No, no, let me. Like you said, I have to get used to all this extra duty.” and she went upstairs to tend to their son.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie found herself standing in a field of lush green grass and beautiful flowers with a warm mist tickling her coat.

Suddenly, up ahead, she could see him, Dearka. Without his mask on, and he wasn’t choking nor was his flesh burning.

He looked just as handsome as ever, and he winked at her, making her go all soft and light.

“Hi, Pinkie.” he called to her in a deep soothing voice, “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”

Pinkie felt like melting, but instead she leapt way up high into the air, and when she came back down again, instead of landing on the soft grass…

…She crashed on the hard floor after falling out of bed, waking herself up.

She wasn’t hurt of course, due to her strong endurance, but The Cakes and their kids came into her room.

“Are you okay, Pinkie?” called Carrot Cake.

“We heard a loud crash.” added Cupcake.

They all saw Pinkie getting up and feeling a little silly, “I… I fell out of bed.”

The Cakes dismissed it as a dream, but the kids couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Alright, children, back to bed.” said their mother, and she led the twins along the hall.

Carrot took another glance at Pinkie as she just sat on her bed, with that dazed and soft look on her face wondering what had come over her.

Miles and miles away in New Canterlot, Celestia was in bed by herself as Grand Ruler was still up late catching up on some desperately needed work-- gathering information about The Devils.

Celestia began to cringe and toss about in her sleep.

She dreamed about herself becoming increasingly hot and sweaty, from inside her own body, and a mysterious voice, identical to her own, called out to her.

“Can you feel the heat? Give into it, let it burn within you!”

Great walls of fire began to burst up all around her, and she began to run for it, but the voice continued to taunt her, “There’s nowhere you can run. You know you can’t resist it.

You know what you really want!”

“Who are you?” Celestia called back “Leave me alone!”

Two hot, flaming eyes appeared over the blazing inferno, and glowed like the sun as evil laughter was heard.

“You know fully-well who I am, and the time has come for you to stop this little game you have and embrace your true nature.”

The evil eyes loomed right over Celestia, flaming brighter and brighter and consuming Celestia.

“Ah!!” she yelped as she bolted upright in bed, panting and wet with sweat.

“Celestia!” cried Grand Ruler, who had just come into the room about to adjourn to bed when she awoke “What is it?”

She shut her eyes, catching her breath and wiped her brow. “What a nightmare. I’ve never had one so horrifying.”

She reached over to the nightstand beside the bed and poured herself a cup of cool water, but she still seemed hot and sweaty.

Her husband felt her forehead and she felt very warm. “I hope you’re not coming down with something.”

“I feel fine, really.”

While Grand Ruler wasn’t entirely convinced, he agreed to take her word for it.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked as he climbed into bed next to her.

She looked upon him with love, “No, no. I’m fine. It was just a dream.

How was your research?”

“I would say marvellous, but I’m afraid what we’ve discovered is all the opposite, but I will tell you tomorrow at the briefing, I’ve already sent the messages to Lightning and the others.

Right now we must sleep.”

His wife agreed and they shared a loving peck as they snuggled comfortably under the covers.

Then somewhere in the night, she began to dream again as that voice called to her, “Feel the heat, and let the day shine forth!”

Evil laughter echoing amongst the flames…

…Celestia awoke again, but in a soft gasp and her eyes snapped open.

Again she was hot and sweaty, and poured herself more water.

She was too afraid to go back to sleep again and just lay awake in bed, until she naturally drifted off to sleep out of weariness.

She was very groggy the next morning, especially at the breakfast table.

Castor and Leilani were playing with their pancakes, arranging the berries and chocolate chips to make funny faces, or monsters and they roared and growled.

While their Father and Aunt Luna found it amusing, Grand Ruler informed them, “Children, what have we talked about playing with your food?”

“Sorry, Father.” they said innocently, and they began to eat like good children.

Luna then noticed Celestia had hardly touched a bite, and was looking as though she hadn’t slept all night.

“Are you alright, sister?” she asked out of concern.

Celestia looked up and snapped sternly, “Why does everyone keep asking me that?!”

Everyone at the table gawked at her, and her children looked frightened, almost one the verge of tears, and Celestia realized what she had just done.

“Oh, please forgive me!” she begged, especially to the children “I didn’t mean to snap like that. I’m so very sorry.”

Grand Ruler felt his wife’s forehead again, and she still felt a little warm like she did in the night.

“Are you sick, Mother?” asked Castor.

“No, dear, I feel fine, but I am tired. I didn’t sleep well.”

“Even still,” Grand Ruler said “I want you to go and see the court physician.”

Celestia tried to protest, but he wouldn’t have it.

“I agree too,” said Luna “You should be checked over, sister.”

Celestia couldn’t argue, and agreed to go see the doctor at once, but she stopped a moment to hug and peck her children dearly. “I love you both very much. Never forget that.”

“We love you two, Mother.” said Leilani.

Celestia pecked them both again before leaving.

The children felt worried for her, until Princess Luna informed them, “Come along children, it’s time for school.”

The children agreed and hugged their father, and he saw them off with a smile as Luna led them to the exit.

She stopped a minute to ask her brother-in-law, “What of the meeting today with the team?”

“I shall handle it myself,” he paused “But I still wonder what’s bothering Celestia.”

As Celestia had her examination, the doctor had deduced that her body temperature was a little higher than normal, but nothing out of any ordinary symptoms.

“Apart from the exhaustion, your majesty is as healthy as… well, a horse.” he chuckled, but Celestia was far from amused and yawned sleepily.

The doctor then had an idea, and remembering what she had told him of having nightmares…

“If your majesty agrees, I’d like to try and experiment.”

“What is it?” she asked groggily.

She soon found herself lying down comfortably in a bed in a scanning chamber, where she was told to simply sleep, and the doctor and his team would monitor her status.

Celestia was almost out like a light as she was that tired and the meds were watching all the screens and scanning.

So far, all was normal and quiet.

Soon, all the ponies had arrived, and were making their way for the main throne room, after dropping the babies off at the royal daycare.

“Thanks for taking us, Krysta.” said Lightning.

“Hey, it’s what I do.” Krysta said with a smile, and she looked over at her son Twink, who was now about eight years old. “I thought it would help him learn to develop his teleporting abilities.”

Twink giggled, “That was fun. Can we do it again?”

The others all chuckled, and Krysta sent him off to the daycare as well, promising to come pick him up later.

Along their way to the throne room to meet with their majesties, Artie stopped and noticed someone going down the hall carrying a load of towels from the royal laundry-- Sunset Shimmer.

It was noted that this was not the original Sunset Shimmer from their world, but rather the counterpart of her that used to live in the Human World, who came here to live in the Magical World to start a new life, and for the past two months since then she had lived in the palace as a mere laundry servant while she learned about the world around her.

She was not permitted to leave the palace due to her not being adapted to or understanding the way the world around her worked.

Sunset looked out of the corner of her eye and saw him gazing at her, and she felt a little warm inside, and in her distraction she bumped into the corner of the wall while making a turn, and nearly dropped the clean laundry.

Artie would have rushed over to her had she not regained her balance quickly, and then she just walked off, but not before looking back at him out of the corner of her eye.

Fluttershy and Applejack thought it sweet that Artie had a crush on her.

“Focus people,” said Lightning “We’re here for a briefing, not to give in to romances.”

Lightning was also aware of Artie’s crush on Sunset, and while he thought it sweet, he didn’t want anyone slipping at a time like this.

Soon, they were all standing before Grand Ruler and bowed to him.

“Good, you’re all here.” he said to them.

“Where is Queen Celestia?” asked Starla.

“I’m afraid she won’t be joining us, she had… something to take care of.”

He was not up to telling them that she was being examined in the Sick Bay, not wishing to cause a panic, especially considering what he had to tell them anyway.

“Now, listen closely.” he said standing up.

He then looked down at the space alicorns and held up a familiar looking tome.

“The Ancient Chronicle.” said Lightning.

He and the other space ponies remembered it well-- the tome that Grand Ruler had recorded many stories and historical findings from his great travels across the cosmos for over a millennium.

The Equestrians had heard of the book, but this was their first time actually seeing it.

“You mean it has the answers about our new enemy?” asked Rainbow.

“Well, not all the answers,” replied his majesty “We had been researching a while and came up with nothing, but this does tell us who they are and what we’re up against.”

He cleared his throat and explained to the team…

“Many millennia ago, in a galaxy on the other side of our universe, there lived a great goddess named Agapi, who ruled a mighty and glorious empire where the light and the love could never have been brighter or stronger.

Her people knew nothing but blissful peace, love, and life, and wished that their world remain just that way, and they would venture forth across the cosmos and share their love and joy with anyone who would accept it.

However, there also lived in that very galaxy a dark and wicked creature named, Von Devilor who was King of an army known as “The Devils.”

They believed that darkness and hatred was the true key to strength, power, and sought to dominate Agapi’s empire.

Eventually, the two forces met, and Von-Devilor’s sinister forces triumphed over Agapi, with her empire in ruins and her forces all destroyed.

Though her kingdom was forever lost to the darkness, Agapi used the last of her power to curse Von Devilor and his entire army, trapping them all in a dark dimension so that their evil would never spread.

As of what happened to Agapi, herself, no one knows. She believed to have perished, while many more believed otherwise, but there was never any evidence to suggest either claim.”

There was nothing more to be said from the chronicle, but the team was aghast.

“Hating love and light,” sneered Rarity “That has to be the most wretched thing I’ve ever heard.”

Grand Ruler agreed, “Obviously, from the reports we’ve had and the recent battle all of you took part in, The Devils have found some way to break back into our world, and are attempting to destroy all love that exists anywhere.

Anyone who loves…

Anyone who is capable of loving…

But most primarily: happy, loving couples who are about to be wed.”

Everyone’s bloods turned cold, and it certainly explained why all the couples in the park were targeted and cursed.

Buddy angrily clenched his fists, “I’ve fought my share of baddies, but this has got to be the lowest, sickest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Artie agreed, “From now on, it means that no one is safe. You can’t just stop loving or tone it down any time you choose.”

“It’s worse than that,” said Lightning “From the reports, it’s not just here that’s in trouble, but The Devils can appear anywhere around the entire galaxy, maybe the universe.

Who knows whom they’ve already hurt or destroyed, and who knows where they’ll strike next?

Even with our many outposts across space, there’s no way for even Starfleet to everywhere and ready for such sudden attacks.”

Grand Ruler looked deeply concerned, having never faced enemies like this before and knowing what they were capable of.

Pinkie thought deeply, about Dearka, and how he was one of these Devils. “How can someone so incredibly handsome fight for such a horrible cause?” she thought.

“Pinkie Pie…!” Grand Ruler called to her, snapping her out of trance, “Are you quite alright?”

“Um… yes, I’m fine, sire.”

Everyone looked at Pinkie with deep concern, knowing she had been acting unusual since the battle.

“We need to make decisions,” said Rainbow “…How do we deal with these guys?”

Spike recalled during the battle against Dearka and the Leonizer “As we were all fighting, the villains only seemed to get stronger.”

“Exactly right,” said Lightning “I’ve had this assumption since then as well, and it only seems to point to one thing. The Devils are dark and spiteful creatures, hatred only strengthens them.

The more we were all fighting together, at once, the more anger and hatred we were emitting. We can’t help these natural emotions when we battle.”

Rhymey agreed,

“Which means, the fewer of us there are to fight
The less power there will be to increase the villains might.

But that still puts us all in a terrible spot,
Who knows how strong they’ll be, or what they’ve got.”

“He’s right,” agreed Fluttershy “We barely managed to get out of that last fight because Lightning faced the monster alone.”

“And don’t forget the civilians,” added Dyno “They were all cursed to fight with The Devils, and that boosted their strengths too.”

Myte agreed, “We weren’t even able to heal them with our weapons. That darkness was unlike anything we had ever seen.”

The more and more everyone seemed to talk about it, the grimmer the situation was becoming, and the more the planet and the entire galaxy seemed to be in danger.

They couldn’t stop anyone from loving, and they couldn’t just forbid dating, weddings and all that stuff either.

“I think we’re all forgetting something.” said Krysta “Those Devils want to destroy all love, right? And they want to hurt those who are giving vast amounts of it, right?”

Grand Ruler pondered, “I’m beginning to see your ideal, Krysta.”

Applejack caught onto the idea too, but she was non-too-thrilled, “Are you suggesting that was draw The Devils in towards us?”

“There’s no other way. I know it’ll mean putting lots of our own people at risk, but if we don’t, think all the countless of other lifeforms out there that will get hurt.”

Everyone pondered deeply over the idea, and it simply tore them up inside.

Lightning then slammed the table softly with his hand and stood up, “I see no questioning it. We’ll have to risk it.”

Starla gazed up at him, but she was inclined to agree. “I don’t feel comfortable about putting our planet at risk, but at least it’ll give us a chance to learn more about The Devils and find a way to ultimately stop them.”

Grand Ruler cringed softly with such emotional concern. “Very well,” he decided “But the public must not be informed of this, it will cause too much panic, which I fear will give our enemies a great edge in this war.”

Everyone saluted, signifying their compliance.

Celestia, still asleep and still being monitored, was starting to toss and turn.

“Doctor!” cried the nurse “Levels starting to rise.”

The doctor observed the screens, and indeed, Celestia’s temperature was rising steadily, and her agitation levels were already at an all-time high.

There was no doubt she was having a nightmare, but the doctor was baffled, “Even someone who is sick wouldn’t have their temperature increase from a simple nightmare.”

“Shall I wake her?” asked the nurse.

“Yes, please do.”

While inside Celestia’s nightmare, that same evil force was coming for her.

“Stop being a fool!” it hissed at her “You know this is what you’ve always wanted, and it can all be yours!”

“No!” cried Celestia “No, I won’t let you! I won’t do this! Do you hear me?!”

“Then why are you getting weaker all the time? You can’t silence the truth no matter how much you dislike it!”

Celestia could feel it-- the heat, the power consume her, and she screamed as she was engulfed in it all!!

Just as the nurse was about to wake her, her eyes snapped wide open, and blazing like with fiery flames, and her mane was starting to change-- enveloped in flames.

“Your majesty!” cried the doctor.

Celestia then bolted straight up out of bed, shoving the nurse hard into the doctor.

“Call security!” shouted the doctor.

One of the other nurses sounded the alarm.

“Big mistake!” sneered Celestia, and her horn began to glow with a flaming aura, and she was about to attack, when she was suddenly ambushed by guards that arrived not a moment too soon.

The guards tackled her and forced her into the ground, but the heat from her mane and body scorched them to the touch, allowing her to push them off of her.

Celestia snickered wickedly, “Do you really think you can stand up to me?”

She readied herself to attack again, and blow the entire room to ash, when she suddenly clutched her head moaning and wailing, “No! You… can’t… hold me… back!”

Grand Ruler and the others had just rushed into the Sick Bay, having heard the alarms earlier, just in time to see it all.

In a big bright flash, Celestia turned back to normal, and she collapsed on the floor.

“Celestia!” cried Grand Ruler as he dashed over and scooped his wife up into his arms. She felt very warm, almost as if she had been sitting in an oven.

“What happened to her?” asked Lightning.

The doctor explained as best he could…

“…I’ve never seen anything so… so… unexplainable!”

“She just turned into some flaming creature?” asked Fluttershy.

“That would explain all the burn marks around here.” said Applejack.

Everyone felt deeply concerned for Celestia, but she seemed alright now, especially when she slowly began to open her eyes.

“Oh…!” she groaned, and she looked up into her husband’s eyes, “Celesto…?” then she looked frightened, tearful even, “It’s awful! It’s dangerous!”

“Shh, Shh… steady, darling.” Grand Ruler said as he held her close. “It’s alright now. You’ll be okay.” he hoped I would be alright.

Once Celestia finally gathered her strength to get up, even she saw fit to explain about her nightmares.

“And you said this voice, this evil,” said Lightning, “It keeps coming after you every time you dream?”

Celestia nodded, “That’s the third time it’s happened since last night, but what is it? What’s happening to me?”

“I believe I know what it is.” said Princess Luna. She was standing in the doorway, and had dashed from her daily sleep when the alarms sounded.

“I could not help but overhear, but I did not really have to.”

She slowly approached everyone, her sister in particular.

“Princess Luna, what do you know about this?” asked Grand Ruler.

Luna spoke softly but deeply, “For a long time I had my suspicions, and now it seems they are being answered.”

She paused and looked at everyone, “Do you all recall of how I became and unleashed the evil Nightmare Moon?”

“How could we all forget?” asked Rarity.

The Equestrians all remembered the evil things that demonic pony had done.

They and the Starfleet ponies all remembered when Super Nightmare Moon was born, and her involvement in The Great War.

“Wait.” said Starla and she gawked at Luna, and then over to Celestia. “Are you saying that…?” she paused, and Luna regretfully nodded “I believe there can be no questioning of it now.”

She looked at her sister, “Just as I had a great and terrible evil force lurking within myself, as my sister and I are of the same bloodline, she must possess a similar force within herself.”

Celestia clutched herself with worry. Celesto gawked at his wife with concern, while all the others felt deeply upset about this.

“There’s a Nightmare Moon inside of Celestia,” peeped Fluttershy “And it’s trying to escape?”

“Actually, she’s called “Daybreaker.” said Celestia “I felt part of her thoughts as she tried to control me, and I’m pretty sure I know now what she wants.

Just as Nightmare Moon desired to rule with an Eternal Night and Darkness, Daybreaker must desire the opposite-- an endless rule of eternal daylight.”

“We can’t have that.” said Buddy “It would be far too dangerous to have non-stop daylight. All that sunlight focussing on us so hard, it would shrivel the planet into a dust-cloud, and we’d all be ashes along with it.”

Everyone shuddered such a dreadful though, and picturing the planet overheating and roasting away.

Rhymey looked at his queen,

“We can’t let this evil take over you.
There must be something we can do.”

Celestia already felt skeptical, “I don’t know why this is all suddenly surfacing. I just know that it happens whenever I dream.”

“That is a problem,” said Spike “We can’t choose when, how, or even what we dream. They choose us.”

Grand Ruler decided it best they continue to monitor Celestia’s condition, “We’ll find some way to keep Daybreaker at bay.” He paused and looked at Celestia “I just want you to promise me that you’ll not try anything rash. We don’t want the situation becoming suddenly worse.”

Celestia more than agreed, but everyone was certain that this was going to be a long and dangerous road ahead, as well as with The Devils on the loose.

(Promo)